PHOENIX - Authorities have concluded that Tucson police officers used an appropriate amount of force in a violent struggle three months ago with a man who died while resisting arrest and told officers several times that he couldnt breathe.

The Tucson Police Department on Wednesday revealed for the first time that 29-year-old Damien Alvarado died on March 22 as officers were trying to arrest him for fleeing from the scene of a hit-and-run crash on foot.

The agency said it previously wasnt in the practice of doing news releases on such deaths, but in the future will publicly disclose them and release videos of those incidents within 72 hours. It also released videos of other in-custody deaths Wednesday.

Alvarado struck two vehicles in an intersection before exiting his car and running to a church parking lot, where two men tried to prevent him from fleeing until police arrived, according to police reports.

The videos show Alvarado struggle with the men and officers, trying to scale a cinder block wall, being forced to the ground and ignoring officers commands to calm down. An officer shot Alvarado with a stun gun, but he kept moving.

Medical examiners determined Alvarados cause of death was cardiac arrest while intoxicated on methamphetamine and being physically restrained.

Efforts to reach the Alvarado family by phone for comment on the police departments conclusions were unsuccessful.

During the struggle, police say, Alvarado grabbed a pistol magazine from an officers belt, and an officer punched Alvarado three times with no apparent effect.

Alvarado yelled at officers during the incident, told them not to touch him and can be heard moaning as paramedics tended to him. At one point, an officer can be seen pressing a knee on either Alvarados neck or upper back as officers tried to control him.

I cant breathe, Alvarado later told officers.

If you can complain, you can breathe, an officer responded.

Some officers used profane language in asking Alvarado to co-operate and one of them used an expletive to refer to Alvarado.

Paramedics initially cleared Alvarado to be brought back to jail but had to be called back to the scene after his breathing became shallow and he became unresponsive. Officers and paramedics performed CPR on Alvarado, who was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

Prosecutors are reviewing the case to determine whether criminal charges should be brought. The police department said the comments that the officers made during the arrest attempt violated the agencys policies and that they could face discipline.

Two weeks ago, the Tucson Police Department acknowledged that it had failed to disclose another in-custody death.

Carlos Ingram-Lopez, 27, died on April 21 while handcuffed, placed face-down and covered with a thin blanket after police responded to a call from his grandmother, who said he had been acting erratically at her home.

The medical examiners office didnt determine a manner of death but said Ingram-Lopez died of sudden cardiac arrest while intoxicated by cocaine and physically restrained.

The death of Ingram-Lopez led three officers who violated departmental policy to resign.

Kevin Hall, an assistant police chief in Tucson, said the move to release videos on a timely basis was part of the changes at police agencies across the country since George Floyd died on May 25 in Minneapolis.

Message received loud and clear, and we have changed our procedures moving forward, Hall said.
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Linkedin Mardika Parama (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 10, 2020 19:24 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406657a872 1 Business BP-Tapera,housing,government,tapera,APINDO Free

The management body of the public housing savings program (BP Tapera) has estimated that it will collect and manage Rp 60 trillion (US$4.1 billion) by 2024, mostly to fund housing for people working for government institutions.

BP Tapera commissioner Adi Setianto reasserted on Thursday that in the initial phase until 2024, the body would only register employees of government institutions as participants of the housing savings program, which requires employers and workers to contribute to a mortgage loan scheme similar to universal healthcare insurance.

The program is expected to have 13.1 million registered participants by 2024, which will consist of civil servants, state-owned and region-owned enterprise employees, Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel, and National Police (Polri) personnel.

Based on our projection, we could collect Rp 60 trillion of long-term funding, Adi said during a hearing with House of Representatives Commission V.

The government has laid out a goal to increase the home ownership rate to 70 percent, from the current 56.7 percent, in the 2020-2024 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN). It is part of the governments strategy to resolve the housing backlog, which stood at 7.6 million in 2014.

While the Indonesian government has an existing 1 million houses program, which has contributed 4.8 million houses to the country since its inception in 2015 up to 2019, it has been struggling to continue the programs funding.

Based on Public Works and Housing Ministry data, the government will need Rp 557 trillion to resolve the housing backlog over the next five years. Tapera funding is expected to finance the development of 500,000 houses over the next five years.

However, Tapera has drawn a backlash from employers and labor unions as the program is seen as burdensome.

Based on Government Regulation No. 25/2020 on Tapera, signed by President Joko Jokowi Widodo on May 20, the membership for the program is compulsory for all workers.

The regulation requires participants to make a monthly deposit equal to 3 percent of the employees monthly salary, which is split between the employer and employee for private sector workers, with the employee paying 2.5 percent and the employer paying 0.5 percent.

Adi reasserted that private companies were exempt from the compulsory registration for the next seven years and that BP Tapera would only focus on government institution workers prior to the deadline. He added that the government had held a discussion with Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) chairman Hariyadi Sukamdani.

We agreed to focus on the registration of civil servants, TNI and Polri personnel, Adi said.

BP Tapera is set to replace the Housing Savings Advisory Board for Civil Servants (Bapertarum-PNS), with the latter expected to hand over its assets totaling Rp 12.3 trillion to the former.

Bapertarum-PNS has a total of 6.7 million participants, both active civil servants and retirees. BP Tapera will focus on managing the transfer of participants from Bapertaperum-PNS until 2021, which Adi said would amount to 4.2 million participants by this year.

The government has injected Rp 2.5 trillion into BP Tapera so far for the agencys operational expenditure.

We are currently in the process of Bapertarum-PNS asset liquidation, and will disburse the agencys liquidated assets to the active-duty civil servants, Adi said.

Apindo chairman Hariyadi Sukamdani said in early June that the government should utilize the existing social security program, the Workers Social Security Agency (BPJS Ketenagakerjaan), which already has a legal basis for helping to fund home ownership.

We already have old-age benefits [JHT] that are included in BPJS Ketenagakerjaan that could be used to purchase homes. Why do we need another program that requires us to pay even more, when we already have a similar program? Hariyadi told The Jakarta Post in an interview.
YEREVAN, JULY 10, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian held a telephone conversation with President of the Supreme Judicial Council Ruben Vardazaryan, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

President Sarkissian offered his congratulations and wishes to the judicial system and judges, the staff of the Court of Cassation, stating that the fair judiciary, which enjoys the peoples trust, is the pillar for the development and stability of each country.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump commuted the sentence of his longtime confidant Roger Stone on Friday, using the extensive powers of the presidency to protect a felon and political ally while also lashing out against a years-long probe into Russia's interference in the 2016 U.S. election.

The move, which the White House announced in a lengthy and pugnacious statement, is the latest attempt by Trump to discredit special counsel Robert Mueller III's investigation after it consumed much of his presidency.

While the commutation was celebrated by Trump's most stalwart supporters, the muted response by Republican lawmakers and Stone's own history as a self-described "dirty trickster" indicated that the president's decision to interfere with the nation's justice system could be fraught with political risk.

Trump, who has declared himself the president of "law and order" in recent weeks, used his unique presidential authority to undermine the unanimous finding by a jury that Stone broke the law multiple times by lying to Congress and obstructing justice.

For a president who sparked a special counsel probe by firing an FBI director in the middle of an investigation and was later impeached for attempting to pressure a foreign government to investigate his political rival, the move to grant Stone clemency underscored his continued willingness to disrupt the nation's legal and political norms just months before an election.

"Roger Stone is a victim of the Russia Hoax that the Left and its allies in the media perpetuated for years in an attempt to undermine the Trump Presidency," White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said in a statement Friday that ended with the exclamation: "Roger Stone is a free man!"

More for you Trump can't block all access to records

While the 643-word statement recited a litany of Trump supporters' complaints about Stone's "unfair prosecution, arrest, and trial" - including several complaints about the media - the commutation leaves Stone's conviction standing. Unlike a pardon, which would have absolved the GOP operative of any wrongdoing, the White House action only lifted Stone's punishment, a 40-month prison sentence set to begin Tuesday.

In so doing, the White House cited Stone's age, 67, saying it would put him at medical risk in prison while he continues his appeals.

Stone "maintains his innocence and has stated that he expects to be fully exonerated by the justice system. Mr. Stone, like every American, deserves a fair trial and every opportunity to vindicate himself before the courts. The President does not wish to interfere with his efforts to do so," the White House said.

Democrats quickly slammed the decision as yet another attempt by Trump to undermine the nation's justice system by protecting his friends and seeking to punish his enemies.

Bill Russo, a spokesman for former vice president Joe Biden's presidential campaign, took issue with both the substance and the timing of the commutation.

"President Trump has once again abused his power, releasing this commutation on a Friday night, hoping to yet again avoid scrutiny as he lays waste to the norms and the values that make our country a shining beacon to the rest of the world," he said in a statement. "He will not be shamed. He will only be stopped when Americans make their voice heard at the ballot box this fall. Enough."

Trump's clemency move, which went against the recommendation of his own Justice Department, is the latest sign of dysfunction within an administration that has received poor marks for its failure to control the coronavirus pandemic.

The president signaled his intentions on Twitter last month, saying Stone "was a victim of a corrupt and illegal Witch Hunt" and "can sleep well at night!" President Trump then told reporters Friday that he is "looking at" pardoning Stone, as he continued to build suspense over whether he will intervene before Stone is scheduled to report to prison next week.

"Well, I'll be looking at it," Trump said Friday, before traveling to south Florida for events including a fundraiser in Fort Lauderdale where Stone is living. "I think Roger Stone was very unfairly untreated, as were many people."

Stone was sentenced to three years and four months in prison after being convicted of seven felony counts including lying about his attempts to get details from Hillary Clinton's private emails from the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks, then threatening a witness who could contradict his story.

He had been ordered to report to prison by July 14. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson had given Stone a two-week delay to quarantine before traveling from south Florida to the prison Jessup, Ga. But she denied the two month reprieve that Stone had requested with prosecutors' assent.

An appeals court Friday evening also rejected Stone's attorneys' renewed request for a delay in his prison reporting date, ruling they had failed to show why the reporting date was inappropriate or that he was likely to win an appeal for a new trial or reduced sentence. Stone's defense earlier Friday, echoing Trump's attacks against Stone's treatment by prosecutors, argued that 20 inmates at Jessup have tested positive for the virus in the past two weeks, up from zero, according to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

Stone has argued the judge and jury in his case were biased against him. Jackson rejected that claim in April, saying Stone's argument that the forewoman's anti-Trump political views rendered the verdict against him invalid "is not supported by any facts or data and it is contrary to controlling legal precedent." Stone appealed her ruling to a higher court.

The Trump administration's intervention in Stone's case has roiled the Justice Department and the federal judiciary. Trump has repeatedly attacked the prosecutors, judge and jury. Trump also sent tweets suggesting that "everyone" involved in prosecuting the case could be sued.

All four of the prosecutors who handled the case withdrew after Barr publicly overruled their recommendation that Stone serve seven to nine years in prison. The suggestion of a more lenient sentence came after Trump complained about the initial recommendation, raising questions about White House interference in the independence of the Justice Department.

More than 2,000 former Justice Department employees subsequently signed a public letter urging Barr to resign, and the head of the Federal Judges Association called an emergency meeting to discuss the situation.

Barr went on to intervene in the case of another former administration staffer, moving in May to drop charges against Michael Flynn. Trump's first national security adviser had pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI, but has now sought to reverse his conviction after claiming prosecutors mishandled his case.

"At the time, I thought that the handling of the Stone case, with senior officials intervening to recommend a lower sentence for a longtime ally of President Trump, was a disastrous mistake that the department would not make again," Jonathan Kravis, one of the prosecutors wrote, having left the Justice Department over the Stone decision. "I was wrong."

A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit recently ruled that Judge Emmet Sullivan must accept the Department of Justice's decision. Sullivan this week asked for a review of the 2-1 decision by a full panel of the appeals court.

Stone's conviction was the last obtained in Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election. At trial last September, prosecutors asserted Stone lied to Congress to protect Trump from embarrassment, making the president and his campaign a key component in their case.

In arguments and testimony, prosecutors revealed a series of phone calls at critical times in 2016 among Stone, Trump and some of the highest-ranking officials in the Trump campaign: Stephen Bannon, campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his deputy Rick Gates.

Gates and Bannon testified that the campaign viewed Stone as a sort-of conduit to WikiLeaks who claimed - even before the Russian hacking was known - to have insider information. Gates testified that he overheard a phone call in which Trump seemed to discuss WikiLeaks with Stone, calling into question the president's assertion to Mueller's office that he did not remember talking about the organization with his longtime friend.

Prosecutors buttressed the witness testimony with call and message records, which they said helped show that Stone's claims to the House Intelligence Committee were false.

Stone's defense team urged jurors to treat his case as a referendum not on him but on Mueller's entire Russia investigation.

Stone's attorneys urged jurors to reframe the question from whether Stone lied to whether that mattered, asserting that his hectic efforts to get information from WikiLeaks never amounted to anything.

"So much of this case deals with that question that you need to ask . . . so what?" defense attorney Bruce Rogow said.

"There was nothing illegal about the campaign being interested in information that WikiLeaks was going to be sending out," Rogow said.

"If that's the state of affairs that we're in, I'm pretty shocked," Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Marando told jurors in closing arguments, saying, "Truth matters. Truth still matters."

In Mueller's report, the special counsel included Trump's interactions with Stone among examples of potential obstruction. The report noted the during the investigation Trump commended Stone for having the "guts" to say that he would not testify against the President, and called his friend "very brave." Mueller said evidence supported the inference that Trump intended to signal that he would reward witnesses who could implicate him for their silence.

- - -

The Washington Post's Manuel Roig-Franzia and John Wagner contributed to this report.
Brillio, a leading digital technology consulting and solutions company, today announced the acquisition of Cognetik, a data and insights company with deep expertise in improving digital experiences for its customers. Cognetik enables companies across the globe, including Facebook, Pizza Hut and McDonalds to build and implement analytics solutions that optimize customer experience to increase loyalty, drive revenue and advance business transformation. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The acquisition of Cognetik strengthens Brillios strategy to become the leading digital technology service provider in the world. The deal comes at an opportune time, when more than 75% of CEOs are looking to accelerate their companys digital transformation, according to a new Fortune 500 survey.

Raj Mamodia, Founder and CEO of Brillio, said, Were thrilled to welcome Cognetik to the Brillio family. This marks a significant milestone in Brillios growth journey, which continues its forward momentum even in a challenging market. The industry depth and experience Cognetik brings in advanced analytics, particularly in the areas of customer experience personalization and web analytics , along with Brillios existing strength in data science and data engineering, will ensure our customers leverage insights from data and become more relevant than ever.

Cognetiks expertise further enhances Brillios analytics business, which has already scaled rapidly and has been growing at a CAGR of 30% over the last three years. Cognetiks capabilities in customer and marketing analytics, customer experience, multi-channel experience optimization and experience within the Adobe ecosystem strengthens Brillios ability to provide clients with industry solutions for personalization and omni-channel experiences.

Cognetik is very happy to bring its extremely talented team and customer analytics solutions to Brillio. We are excited about building the greatest analytics capabilities in the world with Brillio for our clients, said Daniel Herdean, CEO and co-founder of Cognetik. Our organizations share the same fanaticism around customer success, and we cant wait to roll up our sleeves and get to work together to deliver on it.

Cognetiks delivery presence in Romania will expand Brillios global delivery capability and enhance the companys ability to onboard best-in-class talent in the EU continent and service clients in development centers outside of India.
He and Doonan worked on the house around the time Adler was commissioned to design the interiors of the Parker Palm Springs hotel, and the home inherited some of that projects breezy 1950s louche quality in its open floor plan and the fact that it has more seating than would seem strictly necessary (nothing being more luxurious than options). But above all, the space is attuned to the needs and diffuse tastes of its owners, and a sense of free-flowing ease prevails.

The main living space alone contains half a dozen studies in scale and texture, including a concrete fire pit, curved steel Warren Platner-designed armchairs and a modular aerated concrete screen for which Adler was inspired by the organic Modernism of Reform synagogues. And the tone is as likely to shift as the references, with the earnest sidling up to the cheeky. In the bedroom, a small 70s-era abstraction by the American painter Robert Natkin is in conversation with an etching of George Washington picked up from a thrift store and given a Pop Art-style defacement (which includes an eye patch and a medallion bearing Princes love symbol) by Doonan; on the bed is an embroidered suzani textile and, above it, a 1970s Sergio Bustamante brass rhino head sculpture (its giraffe counterpart is installed in the pairs apartment in the Greenwich Village).

Adlers wide array of handmade vessels runs along a shelf that skims the ceiling like a frieze in what he describes as the teensy-weensy kitchen, which is set off from the dining area by a fantastical mural of ospreys, a common sight around the island, as they plunge into the water, by the American artist John-Paul Philippe. (Philippe, a friend whom Doonan, in his former role as the creative director of Barneys New York, conscripted to make Modernist fixtures and murals for the store, is well-represented here; one of his organic abstract steel sculptures stands sentry outside.)

Still, about 90 percent of the decor is by Adler. Im a very selfish person, he says. When I design something, its usually because its something I want to live with. To Doonan, this is only natural: Its suspect to me when you see a designer and theyre not wearing their own stuff. Its like, hang on, you want everybody else to buy it? he says. Does he ever tire of living inside Adlers design process? People always ask us that, Doonan says. I think they think of two gay men strangling each other over fabric choices. Im happy to defer to him in terms of interior design, because thats his profession. I dont believe in doing things by committee anyway  it never works. Which isnt to say Doonan is sitting idle. Simon is unbearably prolific, Adler says. He writes about 85 books a year. Hes like Barbara Cartland. Currently, Doonan is working on two books: one on Keith Haring, and the other a self-help book titled How to Be Yourself, due out from Phaidon in October.
Newarks artists have applied their imagination to both cope with the time and seize its possibilities. Many have been documenting public and personal lives, and some have contributed their skills to activist campaigns. Their output is now coming into view in multiple forms, including exhibitions  online and getting ready for in-person reopening  as well as zines, posters, and resources such as a citywide artists database.

The city government, meanwhile, has issued $750,000 in grants to 120 artists and arts organizations, the only city initiative of its type in New Jersey. And on June 27, two days after the city took down its Christopher Columbus statue, artists and residents gathered to make ground murals in bright yellow paint, of the kind that is now a trend, but with added Newark militancy. (One reads All Black Lives Matter. The other, in front of Essex County Courthouse, says Abolish White Supremacy.)

The occasion had a festive energy, with music, dancing, and people burning sage.

Art is part of the commentary of this moment, said fayemi shakur, Newarks art and cultural affairs director. Its very affirming when space is created to tell the truth about how you feel.
On July 2, 2020, more than 60 students from across the nation took home top honors for their outstanding inventions and problem-solving solutions during the fifth annual Invention Convention U.S. Nationals, presented by Raytheon Technologies.

The students were among nearly 500 award-winning K-12 inventors who were celebrated at a virtual awards ceremony hosted by The Henry Fords Innovation Nation correspondent Alie Ward. During the 2019-2020 school year, more than 120,000 K-12 inventors from across the country competed at local affiliate events for the chance to showcase their inventions at Invention Convention U.S. Nationals 2020.

With concerns surrounding the spread of the coronavirus, The Henry Ford quickly pivoted and turned the event into a virtual ceremony. This decision was to make sure the students, who worked year-round on their inventions, received the recognition they deserved.

While many things have been disrupted due to the pandemic, innovation and invention continue and are needed now more than ever, said Patricia Mooradian, president and CEO, The Henry Ford. We need to move forward, to create, to problem-solve and, with programs like Invention Convention, we are seeing our young people, our young innovators and inventors, leading the way.

This year's inventors taking home top honors include:



10th-graders Taylor McNeal and Bridgette Castronovo, of Kennesaw, Georgia, for their invention Biodegradable Straws.

First-grader Charles Smith, of Ottumwa, Iowa, for his invention H.E.R.B. (Home Emergency Responder Beacon).

Sixth-graders Samvith Mahesh, Anik, Roy, Anushka Roy and Raima Saha, of Novi, Michigan, for their invention Piezo Power.

Seventh-grader Noah Hong, of Chicago, Illinois, for his invention The Good Breather.

Sixth-grader Danny Mefford, of Blanchester, Ohio, for his invention The Quick Click.

12th-grader Alex Johnson, of Panama City, Florida, for his invention The TactCell Braille Communication Device.

Third-grader Georgia Anderson, of Ridgefield, Connecticut, for her invention Sudz for the Sea.

Invention Convention Worldwide is a global K-12 invention education curricular program mapped to national and state educational standards that teaches students problem-identification, problem-solving, entrepreneurship and creativity skills and builds confidence in invention, innovation and entrepreneurship for life. To participate, students are required to submit a video presentation of their invention, a prototype, an inventors logbook showing the journey of their invention process and a poster board highlighting key points of the invention process.

Ingenuity and agility are being demonstrated by students around the world. Seeing this years convention  and its participants  shift their inventive spirit and excel in this virtual showcase is heartening, said Randy Bumps, executive director, corporate social responsibility, Raytheon Technologies. We hope that our support of programs like Invention Convention will continue to encourage student problem-solving, next-generation innovations and a passion for lifelong learning.

Prizes and opportunities this year included pro bono patent awards from law firms WilmerHale, Cooley and Cantor Colburn, and invention experiences with partners like Koch Industries, where students can visit with marketers, product designers and engineers to help advance their inventions to the next stage. The winner of the events top accolade, the Raytheon Technologies Most Innovative Award, will receive a scholarship and be paired with a Raytheon Technologies mentor to advance his invention through further iterations, prototyping, and marketing strategies that will take his innovation to the next level.

A recording of the awards ceremony can be viewed here.

The mission of Invention Convention Worldwide is to bring invention education to every student everywhere. Organizations interested in bringing the year-long program to their region can get more information at inventionconvention.org.

About The Henry Ford:

Located in Dearborn, Michigan, The Henry Ford, a globally recognized destination, fosters inspiration and learning from hands-on encounters with artifacts that represent the most comprehensive collection anywhere focusing on innovation, ingenuity and resourcefulness in America. Its unique venues include Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Greenfield Village, Ford Rouge Factory Tour, Benson Ford Research Center and Henry Ford Academy, a public charter high school. Together with its online presence at thf.org, its national television series, The Henry Fords Innovation Nation, and Invention Convention Worldwide, the growing affiliation of organizations fostering innovation, invention and entrepreneurship in K-12 students, The Henry Ford inspires individuals to unlock their potential and help shape a better future.

About Raytheon Technologies:

Raytheon Technologies Corporation is an aerospace and defense company that provides advanced systems and services for commercial, military and government customers worldwide. With 195,000 employees and four industry-leading businesses  Collins Aerospace Systems, Pratt & Whitney, Raytheon Intelligence & Space and Raytheon Missiles & Defense  the company delivers solutions that push the boundaries in avionics, cybersecurity, directed energy, electric propulsion, hypersonics and quantum physics. The company, formed in 2020 through the combination of Raytheon Company and the United Technologies Corporation aerospace businesses, is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts.
An advocate for the elderly in Northern Ireland has criticised the BBC after it announced that free TV licences for over-75s will be means-tested from next month.

The broadcaster previously postponed the axing of the universal entitlement for pensioners because of the coronavirus crisis.

Means-testing was pushed back from June 1 to August 1, with outgoing director-general Lord Tony Hall saying it was not the right time to introduce it in "the middle of a crisis".

But the corporation has now said the new scheme will begin on August 1.

Older People's Commissioner Eddie Lynch said the decision will affect over 75,000 people living in Northern Ireland.

Charity Age NI said it was "bitterly disappointed" with the move. It said that while the decision had been taken by the BBC "primary responsibility lies with the UK government," and it would continue to campaign for its reversal.

"The TV has provided much-needed company and companionship, particularly at this time when many were separated from their loved ones and remain fearful and anxious about going out and meeting up with friends and family," said chief executive Linda Robinson.

"The last thing older people need to be worrying about is to how to get the money to pay for their licence or lose their TV altogether. The decision by the BBC is a bitter blow to many older people, who are already frightened about what the future might bring."

BBC chairman Sir David Clementi said: "The decision to commence the new scheme in August has not been easy, but implementation of the new scheme will be Covid-19 safe. The BBC could not continue delaying the scheme without impacting on programmes and services.

"Around 1.5 million households could get free TV licences if someone is over 75 and receives Pension Credit, and 450,000 of them have already applied.

"And critically, it is not the BBC making that judgment about poverty. It is the Government who sets and controls that measure.

"Like most organisations, the BBC is under severe financial pressure due to the pandemic, yet we have continued to put the public first in all our decisions.

"I believe continuing to fund some free TV licences is the fairest decision for the public, as we will be supporting the poorest, oldest pensioners without impacting the programmes and services that all audiences love."

The broadcaster has been urged by charities such as Age UK to scrap the decision to end the universal benefit.

Mr Lynch also criticised the move, saying it was "a cruel slap in the face for older people who have already endured a worrying and frightening few months during this pandemic".

He added: "We are still in the midst of the biggest health threat to older people in our lifetime, yet instead of supporting our older population, the BBC has made a shameful decision that will be resented by many older people across every part of Northern Ireland."

The free TV licence was introduced in 2000, but the BBC agreed to take on responsibility for funding the scheme as part of the charter agreement with the Government in 2015. The broadcaster has said it cannot afford to take on the financial burden from the Government.

Continuing with the Government scheme would have cost the corporation 745 million, the BBC said, meaning the closures of BBC Two, BBC Four, the BBC News Channel, the BBC Scotland channel, Radio 5 Live, and a number of local radio stations, as well as other cuts and reductions.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 17:55:51|Editor: huaxia

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ATHENS, July 10 (Xinhua) -- An extra-virgin organic olive oil produced in China has won the top award at an international competition hosted in Greece recently, organizers said.

The Xiangyu Coratina oil, produced by Xiangyu Olive Development Co. based in Longnan City in northwest China, was selected as the best product in the 5th edition of the Athena International Olive Oil Competition, according to a press release from the organizers available recently.

The olive oil product, which uses Coratina olives, a variety from Toscany in Italy, won a "double gold" medal, among others,

In addition, two other olive oil products from the same company were awarded silver medals.

A total of 430 extra-virgin olive oil products from 17 countries were present at the annual competition, which was held under special conditions in Spata near the Athens international airport on June 11-13, due to the pandemic, said Greek Vinetum company, one of the organizers.

Initially, the event was scheduled for April 2-3 on the island of Lesvos, one of Greece's leading olive oil producing regions.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, no award ceremony was held this year. Enditem
Farmer carry vegetables to a wholesale market after arriving at a Ganga ghat by a boat during the complete lockdown following surge in COVID-19 cases, in Patna. PTI photo

Patna has been placed under total lockdown for a week from Friday onwards after COVID-19 cases increased in the state.

The notification was issued by the district administration after 749 positive cases were reported on Wednesday. Officials said that other districts of Bihar mainly the urban areas may also see similar lockdown if conditions dont improve.

As per the latest data released by the state health department, the number of corona cases in the state has surged to 13274 after 10 deaths and 749 positive COVID cases were reported on Wednesday.

As of now, there are about 4179 active cases and the death toll has reached 100 in the state.

There is an alarming surge in COVID-19 cases in the district of Patna in the last three weeks wherein the positivity rate has also been considerably high. And whereas, the district administration has examined the matter in detail and is convinced that the requirement for a lockdown throughout the district is urgent to contain the further spread of the COVID-19 the order letter released by Patna district administration said.

As per the notification issued by Patna district administration all essential services like healthcare, general provision stores and media have been exempted from the lockdown.

Offices and markets along with commercial activities will be closed during the period of lockdown from Friday till July 16. Officials said that the district administration will review the situation a week later and may increase the period depending upon the situation.

Apart from Patna, the state government has also decided to impose a lockdown in Bhagalpur and Nawada. Officials said 4-day curbs have been imposed in Bhagalpur from Thursday onwards and three days in Nawada.

While the BJP welcomed the state governments move to impose lockdown in several parts Bihar, the opposition especially the RJD blamed Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and the health department for low testing of COVID cases.

Taking a dig at Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and the state administration on Thursday Tejashwi Yadav said that Mr Nitish Kumar slept in his comfy bungalow for 100 days, didnt do anything in 4 months of initial lockdowns and now fragmented lockdowns are being announced in several districts which is a testament to the fact that he has failed to contain the virus.

I challenge CM to speak on steps taken by him to contain the spread of the virus. Like I had said earlier, he expected the fire to douse on it's own which has only aggravated the situation, Tejashwi Yadav added and asked Nitish Kumar to come up with a comprehensive plan.

Test, isolate Treat at war footing, he said.

He had earlier created a flutter in the political circle by saying that his party RJD was not in favour of assembly elections due to the mounting corona cases in Bihar.

Time for election is not right. Does Nitish Kumar want to hold election over dead bodies? Tejashwi Yadav recently said in Patna.

Elections to the 243- member Bihar Assembly are due in October  November this year.
(Newser)  Australian police say they broke up a birthday party that attendants will remember "for a long time" since it resulted in some $18,000 in fines. Victoria Police found 16 partygoers hiding out at a home in the Melbourne suburb of Dandenong early Friday in defiance of coronavirus restrictions. Police had been tipped off by paramedics who overheard two people ordering food for 20 people at a KFC around 1:30am. "They spoke to the people at KFC and subsequently, there was a report made to us," Chief Commissioner Shane Patton tells ABC Australia. Police followed the customers' vehicle to a home where they said they found two people asleep inside and 16 others hiding under beds as well as in the garage and backyard.

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All 16 people were issued fines, totalling more than $18,000. "That is absolutely ridiculous that type of behavior, and it's a very expensive night," Patton said, per the Guardian. "Theyll remember that one for a long time." More than 60 notices were issued to people across metropolitan Melbourne after "stage three" coronavirus restrictions were reintroduced on Thursday. Residents are only permitted to leave their homes to work, study, exercise, shop for essential items, or offer care in some way. Four fines were issued to sex workers after police noticed "a large amount of men" going in and out of a property. Victoria recorded 288 COVID-19 cases Friday, the highest daily total of any Australian state during the pandemic, per the Guardian. (Read more Australia stories.)
Allentown, PA (18103)

Today

Partly sunny, brisk, and chilly. Winds should ease up later in the day..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy and cold.
Its been a surreal sort of week at the old bachelor estate. The evil geniuses at Facebook keep taunting me with photos and reminding me that last year at this time, I was exploring breweries across northern Minnesota. My calendar tells me I should be on vacation this week  but our annual vacation was canceled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Too many people in our group are at high risk, so they understandably did not feel comfortable going forward with normal plans. It feels very strange. Every July for more than three decades we have made the pilgrimage to Sunset Point Resort on the shore of beautiful Bass Lake in Cohasset. The rustic white cabins with Iron Range red trim are as familiar as my own home. Stepping out of my vehicle each summer, I always take a moment to savor the fragrance of the north woods, listen to the wind playing among the ancient trees, and look at the sunlight dancing on the surface of the water. If I close my eyes, I can hear the familiar sounds of forest creatures going about their business, outboard motors on the lake, boats jostling against the dock, screen doors banging, and people laughing. The annual family vacation is an institution that has endured births and deaths, marriages and divorces, and the comings and goings of friends new and old, but for this year at least, it was not able to survive COVID-19. Even the resort at which we stay has been forced to implement new procedures in the face of the current pandemic. Cabin week is not something I give much thought to during most of the year. Perhaps this is because it has been such a consistent part of our lives for so long. We dont need to question it  it just is. Reservations for the following year are made before we leave. We know when we will be there, and what we will do when we get there. For our family, cabin week is something pleasant and reliable in an increasingly chaotic world. This may be why I am feeling a sense of emptiness this week. It seems everything is different this year, in every area of our lives, so to lose this tradition that helps to ground us is especially difficult. For now, Ill have to be satisfied with going through some old photos, remembering some old stories, and looking forward to seeing the gang at the lake again next year.
By Express News Service

KOCHI: The central government on Friday informed the Kerala High Court that Swapna Suresh, who is at large after the seizure of 30 kg of gold smuggled through the diplomatic channel, had conspired and actively participated to facilitate gold smuggling.

She was a pivotal member of the gang engaged in smuggling of large quantities of gold to India by defrauding government agencies and the Customs department using the cover of diplomatic protection, it said.

The Centre also revealed that the involvement of higher officials cannot also be ruled out at this stage, which can only be unearthed after interrogating Swapna.

Opposing the anticipatory bail plea of Swapna, the central government also submitted that this is a case affecting the security of the nation and its economic stability. The interrogation of Swapna in custody is crucial as her aide Sandeep and other gang members are also at large. Swapna does not have clean antecedents and has been involved in a crime registered by Valiyathura police, Thiruvananthapuram.

According to the central government, since the case is critical to national security and the country's relationship with friendly states, the National Investigation Agency has registered a case against Swapna. Hence, the petition is not maintainable. Citing a High Court order, the central government Standing Counsel Ravi Prakash submitted that only the NIA Special Court has the original jurisdiction to entertain an application for anticipatory bail. Hence, this bail application should be dismissed.

The Customs informed the court that the statement of Sarith has indicated his active role in the import of the cargo under the guise of diplomatic baggage. The Consular Charge d'Affairs has also confirmed that he used to take the help of Sarith for odd jobs. Sarith directly paid clearing charges for contraband cargo himself in cash, as against the general practice of making such payment by the consulate through Real Time Gross Settlement System (RTGS). Sarith used to take deliveries of contraband cargo himself in his car, as against the general of the practice of taking routine deliveries through vehicles belonging to the consulate.

The statement of another accused Sandeep's wife, BS Soumya, was also recorded, the Customs said. Her husband Sandeep used to smuggle gold with the help of Swapna, Sarith and other identified persons under the guise of diplomatic cargo. Swapna and Sarith used to smuggle gold for other smuggling gangs also. Swapna used to arrange papers for getting cargo of the consulate cleared from the air cargo complex.

Customs officers have tried their best to serve a summons on her at all her known addresses. However, she is deliberately avoiding being served this summons to thwart the ongoing investigations, the central government informed.

Meanwhile, counsel for NIA submitted that an FIR under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act has been registered for raising funds for terrorist activities. The court adjourned the case to Tuesday.
Robert De Niro is grieving what has happened to him because of the COVID-19. The actor said he's running out of money, and next to COVID, it's not something one would like to experience.

The coronavirus pandemic has dealt a massive blow to the De Niro's finances. He revealed this himself in court after his estranged demanded for an emergency order to make her monthly American Express Card credit limit $100,000 from the previous $50,000.

Through a Skype call, the renowned actor appeared for his divorce case with his ex, Grace Hightower. According to Grace's lawyer, Dr. Niro had unfairly cut her monthly AmEx allowance. It was originally $100,000 but now lowered by half. She said this is not enough. She added that she and their children had been banned from the residence De Niro had been quarantining in.

The lawyer for De Niro, Caroline Krauss, however claimed that this is but natural because the actor has lost big because of the pandemic. Both Nobu and Greenwich Hotel, have temporarily stopped operating, which affected him greatly since he has huge stakes in both.

The lawyer even detailed how much De Niro lost. Nobu lost $3 million in April and then another massive $1.87 million in May. He had to even pay out $500,000 in a capital call to his investors. Unfortunately, he had to borrow this amount too, because he just is not liquid at present.

Krauss also asserted that De Niro truly does not have such a massive obligation towards his wife too. According to her, based on their 2004 prenuptial agreement, the actor only had to pay his ex-wife Hightower, $1 million a year. This, as long as his income is at least $15 million a year. Naturally, if his income dips, his payments to Hightower also declines correspondingly.

De Niro's camp continued to detail how the pandemic totaled the actor's finances. According to his legal team, he would not even make half of the $15 million this year. He'd be very lucky if he even makes barely half.

Based on this transparency on how COVID-19 ravished the actor and businessman's finances, the case was ruled in his favor. Justice Matthew Cooper ruled that De Niro can continue to just give the $50,000 allowance and not the $100,000 requested. However, the actor was ordered to pay $75,000 to locate a summer house near his residence.

It emerged from the hearing that Nobu took 14 loans from the US small business relief program. Essentially, it meant the business went into $28 million debt, based on the government filings.

De Niro and his wife, Hightower broke up in 2018. They were together for 21 years, making the split a shock.

The earnings he had from Netflix's "The Irishman" has already been mostly paid out in the past. He is entitled to just around $2.5 million in 2020 and 2021. In addition, his supposed movie project for the year, scheduled already to be filmed this summer, was placed on hold. The pandemic truly did a number on him.
ANKARA, Turkey - The president of Turkey on Friday formally converted Istanbuls sixth-century Hagia Sophia back into a mosque and declared it open for Muslim worship, hours after a high court annulled a 1934 decision that had made the religious landmark a museum.

The decision sparked deep dismay among Orthodox Christians. Originally a cathedral, Hagia Sophia was turned into a mosque after Istanbuls conquest by the Ottoman Empire but had been a museum for the last 86 years, drawing millions of tourists annually.

There was jubilation outside the terracotta-hued structure with its cascading domes and four minarets. Dozens of people awaiting the courts ruling chanted Allah is great! when the news broke. A large crowd later prayed outside it.

In the capital of Ankara, legislators stood and applauded as the decision was read in Parliament.

Turkeys high administrative court threw its weight behind a petition brought by a religious group and annulled the 1934 Cabinet decision that turned the site into a museum. Within hours, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a decree handing over Hagia Sophia to Turkeys Religious Affairs Presidency.

In a televised address to the nation, Erdogan said the first prayers inside Hagia Sofia would be held on July 24, and he urged respect for the decision.

I underline that we will open Hagia Sophia to worship as a mosque by preserving its character of humanitys common cultural heritage, he said, adding: It is Turkeys sovereign right to decide for which purpose Hagia Sofia will be used.

He rejected the idea that the decision ends Hagia Sophias status as a structure that brings faiths together.

Like all of our other mosques, the doors of Hagia Sophia will be open to all, locals or foreigners, Muslims and non-Muslims, Erdogan said.

Erdogan had spoken in favour of turning the hugely symbolic UNESCO World Heritage site back into a mosque despite widespread international criticism, including from U.S. and Orthodox Christian leaders, who had urged Turkey to keep its status as a museum symbolizing solidarity among faiths and cultures.

The move threatens to deepen tensions with neighbouring Greece, whose prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, condemned the decision as an affront to Hagia Sophias ecumenical character.

It is a decision that offends all those who recognize Hagia Sophia as an indispensable part of world cultural heritage Mitsotakis said. This decision clearly affects not only Turkeys relations with Greece but also its relations with the European Union, UNESCO and the world community as a whole.

In Greeces second-largest city, Thessaloniki, protesters gathered outside a church that is modeled on Hagia Sophia and bears the same name. They chanted, Well light candles in Hagia Sophia! and held Greek flags and Byzantine banners.

Cyprus strongly condemns Turkeys actions on Hagia Sophia in its effort to distract domestic opinion and calls on Turkey to respect its international obligations, tweeted Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides.

Vladimir Dzhabarov, deputy head of the foreign affairs committee in the Russian upper house of parliament, called the action a mistake.

Turning it into a mosque will not do anything for the Muslim world. It does not bring nations together, but on the contrary brings them into collision, he said.

The debate hits at the heart of Turkeys religious-secular divide. Nationalist and conservative groups in Turkey have long yearned to hold prayers at Hagia Sophia, which they regard as part of the Muslim Ottoman legacy. Others believe it should remain a museum, as a symbol of Christian and Muslim solidarity.

It was a structure that brought together both Byzantine and Ottoman histories, said Zeynep Kizildag, a 27-year-old social worker, who did not support the conversion. The decision to turn it into a mosque is like erasing 1,000 years of history, in my opinion.

Garo Paylan, an ethnic Armenian member of Turkeys Parliament tweeted that it was a sad day for Christians (and) for all who believe in a pluralist Turkey.

The decision to convert Hagia Sophia into a mosque will make life more difficult for Christians here and for Muslims in Europe, he wrote. Hagia Sophia was a symbol of our rich history. Its dome was big enough for all.

The group that brought the case to court had contested the legality of the 1934 decision by the modern Turkish republics secular government ministers, arguing the building was the personal property of Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II, who conquered Istanbul in 1453.

I was not surprised at all that the court weighed to sanction Erdogans moves because these days Erdogan gets from Turkish courts what Erdogan wants, said Soner Cagaptay, of the Washington Institute.

Erdogan wants to use Hagia Sophias conversion into a mosque to rally his right-wing base, said Cagaptay, the author of Erdogans Empire. But I dont think this strategy will work. I think that short of economic growth, nothing will restore Erdogans popularity.

In Paris, the United Nations cultural body, UNESCO, said Hagia Sophia is part of the Historic Areas of Istanbul, a property inscribed on UNESCOs World Heritage List as a museum.

States have an obligation to ensure that modifications do not affect the `outstanding universal value of inscribed sites on their territories, Director-General Audrey Azoulay said.

The Istanbul-based Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, considered the spiritual leader of the worlds Orthodox Christians, warned last month that the buildings conversion into a mosque will turn millions of Christians across the world against Islam.

On Friday, Archbishop Elpidophoros of America said the decision runs counter to the vision of secular Turkeys founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk who understood that Hagia Sophia should serve all Turkeys people and indeed the whole world.

The days of conquest should remain a closed chapter of our collective histories, he told The Associated Press, adding that Turkeys government can still choose wisely but letting Hagia Sophia remain a monument to all civilizations and universal values.

Patriarch Kirill, the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, called for prudence and the preservation of the current neutral status for the Hagia Sophia, which he said was one of Christianitys devoutly venerated symbols.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said last month that the landmark should remain a museum to serve as bridge between faiths and cultures. His comments drew a rebuke from Turkeys Foreign Ministry, which said Hagia Sophia was a domestic issue of Turkish national sovereignty.

Erdogan, a devout Muslim, has frequently used the Hagia Sophia issue to drum up support for his Islamic-rooted party.

Some Islamic prayers have been held in the museum in recent years. In a major symbolic move, Erdogan recited the opening verse of the Quran there in 2018.

Built under Byzantine Emperor Justinian, Hagia Sophia was the main seat of the Eastern Orthodox church for centuries, where emperors were crowned amid ornate marble and mosaic decorations.

The minarets were added later, and the building was turned into an imperial mosque following the 1453 Ottoman conquest of Constantinople  the city that is now called Istanbul.

The building opened its doors as a museum in 1935, a year after the Council of Ministers decision.

Mosaics depicting Jesus, Mary and Christian saints that were plastered over in line with Islamic rules were uncovered through arduous restoration work for the museum. Hagia Sophia was the most popular museum in Turkey last year, drawing more than 3.7 million visitors.

___

Associated Press writers Zeynep Bilginsoy and Ayse Wieting in Istanbul, Derek Gatopoulos in Athens, Menelaos Hadjicostis in Nicosia, Cyprus, and Jim Heintz in Moscow contributed.
We are living through a summer of madness. I cannot recall a time of greater rage, unhingement, outbursting, cruelty, silliness, and above all, humourlessness.

Truly, this pitchfork summer has been ruled by the narcissism of small differences. Never have I seen people so unwilling to let things go, especially when the confluence of horrors is so intense. We are all a lit match.

I find it calming to think of Greenland sharks, the longest-living creatures on Earth, some of them 500 years old, moving through deep Arctic waters while far away and above, hot little humans squabbled and slaughtered each other and Shakespeare wrote his plays. Take the long view. The Greenland shark certainly does.

The first prong in the pitchfork: we are enduring the hottest year in history. Thats a grand claim that morally condemns us as a species, yes, but what it really boils down to is this. In June, Calgary was hammered by hail the size of canned hams. This week, a sudden huge rainstorm killed power across much of Toronto, which killed air conditioning which kills sanity.

It only takes one more thing  could be stink bugs, could be a Harpers.org letter defending American free speech  and suddenly everyones hair is in flames. Opponents want free speech for themselves, not for those who signed the letter, and now everyone has third-degree burns.

I just watched Jaws  I sense a mordant fish theme here  which holds up remarkably well, and it strikes me that on social media, everyone thinks theyre Chief Brody and regards everyone else as the great white shark. But the shark is the only blameless creature on the boat, doing what sharks do.

Take the most recent Ottawa scandal failing to grip the nation. Reporters tell us with glee that aside from paid work by the PMs brother and long-famous mother, the WE charity  the one no longer running a hasty cross-country student COVID jobs plan  had paid Sophie Gregoire Trudeau $1,400 for a speech in 2012.

My reaction was anguished. Why are Canadian scandals always so quaint? Why cant we do big shameless American crimes? Crime better, Canada.

Second prong: we are in early- or mid-pandemic. Although people are carefully trying to edge back into work with its lovely pay, few jobs are worth the risk of painful death alone in a hospital room, spatchcocked by a tube. So were at home, which breeds paranoia. We love our co-workers, who are probably out to get us.

The third prong is destitution, and if not that, heart-clutching financial worry. Pinned to the wall this summer, good people have gone off their nut.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said that a white gunmans failed invasion of Rideau Hall proved that the RCMP was racist, since a mentally ill Mississauga man of colour, Ejaz Choudry, and others, had been shot to death by police recently.

This person showed up with weapons, publicly, at the residence of the prime minister of Canada and was arrested without being killed, Singh said. So hes saying a nonracist RCMP would have shot Corey Hurren out of a sense of fairness. Singh did not regard the gunmans survival as a police success, which it is.

He then said Trump had done more to check police violence than had Trudeau. Sound of Canadians dropping their groceries.

If Singh has a point, and I dont think he has, its in questionable taste. But public discourse is like that now, weird, self-centred, hurtful. The Conservatives wanted Parliament reopened and then had the worst attendance record of any party at COVID-19 committee meetings.

Conservative party house-sitter Andrew Scheer, seen maskless and smirking in Pearson airport, was talking to Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister, who later apologized for having briefly de-masked. (Another dollar-store scandal.) Scheer didnt apologize, taking his cue from Donald Trump, who now says he wants to build a monument to statues.

The Liberals face no credible opposition in Parliament, not by design but by opposition panic and confusion. Right now the Conservative party emblem is the bright little face of Erin OToole, an ex-soldier who wants to send every Canadian to basic training.

He wants us shipshape and military-style, hes talking gun rights and bouncing loonies off our beds. We dont need this level of strange right now.

In a pitchfork summer, back to those Greenland sharks swimming quietly, their massive cartilaginous bodies bending in black water. I find it comforting that the shark has always been there, while humans were crabs, pairs of ragged claws scuttling across the floors of silent seas, temporary scavengers out of our collective minds in 2020.

Emulate the shark. Move slowly. Think before you attack. Let nothing faze you. Try not to take offence at small things, just as the shark doesnt mind the long dangling parasites attached to its corneas.

We will all be judged on how we behaved in the summer of the pitchfork.

Read more about:
Argentina is struggling with recession and inflation and is negotiating with creditors to restructure its foreign debt.

Argentina is seeing the effects of the economic pressure caused by the coronavirus pandemic, sparking anti-government demonstrations in the capital.

Some rallied on behalf of farmers across the country, but many more are unhappy with the lockdown.

Al Jazeeras Teresa Bo reports.
Manchester City will face Lyon or Juventus in the Champions League quarter-finals if they overcome Real Madrid as Pep Guardiola's men were given a tough-looking path to the final.

Play has been suspended since March due to the coronavirus pandemic, but continental action will return next month with the remaining last-16 ties and a final eight mini-tournament in Portugal.

The route to the Estadio da Luz final on August 23 was set out at an empty auditorium in Nyon, Switzerland on Friday, with City given a difficult road to the Lisbon showpiece.

If Guardiola's men can progress past Real Madrid in their last-16 second leg at the Etihad Stadium, having won 2-1 at the Bernabeu in February, they will face French side Lyon or perennial Serie A champions Juventus in a one-off quarter-final.

Read More

The semi-final draw was also made and City could face Chelsea, although the chances of an all-English encounter seems extremely unlikely as Frank Lampard's Blues head to Bayern Munich for their last-16 second leg trailing 3-0.

Guardiola's former clubs Bayern and Barcelona are more likely potential semi-final opponents, with Napoli the other possibility.

The other side of the draw will provide the home team for the final in Lisbon, with RB Leipzig or Atletico Madrid facing Atalanta or Paris St Germain in the other semi-final.

All matches will take place behind closed doors in Lisbon, with Benfica's Estadio da Luz and Sporting's Estadio Jose Alvalade providing the venue for the behind-closed-doors ties.

The remaining round-of-16 fixtures will be decided on August 7 and 8, with the mini-tournament in Portugal kicking off on August 12.

In the Europa League quarter-finals Manchester United will face Copenhagen or Istanbul Basaksehir.

The draw for next month's eight-team mini-tournament in Germany was made following the Champions League draw.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side are all but through having won 5-0 at LASK in the first leg of their last-16 tie and United will face Copenhagen or Istanbul Basaksehir in the single-leg quarter-finals.

Wolves would play Roma or Sevilla in the quarter-finals if they overcome Olympiacos, who they drew 1-1 with in the first leg Greece.

Rangers head to Bayer Leverkusen trailing 3-1 from the first leg in Germany and will be rewarded with a match against Inter Milan or Getafe if they manage an almighty comeback.

Shakhtar Donetsk or Wolfsburg against Basel or Frankfurt is the other quarter-final.

United and Wolves could face one another in an all-English semi-final should both teams progress that far, while Rangers' last-four opponents would be Basel, Frankfurt, Shakhtar or Wolfsburg.

Full Champions League Draw:

QF1: Manchester City/ Real Madrid v Juventus / Lyon

QF2: RB Leipzig v Atletico Madrid

QF3: Barcelona/Napoli v Bayern Munich/Chelsea

QF4: Atalanta v PSG

SF1: Winner QF 1 v Winner QF 3

SF2: Winner QF 2 v Winner QF 4

Full Europa League draw:

QF1: Shakhtar Donetsk / Wolfsburg v FC Basel / Eintracht Frankfurt

QF2: Manchester United / LASK v FC Copenhagen / Istanbul Basaksehir

QF3: Inter Milan / Getafe v Bayer Leverkusen / Rangers

QF4: Wolves / Olympiacos v Roma / Sevilla

SF1: Winner QF4 v Winner QF2

SF2: Winner QF 3 v Winner QF 1
New Delhi, July 10 : The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to examine a plea putting up a crucial question whether restrictions could be imposed on using social media by a court as a condition for bail.

A plea was filed by Congress leader Sachin Chaudhary challenging the Allahabad High Court ruling which granted bail to him on the condition that he would not use social media till the trial is concluded.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde and comprising Justices R. Subhash Reddy and A.S. Bopanna held that if a person's participation on social media creates mischief, then why cannot the court say don't use the instrument by which one has caused mischief.

Senior advocate Salman Khurshid, representing Chaudhary, however, contended that there is no allegation against his client in connection with social media usage.

The bench noted that it could consider laying down a law on this matter on whether a trial court, while granting bail, could restrict a person from using social media. It also observed that it would also examine if such restrictions could be imposed when the crime committed has nothing to do with social media access, as it issued notice to the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government.

Chaudhary was arrested under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act and a section of the Disaster Management Act. He was granted bail on May 20 by the high court, which imposed restrictions on the usage of social media along with other conditions such as cooperation in trial and also no participation in criminal activity.
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WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate conveyed their unequivocal support for the U.S.-Israel relationship at day three of Christians United for IsraeIs 15th Annual Summit. CUFIs Summit, being conducted virtually this year, featured numerous legislators from both chambers of Congress reassuring their strong commitments to stand with Israel to CUFI members across the country. Speaking to thousands of dedicated CUFI members, some of Israels strongest congressional allies delivered impactful messages discussing topics ranging from standing with Israel, to confronting Iran, and combating anti-Semitism.

We were thrilled to welcome such a strong cadre of Members of Congress to speak during our virtual Summit. Regardless of party, its elected officials, like the ones from whom we heard, who strengthen the US-Israel relationship and stand up to anti-Semitism. I am deeply grateful to all of the Members of Congress who addressed our Summit, said CUFI founder and chairman, Pastor John Hagee.

CUFI, the nations largest pro-Israel organization, was honored to hear from congressional leaders Senator Marco Rubio, Senator Tim Scott, Senator Tom Cotton, Senator Ted Cruz, Senator Marsha Blackburn, Senator James Lankford, Senator Jacky Rosen and Representative Dan Crenshaw on the strategic alliance between the United States and Israel.

Israel is the only pro-American, free enterprise democracy in the Middle East. It also happens to be among our strongest allies in the world, and a nation committed to the express and direct purpose that Never Again will there not be a homeland for the Jewish people if they face threats, said Sen. Rubio.

In 2016, I first introduced the bipartisan Anti-Semitism Awareness Act. It is crucial to have clear and concise language defining anti-Semitism to help defend against the violence and hatred that sometimes occurs on our nations college campuses, said Sen. Scott.

Even though were separated in body, were united in spirit and in common cause as Christians and devoted supporters of the Jewish people and the State of Israel, said Sen. Cotton.

Today, thanks to the leadership of CUFI, thanks to the leadership of each of you, Americas friendship and alliance with Israel is stronger than ever, said Sen. Cruz. This is a gathering of prayer warriors, a gathering of men and women who spend time in the Word, who spend time on your knees praying for Israel, praying for America, praying for our leaders, that we stand strong.

We know that we will never eliminate anti-Semitic and anti-Israel attitudes if we only focus on the battlefield or only on whats said in legislatures and parliaments. We have to fight it in the hearts and minds of people all over the world, said Sen. Blackburn.

With mounting threats in the region and rising anti-Semitism in the U.S. and around the globe, the bonds between the United States and Israel are more important now than they ever have been. Thats why its so important for Jews and non-Jewish allies to come together in support of Israel and the Jewish people, said Sen. Rosen.

With more than 8 million members, Christians United for Israel is the largest pro-Israel organization in the United States and one of the leading Christian grassroots movements in the world. CUFI spans all 50 states and reaches millions with its educational message.
Instead of granting the motion, Judge Sullivan appointed a former federal judge and onetime mob prosecutor, John Gleeson, to argue against it and invited legal experts to weigh in, suggesting that he was skeptical of the governments rationale.

Experts broadly disputed the Justice Departments assertion that Mr. Flynns lies were not material since the F.B.I. was on the verge of closing its investigation of him, noting that they bore on the broader counterintelligence investigation into whether Trump campaign officials had coordinated with Russias 2016 election interference. Judge Sullivan had previously ruled that Mr. Flynns lies were relevant to the inquiry.

His decision to appoint Mr. Gleeson then spurred Ms. Powells emergency filing with the appeals panel seeking a so-called writ of mandamus, with the Justice Department arguing that if the case was not dropped it would harm the executive branchs exclusive prosecutorial power.

The dissenting judge in the panels 2-to-1 decision said Mr. Sullivan should be allowed to rule.

The district court must be given a reasonable opportunity to consider and hold a hearing on the governments request to ensure that it is not clearly contrary to the public interest, Robert L. Wilkins, a 2014 appointee of President Barack Obama, wrote.

The order had handed Mr. Flynn and the Justice Department a crucial victory as it meant that a hearing Judge Sullivan had scheduled for next week would not take place. The judge most likely would have pressed the Justice Department over its decision to drop the charge and why prosecutors who had worked at length on the case had not signed the motion.

In another development on Thursday, the Justice Department said it did not raise objections to Mr. Trumps longtime friend Roger J. Stone Jr. beginning a 40-month prison sentence later this month. Mr. Stone had asked recently for a delay until Sept. 1 because of the coronavirus pandemic, citing health concerns, but a judge partly rejected his request, allowing him to put off the start of his sentence only until next week.

Mr. Stone was convicted of seven felonies in a bid to impede a congressional inquiry that threatened the president.
What transpired during the encounter of gangster Vikas Dubey on Friday morning is exactly what a petition filed in the Supreme Court on Thursday evening had predicted.

Advocate Ghanshyam Upadhyay had apprehended in his plea that there is a high possibility that Dubey will also be killed in a 'fake' encounter after his arrest from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh a day ago.

Filed on Thursday evening, the petition had stated: "There is every possibility that even accused Vikas Dubey shall be killed by Uttar Pradesh Police like other co-accused once his custody is obtained by Uttar Pradesh Police."

Upadhyay claimed that the UP Police was expected to "concoct the same story of encounter" for Dubey like it did when four of his associates were killed after the July 2 incident.

The lawyer from Mumbai maintained that he has no sympathy for Dubey but in a country where even Afzal Guru and Ajmal Kasab have been given a fair trial, Dubey cannot be simply killed by UP police officials who have become a law unto themselves.

He added Dubey has in fact proved to be a 'Bhasmasur' for the UP Police.

Dubey had 60 criminal cases against him but he still succeeded in getting out on bail just because the concerned policemen did not carry out their duty honestly and in fact indulged in corruption, the lawyer said.

Asking for a court-monitored CBI inquiry into the killing of Dubey's associates, razing down of Dubey's house, commercial properties etc, Upadhyay said a thorough inquiry into all kinds of nexus by Dubey with policemen and politicians is imperative.

The plea also said that the Supreme Court must step in to check the unlawful and extra-judicial killings by UP Police in violation of the rule of law.
Three religious shrines are said to have been demolished while razing the old Secretariat complex in Hyderabad this week. The demolition is being carried out to make way for a new building to house Telangana's administration. Photo: Gandhi, DC.

Hyderabad: The reported demolition of two mosques and a temple within the premises of the old Secretariat complex in Hyderabad has invoked sharp reaction from leaders of two communities. A report published in an Urdu daily about the demolitions triggered furious reactions from a cross-section of people.

In a statement, leaders of the United Muslim Forum (UMF)  MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, Moulana Syed Shah Ali Akbar Nizamuddin (Chancellor, Jamia Nizamia), Moulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani (secretary, Muslim Personal Law Board), Moulana Safi Ahmed Madani (Ahle Hadees), Moulana Hamid Mohammed Khan (state President, Jamaat-e-Islami)  condemned the alleged demolition of mosques.

They said that this will hurt the sentiments of Muslims. By demolishing the mosques, chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao had lost their trust, they said.

They demanded that the government reconstruct the mosques failing which Muslims would be forced to protest. The UMF leaders condemned the inaction of the Wakf Board in protecting the mosques.

State president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad Rama Raju said that it was unfortunate that even places of worship were no longer safe.

We can preserve these places and prepare a design without harming them. If displacing them was necessary then both communities had to be taken into confidence with a promise to rebuild them. The government should not hurt the religious feelings of any community, he contended.

State president Jamiat Ulema Hind Moulana Hafiz Peer Shabbir Ahmed said it was a tragic development for the community.

Earlier a mosque was demolished in Amberpet for road-widening and on our protest, the government promised to rebuild it. However, no action has been taken so far and now the government has razed two mosques. No Muslim leader from his party has objected but we will not remain silent. We will call for protesting against the demolition before the mosques, he said.

TS BJP chief spokesperson K. Krishna Sagar strongly condemned the atrocious and brazen conduct of the government in reportedly demolishing a temple and two mosques inside the Secretariat building complex.

He said BJP will take up a grassroot level agitation if these places of worship have been demolished. We warn the government of serious consequences for this insensible and insinuating act.
A punishing and relentless heatwave is set to bake the US for weeks on end beginning this weekend until the end of July, with the historic heat dome set to encapsulate more than 265 million Americans by next week.

The heatwave is already getting underway in the South, with some areas  including Las Vegas and Phoenix - forecast to peak above a scintillating 110 degrees by Saturday.

However, the surging summer heat will not just be limited to the south. Next week, the heat is set to move north and east, spreading 100-degree temperatures across the Ohio Valley and into the Mid-Atlantic, forecasts show.

The National Weather Service is predicting that 75 or more record-high temperatures will either be matched or broken from Friday to Tuesday alone  with that number expected to grow significantly by the end of next week.

Meteorologists are also predicting that Texas and the Southern Plains could even record their highest ever temperatures. But among the record-breaking, the experts say the biggest story is set to be how long the heat wave actually lasts.

A punishing and relentless heatwave is set to bake the US for weeks on end beginning this weekend until the end of July, with the historic heat dome set to encapsulate more than 250 million Americans by next week (Sunday's forecast shown above)

The heatwave is already getting underway in the South, with some areas  including Las Vegas and Phoenix - forecast to peak above a scintillating 110 degrees by Saturday

Jeff Masters, Ph.D., the founder of Weather Underground, told CBS NEWS what concerns him most is the effects that prolonged exposure to the heat may have on millions of Americans.

The heat wave will be very long-lived, lasting multiple weeks in some areas with only a few days of near-normal temperatures during that span. This will increase the odds of heat illness and heat-related deaths, Masters said.

For example, Amarillo, Texas is set to experience temperatures of more than 100 degrees for the next 10 consecutive days, with some of those days nearing the 110-mark. The simmering temperatures are nearly 10 to 20 degrees above the areas average high of 92 at this stage of the year.

In the last few years, such massive outbreaks of heat have become commonly known as heat domes. A heat dome is essentially a sprawling area of high pressure, which brings hot and dry conditions for days on end.

The bigger a heat dome grows, the hotter and longer-lasting a heatwave becomes - and experts predict the impending dome will be a very large one indeed.

According to the forecasts, more than 80 percent of the country  or 265 million people  are set to sweat through temperatures of 90 or above next week, with another 45 million forced to endure temperatures in the triple-digit region.

The bigger heat domes grow, the hotter and longer-lasting a heatwave becomes - and experts predict the impending dome will be a very big one indeed (pictured: People fill Brighton Beach in Coney Island as New York City on July 5)

However, the surging summer temperatures will not just stay in the south

According to the forecasts, more than 80 percent of the country  or 265 million people  are set to sweat through temperatures of 90 or above next week with another 45 million forced to endure temperatures in the triple-digit region

Excessive Heat Warnings have been issued by the National Weather Service for Southern California, southern Nevada and in the southern half of Arizona through Monday, warning of high risks of heat stroke, heat cramps or heat exhaustion

The main bulk of the heat will build across the western lower Plains and the Southwest this weekend.

The majority of Texas and Oklahoma will experience 100-degree temperatures or higher on Saturday, with the Red River Valley area of northwest Texas and southwest Oklahoma flirting around the 110 region.

With humidity added as a factor, Dallas and Oklahoma City will feel like a sweltering 110 degrees, experts say.

The Sunshine State will also live up to its moniker with temperatures continuing to reach the low-to-mid 90s through at least the next week.

Excessive Heat Warnings have been issued by the National Weather Service for Southern California, southern Nevada and in the southern half of Arizona through Monday, warning of high risks of heat stroke, heat cramps or heat exhaustion.

In Phoenix, Arizona, temperatures are tipped to reached a staggering 116 degrees or higher on Sunday, which would break a record set in the late 1800s. The all-time record in Phoenix is 122. In nearby Lake Havasu, Sunday temperatures may reach 120.

Red flag warnings have also already been hoisted for parts of the Rockies and interior west for an elevated risk of wildfires.

Excessive Heat Warnings have been issued by the National Weather Service for Southern California, southern Nevada and in the southern half of Arizona through Monday, warning of high risks of heat stroke, heat cramps or heat exhaustion (pictured fire crews worked all afternoon to contain a fast moving fire in south Santa Clara county near Gilroy)

The National Weather Service is predicting that 75 or more record-high temperatures will either be matched or broken from Friday to Tuesday alone  with that number expected to grow significantly by the end of next week

By the beginning of next week, experts say the heat will begin shifting east and north. By Tuesday, the mercury in Kansas, Oklahoma and north Texas is set to reach between 110 and 115. The temperatures will come close to the highest-ever experienced in these areas  which vary from 112 to 120.

While experts say the heat dome will be severe and long-lasting, it isnt likely to surpass the staggering heatwaves recorded in the hottest period in US history, the Dust Bowl era of the 1930s. Nearly half of the all-time heat records were recorded in this period.

Meteorologist Bob Henson told CBS he isnt expecting a raft of all-time or even monthly records, given the high bar of the 1930s and some recent years, like 2012. But I would expect at least a few, as well as some records for consecutive 90/95/100F temps.

Henson said July 2020 could end being one of the hottest on record, considering the breadth and duration of the expected heat.

According to Henson, thats because the heat forecast in the Southwest and in the Plains will not stay anchored in one place. A west-to-east steering flow will cause a piece of the sweltering heat to break away and steam east from St. Louis to Indianapolis and Pittsburgh, through to Washington, DC. Each of the cities will likely reach or surpass 100 degrees, Henson said.

Projections show that the heat is unlikely to shift anytime soon. Forecasts show the heat is likely to continue into at least the end of July.
TARRYTOWN, N.Y., July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Kari-Out Company, a manufacturer of condiments, paper and plastic products in the restaurant takeout industry, announced today its agreement to purchase Sanfacon's U.S. towelette business. Sanfacon is a manufacturer of paper products for the restaurant industry including moist towelettes. The purchase of Sanfacon's Virginia facility will solidify Kari-Out as a premier producer and distributor of hand sanitizing wipes, gels and surface cleaners in the United States.

Kari-Out's purchase of Sanfacon's production facility will help increase production capacity of its personal protective equipment (PPE) products. Since the start of the pandemic, Kari-Out looked to expand its facilities to produce hand sanitizers for hospitality and front-line workers including the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). With the purchase, Kari-Out will serve as the exclusive U.S. broker and food service distributor for Sanfacon Industries of Canada. Sanfacon Industries will also serve as a Canadian broker of Kari-Out products in Canada.

"We believe that the high-demand for sanitizing products is here to stay, even after the coronavirus is long gone," says Paul Epstein, CEO and president of Kari-Out. "By purchasing Sanfacon's production facility in Virginia, we'll be able to expand our footprint in the PPE industry and consistently provide our customers with safe sanitation products."

Kari-Out's individually wrapped towelettes and sanitizing gels are currently manufactured at its FDA-inspected facility in New Jersey. AccuGen Laboratories, an independent FDA registered lab, has tested and demonstrated that Kari-Out's sanitizing products kill 99.9% of common germs. Kari-Out's products can be found in the medical, food service and retail industries.

About Kari-Out:

Founded in 1964, Kari-Out is a family-owned company with over 55 years of diversified manufacturing experience in to-go food packaging in the United States. The company employs over 400 people and has six facilities throughout North America supplying independent and national food service distributors. In line with the company's mission to be environmentally responsible, two of Kari-Out's largest production facilities are powered by solar energy. For more information, please visit www.kariout.com.

About Sanfacon:

Sanfacon Industries Inc., a fully integrated manufacturer, has been producing paper and plastic products for the catering industry for over 55 years. Product lines include moist towelettes, paper wraps and liners, placemats and other paper products. For more information, please visit www.sanfacon-mills.com/home-eng.html.

For More Information, Please Contact:

Mordy Dicker | Kari-Out

(914) 559-6425

[email protected]

SOURCE Kari-Out Company

Related Links

https://kariout.com


Distribution of rights and obligations in the family, opportunities and responsibilities in performing the main family functions is one of the most controversial, but at the same time one of the most important issues in the modern context.

Scientists from the Department of General Sociology and Social Work of the Faculty of Social Sciences at Lobachevsky University have been engaged in research on parenthood and the distribution of parental functions for many years.

According to Nadezhda Egorova, Associate Professor at the Department of General Sociology and Social Work of the UNN Faculty of Social Sciences, the so-called traditional or patriarchal family role structure is increasingly subject to criticism and revision in the views of various social groups.

"The formula proposed by the famous American sociologist of the 20th century, Tolcott Parsons, that was very popular until the end of the century, according to which "the role of women is primarily in the performance of their family functions as wives, mothers and housewives, while the role of men is carried out in the professional world, at work..." is increasingly less acceptable in modern conditions that require women's active involvement in the field of labor relations," comments Nadezhda Egorova.

An egalitarian model based on equality and partnership in marriage and parenthood is becoming a more popular alternative to this distribution of roles and power in the family. At the same time, the movement towards equality is not an easy process. It requires finding the answers to the main questions of the study: what do women and men want to do and what are they ready to change? Is gender equality achievable in Russian realities?

UNN scientists' conclusions are based on their research: a questionnaire survey of third and fourth year students of Nizhny Novgorod universities ("Students' ideas regarding a father's role", N=472) and in-depth interviews with men aged 24 to 57 years old who have children ("Social practices of fatherhood in a modern Russian family", N=46) conducted by the authors in 2017-2019.

Research results show that most students are of the same opinion: parenting is the responsibility of both partners. Both young men (78%) and girls (89%) generally support this idea.

"However, the democratization of family relations is taking place at different rates; the need to share parental responsibility is more pronounced in the views of girls than in those of young men. The latter are more oriented towards traditional values, for example, they more often believe that the father does not have to be involved in the daily care of the child, he should bring up the child by his own example (the degree of agreement with this judgment is 40% for young men and 23% for girls). In the girls' opinion, on the contrary, men should share the responsibility for taking care of their children with women (86% vs. 74%)," comments Elena Ryabinskaya, sociologist at the Department of General Sociology and Social Work.

In the family practices of the fathers who have been interviewed, most follow the traditional model of distribution of parental and family responsibilities in general. At the same time, modern men have to adapt to women's active role in the labour market and have to be more frequently involved in family processes, including the upbringing of children.

Studies conducted by Lobachevsky University researchers show that the role of the father involves a wide range of responsibilities that imply men's full participation in the life of their children at various stages of their growing up.

"Fulfilled fathers are aware of the importance and value of paternal involvement in raising their children. In addition to the traditional patriarchal roles of a breadwinner, a disciplinarian, an 'image maker' and a family defender in public settings, today's fathers focus on parental responsibility, direct contribution to looking after their children, hygienic care, playing games, sharing their life experience, and the practice of active involvement of men in parenting becomes quite significant," says Alina Yanak, Assistant at the Department of General Sociology and Social Work.

Lobachevsky University scientists have proved that all young people are willing to be involved in the process of raising and caring for children, but there are certain differences in their approach to this matter.

"Activities related to the organization of children's leisure time throughout the whole stage of their growing up are more attractive for young men than the routine, daily work of providing constant care for young and growing children. This work should probably remain the woman's responsibility. Here, young people's views on parenthood are affected by the continuity of their families' traditions," Elena Ryabinskaya comments on the study's findings.

Thus, the area of competence of the surveyed students' mothers comprised only everyday responsibilities for the care and upbringing of the child, and the area of competence of their fathers mainly included responsibilities related to the organization of the child's leisure time.

Studies have shown that girls are more demanding with respect to men's parenting role, often believing that all these actions should be an integral part of the father's role set.

In their research, scientists from Lobachevsky University have also demonstrated another important aspect of the upbringing process: building relationships with children of different sexes. Most students believe that the amount of attention given to a child should not depend on whether it is a boy or a girl. However, when it comes to specific actions, views on the extent to which a man is involved in raising a daughter and a son can differ. In the actual practices of fathers, this difference becomes both more significant and more understandable.

In general, it is easier for men to adapt to the parenting role in interaction with boys, they can better understand how to structure their behavior with them. Men believe that they will be able to self-realize and self-identify in the role of the father, primarily in the process of raising their son, because they want to be self-projected on their child, want to be an example to him, to develop "male" skills and interests, to communicate 'on equal terms'. "It's easier with a son... A boy is a boy. There are a lot of common interests: some technical stuff, sports, and other things. Can Daddy do that? Yes, he can. Can Daddy teach? He will," one of the fathers says.

Fathers speak of their daughters with some trepidation, they believe that there are more complex nuances in dealing with girls, they need a more attentive, flexible and gentle approach. A father of four had this to say: "I'm very strict... And... it was very difficult for me, when we had a daughter, to change my ways after raising three boys... With boys, it's like in the army: "Attention!", "At ease!" "Dismissed!" But with a girl, it's different. So, at the beginning my wife even offered me to read psychological articles on how I should love my daughter and how I should talk to her...".

"They consciously put themselves on secondary positions with regard to girls, imposing the duty of caring for them on mothers," continues Alina Yanak. Nizhny Novgorod scientists have shown that the movement towards egalitarianism in the sphere of parenthood is becoming more and more visible both at the level of perceptions and in real family practices. But the process is controversial and nonuniform.

"We are witnessing a gradual inclusion of men in parenting rather than a conscious readiness for equality in this sphere," Nadezhda Yegorova says in conclusion.

The difference in goals and in the process of socialization of boys and girls proved by the studies of Nizhny Novgorod scientists is likely to contribute to the reproduction of the traditional/patriarchal model of family and parenthood.

###
The Czech Republic has ordered 52 French Caesar 155-mm self-propelled gun-howitzers. This order includes an option to obtain 12 more on the same terms. The initial order includes maintenance equipment, spares, tech support and two simulators. All this will cost about $250 million. The Caesar vehicles wont start to arrive until 2022 and all will be delivered by 2026.

The Czechs need to replace decades old Dana 152 mm artillery systems that do not meet current NATO requirements. For one thing, 152mm caliber artillery isnt compatible with the NATO 155 mm standard and the range of shells fired from the Dana weapon was insufficient because the Czech Republic wants artillery with a 42 kilometers range using standard ammunition or 55 kilometers with VLAP (Very Long-range Artillery Projectile). The Dana 152mm was able to fire only up to 25 kilometers with the new OFdDV extended range ammo or up 19 kilometers older ammunition. During 2017-2019 the Czechs evaluated eight modern artillery systems and the French made Caesar was rated as the most cost-effective system.

A French firm developed its truck-mounted 155mm Caesar in the 1990s and it entered service in 2003. In 2009 France sent eight Caesar howitzers to Afghanistan. The roads in Afghanistan are pretty bad, and wheeled combat vehicles have a hard time of it. But Caesar was built to handle cross country operations as well as bad roads. Afghanistan was the first time Caesar has served in combat and the truck-mounted howitzer was successful. The French Army has ordered about a hundred and another hundred have been exported.

Caesar is the lightest of the truck-mounted 155mm howitzers, weighing 18 tons. Other nations have built heavier (20-30 ton) systems, usually on a 6x6 heavy truck chassis. China recently introduced a vehicle of this type while Israel and South Africa introduced similar models at about the same time Caesar appeared.

The Czech Caesar artillery pieces will be mounted on the heavier 30-ton 8x8 Tatra made chassis which entered service in 2015. This chassis is much better armored than standard 6x6 version and can carry more ammunition, up to 30 rounds compared to 18 in the French 18-ton Caesar vehicle. To keep the same level of mobility the new variant also received a more powerful engine (410 horse power). Moreover, the Tatra chassis version has an autoloading system that boosts the rate of fire above 6 rounds per minute and it can be operated by only 3 soldiers instead of four on the French version.

The Czechs have found a convenient way to get modern NATO compatible artillery systems which will be party produced locally, because the Tatra Trucks are Czech made. -- Przemyslaw Juraszek
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: The countrys biggest Covid Care Centre, with 10,100 beds, will open next week at Bengaluru International Exhibition Centre (BIEC) on Tumakuru Road, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said. This pandemic will stay for some more months, and the State government is geared to tackle it, the CM said here on Thursday.

The CM and his cabinet ministers, Deputy CM Dr Ashwath Nrayan, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Health Minister B Sriramulu, Medical Education Minister Dr Sudhakar and Revenue Minister R Ashoka, along with senior officers, visited BIEC and inspected the facilities.

Later, Yediyurappa told reporters that as the number of cases is increasing in Bengaluru, the State government is making all attempts to control and arrange for treatment. This Covid Care Centre has all basic amenities with 10,100 beds, including 100 for ICU patients. A team of senior IAS officers set this up, and is also monitoring it. The central team visited the centre, and appreciated the arrangements. This is expected after unlocking, and more cases are being registered. We are equipped, Yediyurappa said.

He said that more than 2,200 staffers will be deputed here, including doctors and police. For every 100 patients, there will be one doctor, two nurses, two cleaning staff and marshals. There are arrangements for scientific disposal of garbage, and a dedicated team for laundry, to wash bedsheets, blankets and pillow covers. Mildly symptomatic patients will be housed here, with a centralised system for bed arrangement.

There are also ICU, ECG and oxygen support facilities, and a control room set up at the nearest hospital will monitor the centre 24x7.

The government has made arrangements to keep patients entertained, with indoor games like carrom board and chess, besides television sets. Hygienic food will be supplied for both patients and staff. The CM has appealed to the public to cooperate with the authorities. If an ambulance is delayed or private hospitals dont admit Covid patients, bring it to our notice. No need to panic, he said. Yediyurappa also appealed to MLAs to visit taluk and other government hospitals in their constituencies, and bring any issues to his notice. The CM said that Medical Education Minister Sudhakar has interacted with private hospitals on rates. We have told authorities to take action against those who charge excess, he added.
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Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews at a press conference in Melbourne, Australia on July 5, 2020. (Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images)

Victoria Records 288 New Coronavirus Cases

Victoria has recorded Australias biggest daily increase in COVID-19 cases, as the states chief health officer seeks to reassure people the outbreak isnt spiralling out of control.

The state recorded 288 new COVID-19 cases on July 10, with just 26 linked to known outbreaks and 262 under investigation.

Its the fifth day in a row of triple-digit figures in the state.

Previously, the highest daily state total in Australia was 212 cases recorded in NSW on March 27, at the height of the Ruby Princess and Newmarch House outbreaks.

It brings Victorias overall tally to 3397, of which 1172 remain active.

There are also more than 5000 close contacts of people who tested positive now in quarantine or being contacted by public health officers.

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said while the numbers are pretty ugly, the virus isnt yet out of control.

We are working on controlling this. We know what works. We know it works through our first wave, he told reporters on Friday.

It absolutely has to have people doing the right thing across the board and so, in a sense, it is in all of our hands.

Sutton said it could take up to two weeks before the effects of the lockdown are reflected in the case numbers, and that the figures may become worse before they are better.

Some 47 Victorians are in hospital with the virus, 12 of them in intensive care.

We will see an increase in hospitalised and ICU cases and in deaths in the coming days because of the spike that we have seen, Sutton said.

He wasnt surprised health workers make up 14 of the new cases.

It is the coalface, they are seeing those most likely to be carrying the virus. They are doing absolutely essential work and it is dangerous work, he said.

Sutton also noted a significant amount of community transmission in the suburbs of Craigieburn, Roxburgh Park and Truganina, where the states largest cluster was discovered at Al-Taqwa College.

The first case at the school was identified on June 27, with the outbreak now totalling more than 110 people.

About 2000 students and hundreds of staff went into quarantine.

Sutton urged people in those suburbs with symptoms to get tested immediately.

Premier Daniel Andrews said the spike in new cases proved the need for parts of the state to re-enter lockdown.

We didnt take that step because we didnt have a problem, we took that step because we knew it would need to get worse before it got better, he said.

Unless we took those steps we simply wouldnt be able to bring a sense of control to this.

People in locked-down metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire have been advised to wear masks when they are outside their home and physical distancing is not possible.

The government said studies have shown masks can reduce community transmission of the virus by up to two thirds.

Its not compulsory, we are simply asking that if you can wear a mask where you cant distance, Andrews said.

Thats a relatively small contribution but one that could make a really big difference.

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said 976 spot checks have been carried out at homes, businesses and public places across the state in the last 24 hours, with 60 fines issued.

Fines totalling $26,000 were handed out to 16 people at a birthday party in Dandenong after party goers were spotted ordering large amounts of KFC.

Almost 5500 cars were inspected at road checkpoints across the state, with 12 drivers fined.

People in metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire are only allowed to leave their homes to shop for food and supplies, receive or provide care, exercise, and study or work.

Benita Kolovos in Melbourne
Tokyo has been seeing a resurgence of coronavirus infections since the start of the month, with several days in a row of over 100 new cases and the most recent daily figure, announced on July 9, hitting 224, the highest ever for the capital. With that background, itas to a mixed response that Tokyoas Shinjuku Ward has announced a new coronavirus response program.

Under the program, any resident of Shinjuku Ward who is confirmed to be infected with the coronavirus will receive a grant of 100,000 yen (US$935) in acondolence money.a Recipients must have registered as residents of Shinjuku by April 7, one day before a state of emergency was declared in Tokyo due to the pandemic.

Some feel, though, the wardas generosity is misplaced. Currently, there are 898 confirmed cases of coronavirus infections among Shinjuku residents, more than in any other of the 23 wards and 30 municipalities that make up Tokyo Metropolis. Shinjuku doesnat have anywhere near the largest number of residents, though, as its total population only ranks 14th out of the 53 wards and cities (according to 2016 statistics).

In other words, Shinjuku has an unusually high rate of infection compared to other parts of Tokyo, and many feel the reason why can be found in the wardas dense enclaves of hostess bars, host clubs, and other nightlife establishments that cover several city blocks in multiple spots near Shinjuku Station.

With the Japanese legal system not allowing for their forcible closure during the pandemic, all health experts can do is appeal to peopleas sense of responsibility and discourage them from spending their night drinking and cozying up to the staff in such bars, but every few days seems to bring another news report of a new coronavirus cluster being traced to a host or hostess club. Because of that, some people in Japan are of the mind that a portion of Shinjukuas infected contracted the disease through their own fault, and donat feel that they should be rewarded for it, especially when there are already separate federal government grants providing financial aid to workers whose earnings have taken a hit during the economic downturn and also to students.
Park Rangers post signs Friday morning ordering the homeless encampment on Benjamin Franklin Parkway to be vacated by July 17. Read more

Saying they are disappointed and heartbroken, city officials announced Friday morning that they will close the four-week-old encampment of homeless people in a park on Benjamin Franklin Parkway by next Friday.

They called the move very much of last resort after a month of negotiations, and added that encampment organizers refused the citys offers to meet at least some of their demands, which, officials said, kept shifting. They also cited a lack of clarity about which organizers spoke for the group running the encampment on North 22nd Street and the Parkway. Some demands made by organizers, officials said, were outside the citys purview.

Activist Sterling Johnson, spokesperson for Philadelphia Housing Action, the coalition of groups that organized the encampment, criticized the citys decision to shut down the camp, which has grown from a small group in early June to an estimated 100 to 150 residents.

The citys disappointment is disingenuous, to say the least, Johnson said Friday afternoon. They have offered zero options for permanent housing appropriate for residents. They will simply shift the burden to another area and we will start this process all over again.

Johnson said that he thought that recent Black Lives Matter rallies and an ongoing national dialogue about racism had provided spaces for us to talk about racial justice. But, he said, in the end, we see that nothing has been learned.

In a statement released Thursday night, organizers said that the encampment was conceived as a form of political protest over city policies toward the homeless and the lack of low-income housing in Philadelphia.

Initially, camp organizers included demands not only to benefit the homeless, but to order the police to disarm and disband. In the latest talks with the city, organizers set aside police-related issues. They concentrated primarily on a demand for an emergency transfer of vacant city-owned property into a community land trust for permanent low-income housing.

Homeless advocates, many of whom knew encampment residents personally, have said they were unsure of what to make of the camp, and were puzzled by some of the organizers demands. Because the encampment was a protest, it was never seen as an organic congregation of people experiencing homelessness, as previous encampments have been.

Still, the encampment generated support from volunteers throughout the region, who brought food, water, and other necessities.

Both advocates and city officials were concerned that outreach workers who went to the camp to help residents were rebuffed by organizers  something that had never been seen when previous encampments formed. In one case, an outreach worker was hit in the head with a phone, according to city officials. The incident was confirmed by a representative of Project Home, the homeless advocacy group.

Outreach workers were prevented from speaking with residents as recently as Thursday, city officials said.

Those were lies, said Jennifer Bennetch, an organizer of the encampment. Nobodys ever stopped an outreach worker. But most encampment residents dont want outreach workers to begin with.

Theyre on a first-name basis with outreach. Yet theyre still homeless.

During the encampments month of existence, city officials said there were two stabbings and a drug overdose death. Neighbors complained of seeing feces and needles in the area.

Also on Friday, Eva Gladstein, the citys deputy managing director of Health and Human Services, described the list of offers the city made to organizers. It included:

 Providing housing for individuals who are most vulnerable to contracting COVID-19.

 A commitment to establish a village of tiny houses for people who are homeless.

 An agreement to develop individualized housing plans with immediate placement in temporary housing.

 An offer to help develop a sanctioned encampment on another spot.

Every time the city believed progress had been made, organizers would add new demands, city officials said.

I am disappointed that we are at this point after spending the last four weeks trying to avoid this very scenario, Gladstein said.

Bennetch disagreed that her groups demands had shifted throughout the negotiations.

The city is lying, she said Friday afternoon. Our demands have always been the same. These four weeks of negotiating have been a waste of our time.

Officials said that before next Fridays mandatory closure, the city will ramp up efforts to offer services to residents of the encampment.

Teams will offer to work intensively with participants to ... begin the process of developing a plan that will lead to permanent housing, said Liz Hersh, director of the Office of Homeless Services.

On a rainy Friday morning, city workers posted signs about the pending encampment clear out. If history is any indication, many residents may walk off before the citys 9 a.m. official closure deadline next Friday. By the time the city had broken up an encampment of 100 or more individuals living homeless at the Convention Center in March, just a fraction of the group was present.

Bennetch predicted that some encampment residents might not leave willingly. She said, I dont want to see people brutalized.

She added that many of the same homeless people may wind up in different locations, forming alternate encampments.

Im advocating to have people divide into different groups and move to gentrifying neighborhoods, onto plots of land privately owned by deceased or incarcerated people. The city wouldnt be able to find the owners to evict people, Bennetch said.

Ultimately, Hersh said, We are heartbroken that we have not been able to do more to help people. This camp cannot continue, but the unmet needs of homeless people remain.
Malaysian police questioned six employees of broadcaster Al Jazeera on Friday over a documentary on the arrest of undocumented migrants that authorities said was inaccurate, misleading and unfair.

Qatar-based Al Jazeera said it stood by the professionalism, quality and impartiality of its journalism.

Rights groups have raised concerns over crackdowns on media freedom under Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's government, which came to power in March, as well as rising anger toward foreigners, who have been accused of spreading the novel coronavirus and being a burden on state resources.

The Al Jazeera staff were called in after authorities determined a documentary contained elements that could be investigated under a sedition, criminal and communications law, national police chief Abdul Hamid Bador told reporters.

"They are coming in as witnesses, not suspects," Abdul Hamid said, adding that the attorney-general's office would decide on any further action.

Al Jazeera called on Malaysia to withdraw the criminal investigation.

"Charging journalists for doing their jobs is not the action of a democracy that values free speech. Journalism is not a crime," it said in a statement.

The prime ministers office did not respond to a request for comment.

The documentary, "Locked up in Malaysia's Lockdown", aired by the station's 101 East news programme last week, focused on the plight of undocumented migrants detained during coronavirus lockdowns.

Al Jazeera said it had repeatedly sought the government's view but requests for interviews with ministers and officials were not accepted.

Despite this, it said it had produced a balanced film by including comments made by the defence minister at two news conferences.

Al Jazeera said its staff and those interviewed in the documentary had faced abuse, death threats and the disclosure of their personal details on social media.

Abdul Hamid said he would ensure that the media would be protected and allowed to operate freely.
Central gov't firmly supports office for safeguarding national security in HKSAR

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 09:20, July 09, 2020

BEIJING, July 8 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council on Wednesday voiced firm support for the office for safeguarding national security of the central people's government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

The central government's office for safeguarding national security in the HKSAR was inaugurated in Hong Kong Wednesday morning.

"We extend warm congratulations on the inauguration of the national security office in Hong Kong and will fully support and cooperate with it to fulfill its duties and responsibilities," the Hong Kong and Macao affairs office said in a statement.

As an institution accredited by the central people's government to safeguard national security in the HKSAR, the office shoulders a lofty mission and important responsibilities to perform the mandate of overseeing, guiding, coordinating with, and providing support to the HKSAR in the performance of its duties for safeguarding national security and handling cases concerning offence endangering national security in accordance with the law under specific circumstances, the statement said.

The statement called on people from all walks of life in Hong Kong to fully support the work of the national security office, the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the HKSAR and other national security bodies to jointly safeguard China's sovereignty, security, and development interests, maintain Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability, and ensure the steady and sustained implementation of "one country, two systems."

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Gangster Vikas Dubey, who met with a gory end in an encounter with the UP STF near here on Friday, conjured the image of a typical don who dabbled in real-estate, won a district-level election and rubbed shoulders with political figures.

Last Friday, Dubey, who was around 50-years-old, hogged the headlines after his henchmen allegedly shot dead eight police personnel in a botched raid that he had converted into an ambush.

An old photo on social media showed him at an event next to an Uttar Pradesh minister, who switched parties to join the ruling BJP.

The Congress claimed this showed his political patronage.

Another picture showed a poster of him appealing for votes for his wife, Richa Dubey, in a zila panchayat election which she won from Ghimau under which Bikru village falls.

The poster also carried pictures of two leaders now in the opposition, implying that she had their support.

In 2000, Dubey himself won the Shivrajpur seat in a zila panchayat poll he fought from prison, where he was lodged after a murder charge, according to officials.

However, following his arrest on Thursday, Dubey's mother Sarla Devi said, "At this time, he is not in the BJP, he is with the SP."

But, a Samajwadi Party spokesman said Dubey was "not a member of the party" and strict action should be taken against him. Moreover, his call record details should be made public as demanded by party president Akhilesh Yadav to expose his links, he said.

After being on the run for nearly a week, during which he was said to have taken refuge in a hotel in Faridabad on Delhi's outskirts, Dubey was picked up from the holy city of Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday.

MP Home Minister Narottam Mishra said on Thursday, "Dubey arrived at the (Mahakal) temple in his car. A police constable identified him first, after which three others (security personnel) were alerted and he was taken aside for questioning and later arrested."

However, temple sources gave a slightly different account. They said Dubey reached the temple gate in the morning and purchased a Rs 250 ticket from a counter near the police post. When he went to a nearby shop to buy prasad for the deity, the shop owner identified him and alerted police, they added.

When policemen asked him his name, he loudly said, "I am Vikas Dubey of Kanpur ", following which the cops and private security personnel deployed at the temple nabbed him.

The MP police then handed him over to the UP police. When he was being brought to the state, the police vehicle carrying him from Ujjain overturned at Bhauti area in Kanpur on Friday morning, police claimed.

Inspector General of Police (Kanpur) Mohit Agarwal said Dubey tried to flee from the spot after snatching the pistol of a inspector leading to an encounter.

"Dubey was injured in the encounter and he was declared dead in the hospital," ADG Kanpur range, JN Singh said.

Dubey shot into limelight last Friday when his henchmen ambushed UP policemen who had gone to Bikru village to arrest him in a new case of attempted murder.

Officials said the road was blocked by heavy earthmoving equipment and when policemen stepped out of their vehicles, they faced a hail of bullets, and eight of them were killed.

Since then, the UP police have shot dead five of Dubey's alleged accomplices.

Police claimed that Dubey was involved in about 60 cases. But details obtained from officials indicate that he was not convicted even in cases like murder.

He was the prime accused in the murder of BJP leader Santosh Shukla inside the Shivli police station here in 2001, according to an official.

"Dubey had instilled so much fear in everyone that even after being accused of murdering a BJP leader having the status of minister of state, not even a single police officer gave a statement against him," alleged the official who did not want to be named.

"No evidence was put before the court and he was acquitted for lack of evidence," the official said.

He claimed that Dubey used to plot and execute crimes, including murder, from inside the jail.

His clout among police can be gauged from the fact that all the 68 police personnel at Chaubeypur police station near Kanpur were shunted to the reserve police lines on Tuesday with the top brass saying they suspected their integrity after last week's ambush.

Even DIG Anant Deo, who till recently was the senior SP in Kanpur, was transferred from the state's Special task Force (STF) to the Provincial Armed Police (PAC) unit in Moradabad.

Dubey was also an accused in the murder of Sidheshwar Pandey, a manager at Tarachand Inter College in Kanpur, in 2000.

He was accused of plotting the murder of one Ram Babu Yadav from the prison in the same year.

His name came up in the murder of Dinesh Dubey, a businessman, in 2004. He allegedly committed another murder in 2013. He was accused of ordering the killing of his cousin Anurag in 2018, while he was himself in jail.

The victim's wife had filed an FIR against four people, including him, according to his history sheet shared by officials.

A villager said Dubey and his brother Deepu Dubey dealt in real estate. Another younger brother Avinash was killed some time back, the local resident claimed.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Friday said there was no need to shed tears over the killing of gangster Vikas Dubey in an encounter and wondered why the police action was being questioned.

Dubey was shot dead by the Uttar Pradesh police on the outskirts of Kanpur city on Friday morning. The police claimed that he was trying to flee after the car carrying him from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh overturned at Bhaunti in Kanpur district.

Talking to PTI, Raut said, Dubey had killed eight policemen. Attack on the uniform means there is no law and order. Taking strict action is the need of that states police be it in Maharashtra or Uttar Pradesh. There is no need to shed tears over the killing of Dubey in an encounter. Why is the police action being questioned? the Rajya Sabha MP asked.

Madhya Pradesh police had arrested Vikas Dubey outside the Mahakal temple in Ujjain on Thursday morning and he was handed over to an Uttar Pradesh police late in the evening.

The UP police said that the car carrying him overturned and the gangster snatched a pistol from one of the policemen, but was shot dead when he opened fire while trying to flee.

Opposition parties, however, targeted the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh over the encounter.

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the encounter as well as the ambush in which eight policemen died last week.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the criminal is now gone and asked what about those who had protected him.
I winced. Although I am pleased to see attention drawn to such obviously innocent victims  all of whom were Black  after years of seeing them buried in the back pages of most minds, I am also tired  exceedingly tired  of seeing various politicians and pundits hold up Chicagos gun violence, not so much to help resolve the crisis as to use it as a bullhorn to shame their adversaries.
New Delhi, July 10 : Amid ongoing tension along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, Chinese Ambassador to India, H.E. Sun Weidong, on Friday said that India and China should be partner and not rivals.

Weidong released a video message talking about the recent stand-off between the two countries in Galwan region in eastern Ladakh.

The Ambassador said that the June 15 violent clash in Galwan Valley, which caused casualties on both sides, was not seen as coming by either China, or India.

Weidong also said that Chinese frontline troops were disengaging from the ground in accordance with the consensus reached.

On July 5, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi and India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval had talked over the phone and reached a positive consensus on easing the border tension.

The Ambassador added that some quarters in India have raised doubts about the consensus reached by the leaders and have a wrong perception about China-India ties.

These have brought disruptions in the bilateral relations. "In this regard, it is imperative for us to clarify some fundamental points," he said.

He pointed out that India and China should be partners rather than rivals, and both the countries have a history of friendly exchanges of more than 2,000 years.

He also said that during the Wuhan Informal Summit in 2018, President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had stressed that the two countries provide each other with development opportunities instead of posing threats, which the two sides should adhere to.

"This is the fundamental judgment on China-India relations charting the course for the development of our bilateral relations," he said.

The Ambassador pointed out that he has noticed some emerging opinions in recent days, which repudiate the essence of China-India relationship due to the border-related incidents, make false assumptions about China's intentions, exaggerate conflicts and provoke confrontation.

He said, "It is not the fact. It is harmful indeed and not helpful. China and India have jointly advocated the five principals of peaceful coexistence and uphold independent foreign policies. We should naturally see each other as positive factor in the changing global landscape and as well as partners in realising our respective dream of development." The Ambassador said that the two countries should not allow differences to interfere with bilateral relations.

He added that since the boundary question has been left by history, it is now necessary to find a fair and reasonable solution that is acceptable to both countries through consultation and negotiations.

"In the absence of the ultimate solution, both the countries agreed to maintain peace and tranquility in the border area," he said.

The Ambassador pointed out that for China, peace was of paramount importance.
On Thursday morning 9th July 2020, the Chairman of the National Peace Council, Most Rev. Prof Emmanuel Asante in the company of the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Peace Council interacted with the Ejura Sekyidumasi Constituency NDC MP, Alhaji Muhammad Bawah Braimah.

The meeting follows a peace process being initiated three days after the MP was allegedly attacked by some hoodlums believed to be sponsored goons of the ruling NPP.

Hon. Alhaji Muhammad Bawah Braimah was distributing food to NDC agents at voter registration centres in his area when the alleged attacks occurred.

The matter has since been reported to the Ejura police.

"I have narrated all that happened and the chairman of the peace council who is also a native of Ejura has assured me that he will get to the bottom of the issue and also meet with other stakeholders to put the needless attacks to rest," the MP told ModernGhana after his engagement with the National Peace Council.

Other critical information divulged to this network indicates that at the moment the NDC party leadership from both the national and regional levels are in Ejura to meet the MP, including party supporters on the same matter.

Here is a statement from the MP's team released earlier condemning this act of political violence:

EJURA SEKYEDUMASE NDC ABHORS INHUMANE ATTACK BY NPP THUGS ON MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR EJURA SEKYEDUMASE CONSTITUENCY HON. MUHAMMED BAWA BRAIMAH

The National Democratic Congress Ejura Sekyedumase Constituency has taken keen notice of the attack on the Member of Parliament for the constituency on Monday, 6th July 2020 at Ejura Nkwanta by NPP thugs when he was visiting the ongoing voter registration exercise, distributing food to the agents at the registration center.

Hon. Bawa Braimah on the said day went to Hiawoawu before proceeding to Nkwanta where the brutal attack on him took place. The NPP thugs met him at Hiawoawu and when he saw them, he decided to leave and proceeded to Nkwanta.

The Member of Parliament in Nkwanta decided to have a conservation with a prison guard and at that moment he was attacked by the NPP thugs - Afoko and Bala - descended on him while still lying on the ground and gave him slaps on his face.

While these barbaric acts were going on, the MCE and Parliamentary Candidate for NPP, Hon. Salisu Bamba was in his vehicle vividly watching what was going on.

Bawa Braimah, being a peace-loving person, never went out with his security guard. The NDC Ejura Sekyedumase trust the security in the Municipality that the needful action would be taken within the next 24 hours.

If the youth and members of the NDC in the Ejura Sekyedumase constituency do not see any action from the security within the given period, we will

organize a peaceful demonstration to show our grievances on the intimidations meted out to our MP.

We will organize the youth to provide security to our MP wherever he goes.

We will as a party retaliate the violence that was given to our MP.

The NDC Ejura Sekyedumase is calling on the youth to remain calm and wait for the action that will be taken by the security personnel in the Municipality.

We count on the traditional councils in Ejura Sekyedumase and Anyinasu to take note of these happenings and act for peace to prevail in the municipality.

Long live Ejura Sekyedumase NDC.

Signed....

Okai Attakorah Gibson

Constituency Secretary-NDC EJURA SEKYEDUMASE.

0249388866/0209078056

Cc:1. Municipal Police Commander

Ejura Sekyedumase

2. Ejura Traditional council

3. Sekyedumase traditional council

4. Anyinasau traditional council

5. All Media Houses
A Delhi court Friday granted bail to 82 foreign nationals from Bangladesh who were chargesheeted for attending Tablighi Jamaat congregation here allegedly in violation of visa norms, indulging in missionary activities illegally and violating government guidelines issued in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Gurmohina Kaur granted the relief to the foreigners on furnishing a personal bond of Rs 10,000 each.

Till date, 371 foreign nationals from 31 different countries, who were chargesheeted in the case, have been granted bail by the court.

The police had in June filed 59 chargesheets, including supplementaries, against 956 foreigners belonging to 36 different countries in the case.

The accused who were granted bail Friday will file their plea bargaining applications on Saturday, said advocates Ashima Mandla, Mandakini Singh and Fahim Khan, appearing for them.

Under plea bargaining, the accused plead guilty to the offence, praying for a lesser punishment.



The Criminal Procedure of Code allows for plea bargaining in cases where the maximum punishment is 7-year imprisonment; offences don't affect the socio-economic conditions of the society and the offence is not committed against a woman or a child below 14 years.

During the hearing, all the foreigners were produced before the court through video conferencing.

The court had granted bail to 122 Malaysians on Tuesday and 91 other foreigners from 21 countries on Wednesday and 76 foreign nationals from eight countries on Thursday.

The investigating officer had earlier told the court that the investigation was completed against the 956 foreigners in the case and each has been allegedly found to have independently committed the offence for which he/she has been chargesheeted.

Further investigations are pending, the IO said.

These foreigners had attended the event in March, following which in April COVID-19 cases across the country spiked after hundreds of Tablighi Jamaat members, who had attended the religious congregation at Nizamuddin Markaz event, tested positive.

According to the chargesheets, all the foreigners have been booked for violation of visa rules, guidelines issued in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, Epidemic Diseases Act, Disaster Management Act and prohibitory orders under section 144 of Code of Criminal Procedure.

They have also been booked for the offences under sections 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 270 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 271 (Disobedience to quarantine rule) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Foreigners Act.

The punishment for these offences ranges from six months to eight years of imprisonment.

The Centre has cancelled their visas and blacklisted them. The foreigners have not been arrested yet and are residing at various places approved by the Delhi high court.

At least 9,000 people, including the foreign nationals participated in the religious, Tablighi Jamaat, congregation at Nizamuddin Markaz. Later, many of the attendees travelled to various parts of the country.

A FIR was registered against Tablighi Jamaat leader Maulana Saad Kandhalvi and six others on March 31 on a complaint of the Station House Officer of Nizamuddin under sections of the Epidemic Diseases Act, Disaster Management Act (2005), Foreigners Act and other relevant sections of Indian Penal Code.

Kandhalvi was later booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder after some of the attendees of the religious congregation died due to COVID-19, police said.
Under pressure, the Navy has dropped its ban on sailors attending indoor religious services off-base, so long as they wear face masks and maintain social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The change in Navy policy followed new guidance late Wednesday to Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday from Gregory Slavonic, the acting assistant secretary of defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs.

Read Next: After 110 Years of Aviation, Navy Get Its First Black Female Fighter Pilot

In a memo, Slavonic said that Navy orders to prevent the spread of COVID-19 should not "restrict attendance at places of worship where attendees are able to appropriately apply COVID-19 transmission mitigation measures, specifically social distancing and use of face covering."

In response to the new guidance, the service changed its rules Thursday to allow indoor church attendance off-base.

"All service members assigned to Navy units must continue to follow force health protection protocols, such as maintaining social distance and use of face coverings, should they choose to participate in religious services or visit places of worship," Capt. Sarah Self-Kyler, public affairs officer for U.S. Fleet Forces Command, said in a statement.

The Navy's restrictions on attending religious services off base, imposed in late March to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, had been challenged by the First Liberty Institute, a Texas-based legal firm focused on religious freedom issues.

The service's action to lift the restriction is "a major victory for the Constitution and for religious freedom within our military," said Mike Berry, general counsel for First Liberty Institute, in a statement. "We are grateful to Acting Undersecretary Slavonic and Navy leadership for righting this ship, and to Commander-in-Chief Trump for making religious liberty a priority."

The Navy's previous restrictions had also brought criticism from Roman Catholic Most Rev. Timothy P. Broglio, the Archbishop for the Military Services.

In a statement Friday, Broglio said ,"The revision of the U.S. Navy's orders to allow for the participation by Navy personnel in indoor religious services, provided that the appropriate guidelines are met, is most welcome."

He added, "The change recognizes that worship is a part of the exercise of religious liberty and helps to ensure the readiness of the forces who defend us."

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.

Related: Navy Ban on Sailors Worshiping Indoors at Off-Base Churches Stirs Controversy
A prosecution witness in the trial of Dauda Lawal, former Executive Director, First Bank Plc, has told Justice Muslim Hassan of the Fede...

A prosecution witness in the trial of Dauda Lawal, former Executive Director, First Bank Plc, has told Justice Muslim Hassan of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, how he delivered 12 padlocked bags containing $70 million to an Abuja-based banker.





He said this was on the instruction of ex-Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.





The witness, a former Group General Manager, GGM, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, gave the testimony before Justice Hassan on Wednesday.





His identity is being protected.

Lawal is facing trial for allegedly handling the sum of $25 million, out of a total of $153 million doled out by Diezani in the build-up to the 2015 general elections.





A statement by the EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, quoted the witness as narrating that he delivered the bags loaded with cash to the banker, one Charles, in front of Dume Supermarket in Abuja.





Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, the witness said: My Lord, as I can remember, shortly before the 2015 elections, it was the norm for heads of subsidiaries of the NNPC to be invited for undisclosed briefing of activities of their departments to the minister.





He recalled that at the end of one of such briefings, Diezani gave him the phone number of a banker he had never met, with a clear instruction that I should convey 12 padlocked bags to him.





The source, the content and the purpose of the bags were not disclosed to me. Thereafter, I called the banker who equally confirmed to me that he had been briefed about the message. I delivered the bags to him.





The ex-GGM added that much later, the EFCC invited him for interrogation on the issue and he made a statement to that effect.





Asked by Oyedepo to describe the kind of relationship he and others had with Diezani, the witness said: We had a command-and-obey relationship and also took an oath of office to obey directives and authority.





During cross-examination by defence counsel, Patrick Ikwueto, SAN, the witness said he had never met Dauda Lawal before.




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In late June, Bayer AG agreed to pay $9.5 billion to settle about 100,000 lawsuits that accused Roundup, the popular herbicide it acquired when it bought Monsanto in 2018, of causing non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

The settlement came about even though Bayer adamantly insists that glyphosate, the core chemical in Roundup, is not a cancer agent, a position also taken by the Environmental Protection Agency and other regulators around the world. It also came about after the plaintiffs won the first three cases that went to trial, including one last year in which a jury awarded $2 billion to a California couple. The plaintiffs lawyers had hoped to leverage those victories to extract $20 billion or even $30 billion from Bayer to settle the litigation.

And the settlement came about even though were in the middle of a pandemic. Or perhaps its more accurate to say that it came about because were in the middle of a pandemic. There were no juries and no trials, said Ken Feinberg, who, as the court-appointed special master, was assigned the task of trying to resolve the litigation. You see, without trials, there wasnt much else either side could do besides settle.

Who could say how long the pandemic would last? Years, perhaps, if a vaccine wasnt developed quickly. And thus, who could say how long it would be before trials might be able to resume?

When plaintiffs lawyers join forces to gin up a mass tort, they have two forms of leverage. One is their ability to accumulate not just hundreds of lawsuits, but tens of thousands of them. Thats why whenever an allegedly faulty product comes under scrutiny by the plaintiffs bar, the lawyers advertise heavily, searching for clients who can claim to be hurt by the product. Once upon a time, this was called ambulance chasing, but now its simply seen as part of a sophisticated legal business model.

The second form of leverage are the trials themselves, especially in plaintiff-friendly jurisdictions like St. Louis, Missouri, or Madison County, Illinois. Juries do not need much in the way of evidence to award billions of dollars to sympathetic plaintiffs who are dying of cancer. Sometimes they dont need any evidence at all  the mere implication of corporate misconduct is all it takes. And even though these awards are invariably lowered by the trial judge  and sometimes overturned on appeal thousands of more cases are stacked up right behind them.

Its fair to say that Bayer, a German corporation, miscalculated when it bought Monsanto. Indeed, there are those who believe that had Bayers executives better understood how the American legal system works (or doesnt work, depending on your perspective), it would have never completed the deal.

By May 2019, less than a year after the Monsanto deal was completed  and after those first three juries had sided with the plaintiffs  Bayers stock had dropped 44%. During the ensuing months, it took steps to mitigate the damage. It cut 12,000 jobs. It dumped its animal health business. It sold two of its best-known brands, Coppertone and Dr. Scholls. Nothing seemed to help. By late March this year, Bayers market cap was less than the $63 billion it had paid for Monsanto.

Which is right around the time the pandemic shut down much of the U.S., including its court system.

The legal system didnt completely grind to a halt, of course. Status hearings and depositions can be done using a platform like Zoom; several lawyers have told me they actually prefer to conduct depositions virtually because the process is so much more efficient. But a full-fledged trial cant take place on Zoom. Too many aspects simply require everyone to be in a courtroom.

At the urging of U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria in San Francisco, who was overseeing the Roundup litigation, the two sides began settlement talks in the spring of 2019, with Feinberg brought in as mediator. They had not gone well. The lead lawyers for the plaintiffs were asking for an amount  upwards of $30 billion  that Bayer thought was not only unjustified but far in excess of what the company, which was carrying $38 billion in debt, could afford. Still, with a handful trials scheduled for 2020, including one in St. Louis, the plaintiffs lawyers felt they had the upper hand.

In early 2020, Bayer sought a delay in the St. Louis trial so the negotiations could continue. Feinberg agreed. But progress remained slow, with the two sides adamant about their positions. Elizabeth Cabraser, a prominent plaintiffs attorney, would later tell the court that each side threatened to walk away at multiple points, and the mediators direct resolution of disputes was required, at times, to prevent the discussions from collapsing altogether.

What broke the logjam was the pandemic, Feinberg told me.

The virus created a new kind of uncertainty. Who could say how long the pandemic would last? Years, perhaps, if a vaccine wasnt developed quickly. And thus, who could say how long it would be before trials might be able to resume? The plaintiffs lawyers had clients who were sick and eager to get some money. And, of course, the lawyers themselves didnt want to wait forever to be paid. Suddenly, despite not having won any trials, Bayer had some leverage.

Scott Partridge, a Monsanto veteran who became Bayers general counsel after the deal was completed, decided to sidestep the lead plaintiffs lawyers (theyre called the plaintiffs steering committee), and open negotiations with dozens of other lawyers with large numbers of Roundup cases. Sure enough, with the pandemic having put everything on hold, they wanted to do a deal.

Suddenly this intractable litigation gave way to progress, as one law firm after another signed on to a settlement outline that Feinberg and others helped craft. By April, Feinberg felt certain that a deal was close. And while it took two more months to get to the finish line, he was right. The final terms called for Bayer to pay about $9.5 billion to settle about 100,000 cases, with $1.5 billion more or so to handle various other issues, including future claimants.

That still means 25,000 lawsuits havent accepted the terms, but Feinberg told the New York Times he would be surprised if there are any future trials. Besides, as part of the settlement, a five-member scientific panel will be established to examine causation  that is, does glyphosate truly cause cancer? Its conclusion will be binding, which means that the holdouts could get nothing if the panel rules that Roundup is benign, as Bayer believes it will.

The settlement was announced June 24. The German company  like many foreign companies caught up in a mass tort  will never stop believing that the process was irrational and its product is safe. And they may well be right. But investors didnt care. Despite the enormous sum the company has agreed to shell out to the plaintiffs, Bayers market cap, at $69.5 billion, is once again larger than the amount it paid for Monsanto.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics Lawsuits COVID-19 Pollution
The Ukrainian Armed Forces are working out plans to respond to all military threats from Russia, including in the Crimean direction.

Commander of the Ukrainian Joint Forces Operation (JFO) Serhiy Nayev says there is no direct threat of the Russian invasion yet, however, the Ukrainian army is preparing for any scenario.

Speaking during a Svoboda Slova [Freedom of Speech] TV panel show, he said the Ukrainian military had reinforced all types of intelligence to obtain information on the status and nature of the Russian armed forces' actions, according to the RBC Ukraine media outlet.

Read alsoNavy commander tells of preparations to repel Russia's full-scale aggression

"All state intelligence agencies, as well as the leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, including the commander in chief, the chief of the General Staff and the defense minister are taking part. We receive daily information about the Russian armed forces, their presence, accumulation, and increase in the number," he said.

Nayev stressed the Ukrainian Armed Forces were working out plans to respond to all military threats from Russia, including in the Crimean direction.

In addition, he said the commander of the Naval Forces of Ukraine, who had announced Russia's possible military invasion from Crimea, "exaggerated and does not have full information."

As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukraine's Navy Commander Oleksiy Neizhpapa said the threat of full-scale Russian aggression against Ukraine had not disappeared.
The Logo of social media app TikTok (also known as Douyin) is displayed on a smartphone on December 14, 2018 in Berlin, Germany.

Major U.S. organizations including Twitter and Facebook said they were pausing requests for user data from Hong Kong law enforcement while they evaluate what this law means.

Under the new law, people found guilty of secession or subversion can be punished with a life sentence in prison . But the law also gives authorities powers to police online content including requiring technology platforms and internet service providers to delete content that falls foul of the legislation, or face fines.

TikTok, which is owned by Beijing-based ByteDance, flagged earlier this week it would be exiting Hong Kong "in light of recent events," referencing the national security law passed at the end of June .

Users who had already downloaded the popular short video app can no longer use it.

TikTok has been pulled from Apple's App Store and the Google Play Store in Hong Kong, days after a sweeping new national security law was introduced in the city.

Hong Kong TikTok users were greeted with the following message when they opened the app: "Thank you for the time you've spent on TikTok and giving us the the opportunity to bring a little bit of joy into your life!"

"We regret to inform you that we have discontinued operating TikTok in Hong Kong," it continued.

TikTok has come under fire from Washington which has accused it of censoring content on its platform that may be sensitive to Beijing. The app has denied that it does this.

The U.S. is also concerned that TikTok's data could be accessed by China. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said earlier this week the Trump administration is "looking at" banning TikTok and other Chinese social media apps.

TikTok said it has "never provided user data to the Chinese government, nor would we do so if asked."

The social media app has also come under fire in India where it was recently blocked along with 58 other Chinese apps. The Indian government said it took the action to ban the apps, alleging "they are engaged in activities which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defense of India, security of state and public order." Meanwhile, tensions between India and China have been rising over their disputed border in the Western Himalayas and a clash earlier this month left 20 Indian soldiers dead.

TikTok has been trying to distance itself from its Chinese parent. It hired an American CEO in the form of Kevin Mayer, a former Disney executive. His priority was seen as rebuilding trust with regulators.

And on Friday, ByteDance told CNBC it is "evaluating changes to the corporate structure of its TikTok business," but did not add further details as to what exactly that would entail.

ByteDance operates a version of TikTok in China called Douyin but a spokesperson said that the company "does not have plans" to make the app available on Hong Kong app stores. Douyin has local Hong Kong users who downloaded the app in mainland China, the spokesperson added.

 CNBC's Uptin Saiidi contributed to this report.
There is a script for a mid-crisis column: acknowledge the situation, reference previous crises weve overcome, extoll the virtue of the audience, then make a call for action toward a bright future.

Except, the situation we find ourselves in today is different. To begin with, what crisis are we referring to? The global pandemic, mass unemployment, or the institutional racism in our society? And what past do we reference? The influenza pandemic of 1918? The Great Depression? The civil rights era?

As I write this, the novel coronavirus has caused more than 133,000 deaths in the U.S., with new infections on the rise in as many as 40 states. Presidential tweets are not fireside chats. Mobilizing a nation to fight an invisible enemy by staying home or wearing a mask is not like preparing for war against a foreign adversary. The only all-too-familiar script playing out in America today, sadly, is violence being used against peaceful protestors and those marching for their basic human rights. Situation acknowledged. Previous crises referenced. But no comfort to be found.

How about extolling virtue? Throughout these past four months, librarians have worked to vastly expand digital services to help those sheltered in place. Publishers and authors have pitched in by tossing out embargoes, reducing prices, and in some cases making resources freely available. New digital relationships have been formed, and new modes of community implemented.

Yet here too the script is failing. Four major publishers are now suing the Internet Archive. Library staffs are clashing with management over the wisdom and safety of reopening in the midst of an ongoing pandemic. Educators are fighting with administrators about online instruction. And classically defined noble institutions are laying off workers.

We are all probably weary of the term unprecedented. But these times are just thatbecause the crises we face are finally forcing us to recognize and confront an uncomfortable truth that has persisted for generations: It is true that libraries, publishers, and schools and colleges work for the betterment of society. But as part of that society, we have also played a role in sustaining its worst elements. This includes supporting institutional racism, as well as too often putting our grand mission before the well-being of our workforcea practice Rutgers University librarian Fobazi Ettarh has defined as vocational awe.

A 'Better' Normal

It is acknowledgments like these that make so many recent calls to rise to the occasion as we have in the past fall flat. No matter how well-intentioned, too many of these calls lack the radical empathy needed for a time of such change, disruption, and loss. People are rightly angry and afraidand not just because of what has happened but because of what is happening and what might still happen.

The crises we face todayin public health, in our economy, and in confronting the structural racism in our societydemand that we rethink everything, including what weve always considered virtuous institutions, like libraries, schools, and publishers. Yes, we must rise again to serve our communities. But not in the same ways as in the past.

Like unprecedented, another expression many of us are growing weary of is the new normal. It is a term that is almost always presented in terms of loss, too often defined as things we cant do (no hugs, or handshakes, no crowds, no job security) or the unpopular things we must now accommodate (masks, social distancing, temperature checks). The implicit assumption being that the old normal was better.

 ...every hole in our social safety net exposed during this pandemic, all the disparities and racism and systemic inequality, and every crack in our response, has a knowledge component. 

I disagree. Students unable to succeed in their studies because they lack access to the internet should not be normal. People dying at home because they cannot afford healthcare should not be normal. A world where misinformation and conspiracy theories about racist-labeled state-engineered viruses are accepted alongside expert medical evidence should not be normal. Having the zip code of your birth determine your future prosperity should not be normal. Black men dying under the knees of police officers should never be normal. And racism embedded in our institutions can never be the norm again. We need a new normal. Because the reality too many of us accepted just a few months ago must never be normal again.

The world is changing. And I submit to you that librarians, publishers, authors, and educators must play a key role in guiding that change. Because every hole in our social safety net exposed during this pandemic, all the disparities and racism and systemic inequality, and every crack in our response, has a knowledge component.

We have seen how data can be misreported, misinterpreted, or ignored. We have seen how the work of teachers and educators cannot simply be shifted to overstressed parents. We have seen how politicized responses to the pandemic and the protests can sow division instead of unity. And we see how institutional racism leads to fundamental injustice and to disproportionate deaths and economic loss in communities of color.

As librarians, authors, publishers, and educators, we must fight for an inclusive society. And that means we ourselves must do the work to become anti-racist. We must actively recruit, hire, promote and retain more knowledge workers of color. We must support and defend new research agendas from too-often-marginalized communities, including LQBTQIA+ citizens and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color). We must offer more than words of support to authors of colorwe must respect their knowledge and disseminate their lived experience. We must pursue a more diverse and humane work environment. And we must constantly, ruthlessly interrogate our own motives and contributions to the health and well-being of our nation.

And as knowledge professionals, we must embrace an agenda that expands democratic participation. Yes, in terms of the vote, but also by demanding more transparencyin our government, in our communities, and within our own professional organizations. Key to that effort will be winning the fight for universal broadband. No longer can we accept Wi-Fi in our library parking lots as access. Broadband is essential for participation in a new normal Americafor work, for learning, for wellness, and for basic participation in our democracy.

Together

It is time for a new script. A script that commits us to building an equitable and inclusive society, and a future based upon the common good. A script that puts the physical, mental, and spiritual health of our communities first, including the health of our own workers. As librarians, publishers, and educators, our virtue does not lie in continuing the work of the past but in constantly recreating ourselves to be more just in the present.

Perhaps that work has finally begun. In a statement released at its virtual conference last month, the American Library Association accepted responsibility for its past racism and pledged to become a truly equitable association. The ALA statement joins a growing chorus of in support of Black Lives Matter, the trans community, and LGBTQIA+ rights. Such statements are a necessary, if long overdue step. Acknowledging our complicity and demonstrating a new resolve to recreate our institutions puts us on the path to becoming honest, trustworthy partners with the communities we reside in and serve. Now, we must back up those words with actions.

R. David Lankes is director of the University of South Carolinas School of Information Science and author of The Atlas of New Librarianship (MIT); and The New Librarianship Field Guide (MIT).
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 18:02:17|Editor: huaxia

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GABORONE, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Botswana released short and long-term guidelines Thursday to address fuel shortages ravaging the southern African country.

The solutions include reducing the operating hours of fuel stations from 24 hours to 12 hours and rationing fuel sales, President Mokgweetsi Masisi announced.

"Each car will fuel at a maximum cost of 250 pula (25 U.S. dollars) only with immediate effect until the situation normalizes," Masisi said when addressing the nation in a live broadcast.

According to Masisi, purchasing fuel using jerry cans will be restricted to Thursdays only and people can't purchase petrol with drums or very large containers.

"If people do not comply with these regulations, the government will have no choice but to take further stringent measures to bring about stability to the supply and demand of fuel in the country," he said.

Furthermore, Botswana is actively looking for additional importation routes particularly in Namibia and Mozambique to help meet the local demand for fuel to counter the ongoing strike by some South African truck drivers, he said.

However, the restrictions do not apply to emergency and public transport vehicles. He also urged individual motorists to give priority at fuel stations to frontline workers during the battle against COVID-19.

The fuel shortages have disrupted businesses and could exacerbate economic contraction this year, when the government said real gross domestic product could fall by 13 percent.

Botswana consumes 3 million litres of fuel per day and government officials say they normally keep 12 days of supply in the strategic reserves. Enditem
"I am honored to be a part of the Hispanic Prosperity Initiative and to support and celebrate the contributions of the Hispanic community. We are committed to our country and the need to give back because it is the right thing to do," said Bob Unanue, President of Goya Foods. "Our country faces a time of historic challenge but we will meet that challenge together and continue to work towards greatness, focus on a strong recovery, and hold onto the hope for a healthier future for all."

Through the company's Goya Gives program and since the company's humble beginnings, Goya has a long history and tradition of supporting communities in times of disaster. Goya has always supported health, nutrition, and educational initiatives as well as donated millions of pounds of food to food banks, organizations, schools, hospitals, and healthcare providers worldwide.

To learn more about Goya Gives, please visit: www.goya.com

About Goya Foods

Founded in 1936, Goya Foods, Inc. is America's largest Hispanic-owned food company, and has established itself as the leader in Latin American food and condiments. Goya manufactures, packages, and distributes over 2,500 high-quality food products from Spain, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America. Goya products have their roots in the culinary traditions of Hispanic communities around the world. The combination of authentic ingredients, robust seasonings and convenient preparation makes Goya products ideal for every taste and every table. For more information on Goya Foods, please visit www.goya.com.

For more information, contact:

Natalie J. Maniscalco

845.659.6506 / [email protected]

SOURCE Goya Foods, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.goya.com


Bolivia's interim president, Jeanine Anez speaks during a press conference during her first day in power, at the Quemado presidential palace in La Paz, on Nov. 13, 2019. (Jorge Bernal/AFP via Getty Images)

Interim Bolivian President Tests Positive for COVID-19

Bolivias interim president Jeanine Anez tested positive for the CCP virus, she announced on Thursday.

On Twitter, she said that she was well and continuing to work while in isolation. She said she will be in isolation for 14 days after which she will take another test for the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, a novel coronavirus from Wuhan, China.

Together, we will come out of this, she said in Spanish.

I feel well, I feel strong, I am going to keep working remotely from my isolation, and I want to thank all the Bolivians who are working to help us in this health crisis, she added.

Anez has served as interim president of Bolivia since November 2019 following the resignation of Evo Morales and his government.

Bolivias interim President Jeanine Anez, wearing a face mask, waves during a procession Corpus Christi, in La Paz, Bolivia, on June 11, 2020. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)

U.S. President Donald Trump at the time praised the Bolivian people for forcing Moraless resignation, calling it a significant moment for democracy in the Western Hemisphere while critizing Morales for an attempt to override the Bolivian constitution and the will of the people.

Bolivia is scheduled to hold general elections on Sept. 6. The election was originally scheduled in May but has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Anez, a former conservative senator, initially said she would not run for full office but later decided to do so.

The Bolivian government confirmed that at least seven ministers have tested positive for the CCP virus. This includes Health Minister Eidy Roca, and Presidency Minister Yerko Nunez, who is hospitalized.

Bolivias health ministry has reported that the country has more than 42,900 confirmed CCP virus cases and more than 1,550 deaths.

The country has a population of about 11.5 million and is reportedly witnessing another increase the number of new cases, with hospitals being overwhelmed in some regions. In the highland city of Cochabamba, scenes have emerged of bodies lying in the streets and coffins waiting for days in homes to be taken away.

Positive tests for the CCP virus have been reported among leaders and officials of numerous countries in South America.

In Honduras, President Juan Orlando Hernandez tested positive in June and was briefly hospitalized.

In Brazil, President Jair Bolsonaro tested positive for the CCP virus on July 7. He said on the following day that he is confident for a swift recovery due to receiving a treatment regimen that involves hydroxychloroquinean anti-malaria drug.

In Venezuela, socialist party chief Diosdado Cabello tested positive for the CCP virus. He announced on Twitter that he is isolated and receiving treatment.

Reuters, The Associated Press, and Epoch Times reporter Petr Svab contributed to this report.
Sure, it might be warm Wednesday, but what about the rest of the week?
Chinese Ambassador Hou Yanqis recent meetings with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and senior leaders of the Nepal Communist Party have raised questions about her alleged role in the ongoing political crisis in the country.

As uncertainty about the future of the Oli-led government looms, the envoy held meetings with former prime ministers Madhav Kumar Nepal and Jhala Nath Khanal within a span of two days, purportedly to quell tensions between the PM and the disgruntled ruling party executive chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda'.

Hou, who is believed to have the ear of several top leaders of the Himalayan republic, has played an instrumental role in furthering Beijings influence over Nepal.

The 50-year-old diplomat assumed charge as the ambassador of China to Nepal in 2018, according to the curriculum vitae available on the Chinese embassys website. Prior to that, she was the Deputy Director General of Asian Affairs of Chinas foreign ministry. Hou, who holds a Master of Arts degree, also served in the Chinese embassy in Pakistan from 1998-2001.

Hous Soaring Twitter Popularity

Hou enjoys a considerable following on Twitter, with some of her posts being retweeted over 2,000 times. The envoy regularly shares posts of Chinese medical supplies reaching the landlocked Himalayan nation amid the Covid-19 crisis and uploads photos of her against picturesque spots to promote Nepals tourism.

In a May 13 tweet, where she shares photos of the PLAs medical supplies being received by the Nepali Army, the diplomat hails China as Nepals friend in need.

It's a great pleasure to attend the Handover Ceremony for Chinese PLA's medical supplies to Nepali Army with Gen. Purna Chandra Thapa, Chief of the Army Staff. A friend in need is a friend indeed. China is always in solidarity with Nepal!  pic.twitter.com/HJ0BSGbm3h  Ambassador Hou Yanqi (@PRCAmbNepal) May 13, 2020

It's a great pleasure to attend the Handover Ceremony for Chinese PLA's medical supplies to Nepali Army with Gen. Purna Chandra Thapa, Chief of the Army Staff. A friend in need is a friend indeed. China is always in solidarity with Nepal! the post read. In another, the ambassador tweeted photos from the Support China's Fight against the Novel Coronavirus and Promote China-Nepal People-to-People Connectivity programme held in Kathmandu in February. The event was attended by current and former leaders of Nepal, including Padma Kumari Aryal, minister of land management, cooperatives and poverty alleviation, and Sujata Koirala, former deputy prime minister. In Support China's Fight against the Novel Coronavirus Program, I'm deeply touched by the warm words from Nepali friends. China and Nepal are friends supporting each other and we fight shoulder by shoulder! the envoy wrote.

In "Support China's Fight against the Novel Coronavirus" Program, I'm deeply touched by the warm words from Nepali friends. China and Nepal are friends supporting each other and we fight shoulder by shoulder! pic.twitter.com/dFgaJIdDXc  Ambassador Hou Yanqi (@PRCAmbNepal) February 12, 2020

In November last year, Hou also shared photos from her visit to the Pokhara International Airport site, a project that is being funded by the Chinese government. In recent years, China has ramped up its investment in Nepal in order to increase connectivity. The two countries inked eight agreements in 2018 for the creation of infrastructure projects and strengthening bilateral ties.

The construction of Pokhara International Airport is going smoothly. This airport, funded by Chinese soft loan and built by Chinese contractor, will attract more tourists to this beautiful city once put into use. Look forward to the successful completion of this project on time. pic.twitter.com/FUWwJzCaHx  Ambassador Hou Yanqi (@PRCAmbNepal) November 20, 2019

Political Analysts in Nepal Term Envoys Meetings Unusual

Nepal's media reported that former diplomats and political analysts have expressed concern over Hous recent meetings with senior leaders of Kathmandu's ruling party amid the political crisis. Political analyst Jay Nishant told The Himalayan Times (THT) that in the last five-six years Chinese interference in Nepals domestic affairs had surged and that was a reflection of Chinas flexing of economic and military muscle in the region and beyond.

Talking to The Kathmandu Post, Lokraj Baral, a former ambassador, blamed his country's leaders for inviting interference. Baral, who is also a professor of political science, said, How long can the party sustain an artificial unity promoted by a foreign envoy anyway? He added that when the Indian ambassadors did the same thing, it was called interference, but the same was not being applied to the Chinese.

Nepals former permanent representative to the United Nations Dinesh Bhattarai told THT that Yanqis meeting with Nepal looked unusual and untimely. Bhattarai added that if China acted to keep the party united repeatedly, the move could "anger other powerful countries who have a presence in Nepal".

Tensions between New Delhi and Kathmandu have been on the rise since last month after Nepal's upper house of parliament unanimously voted to amend the constitution to update the country's new political map, laying claim over three strategically important areas along the border with it.

Speculation was rife about Chinas involvement in the development, but Hou, in a recent interview with The Rising Nepal, said that the Chinese side respected Nepals sovereignty and maintained that the issue was between Nepal and India.

The issue of Kalapani involves Nepal and India. We hope the two countries will resolve their differences properly through friendly consultations and refrain from taking any unilateral action that may complicate the situation, she was quoted as saying. She further accused some irresponsible media and individual groups of trying to divert public attention to China.
AMSTERDAM (JTA)  Under normal circumstances, the queue to enter the Anne Frank House stretches far along this capital citys Prinsengracht canal.

Tourists who had booked their visit at least two months in advance  the only way to guarantee entry  line up at assigned time slots to see the former hiding place of the worlds most famous Holocaust victim.

They wait for 15 minutes and, barring delays, enter in one large group the cramped space where Frank penned the diaries that years after her death would become the bestselling memoir The Diary of a Young Girl.

Now, with international tourism shut down across Europe because of the coronavirus pandemic, the square in front of the Netherlands museum is empty and the building looks deserted.

Its not.

Each week, the museums staff greets thousands of locals who had been put off by the wait times and long queues but are now seizing the opportunity to visit the must-see attraction in their own backyard.

Many are entering the historic site for the first time.

Ive lived here all my life and Ive walked past the Anne Frank House countless times, but I was just always put off by that long line of tourists, one of the local visitors, 62-year-old Stella Ruisch, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency after she and her daughter visited the museum on June 12, what would have been Annes 91st birthday.

Before the pandemic, the Anne Frank House was the third most-visited museum in the Netherlands, with about 3,500 visitors daily. About 10 percent were local, according to Dutch media reports. Now traffic is at 1,000 daily visitors  and theyre almost all from nearby, the museums business administrator, Robin Finch, told the AT5 television station.

The museum shut down in March and remained closed until June 1, when it reopened with a drastically reduced capacity due to social distancing measures. Currently the small building housing the museum accommodates 35 people at a given time, compared to 80 before the pandemic.

That means visitors can now find themselves alone for minutes at a time in one of the rooms that are decorated to resemble how they looked when the Franks and other Jews in hiding stayed there from July 1942 to August 1944.

Corridors that one usually walks quickly to make way for other visitors can be studied at leisure. The sounds of the house, such as creaking floorboards and the rustle of leaves on a nearby tree, can be heard without the constant shuffling of feet and chatter.

The steep staircase is deserted, its worn steps a reminder to hordes of people, journalist Anouk Boone wrote for the NRC newspaper in a column about her first-ever visit to the museum earlier this month. She recalled studying the pencil marks that Annes parents made to measure her growth. They show Anne sprouted 13 centimeters, or 5 inches, during her 25 months in hiding there.

Boone wrote that the relative emptiness at the museum helped her concentrate on the experience.

Anne Franks story is taught in most Dutch schools as part of the mandatory Holocaust education curriculum, so locals likely know more about her story than many visitors from places as far away as China, Japan, Brazil and the United States, who account for a sizable chunk of the visitors in typical years.

But at the Anne Frank House, some locals are discovering new aspects of the girls story.

My mother survived World War II as a young woman, and its never far away from my mind, said Ruisch, a journalist who is familiar with Annes biography. She also knew about the other residents of the former hiding place: the three members of the Van Pels family and Fritz Pfeffer, refugees from Germany who immigrated to the Netherlands in 1937 and 1938, respectively.

Annes parents, Otto and Edith, fled Germany in 1933 with her and her sister, Margot. Of the eight people who were living in the hiding place known as the secret annex when it was discovered by the Nazis in 1944, only Otto Frank survived the Holocaust.

Ruisch had another insight from her visit, which she wrote about for the website Meer dan Vijftig.nl.

It made me focus on Anne Frank and her family as part of this large group of refugees from Germany who came here to escape the Nazis, she said, adding that she had been only vaguely aware of that nuance in the story beforehand.

Boone wrote in her NRC column that she would always feel embarrassed when she cycled past the Anne Frank House because she had never visited in her many years living nearby. But she would lose the shame as soon as she saw the never-ending queue.

While it may be upgrading the locals experience, the absence of tourists is dealing a serious blow to the museum budget. The independent institution gets no government subsidies, relying on admission fees and donations for its overhead and educational activities in more than 40 countries.

Currently, ticket revenues will not be sufficient to cover the operational costs by a long shot, Garance Reus-Deelder, the museums former managing director, wrote last month.

The coronavirus pandemic forced the Anne Frank Museum, which opened in 1960, to close at the beginning of a major year for its mission: the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Europe from Nazism.

The anniversary, which government institutions and many museums in the Netherlands are observing, is also generating interest from locals in the Anne Frank House, according to Rembrandt Frerichs, a musician from The Hague and father of two children.

His 11-year-old son watched a video diary released by the Anne Frank House during the pandemic lockdown that simulates how Anne would have documented her time at the secrete annex had she lived in the digital era.

We figured it was time to visit the Anne Frank House as a family, and now that the tourists are gone, were definitely going to do it this summer, Frerichs said.

Some viewers of the vlog commented that the experience of being confined to their homes this spring offered a glimpse of the reality that Anne and the others inhabited.

Frerichs, a non-Jew who visited the Anne Frank House many years ago, isnt sure about that.

I think theres just no basis for comparing our situation with theirs, he said.

Still, the successful jazz musician, who often was on tour before the pandemic, found himself thinking of the Franks in assessing his way of dealing with this springs wrenching changes.

Im an optimist, Frerichs said. I keep telling myself that things are about to get better, even when rationally Im not sure they ever will. I just wonder if they had similar thoughts in that little secret annex.
Bir Lahlou, 05 July 2020 (SPS) - President of the Republic, Secretary-General of the Polisario Front, Mr. Brahim Ghali, has sent a congratulatory message to his Algerian counterpart, H.E Mr. Abdelmajid Taboune, on the occasion of the celebration of the 58th anniversary of Independence and Youth Day, which coincide with the 5th of July.



"Algeria's independence is a distinct occasion, not only in your brotherly country, but throughout the world, given its historical, political and legal dimensions and implications throughout the international arena, as a crucial turning point in the decline of the colonial tide in Africa, Asia and Latin America," said the President of the Republic in his message.



The message stressed that Algeria today, under the wise leadership of Mr. Abdelmajid Tabune, will proceed with the will of its people with determination and firmness to achieve further gains and achievements, in all fields and sectors, in the context of a distinct national experience, preserving sovereignty and dignity and paving the way for comprehensive development, with which Algeria assumes its rightful place, regionally, continentally and globally.



On this occasion, the President of the Republic reiterated his firm will to strengthen the relations of brotherhood, friendship and alliance between the two brotherly countries, and to work together to contribute effectively to peace and stability and achieve progress and prosperity in the region, in the context of good neighbourliness and mutual respect among its peoples and countries. (SPS)



062/SPS/T
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - July 9, 2020) - Pasofino Gold Limited (TSXV: VEIN) (FSE: N071) ("Pasofino" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that further to its press release dated June 11, 2020, Pasofino has entered into an agreement to acquire all the outstanding shares of ARX Resources Limited ("ARX") (the "Transaction").

Pursuant to the Transaction, Pasofino will issue an aggregate of 132,415,974 shares (the "Consideration Shares") to the shareholders of ARX (the "Vendors"). Upon completion of the Transaction, the Consideration Shares issued to the Vendors will represent 49% of the outstanding shares of Pasofino. No Vendor will hold more than 9.9% of the issued and outstanding common shares of Pasofino following the completion of the Transaction. The Consideration Shares issued to the Vendors will be subject to a contractual lock-up, released in 25% installments every 6 months, with the release of the first 25% of the Consideration Shares to occur 6 months from the closing date of the Transaction. The number of Consideration Shares issued to the Vendors is subject to adjustment in the event the Company issues additional common shares prior to the closing of the Transaction.

ARX Earn-in Agreement

ARX and Hummingbird Resources plc ("Hummingbird") (AIM: HUM) are parties to an earn-in agreement (the "Earn-in") in respect of the Hummingbird's Dugbe Gold Project ("Dugbe" or the "Project"), located in Liberia. The Earn-in entitles ARX to earn up to a 49% interest in the Project (excluding the 10% carried interest of the Government).

The key terms of the Earn-in agreement are:

1. The payment of a non-refundable US$2 million deposit (the "Initial Deposit") by ARX to Hummingbird for a three-month extendable exclusivity period.

2. Subject to ARX demonstrating initial funding of at least US$10 million (including the US$2 million Initial Deposit) within the exclusivity period, ARX has the right to operate the Project under the oversight of a joint management committee and to earn into a 49 per cent economic interest in the Project (net of any interests of the Government of Liberia and Anglo Pacific Group Plc) over a two year period through:

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a) Completing a Feasibility Study, under joint management committee oversight, on the Project with the objective of being able to attract funding for the development of the Project;

b) Undertaking a mutually agreed exploration programme (estimated to be US$10 million) with the objective of materially increasing the known resource base of the Project; and

c) Covering the overhead and operating costs associated with the Project during the 2 year earn in period. (together the "Earn-in Conditions").

Subject to meeting the Earn-in Conditions, ARX has the right to be granted the 49 per cent economic interest in the Project.

3. On being granted the 49 per cent economic interest in the Project, the parties undertake to enter into a customary joint venture agreement, as well as both having the right, subject to certain protections and the receipt of all required approvals, to convert Hummingbird's 51 per cent controlling interest in the Project into a 51 per cent controlling interest in ARX or any then listed parent company.

Whilst the Company has confidence in the ability of ARX to meet the funding conditions referred to above, there is no guarantee it will be able to, and therefore no guarantee that the Earn-in Agreement will proceed as intended.

About ARX

ARX Resources Limited is a private BVI incorporated company. ARX was founded by Stephen Dattels, a seasoned senior mining executive and resource financier who has been successful for over 30 years in numerous mining ventures, and Michael Beck, a former partner of N. M. Rothschild & Sons, who formed a partnership in the mid 1990's to jointly fund and develop resource projects in developing countries involving the full suite of mineral resources and oil & gas. Since that time they have both been involved in financings, project development and transactions involving billions of dollars on several continents in a myriad of resources including: gold, nickel, chromite, coal, iron ore, copper, uranium, lithium, cobalt, potash, titanium, industrial minerals and oil & gas.

ARX brings to the Company both a successful mine finance group and a world class operating team. The ARX team consists of Ian Stalker and members of his technical team. Ian has been responsible for developing multiple mines over several decades. He has been involved in bringing into production multiple successful African gold mines and operating same including: the Obuasi expansion for Ashanti Goldfields in Ghana, the Siguri Mine in Guinea, the Bibiani Gold Mine in Ghana and the Geita Gold Mine in Tanzania.

Mr. Stalker is an international mining executive with over forty plus years of "hands on" experience in mine development and operations in Europe, Africa and Australia. Mr. Stalker was a Vice President of Gold Fields Ltd., which at one point was the world's fourth largest gold producer. He has successfully overseen the development of several mineral projects in Africa from defined resources through feasibility study into operational mines and thereafter continued to manage ongoing operations and expansions.

About the Dugbe Gold Project

The Dugbe Project is located in southern Liberia and situated within 'Birimian' aged rocks which are host to the majority of West African gold deposits. The deposits are located within 4 km of the Dugbe Shear Zone which is thought to have played a role in large scale gold mineralisation in the area. The Dugbe Gold Project comprises an area of 2,355 km2. Hummingbird carried out a large amount of exploration in the area between 2006 and 2014 including 74,497 m of diamond coring. 70,700 m of this was at the Dugbe F and Tuzon deposits, discovered by Hummingbird in 2009 and 2011 respectively. To date over $70 million has been spent by Hummingbird on the Project.

A resource estimate for Dugbe F was prepared by Wardell Armstrong International ("WAI") in 2013 and for Tuzon an estimate was prepared by SRK Consulting (UK) Limited ("SRK") in 2014. Work is underway to bring them current; this will require an updated pit optimisation to be carried out and a review of the support data and estimates so that a Technical Report for the project may be completed. In the interim period the resource estimates for these deposits are considered historical estimates as per NI 43-101 and are presented in Table 1. The Qualified Person has not verified the quantum of the historical estimates nor their original classification, but believes they were prepared satisfactorily by reputable mining consultants. The Qualified Person has not done sufficient work to classify the estimates as current mineral resources and so they are considered historical estimates. The Company is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves.

Table. 1 Historical Estimates for the Dugbe Gold Project(3) Million tonnes Grade (gold g/t) Gold (Million Ounces) Tuzon deposit (1) Indicated 41.8 1.51 2.03 Inferred 10.2 1.32 0.44 Dugbe F deposit (2) Inferred 43.0 1.28 1.76



(1) The Tuzon Mineral Resource Estimate ("Tuzon MRE") had an effective date of March 5, 2014 and was prepared by SRK Consulting (UK) Ltd (SRK) as reported in "An Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the Tuzon Gold Deposit, Liberia. ". The evaluation and classification of Mineral Resources was prepared in accordance with generally accepted CIM Estimation of Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve Best Practices Guidelines, by the Qualied Person, Mr. Martin Pittuck (CEng, MIMMM). The Tuzon MRE was reported at a cut off grade of 0.5g/t Au within a US$1500 conceptual pit shell. The Tuzon MRE was carried out by creating wire frames enclosing mineralization from which block models were made. SRK used a pit optimizer,Whittle4X, to develop the conceptual open pit shells using the following main optimization assumptions: (i) overall slope angle of 55 degrees; (ii) overall mining costs of US$1.80 per tonne mined; (iii) overall processing and G&A costs of US$17 per tonne of mineralized material; (iv) royalties costs of US$75 per ounce sold; (v) plant recovery of 90%; and (vi) selling prices varying between US$325 and US$3000 per troy ounce of gold. A mean specific gravity of 2.78 t/m3 was applied to the fresh mineralization and 1.56 t/m3 to the oxide mineralization. Prior to grade estimation the samples were composited to 2m, deemed optimal for the sample population. The samples were composited within each of domain. The composite populations in each of the mineralized domains were visually assessed by log probability plots and log histograms to identify outlying grades that do not support the sample distribution. This led to the application of a high-grade cap, varying from 2.5 to 15g/t, applied to 3 of the 8 domains.

(2) The Dugbe F Mineral Resource Estimate ("Dugbe F MRE") had an effective date of March1, 2013. It was updated as part of a Preliminary Economic Assessment by Wardell Armstrong International ("WAI") titled "Dugbe 1 Project, Liberia, Preliminary Economic Assessment.". The Qualified Person was Nick Szebora Principal Resource Geologist employed by WAI. The Dugbe F MRE was carried out by creating a 2D block model for the mineralized layer, using a natural cut-off grade of 0.5g/t. The evaluation and classification of Mineral Resources was prepared in accordance with generally accepted CIM Estimation of Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve Best Practices Guidelines.

Both deposits outcrop at surface and may be amenable to open-cut mining. A Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") was carried out for the Dugbe F and Tuzon deposits by WAI in 2013 and with metallurgical, geotechnical and hydrological work completed up until July 2014, will provide a foundation for the Feasibility Study.

In addition, there are a number of prospects within the Project, including 'Sackor' where gold mineralisation has been intersected in drill-holes and where additional drilling is planned. No other prospects have been drill-tested to date. At some prospects extensive trenching identified anomalous levels of gold that require drill-testing. An aggressive exploration programme to test the prospects is planned by ARX.

In 2019, Hummingbird signed a 25-year Mineral Development Agreement ("MDA") with the Government of Liberia providing the necessary long-term framework and stabilization of taxes and duties. Under the terms of the MDA, the royalty rate on gold production is 3%, the income tax rate payable is 25% (with credit given for historic exploration expenditures), the fuel duty is reduced by 50% and the Government of Liberia is granted a free carried interest of 10% in the Project.

Further information on Hummingbird and Dugbe can be found at https://hummingbirdresources.co.uk/operations-projects/liberia/

Further Details on the Transaction

Completion of the Transaction is subject to a number of conditions. Such conditions include the execution of a definitive agreement; completion of satisfactory due diligence; receipt of requisite shareholder and director approvals, as applicable; and receipt of all required regulatory, corporate and third party approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") as the proposed Transaction may be a "Reviewable Transaction" under TSXV Policy 5.3 - Acquisitions and Dispositions on Non-Cash Assets. As a result of such conditions, there can be no assurance that the Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all.

Trading in common shares of the Company may be halted by the TSXV until such time as the TSXV has determined that the Transaction will be acceptable based upon the Company's filing of all required documentation.

Closing of the Transaction is expected to occur on or about August 2020, or such other date as the parties may mutually agree. There can be no assurance that the Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all. Trading in the securities of Pasofino should be considered speculative.

Update on the Roger Gold Project

Pasofino is also pleased to announce that a resource update is currently ongoing on its royalty-free Roger gold-copper project optioned from operator SOQUEM. The update of the current resource model will include the results of the 34-holes totalling 7,643 meters that were drilled in the fall of 2018 as part of a Phase 2 drill campaign. The updated resource model will allow the Company to determine the scope of a future drilling campaign designed to further advance the Mop-II deposit at Roger and expand the current resource.

Pasofino Gold's President & CEO, Steve Dunn, comments:

"With the substantial amount of drilling already completed at Roger and the established resource estimate indicative of the deposit's potential, the Company is moving forward with the update of the initial resource and expects to release an updated resource model in the coming months while we continue to investigate other assets."

The Roger gold-copper project is advantageously located just 5 km north of the historic mining center of Chibougamau, Quebec, has all-season road access and is crossed by a power line that serviced the past-producing Troilus Mine. The Mop-II deposit at Roger currently contains an Indicated resource of 333,000 contained gold equivalent ounces (10,900,000 tonnes @ 0.95 g/t AuEq) and an Inferred resource of 202,000 contained gold equivalent ounces (6,569,000 tonnes @ 0.96 g/t AuEq). Details of the mineral resource estimate are provided in the Company's September 18, 2018 press release and technical report filed on SEDAR. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.

Pasofino is earning a 50% interest in the royalty-free Roger project from SOQUEM. Since the beginning of the option, Pasofino has drilled 10,711 m across 44 holes and has extended one hole from a previous campaign.

SOQUEM, a subsidiary of Investissement Quebec, is dedicated to promoting the exploration, discovery and development of mining properties in Quebec. SOQUEM also contributes to maintaining strong local economies. A proud partner and ambassador for the development of Quebec's mineral wealth, SOQUEM relies on innovation, research and strategic minerals to be well-positioned for the future.

Qualified Person

Mr. Andrew Pedley (Pr.Sci.Nat.) is a qualified person ("QP") as defined by NI 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical content of this press release as it relates to the Project. The QP has not verified the historical estimates. Mr. Pedley is a full-time employee of ARX, holding the position of VP of Exploration and Resources.

SOQUEM's advanced project manager, Yan Ducharme, PGeo, is a Qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the content of this press release as it relates to the Roger Gold Project.

About Pasofino Gold Ltd.

Pasofino Gold Ltd. is a Canadian-based mineral exploration company. For further information, please visit www.pasofinogold.com or contact:

Steve Dunn, President & CEO

T: (416) 361-2827

E: dunnsteve@protonmail.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.

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" that are based on expectations, estimates, projections and interpretations as at the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "seek", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "suggest", "indicate" and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur, and include, without limitation, statements regarding the Company's plans with respect to the proposed transaction with ARX, completion of the transactions described herein, the ability to raise the funds to finance its ongoing business activities including the acquisition of mineral projects and the exploration and development of its projects. Such 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 such forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to, the results of exploration activities; the ability of the Company to complete further exploration activities; the ability of the Company to complete transactions on terms announced; timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms and those risk factors outlined in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis as filed on SEDAR. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION DIRECTLY, OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/59460
WASHINGTON - The White House and congressional Republicans are exploring whether to restrict the number of Americans receiving the next round of stimulus payments, as conservative lawmakers face internal pressure to limit the size of the next relief package.

In March, Congress approved $1,200 stimulus payments for individuals that have since been sent to as many as 159 million U.S. households. The size of the benefit diminished or disappeared entirely for those who earned more than $75,000 in 2019.

As Congress begins to take up the next stimulus package, congressional Republicans and White House officials are weighing proposals to drop that number below $75,000, according to four people aware of internal discussions who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private deliberations. The exact number they will seek is unclear, as talks are fluid. One person cautioned that Republicans may ultimately revive the original proposal because of the difficult administrative challenges created by trying to narrowly target the checks.

At two events this week, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the payments should be sent out primarily to help those earning under $40,000, but it was not clear whether he was suggesting that would be the new cap. An aide to McConnell declined to comment. Several Senate Republicans have expressed opposition to sending out another round of checks altogether, while others, including Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., have said they would support doing so if targeted for "the people who are hurting the most."

"The people that I think have been hit the hardest during this whole episode have been people making $40,000 a year or less. Many of them work in the hospitality business, hotels, restaurants - we're going to be acutely aware of that particular segment of our population going into this next package that we'll be putting together in the next few weeks," McConnell said Wednesday in Winchester, Ky.

McConnell added, "These folks who've been in the hospitality field who've been hit so hard - I think those direct checks were particularly significant for them."

The move to limit the scope of the stimulus payments comes as Republican leadership seeks to balance pressure from conservatives to restrain spending in the next bill with the pressing economic and health needs throughout the country still in the grip of the pandemic.

Numerous conservatives in both Congress and the White House have expressed concern that they have already spent too much taxpayer money fighting the virus. Lawmakers so far have already thrown more than $3 trillion at the pandemic response. Earlier this week, a top aide to Vice President Pence told Bloomberg News that the administration is aiming to limit spending on the package to $1 trillion. That is similar to the target sought by McConnell.

Asked about a potential $40,000 income cutoff for the checks on Thursday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin declined to comment on the specifics of ongoing negotiations with ongressional lawmakers. But the treasury secretary confirmed that GOP lawmakers are trying to figure out how to structure another round of stimulus payments.

"We can get that into hard-working Americans' bank accounts very quickly. The level and the criteria, we'll be discussing with the Senate," Mnuchin told CNBC.

Keeping the cost of the legislation below $1 trillion could prove very difficult, congressional aides of both parties say. President Donald Trump, who faces political pressure to stabilize the economy months ahead of his reelection bid, has demonstrated little concern about the growing budget deficit. One of Trump's top economic aides, Peter Navarro, said only a few weeks ago that the president wants the package to cost $2 trillion. House Democrats approved legislation costing more than $3 trillion, and Mnuchin, the president's point person in negotiations with Congress, has thus far agreed to large bipartisan spending deals.

And restricting the extent of the aid could prove unpopular during a national emergency. Limiting the next round of stimulus checks to those earning under $40,000, for instance, would save lawmakers about $200 billion compared with the first round of checks, according to Ernie Tedeschi, who served as an economist in the Obama administration. It would also mean that 20 million fewer middle-class Americans would not receive the financial lifeline.

The plan to scale back the benefit poses another challenge because the Treasury Department bases eligibility for the checks off taxpayers' 2019 income statements. Americans who earned more than $40,000 last year but have seen their incomes drop dramatically or disappear since then would not receive a stimulus check, despite their suffering, if the new threshold is adopted.

At least 4 million private-sector workers have seen pay cuts during the pandemic, according to a previous Washington Post analysis, and many of them are likely to slip below the income threshold. The unemployment rate initially jumped to nearly 15% in April, up from 3.5% in February. In June, it was 11%.

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

One Republican tax expert, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private deliberations, predicted the GOP would probably back off plans to curb the payments because of the administrative hurdles in effectively targeting the funding. The GOP will also face political pressure not to curb stimulus payments during an election year for middle-class households.

"To the extent they make it a lower income cutoff than the last time, it will hurt more people," said Dorothy Brown, a tax expert and professor at Emory University School of Law, who noted that many Americans will face the lifting of eviction moratorium. "This will have drastic human consequences."

Republican lawmakers have been divided on whether to send out another round of checks at all. Trump, Mnuchin and some Senate Republicans have expressed support for another round, believing they offer both political and economic upside. Some senior White House officials remain skeptical and believe many Americans will simply pocket the money rather than spend it in the economy - a view shared by some economists. Sens. Mike Rounds (S.D.) and Mitt Romney (Utah) are among the Senate Republicans who have expressed opposition to the idea.

The lower income threshold could represent a compromise between the camps, although it would require Democratic support. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., approved legislation that included another round of $1,200 stimulus checks, as well as $1,200 per child. (The original round of stimulus checks provided only $500 per child.) Some more-liberal congressional Democrats have called for providing every American with a $2,000 check every month until the pandemic abates.

But leading congressional Democrats are primarily focused on pushing for an extension of the $600-per-week increase in unemployment benefits approved by Congress in March and set to expire at the end of this month. Jared Bernstein, who served as an adviser to presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, said he would support cutting the threshold from $75,000 a year to $60,000 - around the national median income.

"What's essential is getting that sort of help out the door quickly. But I'd be careful not to set the bar too low," Bernstein said.
The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall revealed they have no plans to retire from their royal duties any time soon.

Prince Charles, 71, and Camilla, 72, were chatting with some of the 700 workers at an Asda distribution centre in Bristol, when the duchess made the rare comment about stepping away from public life.

During the socially-distanced visit yesterday, which took place in a marquee outside the main building, the couple spoke with Richard Sigward, 74, a warehouse operator who has been working at Asda for 17 years and refuses to retire.

'The duchess was saying to me she definitely agrees that if people can work and are happy to do it, they should carry on,' Mr Sigward said. 'She said she refuses to retire herself. The prince was the same.'

The comments seem to put paid to any suggestion that Prince Charles would consider stepping aside and to let Prince William become King, despite being the oldest heir apparent in the history of the British monarchy.

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall (pictured together in Bristol, yesterday) revealed they have no plans to retire from their royal duties any time soon

Prince Charles, 71, and Camilla (pictured at their Birkhall home in April), 72, were chatting with some of the 700 workers at an Asda distribution centre in Bristol, when the duchess made the rare comment about stepping away from public life

It comes after a royal biographer claimed last month that the Queen's reign is 'effectively over' due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with the virus 'practically putting Charles on the throne'.

Andrew Morton, author of Diana, Her True Story, which exposed the failed marriage of Charles and the Princess of Wales in 1992, said coronavirus has 'done more damage to the monarchy than Oliver Cromwell'.

The claim followed reports that Her Majesty, 94, may remain in self-isolation 'for months' and never return to regular frontline royal duties as the government continues to ease the coronavirus lockdown.

The Queen has put all her public engagements on hold while she resides with her husband Prince Philip at Windsor Castle.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Morton claimed: 'It's terribly sad but I can't see how the Queen can resume her job. The COVID-19 virus isn't going away soon and will be with us for months if not years.'

It comes after a royal biographer claimed last month that the Queen's reign is 'effectively over' due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with the virus 'practically putting Charles on the throne'. Pictured, the Queen with her husband Prince Philip at Windsor Castle

He added that it would be 'far too risky for the Queen to start meeting people on a regular basis'.

'The brutal truth is that her reign is effectively over. COVID-19 has done more damage to the monarchy than Oliver Cromwell. Corona has practically put Charles on the throne.'

Meanwhile, during their trip yesterday, Charles and Camilla heard how staff had returned from retirement, worked extra hours and different shift patterns, and had postponed holidays to cope with increased demand at supermarkets.

Chris Tilly, 48, general manager of the distribution centre, said work had been 'really, really challenging' and paid tribute to staff.

'We've had a lot of support from colleagues right across the business working extra hours,' Mr Tilly said. 'I think it is fantastic that the prince and duchess have taken the time out to come to the distribution centre and meet colleagues.

The Duchess of Cornwall used her signature socially-distant greeting as she arrived alongside Prince Charles yesterday (pictured)

The Prince of Wales, President of Business in the Community, along with Camilla (pictured), thanked staff who have kept the country's vital food supplies moving throughout the coronavirus pandemic

The royal couple unveiled a plaque to mark their visit to the distribution centre in Bristol, yesterday (pictured)

'Every single colleague that they saw they thanked for what they had done during the last 14 weeks, which I was truly humbled by.

'They were really interested in what the colleagues did within Asda, how long they had worked for us and just wanted to know how they had been doing while working through the pandemic.'

After the couple arrived at the site, they were greeted by Peaches Golding, the Lord-Lieutenant of Bristol.

They were told of the work Asda has been undertaking with Business in the Community, a business-led membership organisation, as well as charity partners FareShare and the Trussell Trust.

At the end of the visit, Charles and Camilla unveiled a plaque marking the day.

Charles told staff: 'Thank you, thank you very much everybody. You deserve a stiff drink after all this.'
People's Bank of China (PBOC), after raising its stake in HDFC in April, has now trimmed it to below 1 per cent. The development is significant since HDFC received criticism from various quarters over PBOC raising stake in it. HDFC was even targeted on social media, with many saying they would withdraw money and close accounts.

As per the bank's June quarter shareholding disclosure, PBOC is not its shareholder, which means it might have divested 1.75 crore shares worth Rs 3,300 crore at the present value, though it's not clear whether it sold the entire stake or trimmed it below 1 per cent, Business Standard reported.

Notably, shareholders owing below 1 per cent don't reflect on the stock exchange shareholding disclosures. It is compulsory for firms to disclose data for shareholders with over 1% stake at the end of every quarter.

The daily reported it's likely that PBOC might have made good profit by selling the HDFC shares. The share price tanked over 40 per cent in March. But after PBOC raised its stake in April, it's trading over 30 per cent higher compared to this year's lows.

Notably, the trimming of the stake comes hot on the wheels of ongoing India-China tension and calls for the boycott of Chinese products and investment. Experts also believe that the trimming of the stake could have been done to avoid public glare in the wake of souring India-China relations.

PBOC had raised its stake to 1.01% in HDFC in March quarter this year from 0.8 per cent as of March 2019. Moreover, many other Chinese banks have set up their bases in India. Chinese banks like Industrial and Commerce Bank of China (ICBC) and Bank of Ceylon have already set up base in India to operate as a foreign bank.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) allows them to either operate as a branch (which most foreign banks do like Citibank, Standard Chartered, HSBC, Deutsche) or operate as wholly-owned subsidiaries. Surprisingly, a third Chinese bank - Bank of China - sneaked in last year without any controversy to set up a branch in India.

Also read: Why is SBI's market cap so low compared to HDFC Bank?
Its impossible to imagine Breaking Bad being set anywhere besides Albuquerque, New Mexico. But even though the desert setting has become an integral part of the AMC dramas identity, showrunner Vince Gilligan never intended the city to become a part of Walter Whites story.

The original setting was closer to Hollywood. However, the series had a last-minute change that wound up being very lucrative for them and for the city of Albuquerque.

Vince Gilligan explained why Breaking Bad is set in Albuquerque

Walter White and Jesse Pinkman | Ursula Coyote/AMC/Sony Pictures Television

RELATED: Breaking Bad: Vince Gilligan Faced Rejection From HBO, Showtime, and FX Before AMC Struck Gold

During an interview with Slant Magazine, Gilligan explained that Breaking Bad was supposed to be set in Riverside, California until the studio recommended that he reconsider. And just like that, the iconic desert setting became definite.

They said New Mexico has a tax rebate for film and television production, and its a pretty substantial one, Gilligan explained during the interview.

And really, its a hard [carrot] to turn down  and so New Mexico very quickly became the place we decided to shoot our show for strictly financial reasons. We wanted our limited production budget to go that much farther, he continued.

Breaking Bad provided an economic boost to the city

The Dog House from Breaking Bad | Steve Snowden/Getty Images

Filming in Albuquerque didnt just have financial benefits for the show  it also helped stimulate the local economy. As the Emmy-award winning series got more and more popular, the New Mexico city saw a huge boost in tourism. Companies offering exclusive Breaking Bad tours started popping up. Local restaurants created menus inspired by the most popular elements of the show.

For example, Rebel Donuts started offering a Blue Sky donut to mimic Walt and Jesses pure blue meth, Insider reported. Souvenir shops stocked blue meth bath salts, shirts, books, and all sorts of other themed merchandise. True Breaking Bad fans eagerly bought it up.

Walter Whites house kept getting vandalized

Breaking Bad pizza | AMC

Because the Whites house was filmed on location and not on a Hollywood soundstage, the production crew used a real property in Albuquerque. But when the show became extremely popular, the homeowners experienced so many tourists vandalizing their house. More specifically, they saw a lot of pizzas being thrown at their roof.

The prank came from a popular scene from the show when Walter White arrives at his house with a pizza as a peace offering. But then his wife Skyler locks the doors and wont let him in, inspiring Walt to throw the entire pizza onto the roof in aggravation.

Because of that hilarious and popular scene, fans kept going to the house and throwing pizzas on the roof. It got so bad that Gilligan had to beg them to stop.

Vince Gilligan urged fans to respect the homeowners

When the pizza incidents kept piling up, Gilligan spoke out against the vandalism and asked for fans to respect the real people who lived in the house. There is nothing original or funny or cool about throwing a pizza on this ladys roof, he said during a podcast interview. Its been done before. Youre not the first.

He continued: People live in these houses. Theyre trying to go about their lives just like we all are, Gilligan continued. If you see anyone acting like an a**hole, well, Im not saying go after them personally or anything, but maybe take down their plate number. Something within reason.

Even with the pizza problems, Breaking Bad turned out to be a huge benefit to Albuquerque thats still seeing the effects to this day.
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PORTLAND (AP)  The Oregon Court of Appeals on Wednesday affirmed a Portland ordinance requiring landlords to pay tenants' relocation fees if their rent is increased by at least 10% or if they're evicted without cause.

Presiding Judge Darleen Ortega said she agreed with a 2017 ruling made in Multnomah County Circuit Court that the city's policy doesn't violated state law or the state constitution, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported. But she referred the case back to the lower court so a judgment could be entered in the city's favor.





. . .
In a new paper published on the preprint server medRxiv*, a multinational group of researchers provide the first evidence for the use of whole blood transcriptomics to distinguish coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from other infections, and also to monitor and potentially predict disease outcomes.

This will help further dissect molecular phenotypes and stratify COVID-19 patients, as well as support drug target prediction for specific subgroups of patients.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is still increasing at an alarming pace and extent. Clinical presentations can range from asymptomatic and mild respiratory tract infections to severe cases with acute respiratory distress syndrome, subsequent respiratory failure, and death.

Such global spread urgently demands a more comprehensive molecular understanding of the disease pathophysiology. And while an effective vaccine candidate is still elusive, therapeutic management of COVID-19 patients is pivotal in mitigating the clinical burden, as well as decreasing mortality rates.

Nonetheless, the reports on a dysregulated immune system and cytokine storm in severe cases of the disease calls for an improved understanding of the changes found within the immune system to dissect all the parameters accompanying such heterogeneous disease presentation.

Consequently, a large research group from Germany, the Netherlands, and Greece aimed to elucidate whether whole blood transcriptomes may be used to determine immune cellular characteristics in COVID-19 patients, reveal heterogeneous molecular phenotypes, commonalities, and differences to other inflammatory conditions, as well as to inform drug repurposing research.

From answering fundamental questions to applied research

In this study, the researchers profiled whole blood transcriptomes of 39 COVID-19 patients and 10 control donors between March 13 and March 30, 2020, which in turn enabled a data-driven stratification based on molecular phenotypes.

Hierarchical clustering of the most variable genes in the obtained dataset hinted towards further heterogeneity and granularity among patients beyond the current clinical distinction into mild and severe patients, revealing five patient subgroups.

Moreover, in a 'reverse transcriptome approach,' the researchers utilized the specific changes found in the COVID-19-related transcriptional modules as the bait and explored the inverse correlation in thousands of drug-based transcriptome signatures to predict prospective drug candidates.

"Further, it became evident that, apart from common therapeutic avenues to address the immune dysregulation in COVID-19 patients, there are patient groups that may benefit from treatments targeting more precisely their immune phenotype and this phenotyping could be used for the enrichment of patient groups in clinical trials", add study authors.

Neutrophil signatures for COVID-19 patient stratification

The comparison of COVID-19 blood transcriptomes with a collection of over 2,600 samples (derived from 11 different viral infections, inflammatory diseases, and independent control samples) revealed highly characteristic transcriptome signatures for COVID-19.

Additionally, neutrophil activation-associated signatures were strikingly enriched in patients with severe disease, which was confirmed in whole blood transcriptomes from an independent second cohort and granulocyte samples from a third cohort of COVID-19 patients.

More specifically, there were considerable transcriptional changes with the loss of T cell activation and simultaneous gain of a unique combination of neutrophil activation signals in the blood of severe COVID-19 patients. This observation was not merely due to changes in cell numbers since isolated neutrophils demonstrated identical transcriptional modifications.

By providing crucial insights into the patient structure in COVID-19 and pursuing comparative analysis, this study revealed the first evidence for the unique changes prompted by this disease within the host in comparison to other infections.

This opens the door for the use of reverse transcriptomics not only in cancer (where it repeatedly prove its value) but also to identify drugs that may target the immune pathophysiology in infections caused by SARS-CoV-2.

Whole blood transcriptomes reveal a diversity of COVID-19 patients not explained by disease severity (A) Schematic workflow for the analysis of whole blood transcriptome data. (B) PCA plot depicting the relationship of all samples based on dynamic gene expression of all genes comparing COVID-19 and control samples. (C) Number of significantly upregulated (red) and downregulated (blue) genes (FC>|2|, FDR-adj. p-value <0.05) comparing COVID-19 and control samples. (D) Volcano plot depicting fold changes (FC) and FDR-adjusted p-values comparing COVID-19 and control samples. Differentially expressed up- (red) and downregulated genes (blue) are shown and selected genes are highlighted. (E) A plot of top 10 most enriched GO terms for significantly up- and downregulated genes, showing the ratio of significantly regulated genes within enriched GO terms (GeneRatio). (F) PCA plot depicting the relationship of all samples based on dynamic gene expression of all genes comparing mild and severe COVID-19 as well as control samples. (G) Number of significantly upregulated (red) and downregulated (blue) genes (FC >|2|, FDR-adj. p-value < 0.05) comparing mild and severe COVID-19 as well as control samples. (H) Volcano plot depicting fold changes and FDR-adjusted p-values comparing mild and severe COVID-19 as well as control samples. Differentially expressed up- (red) and downregulated genes (blue) are shown and selected genes are highlighted. (I) Hierarchical clustering map of 25% most variable genes between control patients, COVID-19 mild or severe patients, with additional annotation of disease outcome, hierarchical agglomerative clustering of clinical parameters COVID-19, and the groups defined by agglomerative clustering.

Implications for treatment and outcome prediction

In short, this extensive research endeavor supports the notion that whole blood transcriptomics is not only a way forward for elucidating the systemic immune response in COVID-19 patients, but can also be used to predict novel therapeutic targets which involving distinct pathophysiological mechanisms.

"Most interestingly, we identified drug candidates that might be beneficial for all COVID-19 patients, but also candidates that might only be suitable for a subgroup of patients", say study authors in their medRxiv paper. "And by comparing the transcriptional modules identified in whole blood of COVID-19 patients, we identified unique differences to other viral and bacterial infections, for which similar data were available", they add.

This suggests that blood transcriptomes might indeed be very useful for diagnostic purposes or for outcome prediction in different models, larger clinical cohorts, and vaccine trials in the near future.

Finally, this type of data might be utilized as a starting point for a large-scale assemblage of molecular data during current and future treatment trials for COVID-19 patients based on whole blood transcriptomes.

*Important Notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
Gov. Greg Abbott is closely watching the number of coronavirus cases in Midland and Odessa as he decides if another shutdown is needed, according to Midlands Don Evans, a member of the governors coronavirus task force.

The former secretary of Commerces remarks came during a press conference Thursday in which he and local officials implored residents to wear masks and take other precautions to stop the spread of the virus.

[Abbott]s laser-focused on Midland-Odessa, Evans said. I also know that he's saying that if we can't turn this trend around in the next couple of weeks or so, there is going to be a serious threat the economy has to be shut down again.

Thats partially because of the strain the virus is putting on local hospitals, he said.

When you see beds begin to disappear that might be able to be available for somebody that, say, is in a car accident or has a heart attack or has something else -- you have to keep beds available for that, he said. And when the hospitals get filled up with COVID-19 patients, that just doesn't work.

After Midland Memorial Hospital reported theyre treating 34 coronavirus patients  the most hospitalizations theyve had throughout the pandemic  Abbott announced later on Thursday that certain counties would once again be required to halt elective surgeries, including Midland and Ector counties. There are exceptions only for surgeries that are immediately and medically necessary or life-saving, according to the executive order.

The order only applies to counties that are in danger of having their hospitals overrun if spikes in coronavirus cases continue, leading to the possibility any new restrictions on businesses could be on a county-by-county basis, rather than a statewide mandate.

Evans said he did not have specific details on when a shutdown could happen or what businesses could be affected. He called on Midlanders to be united in defeating COVID-19, which he described as a common enemy.

Wearing a mask should not be viewed as a political issue or a statement, he said. It's really an issue of personal responsibility and our own personal civic duty.
The Texas Education Agency announced this week that despite skyrocketing COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, schools must provide in-person classes to parents and families who wish to send their students back to campuses. Several Houston-area districts had released plans prior to the TEA's announcement and are working to amend those plans to cater to the new guidelines, which include requiring staff and students to wear face masks in compliance with Gov. Greg Abbott's executive order. Other districts have been more reserved in their announcements and are still seeking community input to finalize plans.

ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Q&A: Deciding whether or not to send Texas kids back to school this fall

Below is a roundup of tentative back to school plans for school districts across the Houston area. These plans could change and are solely what each district has announced thus far. This list will be updated as districts announce new plans.
A 31-year-old Security Man, Joseph Kodua, appearing before an Accra Circuit Court after allegedly sleeping with his 12-year-old daughter has told the court since he was under the duress of Alomo Bitters, he is not too sure if he indeed slept with his daughter.

The incident, according to the prosecutors, happened at Agbogba in Accra.

He narrated to the court that after drinking 4 sachets of Alomo Bitters, he couldn't recount what exactly happened.

The court, presided over by Mrs Christina Cann, earlier ruled that a prima facie case be made against him on the charge of defilement and incest.

The court, however, acquitted and discharged him on the charge of the threat of death.

This was after the prosecution had called three witnesses to make their case.

The court held that the prosecution could not prove the essential ingredients in the charge of threat of death but ruled that, on the charges of defilement and incest, prosecution had established a case, hence the defence.

Kodua, under cross-examination on Thursday, denied having sex with the victim, adding that he had been drinking.

He further explained that he was sad after his sister had accused him of sleeping with his daughter, and that because of the accusation he got drunk after taking four sachets of 'Alomo' bitters.

Kodua disagreed with prosecution's assertion that in his statement to the Police he had stated that because his sisters had accused him of sleeping with his daughter, he decided to have sex with her.

The facts narrated by Chief Inspector Judith B. Asante are that the complainant is a 50-year-old trader residing at Madina whiles the victim is a class four pupil and a niece to the complainant.

Chief Inspector Asante said Kodua, father of the victim and a brother to the complainant, did not have a specific place of abode.

On July 15, 2019, at about 1500 hours, Kodua went to pick the victim from her aunt's place and took her to his duty post at Agbogba, near Crown Hospital.

Chief Inspector Asante said at about 1800 hours, Kodua told the victim it was late to take her back to her aunt, hence she should sleep at his duty post with him.

Prosecution said in the night, Kodua allegedly lay beside the victim and tried to kiss her but she refused.

He was also said to have applied pomade to the victim's hands and asked her to massage his penis, which she again refused.

Kodua allegedly threatened to kill the victim with a hacksaw blade and a knife if she failed to comply with his orders and forcibly had sex with her that night and again at the dawn of July 16, before sending her back to her aunt, prosecution said.

Chief Inspector Asante said the next day, Kodua went to the victim's school during class hours and tried to take her to his duty post but authorities refused and informed the complainant about the situation.

The complainant reported the case to Police and at the Police station, victim was interviewed and she disclosed her ordeal to the Police, prosecutor said.

He said a medical report was issued by the Police to the complainant to send the victim to hospital for examination, treatment and endorsement of the form.

The accused was arrested and in the course of investigation he was admitted to police enquiry bail to be reporting while victim was asked to stay with the complainant temporarily.

Prosecution said on August 1, last year, Kodua forcibly went to pick the victim from the complainant and took her to his duty post but was re-arrested by the Police and the victim was rescued.

---GNA
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Linkedin Editorial Board (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 10, 2020 08:22 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406654169b 1 Editorial house-of-representatives,DPR,Pancasila Free

Elected politicians everywhere always keep their finger on the pulse and are usually good at capitalizing on issues to gain popularity among voters.

When protests erupted over police brutality in the United States, some local councilors came out with a proposal to defund the police, while members of Congress introduced bills to reform policing in the country. In Taiwan, where members of the population have become increasingly progressive in the past decade, parliamentarians decided to legalize same-sex unions in 2019, making it the first country in Asia to do so.

In these cases, politicians do pose and act as the servant, although their primary goal is to be the master.

Read also: Government, House forced to adapt to online meetings

The current members the House of Representatives look like a different breed of politicians. We can't certainly expect these lawmakers to be progressives who work to channel the hopes and dreams of their constituents, but there were moments in the past when, due to either political expediency or commitment to good governance, politicians were able to pass landmark legislation, including the Corruption Law, Regional Autonomy Law and Presidential Election Law, which calls for direct elections of Indonesian leaders.

However, with each election cycle, we get batches of lawmakers that perform progressively worse than their predecessors. Initially, lawmakers failed to meet their legislation targets, producing only two laws in one sitting session and putting off the deliberation of dozens of other bills to the next sitting session. Recently, it only got worse. Not only are lawmakers failing to fulfill their legislative targets, they now don't even have their priorities set.

While the country is in no immediate danger of having its ideology replaced by communism or Islamism, the House has insisted that the Pancasila ideology guidelines bill should be on the top of National Legislation Program (Prolegnas) priority list, expecting that it will be passed by October this year. No one in society asked for this bill and there has been no extensive debate as to whether the country even needs a new regulation on the state ideology.

Other bills on the list that no one wants are the judge tenure bill, prosecutor bill and national development planning system bill, which was added at the last minute at the expense of more crucial regulation like the sexual violence bill and revisions to the Monopoly and Business Competition Law and Forestry Law.

Read also: House drops sexual violence eradication bill from this years priority list

The biggest letdown of course is the withdrawal of the sexual violence bill, which has repeatedly failed to pass since 2016. There has been strong opposition from Islamic-oriented parties such as the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), which have made unfounded claims that the bill legalizes adultery and nontraditional sexual orientation while turning a blind eye to the lack of protection for women and children.

By dropping the revision to Forestry Law, the House has missed the chance to prevent more forest fires and respect the rights of indigenous peoples.

Unless the House gets its priorities straight, its credibility is in danger.
Gurugram, Haryana (India) DEWII is pleased to inform about comprehensive Employment Background Verification Services offering to Corporate Industry where it has been seen that Job Candidates usually mislead recruiters by stating false information in their resume. And managers use DIY manual approach to recruit the candidates for even sensitive job position for the sake of hurry. To protect companies from those situations, DEWII is here to help organizations to let them 
Karachi:

Five people including a woman were killed and six others injured when unknown assailants opened fire on Saturday at a Shia religious gathering here in Pakistan. The incident took place at the home of a Shia Muslim doctor in Karachis Nazimabad area where people had gathered for a religious meeting.



Four men wearing helmets and riding on motorcycles came to the house where the religious gathering was taking place in the month of Muharram and they opened indiscriminate firing on the people standing at the gate, a senior police official said.



Five dead bodies have been brought to the Abbasi Shaheed hospital including that off a woman, Dr Roohina said. She said six other injured people were also brought with bullet wounds and condition of two patients was critical.



SSP West, Nasir Aftab told the media that the residents of the house had not sought security for having the private Majlis. The police was not informed about this religious gathering and there was no security, he said.



Ironically, the house outside which the firing took place is located in a lane just behind the Nazimabad police station and is also close to a Rangers checkpoint.



IG Sindh, AD Khawaja said that the Majlis was taking place at the house of Dr Asad Kohati who was targeted first by the gunmen who came and opened fire and fled away. Shia Muslims are frequently targeted in sectarian violence in Karachi and Quetta, the capital cities of Sindh and Baluchistan provinces.



The attack took place despite the security agencies and law enforcement agencies being on high alert during the month of Muharram when Shia Muslims hold religious gathering throughout the month.

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A CNG powered variant of the Toyota Innova Crysta has been spotted during a public road test in India. An image of the uncamouflaged test-mule reveals an Innova Crysta 2.7 variant with a CNG sticker on the rear windshield.

Powertrain options on the Toyota Innova Crysta currently include a 2.7-litre petrol engine and a 2.4-litre diesel engine. The former produces 164bhp and 245Nm of torque while the latter produces 148bhp and 343Nm of torque. Transmission options include a five-speed manual unit and a six-speed automatic unit.

The Toyota Innova Crysta CNG could be aimed at the fleet segment and is expected to be offered exclusively in the lower trims. Expected to arrive later this year, the Innova Crysta CNG could be offered only with a five-speed manual gearbox. Compared to the regular model, the Innova Crysta test-mule seen in the image here had no visual updates.

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Toyota Innova Crysta  17.30 Lakh Onwards

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Banked-up border checkpoints have given several interstate travellers a thirst for a Queensland beer as the state finally opened its doors to the rest of Australia, bar Victoria.

Coolangatta Sands Hotel venue manager Crystal-Jade Cuff said staff members were already reuniting with customers who would regularly cross the border.

The Coolangatta Sands Hotel has finally welcomed cross-border drinkers.

A lot of people feel like they are a lot freer with crossing the border today, she said.

Two gentlemen that were regulars and live on the NSW side of the border have come in today for the first time since COVID-19 restrictions.
National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan at the working session. (Photo: VNA)



Mentioning the recognition of the Dak Nong Geopark by UNESCO as a Global Geopark, the third of its kind in Vietnam, she said it now needs planning, as good management and new projects in line with policies would help promote the provinces eco-tourism and cultural potential.

She recommended local authorities pay attention to supporting the development of enterprises that use technologies and follow new business models, while creating favorable conditions for investors. If these are done well, they will provide major stimulation for local economic recovery.

The NA chief also asked the province to strengthen environmental protection and climate change response, step up administrative and judicial reform, and prioritise human resources training.

While effectively implementing measures to ensure economic growth and social welfare, Dak Nong should also prepare for any new developments of COVID-19 and also diphtheria, Ngan noted. The province, which has recorded no COVID-19 cases, is however facing an outbreak of diphtheria.

The top legislator required the province soon build plans, allocate budget funds, and mobilise resources to carry out the master plan for socio-economic development of ethnic and mountainous areas for 2021-2030, which was recently approved by the NA. Dak Nong is home to 40 ethnic minority groups.

She requested it fully prepare for elections of deputies to the 15th NA and all-level Peoples Councils for the 2021 - 2026 tenure.

On the same day, Ngan held a working session with key local officials, during which she asked Dak Nong to actively foster peace and friendship with Cambodian localities with which it shares a border.

She also agreed with the necessity of public-private partnership (PPP) investment in building a highway linking the province to HCM city, while supporting an upgrade to increase the number of beds at the Dak Nong General Hospital from 300 to 700.

Earlier, on July 8th, Ngan and representatives of provincial authorities visited and presented gifts to a number of policy beneficiaries in the provincial capital Gia Nghia./.
Plymouth, Massachusetts--(Newsfile Corp. - July 9, 2020) - Plymouth Rock Technologies Inc. (CSE: PRT) (OTCQB: PLRTF) (FSE: 4XA) (WKN# A2N8RH) ("Plymouth Rock", "PRT", or the "Company") a leader in the development of cutting-edge threat detection technologies, is pleased to report that it held its Annual and Special Meeting ("AGM") on July 8th, 2020. At the AGM, the following persons were re-elected to the board of directors: Dana Wheeler, Douglas Smith, Tim Crowhurst, Angelos Kostopoulos, and George Stubos. In addition, the Company is please to announce the election of Dr. Khalid M. Al-Ali to PRT's board of directors.

Dr. Khalid M. Al-Ali brings deep experience and expertise to his roles in various organizations, having spent much of his career in Silicon Valley. He is the Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Senseta, a world leader in mission-critical big data fusion, AI and drone-powered deep technologies. He is the Co- Founder and Chairman of the Silicon Valley Space Business Roundtable (SVSBR). He was the Executive Director of the University of California Office for NASA Partnerships and the University Affiliated Research Center (UARC).

He was the Science Advisor for the Office of the Center Director at NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) and was the principal investigator, project lead, and program visionary at NASA ARC and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratories (JPL), on key projects involving advanced aircraft and spacecraft technologies, intelligent avionics, novel power systems, planetary rovers and robots, spacecraft, and intelligent exploratory vehicles for Lunar, Martian, and Antarctic missions. He was the Director of Research at Carnegie Mellon University - Silicon Valley Campus and founded the Carnegie Mellon Innovations Lab (CMIL).

"Dr. Al-Ali's extensive relative technical experience and proven leadership will provide key strategic guidance and direction to the board and executive team of Plymouth Rock Technologies at this critical time in our company's growth cycle. He will provide valuable contacts for PRT in the Middle East and the US as we commercialize our technologies, " commented Dana Wheeler, CEO & President of Plymouth Rock Technologies.

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Dr. Al-Ali was the advisor to the Board of Directors of Qatar Foundation and CEO of the Qatar Science and Technology Park Project (QSTP). He was a founding member of both Qatar's Information Technology and Communication Committee and the Steering Committee of the Information Technology and Communication Project. Dr. Al-Ali is the principal inventor of U.S. and worldwide-patented technologies, along with a multitude of disclosed inventions not yet patented. He holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley and dual B.S. degrees in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

In other AGM business, the shareholders approved the appointment of Manning Elliott LLP as the Company's auditor in place of MNP LLP, and the Chairman's equity compensation.

About Plymouth Rock Technologies Inc.

We are on a mission to bring engineering-driven answers to the most critical problems that threaten our safety. We work with government, law enforcement and military to innovate solutions for national security, defense and space systems.

The Company is developing the next generation of threat detection solutions, The PRT X1 is a purpose built multirotor Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS). The unit contains an integrated sensor package that combines Thermal detection with 4K HD real-time air-to-ground streaming. Our advanced threat detection methods fuse artificial intelligence with augmented reality interfaces to eliminate human operating error. Plymouth Rock products, both airborne and land-based, will scan for threat items at greater "stand-off" distances than current existing technologies. Our unique radar imaging and signal processing technology creates new opportunities for remotely operated, none intrusive screening of crowds in real time.

Plymouth Rock's other core technologies include: (1) A Millimeter Remote Imaging from Airborne Drone ("MIRIAD"); (2) A compact microwave radar system for scanning shoe's ("Shoe-Scanner").

www.plyrotech.com

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS



Dana Wheeler

President and CEO

+1-603-300-7933

info@plyrotech.com

Investor Information:

Tasso Baras

+1-778-477-6990

Forward Looking Statements

Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding future financial position, business strategy, use of proceeds, corporate vision, proposed acquisitions, partnerships, joint-ventures and strategic alliances and co-operations, budgets, cost and plans and objectives of or involving the Company. Such forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to management. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. A number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause the actual results or performance to materially differ from any future results or performance expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. These forward looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company including, but not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions and dependence upon regulatory approvals. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/59403
London: As paedophile Jeffrey Epstein's alleged "fixer" and confidante, socialite Ghislaine Maxwell was used to mixing with presidents, movie stars, moguls and even royalty.

The 58-year-old's life has long been steeped in scandal, sex and society thanks to her birthright, too, as the ninth and youngest child of disgraced British publishing tycoon Robert Maxwell.

Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell in New York in 2005. Credit:Getty Images

She will face a bail hearing in New York on July 14 on charges of recruiting girls for Epstein to sexually abuse but it is her connections to high-flyers, including Prince Andrew and US President Donald Trump, that will also be under scrutiny with questions over whether she has any evidence or the inclination to involve others in her spectacular downfall.

Who is she?
MBOSE HSSLC Results 2020: Meghalaya Board of School Education, Tura will declare the result of the HSSLC examinations 2020 (Arts) streams on July 13, 2020. The board has released a notification informing about the date of declaration.

Students who have appeared in the MBOSE class 12th arts examination will be able to check their results online at mbose.in after the announced.

Students can check their Meghalaya HSSLC exam (Arts stream) results 2020 on the following websites: megresults.nic.in, jagranjosh.com, meghalayaonline.in, meghalaya.shiksha, and results.shiksha.

There will be no display of results in MBOSE Office, Tura/Shillong, and even in the examination centres due to the Covid-19 situation. reads the official notification.

How to check Meghalaya 12th Board Result 2020 after it is announced:

Visit the official website of Meghalaya Board at mbose.in

Click on the Results tab on the top of the homepage

Click on Arts stream link

Click on Download certificate

Key in your roll number and submit

Your result will be declared on the website.

Download and take its print out.

Earlier this month, MBOSE had declared the HSSLC results for Science, Commerce and Vocational streams exams on its official website. A total of 3,615 Science stream students and 2203 Commerce stream have appeared in the Meghalaya Board examinations this year, which began on March 2. There are 12 candidates in the Vocational stream.

A total of 72.24 per cent students cleared the 12th Science stream, while the pass percentage in Commerce touched at 77.28 per cent.

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Amid the Brexit dramas in the Commons for much of the last year, the choice of Britain reverting to rules policed by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) was invoked almost daily. Covid-19 has moved the political caravan on.

But with the UK's trade relations with the EU, United States, Japan and much of the rest of the world up for grabs, the vacant job of WTO director-general surges in importance.

As the Chancellor Rishi Sunak was on his feet delivering his job-saving package on Wednesday, the Department for International Trade unveiled former Secretary of State Liam Fox as the UK's candidate for the WTO, praising his multilateralism.

Trade threat: America has become perturbed by Chinese leader President Xi's assault on global economic institutions

What precisely this does for velvet-tongued Peter Mandelson's self-declared candidacy is unclear.

Running the Geneva-based WTO at present is a bed of nails, which is why the current incumbent Roberto Azevedo suddenly resigned in May.

He was frustrated by Trump Administration efforts to block nominations to the appeals panel.

Washington argues that this panel was loaded against US interests at a time when it is scrapping with China over tariffs and the EU over Airbus subsidies.

Britain has a keen interest in a robust WTO if it fails to get what it wants from the EU and bilateral trade deals currently under negotiation.

Choosing the boss of the WTO in the past has been an open process, in contrast to appointments at the IMF and World Bank, which are a US and European carve-up.

Fox's candidacy is already being dismissed by trade aficionados as having no hope, in spite of him having held a senior trade job in the world's fifth largest economy, which is highly dependent on free and open markets.

As is becoming the custom with global jobs, there is a big push for a candidate from outside the most powerful nations.

Among the favourites is Nigeria's Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former managing director of the World Bank, who also served as her country's finance minister.

Included among the other candidates are names put forward by Egypt, Moldova, Mexico and South Korea.

The main US concern is that the winning candidate is not a Chinese cipher. America has become perturbed by President Xi's assault on global economic institutions and recently managed to block Beijing's effort to wrest control of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (a UN agency).

A whiff of pro-Chinese attitudes likely will kill a candidacy stone dead.

Flying circus

The notion that BA is more evil than other carriers in response to the pandemic is ludicrous. That hasn't stopped 100 MPs, including 15 Tories, joining in the clamour for the nation's flag carrier to be deprived of its valuable landing slots.

The Covid-19 crisis in the skies is global. Earlier this week in the US, United Airlines disclosed it was furloughing 36,000 staff, many whom will be permanently severed.

Big European carriers such as Lufthansa are only able to stay in the skies because of bailouts by national governments.

It is not clear which airlines precisely the Unite union and the baying crowd of MPs would like to see at gates vacated by BA. Attacking BA for taking decisive action to try and ensure survival in crisis is an act of self-harm.

BA's dominance on transatlantic routes is no accident. It inherited or bought the slots, and offers the most comprehensive schedule of flights to every part of the US, from New York to Los Angeles.

Britain's success in the world is largely the result of a people-driven services economy earning a large invisible trade surplus with the US.

Removing gates and landing slots from BA would benefit no one except rival subsidised European and Middle-Eastern carriers and bailed-out US airlines.

It is hard to think that John McDonnell and Ed Miliband  two of the MPs ganging up against BA  would want to see tax-exile controlled Virgin Atlantic being gifted extra flights across the Atlantic.

MPs and the Unite union should wake up and smell the coffee.

Negative rates

The prospect of the UK borrowing up to 500billion over the next two years is not fazing buyers of gilt-edged stock.

The yield on short-dated UK bonds sunk to record lows in latest trading. The two-year gilt yield slipped to -0.113 per cent and the five-year to 0.08 per cent.

Welcome to the strange world of government on the never-never.
Suburbs where Covid-19 has hit hardest. Source: Getty

The pandemic saw billions wiped off the economy and the highest unemployment rate in 19 years, but new data has revealed exactly which suburbs Covid-19 hit the hardest financially.

Inner-city suburbs primarily made up of middle-class Aussies were hardest hit, consulting firm Taylor Frys Financial Impact Index revealed.

The Index uses a colour-coded map of Australia ranging from green (low impact) to crimson (extreme impact) to identify financial impact across each postcode by measuring individuals reduction in income relative to their baseline expenses.

In Sydney, as at 25 April, the inner-west suburbs of Surry Hills, Erskineville, Newtown and Sydenham, as well as the easter suburb of Bondi Beach were shown to have suffered an extreme impact from the virus.

Thats despite having a significantly lower population of unemployed Aussies: Erskineville had 20 per cent less unemployed Australians, while Newtown had 14.4 per cent less and Bondi had 12.9 per cent less.

The same was true in Melbourne, where inner-city suburbs like Richmond, Fitzroy, Brunswick and Elwood were all coloured crimson.

Also read: The suburbs with the most job losses

Taylor Fry director Pru Goward told the SMH it was a middle class disaster.

The impact of this has been much more likely to be felt in middle-class households than in poor households.

Goward said this was a significant different outcome to the Great Depression in the 1930s where the reverse was true.

According to the data, inner-city suburbs feature a higher proportion of medium-to-high income earners, meaning when these employees faced salary cuts or job losses, they stood to lose more money when reduced to JobKeeper.

In Erskineville, there are 7.4 per cent more workers earning between $104,000 and $156,000 than the state average, and in Bondi, there are 7.6 per cent more workers earning more than $156,000 than the state average.

In Melbournes Richmond, 5.2 per cent more workers earn between $104,000 and $156,000 compared to the state average, while 4.4 per cent more workers earn above $156,000 than the state average.

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People on incomes in the $50,000 to $100,000 range are the ones likely to have the least buffer but the biggest financial fall in income, the firms principal Alan Greenfield told the SMH.

Catch up on the Yahoo Finance Breakfast Club.

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Friday, July 10th, 2020 (1:37 am) - Score 701

The Independent Networks Co-operative Association (INCA), which represents various alternative broadband ISPs and network builders, has called on the UK Government to put urgent investment toward training and apprenticeships in the telecoms sector to help skill-up new engineers.

At present a growing number of broadband operators are in the process of building new gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) based broadband networks (2020 Summary of Full Fibre Builds), which has put an industry-wide strain of existing contractors (i.e. not enough skilled civil engineers to meet demand in a timely fashion).

Creating a highly skilled fibre engineer is quite a long-winded and expensive process, particularly when youre starting from scratch with somebody. The alternative of hiring people from abroad has also been made more difficult by various issues, such as Brexit and the fact that other countries are still building fibre (makes for a more competitive market).

The Government has already announced a project to increase investment in workplace training and apprenticeships, as part of its plan to avoid a rise in youth unemployment and to address the growing skills shortage in the sector. However, INCA warns that this may not be enough for the telecoms sector, particularly if the Government hopes to achieve their gigabit broadband target for all by the end of 2025.

Malcolm Corbett, INCA CEO, said: We are pleased that the Chancellor has recognised the need to help provide young people with the basic skills to secure full-time work. Now we need the same commitment made to developing a new generation of engineering talent or we risk falling short of the 2025 gigabit broadband target by some way.

One difficulty here is that operators, or their sub-contractors, often wont invest to create new engineers themselves until they know a new contract is coming their way, which could create additional pressures once the first contracts start to be signed under the governments new gigabit (F20) programme (expected toward the end of 2021 or early 2022).

At the same time as this they will be competing for labour with operators in urban areas, which will still be ramping-up their own builds. Eventually the industry can solve this itself, but a bit more help from the Government might certainly work to reduce the future threat from delays.
Hundreds of Melburnians who were locked in their high-rise public housing towers for more than five days have joined the rest of the city for stage three coronavirus restrictions.

Eight towers in North Melbourne and Flemington were released from hard lockdown on Thursday, but residents of an additional tower at 33 Alfred Street will remain in self-isolation for nine days.

The newly freed residents were seen enjoying the outdoors on Friday morning, with one taking their dog for a walk and another smoking a cigarette.

Robert, a Flemington tower resident, gives a thumbs up while taking his dog for a walk on Friday morning

A newly freed resident from one of the public housing towers in Flemington has a cigarette on Friday

Hussein, a resident of a tower in Flemington, smiled for a photo as he stepped outside on Friday. The teenager celebrated his 18th birthday while in hard lockdown

Eight towers in North Melbourne and Flemington were released from hard lockdown at on Thursday. Pictured: Two Flemington residents in face masks pose for a photo on Friday after restrictions were eased

Flemington residents went for a morning stroll around their building on Friday and briefly stopped for a socially distanced chat with their neighbours

It's the first time the residents in Flemington have been allowed to leave their buildings since they were put in immediate home detention on Saturday to halt the spread of COVID-19, amid a second wave of infections.

Hussein, a resident of a tower in Flemington, smiled for a photo as he stepped outside on Friday. The teenager celebrated his 18th birthday while in hard lockdown.

Another resident hung a hand-written paper sign on a glass window to thank the government and health workers.

'I so appreciate my helpful government and all the people working to ensure we are safe,' the sign read.

A woman, known to other Flemington residents as Aunty G, thanked police for walking her blind and half deaf dog during the lockdown, Nine News reported.

Aunty G - who is elated to be out of lockdown - said the officers kindly walked her pet three times a day, sometimes at 2am.

Other residents went for a morning stroll around their building and briefly stopped for a socially distanced chat with their neighbours.

One man was photographed outside a tower in Flemington carrying a large Aboriginal flag over his shoulder.

A Flemington resident hung a hand-written paper sign on a glass window to thank the government and health workers

A woman in a face mask takes her dog outside for fresh air on Friday morning

A resident in Flemington uses his phone while stepping outside on Friday morning

Police in face masks are seen patrolling outside public housing towers on Friday. Residents joined the rest of Melbourne for stage three restrictions

MELBOURNE'S TOWER LOCKDOWN * Nine public housing towers in North Melbourne and Flemington were put in lockdown for at least five days on Saturday afternoon. * 9 Pampas Street and 159 Melrose Street in North Melbourne have no confirmed cases of coronavirus. They transitioned to Stage 3 restrictions at 5pm on Thursday. * 12 Holland Court, 120 Racecourse Road, 126 Racecourse Road, 130 Racecourse Road in Flemington and 12 Sutton Street and 76 Canning Street in North Melbourne 'have low numbers of cases of coronavirus'. They transitioned to Stage 3 restrictions at 11.59pm on Thursday. * 33 Alfred Street North Melbourne remains in lockdown for nine days. Residents will only be able to leave their apartments for medical care and supervised daily exercise. Advertisement

The residents are now subject to a six week stay-at-home order along with the rest of metropolitan Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire.

The government has faced criticism for suddenly putting nine public housing towers in Flemington and North Melbourne into a hard lockdown on Saturday.

Authorities were concerned the high density towers, which were labelled 'vertical cruise ships', had the 'explosive potential' to spread COVID-19.

Some residents said that made them feel like prisoners, unable to leave their apartments for five days.

There were 158 confirmed coronavirus cases in seven of the towers on Thursday, with 53 infections at 33 Alfred Street.

One man was photographed outside a tower in Flemington carrying a large Aboriginal flag over his shoulder

Pictured: Residents walk outside the public housing towers in Flemington after restrictions were eased

A man walks outside the public housing towers in North Melbourne on Friday

A resident of the Melrose Street tower smiles as she walks nearby on Friday

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said residents of the 33 Alfred Street tower in North Melbourne will remain in self-isolation after tallying almost a third of coronavirus cases in the towers.

'We need to recognise that there might be 20 to 25 per cent of individuals in that particular tower who end up developing coronavirus and potentially more,' Professor Sutton said on Thursday.

'So that has, much like an aged care facility, been designated as everyone requiring quarantine.'

Residents of 33 Alfred Street will only be able to leave their apartments for medical care and supervised daily exercise.

Victoria recorded 288 new coronavirus cases on Friday, the biggest daily increase of any state since the pandemic began.

Premier Daniel Andrews said just 26 cases were linked to known infections, while 262 remain under investigation.

The new cases push the state's active case tally past 1000 for the first time.

Previously, the highest daily state total in Australia was 212 cases recorded in NSW on March 27.

Police talk to residents outside the Melrose Street tower in North Melbourne on Friday

Police are seen patrolling the public housing towers in Melbourne on Friday

Residents of nine towers in inner-city Melbourne were put in lockdown for at least five days on Saturday. Pictured: People are seen outside the public housing towers in Flemington on Friday after restrictions were eased
Lt. j.g. Madeline "Maddy" Swegle poses for a photograph in front of a U.S. Navy T-45 Goshawk training aircraft during undergraduate Tactical Air (Strike) pilot training syllabus at Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas

U.S. Navy photo by Austin Rooney

Lt. j.g. Madeline Swegle has earned her wings and become the US Navy's first Black female fighter pilot.

"Very proud of LTJG Swegle," the Vice Chief of Information Rear Adm. Paula Dunn wrote on Twitter. "Go forth and kick butt."

Swegle completed the final flight of the Tactical Air (Strike) training program in early July and officially received her "Wings of Gold" last Friday.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The US Navy's first known Black female fighter pilot has received her "Wings of Gold," the service announced last Friday.

The Chief of Naval Air Training congratulated the officer after she completed training early last month, writing on Twitter: "BZ to Lt. j.g. Madeline Swegle on completing the Tactical Air (Strike) aviator syllabus."

Naval Air Training (@CNATRA) July 9, 2020

BZ is short for "Bravo Zulu," a naval term meaning "Well done."

Others in the Navy also praised Swegle. "Very proud of LTJG Swegle," Vice Chief of Information Rear Adm. Paula Dunn said. "Go forth and kick butt."

Lt. j.g. Madeline G. Swegle, the U.S. Navy's first Black female tactical jet aviator, stands in front of a T-45C Goshawk jet trainer aircraft on the Training Air Wing 2 flight line at Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas, July 17, 2020

U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Michelle Tucker

Swegle completed her initial flight screening and aviation preflight indoctrination at Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida before completing primary flight training at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi in Texas. The trailblazing aviator then joined the "Redhawks" of Training Squadron (VT) 21 under Training Air Wing 2 at Naval Air Station Kingsville in Texas for intermediate and advanced TACAIR training.

She completed her final TACAIR training flight in a T-45C Goshawk trainer aircraft on July 7.

It is unclear where Swegle will go next, but as a graduate of the TACAIR training program she will move on from training aircraft to Navy tactical planes, like the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and F-35C Lighting II Joint Strike Fighter.

Story continues

LTJG Madeline Swegle, the first Black female tactical fighter pilot

U.S. Navy photo by Anne Owens

"I'm excited to have this opportunity to work harder and fly high performance jet aircraft in the fleet," Swegle said in a statement. "It would've been nice to see someone who looked like me in this role; I never intended to be the first. I hope it's encouraging to other people."

Swegle, a 2017 US Naval Academy graduate, follows in the footsteps of other remarkable women in the armed forces, such as the late Capt. Rosemary Mariner, an aviation pioneer who became one of the first female Navy pilots to fly Navy tactical aircraft in 1974, and Lt. Cmdr. Brenda Robinson, who became the Navy's first Black female pilot in 1980.

Swegle's historic accomplishment comes as the Navy takes a hard look at discrimination amid growing nationwide concern about racial injustice and works to, as Navy leaders said in June, "identify and remove racial barriers and improve inclusion within our Navy."

"Lt. j.g. Swegle has proven to be a courageous trailblazer," Commander, Naval Air Forces Vice Adm. DeWolfe "Bullet" Miller III said in a statement last Friday. "She has joined a select group of people who earned Wings of Gold and answered the call to defend our nation from the air. The diversity of that groupwith differences in background, skill and thoughtmakes us a stronger fighting force."

Update: This post was first published in July and reported on Swegle's completion of the required training to become the Navy's first Black female fighter pilot. The post has been updated to include her receiving her Wings of Gold at a recent ceremony.

Read the original article on Business Insider




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THE LAWYER THAT ATE NEW YORK by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- I used to know a guy who, quite literally, didn't get hyperbole. He didn't understand exaggeration. As a result, he missed most jokes that came his way. [MORE] On Native Ground

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POLITICS IS NO PARTY by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- Are you having a hard time focusing your eyes? Do you have faint red spots all over your body? Is there a ringing in your ears and do you see wavy lines when you look at your television set? Do your hands shake when you try to hold a cup of coffee? And have you recently been forgetting what day of the week it is - or what year? [MORE] Make My Day

FOR BETTER OR WORSE ... A LOT WORSE by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- "Marriage: It's Only Going to Get Worse." [MORE] Constance

YOU CALL THESE RIGHTS? by Constance Daley ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- When you express an opinion you hope to persuade others to your point of view. It doesn't always happen but still, opinion writers try. [MORE] Momentum

THE BRIDGE WOMAN by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. - Out there in America - yes, still - is a generation of women who were born in the 1940s, raised in the 1950s, and who came to radical consciousness in the late 1960s and early 1970s. I am one of them. Hillary Clinton is one of them. [MORE] On Native Ground

OBAMA AND MY GENERATION by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- I originally planned on voting for Dennis Kucinich in the Vermont Primary on March 4. [MORE] The Willies:

WARNING: THIS MEDICATION MAY MURDER YOUR FRIENDS by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla. -- You've heard the warnings, haven't you? Stop Prozac and you may take a shotgun, an Uzi or an AK-47 and mow down your family and friends, or even a whole classroom full of your fellow students. You didn't? Well, that warning is not on the bottle, but like countless mass-murder incidents before it, Friday's shootings at Northern Illinois University, as well as the Virginia Tech shootings that killed 32 last year, was probably precipitated by the effect of stopping medications that suppress anger and other powerful emotions but do not relieve the underlying cause. Isn't it time we started warning people - or stopped prescribing these medicines? [MORE] One Woman's World

DON'T KNOCK ON MY DOOR by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- I wish I could feel delight in my poet's mansion being like Grand Central Station all the time, but I can't. And I wish my place was such a place that someone would one day write: "Her door was always open and she always made you feel all fuzzy and warm in her presence. She could make a cup of coffee seem like a banquet." [MORE] Reporting: Panama

PANAMA'S VIOLENT LABOR UNREST INTENSIFIES Mark Scheinbaum PANAMA CITY, Panama, Feb, 15, 2008 -- After just one day of relative calm, wildcat construction strikes by some members of Panama's largest union flared up again Friday morning, four days after a police sniper shot one worker. More than 140 demonstrators have been injured and at least 500 arrested, authorities say. [MORE] Brasch Words

TO STIMULATE ECONOMY, BUY A CHINESE-MADE U.S. FLAG by Walter Brasch BLOOMSBURG, Pa. -- Walking down Main Street, pushing a grocery cart loaded with clothes, toys, and appliances was Marshbaum. Fastened to the right front corner of the cart was an American flag tied onto a three-foot ruler. [MORE] Make My Day

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AMERICA TO HILLARY: GET OUT! by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Feb. 13, 2008 -- Sen. Hillary Clinton has adopted the Rudy Giuliani strategy, and it's working - for Sen. Barack Obama. It turns out to be the strategy all Democrats are seeking - an exit strategy. But it's not for Iraq. It's for her exit from the race for the 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination. [MORE] Constance

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SUPER TUESDAY BLUES by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Super Tuesday has come and gone and I still can't get excited about the upcoming presidential elections. [MORE] The Willies

ON THE BRINK OF HISTORY, YOUR PUSH IS NEEDED by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Feb. 5. 2008 -- I'm expecting a sea change tonight. I believe that for the first time in this nation's history we will once and forever banish racism as the deciding factor in the destiny of African-Americans, and indeed adopt diversity as our path to the future. [MORE] Campaign 2008

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SUSPECTS IN BENAZIR ASSASSINATION HAVE TIES TO MUSHARRAF by Ahmar Mustikhan WASHINGTON, D.C. -- When Gordon Brown this past Monday feted coup-leader-turned-President Pervez Musharraf at 10 Downing Street, Britain's new prime minister probably didn't ask the Pakistani dictator a question that is now on many minds: Did you order the murder of Benazir Bhutto? [MORE] Momentum

TO THE VERMONT DELEGATION: WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR US LATELY? by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt.  Back when President George W. Bush and Dick Vice President Dick Cheney were building up to their loathsome war in Iraq, very few people were brave enough to call the bullies' bluff. [MORE] On Native Ground

IF BUSH HAS HIS WAY, WE'LL NEVER LEAVE IRAQ by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. - In his final State of the Union address on Jan. 28, President Bush cautioned against accelerating U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq, saying that it would endanger the process that has been made over the past year. [MORE] Campaign 2008

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WHY THE FLORIDA PRIMARY STINKS by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Jan. 30, 2008 -- I was with my wife and daughter driving the back way from Miami home to Bradenton when we stopped at a McDonald's in Clewiston, the only big town along the vast shore of Lake Okeechobee, the state's precious freshwater reservoir. The McDonald's had three televisions at a central seating area, each tuned to a different network, and our table was in front of CNN as the very first election results started to pour in around 7:30PM. With them, almost as counterpoint, suddenly came such an overwhelming odor of cow plop that my wife started to throw up as we all ran to the parking lot. [MORE] Passings: Suharto

DEATH OF A KEMUSU THUG by Andreas Harsono JAKARTA - A few minutes after hearing that former president Suharto had died in his hospital bed, Marco, a militia leader in downtown Jakarta, raced to Suhartos house, wearing his jungle camouflage and began guarding the Suhartos residence on Cendana Street. [MORE] Constance

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 19:24:28|Editor: huaxia

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A woman wearing a face mask waits for taxi on a street in Tehran, Iran, July 8, 2020. Iran's confirmed novel coronavirus cases rose to 252,720 on Friday after an overnight registration of 2,262 new infections, according to official IRNA news agency. (Photo by Ahmad Halabisaz/Xinhua)

TEHRAN, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Iran's confirmed novel coronavirus cases rose to 252,720 on Friday after an overnight registration of 2,262 new infections, according to official IRNA news agency.

During her daily briefing, Sima Sadat Lari, the spokeswoman for Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education, said out of the new cases in the past 24 hours, 1,455 were hospitalized.

The pandemic has so far claimed the lives of 12,447 Iranians, up by 142 in the past 24 hours, she said.

So far, 215,015 have recovered and been discharged from hospitals and 3,319 remain in critical condition.

According to Lari, 1,922,501 lab tests for COVID-19 have been carried out in Iran as of Friday.

Iran's health official said that 19 provinces are still either in high-risk or on alert condition.

She urged people to avoid unnecessary trips and refrain from ceremonial gatherings.

Lari on Friday asked people to observe health instructions, including the social distancing and wearing masks in public.

Iran announced its first cases of COVID-19 on Feb. 19.

In mid-February, at the early stage of the coronavirus outbreak in China, Iran lit up the Tehran Azadi (Liberty) Tower to show its solidarity with China, and donated 3 million masks to China.

In return, China has delivered several shipments of medical supplies to Iran. On Feb. 29, a five-member Chinese medical team visited Iran for a month-long mission to help Iran fight the pandemic. Enditem
PHILADELPHIA - Capping a tour through eastern Pennsylvania, Vice President Mike Pence hailed police officers as heroes and criticized efforts to cut funding to cops in a speech Thursday night.

Pence spoke at the Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #5 and repeatedly stressed his support for law enforcement. Speaking to a crowd of about 300, Pence also railed against the radical left he characterized as hostile and disrespectful toward police, and intent on taking away funding and even dismantling departments. Pence said President Donald Trump would invest more in law enforcement, even as some Democrats call for shifting money away from cops and toward other social programs.

While Pence traveled through eastern Pennsylvania, Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential candidate and former vice president, returned to familiar surroundings in the Scranton area Thursday. Biden is a Scranton native and pitched plans to invest more in American-based companies.

While Biden aims to make Pennsylvania a blue state, Pence sought to appeal to the the men and women in blue.

Calling the Philadelphia FOP a national voice for police, Pence said, We hear that voice loud and clear and I am proud to say we back the blue.

The radical left, Pence said, smears police officers.

The overwhelming majority of American people know the men and women of law enforcement are the best people in America, Pence said.

He said officers run toward danger when others run away and never has that been more true than the last four months. He said police officers along with health care workers stepped into the gap and saved lives.

You literally are what separates order from chaos  but we live in a time when the radical left presenting the American people with one false choice after another, Pence said. He referred to cities beginning to change their departments and reducing funding, saying its the wrong choice.

Under this president and this administration we are not going to defund the police, not now, not ever, Pence said. The crowd applauded when Pence said Trump is backing police by making more resources available.

Support cities and police, Pence says

Pence visited Pennsylvania just days after state lawmakers, in a bipartisan effort, have approved legislation calling for some reforms of police.

Motivated by the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, the General Assembly have passed measures to strengthen police hiring, improve training and provide more mental health evaluations. Gov. Tom Wolf has said he will sign the bills.

In Philadelphia, police have been under scrutiny for some dealings with protesters, particularly during a confrontation on June 1 when police used tear gas on a crowd on Interstate 676. Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw issued a moratorium on the use of tear gas in most situations to disperse crowds.

Pence said President Trump is against bad cops and backs policies that would prevent them from moving among departments. He stressed repeatedly supporting police is not at odds with supporting Black Americans.

There is no excuse for what happened to George Floyd, he said, but added theres no accuse for rioting and looting which followed.

Pence said burning down churches and tearing down statues is not free speech.

He criticized what he called anarchists and said the administration will prosecute violent and destructive protesters to the fullest extent of the law, drawing another round of applause.

Pence also touted recent criminal justice reforms and cited a positive impact on minority families, and also said the administrations support for school choice will benefit minority families in Philadelphia.

The vice president said no one has to choose between supporting inner city communities and police.

Pence arrived in Philadelphia shortly after 5 p.m. A crowd of supporters and a large showing of uniformed officers, some on horseback, were waiting along the road leading to the lodge.

A large room with chandeliers was filled with people young and old, most not wearing police uniforms but many wearing t-shirts with messages including Back the Blue. Red Make America Great Again caps were easy to spot. Music by artists including Billy Joel, Phil Collins and Creedence Clearwater Revival played through large speakers on the stage and in front of four American flags.

Before speaking to the gathering, Pence participated in a COVID-19 briefing with healthcare providers that wasnt open to reporters. Afterward, Pences office issued a statement saying he is committed to working with state government and the private sector on resources, testing and research.

Pence planned to visit with the family of fallen officer, James Jimmy OConnor, who died in the line of duty on March 13, 2020. The officer was fatally shot while serving an arrest warrant for a homicide suspect, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. He had been with the department for nearly 23 years. His son Jimmy and daughter in-law Nicole are both following in his footsteps as Philadelphia police officers.

Pence then planned to meet with officers shot and wounded in an incident known as the North 15th street standoff, which took place on Aug. 14, 2019. Six officers were shot in a standoff that garnered national attention.

U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., and William McSwain, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, both came to the event in Philadelphia.

Earlier, Pence arrived in the Philadelphia suburbs to speak at a roundtable about reopening America. The event, organized by the Trump-Pence campaign, was held at Rajant Corp., a company which makes products used in wireless technology in Malvern, Chester County.

Pence began his day in Lancaster County. Air Force Two landed at Lancaster Airport in Lititz before taking the vice president to a private luncheon and fundraiser in Manheim in Lancaster County. The private fundraiser in Manheim raised just over a million dollars, according to a campaign official.

Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at McGregor Industries in Dunmore, Pa., Thursday, July 9, 2020. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)AP

Biden returns home

As Pence sought to bolsters Trumps re-election bid, Biden returned to his old stomping grounds as he tries to keep the president from getting four more years in the Oval Office.

Biden outlined details of his proposed $700-billion Buy American campaign to support U.S.-based companies, the Associated Press reported. Biden detailed plans for a $400 billion, four-year increase in federal government purchases of U.S.-based goods and services. In addition, Biden said he would spend an additional $300 billion in new research and development in U.S. technology firms.

He also accused Trump of failing to lead during the coronavirus pandemic, while encouraging division amid a national reckoning with systemic racism.

His failures come with a terrible human cost and a deep economic toll, Biden said during a 30-minute address at a metal works firm. Time and again, working families are paying the price for this administrations incompetence.

The former vice president, and Pences predecessor, Biden touted plans to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour. And he vowed to repeal Republican-backed tax breaks for U.S. corporations that move jobs overseas.

Its not sufficient to build back. We have to build back better, Biden said. He pledged he would ensure all Americans are in on the deal.

At the business roundtable, Pence took several shots at Biden. Pence noted Biden visited a Pennsylvania company that benefited from the paycheck protection program, and pointing to it as an example of the success of Trump administration-supported programs.

Both visits on the same day illustrate the importance of Pennsylvania in the race for president. Political analysts repeatedly cite Pennsylvania as one of the key states that will determine who wins the White House.

President Donald Trump won Pennsylvania in 2016 on his way to winning the election. He became the first Republican presidential candidate to win the Keystone State since 1988. But Trump won Pennsylvania by only 44,000 votes, or less than one percentage point.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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<! A pneumonia patient under care in Kazakhstan >

China has raised an alarm over a mystery pneumonia, deadlier than COVID-19, rocking neighbours Kazakhstan.

The alert comes as the Kazakh authorities admitted both a second wave spike in Covid-19 but also a sharp rise in pneumonia cases.

The Kazakh health ministry insisted on Friday the Chinese pneumonia claim was not true despite an apparent surge in cases not confirmed as coronavirus.

And the ex-Soviet state has gone back into lockdown with the president issuing a dont panic message while also demanding strict adherence to lockdown rules.

Kazakhstans Health Ministry said it has recorded more than 32,000 cases of pneumonia between June 29 and July 5 alone, along with 451 deaths.

By comparison, the official number of coronavirus cases in Kazakhstan stands at 53,021, with 296 confirmed deaths from the disease.

Some 28,000 pneumonia patients with negative coronavirus tests are hospitalised in Kazakhstan, deputy health minister Azhar Giniyat said.

The Chinese embassy stated that Kazakhstan saw 1,772 pneumonia deaths in the first half of the year, including 628 in June, some of whom were Chinese nationals.

One of the pneumonia dead is chief sanitary doctor of Almaty region Kairat Baimukhambetov, 64, who had been a key figure in the countrys battle against the coronavirus pandemic, it was confirmed on Friday.

China, which borders the country, has expressed deep concern over the unknown pnuemonia and issued a warning from its embassy in the Kazakh capital Nursultan.

It alleged: The death rate of this disease is much higher than the novel coronavirus.

Related
New Delhi, July 10 : The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday issued a red warning for east Uttar Pradesh which could receive extremely heavy rainfall and intense thunderstorm and lightning.

The weather bureau has put the region on red alert for the next two days. Western part of Uttar Pradesh is on orange alert. Delhi is on yellow alert for July 11 and 12.

Eastern part of Uttar Pradesh includes Prayagraj, Amethi, Azamgarh, Gorakhpur, Sultanpur, Varanasi, Kaushambi, Kushinagar and 20 other districts.

Various districts of Uttar Pradesh had faced a flood-like situation following the incessant rains in 2019.

The bureau has four color-coded warnings as per the intensity of any weather system -- green, yellow, orange and the last one being red. Red alert is given to authorities to be vigilant while orange is to remain prepared.

The IMD also predicted extremely heavy rainfall for Uttarakhand, Bihar, and northwest region.

The agency said that the maximum temperature is likely to fall by two to four degrees Celsius over plains of northwest India during the next 48 hours.
TOWAMENCIN  A storage facility planned for just off Sumneytown Pike is one step away from a final approval.

The township supervisors saw the latest version Wednesday night of plans for the storage facility, and a long list of waivers the applicant needs before final approval.

The board granted conditional use for this project at our meeting on January 8, of this year, which seems like a long time ago, said supervisors Chairman Chuck Wilson.

Talks on the project began in July 2019, when Manley Storage Ventures first proposed a roughly 102,000-square-foot storage facility be built while consolidating six parcels totaling roughly two acres on Franklin Street, just west of Bustard Road and south of Sumneytown Pike. That August, the supervisors granted a code change to allow the storage use in the C-commercial zoning district, in November the board began a conditional use hearing, which continued in December, and in January the use request was granted.

Attorney Christen Pionzio and owner Jonathan Manley showed the board the latest revisions to the plans on Wednesday night, including the latest review letters from township and county consultants and the conditions and waivers both sides have vetted and reviewed.

These are the parcels as they exist today. They are residential, they are dilapidated, they are boarded up, its an eyesore for the township that we are hoping to rectify, Pionzio said.

Weve worked long and hard with you on the architectural features of this building, she said.

As she spoke, Pionzio showed the board renderings of the proposed building, featuring brick walls accented with glass windows and trim accents meant to match the decor of surrounding buildings. A total of 17 waivers have been identified by the applicant and vetted by the consultants, and Pionzio and Manley detailed each, with township engineer Tom Zarko giving his firms feedback on each.

Most drew no objections, but the main discussion centered on a waiver request from current township codes requiring that pedestrian paths be provided from the parking areas to the entrance of the building, and Pionzio detailed why the developer wanted to do without those sidewalks.

One: we dont have pedestrians. We dont have people who come to their storage unit and walk  even if its one bag, they drive their car, she said.

Two: we dont want to encourage people to come to the door. We would not like to have what is really unnecessary and unwanted, a crosswalk from an exterior sidewalk to the site, but we can do an internal one.

Zarko said his firm objected to that waiver request, and recommended the sidewalks be added along the driveway to prevent any possibility of pedestrians walking through the driveway instead.

Weve seen a prior design, weve seen it laid out, it can work. We dont recommend this waiver, he said.

Pionzio countered that other nearby uses were better suited for sidewalks, but not the storage facility, where users would only visit occasionally and usually with large loads.

Its not Royal Farms, its not retail, its not a dry cleaner, its none of those things where youre going to find pedestrians with a need for this aces, she said.

Wilson asked if the sidewalks should be required in case the building is sold and converted into a different use in the future, and Manley answered that doing so was unlikely.

The way this building is constructed, it really would require an entire demolition of the building to have a chance of a new use, he said.

Its structurally not set up to be anything other than a storage unit. Pedestrian access for a new use would be part of a demolition and new construction permit, Manley said.

At a similar facility in Philadelphia, that citys codes required the installation of bike racks, a regulation the owner said has turned out to be totally unnecessary.

We have not had one bicycle in three years of operation at both of our Philadelphia stores. And nobody walks to the storage facility either, Manley said.

Wilson asked if the sidewalks could help with any foot traffic from the nearby AVE apartments just across Sumneytown, and Manley said that was also unlikely.

A vast majority of our tenants today are all online reservations, or from national call centers. So much of it is done outside a store, he said. The self-storage managers are the loneliest people in the world, because theres just not that much business in the office.

The board ultimately voted four to one to grant that waiver request, with Wilson casting the only vote against. The rest of the waiver requests were approved unanimously, mostly having to do with the dimensions of the site and setback requirements that cant be met due to utility lines running underground; Pionzio noted one additional waiver for decorative features around the site.

Your code requires something like 18 benches and a lot of trash cans  seven trash receptacles. Were proposing three benches and two trash receptacles, and what were proposing is in keeping with your standards for the overlay, she said.

After approving that waiver along with the others, Zarko said the applicant has agreed to comply with the rest of the terms and conditions spelled out in the review letters. The board then voted unanimously to authorize staff to prepare a preliminary and final land development resolution, incorporating those comments and waivers.

Thank you, and good luck with your project. Thanks for working with us and trying to make this something that fits into what were trying to accomplish up there, Wilson said.

Towamencins supervisors next meet online at 7:30 p.m. on July 22; for more information visit www.Towamencin.org.
JUNO BEACH, Fla., July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE) today announced that it plans to report second-quarter 2020 financial results before the opening of the New York Stock Exchange on Friday, July 24, 2020, in a news release to be posted on the company's website at www.NextEraEnergy.com/FinancialResults. The company will issue an advisory news release over PR Newswire the morning of July 24, with a link to the financial results news release on the company's website. As previously communicated, the company will make available its financial results only on its website.

Jim Robo, chairman and chief executive officer of NextEra Energy, Rebecca Kujawa, executive vice president, finance and chief financial officer of NextEra Energy, and other members of the company's senior management team will discuss the company's second-quarter 2020 financial results during an investor presentation to be webcast live, beginning at 9 a.m. ET on July 24. Results for NextEra Energy Partners, LP (NYSE: NEP) also will be discussed during the same investor presentation.

The listen-only webcast will be available on NextEra Energy's website by accessing the following link: www.NextEraEnergy.com/FinancialResults. The financial results news release and the slides accompanying the presentation may be downloaded at www.NextEraEnergy.com/FinancialResults, beginning at 7:30 a.m. ET on the day of the webcast. A replay will be available for 90 days by accessing the same link as listed above.

NextEra Energy, Inc.

NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE) is a leading clean energy company headquartered in Juno Beach, Florida. NextEra Energy owns two electric companies in Florida: Florida Power & Light Company, which serves more than 5 million customer accounts in Florida and is the largest rate-regulated electric utility in the United States as measured by retail electricity produced and sold; and Gulf Power Company, which serves more than 470,000 customers in eight counties throughout northwest Florida. NextEra Energy also owns a competitive energy business, NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, which, together with its affiliated entities, is the world's largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun and a world leader in battery storage. Through its subsidiaries, NextEra Energy generates clean, emissions-free electricity from eight commercial nuclear power units in Florida, New Hampshire, Iowa and Wisconsin. A Fortune 200 company and included in the S&P 100 index, NextEra Energy has been recognized often by third parties for its efforts in sustainability, corporate responsibility, ethics and compliance, and diversity. NextEra Energy is ranked No. 1 in the electric and gas utilities industry on Fortune's 2020 list of "World's Most Admired Companies" and ranked among the top 25 on Fortune's 2018 list of companies that "Change the World." For more information about NextEra Energy companies, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.FPL.com, www.GulfPower.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.

SOURCE NextEra Energy, Inc.

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Kyle Richards has responded after former Real Housewives of New York star Jill Zarin made comments about her marriage to Mauricio Umansky.

Appearing on Watch What Happens Live on Wednesday, Richards was asked what she thought about Jill saying she hopes she leaves Real Housewives of Beverly Hills before it affects her marriage.

Host Andy Cohen asked the 51-year-old Bravo star, 'Apparently Jill Zarin said she hopes you get off the Housewives before anything happens to your marriage with Mauricio. Did you hear that?'

Kyle Richards has responded after Jill Zarin made comments about her marriage to Mauricio Umansky

Jill, 56, had told Us Weekly, 'And Kyle [Richards] and Mauricio [Umansky], I worry. I think they are a really great couple, but I know that Bobby and I after a few years, I felt it. I felt shaky. Not very shaky, but I felt a little shaky and I hope she gets off before anything happens to her and Mauricio.'

'I did hear that,' Richards told Cohen. 'I just think that she was just coming from like, you know, because there is that, you know, supposed, you know, jinx with marriages and the Housewives.'

'But we're going strong, almost 25 years married,' said Richards. 'But thank you, Jill. I appreciate that.'

'I hope she gets off before anything happens to her and Mauricio.' Jill, 56, told Us Weekly saying, 'I think they are a really great couple, but I know that Bobby and I after a few years, I felt it. I felt shaky.'

'But we're going strong, almost 25 years married,' said Richards. 'But thank you, Jill. I appreciate that.'

Dishing: Kyle, 51, appeared on Watch What Happens Live on Wednesday

Kyle was referring to the 'curse' of the Real Housewives franchise due to the number of marriages featured on the show that end in divorce.

Some of the stars that have seen their marriages collapse after starring on the show include Real Housewives of Orange County's Shannon Beador, Tamra Judge and Vicki Gunvalson as well as Real Housewives of New York City's Luann de Lesseps and Bethenny Frankel.

Richards and Umansky are happily married and share three daughters, Alexia, 24, Sophia, 20 and Portia, 12.

Richards also has 31-year-old daughter Farrah from her first marriage to Guraish Aldjufrie.

In 2015 the couple opened up about what it takes to make a long-lasting marriage.

'Were a really good match,' Richards said. 'We get along really well, actually better than you see on television!'

Going strong: Richards and Umansky (pictured here in February) are happily married and share three daughters, Alexia, 24, Sophia, 20 and Portia, 12

'We're best friends,' said Umansky in 2015. 'We actually enjoy each other.

'Were best friends,' added Umansky, 50. 'We actually enjoy each other. Shes funny, she makes me laugh. I dont have big guys nights out; Kyle is the person I want to spend most of my time with.'

Meanwhile Playboy veteran Kendra Wilkinson is set to join Mauricio's real estate firm.

The blonde beauty passed her California real estate exam and revealed the news on Monday that she was joining the prestigious real estate company.

'So excited to join The Agency!! Let's gooooo!!' the mother-of-two tweeted.

In June she revealed how hard she's been working hard to make her career change.

'What Ive been working on during quarantine finally paid off by passing my California real estate exam on the first try,'
Help is on the way

The expansion of the countys contact tracing operation came from a recent $10 million, six-month agreement with Maximus Health Services to initially hire as many as 150 additional people to identify people who may have been affected by the virus. Their work is already underway.

One of the key components of our response to this outbreak that has been difficult to ramp us has been the hours and hours of people power it takes to do this type of work and the systems it takes to support that staff, Health Department Director Dr. Theresa Cullen said in a prepared statement. We look forward to being able to quickly take advantage of the experience, capacity, and planning Maximus will be able to provide.

Even more help could be on the way. The city of Tucson has been aiming to launch its own public testing program, and is still hoping to do that in the next couple weeks.

The council had voted to spend a maximum of $3 million on a testing program, first for employees and eventually the public. They partnered with El Rio Health to test employees and have done 274 tests so far. Theyre hoping to finalize details for a contract with a lab to do the public process in the next few days.
Air travel is slowly picking up globally thanks to a recovery in domestic flights, with countries in the Asia-Pacific region accounting for half of the top 20 markets, according to travel data analytics provider Cirium.

Vietnam, Indonesia and South Korea are the only countries in the world to show growth in domestic air travel in July compared with the same month last year, while China and the US dominate in the number of flights operated, Cirium said in a report Friday.

There are 413,538 domestic flights in the US scheduled for this month, down 46% from a year earlier. China has 378,434, though capacity is higher there, according to the report.

The figures reveal a fragile but cautiously resurgent market, as the air travel attempts to recover from the worst collapse in its history, Ciriums director of market development Alistair Rivers said.

India, the third-biggest domestic market after the US and China, is showing signs of a recovery with scheduled domestic flights down just 4% from July 2019.

Aircraft are being brought out of storage to meet the growing demand, with 59% of the global fleet back in service, according to Cirium. At the height of the coronavirus crisis, almost two-thirds of the worlds 26,300 passenger jets were in storage.
Gov. Greg Abbott is under increasing political fire from fellow Republicans as well as Democrats as he responds to a sharp rise in coronavirus deaths  a record 112 on Wednesday and 106 on Thursday  by implementing more restrictions on Texans and increasingly warning of another shutdown if people fail to wear masks.

Prominent Democrats are blasting Abbott for reopening too quickly and shrugging off early warning signs. On the other side, county Republican Party committees are passing censures of Abbott for some of his latest orders, including one requiring people to wear masks in counties reporting at least 20 people infected with COVID-19. Those who violate the order face $250 fines, but no possibility of jail time.

On Wednesday, the Montgomery County Republican Executive Committee voted 40-0 to censure Abbott, joining at least three other county executive committees that have taken similar steps.

Even Republican state lawmakers are beginning to press Abbott to call a special session to cede some of the decision-making to them. State Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, said in a Fox News Channel interview that its time for the Legislature to be more involved and not just leave it all up to the governor.

STEEP DECLINE: Once lauded for its COVID-19 response, Texas now grapples with one of the countrys worst outbreaks

We have information and a lot of misinformation out there, honestly, that needs to be vetted by a legislative body, Perry said.

Its all coming as Abbott warns the daily number of deaths is going to keep rising.

I think the numbers are going to look worse as we go into next week, Abbott told Fox 26 in Houston during an interview Thursday night. We need to make sure there are going to be plenty of hospital beds available in the Houston area.

Another Texas shutdown?

Abbott said he knew hed get blowback from other Republicans when he starting issuing more stringent orders to address the worsening situation.

So I knew when I issued this executive order that there would be some people in various parts of the state of Texas who may not be pleased about it, he said. Candidly, it is inconsistent with what I would want to do.

He said his decisions are guided by the magnitude of the spread of the coronavirus and how it has strained ICU capacity in Texas hospitals.

The only strategy we have left to avoid having our economy shut down again is for everyone to use a mask to slow the spread, he said.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

But Texas Democrats have had enough of Abbotts approach, saying hes moved too slowly and blaming him for blocking cities and counties from taking steps early in the pandemic when the White House was holding up cities like Houston and Dallas as examples of success. Abbott gutted local ordinances requiring people to wear face coverings in late April.

Former presidential candidates Beto ORourke and Julian Castro are now using their national political platform to scold him.

His failure has put countless Texans at risk, Castro said on Twitter. He should let local officials step up to protect their communities and fill the void in leadership hes left behind.

ORourke went even further, saying Abbott should resign during a Wednesday interview on MSNBC.

Hes clearly not up to this moment, he said.

Public approval for Abbotts response to the pandemic has also dropped, from 60 percent in late April to 44 percent in late June, according to polls released this week by Harvard, Northeastern, Northwestern and Rutgers universities.

The same study of 22,000 Americans found that approval ratings for other governors have dropped by an average of 10 points over the same period - Abbotts dropped 16 percentage points, according to the April and June Texas polls, which have a margin of error of 5 percent and 4 percent, respectively.

We will no longer sit quietly

The criticism from Democrats comes days after Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said Sunday on ABCs This Week that she and other county and city officials need Abbott to give them the authority to issue stay-at-home orders again, calling it the surest way for them to get out of the crisis. She said leaders need to be taking bold aggressive steps because of how serious things have become in Houston and Texas overall. Abbott has so far declined.

We dont have room to experiment, Hidalgo said. We dont have room for incrementalism, when were seeing these kinds of numbers, nor should we wait for all the hospital beds to fill and all these people to die before we take drastic action.

More than 420 people have died from COVID-19 in the past seven days as Texas continues to have its deadliest week in the states fight against the coronavirus, according to reporting and data analysis by Hearst Newspapers. That amounts to 61 deaths per day. During the first week of June, the average was 23 deaths per day.

In addition, Texas has nearly 10,000 people so sick that they are hospitalized with lab-confirmed COVID-19. That, in turn, has created new pressures on the states medical facilities, with the state reporting having less than 1,000 intensive care beds available. In April the state boasted having over 2,100 of those beds ready.

Abbott has expressed growing concern with dwindling supplies of ICU beds in the Rio Grande Valley, Midland-Odessa and in the 12-county region that includes Corpus Christi, where officials reported they are down to their last 3 available ICU beds.

On Thursday, Abbott barred over 100 counties from conducting elective surgeries to clear more hospital beds for coronavirus patients. He previously took that step for Harris, Bexar and six other hard-hit counties.

The State of Texas continues to implement strategies to help ensure ample supply of hospital beds for COVID-19 patients, Abbott said in a statement to the media.

As Abbott considers the possibility of more restrictions, the criticism from his own party is growing more shrill.

The Montgomery County Republican Executive Committees censure resolution says he has acted with disregard to the Texas Constitution, pointing to the mandated mask requirement for people in counties with at least 20 positive cases, limiting gatherings and the closing of bars across the state.

Its similar to a censure resolution passed by Ector County Republicans, where Odessa is located.

The Ector County Republican Executve Board, decided it would be a fitting day for us to send a clear message to Governor Abbott, the party wrote on its Facebook page. A message that we will no longer sit quietly while he over reaches his authority again, again, and again.

The censure resolutions next go to the state Republican Party to be considered next week at the annual convention. That convention was supposed to be in Houston, but Mayor Sylvester Turner canceled it, saying it could lead to another spike in COVID-19 cases. The party filed a lawsuit against Turner and the city nonprofit that runs the George R. Brown Convention Center on Thursday.

Staff writer Taylor Goldenstein contributed to this report.
Retired police officials, experts and human rights activists have said that Vikas Dubeys death on Friday morning raises disturbing questions about the procedures followed by the Uttar Pradesh (UP) police; casts a shadow on its integrity and professionalism; points to the existence of a strong lobby which did not want to see him alive; and undermines potential investigations into the larger political-crime nexus in the state. They have also demanded an independent probe, and possibly a judicial enquiry, into the killing.

Dubey was arrested in Ujjain on Thursday, and then taken by the UP police back to his home town of Kanpur, when on Friday morning, the police alleged that he sought to escape when the car transporting him overturned and was killed in an encounter.

A former director general in the Kerala Police, NC Asthana, said he could point to glaring loopholes in the polices story about the sequence of events.

The car overturned but one cannot see any skid marks near the vehicle. The street was wet but there were no skid marks. It is impossible that Dubey was the first person to be able to come out of the car after it overturned. Were there police officers inside the car? Why did the police not handcuff him if he was a notorious gangster? Also, why would Dubey try to flee in a place where there were only open fields all around? And above all Dubeys mask was intact despite the accident, running and the shootout.

Asthana said that the story was somewhat similar in the case of Dubeys associates, who too were shot dead. Even they supposedly took the polices weapons while fleeing. All this casts a shadow on the work of the UP police. He added that the UP police had lost a great opportunity in getting Dubey convicted for the murder of the eight policemen. His conviction would have set an example but all that is gone now.

Prakash Singh, who was the chief of the UP police between 1991 and 1993, and has been a key votary of police reforms, said he could not comment if the shootout was staged or genuine but expressed disappointment over the polices handling of the case.

I am disappointed. Even if the encounter was genuine, let me say that there should have been no need for a shootout. Why was he not brought on a flight? He would have been a mine of information on the nexus between criminals, police and the powers that be. Singh added that he had a feeling that there was a strong lobby within both the government, and the Opposition too, that did not want Dubey alive. But I do not know. There could be a possibility (that he was killed in a genuine encounter). But what happened today was unfortunate and disappointing.

Human rights lawyers and activists too expressed their concern at the incident, but also pointed to the larger pattern of custodial violence, extra judicial killings and lack of accountability of the police, and demanded a probe.

Sanjoy Hazarika, international director of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, said that Dubey could have given valuable evidence to unearth the nexus between police, criminals and the powers that shielded him.

What happened on Friday morning is the stuff of reel life. There needs to be a detailed accounting of the events from the time of his arrest to his death. The details of the post-mortem report need to be published and the National Human Rights Commission needs to move quickly on this case asking for accountability. It has raised key issues of due process and custodial violence.

Colin Gonsalves, a lawyer who has fought a range of human rights cases and is the founder of the Human Rights Law Network, said that under the Code of Criminal Procedure section 176(1)(A), a judicial enquiry should be conducted to find out what led to Dubeys death. The law is clear. The enquiry must be held by a judicial magistrate and not an executive magistrate or special investigation team. Has an judicial magistrate been appointed to look into it? The facts point out towards an extra judicial killing. He emphasised that the UP government must follow the law and probe the chain of events because if a person had been killed in police custody, then it was a heinous crime.

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Protesters rallied Thursday evening and some clashed with police. Authorities declared an unlawful assembly after windows were smashed at the Salt Lake County District Attorneys Office, Salt Lake Police Chief Mike Brown said on Twitter. An officer was injured and two people were arrested, according to police. The governor declared a state of emergency to close the Capitol building and grounds until July 13, The Deseret News reported.
Actress Naya Rivera arrives at the opening of photographer Brian Bowen Smith's WILDLIFE in West Hollywood, Calif., on Oct. 23, 2014. AP



Naya Rivera, who played a leading role in the hit television show "Glee," is presumed to have drowned to death in a California lake, the Ventura County Sheriff's Office said Thursday.



"We are presuming that an accident happened and we're presuming that she drowned in the lake," Sheriff Deputy Chris Dyer said during a press conference. "There's no signs of foul play, no signs of anything that went wrong besides a tragic accident."



Dyer said Rivera, 33, disappeared after renting a boat with her 4-year-old son at Lake Piru north of Los Angeles on Wednesday.





Authorities on a boat take part in the search for missing actor Naya Rivera on Lake Piru in California, U.S., July 9, 2020. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni





A helicopter from the Ventura County Sheriff's department takes part in the search for missing actor Naya Rivera on Lake Piru in California, U.S., July 9, 2020. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
SYDNEY and MELBOURNE, Australia, July 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Carromex, a mathematical research-based innovation company based in Australia, unveiled a new cloud-based pharmaceutical software platform called Pharma Leads https://carromex.com/products/pharma-leads/, that is set to significantly contribute to the advancement of the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry today.

The platform provides pharmaceutical companies and researchers with two unique benefits:

First, users can discover potential treatments by merely inputting the genetic sequence of the disease, dramatically reducing the time and costs associated with searching for new treatments.

Second, researchers and pharmaceutical companies can rapidly assess the safety and efficacy of the therapy by analyzing its genetic makeup to test if the combination will be harmful to the body.

The discovery was first made by Dr Burzin Bhavnagri while in pursuit of his Ph. D. at the University of Adelaide and is now available publicly for the first time.

"Representational Consistency is an exciting and entirely new field of mathematics. In my thesis on the development of "Computer Vision using Shape Spaces" and my desire to apply the theory to a real-world example of cancer drug treatment, I discovered a formula which led to the creation of Pharma Leads", said Dr. Burzin.

From the Search for a Cure for Cancer to a Healthcare Breakthrough

In 2012, using his discovery of Representational Consistency, Dr Burzin began to research the 30 known definite carcinogens listed by the International Agency of Cancer Research (IARC), where he discovered a link between representational inconsistency and carcinogens, prompting the search for a cancer treatment using the theory.

Dr Burzin then discovered that the same process could be used to dramatically reduce the research time and costs associated with drug development and discovery, leading to the creation of the Pharma Leads platform.

Using Computer Vision to Revolutionize the Pharmaceutical Industry

Pharma Leads by Carromex is an interactive online program that works in silico without the need for a database which can systematically analyze a chemical structure or gene sequence.

The revolutionary platform allows users to access a list of amino acids for a protein sequence or a list of nucleic acids for a gene sequence. The user can also enter the name of the medicines or their chemical structure to analyze a drugs safety and efficacy.

"Users can choose from searching for a treatment or analyze how a chemical compound may interact with RNA or DNA, for instance, Acetaminophen," Dr Burzin explained further.

Pharma Leads by Carromex is currently available on Google Cloud for users in the United States.

For more information, please visit https://carromex.com/products/pharma-leads/

About Carromex and the Invention of Pharma leads

Carromex was founded in the 1980s by the late Dr Nina Bhavnagri and her son Dr Burzin Bhavnagri. For the last eight years, the company has been focusing on mathematical research and program design.

SOURCE Carromex

Related Links

www.carromex.com


Union Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik on Friday said military establishments in Goa are ready to help the state government in case the COVID-19 outbreak worsens here.

Naik, a Lok Sabha MP from Goa, chaired a meeting along with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant here where senior officers

of Coast Guard, Navy and Army were present.

He said the three wings had agreed to provide all help required, including manpower and health facilities.

Naik, who is also Union AYUSH minister, said all households in the state would be given immunity boosters through local MLAs.

"We are taking up the distribution on a war-footing in all 40 Assembly constituencies. The boosters would be supplied to panchayats from where it will be distributed to households. The AYUSH ministry will give 4 lakh boosters, and the state's requirement is around 6 lakh." he said.
Lucknow:

A stampede-like situation was created and some people injured in it as a large crowd gathered at a Janata Darbar programme of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

The crowd at the PWD Guest House became unmanageable and some people fell down while trying to push their way to hand over their applications to the chief minister, police said.

Some media persons covering the event were also injured in the melee, they said. All the injured were rushed to a hospital in Saifai, police said.

Eyewitnesses said that when the chief minister was meeting people and exchanging pleasantries with them, the crowd surged towards him and in the stampede-like situation some fell down and got hurt.

Police had a trying time to manage the crowd as the number of people who had turned up at the Janata Darbar was far beyond their expectation.
Kanpur: Slain gangster Vikas Dubey, who was killed on Friday (July 10) during an encounter by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) took three bullets to his chest and one on his hand.

According to the police, the bullet injuries on the chest proved fatal for the gangster, who reportedly tried to flee from the spot after the police car carrying him overturned on Kanpur highway near Barra.

Dubey was being brought back to Kanpur from Ujjain on transit remand after he apparently surrendered himself at Ujjain's Mahakal temple in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday, seven days since he and his aides ambushed and killed eight policemen in Bikru village on July 3.

Dr R.B. Kamal, Principal of the Lal Lajpat Rai hospital where Dubey was brought after being shot, said that the condition of the three injured police personnel, who were hit in the gun battle, was stable. He said that the bullets brushed by two of them.

Meanwhile, Vikas Dubey's wife Richa Dubey, who was nabbed on Thursday along with their son, has been released by the STF. "They were not found to be involved in the Dubey`s crime," said SSP Kanpur Dinesh Kumar.
A Sturgis teenager was sentenced Friday to 55 years in prison after he fatally shot and hid the body of a Wyoming girl inside his closet last fall.

Judge Kevin Krull handed down the sentence to 17-year-old Michael Campbell at the Meade County Court in Sturgis. Campbell will be able to seek parole after 27.5 years, when he is 44.5 years old.

Campbell, who was charged as an adult, pleaded guilty in May to first-degree manslaughter after admitting to shooting 16-year-old Shayna Ritthaler in the head at his Sturgis home some time between Oct. 4 and 7, 2019.

Shelly Ritthaler said her granddaughter loved horses, hunting, and working on the family ranch alongside her grandfather, according to Michele Bordewyk, Meade County states attorney.

Bordewyk said that instead of trying to help Ritthaler or call 911 after he shot her, Campbell "sat around for half an hour feeling guilty about what he had done and thinking about how he ruined his life."

She said Campbell eventually realized his parents would be home soon so he tried to clean up the crime scene and put Ritthaler in the closet after wrapping her in blankets.

"Then he went and ate dinner with his parents. He just went on with his life," Bordewyk said. He confessed when law enforcement interviewed him on Oct. 7.

Campbell originally pleaded not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity to alternate counts of first- and second-degree murder.

Bordewyk and defense lawyer Steven Titus both agreed to ask for the 55-year sentence as part of the plea deal. The plea deal also says Campbell will give up his right to appeal.

Sentencing arguments

The sentence serves as "retribution for killing Shayna" while giving Campbell the chance for parole and to "change for the better" if he takes advantage of mental health and addiction counseling while in prison, Bordewyk said.

Titus said that Campbell and his family struggle with drug and alcohol addiction, and Campbell and Ritthaler were both intoxicated when he shot her. He also said his client has a low IQ and developmental disabilities.

The ball is in his court," Titus said. "He has to be a productive member in corrections or he will serve possibly the rest of his life in prison. Its up to him to get the help he needs."

Campbell "initially offered no apology to Shayna or her family or indicated that he felt remorse for his actions," Bordewyk said. "He was mainly preoccupied with how his life has been negatively affected."

But Titus said his client admitted responsibility by pleading guilty and knows what he did was wrong.

"I am deeply sorry for what I have done to your family. I wish I didn't do what I did," Campbell told the Ritthaler family in court, according to a copy of his hand-written note provided by Titus. "I took a life from your family and I see that whenever I wake up and whenever I go to sleep."

Ritthaler's family displayed a photo of her as they spoke, Bordewyk said. Shelly said their lives are incomplete without their loved one, and while she isn't ready to forgive Campbell, she has prayed for his family because she knows they are suffering too. Kenda and Katie Ford spoke about how much they love their niece and cousin.

New details

Campbell and Ritthaler met on a chatting and dating website app and had been communicating there for a while before they made a plan to meet in person and for Ritthaler to run away and live with Campbell, Bordewyk previously said.

Ritthaler was found dead Oct. 7 in the basement of the home Campbell shared with his mother in a subdivision east of Sturgis.

"Initially all he had told law enforcement is that the two were arguing and he went upstairs and got a gun and shot Shayna," Bordewyk said.

But she said Campbell gave investigators more details after pleading guilty.

According to Bordewyk: Campbell said he and Ritthaler had a nice time on Oct. 3 but got in a fight over their relationship the next afternoon while they were drinking alcohol in his basement bedroom.

Campbell said Ritthaler hit him so he went upstairs. He said he continued drinking while she stopped. Campbell said Ritthaler was still mad and yelled at him when he returned, which made him angry so he went back upstairs to take a loaded handgun from his parents' bedroom. Campbell also said he thought Ritthaler may try to use a knife on him. He returned to the basement, hid the gun behind his leg and shot Ritthaler as she walked toward him.

Campbell will be detained at the Meade County Jail until next week when he turns 18 and is transferred to prison, Titus said.

 Contact Arielle Zionts at arielle.zionts@rapidcityjournal.com.

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The City of St Petersburg in Florida on Thursday announced a plan to have social workers respond to non-violent 911 calls instead of police officers.

The linchpin of the new initiative, which was unveiled at a press conference by Mayor Rick Kriseman and Chief of Police Anthony Holloway, is the creation of a new division within the police department called the Community Assistance Liaison, which will be staffed by social service professionals.

Beginning on October 1, instead of sending a police officer, a member of the new division will respond to calls involving a wide array of non-violent complaints, including disorderly intoxication, drug overdoses, mental health or suicide crises, panhandling and neighborhood disputes.

The St Peterburg Police Department on Thursday unveiled a plan to hire up to 20 social workers for its new Community Assistance Liaison team

Beginning on October 1, instead of sending a police officer, a member of new division will respond to calls involving issues like mental crises and intoxication

The change was unveiled amid widespread calls for police reform in the wake of George Floyd's death under the knee of a white Minneapolis police officer in May.

'Today were here to talk about change,' Chief Holloway told reporters on Thursday. 'And change is coming to the St. Pete Police Department.'

Last year, St. Petersburg Police responded to nearly 13,000 non-violent calls for service out of a total of 259,800 calls. The idea is to have social workers take over these calls, thus freeing officers to respond to more serious crimes.

The CAL division will be funded from a $3.12million federal grant and $3.8million in city funds originally earmarked for the hiring of 25 additional police officers over the next two years.

The team will include 18 to 20 professionals working from 6am to 2am every day. They will be in plainclothes and will be unarmed.

Last year, St. Petersburg Police responded to nearly 13,000 non-violent calls for service

A police officer will always be dispatched to violent or life-threatening situations.

The initiative has earned approval from the region's police union, the Sun Coast Police Benevolent Association, reported Bay News 9.

'We believe this will reduce strain in police resources, reduce risks to our member officers, and better outcomes for our most vulnerable citizens that we serve,' said union president Jonathan Vasquez.

Chief of Police Anthony Holloway said police officers will no longer be sent to calls that are purely race-based

The police department will monitor calls related to quality-of-life issues for one year to determine whether the presence of officers was still needed in addition to social workers.

The creation of the social service division is just one part of a broader reform plan, which includes additional training in de-escalation and non-lethal self-defense tactics for officers, and more training for recruits.

Holloway said he is looking to add a civilian member from a civil rights or faith-based organization to the department's hiring board, and also increase foot patrols in the city from the current one hour per week to two hours.

As part of the plan to 're-imagine' the St Petersburg police, a comprehensive review will be conducted that would look at ways to improve its Use of Force police and how complaints are processed, and to monitor calls that are purely race-based.

'Believe it or not, we still get some calls about, "Theres an African American male sitting in the park. He doesnt look like us,"' Holloway said. 'Were not coming to those calls. If that person hasnt committed a crime, were not going there.'
Not being able to leave home is one thing. Not being able to get there is another, especially for visiting non-resident Indians when the pandemic hit.

As they waited out the lockdowns  the borders were shut on March 22 and the latest announcement, made on Friday, confirmed that they will remain shut until at least July 31  they risk losing their jobs even as they continue to pay rent on homes that sit vacant overseas; and they remain separated from loved ones whom they may not see for some months more.

Niklesh Sadarangani, 42, has been paying ~70,000 a month to rent a Singapore flat he and his wife Krishna Merchant, 35, havent used since December. Thats when they flew into India, a month before their first child was due. The idea was for Merchant, her mother and their baby to return to Singapore in March. Merchant would resume work as a journalist with a news agency and her mother would help with the baby while her husband established his car-polishing business in Mumbai and went back and forth.

On the one hand, Im happy to have these months with my son. But my business hasnt started. Were also paying rent on a warehouse in Mumbai. Its all adding up, Sadarangani said.

Plus, as NRIs, their tax structure is set to change if they dont return to Singapore in the next 180 days or so. Meanwhile, the babys passport still hasnt arrived, Covid-19 has disrupted his vaccination schedule, and the couples Singapore visas expire in October.

Because Singapore is not open to visitors, I will most likely not be able to take my mother with me whenever I do head back, so there will be no help with the baby, Merchant said. What worries me the most is the uncertainty and our complete inability to plan ahead.

NO RESERVATIONS

A. Pereira, meanwhile, says that with every extension of the travel ban, his dream life slips a little further out of his grasp. The 33-year-old spent five years applying for hospitality positions in Canada. He finally got a job as a restaurant manager late last year, his visa was approved in mid-March.

My employers have been quite understanding so far. But it is utterly frustrating, he said.

The Vande Bharat flights that bring Indians stranded abroad back to the country, are also offering seats on their return journeys provided the country permits entry. However, lesser seats on account of social distancing norms and a low frequency means customers like Pereira have faced an uphill task booking a seat. The flights are too few. The seats are all gone within an hour of bookings opening. I have just had no luck so far, he said.

A long wait

In Bengaluru, Nidhi Agarwal, 33, a finance consultant, has been stuck in limbo since end-March. She flew in from Dubai with her son Shlok Dani, 3, for her parents 40th wedding anniversary.

She now has no idea when she will get back. Her sons schooling has become another source of worry.

For now, he will attend classes online, but we dont know if we will even be back in Dubai when schools reopen in September, she said.

Alifya Tarawala, 25, a quantitative researcher flew from Dubai to Mumbai on March 13 to marry a business-development manager. Their wedding, scheduled for March 28 was brought forward to March 20 and their plans to return to Dubai were put on hold. The newlyweds are here with only what they packed for their wedding. None of us even has a laptop, Tarawala said. Two weeks ago, Tarawala was put on unpaid leave. Its a blow for the couple, who is still paying rent on a home in Dubai that they have never used, and a car thats been lying idle since March.

The Tarawalas are among over 2,000 members of a Facebook group called UAE Residents In India, who are now collectively pushing for a way back. The page, created by 27-year-old Dubai resident Mohit Mulchandani, is hoping to get the Indian government to allow carriers other than Air India to offer flights.

Were writing to the Prime Ministers Office; were filing RTIs, but the responses so far have offered nothing concrete, Mulchandani, who has been stuck here since March 9, said. My finances are being depleted. My office has been supportive thus far but we dont know for how long.

Tarawala said that being able to turn to others in the same situation has helped keep her sane. Im bonding with my mother-in-law, so thats a plus. But some days, I wake up and I cant believe whats happened, she said.
Germany - MK 54 Lightweight Torpedoes (LWT)

Media/Public Contact: pm-cpa@state.gov

Transmittal No: 20-45

WASHINGTON, July 9, 2020 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Germany of sixty-four (64) MK 54 All Up Round Lightweight torpedoes, ten (10) MK 54 Conversion Kits and related equipment for an estimated cost of $130 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.

The Government of Germany has requested to buy sixty-four (64) MK 54 All Up Round Lightweight torpedoes and ten (10) MK 54 Conversion Kits to be used with fleet exercise sections as MK 54 Exercise torpedoes. Also included are torpedo containers; Recoverable Exercise Torpedoes (REXTORP) with containers; Fleet Exercise Section (FES) and fuel tanks to be used with MK 54 conversion kits (procured as MDE); air launch accessories for fixed wing; torpedo spare parts; training, publications, support and test equipment; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistics and program support. The total estimated value is $130 million.

This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by improving the security of a NATO Ally which is an important force for political and economic stability in Europe.

The proposed sale will improve Germany's capability to meet current and future threats by upgrading the Anti-Submarine Warfare capabilities on Germany's P-3C aircraft. Germany will have no difficulty absorbing these weapons into its armed forces.

The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

The principal contractor will be Raytheon Integrated Defense System, Portsmouth, RI. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.

Implementation of this proposed sale will not require long-term assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to Germany; however, U.S. Government Engineering and Technical Services may be required on an interim basis for training and technical assistance.

There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

This notice of a potential sale is required by law and does not mean the sale has been concluded.

All questions regarding this proposed Foreign Military Sale should be directed to the State Department's Bureau of Political Military Affairs, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, pm-cpa@state.gov.

-30-

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At least 10 free-speech activists are at risk of dying behind bars in China, a Paris-based press freedom group said on Friday, as the authorities continued their crackdown on online speech across the country.



Three years after the death of Nobel peace laureate Liu Xiaobo, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) published a list of ten defenders of press freedom whose lives it said were "in grave danger" if they remained behind bars.



Liu died on July 13, 2017 of an aggravated cancer after being denied treatment during detention.



RSF said at least 114 journalists and press freedom defenders are currently locked away in Chinese jails, some under a life sentence.



It said at least 10 are serving lengthy prison terms and are in danger of losing their lives owing to ill-health, including ethnic minority Uyghurs Ilham Tohti, 50, and Gulmira Imin, 42, who both edited websites targeted by the ruling Chinese Communist Party.



Former Boxun, RFA, and Voice of American (VOA) journalist Zhang Haitao, 49, is serving a 19-year jail term for subversion after making comments critical of the Chinese government in overseas media, RSF said.



Zhang had been "beaten and forced to wear heavy irons on [his] feet for six months, and denied sustenance," it said.



Meanwhile, democracy activist and website editor Qin Yongmin, 66, "has grown weak after a total of 20 years spent in detention and labor camps in previous decades," RSF said. "His health has significantly deteriorated."



Stepped-up warnings



Censors at the social media platform Weibo were meanwhile stepping up warnings to platform users that they could be pursued for comments deemed to be "attacks on government departments or state media agencies."



A user who gave only her surname Zhu said she knows of several people who have been summoned by police after making comments online.



"Anyone criticizing the government is a dissident in mainland China, and they are targeted for suppression," Zhu said. "You can't say anything about the government, because they are so fantastic and wonderful."



A court in the northern port city of Tianjin recently sentenced NetEase service user Jin Shoukui for "insulting others, harming the image of the country and seriously jeopardizing the national interest online."



Jin was jailed for nine months by the Nankai District People's Court, after it found him guilty of "picking quarrels and stirring up trouble," a charge frequently used to target peaceful critics of Beijing.



RSF also cited concerns for the health of octogenarian publisher Yiu Man-tin, who is asthmatic and has suffered five heart attacks in prison, though repeated requests for medical parole have been denied.



It said Swedish national and former Hong Kong bookseller Gui Minhai, 56, has symptoms of a serious neurological disease, but has been denied access to a doctor requested by the Swedish embassy.



And free speech activist Wu Gan, 47, has lost 15 kilograms since being tortured and mistreated in detention, and suffers from cardiovascular problems as a result of electrocution, it said.



Political cartoonist Jiang Yefei, 53, who was repatriated to China by Thailand despite being a U.N.-approved political refugee, has reportedly been tortured while serving his sentence in the southwestern megacity of Chongqing, with reports of vision loss in one eye, RSF said.



Reported by Qiao Long for RFA's Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Seoul's outspoken mayor Park Won-soon, long seen as a potential South Korean presidential candidate, was found dead Friday, police said. He was 64. A former Seoul City employee filed a police complaint -- allegedly involving sexual harassment -- against him on Wednesday. Park's body was found on a mountain in northern Seoul, police said, after a search by hundreds of officers. Emergency personnel brought his remains down a path in the early hours of the morning, AFP journalists on site saw, before they were taken to hospital, where women wailed as they arrived. Police said no suicide note was found at the scene, but Yonhap news agency reported that he was "presumed to have taken his own life". If Park does prove to have killed himself he would be the highest-profile South Korean politician to do so since former president Roh Moo-hyun, who jumped off a cliff in 2009 after being questioned over corruption allegations involving family members. Park's daughter reported him missing on Thursday afternoon, saying her father had been unreachable for several hours, police said. He left a message that sounded like "last words" and his phone had been turned off, she told police. A heavyweight figure in the ruling centre-left Democratic party, Park ran South Korea's sprawling capital -- home to almost a fifth of the national population -- for nearly a decade. He was consistently spoken of as a potential candidate in the race to succeed President Moon Jae-in, and did not deny ambitions on that front when asked by AFP earlier this year. Park had a similar background to Moon as a student activist in the days of South Korea's military dictatorship and later a human rights lawyer. He was kicked out of Seoul National University in 1975, barely a month after entering the prestigious school, for taking part in a rally against then president Park Chung-hee, and jailed for four months. - Jailhouse to courthouse - But he described his time in prison as a happy and productive period that allowed him to formulate his life goals. After completing his studies, Park went into law and defended many political activists in the 1980s and 1990s. He helped launch the People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, an influential NGO pushing to reform the conglomerates that dominate South Korean business. Park also founded the Beautiful Foundation -- a philanthropic group that promotes volunteerism and community service -- in the hopes of giving people the ability "to feel wonderful and beautiful" by donating to its cause. It grew into one of the largest non-profit organisations in South Korea and launched the Beautiful Stores, a chain of charity shops modelled after Britain's Oxfam shops. Bespectacled and soft-featured, Park was considered a political novice when he first entered the Seoul mayoral race as an independent candidate in 2011 but he defeated Na Kyung-won, the most prominent female lawmaker for the then ruling conservative party. He subsequently joined the Democratic party and made a name for himself as a three-term mayor of the South Korean capital -- his final victory coming in a 2018 landslide when he took more than 50 percent of the vote. During his campaign, Park -- known for his hardworking and down-to-earth character -- pledged to create a cleaner city that ensured gender equality, and to bring about peace between North and South Korea. On his official Twitter account, Park introduced himself as a "Social Designer", saying: "These days, I... dream of creating Seoul that puts the people first. Please join me in this dream." But he also earned a reputation as a workaholic boss, with reports saying a handful of civil servants at the Seoul city government had committed suicide due to work-related stress under him. Earlier this week he courted controversy by being one of several senior Democratic party politicians to attend the funeral of the mother of Ahn Hee-jung, a former provincial governor convicted of sexual offences last year.
OTTAWAA national clinical trial this summer will focus on protecting cancer patients against severe COVID-19 infection by attempting to boost their compromised immune systems.

Researchers from the Ottawa Hospital say they want to explore the potential of IMM-101, a preparation featuring a dead pathogen containing properties that can stimulate the first-response arm of the immune system.

Study lead Dr. Rebecca Auer, surgical oncologist and director of cancer research at the Ottawa Hospital, says it could help experts understand why some COVID-19 patients are relatively asymptomatic while others end up in intensive care or die.

The difference, it seems, between these two different presentations has to do with how strong your innate, or your sort of non-specific, first-line defence immune system response is to the virus, Auer said Wednesday.

And so were hoping that by boosting and stimulating this innate immune response, particularly in those vulnerable patients that have a reduced immune response to begin with, wed be able to prevent symptomatic infections and prevent serious infections.

Cancer patients are at much higher risk of severe complications from COVID-19 because chemotherapy, cancer surgery and radiation treatments suppress innate immunity even further.

Auer points to an urgent need to protect them while the world waits for an effective COVID-19 vaccine, which could take another year or more to develop, test and implement.

A successful trial could also protect cancer patients against other respiratory infections as well as the coming flu season, says Auer, noting the threat of illness is a fairly big problem for those undergoing treatment.

A study demonstrated that about 13 to 15 per cent of cancer patients will have to delay or stop their treatment because of influenza during the average flu season, she says.

And also, cancer patients dont respond as well to the influenza vaccine every year because their immune system isnt as strong. So we think that the IMM-101 may in itself be able to help prevent symptomatic influenza infections.

Auer says IMM-101 has also been tested elsewhere for its anti-cancer properties and that, too, will be examined in this trial, although its not the primary objective.

The researchers say the bacteria, Mycobacterium obuense, is safe to use in cancer patients because it has been killed by heat.

The Canadian study will recruit 1,500 patients currently receiving cancer treatment, and participants will be randomly assigned to receive either regular care or regular care plus IMM-101.

Auer says the treatment would be administered as an injection in the arm, to be followed by two more booster shots.

Researchers will follow patients for a year, watching for any respiratory infections and monitoring whether the treatment works and how long it lasts.

The trials will take place in eight centres located in Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec.

Researchers say people interested in participating should speak with their cancer specialist.

Researchers from the Ottawa Hospital came up with the idea and worked with the Canadian Cancer Trials Group at Queens University to design the trial.

Dr. Chris OCallaghan of the Queens University group notes cancer patients are also at greater risk of COVID-19 infection because they require regular medical care, making it difficult to adhere fully to public health guidelines.

These patients are unable to practise social isolation due to the need to regularly attend hospital to receive critically important cancer treatment, says OCallaghan, who will oversee the trial.

Auer says a successful trial of IMM-101 could also suggest usefulness in treating any patient with a reduced innate immune system, such as older patients with chronic illness.

She notes that the tuberculosis vaccine known as BCG  which uses a similar formulation to IMM-101 but uses live bacteria instead of dead bacteria  is being tested around the world to see if it can boost the immunity of health-care workers exposed to COVID-19.

Funding and in-kind support, valued at $2.8 million, comes from the Canadian Cancer Society, BioCanRx, the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, the Ottawa Hospital Foundation, the Ottawa Hospital Academic Medical Organization, ATGen Canada/NKMax and Immodulon Therapeutics, the manufacturer of IMM-101.
After Canadas foreign minister said this week that this country could potentially introduce legislation targeting Chinese officials accused of human rights violations, the United States has imposed its own sanctions against one Chinese government entity and four officials.

Meanwhile, a group that supports democracy for Hong Kong says it has offered a list of Chinese and Hong Kong government officials directly to Global Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne for potential sanctioning.

The list from Alliance Canada Hong Kong includes those the organization considers complicit in the treatment of Chinas Uighur population and in the clashes between pro-democracy protesters and police in Hong Kong.

During question period in the House of Commons on Wednesday, Conservative MP Garnett Genuis questioned Champagne about recognizing what has been called a genocide of the ethnic Uighur population in Chinas Xinjiang Autonomous region.

Genuis also asked if so-called Magnitsky legislation would be considered against Chinas officials by Ottawa for human rights infractions, including in Xinjiang and Hong Kong.

Yes, we are considering all the options when it comes to standing up for human rights, answered Champagne.

Heres a look at whats happened so far, and what some have urged Canada to do next.

What does the Xinjiang genocide refer to?

The Xinjiang Autonomous Region in Chinas far west is home to a largely Turkic-Muslim population, known as Uighurs.

Over the years, incidents of violence have occurred between Uighurs and Chinas Han population in the region, including a deadly riot in 2009 in which about 200 people died. In 2007, there was an attack at a train station in Chinas southern city of Kunming in which 31 people were killed. China blamed the attacks on Islamic extremists from Xinjiang and three of the attackers were sentenced to death.

In recent years, China has heavily surveilled the Uighur population in the region and international observers estimate that as many as two million have been sent to internment camps. An Australian think-tank reported evidence many of are being used for forced labour in what the Chinese government calls vocational training camps.

Last week, a report out of the United States citing Chinese government documents found forced sterilization and other birth control is also being imposed on Uighurs, which would meet the United Nations definition of an act of genocide.

According to a UN convention on the issue, imposing measures intended to prevent births with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group is considered evidence of genocide.

China has called the reports fake.

What has the United States done?

On Thursday, the U.S. Department of the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) slapped the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau, which is in charge of the regions security, and four of Chinas former or current officials involved in events in Xinjiang with Magnitsky sanctions.

The U.S. Department of Treasury said the sanctions are in keeping with blocking the property of persons involved in serious human rights abuse or corruption under Magnitsky legislation.

OFAC said those named have connection with serious rights abuses against ethnic minorities in Xinjiang.

The sanctions include restrictions on conducting businesses with those named in the sanctions. The individuals are considered blocked.

The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods or services from any such person, said a release from the Department of the Treasury.

What is Magnitsky legislation?

Magnitsky legislation is a nickname given to various laws around the world meant to sanction people or organizations complicit in human rights violations or corruption.

The law is named for Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian lawyer who died in prison after exposing tax fraud in that country.

In Canada the law is officially called the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act, passed in 2017. According to the act, Canada can impose sanctions if a foreign national is responsible for, or complicit in, extrajudicial killings, torture or other gross violations of internationally recognized human rights committed against individuals in any foreign state and other reasons.

The law says appropriate sanctions should be explored, but does not prescribe specific actions.

What is Alliance Canada Hong Kong and what does it want?

The organization was started earlier this year with the goal of raising awareness about issues related to the Chinese Communist Party, including its attempts at influencing Canadas decision makers.

ACHK wants the Canadian government to sanction six officials in China and Hong Kong under Canadas Magnitsky legislation. The group submitted its list to Champagne earlier this week.

Two of those on the list submitted to the minister were also named by the U.S. in its official sanctions Thursday.

Cherie Wong, the executive director of ACHK, said the sanctions are largely symbolic but would send a message to local officials in China that they are being watched internationally.

It is about accountability to not only the regime but to these specific officials, Wong said. If we are able to demonstrate that Canada has a strong stand on human rights, and we are willing to take action to target those officials who are specifically responsible, it sends a very strong message.

She said if Canada implies such sanctions along with the U.S., other nations may follow.

Who does the group want sanctioned and why?

Chen Quanguo

Chen has been the Communist Party secretary for the Xinjiang autonomous region since 2016 and before that held the same position in Tibet. Chen has been accused by the U.S. of masterminding the internment camps for ethnic Uighurs in Xinjiang.

The Uighur Human Rights Act passed by the U.S. earlier this year declares that Chen bears direct responsibility for gross human rights violations.

He was named Thursday in the list of those now facing sanctions by the U.S.

Zhu Hailun

Zhu is the deputy Communist Party secretary for Xinjiang and former party chief for Urumqi, a major city in the region. Zhu was named in the ACHKs list and by the U.S. Department of the Treasury as bearing direct responsibility for human rights abuses in Xinjiang by the United States Uighur Human Rights Act, which was passed this year.

ACHK cites a report by the International Consortium of Independent Journalists saying Zhu signed the plans for the internment camps in Xinjiang. He is now facing sanctions from the U.S.

Zhao Kezhi

Zhao is a current state-councillor of the Peoples Republic of China, a high-ranking position within the Chinese Communist Party government. ACHK says his role as minister of public security also makes him Chinas top cop responsible for the arrests of political dissidents and for crackdowns on protests.

Zhao recently said he would be responsible for instructing Hong Kongs police on implementing the new, and highly controversial national security law in the region.

Stephen Lo and Chris Tang

Lo was the commissioner of the Hong Kong police force until last year, when he was replaced by Tang. ACHK says they placed two men on the list due to the Hong Kong police use of tear gas and rubber bullets, among other tactics, against pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong.

They also pointed to attacks on protesters and say the police denied them medical attention afterward.

Han Zheng

Han is the head of the Central Leading Group on Hong Kong and Macau affairs, among other prestigious titles within the CCP government. According to Alliance Canada Hong Kong, he has pushed for aggressive measures to deal with Hong Kong protesters, including personally overseeing the clash between Hong Kong police and student protesters during a siege of a local university.

ACHK says Han led Hong Kong into its transition as a police state under the control of the Chinese government.

The Star reached out the Chinas embassy in Canada for comment, but has not received any reply.

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Robyn Nevin as Edna, from left, Emily Mortimer as Kay and Bella Heathcote as Sam in Natalie Erika James' "Relic," an IFC Midnight release. (IFC Midnight)

Natalie Erika James' atmospheric thriller "Relic" is a film about inevitable and universal horrors.

Robyn Nevin, Emily Mortimer and Bella Heathcote star as three generations of adult women grappling with matriarch Edna's (Nevin) encroaching Alzheimer's. The film, which is available now on video on demand and in select theaters (after an exclusive week at drive-ins), explores themes of mental and physical decline, abandonment fears and the cyclical nature of caregiving.

"Both as a mother and a daughter, I feel there's a lot of guilt, confusion and regret that goes along with being a caregiver," said Mortimer, who plays Edna's daughter Kay. "You always feel like you've given so much but you never feel like you've given enough. And I think that's really brilliantly expressed in the film as part of that process."

The movie, which debuted to critical acclaim at Sundance in January, marks the Australian writer and director's feature debut. The Times caught up with James in advance of the film's digital release to discuss the nexus of the idea, its similarity to vanitas paintings and the unexpected ways life imitates art.

Emily Mortimer as Kay in Natalie Erika James' "Relic," an IFC Midnight release. (Jackson Finter / IFC Midnight)

What inspired you to write this story?

It came from a really personal place. My grandmother, who lived in Japan, had Alzheimer's and I had taken a trip to go see her. She'd suffered from Alzheimer's for some time and it was quite a slow decline, but that particular trip was the first time she couldn't remember who I was. And it really had a deep impact on me because it's obviously heartbreaking when someone who's only ever looked at you with love is looking at you like a stranger. I felt a lot of guilt and regret at not having gone to see her more often.

She'd lived in this traditional Japanese house that was probably 100-150 years old. I spent most of my summers there and it used to really freak me out as a kid. Especially because there was a lot of clutter in the upstairs rooms. It was one of those houses with the sliding closet spaces that kind of feel like small rooms in themselves. So I think a combination of those things was really the starting point for the idea.

Story continues

What attracts you to the horror genre?

Probably the primal elements and how it affects you on an adrenal level. As a preteen and teenager, I'd always loved Asian horror. I think the first film I saw without parental supervision but with a bunch of friends was "The Others." And it terrified me so much, but there is such a thrill and joy in experiencing that with a group of people. It's not dissimilar to being on a roller-coaster ride.

I used to have a lot of nightmares as a kid as well. I had a lot of sleep paralysis too, so I was very used to seeing scary imagery. I've known I've wanted to be a director since I was 13 but I never really [planned for] horror specifically or genre movies. I was more drawn to very dark, psychological dramas. So when I went to film school that's where I started but slowly over time the stories had more horror elements emerging in them. Horror is the perfect vehicle to talk about fear.

There's something inherently feminine about the concept of caregiving and the relationships between mothers and daughters in particular. What made those ideas ripe for the horror treatment?

Caregiving often falls on women. For me, the three women came naturally because it was my mother's mother [who had Alzheimer's] so those three generations were already present in my life. But we did initially have [male characters]. I think Kay had a husband way back in the first draft and there was a brother [character]. But over the course of development we really stripped that back and decided to focus on just the three women.

I kind of like to think of the film as a vanitas painting in that vanitas art really focuses on motifs of the brevity of life and the inevitability of death. In some ways you can interpret the film as watching a woman in each stage of her life and that's backed up by the cyclical nature of aging and having children and growing old, having to care for them and then having them care for you. So it felt aesthetically and analytically appropriate.

The characters spend most of their time trapped in a house while a mysterious illness goes around. How does it feel to have inadvertently tapped into what's going on globally with the pandemic?

[Laughs] Yeah, I never could have guessed. We end on such an emotional note and it really is about the importance of human connection that actually feels all the more resonant because of this time. In terms of isolation, there's this element of being physically stuck. In a sense the characters are really tied to the house in their love for Edna. And for Edna, [the house] is representative of everything that she has had in her life, all the happy times and everything she has lost. You really acutely feel the elements of the house that have fallen into decline and how much it hints at happier times. So I think there's a lot tied up in being isolated or trapped and stuck in that sense as well.

While many films have had to skip theatrical releases altogether, this one is playing in select theaters and in drive-ins where IFC has had some success releasing another horror movie, "The Wretched." How do you feel about the format and about the theatrical experience in general?

I think there's always something really nice about seeing a horror film in the darkness of the cinema. There's something brilliant about the communal experience and having to go through it with a group of people. I think IFC has done a tremendous job with turning a completely unpredictable situation into this really wonderful opportunity and I'm thrilled that it's being shown at drive-ins. Mostly because of the sheer novelty of it, I don't think we have half as many drive-ins in Australia. The only downside is that we didn't anticipate it would be shown at drive-ins so we didn't do any sort of drive-in grade. So I hope that things are still visible because it's a very dark film intentionally.
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ISTANBUL: A Turkish court on Friday annulled a 1934 government decree that had turned Istanbul`s Hagia Sophia into a museum, opening the way for the sixth-century building to be converted back into a mosque. President Tayyip Erdogan, whose ruling AK Party sprung from political Islam, has said the cavernous domed building should revert to being a place of Muslim worship.

Hagia Sophia is nearly 1,500 years old and served as one of the most exalted seats of Christian and then Muslim worship in the world, meaning that any change to its status will have a profound impact on followers of both faiths. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Here are the key facts of Hagia Sophia`s history, the campaign to change its status, and statements by religious and political leaders about its fate.

TWO FAITHS

Hagia Sophia, or `Divine Wisdom` in Greek, was completed in 537 by Byzantine emperor Justinian. The vast structure overlooked the Golden Horn harbour and entrance to the Bosphorus from the heart of Constantinople. It was the centre of Orthodox Christianity and remained the world`s largest church for centuries.

Hagia Sophia stayed under Byzantine control - except for a brief seizure by Crusaders in the 13th century - until the city was captured by Muslim forces of the Ottoman Sultan, Mehmet the Conqueror, who converted it into a mosque. The Ottomans built four minarets, covered Hagia Sophia`s Christian icons and luminous gold mosaics, and installed huge black panels embellished with the names of God, the prophet Mohammad and Muslim caliphs in Arabic calligraphy.

In 1934 Turkey`s first president, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, forging a secular republic out of the defeated Ottoman Empire, converted Hagia Sophia into a museum, now visited by millions of tourists every year.

A FORGERY?

A Turkish association committed to making Hagia Sophia a mosque again has pressed Turkish courts several times in the last 15 years to annul Ataturk`s decree. In the latest campaign, it told Turkey`s top court that Ataturk`s government did not have the right to overrule the wishes of Sultan Mehmet - even suggesting that the president`s signature on the document was forged.

That argument was based on a discrepancy in Ataturk`s signature on the edict, passed around the same time that he assumed his surname, from his signature on subsequent documents. Erdogan, who has championed Islam and religious observance during his 17-year rule, supported the Hagia Sophia campaign, saying Muslims should be able to pray there again and raised the issue - which is popular with many pious AKP-voting Turks - during local elections last year.

Turkish pollster Metropoll found that 44% of respondents believe Hagia Sophia was put on the agenda to divert voters` attention from Turkey`s economic woes.The pro-government Hurriyet newspaper reported last month that Erdogan had already ordered the status be changed, but that tourists should still be able to visit Hagia Sophia as a mosque and the issue would be handled sensitively.

REACTION

Outside Turkey, the prospect of change has raised alarm.

- Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, spiritual head of 300 million Orthodox Christians, said altering the status of Hagia Sophia would fracture Eastern and Western worlds. Russia`s Orthodox church said turning it into a mosque was unacceptable.

- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said any change would diminish its ability "to serve humanity as a much-needed bridge between those of differing faith traditions and cultures".

- Neighbouring Greece, an overwhelmingly Orthodox country, said Turkey risked opening up a "huge emotional chasm" with Christian countries if it converts a building which was central to the Greek-speaking Byzantine empire and Orthodox church.

- Turkey has criticised what it says is foreign interference. "This is a matter of national sovereignty," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said. "What is important is what the Turkish people want."
Google's upcoming Nest smart speaker has been officially confirmed with a teaser image and video.

Google has been rumoured of working on a new Nest smart speaker. This would be an upgrade over the original Google Home smart speaker. Shortly after a couple of leaks appeared showing the upcoming Google Nest smart speaker, the company confirmed it and revealed official teasers as well.

The new Google Nest smart speaker looks quite different from the Google Home. It actually looks more of a bigger version of the Google Nest Mini. The smart speaker also has a unique oblong-like cylindrical design. Its entirely covered in fabric unlike the Google Home which only had the bottom half fabric-covered.

The Google Nest teaser image shared with XDA Developers shows a light blue colour. A teaser video of the smart speaker was also shared, and a Sand Pink variant of the Google Nest is spotted in the background.

Here's the 13 second video they shared with us. pic.twitter.com/TMw9HSeSbC  Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) July 10, 2020

Based on leaked images of the Google Nest smart speaker, theres a plastic bottom base with the power button. Theres also the microphones on/off switch on one side. From the looks of it, the new Google Nest smart speaker can be placed vertically or horizontally.

We dont know much about the specifications of the Google Nest. Google hasnt announced either when it plans to launch the smart speaker. Google has so far launched the Nest Mini and Nest Hub Smart Display. This was after Google started rebranding its smart devices under Nest.

The Google Nest Mini is priced at 3,999 in India. As for the Nest Hub Smart Display, it retails at 8,999. The 2018 Google Home is available at 7,999. The upcoming Nest smart speaker could also fall under a similar pricing category.
While the Chinese embassy described the illness as an "unknown pneumonia," Kazakhstani officials and media have only said it is pneumonia.

The Chinese embassy in Kazakhstan has warned of a deadly "unknown pneumonia" after the former Soviet republic reported a spike in pneumonia cases since June.

"The death rate of this disease is much higher than the novel coronavirus. The country's health departments are conducting comparative research into the pneumonia virus, but have yet to identify the virus," the embassy said in a warning to Chinese citizens in the country, according to the South China Morning Post.

While the Chinese embassy described the illness as an "unknown pneumonia," Kazakhstani officials and media have only said it is pneumonia.

Read alsoNumber of COVID-19 cases confirmed worldwide exceeds 12 mln

It was not clear why the Chinese embassy had described the illness as "unknown" or what information it had about the pneumonia.

The embassy's website, citing local media reports, said the provinces of Atyrau and Aktobe and the city of Shymkent have reported significant spikes in pneumonia cases since the middle of June.

Shymkent and the capital city of Atyrau are 1,500km (930 miles) apart, while the distance between the capital cities of Atyrau and Aktobe is 330km (205 miles).

The Chinese embassy said that so far there have been nearly 500 pneumonia cases in the three places, with over 30 people in a critical condition.

The country as a whole saw 1,772 pneumonia deaths in the first part of the year, 628 of which happened in June, including some Chinese nationals, the embassy continued.
Former Soap star Tempany Deckert has made a rare appearance on Australian TV, more than 20 years after she found fame on Home and Away.

The actress-turned-author, 42, was interviewed on The Morning Show on Friday from her home in Los Angeles.

Despite looking remarkably youthful, her style has changed a lot since the 1990s.

Blast from the past! Tempany Deckert, who played Selina Roberts on Home and Away from 1994 to 1998, made a rare TV appearance on The Morning Show on Friday

Reflecting on her years playing Selina Roberts from 1994 to 1998, Tempany joked about how she was missing her 'eyeliner' and 'bogan accent'.

She also revealed she was still friends with her Summer Bay co-star Isla Fisher, who lives nearby in Los Angeles.

'It's been great to be in America, and Isla's here, too. [It's great] just having those conversations and reminiscing on our days growing up,' she said.

Making a comeback: The former actress-turned-author, 42, was interviewed from her home in Los Angeles. Despite looking remarkably youthful, her style has changed a lot since the 1990s

She added: 'We really have a bond, it's really like a family.'

Tempany also spoke about the coronavirus pandemic, which has hit the United States particularly hard, admitting she never could have imagined how bad things would become.

'It's funny, right when lockdown was about to happen here with coronavirus, me and Isla were texting each other going, "Oh my God! It's coming! It's coming!"' she said.

Friends forever: She starred alongside Isla Fisher (right) on Home and Away, and they are still close friends to this day. Both women now live in Los Angeles

'Little did we know we'd still be inside our houses five months later.'

Now married to American filmmaker Brian Donovan with two young sons, Tempany revealed she would love to return to Australia one day.

'That's the dream, to convince the husband to move to Australia. So maybe, you never know,' she said.
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LANSDALE  How can Lansdale widen the field of candidates for new police officer positions and help make the department look more like the town it protects?

Police Chief Mike Trail has proposed a change to the towns civil service rules that are meant to accomplish exactly that.

I have put forth an amended set of civil service rules that would allow the borough to engage in a hiring practice I feel would be beneficial to diversity in the ranks, Trail said.

Given the environment were operating in right now, we definitely need to make our department look more like the community we serve, he said.

Currently, applicants interested in a position with the department must complete the training required under the states Act 120, and that the training must be done before the application is made, according to the chief.

The major removal in the new, amended rules would be that we would allow anyone, with a high school diploma, who is 21 years of age, and has at least 60 college credits, to apply to be a Lansdale Borough police officer, Trail said.

Should the borough council decide to hire an applicant who has not already done the Act 120 training, the costs would then be absorbed by the borough instead of the candidate, Trail said, and that dollar figure can be as high as $7,000, depending on state reimbursement levels.

Right now, the state is offering about a 50 percent reimbursement, so wed be looking at $7,000 as worst-case, and $3,500 as a best-case scenario, he said.

Councilwoman Meg Currie Teoh asked how often that expense would be incurred, and what would happen if an applicant is chosen and the borough pays for the training, but the candidate doesnt complete it. Trail said the expense would only be incurred when a new hire is made, and that the candidate interview process should give the department and council an idea of if the candidate can complete the training.

Having gone through it myself, several times, in two states, I can tell you: if you put your nose to the grindstone, and work hard, you can achieve passing grades and make it through, Trail said.

Removing the training requirement would bring the boroughs civil service rules back in line to where they were roughly three decades ago, when that rule was put in place, according to the chief.

Prior to 1991, Lansdale would hire you and send you to get all of our training through the state, he said, but in 1991, the borough decided it was a cost-saving maneuver, that we only hired people who were pre-certified.

A draft copy of the updated civil service rules, with the change, has been shared with members of the public safety committee, and Trail and the committee members said theyre open to any questions and/or feedback ahead of that committees next meeting on Aug. 5; the committee could then vote that night to recommend the change to the full council for approval on Aug. 19.

During the July 1 public safety committee meeting, Trail also gave updates on several other initiatives in discussion by the department, including a proposal to outfit all officers with body-worn cameras to record interactions with the public.

Those documents include an overview of the program, and a cost breakdown, not only for the devices but also for the (data) storage in the first year, and the recurring years, he said.

Trail said he expects discussion and a possible vote to also take place at the Aug. 5 meeting, and council President Denton Burnell asked if the chiefs thinking had changed in recent months.

Absolutely. I think weve seen a tectonic shift in law enforcement in the past couple of months. My sentiment has changed, in the sense that I feel that, at some point in the future, its going to be a mandate from the Department of Justice, he said.

Public opinion has also seemed to shift over the past two months in favor of more police accountability and transparency, the chief told council, and that technology like the body cameras be a basic part of any department.

My point being: at least we want to put it on the agenda, for council to debate, and for us to receive healthy public comment, he said.

Mayor Garry Herbert added that the cameras could be useful not only as a safeguard for the public in interactions with officers, but also for officers themselves to learn from each other.

This is something that I think, as a department, we could really use and find value in, particularly around the area of training, Herbert said.

Theres a lot of value in reviewing the interactions that we have with the public, through the cameras, that are going to be from multiple viewpoints, from multiple officers: not from a gotcha perspective, not from a Whats legal? perspective, but the training value that this brings is very much there.

Councilwoman Carrie Hawkins Charlton asked if the cameras would need to be accompanied by a policy or rules spelling out when the cameras would and would not need to be active. Trail said thats part of the discussion.

Absolutely: 24/7 is just an absolute misnomer. There are so many practical reasons why that body camera would be turned off, he said.

Those reasons and times could include when an officer is not handling law enforcement functions, or when interviewing certain juvenile victims or confidential informants who could be jeopardized if their identity is made public.

The policy that would accompany this would require the officers, when theyre engaged with the public, in their law enforcement function, when its reasonably practicable, to have that camera on, he said.

Lansdales policy would be based on those followed by other nearby departments and county agencies, the chief told the committee, and specifics can be discussed further in August.

Lets say an officer goes out to a call, and they go to a neighbor dispute. During the course of the neighbor dispute, the camera is on, they record all of the activity, Trail said.

And then, he or she retreats to their patrol car and writes up a report, the camera would be off while theyre writing the report, he said.

Borough resident Mark Ladley said he knew of possible grant opportunities that could help offset the costs of the cameras, and Trail said hell investigate those possibilities and report back in August. Resident Manny Matos said he would like to see specifics of the policy, such as certain hours of shifts designated for cameras to be on versus off.

It would be nice to see what times they would shut off, to make sure we can correlate: yes, this was a lunch break, or this was an incident they were responding to, that we really dont want that camera to be on, Matos said.

Trail said those specifics would be discussed further in August, and that department leadership had already shared the draft policy with the departments police union for their feedback.

Theyre entitled to have input on that policy, because theyre going to be wearing them, he said.

Anybody with input can send comments or questions to LansdalePD@lansdalePD.org or attend the next meetings of the full council or the public safety committee. Those meetings will be held at 7 p.m. on July 15 and Aug. 8 respectively; for more information visit www.Lansdale.org.
The recent surge of coronavirus infections in California is driving up demand for testing and triggering a resurgence in testing delays, forcing many people to wait up to a week to get tested. Others are waiting up to two weeks to get test results back.

These major lags hamper health officials ability to quickly identify and contain potential outbreaks. Its a frustrating situation for patients who need fast answers about whether they are infected so they know if they can safely resume activities with friends, family or coworkers.

In countries that are managing the virus better, patients typically get test results back within a day. But thats fairly rare in the Bay Area these days.

Much of the backlog in the testing system, across the U.S., appears to be linked to the nations largest commercial labs, Quest and LabCorp. Both are seeing a dramatic influx of tests and struggling to process them quickly. The resulting delays are proving to be a repeat of a problem that first surfaced during the early weeks of the pandemic in the U.S.

From late April through early June, the testing situation had improved as the labs increased capacity and some regions, like the Bay Area, managed to flatten the rate of new infections. But lag times began ballooning over the past three weeks as demand for testing soared, straining lab capacity and the supply of tests and chemicals needed to process them.

Its abysmal, Dr. Caesar Djavaherian, cofounder and medical director of Carbon Health, a San Francisco company that operates urgent care clinics in California, said of the countrys struggle to test and report results quickly.

Wait times for test results vary dramatically, depending on where people get tested and which labs each health care provider or testing site uses. Bay Area residents are waiting anywhere from just 24 hours at some San Francisco-run testing sites, to seven days at a local Kaiser location, to nine days at a San Francisco CVS location, according to several people who spoke to The Chronicle about their recent testing experiences. Some patients who recently sought testing at One Medical, the San Francisco primary care firm, waited a week for a test appointment and were told test results could take up to 14 days.

Its just not right, said Dr. Jay Levy, a UCSF virologist who got tested in late June at a San Francisco CVS and waited nine days for results. The delay forced him to reschedule dental surgery because his dentist required that he have a negative test result before proceeding with the procedure. The test should be done 24, 48 hours now.

CVS spokeswoman Monica Prinzing said the increase in COVID-19 cases in some parts of the country is causing demand for testing to spike, in turn creating backlogs for CVS lab partners and delaying the processing of specimens. She said it may take at least five to seven days to get results.

Our lab partners are working hard to address this issue, she said. She declined to say which labs CVS uses, but Quest CEO Steve Rusckowski said recently his company is working with CVS to conduct testing.

Test turnaround times have increased significantly, particularly for tests being done at the large commercial labs, said Djavaherian of Carbon Health, which sends most of its patients tests to Quest, LabCorp and WestPac, another major lab.

Lea Suzuki / The Chronicle

We started to see the lag creep up in the past two to three weeks as volumes increased and the number of positive patients increased, he said. More and more people started to seek care to really try to figure out whether they were exposed or not, or whether their mild symptoms were coronavirus or not. ... Subsequently, weve had more prolonged wait times for results.

About six weeks ago, wait times for Carbon Health patients were as fast as one day, and typically two to three days, he said. Today, test results are coming back in two to three days for the highest-priority patients  those with symptoms, or first responders  and wait times for lower-priority patients, such as those who do not have symptoms or have mild symptoms, average around seven days.

The labs acknowledge test turnaround times are increasing and say they are working to expand lab capacity.

Since June 29, demand has continued to rise nationwide, particularly in the South, Southwest and West regions of the country, outpacing our capacity, Quest said in a statement. (Quest is based in New Jersey and processes tests at labs across the country.) As a result, the average turnaround time for reporting test results is now one day for (priority patients) and 4-6 days for all other populations.

High-priority patients include those who are hospitalized, and residents and workers at congregate facilities like nursing homes and prisons that are more likely to contract the virus and pass it on to others.

One Medical, which sends the majority of its tests to Quest and LabCorp, is working to open more testing sites and extend weekend hours for sites to accommodate more patients, said Chief Medical Officer Dr. Andrew Diamond. The company is exploring whether to work with other labs, such as academic labs or labs run by smaller private companies, to speed up test results. It is also looking into using point-of-care tests, which process tests on the spot and report results right away, and do not require specimens to be sent to an outside lab for processing.

Federal testing officials said this week they hope the increased use of point-of-care tests will help alleviate lab backlogs. They also expect point-of-care tests to be doing up to 20 million tests each month by September.

Lea Suzuki / The Chronicle

This is a critical situation, Diamond said. What people are looking to do is know whether they need to modify their behavior. They need to know that quickly.

Choosing which lab test sites to work with can be the difference between waiting a day and waiting two weeks for results. Two test sites run by the city of San Francisco, for instance  one South of Market, the other near the Embarcadero  send tests to Color Genomics, a Burlingame company lab that processes about half of the tests done in the city. In June, testing volume tripled but the vast majority of test results, 89%, were released in 48 hours or less, Color 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.

Contracts between health care providers and insurance companies make it difficult to have tests done at labs other than Quest and LabCorp because most patients insurance plans designate those two labs to be the in-network lab providers. Djavaherian of Carbon Health criticized the arrangement as antiquated during a pandemic. That means insurance plans will pay for the test only if it is done at Quest and LabCorp. If patients wish to have their tests done at other labs  such as academic labs, which may be able to return results faster  they would have to pay for it out of pocket, he said.

I understand theyre all in business and need to negotiate rates, but youd think thered be an executive order that says, Hey, any lab that has capacity and is authorized by the FDA is now considered in-network and its covered by insurance, he said. Think about the lab capacity that would (free up).

Limited test supplies are also, once again, posing a problem. Shortages in tests and testing backlogs are forcing Verily, the life sciences arm of Google parent company Alphabet that provides state-funded testing in dozens of California counties, to scale back testing in San Mateo County from about 1,000 tests a day to a maximum 500 a day, said County Manager Mike Callagy.

For the foreseeable future itll be a little more difficult to get testing through Verily, he said at a media briefing Wednesday. Weve got people now waiting for testing.

Callagy encouraged residents to seek testing at private health care providers if theyre unable to book an appointment right away through Verily.

Some county officials have been pressing major hospital systems, including Kaiser, to do more testing, particularly for patients who do not have symptoms. In Santa Clara County, the public health system is conducting the majority of tests, and health officials recently ordered hospitals to take on a greater share of the burden. The hospitals are gradually increasing testing, said county testing officer Dr. Marty Fenstersheib.

A Kaiser spokeswoman said the health system has expanded its daily statewide testing capability to 16,000 to 18,000 tests and is able to test all symptomatic patients and many asymptomatic patients. Kaiser generally provides test results in two to three business days, she said, but that can fluctuate depending on demand, capacity and whether a test is processed at a Kaiser lab or outside commercial labs that take longer to report results. Kaiser sends 10% of its tests in Northern California to commercial labs, often for asymptomatic, less urgent cases, she said.

Djavaherian said there are some constraints on swabs but that its not as dire as it was in March. Still, he is concerned that may worsen if the demand for testing continues to spike.

Our swabs supply is a day-by-day thing, he said. In March, we were scrambling for every single nasopharyngeal swab we could find. Were not seeing that degree of supply shortage, but ... over the past three weeks, its really getting scary.

Catherine Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Cat_Ho
UPDATED

Its been a week of threats and explanations when it comes federal funding for schools.

President Donald Trump made waves Wednesday for saying he may cut off funding to schools that dont restart in-person classes in the next academic year. He repeated the threat in a tweet Friday, asking why would the Federal Government give Funding? to schools that dont do so. Throughout the week, there have been variations on that theme with more nuancefrom other top administration officials.

After initially saying she was very seriously considering withholding federal funds in a Tuesday interview, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos then said on Thursday that the administrations aim is to send some federal aid directly to parents whose children attend schools that havent resumed regular classes, in order for those children to get instruction. (Whether those children would be barred from using that aid on virtual schools was unclear.) And on Wednesday, Vice President Mike Pence suggested that additional virus aid could be conditioned in some way on resuming face-to-face classes.

However, the administration cant cut off money that doesnt exist yet. And redirecting some federal aid to families isnt necessarily the same as halting federal aid to schools in general. Remember, Trump officials want schools to fully reopen on normal schedules, so hybrid models dont cut any ice under that scenario.

Lets explore some questions related to the most directbut not necessarily onlyinterpretation of Trumps repeated declaration.

Can the administration cut off annual funding for schools?

When Congress appropriates money for specific purposes, such as when it funds programs under the Every Student Succeeds Actthe main federal K-12 lawthe executive branch must make sure its spent the way lawmakers specify. Theres nothing in ESSA that allows the education secretary to condition funding on whether instruction takes place face-to-face. In fact, ESSA was written in part to put clear limits on the education secretarys power.

A main architect of that law, Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., is still in office and still chairman of the Senate education committee. We reached out to his office for comment, and will update this post if we hear back. We highlighted a bill from two GOP House members last month that would cut off federal funds to schools if they failed to restart in-person instruction by Sept. 8. That bill has gone nowhere since being introduced, but it does undescore the idea that Congress is in the drivers seat here.

Now, schools get funding under several laws and from several departments, not just the Education Department. But were not aware of funds that are conditioned in the way that would fit a straightforward reading of what Trump wants. Under special education law, the feds can cut off future funding to a state if it does not maintain its own spending on students with disabilities in accordance with federal law. For example, see this settlement over special education spending between the department and South Carolina in 2016.

But again, that power relies on federal law approved by Congress.

I have a really, really hard time finding a legal justification for how it could be done based on money already awarded or distributed to states and schools, said Anne Hyslop, a former Obama Education Department official whos now an assistant director at the Alliance for Excellent Education. I cant see how offering a remote learning program is an act of noncompliance. ... Fully online schools have gotten these funds before. So you cant create a new requirement out of whole cloth.

Has the federal government already sent out money to schools for the upcoming year?

Yes. We wont get too deep into the weeds, but because of the way the federal education budgeting process works, a lot of current federal aid was awarded to schools beginning on July 1 through a method called forward funding. This money becomes available to schools from July 1 of this year through Sept. 30 of next year. This timing helps make life easier for schools whose class schedules dont match the federal fiscal year, which runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30.

Many, if not most, of the big-ticket programs under ESSA, like Title I, rely on forward funding. See page 10 of this Congressional Research Service report for a helpful chart about the issue.

Sometimes, discussions at the department do take place about withholding state administrative funds over possible noncompliance with federal law. Thats not money thats used directly by schools.

And, Hyslop added, posing a rhetorical question, Where is the requirement that fully online schools or districts cannot get funds?

A spokeswoman for the Education Department told the New York Times earlier this week that the agency was looking at all of our options to see if and how it could withhold funds. But the point is that even if the administration officials found a provision that they interpreted as a way of letting them freeze money, they might have missed their chance when it comes to a big chunk of federal aid.

Does the Impoundment Control Act prohibit Trump from freezing money?

The Impoundment Control Act is designed to sharply curtail the presidents power to freeze or refuse to spend congressionally appropriated money. If that law sounds familiar, this might be why .

If the president wants to temporarily freeze or rescind money appropriated by Congress, the chief executive has to send a special message to lawmakers explaining why. That temporary freeze doesnt require congressional approval, but the president does have to point to unforeseen contingencies or other reasons to justify his move, as PolitiFact put it. A permanent freeze requires the affirmative consent of Congress.

However, in 2020, the Government Accountability Office said Trumps decision to temporarily withhold military aid to Ukaine in 2019 had violated the act, because the presidents Office of Management and Budget withheld funds for a policy reason, which is not permitted under the Impoundment Control Act.

Freezing aid to schools that dont fully resume face-to-face classes would represent policy. Congress could swiftly override any attempt by Trump to freeze aid for schools, which of course could be viewed by the public quite differently than support for a foreign country. Generally speaking, the president gets more deference on foreign policy and national security than domestic policy. And unlike the situation in Ukraine, Trumps public declaration of his interest in cutting off aid in some way might make any attempt to sidestep (or use) the Impoundment Control Act to achieve his aim more difficult.

Could all of this change?

Congress can change the language of ESSA and other education laws whenever it likes, but theres absolutely no indication lawmakers want to do that.

And top Democrats for education on Capitol Hill have already told us they reject the idea of conditioning future virus relief on schools reopening their buildings and resuming regular classes. We dont know how negotiations in Congress and the Trump administration will go on that front, but the phrase non-starter might apply here.

Theres one more problem if the department hits on and acts on a strategy for withholding federal funds: the courts.

I cant imagine there would not be lawsuits, Hyslop said.

Photo: President Donald J. Trump speaks during a coronavirus task force briefing at the White House in April. (Shawn Thew/CNP via ZUMA Wire)

Follow us on Twitter @PoliticsK12 . And follow the Politics K-12 reporters @EvieBlad @Daarel and @AndrewUjifusa .
Brad Pitt was spotted leaving his ex-wife Angelina Jolie's home in Los Angeles on his motorcycle on Thursday.

The 56-year-old Ad Astra star's visit to his 45-year-old ex's house comes following a report in People on Wednesday indicating that the two are 'in a better place' when it comes to co-parenting their six children.

He was previously seen leave Angelina's home late last month as the two reached a agreement over custody of their two children.

Moto Brad: Brad Pitt was spotted leaving his ex-wife Angelina Jolie's home in Los Angeles on his motorcycle on Thursday

On the mend: It was reported on Wednesday that the former couple's frosty relationship has begun to thaw, and they're 'in a better place' after attending family therapy (pictured 2015)

Brad looked effortlessly cool in a greybrown jacket with a bright orange zipper, which he wore over a simple white T-shirt.

The Once Upon A Time In Hollywood star paired it with jeans and off-white slip-on sneakers, and he wore white gloves and a silver helmet for safety.

He helped satisfy his need for speed with his stylish grey BMW motorcycle.

The actor is a major collector and owns multiple Ducatis, BMWs and a completely customized Indian Larry model.

After: Brad was spotted speeding out of his ex's home on one of his motorcycles, after being spotted there several times

His look: Brad looked effortlessly cool in a graybrown jacket, along with jeans, slip-on sneakers, white gloves and a silver helmet

Brad's recent visits seem to indicate the bad blood between him and Angelina has begun to fade away.

The exes, who endured a shock split in 2016 and an ugly custody battle in the years since, are in a better place now in regards to co-parenting than ever, People reported on Wednesday.

'It's taken them a long time, with a lot of family therapy, to get to this point,' said the magazine's source.

Part of the reason for the therapy is to help work out how Pitt, 56, 'could be a dad again'.

Collection: The actor is a major collector and owns multiple Ducatis, BMWs and a completely customized Indian Larry model

Making things easier is the fact that the couple's children, Maddox, 18, Pax, 16, and Knox, 11, and daughters Zahara, 15, Shiloh, 14, and Vivienne, 11 'are no longer dealing with separation issues from Angie,' continued the source.

And since Brad and Angelina live close to one another in Los Angeles, 'the younger kids go back and forth between their houses.'

Late last month, in a DailyMail.com exclusive, Brad was photographed leaving Angelina's mansion in Los Feliz, an early sign that their equation with each other was improving.

Ex appeal: Brad Pitt [R, in February 2020] and Angelina Jolie's [L, in 2019] frosty relationship has allegedly begun to thaw

Last month Angelina implied she chose to split from Brad for the wellbeing of their six children, telling Vogue: ''t was the right decision. I continue to focus on their healing.

'Some have taken advantage of my silence, and the children see lies about themselves in the media, but I remind them that they know their own truth and their own minds.'

Although they got together in 2005 they waited until 2014 to get married, only for Angelina to file for divorce in September 2016.

Since then they have battled legally over custody and finances, with Angelina reportedly demanding more money than Brad wanted to give.

Living arrangements also became a sticking point as Brad was allegedly preventing Angelina from moving out of the country with their children.

'I would love to live abroad and will do so as soon as my children are 18,' she told Harper's Bazaar late last year for their December/January issue. 'Right now I'm having to base where their father chooses to live.'

Better: They split in 2016 and have had an ugly custody battle (pictured with kids [L-R] Pax, Maddox, Shiloh, Vivienne and Knox in 2014)

In 2016, Brad and Maddox allegedly got into an argument on a private jet while on the way to Los Angeles, which led to Angelina filing for divorce that year. Brad was later cleared of any wrongdoing in November 2016.

Soon after, the judge granted Angelina physical custody of all six kids with Brad continue to have agreed-upon therapeutic visitations with the kids.

However, Brad wanted more time with the kids and continued to request it; by December 2016, he requested an emergency hearing to seal all documents surrounding the case, which was denied.

By January 2017, they agreed to keep their court documents private in a joint statement but by June 2018, they headed back to court after Angelina was ordered by a judge to help repair Brad's relationship with the kids.

He was given more time with the kids, according to Entertainment Tonight.

By August, Angelina accused him of not paying 'meaningful' child support in 1.5 years, which he denied and claimed he paid over $9 million to her since their split, reported the outlet.

By September, Angelina reportedly reached out to him to improve their co-parenting relationship.

A judge granted them both legal single status on April 12, 2019 while finalizing their divorce.

The former lovebirds have agreed on a custody agreement for their kids and are sorting out property and finances, specifically who gets Miraval, their French winery and the place they tied the knot.

According to The Blast, Brad filed documents to the court asking to appoint a private judge to enable their discussions to continue, a request the star agreed with.

The LA County Court agreed, as long as the pair paid for the judge's time themselves, and a stipulation order was put in place to 'Extend Appointment of Privately Compensated Temporary Judge.'

It was revealed in April 2020 that Brad filed paperwork for a stipulation and order about their 'education and transitional support' for their kids on March 16, according to Entertainment Tonight.

The Blast revealed that the stipulation said that the former couple agreed on a 'traditional' approach for their children's education.

Brad's children have been spending the majority of their time during the pandemic with their mom Angelina whose $25 million home is mere minutes from Brad's mansion.

For the kids: Brad has confessed to having been an alcoholic before Angelina left him but he has since gotten sober, and last year a judge granted him more time with the children

Last month, he threw a party for Shiloh, attended by all of her siblings, even Maddox, who had up until recently been estranged from his father.

Pitt has been working hard at mending the rifts in his family, ever since his very public divorce proceedings against Angelina began in 2016.

But more recently, sources claim the exes have been 'getting on better' since agreeing on a custody schedule for their children.

'Brad's kids are the most important thing to him. He tells his friends he learns so much about life from his own children,' a source told Entertainment Tonight on Wednesday.

'He and Angie have been getting along so much better since the custody rules have been worked out. They have come so far.'

Near the start of this year's coronavirus lockdowns Angelina donated $1 million to No Kid Hungry, a organization to feed underprivileged children and their families.

She has worked extensively with the United Nations and co-wrote a Time essay published in March plugging UNESCO's new Global Education Coalition, which was started to facilitate remote education as schools closed around the world.

Angelina has jetted around the world in service of various causes and in 2012 got special envoy status from the United Nations High Commissioner For Refugees.

Ground zero: Pitt and Jolie met and fell in love on the set of their 2005 film Mr and Mrs Smith [pictured]

Although Brad hasn't been able to work since Hollywood shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, he already has his next project lined up for as soon as it's safe.

He'll be reteaming with his former stuntman-turned-director David Leitch for the thriller Bullet Train, based on the popular Japanese book Maria Beetle

Brad will star as an American hitman on a train in Tokyo populated by other assassins with conflicting goals.

Leitch was previously the actor's stunt double in multiple films, including Ocean's 11 and Troy, and he repaid the favor with a hilarious but brief cameo role in Deadpool 2, which Leitch directed.
The Minister of Tourism Arts and Culture, Mrs Barbara Oteng Gyasi on Wednesday inaugurated the Local Content Committee of the National Film Authority (NFA) with the mandate to develop a local content policy.



She said the policy would put into law, the guidelines for a minimum requirement of Ghanaian produced content on television and ensure that Ghanaian producers and broadcasters work together to bring quality TV programmes.



The local content policy would help drive investment into the sector, help bring in much needed foreign exchange, create jobs, and grow the sector to compete favourably on the international scene, she added.



If we want to make such gains and help make Ghana a film and content hub in the sub-region, we would have to bite the bullet and take the actions that push us forward, by giving Ghanaians the opportunity and the responsibility to be answerable to Ghanaians by producing quality content locally, for the ultimate good of Ghana.



Mrs Oteng Gyasi noted that research points to the fact that countries that put in place local content policies to allow their local industries to grow, have the largest GDPS in the world, and disagreed with the argument that protecting our local industries removes overall competitiveness and may encourage the sector to become stagnant.



Ghanaians have a taste and will demand quality and local producers and broadcasters will have to step up to provide the kind of stories and programs that Ghanaians demand.



She said governments all over the world have used local content to help raise the expertise of the local sector, encourage local collaboration and investments as well as create jobs and incomes to many homes.



With the continued right training, Ghanaians should be able to rise to the challenge of producing world competitive programming not only for Ghanaians but for the world, thereby creating even more opportunities for Ghanaian content producers.



She urged the committee to work diligently and to consult all stakeholders to help ensure a local content policy that was acceptable and workable for all and called on Ghanaians to be patient, even as the industry rises to meet the opportunities that such a policy would bring to the country.



Mr Kwaw Ansah, Veteran Filmmaker said the inauguration was part of the building blocks needed to lay an enduring foundation and an attractive superstructure for an industry that was dear to the hearts of all true African filmmakers.



It is good to struggle to build a solid infrastructure for the Ghanaian film industry; it is good to ask the government to seed the industry with funds. The mandate of the committee is to ensure that the Ghana Film Industry wakes up as content answers all things.



Let Ghanaians see more of the relevant African films. Even though we need theatres, I propose that even before the theatres materialize, we have to put on paper the structures to determine what proportion of local, against foreign movies we shall allow.



Mr David Dontoh, Chairman, NFA said the formation of the Committee was very important, saying "at last we have recognized that over the years we have been running away from ourselves, but we have to formulate policies that will help us concretize what we are thinking as Ghanaian local content."



He said television and film have become the most expressive medium of modern civilization, yet consumer patterns have changed in Ghana against local productions for more foreign ones including the proliferation of Mexican and Asian soap operas that have been "localized" through dubbing over in local languages to attract viewership.



Chairman of the 10-member committee Mr Samuel Attah-Mensah, Chief Execute Officer Omni Media, operators of Citi FM, and Citi TV said that the Committee wants Ghana to win at the end of the day.



"We will put ourselves together and take a cue from the National Film Authority and other agencies to deliver on our mandate."



Other members of the committee include David Dontoh, Juliet Yaa Asantewaa Asante, Ernest Boateng, Peter Sedufia, James Aboagye, Nii Adokwei Moffat, Mike Amon-Kwafo. Two other members are expected to be named later.

Source: GNA









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

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On Wednesday, a federal judge in the Eastern District of Michigan denied the Socialist Equality Partys challenge to the states 12,000 physical signature ballot access requirement during the coronavirus pandemic.

The judge, Sean F. Cox, a Republican, sided with the Democratic administration of Governor Gretchen Whitmer in ruling that the coronavirus pandemic did not seriously burden our constitutional rights or the rights of those Michiganders who want to vote for our campaign.

Cox issued his ruling as the deadly coronavirus pandemic is spiraling out of control. Yesterday, the official global death toll surpassed 550,000, and the number of infections increased to more than 12.3 million.

Socialist Equality Party presidential candidate Joseph Kishore

The United States is the epicenter of the virus, which is now spreading without restraint. Already, COVID-19 has claimed more than 135,000 lives in the United States. More than 61,000 people tested positive yesterday, a new record, and the daily death toll is approaching 1,000.

Hospitals in Texas, Florida and Arizona are overwhelmed, and nurses are again facing critical shortages of personal protective equipment and ventilators. Cases are increasing in most states, including in Michigan, where they are at levels not seen since the end of May.

The surge in cases and deaths is the direct and predictable outcome of the criminal policies of Trump and the entire political establishment, including the Whitmer administration. Even as the pandemic exacts its horrific toll, the White House is demanding that schools reopen in the fall, threatening the lives of hundreds of thousands of teachers and students, as part of the overall back-to-work campaign.

It is under these conditions that Judge Cox declared his full support for the argument of the state of Michigan that SEP should have been gathering signatures and that it still should be doing so.

Coxs decision is not a serious legal ruling grounded in jurisprudence or reasoned analysis. It is a political decision aimed at barring socialists from the ballot, with the legal rationalization serving to justify a conclusion determined in advance.

Cox asserts that it is not the coronavirus pandemic or the governors stay-at-home orders that have prevented signature gathering, but the candidates own lack of diligence.

In fact, it is the diligence of the SEP that required that it not attempt to gather signatures. If we did make this attempt, we would have been violating our own political principles and our warnings of the dangerous consequences of the reckless policies of the ruling classwarnings that have now been completely confirmed.

If our campaign did not want to interact face-to-face with hundreds of thousands of people in the midst of the worst health crisis in the states history, exchanging pens, clipboards and papers with voters, and talking with them to explain our program, Cox concluded, that is their own choice. It is our fault, Cox writes, that we did not foresee the coronavirus crisis and did not gather signatures in January, or, as the Democrats lawyers argued, in 2019.

Cox unquestioningly accepted the Democrats argument that our campaign should have gathered signatures during the period when there existed state-enforced social distancing measures, even though doing so would have violated the stay-at-home orders and subjected our volunteers to arrest.

Meanwhile, the Democratic and Republican candidates do not need to gather any signatures and are automatically on the ballot. Such is American democracy that Joe Biden can campaign from the safety of his basement and the Democratic National Committee can nominate its candidate at a virtual convention, but socialists must sacrifice their lives and the lives of the public at large just to gain access to the ballot.

The judges aim was to ensure that voters cannot cast votes that pose a threat to the capitalist system. The unelected ex-corporate attorney, appointed for life by war criminal George W. Bush, has decided who Michigans 7.6 million registered voters can and cannot vote for. His ruling means voters must choose between the state-sanctioned official candidates of the Democratic-Republican duopoly to which he himself belongs.

The United States has the most restrictive election laws of any major capitalist country in the world. It has a population of 328 million people but a political system that has been dominated by the same two parties for 150 years. The entire electoral process is rigged with massive sums spent by the ruling class to ensure that it gets the best candidates that money can buy.

To get on the ballot, independent candidates and third parties must gather thousands, tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of signatures, depending on the state. These requirements have been a principal mechanism for excluding left-wing and particularly socialist opposition to the capitalist parties.

Now there is the pandemic, which makes petitioning impossible if one does not want to risk the lives of petitioners and countless thousands of people.

If such a ruling had been made in a country targeted by the American ruling class, it would be seized on by the media as a justification for regime change.

Indeed, in a January 9, 2020 statement titled Free and Fair Presidential and Parliamentary Elections in Venezuela, the State Department demanded that elections must be open to all parties and candidates. It called on the Venezuelan government to remove all restrictions on individuals and political parties to allow their free participation in presidential and parliamentary elections.

On February 20, 2020, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued a statement titled The Iranian People Deserve Free and Fair Elections. The announcement explained, In advance of Irans upcoming parliamentary elections on February 21, the Guardian Council blocked more than 7,000 candidates from even running. Many of them were Iranians who questioned the Supreme Leaders policies. This process is a sham. It is not free or fair.

The ruling in Michigan is only further confirmation that the American elections are not free or fair.

Coxs decision expresses the fear within the ruling class of the growing social anger among masses of workers and young people. There are 40 million unemployed and tens of millions more facing poverty, hunger, foreclosure, eviction and permanent job loss. The two parties provided trillions of dollars to corporations through the CARES Act. Meanwhile, unemployment benefits and eviction protection expire at the end of this month.

Workers and young people have begun to fight back. The eruption of mass, multi-racial and multi-ethnic protests against police violence were an initial expression of deep popular anger. Autoworkers in Michigan staged a series of walkouts late last month and, influenced by the calls of the SEP and the WSWS, formed rank-and-file safety committees to organize opposition.

This is only the beginning. The policy of the ruling class will lead to massive social explosions in the United States and throughout the world.

Our campaign will continue to aggressively defend our rights and the rights of voters through the courts. But Wednesdays ruling further exposes the fact that real change will not take place through the existing sclerotic and undemocratic political system. It must and will take place through the mobilization of the working class in the fight for socialism.

The Socialist Equality Party and our election campaign are oriented to the building of a revolutionary socialist leadership in the working class. We call on all those who support the fight for socialism to join the SEP and support this campaign.
TAIPEI, July 10 (Reuters) - The United States has approved a possible $620 million upgrade package for Patriot surface-to-air missiles to Taiwan, the State Department said, the latest purchase from the United States to deal with a rising threat from China.

The United States, like most countries, has no official diplomatic ties with Taiwan, but is bound by law to provide the democratic island with the means to defend itself.

China, which claims the democratically-ruled island as its own territory, routinely denounces U.S. arms sales to Taiwan.

Taiwan has requested to buy components to upgrade its Patriot missiles "in order to support an operational life of 30 years", the State Department said on Thursday.

Lockheed Martin will be the main contractor and the total estimated cost will be $620 million, it added.

"This proposed sale serves U.S. national, economic, and security interests by supporting the recipient's continuing efforts to modernise its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability," it said.

"The recipient will use this capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen homeland defence. The recipient will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces."

Taiwan's Defence Ministry said it expected the sale to take effect within the next month.

"This arms sale is the 7th by the Trump administration to Taiwan so far, fully demonstrating the importance attached to our national defence security, consolidating our security partnership with the United States, and jointly maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the region," the ministry said.

Taiwan has been bolstering its defences in the face of what it sees as increasingly threatening moves by Beijing, such as regular Chinese air force and naval exercises near Taiwan.

While Taiwan's military is well-trained and well-equipped with mostly U.S.-made hardware, China has huge numerical superiority and is adding advanced equipment of its own such as stealth fighters. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Michael Perry)
YEREVAN.  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of the Netherlands has decided to allocate 200,000 euros to Armenia to purchase equipment necessary for the fight against the coronavirus, reported the Armenian MFA press service.

According to the agreement signed between the MFA of the Netherlands and the Ministry of Health of Armenia on July 9, this amount will be directed to the purchase of 3 PCR test devices, 100 hospital monitors and one biological security booth from Armenian companies.

The Ministry of Health of Armenia has already ordered the above-mentioned equipment from Armenian companies, and it will be delivered to the country in the near future.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  United Airlines is planning to lay off as many as 450 employees at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport this fall, a result of the dramatic drop in air travel due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The airline employs about 1,200 workers at Hopkins, a one-time hub for United. Local employees include flight attendants, pilots, ground crew, catering staff, mechanics and others.

United revealed this week that it could lay off as many as 36,000 employees nationwide  nearly 40% of its workforce  due to the pandemic, which has crippled air travel worldwide.

Those layoffs would occur no earlier than Oct. 1, when job-protection requirements included in the federal CARES Act expire. To receive government bailout money included in the law, passed in late March, airlines had to agree not to lay off staff through September.

Numerous U.S. airlines are expected to lay off tens of thousands of employees starting in October.

U.S. air carriers were anticipating a modest rebound in traffic this summer, although recent spikes in coronavirus cases in popular U.S. travel destinations, including Florida and California, are depressing future bookings, according to airport sources.

In May, just 88,559 travelers flew in and out of Cleveland Hopkins  a dramatic drop from the 906,984 travelers who traveled through the airport in May 2019. Year-to-date traffic at Hopkins is down 50%.

As required by law, United sent a letter to the state of Ohio late Wednesday, notifying the state Department of Job and Family Services of the layoffs.

While demand has moved slightly upward from its April low, we have lost billions of dollars over this three-month period and are still spending far more than we are taking in, it reads. Additionally, we expect that travel demand will not go back to normal until there is a vaccine for COVID-19.

The letter also expressed hope that the layoffs would be temporary. Voluntary buyouts and employee concessions are being discussed as well, and may affect layoff numbers.

Sara Nelson, a flight attendant for United and president of the Association of Flight Attendants, called the projected layoffs a gut punch, but they are also the most honest assessment weve seen on the state of the industry  and our entire economy.

She is advocating for an extension of the CARES Act to avoid hundreds of thousands of layoffs from an industry that normally drives economic activity for every other sector Failing to do so will have a ripple effect across the economy.

United has maintained a sizable staff in Cleveland in the years since it closed its hub at Hopkins in 2014.

It remains the largest carrier at the airport  or, at least it did, until the pandemic hit. Currently, United is flying nonstop to just a handful of destinations from Cleveland, including Chicago, Washington, D.C., Newark, Denver and Houston.

Read more:

Cleveland Hopkins airport gradually adding back flights, with leisure destinations leading the way

Ultimate Air to resume Cleveland-to-Cincinnati flights this month
The much-awaited standing committee meeting of Nepalese Communist Party (NCP) was postponed yet again for one week even as pressure is mounting on Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli within the party to demit office.

According to sources based in Kathmandu and New Delhi, the standing committee meeting was ostensibly postponed on grounds of heavy rains, landslides and floods in different parts of the Himalayan Republic. It is understood that NCP Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda was against the postponing of the meeting till late last night but agreed in favour of postponement after he met top party leaders Madhav Nepal and Jhalanath Khanal.

The postponement comes at a time when the Oli government has worked up the public sentiment yet again against India by citing a highly derogatory video by a private Indian news channel. While the cable TV operators pulled down some Indian TV channels in this response, the Oli government has virtually accused the Indian government for orchestrating the video clip and in turn rile up sentiments against New Delhi. The safest bet for political survival in Nepal these days is to blame Indian government for all the wrongs. Everyone knows that Indian government does not exercise any influence over private media in India but this is a convenient political bullet to fire as it relieves pressure on PM Oli, said a Nepal watcher.

While Kathmandu is all up in arms against India, there is not even a word against Hou Yanqi, the Chinese ambassador to Nepal, who is feted by all political leaders across ideological spectrum in the Himalayan nation. Tasked by Beijing to keep the NCP united at all costs, Ambassador Hou Yanqi met NCP Chairman Dahal on Thursday morning in a bid to keep PM Oli in power and the party united. It is understood that Dahal met Hou after a number of requests and meeting rescheduling from the Chinese side. Dahal was avoiding meeting Hou despite repeated requests from the latter as he wanted the Chinese ambassador to gauge the mood of other party leaders like Nepal and Khanal as well as know Beijings aims and objectives, said a senior NCP leader from Nepal.

It is learnt that Dahal told the Chinese diplomat that she should convince PM Oli to demit office so that the Communist regime can be sustained for times to come in Nepal. He apparently told her that stepping down of Oli was the best and the last option to bring stability in the party and ensure long term healthy relations with China. On her part, Hou emphasised that Beijings main aim was to ensure the party does not break and that no NCP leader should rush towards that direction.

However, the politics in Kathmandu as of now is headed towards binary option with either PM Oli quitting the post of co-chairman or PM or the party splitting between Oli supporters and detractors. Even though the political situation remains fluid, the massive clout or interference of China in Nepal politics is quite evident as Beijing is playing the politicians both overtly and covertly. This is something that should raise a red flag in New Delhi.

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The border closure agreement between Canada and the United States is set to expire later this month, on July 21st. Since March, at the start of the pandemic, the two nations have been renewing the agreement, every 30 days, to keep the border only open for essential travel and the movement of trade and supplies. Few expect the agreement to end this month.

Thats largely because after a short plateau of COVID-19 cases in the US  the numbers are rising again. The US has one of the worst records of cases in the world, with three million confirmed and at least 130,000 people dead in a matter of months. Even adjusting for population size, the US has three times as many cases per million people, compared to Canada.

For many Canadians, its no longer a debate on whether to open the border, but rather how long it should stayed closed to the US, to prevent future outbreaks, as the virus continues to spread en masse in large states like Florida, Texas, Arizona and California.

Edward Keenan, the Toronto Stars Washington bureau chief, talks to Adrian Cheung on the Canada/US border issue, what the timeline of reopening could look like, and how the US  through the policies of its administration  is isolating itself from the rest of the world.

Listen to this episode and more at This Matters, or subscribe at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.
Welcome to Good Weekend Talks, a weekly chance for our audience to luxuriate in a long-form story from the magazine, read by an actor and followed by a discussion with the writer, an editor and an expert.

In this episode, actor Nic English brings to life Good Weekend senior writer Konrad Marshall's weekend cover story: "High horses  The fight to save Australia's alpine brumbies from the bullet turns feral".

Konrad Marshall is then joined by Good Weekend editor Katrina Strickland and retired CSIRO botanist Dick Williams to discuss how this environmental, social and political debate morphed into a new front in the culture wars.

Listen to more episodes by subscribing to Good Weekend Talks wherever you get your podcasts.
Press Release

10 July 2020

London, UK - The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has called upon all travellers to don protective face masks to show they 'wear to care' in the new normal of travelling.

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As countries transition from lockdowns to reopening their borders, the wearing of face masks helps signal the return of safer travels, while also providing personal protection for users as well as those around them.

The advice from WTTC in favour of mandatory mask wearing comes from evidence that countries which are recovering faster and avoid second COVID-19 spikes are those where the use of face masks have been widely enforced and encouraged.

Following medical guidance from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, WTTC advises the wearing of masks on all forms of transport throughout the entire traveller journey, as well as when visiting any interior venue or those with restricted movement which results in close personal contact of two metres or less.

WTTC has asked governments around the globe to enforce the wearing of face masks, as well as enlisting the support of the private sector to remind customers of their obligations to protect their health and that of fellow travellers.

Travellers around the world are being encouraged to join in the WTTC social media campaign which is launching with the hashtag #wear2care.

Embracing the use of face masks will reduce the risk of transmission, protect the user and those around them, as well as reintroducing a sense of normality. as we learn to live with the virus until a vaccine is found.

The new recommendations follow in the wake of WTTC recently issuing its new guidelines for Safe & Seamless Travel including testing and tracing to ensure people can enjoy Safe Travels in the 'new normal'.

Frequent handwashing and using hand sanitiser complement the use of face masks which can significantly reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, said: "The safety and hygiene of travellers and those who work in Travel & Tourism is of paramount importance, which is why we now strongly recommend masks being mandatory.

"'Wear to care' promotes the protection of face mask users and visibly shows they care about the welfare and safety of their fellow travellers, which will help save lives and encourage the return of Safe Travels.

"The wearing of masks should not be politicised. Wearing a mask needs to become part of everyday life to ensure everyone enjoys travelling in safety until a vaccine for COVID-19 is found. We implore the private sector and global governments to encourage their use so wearing a mask becomes the new normal."

Ramon Sanchez, Principal Investigator and Research Associate at Harvard University, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said: "Wearing face masks has been proven to provide the highest level of protection against transmission at 82%. Constant hand hygiene and surface cleaning, which kills more than 90% of viruses that are found on surfaces, also prevents the virus from reaching the face from the hands.

"The public should keep a two metre distance whenever they can, however if that simply isn't possible, people should increase the ventilation around them. Inside buildings this can be done by opening doors and windows which decreases the viral concentration by more than 70%.

"Mechanical ventilation, such as air conditioning decreases it by 80%, while going outdoors proves more effective by decreasing the viral concentration between 90% and 95%."

WTTC has led a series of initiatives designed to rebuild global consumer confidence and encourage the return of Safe Travels.

Safe Travels Protocols were developed for the global Travel & Tourism sector which focused on measures to drive business to car hire companies, airports, tour operators, attractions and short short-term rentals among many other travel sectors, to enable them to follow strict health and hygiene regimes when re-opening their businesses.

The welfare of travellers and the millions of people working across the Travel & Tourism sector is central to the protocols. In addition to being backed by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) they were also widely embraced by thousands of businesses around the world.

Travellers around the world can get involved with the WTTC campaign by sharing pictures of the themselves proudly travelling with their masks and sharing the hashtag #wear2care.
Nigerias former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, has said Nigerias decision not to let its students participate in the 2020 May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) was a wrong one.

The federal government recently reversed its earlier announcement on the resumption of schools, saying no Nigerian school will participate in the regional examinations earlier scheduled for August 5 to September 5.

This years examination, administered by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), was postponed indefinitely in April after it was earlier scheduled to commence in May.

The postponement was due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has ravaged the globe for months. Nigeria has so far recorded over 20,000 infections and over 600 deaths.

Mr Abubakar, in a statement Friday, said the federal governments decision will further create chaos in the public education system and exacerbate an already bad situation.

According to him, the cancellation will cause a set back for 1.5 million Nigerian youth who write the examination annually.

To abruptly cancel this examination is to set back our nations youth, and place them behind their contemporaries in other West African nations. This is perilous, because Foreign Direct Investments and other economic indicators, are tied to the educational indexes of nations.

He said Nigeria already lags behind other African nations in crucial indices, like school enrolment, pass rates, and out of school children.

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Suggesting a way out, Mr Abubakar stated that rather than cancellation, there are better ways to protect the health of Nigerians and prevent the pandemic from escalating.

We could mobilise all available public and private infrastructures including primary schools, stadia, and cinemas, for the examinations, he said.

In the alternative, the federal government can prevail on WAEC to have staggered examinations with a different set of questions for each shift. Doing so will allow WAEC Nigeria implement social distancing and achieve the goal of carrying out the examinations. A win-win scenario.

Mr Abubakar then urged the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to consider a reversal of the decision because if this policy is not reversed, tens of thousands, and possibly hundreds of thousands of Nigerians, will breach social distancing rules to cross over to neighbouring West African nations to write their WASSCE, rather than miss a year.
Former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on Friday faulted the cancellation of the West African Sen...

Former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on Friday faulted the cancellation of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE, by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government.





Atiku warned that the cancellation of WAEC puts Nigeria at risk because most countries economy has its basis on education.





Recall that the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, had announced an indefinite postponement of the 2020 WAEC for Nigerian students.





Adamu had explained that it was better for students to lose an academic year than be exposed to the dangers of COVID-19.





However, Atiku stressed that the cancellation was not in the interest of Nigeria.





Insecurity: Restore military checkpoints, police only checking particulars - Kogi NUJ begs Buhari NEWS:Insecurity: Restore military checkpoints, police only checking particulars - Kogi NUJ begs Buhari

In a series of tweets, the former Vice President warned that such action would put Nigerian students behind their fellow contemporaries.





He wrote: WAEC Cancellation Puts Nigeria At More Risk.





As a parent and investor in the education sector, I wish to register that the Nigerian governments policy of unilaterally cancelling the West African Senior School Certificate Examination, held annually by the West African Examinations Council, is not in Nigerias best interest.





At a time of the global COVID19 pandemic, it is understandable that an abundance of caution is put in place to save lives. However, caution, without consultation, and thoughtful action, may be counterproductive.




ANKARA, Turkey  The president of Turkey on Friday formally converted Istanbuls sixth-century Hagia Sophia back into a mosque and declared it open for Muslim worship, hours after a high court annulled a 1934 decision that had made the religious landmark a museum.

The decision sparked deep dismay among Orthodox Christians. Originally a cathedral, Hagia Sophia was turned into a mosque after Istanbuls conquest by the Ottoman Empire but had been a museum for the last 86 years, drawing millions of tourists annually.

There was jubilation outside the terracotta-hued structure with its cascading domes and four minarets. Dozens of people awaiting the courts ruling chanted Allah is great! when the news broke. A large crowd later prayed outside it.

In the capital of Ankara, legislators stood and applauded as the decision was read in Parliament.

Turkeys high administrative court threw its weight behind a petition brought by a religious group and annulled the 1934 Cabinet decision that turned the site into a museum. Within hours, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a decree handing over Hagia Sophia to Turkeys Religious Affairs Presidency.

In a televised address to the nation, Erdogan said the first prayers inside Hagia Sofia would be held on July 24, and he urged respect for the decision.

I underline that we will open Hagia Sophia to worship as a mosque by preserving its character of humanitys common cultural heritage, he said, adding: It is Turkeys sovereign right to decide for which purpose Hagia Sofia will be used.

He rejected the idea that the decision ends Hagia Sophias status as a structure that brings faiths together.

Like all of our other mosques, the doors of Hagia Sophia will be open to all, locals or foreigners, Muslims and non-Muslims, Erdogan said.

Erdogan had spoken in favor of turning the hugely symbolic UNESCO World Heritage site back into a mosque despite widespread international criticism, including from U.S. and Orthodox Christian leaders, who had urged Turkey to keep its status as a museum symbolizing solidarity among faiths and cultures.

The move threatens to deepen tensions with neighboring Greece, whose prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, condemned the decision as an affront to Hagia Sophias ecumenical character.

It is a decision that offends all those who recognize Hagia Sophia as an indispensable part of world cultural heritage Mitsotakis said. This decision clearly affects not only Turkeys relations with Greece but also its relations with the European Union, UNESCO and the world community as a whole.

In Greeces second-largest city, Thessaloniki, protesters gathered outside a church that is modeled on Hagia Sophia and bears the same name. They chanted, Well light candles in Hagia Sophia! and held Greek flags and Byzantine banners.

Cyprus strongly condemns Turkeys actions on Hagia Sophia in its effort to distract domestic opinion and calls on Turkey to respect its international obligations, tweeted Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides.

Vladimir Dzhabarov, deputy head of the foreign affairs committee in the Russian upper house of parliament, called the action a mistake.

Turning it into a mosque will not do anything for the Muslim world. It does not bring nations together, but on the contrary brings them into collision, he said.

The debate hits at the heart of Turkeys religious-secular divide. Nationalist and conservative groups in Turkey have long yearned to hold prayers at Hagia Sophia, which they regard as part of the Muslim Ottoman legacy. Others believe it should remain a museum, as a symbol of Christian and Muslim solidarity.

It was a structure that brought together both Byzantine and Ottoman histories, said Zeynep Kizildag, a 27-year-old social worker, who did not support the conversion. The decision to turn it into a mosque is like erasing 1,000 years of history, in my opinion.

Garo Paylan, an ethnic Armenian member of Turkeys Parliament tweeted that it was a sad day for Christians (and) for all who believe in a pluralist Turkey.

The decision to convert Hagia Sophia into a mosque will make life more difficult for Christians here and for Muslims in Europe, he wrote. Hagia Sophia was a symbol of our rich history. Its dome was big enough for all.

The group that brought the case to court had contested the legality of the 1934 decision by the modern Turkish republics secular government ministers, arguing the building was the personal property of Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II, who conquered Istanbul in 1453.

I was not surprised at all that the court weighed to sanction Erdogans moves because these days Erdogan gets from Turkish courts what Erdogan wants, said Soner Cagaptay, of the Washington Institute.

Erdogan wants to use Hagia Sophias conversion into a mosque to rally his right-wing base, said Cagaptay, the author of Erdogans Empire. But I dont think this strategy will work. I think that short of economic growth, nothing will restore Erdogans popularity.

In Paris, the United Nations cultural body, UNESCO, said Hagia Sophia is part of the Historic Areas of Istanbul, a property inscribed on UNESCOs World Heritage List as a museum.

States have an obligation to ensure that modifications do not affect the `outstanding universal value of inscribed sites on their territories, Director-General Audrey Azoulay said.

The Istanbul-based Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, considered the spiritual leader of the worlds Orthodox Christians, warned last month that the buildings conversion into a mosque will turn millions of Christians across the world against Islam.

On Friday, Archbishop Elpidophoros of America said the decision runs counter to the vision of secular Turkeys founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk who understood that Hagia Sophia should serve all Turkeys people and indeed the whole world.

The days of conquest should remain a closed chapter of our collective histories, he told The Associated Press, adding that Turkeys government can still choose wisely but letting Hagia Sophia remain a monument to all civilizations and universal values.

Patriarch Kirill, the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, called for prudence and the preservation of the current neutral status for the Hagia Sophia, which he said was one of Christianitys devoutly venerated symbols.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said last month that the landmark should remain a museum to serve as bridge between faiths and cultures. His comments drew a rebuke from Turkeys Foreign Ministry, which said Hagia Sophia was a domestic issue of Turkish national sovereignty.

Erdogan, a devout Muslim, has frequently used the Hagia Sophia issue to drum up support for his Islamic-rooted party.

Some Islamic prayers have been held in the museum in recent years. In a major symbolic move, Erdogan recited the opening verse of the Quran there in 2018.

Built under Byzantine Emperor Justinian, Hagia Sophia was the main seat of the Eastern Orthodox church for centuries, where emperors were crowned amid ornate marble and mosaic decorations.

The minarets were added later, and the building was turned into an imperial mosque following the 1453 Ottoman conquest of Constantinople  the city that is now called Istanbul.

The building opened its doors as a museum in 1935, a year after the Council of Ministers decision.

Mosaics depicting Jesus, Mary and Christian saints that were plastered over in line with Islamic rules were uncovered through arduous restoration work for the museum. Hagia Sophia was the most popular museum in Turkey last year, drawing more than 3.7 million visitors.

___

Associated Press writers Zeynep Bilginsoy and Ayse Wieting in Istanbul, Derek Gatopoulos in Athens, Menelaos Hadjicostis in Nicosia, Cyprus, and Jim Heintz in Moscow contributed.
[July 09, 2020] Spirent Federal Awarded $1.8 Million for Major U.S. Military Program

Spirent (News - Alert) Federal Systems, the nation's leader in global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) testing solutions, was recently awarded another multi-million dollar contract supporting a major military program. The Spirent Simulator provides multiple outputs for CRPA and FRPA applications, including inertial sensor outputs (SimINERTIAL). It includes GPS L1/L2, interference signals, Y-code & SAASM, and M-code signals. The customer stated that Spirent Federal was selected because they have a team that can be counted on for support before and after the sale. They offer years of experience in selecting the right solution. "When you test with Spirent solutions, you know you are using the best in the industry. Spirent Federal Systems is the trusted partner of major defense organizations, and has reliably and consistently delivered robust PNT solutions for critical systems, for over 30 years. Customer support is at the heart of what we do and we will help you whenever you need it. You can count onSpirent Federal," said Ellen Hall, President and CEO.



This procurement follows several other recent awards totaling over $4.6M supporting the recent space launch in Florida. About Spirent Federal Systems

Spirent Federal Systems was formed in July 2001 by Spirent Communications (News - Alert) as a wholly owned subsidiary and U.S. proxy company. Spirent Federal markets and sells Spirent Communications' products in North America. The company also provides value-added features and ongoing customer support. Spirent Federal Systems is headquartered in Pleasant Grove, UT, with support and sales offices throughout the US. About Spirent Spirent Communications plc. (LSE:SPT) offers test, measurement, analytics, and assurance solutions for next-generation devices and networks. The company provides products, services and information for high-speed Ethernet, positioning and mobile network infrastructure markets, with expanding focus on service assurance, cybersecurity and 5G. Spirent is accelerating the transition of connected devices, network equipment and applications from development labs to the operational network, as it continues to innovate toward fully-automated testing and autonomous service assurance solutions. For more information, please visit www.spirent.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200709005923/en/

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The Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas



Aghadi government in should not make college examinations an "ego" issue, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly said here on Thursday.

Some ministers in the state government are opposed to holding university examinations in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking at a press conference here, the BJP leader said, "Guidelines of the University Grants Commission (on holding exams) are not for one state but for the entire country. So the government should not make it a political ego issue.

"No state has raised objection to these guidelines except Maharashtra," he said.

"If other states conduct exams and we don't, then what will be the value of degrees (conferred on the basis of earlier semesters' scores) by educational institutes in Maharashtra," he asked.

Asked about controversy about the Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Research Training and Human Development Institute (SARTHI), Fadnavis alleged that the MVA government had decided to "systematically kill" the initiatives of his government.

Rs eight crore allotted to the institute was a very small amount, he added.

(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.)
Emmanuel Macron asked Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to refrain from annexing Palestinian territory in the West Bank and elsewhere during a telephone call between the two leaders, the French president's office said on Friday.

Macron "emphasised that such a move would contravene international law and jeopardise the possibility of a two-state solution as the basis of a fair and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians", his office said in a statement after the call on Thursday.

It was the latest move by European leaders pressing Netanyahu to drop plans to annex Jewish settlements in the West Bank and the strategic Jordan Valley.

The controversial move was endorsed in a Middle East plan unveiled by US President Donald Trump in January.

Israel's government had set July 1 as the date when it could begin taking over the Palestinian areas, where the population of Israeli settlers has grown since the 1967 Six-Day War.

The foreign ministries of France and Germany, along with those of Egypt and Jordan -- the only Arab states to have peace deals with Israel -- warned this week that any annexation could have "consequences" for relations.

But Macron told Netanyahu that France remained committed to Israel's security and "expressed his attachment to the friendship and confidence that links France and Israel", his office said.

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WATERBURY  Police have identified a suspect in the beheading of a Christopher Columbus statue that happened over the Fourth of July weekend, according to WTNH.

Police have issued an arrest warrant for their primary suspect in the case, 22-year-old Brandon Ambrose of Port Chester, N.Y.
The former California political director for Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign says she was demoted a day after undergoing cancer surgery and forced to quit after the campaign ignored her harassment and discrimination complaints.

In a lawsuit filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court, Susie Shannon said it was the Sanders' campaign's "outrageous and compassionless conduct" that "resulted in her forced resignation solely because she had the misfortune of being diagnosed with ovarian cancer that required major surgery to treat the disease."

The campaign then tried to get her to sign a non-disclosure agreement in return for money, the suit says. Shannon's lawyer, Micha Star Liberty, told NBC News the campaign also offered her client two months of health insurance if she signed. Shannon refused.

"It's so disappointing that a political campaign that purported to stand for so much, including access to healthcare and workers' rights, would behave this way," Liberty said.

Susie Shannon. (Courtesy Susie Shannon)

A spokesman for the Sanders campaign, Mike Casca, said, "We've not received this lawsuit and we don't comment on litigation."

The campaign official accused of demoting her, Rafael Navar, called the allegation "completely false," and said Shannon's "position never changed." The suit says Navar brought on a second political director and assigned her Shannon's work.

A spokesman for the Sanders campaign, Mike Casca, said, "We've not received this lawsuit and we don't comment on litigation."

Shannon, a homeless advocate who was a Sanders delegate in 2016, was named the campaign's California political director in May of 2019, the suit says. That September, she was diagnosed with cancer, and told campaign brass she needed to undergo surgery and would be on medical leave for two to six weeks, the court papers say.

Shannon had "approximately 15 inches of tumors from the ovaries that extended into her abdominal area" that were removed in the Oct. 7th operation, the filing says.

Story continues

The day after the surgery, the suit says, Shannon got a phone call in her hospital room from Rafael Navar, the campaign's state director, telling her she was being demoted. "Navar bluntly stated that he had no confidence in her ability to do her job given her cancer and surgery and that he was bringing in someone else to do her job," the suit says.

Shannon said she was "devastated" and reached out to campaign adviser Chuck Rocha, Navar's supervisor. He "casually responded that he supported Navar in whatever decision he decided to make," the suit says. It does not name Rocha as a defendant.

Fearing "losing her health insurance," Shannon said she felt she had to get back to work. She was released from the hospital on Oct. 10th, and began working that morning, the suit says.

"Because Shannon had open surgery, she had hundreds of stitches inside and outside the abdominal cavity. She was not able to pick up anything, not even pots or pans. Shannons friends and family took shifts helping to prepare food, clean the house, and take her daughter to and from school," and had to help her move her laptop around and get to and from work events, the suit says.

Shannon reported Navar to the campaign's human resources director, who said she would address her complaints but "never did," the suit says.

An emboldened Navar "continuously scolded, undermined," criticized and ostracized Shannon, despite her continuing to perform her duties "fully and successfully," the suit says.

After further complaints about his behavior were ignored, Shannon "felt that she had no other choice but to resign" in December, the suit says.

The suit seeks unspecified money damages.
Esch-sur-Alzette, 9 July 2020 - The Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR) is supporting an extensive new research project to advance data networks, led by the University of Luxembourg's Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT) in collaboration with SES.

Titled INSTRUCT (INtegrated Satellite-TeRrestrial Systems for Ubiquitous Beyond 5G CommunicaTions), the research initiative is funded by the FNR's Industrial Partnership Block Grant (IPBG) programme, the FNR's most extensive funding mechanism for collaborative industrial research in Luxembourg. The IPBG scheme is aimed at supporting innovation through collaborations between industry and academics, and building an ecosystem of skilled expertise.

For the INSTRUCT project SnT will support SES, the leader in global content connectivity solutions, to conduct research in next-generation integrated satellite-terrestrial networks, leveraging what has already been achieved in the 5G area and advancing it further. The project builds on a successful 10-year relationship between SnT and SES that has resulted in a number of advanced technology solutions in areas such as digital signal modulation, dynamic beamforming, high throughput modem technologies, complex software systems modelling, and natural language processing. The IPBG award will fund 17 SnT research projects, that will each have a team of a PhD or PostDoc student, an academic supervisor from SnT, as well as an industrial supervisor from SES.

The integration of satellite and terrestrial systems is crucial as truly global next-generation networks require an ecosystem of multiple communication infrastructures to be inclusive, ubiquitous and affordable. Satellite proved to be an ideal enabler of the next-generation networks thanks to its wide coverage, ability to deliver to moving platforms, and simultaneity. It will allow a broad range of next-generation connectivity scenarios, even in remote areas, for crucial applications in mobile backhauling, aero and maritime connectivity, emergency response, telemedicine, and much more. As an industry leader, SES has a solid track record in delivering to the existing data markets, and spearheads major technology innovation and standardisation initiatives, including for 5G.

"We launched the IPBG programme as a pilot project in 2016, and it is quickly becoming an essential mechanism to funnel research funding towards complex industrial challenges," said Andreea Monnat, Deputy Secretary General, FNR. "It is a priority of Luxembourg to establish an economy that is focused on innovation, and the longstanding partnership between SES and SnT is an excellent example of the positive results of such collaborations."

"Our business relies on the technology we use, and we are embracing innovations that support current markets and unlock new opportunities for the customers we serve. With its outstanding R&D capabilities, SnT is a reliable partner in advancing innovation with a truly global impact, and we are happy to continue working with them," said Ruy Pinto, CTO, SES. "With the backing of the FNR and SnT, we are sure we will be able to further advance on integrated satellite-terrestrial networks."

"The integration of satellite and terrestrial networks is a complex research challenge as we enter the beyond 5G era," said Prof Symeon Chatzinotas, Project Principal Investigator, SnT. "This FNR grant gives us the support to build a Center of Excellence in Luxembourg and spearhead research and technology transfer in this area."

"The partnership with SES over the years has been a driving force for some of the most exciting research outcomes of SnT," said Prof Bjorn Ottersten, Director, SnT. "We are proud to have our work validated by receiving this IPBG from the FNR and are confident the research will create substantial opportunities for the space sector in Luxembourg."

###

Contact:

University: Laura Bianchi, Press advisor, T. +352 46 66 44 9451, E. laura.bianchi@uni.lu

FNR: Didier Goossens, Head of Corporate Communication, T. +352 26 19 25-43 E. didier.goossens@fnr.lu

SES: Suzanne Ong, External Communications, T. +352 710 725 500, E. suzanne.ong@ses.com

About FNR

The Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR) is the primary funder of research activities in Luxembourg. FNR invests public funds and private donations into research projects in various branches of science and the humanities, with an emphasis on selected core strategic areas. Furthermore, FNR supports and coordinates activities to strengthen the link between science and society and to raise awareness for research. FNR also advises the Luxembourg government on research policy and strategy.

About IPBG

The aim of the Industrial Partnership Block Grant (IPBG) programme is to foster the cooperation between Luxembourg based companies active in R&D and public research institutions in Luxembourg. The IPBG awards a block allocation of PhD and/or Postdoc grants (Industrial Fellowships) in which Luxembourg-based industry partner(s) take the lead in arranging a research programme with a Luxembourg-based public research institution of their choice (in research relevant to FNR's strategic priority areas).

About SES

SES has a bold vision to deliver amazing experiences everywhere on earth by distributing the highest quality video content and providing seamless connectivity around the world. As the leader in global content connectivity solutions, SES operates the world's only multi-orbit constellation of satellites with the unique combination of global coverage and high performance, including the commercially-proven, low-latency Medium Earth Orbit O3b system. By leveraging a vast and intelligent, cloud-enabled network, SES is able to deliver high-quality connectivity solutions anywhere on land, at sea or in the air, and is a trusted partner to the world's leading telecommunications companies, mobile network operators, governments, connectivity and cloud service providers, broadcasters, video platform operators and content owners. SES's video network carries over 8,300 channels and has an unparalleled reach of 367 million households, delivering managed media services for both linear and non-linear content. The company is listed on Paris and Luxembourg stock exchanges (Ticker: SESG). Further information is available at: http://www.ses.com.

About the University of Luxembourg

The University of Luxembourg is a European research university with a distinctly international, multilingual and interdisciplinary character. It is a modern institution with a personal atmosphere, close to European institutions, innovative companies and the financial place. With over 6,400 students and about 2,000 employees from all over the globe, the University offers a unique mix of international excellence and national relevance, delivering knowledge for society and businesses. The mandatory semester abroad for Bachelor's students reflects the importance attached to mobility. Student exchange agreements and research cooperation agreements exist with more than 100 universities around the world. Our priorities for research are Materials Science, Computer Science and ICT Security, European and International Law, Finance and Financial Innovation, Education, Digital and Contemporary History, Health and Systems Biomedicine, and Data Modelling and Simulation.

About SnT

The Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT) at the University of Luxembourg conducts internationally competitive research in information and communication technology. In addition to long-term, high-risk research, SnT engages in demand-driven collaborative projects with industry and the public sector through its Partnership Program. The resulting concepts present a genuine, long-lasting competitive advantage for companies in Luxembourg and beyond.
Shepaug Valley School in Washington has announced the 44th annual Sheree L. Williams Memorial Scholarship has been awarded to Owen Matthew Moore.

The award was presented to Owen June 10 at the high schools senior scholarship night.

Owen, who is the son of Daniela and Sandra Moore of New Preston, will attend Central Connecticut State University in New Britain in the fall.

The scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior who is going on to higher education in the fall.

Award recipients are chosen on the basis of academic achievement and financial need.

As well as being the senior class president, Owen has demonstrated leadership in his role as president of the Shepaug Student Council, a leader in the Shepaug Spartan Club, and as a team captain for the cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track teams.

Academically, Owen's determination to succeed is evidenced by his membership in the schools chapter of the National Honor Society, and in his high achievements in honors and AP level classes.

Owen has immersed himself in Shepaug's school culture and his community, giving back whenever he can.

This years selection committee was the class advisors, high school guidance counselors, and scholarship committee members.

Sheree, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Donald Williams of Southbury, was a Shepaug graduate who died at the age of 21 after a long fight against bone cancer.

To ensure continuing annual rewards in Sherees memory, a memorial scholarship committee was established in the spring of 1977 by a group of friends and staff of Shepaug High School.

Gifts in any amount are welcome. Checks should be payable to the Sheree Williams Memorial Scholarship, and sent to Ameriprise Financial, care of Holly Haas, at 900 Main St., South Suite 201, Southbury, CT, 06488.
Taiwan's goal of joining WHO 'unchanged' after U.S. withdrawal: MOFA

ROC Central News Agency

07/09/2020 02:26 PM

Taipei, July 9 (CNA) Taiwan's goal of joining the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as attending its annual World Health Assembly (WHA), remains "unchanged" despite the United States' decision to withdraw from the global health body, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) reiterated on Thursday.

Membership has long been a wish of the Taiwanese people and part of the government's efforts to promote the country's participation in international organizations, MOFA said in a statement.

The ministry's response came after the Trump Administration this week delivered a formal letter to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, giving one-year notice of Washington's intention to leave the WHO.

Taiwan's success in dealing with the pandemic, the ministry said, has made the international community more aware of the need to include Taiwan in the global public health system.

According to MOFA, Taiwan's campaign to join the WHA this year saw its strongest support in recent years, with like-minded countries such as the U.S. voicing their support.

On Wednesday, MOFA spokeswoman Joanne Ou () said the foreign ministry will continue to pay close attention to developments concerning the U.S.' decision to leave the WHO.

She also indicated that Taiwan's goal of joining the global health body and participating in its annual assembly remains "unchanged."

(By Emerson Lim and Ko Lin)

Enditem/AW

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Being funny is a quality but the character Chandler Bing, from popular TV series Friends, takes it to a whole new level. A benchmark for sarcasm and the king of wit, retorts from Chandler Bing often made us laugh out loud  and continues to do so.

Now, hes helping Mumbai Police deliver an important message but in a different way than his usual self. Wondering how? Well, by giving a piece of advice which is important for all us to follow.

The kind of Friends for keeps! with this caption the department shared an image featuring Chandler Bing and Monica Geller. It also has an important note of advice from Chandler.

Take a look:

Since being shared a day ago, the post has gathered over 18,000 likes  and the numbers are only increasing. Expectedly, there were many who praised the department for their creative tweet. There were also some who couldnt stop appreciating the fact that Mumbai Police used Chandler Bings character to put forth such essential information.

Fantastic posts and fantastic job you all are doing, wrote an Instagram user. Amazing thoughts, wrote another. Meanwhile Janice OMG EHEHEHE, joked a third mentioning Chandlers love interest from the show before Monica. This account just keeps getting cooler and cooler, wrote a fourth.

Besides the praiseful comments, people also came up with their own twists. Just like this person who wrote, Maybe Monica chose Chandler because Richard didnt wear mask. Just saying.

So no one told you, life was gonna be this way, wrote an Instagram user and we do understand the emotions behind those words.

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Also Read | Mumbai Police wittily uses Brooklyn Nine-Nines Tell me why scene for this important message
OTTAWA (Reuters) - The Canadian charity at the heart of a conflict-of-interest investigation into Justin Trudeau disclosed on Thursday that it had paid the Canadian prime ministers mother and brother to speak at events it organized.

The WE Charity Canada statement confirmed an earlier report by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).

The youth-focused charity said it paid honoraria to Trudeaus mother, Margaret, amounting to C$250,000 ($184,000) for speaking at about 28 events, while his brother Alexandre spoke at eight events and received about C$32,000 ($23,540). The events took place between 2016 and 2020.

Last week, Canadas ethics commissioner said he was investigating Trudeau for conflict of interest after his Liberal government awarded a sole-sourced, C$900 million ($662.9 million) government contract to WE Charity to administer a student grant program.

WE Charity said last week it would no longer manage the program.

The Prime Ministers relatives engage with a variety of organizations and support many personal causes on their own accord, Justin Trudeaus office said in a statement.

It is the third such probe the prime minister has faced.

The first investigation was in 2017 for accepting a vacation on the Aga Khans private island a year earlier, and the second, last year, was for seeking to influence a corporate legal case. He was admonished for breaching the rules in both previous cases.

The latest probe was requested by Canadas main opposition Conservative Party.

We know now that Justin Trudeau handed almost a billion-dollar contract to a charity that not only had close ties to the Liberal Party, but which paid his family almost $300,000, Conservative lawmaker Michael Barrett said in a statement.

Both the prime minister and his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, have regularly participated in WE Charity events. Gregoire Trudeau also hosts a podcast on the organizations website.
Students at elementary and secondary schools that offer healthier food offerings and more opportunities for physical activities have a healthier body mass index, according to Rutgers researchers.

The study, published in Preventive Medicine Reports, uses professional measures of students' height and weight -- the gold standard for studying childhood obesity -- in a study on the effects of a school's food offerings and physical activity environment.

Almost one in five children and adolescents in the United States are obese. Since children eat up to two meals per day and can get 40 percent of their daily physical activity at schools, schools play a major role in obesity-related behaviors. Although recent policies and programs, such as the National School Lunch Program, have focused on promoting healthier school environments, there is little evidence of the consequences for children's weight.

The study looked at the healthfulness over the period of one school year of items offered in school lunches, vending machines and other school food offerings, as well as the number of indoor and outdoor physical activity facilities and physical activity opportunities at 90 public schools that serve 19,000 students in Newark, Trenton, Camden and New Brunswick.

Researchers found that healthier food offerings and a greater number of physical activity facilities were associated with lower body mass index, on average, for students. Schools that offered an additional unhealthy item in vending machines were associated with higher student weight and those that had an additional outdoor physical activity facility correlated with lower student weight.

"Evidence of the importance of school meals and of enforcing healthy nutritional standards is particularly timely given current federal proposals to roll back those standards," said Michael Yedidia, who co-directs the New Jersey Child Health Study at the Rutgers Center for State Health Policy. "These meals are critical to the health of low-income students, who are 80 percent of those served by federal school meals programs. They provide up to half of the students' nutritional needs at low or no cost to parents."

The findings will be particularly relevant for discussions on Child Nutrition Reauthorization, the key piece of federal legislation that supports school food programs, said Punam Ohri-Vachaspati, a study co-author at Arizona State University. "Schools play a critical role in providing environments to support healthy habits among children that can influence their short and long term-health," she said.
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Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk).
New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday (July 10) filed a charge sheet against six persons in connection with the Special Sub-Inspector (SSI) Wilson murder case. The NIA filed charges against Abdul Shameem and five others.

The six accused persons are: Abdul Shameem, Y Thowfeek, Khaja Mohideen, Mahboob Pasha, Ejas Pasha, and Jaffar Ali under sections 120B, 302, 353 and 506 (ii) read with 34 of IPC, sections 16, 18, 18B, 20, 23, 38 and 39 of the UA (P) Act, 1967, and sections 25(1B)(a) and 27 of the Arms Act.

The case was originally registered at Kaliyakkavilai Police station, Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu. Wilson, Special Sub-Inspector of Kaliyakkavilai Police station was shot and stabbed to death on January 8, 2020 by Shameem and Thowfek, while the officer was performing duty at Kaliyakkavilai Market Road check post.

After the arrest of the assailants on January 15, 2020, the came to know that they had committed the murder of the SSI to create terror in the minds of people, including Police, as part of waging violent jihad. Hence, the provisions of UA (P) Act were invoked in the case.

The NIA re-registered the case on 1st February, 2020 and investigation was taken over from Tamil Nadu Police. During NIA investigation, the roles of other accused, Khaja Mohideen, Mahboob Pasha, Ejas Pasha and Jaffer Ali in the larger conspiracy were revealed and they were arraigned as accused in the case.

According to the statement released today, it was revealed that Khaja Mohideen was a member of the proscribed terrorist organization Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)/Daish. "Since May, 2019, he had radicalized Abdul Shameem and Thowfeek on the perverted jihadi (violent extremist) ideology and recruited them into his terrorist gang to carry out violent attacks against establishment especially Police, in Tamil Nadu, to bring Islamic Rule or Shariah," it said.
Dozens of Lebanese protesters held a demonstration outside the fortified US embassy on Friday, denouncing what they said was Washington's interference in the country's affairs.

The mostly male crowd threw stones at the security detail deployed near the embassy, from which they were separated by layers of barbed wires.

At one point a group of protesters tried to remove the barbed wire, prompting the Lebanese security personnel to direct water cannons at the crowd.

The protesters burned American flags and called the United States the "mother of terrorism" in chants, while expressing support for the leader of Hezbollah, Lebanon's powerful militant group.

This is the second anti-US protest in Beirut this week, as strained relations between Washington and Hezbollah deepen.

Although the US designates Hezbollah as a terrorist group, it is also a major donor to the Lebanese Armed Forces.

Lebanon is facing its worst economic and financial crisis, which has triggered anti-government protests and created domestic political tension between rival groups.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has recently blasted the US Ambassador's comments which were critical of his group and said Washington was seeking to turn public opinion against it.

He said Ambassador Dorothy Shea's comments accusing his group of siphoning off state funds and blocking reforms were "unacceptable."

Dozens of Lebanese protesters also held a rally on Wednesday near Beirut airport on the day the Commander of US Central Command Kenneth McKenzie visited Lebanon.
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Linkedin Bambang Muryanto (The Jakarta Post) Yogyakarta  Fri, July 10, 2020 14:48 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a40665699cd 1 National cursing-contest,Jawasastra-Culture-Movement,Yogyakarta,Javanese-language,COVID-19 Free

Several studies have found increasing levels of frustration, anger, stress, fear, anxiety and other negative emotions during the pandemic.

While some people have turned to meditation, yoga, aromatherapy and other calming methods to cope with their negative emotions, a group of Yogyakartan youth has found an unusual way to vent their pent-up emotions: a cussing competition.

The Jawasastra Cultural Movement (JCM) is holding a worldwide Javanese-language swearing contest to curse out COVID-19, the (current) public enemy #1.

"Our swearing contest aims to help the public channel their frustrations, especially those [people] who have had to stop their activities because of the COVID-19 pandemic," JCM head Yani Srikandi told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

Yani said that all participants need do was to create a 3-minute video of them cursing the pandemic in the Javanese language and then upload it to Instagram with an explanatory caption.

The contest opened on July 8 and closes on Aug. 7, with complete information available on the JCM website.

"It is an 'international' contest, since the pandemic is a global phenomenon, and Javanese anywhere in the world are welcome to participate," she said.

"However, they are prohibited from making racist, pornographic or sexist [remarks]," she stressed.

Yani explained that swearing was a long-held cultural tradition in Javanese civilization, and that it was not always used to express anger. Cursing, she said, was also used to express joy.

"When I joined [my] philology classes, I found an [ancient Javanese] manuscript containing curse words. So, even poets at the [royal palace] knew how to swear," she said.

JCM held a similar event in 2018 to criticize widespread social unrest prompted by issues of ethnicity, religion and race (SARA). (nal)
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission said on Thursday it was suing Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands because the three countries had not fully integrated EU rules on anti-money laundering into their national laws.

The 27-nation bloc's executive cited a lack of action on EU law related to fundamental aspects of the anti-money laundering framework "such as betting and gambling legislation (Austria), mechanisms under which the Financial Intelligence Units exchange documents and information (Belgium), and the information to be provided on the beneficial ownership of corporate and other legal entities (Netherlands)".

In a statement, the Commission said it had filed its suit at the European Court of Justice, which has ultimate jurisdiction in member states, asking it to approve financial sanctions against the three countries.

The Dutch finance ministry said all legislation required by the European Commission had been accepted by the country's Senate on June 23 and would be applied soon.

There was no immediate comment from other governments.

(Reporting by Marine Strauss and Bart Meijer; Editing by Mark Heinrich and David Evans)
UK Announces First Sanctions Against Human Rights Violators

On July 6th, the UK government announced sanctions against human rights abuses, including visa bans and assets freezes. It was the first time since leaving the European Union in January that Britain imposed its own sanctions for human rights violations. On July 6, 2020, the U.K. Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Dominic Raab introduced the long-awaited sanctions on human rights violators involved in extra-judicial killings, including political assassinations, torture, degrading treatment, forced labor, and servitude.
The Chinese Communist Partys new security law has criminalized any actions it deems to be subversion, secession, terrorism, and collusion with foreign entities in Hong Kong. The law spells an abrupt end to the political freedoms that Hong Kongers used to enjoy. Authorities Friday raided the offices of a research and polling institute associated with the pro-democracy camp just ahead of primaries in which it will choose its candidates for Legislative Council elections, and theres certainly more to come. But theres an additional reason to be wary of the law: It is Beijings assertion of legal jurisdiction over the entire world.

The text of the legislations Article 38 is blunt, and makes an unprecedented jurisdictional claim: The Law shall apply to offences under this Law committed against the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region from outside the Region by a person who is not a permanent resident of the Region. If the provision is enforced as it is written, Hong Kong authorities could charge and prosecute individuals who have never stepped foot in the city but whom Beijing deems to have violated the law. If mainland practice to date is any guideand it isthen the definitions dont matter that much, wrote Donald Clarke, a professor at The George Washington University Law School, in an analysis. Anything can be stretched as necessary to cover something done by the person being targeted.

The CCP could thus use Article 38 to prosecute offenses that are illegal in China but legal in the West. Theoretically, Westerners could be arrested by security agents from Beijings new base in the city, then rendered to the mainland for trial  for the crime of speaking freely in liberal democracies. Or as Clarke put it, the CCP is asserting extraterritorial jurisdiction over every person on the planet.

This is not just a theoretical concern, either, says Kevin Carrico, a senior research fellow at Melbournes Monash University. In 2015, Beijing abducted five employees of Causeway Bay Books, a store that sold works on political topics considered sensitive by mainland authorities, in violation of Hong Kongs Basic Law. The kidnappings demonstrate the CCPs desire for extraterritorial law-enforcement authority, says Carrico in an email, and the new law just gives the false appearance of legality to its efforts to secure such authority.

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Its not abnormal for countries to make legal claims that stretch beyond their borders or to punish their own nationals for crimes they commit abroad. But for a country to prosecute a foreigner for acts abroad would require harm to that country under widely accepted interpretations of international law. The other way that countries might claim jurisdiction over foreigners who live abroad is through extradition treaties. Without such treaties, says Terri Marsh, the executive director of the Human Rights Law Foundation, it would be very hard for China to reach non-Chinese citizens living in foreign countries. Chinas incursion into our sovereignty is a demonstration of why precisely other nations who are equally sovereign should not comply or cooperate in any way shape, or form, says Marsh.

As it happens, some 20 countries have extradition treaties with Hong Kong, including several that have not inked such agreements with the mainland. The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, a group comprising legislators from 13 countries, has in the wake of the new security laws enactment led a drive for countries to cancel these treaties. In recent days, Australia and Canada have suspended theirs, earning Beijings ire, and the United States could soon follow suit. Others, such as the Netherlands, have warned their citizens against traveling to Hong Kong.

Although most countries will not extradite an individual based on political charges, Jerome Cohen, an expert in Chinese law at New York University School of Law, points to Beijings history of concocting false charges of conventional crimes, such as tax evasion, to target dissidents. Just this week, Xu Zhangrun, a prominent critic of the CCP, was arrested in Beijing on prostitution charges. Fake allegations wont be a problem in countries with robust justice systems, such as France, but Cohen says hes wary of countries that have voted with China on the U.N. Human Rights Council, and even of certain European countries.

In addition to the risk of extradition, the high concentration of foreign journalists and businesspeople in Hong Kong would make it a very convenient target, if China wanted to do something to hold some Americans hostage, says Ho-fung Hung, a professor at Johns Hopkins University. He notes the 2018 detention of two Canadian citizens in retaliation for Ottawas arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou. While hostage diplomacy had already existed as a possibility on the mainland, Americans critical of the Chinese Communist Party have generally been denied visas to visit China, ending up in Hong Kong instead. They used to enjoy immunity from Beijings reach there, but with the security law, Beijing could well detain and try them for speaking against the CCP in other countries. Carrico offers a dire warning: In traveling to China and Hong Kong today, one is in effect taking the same type of risks as someone travelling to Pyongyang.

The danger is particularly acute for Taiwanese individuals and organizations. Leaders in Taipei have watched the Hong Kong crackdown with apprehension, fearing that the CCP will turn its focus to them next. Carrico notes that Hong Kong, which despite its former autonomy from the mainland did not diverge from Beijings official position on Taiwan, had until now allowed Taiwanese organizations to operate in the city. But the [national-security law] means the end of that, and if I was in any way linked to the Taiwanese government and living in Hong Kong right now, I would leave immediately. In fact, the law subjects foreign and Taiwan-based organizations with offices in Hong Kong to onerous regulations requiring cooperation with the citys police commissioner. According to new rules released this week, the city police can even ask staff at foreign and Taiwan political organizations in Hong Kong to provide personal and financial information about their organizations.

It is important to note that until Hong Kongs rulers release further guidelines on implementation of the law, the precise nature of the danger it poses will remain unclear. Cohen predicts that Article 38 will be interpreted more narrowly than its wording would suggest. Now even Chinas regular domestic criminal law doesnt go as far as this new national security law could be interpreted, he says, noting that the mainlands criminal code would not lead to prosecutions of foreigners over political speech legal in their own countries. He thinks that Article 38s expansive wording was the result of a time crunch faced by those responsible for drafting it. But he is careful to emphasize that hes only making a prediction, and that the law is already intimidating some activists into silence. They are already being deterred, not only in Hong Kong, but around the world, he says.

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Georgias 26 public universities and colleges will mandate campus-wide mask wearing after the state university system reversed itself on Monday.

The University System of Georgia had previously told schools they should strongly encourage students and others to wear masks, but said that the systems 26 universities couldnt mandate face coverings for their 330,000 students despite concerns about COVID-19 transmission.

Masks became a central point of contention in part because all the universities, at the behest of regents, are planning face-to-face instruction for all students beginning in August.

Faculty and employees have increasingly been demanding that their institutions mandate masks to slow virus transmission, signing letters and petitions. Administrators on Monday evening agreed, saying all faculty, staff, students and visitors must wear masks inside buildings beginning July 15.

Face covering use will be in addition to and is not a substitute for social distancing, the system wrote in its online announcement.

Masks wont be required in dorm rooms or outdoors, or when alone in private offices or study rooms. Those who refuse will be asked to mask up or leave, and could be disciplined for repeated refusal.

The system also widened the list of conditions that can qualify employees to teach or work remotely, which had become another flash point.

The system credited both shifts to changes in guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pointing to a June 25 press release. That statement broadened CDC guidance on who might be at risk of severe illness, removing the previous age threshold of 65 and including pregnancy and obesity as risk factors. It reiterated guidance on mask use, but did not explicitly change it.

Faculty groups at Georgia Tech, Georgia State University, Augusta University and the University of West Georgia had sent letters protesting, as did the United Campus Workers of Georgia, a union that represents employees at multiple universities.

This is the bare minimum and it took too long. Janet Frick, a University of Georgia psychology professor wrote on Twitter Monday night.

Faculty and staff demands are broader than just masks. For example, multiple groups say their campuses need a better plan to test for and isolate coronavirus infections. Beyond that, some faculty members continue to push for more online teaching, which at some institutions can require high-level approval.

We emphasize that no faculty, staff, or student should be coerced into risking their health and the health of their families by working and/or learning on campus when there is a remote/online equivalent, wrote Georgia Tech faculty in a petition thats garnered 900 faculty signatures.

Each university developed its own reopening plan, but used system guidance to do so and had to get system approval. Some faculty members say governor-appointed regents and Chancellor Steve Wrigley are keeping too tight a reign on the sprawling system, saying they need to do more to empower presidents.

A one-size-fits-all approach does not work for the diversity within the University System of Georgia campuses, wrote members of two faculty committees at Georgia State. Therefore, we believe that each university president should have the autonomy to devise a specific plan, in consultation with their own faculty, to best address the safety and health of their university communities.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Georgia Education Universities
Im very distressed at the way Wheaton has behaved in the last few days, Miltenberg said. I can tell you that the manner in which Wheaton has conducted itself in the last 48 hours has pushed us closer to feeling compelled to sue to clear Tims name than we felt last week. And theres no there there. Wheatons sort of making it up and I feel like they hide behind this curtain of Christianity, and yet theyre acting anything but Christian.
People in many parts of Japan are preparing for a wet and possibly dangerous weekend as weather officials warn of more heavy rain. The extreme weather has left more than 60 people dead and over a dozen missing over the past week.

Heavy rain continues to pound parts of the southwestern island of Kyushu due to a seasonal rain front hovering over Japan.

The region has borne the brunt of the damage.

Flooded rivers inundated thousands of buildings including hospitals and clinics.

The water reached a height of 2.5 meters inside Kuma hospital, damaging radiological equipment and patients' records.

The bad weather has been hampering emergency medical workers.

When helicopters cannot be used, they have to transport people by land. They also have to take precautions against the coronavirus.

People at evacuation shelters also have to heed the risk of infection.

More than 11,000 houses have been flooded or damaged across Japan. Officials are still trying to get a full picture of the destruction.

Prime Minister Abe Shinzo says police, firefighters and Self-Defense Force personnel have rescued more than 2,300 people.

He said, "I want officials to do all they can to save lives, search for missing people and help those who live in areas cut off by the disaster."

Abe says the central government plans to provide local authorities with funds to help them rebuild affected areas.
SYOSSET, NY  As thousands of Long Island graduates flip their tassels and toss their caps into the air, a Syosset teenager is issuing a plea to the Class of 2020: Think twice before tossing those gowns in the trash can.

Samantha Smith, a 16-year-old entering her junior year at Syosset High School, is collecting gowns to help those less fortunate. After launching the initiative "Share A Moment" a couple weeks ago, the teen placed a cardboard collection box at the Syosset High School graduation ceremony, as well as outside two businesses in Syosset: Andrew Howard Dry Cleaners and the Philly Pretzel Factory, both on Jackson Avenue.

Samantha Smith stands next to a donation bin for her initiative Share A Moment outside Andrew Howard Dry Cleaner. She started it to collect gowns and deliver them to underprivileged kids. Photo courtesy of Samantha Smith, used with permission.





So far, Samantha has gathered a few dozen gowns. But she hopes to collect many, many more.

"My first priority right now is to collect as many gowns as possible," she told Patch in a phone interview Friday.

As of now, the boxes are the only method to donate. For those looking to help, the collection box will be outside Andrew Howard Dry Cleaner on Saturdays and outside Philly Pretzel Factory on Sundays. That includes this weekend, she noted.

Once collected, the gowns will be washed and shipped to school districts, which will distribute the graduation garb to teens in need who may need help affording the litany of costs associated with the ceremony. In addition to caps and gowns, students and their families often pay for photos, yearbooks, class rings, and more, which can add up for families living paycheck to paycheck.

While the exact details are still being ironed out, Samantha has been in contact with a school district in Atlanta, though if she collects enough gowns she hopes to expand elsewhere.

"That's where we're going to start," she said, noting no commitments have been made and that the coronavirus pandemic has created some additional headaches to the process.

She added: "We're in contact with school districts that we know have underprivileged kids."

Story continues

Samantha Smith launched the initiative Share A Moment to collect gowns and deliver them to underprivileged kids. Photo courtesy of Samantha Smith, used with permission.





The idea is actually two years in the making. At her eighth grade moving-up ceremony, Samantha was "shocked" by how many of her classmates threw out their gowns.

"When I got home, I knew there was something better that could be done with the gowns than just throw them away," she said. "So I began thinking, and I knew there must be a lot of people all over the country who don't have enough money to buy food or clothes, nevermind a graduation gown."

Furthermore, many schools require that students wear those gowns to participate in their graduation ceremony. As the pandemic threatened to cancel kids' graduations this year, the idea came back. She saw how many graduates and their families were heartbroken over possibly missing the ceremony, and realized there are kids who have to deal with that every year.

"There's kids all over the country who don't get to experience their graduation each year because they don't have a graduation gown," she said. "I knew there was something I had to do."

Samantha's goal is to deliver the gowns by early 2021, or at least by the time the Class of 2021 is set to graduate.



So far, the community feedback has been "amazingly positive."

"So many people throughout the community have been extremely supportive," she said.

She felt excited to see her flyer posted on the official Instagram page of South Woods Middle School.





To boot, she was pleased after seeing a Syosset graduate light up after donating his gown.

"It made me feel really great," she said. "I didn't expect the people giving them would be filled with such happiness. It was really nice to see how this is not only affecting the people receiving the gowns, but also the people giving them."

Those looking for more information can email Samantha at ShareAMoment@Outlook.com or contact her through her page's Instagram and Facebook pages. For now, she's accepting gowns only.

This article originally appeared on the Syosset Patch
Coronavirus infections in the City of Melbourne have surpassed the hotspot of Hume, with the CBD recording the highest ever number of active cases in a single Victorian municipality.

The number of active coronavirus cases in the city centre has surged by almost 100 since Thursday, new data from the state's health department shows.

The City of Melbourne now has the highest number of coronavirus cases of any local government area in Victoria, posting the single biggest increase in one day. Credit:Paul Jeffers

Only about 3 per cent of Victoria's population lives in the City of Melbourne, yet it is currently home to 20 per cent of the state's active coronavirus infections.

Late on Friday afternoon there were 226 active COVID-19 cases in the City of Melbourne, which takes in the central business district and the suburbs of Carlton, Docklands, Kensington, Parkville, Southbank, East Melbourne, South Yarra and North Melbourne, up from 128 on Thursday.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 10:05:32|Editor: huaxia

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UNITED NATIONS, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina remains fragile 25 years after the Srebrenica genocide, United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Thursday.

In a video message marking the anniversary of the mass killing, Guterres paid tribute to the thousands of mainly Muslim men and boys murdered in July 1995 during the Balkan wars, and underscored the need for true reconciliation in the region.

"A quarter century ago, the United Nations and the international community failed the people of Srebrenica. As former Secretary-General Kofi Annan said, this failure will 'haunt our history forever,'" he said.

"Confronting that past is a vital step towards rebuilding trust."

Reconciliation, he said, must be underpinned by mutual empathy and understanding. It also means rejecting denial of genocide and war crimes, as well as efforts to glorify convicted war criminals.

The secretary-general called on people in the region and beyond to counter hate speech, divisive rhetoric, and narratives of mistrust and fear.

"On this somber anniversary, we are reminded that peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina is still fragile," he said. "We cannot let up in working towards genuine reconciliation. We owe this to the victims of the Srebrenica genocide, the survivors, the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to all humanity."

Some UN independent human rights experts have echoed the secretary-general's message. They urged governments to honor the victims of the Srebrenica genocide by building peaceful, inclusive and just societies to prevent such atrocities from happening again. Enditem
A woman, who was injured in heavy Pakistani shelling in civilian area along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, has succumbed, officials said on Thursday. The officials said Pakistani troops shelled mortars and fired with small arms in three sectors of Qasba, Kirni and Degwar of Poonch district tonight, in violation of a ceasefire agreement.

The Indian troops, guarding the borderline, retaliated resulting in a gunfight, they said. One woman, who was injured in shelling by Pakistan on Lanjote village of Poonch district on Wednesday, succumbed on Thursday evening in the hospital, they said. A 65-year-old woman was killed and some others were injured on Wednesday as Pakistan violated ceasefire by targeting forward posts and villages along the LoC in different sectors in Jammu and Kashmir, the officials said.
Lashkar terrorist from Pakistan sentenced to 7 years in jail for plotting attacks in India

Lashkar off-shoot TRF kills 3 civilians in J&K, says more to come

The Resistance Front claims responsibility for killing of BJP leader in J&K

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, July 10: The Resistance Front, a little known proxy of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba has claimed responsibility for the killing of BJP leader Sheikh Waseem Bari, his father and brother at Bandipore, Jammu and Kashmir.

In a statement, the TRF said that political stooges who ever sabotage Kashmir's cause with their filthy designs to make and help occupational regime in brutalising Kashmir will be dealt with dire consequences.

Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir police have identified two Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorists who were involved in the murder of BJP leader Sheikh Waseem Bari along with his father and brother.

J&K: BJP leader, family shot dead by terrorists in Bandipora

The J&K police say that one of the terrorists is from Pakistan and he has been identified as Abir Hakani. A massive manhunt has been launched, the police also said.

A BJP leader, his brother and father were shot dead by terrorists in the heart of Bandipore town of North Kashmir Wednesday night, prompting the Jammu and Kashmir authorities to arrest seven policemen for alleged negligence in protect him, officials said.

The incident took place at the shop-cum-residence of BJP leader Wasim Bari, earlier district president of the party, where some motorcycle-borne terrorists attacked the three from a close range with a silencer-fitted revolver, they said.

Bari was the face of the BJP in North kashmir and played a huge role in getting cadres for the party in there.

Kashmir: BJP leader, his father and brother killed in Bandipora terrorist attack | Oneindia News

The place of incident is barely 10 metres away from the main police station, they said.

J&K Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh said Bari and his family members at the shop when the terrorists fired at them. The trio was shifted to the district hospital in a critical condition where they succumbed to their injuries.

Pakistan terrorist from Lashkar involved in murder of BJP leader in J&K

Besides Bari, his brother Umar and father Bashir Ahmad were killed in the firing, police said.

Seven policemen have been arrested for alleged negligence in protecting Bari, police said.

BJP leader and National General Secretary Ram Madhav condoled Bari's death.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Friday, July 10, 2020, 8:07 [IST]
Just two days after a Florida sheriff announced the state had abruptly cut him off from data about local cases of coronavirus infections, state health authorities have reversed course, agreeing on Thursday morning to continue providing the information.

The reversal came in the wake of social media outrage and attention from media outlets.

For four months, Mike Chitwood, the sheriff of Volusia County, a stretch of central Florida coastline that includes Daytona Beach and other popular destinations, has tried to compensate for the states shortfalls in data reporting by using his social media accounts to inform people where new infections were being reported. But that ended earlier this week, when Floridas health officials informed Chitwoods office that they would no longer provide him or any other county-level officials with the data that made such reporting possible.

Mike Chitwood. (Volusia County Sheriff Department)

Sorry to inform you tonight that our covid-19 data updates for Volusia County are over, Chitwood wrote on Twitter on Tuesday evening, explaining that the states Department of Health would no longer be providing him with address-specific information that he was then using to determine how the virus was spreading across the county.

On Thursday morning, as Florida reported a record-breaking 120 new coronavirus deaths overnight, Chitwood told Yahoo News that the state had agreed to resume providing the data.

I vehemently disagree with hiding the numbers, Chitwood said in a phone interview. He says he remains a supporter of Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, but believes that political retribution did play a part in the sudden decision to stop providing him with data. The state offered no explanation of why it decided to provide the data after all.

As this pandemic is growing, why are we giving less information? Chitwood wondered. Thats not healthy. He told Yahoo News that he was unaware of any other Florida sheriff who was providing similar coronavirus updates.

Story continues

The development comes as Florida confronts not only a burgeoning caseload but also persistent questions about how forthcoming state leaders have been with the public. Officials from the same state health department who appeared to be cutting off Chitwood have also been accused of telling Rebekah Jones, formerly a data scientist for the state, to alter statistics in some counties; of telling coroners not to report coronavirus deaths; and, most recently, of hiding information about hospitalizations.

County health department spokeswoman Holly Smith, whose office was also providing Chitwood with new infection data, told Yahoo News on Wednesday that a statewide directive against any further sharing had been put in place.

State officials told Yahoo News they would provide an explanation, but did not.

Chitwoods message of distress on Tuesday evening was shared by Jones, the geographer who created Floridas coronavirus dashboard and who was fired because, according to her allegations, she refused to change data in order to further the narrative of DeSantis, an ally of President Trump, that Florida was defeating the disease.

That narrative is now in tatters, but the severity of the crisis appears to have made the DeSantis administration even less forthcoming than it had previously been.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

When theres trouble getting the information, its because the information is troubling, Chitwood told a local outlet on Wednesday, recalling a lesson hed learned when he began as a Philadelphia police officer at the devastating height of crack cocaines grip on American cities during the late 1980s.

Chitwood told Yahoo News he still supports DeSantis: I endorsed him, I voted him, he said of the ambitious 41-year-old who some believe will run for president in 2024. Chitwood said his decision to publish coronavirus data had nothing to do with scoring political points and was rooted only in his desire to keep his deputies safe.

Back in mid-March, Chitwood decided to rectify what he saw as shortfalls in the information being provided to Floridians by their elected officials, specifically DeSantis, who has consistently received among the lowest approval ratings of any governor in the nation for his coronavirus response.

Since Im the chief law enforcement official in Volusia County, I think its my responsibility to provide more transparency than has been provided so far, Chitwood vented on his Facebook page on March 13. Twice a day, he explained, the state health department was sending him data about suspected coronavirus cases around the country, with the specific address for each case.

While he had no intention of making public the addresses of potentially sickened Floridians, Chitwood did want Volusia County residents to know if they were living in a potential mini hot spot. His post provided the first of what would be dozens of informal but data-informed public health reports, detailing where cases were suspected  four in Daytona County, three in Port Orange and so on while also explaining that a suspected case was not necessarily a positive one.

Chitwood told Yahoo News that he was so concerned about privacy that he would not even release address-specific data to other authorities in the county. We never, ever, ever, ever published an address or a name, he said with vehemence. Chitwood explained that for small communities across the county, his updates provided a consistent, easy-to-follow overview of the pandemics progress.

I know this isnt a lot of information, but its more than has been made available to this point, he wrote in his inaugural post back in March. The next morning, he explained to a local outlet that if you dont put info out there you are creating a panic. Chitwood added that they were adamant against anybody knowing what they were doing, a reference to health officials in the state Capitol in Tallahassee.

For four months, Chitwood provided Volusia County with daily updates. Each day, Laura Jewell, a data specialist in the sheriffs office, would receive a spreadsheet from the state with the addresses of suspected infections. She would also receive a call from county officials with a similar update, allowing her to check the two data sets against each other.

CDC

Jewell explained to Yahoo News that the address-specific information was especially helpful to first responders, including police officers, firefighters and emergency medical personnel. Shortages of personal protective equipment, she went on to say, meant it was critical for those first responders to be aware that they were entering a household where someone might be infected with a highly contagious disease.

At the same time, that information could be pooled to give the public a sense of where across this county of 550,000 people infections were rising or falling. The public was very grateful, Jewell told Yahoo News. I personally didnt get any kind of pushback.

Chitwood would share the updates on his personal social media accounts. The updates included both confirmed individual cases and monitored households for cities and towns across the county. Chitwood would also add a narrative, offering insights into what was happening in nursing homes or how many tests had been administered.

While those posts were not masterworks of Silicon Valley data visualization, they provided a clear, unvarnished sense of what was happening in Volusia County. Yet Chitwoods frustration with the lack of transparency was never far below the surface. Even as he disseminated the statistics provided by the state, he wondered if they were accurate.

Do I believe these numbers are completely accurate? No, he wrote on April 24. We cant put our faith in incomplete numbers. But some information is better than no information, so Im giving you what I have.

But then the flow of information from Tallahassee abruptly ended on Tuesday, just as Florida appears to be on the cusp of letting the coronavirus run rampant through the state.

I want to add something to what I said last night about covid-19.



W/ so many failures to effectively confront this crisis at every level of government, I really do believe individual Americans & the private sector are left to pick up the slack to get us through this pandemic...  Mike Chitwood (@SheriffChitwood) July 8, 2020

I was just informed that effective immediately the DOH will no longer be providing addresses to flag, Jewell wrote to Chitwood and others in the sheriffs office. They advised that due to the amount of time it is consuming and the fact that there is such a large community spread that first responders should be utilizing PPE anytime they are in contact with the public.

A clearly outraged Chitwood then took to social media, denouncing failed leadership and lamenting so many failures to effectively confront this crisis at every level of government.

The outrage clearly got the attention of Tallahassee. Chitwood told Yahoo News on Thursday that the state would resume sending him data. I think this is a win for all first responders, he wrote on Twitter, and for every resident of Volusia County.

_____

Read more from Yahoo News:
Richa Sharma By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: While US president Donald Trump has been blaming China for hiding information about the spread of coronavirus, India and China, along with other BRICS countries, have decided to collaborate on projects related to Covid-19 vaccine, new technologies, epidemiological studies and genome sequencing.

Terming the Covid-19 as one of the greatest global challenges that warrants a global response, the BRICS Science, Technology and Innovation Framework Programme called for multilateral basic, applied and innovation research projects facilitating cooperation among the researchers and institutions in the consortia that consist of partners from at least three BRICS countries.

The BRICS nations account for over 25% of the world territory, more than 40% of the global population.

The thematic areas for collaboration include research and development of new technologies/tools for diagnosing Covid-19, of vaccines and drugs, including repurposing of available drugs, genomic sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 and studies on the epidemiology and mathematical modelling of the Covid-19.

The collaboration will also look into artificial intelligence, information and communication technology oriented research for Covid-19 drugs design, vaccine development, treatment.

As part of the initiative, government research funding organisations from the BRICS countries have agreed to jointly establish a scheme for funding multilateral cooperative activities.

In India, the Department of Biotechnology and the Department of Science and Technology will be part of it while the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology and National Natural Science Foundation of China will take part.
Its been two weeks since the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) reopened its outpatient clinics, after three months of keeping them closed due to the lockdown, but the eight-storey building is nearly empty on Friday. The 30 patients who had appointments were done with their consultations by 11.30 am.

At the waiting areas outside consultation rooms at the new Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur OPD block at Masjid Moth, yellow squares are marked on the floor, and every alternate chair is blocked in bids to ensure social distancing  but there are no patients.

Before it shut on March 23, around 13,000 patients would queue up for appointments at outpatient clinics every day. However, hospital officials said patients now stay away for fear of infection. Additionally, fewer patients are allowed to visit the campus, with most given tele-consultations.

The 60-year-old hospital had, in February, moved its clinics to the sprawling new building with modern amenities, as part of a redevelopment plan.

Outside the new building, a screening room has been set up to check every patient for symptoms of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). Guards and volunteers at the gate check off the names of the patients against a list.

Patients have to first register for tele-consultation. They are given an appointment for the OPD if doctors ask to see the patient in person. We receive such a list every day, since no walk-in patients are allowed. Since the reopening, weve mostly been getting patients from the orthopaedics department, said a volunteer on duty who asked not to be named.

The hospital has been providing pre-registered patients with tele-consultations since April after the OPD was closed. The service has now been extended to new patients as well. At least 1,000 patients receive tele-consultations a day, hospital officials said.

With OPD services reopening, five or six departments have started registering new patients. Patients are called in only if the doctor thinks they need to see the patient in person to treat them. We have restricted our OPD services to about 15 patients a day for each department. However, we are receiving fewer patients than that. People are scared they will get the infection if they come to the hospital, said Dr DK Sharma, medical superintendent of the hospital.

With almost half the patients at the hospital coming from other states, travel restrictions have played their part in keeping the visitor-count low.

Almost half our patients  about 48%, according to our data  travel in from outside Delhi, and theyre not able to travel because of the lack of inter-state trains and buses. This could be another reason for the low attendance, said Dr Sharma.

On Friday, the only busy area in the hospital was outside the cancer wing, where patients submitted medical files to a guard outside. Before the lockdown, the cancer centre used to receive around 600 patients in its outpatient clinics daily, which had gone down to about 250 during the lockdown.

With restrictions being lifted and travel allowed, the numbers are going up again now. Cancer patients cannot wait, they were coming to us throughout the lockdown, said Dr Sharma.

Another person called patients inside, one at a time. A microphone has been fixed to the railing outside the building with bandages to ensure that everyone can hear the call, including those sitting across the road.

Fifty-four-year-old Mohd Ilias, a bladder cancer patient had travelled to the department for a quarterly screening. I have already had surgery and chemotherapy, but I have to come here every three months to show the doctor my scans, to check if the cancer has returned. I have been waiting here for three hours now, but I have noticed that once their names are called, patients are immediately taken to the doctors cabin and come out within 10 minutes. There is no queue inside, he said.

We kept the cancer centre open even during the lockdown because cancer is almost an emergency. It is potentially life-threatening if not treated in time, Dr Sharma said.

The palliative care centre  which provides morphine to cancer patients in pain  also remained open. Opioids (strong and addictive pain medicines) cannot be prescribed after telephonic or vide consultations  the guidelines released by the health ministry are clear. So we kept the clinics running for patients in pain, asking new patients to come in for one consultation and providing adequate medicines to family members of our old patients. For those who travel from outside the state, we connected them to local hospitals where we have trained doctors from our centre, said Dr Sushma Bhatnagar, head of the department of onco-anaesthesia and palliative care at AIIMS.

The only queue was outside the hospitals emergency department, where patients waited for their turn to be screened for Covid-19 before receiving care. A separate set of trolleys have been placed for patients coming in with Covid-19 like symptoms. They are taken into the hospital emergency through a separate screening area where the entire staff is in full personal protective gear.

The attendance at the emergency wing is also lower than we used to see. Most people are just not coming in. Its the Covid ward that remains busy, said a guard posted outside the hospital emergency wing.

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A prospector has unearthed a number of small gold nuggets in the Outback.

The nuggets, measuring smaller than a 50c coin, were discovered between Kalgoorlie and Leonora in Western Australia.

A picture of the gold, weighing from 12.5grams and measuring between two and nine inches in length, was posted to Reddit on Friday.

The Reddit user shared his most recent prize gold prospecting prize online on Friday

The Reddit user, who wanted to be identified as James O, said a few smaller pieces were also found - totaling about $250 - 'but these two pieces are obviously the best ones'.

'Usually nuggets like this are in the 85 per cent to 95 per cent purity range, alloyed with other metals such as silver and copper as common alloys, to a range of others,' the 32-year-old responded to another's comment asking about the percentage of gold in each nugget.

'There's a few different ways to test - a graduated acid test, and the strength of the acid to dissolve a scratching of the nugget tells you. There's electronic tests that use known signatures, all the way up to x-ray spectrometry and fire assay used by industry.'

James O, of Perth, said the Victorian gold fields were on their bucket list to-do 'when things settle down' with COVID-19. He has been prospecting for about six years.

'Absolutely love prospecting, come back to camp at the end of the day, sit by the fire with a cold beer and just enjoy. It's probably more the getting out and just being in the middle of nowhere with no pressure for a while and the fresh air!' he said.

'I'm not a professional prospector so there's no pressure, so enjoy every part of it regardless of the find or not.'

For those looking getting into gold prospecting, James O told Daily Mail Australia to 'hit up local Facebook groups or prospecting clubs and they'll point you in the right direction in terms of government requirements and regulations, equipment, safety and general locations for your state.'

'Going on a prospecting tour for a few days might even be good to try things out before you commit as it can be expensive,' he said.

James O's find comes about two weeks after another prospector located a 50g nugget on private property in the Ballarat area, south-west Victoria.

It was valued up to $4000 and found buried two feet underground.

The prospector, known as Bill M, shared a photo of the nugget to Australian Facebook group Detecting Downunder.

The prospector, known as Bill M, found the 50g nugget (pictured) on a private property in the Ballarat area, south-west Victoria, during June

'Gold prospector 'Bill M' found this gorgeous 50 gram nugget on private property in the Ballarat area,' the post read.

'This is straight from a main gold reef and Bill looks like he's onto something special. It was found about two feet (60cm) down.'

A gold reef is where a large amount of gold is found encased underground in the rock it was formed in.

The community of treasure hunters weighed in on the find.

'Just wondering what a nugget of that size is worth? one user asked.

The group administrator answered: 'At the current gold price of $82 per gram, it's worth around $4k. Not a bad pay day.'
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 19:55:22|Editor: huaxia

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CANBERRA, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The number of Australians allowed to enter the country will be capped to ease pressure on the coronavirus quarantine system.

The National Cabinet, which consists of Prime Minister Scott Morrison and state and territory leaders, agreed on Friday to cut the number of citizens and residents allowed into the country each week by 4,000, which Morrison said amounts to "just over half."

Returning travellers will also be asked to pay for the cost of their 14-day mandatory hotel quarantine period.

"We agreed today to a reduction in the number of inbound arrivals into Australia across those ports that are able to accept returning Australian citizens and residents," Morrison told reporters after the National Cabinet meeting.

"The decision that we took to reduce the number of returned travellers to Australia at this time was to ensure that we could put our focus on the resources needed to do the testing and the tracing and not have to have resources diverted to other tasks."

As of 3:00 p.m. on Friday, a total of 9,359 cases have been reported in Australia, including 106 deaths, and 7,626 have been reported as recovered from COVID-19, according to the latest figures from Department of Health.

The department also said that the number of new cases in last 24 hours is 307.

Of the new cases, 288 were in Victoria, marking the state's biggest daily increase since the outbreak of the pandemic. And the number of active cases of the virus in Victoria has surpassed 1,000.

Residents of Melbourne have officially been advised to wear facemasks when they can't maintain social distance.

Morrison said that the spike in cases in Victoria remains "very concerning."

The metropolitan Melbourne area has returned to a state of lockdown for six weeks but the number of cases are expected to continue to rise.

"It is concerning. They have called for help, they are getting help, but the key here is that all states and territories again reaffirmed their support for Victoria in providing whatever resources they needed to deal with the outbreak in Victoria," Morrison said.

While the vast majority of new cases since late June have been in Victoria, the prime minister reiterated on Friday that other state and territories must be "very careful to protect against complacency in other parts of the country."

"It is important that social distancing is the norm, it is not the exception, it is the norm and it is going to be the norm with us for a very long time, until at least we have a vaccine that can be mass-produced and made available across the population," he said.

Morrison was joined by Acting Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly who said that it was "very clear" that there was a "community transmission issue in Melbourne."

"This increase in cases, particularly locally acquired cases, particularly those that are not related to known clusters, are a concern," Kelly said.

"There are differences compared with the first peak, back in March-April, in terms of people that are being affected by the virus, there are many more younger people." Enditem
Standardbred Canada would like to remind members that SC's main office building in Mississauga, Ont. remains closed to external visitors and guests amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Staff Hours

Mail is being received and distributed, fax machines are being checked, emails are being read and phone calls are being answered as quickly as possible and our Member Services staff are working remotely and available from 8:30 a.m.  4:30 p.m. (EST) from Monday to Friday to assist you over the phone.

Due to the high volume of inquiries and member business, Standardbred Canadas response time for transactions done over the phone may be delayed by 24 - 48 hours (weekday).

Below are the office extensions for doing business. Call (905) 858-3060 and the extension listed:

Ownership Transfers: x231 or x235

Foal Registration: x231 or x235

Membership Renewals: x233

Eligibility Fees: x285 or x251

French Services: x235 or x238

Coggins Tests should be emailed to:

[email protected] or to [email protected].

eShop

For IMMEDIATE service, and NO WAIT TIME, you can conduct most of your 'horse-related' business with Standardbred Canada online via SCs eShop. If you have an SC online account and are logged in, you are ready to do business on eShop.

If you dont, you can register here to set one up. It takes only three minutes to set up your account!

There are 15 different types of transactions that SC members can make on eShop and its available 24 hours a day!

Payment for transactions done on eShop must be made with a credit card (only VISA and MASTERCARD will be accepted). VISA-DEBIT or PREPAID are NOT accepted.

Here are the transactions that you can do on eShop:

Renew your Membership

Pay your Horses Eligibility Fee

Pay an Invoice

Complete an Electronic Claiming Authorization

Put a Horse on the For Sale Board

Put an Item on the For Sale Board

Make Stake Payments

Submit a Foal Application

Submit a Mare Report

Submit a Location Report

Make a Horse Name Change

Purchase Horse Liability Insurance

Purchase a TROT Subscription

Complete a Report of Mares Bred

Submit a Full Circle Form

Field Reps Working Remotely

In the best interests of the health and safety of our members and staff, SC Field Reps will not be working at racetracks during COVID-19. The Field Reps will be working off-site during qualifiers and live racing.

Field Reps will be available at least an hour and a half prior to qualifiers and at least two hours prior to first race post time on race days until the completion of the second race.

Alberta Tracks  x278

Flamboro Downs  x271

Fraser Downs  (403) 852-0348

Rideau Carleton Raceway - x279

Western Fair Raceway  x282

Woodbine Mohawk Park - x277

Transfers

All Transfers MUST be sent to SCs head office in Mississauga as members will not be able to do this at the racetrack. Please mail your transfer with a cheque or credit card #. If you have a digital (electronic) file of the transfer, please take a photo with your mobile phone, scan it and email this photo or fax this with your credit card # to (905) 858-3111.

Eligibility Fees

SC members can pay eligibility fees online (through eShop), fax, by calling SC's office during business hours with a list or email us a list with their credit card info.
WASHINGTON  Elaine C. Duke, then President Trumps acting secretary of homeland security, arrived at the Roosevelt Room, down the hall from the Oval Office, on a steamy August afternoon in 2017 expecting a discussion about President Trumps pledge to terminate DACA, the Obama-era protections for young immigrants. Instead, she said, it was an ambush.

The room was stacked, she recalled. Stephen Miller, the architect of the presidents assault on immigration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and other White House officials demanded that she sign a memo ending the program, which they had already concluded was illegal. She did not disagree, but she chafed at being cut out of the real decision-making.

President Trump believes that he cant trust, Ms. Duke, now a consultant, said in a wide-ranging interview about the 14 months she spent working for him and the consequences of the presidents suspicion of what he calls the deep state in government. That has affected his ability to get counsel from diverse groups of people.

A veteran of nearly 30 years at the Departments of Homeland Security and Defense, Ms. Duke was the deputy secretary of homeland security in the summer of 2017 when John F. Kelly, Mr. Trumps first secretary, left to become White House chief of staff. Ms. Duke served in the top job at the department until late 2017, when Kirstjen Nielsen was confirmed as Mr. Kellys permanent successor.
A federal judge sent an Ocean County man to prison Thursday for the second time in four years for basically the same criminal scheme - dealing cocaine.

Mario Galli III, 28, of Toms River, an associate of the DeCavalcante crime family, was sentenced to 76 months in federal prison (six years and four months) for two crimes, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possessing a firearm during a drug crime, the New Jersey U.S. Attorneys Office announced.

Galli pleaded guilty in March. U.S. District Judge Anne E. Thompson, in Trenton, sentenced him via videoconference.

In September, the Ocean County Prosecutors Office arrested Galli and two others on similar charges following a three-month investigation during which investigators searched homes in Toms River and Berkeley townships and found between 400 to 500 grams of cocaine and a loaded 9-millimeter handgun.

One of the residences was Gallis, authorities said. He has also lived in Brick.

At the time of his arrest last fall, Galli was on supervised federal release from a prior federal drug case in which he pleaded guilty to selling more than 500 grams of cocaine for DeCavalcante mobsters.

Authorities said Galli, who was 23 at the time, accompanied alleged DeCalvacante associates during several cocaine sales to an undercover informant in 2014 and 2015.

He was sentenced to 30 months behind bars in that case, in August 2016, and set free in June 2018.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.

Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com.
Though the coronavirus pandemic forced the permanent closure of some Catholic elementary and secondary schools, others have benefited from the U.S. governments Payback Protection Program, which resumed this week after President Donald Trump signed legislation extending it through Aug. 8

Faith-based organizations  usually exempt from such federal programs under separation of church and state regulations  were allowed by Congress to apply for the multi-billion program that provides long-term loans to help businesses retain jobs impacted by the pandemic. The loans awarded by the Small Business Administration from participating lenders can be forgiven if certain criteria are met.

Pope Francis Preparatory School, the regional high school in the Diocese of Springfield, is among Catholic schools in Massachusetts to have received loans. The Springfield parochial school will receive between $350,000 and $1 million.

According to various websites based on government data, Boston College High School, an all-boys schools with grades 7th through 12th in the Archdiocese of Boston, received funding between $2 and $5 million, while another similar school for boys in the archdiocese, Xaverian Brothers, in Westwood, received between $1 and $2 million.

The archdiocese urged worshipers in April to sign a petition asking Gov. Charlie Baker to fund Catholic schools with money from Congress U.S. 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act that was passed by Congress in late March. It established the Paycheck Protection Program with help from the U.S. Treasury.

Numerous schools in the archdiocese received funding between $350,000 and $1 million through the program.

A sampling includes the co-ed Cristo Rey Boston High School, the Academy of Notre Dame at Tyngsboro, a co-educational school through the eighth grade, and Fontbonne Academy, an all-girls high school in Milton, as well as St. Joseph Preparatory, a coeducational high school in the Greater Boston Area, and the all-girl Ursuline Academy in Dedham.

Notre Dame Academy, an all-girls 7th through 12th grade school in the Diocese of Worcester, received between $150,00 and $350,000 in funding through the program.

A recent analysis of government data by the Associated Press called the U.S. Roman Catholic Church among the Paycheck Protection Programs biggest winners, and estimated that to date it has been approved for $3.5 billion from the program for its ministries, many in dioceses hard-hit financially not only by COVID-19 but ongoing clergy sexual abuse settlements.
Jen agreed: "It is infuriating listening to the Premier talking about people not following the rules. We have been no different to others states where the majority do follow social distancing and a small percentage don't. The difference in Victoria is the stuff up with hotel quarantine." However, others such as MelbourneGuy leapt to his defence, saying it was the Premier who was "let down", both "by security staff that did not fulfil their roles" and "people who did not fulfil their responsibility to social distance". MelbourneGuy wrote: "When he went hard his detractors said he went too hard, when he went soft they said he went too soft, now that individuals allowed the virus to spread they blame the government. How about showing some support in these dire times." Other readers, such as Cipster urged everyone to call out those - including friends, family and neighbours - breaking the rules.

Cipster wrote: "Its us, the people who stuffed this up. Take responsibility people and own your own mistakes. Collectively we can beat this but everyone has to do it." Splash agreed: "Hey Melbourne, this time round... to help reduce the chance of a third rodeo... would anyone who sees non-compliance please call it out? If calling it out in person feels a bit awkward consider using the Police Assistance Line on 131 444. For all our sakes. Thanks!" After 100 consecutive days of live blogging on the pandemic, when case numbers significantly improved early last month the blog was put on ice. That decision was short-lived. "We did so after balancing the flow of news, reader behaviour on the site and the resourcing required to run it," The Age digital editor Mathew Dunckley says.

"We did flag that we would bring it back if the situation deteriorated. Sadly, it did." The blog returned on June 21, and with many reporters and editors now trained to live blog, Dunckley says, the newsroom is able to respond to a dynamic situation even more quickly. Nine public housing towers were ordered into hard lockdown due to a COVID-19 outbreak. Credit:Paul Jeffers "When Victoria announced the hard lockdown of the housing towers on a Saturday we pivoted, assigned three different people, including me, and ran live coverage till almost midnight," he says. "There were more people reading at 10.30pm than there were at 8.30pm that night."

Reader input through comments and 'tipstars' featured in the blog have also proved invaluable to the masthead's coverage. "We have frequently put calls out through the blog for people to tell us how they are handling things - home schooling, impact on their business, how they are staying amused and the response is huge," Dunckley says. "We have told many stories about the virus' impact on our readers based on people getting in touch with us this way." Loading A call this week for messages of support for the tower residents in hard lockdown elicited 700 responses in a little over 24 hours and together with multimedia designer Mark Stehle and developer Reginal Sengkey, Dunckley produced an uplifting message board of support.

"We have embraced the ability to livestream the daily press conferences which our readers, in turn, have flocked to watch," he said. "Like us, we see them noting in the comments section that the later the press conference from Daniel Andrews the worse the news is likely to be." Chief comment moderator Rob Ashton says initially moderating the blog was a slow process as numerous conspiracy theories abound and regular fact checking using reputable sources was needed. The team was conscious not to contribute to the spread of potentially dangerous information via comments. "Of course, once we were familiar with the more common conspiracy theories we could moderate them more quickly," Ashton says.
Our numbers have gone down by almost half in terms of new cases from where we were when we did the executive order, Reed said. It doesnt hurt that this has become less politicized in the last few weeks as more states have seen a surge in covid cases. He noted that Ivey wore a mask at her last news conference.
Kanpur: Gangster Vikas Dubey was killed in an encounter on Friday after a police vehicle carrying him from Ujjain to Kanpur met with an accident and he tried to escape from the spot in Bhauti area here, a senior police official said.

"Dubey was injured in the encounter and he was declared dead in the hospital," ADG Kanpur range, J N Singh said.

Here's the sequence of event that led to the killing of the dreaded gangster by the UP STF team:

A UP STF convoy arrived in Kanpur from Ujjain at 7 am on Friday morning.

At around 7:15 am, the car carrying gangster Dubey overturned near Barra in Kanpur.

Sources say Dubey snatched arms from police personnel and in the series, the car lost its control and turned turtle near Barra in Kanpur.

Dubey fired shots at the STF team and tried to flee from the spot.

The STF warned him to surrender. They later fired on him in self-defence.

The gangster was shot at by the Uttar Pradesh STF .

He was immediately rushed to the hospital where the doctors declared him brought dead on arrival.

An officer confirmed that Dubey 'sustained injuries' but did not confirm to what extent, saying it would be revealed in the postmortem report. Senior Superintendent of Police (Kanpur) Dinesh Kumar P said that the accident took place on Friday morning when it was raining heavily and the police vehicle overturned near Kanpur.

At four police personnel were also injured in the encounter. However, it is not known if they were injured in the accident or during the encounter. All the four police personnel are said to be out of danger.
The Pope to donate 100,000 to help migrants on border of Belarus and Poland

Fourth vaccine against COVID-19 is not enough for Omicron

World is on verge of country defaults

French Foreign Ministry considers unacceptable Azerbaijan statements about Pecresse

US to return two valuable artifacts over 4,000 years old to Iraq

Germany may consider halting Nord Stream 2 if Russia attacks Ukraine

Israel successfully completes test of anti-ballistic missile system

Plane landing in Sochi struck by lightning

Putin and Aliyev discuss Ukraine situation

Greek PM Mitsotakis threatens Turkey with sanctions

Handelsblatt: US and EU abandon idea of disconnecting Russia from SWIFT international payment system

Artsakh President meets representatives of non-governmental organizations

Avalanche kills person in Iran

Erdogan says he is pleased with decline in volatility of lira

NEWS.am daily digest: 18.01.22

Turkey and Azerbaijan to start laying gas pipeline to supply Nakhichevan

UK begins to supply Ukraine with anti-tank weapons

Armenian PM holds meeting on Armenia's Transformation Strategy until 2050

Nagorno-Karabakh: Remains of another Armenian soldier found in Jrakan region

Tehran to not accept any border change in South Caucasus

Dollar holding relatively steady in Armenia

Armenia special representative: Future process depends on Turkeys constructiveness degree

Erdogan: Gas from Mediterranean to Europe can only be pumped through Turkey

Iranian Consul General discusses customs cooperation in Nakhijevan

Inecobank brings Apple Pay to customers

Parliament vice-speaker says he is familiar with Armenia proposals on border demarcation commission work

US Secretary of State to visit Kyiv

Russia, Iran and China to hold joint naval drills

OSCE Chairmanship on Aliyev statement: We reiterate our full support to Minsk Group Co-Chairs

Artsakh NSS denies rumors about penetration of Azerbaijanis into Karabakh villages

Indonesian parliament approves bill to relocate capital

Armenia PM to Bulgaria colleague: Our interstate relations are marked by continuous development of cooperation

Armenian President meets Abu Dhabi Crown Prince

Azerbaijan to ban foreigners from visiting Nagorno-Karabakh occupied part

European Parliament new speaker elected

Armenian National Interests Fund participates in Abu Dhabi Sustainable Development Week summit

North Korea fires missiles for fourth time this year

ECHR recognizes violation of Armenian PM's rights after 2008 elections

Turkey reveals plans to produce combat aircraft

Karabakh official: Azerbaijan presidents impudent behavior is due to OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs silence

Azerbaijan special services force Artsakh resident to intelligence work

Copper price is stable

Minister of State: OSCE MG Co-Chairs must accept exercise of Karabakh people's right to self-determination

Armenia President, UAE Minister of State discuss possibilities of cooperation in science and technology

Investigation into criminal case of several Armenia soldiers returned from Azerbaijan captivity is over

Canada sends detachment of special forces to Ukraine

Armenia ex-President Kocharyan, former deputy PM now MP Gevorgyan case trial resumes

2 more persons die of coronavirus in Artsakh

Armenia family has 10th child

Converse Bank brings Apple Pay to customers

Gold is getting weaker

Lacote: French institute to operate in Armenia (PHOTOS)

Ardshinbank Brings Apple Pay to Customers

Armenia President in UAE, meets with Emirati environment minister

Armenia legislature approves changes to several laws

Differences in data on coronavirus deaths in Armenia are corrected

360 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Norway to begin Breivik early release hearing

Economy minister to head Armenia side of commission on economic cooperation with Kazakhstan

Mexico crime photojournalist killed

Newspaper: Criminal case against Armenia archbishop dropped

Newspaper: Opposition Armenia Bloc in parliament to toughen its tactics

Scientists discover large breeding colony of icefish in southern Antarctica

China creates low-gravity artificial moon

Tehran welcomes normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations

Russian and Iranian Foreign Ministers discuss regional issues

UN Secretary-General: Vaccinate whole world to end pandemic

Giant asteroid to fly past our planet

Armenian President meets with Executive Director of Mubadala Investment Company

UAE counting on Turkey

Indonesia to move capital by 2024

Passenger traffic at Armenian airports decreased by 30%

Armenian Investigative Committee: Six soldiers captured in November arrested

Turkish government to discuss Rubinyan-Kilic meeting results

German FM threatens Russia in case of aggression against Ukraine

Armenian MFA senior staff meets with ambassadors to European countries

Turkish court acquits German journalist Mesale Tolu

Turkish UAV intercepted over Greek island

Protest in front of Armenian Health Ministry

France introduces vaccine passes

Bitcoin begins to lose out competitors

Exchange rates in Armenia

Safari browser caught leaking user data

Xi Jinping: Confrontation between major powers can have disastrous consequences

Lukashevich: Russia concerned that OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs may not be able to visit Nagorno-Karabakh

Court obligates Armenia ruling force MP to prove ex-President Sargsyan lost more than $100M in casinos

Ex-ruling party official: Armenia authorities may renounce Genocide, Karabakh

Armenian PM's party decides to provide free textbooks to non-state schools

Times: Johnson prepares cadre purge to save his own skin

Pecresse accuses French government of inaction after Aliyev's statements on her Karabakh visit

Armenia President attends Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week forum opening

Armenia legislature ruling majority member: It is possible for us to have neighborly relations with Azerbaijan

President approves Artsakh government decisions on provision of financial assistance

Armenia parliament opposition faction leader on canceling US visit: We must fulfill our international duties

Fire in Abu Dhabi kills three people

ANIF Anti-Crisis Fund to invest in Armenia cargo transportation

Azerbaijan to soon open bus routes to Artsakhs occupied Shushi

Armenia ruling force MP, businessman: Turks will be able to use our medical services in Gyumri, Yerevan

Erdogan wants to save Turkish economy with oil production in the Black Sea

Copper rises in price
Technavio has been monitoring the luxury perfume market and it is poised to grow by USD 2.43 billion during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of almost 4% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200710005026/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Luxury Perfume Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

Although the COVID-19 pandemic continues to transform the growth of various industries, the immediate impact of the outbreak is varied. While a few industries will register a drop in demand, numerous others will continue to remain unscathed and show promising growth opportunities. Technavio's in-depth research has all your needs covered as our research reports include all foreseeable market scenarios, including pre- post-COVID-19 analysis. Download a Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impacts

The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period.

Frequently Asked Questions-

1. What was the value of the global luxury perfume market in 2019? A. As per Technavio, the market was valued at USD 11.72 billion in 2019 and it is projected to reach USD 14.16 billion by 2024. 2. At what rate is the market projected to grow in the forecast period? A. The market growth will accelerate at a CAGR of almost 4%. 3. What are the key factors driving the market? A. The increase in demand from the millennial population and endorsements from celebrities are among the key factors driving the market growth. 4. Who are the top players in the market? A. Chanel Ltd., Compagnie Financiere Richemont SA, Coty Inc., Hermes International SA, Kering SA, LOreal SA, LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, PVH Corp., Ralph Lauren Corp., and The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. are some of the major market participants. 5. Based on geographic segmentation, which region is expected to hold the largest market share? A. Europe

To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

Buy 1 Technavio report and get the second for 50% off. Buy 2 Technavio reports and get the third for free.

View market snapshot before purchasing

An increase in demand from millennial population has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market.

Technavio's custom research reports offer detailed insights on the impact of COVID-19 at an industry level, a regional level, and subsequent supply chain operations. This customized report will also help clients keep up with new product launches in direct indirect COVID-19 related markets, upcoming vaccines and pipeline analysis, and significant developments in vendor operations and government regulations.

Luxury Perfume Market 2020-2024: Segmentation

Luxury Perfume Market is segmented as below:

End-user Women Men Unisex

Geography Europe North America APAC MEA South America



To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR43395

Luxury Perfume Market 2020-2024: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. The luxury perfume market report covers the following areas:

Luxury Perfume Market Size

Luxury Perfume Market Trends

Luxury Perfume Market Analysis

This study identifies endorsements from celebrities as one of the prime reasons driving the luxury perfume market growth during the next few years.

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Technavio's in-depth research has direct and indirect COVID-19 impacted market research reports.

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Luxury Perfume Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024

Detailed information on factors that will assist luxury perfume market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the luxury perfume market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the luxury perfume market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of luxury perfume market vendors

Table of Contents:

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis

Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2019

Market outlook: Forecast for 2019 2024

Five Forces Analysis

Five forces summary

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

Market Segmentation by End-user

Market segments

Comparison by End-user

Women Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Men Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Unisex Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by End-user

Market Segmentation by Distribution channel

Market segments

Comparison by Distribution channel

Offline Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Online Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by Distribution channel

Customer landscape

Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

Europe Market size and forecast 2019-2024

North America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

APAC Market size and forecast 2019-2024

MEA Market size and forecast 2019-2024

South America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography

Volume Drivers Demand led growth

Market Challenges

Market Trends

Vendor Landscape

Overview

Vendor landscape

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

Chanel Ltd.

Compagnie Financiere Richemont SA

Coty Inc.

Hermes International SA

Kering SA

LOreal SA

LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton

PVH Corp.

Ralph Lauren Corp.

The Estee Lauder Companies Inc.

Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200710005026/en/

Contacts:

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: media@technavio.com

Website: www.technavio.com/
Photo credit: Japan Ministry of Defense

From Popular Mechanics

Japan has announced a timeline for a new, unnamed fighter jet to challenge Chinas J-20 fighter.

The new, stealthy fighter will enter production in 2031.

The aircraft will replace the aging Mitsubishi F-2 fighter jet, which is based on the American F-16.

The Japanese government has officially proposed a timeline for a new fighter jet designed to maintain an aerial advantage over potential North Korean and Chinese adversaries. The unnamed fighter, which will be optimized for air-to-air combat, will replace the Mitsubishi F-2 fighter jet, which was originally based on the American F-16 Fighting Falcon. Tokyo expects the new fighter to enter production in 2031.

Photo credit: TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA - Getty Images

The plan, according to Defense News , was laid out by Japans ruling Liberal Democratic Party. It envisions selecting a prime contractor as soon as October 2020, followed by construction of the first aircraft by 2024. First flight would follow in 2028, followed by production in 2031. The new jet will officially join the Japan Air Self Defense Force, Japans air force, in 2035.

Japan had originally planned to replace its fleet of 200 plus F-15J Eagle fighters with the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor but the U.S. Congress, fearing a leak of F-22 technology if the plane were sold abroad, passed a law to prohibit the jets export.

Photo credit: KAZUHIRO NOGI - Getty Images

Instead, Japan is purchasing 157 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters and will continue to fly approximately 90 Mitsubishi F-2s. A larger, more robust version of the F-16 first developed in the 1990s, the F-2 will age out in the 2030s when the new jet will take its place. It is unclear how many planes Japan would ultimately build, or whether or not it would be offered on the international fighter market. Given the extreme cost of developing a fighter, Tokyo will probably try to sell as many of the jets overseas as possible.

Photo credit: WANG ZHAO - Getty Images

Japan faces armed pressure from its neighbors, among them China, Russia, and North Korea. Japan has territorial disputes with both China and Russia, and Beijing and Moscow regularly fly warplanes near Japanese airspace as a show of force. North Korea, although equipped with an aging and largely obsolete air force, is armed with nuclear weapons and considers Japan an enemy state.

Story continues

Photo credit: Kaz Photography - Getty Images

Japans timetable to build the new fighter is ambitious, but it flew a fighter-like technology demonstrator, ATD-X, between 2016 and 2018. According to the Alert 5 blog, it will also receive assistance developing the jets turbine engines from the U.K. The early work and foreign assistance should provide a much-needed developmental boost.

Read more at Defense News .

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During most wars, there comes a point when the seemingly invincible attacking army faces a setback. It doesnt mean the war is over. Often quite the opposite.

They may have become used to a string of victories on the battlefield and taken the end result for granted. They underestimate their enemy.

Thats when the defending army seizes back the initiative. Which is where we are in Britain today.

But hold on, you will protest, you are not even aware of this war. True, we are in deadly combat with a very nasty virus, but so is every country on the planet.

So what exactly is at risk in this new war?

We are at war, where the victims are those who are deemed by the attacking forces to be insufficiently woke, rights John Humphrys. Left: Actress Halle Berry, shamed after she accepted a role in which she would play a transgender man. Right: Feminist Germain Greer, 'no-platformed' at universities

It is, quite simply, something that is fundamental to every democracy that has ever existed. Something without which we cannot sleep easy in our beds at night. It is free speech.

I hear your protests. This is not, for instance, North Korea. We can say pretty much anything we like about our own Dear Leader.

If we think he is a thorough-going rogue who should not be trusted with the nanny, let alone the country, we are perfectly entitled to say so.

It may mean we wont be getting an invitation to Downing Street for cocktails and canapes once the lockdown is fully lifted. Well almost certainly be cancelled  a loaded word, more of which later.

But neither will we hear the hammering on the door at 4am that means we are about to be hauled off to the gulag.

No, its more insidious than that. And it is entirely possible that you and your loved ones have nothing to fear.

But free speech is not something you hand out in little parcels to those who have earned it. Every single citizen is affected by it one way or another.

The victims in this war are those who are deemed by the attacking forces to be insufficiently woke.

That, dear reader, may very well include you.

Woke did not appear in the Oxford English Dictionary in its new guise until three years ago. The definition applied to it was alert to racial or social discrimination and injustice.

Florence Pugh, of Little Women fame, who apologised for her so-called 'white privilege' after a picture surfaced of her with cornrows, a type of hairstyle favoured in the Caribbean

So its good to be woke, eh? It hardly needs stating that we should all be alert to those offences.

But language is an infinitely complex concept. Words are constantly changing their meanings, or sometimes being added to our vocabulary or dropped.

The Elizabethans had no need for television. Theres not much call these days for codpiece.

The problem with this new word is who decides whether you or I are woke enough, and what are the motives of those who pass judgment on us?

This is where I get worried. I really dont know who they are. What I do know is that they are out there and they are causing real harm to our precious right of free speech. And I am not alone.

On these pages you will see pictures of some of the victims in this war. One of them is the Oscar-winning film star Halle Berry. She had accepted a role in which she would play a transgender man, but in this new woke world that is no longer allowed.

She was attacked by the transgender lobby and has now withdrawn. Her apology this week contained some scary language.

It was redolent of the sort of thing you might hear from a prisoner convicted of making critical comments about the leader of a totalitarian regime:

As a cisgender woman, I now understand that I should not have considered this role . . . I am grateful for the guidance and critical conversation over the past few days and I will continue to listen.

Here is an intelligent, experienced actor who has played many different roles in her career abasing herself before the court of political correctness. Or wokeness.

The court ruled that only if she were herself transgender could she play the part and she meekly accepted that ruling.

Laurence Fox was cancelled for making the point that the way Meghan Markle had been criticised by the media was not rooted in racism

You may remember Eddie Redmayne winning many plaudits when he played a transgender woman in the film The Danish Girl five years ago. It is unimaginable that any casting director would risk such a casting decision today.

Or Benedict Cumberbatch playing Alan Turing, the brilliant mathematician regarded as the father of modern computing. He was credited with shortening World War II by two years for helping crack Germanys secret Enigma code.

Turing was, of course, a gay man. Cumberbatch is not. Could he have played Turing in todays climate? I doubt it.

Dustin Hoffman was a passionate believer in method acting and he enjoyed recalling an exchange he had with the legendary Laurence Olivier.

Hoffman told him he was exhausted because hed had to film a scene in which his character was supposed to have been up for three days with no sleep.

So what did you do? Olivier asked. Well, said Hoffman, I stayed up for three days and three nights.

Benedict Cumberbatch playing Alan Turing, the brilliant mathematician regarded as the father of modern computing

Olivier: Why didnt you just try acting?

Very funny, but Olivier was making an important point.Great actors are great because they make us suspend our disbelief. For the hours they are on stage or screen they become the character they are playing.

But perhaps I should have used the past tense in that sentence, now that we find ourselves in this new woke world? As I write I can hear the tumbril sent to drag me off to the court of politically correct thinking.

So let me make the point that I am not defending some of the hideous practices of the past: refusing to use disabled actors, for instance, even when they were perfect for the part, or blacking up white men to play black men.

They have, mercifully, been abandoned. And it has happened because we collectively decided that sort of prejudice had no place in a modern, liberal society.

Sometimes it took longer than it should have, but we got there in the end.

Whats happening today is different. There is a small group of self-righteous individuals who see themselves as the new guardians of our morality. Nothing wrong with that in and of itself.

Emmeline Pankhurst is a shining example of a woman who helped right a terrible wrong. She and her fellow suffragettes spoke for a vast number of women (and many men) who put themselves in the front line.

What is deeply disturbing about todays self-appointed guardians of our morality is that so many of them often operate in the shadows, hiding behind the anonymity of social media. Others flaunt their virtue-signalling.

And instead of fighting back or ignoring them when they are at their most hysterical and absurd, one institution after another rolls onto its back and begs forgiveness.

No less a figure than Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer fell foul of the woke warriors when he appeared on a radio programme last week and offered some mild criticism of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Alastair Stewart, cancelled after he'd sent a text to a black political adviser that included the words 'angry ape'

He suggested that their message might be getting tangled up. He pointed to their calls to defund the police. It was nonsense, he said.

Who could argue with that?

Well, they could. And they did. They announced that he had no right to tell us what our demands should be.

Starmers response was to announce that the Labour Party was introducing unconscious bias training for everyone and he would be leading by example.

You might wish to form your own judgment on that by logging on to one of the websites offering such training. There are a lot of them.

Many of the woke warriors are undoubtedly the same people who did their damndest to stifle debate when they were at university  those who no-platformed speakers who took a different view from them, forgetting that the essence of a university education is to be faced with different views.

They even targeted Germaine Greer, the bravest of fighters in the great battle to win equal rights for women.

Sadly, most university leaders caved in to their demands. No student need worry that they might ever be confronted by material that could offend their sensibilities.

They must, at all costs, be protected. If an historical fact is uncomfortable or causes them even the slightest distress, then let us erase it from history.

And their power stretches beyond the ability to censor. It includes the damage the warriors of wokeness can do to the reputations and careers of their victims.

So now let me return to that other word that they have traduced  one which most of us had hought we understood perfectly well. Cancel.

If someone is deemed to have broken the rules set by the court of political correctness, the individuals may find themselves cancelled. I

ts a form of cultural boycott. It sends a warning signal to any hapless producer or editor that the individual is somehow tainted and should be given a wide berth.

It happened in January to the actor Laurence Fox after he appeared on Question Time. Hed made the point that the way Meghan Markle had been criticised by the media was not rooted in racism.

Not unreasonable, you might think, given that her engagement to Harry had been received rapturously when it was announced.

But the woke warriors went for Fox and his work dried up.

It also happened to my old friend Alastair Stewart after hed sent a text to a black political adviser that included the words angry ape.

It had been in a quotation hed used from Shakespeares Measure For Measure and there was no suggestion that hed used it as an insult. But judgment was passed and Alastair was forced to resign from ITN.

Jodie Comer, 27, has found herself the victim after hundreds of social media users called for her to be 'cancelled'  the modern equivalent of being chased with burning torches

The Killing Eve actress was seen outside her parents' Liverpool property after taking James to meet them this week

Its even happened to Jodie Comer, the brilliant actor who plays Villanelle in the hit BBC TV series Killing Eve.

Shes been cancelled this week not because she is a sadistic multi murderer like her character but, far worse, because she is dating an American lacrosse player who happens to be a supporter of the Republican Party.

Not that Comer was the first actor to fall foul of the witch-hunt. Only last month, Florence Pugh, of Little Women fame, apologised for her so-called white privilege after a picture surfaced of her with cornrows, a type of hairstyle favoured in the Caribbean.

And, of course, it happened to the biggest-selling author in Britain, J. K. Rowling. Her offence was to take issue with an article that referred to people who menstruate.

She argued that biological sex is real. That, according to the Twitter mob who tore her apart, made her transphobic. Even Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, whod never been heard of until Rowling created Harry Potter, joined in the inquisition.

One of the most frightening aspects of this whole process is that powerful people and institutions you might have expected to stand up to the mob seem too scared even to challenge them. It is the posture of the pre-emptive cringe.

But there is some hope, as I suggested earlier, that the defenders of free speech are marshalling their forces at last.

JK Rowling's signature is one of 150 on an open letter warning of the risk to open debate, while branding US President Donald Trump an 'enemy to democracy'. The Handmaid's Tale author Margaret Atwood has also signed the letter. On Monday she voiced her support for the trans community by tweeting: 'We're all part of a flowing Bell curve'

J. K. Rowling, Margaret Atwood and psychologist Steven Pinker are among 150 leading authors, academics and thinkers who signed a letter this week condemning what they call cancel culture for stifling freedom of expression in higher education, journalism, philanthropy and the arts.

Another signatory is Sir Salman Rushdie. If any author knows what it is to face threats from those who are offended by your writing it surely is him.

They write about a new set of moral attitudes and political commitments that weaken our norms of open debate and toleration of differences in favour of ideological conformity.

The writers acknowledge that the forces of illiberalism are gaining strength throughout the world. The success of Donald Trump is proof of that  though its possible, if not likely, that his days are numbered.

But what makes this letter so powerful coming, as it does, from such a wide range of thinkers, is the acceptance that there is only one way to defend real democracy. And that is to speak out against those who threaten it.

That may seem so obvious its scarcely worth saying. But we have only to look at what has been happening in this country over the past few years to see that the great and the good have cowered in the face of intimidation by the woke warriors.

If we do not fight back, the threat to our democracy is real. As Rowling and the other signatories put it, the free exchange of information and ideas is the lifeblood of a liberal society.

And it is becoming more and more restricted with every passing day.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo urging New Yorkers to wear a facemask to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, spring 2020.

(JNS) - A federal judge expressed concerns on Friday that New York governmental leaders violated the rights of residents when it sought to limit the number of individuals who could gather for prayer services during the coronavirus pandemic.

Judge Gary L. Sharpe of the U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York, issued a preliminary injunction against New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, preventing them from enforcing any limitations on outside gatherings for religious services, even in the midst of COVID-19, which ran rampant in the state and especially affected Jewish communities early on.

In terms of indoor assembly, the judge said that houses of worship can have the same number people as imposed on other industries in Phase 2 of New York's reopening plan, which means that in the five boroughs, houses of worship can now have up to 50 percent capacity. Previously, they were limited to 25 percent capacity.

The judge made clear, however, that parishioners will still need to observe social-distancing regulations set out by both the city and the state.

The lawsuit was brought on behalf of two Catholic priests and three Orthodox Jewish men. In court papers, the Jewish litigants noted that while they can be considered for a public prayer quorum of 10 men, counted towards a minyan, their families could not attend services.

Furthermore, they noted a pattern of harassment. As plaintiff Daniel Schonbrun indicated in the filings, during an outdoor service at his synagogue, Chabad of Marine Park in Brooklyn, police arrived on the scene and told them they were having an "illegal gathering," despite the fact that eight people were present and spaced "at least 20 feet apart."

In a release, Agudath Israel of America praised the ruling, calling it a "powerful legal vindication of a rally cry Agudath Israel has made for over a month now." The organization, which represents the haredisector of Orthodox Jewry, has been at odds with the governor in recent weeks, in large part due to his decision to shutter overnight summer camps in New York.

In issuing the injunction, Sharpe took particular issue with the way that de Blasio and Cuomo seemed to lend their support to thousands of people marching for racial justice in the aftermath of the George Floyd killing by a Minneapolis police officer. Likewise, he noted that the state was allowing outdoor graduation ceremonies of up to 150 people.

In an interview with JNS, attorney Ron Coleman of Mandelbaum Salsburg P.C. in New Jersey, who has filed a similar lawsuit on behalf of four Pentecostal ministers in New Jersey and had tried to file an amicus brief in the New York case (it was denied), said "everybody respects the predominate value of preserving human life."

The concern, he continued, is that by their actions, the government overstepped its boundaries, especially given its acquiescence to the civil-rights marchers. The result, said Coleman, is that "we have been denied the core social, religious experiences that make the Jewish community what it is."

What is next, however, remains to be seen, as the U.S. Supreme Court last month refused to block the State of California's limitations on religious gatherings during the pandemic.
Even as the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has said that Indias total cases and fatalities per million population was among the worlds lowest, the spectre of coronavirus continues to haunt the country.

Referring to WHOs Situation Report 168, the Centre has said Indias Covid-19 cases per million population was 505.37, against the global average of 1,453.25. Chile saw 15,459.8 cases per million population, while Peru has 9,070.8 cases per million.

The United States, Brazil, Spain, Russia, Britain, Italy and Mexico have 8,560.5, 7,419.1, 5,358.7, 4,713.5, 4,204.4, 3,996.1 and 1,955.8 cases per million respectively.

The WHO Situation Report also shows India has among the lowest death rates per million population. Indias deaths per million population is 14.27, while the global average is more than four times, at 68.29, the ministry added.



Meanwhile, with 22,752 fresh cases of COVID-19 in a day, India's virus caseload increased to 7,42,417 on Wednesday, while the death toll climbed to 20,642, as 482 people succumbed to the disease. This is the fifth consecutive day Covid-19 cases rose by over 20,000.

The number of recoveries now stands at 4,56,830, while there are 2,64,944 active cases in the country. Around 61.53 per cent of patients have recovered so far.

It took 110 days for coronavirus cases to reach one lakh, but just seven weeks to cross seven lakhs. The ICMR said that a cumulative total of 1,04,73,771 samples have been tested up to July 7, with 2,62,679 samples being tested on Tuesday.

Of the total 20,642 deaths reported so far, Maharashtra accounts for 9,250 fatalities  the highest in India, followed by Delhi with 3,165 deaths, Gujarat with 1,977, Tamil Nadu with 1,636, Uttar Pradesh with 827, West Bengal with 804, Madhya Pradesh with 622, Rajasthan with 472 and Karnataka with 416.

Maharashtra has reported the highest number of cases at 2,17,121, followed by Tamil Nadu at 1,18,594, Delhi at 1,02,831, Gujarat at 37, 550, Uttar Pradesh at 29,968, Telangana at 27,612 and Karnataka at 26,815. The number of COVID-19 cases has gone up to 23,837 in West Bengal, 21,404 in Rajasthan, 21,197 in Andhra Pradesh, 17,999 in Haryana and 15,627 in Madhya Pradesh.

The number of cases has risen to 12,570 in Bihar, 12,522 in Assam, 10,097 in Odisha and 8,931 in Jammu and Kashmir. Punjab has reported 6,749 cases of infections so far, while Kerala has 5,894 cases.
With over 30 years experience in the London market, ONeill began her insurance career in 1989 at broker Nelson, Hurst & Marsh, later part of Lockton. In 1994, she joined Brit Insurance as professional indemnity underwriter, before becoming senior underwriter in 2003 with Liberty Mutual Insurance Europe, now part of LSM.

Mels appointment shows the calibre of our home-grown talent. She has been instrumental in delivering our strategy and demonstrating our values, said Phil Hobbs, deputy managing director, Liberty Specialty Markets. She brings a huge supply of energy, ideas and leadership skill to the role of CUO. Her in-depth knowledge, experience and a straight-forward, collaborative style make her a very welcome addition to our senior leadership team.

Id also like to thank Alan Telford for his service and the commitment hes shown to Liberty over the years. Mel will work closely with Alan to transition into her new role.
Highest single day spike in Covid cases in Maharashtras second worst-affected district, registered on Thursday, has led to administration deciding to clamp a 10-day-long complete lockdown in Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and some parts of Rural Pune from July 13 to July 23.

1,803 new Covid-19 cases reported on Thursday pushed the districts overall count to 34,399, PTI quoted a health official as saying on Friday.

34 new casualties have taken the death toll in the district to 978.

For Coronavirus Live Updates

Complete lockdown announced for Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and some parts of Rural Pune from 13th July to 23rd July. Only shops related to essential services like dairy and medical stores and hospitals will remain open, Pune divisional commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

On Thursday, 1,032 cases out of 1,803 were reported from within the Pune municipal corporation (PMC) limits, where the number of positive patients has reached 24,977, the official quoted above added. 573 new cases were reported from the Pimpri Chinchwad region, taking the total count in the industrial township to 6,982.

The rural parts of the district and the areas in the Pune cantonment board have risen to 3,138.

The administration has identified 22 villages in the rural parts of Pune district where this lockdown will be implemented. The Pune district collector Naval Kishore Ram said that containment zones will be added to these villages apart from Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad areas.

Pune is not the only district in Maharashtra to go for increased restrictions as the state struggles to cope with the rising number of coronavirus cases. Aurangabad is also observing nine-day long Janta curfew aimed at disrupting the chain of transmissions.

Maharashtra: Streets deserted in Aurangabad as city observes 9-day long Janta curfew

The decision to clamp a hard lockdown comes as the cases in Pune witness a rapid rise. On Wednesday, Pune city had reported 1,006 new coronavirus cases, which was a new record for most number of daily cases till it was overshadowed by nearly 2,000 cases on Thursday.

ON Thursday, Maharashtras Covid-19 tally rose to 2,30,599 with the addition of 6,875 new cases. The state also reported 219 deaths, taking the toll to 9,667, the state health department had said.

The statement said the case recovery rate in the state was 55.19per cent, while the fatality rate stood at 4.19 per cent.
TRENTON  The so-called capital city cash cow is in jeopardy of sacrifice.

Growing tired of years of mismanagement and Trenton Water Works practice of shifting over millions in surplus to plug holes in the capital city budget, three municipalities want a state court judge to award them an ownership stake or force the city to privatize the public utility, according to court filings.

Short of that, the municipalities demand increased oversight of TWW from state regulators like the Board of Public Utilities.

Such a move by Hamilton, Lawrence and Ewing townships  which claim their combined 40,000 TWW customers are effectively being taxed without representation  is certain to strike a nerve with Trentonians, who staved off a previous push by the Doug Palmer administration to sell TWW assets to New Jersey American Water in 2010.

Hamilton Mayor Jeff Martin told The Trentonian this week that his administration planned to intervene in the suit pitting the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection against the capital city.

Strong Rebuke

The court filings represent the suburbs strongest rebuke of TWW to date, with the townships asking Superior Court Judge Robert Lougy to determine the proportionate and fair share of the control and governance of TWW, based on the number of ratepayers in each municipality.

Because of the continued mismanagement, diversion of funds to the Trenton City Budget that should have been earmarked to repairs and maintenance, taxation without representation, and lack of any control or oversight, the Plaintiff-Municipalities will, in addition to the remedies sought by DEP, demand remedies including, but not limited to: forcing a sale of all water infrastructure to a private entity, BPU oversight, and/or ownership interest in and proportional control over TWW, Eilssa Grodd Schragger, the Hamilton law director, wrote in a letter brief on behalf of the aggrieved municipalities.

In asking to join the states lawsuit against the capital city, the three municipalities have made demands that go beyond what the state Department of Environmental Protection sought in filing suit to compel Trenton officials to address lingering water-quality issues, including lead-service line replacement, mandated by two consent orders.

The latter ACO was signed by Mayor Reed Gusciora, in June 2018, in one of his first major acts of office.

At his swearing-in ceremony, Gusciora tapped Shing-Fu Hsueh, a state water-quality expert and former West Windsor mayor, to restore trust back in TWW, which was hammered by violations and negative publicity under former Mayor Eric Jackson.

Despite some of the progress made over the last two years, DEP Commissioner Catherine McCabe said the city gave the state little choice but to sue after the legislative body rejected $83 million in bonds slated for improvements and enhancements to TWW.

City legislators approved only $25 million of the bond package, for lead service line replacement.

The lawsuit, filed last month, is being handled by deputies from Attorney General Gurbir Grewals office.

The municipalities believe they should be allowed to intervene as parties to the state litigation because the outcome of the case impacts suburbanites who are among the utilitys nearly quarter of a million customers.

In the court filings, the municipalities trace their problems with TWW as far back as 2008, saying the city violated a previous lawsuit settlement hammered out in 2012 dealing with shared information about TWWs financials and operations.

For more than a decade, the townships say, Trenton has shirked responsibilities to address water-quality issues and diverted millions in surplus funds that should have gone toward maintaining and repairing crumbling infrastructure.

The municipalities estimate TWWs surplus at $14 million, based off a certification from DAG Robert Kinney. The utility had a $14.1 million operating surplus in 2019 and anticipated having a $9 million surplus in the 2020 fiscal year that ended June 30, according to budget documents.

By using funds that should have been reinvested in the utility, the municipalities say, the city has been able to keep the tax rate artificially low.

By virtue of Trentons diversion of TWW ratepayer funds into its budget, Trenton is enabled to maintain a lower overall tax rate for its residents, thereby giving its residents a windfall at the detriment of Plaintiff-Interveners residents, according to the seven-count complaint. Thus, the residents/ratepayers of Plaintiff-Interveners are improperly, and without representation, paying taxes for or in lieu of the residents of Trenton.

The power grab amounts to Guscioras worst nightmare come to life, as he pledged while campaigning and after getting sworn into office to do everything in power to ensure the city retained control of the struggling utility  which at-large councilman Jerell Blakeley once referred to as the citys cash cow.

While saying he understood consternation over TWWs previous failures, Gusciora  who has worried about the state appointing a special master over TWW  called the municipalities demands ridiculous and felt part of their asks are dead on arrival.

He cited Ewings objection to plans for how to go forward with an ACO-mandated project to cover the Pennington Reservoir, along the Trenton-Ewing border.

Trenton has proposed to construct above-ground storage tanks in Ewing, an arrangement that would require the township to condemn taxable commercial lots.

If they dont like it, they are free to go to another water distributor or create their own water company, he said. They cant say with a straight face, We want to be part owners, but we do not want any of the risk.'

He said TWW, which provides more than 29 million gallons of drinking water daily, hasnt been hit with a violation since last year.

DEPs Drinking Water Watch website, however, shows TWW had a lead service line replacement violation determined on Jan. 30.

Epic mismanagement

TWW in recent years has come under fire for accruing record levels of water quality violations stemming from staffing shortages and years of mismanagement. It generated 13 violations in 2018 and 11 violations in 2017, the worst performing years on record for the public water system. The utility accrued eight violations in 2019, according to the Drinking Water Watch database.

Elected officials in Hamilton Township have been complaining about TWW for the past decade, going back to former Mayor John Bencivengo.

In an April 2010 interview with The Trentonian, Bencivengo said he wanted to team up with Trentons then-Mayor Doug Palmer to get the message across that city and township residents would be better off if the Trenton Water Works suburban infrastructure gets sold to a private company.

I have to protect my residents, he said. I think this is the right way to protect them.

Palmer wanted to sell TWWs suburban assets to New Jersey American Water Co. for $80 million, but city voters rejected the proposed water deal in the 2010 municipal elections.

When Tony Mack became Trentons mayor in July 2010, his administration famously had a TWW snafu concerning boil water advisories to the townships.

In October 2010, TWW experienced an operational emergency  a filter debacle  and the water became temporarily unsafe to drink. The city, however, failed to notify the townships of the issue.

Bencivengo at that time wrote a letter to Mack expressing his complete frustration over the City of Trentons lack of communication with Hamilton regarding the unwanted dirty drinking water his town and other suburbs received from Trenton.

From this day forward, Bencivengo said in his angry letter, the City of Trenton must contact Hamilton Township directly, or if the situation warrants, our Office of Emergency Management, over any issues that could pose a safety issue for Hamilton residents serviced by Trenton Water Works.

During her early months in office, former Hamilton Mayor Kelly Yaede as early as May 2013 expressed serious concerns regarding Trenton Water Works and expressed no confidence in the citys ability to maintain the utility.

In a letter dated May 28, 2013, Yaede wrote a letter to then-Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno reiterating her call for the state of New Jersey, through the DEP, to take over the management and operation of the city-operated water utility.

Yaede in that letter provided four reasons for why she wanted a state takeover of TWW, including what she called troubling instances of Trenton Water Works failure to protect its customers from a variety of public health issues.

The problems at TWW, however, continued to register well beyond 2013.

The city slowly issued a boil water advisory on Jan. 15, 2018, a date when the water became temporarily unsafe to drink under the tenure of then-Mayor Eric Jackson.

TWWs shortcomings helped inspire state lawmakers to pass a bill requiring public water systems like TWW to issue a boil water notice within one hour of any drinking safety emergency. The legislation, signed into law by Gov. Phil Murphy earlier this year, also requires TWW to quickly notify the mayors and municipal clerks of Ewing, Hamilton, Lawrence and Hopewell townships of any boil water advisories put into effect.

With City Council rejecting $83 million in bonds that would have financed necessary improvements to TWW, the suburban leaders had enough.

While Mayor Gusciora has done a good job moving Trenton Water Works forward, Hamilton Mayor Jeff Martin said Friday, his council continues to impede the progress hes been making.

DEP wants Trenton to comply with the Administrative Consent Orders, but clearly the ACOs havent worked on Trenton City Council in getting them to do what they need to do, Martin said, so we felt we needed to ask for more.

In demanding the possible forced sale of TWW, Its not that we want to do this, Ewing Mayor Bert Steinmann said Friday, but they dont really leave us with any choice.

I think we as the outlying communities got a little bit tired and annoyed of being held hostage by Trenton city water, he said, when they were basically not doing what they were supposed to do.

Steinmann said he thought TWW was on the right track until City Council for whatever apparent reason decided not to fund some of the projects that were supposed to happen, and it effects the outlying communities.

Unlike the other suburbs, all of Ewings potable water comes from TWW.

I want to make sure the water is being protected, Steinmann said. I care about the residents of Ewing Township. We want good drinking water quality.

In response to the townships legal filings, the city released a statement Friday touting the achievements of TWW, which was once housed under public works until it was reorganized into its own department under the Gusciora administration.

Those achievements included the administration putting forth a six-year $405 million capital improvement plan, funded in part by the water utilitys first rate increase in over a decade. Customers average bill jumped from $494 to about $625 a year.

The city began a new treatment to prevent lead from leaching into the drinking water, filled 70 longstanding staffing vacancies and made deals with contractors who have replaced 828 lead service lines in the water distribution system to date, according to court filings.

However, thats well short of what the state demanded as part of the consent order that required Trenton to replace more than 2,500 lead services lines by last December.

Financial Woes

The townships focused on what they believed is a pattern of financial mismanagement that has had negative consequences for the capital city and suburban customers.

Officials have claimed TWW is self-liquidating, meaning it generates enough revenue to cover its debts. But city legislators have demanded a forensic audit of TWW  something the Gusciora administration has opposed as costly and unnecessary.

Blakeley, who has consistently voted in favor of funding TWW mandates, faulted both sides for the impasse and the current situation Trenton is in.

He noted the $83 million bonds, needing a super-majority to pass, failed by a single vote. Although he didnt support a forensic audit, he felt a concession from the mayor could go a long way with his colleagues.

I think that some people just dont listen, he said. They have to learn the hard way. I dont understand why the administration doesnt just do the forensic audit. It raises suspicion that they are willing to lose control over the water works not to do a forensic audit. Do the damn forensic audit.

The council has repeatedly questioned how bonds issued over the last decade were spent, receiving few answers from the administration, at-large councilman Santiago Rodriguez said.

Thats part of the reason Rodriguez voted against the $83 million bond package.

He suggested the townships are bluffing to force Trenton to sell the public utility.

Theres something fishy going on at Trenton Water Works, he said, adding he hopes the lawsuit helps council get answers to the lingering financial questions.

Questions about the utilitys finances are nothing new.

In 2008, the townships sued over a previous rate increase, claiming Trenton made a habit of transferring TWW surplus money to the general fund.

From 2004 to 2006, the city transferred about $1.2 million over from the water utility, according to the lawsuit. That number jumped to $6.2 million in 2007, the complaint said.

More than $12.3 million was designated surplus to current fund, between 2008 and 2011, the lawsuit claimed.

The surplus-transfer practice allowed the city to keep the municipal tax rate artificially low, giving Trentonians an added benefit over the suburbs, the townships argue, adding that should be scrutinized by BPU, which regulates service rates for customers throughout New Jersey.

Because Trenton residents/ratepayers are paying a disproportionally lower rate for TWWs water treatment and services, by operation of law, TWW should fall within the jurisdiction and oversight of the BPU, the complaint states.

While the suit over the surplus practice was settled in 2012, the townships contend Trenton failed to abide by the agreement, requiring it to provide the townships with information regarding capital improvement projects and proposed transfers of surplus from the water utility to Trentons general fund, according to court filings.

Lawrence Municipal Manager Kevin Nerwinksi, who was the township attorney when the first lawsuit was filed, said prior and current litigation show the municipalities have gotten nowhere with TWW.

Clearly, the recent increase in rates combined with the refusal by Trenton City Council to fund critically important infrastructure improvements to the TWW facility against a backdrop of years of poor water quality production, make it necessary for the Townships to demand significant change in TWW operations and oversight, he said. The City of Trenton has failed its residents and ours and it needs to be corrected once and for all.  There is no time to wait this out and hope things get better.
When the paperback version of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's 2016 memoir "The Long Game" came out in December, McConnell got some promotional help from an important social media influencer. President Donald Trump, who wrote a new foreword to the book, tweeted praise for it twice to his more than 80 million followers.

"A great new book," Trump called it in one tweet. He added: "Amazing story!"

Trump's glowing endorsement came just in time for Christmas, but perhaps he'd been meaning to show McConnell, R-Ky., just how much he cared: Three weeks later, the Senate began hearing arguments in Trump's impeachment trial, before ultimately voting to acquit him.

Trump's well-timed plug for McConnell's book is part of a recurring, if largely overlooked, feature of his presidency. Since taking office in early 2017, he has tweeted or retweeted 141 times on behalf of authors and their new books, making the topic one of his leading Twitter preoccupations. He typically offers the same blurb-worthy comment: "Great new book!"

Like his McConnell tweets, Trump's endorsements are striking because of how politically strategic they've been. Collectively, they may help reinforce loyalty to him. They may also be a kind of in-kind contribution, given that a presidential pat on the back could help sell a book and thus increase an author's royalties.

Many of the books he's promoted have been those by political allies in Congress. The list includes Republicans such as Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Tim Scott of South Carolina, Joni Ernst of Iowa, Martha McSally of Arizona, Mike Lee of Utah and Rand Paul of Kentucky, and Reps. Dan Crenshaw of Texas and Steve Scalise of Louisiana. Trump has never endorsed a book by an elected Democrat or a local official of any party while in office.

A second major focus of Trump's tweets are books by conservative media figures, particularly those employed by Fox News. The list here includes Fox hosts and pundits Tucker Carlson, Jeanine Pirro, Mark Levin, Brian Kilmeade, Ainsley Earhardt, Pete Hegseth, Dan Bongino, Gregg Jarrett, Rachel Campos-Duffy and Andrew McCarthy. All of these authors have been reliable supporters of the president, frequently defending him on the air.

Trump has made no mention of recent books by Fox News anchors Bret Baier and Chris Wallace, both of whom have at times reported unflattering news about the administration (Fox News declined to comment).

A third category for Trump are books that take his side of an argument or otherwise flatter him. Trump repeatedly tweeted about Jarrett's "The Russia Hoax: The Illicit Scheme to Clear Hillary Clinton and Frame Donald Trump," and about "The MAGA Doctrine," a book by Charlie Kirk, who heads a pro-Trump nonprofit organization. A book by Fox News pundit Nick Adams that compares Trump to Winston Churchill has also received presidential praise on Twitter.

The sheer number of Trump's book endorsements is unprecedented for a sitting president. President Barack Obama made book recommendations while in office, too, but his list was substantially different from Trump's. Obama tended to recommend historical works (Ron Chernow's biography of George Washington), literary classics (Gabriel Garcia Marquez's "One Hundred Years of Solitude" and F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby") and recent fiction (Anthony Doerr's "All the Light We Cannot See"). None of his choices were titles about himself or his presidency.

Federal rules prohibit government employees from promoting products of any kind, including books, but the Office of Government Ethics specifically exempts the president and vice president.

Nevertheless, the practice is "enough to make people question" what Trump is doing, said Jordan Libowitz, a spokesman for the government watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.

"There seems to be a symbiotic relationship" between Trump and the authors who laud him, he said. "They praise him, he endorses (their books). It's almost like a little ecosystem. If you give him enough praise, he might be able to make you some money" via an endorsement.

Added Libowitz: "People imagine the president to be above this kind of thing. But Trump has shown from the beginning that he doesn't tend to follow ethical norms."

It's not clear how many of the books that Trump has endorsed he's actually read. He rarely mentions books in any public forum other than Twitter. Before running for president, he almost never cited books other than his own. (The White House press office declined several requests for comment).

It's also not clear how, or if, a presidential endorsement affects a book's sales. Several Trump-backed volumes have indeed become bestsellers, though a number of these benefited from large bulk purchases from Republican organizations that gave the books away to political donors (among the authors praised by Trump who reached bestseller status this way: Donald Trump Jr. and Nikki Haley, Trump's former ambassador to the United Nations).

Some of the books that Trump has endorsed, such as those by Pirro and Levin, were bestsellers by the time the president got around to mentioning them. On the other hand, "endorsements by prominent people often spur book sales," said Bradley Graham, the co-owner of Politics and Prose, the Washington, D.C., bookstore. "And no one is more prominent than the president."

Even so, the volume of Trump's book endorsements may be counterproductive, said Thomas Dunne, who spent nearly 50 years in the publishing business, handling books by the likes of Newt Gingrich, Pat Buchanan and Bernie Sanders.

"In general, I think he now sends out so many tweets, the impact of just one plug would be minimal," he said.

What seems more apparent, said Dunne, is the inverse: Trump's attacks on various books have hyped their sales. He said, for example, that "Team of Vipers," a tell-all by a former Trump Administration official named Cliff Sims, got a bump after Trump blasted it on Twitter ("a boring book based on made-up stories and fiction"). The president's denunciation fueled more mainstream media attention, which may have triggered more sales, Dunne said.

The same kind of negative Twitter attention from Trump may have helped sell other critical works about him, including bestsellers by Michael Wolff, Bob Woodward, former FBI director James Comey and former Trump national security adviser John Bolton.

So far, Trump hasn't mentioned a forthcoming book by his niece, Mary Trump ("Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man"), which has become a bestseller based on preorders.
Re-examining all policies and procedures for policing and body camera usage, reviving a police-community relations oversight committee, increasing police funding and redesigning the departments uniform patch to remove a Confederate battle flag image were all ideas pitched Thursday during a Mobile City Council meeting focused on the future of policing.

The two-hour meeting included testimony from a handful of residents, some who urged for more transparency in releasing the citys police procedures.

Police Chief Lawrence Battiste and James Barber, the executive director of public safety, said that the departments policies were under review in the aftermath of the Memorial Day killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis that sparked protests and demonstrations against police brutality nationwide.

The push to review the departments policies and procedures comes after Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, on Tuesday, announced he was assembling a task force that will do a similar review across many aspects of local government including police. The task force will have 90 days to provide recommendations to his office.

Its not something weve done but as (Ive) had conversations with different people throughout the community, more and more are asking the question (about releasing the departments policies), said Battiste. Ive asked our legal adviser to look at the national standards as it relates to releasing policies and procedures. We are looking at whether we  can make it available online.

Battiste said he releases portions of the policies to the media and to the council when asked to do so. But he said the departments entire policy document is well over 800 pages long. He said he is worried about releasing a mammoth document that could be more confusing than helpful for the public.

Were looking at what other large departments our size are doing nationally, said Battiste. I dont think we should make it a printed document and tell (the public) to take it home and read it. Our goal is not to confuse the public on what they are reading regarding policies and procedures.

There were no calls to defund the Mobile Police Department, unlike what has occurred in cities elsewhere in the country. And some council members, such as Councilwomen Gina Gregory and Bess Rich, requested more funding for the department to increase salaries and improve training.

Speakers and elected officials during the council meeting also called on action for the following issues:

*Raoul Richardson of Mobile called on the city to revive a long dormant community advisory and oversight committee for policing. I will not be able to breathe until we have meaningful substantive dialogue that promotes change that is reflected in what a community needs, he said. Battiste said that the Police Department already has an internal oversight committee and added that he was not opposed to having oversight of the department. But he expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of another committee, saying that members would have to take an objective look at issues and not make kneejerk changes to something because a small segment of the community is complaining about and that they might not have the details about.

*Councilman Fred Richardson called on the department to consider more expansive use of body cameras. The department has utilized body cams for at least the past five years, but only for officers who interact routinely with the public. Supervisors, for instance, are not required to wear one. Battiste said the city is examining its body cam policy.

*Barber said he cannot recall Mobile police using a so-called no-knock warrant that have come under fire since Breonna Taylor was shot and killed inside her home by Louisville police as she slept in March. Battiste, meanwhile, said that the police department does not teach the chokehold to apprehend suspects. He said the department was reviewing its policy dealing with neck restraints.

*Wanda Rahman, assistant attorney for the Mobile Police Department, advised people who are witnessing what they believe is police brutality to utilize their cell phone video, find out the name of the police officers involved, and report anything that may not look like it should be happening by calling 911. Be cognizant of what is going on, she said. Also be present when police come around and are asking if you saw anything.

The patch worn on the arm of Mobile Police Chief Lawrence Battiste as pictured on Thursday, July 9, 2020. Battiste said a redesign is underway that, when completed, will remove the Confederate battle flag image. (John Sharp/jsharp@al.com).

*Battiste said that the department is analyzing a redesign of the departments insignia that is worn as a patch on all Mobile police uniforms. He said that all 507 police offices within the city have three uniforms at a minimum and that replacing every uniform with two new patches will result in a pretty large increase to the departments budget. I hope we can complete this task, he said. The departments redesigned insignia could be unveiled next month.

Mobile, unlike Birmingham and Huntsville, had few incidences last month that resulted in aggressive activity by police against protesters during what is now considered the largest protest movement in the nations history. According to The New York Times, up to 26 million people participated in more than 4,700 demonstrations across the country since Floyd was killed by a white police officer who kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes. Floyd repeatedly pleaded, I cant breathe, to police officers.

Mobiles most explosive incident occurred on May 31 resulting in a standoff between police and protesters attempting to block traffic at Interstate 10 in downtown Mobile.

Huntsville has assembled a citizens advisory committee to review police activity during protests that occurred on June 1 and 3 that ended with police breaking up crowds with tear gas and other riot gear. The 10-member committee, which doesnt have oversight authority over the police department, is designed to advise and serve as a liaison between police and the community.
Boris Johnson will next week tell office workers to start returning to their desks to help save the British economy.

The Prime Minister will use an update on virus strategy to press employers to start ordering their staff back to the workplace  if it is safe.

He and Chancellor Rishi Sunak are said to be aghast at the impact empty offices are having on town centre shops and restaurants  and worried that widespread homeworking is wrecking Britains productivity.

Mr Johnson was seen wearing a face mask for the first time yesterday while greeting shop owners in his Uxbridge constituency after he hinted the coverings would be made compulsory in shops in England.

The British government currently recommends measures such as a face covering should be taken if people cannot keep two metres away from each other indoors.

A shift from a focus on keeping a two-metre distance to the new 'one metre plus' policy - which emphasises the use of face coverings - is evidence of the Government's desire to return to a state of normality.

As masks are said to prevent the virus from spreading, their use could help overcome some of the problems the two-metre rule creates for businesses - many of which have been under enormous strain since lockdown.

Government sources say Mr Johnson told Whitehall chiefs this week to set an example by starting to return civil servants to their desks. On a conference call with 200 senior civil servants, he said it was more efficient and productive than working from home.

He added: Now we are asking primary school children to come back, now that we are opening shops, and pubs are coming back, I do think its time for the great British civil service departments of state to get back to the office if we can do so in a Covid-secure way.

I know there are logistical difficulties but we have got to get back to our desks if we can. I do hope, in the words of Vera Lynn, we will meet again and get everybody back together.

He has also asked business and City chiefs, including Goldman Sachs boss Richard Gnodde, to order more staff back to base.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson wearing a face mask in his Uxbridge constituency. The Prime Minister will use an update on virus strategy to press employers to start ordering their staff back to the workplace  if it is safe

Mr Johnson hinted at a new strategy in a public Q&A session yesterday, saying people should start to go to work now if you can and adding: I want to see more people feeling confident to use the shops, use the restaurants, and get back into work  but only if we all follow the guidance.

The faster we can get back to the status quo the better.

The PM has asked officials for a Roadmap 2 for returning to a more normal life, with a nine-month timetable for scrapping most social distancing rules. He is wrangling with Government scientists about how to do it safely.

Chains left in lurch without lunchtime rush Business leaders called for more clarity from ministers yesterday over when millions of white-collar workers can return to their offices. They claim working from home is damaging the economy, with High Street retailers such as Pret A Manger and Upper Crust slashing thousands of jobs after takings were hammered by the absence of employees buying food on their lunch breaks. Boots also said footfall had dramatically reduced as it announced plans to cut 4,000 jobs. James Reed, of the recruitment firm Reed, said retailers had become collateral damage, adding: Businesses need greater clarity over when workers could come back to offices. Shobi Khan, chief executive of the London offices landlord Canary Wharf Group, said: There is no problem going to Spain, Italy or France, but heaven forbid you go to the office. Edwin Morgan, of the Institute of Directors, said: Offices play a key role in the surrounding economy. City centre firms, particularly in food and hospitality, rely heavily on commuter custom. Advertisement

He is particularly concerned about the effect of homeworking in London, whose normally vibrant economy helps power the UK. A senior source said: It doesnt matter how much Rishi Sunak spends on incentives and subsidies to help restaurants and shops if their customers are sat at home.

Many banks and companies have told staff they are likely to be working from home until September or even the end of the year, leaving business areas deserted.

Retailers including Boots, Pret A Manger, Upper Crust and TM Lewin are among those slashing thousands of jobs as a result. James Reed, head of recruitment firm Reed, said: Its clear offices re-opening would be a positive for the economy and would bring a lot of life back into the cities.

Government offices have been deserted since the start of March. At the Department for Education, for example, just 20 staff out of 6,500 are regularly in the office. Mr Johnson said he aimed to avoid a second spike using test-and-trace and local lockdowns but wanted to avoid a new national lockdown at all costs. I do want to get back to a world where people are able to shake hands again, he added.

His message suggests the PM has overruled Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who has been cautious about easing the lockdown.

In a web chat with a womens group yesterday, he said working from home had become the new norm and suggested people could be given a new right to request it. He said there was a big argument that home working had raised productivity. Whitehall sources said the PM did not agree.

But aides later suggested Mr Hancock had been talking about existing rules that give people the right to request flexible working.

On Friday Mr Johnson urged Britons to get back into work - in a shift from the government's 'work from home if you can' edict.

The PM suggested people should return to the office if it is 'safe' as he held an online Q&A session with members of the public.

The comments seem to mark a significant change in the message from ministers, amid mounting concerns about a bloodbath of jobs on the high street - with 60,000 facing the axe this week alone as lockdown wreaks havoc on the economy.

Cafes and coffee shops have been slashing their workforce as demand has all-but dried up in many towns and cities, with huge numbers still working from home rather than going to the office.

Boris Johnson is seen wearing a face mask while out in his Uxbridge constituency today

The PM suggested people should return to the office if it is 'safe' as he held an online Q&A session with members of the public today

The Government's concerns now seem to shifting to the economic health of the country, with fears that 1980s-style unemployment will make a comeback unless normal consumer behaviour resumes. Forecasts now predict that the UK jobless rate will top 10 per cent by the end of the year.

Although the Prime Minister has consistently said his Government 'follows the science' on coronavirus policy, it is not yet clear whether Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick Vallance, the Chief Scientific Adviser and Sage chairman, have approved the change in message.

There are concerns that many staff will be unable to return even if they want to, as social distancing rules mean there is not enough physical space on offices and public transport cannot run at full capacity.

Mr Johnson said today: 'I want people to go back to work as carefully as possible. It's very important that people should be going back to work if they can now.'

The move by the PM came as:

South West England's R rate could now have edged above one, with government scientists admitting the Midlands is now the only region where it is definitely below the pivotal number. Across the country it remains between 0.7 and 0.9, according to the assessment;

The UK has recorded just 48 more Covid-19 deaths, taking the official toll to 44,650. It means the average daily number of fatalities has now dropped to 74 - the lowest since March 24 and a 28 per cent fall in a week

Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled another massive package to revive UK plc this week, urging people to help out by spending money with businesses crippled by the efforts to combat coronavirus

Nearly 60,000 workers face redundancy after a series of businesses pulled the trigger on layoffs less than a day after the Chancellor delivered a 30billion package designed to keep people off the dole

The owner of Wagamama and Frankie & Benny's said one in 10 of its restaurants will not reopen before the end of the year, becoming the latest firm to reveal it is struggling due to the coronavirus crisis, following Boots, John Lewis, Rolls Royce and Burger King this week

Although the Prime Minister has consistently said his Government 'follows the science' on coronavirus policy, it is not yet clear whether Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty (right) and Sir Patrick Vallance (left), the Chief Scientific Adviser and Sage chairman, have approved the change in message

Tesco SCRAPS one way systems on aisle floors and is increasing the number of customers allowed inside stores Tesco has scrapped one way systems on aisle floors as the supermarket eases social distancing restrictions. The supermarket announced it will be increasing the number of customers allowed inside stores though it will still ask shoppers to stay two metres apart. Supermarkets across the UK were forced to introduce rules keeping customers safe when the coronavirus lockdown first came into place in March. The Government's bid to get more business open last Saturday has allowed Tesco to reduce queues outside by introducing more customers inside. Tesco, which has around 3,700 UK stores, joined other supermarkets in enforcing one-way queues and a new one-in-one-out entry plan in March. Other supermarkets including Aldi introduced a traffic light system at entrances to keep to the two-metre social distancing gap. Tesco said it will monitor how many customers visit now measures have been relaxed but some stores are now allowing more people inside at one time. The number of customers allowed in each branch will be decided by store managers, so will vary across the country. Advertisement

In his remarks today, the Prime Minister said: 'I think everybody has sort of taken the ''stay at home if you can'' - I think we should now say, well, ''go back to work if you can''. Because I think it's very important that people should try to lead their lives more normally.

'I want to see more people feeling confident to use the shops, use the restaurants, and get back into work - but only if we all follow the guidance.'

Mr Johnson also hinted that face coverings will be made compulsory in shops in a bid to reassure nervous customers.

He admitted that 'the balance of scientific opinion seemed to have shifted' over how effective makeshift masks can be.

'I do think we need to be stricter in insisting people wear face coverings in confined spaces where they are meeting people they don't normally meet,' Mr Johnson said.

'We are looking at ways of making sure that people really do have face coverings in shops, for instance, where there is a risk of transmission.'

The shift came after lockdown was significantly eased in England from last Saturday, with pubs and restaurants allowed to open as long as they have 'Covid Secure' precautions in place.

However, the PM's advice for UK employees to work from home where possible seeming still applied until now.

In response to the Prime Minister's new advice, General Secretary of shop and distribution workers' trade union Usdaw, Paddy Lillis, told MailOnline: 'The Covid-19 pandemic is still very much with us and Usdaw urges the Government to proceed with caution and follow the science.

'The releasing of lockdown must happen at a pace that ensures there isnt a second spike in infections. Usdaw hasnt called for the mandatory wearing of face coverings, but now it has been introduced in Scotland we will monitor how it works.

'We welcome anything that helps to keep customers and shop workers safe, but the most important measure is to maintain proper social distancing and hygiene.

Many food and drink outlets have been hit hard by the fact that millions of Britons have worked from home during the coronavirus crisis. Pictured, Marylebone Station in London

Around 4,000 jobs are set to go at Boots, with 48 of its opticians stores expected to close

'Thats why Usdaw is urging employers to stay with the established two-metre distancing, keep using screens at tills and limiting the number of shoppers in store at any one time.

'We also want to be clear that it should never fall on shopworkers to enforce the wearing of face coverings, they are already dealing with more abuse than normal and this could be another flashpoint.'

How many jobs are at risk across the UK? Accenture - 900

Airbus - 1,700

Arcadia - 500

BA - 12,000

Beales - 1,052

Bentley - 1,000

Burger King - 1,600

Casual Dining Group (Bella Italia, Cafe Rouge and Las Iguanas) - 1,900

DHL at Jaguar Land Rover - 2,200

EasyJet - 4,500

Go Outdoors - 2,400

Harrods - 700

Harveys - 240

Links - 350

Mothercare - 2,500

Oasis Warehouse - 1,800

P&O Ferries - 1,100

Pret a Manger - 1,330

Ryanair - 3,000

SSP Group (Upper Crust, Caffe Ritazza) - 5,000

Ted Baker - 160

TM Lewin - 600

Tui - 8,000

Victoria's Secret - 800 at risk Advertisement

In more evidence of the woes on the high street today, pharmacies insisted they need 370million of loans for PPE and other coronavirus measures turned into a grant by the government.

The chair of the National Pharmacy Association Andrew Lane said: There are many community pharmacies up and down the country on the financial brink, crippled by the extra cost of COVID19. If they close, the towns and villages they serve will lose a popular and life-saving asset.

'Similarly, if the government is serious about stopping the slow death of the high street it needs to act now and put its money where its mouth is.

'The government managed to find more than a billion pounds for the arts sector yet is dithering over financial aid to frontline health workers.'

Earlier today the owner of Wagamama and Frankie & Benny's said one in 10 of its restaurants will not reopen before the end of the year.

The Restaurant Group said the stores - largely in airports - will open next year at the earliest as they are unlikely to attract enough customers to make it worthwhile.

Those affected are in areas 'where footfall is anticipated to remain considerably weak', the company said in an update for shareholders on Friday.

It raises concerns for the jobs of those who work at the sites, as the Government's furlough scheme, which covers salaries, will end in October.

It is the latest firm to reveal it is struggling due to the coronavirus crisis, following Boots, John Lewis, Rolls Royce and Burger King this week.

The news is another blow to Rishi Sunak's battle to keep Britons in work as it emerged nearly 60,000 workers face redundancy.

A series of businesses pulled the trigger on layoffs less than a day after the Chancellor delivered a 30billion package designed to keep people off the dole.

The Restaurant Group, which owns Wagamama (pictured, the Chancellor at a central London site yesterday) said the stores - largely in airports - will open next year at the earliest

The Restaurant Group did not immediately provide an answer to what will happen to its staff.

All the stores that will reopen this year will have started serving customers by the end of September, the company said.

Meanwhile, 60 per cent of its sites that open before the end of August can take advantage of the Government's Eat Out to Help Out scheme, which gives diners up to 50 per cent off their meal during the first three days of the week.

One in four of the Restaurant Group's restaurants and pubs will be open by the end of this month.

It told investors: 'The group has now started a phased reopening of its restaurants and pubs for eat-in trade in line with Government guidance.

'We are very pleased to be able to welcome back our customers and colleagues ensuring that their safety is paramount, whilst maintaining an enjoyable experience.

'The diversified portfolio of the group allows each division to adapt to the challenges of social distancing uniquely, whilst keeping the customer at the heart of every decision.'

The news comes at a turbulent time for the company. Last month it announced 125 Frankie & Benny's sites will close permanently, with 3,000 jobs on the line.

It will be left with around 400 restaurants and pubs after the restructuring. The company's board took a 40 per cent pay cut at the start of April as they tapped into Government furlough money.

On Friday they upped their pay, but will still take 20 per cent less than normal until all staff are off Government-backed furlough.

Ghost town Britain on the brink of bankruptcy: Eerie before-and-after Covid pictures reveal how deserted country's shops remain even after lockdown was eased

Eerie images of usually busy hotspots reveal just how hard the coronavirus crisis has hit Britain.

As Boris Johnson prepares to tell office workers to start returning to their desks to help save the country's economy next week, the pictures show how even though the UK has been easing out of lockdown, we are still far from 'normal'.

The Aldwych in the West End, Londons Victoria Station and Leadenhall Market - sites usually packed with people on a typical day - are seen deserted amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The images serve as a reminder that, although we appear to be past the virus' 'first wave', Britain's troubles may be far from over as we face the consequences of a dried-up economy.

 Slide me  Bringing the curtain down: Like all of Londons world famous theatres, the Aldwych in the West End has gone from seeing excited audiences queueing on the streets to closing its doors in a box office disaster

 Slide me  Going nowhere fast: Londons Victoria Station can be a crush for commuters at the best of times  but even with lockdown eased it seems many of them are wary of donning face masks to use public transport again

 Slide me  Bad for business: Leadenhall Market in the City of London is usually thronged with financial workers doing deals over lunch, but the reopened New Moon pub, right, seems to be struggling to attract customers

 Slide me  Virtually deserted: All year round the South Bank of the Thames next to Tower Bridge and City Hall should be swarming with holidaymakers taking pictures of the iconic sights, yet Covid has reduced the flood to a trickle

 Slide me  No longer a magnet for tourists: Covent Garden in central London would normally be crammed with shoppers checking out the stallholders wares. As the picture on the right shows, however, thats far from the case now

 Slide me  Plenty of room at the shops: Bicester Village in Oxfordshire is a mecca for bargain-hunters with its high-end retail outlets offering discounted prices. But the tills will hardly be ringing if customer numbers remain as they are now

Who is that masked man? Boris Johnson appears in a face covering for the first time after hinting they WILL be made compulsory in shops

Boris Johnson has been seen wearing a face covering in public for the first time

It comes after PM hinted masks could be made compulsory in shops in England

Nicola Sturgeon has made the coverings compulsory in shops in Scotland

Poll for MailOnline finds 61 per cent of public in England want to follow suit

Boris Johnson has been seen wearing a face mask for the first time today after he had hinted the coverings would be made compulsory in shops in England.

The prime minister was spotted wearing the covering while out greeting shop owners in his Uxbridge constituency this afternoon.

The UK government currently recommends measures such as a face covering should be taken if people cannot keep two metres away from each other indoors.

However, unlike Scotland - where coverings became compulsory in shops from today - the only place they are mandated is public transport. A poll for MailOnline has found 61 per cent of the public want to follow the example north of the border on the issue.

Speaking during an online Q&A session with members of the public, the PM admitted that 'the balance of scientific opinion seemed to have shifted' over how effective masks can be.

'I do think we need to be stricter in insisting people wear face coverings in confined spaces where they are meeting people they don't normally meet,' Mr Johnson said.

Boris Johnson has been pictured wearing a face mask for the first time in public while out in his Uxbridge constituency

The prime minister wore a mask in conservative blue as he met shop owners in his constituency

A poll by Redfield & Wilton Strategies for MailOnline found 61 per cent of the public in England would like to see coverings enforced in shops and supermarkets - with just 26 per cent opposed. The support is reflected across the wider UK

'We are looking at ways of making sure that people really do have face coverings in shops, for instance, where there is a risk of transmission.'

Earlier, Mr Johnson faced questions over why he had yet to be seen in a mask in public, before later wearing one.

By contrast, Nicola Sturgeon has appeared in public sporting a tartan model, and has trolled Mr Johnson by retweeting an article asking why Westminster politicians are not wearing them.

A poll by Redfield & Wilton Strategies for MailOnline found 61 per cent of the public in England would like to see coverings enforced in shops and supermarkets - with just 26 per cent opposed. And new figures from the Office for National Statistics today suggested half of adults are already routinely donning them.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has been seen wearing a mask while visiting a hospital, while Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden also wore one while attending a gallery this week.

But despite revealing he has a Florence Nightingale mask, the PM has not been seen wearing it.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak faced a backlash yesterday after he was pictured serving food to customers at a Wagamamas in London without a face covering.

The Prime Minister appeared to be in high spirits as he posed for selfies with members of the public

The Prime Minister visited a range of businesses in his constituency following the easing of lockdown

Speaking during an online Q&A session with members of the public, the PM admitted that 'the balance of scientific opinion seemed to have shifted' over how effective they can be

London mayor Sadiq Khan has written to the PM saying he is 'disappointed and frustrated' that the Government has not said masks must be worn in 'busy and enclosed public places'.

The Labour politician added: 'Face coverings are not only vital for public health. 'They could play an increasing role in supporting public confidence and our economic recovery.'

When asked whether such a gesture was according to social distancing rules, the PM's spokesman said: 'The guidance is clear that you should stay two metres apart where you can. 'If that's not possible, it is one metre, plus mitigation, and that mitigation has been set out in the guidance.'

In a round of interviews this morning, culture minister Caroline Dinenage said she wears a mask 'all the time' as the Government came under pressure to answer why more senior figures had not been pictured wearing face coverings.

Ms Dinenage, when asked if she had worn a covering since the coronavirus pandemic started, said she regularly wore face masks made by her son and that she had posted an image of herself wearing it on social media.

To mark face masks being made mandatory on public transport last month, the Tory MP tweeted a picture of herself on June 5 while wearing a cloth covering.

Ms Dinenage told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I wear mine all the time.

Nicola Sturgeon (left) has trolled Boris Johnson (right) by retweeting an article asking why Westminster politicians were not wearing face coverings in public

'I have a fashion design student as a son who has run me up a few on his sewing machine and I wear them all the time.

'A lot of us are out there wearing them as we go about our daily lives.'

Ms Dinenage said 'you'd have to ask the Prime Minister and the Chancellor' when questioned why neither of the highest ranking ministers had been photographed wearing a covering in public.

She said 'lots of my colleagues' had taken to wearing a face covering, adding: 'If the scientific evidence proves that it (the guidance on masks) definitely is something that needs to change, then of course we will.'

Asked whether the government had considered introducing a similar rule to Scotland in England, Ms Dinenage told the BBC: 'Yes of course, and they are mandatory on public transport.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak faced a backlash yesterday after he was pictured serving food to customers at a Wagamamas in London without a face covering

Eu chief negotiator Michel Barnier wore a mask when he came to Downing Street this week - in contrast to the PM and the Chancellor

'But we have said face coverings in closed spaces is advised, but people can use their own discretion - but of course we will keep this under review.

'This is a topic upon which scientists tend to have rather different views so we are looking at it as new scientific studies emerge.'

The ONS survey was conducted between July 2-5, with 52 per cent of the public saying they had worn a face covering in the previous week - up from 43 per cent the week before..

The president of the Royal Society this week recommended that everyone should wear a face covering in public to reduce the risk of a second wave of Covid-19 infections.

Professor Venki Ramakrishna said people should wear a mask when they leave home - particularly in enclosed indoor spaces - but acknowledged that the public remain 'sceptical' about the benefits.

People WON'T obey lockdown again: SAGE files reveal scientists warned UK Government to prepare for 'visible resistance' to future rule changes and show a THIRD of the public still don't know the symptoms of Covid-19

Behavioural experts warn of 'various responses' to future lockdown measures

People no longer fear the coronavirus as much and disagree with Government

Young people are sick of social distancing and are beginning to stop doing it

Other papers showed public toilets are considered a particular transmission risk

The virus may spread from person-to-person over 10 metres, but it is unlikely

The Government has been warned to prepare for 'visible resistance' if it ever tries to introduce another lockdown to fight coronavirus in the future, official advice papers revealed today.

Newly-released files from Number 10's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) show that top behavioural scientists fear people won't follow the draconian rules for a second time.

They warned young people are tiring of social distancing and abandoning the rules, while disagreements about the UK's approach to Covid-19 mean the public will be less likely to follow advice in future.

Public faith in the Government - which has faced a barrage of criticism for having Europe's worst death toll - has dropped since the start of the pandemic and people no longer have the same fear of the virus, the papers cautioned.

The same document revealed that a staggering 35 per cent of people - more than a third - still don't know that coughing and a fever are the two tell-tale symptoms of Covid-19.

Another paper revealed scientists consider public toilets to be one of the highest risk areas for catching the coronavirus. They say using them is riskier than touching door handles in public or using cash machines.

And while being within two metres (6'7") of someone presents the biggest risk of catching the virus, there is still a risk of it transmitting if someone is 10m (32') away, one report said.

And a third advice paper said measuring the reproduction rate of the virus - the R - will not be useful now that the outbreak has shrunk, and definitely not on a regional level.

The findings in SAGE papers published today include:

Behavioural scientists warned trying to reintroduce lockdown rules after lifting them 'might evoke various responses' because people disagree over whether they're necessary;

Many people 'lack a basic understanding of Covid-19' and only 65 per cent can identify the main symptoms, researchers said. They added that people are 'c onfused by rapidly changing government guidance and do not fully understand the rationale for it';

The coronavirus may be able to spread between people who are 10 metres (32 feet) apart, but the highest risk is when people are within 2m (6'7") of others;

A huge study of 64,066 Covid-19 hospital patients in the UK found that 28 per cent of them died. Patients spent nine days in hospital, on average, and 16 per cent needed high-flow oxygen treatment;

Regional R rate comparisons are not an accurate way of measuring where hotspots are, and the national rate is only vague once case numbers have dropped.

The Government has been warned that they could face 'visible resistance' to further lockdown measures and that people aren't as afraid of Covid-19 as they were in March (Pictured, Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the Downing Street press briefing on July 3)

Officials may struggle to reimpose lockdown measures

One of the key reports in today's batch of the papers, which are now released weekly as part of a transparency drive, was from the group SPI-B, which reports to SAGE.

SPI-B, the Scientific Pandemic Influenza group on Behaviour, advises the Government about human behaviour and issues it might face dealing with people.

The report, dated June and titled 'Consensus on reintroduction of measures and their impact on rate of infection', said: 'From a behavioural perspective, reintroduction of measures might evoke various responses from the population  silent compliance, critical compliance or visible resistance (eg. from marginalised groups, young people).

'Policy and communication need to take these different forms of response into account in order to be successful.

'Several factors should be considered when deciding what measures to introduce and how to introduce them. These apply equally at a national level, and at a more local level.'

The scientists started by saying many people were likely to change their own behaviour without being forced to do so, if told they were at risk of infection.

They said these would be gradual changes rather than sudden ones and that enforcement might be needed to speed them up.

The main concern they raised was that the 'psychological context' of any future lockdowns will be different to what it was in March, when the country was facing the unknown and thousands of people were catching the disease every day.

SPI-B's report said: 'Disagreements about the appropriate response to the pandemic are likely to complicate any attempt to reimpose restrictions.'

And it added: 'There has been an increase in resistance to social distancing measures in recent weeks...

'This is particularly pronounced in the case of certain demographics and communities which have borne the brunt of lockdown but in some cases are at less at risk, e.g. younger people.

'However, the drivers of resistance transcend inter-generational and structural inequality and express a hierarchy of priorities which relegates Covid to other concerns such as the right to social interaction (free parties) and the right to protest (e.g. Black Lives Matter).'

Experts say young people are tiring of social distancing and abandoning the rules, while disagreements about the UK's approach to Covid-19 mean the public will be less likely to follow advice in future (Pictured: Social distancing went out the window on Super Saturday, July 4, when huge crowds formed in Soho in London)

Many people 'lack a basic understanding of Covid-19'

Despite the coronavirus dominating public life for the past four months behavioural scientists say many people still lack a basic understanding of the virus.

Referring to a study by King's College London, SPI-B warned that only 65 per cent of people can correctly identify a cough and a fever as the main symptoms of Covid-19.

PARTIES AND RAVES ARE 'EXACTLY WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO SEE', SAYS CHIEF MEDIC Dr Jenny Harries, the Government's chief medical officer for England, said earlier this week that she was worried about seeing parties and raves taking place across the country. As lockdown rules have eased photos and videos have emerged of hundreds of young people drinking and partying together in cities around the UK. Dr Harries said that everyone must continue to follow coronavirus advice on hand-washing and socialising, as well as sticking to social distancing. 'The virus is still out there, it's looking for more people to infect and we need to stop it getting a grip,' she said. Dr Jenny Harries on This Morning this week The chief medic told ITV's This Morning she was 'very, very concerned' about second wave of the virus, adding: 'I don't want to label young people because that would be very unfair, but actually if you do not have friends who have become very ill, for example, it perhaps hasn't registered quite as much how dangerous this virus can be and young people definitely are not as severely affected. 'Raves worry me, as a public health doctor. That's exactly what we do not want to be happening. 'The death rate definitely is coming down but effectively what we've seen is the first peak, and we want to prevent a second one. 'Because the weather is slightly with us, it's quite likely that the summer is sort of running a bit in our favour. 'In the warmer weather, particularly when people are outdoors much more - which is much safer - we're unlikely to see one. 'But I think myself and colleagues are very, very concerned about looking out for a potential second peak as we move into the autumn. 'And of course that's the same time that we start having people presenting with other symptoms which could confuse people - so flu symptoms vary, obviously, and also when our hospitals get busier.' Advertisement

This could affect the likelihood of infected people getting tested for the virus, and may also been people don't self-isolate when they should.

The report said: 'Many people are confused by rapidly changing government guidance and do not fully understand the rationale for it, which makes it less likely that they will be intrinsically motivated to undertake and sufficiently skilled in implementing effective infection control.'

Virus could spread 10 metres through air, and public toilets are medium risk

A paper presented to SAGE by the expert group on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the wider environment (TWEG) on June 12 shone light on the most likely modes of the coronavirus spreading.

The report maintained that the biggest risk for people is coming within 2metres (6'7") of other people who might have the illness - not obeying social distancing.

It is possible, they said, that droplets carrying the virus could transmit 10m (32') through the air.

They ruled that the risk of this was 'very low' but they were not certain because of the quality of evidence backing it up.

Using public toilets, meanwhile, posed a 'medium' risk for people's likelihood of catching Covid-19.

TWEG's report ranked the risk higher than it did for touching door handles or cash machines in public places, and also higher than for swimming in public.

It said: 'Public toilets represent a potential SARS-CoV-2 exposure point for a number of reasons.

'Primary amongst these is that they contain many touch surfaces which could be contaminated with infective nasopharyngeal [throat] fluids or faecal material and to which many people are exposed in a short time period.

'Toilets also represent the point at which the amount of infectious virus might be greatest in waste water. Aerosol, faecal/ocular, and faecal/oral transmission risks have been hypothesised based on virus presence and evidence exists based on previous SARS-CoV outbreaks.

'In addition, toilets may be a contact hub point in the community where transmission can occur between users through face-to-face droplet transmission, in the toilet building itself, and in proximity.'

More than a quarter of hospitalised UK Covid-19 patients die

A study of 64,066 hospital patients with Covid-19 in the UK found that 28 per cent of them - more than one in four - die with the disease.

Deaths were higher for people admitted to intensive care, of whom 35 per cent succumbed to the disease, and even higher for those who had to be put onto ventilators - 42 per cent.

The COVID-19 Clinical Information Network (CO-CIN), comprised of university experts from around the UK, presented the results to SAGE from June 22.

The study had found people spend an average of nine days in hospital if they are admitted with coronavirus, or catch it while on a ward.

Some 16 per cent of patients require high-flow oxygen therapy to help them breathe.

The most common symptoms for hospital patients are coughs (63 per cent), fever (62 per cent) and shortness of breath (61 per cent) - but a worrying one in 16 people (6 per cent) claimed to have had no symptoms at all, the study found.



Cough, fever and shortness of breath are the most common symptoms among Covid-19 patients admitted to hospital in the UK but a worrying six per cent had no symptoms at all, according to a study of more than 50,000 people

Measuring the R rate is no longer a useful measures - especially not at a regional level

Another group that advises SAGE, SPI-M-O, issued caveats to its estimates of the R value of the coronavirus in the UK on June 12.

SPI-M-O is the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling, Operational, and advises the Government on the possible trajectory of the outbreak.

When giving its estimates of the R value - the reproduction rate of the coronavirus - it cautioned that the figures are not useful when there are small numbers of people testing positive.

The R rate is currently between 0.7 and 0.9 for the UK as a whole, meaning that every 10 infected people pass the virus on to between seven and nine others, on average.

But SPI-M-O warned: 'Estimates of R are less reliable and less useful in determining the state of the epidemic as cases decrease. There are three main reasons for this:

'Firstly, when there are few cases, R is impossible to estimate with accuracy and will have wide confidence intervals that are likely to include 1. This does not necessarily mean that the epidemic is increasing but could be the result of greater uncertainty.

'Secondly, as incidence decreases, R will tend towards 1, and has to be evaluated in conjunction with incidence. The policy implications of R = 1 when there are 1,000 new infections per day are very different to when there are 100,000 per day.

'Finally, R is an average measure. When incidence is low, an outbreak in one place could result in estimates of R for the entire region to become higher than 1. Conversely, small, local outbreaks will not be detected. Estimates of R based on small numbers may also not capture change in the area fast enough to inform policy in a useful way.'

The scientists said they were so unconvinced about the accuracy or usefulness of measuring the reproduction rate that it shouldn't be used for policy decisions such as imposing regional restrictions or lockdowns.

They added: 'Estimates of R at regional levels are subject to the same difficulties in interpretation of national estimates, but amplified because of the smaller numbers of cases.

'Publishing large numbers of estimates increases the statistical chance that one of them is artificially high. SPI-M-O does not have confidence that regional R estimates are sufficiently robust to inform regional policy decisions.'
AMSTERDAM  The Dutch government is taking Russia to the European Court of Human Rights over the downing nearly six years ago of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine.

The Netherlands, home to roughly two-thirds of the victims, made the move to provide maximum support to individual cases brought to the European court by victims relatives, the countrys foreign minister, Stef Blok, wrote in a letter to the Dutch Parliament released on Friday.

All 298 people on the flight were killed after a Buk surface-to-air missile from territory controlled by pro-Moscow Ukrainian rebels downed the plane on July 17, 2014, when it was on its way from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Achieving justice for 298 victims of the downing of Flight MH17 is and will remain the governments highest priority, Mr. Blok said in a statement. By taking this step today  bringing a case before the European Court of Human Rights and thus supporting the applications of the next of kin as much as we can  we are moving closer to this goal.
BRIDGEPORT - A local man being sought after he allegedly escaped from a halfway house where he was serving a sentence on gun charges is accused of pistol-whipping a woman and her young daughter.

Bert Carter, 27, was arrested Thursday night after police said he led them on a chase through yards on Park Avenue.

He was charged with third-degree assault, risk of injury to a child, first-degree reckless endangerment, possession of narcotics and gun charges.

During Carters arraignment hearing Friday, Superior Court Judge Kevin Russo ordered Carter held in lieu of $350,000 bond after Assistant States Attorney Edward Lee Miller pointed out that Carter already had a previous escape conviction when he allegedly escaped from the halfway house in March.

The judge continued the case to Aug. 7.

On June 10, police said they were notified of an altercation on a city sidewalk.

Police said a woman told them that Carter had confronted her and began beating her in the head with a handgun. When the womans 7-year-old daughter ran to protect her mother, police said Carter began beating the girl with the gun, too.

Police said the incident was captured on video by witnesses. However, by the time officers arrived at the scene, Carter had fled.

Police said on Thursday they got a tip that Carter was staying at an apartment on Park Avenue. Police said they surrounded the building and a short time later they spotted Carter outside.

However, police said when Carter saw them, he took off running.

When they finally grabbed him, police said officers found heroin and cocaine in a fanny pack Carter was wearing.
Unchaperoned teens, gay partners and sex workers - fictional characters in a new curriculum for Myanmar schools are causing a real-world tussle over morality in a deeply conservative nation. In Myanmar, sex out of wedlock is illegal, teenage dating is frowned upon by censorious elders and same-sex relations are still officially illegal. Yet sex education is urgently needed, say advocates. Nearly 8,000 died in 2018 from AIDS-related diseases, the country has the second-highest maternal death rate in Asia after Afghanistan and women's rights group IPAS estimates around a quarter of a million unsafe abortions are undertaken every year. Teenagers have only been taught sex ed since 2016, when the new government of Aung San Suu Kyi vowed to overhaul the country's outdated curriculum. But embarrassed teachers often sideline a subject tackling everything from periods and contraception to sexually-transmitted diseases A new textbook for the coming academic year - slated to start in July - included scenarios such as teenagers feeling intimate over homework, a gay couple whose condom breaks, and a customer at a karaoke bar offering a waitress money for sex. Conservatives in the Buddhist-majority country were outraged. "Is this a school textbook or a porno?" challenged Facebook user Aung Pho Min next to photos of the case studies aimed at 16 and 17-year-olds, triggering an online debate that snowballed. Monk Ashin Agga Dhama, once a member of the now banned hardline Buddhist group MaBaTha, waded in, branding the book "filth" that flew against the country's values. The ensuing online tit-for-tat saw a young doctor, who accused the clergy of hypocrisy, attacked by a mob and later jailed for 21 months for insulting Buddhism. After "hearing the public's voice", the government announced it would review the curriculum ? so, for now, all sex ed is shelved. - Living in reality? - Tensions between conservatives and those open to new ideas have increased since the country started transitioning to democracy in 2010, said Rosalie Metro from the University of Missouri-Columbia. The curriculum has always been a place where "ideological struggle" plays out, added Metro, who has studied education in Myanmar for 20 years. Many online comments questioned whether the controversy had a political motive. The Facebook account of Aung Phyo Min, the man who sparked the row, describes him as a member of the military-backed USDP opposition party. Elections, confirmed for November, will likely return Suu Kyi's ruling administration to power. But the USDP, after five years in the wilderness, aims to take a chunk from her majority and was quick to jump on the sex ed debate. The party condemned the classes as encouragement for premarital sex, child rape, and the "arousal of sexual desire" among children. The Ministry of Education denied this, telling reporters the curriculum had children?s rights and interests at its core and had been been carefully designed with expert advice. All the teenagers AFP spoke to gave a resounding thumbs up to sex education classes, admitting they largely relied on Facebook and friends for information. "I?ve only read about it online so it would be really useful," said 16-year-old Yoon Shwe Bhon. Aye Myat Thandar, 14, agreed, saying she knew "underage people already having sex". Women usually have the most to lose. If single, an unplanned pregnancy can be devastating. They are often shunned by their family, school and community, with little chance of support from the father. "Anyone who objects to these classes doesn't live in reality," says NLD MP and campaigner Phyu Phyu Thin. Unchaperoned teens, gay partners and sex workers -- fictional characters in a new curriculum for Myanmar schools are causing a real-world tussle over morality in a deeply conservative nation Myanmar doctor Kyaw Win Thant was sentenced to 21 months in prison on charges of insulting Buddhism amidst a debate over sex education All the teenagers in Myanmar that AFP spoke to gave a resounding thumbs up to sex education classes, admitting they largely relied on Facebook and friends for information
Punjab National Bank (PNB) lost 5.39% to Rs 35.10 after the bank reported a loan of Rs 3,688.58 crore granted to Dewan Housing Finance (DHFL) as fraud.

State-run PNB on Thursday reported a borrowal fraud of Rs 3,688.58 crore in the NPA account of the now bankrupt Dewan Housing Finance (DHFL). In a regulatory filing, the bank said that it has already made provisions amounting to Rs 1,246.58 crore.

Shares of DHFL were locked in a 5% lower circuit at Rs 14.9 on BSE.

Meanwhile, PNB on Thursday said its board has approved a proposal to raise Rs 10,000 crore through a mix of both equity and debt. The board also approved the bank to seek shareholders' nod for raising of equity capital for an amount up to Rs 7,000 crore in the forthcoming annual general meeting.

Besides, the board has cleared opening balance sheet of the amalgamated bank as on 1 April 2020, which is post amalgamation of Oriental Bank of Commerce and United Bank of India into PNB, the bank said in a regulatory filing.

State-run PNB amalgamated Oriental Bank of Commerce and United Bank of India with itself effective April 1 this year. Government of India held 83.19% stake in PNB as on 31 March 2020.

PNB reported a net loss of Rs 697.20 crore in Q4 March 2020, lower than net loss of Rs 4749.64 crore in Q4 March 2019. Total income rose 11.29% to Rs 16,388.32 crore.

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Around 100 workers at Ford Motor Co. have asked the car manufacturer to stop making vehicles for law enforcement amid wide-spread outcry against police brutality.

Bosses at the Detroit-based automaker - which manufactures around two-thirds of all police vehicles for forces in the US - have received several letters from staff following the death of unarmed black man George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25.

A letter seen by website The Verge said employees want Ford to 'cease development, production, and sale of all custom police vehicles and products'.

Employees have also brought the issue up during a virtual town hall, Detroit Free Press reports.

Detroit-based automaker Ford manufactures around two-thirds of all police vehicles for forces in the US. Pictured: A Ford police car during protests in New York last month

Around 100 workers at Ford Motor Co. have asked the car manufacturer to stop making vehicles for law enforcement amid wide-spread outcry against police brutality

In response to increased questioning, CEO Jim Hackett is understood to have written to employees asking 'whether Ford's development of police vehicles is a good idea given the spotlight on social justice and police reform.'

'As we meet weekly in our Global Team Huddles, invariably there are questions that dont get answered given the short time we have together or simply would be better addressed off-line.'

The company has already taken action amid outcry from the Black Lives Matter movement about the spread of false-information and hateful content on social media.

In response to increased questioning, CEO Jim Hackett (pictured) is understood to have written to employees asking 'whether Ford's development of police vehicles is a good idea given the spotlight on social justice and police reform'

At the end of June, Ford announced that it has paused advertising on all social media platforms in the United States for 30 days, adding that it would evaluate such spending in other regions as well.

Ford's chief communications officer Mark Truby told Free Press: 'We want to hear and listen to all employees, understand their point of view and be transparent about the actions and positions we are taking. It's a healthy dialogue.'

Less than two months ago, Ford announced a new piece of software for its law-enforcement vehicles which aimed to mitigate the spread of coronavirus by roasting cars at oven-like temperatures.

The company has already taken action amid outcry from the Black Lives Matter movement regarding the spread of false-information and hateful content on social media.

The technology introduced by the automaker and designed specifically for its line of Police Interceptor Utility vehicles cranks heat inside the cars to 133 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.

Specifically, the software is designed to rev engines to generate heat and then turns the vehicle's fans on high.

All the while, the software monitors internal temperatures to make sure the car remains hot for long enough to feasibly kill any virus concentrations inside.
One Massachusetts State Trooper was fired and five others face termination proceedings as part of the Massachusetts State Polices enforcement actions against those implicated in the agencys overtime abuse scandal.

In total, 22 members who were in the the now-disbanded Troop E received disciplinary orders after fraud charges were sustained, according to a news release from the department Thursday night.

The agency fired one member on Monday. Another five face termination proceedings. Fifteen others were disciplined per an order issued Thursday. The agency declined to identify who was fired and who received termination notices.

The 15 who face discipline were ordered to be suspended without pay for various lengths of time, ranging from 60 days to 841 days or a little over two years. Three of those troopers have been credited for time served as they were already suspended without pay in 2018.

They were ordered to pay restitution for money stolen for the shifts they falsely claimed to have worked, according to the state polices review. The restitution ranges from $2,941 to $15,901.

Those troopers include the following:

Trooper John Adams

Trooper David Perrault

Trooper Jeffrey Reger

Trooper Jeffrey Russell

Trooper Anthony Bozko

Trooper Mark Augusta

Trooper Kevin Fogwill

Sergeant George Hamilton

Trooper Christopher Brown

Trooper David Berra

Trooper George Beaupre

Trooper Gerald Johnson

Sergeant Arthur Hebb

Trooper Michael Thorpe

Trooper Robert Church

Reger, Adams and Russell, along with Trooper Daniel Crespi, were among four troopers who fought their suspensions as the overtime scandal investigation was underway. The states Civil Service Commission overturned their suspensions, but state police had appealed that decision.

In total, state police referred 46 troopers, all members of the former Troop E, for criminal prosecution after an audit tied them to a massive overtime abuse scandal between 2015 and 2017. Fourteen troopers had already retired, either voluntarily or due to a disability through the Merit Rating Board between October 2017 and September 2019.

Out of all the troopers implicated in the overtime abuse case, only 10 faced charges in either federal or state court. Nine of those troopers have been convicted and sentenced.

16 Massachusetts State Police overtime scandal

State police said one trooper was believed to have improperly billed for four overtime hours, but an internal investigation found the payroll entry was an administrative error.

Col. Christopher Mason and Gov. Charlie Baker asked the Retirement Board to strip the pensions of the 14 troopers, but they were allowed to retain their pensions.

In a January announcement, Mason said he planned to fire 22 troopers identified as having participated in the overtime scandal.

The overtime abuse investigation was one of several scandals that put the agency in a spotlight. Two retired troopers, Lt. Paul Wosny and Trooper Michael Wilmot, faced criminal charges in state court after they took free guns from a prospective vendor and weapons from the state police armory.

They both received probation.

MassLive reporter Scott J. Croteau contributed to this report.

Related Content:
Virgin Australia has unveiled a frenzied sale on flights to celebrate Queensland reopening its borders to interstate travellers for the first time since March 26.

Sydneysiders can snap up a one way ticket to the Gold Coast for just $85, while flights between Brisbane and Hamilton Island are on sale for $99 one way.

But eager holidaymakers will need to be quick as the sale ends on Tuesday, with a limit of 500,000 tickets available on flights between August 5 and March 31.

Customers booking holidays before September 30 will also be offered a guarantee that they can change the date of their booking without any extra fees if travel conditions change in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Virgin flight attendants are seen travelling through Brisbane airport ahead of a shift (pictured) with domestic air travel starting to creep back to normal with the Queensland border opening

Flights between Brisbane and Hamilton Island (pictured) are on sale for $99 one way, including free hold luggage

The ticket prices, which are up to half what they would usually cost, include 23kg of luggage for all economy class bookings.

The sale was launched on Friday morning scheduled to end on Tuesday July 14, so would-be travellers have been urged to get in quick.

From midday on Friday July 10, Queensland will once again open its borders to interstate travellers from every part of Australia aside from Victoria.

Victoria's second outbreak of COVID-19 over the last three weeks led to their exclusion from the travel bubble.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk deemed Victorians an unacceptably high risk of bringing the deadly respiratory infection back into Queensland, where there are currently only two active cases.

Sydneysiders can fly to the Gold Coast (pictured) for just $85 including luggage to enjoy some winter sun

On Friday, Virgin Australia's chief commercial officer said the airline was excited to be supporting local tourism (pictured, Virgin planes grounded at Sydney Airport)

Some of the best value deals in the 'Good to Go' sale include:

Sydney to Gold Coast from $85

Sydney to Brisbane from $89

Brisbane to Whitsunday Coast from $89

Brisbane to Sydney from $99

Brisbane to Hamilton Island from $115

Adelaide to Gold Coast from $129

Perth to Brisbane from $199

On Friday, Virgin Australia's chief commercial officer said the airline was excited to be supporting local tourism.

'Queensland is a very important market to Virgin Australia and we're delighted to be able to fly travellers back to the Sunshine State,' he said.

'Virgin Australia transports millions of travellers each and every year to holiday amongst Queensland's beautiful beaches, vast landscapes and tropical weather.

He said the company hopes the Good to Go sale will help to reboot the Queensland tourism industry, which was devastated by COVID-19 and the subsequent border closures.

'With fares from as low as $85 including baggage, we hope the sale gets travellers on the holidays they've been dreaming about or to reunite them with their family and friends.'

The sale will end at midnight AEST on Tuesday, July 14.

The Good to Go sale is designed help to reboot the Queensland tourism industry, which was devastated by COVID-19 and the subsequent border closures (pictured, Cairns Esplanade)

There are plenty of flights travelling in and out of Brisbane (pictured) during the sale
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SAN FRANCISCO  Amazon on Friday asked its employees to delete the Chinese-owned video app TikTok from their cellphones, putting the tech giant at the center of growing suspicion and paranoia about the app.

Almost five hours later, Amazon reversed course, saying the email to workers was sent in error.

In the initial email, which was obtained by The New York Times, Amazon officials said that because of security risks, employees must delete the app from any devices that access Amazon email. Employees had to remove the app by Friday to remain able to obtain mobile access to their Amazon email, the note said.

In a statement sent later on Friday, company spokeswoman Kristin Brown said, There is no change to our policies right now with regard to TikTok.

But by then, the initial email had already added to the storm surrounding TikTok, which has been popular with young audiences in the United States for its short, fun videos and is owned by the Chinese tech company ByteDance. Because of its Chinese ownership and heightened tensions between the United States and China over issues such as trade and technology dominance, TikTok has come under increasing scrutiny in Washington over its security.
P olice are continuing to search for former Glee star Naya Rivera after she disappeared during a boating trip with her four-year-old son.

The Ventura County Sheriffs office said the 33-year-old was presumed to have drowned and the effort to find her was now classed as a "search and recovery operation".

A huge search operation has been launched at Lake Piru in Southern California but she is yet to be found.

"Investigators believe Rivera drowned in what appears to be a tragic accident," a police statement said.

Rivera's son, who was found asleep and wearing a life vest on late Wednesday afternoon, told investigators that he and his mother went swimming and he got back on the boat, but "his mum never made it out of the water".

Naya Rivera has been missing since Wednesday / Getty Images

Ventura Country Sheriff Sergeant Kevin Donoghue provided an update on Thursday and revealed CCTV from the dock shows Riveras boat departing.

He also revealed it may be weeks before any body is found. In the area where the boat was found, the water was about nine metres deep, he said.

Sgt Donoghue said: "If the body is entangled on something beneath the water, it may never come back up."

He added: Theres no way to really say.

"Were putting our best foot forward to try and locate her, were using all the assets that are available to us, were using technology like Sonar, we have experts who have dove this lake that know it inside and out, that know where debris pockets might be."

More than 100 rescuers are at the lake and involved in the effort to find Rivera, with multiple dive teams searching the murky depths while two helicopters continue to scour the waves from above.

Riveras family are waiting anxiously nearby for news, police said.

Naya Rivera - In pictures 1 /24 Naya Rivera - In pictures Getty Images Naya Rivera Naya Rivera Getty Images Glee Glee Naya Rivera and Ryan Dorsey at The UNICEF Dia de los Muertos Black & White Masquerade Ball 2014 Getty Images Glee Glee Glee Naya Rivera attends the Women's Guild Cedars-Sinai Annual Gala 2019 Getty Images Naya Rivera of 'Step Up: High Water' speaks onstage during the YouTube portion of the 2018 Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour Getty Images Naya Rivera arrives at the MTV Video Music Awards 2013 Scott Gries/Invision/AP Glee FOX Image Collection via Getty Images Naya Rivera and Ryan Dorsey attend the March Of Dimes Celebration Of Babies Luncheon Getty Images Glee Glee Glee

The most recent tweet from Rivera's account, on Tuesday, read "just the two of us" along with a photo of her and her son.

Stars have shared prayers and messages of hope for the actress, who played cheerleader Santana in Glee.

Riveras Glee co-star Heather Morris posted a message for her former colleague on Instagram, writing: "We need all the prayers we can to bring our Naya back home to us. We need your love and light."
Veteran Nigerian actor Kayode Olasehinde Ajirebi popularly known as Pa James has reacted to the reports making rounds that he has been gifted a house by Nollywood actress Funke Akindele.



The veteran actor had cried out for help after his house located in Oke Isagun community of Oke Odo LGA in Lagos was destroyed by floods.



In reaction to his plea for help, several celebrities and well-meaning Nigerians rose up to his aid, including Nollywood actress Funke Akindele.



There were widespread reports that a house had been gifted to the veteran actor by the popular actress, a claim which gained even more intensity yesterday.



However, in a video recorded by actor Kunle Afod, Pa James admitted that indeed he has received support from Funke but not in the form of a house.



Pa James, speaking in impeccable Yoruba said, God will keep you for helping me, I didnt know people cared about me like this.I cant thank you enoughfor doing this to me while I am alive.to my fellow actors, you impressed me..and thank you to Funke AKindele.



I wont lie she did me well.but I need to clear the air on the reports that she bought me a house while passing on my street this morning, some area boys stopped me and hailed me saying they will visit me in the house Funke Akindele built for me and I was shocked. Funke only paid for an apartment for me to rent for the meantimeand I am truly grateful but she didnt build me a house.









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
If youre black in America, he tells him, you cant afford the luxury of being average. So Tyler must excel at everything he does. Its a message the boy carries with him wherever he goes.

The Williams are African Americans living comfortably in an affluent middle-class suburb in south Florida. They consider themselves a happy family but Ronald (Sterling K. Brown), the father of the house, is never going to let his 17-year-old son, Tyler (Kelvin Harrison Jr), forget the effort thats gone into their success.

The first half of Waves is about damage done by an excess of machismo. The second half is about the struggle to find the will and the kindness to deal with the aftermath.

The story is told from Tylers perspective but the films writer-director, Trey Edward Shults, has rejected anything as sedate as a voice-over narration. Hes built his script with an insistent series of impressionistic montages aimed at getting you intimately acquainted with the turbulence going on inside Tylers head as he ploughs through the packed routine that makes up his daily life.

Kelvin Harrison Jr and Sterling K. Brown in Waves. Credit:UPI

Hes on his high school wrestling team, an honour that involves hours of punishing training; hes working part-time for his fathers construction business; and in the crevices between all this hyperactivity, he manages to find time to study and to have fun with his girlfriend, Alexis (Alexa Demie), with whom hes very much in love.

But Ronald is always in his head, urging him to do more. When they train together in their home gym, their sessions invariably grow into contests because Ronald is not yet ready to set aside his own ego to advise rather than compete with his son. He doesnt encourage. He goads.

The jumpy sense of urgency that prevails in his presence is echoed in the soundtrack, a synthesis of rhythm and blues, hip hop and electronic music. While the glittering blues and golds of the Florida coast colour the films settings, theres no time for reflection. Like Tyler himself, the camera is always on the move.
michael barbaro

From The New York Times, Im Michael Barbaro. This is The Daily. Today, the Supreme Court issues major rulings on whether President Trump must disclose his financial records. David Enrich on the story behind the cases, and Adam Liptak on the meaning of the decisions. Its Friday July 10th. David, tell us the story behind these three cases, all related to the presidents financial records that reached the Supreme Court.

david enrich

So this story starts back in 2015 with a decision by presidential candidate Donald Trump not to do something. For decades, theres a tradition among major presidential candidates to release their tax returns so that the public can understand better the finances of the people they might elect. So Carter did this. Reagan, Bush Clinton, Bush number two did it. Obama did it. And hopefully Im not forgetting anyone there. But Trump refused to do so, saying that he was under IRS audit.

archived recording (donald trump) Every year they audit me, audit me, audit me.

david enrich

And it just wasnt going to be possible.

archived recording (donald trump) I will absolutely give my return. But Im being audited now. So I cant do it until the audit is finished, obviously. And I think people would understand that.

david enrich

This immediately raises a slew of questions in the public and in the media about whats going on in Trumps finances. He is someone, who among major presidential candidates in recent decades, is probably unique in terms of the number and gravity of the entanglements he has. Hes been running for decades as multifaceted business that has operations and assets all over the world. And so his refusal to release even basic financial information about himself, it raises a lot of suspicion about whether this presidential candidate has something in his finances that he is trying to hide.

archived recording (name) Do you believe voters have a right to see your tax returns before they make a final decision archived recording (donald trump) I dont think they do. But I do say this. When the audit ends, Im going to present them. That should be before the election. I hope its before the election.

david enrich

And then, of course, he gets elected without ever having released his tax returns.

michael barbaro

Right, and remind us what begins to change all this.

david enrich

Well, two things happen. The first is that in the fall of 2018, the New York Times drops this massive investigation into the Trump familys finances. And one of the things it reveals is that Donald Trump and others committed what looks like fraud in an effort to reduce the amount that they owe in taxes. So that really intensifies the clamor to get a better understanding of whats going on inside the Trump finances. The second thing that happens is that in November of 2018, Democrats regain control of the House of Representatives. And that means that two of the most powerful congressional committees are now going to be controlled by Democrats instead of Republicans. And in particular, theyre going to be controlled by two of Trumps loudest critics on Capitol Hill.

archived recording (adam schiff) When he says we have no contact with the Russians, thats a lie. When his son says I have no contacts with Wikileaks, thats a lie. And unfortunately the list goes on and on.

david enrich

Adam Schiff will be the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.

archived recording (maxine waters) He refuses to turn over the tax returns. What does he have to hide?

david enrich

And Maxine Waters will be Chairman of The House Financial Services Committee.

archived recording (maxine waters) Has he been compromised in any way? Is there money laundering going on?

david enrich

And they make very clear very early on that one of their priorities in this new Congress is going to be to launch major investigations of Donald Trump and his financial dealings.

archived recording (maxine waters) There is enough that we know about him to have legitimate suspicion. And we need to have documentation.

david enrich

And it becomes very clear very quickly that one of the weapons that the congressional Democrats investigators plan to use is to subpoena as much information as they can, not from Trump himself, but from the financial institutions that he has done business with over the years.

michael barbaro

And why are they interested in those financial institutions?

david enrich

Well, its much easier for them to pry information out of a third party than it is to pry it out of Trump himself. Among other things, Trump has shown over the years to not put a whole lot of stock and adhere into things like subpoenas or court orders. He delays. He kicks the can down the road as much as he can.

michael barbaro

Right.

david enrich

So there are two financial institutions in particular. One is Mazars, which is an accounting firm that has prepared that Trumps taxes over the years. And the other is Deutsche Bank, which is the lender that has provided billions of dollars in loans and other services to Trump and his family over the past two decades.

michael barbaro

And, David, what was the legal rationale for these congressional committees to subpoena these documents? Because I imagine the subpoenas had to relate to the work of these committees.

david enrich

It depends whom you ask.

archived recording (name) This needs to be looked into because if there is a financial leverage that the Russians hold over Donald Trump 

david enrich

In the case of the Intelligence Committee 

archived recording (name) That could warp our policy in ways that are not in our national interests.

david enrich

 it was conducting an investigation into foreign interference in the 2016 presidential election. And so their argument was that if there is evidence inside Deutsche Banks vault 

archived recording (name) If the president is claiming no business dealings with Russia while hes trying to make this Trump Tower deal take place, has he also been concealing money laundering with Russians?

david enrich

 of Trump being in business with Russians or owing money to Russians or being involved in money laundering with Russians.

archived recording (name) Thats some serious business that we need to look into. We need to follow the money.

david enrich

That was very relevant to the committees investigation of the Russian interference in the 2016 election. With the House Financial Services Committee, the legal rationale was a little bit murkier.

archived recording (name) And of course, he has a reputation for everything from filing, bankruptcies, to cheating people.

david enrich

The argument that they made was that this was part of a broader investigation by the committee into the soundness and propriety of the financial system overall and the banking system overall.

archived recording (name)  to basically being involved with the Russians and other foreign entities. And so there is a lot there.

david enrich

And so their argument was that it was highly relevant to figure out if a major financial institution was engaged in wrongdoing as it related to the bank accounts of one of the most powerful people in the world. And the reality is that these also had a real tinge of politics. Maxine Waters and Adam Schiff are two of the most outspoken critics of Donald Trump and his administration on Capitol Hill. And I think it is quite hard to escape the reality that they were looking for dirt on the president. And one of the dirtiest things to look at in their mind was his finances because Trump had kept them such a tightly held secret. And if there wasnt anything bad to see, Trump presumably would have released his tax returns and been much more transparent about this from the get go.

michael barbaro

And so what is the presidents response to these congressional subpoenas?

david enrich

The presidents response 

archived recording (name) The president and his three oldest children are now suing two of the banks that helped build their family empire.

david enrich

 is to sue.

archived recording (name) The presidents attorneys are trying to circumvent anything the banks would provide to Congress, saying, quote, the subpoenas were issued to harass President Donald J Trump, to rummage through every aspect of his personal finances 

david enrich

So he goes to federal court with his family and files lawsuits against Deutsche Bank, against Mazars, seeking to block them from complying with these congressional subpoenas, to block them from handing over his records to Congress. And the argument that the Trump family makes is kind of twofold. One is that theres no legislative or legal purpose to these subpoenas. This amounts to a political fishing expedition on Capitol Hill. And it doesnt actually have any proper rationale. And the second argument essentially boils down to a separation of powers claim, which is that the president is not exposed or should not be exposed to endless congressional meddling in his personal affairs. So after the family filed these lawsuits, federal courts basically hit pause on anyone actually enforcing these subpoenas. And so the cases go into the federal court system, and gradually over the next year, work their way up to the Supreme Court.

michael barbaro

OK, so that accounts for two of the three cases before the Supreme Court, Trump versus Mazars, his accounting firm, Trump versus Deutsche Bank, his bank. And I think that leaves us with one more case, right?

david enrich

Thats right. And that case involves the Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance.

archived recording (cy vance) Good morning. Can you hear me?

david enrich

So at the same time that these congressional subpoenas are being litigated in federal court, Cy Vances office opens up a criminal investigation into Trump and his company. And this investigation is focused on Stormy Daniels.

archived recording (stormy daniels) Who am I? I am 

david enrich

Remember her?

archived recording (stormy daniels) I am Stormy.

david enrich

She is the porn star with whom Trump was allegedly having an affair. And what Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen, Trumps former personal lawyers, say is that they basically paid Stormy Daniels to keep quiet. They provided hush money payments to her in the prelude to the 2016 election.

michael barbaro

Right.

david enrich

And the issue that Cy Vance and others have been looking into here is whether those payments constituted essentially campaign spending and whether that was an undisclosed and therefore violation of federal campaign finance laws. So Cy Vance starts investigating not only this issue, but also just a whole series of other potential financial improprieties inside of the Trump organization and Inside Trumps personal finances as well. And so as part of that, Cy Vances office issues a subpoena to Mazars, the accounting firm, the same one thats been subpoenaed by congressional Democrats and seeks eight years of President Trumps tax returns. And the hope from Cy Vances office, I think, is that that will shed some light on the inner workings of not just Trumps bank accounts but also his company. And it could reveal some of the potentially damaging information.

michael barbaro

So unlike the congressional subpoenas, which have a legislative rationale, this subpoena from the District Attorney of Manhattan, it has a criminal investigatory rationale?

david enrich

Yeah, thats right. This is a criminal investigation. And this is a criminal subpoena that goes to Mazars. And very soon after the subpoena is issued, Trump files a lawsuit against the district attorneys office, arguing that Cy Vance simply does not have the legal authority to conduct a criminal investigation of the President. Trumps argument is that the sitting president is immune from this kind of criminal investigation. So this case, along with the two involving the congressional subpoenas, they start working their way through the federal court system and eventually land before the Supreme Court, which is where we are now. And the stakes here with these cases are really, really high. And really, it boils down to does the public have the right to know about the finances of its elected leaders. And the Trump familys argument is that the answer to that is no. The public doesnt have the right to know. These congressional committees dont have the right to know. And not even district attorneys or prosecutors have the right to know, not even in a criminal investigation such as this one. And on the flip side, the Democrats and the prosecutors, and quite a few others, argue that the right to know about your elected leaders financial interests is absolutely core to your ability to determine whether your presidents interests are properly aligned with the publics interest. And the only way to really know that is to have a clear understanding of what the presidents financial interests are.

michael barbaro

Right, and those are the theoretically lofty questions at hand here. But to flip it around, isnt another version of these three cases, whether or not a president is entitled to some kind of legal privacy, especially when people seeking his personal financial records have a documented political agenda?

david enrich

Yeah, and theres no question that there are politics at play here. So I think thats a fair point to make. And thats certainly the point that the Trump family is making. I think in practical terms, though, putting aside all of the issues about separation of powers and presidential powers, practically there is a very important issue at play here, which is there is a lot of very detailed, very sensitive information sitting inside Mazars and sitting inside Deutsche Bank that the congressional Democrats and Cy Vance have demanded. And if that information does get handed over, it could really provide a startling inside glimpse inside this highly secretive companies operations and the presidents innermost financial secrets.

michael barbaro

And of course, this brings us to Thursday and to the Supreme Court finally making a decision in these three cases.

david enrich

Yeah, and this is a really big day. I mean, Ive been waiting for this day for as long as I can remember I feel like. And the stakes, as we said, are really high. Theres these huge important questions of presidential power and the rights of Congress to investigate. And at the same time, this is happening four months before the presidential election. So this is really the last chance that the media and the public will have to get a glimpse of Donald Trumps innermost financial secrets before election day. So its really, really hard to overstate the importance of Thursdays decision.

michael barbaro

David, thank you very much.

david enrich

Thanks for having me.

michael barbaro

Well be right back. So Adam Liptak, our colleague David Enrich just walked us through the origins of these three cases before the court. So how did the Supreme Court decide?

adam liptak

Michael, it was a bit of a split decision. The court adopted a lot of what the president had to say in one set of cases and rejected his main argument in the other case.

michael barbaro

OK, I wonder if we can start with the bucket of cases related to Congress, these congressional subpoenas of the presidents financial records. What did the court decide in those cases?

adam liptak

The court decided that this was a novel issue, implicating the separation of powers. It was hesitant to do anything particularly bold. And it thought that lower courts should take a fresh look at the question of whether the congressional committees had given adequate reasons for seeking vast troves of material and whether they had shown that they truly had a legislative need for them.

michael barbaro

And specifically what did the justices have to say about the rationale Congress cited that documents like these relate to their work as Congress. It would inform an investigation into Russia. It would inform an understanding of the tax system.

adam liptak

The court did seem to suggest that the Houses argument was so broad that it could be a fishing expedition for all kinds of things, including personal emails that the house hadnt really offered a limiting principle for why its entitled to all the stuff it sought. And the truth is it sought quite a lot of information.

michael barbaro

Right, and so to be clear, this means that Congress will not be getting its hands on these records for a long time?

adam liptak

Well, it goes back to the lower courts. And litigation takes months and months. And the election will come and go. And a new house of representatives will be sworn in. So it may be that as a practical matter, this shuts down this particular set of subpoenas.

michael barbaro

OK, so that brings us to the second bucket, this case involving a criminal investigation from the Manhattan District Attorney and his subpoena of these financial records in pursuit of that criminal investigation. How did the justices rule in that case?

adam liptak

In that case, the justices squarely rejected President Trumps central argument. He had said that he is categorically and absolutely immune from being investigated by state prosecutors while he remains in office. And chief Justice Roberts, who wrote the majority opinion in both cases, was having none of that.

michael barbaro

And what was his legal logic for rejecting that claim by the president?

adam liptak

The chief justice said there was lots of presidents, going back to the treason trial of Aaron Burr where there was a subpoena for Thomas Jeffersons information, the Nixon tapes case where Nixon was made to give up tape recordings of Oval Office conversations, the Clinton against Jones case where Bill Clinton was made to provide information in a sexual harassment case. The chief justice said the idea that presidents are above the law in that sense was nonsense.

michael barbaro

So in the case of the district attorney, he will be getting the records he requested from Trumps accounting firm?

adam liptak

Well, lets not get ahead of ourselves. It certainly clears the way for the Manhattan district attorney to seek the records. The chief justice said, and this is unexceptional, that as with anyone else whos subpoenaed, he can interpose the usual objections. The subpoenas doesnt seek relevant material. The subpoena is meant to harass me. The subpoena is too burdensome. And that may take some time to litigate. I dont think the presidents chances in New York courts are particularly good. But that part of the decision may, as with the congressional subpoenas, kick this can down the road past the election and maybe much longer.

michael barbaro

So this victory for the district attorney of New York, this defeat for President Trump, is not likely to result in those records becoming public?

adam liptak

Thats right. So theres a school of thought that President Trump was a winner in both decisions. If his goal was to keep stuff secret for a while longer, he was a winner. If his goal was to have the court adopt his sweeping view of presidential power, he was a loser.

michael barbaro

So Adam, I want to square this decision on Thursday with what David Enrich said were the stakes in this case. And the first question is, is the public entitled to financial transparency from our president? And what did the court ultimately say to that question?

adam liptak

The court said, maybe not in so many words, but the thrust of the decisions was sure. If theyre relevant to the presidents official conduct, the public is entitled to know whats going on. Or if its relevant to a criminal prosecution, or investigation of the president, or of one of his associates, sure, the public is entitled to that. But it cant be overbroad. Its got to be targeted, and limited, and sensible.

michael barbaro

And the second question is whether the president is entitled to protection from partisan attempts to dig into his financial records. So what did the ruling ultimately mean for that?

adam liptak

The ruling said in the criminal context, the court expected judges to make sure that politically motivated prosecutors werent doing something unsavory and to protect the president from harassment. And in the legislative context, the court also said that if there is a good enough, strong enough link between legislative purpose and the need for this information, that, too, was acceptable that presidents could be made to turn over information.

michael barbaro

Hm, I mean, whats interesting about your answers to this is that it feels like the principle that has been laid out in these decisions doesnt feel entirely tied to the result of them. For example, if the court is saying the public is entitled to information about the president and his finances, then why are we living in a world where they wont see them?

adam liptak

Well, the court is not about timing. The court is not about tomorrow. Its about principles and processes. And the legal system takes its time. And I know were all eager to see this information before the election. And of course, it could well inform the ability of citizens in a democracy to choose their leaders correctly. But thats not what the court is focused on. The court is focused on getting it right. And that will take time. And as a practical matter, the amount of time it will take may make it much less politically salient. But this is not a decision about President Trump. This is a decision about the presidency. And the court has laid down some important markers on that.

michael barbaro

Adam, reporter to reporter here, do you think were ever going to see these documents, I mean, ever?

adam liptak

I think its probably more likely they see the light of day through good investigative journalism, including from The New York Times than through these convoluted mechanisms of congressional subpoenas and grand jury subpoenas. Thats not to say its impossible. But theyre more likely to see the light of day in any kind of timely fashion through reporting than through litigation.

michael barbaro

Thank you, Adam.

adam liptak

Thank you, Michael.

michael barbaro
Founded in 1980, the Salt Lake City, UT, Wealth Management Firm has been Helping Individuals and Families with Wealth Protection and Enhancement

SALT LAKE CITY, UT / ACCESSWIRE / July 10, 2020 / In 1980, real estate investor Bruce Lefavi founded Lefavi Wealth Management ("LWM") in Salt Lake City, Utah. During the ensuing 40 years, Mr. Lefavi became a nationally syndicated, international award-winning radio show host and frequently-quoted industry participant on the topics of retirement planning and financial services. And while LWM may have expanded over four decades from a small one-man office to now encompass a half dozen experienced wealth advisors managing over $300 million, the same personal focus remains.

Bruce Lefavi was a successful real estate investor when, like many in the 1970s real estate crash, he lost nearly everything - but learned the vital lesson of portfolio diversification. Although there are no guarantees of success for any investment plan, we believe diversification is mandatory for all portfolios. Today, LWM provides wealth management services using a systematic approach - one built around disciplined, long-term investments anchored in Modern Portfolio Theory, tactical asset allocation, and custom rebalancing. Its clients include business owners who don't have the time to actively manage their personal resources; retirees seeking income and preservation of capital as well as corporate executives needing wealth management, financial planning, tax planning, and estate planning services.

"There is no substitute for discipline, adherence to a plan and above all, diversification," said Bruce Lefavi, founder of LWM. "In today's world, individuals may receive poor financial advice from those looking for a 'piece of the pie.' Our approach is not to affiliate with or manage investment products. Keeping a clear line of separation between our advisors and the investments they recommend encourages openness and transparency." While mostly retired, Bruce is still an owner of the firm. He has built a team of advisors to carry out the objectives of the firm and grow over the next 40 years and beyond.

Story continues

LWM is a Registered Investment Advisor ("RIA") with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). It is affiliated with a Broker-Dealer, which is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority ("FINRA")., LWM advisors assist their clients in selecting a vehicle that will best suit their financial position. The company's Investment Committee discusses portfolio adjustments weekly, while monitoring positions to take action to ensure assets are on track to meet client goals.

Lifetime residents of Salt Lake City, Mr. Lefavi and his wife, Sheryl, are committed to giving back to the community, devoting their time to such charities as Ballet West, the Assistance League, Greyhound Rescue, and Seal Rescue in California. His father, who was career Air Force, raised him to be unabashedly patriotic and he remains so to this day. Mr. Lefavi is exceedingly supportive of the men and women who serve in our Armed Forces, and is always willing to donate his time and resources to assist them in any way.

Disclosure: Registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") does not imply a certain level of skill or training.

CONTACT:

info@lefavi.com

SOURCE: FixYourName





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A man who returned a positive roadside drug test claimed it was Maltesers, not meth, which was responsible for the failed reading.

Eric Barry Ryan was driving with a woman at Molendinar on the Gold Coast when he was pulled over by police in October 2018.

As the officer approached the vehicle, his drug-affected passenger offered the driver the popular chocolate-covered confectionery.

Ryan claimed the Maltesers 'contaminated' his saliva sample while appearing in Southport Magistrates Court on Thursday the Gold Coast Bulletin reported.

A man who returned a positive roadside drug test claims it was Maltesers, not meth, which was responsible for the failed reading

'(The passenger's) behaviour in the police statement was that she was behaving in a bizarre fashion, which is indicative of being a drug user,' Ryan said, representing himself in court.

'It was a very reasonable conclusion that my mouth was contaminated.

'When the police approached my vehicle (the passenger) was actually feeding me Maltesers.

'As soon as the police saw that happening they stopped me immediately and the test was done after that.'

Ryan also told the court he had experienced 'all sorts of trouble' through the dating scene after the breakup of his marriage.

When officers searched Ryan's car during the 2018 traffic stop they discovered 0.03g of ice and a suspected drug utensil.

Maltesers (pictured) are a popular chocolate-covered confectionery which were first sold in 1937

As the officer approached the vehicle, his drug-affected passenger offered Ryan some Malstesers (stock image)

Although Ryan was taken back to the station for a second saliva test as required under state law, he refused to comply.

He spent three days in custody over the matter.

Ryan eventually pleaded guilty to possession of a dangerous drug, failing to provide a specimen of breath or blood for analysis and another related charge.

But earlier on Thursday his lawyer was forced to withdraw from the strange case after Ryan indicated he would plead guilty before changing his mind to not guilty.

Magistrate Pamela Dowse sentenced Ryan to a $100 three-month good behaviour bond and ordered him to undergo drug counseling (stock image)

In the three hours that followed he then backflipped again and reinstated his guilty plea.

Magistrate Pamela Dowse sentenced Ryan to a $100 three-month good behaviour bond and ordered him to undergo drug counseling.

His driver's licence was disqualified for six months and he was fined $400.

No conviction was recorded.
Of all the instant reactions on President Donald Trump's decision to fire his FBI director, few seemed as blunt as Jeffrey Toobin's.

The CNN legal analyst and longtime New Yorker staff writer didn't mince words when he was asked to provide some context on the sacking of James Comey, the top official leading the probe into possible ties to the Russian government by members of the Trump campaign.

"It's a grotesque abuse of power by the president of the United States," Toobin told CNN's Wolf Blitzer.

His colleague at the New Yorker, John Cassidy, wrote that Trump had "acted like a despot" and mounted a "terrifying attack on the American system of government" in an article headlined "Donald Trump's firing of James Comey is an attack on American Democracy."

"It amounts to a premeditated and terrifying attack on the American system of government" and possibly "will usher in a constitutional crisis."

The national security blog Lawfare called it a "nightmare scenario."

It was "a horrifying breach of every expectation we have of the relationship between the White House and federal law enforcement," wrote the generally cerebral Ben Wittes and Susan Hennessey.

".The immediate concern is to ensure that the integrity of the Russia investigation, and all associated investigations, is preserved. We have not previously called for a special prosecutor, believing that [Deputy Attorney General Rod] Rosenstein was a person of integrity who should be given a chance to make a call on that question. His performance today, however, requires that he now step aside."

And David Frum, an editor at the Atlantic and a former George W. Bush speechwriter, asked: "Who can sincerely believe that President Trump fired FBI Director James B. Comey for any reason other than to thwart an investigation of serious crimes?"

If anything, the remarks seemed to signal that, with the firing of Comey, even Trump's more moderate critics had given up any semblance of restraint.

"This is the kind of thing that goes on in non-democracies," said Toobin, "that when there is an investigation that reaches near the president of the United States or the leader of a non-democracy, they fire the people who are in charge of the investigation."

Toobin went on to say that "if anyone thinks that a new FBI director is going to come in and the agency will just take over and continue their investigation as if this had never happened, that's not how it works. They will put in a stooge who will shut down this investigation." He specifically mentioned New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.

Administration officials said Tuesday that Comey was fired because he had publicly discussed the investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while secretary of state. The move violated Justice Department principles and procedures for handling investigations and had damaged the FBI's credibility, officials said.

Toobin dismissed the administration's explanation for Comey's dismissal as "a lie."

"It is not possibly true," he said. "They wanted to fire him now, when he is investigating the White House. I mean, sometimes the most obvious explanation is the correct one."

CNN tends to give their paid commentators considerable leeway to opine about the day's news. But for Toobin, a former federal prosecutor who has written about some of the biggest court cases of the past 20 years, the remarks carried an unusual degree of certitude.

They also appeared to channel much of the anger and anxiety - particularly from the left - over Comey's firing and the progress of the FBI's investigation of Russian meddling in the election. At one point, Toobin even used a phrase that has become something of a mantra for critics of the Trump administration: "This is not normal."

Twitter took notice. The commentary went viral almost instantly, becoming a Twitter "moment" before the end of the night. "I think @JeffreyToobin was all of us tonight," MSNBC analyst Joy-Ann Reid wrote.

Not everyone was so impressed. The right-leaning website NewBusters criticized Toobin as "over the top," saying "all of his pontificating was mere speculation."

Conservative syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer of The Washington Post was incredulous about Comey's dismissal as well. "To fire him summarily with no warning because of something that happened in July is almost inexplicable," he said in an interview with Fox News.

In his interview with Blitzer, Toobin offered his historical perspective on Trump's decision. Like many others, he compared the situation to President Richard Nixon's dismissal of Archibald Cox, the special prosecutor who was leading the investigation of the Watergate scandal.

When Nixon ordered Cox fired in October 1973, Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus resigned in protest, refusing to carry out the directive. Cox was eventually fired by Robert Bork, the solicitor general, and Nixon went on to abolish the special prosecutor's office entirely. The events became known as the "Saturday Night Massacre," widely viewed as one of the most sordid moments in White House history.

"That firing led indirectly but certainly to the resignation of President Nixon, and this is very much in this tradition," Toobin said, while acknowledging that firing an FBI director is well within a president's powers. "This is not normal. This is not politics as usual."

Toobin tweeted: May 9, 2017. The Tuesday Night Massacre.

Toobin's assessment of the Saturday Night Massacre is shared by Ken Gormley, author of a 1997 biography of Cox, who described the decision to sack the special prosecutor as miscalculation that doomed Nixon's presidency.

"The Saturday night massacre," Gormley wrote, "was the single event in his long and controversial political life from which Richard M. Nixon, president of the most powerful nation in the world, would never recover."
Victorians are reaching out to mental health services for support in record numbers as Melbourne enters a second coronavirus lockdown.

Lifeline is reporting a 22 per cent surge in calls in Victoria since Sunday compared with the same time last year, while calls from Victoria to Beyond Blues support services have doubled in the past fortnight.

Every few minutes, every weekday between 9.30am and 5pm, another desperate caller reaches a financial counsellor at the National Debt Helpline. Credit:Robert Peet

Lifeline Australia chairman John Brogden said the service had received almost 90,000 calls a month since March, which amounted to a call every 30 seconds. This was a sign the strict lockdown measures were taking a toll on the mental health of Victorians, he said.

"Lockdown means many of the important opportunities for people to connect with each other and do things they enjoy are being stopped. For someone who is already struggling, this can be a huge blow," Mr Brogden said.
Democrats and Republicans clashed today over a newly proposed restriction on Palestinian assistance in this years foreign aid spending bill  the latest chapter in the struggle to resume economic support for the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Democrats succeeded in removing language from the legislation that would have withheld the bills $225 million in economic assistance for the West Bank and Gaza unless the Palestinians agree to resume security cooperation and training with Israel. The Democratic amendment to remove the language passed by voice vote over Republican objections. The House Appropriations Committee proceeded to advance the full spending bill in a 29-21 party line vote.

Why it matters: Democrats have fought an uphill battle to restore economic and humanitarian aid to the Palestinians since the Donald Trump administration eliminated it in 2018. The Palestinians proceeded to suspend security cooperation with Israel in May to protest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus attempt to annex large swaths of the West Bank under the auspices of the Trump peace plan.

As one of the most ardent supporters of the US-Israel relationship and longtime champion for Israels security, I believe the administrations cutoff of assistance to the Palestinian people has perpetuated the very instability and distrust that now threaten any prospect for a viable peace process, House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., said ahead of the vote. This committee should lead the way in improving the situation on the ground by first restoring US assistance to food and clean water, education and health care, especially as COVID cases are on the rise in the region.

The top Republican on the foreign aid subcommittee, Rep. Hal Rogers of Kentucky, defended the newly proposed restriction as a routine condition akin to restrictions on other countries across the globe. Striking a common-sense determination and reporting requirement related to security cooperation makes the bill less likely to become law by weakening oversight of a program that is heavily scrutinized, said Rogers.

Whats next: While the foreign aid spending bill is expected to easily pass the Democratic-held House, removing the restriction from the bill could become a flashpoint with the Republican-controlled Senate when the two chambers negotiate on compromise legislation. In the meantime, Democrats continue to push the Trump administration to allocate the $75 million in Palestinian economic aid that Congress appropriated in December.

Know more: Congressional Correspondent Bryant Harris keeps you up to date on the latest efforts to restore Palestinian aid, as well as Loweys new legislation to facilitate people-to-people exchanges between Palestinians and Israelis.
Christian groups slam DHS rule threatening deportation of students during COVID-19

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InterVarsity Christian Fellowship has led a broad coalition of Christian organizations in opposing a rule announced by the Trump administration this week that requires international students to exit the U.S. or transfer if their classes are entirely online this fall.

In a letter sent to Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf, the heads of 12 Christian student ministry organizations voiced concern with a temporary final Immigration and Customs Enforcement rule announced Monday.

The rule requires international students attending colleges and universities that are planning to meet entirely online in the fall semester to leave the country or transfer to another school.

The organizations called the rule unnecessary and one that lacks compassion.

While health and security concerns rightly factor into visa decisions, there are no new health or security reasons to justify this proposed student visa rule, the ministry heads argue, adding that many of these students arrived in the U.S. even before the pandemic began. These students were vetted and legally admitted to the United States to continue their studies, many of who have been here for years at college.

The rule in question states that students attending schools that operate entirely online may not take a full online course load and remain in the United States. The State Department will not issue visas to students who enroll with full online course loads nor will such students be permitted to enter the country.

For students already in the U.S., they must either depart the country or transfer to a school where there will be in-person instruction to maintain their lawful status. Students who do not obey the order may face consequences such as the initiation of removal proceedings.

The Christian organizations that are signatories to the letter identify themselves as a broad coalition of higher education institutions, churches and other ministries that seek to welcome, serve, and love international students and scholars.

We believe that the proposed student visa rule violates tenets of our faith to not mistreat the foreigner, but to love those neighbors as ourselves, the letter reads, citing Leviticus 19:33-34 and Matthew 22:39.

The modification to the temporary exemptions breaks an implicit promise made to these students. The United States issued them student visas, which traditionally allow students to complete their degree programs.

The students at risk of being forced back to their home countries made financial and relational sacrifices to come to the United States to study, the letter notes. Although the groups recognize that student visas are not traditionally given for online-only degree programs, the proposed rule could expose the students to significant costs and risks.

The Christian groups contend that if students try to stay in the U.S. by transferring to another school, they risk disrupting their education and may be forced to move into another community where they could face further financial and relational disruption.

While here, they have paid their tuition, secured housing, progressed in their studies, and contributed positively to their campuss experience. Through no fault of their own, their universities and colleges have moved exclusively to on-line courses this Fall to restrain the spread of COVID-19.

The letter was spearheaded by Tom Lin, president of InterVarsity, an inter-denominational, evangelical Christian campus ministry with chapters at schools across the nation.

Lin was joined by Russell Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Conventions Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission; Shirley Hoogstra, president of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities; as well as Walter Kim, president of the National Association of Evangelicals.

Other signatories include leaders of groups such as the countrys largest Christian social fraternity, Beta Epsilon Chi; The Navigators; Bridges International; the National Latino Evangelical Coalition; World Relief; International Friendships; and Bethany Christian Services.

The Christian group leaders believe that international students should not be expelled from the U.S. just because their schools made changes driven by public health needs.

The new ICE rule has also drawn pushback from universities and other educational organizations.

Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology filed a lawsuit in an attempt to halt the rule this week.

The Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities also issued a statement condemning the rule as heartless on Wednesday.

Allowing all students, regardless of country of origin, to be given equal access to online learning is the fair, sensible and moral thing to do, the association said. We can keep students safe and keep these young people on track.
Martha Kalifatidis has become a full-time influencer since starring on the 2019 season of Married At First Sight.

And on Friday, the 31-year-old marvelled over her new 'natural looking' porcelain veneers.

The former makeup artist shared before and after photos to Instagram of her smile, after getting her teeth done at Dental Boutique last year.

'Couldn't be happier': Married At First Sight star Martha Kalifatidis (pictured), 31, marvelled over her new 'natural looking' porcelain veneers in a number of Instagram posts on Friday

'Ok soooo I got porcelain veneers. Gonna leave some info here... oh and some gorgeous before and afters,' Martha shared to Instagram stories.

Pleased with the results, the Sydney-based star asked her followers: 'Honestly if you've seen more natural veneers, please show me.'

Martha also shared a photo, drawing attention to her new pearly whites, on her Instagram page.

She was seen lying on the grass in a vibrant ensemble, while boyfriend Michael Brunelli took a candid shot from above.

Results: The former makeup artist shared before and after photos to Instagram of her smile, after getting her teeth done at Dental Boutique last year

Martha captioned the post: '8 billion smiles in the world and mine is my favourite. Thanks to Dental Boutique.

'Last year Dr Reuben Sim made me the most dainty, feminine and natural looking porcelain veneers, so natural my mum couldn't even tell. Couldn't be happier.'

Since becoming an influencer, Martha has landed many lucrative endorsements.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia last month, Martha said 'never in her wildest dreams' did she believe that creating sponsored posts at home would become her full-time job, and expressed her surprise at how financially viable it is.

Popular: Martha became a household name after starring on the 2019 season of Married At First Sight. She has since become an influencer, landing many lucrative endorsements

'It it is surprising': Speaking to Daily Mail Australia last month, Martha said that 'never in her wildest dreams' did she believe that creating sponsored posts for big brands at home would become her full-time job, and expressed her surprise at how financially viable it is

'It is surprising. I worked as a makeup artist for so long and I knew that big brands turnover so much. And the number one thing that they all invest in is marketing,' she said.

Although Martha did not reveal the exact figure she charges for branded content, it's estimated she makes anything up to $3,000 for a single sponsored selfie.

Some brands likely pay even more for multi-post deals, or to exclusively sign Martha up as the face of their campaigns across different platforms.

'Big brands invest in marketing': Although she didn't reveal the exact figure she charges for branded content, it's estimated she could charge up to $3,000 for a single sponsored selfie

When asked how she's spending her impressive earnings, Martha explained that she's investing it all into her own top secret business venture.

'I'm working on something of my own. It's going to take a while. This is a stepping stone right now. It's opened so many doors for me,' said the aspiring entrepreneur.

'Obviously I have this big platform now. It just sort of catapults your brand or whatever it is you're going to start. It's like a nice head start. I imagine that the hardest thing for most new brands is getting a platform.'
FRANKFURT, Germany and TORONTO, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (the "Company" or "TGOD") (TSX: TGOD) (US: TGODF), a leading producer of premium certified organic cannabis, announced today that its Ancaster facility has obtained a European Union Good Manufacturing Practice ("EU-GMP") certificate enabling it to commence exports to Germany.

Under this EU-GMP certificate, valid until December 31, 2020, TGOD can commence exporting its premium certified organic products for validation in preparation for commercialization in 2021. The Company anticipates validation will be completed by the end of the year, subsequently enabling export of medical cannabis products for commercial purposes to Europe and other jurisdictions.

"This EU-GMP certificate enables export of dried flower and cannabis extracts to Germany for validation, making TGOD the first certified organic Canadian licensed producer to obtain the prestigious certification," stated Dr. Joachim Lubig, Managing Director of TGOD Europe. "By leveraging our existing network of distribution partners in Germany and other countries, TGOD will be in a strong position to quickly ramp up international sales of premium certified organic cannabis products in 2021," added Dr. Lubig.

About The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd.

The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (TSX: TGOD) (USOTC: TGODF) is a premium certified organic cannabis company focused on the health and wellness market. Its certifiedorganic cannabis is grown in living soil, as nature intended. The Company is committed to cultivating a better tomorrow by producing its products responsibly, with less waste and impact on the environment. Its two Canadian facilities have been built to LEED certification standards and its products are sold in recyclable packaging. In Canada, TGOD sells dried flower and oil, and recently launched a series of nextgeneration cannabis products such as organic teas, dissolvables and vapes. Through its European subsidiary, HemPoland, the Company also distributes premium hemp CBD oil and CBD-infused topicals in Europe. By leveraging science and technology, TGOD harnesses the power of nature from seed to sale.

TGOD's Common Shares and warrants issued under the indentures dated November 1, 2017 and December 19, 2019 trade on the TSX under the symbol "TGOD", "TGOD.WT" and "TGOD.WS", respectively, and TGODF trades in the US on the OTCQX. For more information on The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd., please visit www.tgod.ca.

Cautionary Statements

This news release includes statements containing certain "forwardlooking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law ("forwardlooking statements"). Forward looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to, statements about the completion of validation of the Company's products for European export, statements about the export of the Company's medical products for commercial purposes to Europe and other jurisdictions, statements about the timing of international sales of the Company's products and statements about the Company's ability to offer certain products in certain jurisdictions. Forwardlooking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "should", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Various assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions or making the projections contained in the forwardlooking statements throughout this news release. Forwardlooking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties (including market conditions) and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forwardlooking statements, including those risk factors described in the Company's most recently filed Annual Information Form available on SEDAR. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forwardlooking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law.

Neither the TSX nor the TSX's Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of Toronto Stock Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd.

Related Links

www.tgod.ca


On Thursday, a Delhi court had reportedly set aside the punishment of 60 Malaysian nationals, belonging to Tablighi Jamaat, for a fine of 7000 each after they had attended the Nizamuddin Markaz in Delhi. They were accused of violating visa norms and government rules, amidst the Coronavirus outbreak in the capital city.

The order was passed by Metropolitan Magistrate Siddharth Malik after the Nizamuddin Markaz attendees sought for a lesser punishment and accepted the mild charges under a plea bargaining process. Advocate S Hari Haran informed that the accused could walk free after the complainant, Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Lajpat Nagar, Inspector (Nizamuddin) and Additional Commissioner of Police (Lajpat Nagar) did not object to their plea bargain.

Reportedly, the Tablighi Jamaatis were charged under the Epidemic Diseases Act, Disaster Management Act and relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). As per reports, the Delhi Police (Crime Branch) had registered a total of 49 chargesheets, and 11 supplementary chargesheets against 956 Tablighi Jaamatis from 36 countries.

Nizamuddin Markaz attendees had no malicious intent, argues counsel

Hari Haran argued in court that the inadvertent offence was committed with no malicious intent and that it would not be repeated. While the Magistrate had initially imposed a fine of 15,000 on each accused, the counsel pleaded for a lesser fine citing that many of them were either students or retired individuals. Following that, the Judge reduced the fine amount to 7,000. The Malaysian nationals were also granted bail on a bond of 10,000. During the hearing, the accused along with embassy officials were present in the court.

What does the law say?

As per reports, an accused can plead guilty to an offence and seek lesser punishment under a plea deal. Under the CrPC (Code of Criminal Procedure), an accused can file for a plea bargain in cases where no crime had been committed against women or children below 14 years. It further includes offences where the maximum punishment is 7-year imprisonment or the ones that do not affect the socio-economic conditions of the society.

MHA blacklists defaulters

Earlier, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had decided to ban more than 2,200 blacklisted foreign nationals from entering India for 10 years for violating visa norms and getting involved in Tablighi Jamaat activities. The Modi government had blacklisted 960 foreigners in April, including four Americans, nine Britishers, and six Chinese nationals who had attended the Nizamuddin Markaz on tourist visas. In addition to the already blacklisted 960 foreigners members of the Tablighi Jamaat, more than 1,000 others had been banned from coming to India for violating visa norms by visiting the country on tourist and e-visas.
With Klein ISD scheduled to start the 2020-21 school year August 19, Superintendent Jenny McGown said via a video message that theyve been hard at work amid challenging circumstances to design the best possible roadmap to reopening the district.

McGown announced Friday, July 10, plans to reopen schools by offering two choices  Klein On-Campus and Klein Online  amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Students will either attend school five days a week in person at in their zoned campus or at home in a virtual learning environment.

Q&A: Jenny McGown celebrates one-year anniversary as Klein ISD superintendent

In preparing for the new school year, weve taken the lessons we learned from our rapid response last spring and refined them to face the persisting challenges of the COVID-19 crisis, McGown said in an emailed statement. We have listened to the concerns of our families, employees, and community members and have consulted with health and local officials to ensure that we successfully reopen for every student and employee in our care.

According to the Klein ISD support website, new and returning families must indicate their choice of online or on-campus for each of their students in the Annual Student Information Update in the Family Access Center of the Skyward system, between July 14-24. Doing so will commit the student to either the online or the on-campus option from Aug. 19 to Oct. 7 for the first quarter of the school year.

On HoustonChronicle.com: State officials: Public schools must reopen campuses in August with few exceptions

Families must also specify their accessibility of home internet access and devices for elementary students, which will help Klein ISD prepare support for Klein Online.

Regardless of the challenges we may face as a community and as a district, we are committed to the health and wellness of staff and students, and the options we are providing will ensure that students will have excellent learning experiences this year, McGown said.

Both options will be alike in grading guidelines, but on-campus students will be required to follow health and safety regulations, for instance wearing face coverings when not able to stay six feet apart inside and outside of school and bus settings.

Students who choose the on-campus option this fall will attend school from 8:00 a.m.3:30 p.m. for elementary; 8:50 a.m.4:20 p.m. for intermediate; and 7:15 a.m.2:46 p.m. for high school.

As far as attendance for on-campus students, the website states that the district will not award perfect attendance certificates during the upcoming school year and attendance related exemptions will not be in effect.

The health and safety of our students, staff, and community is of the utmost importance in Klein ISD, Klein ISD Health Services Director Yvonne Clark said in an emailed statement. We will continue to work closely with local, state, and federal health officials to ensure that we are implementing all necessary precautions for Klein On-Campus Learning so that our students and staff remain safe.

The online option will look different from the at-home model that students went through at the end of the 2019-20 school year, according to the website. Courses will be attainable through digital access of Schoology where students can engage in independent learning and virtually with teachers for periods of live instruction or facilitating coursework.

Schedules for daily instruction will be provided to online students, with attendance taken every day. Theyll also have the option through Schoology to participate in extracurricular activities on campus, which will follow updated UIL guidelines.

I am so pleased with the work that the staff under the outstanding leadership of Dr. McGown has done to prepare for an excellent start to this school year, James said.

McGown said for more information about the both selections, parents and students can visit support.kleinisd.net.

Furthermore, preliminary plans may continue to be adjusted based on conditions and as new information from local health officials and the Texas Education Agency is released and made available, according to the website.

We know youll have lots of questions, so please let us help you as we work through this moment together, McGown said in the video message. As a Klein ISD parent, educator, and community member, I empathize with what were all going through, but I also know weve thought hard times before, and we will get through this, as always, together.

alvaro.montano@chron.com
A 22 year-old Nigerian is on trial at the Dubai Court of First Instance after robbing a Turkish national of about $8,200. Accordin...





A 22 year-old Nigerian is on trial at the Dubai Court of First Instance after robbing a Turkish national of about $8,200.





According to court records, the Nigerian lured his victim via a dating app, locked him inside a hotel apartment and stole his money.





Aided by other suspects still at large, the Nigerian made a social media account to deceive the victim who went to a flat in the Al Barsha area believing he will meet a girl he came across on social media.





An Emirati policeman testified that the victim, of Turkish origin, reported the incident after the defendant assaulted him and stole his money.

The gang lured the victim to the apartment, closed the door, tied his hands, assaulted him and threatened to kill him.





I was assaulted by the suspects and they withdraw Dh30,000($8,167) from bank account using my bank card and details. They were three men and a woman, the victim said according to police records.





Dubai Public Prosecution charged the 22-year-old Nigerian for locking the victim inside an apartment, theft, and using his credit card without authorisation.





The Nigerian will remain in custody until the trial begins on July 16, reports Gulf News.





The Dubai Police last month arrested 12 Nigerians headlined by Ramon Olorunwa Abass, a.k.a Hushpuppi and Olalekan Ponle, a.k.a Woodberry for international online scams.




The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, has denied collecting N500 million for projects in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

He said this on the second day of a hearing probing how the commission squandered N40 billion within a few months.

The Senate had on May 5 set up a seven-member committee to investigate the financial recklessness of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the commission.

The lawmakers said within the last three months, the commission has spent over N40 billion of the commissions fund without recourse to established processes of funds disbursement.

Mr Akpabio and other delegates from the NDDC appeared before the committee on Friday. His statement is in reaction to allegations made against him by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, Peter Nwabaoshi.

Mr Nwabaoshi had in June accused the minister of collecting contracts worth N500 million from the NDDC in 2017 alone without execution.

The projects include fencing the Federal Polytechnic Ukana, Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District at the cost of N200 million, fencing of Federal Government College, Ikot Ekpene (Old site) Akwa North-West Senatorial District for N100 million and entrepreneurship training on the use of modern farming implement (Youth) in Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District at the cost of N75 million.

Others are entrepreneurship training on the use of modern farming implements (Women) in Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District at the cost of N75 million and renovation of one hostel facility at the University of Nsukka, Nsukka Campus at the cost of N50 million.

Akpabios response

Although Mr Nwabaoshi said he granted Akpabios request as Chairman of the Senate Committee during the 8th Senate when he (Akpabio) made the request, the minister said otherwise.

Addressing journalists after the hearing, Mr Akpabio said he must have made a recommendation when he was still a senator in 2017 that they should consider these (projects) but they were not considered.

Those jobs were not paid, not one naira was paid and when you make a recommendation, it is not that you are being given a contractor; it is that if there is a job in your constituency when they are going through due process they will advertise that job and that will awarded to the one that wins the bid.

READ ALSO:

It is not that when a senator makes a suggestion to an agency  whether it is NEMA, NDDC  that the senator will automatically become the contractor. For the fact that the paper was written on the minority leaders letter-headed paper shows that it was not an award of contract.

Award of contract would have been on a NDDC paper so when I saw it, I didnt think it was worth responding to and as minister of the federal republic of Nigeria, I owe the national but good service.

The allegation, he said, was not worth responding to as it was total falsehood.

I have been a contractor at NDDC. Even if the suggested projects were N300 million or N500 million were accepted, there is no guarantee that I or my nominee would have been a contractor, he added.

With regards to the N40 billion which the committee is investigating, the minister said no money is missing. This is because the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) hosts the accounts of the NDDC and so N40 billion cannot be taken without it being known.

The contractors that were paid, according to the management, were contractors owed debts going back to nine years, some 11 years. When you inherit a commission, you inherit the liabilities and the assets.

They had no option because of garnishee orders, people have gone to court, some have even died. It couldnt have come to the minister because the threshold of the management is below N250 million. My job was to come here and also listen because it will help me to know what they are spending.

Earlier, Mr Akpabio told the panel that he has approved only one project since he became a minister and that is the COVID-19 intervention.

He said he had no knowledge about any expenditure or gave any approval during the tenure of the last Interim Management Committee.

The solution to the problem of NDDC, he said, is the forensic audit as ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Fridays hearing is the last of the two-day event. So far, revelations have emerged ranging from how lawmakers hijacked the NDDCs budget over the years to how the commission used N1.5 billion to care for its staff.

The panel is expected to submit its final report to the Senate on another legislative day.

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Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) at a hearing with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein where he testifies before the House Judiciary Committee about Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of Russia's alleged election interference in 2016, in Washington on Dec. 13, 2017. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

Ousted Federal Prosecutor Did Not Identify Any Wrongdoing by Barr, Jim Jordan Says

The former federal prosecutor who was dismissed after he refused to step down did not reveal any wrongdoing or criminality during Attorney General William Barrs interactions with the prosecutor, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said on Friday.

Jordan, the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, released the key take aways of the testimony of Geoffrey Berman, the former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), who appeared before committee members on Thursday in a closed-door hearing. During the hearing, Berman recounted how Barr repeatedly attempted to urge him to step down from his post in order to make way for Jay Clayton, who is currently the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), to ascend to the position.

Following the hearing, Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), chairman of the Judiciary Committee, told reporters that he was unsure whether the attorney generals conduct was criminal but added, that kind of quid pro quo is awfully close to bribery.

Jordan disputed the Democrats characterization of the testimony, saying that the interview with Berman uncovered no evidence of misconduct, wrongdoing, or criminality.

The interview uncovered no nefarious plot to stifle ongoing investigations in the Southern District of New York or anywhere else, Jordan wrote in the summary addressed to Republican members of the committee (pdf).

The top Republican member of the committee added that Berman did not testify about any specific inappropriate actions taken by any Justice Department official between June 19 and 20, nor did he provide insight for Barrs reasons for removing him.

Berman testified that he did not know what Barrs reasons were for having him removed, Jordan wrote. The lawmaker added that Berman also never suggested the prospect of a quid pro quo concerning his duties as U.S. Attorney for the SDNY.

Although Berman briefly suggested that he thought the Attorney Generals offer for a different position could be considered a quid pro quo, the evidence does not support an exchange of any real value, he wrote.

Bermans refusal to step down from his position last month became a public spectacle, resulting in the intervention of President Donald Trump, who granted Barrs request to dismiss the defiant prosecutor.

In a prepared statement (pdf) provided by Berman to lawmakers, the former federal prosecutor admitted to repeatedly resisting Barrs attempt to coax him into accepting other leadership positions, including the head of the Justice Departments Civil Division and the chairmanship of the SEC.

He said he resisted the attorney generals attempts because there were important investigations in the office that I wanted to see through to completion. Some of the investigations Berman was leading include the prosecution against sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, before Epstein committed suicide in jail, and probes into Michael Cohen, Trumps former lawyer, and Rudy Giuliani, the presidents current lawyer.

Jordans version of the key takeaways also detailed how Berman expressed concerns about Barrs initial choice of Craig Carpenito, the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, as interim replacement for Berman during Claytons confirmation, and Bermans belief that he could not be lawfully removed by the president.

The attorney general had previously defended his decision to dismiss Berman from his role, saying that it was simply a personnel action.

The president had never made an appointment to that office. Geoffrey Berman was interim. He was appointed by the court as a temporary U.S. attorney holding the fort. He was living on borrowed time from the beginning. And when a really strong, powerful candidate raised his hand, that is Jay Clayton, currently the chairman of the SEC, a prominent New York lawyer from Sullivan and Cromwell, very well-known and highly regarded, an independent, and he said that he was prepared to leave the government, was going back up, wanted to go back up to New York but very much would desire this job, I view that as an opportunity to put in a very strong person as a presidential appointment to that office, Barr told NPR in an interview in June.

Barr faced intense scrutiny by Democrat lawmakers following Bermans dismissal, which triggered discussions among House Democrats about initiating an impeachment inquiry against him. The attorney general is scheduled to appear before the committee on July 28 for a DOJ oversight hearing, where it is expected that he would be asked about Bermans firing.
Channel 4s two-part documentary, The School That Tried to End Racism, centres on events during the filming of a group of Year 7 (eleven- and twelve-year-old) pupils over three weeks in April last year.

The pupils were subjected to a cruel experiment, but this was positively described by the programmes narrator as a ground-breaking initiative concerning racial bias.

The 24 volunteers attend Academy Glenthorne High School in the Sutton Common area in the London Borough Sutton, an Academy school assessed as outstanding by school inspectorate Ofsted. Fifty percent of its intake are identified as BAME (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic) groups.

Channel 4s The School That Tried to End Racism

The pupils participated in tests, focus groups and modified lessons, overseen by Dr Nicola Rollock, Reader in Equality & Education at Goldsmiths College, University of London, and Rhiannon Turner, Professor of Social Psychology at Queens University Belfast.

Mariama Richards, an American diversity and inclusion practitioner, led the experiment. As Director of Progressive and Multicultural Education at the Ethical Culture Fieldston private school in New York, she introduced racially segregated affinity groups in 2015, which became mandatory in schools in New York and Washington DC.

What initially struck this reviewer was that here was a group of cheerful, intelligent, and articulate youngsters, proud to consider themselves anti-racist and colour-blind in their choice of friends. They profess a healthy egalitarian ethic, commenting, I dont think race matters; It doesnt matter what skin-colour you have; Since the start of my life, I've been told that your race doesnt really matter. Its who you are as a person.

Thanks to the measures inflicted on them, the children are in for a nasty shock.

The voiceover makes the statement that today most of us know racism is wrong, but then follows with the question, Is it possible we could all be racist without knowing it?

The documentary ignores the racist policy of successive Labour and Conservative governments, intended to create a hostile environment for immigrants and their families, and fails to offer any explanation of how racism developed historically in different societies. Racism is instead confined to the realm of psychology and not probed to its sourcethe capitalist system which seeks means to divide the working class to maintain its rule. Blame is shifted onto the individual, in this instance a group of unwitting pupils in their first year at high school.

As part of the experiment, the children sit an Implicit Association Test (IAT), which supposedly measures unconscious bias, in this case racial bias. The test compares whether someone is quicker to link white faces with words suggesting the concept bad and black faces with words associated with good and vice versa. IATs were created by researchers from Harvard University involved with the Implicit Project, a not-for profit organization founded in 1998 and endorsed by Hillary Clinton.

Laughter during the test turns to tears when the children are told the test results indicate a racial bias towards white people among 18 of the group of 24. The white children are particularly horrified, as no one wishes to be perceived racist by their friends.

The programme fails to mention the controversy surrounding IAT tests. Many critics question their validity, reliability, and accuracy. The American Psychological Association (APA) states:

The IAT measures peoples associations between concepts. So, the classic race IAT compares whether youre quicker to link European-Americans with words associated with the concept bad and African-Americans with words related to good or vice versa. Your score is on a scale of -2.0 to 2.0, with anything above 0.65 or below negative 0.65 indicating a strong link [indicating racial bias].

In response, the APA cites Texas A&M University psychologist Hart Blanton, Ph.D., who notes, Theres not a single study showing that above and below that cut-off people differ in any way based on that score.

Neither do individuals produce consistent scores.

Worse is to follow for the Glenthorne school children. They are segregated into affinity groups, depending on whether they identify as black or white. The very label is divisive, suggesting a greater affinity between people of the same skin colour. Henry, in the white group and who describes himself as ginger European, is reduced to tears. He cries again when talking to his parents about his traumatic day. What we were talking about is what it means to be white. And it felt really weird. I didnt feel comfortable talking.

If I had the choice, I would be with my friends, not just by race, because that feels awful, he says.

In their group the white children look dejected and mortified, thinking themselves as unconscious racists burdened with white privilege.

Dr Rollock explains to the camera that white privilege is not about wealth but being free from the consequences of racism, dismissing the growth of inequality in society between the wealthy elite and the increasingly impoverished working class of all ethnicities and colour.

The BAME children share experiences of racism with the whole group. Bright recounts how his family were humiliated in a restaurant and asked to pay up front. Another child describes how a policeman picked on him in a shop, based on the stereotypical assumption that black kids steal. The white children are shocked.

In another session, the children are lined up ready for a race. They are asked to take steps backwards, for example, if they had ever been warned about racism, or anyone in their family had been stopped and searched. If their family was born in the UK, this merits a step forward. The children are confronted with white privilege. Beth admits to feeling guilty about having an unfair start in life.

Behind the experiment are reactionary, right-wing politics based on the conception that identity, especially race, is the main driver in society. The fundamental determinant of achievement, however, is class. Wealth inequality affects every aspect of life, including educational outcomes. The working class of all ethnicities lead shorter lives than the rich, and the rich enjoy more years in good health than the poor.

The proponents of identity politics are not speaking for BAME working class people, who are among the most exploited, but for the aspiring upper middle class who feel deprived of the opportunity to share the immense wealth at the top of society. Speaking for the layer she represents, Dr Rollock says, These are the children who are going to be running the country and employing people.

At the conclusion of the experiment, the children repeat the initial test. Having been set up to fail the first time around, having been trained to the test, they come out showing no unconscious racial bias and are greatly relieved.

Channel 4s The School that Tried to End Racism is a shameful propaganda piece that promotes identity politics, to the detriment of children who were clearly traumatised, upset and confused by the experiments divisive agenda. In one telling incident the group visit Londons National Portrait Gallery and are asked to consider why so few portraits of black people are hanging there. One boy finds the answer not in fact-based history but what the experiment has taught himin white privilege. He dismisses the world-famous collection, shouting, Its all dead in there!

The corporate media lauded the series, but its main backer was the Guardianwhich represents the interests of a selfish upper middle-class layer who specialise in promoting all manner of identity policies. It applauded a gripping documentary based on the first UK trial of a US programme aimed at educating pupils in unconscious racial bias, as a powerful lesson in white privilege. But many voices of disquiet were expressed on social media. Among the tweets were, This is very concerning. Classrooms arent laboratories and children arent test subjects.

Another tweeted, I thought the first show was pretty horrifying. It ended with white kids feeling guilty for being white and non-white kids deflated, at best convinced the system made it impossible for them to do well. It felt like child abuse.

A further tweet stated, Im horrified at what they did. This is just plain wrong. This is straight up Critical Race Theory in the classroom.

Critical theory has its roots in the Frankfurt School, the precursor of the post-modernism which emerged in the 1960s and dominates many university courses. Post-modernism rejects a scientific understanding of the world as law-governed, in favour of subjective narrativesall supposedly equally valid. It regards class as only one of many identities alongside race, ethnicity and gender.

Approximately one year after the film was made, the reactionary logic of this political, rather than scientific outlook is clear for all to see. Protests erupted on every continent over the heinous murder of George Floyd by US police, which mobilised young people across all artificial racial divisions. In these protests, the politics of race and identity lauded by the Guardian and Channel 4, has promoted a communalist narrative that undermines the necessarily united struggle against capitalism and its state apparatus.
The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on Wednesday threw out a controversial Guyana Court of Appeal decision that inserted the word valid, into the consideration of votes for the election of a President.





President of the Court Justice Adrian Saunders said in a unanimous decision, that the decision of the Court of Appeal was null and void and of no effect.





The court also said that the June 23 report of the Chief Election Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield, of cutting over 115,000 votes, is invalid and of no effect.





The judgement delivery was made in relation to a matter involving Mohammed Ifraan Ali et al versus Eslyn David et al.





The CCJs ruling today is seen as clearing the way for GECOM Chair Justice Claudette Singh to immediately move for the declaration of the recount result, which shows that the opposition PPP/C has won the election.

Justice Saunders was scathing in his concern that the election process has gone on for too long.





He said it is now left to the Guyana Elections Commission to secure the report from the CEO that it instructed on June 16th that he deliver based on the recount of votes.





He said that matters raised by counsel for Edlyn David and Joseph Harmon fall within the jurisdiction of the High Court and an election petition.





Justice Saunders said the court could not be oblivious to all that has transpired in Guyana since December, 2018  when the motion of no-confidence was passed against the APNU+AFC government.





He noted that four months after the March 2nd elections, there has been no result and that the country has been without a Parliament for more than a year.





No one, he said, could be satisfied with this state of affairs.





On behalf of the five-member panel he said, "Now the law must run its course.





Meanwhile, in his first reaction to the CCJs ruling, caretaker President David Granger insisted that there was widespread fraud in the March 2nd general elections, but agreed that the matter will now have to be finally decided by GECOM.




Team were summoned to police headquarters for probe into charges of alleged sedition and defamation.

Several Al Jazeera journalists involved in a recent documentary about Malaysias treatment of undocumented workers during the coronavirus pandemic were questioned at the countrys police headquarters on Friday, as the network defended its journalism and expressed deep concern about the investigation.

The police have said they are investigating the staff about potential sedition, defamation and violation of the countrys Communications and Multimedia Act.

The short film on Al Jazeeras 101 East documentary strand called, Locked Up in Malaysias Lockdown, was broadcast on July 3, and investigated the plight of thousands of undocumented migrant workers arrested during raids in areas under tight lockdowns.

Malaysian officials and national television claimed the report was inaccurate, misleading and unfair.

Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob called on Al Jazeera to apologise to Malaysians, adding that allegations of racism and discrimination against undocumented migrants were untrue.

Al Jazeera Media Network has strongly rejected the Malaysian allegations.

Six #AlJazeera staff presented themselves for questioning at Bukit Aman police HQ accompanied by 7 lawyers for questioning over a documentary on treatment of migrant workers https://t.co/e04NGA4afh  Amy Chew (@1AmyChew) July 10, 2020

In a statement released on Thursday, the Qatar-based broadcaster on Thursday said it stands by the professionalism, quality and impartiality of its journalism, and warned of serious concerns about developments that have occurred in Malaysia since the broadcast of the documentary.

The teams lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik told media on Friday that his clients were cooperating fully with the police investigation, and stressed that the journalists had requested many times to interview government officials without success. Comments made by the defence minister at two news conferences were included.

There was no intention whatsoever on the part of Al Jazeera to create any mischief, Teh said.

The journalists were seen leaving the police headquarters shortly after 3pm local time (07:00 GMT) after a number of hours inside. At a press conference afterwards the countrys police chief Abdul Hamid Bador said the Attorney General had not yet decided whether to proceed with charges.

While the documentary focused on the plight of foreign migrant workers, it also highlighted Malaysias success in containing the virus and the humanitarian efforts of Malaysian organisations to provide direct assistance to migrants in need, the network said in its statement on Thursday.

Death threats, harassment

Al Jazeera also said it has grave concerns about its staff in Malaysia who have faced abuse online, including death threats and disclosure of their personal details on social media.

Al Jazeera is deeply concerned that its staff are now subject to a police investigation, said the statement.

Charging journalists for doing their jobs is not the action of a democracy that values free speech. Journalism is not a crime, it added.

It said the network was concerned for the safety of those interviewed in the documentary who have also been subjected to abusive online harassment and hate speech.

Malaysias immigration department has issued a search notice for a Bangladeshi national interviewed in the documentary.

MEAA calls on Malaysia to drop its investigation into an Al Jazeera documentary and to ensure the safety of the broadcaster's journalists, some of whom are MEAA membershttps://t.co/Jn2oA3yPKD#MEAAmedia Image: 'Locked Up in Malaysia's Lockdown'  Al Jazeera pic.twitter.com/QwawcL26kj  MEAA (@withMEAA) July 10, 2020

Other journalists and activists have been questioned about their reporting in recent weeks.

A correspondent working for the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post was previously questioned after she reported on the arrests of migrant workers during the coronavirus lockdown, while an activist for refugees, who has been recognised internationally for her work, was also called in about a Facebook post on the treatment of migrant workers and refugees.

This is part of quite a sustained effort by the government to quell down on freedom of expression, said Aira Azhari from the Institute of Democracy and Economic Affairs. It also speaks to a broader effort to perhaps contain certain critical views within the press and civil society.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) on Friday called on Malaysia to drop the case against Al Jazeera and to allow journalists to do their jobs.

There has been a distinct pattern under the COVID-19 crisis of media workers targeted under Malaysias Communications and Multimedia Act and Penal Code for simply doing their job, the federation said in a statement. It is urgent for Malaysia during the pandemic to prioritise the publics right to know and for the media to be able to report freely and failrly without the threat of persecution.

Al Jazeera urged Malaysian authorities to respect media freedom and desist from treating its journalists as criminals.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: An octogenarian woman in the national capital and her 90-year-old husband suffering from Alzheimers disease have recovered from the coronavirus infection and were discharged from hospital. Doctors at a city hospital where the elderly couple were treated said that their recovery from COVID-19 in the face of high mortality rate in the older population globally due to the infection is a ray of hope to other patients.

On May 25, the 87-year-old woman was rushed to the hospital after fracturing her hip, and she was advised immediate hip replacement surgery. Before the surgery, she was tested for COVID-19 and was found positive. Following this, her family too underwent tests and her husband was found to have contracted the viral disease.

The couple was initially admitted at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital under the supervision of Dr Nikhil Modi, Senior Consultant of Respiratory, Critical care And Sleep Disorder, Institute of Critical Care, of the facility. Their vitals were regularly monitored, provided the required line of treatment and they made remarkable improvement within the first 10 days.

ALSO READ | True grit: 97-year-old man from Chennai wins battle against COVID-19

As soon as the woman tested negative, Dr Yatinder Kharbanda, senior consultant and orthopaedic surgeon, performed a successful total hip replacement procedure. People who are at an advanced age and have multiple comorbidities are the ones under maximum threat of COVID-19 and fatalities due to it. Their immune system gets degraded so much over the years that they become more vulnerable to infectious diseases, he said.

Also, due to pre-existing conditions like heart disease, geriatric syndrome (fall frailty, dementia and impaired mobility) lung ailments, diabetes or kidney disease their bodys ability to fight infectious diseases weakens with time.

ALSO WATCH:
CBSE Class 10, 12 results 2020: Board tells students to download DigiLocker app to access marksheet

India

oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P

New Delhi, July 10: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has begun to advise the students of Class 10 and Class 12 to download the DigiLocker app on their phones to access their marksheets.

With the help of DigiLocker app, the students who are eagerly waiting for their CBSE Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations results can access their marksheet as soon as the results are declared.

According to reports, the board has sent a direct link to the students to download the app. Also, those who do not wish to download the app on their phones, they can login to the DigiLocker online on digilocker.gov.in.

"Dear Student, your DigiLocker account has been created by CBSE. Please install DigiLocker app from https://getapp.digilocker.gov.in to access your digital CBSE marksheet/certificate. To login, use CBSE registered mobile number, OTP and enter last 6 digits of roll number as security pin," reads the SMS that has been sent to students.

Here's what CBSE says about deleting topics like democracy, citizenship, and federalism

Meanwhile, there are other reports that claims that the CBSE has already created default accounts for students on DigiLocker. To access their accounts, students will have to register on the app using their registered mobile number.

As for the students of Class 12, CBSE will be issuing separate marksheets and passing certificates.

How to use the app on your smartphone:

a. Go to PlayStore or App store on your smartphone

b. Search and download DigiLocker app

c. To login, use the mobile number registered with CBSE.

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f. Download is complete. You will now be able to check and download your CBSE digital mark sheet.

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Story first published: Friday, July 10, 2020, 13:41 [IST]
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Indian startups, especially in the electric vehicles (EVs) space, are reportedly looking at tough times ahead after border tensions between neighbour India and China escalated.

The sector is highly dependent on Chinese imports and may find it increasingly difficult to draw funds from private equity players and venture capital funds in light of the recent event, sources told Mint.

PE and VC investors have in the last few months become apprehensive of startups that have substantial exposure to China. They fear that with rising pressures from the Indian government, these startups can face disruption in supply chain whenever bilateral ties take a hit, a source added.

Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report.

Investors have thus pulled back from sectors too dependent on China given the shaky geopolitical scenario and EV-makers seem poised to be the biggest losers.

This is evident in the fact that since 2018, companies such as Magenta PowerGrid, Yulu, Ola Electric, Ather Energy and Lithium Urban Technologies pulled in funding from diverse sources including SoftBank Group and Tiger Global Management LLC. In fact, Indian industrialist Ratan Tata and Pawan Munjal had also expressed interest in the space.

This came after policy push and incentives for electric mobility and eco-friendly vehicles from the Indian government.

Investors these days are looking to eliminate any external risk on the supply chain, and exposure to China is now considered a long-term risk. Any startup that is assembling vehicles by importing components from China is 100% at risk now," Maxson Lewis, managing director of Magenta ChargeGrid and EV charging station manufacturing startup told the paper.

Localisation, if possible, would take a long time. At present, less than 20 percent of e-three-wheelers and associated parts are made in India. Accessories such as lithium-ion cells, battery packs and electric motors are also imported from China or Taiwan.

Indian and Chinese troops clashed in the Galwan Valley, Ladakh near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in June. As many as 20 Indian army personnel were killed in the scuffle, post which India banned 59 Chinese mobile applications and imposed increased scrutiny on imports and investments from the northern neighbour.
Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korea's leader, said another summit with the United States would only be useful for Washington at this point, adding her country had no intention of "threatening the US," according to state media.

Kim said in her personal opinion, there is unlikely to be another summit between leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump this year but "a surprise thing may still happen," news agency KCNA reported on Friday.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Thursday he was "very hopeful" about resuming talks with North Korea about denuclearisation and appeared to leave open the possibility of another summit between the countries' leaders.

Kim Yo Jong's comments came a day after the US point man for North Korea, Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun, wrapped up a three-day visit to Seoul where he rejected speculation he was seeking to meet North Korean officials during his trip, but said the United States was open to talks.

Recent North Korean statements have rejected the idea of new talks, and Kim reiterated Pyongyang's objections to what it sees as hostile and self-serving policies of the United States.

"We would like to make it clear that it does not necessarily mean the denuclearisation is not possible," Kim Yo Jong said. "But what we mean is that it is not possible at this point of time."

Her comments were couched in a somewhat softer tone than previous statements, and she even noted she had received special permission to view recordings of the recent Fourth of July Independence Day celebrations in the United States.

"We do not have the slightest intention to pose a threat to the US.... Everything will go smoothly if they leave us alone and make no provocation on us," she said.

Kim said it was unclear if mixed messages of engagement and pressure from Trump and his aides are an "intentional scheme or a result of the President's loose grip of power."

She said her brother had instructed her to pass on greetings to Trump and send him wishes for success in his work.

But even if the relationship between the leaders is good, Washington will return to being hostile and North Korea needs to shape its policies in preparation for leaders other than Trump, Kim said.

Kim Jong Un and Trump exchanged threats and insults in 2017 as North Korea rapidly advanced its missile and nuclear weapons technology, before ties warmed in early 2018.

The two leaders have met three times, but failed to find a compromise over the North's nuclear weapons programme, or the international sanctions imposed on Pyongyang.
Three days after the state government began demolishing secretariat buildings in Hyderabad to construct a new one at the same site, the Telangana high court on Friday issued an interim stay on knocking them down till Monday.

Photograph: WikiMedia Commons

A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice B Vijaysen Reddy was hearing a petition filed by Prof P L Vishweshwar Rao and Dr Cheruku Sudhakar.

The petitioners alleged that demolishing the 10 block secretariat complex of approximately 10 lakh square feet was being done without following the due procedure of law.

The Government act is against the Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules 2016, the Provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act,1897 and provisions of the Environment Protection Act,1986, among other laws,the petitioners alleged.

The court ordered the state government to file its counter with all necessary details that were pointed out by the petitioner.

The K Chandrashekhar Rao-led Government began razing the secretariat building complex on July 7, days after the high court dismissed a bunch of public interest litigation challenging the states decision to construct a new complex by demolishing the existing one.

The petitioners alleged that the demolition of the existing is an 'arbitrary action' of the state government in a pandemic situation, and deprives five lakh people of the surrounding areas from getting clean air.

On June 29, the high court had dismissed a bunch of PILs challenging the state's decision to construct a new secretariat complex by demolishing the existing one.

After the court cleared the decks for the construction of the new secretariat, the demolition of the old secretariat building complex began and the foundation stone for the new one was laid on June 27, 2019.

The state government had earlier indicated that the new secretariat, to come up in about seven lakh square feet, would cost around Rs 400 crore and it had decided to equip the new one with state-of-the-art connectivity and other features.
Forty years is a very long time, but sometimes it feels like a day.

Last Tuesday the wives, children and grandchildren of two devoted, courageous and deeply-loved young men gathered to remember them.

But they remember them every day. Every day for the past forty years.

Garda Henry Byrne (29) and Detective John Morley (37) were murdered on July 7, 1980.

Expand Close The funeral procession of John Morley and Henry Byrne, Knock, 1980 Gardai killed in the line of Duty / Facebook

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Whatsapp The funeral procession of John Morley and Henry Byrne, Knock, 1980 Gardai killed in the line of Duty

They were ruthlessly, recklessly and brutally shot dead while in pursuit of a criminal gang aligned with the INLA terrorist group, who robbed the Bank of Ireland in Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon.

Both gardai were based in Castlerea but were from Knock, Co Mayo. Their obscene deaths devastated their families, the broader community in Mayo and Roscommon and the entire garda fraternity.

Their killers were captured and prosecuted for the crime of capital murder and jailed for life.

Even four decades later, the appalling pointlessness of it all, much like the recent killing of Garda Colm Horkan, still burns.

The abyss of grief would cause most to break, but the women who loved the two men most - their wives and mothers - built the rest of their lives without bitterness, without hate.

In an act of almost incredible Christian charity Julia Byrne, the mother of Henry, in the days after his murder, prayed for his killers.

Expand Close Garda John Francis Morley, Garda John Francis Morley and Garda Henry Gerard Byrne were shot and fatally injured at Aghaderry, Co. Roscommon, in pursuit of armed bank robbers on 07.07.1980 Gardai killed in the line of Duty / Facebook

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Whatsapp Garda John Francis Morley, Garda John Francis Morley and Garda Henry Gerard Byrne were shot and fatally injured at Aghaderry, Co. Roscommon, in pursuit of armed bank robbers on 07.07.1980 Gardai killed in the line of Duty

"She went up to the church and lit a candle and said a prayer for them. I think she got comfort from it.

"I wasn't in that frame of mind, but she was incredible really," said John Byrne, a brother of Henry.

"At the time, I wanted to get into the cells where they (the killers) were and see how brave they were without their guns.

"But my mother didn't want any of that. And she was right," he said.

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Whatsapp Garda Henry Byrne

Paul Byrne (44), the eldest of Henry's three children, was just five when he lost his dad.

He and his siblings Henry and Aisling were raised "totally without animosity or bitterness".

"We weren't allowed, and that was it. Mam wouldn't let us feel that way.

"As long as I can remember, she instilled in us to rise above it, and that to feel bitterness would do nobody any good.

"She always taught us that what happened, happened that day and we have to get on with our lives and mind each other and mind her.

"There is not a day goes by we don't think of dad. We are immensely proud of him.

"When we heard the awful news about Colm Horkan, it brought it all back again. You can't bear to think of another family going through that," said Paul.

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Garda Morley's widow, Frances Morley, has never spoken of her loss but broke her silence through an advocacy group for victims of terrorism, on the 40th anniversary of her husband's death.

"I never wanted to hold ugly thoughts of bitterness or revenge, that will not bring John back and in fact, would only further hurt my family and I.

"We have tried to live our lives well, my children and their children have brought many moments of joy  but yes, of course, those are moments which John should have experienced."

She added: "Today may be viewed a milestone anniversary by people outside of our families, it's a time when their focus comes on our situation but every day for me is an anniversary, and I expect this is the same for others also."

The horror of July 7, 1980, cast a long shadow over the life of Retired Garda Derek O'Kelly.

He was driving the garda car carrying John Morley, Henry Byrne and Sgt Mick O'Malley, that intercepted the raiders at Shannon's Cross in Loughglynn, Co Roscommon.

Standing at the spot where it happened, he crumples in tears remembering the events that cost them all so dearly.

"You wonder what might have been. If I had gone a bit faster or a bit slower? If I hadn't picked up Henry. All this time later, I still wonder.

"The two finest of men gone."

Retired Garda Martin Duggan worked with Henry, John and Colm Horkan.

He speaks with pride about the bravery of John and Henry, but his words are choked with regret.

"Four (gardai) left Castlerea to go and help their colleagues in Ballaghadereen.

"Their mission was to capture the raiders and recover the money. And they succeeded on both counts, but the price was way too high.

"The enormity of that incident was unrealtwo men, 29 and 37, from the one station (Castlerea), both from Knock.

"That was so hard to take. Impossible really to make peace with. The whole area was numb for months. When this happened with Colm, it opened up old wounds.

"If you were to pick three of the most reliable, sound community people you would call on John, Henry and Colm.

"They were everything you wish for in colleagues. You would love to have on any job you had to do. They were loved."
Hidalgo County is awash in a tidal wave of COVID-19 cases that has filled its hospitals to capacity, officials said Thursday.

County leaders said in an afternoon briefing they had 1,274 newly diagnosed cases. In a late update, they reported 20 deaths for the day.

Despite valiant efforts on multiple fronts, the community overall has not taken this virus seriously, Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez said. The tsunami is here.

The soaring numbers came as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services opened a temporary surge testing site, vowing to swab up to 5,000 people a day at the Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg. It had problems on its first day Wednesday due to staffing shortages and patients not following directions, officials said.

Billy Calzada /San Antonio Express-News

Those woes largely had been corrected Thursday, as the testing site ran more smoothly and wait times shortened, city spokeswoman Cary Zayas said.

The federal testing site in Edinburg  one of eight set up in three cities nationwide  will continue offering free tests from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day through Tuesday.

Hidalgo County residents must preregister online for an appointment, print a voucher and bring it to the arena at the scheduled date and time. Patients are asked to arrive early and expect an average wait time of about two hours. No one will be allowed in line after 4 p.m.

Officials painted a grim picture of how the virus has roared through Hidalgo County, home to an estimated 868,707 people on the border with Mexico and spanning almost 1,600 square miles.

The total number of COVID-19 cases diagnosed in Hidalgo County since the pandemic began reached 7,334 on Thursday, while its cumulative death toll reached 123 by late Thursday.

For months now, we have been telling you how to protect yourself from this deadly disease  mainly to stay home and to avoid other people, Cortez said at a briefing broadcast on Facebook Live. For months now, the community has not followed the warnings of these experts. Neighbors are dying. Hospitals are at capacity. The rate of infection continues to rise. Yet our streets are full of activity. And I get reports from all over the county that people are not taking this disease seriously.

On ExpressNews.com: Previous deaths add 13 to coronavirus total, 954 new cases reported in San Antonio

Officials said 741 COVID patients were hospitalized in Hidalgo County on Thursday afternoon. At least 194 were in intensive care units.

Were in a dire situation, said Dr. Ivan Melendez, a physician and Hidalgo Countys local health authority. If all of you had the opportunity to walk into our hospitals, you would see warehouses of human beings, if you will, on stretchers and on ventilators  one right after the other after the other after the other.

Billy Calzada /San Antonio Express-News

Several nurses in the county have died after catching the virus, he noted. Six physicians have isolated themselves at home after being exposed.

Some people brought the illness home to their loved ones, Melendez said.

Three cases this week - (a) child infected both parents - both parents dead. My own personal patients, he said in the briefing streamed online. This is not a conspiracy theory. This is the absolute truth.

The majority of those who died were elderly, said Eddie Olivarez, chief administrative officer of Hidalgo County Health and Human Services. Many of them were infected by younger family members who had only minimal symptoms or no symptoms at all, he said.

The message is clear  if you have tested positive for COVID, stay home, Olivarez said. You must adhere to the fact that this is a national emergency. If people, family members in your household are ill, (or) youre a positive and theyre ill with similar symptoms, stay home. This is very important.

The first case of COVID surfaced in Hidalgo County on March 21, Melendez said. Three months passed before the county recorded a dozen fatalities.

Now were having 15, 17 people die every day. And we expect for that to continue, Melendez said.

On ExpressNews.com: Eight Comal County nursing home residents die of COVID-19

What has changed? The only thing that has changed is that were no longer following social distancing, he said. We cannot prevail without the community adhering ad nauseam to stay away from each other as much as possible.

Many patients who tried to get swabbed at the federal testing site at Ogden Arena in Edinburg were turned away Wednesday starting at 4 p.m.  two hours early  which county officials attributed to overwhelming response. Patients with appointments after 4 p.m. were asked to return early Thursday or Friday morning.

Billy Calzada /San Antonio Express-News

That was partly because fewer testers showed up than expected, said Zayas, the Edinburg spokeswoman. Only 10 staffers showed up, about a third of what was anticipated, she said.

There werent enough people working those lines, Zayas said. Some residents also arrived for tests on the wrong day.

But at least 30 testers showed up Thursday and the drive-through operation was widened to 14 lanes, Zayas said. Wait times dropped significantly.

There were bound to be some hiccups in this, Zayas said. But I think it was handled very well from one day to the next. They remedied the problems, brought in more staff. Everything is running much more efficiently and quickly today.

A total of 3,175 people were tested Wednesday, while 2,951 were tested Thursday, Zayas said. Patients will be notified of their results by text message within three to five days.

Peggy OHare covers demographics, the census and occasionally crime and general assignment stories in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Peggy, become a subscriber. pohare@express-news.net | Twitter: @Peggy_OHare
The government has started taking delivery of laboratory equipment and supplies that are expected to increase the countrys COVID-19 testing capacity and address current hiccups in testing that has resulted in a backlog.



The supplies include150,000 swabs, 100,000 KN95 masks, 700,000 examination gloves, 270,000 autoclave bags, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test kits to do 500,000 tests, tubes and PCR machines.



The Head of the Virology Department of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Research (NMIR), Professor William Ampofo,who disclosed this yesterday said majority were received on Saturday while the rest were expected yesterday and today.



At the COVID-19 briefing in Accra, he said when all the supplies arrive, various testing centres would be capable of conducting between 10,000 to 15,000 tests per week and reduce the turnaround time for testing to 48 hours and in some cases 24 hours.



We receive about 20,000 to 21,000 samples across the country. The target is to reduce the time, he said, adding with about 320,000 test done so far improving testing would aid decision making in the fight against the virus.



According to Prof Ampofo, to beef up testing, gene expert platforms belonging to the national tuberculosis programme which were capable of testing COVID-19 would be deployed at 120 sites across the country.



In addition, he announced plans to conduct mobile testing in collaboration with the Ghana Revenue Authority while the University of Ghana Medical Centre and the new medical centre at Ga East would be equipped to test.



All these, he said were part of a larger strategy being implemented in phases , including capacity building of laboratory staff to prevent the backlog that had increased the countries daily cases to close to 1,000 in the last few weeks.



On the use of Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTS), Prof Ampofo said, the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) had not licensed any of them for COVID-19 test yet and discouraged the public from using them.



He said the new evidence that the virus was airborne should be a wakeup call for the public to uphold all the safety protocols and prevent further spread of the virus in the country.





Source: The Ghanaian Times









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We want looters to go, we want bad leaders to go, we want corruption to fall and we want US dollars available to all. People are suffering, more because of corruption than Covid-19. Both are scourges that are killing us. Theres simmering anger because of governments failure to meet the needs of the people because of the ongoing looting. All the same, we will wear masks and keep our distance one from another. We will break no laws, including our constitutional right to demonstrate peacefully.
After it became clear that the debate on a wide-ranging police reform bill would be postponed again, this time until a rare Saturday session, an emotional exchange broke out Friday on the Senate floor between Democratic colleagues in disagreement over the continued delay.

Sen. Ryan Fattman (R-Sutton) for a second consecutive day used a parliamentary maneuver to delay debate, bringing a halt to planned consideration of nearly 130 amendments. Fattman has suggested that the bill, which was unveiled on Monday, is moving too quickly, is too expansive, and has not benefited from a public hearing.

While the Senate's rules do not speak to how many times a bill can be tabled, presiding officers have traditionally allowed bills to be tabled three times before ruling the motion to be dilatory, a custom that Senate President Karen Spilka cited Friday afternoon in an interview with the News Service.

"He's exerting the practice that we have. By custom, the Senate has allowed three laying on the table. Beyond that, by custom, it is recognized it is a dilatory and delaying tactic," Spilka said. "We are allowing the custom."

The bill would create an independent oversight and investigatory body to hold police accountable and create a system to certify law enforcement officers. Police officers would also be required to intervene if they witness police misconduct and undergo racism training. Language in the legislation bans choke holds, places restrictions on the use of tear gas, and limits qualified immunity.

Republicans were not alone in seeking more time to study the proposed law enforcement changes.

With Friday's planned debate already scrapped, Sen. John Keenan (D-Quincy) rose to say he supported Fattman's efforts "because I think this bill needs a little more work."

"We've got to get our arms around conveying to people what it is we're trying to do with this bill. What's really in this bill. And I'm afraid that we may have lost that battle already," Keenan said. "That in a society where people are going further and further apart, we find ourselves right in the middle of that. Not in the middle trying to draw people together, but with a bill that is well-intentioned, has good things, but for whatever reason is driving people apart."

Keenan became emotional as he recounted members of his own family who had served in law enforcement, including his great-grandfather, a Boston police officer who was shot in the line of duty, and said more needs to be done to understand their perspective.

Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz (D-Boston), a leading proponent of the bill and the branch's lone member of the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus, said the Senate's racial justice working group "had people at the table who were bringing explicitly the perspective of law enforcement."

Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz stood in the lobby outside the Senate Chamber during a break in Friday's session.Chris Van Buskirk/State House News Service

Standing one desk away from Keenan in the largely empty chamber, Chang-Diaz said the suggestion that the bill-crafting process was not inclusive is "B.S."

The presidents office, Ways and Means, myself, we met with stakeholder groups from law enforcement and wove their input into the bill, Chang-Diaz said. Does it have everything they want? Of course not. Does it have everything that people from Roxbury want? Of course not, and I have to live with that discomfort. But to suggest that this process did not attempt to bring people together, Im calling B.S. on that. People were at the table.

Spilka said there is public confusion regarding what the bill does and emphasized that it does not eliminate qualified immunity, a doctrine that prohibits civil rights suits against government officials where unconstitutional conduct had not been clearly established as illegal at the time it occurred.

"The bill absolutely does not eliminate qualified immunity. Colorado just passed a bill to totally eliminate it in the state. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill I think to totally eliminate it. We do not eliminate it. We just limit it," the Ashland Democrat said. "A police officer will continue to have the exact same immunity if his or her conduct was reasonable."

With only weeks until the end of formal sessions on July 31, the Senate is working against the calendar if they want to pass police reform legislation. Speaker DeLeo committed last month to put forth a proposal and send it to Baker's desk by the end of the month. A House bill has not emerged and both the governor and Black and Latino Legislative Caucus have emphasized the importance of sticking to points outlined in the caucus' 10-point plan.

"This bill only has a few days left, we can all do the math. We know how many steps it has to still get through after it leaves this chamber," Chang-Diaz said on the Senate floor. "And we know the calendar for getting a bill to the governor's desk with time to get it back, should he choose to amend it or veto it. All of us know that every day we delay this bill we are choking the breath out of this bill, and out of the political strength of communities of color and people who are pushing for racial justice right now."

Keenan urged cooperation with Baker and the House to achieve a consensus bill.

"I challenge us, the House of Representatives, and the executive branch to come together and work together on a bill that moves us forward, that we don't get caught up in House versus Senate versus executive," Keenan said.

Gov. Charlie Baker, in a letter Thursday to the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus, reiterated his desire to "[work] together with the House and Senate on the specific, shared principles outlined by the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus and proposed in our legislation."

Before adjourning Friday afternoon, the Senate agreed to hold a full formal session on Saturday at 10 a.m. Weekend sessions are rare but not unprecedented in the waning weeks of the legislative calendar.

Asked whether Republicans might table the bill for a third time Saturday, Minority Leader Bruce Tarr said it is a "fluid situation."

It seems to me that the magnitude of some of the things that were dealing with may take more than one day, the Gloucester Republican said, but I am an eternal optimist and I hope that we can find a way to move forward even sooner than that.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-11 05:03:44|Editor: huaxia

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NEW YORK, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. state of New York topped 400,000 on Friday, reaching 400,299 by Friday morning with a death toll of 32,307, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University.

Once the epicenter of the pandemic, it took the Empire State two months to see COVID-19 cases surge from 1 to 300,000 in early May. Daily death toll once reached nearly 800 in early April, when hospitals statewide were scrambling to procure enough personal protective equipment and get more beds.

After months of efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus, New York now sees key indicators stable and continue to trend in the right direction, as dozens of other states are experiencing a resurgence of the pandemic.

The state reported eight COVID-19 deaths on Friday, and the positivity rate in COVID-19 testing was 1.06 on the day before, according to Governor Andrew Cuomo's office.

However, the governor urged residents to keep practicing "the behaviors that have successfully bent the curve" as an alarming spike in cases throughout the nation was reported.

Malls in the regions that have entered phase four of reopening with high-efficiency venting systems are allowed to reopen on Friday.

For better ventilation, malls have to ensure increased outdoor air, reduced air circulation, longer system run times and frequent filter checks, the governor said earlier this week.

The state on Friday also lifted the ban on nursing home visits, resuming limited visitations for facilities that have been without COVID-19 for at least 28 days.

Only 10 percent of residents at a facility can be allowed visitors at any time, with a limitation of two visitors at a time. The visitors must undergo temperature checks, wear face coverings, and socially distance during the visit, according to the state's Department of Health.

"With the knowledge we now have about how COVID-19 came into nursing homes -- mainly through asymptomatic staff and visitors through no fault of their own - it is critical that as we resume visitations to these facilities we do it in a smart and cautious way to ensure the health and safety of residents and staff," State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said in a press release.

Nursing homes were among the hardest-hit facilities in New York during the pandemic, as over 5,000 people have died in them due to COVID-19 across the state.

Governor Cuomo also announced on Friday that New York will send the COVID-19 medication Remdesivir to Florida as the latter has become a new hotspot of the pandemic with a dramatic increase of new cases and hospitalizations.

"When New York was climbing the COVID mountain with no end in sight and resources were scarce, we were incredibly moved by the generosity of states around the country that stepped up to provide supplies and medical personnel in our time of need," said Cuomo.

The governor said late June that some 60,000 healthcare workers from outside New York came to help the state when it was at the peak of the crisis, and the state would return the favor.

"Today, on behalf of all New Yorkers, we will deploy Remdesivir to help Florida care for patients as it waits for further supply from the federal government. We will stand by our fellow Americans every step of the way as our nation fights COVID-19 together," he added.

The supply will help Florida care for 280 COVID-19 patients until the federal shipment arrives, according to the governor's office. Enditem
Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday issued a clarification on August 15 deadline for Covaxin, assured fast-track clinical trials will not compromise safety and security concerns.

The Union Health Ministry on Thursday clarified that 15 August deadline for an indigenous Covid-19 vaccine is only to expedite duly approved clinical trials without compromising on safety and security concerns.

During the press conference, Rajesh Bhushan, Officer on Special Duty, Health Ministry said, Please dont read something which is not there in DG-ICMRs letter. Letters intent is only to expedite duly approved clinical trials without compromising on safety and security concerns.

Earlier, ICMR DG Balram Bhargava wrote a letter to Bharat Biotech and principal investigators of medical colleges to complete the trial procedure of indigenous COVID-19 vaccine in a fast track method so that results of a clinical trial can be launched by August 15.

Bhushan further said that DCGI has permitted two vaccines to go in for phase 1 and 2 of clinical trials.

Also read: PM Modi to inaugurate 750 MW Solar Power Project in Rewa, MP

Also read: PM bats for Indias leading role in global revival post pandemic

Bharat Biotech and Cadila Healthcare are developing vaccines. Both vaccines completed animal toxicity studies after approval. DCGI has permitted these two vaccines to go in for phase 1 and 2 clinical trials. Trials are yet to begin. Hope it begins soon.

Bharat Biotech had recently received a nod for a clinical trial of its vaccine  Covaxin.

A total of 12 institutes have been asked by the ICMR to fast track clinical trials of the vaccine as it is being considered the topmost priority projects which are being monitored by the government.

Also read: 26,000+ new Covid-19 cases in last 24 hours, tally now at 7.9 lakh

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NEW YORK, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian Life), a Fortune 250 mutual company and a leading provider of life, disability, dental, and other benefits for individuals, at the workplace and through government sponsored programs, announced today that Eileen Murray has been elected to its board of directors.

Ms. Murray is the incoming Chair of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), starting August 2020. She served as Co-Chief Executive Officer of Bridgewater Associates from 2011 until April 2020. She previously served as Bridgewater's Co-President and Chief Operating Officer. Prior to joining Bridgewater, she held several senior executive roles at Morgan Stanley from 1998 until 2002 and 2005 until 2007, including Controller, Treasurer, Global Head of Technology and Operations, and member of the Management Committee for the firm, as well as Chief Operating Officer for its Institutional Securities Group. From 2002 until 2005, she served as head of global technology, operations and product control at Credit Suisse First Boston, where she was the first woman to serve on its Executive Board.

Currently, Ms. Murray also serves on the boards of financial services firm HSBC Holding plc; Compass, a real estate technology company; and the Irish Arts Center.

"We are delighted to welcome Eileen to Guardian's board as an independent director. Eileen's operational, technological and innovation experience, coupled with her knowledge of the financial markets and corporate strategy, will bring great value to Guardian," said CEO Deanna Mulligan. "We look forward to Eileen sharing her insights as we work to deliver on our mission to be the trusted mutual partner for our customers."

Ms. Murray earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and was awarded an honorary doctoral degree from Manhattan College, where she was the first female graduate to be honored with its De La Salle Medal of Honor.

For more information about Guardian's board of directors, please visit: www.guardianlife.com/about-guardian/board-directors.

About Guardian

Every day, Guardian provides Americans the security they deserve through our insurance and wealth management products and services. Since our founding in 1860, our long-term view has helped our customers prepare for whatever life brings whether starting a family, planning for the future or taking care of employees. Today, we're a Fortune 250 mutual company and a leading provider of life, disability, dental, and other benefits for individuals, at the workplace and through government sponsored programs. The Guardian community of over 9,000 employees and our network of over 2,500 financial representatives is committed to serving with expertise when, where and how our clients need us. Our commitments rest on a strong financial foundation, which at year-end 2019 included $9.3 billion in capital and $1.7 billion in operating income. For more information, please visit guardianlife.com or follow us on Facebook , LinkedIn , Twitter and YouTube .

For media inquiries, please contact:

[email protected]

GUARDIAN and the Guardian Logo are registered trademarks of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. Copyright 2020 The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, New York, N.Y. 2020-105068

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On July 8, Attorney General William Barr announced Trump's administration has moved to deploy federal law enforcement to the city of Kansas, Missouri. The move is part of a national endeavor called "Operation Legend" which aims to assist in controlling the recent surge of violence that has ravaged the country.

Operation Legend

Officials named the program after LeGend Taliferro, who was a 4-year-old boy who lost his life when an assailant shot him as he slept inside his home in Kansas on June 29.

According to The Epoch Times, Kayleigh McEnany, the White House press secretary, stated on July 8 the program was a reply to a letter Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas sent to Missouri Gov. Mike Parson. Mayor Lucas previously announced the city was at a critical point due to all the violence happening in the area.

The Justice Department said that the program was created after Trump announced his commitment to supporting and assisting cities that have been ravaged by the recent rush of violence.

As of July 8, Kansas City had 99 reports of homicides this year, and if numbers continue, the region would likely see a recorded total that goes beyond last year's 150 cases.

In the coming weeks, Barr will order at least 100 federal agents gathered from different agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to be deployed to the region of Kansas to assist and support local law enforcement agencies and officials amid the rampant crime and violence.

Also Read: Communists Demand US to Reduce Nuclear Warheads While Increasing Their Nukes Before Joining Talks

White House Press Secretary McEnany added the troops would be arriving in the area within the next ten days.

The 4-year-old Taliferro was suffering from a very rare form of congenital heart disease medical experts called Tetralogy of Fallot, as reported by Fox4kc. Barr called the incident with the young boy a horrific event and served as a reminder that violence threatens everyone if left uncontrolled.

In a statement, McEnany noted the government was working on ensuring the horrible shooting never took place again. The press secretary said they would be allocating all available resources to keep young children like Taliferro safe and out of harm's way.

Limited assistance efforts

On Wednesday, Lucas posted on Twitter where he announced the plans of the Department of Justice to deploy federal investigators to the city in an attempt to look into unsolved homicide cases and assist in non-fatal shooting investigations.

The Kansas mayor noted the federal support would not be used for regular policing or patrol activities and will be limited to unsolved murders and shootings. Lucas also stated Barr has spoken with the Taliferro family who expressed their support of the investigation.

The mayor noted the investigation efforts should only be one out of many attempts to support and aid the public amid the rising number of crimes and should include mental health treatment and restorative justice, as reported by ThePitchkc.

Lucas announced he previously contacted Governor Parson and will work on pursuing additional social services and other tools to reduce crime and violence in the future. The Kansas City mayor previously participated in the Black Lives Matter movement and committed to reorganizing police agencies.

Related Article: White House Rebuked Claims Trying to Smear Trump's Reputation in Controversial Tell-All Book by Mary Trump

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(CNN) - Coronavirus infections in Latin America and the Caribbean surpassed 3 million this week, according to Johns Hopkins University data, with Brazil, Peru and Chile reporting the highest number of infections.

Dr. Carissa Etienne, director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), expressed concern about unsafe working conditions and the lack of protective equipment for frontline health workers in much of the region. She reiterated the need for better tracing of the virus and said its impact had been worsened by inequality, political division and under-investment in health care.

Three heads of state have announced they have tested positive for the virus: Bolivian Interim President Jeanine Anez, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who was hospitalized after being diagnosed in June.

Furthermore, in Bolivia, in addition to the interim president, six more high-ranking government officials have also tested positive, including several ministers.

These are the countries with the highest number of Covid-19 infections in the region, as of July 10, according to latest figures from the countries' health ministries:

1. Brazil: 1,755,779 cases; 69,184 deaths

2. Peru: 316,448 cases; 11,314 deaths

3. Chile: 309,274 cases; 6,781 deaths

4. Mexico: 282,283 cases; 33,526 deaths

5. Colombia: 133,973 cases; 4,714 deaths

6. Argentina: 90,693 cases; 1,749 deaths

7. Ecuador: 65,801 cases; 4,983 deaths

8. Bolivia: 44,113 cases; 1,638 deaths

9. Panama: 42,216 cases; 839 deaths

10. Dominican Republic: 41,915 cases; 864 deaths

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Latin America and the Caribbean topped 3 million infections this week"
OKLAHOMA CITY - Archbishop Paul S. Coakley said Thursday masks or face coverings are required to be worn by individuals attending all public Masses and church activities in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.

Coakley announced the new mandate in a "Letter to the Faithful" as the latest in a series of precautionary measures that have already been put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Previously, masks or face coverings had been encouraged but not mandatory.

Coakley said the new requirement was necessary because of the increased number of COVID-19 cases in Oklahoma since early June. In his letter, the archbishop told parishioners that the coronavirus has affected some of their family members and friends and more than a dozen priests, as well. Youths age 5 and younger are excluded from the mask requirement.
Maxwell, 58, was arrested in New Hampshire on July 2 on charges she exploited teenage girls in the 1990s by providing them to Epstein after recruiting and grooming them to engage in sex acts with him. She was taken into custody about a year after Epsteins arrest on sex trafficking charges. He committed suicide in August at Manhattans Metropolitan Correctional Center, after which prosecutors here vowed to continue the investigation of anyone who may have acted as an accomplice.
A mother of four who has knitted little angel mascots to spread joy for frontline workers has won 1 million of cheer on a National Lottery scratchcard.

Debbie Goolding, from Aldershot, Hampshire, has been running a team of knitters, many of them self-isolating, to create the 3in figures for NHS workers, care workers and other frontline staff.

Now the 46-year-old says she is going to upgrade her Citroen CV for a Range Rover Evoque for her delivery runs for the knitted mascots.

Mrs Goolding said: The angels are designed to bring a smile at a difficult time. Ive knitted 3in nurses, paramedics, care workers, pharmacists and bespoke versions too, one has even travelled to New Zealand.

Many of our knitters are isolating so Im also the wheels of the operation.

Dubbed the Angel Run, I collect the angels and deliver them to local hospitals, care homes, wherever anyone needs a little cheer.

Not in my wildest dreams while knitting or on the Angel Run delivering did I think that Id be the one receiving 1 million worth of cheer.

Expand Close Debbie and Joseph Goolding celebrate their 1 million National Lottery scratchard win (National Lottery/PA) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Debbie and Joseph Goolding celebrate their 1 million National Lottery scratchard win (National Lottery/PA)

Mrs Goolding bought the winning scratchcard when she popped to the supermarket with heating engineer husband Joseph, 38, to buy a birthday card for a friend.

She said: As soon as the lady from Camelot confirmed we had won, Joseph and our youngest son just let out whoops of joy, the whole street must have heard us.

It was a whirlwind of excitement as we were calling our two older children and the family to share the good news.

The only tricky bit was getting people to believe us, they all thought we were winding them up and my laughing face emoji was completely worn out by the end of the evening.

Mrs Goolding said that they plan to look at launching a property development project as well as enjoying a Christmas holiday to New York.

The best way I can describe the win is its like a blanket we are now wrapped up in, its given us financial security Debbie Goolding

She added: It sounds corny but I genuinely already felt rich, we have the most amazing family, a beautiful home and we thoroughly enjoy our life.

The best way I can describe the win is its like a blanket we are now wrapped up in, its given us financial security, not just for us but for our kids too, which in turn gives us so much inner peace and warmth.

Mrs Goolding bought the winning 50M Mega Cash Showdown scratchcard from the National Lottery at Tesco in Wellington Road, Aldershot.

The scratchcard offers a 1 in 3.51 overall chance of winning a prize.

The card costs 5 and prizes range from 5 up to the top prize of 1 million.
JACKSON, Mississippi -- Mississippi Alcoholic Beverage Control has announced it will not accept any new liquor or special orders for 10 days in order to allow the ABC to catch up on back orders due to overwhelming demand during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are far reaching and have affected many supply chain industries worldwide, the ABC wrote on its website. Mississippi is not immune to these effects, as the Mississippi Alcoholic Beverage Control has experienced record sales coupled with suppliers struggling to maintain inventory nationwide.

The ABC said since early march it has shipped over 1.33 million cases of wines and liquor, averaging 19,112 cases per day -- an increase of nearly 300,000 cases (29 percent) over the same period last year.

The ABC said its warehouse lines are designed to hold 17,000 cases, with employees constantly filling the top lines along with meeting the demand for shipping a record number of cases.

The demand has taken its toll on not only ABCs equipment, but also its employees, the ABC wrote. ABC added two overtime days in April, May and June for a total of six additional shifts for both the day crew and night crew.

ABC is also experiencing out-of-stock inventor for numerous items as suppliers struggle to keep up with increased demand. Mississippi businesses typically receive orders within 1-2 days (excluding holidays and weekends), but since the virus outbreak and increased demand are now waiting on average a week for orders to arrive.

The ABC announced it would suspend all new orders beginning at 2 a.m. Friday until Monday, July 20.

This will allow all liquor orders already placed to be shipped out to clear the system of orders, which will in turn minimize the delays in shipping that all (ABC-permitted) businesses are experiencing.

The 10-day suspension on orders will also allow ABC to restock inventory on a number of out-of-stock and under-stocked items.

The ABC said it prides itself on providing great customer service and we strongly believe this strategy will aid in our ability to return to the normal delivery schedule that was expected prior to the high demands from the COVID-19 pandemic.
FOSTER CITY (dpa-AFX) - Australia has granted provisional approval to Gilead Sciences Inc.'s (GILD) remdesivir as the first treatment option for COVID-19. The provisional approval is for use in adults and adolescent patients with severe COVID-19 symptoms who have been hospitalised, the Therapeutic Goods Administration said in a statement on Friday. Remdesivir is the most promising treatment option so far to reduce hospitalisation time for those suffering from severe coronavirus infections. Remdesivir offers the potential to reduce the strain on Australia's health care system. The Australian regulator said that Remdesivir will not be available to Australians unless they are severely unwell, requiring oxygen or high level support to breathe, and in hospital care. The regulator noted that the product has not been shown to prevent coronavirus infection or relieve milder cases of infection. Last week, the European Commission granted conditional marketing authorization for Veklury or remdesivir as a treatment for SARS-CoV-2 infection, the virus that causes COVID-19. 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.
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Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday expressed regret over the damage caused to two mosques and a temple in the premises of Telangana secretariat which is being demolished to pave way for the construction of a new official complex.

I am sorry about the incident. This happened unexpectedly. It should not have happened. The governments intention is to build a new secretariat complex by demolishing the old buildings without causing any damage to the temple or the mosques, an official release from the chief ministers office quoting KCR said.

The demolition of two mosques - Masjid Dafaatir-e-Muatamadi and Masjid-e-Hashmi and Nalla Pochamma temple, a Hindu shrine, which had been part of the secretariat complex for decades - kicked up a controversy evoking protests from the religious groups.

Muslim groups strongly protested the demolition of mosques without consulting the Islamic religious heads. One cannot shift the mosque from its original place. Once a mosque, always a mosque, Hamid Mohammad Khan, president of Jamaat-e-Islami, Telangana chapter, told Hindustan Times.

Leaders of the United Muslim Forum led by Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, condemned the demolition of two mosques in the premises of the old secretariat in Hyderabad and demanded their immediate reconstruction.

The tragic and unconstitutional demolition of the two mosques caused pain and agony to the Muslims. If the government failed to take steps for reconstruction of the demolished mosques at the same place without any delay, Muslims would be forced to launch a strong protest, a statement from the UMF said.

Hyderabad-based political outfit Majlis-Bachao Tehreek (MBT) sought the intervention of the Central Wakf Board in the matter and urged it to take appropriate action. We are also lodging a complaint with the police against the chief minister and the state government for demolishing the mosques thereby hurting the sentiments of Muslims, said MBT spokesperson Amjadulla Khan.

Bharatiya Janata Party state official spokesman K Krishna Sagar Rao warned KCR of serious consequences and backlash from Hindus across the state of Telangana for demolishing a Hindu Temple in the state secretariat complex.

Destroying a temple is a blasphemy. The KCR government has undertaken an insulting and insinuating act of demolishing Hindus place of worship unilaterally. He has considered neither the sanctity of the temple, emotions of those who pray there nor the sentiments of the Hindus in the state, Rao said.

The chief minister, according to the official statement, said the temple and the mosques were damaged after debris fell on them while demolishing the secretariat buildings adjacent to them.

He declared that in the new Secretariat premises, a new temple and mosque would be constructed in a much bigger area. The CM added he would soon have a meeting with the temple and mosque authorities over the matter.

Meanwhile, the state high court on Friday stayed the demolition of secretariat buildings till Monday and asked the government to submit the details of permissions obtained for demolition.

A division bench of the state high court comprising chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice B Vijayasen Reddy granted the stay order after hearing a public interest litigation petition filed by Professor P L Vishweshwar Rao, Convenor Telangana Democratic Forum.

The petitioner complained that the demolition was being carried out without following the due procedure of law and more specifically, the procedure laid down under the Demolition and Construction Rules.
10.07.2020 LISTEN

The coronavirus pandemic has made a severe worsening situation on the jobs market globally, especially in developing countries. The situation is direr than we anticipated. According to the International Labor Organization(ILO) that by the mid-year point, global working hours were down 14% compared to the last December which is equivalent to some 400 million full-time jobs. This estimation is more than double the figure forecast by the UN organization back in April. ILO's report also pointed out that 93% of the world's workers still affected by some sorts of workplace closure, and sweeping containment measures during this pandemic. As a result, almost 16 billion informal economic workers(the most valuable in the labor market), out of a worldwide total of 2 billion and a global workforce of 3.3 billion have been suffering massive damage to their capacities to earn a living. Worldwide more than 436 million enterprises face a high risk of serious disruption.

In Asia, the extent of the economic damage caused by the Covid-19 outbreak will claim millions of jobs. The World Bank forecast that South Asia might post 1.8% to 2.8% GDP growth. Research from Dhaka University of health economics has estimated 15 million people from different sectors will become unemployed. About one million Bangladeshi migrated workers are facing deportation from the Middle East who used to push Tk 35 billion in our rural economy annually. According to the Center for Monitoring the Inland Economy(CMIE), 122 million Indians lose their jobs in April, and the unemployment rate is 27.1%. Out of 65.5 million workers in Pakistan, approximately 72% are in the informal sectors which means no work no pay  thus, lockdown makes them jobless. And about 18 million people lose their jobs in Pakistan. Afghanistan is affected by the Covid-19 pandemic as well as internal conflict. That makes 6 million people lose their jobs. Japan has expanded its loan program by 279 billion for financial assistance to small and medium-sized firms. South Korea experienced an all-time high of unemployment benefit payments of 898.2 billion Won. General Statistics Office of Vietnam reports that pandemic cost nearly 5 million workers in just the first quarter of this year. China is facing the challenge to provide jobs for the college graduates this year and about 80 percent of the workplaces are small and medium-sized enterprises who all are facing tremendous disruptions. NOMURA, a Japan-based analytics group, recently opined that unemployment rates in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand will be higher than they were during the 1997-98 Asian Financial Crisis. Gulf nations have adopted austerity measures to manage the budget deficit amid a heavy fall in petroleum prices and the Covid-19 pandemic. The countries have cut salaries of the employees and reduce the official staff. They are sending back millions of migrant workers due to the bankruptcy of the companies.

In Europe, the economy continues to reel from the coronavirus's impact, with the travel ban devastating the aviation and hospitality industry in particular. It's aviation giant Airbus is planning to cut around 15,000 jobs worldwide which is 11% of its total workforce. Also, airlines with weaker balance sheets could find it is difficult to survive in this pandemic. Greece has seen its economy hit hard by lockdown and travel bans that cause all about ending its lucrative tourism seasons before it begins. Germany's export-oriented growth stumbled by a new lockdown when slaughterhouses hit by an outbreak of the coronavirus. Almost 2.8 million people have lost their jobs in the UK, since, the country's lockdown began.

In America, people are experiencing the greatest restrictions for soaring transmission rate which alone accounts for a quarter of all infections and deaths globally. The US Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis President James Bullard predicted lockdown to contain the virus may accelerate the unemployment rate to 30% in the second quarter with an unprecedented 50% drop in gross domestic product. 40 million people have applied for unemployment benefits. Department of Labor reports, that the national unemployment rate is 14.7% and the percentage of unemployed women is 55% in the June quarter. According to the BBC report, 2000 companies are fully shut down in the US. Canada has ever spiked the highest payment of unemployment benefits. Lat America becomes the new hot spot for coronavirus. This crisis has caused 25% of jobs to cut.

In Africa, nearly 20 million jobs are threatened by the Covid-19 crisis both in formal and informal sectors. According to the African Union, the immediate impact on informal employment will be particularly acute for youth. An estimated 9 million workers(mostly youth) in Africa are directly involved in artisans and small scale mining (ASM) and 54 million indirectly depend on ASM for their livelihoods. However, almost all ASM activities are informal and occur outside the legal framework. As a result, the lockdown and social distancing measures put ASM workers at a bleak future.

In Australia, a new study at the University of Melbourne-according to the treasury figures released on 14 April, Australia's unemployment rate is expected to increase from 5.1% to 10% in the June quarter due to the pandemic. On 20 April, the Australian hotel association announced a jobless of 200,000 due to the coronavirus and associated lockdown measures. Film and Television production in Australia announced that 20,000 jobs were lost. Australia Bureau of Statistics reports that between March and April, full-time employment decreased by 220,500 and a part-time job by 373,800. The tourism and hospitality industry also hits hard by the coronavirus.

To minimize the extent of the economic damage caused by Covid-19 outbreak, we need a true and visionary leadership who needs to act at a large scale and coordinated manner with policy coherence at national and global levels. Developing Countries need to focus on investing in people through projects to create job opportunities. Corruption and social insecurity may stagnate economic activities and create new jobs. This pandemic could be a litmus test for the global leaders as well as global organizations.

M A Hossain, a political and defense analyst writes on diversified topics in Bangladeshi and foreign newspapers .

email : [email protected]
Millions of people in the Australian city of Melbourne have been warned the epidemic peak may still be ahead, as they endure a fresh lockdown amid a resurgence of coronavirus cases. Neighbouring states have closed their borders over fears of contagion.

One of nine high-density public housing towers that was placed under sudden lockdown on Saturday is to remain quarantined  a measure enforced by police guards  after dozens of infections were recorded.

Food and supply packages are being delivered to the tower, in a working class neighbourhood north of the city centre, with residents permitted to leave their apartments only for medical care or supervised exercise.

The rest of the city  including eight other towers whose 3,000 residents were also under hard lockdown until virus tests this week came back clear  is now under stage three stay-at-home orders.

Nearly five million inhabitants of greater Melbourne may only leave their homes for essential shopping, work or medical reasons, including exercise, for the next six weeks. Meanwhile school holidays have been extended while authorities assess the situation.

With health protocols and social distancing measures already established during the first coronavirus lockdown in March, Melburnians know the drill. For the inhabitants of the public housing towers, however, many of whom are immigrants and speak English as a second language, the reimposed restrictions have been challenging.

'No warning'

Anxiety, confusion and anger quickly erupted on Saturday when tenants of the nine towers were suddenly forbidden from leaving their homes at all, says Girmay Mengesha, who has lived in one of the towers since immigrating to Australia from Ethiopia in 2005.

The way we found out about the hard lockdown was through a text or call from the Department of Health, Mengesha told RFI. We were not given any warning or time to prepare ourselves The first thing we saw were the 500 police who had been sent to our area.

Story continues

We were so upset. Why send in police instead of nurses, social workers or interpreters to help the community understand what's going on?

When deliveries of food and other supplies were delayed, the surrounding communities stepped in with donations of necessities such as milk, bread, nappies and baby formula  also offering emotional support. Engagement from the community has made us strong, Mengesha says.

The Housing Minister for the state of Victoria, where Melbourne is located, has admitted that some of the populations most vulnerable people live in the nine towers, where at least 159 Covid-19 cases have so far been confirmed.

Despite logging a record number of virus infections  almost 1,700 in the past month  Victorias epidemic peak may not yet have arrived, says the states chief health officer Brett Sutton, who expects even more cases will be found in the tower that remains under police guard.

"We need to recognise there might be 20 to 25 percent of individuals in that particular tower who end up developing coronavirus, and potentially more," Sutton said.

Economic worries

Victorias coronavirus spike risks deepening Australias first recession in almost three decades, and it comes as the state government rolls out a support package for businesses worth almost half a billion US dollars.

With the reimposed lockdown thwarting national hopes of opening all state borders by the end of July, some residents say theyre more worried about the economy than they are about getting sick.

Many business who had only just gotten back on their feet have now had the rug pulled out from under them, says Michelle, a pharmaceutical worker who is in lockdown with her husband and young children in one of Melbournes inner city suburbs.

Cafes and restaurants that had reopened and were fully booked every night now have to revert back to take-away serviceeverythings gone completely backwards again.
Robert De Niro's finances have taken a beating during the coronavirus pandemic, his attorneys have claimed, as they sought to prevent his estranged wife from accessing more of his $500 million fortune.

De Niro, 76, has been battling his ex-wife Grace Hightower, 65, over the terms of their divorce.

The pair confirmed their separation in November 2018 after 21 years together.

De Niro has been riding out COVID-19 from his upstate New York compound in the village of Gardiner, and appeared at the hearing on the phone over Skype.

Robert De Niro and Grace Hightower, pictured in April 2018, seven months before they confirmed their separation after 21 years of marriage. The divorce battle is now being fought

De Niro and Hightower, pictured in September 1998 - a year after their wedding

The emergency hearing was called after De Niro halved Hightower's monthly American Express credit card limit, cutting it from $100,000 to $50,000.

She also said she and their two children, Helen, 8, and Elliot, 21, had been banned from the upstate compound.

Caroline Krauss, De Niro's attorney, told the judge that De Niro had to reduce her allowance because his businesses and career had suffered since the pandemic hit.

She said his Nobu restaurant and hotel empire - founded in 1994, now with 41 restaurants and 18 hotels in North and South America, Europe, Mexico and the Caribbean, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia - lost $3 million in April and another $1.87 million in May.

On Monday it emerged the chain took 14 loans from the U.S. small business relief program for as much as $28 million, according to government filings.

He also owns The Greenwich hotel, which has been largely empty due to the pandemic.

The Greenwich hotel, owned by De Niro, has been badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic

De Niro with Nobu Matsuhisa, with whom he founded a restaurant business 25 years ago

Krauss said he also had to pay investors $500,000 on a capital call, which he borrowed money from his business partners to make, 'because he doesn't have the cash,' she said, according to The New York Post.

She explained that under the terms of their 2004 prenuptial agreement De Niro is required to pay Hightower $1 million a year as long as he's making $15 million or more in income, and if his income declines, so do his payments to her.

'His accounts and business manager says that the best case for Mr De Niro, if everything starts to turn around this year, he is going to be lucky if he makes $7.5 million this year,' Krauss said.

She said that proceeds from De Niro's latest film - Netflix's The Irishman, nominated for 10 Oscars - have mostly already been paid out and he is likely to get just $2.5 million in 2020 and 2021.

And a movie project that De Niro was scheduled to begin filming this summer in Oklahoma has been put on hold, Krauss explained.

She said that 'these people' - seemingly a reference to Hightower and their children - placed great financial demands on De Niro, preventing him from retiring.

'These people, in spite of his robust earnings, have always spent more than he has earned,' Krauss said, according to the paper.

'So this 76-year-old robust man couldn't retire even if he wanted to because he can't afford to keep up with his lifestyle expense.'

She said that De Niro has begun cutting back his own spending 'dramatically.'

De Niro, pictured at the Oscars in February this year, is worth more than $500 million

Hightower's lawyer, Kevin McDonough, said it was laughable to suggest that De Niro had fallen on hard times.

'The idea that Mr De Niro is tightening his belt is nonsense,' he said.

'Mr De Niro has used the COVID pandemic, my words would be, to stick it to his wife financially.

'I'm not a believer that a man who has an admitted worth of $500 million and makes $30 million a year, all of a sudden in March he needs to cut down [spousal support] by 50 per cent and ban her from the house.'

Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Matthew Cooper issued a temporary ruling that De Niro could keep Hightower's credit card limit at $50,000 a month.

But he ruled that De Niro should pay her $75,000 so she can find a summer home for their two children, while De Niro and his other children remain in his three-house compound upstate.

'I am not requiring at this point that Mr De Niro restore the credit card to $100,000,' Cooper said.

'$50,000 seems to be certainly enough to avoid irreparable harm.'
A man has been arrested in the disappearance of an Indiana girl who mysteriously vanished more than 30 years ago, police say.

Connersville, Indiana, high school student Denise Pflum went missing in 1986 after she planned to return to the site of a party to retrieve her purse, Dateline NBC reported in a feature story about the case in March.

Since then, her parents have been left with questions about their missing daughter.

It is a terrible thing to simply say your daughter is missing without having any concrete knowledge as to whether she is missing or whether she is dead, her father, David Pflum, told WTHR in 2018.

On Wednesday, the Fayette County Sheriffs Office announced Shawn M. McClung was charged with voluntary manslaughter in the teenage girls death.

The information and probable cause alleges that McClung previously claimed that Pflum was still alive, but has recently admitted that he killed her in March of 1986, the sheriffs office said.

The sheriffs office released few other details, saying the investigation of other people involved in the case is ongoing.
Bengaluru, July 11 : Congress' Karnataka President D.K. Shivakumar on Friday refuted the Central government's claim that the 750 MW ultra mega solar power project at Madhya Pradesh's Rewa that Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation earlier in the day was the largest of its kind in Asia.

"If the 750 MW Rewa solar plant is Asia's largest as claimed by the BJP-led Central government, what about the 2,000 MW solar power plant at Pavagada in Karnataka's Tumakur district, built by the Congress government in 3 years and in operation since March 2018," Shivakumar said in a statement here.

Shivakumar, who was Energy Minister in the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government (2013-18), was instrumental in building the project in 13,000 acres of land owned by farmers.

"Our government did not acquire the land but leased it from farmers on annual rent. The state's renewable energy model was ranked the best in the country," said Shivakumar, who took over the reins of the party's state unit on July 2 at the party's office here amid the Covid-induced lockdown restrictions.

The Union Power ministry should clarify how the Rewa solar plant can be termed as the largest in Asia when the Pavagada plant is 2,000 MW and in operation since March 2018, he demanded.

Unveiling the power plant digitally from New Delhi, Modi said Madhya Pradesh would be the centre of solar energy, as similar projects were in progress at Neemuch, Shajapur, Chattarpur and Omkareshwar in the state.

Modi said solar power would be a major source of meeting the energy needs of an aspirational India in the 21st century.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Norfolk County Public Library CEO Heather King is concerned that cutting the library system's budget by 10 per cent, as mandated by council, will mean service cuts, reduced hours, and a possible branch closure.



Fresh off moving programs online during the pandemic to meet a surge in demand, the Norfolk County Public Librarys next challenge is figuring out how to do even more with less.

Ordered by Norfolk council to cut its budget next year by 10 per cent or approximately $289,000, the library board put out a survey asking residents what services, in the words of board chair Adam Veri, the public can live without.

The call to reduce spending came during Januarys contentious budget deliberations, which saw the county close two museums and an arts centre while raising property taxes by 8.4 per cent to cope with what Mayor Kristal Chopp has described as years of fiscal mismanagement by past councils.

I understand the dilemma that council has about trying to balance the budget, said library CEO Heather King. We werent surprised that we were asked to reduce our budget. We were a bit surprised that it was as high as 10 per cent.

Veri said its tough for a lean operation like the library to find savings.

Theres no waste, he said. Theres no obvious place to cut costs that isnt directly related to service delivery.

Hitting councils target will likely mean fewer staff members, shorter opening hours, and reduced programming, Veri said. Closing one of the library systems six branches is also on the table.

The library is funded almost entirely by the county, with 63 per cent of its budget devoted to wages and benefits. Laying off employees with specialized training and skills would also involve cutting services, King said.

The call for austerity comes as the library has grown consistently over the past six years, in terms of the number of cardholders, items in circulation, and usage of library facilities and programs, King said.

Since the end of February, the library served close to 800 more active users than during the same period last year, which includes issuing over 100 virtual library cards. Social media traffic is also up thanks to online programs like childrens storytime, crafting workshops, and a book club.

Its almost counterintuitive to cut something that people are using, Veri said.

After moving to home delivery and then curbside pickup, branches in Simcoe, Delhi, Port Dover, Port Rowan and Waterford reopened this week with reduced hours. The library also operates a small branch inside Norview Lodge, a county-run retirement home in Simcoe.

Closing a branch would be disappointing, King said, because each location has a long history of community support through fundraising and volunteering. Affected patrons would also have to travel further to access services.

Veri pointed out that a library doubles as an internet cafe, community centre, film studio, and classroom. Patrons can read the newspaper, research family history, use a 3D printer, and escape the summer heat.

Theres a lot more going on than people coming in and checking out a book and going home, Veri said. So what do we get rid of?

The deadline for residents to offer feedback through the librarys website, ncpl.ca, is Monday, July 13. The survey has received over 500 responses so far  more than double what the library board expected.
Armenian from Syria Kevork Almassian has been stabbed in Berlin, Journalisten Watch reported.

The Armenian managed to escape and was running along the street for about 10 minutes calling for help, but no one reacted, the publication added.

Kevork Almassian is an Armenian Christian who has been granted asylum in Germany. Since 2018, he worked as an assistant to Bundestag MP Markus Frohnmaier. Almassian has been threatened with death since 2019 when the T-Online editor-in-chief Lars Wienand and the Syrian Islamic activist Nahla Osman launched a campaign against him.

Almassian tweeted Friday that German journalists - who launched a campaign against him in the media in February 2019 and put his life in danger by setting radical Islamists against him - are now preparing a new publication refuting that they attacked him.

The Armenian also said that he deleted the photo of his attacker since the case is being investigated by law enforcement officers.
Actor Jaaved Jaaferi has thanked people for the love and respect people expressed for father Jagdeep, who died at the age of 81 on Wednesday. The veteran actor, whose real name was Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed Jafri, was laid to rest at a cemetery in south Mumbais Byculla neighbourhood at around 2.30 pm on Thursday.

After the last rites, Jaaved, along with brother Naved and son Meezaan, briefly addressed the media. There are a lot of people who have sent us messages but we couldnt reply to everyone. Whosoever is watching this, we thank you for your blessings and love. Our father gave 70 years to the industry and got a lot of love and respect. That love is being reflected today, as we can see, Jaaved told PTI. He asked people to remember Jagdeep in their prayers. On behalf of our father, who gave his 70 years, please, if you could say a small prayer for him. That will be a lot for us, he added.

Starting as a child actor, Jagdeep appeared in around 400 film, including his memorable turn as Soorma Bhopali in Sholay. he is also remembered for his roles in Shehenshah, Khilona, Brahmachari, Purana Mandir and Andaz Apna Apna. Many from the Hindi film industry paid him rich tributes.

Anil Kapoor wrote on Twitter, Jagdeep Saab was one of the greatest actors of India...I was his huge fan & was lucky enough to have worked with him in Ek Baar Kaho & many more films...he was always extremely supportive & encouraging...sending my heartfelt condolences & prayers to my friend Javed & family.

Anupam Kher recalled a conversation that he had with the late actor about how difficult it is to make people laugh. Ek Aur sitaara zameen se aasmaan mein jaa pahucha. #Jagdeep saab hindi film jagat ke eik bahut hi behtareen kalakar the. Eik hasya abhineta ke naate unka koi saani nahi tha. Eik party mei bahut saal pehle unhone mujhse kaha tha, barkhurdaar! hasna aasan hai, hasaana bahut mushki hai, aapki kami bahut khalegi, tweeted Kher.

Shatrughan Sinha penned a long note for the departed actor on Twitter. Deepest condolences on the sad demise of veteran actor, comedian par excellence, iconic #Jagdeep. He was a great human being & very down to earth. I was not only his neighbour during my initial years but also bought my first car Austin from him, he wrote.

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Los Angeles, July 10 : The University of California (UC) has announced plans to file a suit against US President Donald Trump administration's decision to ban foreign students taking only online courses.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, President of the Oakland-based university, Janet Napolitano called the order "mean-spirited, arbitrary and damaging to America", reports Xinhua news agency The lawsuit will seek a temporary restraining order and preliminary and permanent injunctive relief to bar the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from enforcing the order, said the statement.

"This capricious and illegal order from the federal government" plunged international students into deeper anxiety and uncertainty, said Napolitano.

"It is illegal, unnecessary and callous." UC Board of Regents Chair John A. Perez was quoted as saying in the statement that UC has increased online instruction and decreased in-person classes in order to protect students' health amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It is imperative for UC to file this lawsuit in order to protect our students." "To UC's international students, I say: 'We support you and regret the additional chaos ICE's action has caused'. To the courts, I say, 'We are the University of California. UC knows science, UC knows law, and we approach both in good faith. Our opponents have shown you time and again that they do not'," Perez said in the statement.

The UC's 2019 fall enrolment data showed that 27,205 of the university's 226,125 undergraduate students are non-resident international, while 13,995 of 58,941 graduate students are non-resident international.

The UC's announcement came the University of Southern California (USC)joined an amicus brief strongly supporting a lawsuit filed by Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology against the US government's move.

On Monday, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) unveiled the guidelines for F-1 and M-1 visas given to students restricting them to only students who take in-person courses or a combination of online and in-person courses.

Those who take only online courses would not be eligible for the visa.

As many universities switch to online teaching because of COVID-19 restrictions, not all foreign students can take in-person courses and they could be denied visas or fall out out visa status and have to leave the US.

An analysis of student visa data suggests that in 2018 as many as 1,064,586 international students came to the US to study in colleges and universities, according to College Factual, a leading source of data analytics and insights on college outcomes.
By Ramzy Baroud

July 09, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - Wednesday, July 1, was meant to be the day on which the Israeli government officially annexed 30% of the occupied Palestinian West Bank and the Jordan Valley. This date, however, came and went and annexation was never actualized.

I dont know if there will be a declaration of sovereignty today, said Israeli Foreign Minister, Gabi Ashkenazi, with reference to the self-imposed deadline declared earlier by Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. An alternative date was not immediately announced.

But does it really matter?

Whether Israels illegal appropriation of Palestinian land takes place with massive media fanfare and a declaration of sovereignty, or whether it happens incrementally over the course of the coming days, weeks, and months, Israel has, in reality, already annexed the West Bank  not just 30% of it but, in fact, the whole area.

It is critical that we understand such terms as annexation, illegal, military occupation, and so on, in their proper contexts.

For example, international law deems that all of Israels Jewish settlements, constructed anywhere on Palestinian land occupied during the 1967 war, are illegal.

Interestingly, Israel, too, uses the term illegal with reference to settlements, but only to outposts that have been erected in the occupied territories without the permission of the Israeli government.

In other words, while in the Israeli lexicon the vast majority of all settlement activities in occupied Palestine are legal, the rest can only be legalized through official channels. Indeed, many of todays legal 132 settlements in the West Bank and Jerusalem, housing over half a million Israeli Jewish settlers, began as illegal outposts.

Though this logic may satisfy the need of the Israeli government to ensure its relentless colonial project in Palestine follows a centralized blueprint, none of this matters in international law.

Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Conventions states that Individual or mass forcible transfers, as well as deportations of protected persons from occupied territory to the territory of the Occupying Power or to that of any other country, occupied or not, are prohibited, regardless of their motive, adding that The Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies.

Israel has violated its commitment to international law as an Occupying Power on numerous occasions, rendering its very occupation of Palestine, itself, a violation of how military occupations are conducted  which are meant to be temporary, anyway.

Military occupation is different from annexation. The former is a temporary transition, at the end of which the Occupying Power is expected, in fact, demanded, to relinquish its military hold on the occupied territory after a fixed length of time. Annexation, on the other hand, is a stark violation of the Geneva Conventions and the Hague Regulations. It is tantamount to a war crime, for the occupier is strictly prohibited from proclaiming unilateral sovereignty over occupied land.

The international uproar generated by Netanyahus plan to annex a third of the West Bank is fully understandable. But the bigger issue at stake is that, in practice, Israels violations of the terms of occupation have granted it a de facto annexation of the whole of the West Bank.

So when the European Union, for example, demands that Israel abandons its annexation plans, it is merely asking Israel to re-embrace the status quo ante, that of de facto annexation. Both abhorring scenarios should be rejected.

Israel began utilizing the occupied territories as if they are contiguous and permanent parts of so-called Israel proper, immediately following the June 1967 war. Within a few years, it erected illegal settlements, now thriving cities, eventually moving hundreds of thousands of its own citizens to populate the newly acquired areas.

This exploitation became more sophisticated with time, as Palestinians were subjected to slow, but irreversible, ethnic cleansing. As Palestinian homes were destroyed, farms confiscated, and entire regions depopulated, Jewish settlers moved in to take their place. The post-1967 scenario was a repeat of the post-1948 history, which led to the establishment of the State of Israel on the ruins of historic Palestine.

Moshe Dayan, who served as Israels Defense Minister during the 1967 war, explained the Israeli logic best in a historical address at Israels Technion University in March 1969. We came to this country which was already populated by Arabs, and we are establishing a Hebrew, that is a Jewish state here, he said.

Jewish villages were built in the place of Arab villages. You do not even know the names of these Arab villages, and I do not blame you, because these geography books no longer exist; not only do the books not exist, the Arab villages are not there, either  There is no one place built in this country that did not have a former Arab population, he added.

The same colonial approach was applied to East Jerusalem and the West Bank after the war. While East Jerusalem was formally annexed in 1980, the West Bank was annexed in practice, but not through a clear legal Israeli proclamation. Why? In one word: demographics.

When Israel first occupied East Jerusalem, it went on a population transfer frenzy: moving its own population to the Palestinian city, strategically expanding the municipal boundaries of Jerusalem to include as many Jews and as few Palestinians as possible, slowly reducing the Palestinian population of Al Quds through numerous tactics, including the revocation of residency and outright ethnic cleansing.

And, thus, Jerusalems Palestinian population, which once constituted the absolute majority, has now been reduced to a dwindling minority.

The same process was initiated in parts of the West Bank, but due to the relatively large size of the area and population, it was not possible to follow a similar annexation stratagem without jeopardizing Israels drive to maintain Jewish majority.

Dividing the West Bank into Areas A, B, and C as a result of the disastrous Oslo accords has given Israel a lifeline, for this allowed it to increase settlement activities in Area C  nearly 60% of the West Bank  without stressing too much about demographic imbalances. Area C, where the current annexation plan is set to take place, is ideal for Israeli colonialism, for it includes Palestines most arable, resource-rich, and sparsely populated lands.

It matters little whether the annexation will have a set date or will take place progressively through Israels declarations of sovereignty over smaller chunks of the West Bank in the future. The fact is, annexation is not a new Israeli political agenda dictated by political circumstances in Tel Aviv and Washington. Rather, annexation has been the ultimate Israeli colonial objective from the very onset.

Let us not get entangled in Israels bizarre definitions. The truth is that Israel rarely behaves as an Occupying Power, but as a sovereign in a country where racial discrimination and apartheid are not only tolerated or acceptable but are, in fact, legal as well.

 Ramzy Baroud is a journalist and the Editor of The Palestine Chronicle. He is the author of five books. His latest is These Chains Will Be Broken: Palestinian Stories of Struggle and Defiance in Israeli Prisons (Clarity Press, Atlanta). Dr. Baroud is a Non-resident Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA), Istanbul Zaim University (IZU). His website is www.ramzybaroud.net - " Source " -

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U.S. small cap stocks are set to outperform the S&P 500 in the uncertain aftermath of the coronavirus crisis, according to Premier Miton Fund Manager Nick Ford.

Speaking to CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe" on Friday, Ford, who manages the Miton U.S. Opportunities Fund, said a number of American small and mid-caps are "thriving" under the uncertainty of lockdown and would continue to do so as investors pursue greater "earnings visibility."

Small caps typically have a market capitalization of between $300 million and $2 billion, while mid-caps are generally between $2 billion and $10 billion.

Ford highlighted education technology company Chegg as an example of a smaller growth stock which stands to benefit from students potentially being forced to study from home for a prolonged period, with the pandemic continuing to surge in the U.S.

However, he also argued that since small caps more broadly tend to either underperform or outperform the S&P 500 in seven-year cycles, they might be due for a resurgence.

"We are just exiting a seven-year underperformance cycle partially driven by the popularity of mega stocks, particularly the FAANGs (Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, Google), and investors have been forced into mega cap stocks because if you are benchmarked against the S&P 500 and you don't own Facebook, Apple, Netflix etcetera, you are going to trail the index, and that sucks money out of the small cap sector," Ford explained.

"Where we are now is a situation where valuations are at historic lows, we are towards the end of the cycle, and small caps will benefit from an economic recovery in the U.S. at a greater degree than many of the large cap stocks, which gave a substantial amount of overseas earnings, so investors looking for a domestic recovery play should definitely look at this space."

The S&P 500 was down 2.44% since the turn of the year going into Friday's trading session, while the S&P 600 Small Cap index was down 21.67%.
The judicial inquiry into the hotel quarantine program will hold its first public hearing on July 20 with opening statements from the judge in charge, Jennifer Coate, and counsel assisting Tony Neal, QC, but no immediate questioning of witnesses.

The inquiry, which will be live-streamed to the public, was announced by Premier Daniel Andrews on July 2 as a result of the outbreak of COVID-19 through security guards hired to police the quarantine at the Rydges Carlton and Stamford hotels.

Quarantine guest Patrick Enright celebrates 'leaving day' after two weeks in a quarantine hotel. Credit:Justin McManus

Counsel assisting Mr Neal, whose job is to run the questioning of witnesses, is a specialist in native title law and building disputes. He appeared for mine owners at the inquiry into the Hazelwood mine fire and for the government in the action to dismiss the committee of management of the Framlingham Aboriginal Trust. He has also advised the Noongar people in a recent settlement agreement with the West Australian Government.

His biography online lists a number of building dispute cases including an arbitration in NSW concerning the engineering capacity of concrete slab floors in a printing warehouse complex and a dispute over the engineering capacity of sewerage and water treatment works.
Members of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) met on Wednesday to discuss the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on Nigerians and the economy.

At the meeting which held virtually and was presided by the NGF Chairman and Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, the governors resolved to approve the work of the NGF Sub-Committee interfacing with the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, to consolidate measures to gradually open the formal and informal sectors of the economy.

Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, who is the chairman of the committee, had briefed the Forum on steps taken to provide a coordinated strategy between the Federal and state governments to ease the lockdown and open the economy.

His counterpart in Kaduna State, Governor Nasir El-Rufai, also provided an update on the implementation of the final report of the NEC Ad-Hoc Committee on COVID-19 Containing the Outbreak and Responding to the Adverse Economic Effects, which was presented to the Vice President and Chairman of the Committee, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, in March.

Governor El-Rufai, who is the Chairman of the NGF Sub-Committee on COVID-19, informed his colleagues that the recommendations of the report have been integrated into the Nigeria Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP).

He also outlined the cross-cutting imperatives for a post-COVID economic recovery, including a unique identity system for Nigeria, broadband connectivity, and investment in the manufacturing of pharmaceutical generics.

Others are research and development, as well as institutional reforms for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) along the lines of PENCOM.
Multiple employees at both locations of Berkeley Bowl grocery stores tested positive for the coronavirus, General Manager Steve Tsujimoto said Friday.

Tsujimoto said that he could not confirm a specific number at this time to protect the privacy of employees, saying only that it was a small number.

Both stores remain open with normal hours. Berkeley Bowl Marketplace and Berkeley Bowl West posted alerts at their entrances on June 29 and July 1, respectively, according to Berkeleyside, a local news site. Both stores were sanitized and disinfected by a firm the chain hired, Tsujimoto said.

The grocer is the latest in the Bay Area to report a coronavirus outbreak among its employees. Workers have been infected with the virus at Trader Joes locations in San Francisco, Whole Foods in Marin County, Cardenas Market in Oakland and a Safeway distribution center in Tracy.

Rainbow Grocery in San Francisco said that while some employees have independently been tested, there have been no known positive cases among its workforce so far.

Grocery stores, deemed essential businesses, have remained open during the pandemic, and workers face a constant risk of exposure despite measures stores take to protect employees and customers.

According to a June 25 report from the United Food and Commercial Workers, 82 grocery workers died across the country during the first 100 days of the pandemic and more than 11,500 became infected with or were exposed to the virus.

Tsujimoto said the affected employees at Berkeley Bowl are in isolation while they are sick, and must test negative before returning to work. The company used contact tracing to find other potentially exposed employees, who are now in quarantine awaiting test results. He said the company has communicated this information to all employees.

An employee who wished to remain anonymous due to fear of retaliation from the company said that many employees only found out about the incidents of infection through news outlets and word of mouth between employees. They said that store management only told people who worked in the same departments as the affected employees about the positive tests.

There is no communication, said the person, who was granted anonymity in accordance with The Chronicles policy on anonymous sources.

Tsujimoto disputed this characterization, saying that management only had one-on-one conversations with employees who could have been exposed, but that signs were posted in the break room next to the time clocks where employees punch in every day. He said that management did not want to tell all employees who among them had tested positive in order to protect the individuals privacy.

He added that anyone who wasnt told directly by management wasnt at any risk, and that department heads should have shared the information with their departments.

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 crucial 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

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

We did take all the proper steps, Tsujimoto said. We have to go by as best we can with the guidelines from the health department, the CDC, and then we try on top of that to do extra things.

The grocery store also worked with the city of Berkeley to provide free testing to employees and is working on doing a second round of tests, he added.

Berkeley Bowl stores have been disinfecting shopping carts and using Plexiglas barriers at checkout, as well as carefully controlling lines, Tsujimoto said.

To keep shoppers and employees safe, Bay Area grocery stores and national chains have rolled out various health and sanitation measures such as installing 6-foot markers to help customers observe distance guidelines, conducting daily wellness checks including temperature screenings, providing hand sanitizer and increasing the frequency of cleanings. Most stores are also restricting the number of people coming in and requiring masks to be worn before entering, with security guards or other workers enforcing the rules.

The situation weve been up against is new for everybody, Tsujimoto said. We are doing everything potentially possible just to keep everybody safe.

Danielle Echeverria and Shwanika Narayan are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: danielle.echeverria@sfchronicle.com, shwanika.narayan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DanielleEchev, @shwanika
Fisk joined the Richmond Symphony in 2002 from the Ulster Orchestra in Northern Ireland and has led the orchestra through many ups and downs, including the closure of the Carpenter Theatre that left the Symphony essentially homeless and performing in area churches from 2004 to 2009.  Richmond Times-Dispatch
Friday, July 10, 2020

Tyler Mongan, a member of our Emerging Fellows program reviews the preferable futures of the Arctic region through the eyes of potential stakeholders in his seventh blog post. The views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of the APF or its other members.

Russia will utilize strategic rule breaking to realize a vision of arctic dominance by expanding their EEZ and increasingly enclose the Arctic region. Not only does Russia claim the largest area of Arctic coastline, but ice in their region is melting faster than in other areas. Russia will exploit this early access to natural resources, while also taking the opportunity to control trade sea routes for economic gain. Russia will attempt to build a strong military presence in the region to fortify their resources and sea routes, while also controlling the airspace. Economy and security take precedence over sustainability and cooperation. Overall the Arctic Council remains a weak force of governance and Russia is free to do as it pleases with its portion of the arctic.

China will utilize the opportunistic strategy to slowly claim more rights to the Arctic region as it expands the BRI and builds the Polar Silk Road. This will include access to oil, gas, mineral resources, research, fishing and tourism in the region through unilateral partnerships. Further, China sees the Arctic as its golden route in shipping and will develop the military, technology, and agreements required to secure its ability to ship goods through the region. China will develop a growing co-dependance with Russia, while also advocating for an open and cooperative arctic.

The US vision of the arctic relies on the hope that rule-of-law and climate challenges will disrupt Russia and China ambitions. The US vision is that the Arctic Nations continue to have a strong agreement that the region remain open and cooperative, while the Arctic Council remains weak. This allows the US to retain the right to unilateral actions in response to strategic competition with Russia and China. However, the US wants to keep proactive investment in the Arctic low. The hope is that the climate will continue to challenge the militarization and development of the region, slowing Russia and China access to strategic global positions.

Canadas vision will be realized through a strategy of environmental and economic balance and further alignment with European nations. Canada will continue to seek an open and cooperative Arctic that is stabilized by a more proactive Arctic Council. Canada will pursue resource extracting within the context of building more economically sustainable indigenous communities, protecting the natural environment, and collaborating on climate change mitigation. Multilateral military agreements and alliances, especially with the US, will support a Canada First defense strategy and Canadian Arctic Sovereignty.

A general European vision is realized through a strategy of preservation and sustainability. European nations support the development of a more proactive Arctic Council that can develop into a legal governing body. A more powerful third-party actor in the region would allow the rule-of-law to be enforced. This will ensure that cooperation on climate change mitigation, sustainable resource extraction, safe and open transportation, and arctic peace, can be preserved.

Although the visions of the Arctic Nations have some overlap and consensus, there is also the potential for future divergence that leads to conflict. Russia and China are the key actors in the region because they have strong visions along with access and resources to explore and exploit. Without proactive collaboration and a stronger governing body in the region, the US, Canada, and European nations will be forced to take reactive measures. In general, as nations reach their milestones, the other nations will be forced to adapt or push back.

 Tyler Mongan 2020
A Seattle Police officer stands watch as several people are arrested near the recently-cleared, so-called autonomous zone in Seattle, on July 1, 2020. (Jason Redmond/AFP via Getty Images)

Plan to Defund Seattle Police Department Gains Support of Majority of City Council

A majority of Seattle City Council members now support a proposal to slash funding for the Seattle Police Department (SPD) by 50 percent.

Council members Dan Strauss and Andrew Lewis came out in support of the plan on Thursday.

Lewis said in a statement that he is 100% in favor of demands by local groups, including the goal of a 50% cut of SPDs budget.

I am committed to reinvesting that money in BIPOC led organizations, he said. BIPOC stands for black, indigenous, and people of color.

Strauss added: If I wasnt clear yesterday  I am in 100% agreement with Decriminalize Seattle, one of the groups pushing for defunding the police.

Strauss said the work that needs to be done now includes creating a plan for the proposed changes to be successful and define how the budget cuts occur.

Council President M. Lorena Gonzalez and members Tammy Morales, Kshama Sawant, and Teresa Mosqueda expressed support for the plan last month.

The current public safety model does not produce safety for black, Indigenous, and brown people, Gonzalez said in a video statement.

The other three members of the council didnt respond to requests for comment, nor did Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, a Democrat, or the Seattle Police Department.

All City Council members in Seattle are Democrats except for Sawant, who is a member of the Socialist Alternative party.

Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant speaks as demonstrators hold a rally outside of the Seattle Police Departments abandoned East Precinct, in Seattle on June 8, 2020. (David Ryder/Getty Images)

Proposal

Decriminalize Seattle and King County Equity Now, groups that recently formed, are pushing to replace current 911 operations with a civilian-controlled system and defund the police department by 50 percent. The departments budget is $409 million this year.

Cuts would come from freezing new hires, reducing patrol staffing, cutting the departments public relations budget, and slashing the departments spending on homeland security, among other places, according to a presentation (pdf) given to councilmembers this week.

The groups say they want to scale up community-led solutions, fund a community-created roadmap to life without policing, and invest in housing for all.

Nikkita Oliver, an attorney involved with the defunding efforts, said the money going to the police would be diverted to community groups.

This is going to require an immense scaling up of services. It will require a building of new infrastructure to be able to respond to the calls and requests of community members, and its going to require that well be able to train more of our community members to be able to provide these direct services, she said at a Thursday virtual news conference that included multiple City Council members.

Members of the councils Select Budget Committee heard Wednesday from dozens of people who said they support defunding the police.

Durkan recently proposed a $20 million cut in Seattle Police Department spending, or five percent of the budget.

Deputy Mayor Mike Fong said in a letter to council members on Wednesday that the department has already spent half of its annual budget, so a 50 percent cut would leave police with no budget for the rest of the year and require the City to abolish the department.

A 25 percent cut would mean immediate layoffs of up to 1,000 personnel and leave the department unable to conduct basic functions, he added.

I think its rash and irrational to make that decision without having a thoughtful conversation with community members, Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best told KIRO7. And Im hoping that the City Council will rethink the plan to do thatwithout having a plan for how were going to re-envision policing and how it will work.
You would think that with an ex-wife from whom he says he once cowered in a locked bathroom to escape her fists, Johnny Depp had more than enough to worry about in the sensational High Court case holding Britain in its thrall.

But one look across Court 13 this week and it was clear that Amber Heard, who is appearing as a witness against Depp in his libel action against The Sun, was not the only formidable blonde out to take down the Hollywood star.

He also faces two of the sharpest legal brains in the land.

Amber Heard is pictured above arriving at the High Court with Jennifer Robinson. It is hard to imagine Ms Wass, who defended the serial killer Rosemary West, ever walking hand in hand with a client, as Ms Robinson did with Miss Heard on the opening day of Depp's case

One has a reputation as a legal rottweiler and made her name both prosecuting and defending in some of the highest-profile cases of recent times, including the conviction of Rolf Harris.

The other's fame arose as much from a picture of her locked in a clammy embrace with a former Labour spin-doctor as from her low necklines and A-list friends.

Elfin-faced QC Sasha Wass, the ice-cool lawyer acting for The Sun, and Jennifer Robinson, who also acts for former WikiLeaks fugitive Julian Assange and is a friend of the Clooneys  she attended their Venice wedding  seem an unlikely double act.

It is hard to imagine Ms Wass, who defended the serial killer Rosemary West, ever walking hand in hand with a client, as Ms Robinson did with Miss Heard on the opening day of Depp's case.

Both women are high-minded and serious but Ms Robinson Jen to her friends  looked very much part of Team Heard (which also includes the actress's lookalike sister Whitney and Heard's girlfriend Bianca Butti).

Striding into court, holding Amber's hand tightly and with a faint smile on her face, she couldn't have failed to turn heads.

But while Ms Robinson may be hands-on in Team Amber, it is Sasha Wass, 62, whose skilled advocacy is being pitted against Depp and his claims

Her figure-hugging outfit was certainly more striking than the demure black dress worn by her star client.

But Ms Robinson, whose Twitter feed often used to reveal her support for former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, has become adept at life in the spotlight.

Indeed, she managed effortlessly to brush off being photographed in a clinch with Seumas Milne, the Marxist-sympathising former Guardian journalist, a father of two and at the time a married man, without a shred of discomfort.

In July 2017, those pictures were the talk of London's political class. They showed the two enjoying a clinch on the terrace of the Courthouse hotel in East London.

'They were very hands-on, full heavy petting,' recalled the photographer.

'There was a lot of hugging, stroking, kissing and intimate talking going on. The photo with her head nestled into him  that was them mid-snog.'

The pair were reported to have shared pink cocktails before returning to the hotel, where rooms then cost 300 a night.

What happened next, nobody knows  although 'friends' of Labour's director of strategy and communications ungallantly claimed he was 'not a willing participant' in any sexual indiscretion.

But a year later Milne had moved out of the home in Richmond upon Thames that he shared with his wife of 26 years, who was reported to have filed for divorce.

Perhaps this brush with notoriety was what attracted the free-spirited Miss Heard to 'Jen' in the first place.

I understand Ms Robinson was critical to getting the actress to come to London to testify  and her friendship with Amal Clooney was critical to her gaining Amber's confidence.

'It took me about four seconds total to realise I was dealing with the smartest woman in the room,' the actress said of their first encounter.

'She is sensitive to the issues, to understanding the nuanced adversity and pain of disadvantage...'

So what is it about dynamic Ms Robinson that makes her the go-to lawyer on matters of human rights, civil liberties, national security and now matrimonial disputes?

Certainly she has remained devoted to Assange, her fellow Australian, who is still on remand in Belmarsh Prison facing extradition to the U.S., although many supporters have abandoned him.She admits she finds him fascinating.

'He is incredibly principled, and doggedly so,' she has said.

Many might say principle and doggedness sum up Ms Robinson.

The daughter of a racehorse trainer, from Berry, New South Wales, she came to the UK to study at Balliol College, Oxford. After a short stint with a City law firm, she joined the trendy practice Doughty Street Chambers.

From 2010 onwards she represented Assange and became a heroine of the liberal establishment, criticising the Tories on their human rights record and regularly tweeting support for Corbyn.

But while Ms Robinson may be hands-on in Team Amber, it is Sasha Wass, 62, whose skilled advocacy is being pitted against Depp and his claims.

Jennifer Robinson is pictured above kissing Seumas Milne. In July 2017, those pictures were the talk of London's political class. They showed the two enjoying a clinch on the terrace of the Courthouse hotel in East London

A criminal barrister with more than 38 years' experience at the Bar, she is highly regarded and in 2015 was named Criminal Silk of the Year. She is known for her attention to detail and relentless cross-examination.

She also features on a list of Britain's top 13 women litigators  dubbed 'the fearsome 13'  and is known for her quizzical eyebrows and penchant for wearing leather boots in the courtroom.

The daughter of a Treasury mandarin, she is said to possess a photographic memory.

She represented Anne Diamond's ex-husband Mike Hollingsworth on drink-driving charges and successfully defended celebrity hairdresser Daniel Galvin Jr when he was accused of shooting an airgun at his neighbours.

In the 1990s she defended serial killer Rosemary West and bow-tied fraudster Roger Levitt.

But the case that really made her name was that of Rolf Harris.

Ms Wass was the lead prosecutor for the trial of the children's entertainer, who was jailed in 2014 on 12 counts of indecent assault.

She was then appointed lead investigator for the St Helena Child Abuse Inquiry, into an alleged conspiracy to cover up the sexual exploitation of girls on the South Atlantic island.

More recently, she was unveiled as a presenter on the BBC One show Murder, Mystery And My Family, in which she re-examined real historic murder cases.

Her admirers say she is the go-to lawyer for cases involving 'sex, drugs, violence and fraud'.

A familiarity with lights, camera and action may also help her in a case involving a famous film star.
Soon after UP gangster Vikas Dubey's encounter, social media has been inundated with users imagining it as a Bollywood movie. Producer Sandiip Kapur has suggested that a film with Manoj Bajpayee playing the role of the gangster should be made.

"What has happened today in the encounter is beyond cinematic and dramatic experience. @BajpayeeManoj how about playing Vikas Dubey in your next? You'll kill it! #VikasDubey #Encounter @DrKumarVishwas," Kapur tweeted.

What has happened today in the encounter is beyond cinematic and dramatic experience. @BajpayeeManoj how about playing Vikas Dubey in your next? You'll kill it! #VikasDubey #Encounter @DrKumarVishwas  Sandiip Kapur (@SandiipKapur) July 10, 2020

Later, Manoj Bajpayee denied that he is doing any such film. He called it 'wrong news.'

Kapur is the producer of Bhonsle, a film starring Manoj Bajpayee in the lead, which released on an OTT platform recently.

Vikas Dubey, wanted for the killing of 8 policemen in Kanpur, was gunned down in an encounter after he reportedly tried to flee when a car in the Special Task Force (STF) convoy taking him from Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain to Uttar Pradesh's Shivli overturned in Kanpur.

The history-sheeter, accused of masterminding a deadly ambush on a police party outside his Bikru village home, was arrested outside Mahakal temple in the pilgrimage city of Ujjain on Thursday after purchasing prasad and an entry ticket to the shrine, ending a six-day manhunt.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-11 05:12:41|Editor: huaxia

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ZAGREB, July 10 (Xinhua) -- European Commission and European Central Bank (ECB) announced on Friday that Croatia was admitted into European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM II).

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic welcomed on Friday the announcement, saying, "This is another accomplishment of the government. We have strengthened Croatia's economic and financial reputation."

At a press conference after Croatia's accession to the ERM II, a preliminary stage for entry into the eurozone, the prime minister declined to speculate on the date of entry but said that his government will keep on working on its goal to meet the Maastricht criteria.

Since a member state has to spend at least two years in ERM II before joining the eurozone, it means that Croatia could adopt the euro as currency in 2023 at the earliest.

"In April most people thought that we would not succeed and that we would be admitted in fall or next year. We met a deadline as planned," Boris Vujcic, governor of the Croatian National Bank, said at the conference. He stressed that entering the ERM II means better financing conditions for Croatia and greater investor confidence.

By entering ERM II, Croatia has committed to simultaneously joining the Banking Union. From Oct. 1, 2020, the ECB will be in charge of the direct supervision of the significant institutions in Croatia. In the meantime, the ECB will carry out an assessment to determine which banks fulfill the criteria to be classified as significant institutions.

Croatia has kuna as its currency. But Plenkovic said on Friday that euro is already very much present in Croatia as more than half of the loans in Croatia are with a currency clause in euros. He noted that 61 percent of tourist overnight stays are from countries in the euro area, while 57 percent of Croatia's exports go to the euro area states. Enditem
A 19-year-old man was killed and two others injured in a shooting late Thursday afternoon in Southwest Philadelphia, police said.

Shortly before 5 p.m. in the 6000 block of Reinhard Street, the 19-year-old was shot once in the head. He was transported by police to Penn Presbyterian Medical center and pronounced dead at 9:32 p.m.

A 31-year-old man was shot once in the right arm and a 29-year-old man was shot in the stomach and left leg. Both were listed in stable condition at Penn.

Police reported no arrests.
Bobbye Griswold Dedman Schroeder, a retired teacher at Red Bank High School, died on July 3, 2020, in Chattanooga at age 91.



An enthusiastic spinner of tales, last fall Bobbye sat in her wheelchair in front of the courthouse in Jonesborough, Tennessee, a 90-year-old great-grandmother telling a ribald tale at the National Storytelling Festival for an appreciative audience.



Although formally she taught typing, shorthand, and accounting at Red Bank from 1961 until she retired in 1990, her lessons were quilted from stories of her childhood on a farm in Middle Tennessee. The main thread in Mrs. Dedman's classroom was persistence. How, when she was 10, a mule fell on her father, breaking his back. How, although her father was paralyzed from the waist down, with a wife and three young daughters, he ran a farm, started a grocery store, and rigged up the family car so he could drive. She said, "My Daddy was my inspiration."



And always there was humor. One day during the 1940s her mother steered the car off the new high concrete highway to Tullahoma, turning over in a farmer's field. Bobbye's first concern wasn't that the car was upside down, or that it might catch fire, but, considering the World War II-era rationing, "Mother, be careful, don't tear my nylon hose!"



In retirement she received dozens of messages, cards, and letters from former students, recalling her mixture of pep talks and ironclad rules for professionalism, meaning to get things exactly right.

"I wouldn't be anywhere without this lady and her fierce way of teaching typing," one student wrote.

"Love her!" wrote another. "She was the real deal, cared for all her students."



A relentless grader of student homework, Bobbye put those skills to work in retirement, editing the draft of a book by one of her sons. When the manuscript arrived in a large box, thousands of pages printed in huge type for her to be able to see, she spotted on the first page a pair of sentences separated by only one space. In her day, the style manuals insisted on two spaces. She marked the error with a proofreading mark, adding a second space. Then she marked it between every pair of sentences for 3,000 more pages.



She was born Robbye Jeannette Griswold outside Morrison, Tn., in Warren County, on November 13, 1928, daughter of Winfred Anderson Griswold and Thelma Snipes Griswold.



After receiving her bachelor's and master's degrees from George Peabody College in Nashville, she taught for two years in Davidson County, then at Chattanooga's Northside Junior High School from 1954 to 1960. Starting at Red Bank High in 1961, with three children of her own, she also taught night classes at Kirkman Technical High School, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and Chattanooga State Community College.



In 1948, she married Harold C. Dedman, who became a Chattanooga attorney. He died in January 1994. She married William E. "Bill" Schroeder, a retired Bell South electrical engineer and scoutmaster, in December 1995. He died in 2007. Mr. Dedman and Mr. Schroeder were decorated veterans of the U.S. Army in World War II.



At Red Bank High she advised the student council, chaperoned students at state conventions, organized a state Junior Miss pageant, and often invited students to her home across the street from the school for refreshments.



She was state president from 1976 to 1978 of Alpha Delta Kappa, an honorary sorority for educators, overlapping with her term as president of the Tennessee Business Education Association. Working to keep the state's teachers in touch with one another, she told a newspaper interviewer that her family described her main hobby as "talking on the telephone."



She was selected in 1985 for the state's first class of "master teachers." Her peers chose her the state's outstanding business educator in 1990.



She served as president of civic organizations, including the Red Bank Jaycee Women and Red Bank Lioness Club.



She was an active member of Red Bank United Methodist Church and its Carver-Tarwater Sunday school class.



She played bridge for many years with a group of couples in Red Bank. In retirement she traveled to China, the Middle East, and Europe, and rode a mule into the Grand Canyon.



When her eyesight began to fail, she turned to storytelling, participating in the Cleveland Storytelling Guild and the Chattanooga Storytelling Circle.



She was preceded in death by her eldest son, James C. Dedman, in 1998.



Survivors include two sisters, Catherine Foreman of Manchester, Tennessee, and Nancy Ware of Morrison, Tennessee; two sons, Scott Dedman (Karen Ledwith) of Asheville, North Carolina, and Bill Dedman (Pam Belluck) of Weston, Connecticut; two stepchildren, Linda Schroeder Johnston (James Johnston) of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and William E. "Bill" Schroeder Jr. (Shi Yi Schroeder) of Norcross, Georgia; eight grandchildren, Jamie Dedman, Jesse Dedman, Justin Dedman, Ben Dedman, David Dedman, Matthew "Matt" Dedman, Arielle Belluck and Jillian Belluck; seven stepgrandchildren, Chrissy Olson, Nancy Johnston Isaac, Robert Johnston, William "Will" Johnston, Amy Johnston, Margaret "Meg" Johnston, and Reesa Schroeder; six great-grandchildren: Andrew, Juliana, Marcos, Nicolas, Norah, and Maddux; and five stepgreat-grandchildren, Mary, Edie, Emma, Omega, and Cornelius.



A memorial service will be scheduled. Honoring her request, her body was donated to Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Later she will be buried at Chattanooga Memorial Park in Red Bank.

The family thanks her caregivers at her family home and at The Terrace at Mountain Creek, Elmcroft of Shallowford, and Hearth Hospice.



Memorial donations may be made to Red Bank High School Student Council, rbh.hcde.org; Public Education Foundation, which supports local schools and teachers, www.pefchattanooga. org ; and Red Bank United Methodist Church, www.rbumc.org.



Please share your memories at www.lanefh.com.



Arrangements are by Lane Funeral Home  601 Ashland Terrace, Chattanooga, Tn. 37415, 423 877-3524, Lanefh.com.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Jeong Kyeong-Doo discussed defence cooperation and mutual security concerns in the South-East Asian region, agreed on extending ties in defence industry and technology, amid rising tensions with China and challenges created by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday spoke to his South Korean counterpart Jeong Kyeong-Doo over the phone where they discuss regional developments of shared security interests between both the countries, an official statement from the Defence Ministry said here on Friday.

During the telephonic conversation, the ministers reviewed the progress on various bilateral defence cooperation initiatives and expressed commitment to further promote defence cooperation engagements between the Armed Forces.

It was also agreed to take forward the agreements in the field of defence industry and defence technology cooperation between India and South Korea.

The two defence ministers also had discussions on issues pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic situation.

Also read: US Envoy to India lays stress on FTA to realise US-India trade potential

Also read: Introspect why youre universally acknowledged as international epicentre of terrorism: India to Pakistan at UN

Singh informed Kyeong-Doo on Indias contribution to international efforts against COVID-19 and discussed areas of mutual cooperation in the global fight against the pandemic.

The ministers finally agreed to work together to deal with the complex challenges posed by this pandemic.

Kyeong-Doo visited New Delhi earlier in February, this year, to participate in Ministerial level Defence dialogue between the Republic of Korea and India at South Block.

Also read: Mike Pompeo lauds Indias response to Chinese aggression in Galwan Valley

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[July 10, 2020] Hellobike unveils trifecta of innovative shared mobility AI technologies at WAIC2020

SHANGHAI, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Hellobike, China's two-wheel transport industry leader, has unveiled three revolutionary shared mobility AI technologies at the 2020 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC2020), taking place virtually between 9 and 11 July. In line with the conference theme, 'Intelligent Connectivity, Indivisible Community', Hellobike showcased its independent research and development into solutions that enable cities to create convenient, greener urban transportation ecosystems. During its presentation on 10 July, Hellobike unveiled three innovative technologies that leverage AI, big data, cloud infrastructure and the IoT: the Hermes road safety system, non-motorized vehicle safety management system, and fixed-point return. Hellobike's participation in WAIC2020 follows its highly successful debut at the conference last year, where the company unveiled exciting AI projects including the Hello Brain smart transportation OS and the Argus visual interaction system. "We are honored to take part in WAIC2020 for the second year running. As the shared bike industry leader, WAIC2020 is the ultimate platform fr us to demonstrate how we harness AI technology and work hand-in-hand with the state to build the city of the future," said Li Kaizhu, President of Hellobike.



Hellobike's latest technologies usher in the 3.0 era of China's bike-sharing industry: a new model that sees shared bicycles organically integrated into the urban public transportation ecosystem. Through strengthened cooperation between transport providers and municipal governments, the 3.0 era provides a systematic mechanism to help Chinese cities tackle unique operational challenges, address parking management, and streamline shared bike deployment and distribution. Hellobike's Hermes road safety system integrates AI algorithms to provide users with a better, safer shared transport experience. Built as a scenario-based solution, Hermes automatically performs failsafe tests on both user behavior and the bike at the beginning, middle and end of their riding journey. If the system detects technical issues, dangerous operation or user violations, Hellobike delivers a risk warning to the user through the bike's built-in speaker.

Based on insights gathered from mining big data, Hellobike also found that the use of non-motorized vehicles can lead to chaotic, unsafe road conditions. To address this, Hellobike has partnered with local governments to develop non-motorized vehicle safety management systems tailored to each city's unique traffic conditions. Using video AI technology for data collection and situation analysis, as well as spatial data, Hellobike helps cities establish new vehicle management systems built upon data visualization, intelligent data processing and smart decision-making applications. Furthermore, Hellobike has cooperated with city officials to promote improved traffic safety, simplified parking and enhanced city appearance through a shared bike management operation plan. Hellobike has established a number of convenient fixed-point return locations using electronic fencing, Bluetooth road studs, AI and the IoT. Fixed-point return encourages users to park at designated locations, while making it easier for staff to locate and redistribute vehicles across the city. Hellobike President Li Kaizhu and Chief Scientist Liu Xingliang will also take part in WAIC2020's AI TALK and big data forum alongside entrepreneurs from leading local and global tech companies to discuss the applications of AI technology. In addition, Hellobike plans to host its first Technology Open Day on 31 July at its Shanghai headquarters, where users can tour the space, test new vehicles, and discover the technological innovations behind Hellobike. About Hellobike Hellobike has continuously built user-friendly and sustainable transport services in sectors such as shared bicycles, shared e-bikes and car-pooling. As a business leader in two-wheeled transport, users have taken more than 12 billion trips on Hellobike vehicles over the past three years. Hellobike now operates in more than 360 Chinese cities. Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200710/2854753-1-a

Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200710/2854753-1-b SOURCE Hellobike

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The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday granted review in a case that raises a procedural question with significant practical implications for the types of constitutional lawsuits often brought against public schools and colleges.

The court agreed to decide whether a government agencys change to an allegedly unconstitutional policy is enough to make a lawsuit challenging that policy moot when the plaintiff seeks only nominal damages, as opposed to a larger claim for compensation.

The grant in Uzuegbunam v. Preczewski (Case No. 19-968) came on the last day of the courts term and the case will be argued sometime in the term that starts next October.

The case stems from a challenge to a public colleges policy limiting free expression to designated free speech zones. Student Chike Uzuegbunam sought to share his Christian faith at Georgia Gwinnett College when officials told him he had to get a permit and reserve time for the colleges speech zone, which was one small patio and sidewalk.

When Uzuegbunam did reserve the area, a student complained about his speech and campus police cited him for disorderly conduct, court papers say. He and a second student who alleged his speech was chilled by the colleges policy sued under the First Amendment. The suit sought an end to the policy and nominal damages.

While the case was pending, the college dropped its speech code and amended it speech zone policy. It asked a trial court to throw out the students suit as moot, which the court did. The court also turned down the students request to amend their lawsuit to seek so-called compensatory damages, those that repay specified losses.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, in Atlanta, upheld the finding that the students case was moot because their claim for nominal damages would not have a practical effect on the parties rights or obligations.

The students appealed to the Supreme Court, backed by the Alliance Defending Freedom, a Scottsdale, Ariz.-based legal organization that frequently sues school districts. over student speech and other issues.

They argue that nominal damages are an important basis for pursuing civil rights claims, and that government agencies often change policies that have been challenged even after some plaintiffs have suffered constitutional violations.

The issue especially comes up in education, where students cycle out of school after a few years and any claims for equitable relief, such as an order to end an illegal policy, evaporate with graduation.

Without nominal damages, universities and schools can violate students rights with impunity, without clarifying the law, and with the cover of qualified immunity, lawyers for the Georgia students told the high court.

Several federal appeals courts have taken different approaches to the issue, but the 11th Circuit courts rule that a case for nominal damages is moot if the challenged policy has changed is the outlier, the students brief says.

The appeal cites nine or 10 cases involving lawsuits against K-12 school districts, many involving alleged infringements on student speech, in which nominal damages were the only remaining claim. In some cases, circuit precedent dictated that the lawsuit be allowed to continue, while in others, case law was more ambiguous and the suits were dismissed as moot.

For example, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit, in Denver, allowed a students lawsuit to go forward based on nominal damages that challenged sanctions for her high school valedictory address that discussed Jesus Christ in defiance of a draft she had submitted to school officials. (That appeals court nonetheless upheld the schools decision to withhold her diploma.)

The lawyers for the Georgia college students told the high court that in eight circuits, [the students] nominal-damages claims would have kept this case alive. Only the 11th Circuit maintains a position that allows government officials to evade accountability for their misconduct and closes federal courts to many citizens who seek to vindicate their priceless constitutional rights.

The Georgia attorney generals office filed a brief on behalf of the officials sued by the students. The brief argued that the college had changed its speech policies and the students otherwise moot lawsuit could not be saved by their claims for nominal damages.

The issue that divides the circuits is narrow and not likely to recur with any frequency, the state argued.

The justices were evidently not convinced, and they will take up the students case next term.
Ghislaine Maxwell, a British socialite and longtime companion of infamous sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, "vigorously denies the charges, intends to fight them and is entitled to the presumption of innocence," her defense attorneys said in a response to the governments attempt to hold her without bail.

In a 26-page memorandum to the court made public on Friday ahead of next weeks bail hearing, Maxwells attorneys asserted her innocence and sought to distance their client from her onetime boyfriend and longtime employer as she faces a reckoning for her alleged role in facilitating Epstein's sexual abuse of young women.

The simplest point is the most critical one, her attorneys wrote. Ghislaine Maxwell is not Jeffrey Epstein.

Maxwells attorneys also signaled their intent to challenge the strength of the governments case based on the terms of the controversial non-prosecution agreement Jeffrey Epstein arranged in 2007, which covers any potential co-conspirators of Epstein. At the time of Epsteins arrest, federal prosecutors in New York argued the NPA, arranged by then-U.S. Attorney in Miami and former Trump Labor Secretary Alex Acosta, did not apply in their district.

PHOTO: Ghislaine Maxwell at Spring Studios in New York City, Oct. 18, 2016. (Patrick McMullan via Getty Images, File)

(MORE: For Ghislaine Maxwell, Epsteins alleged recruiter, a private battle has become a public reckoning)

Maxwell was arrested by federal authorities last week in New Hampshire and is facing a six-count federal indictment alleging that she conspired with Epstein in a multi-state sex trafficking scheme involving three unnamed minor victims between 1994 and 1997. Prosecutors contend Maxwell not only befriended and later enticed and groomed multiple minor girls to engage in sex acts with Epstein, through a variety of means and methods, but was also, at times, present for and involved in the abuse herself.

Maxwell is currently being held at a federal jail in Brooklyn. She has not yet entered a plea to the criminal charges, but on Thursday, in a court filing related to a separate civil lawsuit brought against Maxwell and Epsteins estate in January by an anonymous accuser, an attorney for Maxwell issued the first on-the-record response to the criminal indictment sex crimes against minors and perjury, calling the federal charges meritless.

Story continues

The United States Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York on June 29, 2020, caused a meritless indictment to be issued against Ms. Maxwell, wrote Laura Menninger, a Colorado-based lawyer who represents Maxwell in both the criminal case and multiple civil lawsuits.

PHOTO: Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell attend de Grisogono Sponsors The 2005 Wall Street Concert Series Benefitting Wall Street Rising, with a Performance by Rod Stewart at Cipriani Wall Street on March 15, 2005 in New York. (Patrick Mcmullan/Patrick McMullan via Getty Image, FILE)

(MORE: 'Truth and Lies: Jeffrey Epstein' Podcast)

Federal prosecutors are now arguing that Maxwell poses an "extreme" flight risk, citing her "three passports, large sums of money, extensive international connections, and should be held in custody until trial.

Maxwell is a citizen of the United States, United Kingdom and France, prosecutors said, and she has traveled abroad frequently within the last three years. Prosecutors also believe she possesses "significant sums of money," citing a government investigation that identified "more than 15 different bank accounts held by or associated with the defendant from 2016 to the present, and during that same period, the total balances of those accounts have ranged from a total of hundreds of thousands of dollars to more than $20 million."

Attorneys for Maxwell countered that she "has not left the country even once since Epstein's arrest a year ago" and her conduct has been entirely consistent with someone who fully intends to remain in this country and fight any allegations brought against her. They also cited concerns about the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, arguing if she continues to be detained "her health will be at serious risk and she will not be able to receive a fair trial.

Instead of pre-trial detention, they proposed a $5 million bond secured by properties in the United Kingdom, restricted travel and home confinement with limited visitors.

PHOTO: Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell attend an event in New York City, June 13, 1995. (Patrick McMullan via Getty Images, FILE)

(MORE: Ghislaine Maxwell given paper clothes at correctional center to avoid suicide attempt: Sources)

Maxwell is scheduled to appear before a federal judge in New York on Tuesday, where she is expected to publicly address the allegations against for the first time. But court filings make clear that Tuesday's bail hearing is only the latest chapter in long-running legal battles waged mostly out of public view.

Maxwell has been named as a defendant in five lawsuits from alleged Epstein victims, and in at least three others, alleged victims identify her as one of Epstein's primary "recruiters," claims that Maxwell, through her attorneys, has repeatedly denied.

"Maxwell had no involvement in or knowledge of Epstein's alleged misconduct," one lawyer for Maxwell wrote earlier this year in her own lawsuit against the Epstein estate.

Epstein's alleged recruiter vows to fight charges: 'Ghislaine Maxwell is not Jeffrey Epstein' originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Sasha Trubetskoy made a set of maps of Roman roads depicted in the style of Harry Beck's famous London Underground map.

It's finally done. A subway-style diagram of the major Roman roads, based on the Empire of ca. 125 AD. Creating this required far more research than I had expectedthere is not a single consistent source that was particularly good for this.  The biggest creative element was choosing which roads and cities to include, and which to exclude. There is no way I could include every Roman road, these are only the main ones. I tried to include cities with larger populations, or cities that were provincial capitals around the 2nd century.

Obviously to travel from Petra to Gaza you would take a more or less direct road, rather than going to Damascus and "transferring" to the Via Maris. The way we travel on roads is very different from rail, which is a slight flaw in the concept of the map. But I think it's still aesthetically pleasing and informative.
Police in the Boston suburb of Newton have cited a man for driving his pickup truck through a group of young Black Lives Matter demonstrators.

The man, identified only as a 55-year-old Needham resident, was cited for operating a motor vehicle so as to endanger and failure to use care when starting a motor vehicle, police said.

Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller said the altercation, which was captured on video, happened Tuesday after a group of mostly school-age protesters demonstrated peacefully outside City Hall.

Fuller said the man verbally confronted the demonstrators as he left the city building, then drove his pick-up truck aggressively toward the demonstrators even though there was another exit available.

The mayor said no one was hurt. Organizers say 60 or so attended the rally, including young children.
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The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts have been voted the World's Best Hotel Brand by Travel + Leisure, USA World's Best Awards Survey, 2020.

Owned by Brookfield Asset Management, The Leela hospitality brand is the epitome of true Indian hospitality imbued with a distinct aesthetic that celebrates the country's art, cuisine, and artisanal craft and is rooted in its offering of India's rich heritage to the world.

This accolade is recognition of the brand's consistency in pursuing excellence and an affirmation of its commitment towards curating authentic luxury experiences with the graciousness of Indian hospitality.

In the same survey, The Leela Palace Udaipur gained top honours as the #1 Resort in India and The Leela Palace New Delhi has bagged #2 City Hotel in Asia. Both hotels have been recognized for their unique location, exquisite architecture, and personalized experiences that connect guests with the city's rich cultural heritage.

Travel + Leisure USA World's Best Award Survey is a renowned benchmark of excellence for travel and hospitality companies globally. It honours the finest travel experiences in the world selected by Travel + Leisure's global readership of discerning travellers.

Readers rate their experiences and evaluate hotels across the world on characteristics such as rooms, location, service, cuisine, and value.

"We are thrilled to receive this coveted accolade from readers of Travel + Leisure, USA. This is a commendable achievement and a tribute to the commitment of our teams and associates who dedicate themselves to delivering a world-class luxury experience and strive to make every guest stay a memorable one," said Anuraag Bhatnagar, Chief Operating Officer, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts.

"I am extremely grateful to the readers of Travel + Leisure USA and dedicate this award to our teams for their hard work and dedication," added Anuraag.

"Being recognized as 'The World's Best Hotel Brand' is a tremendous distinction for The Leela hospitality business. Congratulations to The Leela Team and to the legacy of Late Captain Nair, the founder of The Leela business," said Ankur Gupta, Managing Partner, Head of India Real Estate, Brookfield Asset Management.

"This award is also proof of the global recognition that Indian hospitality enjoys, and the limitless potential of the travel and tourism industry in India. We are excited about the future and remain committed to growing The Leela hospitality business both domestically and abroad while retaining its authentic Indian offering," added Ankur.

This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article.

DISCLAIMER

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
British pig producers warn that Germany's new ban on farrowing crates is likely to intensify calls for the UK government to enact a similar decision.

New rules, announced last week, give German pig producers eight years to remove insemination stalls and 15 years to replace farrowing crates.

While there is government support for the transition, farmers have raised fears over the costly transition, which could force many out of business.

The UK's National Pig Association (NPA) called the move by the German government 'hugely significant'.

The NPA continues to hold discussions on the subject with the UK government, which has repeatedly made clear it intends to phase out farrowing crates.

But NPA chief executive Zoe Davies stressed that momentum was growing, with the news from Germany likely to strengthen the UK governments resolve.

There was a commitment in the new Pig Welfare code for to move towards a future where farrowing crates are no longer needed, while Boris Johnson recently indicated his desire for a ban.

Ms Davies said the announcement from Germany would be used as a 'leverage' to make it happen in the UK sooner.

"The tide is shifting, but we are in regular dialogue with the government on the issue," she said.

We will continue to argue very much against a ban as it goes entirely against the new collaborative approach Defra has been taking of late.

"Regardless of the outcome, we will push for as long a transition as possible.

The NPA said a farrowing crate ban would raise issues with initial costs of converting to the system and securing planning.

Ms Davies explained: "There will also be an on-going cost for the reduction in productivity which the consumer will need to pay for.

"Producers will also need support in terms of training to help them adapt to the new system and keep piglets and staff safe."

She added: Particularly as we negotiate new trade deals, we must not end up in the situation we found ourselves after the UK banned sow stalls in 1999, losing our own producers only to import pork in large quantities produced from systems using sow stalls.

"A repeat would be a disaster for the UK pig sector and do nothing for the welfare of pigs.
Here's a man-bites-dog story:

The president of Goya Foods, America's largest Latino-owned food company with $1.5 billion in sales, did something virtually every other U.S. CEO has been way too chicken to do: he praised President Trump. And for far leftists such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, that was ample reason to put the successful minority-owned company out of business.

Here's what the man said to merit the socialist death sentence.

Goya Foods CEO Robert Unanue: "We're all truly blessed... to have a leader like President Trump who is a builder." pic.twitter.com/2VdG4qAnpK  The Hill (@thehill) July 9, 2020

He praised Trump for all the right reasons, too:

We're all truly blessed, at the same time, to have a leader like President Trump, who is a builder. And that's what my grandfather did, he came to this country, to build, to grow, to prosper. And so we have an incredible builder, and we pray, we pray, for our leadership, our president, and we pray for our country, that we will continue to prosper, and to grow.

In an era when corporate America has skidded into a sort of lockstep "wokeness" with huge amounts of money being thrown around to Black Lives Matter activist groups as a sort of appeasement payoff to keep from becoming a target, here's the CEO from a Spanish immigrant family, stating the obvious about President Trump and doing it while the whole left-wing world was watching. It was, for us normals, at least, an act of unprecedented corporate courage.

After that, he announced that his company would donate a million cans of food to the hungry and homeless in COVID-shutdown relief efforts. They had already donated 200,000 pounds of food earlier.

The huge food donations to the poor are nothing compared to a few nice words for President Trump, so naturally they're trying to cancel the biggest Latino-owned business in America.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is leading the charge for a boycott, seeking to throw 4,000 workers out of jobs, since to her, anyone who doesn't hate Trump or embrace socialism must be targeted for elimination.

Oh look, its the sound of me Googling how to make your own Adobo https://t.co/YOScAcyAnC  Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 10, 2020

She drew a lot of disgust:

Oh look, its the sound of AOC trying to drive more companies out of business  Crash (@Boognish12) July 10, 2020

Did you donate 300,000 pounds of food to organizations, food banks, and soup kitchens in NY and other places to help with COVID-19?



Goya did.  Fuzzy Chimp (@fuzzychimpcom) July 10, 2020

She's closely followed by former rep. Julian Castro, whose life work seems to be canceling and doxxing dissidents.

.@GoyaFoods has been a staple of so many Latino households for generations.



Now their CEO, Bob Unanue, is praising a president who villainizes and maliciously attacks Latinos for political gain. Americans should think twice before buying their products. #Goyaway https://t.co/lZDQlK6TcU  Julian Castro (@JulianCastro) July 9, 2020

Buying a product for generations  and now quitting because the CEO voted the "wrong" way? Sounds like he's got some Fidel-envy. This is repudiation mob stuff.

The press is playing up the boycott calls as if it were the tolling death bell for the company.

But there's reason to think this won't happen and the CEO knew what he was doing.

The grandson of old Spanish immigrants from the early 20th century, people famous for their industriousness, he seems to come from some pretty tough stock. His family emigrated from Spain to Puerto Rico, created a line of high-quality Puerto Rican canned foods, and then expanded to a multi-Hispanic niche throughout the U.S., where the family moved operations, except that at $1.5 billion in sales, they're no longer a niche. Goya products can be bought at any Walmart, Costco, or other big grocery. You don't have to hunt for the black beans, adobo seasoning, canned pulpo, mojo criollo, harina de maiz, or recaito  they're right there.

And it's likely he knows just how serious these lefties with their boycott calls are going to be. He pulled his company out of the Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York in 2017 when the organizers decided to honor an unrepentant Marxist bomber-terrorist, Oscar Lopez Rivera, whose chief accomplishment since then was to get let out of jail by President Obama. They threatened a boycott then, too. And he's still standing.

This makes sense because a lot of people do depend on Goya. I've bought their products for years and love them. I'll be buying more.

One amusing thing about Ocasio-Cortez's call to boycott Goya: she beclowned herself. Here she is, supposedly America's most important arbiter of all things Latina, Srta. Autentica, and she has to Google to know how to make adobo? It jibes with her ignorance about cauliflower in Caribbean cuisine. She claims that all that wokeness about being diverse in her Latinidad, and she doesn't know beans about Latino culture.

It's unlikely that any boycott is going to dent sales of Goya products. Look at all the product endorsements expressed on Twitter by the wokesters vowing to boycott Goya. T hese clowns aren't serious, they'll be back because they like the products:

Time to find another brand for my seasoning! And it's sad because I really like Goya's Adobo.



But I won't be giving my money to this Trump supporting enterprise. Absolutely not. Basura. https://t.co/cBTSdPE0Ba  Derrick Clifton (@DerrickClifton) July 9, 2020

FUUUUUUUCK. A shame. Dont care how good the beans taste though. Bye bye. https://t.co/xV7U0UO8CY  chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) July 10, 2020

Like clockwork. See guys! Dont worry. There will ALWAYS be assholes to buy GOYA. Just not you. https://t.co/XFTbKG5Faf  chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) July 10, 2020

And that's just a tiny sample.

Gives us all a good reason to buy more Goya, and if you have not tried the excellent products, do try them now.

Update: Ethel C. Fenig adds:

Goya food products is not only a successful company owned by a minority entrepreneur employing thousands of workers, it is also a diverse, pluralistic and multi-cultural company whose products are enjoyed by people of all backgrounds--not just Hispanic.

And thanks to their tolerance and inclusion, many of their products carry a kosher symbol on their cans from the Orthodox Union , a large trusted kosher-certifying agency, indicating the ingredients do not contain any food or additives which violate Jewish food consumption laws.

Incidentally many vegetarians look for the OU symbol on non-meat items for assurance that there are no unlisted meat additives in presumably vegetarian products.

But intolerant, close minded Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and her fellow travelers cannot tolerate diversity of thought.

Photo illustration by Monica Showalter with use of Twitter screen shot and image by Mike Mozart via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. All images processed via FotoSketcher.
New Delhi, July 10 : Chief Justice S.A. Bobde on Friday, citing migrant workers' case, said it is not for the apex court to take up every matter at the very first instance, especially in the backdrop that facts associated with the matter differ from one state to another.

The Chief Justice said "people and lawyers' have expressed disappointment that the Supreme Court did not urgently entertain various matters such as migrant workers case etc." He added that the lawyers' and people should know when facts differ from one state to another then under these circumstances it should not be the apex court that can hear the matter.

The Chief Justice termed it odd that the apex court has to explain this process to the lawyers instead of them being well aware about this process and how it works. The Chief Justice indicated that these matters are fact-intensive which may vary from one state to another and maybe in districts in some cases.

"We find it very odd that we have to say it as a bench that it is for a jurisdictional court to look into these facts and decide at the first instance," said the bench also comprising Justices A S Bopanna and R Subhash Reddy.

The Chief Justice said the parties should move the apex court in the second instance which would provide benefit to the bench at the top court to see the High Court judgment.

It seems that the comments by the Chief Justice was made to address the criticism of the apex court in the delay in taking up various issues connected to the migrant workers which included transportation to their native places, food and shelter in the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic.

Later the apex court took suo moto cognisance of the matter and issued a slew of directions for the benefit of the migrant workers. The apex court had sought response from various states on steps to address migrant workers' woes.

These observations from the Chief Justice were made during the hearing of matters regarding tuition fees being charged by the schools for the online classes and also charging of fees during the lockdown period.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Joy Reid says she wants to bring some different perspectives to MSNBC's evening lineup  lots of them.

As anticipated, the host of MSNBC's weekend "AM Joy" show was appointed Thursday to succeed former "Hardball" host Chris Matthews in the 7 p.m. Eastern time slot on weekdays.

"We are going to try to fire out of the gate with whatever is the most important thing that's happening that night, and try to frame it and contextualize it," Reid said in an interview. "Hopefully, I have a very unique frame."

As a Black woman, Reid addresses a somewhat embarrassing oversight at a news and talk network aimed at a mostly liberal audience. Before her selection, the 5 p.m. to midnight hours were hosted by five white men and one white woman.

"She's earned this, spot on," said NBCUniversal News Group Chairman Cesar Conde, who has said his goal is a workforce with 50 percent minorities at NBC News, MSNBC and CNBC. "I happen to think she's the right person for the right moment in time."

Reid was a news junkie, a sixth grader who convinced her mother to let her stay up late to watch Ted Koppel's "Nightline" reports on the Iran hostage situation in 1979.

"It almost didn't even sink in until I was older that I was watching a parade of white men tell me what's happening in the world, explaining the world to me," she said.

She naturally brings a different perspective to stories, particularly with the current debate over policing.

Reid has also sought, like MSNBC predecessors Melissa Harris-Perry and Ed Schultz, to seek out a greater variety of sources for stories. Instead of bringing in a frequently-seen Harvard professor for a story on the economy, why not find an expert from Morehouse College, for instance?

"It's kind of like a family dinner table in a really interesting family, a crowded dinner table in a family that adopted multiracial children from all around the world," she said.

Reid appears to have worked past a damaging incident from 2017, when anti-gay statements from a blog she wrote a decade earlier were revealed. Reid hired an investigator, convinced she'd been hacked. She later apologized when the investigator could find no evidence the words weren't Reid's.

Harris-Perry was among the colleagues who tweeted congratulations on Thursday, as did Soledad O'Brien, Yamiche Alcindor, Jonathan Capeheart and Craig Melvin.

 Associated Press

Manzo, mobster plead not guilty

The ex-husband of a "Real Housewives of New Jersey" cast member and a reputed mobster have pleaded not guilty to charges that they conspired to assault the woman's current husband.

Thomas Manzo, 55, of Franklin Lakes, and John Perna, 43, of Cedar Grove, entered their pleas Wednesday during an arraignment hearing conducted via videoconference. Federal prosecutors say Manzo hired Perna to commit the attack in exchange for a lavish wedding reception at a restaurant where Manzo is an owner.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Both men are charged with conspiracy and committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering activity. Manzo is the ex-husband of Dina Manzo, while Perna was identified as a soldier in the Lucchese crime family, according to prosecutors.

Perna was also charged with conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud related to the submission of a false car insurance claim, while Thomas Manzo was charged with falsifying and concealing records related to the federal investigation of the violent crime.

 Associated Press

Suspects arrested in killing of Pop Smoke

Los Angeles police on Thursday arrested five people in connection with the February slaying of Brooklyn rapper Pop Smoke, who was gunned down in a rented Hollywood Hills home.

Detectives were still trying to determine a motive in the attack, which stunned the rap world and prompted an outpouring of grief from fans.

The suspects  three adults and two juveniles  were taken into custody during early morning searches after a lengthy investigation by the LAPD's Robbery-Homicide Division.

On Feb. 19, Los Angeles police responded after someone calling from the East Coast reported that several people had entered their friend's home shortly before 5 a.m. When officers arrived at the $2.5-million luxury home in the 2000 block of Hercules Drive, they found the 20-year-old rapper born Bashar Barakah Jackson with gunshot wounds.

He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Officers detained several people inside the house, but they were later released. At least four suspects fled the scene, authorities said at the time.

 Tribune News Service
Vietnamese citizens at an airport in Moscow, Russia (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi - Vietnamese authorities, representative agencies in Russia and national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines have worked together with Russian agencies to bring nearly 300 Vietnamese citizens home on July 8-9.

The passengers included children, with many of them being under two years old, the elderly, the ill, pregnant women, workers with expired labour contracts, stranded tourists and students who finished their studies.

The Vietnamese Embassy had closely worked with local authorities to help the citizens travel from Vladivostok, Ekaterinburg, Saint Petersburg and other localities to Moscow airport. It also sent staff to the airport to assist them.

Strict security and safety measures were enforced during the flight to protect passengers health and prevent the spread of the disease.

Immediately after the flight landed at Can Tho International Airport, all passengers and crew members were given health check and quarantined in line with regulations.

Under the Prime Ministers direction, domestic authorities and Vietnams overseas representative offices will arrange more flights to take Vietnamese citizens home, depending on the citizens need and the countrys quarantine capacity.
M inisters have rejected offers to join a European Union bid for a coronavirus vaccine amid anger at costly delays, according to sources.

The EU is planning to spend around 2bn (1.8bn) on the advance purchase of vaccines that are undergoing testing on behalf of the 27 member states.

The UK has been holding talks with Brussels over the scheme for weeks, which aims to leverage the blocs collective bargaining power to strike deals with global pharmaceutical giants.

But Alok Sharma, the Business Secretary, is believed to have walked away from the opportunity after not receiving sufficient assurance that the UK would get enough vaccines on time, The Telegraph reported.

The European Commission is expected to be notified of the move on Friday.

Business Secretary Alok Sharma is believed to have turned down the EU scheme / 10 Downing Street/AFP via Getty

The decision not to participate is expected to provoke a backlash among opposition MPs, who have accused ministers of being blinded by Brexit ideology.

However, Government sources told the newspaper that officials believe signing up to the scheme could delay the rollout of a successful vaccine in the UK by up to six months as negotiations over distribution took place.

They claimed that countries that opted in would also be subject to a so-called volume ceiling, or cap on the number of doses allocated to each member state.

But the UK would have no say in negotiations, pricing or the timetable for delivering the vaccine as it is no longer an EU member state, insiders said.

The race to find a coronavirus vaccine is continuing at pace / AFP via Getty Images

The EU stresses that collective purchasing power will enable participants to drive down costs.

But officials argue the benefits are limited as most pharmaceutical companies are offering the UK similar prices to other countries.

Another source insisted that the decision would not damage the efforts being undertaken by the Governments Vaccines Task Force, which is coordinating efforts to research and produce a safe vaccine.

The UK has already secured a bilateral deal with Oxford University and the pharma giant AstraZeneca, as well as Imperial College London to accelerate trials of a vaccine.

The Oxford and AstraZeneca alliance  which, if successful, will mean the UK becoming the first recipient of the vaccine  began phase two of human trials in May.

Mr Sharma said the Government is aiming for 30 million coronavirus vaccine doses to be made available by September if the UK trials succeed.
Victoria has recorded 288 new coronavirus cases, the worst figure of any state since the pandemic began.

Twenty-six are connected to known outbreaks and the source of the rest is under investigation.

Fourteen of the new patients are healthcare workers who have been on the front-lines in Melbourne, the epicenter of the new outbreak.

Premier Daniel Andrews said the figures will get worse over the next few days and warned that Melbourne's six-week lockdown could be lengthened.

'It was always going to get worse before it got better,' he said.

Victoria has recorded 288 new coronavirus cases, its biggest spike since the pandemic began. Pictured: Police patrol outside the public housing towers in Flemington

Twenty-six new cases are connected to known outbreaks and the source of the rest is under investigation. Pictured: Response personnel dispose of rubbish in Melbourne

'The best response to these numbers and the worse numbers that are likely to follow them is for all Victorians to play their part.'

Mr Andrews said the case numbers were so high because 37,000 tests were conducted.

'We are doing more testing than has ever been done, not by a small margin, but by a massive margin,' he said.

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said the 288 figure was 'ugly' and that he expected the numbers to plateau 'in the next week'.

'We will see in the effects of the lockdown in the next one to two weeks,' he said.

Professor Sutton said the numbers of hospitalisations and deaths would also increase. Currently 47 Victorians are in hospital with the virus. The state's highest total is 50 back in March.

But Professor Sutton said Victoria was in a 'fortunate position' compared to the US which gets 288 cases every 10 minutes.

For the first time in the pandemic Mr Andrews told residents under lockdown in Melbourne that they should wear a mask when leaving their homes for essential reasons.

Victoria has recorded its biggest spike in cases since coronavirus pandemic began

'It's not compulsory, we are simply asking that if you can wear a mask where you can't distance, that is exactly what we would like you to do,' he said.

Victoria Police warned any residents caught not following lockdown rules will be fined $1,652.

Last night 16 people who ordered KFC to a home birthday party were caught by police and fined for breaking the rule limiting gatherings to two people.

'If we see that behaviour continue, then all of Melbourne will not be locked down for six weeks, we will be locked down for much longer than that,' Mr Andrews said.

The 288 total is the highest any state has ever recorded. The previous record was 212 new cases in NSW on 28 March during the peak of the pandemic in Australia.

Many of those were returned travellers and their close contacts, meaning the Victoria outbreak is far more dangerous and a 'threat to the nation' because the cases are transmitting rapidly among the local community.

Last night it was announced that residents of a Melbourne high-rise that have been confined to their homes since Saturday will be kept under hard lockdown for another nine days as the city's outbreak grows.

The housing commission block at 33 Alfred street has recorded a total of 53 cases, prompting Premier Daniel Andrews to extend the lock-up, although residents will now be allowed daily supervised exercise.

Many of the tower's inhabitants are from 'diverse communities' and officials will try to bring them 'culturally appropriate' food.

Residents of eight other towers that went under hard lockdown are being released after two blocks recorded zero cases and six recorded very few cases.

They will still be subject to stay-at-home orders like the rest of Melbourne but can now leave for shopping, work and school, healthcare and exercise.

Residents who have tested positive must still isolate.

Nine public housing towers (some pictured) have been locked down in response to an outbreak in Melbourne

Response personnel prepare to distribute goods to residents inside a public housing tower on Thursday

It comes as New South Wales recorded 14 new cases, 13 people in hotel quarantine and one in the border town of Albury.

A US marine in Darwin has also tested positive and is in isolation in hospital.

International flights arriving in Australia will be halved to ease the pressure on hotel quarantine systems around the country, meaning only 4,000 people a week can enter.

Australians returning home will also be made to pay for mandatory two-week stays in hotel quarantine.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the changes after a national cabinet meeting with state and territory leaders on Friday.

The reduction of flight arrivals from Monday will mean more than 4000 fewer people will return home every week.

All states will soon charge people for their fortnight in quarantine.

'Where possible, we will seek to have some sort of national uniformity across those pricings,' Mr Morrison told reporters in Canberra.

Victoria recorded 288 new cases on Friday, the highest daily increase of any state since the pandemic began.

'The news from Victoria remains very concerning,' Mr Morrison said.

The prime minister said the National Cabinet agreed the rest of Australia needed to avoid complacency during the global health crisis and must continue to practice social distancing. Pictured: Victorians in face masks shop in Melbourne on Wednesday before re-entering lockdown

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the cap following a National Cabinet meeting on Friday

He said the Melbourne outbreak showed how important it was for people to keep their distance from each other.

'It is still not OK for hugs and handshakes,' he said.

'It's important to maintain the discipline of the social distancing behind closed doors, not just out in the public space.'

Mr Morrison will speak with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Friday about the trans-Tasman travel bubble.

But he urged patience, with borders to remain shut for the foreseeable future.

'The fact that Australia cannot have international flights is damaging to our economy,' he said.

He spoke with Japanese leader Shinzo Abe on Thursday night about some limited transport of scientists and other key personnel between countries in the future.

In the past month, more than 28,000 people have arrived in Australia from overseas, with more than half landing in Sydney.

Former health department secretary Jane Halton will lead a review of hotel quarantine after breaches in Victoria's system fanned infection rates in Melbourne.

Returning overseas travellers are seen as they are checked-in a hotel at the beginning of the pandemic in March
W&M Libraries unveils evolving Antiracist Bookshelf

Recommended reading: As Americans make efforts to learn more about the social justice and racial equity issues that are front and center in the nation right now, William & Mary Libraries has joined other institutions around the country in providing resources for self-education. Photo by Stephen Salpukas Photo - of - Hide Caption

As Americans make efforts to learn more about the social justice and racial equity issues that are front and center in the nation right now, William & Mary Libraries has joined other institutions around the country in providing resources for self-education.

Instruction and research librarians Liz Bellamy, Alexandra Flores and Mary Oberlies have worked together to compile the Antiracist Bookshelf  a curated list of books that address systemic racism and ways to combat it.

There are many things libraries can do right now to contribute to dismantling systemic racism, and this is just one small way that we can highlight some of the more pressing issues and allow those who are ready to begin or further their self-education in anti-racism to do so in whatever way works best for them, Bellamy said.

Titles included range from Ta-Nehisi Coates Between the World and Me and Bryan Stevensons Just Mercy to works such as An Indigenous Peoples History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz and Moustafa Bayoumis This Muslim American Life.

If youre brand new to these ideas, you can read up on some of the key definitions Alex gathered from various anti-racist groups and activists before jumping in, Bellamy added. If youre looking for fiction that addresses antiracist concepts, that can be found in most sections of the guide. If youre ready for some nuanced, academic texts, we included those, too.

Carrie Cooper, dean of university libraries, described the idea behind the program.

Anti-racist book lists have emerged all over social media, so our idea was to take this a step further and raise awareness in our own community of the titles we own and provide access to, Cooper said.

We especially focused on ebooks so reading could start instantly for those who wished to dive in and learn more about anti-racism.

The bookshelfs curators pointed out that the recommendations are only intended as a start.

The list of resources on the Antiracist Bookshelf is just a starting point in our journey to dismantle the institutionalized structures of racism within our community, Oberlies said. There is a significant amount of work still to be done beyond reading these titles and becoming educated in systemic racism and the impact it has on BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) lived experiences.

The project continues the common librarians practice of developing reading lists, according to Bellamy.

The idea for this list in particular was inspired in part by the work of Black activists who for years have spent time developing reading lists encouraging self-education for those just starting to come to terms with the racial injustices in our country, Bellamy said. The name of The Antiracist Bookshelf distinguishes it from a regular reading list in an effort to acknowledge that, just like with your bookshelves at home, you wouldnt read one book off your shelf and consider yourself done with reading.

There are so many different genres and angles that your bookshelves represent, and the same is true of reading for antiracism. Racism is pernicious and embedded practically everywhere, and in order to get a well-rounded understanding of how we got here and what white people and non-Black people of color can do about it, we have to take into account more than just one angle.

Numerous reading lists were circulating online after George Floyds death in police custody in Minneapolis on Mary 25, according to Bellamy. So many that she was having trouble keeping track of them all.

I had the thought that it would be nice to distill the lists into one super-list and make it available for the W&M community and the greater public, but I knew Id need help putting it together and especially determining what books to include, Bellamy said. I asked my colleagues in the research department if anyone had interest in helping with the project, and Alex and Mary had the time and emotional bandwidth to help out.

She saw the bookshelf as a way to help individuals who want to take part in the current movement, but dont know where to start or get overwhelmed by trying to do too much at once.

This was one small way we could see W&M Libraries contributing to the movement for Black lives, Bellamy said. We aimed to make the bookshelf as accessible as possible, including exactly where in the library stacks or online someone could go to find a book theyre interested in.

If one of the barriers to someone getting started is: Well, I have the title of this book but I cant afford to buy it, and I dont know how Id get it otherwise, this site tries to remove that barrier as much as possible.

Flores particularly enjoys recommending books to library patrons, and had experience with it previously working in a public library setting, she said. She had already been working on a list of antiracist texts when Bellamy asked.

Im very passionate about equity, diversity and inclusion work and follow a lot of activists on social media, which is where I got the majority of the titles, and the majority of my antiracist education, Flores said. Rachel Cargle, Sonya Renee Taylor and Ericka Hart, among many, many other Black folks, have poured hours upon hours of unpaid labor into this work.

Some titles included in the bookshelf are ones faculty are using. Many requests for course materials and personal research this past spring fell into the bookshelfs scope as well, according to Oberlies. Librarians ran across other titles while reshelving books or putting together book displays and pop-up libraries during the pre-COVID-19 days.

The reading suggestions are categorized with definitions on the first page of the bookshelfs website to help guide discussions and self-education, Oberlies said. Books will be added and members of the university community are invited to suggest titles for consideration for inclusion.

We built the Antiracist Bookshelf to be a living guide  in fact, it has already been updated and expanded multiple times since it went live, Flores said. We have partnered with the Reves Center for International Studies Diversity Committee on adding a transnational perspectives tab and would love to partner with others.

The homepage of the guide has a place to contact us if you have suggestions for more titles. And as long as we have them in the catalog and they fit the scope of the guide, were happy to do so. When we come across titles we dont currently own, we request the library purchase them to continue expanding access to these important materials.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday it was setting up an independent panel to review its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the response by governments.

The announcement follows strong criticism by US President Donald Trump's administration of the global agency's role in the crisis - though the WHO said the review was not linked to the United States.

Former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark and former Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf have agreed to head the panel, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

"The magnitude of this pandemic, which has touched virtually everyone in the world, clearly deserves a commensurate evaluation, an honest evaluation," Tedros told a virtual meeting with diplomats.

The panel will provide an interim report to an annual meeting of health ministers in November and present a "substantive report" next May, he said.

Trump has accused the WHO of being too close to China and not doing enough to question Beijing's actions at the start of the crisis. Tedros has dismissed the suggestions and said his agency kept the world informed.

EXPERTS

In May, Trump said the United States, the agency's biggest donor, would pull out of the organisation unless there were real reforms, a threat he followed up on this week by giving a one-year notice of withdrawal.

"The President has been clear that the WHO needs to get its act together. That starts with demonstrating significant progress and the ability to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks with transparency and accountability," a senior U.S. official in Washington told Reuters on Thursday.

The WHO issued a statement saying the review was not linked to the United States and that its 194 member countries had asked in May for an evaluation of the global response.

More than 12 million people are reported to have been infected by the novel coronavirus worldwide and 548,429 have died since the virus emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, according to a Reuters tally.

Lawrence Gostin, a professor at Georgetown Law in Washington, DC, said the panel should not be "an inside job" driven by states close to the WHO, nor should it pander to what he called "Trump's conspiracy theories".

"What is really vital is we have truly independent experts from a variety of disciplines that will honestly and frankly review the situation with COVID," Gostin told Reuters.

"Are they going to review China's action, are they going to review WHO's initial response to China, look at things like ... WHO's power to independently verify states' reports?," he added.
[July 09, 2020] SpaceTravel to partner with UnionPay, The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia & Bali Tourism Promotion Board to Bolster Bali Tourism Industry through launch of BUBU App

BALI, Indonesia, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- SpaceTravel, UnionPay International, and the Bali Tourism Promotion Board, supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Singapore, yesterday officially kicked off their partnership to offer BUBU, a lifestyle app for tourists in Bali. Singapore-based startup, SpaceTravel, will develop this app as this partnership hopes to embrace digitisation to bolster the Bali tourism industry through its recovery. This partnership was announced at a webinar yesterday "Digitisation to Unlock Tourism Potential Post-Covid". The event was attended by His Excellency Ngurah Swajaya, the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Singapore, Mr. Muhammad Neil El Himam, Director for Application & Governance of Digital Economy  Ministry of Tourism and Economy Creative of the Republic of Indonesia, Dr. Putu Saroyini, Vice-Chair Bali Tourism Promotion Board, Mr. Wenhui Yang, General Manager, UnionPay International (UPI) Southeast Asia, Mr .Ping Teck Huat, CEO of SpaceTravel Pte Ltd, and other distinguished guests. BUBU is an all in one application that allows tourists to Bali to navigate, book accommodation, transport and look for merchant offers, whilst giving merchants the ability to gain insights about and reward consumers when they spend. In his opening address, Ambassador Ngurah said that since the pandemic Covid-19, the government has developed and rolled out a comprehensive strategy for the development of the Indonesian Tourism in line wih the Cleanliness, Health, and Safety (CHS) protocol.



"The plan to reopen is gradual and emphasizes the importance of developing confident, safety, and quality tourism. Reopening borders has been discussed in the ASEAN context," he said. Following him, Mr. Neil El Himam shared with attendees several marketing strategies which tapped on digitisation to increase quality tourist visits to Indonesia in the future. This included Indonesia Care, which taps on VR, Big Data, and blockchain to promote virtual, seamless tourism to future tourists to Bali.

"While we don't hope to replace the in person experience, tourists can now preview what they will be seeing on the trip before they embark on it," he remarked. Similarly, Dr. Putu Saroyini stressed the use of mobile applications to engage the Chinese tourist market, which accounted for close to 20 percent of the country's 18,000 daily visitors pre-Covid. Dr. Putu highlighted that the BUBU App taps on the human desire to gain rewards for their actions, which will encourage them to spend while travelling. "This gamification feature will promote a higher user engagement, which I believe will make it the ideal choice for travellers when they come to Bali," she said. This was a sentiment echoed by Mr. Ping, who urged offline businesses to be quick in adopting digitisation to reach out to potential tourists while observing safety. "With the help of local tourism boards and UnionPay, we are able to engage these merchants directly and connect them with potential customers in a contactless and hygienic way," he said. Mr. Wenhui Yang, General Manager of UPI Southeast Asia further added, "We are pleased to be part of this partnership, to bring more value to our Cardholders, merchant acquirers, and Bali merchants alike. "This app makes it easier for tourists to not only find their way around Bali, but to easily find and pay for exciting merchant offers when visiting the famed island of the Gods," he said. In Bali, the province's success in fighting COVID-19 has resulted in the Indonesian government expressing interest in reopening its door on 11 September 2020. This has caused much excitement for industry players, who see this as an opportunity for business recovery and even growth. UnionPay is accepted at almost all merchants in Bali now, and in many parts of Indonesia. UnionPay serves the world's largest Card base of over 8 billion and is one of the fastest growing international payment networks, now accepted in 179 countries and regions. SpaceTravel also plans to conduct other webinars like best practices for businesses to stay connected to consumers during this challenging time, dialogues with local businesses on how they pivoted to ensure the proper roll-out of the COVID-19 safe distancing measures, and training on tools across the Facebook platform. Technical support for BUBU is provided by Huawei Cloud. SOURCE UnionPay International

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 22:05:55|Editor: huaxia

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HARARE, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Friday warned that the nationwide COVID-19-induced lockdown could be further tightened due to a spike in new infections.

Mnangagwa declared a total COVID-19 lockdown in March for an initial period of 21 days, which was followed by a further two weeks before the nation went into the current Level 2 partial lockdown.

The lockdown is meant to curb the further spread of the disease.

Addressing an ordinary session of the ruling ZANU-PF politburo, Mnangagwa said the rapid escalation in COVID-19 infections required another review of the lockdown regulations.

"The recent rapid spike of infections requires that we make another review of the COVID-19 lockdown measures soon," he said, adding that the strategies adopted by the country to curb the spread of COVID-19 pandemic have to date yielded positive results.

He said the country would continue to strengthen preventive measures, testing and contact tracing.

He warned groups agitating for government workers to go on strike for better pay, saying government will not stand by and watch while the country degenerates into chaos.

"We continue to see acts that seek to outrightly destabilize the peace, unity and harmony we are enjoying, in particular through the use of platforms in the health, education and security sectors. We shall never quiver or capitulate in the face of these machinations," he said.

He challenged those purporting to represent workers to do just that, pointing out that their mandate was a one-way traffic lane while political ambitions and views belonged to another lane.

He also warned civil society organizations to stick to their mandate, or risk being de-registered.

He further warned foreign embassies against interfering in the internal affairs of the country.

The opposition has called for street protests on July 31 against the deepening economic crisis.

Zimbabwe recorded three COVID-19 deaths on Thursday, taking the country's death toll to 12 as the number of confirmed cases rose to 926.

This was after 41 citizens tested positive, who include returnees from South Africa, Namibia, Japan, Sweden and 36 local infections.

There was a huge jump in recoveries of 100 in a single day, pushing the total number of recoveries to 306 while active cases are 608. Enditem
WASHINGTON - More than 1,000 employees at the Transportation Security Administration have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to figures the agency released Thursday. Nearly all of them are security officers who have continued to work screening passengers at airports throughout the pandemic.

Hydrick Thomas, president of the union that represents the officers, said the figure is a reflection of the agency's ongoing struggle to do enough to protect its employees. Air travel numbers, which collapsed in the early stages of the coronavirus outbreak, are steadily climbing even as the virus is surging again: Nearly 2.7 million people traveled over the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

"Right now they're bringing people back to work and the social distance is not in total effect," Thomas said. "Employees are still complaining there's too many of them in one area."

In all, TSA says 1,018 employees have tested positive. Its 50,000-strong force of screening officers has borne the brunt, accounting for 907 of the cases. Six employees have died, as has a contractor.

Thomas had long worked with the first agency employee to die of the disease, Newark airport K-9 officer Francis Boccabella, who was known at work as "Big Frank." TSA said 39-year-old Boccabella, who had previously worked at JFK International Airport in New York, died April 2.

"He was younger than me, I know that for a fact, and he's gone," Thomas said. "When we all heard that he passed away, it hit a lot of the workers very hard at JFK."

Carter Langston, a TSA spokesman, said the agency, "remains committed to the health and safety of our front-line workers and airline travelers and has demonstrated this with significant safety updates to the checkpoint experience during this pandemic."

Face coverings are now mandatory for officers. And after a whistleblower complaint, the agency ordered more steps, including the use of protective face shields in some instances and regular changing of gloves after coming into contact with travelers and their property.

Thomas said the rollout of some of the steps has been uneven. Even before the pandemic began, officers had been complaining about a shortage of gloves, which Thomas called an important tool of their trade. That has been resolved, he said, and the agency says it instructs officers to regularly change their gloves. But the face shields aren't always available, Thomas said. TSA is allowing officers to use goggles when there are shortages. Where it can, the TSA has been installing plastic barriers for officers to work behind.

Thomas said the agency could be doing more, including taking employees' temperatures or conducting health screenings at the beginning of their shifts.

"There should be someone in management trained to do those type of tests when you come in," he said.

The virus spread rapidly among TSA's workforce in the spring, forcing officers to stay home to try to limit its spread. The difference then was that air travel had come to an almost complete standstill, with fewer than 100,000 people passing through the agency's checkpoints on some days, compared with a normal volume of 2 million or more.

The figures released by TSA show JFK remains the hardest-hit airport, with 116 agency employees testing positive. The most recent officer to test positive there last worked May 23.

But new cases are spread widely. Officers from 43 airports within the past two weeks have tested positive. They include officers working at airports in states across the South, Southwest and Midwest, where cases have been climbing among the population.
By Katanga Johnson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An official with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) accounting oversight arm on Thursday said it sees "no prospects" of being able to properly do its job overseeing disclosures and preventing accounting fraud in China, amid ongoing consideration by the Trump administration of how to stave off the possible investor risk.

The comments by William Duhnke, chairman of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), comes as the latest in a series of statements in response to pressure from the White House and lawmakers to reduce the perceived risks Chinese companies pose to U.S. investors.

"I have been actively engaged with the (Big Four accounting firms) about how, in the absence of access, do we make sure staff can ensure audit quality of U.S.-listed Chinese companies," said Duhnke, who sat on a virtual SEC panel on the topic with other U.S. regulatory authorities.

"We must trust and verify, but we have no ability to verify in China, and no prospects to do so on the horizon."

The SEC has been locked in a decade-long struggle with the Chinese government to inspect audits of U.S.-listed Chinese companies, and its accounting arm is still unable to access those critical records, it has said.

The PCAOB, which was set up by the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley Act and is overseen by the SEC, is tasked with policing the accounting firms that sign off on the books of the nations listed companies. Its problems with Chinese audit quality have been festering since 2011, when scores of Chinese companies trading on U.S. exchanges were accused of accounting irregularities.

Chinese authorities have long resisted audit papers leaving China, making it hard for U.S. regulators to check the quality of audits of Chinese companies.

But a bill passed by the U.S. Senate which, if signed by President Donald Trump, would require U.S.-listed foreign companies to disclose levels of government control. It would also require that Chinese companies comply with U.S. oversight of their audits or potentially face being delisted.

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Chinese firms accounted for about a third, or some $279 billion, of funds raised globally via IPOs in the past five years. About half of that was offshore of China, mostly through New York and Hong Kong floats.

Amy McGarrity, the chief investment officer at the Public Employees' Retirement Association of Colorado said that investors should have access to "ample" disclosures, but was worried restricting listing of Chinese companies could harm U.S. capital markets and force investors to private markets.

(Additional reporting by Chris Prentice in Washington and Echo Wang in New York, Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
(TNS)  California State University students could be forced online for the rest of the academic year, which ends May 2021, CSU Chancellor Timothy White said Tuesday.Whites remarks came during a hearing before the U.S. House of Representatives Education and Labor subcommittee.White told the committee that the move to a virtual fall semester, and quite frankly, the academic year, was driven by health and safety issues, and students progress to success.White, who retires at the end of 2020, said the coronavirus pandemic could continue to challenge officials for up two more years.We imagine another bump (in cases) later this summer, he continued. We have a forecast thats a very strong forecast, of a greater wave of this disease coupled with influenza come October, November, and another wave coming in sort of March, April. So our planning horizon has been for the longer term.Breaking news & moreSign up for one of our many newsletters to be the first to know when big news breaksSIGN UPBut Mike Uhlenkamp, a spokesperson for the Chancellors Office, said Thursday that any announcement of a virtual spring 2021 semester wouldnt come until late this summer.Uhlenkamp said Whites statement only meant that the CSU is planning for the future.We are still in the planning stages, and we are not ready to announce specific plans for the spring yet, he said.Hoping for HEROES Act moneyDuring the hearing, White said the CSU system lost $100 million a month for the last three months of the 2019-2020 academic year, and we anticipate that to continue for the next 12 months.He pushed for a passing of the federal HEROES Act, which would mitigate the $299 million in cuts the state of California made to the 23-campus CSU system when Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the recent budget.The cut makes up 4.2% of the CSU budget, White said, but federal relief to states would restore that funding.The CSU system was the first in the nation to announce it was moving online for fall when it did so in May, affecting its 482,000 students at the countrys largest four-year college system.Fresno State released its fall plans on June 26, including guidelines for housing, food, and wellness checks. Only about 7.5% of the student population will be on campus as compared to fall 2019.About 1,340 of those will be students who attend the 128 on-campus courses that cannot be taught online, including clinical labs, science, technology, engineering and mathematics labs, and some performing arts.Students will use a mobile app to complete a daily health check before they arrive on campus, officials said, and free COVID-19 baseline testing will be available for all students, faculty, and staff.Cal Poly continues to plan for fall 2020, which begins in September, but does not have a deadline to release plans for winter or spring quarters, according to spokesperson Matt Lazier.That plan will be informed by the ongoing circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak and will be made in consultation with the CSU and local and state health officials, he said.California State University, Stanislaus said it was not read to announce plans either.As Chancellor White states, the health and safety of our students and their academic progress will continue to guide our discussions for plans beyond the fall, said spokesperson Rosalee Rush.Fresno State officials echoed that statement.At this point, its too early to discuss details about spring 2021, said spokesperson Lisa Boyles. Recognizing that the pandemic is a constantly evolving situation, we continue to review and adjust our campus plans and services as necessary.Sacramento State officials also said they would continue to provide updates as they become available.
A buyer of a pre-construction townhouse in Markham found out the hard way what can happen if the property is resold before its closing date and without the builders permission.

Virtually every Agreement of Purchase and Sale for a pre-built home or condominium contains a prohibition on resale until after the final closing of the transaction and registration of a deed to the purchaser.

The reason for the prohibition is so that early purchasers will not compete with the builders marketing of unsold units.

In March 2016, Jinning Wang bought a townhouse in a pre-construction project on William Saville St., in Markham, from a builder operating under the name 2426483 Ontario Limited. The contract price was $1,188,800.

Wang paid the builder deposits totalling $150,000, and in July, 2019, he listed the unfinished home for sale on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). This was a breach of a clear prohibition in the purchase agreement.

The agreement also contained a clause stating that if a purchaser breached the prohibition, the builder could both terminate the agreement and keep the deposit and any other monies paid.

When Wang was notified by the builders sales manager that the MLS listing was a breach of contract, he immediately removed it.

In December, 2019, Wang requested and was refused permission to resell the property before final closing. Despite this, he again listed the property for sale and subsequently signed an agreement to sell it for $1,290,000 with an April, 2020 closing date.

When the builder saw the listing and sale posted on the MLS website, its lawyer notified Wang that in light of his contract breach, the builder had terminated the agreement and forfeited the deposit and occupancy fees paid. Wang was also told to surrender possession of the unit.

Wang and the new purchaser then terminated their agreement of purchase and sale with an option to revive it if the dispute with the builder was settled.

Last month, in a virtual hearing before Justice Paul Schabas in Toronto, Wang asked the court for what is known as relief from forfeiture of his deposit. In analyzing the claim, Schabas noted that the court must consider the conduct of the buyer, the gravity of the breach of contract, and the disparity between the value of the forfeited deposit and the damage caused by the breach.

In this case, Schabas wrote in his decision, Wang knowingly and deliberately breached the agreement when he listed and sold the townhouse in December 2019 and January 2020.

The judge noted that at the time Wang resold the unit, the purchaser could have bought one of the builders nine unsold townhouses.

Schabas found that Wang did not come to court with clean hands because his conduct did not demonstrate reasonable diligence to comply with the agreement.

Since the deposit was 12.6 per cent of the purchase price in the agreement, the judge found it would not be unconscionable for Wang to forfeit his $150,000 deposit plus all the occupancy fees that had been paid.

Bob Aaron is a Toronto real estate lawyer and a contributing columnist for the Star. He can be reached at bob@aaron.ca or on Twitter: @bobaaron2

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Golden Gate Park, NoPa, Upper Haight

Photos: Teresa Hammerl/Hoodline

After pressure from District 5 Supervisor Dean Preston, in May the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) proposed a new parking-protected bikeway on Fell Street (between Baker and Shrader) to run alongside the Panhandle path, to alleviate traffic on the crowded Panhandle bikeway.

Construction was anticipated to begin in June, but there's been no progress so far.

"We are working to get necessary project approvals, including addressing emergency access challenges," said SFMTA spokesperson Erica Kato, in an email to Hoodline on June 26. While the agency has provided no update since, just three days ago, the agency published a Tweet with the same statement. It's still unclear when construction will start.

Just circling back. Staff did confirm that we're working to get the necessary project approvals, including addressing emergency access challenges.  SFMTA (@sfmta_muni) July 6, 2020

Preston's legislative aide, Preston Kilgore, said in May that the project will be "a temporary emergency response to COVID-19," allowing westbound cyclists to fully bypass the interior of the Panhandle.

Kilgore said the San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD) and the SFMTA conducted a site visit last week as SFFD raised some questions about the project. "We are in a pandemic," Kilgore said, adding that building processes might take longer than expected. SFFD did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

According to the SFMTA's website, the southernmost of Fell Street's four travel lanes, which borders the Panhandle, will be given over to the curb-adjacent bikeway. The bikeway will be designated with paint and protected with collapsible bollards.

Fell, a one-way street, has both northern and southern parking lanes. The southern lane will be moved away from the curb, with approximately 12 of the 136 parking spaces on that side removed. The spaces are needed to create turning lanes and visibility zones.

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San Francisco Bicycle Coalition executive director Brian Wiedenmeier told Hoodline the protected bike lane is a long due solution, and that the increase in traffic during shelter-in-place has created crowded and unsafe conditions in the Panhandle.

Neither the SFMTA nor Kilgore were able to say when construction will start, but Kilgore said he still believes the introduction of the new bike lane will help with the response to congestion, adding that his office is still supportive of it.

We are calling on the city to resolve any issues that exist, Wiedenmeier said. Each day that this project is delayed increases the risk of negative outcomes, he noted, adding that it is currently very difficult to stay the recommended six feet apart on Panhandle paths.

Neither the Mayor's office nor San Francisco Rec & Park would say whether any additional measures are planned to allow for better social distancing along the Panhandle until the new bike lane is complete.

A spokesperson for Rec & Park said that "fortunately, the Panhandle leads directly into the 1,017-acre Golden Gate Park."

The spokesperson added that JFK Drive will remain closed to vehicle traffic while the shelter-in-place order is in effect to ensure people can get their outside recreation time while socially distancing.
Spy Satellite Reportedly Spots New Nuclear Site in North Korea Amid Freeze in Trump-Kim Talks

Sputnik News

18:40 GMT 09.07.2020(updated 19:53 GMT 09.07.2020)

Talks between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his US and South Korean counterparts aimed at bringing a formal end to the Korean War and denuclearizing the peninsula have been frozen amid a cooling of relations partially attributed to a South Korean leafleting campaign.

Private US Earth imaging company Planet Labs has snapped a satellite image that observers from the California-based Middlebury Institute of International Studies claim may show a previously undeclared North Korean nuclear facility that's being used to build nuclear warheads.

The image, reportedly taken in late May, is said to be situated in the town of Wollo-ri in Pyongyang region, with the 'nuclear warhead factory' situated near the Ryongaksan Spring Water Factory.

Jeffrey Lewis, a professor at the Middlebury Institute specializing in arms control, spoke to CNN and released a report on the suspected nuclear site, saying it "has a number of signatures suggesting that it has a role in the DPRK's nuclear program," including "a strong security perimeter and what appears to be several high-rise residential buildings on site," with North Korea "emphasiz[ing] the construction of better housing as a perk for scientists and technicians involved in the nuclear and missile programs."

"Moreover, although there are monuments at the Wollo-ri site that indicate leadership visits, we find no state media reports on any such visits. These are all characteristics of other DPRK nuclear facilities, such as the enrichment plant at Kangson," the observer added.

According to Lewis, the suspected secure facility's amenities, which may include possible underground elements, "stand in stark contrast" to the adjacent spring water factory, which "has little security and no on-site housing."

US intelligence suspects that the facility is engaged in warhead manufacturing, according to the analyst.

Nuclear Bomb Factory or Officer School?

An anonymous military source questioned Lewis's claims Thursday, telling US government-supported media outlet Daily NK that the Wollo-ri facility is an officer training school, not a nuclear weapons manufacturing facility.

"The building in question is the Pyongyang Anti-Aircraft Unit Command's Political Military University, which is located on the right-hand side of a road running through Wonro Village heading toward Taedong County from Chilgol Station," the source was quoted as saying, adding that there were no underground components or high-rise buildings onsite.

The source pointed out that along with the bottling facility situated "directly across from the school's front gatethere is farmland inside a wall behind the main office building," and a graveyard where people gather during traditional Korean holidays to pay respects to their ancestors, "which makes it very unlikely that [the government] would conduct secret nuclear program-related activities there."

Cooling US-DPRK Relations

The 'new North Korean nuclear facility' story comes just days after the Pyongyang announced that the nation has no intention of holding any more talks with the US any time soon.

"Is it possible to hold dialogue or have any dealings with the US which persists in the hostile policy toward the DPRK in disregard of the agreements already made at the past summit?" First Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui asked, speaking to North Korea's Korean Central News Agency last week.

According to Choe, the Trump administration's trick of using negotiations with Chairman Kim Jong-un as a "tool for grappling its political crisis" would no longer "work" on Pyongyang.

Leaflet Crisis

Earlier, Pyongyang moved to sever all inter-Korean communications and blew up the Kaesong joint liaison office amid a dispute involving South Korea's spreading of propaganda leaflets into North Korean territory. North Korea went on to threaten Seoul with its own leafleting campaign, saying it has 12 million leaflets at the ready to spread into South Korea aboard over 3,000 air balloons.

Last week, Russian Ambassador to North Korea Alexander Matsegora revealed that the leaflet crisis was caused by photoshopped offensive images of Kim Jong-un's wife Ri Sol-ju spread into North Korea in late May which he said evoked "serious outrage" in Pyongyang.

A Sputnik

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Al Qayyarah:

Iraqi paramilitary forces launched an operation to cut the dreaded Islamic State group's supply lines between its Mosul bastion and neighbouring Syria, opening a new front in the nearly two-week-old offensive. Forces from the Hashed al-Shaabi, a paramilitary umbrella organisation dominated by Iran-backed Shiite militias, have largely been on the sidelines since the launch of the operation to retake Mosul.

However on Saturday, they began a push on the town of Tal Afar on the western approach to the city, the only side where ground forces, which have advanced from the north, east and south, are not yet deployed.

"The operation aims to cut supplies between Mosul and Raqa and tighten the siege of (IS) in Mosul and liberate Tal Afar," Hashed spokesman Ahmed al-Assadi told AFP, referring to IS's main stronghold in Syria.

Assadi said the operation was launched from the Sin al-Dhaban area south of Mosul and aimed to retake the towns of Hatra and Tal Abta as well as Tal Afar.The drive toward Tal Afar could bring the fighting perilously close to the ancient city of Hatra, a UNESCO world heritage site that has already been vandalised by IS.

Though it was not mentioned by name, the operation may also pass near the ruins of Nimrud, another archaeological site that has previously been attacked by IS. The involvement of Shiite militias in the Mosul operation has been a source of contention, although some of the Hashed's top commanders insist that do not plan to enter the largely Sunni city.

Iraqi Kurds and Sunni Arab politicians have opposed their involvement, as has Turkey which has a military presence east of Mosul, despite repeated demands by Baghdad for the forces to be withdrawn. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Shiite militias against attacking Turkmen residents of Tal Afar.

"If the Hashed al-Shaabi sow terror there, then our response will be different," Erdogan said, according to the state-run Anadolu news agency, without specifying what measures would be taken. Relations between the Hashed and the US-led coalition fighting IS are also tense, but the paramilitaries enjoy widespread support among members of Iraq's Shiite majority.

Tal Afar was a Shiite-majority town of mostly ethnic Turkmens before the Sunni extremists of IS overran it in 2014, and its recapture is a main goal of Shiite militia forces.As the Hashed push on Tal Afar got under way, Iraqi forces battled IS in Al-Shura, an area south of Mosul with a long history as a militant bastion that has been the target of fighting for more than a week.

Iraq's Joint Operations Command later announced "the complete liberation of Al-Shura area", saying that security forces advancing from four different sides had now linked upin the area. The offensive operations came despite an assertion from the US-led coalition on Friday that Iraqiforces were temporarily halting their advance on Mosul for a period expected to last "a couple days".

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Demand for PM Oli to resign rises citing his recent anti-India remarks were 'neither politically correct nor diplomatically appropriate'

Kathmandu: A crucial meeting of Nepal's ruling communist party to decide the political future of embattled Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli was on Friday postponed once again, this time for a week, citing floods in the country, amidst calls for his resignation over his style of functioning and anti-India statements.

The meeting of the Nepal Communist Party's 45-member powerful Standing Committee was scheduled to be held on Friday.

The meeting was called off as the party is engaged in carrying out rescue and relief works, and minimising further loss due to landslides and floods across the country, My Republica newspaper quoted NCP spokesperson Narayan Kaji Shrestha as saying.

At least two people, including a child, were killed while 18 others went missing as several houses were swept away by floods triggered by incessant rain in Nepal's Sindhupalchowk district on Thursday.

It is the fifth time that the NCP meeting has been postponed. On Wednesday the meeting was postponed to Friday.

Top NCP leaders, including former prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', have demanded Prime Minister Oli's resignation, saying his recent anti-India remarks were "neither politically correct nor diplomatically appropriate."

The differences between the two factions of the NCP -- one led by Oli and the other led by party's executive chairman 'Prachanda' on the issue of power-sharing  has recently intensified after the prime minister unilaterally decided to prorogue the budget session of Parliament.
[July 10, 2020] ZhongAn Successfully Priced Inaugural US$600 million 5-year Senior Unsecured Notes Issue

HONG KONG, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- ZhongAn Online P & C Insurance Co., Ltd. ("ZhongAn Online" or "ZhongAn" or the "Company", HKEx: 6060), a leading online InsureTech company in China, today announced the successful pricing of its US$600 million 5-year 3.125% senior unsecured notes (the "Notes") on July 9, 2020, which are expected to be listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The Joint Global Coordinators and Joint Bookrunners of this issuance are J.P. Morgan, Credit Suisse, China International Capital Corporation and Morgan Stanley. This marks ZhongAn's inaugural public bond issuance in the offshore capital markets. Moody's Investors Service, a leading international credit rating agency, has assigned a Baa1 insurance financial strength rating (IFSR) to the Company with Stable outlook, and a Baa2 rating to the Notes. Moody's noted in its rating report that, ZhongAn's Baa1 IFSR reflects its market presence as the leader in China's online insurance sector, its strong capitalization, improved product diversification, and low high-risk asset leverage. With stable outlook, Moody's expects that ZhongAn will continue to maintain strong capitalization and gradually improve its underwriting profitability. Such rating of the Notes does not constitute a recommendation to buy, sell or hold the Notes, does not address the likelihood or timing of prepayment and may be subject to revision, qualification, suspension or withdrawal at any time by Moody's. The issuance garnered significant interest from international investors. With an oversubscription exceeding 6 times at orderbook peak, the final pricewas 285 basis points above the on-the-run 5-year U.S. Treasury bond, tightening by 45 basis points from initial price guidance. In addition, the financing scale of US$600 million is the largest debut USD bond offering by Asian corporates in 2020YTD, and also ranks No. 1 in global InsureTech debt financing. This demonstrates the confidence the capital markets investors have in ZhongAn's competitive strengths, business model and growth prospects.



Net proceeds from the issuance is intended to be used by the Company for working capital and general corporate purposes. In embracing the "Insurance + Technology" dual engine strategy, ZhongAn will continue to explore numerous application scenarios and capitalize on the vast growth potential of the InsureTech market. Throughout the COVID-19 epidemic, insurance technology has played a significant role in the digital transformation of health insurance and the entire insurance industry. This trend is in line with ZhongAn's plans for strategic development. Recently, ZhongAn announced a positive profit alert and expected net profit attributable to owners of the Company of the first half of 2020 (the "Period") to increase by no less than 100%. During the Period, the Company's gross written premiums increased steadily and combined ratio further improved, thus narrowing underwriting loss. This demonstrates the great efforts of the Company to further improve its financial performance. With the issue of the Notes, ZhongAn believes it will better finance its business development initiatives, while optimizing its capital structure and enhancing international credibility. ZhongAn also believes that its access to diversified financing channels in the future will help sustain the Company's stable and long-term growth. In addition, the Company believes that the successful notes issue is a positive sign for ZhongAn to strengthen its brand recognition and further expand its international footprint.

About ZhongAn Online P&C Insurance Co., Ltd (HKEx: 6060) ZhongAn Online P & C Insurance Co., Ltd. ("ZA Online" or "the Company") is a leading InsureTech company in China. Incorporated on 9 October 2013, the Company primarily offers insurance products and solutions in the context of five major ecosystems: health ecosystem, lifestyle consumption ecosystem, consumer finance ecosystem, auto ecosystem, and travel ecosystem. ZA Online has proved and enhanced its technology strength through the operations of its insurance business and exports its advanced experience and technologies to domestic and overseas clients. On 28 September 2017, ZA Online became the first Fintech company to be listed on the HKEX (Stock Code: 6060) and from 2018 onwards, the Company started to explore international business development, cooperation and investment opportunities in relation to Fintech and InsureTech businesses in overseas markets. Media Inquiry Christensen

Shirley Chan

Tel: +852 2232 3933

Email: [email protected] SOURCE ZhongAn Online

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JACKSONVILLE, FL  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he would not hesitate to send his three small children to school if they were old enough.

"At the end of the day, we need our society to function," the governor told reporters at a stop in Jacksonville Thursday with U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia. "We need our society to continue to move forward. We can take steps to be able to minimize risk when youre talking about coronavirus, but we cant just leave society on the mat."

Scalia said the protracted school closures around the nation have disproportionately hurt working women and low-income families.



"Its hard enough to telecommute while the kids are in school, but (for) many parents, thats not even an option," Scalia said. "Those are lower income parents that we know have been hit harder by the virus, and we think its particularly important to help get back to work."

Scalia said working women had a lower unemployment rate prior to the pandemic than men "That's now flipped," he said. That's because women tend to shoulder greater responsibility for child care than their mail counterparts.

"If we dont get our schools open, its going to be that much harder for working adult women who are facing a higher unemployment rate, to get back to work," Scalia predicted.

Florida's Commissioner of Education on Monday ordered all "brick and mortar schools" to reopen in August but also gave school districts flexibility to use what officials described as "innovative teaching methods" to educate children.

Patch readers overwhelmingly said in an informal survey that it's too soon to send kids back to Florida classrooms.

"To me, schools are an essential service," Scalia said. "Weve had our factories in this country open throughout the pandemic. Weve had our grocery stores open. Weve now got Americans visiting their doctors and dentists as they should. Weve even got tattoo parlors open and hair salons."

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Asked if Florida schools could safely open, 64.8 percent of 733 respondents said in the Patch survey it's too soon for schools to do so safely. Only 28.7 percent of respondents said they believe schools can safely reopen.



DeSantis compared schools to businesses like Home Depot and Walmart that were allowed to remain open during the shutdown.

"If all that is essential, then educating our kids is absolutely essential," DeSantis declared. "They have been put to the back of the line in some respects."

While he praised Florida's online education offerings, DeSantis said there will undoubtedly be gaps in learning caused by the extended period away from other children and the natural interactions that occur in classrooms.

"I have a newborn. I have a 2-year-old. I have a 3-year-old," the governor said. "Theyre not old enough to go school, so I would say they wont be in kindergarten or anything coming up, but I would not hesitate putting them in, in terms of the risk."

DeSantis said the risk of spreading the coronavirus from one child to another is minimal though two 11-year-0lds died from the illness in Miami-Dade County and nearby Broward County. Both had underlying health issues.

"Obviously, if you have a kid thats got a significant health issue, we absolutely need to make accommodations for that," the governor explained. "If a parent wants to opt for virtual education they should absolutely be able to do that."

This article originally appeared on the Bradenton Patch
New Cohort Joins Veterinary Hospital Staff

Small Animal Medicine and Surgery Interns (top row, left-right): Drs. Montana Campbell, Allison Dianis, Susan Fraley, Erica Grier, George Munguia; (bottom row, left-right) Ruby Ng, Jacqueline Peraza, Frances Torres-Otero, and Wasson Veterinary Pharmacy Resident Alissa Kruger. Not pictured: Large Animal Medicine and Surgery Intern, Dr. Annie Oakes.

The Purdue Veterinary Hospital welcomes a new class of interns, as well as the 2020 Wasson Veterinary Pharmacy Resident, to the Purdue Veterinary Medicine family. The group of nine veterinarians along with a Purdue PharmD graduate kicked-off their yearlong programs with a two-week intensive orientation that began Monday, June 15.

Eight doctors will complete a rotating internship in the hospital with a focus on small animal medicine and surgery. Additionally, a large animal medicine and surgery intern joins the hospitals satellite facility, Centaur Equine Specialty Hospital, in Shelbyville, Ind. The clinical internship program is designed to provide advanced training to qualify each doctor for an approved residency program leading to board certification in a recognized veterinary specialty.

The colleges new Wasson Veterinary Pharmacy Resident, Alissa Kruger, PharmD, will complete her program in the hospitals pharmacy service. The Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine and the College of Pharmacy jointly offer the residency in veterinary clinical pharmacy practice, named in honor of the donors who contributed significant funding to support the position.

Please help extend a warm welcome to these newest members of the Purdue Veterinary Medicine family!

Large Animal Medicine and Surgery Interns

Annie Oakes  DVM, University of Prince Edward Island

Interesting Fact: Dr. Oakes recently completed an internship at the Montana Equine Medical and Surgical Center.

Small Animal Medicine and Surgery Interns

Montana Campbell  DVM, Ross University

Interesting Fact: A Purdue graduate with a degree in animal science, Dr. Campbell is interested in cardiology, soft tissue surgery, and internal medicine.

 DVM, Ross University Interesting Fact: A Purdue graduate with a degree in animal science, Dr. Campbell is interested in cardiology, soft tissue surgery, and internal medicine. Allison Dianis  DVM, University of Illinois

Interesting Fact: Dr. Dianis interests include zoo and wildlife medicine, anatomic pathology, and one health.

 DVM, University of Illinois Interesting Fact: Dr. Dianis interests include zoo and wildlife medicine, anatomic pathology, and one health. Susan Fraley  DVM, Washington State University

Interesting Fact: Dr. Fraley has worked as a small animal practitioner since 2001, and recently worked with the Purdue Veterinary Hospitals Emergency Service.

 DVM, Washington State University Interesting Fact: Dr. Fraley has worked as a small animal practitioner since 2001, and recently worked with the Purdue Veterinary Hospitals Emergency Service. Erica Grier  DVM, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Interesting Fact: Dr. Grier is especially interested in the behavior and mental health of all species and hopes to pursue a residency in behavior medicine.

 DVM, University of Wisconsin-Madison Interesting Fact: Dr. Grier is especially interested in the behavior and mental health of all species and hopes to pursue a residency in behavior medicine. George Munguia  DVM, University of Prince Edward Island

Interesting Fact: Originally from California, Dr. Munguia has also lived in Puerto Rico where he worked as a veterinary technician in a small animal clinic.

 DVM, University of Prince Edward Island Interesting Fact: Originally from California, Dr. Munguia has also lived in Puerto Rico where he worked as a veterinary technician in a small animal clinic. Ruby Ng  DVM, Tufts University

Interesting Fact: Before completing veterinary school, Dr. Ng worked in a genetics research lab at Mount Sinai where she helped build and maintain its first germ-free mice colony.

 DVM, Tufts University Interesting Fact: Before completing veterinary school, Dr. Ng worked in a genetics research lab at Mount Sinai where she helped build and maintain its first germ-free mice colony. Jacqueline Jacky Peraza  DVM, Iowa State University

Interesting Fact: Dr. Pereza has a special interest in ophthalmology.

 DVM, Iowa State University Interesting Fact: Dr. Pereza has a special interest in ophthalmology. Frances Torres-Otero  DVM, North Carolina State University

Interesting Fact: Dr. Torres goal is to specialize in ophthalmology and pursue a career as an educator in an academic institution.

Wasson Veterinary Pharmacy Resident

Alissa Kruger  PharmD, Purdue University

Interesting Fact: Born and raised in Lafayette, Ind., Dr. Kruger recently completed a pharmacy internship with the Logansport Memorial Hospital.

Writer(s): Allison Carey | pvmnews@purdue.edu
The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport has proposed that the Ministry of Transport approve a project to develop a minibus system capable of transporting passengers through the citys smaller streets.

The proposal calls for the mini buses, each with a capacity of 17 seats and no standing room, to be operated by Busgo Co. Ltd.

Originally developed by Busgo, the buses will run on six routes in District 1, District 2, District 7, District 9, and Nha Be District.

Without receiving subsidies from the citys budget as other public bus operators currently do, Busgo expects to price the tickets at VND30,000-40,000 (US$1.3-1.7) apiece at rush hour and VND10,000-30,000 ($0.4-1.3) during off-peak hours for commuters traveling 24 kilometers or less.

Subsidized bus tickets in the southern metropolis currently fetch VND5,000-7,000 ($0.21-0.30), depending on the passenger's travel distance.

Passengers of the proposed minibuses will be able to book tickets for specific departure times and seats through a mobile app called Godee.

The buses will only stop to pick up passengers at bus stops booked in advance.

The municipal transport department considers the new minibuses to be suitable for many of Ho Chi Minh Citys small, narrow streets which connect residential and satellite urban areas that are often difficult to access through public transportation.

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Founded in 1982 by industry luminary Nazie Eftekhari and headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, HealthEZ is driven by the principles of simplifying and making more transparent the byzantine process of accessing and financing healthcare for employers, their employees and the physicians and other providers who treat them. HealthEZ has established a unique value proposition in the self-funded medical space with a particular focus on the small and mid-sized business (SMB) market. The company boasts many industry innovations including the nation's first captive preferred provider organization (PPO) network, as well as a proprietary patient payment technology. HealthEZ plays an important role at the center of the self-funded benefits space, and is a valuable partner to employers, employees, brokers, underwriters and healthcare providers.

"We are thrilled with the outcome Lincoln helped us achieve on this transaction. Lincoln's domain expertise of the self-funded marketplace and contacts within the buyer universe, combined with a well-managed process by a team of highly dedicated senior bankers, supported the realization of the optimal outcome for the shareholders," said Executive Chairwoman of HealthEZ, Nazie Eftekhari. "My team and I could not be more excited to partner with Abry to continue growing the company I founded nearly 40 years ago."

"We are grateful to the company's shareholders for selecting Lincoln International as its advisor. This represents another successful transaction for our team in the payer services sector. Despite the challenging macro-economy, HealthEZ, with its unique business model, performed well. Abry will be ideal partners for management in taking the business to the next level," said Barry Freeman, Managing Director and Co-head of Lincoln International's Healthcare Group.

Shahab Fatheazam, Managing Director and Vice Chairman of Lincoln International's Healthcare Group, added, "We are proud to have worked with the HealthEZ team and look forward to seeing the company's continued evolution under the partnership with Abry. The company will continue to be a disrupter and innovator for years to come."

T.J. Rose, Partner of Abry, said, "We're incredibly impressed by the business Nazie and the HealthEZ team have built and we are proud to become a partner in the next phase of HealthEZ's growth. The HealthEZ team has done a tremendous job of helping small businesses navigate the complex self-insured landscape and we look forward to driving future growth through continued investment in technology and people."

Lincoln International acted as the exclusive financial advisor for HealthEZ, working closely with the company's management team and shareholders throughout the sale process. This included providing advisory expertise and managing the marketing, negotiation and due diligence phases of the transaction. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

About HealthEZ

HealthEZ is a Minneapolis, Minnesota-based independent third-party administrator of employer-sponsored, self-funded medical plans. The company partners with SMB employers throughout the United States so that they can provide better access to healthcare for their employees while controlling costs and improving outcomes. More information about HealthEZ can be obtained at www.healthez.com.

About Abry Partners

Abry Partners, LLC is Boston, Massachusetts-based private equity firm focused on healthcare, media, communications, business and information services. Since its founding nearly 30 years ago, Abry has been partnering with founders, families and exceptional management teams to support the growth of their companies. More information about Abry can be obtained at www.abry.com.

About Lincoln International

We are trusted investment banking advisors to business owners and senior executives of leading private equity firms and public and privately held companies around the world. Our advisory services include mergers and acquisitions and capital markets advisory for the mid-market. We also provide valuations and fairness opinions and joint ventures advisory services. As one tightly integrated team of more than 600 professionals across 16 countries, we offer an unobstructed perspective, backed by superb execution and a deep commitment to client success. With extensive industry knowledge and relationships, timely market intelligence and strategic insights, we forge deep, productive client relationships that endure for decades. Connect with us to learn more at www.lincolninternational.com.

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The UN special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Belarus says the country's "already dire" human rights situation has deteriorated further over the last year, amid a widening crackdown on civil society ahead of a presidential election.

"The systemic and systematic human rights violations remain, both in law and in practice," Anais Marin said on July 10 as she presented her annual report to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Marin expressed concerns that the Belarusian government uses restrictive laws and arbitrary administrative and judicial measures to penalize dissent.

On July 1, Marin joined other UN independent experts in urging the Belarusian government to abandon its "policy of arbitrary arrests, violence, and intimidation" against political activists, rights defenders, journalists, and bloggers ahead of the August 9 presidential election, in which President Alyaksandr Lukashenka is seeking a sixth term.

They said at least 200 representatives of civil society had been arrested during demonstrations across the country since June 18.

In her report, which covers the period from April 2019 to March this year, Marin pointed to "disproportional and discriminatory restrictions" on freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of assembly, and freedom of association.

She said that "suppressive tactics" such as arbitrary detention continued to target civil society activists, peaceful protesters, independent journalists, and bloggers.

According to the UN expert, ethnic and religious minorities, members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community, and families of detainees are stigmatized while no anti-discrimination law exists to protect them.

Marin also said that speakers of the Belarusian language are discriminated against in higher and secondary education and in the media, which she said threatens the language's survival and negatively impacts cultural life in the country.

She deplored that Belarus continues to apply and implements the death penalty -- the only country in Europe to do so  and expressed concerns about the lack of efforts to fight torture and ill-treatment by law enforcement authorities.

By systematically compelling students, employees of state-owned enterprises, army conscripts, and detainees to work without pay, the government violates the country's own law against forced labor, according to Marin.
Look deep inside our cells, and you'll find that each has an identical genome -a complete set of genes that provides the instructions for our cells' form and function.

But if each blueprint is identical, why does an eye cell look and act differently than a skin cell or brain cell? How does a stem cell -- the raw material with which our organ and tissue cells are made -- know what to become?

In a study published July 8, University of Colorado Boulder researchers come one step closer to answering that fundamental question, concluding that the molecular messenger RNA (ribonucleic acid) plays an indispensable role in cell differentiation, serving as a bridge between our genes and the so-called "epigenetic" machinery that turns them on and off.

When that bridge is missing or flawed, the researchers report in the journal Nature Genetics, a stem cell on the path to becoming a heart cell never learns how to beat.

The paper comes at a time when pharmaceutical companies are taking unprecedented interest in RNA. And, while the research is young, it could ultimately inform development of new RNA-targeted therapies, from cancer treatments to therapies for cardiac abnormalities.

"All genes are not expressed all the time in all cells. Instead, each tissue type has its own epigenetic program that determines which genes get turned on or off at any moment," said co-senior author Thomas Cech, a Nobel laureate and distinguished professor of biochemistry. "We determined in great detail that RNA is a master regulator of this epigenetic silencing and that in the absence of RNA, this system cannot work. It is critical for life."

Scientists have known for decades that while each cell has identical genes, cells in different organs and tissues express them differently. Epigenetics, or the machinery that switches genes on or off, makes this possible.

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But just how that machinery works has remained unclear.

In 2006, John Rinn, now a professor of biochemistry at CU Boulder and co-senior-author on the new paper, proposed for the first time that RNA -- the oft-overlooked sibling of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) -- might be key.

In a landmark paper in Cell, Rinn showed that inside the nucleus, RNA attaches itself to a folded cluster of proteins called polycomb repressive complex (PRC2), which is believed to regulate gene expression. Numerous other studies have since found the same and added that different RNAs also bind to different protein complexes.

The hotly debated question: Does this actually matter in determining a cell's fate?

No fewer than 502 papers have been published since. Some determined RNA is key in epigenetics; others dismissed its role as tangential at best.

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So, in 2015, Yicheng Long, a biochemist and postdoctoral researcher in Cech's lab, set out to ask the question again using the latest available tools. After a chance meeting in a breakroom at the BioFrontiers Institute where both their labs are housed, Long bumped into Taeyoung Hwang, a computational biologist in Rinn's lab.

A unique partnership was born.

"We were able to use data science approaches and high-powered computing to understand molecular patterns and evaluate RNA's role in a novel, quantitative way," said Hwang, who along with Long is co-first-author on the new paper.

In the lab, the team then used a simple enzyme to remove all RNA in cells to understand whether the epigenetic machinery still found its way to DNA to silence genes. The answer was 'no.'

"RNA seemed to be playing the role of air traffic controller, guiding the plane -- or protein complex -- to the right spot on the DNA to land and silence genes," said Long.

For a third step, they used the gene-editing technology known as CRISPR to develop a line of stem cells destined to become human heart muscle cells but in which the protein complex, PRC2, was incapable of binding to RNA. In essence, the plane couldn't connect with air-traffic control and lost its way, and the process fell apart.

By day 7, the normal stem cells had begun to look and act like heart cells. But the mutant cells didn't beat. Notably, when normal PRC2 was restored, they began to behave more normally.

"We can now say, unequivocally, that RNA is critical in this process of cell differentiation," said Long.

Previous research has already shown that genetic mutations in humans that disrupt RNA's ability to bind to these proteins boost risk of certain cancers and fetal heart abnormalities. Ultimately, the researchers envision a day when RNA-targeted therapies could be used to address such problems.

"These findings will set a new scientific stage showing an inextricable link between epigenetics and RNA biology," said Rinn. "They could have broad implications for understanding, and addressing, human disease going forward."
Even without all 13 vendors, the Wainfleet Farmers Market was off to a busy start this past Wednesday afternoon, under the pavilion of the Wainfleet Arena.

As with all farmers markets this year, months were spent armouring up against an invisible enemy.

Judy Aarts, the markets co-ordinator, was adamant the seemingly endless meetings coming up with a plan to satisfy public health were well worth the effort.

Dan Bouchard and Zac Fowler manned the front entrance, surrounded by signs weve all become accustomed to: maintain physical distancing, use hand sanitizer, follow the pathway.

Despite having only 10 vendors  selling everything from DNA kits to tomatoes  the pavilion was alive with conversations, laughs, and jovial hellos; filling the small market with big energy.

Standing near the markets exit, Aarts seemed to know everyone passing by.

Shes a Meridian bank employee  apparently everyone in Wainfleet has an account there.

Bouchard and Fowler are also from the bank, which in tandem with the town started the market three years ago in Meridians parking lot.

The small market quickly outgrew itself halfway through its second season and took up new residence at the pavilion. Its fitting. Aarts says the city had always envisioned the pavilion being brought to life by a farmers market.

Now in its third season, Aarts was impressed by the amount of people winding their way past the fresh veggies, cookware, and of course, hand-sewn masks.

Tiffany Grant and Andrew Elcich would normally be found running the canteen in the Wainfleet arena, but are adapting with the change. The pair sat behind an array of eclectic fabric masks, hand-sewn this past winter. Grant says 800 of the masks were donated to health organizations like hospitals and long-term care homes across the Niagara Region.

A few spots down, Tracy and Jackie claimed an entire box of homemade muffins for only $3.

If you can come back and let me know about them, Id really like that, says Kim Zawaly of Windy Brook Farm, who made the muffins with one of her daughters.

This is Zawalys first season at the market. Eggs were already sold out, and her tomatoes were quickly scooped.

She bounced her five-month-old daughter, Madeline, as a woman inspected the fresh produce.

She has to get used to people with masks, the woman says.

Zawaly finds handling cash a little bit hard, and is constantly reaching for hand sanitizer. But the fee to use a wireless payment system means nearly three per cent trimmed off of whats already peanuts.

As more fruits come into season, Aarts expects more vendors to jump on board. Shes still looking for someone to sell fresh flowers, and another to sell baked goods.

Ideally there will be enough demand to expand into the second half of the pavilion, allowing for 32 vendors, versus the present limit of 16.

The Wainfleet Farmers Market runs every Wednesday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. behind the Wainfleet Arena, in the pavilion building. If youre interested in being a vendor, Aarts can be contacted at 905 899-3951 ext. 7904.
'We haven't flattened the infection curve, we may have merely smoothened it temporarily.'

Photograph: PTI Photo

Bajaj Auto's plant in Waluj, Aurangabad, has seen an exponential rise in the number of COVID-19 cases with three of its employees succumbing to the disease.

Rajiv Bajaj, managing director, Bajaj Auto, tells Shally Seth Mohile the numbers going up is inevitable, not only at Bajaj Auto but everywhere, with the unlock.

Bajaj, who has been vocal about the perils of the lockdown, says the states should not o;t repeat the mistakes with more of it.

Among auto units, your Aurangabad factory has seen one of the highest numbers of infection. Yet you have maintained it is not large.

140 cases in our factory is not a high number.

In any large organisation, in all probability, 5 per cent may be already infected, but they are largely asymptomatic and, hence, not tested.

This is the truth that needs to be told if we have to live with the virus.

We have been meticulous. Every person who comes on a bus has his seat with his name on it.

We know who sat where and next to whom. For us, every employee's safety is of paramount importance.

The number of cases we have reflects the fact that at the slightest hint of an infection, we are testing and isolating people.

Epidemiologists have gone hoarse saying that eventually 60 to 70 per cent people will be infected, and, with that herd immunity only, the virus will stop.

Experts have predicted 200,000 cases per day in India.

How long can you keep blaming the execution? Is it not right to ask whether the idea to lockdown was right in the first place?

Reportedly, the first two employees who died had comorbidities. Was there any lapse in following the protocol?

There were no lapses. One of them had borderline hypertension and the other had mild diabetes.

If someone has blood pressure of 140/90, while some doctor will prescribe pills, another will treat it as normal.

The fundamental logic is your immunity should be strong.

So, if someone is mildly diabetic or hypertensive that's not an issue.

Some 30 per cent people in India are diabetic and hypertensive. So can you keep them at home forever?

These people were young and healthy. In fact, one wasn't even hospitalised.

The doctor didn't even recommend hospitalisation because his symptoms were mild.

The second one was in general ward, not even on oxygen.

Unfortunately, this is what happens in coronavirus -- deterioration is very fast.

You have been trolled for your views on the lockdown. Does it upset you?

Unfortunately for them, I am not on any social media. So I am blissfully ignorant!

The issue is not with the lockdown, but continuing to perpetuate the false theory.

The issue is that India is seeing cases spiral after the lockdown.

Not only cases, but deaths as well. This is not the case with other Asian countries.

Until a week or so back, Japan had fewer than 1,000 deaths, Thailand fewer than 100, and Vietnam, despite its densely populated cities, zero.

So the way forward is not what we have done in the past.

Is there pressure from the district authorities to shut the plant for a few days?

Not at all. They have all been understanding and supportive.

On the contrary, the collector has said in interviews that Bajaj Auto has followed all the norms.

It's not about Bajaj Auto alone. The cases are everywhere.

Do you think the lockdown is a mistake?

There's no point crying over spilt milk.

My only contention is, don't keep repeating the mistake.

Tamil Nadu is locking down for another 11 days, Guwahati for 14 days, West Bengal is extending it till July 31.

You can keep locking down endlessly, but what will you do at the end of it?

As the Swedish chief scientist Johan Giesecke said, when you lock down, you need to be clear on what basis you will unlock.

The defining characteristic of this pandemic is that unknown to them, the asymptomatic wait silently to infect the vulnerable whenever you unlock.

..But without a lockdown, how does one contain the spread?

I don't agree. In some areas in Pune, people are locked down for three months.

Let's assume it is a price worth paying, but when will you unlock them?

Either they say after a year, when the vaccine comes, I will.

In that case, tell them sit at home for a year.

This is my issue with the logic of hotspots and containment zones.

How about the unlock?

People have become economic and emotional wrecks after three months and if you do that for another three months, they will become emotional maniacs.

Even after unlocking, nothing changes and they continue living in densely populated areas.

To reiterate, I am not saying more people are getting infected because of the lockdown.

But it seems to me that whatever has to happen will happen and the average will be the same.

We haven't flattened the infection curve, we may have merely smoothened it temporarily.

Is there fear or resistance among the employees about showing up at the factory?

Not at all. We have been regular and correct in our communication.

They deeply appreciate that we didn't effect any layoffs or cut wages even when the union offered a voluntary reduction.

They know that we have scrupulously put all precautions in place and even distributed homoeopathic remedies free to them, their families, and to the community at large.

They (employees) know that since Unlock 1.0, cases have been rising all over India.

From April 25 to June 5, there was not a single case in our plant in Aurangabad.

They know that with the unlocking and free movement within the city, inevitably infection will happen and there is no vaccine.

We have told them very clearly, there are two choices -- if they want, they can wait for the vaccine and sit at home for one to two years.

But those of us who chose that option cannot expect to get paid.

There is no company in the world I know which can pay for that long.

Fortunately, there should be no danger of that because the people who have made Bajaj Auto the world's favourite Indian know how to both work hard and work smart.
In a bid to bring more residents of the Capital under the testing net to check for the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), the Delhi government on Thursday directed all its dispensaries and polyclinics to start rapid antigen testing and extend quick point-of-care testing to those living outside the 633 containment zones.

Testing in the centres is likely to begin next week. Any resident can walk in for a Covid-19 test, and will require no documents or prescriptions.

We need to upload the data on an app that asks for valid phone numbers, so thats all we ask for. We check whether the number is working right at the centre itself, said a Delhi government official who asked not to be named.

These will be in addition to at least 160 centres set up by the government to test those inside or in the vicinity of containment zones.

Our instructions were to increase the number of tests and testing centres from day one. The resident welfare organisations had also said centres closer to peoples homes would encourage them to get tested, said a district official, on the condition of anonymity.

The test kits need to be stored at below 30C. As a result, over the next few days, dispensaries that did not have air-conditioning systems will get them, the Delhi government official quoted above said.

The official said although several of the testing centres were initially started in schools, the government is trying to move away from them. Schools are likely to reopen in some time, so the centres will have to be closed. These tests do not require any elaborate facility or bio-safety arrangements, and can be performed in a small room. We are in talks with several RWAs to just get small air-conditioned rooms close to societies where people can come and get tested. In some places, we are roping in mohalla clinics as well, another district official said.

Delhi has about 200 dispensaries and 25 polyclinics. There are around 450 mohalla clinics in the city.

Outside containment zones, dispensaries and polyclinics will test those with influenza-like symptoms such as fever, cough, and sore throat. Those who have come in contact with confirmed Covid-19 patients will be tested.

The priority is to test those with symptoms and who have come in contact with other cases, or have co-morbid conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. However, we have asked our staff not to refuse anyone who comes to the centre even if they have a mild suspicion. Earlier, when there were limited RT-PCR test kits, we had to refuse people. Now, we can test more people, a third district official said.

Manpower shortage

Two of the three dispensaries HT spoke to said they already had enough kits, but that a staff shortage was preventing testing from being scaled up.

We already have the kits because they are distributed from here to testing centres. However, our lab technicians are currently posted at these centres, so we do not know how to start testing here, said a doctor from a dispensary in east Delhi.

A doctor from a dispensary in south district said, We have received notification about testing at the dispensaries, but there arent any detailed guidelines yet. The guidelines are likely to come in by Monday. We already have the kits with us as soon as we get some of our trained staff back or someone is posted we can start testing here.

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Kim's powerful sister says theres no reason for North Korea to 'gift' high-profile meetings to Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump (R) and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (2nd L) signing documents as the North Korean leader's sister Kim Yo Jong (L) looks on at a signing ceremony. (AFP)

Seoul: The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Friday she doesnt expect her brother to meet President Donald Trump this year, saying theres no reason for the North to gift Trump high-profile meetings when its not being substantially rewarded in return.

But also, you never know, Kim Yo Jong said in a statement released through Pyongyangs official Korean Central News Agency, where she called for major concessions from Washington to keep alive the nuclear diplomacy.

Thats because a surprise thing may still happen, depending upon the judgement and decision between the two top leaders, Kim Yo Jong said. She added that if there is a need for summit talks, it is a U.S. need, while for North Korea, it is unpractical and does not serve us at all.

Kim Yo Jong is seen as her brothers closest confidant and has been recently confirmed as his top official for inter-Korean affairs. She is also the first vice department director of the ruling Workers Partys Central Committee.

She spoke as the U.S.s top official on the Koreas is in Asia. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun is in Japan after meeting South Korean officials in Seoul, where he accused a senior North Korean nuclear negotiator of being locked in an old way of thinking. His remarks indicated Washington wont likely make concessions to resume the talks despite the Norths pressure.

Trump and Kim Jong Un have met three times since embarking on high-stakes nuclear diplomacy in 2018. But negotiations have faltered since their second summit in February 2019, when the Americans rejected North Korean demands for major sanctions relief in exchange for a partial surrender of its nuclear capability.

Some analysts believe North Korea, which is sensitive about potential changes in U.S. leadership, will avoid serious talks with the Americans for now before an eventual return to negotiations after the U.S. presidential election in November.

Kim Yo Jong said that the diplomacy could be salvaged only by a reciprocal exchange of irreversible simultaneous major steps.

We would like to make it clear that it does not necessarily mean the denuclearization is not possible. But what we mean is that it is not possible at this point of time, she said.

North Korea for decades has been pushing a concept of denuclearization that bears no resemblance to the American definition, with Pyongyang vowing to pursue nuclear development until the United States removes its troops and the nuclear umbrella defending South Korea and Japan.

Experts say Kim Jong Un sees the diplomacy as an arms reduction negotiation between nuclear states rather than talks that would culminate in a full surrender of the weapons he sees as his strongest guarantee of survival.
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Linkedin Riska Rahman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 10, 2020 09:03 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406654670e 1 Business Jiwasraya,insurance-companies,State-owned-Enterprises-Ministry,corruption,investment Free

The State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Ministry is planning to restructure state-owned insurance company PT Asuransi Jiwasrayas policies before carrying them over to a new company and dissolving the ailing insurer.

Deputy Minister Kartika Tiko Wirjoatmodjo said the ministry made a proposal to the House of Representatives to restructure all of Jiwasrayas life insurance policies.

Should the House agree to the scheme, the ministry will instruct state-owned insurance holding firm PT Bahana Pembangunan Usaha Indonesia (BPUI) to start negotiations with policyholders in August. The negotiations are expected to conclude in December 2021.

In the meantime, BPUI will establish a new life insurance company, PT Nusantara Life, which will then hold all of Jiwasrayas restructured policies. Following the transfer, the ministry will then completely dissolve the ailing insurer.

Prior to holding the restructured policies, the new company would need a state capital injection to balance out its liabilities and assets as it can no longer rely on Jiwasraya due to its negative equity, which reached Rp 35.9 trillion (US$2.5 billion) as of May 31.

With a negative figure that big, its impossible for the ministry to create a new company without a state capital injection, Tiko said as quoted by Kontan.

The amount of state capital will depend on the result of negotiations between policyholders and the House Commission VI on SOEs, trade and industry and Commission XI on financial affairs.

Jiwasraya is embroiled in a corruption and money laundering case following its failure to pay out Rp 18 trillion in matured policies due in May to its policyholders. The insurer is accused of investment mismanagement when it invested its premium revenue from the JS Saving Plan, one of the companys insurance products, in pumped-and-dumped stocks.

The JS Saving Plan product offered a return of between 9 and 13 percent, almost twice the amount of return offered by the time deposit of 5 percent to 7 percent.

Tiko said the ministry would ensure the health of the new company by reducing the amount of policy returns offered to its customers.

Several policies can enjoy high returns of up to 13 percent. We have to lower this to around 6 percent to 7 percent, he said.

Insurance expert Irvan Rahardjo said on Thursday that establishing a new company might be the most feasible scheme to solve Jiwasarayas problems.

Relying on capital injection from the government will be the most sensible thing to do to establish Nusantara Life because the proceeds of the sales of the insurers subsidiary, Jiwasraya Putra, will not be enough to pay for the overdue claims, he said.

Life insurer PT Taspen Life would reportedly buy 70 percent of Jiwasraya Putras shares for Rp 2.6 trillion, while state-owned Bank Tabungan Negara (BTN) would buy the remaining 30 percent, said Jiwasraya president director Hexana Tri Sasongko as reported by Kontan.

Irvan said that Jiwasrayas assets, which were confiscated and then recovered, would not be sufficient to cover for the Rp 18 trillion in claims as the value of many of the shares and mutual funds had depleted significantly. The government would also need time to sell other illiquid assets, such as properties confiscated from the suspects.

Now the question is: How much will the capital injection be and how soon can [the government and the House] agree to provide it during this pandemic? he told The Jakarta Post, adding that he projected the government would need around Rp 10 trillion.

Other than recording negative equity, Jiwasraya also recorded high liabilities and depleted assets.

As of May, the insurer recorded total liabilities of Rp 52.9 trillion, which consisted of Rp 36.4 trillion in conventional policy liabilities and Rp 16.5 trillion in JS Saving Plan liabilities. Its assets depleted to Rp 17 trillion from Rp 23 trillion in 2018.

Tiko said the greatest liquidity pressure came from its JS Saving Plan, which caused the companys unpaid claims to reach Rp 18 trillion as of May despite the fact that it had paid Rp 470 billion in March.

At the same time, the insurers risk-based capital ratio slumped to minus 1,907 percent, well below the minimum ratio of 120 percent required by the Financial Services Authority (OJK).
SHANGHAI, June 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Shanghai Electric, the world's leading manufacturer and supplier of power generation and industrial equipment, today announced that it has commissioned China's first 8MW offshore wind turbine, which is now entering operation. The launch of the turbine, which features "black start" technology, demonstrates that the company can now undertake bulk orders in the market for 8MW offshore wind turbines. The company also unveiled its plan to further explore solutions that renewable energy-based integrated energy systemscombining wind, solar power and energy storage systems, coupled with a 5G+ industrial internet of things.

The 8MW-167 offshore turbine is the wind turbine in operation with the highest capacity in China. Compared to the 7MW-154 wind turbine, the D8 turbine produces 20% more electricity and reduces the Levelised Cost of Electricity (LCOE) by around 11%. The 8MW turbine is the outcome of an agreement inked in March 2018 with Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE), which gives the company a license to produce and sell SGRE's 8.0-167DD offshore machines in the Chinese market.

Shanghai Electric is now in a prime position to capitalize on the growing Chinese offshore turbine market, where up to 26GW may be grid-connected by the end of 2025. The company envisions creating an integrated clean energy solution that stretches the limit of releasing the potential of solar and wind power.

The 8MW offshore wind turbine features 81.4-metre blades, producing a rotor diameter of 167 meters and a swept area of 21,900 square meters. It was tested onshore at the Shantou Haojiang offshore industrial park. The demonstration project for an integrated clean energy solution also features a 4MW offshore wind turbine and 2.42MW rooftop photovoltaics. It also incorporates energy storage, charging pile equipment with a 2MWh capacity, a set of intelligent building environment control system, 5G+ industrial internet of things, microgrid control center and energy management system, among all other elements.

The solution has been modified to address conditions across the Asia-Pacific region such as typhoons, and tropical storms which could seriously damage the grid infrastructure and even lead to blackouts of the area. The restoration of the microgrid from a black start condition is therefore important to microgrid operators. With "black start", the smart energy project provides a strong guarantee for the stable operation of the industrial park.

The Shanghai Electric Project team used lithium batteries as a supporting power source, so the Power Conversion System can regulate the voltage and frequency to the reference value. When the 8MW turbine goes into an idle state which synchronizes and connects to the microgrid bus voltage, and the wind reaches the cut in speed, the wind turbine officially starts power generation, then the team can increase the load while retaining the system frequency, until the microgrid is operating at full load mode. Thanks to the excellent grid-friendliness of the 8MW turbine and the powerful MGCC, the whole process is connected to the grid with zero impact.

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SOURCE Shanghai Electric
MIAMI  Fighting a surge in coronavirus cases in the spring, Florida appeared to be flattening the curve as theme parks shuttered, sugar sand beaches closed and residents heeded orders to stay home. Now, its almost as if that never happened.

Bars, restaurants and gyms began reopening in May  critics said it was too soon  and weeks later, the Sunshine State became one of the countrys virus hot spots, experiencing an alarming surge in cases. On Thursday, officials reported 120 deaths in one day, the highest number since the previous record of 113 in early May.

We thought maybe we could keep this thing under wraps. And that worked for a little bit of time, Dr. Jason Wilson, an E.R. physician at Tampa General Hospital, said during a conversation with Tampa Mayor Jane Castor that was livestreamed Wednesday on Facebook. But eventually  it caught up to us.

From Miami to Jacksonville and Tampa, hospitals in June and July have seen their numbers of coronavirus patients triple, with new patients outpacing those being discharged.

A record 435 newly hospitalized patients were reported Friday to have tested positive for the virus, including some who sought care for other reasons and arent necessarily symptomatic. There were 6,806 patients being treated for COVID-19 in Florida hospitals, according to a new tally that state officials started releasing Friday. Before that, available data only showed overall hospital occupancy and capacity, including noncoronavirus patients.

Hospital networks are scrambling to hire more health care workers to expand their COVID units. Last week, hospitals in several cities announced they would again halt or reduce nonemergency procedures to free up space.

Wilson and other health experts believe the spike was sparked in large part by young people who werent experiencing symptoms and were more likely to take fewer precautions while gathering at reopened bars and crowded beaches.

We saw the floodgates open really for young people having what we call asymptomatic or presymptomatic spread, he said. Three weeks later, we are starting to see everyone else starting to get the virus as well.

The states predicament echoes that of other current hot spots. Texas, which is marking its deadliest week of the pandemic, on Thursday reported a record daily death toll of more than 100, a new high for hospitalizations for the 10th consecutive day, and a nearly 16% positive test rate, its highest yet. In Arizona, hospitals were at nearly 90% capacity, with a record 3,437 patients hospitalized as of Wednesday, and a record number of those, 575, on ventilators, health officials said. Earlier in the week, a record high number of 871 patients filled ICU beds.

In Miami-Dade, Floridas worst-hit county, a few of the smaller hospitals have run out of ICU beds completely, though countywide there were still about 14% available as of Friday, the state health agency reported. Even hospitals with some of the biggest ICUs in the state are stretched: Tampa General currently has 70 patients who are infected, half of whom are in ICU beds, Wilson said.

More than 45% of intensive care units in Florida hospitals were at capacity or had fewer than 10% of their beds available as of Friday, the state Agency for Health Care Administration reported on its website.

However, many hospitals can convert additional beds to ICUs, and Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a news conference Friday that no major hospital in Florida had yet gone to the surge level.

Florida Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Mary Mayhew said her agency is working with hospitals to open up hospital beds by discharging patients who can be cared for at home through telehealth, and sending COVID-19 positive patients who dont need hospitalization to nursing facilities where they can be isolated.

Were focused on how we can help hospitals decompress so that their beds again are used for individuals who absolutely require hospital level of care, both COVID and non-COVID, Mayhew said in an interview.

Chad Neilsen, the infection prevention director for UF Health Jacksonville hospital, anticipates the hospital will run out of rapid test kits in about two weeks or maybe sooner because manufacturers cant keep up with demand. He said the hospital instead will have to rely on commercial labs, which can take several days to issue results. Quest, a company that operates many such labs, said this week that it is potentially facing an even longer turnaround because of high demand.

Slower test results have a domino effect because a hospital has to assume that every patient with flu-like symptoms has COVID-19, meaning it will burn through its protective equipment and other gear much more quickly.

For a hospital, thats a big problem, Neilsen said. We have patients that need surgery that we want to test. We have mothers about to give birth that we want to test.

The rise in hospitalizations comes as physicians and nurses have been working around the clock for months, and during the summer, when facilities are typically low staffed. Gov. Ron DeSantis just deployed 200 nurses to fill staffing shortages in Miami and Tampa, and has pledged to send hundreds more.

Were just overwhelmed with patients.  Right now, its like all hands on deck, said Esther Segura, a nurse at Miamis Jackson South Medical Center, who said she and her colleagues are weary after four months working in the pandemic. Now were just spiking all the way. Every day the numbers keep surging.

Physicians and hospital officials are also concerned about how long it takes to discharge patients.

Yolanda Villalobos of Homestead, Florida, said her husband, Julio Alejandro Berrios, was on a ventilator for weeks at one of the first intensive care units to fill up in the Miami-Dade area. The 37-year-old, 300-pound (136-kilogram) man was feverish, delusional and screaming in pain when Villalobos carried him out of their bedroom and delivered him into the hands of paramedics.

I thought he would be there three days or a week at the most, Yolanda Villalobos said.

In both Jacksonville and Miami, doctors expressed worries about a noticeable uptick in the number of patients on ventilators. The Florida Hospital Associations interim president, Crystal Stickle, said providers are all trying to get their hands on remdesivir, which has been shown in a clinical trial to help with the disease.

Stickle said initially the governor and federal lawmakers helped obtain quantities of the drug that the state health department then distributed to hospitals. But beginning next week, she said, the drug will begin shipping directly to the hospitals.
A Hispanic-owned firm whose workers have been threatened and harassed for security projects along the Mexico border was chosen Thursday to build a prototype for President Donald Trump's long-promised border wall.

The company was among four companies selected Thursday by U.S. Customs and Border Protection to build the see-through prototypes. In addition to the Hispanic-owned KWR Construction of Sierra Vista, Arizona, the winners are: Caddell Construction of Montgomery, Alabama; ELTA North America of Annapolis Junction, Marland; and W. G. Yates & Sons Construction in Philadelphia, Mississippi.

Each of the contracts is worth between $300,000 and $500,000. Caddell and Yates & Sons also won separate contracts to build concrete prototypes, the agency announced last week.

READ ALSO: Houston firm picked to build prototype for Trump border wall

Al Anderson, the general manager of KWR Construction, which had helped build the existing border fence as well as associated roads and lighting, would not divulge design details of its prototype for the contentious border project. Under the contract terms, the firms had to use materials other than concrete.

"We want whatever jobs here along the border that we can get, and set aside our personal beliefs to support our employees," Anderson said in a previous interview with The Washington Post.

Trump this summer had repeatedly promoted a border wall made of solar panels, but the agency would not confirm Thursday whether it had selected such a design.

READ ALSO: 'Build the wall' takes back seat to rebuilding after Harvey

Construction on the prototypes is expected to begin in San Diego this fall although no money has been appropriated to pay for Trump's pet project and key campaign promise of building a wall spanning the entire 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border. Congress has set aside only $20 million in the current budget to build the prototypes.

On Tuesday Trump, who campaigned on border security and the deportation of illegal immigrants, canceled an Obama-era program that had allowed 800,000 undocumented immigrants who arrived in the United States as children to live and work in this country without fear of deportation.

Trump said he is phasing out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to allow Congress six months to come up with a legislative solution. Some Congressional Republicans are expected to use DACA as a bargaining chip to fund the border wall, which Democrats firmly oppose .

Trump's 2018 budget calls for $2.6 billion for "high-priority tactical infrastructure and border security technology." Of that amount, $1.6 billion is for "bricks and mortar construction" and $1 billion is for infrastructure and technology, such as roads needed to access construction sites and surveillance equipment.

Trump had earlier threatened to shut down the government if a budget deal this month did not include funding for his wall, but pulled back on the threat last week.

Opponents of the wall argue that it's unnecessary, given that nearly 700 miles of fencing already exists in the most critical areas of the border and the decrease in the number of border crossers.

Trump himself has acknowledged that a seamless wall would not be possible, nor practical, given natural barriers in the landscape as well as international treaty and flood-zone requirements.

The government in March asked for design submissions for two types of wall: a reinforced concrete barrier wall and one made of an alternative material with see-through capability. The wall must be insurmountable and "aesthetically pleasing in color," at least from the U.S. side, according to the design specifications. It must also withstand digging for at least six feet below the surface.

More than 200 companies responded with proposals. The contenders were winnowed down to a secret list of about 20 finalists.

Thursday's announcement follows last week's awarding of four contracts for concrete prototypes. The earlier winners were: Fisher Sand & Gravel/DBA Fisher Industries of Tempe, Arizona. and Texas Sterling Construction in Houston, along with Caddell and Yates & Sons.
MOSCOW (AP)  The regional strongman leader of Russia's province of Chechnya on Thursday blamed unidentified foreign spy agencies for the recent killing in Austria of a Chechen man who criticized him.

Ramzan Kadyrov claimed on his blog that the ethnic Chechen who was shot dead in a Vienna suburb over the weekend fell victim to special services working against Russia and myself.

The 43-year-old Chechen leader rejected allegations of his involvement in the slaying, saying that the killing in Vienna and earlier slayings of ethnic Chechens in Europe were performed by foreign spies to compromise him and tarnish Russia's image.

Police in Austria didn't name the victim. Russian news reports identified him as Mamikhan Umarov, who called himself Anzor from Vienna in his blog and reported that he recently had put out a video in which he denounced Kadyrov using obscenities.

Austrian police have detained two ethnic Chechen men on suspicion of involvement in the killing, which is being investigated as a possible political assassination.

On Tuesday, a group of Chechens rallied outside the Russian Embassy in Vienna to protest the killing.

The Kremlin has relied on Kadyrov to stabilize Chechnya after two separatist wars, and he has run the predominantly region as his personal fiefdom, relying on feared security forces to enforce his rule and quash dissent.

Kadyrov charged that foreign special services know that the Chechens bring those who insult them to account even decades later.

It's a paradox  the killers hired by special services save those dogs from shameful accounting for their every word, Kadyrov said. "They know our mentality and traditions, they know that we will bring them to account, and so they put them out only to liquidate quickly after.

The Chechen leader warned Chechens living abroad from becoming expendable material for foreign spy agencies. Or otherwise you will meet the same destiny, and they will blame Kadyrov and his team, he said.

Story continues

Russian President Vladimir Putins spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, wouldnt comment on Kadyrovs statement.

Saturdays killing near Vienna follows several other attacks on Chechens abroad in recent years.

German prosecutors last month charged a Russian man in the brazen daylight killing in Berlin of an ethnic Chechen from Georgia. The victim had fought Russian troops in Chechnya and fled to Germany in 2016. Prosecutors said the suspect had been tasked with the killing by Russian authorities.

In February, Imran Aliyev, who had a YouTube channel criticizing Kadyrov, was found stabbed to death in a hotel in Lille, France. That same month, another Chechen dissident, Tumso Abdurakhmanov, was attacked in Sweden.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, says 270 Nigerians are expected to arrive at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja the nations capital following a successful evacuation from Egypt.

Mr Onyeama made this known via his twitter handle @GeoffreyOnyeama on Friday as he gives an update on the evacuation process.

@EGYPTAIR conveying Nationals from Cairo, #Egypt has departed for Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Mr Onyeama tweeted.

The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that the evacuees would be tested upon their return and would embark on the mandatory 14-day quarantine and isolation where necessary.

READ ALSO:

Mr Onyeama while appearing on NAN Forum also disclosed that the federal government was going to evacuate more Nigerians willing to return home.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry has succeeded in evacuating several stranded Nigerians in the wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

(NAN)
DENVER, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- CBD of Denver, Inc. (OTC: CBDD), a full-line CBD and Hemp oil company ("CBDD") selling Black Pearl CBD and hemp products and the owner of CBD Social Network announces corporate updates on CBD of Denver, Inc., CBD Welt 24 GmbH and Rockflowr GmbH.

Rockflowr GmbH has started to sell flower to a company in Barcelona, Spain. We have agreed to send a test shipment and if successful we expect to expand this relationship. Rockflowr GmbH is exploring the possibility of applying for a license in either Luxembourg or Belgium to allow sales of CBD flower in other parts of the EU and to fulfill order interests. Each European country has their own set of requirements and obtaining these licenses will allow further expansion of our business.

CBD of Denver, Inc. with the help of our accountants in Switzerland are working hard to get our financials posted ahead of schedule. We have received phone calls and emails from investors asking if we are going to post our financials on June 30. June 30 is the end of the quarter and regulators require filing 45 days after the end of the quarter. We understand that investors are eager to see the results from the acquisitions we have announced and hope to file as quickly as possible.

CBD Welt 24, GmbH has received cameras to enable online viewing of the grow facilities and hopes to have them installed and available for viewing online soon.

"The next harvest is next week and the flowers look and smell fantastic," according to CBD Welt's master grower. "We expect to have a harvest approximately every month."

CBDD is focused on using equity to acquire profitable Swiss assets at attractive valuations to create value for all our shareholders.

CBDD offers a superior CBD product that is full spectrum without depending on THC to activate the benefits of the cannabidiol. Black Pearl CBD has 0% THC, resulting in a product that is the finest in the industry and are available at www.blackpearlcbd.com.

Information contained herein includes forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or future financial performance, involving known and unknown risks and you should not place undue reliance on these statements. Any forward-looking statement reflects our current views with respect to future events. We assume no obligation publicly about update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason.

SOURCE CBD of Denver, Inc.

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NASA has signed a new agreement with Japan that lays out plans for the two nations to cooperate on the International Space Station (continuing existing partnership between the countries there) as well as on NASA's Artemis program, which includes missions in lunar space and to the lunar surface.

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine signed the agreement with Government of Japan Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Koichi Hagiuda on July 10. It's a Joint Exploration Decoration of Intent (JEDI), which essentially commits the two countries to laying the groundwork for more concrete plans about how the two nations will work together on projects that will extend all the way to include both robotic and human exploration of the moon.

Japan was one of the earliest countries to express their intent to participate as an international partner in NASA's Lunar Gateway project, all the way back in October 2019. Since then, a number of countries and agencies have expressed similar support, including Canada, which will contribute by building a third version of its Canadarm, the robotic manipulator that has been used on the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station, and the European Space Agency.

This new agreement formalizes that arrangement, and from here you can expect both parties to begin to detail in more specificity on what kinds of projects they'll collaborate. Japan has plans to launch a robotic space probe mission to the moons of Mars and return samples from Phobos, its largest natural satellite, with a launch schedule for 2024, and it has launched a lunar orbiter exploration spacecraft called SELENE, and is planning a lunar lander mission dubbed the "Smart Lander for Investigating Moon" (SLIM) for 2022 that will be its first lunar surface mission.
NEW HAVEN  A 29-year-old New Haven man pleaded guilty to a gun charge Thursday, according to the office of the U.S. Attorney for Connecticut.

Carlos Buddha Barnes, 29, pleaded guilty to possession of firearms by a previously convicted felon before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven.
The Jewish Pavilion wishes to thank Faye Novick for her two successful years as the chairman of the Jewish Pavilion Board. For all her hard work, she was presented with a custom Woman of Valor plaque designed by local artist Judith Segall.

Segall specializes in Judaica and Hebrew lettering. Recently, one of her art works was gifted to the new embassy offices in Jerusalem. The Jewish Pavilion feels fortunate to have an artist of her caliber in Central Florida. To contact Judith Segall for Judaica, she can be reached at 407-331-5008 or judyorlando@cfl.rr.com.
Mrs. Christian (second from left) loved to spend time with (left to right) daughter Courtney, sister Lettie and niece Harlem. Read more

People Weve Lost Sheila Christian

66 years old

Lived in Philadelphia

She was the glue that held her close-knit family together More Memorials

Her older sister called Sheila Christian the little school bus because Mrs. Christian loaded the neighborhood children into her car for trips to the park and the beach.

Her daughter called Mrs. Christian an angel for her giving nature and my favorite travel bud for their memorable trips abroad.

Her nieces and nephews called her the fun aunt.

She was not just a mom to me, said daughter Courtney Christian. She was a mom to a lot of people. She was encouraging. She challenged us to be better. She was supportive. I feel so grateful that she was my mom.

Mrs. Christian, 66, died Sunday, April 19, at home of complications from the coronavirus.

Born and raised in Galveston, Texas, Mrs. Christian spent lots of time in Philadelphia with her extended family. One time, she met Edward Christian on a blind date. They married and lived for a while in Germantown with their daughter.

Although divorced, the couple remained friends, and Courtney grew up in a loving family that centered on her parents and aunt Lettie Holden. The four of us have been through so much, Courtney said.

The youngest of five children, Mrs. Christian lived for years with Lettie in West Philadelphia. After earning her nursing degree at Thomas Jefferson, she had worked for two decades at Care Pavilion Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Philadelphia.

But one job usually wasnt enough for her. She also worked for the NAACP, at the family restaurant, and for other health-care providers.

She was always out and about. She came home just to sleep, Courtney said. If Im a workaholic, she is why.

Mrs. Christian and her daughter were best friends, too. She and Courtney enjoyed visiting new restaurants and sampling the apple martinis. She loved good food and dancing, although Courtney liked to comment about her rhythm. She often invited family and friends to accompany her on vacation, and a highlight was a trip to Spain for her 60th birthday.

She smiles in every picture. Courtney set up a website in her honor at sheilafaye.com.

Mrs. Christian also traveled to Paris, London, and Disney World and was a longtime friend and former roommate of Tina Knowles-Lawson  the mother of Beyonce  who posted about Mrs. Christians death on Instagram.

She held our family together, Courtney said.

In addition to her daughter, sister, and former husband, Mrs. Christian is survived by two other sisters, one brother, nieces and nephews, and other family members.

 Gary Miles, gmiles@inquirer.com
Imperial Valley News Center

Department of Energy Announces 10 Water Resource Recovery Prize Phase One Winners

Washington, DC - Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the winners of the first phase of competition for the Water Resource Recovery Prize. Launched in January 2020, the Water Resource Recovery Prize accelerates resource recovery from municipal wastewater across the United States. In this two-phased competition, DOE seeks novel, systems-based solutions from multidisciplinary teams at small- to medium-sized water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs).

Through cost-effective and innovative engineering solutions, WRRFs can progress toward the federal goal of doubling water resource recovery by 2030, which can be accomplished by shifting conventional wastewater treatment to a model of resource recovery from municipal wastewater.

In the first phase of competition, teams submitted an engineering schematic and business case demonstrating the potential for cost-effectiveness and viability of resource recovery. Teams selected during phase one will move into phase two, in which up to two teams will be selected to receive $250,000 cash prizes. Only small- and medium-sized facilities (those with flows of up to 50 million gallons per day) were eligible to participate.

The phase one winners are:

Sebastien Tilmans and Craig Criddle from Stanford University partnered with Ken Stedman of MicroMedia Filtration Inc. to propose using advanced filters to separate solids early in the wastewater treatment process. The solids are then dried and combusted to produce electricity to power the wastewater plant.

Mike Holland, Marcello Pibiri, Brent Perz, Carl Cacciatore, Marc van Dongen, and Chad Kuze proposed using a combined heat and power unit, a solar power system, and a micro-hydroelectric generation system to enable Kishwaukee Water Reclamation District to reach net-zero energy by 2025.

Kobe Nagar, Marc Deshusses, Simon Lobdell, and Mohammad Abu-Orf of Orange Water and Sewer Authority proposed an innovative process to treat wastewater sludge and eliminate contaminants and pathogens in an energy-efficient way.

Lauren Greenlee, Shelby Foster, Michael Watts, Sean Scuras, and Kenneth Komiske proposed using a magnesium electrode reactor to produce fertilizer, avoid chemical salts and biosolids, and produce hydrogen.

Islam Genina, Andrew Tsang, Elliott Donlon, Hannah Hoffmann, Kanika Ghakar, and Jordan McDormatt proposed using a waste-to-energy system developed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology to safely transform sewage sludge into biocrude oil, both generating revenue and reducing the environmental and public health impacts of wastewater treatment.

Casey McKinne, Bob Ohlund, Marina Foster, and Mark Lehmann from Crystal Clearwater Resources, LLCs Low Temperature Distillation (LTDis) Technology proposed using a simplified treatment process that relies on heat from a microturbine power generator to save energy and lower the environmental impact of the brine disposal.

Dan Spracklin and Jeremy Taylor of SoMax BioEnergy partnered with the Borough of Phoenixville Wastewater Treatment Plant to propose resource recovery via hydrothermal carbonization of organic waste as means of biomass conversion and resource recovery.

Regina Rodriguez, Jack Drwiega, and Beau Kostedt of Carbonxt partnered with Steve Suau at Progressive Water Resources on a sustainable phosphorus recovery technology proposal to highlight the benefits of innovative technologies for phosphorus removal from wastewater.

Michael Smith of Impact Bioenergy partnered with team members from MacDonald-Miller Facility Solutions and Energy Efficiency Finance Corporation to develop an integrated biodigester resource recovery project using renewable energy from a wastewater treatment plant.

James Oyler and John L. Willis proposed a process to convert wastewater sludge into renewable biocrude fuel resources such as natural gas and methane.

The Water Resource Recovery Prize, launched by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energys (EEREs) Advanced Manufacturing Office, was developed with feedback from industry stakeholders in response to a Request for Information issued by EERE in fall 2019. This prize is part of the Water Security Grand Challenge, a White House-initiated, DOE-led framework to advance transformational technology and innovation to meet the global need for safe, secure, and affordable water. It supports the Water Security Grand Challenge goal of doubling resource recovery from water resource recovery facilities by 2030. The prize also supports EEREs American-Made Challenges, which incentivize the nations entrepreneurs to strengthen American leadership in energy innovation and domestic manufacturing.
Office workers seek university canteen meals

By:Zheng Qian | From:english.eastday.com | 2020-07-09 17:42

As soon as a campus canteen in Tongji University launched a take away food delivery service, nearby residents and office workers have been snatching up meals.

Reputed to be one of the best lunchrooms among Shanghais universities, due to the appetizing but inexpensive food, Tongjis canteens have long been coveted by outsiders. Thus, the Nanyuan Canteen, one of several on campus, opening its meal delivery service to the public has been widely welcomed by those living or working nearby.

I often order a meal from the university canteen at 5 oclock, and have it half an hour later in my office, said Mr. Dai, who graduated from Tongji University and now works near it. In his words, the university canteens food makes him feel at ease. Others like him also praise that they can once again enjoy the unique taste of campus after graduation.

According to Ye Yang, the general manager of the universitys logistics group, every day before 11 am, the meals will be sold out. The canteen reaps an average of 500 orders each day with the record being 550. Most of the customers are neighboring people and Tongji teachers.

The first batch of meals launched online are the 40 dishes favored by Tongji students. The food price is 20% to 30% lower than the average market price.

For employees of more than 2000 companies in the technology park near the university, most of which are small and medium enterprises, the affordable and healthy workday meals are no doubt a blessing.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 19:03:37|Editor: huaxia

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A pedestrian walks past a Brooks Brothers retail store in Manhattan of New York, the United States, July 8, 2020. Brooks Brothers, one of the oldest apparel retailers in the United States, filed for bankruptcy protection on Wednesday, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact businesses. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending June 20 was 32.9 million, an increase of 1.4 million from the previous week.



WASHINGTON, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The number of initial jobless claims in the United States continued to drop last week, as some states paused or partially reversed reopening efforts amid resurgence in COVID-19 cases.

In the week ending July 4, the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits decreased by 99,000 from the prior week to 1.3 million, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

The latest data marks the 13th weekly decline in a row but still a historic high. So far, a staggering 48 million initial jobless claims have been filed over the past 15 weeks, indicating the mounting economic fallout of COVID-19.

The new report also showed that the four-week moving average, a method to iron out data volatility, decreased by 63,000 to reach 1.4 million.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 12.4 percent for the week ending June 27, a decrease of 0.5 percentage points from the prior week's revised rate, according to the report.

People are seen near the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., the United States, July 8, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

Claims under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, a federal program, also totaled over 1 million, an increase of nearly 42,000 from the previous week, the report showed. The program provides benefits to independent contractors or the self-employed, who are not eligible for regular state programs.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending June 20 was 32.9 million, an increase of 1.4 million from the previous week, according to the report.

Several U.S. states, mostly in the South and the West, have recently seen an uptick in COVID-19 cases, and some of them have paused or partially reversed reopening efforts, raising uncertainty over the prospect of economic recovery.

Michael Hicks, director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at Ball State University in Indiana, told Xinhua via email that it is likely economic activity will slow in the short run, whether or not state or local governments take action.

"Large reductions in spending at restaurants, bars, retail outlets and amusement centers occurred prior to closings across most of the nation," Hicks said. "So, it is the presence of the disease rather than limited government shut downs that has slowed the economy deeply in second quarter."

People are seen by the road in Burlingame, California, the United States, July 4, 2020. (Photo by Li Jianguo/Xinhua)

Wells Fargo Securities on Thursday revised down 2020 U.S. real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth forecast "as a result of localized pauses/reversals in the re-opening process," noting that the recent acceleration in COVID-19 cases is a "serious downside risk" to the recovery.

In the Wells Fargo Economics Monthly Macro Manual, the company projects the U.S. economy to contract by 6.1 percent in 2020, 0.3 percentage points lower than the last forecast.

More than 60,000 new COVID-19 infections were reported across the United States on Wednesday, dwarfing the single-day tally of any other nation, according to a report from The New York Times.

A tally by Johns Hopkins University showed that as of Thursday evening, more than 3.1 million COVID-19 cases have been reported in the United States with the death toll surpassing 133,000.

The recent spike in cases is "already impeding the recovery, with states postponing re-openings or reversing recent re-openings, and with a significant increase in overall uncertainty and political polarization," said Jeffrey Sachs, an economics professor at Columbia University. 
East Ridge Mayor Brian Williams, at the Thursday night council meeting,cleared up some misconceptions about the city that he said have been going around on social media recently. During the Fourth of July celebrations where most public displays of fireworks were cancelled, there was a proliferation of people setting off their own. Confusion was caused, in part, because a previous city council had allowed the sale of fireworks in East Ridge but the municipal code prohibits individuals from using them in the city.

On the weekend of the Fourth, he said that police had received many, many, calls and had issued many warnings and citations. He thanked the police department for what they had tried to control. Erroneous posts on social media had also been made about the mayor shooting fireworks during that time. Mayor Williams dispelled that rumor, saying he has never bought or set them off and had been out of town that weekend.

Another matter that was cleared up involved the SRO at East Ridge Middle School. Because the middle and high schools are at the same location, problems occurred when school hours changed last year. The time change dismisses the middle school an hour earlier than the high school resulting in some students being left at the school for two hours before being picked up. During that time, he said those students were uncontrollable and caused many problems at and around city hall including fights at Pioneer Park and harassing people going to the community center requiring police intervention and arrests. He said that officer is needed at and has been reassigned to city hall.

City Manager Chris Dorsey said that SROs at other Hamilton County schools are not funded by the cities where they are located. Because the high school and middle school are in the same location, he said there is still an SRO presence and that he has requested that the school board provide one for the middle school.

Another rumor circulating is that the city is not stating its debt accurately and that it has increased during the past year. In reality, said the mayor it has decreased by 4.9 percent from the previous year. Finance Director Diane Qualls said financial audits are done and debt is reviewed regularly. This accurate information is available on the citys website. Mayor Williams said the city is in very good financial shape.

Ms. Qualls reported on this years tax collections. She said that local option sales tax was less this year due to the businesses that were shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but that East Ridge had still collected $2.8 million from this tax. There has been a 94 percent collection rate of property taxes and 136 percent has been collected in delinquent property taxes. The amount of state taxes that the city will receive is still unknown.

A moratorium that has been in place for accepting and processing applications for outdoor and advertising signs was extended for an additional 180 days. City Manager Dorsey said due to a Supreme Court decision, and state legislation, TDOT is altering its plan regulating signs. The result is unknown at this time because of delays caused by the coronavirus. The moratorium is needed in order to make sure the city is in sync with TDOT.

The city manager said there is an effort to have a referendum on allowing a liquor store within the city. He said this is a citizen-inspired effort and that the citys opinion is neutral. The process is that a petition would be required to have signatures of 10 percent of the voters. It would then be presented to the city council which would pass a resolution to put it on the ballot.

A new service is being provided to residents of the city who may need help. The police department will head the program that allows individuals to sign up, after which the police will check on that person once a week to insure all is well. If a resident of the city is interested, information on the program can be found on the citys website under the police tab.

A resolution was passed to accept a donation of $7,500 from Hamilton County Commissioner Tim Boyd that will be used to buy supplies for the police department.
And yet until last month, many here saw the rise of the cartel as an internal matter for the parties in an interminable drug war. Then the group sent three dozen men armed with military-grade weapons into one of the countrys most exclusive neighborhoods, authorities say, to kill the capitals top security official. Omar Garcia Harfuch was shot three times in the June 26 attack but survived. Three people were killed.
Netflix, which said in January that its hit series The Crown would run only five seasons, announced Thursday that the story of Britain's royal family would include a season six as originally planned.

Alas, the show won't cover more royal ground in six seasons than it had planned to cover in five.

"As we started to discuss the story lines for Series 5, it soon became clear that in order to do justice to the richness and complexity of the story we should go back to the original plan and do six seasons," writer-creator-executive producer Peter Morgan said in a statement.

Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown. Credit:Sophie Mutevelian/Netflix

"To be clear, Series 6 will not bring us any closer to present day, it will simply enable us to cover the same period in greater detail," he added.
Along with their push for Made in India products, the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs has sent a reminder to all e-commerce websites that as part of the mandatory declarations when a product is sold, the country of origin must be mentioned.

The push for displaying country of origin comes at a time when the #boycottChina movement is gaining a lot of traction across the country. The Government of India also recently banned 59 apps of Chinese origin after receiving multiple reports of unauthorised data collection of Indian users.

In 2017, new provisions were added in the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, that make it mandatory for e-commerce websites to declare extra details like declaration of country of origin or manufacture or assembly. Failure to comply with these regulations would invite a fine against the e-commerce company.

At an online press conference held on Thursday, the ministry reminded e-commerce portals of these regulations. Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan stated, At a time when we are pushing for Made in India products, it is equally necessary for our consumers to know exactly where the products that they are buying are coming from.

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UP assembly polls will be about '80 per cent vs 20 per cent'; BJP will win: Yogi Adityanath

UP: Elections not won on exit polls basis, results will be surprising: Kamal Nath

Vikas Dubey, man behind killing of 8 cops shot dead in encounter

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, July 10: UP Gangster Vikas Dubey has been shot dead after he allegedly tried to snatch a weapon and escape when the Scorpio vehicle carrying him overturned.

Vikas Dubey killed in an encounter while being taken to Kanpur from Madhya Pradesh | Oneindia News

He was arrested in Madhya Pradesh yesterday. There have been reports of injuries sustained by the UP police also.

Speaking to reporters, Mohit Agarwal, IG, Kanpur said, "Gangster Vikas Dubey killed in encounter when he tried to flee after road accident."

Vikas Dubey killed: Convoy vehicle overturned due to heavy rains

The encounter reportedly took place at the Sachendi border in Kanpur, Two UP police constable were also injured in the incident. Dubey had tried to flee when he was being brought back to Kanpur. In the encounter, he sustained bullet injuries.

As the Uttar Pradesh STF reached Kanpur, one of the vehicles of the convoy that was bringing back Vikas Dubey overturned. Dubey trying to take advantage of the situation tried to flee. Shots were then fired.

On Thursday, the Madhya Pradesh police handed him over to their Uttar Pradesh counterparts in the evening, a senior official said.

A police team from Uttar Pradesh came to Ujjain to take Dubey into their custody, the official said.

"He was handed over to the UP police, who took him to their state by road," the official said.

Dubey was arrested outside the Mahakal temple in Ujjain on Thursday morning after a six-day manhunt following the Kanpur ambush in which eight policemen were gunned down.
New York City diners forced onto the sidewalks at restaurants are now being attacked by rats as restaurateurs beg the city to tackle its sanitation problem.

New Yorkers have been flocking in their droves to enjoy European-style outdoor dining at some of their favorite haunts ever since the city entered phase two of its coronavirus reopening plan last month.

The move has provided some much-needed income for restaurant and bar owners that were forced to shutter back in March but, with more food being eaten outdoors, the areas are also attracting huge rats.

Restaurant owners are urging city officials to tackle what is fast becoming a new public health issue.

New York City diners forced onto the sidewalks at restaurants are now being attacked by rats as restaurateurs beg the city to tackle its sanitation problem

Giacomo Romano, owner of Ciccio, an Italian restaurant in SoHo, told NBC New York one of his customers had an unfortunate encounter with a rat while enjoying a meal in the outdoor dining area.

'Last night, a customer had a baby rat running on his shoe and I let you just imagine his reaction,' he said.

Romano, whose restaurant has been open in Lower Manhattan for seven years, said the rats are coming out of nearby Father Fagan Park, a popular spot for city-dwellers to relax.

He pointed out there is only one trash can for the entire park and people opting for takeout and picnics in the park are throwing garbage in the area.

'There are a lot of new holes in the ground covered by the plants,' he told NBC New York.

A parkgoer also said they had seen several rats in the area while they were sitting on a bench.

Giacomo Romano, owner of Ciccio, an Italian restaurant in SoHo, told NBC New York one of his customers had an unfortunate encounter with a rat while enjoying a meal in the outdoor dining area

Romano said, though he agrees with plans to put indoor dining on hold in the city, city leaders need to tackle the growing problem and he has contacted city leaders asking for help.

It's not only Manhattan restaurant owners voicing concerns about the burgeoning sanitation issue.

Barber shop owner Pasquale Giacobbe, who just reopened his business on the same street as Ciccio last week, is also urging the city to step in.

'I already don't have the help from the state, no loans from nobody. At least they can come do something, for all the tax we pay,' Giacobbe told NBC New York.

With more food being eaten outdoors, the areas are also attracting huge rats

Restaurant owners are urging city officials to tackle what is fast becoming a new public health issue

DailyMail.com has reached out to Mayor Bill de Blasio's office for comment over how the city is addressing the problem.

The Big Apple entered phase two of its coronavirus reopening plan on June 22, allowing restaurants to open with outdoor dining.

Emergency programs aimed to help hard-hit restaurants clamber back to their feet after three months of closures now permit sidewalk and patio seating as well as tables to be set up in parking spots.

Several establishments that previously had no outdoor seating have set up dining areas in the streets and on the sidewalks stretching for miles along popular parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Phase three of the reopening plan - which started Monday - was scheduled to include indoor dining with a limited capacity.

However, de Blasio said indoor dining is being put on hold for 'a substantial amount of time,' following a surge in coronavirus cases in several states, which has forced officials there to backpedal on their reopening plans and close newly reopened businesses again.

New Yorkers have been flocking in their droves to enjoy European-style outdoor dining at some of their favorite haunts ever since the city entered phase two of its coronavirus reopening plan last month. Pictured diners enjoying outdoor dining in NYC

Outdoor dining has provided some much-needed income for restaurant and bar owners that were forced to shutter back in March

Phase three of the reopening plan - which started Monday - was scheduled to include indoor dining with a limited capacity but this has been put on hold as COVID-19 cases surge in several states

The mayor also announced Thursday the cancellation of all large events requiring a city permit through to the end of September, saying the city wants to prioritize open spaces for regular public use..

'As New York has begun its reopening process, accessible open spaces are more important than ever,' de Blasio said.

'While it pains me to call off some of the city's beloved events, our focus now must be the prioritization of city space for public use and the continuation of social distancing.'

The decision will affect dozens of treasured events including the West Indian Day Parade and the Feast of San Gennaro.
The US and other world powers are playing a cat and mouse game of containing a rising China. But it is a game none will win

The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated, and probably sharpened, the competition, if not the rivalry and conflict, between the United States and China. This at a time when the security and long-term stability of the international system calls for cooperation among the super and great powers.

Back in April 2017, three months after he entered the Oval Office, President Donald Trump received in grand pomp Chinese President Xi Jinping at his luxurious Mar-a-Lago estate in Miami, Florida. The warm exchanges between the two leaders laid to rest, for a brief period of time, doubts about the path American-Chinese relations would take under a president whose rallying cry within the US has been to Make America Great Again. The visit raised hopes that these relations would be managed wisely and in a spirit of cooperation instead of confrontation.

I believe the world reacted positively to the news coming out of Florida in April 2017. And China, judging that the US administration was genuine, its desire to improve and expand relations with Beijing went along and consequently played a role in defusing the war of words between the United States and North Korea that ultimately led to the first summit between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader, at Sentosa, Singapore, on 12 June 2018. With these two summits, separated by the Pacific Ocean, it seemed that North East Asia, as well as the South China Sea, would enter into a new phase of accommodation and diplomacy, playing a more active role in reducing tensions in that strategically-important part of the Asia-Pacific region.

It goes without saying that China played a determining role in persuading the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to make concessions to the United States, like ending nuclear testing as well as testing of long-range ballistic missiles  moves that reduced, considerably, tensions in North East Asia and reassured Japan.

Prior to the pandemic, American-Chinese relations had seen a tariffs war started by the Trump administration that led to renewed uncertainty as to the directions of relations between the two giants, a war that ended with a phase one agreement in January that is expected to be followed with more comprehensive agreements after the November US presidential elections.

Despite the January agreement, tensions were palpable in American-Chinese relations with an American campaign aimed at the allies to convince them of the threats that Chinese G5 technology represents for their security. Moreover, the US administration imposed sanctions on the Chinese tech giant Huawei.

Then came the pandemic.

In the first two months of 2020, the Trump administration praised both President XI and the way Beijing shared information concerning the nature of the novel coronavirus with America and the world. However, when the cases of those infected among the American population began rising, particularly in New York City, the administration in Washington DC started targeting China and accusing it of bearing direct responsibility in the propagation of the virus in the United States. This change coincided with the convening of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Congress in March. In interview with Maria Bartiromo of Fox News on 31 March, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the CCP has come to view itself as intent upon the destruction of Western ideas, Western democracies, Western values. It puts Americans at risk.

He went on to list other serious accusations. The list is long, whether it is stealing American intellectual property, destroying hundreds and millions of jobs here in the United States, or their efforts to put at risk sea lanes in the South China Sea, denying commercial traffic the opportunity to move through, armed encampments in places that China has no right to be For the first time, we have a president [who is] prepared to push back against that and protect the American people.

##

On 4 July, the US Navy said that USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan, two aircraft carriers, have been deployed in the South China Sea for the first time since 2014. That move coincided with Chinese exercises around the Paracel Islands, a disputed archipelago with Vietnam and the Philippines. According to the US Navy, the two nuclear-powered carriers are conducting exercises to support a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Lieutenant Joe Kelly, spokesman of the US Seventh Fleet, said the deployment of the two carriers supported enduring US commitments to stand up for the right of all nations to fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows. He added that this opportunity for the two strike groups to train and operate together in the region provides combatant commanders with significant operational flexibility and capabilities that only the US Navy can command.

It is interesting to note in this respect that Great Britain is reviewing its defence posture East of Suez, and forward-deploying some British forces to be near the South China Sea. The review is expected to be ready before the end of the year and is expected to propose a more visible British presence in Chinas sphere of influence, which would mean more cooperation with allies such as Japan and South Korea. According to British sources, this new strategic shift fits a vision of a more global Britain in the post-Brexit world. The Royal Navy announced recently that it would deploy a few hundred Royal Marines commandos as part of a new persistent global presence of naval personnel based on ships that can quickly deploy to developing situations. In the last five years, the Chinese navy has grown by the equivalent tonnage as the whole Royal Navy, according to experts. It should not come as a surprise that the British review fits well with the US strategy of forming an alliance against a rising China.

Tobias Ellwood, a Conservative MP and chair of the Commons Defence Select Committee, said this week that we need to work out how we will deal with China that economically, technically and militarily is going to surpass the US within our lifetimes.

In contrast to the previous assessment, years ago, the US National Intelligence Council published a report on the year 2030. Its forecast was that the United States would be the most powerful country in the world, but there will be no hegemons, concluding that the unipolar moment is over.

That leaves one strategic option for both the United States and its allies and China: to manage their power relations wisely and accept the fact of the emergence of China as a new superpower on the world stage.

In his book entitled Is the American Century Over? Joseph S Nye argued that the rise of China globally is a long process that is still far from signifying the end of the American century.

If this is the case, accommodation of China as an equal partner in governing world affairs is the best strategic choice to make.

*The writer is former assistant foreign minister.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 9 July, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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On eve of Disney World reopening, Florida posts another daily surge in Covid-19 cases

Florida confirmed its place as an emerging epicenter of the Covid pandemic in the United States on Friday by reporting its second sharpest daily rise in cases, while Walt Disney Co. prepared to reopen its flagship theme park in Orlando to the chagrin of some employees.

Florida recorded 11,433 new coronavirus cases, the state health department said, more evidence that the virus is still spreading largely unchecked throughout parts of the country. The state experienced the surge after initially avoiding the worst of the outbreak that hit New York and other northeastern U.S. states. Friday's total was just short of the state's record high for new cases, set last Saturday.

The Walt Disney World theme parks in Orlando will open to a limited number of guests on Saturday. To lower the risks, visitors and employees will have to wear masks and undergo temperature checks, and the resort will not hold parades, fireworks displays and other activities that draw crowds. Around 19,000 people, including workers, signed a petition asking Disney to delay the reopening and the actors' union that represents 750 Walt Disney World performers has filed a grievance alleging retaliation against its members over the union's demand that they be tested for the coronavirus.

Florida is one of the few states that does not disclose the number of hospitalised Covid-19 patients. But more than four dozen Florida hospitals reported their intensive care units reached capacity earlier this week.
Stormont ministers are to consider a report warning that travellers from the rest of the UK present the greatest risk of bringing Covid-19 into Northern Ireland.

Their meeting on Thursday is expected to review international travel regulations.

At present travellers arriving in Northern Ireland from outside the UK and Republic of Ireland have to quarantine for 14 days.

Health restrictions like quarantine are set by each part of the UK separately.

From Friday passengers entering England from many countries will not have to self-isolate following the establishment of air bridges with areas with an acceptable level of risk.

Northern Irelands rate of infection has been running at less than one person infected by each new case.

A Department of Health statement said: The Health Minister said that decisions around travel restrictions is a matter for the Executive and he wants to see this resolved at the next meeting on Thursday.

The department would have no comment to make on the content of Executive papers. In a joint statement, Colin Neill, chief executive of Hospitality Ulster, and Simon Hamilton, chief executive of Belfast Chamber of Commerce, said connectivity was vital to economic success and will be intrinsic to the post-coronavirus recovery in the weeks and months ahead.

As other countries begin to open up again in a safe and controlled way, we need our ministers to open up these crucial travel links which will give business a fighting chance, the statement read.

The past few months have been challenging for everyone but as restrictions are eased it is time now to get back to some sense of normality  allowing our airports to operate fuller services, with more airplanes in the sky, will go some way in this regard. EasyJet have already started opening up a number of flights to and from mainland Europe from Belfast International Airport, with further routes expected next month.

The business organisations added: Our airports are the lifeblood of industry. Regional connectivity is crucial, and it is important that these routes are restored to full capacity also.

Great Britain is our largest tourism market and without that regional connectivity, our sectors will take a real hammering. No further deaths have been recorded with Covid-19, the Department of Health said, leaving the total number of people who have died at 554.

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A Turkish top administrative court has ruled in favor of a proposal to turn the Hagia Sophia museum back into a mosque, CNN reported.

According to Anadolu Agency, thus, the court annulled a 1934 presidential decree converting Hagia Sophia into a museum.

The Hagia Sophia was the Roman Empire's first Christian cathedral: it was converted from a Greek Orthodox cathedral to a mosque in 1453 and then became a museum in 1935.

UNESCO has earlier warned Turkey against turning Hagia Sophia into a mosque, calling for dialogue, a UNESCO spokeswoman told AFP.

The Hagia Sophia is inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

"This inscription entails a number of commitments and legal obligations," the UNESCO spokeswoman noted.

"Thus, a state must ensure that no modification affects the exceptional universal value of the property inscribed on its territory," she said.

According to her, any modification requires prior notification to UNESCO and possibly examination by its World Heritage Committee.
Hudson County-based Goya Foods, the largest Hispanic owned food company in the country, is facing a nationwide backlash and calls for boycotts on their products after the companys CEO said the United States is blessed to have a leader like President Donald Trump.

At a White House event Thursday, where Trump signed an executive order for the White House Hispanic Prosperity Initiative, Goya Foods CEO Robert Unanue praised Trump and his leadership, comparing Trumps ability to build to that of his grandfather, a Spanish immigrant who founded the company.

Were all truly blessed at the same time to have a leader like President Trump, who is a builder, said Unanue. And thats what my grandfather did. He came to this country to build. To grow. To prosper. And so we have an incredible builder. And we pray. We pray for our leadership. Our president. And we pray for our country.

Multiple calls to Goya Foods for comment were not returned.

Friday evening, Trump tweeted, I LOVE @GoyaFoods!

Goya Foods, headquartered in Jersey City, has been selling Hispanic food staples for decades and has become ubiquitous in Latino and Hispanic families kitchens across the world. The company was founded in 1936 by Don Prudencio Unanue and his wife Carolina, two Spanish immigrants, according to the companys website. The company sells everything from garbanzo beans to adobo, a seasoning that is a linchpin in Latin cuisine.

But Unanues comments brought swift and wide calls to boycott the companys products, many from people who grew up eating and cooking with Goya Foods. Many people, who started the hashtags #Goyaway and #BoycottGoya, felt that Unanues praise of Trump was a betrayal to the largely Hispanic and Latino customer base.

On social media, people excoriated Unanue and Goya Foods for supporting Trump, citing Trumps anti-immigrant rhetoric, past comments on Mexicans and the current crisis at border detainment centers, where many children still remain in cages.

Truth!! Latino children in cages does not make me feel blessed'. #BoycottGoya #BoycottGoyaFoods wrote on commenter.

Or calling Mexicans "rapists" &"criminals" or presiding over the deaths of 130,000 of Covid-19 because of ineptitude. I'll make red kidney beans at home - put them in water the night before, and with sofrito, tomato sauce, water, salt and some cut potatoes, you can #BoycottGoya https://t.co/7y7PX96vDs  Luis A. Miranda, Jr. (@Vegalteno) July 10, 2020

Im upset because growing up my Puerto Rican mother cooked our meals with these products, wrote another commenter. But Im disgusted and saddened by what he said and I am hoping we all come together and really show them the [e]ffects of his dangerous words; that this not just a mere bump in the road."

Unanues comments drew the ire of prominent Latino politicians like Julian Castro, most recently a presidential candidate, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman to serve in Congress.

@GoyaFoods has been a staple of so many Latino households for generations, Castro wrote on Twitter. Now their CEO, Bob Unanue, is praising a president who villainizes and maliciously attacks Latinos for political gain. Americans should think twice before buying their products. #Goyaway

.@GoyaFoods has been a staple of so many Latino households for generations.



Now their CEO, Bob Unanue, is praising a president who villainizes and maliciously attacks Latinos for political gain. Americans should think twice before buying their products. #Goyaway https://t.co/lZDQlK6TcU  Julian Castro (@JulianCastro) July 9, 2020

Ocasio-Cortez tweeted that Unanues comments signaled her own search for recipes of homemade adobo to replace Goyas products. Many commenters on social media obliged the Congresswomans search, sharing recipes for homemade alternatives to many of Goyas most popular products.

Along with being the largest Hispanic-owned food company in the nation, the Unanue family is one of the richest families in the United States, worth $1.1 billion, according to Forbes. In recent years, the Unanues have made a push to market to non-Latino customers, hoping to expand outside of bodegas and into suburban supermarkets, according to Forbes.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Rodrigo Torrejon may be reached at rtorrejon@njadvancemedia.com.
[July 10, 2020] FeganScott Law Firm Adds Attorney to Austin Office

Chicago-based law firm FeganScott recently announced that attorney Greg Kinskey has joined the firm and will lead its newest office located in Austin, Texas. As a former Assistant United States Attorney and former Assistant Attorney General, Kinskey has substantial and diverse experience in both federal and state courts, working on cases that involve affirmative and defensive civil litigation, including parallel criminal proceedings, the investigation and prosecution of whistleblowers, False Claims Act, healthcare fraud, governmental liability matters, and many other complex litigation cases. "We are excited to have Greg join our team," said Elizabeth Fegan, founding partner of FeganScott. "In both his federal and state positions, Greg has proven his dedication to creating lasting legal change, and his robust experience will be an asset to our firm's healthcare fraud and whistleblower practice." At the federal level, Kinskey recently served as an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA), the Affirmative Civil Enforcement (ACE) Lead and the Civil Healthcare Fraud (HCF) Coordinator for the United States Attorney's Office. At the state level, he served as an Assistant Attorney General withthe Civil Medicaid Fraud Division of the Texas Attorney General's Office, where he led national teams in the investigation, litigation, negotiation, and settlement of False Claims Act, qui tam, and healthcare fraud cases. Kinskey began his career as a trial attorney in private practice in Pennsylvania and Texas.



Through his work, he was awarded highest possible Martindale-Hubbell peer review rating of AV Preeminent (5.0 out of 5) in both legal ability and ethical standards. Kinskey earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. He also earned his Bachelor of Arts at Tulane University in New Orleans.

Founded in 2019 by legal industry veterans Elizabeth Fegan and Timothy Scott, FeganScott is a national class action law firm dedicated to helping victims of sexual assault, discrimination, consumer fraud and antitrust violations. FeganScott is currently leading several nationwide class actions in the healthcare industry relating to the recalls of Allergan BIOCELL breast implants (as Co-Lead Counsel), and the brand-name drug Zantac and its generic and OTC equivalents (as a member of the Plaintiffs' Steering Committee). About FeganScott FeganScott is a national class action law firm dedicated to helping victims of sexual abuse, discrimination, consumer fraud, antitrust violations and more. The firm is championed by acclaimed class action and veteran attorneys and has successfully recovered $1 billion for millions of victims nationwide. FeganScott is committed to pursuing successful outcomes with integrity and excellence, while holding unjust parties accountable. To learn more, visit www.feganscott.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200710005429/en/

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Taiwan has named senior diplomat Baushuan Ger as its new representative to India while his predecessor Tien Chung-kwang has been promoted to the post of deputy foreign minister.

Baushuans appointment was part of personnel changes announced by Taiwans foreign ministry on Thursday. Tien, who served as Taiwans representative to India for more than seven years, is expected to leave for home on Friday.

However, Baushuan is expected to take up his post in India in September, people familiar with developments said. He is currently director general of the department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs in Taiwans foreign ministry and has served in the US and the UK.

Tien will replace Hsu Szu-chien as deputy foreign minister. Hsu has been appointed as deputy secretary-general of Taiwans National Security Council.

Not only does such an arrangement convey approval for Tiens performance as Taiwans representative to India over the past seven years, but it also suggests that the relationship with India is likely to become one of Taiwans most important diplomatic priorities in the future, Taiwan News portal reported on Thursday.

Under the One China policy, India doesnt have full and formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Taiwan established the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center (TECC) in New Delhi in 1995 as its government representative office in India.

Besides promoting bilateral relations in economy, trade, investment, media and tourism, TECC has divisions for consular, economic, education science and technology activities that are responsible for advancing mutual interests between Taiwan and India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal.

Amid the border standoff between India and China, several experts and commentators have called for New Delhi to upgrade its ties with Taipei.

In a recent article for HT, Sana Hashmi, Taiwan Fellow at the Institute of International Relations, National Chengchi University, wrote: Indias foreign policy priorities, particularly with regard to the Indo-Pacific, should accommodate Taiwan. Along with military preparedness and aligning interests with key countries, Taiwan needs to be included prominently in its long-term strategy towards China.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wens New Southbound Policy, launched in 2016, aims to expand political, economic, and people-to-people linkages with countries such as India. Taiwan also cooperated with India during the Covid-19 pandemic, donating one million face masks to protect frontline medical personnel engaged in the fight against the Coronavirus.

In a recent editorial headlined Taiwan must stand with India, the leading newspaper Taipei Times said the June 15 clash between Indian and Chinese troops fits a pattern of Beijings increasingly aggressive expansionism in the region  which should also concern policymakers in Taiwan.

The editorial said: The incident should be understood in the context of Beijings aggressive behaviour in the region, which has clearly become more frequent since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It added, What motivates Chinese President Xi Jinpings increased assertiveness in the region? This is a question that Taiwan, India and other regional nations must seek to answer... Taiwan should deepen ties with India, in particular economic, military and intelligence ties, to contain Chinese expansionism and put Xi back into his box.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rezaul H Laskar Rezaul H Laskar is the Foreign Affairs Editor at Hindustan Times. His interests include movies and music. ...view detail
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra

New Delhi: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday took a swipe at the UP government over the encounter killing of gangster Vikas Dubey, saying while the criminal has gone, what about those protecting him.

Dubey was killed by the cops after he was trying to escape soon after a police vehicle carrying him overturned on their way back to Kanpur. Four policemen were injured in the accident.

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Priyanka Gandhi tweet

In a tweet in Hindi, the Congress leader said, "The criminal has gone, but what about the crime and those protecting him.

Dubey, the prime accused in the Kanpur massacre of cops, was arrested from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday morning.

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Vikas DubeyThe Congress general secretary had also accused the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh of "complete failure" in handling the Kanpur ambush case in which eight policemen were killed.
The current global pandemic is laying bare a whole host of national problems related to education, health care, and more. Supply chain security is no exception. Its become more apparent than ever that a global supply chain is accompanied by innate vulnerabilities, the number of which has grown while software eats the world, as Marc Andreessen famously put it.

In 2018, a report by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission warned that software supply chain attacks would become easier and more prevalent over time. This year, when Federal Chief Information Security Officer Grant Schneider outlined the Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Council goals, he noted that supply chain security was a top priority.

Schneider emphasized the need for agencies to gain a more holistic overview of whats inside the box, who built it, what was their intent. While this is a commendable goal, its perhaps too broadly idealistic. In todays global world, the tough reality is that just as malware infections are inevitable, so is a compromised supply chain. This may be difficult to accept. But we do not live in a utopia, and accept it we must.

A complex attack surface

A car manufactured in the 1960s would be challenging to compromise from a security perspective. Now, nearly everything either is a computer or relies on some form of one whether were talking about a car, a laptop or a coffee maker. Blackhawk helicopters, for example, are equipped with autonomy software and sophisticated sensors. Every component of those computers now comprises part of the overall attack surface.

Many suppliers have extensive access to sensitive resources and assets -- an inherent risk. Additionally, bad actors can and do insert malicious software at any point in the global chain sabotage, slow down national programs or exfiltrate classified data and intellectual property. The inescapable reality is that there is no way to comprehensively tighten and secure supply chains from beginning to end. They are simultaneously too complex and too global.

Securing the supply chain

The Defense Departments Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification, or CMMC, requires the Defense Industrial Base and the DODs 300,000+ contractors to comply with one of five levels of verification. Even the lowest level includes a physical audit to check foreign ownership and ensure basic cyber hygiene -- such as the protection of unclassified but still controlled information. This is an extremely promising step, one that is likely to trickle down to enterprises much in the same manner as the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program for cloud security certification has. It will raise the cybersecurity capabilities of Americas suppliers, but its not an all-encompassing silver bullet.

Supply chains are already compromised today, an unfortunate reality thats expected to get worse, not better. Thus, agencies must also implement stringent controls ranging from network segmentation to analytics and threat intelligence. Even after suppliers have been selected and verified, organizations must be able to determine whether humans, systems, and/or processes across the supply chain are doing what they are supposed to be doing.

This level of verification can only materialize by understanding what normal behavior looks like, from the beginning of the supply chain to the end use of products. Highly customized analytics platforms can supply granular patterns of internal and external-facing network and application behavior, as well as user and group profiling for target analysis. Abnormal data patterns -- deviant sensor readings, computational anomalies, and uncharacteristic high-risk behavior -- should trigger alerts, much like unusual spending on credit card accounts, and prompt an immediate response. Once we understand that breaches are inevitable and already occurring, such technology becomes critical and non-negotiable.

The bottom line

There has been significant discussion around bringing supply chains back within our national borders in the name of security. This, too, is a noble goal, but it has its own challenges. Meanwhile, the pace of data breaches and intrusions into computer systems continues to accelerate at an alarming rate.

As perpetrators evolve to become more sophisticated, supply chain vendors are immensely vulnerable to advanced attacks and may be unintentionally housing bad actors themselves. Federal agencies must be prepared. CMMC represents important progress, but other steps should be in place to respond to an eventual and inevitable breach. We must begin to think differently and assume that the supply chain is compromised and change our operating procedures accordingly.
BRANDON  A Manitoba woman is doing her part to ensure hundreds of people affected by recent heavy rain storms apply for provincial disaster financial assistance.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/7/2020 (557 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BRANDON  A Manitoba woman is doing her part to ensure hundreds of people affected by recent heavy rain storms apply for provincial disaster financial assistance.

Deana Dupuis is making herself available this week and next at the Yellowhead Regional Employment Skills and Services location in Minnedosa to help residents fill out a one-page application.

Dupuis said due to her husband being a federal government employee, she was aware there are programs for such circumstances. Recently, Manitoba Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler described the rainfall that hit the southwestern region as a once-in-a-1,000-year event.

"I made some calls, phoned up the numbers that were given for (disaster financial assistance) program, talked to a few people, some really awesome ladies, who said. Heres the deal," Dupuis said.

"They said No. 1, you need to get enough people to apply, to even open the doors for this program... If not enough people apply, no ones going to get anything because the province has to declare it. Thats when the funds would become available."

Thats a bit of a problem for area residents, said Dupuis, because they are always talking about others who got hit harder than they did. "Or theyre reluctant to ask for help, because some people completely lost their homes. Theyve got nothing. So people wanted to make sure it (disaster financial assistance) was going to the right place."

She said her focus is to make certain anybody who has damage to their home applies: "That is going to help everyone access these funds."

A provincial spokesperson confirmed the information.

"The best way for those with impacts in the private sector to identify their impacts is to submit an application through the DFA program. The information that they provide will help the government to determine how best to support Manitobans in their recovery," the spokesperson stated.

Meanwhile, the cleanup continues.

Dominique Hampton did not sustain any water damage to her Minnedosa home, but ended up becoming the go-to volunteer organizer for sandbagging, demolition, and garbage removal.

While she doesnt have an official tally, Hampton said hundreds of homes were affected. Sandbagging in Minnedosa, 50 kilometres north of Brandon, began after a storm dumped 155.5 millimetres of rain.

"We made around 20,000 sandbags," she said, adding 84 homes were evacuated, though only 12 were under a mandatory evacuation order.

In the end, more than 220 mm was dumped on the area.

"On Saturday, we had about 45 houses that either needed help with demolition or that had demo-ed the basements and needed garbage runs," Hampton said.

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"Some basements had anywhere from four feet of water and some basements were right near the ceiling. Everything that was in the basement, whether furniture, freezers, fridges, washers and dryers, all that kind of stuff had to be taken to the dump."

Businesses were also hit hard; Minnedosas main street flooded twice.

Hampton said volunteers came from other communities to help clean up.

"It was nice to come in with a group of positive people, helping them get their situation under control. People would say, We were so overwhelmed but you guys came and did all the work that would have taken us weeks and now we can get on with rebuilding our basement or rebuilding our house," she said.

"It made us feel good to be able to help them get through this thing."

 Brandon Sun
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 00:18:08|Editor: huaxia

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ISLAMABAD, July 9 (Xinhua) -- The sales of cement in Pakistan bounced back in the month of June after a declining trend since March as the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the country, triggering lockdowns and affecting the economy, local media reported Thursday.

Cement sales grew by 76.92 percent to 4.6 million tonnes in June this year from 2.6 million tonnes in the previous month of May, local media reported while quoting statistics released by the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA).

Cement sales stood at 4.5 million tonnes in February but in the next three months, it declined to 3.7 million tonnes in March, 3.5 million tonnes in April and then a steep slump in May when sales declined to 2.6 million tonnes, showed the APCMA statistics.

Cement companies' sales increased by 29.58 percent in June 2020 compared to the corresponding period last year when sales were recorded at 3.55 million tonnes, the APCMA statistics showed.

A spokesperson of the APCMA while appreciating the revival of cement sales, predicted that the local cement demand will grow by 10 percent in the fiscal year 2020-21.

A recently announced incentive-based government package for the construction industry to increase job opportunities and provide relief to lower strata of the society, has a positive impact on the uptake of construction materials including cement, the spokesperson told local media. Enditem
The number of newly reported coronavirus infections in Bexar County grew Thursday by 954, with six more deaths.

The local death toll stands at 165. The total, however, now includes 13 additional deaths that had occurred over the past three weeks but were reported post-mortem by the county medical examiners office as due to COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

Those 13 were determined by testing after the persons had died, but the reports had to be confirmed by the Metropolitan Health District before they were added to the total, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said. The deaths likely occurred in peoples homes, but could not immediately be attributed to COVID-19.

The total number of local residents who have tested positive for the virus since mid-March stands at 17,679. Among them, 1,216 are hospitalized in San Antonio, up 11 patients from Wednesday.

Dr. Junda Woo, medical director of Metro Health, also reported that Windsor Mission Oaks nursing home, 3030 S. Roosevelt Ave., had 66 residents and one staff member test positive recently, but that almost none of them had symptoms.

Woo said the conditions at Bexar County nursing homes have generally improved since an early outbreak of the virus at Southeast Nursing and Rehabilitation in March that eventually claimed the lives of 18 residents and one employee.

Of the six most recent deaths, three were Hispanic and three white. Four of them were older than 70 and all had underlying medical conditions that might have compromised their immune systems.

But behind every data point is a person and a life lived, Nirenberg said, a point he has repeated at nearly every recent daily briefing. Our hearts are with their friends, families and loved ones.

Testing has picked up of late, with more than 1,000 tests done Thursday at Freeman Coliseum alone, Bexar County Commissioner Justin Rodriguez said.

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Of those hospitalized in Bexar County on Thursday, 399 were in intensive care units, while 231 were on ventilators to help them breathe.

Texas reported 9,782 new cases Thursday, and the statewide death toll rose to 2,918, including 105 new fatalities reported Thursday.

Slightly more than half of the statewide cases  which now number 230,346 people  have recovered so far, according to figures posted by the Texas Department of Health and Human Services and the Texas Department of State Health Services.

The number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized across Texas rose Thursday to 9,689. As recently as June 29, the state had 5,913 COVID-19 patients being cared for in hospitals.

Nearly 11,296 hospital beds are still available statewide, but only 953 ICU beds are vacant across Texas, while 5,224 ventilators remain available, according to the state public health agencies COVID-19 website.

Harris County continues to lead the state in both the volume of diagnosed cases, with nearly 40,012.

Bruce Selcraig is a staff writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Bruce, become a subscriber. BSelcraig@express-news.net
Beady-eyed Queenslanders have claimed to have seen banned Victorians sneaking into the state, as it finally opens up following 106 days of border closures.

Traffic was already backing up on Friday morning ahead of the eagerly awaited border opening at midday.

Up to 250,000 Australians searching for some winter sun are expected to enter the state over the coming weeks.

But due to the dire situation in Melbourne, with coronavirus infection rates spiking, Victorians will not be allowed in.

Concerned locals have reported seeing cars with Victorian licence plates in the state, raising concerns some may have already snuck in.

Heavy traffic is seen on the Gold Coast Highway hours before the Queensland border reopens at midday on Friday (pictured). All these vehicles were going to an official checkpoint

Locals near Bundaberg in Queensland posted online (pictured) claiming that Victorians had snuck over the border 'on back roads'

Up to 250,000 Australians searching for some winter sun are expected to enter the state over the coming weeks (pictured, drivers queueing to enter the state at midday on Friday)

One woman in Bundaberg posted on Facebook saying: 'Victorian caravaners quite pleased with themselves about getting over the QLD border on back roads

'Now staying in the little coastal town of Woodgate. Hope they are caught out and fined.

'Be very aware Woodgate locals. I hope police give them a visit'.

But police have rubbished the claims, saying the number plates are likely of people already travelling in Queensland before the border shut, or locals using rental cars.

'Just because someone sees a vehicle with a Victorian registration plate travelling down the highway doesn't mean to say that they should not be in the state,' Childers police sergeant Geoff Fay told the ABC.

A bus driver is spoken to by police at the Coolangatta checkpoint on Friday (pictured) ahead of the border reopening at midday

Annastacia Palaszczuk (pictured, on Friday) has warned southerners they 'could be sitting in traffic for hours' as authorities carry out coronavirus screenings on Queensland's borders

'We conducted patrols of the Woodgate Caravan Park. We spoke to the management, and we were able to verify that all of the vehicles in that park with Victorian plates were lawfully in Queensland.

'Some were hire vehicles which had been hired out of Brisbane by Queensland residents  other people had been in Queensland for two and three months before COVID-19 had started.'

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk sent out a stark alert on Friday to eager travellers looking to descend on the Sunshine State, warning of huge traffic jams.

A motorist in is pictured being questioned at a police checkpoint on the Queensland-New South Wales border on Friday

A motorhome with Victorian licence plates is pictured being waved away by police officers at the Queensland border

The Queensland premier made it clear that when the state's borders reopen at midday on Friday, southerners 'could be sitting in traffic for hours' as police, military and medical authorities carry out coronavirus screenings.

The border has been shut since March 26, with only essential workers allowed to move into the state.

'Patience will definitely be a virtue today,' Ms Palaszczuk told the ABC's Breakfast program just hours before the July 10 reopening.

'We know there will be lengthy delays.

'I have been saying all week to everybody, please plan your journey. Don't be rushing across the border today because you will be sitting in traffic for hours.

'If you can delay your journey, delay it.'

Although seven of Australia's eight states and territories will be able to plan their next getaway in Queensland, Victoria will not be receiving an invitation.

Victoria was brutally cut out of a viral map of Australia as Melbourne begins its second coronavirus lockdown (pictured)

To enter Queensland all travellers by air, sea or road will need to have their online border declaration checked by police (pictured on Friday ahead of the border opening)

In the past seven days, there have been close to 800 confirmed cases of the deadly virus mainly centred in Melbourne's northwest.

'All the other state's and territories have not seen large-scale community transmission so that means people are free to come here, but if they show any symptoms they will have to submit to a mandatory test because we want to keep the great state of Queensland COVID-free,' Ms Palaszczuk.

'We know Victoria is going through a hard time and my heart goes out to everyone in Victoria.'

To enter Queensland all travellers by air, sea or road will need to have their online border declaration checked by police.

One of the questions on the application asks if you have entered the state of Victoria in the past 14 days.

Drivers are seen queuing at the border ahead of Queensland reopening on Friday (pictured)

Queensland Police are seen directing Victorian licence plate drivers into a side street at the Griffith Street checkpoint at Coolangatta on July 10

If you elect yes, you will not be allowed entry.

The only exceptions are for residents, a students or someone fleeing harm.

But anyone caught giving false information on the form could be hit with a hefty fine between of $4,004 for individuals and $13,345 for companies.

'Don't think that you're going to be able to get through here if you are going to be lying or declaring a false declaration you will be fined,' the premier said.

Queensland authorities have also warned against heavy vehicle drivers trying to smuggle southerners hidden in trucks.

Drivers are seen at the Queensland border on Friday (pictured) ahead of it being opened at midday

'Previously we've seen other heavy freight (and) that type of thing get waved through,' Queensland's state disaster co-ordinator, Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski told reporters.

'They will still be able to do that but we will be randomly intercepting them to make sure that there are...not people getting through there that shouldn't.

'We've already had people try and test the system all the way through, so we're just going to make it really certain that people aren't doing that.'

Queensland have recorded only two confirmed coronavirus cases in the past three weeks. It recorded no new cases on Friday.

Police are pictured checking drivers on the Gold Coast Highway on July 10 as thousands of winter sunseekers look to cross the border
In June, 2,258 fire outbreaks were detected across the Amazon rainforest  the highest number in 13 years, and 36 per cent higher than the average over the last decade.

Brazils government space research agency, INPE, said the blazes represent a 20 per cent increase from the devastating 1,880 fires in June 2019 which came ahead of global outrage at the destruction of the vital rainforest.

The vast majority of the fires are caused by human activity - mostly slash and burn deforestation - to create grazing land for cattle or make space to grow crops, according to the Amazon Environmental Research Institute.

International demands for goods including soy, timber, paper, beef and leather are among the key drivers of such activity.

New data from the WWF and the RSPB reveals the extent of the UKs demand for goods linked to the destruction.

Brazil represents 13.9 per cent of the total UK overseas land footprint, meaning we currently rely on an average of more than 800,000 hectares of land - much of which was once rainforest  to supply our demand for agricultural products. This is equivalent to five times the size of Greater London.

A third (28 per cent) of the UKs total overseas land footprint, used to satisfy our annual demand for products including palm oil, timber, soy and cocoa, is still linked to countries assessed to be at high or very high risk of deforestation, destruction of other natural ecosystems and human rights abuses.

These include Brazil, Indonesia and the Ivory Coast, according to related research published in May by the RSPB.

Unsustainable production often results in large-scale deforestation and is linked to devastating fires, the WWF said.

The organisation is calling for the UK government to introduce new laws and policies to take deforestation and the destruction of other natural habitats out of supply chains to help prevent these fires from occurring.

The charity is also urging the government to ensure that post-Brexit trade deals wont contribute to environmental destruction.

Mike Barrett, executive director of science and conservation at WWF UK, said: Its no coincidence that fires have already sparked in Brazil this year  and in the areas that have suffered deforestation from commodities including soy.

These fires are not a natural occurrence in the Amazon  they are set deliberately to burn trees that have been illegally cut to clear the way for agriculture.

But the cost is too high. The UK must take a stand against the destruction by bringing in new laws and policies to cut deforestation out of our supply chains. UK consumers should not be forced to unwittingly contribute to the Amazon burning.

Martin Harper, director of global conservation at the RSPB, said: In the UK, communities are fiercely protective of their local beauty spots and nature habitats  planning applications to cut down woodlands time after time provoke a powerful backlash from residents.

We wouldnt want to tear up the greenbelt for commercial use here, but importing products linked to the destruction of the Amazon rainforest simply outsources the destruction of nature. If the UK government wants to be taken seriously as a global environmental leader as host of the COP26 climate summit next year, it needs to urgently take action and introduce new laws to ensure agricultural supply chains are not wrecking the planet.

Recommended Satellite images reveal spread of Amazon fires ahead of dry season

It is time for the government to stop passing the buck to consumers.

The WWF said alongside beef production, soy has historically been one of the commodities responsible for deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon and destruction of its neighbour, the species-rich Cerrado grassland savannah.

In 2017, only 27 per cent of soy produced globally was officially certified as not being associated with deforestation or destruction of habitats. This means almost 75 per cent could be a deforestation threat to landscapes globally.

In the UK just 14 per cent of the soy imported was deforestation free in 2017, according to the European Soy Monitor report.

In Brazil, just 2.8 per cent of all soy produced was certified sustainable.

The UK is dependent on soy imports from Brazil  nearly half of which comes from the Mato Grosso state. The WWF said the volumes imported from this one state are so large that 93,000 hectares of soy plantations are needed  equivalent to more than half the size of Greater London.

Deforestation in the Amazon parts of Mato Grosso increased by 19 per cent last year. Soy production in Mato Grosso is likely to be putting pressure on forests either directly or indirectly (by replacing cattle ranches which themselves replaced forests).

Of the 2,248 fire outbreaks detected in the Amazon during June, 58 per cent were in Mato Grosso state.
He says the army's task is to fend off the aggressor and to repel an attack in the event of open aggression.

The Ukrainian military is considering several possible scenarios of the Russian invasion of Ukraine along different parts of the border.

"The Ukrainian Armed Forces are considering several scenarios along the entire perimeter of the border with the Russian Federation and Russia-occupied parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. We are considering possible developments when such a threat appears simultaneously from several directions," Commander of Ukraine's Joint Forces Serhiy Nayev said during the "Pravo na Vladu" ("Right to Power") panel show on TV Channel 1+1, according to the TSN TV news service.

Read alsoJFO Commander: Ukraine's army sees no direct threat of Russian invasion yet

"The respective units of the military command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, including the Joint Forces Command whose head I am  we all are constantly preparing for an adequate response," he said.

"Our task is to fend off the aggressor, and in the event of open aggression  to repel the attack and prevent the enemy's boots on the ground in Ukraine," the Joint Forces' chief said.

"We are doing everything to ensure that our actions are effective, well prepared. The Armed Forces of Ukraine have not identified a direct threat of aggression from the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea in relation to Ukraine's Kherson region, the facilities and the grouping that are in that area."

As UNIAN reported earlier, Nayev previously said that there was no immediate threat of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, however, the Ukrainian army had been preparing for any scenario.
WATERLOO  A Waterloo man died by suicide just a day after being accused of being a sexual abuser on an Instagram page  an accusation his family vehemently denies and want police to take action on.

Tanvir Kahlon, 22, died by suicide on June 27, just one day after he was posted on an Instagram page called ExposingAbusersKW.

Kahlon was one of five men on the page at the time, although his post has since been removed. The page, which was created anonymously and gathers information from anonymous sources, aims to warn people about men who have allegedly sexually abused women in the past.

The ExposingAbusersKW Instagram page was mentioned in Kahlons suicide note, the Waterloo Chronicle has learned.

Kahlons uncle, with whom Kahlon had been living, said the person or persons responsible for creating the page need to be held accountable.

This page accused my nephew of things that were untrue. They have since removed his name and image which further proves this was a cruel and disgusting joke. Well sadly he paid the ultimate price because on (June 27) he took his own life, fully distraught over this, said Arun Ahuja in a Facebook post shortly after Kahlons death.

Blair Crew, director of legal aid at Queens University, says criminal charges are highly unlikely.

The likelihood that they would be held responsible, or at least criminally responsible, for a persons death would be very, very unlikely, said Crew, who has taught sexual assault law for the last 15 years.

And currently Canadian law is very poorly suited, from a criminal point of view, when dealing with any kind of online harassment or outing or however you decide to characterize it.

Crew said the only way, in this situation, someone could be held accountable criminally is if they directed someone else to take their own life.

However, Crew said, there could be an opportunity for a civil case against the person behind the page, as well as Instagram for hosting the content.

Waterloo Regional Police confirmed they are investigating the incident, although no charges have been laid.

Deputy Chief Shirley Hilton has taken over the investigation. When asked if this is normal procedure, police spokesperson Cherri Greeno said that Deputy Hilton oversees neighbourhood policing and investigations.

Police also say they are not aware of any sex crime-related charges against Kahlon.

Kahlons uncle, Ahuja, posted on his Facebook that three women were responsible for creating the page. When contacted, all three women denied having any involvement in the creation of the page.

Ahuja told the Chronicle he doesnt believe his nephew was guilty of being a sexual abuser. But he adds that Kahlon did have a brief history of mental illness.

I truly believe the allegations are false  he lived with me the last two years in my home with my 12-year-old stepdaughter. Ive had nothing but message after message from his (high) school friends saying they dont believe for one second the allegations, said Ahuja.

This is just a case of a scorned ex (girlfriend) that went too far and pushed the wrong buttons of a kid that had a history of mental illness.

Ahuja has personally met with Waterloo Regional Police Chief Bryan Larkin to talk about the situation.

Crew, who specializes in sexual assault when it comes to criminal law, said pages like these point to a deeper issue where women dont have confidence in police or the Canadian justice system.

Increasingly, survivors see this as one forum where they can share their stories, said Crew of anonymously-based profiles on sexual assault.

A lot of the times, these pages are created to warn other women. The reality is, when a survivor is sexually assaulted, there are all kinds of factors involved in whether or not they go to the police, said Crew, adding that right now, only about a third of sexual assault complaints end in charges by police.

The option of creating an online database to warn other women is an increasingly more attractive choice.

The risk in that is although its not going to reach criminal liability  there is potential for civil liability.

The ExposingAbusersKW page was created on or around June 26 and, as of July 9, had 674 followers.
Ottawa police have apologized for how they handled an incident where a white woman called 911 on a Black man in a park, leading the operator to tell the man hes intimidating the woman.

The incident was posted on Twitter and shows a woman walking by a lone man while describing him on the phone to a 911 operator.

The man who posted the video said it was taken by his brother, and said the woman called police because his brother wasnt two metres away from her while they crossed a bridge.

In the video, the woman turns the call on to speakerphone and the operator talks directly to the man to tell him hes intimidating the woman.

Sir... do we really need to send a police officer just for you let this girl by? the operator asks.

Im not stopping her from coming by, said the man before being interrupted.

Youre intimidating her, sir, OK, can you just stand to the side, the operator says, as the man replies that hes already standing to the side.

The man remains at a distance from the woman throughout the video and she eventually walks away while still on the phone.

The police force replied to the Twitter video and said they have spoken with the man who posted it to offer a full and unreserved apology.

We are fully reviewing this incident, said Ottawa Police on Twitter.

At this point it is clear that this was not an appropriate use of the 911 system and the Service did not act appropriately in handling the call.

Police said no charges have been applied related to the incident at this time.

The incident comes months after a video in New Yorks Central Park showed a white woman calling police after a Black man requested she leash her dog.

In that video, she told the man that shed call police and tell them he was threatening her.

She then called police and told the operator that the man was threatening as he stood at a distance from her.

The woman, who was since identified as Amy Cooper, has been charged with filing a false police report and was fired from her job over the May incident.

Cooper has since apologized and said she reacted emotionally and made false assumptions about the mans intentions.

With files from Associated Press

Read more about:
YEREVAN, JULY 10, ARMENPRESS. Head of the ruling My Step faction of the Parliament Lilit Makunts and MP Alexei Sandikov met with Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergei Kopyrkin.

Makunts said on Facebook that they have discussed with the Ambassador issues relating to the development of the Armenian-Russian relations.

As head of the My Step faction I introduced the Ambassador on the ongoing domestic political developments in our country. The meeting touched upon the ongoing legislative changes. In the context of promoting the bilateral ties we highlighted the role of the parliamentary diplomacy. We also highlighted the importance of joint efforts of Armenia and Russia in fighting the novel coronavirus, Lilit Makunts said.

She added that during the meeting they also exchanged views on the actions taken to ensure the return of the Armenian and Russian citizens to their home countries under the absence of regular flights these days.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
File photo

A new unknown pneumonia that is potentially deadlier than the novel coronavirus has reportedly killed more than 1,700 people this year in the Central Asian country of Kazakhstan, according to a warning issued by Chinese officials Thursday.



Kazakhstani Health Department and other agencies are conducting comparative research and have not defined the nature of the pneumonia virus, said the Chinese Embassy in Kazakhstan in a statement to its citizens there.

New cases of the unidentified pneumonia have been increasing significantly since mid-June across the country, said the embassy, adding that in some places, authorities are reporting hundreds of new cases a day.

The rise has so far been concentrated in the regions of Atyrau, Aktobe and Shymkent, which together have almost 500 new cases and more than 30 critically ill patients, said the embassy statement, citing local media.

The disease has killed 1,772 people this year, some of whom were Chinese citizens, according to the embassy. 628 of those deaths took place in June alone. This disease is much deadlier than Covid-19, said the statement.

The number of pneumonia cases in the capital city Nursultan have more than doubled this June from the same time last year, according to Kazakhstans prominent news agency Kazinform, which cited official data.

Up to 200 people are admitted to hospitals every day. Over the last few days some 300 people diagnosed with pneumonia were taken to hospitals a day. Besides some receive treatment at home, said the head of the Nursultan healthcare department, Kazinform reported.

The Chinese embassy warned residents in the region to limit how much they went outside, and to avoid crowded public areas. It also encouraged preventative measures like wearing a mask, disinfecting spaces, washing hands frequently, and allowing good air circulation in indoor spaces.

CNN has been unable to independently verify the Chinese Embassy report and has reached out to Kazakhstans Ministry of Healthcare for further details.

The warning comes as Kazakhstan continues to battle a rise in Covid-19, which has infected 53,021 people and killed 264 people so far, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Source: CNN
Nastya Lisitsyna, 16, who has described learning Welsh as her biggest passion (Nastya Lisitsyna/PA)

A Russian teenager has described learning Welsh as her biggest passion despite never having visited Wales or having any roots in the country.

Nastya Lisitsyna, 16, who was born in Smolensk and studies in Moscow, decided to learn the language nine months ago after seeing it on Instagram.

She has since completed the Welsh course on Duolingo, uses the Teach Yourself Welsh book and takes part in online workshops organised by Learn Welsh Pembrokeshire on behalf of the National Centre for Learning Welsh.

Last summer, I heard the name of the village Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch in a video and thought it would be a good idea to learn how to pronounce it, Nastya said.

Welsh is my biggest passion, therefore I would like to contribute to its popularisation in Russia and share my love for it Nastya Lisitsyna

I had to learn Welsh pronunciation rules to do it and I mastered it in the end.

This led me to learning the language, and after nine months I am still as excited about learning Welsh as I was on the very first day.

Nastya, who is studying natural sciences at the Higher School of Economics Lyceum in Moscow, has been studying online due to the coronavirus pandemic.

To improve her Welsh, she has been regularly speaking to people across Wales through Sadwrn Siarad workshops on Zoom.

A few of her fellow students and friends from across Russia and Belarus have also shown an interest in learning Welsh and they discuss the language together online.

There is no active Welsh society in Moscow but Nastya is hoping that will change.

I would love to find more Welsh learners in Moscow and possibly meet them in real life one day, she said.

My dream would be to visit Wales and practise my Welsh in the not too distant future Nastya Lisitsyna

Welsh is my biggest passion, therefore I would like to contribute to its popularisation in Russia and share my love for it.

I want to become fluent in Welsh and learn more about the country and its culture.

My dream would be to visit Wales and practise my Welsh in the not too distant future.
When New York City decided to reopen its school system, the nations largest, on a part-time basis in September, it set off a new child care crisis that could seriously threaten its ability to restart the local economy and recover from the coronavirus outbreak.

Business and union leaders say the city needs to mount a kind of Marshall Plan-like effort to find child care for many of the systems 1.1 million students when they are not in classrooms. They said there was no way the economy  from conglomerates in Midtown Manhattan to small businesses in Queens  could fully return to normal if parents had no choice but to stay at home to watch their children.

The concerns reflected a growing recognition across the nation that the reopening of schools could be the linchpin in the broader effort to undo the severe economic damage from the outbreak. New York City alone is facing its worst financial crisis since the 1970s, with an unemployment rate hovering near 20 percent.

There is no discussion of this right now thats serious, said Kathryn S. Wylde, chief executive of the Partnership for New York City, whose members include the citys biggest private-sector employers. There is not a serious solution. Which means that people will not be able to go back to work.
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- The accelerating resurgence of Covid-19 in the U.S. is filling me with dread. But whats even scarier is the propensity of Americans to ignore or downplay a malaise that is generating tens of thousands of entirely preventable deaths.

It makes total sense that the rest of the world wants to keep Americans out these days. Thanks at least in part to mostly young people socializing in bars and nightclubs, the country has been setting records for daily case counts, now nearing 3 million. In states that reopened early  Arizona, Florida, Texas  new Covid-19 cases have been increasing faster every day, suggesting that the disease is spreading exponentially.

The horrible data suggest that we have learned nothing from the tragic experience of the past several months, that things are spinning out of control and that wishing for the best is folly. When I, as a data scientist, see numbers like this  and recognize that even they are vastly understating the reality  I automatically extrapolate to the worst case scenario, in which millions of people die. I start to actually smell death.

Apparently, though, other humans are capable of avoiding such dreadful feelings. Somehow, they manage to look at the data differently, or to not look at the facts at all.

Some people, for example, put a positive spin on the death rates, which havent increased in tandem with the cases. They say that were recording more cases because testing has improved, that were treating patients better, that the afflicted are younger and hence more likely to survive.

Im not seeing it. Yes, testing has roughly tripled in Arizona, but so has the percentage of people testing positive (from about 7.5% to about 25%). This suggests that more of the people coming in to get tested have a major reason to think theyre sick, and that the tests are missing even more of the people with mild or no symptoms. In short, positive rates tripling means testing should have increased by 9-fold at least. The numbers in Florida (positive rate 19%, up from 4%) and Texas (positive rate 14%, up from 6%) suggest the situation in those states is similar. As testing capacity fails to meet demand and the process gets increasingly arduous, more and more people will stay home rather than wait in line for hours to confirm what they already know. Were losing data coverage by the day, along with our grasp on reality.

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True, treatments are better, but I havent heard any medical professional say that they can turn a fatal case around. They mainly help get non-terminal patients out of the hospital sooner. Medications such as Remdesivir dont actually claim to have improved mortality rates.

The story with the death statistics is a time lag: The young people who are getting sick first tend to survive, and older people can take a while to die. This obvious fact is making my dread worse, not better. As society gets increasingly crowded with sick people, theyll be more likely to infect the elderly and people with underlying conditions. Its just a matter of time before the disease again seeps into nursing homes, rehabs and prisons.

At the far end of optimism comes outright denial. Some people claim that contact tracers automatically count all contacts as positive cases (not true), or use methodological issues as an excuse to assume overcounting. This is disingenuous skepticism of statistics, intentionally courting confusion to avoid bad news, to foment fear and passivity rather than action.

None of this bodes well for the human species. If we can ignore and obfuscate a threat that is staring us right in the face, how will we navigate more distant dangers such as climate change or water supply? Sure, a rosy outlook can be psychologically helpful at times, but this is one of those moments where we have to be realistic about bad news, rather than throw up our hands and pretend its not happening.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Cathy ONeil is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. She is a mathematician who has worked as a professor, hedge-fund analyst and data scientist. She founded ORCAA, an algorithmic auditing company, and is the author of Weapons of Math Destruction.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion

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Despite wanting to ignore the tedious and repetitive subject of climate change (the biggest loser from the COVID-19 crisis, by the way), now and then there is some actual news worthy of note. Here are two items of interest:

 Several years back we reported on the preposterous energy claims of Stanford Prof. Mark Jacobson (most of whose Stanford colleagues think him a joke), who claims the U.S. can derive 100 percent of its energy needs from renewable energy sources including especially pumped storage (think dams), which is laughably absurd, as the environmental lawsuits against building large scale pumped storage facilities in states like California and Colorado would last into the next millennium. (Greenies who celebrate the recent court rulings blocking oil and natural gas pipelines may want to consider: sauce for the goose.)

In any case, in this post in 2017 we reported on the large number of energy experts, mostly from within the conventional climate and energy community, who thoroughly debunked Jacobsons flim-flam in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Jacobson responded by suing his critics for $10 million, as we reported here, with the comment: Nothing says I have confidence in my work more than a lawsuit against your critics. Or maybe Jacobson didnt want Michael Mann to be the undisputed champion of bringing whinny litigation against critics.

Jacobson subsequently dropped his suit, probably when he sobered up and a lawyer explained what a real suit would cost and how badly he was going to lose, but that wasnt the very end of the story. Retraction Watch reports this week:

Its not incompetently drafted, but its clearly vexatious and intended to silence dissent about an alleged scientists peer-reviewed article.

In February 2018, following a hearing at which PNAS argued for the case to be dismissed, Jacobson dropped the suit, telling us that he was expecting them to settle. The defendants then filed, based on the anti-SLAPP  for Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation  statute in Washington, DC, for Jacobson to pay their legal fees. . . Jacobson could be on the hook for more than $600,000, the total of what the plaintiffs have told the court were their legal costs  $535,900 for PNAS, and $75,000 for Clack.

More at the link above, but you get the idea. Also: potentially bad news for Michael Manns ridiculous and protracted lawsuit against National Review and Mark Steyn.

 Back in 1995 Gregg Easterbrook published A Moment on the Earth: The Coming Age of Environmental Optimism. It was a great book, and although dated, still worth a look if you are a student of the subject. As you can tell by the subtitle (which never came true, alas), Easterbrook took a heterodox view that enraged the environmental movement whose commitment to the apocalypse is central to their very being. The Environmental Defense Fund, supposed a moderate activist group, went to DefCon 1, putting out repeated attacks on the book and launching an early website to sustain the attack on the heretic. It was all nitpicking, of course, designed simply to smear Easterbrook.

Well, the same thing is happening now to Michael Shellenberger over his new book Apocalypse Never: Why Environmental Alarmism Hurts Us All. Michael was on our podcast last monthgive the episode a listen if you missed it, but by all means by the book. As the book is enjoying strong early sales, the climate campaigners are not happy. So theyre attacking, but the mode of attack is amusing and revealing of the deep insecurity of the climatistas.

The most interesting incident is a column Michael wrote for Forbes online (he has been a Forbes contributor for a long while now on energy and environmental subjects) where he offered a personal apology for having spent much of his earlier career hyping the climate crisis narrative

On behalf of environmentalists everywhere, I would like to formally apologise for the climate scare we created over the last 30 years. Climate change is happening, its just not the end of the world. Its not even our most serious environmental problem.

For some reason that has still not been explained adequately to my knowledge, Forbes took the piece down. Sounds like maybe Forbes has hired too many editorial staff from the New York Times? (The official story is that the piece was too self-promotional, but this sounds weak.) In any case, The Spectator has picked up the piece, and you can read the whole thing here.

And then theres social media, where the fury expresses itself in the usual style of personal and ad hominem attacks on Michael. Hes not an actual climate scientist! Hes a hack! Hes a lightweight who shouldnt be taken seriously!

So why do the climatistas have their knickers in such a bunch about his book? Quite telling when theyve taken a torpedo below the water line.
First-ever images of a group of Cross River gorillas with several infants have been captured by the Remote camera trap monitoring by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). The rare sighting was recorded on Mbe Mountains in cross river state, Nigeria, and is an indication that Cross River gorillas are reproducing due to the field-based protection efforts. Critically endangered, the species were last in 2012 in Cameroons Kagwene Gorilla Sanctuary when only about 300 were alive, according to a release by the WCS.

Cross River gorillas are rarely seen, let alone photographed, even by remote cameras, WCS said in a statement.

It is extremely exciting to see so many young Cross River gorillas  an encouraging indication that these gorillas are now well protected and reproducing successfully, after previous decades of hunting, Director of WCS Nigerias Cross River Landscape, Inaoyom Imong, said. While hunters in the region may no longer target gorillas, the threat of hunting remains, and we need to continue to improve the effectiveness of our protection efforts, he added. Home to about a third of the Nigerian gorilla population, the Mbe Mountains forest, provides an important link between Afi Mountain and Okwangwo, which have been managed jointly by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the Conservation Association of the Mbe Mountains as a community wildlife sanctuary since 2005.

Read: San Francisco Mountain Lion May Have Killed Zoo Animals

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It is wonderful to see images of gorillas from the Mbe Mountains that show so many young animals, indicating that the population there is in good health Professor John Oates, lead author of the first Cross River gorilla action plan in 2007 said.

16 eco-guards for law enforcement patrol

Classified as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Cross-River gorillas face threats to their habitat due to logging and wood harvesting, according to IUCN report. Further, the World Wildlife Fund classified Cross River gorillas as endangered on the website. In collaboration with local communities and in cooperation with the Cross-River State Government in Afi Mountain and the Nigeria National Park Service in Okwangwo, WCS has deployed a team of 16 eco-guards for law enforcement patrols of the sanctuary to protect gorillas.

Read: PETA India Distressed Over Animal Abuse, Urges Govt To Strengthen Laws To Protect Animals

Read: Houses Damaged, Animals Killed As Pak Shells Villages Along LoC In Rajouri, Poonch

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.
(Newser)  What the Guardian calls a "farcical ending" to an elite running event must've felt as crushing as it did absurd to the sprinter at the center of it all. On Thursday, 22-year-old Noah Lyles was a contender in the 200-meter race in the Inspiration Games, in which 30 runners competed virtually from seven locations around the globe due to the COVID-19 pandemic, per Runner's World. Running on a track in Bradenton, Fla., Lyles, the reigning 200-meter world champ, finished in an astounding 18.90 secondsbreaking his own personal best of 19.50, as well as Usain Bolt's world record of 19.19 seconds set in 2009. "That cannot be right!" retired runner Steve Cram can be heard exclaiming during the live broadcast, per CBS News.

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The fact that Lyles was running into a headwind made it seem even more unlikely, the New York Daily News notes. As it turns out, it wasn't right: Organizers had Lyles line up in the wrong track lane, meaning the distance he had to run was cut to just 185 meters. Adjusted for 200 meters, Lyle's time would've been around 20.4 secondswhich still would've beat his competitors, except he was disqualified from the race. French runner Christophe Lemaitre was given the win in Switzerland with a time of 20.65 seconds. "You can't be playing with my emotions like this .... got me in the wrong [line] smh," Lyles tweeted after the race. (Read more runner stories.)
Ethan Miller/Getty ImagesJudas Priest has announced that the dates on the band's 50th anniversary tour this fall have either been canceled or postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A number of dates, including stops in Washington, D.C., Dallas, Denver and Los Angeles, will be moved to the fall of 2021, while others, such as shows in Philadelphia, Chicago and Detroit, were not able to be rescheduled.

"We have every intention of adding more shows and cities to our 50th anniversary tour in the fall of 2021," the metal legends declare. "As soon as we have the new dates finalized, we will announce them."

For the shows that have been postponed, previously purchased tickets will be valid at the new dates. Those who purchased tickets to the canceled shows will automatically receive refunds in the next 30 days.

For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit JudasPriest.com.

By Josh Johnson

Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
A Lao middle-school student near the countrys capital Vientiane was removed from class in the middle of an exam on July 6 for sporting an improper hairstyle, sparking a social media uproar and angering his mother, who said the rules were unclear and her son should have been allowed at least to finish his exam before being sent home.



To tell the truth, I dont even know what the standard hairstyle is that the school requires, or how short its supposed to be, the 11-year-old boys mother told RFAs Lao Service in an exchange of messages on Facebook. The boy's name has been withheld because he is a minor and his mother asked not to be identified to avoid repercussions for talking to foreign media.



But if his hairstyle violated school rules, he should have been warned first and allowed to finish his exam, instead of being kicked out of the classroom in the middle of the exam with his work almost finished, she said.



Writing on social media, where his mothers post about the expulsion was shared by thousands, parents of students at another school meanwhile expressed sympathy and support for the expelled student, voicing concern that having been removed from class before completing his exam, he may now fail his class and face future disappointment in life.



This was not a serious violation, a female high school student added. He had worked hard for a long time to prepare for his exam, and the school should at least have let him finish taking it before kicking him out.



If he was just trying to copy his peers and had ignored many warnings from his teacher, then he should have been removed from class, though, she said.



Reached for comment, a former official from the school district told RFA that Ministry of Education and Sport regulations dont specifically state that a student may be expelled in the middle of exams for wearing an improperhair style.



Its up to the schools to independently enforce the rules, he said, adding that each school enforces education ministry rules differently.



Even though I dont personally agree with expelling a student in the middle of exams, I cant say anything about that. Its their school, he said.



Reported by RFAs Lao Service. Translated by Sidney Khotpanya. Written in English by Richard Finney.
The state common entrance test (CET) cell on Friday, allowed the MBBS students who have tested positive for Covid-19, and are under quarantine, to complete their admission process for postgraduate courses online.

The circular came a day after HT reported about the Covid positive MBBS students unable to confirm their admissions to postgraduate courses. This circular, however, only gives relief to students who have tested positive and are under quarantine or after one or more family members have tested positive for the virus. All other students will have to physically report to their allotted colleges by July 14.

In view of various representations from candidates who cannot physically join the allotted college, it is hereby decided by the authority that if the candidate or his/her parents have tested positive for Covid-19 and are currently in quarantine, they should send their scanned documents to the allotted college for confirming the admissions, stated the circular signed by CET cell commissioner Sandeep Kadam.

The circular further states that allotted colleges will verify documents of students online and accordingly confirm seats.

I am currently working at a civic hospital in Mumbai, while my allotted college is in Nanded district. The travel will have to be arranged by me and that will be expensive considering the travel restrictions in place. We have repeatedly requested the CET cell to allow us to complete the process online, but have been denied the option, which is unfair, said a student on condition of anonymity.

Officials from the state CET cell said their decision as announced in the latest circular stands final and students will have to abide by the same.

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Britain has an obsession with timber, leather and beef from Brazil, according to wildlife charities, who claim it is 'having a heavy impact' on rainforest wildfires.

Brazil, home to two-thirds of the Amazon rainforest, is one of the riskiest countries from which the UK imports key agricultural commodities, say the WWF and RSPB.

In a new report the WWF say fires are being set deliberately to make room for agriculture to feed growing demand from places like the UK.

The latest figures suggest that 2,248 fire outbreaks were detected in the Amazon biome for the month of June - the highest number for 13 years.

Brazil represents 13.9 per cent of the UK overseas land footprint, according to a new report, equal to about 800,000 hectares or five times the area of Greater London.

The WWF and RSPB have called on the UK government to introduce new laws and policies to take deforestation of natural habitats out of the supply chain.

A government spokesperson said they were considering all the recommendations from the report including a mandatory due diligence obligation.

Brazil, home to two-thirds of the Amazon rainforest, is one of the riskiest countries from which the UK imports key agricultural commodities, say the WWF and RSPB

Brazil is home to 464 globally threatened species including the giant anteater and the black-faced black spider monkey, both at risk from deforestation.

UK demand for soy, timber, pulp, paper, beef and leather is having a heavy impact on some of the world's most nature-rich landscapes, the WWF study claimed.

The charity is also urging the government to ensure that post-Brexit trade deals won't contribute to environmental destruction.

International Environment Minister Zac Goldsmith said said the WWF and RSPB had made an important connection between what we buy and their footprint.

He said the government was 'working hard to tackle deforestation and protect wildlife both at home and overseas.'

'A lot of progress has already been made to ensure more sustainable UK supply chains, but we know that more needs to be done,' explained Goldsmith.

'We are looking closely at the independent recommendations to consider what more we can do more to reduce the UKs environmental footprint overseas, and will set out our formal response later this year.'

New data released today from WWF and RSPB details the impact of key commodities, with specific examples from biodiverse landscapes.

Mike Barrett, Executive Director of Science and Conservation at WWF-UK, said it was no coincidence fires have already sparked in Brazil this year.

He said it has happened in the areas that have suffered deforestation from commodities including soy.

'These fires are not a natural occurrence in the Amazon  they are set deliberately to burn trees that have been illegally cut to clear the way for agriculture,' he said.

'But the cost is too high. The UK must take a stand against the destruction by bringing in new laws and policies to cut deforestation out of our supply chains. UK consumers should not be forced to unwittingly contribute to the Amazon burning.'

Martin Harper, Director of Global Conservation at RSPB, said communities in the UK are fiercely protective of local beauty spots and natural habitats.

'Planning applications to cut down woodlands time after time provoke a powerful backlash from residents,' he said.

'We wouldn't want to tear up the greenbelt for commercial use here, but importing products linked to the destruction of the Amazon rainforest simply outsources the destruction of nature.'

He said if the UK government wants to be taken seriously as a global environmental leader then it needs to 'urgently take action'.

The charities want new laws to ensure agricultural supply chains are not wrecking the planet, saying it is 'time for government to stop passing the buck to consumers'.

Brazil is home to 464 globally threatened species including the giant anteater and the black-faced black spider monkey, both at risk from deforestation

Alongside beef production, soy has historically been one of the commodities responsible for deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon and destruction of its neighbour, the species-rich Cerrado grassland savannah.

Only around 27 per cent of soy was officially certified as not being associated with deforestation or destruction of habitats.

This means almost 75 per cent could be a deforestation threat to landscapes globally, according to the WWF report

In Brazil, just 2.8 per cent of all soy produced was certified sustainable.

The UK is dependent on soy imports from Brazil  nearly half of which comes from the Mato Grosso state, the report explains.

The volumes imported from this one state are so large that 93,000 hectares of soy plantations are needed  equivalent to more than half the size of Greater London.

Deforestation in the Amazon parts of Mato Grosso increased by 19 per cent last year.

Soy production in Mato Grosso is likely to be putting pressure on forests either directly or indirectly by replacing cattle ranches which themselves replaced forests.

Of the 2,248 fires detected in the Amazon during June, 58 per cent were in Mato Grosso state, the charities said, explaining their claim of a link to UK consumption.

A Defra spokesperson said the government has convened a global resource initiative taskforce to recommend actions the UK can take to address its global supply chain footprint including across palm oil and soya.
(JTA)  Aristides de Sousa Mendes, a Portuguese diplomat who saved thousands of Jews during the Holocaust, will be recognized with a monument at a site in Lisbon that recognizes the countrys greatest figures.

The parliament decreed the honor unanimously earlier this month at the National Assembly in Portugals capital. The monument will go in the National Pantheon, a former church.

Aristides Sousa Mendes, as a heroic historical figure, is part of Portugals national patrimony, the resolution reads. A moral legacy for all, his heritage is for the whole of civil society and above all a virtuous example for future generations.

In 1940, Mendes served as consul in Bordeaux, France, where he gave visas to refugees fleeing the Nazi advance. He is estimated to have saved 30,000 people, including 10,000 Jews.

After his actions in Bordeaux, a city located just 120 miles north of Frances border with Spain and the Iberian Peninsula, Mendes was suspended and fired from the diplomatic service of Portugal, then a dictatorship under Antonio de Oliveira Salazar.

However, Mendes was posthumously vindicated and recognized as a Righteous Among the Nations, a title conferred on behalf of the State of Israel by the Yad Vashem Holocaust museum in Jerusalem to non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust.

Mendes, who died in 1954, was the first diplomat to receive the title, posthumously in 1966.

He has received several honors in his native Portugal, including by the national airline TAP, which in 2014 named an airplane for him.
Mark Royden, 47, has been sentenced after attempting to steal the Magna Carta. (PA Images)

A man who attempted to steal a version of the Magna Carta which he believed was fake has been jailed.

Mark Royden, from Canterbury, used a hammer to smash the security case containing the historic document at Salisbury Cathedral, Salisbury Crown Court was told.

He had scoped out the building for security but after he attacked the case he was pursued by onlookers and detained.

Royden, 47, later told police he doubted its authenticity. He was found guilty at Salisbury Crown Court of attempting to steal the document and causing criminal damage to its display case, which cost 14,466 to repair.

Sentencing him to four years in prison on Friday, judge Richard Parkes QC said: This was a determined attempt on a document of huge historical importance.

Magna Carta is a document of huge importance to our country and many other countries that share our democratic traditions.

The Reverend Canon Nicholas Charles Papadopulos beside the glass case, which houses the Magna Carta, inside the Chapter House at Salisbury Cathedral with hammer holes in the glass. (PA Images)

Roydens trial heard that he plotted a route that would avoid CCTV cameras at Salisbury Cathedral and brought a hammer, gloves and safety googles with him in October 2018.

The court was told he turned a camera away to try and avoid being recorded and set a fire alarm off as a distraction before smashing the security case.

He was then chased by a pair of American tourists and staff working at the cathedral.

Leigh Chalmers, a cathedral outreach worker, said in the trial that she and others struggled with Royden.

She said: The Americans were shouting, Hes trying to steal the Magna Carta, stop him, I was saying Please, please stop him.

He was caught by stone masons working at the cathedral and he said: Your securitys s***.

Prosecutor Rob Welling said Royden made comments that he should get a medal for what he had done and he could have done more damage if he had a samurai sword.

Welling said Royden made an odd prepared statement to police in which he doubted the Magna Cartas authenticity.

Salisbury Cathedral Verger Tyler Ringwood-Hoare inspects the reinstalled original Magna Carta inside the medieval Chapter House. (PA Images)

His comments included: You cant talk to me about the holy grail so to speak, if you find a bag on the floor which says cocaine on it, you would have to test that bag forensically, as for your holy grail, you would need a carbon test and a trace element test.

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Judge Parkes praised the actions of people who stopped Royden, including Matthew and Alexis Delcambre, from Louisiana in the US.

He called on Major General Ashley Truluck, high sherrif of Wiltshire, to award Matthew 1,000 and 500 to Gary Price, a cathedral employee.

The judge said said: This is a story of a few good people acting alertly and bravely and they deserve our sincere thanks.

Mr Royden wishes me to advance he couldnt plead guilty to the offences because there was a Russian flag on the cathedral at some point and he didnt feel he could advance a guilty plea because that may implicate him as a Russian spy because of Theresa May.

Magna Carta, issued by King John in response to a political crisis in 1215, is a key part of the British constitution and a document still held in high esteem today.

Though many of its provisions have been repealed, it challenged the authority of the king and notably allowed for free men to be given a fair trial, the British Library said, and established for the first time that the monarch was subject to the law.

Royden attempted to take the Magna Carta from its case at Salisbury Cathedral. (PA Images)

Royden, who has 23 previous convictions covering 51 offences including theft and criminal damage, including against items of the establishment, suffered brain damage in a car accident in 1991 and is helped by a carer.

He had spray painted Exeter police stations doors, attacked council benches and put a concrete block through a solicitors firms windows.

Nicholas Cotter, defending, said Royden had become a pest and a pain who was mired in drink and drugs.

He is a caring, kind and helpful man and tries to do his best by people but he is blighted by demons, Cotter said.

He added: Mr Royden wishes me to advance he couldnt plead guilty to the offences because there was a Russian flag on the cathedral at some point and he didnt feel he could advance a guilty plea because that may implicate him as a Russian spy because of Theresa May.

The copy in Salisbury was back on display three months after the attempted theft, and the damaged case was to be made part of the exhibition which tells the Magna Cartas history.
Jacom Stephens/Getty Images

Federal authorities have arrested a woman accused of killing her 3-year-old daughter 27 years ago in East Palo Alto before fleeing to Mexico, officials said.

U.S. marshals arrested Yolanda Ortega on Tuesday in Oxnard (Ventura County) after an extensive investigation, authorities said. Ortega will be transported to San Mateo County for her first court appearance.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 9)  Cebu Pacific will lay off hundreds of its employees as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the aviation industry worldwide, the budget carrier announced on Thursday.

In a statement, Cebu Pacific (CEB) said it "is constrained to retrench more than 800 employees by August 2020" after weeks of reviewing and redefining long-term plans to suit the changing needs of customers, employers, and the entire travel industry.

The airline said last month it will conduct a review of long-term plans in light of expected shifts in consumer behavior and travel demand in the long run due to the pandemic.

"It was clear after this process that CEB was too big for the operational requirements and expected new norms in the industry," Cebu Pacific said, adding the decision was "difficult but necessary" in satisfying its commitment to provide the public affordable and accessible transport services.

Affected employees will be receiving a retrenchment package which includes the following:

- One-month basic salary for every year of service, tax free

- Gratuity pay equivalent to one-month basic salary, tax free

- Health (HMO) coverage for the rest of the year

- Pro-rated 13th month pay and conversion of unused leaves

- Two round-trip tickets to any destination

"CEB understands the potential difficulty to find employment at this time. Together with JG Summit, CEB will assist affected employees by connecting them to opportunities across the conglomerate," said the budget carrier. "Outplacement sessions and malasakit transition programs will also be made available."

This is the second time the coronavirus crisis forced Cebu Pacific to scale down its workforce.

In mid-March, it laid off over 150 cabin crew members following travel bans to and from Metro Manila and key provinces in light of the pandemic.

Other measures enforced to cut costs

Cebu Pacific likewise stated actions it took to further trim down expenses amid the crisis.

These include the deferral of projects "not critical to improving operational efficiency or passenger experience" along with implementing pay cuts on the airline's executives for augmenting salaries and allowances for other employees.

The budget carrier also put new hires, promotions and salary adjustments on hold and reduced work schedules across the entire organization.

Cebu Pacific likewise revealed tenured employees were offered a voluntary separation, saying it was "clear" the rebuilding of its flight network and operational restart was "slower than expected."

Major airline companies in the country have resumed limited domestic flights earlier this month after the government decided to ease lockdown measures in the capital region and other areas.

Despite this, Cebu Pacific said the number of flights to date amount to less than 10 percent of its pre-quarantine network.

CNN Philippines correspondent Paolo Barcelon contributed to this report.
US wonder drug Remdesivir has been given the go-ahead to become the first approved treatment for COVID-19 in Australia.

The drug - the only major treatment globally to receive approval to treat the novel coronavirus since the pandemic began - has been given provisional approval to use in hospitalised patients with severe cases of the deadly respiratory disease.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration said in a statement Remdesivir would reduce strain on the Australian health care system and help patients in hospital recover more quickly.

'Remdesivir offers the potential to reduce the strain on Australia's health care system,' the national therapeutic goods regulator said in a statement.

US drug Remdesivir has been given provisional approval to become the first approved treatment for COVID-19 in Australia. The drug is pictured in a vial in March at a facility in California.

'Remdesivir will not be available to Australians unless they are severely unwell, requiring oxygen or high level support to breathe, and in hospital care.

'While this is a major milestone in Australia's struggle against the pandemic, it is important to emphasise that the product has not been shown to prevent coronavirus infection or relieve milder cases of infection.'

The TGA said a 'large multidisciplinary review team' had been working around the clock to reach a point where it could approve the drug for consumption by the Australian public.

The government division added the approval based on initial clinical data was provisional - meaning the green light for its use in Australia would lapse after six years.

The US has already cleared the treatment for use in emergencies and Japan, Taiwan, India, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates have approved it for COVID-19 therapy.

The drug's manufacturer Gilead Sciences has come under fire in the US for announcing even patients with private insurance would have to pay US$3,120 (AUD$4,489) for a typical treatment course.

A lab technician holds Remdesivir at Eva Pharma Facility in Cairo, Egypt in June. Authorities hope the drug will reduce strain on the Australian health care system and increase COVID-19 recovery times

Gilead has priced its product at USD$390 (AUD$561) per 100 mg vial for wealthier nations - while signing licensing deals with generic producers to make the treatment widely available.

In India, pharmaceutical company Cipla Ltd has priced its generic version of remdesivir, Cipremi, at 4,000 rupees (AUD$77) per 100 mg vial.

The Indian drugmaker said on Wednesday their drug was among the lowest priced versions of the COVID-19 treatment available so far globally.

Pictured: The offices of Gilead Sciences Inc - the manufacturer of Remdesivir - 145km south of Los Angeles

A vial of Remdesivir is pictured during a news conference at the University Hospital Eppendorf (UKE) in Hamburg, Germany on April 8

Cipla had earlier said pricing would not exceed 5,000 rupees (AUD$96).

On Tuesday, Sovereign Pharma, which is manufacturing and packaging the drug for Cipla, said it had dispatched the first batch.

Cipla India business chief executive officer and executive vice president Nikhil Chopra said the company was launching Cipremi commercially on Wednesday and aims to supply over 80,000 vials within the first month.
CAMBRIDGE CITY, Ind.  Four children were killed Thursday when the car in which they were riding on Interstate 70 was struck by a semi-tractor-trailer and caught fire.

Those killed were Anesa Noel Acosta, 15; Quintin Michael McGowan, 13; Brekkin Riley Bruce, 8; and Trentin Beau Bruce, 6, according to the Indiana State Police in a news release. They were all siblings.

A passerby pulled the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu's driver, Aaron Bruce, 34, of Kansas City, Missouri, out of his vehicle, according to the release. A medical helicopter flew the severely injured driver to Eskenazi Hospital in Indianapolis. He remains in critical condition in the burn unit, according to Sheriff Randy Retter.

None of the Chevrolet's passengers  the four children  was able to escape the car, the release said. Firefighters from Cambridge City, Greens Fork and Hagerstown responded to extinguish the fire.

Emergency vehicles line up along eastbound Interstate 70 near Cambridge City after an accident Thursday, July 9, 2020.

"It was a tough scene. It was very tough," Sgt. John Bowling of the Indiana State Police said. "It can be emotionally draining on first responders when you're on a scene as trying as that one. Any loss of life is tragic, but it's especially hard when it's children."

The driver of a Kenworth truck failed to slow for the construction zone and crashed into a Chevrolet passenger car, police said.

The truck pushed the car into the rear of another semi tractor-trailer, then pushed the car off the left lane onto a berm where both vehicles burst into flames, police said.

The driver of a 2004 Kenworth truck, Corey Withrow, 31, of Camden, Ohio, escaped his burning truck and was taken to Reid Health with non-life-threatening injuries, the release said. A Wayne County Sheriff's Office investigation indicates drugs were a contributing factor in the accident, and Withrow was booked about 1:20 a.m. Friday at the Wayne County Jail after his treatment at Reid.

He is preliminarily charged with four counts of felony reckless homicide, four counts felony operating while intoxicated causing death and one felony count of operating while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury, according to a news release from Retter.

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Corey Withrow

The accident occurred as Withrow was eastbound pulling a loaded box trailer in the right lane. According to Bowling, Withrow came upon traffic that was slowed but moving as it merged left where a construction zone west of the Indiana 1 interchange funneled traffic to one lane. Withrow failed to slow his Kenworth and struck the rear of the slowed Chevrolet.

Withrow was driving erratically and at high speed prior to the accident, according to the sheriff's department release. Preliminary toxicology reports indicated that Withrow had multiple drugs in his system.

The Kenworth pushed the Chevrolet into the left rear corner of another semi pulling tandem trailers that also was slowed to merge, the state police release said. The second of the tandem trailers was ripped off its axle as the Kenworth continued pushing the Chevrolet through the left lane and into the median, where both vehicles caught fire.

The driver of the second truck, Thomas Flaherty, 57, of Springfield, Ohio, was not injured.

Follow Mike Emery on Twitter: @PI_Mike.

This article originally appeared on Richmond Palladium-Item: 4 Indiana children die in I-70 accident; semi driver jailed
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The Anchorage School District announced a plan to begin holding in-person classes two days per week when schools reopen in the fall.

The district announced Thursday that in-person classes are expected to resume a five-day schedule after two and a half weeks of reopening, The Anchorage Daily News reported.

District officials scheduled Aug. 20 as the first day of classes since schools closed in March at the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Schools likely will switch to a medium- to low-risk level in September, with students in school five days per week but for 5 1/2 hours per day rather than the previous school day of 6 1/2 hours, the district plan said.

Deputy superintendent Mark Stock said during a briefing Thursday that the shortened schedule calls for students at each school to be separated into two groups, or cohorts, attending on opposite days of the week.

The district will also offer a virtual school program in which parents concerned about exposure to the coronavirus can register children with neighbourhood schools and participate in online classes with support from teachers.

Our goal was to develop a plan that can mitigate those risks and provide parents options, Stock said. We recognize that every plan isnt perfect for every family.

Students, teachers, staff and families experience different risks from the virus, district Superintendent Deena Bishop said Thursday.

The plan focuses on rigorous health and safety protocols, Bishop said.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. But for some  especially older adults and people with existing health problems  it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.
Ibrahim Boubacar Keita is a man under immense pressure.

For weeks now, the Malian president  widely known by his initials, IBK  has been cornered by a popular protest movement that seems determined to continue taking to the streets until he steps down.

Mobilised by Mahmoud Dicko, a charismatic and hugely influential preacher, tens of thousands of opposition supporters twice last month rallied in the capital, Bamako, to denounce corruption and the governments handling of a worsening security situation, as well as alleged electoral malpractices and the lack of judicial reform.

Keita, in recent days, has floated a number of moves to quell the growing dissatisfaction, including a promise to reform the countrys Constitutional Court. In April, the court had overturned the results for at least 30 seats in Marchs parliamentary election, sparking protests in several cities.

In a televised address to the nation in the early hours of Thursday, the embattled president appeared to go a step further saying he was open to dissolving parliament and holding a fresh vote.

If peace in Mali depends on it, and that I have the constitutional means to do it without the risk of creating a constitutional vacuum damaging for the whole country, I will do it without hesitation, said the 75-year-old president, who took office in 2013 and won a second term five years later with a landslide victory.





But the presidents announcements appear to have had no effect.

[The] speech completely failed, wrote on Twitter Moussa Sinko Coulibay, a protest leader, describing it far from the expectations of Malians.

As a result, the opposition coalition behind the protests, M5-RFP, is planning to return to the streets on Friday.

It is difficult to predict what could happen in the coming days. But what is certain is that there is a real social protest to which the government is struggling to respond, Boubacar Sangare, a researcher at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) think-tank, told Al Jazeera.

The opposition demands the resignation of the president and the establishment of a transition. The president proposes a government of national unity and a political pact over three years. The president could gain respite if he managed to make significant concessions to this movement. For the moment, he has instead decided to engage in a showdown, Sangare said.

Keita won 67 percent of the 2018 vote in an election marred by rebel attacks and claims of fraud by the opposition [Ludovic Marin/Reuters]

Mali cannot afford a prolonged period of political instability.

The gold and cotton-producing country of some 19 million people has been engulfed by conflict since 2012 when an uprising by Tuareg separatists erupted in the north. The rebellion was quickly overtaken by armed groups that have expanded their reach in the wider Sahel region despite the presence of thousands of troops, including international forces.

The escalating violence has spilled into neighbouring Niger and Burkina Faso, with attacks growing fivefold between 2016 and 2020.

As the political wrangling continues in Bamako, fighters are wreaking havoc in central Mali, where some 600 civilians have been killed so far this year in the unrest including armed group attacks and intercommunity violence.

Last week, at least 30 civilians were killed in the Mopti region after unidentified armed men attacked four villages.

On Wednesday, Amnesty International warned the deteriorating security situation could fuel humanitarian disaster.

A substantial part of the population in central Mali depends on the work done during the rainy season to sustain their livelihood. The failure to protect civilians, including farmers, from these brutal attacks could lead to a humanitarian crisis, said Ousmane Diallo, Amnestys West Africa researcher.

Sangare, the ISS researcher, said Mali is at a crossroads.

The outcome of this crisis will determine the countrys future  at least in the medium term, he added, pointing to Fridays rally as an indicator of what could happen next.

The demonstration planned for July 10 will be a major turning point and will give us more clarity on the options left for the president, Sangare said.

Follow Hamza Mohamed on Twitter: @Hamza_Africa
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The Permanent Secretary of the Bureau Dr Zainab Ibrahim Braji disclosed this when she received Chairman and members of Kano state House of Assembly committee on Land matters.

Dr Zainab Braji pointed out that when automation system completed all departments and units would be connected in order to ease and simplify its activities.

She also told the committee that, with the support and cooperation of her staff she brought so many changes in the Bureau which includes: reintroduction of One-stop-shop, creating forensic investigation unit, establishing synergy with the security agencies and bring discipline among staff.

Speaking earlier, the chairman of the committee Alh Muhammad Uba Gurjiya member representing Bunkure constituency, said they were at the Bureau to introduce themselves and to intimate with the Bureaus management to resolve land matters and bring sanity into it.

Uba Gurjiya commended the permanent secretary the way she handle the Bureau with trust and dedication.
(Newser)  President Trump's campaign staffers have had their eye for some time on New Hampshire as a state they could flip in November, after Trump barely lost there in 2016. That's why an upcoming rally in New Hampshire over the weekend was viewed as an important one, but it's one that will now have to wait. "The rally scheduled for Saturday in Portsmouth ... has been postponed for safety reasons because of Tropical Storm Fay," campaign communications chief Tim Murtaugh announced Friday, per the Hill, which notes wind and heavy rains were expected in the area. Murtaugh says the rally will be rescheduled once a date has been selected. USA Today notes the event was set to be a "test run" of sorts to see if big rallies like this are even worth having anymore during the pandemic, with one GOP fundraiser calling it a "make-or-break moment for Trump."

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The president's rally in Tulsa, Okla., last month wasn't as well attended as had been hoped, and before Saturday's rally was put on hold, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway tried to tamp down expectations, per CNN. "I think there are so many millions, literally, of Trump-Pence voters who don't want to go to rallies because they are already supporting the president," she told Fox News on Friday. "They don't want to go to rallies because maybe they're older or they have some of the underlying comorbidities." After criticism that Tulsa's rally was held indoors during the pandemic, Portsmouth's rally was set to be in an open-air venuean airplane hangar with at least one side open. Before Portsmouth's rally was put on the calendar, Trump's team had planned to have one in Alabama, but that one was nixed due to coronavirus concerns by local officials. (Read more campaign rally stories.)
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After the henchmen of dreaded gangster Vikas Dubey ambushed Uttar Pradesh police last week, six criminals have been killed in encounters. Vikas Dubey himself was killed early on July 10 after he reportedly tried to attack policemen while making an attempt to flee.

While the nation wanted to see the man behind the bars for killing policemen and politicians among others, extorting and much more, several persons have raised questions behind the alleged circumstances that led to the encounter.

It has left many surmising if the gangster was killed to hide a larger political nexus that might have been protecting him all along or if he could have revealed some other damning thought.

While all that goes to the grave with him, the encounter brings to mind several other such cases where the nation had doubted the credibility of the circumstances under which police had killed accused persons in the past. India has seen more than one thousand encounter killings over the past two decades, but only some of those caught public attention. Let us revisit some of such police encounters that led to raging controversies:

Veerappan encounter killing, 2004: Dreaded dacoit Veerappan was killed by a Special Task Force in an encounter. Some human rights activists had claimed that the circumstantial evidence leading to the encounter killing were not credible enough, while others alleged that Veerappan was killed in a fake encounter after being tortured by the Tamil Nadu police.

Ishrat Jahan encounter killing, 2004: Nineteen-year-old Ishrat Jahan, resident of Mumbai, was killed in an encounter in Gujarat, along with three other men. Police claimed that Ishrat Jahan was involved in a terror plot to assassinate the then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, but several human rights activists and opposition parties had alleged that it was a targeted killing.

Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter killing, 2005: Sohrabuddin Sheikh and his wife were killed in an encounter by the Gujarat police, who claimed he was a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist and had links with the ISI and other underworld criminals. The case was handed over to the CBI later, who named the then Gujarat home minister Amit Shah and 21 other persons guilty in the 'fake' encounter case. However, all of them were later acquitted due to a lack of evidence.

Lakhan Bhaiya encounter case, 2006: A member of don Chhota Rajans gang, Ramnarayan Gupta aka Lakhan Bhaiya was killed in an encounter by the Mumbai Police. An enquiry into the encounter had revealed that he was killed at point-blank range by the police and it was not an encounter at all. Seven years later, 21 people including 13 policemen were found guilty and convicted.

Warrangal encounter killing, 2008: The Andhra Pradesh police had shot dead three men accused of throwing acid on two college students, who had turned down the proposal of one of the accused. While the police claimed to have shot the three men in an act of self-defence, many wondered if it was done to appease the public.

Batla House encounter or Operation Batla House, 2008: After serial blasts rocked the country towards the end of 2008, seven officers of Delhi Police claimed they have found out the hiding place of the members of an Indian Mujahideen sleeper cell that was responsible for the macabre plots. They claimed that the suspected terrorists were hiding at a flat in Jamia Nagars Batla House. A 20-minute encounter followed after the police reached the hideout, in which two suspected terrorists were killed  one of them a minor, other an MA student. The evidence produced later to establish a link of the youths with plotting terror were sketchy and several politicians had also raised questions about the credibility of the claims of the Delhi Police.

A young doctor was gang-raped and murdered by a group of four youths in November last year. Her charred body was found later, and it enraged the entire nation. After over a week of the incident, the four accused persons were reportedly nabbed by the Cyberabad Police and killed in an encounter when they tried to escape during the spot verification exercise. Once again, public sentiment was in favour of the encounter, but the circumstances remained dubious. Many even questioned if the police had nabbed the persons guilty of raping and murdering the doctor, or they just encountered four suspected youth without probing enough, just to pacify the public.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 17:42:37|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- In front of a pink wall, a fifty-year-old lady was sitting with knitting needles and wool balls beside her, teaching viewers how to knit.

Zhang Ka, owner of a hand knitting shop on the e-commerce platform Taobao, has new hope for her business with the aid of this livestreaming platform.

In 2004, she opened a physical shop in Beijing out of her passion for hand knitting. However, deteriorating business made her think that the skill, once essential during her childhood, was gradually being ignored and forgotten as machine-woven sweaters became prevalent.

The devastating earthquake that occurred in southwest China's Sichuan Province in 2008 changed her mind. Zhang donated all the sweaters she knitted to the people in the disaster area at that time, which inadvertently earned her several fans who loved knitting.

"It was not that no one loved knitting anymore, but that I hadn't found them," Zhang said, adding that it took her years to find people with enthusiasm for hand knitting.

The year 2018 marked a turning point in her knitting business. It was her eighth year as an online shop owner on Taobao, and her first year in livestreaming.

Zhang's team now has six members, with an average age of about 50. Livestreaming for at least 12 hours every day, the ladies teach viewers knitting skills and answer their questions online, with over 30,000 views each day.

The livestreaming has brought considerable economic benefits to Zhang's online shop. In the first half of this year, her team sold 10 million yuan (about 1.43 million U.S. dollars) worth of wool balls, 20 times more than before the livestreaming.

Earlier this month, the country's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security gave official recognition to nine new professions, including livestreaming sales, to keep pace with economic and social development.

In recent years, an increasing number of middle-aged and elderly people, who show their enthusiasm for new things in life, have joined livestreaming teams, according to a report by Science and Technology Daily.

"We do livestreaming sales because we love it," said Zhang, noting the elderly people treasure the sense of value in it. Enditem
The alleged encounter killing of dreaded gangster Vikas Dubey on Friday has kicked up dust over his not being apparently handcuffed by the police, against the backdrop of the Supreme Court's disapproving the practice in various orders, calling it inhuman, unreasonable, over harsh and arbitrary.

The police, on the other hand, has all along been supporting handcuffing at various judicial forums on the ground that the practice has been quite helpful in ensuring that a dreaded accused or convict does not flee the custody. The apex court has from time to time issued a slew of ...
Eritrea arrests 30 people attending Christian wedding amid faith crackdown: NGO report

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Some 45 people attending Christian gatherings have reportedly been arrested in recent months in the capital city of Eritrea, a country ranked as the sixth worst in the world when it comes to Christian persecution.

Rights groups are raising the alarm as recent reports indicate that as many as 30 people were arrested while attending a wedding ceremony for a Christian couple in the East African countrys capital city of Asmara in the last week of June.

The London-based nonprofit Release Eritrea, which promotes religious harmony and human rights, released a statement this week explaining that the group of detainees was targeted by the regime in Asmara.

The detainees are believed to have been taken to a local police station known as Kalai Medeber.

That takes the tally of prisoners up to 45 in total since last April when another group of 15 Christians that had been attending a worship service were rounded up from the capitals Mai Chehot area and transported to the prison camp in Mai Serwa, Release Eritrea explained.

The United Kingdom-based Christian Solidarity Worldwide, a nongovernmental organization that operates in over 20 countries, also sounded the alarm about the recent arrests as Eritrea remains one of the worlds most repressive regimes.

CSW, a United Nations accredited NGO, warned that the reported new detentions in Eritrea come amid increased concerns over the deadly impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Eritreas overcrowded prison system.

Release Eritrea Director Berhane Asmelash told CSW in a statement that the government will excuse these arrests by saying these people are detained for breaking COVID restrictions.

But the reaction is very heavy-handed, Asmelash said. Why detain them in such conditions? Why not fine or warn them?

CSW noted that tens of thousands of Eritreans are imprisoned in over 300 unsanitary detention centers without charge or trial. Some prisoners of conscience in Eritrea have been detained for decades due to their political views or religious beliefs.

The Eritrean government has been led by President Isaias Afwerki since the countrys independence from Ethiopia in 1993. Eritrea only recognizes four religious affiliations  Orthodox Christianity, Sunni Islam, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Eritrea and the Catholic Church. Afwerki is reportedly a member of the Orthodox church.

According to Asmelash, the entire prison population in Eritrea is estimated at 48,000 with insufficient food and due to the lockdown.

The president is using COVID-19 to raise funds, but people in Eritrea are starving, Asmelash said. [T]here is no food, there is no money. There is nothing.

Last week, the United Nations Human Rights Council, which Eritrea is a member of, held an interactive dialogue on the human rights situation in Eritrea that included several countries and nongovernmental organizations.

Among groups that took the floor during the dialogue was CSW, East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project and Human Rights Watch, among others.

During the meeting, speakers called on Eritrea to allow the U.N.s special rapporteur to visit the country and criticized the lack of improvements in the human rights situation two years after Eritrea agreed to join the council.

Some speakers in the dialogue voiced concern about the arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances and torture used against political opposition. They called for political prisoners and prisoners of faith and conscience to be immediately released.

U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Eritrea Daniela Kravetz, a human rights attorney appointed to the role in 2018, condemned the governments failure to uphold freedom of religion.

[T]o build the foundations for a thriving society, the Eritrean authorities must open civic space for independent civil society, Kravetz said in a statement on June 30. Today, there is no space for independent human rights defenders, members of political opposition and independent journalists. In this last year, we have witnessed the increased shrinking of civic space in Eritrea, with the arrests of practitioners of different religious congregations during prayer gatherings, of members of minority groups and of persons who have expressed dissent.

Kravetz warned that in several instances, institutions that have called for reforms and questioned the actions of the government have faced reprisals. Such institutions include the Catholic Church and Islamic entities, she said.

An open civic space is a basic pillar for the success of any nation, Kravetz argued.

Open Doors USA, a Christian persecution watchdog organization working with the persecuted Church in over 60 countries, ranks Eritrea as the sixth-worst country in the world when it comes to Christian persecution on its 2020 World Watch List due to the number of human rights abuses and unjust imprisonments.

Open Doors reports that under the Afwerki regime, Christians who are not members of state-approved churches are considered to be agents of the West and a threat to the state.

According to Open Doors, hundreds of members of unregistered house churches are imprisoned, some for over a decade. Some prisoners are forced to work long hours in commercial flower fields or are detained in shipping containers that can reach extremely hot temperatures under the sun.

That was the case for Helen Berhane, an Eritrean Christian who met U.S. President Donald Trump last July along with a group of other persecuted believers from around the globe.

Berhane spent 32 months detained inside a metal shipping container because of her faith. She told Trump about the plight of Christians in Eritrea.

But the reason I am here [is] all of our pastors, they are still in prison in Eritrea, including the Patriarch [Abune] Antonios, she said. That is my message and voice for those who are voiceless.



Eritrea is recognized by the U.S. State Department as a "country of particular concern" for engaging in systemic and egregious violations of religious freedom.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Australia has granted thousands of Hong Kong students and workers already in Australia extensions to their visas and begun actively recruiting skilled migrants from the global financial hub. The decision, which follows more than a month of preparation by the federal government, is as much about symbolism as it is economic opportunity. It comes after more than a year of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong over the rising influence of Beijing. Fed up with the insurrection, China imposed severe national security laws on the residents of the former British colony in June. The Morrison government offered to extend the visas of 10,000 Hongkongers already in Australian universities and workplaces in response, but questions still remain over the diplomatic implications of the decision and the limits of the scheme. So who will be eligible for a visa? How does it work? Protesters have been warned they may be in breach of national security laws for raising blank pieces of paper, as this demonstrator did on June 6. Credit:Bloomberg Why are we offering Hong Kong residents visas? Hong Kong has historically maintained a semi-autonomous status since it was handed over to China in 1997 but its residents now face life in prison for undermining the Chinese state or participating in the pro-independence movement. Schools, universities and the media are being told to promote national security education. Protesters have been warned against raising blank pieces of paper that replaced pro-independence signs. The laws are so broad that partaking in a pro-democracy meeting or waving a pro-independence flag in Australia could see Hongkongers arrested when they arrive home. The legislation is extra-territorial, which means any act that is perceived as undermining the Chinese state anywhere in the world could be considered a crime.

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Who can get the visas? More than 8200 students, 900 temporary graduate visa and 570 temporary skilled visa holders now in Australia  and 2000 who have had their visas approved but are still overseas  are eligible for the five-year extension. They will then be able to apply for permanent residency after the extension expires. Up to 1000 working holiday makers and tourists are not eligible but can apply for asylum through the humanitarian stream if they fear persecution or through the skills list if they have an ability that Australia has a shortage of. Loading Hong Kong, which historically functioned as an intermediary between the East and the West, has a high proportion of accountants, auditors, IT and financial services experts. All of those professions are on Australia's skilled occupation list. The Opposition wants the government to go further and offer more humanitarian places directly to Hong Kong residents still in the territory and guarantee that no Hongkonger will be involuntarily deported from Australia. "Family reunion is not clear, there are still many people who are ineligible for the pathways proposed and I would urge the government to clarify this urgently," said Labor's foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong.

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There is no yearly data on the number of Hong Kong residents who have applied for refugee status since pro-democracy protests began in the territory more than 15 months ago, but the former assistant secretary of the Department of Immigration, Simon De Vere, said political activists would have a good prima facie case for claiming asylum. Department of Home Affairs data shows only 4 per cent of more than 9000 onshore protection visa applications lodged by Chinese applicants last year were granted. More than 40 Hong Kong residents applied for protection in March and April this year. De Vere, who is now director of Migration Services at Stirling Henry Global Migration, said the firm had seen a 20-fold increase in the number of inquiries from Hong Kong residents looking to migrate to Australia in the week the visa package was announced. "Its the first time in a long time we are starting to see some really substantial curiosity," he said. The government is still weighing up whether to scrap the 45-year age limit on permanent residency for the Hong Kong migrants who are either in or planning on coming to Australia. Loading De Vere said for business people the current age limit of 45 for permanent residency was a significant hurdle. "People get their bachelors degree, settle down and get married and have kids. When they are starting to get to the point of thinking about where they want to be long term  they run up against the age limit," he said. The government will also bulk up the Global Talent temporary visa scheme to focus on Hongkongers but, to be eligible, applicants have to have an income of more than $153,600 a year. Once they are in Australia, they will also have a pathway to permanent residency. It has claimed it will recruit entire export-orientated businesses and their staff from Hong Kong to Australia but there are few details available on how this will be done.

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What are the politics? In offering to extend visas for those students and workers already in Australia, the Morrison government is attempting to walk a thin diplomatic line by condemning the actions of the Chinese Communist Party at the same time as it argues those people are already in the country and it is therefore a domestic political decision. The second component of its scheme is more assertive and attempts to capitalise on the unrest in Hong Kong by incentivising skilled workers, investors and entire companies to move to Australia. This is an economic play. It aims to avoid the term safe-haven visas despite being that in all but name and the government privately acknowledging that humanitarian applicants from Hong Kong are unlikely to be rejected. Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong welcomed the package. "Australias new visa policy serves as a vital safe haven for freedom-loving Hongkongers amid political persecution under Chinas new Orwellian law," he said. Beijing, which maintains the laws are necessary to restore stability, safety and stamp out terrorism, has accused Australia of a serious violation of international law through a gross interference in China's internal affairs.

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A 43-year-old New Caney man confessed to engaging in multiple sexual acts with a child over a decade-long span.

Anthony Lynn Everette Jr. is being charged with continuous sexual assault of a child, a first-degree felony.

Montgomery County Sheriffs detectives arrested Everette on Tuesday on a warrant for those charges. During interrogation, Everette confessed to numerous sexual encounters with a child starting in 2010, according to the sheriffs office.

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The warrant, court records show, was for two or more acts of sexual abuse against a child younger than 14, beginning in August 2014 and ending May 24.

As of Friday morning, Everette was being held on a $200,000 bond at the Montgomery County Jail, according to jail records.

jose.gonzalez@chron.com/twitter.com/jrgzztx
Fortunately, for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, there is no rival Benjamin Netanyahu warming up on the benches.

Over the past two weeks, the renowned luck that has paved Netanyahus way throughout most of his political career appears to have run out. The rabbits he used to pull out of his hat in times of trouble have fled. Israel has been plunged into a severe health crisis that has turned it almost overnight from one of the Wests most flourishing, stable economies into a lame and bleeding duck.

For the first time in a decade, Netanyahus approval ratings have plummeted within days. In May, 74% of Israelis described his handling of the coronavirus crisis as good, whereas only 23% said it was bad. In June, the gap shrank with 56% believing he was doing well and 36% disagreeing. In a July 6 poll, his performance index turned negative, with only 46% approving of the way he is tackling the resurging pandemic and 49% giving him a failing grade.

In terms of his handling of the pandemics economic repercussions, his plight is even worse, with 62% giving him a failing grade and only 33% approving of his performance. These results should be of particular concern to Netanyahu, always considered an economic wizard that earned him the sobriquet of Mr. Economy. Now, his Midas touch appears to have dissipated. With some 1 million Israelis, about 20% of the workforce, laid off or furloughed, and a virus that refuses to call it quits, Netanyahu looks like a flailing swimmer desperately trying to hold on to a straw to save himself from drowning.

Fortunately for him, an alternative candidate is nowhere on the horizon. In a brilliant strategic move in April, he neutralized the Blue and White party, the only credible alternative to his rule to emerge since he took power in 2009. His machinations split the party in two and eroded the popularity of the Blue and White leader, Defense Minister Benny Gantz, with the very voters who handed him a tie with Netanyahu in three consecutive elections and an average of 33 Knesset seats. Polls now give Gantzs party barely 10 seats. While his former partner and current opposition nemesis, Yesh Atid party chair Yair Lapid, has recorded impressive gains in the polls  16 Knesset seats  Gantz is nowhere near to constituting a threat to Netanyahu. The prime ministers plummeting popularity notwithstanding, the Likud party under his leadership still musters an average of 36 seats in the polls, albeit less than the peak of 41 seats on June 17. These figures are not particularly consoling for Netanyahu, a skilled political creature always fearing the unknown and suspecting that his potential replacement is preparing somewhere for the right moment to pounce.

In a counter strike, the prime minister took to prime-time TV July 9, presenting the worried public with an emergency aid package to the tune of tens of billions of shekels to help Israelis weather the crisis. For the first time since the coronavirus outbreak, the government has plunged its hand deep into the state coffers, flinging money at the unemployed, self-employed and business owners in a bid to block the rising discontent and quell the growing social protests.

Netanyahus first test is set for the evening hours of July 11, with a massive anti-government demonstration planned in Tel Avivs main square. The last thing he wants to see there is a reenactment of the 2011 socio-economic protest that brought hundreds of thousands of Israelis into the streets to demonstrate against the collapse of the middle class, exorbitant housing and living costs and his governments performance. Netanyahu weathered that crisis with relative ease, but that was in 2011  before corona.

The events of the coronavirus crisis have led many Israelis to realize for the first time that the king they anointed has no clothes. Israels impressive achievement in quelling the outbreak in its initial weeks has been all but forgotten. Rather than preparing itself for an expected second wave, the government rested on its laurels. It now finds itself short of protective equipment for medical teams, unable to track properly and quickly those infected in order to isolate others with whom they may have come into contact, and crying out for centralized planning and management of the health crisis.

The relatively low mortality and infection rates of which Israel boasted at first are attributed mostly to its particularly young demographics, its geographic location (almost like an island) that enables sealing off its borders, and to Netanyahus good initial call in doing so almost at once. Since then, however, Netanyahus chaotic management has come to light, as have his inability to delegate and unwillingness to appoint a corona czar, so as not to share the credit and his refusal to hand over management of the crisis to the Ministry of Defense.

Israel has developed some of the worlds most sophisticated, skilled emergency response mechanisms, honed through decades of wars, but they have not come into play in the coronavirus crisis. Rather than activating its National Emergency Administration and the militarys Homefront Command, rather than handing the logistics management to the well-oiled army machinery, Netanyahu has been relying on old-fashioned Health Ministry officials with antiquated computer systems stranded somewhere in the previous century due to prolonged, deadly budget cuts. The results should come as no surprise. From its lauded performance that set an example for other nations, Israel has turned into a laughing stock. Only weeks ago, Netanyahu still boasted that world leaders were calling him to learn how Israel had done so well, whereas now, its fiasco is making headlines around the world.

And yet, Netanyahu is far from done. He is the most prematurely eulogized leader in the world, who generally rises up to deliver eulogies at his mourners funerals. He is still the sole master of the Israeli political arena. He is holding his previous rival, Blue and White, hostage in his government. Contrary to the terms of his power-sharing deal with Blue and White, Netanyahu plans to push through approval of a one-year budget (for the remainder of 2020) rather than a two-year budget as stipulated in the coalition agreement. Gantz has protested this violation, but has no ammunition, so it seems, with which to fight it.

The budget issue is the only loophole in the deal that tightly binds Netanyahu and Gantz. If the Knesset fails to approve the budget, Israelis go to the polls once again and Netanyahu remains premier in the interim. Gantz was counting on approval of a two-year budget that would render this loophole null and void  because the budget would be in force until he takes over from Netanyahu in November 2021. Gantz was wrong. Netanyahu will be able to send him home before the rotation deal if the Knesset fails to pass the 2021 budget.

Still, Gantz need not worry, for now. Netanyahu fears the unknown more than he fears Alternate Prime Minister Gantz. He fears that the crisis will give rise to a group of fresh faces, economists, effective executives and technocrats, perceived as devoid of a political bent and free of special interests pressure. People who could handle better the coronavirus crisis. If such new leaders emerge, Israel might face a new coronavirus-induced political bang. But until that happens, what was will be again, to quote the biblical sages.
The disturbing extent of infiltration of the British Establishment by China is laid bare in a bombshell book serialised today in the Daily Mail.

Hidden Hand, written by a global authority on how the Chinese Communist Party covertly influences the West, reveals that officials have for years been cultivating contacts at the top of British politics and business.

The book claims senior politicians  on both the Right and the Left  are acting as useful idiots to push the Chinese line at the top of government.

Many are in the 48 Group Club, a networking hub set up in the 1950s by members of the Communist Party of Great Britain.

The authors, Clive Hamilton and Mareike Ohlberg, say this group is one of the most glaring examples of the way Beijing courts Britains elites.

Lord Heseltine confirmed last night he was patron of the group but said he did not think anyone would believe he was part of a Communist conspiracy.

The books authors state: In our judgement, so entrenched are the CCPs influence networks among British elites that Britain has passed the point of no return, and any attempt to extricate itself from Beijings orbit would probably fail.

The startling conclusion comes as Boris Johnson comes under mounting pressure to prevent Chinese tech giant Huawei from participating in the creation of Britains 5G network.

Michael Heseltine presenting Jack Straw with the Fellowship Award from the '48 Group Club'

It emerged yesterday that Jesus College, Cambridge, had accepted 200,000 from the Chinese state and 155,000 from Huawei. The college produced a controversial white paper on global communications reforms.

The book claims:

Prominent Britons of Chinese heritage are used by the Communist regime to promote the countrys interests, and have made contacts with David Cameron, Theresa May and Mr Johnson;

The City of London is falling under the sway of the Chinese, including banning a Taiwan float at the Lord Mayors parade;

The children of prominent Communist party officials  known as princelings  are routinely given jobs in major international banks;

The Foreign Office has part-funded an organisation accused of helping the Communist propaganda machine to evade Western scrutiny;

China is increasingly employing honey trap techniques to spy on senior figures  including one of Mr Johnsons deputies when he was London mayor.

According to Hidden Hand, Beijing has been cultivating friends overseas who they see as nothing more than those willing and able to promote Chinas interests.

The book says: In Britain, there are many of these useful idiots  a term attributed to Lenin that described naive foreign enthusiasts for the Russian revolution.

Patrons and fellows listed on the 48 Group Clubs website include former deputy PM Lord Heseltine, former foreign secretary Jack Straw and former prime minister Tony Blair.

The authors said: The club has built itself into the most powerful instrument of Beijings influence and intelligence gathering in the UK. It is a whos who of power elites

Lord Heseltine said it was merely a forum for helping sell British exports to China. Mr Straw said he went to an event in 2007 and could recall no connections with it since.

A spokesman for Mr Blair said his office was unaware that he was a fellow and could see no reason why he should be.

How China seduced its useful idiots: Its a terrifying insight into Beijing's sinister grooming of influential targets in the UK, in a plan designed to blind us to Chinas thirst for world domination  as laid bare in the book everyones talking about... and serialised only in the Mail

By Clive Hamilton and Mareike Ohlber for the Daily Mail

As they cosy up to Beijing, there are two fundamental errors its many influential friends in the West make about China, whether they are hard-nosed businessmen intent on making money or dreamers with a globalised vision of one-world.

The first is that they shrug off the all-embracing power of the Communist Party, ignoring the fact that China remains an authoritarian regime with repressive values and practices, run by a Leninist political party replete with a central committee, a politburo and a general secretary backed by enormous economic, technological and military resources. It is a fantasy of wishful thinking to believe that, with increasing contact with the West, China will morph into a freedom-loving democracy. It wont. Nor do its leaders want it to.

The second mistake is not to realise that friendship has a very distinct meaning, a cynical and opportunistic one. It does not refer to an intimate personal bond, but to a strategic relationship on behalf of the party. This was made clear by Chinas autocratic leader, Xi Jinping, when he told party members in 2017 that their friends are not their own personal resources, but friends for the Party or for the public good.

Foreign friends are nothing more than those willing and able to promote Chinas interests. In Britain, there are many of these useful idiots  a term attributed to Lenin that described naive foreign enthusiasts for the Russian revolution.

So entrenched are Chinas networks among British elites that, in our judgment, we have passed the point of no return, and any attempt to extricate the UK from Beijings orbit would probably fail.

The centrepiece of Chinas foreign policy is exerting commercial, technological, academic and cultural influence around the world through its Belt and Road Initiative, or the Silk Road. Xi launched it in 2013 and repeatedly refers to it as essential to his vision of constructing a community of common destiny for humankind.

Then Chinese Premier Li Peng meets with Jack Perry, chairman of the London Export Corporation (LEC) of Britain, in Beijing Sept. 25, 1992

While the idea might sound good to Western ears, its aim is not. The Silk Road is Beijings primary mechanism for reordering the global geopolitical system in its favour  creating a China-led world in which the U.S. is knocked from its perch and left hollowed out. With this in mind, China targets other countries elites in business, politics, academia, think tanks, media and cultural institutions.

Information is collected on them, their friends and family. Targets include past, present and future political leaders as well as high-level officials who advise and influence political leaders.

Anyone who may have the ear of a political leader, official and unofficial advisers, civil servants, party colleagues, donors, friends, spouses and other family members, business associates and military brass are all fair game.

Invitations are extended  to a conference, a reception or a cultural occasion, events organised by apparently neutral charities or academic organisations, where warm feelings are cultivated. Gifts may be given, setting up a sense of obligation and reciprocity. A free trip to China might follow, during which the target is worked on in a carefully scripted programme of meetings and tours.

Naive Western politicians readily walk into the trap of friendship, flattered by being called a lao peng you (an old friend of China) and feeling they are being singled out for a special relationship.

Entrusted with the inner thoughts of top leaders, they often act as Beijings messengers, urging others to see it from Chinas perspective and adopt a more nuanced position.

Meanwhile, many business people in the West making money in dealings with China can be prompted to pressure their government to do nothing to upset Beijing.

This tactic is so common, it even has a name  yi shang bi zheng (literally, using business to pressure government).

The most glaring example of China exerting its influence in high places in Britain is the 48 Group Club, which boasts of members from the heart of the British establishment including a former Prime Minister and two former deputy PMs, together with politicians of all three major parties, masters of Oxbridge colleges and powerful figures from industry and the City.

The 48 Group Club  also known as The Icebreakers  has built itself into the most powerful instrument of Beijings influence and intelligence gathering in the UK. The list of those who play a role in it is a Whos Who of power elites.

Well-known names listed on its website include former deputy PMs Michael Heseltine and John Prescott; the billionaire Duke of Westminster; foreign minister in the Blair government Jack Straw; Alex Salmond, former first minister of Scotland; former Labour Party powerbroker and European trade commissioner Peter Mandelson. Also listed are five former British ambassadors to Beijing, a retired general, the chairman of the British Museum, the chief executive of the Royal Opera House, the chair of British Airways, a director of Huawei and people closely linked to the Bank of England, Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan.

China's President Xi Jinping (front R) accompanies the 48 Group Club chairman Stephen Perry (front L) for a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on October 16, 2018

Former PM Tony Blair is also listed on the website as a fellow after he gave a speech in 2010 to The Young Icebreakers, which is part of the 48 Group Club.

Its not clear how many of the clubs members were actually aware they were listed on its website. A spokeswoman for Blair told The Times that the speech was: The first and only time he ever had anything to do with something connected to the organisation about which he knows nothing. To suggest he was linked to the organisation as part of some lobbying exercise for the Chinese government is utterly absurd.

The club was founded in 1954 after 48 British businessmen went to Beijing to establish trade relations at a time when, due to its involvement in the Korean War, China was the subject of an embargo on strategic goods by the U.S. and Britain. It was set up by businessman Jack Perry, prompted by a discussion hed had with Chinas Premier Zhou Enlai.

Perry was a secret member of the Communist Party of Great Britain, as were two others he travelled with to Beijing, Roland Berger, secretary of the British Council for the Promotion of International Trade, and Bernard Buckman, a textile merchant who became a frequent visitor to China with a high level of access to top leaders.

In short, at the instigation of a member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo, Zhou Enlai, the 48 Group Club was the work of three secret members of the Communist Party of Great Britain. From this foundation the club quickly developed an unrivalled level of trust and intimacy with the top leadership of the CCP, and reaching into the highest ranks of Britains political, business, media and university elites, the club plays a decisive role in shaping British attitudes to China.

Four years after its inaugural trip to China in 1954, club members were returning from Beijing to report on the extraordinary prestige of the group in China. Puzzled but pleased at the solicitous treatment theyd received, they began to speak of the groups mystique.

Today the 48 Group Club is playing an even greater role, enthusiastically fostering the interests of the CCP in the United Kingdom or, as Xinhua, Chinas official state news agency, prefers to put it, promoting positive UK-China relations.

Tony Blair and 48 Group Club chairman Stephen Perry (right) at a Young Icebreakers event

Among the less prominent names it lists as members are Tom Glocer, former boss of Thomson Reuters; Professor Peter Nolan, University of Cambridge; and Professor Hugo de Burgh, University of Westminster. Katy Tse Blair, Tony Blairs Chinese-American sister-in-law, is also listed as a member.

She is married to his brother William and is a founder of Chinese For Labour, which is affiliated to the Labour Party, represented on the National Executive Committee and regularly meets with the leader and shadow cabinet.

The 48 Group Club is chaired by Stephen Perry, the son of its founder. As a sign of its importance to Chinas leadership, when he visits he is granted unmatched access, from Xi Jinping down.

In 2018 he was honoured with a prestigious China Reform Friendship Medal, conferred on him personally by Xi. While the 48 Group Club is feted at banquets in Beijing, it keeps a very low profile in the UK. With more than 500 members, it serves as a meeting place and networking hub for friends of China, through which Beijing grooms Britains elites.

Perrys stream of commentary on the groups website is a robotic repetition of CCP propaganda. He defends the abolition of limits on the term of Chinas presidency, and says Xi is responsible for freeing our minds. He told New China TV that Chinas system of democratic governance, that of hearing the people, listening to the people and . . . serving the people, will lead the world in the 21st century.

No group in Britain enjoys more intimacy and trust with the CCP leadership than The 48 Group Club. In 2018 the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, a Communist Party front group, hosted a grand banquet in Beijing to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the original groups visit.

Perry had an audience with Xi, something UK diplomats cannot achieve, signalling the CCP leadership sees the 48 Group Club as vital to its influence. Xi applauded the club while Perry lauded Chinas tremendous achievement, praising Xis idea of a community with a shared future for humanity.

One event is especially revealing about the role of the 48 Group Club. In 2017, the CCP Congress voted unanimously to incorporate a new manual on Chinese socialism known as Xi Jinping Thought into its and the nations constitution. In April last year, the Chinese

embassy in London held a study session to explain the leaders ideas. More than 70 people were present, including many from the club, as ambassador Liu Xiaoming urged them to engage in earnest study and accurate interpretation of Xi Jinping Thought.

He finished by echoing Xi-isms central concept: I count on your contribution to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind! There was a speech by Professor Martin Albrow, author of Chinas Role in a Shared Human Future, which argues that Xi Jinping Thought can promote global peace.

That book was greeted enthusiastically by party media in China and here by Anthony Giddens, a prominent sociologist and theorist for the Blair government, who lauded it for explaining how China must assume a pivotal position in shaping world society for the better.

Another invited to speak at the study session was Martin Jacques, author of the bestselling 2009 book When China Rules the World: The End of the Western World and the Birth of a New Global Order. At the G20 summit in Osaka in 2019, he gave an interview laying all the blame for the breakdown of Sino-U.S. relations on Washington. Jacques identified the rise of American nationalism as the problem.

He also attacked the protesters in Hong Kong as militants whose actions should not be tolerated by the authorities.

Jacques is frequently interviewed on China Global TV and said in 2017 that the West must learn from China, and that the shift to a China-led world is an unalloyed good thing, one of the greatest periods of democratisation the world has seen.

Among the other participants at the embassy study session were the chair of the House of Lords international relations committee, Lord Howell; the chairman of the China-Britain Business Council, Lord Sassoon; the director of the Confucius Institute at the School of African and Asian Studies, Nathan Hill, and Ian MacGregor, former editor of the Sunday Telegraph.

Chinas Communist Party and the Tiger women now influencing the very heart of the Establishment... and one of whom gave 200k to a top Labour MP  who argued against his partys opposition to a Chinese-funded nuclear plant in Britain

Prominent Britons of Chinese heritage are very important in promoting Chinas interests in the West. Christine Lee is a solicitor whose firm has offices in Beijing, Hong Kong and Guangzhou, as well as London.

Her links to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) go deep. She has been chief legal adviser to the Chinese embassy in London and a legal adviser to the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, an agency of the Communist Partys vast network of influence overseen by its United Front Work Department.

These positions are unmistakable signs of her importance to the Party. Yet she is also the secretary of the Inter-Party China Group of the British parliament.

In 2006 she founded the British Chinese Project, whose stated aim is to empower the UK Chinese community, making them aware of their democratic rights and responsibilities, whilst ensuring the needs and interests of the community are heard at a political level. It sounds a very worthy multicultural enterprise

But its Chinese name has different echoes. It translates as British Chinese Participation in Politics, linking it to the huaren canzheng infiltration policy of the CCP to maximise political influence in democracies by promoting trusted people of Chinese heritage.

Xuelin Bates with Prince Charles at Chinese new Year event in February 2019

Lees involvement in British politics began during the prime ministership of Tony Blair, when she formed an alliance with Labour MP and minister Barry Gardiner, more recently Labours shadow international trade secretary.

Her law firm donated more than 200,000 to the MP and his constituency party. In 2007, while a Blair government minister, Gardiner became the chair of her British Chinese Project and the two of them embarked on a programme of making friends in Westminster, boosted by Gardiners formation in 2011 of an all-party group to represent Chinese citizens in Britain.

How WE pay to train China propagandists Journalism professor Hugo de Burgh, a strong advocate of closer ties between Britain and China, set up the China Media Centre at the University of Westminster in London in 2005. It was officially launched by Sun Yusheng, then vice president of Chinas state broadcaster CCTV, and Jeremy Paxman, sometimes described as Britains most respected journalist. It has hosted three-week training courses for Chinese propaganda officials to expand and improve their global coverage. The courses are partly funded by British taxpayers through the Foreign Office. Director de Burgh is an honorary fellow of the 48 Group Club, a board member of the Great Britain-China Centre, and a professor at Tsinghua University. This last position is under the Chinese Ministry of Educations 985 Program, which aims to bring international talent to China. According to the CCP, the University of Westminster programme has been very successful. The head of development for the Central Office of External Propaganda wrote: Chinese officials understanding of the functions of the media in Western countries, and their ability to respond to and interact with the media, has been enhanced by the briefings designed and executed by the China Media Centre. As part of the 2018 training course, the China Media Centre organised a roundtable on Chinas international relations and economic strategies: Perceptions of the UK and China, with five senior officials from the Central Propaganda Department. The centre has brought many Party officials to Britain to mingle with the media and political elite, including five seminars at 11 Downing Street. Boris Johnson, whose first trip to China was joined by Hugo de Burgh, has participated in the centres courses and has declared he can think of no one better than de Burgh to teach us about Chinas media. Those arguing in favour of these courses maintain they will help bring about a more open media in China. In fact, the opposite is the case: they help the CCP fine-tune its propaganda. The courses teach techniques used by Western journalists to extract answers, and how government officials can handle adversarial questions in press conferences. W ith Chinese spokespeople regularly under fire for the Partys concentration camps in Xinjiang, and other human rights violations, teaching them how to handle questions seems to be more in the CCPs interest than the British publics. While there are serious Chinese journalists who want to do proper reporting, the space for them has shrunk dramatically over the past six years, and they are not the ones sent on training courses abroad. The participants instead come from the Party and those TV shows and newspapers notable for their compliance. Advertisement

One of Lees children, Michael Wilkes, became its vice chairman while another son, Daniel, worked in Gardiners parliamentary office, with his salary paid by his mothers firm.

The firm defended these political links: Christine Lee & Co is proud of its record of public service and the support it has provided to the democratic process. We have never sought to influence any politician improperly or to seek any favours in return for the support that we have provided.

Gardiner said her son had volunteered in his office before securing employment through an open appointment process and that he had never been improperly requested by, or influenced by the firm in his political work.

The MP has been a strong advocate of closer Sino-British relations and investment in Britain by Chinas sovereign wealth fund. He backed the construction of a nuclear power station at Hinkley Point by a state-owned Chinese corporation, which Theresa Mays government put on hold due to concerns about national security.

He is also reported as having strongly opposed internal party criticism of Chinese involvement in the Hinkley Point project.

Lee appears to have developed a good relationship with David Cameron while he was prime minister.

In January last year, she received a Points of Light Award from Prime Minister May, in recognition of her contribution to good relations with China.

A photo of Lee in front of 10 Downing Street shows the iconic door draped with red banners displaying New Year couplets in Chinese characters and announcing the Golden Era of Sino-British relations. The symbolism is blunt and powerful: Lee at the heart of Britains government, being embraced by it.

Another prominent influencer on China matters is Li Xuelin, who arrived in Britain in 1989 and quickly become an enthusiastic campaigner for the Conservative Party and David Cameron in particular, meeting him on many occasions. By 2015 Cameron began speaking of a Golden Era in the Sino-British relationship.

In 2009 she was the founding president of the Zhejiang UK Association, for people living in the UK who come from the coastal province of Zhejiang in eastern China.

Between 2010 and 2014 she was vice president of the council of the Zhejiang Overseas Exchange Association. It later merged with the United Front Work Department, an agency of the CCP tasked with liaising with all forces outside the party, such as recognised religious organisations and other interest groups. Its also tasked with guiding the 50-60 million people of Chinese heritage abroad.

In one of the clearest signs of the CCPs faith in her, Li Xuelin was executive vice-president of the UK Chinese Association for the Promotion of National Reunification, the British chapter of the Beijing body which promotes the CCPs position on Taiwan.

In 2011 she met and married the Conservative peer and sometime minister of state Michael Bates. Bates had been a friend of China for some years, so much so that when Xi Jinping addressed the British parliament during a 2015 state visit he singled out Bates for praise.

Bates was present at Xis meeting with the elite of the CCPs British friends, along with a number of prominent faces from the 48 Group Club, of which Bates is a fellow.

In 2019 Bates gave a talk in which he professed his love for China and the amazing achievements of its government, reeling off a string of statistics and telling his audience that China only wants peace.

In 2014 Xuelin Bates was caught up in a property scandal involving Boris Johnson, then mayor of London, with whom she had developed a friendship. She suggested the Royal Albert Dock as a development site to a Chinese company, Advanced Business Park, described as Chinas largest property investment in the UK.

It was claimed that Johnson gave preferment to ABP because of Batess donations to the Conservative Party  162,000 between 2010 and 2012. Lady Bates said the money had not come from ABP but from her own pocket.

Xuelin Bates paid 50,000 a year to join the Leaders Group, set up by David Cameron for top donors to the Conservatives. Members have special access to senior politicians.

In May 2014, at a Conservative Party luncheon, Xuelin Bates introduced her Chinese guests one by one to Cameron, in order, it was said, to lay a foundation for future Sino-British cooperation.

Christine Lee, centre, is a solicitor whose firm has offices in Beijing, Hong Kong and Guangzhou, as well as London

In 2017 she campaigned with her husband for Theresa May in the general election, sitting next to the prime minister as May phoned voters. Lady Bates was again rubbing shoulders with the prime minister at a Two Cities Luncheon in 2018. In 2019 Lord and Lady Bates campaigned enthusiastically for Boris Johnson. In 2019 she helped organise the UK-China Golden Era New Year Dinner in the Houses of Parliament, where British politicians, Chinese diplomats and businessmen mingled. At a charity auction, a piece of paper-cut art by Theresa May was bought by Beijing businessman Yao Yichun for 2,200.

The prime minister was reportedly very pleased and thanked Yao for his generosity. Two years earlier, Yao Yichun had donated 12,000 to a charity event hosted by Lady Bates.

And on the same day Christine Lee was draping the door of 10 Downing Street with Chinese banners, Xuelin Bates and three other figures linked to CCP agencies were decorating No 10 for a celebration of Chinese New Year with Theresa May.

Christine Lee and Xuelin Bates had both succeeded in positioning themselves close to Britains top elites, where they could spread a Chinese perspective.

As for Lord Bates, he has undertaken several Walks of Friendship through China. A month-long hike around Zhejiang province was co-organised by the Chinese Peoples Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the Walk for Peace Foundation (chaired by Lady Bates).

A soft-soap documentary was made of his walk by a subsidiary of the China Foreign Language Bureau, part of the CCPs external propaganda machine.

Whether seen as pathetic or sinister, Michael Batess activities are ideal for the CCP tactic of use the foreigner to tell good China stories. Interviewed by the Peoples Daily in 2019, he once again gushed about modern China, stressing how much it has contributed to world peace and prosperity.

In Chinas Communist Party, it is the International Liaison Department (ILD) that is tasked with forging links with foreign NGOs and other political groups and promoting the Belt and Road Initiative.

One of the more loyal friends of the ILD is Peter Mandelson, former senior cabinet member in the Blair government and honorary president of the Great Britain-China Centre. In May 2019 Mandelson was reported as saying relations with China are very important to Britain, which hopes to actively participate in the building of the Belt and Road Initiative.

In words that read as if composed by a Party propagandist, he added: The UK is ready to continue to work with China to conduct the UK-China dialogue between political parties, strengthen exchanges between political parties of the two countries and promote the building of a Golden Era of UK-China relations.

A month later, Mandelson was writing in a newspaper that the US had launched a trade war against China to quash a rival, and that Britain should not take sides. The tenor of his article is that there is no downside to the CCP, and Britain should welcome Chinas rise.

What this overlooks is the stark reality that the Chinese Communist Party is exploiting the weaknesses of democratic systems in order to undermine them.

Democracies urgently need to become more resilient if they are to survive.

The threat posed by the CCP affects the right of all to live without fear. Many Chinese people living in the West, along with Tibetans, Uyghurs, Falun Gong practitioners and Hong Kong democracy activists, are at the forefront of the CCPs repression and live in a constant state of fear.

Governments, academic institutions and business executives are afraid of financial retaliation should they incur Beijings wrath. This fear is contagious and toxic. It must not be normalised as the price for prosperity.

Democracy itself is assailed when CCP-linked organisations and Party proxies corrupt political representatives, and when Beijing co-opts powerful business lobbies to do its work.
<! Gal Pissetzky claims Hushpuppi kidnapped from Dubai by FBI >

The FBI and the U.S. Justice Department are in for a legal tough time over alleged scammer Ramon Olorunwa Abass, a.k.a Hushpuppi, with his lawyer claiming the Nigerian was kidnapped by FBI from Dubai.

Hushpuppi is facing multimillion-dollar fraud and money laundering charge in Los Angeles.

He and another Nigerian Olalekan Ponle, a.k.a Woodberry were extradited to the U.S. by Dubai Police last week, after their arrest, along with 10 other Nigerians, in June.

They appeared in Chicago court on 3 July.

Gal Pissetzky, the Hushpuppis defence lawyer told the BBC that his client was kidnapped by the FBI from Dubai, as there is no extradition treaty between the U.S. and the United Arab Emirates.

The BBC quoted a spokesman for the US Department of Justice saying that Hushpuppi was expelled from Dubai and was not extradited.

He did not answer how he ended up in US custody.

Mr Abbas lawyer Gal Pissetzky told the BBC that his client, who posts on Instagram about his extravagant lifestyle, was not a criminal and had made his money legitimately.

He is a social media influencer with millions of followers, with millions of people that respect and loved him, and he loved them, and thats what he did. In todays society, thats a business, he said.

Mr Pissetzky admits that he is not 100% familiar with social media and his children consider him too old but he knows thats how people make money today.

The Chicago defence lawyers argument that Hushpuppi was paid by designer brands for promotion has set the stage for what promises to be a long trial in American courts, the BBC reported.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) accuses Mr Abbas, 37, of conspiring to launder hundreds of millions of dollars from frauds known as Business Email Compromise (BEC) and other scams.

It is the latest high-profile fraud case involving a Nigerian national in the United States but his lawyer said the US had no authority to transport him from Dubai.

In my opinion, the FBI and the government here acted illegally when they kidnapped him from Dubai without any legal process to do so, Mr Pissetzky told the BBC.

There was no extradition, there were no legal steps taken, there were no court documents filed, it was simply a call to the FBI. He is not a citizen of the United States, the US had absolutely no authority to take him, his lawyer said.

But the Dubai police said in a Facebook post that the FBI director had thanked them for extraditing the two men.

Youll have to ask them about why they called it an extradition, the US Department of Justice (DoJ) spokesman responded in an email.

In a statement about Mr Abbas initial court appearance, the DoJ said FBI special agents earlier this week obtained custody of Abbas and brought him to the United States without giving any further details.

Mr Pissetzky is not convinced.

If Dubai wanted to expel him, they should have expelled him back to Nigeria. Ive never heard of anything like that. That is the real story here.

Read the original in BBC

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Company provides update on Dynaleo, Agripharm, and TerrAscend

TORONTO, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Three of Canopy Rivers Inc.'s ("Canopy Rivers") (TSX: RIV) (OTC: CNPOF) portfolio companies have made recent announcements as they aim to introduce new or expanded choices for cannabis consumers and medical patients in Canada and the U.S.

"We continue to be impressed with the ability of our portfolio companies to respond to shifting consumer demands in the cannabis space while executing on their long-term strategies," said Narbe Alexandrian, President and CEO, Canopy Rivers. "We still see greenfield in the Canadian brand market, and we are excited to see both Agripharm and Dynaleo taking steps to introduce Canadians to brands that have proven track records in U.S. markets."

More details on these developments are included below:

Dynaleo Inc. (" Dynaleo "), an Edmonton -based manufacturer of cannabis-infused gummies, signed its first letter of intent (" LOI ") with Pantry, a California -based edibles brand that says it has bridged the worlds of culinary arts, cannabis, and wellness. The agreement follows Dynaleo's receipt of its processing licence from Health Canada and marks Pantry's first international expansion beyond the U.S. where it distributes cannabis-infused food brands for the recreational market. Dynaleo hopes that the LOI will be a first step in the company's goal to close the gap between supply and consumer demand for gummies in Canada .





"), an -based manufacturer of cannabis-infused gummies, signed its (" ") with Pantry, a -based edibles brand that says it has bridged the worlds of culinary arts, cannabis, and wellness. The agreement follows Dynaleo's receipt of its processing licence from Health Canada and marks Pantry's first international expansion beyond the U.S. where it distributes cannabis-infused food brands for the recreational market. Dynaleo hopes that the LOI will be a first step in the company's goal to close the gap between supply and consumer demand for gummies in . Agripharm Corp. (" Agripharm ") received a licence amendment from Health Canada to allow for the sale of dried cannabis, extracts, edibles, and topicals. The amendment enables Agripharm to exercise its exclusive rights to introduce brands from SLANG Worldwide Inc. (" SLANG ") and Green House Seed Co. to the Canadian market. Agripharm plans to initially launch three products from SLANG's portfolio, including the Firefly Mini vapourizer, O.penVAPE, and Bakked Dabaratus, a one-click dabbing solution that delivers a dose of extract.





") received a amendment from Health Canada to allow for the sale of dried cannabis, extracts, edibles, and topicals. The amendment enables Agripharm to exercise its exclusive rights to introduce brands from SLANG Worldwide Inc. (" ") and Green House Seed Co. to the Canadian market. Agripharm plans to initially launch three products from SLANG's portfolio, including the Firefly Mini vapourizer, O.penVAPE, and Bakked Dabaratus, a one-click dabbing solution that delivers a dose of extract. TerrAscend Corp. ("TerrAscend") opened its third retail dispensary location in Pennsylvania . Jason Ackerman , TerrAscend's CEO, noted that this third Apothecarium location signals the company's commitment to local patients as the state's medical program continues to grow. The newly renovated, 5,000 square foot medical dispensary is designed to enhance patient experiences and features private consultation rooms, highly trained staff, a wide variety of products, and options for online ordering.

About Canopy Rivers

Canopy Rivers is a venture capital firm specializing in cannabis with a portfolio of 18 companies across various segments of the cannabis value chain. We believe that bringing together people, capital, and ideas raises the potential of the entire cannabis industry. By leveraging our industry insights, in-house expertise, and thesis-driven approach to investing, we aim to provide shareholders with exposure to specialized and disruptive cannabis companies. Our mission is to invest in innovators across the cannabis value chain, help them grow, and ultimately create value by guiding these companies towards a monetization event. Together with our portfolio, we are helping build the cannabis industry of tomorrow, today.

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains statements which constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of Canopy Rivers and its portfolio companies with respect to future business activities and operating performance. Forward-looking information is often identified by the words "may", "would", "could", "should", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" or similar expressions and includes information regarding: the aim of certain Canopy Rivers portfolio companies to introduce new or expanded choices for cannabis consumers and medical patients in Canada and the U.S.; the ability of Canopy Rivers' portfolio companies to respond to consumer demand while executing on their long-term strategies; management's belief that there is greenfield in the Canadian brand market; Dynaleo's goal of closing the gap between supply and demand for gummies in Canada; Agripharm's plan to launch three products from SLANG's portfolio; the continued growth of the medical program in Pennsylvania; and expectations for other economic, regulatory, business, and/or competitive factors.

Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical fact but instead reflects management's expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Although Canopy Rivers believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, such information involves risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such information, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements of Canopy Rivers. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information are the following: regulatory and licensing risks; changes in the plans, goals and business activities of Canopy Rivers' portfolio companies; changes in cannabis industry growth and trends; changes in consumer preferences and demands and the ability of Canopy Rivers' portfolio companies to respond thereto; changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including challenging global financial conditions and the impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic; potential conflicts of interest; the regulatory landscape and enforcement related to cannabis, including political risks and risks relating to regulatory change; changes in Canopy Rivers' relationship with its portfolio companies; risks associated with the termination, renegotiation and enforcement of material contracts; credit, liquidity and additional financing risks; changes in applicable laws; compliance with extensive government regulation, including Canopy Rivers' interpretation of such regulation; public opinion and perception of the cannabis industry; divestiture risks; competition risks; and the risk factors set out in Canopy Rivers' annual information form dated June 2, 2020, filed with the Canadian securities regulators and available on Canopy Rivers' profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com .

Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although Canopy Rivers has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Canopy Rivers does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update this forward-looking information except as otherwise required by applicable law.

SOURCE Canopy Rivers Inc.
By Steve Gorman and Mark Hosenball

(Reuters) - The FBI is investigating a hate-crime report lodged by a Black civil rights activist in Indiana who said he was assaulted by several white men threatening to lynch him before a group of bystanders and friends intervened to stop the attack.

The federal inquiry into the July 4 confrontation at Lake Monroe, near Bloomington, Indiana, was confirmed to Reuters on Thursday by FBI and U.S. Justice Department officials in Washington and Indianapolis.

Vauhxx Booker, a member of the Monroe County Human Rights Commission, said he and some friends were at a public park on the lake on Saturday when a man wearing a cap emblazoned with a Confederate flag accused them trespassing on private property.

The conflict escalated when five white men who appeared to be drunk grabbed Booker, dragged him to the ground and pinned him against a tree while punching him as one of his assailants yelled, "get a noose," according to his account of the incident on Facebook.

A group of onlookers and Booker's acquaintances, all of whom were also white, began filming the confrontation with cellphones and demanding the attackers release him, as one of the mob shouted back, "You get out of her, leave the boy with us."

The attackers finally released Booker, and he and his friends retreated to call 911. Video of the incident has gone viral on social media, fuelling U.S. racial tensions following the May 25 death of George Floyd, a Black man, under the knee of a white policeman in Minneapolis.

Booker, also a Black Lives Matters organizer, said he suffered a concussion, as well as cuts and bruises and patches of hair ripped from his head, but was grateful to those who came to his defence.

"I had friends and strangers who were willing to put their lives and their bodies on the line to make sure that a man they didn't know, who looked different than them was able to survive the situation," Booker said at a news conference this week.

Story continues

A spokesman for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, whose officers responded to the incident and were criticized for failing to make arrests at the time, said the agency is cooperating with the FBI while continuing its own investigation with local prosecutors.

"Our officers arrived that evening, talked to witnesses at the time from both parties and have continued to conduct interviews as part of the ongoing investigation," DNR spokesman James Brindle told Reuters on Thursday.

Booker's lawyer, Katharine Liell, told reporters on Wednesday the attack was "clearly racially motivated," and that her client survived only because witnesses came to his aid.

(Reporting by Mark Hosenball in Washington and Steve Gorman in Eureka, Calif.; Writing by Steve Gorman; Editing by Daniel Wallis)
Four alleged Maoists were killed early on Friday by security personnel in Bihar's West Champaran district, close to the India-Nepal border, in an operation that also led to the recovery of sophisticated weapons from a hideout, a top official of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) said in Patna.

According to Sanjay Kumar, IG, SSB, Patna, the gun battle took place at around 4.45 am and one security personnel was injured by a bullet.

"We had received specific information about a group of Maoists hiding at the forest surrounding the Valmiki Tiger Reserve. Accordingly, an operation was planned taking in the loop the police station concerned, Lokeria in Bagaha," the official told PTI over phone.

Kumar said the Maoist group was led by Ram Babu Sahni alias Rajan, who fled the scene, though his deputy 'Bipul' besides three others were killed in the encounter.

A search operation was underway to nab Sahni, the SSB official stated.

"The recoveries include an AK-56 rifle, three SLRs and a .303 rifle. Gunshots were fired by the Maoists and one of these hit the forearm of SSB jawan Rituraj, though he is out of danger," Kumar added.

Meanwhile, in Munger district, which is several hundred kilometres away, naxals struck at a village where they killed two persons by slitting their throats, a police officer said.

DIG, Munger Range, Manu Maharaj, said the deceased were identified as 39-year-old Brijlal Tuddu a reformed naxalite and fellow villager Arun Ray (36).

"The incident took place in Kharagpur police station area of Munger district late on Thursday. After killing the duo, the naxals fled leaving behind hand-written pamphlets, accusing them of becoming police informers. Their bodies were dumped on a hill on the outskirts of a village," the DIG added.

READ | Uttar Pradesh: Women PAC Receive Special Training In Moradabad To Fight Maoists

READ | 4 Maoists Killed In Encounter With Security Forces In Odisha
10.07.2020 LISTEN

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said entrepreneurship holds one of the key solutions to recovering from the coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19).

The President made the statement when he presented awards to this years (2020) Presidential Pitch, a project designed and organized by the Ministry of Business Development to offer young Ghanaian entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 35 the opportunity to market their business ideas and get financial assistance to implement those ideas.

It forms part of the Presidents vision to assist young entrepreneurs to nurture their business ideas and improve livelihoods.

This ceremony is taking place against the background of the Covid-19 pandemic whose spread has brought devastation to all the economies of the world. Rebuilding the global economy and our own national economy is going to put an even greater premium on entrepreneurship which underlines the exceptional significance of todays event, he said.

Government will continue to help fashion a supportive environment to enhance entrepreneurship and enterprise development, he added.

The pitch usually involves 200 competitors and through the competition, they are scaled down to 10 finalists.

The GH30,000.00 to GH70,000.00 seed money given to the winners serves as a grant and not a loan. The ideas presented by the contestants must exhibit four characteristics: feasibility, innovation, scalability and impact.

Douglas Akoglo, the Chief Executive Officer of Shea Coal Zoyanna Enterprise, develops shea nut residue into charcoal and emerged winner of this years Presidential Pitch event. Apart from the GH70,000 cash prize, he was also lucky to have an additional GH30,000 gift from the President.

He is scheduled to be attached to a reputable company in Europe to experience at first hand good work practices and build the needed network as well as access to funding sources and markets.

He was followed by Theophilus Dumenyo of Anquito who placed second and Cornelius Nyobator whose company, Verdant, was third.

It is estimated that 250,000 young men and women are thrown out onto the job market from the countrys educational institutions.

The formal sector is currently only able to absorb some 2%, with the remaining 98% either looking for jobs in the informal sector or becoming unemployed.

The Presidential Pitch seeks to deepen entrepreneurial passion amongst Ghanaian youth through the incubation of business ideas into innovative and enterprising business opportunities.
Turkey is lashing out at the United States as Washington moves closer to providing Cyprus with military aid as the disputed island nation develops closer energy ties with Israel.

The Turkish reaction came after the US Embassy in Cyprus said Wednesday that the United States planned to provide international military education and training to the Republic of Cyprus "beginning in U.S. fiscal year 2021, subject to Congressional appropriations and notification."

Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said in a statement, This and similar steps do not contribute to the efforts towards the settlement of the Cyprus issue but on the contrary, lead to strengthening the intransigent attitude of the Greek Cypriot side. It is obvious that steps disregarding the balance between the two sides will not help create an atmosphere of trust on the island and ensure peace and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Why it matters: Turkey failed to dissuade Congress from allocating nearly $1.5 million in international military education and training assistance for Cyprus between 2020 and 2022 as part of last years spending bill. That legislation could also lift the decadeslong arms embargo on Cyprus. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is evaluating whether to lift the Cyprus arms embargo, a provision that Christians United for Israel lobbied for amid converging Israeli-Cypriot energy interests.

Turkey relies on its occupation of Northern Cyprus to bolster its claims to offshore oil and gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean. Ankara has become increasingly aggressive in blocking Cypriot ships from drilling in recent years, and Cyprus has signed contracts with several foreign companies to explore for oil in its disputed waters, including US-based Exxon Mobil, Israels Delek Qatar Petroleum, Italys ENI and Frances Total.

Whats next: The 2021 House foreign aid spending bill, which the Appropriations Committee advanced 29-21 today, would allocate $2 million to establish a joint dialogue between Cyprus, Israel and Greece to support energy independence and security and defend against external malign influences in the eastern Mediterranean and the broader Middle East.

However, the report accompanying the bill also notes that funds for Cyprus should only be used for measures aimed at reunification and designed to reduce tensions and promote peace and cooperation between the two communities in Cyprus.

Know more: Diego Cupolo reports on European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrells trip to Ankara this week. Borrells visit came ahead of debates slated for next week within the European Parliament and EU Foreign Affairs Council over Turkish drilling activities near Cyprus.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Brandon Chrostowski's vision of offering second chances is branching from its culinary roots into the housing market.

Chrostowski, whose flagship restaurant Edwins Leadership and Restaurant Institute hires and trains recently released incarcerated individuals, has acquired two multi-family homes billed as the initial growth step for the Second Chance Life Skills Center campus. The 20,000 square-foot Buckeye neighborhood-based campus, which was established in 2016, provides for living, working and recreational enrichment.

The houses are very close to the campus, butcher shop and the bakery Chrostowski has started in recent years. The two-story, four-bedroom residences, built in the 1920s, are at 2919 and 2923 East 130th St. Rent will be affordable for Edwins graduates and students, and the homes will become part of the campus center.

Occupancy is expected around September for one of the houses. Residents will have access to the amenities of the life-skills center, which includes a gym, technology/learning facilities, and a library that holds scores of food-, drink- and recipe books.

In an interview, Chrostowski said the housing program aims to help a resident eventually move to permanent home ownership down the road, that he hopes to create "a step in the right direction" with the houses.

His goal, he added, is to acquire and make available 10 houses within the next few years.

Our 2020-2021 plans include even more Buckeye residential area acquisitions and will ensure that our team can also offer their families the stability and comfort of a home right here on campus, he said in a statement.

The initial acquisitions will cost around $100,000, fueled in part by KeyBanks three-year financial commitment to the area, he said.

The homes are not intended as long-term residences for one person. After the initial tenancy, the residence will be made available to other trainees and graduates of the Leadership & Restaurant Institute, which has a waitlist. Chrostowski said he worked with Habitat for Humanity on the housing program and that he will guide residents to help them keep credit scores up.

The "critical investments" are the foundation to equip the individuals who go through Edwins' training with "professional and educational growth opportunities as they re-enter society," Chrostowski said in the release.

Chrostowski opened Edwins in Cleveland's Shaker Square neighborhood in 2013, doing more than simply hiring former convicts. He put them through a rigorous and comprehensive program to understand every aspect of fine dining. Its recividism rate remains less than 1%, and his training program graduates almost 100 students annually. The French restaurant has garnered awards and attention for its traditional and consistent menu favorites. Some fame resulted; Chrostowski and the Edwins project were featured in a short documentary, "Knife Skills," that was nominated for an Oscar in 2018.

Chrostowski didn't stop there. He opened the butcher shop on Buckeye Road in late 2018 with the vision of providing quality food at affordable prices in an underserved neighborhood. He followed that with a bakery and diner, adjacent to the life-skills center.

He also consulted on the opening of Serenite, another French-dining-focused restaurant that is located in the Medina County Recovery Center, and he helped in the initial stages of Ohio City Pizzeria, which is owned by West Side Catholic Center and makes jobs accessible for its clients. The pizzeria opened July 19, 2019, and is marking its initial anniversary with a month of celebrations from Sunday, July 19, through Wednesday, Aug. 19. Its motto fits in with Chrostowskis vision: Great Food for a Great Cause.

The housing initiative is just the beginning, Chrostowski said in the release. It is all about the trifecta of building careers, enriching lives, and supporting the Buckeye community. Thats what were focused on right now and always.

Related coverage

Edwins Butcher Shop opens

Serenite Restaurant opens

'Knife Skills' earns Academy Award nod

Edwins bakery-diner-coffee shop sets opening on Buckeye Road

Ohio City Pizzeria to open with unique non-profit ownership

I am on cleveland.coms life and culture team and cover food, beer, wine and sports-related topics. If you want to see my stories, heres a directory on cleveland.com.
By PTI

CHANDIGARH: A woman working at a private school in Karnal, Haryana, has accused its owner and a government employee of rape, prompting police to register a case and also form a special investigation team (SIT) due to counter-allegations from the other party.

Karnal police on Friday said the SIT was set up as the other party has filed a complaint accusing the woman of blackmail and extortion.

The woman had filed her complaint at the women's police station in Karnal on July 6, after which a case under relevant provisions of IPC was registered, Superintendent of Police (SP) Surinder Singh Bhoria told reporters.

The complainant alleged that she was raped by the owner of the private school and a government official in 2018.

She also accused the principal of being party to the crime, the police said.

She has alleged that the accused threatened to frame her husband in drug, rape and other cases if she disclosed the incident to anyone.

The woman alleged that the accused also harassed her mentally and when she wanted to leave the job, they prevented her from doing so.

However, she claimed that she could not take it any more and decided to lodge a police complaint.

"When any complaint pertaining to crime against women comes, FIR is immediately lodged.

As soon as the complaint was received, a case was registered under relevant provisions of IPC," Bhoria said.

"The reason behind setting up the SIT is that there was a complaint against the complainant pertaining to extortion, and the SIT will probe allegations of both sides," he added.
A private Christian school that threatened to expel a five-year-old boy for growing his hair for cultural reasons has been ordered to apologise.

Cyrus Taniela and his family took the Australian Christian College Moreton north of Brisbane to tribunal after being told his locks needed to be 'neat and tidy'.

The youngster was told he would be unenrolled from the school if he did not follow the rules - prompting his mother Wendy, from Samoa, to take the matter to tribunal, saying her son's hair was being grown ahead of a traditional haircutting ceremony.

She said the ceremony was practiced by his Cook Islander father and that it was custom for a family's eldest son not to have his hair cut before he comes of age.

The Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal, which started last month, focused on whether the school breached Australia's anti-discrimination laws.

On Friday, the tribunal ruled in favour of the Taniela family, saying the school's failure to comply was a 'contravention' of the Anti-Discrimination Act.

Scroll down for video

Cyrus Taniela (pictured) is growing his hair ahead of a traditional hair cutting ceremony at the age of seven, but his strict school had demanded it was cut

Cyrus (pictured with his sister, who also attends the school) and his family were told they had to abide by Australian Christian College rules and cut his hair or he would face expulsion

'The conduct of the respondents in proposing to un-enroll Cyrus Taniela from Australian Christian College Moreton by reason of his failure to comply with the uniform policy in relation to his hair is an act in contravention of ... the Anti-Discrimination Act,' QCAT member Samantha Travers said.

The tribunal also ruled the school could not force Cyrus to have his hair above the collar or take it out of a bun.

The school has been ordered to apologise to the youngster in writing privately.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Australian Christian College Moreton for comment on the ruling.

Ms Taniela told Sunrise in February the ceremony was a 'Cook Island male's right of passage ceremony, which transitions a boy to a man'.

'We've tried to conform to the school uniform by doing his hair above the collar neat and tidy, but they've advised us that we'll still need to cut it,' she said.

A Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal has ruled the school could not force Cyrus to have his hair above the collar or take it out of a bun

Cook Islands elder Nga Toka said such ceremonies were usually prayer-filled events with lots of singing and dancing.

The child's hair is tied with ribbons and the community is called on by a pastor administering blessings to help cut it, she said.

The Taniela family had decided that would happen on Cyrus's seventh birthday.

Cyrus was initially sent to school with his hair in a bun but the Taniela family was told this was also against the institution's rules.

Jason (pictured, left) and Wendy (right) Taniela, Cyrus' parents, are seen leaving the hearing in Brisbane

Ms Taniela then sent him to class with his hair in a braid but the school also objected to this, the court heard.

The school agreed to allow Cyrus to continue attending his calsses pending a decision by the tribunal.

The school's lawyer, Christopher Murdoch, has asked Ms Taniela why her family had not brought the ceremony forward.

The private school has been ordered by the tribunal to apologise to the youngster in writing privately

'When it comes to this kind of ceremony it is almost like organising a wedding,' she said.

She said aunties needed time to sew a traditional blanket, which takes longer than 12 months to complete.

Mr Murdoch also asked how many haircutting ceremonies she had attended or blankets Ms Taniela had sewn, implying the traditions were not commonplace.

Ms Taniela told him none, as she is Samoan and this is a Cook Islands tradition based on Cyrus's father's family's beliefs.

Ms Taniela (pictured, with Cyrus) explained it was tradition in the Cook Islands for boys to grow their hair before transitioning towards manhood

Questions were also asked about why Ms Taniela and her husband, Jason, had not read the school's uniform policy thoroughly before sending Cyrus to the school, where his sister was already enrolled.

'Like any parent always rushing ... I signed the form and sent it through so we could get him onto the campus,' Ms Taniela said.

The tribunal had heard Cyrus's haircutting ceremony was initially planned to be an intimate affair with only 50 to 100 immediate family members attending.

But the school's actions and resulting media attention now meant many more people wanted to attend and it would take longer to organise.
After receiving a copy of the message/statement from Marquette University president Mike Lovell that John has parsed in the adjacent post, I wrote senior director of university communications Lynn Griffith at the address indicated in the message:

Dear Ms. Griffith: I am one of four partners in and contributors to the site Power Line. We have received a copy of the statement sent out by President Lovell to the board of trustees early yesterday evening. In that statement it is asserted that Power Line is not a reputable news source and its main intention seems to be clickbait and advertising I believe this statement to be false and defamatory. This is to request that President Lovell promptly retract it. Short of that, I would like you to provide the factual basis on which the statement was made. Insofar as you are identified as the institutional contact on the statement, I ask you for your response to this message by the close of business today.

I wrote Griffith this morning from my personal account account as well as our Power Line account. Of course, we heard nothing from Griffith. President Lovell has therefore not only disparaged the student who had the misfortune of accepting Marquettes invitation to attend the university, he has falsely defamed Power Line, all in the name of the Catholic, Jesuit institution he leads and has now disgraced.

This is one leader whose crisis management consultants appear to be unfamiliar with the law of holes. A victim of bad advice from these consultants, Lovell also lacks the character to deal with the issues in anything approaching a straightforward manner on his own.

The College Fix has now appended this editors note to its original story on Samantha Pfefferle: After publication Tuesday, Pfefferle reached out to The College Fix and said that the school on Monday finally told her it would not revoke her admissions. Campus officials still have not responded to numerous requests from The Fix for comment. Its probably just as well.

Howie Carr caught up with Ms. Pfefferle in the third hour of his program yesterday. I have embedded that hour in podcast form below. Compare and contrast rising freshman Samantha Pfefferle speaking in her own voice with the bland institutional weasel words of the president of Marquette University. What a disgrace.
(Xinhua Photo)

Relations facing most severe challenge since diplomatic ties established in 1979

China on Thursday proposed a list of interactions with the United States on specifying cooperation, maintaining dialogue and properly handling differences as their relationship faces the most severe challenge since the establishment of diplomatic ties.

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the remark when addressing the China-US Think Tanks and Media Online Forum.

Wang suggested China and the US compile three lists that outline bilateral and global issues they could work on, detail issues on which they have disputes but expect can be resolved through dialogue, and identify the few tough issues that the two countries have little chance of agreeing on.

The two countries should properly manage tough disputes and minimize their damage to bilateral relations based on the spirit of seeking common ground while reserving differences, he said.

This is the second day in a row for senior Chinese diplomats to send positive messages on China-US ties, after Vice-Foreign Minister Le Yucheng said on Wednesday at a video dialogue that the trend toward China-US cooperation is unstoppable, urging the US to get its relationship with China back on track.

China-US relations have been deteriorating as the two countries have been at odds on issues such as dealing with the novel coronavirus, Washington's interference in issues related to Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Tibet and Taiwan, and disputes in areas such as trade and technology.

Last month, China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met in Hawaii to discuss sensitive factors in bilateral ties.

China and the US should jointly explore ways for peaceful coexistence and release more "positive energy", Wang said at the forum.

Some people in the US with ideological biases are resorting to all possible means to portray China as an adversary and even an enemy, Wang said, adding that they relentlessly seek to frustrate and contain China's development, and impede interaction between China and the US.

He clarified that China never intends to challenge or replace the US, nor does it expect a full confrontation with the country.

While the US unscrupulously encircles and smears China around the world, and meddles in China's domestic affairs, it should not unrealistically demand that China show understanding and support for the US in bilateral and global affairs, he said.

Wang said he hopes the US will develop a more objective and coolheaded perception about China and formulate a more rational and pragmatic China policy.

"As long as the US is ready, we can restore and restart the dialogue mechanisms at all levels and in all areas," he said, adding that "only communication can dispel falsehoods, and only dialogue can prevent miscalculation".

China needs to seriously consider and map out the development of its relations with the US in the future and propose options and solutions that safeguard China's fundamental interests while addressing the reasonable concerns of the US, which is also in the interests of world peace and development, said Fu Ying, chair of the Center for International Strategy and Security at Tsinghua University and former vice-foreign minister.

Zhao Qizheng, former director of the State Council Information Office, called on think tanks and the media from both sides to help reduce misunderstanding among the two peoples and build a good foundation of public opinion for cooperation between the two governments.
Summit With Trump Might Not Happen This Year, Kim Jong Un's Sister Says

Sputnik News

21:20 GMT 09.07.2020(updated 21:44 GMT 09.07.2020)

The nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang have been stalled ever since the fiasco at the Hanoi summit in February 2019.

A summit between US President Donald Trump and the North Korean leader might not take place this year, but "we never know", Kim Jong Un's sister, Kim Yo Jong, said on Thursday, according to Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

She added that, if it happens, the summit will only benefit the United States.

On Monday, the DPRK said it does not intend to hold negotiations with the US, KCNA reported, after media and some officials elaborated on the need to resume US-North Korea talks on denuclearisation before the US presidential election in November this year. The DPRK responded that Washington intended to use dialogue with Pyongyang as a tool for grappling with its internal political crisis.

The landmark summit in Hanoi, Vietnam, promised progress in denuclearising the Korean peninsula, but was, however, cut short, because Washington turned down Pyongyang 's offer to lift some sanctions in exchange for reciprocal steps on Pyongyang's part.

While it was negotiating with the US, the DPRK suspended test launches of its short and medium-range missiles, but resumed the tests after no deal was struck in Hanoi.

A Sputnik

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Due to the ongoing pandemic, Mayor Marty J. Walsh and the Boston Housing Authority announced on Friday that the moratorium on nonessential evictions for public housing residents has been extended until the end of the year.

All eviction proceedings have been postponed except for those related to criminal activity and that are deemed necessary to protect the health and safety of BHA residents and employees.

"I want to commend the BHA for once again setting the example for our city's landlords," said Walsh. "These are extraordinary times, and right now, we all need to come together to ensure that our city's most vulnerable residents are able to continue to live and work in the city they call home. Our public housing communities are a critical and irreplaceable piece of the fabric of our city, and we want to make sure they are supported during these difficult times."

The BHA was the first housing provider in Boston to implement an eviction moratorium on non-essential evictions in March. The extended moratorium will protect public housing residents as they face economic upheaval during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

"As we work to tackle an economic crisis and a public health emergency, it is critical that we take every step we can to ensure that our residents have stable housing," said BHA Administrator Kate Bennett. "This moratorium buys critical time for our residents to weather the COVID-19 public health emergency until both of these crises have abated."

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council estimated that 18,000 households in the City of Boston are currently having a difficult time paying their rent during the crisis.

Last week, one of the largest low-income landlords, WinnCompanies also announced that it will continue its moratorium on tenant evictions in cases of financial hardship as a result of COVID-19 until the end of 2020. WinnCompanies owns 51 apartment communities in 22 cities and towns in Massachusetts, including Boston and nearly all of the states Gateway Cities, providing housing for more than 12,240 individuals living in more than 6,500 households.

During the crisis, Boston has also made over $1.1 million available to over 300 households in Boston through the Rental Relief Fund to assist tenants who were unable to make their rental payments.

Any BHA resident or voucher holder who is unable to pay current rent during the pandemic should notify their housing manager or landlord through text, email or printed letter and establish a plan for repayment. Although there is an eviction moratorium currently in place, it is temporary and tenants are still required to perform their contractual obligation to pay their rent.

Residents or voucher holders facing a financial hardship must reach out to their voucher provider or BHA to re-certify their income and reduce their monthly payment. Statewide financial assistance for rent is available through RAFT funding.

Got a news tip or want to contact MassLive about this story? Email newstips@masslive.com or message us on Facebook orTwitter. You can also call our news tips line at 413-776-1364.
VANCOUVER, Canada (AP) - Trifecta Gold Ltd. has signed a property purchase agreement a 100 percent interest in a high grade gold prospect in northern Nevada, from Silver Range Resources Ltd. Known as the Yuge Property. The Agreement will replace the existing option deal originally announced Feb. 28, 2018.

Located in Humboldt County, south of Denio in the Varyville Mining District, The Yuge Property is road accessible and covers the Columbia and Juanita Mines which produced on a small scale between 1870 and 1937. The most recent reported production was 2,350 tons of oxide ore in 1936-37 from the Columbia Mine.

"This new Agreement aligns Silver Range with Trifecta shareholders and will help facilitate further exploration on the highly prospective Yuge Property", Interim CEO Richard Drechsler said in a statement. "Trifecta has now initiated the permitting process in order drill test the Property later this year."

Gold on the Property occurs with arsenopyrite in mesothermal quartz veins and adjacent wall rock. The veins occur in sub-parallel shear zones up to 60 m wide and over 1,200 m long. Selected surface grab samples collected on the property by the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology returned assays up to 15 g/t Au and similar samples collected by Homestake Mining Company assayed up to 53.0 g/t Au.

The highest gold grades were reported from near-surface oxidized vein material where documented run-of-mine sorted ore assayed greater than 34 g/t Au and reported sampling of a crown pillar returned 2.4 m @ 16.8 g/t Au including 0.6 m @ 50.7 g/t Au.

Sulphide mineralization occurs at depths greater than 30 m with arsenopyrite-rich material reportedly assaying greater than 17.4 g/t Au. A reported true-width drill intersection in this material at 49 m depth returned 3.3 m @ 9.70 g/t Au. Historical drilling intersected gold mineralization or open stopes in all holes reported but only to a maximum depth of 100 metres. Trifecta believes there is considerable potential to discover similar mineralization at depth given the mesothermal character of the veins and the considerable depth extent of gold mineralization in deposits of this class.

Trifecta conducted a reconnaissance program in spring of 2018, see press release dated June 21, 2018, which confirmed the presence of high grade gold at multiple showings on the Property. Significant results from rock samples collected during this program are listed below by zone:

Columbia - 150, 75.4, 34.9, 10.5, 7.4, and 7.13 g/t gold

Juanita - 11.4, 6.35, and 5.85 g/t gold

Josie - 86.1, 45.2, 42.2, 36.2, 25.7, 21.6, 16.7, 13.1, and 5.49 g/t gold

To earn a 100% interest in the Property, Trifecta will issue to Silver Range 9.9% of its total number of issued shares immediately following closing of a $500,000 financing, and pay Silver Range a further $250,000 on or before the first anniversary date of the Agreement. Should Trifecta raise in excess of $500,000, Silver Range's share interest will be pro-rated to the first $500,000 raised.

Upon earning a 100% interest, Silver Range will be granted a 2% Net Smelter Return Royalty, one-half (1/2) of which can be purchased for $1,000,000. Silver Range will also be granted Defined Resource Payments of US$2.00 per ounce of gold or gold equivalent for each ounce identified in a measured or indicated mineral resource, or a proven or probable mineral reserve estimate as contained in a NI 43-101 compliant technical report (the "Report") applicable to the Property. Defined Resource Payments shall be received by Silver Range within six months of the date the Report or any subsequent Report.

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Gabino Aguirre, right, of the California Citizens Redistricting Commission discusses redistricting maps at a Sacramento news conference in 2011. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)

Last week, the state auditor stood behind a bingo cage filled with pingpong balls for a random drawing of eight lucky winners from among 35 names. The prize wasnt a million dollars, but one of the first seats on the 14-member Citizens Redistricting Commission and the chance to shape Californias political future.

Though it was the luck of the draw, the results made for a pretty diverse octet. Half of those picked were women, three were Black and more than half of the commissioners were nonwhite  just like the state itself.

But by one crucial measure, the lottery failed miserably. None of the commissioners selected in the drawing was Latino. Not one.

This shouldnt have happened. Not in a state in which Latinos are the largest ethnic group, accounting for about 40% of the nearly 40 million residents. And it can't be chalked up to an astonishingly bad run of luck. The deck was stacked from the start.

It became clear that Latinos were woefully represented in the pool, making up just 14% of the applicants, even before the August deadline closed. The state auditor, who oversees the commission outreach and application process, extended the deadline under pressure from such groups as California Common Cause, which said they hadn't been given enough time to do recruiting. But the extension was a dud, at least for Latino candidates whose percentages increased only slightly.

A state review panel did manage to increase the percentage of Latino candidates as it winnowed down the pool over the next few months, but it couldn't overcome the early disadvantage  or the whim of legislative leaders from the two major parties, who collectively whacked several Latinos off a list of 60 semifinalists.

The random drawing of the first eight commissioners, who will pick the next six, is supposed to ensure a truly independent group chosen by chance, not by the machinations of politicians with their own agendas. But Proposition 11, which created the panel, didn't envision a bunch of random Californians. It mandated a group that would fairly represent the diversity of this vast state and ensure that no one was left out of the process of drawing the boundaries of legislative and congressional districts  and certainly not the state's largest ethnic group.

This outcome is not just embarrassing, it's unacceptable. This means the eight new commissioners must prioritize Latinos when they pick the next six of their colleagues.

But that's not enough. This can't happen again. The outcome suggests that the selection process for this important panel is both fundamentally flawed and inherently discriminatory, like so many of our civic institutions have turned out to be under recent scrutiny. Every step in the process must be examined and, if necessary, revised long before applicants start applying for the 2030 commission.
US President Donald Trump (L) talks with Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during the plenary session of the NATO summit at the Grove hotel in Watford, northeast of London on December 4, 2019. (Photo by NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty Images)

The United States has filed paperwork to pull out of the World Health Organization (WHO) after citing it had been overtaken by China since the start of the pandemic. The U.S is no stranger to departing major global organizations, but the ramifications of this particular exit could prove costly for current member nations, including the U.S.s closest ally, Canada.

The solution is not pulling out, the solution involves partners including Canada and improving it. We cannot fight pandemics without the U.S., said Yves Tiberghien, professor of Political Science at the University of British Columbia and co-chair of the Vision 20 initiative, an organization working on global governance.

With an ongoing pandemic of COVID-19, no country has fared worse than the United States of America, but now the $500 million of research funding they used to supply to the WHO will stop as of July 6, 2021.

This is not the first time the U.S. under the leadership of President Trump has decided to leave a global deal or organization. In 2017, the U.S. withdrew from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and one year later they departed from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). The most well-known example is the U.S. pullout of the Paris Climate Accord, which will take place on November 4, one day after the Presidential Election. In this particular case, Tiberghien thinks the damage to the 194 countries could be quite expansive.

It's particularly crippling and a demoralizing move because the U.S. is so critical to global health, so much of the research is done in the U.S., they provide a big chunk of the funding and its happened in the middle of a pandemic, he said.

A series of problems

According to Tiberghien, the move to leave the WHO is one of the latest that has caused strife in the Canada-U.S. relationship. He points to the change in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and pulling out of the UN-approved JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) on Iran.

Story continues

Its a big headache for Canada. What we believe in is the WTO, having rules in trade, climate rules, a global health organization, defending democracy and human rights and our biggest partner in this whole endeavour is against all of that, he said.

A 2018 poll by Pew Research showed that Canadians had a particularly low opinion of President Trump since he had come into office. The poll indicated only 25 per cent of Canadians rated Trump positively, while 63 per cent felt he was doing less than ever to address problems ongoing globally. Amongst those Canadians surveyed, a whopping 82 per cent felt the U.S. makes global policy decisions without ever considering Canada.

The trust in the U.S. president amongst Canadians is amongst the lowest its ever been, its just been disappointing, but on the other hand we cannot run away because were physically attached, he said.

The move by the U.S. to leave the WHO is made more significant as Tiberghien says there is a general consensus even amongst the biggest academic skeptics that health and pandemics need a strong and global response.

Its part of the absolute minimum level of cooperation or we cannot fight the pandemic. We know that theres a potential of more viruses, he said.

The move opens way for Canada to start to improve relations with other countries and while that would be a nice feather in the hat, Tiberghien admits its not the same as having the U.S. by your side.

We can go work with Europe, Mexico, Japan but it doesnt gel together...they dont have the firepower that the U.S. does, he said.

The WHO is not without fault however, as reporting has shown the organization was slow to report on its early findings within China. Part of that problem was the Chinese government had delayed passing on information to the World Health Organization for almost a week which led to increased transmission of COVID-19.

According to Tiberghien the biggest problems with the WHO are the lack of a rapid response team, which would have been effective to contain a virus like COVID-19. He adds the bureaucracy is another huge point of contention as there is a lack of ability to make decisions as there are 194 member countries and a general consensus can be tough to reach.

Despite their clear shortcomings, Tiberghien thinks the value of WHO far supersedes the problems and rather than pulling out of the WHO, the U.S. may want to think twice about increasing their funding.

The WHO is critical as the only information-sharing organization to fight against pandemics. Its not perfect and it does need reforms, he said.

Should Canada pull out of the World Health Organization too? Vote in the poll above and share your thoughts in the comments.
BERLIN (JTA) - In May, a demolition crew tore down a building in the western German city of Gelsenkirchen. As the walls fell, a 110-year-old advertising mural on the adjacent brick wall was exposed.

It read: "For suits and overcoats with a perfect fit, shop at Alexander."

The large Alexander family was Jewish and had moved to Gelsenkirchen around the 1910s from another German city. The Nazis eventually expropriated their businesses and property.

Some family members fled to Brazil. Others made it to the United Kingdom and then to the United States. One brother was captured in exile in Belgium, deported to Auschwitz and murdered. Today, descendants of the Alexanders live in Brazil and the U.S.

Over time, another building went up alongside the mural, further blotting out the memory of the Alexander family. But the structure also protected the mural for decades.

"If it is open and exposed to the weather, it would not last long," city spokesperson Martin Schulmann said. "We really were lucky."

Now Gelsenkirchen, a city of about 260,000 nearly 150 miles from the Dutch capital of Amsterdam, is debating how to best preserve the mural. It's considering a plan that might include a memorial plaque and windows in the eventual new neighboring structure through which visitors could see the mural.

The timing is unclear, but there is general agreement on preservation among the city-run housing group that owns it.

The news, delivered today in a letter from Mayor Frank Baranowski to Jewish community president Judith Neuwald-Tasbach, was welcomed.

"He said that my wish would be realized," Neuwald-Tasbach said. "And I am totally happy about it."

The history of the Alexander family has been long known to local activist Andreas Jordan, whose Gelsenzentrum association has been trying to have "stumbling stone" memorials installed at their last residences. Jordan had also urged the mayor to protect and keep the wall accessible.

It "opens a window to the past to the historical, cultural and social life of the Jewish people here and... to the booming economy of the Weimar period," he said. "It's not just an old wall."

"It's something that the people themselves put up," said Neuwald-Tasbach, whose great-grandparents had a bedding shop in Gelsenkirchen. "They knew the Alexanders, and my grandfather probably bought his suits, and they probably bought their beds from us."

Back then, the city's Jewish community had nearly 2,000 members. Today it has about 380, mostly coming from the former Soviet Union.

Neuwald-Tasbach hopes the discovery will trigger the city's students to research local Jewish history, perhaps as part of next year's events marking 1,700 years of Jewish life in Germany.

"Some people don't know that there was Jewish life here for so long," she said. "[Local Jews] were normal people, and some of them had shops, and they wore suits with a perfect fit."
A host of health care professionals across Nigeria have used the language of war to describe the fight against the coronavirus, which has overwhelmed some hospitals.

Health care workers are the soldiers on the front lines.

The Asokoro General hospital in Abuja has been turned into a full-time isolation centre while patients being treated for other ailments in the facility are pushed to other hospitals in Nigerias capital.

More than 400 health workers have tested positive for the virus, says the National Chairman of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), Josiah Biobelemoye.

He disclosed this on Friday in Abuja while briefing journalists about the distribution of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the JOHESU state councils.

The over 400 is the figure of JOHESU members who contracted the contagion alone. It did not include health workers outside the JOHESU family, Ogbonna Chimela, the national vice chairman of the association later told PREMIUM TIMES on phone Friday afternoon.

JOHESU is a group of other health workers other than doctors. They comprise nurses, pharmacists, cleaners and administrative workers in hospitals.

As of June 2, at least a total of 812 (all) health workers have tested positive for COVID-19, according to the health minister, Osagie Ehanire.

About 417 JOHESU members have tested positive. When you now include medical professionals, the numbers would have reached almost a thousand, Mr Chimela said.

Despite the increase in infections, health workers would not relent in protecting Nigerians, JOHESU national chairman, Mr Biobelemoye noted.

But, public health officials are not disclosing where these employees work, how they are doing now or how many may have been infected in hot spots, or clusters of positive tests.

Nigerias infectious disease outfit, NCDC, is not providing details beyond a state-wide total.

Most health experts say revealing more information could jeopardize the privacy of infected employees.

JOHESU distributing PPE to its members.

They say more specific numbers for hospitals, or even for entire cities or counties, could allow someone to figure out who got sick, thereby violating the workers privacy rights.

Three days ago, authorities in Edo confirmed that over 200 health workers tested positive in the state.

Ordeal of health workers fighting COVID-19

Health workers, being the first respondents to patients have continued to be at risk of exposure to COVID-19 virus.

Although health workers have been advised to use full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) before attending to patients, many do not have access to this equipment and as a result, nearly a thousand health workers have tested positive for COVID-19 in Nigeria.

The Nigerian government had promised a special COVID-19 hazard and inducement allowance of 50 per cent of Consolidated Basic Salary to health workers in Nigerian Teaching Hospitals, Federal Medical Centres (FMCs), and designated COVID-19 centres.

Resident doctors, certified doctors undergoing residency to become consultants had downed tools when they did not receive the hazard pay four months into the pandemic era.

The doctors also protested unpaid salaries and a dearth of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) among other demands. JOHESU members have also threatened strike over similar demands.

Sharing of PPEs

During Fridays briefing, the JOHESU president said the ordeal of health workers has called for drastic solutions, hence the decision of the union to take it upon itself to distribute PPEs to its members.

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Since the outbreak of COVID- 19, over 400 members of JOHESU have been infected by coronavirus, we also need to support our own members who are working and sacrificing their lives for the generality of Nigerians, Mr Biobelemoye stated.

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Among PPE to be distributed across 38 state councils of the union include, 50,000 pieces of face masks, 15,200 pieces of sanitisers, 2,000 pieces of disinfectants and 1,200 pieces of hand wash, the official said.

Also speaking during the exercise, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Abdulaziz Mashi, said the federal government was appreciative of any donations made by public-spirited Nigerians towards curbing the pandemic.

Mr Mashi, who was represented by the Director Human Resources, Aliya Mohammed, noted that for some unusual reasons, Nigeria has been able to brace up to the challenges better than other advanced countries with technological ingenuity.

The emergence of COVID-19 has changed the way we live our lives and the health system in general, such that even the developed countries have been overwhelmed, talk less of Nigeria.

JOHESU distributing PPE to its members.

The virus has affected the economy drastically, hence the government cannot meet all the challenges that has been thrown up, that is why we welcome such donations by the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria.

We have many frontline health workers taking up these challenges on behalf of other Nigerians and the federal government is always appreciating these efforts, so we crave your understanding and more support to improve on our health care delivery in the country, he said.

Earlier, the General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Emmanuel Ugboaja, said health workers deserved commendation for being the first set of people to raise awareness on COVID-19 and its preventive measures.
As we sit on our beds dreaming about our next vacation, the options that come to mind are endless but the one thing we all love are road trips. So what is the best way to soothe a travellers soul and quench your thirst for wanderlust? The answer lies in Australia.

There is nothing more picturesque than long winding roads where you can feel the ocean breeze, spot koalas sleeping in the treetops, gaze into beautiful pink lakes and unravel the mysteries of lush green forests. These destinations are so perfect that pictures cannot do justice to their beauty. But while we wait for the world to reopen again, these photos will bring us the much-needed comfort.

Here are some of the most breath-taking images from around the beautiful country of Australia:

1. Perth To Esperance Road Trip, Western Australia

Tourism Australia

Eagle Bay, a secluded escape, is one of the stops on the 1,000-kilometre (645-mile) road trip from Perth to Esperance. The drive also called the Great South West Edge, has something for everyone from urban exploring and winery touring, coastal cruising and forest escapes to beaches that lie close to the sunbathing kangaroos of Lucky Bay.

2. Adelaide To The Eyre Peninsula Road Trip, South Australia

Tourism Australia

If you are looking for a trip that the photographer will love, then Lake MacDonnell on South Australias Eyre Peninsula is the place to be. The narrow track divides the pink waters of Lake MacDonnell with the neighbouring blue-green waterscape making it look like a watermelon.

3. The Great Barrier Reef Drive, Queensland

Tourism Australia

No matter where you go, leaving Australia without visiting Great Barrier Reef is not an option, plus the 300-kilometre (186-mile) road trip, stretching from Cairns to Cape Tribulation is as picturesque as it can get. One can stop along the way to snorkel, learn about Aboriginal and spot saltwater crocodiles making it a trip worth taking.

4. The Great Eastern Drive, Tasmania

Tourism Australia

If you are looking for something that is endless, then Australias island state of Tasmania is the place to be. The 176-kilometre (109-mile) Great Eastern Drive is filled with incredible stops that have food, wine and nature.

5. Airlie Beach To Cape Gloucester Road Trip, Queensland

Tourism Australia

Full of tiny towns and coastal oases, Queenslands Whitsundays region is brimming with culture. North from Airlie Beach is Cape Gloucester, a beautiful spot with tall palm trees, secret coves and sweeping views of the Coral Sea and from there you can head to Townsville and Cairns for a reef and rainforest getaway.

6. The Great Ocean Road, Victoria

Tourism Australia

If you love the coast, the ocean breeze and endless blue views then Great Ocean Road is the one that has it all. A seaside road trip full of sweeping views, free-roaming wildlife and laid-back Aussie towns. Begin in Melbourne to find the start of the road in the surfing capital of Torquay, then drive all the way to its end in Port Fairy. You don't have to stop here; you can extend your trip to South Australia's festival city of Adelaide.

If these images were not enough, then you can go on to see and read more about everything Australia has to offer when it comes to picturesque road trips with culture, food, wine and adventure at every stop.
Failure to remove information harmful to national security brings legal liability: HK security chief

Global Times

Source: Global Times Published: 2020/7/9 18:02:45

Publishers, network and service providers who fail to remove information that threatens national security should be held accountable, said Hong Kong's security head, after social media giants, such as Facebook, Twitter and Telegram decided to "pause" the sharing of data with Hong Kong authorities.

The newly enacted national security law for Hong Kong will smooth the way for relevant work in safeguarding national security in Hong Kong and provide a legal basis for law enforcement regarding national security, said John Lee Ka-Chiu, secretary for security in Hong Kong, in an exclusive interview with China Central Television (CCTV) on Wednesday.

He noted that the new implementation rules for the law published on Tuesday have provided a legal basis for action against crimes such as separatism.

The seven measures fixed loopholes in our current law enforcement, said Lee, citing as an example how police could apply for search warrants. Police have now been granted rights to remove information that incites others to commit crimes or engage in crimes that endanger national security.

If such information is not removed, the publisher, network and service provider should hold legal accountability, said Lee. He noted that representatives of any organization operating in Hong Kong or foreign organizations should provide materials for police, so they can prepare for prevention if anything happens. Furthermore, police must be given information to assess their risks to national security.

Lee made the remarks after some social media giants, such as Facebook, Twitter and Telegram, made high-profile announcements that they will "pause" the processing of the Hong Kong government's requests to access data, following some local and foreign media outlets' describing of the national security law enforcement rules as eroding Hong Kong's online privacy.

"I believe this is very important, as the national security law for Hong Kong has only been enacted for a week. Many things are new, many mechanisms are being established," Lee told the CCTV.

Lee said it is important to coordinate and face those new challenges, so as to establish mutual trust.

The Hong Kong government released the implementation rules of an article from the national security law, which took effect on Tuesday. The rules give the police the power to remove online messages that endanger national security, and to request assistance, according to the fourth rule of the 43rd article of the national security law.

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Free provision of food, cash transfers, and jobs in villages see enhanced flow of funds despite a precipitous fall in revenue. Till May, defence spend was nearly 30 per cent less than the previous year.

Despite a precipitous fall of 40 per cent in tax collection, the central government has doubled its farm and rural sector spending in April and May, data released by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) shows.

The combined spending by the ministries of agriculture and rural development in April-May FY21 was Rs 91,355 crore, compared to Rs 44,054 crore in the same period of FY20.

The department of food and public distribution is not behind; it has spent Rs 10,000 crore in two months on capital infusion for food provisions, way higher than the annual capex allocation of Rs 2,000 crore.

However, the strong thrust on food and rural sector has come at a cost: defence spending has been hit, and till May, it is nearly 30 per cent less than the previous year.

The same CGA data tells us that major defence expenditure in the first two months of FY21 has been Rs 48,000 crore, nearly 25 per cent less than Rs 65,000 crore in the same period of FY20.

This includes the expenditure under revenue and capital heads.

The government has put extra thrust on health expenditure, as a response to the public health emergency.

Fertiliser subsidy, road projects, and transfer or money to states has seen enhanced flow in the first two months, in comparison to the previous year.

But at the same time, disbursal of direct benefits for LPG consumption, and spending on education is at a lower pace than before. Spending on police forces, too, has been slower.

Experts did not find reduced defence spending as a good indication.

"Most of the defence capital expenditure goes into procurement and modernisation.

"At the outset, this much of a drop in capex could be a worrying sign. But we have to take the monthly accounts with a pinch of salt," Laxman Behera, a defence expert with Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses told Business Standard.

"To fund the pandemic policy response, there is a cap on how much ministries can spend in the first quarter of FY21.

"For the MoD, the limit is 15-20 per cent. In addition, some book-keeping in defence expenditure may not get reflected in monthly accounts," he explained.

Defence spending assumes even more importance when Indias borders are under threat.

But it has to be kept in mind that the data is available only till May, while the border tensions began in June.

Similar to major developmental spending heads under defence, the pension outgo also has been lower than the previous year.

The government received flak some time back for keeping the defence pensions spending higher than its productive spend.

Commenting on the changes in expenditure pattern, eminent economic policy expert and head of Mumbai-based Indira Gandhi Institute for Development Research S Mahendra Dev said that the short term needs of providing food are more important than anything else at the moment.

Livelihoods are at stake after the fall in economic activity, so it is vitally important to address immediate concerns of food security.

"Defence spending should be looked at in the medium term, he told Business Standard.

He also pointed out that the enhanced limit for foreign direct investment in defence would help in the medium and longer term.

The government usually front-loads its spending various heads: meaning, it spends more in the initial months of the financial year to clear backlogs and arrears, and to set the juggernaut rolling.

It ends up spending lesser than average towards the last quarter.

Though this is definitely at play here, the doubling of spending on farmers and the rural sector is worth underlining.

Most of this infusion has been done under the cash transfer scheme Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sammaan Yojana (PM-KISAN) and the national job guarantee scheme MGNREGA.

Photograph: Reuters
(JNS)  More than 200 legal scholars have signed a letter on the prominent international law blog, Opinio Juris, condemning Israels prospective annexation of West Bank settlements. While this sentiment is backed by many United Nations resolutions, theres a critical issue that like-minded jurists and institutions refuse to address: Their underlying reasoning leads to the curious conclusion that little, if any, Israeli territory actually belongs to Israel.

Weve been told numerous times that territory cannot be acquired by force. The West Bank, which fell under Israeli control in the 1967 Six-Day War, therefore, would be off limits for annexation.

Just one problem: Israel became Israel due to an insurgency and a war of independence, rather than a peaceful transition of power. Following the scholars reasoning to its logical conclusion, a strong argument can be made that the Jewish community in the British Mandate acquired the whole of Israel by force, invalidating the Jewish claim to virtually every inch of Israeli soil.

Usually, when a position entails such absurd consequences, it is modified. In the realm of international law as applied to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, however, poor reasoning is only followed by worse reasoning.

One ad hoc approach is to suggest that the prohibition only applies to already existing states. But we are still left with the fact that vast portions of what became Israel were acquired by force well after Israel satisfied the criteria for statehood and declared independence on May 15, 1948.

Israels largest southern city, Beersheva, was not acquired until late October 1948, and one would be hard-pressed to find a more deliberate forceful acquisition of territory. After all, Israels first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, worked vigorously to stall a U.N.-mediated ceasefire to ensure that Israel had time to capture the city.

As for Eilat, troops did not reach what would become Israels Red Sea port city until March of 1949.

No country that established formal diplomatic relations with Israel has held Israels acquisition of these territories as unlawful. For all purposes, including trade and diplomacy, no distinction is made between Eilat and Tel Aviv.

This acquiescence proves critical in assessing the relevant international law. Under the Lotus Principle, acts are legal unless affirmatively illegal. For acts to be illegal, either there must be a treaty in place  or widespread customary practice  according to which states refrain from acts with the belief that doing otherwise would violate legal norms.

Its difficult to imagine that Israel would have been admitted to the United Nations if the circumstances leading to its creation  the forceful acquisition of former British Mandate territory  had violated a treaty such as the U.N. Charter. Nor did there appear to be a violation of widespread customary practice, given the number of states that recognized Israel in its entirety.

Absent clear evidence of relevant changes in international law between 1949 and 1967, the Lotus Principle holds that what was not illegal in 1949 remained lawful during the Six-Day War.

Indias conquest of Portuguese-held Goa in 1961, a mere six years before Israel obtained control of the West Bank, argues strongly against any major legal developments in the intervening years. While Portugal vociferously argued that India acted illegally, and this position found sympathy in some Western states, plenty of states also sided with India. The widespread consensus required to change international law had not emerged.

Likewise, North Vietnams forceful acquisition of South Vietnam in 1975, eight years after the Six-Day War, was not met with the kind of unanimous legal opprobrium needed to indicate a change in customary norms.

There are strong indications that in certain circumstances, such as the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, it is permissible to acquire territory forcefully. Even if views gradually have evolved, Israel persistently has objected to any post-1967 customary norms that would require relinquishing its claims to parts of the West Bank. Absent unusual circumstances, changes in international law require the consent of affected parties.

Those arguing against Israeli annexation of its settlements have not adequately addressed the discrepancies in how the laws related to conquest are applied to Israel. This disparate treatment, itself a possible violation of general legal principles, fortunately has not gone unnoticed by the administration in Washington. On June 11, the same day that Opinio Juris released the scholars letter, U.S. President Donald Trump sanctioned the International Criminal Court for its highly politicized investigations of the United States and Israel.

Of course, legal scholars never should be sanctioned for holding erroneous beliefs. Instead, they should be encouraged to support their positions with cogent analysis, rather than retreating into an echo chamber. When it comes to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, however, theres far more echo chamber than critical thinking. Hopefully, that will change.

Matthew Mainen is a graduate of Stanford Law School and a Washington Resident Fellow at the Middle East Forum.
A view of the Jordan Valley, part of the land that Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to apply Israeli sovereignty to, seen Feb. 2, 2020.

(JTA) - Since April, all eyes following the Israeli-Palestinian conflict were glued to July 1.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had negotiated the date into his government coalition deal with his rival Benny Gantz. On July 1, as stipulated in the agreement, Netanyahu could put the topic of annexing the West Bank - a move that would have enormous political repercussions well beyond the Middle East - up for a vote in his Cabinet or in the Knesset, Israel's parliament.

But on Tuesday, Netanyahu signaled that nothing big would happen on July 1. After meeting with White House envoy Avi Berkowitz and U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, Netanyahu said they "spoke about the question of sovereignty, which we are working on these days and we will continue to work on in the coming days."

With that, the anticipation that had been building for months - or some could argue for over a year, during which Netanyahu promised annexation in not one or two but three election campaigns - dissipated. "The coming days" takes us into an indeterminate future.

This doesn't mean that annexation in full or some other form won't ever happen. In fact, Netanyahu has floated the idea of annexing just a few large settlement blocs close to July 1 to try to appease all sides.

Still, missing the July 1 date is symbolic of how fraught the process has become. Here are the reasons why it hasn't come together the way that Netanyahu had hoped.

The U.S. team is uneasy.

Tuesday's meeting was just one of several that Netanyahu has had over the past few months with the U.S. Middle East peace team anchored by Jared Kushner, Friedman and the 31-year-old Berkowitz. The team's message has been straightforward for months: Slow down the process.

That's despite the fact that the Trump administration's own peace plan, released in January, gives Israel the green light to add West Bank lands to its map in a future two-state solution with the Palestinians. The Palestinians would get about 70 percent of the West Bank's territory and Israel would annex the rest.

Some have speculated that the holdup is due to geographic specifics, or which West Bank settlements the U.S. will approve annexing. The U.S. administration has also been tied up with responding to the coronavirus crisis - something that Kushner has also spent time on - and is wary of getting involved in a controversial move at the same time.

There's also the fact that the Palestinians have outright rejected the Trump plan, which could be weighing on the U.S. team.

In addition, the Israeli army reportedly has been kept completely out of the loop of the process, giving rise to anxieties about a possible bungled security response.

Whatever the reason for the delay, it looks like Netanyahu is deferring to President Donald Trump and his team, which is unusual. In previous peace negotiations, the United States usually let the Israelis take the lead in setting parameters. In the 2013-14 negotiations, when a team led by then-Secretary of State John Kerry put forward detailed proposals, Netanyahu's government pushed back forcefully.

Gantz is uneasy.

There's another potential reason that the U.S. team has shown reservations: They could want the full support of Benny Gantz, now Israel's defense minister but also alternate prime minister. According to the coalition agreement, Gantz is scheduled to rotate into the prime minister role in a little over a year. He now represents the center-right in Israeli politics.

The Times of Israel reported Tuesday that "the U.S. appears to be conditioning the advancement of the annexation on Gantz's backing, in addition to support by Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi." Ashkenazi, like Gantz a former Israel Defense Forces leader, is part of Gantz's Blue and White party.

Gantz has said he supports the Trump peace plan, which involves annexation, but only if the idea gains wider support than it currently has. European politicians have threatened sanctions on Israel if it follows through, and Arab countries have warned that the move would cause disastrous unrest in the region. Yousef al-Otaiba, the United Arab Emirates' ambassador to the United States, has written that annexation would also destroy the relationships that Netanyahu has been working hard to build in the Arab world.

"I believe that the Trump plan is the right political and security framework to be promoted in the State of Israel," Gantz said in an interview with Ynet on Tuesday. "[But] this needs to be done correctly in bringing as many partners to this discussion from the countries of the region, with international backing. [We must] make every effort to connect with them and only then continue. And I think all the means to bring in the players have not yet been exhausted."

The Palestinians could be willing to talk if annexation is nixed.

The Palestinian Authority, led by Mahmoud Abbas, has not been happy about the annexation rumors. If Israel follows through with its plan, the P.A. said it will declare its own state. It has already reneged on all security cooperation with Israel and even stopped taking tax money held for them.

All signs pointed to a historic low in Israeli-Palestinian relations. However, in a striking reversal, the AFP news agency reported that the P.A. is willing to come back to the negotiating table - something it hasn't done since 2014 - if Israel drops the annexation idea. The report claims that the Palestinian Authority sent a letter to the so-called Quartet - the diplomatic grouping of the United States, the United Nations, the European Union and Russia - saying it was "ready to resume direct bilateral negotiations where they stopped." The AFP could not discern when the letter was sent, though.

The coronavirus is raging in Israel.

This is Gantz's other point: The coronavirus has made a comeback in Israel, and he thinks the government should prioritize dealing with that first.

In the early days of the virus, Netanyahu and his government were praised for their quick and effective quarantine shutdown. In recent weeks, however, Israel has relaxed restrictions and reopened workplaces and schools - and seen a spike in COVID-19 cases. On Tuesday, the Health Ministry confirmed over 700 new cases that had been identified in the past 24 hours - the second-highest amount recorded in a day there since the start of the pandemic. Israeli reports claim that the ministry is pushing for curfews in dozens of cities to curb the spread of disease.

Netanyahu has disagreed with Gantz on the topic.

"We have serious issues to discuss," Netanyahu said Tuesday. "So serious they can't even wait until after the coronavirus passes.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 23:32:01|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- China-U.S. ties, one of the world's most important bilateral relationships, are faced with severe challenges, which came at an ill-timed moment in a world battered by a ferocious pandemic and its economic fallout.

Recognizing the severity, former diplomats and officials, scholars and commentators from the two countries and beyond held a discussion via video link on Thursday to exchange views on how to steer China-U.S. relations back onto the right track of sustainable and healthy development.

NEW COLD WAR?

The China-U.S. relationship is faced with the most severe challenge since bilateral diplomatic ties were forged 41 years ago, according to experts at the think tanks and media forum, who cited tensions in such areas as trade and technology.

Meanwhile, participants including former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, former Chinese Minister of the State Council Information Office Zhao Qizheng, and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, who witnessed and contributed to the development of China-U.S. relations, disputed thoughts that the two countries are doomed to decouple or to be locked in a new Cold War.

The opinion that the China-U.S. relationship is unable to return to its previous level should not mean the two countries would have to start all over again regardless of history, and worse, impractical decoupling, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said when addressing the forum.

The comment by some Americans that the U.S engagement policy toward China over the past decades was a failure or that the United States was ripped off in its cooperation "disrespects history and conflicts with the fact," Wang said.

According to Campbell, most people are focusing on the competitive elements in the U.S.-China relationship.

Similarly, many noted that China has become a central issue in the U.S. presidential campaign where Republicans and Democrats are engaged in a race to see who can bash China harder.

This, Zhao said, has prompted anti-China sentiment among Americans, adding that misunderstanding and estrangement could constitute a major obstacle in the development of bilateral relations.

Calling the some 100 days in the run-up to the U.S. presidential vote critical, Zhou Mingwei, former head of the China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration, urged the two sides to better handle their relations.

RIGHT TRACK

Wang made three suggestions on how to bring China-U.S. relations back onto the right track -- opening all channels of dialogue, making lists of interactions, as well as focusing and cooperating on a COVID-19 response.

He specified the lists of interactions as being about cooperation areas, dialogue and issues that need proper management.

"It should identify the few tough issues that the two countries have little chance to agree on in the near future," Wang said.

"The two sides should manage them well in the spirit of seeking common ground while putting aside differences, so as to minimize their impact on and harm to the overall China-U.S. relations," he said.

Rudd highlighted the importance of strategic dialogue and proper management of differences in seeking a "sustainable" future for China-U.S. relations.

China and the United States should have an absolute understanding of the other's red lines and core interests, he said.

Campbell suggested the United States and China balance the "overriding" competition with cooperation starting from practical cooperation in small areas.

Meanwhile, he urged the two countries to continue with people-to-people engagement and make sure their youths have the opportunity to study in the other country's universities and get to know each other.

CHINA'S POLICY CONSISTENT

While China hawks in the United States are trying their best to portray China as an enemy, China remains committed to a highly stable and consistent policy toward the United States.

It is never China's intention to challenge or replace the United States, nor to be in a full confrontation, Wang stressed.

China, with goodwill and sincerity, is willing to grow the bilateral relations, he said.

However, China has every reason to defend its sovereignty, security and development interests, safeguard the achievements that its people have made through hard work, and reject any bullying and injustice imposed on it, he added.

Zhao said that throughout the ups and downs in China-U.S. relations, China has maintained that cooperation is the best choice for both sides.

China is not interested in fighting a new Cold War, he added.

Fu Ying, a veteran diplomat and chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, said most of the existing forces dragging down China-U.S. relations are in the United States.

However, Fu said, China needs to be clearer about its boundaries and redlines, and make more efforts to improve its international image and make itself understood to the rest of the world. Enditem
Announcement of Periodic Review: Moody's announces completion of a periodic review of ratings of Seguros Sura S.A. (URUGUAY)

Global Credit Research - 10 Jul 2020

New York, July 10, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") has completed a periodic review of the ratings of Seguros Sura S.A. (URUGUAY) and other ratings that are associated with the same analytical unit. The review was conducted through a portfolio review in which Moody's reassessed the appropriateness of the ratings in the context of the relevant principal methodology(ies), recent developments, and a comparison of the financial and operating profile to similarly rated peers. The review did not involve a rating committee. Since 1 January 2019, Moody's practice has been to issue a press release following each periodic review to announce its completion.

This publication does not announce a credit rating action and is not an indication of whether or not a credit rating action is likely in the near future. Credit ratings and outlook/review status cannot be changed in a portfolio review and hence are not impacted by this announcement. For any credit ratings referenced in this publication, please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for the most updated credit rating action information and rating history.

Key rating considerations are summarized below.

Seguros Sura S.A. (URUGUAY)'s Baa3 insurance financial strength rating (IFSR) reflects the company's strong market position in Uruguay's property and casualty insurance industry, being the leading privately-owned insurer, its good asset quality -mostly comprised of investment-grade Uruguayan Government bonds-, and adequate business diversification despite the still high exposure to the automobile segment. Although currently it does not have an impact on its ratings, there is a high likelihood that the company's parent, Suramericana S.A, would support the company in case of stress. The ratings also reflect the weakening in recent years of the company's profitability and capital adequacy -despite partly recovering since 2019-, mainly due to a deterioration in the company's underwriting performance primarily caused by fierce price competition on the Uruguayan automobile insurance segment.

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This document summarizes Moody's view as of the publication date and will not be updated until the next periodic review announcement, which will incorporate material changes in credit circumstances (if any) during the intervening period.

The principal methodology used for this review was Property and Casualty Insurers Methodology published in November 2019. Please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.

This announcement applies only to EU rated and EU endorsed ratings. Non EU rated and non EU endorsed ratings may be referenced above to the extent necessary, if they are part of the same analytical unit.

This publication does not announce a credit rating action. For any credit ratings referenced in this publication, please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for the most updated credit rating action information and rating history.

Marcelo De Gruttola Asst Vice President - Analyst Financial Institutions Group JOURNALISTS: 1 800 666 3506 Client Service: 1 212 553 1653 Marc R. Pinto, CFA MD - Financial Institutions Financial Institutions Group JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376 Client Service: 1 212 553 1653 Releasing Office: Moody's Investors Service, Inc. 250 Greenwich Street New York, NY 10007 U.S.A. JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376 Client Service: 1 212 553 1653

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Hong Kong: Guesthouse law strengthened

The Home Affairs Bureau announced today that the Hotel & Guesthouse Accommodation (Amendment) Ordinance will take effect December 1.

The ordinance seeks to improve the existing licensing regime, facilitate enforcement action and enhance deterrence against unlicensed hotels and guesthouses.

It empowers the Hotel & Guesthouse Accommodation Authority to take into account in the licensing process the relevant restrictive provisions in land documents, local residents' views, and whether the licence applicant is a fit and proper person.

It also provides for a differentiation between a hotel licence and a guesthouse licence, and empowers the authority to impose a licence condition on a guesthouse licence to prohibit the use of the word "hotel" in its business name.

In addition, the ordinance introduces a strict liability offence. The owners and tenants of the premises will be held criminally liable if there is evidence to prove the premises are used as an unlicensed hotel or guesthouse.

Moreover, the authority is empowered to apply for a search warrant to allow enforcement officers to break into, with reasonable force when necessary, a suspected unlicensed hotel or guesthouse to inspect or collect evidence.

The authority has the power to apply to the court, upon the second conviction within 16 months of operating an unlicensed hotel or guesthouse or the new strict liability offence in respect of the same premises, to issue a closure order for the premises for six months. Under the ordinance, the maximum penalty will be increased from a fine of $200,000 to $500,000, and imprisonment from two years to three years.

To allow existing licensees to prepare for migration to the new regime, there will be a transitional period of 12 months after the commencement of the amendment ordinance.

For details, visit the Office of the Licensing Authoritys website or call 3107 3021.

This story has been published on: 2020-07-10. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
A 32-year-old master's degree graduate retook the national college entrance examination, also known as "gaokao," to inherit an intangible cultural heritage.

Four years ago, Cheng Chuankun graduated with a master's degree from North University of China in Taiyuan, Shanxi province. But on July 8, he was seen walking out of a classroom at a high school in Wuhan, central China's Hubei province, where China's annual gaokao for local students was held.

Cheng is the son of Cheng Shengqi, a 9th generation master of the "Cheng-styled bone setting method." The traditional Chinese method has a history of more than 200 years and was listed in 2017 as one of Wuhan's intangible cultural heritage.

In recent years, Cheng Shengqi has been searching for the tenth generation to inherit the "Cheng-styled bone setting method" but failed to find someone suitable.

"My father asked me to apply for medical colleges when I took the gaokao exam the first-time round," Cheng Chuankun told Changjiang Daily, "but at that time, I felt that medicine was too complicated for me, so I chose the major of materials science."

In 2013, he enrolled in North University of China to continue his studies to earn a master's degree in materials processing engineering.

In 2016, Cheng got his degree and went to Shenzhen, Guangdong province, to work. Whenever he went back to his hometown, his father tried to persuade him to inherit his medical method. Some patients even praised his father for healing them.

After the city of Wuhan listed his father's method as one of the city's intangible cultural heritage, he started to find his father's work fascinating.

In May 2018, Cheng found a new job in Wuhan and went back to his hometown. When he was at home, he listened to his father's stories. "I have grown from curiosity to admiration for my father."

In June 2019, after many long discussions, young Cheng was convinced by his dad to inherit the bone setting method. As a result, he resigned from his job and started to learn medicine.

To obtain medical licenses, Cheng Chuankun needed to retake the gaokao exam to apply to medical colleges. He did not hesitate.

Since the COVID-19 outbreak earlier this year, Wuhan has been the epicenter of the crisis, which has grown into a global pandemic. Chinese medical workers' work ethics and self-sacrificial spirit have impressed Cheng and touched his heart.

"Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I was more certain about my choice," he said. According to him, his exam went well, and he is looking forward to his future medical career.

In 2020, 10.71 million Chinese students took the annual national college entrance examination amid strict COVID-19 control measures across the country.
The site of an explosion at an oxygen factory in Baqershahr, south of Tehran - MEHDI KHANLARI/FARS NEWS/AFP via Getty Images

Iranian state media reported a blast in western Tehran early Friday, the latest in a string of mysterious incidents to shake the country in recent weeks.

However, a senior official in that part of the city later denied there had been an explosion.

State broadcaster IRIB said power was cut in several western suburbs near where online reports said an explosion occurred. It gave no further information about the cause of the blast or whether there were casualties.

The governor of Qod city, Leila Vaseghi, told semi-official Fars news agency there had been no explosion but acknowledged a power cut that lasted about five minutes.

It was not immediately clear if the reported incident had taken place in Qod or in a different area of western Tehran, and residents contacted by Reuters in other parts of the city said they had heard no explosion.

There are reportedly several military facilities in the area which could have been the target of sabotage.

A series of fires and blasts have been reported near Iranian military, nuclear and industrial facilities in recent weeks. Iranian officials have said many were caused by industrial accidents.

A bright flash lit up the night sky over Tehran early on June 26, apparently coming from near the near Parchin military site. Fars news agency later said the fire was caused by "an industrial gas tank explosion" near a facility belonging to the defence ministry.

A defence ministry spokesman told state TV that the fire was quickly controlled and there were no casualties.

But after a similar unexplained fire at the Natanz nuclear plant in central Isfahan province on July 2, officials were forced to admit there had been significant damage to the countrys primary uranium enrichment facility.

A spokesman for the Supreme National Security Council of Iran said the cause of the accident at the centrifuge assembly plant had been identified, saying more information would be released at a later date due to security considerations.

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The New York Times reported a Middle Eastern intelligence official and an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander saying the Natanz incident was caused by an explosive. The head of Israeli intelligence, Yossi Cohen, was later accused of leaking information that Mossad planted a bomb that caused the damage.

On Friday, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Seyed Abbas Mousavi said Iran would retaliate if it were shown an international sabotage operation had caused the explosion in Natanz.

It is still too early to make any judgment on the main cause of the blast [in Natanz], and relevant security bodies are probing into every detail of the incident, Fars reported him as saying.
Southampton, July 10 : Former England captain Nasser Hussain feels current batsman Joe Denly will have to change his technique in order to score big runs or else he could lose his spot in the team.

Denly faced 58 deliveries in the first innings of the opening Test against the West Indies and was comprehensively castled for 18 by Shannon Gabriel at the Ageas Bowl.

Denly, in the past, has been guilty of failing to convert his starts into big scores. Before the Southampton Test, he failed to hit a single hundred in the 14 Tests that he played for 'The Three Lions'. He, however, has so far scored six fifties in the longest format.

"Perhaps he can look at the example of his captain in this game. Ben Stokes has clearly tinkered with his technique, despite having the year of his life in 2019," Hussain wrote in his column for the Daily Mail.

"He has opened up his stance and has got a big trigger movement across his stumps towards the off side. I'm not sure why he has done it, but it shows even when you are in form you can always improve your alignment.

"Another example is Virat Kohli. When he came to England in 2014, he kept nicking Jimmy Anderson. Two summers ago, he stood further outside his crease and intercepted the ball before it had a chance to swing as much. The result was that superb century at Edgbaston.

Hussain was referring to Kohli's first century in England which he slammed during the first Test of the 2018 tour. His 225-delivery 149 came after he was bamboozled by James Anderson and other England bowlers on India's previous tour of the country in 2014.

"Denly has to believe that a tweak can be made, even while he accepts the risks that come with it," Hussain added.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Lying, accusations major elements of US foreign policy: Iran

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 09 July 2020 1:42 PM

Iran dismisses the recent US allegations that American and "partner" forces have seized a vessel taking "Iranian weapons" to Yemen as continuation of Washington's policy of leveling accusations and hatemongering against Tehran, which this time seeks to prolong a UN arms embargo against the Islamic Republic.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi made the remarks on Thursday, a day after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told a news conference about alleged capture of the vessel by the so-called allied forces on June 28.

"Lying, throwing accusations, and hatemongering are among the major elements of the US' foreign policy, especially under the current [American] regime," Mousavi said, adding, "The remarks by the 'hatemonger' US secretary of state boil down to the selfsame approach," he added.

He roundly rejected the claim about the arms shipment to Yemen, saying the US has come up with the allegation at a time, when it feels it is failing to have the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) extend the arms ban against Tehran.

Pompeo was the first US official to announce Washington's intention to have the embargo extended. The ban that prevents sales of conventional weapons to the Islamic Republic will expire in October under a historic 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.

Officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the landmark agreement was reached between Iran and the P5+1 group -- the US, Britain, France, Russia, and China plus Germany -- in 2015 in Vienna.

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. The US' intransigence flew in the face of the fact that the deal has been ratified by the Security Council in the form of its Resolution 2231.

Although it is no longer a party to the deal, Washington is trying to rationalize its bid to prolong the arms ban by claiming that it is still "named" as a JCPOA partner in the Resolution. Tehran and other JCPOA partners say Washington, due to its unilateral withdrawal, has forfeited all rights to have any say in the agreement.

The US recently served the UNSC with a draft resolution on extension of the arms embargo, with American Ambassador to the UN Kelly Craft saying Washington will push the Council to vote on the draft as soon as mid-July.

Russia and China have, however, strongly signaled their respective intention to veto the resolution.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Mousavi suggested that Pompeo's recent allegation is aimed at having the UNSC reinstate the arms embargo, create an excuse for retention of Trump's trademark policy of "maximum pressure" against the Islamic Republic, and help Washington further its "evil goals" concerning Tehran.

The US and its regional ally Saudi Arabia are trying to shirk responsibility for the 2015-present war and siege on Yemen, by instead conjuring up false and unfounded accusations against others, the spokesman noted.

"Instead of being held accountable for their crimes in Yemen, these two regimes are trying to absolve themselves of responsibility and accountability for their inhumane and criminal behavior by leveling baseless accusations against others," Mousavi said.

Last month, Reuters reported that UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres had released a report, in which he had claimed 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."

Iran says the report has been adopted by the UN Secretariat under pressure from the United States and others.

'What a coincidence!'

Also on Thursday, Mousavi took to Twitter, similarly taking on the coincidence between the US' allegation about Iran's shipment of arms to Yemen and Washington's efforts to enable extension of the arms embargo against Tehran.

"Just amid the hopeless & unlawful push by the American regime to extend #Iran's arms restrictions, US - with that long record of piracy - seizes a "boat carrying weapons." What a coincidence! An expectable, but outworn and futile plot," the official wrote.

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A large takeout order from a KFC in Australia led the police to more than a dozen people hiding at a house party and more than 26,000 Australian dollars in Covid-19 fines, the authorities said Friday.

Chief Commissioner Shane Patton of the Victoria police announced the hefty fine at a news conference, saying that 16 people had broken coronavirus restrictions by attending a surprise birthday at a home in Dandenong, a suburb of Melbourne.

The authorities in Victoria State recently imposed new lockdown orders, following a surge in coronavirus cases, and have sought to enforce them with severe fines. The police said they were tipped off to the party after two ambulance workers inside a KFC in Dandenong noticed other customers placing an unusually large order.

They saw two people in there and they were ordering 20-odd meals at 1:30 this morning, Commissioner Patton told reporters at the news conference Friday. The pair spoke to employees at the store, and the police were notified.
Indigenous communities in Ontarios north fear another round of mercury poisoning after the provincial government eliminated environmental assessments for commercial clear-cutting on Crown forest land.

The change was made on Canada Day, a few hours after Premier Doug Fords office posted a news release that listed more than a dozen regulatory and legislative changes within 11 ministries.

The government says it is ending duplication by removing logging activities from the Environmental Assessment Act, which falls under the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. Now, logging plans and practices will only be answerable to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, and its Crown Forest Sustainability Act.

The region affected includes a huge swath of central and Northern Ontario forests, between Manitoba and Quebec, according to the province.

If you were to do a keyword search in the (crown forest act) the words human and health will not show up, said Joseph Castrilli, a lawyer with the Canadian Environmental Law Association.

Basically, the (act) deals with trees, deals with how to make them commercially available, deals with wildlife, but it is not a statute about how to protect human health, Castrilli said.

The Environmental Assessment Act, passed by the Bill Davis Progressive Conservative government in the 1970s, looks at the environment from a broad perspective, including the impact on human health, society and culture, he said. The environment ministry said the elimination is part of the governments environmental assessment modernization efforts.

Studies have shown that clear-cut logging, which is the practice in the crown Boreal forest lands that surround the Grassy Narrows traditional territory, releases mercury that had previously settled in the soil after blowing north, often from industries in the United States.

If you clear-cut an area with watershed, you are going to end up with mercury in the water system, Castrilli said. The only issue is how quickly and how much.

With logging now excluded from the Environmental Assessment Act, Grassy Narrows First Nation leaders like Joseph Fobister fear the community will take yet another hit from mercury poisoning.

We are not happy about this, said Fobister, a member of the land protection team that blocks logging on Grassy Narrows territory in the Whiskey Jack Forest.

Weve suffered from the environmental contamination of mercury already, Fobister said. We dont need any more. Ninety per cent of our people are suffering from mercury poisoning. This is just not a good decision.

Decades of mercury poisoning among Grassy Narrows residents illustrate the connection between industry, the environment and human health.

Between 1962 and 1970, a paper plant in Dryden, Ont., dumped 10 tonnes of mercury, a potent neurotoxin, in the Wabigoon River, upstream from Grassy Narrows. The mercury contaminated the fish and poisoned the people who ate the fish. They developed tremors, loss of muscle co-ordination, slurred speech and tunnel vision.

In recent years, Toronto Star investigations and scientists have shown that fish near Grassy Narrows remain the most contaminated in the province; that there is mercury-contaminated soil and river sediment at or near the site of the old mill; and the provincial government knew in the 1990s that mercury was visible in soil under that site and never told anyone in Grassy Narrows or nearby Wabaseemoong (Whitedog) Independent Nations.

Forestry companies logging plans are approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources and renewed every 10 years as part of a management plan. The current plan for the Whiskey Jack Forest, home to Grassy Narrows, ends in 2022.

The Environmental Assessment Act previously allowed for hearings into those logging plans if there were concerns about health issues or infringement of Indigenous rights, Castrilli said.

Every population that lives, works or plays in the forest is at risk, he said.

And frankly, so is anybody who fishes in those same water systems, whether they are Aboriginal or not.

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At the end of June, a three-judge panel on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit slapped down trial court judge Emmet Sullivan. The panel told him that the Constitution's separation of powers meant he could not conduct a mini-trial, complete with his own "expert," to second-guess whether the Department of Justice, which has the sole constitutional authority to dismiss cases, had properly exercised that authority when it moved to dismiss General Flynn. On Thursday, Sullivan filed a petition with the appellate court asking for a full en banc review.

The brief is unimpressive. For authority, it cites cases by arguing backward from what the courts didn't consider. Then it ignores the only thing that matters here: when a federal judge has before him a Department of Justice motion to dismiss, and it's evident that the defendant is not at risk from DOJ game-playing, the constitutional separation of powers doctrine allows the judge only one course of action, which is to grant the motion. Anything else the judge does is outside his jurisdiction and authority and is, therefore, an appropriate subject for an emergency mandamus motion stopping the judge in his tracks.

First, Wilkinson argues that, in Rinaldi v. United States, 434 U.S. 22 (1977), the Supreme Court "recognized" that a district court may hear an unopposed Rule 48 motion. That makes it sound as if the Supreme Court affirmatively ruled on the issue. It didn't.

As Wilkinson admits, the Rinaldi Court never considered whether the trial court had the right, in the first instance, to subject a motion for dismissal to a substantive review because no one raised the issue. What Wilkinson is citing as authority isn't even dictum  which is when a court discusses a legal standard for something that's not dispositive in a case.

Instead, Wilkinson infers a principle by looking at what the Court didn't do. ("[T]he Supreme Court did not question the district court's 'scrutiny of the government's motion' or inquire into 'the prosecution's charging decisions  let alone suggest that the district court's proceedings violated the Constitution.") That's not a sound legal argument. It's a cheat.

Second, Wilkinson argues that mandamus was premature because Sullivan hadn't done anything yet. However, as the Court of Appeals made clear, this was not a case of whether Sullivan would have ruled correctly, given a chance. Instead, Sullivan exceeded his constitutional authority the moment he did anything other than saying "yes" to a motion to dismiss once it was clear that the defendant's interests were not at risk. The urgent relief of mandamus is appropriate to block a judge from engaging in unconstitutional acts exceeding his jurisdiction.

This same point goes to Wilkinson's third argument, which is that, because there are no specific statutory procedures mandated for a Rule 48 motion to dismiss, nothing stopped Sullivan from hiring a biased person to make an argument that Sullivan should not grant the DOJ's motion to dismiss. Once again, Wilkinson tries to argue that, because the controlling case in the D.C. Circuit  United States v. Fokker Services, B.V., 818 F.3d 733 (D.C. Cir. 2016)  didn't rule on all sorts of issues, it must, therefore, be understood to give Sullivan leeway to treat the Rule 48 motion however he pleases provided that he reaches the correct outcome.

Again, this ignores the "void ab initio" (void out of the box) issue: Sullivan cannot make up procedures on an unopposed Rule 48 motion. Sullivan cannot slowly work his way to the correct decision on an unopposed Rule 48 motion.

The law in Fokker is clear on the only point that matters: if a Rule 48 motion to dismiss is unopposed, and it's clear that the defendant is not walking into a prosecution trap, the only thing Sullivan can do is grant the motion to dismiss. Anything else he does can and should be stopped.

In my estimation, Wilkinson's is a dishonest brief. Having said that, thanks to Sen. Harry Reid's decision to end the filibuster for all judicial appointments other than Supreme Court justices, the D.C. Circuit has a plethora of Democrat-appointed judges. No matter the law, that doesn't bode well for Flynn.

Image: Wikipedia.
Submitted to the Tribune

UPPER THUMB - The state of Michigan has approved a $15 million Michigan Agricultural Safety Grant Program to assist Michigan farms and agricultural processors in their efforts to mitigate risks of the COVID-19 virus among essential workers.

Funding for the grant program came through state legislative approval of Senate Bill 690, sponsored by Sen. Jim Stamas (R-Midland), calling for an appropriation of federal funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed the package into law last week, noting the grants will provide much-needed funding to Michigan's agricultural processors and farms in support of a critical industry in the state.

"Michigan's food and agriculture sector has been especially hard hit by the COVID-19 virus, and this investment will provide critical resources to ensure the safety of the state's food production industry and its workforce," Whitmer said in a statement.

Michigan Farm Bureau President Carl Bednarski applauded the creation and funding of the grant program, saying it will help ensure the agriculture sector can continue to go above and beyond in adapting and responding to the changing food production environment.

"Michigan Farm Bureau was proud to support Senate Bill 690 to create the Michigan Agricultural Safety Grant Program to assist farms and agricultural processors in their efforts to protect their employees," Bednarski said. "Our farmer-members were some of the first to proactively adopt new measures to keep their families and employees safe and strengthen existing safety standards."

The Michigan Agricultural Safety Grants are divided between agricultural processors and farms:

* $10 million in grants will be provided to processors statewide, with a minimum grant of $10,000 and a maximum grant of $200,000.

* $5 million in grants will be available to farms statewide, with a minimum grant of $10,000 and a maximum grant of $50,000.

Applicants must apply as either a processor or a farm -- but not both -- and funds will provide grants of up to $1,000 per employee to fund COVID-19 mitigation costs, including but not limited to testing costs, personal protection equipment, facility needs, increased sanitation costs, employee training, and upgraded safety procedures for farm-provided housing.

Employee testing and PPE continue to be a great need to protecting the agriculture workforce, both on-farm, and in the processing industry, according to Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Director Gary McDowell.

The program will cover costs incurred from June 1 through Sept. 15, 2020, with eligible applicants able to apply for funding beginning on July 15, 2020. Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until all funding has been awarded.

Grant applications will be processed by GreenStone Farm Credit Services which will also host the application portal, complete an initial screening of all applications and supporting documentation and recommend applications to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation for final approval and disbursements of the grants awarded.

GreenStone will also provide a report to the MEDC of all applications that were denied in the review process. The authorizing legislation for the program also requires reporting on Oct. 15, 2020, to the Legislature and State Budget Office on the Agricultural Safety Grant Program's results, and that report will also be available on michiganbusiness.org/agsafety.

To qualify for grant support, applicants must be a farm or agricultural processor located in Michigan and meet the following requirements:

* A minimum of 10 employees in Michigan, with supporting documentation.

* Provide proof of good standing with the state of Michigan, as applicable (Certificate of Good Standing).

* Attest that the business is current on all state, local and real estate taxes, or is otherwise contesting them in good faith.

"We are continuing to leverage every resource available -- whether federal, state or local -- to ensure our small businesses across Michigan are able to receive the support they need to not only survive COVID-19 but be in a position to thrive and drive economic recovery moving forward," said MEDC CEO Mark A. Burton.

"Working in partnership with MDARD and GreenStone, we are confident we can get this critical support into the hands our farms and agricultural processors quickly and effectively to keep our workers and our food supply safe," he added.
How will you get products to your customers? Essentially, you have two options: Do it yourself or have someone else handle fulfillment. For Anne Renee Timmons-Harris of New Orleans, owner of custom jewelry business Bead Bear, in-house fulfillment works. Timmons-Harris, 64, ships the products herself, adding special touches like pretty packaging and handwritten notes to delight customers when they open their orders.

If you're selling products made by someone else, you may choose other models, Ray says. Drop-shipping is when the manufacturer or distributor sends the products directly to the customer after you transmit the order information. Other third-party fulfillment services can manage your inventory and handle shipping for you. Shopify published this useful guide to fulfillment services.

4. Make use of online marketplaces

Many online retailers choose to sell on third-party marketplaces in addition to, or sometimes instead of, on their own websites. Platforms like Etsy, Amazon, eBay and Walmart Marketplace give you access to vast audiences and offer fulfillment options, as well.

Early on, Lane decided to sell her Rinseroo on Amazon. My goal was to have free time to develop and scale the business without getting burdened with shipping, she explains. The platform offered her competitive shipping rates, and she says it doesn't cost more than her other options, even with the fees that the platform charges. Once I shifted from fulfilled by merchant to [Fulfillment by Amazon], my sales started to skyrocket, she says. Amazon's plans are priced at 99 cents per item or $39.99 per month. Both plans have additional fees, depending on the items sold, volume and other factors.

5. Build a community of customers

One strength of Timmons-Harris business is the community she's created. She primarily uses social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook to post images of her new jewelry. But she also shares information about the stones she works with, which adds compelling content to her posts. People like jewelry but often have no idea what they're looking at, she says. I'm a jewelry historian. But deep down inside, I'm a rock hound. And, so, I want people to know mostly how cool rocks are, she says of the semiprecious stones she uses.

That type of interactive community builds loyalty to your business, Ray points out. And there are several ways to approach it. You could create an email newsletter that delivers information directly to your audience or use social media platforms to engage with your customers and prospects. Even advertising or other content you create, such as YouTube videos or podcasts, can educate your clientele and be a form of community-building. The keys to success are relevance and frequency, so you strengthen the customer relationship, Ray adds.

6. Create a great consumer experience
Hamilton Mob boss Pasquale (Pat) Musitano has been shot dead in a Burlington parking lot, just over a year after surviving a previous attempt on his life amid ongoing mafia violence.

Halton Regional Police have confirmed Musitano, 52, died after being gunned down Friday afternoon.

A second shooting victim is in hospital in serious condition, police say.

The Spectator has learned the second victim is Musitanos longtime bodyguard, John Clary.

A third man is in hospital with undetermined injuries, The Spectator has learned.

Police were called to 484 Plains Rd. E., a plaza at King Road that houses several businesses, including Pro Patio Furniture, around 1 p.m.. Two men were found with gunshot wounds. Musitano died at the scene. His body was covered with a tarp.

Musitano was the reputed boss of Hamiltons Musitano crime family.

Pasquale (Pat) Musitano is pictured leaving court in a 1998 file photo. Musitano was shot dead in Burlington on Friday, July 10. The Hamilton Spectator file photo

Police said one male suspect fled the scene westbound on Plains Road East in a grey sedan. Police say they are looking for four-door grey sedan that is a newer model  similar to an Infiniti Q50  with a sunroof.

This vehicle will have fresh damage to the drivers side in the area of the door, a news release said.

If you spot this vehicle, call police immediately.

One woman who refused to be named was at the Tim Hortons about a half-block from the scene when she heard 10 gunshots.

Then all of a sudden cops started coming from everywhere, the woman said.

Another man said he saw police take a blanket off of a man who was limp and blood-covered under a billboard in the parking lot.

They turned him to his side and took photos of his back, said the man, who also requested anonymity.

At least 10 police cruisers were scattered along Plains Road East.

Investigators could be seen in the parking lot of Pro Patio Furniture placing yellow placards on what appeared to be bullet holes on the roof of a black vehicle.

A handful of vehicles, some unmarked, made an enclosure around a body which was covered by a white tarp. Two hands could be seen poking out of the tarp.

The owners of Pro Patio Furniture declined to comment when reached by phone Friday afternoon.

Musitanos black GMC Yukon Denali was in the parking lot where the shooting happened. It is the same vehicle he was getting into when he was shot in a failed attempt on his life in Mississauga last year.

A shooting at a Burlington plaza has left Hamilton Mob boss Pasquale (Pat) Musitano dead and another man in critical condition and a third man with unknown injuries. Graham Paine/Torstar

He survived being shot in the parking lot outside his lawyers office in Mississauga on April 25, 2019. A little more than a week after the attempted hit, he was released from hospital and there have been few sightings of him since. No one has been charged in that shooting.

Musitanos younger brother, Angelo (Ang) Musitano, was killed in a hit in the driveway of his Waterdown home on May 2, 2017. One man, Jabril Abdalla, is charged with first-degree murder in that case and there are outstanding arrest warrants for two others.

Abdalla is also charged with murder and attempted murder in a failed hit in Vaughn, where 28-year-old Mila Barberi  an innocent victim  was mistakenly killed. It is alleged an accomplice pulled the trigger.

Angelo Musitanos murder was the beginning of a resurgence of mafia violence in Hamilton that has included several other murders and acts of violence, including the shooting deaths of Albert Iavarone and Cece Luppino.

In March, realtor Giorgio Barresi, who in the past was tied to the Musitanos, was fatally shot outside his Stoney Creek home.

The Musitanos are one of three traditional mafia families that stretch back generations in Hamilton along with the Luppinos and Papalias. However, with Pat Musitanos death, its unclear what will happen with the once prominent Mob family.

Pat Musitano took control of the family business when his father, Dominic Musitano, died in 1995.

He and his younger brother Ang spent time in prison after being accused of taking out notorious Mob boss Johnny (Pops) Papalia in May 1997. They were accused of ordering hitman Ken Murdock to commit the murder.

However, the brothers struck a deal, pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit murder in the death of Papalias lieutenant, Carmen Barillaro, in July 1997. They were sentenced to 10 years and served two-thirds of that time in prison.

After their release the brothers kept a low profile. Pats SUV was torched outside his St. Clair Boulevard home in September 2015, but there were no other headlines about the brothers until Angelos 2017 murder.

On June 27, 2017, less than two months after Angelos murder, Pat Musitanos house was sprayed with bullets in an apparent warning to the Mob boss. Yet despite the violence the family has never co-operated with police on any investigations and Pat refused police protection.

After surviving the attempt on his life in Mississauga last year, Musitanos St. Clair home was put up for sale. In a bizarre incident on July 22, 2019, Clary, a 76-year-old close friend and protector of Pats, was checking on the house when there was an altercation. He allegedly accelerated his car across the street and crashed into a Mercedes from Montreal  three men got out of the vehicle and ran.

Hamilton police have noted a pattern of traditional organized crime using people from Quebec to carry out jobs.

Police said Clary had visited Pat Musitano in hospital after he was shot in Mississauga.

Stephen Metelsky, a criminology professor at Mohawk College who spent 21 years with Halton police, including specializing in organized crime, said Pat was lucky to have survived the attempted hit last year.

Since the attempt on Pats life he has been keeping an extremely low profile  with very few loyal street soldiers in his crew ... aside from John Clary and a sparse crew, he said.

The once powerful Musitano crime family had been reduced to Pat and very few others.

But while alive, Pat was still a threat, said Metelsky. Now it appears the Musitano crime family has been completely decimated.

Halton police are investigating the shooting. Graham Paine/Torstar

There was already a power vacuum here, that is part of the reason for the ongoing violence.

But with so many Hamilton mobsters either dead or behind bars, the future is more uncertain.

Halton police say there is no ongoing threat to public safety, but were asking the public to stay away from the area where the shooting happened on Friday.

Plains Road East was closed in both directions between King Road and Waterdown Road.

Sebastian Myslin, who works at an insurance brokerage firm just down the block from 484 Plains, was returning from lunch at about 1:15 p.m. when he saw two police cruisers zip by him. He said he pulled over and looked toward the lot.

I saw one guy unconscious on the ground, Myslin said. There was blood all over his back.

Myslin said when he returned to the office, colleagues told him they had heard a number of gunshots.

I didnt know if the (suspect) was still loose on the street, so I locked the doors and made sure we were OK, he said.

Residents of the area said the shooting comes as a surprise.

The neighbourhood is nice and quiet, often peaceful. Two modern condominium complexes and a public school sit across the street from the scene.

Ive lived here 28 years and this is definitely unusual, said Al Hannaford, 64. Stuff happens, but a murder is  uncommon.

I go out for bike rides every night and never feel scared, said Daniella Di Flaviano, who moved to a condo on Plains in December. Ive never heard of any stabbings or shootings here, no crime really.

Anyone with information or video of the area between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. is asked to call Halton Regional Police Service at 905-825-4777 or via the homicide tip line at 905-825-4776.
As the end of July draws closer, tens of millions of Americans are set to lose the $600 a week in federal unemployment benefits meant to tide them over during the coronavirus pandemic. Though some lawmakers have suggested the benefits could be extended, they likely will not be as generous in the next stimulus package, according to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.

In the next stimulus package, the Trump administration wants to cap the benefits so that workers don't receive more in unemployment than they did at their jobs, Mnuchin said Thursday on CNBC. With the extra $600 per week, an estimated two-thirds of displaced workers are eligible for benefits in excess of their normal wages, according to a recent paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research.

"You can assume that it will be no more than 100%" of a worker's usual pay, Mnuchin said.

Critics of the enhanced unemployment benefit say it disincentives people from going back to work. But others say it's necessary when around 33 million Americans were still receiving jobless benefits at the end of June and states are re-closing parts of their economies as coronavirus cases spike across the country.

Recent research from the Chicago Federal Reserve found that people receiving unemployment benefits are actually more likely to look for jobs than those who have exhausted their benefits. And some economists say that continuing enhanced unemployment benefits  along with providing more food assistance  is one of the most critical things lawmakers can do right now to stabilize the U.S. economy.

Income for women and people of color will be hit especially hard if the $600 benefit expires, a recent report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found. Those groups have lost jobs at a disproportionate rate in the coronavirus recession.

Mnuchin said the administration does support another round of direct stimulus payments, though the "level and criteria" for checks still needs to be discussed with senators.

The House passed a bill in May that would extend the enhanced $600 benefit through December 2020 and provide another stimulus check to households. That bill is not expected to pass, though the Senate has so far not unveiled a new stimulus bill. Republican lawmakers have proposed other ideas, including one time back-to-work bonuses and tying aid amounts to the unemployment rate.

As Congress debates what to include in the next relief measure, nearly 32% of U.S. households missed their July housing payments, and experts warn of a looming "income cliff" for tens of millions of Americans.

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Johnny Depp said Thursday that his relationship with Amber Heard was a crime scene waiting to happen, but denied assaulting her during a drug-fuelled rampage in Australia while he was filming a Pirates of the Caribbean movie. The Hollywood star was giving evidence for a third day in his libel suit against a U.K. tabloid newspaper that called him a wife-beater.

Depp is suing News Group Newspapers, publisher of The Sun, and the papers executive editor, Dan Wootton, over an April 2018 article that said hed physically abused Heard. The Suns defence relies on a total of 14 allegations by Heard of Depps violence between 2013 and 2016. He strongly denies all of them.

An undated photograph showing graffiti done with Johnny Depp's severed finger that was presented as evidence in an ongoing court case on July 9, 2020 at the High Court in London, Britain. (via REUTERS)

Under cross-examination by The Suns lawyer, Sasha Wass, Depp depicted a volatile relationship with Heard during a period when he was trying to kick drugs and alcohol, and sometimes lapsing. He said he came to feel he was in a constant tailspin and recalled telling Heard several times: Listen, we are a crime scene waiting to happen. But he denied being violent.

Depp rejected Heards claim that he subjected her to a three-day ordeal of assaults in March 2015 in Australia, where Depp was appearing as Capt. Jack Sparrow in the fifth Pirates of the Caribbean film. I vehemently deny it and will go as far as to say its pedestrian fiction, he said.

Depp and Wass sparred over disputed details of the Australia episode, which ended up with the couples rented house being trashed and Depps fingertip being severed to the bone. Depp accuses Heard of cutting off his fingertip by throwing a vodka bottle at him. She denies being in the room when the digit was severed.

According to Heard, Depp snorted cocaine, swigged Jack Daniels from the bottle, broke bottles, screamed at Heard, smashed her head against a refrigerator, threw her against a pingpong table and broke a window. These are fabrications, he said.

He denied taking drugs but agreed that the couple had argued and he decided to break my sobriety because I didnt care anymore. I needed to numb myself.

Depp agreed with the lawyer that the house was wrecked after the couples argument, which he said was triggered by Heards unhappiness about being asked to sign a postnuptial agreement.

The court was shown photographs of graffiti-covered mirrors, which Depp acknowledged hed written on by dipping his bloody fingertip in paint. But he said Heard was responsible for most of the damage to the house. That is completely untrue, Wass said.

Thank you, but its not, Depp replied.

Wass also alleged that Depp had lashed out at Heard during an attempt to break an addiction to the opioid Roxicodone on his private island in the Bahamas in 2014.

Wass said that at the time Depp praised Heards efforts to help him get clean. The lawyer read from a message Depp sent to Heards mother, saying your daughter has risen far above the nightmarish task of taking care of this poor old junkie and speaking of her heroism.

Heard alleges that Depp became violent towards her. He denied physical violence, but said Heards claim that he was flipping and screaming might be accurate. I was not in good shape. It was the lowest point I believe Ive ever been in in my life, he said.

Depp accused Heard of telling porky pies  slang for lies  about his behavior. He acknowledged striking out at objects, saying it was better than taking it out on the person that I love.

Depp has admitted in court that he may have done things he cant remember while he was under the influence of alcohol and drugs. But he denied he could have been physically abusive and not remember it. There were blackouts, sure, but in any blackout there are snippets of memory, Depp said.

The case is shining a light on the tempestuous relationship between Depp, 57, and Heard, 34, who met on the set of the 2011 comedy The Rum Diary and married in Los Angeles in February 2015. Heard, a model and actress, filed for divorce the following year and obtained a restraining order against Depp on the grounds of domestic abuse. The divorce was finalized in 2017.

The former spouses now accuse each other of being controlling, violent and deceitful during their marriage.

In a text message to his doctor after the Australia altercation, Depp called Heard malicious, evil and vindictive and said she was desperate for fame, adding that is probably why I was acquired.

Heard has claimed Depp felt threatened by her career and was jealous of her male co-stars, including James Franco and Billy Bob Thornton.

On Wednesday Wass read the court an email to Depp that Heard had composed in 2013 but never sent, saying he was like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Half of you I love madly, and the other half scares me. Depp accused Heard of compiling a dossier of hoax abuse claims and said her claim that drugs and alcohol made him a monster was delusional.

He also denied claims he hit Heard when she laughed at one of his tattoos, dangled her Yorkshire terrier, Pistol, out a car window and threatened to put the dog in a microwave.

Wass alleged to Depp that by the waning months of the marriage in December 2015, you were routinely using violence against Ms. Heard when you were intoxicated and when you were angry.

She said that during one fight at the couples LA penthouse, Depp trashed Heards wardrobe, threw a decanter at her, slapped her, pulled her by the hair and headbutted her, causing two black eyes. The lawyer said Depp was in an uncontrollable rage and screaming you were going to kill her.

Depp claimed Heard was the aggressor, and he had only tried to restrain her to stop her flailing and punching me. Heard is attending the three-week trial and is expected to give evidence later.
Seated protesters have filled streets across Serbia in a powerful display of discontent, hours after authorities banned gatherings of more than 10 people in response to two nights of violent skirmishes between police, far-right agitators and those protesting the governments handling of the coronavirus crisis.

Thousands defied the ban to stage a sit-in in front of Serbias parliament complex, which protesters had stormed two nights earlier, with similar demonstrations also taking place peacefully in Novi Sad, Nis, and many other cities.

The unrest started on Tuesday evening after president Aleksandar Vucic said further lockdown measures would likely be reimposed due to rising coronavirus cases and full hospitals, particularly in Belgrade, sparking furious clashes the president described as the countrys most brutal political violence in years.

Mr Vucic  whose populist right-wing Serbian Progressive Party retained power in a controversial and partially boycotted election on 22 June  backed down from his plans to impose a curfew, instead issuing the ban on gatherings, largely viewed as an attempt to criminalise the mass protests.

While the violence seen on the two nights prior  in which dozens of citizens and police were injured  was largely discontinued on Thursday, there were reports of more minor clashes between demonstrators and nationalist groups towards the end of the night, and two journalists were attacked.

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

Famed television presenter Ivan Ivanovic tweeted an image of a digital camera covered in blood, captioned my reporter, with some local media outlets reporting that projectiles had been thrown at his crew, one of whom suffered a broken nose.

Vojislav Milovancevic, a journalist with Nova, required medical treatment. He reported being approached by a group of guys with hoods, telling his colleagues: One of them, when he saw me filming, ran towards me and asked what are you filming.

I told him I was a journalist and then he hit me, I think with a knuckle-duster. He swung twice and the third time he hit me in the back of the head and bled my head.

There were reports of at least two other journalists being confronted during the demonstrations and accused of lying. Mistrust of the media is high in Serbia amid alleged collusion between press and government, and the demonisation of critical outlets.

In May, Reporters Without Borders warned: After six years under the leadership of Aleksandar Vucic ... Serbia has become a country where it is often dangerous to be a journalist and where fake news is gaining in visibility and popularity at an alarming rate.

Many protesters wore white T-shirts bearing the words Sit Down, Dont Be Set Up  referring to widespread claims that the violence the previous nights was staged by groups close to the authorities to smear the opposition groups image.

Many offered the demonstrations vastly peaceful nature as proof that Thursdays protests represented a true gathering of the people, and that the previous nights had been hijacked by those with ulterior motives.

Social media footage suggested many seated protesters resisted attempts by hooded agitators to provoke them.

This is how the protest should really look like, without their mad dogs present, said one of the main opposition leaders, Dragan Djilas.

Mistrust of the autocratic president and his government has been exacerbated by the pandemic, with protesters accusing authorities of lifting the lockdown too soon, granting freedoms such as sporting events and nightclubs ahead of the election, and of a lack of transparency over the scale of infection.

Some protesters carried banners reading: Aleksandar Vucic is more dangerous than Covid!

According to the government, Serbia has recorded some 17,300 cases and suffered 352 deaths.

The health system in Belgrade is close to breaking up, prime minister Ana Brnabic said. That is why I cant understand what we saw last night and the night before.

Both the US embassy and Amnesty International also expressed concern at the violence  including what appeared to us to be coordinated attacks on police seemingly intended to provoke overreactions, as well as what appeared to the use of excessive force by police, the US embassy said.

(AFP via Getty Images) (Oliver Bunic/AFP via Getty Images)

Over the previous two evenings, rock-throwing demonstrators fought running battles with special police forces, who used tear gas, armoured vehicles and horses to disperse them.

Serbias police chief, Vladimir Rebic, said 118 police officers were injured and 153 protesters were detained, adding: Such violence is inadmissible and police will use all means to stop it.

Both protests started peacefully before far-right nationalist groups started hurling objects at police.

Amnesty accused the police of applying heavy-handed measures, with the groups Balkans researcher Jelena Sesar saying: Images of Serbian police firing tear gas and stun grenades indiscriminately into the crowd, and of protesters and bystanders being charged by mounted police and beaten by police in riot gear, raise serious concerns.

Videos on social media appeared to show police severely beating up protesters. In one, a protester was seen being hit and kicked by several officers and dumped on the sidewalk, seemingly unconscious. The authenticity of the videos could not be independently verified.

In an Instagram post on Thursday  from inside the plane taking him on an official visit to France  Mr Vucic said the state will curb unrest, and urged his followers not to confront violent demonstrators.

I promised that we will know how to preserve peace and stability despite criminal hooligan violent attacks that have shocked us all, he said.

Mr Vucic has accused foreign intelligence services of being behind the unrest and has described the protests as political and aimed at weakening Serbia in its talks with Kosovo, whose 2008 declaration of independence Belgrade does not recognise.

Although Mr Vucic stopped short of identifying the alleged foreign spy agencies, tabloids under his control accused pro-Russia far-right groups of fuelling the violence. The Russian ambassador to Serbia on Thursday vehemently denied accusations that Moscow was behind the unrest.

Additional reporting by AP
Pelosi Skeptical of Limiting New Stimulus Checks to People Making Less Than $40,000

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Thursday stated that more stimulus checks should not be limited to people who are making less than $40,000 per year, which was suggested by a top GOP senator this week.

I think there are many families, depending on the size of the family, so many different things, that $40,000 would have to explained, justified, the rest, Pelosi told reporters in the Capitol. I think families making over $40,000 probably need assistance, again, depending on their family situation.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told reporters in Kentucky that the next round of CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus stimulus checks could be sent to those people. Its not clear whether that would apply to an individual, a family, or a couple.

I think the people who have been hit the hardest are people who make about $40,000 a year or less. Many of them work in the hospitality industry. The hospitality industry, as all of you know, just got rim-racked  hotels, restaurants  and so that could well be a part of it, he told reporters.

The Senate is currently on its July recess and will not return until July 20, but McConnell said that senators will attempt to pass a measure after they get back.

Traders, some in medical masks, work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York City, N.Y., on March 20, 2020. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Ill be unveiling something which will be a starting point in a few weeks and well be dealing with the administration and the Democrats, McConnell said, adding that the next stimulus legislation will likely be the last.

This is not just for businesses. This is for hospitals, doctors, nurses, nonprofits, universities, colleges, K-12, so that people who acted in good faith during this crisis are not confronted with a second epidemic of lawsuits in the wake of a pandemic that were already struggling with, he said.

Also on Thursday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he supports another round.

As soon as the Senate gets back, were going to sit down on a bipartisan basis with the Republicans and the Democrats and it will be our priority that between the 20th and the end of the month, were going to pass the next legislation, he said in an interview.

President Donald Trump said the stimulus payments would potentially be larger than what Democratic lawmakers proposed, possibly referring to the House Democrat-passed HEROES Act, which would authorize payments of up to $1,200 for both eligible adults and children, capping at around $6,000 for a family of five. The CARES Act, signed into law in March, sent out checks of up to $1,200 to eligible people and $500 to children.
Roger Stone, longtime political ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, departs following a status hearing in the criminal case against him brought by Special Counsel Robert Mueller at U.S. District Court in Washington, March 14, 2019.

President Donald Trump said Friday that he will be "looking at" a possible pardon for his longtime ally Roger Stone, who is set to report to federal prison in less than a week.

Trump, speaking to reporters outside the White House before departing for Florida, said that Stone had been "very unfairly treated, as were many people." Trump had been asked if he would pardon Stone, according to reporters at the White House.

The president added that other people he's accused of committing crimes, including presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden, are still "walking around."

"Who would have believed that one?" Trump asked before walking away from the press pool.

Stone, 67, is fighting in federal appeals court to delay the start of his 40-month prison sentence for lying to Congress, witness tampering and obstruction. He is currently set to report to a federal prison in Jesup, Georgia, on Tuesday.

His lawyers argue that Stone's health would be put at risk from the coronavirus if he was incarcerated now.

District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson had denied Stone's prior request to extend his sentence until early September, noting in that decision that there were no confirmed Covid-19 cases at the Jesup facility at the time.

But Stone's lawyer, David Schoen, pointed out to CNBC on Friday morning that there are now at least 20 cases of the virus confirmed, and that only 43 tests among the hundreds of inmates there have been completed, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Schoen declined to provide additional comment on the president's most recent remarks.

Prosecutors on Thursday told the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to reject Stone's bid to postpone his surrender date. Stone's attorneys are set to submit a formal reply by noon Friday.

The president has long hinted that he is considering some form of clemency for Stone, a Republican operative who had served as an advisor on Trump's 2016 campaign against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

The New York Times and other outlets recently reported hearing from their sources that Trump is expected to pardon Stone or commute his sentence, which could keep him out of prison.
In late June, Distributed Denial of Secrets, a WikiLeaks-esqe organization devoted to transparency, published BlueLeaks, a massive compendium of sensitive documents from more than 200 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in the U.S. Among other things, the documents included details about surveillance practices and the recent police brutality protests.

BlueLeaks has already led to a number of media reports about the inner workings of police departments. But on Tuesday, DDoSecrets revealed that last week, German authorities seized a server that was hosting BlueLeaks. The U.S. government requested help from Germany to retrieve the server, which prosecutors located in the Bavarian town of Falkenstein. The information still remains available on the Tor network, according to DDoSecrets, which plans to find a new host.

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Don't worry. I've been planning for this for days. And days.



And weeks. And years.



It was always coming to this.



It's always been going to continue.



Nothing is over.



Not a thing. https://t.co/w2qlByViaY  Emma Best  (Mx. Yzptlk) (@NatSecGeek) July 7, 2020

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An unidentified hacker who reportedly sympathized with the recent nationwide police brutality protests obtained hundreds of thousands of files as the result of a security breach at the Houston web development company Netsential, which operates portals and information-sharing hubs for law enforcement. The files, which span as far back as 1996, did not reveal any high-level intelligence, but did shed light on police surveillance and bigotry. DDoSecrets redacted information about sexual assault cases and children, but left in the names, phone numbers, and emails of police officers.

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Twitter permanently banned DDoSecrets account four days after the organization published BlueLeaks, asserting that it had violated the platforms rules against sharing private and hacked data. Reddit also banned a subreddit dedicated to BlueLeaks under its rules against sharing personal and confidential information. Multiple media outlets, however, ran with the information to publish stories about policing practices. Business Insider, for example, retrieved documents revealing how TikTok provides data to law enforcement. One document that TikTok sent to police in April contained a users handle, phone number, phone mode, account registration date, the IP addresses that had accessed the account, and details on the users other social media accounts.

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The Daily Dot published another article detailing allegations concerning homophobic, sexist, and racist instructors at the Midwest Counterdrug Training Center in Iowa. Leaked surveys from the centers students contained complaints about how offensive language and sentiments pervaded the courses. A student reviewing a narcoterrorism course from September 2017 wrote, While the instructor was open about his anti-PC beliefsthis is the only time I have ever heard the [N-word] repeatedly used by instructors and students. In another course from that same year, a respondent claimed that an instructor joked repeatedly about sexual assault and kept calling the only black male in the class brotha, even though the student was visibly uncomfortable being addressed this way. The same instructor also allegedly had students in one of his other classes play sex-themed games that had nothing to do with the course material. As one of his students described, Draw a picture of a pigthe length of its tail represents your sexual drive or imagine yourself by a waterfallthree descriptive words are how you feel about sex.

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The Intercept used BlueLeaks documents to conduct an extensive investigation into how police were monitoring social media and inflating threats of violence during the protests in Minneapolis against George Floyds killing. Internal memos detailed how officers with the local police department and sheriffs office scoured Twitter and Facebook for posts and events related to the protests, even keeping tabs on RSVPs for a church-hosted Peace and Prayers BBQ and candlelight vigil. Officers were also apparently able to obtain communications from private Slack and Telegram channels. Other memos predicted violent attacks on police that never came to pass. One warned officers to be on the lookout for protesters carrying balloons or bike locks and wearing masks. Another stated that Antifa would use car bombs against the National Guard and law enforcement, which never ended up happening.

The German prosecutors who seized the BlueLeaks server have said its up to the countrys judicial authorities to decide whether to hand it over to the U.S. The FBI, which is investigating the breach and leaks, has yet to comment publicly on the matter.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said India is considered the most attractive clean energy market because of the tremendous progress in this field and added solar energy will play a key role in achieving the Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) goal.

He called solar energy pure, sure, and secure. It is sure because other sources of energy might be depleted but not of the sun. It will always continue to shine. It is pure because it helps the environment instead of polluting it and secure because it is a symbol of self-reliance, said Modi while inaugurating Asias biggest--750 MW --solar power plant in Madhya Pradeshs Rewa via video conferencing.

Modi said when policy markers were in a dilemma globally whether to focus on the economy or environment and took decisions, either way, India had shown the way that they complemented each other.

Whether it is Swachh Bharat [Clean India] campaign or campaign to provide LPG and PNG to every family or building the network of CNG-based transport system across the country or efforts for electricity-based transport in the country, several such measures are being undertaken for making the lives of people better in an environment-friendly manner, he said.

He added this is why environment protection and ease of living are being given preference in all government programmes. For us, protection of the environment is not confined to a few projects but it is a way of life. When we are launching big projects of renewable energy, we are trying to ensure that our resolve towards clean energy is reflected in every aspect of our life, and also our efforts are to see that its benefit goes to every citizen, every class and every part of the country.

Modi said 360 million LED bulbs have been distributed across the country and over 10 million fitted in street lights over the last six years. He added prices of LED bulbs were once beyond the common mans reach. In the past six years, the prices have reduced 10 times and people were now using 9-10 watt instead of 100-200 watt bulbs, he said. As a result, he said, the consumption of power has been reduced by 6 billion units and people save Rs 24,000 crore annually. Modi added it has also prevented 40 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from entering the environment and thus pollution level came down.

Modi cited the governments policy on solar power and added the price of solar energy has come down to Rs 2-2.50 per unit from Rs 7-8 per unit in 2014. He added it has benefitted industries, employment generation, and people. There is a discussion going on in the entire world as to how solar energy is so low-priced in India. When there is a discussion on renewable energy in the world, India is being seen as a model.

Modi said the solar power potential cannot be utilised completely till the country has better solar panels, battery, and storage capacity. Work is going on in this direction. The countrys aim under Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan is to do away with our dependence on imports for various hardware including solar panels. Necessary steps are being taken to enhance the manufacturing of solar PV modules.

Modi asked entrepreneurs, youths, and startups to take advantage of the countrys potential in the solar energy field. It has been made mandatory to use solar photovoltaic cells and modules made in India in pumps under Kusum [Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan] scheme and rooftop panels on houses. It has been decided that the government departments and other government institutions will only purchase made in India solar cells or modules. At the same time, the government is encouraging the companies which are setting up power plants to manufacture solar photovoltaic.

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the foundation for the Rs 4000 crore project was laid in 2017 and the power it will produce will cost Rs 2.97 per unit, which is the lowest rate in the country. From the environmental point of view, emission of 15.7 lakh tonnes of carbon dioxide is being prevented...which is equal to planting 26 million trees. ...24% of the power produced is going to the Delhi Metro.
Support in Baraboo is there for people of color and its a great time to come and see that, Rausch said. Ive had negative feedback too, but our positive feedback is from a lot of people who are thankful they get the space to share this information.

Without high profile murders on the evening news or blatantly racist signs harkening back to Jim Crow laws, it is also more difficult for people in smaller cities to understand local racism, Rausch said. But racism still takes different forms and it requires different methods to combat it, he said.

It takes all of us, and it takes all of us willing to learn, Rausch said. The same information is not exclusive to citizens, its not exclusive to police; its for everybody to know if were going to be able to fix these complex and systemic problems.

Baraboo graduate Sydney Rabata brought her parents to help them better understand racial disparities, but also to help combat inaction she regrets from when she was younger and witnessed events like Rausch has been sharing with others.
An employee in the control room of the Mars Mission at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre in the Gulf city of Dubai

The oil-rich United Arab Emirates has built a nuclear power programme and sent a man to space, and now plans to join another elite club by sending a probe to Mars.

Only the United States, India, the former Soviet Union, and the European Space Agency have successfully sent missions to orbit the Red Planet, while China is preparing to launch its first Mars rover later this month.

The UAEa collection of sheikhdoms better known for its skyscrapers, palm-shaped islands and mega attractionsis now pushing to join their ranks in what will be a first for the Arab world.

It will mark the 50th anniversary of its unification with "Hope", an unmanned spacecraft expected to reach its target in February after being launched on July 15 from Japan's Tanegashima Space Centre.

While the mission objective is to provide a comprehensive image of the weather dynamics in Mars' atmosphere and pave the way for scientific breakthroughs, the probe is a foundation for a much bigger goalbuilding a human settlement on Mars within the next 100 years.

Dubai has hired architects to imagine what a Martian city might look like and recreate it in its desert as "Science City", at a cost of around 500 million dirhams (135 million dollars).

The oil-rich United Arab Emirates has built a nuclear power programme and sent a man to space, and now plans to join another elite club by sending a probe to Mars

And last September, Hazza al-Mansouri became the first Emirati in space, part of a three-member crew that blasted off on a Soyuz rocket from Kazakhstan, returning home after an eight-day mission in which he became the first Arab to visit the International Space Station.

"Our grandparents followed the stars during their voyages in order to build their glories. Today, our children look at them to build their future," said Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in a tweet on Tuesday.

Global standing

The young Gulf nationwhose influence extends to Yemen, the Horn of Africa and Libyahopes to elevate its status as a key regional player, building on its success in establishing itself as a centre for tourism, banking and services despite an economic downturn in recent years.

Despite criticism of its involvement in the conflict in Yemen, which has turned into a quagmire for the Saudi-led military coalition, the UAE has elevated its standing with moves like hosting the first papal visit to the Arabian Peninsula and becoming the first Arab country to green-light a nuclear power plant.

The UAE will mark the 50th anniversary of its unification with "Hope"an unmanned spacecraft expected to reach its target in February after being launched on July 15 from Japan's Tanegashima Space Centre

And over the last few decades it has become a hub for young Arabs aspiring to build professional careers and raise families in a safe environment, in a region too often blighted by war and political crises.

For a country charting a course beyond the oil industry that it was built on, exploration is part of a long-term strategy.

"UAE figured out that space is very important for our development and sustainability. It's a bridge to the future," Mohammed al-Ahbabi, director general of the UAE Space Agency, told AFP.

Sarah al-Amiri, 33, the mission's deputy project manager and also the UAE Minister of State for Advanced Sciences, said the trip to Mars is "a message of hope for the region, to set an example of what is possible if we take the talent of the youth and use them positively, this is what's possible".

"We've worked on investing in our space sector for over 15 years... it's about ensuring that this talent is developed for the rest of the region," she told AFP from Tokyo.

A model of a previous project, KhalifaSat, the first satellite built entirely in the UAE by local engineers

In the runup to the Mars mission, the UAE announced it was opening its doors to Arabs across the region to take part in a three-year space programme.

"They can come in and gain experience and be the vehicles of change for the entire region. We cannot go about saying that this region is volatile and remain passive about it," Amiri said.

"People want stability, want opportunities," she added.

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), which spearheaded the Mars project on which some 450 people worked, more than half of them Emirati, is abuzz with excitement.

"This mission is showcasing that this is something we don't normally dream about... but understanding that these opportunities are there," said Mohsen al-Awadhi, the lead missions systems engineer.

Facts: Emirati 'Hope' probe heads for Mars

The first Arab space mission to Mars is scheduled to blast off July 15 on a mission to unravel from above the weather dynamics in the Red Planet's atmosphere.

The unmanned probe named Al-AmalArabic for Hopeis to take off from a Japanese space centre, marking the next step in the United Arab Emirates' ambitious space programme.

Here are some facts and figures about the oil-rich nation's project, which draws inspiration from the Middle East's golden age of cultural and scientific achievements.

Outsize plans

The UAE, made up of seven emirates including the capital Abu Dhabi and freewheeling Dubai, has nine functioning satellites in orbit with plans to launch another eight in coming years.

In September, it sent the first Emirati into spaceHazza al-Mansouri, who was part of a three-member crew. They blasted off on a Soyuz rocket from Kazakhstan, returning home after an eight-day mission in which he became the first Arab to visit the International Space Station.

But the UAE's ambitions go well beyond that, with a goal of building a human settlement on Mars by 2117.

In the meantime, it plans to create a white-domed "Science City" in the deserts outside Dubai, to simulate Martian conditions and develop the technology needed to colonise the planet.

Under a national space strategy launched last year, the UAE is also eying future mining projects beyond Earth and space tourism, and has signed a memorandum of understanding with Richard Branson's space tourism company Virgin Galactic.

Hope's journey

The next milestone is the launch of the "Hope" probe, which officials say is designed to inspire the region's youth and pave the way for scientific breakthroughs.

The 1,350-kilogramme (2,970-pound) probeabout the size of an SUVis due to blast off from Japan's Tanegashima Space Centre on July 15, but with a launch window that runs until early August, depending on variables including the weather.

Hope will take seven months to travel the 493 million kilometres (307 million miles) to Mars, in time to mark the 50th anniversary of the emirates' union in 2021.

Once in orbit, one loop will take 55 hours at an average speed of 121,000 kph, while contact with the UAE command and control centre will be limited to six to eight hours twice a week.

The probe will remain in orbit for a whole Martian year687 days.

Study and inspire

Three instruments mounted on the probe will provide a full picture of Mars's atmosphere throughout the Martian year.

The first is an infrared spectrometer to measure the lower atmosphere and analyse the temperature structure.

The second is a high-resolution imager that will provide information about ozone levels. And the third, an ultraviolet spectrometer, is set to measure oxygen and hydrogen levels from a distance of up to 43,000 kilometres from the surface.

Understanding the atmospheres of other planets will allow for a better understanding of the Earth's climate, officials say.

But the project is also designed to inspire a region too often beset by turmoil, and recall the heyday of scientific advances during the Middle Ages.

"The UAE wanted to send a strong message to the Arab youth and to remind them of the past, that we used to be generators of knowledge," Omran Sharaf, the mission's project manager, told AFP.

Six decades of missions to Mars

The six-decade space race to explore Mars has led to some 40 missions, at least half of which have been successful, and still the Red Planet inspires new adventures.

A look back at some key Mars missions over the last 60 years:

1960-1964: Soviet failures

At first, the Soviet Union leads the way, sending probes from 1960, just three years after it launched its first artificial satellite Sputnik I.

But it clocks up a string of failures, including Marsnik 1 and 2, the first two probes launched in October 1960, which do not reach the Earth's orbit.

Zond 2 launched in late 1964 is the first probe to get close to Mars, although it does not manage to carry out an observation of the planet.

1965: Mariner 4 flies over

On July 15, 1965, the American vessel Mariner 4 makes history when it flies over the Red Planet. It sends back about 20 photographs revealing a desert-like surface dotted with craters.

Mariner 6 and 7 in 1969 also collect dozens of images.

1971: first satellite

Mariner 9 in November 1971 becomes the first satellite around Mars, providing a detailed photographic map showing traces of volcanism and river erosion.

In December the Soviet Mars 3 is the first spaceship to make a soft-landing on the planet but it stops transmitting some 20 seconds later.

1976: Viking 1 and 2 complete missions

The US is the first nation to make vessels function on Mars: in July 1976 Viking 1 is the first spaceship to successful land on the planet and complete its mission.

It is followed in September by Viking 2.

Their combined missions allow them to collect more than 50,000 photographs and show there was no sign of life on Mars.

1997: Data drive

Exploration to Mars picks up again in the 1990s, but with mixed results: seven probes are lost.

But US space agency NASA enjoys two successes, both in 1997.

In July, Mars Pathfinder places the robotic rover Sojourner on the planet.

Then in September Mars Global Surveyor, launched a year earlier, enters orbit and goes on to study the entire surface, atmosphere, and interior of the planet.

Both Pathfinder and Surveyor collect detailed data about the planet and are able to detect the presence of minerals.

2003: Europe's Mars Express

The European Space Agency sends the probe Mars Express which circles Mars from December 2003 and remains in operation.

However, the craft's mini-lander Beagle 2 never shows any sign of life, although it was seen on the planet's surface in January 2015.

2004: Spirit and Opportunity

Two US geological robots, Spirit and Opportunity, are placed on Mars in January 2004 for a successful mission lasting until 2010 and 2018 respectively.

Opportunity clocks up the longest extraterrestrial distance ever travelled at 45 kilometres (28 miles) and sends back more than 200,000 images, and discovers traces of humidity in the atmosphere.

2012: Curiosity, still working

The US robot Curiosity lands in August 2012 and is the only vehicle still in operation on Mars.

It has shown the planet was once suitable for microbial life and should therefore be potentially habitable.

In May 2008, Phoenix, another US vehicle, investigates permafrost on Mars and confirms the presence of frozen water.

2014: India, cheaper and faster

India successfully puts a probe into orbit in September 2014.

The Mars Orbiter Mission aims to measure the presence of methane on the Red Planet and was produced at a low cost and in record time.

2020 and beyond

The Russian-European mission ExoMars, which had been planning to send a robot to drill the ground on Mars in 2020, is postponed to 2022 following technical difficulties and the COVID-19 pandemic.

But three missions to the Red Planet are still scheduled in July.

The United Arab Emirates are hoping to become the first probe from the Arab world, China are due to launch Tianwen-1, and the US is gearing up for its next mission "Perseverance".

Explore further First Arab mission to Mars designed to inspire youth

 2020 AFP
HANDOUT / National Institutes of Health / AFP via Getty Images

The Midland Health Department reported Friday that it is conducting an investigation on 34 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Midland County.

The 34 cases is the fewest this week, but still brings the overall cases count 1,104. The Health Department reported that are 715 active cases, 370 that have recovered and 19 that have died.
High Rise Delay

Wary lenders leave a mega-project in limbo.

by Jeff Mortimer

From the July, 2020 issue

"It's like launching a rocket in the worst weather possible," says Howard Frehsee of his struggles to get Ann Arbor's biggest construction project in decades off the ground.



Frehsee planned to break ground this spring for his nineteen-story high-rise on E. Washington and its companion six-story mid-rise off State St., with tenants moving in by the summer of 2022. But the pandemic "slammed the brakes on it," says Frehsee. "Now it's going to be the summer of '23, and we have to be careful we can still meet that timetable."



Though he doesn't have a new groundbreaking date, he's still "hoping to start construction this year," he says. "Hopefully, it won't get delayed until the spring" of 2021.



Michigan's construction ban was lifted in May, but the pandemic caused bigger problems. Even though Frehsee says the buildings will be marketed to a wide demographic, questions about what U-M's reopening will look like are more worrisome in the long term.



"It creates a great uncertainty in the marketplace, and the lenders that loan money for projects like this are very concerned what that means going forward," he says. "We believe that people will come back [to Ann Arbor] once they know the coast is clear.



"We have every intention of moving forward on our project. Still, it's about the worst time you could pick to do something like this."



[Originally published in July, 2020.]








Sarla Devi, mother of gangster Vikas Dubey who was killed in an encounter with Uttar Pradesh police on Friday morning, refused to attend the last rites of her son  main accused in the murder of eight policemen in Kanpur  and said she has nothing to do with him and his deeds.

After she was informed about the encounter, Devi, along with her younger son Deep Prakashs wife Anjali, locked herself in at their Lucknow residence.

A police team was sent to inform Vikas Dubeys family about his death in police encounter. She refused to go to Kanpur stating that she has nothing do with him and his deeds, said Deepak Kumar Singh, assistant commissioner of police (ACP), Krishna Nagar.

She later locked herself in with her daughter-in-law Anjali and her two children at Indra Lok colony under Krishna Nagar police station limits the ACP said.

A day earlier, Devi said that she will have no regrets if her son was gunned down for being responsible for an act which claimed the lives of eight policemen in the raid last week.

On Thursday, soon after Dubey was arrested from Mahakaal temple in Ujjain in a dramatic turn of events, Devi had said that Lord Mahakaal saved her sons life but also said that government can do whatever they want to do with him.

Devi said Dubey was involved in criminal activities from a young age and did not change his path despite repeated requests by his family members.

Vikas did not have amicable ties with his family members, including his younger brother. The relationship Dubey shared with his younger brother was strained and the differences were so grave that the family did not live under one roof. Vikass relations were strained with his younger brother due to which he stayed in separate house, Devi said. The mother had moved in to live with Deep Prakashs family while Vikas, along with his wife Richa Dubey and two kids, stayed in the separate house in the same locality in Lucknow.

Dubeys younger brother is still untraceable by the UP police force. Fearing arrest following the Kanpur ambush, he went into hiding, Singh said. Some police personnel had been deployed outside the house for security reasons, he said.
As Cleveland State Community College accepts applications and registers students throughout the summer, one thing will be noticeably different this fall. The variety of options that students have to complete their courses will be noticeably different; COVID-19 has forced colleges to think and act smarter than ever before.



As colleges like Cleveland State throughout the Tennessee Board of Regents collegiate system look for the best options to properly and safely educate students in Fall 2020, the academic scene has changed greatly in just one years time.

You might say it has completely flipped upside down.We took great pains to study the best methods for instruction in a pandemic environment, said Dr. Bill Seymour, Cleveland State Community College President. We also surveyed our students and considered national studies on this topic. We believe we have the best plan possible. Hybrid classes provide some opportunities for engagement with faculty and other students on campus, but also takes advantage of the safety provided by online instruction.Colleges and universities usually plan their semester schedules more than six months before each academic term begins. Cleveland State had originally planned its Fall 2020 term before COVID-19 officially sent their college home for the remainder of the spring back in mid-March.With approximately 1,000 courses typically available each fall in different online and face-to-face modalities, Cleveland State had a fall term planned with more than half of its courses being offered on-campus. Fifty-five percent of the Fall 2020 courses were originally set to be instructed face-to-face with 15 percent being delivered via hybrid courses. Hybrid is a style of instruction in which a portion of the course takes place online, as well as in-person.Now, with the fall term six weeks away, the new look fall will now offer 56 percent of its classes in hybrid fashion with only 13 percent being offered completely face-to-face. 583 of the 1048 courses being offered through Cleveland State Community College this fall are being offered in hybrid fashion. Seventy-three percent of the hybrid courses will be offered during the day. The remaining 27 percent will be offered at night.Our percentages of on-ground and hybrid courses have been inverted, said Dr. Barsha Pickell, Cleveland State Community College vice president of Academic Affairs. This move allows more flexibility in how faculty meet their learning objectives. It allows us to provide social distancing by limiting the number of students in the actual classroom each day. In a hybrid format, half of the class will meet in person on the first day of that class each week and the other half will meet in person on the second day. This hybrid option helps us adapt to the social distancing safety precautions necessitated by COVID-19.Cleveland State is monitoring the enrollment in online classes for the fall and creating new sections of courses when the ones currently available fill up. I believe we will see a larger percentage of online classes before the fall semester begins as we continue to add sections upon demand.With news involving COVID-19 continuing to evolve each day, Cleveland State has built this fall term ready for any changes that may be necessary in the near future. The current schedule and plan in place will allow the college to switch to fully online instruction if it becomes necessary again as it did this past spring.While on-campus at Cleveland State, proper precautions have been in place for student, employee, and visitor safety since May. Social distancing, screen questions, face mask coverings, hand sanitizing stations and sneeze guards are among the many safety measures put into place on the main Cleveland State Community College campus in Cleveland, Tennessee, the Athens Center in Athens, Tennessee, and the Monroe County Center in Vonore, Tennessee.

For more information about Cleveland State Community College and how it is dealing with COVID-19, visit the colleges COVID-19 page at mycs.cc/COVID19 or call 423.473.2341 for the latest information.


With coronavirus cases spreading rapidly, Alabama continues pushing for a return to normalcy. Businesses are reopening and campuses are preparing for a fall semester. But what will it take to get back to normal?

One possible answer is herd immunity. That might be attempted either through a vaccine or through mass infections. Disease experts welcome the first, but say the second is improbable and dangerous.

We may not be able to wipe out this virus in a year, but it is possible to wipe it out over time (with a vaccine), said Dr. Pamela Foster, University of Alabama professor of community medicine and population health.

Herd immunity is when the majority of a population is immune and is therefore unlikely to spread a disease. Dr. Walter Orenstein, associate director of the Emory Vaccine Center, says 60 to 70 percent of the population would need to be immune to Covid-19 to achieve herd immunity.

Thats unlikely without a vaccine, said Orenstein. My feeling is that we shouldnt be hopeful, in the absence of the vaccine, that were going to get a high enough infection rate that the virus will wipe itself out.

Alabama added over 2,000 coronavirus cases Thursday, a new daily record, as the states hospitals are nearing capacity with staffing and ICU beds.

Some Alabamians told al.com this spring that they wanted to reach herd immunity so Alabama can get back to regular life, including the head of the state dental board and regular office workers. Even this week, Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh said he hopes more Alabamians would get sick so we could get to immunity.

.

But new research shows that widespread outbreaks in other parts of the world resulted in less than 10% of the population testing for antibodies for Covid-19.

Without a vaccine, attempting herd immunity is a deadly and unlikely proposition, experts say.

High cost of herd immunity

If the majority of Alabamians got coronavirus, that would mean tens of thousands of deaths, according to Dr. Amber DSouza, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins University. She says the diseases mortality rate is an estimated one percent.

A number (like) that would be very difficult to imagine and nothing like those of us alive today can imagine, said DSouza.

Taking it on the chin can be a pretty dangerous approach, said Dr. Stephen Kissler, a research fellow at Harvards TH Chan School of Public Health, who pointed to racial disparities in health outcomes.

That burden of herd immunity will be paid for with the health and lives of least privileged members of society, Kissler said.

And then theres the possibility of hospitals being overrun and lacking room for patients with emergencies, such as heart attacks or injuries from car accidents.

Experts point to countries like Sweden, which tried to reach herd immunity without a vaccine and has seen a spike in deaths compared to neighboring nations. Studies show just 7.3% of Swedes had antibodies from the disease at the end of April. In Spain, the data was lower at close to 5%.

Despite the high impact of Covid-19 in Spain, prevalence estimates remain low and are clearly insufficient to provide herd immunity, researchers reported in The Lancet medical journal Monday.

Vaccine challenges

Further complicating Alabamas prospects for herd immunity, it is not clear how long coronavirus immunity lasts, or whether people can be infected twice.

That may mean any vaccine, if and when one becomes available, would need to be administered multiple times.

Public health systems would decide who would take priority for getting a vaccine, such as health workers and immunocompromised people, but access could be an issue, experts worry.

And surveys reflect that only about half of Americans would be willing to get a vaccine, making vaccine-produced herd immunity, by scientific standards, impossible.

Tamping down transmission

Still, some immunity is better than none, said Orenstein, if people get it safely, through a vaccine.

Even if we dont achieve herd immunity, if we have higher immunity than we have right now, we will tamp down transmission, he said.

When a larger percent of the population is immune, less people are likely to spread Covid, if they come into contact with it, breaking the chain of transmission.

Herd immunity gives you an opportunity to at least manage the disease, said Foster in Alabama.

Right now were out of control (and) overwhelming our system, she said, referring to hospital staffing and ICU bed shortages that could result in hospitals not having enough room to take new patients.

Foster hopes a vaccine could be ready as soon as this fall.

Dr. DSouza is hopeful a vaccine might be available by 2021.

Next best option

Gov. Ivey has encouraged, but not mandated masks in Alabama, although many city and local officials have stepped in and ordered residents to wear masks in public.

If everyone in Alabama wore a mask, it would reduce deaths by more than half, saving about 1,700 lives by November, the University of Washingtons Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation estimates.

Beyond that there is the lockdown, which is being tried again from Australia to Spain. Even Texas and Florida have recently restricted some businesses, such as bars, to battle summer surges.

At the moment, the only tool in the tool chest is isolation, said Orenstein.

Alabamas numbers have been growing rapidly ever since Memorial Day and since people emerged from the lockdown. The New York Times reported Wednesday that if Alabama were a country, it would now have the worlds eighth highest rate of spread.

So what happens if Alabamians decide the best course is drop all precautions and let the fittest survive?

You can quote me saying no, no, no, no, said Foster. She called the natural route to herd immunity, without a vaccine, a selfish approach by relatively healthy people, fraught with bioethical issues.

When youre talking about beds being tied up in an ICU, then you have to decide who gets an ICU bed and who doesnt. Would you want to be in that position?

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

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Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com
SIUE Library and Information Services Dean Lis Pankl. SIUE was particularly attractive because of its student-centered focus, as well as its strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

The Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees today approved Lis Pankl as dean of SIUE Library and Information Services (LIS) following completion of a national search. Pankl will assume the role effective Monday, Aug. 3.

The library is the academic heart of a campus, supporting scholarship, faculty and staff development, and community engagement, said SIUE Chancellor Randy Pembrook. Dr. Pankl has tremendous enthusiasm for all of these areas, and will lead SIUEs efforts to continue our growth in research and innovation while supporting those who rely on our library  faculty, staff, students and community members.

Pankl arrives at SIUE after serving as head of Graduate and Undergraduate Services, associate librarian for the J. Willard Marriott Library at the University of Utah (UofU) in Salt Lake City since 2016. She provided strategic vision and leadership for Graduate and Undergraduate Services.

We are excited that Dr. Pankl has agreed to join the SIUE community, and we look forward to her leadership of Library and Information Services, said Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Denise Cobb, PhD. The Library is a central nexus for academic support for students, faculty and staff on our campus.

The Library faculty and staff and its resources are critical to meeting our goals of academic excellence, whether in terms of instruction or research and creative activities. Dr. Pankls interdisciplinary scholarship and previous experience will help support the evolution of our library services, facilities and holdings. I look forward to working with her and to her contributions to our University.

I sincerely thank Provost Denise Cobb and the LIS Dean Search Committee for their hard work and dedication during this process, Pankl said. I am delighted to be joining the SIUE community. SIUE was particularly attractive because of its student-centered focus, as well as its strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Under her direction, Pankl sees LIS anticipating and serving the needs of the SIUE community in a rapidly evolving higher education environment. My goal is for Lovejoy Library to be a welcoming and inclusive place that serves as a hub for learning and exploration at SIUE, Pankl said.

At UofU, Pankl served on the Research & User Services Leadership team to develop strategic directions for the division. She was a liaison to the Departments of Geography, English and Latin American Studies. She developed and implemented best practices in teaching, learning and assessment for the library. She partnered with key campus leaders and units to engage students in the UofUs intellectual and social lifecycles.

The Cheney, Washington native began as an instruction librarian and assistant librarian in 2005 at the Louisiana State University (LSU) Libraries in Baton Rouge, La. While teaching library research methods and information literacy sessions for the Department of History, she also helped develop and define collections and services that supported and enhanced faculty research and student learning.

Pankl began an 8-year tenure at Kansas State University (KSU) in Manhattan, Kan. in 2007, where she advanced to an associate professor, and faculty and graduate services librarian. Beginning as an assistant professor and humanities librarian, she continued in dual roles by teaching information literacy sessions for the Departments of English and Modern Languages, while developing and defining collections and services that supported and enhanced faculty research and student learning. She later provided customized services for faculty and graduate students in the Departments of English, Modern Languages, Geography, Philosophy and History.

In 2015, Pankl moved eastward for a year to become the Head of Academic Engagement and associate librarian for the Stony Brook University (SBU) Libraries in Stony Brook, N.Y. She led all SBU faculty librarians in teaching and liaison activities. While supervising a core academic team of faculty librarians, she partnered with campus departments, units and student groups to engage with SBUs academic lifecycle. Serving on the Research & User Engagement Administrative team that guided strategic vision for library spaces and services, she participated on an engagement team that provided online and in-person research assistance to the SBU and local communities.

Pankl earned a PhD in geography from Kansas State University in 2015. She holds three masters degrees: in English from Abilene Christian University, in Abilene, Texas in 2001; in library science in 2005 from the University of North Texas, in Denton; and in public administration from the UofU in 2020. She also earned a bachelors in English in 1999 from Washington State University, in Pullman.

Pankl steps into the role after Lydia Jackson served as interim dean since November 2017.

The SIUE Library and Information Services (LIS) consistently strives for new and inventive ways to deliver information to students, faculty and the community. LIS is home to Lovejoy Library, the heart of the University. The library provides SIUE faculty and students the information required for their academic pursuits that result in improving our communities. LIS faculty and staff nurture SIUE students scholarship with resources that support the collaboration and innovative thinking needed to succeed in the global marketplace.


DALLAS, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- GHS Interactive Security, LLC ("GHS" or the "Company"), a top community-based security alarm monitoring company, announced today that Arena Investors LP ("Arena"), a major U.S. institutional private investment firm, has recapitalized the Company and acquired a majority stake. With this partnership comes a new brand identity, Vio Security ("Vio"), as well as a recalibrated focus on being the leading Smart Home and Security service provider.

Scott Gold, Managing Director at Arena, said, "Arena is taking a hands-on approach as a committed equity partner, investing a significant amount of time and capital to support Vio Security's high growth expansion strategy. We are truly excited to announce the launch of Vio Security and over the next several months will be rolling out new connected Smart Home products and more competitive pricing plans, all while building out the highest quality digital sales platform and field sales teams."

As Vio Security, the Company is expanding its consumer financing options by adding simple, convenient services for customers to acquire Smart Home systems for their homes and small businesses. The new brand embodies the Company's expansion and innovation and provides a view of the future of the Security and Smart Home technology market.

Michael J. McLeod, Chief Executive Officer of Vio Security, said, "Together with Arena, Vio is well-positioned to compete in the SmartHome / ConnectedHome space. We have replaced our costly dealer-based model and are building out our in-house sales force that will comprise a dedicated team of 200 sales professionals in key markets. Additionally, we are highly focused on bringing on new resources to further support our sales staff, such as lead generation, optimized work-flow processes and paid training. Delivering an excellent customer experience remains our priority as we look toward enhanced growth."

About Vio Security

With more than a century of experience in the security alarm business, the minds behind GHS are moving forward with a new vision for the future of home and business protection: Vio Security. Today we protect tens of thousands of homes and businesses and provide piece of mind in these uncertain times. Though headquartered in Dallas, Texas, we reach all 48 states, bringing the latest innovations in smart security and automation for residential and commercial use to the entire United States. See www.viosecurity.com for more information.

About Arena Investors, LP

Arena Investors is a $1.4 billion institutional asset manager that provides creative solutions for those seeking capital in special situations. The firm brings decades of experience, a track record of comfort with complexity, the ability to deliver within time constraints, and the flexibility to structure investments that meet the unique needs of middle-market businesses. Our focus is to provide capital that enables individuals, corporations, and asset owners to achieve their goals. Arena's mandate is global, and also unconstrained in terms of asset class and industry. See www.arenaco.com for more information.

SOURCE Arena Investors, LP

Related Links

https://www.arenaco.com/


Riyaz Aly with 42.3 million followers was the Big Boy of Indias TikTok world. This 16-17 years old music lip-syncher from the Jaigaon, a border town of Bhutan, was the highest grosser amongst TikTokers in India on monies he made from peddling his influence for brands, labels and clients. IIHBs research team, after detailed discussions with market intermediaries, talent managers and TikTokers themselves estimated Alys annual earnings from TikTok at Rs. 5-6 crores. His run-rate during the pandemic was actually higher and he couldve easily crossed Rs. 8-9 crores in 2020, but for the ban.

Faisal Shaikh, more commonly known as Mr. Faisu was in second place on TikTok in India. Shaikhs earnings from Tiktok are estimated at between Rs. 4 to 4.5 crores. Again, these could have been substantially more but for the ban, as numbers on revenue had picked up substantially during the Lockdown.

Arishfa Khans earnings are also estimated in the Rs. 4-4.5 crores range. She is third in the list of highest number of TikTok followers. Jannat Zubair Rahmani, with over 27.6 million followers on Tiktok, is said to have earnings from TikTok that are estimated at Rs. 5 to 5.5 crores, a notch higher than Faisal Shaikh and Arishfa, though both of them otherwise enjoy larger follower bases.

Awez Darbar, the son of well-known musician Ismail Darbar, fifth ranked by number of followers, has earnings of Rs. 2.5-3 crores which were set to rise exponentially this year.

Avneet Kaur, ranked No. 9 by follower numbers, was another major rising star of the TikTok universe with earnings estimated at Rs. 3-3.5 crores. Aashika Bhatia, who ranked only at No. 18, was also earning in the Rs. 3-3.5 crores range, and punching much above her weight class. Aashika had been predicted to be the future giant killer of the global TikTok world, with experts having said that one day she would topple TikTok World No. 1 Loren Gray as the richest TikToker on the planet. That seems like a distant dream for now.

Bhavin Bhanushali, who was first seen in the OTT series Aisha  A Virtual Girlfriend seems to have been raking it in disproportionate earnings to his 20th ranking on the TikTok tables. Could well be a function of good marketing, and outreach. Annual earnings of Rs. 2.5-3 crores.

The Indian Institute of Human Brands (IIHB) research team met a large number of those from the TikTok world, in the past week, to arrive at a gross number on the loss that TikToks exit has created. An educated estimate is a dent of about Rs. 120 crores at most for the Top 100 influencers. Pessimistic estimates could even be Rs. 100 crores. But interestingly, the long tail of TikTok is really really long. Someone with a 1 million follower base could earn Rs. 30-35,000 a month. At double that number, the earnings could be in the Rs. 50,000 range.

Top 20 : Followers & Earners

Sr No Name TikTok Followers Tiktok Income 1 Riyaz Aly 42.30 5 to 6 2 Faisal Shaikh 30.80 4 to 4.5 3 Arishfa Khan 28.00 4 to 4.5 4 Jannat Zubair 27.60 5 to 5.5 5 Nisha Guragain 27.30 3 to 3.5 6 Awez Darbar 25.60 2.5 to 3 7 Sameeksha Sud 24.10 2.5 to 3 8 Priyanka Mongia 22.30 1 to 1.5 9 Avneet Kaur 22.10 3 to 3.5 10 Gima Ashi 21.10 2 to 2.5 11 Beauty Khan 20.90 0.6 to 0.7 12 Robin Jindal (Oye Indori) 18.80 2 to 2.5 13 Mr & Mrs Choudhary 18.30 0.2 to 0.25 14 Lucky Dancer 17.80 1 to 1.5 15 Suraj Pal Singh 16.60 0.5 to 0.6 16 Vishal Pandey 16.00 0.60 to 0.75 17 Abraz I Khan 15.90 0.8 to 1 18 Aashika Bhatia 15.90 3 to 3.5 19 Hasnain Khan 15.60 0.8 to 1 20 Bhavin Bhanushali 14.60 2.5 to 3

Followers in million; Income in crores

Commenting on the incomes generated by TikTok influencers, Dr. Sandeep Goyal, Chief Mentor of IIHB said, Prices on TikTok for paid content were not high too. A Picture Post for a Top 10 TikToker was in the Rs. 1,20,000 to 1,50,000 range; A Carousel or GIF cost Rs. 1,50,000 for a Top 10 influencer but dropped to Rs. 5000 for a Top 100 ranker; A Story was priced between Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 50,000 depending on the pecking order; A Story Highlight was priced between Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 1,00,000 and a Link in Bio (24 hours) fetched between a meager Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 35,000. For followers running into millions, this is indeed poor compensation. He added, The one thing I could never fully understand with respect to TikTok was why its millions of followers did not convert into larger earnings for its influencers. There were easily atleast 50 influencers with over 10 million followers. That is no small number. But the bottom of the Top 20 list barely made Rs. 5-6 lacs a month, in reality. There were taller claims and larger stats touted by agents and middle-men, but the actual numbers were actually much lower.

Answering another pertinent question, Dr. Goyal elaborated, Did TikTok suffer because of an age skew? More than 60% of TikToks active daily user base was said to be between 16-24 years. Some even younger. While this is an age cohort that is theoretically very attractive to brands, in reality, this age-group does not really have as much discretionary spending power as compared to their peers in Western economies.

This is the first of two Reports by IIHB on TikTok. The second Report will cover brand attributes of the leading players in the TikTok universe in India.


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Syracuse, N.Y.  Syracuse University announced on Thursday that it will require students to test negative for coronavirus before they arrive on campus.

The school said the requirement was a new addition to their previously announced testing plan, which will still include pool testing students on arrival and again two weeks later, a process described by syracuse.com | The Post-Standard by SUNY-Upstate Medical Hospital earlier this week.

Syracuse said that students will have to document the negative test before their arrivals. It said details on how to document the test and how close to their departure the test should be taken will be provided at a later date. It said the decision was based on guidance from public health experts and because of the increased availability of testing across the country.

Given the increasing availability of Covid testing in communities across the U.S., Syracuse University will require that all students be tested for Covid-19 before traveling to campus in August. We are incorporating this enhancement to our testing program based on recommendations of public health experts, and given ongoing consultation with peer institutions in New York state and across the U.S. The University will provide additional details in the coming weeks, related to how soon (prior to travel) this test should be accomplished and how to document a negative test result with the University prior to travel.

Requiring the negative test is the latest requirement from the school as it attempts to make the return of students as safe as possible for the campus and Central New York community, a process made more difficult by the challenges of high-density living on a college campus and the spread of the virus in many areas of the country where students could be traveling from.

Testing is a critical component of limiting the spread of the virus because it can isolate cases before they are passed on, although it doesnt eliminate concerns by itself. Some asymptomatic or early cases of coronavirus can produce a negative result test because there is not a high enough concentration of the virus detected. The virus could also be contracted between when the test is taken and a students departure for campus.

Ideas involving testing were just some of the 127 recommendations made by a Syracuse committee aimed at keeping the campus as possible and will be combined with other recommendations involving cleaning, mask-wearing and physical distancing.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

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Contact Chris Carlson anytime: Email | Twitter | 315-412-1639
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Despite the economic shock of the coronavirus, analysts say China's demand for luxury goods hasn't waned much  and it's drawing top brands from Hong Kong to the mainland. Consulting firm Bain estimated Chinese consumers accounted for about 35% of 281 billion euros ($317 billion) last year in global luxury spending, most of which has typically occurred overseas or in Hong Kong. Now that the coronavirus is keeping most Chinese from traveling, several analysts expect them to buy more luxury products at home. "All luxury brands are moving in this direction," Federica Levato, Milan-based partner at Bain, said in a phone interview. "This is accelerated by Covid-19, but it was already happening." In five years, the Chinese share of global luxury spending will rise to nearly half, split evenly between domestic and overseas markets, Bain predicted.

Combined with the impact of last year's violent protests in Hong Kong and this year's restrictions on cross-border travel, many luxury brands are closing stores in the city and looking at expanding into mainland China through physical locations and e-commerce. "(Like) New York, Hong Kong is one of the most advanced cities in terms of the number of stores, and given the customer flows will move from Hong Kong, probably brands are going to  review their network," Levato said, adding the brands may reduce stores there as a result.

Supportive policies from Beijing

New measures by the central Chinese government also aim to support more mainland Chinese luxury shopping within its borders. As of July 1, authorities more than tripled the tax-free shopping quota to 100,000 yuan ($14,285) from 30,000 yuan. They also removed an 8,000 yuan per item limit on goods bought in the duty-free shopping hub of Hainan. UBS Securities China tourism analyst Chen Xin expects spending on the tropical island to more than double from last year to 28 billion yuan this year. In a June 30 interview with CNBC, he said most of the increase in spending will likely come in the second half of this year, and grow to 38 billion yuan next year. Even if China's overall economy is hit, Chen said the country's consumers still aspire to buy luxury products. For cosmetics, which must be bought as they are used up, Chen said that once shoppers have bought from European or American brands, they won't return to Chinese or Asian ones.

A lot of travelers to Hong Kong are from lower-tier cities (who) don't have access to luxury stores in their hometowns ... Livestreaming is a way to reach them. Online is another way to reach them. Imke Wouters Oliver Wyman

Even though the local economy contracted by 6.8% in the first quarter, Chinese are still willing to shop. "Luxury demand in China has recovered strongly in the last couple of months," Morgan Stanley analysts wrote in a July 7 report titled "Consumers and China's Stay-Home Economy." "Most established brands (LV, Gucci, Cartier, Chanel, Dior, etc.) saw sales increase by 40-90% in early June," they said.

Luxury brands move online
Defense Attorney Barred From Trial in Northern China

In northern Chinas Baotou City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, an attorney representing a defendant was forbidden to appear in court during a trial. He posted a video on the Internet, appealing for urgent help.

lawyer said: Its July 8, 2020. I am in front of the Intermediate Court of Baotou City. There is a trial of a criminal case going on inside the court behind me, of which my client is the defendant. However, I, as the defense attorney, was barred from the court.

It is a serious infringement of the rights of the defendant as well as a serious infringement of the lawyers professional rights. It is also a serious damage to the laws and the lawyers system in China. Injustice to anyone is a threat to justice of everyone. I am calling for your urgent attention. Thank you, everyone!
A popular fitness blogger and Instagram model in France died after a pressurized canister used for dispensing whipped cream exploded, hitting her in the chest.

Rebecca Burger's death from the June 17 incident was announced on social media Wednesday by her family, who warned of the potential risks of defective whip cream dispensers.

The post published on Burger's Instagram page to her more than 150,000 followers read:

---

... an example of the cartridge/siphon from Chantilly that exploded and struck Rebecca's chest, killing her. Take note: the cartridge that caused her death was sealed. Do not use this type of device in your home! Tens of thousands of these appliances are still in circulation.

---

Authorities in Eastern France told the French newspaper 20 Minutes, that the victim suffered cardiac arrest in her home in Galfingue on Saturday and firefighters were able to revive her heartbeat. But Burger was unconscious when she arrived to the hospital and died the following day.

Whipped cream dispensers use nitrous oxide canisters, which, when pierced by a pin, release the gas and pressurize the cream container.

According to the consumer magazine, 60 Millions, two people were gravely injured in 2014 by whipped cream canister dispensers in France.

A 2014 news release by the French economy ministry advised people to be cautious when using cream dispensers: "Since 2010, several models of kitchen syphons, also called cream syphons, have turned out to be dangerous and led to home accidents."

Ard'Time, the company of the whip cream dispenser Burger reportedly used has been recalled because of reports that the plastic head could explode and fly off, according to their website.

In addition to posting fitness pictures on Instagram, Burger ran the lifestyle blog Rebecca Likes where she would document her travels and outfits. She uploaded her first YouTube video on June 10 showing her on a trip in Bali.

In an Instagram post, Women's Best, an online health store which Burger promoted online, paid tribute to the blogger:

We are sorry to announce the sad news of losing this beautiful soul. Our french athlete Rebecca Burger (@RebeccaBlikes) passed away. Rebecca was not only a great fitness figure but a generous and kind person to work with. Please pray for her soul to rest in peace and for her family to stay strong. We will always be proud of you Rebecca  A post shared by WOMEN'S BEST (@womensbest) on Jun 19, 2017 at 11:48am PDT

We are sorry to announce the sad news of losing this beautiful soul. Our french athlete Rebecca Burger (@RebeccaBlikes) passed away. Rebecca was not only a great fitness figure but a generous and kind person to work with. Please pray for her soul to rest in peace and for her family to stay strong. We will always be proud of you Rebecca

---

The BBC reported that in 2013, one victim of an exploding cream dispenser told RTL radio: "I had six broken ribs, and my sternum was broken. At the hospital, I was told that if the shock and blast had been facing the heart, I would be dead now."

In 2014, a consumer watchdog group in France issued a warning about dispensers with "defective parts . . .. When a user screws a new gas cartridge into the head of one of the defective canisters the resulting pressure causes the spray nozzle to break free and fire off like a rubber bullet," it reported, according to The Local.

Officials have opened an investigation into Burger's death.
On the strength of six eyewitnesses lineup identifications, Lydell Grant was sentenced to life in prison in 2012 for the murder of a young Texas man, Aaron Scheerhoorn, who was stabbed to death outside a Houston nightclub in 2010.

All six of those eyewitnesses were wrong.

New DNA testing on biological material collected from underneath the victims fingernails cleared Grant and implicated another man, Jermarico Carter, who police said confessed to the killing. Carter has now been indicted for the murder by a grand jury, and Grant was released from prison. But his name has not been cleared.

Faith in eyewitnesses runs so deep that despite the overwhelming proof of Grants innocence, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals refused his exoneration request. Instead, the court wants the six eyewitnesses who originally testified against Grant to respond to his claims of innocence.

Its a fact that eyewitnesses make mistakes. There have been hundreds of cases in which mistaken eyewitness identification testimony led to the conviction of innocent people.

The puzzling question in this case, though, is why did six eyewitnesses independently identify Grant as the killer and then confidently testify in court?

One might assume that Grant was the murderers unlucky doppelganger. But a comparison of the pairs mugshots reveals that they bear little physical resemblance to one another beyond both being Black men.

As an experimental psychologist who conducts research on eyewitness identification, Ive seen hundreds of examples of highly confident yet mistaken eyewitnesses  both in the laboratory and in actual court cases. My review of the transcripts from Grants trial suggests a simple explanation for these high-confidence mistakes: The police did not use scientific best practices for collecting the eyewitness identification evidence.

Scientific best practices for conducting eyewitness lineups require that the person administering the lineup not know who the police suspect. Just as double-blind clinical trials in medical studies are intended to prevent patients and doctors expectations from affecting outcomes of the clinical trial, double-blind lineups aim to prevent witnesses and administrators expectations from influencing the outcomes of the identification procedure.

The transcript from Grants trial revealed that the homicide detective in charge of investigating the case administered the lineup to the eyewitnesses. Of course, he knew that Grant was the one under suspicion.

Psychological experiments have shown that lineup administrators who know who the suspect is end up cuing witnesses toward that person. Compared to administrators conducting double-blind lineups, these informed administrators are more likely to ask witnesses about the suspect and smile when witnesses are looking at the suspect rather than at another person in the lineup.

Such behaviors are often inadvertent; neither lineup administrators nor eyewitnesses may be consciously aware that theyre happening. Nevertheless, these subtle behavioral cues affect eyewitnesses decisions by making them more likely to choose the suspect.

But if the six eyewitnesses chose Lydell Grant from the lineup only because they were cued to do so by the case detective, why were they so confident in their identifications? According to the trial transcript, most of the eyewitnesses testified to having been positive when they picked Grant out of the lineup. One reported that he had identified Grant without doubt or hesitation. Another stated that the killers face was burned into [her] memory immediately.

The witnesses trial testimony reveals a simple explanation for these high-confidence errors: All of the eyewitnesses received confirmatory feedback following their identification of Grant.

Three of the eyewitnesses reported that the detective told them that they had picked the same person other people had, though the detective himself denied having made such statements. Two other eyewitnesses, a couple, remembered discussing their selection with one another and confirming each others decisions. One eyewitness couldnt recall whether the detective had told him anything after he identified Grant, but the detective acknowledged telling that particular eyewitness good job following the identification. The detective also admitted making a similar comment to at least one other witness.

Research has repeatedly demonstrated that simple confirming comments such as these have dramatic effects on eyewitnesses testimony. Not only do such statements inflate eyewitnesses confidence in the accuracy of their identification, but they lead them to falsely remember having been that confident all along.

As a result, witnesses who have received confirmatory feedback provide testimony that is highly persuasive to jurors.

In one study, people playing the role of jurors were able to reliably distinguish between accurate and mistaken eyewitnesses when the witnesses had not received any confirmatory feedback.

But when the witnesses had received a simple reinforcing comment following their identification (Good job, you got the guy), the mock jurors could no longer tell the difference between accurate and mistaken eyewitnesses. In other words, the confirmatory remark made the mistaken eyewitnesses just as persuasive as the accurate ones.

Witnesses arent able to tell whether their testimony was influenced in this way. Moreover, confirmatory feedback can alter witnesses memories of the original crime, making them less able to recognize the actual perpetrator when they see him again. So, there is little to be gained from speaking to the original eyewitnesses from Grants case.

The processes at play in Grants case are predictable and unfortunately common. The way to avoid these problems with eyewitness testimony is for police to adopt best practices based on the psychological research.

In addition to implementing double-blind lineup procedures, its essential that lineup administrators document eyewitnesses confidence immediately following an identification. Confidence collected at the time of an identification during a double-blind lineup procedure is informative regarding the eyewitnesss accuracy. Confidence reported at trial after the eyewitness has received confirmatory feedback is not.

To date, 24 states have adopted these core procedural reforms, including Texas in 2011, one year after the investigation of Scheerhoorns murder. Unfortunately for Grant, these reforms came a year too late. The remaining 26 states should act swiftly to prevent additional miscarriages of justice, and Grant should be exonerated.

Smalarz is assistant professor of psychology at Arizona State University. This piece was originally published by The Conversation.
She's a former Bond girl and a star of the original X-Men movies.

And Famke Janssen still turns heads with her timeless beauty.

On Thursday, the model turned actress put on a leggy show in a sleeveless black mini dress as she went for a walk in New York City.

Headturner: Famke Janssen put on a leggy show as she took a stroll in NYC on Thursday wearing a sleeveless black mini dress and a pair of ballet flats along with a sparkly face mask

Her one-shoulder frock had a ruffle hem and she stepped out in a pair of ballet flats.

The Dutch-born star left her long brunette locks loose and carried a black sun parasol.

She completed her look with large black-framed sunglasses and a sparkly dark blue face mask.

Cute: As she strolled along, Famke paused to greet a four-legged friend. She bent down to greet the cute pup who stood up on its back legs with its front legs on her thighs to say hello

As she strolled along, Famke paused to greet a four-legged friend.

She bent down to greet the cute pup who stood up on its back legs with its front legs on her thighs to say hello.

The dog was leashed and it owners maintained a social distance as their pooch socialized.

The actress currently has three films in post production: The Postcard Killings, Endless and Redeeming Love.

But, at this point, with the COVID-19 crisis still waging, the release dates have been put on hold.

Stunner: The Dutch-born beauty started out as a fashion model and switched to acting, getting her big break when she was cast in the 1995 James bond movie GoldenEye

Big break: Famke starred opposite 007 star Pierce Brosnan in GoldenEye and played Xenia Onatopp, a former soviet fighter pilot and ruthless assassin

Famke most recently starred in the BBC crime-drama series The Capture, which premiered in September 2019 and co-starred Ben Miles, Paul Ritter and Ron Perlman.

The former model began her career at 19 when she moved from the Netherlands to the US and signed with Elite Model Management .

She worked for Yves Saint Laurent, Giorgio Armani, Chanel, and Victoria's Secret before making her transition to acting.

Her major break came when she landed the role of Xenia Onatopp in the James Bond flick GoldenEye in 1995.

She has since gone on to star in such films as the X-Men film series (2000-2014), and the Taken film franchise (2008-2014), as well as TV hits Nip/Tuck (2004-2010), The Blacklist (2016-2018) and How To Get Away With Murder (2015-2019).

Franchise: She went on to play Jean Grey/Phoenix in the original X-Men movies, starring in four of the mutant films. She's pictured in 2006's X-Men: The Last Stand
Max Verstappen insists that his chances of winning the 2020 title remain alive.

That is despite the fact that his boss Dr Helmut Marko admitted the Dutchman was "really angry" after retiring in Austria last weekend with a Honda-related problem.

"Max was really angry, which I understand," Marko told Osterreich newspaper.

"Hopefully we will put him in a car on Friday with which he can attack again."

After the first race in Austria, some surmised that Red Bull will not be able to take on Mercedes this year.

But Verstappen hit back at that conclusion.

"It bothers me that people do that to my team," he told Dutch reporters in Austria.

"The people in the team know that our car is good. Last weekend it was mainly due to the setup that wasn't optimal. We can win two or three tenths with that.

"If we can get the gap down to three tenths on one lap, it's game on in the race," said Verstappen.

Marko agrees.

"After qualifying five tenths behind, we showed in the race that we are still there in terms of pace. Albon would have won the race," he insists.

After an analysis this week of Verstappen's problem, engine partner Honda has applied technical countermeasures for this weekend.

"A mechanical problem became an electrical problem," Max revealed.

"I can't go into the full details, but from our side it was easy to fix. In the end we have learned from what went wrong so I don't expect any problems now."

(GMM)
Prabhas is already a megastar who needs no introduction amongst movie-lovers. However, things got even better for the Telugu superstar after Baahubali: The Beginning hit the cinemas in 2015. The SS Rajamouli magnum opus took the world by storm and turned Prabhas into a household name.

 Facebook/Prabhas

Ever since, Prabhas has found an ever-growing fandom of admirers who step up to support every project and initiative of his. His popularity touched such heights that he is often touted to be one of the highest paid actors in the entire country! While it is no news that Prabhas made a fortune, and deservingly so, with the Baahubali franchise, he is known to be a humble man. However, instead of just sitting on all that money, Prabhas made the wise decision and put all that cash to good use by investing it.

Here are 4 such most expensive things Prabhas owns.

1. A Sprawling Bungalow In Hyderabad

 Youtube

Reportedly, Prabhas owns a sprawling 1236 sq ft bungalow in the posh locality of Jubilee Hills in Hyderabad and happens to be a neighbour of some of the top Tollywood celebrities such as Allu Arjun and Chiranjeevi.

Reportedly, the house has 5 bedrooms, an in-house gymnasium, a mini theatre and is worth around Rs 60 crore!

2. A Swanky Rolls Royce Phantom

 Holman-Motorcar

Prabhas love for cars and bikes is well known, and it has often been reported that Prabhas owns a fleet of cars which include a BMW X3, Jaguar XJR and a Range Rover amongst others. However, the most expensive car in his collection is the Rolls Royce Phantom worth Rs 8 crore which he bought back in 2015.

3. A Hublot Watch

 TeluguNow

While attending the pre-launch events ahead of the release of Saaho last year, one particular luxury watch sported by Prabhas caught peoples attention. As people couldnt identify the brand and model immediately, fans decided to dig up which luxury brand Prabhas was wearing. Known to be a wristwatch hoarder, Prabhas had been wearing a Swiss brand Hublot and the particular model on him was from the Big Bang collection named Unico Sang Bleu which is reportedly priced between Rs 15 lakh to Rs 1 crore in India.

4. In-House Gym Equipment

 Pixabay

We have all seen Prabhas beast mode physique in the Baahubali movies and to gear up for the same, the makers of the film gifted him home gym equipment worth Rs 1.5 crore . Prabhas got all the equipment installed at his home and would work out at every chance he got to get ripped for his role.

Is there something else we missed? Let us know so we can add that to the list.
Department of Arms Control and Disarmament Holds Briefing for International Arms Control and Disarmament Issues

PLA Daily

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Editor: Chen Zhuo

2020-07-09 08:54:27



On June 8th, 2020, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a press briefing for Chinese and international media outlets. Mr. FU Cong, Director General of the Department of Arms Control and Disarmament, elaborated China's position on current international arms control and disarmament issues, including China's accession to the Arms Trade Treaty, the so-called China-US-Russia trilateral arms control negotiation, and the Compliance Report on arms control agreements issued by the US State Department.

I. On China's accession to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT)

Mr. FU said, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress adopted a decision to ratify the treaty on June 20. On the same day, Foreign Minister Wang Yi signed the instrument of accession, thus completing the internal legislative procedure for China's accession to the Treaty. On July 6, the instrument of accession was deposited with the UN Secretary General by the Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations. China's accession to this important arms control treaty is another testimony to China's determination to combat illicit arms trafficking and its commitment to multilateralism and the international arms control regime, and also constitutes another concrete step to implement the grand vision of President Xi to build a community of shared future for all mankind.

Mr. FU pointed out the sharp contrast between the position of China and that of the US on the issue. Mr. FU said, during the UN General Assembly last September, Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the announcement that China would start its internal legal procedure to accede to the Treaty. At the same podium, US President Trump announced that the US would un-sign the same treaty, making it another addition to the long list of international treaties that the US has withdrawn from. This exemplifies the different attitudes of the China and the US towards multilateralism and to international law. It is known to all that ATT was not the end of the list, since then, the US has announced that it would withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty in a few months' time. On the morning of July 8th,2020, people got the news that the US formally notified the UN Secretary General of the decision to withdraw from the WHO.

II. On the so-called trilateral arms control negotiation among US, Russia and China

Mr. FU said, US officials have recently been making a lot of noises about China joining the US-Russia negotiation on nuclear arms reduction. They even went so far as to tweeting a staged photo. China has made its position known on numerous occasions.

Mr. FU reiterated that China has no interest in joining Russia and the US in their bilateral negotiations. Given the huge gap between the nuclear arsenal of China and those of the US and Russia, it is unrealistic to expect China to join the two countries in a negotiation aimed at nuclear arms reduction. China urge the US to respond positively to the call of the Russian Federation to extend the New START Treaty, and on that basis further reduce its huge nuclear arsenal, so as to create conditions for other Nuclear-Weapon States to participate in the nuclear disarmament negotiation. According to the statistics from renowned international think tanks such as the Federation of American Scientists and SIPRI, the US nuclear arsenal stands at about 5800 nuclear warheads, which is almost 20 times that of China's number of nuclear warheads.

The US knows full well the huge gap between the Chinese and American nuclear arsenals, both in terms of quantity and sophistication. And they are bent on increasing this huge gap by investing about USD 494 billion in next 10 years and USD 1.2 trillion in next 30 years to upgrade their nuclear arsenal, both the warheads and their delivery systems. For the US, hyping up the China factor is nothing but a ploy to divert world attention, and to create a pretext, under which they could walk away from the New START, as they have done on so many other arms control treaties. The real purpose is to get rid of all possible restrictions and have a free hand in seeking overwhelming military superiority over any adversary, real or imagined.

Mr. FU emphasized that China's refusal to join the so-called trilateral negotiation does not mean that China is shying away from international nuclear disarmament efforts. On the contrary, China is a strong advocate for nuclear disarmament in the UN and at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva. China initiated the dialogue on nuclear doctrines among the P5, and proposed that the P5 reiterate jointly the so-called Reagan-Gorbachev formula, i.e. "Nuclear war cannot be won, and must never be fought". Unfortunately, it is the US that has refused to recommit itself to this basic truism. This fact speaks volumes.

Mr. FU made it clear that China stands ready to discuss all issues related to strategic stability and nuclear risk reduction in the framework of P5, i.e. among China, Russia, US,UK and France.

III. On the US Compliance Report on arms control agreements

Mr. FU said, the report paints the US in a perfect light, while making a lot of unsubstantiated allegations about other countries compliance with international arms control agreements and commitments, using very ambiguous language.

Mr. FU highlighted the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and the US conduct in relation to that treaty. In 2001, the US was the only country that stood out in opposition to the conclusion of a verification protocol to BWC. And over the past two decades, despite the almost unanimous appeals of the international community, the US has single-handedly blocked the restart of the negotiation of such a protocol. At the same time, more and more questions are being asked about the true nature of the biological activities conducted in some of the US domestic biological laboratories, including those at the Fort Detrick, and the vast number of biological laboratories the US has set up across the world, including in China's neighbourhood. Is the US in full compliance with the BWC? Because of the absence of a verification mechanism due to the US opposition, these questions remain unanswered. China urge the US to demonstrate more transparency and heed the appeals of the international community in not blocking any further the restart of the negotiation of the verification protocol.

Mr FU also answered questions from journalists on issues including the development of China's national defense, nuclear disarmament, intermediate-range missiles, and China's arms trade policy.

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Ontarios health-care system is changing.

In a province where more than 82,000 people are on a waiting list for a family physician  with about 7,000 of them in Waterloo Region  COVID-19 has helped fast-track the expansion of virtual health.

And the early numbers have been staggering.

The Ontario Ministry of Health, working with Telehealth Ontario, has been rapidly expanding service capacity in the time of COVID-19. This is a critical step to help address the increased daily call volumes and reduce call wait times, said Christian Hasse, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health.

In March, Telehealth averaged a total of 8,400 calls per day.

To put that in perspective, the average daily call volume between January and March of 2019 was 1,750.

In February, the last full month of pandemic-free protocols, Telehealth averaged just 1,600 calls per day.

With more than five times the regular daily call volume, Hasse said it has required reconfiguring internal positions to manage the increase.

To support enhanced capacity, between March 14 and April 26, 2020, the toll-free Health Care Connect registration line, operated by Telehealth Ontario, was taken off-line, said Hasse.

Health Care Connect is a voluntary program for patients and primary care providers and prioritizes patients for referral based on their health need.

This enabled the redeployment of Health Care Connect intake staff to Telehealth Ontario to respond to the unprecedented number of calls received as Ontario responded to COVID-19, he said.

In Waterloo Region, Waterloo Wellington Local Health Integration Network CEO Mark Walton said this week primary care providers have worked hard to ensure access and increased adoption of virtual care.

Dr. Joe Lee, lead physician with the Centre for Family Medicine in Kitchener, said if you go back 10 to 15 years, the region found itself in a similar predicament where family doctors couldnt meet the growing populations needs.

That led to the creation of the Waterloo Regional Campus of the McMaster Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine in 2007, a ploy to get soon-to-be doctors familiar with the area.

Those initiatives were quite successful in recruiting and retaining physicians in this region, he said. And it was getting much better until three or four years ago when certain provincial cutbacks and restrictions made new graduates hesitate.

The graduates themselves are also changing, he said, with a growing demand for more work-life balance and lessened schedules.

The solution, he said, is a multilayered approach that will likely require stakeholder and provincial intervention.

But you can also expect the expansion of virtual health to be a major component in any attempt to expand the entry point to the health-care system.

Phone calls, video calls, secure messaging platforms and email have all been utilized in the time of COVID-19.

Patients and providers have been, by necessity, doing a lot of virtual care, he said.

There are obviously certain things that cant be done virtually and require physical visits, so were working on transforming primary care into the new normal where there probably will be a blend of virtual care with in-person care.
In response to capacity controls being enforced at 29 locations and 8,000 incidents reported on beaches on the Malaga coastline last weekend, spokesperson for the Junta de Andalucia regional government, Elias Bendodo, this week appealed to Andalusians and visitors alike to act responsibly when using beaches to avoid the further spread of the coronavirus.

The majority of these incidents, according to those consulted by SUR, were people not respecting the minimum distance of two metres, the use of balls and other inflatables and a disregard of monitors by repeat offenders.

Bendodo stressed that while the relaxing of limitations to freedom of movement would encourage the reactivation of the local economy, it can also facilitate the circulation of the virus. Therefore, he said, it was important not to let down your guard.

In order for there to be "responsible" tourism, Bendodo insisted not only on the need for beachgoers to comply with safety standards regarding the use of masks, hydro-alcoholic gel and social distancing, but also on going to beaches "with responsibility and knowing how to choose" not to overcrowd the busiest and most popular spots.

Aula del Mar

The regional government this week also announced that it would resume the collaboration agreement with the Aula del Mar in Malaga to step up the work of protecting endangered species and spreading awareness of the future of the fauna living in Andalusian waters.

Regional minister for Fisheries and Sustainable Development, Carmen Crespo, made the announcement in Malaga on Monday at a ceremony, attended by Bendodo and Malaga mayor Francisco de la Torre, during which a sea turtle which had been rescued by the association was released back into the water.
A flagpole at a 9/11 memorial in a New York village was vandalized, police said. (Washingtonville Police Department)

Vandals Desecrate 9/11 Memorial, Cut Down American Flag in NY Town: Police

A memorial dedicated to fallen firefighters who died during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks was defaced in a village in Orange County, New York, officials said.

Vandals are accused of cutting down a 25-foot-tall flag pole at the Washingtonville 5 Firefighters World Trade Center Memorial. It was also sprayed with graffiti, according to Washingtonville Mayor Joseph Bucco.

They took the eagle that was on top of the flagpole and they brought it over to the St. Marys Parish property where they also did damage to that sign, Washingtonville Mayor Joseph Bucco told Spectrum News.

The memorial was created in 2002 for five firefighters who died in the terrorist attacks.

It was like a punch to the stomach, said Joe Zaccaro, who created the memorial. I was just so upset and I started getting a bunch of text messages and emails from a lot of people from our town.

The FBI, local police, state police, and the Orange County District Attorneys Office are now investigating.

Bucco told News12 that the memorial will be immediately fixed. Cameras will also be installed.

They picked the wrong village here for this to happen, he noted.

It brought tears to my eyes because I lost a lot of friends, and its still hurting, stated Renaldo Robledo, a first responder during the Sept. 11 attacks.

Police are also asking locals to check their surveillance cameras and if anyone saw anything suspicious, they should call the detective division at 845-496-9123.

Officials told the Mid-Hudson News that a Saint Marys Parish Center sign was damaged and knocked over. Officials suspect the two incidents are linked.
THOMASVILLE, Ga., July 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Flowers Foods, Inc. (NYSE: FLO), producer of Nature's Own, Wonder, Tastykake, Dave's Killer Bread, and other bakery foods, today announced that it has temporarily stopped production at its bakery in Savannah, Georgia due to an increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases within its production staff and in the number of those self-quarantining. The bakery's shipping, engineering, sanitation, and office teams continue to work at the facility, but 115 production employees have been furloughed. Flowers will pay furloughed production employees and ask those employees to shelter-in-place until the bakery resumes production.

The bakery, which has 293 team members and produces fresh retail bread and bun items sold in areas of Georgia and South Carolina, is expected to resume production on or around July 17, 2020. The bakery has been thoroughly cleaned and sanitized, and those working at the bakery are continuing to follow all precautionary measures and wear personal protective equipment. The bakery also is maintaining its enhanced sanitation schedule.

The company anticipates the closure will have little impact on its ability to service the market as other bakeries in Flowers' network are offsetting the lost production in the near term, and the bakery's sales team and distribution network are expected to be unaffected.

Flowers is continuing to implement precautionary measures across its bakeries, including wellness and temperature screening for everyone entering facilities, mandatory face masks, enhanced daily sanitation and cleaning of commonly used areas and frequently touched surfaces, social distancing measures, contact tracing and required self-quarantining for those having close contact with a confirmed case or otherwise exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms. The action does not reflect on the quality or safety of the products baked at the Savannah facility or any of Flowers' other facilities. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, there is no evidence of food or food packaging being associated with COVID-19 transmission.

About Flowers Foods

Headquartered in Thomasville, Ga., Flowers Foods, Inc. (NYSE: FLO) is one of the largest producers of packaged bakery foods in the United States with 2019 sales of $4.1 billion. Flowers operates bakeries across the country that produce a wide range of bakery products. Among the company's top brands are Nature's Own, Dave's Killer Bread, Wonder, and Tastykake. Learn more at www.flowersfoods.com.

FLO-CORP

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements relate to current expectations regarding our future financial condition, performance and results of operations and the anticipated impact of COVID-19 on our business, profitability or results of operations and are often identified by the use of words and phrases such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "predict," "project," "should," "will," "would," "is likely to," "is expected to" or "will continue," or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those projected. Other factors that may cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking statements contained in this release and that may affect the company's prospects in general include, but are not limited to, (a) the effects of global, political, market, health and other conditions, including the impact of COVID-19 and measures or voluntary actions, including social distancing, shelter-in-place, shutdowns of nonessential or other businesses, such as any of our production or warehouse facilities, and similar measures imposed by governmental or regulatory authorities or undertaken by us in an effort to combat the spread of COVID-19; (b) general economic and business conditions and the competitive conditions in the baked foods industry, including promotional and price competition, (c) changes in consumer demand for our products, including changes in consumer behavior, trends and preferences, including health and whole grain trends, and the movement toward more inexpensive store-branded products, (d) the success of productivity improvements and new product introductions, (e) a significant reduction in business with any of our major customers including a reduction from adverse developments in any of our customer's business, (f) fluctuations in commodity pricing, (g) energy and raw material costs and availability and hedging and counterparty risk, (h) our ability to fully integrate recent acquisitions into our business, (i) our ability to achieve cash flow from capital expenditures and acquisitions and the availability of new acquisitions that build shareholder value, (j) our ability to successfully implement our business strategies, including those strategies the company has initiated under Project Centennial, which may involve, among other things, the integration of recent acquisitions or the acquisition or disposition of assets at presently targeted values, the deployment of new systems and technology and an enhanced organizational structure, (k) consolidation within the baking industry and related industries, (l) disruptions in our direct-store delivery system, including litigation or an adverse ruling from a court or regulatory or government body that could affect the independent contractor classification of our independent distributors, (m) increasing legal complexity and legal proceedings that we are or may become subject to, (n) product recalls or safety concerns related to our products, and (o) the failure of our information technology systems to perform adequately, including any interruptions, intrusions or security breaches of such systems. The foregoing list of important factors does not include all such factors, nor necessarily present them in order of importance. In addition, you should consult other public disclosures made by the company, including the risk factors included in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and disclosures made in other filings with the SEC and company press releases, for other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected by the company. We caution you not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as they speak only as of the date made and are inherently uncertain. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise or update such statements, except as required by law.

SOURCE Flowers Foods, Inc.

Related Links

https://www.flowersfoods.com


The Midland Business Alliance has announced that it is partnering with the Midland Area Community Foundation to award more than $150,000 in grants to local businesses impacted by the historic floods in May that ravaged and destroyed homes and businesses in Midland County.

The $150,000 in total funding comes from $50,000 donated by the MBA Foundation and $100,000 from the MACF. In addition, the Community Foundation has pledged more than $250,000 in matching funds to support local flood relief efforts.

At the heart of the Midland Area Community Foundation is our focus on building a thriving community and doing good, forever, for all, said Sharon Mortensen, president & CEO of the Community Foundation. We recognize the critical importance of a strong business community and are pleased to provide these resources to help the Midland Business Alliance serve businesses impacted by the flooding.

Criteria to be eligible for these flood relief funds include:

 Businesses must be directly and physically impacted by the floods.

 The funds must be used to help the business reopen and rebuild.

We thought it was crucial to bring together resources to help the businesses that were impacted by the floods, said Tony Stamas, president & CEO of the MBA. They were already dealing with all of the challenges thrown at them from COVID-19 and to add this on top of it is almost inconceivable.

The MBA team this week is meeting and communicating with businesses throughout the City of Midland and Village of Sanford that were impacted to gain a better understanding of their needs and to identify resources to support their recovery efforts.

We hope to begin dispersing funds as soon as next week, said Jenny Bruzewski, MBA director of marketing & communications. We are still accepting funds to assist in recovery, so the total amount of businesses that will receive grants and the amount of each grant is still being determined.

Businesses directly impacted by flooding should contact the MBAs Vice President of Economic Development, Nicole Wilson, at nwilson@mbami.org

In addition to the funds provided by the MACF and MBA Foundation, the MBA is also accepting donations online. Those who wish to contribute to this business recovery effort can donate at www.mbami.org.
Family may be the great subject of Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda, but he doesnt draw straightforward portraits. In Kore-edas hands, family is more malleable. He tends to shift roles around like hes rearranging furniture, subtly remaking familiar dynamics until he has, without you knowing it, undone everything.

In his delicate, devastating and deeply humane films, family works like a prism, a way to see things often obscured in Japanese society. In Like Father, Like Son, a switched-at-birth tale (usually the stuff of melodrama) is used to delicately render class divisions. In Nobody Knows, four children of different fathers and one mother for a moment find harmony together. In his Palme dOr-winning Shoplifters, a makeshift and impoverished clan are a truer family than most that are bound by DNA.

For Kore-eda, family is a choice. And in his latest and first French-language film, The Truth, its a choice that his central character  a celebrated French actor played by Catherine Deneuve  has seemingly abdicated. I prefer to have been a bad mother, a bad friend and a good actress, she says without regret.

Kore-eda has shifted from Japan to Paris. Fabienne (Deneuve) is a grand dame of French cinema not so unlike Deneuve, herself, who is visited by what she calls the little family of her daughter, Lumin (Juliette Binoche) from New York. With Lumin are her actor husband Hank (Ethan Hawke) and daughter Charlotte (Clementine Grenier). They arrive just as Fabiennes not entirely factual memoir, titled The Truth, is being published. My memories, my book, she says.

The visit takes place while Fabienne is filming a science fiction film as an ageless, space-traveling mother  another layer of fiction in The Truth that serves as a part authentic, part false refraction of who Fabienne is as a mother. She can act the part, but can she actually be it?

Lumin certainly doesnt think so. She carries with her plenty of childhood baggage from Fabiennes less than caring upbringing, including the time Fabienne locked her in the basement as punishment and then forgot to let her out. I was shooting, she says matter-of-factly, like her priorities were squarely in order.

But The Truth steadily chips away at some of those old grievances, causing Lumin to question her recollections and soften under Fabiennes indomitable will. (You cant trust memories, her mother tells her. Memories come and go.)

The conflicts, including Hanks drinking problem, are a little familiar, and the films sensibility at times verges on the territory of countless other French dramas. Kore-eda shot the film with a French crew, directing through a translator, and an element of his gentle brilliance doesnt come through quite as clearly in translation.

But The Truth is still often masterful in delicately balancing conflicting ideas at once. And, besides, Deneuve. The once and always belle du jour doesnt overwhelm the film with winks to her own storied past; she simply commands it by her own formidable presence. Her Fabienne  cruelly cutting, wholly remorseless, sensationally talented  is too alive for mere homage. She wouldnt stand it for it, besides.

There are moments when she and Binoche share the screen that are almost overwhelming for how simply good  in vastly different ways  both actors are. And then there are notes of grace like when the whole shambling clan stumbles into the night from a restaurant and begins dancing arm in arm to a street musicians music. All family life is a performance. And Kore-eda has somehow done it again.

The Truth

3 stars

RATED: PG (for thematic and suggestive elements, and for smoking and brief language)

WHEN: Now streaming

WHERE: Amazon Prime Video
British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, driven by Britain's Prince Andrew, leaves the wedding of a former girlfriend of the prince, Aurelia Cecil, at the Parish Church of St Michael in Compton Chamberlayne near Salisbury, England, on Sept. 2, 2000. (Chris Ison/PA/AP)

Ghislaine Maxwell Asks to Be Released on $5M Bond Due to COVID-19 Risk

Attorneys for alleged child sexual abuser Ghislaine Maxwell on July 10 asked a federal judge to release their client on a $5 million bond, arguing that prosecutors have not met the burden of proving that she is a flight risk and that prolonged detention would expose the defendant to an increased risk of becoming ill with COVID-19.

Maxwell was charged on July 2 for her role in the sexual exploitation of minor girls by Jeffrey Epstein, the billionaire who purportedly committed suicide while in detention in August last year. Federal prosecutors from the Southern District of New York alleged that Maxwell has been effectively hiding since Epstein was indicted.

Maxwells attorneys told the court that she denies the charges, including the allegation that she had been in hiding.

Ms. Maxwell vigorously denies the charges, intends to fight them, and is entitled to the presumption of innocence, the attorneys wrote in an opposition memo (pdf). Far from hiding, she has lived in the United States since 1991, has litigated civil cases arising from her supposed ties to Epstein, and has not left the country even once since Epsteins arrest a year ago, even though she was aware of the pending, and highly publicized, criminal investigation.

In a request (pdf) to keep Maxwell detained, prosecutors argued that she is a flight risk due to her vast financial resources, the prospect of a significant prison term, lack of physical or familial ties to the United States and the fact that she holds citizenships in the United Kingdom and France.

Maxwells attorneys countered by claiming that she has close ties to her siblings and their children.

Ms. Maxwell has maintained extremely close relationships with her six siblings and her nephews and nieces. They all stood by her in the aftermath of the July 2019 indictment of Epstein and continue to stand by her now, the attorneys wrote. Maxwell also has numerous friends in the United States who themselves have children, and she is a godmother to many of them.

Maxwell faces a prison sentence of up to 35 years if she is convicted of the six charges against her. In addition to her alleged enticement and transportation of minor girls to engage in illegal sex acts, she is charged with two counts of perjury for allegedly lying about her conduct under oath. The prosecutors argued that Maxwell, 58, is an extreme flight risk due to, in part, the prospect of spending the rest of her life in prison.

As a result of her disturbing and callous conduct, Maxwell now faces the very real prospect of serving many years in prison. The strength of the Governments evidence and the substantial prison term the defendant would face upon conviction all create a strong incentive for the defendant to flee, the prosecutors stated. In short, Maxwell has three passports, large sums of money, extensive international connections, and absolutely no reason to stay in the United States and face the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence.

Maxwells attorneys argued that her wealth and multiple citizenships are inconsequential to the argument to detain her as a matter of law.

The governments remaining argumentsabout Ms. Maxwells passports, citizenship, travel, and financial means also fail because they would require that every defendant with multiple citizenship and financial means be denied bail, which is simply not the law, the attorneys said.

Maxwells youngest alleged victim was 14 years old, according to the indictment (pdf). She has said she was sexually involved with Epstein, though her attorneys told the court that she has not been in touch with him for more than a decade.
A cancer patient has allegedly been assaulted outside a Sydney hospital after denying a passerby's request for a cigarette.

Police say the cancer patient, a 35-year-old man, left the hospital grounds where he is undergoing treatment to take a break outside about 10.15am on Friday.

The alleged assault took place outside the hospital complex on Victoria Street, Darlinghurst. Credit:Kate Geraghty

While he was smoking outside St Vincent's Hospital on Victoria Street, an 18-year-old man approached him and asked for a cigarette.

The patient denied the man's request, which is when police allege the man grabbed the patient's arm and threw him to the ground. The man then allegedly punched the patient multiple times in the stomach.
(Natural News) As colleges attempt to recover from the pandemic and prepare for future semesters, a New York University professor estimates that the next 5-10 years will see one to two thousand schools going out of business.

(Article by Maria Copeland republished from CampusReform.org)

Scott Galloway, professor of marketing at the New York University Leonard N. Stern School of Business told Hari Sreenivasan on PBS Amanpour and Co. that many colleges are likely to suffer to the point of eventual extinction as a result of the coronavirus.

He sets up a selection of tier-two universities as those most likely not to walk away from the shutdown unscathed. During the pandemic, wealthy companies have not struggled to survive. Similarly, he says, there is no luxury brand like higher education, and the top names will emerge from coronavirus without difficulty.

Regardless of enrollments in the fall, with endowments of $4 billion or more, Brown and NYU will be fine, Galloway wrote in a blog post. However, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of universities with a sodium pentathol cocktail of big tuition and small endowments that will begin their death march this fall.

Youre gonna see an incredible destruction among companies that have the following factors: a tier-two brand; expensive tuition, and low endowments, he said on Amanpour and Co., because theres going to be demand destruction because more people are gonna take gap years, and youre going to see increased pressure to lower costs.

Approximating that a thousand to two thousand of the countrys 4,500 universities could go out of business in the next 5-10 years, Galloway concludes, what department stores were to retail, tier-two higher tuition universities are about to become to education and that is they are soon going to become the walking dead.

Another critical issue underlying the financial difficulties families and universities both face is the possibility that the quality of higher education has decreased.

Galloway argues that an education in the U.S. is observably unsatisfactory for the amount that it costs, given that if you walk into a class, it doesnt look, smell or feel much different than it did 40 years ago, except tuitions up 1,400 percent, he said during an interview with Dr. Sanjay Gupta. And the pandemic, according to Galloway, has served to expose the quality of higher education.

Students I think across America along with their families listening in on these Zoom classes are all beginning to wonder what kind of value, or lack thereof, theyre getting for their tuition dollars, he said.

Read more at: CampusReform.org
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Gholamreza Ansari has promised to publish the details of a controversial pact with China, amid a strong public outcry against concessions to Beijing.

The promise that was made on national TV Thursday night, came after massive negative reactions by the Iranian public and social media users to the idea of the pact that has been described as "the country's sell out for 25 years."

Iranians on social media say a protest gathering in front of the Chinese Embassy in Tehran has been scheduled for later on Friday. Demonstrations are also planned online to be held in front of Iranian embassies in various countries.

Ansari described the signing of the pact as a strategic measure that would guarantee the future of Iran's economy.

Various reports from Tehran say that the pact is currently nothing more than proposals to China about purchasing Iran's oil and helping Tehran to grow its problematic economy that has been badly damaged by U.S. sanctions. However, the same reports say it is unlikely that China would be able to ignore the U.S. sanctions.

The Rouhani administration announced last week that that it has approved the draft for the pact. Critics say that the proposal given to China will have no effect before the approval of the Chinese Communist Party.

In the meantime, neither Iran, nor China have revealed anything about the details of the pact.

Nevertheless, the news of the Comprehensive 25-Year Strategic Cooperation Plan has raised a lot of sensitivity among Iranians.

In one of the latest developments, former prominent lawmaker Ali Motahari tweeted on Friday that "regardless pf the content of the pact, the fate of two million Chinese Muslims in concentration camps in China must be determined as they are being tortured to give up their faith and culture and their mosques have been demolished."

Meanwhile, other Twitter users quoted prominent reformist analyst Ahmad Zeidabadi as having said in an analysis that "the pact reveals Iran's final decision for turning to East, but at the same time, it shows that Iran is returning to [pragmatic] rules of international politics after some 40 years."

He added that "the strategic cooperation with China will change Iran's policy in the region and will make it dependent on Beijing's policies." However, he continued that "What America has not been able to do with its maximum pressure policy, China is doing through a strategic cooperation plan."

Meanwhile, Abbas Mousavi the spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry said the opposition to the Sino-Iranian pact is propelled by some foreign countries.

In another development hardliner Iranian lawmaker Abdollah Ganji, the former editor of the IRGC's newspaper Javan, wrote on Twitter, "the critics have not read the text of the pact and that the reason they do not like it is that it has made U.S. sanctions ineffective," but did not explain how.

Using the same argument, Ansari said in his interview with the Iranian state TV that "It is natural to see concern among Western countries about Iran's tirs with China."

Meanwhile, several Iranian lawmakers including Morteza Aghatehrani of the ultraconservative Paydari Front have said that Parliament will make sure the Contract with China will not be as problematic as Iran's nuclear pact with the world powers.

Rouhani administration officials on the other hand have labelled the pact's critics as "enemies".

Ansari, as well as the secretariat of the Iranian Free Trade Zones have rejected critics statements about handing over the Kish Island to China for 25 years.

Ansari, who supported the pact on TV, said China is currently the only country that purchases oil from Iran and its trade transaction with Iran in 2019 amounted to $24 billion at the peak of U.S. sanctions against Iran. He failed to mention that China has greatly reduced its oil purchases from Iran. But experts believe Iran cannot rely on business with China amid U.S. sanctions.

China has imported more than one million ton of oil from Iran since the beginning of 2020 and that this marks a 90 percent decline in Beijing's oil import from Tehran during the same period in the previous year.

Meanwhile, China's non-oil imports from Iran in May 2020 has been a modest $370 million, which is the lowest figure during the past ten years.


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New Delhi: Air pollution in Delhi is linked to the loss of around 24,000 lives and 5.8 percent of its GDP in the first half of 2020, despite a strict COVID-19 lockdown since March 25, a report said.

According to a new online tool by IQAir AirVisual and Greenpeace Southeast Asia, Delhi lost Rs 26,230 crore, equivalent to 5.8 percent of its annual GDP, over the last six months due to air pollution.

It is also the highest economic cost of air pollution in terms of GDP across 28 major cities in the world.

"Air pollution in the city is linked to the loss of an estimated 24,000 lives in the first half of 2020," a Greenpeace statement said.

In Mumbai, air pollution from PM2.5 -- particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter -- and nitrogen dioxide is responsible for the loss of around 14,000 lives and Rs 15,750 crore in GDP since January 1.

The Greenpeace Southeast Asia/IQAir AirVisual counter applies an algorithm to ground-level air quality data to calculate the projected cost of air pollution due to PM2.5 and NO2.

?Despite having comparatively better air quality because of a strict COVD-related lockdown, air pollution continues to be a serious public health crisis as well as threat to our economy,? Avinash Chanchal, climate campaigner at Greenpeace India, said.

"As governments look to rebuild economies, it is more important than ever that investments are directed towards green, just and sustainable sectors of society," he said.
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NEW HAVEN  A shooting in the Hill neighborhood turned fatal when the victim was pronounced dead at the hospital, police officials said Friday night.

The investigation began just before 5 p.m.
Gov. Greg Abbott called on police across Texas to step up enforcement of his mask order amid the mounting pandemic, explaining Friday that they can either be part of the problem or part of the solution.

Facing a revolt within his own party, the Republican governor tried again to sell the measure, acknowledging that face coverings can be inconvenient but saying the alternative of locking the state down again is far worse. The state on Friday reported 10,002 COVID-19 hospitalizations, almost twice as many as two weeks ago and seven times the total on Memorial Day.

Also Friday, Texas officials asked the federal government to set up an emergency field hospital in the Rio Grande Valley, where coronavirus patients are beginning to overrun the capacities of hospitals and ICUs.

We have a short period of time in the next couple of weeks to bend the curve of this explosion in cases and hospitalizations, Abbott said in an interview on KSAT in San Antonio. If we can enforce this, we will be able to keep the state open and reduce hospitalizations.

Public safety officials in several counties, including Montgomery, have refused to enforce the new order, citing personal liberties or logistical concerns. On Wednesday, the Montgomery County Republican Executive Committee voted unanimously to censure Abbott, joining at least three other county executive committees that have taken similar steps.

Democrats have separately attacked the governor for reopening the state too quickly and blocking cities and counties from taking precautions early in the pandemic. In April, Abbott stripped local officials of the ability to enforce their own mask orders.

Houston and Harris County leaders, who have been pushing for mask order since for months, are frustrated by the governors leadership. Mayor Sylvester Turner said he doesnt want to add mask enforcement to the Houston Police Departments already heavy load, spokesperson Mary Benton said.

It would help more if all officials were consistent in their public messaging and set a good example about wearing masks, she said. They also should listen to local leaders who know their communities and have been fighting tirelessly to get more resources and support during the public health crisis.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo advocated even stronger action late Friday.

If we want schools to open safely for the long haul, if we want some semblance of normalcy, & if we want a sustainable economy, then we have to buckle down  now. We need a stay home order. The longer we wait, the longer itll take to bring down the curve & the more people will die, she tweeted late Friday.

More deaths coming

Abbott finds himself in the difficult position of promoting a mask mandate that he has himself long opposed. Abbott rejected previous calls for a statewide mask order but pivoted last week as Texas entered the Fourth of July weekend amid a growing and deadly surge.

Since Tuesday, the state has recorded more than 300 COVID-19 fatalities, according to a Houston Chronicle analysis, a huge jump from just a week ago. More than 3,000 Texans have died from the disease since March.

The governors mask order applies to all counties with 20 or more COVID-19 cases and imposes a fine only for second or any subsequent offenses. The fines are capped at $250 and are left to the discretion of law enforcement. The order also specifies that it carries no possibility of jail time  the no-jail provision has prompted at least one sheriff to declare it unenforceable.

In an interview with KLBK in Lubbock, Abbott warned that infections and hospitalizations have yet to slow, meaning more deaths are likely. He said masking in public is our last best effort to slow the surge before having to lock the state down again, as it was in April.

This was a tough decision, Abbott said of the mandate. He added: The only way it wont be enough is if the public doesnt adopt it.

With the state reporting just 940 available intensive care beds, Texas Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz joined members of the Congress from the Rio Grande Valley to ask the federal government to set up an emergency field hospital to deal with the rising number of patients from Brownsville to Laredo.

Unfortunately, with recent surges in COVID-19 cases over the past several weeks, our health systems have been pushed to their limits, says the letter to Alex Azar, the secretary of Health and Human Services. Providers in our region have urgently requested additional staffing and a myriad of medical supplies including oxygen, ventilators, personal protective equipment, and dialysis machines as well as additional facilities to enhance critical care and discharge capacity.

The letter was also signed by U.S. Reps. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville and Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen.

That effort is coming after Abbott earlier this week stopped all elective surgeries in the region and the federal government set up a new free mobile testing site in Edinburg in the heart of Hidalgo County, where deaths have spiked from the coronavirus over the past two weeks. In that time, Hidalgo County has reported 74 more deaths from the virus  the second-highest total of any county in the state. Hidalgo County has a population of 870,000 people.

This is very severe in the Rio Grande Valley, but people must understand this is very severe across the state of Texas, Abbott said in an interview on KRGV-TV in Hidalgo County.

Last best chance

Abbott was asked by anchor Kristine Galvan why he didnt set up emergency pop-up hospitals in the region sooner, as the state did in late March in places such as Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston, where there are far more medical facilities than in the Rio Grande Valley. Abbott said hes been working with hospital officials in the Valley for weeks and they consistently told him they had the capacity then.

Now, Abbott said, emergency teams are sending more medical professionals into the region to help with the rising number of patients.

He pressed viewers in the Rio Grande Valley to wear masks, telling them it is the last best chance that we have to avoid a lockdown.

jeremy.blackman@chron.com

jeremy.wallace@chron.com




THE state-owned National Railways of Zimbabwe has spent more than US$319 000 on six luxury cars for top managers, amid allegations the money was diverted from a purse meant for the refurbishment of locomotives, sparking outrage from workers who are owed salaries dating a year back.





The vehicles comprise a Toyota Land Cruiser, three Toyota Fortuners for the line directors and two Toyota Hilux double cabs for other senior managers. Sources said the Land Cruiser has already been delivered to Bulawayo.





Locomotives are seen as a major component of the NRZs operations. One of the companys corporate clients, Zimasco, recently complained that the rail transporter lacks the locomotives to adequately ferry its goods. Zimasco has had to hire two locomotives from South Africa on behalf of the incapacitated NRZ.





The development comes as reports from the railway operator suggested that six locomotives were due to be refurbished before management allegedly re-directed the resources to the purchase of the luxury vehicles.





The directors and the general manager are getting new cars very soon. The vehicles were procured from Toyota South Africa. The payment was signed off by the director of finance as well as the general manager. It was a highly confidential matter but we have come to know that this is what they have done as workers, a source said.





Information supplied to the Zimbabwe Independent showed that general manager Lewis Mukwada had selected the latest edition of the Land Cruiser for himself.

Interestingly, Mukwada is said to be on a short-term contract after his initial tenure at the helm of the NRZ is said to have come to an end in 2019. It is understood Mukwada, a former director of technical services, had his tenure extended up to the end of this month by the parastatal board.





Regulations in place state that anyone on a short-term contract does not deserve a new vehicle. There are questions as to how Mukwada, whose term as general manager comes to an end at the end of the month, deserves a new vehicle altogether  a vehicle as expensive as a Land Cruiser, queried a source.





Toyota South Africa sells the cheapest version of the Land Cruiser for R1 107 900 (US$55 400). The landing price would have shot up considerably, factoring in import duty and transportation.





The other directors have bought themselves Toyota Fortuner vehicles, three of them. All those vehicles cost in excess of R6 million. There are two other twin cabs that have been bought, we understand, alongside the other vehicles. All this is happening when the six locomotives are awaiting refurbishment, the source said.





Another source told the Independent said: Transport Minister Joel Biggie Matiza asked the board to ring changes in the management and bring in new blood and fresh ideas.

We have to ask whether these cars are being bought for legitimate reasons or there is a deliberate intention to include the cars in the managers exit packages, a source said.





Sources also revealed that the purchase of the vehicles happens at a time the broke company is in salary arrears dating back 17 months.





Some NRZ workers are owed salaries for the last 17 months. The company is quiet about this. But you have some people buying vehicles, the source said.

Contacted for comment, the NRZ was coy on the matter, with management claiming that the parastatal bosses were entitled to the vehicles.





In a statement approved by Mukwada, the NRZ management said it deserved new cars because the current ones were now dilapidated and old and were becoming a source of embarrassment.





NRZ senior and executive management are issued with company vehicles in terms of their conditions of service. The type of vehicles issued is governed by a circular issued by the Office of the President and Cabinet, read the NRZ response in part.





As part of the conditions of service, NRZ management were supposed to be issued with the vehicles in 2011/2012. However, due to cash-flow challenges the organisation was facing, it was not in a position to procure the vehicles. The managers were requested to continue using the vehicles they had been issued during the period 2006-2009, the statement added.





The situation reached a point where the vehicles being used by the managers were now dilapidated and were now a source of embarrassment when dealing with customers and other stakeholders. Authority was sought from the board, the ministry, and the Office of the President and Cabinet to procure new vehicles, as is procedural, and the permission was granted, the statement added.





The NRZ revealed that it has spent US$319 000 on the new vehicles.




Dublin, July 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Metal Bellows Market by Material Type, by Product Type, by End-Use Industry Type, and by Region, Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2020-2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



This comprehensive report on the metal bellows market is one of its kind and estimates the current as well as future growth opportunities for the market participants until 2025. The report segments and analyzes the market in the most detailed manner in order to provide a panoramic view of the market.

The vital data/information provided in the report can play a crucial role for the market participants as well as investors in the identification of the low-hanging fruits available in the market as well as to formulate the growth strategies in order to expedite their growth process.

Metal Bellows Market: Highlights

Despite short-term demand fluctuations, the author's estimates suggest that the global metal bellows market is expected to cross the landmark figure of US$ 1 billion by 2025, expecting a recovery after a downfall in 2020. The demand for metal bellows is highly subjected to the growth as well as the health of the end-use industries where these bellows are used. Major end-use industries were already under immense pressure and were struggling hard in order to rebound their demand. Several industry-specific regional factors were behind the truncated industry growth or decline. Aerospace & defense and automotive were the major industries that recorded a decline in the year 2019. The outbreak of COVID-19 further aggravated the industry concerns to an unprecedented level.

For instance, the year 2019 was challenging for the aerospace industry, which compelled the industry giants to reconfigure their strategies. The grounding of B737 Max, P&W 1100G engine series failure (A320neo), delayed the deliveries of upcoming aircraft programs such as B777X, and revised production rates of key aircraft programs; A350XWB and B787 due to cancellation of orders from China and other parts of the world, tumbled the market growth. All these factors are not yet completed addressed and impacting the demand.

Story continues

The outbreak of COVID-19 added fuel to the fire to the industry challenges, compelling OEMs as well as tier players to shut down their operations. Both, Airbus and Boeing, are shutting down their operations as per the government instructions. Concurrently, travel restriction or lockdown of major economies are severely denting the business of airlines, which, in turn, are requesting to aircraft OEMs to delay in aircraft deliveries or canceling their aircraft orders. Similarly, the outbreak of COVID-19 further aggravated the concerns of the automotive and oil & gas industries. However, the market fundamentals of most of the major end-use industries, such as A&D, where metal bellows are used, are strong and will help the industry to bounce back from this depression market environment.

Today, the world is skeptical about the possible loss due to COVID-19. The virus is rapidly spreading across regions and jeopardizing the economic growth of the major economies. Currently, lockdown is only a tactical method for fading its rapid spread. All the major economies have already announced lockdown and shutdown of the manufacturing facilities, ready to be pushing their economies in a deep recession at the cost of saving their people.

As per the UNCTAD, the COVID-19 outbreak could cost the global economy up to US$ 2 trillion in 2020, causing a recession in some countries.

This will slow down the global economy, the YoY growth estimated to be under 2% this year. The COVID-19 is severely disrupting the supply chain, especially of the automotive, aerospace & defense, and oil & gas industries. All the major industries have started projecting an initial impact of COVID-19 for 2020. The author's estimates on the demand for metal bellows for 2020 and 2025 are based on those initial projections coupled, also backed by primary interview results.

The market is segmented based on the material type as titanium alloys, stainless steel alloys, nickel alloys, and others.

Titanium alloys are likely to remain the most dominant material type and are likely to witness the highest growth over the next five years. Growing composites content in the aerospace industry supported by excellent compatibility of titanium with composites, increasing penetration of lightweight materials, growing usage of titanium alloys in the high-end cars to reduce weight and to gain high strength, and desirable properties of titanium concerning corrosion resistance and thermal expansion are some of the factors behind the superior growth of titanium alloys in the market.

Based on the product type, the market is segmented as edge-welded bellows, mechanically formed bellows, electroformed bellows, and others.

Edge-welded bellow is likely to remain the most dominant product type and is likely to register an excellent CAGR during the forecast period, whereas mechanically formed bellow is likely to remain the second-largest product type over the same period. Edge-welded bellows are preferred for high-temperature applications, such as aircraft engines, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, oil & gas instruments, and medical device.

Based on the end-use industry, the market is segmented as aerospace & defense, automotive, oil & gas, semiconductor, pharmaceutical, and others.

Aerospace & defense is likely to remain the most dominant segment over the next five years. Despite a downfall in commercial aircraft deliveries in 2019 and the expected decline in 2020 due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the market fundamentals remain strong with Both Boeing and Airbus holding huge order backlogs, translating to more than 8 years of production at the current production level. Furthermore, the development of fuel-efficient variants (B777x, B737Max, A320neo, and A330neo) and market entry of OEMs (COMAC and Irkut) in the commercial aerospace business further assure a speedy recovery.

In terms of region, Asia-Pacific is projected to remain the largest and fastest-growing market for metal bellows during the forecast period.

The short-term market demand is challenging in the Asia-pacific region with China and South Korea being severely impacted by the coronavirus outbreak. For instance, Airbus has temporarily closed its A320 and A330 completion centers of Tianjin, China. However, the Chinese started showing an early sign of recovery with the reopening of assembly plants by Boeing and Airbus, automotive assembly plants, etc.

North America and Europe are also projected to generate sizeable demand for metal bellows during the forecast period.

The USA is the growth engine of the North American metal bellows market. The country is the hub for the aerospace industry with the presence of several aircraft OEMs, metal bellow suppliers, and raw material suppliers. Similarly, Germany, France, the UK, and Russia are the major markets in Europe.

The supply chain of this market comprises raw material suppliers, metal bellow manufacturers, tier players, and end-users. The key players in the market are Senior Plc., Freudenberg Group, EnPro Industries Inc., Witzenmann GmbH, Eaton Corporation Plc, U.S. Bellows, Inc., AESSEAL plc, Smith Group, Meggitt PLC, and MW Industries. Execution of mergers & acquisitions and the formation of collaboration with OEMs for the joint development of metal bellows are some of the strategies adopted by the major players to gain a competitive edge in the market.

Some of the Key Mergers & Acquisitions and Strategic Alliances in the Market:

In 2018, Satair A/S (a company of Airbus Group) and Senior Metal Bellows extended the existing agreement (the first one was signed in 2017) to distribute all commercial aerospace aftermarket products including accumulators, bellows, thermal valves, compressors, etc. in Europe and Asia-Pacific. The agreement is extended with an aim to strengthen the distribution network outside North America.

MW Industries, Inc. acquired Ameriflex Inc. in 2018 to further strengthen its metal bellows product portfolio along with existing companies: BellowsTech and Servometer.

In 2015, MW Industries, Inc. acquired BellowsTech, LLC and Servometer, LLC to enter the metal bellows business and to better serve the market.

Key Topics Covered



1. Executive Summary

2. Metal Bellows Market Overview and Segmentation

2.1. Introduction

2.2. Metal Bellows Market Segmentation

2.2.1. By Material Type

2.2.2. By Product Type

2.2.3. By End-Use Industry Type

2.2.4. By Region

2.3. Supply Chain Analysis

2.4. Industry Life Cycle Analysis

2.5. PEST Analysis: Impact Assessment of Changing Business Environment

2.6. SWOT Analysis

3. Metal Bellows Market Assessment

3.1. Insights

3.2. Metal Bellows Market Trend and Forecast (US$ Million)

3.3. Market Segments Analysis (US$ Million)

3.4. Regional and Country-Level Analysis (US$ Million)

3.5. Market Drivers

3.6. Market Challenges

4. Competitive Analysis

4.1. Insights

4.2. Product Portfolio Analysis

4.2.1. By Material Type

4.2.2. By Product Type

4.2.3. By End-Use Industry Type

4.3. Geographical Presence

4.4. Strategic Alliances

4.5. Market Share Analysis

4.6. Porter's Five Forces Analysis

5. Metal Bellows Market Trend and Forecast by Material Type (2014-2025)

5.1. Strategic Insights

5.2. Titanium Alloys: Regional Trend and Forecast (US$ Million)

5.3. Stainless Steel Alloys: Regional Trend and Forecast (US$ Million)

5.4. Nickel Alloys: Regional Trend and Forecast (US$ Million)

5.5. Others: Regional Trend and Forecast (US$ Million)

6. Metal Bellows Market Trend and Forecast by Product Type (2014-2025)

6.1. Strategic Insights

6.2. Edge-Welded Bellows: Regional Trend and Forecast (US$ Million)

6.3. Mechanically Formed Bellows: Regional Trend and Forecast (US$ Million)

6.4. Electroformed Bellows: Regional Trend and Forecast (US$ Million)

6.5. Others: Regional Trend and Forecast (US$ Million)

7. Metal Bellows Market Trend and Forecast by End-Use Industry Type (2014-2025)

7.1. Strategic Insights

7.2. Aerospace & Defense: Regional Trend and Forecast (US$ Million)

7.3. Automotive: Regional Trend and Forecast (US$ Million)

7.4. Oil & Gas: Regional Trend and Forecast (US$ Million)

7.5. Semiconductor: Regional Trend and Forecast (US$ Million)

7.6. Pharmaceutical: Regional Trend and Forecast (US$ Million)

7.7. Others: Regional Trend and Forecast (US$ Million)

8. Metal Bellows Market Trend and Forecast by Region (2014-2025)

8.1. Strategic Insights

8.2. North American Metal Bellows Market Analysis

8.2.1. Country Analysis: Trend and Forecast (US$ Million)

8.2.1.1. The USA's Metal Bellows Market Trend and Forecast (US$ Million)

8.2.1.2. Canadian Metal Bellows Market Trend and Forecast (US$ Million)

8.2.1.3. Mexican Metal Bellows Market Trend and Forecast (US$ Million)

8.3. European Metal Bellows Market Analysis

8.4. Asia-Pacific's Metal Bellows Market Analysis

9. Strategic Growth Opportunities

9.1. Strategic Insights

9.2. Market Attractive Analysis

9.2.1. Market Attractiveness by Material Type

9.2.2. Market Attractiveness by Product Type

9.2.3. Market Attractiveness by End-Use Industry Type

9.2.4. Market Attractiveness by Region

9.2.5. Market Attractiveness by Country

9.3. Emerging Trends

9.4. Growth Matrix Analysis

9.5. Key Success Factors

10. Company Profile of Key Players (Profiling, Financial Information, Competition, Strategies, etc.)

10.1. AESSEAL plc

10.2. Eaton Corporation plc

10.3. EnPro Industries, Inc.

10.4. Freudenberg Group

10.5. Meggitt plc

10.6. MW Industries

10.7. Senior plc

10.8. Smith Group

10.9. U.S. Bellows, Inc.

10.10. Witzenmann GmbH

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/lrysb4

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.



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The chairman of a Co Antrim GAA club has called on its former treasurer to apologise after he defrauded the club of over 100,000 to fund his gambling addiction.

Patrick Kane was this week sentenced to 18 months, suspended for three years, for the fraud, which involved Ruairi Og GAA club in Cushendall.

The 47-year-old, from Ardmoyle Park, Cushendall, pleaded guilty to three charges of fraud by abuse of position, and one of false accounting.

Kane's offending came to light in late 2015 when he was confronted by a club member wanting to know the whereabouts of over 70,000.

He voluntarily repaid 113,500 to his club prior to police involvement.

The chairman of Ruairi Og, Dan Delargy, said that it will take a long time for the club to fully recover from Kane's actions.

"Most of our membership first learned what had transpired through the front page headlines of the newspapers just days after playing in the biggest game in the club's history, the 2016 All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Final against Na Piarsaigh of Limerick in Croke Park," he said, in a victim impact statement shared with this newspaper.

"Paddy Kane was a highly respected, trusted treasurer and friend who had served on successive executive committees."

Mr Delargy told how Kane's fraud has had a "crushing impact" since it was exposed.

He added that despite an investigation by Deloitte into the breaches, no one can truly know the extent of Kane's theft, "possibly not even Paddy himself".

"Since these revelations it has been an uphill battle to regain the trust of the community," Mr Delargy added.

"As this has dragged on, it has been especially difficult to find individuals willing to serve in positions of authority within Ruairi Og.

"Paddy's actions amount to a gross breach of trust.

"No one was keeping watch and our misplaced faith has been exploited.

"The club and GAA in general will maintain stricter procedures in future. I hope that the personal relationships harmed are not beyond repair.

"I would also commend the resilience of the club and community in coming together to protect our games for the present and future generations. I look forward to a time that this can be put firmly behind us."

Ruairi Og did acknowledge the efforts of the Kane family to pay back some of the money that was stolen and how difficult it had been for Kane's loved ones.

"I know that for many within the parish, an apology from Paddy would be greatly welcomed," Mr Delargy added. "Paddy is as well placed as anyone to know the anguish and hurt he has caused by his actions.

"For now, we have weathered the storm, but a heavy cloud still hangs over us and it will take a long time for Ruairi Og CLG to fully recover."
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The Dutch government is taking Russia to the European Court of Human Rights for its alleged role in the downing of Malaysia Airlines passenger flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014.



Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok said July 10 that the move is designed to support individual cases filed by relatives of some of the victims at the Strasbourg-based court.



By taking this course of action the government is offering maximum support to these individual cases, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.



MH17 was shot down on its way from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur by a Russian-made Buk surface-to-air missile fired from territory controlled by Moscow-backed separatists in the east of Ukraine. Nearly two-thirds of the 298 victims were Dutch nationals.



By launching an inter-state case against Russia, the Dutch government will share all available and relevant information about the downing of Flight MH17 with the European court to support individual cases filed against Russia, the Foreign Ministry said.



The relatives of at least 65 Dutch victims in 2018 filed a complaint at the Strasbourg-based court.

As a government, we have information, evidence, that leads us to the conclusion of the involvement of the Russian Federation, Blok told the AP news agency. Of course, the relatives themselves do not have all this information so we can help them by starting this procedure.



Moscow has denied any involvement in the conflict in parts of eastern Ukraine and has offered several possible theories about how MH17 was blown out of the sky, including that it was shot down by a Ukrainian Air Force jet or by Ukrainian ground forces using a Buk system.



Separately, a Dutch court in The Hague is also hearing a case against four suspects in the 2014 downing of the aircraft.



Following a six-year international investigation, prosecutors have argued that the aircraft was shot down by a Russian-made Buk antiaircraft system fired by Russia-backed separatist fighters who had acquired it from a Russian military base on the border between the two countries.



The four suspects -- Russians Sergei Dubinsky, Oleg Pulatov, and Igor Girkin, and Ukrainian Leonid Kharchenko -- are being tried in absentia for involvement in the tragedy.

With reporting by AFP, AP, and Reuters
Troy Thomas and another pilot reported feeling "unusual vibrations" through the pedals of the Robinson R44 helicopter just days before a fatal crash in Broome on Saturday.

The crash claimed the life of Mr Thomas and a 12-year-old girl, and left Mr Thomas' 12-year-old daughter and a 24-year-old woman fighting for their lives in hospital.

An Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation into a fatal helicopter crash in Broome found the helicopters tail assembly separated in-flight. Credit:ATSB

The Australian Transport and Safety Bureau on Friday released preliminary findings into the July 4 crash, reporting the helicopter experienced an "in-flight break up", where the tail rotor gearbox assembly, tail rotor and empennage assembly separated soon after the helicopter lifted off.

The investigation reviewed CCTV footage and examined the wreckage, however interviews with a pilot who recently flew the aircraft and checks of maintenance records revealed the pilot and Mr Thomas, 40, noticed vibration issues in the days leading up to the accident.
A female school teacher has been accused of sexually abusing a 14-year-old boy in her car and and on the school premises.

The 23-year-old woman was arrested at a Greenacre home, in western Sydney, at 7am on Friday.

She has been charged with 10 offences, including aggravated sexual intercourse with a child aged between 14 and 16 years and intentionally sexually touching a child between 10 and 16 years.

The teenage student was allegedly assaulted on and off school property over the course of a month, though it has not been confirmed if the student was a pupil of the female teacher.

Police launched an investigation earlier this week before descending on the suburban home.

A female school teacher has been arrested and charged over allegations a 14-year-old student was sexually assaulted

Officers were filmed escorting the woman out of the premises before seizing a car and electronic devices

Detective acting superintendent Michael Haddow described the alleged crimes as 'abhorrent'

Officers were filmed escorting the woman out of the premises before seizing a car, phone and computer.

Police will investigate whether the pair had been in communication.

Detective acting superintendent Michael Haddow described the alleged crime as 'abhorrent'.

'This is a very quick response we have taken in relation to this matter, very serious allegations,' he told reporters.

'Ultimately, the teachers have a significant responsibility, there's a significant power shift between a teacher and a student, and suddenly the amount of trust that we put in our teachers, and certainly the allegation before the courts are a significant breach of that trust.'

The teacher was taken to Bankstown Police Station where she was charged. She was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday.

The NSW Department of Education said in a statement it was aware of an alleged incident involving a staff member.

'The safety and wellbeing of students is the number one priority of the department.

'The department is aware of an alleged incident involving an employee.

'As police are investigating this matter, it is not appropriate for us to comment at this time.'

Investigations are continuing.

The teacher was taken to Bankstown Police Station where she was charged with 10 offences
Ben Stiller has revealed he will not cut President Donald Trump out of his film Zoolander, despite a petition asking the actor and director to do so.

Trump, who appeared in the film with First Lady Melania Trump, played a small cameo where he talked about how male modelling wouldnt be the same without fictional star Derek Zoolander.

Speaking to the Daily Beast, Stiller revealed he would not be cutting the cameo out.

He said: Ive had people reach out to me and say, You should edit Donald Trump out of Zoolander, but at the end of the day that was a time that existed and that happened.

YouTube

He also revealed the cameo was filmed on a real red carpet for the VH1 Fashion Awards.

Stiller said: We were shooting at the now-defunct VH1 Fashion Awards and as people were coming up the red carpet, we pulled them aside and asked them to talk about Derek Zoolander, and so Trump and Melania did that.

Zoolander is not Trump's only screen role - he also had cameos in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York and Sex and the City.

Speaking to the Hollywood Reporter, Matt Damon claimed the reason why Trump has so many cameos is because it's reportedly written into agreements that if you want to film at one of his buildings, you had to write him in a part.

He explained that director Martin Brest had to strike a similar deal when filming Scent of a Woman.

He said: Martin Brest had to write something in Scent of a Woman  and the whole crew was in on it. You have to waste an hour of your day with a bull***t shot: Donald Trump walks in and Al Pacinos like, Hello, Mr. Trump!  you had to call him by name  and then he exits.

You waste a little time so that you can get the permit, and then you can cut the scene out. But I guess in Home Alone 2 they left it in, Damon continued.

Last year, Canadian broadcaster CBC came under fire after it edited out Trump's cameo in Home Alone 2.

After Trump supporters protested the removal and the president said the "movie will never be the same", CBC revealed the film had been "edited for time" back in 2014 when it acquired broadcasting rights to the film "before Mr. Trump was elected President."
A mother's simple three-step recipe for air-fried 'Dorito-crumbed chicken' has been hailed as the best homemade dish shared on social media this year.

The home cook from Melbourne said she made the by coating chicken tenderloins in flour, then dipping them in lightly beaten egg and crushed Doritos.

She cooked the meat in a 3.2litre air fryer from Kmart - available online and in-store for $69 - at 180C for 10 minutes on each side until golden and crispy.

Photos of the chicken served in soft tortilla wraps have been liked 541 times since they were posted in an Australian cookery group on Facebook on Wednesday, with one man branding it 'genius'.

'This one takes the absolute f*****g cake. Genius, I am done. What a recipe - Doritos are such a great ingredient!' he said.

Scroll down for video

A Melbourne mother's quick and easy 'Dorito-crumbed' chicken, made by coating chicken strips in flour, lightly beaten egg and crushed Doritos, then frying them in an air fryer

Ingredients for 'Dorito-crumbed' chicken Doritos (your choice of flavour) - $3.50 Plain flour - $1.80 Three eggs, lightly beaten - $3 (6 pack) Chicken tenderloins - $10.50 (600g) All available at Coles or Woolworths Total: $18.80 Advertisement

'I'm not that great at recipes, I just kind of wing it,' the chef said in the caption, indicating that little skill is required to make the dish.

A woman replied, saying: 'Winging it is the only way to cook most things. This one looks and sounds great.'

Another called the recipe a 'must-have' for busy parents who need quick and easy ideas for family dinners.

Others called the recipe 'absolutely beautiful' and tagged their friends in comments that read: 'We need to try this at the weekend!'

Many who have tried similar recipes shared tips like dipping raw chicken in barbecue sauce before coating it with for added flavour.

'I've got an extra tip! Mix sour cream with taco seasoning then coat in corn chips and cook, game changer!' a woman said.

Others said alternative coatings like crushed cornflakes work just as well.

Dorito-crumbed chicken is the latest in a line of indulgent recipes enjoying huge popularity on social media this year, as millions continue to dine at home instead of out at restaurants due to social distancing restrictions.

The chicken served in soft tortilla wraps (left and right) has been hailed as the best recipe to grace the internet this year

Australians learned to replicate their favourite fast food at home during lockdown, with one clever cook revealing how to imitate KFC's iconic crispy fried chicken wings in April.

She boiled the wings, then left them to soak in buttermilk for 45 minutes before coating them in flour and sealing them on a frying pan.

The recipe was widely shared after she posted it in on Facebook, with hundreds saying she had inspired them to become more creative in the kitchen.

Homemade 'KFC' crispy chicken made by an Australian woman during lockdown in April 2020

'I took a screenshot of this, I'm going to cook it next week! Thank you,' one woman said.

Another added: 'Wow, that looks so good!'

Buttermilk, flour and chicken wings are all available from leading supermarkets like Coles and Woolworths.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 11:54:53|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, July 9 (Xinhua) -- A reporter who attended White House briefings this week has tested positive for the coronavirus, the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) said on Thursday.

The case marks the first known coronavirus case among the White House press corps.

The reporter, who has not been named, wore a mask during press briefings with Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Monday and Wednesday, the WHCA said.

"The individual is asymptomatic. We are contacting those who the individual recalled being in closer contact," wrote WHCA president Jonathan Karl in an email.

"Other than the briefings, this person did not spend time working out of the White House and was only in briefing room itself, not elsewhere in our workspace," Karl wrote.

The White House said it would test those present at briefings, according to the WHCA. Enditem
However, an international team of prosecutors investigating the case has, however, charged three Russians and a Ukrainian with involvement in bringing down the plane and the murder of all on board. The men are on trial in a Dutch court, although none have been extradited to the Netherlands to face justice.
Right now, we want to open up our regular activities safely and are in the midst of much planning for the fall, he said. We are praying for an end to the pandemic and for the physical, mental, and spiritual health of all in Park Ridge and around the world until then.
The Ministry of Information Technology has sent around 70 questions to 59 Chinese apps that were banned by the government last week. The apps' owners need to respond to an exhaustive list of questions within three weeks.

The ministry has sought details about, "unauthorised data access" by the banned Chinese firms, which could lead to espionage/surveillance like activities, The Times of India reported.

On June 29, the government ordered a ban on 59 Chinese apps, such as TikTok, Shareit, Helo, UC Browser, Xender, Shein, Club Factory over security reasons amid the India-China border tension. The government, in a statement, said that those apps were "prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, the security of the state and public order".

According to the government, it has received many complaints from various sources including several reports about misuse of some mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms for stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users' data in an unauthorised manner to servers which have locations outside India.

All the 59 apps have now been removed from Apple Inc. and Google LLC's app stores for the Indian market.

On receiving the questionnaire, a spokesperson from ByteDance-owned TikTok said: "The set of questions were being crafted to get a clear response from the firms on a variety of issues, including their structures, data collection process, and how they harvested data/ information of Indians."

The ByteDance official added that the firm was working to respond in "a stipulated timeframe". The company reiterated that it was adhering to all the rules and regulations applicable in India. He asserted that there was no violation of any laws on the part of the company.

The daily added that the responses will be studied by a high-level panel that will have members from the intelligence bureau, cybersecurity wing, department of telecommunication, internal security, and IT Ministry.Also read: TikTok, Cam Scanner, Helo banned in India! Govt cracks down on 59 Chinese apps

Also read: Govt orders internet service providers to block 59 Chinese apps with immediate effect
Artist Bernard Zakheim showed African American Biddy Mason as an equal among medical authorities in a mural commissioned by UC San Francisco in the 1930s. (Chris Carlsson)

As antiracist activists topple statues of slaveholders across the country, UC San Francisco threatens to demolish a very different kind of monument: a mural depicting a celebrated former slave.

The work shows Biddy Mason, an African American midwife who rose to fortune in Los Angeles after winning her freedom in the mid-1850s. Since the Great Depression, the mural has been displayed alongside nine others in UC Hall on the universitys main campus. But now the building and its artwork are slated for demolition to make way for new office, medical and research space.

In the mid-1930s, UC San Francisco commissioned the Polish-born artist Bernard Zakheim to paint a set of murals of Californias medical history. Zakheim, who studied with Diego Rivera, had become regarded as one of the states major artistic figures. Like his murals in San Franciscos Coit Tower, his UC San Francisco works are landmarks in the bold, modern style of the New Deal era. They have been hailed as the jewel of the Universitys art collection.

The panel featuring Biddy Mason is perhaps the most historically significant of the 10 murals. In it, Mason tends to a malaria patient alongside Dr. John Griffin, one of Los Angeles preeminent early medical authorities. Below, other patients await treatment from Griffin and Mason, who formed a renowned medical partnership in mid-19th century Los Angeles.

What makes the mural unique is its composition. Mason occupies center stage. Shes surrounded by a group of white men  soldiers, patients, doctors, city officials  but shes not subordinate to them. Rather, she tends to the patient directly as a medical authority in her own right. Zakheim depicts Mason as she was: a healing presence and a pillar of early Los Angeles.

Biddy Mason began her days in radically different circumstances. Born into slavery in the Georgia cotton belt in 1818, she was seemingly destined for a life of hard labor and a death in obscurity. Like other enslaved African Americans, she lacked a legal family name. She was simply Bridget, or Biddy.

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In the late 1840s, Biddy began a long, strange trip  one that took her out of the South and across the continent. She went as a slave, forcibly transported by her master, along with several other Black women and children. They arrived first in Utah before moving to a small Mormon colony in San Bernardino, Calif., in 1851.

Although California was technically a free state, authorities turned a blind eye to slaveholding settlers in their midst. Several dozen slaves worked in San Bernardino alone. Only in 1856  six years after California outlawed human bondage  did Biddy, along with 13 other African American women and children, win their freedom in a Los Angeles courtroom.

Once free, Biddy took the last name Mason and began an improbable rise through the social ranks of early Los Angeles. She used money earned as Dr. Griffins assistant to invest in real estate, just as L.A. was beginning to boom. Although illiterate and subject to both racial and gender discrimination, Mason amassed a tremendous fortune. Some estimates place her total wealth at $300,000 (equivalent to $8.5 million today).

Mason is remembered not only for her uncanny business acumen, but also for her philanthropy. She gave liberally  of her time, money and medical expertise  to those in need around Los Angeles. She also co-founded the first African American house of worship in the city. First African Methodist Episcopal Church remains a mainstay of L.A.s Black community to this day.

Now, a piece of Masons legacy  the oldest known artistic representation of the famous freedwoman  faces demolition.

University spokespeople claim that UC San Francisco is unable to cover the costs of removing and preserving the murals, estimated at $8 million. If the price of saving 10 frescoes is prohibitive, one wonders where the university will find the funds for its proposed 1.5 million-square-foot expansion project. Perhaps the university could start by dipping into its nearly $4-billion endowment.

Local residents have already begun to protest the development project, set to break ground in 2023. They argue that the expansion will add thousands of workers to the Parnassus Heights campus, further straining the communitys overtaxed transit systems and housing options. Critics can add the universitys destruction of history to their list of grievances.

The artists son, Nathan Zakheim, has been given three months to propose a plan to remove the murals at the familys expense. After that, the university will solicit proposals from the public to adopt the murals  again without financial support from UC San Francisco. If no one comes forward: demolition.

UC San Francisco proposes a Silicon Valley solution: a digital re-creation of the murals, which would later be featured in a virtual reality display. Through goggles, visitors would get a secondhand look at art destroyed by the university.

The timing could not be worse. During a crossroads in race relations, when Black American voices are finding new purchase, the university threatens an important piece of Black womens history.

The United States boasts vanishingly few monuments to women of color. Fewer still if the university is allowed to go forward with its ill-considered plans to bulldoze the Biddy Mason mural along with nine others. Black Lives Matter. And so does Black history.

Jackie Broxton is the executive director of the Biddy Mason Charitable Foundation, which provides services and support to L.A.s foster youth population. Kevin Waite is an assistant professor of history at Durham University and co-director of an National Endowment for the Humanities-funded project on the life and times of Biddy Mason.




Canadian barley farmers are the unintended beneficiaries of a diplomatic spat a world away, as exports of their product to China are picking up.

China is engaged in a trade dispute with Australia right now, accusing the antipodean nation of dumping agricultural products. Beijing slapped an 80 per cent tariff on imports of a number of Australian crops, including malting barley.

Australia is normally China's No. 1 supplier of barley, but the trade tensions have caused China to look elsewhere for that product.

Bloomberg first reported that Canada has seemingly stepped in to fill that gap, exporting 240,000 metric tonnes of barley internationally in May, according to the Canadian Grain Commission. That's more than double April's level, and most of it  some 175,000 tonnes  went to China.

Typically, barley is harvested in the late summer, and most of the export crop is shipped out in the last three months of the year. But so far in 2020 Canada has already exported almost as much barley as it did all of last year, with the biggest months yet to come.

That bumper crop is partly built on China's insatiable appetite for another Canadian staple: beer.

China's the world's biggest market for beer, and barley is a major ingredient. Canadian barley is especially favoured by Chinese brewers because of its higher protein content, said Peter Watts, managing director with the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre in Winnipeg.

That's because Chinese beer makers typically mix barley with other grains such as rice and wheat in their brewing process, which requires more protein and other enzymes from the barley to achieve the desired balance, he said.

Reuters

"Canada does have the ability to offer that higher protein content in malted barley to markets like China that are looking for it so that is part of the Canadian value proposition," Watts said.

Watts said it's premature to call what's happening in barley a boom, but he's very optimistic about where Canada's barley industry is headed.

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"We've been working very hard in recent years, promoting Canadian malting barley and feed barley into China and other markets and it's paying off."

Errol Anderson, president of commodity broker Promarket in Calgary, agrees that "the stars are aligning for our exports this year."

"It will pick up once we get to that October, November, December period."

About a quarter of the barley produced in Canada is of the malted variety, destined to be used in beer, and most of that is for export. The rest is typically used as animal feed, a good portion of which is consumed domestically and the barley boom could be a double edged sword for that part of the market.

Scott Galley/CBC

Prices for lower grade feed barley are also rising, and if the trend continues, farmers in Southern Alberta where most of Canada's barley gets consumed will soon feel the pinch. "When we do get an export market brewing, that competes with domestic market and supports prices," Anderson said.

Barley versus canola

Sunny skies for barley contrast against a gloomy Chinese outlook for another major Canadian crop, canola.

Last year, China moved to block Canadian canola shipments in a maneuver experts say was likely retaliation in a simmering trade dispute between the two countries over the ongoing detention of Huawei executive Meng Wangzhou.

China revoked the import licenses of two Canadian canola companies last summer, first Richardson's then Viterra, alleging pests in the crop. While China has been happy to use canola as a negotiation tactic, so far they are unwilling to do the same with barley, potentially because it is a key ingredient for the country's growing beer industry.

China consumes more beer than any other country in the world, which is why "canola is a political target, barley is not," Anderson said.

Shannon VanRaes/Bloomberg

Given what happened to canola, the executive director of the Barley Council of Canada said any increase in sales is welcome, but the current protectionist climate afoot in international trade is worrying. Erin Armstrong said China's moves against Australian barley seem to be " politically motivated versus ... science based reasons," so she's concerned about taking any sales uptick for granted.

"Of course we'd like our exports to continue to grow, whether it's China or anywhere else but we don't want them to grow for political reasons rather than for, you know, the quality of our products," she said.
Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, M. Stiavelli

Captured by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, this image shows NGC 7513, a barred spiral galaxy. Located approximately 60 million light-years away, NGC 7513 lies within the Sculptor constellation in the Southern Hemisphere.

This galaxy is moving at the astounding speed of 972 miles per second, and it is heading away from us. For context, Earth orbits the Sun at about 19 miles per second. Though NGC 7513's apparent movement away from the Milky Way might seem strange, it is not that unusual.

While some galaxies, like the Milky Way and the Andromeda galaxy, are caught in each other's gravitational pull and will eventually merge together, the vast majority of galaxies in our universe appear to be moving away from each other.

This phenomenon is due to the expansion of the universe, and it is the space between galaxies that is stretching, rather than the galaxies themselves moving.

Explore further Image: Hubble views galaxy host to two supernovae
China said Friday it will impose tit-for-tat measures on US institutions and individuals who "behave badly" on Xinjiang-related issues after Washington slapped sanctions on Chinese officials over a crackdown on Uighurs and other Turkic Muslims in the region.

The Chinese response came after the US announced visa bans and an assets freeze on three officials, including Chen Quanquo, the Chinese Communist Party chief in Xinjiang and architect of Beijing's hardline policies against restive minorities.

"The US actions seriously interfere in China's internal affairs, seriously violate the basic norms of international relations, and seriously damage China-US relations," foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said in a briefing.

"In response to the wrong actions of the US, China has decided to impose reciprocal measures against the relevant US institutions and individuals who behave badly on Xinjiang-related issues," Zhao said without providing details about the sanctions.

Witnesses and human rights groups say that China has rounded up more than one million Uighurs and other Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang in a vast brainwashing campaign aimed at forcibly homogenising minorities into the country's Han majority.

China counters that the facilities are benign vocational education centres where "students" learn Mandarin and job skills in an effort to eradicate extremism following a spate of deadly violence.

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Captain Birds Eye is a woman for the first time in 50 years. (SWNS)

There are few people who wont know the famous Captain Birds Eye.

But you might not recognise him these days - with the iconic character being replaced by a woman for the first time in 50 years.

Captain Birds Eye first appeared on the companys packaging in 1967 and has been played by a series of men through the years.

But now 24-year-old Charlotte Carter-Dunn has beaten hundreds of people in a nationwide competition by the brand to find a new captain and will temporarily occupy the recognisable branding as Captain Charlotte.

Fish fingers remain popular in the UK, with a report in 2016 finding that they were making a comeback as people ditch meat.

Charlotte Carter-Dunn's face will be seen on packs of fish fingers across the country. (SWNS)

Carter-Dunn, from Gloucestershire, impressed judges with her ideas on how to use frozen food while caring for two foster children and even created her own entry photo of her doing an impersonation of the famous seafarer.

She said: Im delighted to have won the competition and cant believe I will be replacing the iconic Captain Birds Eye on packs - its all very surreal.

Read more: Rollercoaster riders told to stay silent and scream inside your heart to curb Japan COVID-19 spread

As a foster carer, meal times can be a little hectic but shopping frozen helps me to cut back on the food we waste and have easy meals on the table in no time.

My freezer has been even more of a godsend during lockdown as its enabled us to reduce our shopping trips.

I hope that sharing my frozen hacks will help other families get the most out of their freezer.

Carter-Dunn, 24, from Gloucestershire beat 500 other people to be crowned the winner of a nationwide competition. (SWNS)

The competition saw Birds Eye team up with Iceland to promote the benefits of frozen food and help families make their money go further.

Steve Challouma, from Birds Eye, said: Were excited to be temporarily replacing our iconic Captain with Charlotte, who is a real champion of the benefits of using your freezer more.

Frozen food has never been more relevant and important to the average household, as shown by the invaluable tips sent in by some of the Britain's savviest shoppers.

Story continues

Saving money and reducing food waste are just two of the many benefits to using frozen food, something weve long been passionate about.

Richard Walker, from Iceland, said: Were delighted to be featuring a real customer on packs of fish fingers to be sold in our stores, reaching families at dinner tables across Britain.

We know that there are millions of tea time captains who shop with us every week, all of whom are experts in keeping weekly grocery bills down and reducing waste in the kitchen.

More and more families are waking up to the benefits of frozen food and Charlotte is a great advocate for switching and saving.
President Trump and Joe Biden are going back and forth over the former vice president's "buy American" economic proposal, which Trump claims Biden "plagiarized" from him.

Why it matters: Biden is directly challenging Trump and his "America First" agenda with the release of his latest plan, focused on economic recovery and re-investing in American manufacturing in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Trump called Biden's proposal both "very radical left" and evidence that his opponent is "copying what I've done."

The plan calls for spending at least $700 billion to create 5 million jobs in the U.S.

In a Thursday speech, Biden criticized the president for mishandling the federal response to the coronavirus, which has led to an economic crisis, and detailed his view for making the U.S. an economic powerhouse.

When the federal government spends taxpayers money, we should use it to buy American products and support American jobs, Biden said.

What they're saying: When asked about Biden's plan for the economy at the White House on Friday, Trump said: He plagiarized from me, but he could never pull it off. He likes plagiarizing ... But he said the right things because he's copying what I've done, but the difference is he can't do it.

Biden's deputy campaign manager, Kate Bedingfield, told Axios in a statement that Trump has "had four years to put in place Buy American policies, and he's failed to do so. Joe Biden will do it on day one."

She added they "welcome the debate between a real advocate for American workers  Joe Biden  with a phony who has broken his promises  Donald Trump."

"Joe Biden has been fighting for American workers and American manufacturers for decades  even back when Donald Trump was building hotels made with steel imported from China, selling made-in-China shirts and ties, and outsourcing American jobs for his personal profit.

As President, Trump broke his campaign promise to stop corporations from sending jobs overseas, and his corporate tax giveaways have actually encouraged companies to offshore factories and production. During the outset of the pandemic, he sent critical supplies overseas instead of keeping them here in the US."

 Kate Bedingfield, Biden deputy campaign manager

The other side: "The former Vice President supported every failed trade deal for a half a century  NAFTA, China, Korea, TPP  no politician in the U.S. is more responsible for the dismantling and destruction of the U.S. supply chain than Joe Biden," Alyssa Farah, assistant to the president, told Axios.

"No politician in the U.S. has offshored more jobs than Joe Biden. President Trump has spent the last three-and-half years bringing back the jobs that the former Vice President sent overseas."

Go deeper: Biden's 2020 rivals line up to pitch economic recovery plan
Some officials and advisers, however, say they are encouraged that Trump in recent days has gotten into a more optimistic mind-set, where he sees a path to victory and is ready to work toward it. The president just approved a calendar through the beginning of August that includes coronavirus-focused events, economic events and, they hope, a return to regular political events. Trump had planned to hold a campaign rally in an airport hangar in Portsmouth, N.H., on Saturday night, but it was postponed because of weather. The White House said it would be rescheduled for a week or two from now.
Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

When lockdown orders from the COVID-19 pandemic went into effect across the country, car traffic declined significantly. But research from the Governors Highway Safety Administration (GHSA) shows that even though there were fewer cars on the road during this time, speeding and reckless driving increased. While the relatively empty streets might lull drivers into a false sense of security, speeding is still dangerous and claims the lives of nearly 10,000 Americans every year.

Speeding is responsible for more than a quarter of all traffic fatalities in the U.S. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) considers a crash to be speeding-related if one of the drivers is cited for a speeding-related offense or if an officer determines that driving too fast for conditions, racing, or exceeding the speed limit was a contributing factor in the crash.

While NHTSA data shows that both the share of traffic fatalities related to speeding and the speeding-related fatality rate have been declining in recent years, these rates vary at the state level. Nationwide, the average annual speeding-related fatality rate for the five year period from 2014-2018 was 2.97 per 100,000 people. However, at the state level, there is a statistically significant relationship between speeding-related fatalities per capita and the maximum posted speed limit in the state. States with higher posted speed limits often experience more speed-related fatalities.

Another significant factor in speed-related deaths is alcohol consumption. Data shows that over the past five years, 47 percent of all speed-related deaths involved a driver with a positive blood alcohol content (BAC). Among U.S. states, there is a strong positive correlation between the share of fatalities due to speeding and the share of drivers in fatal accidents with a positive BAC.

In light of the increase in speeding during COVID-19, researchers at CoPilot, a car shopping app that helps guide users through the buying process, wanted to examine which states and counties historically suffer from the most speeding-related deaths. The analysts used data from the NHTSA, the U.S. Census Bureau, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety to rank which states have the most speeding-related fatalities as a share of all vehicle fatalities. It is worth noting that the data used in the analysis was collected from 2014-2018 and therefore does not reflect recent driving behavior in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are the U.S. states and counties with the worst speeding problem.

15 States With the Most Speeding-Related Fatalities

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

15. Nevada

Traffic fatalities that involve speeding: 33.1% of total

33.1% of total Speeding-related traffic fatality rate per 100k: 3.46

3.46 Total traffic fatalities that involve speeding (past 5 years): 525

525 Total traffic fatalities (past 5 years): 1,587

1,587 Maximum posted speed limit: 80 mph

80 mph Worst county for speeding: Clark

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

14. Montana

Traffic fatalities that involve speeding: 33.9% of total

33.9% of total Speeding-related traffic fatality rate per 100k: 6.21

6.21 Total traffic fatalities that involve speeding (past 5 years): 330

330 Total traffic fatalities (past 5 years): 974

974 Maximum posted speed limit: 80 mph

80 mph Worst county for speeding: Gallatin

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

13. North Carolina

Traffic fatalities that involve speeding: 33.9% of total

33.9% of total Speeding-related traffic fatality rate per 100k: 4.55

4.55 Total traffic fatalities that involve speeding (past 5 years): 2,360

2,360 Total traffic fatalities (past 5 years): 6,962

6,962 Maximum posted speed limit: 70 mph

70 mph Worst county for speeding: Davidson

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

12. Colorado

Traffic fatalities that involve speeding: 35.4% of total

35.4% of total Speeding-related traffic fatality rate per 100k: 3.64

3.64 Total traffic fatalities that involve speeding (past 5 years): 1,036

1,036 Total traffic fatalities (past 5 years): 2,923

2,923 Maximum posted speed limit: 75 mph

75 mph Worst county for speeding: Pueblo

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

11. Missouri

Traffic fatalities that involve speeding: 36.5% of total

36.5% of total Speeding-related traffic fatality rate per 100k: 5.28

5.28 Total traffic fatalities that involve speeding (past 5 years): 1,618

1,618 Total traffic fatalities (past 5 years): 4,436

4,436 Maximum posted speed limit: 70 mph

70 mph Worst county for speeding: St. Louis City

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

10. New Mexico

Traffic fatalities that involve speeding: 36.6% of total

36.6% of total Speeding-related traffic fatality rate per 100k: 6.50

6.50 Total traffic fatalities that involve speeding (past 5 years): 681

681 Total traffic fatalities (past 5 years): 1,860

1,860 Maximum posted speed limit: 75 mph

75 mph Worst county for speeding: Sandoval

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

9. Alaska

Traffic fatalities that involve speeding: 37.8% of total

37.8% of total Speeding-related traffic fatality rate per 100k: 3.91

3.91 Total traffic fatalities that involve speeding (past 5 years): 144

144 Total traffic fatalities (past 5 years): 381

381 Maximum posted speed limit: 65 mph

65 mph Worst county for speeding: Matanuska-Susitna

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

8. South Carolina

Traffic fatalities that involve speeding: 39.8% of total

39.8% of total Speeding-related traffic fatality rate per 100k: 7.59

7.59 Total traffic fatalities that involve speeding (past 5 years): 1,930

1,930 Total traffic fatalities (past 5 years): 4,848

4,848 Maximum posted speed limit: 70 mph

70 mph Worst county for speeding: Spartanburg

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

7. Illinois

Traffic fatalities that involve speeding: 39.9% of total

39.9% of total Speeding-related traffic fatality rate per 100k: 3.21

3.21 Total traffic fatalities that involve speeding (past 5 years): 2,043

2,043 Total traffic fatalities (past 5 years): 5,121

5,121 Maximum posted speed limit: 70 mph

70 mph Worst county for speeding: Will

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

6. Vermont

Traffic fatalities that involve speeding: 40.3% of total

40.3% of total Speeding-related traffic fatality rate per 100k: 3.86

3.86 Total traffic fatalities that involve speeding (past 5 years): 121

121 Total traffic fatalities (past 5 years): 300

300 Maximum posted speed limit: 65 mph

65 mph Worst county for speeding: Chittenden

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

5. Pennsylvania

Traffic fatalities that involve speeding: 41.9% of total

41.9% of total Speeding-related traffic fatality rate per 100k: 3.87

3.87 Total traffic fatalities that involve speeding (past 5 years): 2,477

2,477 Total traffic fatalities (past 5 years): 5,910

5,910 Maximum posted speed limit: 70 mph

70 mph Worst county for speeding: Fayette

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

4. Rhode Island

Traffic fatalities that involve speeding: 42.8% of total

42.8% of total Speeding-related traffic fatality rate per 100k: 2.35

2.35 Total traffic fatalities that involve speeding (past 5 years): 124

124 Total traffic fatalities (past 5 years): 290

290 Maximum posted speed limit: 65 mph

65 mph Worst county for speeding: Washington

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

3. Hawaii

Traffic fatalities that involve speeding: 43.8% of total

43.8% of total Speeding-related traffic fatality rate per 100k: 3.28

3.28 Total traffic fatalities that involve speeding (past 5 years): 233

233 Total traffic fatalities (past 5 years): 532

532 Maximum posted speed limit: 60 mph

60 mph Worst county for speeding: Honolulu

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

2. District of Columbia

Traffic fatalities that involve speeding: 49.6% of total

49.6% of total Speeding-related traffic fatality rate per 100k: 1.91

1.91 Total traffic fatalities that involve speeding (past 5 years): 67

67 Total traffic fatalities (past 5 years): 135

135 Maximum posted speed limit: N/A

N/A Worst county for speeding: District of Columbia

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

1. New Hampshire

Traffic fatalities that involve speeding: 52.0% of total

52.0% of total Speeding-related traffic fatality rate per 100k: 4.56

4.56 Total traffic fatalities that involve speeding (past 5 years): 309

309 Total traffic fatalities (past 5 years): 594

594 Maximum posted speed limit: 70 mph

70 mph Worst county for speeding: Rockingham

Methodology & Detailed Findings

Data on the total number of car fatalities, the number of speed-related fatalities, speed-related fatalities by sex and age and speeding-related to blood alcohol content are from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrations Fatality Analysis Reporting System. The per capita rate of fatal speed-related accidents was calculated as the proportion of the total number of fatal speed-related crashes divided by the state population. For ease of interpretation, the per capita rates are per 100,000 people.

Data regarding speed limits, which are the maximum posted speed limits on rural interstates, are from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Population statistics are from the U.S. Census Bureaus 2018 American Community Survey. Due to a small number of fatal accidents and speeding-related fatal accidents for some locations, numbers are reported for the years 2014-2018 to achieve higher consistency of the results.

Locations were ordered based on the share of all traffic fatalities that involve speeding. For each state, the county with the highest share of all traffic fatalities that involve speeding was reported as the worst county for speeding. Only counties with at least 100,000 residents were included in the analysis.

It might seem that drivers are most at risk of a speeding-related collision on major highways and freeways, where traffic tends to move faster and posted speed limits tend to be higher. However, about 60 percent of speed-related fatalities occur outside of major highways and freeways. In fact, 38 percent of all speeding-related fatalities between 2014 and 2018 occurred on primary streets (local streets and collectors that are used to drive short distances or connect to larger highways). After taking into account traffic volume on each road category, primary streets have the worst track record, with 4.28 speed-related deaths per billion miles traveled. By contrast, freeways have the lowest rate of speed-related deaths, at 1.65 per billion miles traveled.

Fatalities due to speeding are also strongly correlated to the drivers age and gender. According to the NHTSA, almost a third of men aged 15-24 who were victims in a fatal crash had been driving faster than the posted speed limit. On the other hand, people over the age of 35 experienced a much lower probability of dying on the road due to speeding. Across all ages, females are less likely to die in a speed-related crash than males, although the probability among female drivers is still highest for the 15-24 age group.

Finally, its not only drivers and passengers who are at risk as a result of speeding. A GHSA report from February 2020before the onslaught of the pandemic in the U.S.found that pedestrians account for 17 percent of all traffic-related fatalities, including those due to speeding. The increase in pedestrian traffic during COVID-19 along with higher instances of speeding create a dangerous, and potentially fatal, combination. But as stay-at-home orders are lifted in large parts of the country, more drivers will return to the road. Organizations such as the GHSA continue to urge caution when driving, not only to keep the roads safer but also to reduce the burden on hospitals and healthcare workers by preventing traffic accidents in the first place.

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TROY  The Rensselaer County Health Department issued an advisory Friday asking anyone who was on a recent flight to Albany from Georgia to immediately contact their local county health department.

Three passengers on the Delta Air Lines flight 4815 from Georgia to Albany have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the department said. The flight took place Monday and the passengers  who are all Troy residents in their 20s  began feeling sick the next day, the department said.

Test results came back Friday. While the three infected passengers are residents of Rensselaer County, the department is warning all other passengers of the flight to contact the county health department where they live. Rensselaer County residents can call 518-270-2655.

"The Rensselaer County Health Department will be working with the New York State Health Department and local health departments as this case develops," it posted on Facebook. "Updates will be provided when new information is available."

Georgia is one of 19 states on New York's travel advisory list, which requires individuals who have traveled to New York from states with significant community spread of coronavirus to quarantine for 14 days. It's unclear whether the infected passengers took this step.

The quarantine applies to any person arriving from a state with a positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents over a 7-day rolling average or a state with a 10 percent or higher positivity rate over a 7-day rolling average. As of Friday, that included travelers coming from:

Alabama

Arkansas

Arizona

California

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Iowa

Idaho

Kansas

Louisiana

Mississippi

North Carolina

Nevada

Oklahoma

South Carolina

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

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

Capital Region officials in recent weeks have urged travelers to notify their local health departments upon returning from a hot spot. A number of new virus cases that have emerged in the region recently have ties to out-of-state travel.

Warren County on Friday confirmed yet another case of the virus in a person who had traveled to the area from Florida. Other individuals in their household have tested positive, as well, the county said.

The county's Health Services department was monitoring 61 people Friday who were placed on precautionary quarantines as a result of the travel advisory, an increase of 12 from the day before.

"We would like to thank the travelers who have proactively reached out and are working with us during the travel quarantine process," said Warren County Health Services Director Ginelle Jones.
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Linkedin Rachel Savage (Thomson Reuters Foundation) London, United Kingdom  Fri, July 10, 2020 13:00 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406655e377 2 World Northern-Ireland,same-sex-marriage,same-sex-couples,same-sex-relationships,gay-rights,LGBTQ,LGBT-rights Free

Same-sex religious marriages will be allowed in Northern Ireland, the British government said on Thursday, bowing to pressure from LGBT+ campaigners after the first secular lesbian wedding in February.

Gay and lesbian couples in Northern Ireland will be able to have religious weddings from September, a British government spokeswoman said in an emailed statement, while converting civil partnerships to marriage will be possible by the end of 2020.

The British parliament voted in July 2019 to force Northern Ireland, which had been the only part of the United Kingdom without same-sex marriage since 2013, to change its laws.

"For the couples who were waiting to make plans for their future, they were left in a position of uncertainty and we've certainly moved forward a little step today," said Patrick Corrigan, the head of Amnesty International in Northern Ireland.

"In Northern Ireland, where a lot of people still are religious and church-going, it's a big deal for many couples."

Religious same-sex marriages are already allowed in England, Wales and Scotland.

When same-sex weddings began taking place in Northern Ireland in February, the government said regulations would follow to enable faith groups to opt into offering them and to convert civil partnerships to marriage.

Ahead of the decision, the first same-sex couple to marry in Northern Ireland when it became legal criticized the government for not introducing the regulations.

"We loved having our big day back in February surrounded by the people we love," Sharni Edwards-Peoples said in a statement released overnight by Amnesty International.

"But, by not laying the necessary regulations at parliament, the secretary of state is stopping many couples from being able to plan their own big day."

Cara McCann, who entered into a civil partnership with fellow LGBT+ activist Amanda McGurk on Valentine's Day 2019, urged the government to speed up the process to give about 1,200 couples the choice to convert their partnerships into marriages.

"It would mean absolutely everything, both on a personal and professional level," said McCann, the director of HERe NI, a charity that supports lesbian and bisexual women, for which McGurk also works.

"For many years we've been working on this issue in our professional life, but I think more personally we will be treated as equals," she said by phone. "At the minute we're not, we're second class."
NEW DELHI: With 2089 new cases, Delhi's tally of confirmed Covid-19 cases now stands at 1,09,140, the Health Department said on Friday evening; In the last 24 hours, the Delhi government's Health Department recorded 42 more coronavirus-related deaths and another 2468 recoveries.

As of July 10, a total of 84,694 patients have recovered from Covid-19 in Delhi while 3300 have succumbed to it. Now, there are 21,146 active cases in Delhi. At the same time, 12,272 patients are currently in home isolation in the national capital. The silver lining, however, is the recovery rate which is over 74 per cent.

Meanwhile, 10,129 RT-PCR tests and 12,832 rapid antigen tests were conducted on Friday. Total tests done so far stands at 7,47,109, the Health Department said.

In a related development, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday spoke to plasma donors and thanked them for their contribution in saving the lives of coronavirus patients. The Chief Minister praised them for donating plasma and appealed to them to motivate more recovered patients to come forward and donate.

"When I hear stories of plasma donors, I feel very proud of my fellow Delhiites. So, I decided to call and congratulate some donors," he tweeted, sharing the audio of his conversation with the donors.

The Delhi government has set up India`s first plasma bank at the ILBS Hospital, with an objective to maintain a plasma stock from those who have already recovered from the disease.

Addressing a press briefing earlier, Kejriwal had said that as plasma has been proven as an effective solution for the recovery of moderate patients, its therapy should be provided to patients until a vaccine comes.

He said that the plasma bank will enable the people to obtain plasma without any hassles and had also laid out detailed eligibility criteria over who can and cannot donate plasma.

Earlier on Friday, India recorded the highest single-day spike of over 26,502 new coronavirus cases and 475 deaths in the last 24 hours, pushing the total tally close to eight lakh with 21,604 deaths.

Health Ministrys data revealed on Friday morning that out of total 7,93,802 cases, 4,95,513 have recovered while 2,76,685 remain active in the country. With more Covid-19 patients recovering, the gap between the number of recovered cases and active cases has increased by two lakh.

The rate of recovery among the Covid-19 patients continues to increase and has touched 62.42 per cent. India, however, remains to be the third worst-affected country after the US and Brazil.

During the last 24 hours, 2,83,659 samples were tested, as the testing lab network continues to expand. As on date, more than 1,119 labs have enabled people to undergo coronavirus tests.

Maharashtra remained the worst-hit state, with cases reaching up to 2,30,599 and 9,667 casualties so far, of which 417 occurred in the last 24 hours. Tamil Nadu remained the second-worst hit with a total of 1,26,581 cases, including 1,765 deaths.

States with more than 10,000 cases include Gujarat with 39,194 cases and 2,008 deaths, Uttar Pradesh (32,362), Rajasthan (22,563), Madhya Pradesh (16,341), West Bengal (25,911), Haryana (19,369), Karnataka (31,105), Andhra Pradesh (23,814), Telangana (30,946), Assam (14,032) and Bihar (13,944) cases.
Gary officers at 7:09 pm responded to a call for a gunshot victim in the 1300 block of Montana Street, according to police. They found an unresponsive 24-year-old man in a vacant lot with what appeared to be gunshot wounds, police said.
NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. WIRE SERVICES

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Thor Explorations Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: THX) (Thor or the Company) refers to the press release made today by Vox Royalty Corp (TSXV: VOX) regarding the acquisition of a royalty in the Companys Segilola Gold Project.

Thor would like to clarify that it has not entered into any new royalty agreements. The Company has a prior royalty agreement with RTG Mining (TSX: RTG) which RTG received in consideration for the sale of the Segilola Gold Project in Nigeria to Thor in August 2016 and today received notice that RTG Mining entered into a sale agreement of that royalty with Vox Royalty Corp.

The Company has not entered into any discussions or agreements with Vox Royalty Corp. Thor understands that RTG Mining is anticipating closing the deal with Vox subject to completion of transaction documents.

About Thor

Thor Explorations Ltd. is a Canadian mineral exploration company engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties located in Nigeria, Senegal and Burkina Faso. Thor holds a 100% interest in the Segilola Gold Project located in Osun State of Nigeria and a 70% interest in the Douta Gold Project located in south-eastern Senegal. Thor also holds a 49% interest in the Bongui and Legue gold permits located in Hounde greenstone belt, south west Burkina Faso. Thor trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol THX.

THOR EXPLORATIONS LTD.

Segun Lawson

President & CEO

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.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein, the information presented constitutes forward looking statements within the meaning of certain securities laws, and is subject to important risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially form the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to, the use of proceeds from the Offering, the closing of the second tranche of the private placement, the potential of the Segilola Gold Project, the advancement of the Douta Project, and gold production. The words may, could, should, would, suspect, outlook, believe, anticipate, estimate, expect, intend, plan, target and similar words and expressions are used to identify forward-looking information. The forward-looking information in this news release describes the Companys expectations as of the date of this news release and accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. While the Company may elect to, it does not undertake to update this information at any particular time.

For further information please contact:



Thor Explorations Ltd

Email: info@thorexpl.com



Fig House Communications (Investor Relations)

Tel: +1 416 822 6483



Blytheweigh

Camilla Horsfall / Megan Ray / Rachael Brooks

Tel: +44 207 138 3203
Assembly Democratic leaders Friday officially backed a challenger to Green Bay Rep. Staush Gruszynski and warned they wouldn't allow him to return to the caucus if he ends up winning re-election.

Though leadership had previously asked Gruszynski to resign from the chamber after he sexually harassed a Capitol staffer in 2019, the Democratic freshman rebuffed the calls and kick-started his campaign with the backing of at least one of his female colleagues in the state Assembly this spring.

Meanwhile, Democratic challenger Kristina Shelton, vice president of the Green Bay Area School Board, has launched a campaign to take on Gruszynski. On Friday she got the backing of Minority Leader Gordon Hintz along with caucus leaders Reps. Dianne Hesselbein and Mark Spreitzer.

We look forward to welcoming Kristina into the Democratic Caucus and working with her to advance Green Bays priorities in Madison," they said in a joint statement.

The move is an unusual one in a system where parties typically don't get involved in primary battles, let alone publicly throw their weight behind an individual who is not an incumbent.

But the trio stressed in their statement they "take sexual harassment seriously" and said they continue to stand by their call for Gruszynski to step aside.

"As leaders, we see no place for Representative Staush Gruszynski in the Assembly Democratic Caucus now or in the future," they noted.

An internal investigation late last year found Gruszynski verbally sexually harassed a legislative employee at a Madison bar in October. He has apologized for his actions.

"I need to be responsible for my actions and following that night Ive taken steps with my family, and more importantly myself, to rebuild what Ive broken," he said in December, adding: "My concern and focus at this time is my family, and how in the New Year I continue to move forward serving the constituents of the 90th district.

This spring, Gruszynski planned a re-election kickoff event in Green Bay that would feature fellow Democratic Rep. Amanda Stuck, who's running for Congress in the northeastern 8th Congressional District, and 6th District contender Jessica King, a former state senator.

At the time, Stuck, who has been sexually assaulted, told the Cap Times that while there's "no doubt that he did something wrong," Gruszynski has taken responsibility for the incident and is "worthy of a second chance and redemption."

Few other details are available about the incident. The Cap Times and other media outlets requested copies of the complaint and the investigation, but they were denied by the Assembly Chief Clerk's office. That's because the Legislature determined keeping those documents confidential while "respecting the privacy and dignity" of complainants outweighed the public interest in disclosing them.

Assembly Chief Clerk Patrick Fuller said Gruszynski would attend anti-harassment training. The Legislature's human resources director said in a March email that Gruszynski "was very proactive and cooperative in scheduling his required training" and has completed it.

This spring, the Cap Times joined other news organizations in suing the state Assembly and its chief clerk in Dane County Court for refusing to release the records. The case is pending.

Gruszynski is a former political director for the Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters, a group that in June endorsed Shelton in the race. Shelton is a former teacher and current program director at the YWCA Greater Green Bay.

Assembly Democratic leaders last session asked a different member of their caucus to resign in light of sexual misconduct allegations: former Rep. Josh Zepnick, of Milwaukee, who was accused of kissing two women without their consent at political events in 2011 and 2015.

Zepnick in late 2017 declined to do so, though he was stripped of his committee assignments, and he ultimately failed to win re-election in 2018 after losing in an August primary.

While Hintz at the time said he had no plans to restore Zepnick's committee assignments, leadership didn't publicly endorse his challenger in the race, current state Rep. Marisabel Cabrera.

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The famous quote Every dark cloud has a silver lining holds so very true in todays Covid-19 situation. This is the best time for students to develop within themselves a firm resolve as to what career would make them happy and sustainable in the long run. It is very important that students match their interest and aptitude with the choice of profession.

Many times peer pressure causes children to take up a profession where they have zero aptitudes. This results in severe stress and subsequent dropouts from the courses. Looking at the Global Economy, it seems that only capable and skilled people are likely to succeed and one has to be careful in choosing a career which they can align with their profession. This is the time, when one needs clear guidance, as to how to go ahead.

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Choosing A Professional Course- Most Sought After By Recruiters

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Source: Digpu

Disclaimer: This content is distributed by Digpu News Network. No HT journalist is involved in creation of this content.

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Defense attorney Bob Harper said Friday he believed the sentence to be fair.

"Mr. Blanton has virtually no prior criminal record and had no problems since the case started," Harper said. "Further, I know that the victim was made completely aware of the proposed sentence and was in agreement with it."

Blanton initially pleaded guilty in 2016 to a charge of possessing child pornography in return for a second charge of child exploitation being dismissed. The sentencing was postponed when it became clear he would not have to register as a sex offender. Then-Porter Superior Court Judge Bill Alexa later rejected the plea.

While the second version of the plea was harsher in that it would have required Blanton to register as a sex offender and comply with all the limitations in return for a plea of possessing child pornography, Clymer rejected it in October 2018 after the victim said she was unhappy that it called for no more than probation.

The deputy prosecutor at the time of the second plea agreement defended the proposed deal by telling the court that there are issues involving the evidence in her possession.

The victim said at that time that said she lost her family over the incident.
Only one out of 3,055 people shows coronavirus antibodies in a first unrepresentative test program here.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday announced the outcome of the first antibody blood test conducted since the outbreak started here on Jan. 20.

Antibody tests can determine if patients had coronavirus in the past, whether or not they had symptoms, but the tests have not been perfected and it is not clear if antibodies confer complete immunity.

Lee Hyuk-min of the Korean Society for Laboratory Medicine said, "The immunity of most patients of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrom) that was rampant in 2003 faded in about a year."

According to the current state of testing, the proportion of people with coronavirus antibodies here is lower than in New York (21.2 percent), London (17 percent), Wuhan (3.2 percent), and Tokyo (0.1 percent).

But the low proportion is probably due to the small scale of testing, KCDC officials said. No samples at all were collected in Daegu where a whopping 52 percent or 6,926 of all total domestic infections occurred. Health authorities admit that the figures do not reveal much at the moment.

Kwon Joon-wook, the deputy chief of the KCDC, said, "In a meeting on Wednesday, experts concluded that the antibody testing is unrepresentative because samples weren't collected from places like Daegu where group infections occurred."

The KCDC vowed to conduct additional antibody testing of 10,000 people including Daegu citizens from this month.
A 20-page summary of extensive blogs by Dominic Cummings (pictured today) about the faults in the government machine is being circulated by the Cabinet Office

Civil servants have been circulating a dossier on Dominic Cummings as they brace for a brutal shake-up, it was revealed today.

The maverick No10 chief is said to have warned privately that a 'hard rain' is coming for Whitehall, with a slew of senior figures already having been ousted.

Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill is the highest-profile casualty, with his departure in September set to be softened by a 250,000 payoff.

A 20-page summary of Mr Cummings' extensive blogs about the faults in the government machine is being circulated by the Cabinet Office, according to the Times. It was originally drawn up by the Civil Service Learning unit last summer, but officials are being encouraged to read it again as tensions rise.

Only available in hard cop, it describes Mr Cummings' fondness for 'red teams' explicitly tasked with finding reasons why policies should not be pursued, and his criticism of the Whitehall infrastructure.

That included saying the Cabinet room was not fit for purpose because it does not have any 'tools' for modern times - with even the clock not always working.

However, the document reportedly exercises discretion about some of Mr Cummings' blunter pronouncements in the years before he entered No10, including describing the civil service machine as 'Kafkaesque'.

The former Vote Leave chief, who worked for Michael Gove at the Department for Education, previously wrote of support for ministers: 'The whole structure of 'submissions' and 'red boxes' is hopeless. It is extremely bureaucratic and slow...

'The whole approach reinforces the abject failure of the senior civil service to think about high performance project management.'

Civil service unions have accused No10 of orchestrating a series of 'corrosive and cowardly' briefings against Sir Mark  who Mr Cummings is said to have seen as a 'roadblock' to a Whitehall shake-up.

Sir Mark, 55, who has more than 30 years of Government service, hit out earlier this week at 'unpleasant' off-the-record briefings and 'sniping' as he addressed MPs.

He called them a 'regrettable feature of modern politics'. He also denied 'resigning', saying he had agreed with Boris Johnson to step down.

Sir Mark Sedwill (pictured right with Boris Johnson) will get 248,189 when he steps down later this year from his dual role as Cabinet Secretary and national security adviser

David Frost, the Premier's chief Brexit negotiator, will succeed Sir Mark as national security adviser at the end of August.

He will be given a peerage and operate as a political adviser  the first time the role has not gone to a civil servant.

Mr Cummings was reported to have been unimpressed by the response of the Cabinet Office to the coronavirus outbreak, telling aides a 'hard rain is coming' for the civil service.

Mr Johnson has sought to play down claims that Sir Mark's position was undermined by a series of hostile media briefings.

He insisted Sir Mark, who will continue to be involved in the preparations for the UK taking on the presidency of the G7 next year, still had 'a lot to offer'.
Shimla: The management of a Nalagarh-based textile mill was booked after 29 workers tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday.

Baddi superintendent of police Rohit Malpani said on Friday that a case has been registered under Sections 34 (common intention), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection) and 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 51 of Disaster Management of Act against the management of Sara Textiles Ltd.

Malpani said that the companys manager, Ganesh Shankar Tripathi, was found Covid-19 positive on July 8.

Police found that he travelled from Bihar by train on June 27 and reached Ludhiana the next day. From there, he took a taxi to Dabhota village in Nalagarh in Solan district of Himachal Pradesh but was denied entry as he did not have a pass.

He, however, gained unauthorised entry using an alternative route at night.

He was staying in the companys residential complex.

The police said he joined duty on July 1. His swab sample was sent for testing on July 6 and turned out positive on July 8 after which samples of his primary contacts were collected.

Malpani said that the company defied government guidelines for inter-state movement of employees and workers, too.

According to the guidelines issued on July 2, the Himachal Pradesh government has directed the registration of all employees/workers coming from other states for the purpose of monitoring and contact tracing. Daily or weekend commuters such as industrialists, traders, suppliers, factory workers may enter and exit by providing details with the district authorities, the guidelines say.

Meanwhile, the Sara Textile Ltd premises and nearby units have been sealed.

The number of infected workers at the textile unit is expected to rise as many samples are yet to be sent for testing.
Brands and Marketers Gain Seamless Access to TransUnions Validated Attributes and Audiences on the Narrative Platform to More Precisely Understand Their Consumers

NEW YORK, July 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- To make it easier to run more targeted and precise marketing campaigns cost-effectively across multiple channels, Narrative , the enterprise data streaming company, today announced they are partnering with TransUnion (NYSE:TRU) to enable access to TransUnions rich consumer attributes and audiences via Narratives data streaming platform.



With the tremendous growth in the use of data today, there isnt always a transparent or simplified way to tap into the wealth of customer data available to many brands and marketers, said Nick Jordan, founder, and CEO of Narrative. This partnership between Narrative and TransUnion will give marketers access to a robust and accurate data set to help create authentic consumer experiences that will drive better outcomes for their marketing investment.

TransUnions validated attributes and audiences serve up a precise and comprehensive view of consumers over time with consistent and reliable data  spanning categories such as automotive, business, consumer finance, demographic, homeownership and property, and more  to enable data buyers to deliver more targeted and personalized customer engagement.

If you want to be relevant to consumers, you need to talk with them on their terms and stay connected across multiple channels, said Matt Spiegel, EVP, Marketing Solutions, Head of Media Vertical, TransUnion. With our partnership with Narrative, marketers can access data that will help them deepen their view of consumers and develop more precise micro-segmentation, resulting in improved use of their marketing dollars.

Narratives streaming data platform enables TransUnion to easily distribute its data to data buyers, automating the operational workflow for data buyers to enrich their assets.

Story continues

To learn more about details about the Narrative/TransUnion partnership or to schedule a demo, please visit https://www.narrative.io/data-partners/transunion

About Narrative

Narrative operates a technology platform that centralizes and simplifies the buying and selling of data with both software and a raw data marketplace. Innovative brands, data platforms, and direct-to-consumer companies leverage Narrative's technology to fuel powerful data strategies, build data monetization businesses, power growth marketing, and inform product development. Narrative's raw data marketplace gives companies access to unprecedented scale, transparency, precision, and optionality to transform their business. Founded in 2016, Narrative is a private company operating in New York City and San Francisco.

About TransUnion (NYSE: TRU)

TransUnion is a global information and insights company that makes trust possible in the modern economy. We do this by providing a comprehensive picture of each person so they can be reliably and safely represented in the marketplace. As a result, businesses and consumers can transact with confidence and achieve great things. We call this Information for Good.

A leading presence in more than 30 countries across five continents, TransUnion provides solutions that help create economic opportunity, great experiences, and personal empowerment for hundreds of millions of people.

http://www.transunion.com/business

PR Contact:

Ilona Mohacsi

PenVine for Narrative

ilonam@penvine.com

+1 631 764 3729
Rajasthan and Punjab governments, the two Congress ruled states, have opposed the advisory of the University Grants Commission asking the states to conduct final year college and university examinations by September.

Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh has decided to write a letter to prime minister Narendra Modi seeking review of the UGC directive saying that in the prevailing Covid situation it would not be appropriate to hold college and university examinations.

We cannot risk the health of our students and, therefore, a pragmatic approach must be adopted, Singh said in a tweet.

Rajasthan government is taking legal opinion on the UGC directive to conduct the final year college and university exams by September, said states higher education minister Bhanwar Singh Bhati on Thursday.

In this situation when the COVID cases are rising rapidly, it is not feasible to conduct the exams, said Bhati. He added that a final decision regarding the exams would be taken by chief minister Ashok Gehlot.

Lakhs of under graduate and post graduate students across the country are faced with uncertainty as the state governments and the UGC differ over holding of final year exams in colleges and universities. Students in several universities such as Delhi University have sought no examination citing Covid fear.

The UGC had in a statement issued on Monday announced that exams for final year students must be conducted by September.

The union home ministry has also given permission for conduct of the exams, saying the final exams must be compulsorily conducted as per UGC guidelines.

Rajasthan, Punjab and six other state governments had decided to cancel exams in colleges and universities. Students were to be promoted based on their performance in internal tests. The UGC has asked the states to reconsider their decision.

Asked how the students would be promoted, Rajasthan higher education minister said the assessment would based on the average of their first and second year results.

We are working on that. We have sought suggestions from universities on how the assessment can be done, said Bhati.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pretium Resources Inc. (TSX/NYSE:PVG) (Pretivm or the Company) will release second quarter 2020 operational and financial results after market close on Wednesday, August 5th, 2020. The webcast and conference call to discuss Q2 2020 will take place Thursday, August 6th, 2020 at 8:30 am PDT (11:30 am EDT) and can be accessed at www.pretivm.com .



Second quarter 2020 webcast and conference call details:

Thursday, August 6, 2020 at 8:30 am PDT (11:30 am EDT) Webcast www.pretivm.com Toll Free (North America) 1-800-319-4610 International and Vancouver 604-638-5340

About Pretivm

Pretivm is an intermediate gold producer with the high-grade gold underground Brucejack Mine.

For further information contact:

Troy Shultz

Manager, Investor Relations &

Corporate Communications
Chennai: Amid the on-going border tension with China, senior DMK leader MP T R Baalu has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to re-start the Sethusamudram Project and have it completed before January 2024. In its earlier envisioned form, the project involves dredging and creating a shipping canal in the Palk Straits between India and Sri Lanka. This shipping canal would enable passage of ships from India's West to East coast and vice-versa, without going around Sri Lanka.

The letter by the senior DMK leader emphasized the importance of the sea lane between southern Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, comparing its strategic importance to that of the northern borders of the country. Citing Chinas growing proximity with Sri Lanka and their, increasing investments in the island nation, the letter highlighted how it would not be in the national interest.

Referring to the immense strategic value of southern Tamil Nadu Coast, especially the Adams Bridge and Sethusamudram area, the letter called the region Indias maritime strategic lifeline and the worlds most important global sea lane.

Invoking the projects closeness to late leaders Anna, Kamaraj, Vajpayee and Karunanidhi, Baalu appealed to the Prime Minister to take a statesmans perspective and recommence the project. He urged PM Modi to ensure project completion by 2024 (the end of PM Modis second tenure) and have the first ship sailing through the channel by the auspicious Tamil festival of Pongal that year.

It is to be noted that the DMK had made a mention of re-starting the Sethusamudram project in its 2019 Lok Sabha election manifesto. It is hard to miss that this letter to the Prime Minister also comes at a time when Tamil Nadu Assembly election is less than a year away.

The Controversy over the Sethusamudram project

Several objections were raised to this project in the past. The religious and political angle was that the Adams Bridge or Ram Sethu, which is believed to be constructed by Lord Ram, would be destroyed in the process of implementing this project. Few also opposed the project on the grounds that it would be far too expensive and also cause damage to the environment and also affect the livelihood of fishermen.

The Sethusamudram project was said to be commercially unviable as it would only enable the passage of small ships. It was stated that even if dredging was done, there was a possibility of re-accumulation of silt, thus creating the need for regular dredging. When large vessels cant pass that way, how it will bolster security is unclear, said political analyst Sumanth C Raman. He also added that he didnt see this project being implemented as long as the NDA remains in power.

Earlier too there had been conflicting reports about the Ram Setu, which is said to have been built by Lord Ram. While a geological survey indicated no evidence of the structure being man-made, a Discovery channel documentary had stated that the stones found there are not the ones seen typically on an ocean bed, thus indicating that it is not natural to have such orderly pavement of stones.
10.07.2020 LISTEN

Recently, I had a moment of self-reflection brought about by the passing of someone who made a difference in the trajectory of my life. Years ago, I lived in the home of Omar Himmi Ait Omrar in the village of Amsouzerte in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Sharing stories about those two years (1993-1995) living in Omars home and what followed, those stories of life, maybe meaningful to others.

In the early 1990s, getting to this very distant village, caught between the provinces of Ouarzazate, Taroudant, and Al Haouz, was difficult. Of the five valleys surrounding Toubkal mountain, the tallest peak in North Africa, only one is on its south side: the Tifnoute. What is special about that fact is that about half of the Toubkal National Park is the summer pasturelands for the Tifnoute peoples herds.

Yet, until that time there had not been adequate communication between the park management and the Tifnoute community of 44 villages (about 12,000 people) because it is so remote that it takes 24 hours to get there due to having to circle around the Atlas Mountains in order to arrive, with the last 70 kilometers of which being unpaved paths. When, as Peace Corps Volunteers, we were assigned to the Toubkal park, we could choose to live anywhere among its valleys of villages, so when I heard that no one had gone to the Tifnoute, I said, OK, Ill do it, Ill go. I traveled in segments, and it took me three days to get there that winter in 1993.

When people arrive in the Tifnoute, they would always be sent to Omar Himmi. No one knew I was coming, and there I was planning to stay for two years. I remember that the first meal I ate was an omelet, after which I immediately felt tired and sick from the long, cold journey. I was ill for two weeks, unable to leave my room and having terrifying hallucinations, which I had never had in my life.

I decided early to watch the menacing shapes in my mind like a spectator would a movie, and I even ended up missing them once they were gone. At night, I would feel Omar Himmis hand on my head because he was genuinely worried. He would make sure I had hot soup and also tangerines for Vitamin C, which thankfully were in season in Morocco.

After a few days, the local sheikh came to visit me, and I mustered enough energy to sit up, show my passport, and ask whether the people would be happy if an American lived among them for two years, to which he replied, Yes. That was all. But it became more complicated because the Caid did not feel the same way. At that time, community empowerment and participatory development were words that no one had heard of, and these ideas of organized change were not particularly trusted - and to think their implementation is now mandated in Morocco. That the Caid did not want an unexpected sojourner to live in the Tifnoute, yet that someone was sick and confined to bed (or rather the covered floor), presented a dilemma for Omar.

As I was still weak, Omar convinced me to go to a hospital, which was in Taroudant. I was not getting better, and I was not really walking, nor did I have energy. I reluctantly agreed. But, when I arrived at the transit, I saw that all of my luggage was packed in the back of it. I knew that if I got in, it would be hard for me to come back. So, I refused. I turned around and went back to Omars home. When I passed him on my way to my room, his face was like a stone because he knew that his way out of the conflicting situation had not been successful. But he accepted me.

That was our beginning. Very soon after that, we worked out an arrangement where I lived there and had breakfast and dinner with him. In this way, he had the biggest influence on my personal life during those years because he agreed to do that even though, at times, he was made to feel he ought not to.

Another story I recall, somewhat indicative of the times we lived in almost thirty years ago, occurred one night at dinner. It was always just me and him, in his 70s at the time, a grandfather who later became a great-grandfather and lived to the age of 103. One night, Omar and I were talking about the Tifnoute people, and we ended up talking about the sheikh, Haj Lehcen Ait Ouahman, a complicated and quite a thoughtful man, I would later learn. I asked Omar if he was friends with the sheikh, and he said to me, Before he became sheikh, we were great friends! And he laughed, which made me laugh. We laughed so hard that we cried.

The next day, I went down to the village store, the owner of which was a close friend of Omar, who was also there when I entered. I walked in on Omar relating the story of the previous nights happy tears. When he got to the point where he had to refer to me, he did not want to call me aghmoy--the Tashelheit word for a foreigner or outsider--because it might have been considered a bit insensitive. Instead, he asked me my name.

So, I had been living in his home for some months at that point, having breakfast and dinner with him every day, sitting together from about 4:00 in the afternoon when the sun went down behind the mountain and talking, and he did not know my name! You can think about that in multiple ways, but can you imagine? We would talk about personal experiences: Omar told about when the Jewish people lived there when his brother was Sheikh and had a Jewish advisor.

Every day, we would be talking and sharing, and there is a warmth to the fact that this went on without him knowing my name. There was a trust there to receive me in this way without asking to see my passport, without any formal contract, without concern for whether I would pay him on time or be able to be found. He really was just accepting and gave unconditional hospitality. That is how I came to feel about the relationship and what I learned in those early years here in Morocco.

Omars older brother Mohammed, the sheikh (which is what bestows upon the family the title, Ait Omrar), had passed away in 1951 from poisoning. Can you imagine drinking a cup of coffee that has such destructive sickliness that it turns your kidney into a liquid that you then regurgitate? It makes me realize the nature of the poison.

Sheikh Mohammed Himmi in the Tifnoute Valley, circa 1950 (photographer unknown).

People can quarrel, but we draw a line at poison because of the hiddenness of it--not just the treachery but the cowardly deceit of it. Why was he poisoned? Because, according to Omar, he would not permit the local men to marry more than one woman. Around that time, he visited a village below Amsouzerte, had this cup of poisoned coffee, returned home, and lived only two more days.

The day after his return, he asked Omar, At what point is the sun? Omar told him where it was. Gesturing, Mohammed said, When it gets to [this point], I will be passed.

I was greatly influenced by the ongoing conversations with Omar of all the stories and deeds and attitudes that he could remember about his brother and the people. As an example, one that has stuck with me all these years and was even part of my masters thesis focus is the issue of water supply in that region. There is a water spring source there called Ouray that flows north instead of south, but it belongs to the southern Tifnoute community.

They had been working on a project, digging into the mountain to reverse the direction of the water flow that would have changed the life course of fourteen villages, several thousands of people and their generations that followed. The project was stopped upon Sheikh Mohammeds death all those years ago, and, to this day, they are still suffering without adequate water, having to pipe an insufficient amount from eight kilometers away rather than having their own source--an unsustainable remedy.

Ouray became a project that I really wanted to work on during my service, still want to do, and for which I continue to advocate. Living in Tifnoute, I would go into my room after these conversations with Omar, and I would write these stories in my journal. The stories of the past, like Ourays, were brought alive again in the present as I tried to make good on the necessary work that was started many decades prior.

After the two years, when I was soon to leave, Omar brought to me the small tea kettle of silver that Sheikh Mohammed would drink tea from with his wife. Only the two of them would drink tea from that kettle--a family heirloom, a regional heirloom--and he gave it to me. This was a hugely thoughtful gift. I brought that tea kettle with me when I returned to New York. I showed it to my family, and I said, This is the tea kettle of Sheikh Mohammed, and he would drink tea from it only with his wife. I explained to them that he tried to do the right things, and he was murdered for it, that he was inclusive, and that the kettle was approaching a century old.

To others, it was only an old, unpolished kettle from the mountains that they had little affinity for, and they seemed not particularly moved by the story. It became clear that that kettle was in entirely the wrong place. Its meaning lay in Toubkal. So, though it took some time, after a few years I returned to Omar, and I brought back the kettle. I said, Omar, this kettle belongs here. And fixing a wordless look on me, he understood, and he accepted it.

Jumping to the end, our last conversation, a few days before he passed away in May 2020, he could no longer speak. He could whisper to his grandson, Mohammed, who related to me what Omar said. I would respond to Mohammed, who would convey my comments to his grandfather. The very last thing he said to me was, This is your home, meaning his home was a place I was always welcome to be. And, from time to time, over the course of thirty years, it has been a place where I have found myself. There was something there, whenever I was there, that was soothing as nowhere else.

Dr. Yossef Ben-Meir is a sociologist and President of the High Atlas Foundation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to sustainable development in Morocco.
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Linkedin Robin Millard (Agence France-Presse) Geneva, Switzerland  Fri, July 10, 2020 17:15 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066573d5e 2 World UN,Human-Rights-Council,drones,military Free

The world is entering a military "second drone age" with uncontrolled proliferation and no standards governing their use, a United Nations expert told the UN Human Rights Council on Thursday.

Agnes Callamard, the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, said the global community needed to take stock of how armed drones have evolved, and examine the challenges they posed to compliance with international law.

"There are no robust standards governing drones' development, proliferation, export, or capability for use of force. No transparency. No effective oversight. No accountability," she said.

"Drone strikes, it seems, are favored by decision-makers and military alike for their relative efficiency, effectiveness, adaptability, acceptability, deniability, and political gain."

The independent rights expert does not speak for the United Nations but reports her findings to it.

Callamard presented a report into targeted killings through armed drones, in light of the proliferation in drone use and their expanding capability over the last five years.

The report made recommendations designed to regulate their use and enhance accountability.

"The world has entered a 'second drone age' in which a vast array of state and non-state actors are deploying ever-more advanced drone technologies," Callamard said, adding that many countries wanted to join the "drone power club".

She said at least 102 countries had an active military drone inventory, while around 40 possess, or were procuring, armed drones.

"Since 2015, at least 11 countries allegedly have deployed armed drones, including for the purpose of use of force, such as targeted killings," said Callamard.

Her report identified the 11 countries as Britain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United States.

She said 35 countries were thought to have the largest and deadliest class of drones.

Yearly report call

The expert called on countries to establish a transparent process "for the development of robust standards and accountability mechanisms for the use and export of armed drones".

She said the UN secretary-general should set up international inquiries or fact-finding missions to investigate targeted killings by drones.

Callamard also called for the UN high commissioner for human rights to produce a yearly report tracking drone strikes and casualties for discussion by the Human Rights Council.

Callamard's report concluded that the US drone strike outside Baghdad airport in January that killed Iran's top general Qasem Soleimani was "unlawful" and an "arbitrary killing" that violated the UN charter.

The United States on Wednesday blasted her findings.

"It takes a special kind of intellectual dishonesty to issue a report condemning the United States for acting in self-defense while whitewashing General Soleimani's notorious past as one of the world's deadliest terrorists," State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said.

Responding Thursday to Callamard's report, Esmaeil Baghaei Hamaneh, Iran's ambassador to the UN in Geneva, told the Human Rights Council that the killing was "viciously immoral and recklessly dangerous", calling Soleimani "a true defender of human rights and dignity".

"He is now an inspiring legend and will remain a living nightmare for his killers. You cannot dry up a deeply-earthed pure tree by cutting its branches," the ambassador insisted.
The verdict on the disengagement worked out between India and China on June 30 is that India has lost territory. It is a setback to Indias long-standing claims in the Ladakh sector. Indias strategic community of military and intelligence professionals are coming around to the view that China has the clear upper hand now.

For starters, India has to move back considerably from the perceived Line of Actual Control (LAC), which had been the de facto border ever since China captured large swathes of territory in the 1962 war. Worryingly, as multiple Indian army and intelligence sources have pointed out, the LAC is now all set to become a hot border like the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan in the Jammu & Kashmir sector.

Not only has India lost territory, it now has to spend millions manning a large military formation to ensure the LAC is not pushed back even further.

Such a possibility, a senior military official said, would be unthinkable had this been the LoC with Pakistan. Unfortunately, the voices heard advocating a harder line vis a vis Pakistan have quietened down while the disengagement deal by Lt. Gen. Harinder Singh, the XIV Corps Commander, and his Chinese counterpart, Maj Gen Liu Lin, head of Chinas South Xinjiang Military Region, is underway.

Ground lost in Galwan Valley

What has surprised many military commanders is that the Indian leadership agreed to Chinas terms. A key loss is Patrolling Point 14 (PP 14), where a major clash took place on June 15 that claimed the lives of one Indian Army officer and 19 soldiers. An indeterminate number of Chinese soldiers are believed to have been killed in the clash, but no proof of that has emerged so far. This means the Indian Army and ITBP will move considerably back in the Galwan Valley sector. A similar position has been taken at PP 17A and on the mountain ridges known as Finger 2 to 8: India will no longer be allowed to move ahead either.

Effectively, China has managed to push back Indias LAC further back and taken ground that was earlier in Indias possession.

In other areas such as Hot Springs and Pangong Tso lake, the confrontation continues with Indian soldiers in eye-ball-to-eyeball confrontation with the Chinese. Till a few months ago these were considered settled areas. Bilateral agreements from 1993, 1996 and 2013 protected them from any forcible change by either side. This has now happened, and India has agreed to push back its perception of the LAC without getting an opportunity to resort to the earlier bilateral agreements.

An indication of things to come was evident when both countries released their official statements between Indias National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinas Special Representative and foreign minister Wang Yi on July 6. The right and wrong of what recently happened at the Galwan Valley in the western sector of the China-India boundary is very clear. China will continue firmly safeguarding our territorial sovereignty as well as peace and tranquillity in the border areas, the Chinese statement said. Indias official statement was completely silent on the Galwan Valley and only mentioned that peace and tranquillity in the India-China border areas was essential.

India also stated that both countries should not take any unilateral action to alter the status quo and work together to avoid any incident in the future that could disturb peace and tranquillity in border areas. But on June 19, the Chinas foreign ministry official spokesperson Zhao Lijian had explicitly stated that since May 6, India had made an attempt to unilaterally change the status quo of control and management. This, Zhao Lijian said, resulted in the clash on June 15 when 20 Indian Army personnel were killed.

Clearly, the Chinese now claim that Galwan Valley, which saw bitter fighting in 1962, is now claimed and virtually held by China. Indian troops will be at least 2 km away from this area and will not even send patrols up to PP 14. This is in keeping with the Chinese position which it has explicitly stated several times publicly and on record.

A new kind of war



India has also been deploying all its surveillance capabilities throughout the crisis. A fleet of drones based out of Srinagar has been flying over the area when the weather permits.

The Indian government is now sourcing satellite images from private players in addition to a host of Indian satellites developed and manufactured by ISRO that are keeping close watch on the Chinese withdrawal.

While India has retaliated by banning 59 apps made by Chinese companies, there has been a significant rise in cyberattacks on Indian critical information infrastructure. The kind of malware Indian cybersecurity experts are gathering indicates a major step up in Chinese cyber operations.

Meanwhile, Indian security officials also agree that salami slicing, a known Chinese tactic to slowly expand its territory in disputed areas, is working. The latest crisis in the Ladakh sector and the agreed upon principles of disengagement have given the Chinese more territory in Galwan Valley, Hot Springs and the ridgelines leading to the Pangong Tso lake. A similar confrontation in the Depsang Plains also continues. There is now a legitimate concern in the Indian security establishment that China has outplayed India on several fronts.

Clarification

Senior Indian government officials have clarified that Indian satellites have been performing optimally and there has been no problem with coverage.
[July 10, 2020] 365 Connect Adds More Prestige to Its Iconic Award Wall With Two Gold MUSE Creative Awards

NEW ORLEANS, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- 365 Connect, a leading provider of award-winning digital marketing, leasing, and resident service platforms for the multifamily housing industry, announced today that the company has received two Gold MUSE Creative Awards for its industry-first, ADA-certified platform. These prestigious awards recognize 365 Connect's dedication to digital inclusion across the rental housing industry and beyond. The International Awards Associate (IAA) is an international group of award-winning design and communications professionals. The organization hosts multiple award programs, including the Vega Digital Awards, NYX Marcom Awards, and MUSE Creative Awards, and considers the latter to be the crown jewel in its vast suite of competitions. The award program is open to all industry professionals, including graphic and web designers, photographers, videographers, and mobile app developers. "We believe that outstanding creativity allows these professionals to truly contribute to history," said Kenjo Ong, CEO of International Awards Associate. "The MUSE Creative Awards discovers muses from every corner of the industry, rewards their ingenuity, and increases their visibility internationally. It's their time to become the benchmark for all future muses." MUSE Award entries are evaluated in accordance to their respective industry's best standards. Submissions go through blind judging, where their qualities and concepts are assessed through creative fundamentals and design principles. Winners, who had best met the competition criteria, were selected during the culmination of the judging process. Recognizing the creative achievements of professionals from more than 50 countries, the IAA challenges the interntional creative community to stand up, be fearless, and create history.



365 Connect CEO Kerry W. Kirby responded, "We're truly honored to receive two Gold MUSE Creative Awards and are excited to have our efforts acknowledged on an international level. As physical buildings become more dependent on their websites to interact with prospective and current customers, our focus is to make online services accessible to everyone. These awards emphasize our team's unwavering commitment to delivering compliant solutions to the widest possible online audience." With an array of coveted technology awards, 365 Connect continues to revolutionize how apartment communities market, lease, and deliver services with a dynamic platform built on modern cloud architecture and flexible infrastructure. The platform consumes, integrates, and displays data in order to streamline operations without sacrificing a seamless user experience. Today, many of the nation's most respected multifamily housing operators utilize 365 Connect to unify processes and create efficient workflows.

ABOUT 365 CONNECT: 365 Connect is a leading provider of award-winning digital marketing, leasing, and resident service platforms for the multifamily housing industry. Founded in 2003 with an unwavering commitment to transforming the rental real estate market, 365 Connect delivers a fully-integrated suite of comprehensive solutions designed to accelerate conversions, simplify transactions, and elevate services. 365 Connect allows its clients infinite expansion, robust integrations, and the ability to revolutionize user experiences. Explore: www.365connect.com Related Images 365-connect.jpg

365 CONNECT

365 Connect is a leading provider of award-winning digital marketing, leasing, and resident service platforms for the multifamily housing industry. Related Links Like Us On Facebook Follow Us On Twitter View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/365-connect-adds-more-prestige-to-its-iconic-award-wall-with-two-gold-muse-creative-awards-301088140.html SOURCE 365 CONNECT

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Pentagon Begins Probe of Media Leaks Amid Russian Bounty Reports

U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper has ordered an investigation into leaks of both classified and unclassified material to media, he told members of the House Armed Services Committee during a July 9 hearing.

The probe comes after the recent leak of sensitive information to the media regarding the existence of intelligence that Russia allegedly offered bounty payments to Taliban-linked terrorists to kill U.S. and coalition troops in Afghanistan.

Citing anonymous officials, several news outlets claimed Russians have been paying the Taliban to assassinate U.S.-led coalition troops. Among some of the first media outlets to publish the claims regarding Russian bounties were The New York Times and The Washington Post, with the latter reporting on June 28 that several U.S. soldiers were believed to have died as a result of the program.

However, U.S. officials said the intelligence was suspect and that neither President Donald Trump nor Vice President Mike Pence had been briefed on it. Russian officials have also denied the allegations.

Ive launched an investigation that is underway to go after leaks, whether its of classified information or unclassified information that is sensitive and also, you know, unauthorized discussions with the media, Esper told the committee during the hearing about the militarys role in civil law enforcement.

All those things, again, hurt our nations security. They undermine our troops, their safety. They affect our relations with other countries. They undermine our national policy.

The illegal leaks are terrible. Theyre happening across the government, particularly in the Defense Department.

Esper also told lawmakers, To the best of my recollection, I have not received a briefing that included the word bounty,' in reference to the killing of U.S. troops.

Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) questions Gordon Sondland, the then-U.S ambassador to the European Union, as he testifies before the House Intelligence Committee in Washington on Nov. 20, 2019. (Alex Edelman/Getty Images)

If it was a credible reportthats important, a credible corroborated reportthat used those words, certainly it would have been brought to my attention, Esper said, in response to a question by Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio).

However, Esper later confirmed that he had seen the report but not until February, when it came out in an intelligence piece of paper, and that he, the head of U.S. Central Command, and the commander of all U.S. troops in Afghanistan looked into the matter and none thought the reports about Russian bounties were credible.

In June, President Donald Trump said that no one in his administration, including White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and Pence, briefed him on the allegations contained in the report, and described the reports as fake news.

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, Trump wrote on Twitter on June 28. Everybody is denying it.

There have not been many attacks on us. Nobodys been tougher on Russia than the Trump Administration, he said.

However, lawmakers, including Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, criticized the administration after reading reports claiming it was aware of the purported program and did nothing to respond.

On July 9, Duckworth, an Iraq War combat veteran, sent a letter to Esper requesting he investigate U.S. troop casualties in Afghanistan to determine whether any U.S. servicemember deaths were related to the alleged bounty program.

It is unacceptable that to date, the Trump administration appears to be ignoring a matter of great importance to Gold Star Family members, whose loved ones were killed while serving in Afghanistan: Were any U.S. troop casualties in Afghanistan connected with the alleged GRU bounty payments to Taliban-linked militants? Gold Star Families deserve an answer to this question, she wrote.
London  The World Health Organization is acknowledging the possibility that the coronavirus might be spread in the air under certain conditions  after more than 200 scientists urged the agency to do so.

In an open letter published this week in a journal, two scientists from Australia and the U.S. wrote that studies have shown beyond any reasonable doubt that viruses are released during exhalation, talking and coughing in microdroplets small enough to remain aloft in the air.

The researchers, along with more than 200 others, appealed for national and international authorities, including WHO, to adopt more stringent protective measures.

WHO has long dismissed the possibility that the coronavirus is spread in the air except for certain risky medical procedures, such as when patients are first put on breathing machines.

In a change to its previous thinking, WHO noted on Thursday that studies evaluating Covid-19 outbreaks in restaurants, choir practices and fitness classes suggested the virus might have been spread in the air.

Airborne spread particularly in specific indoor locations, such as crowded and inadequately ventilated spaces over a prolonged period of time with infected persons cannot be ruled out, WHO said.

Still, officials also pointed out that other modes of transmission  like contaminated surfaces or close contacts between people in such indoor environments  might also have explained the disease's spread.

WHOs stance also recognized the importance of people spreading Covid-19 without symptoms, a phenomenon the organization has long downplayed.

WHO has repeatedly said such transmission is rare despite a growing consensus among scientists globally that asymptomatic spread likely accounts for a significant amount of transmission. The agency said that most spread is via droplets from infected people who cough or sneeze, but added that people without symptoms are also capable of transmitting the disease.

The extent of truly asymptomatic infection in the community remains unknown, WHO said.

The WHO also said Thursday that the coronavirus is not under control in most countries and is getting worse. More than 12 million cases have been confirmed worldwide, up from 6 million on May 30, and at least 555,000 people have died from Covid-19.

The pandemic is still accelerating, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. The total number of cases has doubled in the last six weeks.

The U.S. has seen more coronavirus cases and fatalities than any other country, with 3.1 million confirmed infections and 133,291 deaths from Covid-19. Brazil is the second highest with 1.8 million cases and over 69,000 deaths.

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BISMARCK, N.D. - A federal judge rejected a request from the operator of the Dakota Access Pipeline to halt an order to shut down the oil pipeline during a lengthy environmental review.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg denied the companys request Thursday, effectively sending the case to a panel of judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Boasberg on Monday ordered the pipeline shut down by Aug. 5 for an additional environmental assessment more than three years after it began pumping oil. The move was a victory for the Standing Rock Sioux and a blow to President Donald Trumps efforts to weaken public health and environmental protections his administration views as obstacles to businesses.

In arguing against the closure, pipeline operator Energy Transfer estimated it would take three months to empty the pipe of oil and complete steps to preserve it for future use, the Bismarck Tribune reported.

The Texas-based company says that to keep the line from corroding without the flow of oil, it must be filled with an inert gas, such as nitrogen.

Energy Transfer Vice-President of Crude and Liquid Operations Todd Stamm wrote in a court filing that while the equipment that causes oil to flow through the line could be shut off by the judges deadline, it is not physically possible to empty it of oil in the thirty days provided by the order.

The line must undergo a purge-and-fill process that involves draining segments one at a time while the pipeline is operating to replace the oil with nitrogen, Stamm wrote.

Energy Transfer estimated it would cost $24 million to empty the oil and take steps to preserve the pipe. The company says that to maintain the line, it would spend an additional $67.5 million each year it remains inoperable.

The pipeline holds about 5 million barrels of oil when full.

It was the subject of months of protests in 2016 and 2017, sometimes violent, during its construction near the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation that straddles the North Dakota-South Dakota border. The tribe took legal action against the pipeline even after it began carrying oil from North Dakota across South Dakota and Iowa and to a shipping point in Illinois in June 2017.

The $3.8 billion, 1,172-mile (1,886 kilometre) pipeline crosses beneath the Missouri River, just north of the reservation. The tribe draws its water from the river and has concerns about pollution. The company maintains the line is safe.
New Delhi, July 10 : Congress MP Jairam Ramesh once again expressed his displeasure on Friday for not being allowed to hold virtual meetings for the parliamentary standing committees.

According to both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha secretariats, standing committees need to be attended physically with a slew of standard operating procedures. Ramesh, who heads the standing committee on science and technology said the decision resulted in relatively low attendance. Earlier, he questioned if the Prime Minister can hold virtual meetings, why not the members of standing committees.

Ramesh remarked on Friday, "Our Parliamentary Standing Committee is having a most informative and useful meeting with Biotech India, DST India, CSIR & government's Principal Scientific Advisor on the issue of Science & Technology & COVID-19. Too bad we are not allowed to have virtual meetings so that more MPs could have participated!" This is not the first time he raised the demand of the virtual meetings, predicting low turnout otherwise. "No MP from south can attend Standing Committee meeting tomorrow. No one from western states can attend. Only those in & around Delhi can come," Ramesh had said Thursday.

He further questioned, "If PM can hold video conferences with CMs, if NSA Doval can have a VC with Chinese, why can't 30 MPs hold a virtual meeting?" To make his point, Ramesh claimed at least 30 Parliaments worldwide have adapted to virtual meetings, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier, both the LS and RS secretariats came up with SOPs for such meetings saying it should be physical meetings in a physical space. However, it cautioned to maintain 6 feet distance from each other, not bring paper documents, using sanitisers at entrance among others.

Ramesh had written to the Upper House Chairman Venkaiah Naidu thrice, requesting for virtual meetings of the standing committees.
At a time when economists around the world project grim economic outlook and weak earnings in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, Uday Kotak, head of Kotak Mahindra Bank, still sees reasons to stay positive. In a letter to his shareholders, the 61-year-old veteran banker said that this is not going to be an easy year, but, as a nation, we have an opportunity to take advantage of the changes that are happening around us. Citing Darwin's theory of biological evolution, he said that "only the quickest to evolve and adapt will survive and prosper".

Kotak said that government and industry should learn from capital market investors and not worry too much about the current fiscal year's slowdown and instead plan and work towards a medium-term growth strategy. He said that investors and analysts have already discounted earnings downside for FY21, and are looking at earnings of FY22 and FY23.

Grasping opportunity in new normal

Uday Kotak said that the shift from physical to digital, and urban to rural migration opens new opportunities. He said that India can strive for manufacturing shifts from the world's factory, China, and become the front and back office of the world.

"In the short term, there will be uncertainty around job security and salary levels. Habits will change, as will demand patterns. Digital adoption will grow exponentially. Business models will undergo changes. Darwin's theory of biological evolution will come into play: only the quickest to evolve and adapt will survive and prosper," he said.

Also Read: Don't incentivise inefficient businesses; stimulus will deliver medium term growth: Uday Kotak

Financial sector in middle of storm

According to Kotak, the financial sector is in the middle of a storm, and all the boats (banks) will have to navigate rough seas. Citing the example of 'unsinkable' Titanic, he said that only the strongest banks will see through the storm and for that it needs a strong safety mechanism, such as healthy balance sheet to deal with contingencies and prioritising return of capital to leverage business.

"In that context, we have been conservative leading up to this crisis. Prioritising Return of Capital over Return on Capital is our basic mantra as a leveraged business. Hopefully, that will stand us in good stead," he said.

Also Read: Govt will have to spend more, focus on getting growth back: Uday Kotak

He said the Kotak Mahindr Bank raised Rs 7,400 crore through qualified institutional placement (QIP) issue in May 2020, which boosted the bank's capital position even further. The lender's Tier-1 capital adequacy ratio (CAR) which was about 17 per cent as on March 31, 2020 has gone up to over 20 per cent post issue, and the bank's consolidated net worth has also surged to about Rs 67,000 crore as on March 31, 2020 to over Rs 74,000 crore.

This additional capital will support the bank in dealing with contingencies or financing business opportunities (organic and/or inorganic), he said.

Banking sector need to be recapitalised

The veteran banker said that Indian banking system will need a recapitalisation as the coronavirus crisis is likely to hit the capital position of the banks. Considering the business disruption caused by pandemic, he said that even if 4-5 per cent of loans turn bad due to COVID, the capital position of the banking sector will get impacted by 40 per cent.

"The banking sector's loan book is about Rs 100 lakh crore and the total capital of all banks in India is about Rs 11 to 12 lakh crore. So, if 4-5 per cent of loans turn bad due to COVID, the capital position of the banking sector will get impacted by 40 per cent," he said.

"There will be some mark-to-market gains as bond yields have dropped. Still, the financial sector will need to be recapitalised," he added.

India's consolidated fiscal deficit may reach 11-12 per cent of GDP

On India's macro-economic outlook, Kotak said the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown have had substantial economic effects. Most economists estimate that GDP growth will be negative. "The good news is that unlike the 2013 crisis, our external account seems to be under control," he said.

He said that the government and the Reserve Bank of India have announced a set of reform oriented and supply side packages to mitigate the economic impact of the pandemic. Considering the stimulus measures announced so far, India's consolidated centre plus state fiscal deficit could reach 11-12 per cent of GDP, he said.

On recent rating downgrade by global rating agencies (Moody's, S&P and Fitch), he said that the government should not worry on how the rating agencies perceive the widening fiscal deficit and rather than being in denial, it must focus on the areas where it can improve. Here, investments in healthcare and education are the foundations for India's future, he said.
Mumbai, July 10 : Actor Manoj Bajpayee says it would be interesting to portray the dramatic life of UP gangster Vikas Dubey on big screen.

On Friday, after the news of the alleged encounter of a dreaded gangster, netizens started discussing the possibility of a Bollywood movie on the same.

Producer Sandiip Kapur also suggested that a film with Manoj Bajpayee playing the role of the gangster should be made.

"What has happened today in the encounter is beyond cinematic and dramatic experience. @BajpayeeManoj how about playing Vikas Dubey in your next? You'll kill it! #VikasDubey #Encounter @DrKumarVishwas," Kapur tweeted.

Reacting to it, Manoj said: "I have been hearing that a lot of people are discussing me in the role. If the character and script are nice, then playing any real life character would be fun. The said person's life has been very theatric and it would be very interesting to bring his life to the big screen. Let's see what happens. I am excited to play this character." It is being reported that Sandiip is in process of acquiring the rights to make the biopic of the gangster.

On the work front, Manoj is seen in the critically acclaimed movie "Bhonsle". It is the story of a man struggling to navigate a solitary life in self isolation.

"Bhonsle" revolves around a police constable played by Manoj Bajpayee, who tries to help migrants in their battles with the local politicians. The film also addresses the concerns of various ethnic groups and highlights the issues that they face in order to survive in a city like Mumbai, away from their home. The film also features Santosh Juvekar and Ipshita Chakraborty Singh.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
A massive 816,716 people are now on some form of hospital waiting list- a rise of 47,952 since the start of the year, shocking new figures revealed today.

There are 584,399 outpatients nationally waiting to be seen by a consultant- an increase of 8,536 and 30,965 higher than the start of the year.

A further 84,223 are now also waiting for surgery, a fall of 2,723 over the last month, the National Treatment Purchase Fund announced.

However there are an additional 17,518 patients on the surgery list since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in March.

Read More

The Irish Hospital Consultants Association said hospital waiting lists could be missing thousands of people who delayed hospital assessment or referral during pandemic.

Consultants say the official figures do not yet include people who have had their care disrupted or have postponed seeking care and referrals to hospitals for appointments during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The reduction in non-emergency and non-Covid-19 care in acute hospitals over recent months has resulted in a hidden increase in the number of people who delayed seeking care but need to be assessed by a hospital consultant and be provided with acute hospital treatment.

The IHCA has said that the numbers of people needing hospital assessment and care are not fully reflected in the current NTPF figures reported for the end of June 2020 as these cases will not yet have been placed on any waiting list.

In March, April, and May this year, compared with the same months in 2019 there were:

300,000 fewer outpatient appointments, with new and return outpatient attendances declining from 869,581 to 567,416 this year;

Approximately 43,000 fewer inpatient cases, which decreased from approximately 50,000 in February to 35,000 in April, before climbing back to around 42,000 in May;

Almost 128,000 fewer day case procedures, down from 90,000 in February to approximately 42,000 in April, before increasing slightly in May.

The NTPF recorded an increase of 17,309 in the outpatient waiting list (+3.1pc) over the same three-month period (March-May) and an increase of 25,845 (+4.6pc) in the past four months to the end of June.

The necessary reduction in appointments since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak has amplified even further the unacceptable long waits patients now endure.

Commenting on todays waiting list figures Dr Donal OHanlon, President, IHCA, said:The overwhelming capacity deficits that have existed over the past decade due to underinvestment have been exacerbated by the accumulated backlog of patients due to the pandemic.

The Government must urgently expand public hospital capacity by opening more hospital beds and other facilities and by filling the 500 plus permanent hospital consultant posts that are now vacant. If the Government does not fill these permanent consultant posts without delay it will be condemning the population to ever-increasing delays in obtaining urgent assessment and hospital treatment.

The consultant recruitment and retention crisis must be addressed by the Government immediately in view of the significant challenges our acute hospital services have and will continue to endure in the months and year ahead.

The Consultant salary inequity applying since 2012 is the root cause of Irelands consultant recruitment and retention crisis and the unacceptable numbers of people on record waiting lists. The Government must restore pay parity immediately in order to fill the over 500 permanent Consultant posts that are vacant.

The IHCA has sought an urgent meeting with Minister Stephen Donnelly to agree practical plans and workable solutions to address these pressing challenges.
30% of German Catholics now considering leaving church after record loss in 2019, survey finds

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Two weeks after the Catholic Church in Germany announced a record 272,771 people formally left the Catholic Church across the country in 2019, a new survey released Thursday says some 30% of the churchs more than 22 million members are considering similar action.

The survey, conducted by the research institute INSA Consulere for the Catholic weekly newspaper Die Tagespost, shows that nearly a third of respondents agreed with the statement I am a member of the Church and can imagine leaving the Church soon, the Catholic News Agency reported.

Some 54% of Catholics disagreed with the statement, 9% said they did not know, and 7% did not respond to the statement.

Germany has a population of just under 84 million. Of that number, 22,600,371 or 27.2% are members of the Catholic Church, according to official statistics.

Bishop Georg Batzing, president of the German bishops conference, said in a statement on June 26 that while some of the decline can be attributed to changing demographics he was concerned that the Catholic Church was no longer inspiring people to stay.

Of course, the declines are also due to demographics, but they also show first of all the fact that, despite our concrete pastoral and social actions, we no longer motivate a large number of people for Church life, Batzing said.

I find the very high number of people leaving the Church particularly burdensome. We regret every departure from the Church and we invite everyone who has left or wants to leave to talk to us. The number of people leaving the Church shows that the alienation between Church members and a life of faith in the Church community has become even stronger.

Batzing, who succeeded Cardinal Reinhard Marx as bishops conference chairman in March, noted that the Church would respond to the falling numbers by recognizing the signs of the times, as called for by the Second Vatican Council, the National Catholic Register said, instead of chasing after a spirit of the times.

This sometimes requires courageous changes in our own ranks. That is why last year we set out on the Synodal Way of the Church in Germany to ask what God wants from us today in this world, the bishop said. We will take the figures published today seriously and bring them into the discussions of the Synodal Way.

The Synodal Way is a two-year process that brings together lay people and bishops to discuss four major topics: the way power is exercised in the church body; sexual morality; the priesthood; and the role of women, the NCR said.

The Vatican has warned against the process that is expected to end with a series of binding votes, which could result in a challenge to the church bodys teaching and discipline.

Every time an ecclesial community has tried to get out of its problems alone, relying solely on its own strengths, methods and intelligence, it has ended up multiplying and nurturing the evils it wanted to overcome, Pope Francis wrote in a 28-page letter to German Catholics in June 2018, urging them to focus on evangelization in the face of a growing erosion and deterioration of faith.
Bengaluru, July 10 : Seven Karnataka ministers, who are ruling BJP legislators from Bengaluru, have been made in-charge of the seven Covid red zones to contain the pandemic spreading across the tech city, an official said on Friday.

Chief Minister Yediyurappa made Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan in-charge of west zone, Revenue Minister R. Ashoka of south zone, Education Minister S. Suresh Kumar of Bommanahalli, Housing Minister V. Somanna of east zone, Cooperation Minister S.T. Somashekhar of Rajarajeshwari Nagar in southwest, Urban Development Minister B.A. Basavaraja Mahadevapura of southeast zone, Food & Civil Supplies Minister K. Gopalaiah Dasarahalli of northwest.

Chief Minister's political secretary S.R. Vishwanath has been made in-charge of Yelahanka in north zone.

Of the 28 assembly segments across the city, 14 are held by the BJP, 11 by the opposition Congress, one each by the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) and an Independent, while one is vacant, pending by-election.

Of the 7 ministers in-charge of the zones, three -- Somashekar, Basavaraja and Gopalaiah -- had defected from the Congress and JD-S to the BJP and got re-elected in the December 5 by-elections.

"The ministers have also been given 7 senior IAS officers to coordinate their work with the state health department, the city civic body, the city police and other stakeholders, including private hospitals and non-governmental organisations," said the official.

The officers are Tushar Girinath (east zone), Rajendra Kumar Katria (west), P. Manivannan (Bommanahalli), Naveen Raj Singh (Yelahanka), Munish Moudgil (south), N. Manjula (Mahadevpura) and P.C. Jaffer (Devanahalli).

The health department has also decided to ramp up beds with high-flow oxygen facility in all Covid hospitals, conduct more tests and fast-track their results at a cost of Rs 207 crore.

"The city has been divided into red, orange and yellow zones in commensurate with the number of Covid cases in them for containing the virus spread on war footing," said the official.

Of the 2,228 new cases in the state on Thursday, Bengaluru accounted for 1,373, taking its Covid tally to 13,882, including 10,870 active cases, after 2,834 were discharged, with 606 in the day, while 177 people have succumbed to the virus since March 9.

"The containment zones are concentrated more in the city's southern and western suburbs. Active cases doubled over the last 8 days and shot up to a whopping 12,509 from 4,555 on June 30," the official added.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
The Accra High Court has convicted a former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Venture Capital Trust Fund (VCTF), Daniel Duku and two others for causing financial loss to the state.



As their punishment Duku, Irene Anti Mensah, an Executive Assistant to Duku and her husband, Frank Aboagye Mensah, would pay restitution of about GH18.5m to the state.



The court presided over by Justice Anthony Oppong, ordered the three convicts to pay the restitution following an agreement they had with the Attorney-General (A-G) per Section 35 of the Courts Act, 1993 (Act 459)



In line with Section 35 of Act 459, the three convicts pleaded guilty to a total of about 42 charges levelled against them by the State.



Restitution



The court had earlier rejected the restitution agreement and ordered the trial to commence.



However, the three accused persons filed a review of that decision and at todays hearing, the court agreed to the restitution agreement.



Per the agreement as enforced by the court, Duku must pay GH15million and $26,063 to the state.



The court has also imposed a fine of GH500,000 on Duku, while all the assets he acquired during his tenure as CEO of Venture Capital Trust (2010-2015) have been confiscated.



With regard to Irene Anti Mensah, the court ordered her to pay GH1.5million and also imposed a fine of GH100,000 on her.



The court ordered Frank Aboagye Mensah to pay GH1,195,000 and also imposed a fine of GH100,000 on him.



All the convicts have been ordered to pay a percentage of the amount within 7 days and the remaining within three months after their conviction.



Per Section 35 of Act 459, if the convicts refuse to pay the restitution within the stipulated period, the court will impose a custodial sentence on them.

Source: Daily Graphic









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BLACKMAN TWP., MI  A Jackson man was arrested at the Westwood Mall for attempted murder Friday morning.

The 28-year-old man arrested is a parole absconder and was under surveillance July 10, Director of Police and Fire Services Elmer Hitt said. When officers attempted to contact the man outside the Westwood Mall, 1850 W. Michigan Ave., he fled, Hitt said.

Officers chased the man through the mall for a short amount of time before the man exited and ran into the woods, where he was caught and arrested, Hitt said.

Man shot several times in south Jackson, police say

The man has an outstanding felony warrant for assault with attempt to murder, Hitt said. The warrant stems from a June 28 shooting.

A man in his 20s was found alive with multiple gunshot wounds in the 300 block of East Euclid Avenue south of downtown, previous reporting said. He was taken to Henry Ford Allegiance Health. He is in the hospital in stable condition, Hitt said.

Jackson County Courthouse is closed Fridays, so the suspect could not be immediately arraigned.

Jackson County to close departments on Fridays to save money

Read more news from the Jackson Citizen Patriot:

House fire caused by thunderstorm in Jackson County, officials say

Thunderstorm knocks out power, brings down trees in Jackson

Family loses everything in fire, Fort Hood murder accomplice has local ties: Top Jackson headlines July 4-9
Texas for the first time reported more than 10,000 lab-confirmed COVID-19 patients and over 3,000 deaths on Friday as state lawmakers began pressuring the federal government to create a field hospital in one of the states hardest-hit regions.

The state on Friday reported 10,002 COVID-19 hospitalizations, almost twice as many as two weeks ago and seven times the total on Memorial Day.

With the state reporting 10,698 remaining available hospital beds statewide, and just 940 intensive care beds, the states two U.S. Senators plus members of the Congress from the Rio Grande Valley have called on the federal government to set up an emergency field hospital to deal with the rising number of patients from Brownsville to Laredo.

HELP ON THE WAY: Hundreds of nurses pour into Texas to help fight second COVID surge

Unfortunately, with recent surges in COVID-19 cases over the past several weeks, our health systems have been pushed to their limits, says the letter to U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar. Providers in our region have urgently requested additional staffing and a myriad of medical supplies including oxygen, ventilators, personal protective equipment, and dialysis machines as well as additional facilities to enhance critical care and discharge capacity.

The letter was sent by U.S. Sens John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, along with U.S. Reps. Henry Cuellar, Filemon Vela and Vicente Gonzales, all of whom represent parts of the border communities.

That effort is coming after Gov. Greg Abbott earlier this week stopped all elective surgeries in the region and the federal government set up a new free mobile testing site in Edinburg in the heart of Hidalgo County, where deaths have spiked from the coronavirus over the last two weeks. In the past two weeks, Hidalgo County has reported 74 more deaths from the virus  the second-highest total of any county in the state. Hidalgo County has a population of 870,000 people.

This is very severe in the Rio Grande Valley, but people must understand this is very severe across the state of Texas, Abbott said in an interview on KRGV Channel 5 NEWS in Hidalgo County.

Abbott was asked by anchor Kristine Galvan why he didnt set up emergency pop-up hospitals in the region sooner, as the state did in late March in places such as Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston where there are far more medical facilities than in the Rio Grande Valley. Abbott said hes been working with hospital officials in the Valley for weeks and they consistently told him they had the capacity then.

Now Abbott said emergency teams are sending more medical professionals into the region to help with the rising number of cases.

He pressed viewers in the Rio Grande Valley to wear masks, telling them it was the last best chance that we have to avoid a lockdown.
California is suing President Donald Trump's administration over its policy threatening the visas of foreign students whose courses move online due to coronavirus, officials said Thursday.

The lawsuit to be filed by the state's attorney general comes as Trump pushes for the country's education facilities to reopen even as virus infections continue to spike, particularly in the south and west.

'The Trump Administration's unlawful policy...threatens to exacerbate the spread of COVID-19 and exile hundreds of thousands of college students studying in the United States,' said a statement announcing the suit.

On Monday, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement said foreign students enrolled in fully online programs for the fall semester would not be allowed to enter the country.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra (seen above in Sacramento in March 2018) is suing the Trump administration for revoking visas to college students whose class have moved online due to the coronavirus pandemic

'We'll see him in court,' Becerra wrote on his Facebook page on Thursday

Under the updated rules, international students must take at least some of their classes in person.

New visas will not be issued to students at schools or programs that are entirely online.

And even at colleges offering a mix of in-person and online courses this fall, international students will be barred from taking all their classes online.

It creates an urgent dilemma for thousands of international students who became stranded in the US last spring after the coronavirus forced their schools to move away from in-person classes.

Nearly 400,000 foreigners received student visas in the 12-month period that ended September 30, down more than 40 per cent from four years earlier. School administrations partly blame visa processing delay.

The measure was seen as a move by the White House to put pressure on educational institutions that are adopting a cautious approach to reopening amid the global COVID-19 pandemic.

But California State University - a plaintiff in the suit - is among those planning to offer mostly online-only education to their more than 10,000 foreign students, as well as US students, this fall.

'Shame on the Trump Administration for risking not only the education opportunities for students who earned the chance to go to college, but now their health and well-being as well,' said Attorney General Becerra.

Forcing Californian universities and colleges to open in-person classes would threaten their finances and could turn them into 'super-spreaders' of the disease, Becerra said.

The federal prosecutor for heavily Democratic California - who has filed dozens of lawsuits over the Republican president's policies - added: 'We'll see the Trump Administration in court.'

Harvard University, which also plans online-only classes next year, filed a separate lawsuit against the policy on Wednesday, along with MIT.

Leaders of the Cambridge institutions asked a federal court to temporarily block the rule, saying they believed the order is 'illegal.'

Harvard's president Lawrence Bacow claimed that with the order, the Trump administration is threatening to force educational institutions to open despite the ongoing dangers of the coronavirus pandemic.

He added that the 'cruelty' of the order was 'surpassed only by its recklessness'.

'Within the last hour, we filed pleadings together with MIT in the US District Court in Boston seeking a temporary restraining order prohibiting enforcement of the order,' Bacow wrote in a letter to the Harvard community on Wednesday morning.

On Monday, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement said foreign students enrolled in fully online programs for the fall semester would not be allowed to enter the country. President Trump is seen above at the White House on Thursday

'We will pursue this case vigorously so that our international students - and international students at institutions across the country - can continue their studies without the threat of deportation.'

Bacow added that the order 'was designed purposefully to place pressure on colleges and universities to open their on-campus classrooms for in-person instruction this fall' but came at a time of record new coronavirus cases across the country.

'We believe that the ICE order is bad public policy, and we believe that it is illegal,' he wrote.

'We will not stand by to see our international students dreams extinguished by a deeply misguided order. We owe it to them to stand up and to fight - and we will.'

MIT joined Harvard in filing the lawsuit to the US District Court in Boston, seeking a 14-day restraining order on the Immigration and Customs Enforcement policy.

The universities said that they relied on the Department of Homeland Security policy from March which would allow foreign students to remain in the US and for new students to arrive for the academic year beginning in the fall.

'If allowed to stand, ICEs policy would bar hundreds of thousands of international students at American universities from the United States in the midst of their undergraduate or graduate studies,' the schools wrote in the court papers.

'ICEs decision reflects a naked effort by the federal government to force universities to reopen all in-person classes notwithstanding their informed judgment that it is neither safe nor advisable to do so. The effect  perhaps even the goalis to create chaos for schools and international students alike.'

The Boston Globe reports that the lawsuit notes that some students would not be able to continue their online education with Harvard and MIT if they return to their home countries.

It cited students from countries such as Somalia and Ethiopia where civil unrest makes internet access unlikely.

The suit added that some students would face 'conditions of social unrest, economic instability, or other threats to their continued safety'.

Harvard announced Wednesday morning that it had filed the lawsuit. The university's president, Lawrence Bacow, is seen above in October 2019

Others might be drafted in their home countries, might face threats or abuse based on their sexual orientation, or might not be able to access mental health treatments, the universities argued.

According to the Boston Globe, the universities have asked the federal court to schedule a hearing on their request Wednesday.

Colleges across the US were already expecting sharp decreases in international enrollment this fall, but losing all international students could be disastrous for some.

Many depend on tuition revenue from international students, who typically pay higher tuition rates. Last year, universities in the US attracted nearly 1.1 million students from abroad.

Among those not affected is Cornell University which on Tuesday announced it will welcome students back to campus.

The Ivy League university decided that compared with holding classes only online, residential learning would be safer for students and the wider community because it can ask students to participate in a screening program to detect and contain any spread of the coronavirus, President Martha Pollack said.

Just hours before the new guidance was issued, Harvard had made the decision to move their classes online this fall, in light of the growing number of coronavirus cases.

MIT, pictured, has joined with Harvard to file the lawsuit against the Trump administration.

The prestigious university announced that 40 percent of undergraduates would be allowed to return to campus but their instruction would be conducted remotely.

On Tuesday, President Trump lashed out at the university, calling the move to online due to the coronavirus pandemic 'ridiculous'.

'I think it's ridiculous. I think it's an easy way out. And I think they ought to be ashamed of themselves,' Trump said at a White House roundtable discussion, during which he called for schools and universities to reopen for the next semester.

Trump, who is campaigning for reelection in November, has taken a bullish approach to reopening the country even as virus infections continue to spike, particularly the south and west.

'Everybody wants it. The moms want it. The dads want it. The kids want it. It's time to do it,' he said.

'We want to get our schools open, we want to get them open quickly, beautifully, in the fall.'
Clear Creek ISD schools plans for reopening this fall are coming into focus.

Families will have two options to receive an education, Superintendent Greg Smith said in a live-streamed event July 9. First is the brick-and-mortar. That is the traditional Monday through Friday, and we will extend (the school day) by 10 minutes to give some breathing room so that we can institute some safety protocols like washing your hands frequently.

For those concerned about having their children attend school during the coronavirus pandemic, their kids can stay at home and use Clear Connections, an online program where they can receive lessons virtually through a computer.

Students that stay at home will not be at liberty to take their lessons at whatever time appeals to them.

Students will follow a school schedule similar to a bell schedule on a daily basis, Smith said. Daily attendance will be taken.

This is not an early release, or a late arrival or a take the day off on Friday, he said of the plan.

Parents must decide soon

Starting Monday, July 13, parents can make preferences on whether their children will receive lessons in the traditional manner or online. The decision must be made by Aug. 4, but ideally it would be made by July 20, Smith said.

Getting to the point where the school district could actually announce reopening plans hasnt been easy.

CCISD, like many other districts, had been developing three plans  the traditional plan where all students physically attended school, the virtual plan where pupils took their lessons at home and a hybrid one where students would be in school one day and work from home the next.

The latter plan would enable students to have a fair amount of face-to-face contact with their teachers and would also reduce the number of children in the schools, which would make maintaining social distances easier.

But the hybrid plan was effectively thrown out July 6 when Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath mandated that to receive state funding, districts must offer five day per week in-person instruction for those who choose to attend school on campus.

For those attending school in person, there will be a new normal when the fall semester starts Aug. 18.

Texas Education Agency rules require students, staff and visitors to wear face masks or coverings when people cant maintain a social distance of 6 feet; so there will be some tweaking of classrooms.

We are going to rearrange classrooms to the maximum extent possible that we can provide social distancing in the classroom, said Steven Ebell, Clear Creeks deputy superintendent of curriculum and instruction.

Putting fewer kids in each classroom is not really an option, Smith said.

While I would love to reduce class sizes, we simply do not have enough teachers, physical classrooms or funding (to do that,) he said.

Face masks will be part of everyday school attire, as students will need to wear coverings at arrival, dismissal and when transitioning from one class to the next.

But, if social distancing cannot be maintained, there will be times when pupils can go maskless.

I like my Astros mask, Smith said. It feels good on me, but it does not feel good on me for seven or eight hours a day; so I will not ask children or adults to wear masks for seven or eight hours. So, well have mask breaks.

For more information, visit ccisd.net/reopen.

John DeLapp is a freelance writer. He can be contacted at texdelapp@gmail.com.
By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijans national carrier Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) airlifted 189 citizens from Kyiv to Baku by a charter flight on July 9, AZAL reported in its official Facebook page.

Passengers with certificate of negative COVID-19 test result issued within 48 hours before departure were allowed to the flight.

All passengers arriving by this flight undertake obligations for self-isolation for two weeks upon arrival.

AZAL operates charter flights to return compatriots to the country in accordance with the plan defined by the Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers.

Azerbaijan has so far repatriated over 25,000 citizens from different countries over COVID-19 pandemic. The citizens have been repatriated from Moscow, Istanbul, Kyiv, Minsk, Iran, Tashkent (Uzbekistan), Riga (Latvia), Warsaw (Poland), Berlin (Germany) among others.

Azerbaijan first introduced special quarantine regime on March 24 and the fourth stage of quarantine regime easing came into force May 31. However, the borders remain closed.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
As Laredo Hospitals increasingly feel the strain of the hospitalizations due to the novel coronavirus, local officials from the City of Laredo and Webb County are doing everything in their power to ensure the city has enough, beds, equipment and manpower to fight the virus.

In Friday's media briefing, Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz revealed that discussion have been ongoing with state officials in order to increase COVID capacity. However, Saenz said state officials want to ensure the local capacity has been exhausted before they can provide assistance through additional medical facilities.

Local officials said the state has been receptive with Laredo's staffing issues, sending various task forces of medical professionals to Laredo to fill shortages in personnel at local hospitals, however the number of beds remains an issue.

The Mayor and other city leaders have been in contact with private medical facilities, as well as hospitals, to calculate the amount of beds that could be opened up at local facilities.

"Private hospitals need to do their part," Saenz said. "With all do respect to our partners, we need to formalize this demand to the hospitals. We need their full cooperation to provide whatever space is available."

After a Thursday meeting, local leaders reported an estimated 55 additional beds, both ICU and non-ICU, could be opened up at LMC, Doctors Hospital and private facilities for COVID patients. LMC reported it could open up 19-20 beds, while Doctors said 8-9 and standalone clinics around 30 which could be added on to Laredo's existing capacity.

"There is no time to be speculating," Saenz said. "We need commitments, we need assurances."

However, with the rate of hospitalizations the city is experiencing, Saenz said the additional beds could be filled in up to six days.

"Even with another 60 beds, with the current trajectory, we're talking days before the 60 available beds are exceeded," Saenz said. "We need 150 beds. That's over and above the beds we can get our hands on through the private sector."

State officials offered additional suggestions that locals should explore before consulting the state for an additional unit, such as converting cafeteria facilities at local hospitals into an additional medical unit.

According to Saenz, they would rather have patients housed near a hospital with medical equipment nearby rather than have to transfer medical equipment to an alternate facility, such as a tented clinic or Sames Auto Arena, which has previously been discussed as a possible site for an additional medical building.

Once state officials have seen an exhaustion in Laredo's medical capacity, the mayor said they have committed to providing Laredo additional assistance.

Saenz stressed that they are looking at every possibility to expand the number of beds locally, including negotiating a private facility for additional space. Should it be needed, the city would have to pay for the space on its own, something that he said they would do with money given to the city through the CARES Act.

Through the CARES act, we have received funds. We have to utilize those funds for our people," Saenz said. "It's time now to put all the cards on the table and see where we, as a community, can make this work."

Hospital capacity

As of noon Friday, local officials reported that Laredo hospitals remain at or near their full COVID capacity. Non-COVID ICU beds are filling up quickly as well. According to Laredo Health Authority Dr. Victor Trevino, the ICU unit at Doctors Hospital has been completely converted into a COVID unit.

At Doctors Hospital, 16 patients are reported to be in the COVID ICU unit, and the capacity for the unit can be expanded to hold up to 24 beds. The non-COVID ICU unit, which was opened on the hospital's third floor after their original location was converted into a COVID unit, is at full capacity with eight beds filled.

Additionally, 30 patients are in the non-COVID unit which is at capacity, meaning a couple of additional patients have overflowed into other units at the hospital. According to Trevino, three COVID patients are currently housed in the ER, one in the natal ward, and one  a 6-month-old infant  in the hospital's pediatric unit.

Neither Laredo hospital has an intensive care unit for pediatric patients, meaning they would have to be transferred out of the city should intensive care be necessary.

At Laredo Medical Center, 26 patients are in the COVID ICU unit and 25 are in the non-ICU COVID unit. The latter is at full capacity. There is room for two more COVID-ICU patients after the hospital recently opened an additional wing, which is at 85% capacity.
Activists blame aquaculture firm Mowi Chile for salmon fraud

by Bent-Are Jensen

July 10,2020 | Source: Centro Ecoceanos

In a statement, a group of salmon farming opponents accuse Mowi, the pioneering aquaculture company in Chile, of having falsified the numbers so that the re-capture appears larger than it actually is. The claim is that local fishermen are paid for more fish than they have actually managed to catch -- as long as they have accepted the bills.



"We will not accept one of the biggest frauds in the history of Chilean salmon farming", says the statement signed by, among others, Juan Carlos Cardenas, who heads the Centro Ecoceanos environmental foundation.



With him he has 30 other individuals, environmental groups, local fisheries teams, small indigenous groups and leaders of indigenous groups.



"We have no comment on this press release, but we are obviously following the current regulations," Mowi's communications director

Ola Helge Hjetland replied in an email to IntraFish.



The question was whether Mowi in Chile has cheated with receipts to keep the concession.



The call for the boycott states: "We urge citizens and non-governmental organizations, restaurants, the trade industry, national consumers and consumers abroad not to buy chemically produced salmon from industry because of devastating consequences in terms of environment, health and working conditions. The aquaculture industry is violating workers' rights and communities in southern Chile."



Greenpeace Chile uses the escape as an example that aquaculture production must not be allowed to grow, without the authorities having the capacity to control the activity properly.



The statement that IntraFish has received from Ecoceanos does not take into account that the salmon industry has created employment and economic growth in the southern parts of the country, which have traditionally been low-income districts.



The industry has created over 40,000 small and medium-sized companies that provide equipment and services. The industry has employed 21,000 directly and 61,000 indirectly, according to the website of the industry organization Salmon Chile.

Theme(s): Fisheries Development and Aquaculture.
After the murder of George Floyd, this country could no longer ignore the cries for real reform to address the legacies of systemic racism across our society. When you put on the uniform and have power over someones life as a police officer does, or as I did in Afghanistan, you also take on a higher responsibility to demonstrate not only the courage to run into danger, but also the composure to show restraint. What Derek Chauvin did was abhorrent and spotlighted once again how much more America must do to create a truly fair criminal justice system.

It was the responsibility of all levels of government to respond. In the House, we moved swiftly to pass with bipartisan support the Justice in Policing Act. However, in New York City, rather than using the moment to build a more just society, the Mayor and others governed by hashtag, cutting the police department budget instead of shifting resources within the department to what has proven to work. Thats shortsighted and wrong.
Antigua-based workers with the cash-strapped regional airline, LIAT, had until today, Friday 19th July, to agree to proposals by made by the government consequent upon indication of the imminent liquidation of LIAT (1974) Ltd.





Antigua and Barbudas Prime Minister Gaston Browne, who is opposed to liquidating the airline and is leaning towards establishing a new entity, is reported to have held talks with the Antigua and Barbuda Workers Union (ABWU), representative for the workers.





That unions general Secretary, David Massiah, did not disclose the details of that meeting.





He told the state-owned ABS radio and television that he would not wish to divulge the details of the discussions, since the airlines operations are diverse and involve various departments across the region.





But Prime Minister Browne posted on his Facebook page, a report quoting his Chief of Staff, Max Hurst, indicating that LIAT workers have been asked to agree to a 50 per cent cut in severance payments.





Hurst is quoted as saying that while a 30 per cent cut was proposed, Prime Minister Browne indicated that this may not be sufficient and that the government is proposing in a 50 per cent cut. (Source: CMC)





Dominica to invest in a new LIAT





Dominicas Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has given a firm commitment to invest in LIAT 2020 Limited, the new LIAT being spearheaded by Antigua and Barbudas Prime Minister Gaston Browne.





PM Skerrit was responding to a letter he received from PM Browne, suggesting a replacement for LIAT 1974 Limited which is expected to be liquidated, and in which he stated that he was prepared to move ahead with the creation of the new LIAT if his fellow colleagues do not wish to pursue that option.





"I have heard from my dear friend Roosevelt Skerrit from DominicaIn fact he says Dominica is prepared to invest in (new) LIAT if thats the route we decide to go. This is a position that we welcome. So I can say that Skerrit and I would have held private discussions and he has assured me that on the basis there is a new LIAT that Dominica will invest, Browne said on Saturday, adding, "He said to me you can count on Dominica 100 percent. (Source: Dominica News Online





LIAT workers in Grenada to get govt assistance





LIAT workers in Grenada who, like workers at all the other LIAT stations have not received salary since March, will be added to the list of persons benefitting from the Covid-19 economic stimulus package provided by government.





This is the assurance given by Prime Minister Dr, Keith Mitchell to the workers and their trade union representatives, following a meeting held last week.





The workers anxiety was triggered when news broke about the possible liquidation of the airline because of its growing financial problems.





According to NOW Grenada, Dr. Mitchell said, "Members of Cabinet are of the opinion that we have a moral responsibility to assist workers during this difficult time. It is not their fault that they are suddenly and unceremoniously relieved of jobs after years of dedicated service and sacrifice. We have, therefore, committed to ensuring that they benefit from the economic stimulus package .





And with respect to the more compelling issue of severance pay, etc. for LIAT workers once the airline is liquidated, Dr. Mitchell said, "Government cannot commit to honouring all of LIATs commitment to workers, but we can certainly engage in discussion with the staff and the union to determine how we can help. (Source: NOW Grenada)










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And then we were three...thank you Father. Your word has indeed become flesh. #isquared18 #iCub3d20 #IbrahimSuleiman #ihuomalindaejiofor #Approved #sonOfAisha
The Nigeria Immigration Service has stopped 58 doctors from travelling to the United Kingdom.

The doctors were stopped at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos today.

According to the Comptroller General, Muhammad Babandede, 56 of the 58 doctors billed to be airlifted to the UK on a special flight for a training programme in London were refused departure as they had no Entry Visas to their destination country.

The NIS said in a statement, The fifty-eight (58) medical doctors were refused departure in line with Section 31 subsection 2a and b, on powers conferred on the Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service by the Immigration Act 2015, to prohibit departure of any person under the conditions stated in the Act.



The chartered flight approved for landing in Nigeria was to carry forty-two (42) medical doctors for a training program but they were fifty-eight (58) with only two (2) having Visa for entry into UK, a situation that calls for refusal of departure.

The Nigeria Immigration Service as the agency saddled with control of entry and departure from Nigeria of persons will not allow individuals or groups of well-educated Nigerians who should know the procedures for travelling out of their country and the requirements, which include having a valid visa for entry into a destination country to leave.

This is to avoid refusal of entry and repatriation back to Nigeria amidst Covid-19 pandemic and spreading of same as well as flouting the Federal Governments directive on the restriction of international flights unless for an essential reason as approved by the government.

There is no official communication to the Service from the Ministry of Health in Nigeria or any known medical body notifying the NIS of the travel of this number of medical doctors.

The aircraft has departed for London without the medical doctors.

The Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede, is taking this opportunity to advise Nigerians to always adhere to travel protocols and ensure they have valid passports with valid visa to the country they intended travelling to before going to any airport, seaport or land border control to avoid refusal to depart.

Follow Us on Facebook  @LadunLiadi; Instagram  @LadunLiadi; Twitter  @LadunLiadi; Youtube  @LadunLiadiTV for updates
Finance Minister Bill Morneau made one thing patently clear this week: As far as the federal Liberal government is concerned, deficits dont matter.

They really dont.

Justin Trudeaus Liberals have long been cavalier about deficits. In the 2015 election campaign, they promised to spend in order to get the economy moving even if that meant briefly running a deficit.

In the 2019 campaign, they dropped the word briefly, arguing that they could run deficits indefinitely  as long as the federal governments debt as a percentage of the national economy was falling.

This week, they effectively abandoned even that target. Thanks to the pandemic, the debt-to- gross-domestic-product ratio has risen sharply. But that, said Morneau in his fiscal snapshot Wednesday, isnt reason to cut back spending or raise taxes.

In fact, he said, the government will spend $50 billion more. In the current fiscal year, the deficit is expected to balloon more than tenfold to $343 billion.

Dont get me wrong. I think the Liberals are right to abandon what had been, in the days of Paul Martin and Jean Chretien, their fixation on deficits.

Since then, federal and provincial governments of all political stripes have used the deficit bogeyman as an excuse to slash social programs ranging from medicare to employment insurance.

Whenever a new social program, like pharmacare, is proposed, naysayers needed only raise the word deficit to scupper it.

So kudos to Morneau and Trudeau for acknowledging what many economists have long pointed out: countries like Canada can survive deficits quite handily. Government borrowing is not necessarily a recipe for disaster. In most cases, it involves Canadians borrowing from themselves.

Since April, for instance, the government has been borrowing at least $5 billion a week from the Bank of Canada. In effect, and properly so, the central bank is printing money to help fund the deficit.

Todays monster deficit stems from COVID-19. Shutting down the entire economy in order to preserve public health carries a cost. Morneaus fiscal snapshot predicts that Canadas gross domestic product will shrink by a stunning 6.8 per cent this year.

The governments response has been to devise a bevy of emergency programs designed to patch things up. Employers have been offered wage subsidies if they agree to keep workers on the job. Workers sideswiped by the virus have been offered benefits to tide them through temporarily.

Small businesses have been offered low-interest bank loans to stay afloat. Young people have been offered money for volunteering.

All of this is aimed at keeping the economy afloat until the pandemic has run its course. All of this assumes that the pandemic will run its course.

But what if it doesnt? What happens if the world doesnt return to a pre-pandemic normal?

Will people eat out as much? Or will they fear catching the virus? Will holidayers and business people be willing to travel as much as they did? Or will they try to avoid crowded planes and heavily frequented hotels?

Will we get through this first wave of the pandemic only to be sandbagged by a second? If so, do we just shut down again?

Most Canadians labour in the service industry. But it is workers in this industry, ranging from store clerks to nursing home workers to baristas, who have been hit hardest.

The service industry was whacked by the first wave. Will it survive a second?

All of these questions were neither asked nor answered in Morneaus snapshot. They will have to be faced eventually.

But at least the finance minister made it crystal clear that hes not bothered by deficits. Thats not much. But its something.
Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Anthony Fauci, flanked by US President Donald Trump, speaks during the daily briefing on the novel coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House on April 22, 2020, in Washington, DC.

President Donald Trump criticized his top infectious disease advisor this week while Dr. Anthony Fauci separately admitted he hasn't briefed the president on the coronavirus pandemic in at least two months  revealing an apparent widening in the rift between the two.

"Dr. Fauci's a nice man, but he's made a lot of mistakes," Trump said in an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity on Thursday. "They've been wrong about a lot of things, including face masks. Maybe they're wrong, maybe not. A lot of them said don't wear a mask, don't wear a mask. Now they're saying wear a mask. A lot of mistakes were made, a lot of mistakes."

It's not the first time Trump has contradicted or criticized advice from the White House coronavirus task force, which is led by Vice President Mike Pence.

Earlier this week, Trump said he disagreed with Fauci's characterization of the outbreak.

Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, warned lawmakers at a Senate hearing last week that cases could surpass 100,000 new infections a day if the virus continues to spread at its current pace.

"I'm very concerned and I'm not satisfied with what's going on because we're going in the wrong direction if you look at the curves of the new cases, so we really have got to do something about that and we need to do it quickly," he testified before the the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Fauci reiterated his concern in an interview on Facebook Live on Tuesday. "We are still knee deep in the first wave" of Covid-19 infections, he said.

When asked later Tuesday about Fauci's assessment of the pandemic, Trump replied, "I disagree with him."

"I think we are in a good place," the president said in an interview with the "Full Court Press" show. "We've done a good job. I think we are going to be in two, three, four weeks ... I think we are going to be in very good shape."

Fauci then told The Wall Street Journal Wednesday that states with rapidly expanding coronavirus outbreaks should seriously consider "shutting down" like the country did when the virus first hit the U.S. in March. Trump and Pence, however, have vowed to keep reopening America and spent most of the week pressuring state leaders to reopen schools this fall.

Fauci, who's become the leading voice in the nation's response to the Covid-19 outbreak, has consistently warned about the escalating dilemma facing the U.S. as daily new cases continue to top records and infections spike in states such as Florida, Texas, California and Arizona.

But his voice might not be as loud as it once was inside the White House, where he's advised six presidents over the course of his career. He admitted in an interview with the Financial Times on Thursday that he hasn't seen Trump at the White House since early June and hasn't briefed him on the pandemic in at least two months.

Fauci added that he's "sure" his messages have been passed on to the president. A White House spokesperson wasn't immediately available for comment.

Fauci and Trump also diverged on the coronavirus pandemic early on in the U.S. outbreak. In April, Fauci told CNN more lives "obviously" could have been saved if the U.S. made earlier efforts to contain the virus. He later walked back those comments after Trump retweeted a call to "#FireFauci."

"I was asked a hypothetical question" about whether lives could have been saved if mitigation policies were put in place earlier, "and hypothetical questions sometimes can get you into some difficulty," Fauci said at the time.

However, some recent polls suggest the nation disagrees with Trump's response to the coronavirus pandemic as cases continue to spike in the American West and South. A CNBC/Change Research poll published July 1 shows voters in six key swing states didn't view the president's response to the coronavirus pandemic favorably.

When asked to select two people or groups most responsible for the recent increase in hospitalizations, 35% said the president  the largest share among the answers. Trump was followed by "people not wearing masks" at 34%, "states reopening their economies too soon" at 32% and "people not social distancing" at 29%.

The results were mirrored in new data from an NBC News/SurveyMonkey Weekly Tracking Poll on Tuesday that found Americans have significantly more confidence in their governors than in the president when it comes to handling the coronavirus.

 CNBC's Kevin Breuninger, Christina Wilkie, Will Feuer and Jacob Pramuk contributed to this report.
A federal judge has barred the Trump administration from requiring insurers to send separate bills for abortion and non-abortion services, a mandate that could have led to cutoffs of health insurance coverage.

The rule was due to take effect Aug. 26  by coincidence, the 100th anniversary of the constitutional amendment granting women the right to vote. It would have required insurers providing coverage under the Affordable Care Act, which covers 1.4 million Californians, to send bills showing coverage for the small amount of the premium that pays for abortion care and the amount that covers non-abortion care. The bills could have been sent in separate envelopes or in a single form.

Those who did not pay both bills, because of confusion, personal views or any other reason, could have lost their entire health insurance coverage until the next open enrollment period this fall. Cancellation would have been up to individual insurers.

In announcing the plan in November, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar noted that the Hyde Amendment, passed by Congress in 1976 and renewed every year since then, prohibits most federal funding of abortions for poor women.

The separate billing requirement fulfills Congress intent and reflects President Trumps strong commitment to preventing taxpayer funding of abortion coverage, Azar said.

But U.S. District Judge Catherine Blake of Baltimore said the proposed rule would have created an unreasonable barrier to obtaining medical care. Such barriers are expressly forbidden by the health care law signed in 2010 by President Barack Obama.

The requirement makes it harder for consumers to pay for insurance, because they must now keep track of two separate bills, Blake said. She said the billing is likely to cause enrollee confusion and may lead to some enrollees losing health insurance.

And those who are not confused will still have to spend extra time reading, understanding and paying two separate bills each month, she said, despite the 2010 laws ban on rules that interfere with timely access to health care services.

The judge issued a nationwide injunction against the proposed rule Friday, in a lawsuit by Planned Parenthood and four individuals. A separate lawsuit by California, five other states and the District of Columbia is pending in federal court in San Francisco.

The ruling is a huge victory for the people who need and deserve access to safe, legal abortion, said Alexis McGill Johnson, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

The Health and Human Services Department declined to comment.

California is one of six states that require insurers to cover abortion and one of 16 states that provide their own funds to pay for poor womens abortions that are denied federal funding by the Hyde Amendment.

The Trump administrations Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has said the separate-billing rule would alert customers in insurance-optional states that their health plan covers abortion, allowing them to make fully informed decisions on whether to cancel that coverage. The rule, if it took effect, could also prompt some insurers in those states to drop abortion coverage because of the extra billing costs.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko
The Danish authorities have marked Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Thailand as "open", while restricting movement from Luxembourg.

From Saturday, Luxembourg will be considered as an at-risk country in Denmark, due to the number of rising COVID-19 infections.

The Grand Duchy has been placed on the black list of countries prohibited by the Danish authorities, alongside Portugal and parts of Sweden. Other countries like Italy or Great Britain are considered to be safe or "open" countries, as they are called in Denmark.

Finland has also reopened its borders for a large part of the countries of the Schengen zone, but not for Luxembourg. The Finnish authorities have imposed a limit of eight new weekly infections per 100,000 inhabitants, largely exceeded by Luxembourg at the moment.

On Friday, Norway will communicate its plan for reopening borders.

Official information for Denmark can be found here.






The request by the Madison County Commission to relocate the Confederate monument outside the downtown Huntsville courthouse has been rejected by the committee designated to hear such appeals.

In an email to Madison County Commission Chair Dale Strong on Wednesday, the commission was informed that its request to relocate the monument  erected in 1905  is outside the scope of authority granted to the Committee on Alabama Monument Protection.

That committee, according to the 2017 law, is permitted to hear cases for historical structures that have been in place between 20 and 40 years.

The email to Strong from Steve Murray, director of the Alabama Department of Archives & History, was sent on behalf of the committee. AL.com obtained a copy of the email Friday.

Further inquiries regarding the legality of the Madison County Commissions proposed actions should be directed to the Office of the Alabama Attorney General, Murrays email said.

It appears that there are no legal options available to the commission to move the monument. The law assesses a $25,000 fine to entities who move historical structures without the blessing of the monument committee. The cities of Birmingham and Mobile have paid those fines after removing Confederate monuments earlier this year.

The attorney generals office told AL.com last month that historical structures that have been in place for more than 40 years are not eligible for waivers to the law.

"In circumstances where a memorial or monument has been in place for 40 or more years, the Memorial Preservation Act and the administrative rules of the Committee on Alabama Monument Protection clearly state that waivers cannot be granted," the office of Attorney General Steve Marshall said in the statement last month to AL.com.

The AGs statement did not speak specifically to the situation with the Madison County monument but instead as an interpretation of the law.

Jeff Rich, attorney for the Madison County Commission, said the commission is continuing to work toward a legal resolution to relocating the monument.

We have received a response, Rich said. We are evaluating that response. The commission remains committed to trying to find a lawful path forward to try to relocate the monument. Other than the fact that we did get this email, and were evaluating the impact of that, nothing has changed from the stance of the commission to move forward in a lawful manner to get it relocated.

The county commission unanimously voted June 10 to seek a waiver from the monument committee to move the monument.

We all want the same thing, Commissioner Phil Riddick said just before the vote. We want to do it legally.

The Huntsville city council last month unanimously approved a resolution to relocate the monument to historic Maple Hill Cemetery.

Moving the monument was a hot topic of discussion among dozens of people who addressed the city council at Thursday nights meeting, though the council has no authority over the monument, which sits on county property at the courthouse. Among the comments were calling for the immediate removal of the monument and paying the fine. A grassroots organization, Tennessee Valley Progressive Alliance, has said it has raised the money to cover the fine and is willing to pay it for the county.

I think an area of agreement is that we want to see the monument moved to Maple Hill, Huntsville city councilwoman Jennie Robinson said following the public comments. We may disagree on the process to get there but I think were all agreed we want to see these things happen.

Updated today, July 10, 2020, at 3:12 p.m. with comment from Madison County Commission attorney Jeff Rich.
The coronavirus pandemic's merciless march through the Sun Belt is killing record numbers of Americans there, overrunning hospitals and exhausting supplies. But even as some leaders fall ill themselves, they have failed to contain the disease's spread.

On Thursday, Gov. Ron DeSantis offered no new restrictions as Florida joined Texas and California in reporting record deaths. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey promised more testing and limited restaurant capacity after the state announced the most cases in six days. In Mississippi, where many lawmakers had resisted wearing masks in the Capitol, 26 of them tested positive, including the leaders of both legislative chambers.

New U.S. virus cases topped 60,000 in a day for the first time Thursday, with the national total above 3.1 million. And in states where the disease rages, a nightmarish paralysis hit institutions filling with the sick and dying. Quinn Snyder, an emergency physician in Mesa, near Phoenix, said patients were flooding in from other parts of Arizona and as far as New Mexico as smaller hospitals near the saturation point.

"We've been discussing putting people in fluoroscopy suites, in radiology suites, everything to housing people in tents," Snyder said. "We're rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic as we speak."

The daunting numbers and reports of shortages make clear that state and federal governments have failed to prepare for the new onslaught four months after it emerged. Vivid videos and reports of suffering in the Northeast didn't move Sun Belt states, many run by Republicans who support President Donald Trump, to prepare adequately.

Even when states take measures to tamp down the outbreaks, it takes time to see the effects. So the rising case and death counts are likely to continue.

"We're not in a good situation. That may be a little too gentle. Probably what I really think is not fit to print," said Jaline Gerardin, an expert in disease modeling and an assistant professor of preventive medicine in epidemiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. "I'm very worried."

In Florida, where 120 more deaths were reported Thursday, the daily record went unmentioned at DeSantis's media briefing in Jacksonville. Instead, he used the news conference to insist the state had to move the economy forward and reopen schools next month, as Trump has demanded.

"At the end of the day, we need our society to function," DeSantis said. "We need our society to continue to move forward. We can take steps to be able to minimize risk when you're talking about coronavirus, but we can't just leave society on the mat."

Florida's new hospitalizations and the rate at which residents are testing positive also jumped sharply, and the number of virus patients on ventilators continued to climb in Miami-Dade, the most populous Florida county.

"Some of us are becoming a little speechless here at the status we're in now," said Jill Roberts, an associate professor at the University of South Florida College of Public Health who specializes in emerging diseases. "We're in bad shape here."

Texas covid-19 deaths topped 100 for the first time and rose 3.7% to a cumulative 2,918.

New cases are quickly filling beds in intensive-care units in Houston, site of the state's worst outbreak. Houston's Texas Medical Center hospitals filled up all ICU beds generally available last week and began tapping converted beds according to its crisis plan. As of Thursday, 17% of Phase 1 surge capacity had been filled, up from 9% the day before, the center reported.

The swelling numbers may presage widespread mortality, said Vivian Ho, a health economist at Rice University in Houston.

"I view deaths as sort of three weeks after, at the earliest, the unsafe behavior, and we just recently closed bars," said Ho. "I would expect the number of deaths to rise more."

Gov. Greg Abbott expressed concern about the outbreak's rapid advance in an interview on a Houston Fox television channel. "Today, for the first day, we had more than 100 deaths because of covid," he said. "And I gotta tell you, I think the numbers are going to look worse as we go into next week, and we need to make sure that there's going to be plenty of hospital beds available in the Houston area."

While health professionals are nearly unanimous in their prescriptions for containing covid -- mandating masks, limiting movements and policing economic activity -- few state officials have been eager to return to widespread lockdowns. Circumstances are forcing some to reconsider.

In Maricopa County, Arizona's most populous, 1 in 4 virus tests is positive, its health department tweeted Thursday. The state has seen a 50% increase in cases since June 21, Ducey said Thursday. "We have had a brutal June," he said.

On June 29, Ducey shut down bars, gyms, nightclubs and other businesses. Now, the state will limit indoor dining to less than 50% occupancy.

Ducey argued that containment measures are working. When he ordered the closings last month, each person infected with the virus in Arizona was estimated to infect 1.18 people, he said. That number is now 1.1, he said, calling it "dramatic movement."

Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious-disease official, said in a Wall Street Journal podcast released Wednesday that states have a responsibility to consider stringent measures. "Any state that is having a serious problem, that state should seriously look at shutting down," said Fauci, who is director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. He said some states "went too fast."

But Trump has made clear that he wants economies humming and schools open. Public health has become politicized while the disease reaches into statehouses and city halls.

Even as Texas set three new daily death records this week, the state Republican Party sued Houston's Democratic mayor for ordering the cancellation of its convention next week. Mayor Sylvester Turner barred the in-person gathering -- expected to draw 6,000 people -- for fear it would contribute to the spread of the virus.

Government officials in several states have reported catching covid-19 recently. California's legislature delayed a session that was supposed to start July 13, after Assemblywoman Autumn Burke said she had tested positive.

In a series of tweets Monday, Burke said the Assembly's human resources department called her to warn that she may have received "mask to mask" exposure to an infected person. And in San Francisco, Mayor London Breed said Thursday she tested negative for Covid-19 after attending an event with someone who had contracted the virus, but would take another test next week as a precaution.

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a Democrat, tweeted Wednesday that it took eight days to get test results for her and others in her household. One member of the household tested positive, but during the wait, the virus spread to others. "If we had known sooner, we would have immediately quarantined," she wrote.

In Mississippi, where the state legislators tested positive, 10 staff members have also contracted covid-19.

"It's a real, live reminder that this virus will not stop, with anyone," Gov. Tate Reeves said at a news conference.

In Kentucky, which is seeing 200 to 400 new cases a day, Gov. Andy Beshear said he would order mask-wearing statewide starting 5 p.m. Friday. The rule applies indoors and outdoors, to customers in retail stores and in restaurants until a person begins eating. Initial violations will come with a warning, but fines will follow, Beshear said.

"I hoped we wouldn't have to get to a point where we needed to mandate things," Beshear said. "It's time to get serious. It's time to push our numbers down now."
New Delhi:

Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav addressed the media on Tuesday to clear the air over the ongoing feud within the party. Mulayam's brother Shivpal Yadav accompanied him during the press conference while his son and chief minister skipped the briefing.

Here are the top 10 quotes by Mulayam Singh Yadav in the Samajwadi Party's press conference in Lucknow:

1. Only 2 months left for polls, why think this now? says Mulayam on the question of his name as CM candidate in assembly polls

2. Yes its true that the majority was in my name (in 2012), we made Akhilesh CM. Now its upto him to carry out responsibilities.

3. I will not give even a single controversial answer, no matter how many controversial questions you may ask.

4. Why bring Amar Singh into everything?: Mulayam Singh on mediapersons' question on Amar Singh.

5. Let the party win majority in the assembly election, you will come to know: Mulayam on UP CM candidate for 2017 assembly polls

6. First give us majority, then ask who will be Chief Minister. Today Akhilesh is CM, does anyone have problem with that?

7. Cabinet is CM's prerogative: Mulayam on being asked if sacked ministers would be reinstated.

8. I won't give importance to Ram Gopal Yadav: Mulayam on being asked on statements given by Ram Gopal Yadav

9. Our family is united and our party is united.

10. I've always worked for people's interest and will continue to do so.

Also read: Mulayam says family and party united, backs Amar-Shivpal duo; Akhilesh skips press conference (Live updates of PC)

Read how the Samajwadi Party drama unfolded since morning on Oct 25

Watch: Ramgopal Yadav stands by Akhilesh, says will launch election campaign on Nov 3

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
These are the last moments of Seoul's mayor as he set off to kill himself following allegations of sexual harassment.

Newly released CCTV footage shows Park Won-soon, 64, wearing a blue cap, dark jacket and trousers, walking down an alley as he made his way to his suicide spot.

He kept his head bowed and wore a backpack as he left his official residence in Gahoe-dong shortly after 10:40am on Thursday, having cancelled his meetings for the day.

The mayor left a suicide note apologising to his family before he was found dead on Friday morning - but did not acknowledge claims of sexual harassment against him.

Police discovered the body of Park Won-soon, 64, on a mountain in northern Seoul early Friday, after hundreds of officers scoured the area for more than seven hours following his disappearance.

The mayor wore a blue cap and dark trousers and jacket as he walked along an alley after leaving his official residence in Gahoe-dong shortly after 10:40am on Thursday

He wore a backpack and kept his head bowed as he made his way to a mountain spot where he killed himself

The CCTV footage is the last known sighting of Won-soon before he took his own life

An officer said his body was found near a restaurant and banquet hall located in the hills.

'I apologise to everyone,' Park said in a note handwritten in ink and brush and left on his desk at his official residence, which was released by the city authorities.

'I thank everyone who was with me in my lifetime. I am so sorry to my family, to whom I have only caused pain', he wrote, asking to be cremated and his ashes scattered at his parents' graves.

Park offered a general apology in a suicide note - handwritten with ink and brush - found at his official residence and released by city authorities

'Bye everyone,' he signed off, without referring to the allegations against him.

The SBS network had reported that one of Won-soon's secretaries lodged a complaint with police on Wednesday night, accusing the mayor of sexual harassment that had began in 2017.

A programme on the previously unreported accusation was due to be aired on Thursday.

A document purporting to be the statement from Won-soon's victim, who worked as his personal secretary from 2015, alleged he committed 'sexual harassment and inappropriate gestures during work hours'.

The claims include insisting she hug him in the bedroom adjoining his office.

After work, she said, he sent her 'selfies of himself in his underwear and lewd comments' on a messenger app.

'I brainwashed myself, bearing tremendous fear and humiliation, that all of this was in the interest of Seoul City, myself, and mayor Park,' she claimed in the document.

Police later confirmed that a complaint against Park had been filed but cited privacy issues in refusing to elaborate, including on whether the complaint related specifically to sexual behaviour.

There was an outpouring of grief from his supporters, some of whom wailed at Seoul National University Hospital as his body was brought in

Seoul mayor Park Won-soon's body was recovered on a mountain in the South Korean capital

Won-soon's death means the investigation will automatically be closed.



The mayor is by far the most high-profile politician to be implicated in a harassment case in South Korea, a highly patriarchal society where the #MeToo movement has led to the fall of scores of prominent men in multiple fields.

Reactions were mixed on Friday, including both condolences and criticism that he killed himself to avoid punishment.

There was an outpouring of grief from his supporters, some of whom wailed at Seoul National University Hospital as his body was brought in.

'Mayor Park, you were an excellent politician,' one poster wrote on Daum, the country's second-largest site.

Reactions were mixed on Friday, including both condolences and criticism that he killed himself to avoid punishment

'But a twist of fate put an end to your journey. I hope you are at ease in heaven.'

Others were more critical, accusing him of exploiting his power to harass a subordinate and then taking his own life to 'avoid the fallout'.

'The victim must have had painful times in the run-up to the filing of the complaint,' wrote one user.

'I hope Park reflects on his misdeeds and atones in the afterlife.'

A memorial altar was to be set up in front of the Seoul city hall for citizens to pay respects.

Leading lawmakers of both ruling and opposition parties expressed condolences, as did the US ambassador to South Korea, Harry Harris.

Ruling party chief Lee Hae-chan said Park's death was 'shocking and regretful', recalling him as an old friend who fought together for democracy during a dictatorship in 1980s.

Won-soon defended many political activists and in the 1990s won South Korea's first sexual harassment conviction, in a landmark judgement.

He strongly advocated for the cause of 'comfort women' who were forced to work in Japan's wartime military brothels before and during World War Two.

Park also praised women for their courage after a series of women accused powerful politicians and policymakers of sexual wrongdoings amid the #MeToo movement in 2018.

Park Won-Soon, pictured here in May 2014, ran South Korea's sprawling capital for nearly a decade

A heavyweight figure in the ruling centre-left Democratic party, he ran South Korea's sprawling capital - home to almost a fifth of the national population - for nearly a decade.

He won three elections while promoting gender and social equality, and did not shy away from expressing his ambitions to replace incumbent President Moon Jae-in in 2022.

South Korea remains male-dominated despite its economic and technological advances, but the country has seen a widespread #MeToo movement in the last two years, sparked by a prosecutor who publicly accused a superior of groping her at a funeral.

Perpetrators have included a former provincial governor who sought the presidency in 2017 but was jailed last year for sexual intercourse by abuse of authority, after his female assistant accused him of repeatedly raping her.

Won-soon is the country's highest-profile politician to take his own life since former president Roh Moo-hyun, who jumped off a cliff in 2009 following questions over corruption allegations involving family members.

Won-soon was a student activist in the days of South Korea's military dictatorship - he was jailed for taking part in a rally against then-president Park Chung-hee - and later became a human rights lawyer.

He defended many political activists and in the 1990s won South Korea's first sexual harassment conviction, in a landmark judgement.

Won-soon helped launch the People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, an influential NGO pushing to reform the conglomerates that dominate South Korean business.

He also founded the Beautiful Foundation, a philanthropic group promoting community service and volunteering.

It grew into one of the largest non-profit organisations in South Korea and launched the Beautiful Stores, a chain of charity shops modelled after Britain's Oxfam shops.
The moment a newly-fitted tire flew off a car, rolled into the road and slammed into another vehicle has been caught on video.

Dashcam and rear-view cameras captured the dramatic moment as the man drove two children home after getting new tires fitted in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

At the start of the clip the vehicle is seen pulling away from a yellow auto repair store.

Dashcam footage captures the runaway tire rolling down the street in Albuquerque, New Mexico, after breaking free of the car

The tire heads straight towards an oncoming white car as the driver of the recording vehicle stares in horror

The footage cuts to the front dashcam showing the car travelling down the street nearly 30 minutes later as the male driver tells a young girl and boy that were going to go home.

Suddenly the vehicle starts shaking and the mans eyes widen in shock.

The rear dashcam shows a cloud of smoke rise from the back of the car as it continues to shake.

A tire is then seen racing down the other side of the street before hitting on oncoming white car, damaging its front-right light.

The driver, whose tire broke off, is heard saying: Are you serious?

Unable to react quickly enough, the white car is hit by the tire causing damage to its front-right light

After crashing into the white car the tire bounces up and backwards in the air before clipping the underside of a traffic light pole

The little girl next to him asks: Is that your tire?

After crashing into the white car, the tire bounces backwards with enough height to clip the underside of a traffic light pole.

At the end of the video both drivers pull up alongside each other and the man recording says: 'We just put them on too!'

Speaking after the accident the driver said: My tire flew off after getting new tires put on at a shop and hit another car hard!

The video was recorded on June 5 but was recently shared online.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 09:14:36|Editor: huaxia

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ISLAMABAD, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has inaugurated the China-aided Isolation Hospital and Infections Treatment Center (IHITC) to enhance the country's capability to fight COVID-19 and ease pressure on hospitals in capital Islamabad.

Pakistani Chief of Army Staff Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, Information Minister Shibli Faraz, Chairman of CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) Authority Asim Saleem Bajwa, and Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing attended the inauguration ceremony.

On the occasion, the Pakistani side thanked China for the firm support to Pakistan in the fight against the pandemic. The Chinese government and the Chinese people have been helping Pakistan prevent and control COVID-19, providing a large amount of medical supplies, sending medical expert teams and aiding Pakistan with the building of the IHITC, the Pakistani side said.

With the support from China, the IHITC was built in a short span of time to treat COVID-19 patients and the medical facility will be used in infections treatment in the post- COVID-19 scenario, said the Pakistani side.

Facts have proved that Pakistan and China have enjoyed a close friendship which is highlighted in the most challenging times, and Pakistan will continue to learn from China's experience in fighting COVID-19 to win the battle as early as possible, the Pakistani side said.

At the inauguration ceremony, Chinese Ambassador Yao said China and Pakistan are good friends and brothers who have always supported each other in difficult times, and the mutual support between the two countries in the fight against the disease embodies the China-Pakistan community of shared future.

Cooperation and solidarity are the most powerful weapons for the international community to win the battle against COVID-19, Yao said, adding that the Chinese government has been attaching great importance to helping the countries hit by the pandemic.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of Pakistan, the IHITC was built in 40 days with the cooperation from China. The hospital has five different wards and 250 beds with maximum facilities to diagnose and treat the infectious diseases.

According to the data available on the website of the health ministry on Thursday, Pakistan recorded 240,848 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 4,983 deaths and 145,311 recoveries. Enditem
The Marine Corps is undertaking a force-wide restructuring to ensure it has the right composition to take on future conflicts. And its military working dog community, used for everything from patrols and bomb detection to security for high-profile officials, is no exception.

The Marine Corps Military Working Dog Program is undergoing a large-scale review that aims to standardize equipment and improve training -- and as part of that, the working dog population is expected to shrink significantly, program director Bill Childress told Military.com.

Read Next: After 110 Years of Aviation, Navy Gets Its 1st Black Female Fighter Pilot

Under the leadership of Marine Commandant Gen. David Berger, the Corps is undergoing restructuring. Berger has indicated his intent to cut all tank units and law enforcement battalions, and reduce infantry units in a move to draw the force down from its current strength of 184,000 to about 170,000 by 2030. Already, some units are deactivating in that restructuring.

Childress said the service's' working dog force will be reduced from its current strength of about 210 to 150 over the next two years, the same time period in which Marine Corps law enforcement battalions are set to disband. The program's human staff will also be downsized, he said, from 260 to about 210. This "right-sizing" is designed to find efficiencies and acquire more dogs trained for multiple skill sets, he added.

"We're trying to get more out of a dog," Childress said. "We have what we call single-purpose dogs and dual-purpose dogs. We're trying to get more dual-purpose dogs, because we feel like we get more bang for the buck."

As the law enforcement battalions disband, he said, law enforcement dogs remaining in the program will be assigned under base provost marshal's offices or Marine Corps police departments.

"We'll still be able to perform our mission and execute everything we need to do," he said.

Dogs that are trained for patrol and aggression can also be trained to search for explosives or drugs, although that does double the length of the training cycle from about three months to six, Childress said.

"Maybe we can reduce the number of dogs that might be required, which would also reduce the number of personnel that we would have to still be able to do the same job, the mission," he said.

Marine Corps military working dogs deploy alongside Marine dog handlers to combat zones and even aboard ships for patrols and drug and explosive detection missions. Stateside, they can be used for drug detection and other law enforcement purposes. They also at times provide security for officials as high-ranking as the president and vice president of the United States.

All the military's working dogs are trained at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, and supervised by the Air Force, Childress said. In addition to reviewing and communicating with the Air Force about how the Marine Corps wants its dogs trained, the current assessment aims to ensure that training keeps up with the times -- particularly in terms of what substances dogs are programmed to detect.

"There's a big difference between what we were seeing in Iraq and Afghanistan and here," Childress said, acknowledging that there are fewer military working dog deployments downrange now than there were during the height of the two conflicts. "So that's something we always stay abreast of to make sure that we're doing the right things as best as we can."

He demurred, however, when asked about specific trends in substances for which the dogs need to train.

As another line of effort, the Marine Corps is working to ensure that all dog trainers and handlers are using the same kinds of equipment and training devices, whether they work on the East Coast or West Coast.

"A lot of times, it was up to the provost marshal's offices to procure their own equipment," Childress said. "So you would go from one place to another, and you go, 'Wow, I've never used this before.'"

The review and corresponding changes are taking place ahead of Childress' planned retirement after nearly 24 years as head of the working dog program and nearly 44 years working with the Marine Corps.

"I want to make sure that I'm leaving the program the way I would want it to be left in, you know, as best as I can do a good turnover," he said. "And I just feel that we need to do that, you know, just to take a look and make sure everything is the best that we can do."

As the working dog program thins its ranks, handlers and trainers will be given opportunities to move to other positions in the Marine Corps, Childress said. Some of the dogs, which have an average career length of just under 10 years, will retire naturally and not be replaced; others will be moved to other services to fill gaps they have, he said.

"We're very tight among all the services," Childress said.

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.

Related: Bill Would Create New Dangerous Dog Rules for Military Bases
Brazil's government on Thursday announced a plan to ban Amazon fires for 120 days after a meeting with investors that raised concerns on the destruction of the rainforest.

The decree was drafted by the Brazilian Environment Ministry and is set to be issued next week.

Last year, Brazil also banned burning for 60 days before adding another 60 days. This year, it went straight to 120 days to avoid another jump in wild fires during the dry season, the Bloomberg reported.

Last year, military men were put in charge to fight the forest fires. This move was fiercely criticized. Following the ban, fires died down in September and October 2019.

A virtual investment conference was held on Thursday for Brazilian Vice President Hamilton Mourao to announce the fire ban. Around 10 European firms were part of the meeting.

Mourao cited a letter signed by 29 firms, where some of them threatened to cut all investment in Brazil unless the Amazon fires stop, the VOA News reported.

Several investors are putting further investments on hold until they see results from the government. Some even warned to pull present assets from Brazil.

It is up to the government to act on protecting the forest to make sure the investors do not pull out, said a report from the Al Jazeera.

Jeanett Bergan, head of Norway's largest pension fund said they really value the dialogue with Brazil. The investor hoped to see real results on the ground.

Investors are looking at forest fire and deforestation data to find out the progress of the ban, Bergan said.

Bergan added that follow-up meetings may also happen between officials to talk about specific details. The meetings will help find out if the right measures are being taken.

Brazil Treated Unfairly

Mourao said Brazil was not getting fair treatment over the Amazon deforestation. The situation on fires and deforestation surged since President Jair Bolsonaro took office last year.

Last week's data from Brazil showed that the number of fires rose 20 percent to a 13-year-high for the month of June.

The vice president said the current government had to take over agencies with few staff and did not have enough people to stop illegal loggers and gold miners from coming into the 386,000 square miles worth of land.

Brazilian officials have said that they are working on breaking the current image of the country as being uncaring to the Amazon and hostile to those who want to save it.

Experts are also worried the outsiders are spreading the coronavirus that could ruin the lives of tribes in the forest.

Indigenous Tribes Threatened by Amazon Fires

The United Kingdom is most reliant on goods from Brazil, said The Sunday Post. But Brazil is also one of the most risky countries to get products from as land in Brazil is driving habitat damage.

The fires destroy the habitats of animals in Brazil that is home to 464 globally threatened species, environmental groups said. Other than that, it is also destroying the homes of indigenous communities.

"We depend 100 percent on the forest to survive. The forest is our home, our supermarket, our pharmacy - it is everything we need to survive," said Chief Tashka Yawanawa of the Yawanawa in Acre, Brazil.

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What are the smartphone options that you have if you are planning to buy a non-Chinese phone under  15,000? Heres a list to make things easy for you.

Recently there have been a whole lot of buzz among the Indian citizens of buying non-Chinese products including smartphones. This is largely due to the India-China border dispute and the governments recent decision to ban Chinese apps. For now, Chinese brands like Xiaomi, Realme, Vivo, Oppo and others are leading the smartphone markets, but this new sentiment will likely boost other brands like Samsung, Nokia, Lava, Micromax and more. So, what are the smartphone options that you have if you are planning to buy a non-Chinese phone under 15,000? Heres a list to make things easy for you.

Lava Z71  6,998

The Z71 is one of the latest phones that features 5.7-inch HD+ screen with a MTK 6761 2GHz quad-core processor, 2GB LPDDR4 RAM, 32GB storage that can be expanded up to 256GB, 13-megapixel+2megapixel rear cameras, 5-megapixel front cameras and 3200mAh battery.

Micromax Infinity N12  6,699

The Infinity N12 by Micromax features a 6.19-inch HD+ display with 18.9:9 aspect ratio and is powered by MediaTek Helio P22 processor. The SoC is clubbed with 3GB RAM and 32GB inbuilt storage. Theres also 13-megapixel+5megapixel dual rear cameras along side a 16-megapixel front facing camera and 4000mAh battery.

Also read: Poco M2 Pro comes pre-installed with banned apps, company clarifies

Xolo ZX  10,499

Zolo ZX is another Indian smartphone that boasts of a 6.22-inch HD+ screen with Gorilla Glass 3 and is backed by a 2GHz MediaTek Helio P22 processor. This comes in addition to 4GB LPDDR4x RAM and 64GB inbuilt storage, which can be expanded up to 256GB via a microSD card. Theres a 13-megapixel+5-megapixel rear cameras with 16-megapixel front camera and 3260mAh battery.

Samsung Galaxy M01  8,999

In Samsung Galaxy M01 you get a 5.7-inch HD+ resolution TFT LCD screen. Powering it is an octa-core processor with 2GHz clock speed, 3GB RAM, 32GB storage that is expandable up to 512GB and 4000mAh battery. It also has a 13-megapixel+2megapixel rear camera setup with a 5-megapixel front camera.

Nokia 2.3  8,999

The key specifications of the Nokia 2.3 are 6.2-inch HD+ resolution with water drop notch and 19:9 aspect ratio. It is powered by MediaTek Helio A22 processor that is couple with 2GB RAM and 32GB inbuilt storage, which can be expanded up to 512GB using a microSD card. On the camera front you get a 13-megapixel+2megapixel sensor at the back along with a 5-megapixel sensor at the front with f/2.4 aperture. There is also a 4000mAh battery backing the handset.
BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday made three suggestions on bringing China-U.S. relations back to the right track when addressing the China-U.S. Think Tanks Media Forum.

"First, activate and open all the channels of dialogue," Wang said.

Only communication can dispel falsehoods, and only dialogue can prevent miscalculation, Wang said, reaffirming that China's door to dialogue remains open.

As long as the U.S. side is ready, China can restore and restart the dialogue mechanisms at all levels and in all areas. All issues can be put on the table. All differences can be addressed properly through dialogue, Wang said.

In the meantime, as long as the United States does not set restrictions, China is also ready to promote exchanges and interactions between government departments, localities and social sectors, so as to enable the two peoples to know and understand more of each other, Wang said.

"Second, review and agree on the lists of interactions," Wang said.

Given the inter-connectedness and complexity of issues, it is useful for the two sides to sit down together, run over them and draw up lists of cooperation areas, dialogues, and issues that need proper management, Wang said.

"Third, focus and cooperate on COVID-19 response," Wang said.

Noting that in the face of the virus, cooperation should be the first-order priority, Wang said China is ready to share with the United States information about COVID-19 prevention and containment as well as response experience.

"We are also ready to have closer exchanges with the U.S. on diagnostics and therapeutics, vaccines, and economic recovery," Wang said.

The United States, for its part, should immediately stop its acts of politicization and stigmatization, Wang said, adding that it should work with China to promote a global response to save more lives and live up to the international responsibility as two major countries.

China-U.S. relations is faced with the most severe challenge since the establishment of diplomatic ties, Wang said, adding that some in the United States with ideological biases are resorting to all possible means to portray China as an adversary, and even an enemy.

China and the United States should not seek to remodel each other. Instead, they must work together to find ways to peaceful coexistence of different systems and civilizations, he said.

"China does not replicate any model of other countries, nor does it export its own to others," Wang said.

Wang stressed that China never intends to challenge or replace the United States, or have full confrontation with it.

China has maintained a highly stable and consistent policy toward the United States, and is willing to grow the bilateral relations with goodwill and sincerity. However, to achieve that goal, the two sides must work in the same direction, respect international law and international rules, and engage in equal dialogue and consultation, he said.

"China has every right to uphold its sovereignty, security and development interests, safeguard the achievements that the Chinese people have made through hard work, and reject any bullying and injustice imposed on it," he said.

Recalling past decades since the establishment of diplomatic relations, Wang said China and the United States have made the best use of their complementarity, and their interests have become highly integrated.

The two sides should build on past achievements, keep pace with the times, and stay committed to dialogue and cooperation, Wang said.
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Linkedin Kate Kelland (Reuters) London, United Kingdom  Fri, July 10, 2020 12:45 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406655d9dc 2 World WHO,health-crisis,health-issues,global-health,pandemic,coronavirus,COVID-19,COVID-19-infection Free

The World Health Organization (WHO) is back in the spotlight over its performance in the global fight against the new coronavirus after US President Donald Trump's administration gave notice it would quit the body in a year's time.

Trump has accused the WHO of becoming a puppet for China during the coronavirus pandemic.

The WHO said on Thursday it would set up an independent panel to review its handling of the pandemic and the response by governments.

Here are main features of the WHO and its work:

What is it?

The WHO is an agency of the United Nations set up in 1948 to improve health globally. It has more than 7,000 people working in 150 country offices, six regional offices and its Geneva headquarters.

Its director general - currently the Ethiopian Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus - is elected for a five-year term. Tedros' five-year term began on July 1, 2017.

What does it do?

The WHO's stated aim is "to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable".

It has no power to impose health policies on national governments, but acts as an adviser and offers guidance on best practice in disease prevention and health improvement.

It has three main strands of work:

- aiming for universal health coverage in every country

- preventing and responding to acute emergencies

- promoting health and wellbeing for all.

What doesn't it do?

Like a lot of international institutions, the WHO suffers from false perceptions about its scope and resources.

The WHO is not "the world's doctor": it does not provide treatment or conduct disease surveillance - although it does advise national and international authorities on those matters.

It has no powers of sanction, and the information it collates and publishes is only as good as the data and expertise it gets from member states and its technical specialists.

Is every country part of it?

The WHO has 194 member states: every country except Liechtenstein which is a member of the United Nations but not of its global health agency. They appoint representatives to The World Health Assembly, which convenes annually and sets WHO policies. These policies are implemented by the WHO's Executive Board, composed of members technically qualified in health.

Who pays for it?

The WHO's member states provide funding via two routes: assessed contributions and voluntary contributions. The WHO's budgets are biennial, spanning two years. Its 2020-2021 budget is almost $4.85 billion, up 9% from the previous two-year period.

Assessed contributions are calculated on the basis of a country's wealth and population, while voluntary contributions are often targeted by the donor at specific regions or diseases - such as polio, malaria, or infant mortality in poor areas.

Philanthropic foundations and multinational groups such as the European Commission are also major donors to the WHO.

The United States is the biggest overall donor and had contributed more than $800 million by the end of 2019 for the 2018-2019 biennial funding period. The Gates Foundation is the second largest donor, followed by Britain.

What are seen as its major successes and failures?

The WHO is widely credited with leading a 10-year campaign to eradicate smallpox in the 1970s and has also led global efforts to end polio, a battle that is in its final stages.

In the past few years, the WHO has also coordinated battles against viral epidemics of Ebola in Congo and Zika in Brazil.

In the current COVID-19 disease outbreak, while many have praised the WHO's leadership, Trump has accused it of being China-centric and giving bad advice about the emerging pandemic.

Trump announced a temporary halt to US funding in April, prompting condemnation from many world leaders. The United Nations said this week it had received formal notification of the US decision to leave the body next year.

In the past, the WHO was accused of overreacting to the 2009-10 H1N1 flu pandemic and also faced widespread criticism for not reacting quickly enough to the vast Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014 that killed more than 11,000 people.
The death of the mayor of Seoul has triggered public mourning that some fear could lead to criticism of the woman he is alleged to have sexually harassed.

Park Won-soon, 64, was found dead in a wooded area in the north of South Koreas capital on Friday morning local time, hours after leaving a will-like message with his daughter.

Police have refused to disclose the cause of death, but said there was no sign of foul play.

Parks body was taken to Seoul National University Hospital, where five days of funeral proceedings began.

Hundreds of mourners visited a specially set up altar, and supporters cried and shouted phrases including we love you and we are sorry.

Recommended Seoul mayor found dead after going missing

Politicians linked to the governing Democratic Party and senior presidential officials visited the funeral hall. Photos show flowers bearing the presidents name placed there.

However, critics have raised concerns about the public outpouring of sorrow amid reports that one of Parks secretaries filed a police complaint against him on Wednesday night. The woman alleged that he had sexually harassed her since 2017.

Police confirmed a complaint against Park had been filed but declined to provide further detail  including over whether the complaint was about sexual behaviour.

Yi Han Sang of Korea University condemned the Seoul city government for planning to use official funds for Parks funeral next week.

The professor urged the government to stop acts that could lead to public criticism of the alleged victim, and instead think about how to protect her and find out the truth.

Ryu Ho-jeong of the small liberal opposition Justice Party wrote on Facebook that she would not pay respects to Park because she does not want the alleged victim to feel lonely.

The death of Seouls mayor and the allegations against him have left South Korea in shock, with questions being raised about his image.

Park  a former human rights lawyer who won his countrys first sexual harassment conviction in 1998  described himself as a feminist, and was a vocal supporter of womens rights and the #MeToo movement.

As mayor, a post he had served in since 2011, he appointed a special advisor on gender equality and introduced policies aimed at designing safer urban environments for women and providing affordable housing for working single women.

He was seen by many in the capital as a potential presidential candidate when current leader Moon Jae-ins five-year term ends in 2022.

Additional reporting by agencies
More than two-thirds of Ontarians believe police treat Black and Indigenous people worse than others and 90 per cent want mandatory body cameras for all officers, a new poll has found.

The Campaign Research survey for the Star also revealed opinion on cutting police budgets by 10 per cent was evenly split and that most dont think officers all need to carry guns.

Campaign Research principal Nick Kouvalis said the findings should be concerning to police forces across the province.

The major takeaway is the police have a big problem  they have lost the support of the super majority of the public and they need to work hard to get it back, Kouvalis said Friday.

Campaign Research polled 1,395 people across Ontario on Wednesday and Thursday using Maru Blues online panel. It is an opt-in poll, but for comparison purposes, a random sample of this size would have a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

The survey comes against the backdrop of Black Lives Matter protests around the world after the police killing of George Floyd, a Black man, in Minnesota on May 25. Four Minneapolis officers, who have since been fired, have been charged.

Asked if they feel Black people and/or Indigenous people and/or other people from racialized communities are treated worse by police than other citizens, 68 per cent of respondents agreed with that statement.

Only 22 per cent disagreed and nine per cent werent sure.

Its not surprising two-thirds of people believe that, because its true, said Kouvalis, who has worked with Conservative and Liberal candidates across Canada and managed the winning Toronto mayoral campaigns of John Tory and Rob Ford.

Brown, Black, and Indigenous people know when they meet a police officer that they could have a problem because the officer has preconceived notions about them, he said.

The poll found 51 per cent agreed that it is only a minority of police officers who engage in racist behaviour while 35 per cent said this is a widespread problem that has infected police culture.

Similarly, 61 per cent said it is workable to have a segment of our police officers who are not armed and can deal with appropriate calls where a firearm is not required.

About one-quarter  26 per cent  disagreed and 13 per cent werent sure.

A staggering 90 per cent of respondents believe all Ontario officers should have mandatory body cameras with only five per cent opposed and five per cent unsure.

The sense is that not only will people be protected, but the police officers themselves will be protected if they have body cams they cant shut off, said Kouvalis.

There was 41 per cent support for the Ontario government mandating a 10 per cent reduction to all police budgets and 42 per cent opposed to that with 17 per cent unsure.

But the pollster stressed the public is split on it if theres a hard choice in poll questioning.

When he asked about defunding the police in a different way, 74 per cent said they would prefer reforms to policing while nine per cent said budgets should be cut as much as you can with two per cent wanting police abolished and 15 per cent unsure.

Theres way more support for reforming police, he said.

Campaign Research found 65 per cent back speed cameras in order to free up officers to do other duties while just 23 per cent opposed that and 12 per cent werent sure.

What that shows is that all the noise made by the right on speed cameras is just noise, said Kouvalis, noting the traditional opposition to photo radar by conservative-leaning voters.

Most people support them.
Another side to Lundy Manor outbreak

Re: Lundy Manor COVID-19 outbreak declared over, June 2

I have read many of the articles criticizing Lundy Manors handling of the COVID crisis. Both my parents reside at Lundy Manor and I would like to offer another perspective.

Before I do this, let me first acknowledge the loss suffered by the families of Lundy Manor. It is tragic and unbearable. None of what follows is intended to minimize that loss.

What is lost in the criticism of how owners of long-term care facilities navigated their operations through a pandemic is an acknowledgement of the men and women who showed up every day and tried their best to care for the residents in an unprecedented environment.

What we witnessed were dedicated professionals who worked tirelessly and put their own health, and the health of their families, at risk. They continued to do this despite public criticism. Many of these men and women fell ill with the virus and when they recovered, ran back into the burning building to rejoin their colleagues.

Not only did they show up, but they did so with humanity and compassion that repeatedly moved us. Whether it was helping my father who suffers from Alzheimers figure out how to FaceTime his grandchildren or care for my mother in the final days of her life so she could die with dignity, what was apparent to us, is the staff cares and the loss and suffering of the residents affects them.

They are part of the front-line workers who showed up day after day, not for a pay cheque, but because their hearts are big and when youre a decent person this is what you do.

David NowakToronto

Region must curb its spending

Re: Regional council told by Niagaras business leaders to tighten its belt in wake of pandemic, June 26

According to the Financial Accountability Office of Ontario employers and employees in the Niagara Region are among the hardest hit in Ontario.

It's a confirmation of Spencer Fox's presentation to regional council and for the absolute need for council to get serious about dealing with its budget.

The unwillingness of regional politicians and bureaucrats to downsize to create badly needed tax relief for Niagara taxpayers is a problem. While many in the private sector are fighting for survival, the Region hasn't been been doing anything to mitigate the incredible financial pressuresith.

Frustration among Niagara residents about the Region's growing bureaucracy and wasteful spending is falling on deaf ears. The call to reduce regional government has been out there for quite some time.

The police budget should be the first to see cuts. For Coun. Robert Foster to dismiss Mr Fox's message reflects the ignorance that many councillors seem have towards the private sector.

The Region and the municipalities need to curb their spending. Nice words and good intentions are not good enough.

Rob JanssenLincoln

Offer of business expertise appreciated

Spencer Fox is president of E.S. Fox Ltd., a company that has been in business in the Niagara region for over 60 years. He has gathered a number of business leaders to offer help to our politicians in the wake of the pandemic.

Consider using us as your business consultants, he said in an open letter to council. Fox expressed concern tax revenues are going to be reduced as many businesses will be gone or unable to recover to their former size.

.

What a novel idea and we the tax-paying public will not have another bill for expensive advisory commissions.

Thank you, Mr. Fox and friends, for your invaluable expertise. Our leaders are going to need all the help they can get.

Paul D. Scott Welland

Letters Welcome

We welcome letters from our readers. Please limit submissions to no more than 300 words and send them to letters@niagaradailies.com or mail to 55 King St., Suite 600, St. Catharines, Ont., L2H 3HR. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. Please include your name, address and phone number for verification purposes.
The G7 ambassadors have held a meeting with Deputy Head of the Ukrainian President's Office Andriy Smyrnov and called on the government to adopt further legislation to strengthen judicial integrity.

During a meeting with Deputy Head of the Office of the President Andriy Smyrnov, the G7 Ambassadors underscored the importance of judicial reform to economic growth and investor confidence, and urged further legislation to strengthen judicial integrity in line with the expectations of the Ukrainian people, the ambassadors said in a statement posted on their Twitter account.

At the same time, the ambassadors have stressed that if this new legislation meets Ukraines international obligations, they will reaffirm their readiness to nominate international experts to participate in a transparent process establishing an independent HQC [High Qualifications Commission].

As reported by Ukrinform, on June 22, President Volodymyr Zelensky submitted bill No.3711 On amendments to the Law of Ukraine On the judicial system and the status of judges and some laws of Ukraine on the activities of the Supreme Court and judicial self-governing bodies, to the Verkhovna Rada, which provide for provisions to Ukrainian legislation in line with the decisions of the Constitutional Court.

iy
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Jammu and Kashmir unit on Friday paid rich floral tributes to former BJP president of Bandipora district Sheikh Wasim Bari, his brother Umer Bashir and his father Bashir Ahmad, who were shot dead by terrorists on July 8.

A 'Shradhanjali Karyakram' was organized remembering their important contributions towards society. While paying tribute, BJP leaders from Kashmir expressed deep pain over the incident.

J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina said the desperate propagators of terrorism from across the border are turning towards the ghastly act. He said that the BJP fully stands by the side of the family in this difficult hour. He said that nobody can fill the void caused by the death of precious lives and the BJP will make sure that the culprits are brought to books and dealt with.



Raina expressed heartfelt sympathy to grief-stricken family members of slain BJP leaders and reiterated that party will neither forgive nor forget the sacrifice of Wasim. "He was a true patriot who always used his efforts in strengthening nationalism in Kashmir. He was a tiger of our party and those who killed him will not be spared," Raina said.

Hitting out at the neighbouring country, BJP leader said, Pakistan is leaving no stone unturned to destabilize peace in Kashmir. The fresh killing incident of political workers in the Bandipora area of Kashmir should be seen in this context."
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Keysight Technologies, Inc. KEYS recently announced that its conformance and carrier acceptance test solutions have been adopted by SGS to comply with 5G new radio (NR) certification criteria set by 3GPP as well as mobile operators in the United States and Asia-Pacific (APAC).



SGS will leverage Keysights solutions to address 5G radio frequency (RF) and protocol test requirements in sub-6GHz (FR1) and mmWave (FR2) frequencies. This will enable customers to enjoy enhanced experiences, while using 5G services on a mobile operators network.



Notably, Keysights portfolio of 5G test solutions enable test labs like SGS to verify the performance of 5G devices by providing cost-effective options for testing on a single solution platform. They also aid in the end-to-end development process of 5G devices.



The SGS deal win highlights the strength of Keysights test solutions. Moreover, growing clout of the companys offerings amid accelerated deployment of 5G and is expected to bolster revenues in the quarters ahead.

Keysight Technologies Inc. Price and Consensus

Keysight Technologies Inc. Price and Consensus

Keysight Technologies Inc. price-consensus-chart | Keysight Technologies Inc. Quote

Solid Traction for 5G Solutions Bodes Well



Keysights 5G test and emulation solutions are witnessing robust demand.



Recently, Keysights solutions were selected by Taiwan-based broadband provider Arcadyan, to certify consumer premises equipment (CPE) for fixed wireless access applications (FWA). The solutions will help Arcadyan rollout advanced fixed broadband services in urban, suburban and rural environments.



Moreover, the companys offerings were adopted by Sporton, a testing lab in China, to comply with 5G new radio (NR) certification criteria per the latest 3GPP, PTCRB and CTIA standards. Sporton will leverage Keysights solutions to validate 5G devices that operate in FR2 frequencies.



The company is also witnessing higher adoption of the latest LoadCore offering, a 5G core network testing solution that simulates complicated real-world subscriber models.



The strong momentum for Keysights 5G test solutions holds promise for the companys growth prospects over the long haul. This can be attributed to higher infrastructure investments in the deployment of 5G mobile networks due to growing need for high-speed data, increased implementation of automation technologies and rising adoption of IoT devices.



Further, the stay-at-home trends owing to resurgence in COVID-19 are driving demand for high-speed connectivity. As a result, Keysights 5G test solutions are likely to witness improved rate of adoption in the upcoming days.



Per Allied Market Research data, the global 5G technology market is anticipated to record a CAGR of 122.3% between 2020 and 2026. Also, investments in 5G new radio (NR) network infrastructure is expected to comprise 12% of the total wireless infrastructure revenues of CSPs (or communications service providers) in 2020 compared with anticipated 6% in 2019, per Gartner data.



Negative Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic



In spite of growing momentum for Keysights solutions, supply chain disruptions and market uncertainties stemming from the pandemic are dampening the companys performance. In second-quarter fiscal 2020, Keysights commercial communications (CC) revenues declined 5% year over year to $468 million.



Moreover, lower international spending amid the ongoing crisis is expected to hurt the companys prospects in the aerospace, defense & government (ADG) end-markets.



Zacks Rank & Key Picks



Keysight currently carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).



A few better-ranked stocks worth considering in the broader sector are Alteryx, Inc. AYX, Microchip Technology Incorporated MCHP and Nice Ltd. NICE. All the three stocks flaunt a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.



Long-term earnings growth rate for Alteryx, Microchip and Nice is currently pegged at 41.8%, 14.5% and 10%, respectively.



These Stocks Are Poised to Soar Past the Pandemic



The COVID-19 outbreak has shifted consumer behavior dramatically, and a handful of high-tech companies have stepped up to keep America running. Right now, investors in these companies have a shot at serious profits. For example, Zoom jumped 108.5% in less than 4 months while most other stocks were sinking.



Our research shows that 5 cutting-edge stocks could skyrocket from the exponential increase in demand for stay at home technologies. This could be one of the biggest buying opportunities of this decade, especially for those who get in early.



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French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday gave his blessing to a faithful reconstruction of the spire of the fire-damaged Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris, in a change of heart after previously calling for a "contemporary" touch. The decision by Macron means that the 19th-century gothic spire, which crashed to the ground during the April 2019 blaze, will be now be rebuilt to its former glory after months of sometimes ill-tempered debates. The gothic steeple, designed by French architect Eugene Viollet-le-Duc, took a large section of the cathedral's roof with it as a blaze tore through the rafters of the 13th century church. Macron, who wants the restoration to be completed at breakneck speed in time for the 2024 Olympics in Paris, had indicated in the aftermath of the disaster he wanted a "contemporary gesture". But the Elysee said he now backed the cathedral's chief architect Philippe Villeneuve in wanting the spire to be rebuilt as it was. "The president trusts the experts and approved the main outlines of the project presented by the chief architect which plans to reconstruct the spire identically," said the Elysee. His backing came after a meeting of France's national heritage and architecture commission (CNPA) Thursday on the reconstruction process. Jean-Pierre Leleux, a senator leading the commission, confirmed to AFP after the meeting that it had agreed to restore the spire as it was. - 'Large consensus' - Newly-minted Culture Minister Roselyne Bachelot had earlier told French radio "there was a large consensus in public opinion and among those deciding" for the 96-metre (315-foot) spire to be rebuilt as it was. The reconstruction process has been plagued by delays due to bad weather, concerns over lead pollution, and most recently the coronavirus pandemic. It was only in early June that workers began the delicate task of removing tons of metal scaffolding that melted together during the fire that destroyed the monument's roof and spire. The reconstruction proper will only start in January 2021 once a consolidation phase is over, according to the archbishop of Paris, Michel Aupetit. "The concern for the president was not delaying the reconstruction and making it complicated. Things had to be cleared up quickly," said the Elysee. It said the whole process of designing a new spire -- with an international competition for architects -- could have caused a delay. But with Macron not completely giving up on his idea for something contemporary, the Elysee said a modern touch could be used in the design of the surroundings of the monument. - Greenpeace protest - In a new headache for the troubled reconstruction process, four Greenpeace activists climbed a crane used for work on the cathedral and unfurled a giant banner to demand the French government do more on climate change. The move raised the ire of Bachelot, who denounced potential "harmful consequences" to the "extremely fragile" reconstruction project. Greenpeace France head Jean-Francois Julliard insisted the activists "did not touch the cathedral" and that their protest posed "no risk". There were sharp divisions about what to do with the spire which itself was added in the mid-1800s, replacing a medieval one that was removed in 1786. Last November, the army general Macron put in charge of the massive reconstructive effort, Jean-Louis Georgelin, had a heated public exchange with chief architect Villeneuve. Georgelin caused audible gasps in a meeting of the National Assembly's cultural affairs committee when he said Villeneuve should "shut his mouth". Georgelin said last week the delicate task of removing the twisted and molten scaffolding around the cathedral should be finished by the end of September. The wooden roof of the cathedral caught fire during restoration works, sparking a vast outpouring of emotion -- and donations for its rebuilding -- from around the world. Restoring the steeple as it was had also been backed by Viollet-le-Duc's descendants and, according to opinion polls, the French public. Notre-Dame was partly destroyed by fire in April last year Greenpeace activists climbed a crane used for work on the cathedral and unfurled a giant banner to demand the French government do more on climate change
Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday responded to leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh Hoodas Baroda byelection challenge by asking the Congress to field its strongest candidate in the polls.

While addressing a press conference here, Khattar said the Congress will face a humiliating defeat in the upcoming bypoll in the same way it suffered in the Jind byelection last year. The Congress should pitch its strongest candidate in the byelection so that it cannot blame anyone for their defeat. We will win the Baroda bypoll with a huge majority in the same way we won the Jind byelection, where the Congress candidate was reduced to the third position. I will represent Baroda until the election is conducted. I am sure that the people will elect our nominee as we have delivered a transparent and corruption free government in the state, the CM said.

Khattar hit out at the previous Congress government in the state and termed it synonymous of corruption. Hooda and Randeep Surjewala should wash their hands and mouths with Gangajal and join some other party. If the Congress wants to do a new experiment, they should pitch their strongest candidate in the Baroda bypoll, he added.

Former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Sunday had dared Khattar to contest the Baroda byelection, saying he is ready to face him in the fray.

Baroda assembly seat in Sonepat district fell vacant in April following the demise of sitting Congress MLA Sri Krishan Hooda. No poll date has been announced as yet.

Khattar said the state government has suffered a revenue loss of  5,000 crore in the last three months and has received  290 crore through Covid relief fund. He said 300 government employees have deposited a months salary in the relief fund.

Khattar meets senior BJP leaders in Delhi

The CM visited New Delhi on Thursday to meet a section of central BJP leaders, including party president JP Nadda. On Friday morning, he called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apprise him of the Covid-19 situation in the state. He then came to Rohtak, where he addressed a meeting of party workers to discuss the Baroda bypolls. Khattar went back to Delhi in the evening and will be visiting Karnal on Saturday morning.
MONROVIA, Calif., July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority (Construction Authority) begins major construction on the 9.1-mile, four-station Foothill Gold Line light rail project from Glendora to Pomona. The project is anticipated to be completed in 2025 and will add new stations to the Metro Gold Line system (currently known as the L Line) in the cities of Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne and Pomona. If additional funding is secured by October 2021, the entire 12.3-mile project from Glendora to Montclair will be completed altogether by 2028, adding additional stations in Claremont and Montclair. The major construction work is being carried out by the Joint Venture team of Kiewit-Parsons (KPJV), who was awarded the design-build contract in August 2019. They are the same team that successfully built the first two segments of the Foothill Gold Line from Los Angeles to Pasadena and Pasadena to Azusa - both completed on time and under budget (in 2003 and 2015 respectively).

"The Construction Authority and design-build team have been hard at work for the past 10 months preparing for today's start of major construction," stated Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority Board Chairman and Pomona Mayor Tim Sandoval. "There is a lot of work ahead to complete this project that is critically important to the region and to the corridor communities, and we thank our partners at the cities, LA Metro and others for the hundreds of hours they have put in to help us reach this milestone moment for the project."

The Foothill Gold Line from Glendora to Pomona is being built within an existing rail corridor that is shared with BNSF freight service. Over the next five years, KPJV crews will relocate within the shared rail corridor more than nine miles of freight track; install two sets of light rail tracks; build four new light rail stations with unique artwork created by city-selected station artists; rebuild 21 at-grade street crossings where trains will cross at street level; build or renovate 19 bridge structures; relocate underground utilities; install new communications systems; and install nine traction power supply substations, along with an overhead catenary system, to power the electric light rail trains.

"Even as we confront the immediate and unprecedented challenge of COVID-19, we remain laser-focused on making smart investments in our infrastructure, our workforce, and our lasting prosperity," said Los Angeles Mayor and Metro Board Chair Eric Garcetti. "The Foothill Extension project is a down payment on a more connected, dynamic, and equitable future for Angelenos -- and it will pave the way to good-paying jobs and a stronger transportation network across our region."

The first major construction activity begins today with the rebuilding of the at-grade street crossing on Gladstone Street in the city of San Dimas and will require a three-month full closure of the street at the railroad crossing to vehicles and pedestrians. Residents and businesses can sign up to receive construction alerts ahead of future closures and impacts by going to www.foothillgoldline.org.

The Foothill Gold Line from Glendora to Pomona is being funded mostly by Los Angeles County's Measure M sales tax approved by voters in 2016, with residual funding from Measure R and State of California greenhouse gas reduction funds (part of the voter-approved SB1 program). When completed, the Foothill Gold Line will provide connections to important regional destinations like the LA County Fairplex, more than two dozen more colleges and universities, historic downtowns, museums, regional parks and open space areas, and much more. In addition, the extension will provide a direct link between the Metro and Metrolink systems, allowing riders from each system to easily transfer; creating endless possibilities for connections throughout the region.

It is estimated that during construction alone, the Foothill Gold Line from Glendora to Montclair will create as many as 16,000 jobs and up to $2.6 billion in economic output for the region, as well as up to $1 billion in labor income and potentially $40 million in tax revenue (according to an economic study by Beacon Economics). Once completed to Montclair, the line is estimated to add more than 18,300 riders to the Metro system every day.

About the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority  The Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority is an independent transportation planning and construction agency created in 1998 by the California State Legislature to plan, design and build the Metro Gold Line light rail system from Union Station to Montclair, along the Foothills of the San Gabriel Valley. The agency completed the first segment from Union Station to Pasadena in 2003 and the Pasadena to Azusa segment in 2015; both on time and under budget. The agency began work on the Glendora to Montclair project in 2003. The Glendora to Montclair project was environmentally cleared in March 2013 under CEQA and again in 2019 to allow the potential for phased construction. The project completed advanced conceptual engineering in 2016. When completed, the extension will add new light rail stations in the cities of Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, Pomona, Claremont and Montclair. The project may need to be built in phases, due to funding constraints.

The project is being built in Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties. The Los Angeles County portion will be funded mostly by Measure M, with residual funds from Measure R not used to complete the Pasadena to Azusa segment. San Bernardino County is responsible to fund their portion of the project to Montclair (in San Bernardino County). The State of California is also providing $300 million in funding through a TIRCP grant awarded in 2018.

SOURCE Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority

Related Links

www.foothillgoldline.org


In Person Nation Building in Myanmar an Ongoing Process: Outgoing EU Ambassador

EU Ambassador to Myanmar Kristian Schmidt in Yangon in May 2019. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy

Outgoing EU Ambassador to Myanmar Kristian Schmidt will soon return to the EUs headquarters in Brussels after three years of service, but the EU Delegation to Myanmar plans to continue its strong partnership with the country, including providing support ranging from suspension of debt repayments to financial assistance for unemployed garment workers amid the COVID-19 outbreak, to national education reform and ethnic language instruction.

Recalling his fond memories of his time in Myanmar engaging with many people involved in the countrys democratic transition, Schmidt said living in the country had given him an even greater understanding of what it means to fight for democracy. In Myanmar, those who speak about democracy dont speak theoretically, but speak from actually making significant sacrifices, he said. The outgoing ambassador added that he understood very well after three years that nation building in Myanmar is an ongoing process, and the West and Europe need to understand that not all of the countrys problems are linked to the Rohingya issue.

Ahead of his departure, he told The Irrawaddy that Myanmar has made progress in some areas, but still needs to work on a few others, as the country is hungry for a better life, freedom and peace.

The following are excerpts from Schmidts discussion with The Irrawaddys associate editor Nyein Nyein.

The Irrawaddy: In a recent statement [dated July 2] the EU, as part of Team Europe, pledged its support for Myanmars fight against COVID-19 by suspending debt payments. How will this help Myanmar?

Ambassador Schmidt: Well, dealing with this pandemic, I think the government has a number of urgent priorities. Of course, paying the salary and [for] the equipment of the nurses on the frontline, that is perhaps the number one, then to manage quarantine facilities and to support people who are out of a job, the returning migrant workers. All these are immediate priorities that require funding.

This happens when businesses are struggling. Therefore the government is giving tax breaks, deferring payments to the central budget. You can see these are increasing and the revenues are decreasing. Unless Myanmar receives support from its friends very quickly, I am worried that the Ministry of Finance will run out of cash liquidity.

The most important thing is to support the government in its capacity to act very fast. Weve done [this] with our  support paymentsso, payments that are going directly to treasuries. But now weve also done it with this debt deferral decision, which simply said, well, Myanmar was owing debt repayment to six European countries; they have decided that they can wait. These payments should wait and be delayed.

I will repeat the call that while this is 20 percent of what Myanmar was due to pay until the end of the year, I hope the other partners of Myanmar, who represent 80 percent, will do the same thing, because that is what a good friend does. You dont expect your money back when your friend is struggling.

You have been in Myanmar for three years and witnessed a number of elections, including by-elections. Myanmar is due to hold a general election in November. What are your expectations for this?

In 2015, there were areas in Shan State where the security situation prevented elections. I think this year the situation in Rakhine is cause for great concern because if the people cannot vote, and feel they participate in decision-making, it increases the risk that they will see other means, including violent ones. Therefore, I really hope that it will be possible to vote in all areas of Myanmar.

Hopefully this campaign from the political parties will be about ideas and how to improve the lives of people in Myanmar. This will be about who has the best idea, the best plan for the economy, for democracy, for equality of the ethnic areas, and, you know, [that] everybody feels part of this country; who has the best idea for the peace process to deliver sustainable peace for Myanmar.

We have been invited to observe the election by the UEC [Union Election Commission], so I hope that there will be a very strong team of EU observers. Whoever wins, of course, we take no position on that; this is for the people of Myanmar to decide who to choose. But I sincerely hope that we will look back and say this was another step forward in Myanmars transition to democracy. If these elections are better, more peaceful than in 2015, and so on, you will go ahead with a strong mandate for the next government.

The EU also provides support for elections in Myanmar. What role will the EU play in the 2020 election, and what kind of support are you providing?

We have worked with the program called STEP Democracy, which works on voter education, supporting the Union Election Commission in carrying out its mandate, supporting the domestic observers. It is very important that there are foreign observers, but I also think that civil society has a strong role to play in observing elections here in Myanmar.

What is your main takeaway from your years in Myanmar?

Well, I spoke earlier about the courage that I have seen of people who are truly committed to democracy and a better life, but also understanding  peace. Peace is necessary. One of my most important takeaways is the work that still remains to be done. You know the 70 years of isolation; you cannot overcome that in just three years. Three years is nothing.

Dealing with the conflict in Kachin for instance, for the fundamental grievances that are in Rakhine Statewhether it is the Rakhine ethnic community or whether its Rohingyathere are deep-rooted governance issues, of equality between the ethnic groups, of trust in government and in authorities, so building that trust, it takes much more than three years.

So I think the West and Europe for sure need to understand that the problems in Myanmar arent just linked to the Rohingya issue. However serious this isfor Europe it is very seriousbut we also need to understand, I certainly understand it very well after three years, that nation building in Myanmar is an ongoing process.

In Rakhine, there are two separate issuesthe Arakan Army and the Rohingyabut the West and the international community know only about the latter. What would be your message to them?

There is a reason why there is a strong focus in the West and in the UN on the Rohingya issue, because of what happened in 2017 and 2012. Not because I say so. Now I think we have the government agreeing after investigatingits own investigationthat crimes against human rights  grave human rights violations were committed. This is now I think accepted, as disproportionate forces were used by the Tatmadaw [Myanmars military] in addressing the attack by ARSA [the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army] in 2017 and the violence that led to the forced expulsion of 700,000 people. This is a big international incident, and rightly so, at the center of attention.

Also because three years later they [Rohingya refugees] are still there, living in camps. I have been myself to the camps in Coxs Bazar [in Bangladesh]. It is not the place you would want to go through the monsoon and COVID-19. I can tell you that for sure. There is the underlying issue of statelessness that remains a violation of human rights and would need to be addressed, to find a sustainable solution. There needs to be a more realistic path to citizenship for the Rohingya.

But as I also said, we, the Westcertainly the EUunderstands, my authority understands that the situation in Rakhine State goes beyond the issue of the Rohingya. We can see that with the fighting with the Arakan Army right now.

There is a desire on the side of the Rakhine community for a greater say in their own affairs. The Rakhine State parliament wishes to have a greater say in its own affairs. This is something that we also have in Europe, you know, the regional governments asking for a greater say, and you have to address those grievances by talking to agree.

If you are part of the Union like Rakhine State is, then you have to accept there are certain decisions that are taken by the Union government, by the Parliament in Naypyitaw. But we also see in the European Union, there is a constant discussion and decision about what decisions are not taken in the center, what decisions should be taken at the local level, closer to the people. And therefore you agree that issues like education, culture, health and other things are state competent in a federal Union.

So the answer to the problem not only in Rakhine State, but also in Kachin and Shan, and Wa [Self-Administered Zone], the answer to that is to write a new constitution with a federal setup that clarifies all of that. Fighting certainly will not get you there. Violence for sure will not get you there. So it is the work of writing that constitution that is the priority, in my view.

What role did you play in Myanmars peace-building process as EU ambassador during your term? And what more can the EU do in terms of peace building in Myanmar, given that the country is moving closer to China, and that China is already acting as a peace broker between the ethnic armed groups, the government and the Tatmadaw?

The government has been very clear that they accept support, but not facilitating or mediation from international actors. That goes for China as well. China is helpful occasionally at bringing people to the table or hosting venues.

But it is very clear that Myanmar is in control of its own peace process and nobody is facilitating or mediating between the government, the Tatmadaw and the ethnic armed groups. I think that is probably the wise choice; this peace process is probably one of the most complex peace processes in the world, because you have so many different actors around the table.

We are not facilitating or mediating or putting ourselves in the middle. But nobody is. This is a Myanmar-driven process. What we have been doing since the very start as a witness to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement [NCA] is to support the entire peace architecture, whether to the JMC [Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee], or various UPC [Union Peace Conferences] that are taking place. This, [via] the Joint Peace Fund, is being supported by the European Union.

I have myself kept very much in touch as much as possible both with the Peace Commission, but also very much with the ethnic armed organizations [EAOs], the signatories in particular. Because I think that it builds confidence and trust on the side of the EAOs that they can talk to the international community.

You know when they signed the NCA, one of the reasons why they did so was because they expected that the recognition and the ability to work also with the international community [would be] one of the benefits of signing the NCA. And thats why I think its very important that we do not disappoint them, and I certainly [found] in all my talks to EAOs that they really appreciate talking to the international community, and we will continue to do so.

Do you think Myanmars current government is really able to implement the steps needed to improve the human rights situation? What areas does the government need to put more effort into, or focus on, to make Myanmar fully democratic?

My impression from talking to government ministers is often a feeling that they themselves would have wanted to do more. And I think that is the nature of any government. You come in with high hopes and aspirations and plans, and then reality happens. Unfortunately one of the cases that happened in Myanmar is the attack of ARSA in Rakhine State and then the violent reaction of the Tatmadaw. I think that has in many ways influenced the government. The government probably itself has the plans to [implement], and then Rakhine has been attracting a lot of attention.

I think there are areas of progress on human rights and democracy, the new child rights and some of the labor rights I see progressed, both on legislation and implementation. I am hoping very soon that the [prevention and protection of] violence against women law will pass in Parliament and will be a strong law, giving better protection to women.

Then there are a number of areas where I think progress could have been made in particular the freedom of expression and protection of journalists. Some of the old laws that are now being used by individuals, not by government so much, but by individuals to intimidate journalists, including your own newspaper. Those laws, I would have thought, could have been addressed by the democratic government, with such a huge majority in Parliament. I think it is unfortunate that these laws, I am talking about Penal Code [Article] 505 and Telecommunications [Law Section] 66(d), that these laws were not amended in order to give freedom of expression a more solid basis in Myanmar. But I am hopeful that this is something that will be tackled in the coming years, because it is part of any democracy to protect freedom of expression.

The interview has been edited for length.

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New Delhi: Boeing, the world's biggest aerospace company and leading defence manufacturer, on Friday said that it has completed delivery of all new AH-64E Apache and CH-47F(I) Chinook military helicopters to the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Boeing India took to Twitter and announced that it has completed the deliveries of the 22 AH64-E Apache and 15 Chinook helicopters to India. Thank you, @IAF_MCC for your partnership. Were happy to have completed the deliveries of the 22 #AH64-E Apache and 15 #Chinook helicopters to India, it tweeted.

Thank you, @IAF_MCC, for your partnership. Were happy to have completed the deliveries of the 22 #AH64-E Apache and 15 #Chinook helicopters to India. pic.twitter.com/MLAFFXvWIe  Boeing India (@Boeing_In) July 10, 2020

The final five of the 22 Apache attack helicopters were handed over to the IAF at Air Force Station, Hindan. Earlier in March, Boeing handed over the last five of 15 CH-47F(I) Chinook heavy-lift helicopters to the IAF.

The US multi-national company also issued a detailed statement in which it said, "Customer centricity, commitment to the modernization and mission-readiness of Indian defence forces are key values to our partnership with India."

"With this delivery of military helicopters, we continue to nurture this partnership and are fully committed to working closely with the Indian defence forces to deliver the right value and capabilities to meet their operational needs," Surendra Ahuja, Managing Director, Boeing Defence India, said.

India is one of 17 nations to select the Apache and has the most advanced variant, the AH-64E Apache that is also flown by the US and many other countries. The AH-64E Apache is designed and equipped with an open systems architecture including the latest communications, navigation, sensor and weapon systems, the statement said.

It has an improved `Modernized Target Acquisition Designation System` that provides day, night and all-weather target information, as well as night vision navigation capability. In addition to classifying air and ground targets, the Fire Control Radar has been updated to operate in the maritime environment.

It is uniquely suited to meet a commander`s needs, including reconnaissance, security, peacekeeping operations, and lethal attack, across myriad environments - without reconfiguration, the statement added.

Twenty defence forces around the world either have Chinooks in service or are on contract to receive them. The tandem-rotor helicopter has been the "world`s most reliable and efficient heavy-lift helicopter for more than 50 years, allowing customers to operate in climatic (hot), altitude (high), and crosswind conditions that typically keep other helicopters from flying," the statement noted.

The CH-47F(I) Chinook contains a modern machined airframe, a common avionics architecture system (CAAS) cockpit, and a digital automatic flight control system (DAFCS).

Those innovations and technologies will help the Indian Air Force meet evolving mission demands, maximize interoperability, and reduce lifecycle costs. The Ministry of Defence finalised its order with Boeing for the production, training and support of 22 AH-64E Apache and 15 CH-47F(I) Chinook helicopters in September 2015.

Earlier this year, India and the US signed a contract for the acquisition of six Apaches for the Indian Army during US President Donald Trump`s visit to New Delhi. Boeings joint venture in Hyderabad, Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited (TBAL) has been producing aero-structures for the AH-64 Apache helicopter for both US Army and international customers.

TBAL marks a major step towards the co-development of integrated systems in aerospace and defense in India. Boeing`s suppliers in India are manufacturing critical systems and components for the Chinooks, including the crown and tailcone assembly by Tata Advanced Systems and the ramp and aft pylon by Dynamatic Technologies.

Boeing today works with over 200 suppliers and partners in the country in support of "Make in India" and "Skill India", the statement added.
UN report on General Soleimani's assassination draws US ire

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 09 July 2020 9:38 AM

A conclusion by the United Nations (UN) that the US's assassination of Iranian commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani was "unlawful" has drawn Washington's ire.

On Wednesday, US State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus called the report in which the UN's top investigator of extrajudicial killings made the conclusion about the assassination of General Soleimani "tendentious and tedious."

"It takes a special kind of intellectual dishonesty to issue a report condemning the United States for acting in self-defense," Ortagus said, repeating a debunked US claim that it assassinated the Iranian general "in self-defense."

The assassination of General Soleimani, who was the commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), was carried out with a US drone strike in Baghdad on January 3.

The Iranian general, and a top Iraqi commander who was also killed in the strike, enjoyed deep reverence among Muslim nations because of their endeavors in eliminating the Daesh terrorist group in the region, particularly in Iraq and Syria.

US President Donald Trump ordered the assassination.

Agnes Callamard, the UN's special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, concluded in a report on Tuesday that the assassination was in breach of international law.

Callamard stressed that the targeted killing "violated the UN Charter" and said her report would be presented to the UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva on Thursday.

The US withdrew from the council in 2018.

Ortagus, the spokeswoman for the US State Department, said the report "proves once again why America was right to leave the council."

Callamard said in her report that the assassination was the first known incident in which a country invoked "self-defense" as a justification for an attack against a public figure in the territory of a third country. And she said General Soleimani posed no threat to the lives of other people.

In response to the assassination, the IRGC fired volleys of ballistic missiles at a US airbase in Iraq on January 8. While Trump denied that the attack had caused any casualties, the US Defense Department said in an updated toll that at least 109 American soldiers received traumatic brain injuries in the attack.

After the assassination, Iraqi lawmakers approved a bill demanding the withdrawal of all foreign military forces from their country.

Iran has also issued an arrest warrant and asked Interpol for help in detaining the US president and several other US military and political leaders who were behind the assassination.

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Anu Kuruvilla By

Express News Service

KOCHI: This is a tale of determination. When Shomzida Yeasmin and M D Safiqul Islam from Assam decided to travel 3,601 km to Kochi, their dream of furthering their education seemed far-fetched.Ours is a love marriage and hence didnt have the blessing of our families. So, Safiqul, who cleared class XII, and I, who completed class X, had to rely upon ourselves to make ends meet, says Shomzida. Safiqul was her brothers friend. We fell in love while studying in the post-metric college located 40 km from my village Morigaon. We used to travel to the college together, says Shomzida. Though we wanted to complete our studies. we dropped the idea after our families disowned us, she said.

Shomizdas husband had joined for BSc course, but the strain that the huge fee put on their limited budget saw him dropping out. But, since I was yet to complete my Plus Two course, he told me that he would travel to Kerala, get a job and send me the money needed for my education.

However, I told him that I wont stay back, she said. The duo boarded a train to Kerala in 2012 with just their clothes and a small bag of rice. When we reached the state, we were a bewildered young couple. We didnt know the language and even our English was limited. We didnt know whom to approach and how to find something to eat, let alone go around asking for a job, said Shomizda, who explained how they roasted the rice, pounded it into flour and made a gruel.

But, soon Safiqul landed a job with a bottled drinking water supplier. This job was what revived our academic future, she said. One of the regular customers was Nirmal Jyothi College at Angamaly. After making a few supplies, my husband requested his manager to talk to the college authorities about continuing his education. The manager contacted the director, who agreed and admitted Safiqul to BCom course. Since I hadnt completed my Plus Two, I repeated the course as a private student in commerce stream, said Shomzida.

Today, 25-year-old Shomzida and 26-year-old Safiqul are waiting for the college to open so that they can write the remaining papers for MCom and get their postgraduate degree certificates. Both Safiqul and I are appearing as private candidates of the college. During weekdays, he works with a construction company. He attends classes on Sundays, she said.

Shomzida had in between had completed CA foundation course and is now preparing for the intermediate course. According to her, they dream of getting a good job after they finish their course. Safiqul too wants to do CA. Besides getting a job, we dream of starting an educational institute in our village that is affordable to everyone, she said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported a record increase in global coronavirus cases on Friday, with the total rising by 228,102 in the last 24 hours.

In the US, which is driving the global surge in numbers, President Donald Trump has decided to no longer resist wearing a mask even as the country continued to witness a rise in new Covid-19 infections, which went up by a record 65,551 in one day.

Trump told Fox News that he will wear a mask during a likely visit to the Walter Reed military hospital in Bethesda, in the adjoining state of Maryland, on Saturday. Youre in a hospital, so I think its a very appropriate thing (to wear a mask), he said.

The US president had been refusing to use a facial covering since early March.

The US has a total caseload of more than 3.1 million, with at least 133,000 deaths.

Remdesivir Linked to 62% fall in death Risk

Gilead Sciences remdesivir reduced mortality risk for Covid-19 patients by 62% compared to standard care, according to a new analysis of trial data released by the drugmaker.

The analysis compared late-stage trial data with real-world treatment. Gilead will present the findings at the Virtual Covid-19 Conference as part of the 23rd International AIDS Conference.

The analysis showed the death rate for patients treated with remdesivir was 7.6% on day 14 compared with 12.5% among patients not taking remdesivir. The analysis found 74.4% of remdesivir-treated patients recovered by day 14, as against 59% of patients receiving the standard of care alone.

The WHO said on Friday that it is still possible to bring coronavirus outbreaks under control, even though case numbers have more than doubled in the past six weeks. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the examples of Italy, Spain, South Korea and Indias biggest slum showed that however bad a outbreak was, the virus could still be reined in through aggressive action. In the last six weeks cases have more than doubled, Tedros told a virtual press conference in Geneva. However, there are many examples that it can still be brought back under control, said Tedros.

In Singapore, a general election was held on Friday under the cloud of the pandemic.
Demand from the continent was also expected to recover, with Peru, Colombia and Ecuador slowly returning to the market following a long quarantine period intended to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in those countries.Brazilian customers, meanwhile, remained on the market sidelines due to an unfavorable currency exchange rate. But a recently announced 10% domestic price increase could generate renewed interest in imports, participants said.No deals had been reported for September shipments at the time of publication, however.

Fastmarkets price assessment for steel hot-rolled coil, import, cfr main ports...
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

Federal authorities in New Mexico played a key role in the capture of a former governor of the Mexican state of Chihuahua, who is charged with aggravated embezzlement for allegedly misappropriating more than $6.5 million.

Cesar Duarte, who was believed to have spent time at a ranch in Estancia earlier this year, was arrested in Miami on Wednesday.

Duarte was governor of Chihuahua, which borders New Mexico and includes Ciudad Juarez, from 2010 to 2016.

Mexican authorities filed an arrest warrant in October and have requested his extradition.

A criminal complaint detailing the allegations against Duarte was filed in federal court in New Mexico in April after a confidential informant told federal authorities Duarte was supposed to have been at a ranch near Estancia in late March.

Therefore, there is reason to believe Duarte may be found within the jurisdiction of this Court the complaint states.

Sean Sullivan, spokesman for the New Mexico U.S. Attorneys Office, didnt say if there was any further New Mexico connection to the alleged crimes, noting that he is limited to the information in the complaint.

According to the complaint, after Duarte left office, Mexican authorities came to believe that he and several officials in his administration had misappropriated government funds that were intended to support the states cattle producers.

In some cases, funds were improperly withdrawn from the cuenta deudora, the states emergency fund, so that money could be released quickly and without justification through documentation, the complaint states.

The state of Chihuahua transferred the equivalent of about $6.5 million from at least June 2011 to November 2014 to two companies where Duarte was a majority shareholder and, at some point, was chairman of the boards of directors.

Numerous witnesses told authorities that the payments were fraudulent, that the process allocating those payments was irregular, and that the money was not used for any public purpose, the complaint states.

On March 31, a confidential informant reported that he was told by an associate of Duarte that the former governor was at a ranch in Torrance County and that the informant could go to the ranch if he wanted to see Duarte. That ranch was not owned by Duarte, according to the complaint, but Sullivan did say Duarte owned a ranch in New Mexico.

Two days later, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportation officer reported seeing an associate of Duartes at the ranch, but didnt report seeing Duarte himself.

The complaint was filed April 24 in federal court in New Mexico.
The COVID-19 Trust Fund has received a total of 53,911,294.87 Ghana cedis through donations in cash and cheques as at June 30, 2020.

The Trustee has so far disbursed more than half of the total amount through donations and supply of critical medical consumables to selected treatment centers, laboratories, testing centers, and care management centers.

A member of the board of trustees of the COVID-19 trust fund, Mrs. Gifty Affenyi Dadzie who disclosed this in Tamale said the Trust had given the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) an amount of Two Million Five Hundred thousand Ghana cedis towards a nationwide education and sensitization campaign on COVID-19.

Mrs. Gifty Affenyi Dadzie to appeal to individuals, groups, and corporate bodies to continue to make contributions to the Fund to enable it to continue to discharge its mandate of helping those who are infected with, or affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially the needy and the vulnerable in the society.

The Trust Fund started operations on the 29th of March this year when Ghana has recorded less than 100 Coronavirus infection cases.

The Fund is mandated by an Act establishing it to among others complement the efforts of the Government to combat COVID 19 and to assist in the welfare of persons who have been afflicted or impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
On a stiflingly hot Saturday morning in June, a partly masked crowd moved through the Urban Harvest Farmers Market in River Oaks. A large clearing in the middle of the market parted the booths. Pre-pandemic, this area was filled with communal tables, where people could sit and eat prepared foods sold by the vendors, listen to live music, or watch chef cooking demos.

Tyler Horne, the markets director, explains that they had to do away with all of that when the coronavirus outbreak hit Houston. Concerts and other activities are suspended for the foreseeable future. Customers can still buy food from vendors, but they have to eat it off-site. The vibe is different.

People dont linger as much, its more transactional, they grab their food and go, said Horne.

Despite this, the market has been a continued success throughout the pandemic. Horne says overall sales for vendors are up about 30 percent from this time last year. He thinks people are seeking the market out because they feel its a safer place to shop than the grocery store. Farmers market aisles tend to be wider, facilitating social distancing, and being outdoors allows people to avoid breathing in recirculated air.

Urban Harvest implemented a few other routine precautions. They put hand sanitization stations throughout the market and they require vendors to wear masks. Theyve banned all sampling, which is a big change for many vendors for whom this is a big part of their business. Horne really wants to bring sampling back, but he has a hard time looking in the future with much certainty as to when hell be able to do that. He also thinks itll be a while before the live music resumes.

Meanwhile, Urban Harvests new drive-thru will become a permanent fixture. They set it up in late March in the parking garage to accommodate people who still feel uneasy about in-person shopping. Now, it fulfills between 300 and 400 orders every Saturday. Customers preorder with the vendors individually, at no extra cost to either of them. Moving forward, Horne wants to create a unified marketplace to make these transactions easier.

The Fulshear Farmers Market also created a preordering system during the pandemic, as well as a delivery service used primarily by elderly shoppers. Founder and manager Ramona Ridge says theyre discussing keeping it on for good. The vendors like it as it helps them plan better each weekend.

Ridge says customers have been recognizing the value of the farmers market. Fulshears is on a 5-acre field. Additionally, fewer people have handled the food than in a multistep grocery store distribution chain; the same team who grew the produce delivers it and sells it at the market.

John Carey, the manager of the Westchase District Farmers Market, has also observed a pronounced increase in traffic and revenue over time, even though people are using the market less as their usual gathering space and more as a place to shop for their essentials and leave. Carey believes a strong desire for shopping outside is driving this trend. The new regulations  masks, social distancing, no touching of the produce  have started to become normal to people and the team is happy with how everyone is cooperating. They dont plan on making any changes for the foreseeable future.

The vendors appreciate not having every tomato squeezed, said Carey.

At the Memorial Villages Farmers Market, there was a spike in sales for items difficult to find on grocery store shelves, particularly meat  another reason customers have been looking for shopping alternatives during the pandemic. Tim Carlson, the markets manager, has seen new people come out to the market, as well as old customers returning; many spend more money in one shop so as to come out less frequently.

Carlson also believes traffic increased a few weeks into the stay-at-home order because people had run out of activities. The farmers market was open and felt relatively safe.

Even before the pandemic, chef Chris Shepherd of Underbelly Hospitality had already banked on Houstons appetite for more farmers markets. The Houston Farmers Market in the Heights is undergoing a massive redevelopment project, spearheaded by MLB Capital Partners with Shepherd as a consultant.

Slated to open late 2020, the market will have about 140,000 square feet of retail market space, primarily outdoors, as well as six restaurants (one with patio space) and eight small kiosks doing counter service. Todd Mason, managing principal at MLB Capital Partners, says there have been no changes to any of the plans because of the pandemic, as the mostly outdoor layout already lends itself well to the safety precautions we are taking now.

Back at Urban Harvest, Horne would love to scale up and open new market locations. However, many of his current farmers and ranchers sell out every week, and theyve been having trouble keeping up with demand during the pandemic. He would have to come up with a completely new vendor base, but its something hes thinking about for the future. About six months ago, the team launched a drive-thru market in northeast Houston that has continued to operate during the pandemic.

Time will tell if the enthusiasm for farmers markets will continue, even when the pandemic is in everyones rearview mirror. The latest data suggest that, for Texas, this may be a while. Regardless, market operators are optimistic about their future.

Pre-pandemic, post-pandemic, our message is that local is better for you, said Carey of Westchase.
Parler is not the first social platform created over concerns of political bias. It follows the limited success of networks including Gab and Voat which aimed at conservatives feeling out of place on the mainstream platforms. Parler has become home to Republican lawmakers including Senator Rand Paul, and right-wing activists kicked off other social media. Trumps son Eric is also a member.

San Francisco: Amid rising turmoil in social media, recently formed social network Parler is gaining with prominent political conservatives who claim their voices are being silenced by Silicon Valley giants.

Parler, founded in Nevada in 2018, bills itself as an alternative to ideological suppression at other social networks.

Parler has grownnow claiming more than two million usersas Facebook, Twitter, Reddit and Google fight demonstrably false information and content that could trigger violence.

The list of accounts recommended to follow at Parler is packed with conservative Republican politicians and commentators, along with the campaign to re-elect president Donald Trump.

Republican senator Ted Cruz of Texas said he was a proud new user of Parler because the social network gets what free speech is all about.

Parler was founded on the principle that every individual has the right to speak and be heard, said an open statement from chief executive John Matze, who co-founded Parler with fellow University of Denver graduate Jared Thomson.

We reject censors and censorship.

Parler is not the first social platform created over concerns of political bias. It follows the limited success of networks including Gab and Voat which aimed at conservatives feeling out of place on the mainstream platforms.

But the path to financial success is likely to be challenging for Parler, which is dwarfed by the far larger networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

Silicon Valley firms take in billions in ad revenue each year, despite a growing boycott which mainly targets Facebook over toxic content and hate speech.

Matze, who started Parler with funds from friends, told Forbes of a plan to make money by matching advertisers with influential conservatives popular at Parler.

Venue for bigotry?

The platform has become home to Republican lawmakers including Senator Rand Paul, and right-wing activists kicked off other social media. Trumps son Eric is also a member.

But Matze told CNBC he wants to broaden the platform to all political voices and offered a $20,000 bounty for an openly liberal pundit with 50,000 followers on Twitter or Facebook.

Any platform that tries to bill itself as only for conservatives or only for liberals is not going to be successful because conservatives want to talk to liberals, if not antagonize them, and vice versa, said Shannon McGregor, a professor and social media researcher at the University of North Carolina.

Parler at the moment is just a blip on the social media radar, according to McGregor and University of Hartford professor Adam Chiara.

Chiara suggested that Parler is a product of a free market system providing a venue for bigotry, hate and misinformation not welcomed on mainstream social networking platforms.

If Parler decides thats what they want on their platform, questionable things like bigoted views, that is the decision the company makes, Chiara said.

Searches on an array of racist or anti-semitic terms at Parler turned up troves of accounts and comments.

A lynchmob561 profile described the user as proud white female Trump supporter.

An array of accounts played off Boogaloo, a movement promoting a civil war, which was recently banned by Facebook.

Parlers policies appear to be daring someone to post something so offensive they will have to pull it down, and they will be in the unenviable position Facebook has been in since 2016, McGregor said.

No sex, no feces

Parler did not respond to a request for an interview but Matze has outlined the platforms mission.

We reject technofascism and those who think they are the sole arbiters of truth, Matze said in a post aimed at Parler rivals.

We reject their biased editorial panels, we reject their fact checkers and we reject censorship.

Parlers terms of service, however, state the startup can remove content for any reason or no reason. The platform bars pictures of fecal matter, profanity, pornography, obscene user names, male genitalia and female nipples.

You cannot threaten to kill anyone in the comment section, Matze said.

Parler also said it bans spam, terrorist organizations and any direct and very personal insult with the intention to stir and upset the recipient including comments that would lead to violence.

Parler doesnt seem to necessarily be quite as free as they make themselves out to be, McGregor said.

They do have guidelines that are as vague as those at Facebook and Twitter in terms of allowing the platform maximum interpretive flexibility.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
Let Them Eat Tweets

By Jacob S. Hacker and Paul Pierson

Liveright. 266 pp. $26.95

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'Let Them Eat Tweets" is not, according to authors Jacob S. Hacker and Paul Pierson, about President Trump. As the titular play on Marie Antoinette's famous quote suggests, the authors believe that American society is moving toward control by a selfish oligarchy, but they consider the tweeter in chief more consequence than cause.

They see the real threat to democracy as the Republican Party's subservience to corporate and financial interests and a handful of the wealthiest Americans. In their view, the GOP's dedication to the cause of plutocracy explains nearly every pernicious development in American public life: galloping economic inequality, declining state capacity, growing right-wing populism and white ethno-nationalism, and weakening democratic norms and majoritarian rule.

Hacker and Pierson - professors of political science at Yale and the University of California at Berkeley, respectively - make clear that they're not claiming our politics are orchestrated by all-powerful plutocrats, like "Bond villains in a hidden lair inside a volcano." But they offer a strong case that the Republican Party's dependence on its top donors explains much of its trajectory in recent decades, culminating in the rise of Trump.

The authors have a knack for synthesizing complicated academic studies and explaining them concisely for popular audiences. They make particularly good use of political scientist Daniel Ziblatt's work on the historical role played by European conservative parties in nascent democracies. Hacker and Pierson posit that the Republican Party, like elite-aligned parties in other times and places, faces a "Conservative Dilemma": how to persuade ordinary citizens to vote for the party that represents the interests of society's richest and most powerful members?

The conservative party may choose to offer material benefits to the nonelite classes, but that risks angering their plutocratic backers, and in any case left-wing parties inevitably will offer more. So conservative parties tend to play up social and cultural divisions instead. Sometimes, as in the case of Britain's Conservative Party, this takes the form of a relatively benign appeal to working-class traditionalism. Unfortunately, the Republican Party has leaned more toward the pattern of the German conservative parties of the 1920s and early '30s that inadvertently paved the way for uncontrollable radicalism. If a similar outcome in America is still unlikely, the extent to which our income inequality has become far worse than in other developed countries finds a parallel in the Republican Party becoming far more right-wing than conservative parties in the rest of the world.

In Hacker and Pierson's telling, the plutocratic program - tax cuts for the richest, benefit cuts for the most vulnerable, and a free hand for corporate and financial interests - has never been popular. As the Republican Party, starting in the 1970s, embraced this unpopular agenda, it reduced the range of issues on which it could compete and thus the voters it could attract. Party elites soon realized that the only way to win majorities was by attracting white, working-class voters who resented rising minorities. The GOP thus was forced to outsource voter mobilization to populist entities skilled at ginning up racially based outrage among this target audience. These principally included the National Rifle Association, Christian right organizations such as Moral Majority, and conservative media firebrands such as Rush Limbaugh and Fox News.

This "plutocratic populism" that came to dominate the Republican Party delivered far more to the plutocrats than to the populists, although stacking the courts with socially and economically conservative justices served the interests of both. But as the party delegated the task of voter persuasion to "outrage groups" that had only disdain for swing voters and practical compromises, "the GOP increasingly lost the capacity to shape its own agenda and fight elections on its own terms." It also set itself up for takeover by Trump, "a true master of outrage."

The Republican Party also lost the ability to govern. Nearly its only legislative accomplishment during 2017-18, when it controlled both houses of Congress as well as the White House, was a massively regressive, deficit-busting tax cut. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 ranks as one of the most unpopular pieces of legislation of the past quarter-century, second only to the GOP's proposed Obamacare repeal. Hacker and Pierson observe that it's practically an iron law of political science that politicians in a democracy aren't supposed to go all in for reckless initiatives that even most of their supporters detest, yet "Republicans conjured up two unicorns in less than a year."

Republican devotion to the cause of plutocracy seems a persuasive explanation for the party's otherwise baffling behavior, but it isn't the only conceivable one. Hacker and Pierson rarely consider the possibility that conservatives genuinely believe in the ideas they advance, rather than merely repeating the lines their plutocratic paymasters feed them, or that their ideas might have some basis in reality. Undoubtedly the Republicans' top donors prospered mightily under Trump, but so too did regular Americans who benefited from record-low unemployment rates - at least until those gains were wiped out by the incompetent government response to the novel coronavirus.

Nor have Republicans or their top donors been as unified as the plutocratic paradigm suggests. The authors' analysis doesn't adequately account for phenomena such as compassionate conservatism, intraparty fights over issues such as reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank or policy proposals such as a border adjustment tax that pitted large corporate interests against one another.

Nonetheless, Hacker and Pierson accurately describe an overarching pattern of the super-rich using the Republican Party to tilt the American economy and political life in their favor. Their historical explanation of how the GOP became radicalized raises legitimate concerns that the party, its judicial appointees and its donor class will carry on "fomenting tribalism, distorting elections, and subverting democratic institutions, procedures, and norms" regardless of the electoral outcome in November. Those who would resist this development should carefully consider the analysis that Hacker and Pierson lay out in such convincing and depressing detail.

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Kabaservice is the director of political studies at the Niskanen Center and the author of "Rule and Ruin: The Downfall of Moderation and the Destruction of the Republican Party, From Eisenhower to the Tea Party."
YEREVAN, JULY 10, ARMENPRESS. A key U.S. House panel has approved legislative report language indirectly calling for continued USAID funding for humanitarian demining in Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh), ARMENPRESS reports, citing the official website of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

We certainly welcome this report recommendation as a step in the right direction, said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. However, in light of this Administrations all-out attack on Artsakh demining, its clear that Congress will need to do more in the underlying foreign aid bill to ensure continued U.S. support for a mine-free Artsakh.

Support for Artsakh demining was included in the House Appropriations Committee report accompanying the Fiscal Year 2021 Foreign Aid Bill, as follows: The Committee recommends funding consistent with prior years for USAIDs Humanitarian Demining program. The only USAID funded demining program currently in operation is in Artsakh, where The HALO Trust has successfully removed over 61,000 mines and cleared some 62,000 acres of land, ensuring a safer future for over 80% of Artsakhs population. Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ), who visited Artsakh last year and met with representatives of The HALO Trust, was a strong proponent of the report language, along with his Armenian Caucus colleagues, including Co-Chairs Jackie Speier (D-CA) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Representatives Judy Chu (D-CA), Devin Nunes (R-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Brad Sherman (D-CA) and others.

Congress has consistently pushed back against efforts to stop demining assistance to Artsakh, with over 30 Senators and 75 U.S. Representatives calling on key Appropriations Committee members to continue the assistance program, in letters sent in April and March of this year. Last year, 22 Senators and 89 Representatives cosigned bipartisan letters defending the USAID-funded HALO-Trust demining program in Artsakh. In 2017 and again in 2019 the U.S. House passed amendments supporting continued U.S. aid to Artsakh. In the lead up to todays vote, one-third of U.S. House members testifying before the House Appropriations Committee cited Artsakh demining as a key priority for inclusion in the FY2021 Foreign Aid Bill.

The United States has been funding humanitarian programs in Artsakh since 1998, providing clean water to rural communities, support for maternal and child health, and life-saving demining assistance. Artsakh assistance has been long under attack by Azerbaijans Aliyev regime, and over the past two years, aggressively targeted by the Trump Administration, even as it ramps up U.S. defense and security aid to Baku.

Continued aid to Artsakh to support demining and rehabilitation efforts has been a key part of the ANCAs 360-degree policy priorities to ensure Artsakh security and freedom. In testimony to the House Appropriations Committee earlier this year, ANCA Government Affairs Director Tereza Yerimyan argued that The U.S. aid program to Nagorno Karabakh may require only a small expenditure, but it represents a major American investment in peace. She went on to note that despite exceptional progress in The HALO Trusts effort to make Artsakh mine-free, more needed to be done. While the exact percentage of territory requiring clearance remains uncertain, The HALO Trusts village-by-village resurvey has already identified 1.8 million square meters of additional contamination in the highly populated Martakert region, a figure that will certainly increase as the re-survey continues. All told, 385 people have been killed or injured by landmines or other explosives in Nagorno Karabakh since 1995, including several HALO trust employees in just the past few years, explained Yerimyan.

Over 10,000 advocates have contacted Congress in support of continued U.S. demining assistance to Artsakh through the ANCAs online action portals. ANCA Leo Sarkisian and Maral Melkonian Avetisyan Summer program participants have been rallying nationwide constituent outreach in support of continued Artsakh aid. Letters to Senate and House members can be sent by visiting anca.org/aid. Constituents can be directly connected to their U.S. Representative by phone through the ANCAs Quick Connect system by visiting anca.org/call. Grassroots outreach to Congressional offices will continue until the FY2021 Foreign Aid Bill is finalized.

The FY 2021 Foreign Aid Bill and its accompanying report were approved by the Appropriations Committee by a vote of 29 to 21 and is scheduled to be taken up by the full House of Representatives soon. The Senate Appropriations Committee will be taking up its version of the FY2021 Foreign Aid Bill in upcoming weeks. The current measure did not specify amounts for direct aid to Armenia or Azerbaijan, allowing the State Department latitude to define funding levels and programs.
By Ayya Lmahamad

In the first six months of 2020, Azerbaijan produced 19.3 billion cubic meters of gas, which is by 11 percent or about 2 million cubic meters more than in the same period last year, the Energy Ministrys press service reported on July 9.

Out of total production, production from Azeri- Chirag- Guneshli field amounted to 6.3 billion cubic meters, while Shah Deniz amounted to 9.4 billion cubic meters of gas. SOCAR has produced 3.6 billion cubic meters of gas over this period.

Moreover, during the reporting period, gas exports amounted to 6.5 billion cubic meters, which is by 16.9 percent more than in the same period last year.

The volume of gas exports to Georgia amounted to 1.3 billion cubic meters.

In January- June this year, 5.2 cubic meters of gas were exported to Turkey, which is 24.5 percent more than in the same period of 2019.

It should be noted that, 1.9 billion cubic meters of gas were transported to Turkey via TANAP during the reporting period.

Between June 30, 2018 and July 1, 2020, 5.8 billion cubic meters of gas were transported to Turkey via TANAP.

Furthermore, in January- June 2020, 17.8 million tons of oil (including condensate) were produced in Azerbaijan, which is about 1 million tons less than in the same period last year.

Out of total production, 12.2 million tons of oil accounted to Azeri- Chirag- Guneshli field, while 1.9 million tons (including condensate) accounted to Shah Deniz. SOCAR production was 3.7 million tons.

Some 14.7 million tons of oil (including condensate) were exported in the first half of 2020, which is approximately by 900,000 tons or 5.9 percent less than in the same period of 2019.

The consortium accounted to 14.1 million tons of oil condensate from total export, while SOCAR accounted to 0.6 million tons.

It should be noted that, 541.2 million tons of oil (including condensate) have been produced since the commissioning of the Azeri- Chirag- Guneshli and Shah Deniz fields till July 1.

Production from Azeri- Chirag- Guneshli accounted to 512.6 million tons of condensate, while Shah Deniz produced 28.6 million tons.

Additionally, 541.1 million tons of oil (including condensate) were exported from Azeri- Chirag- Guneshli and Shah Deniz fields as of July 1, 2020.

Likewise, during this period, 171.2 billion cubic meters of gas was produced from Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli and 126.3 billion cubic meters from Shah Deniz.

Some 83.5 billion cubic meters of gas have been exported from Shah Deniz filed since its commissioning.

The country's oil refining amounted to 3 million tons in the first six months of 2020. In addition, oil processing was 79,000 tons less than in the same period last year.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
(JNS)  As the debate over whether or not Israel should apply sovereignty to parts of Judea and Samaria intensifies as the proposed July timeline for instituting the decision approaches, a new report by the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) says that the extension of Israeli sovereignty in the Jordan Valley would actually advance U.S. national security interests.

Our conclusion is that the Jordan Valley is of immense strategic importance to Israels security, Jordans security and to the stability of the Middle East, particularly amid the changes in the region over the last seven or eight years, said Josh Block, a senior fellow at JINSA.

Block told JNS that as America is pulling back from the region, Israel is being required to step up, and that Israeli control over the Jordan Valley would be essential for both its security and U.S. national interests.

Furthermore, Block said that the muted global reactions to other controversial moves, such as moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in 2018 and recognizing Israels sovereignty over the Golan Heights in 2019, suggest that the gains for the two democracies will likely outweigh the risks.

The value of the move and the benefit outweighs the costs, he said.

Under U.S. President Donald Trumps Peace to Prosperity plan to ameliorate the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Jewish state can begin to consider applying sovereignty to parts of Judea and Samaria, as well as the Jordan Valley, as early as July 1.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has strongly backed the Trump plan, has signaled that he is considering going ahead with applying sovereignty or existing law to some 30 percent of Judea and Samaria that is already under Israeli control as per the Oslo Accords. However, debate and discussion among Israeli and U.S. officials remain ongoing. Many key allies of Israel, including those countries in the European Union, the Arab world and even U.S. Democrats have expressed criticism of the move.

A formidable barrier

In its one-page report, JINSA avoids the political debate, and instead focuses on the strategic implications for Israel and the United States. It concentrates on applying sovereignty to the Jordan Valley, not other areas of Judea and Samaria, such as large settlement blocs or smaller Jewish communities.

According to JINSA, the rationale for Israel to apply Israeli law to the Jordan Valley is purely strategic, based on the threats from Iran, the geostrategic importance of the Jordan Valley, and threats to Jordan and the Palestinian Authority from terror groups such as Hamas.

The Valleys depth creates a formidable barrier and provides a far more defensible boundary than the so-called Green Line, or pre-1967 line, especially in the current geostrategic context of an increasingly violent and unpredictable Middle East, states the report.

Israel gained control over the Jordan Valley in the 1967 Six-Day War. Many Israeli leaders have long supported a plan to retain control over the Jordan Valley in any peace agreement, viewing it as strategically important to protect the Jewish states eastern flank. The Jordan Valley lies in Area C of the West Bank under the Oslo Accords, where Israel retains full civilian and military control.

Furthermore, the report also downplays international objections to Israels sovereignty plan, especially from Arab allies such as Jordan or the Arab Gulf states.

Despite opposition voiced by Jordan, the Palestinian Authority and some Gulf Arab states, the convergence of their interests with Israel against Iran and Sunni Islamic extremism, and thus their warming ties, are too vital to countenance a full break over Israeli policy in the Valley, reads the JINSA report.

This week, Mossad chief Yossi Cohen, who has a very close relationship with Netanyahu, visited Jordan, where he met with King Abdullah to discuss the sovereignty issue.

On several occasions, Abdullah has warned of massive conflict if Israel went ahead with its plans, and has even threatened to downgrade or nix its peace treaty with Israel.

Block dismissed these threats from Jordan, arguing that nobody wants Israel on that border more than the king of Jordan. Nobody wants a radicalized Palestinian state.

Indeed, despite the protestations by Abdullah, Jordan relies heavily on Israel to help with intelligence gathering, security coordination and natural resources such as natural gas and desalinated fresh water.

The U.S. and Israel are heavily invested in Jordans stability, said Block, noting the threats the country faces from domestic and foreign terror groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood and the Islamic State to large refugee populations it hosts.

Similarly, Block pointed out that the protests from some in the Arab Gulf states have been overblown and there are signs that emerging allies, such as the United Arab Emirates, would not alter its warming ties with Israel over the sovereignty issue.

The interests of Israel and the Gulf Arab states dont change based on these extensions of sovereignty, he said.

Despite the strategic importance, recent Israeli media reports have suggested that Israel would forgo extending sovereignty to the Jordan Valley in favor of three major settlement blocs. While this may be due to Jordanian objections, the issue of the Jordan Valley has long appeared to be a consensus issue within Israel. Ahead of Israels September 2019 election, Netanyahu indicated that the first region he would extend sovereignty over would be the Jordan Valley.

Netanyahus former chief political rival and now coalition partner, Defense Minister Benny Gantz, has also voiced support for extending sovereignty over the Jordan Valley.

While concern remains over the international objections to the sovereignty plan, as well as other pressing issues  namely, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic that has affected the Middle East along with other major areas in the world  Block said that the strategic environment for Israel to apply sovereignty, especially in the Jordan Valley, has never been more important.

One of things you have seen is the dramatic changes of the security status and balance of the region, he explained. As Iran continues its pursuit of nuclear weapons, as Islamic groups have changed the balance of power in the region and the Arab spring has created a very different and very threatening situation where the stability of nation-states cant be taken for granted.

The Trump Mideast peace plan is different from how both Republican and Democrat administrations have approached this issue in the past, said Block, arguing that Israel needs to seize on the opportunity of current administrations plan.

The security situation, he emphasized, would be enhanced by Israels move.
The process of the deadly attack on an eight-year-old boy to the Frankfurt main station will begin in mid-August, before a court of assizes chamber of the regional court of Frankfurt. As a spokesman announced on Friday, have admitted to the chamber the request of the public Prosecutor's office, to open the main trial and six days of trial determined.

Anna-Sophia Lang

editor in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.

F. A. Z.

Because the alleged offender, a 41-year-old Eritreans from Switzerland, a advice, in fact, an acute schizophrenic psychosis had and, therefore, incompetent to have been, should be, had raised the public Prosecutor's office not to press charges, but the long-term confinement in the psychiatric ward requested, as is usual in such cases. The authority of manslaughter and attempted manslaughter and dangerous bodily harm went out.

The man had encountered in July 2019 in addition to the young and its mother on the Track, you could roll, however, just to the side of the train before importation and before your eyes your son captured. A 78-year-old woman injured, also, significantly, because the Accused treated her a push in the back, through which you fell. The fact had nationwide causes a stir and a debate on the safety of railway tracks is triggered.

Updated Date: 10 July 2020, 10:19
A merica's leading infectious diseases expert has said some US states reopened too quickly from lockdown as the country hit hardest by the coronavirus posted a record 65,000 new cases.

Dr Anthony Fauci told FiveThirtyEights weekly podcast on Covid-19: There are some times when, despite the guidelines and the recommendations to open up carefully and prudently, some states skipped over those and just opened up too quickly.

Dr Fauci, a senior member of the White House coronavirus taskforce, added: Certainly Florida I know, you know, I think jumped over a couple of checkpoints.

He earlier told reporters: Not to be hyperbolic about it  it really is the perfect storm and [an] infectious disease and public health persons worst nightmare. The efficiency with which this transmits is really striking.

There have been more than 3.2 million confirmed infections in the US since the outbreak began. Cases are rising in 36 states.

The number dying with Covid-19 is also increasing, with an average of more than 900 for the past three days. Confirmed cases in Florida have soared recently, with an average of more than 9,000 a day. The average was below 1,000 a day until last month.

President Donald Trump has consistently tried to play down the rise in US cases saying they were due to increased testing.

He tweeted: For the 1/100th time, the reason we show so many Cases, compared to other countries that havent done nearly as well as we have, is that our TESTING is much bigger and better. We have tested 40,000,000 people. If we did 20,000,000 instead, Cases would be half, etc. NOT REPORTED!

Meanwhile, residents in the virus-hit state of Victoria in Australia have been told to wear masks when outside after a record 288 new cases were recorded.

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The state, which includes Melbourne, has banned international arrivals after breaches of hotel quarantine in Melbourne were blamed for Australias only widespread transmission of Covid-19.

Bolivias interim president Jeanine Anez and at least seven ministers have tested positive. In New Zealand police have been called in to guard quarantine hotels where people arriving in the country have been staying.

It comes after a number of guests in the mandatory facilities left to go shopping. Hong Kongs education officials said today they were shutting all schools from Monday after a spike in local cases.
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As if the person and presidency of Donald J. Trump have not been controversial enough, there is an unusual twist that adds to the controversy. Im speaking of the idea that the presidency of Trump can be likened to a biblical prophecy, namely that of the Persian king named Cyrus. What are we to make of this seemingly farfetched idea? And have you ever read a quote from King Cyrus himself? (If not, stay tuned. Youre about to.)

This week, in conjunction with the release of my new book, Evangelicals at the Crossroads: Will We Pass the Trump Test?, Ive been focusing on a number of major issues of special importance to evangelical Christians, especially as we approach the November elections.

In my last article, I asked whether Trump could be reelected without divine intervention, as many have alleged divine intervention in his 2016 election. Thats also why I devoted a chapter in my book to the question, Did God Uniquely Raise Up President Trump?

Specifically, some time before the 2016 elections, there were Christian leaders who felt that God showed them that, just as He had raised up Cyrus, an idol-worshiping, foreign king, to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, so he would raise up Donald Trump. Not only so, but in the book of Isaiah, the Lord called Cyrus His anointed one (Hebrew, mashiach).

Does that mean that Trump is anointed by God? Does that make him some kind of savior figure?

Not surprisingly, these claims were widely mocked, especially before Trumps election.

And to this day, the idea of Trump being a Cyrus figure, let alone anointed by God, is considered a travesty, as in, You must be out of your mind to claim that Donald Trump, with all his failings, is called and anointed by God. Preachers of the gospel are called and anointed by God, not carnal political leaders like Donald Trump.

But to say that is to miss the whole point of the Cyrus connection, which was meant as a parallel rather than a direct prophecy.

In other words, these Christian leaders were not saying, The Bible contains a prophecy about Donald Trump! Trump is in the Bible! (If thats how you took it, I strongly encourage you to read the Scriptures more carefully.)

Instead, they were saying, Look at this parallel. God used King Cyrus, an unlikely vessel who didnt even know who Yahweh really was, to bless His people Israel. We believe God is going to use Trump to do good things for Gods people too, even though theres no evidence he has a personal relationship with the Lord.

Sixty years earlier, during the founding of the modern state of Israel, Harry Truman realized the significance of Americas standing with the Jewish nation, seeing himself as a Cyrus-type figure. (For a fascinating book-length study, see here. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu actually compared both Truman and Trump to Cyrus.)

And, ironically, just as Cyrus was commissioned to restore and rebuild Jerusalem (Isaiah 44:24-26), so Trump was the president who moved our embassy to Jerusalem.

But, to understand the Cyrus prophecy, its important to hear from Cyrus himself. His words have been preserved in what is called the Cyrus Cylinder, discovered in 1879 and written in 539 BC. (For more details and further quotes, see my book.)

This is what the Lord had said about Cyrus in Isaiah: For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge [or, know] me. (Isaiah 45:4)

What did Cyrus say of himself?

I am Cyrus, king of the universe, the great king, the powerful king, king of Babylon, king of Sumer and Akkad, king of the four quarters of the world, son of Cambyses, the great king, king of the city of Anshan, grandson of Cyrus, the great king, ki[ng of the ci]ty of Anshan, descendant of Teispes, the great king, king of the city of Anshan, the perpetual seed of kingship, whose reign Bel (Marduk) and Nabu love, and with whose kingship, to their joy, they concern themselves. (Bel, Marduk, and Nabu were the names of some of the key gods in the Babylonian pantheon.)

It sounds like Cyrus was a bit full of himself. There is no king on earth like me! (In reality, at that time, it was true.)

And to whom does Cyrus give credit for raising him up? To Marduk! [Marduk] searched everywhere and then he took a righteous king, his favorite, by the hand, he called out his name: Cyrus, king of Anshan; he pronounced his name to be king all over the world.

Isnt this remarkable? The prophecy in Isaiah uses similar wording, except there it is Yahweh who called and raised up Cyrus. Here, credit is given to Marduk!

But, in keeping with the policy of Cyrus, rather than subjugate the exiled peoples, as a foreign king would normally do, he restored them to their homelands and even funded the rebuilding of their temples. This way, he could rule over them more peacefully, extract taxes and revenues, and keep his trade routes open without continual warfare.

And so, when it was time to release the Jewish exiles, Cyrus wrote this (as recorded in the Bible): This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up, and may the Lord their God be with them. (2 Chronicles 36:23)

So, when it came time to speak to Israel, he talked like a true believer (presumably with the help of one of the Jewish exiles), giving credit to Yahweh, the God of heaven. But when he wrote for the Babylonians, he gave credit to their chief god, Marduk, ascribing might and power to him.

This is part of the Cyrus prophecy that very few Christians know about today, leading to confusion when they hear that God raised up Trump just as He raised up Cyrus. And things get even more confusing when some Christians give the impression that Trump is so anointed that even his Twitter account is anointed by God. Certainly not!

The whole point of the prophecy is that its a totally unlikely scenario. That Trump is a totally unlikely vessel. That the Lord chose to use someone to do good to His people even though that person did not know Him.

Can you see it more clearly now? And, in many ways, hasnt the comparison proven true?
Equinor ASA EQNR announced that along with partners, it has been successful in finding natural gas and condensate at the 30/2-5 S Atlantis exploration well on the Kvitebjrn Field in North Sea.

The drilling of the exploration well took place across more than 17 kilometres to the south of the Kvitebjrn Field using West Hercules drilling rig. Based on preliminary estimates, the discovery at exploration well, which intended to ascertain the presence of hydrocarbons in the Middle Jurassic reservoir of the Brent Group has proven reserves of 3-10 million standard cubic metres of recoverable oil equivalent.

Drilled at a vertical depth of 14,301 feet below sea level with water level as deep as 465 feet in the area, 30/2-5 S Atlantis marks the first exploration well to be drilled in production license 878. The license was awarded in the Awards in Predefined Areas 2016 (APA 2016). Equinor owns a 60% stake in the license while Source Energy and Wellesley Petroleum have 20% partnership interests each.

Per Nick Ashton, Equinors senior vice president for exploration in Norway and the U.K., continued discovery of more resources in one of the most mature areas on the Norwegian continental shelf seems quite encouraging for the company. It will now focus on evaluating a profitable, carbon dioxide-efficient recovery.

In April 2020, this Norway-based energy player found oil in the Monument exploration well, located in the central U.S. Gulf of Mexico (GoM). This is the companys first operated exploration well in the region within a span of five years.

The exploration well was drilled with the help of the Pacific Khamsin rig at a water depth of 10,164 meters. It encountered around 60 meters of net oil pay, providing early indications of the productive reservoir, belonging to the Paleogene sandstone. The company plans further appraisal drillings at the site to gauge the full potential of its finding.

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New Delhi, July 10 : The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) on Friday issued a fresh advisory against fraudulent websites seeking registrations under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) Scheme.

The advisory follows a spurt in activity of two new websites noticed by the ministry. These websites recently cropped up illegally, claiming to be a registration portal for PM-KUSUM Scheme. Web addresses of the said websites are https://kusum-yojana.co.in/ and https://www.onlinekusumyojana.co.in/.

The miscreants behind these websites are potentially duping general public and misusing data captured through these fake portals, it said.

While the government is taking action against these fraudulent sites, it has been advised to all potential beneficiaries and general public to be informed and avoid depositing money or data on these websites, it added.

Further, the MNRE advisory has also asked news portals to check the authenticity of websites claiming to be registration portal for government schemes before publishing them on digital or print platforms.

The administrative approval for PM-KUSUM Scheme was issued by the MNRE on March 8, 2019. Guidelines for implementation of scheme were issued on July 22, 2019. The Scheme provides for installation of solar pumps, solarisation of existing grid-connected agricultural pumps and installation of grid connected renewable power plants.

After launch of the scheme, it was noticed that few websites have cropped up, claiming to be the registration portal for PM-KUSUM Scheme. To avoid any loss to the general public, the MNRE had earlier issued advisories on March 18, 2019 and June 3 this year, advising beneficiaries and general public to refrain from depositing any registration fee and sharing their data on such websites.

The ministry has informed all stakeholders that PM-KUSUM Scheme is being carried out through implementation agencies in respective states. MNRE does not register beneficiaries under the scheme through any of its websites and therefore, any portal claiming to be MNRE's registration portal for the scheme is potentially misleading and fraudulent.
Butte-Silver Bow might join several other counties in trying to restore passenger rail service through southern Montana, something that hasnt existed since 1979.

The counties must first agree to set up a rail authority to analyze the issue, determine and purse funding needs, get congressional buy-in and ultimately implement and oversee the transportation service. None of that will happen overnight.

Seven counties so far have indicated a willingness to join such an authority, though none has formally committed. The counties are Missoula, Sanders, Dawson, Gallatin, Prairie, Broadwater and Park.

But Missoula County Commissioner Dave Strohmaier, who is among those spearheading the effort, told Butte-Silver Bow commissioners via videoconference Wednesday night that nothing changes if nothing changes.

Some folks have asked me, What is the likelihood this will ever come to pass in our lifetime or anyones lifetime?' Strohmaier said. My answer is, Absolutely zero unless we do something different, and this is doing that something different in positioning ourselves for a shovel-ready project.'"

Even if east-west passenger service is restored in southern Montana, it will likely pass through Helena instead of Butte because the line east of the Mining City over Homestake Pass has been out of service for decades.

But anything is possible, proponents say, and Butte could benefit directly if additional north-south passenger service connected with Butte. There used to be passenger service from Salt Lake City to Butte, which ended in 1971.

Several Butte-Silver Bow commissioners liked the proposal and the council could vote next week whether to support a Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority. Strohmaier hoped to finalize a list of interested counties this week but said a decision in Butte next week would work.

We would certainly love to add Butte-Silver Bow to the mix, he said, adding that hed eventually like to see all 23 counties in southern Montana being part of an authority.

Once one is established, participating counties would have a seat at the table but the authority itself would be an independent body overseeing all aspects of the passenger service, including funding and infrastructure needs.

If passenger service is restored, Amtrak is likely to provide it and railways belonging to existing railroads such as BNSF and Union Pacific would be used. That means the authority would have to work with Amtrak and the railroads, Strohmaier said.

The authority would also work to ensure that passenger service does not interfere with current freight service. That might mean putting in double tracks along some sections, Strohmaier said, but the authority would delve into all those issues.

Proponents say passenger rail is more environmentally sustainable and would provide opportunities for business expansion and development across Montana, including many of its southern rural counties.

They say it would complement, not supplant, the Hi-Lines Empire Builder, an Amtrak service that runs from Chicago to Portland, Oregon, including numerous stops along the Hi-Line in North Dakota, Montana and Idaho.

Strohmaier said a feasibility study in 2009 is outdated now but predicted that 200,000 to 300,000 passengers would ride the rails in a southern Montana line each year.

Butte-Silver Bow Commissioner Shawn Fredrickson brought the proposal to the Butte council after an aide to U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., put him in touch with Strohmaier in January to discuss the effort. Fredrickson said a summit on the issue had been planned in Missoula in April, but it was postponed. A summit is now set for Sept. 17.

I thought it was a pretty good idea to at least bring up for discussion, Fredrickson said Wednesday night.

He told The Montana Standard last week that rail service through Montana would likely run from Billings to Livingston to Bozeman to Helena to Missoula. But if an authority is established and Butte is involved, service from Butte to Salt Lake City would be possible.

Strohmaier said there hasnt been passenger service in southern Montana for 41 years and it was time to fill the void.

Over that time frame there have been various attempts and efforts to try to gin up interest and enthusiasm to restore passenger rail service, but they have mainly been spearheaded by passionate individuals or advocacy groups, he said.

We have really not had the institutional infrastructure or the government structure to, in a meaningful way, further this initiative.

After showing an interest, county governments must ultimately approve a joint resolution to establish and be part of an authority. Missoula has set a public hearing on such a resolution for July 30.

Note: The Standard's Kristine DeLeon contributed to this story,

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Tibetan activists like Tsundue are urging India to realise what exactly Beijing is up to: Bullying India.

Tenzin Tsundue first came into spotlight in 2002, when he climbed the scaffolding outside the Mumbai hotel where erstwhile premier Zhu Rongji was staying, displaying a banner which read "Free Tibet: China, Get Out" and the Tibetan national flag.

Now that Tibet is back in the news, kind courtesy of PLAs action in Galwan Valley, Tibetan activists like him are urging India to realise what exactly Beijing is up to: Bullying India.

Tsundue, now a well-known figure in the Tibetan Independence movement, says Tibetan independence is the best security for India against China.

In fact, Tibet, with its contiguous border with India, has indirectly been involved in all India-China border disputes since 1959, when Tibet began to be governed by the Chinese as the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) after the PLA militarily annexed it.

Speaking to The Asian Age, the writer and activist dwells on the question of Tibet vis-a-vis the tense relationship between India and China, among others things. Edited excerpts:

As a Tibetan, what do you make of China's recent aggression in eastern Ladakh?

India is not yet getting a sense of what happened at Galwan Valley. It was a blatant bully of India. The Chinese came into India after breaching the mutually understandable border. Indians must understand this: Chinese have been building the infrastructure across the border since 1966, when the Nehruvian idea of "not a single blade of grass grows there" was prevalent. India,too, can build its infrastructure and China cannot stop it. China attacked India from our country (Tibet) which, as an Indian and Tibetan, made me doubly sad.

Amid the pandemic, whose source is said to be Wuhan, and the border standoff, China is under international scrutiny. Do you see hopes for increased global support for free Tibet?

No country in the international arena, especially the Western nations, will speak up for Tibet as they have fallen prey to China's economic might. China does not respect any international treaties and laws. Look at the South China Sea dispute. China lost the case in the international court but that has not deterred it from re-staking claim. Yes, China's mask is now coming out gradually but for all these years, most politicians did not utter a word against Beijing.

The spectre of China looms large in the neighbourhood, especially in Bhutan and Nepal. How does the China factor impact India vis-a-vis its approach towards Tibet?

First and foremost, we must call it the Tibet border and not the China border. That would be a recognition that China has illegally held our land. But after Indias humiliation in the 1962 war, Indian politicians and the general populace seems to have developed a fear psychosis about Beijing. If India does not do anything about this fear psychosis, it won't be able to counter China effectively.

Moreover, there is very little knowledge about Tibet even among the educated, let alone the politicians. This is an impediment to understand the larger geopolitical dynamics in the Himalayas. India must realise that it shared a border with Tibet for Centuries and that China is an alien nation whose ultimate goal is to be the global ruler. This is not fear mongering but the truth.

There has been a clamour to award the Dalai Lama with Bharat Ratna, while some on social media even wanted the Shantipath in Chanakyapuri to be named after the Dalai Lama. Will these symbolic gestures help?

The demand to award Bharat Ratna to the Dalai Lama has been a longstanding one. But I don't really think that the Government of India is currently convinced enough to do that. It will be a great gesture. But it must be a genuine gesture and not a political decision to score a point over China.

When it comes to renaming Shantipath, it seems to be only a rhetorical and tongue-in-cheek response to the Chinese aggression against India. There is no point in talking about it as these social media-fuelled responses wont go any further.

You have already termed fear psychosis as a reason for Indias cautious approach towards China. What is your historical understanding behind it?

Until the 1962 war, Nehru and Indian intellectuals were romanticising Communist China in the spirit of Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai. Nehru saw Mao Zedong consolidating his power and signed the Panchasheel agreement, which recognised Tibet, covering 2.8 million square kilometres area, as part of China. Beijing also illegally occupies East Turkestan, Inner Mongolia and Manchuria. These regions and Tibet constitute over 60 per cent of present-day China.

After China backstabbed, as I already said, fear psychosis took over and it remains in place even today. Did you hear PM Modi mentioning China in his recent speech in Ladakh? No, right? China is not Pakistan, which could be broken up in 1971. It is a much bigger power to face. The fear psychosis has meant that India does not have a Tibet policy till date.

What do see as the way forward for the Tibet issue with respect to India?

Firstly, India needs to have a formal Tibet policy. Currently, it is nothing but the One China policy. India needs to junk that policy. While India continues to adhere to it, China does not. Look at its posturing over Kashmir. If there is no reciprocation from China, India should rethink the policy. This is diplomatic lopsidedness. It is wrong to say India is economically dependent on China. Trade is imbalanced but we are largely self-sufficient. If Atmanirbhar Bharat works and India develops closer links with Vietnam and Taiwan etc, things will be fine.

At this moment, China is on the backfoot. It is time to take a firm stand and leverage the Tibet issue internationally. Intellectuals have been saying that Tibet is an alternate card for India. It is time to use it now. International politics is self-serving. That India has given refuge to Tibetans is a part of a long-term strategy to keep leverage over China. Till now, it hasnt leveraged the cause to its full extent. Remember: An independent Tibet is Indias best security.

A hypothetical question: What if Tibet had been an independent country right now? How would the present scenario have panned out?

Independent Tibet would have been a brotherly neighbour to India. We would have not interfered in anyone's internal matters. We believe in peace and compassion. Thats what our Buddhist culture teaches. In fact, when the Dalai Lama was told that Tibet had 8,000 soldiers, he thought it was larger than required force and wanted to reduce it! Tibet would have been like present-day Bhutan but much larger in size.
The current oil crisis will severely depress investments in new oil production, setting the stage for oil prices hitting $100 or even $150 a barrel over the next five years, several analysts told The Wall Street Journal.

Analysts are basically divided into two camps  the ones predicting high oil prices because of the pandemic and the resulting severe underinvestment in new oilfields, and the ones saying that life in the new normal will mean that demand may never return to pre-COVID-19 levels.

In the bulls camp, Trevor Woods, chief investment officer of Ohio-based hedge fund Northern Trace Capital, told the Journal:

We could hit $150 pretty easily by 2025.

Woods motivated his prediction with upcoming massive pressure on producers for funding new developments.

Christyan Malek, JP Morgans head of oil and gas research for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, also thinks that oil could hit $100 per barrel, due to the dramatic decline in investments.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the oil and gas sector will see the steepest decline in investment this year compared to last year. Investment in oil and gas is set to plunge by $244.1 billion, or by nearly one-third, in 2020 compared to 2019.

Could we see oil move to $100 over the next two years? Absolutely, JP Morgans Malek told the Journal, reiterating a similar bullish estimate from last month.

Citigroup, however, doesnt believe that crude oil prices will return to three-digit levels ever again.

The idea of oil at $100 or higher, has far more fantasy than reality at its heart, Citigroup commodity analysts said in a note earlier this month, adding that over the long term, $45 per barrel of Brent was a far more likely oil price scenario than $60 a barrel.

In more pessimistic news, the Citi analysts said, Oil product demand growth will falter significantly, change its contours and never return to pre-covid-19 rates of growth.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- Presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden has just released a major industrial policy plan for reviving U.S. manufacturing. The proposal is the first in a four-part series called Build Back Better, which will also address economic recovery, infrastructure, clean energy, racial equity, and modernization of health care, child care and elder care.

Bidens plan should immediately make one thing clear: The era in which free trade was a centerpiece of the elite economic consensus is well and truly over. Although President Donald Trump embraced a blunt form of protectionism and thinkers on the right have been floating ideas about industrial policy, there was always the possibility that Democrats would hew to a Clintonite free-trade position. But Bidens announcement proves that Democrats, too, are squarely in the industrial policy camp.

But even though Democrats and Republicans now agree that some sort of industrial policy is desirable, the harder question is what to do. Trumps tariffs have resulted in economic losses for the U.S. and offended key allies, while failing to stem the decline of manufacturing or the out-migration of high-tech industries.

One good part of the proposal is a large federal investment in research and development. Bidens plan would spend $300 billion on R&D, even more than the amount now being considered in Congress. This not only would revitalize the competitiveness of U.S. industry, it would help sustain college towns under threat from cuts in state funding and declining tuition revenue.

A second strength of the plan is education. Biden would invest in community colleges, apprenticeships and other alternatives to expensive four-year colleges. Alternative education of this sort has been used to great effect by Germany, and it has helped that country maintain a solid manufacturing base even in the face of Chinese competition. In addition to manufacturing competitiveness, this could shrink the gap between the educational haves and have-nots.

Story continues

Another potentially good idea, if well executed, is supply-chain internalization to protect against pandemics and other disasters. The coronavirus outbreak has left top economists scratching their heads as to how the worlds greatest economy could fail to produce items as prosaic as face masks and cotton swabs. The problem is that during normal times, U.S. companies concentrate on the profitable parts of the supply chain -- design, marketing and the provision of final goods and services -- instead of on the boring, low-margin stuff. That makes economic sense right up until the point where a crisis strikes.

Bidens plan would leverage public-private partnerships to identify the missing pieces of the U.S.s internal supply chains and fill in those gaps. Hed use a number of other incentives, including taxes and subsidies, to encourage companies to retain the ability to make everything the country would need in an emergency. Though pandemic preparedness is the obvious goal, theres also another concern -- the ominous possibility of intensified tensions or even conflict with China. Bidens plan would also try to internalize the supply chains for semiconductors, electronics and other high-tech equipment that would be crucial in any clash.

With regards to the revitalization of U.S. manufacturing, Biden strikes the right notes -- public-private partnerships and manufacturing extension services.

Finally, Biden appears to take the correct approach to China -- rallying allies against predatory trade practices and intellectual property theft, while taxing the carbon content of imported goods in order to encourage China to pollute less.

All this is good. One troubling part of Bidens plan, however, is his commitment to have the government buy $400 billion worth of U.S.-made goods. Domestic procurement orders can have positive effects, such as when technology companies can use government contracts to gain sufficient scale and know-how to compete in international markets. But Bidens plan also proposes to have the U.S. government buy domestically made concrete, building materials and other products.

This is problematic, because theres no need for the U.S. to specialize in mundane products like this; concrete, unlike cotton swabs, is not a strategic industry that the U.S. will suddenly find itself unable to produce in the event of a pandemic or war. Buy American provisions also have the potential to raise costs for U.S. government contractors, just as Trumps steel and aluminum tariffs raised costs for U.S. automakers. That would make U.S. companies less competitive, not more. It might also annoy U.S. allies by restricting imports from Canada, Europe, South Korea and so on, in addition to China. It could increase the price tag for needed government projects such as green energy and infrastructure. And it could become a vehicle for political patronage and pork.

Finally, theres one big additional strategy Biden should add to his plan: export promotion. Competing on world markets often forces companies to raise productivity, but some businesses need a push to leave the comfort and familiarity of the domestic market. Successful developing countries often use a technique known as export discipline: Incentivizing companies to sell abroad, helping them to get started, then culling those that fail in international markets. For the U.S., this could involve implicit export subsidies -- trade credit, overseas marketing assistance, free consulting, R&D support and so on. It could involve destination-based corporate taxes that encourage domestic content. It could even involve explicit monetary subsidies for exporting, though this would require rewriting of World Trade Organization rules. But the assistance would have to be temporary, to avoid creating a conduit for political patronage.

So Bidens plan needs a little bit of work. But overall, its a solid start toward the kind of industrial policy that the U.S. needs after a long period of laissez-faire.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Noah Smith is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He was an assistant professor of finance at Stony Brook University, and he blogs at Noahpinion.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion

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New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday greeted people of the country on the occasion of Diwali. Deepavali ke pawan avsar par sabhi desh wasion ko hardik shubh kamanayen (Greetings to the countrymen on the auspicious occasion of Diwali), he said in an official release.

Happy Diwali, the Prime Minister added.

Earlier in the day, Modi paid tributes to soldiers on the occasion of Diwali festival in his monthly radio programme, Mann Ki Baat. During the programme, he lauded the valour and sacrifices of soldiers and dedicated this Diwali to them.

Later, the Prime Minister met army, ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Police) personnel in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh, keeping with his practice of celebrating Diwali with jawans.

Modi as Prime Minister had celebrated his first Diwali in 2014 with Army in Siachen and last year on the Punjab border with Pakistan.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
FILE PHOTO: A 3D-printed Youtube logo is seen in front of displayed "Streaming service" words in this illustration

By Foo Yun Chee

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Google's YouTube is not required to hand over the email or IP address of users who upload films illegally to its video platform, Europe's top court ruled on Thursday, saying there must be a balance between protecting personal data and copyright.

The case came before the Luxembourg-based Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) after a German court sought guidance on what video platforms must do to combat film piracy in a case concerning German film distributor Constantin Film Verleih.

The company, which had distribution rights to the films Scary Movie 5 and Parker in Germany, had asked YouTube and Google to provide the email addresses, telephone numbers and IP addresses of users who had uploaded those films illegally onto YouTube in 2013 and 2014.

Constantin Film took its case to the German court after Alphabet subsidiaries Google and YouTube refused to supply the details.

The CJEU backed the U.S. tech companies.

"When a film is unlawfully uploaded onto an online platform, such as YouTube, the rights holder may, under the directive on the enforcement of intellectual property rights, require the operator to provide only the postal address of the user concerned, but not his or her email, IP address or telephone number," judges said.

They said EU countries could opt for more protection for intellectual property rights holders but there must be a fair and proportionate balance between various fundamental rights.

A YouTube spokeswoman said Google and YouTube were committed to protecting copyright and safeguarding privacy of their users and their data.

"Today's CJEU decision provides the legal clarity on what information is appropriate to share with rights holders in case of a copyright claim," she said in an emailed statement.

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; editing by Barbara Lewis)
Tesco Ireland has announced that it will run a week-long food appeal calling on the shoppers of Leitrim to support those in need within their local communities, by donating a product when they shop in-stores between 13th- 19th July.

For the first time in the seven-year history of the Tesco Food Appeal, it will run for seven days, expanding the opportunity for Leitrim shoppers to donate as they go about their weekly shopping.

How it works:

- Tesco shopper adds an extra non-perishable item to their basket

- When leaving the shop, they pop it into the assigned shopping trolley. Dedicated Food Appeal shopping trolleys will be clearly on display in participating stores nationwide.

Non-perishable foods are paramount for local charitable organisations with tea bags, biscuits, breakfast cereals and tinned goods top of the list. Suitable food products also include pasta, rice, tea bags, packet soup, canned goods, nuts and seeds.

All the items donated between 13th  19th July will be shared with over 130 partner causes from the Tesco Surplus Food Donations Programme, operated in partnership with FoodCloud.

Kari Daniels, Chief Executive Officer, Tesco Ireland: From our partnership with FoodCloud, we know that the demand for food from Leitrim community groups supporting those most in need is on the rise, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. With that in mind, we wanted to do more to help and are launching a seven-day Food Appeal in our stores. We will be encouraging the Leitrim customers to support if they can, by donating one item from their shop, to help people in their communities at this time.

As the first national retail partner to FoodCloud, since 2013 Tesco Ireland has redistributed over 11 million meals through its food surplus distribution programme, to over 350 charitable organisations like Meals on Wheels, afterschool clubs, youth groups, senior citizen support services and many more. Community is hugely important to Tesco and since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, Tesco Ireland has donated 150,000 split among three national charities, Alone, Family Carers Ireland and Age Action, and from its Community Fund donated 240,000 to 906 local causes in communities across Ireland.
So shouted a grown man after an elderly termagant scolded him for failing to wear a facial covering in Costco. That the foaming hollerer hailed from the Sunshine State (home of the much mocked "Florida man") and was wearing a scarlet t-shirt touting America's global supremacy suggested to many the outburst was a product of pituitary malfunction.

But the real catalyst wasn't the mask-shaming. It wasn't even the COVID-conscious shrew. Rather, it was another nosy shopper recording the exchange. "Back the f--- up and put your f------ phone down!" the chippy mouth-free rebel yelled at the cameraman before approaching him menacingly.

Like the law of gravity, the footage ineluctably made its way to social media, where it diffused quickly thanks to the sadist fascination of outrage-mongers. Mob kapellmeister and Madoff-wannabe Shaun King tried identifying the man. Numerous media outlets reposted the video.

The bulk-buying Mr. Hyde was revealed: a salesman for the Ted Todd Insurance company. As is always the case with recordings of someone's emotional low point, the target was relieved of his job. "[His] behavior in the video is in direct conflict with our company values and [his] employment has been terminated," the brokerage firm announced.

The irony is that the poor cluck was right all along: he was being threatened. His livelihood was in danger because public video recordings are now a weapon in our social mediaaddled society.

Two weeks ago, a white woman was caught on camera having a hysterical outburst when a black man accused her of calling him the n-word. The clip begins with the slur complainant  Karlos Dillard  lobbing the accusation, providing no evidential context to back it up. Dillard then shows the woman's license plate and home address, all while she caterwauls, desperately trying to obscure her face.

The histrionics were roundly mocked on Twitter. But the woman's dotty conduct, teary vociferating and all, was understandable. She faced ruination. And it nearly came. The recording became another internet sensation, and she was branded an uncontextualized "Karen" for insulting blacks with impunity.

Her reputation was thankfully saved. It turned out that Dillard has a history of claiming to be named an n-word and filming the reactions of those he preys on. He's also a thespian by trade and flogged t-shirts about the encounter. After attention was drawn to his larks, Dillard quietly took down the video.

Amy Cooper wasn't so lucky. The Central Park dog-walker was just charged with filing a false police report after footage of her dialing the NYPD and pretending to be threatened by a black male garnered national headlines. Mayor Bill de Blasio hailed the punishment, saying her "racist behavior" could have had "dire consequences for a [b]lack man." The sentiment is shared by half of the country, which is currently enthralled with any and all notions of racial restitution.

These instances, all spots of time permanently captured for mass viewing, aren't just enabled by the telephonic marvel we all keep in our pockets. They're encouraged by the digital hordes who savor the meting out of just deserts online. The righteousness with which people are punished for a few minutes' worth of weakness is religious in fervor. The demand for pink slips, the harassment of family, the absence of quarter for sympathizers resemble imprecatory intonements.

The individual career losses that result are lamentable. But the overall curtailment of privacy, even in public settings, is the more despairing loss. Before widespread recording, heated ructions petered out. But attention is oxygen to their generated fire. Smart technology has created its own Chekist state, with unceasing surveillance and rewarded reporting. The prestige is its own selling point: catch a racist on camera, and you too can be an overnight celebrity! Just record and post!

The bait-and-reward structure is turning our eyes and ears into wetware that unthinkingly videos offensive behavior, pushes it immediately online, doing the algorithm's work for it. We're employed as underhangmen for the wrongthink Grim Reaper, who scythes livelihoods like fields of ripe grain.

The increasing number of recorded outbursts is driven by a real anxiety  that at any given moment, years of hard work, dedication, experience, and focus can bend and crack when the mob gets a whiff of blood. Conservatives who think of this dynamic as an unfortunate byproduct of technological innovation are kidding themselves. Living in constant fear of losing your ability to earn a living is not freedom.

For the time being, recourse to the smartphone panopticon is limited. But there is one effective defense. The proper response to being recorded in public is to quote Melville: "to the devil with you and your daguerreotype!" Then walk away.
The ministries of education (MoE), local government and rural development (MLGRD) and the Ghana Education Service (GES) on Friday, June 10, underwent disinfection against the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

The exercise, which was carried out by Zoomlion Ghana Limited (ZGL), was part of steps to sanitise the three state institutions, following reports that some of their staff members had tested positive for Covid-19.

At the MoE, Zoomlion disinfection crew sprayed the entire ministry, its open spaces and various offices. The same was done in the other institutions which are all located within the same enclave.

Speaking to a cross-section of journalists on the sideline of the exercise, the Head of Communications, MoE, Mr Vincent Assafuah, explained that the exercise had been necessitated by the countrys Covid-19 caseload which kept soaring.

Before we re-opened the basic schools, senior high schools (SHSs) and tertiary institutions, the ministry of education ensured that they were fumigated. Now it has also become necessary for us to fumigate our ministry, basically, because we feel that the [Covid-19] numbers are growing high, and we need to protect our ministry,

For that reason, he said the leadership of the ministry in collaboration with the GES resolved that their premises be disinfected to protect especially the staff members from the coronavirus pandemic.

Against this backdrop, Mr Assafuah stated that all the inner circle staff members of the minister for education who had contracted the virus were doing well, adding that they were not showing any signs of the coronavirus disease.

He added that in no time these staff members will resume to work and work for mother Ghana.

He further disclosed that so far about thirteen (13) SHS students across the country had contracted the virus, stressing this number of Covid-19 cases did not warrant the closure of all SHSs in the country.

For her part, the Coordinator for the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Disinfection Exercise of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Mrs. Lola Asiseh Ashitey, said in addition to the disinfection it was crucial that staff members of these ministries observe all the Covid-19 safety protocols.

She further advocated for the need for regular disinfection.

So we are doing disinfection again because we have the logistics and personnel to carry out any disinfection exercise, she said.

She assured that her outfit will continue to support the central government in the war against the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT), an alliance partner of Tripuras ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on Thursday launched a 24-hour strike at Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) headquarters protesting over arrest of one of their supporters on charges of arson in a BJP office.

The TTAADC is nearly 25 kilometres from Agartala and covers almost 68 per cent of Tripuras geographical area throughout the total eight districts.

The strike was peaceful, said police.

We demanded the police to release our party supporter Pradip Debbarma on bail as he was arrested in a fake case. Our 24-hour strike was against his arrest, IPFT MLA Brishaketu Debbarma told reporters.

Debbarma, president of IPFTs frontal organization Indigenous Motor Workers Union (IMWU), was arrested on July 6. He is currently in judicial custody.

BJP spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharjee said, Police arrested the person based on their investigation. As far as the BJP is concerned, we didnt mention his name in the FIR. Being an alliance partner, the IPFT should not blame us. It is because they are also in the government.

A BJP office near Khumulwung was burnt at the end of June, a day before nearly 400 people were supposed to join BJP. Bhattacharjee said that a case was filed against some local people who were allegedly involved in the incident but Debbarmas name was not in the list.

In the 60-seat Tripura Assembly, IPFT has eight MLAs and formed the government in alliance with BJP in 2018.

After forming the government, the rift between the alliance partners came to light earlier with a series of clashes over nominations of Block Advisory Committee (BAC) chairmen, ADC village committee executives and others.
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening followed mostly cloudy skies and a few snow showers after midnight. Low 1F. SE winds at 5 to 10 mph, increasing to 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 30%. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening followed mostly cloudy skies and a few snow showers after midnight. Low 1F. SE winds at 5 to 10 mph, increasing to 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 30%. Higher wind gusts possible.
The 360 shows you diverse perspectives on the days top stories and debates.

Whats happening

Face masks have been at the center of a debate over the U.S. response to the coronavirus pandemic since the early days of the outbreak.

In March, public health officials told Americans not to buy masks because their effectiveness in preventing viral transmission was unproven and out of fear that there would be mask shortages for health care workers. A growing body of scientific evidence has led many epidemiologists to believe that the early messaging on masks was faulty. The past few months have provided ample evidence that widespread mask wearing could play a significant role in controlling the outbreak.

In response, an increasing number of state and local governments have made masks mandatory for all indoor activities and outdoor activities when social distancing isnt possible. These orders have been met with vocal resistance. Viral videos of confrontations at stores involving customers who refuse to wear a mask surface regularly. Some local law enforcement officials have defied governors by refusing to enforce mask rules.

Despite the pushback, some lawmakers have called for a nationwide mask mandate. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said a federal mask requirement is long overdue. The Democratic governors of New Jersey and Illinois have also called for a national mandate. Both President Trump and Vice President Pence have expressed opposition to the idea. Certainly a national mandate is not in order, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said.

Why theres debate

Advocates for a national mask mandate say it would make a major difference in the countrys ability to control the virus and allow for other restrictions to be lifted. One study predicted that widespread mask wearing could save up to 33,000 lives by October. A small number of people who aggressively oppose mask rules shouldnt be allowed to dictate policies that could benefit all Americans, supporters argue.

Story continues

Having mask rules be decided by state and city governments undercuts what should be a national strategy for fighting the outbreak and creates room for local officials to make unsafe decisions based on political pressure, some experts say. A mask mandate could also have a major economic impact. Masks would make it possible to safely reopen more businesses and prevent an even more severe economic downturn, one analysis found.

The most vocal opponents of mask requirements say the rules are a violation of personal freedom. There are also questions about whether a national mask mandate would make much of a difference in preventing viral spread. Many of the most affected parts of the country already require masks. Forcing a mandate for people in areas with few cases would be unnecessary government overreach, some argue.

Others say a federal mandate would be pointless, and that opinions on masks are so entrenched for many people at this point, even a new nationwide rule is unlikely to change minds and may even cause a backlash.

Perspectives

Supporters

Wearing a mask is a small inconvenience with enormous benefits

Now I understand, sometimes masks can be a little uncomfortable. But the bottom line is that we know that masks reduce infections and they save lives. ... These are basic public health measures that I think should be implemented across the country. Its not that inconvenient. And if it helps us stay open and avoid our hospitals getting overwhelmed, it feels to me like its well worth the cost.  Dr. Ashish Jha to Today

A mask mandate might have prevented the current surge in coronavirus cases

Ive spoken to several infectious disease experts who say that if we had had a national mask mandate as the shelter-in-place restrictions were lifted, we may not be in the situation that were in now with this continued rise in cases.  Allison Aubrey, NPR

The politicization of masks has made the pandemic much worse than it needed to be

Like too much else in our country, this issue has been politicized, egged on by a president whose inexplicable refusal to wear a mask sets a terrible example. Unfortunately, his actions gave cover for too many Republican governors to bow to the strident voices opposed to government restrictions on personal liberty, rather than calling on all of us to act on our personal responsibility to protect others.  Karen Hughes, Washington Post

A national mask mandate would prevent even more severe economic impacts

If a face mask mandate meaningfully lowers coronavirus infections, it could be valuable not only from a public health perspective but also from an economic perspective because it could substitute for renewed lockdowns that would otherwise hit [gross domestic product].  Goldman Sachs economist Jan Hatzius

The economy will benefit if people feel safe

I very much want to travel but Im not going to fly until I know that everybody has a mask on because that is how you protect yourself. To have mask optional is like saying, Hey, Covid optional.  Jim Cramer, CNBC

Opponents

A mask mandate could backfire

The most obvious path to universal masking is to pass laws and punish infractions. But enforcing legal edicts to wear masks in public can be difficult and costly, and amid widespread ambivalence can lead to backlash and even violence. So edicts are not a complete solution.  Angela Duckworth, Lyle Ungar and Ezekiel J. Emanuel, New York Times

A national mandate wont increase mask usage

Even if you mandate and people are mandating them, I don't think it's necessarily going to convince people really or even force people to wear them. We need to convince, as opposed to compel or mandate,  Health expert Craig Spencer to NBC News

Masks are less important than public debate makes them seem

I hope that people don't get too distracted by the mask issue alone and let that distract them from being angry at the government for failing to find more testing and tracing so that we can implement a modern public health response. Masks help slow the spread, but a well-funded and coordinated testing strategy is the foundation of that modern response that we know is far more effective even than mask wearing.  Lindsay Wiley, NPR

Masks can lead to racial profiling

Theres no doubt at this point that masks keep people safer from COVID-19. But certain types of masks may also be putting young Black men in danger of harassment or profiling.  Political scientist Marc Hetherington to FiveThirtyEight

Americans have lost faith in their governments virus response

I suspect that the days of widespread compliance with do-it-or-else mandates meant to curb COVID-19 are over. Government officials will have to go against their instincts and learn that, instead of commanding, they have to be satisfied with the results of polite requests.  J.D. Tuccille, Reason

A national mask mandate would be difficult to enforce

The lack of meaningful early intervention also means that at this point, with the mask wars well underway, any kind of national mask mandate would be a difficult thing to carry out.  J.C. Pan, New Republic

Is there a topic youd like to see covered in The 360? Send your suggestions to the360@yahoonews.com.

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Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: Getty Images
Vikas Dubey, the dreaded gangster from Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh who was captured on Thursday, was killed in an encounter on Friday morning.

With this, the week-long saga which began after the killing of eight policemen in Bikru village near Kanpur has come to an end. Dubeys men had killed these policemen on the intervening night of July 2 and 3 when they went to arrest the gangster in connection with an attempt to murder case.

The complaint was filed by a resident of Bikru village, who claimed that Dubey tried to kidnap and eliminate him. Reports emerged that the complainant, Rahul Tiwari, first went to Dubeys house with a policeman - SHO of Chaubeypur police station Vinay Tiwari - but they were both beaten up and threatened by the notorious criminal.

The SHO did not tell anyone about the incident, a mistake that proved costly. It later emerged that the cop was regularly in touch with Dubey and provided him will all the updates about police action being planned against him. Deputy Superintendent of Police Devendra Mishra - who was killed in the July 3 encounter - had even prepared a report against the SHO and sent to his senior in March (HT had seen a copy of the letter) complaining of him being hand in glove with Dubey but no action was taken then.

The SHO was finally suspended on Wednesday and later he along with a sub-inspector KK Sharma were arrested for allegedly being part of the entire conspiracy.

Mishra, meanwhile, prepared a team of 20 officials (including some others from the nearby police stations) and went to Bikru village to arrest Dubey. But the gangster was already aware of the raid, and was prepared to take on the team.

When Mishras police team reached the village, it found the road near Dubeys house blocked by an earthmover. As soon as the members of the team got down, Dubeys men rained bullets on them from the rooftops - a scene straight out of a movie. The cops were caught unaware and couldnt find a place to save themselves.

Some of them tried to hide in a toilet nearby, but the bullets kept grazing past them. Eight of them were killed, including Mishra, and Dubey fled the village.

A massive manhunt then began and the police formed more than 40 teams to capture Dubey who used different modes of transport, including motorcycles, an SUV, sand-laden trucks and taxis, to escape. He first went to Haryanas Faridabad where he was caught on a CCTV footage installed at the hotel.

Dubey kept giving slip to the cops, who in the meanwhile razed his house and eliminated five of his close aides. All the men connected to Dubey were questioned and help sought from other state governments too where Dubey went.

He was arrested on Thursday in Madhya Pradeshs Ujjain. Dubey was seen at the famous Mahakal temple where he arrived around 7.30 am in a private car having UP registration number. After purchasing a ticket worth 250 for VIP darshan of the deity, Dubey went to a shop selling flowers and prasad, where the seller, Suresh Mali, identified the gangster, news agencies reported.

The police was informed and Dubey arrested. The man with more than 60 cases including 11 murders, and wanted for the killing of the eight policemen, was handed over to Uttar Pradesh Police which was tasked with bringing him back to Kanpur.

On Friday, while the convoy was on its way to Kanpur, it met with an accident in which one of the vehicles in the Special Task Force (STF) overturned. The police said that Dubey tried to escape and snatched a weapon from one of the policemen. He then ran to a nearby field and was asked to surrender, which he refused to do, they added. There was an exchange of fire and he was killed, the police said.
A Colorado police department is under scrutiny after video emerged of a white officer pulling a gun on an Indian-American doctor trying to park at a refugee center he operates.

The incident took place in Aurora where 23-year-old black man Elijah McClain died in police custody in August 2019 and where three officers were fired last week for reenacting his death.

Dr. P.J. Parmar, an Indian American, was trying to get into his center on the evening of March 1 and honked at a police car parked in his way.

Instead of moving, the white police officer, identified as J. Henderson, got out of his patrol car and pointed a gun at Parmer.

The doctor is now considering filing a lawsuit against the police department and has said he believes the outcome could have been different if his skin was darker.

Scroll down for video

On March 1, Dr. P.J. Parmar, an Indian American, was trying to get into the refugee center he operates when he had a run in with a white police officer parked in his garage. The officer, J. Henderson, pulled put his gun and questioned whether Parmar owned the building

Shocking police body camera video released by Dr. P.J. Parmar's lawyer as well as Parmar's own cellphone video show the nasty run-in earlier this year.

The doctor said he was trying to enter the Mango House building, a shared space for refugees, to drop off some equipment after a Boy Scout trip when he saw the officer parked in his garage.

Parmar said he was too embarrassed to share his video at the time, but posted a written description of what happened on Facebook soon afterward.

In May, he decided to put the video on social media.

In the video, the officer walks to Parmar's car, says 'Let me see your f*****g hands. What are you doing?' and orders him to stay in the car.

Parmar is heard explaining that he owns the property and telling the officer to leave as Henderson calls for other officers on his radio.

Henderson then attempts to demand that Parmar stays in his car and questions whether he truly owns the center.

'You're on my property, you can get off it now,' Parmar tells him.

'It's your property?' Henderson asks. 'Can you show me?'

'First off, you don't drive up on a police officer that's sitting there like that,' he adds.

'You don't swear at me,' Parmar hits back. 'You don't sit on my property without asking. You're trespassing, there are signs that say "no trespassing."'

'Come on, come on, be on your way,' the doctor continues.

Dr. P.J. Parmar, an Indian American, (pictured right) was trying to enter the Mango House refugee center he operates in Aurora, Colorado, on March 1 when white cop J. Henderson (pictured left) pulled a gun on him. Bodycam footage and a video from Dr Parmar shows the cop pulling a gun after the doctor honks his horn for him to move

Officer Henderson refused to leave the property and instead called for back-up

The incident happened here in the parking garage to Mango House where Parmar works

'No, I'm going to figure out whose property this is first,' Henderson replies, telling Parmar that he is coming into the building the wrong way.

Parmar then gets out, walks around to a door on one side of the building, punches in a security code and goes inside, telling Henderson that it will be hard to do his unloading with the officer's car still in the way.

The video shows the officer looking bewildered after Parmar leaves his car.

'You're making it harder for me to serve your community,' Parmar tells the officer when he comes back out from the building.

'If you'd get off my property I'd appreciate it, I've got better stuff to do than to placate you on a Sunday night. I'm trying to do some work to help your community.'

After other officers arrive to help, Hnderson is heard saying that he could ticket Parmar for careless driving since he pulled into the parking area the wrong way.

'I was typing a report and he comes rolling in here like hes about to assault me with his car,' he says.

Parmar has said he believes that the altercation could have gone differently and that if 'he was darker, it would've gone worse'.

'Ive learned enough in my days that, "Hey, we have cell phones these days"," Parmar told 9News. 'The moment I see a police any single time, the phone comes out immediately and goes into video.'

Aurora police have declined to comment on the incident because it is the subject of an internal investigation.

After Aurora's internal investigation was announced, the federal agencies also said they have been reviewing Elijah McClain's death to determine if a civil rights investigation is warranted into that as well

But Parmar has blasted an international investigation as a 'wolf investigating the wolf den'.

The probe is being conducted as the department's arrest and subsequent death of Elijah McClain is being reviewed by the state attorney general at the request of Gov. Jared Polis.

Federal authorities are also considering whether to launch a civil rights investigation into his death.

Last week, three Aurora police officers were fired after re-enacting the chokehold death of young unarmed man.

The department has also been criticized after an officer was found drunk in his patrol car while on duty.

Parmar's lawyer, David Lane, last week sent a letter to the police department urging them to sit down and talk about what happened by Friday or face a federal lawsuit.

'The U.S. Supreme Court has said pointing a gun at someone is use of force and you have to be in reasonable fear that your life is in jeopardy to use that level of force,' Lane told Fox 31.

'All Dr. Parmar did was honk his horn at this cop who is illegally parked in Parmars building parking lot.

'We have simply said, "Look, if you want to discuss this, you have until sundown on July 10 to contact me and say lets talk about this",' Lane added.

'At which point we can engage in some substantive discussions regarding changes in policy for the Aurora Police Department - and/or money damages for Dr. Parmar, including possibly discipline for the officer.'

Parmar, the son of Indian immigrants and who also has Canadian citizenship, said he was more frustrated and annoyed with the officer's actions than afraid.

The incident took place in Aurora where 23-year-old black man Elijah McClain died in police custody in August 2019. He is pictured here after being taken to hospital following the arrest

Jaron Jones (center) resigned from Aurora police last week for staging the 're-enactment' photo. Erica Marrero (far left) and Kyle Dittrich (right) were fired on Friday for appearing in the photo, which McClain's family said was 'a new low' for the Aurora police department

Parmar, who treats refugees at a medical clinic in his center, said his state representative, Dominique Jackson, read his written description and brought it to the attention of interim Police Chief Vanessa Wilson, who opened an investigation into the incident.

He first shared the video online before national protests over racial injustice erupted following the May 25 death of George Floyd.

He said the video did not get much of a reaction at first, but has seen more since the increased scrutiny of police abuse of power.

Some people post comments saying he should have been more docile, Parmar said.

But, he thinks that would have only emboldened the officer to act more forcefully against him.

'Oppressors can only oppress when they have an audience, a victim, and I wasn't going to be his audience that night,' he said.

'The way I pulled in was absolutely the way I pulled in many times. I didnt know he was there,' he added to KDVR.
Health secretary Matt Hancock

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The UK will not join an EU scheme to obtain a coronavirus vaccine if one is successfully developed, Matt Hancock has confirmed.

The health secretary said the government believed it would be quicker to use Britains own procurement schemes, which are more developed.

We have chosen not to join the EU scheme on vaccine purchase, Hancock told Times Radio on Friday.

The reason is that it wouldnt have allowed us to have a say in the vaccines that were procured, the price, the quantity of the delivery schedule.

We are further ahead than the EU schemes are, he added.

We would have joined the EU scheme if they had allowed us also to continue with our own negotiations, but one of the conditions of the scheme was that we would have had to stop our own negotiations and only do them through the European Commission, and we werent prepared to do that.

We think we will go faster this way.

Trials to test possible coronavirus vaccines are underway around the world.

In the UK, hundreds of people have volunteered to take part in a human trial led by the University of Oxford.

The university has already signed a deal with pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca to supply the vaccine if it is successful.

An agreement between Oxford University, the drug company and the government means the UK will have immediate access to the vaccine, if it works.

However, a deal has been made to make sure the vaccine is made available globally on a non-profit basis during the pandemic, including to low and middle income countries, the university said.

Related...

Continue reading on HuffPost
As Irans center for advanced nuclear centrifuges lies in charred ruins after an explosion, apparently engineered by Israel, the long-simmering conflict between the United States and Tehran appears to be escalating into a potentially dangerous phase likely to play out during the American presidential election campaign.

New satellite photographs over the stricken facility at Natanz show far more extensive damage than was clear last week. Two intelligence officials, updated with the damage assessment for the Natanz site recently compiled by the United States and Israel, said it could take the Iranians up to two years to return their nuclear program to the place it was just before the explosion. An authoritative public study estimates it will be a year or more until Irans centrifuge production capacity recovers.

Another major explosion hit the country early Friday morning, lighting up the sky in a wealthy area of Tehran. It was still unexplained  but appeared to come from the direction of a missile base. If it proves to have been another attack, it will further shake the Iranians by demonstrating, yet again, that even their best-guarded nuclear and missile facilities have been infiltrated.

Although Iran has said little of substance about the explosions, Western officials anticipate some type of retaliation, perhaps against American or allied forces in Iraq, perhaps a renewal of cyberattacks. In the past, those have been directed against American financial institutions, a major Las Vegas casino and a dam in the New York suburbs or, more recently, the water supply system in Israel, which its government considers critical infrastructure.
While the pollution levels came down during the lockdown, a new study by IQAir Visual and Greenpeace Southeast Asia that has tracked air pollution level from January to June, revealed that air pollution in Bengaluru is linked to the loss of an estimated 6,300 lives and 3.7% of Bengalurus total annual GDP in the first half of 2020, despite a strict COVID-related lockdown.

While some cities saw temporary return of blue skies as a result of quarantine restrictions, these gains were reversed as soon as lockdowns ended.

Other Indian cities expected to lose a significant amount of GDP and human lives includes Delhi, Hyderabad, Patna, Mumbai, Lucknow and Chennai.

As governments look to rebuild economies, it is more important than ever that investments are directed towards green, just and sustainable sectors of society. Rather than providing a last lifeline to the fossil fuel industry, we must invest in more economically viable solutions like renewable energy and clean powered public transport systems that also help the less privileged in the society. Now is the time for a rapid shift away from polluting fossil fuels, for our health, community, and for our economies, said Avinash Chanchal, climate campaigner at Greenpeace India.

A senior official in the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) stated that between January and March, even their equipments recorded high pollution levels in Jayanagar, Silk board and city railway station.

"During the lockdown the vehicular movement was less hence the pollution level had dipped but in the Unlock situation we are again witnessing high pollution levels in areas surrounding NIMHANS, Jaynagar and Silk board. The other reason is the resumption of construction work as well," the official said.
Spanish Economy Minister Nadia Calvino, who narrowly lost a vote to become Eurogroup chief, said on Friday that one minister did not keep his pledge to support her.

"We had ten votes secured. Someone didn't do what he said he was going to do," Calvino said in an interview on radio station SER. "The vote is secret and, in this case, remote."

She declined to say who she thinks the person was.

The Eurogroup of euro zone finance ministers on Thursday elected Irish Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe as its new chair after two rounds of votes. Donohoe defeated Calvino by one vote.

Calvino had secured the support of France, Germany, Italy and Portugal. The countries supporting her represented more than 80% of the euro zone population and economies, Calvino said on Friday.

Unlike Calvino, Donohoe, has in the past taken a strong stance against government spending increases and deficits.

He also opposes a potential EU tax on digital firms, while Calvino and the Spanish government are staunch advocates of the tax.

"The vision of Europe that country has, doesn't match the one we have," Calvino said.
File image

The United States' Department of Transportation said it has revoked permission for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to conduct charter flights to the United States, citing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) concerns over Pakistani pilot certifications.

The information is contained in a revocation of special authorisation dated July 1 provided by the department to Reuters on July 10.

Pakistan last month grounded almost a third of its pilots after discovering they may have falsified their qualifications.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency suspended PIA's authorisation to fly to the bloc for six months in a blow to the carrier's operations.

Also read: Pakistan International Airlines barred from flying to EU member states for 6 months

PIA was not available immediately for comment outside normal business hours.

Pakistan's Geo News reported PIA had confirmed the US ban and said it would address the concerns through ongoing corrective measures within the airline.

Pakistan's grounding of pilots with dubious credentials followed the crash of a PIA jet in May that killed 97 people.
Seoul, July 10 : The Seoul city government announced on Friday that has planned to hold a five-day funeral for Mayor Park Won-soon, who was found dead earlier in the day just hours after he was reported missing.

The 64-year-old South Korean capital city's three-term Mayor was found dead in the woods of Mount Bugak near his official residence shortly after midnight, reports Yonhap News Agency.

Police said there were no signs of foul play, adding they planned to investigate the exact cause of his death.

He was first reported missing by his daughter Thursday evening, who said he left a message "sounding like a will" before he vanished.

On Friday, city authorities unveiled a note Park left at his official residence.

Park said he was "sorry" to everyone and specifically mentioned that he is sorry to his family for "causing only pain".

The message however, did not mention the sexual harassment allegations raised against Park.

The Mayor was reportedly facing a probe into the allegations after a female former secretary filed a criminal complaint on Wednesday over unwanted "physical contact" and "inappropriate" messages, Yonhap News Agency reported.

In accordance with the law, the case has now been automatically terminated upon the Mayor's death.

When asked whether the city plans to open an investigation, officials said they weare "not yet aware" of the allegations and have not reviewed such plan.

The city government said that Park's funeral will be held in the fashion of a mayoral funeral for five days.

Funerals in Korea generally last for three days.

An altar will be set up in front of City Hall in central Seoul for citizens and staff members wanting to mourn Park's death, they added.

Vice Mayor for Administrative Affairs Seo Jeong-hyup will now serve as the city's acting mayor until the by-election scheduled for April 2021.

Park was regarded as a presidential hopeful for the ruling Democratic Party in the 2022 elections.

The civic activist and human rights lawyer was first elected in a 2011 by-election and re-elected in 2014 and 2018. His term was slated to end in 2022.

As the longest-serving Mayor for the country's biggest city, where one-fifth of South Koreans live, his policies centered on youth, environment and urban regeneration.
A house fire in inner-northern Brisbane that threatened a block of units next door forced firefighters to rescue a neighbour from a unit with a ladder.

Emergency services received multiple triple zero calls to the house fire on Winchester Street at Hamilton just before 5.30pm on Friday.

Emergency services are responding to a fire at Hamilton. Credit:Twitter

Firefighters arrived to find a two-storey house engulfed in flames.

A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokeswoman said a block of units next door was being affected by flames.
A former Barclays boss has told a judge analysing the latest round of a 1.6 billion High Court fight featuring the bank and a businesswoman that he is an honest man.

Roger Jenkins told Mr Justice Waksman that he took exception if his honesty was being called into question.

He was giving evidence at a trial involving businesswoman Amanda Staveley.

Ms Staveley, who in recent months has been involved in brokering a deal which could see a Saudi consortium take control of Newcastle United, has made complaints about the behaviour of Barclays bosses when negotiating investment deals during the 2008 financial crisis.

She says Barclays agreed to provide an unsecured 2 billion loan to Qatari investors but the loan was concealed from the market, shareholders and PCP Capital Partners, a private equity firm she runs.

PCP is suing the bank and wants 1.6 billion in damages.

Barclays is disputing PCPs claim (Ian West/PA)

Ms Staveley says PCP introduced Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour to Barclays and he subscribed to invest 3.25 billion.

She says PCP is owed money for the work it did. Barclays disputes PCPs claim and says it is made of sand.

Mr Jenkins was on Friday questioned by a barrister leading PCPs legal team about discussions and agreements with Qatari investors.

Joe Smouha QC said Mr Jenkins had not given an honest, fair or complete answer to a question.

I am an honest man, Mr Jenkins told the trial.

If you are calling into question my honesty, I will take exception to that.

Amanda Staveley is involved in a High Court battle with Barclays (Victoria Jones/PA)

Mr Justice Waksman has heard that Mr Jenkins referred to Ms Staveley as the tart during an October 2008 telephone call with another former Barclays boss Richard Boath.

Mr Boath referred to her as that dolly-bird during the call.

In February, Mr Jenkins, Mr Boath and another former Barclays boss Thomas Kalaris were cleared of fraud over a 4 billion investment deal with Qatar at the height of the 2008 banking crisis.

The Serious Fraud Office had alleged that lucrative terms given to Qatar were hidden from the market and other investors through bogus advisory service agreements.

But the three men were acquitted by jurors following a five-month trial at the Old Bailey.
BEIJING - Two World Health Organization experts were heading to the Chinese capital on Friday to lay the groundwork for an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic.

An animal health expert and an epidemiologist will meet Chinese counterparts in Beijing to work out logistics, places to visit and the participants for a WHO-led international mission, the U.N. organization said.

A major issue will be to look at whether or not it jumped from species to human, and what species it jumped from, WHO spokesperson Dr. Margaret Harris said at a briefing in Geneva.

Scientists believe the virus may have originated in bats and was transmitted to another mammal such as a civet cat or an armadillo-like pangolin before being passed on to people.

A cluster of infections late last year focused initial attention on a fresh food market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, but the discovery of earlier cases suggests the animal-to-human jump may have happened elsewhere.

In an effort to block future outbreaks, China has cracked down on the trade in wildlife and closed some markets, while enforcing strict containment measures that appear to have virtually stopped new local infections.

The WHO mission is politically sensitive, with the U.S.  the top funder of the U.N. body  moving to cut ties with it over allegations it mishandled the outbreak and is biased toward China.

China took the lead in inviting WHO experts to investigate and discuss scientific virus tracing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said Friday.

In contrast, he said, the U.S. not only announced its withdrawal from the World Health Organization, but also politicized the anti-epidemic issue and played a buck-passing game to shift responsibilities.

More than 120 nations called for an investigation into the origins of the virus at the World Health Assembly in May. China has insisted that WHO lead the investigation and for it to wait until the pandemic is brought under control. The U.S., Brazil and India are continuing to see an increasing number of cases.

The last WHO coronavirus-specific mission to China was in February, after which the teams leader, Canadian doctor Bruce Aylward, praised Chinas containment efforts and information sharing. Canadian and American officials have since criticized him as being too lenient on China.

An Associated Press investigation showed that in January, WHO officials were privately frustrated over the lack of transparency and access in China, according to internal audio recordings. Their complaints included that China delayed releasing the genetic map, or genome, of the virus for more than a week after three different government labs had fully decoded the information.

Privately, top WHO leaders complained in meetings in the week of Jan. 6 that China was not sharing enough data to assess how effectively the virus spread between people or what risk it posed to the rest of the world, costing valuable time.

___

Associated Press journalist Jamey Keaten in Geneva contributed to this report.
Pakistan's religious affairs ministry has written to an Islamic body to seek its opinion on the government's funding for the construction of the first Hindu temple in the capital city amid opposition from some Muslim groups, a media report said on Thursday.

The Krishna temple will come up in a 20,000 sq ft plot in the capital's H-9 administrative division.

Pakistan's Minister of Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadri on Wednesday said there was no problem related to the construction of the temple, but the real issue was whether it could be built with the public money.

Pakistan government has approved Rs 100 million (Rs 10 crore) for the temple.

Qadri has now forwarded the case to the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), Dawn newspaper reported.

The CII is a constitutional body responsible for giving legal advice on Islamic issues to the Pakistan government.

In the letter, Qadri sought the councils opinion on whether the government was allowed to fund the construction of a temple in the city, the report said.

The letter asked whether the government can build a non-Muslim place of worship using government funds, it said.

It said that a delegation from the Islamabad Hindu Panchayat and some non-Muslim parliamentarians met with Qadri and sought government funding for the temples construction.

In the letter, the Qadri said his ministry also deals with the Minorities Welfare Fund, which is used for the repair and maintenance of religious sites of minority communities on the basis of recommendations from non-Muslim parliamentarians.

However, construction of a new place of worship for the religious minorities was not permissible under the rules, the letter said, adding that in view of the situation, the application was forwarded to the Prime Ministers Office for consideration.

Parliamentarians and Qadri met with Prime Minister Imran Khan on this matter. The visit was used by some clerics, who opposed the construction of the temple, to create a controversy, according to the letter.

CII Chairman Qibla Ayaz acknowledged that he had received the ministrys letter and said it has been forwarded to the councils research department to formulate an opinion on this question.

Ayaz said clerics should not protest the matter but should guide the CII on it instead.

He said it will be taken up during the CIIs meeting scheduled for September, as it takes two to three weeks for the research department to finalise an opinion after holding consultations and seeking public comments if needed.

Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, a lawmaker from the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, told Dawn that the argument regarding the funding for the temple was incorrect.

Some people say that a Hindu temple cannot be built with taxes collected from Muslims. That is correct and we agree with it but has any money been spent on the construction of any temple in the country with taxes paid by the Hindu community in 70 years, he asked.

Therefore, the governments grant of Rs 100 million is valid, as it was actually our money, he said.

Meanwhile, a protest was also held in support of the temples construction at the National Press Club.

The protesters said the temple should have been built for the citys Hindu population decades ago and demanded that the government not bow down to pressure from extremists who have been harassing citizens of the country constantly on various pretexts.

A Pakistani court on Tuesday dismissed three identical petitions challenging the construction of the first Hindu temple in Islamabad.

A single bench of the Islamabad High Court delivered the judgement, making it clear that there was no bar on the Institute of Hindu Panchayat from building the temple on the land allotted to it, using its own funds.
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Linkedin Foo Yun Chee (Reuters) Brussels  Fri, July 10, 2020 10:34 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066551227 2 Science & Tech YouTube,piracy,Google,video-streaming,copyright Free

Google's YouTube is not required to hand over the email or IP address of users who upload films illegally to its video platform, Europe's top court ruled on Thursday, saying there must be a balance between protecting personal data and copyright.

The case came before the Luxembourg-based Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) after a German court sought guidance on what video platforms must do to combat film piracy in a case concerning German film distributor Constantin Film Verleih.

The company, which had distribution rights to the films Scary Movie 5 and Parker in Germany, had asked YouTube and Google to provide the email addresses, telephone numbers and IP addresses of users who had uploaded those films illegally onto YouTube in 2013 and 2014.

Constantin Film took its case to the German court after Alphabet subsidiaries Google and YouTube refused to supply the details.

Read also: YouTube hit with discrimination suit by black video artists

The CJEU backed the US tech companies.

"When a film is unlawfully uploaded onto an online platform, such as YouTube, the rights holder may, under the directive on the enforcement of intellectual property rights, require the operator to provide only the postal address of the user concerned, but not his or her email, IP address or telephone number," judges said.

They said EU countries could opt for more protection for intellectual property rights holders but there must be a fair and proportionate balance between various fundamental rights.

A YouTube spokeswoman said Google and YouTube were committed to protecting copyright and safeguarding privacy of their users and their data.

"Today's CJEU decision provides the legal clarity on what information is appropriate to share with rights holders in case of a copyright claim," she said in an emailed statement.
Patrick Scotland pleaded guilty to drug offences following the largest haul of MDMA and crystal meth from a British home. (Met Police)

A man has pleaded guilty to a series of drug charges after police found 2.3 million worth of drugs at his flat  the largest ever seizure of MDMA and crystal meth from a British home.

Routine checks by Border Force on postal items, addressed to Patrick Scotland, arriving in the UK found MDMA contained within childrens toys.

Council staff who carried out a routine gas safety check at Scotlands address in White City, London, tipped off police about a large amount of suspected Class A drugs in the home.

Officers searched the property and found sealed bags and containers containing several kilos of crystal meth, MDMA and cocaine, as well as eight kilos of cannabis resin, more than 10,000 LSD tabs and drug paraphernalia.

Some of the drugs police found in Patrick Scotland's flat. (Met Police)

Scotland was arrested and a further search found more drugs concealed under a sofa and a laptop.

The combined value of the drugs is estimated at 2.3 million, which would make it the biggest known seizure of MDMA and crystal meth from a UK residential address.

In court, Scotland pleaded guilty to three counts of possession with intent to supply a Class A drug, two counts of possession with intent to supply a Class B drug, being concerned in the fraudulent evasion of a prohibition on the importation of a Class A drug and possession of a weapon for the discharge of a noxious liquid, gas or electrical incapacitation device.

Police said in a statement: It also appears to be the first seizure of its kind in regards to the dismantling of a dark web drugs site in the UK.

Scotland was linked to the site post-arrest and the drugs advertised were identified as the same as those recovered from his address.

He was due to be sentenced today.

Patrick Scotland was due to be sentenced today. (Met Police)

Drugs seized in Patrick Scotland's flat. (Met Police)

Detective sergeant Kieran Curry, of the Mets Central West Gangs Unit, said: This is a fantastic example of a collaborative effort to crackdown on drug-related criminality which ultimately enabled us to remove a vast amount of Class A and B drugs from the streets of London.

The evidence we built against Scotland was overwhelmingly strong and ultimately led to a guilty plea. It is a sterling example of the work that goes on behind the scenes to ensure such offenders are brought to justice.

We take a zero tolerance approach to drug dealing and the associated violence that comes with it. The Met will continue to proactively target those involved in this kind of activity, with the aim of removing such individuals from our streets and systematically disrupting the supply of drugs in our local communities.
YEREAN.  The employees of Beeline company are protesting in front of the building of the Public Services Regulatory Commission of Armenia.

The reason is the purchase of Beeline by "team" LLC.

As reported earlier, the State Commission for the Protection of Economic Competition (SCPEC) of Armenia has decided to allow the centralization of VEON Armenia CJSC (Beeline trademark) and of team LLC by way of teams acquisition of 100% shares of "VEON Armenia."

It has also been specified that team shall be obligated not to carry out mass layoffs of employees (more than 10% of the total number of employees) for at least six months after putting the centralization into action.

To note, the founders of "team" LLC are the Yesayan brothers, who left Ucom mobile network operator and Internet service provider in Armenia after having problems with shareholders.
New Delhi: The Congress on Friday (July 10) raised questions on gangster Vikas Dubey's encounter killing after an accident, saying what about those who supported the dreaded 'wanted' criminal, who was known as 'Pandit' by many, in his sinful activities.

"The criminal is dead but what about those who supported him and his dreaded acts," Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tweeted in Hindi on Friday, hours after the incident took place on Friday morning.

Notably, Priyanka had on Thursday raised questions on Dubey's arrest at the Ujjain's Mahakal temple and said that the UP Police had completely failed to act with alacrity. "Despite an alert, the gangster reaching Ujjain exposes the chinks in security and points to collusion," she has posted on Twitter.

Also Read: Vikas Dubey, notorious Uttar Pradesh gangster, killed in encounter by STF in Kanpur

Former UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav too raised questions on the event saying "the car did not topple but it was an effort to save the government from toppling if facts came to light."

The 'indirect' attack from Priyanka on the ruling government in Uttar Pradesh comes after the UP Special Task Force killed Vikas Dubey during an encounter near Barra, 17 kilometres from Kanpur.

According to police, an STF convoy carrying Dubey was arriving in Kanpur on Friday morning when one of its car, which was carrying the gangster, overturned. According to police, Dubey snatched weapons from police personnel and tried to flee from the spot. He reportedly fired shots at the STF and was thereafter killed in the retaliatory firing from the team.

He was rushed to the hospital where he was declared brought dead by doctors. According to reports, Dubey was first shot on leg and chest by the STF team during the encounter.

At least eight policemen, including DSP Devendra Mishra, were ambushed in Bikru village in Chaubeypur area of Kanpur when they were going to arrest Dubey and fell to bullets fired from rooftops shortly after midnight on July 3.
3,438 pubs - 61 of those in Laois - who are yet to reopen have called for the urgent publication of the reopening guidelines, according the Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI).

Despite being due to open in just 11 days, on July 20, these pubs still dont know how they will need to adapt their businesses to ensure they comply with the public health requirements.

The delay is also causing anxiety in some rural communities, with many of these unopened pubs serving as the only gathering locations or hospitality venues in their area.

According to the VFI, the majority of rural pubs are yet to open, particularly along the western seaboard. The county with the largest number of unopened pubs is Cork with 473, followed by Galway (273), Tipperary (223), Kerry (221), Mayo (Mayo 218) and Donegal (180).

According to Mayo publican Marie Mellett, owner of Melletts Bar in Swinford, the lack of guidelines is hampering preparations for reopening. After placing public health first by agreeing to close our business over 120 days ago, were now crying out for the guidelines that will allow us reopen, says Marie. Its a simple question: where are the guidelines? We are literally just days away from July 20 but there is nothing from Government.

For most rural pubs the bar counter is where all the action is, but we dont even know if bar stools will be allowed. If theyre not, the impact on small pubs will be massive as many of our customers will only sit at the bar, adds Marie.

Galway publican Joe Sheridan, who owns Walshs Bar in Dunmore, says he and his staff remain in limbo until the reopening guidelines are published. Im completely in the dark about how we should prepare the pub for reopening, he says. The guidelines are critically important for publicans who urgently need information about what work needs to be completed before we open.

I also have staff wanting to know if they will be going back to work. The current situation is ludicrous and completely unfair to thousands of bar staff around the country and the local communities they serve. For most rural areas the pub is far more than a place to have a drink - its where local communities come together. This delay is placing so much of our local life in jeopardy and leaves many villages without lights.

The full list of pubs yet to open by county is as follows:

Carlow 58

Cavan 114

Clare 169

Cork 473

Donegal 180

Galway 273

Kerry 221

Kildare 82

Kilkenny 94

Laois 61

Leitrim 54

Limerick 208

Longford 54

Louth 105

Mayo 218

Meath 122

Offaly 73

Roscommon 121

Sligo 78

Tipperary 223

Waterford 125

Westmeath 97

Wexford 143

Wicklow 92

Total 3,438
A woman involved in a violent home invasion where the homeowner was attacked in front of his young child has been sentenced to just under two years in jail.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/7/2020 (557 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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FILE/THE BRANDON SUN The Brandon courthouse.

A woman involved in a violent home invasion where the homeowner was attacked in front of his young child has been sentenced to just under two years in jail.

Chenoa Eagle first pleaded guilty in June to charges stemming from multiple incidents, the most serious being a December 2018 break and enter. She was sentenced on Thursday for the incident in which one of her co-accused was sent to prison for three years.

The home invasion was captured in full on a home surveillance camera video that Crown attorney Caroline Lacey played in court.

The video showed the incident unfold, starting with a knock on the door and the victim  who was sitting on the couch watching television with his child  get up to answer it.

Two men and a woman, Eagle, are seen bursting in the door, with one man slamming the victim into a chair before wrestling him to the ground while the other man and Eagle enter the apartment.

Eagle immediately takes the child by the hand and puts him in another room before joining the co-accused in searching and rummaging through the apartment.

The other man continues to keep the victim in a chokehold pinned to the ground, who is yelling, "Im dying.  I cant breathe, I cant breathe."

Eagle, who is holding what appears to be a sword in the video, kicks the man on the ground several times.

Eventually, the two men sit the victim up in an apparent attempt to calm him down, but continue interrogating him and demanding a cellphone and cash.

Moments later, the doorbell rings and the victim starts screaming for help. Police kick down the door, guns drawn, and arrest Eagle and both of her co-accused in the middle of the robbery.

During the June sentencing hearing, Lacey asked Judge Shauna Hewitt-Michta to sentence Eagle to three years. She noted that in a pre-sentence report, Eagle said she does not feel sorry about the incident, just the way it happened.

The video is disturbing and crystal clear about what is happening, Lacey said. There is a significant amount of violence, and Eagle was holding a weapon when she entered the apartment.

Defence lawyer Ryan Fawcett asked the judge to sentence Eagle to probation or a low term in jail so that she can remain in the community. He said she has come a long way since the incident, and at the time she was dealing with addictions. Eagle was doing well in the community with an anger-management program and was taking steps to deal with her mental-health issues.

Eagle apologized to the family that was traumatized as a result, saying she was doing drugs the time and not thinking right.

While reading her decision on Thursday, Hewitt-Michta said Eagle was not the primary aggressor in the home invasion, but still an active participant and not an innocent bystander.

"(Eagle) acted in concert with others; they violated the sanctity of an occupied home, they assaulted and terrorized an occupant of that home, significant violence was involved," the judge said.

The victim was clearly frightened and in pain when he was held on the ground.

To her credit, Eagle has attended drug treatment since the December 2018 incident and has made progress in improving her personal life, Hewitt-Michta said. She also reconnected with her culture and has made progress with getting her custody of her children.

"She did seize the opportunities she had in the community, and she has made significant strides toward rehabilitating herself  this is not, however, an extraordinary or exceptional case," she said.

Hewitt-Michta sentenced Eagle to two years in jail for the break and enter. Eagle also pleaded guilty to taking her cousins car without permission and failing to attend court in March 2019, for which she was fined $150 and $50, respectively.

"I dont in any way mean to dismiss or diminish or discourage the efforts that Ms. Eagle has made in dealing with her addiction issue. What she has done is very meaningful and results in me imposing a lenient sentence than I might otherwise have imposed," Hewitt-Michta said.

She said Eagle should continue to seek help while in jail and that continuing on a positive path increases the chances she could have access to her children again when she is released.

 dmay@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @DrewMay_
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Kano state government has approved 1000 hectares of land for lease, for commercial, large scale animal feed production, under the Kano State Agro Pastoral Development Project, KSADP.

The approved expanse of land is spread across selected government grazing reserves in 16 local government areas of the state.

The State Project Coordinator, Kano State Agro Pastoral Development Project, Malam Ibrahim Garba Muhammad made this known shortly after a meeting with a team of government officials led by the Permanent Secretary, Kano State Ministry of Agriculture, Alh. Adamu Abdu Faragai, in Kano.

The governments gracious approval for this land will enable the commencement of our investment in commercial large scale fodder production, in partnership with the private sector, he said.

Our project will now identify 20 private sector investors interested in fodder production on plots of no less than 50 hectares each and assist them in the development of pastures, provision of harvesting and bailing equipment and marketing facilities.

This development, will among other things, ensure sufficient feed for animals, increase milk yield, and facilitate artificial insemination services.

Malam Ibrahim also revealed that the government, through the state Ministry of Agriculture, approved for the project to utilize 20 hectares of land for fodder seed multiplication at Dudduru grazing reserve, in Ajingi local government area of the state.

Other critical issues discussed during the meeting, include KSADPs intended state-wide cattle and small ruminants vaccination, establishment of a Veterinary reference laboratory at Gwale local government, equipping and operationalization of Artificial Insemination Center at Kadawa, in Garun Malam local government area as well as the construction of a modern veterinary clinic at Dansoshiya in Kiru local government.
Vikas Dubey, five others dead, 12 criminals still on the run say UP police

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, July 10: The Uttar Pradesh Police said on Friday that 12 criminals who attacked the police team in Kanpur's Bikru village on July 3 are still on the run.

Vikas Dubey killed in an encounter while being taken to Kanpur from Madhya Pradesh | Oneindia News

In this case, so far three people have been arrested, six accused killed and seven persons have been sent to jail. 12 criminals wanted in this case are still absconding, Prashant Kumar, ADG Law and order said at a briefing.

Earlier today, Vikas Dubey, the man who plotted the killing was shot dead in an encounter.

Vikas Dubey was hit by four bullets in retaliatory firing by Uttar Pradesh State Task Force members, who tried to stop him from fleeing.

Hit by three bullets on the chest, one on the arm: How Vikas Dubey was killed

He had three bullet injuries on the chest and one in the arm, Dr. R B Kamal, the principal of Kanpur's LLR Hospital said while being quoted by ANI. Further he also said that the condition of the three injured police personnel was stable.

He was shot dead, when he was trying to escape, following an accident involving one of the vehicles of the Special Task Force (STF), which was bringing him back to UP from Madhya Pradesh, where he was arrested on Thursday.

After the accident, Dubey tried to escape. He snatched a police weapon and rain to a nearby field. The police say that they asked him to surrender, but he refused to do so.

The Kanpur police in a statement said that after being chased by the police team, he was asked to surrender, but he did not do so. Instead he began firing, with an intention of killing the policemen. The police team fired in self-defence after which Dubey was injured.

He was taken to hospital, where he died during treatment, the police also said.

Vikas Dubey encounter: Who said what

The encounter took place at the Sachendi border in Kanpur. It may be recalled that three of his accomplices were also shot dead, while trying to escape.

Dubey was arrested outside the Mahakal temple in Ujjain on Thursday morning after a six-day manhunt following the Kanpur ambush in which eight policemen were gunned down.

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Story first published: Friday, July 10, 2020, 17:06 [IST]
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Culture is planning to reprint 108 volumes of Mongolian Kanjur under the National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM) by March 2022 which would help in boosting bilateral ties between the two countries, according to the ministry.

Launched in February 2003, the NMM has the mandate of documenting, conserving and disseminating the knowledge in manuscripts. It aims to publish rare and unpublished manuscripts for researchers, scholars and the general public.

Every volume will have contents indicating the original title of the sutra in Mongolian. The first set of five volumes of Mongolian Kanjur was presented to President Ram Nath Kovind.
First Minister Arlene Foster has refused to comment on a postponed trip by Taoiseach Micheal Martin to Northern Ireland.

It was reported that Mr Martin had been due to meet with Mrs Foster and deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill in Belfast yesterday. However, a number of hours later the Fianna Fail leader's office confirmed that the meeting was temporarily suspended because of scheduling issues.

There was speculation, however, that Mrs Foster's office was not made aware of the visit.

The Taoiseach will now travel to Belfast next Thursday, marking his first visit to Northern Ireland as head of government.

Asked about the reports in the press about the suspended trip, Mrs Foster said: "I don't usually take from the Press what is happening. I usually take what's happening from my private office.

"I'm looking forward very much to the Taoiseach coming up to Northern Ireland, next Thursday as I understand it. We shall meet him then.

"I am looking forward to talking about matters of mutual concern and how we can work together to protect our different jurisdictions, recognising of course the geography of the island of Ireland, but also the different jurisdictional issues that are there.

"So look forward to next Thursday."
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Linkedin News Desk (Reuters) London, United Kingdom  Fri, July 10, 2020 09:51 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406654bbd5 2 World seafarers,stranded,coronavirus,coronavirus-effect,COVID-19,COVID-19-travel-ban,COVID-19-travel-restriction,coronavirus-restrictions,pandemic,SARS-CoV-2,virus-corona,novel-coronavirus Free

A dozen countries including the United States, Britain and Singapore agreed on Thursday to speed up efforts to get hundreds of thousands of stranded merchant sailors home after they had been at sea for many months due to the coronavirus.

Some 200,000 seafarers are affected, with COVID-19 travel restrictions make it almost impossible to rotate crews, according to the UN's International Maritime Organization. Many have been at sea for longer than an 11-month limit laid out in a maritime labor convention

Shipping industry officials say many sailors are at breaking point, in a situation the United Nations has described as a "humanitarian crisis". Maritime welfare charities have warned of an increase in suicides.

In a virtual summit hosted by Britain, representatives of Denmark, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, the Netherlands, Norway, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and the United States agreed to open up foreign borders for seafarers and increase the number of commercial flights to speed up repatriation efforts, a UK government statement said.

They also committed to designate seafarers as "key workers" and encouraged other countries to follow.

"Today marks a new chapter for seafarers and, alongside our international partners, we are taking a stand to end the bureaucracy preventing men and women around the world from returning home," Britain's Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said.

About 90% of world trade is transported by sea, and coronavirus restrictions in some jurisdictions are still affecting supply chains despite an easing of lockdown in many parts of the world.

Guy Platten, Secretary-General of the International Chamber of Shipping association, said the countries who had agreed to open up borders must now act on their commitments.

"Governments must now use this summit as a catalyst to implement the solutions the shipping industry has provided, applying the political will needed to put them into practice," he added.
SEOUL, South Korea -- Search crews fanned out across Osan Air Base to look for a missing U.S. airman on Friday, a day after he was reported absent from his unit, officials said.

Staff Sgt. Tristin Blake Jarvis, 26, of the 51st Force Support Squadron was last seen in the vicinity of the Osan Fitness Center on Wednesday afternoon, according to a press release.

However, security forces searched his room and determined he had been there before changing and leaving, said 1st Lt. Daniel de la Fe, a spokesman for the 51st Fighter Wing.

The search began after Jarvis' first sergeant expressed concern for the airman's safety and well-being on Thursday, triggering a call for base taxi drivers to be on the lookout, de la Fe said in an email.

"Our search efforts are focused on base at the moment, but we're working closely with (South Korean police) to review security footage off-base in the local area," he said, adding that every organization in the wing was participating in the manhunt.

The Air Force said anybody with information should contact the Osan law enforcement desk at 0505-784-5515 or South Korean police at 112.

The force support squadron, Air Force Office of Special Investigations and South Korean police were working together in the search, the release stated.

"It is our duty to protect and support our airmen, and we are putting all of our resources behind the search," said Col. John Gonzales, the 51st Fighter Wing commander. "We urge anyone with information on his whereabouts to contact law enforcement as soon as possible."

The sprawling base, which is about 35 miles south of Seoul, is home to the 51st Fighter Wing, the 7th Air Force and the South Korean air force's operations command. It also is the arrival and departure point for the government-chartered troop transport flight known as the Patriot Express.
Just few days after facing intense backlash for selling Muslim prayer mats as 'fringe trim carpets', online fashion retailer Shein has courted controversy again--this time for selling a metal pendant in shape of a Swatsika. The Swastika is a symbol of divinity and spirituality in many Indian religions, while in the West, it denoted good luck until 1930s. After that, the right-facing tilted form became a feature of Nazi symbolism as an emblem of the Aryan race.

The product, that was sold online for $2.50, has been pulled down after backlash. An Instagram page with the name 'Stop Antisemitism' posted a screenshot of the pendant and demanded it to be removed immediately. "We demand that #shein IMMEDIATELY remove this item from their website as it represents the mass murder of millions," they wrote in the caption.

However, spokesperson of the Shein was quoted by the BuzzFeed News saying that the pendant represented the Buddhist swastika for spirituality and good luck and not the Nazi swastika.

Netizens are angered over the product which they say is anti-Jewish. People even called for a boycott of Shein. Here are some reactions on Twitter:

THREAD: Earlier today I saw that a popular retail website called Shein is selling a "Metal Swastika Pendant Necklace". As a Jewish American woman, I was appalled to see this symbol of hate being sold as fashion. What appalled me even more is the overwhelming number of people pic.twitter.com/uz6Ea0Gwjk  Sydney (@sydlubetkin) July 9, 2020

@SHEIN_official is actively selling a swastika necklace pls continue to tell me there is no more anti Semetism in the country pic.twitter.com/wy1yFhYW7E  emily blank (@emilyblank_) July 9, 2020

tw / anti semitism, islamophobia shein selling fucking swastika necklaces, selling prayer mats as rugs, yeah, boycott them now if you care about the jewish and muslim community  duha (@bikeandcycIe) July 9, 2020

This ad popped up on my timeline, but yall should be aware that SHEIN decided to sell a prayer mat as a floor mat and swastika necklace as a cute accessory in the past week. https://t.co/D1L5h4hvxp  Historian Blair Imani (@BlairImani) July 10, 2020

@SHEIN_official want to explain this swastika necklace on your site? pic.twitter.com/c9fgkhQqzo  kelly (@kellysetsfire) July 9, 2020

Earlier, Shein had to apologise and pull down the Muslim prayer mats from its website which it sold as 'fringe trim carpets'. Some of the mats even had illustrations of the Ka'bah, revered holy site for muslims, and mosques, which angered the Muslims. Critics took to social media outraging over the sale of prayer mats as rugs and dubbed the move as 'disrespectful'.
(TNS)  Starting Wednesday, a machine will be answering the Colorado unemployment offices customer support line, and busy signals will be a thing of the past. For those who want to speak with a person, patience still will be part of the equation.The state will launch its new virtual agent system after the Colorado Department of Labor and Employments perpetually over-stressed call center closes Tuesday afternoon, Jeff Fitzgerald, the chief of the state unemployment program, said Thursday.Created through a partnership with Google at a cost of $680,000, the virtual agent  accessible by calling the customer service line (303-318-9000 in metro Denver, 800-388-5515 outside of Denver) or by visiting ColoradoUi.gov  will be available 24 hours a day.It will be able to answer general questions on topics including work search requirements and reopening claims. If the automated system cant help a caller, it will allow them to schedule a callback from an unemployment office staffer as long as the caller can make themselves available during a two-hour window, Fitzgerald said. The pandemic unemployment assistance call center, which serves self-employed people, gig economy workers and others, will not use the new technology.It provides equity for folks getting in. It also provides time certainty on getting their needs met, Fitzgerald said. More than 617,000 Coloradans have filed unemployment claims since mid March amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Weekly claims numbers have begun to level off  7,727 people filed for state benefits last week, the lowest total since March 14  but the unprecedented spike in need has more than overwhelmed the states call center, where, on average, 8,000 calls go unanswered each weekday.State officials have emphasized the importance of technology  online how-to videos, an automated chatbot on the website  in meeting the demand. The virtual agent system is employed in several other states, Fitzgerald said. Once the technology is better integrated with the states system in mid-August, it will be able to provide callers with specific answers to some claims questions. Fitzgerald expects the virtual agent will eventually be able to handle more than 50% of call center demand.Fitzgerald acknowledged it will take the new system time to catch up. He expects that in the early going, callback schedules will fill up quickly, just as the schedule for in-person meetings in the labor departments lobby have. He hopes that frustration will be short-lived.People relying on state benefits to survive during the pandemic have been sounding the alarm for months about how hard it is to reach someone at the unemployment call center. A spokesman for Gov. Jared Polis this week lauded the work labor department officials have done in the face of skyrocketing needs.The department has successfully paid unemployment benefits to more than 500,000 hardworking Coloradans and the staff is working around the clock to help people who have questions about their claims, spokesman Conor Cahill wrote in an email. They have hired staff, automated processes and next week will implement a new solution that will help address the call center volume even further.State Sen. Chris Hansen, D-Denver, worked with the labor department on a bill passed in the 2020 legislative session the will reform a number of aspects of the unemployment insurance program including greatly increasing the amount employers pay into the unemployment trust fund in the future.Hansen said he has helped hundreds of constituents who have reached out for help with their claims and is aware of how hard it has been for many to reach someone at the call center this spring and summer.I would say by any reasonable measure its behind, Hansen said. We should not have those long of wait times, and the department knows that. And the department has brought significant new resources to bear.
CISCE 10th, 12th Results 2020: A total of 99.33% students passed the ICSE board exams and 96.82% passed the ISC examination, the results for which were declared on Friday by the Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), New Delhi.

The pass percentage of ICSE went up by 0.79% over last years 98.54%. The pass percentage of ISC exams increased by 2.02% over last years 96.52%.

Follow ICSE, ISC Result 2020 live updates

Given the exceptional circumstances, this year CISCE has not declared a Merit list for either the ICSE or ISC Year 2020 examinations, said Gerry Arathoon, chief executive and secretary of the council.

Also Read: ICSE Board Results 2020: CISCE declares classes 10th, 12th results at cisce.org

In ICSE exams, a total of 2,07,902 students appeared of which 2,06,525 candidates were successful making a pass percentage of 99.33%.

Also Read: ICSE 10th Result 2020 declared at cisce.org, 99.33% students pass

In ISC exams, a total of 88,409 students appeared of which 85,611 were passed thus making a pass percentage of 96.82%.

Also Read: ISC 12th Result 2020 declared at cisce.org, 96.84% students pass

The ICSE examination was conducted in 61 written subjects of which 22 are Indian languages and 9 are foreign languages and 2 classical languages.

The ISC examination was conducted in 51 written subjects of which 15 are Indian languages and 6 are foreign languages and 1 Classical language.

Also Read: ICSE, ISC Results 2020: How to check CISCE 10th, 12th results online

Declaring the results, Gerry Arathoon said, This year has been an exceptionally difficult year for everyone due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the multiple National and States lockdowns, coupled with many other related problems. Despite all odds, CISCE has successfully completed the evaluation of the ICSE and ISC Year 2020 Examinations Answer Scripts and is now ready to declare the results.

Also Read: ICSE Class 10th Result 2020: Steps to check CISCE class 10 results online at cisce.org

He said, CISCE would like to congratulate all the candidates of the ICSE and ISC Year 2020 examinations.

Also Read: ISC Class 12th Result 2020: Steps to check CISCE class 12 results online at cisce.org

At this point, I would like to commend our candidates, who have shown exemplary resilience and fortitude during this crisis period, faced with the agony of a long wait for a possible delayed examination in the remaining papers, the subsequent prolonged wait for the results while simultaneously continuing their studies of the next class or preparing for the entrance examinations. Your patience and perseverance are to be admired, Arathoon said.
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Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called for Russia to drop charges against dozens of Russian journalists facing fines or detention for peacefully protesting in solidarity with colleagues who are being criminally prosecuted for their work.

The New York-based watchdog on July 10 urged the Russian authorities to immediately drop the charges against the protesters and other journalists, and end their repression of freedom of expression and peaceful protests.

"Independent reporters in Russia have been under attack for years, with the recent criminal prosecutions taking the repression to a new level," Damelya Aitkhozhina, Russia researcher at HRW, said in a statement.

In most cases, police invoked rules on public assembly as grounds for arrest, according to HRW. In several cases, they also invoked public-health rules that had been introduced to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

"The police falsely claimed that some of the protesters were violating these rules, yet kept most of the detained protesters in overcrowded, poorly ventilated police vehicles where they could not practice social distancing," the HRW statement said.

Aitkhozhina said that instead of fulfilling their obligation to allow people to protest peacefully, the authorities had detained them "under the abusive and restrictive rules on public assembly and under the guise of protecting public health, while exposing them to risk of infection in custody."

On July 3, 17 people were detained outside of Federal Security Service (FSB) headquarters in Moscow as they protested the prosecution of Svetlana Prokopyeva in a case widely criticized as an attack on freedom of speech.

The majority of those detained were journalists.

The next day, two journalists were held in the western Russian city of Pskov, where Prokopyeva's trial took place.

Twenty-eight journalists and activists were also detained outside the FSB building in Moscow on July 7 while protesting against the treason charges brought against Ivan Safronov, a former investigative reporter.

All three protests were entirely peaceful and the demonstrators held single-person pickets, distancing themselves from each other, HRW said.

Under the law, a protester is allowed to hold a solitary picket without notifying the authorities in advance.

Protesters in Moscow said that at any given time only one person stood with a placard, and in Pskov the two protesters complied with the 50-meter distance requirement to qualify as a solitary protest.

HRW said the protesters have been released on condition they report to police on an assigned date to process the administrative charges against them.

Most detainees in Moscow face charges of violating public-assembly regulations, which carries a maximum 20,000-ruble ($280) fine or up to 40 hours of community service.

At least two of those detained in the capital -- including Ilya Azar, a journalist who also serves on a Moscow district council -- face a maximum 300,000-ruble ($4,200) fine or up to 200 hours of community service, or 30 days in jail for a repeated public assembly violation.

At least one protester in Moscow and both journalists detained in Pskov are accused of failing to comply with social-distancing measures and face a fine of up to 30,000 rubles ($420).
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Michael Cohen, U.S. President Donald Trump's former personal attorney, was taken to a federal jail on Thursday after refusing to agree to a gag order as a condition of serving his criminal sentence under home confinement, Cohen's lawyer said. Cohen, 53, was taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, according to his lawyer, Jeffrey Levine.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Michael Cohen, U.S. President Donald Trump's former personal attorney, was taken to a federal jail on Thursday after refusing to agree to a gag order as a condition of serving his criminal sentence under home confinement, Cohen's lawyer said.

Cohen, 53, was taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, according to his lawyer, Jeffrey Levine. Cohen had been released from a federal prison in upstate New York in May due to concerns over possible exposure to the novel coronavirus.

He had completed about a year of a three-year sentence for his role in hush money payments to two women, as well as for financial crimes and lying to Congress about plans to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. Cohen had originally been eligible for release in November 2021.

On Thursday, he was ordered to a federal courthouse in Manhattan to convert his furlough to home confinement, Levine said outside of the courthouse.

He said they were presented with an agreement that barred Cohen from having any contact with news media organizations, TV, film or book publishing outlets, or from posting on social media.

"I've never seen any language like this in my life," Levine said.

After objecting, Levine said the U.S. Marshals Service came with "shackles" and ordered Cohen remanded to the jail in Brooklyn because he failed to agree to the terms.

The federal Bureau of Prisons said Cohen refused the conditions of his home confinement and as a result was returned to a detention facility.

Levine said he was working to resolve the dispute over the terms of home confinement.

On July 2, Cohen tweeted that he was close to completing a book with an anticipated publication date of September.

At the time of Cohen's release in May, he wrote on Twitter that "there is so much I want to say and intend to say. But now is not the right time. Soon."

Cohen once said he would "take a bullet" for Trump but later turned on his former boss and cooperated with Democratic-led congressional inquiries. Trump has called Cohen a "rat." Cohen has called Trump a "racist," a "con man" and "a cheat."

Trump, who is facing a challenging re-election bid in November, had to deal recently with two unflattering books about his administration and family, one by former national security adviser John Bolton and another by his niece Mary Trump.

Thursday's events come a week after Cohen was spotted at a sidewalk table at the French restaurant Le Bilboquet near his Park Avenue apartment in Manhattan, according to the New York Post newspaper.

Levine had told the Post that the dinner did not violate the terms of Cohen's release from prison.

Cohen was sentenced for his role in hush money payments to two women, pornographic film star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougall, who said they had sexual relationships with Trump. The president has denied having relationships with either woman.

(Reporting by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware, and Noeleen Walder, Carlo Allegri and Karen Freifeld in New York; Editing by Franklin Paul, Daniel Wallis and Jonathan Oatis)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
[July 10, 2020] Governors Proclaim July 11th Survivor Support Day

OMAHA, Neb., July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital evidence industry innovator, VidaNyx, built to serve the nation's Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) and multidisciplinary teams has worked with the Governors in the States of Washington and Nebraska, it's birthplace and new headquarters respectively, to proclaim July 11, 2020 as the second annual Survivor Support Day. Serving Child Advocacy Centers across the United States, VidaNyx has set its sights to grow the movement across the country. Created to honor the strength of Survivors and the compassion and dedication of those who work tirelessly to support them, this year Survivor Support Day will launch with a July 10th virtual kick-off with an inspiring story from Survivor Jolene Loetscher and will include guests from the child advocacy center movement including forensic interviewers, survivors, government officials and more. VidaNyx is proud to partner with the Nebraska Alliance of Child Advocacy Centers and Children's Advocacy Centers of Washington for this virtual event. Each year, nearly 700,000 children are abused in the US and these families are supported by a network of 900 child advocacy centers. Nearly 90% of the time, these children are abused by a family member and 3 out of 5 chilren will never share their story of trauma. Experts worry the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated opportunities for abuse to remain hidden, behind closed doors away from the eyes of protective adults.



"It's an unfortunate reality that child abuse often goes unreported or undetected. At VidaNyx, we are champions of the resiliency of these Survivors and want to share their story of strength to inspire others that hope and healing is possible," said Sara Boyd, CEO of VidaNyx. "We also created the day to show gratitude for the unsung heroes in the field - all of the people in child advocacy centers and the multidisciplinary teams who have an important hand in aiding survivors on their pathways toward justice and well-being." "When we lift up the voices of survivors and the amazing professionals that make the journey of healing possible, we create a chorus of hope. It's that hope that Survivor Support Day honors," said Jolene Loetscher, CEO of Mud Mile Communications, Survivor, and Advocate. "My personal journey to put purpose to pain would not have been possible without the unwavering compassion of so many professionals."

Survivor Support Day is observed each year on July 11, in recognition of the founding of VidaNyx. VidaNyx was created on July 11, 2018, to support child advocacy centers and protect survivors of child abuse. To honor this day of commitment to children and the network of care providing services of justice and healing, VidaNyx created Survivor Support Day to celebrate survivors at the center of their work.

First celebrated in Washington in 2019, Governor Jay Inslee officially proclaimed July 11 as Survivor Support Day. To show support for this initiative, child advocacy center staff and supporters around the state wore purple, the signature VidaNyx hue. In 2020, support has grown to include proclamations by both Governor Inslee of Washington State and Governor Pete Ricketts of Nebraska. VidaNyx is 100% cloud-based software to meet the specific needs of Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) and corresponding multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) to be able to securely share and collaborate on child forensic interviews. Approved users that pass a 2-factor authentication process can access the forensic interviews and associated case data from anywhere, whether in the office or at a remote location. There are no downloads or installations required and there are no restrictions on the number of logins or accounts per license. VidaNyx is currently enabling over 1,400 agencies to view and manage forensic interviews from 94 child advocacy centers across the nation, from Fairbanks, Alaska to New York City. In addition, VidaNyx has been an important tool for remote peer review. Daily impact metrics are available at www.vidanyx.com/impact . Media Contact:

Sara Boyd, CEO

VidaNyx

402-871-6589

[email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/governors-proclaim-july-11th-survivor-support-day-301091326.html SOURCE VidaNyx Inc.

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VANCOUVER - Reputed gang leader Jamie Bacon pleaded guilty Thursday to a charge stemming from shootings in 2007 that left six people dead at a highrise apartment building in Surrey, British Columbia.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/7/2020 (557 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Eileen Mohan, whose 22-year-old son Chris was killed along with five other people at a Surrey, B.C., high rise in 2007, leaves B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver, on Thursday, July 9, 2020. Reputed gang leader Jamie Bacon has pleaded guilty to a charge stemming from the 2007 shootings. The plea brings an end to a complex legal case that has spanned more than a decade. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

VANCOUVER - Reputed gang leader Jamie Bacon pleaded guilty Thursday to a charge stemming from shootings in 2007 that left six people dead at a highrise apartment building in Surrey, British Columbia.

Bacon pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to murder Corey Lal in the so-called Surrey Six case.

He also pleaded guilty to one count of counselling to commit murder in a separate case involving the shooting of a man who survived an attack on Dec. 31, 2008.

Sentencing has been tentatively scheduled for July 23 when victim impact statements will be heard by the court.

Court heard a joint sentencing submission that includes 18 years for conspiracy to murder and 10 years for counselling to commit murder to be served concurrently.

Outside court, defence lawyer Kevin Westell said if the sentencing submission is accepted, Bacon is looking at an additional five to six years in prison after time served is taken into account.

"This has been a long, deliberative process of coming to the right agreement with the Crown," he said. "We've come to a resolution that's principled and that's appropriate from all sides."

Bacon was also charged with one count of first-degree murder in the Surrey Six case, but only pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge as part of a plea deal. Court heard the murder charge will be stayed at the sentencing hearing.

Police have said four of the victims were targeted but Chris Mohan, who lived on the floor where the killings occurred, and Ed Schellenberg, a maintenance worker, were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Eileen Mohan said outside court that she would like to see Bacon serve at least 12 years for his part in the Surrey Six case.

"It breaks my heart," she said when asked about the possibility Bacon could be free in five or six years.

"This crime came to my doorstep. We didn't go to it, and this crime dictated my son's life that he's buried and dead now, and it's dictating our lives for the last 13 years. That has to be considered."

Mohan said she will deliver a victim impact statement in person at the sentencing hearing.

"I will have my day in court with him," she said.

"Six people's lives meant something to this country and to the laws of Canada."

It's yet to be determined whether Bacon will appear at the sentencing in person or via video link due to restrictions aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19.

In court documents, the Crown alleges that at the time of the murders Bacon was a leader of the Red Scorpions gang.

The officer in charge of the investigation previously told the court it was one of the largest and most complex investigations that police have undertaken in the province. By November 2016, about 1,300 officers had been involved in the investigation.

In 2014, two men were convicted of six counts of first-degree murder in the Surrey Six case.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 9, 2020.
Homegrown e-commerce marketplace Flipkart on Friday said it has signed an MoU with Karnataka MSME and Mines department to promote the states arts, crafts and handloom sectors by bringing them on to e-commerce and providing market access.

The partnership under the Flipkart Samarth programme will enable local artisans, weavers and craftsmen of Karnataka to showcase their hallmark products to a pan-India customer base, the company said in a release.

Both the Government of Karnataka and the Flipkart Group will focus on creating avenues to increase business and trade inclusion opportunities for these underserved segments of the society, thereby adding further thrust to Made in India efforts, it said.

The partnership will see renowned Karnataka based brands- Cauvery - Karnataka Handicrafts Development Corporation and Priyadarshini Handlooms, part of Karnataka Handlooms Development Corporation joining the Flipkart Samarth programme.

The collaboration with Flipkart will be instrumental in driving commercial and social development in the state.

This partnership will help in taking the local handicrafts and handlooms businesses of Karnataka to a national consumer base, Principal Secretary, Department of MSME and Mines, Maheshwar Rao said.

He said MSMEs in the state will also benefit from skills of branding, digital marketing and financial management while showcasing the locally made high-quality products.

Flipkart said its Samarth programme seeks to break entry barriers for artisans by extending time-bound incubation support, which includes benefits in the form of onboarding, free cataloguing, marketing, account management, business insights and warehousing support.

These are challenging times, and as a homegrown platform, we believe it is our responsibility to boost local businesses and catalyse ecosystem partnerships to help transform them, Flipkart Group Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Rajneesh Kumar said.
10.07.2020 LISTEN

The Upper East Regional Minister, Hon. Tangoba Abayage has charged the officials of the Electoral Commission (EC) in the region to work in a more passionate manner to ensure that all eligible voters are captured in the new voter's register.

According to her, the EC had the mandate to ensure that every Ghanaian of age 18 and above and of sound mind was duly captured in the register to enable them to exercise their franchise in the general elections.

The Upper East Regional Minister made the call during her visit to some registration centres in the Bongo District and the Bolgatanga Municipality to assess the peaceful conduct or otherwise of the exercise.

Hon. Tangoba Abayage indicated her readiness to ensure the successful conduct of the voter's registration exercise in the region.

She directed the staff of the Commission to knock on her doors for any official support in a bid to achieve their set target for the compilation of the new register.

In an interaction with the Electoral Officers, the Regional Minister inquired about the fate of other eligible voters whose job schedules had not permitted them to participate in the registration in their localities.

The Bongo District Officer, Mr. Henry Adeenze Agaabil assured the Minister that those with such genuine concerns could come to the district EC offices to be captured onto the register, and would be assigned their normal registrations centers code.

Mr Adeenze Agaabil told the Chairperson for the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) that the district had so far not encountered any major problem at any of the centres, and that the few minor issues which came up had been resolved at their own level.

He explained that over 65,000 voters were expected to register in the exercise in the district.

The Upper East Regional Minister tour took her to many centres including the Anafobisi Primary School Registration centre, Dorongo Central Registration Center, Atulba Daboo Primary School Registration Center and her final stop was at the Plaza No. 1 and 2 registration centres.

Hon. Tangoba Abayage advised the people to strictly observe the COVID-19 protocols in order not to be infected with the disease.

The Minister also cautioned the EC officials to ensure that only Ghanaians are captured in the new voters register to facilitate a more transparent and credible register for the 2020 general elections and beyond.

She encouraged the polling agents for the various political parties to legitimately challenge any suspected unqualified voter without necessarily resorting to violence.

The Regional Minister was accompanied on the tour by the Municipal Chief Executive for Bolgatanga, Hon. Joseph Ameyure Atura.
GULFPORT, Mississippi  Moss Point Mayor Mario King and his wife, Natasha, used money raised through a 2019 gala charity fundraiser to instead pay for personal purchases, including the down payment on the purchase of a vehicle, cash withdrawals and the payment of credit card debts involving charges to complete the purchase of a personal pet, according to a 14-count federal indictment handed down against the Kings.

Mario King, 33, and Natasha King, 32 made their first appearance in federal court Friday morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert H. Walker on one count of conspiracy and 13 counts of wire fraud charges relating to the Mayors Gala held in 2019. U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Mississippi State Auditor Shad White, and Special Agent in Charge Michelle A. Sutphin of the Federal Bureau of Investigation announced the indictment.

According to the indictment, the Kings devised and intended to devise a scheme to defraud contributors to the Mayors Gala and to obtain money and property by means of materially fraudulent pretenses, representations and promises.

The indictment alleges the Kings began soliciting funds in late 2018 for a Gala to be held on March 23, 2019, in Moss Point. The written solicitation stated that the gala honors and supports organizations that are making a difference for the mental health community. Proceeds support the efforts of mental health in the City of Moss Point with a focus on the Moss Point School District, converting spaces into a therapeutic and innovative learning environment.

On March 4, 2019, the Kings appeared together on WLOX television and described the event, stating that funds from the Gala were to be used to create safe spaces for mental health counselling in the Moss Point School District.

The Kings had registered Rejuvenate LLC as a limited liability company with the Mississippi Secretary of States Office in April 2018. Natasha King was the registered agent and president of the LLC, while Mario King was listed as a member.

That same month, Natasha King opened a bank account for the LLC at Hancock (now Hancock Whitney) Bank. Natasha King was the signatory on the account. With the exception of a monthly paper statement fee, the account was dormant until December 2018, when the Kings began soliciting funds for the March 23, 2019 Mayors Gala. Funds were received in the form of checks, PayPal transfers and in-kind services.

The indictment alleges that those who contributed to the gala, either by purchasing tickets or making donations, were of the understanding the funds raised would go to the Moss Point School District. Instead, some of the funds were used to pay the cost of the gala, but the remaining monies went into the Kings pockets in the form of personal purchases and payments.

Included in the fraudulent use of funds outlined in the indictment:

On April 8, 2019, Natasha King used a debit card on the bank account registered to the LLC the Kings had formed through which they would collect donations and ticket money. She withdrew $2,000 to make a downpayment on a Cadillac XTC.

Less than two weeks later, Natasha King returned the Cadillac, received a check from the dealer for the $2,000 and then deposited that money into the Kings personal bank account.

On May 1, 2019, Mario King withdrew $1,000 cash from the LLC account, while on the same day Natasha King withdrew $2,700 from their personal checking account which had originated in the LLC account.

On May 12, 2019, Natasha King purchased a Volvo automobile with a downpayment of $3,700 -- $3,000 of which came from the gala proceeds.

A month later, the Kings paid off two credit card accounts with balances totaling $745 using funds solicited from the gala. The indictment notes that the credit cards had been used solely for the purchase of a Biewer Terrier from the Animal Medical Center in Hattiesburg in December 2018.

The case will be heard by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden. If convicted, the Kings face up to five years on the conspiracy charge and up to 20 years on each of the thirteen wire fraud charges. Each of the fourteen counts carries a maximum fine of $250,000.

The case was investigated by the Mississippi State Auditors Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Meynardie.

King, a Democrat, was elected Mayor of Moss Point in 2017, defeating incumbent Republican Billy Broomfield with more than 61 percent of the the vote. Elected at age 30, he was and continues to be the youngest of the four mayors currently in office in Jackson County.

Kings nearly three years in office have been rife with controversy.

In 2017, both Mario King and Natasha King were charged with domestic violence after an incident in their home. Ultimately, the charges were dropped after both refused to testify in court, invoking their 5th Amendment right.

In June 2019, Moss Point alderman Ennit Morris filed suit against Mario King, claiming, among other things, the mayor had him forcibly arrested for questioning his expenditures.

Roughly a month later, Mario King was accused in a lawsuit filed by 11 former or current City employees and a City firefighters wife of misusing city resources, accusing white firefighters of being racist without cause and using the firehouse as his personal motel for sex.

In addition, complaints were filed against Mario King with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), accusing King of age discrimination in hiring practices. Those complaints were ultimately dismissed by the EEOC.
Multiple farmsteads are damaged, one was killed, and two were injured after a large tornado touched down in northwest Minnesota on Wednesday.

The tornado hit near Dalton, Minnesota in southeastern Otter Tail County. The tornado was spotted between 5 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

The National Weather Service (NWS) said it moved mostly to open farmland, however, three farmsteads had huge damage.

One of the three farmsteads was flattened.

NWS said there were no vehicles affected when the tornado crossed Interstate 94.

NWS meteorologist Vince Godon said the tornado had winds of 136-165 miles per hour (mph).

Ashby Mayor Tom Growe said the tornado was "pretty destructive."

Tornado Captured on Cam

Alissa Wilbur and Paige Fode captured the tornado on their cell phones when they were driving from the Twin Cities.

They got a severe thunderstorm warning on their cellphones.

Wilbur and Fode prepared for a storm, but they were not when they saw the tornado heading their way.

"It was definitely an experience, very scary," Wilbur was quoted in a report.

Wilbur was thankful it changed directions before it hit them and went into the fields.

JoAnn Beardsley also captured the tornado on her camera cellphone.

Beardsley was with her grandkids and enjoying a day at Pelican Laken when the tornado happened.

"We were swimming and I saw what looked like it was coming out of the clouds and then a funnel formed inside," was quoted in a report.

She said she got out of the area before the tornado got too big and recorded the tornado from her Ashby farm.

"I figured it had to be a pretty monstrous tornado because I'm probably at least three, four miles from where it would drop down," Beardsley was quoted.

When Do Tornadoes Usually Happen?

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Storm Prediction Center (SPC) said tornadoes can happen any time of the year but there are distinct seasons for different parts of the country.

The peak tornado season for southern areas like Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas is from May to early June.

Tornado season for northern plains and upper Midwest areas like North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, and Minnesota is around June or July.

Most tornadoes happen between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Around 1,200 tornadoes happen in the United States every year.

Other places with the highest tornado happening are Argentina and Bangladesh.

How to Prepare For a Tornado

Tornadoes can do huge damages. The 2019 tornado season killed 41 individuals and injured hundreds.

Around 71-percent of those victims were in a mobile home or trailer park during the tornado. Over $7.1 billion was the recorded damage.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) said there is no sure way to stay safe during a tornado. But it pays to be prepared.

Prepare an emergency kit with water, non-perishable food, and medication. Add fresh batteries and a battery-operated TV, radio for weather information.

Make an emergency plan with access to a safe space for you and your family. List of important telephone numbers.

Always be aware of weather conditions. Go to low-lying areas or safe spaces during a tornado.

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NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The United States is in talks with India on market access for its goods in exchange for reinstating New Delhi's trade concessions under the Generalised System Of Preferences (GSP), U.S. ambassador to India Kenneth Juster said on Thursday.

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The United States is in talks with India on market access for its goods in exchange for reinstating New Delhi's trade concessions under the Generalised System Of Preferences (GSP), U.S. ambassador to India Kenneth Juster said on Thursday.

"The GSP by law requires that there be some market opening measures in recipience of that preferential system, and that's what we have been trying to reach an agreement on with the government of India," Juster said at India Global Week 2020, an online business summit.

Last year, Washington scrapped India's trade concessions under the GSP programme that allowed duty-free entry to the U.S. market for up to $5.6 billion of Indian exports in retaliation for New Delhi's high tariffs and rules on e-commerce.

Juster also said India and the United States needed to move to a free trade pact.

(Reporting by Neha Arora; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
In today's episode, Gangster Vikas Dubey shot dead, Delhi court grants bail to 82 Bangladeshis, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa to work from home and International Monetary Funds Chief Economist Gita Gopinath has urged governments to shift to "equity-like" support from one focused on loans.

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Catch our feature show, The Lead, Monday to Friday at 7 am, and our evening news catch-up show From the Newsroom every day at 6 pm
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Linkedin Norman Harsono and Andi Hajramurni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta/Makassar, South Sulawesi  Fri, July 10, 2020 13:35 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066561076 1 Business Chinese,Konawe,nickel,smelter,employment,COVID-19 Free

Chinese-backed mining company PT Virtue Dragon Nickel Industry (VDNI) has promised to hire 5,000 locals amid protests over the employment of 500 Chinese workers for nickel smelter projects in Konawe regency, Southeast Sulawesi.

VDNI signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the matter with the Konawe administration on Wednesday. The company agreed to absorb the workforce while the administration agreed to headhunt workers, who will start working once the smelter installation was finished.

We are committed to employing local workers. But recruitment will be done in stages, as needed, VDNI spokesman Indrayanto told The Jakarta Post from nickel-rich Southeast Sulawesi on Thursday.

He said the company would hire 2,500 local workers in the first phase. These workers would become smelter operators, which were priority positions that VDNI needed filled. Indrayanto did not detail the successive phases.

Indrayanto also said the company had brought in 261 out of the 500 Chinese workers as of Thursday. The remaining third batch was supposed to arrive last week but the arrival was delayed due to local protests.

Virtue Dragon, which is developing Indonesias largest nickel smelter, plays a key role in realizing the central governments ambition of transforming mineral-rich Indonesia from a commodity-driven economy to an industrial economy.

The smelter, last valued at US$1.4 billion, is slated to produce 600,000 tons of nickel pig iron (NPI) each year once fully completed in 2021.

Indrayanto argued that the employment of Chinese workers was essential to install the smelter. While there had been a delay in the arrival of foreign workers, he was optimistic the project would still run on time, at the end of the year.

The development of the [smelter] is still ongoing but it will just be slower, he said.

In April, Southeast Sulawesi Governor Ali Mazi and the Southeast Sulawesi Legislative Council had refused entry to the foreign workers, supposedly due to concerns over COVID-19 transmission. Ali then turned around and green lighted the arrival amid the backlash.

Manpower Minister Ida Fauziah previously stated in June that allowing foreign employment would eventually result in more jobs for local workers after they learned to use the technology used in the projects.

With the sizeable investment for the project, the Office of the Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister has also stated that it would oversee the local worker recruitment process, says a spokesman.

With this deal, we hope all employment-related policy making and problem solving in the area can be handled faster and better, Office of the Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister spokesman Jodi Mahardi said in a statement on Wednesday.

Locals were seen up in arms near Haluoleo Kendari Airport in South Konawe on June 23 as the first batch of 152 Chinese workers landed.

Protesters raised concerns over local unemployment rates, COVID-19 infections and the workers visa statuses, while also blaring religious and racially-charged statements.

As of May 27, more than 1.79 million people have lost their jobs as many nonessential businesses shut down to comply with government restrictions, according to data from the Manpower Ministry. The government predicts up to 5.5 million workers could lose their jobs, while 4 million could fall below the poverty line.
By Ayya Lmahamad

Iran has inaugurated its Chabahar-Zahedan railway line that will help transport cargo to Europe through Azerbaijan via Kazvin- Rasht- Astara (Iran)-Astara (Azerbaijan) railway, Azertag reported on July 9 with reference to the Iranian media.

The railway is located in Sistan Baluchestan province and will play an important role in uniting Asia and Europe, as well as developing the region and reviving international trade.

The Chabahar-Zahedan railway line connects not only the two Iranian cities but also the province of Sistan Baluchestan, where the port of Chabahar is located, along with the national railway system. This indicates that, along with the port of Bandar Abbas on the Gulf coast, the port of Chabahar will have access to the international North- South transport corridor. Thus, Gulf countries will use the port of Badar Abbas and South-East Asian countries will use port of Chabahar to trade with Europe through the international North- South transport corridor.

The railway connecting the Azerbaijani and Iranian cities of Astara has already been put into operation as Azerbaijans infrastructure is ready to receive and send large volumes of cargo. In addition, Azerbaijan has completed the construction of the Baku- Astara highway, as well as the Alat international sea trade port, leading to cargo transshipment increase.

Presently, the Kazvin- Rasht section of the Kazvin- Rasht- Astara railway is in operation. Work is underway on the section of the Rasht- Astara railway.

After its completion, Chabahar- Zahedan road along with Rasht-Astara railway will secure Azerbaijans position as an international transport hub.

It is expected that 150 kilometers of 628-km Chabahar- Zahedan road will be built and completed by the end of 2020. Rapid pace of construction suggests that the entire road will be completed in the next three years.

The Iranian ministry of roads and urban development estimates that upon completion, the railway will transport an estimated 927,000 passengers and 2.8 million tons of freight per year.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
New Delhi: The Centre has told e-commerce companies to declare country of origin on of products on their portals or be prepared to pay penalty of upto Rs 1 lakh or jail term or both.

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs has written a letter to the state governments and also to the e-commerce companies asking them to strictly adhere to the rules.

If the e-commerce companies fail to adhere to the rules, they will be fined Rs 25,000 for defaulting for the first time, Rs 50,000 for the second default and Rs 1 lakh for the third default or with imprisonment for a term of one year or with both.

The Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) formed under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs will keep an eye on the above mentioned guidelines. The additional secretary of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and the chief commissioner of BIS will be responsible for strict implementation of the rules.

It may be recalled that in June this year, the commerce ministry had made it mandatory for sellers to enter the Country of Origin while registering all new products on Government e-Marketplace (GeM), a Special Purpose Vehicle.

Further, sellers, who had already uploaded their products before the introduction of this new feature on GeM, are being reminded regularly to update the Country of Origin, with a warning that their products shall be removed from GeM if they fail to update the same. GeM had taken this significant step to promote Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

GeM has also enabled a provision for indication of the percentage of local content in products. With this new feature, now, the Country of Origin as well as the local content percentage are visible in the marketplace for all items. More importantly, the Make in India filter has now been enabled on the portal. Buyers can choose to buy only those products that meet the minimum 50% local content criteria.

In case of Bids, Buyers can now reserve any bid for Class I Local suppliers (Local Content > 50%). For those Bids below INR 200 crore, only Class I and Class II Local Suppliers (Local content > 50% and > 20% respectively) are eligible to bid, with Class I supplier getting purchase preference.
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Thursday said U.S. President Donald Trump had drastically changed his attitude towards the Mexicans.

Trump's political campaign has had on public opinion of immigrants, particularly Mexicans. He mocked Mexicans and even called them "drug runners" and "rapists." This upset many Mexicans, especially those who live in Mexico.

But during Lopez Obrador's visit, the Mexican president said Trump's attitude towards the Mexicans has drastically changed.

The meeting between the two presidents on Wednesday was the first since Lopez Obrador took office in December 2018, according to a published report by Reuters.

Lopez Obrador praised Trump for showing "kindness and respect" toward Mexicans. However, this drew anger from the president's critics in Mexico.

In Lopez Obrador's interview with the television network Telemundo he said Trump had made negative rhetorics against the Mexicans in the past, but this time he is seeing a different Trump.

The Mexican leader said Trump "has completely changed his rhetoric." He stressed that Trump has treated him as a friend and not as a distant neighbor.

Trump has been very vocal in the past against the Mexicans, especially to those who are illegally crossing the borders between the United States and Mexico.

In fact, the Trump's administration has invested billions to construct the state-of-the-art wall at the U.S.-Mexico border, which is equipped with closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras.

Trump has also made an order to the border patrol officers to frequently check the border cities. He also requested the Mexican government to send Mexican border patrol officers to help them crack down illegal border crossings.

Aside from that, the Trump's administration also changed the immigration policy last year, which makes it harder for the asylum-seeker and immigration applicants to stay in the U.S.

Recently, another immigration executive order was signed by Trump that restricts certain visas for foreign workers to prioritize Americans in getting jobs as the country slowly reopen its economy.

During his campaign in 2018, Lopez Obrador assailed Trump's "politics of hate" and signature border wall project and likened the latter's anti-Mexican tirades to Adolf Hitler's attacks on Jewish people.

Lopez Obrador took office in late 2018 and after several months, Trump said he would put tariffs on all Mexican goods if Lopez Obrador could not crack down illegal immigration into the U.S.

The Mexican President's friendly remarks toward Trump has troubled some members of the Democrats. For them, Trump exploited his meeting with Lopez Obrador to court the Mexican-American voters in the country.

Many critics of Trump in Mexico are doubtful that he will remain friendly all the way to the election and even after the election if he wins.

But if Trump was indeed true to his actions, it would be a good sign for the two countries, who have long been troubled by immigration and illegal drug trafficking. The two countries could work hand-in-hand to crack down on the problems.

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Truck crashed into SOPECAM Friday WhatsApp

A cargo truck is said to have crashed into a building housing staff of the Cameroon News and Publishing Corporation, SOPECAM in Yaounde Friday, July 10, 2020.

Cameroon-Info.Net learned that the accident occurred at about 11.15 a.m. Friday when a lorry transporting a container of newsprint crashed into a portion of the roof of the building housing Cameroon Tribune staff.

The building is located at the entrance to the vast compound on the Mvog-Mbi-Mvan stretch of road in Yaounde.

The driver of the lorry is quoted as saying that the incident happened as he was entering the compound in reverse position to offload the newsprint when the brakes failed.

He said his conductor tried placing a wedge to bring the truck to a halt, but the tyres instead ran over it, crashing into the roof of Cameroon Tribune/Cameroon Insider newsrooms, a staff at SOPECAM said. Fortunately, the wall of the building was not affected. The truck is one of several others that came in from Douala and were parked outside the SOPECAM premises since Tuesday, July 7, 2020, as they waited to take their turn to offload the newsprint ordered by the corporation.

The Cameroon News and Publishing Corporation, SOPECAM publishes Cameroon Tribune, Cameroon Insider, and Nyanga among others. It also runs a printing press. It was created by decree no. 77/250 of July 18, 1977, and was transformed by decree n 2016/216 of April 28, 2016, into a company with public capital having the State as the sole shareholder. SOPECAM is a company with public capital.
New Delhi, July 10 : Etihad Airways will resume a limited number of special flights from six Indian gateways to Abu Dhabi from July 12 to 26.

The announcement comes a day after partial lifting of international flight restrictions by Indian authorities to allow outbound travel.

"During this period, the airline will operate services to Abu Dhabi from Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi, Delhi, Hyderabad and Mumbai to Abu Dhabi," the company said in a statement.

"All passengers must have ICA approval from the government of Abu Dhabi before they travel and will not be permitted to check-in without the necessary approvals." On Thursday, the Centre announced civil aviation authorities of India and the UAE have agreed to operate special repatriation flights between the two countries during July 12-26.

As per the arrangement, chartered flights operated by UAE carriers to bring back Indians from the UAE will be allowed to carry ICA (Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship) approved UAE residents to their native country on their return leg.

Further, Indian carriers operating repatriation flights to bring back Indians from the UAE will be allowed to carry the ICA-approved UAE residents on their onward journey from India to the Gulf country.

"As part of the close strategic partnership between the governments of India and UAE , and with a view to assisting UAE residents who are presently in India to return to UAE, the Civil Aviation Authorities of both countries have agreed to operationalise a special arrangement," Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had tweeted.
As producers, Im sure most of you have heard pleas from agriculture communicators asking you to tell your story. And while I have made the same request, I understand that it might be getting old.

But the point that we often forget to mention is that one of the most effective ways to inform consumers about what we do is to understand and really listen to their concerns. After all, if we dont listen to them, why should they listen to us?

What do I mean by really listen? Heres an extreme example:

As a part of my internship last summer, I attended the 2019 National Animal Rights Conference. I sat through this four-day conference, listening to vegan speakers, taking notes, trying the vegan food, and blending in. None of the other attendees knew that the other intern and I were anything but fellow activists.

It was one of the hardest things Ive done, but also one of the most valuable. People would stand at the microphone and say things like dairy farmers rape their cows and everyone around me would cheer and clap. They would say things like chickens are smarter than humans, fish are people, too, and end all animal agriculture, and we would have to go along with it.

Yet, the thing I saw behind the eyes of every presenter and attendee of that conference was fear. Fear that animals were being abused, fear of climate change, and fear of science.

Animal rights activists hold their beliefs because no one ever explained their "why" to them. Most of them have never had a positive interaction on a farm or even an interaction.

The animal rights movement stems from misunderstanding, anger, and fear about whats happening in our food system.

This isnt a thread unique to them. The average consumer lacks confidence in how or where their food is produced and in who is producing it. And that is our fault.

But we can change the trend. If we listen and understand consumer concerns, we will be able to more effectively share information with them.

Consumers are expected to have a more positive mindset toward science and technology following the pandemic, because for the first time in a while we don't have the science we need to solve a problem, and its affecting everyone. This is leading them to trust the science we have, including food technology, and lean toward using it to improve their lives.

So, if you have a passion and interest for agriculture, you can help. You dont have to write a blog or start a large social media platform (although those things are great!). Start by talking to people in your community about what you do.

Be willing to go outside your ag bubbles. As farmers, we like to talk to other farmers. It makes us feel safe and understood. But if we dont talk about what we do outside of those bubbles, and I mean all of it  the ups, the downs, the hard stuff, and the awesome stuff  we arent giving the consumer any reason to trust us in the first place.

This is the time to communicate.

We need to be willing to share our stories, because itll make all the difference.

Abbie Cox grew up in Cato, N.Y. on a first-generation dairy farm and currently attends Cornell University as a member of the class of 2021, majoring in animal science with a minor in education and a focus in dairy. On campus, she is involved with the Cornell University Dairy Science Club, Sigma Alpha, Collegiate Farm Bureau, and is a Peer Adviser with CALS Student Services. Cox has interned with the MILC group, the Animal Agriculture Alliance, and is the 2020 Hoards Dairyman summer editorial intern.
(@FahadShabbir)

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th July, 2020) Moldova will send another contingent of peacekeepers to Kosovo to take part in the NATO-led peacekeeping operation, the Moldovan Defense Ministry said Friday.

"The thirteenth group of peacekeepers from the National Army of Moldova will leave for Kosovo. The thirteenth group is composed of 41 professional military service members, including a senior officer, seven ammunition technical officers and a platoon of 33 soldiers who will be involved in security matters, guarding military facilities and patrolling," a message published on the website of the Ministry of Defense.

The ministry said that the peacekeepers would be located at the multinational Camp Vilaggio Italia base and will stay there for six months.

The decision to send troops from the National Army to participate in the KFOR mission was approved by the Moldovan Parliament on November 1, 2013. According to the constitution, Moldova has a neutral status, but since 1994, the country has been cooperating with NATO under the Partnership for Peace program.

To this day, 480 Moldovan service members have taken part in the mission, the Defense Ministry's press office said.
Curious crowds hovered most of the day around the spot where Vikas Dubey was shot dead on Friday, even when all there was left to see were bluish smudges on a dirt road.

IMAGE: People gather at the spot where police personnel shot dead notorious gangster Vikas Dubey when he allegedly tried to flee, at Bhauti area in Kanpur, on Friday. Photograph: Nand Kumar/PTI Photo

The smudges were blood stains that had changed colour, perhaps due to the rain and the forensic examination.

For part of the day, an overturned SUV could be seen on the highway to Kanpur. It was later towed away.

Police claimed that gangster Vikas Dubey, who was being brought back to Kanpur after his arrest in Ujjain, got out of the car after it had overturned on the slippery road, taking along an injured policeman's pistol.

Dubey, accused of killing eight policemen last week, then fled down a dirt road that joined the highway.

He was gunned down when he refused to surrender and opened fire at policemen who had surrounded him, according to the police version.The smudges marked that spot.

Flooded agricultural fields and bushes run along the dirt track.

As curious onlookers from nearby villages headed there, the place became a selfie spot with people clicking pictures on their phones.

On the nearby highway, people peeped out of passing vehicles. As traffic choked the road, constable Anil Kumar Yadav asked people not to gather there.

Rahul Singh, who works in a flour mill on the side of the highway, said he did not hear anything at the time of the encounter.

"We didn't hear any gunshots as we were working inside the factory, where there is already plenty of noise," he told PTI.

"My shift starts at around 7 am, and since 6.00 am it was raining very heavily. We came to know about the incident rather late, when one of our seniors said that someone has been shot on the other side of the road."

His co-worker Arun Kumar said they couldn't see anything across the highway because of the rain.

Vikas Dubey was accused of masterminding an ambush at his Bikru village near Kanpur on the night of July 2. Eight policemen, including Deputy Superintendent of Police Devendra Mishra, were killed, triggering a manhunt for him.

Madhya Pradesh police arrested him in Ujjain. He was being brought back to Kanpur by UP police, who claim they shot him when he tried to escape.
Kim Yo-jong, the sister of leader Kim Jong-un, said Friday in a statement to the Korean Central News Agency that another summit with the United States is "unnecessary" and "useless" for North Korea as long as there is no change in Washington's negotiating position. Korea Times file



Another summit with the United States is "unnecessary" and "useless" for North Korea as long as there is no change in Washington's negotiating position, the sister of leader Kim Jong-un said Friday.



Kim Yo-jong made the remark in a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency, as U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the U.S. is "very hopeful" about continuing dialogue with the North, including another summit between the two countries.



"This is my personal opinion but any summit between the U.S. and North Korea will not take place this year," Kim Yo-jong said. "As long as there is no decisive change in the U.S. position, a summit between the DPRK and the U.S. is unnecessary and useless this year and in the future at least for us."



That, however, does not mean that the North is not going to denuclearize, she said.






By Online Desk

CHENNAI: Disney+ Hotstar shared the first song from late actor Sushant Singh Rajput's highly anticipated last film 'Dil Bechara'.

The title song features the actor as the star of his college, wowing everyone with a dance performance. 'Dil Bechara' is sung by AR Rahman and is about getting 'friend-zoned'. Sushant sings about having confessed his love for a girl and she tells him she merely likes him and doesnt miss him when he is not around.

The song is rumored to have been has been shot entirely in a single take. Sushant enters with a perky walk and dances his way to land in between the audience, which also includes his co-star Sanjana Sanghi. He dances with her a little before moving on to his friends, with whom he takes several selfies.

Manny knocked his way into Kizie's life with all his heart and lively spirit. Set to the melody of the one and only, @arrahman. Listen, love, let the magic do its trick.#DilBecharaTitleTrack out now!https://t.co/Ytf0oJDbgN  Disney+HotstarVIP (@DisneyplusHSVIP) July 10, 2020

'Dil Bechara' director Mukesh Chhabra revealed in a tweet that it was the last song that Sushant ever shot for and was choreographed by Farah Khan. They had rehearsed for a day and then shot the whole song in one shot. Farah Khan also reveals that all Sushant wanted from her after this was a home-cooked meal.

Love you didi Sushant he Kar sakta tha 1 shot songhttps://t.co/9Lm8kbKt7W  Mukesh Chhabra CSA (@CastingChhabra) July 10, 2020

The movie dropped it's trailer on July 07 and managed to become the most liked trailer in the world by beating Marvel Studios' 'Avengers: Infinity War' which had 3.6 million likes.

'Dil Bechara' got a whopping 4.8 million likes within a day on YouTube. The film is based on the bestselling novel The Fault in Our Stars by author John Green.

The trailer gives way to the story of Kizie and Manny, who are left to face a tragic twist to their lives. The flick was originally slated for May 8 theatre release but it could not see the light of the day due to the COVID-19 induced lockdown.

Chhabra had earlier revealed that the late actor agreed to be a part of his debut directorial "Dil Bechara" without even reading the script.

Disney Plus Hotstar will screen the movie on its platform for free as a tribute to the late actor.

The 34-year-old actor was found hanging at his suburban Bandra residence on June 14. No suicide note was found from the spot, the police had said then.
DUBLIN, Ohio -- Collin Morikawa didn't get rattled by his first missed cut as a pro or his first time playing Muirfield Village.

Morikawa finally had a forced weekend off two weeks ago after 22 consecutive cuts to start his PGA TOUR career, three short of the standard set by Tiger Woods. He bounced back Thursday in the Workday Charity Open with a 7-under 65 for a one-shot lead over Adam Hadwin.

RELATED: Full leaderboard | Canadian duo starts strong | How to give Muirfield a second identity

It was a quiet day of work, typical for the PGA TOUR with no spectators allowed in the return from the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown. It was never more evident at Muirfield Village, which typically has enough fans to frame just about every hole.

Morikawa goes about his work quietly in any circumstances, and he was dialed in from the start of a relatively calm and steamy afternoon on the course Jack Nicklaus built. His shot into the par-5 fifth settled 3 feet away for eagle. All but one of his birdie putts was inside 12 feet. The only setback was a bogey from the fairway on the 18th.

"It's a beautiful track. It's a very tough course, obviously, but you just have to map your way around it," Morikawa said. "You've got to be really smart. If you're not in the fairway, you've got to make sure you play smart. I was playing smart but I felt good with my irons, so I was able to attack some pins when they were accessible."

He liked it so much that Morikawa is even more excited about spending two weeks at Muirfield Village.

For the first time in 63 years, the PGA TOUR will have tournaments on the same course in consecutive weeks. The Workday Charity Open fills a void this year for the John Deere Classic, which decided to cancel earlier this year and will return in 2021.

The second week at Muirfield Village -- the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide -- was supposed to be the first with fans since the PGA TOUR returned June 11. That plan was scrapped at the last minute and it was clear how much work went into it.

There were signs for spectator parking along the streets outside the club. Concession and hospitality tents were a few days away from being completed. There was no point taking them down, because sound travels when no one is around.

Rory Sabbatini found out the hard way. He was at the top of his swing for his opening tee shot when a volunteer some 80 yards away laughed in conversation. Sabbatini flinched, sent his drive well to the right and he stood looking at the volunteer, too far away to realize what had happened.

Jon Rahm was in a perilous spot in juicy rough left of the 14th green, facing a downhill chip toward the water. He took a full swing for a flop shot, it came out softly and raced down the green and into the cup for a birdie.

That hole -- that shot -- is best known for when Tiger Woods chipped in for par on his way to victory in 1999. Rahm was a 4-year-old in Spain at the time, but apparently he has seen enough video of the shot that as he stood to the side of the green, he smiled and said of the empty theater, "Just like when Tiger did it."
When Trzaskowski was picked in 2018 as the opposition partys mayoral candidate in Warsaw, an opposition stronghold, it came as a surprise to some political commentators. They wondered if Trzaskowski, who had a reputation as a cautious intellectual, would fit into a political landscape that was increasingly dominated by deep rifts and, at times, brutal animosity between the government and the opposition.
WASHINGTON - Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee grilled top federal immigration officials Wednesday over how to prevent the violent street gang MS-13 from targeting unaccompanied minors who have entered this country illegally.

Citing a recent Washington Post report linking a surge in MS-13 violence around the country to its recruitment of unaccompanied minors, Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said federal officials were not keeping close enough track of the youth.

"The government's total failure to establish an efficient process and meaningful oversight of the placement of these children has led to the current MS-13 crisis," said Grassley, the committee chairman.

Testifying at the hearing were top officials from Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Department of Justice and the Office Of Refugee Resettlement, the agency in charge of reuniting unaccompanied minors with relatives in the United States.

"No one takes responsibility for these children after they are placed with a sponsor," Grassley said. "Your agencies repeatedly pass the buck to each other. As a result, children are allowed to disappear. When these children disappear without any supervision, they are vulnerable to join dangerous gangs like MS-13."

Democrats on the panel used the hearing to push back against the Trump administration's promised crackdown on sanctuary jurisdictions, which instruct police not to cooperate with federal deportation agents in tracking down undocumented residents. "Fighting MS-13 doesn't just demand a coordinated effort on the part of state and local law enforcement," said Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn. It "requires that law enforcement officials have the trust and respect of the communities targeted."

The Post investigation found that at least 14 young people placed by ORR were caught up in MS-13 violence after their moves to the United States. That includes eight charged in connection with slayings.

Wednesday's hearing was the first time that some of the agencies had provided statistics on unaccompanied minors suspected of gang involvement.

Since October of 2011, Customs and Border Protection has caught about 5,000 individuals with confirmed or suspected gang affiliations, Acting Chief Carla Provost testified. That number includes 159 unaccompanied minors, 56 of whom were suspected or confirmed to be affiliated with MS-13.

The agency apprehended a total of about 250,000 unaccompanied minors during that time period, Provost said. Most have been placed with relatives or other sponsors.

By law, border agents have 72 hours to pass unaccompanied minors to ORR. Agents are instructed to notify the refugee resettlement office and the Department of Homeland Security when they suspect an unaccompanied minor who has been placed in U.S. custody belongs to a gang.

Scott Lloyd, the director of ORR, told the senators that his agency had identified a similarly small share of unaccompanied minors with gang involvement.

A June 9 ORR review found that of the 138 unaccompanied minors in its most secure facilities, 35 were voluntarily involved in gangs, including MS-13. Another four minors said they had been forced into a gang.

It's unclear how many unaccompanied minors with admitted gang ties have been released by ORR, or if any of them have been involved in crimes after their release. The agency says it has released "a small number" of children with "minimal" gang affiliation to live with relatives.

Earlier this month, ORR was forced to release a 17-year-old unaccompanied minor who admitted to spending three years in MS-13 in Honduras. A federal judge ordered his release, ruling that his rights had been violated.

"Nobody can really tell us how many of these children are being trafficked, become recruited as gang members or anything of that nature, can you?" asked Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.

Lloyd replied that "the best we can do is to scrutinize the sponsor ... and also while the [minor] is in our care, to monitor any of their behavior to figure out if they may be prone to criminal activity."

He said his agency had recently instituted policies to prevent young people being recruited by MS-13, including training employees to identify signs of MS-13 membership during follow-up visits with minors who have been released to family members. But he said ORR was hamstrung by federal laws restricting those follow-ups as well as "limited resources."

The agency provided post-release services such as counseling to fewer than 20 percent of unaccompanied youths last year, the Post investigation found. More often, follow-up consists of a single phone call 30 days after a child is placed.

"You could use some help from the policymakers, in my view," Cornyn said.

"We'd welcome that," Lloyd replied.
Victorian health authorities have drawn a link between an outbreak of coronavirus at a set of housing commission flats and the state's largest Islamic school.

The Al-Taqwa College at Truganina, in Melbourne's west, has recorded 113 cases since a teacher first tested positive on June 27.

Meanwhile, nine public housing estates in North Melbourne and Flemington have also recorded 159 cases after its 3,000 residents were ordered into hard lockdown last week - the restriction has since been lifted at all but one of the estates.

Victoria's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton revealed families living at the housing commission flats have connections to the Islamic school, though it had not been established where the cases first started.

The Al-Taqwa College at Truganina, in Melbourne's west, has recorded 113 COVID-19 cases since a teacher first tested positive on June 27 - becoming the state's biggest cluster (pictured, Al-Taqwa College students have their temperature checked outside the school premises)

Meanwhile, nine public housing estates in North Melbourne and Flemington have also recorded 159 cases after its 3,000 residents were ordered into hard lockdown last week - the restriction has since been lifted at all but one of the estates

'It is just a link, it might have gone in one direction or the other direction.

'There may well be multiple importations into these towers - indeed, there might have been multiple importations into Al-Taqwa College.

'These are communities that cross over between Truganina and these towers.'

Al-Taqwa College confirmed its first case after a teacher tested positive on the first day of school holidays on June 27.

More than 2,000 students and staff were promptly told to isolate and get tested for coronavirus.

Fifty nine cases were confirmed on July 5 and 113 by July 9.

Previously, an outbreak at the Cedar Meats abattoir had the notoriety of being the state's largest coronavirus outbreak, with 111 people infected.

The government has faced criticism for suddenly putting nine public housing towers in Flemington and North Melbourne into a hard lockdown on Saturday.

Authorities were concerned the high density 'vertical cruise ships' had the 'explosive potential' to spread COVID-19.

Some residents said that made them feel like prisoners, unable to leave their apartments for five days.

There were also problems with the delivery of food and supplies to residents.

Hard lockdown at all but one public housing blocks in the suburbs of Flemington (pictured), Kensington and North Melbourne were lifted on Thursday

Residents at 33 Alfred St, in North Melbourne, will remain in lockdown for the next nine days after 53 residents tested positive

About 2,515 residents have been tested for the virus across the towers over five days, with 159 tests coming back positive.

There are about 3,000 residents in the towers, but children were tested only if a parent returned a positive test.

Hard lockdown was lifted at all but one of the towers on Thursday night.

Residents at 33 Alfred St, in North Melbourne, will remain in lockdown for the next nine days after 53 residents tested positive.

People in the towers who test positive, or are a close contact of someone who does, will be given the option of moving to a hotel for their quarantine period.

'We do really encourage that. That is the safest for you and the safest for everyone else in those towers,' Police Minister Lisa Neville said.

She said a police presence would remain at the towers to ensure public safety.

Residents in metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire re-entered lockdown for six weeks on Thursday.

People can only leave their homes for food and supplies, receive or provide care, exercise, and study or work.

Residents in metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire re-entered lockdown for six weeks on Thursday (pictured, an empty Bourke Street Mall following reintroduction of lockdown in Melbourne)

A guard stands at the entrance of the State Library of Victoria with a sign that reads 'State Library of Victoria is temporarily closed' as Melbourne re-enters lockdown

Police can issue on-the-spot fines of up to $1,652 to individuals and $9,913 to businesses if they flout the rules.

Some 96,000 checks were done by police but only nine people received fines.

Prof Sutton said the restrictions were necessary because of the 'sharp increases' in new cases, including 165 on Thursday - the second-highest daily total for Victoria.

Just 30 of the state's new cases are linked to known outbreaks, with 135 under investigation.

Meanwhile, two healthcare workers at Sunshine Hospital and two at the Royal Melbourne Hospital have also tested positive, with contact tracing under way.

Another staff member at Northern Hospital in Epping has also contracted the virus, taking the total to 11.

Seven new cases are staff members at aged care facilities across Melbourne.

It's the fourth day of new cases in the triple digits, with the state's overall total now 3098. More than 900 cases are active.

To date, 22 Victorians have died of the virus.
Loading "We will see an increase in hospitalisations and ICU cases and in deaths in the coming days because of the spike that we have seen in recent days," he said. "It is not because the virus is worse, it is because we're seeing people who are most vulnerable, the elderly, those with chronic illness, coming down with infection." Mr Andrews said government advice to residents of the lockdown zones - greater metropolitan Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire - was for adults over the age of 18 to wear a cloth mask when they were out of their homes and unable to maintain a social distance of at least 1.5 metres from others. The Premier said 2 million reusable masks would be ordered for public distribution, with 1 million single-use masks available now. The advice to wear them was a recommendation and would not be enforced by police. Victoria's previous highest daily total of COVID-19 cases was recorded on Tuesday, when 191 new cases emerged, before 134 were reported on Wednesday and 165 on Thursday.

Loading "It was always going to get worse before it got better," Mr Andrews said. The Premier said the state carried out 37,588 tests on Thursday in what he said was the biggest single day of testing the state had seen "by some considerable margin". Mr Andrews pleaded with the community in the locked-down zones to comply with the stay-at-home rules as the only way to restore a "sense of control" to the outbreak. "If we all moderate our behaviour, if we stay at home and we follow the rules and get tested when we're sick, if we don't go out and about our business as usual if we are sick, then we will pull this up, we will bring a sense of control to this," the Premier said.

"That is what will deliver an effective strategy to suppress and control this and allow us to move to a COVID normal." As the NSW government announced what it called a "troubling" case of a Victorian man who had driven across the state border and then tested positive in Sydney, Mr Morrison warned the whole nation against becoming complacent. The Victorian government is recommending that people wear masks in public to slow the spread of COVID-19. Credit:Paul Jeffers "It is important to ensure social distancing is the norm, it is not the exception, it is the norm and it will be the norm for a very long time, until at least we have a vaccine that can be mass produced and made available across the population," the Prime Minister said.

Loading Mr Morrison said the Commonwealth and all the other states and territories would provide Victoria with whatever help was needed, particularly for its contact-tracing effort, which has been the subject of mounting criticism. "In relation to testing and tracing support, the Victorian Government will have everything they need, not just from the Commonwealth but also from all states and territories," the Prime Minister said. "They aren't short of anything they need from any part of any government in Australia." Victoria's Chief Police Commissioner Shane Patton said on Friday that his officers would be clamping down hard on anybody flouting the stage three restrictions or trying to sneak out of the lockdown zones without a valid reason for travelling.

Chief Commissioner Patton said police had imposed 12 fines on motorists at road checkpoints, with 60 infringements issued elsewhere, including 16 fines at a birthday party in Dandenong after partygoers were spotted ordering large amounts of fried chicken from a local takeaway restaurant. Fines were imposed on four sex workers in Melbourne's east on Thursday night after a report to CrimeStoppers that "a large amount of men were frequenting" a Glen Waverly address. Despite Melbourne's second lockdown and the tough enforcement, coronavirus cases are spreading outside the city's boundary, with a childcare centre in Ocean Grove shut down and a Bendigo council staff member testing positive. The Boorai Centre in Ocean Grove has been closed for deep cleaning after a child who went there on July 2 tested positive for the virus.
In 2019, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ("PNAS"), a peer-reviewed journal, published a study from two psychologists showing that American police were not shooting blacks as disparate rates compared to other races. In the most recent issue of PNAS, the psychologists withdrew the study  not because it was wrong, but because they objected that conservatives were using the study to challenge the Black Lives Matter narrative.

The psychologists, Joseph Cesario of Michigan State and David Johnson of the University of Maryland, studied 917 instances, from 2015 through 2019, in which police fatally shot civilians. They were trying to determine whether race could be a factor in predicting shootings. They found that it could not.

Heather Mac Donald cited the article when she appeared before Congress in September 2019 and wrote about it in a City Journal article. Regarding that article, it's essential to know that Mac Donald noted that two Princeton political scientists challenged the study, but that both Cesario and Johnson stood by their original findings.

The fact that Mac Donald used peer-reviewed data to show that American police are not systematically massacring blacks upset academia so much that Michigan State demoted physicist Steve Hsu, who had approved funding for the research. (Michigan State, by the way, is home to Christina Wyman, the associate professor who wrote an opinion piece about racism that is so stupid, to paraphrase Billy Madison, that we are now dumber for having read it.)

The blow to Hsu's career for daring to approve money for studying objective facts apparently terrified Cesario and Johnson. They've therefore taken the bizarre step of recanting their study, not because it's inaccurate, but because, once the facts were made public, people put them to a use offensive to leftists. In another paper in PNAS, the two psychologists spend several hundred weasel words explaining their craven, anti-intellectual decision, all of which boils down to the fact that they wish Mac Donald hadn't taken their data, melded it with other accurate data, and reached a conclusion that the Marxists dislike. This is their "short version":

We were careless when describing the inferences that could be made from our data. This led to the misuse of our article to support the position that the probability of being shot by police did not differ between Black and White Americans (MacDonald, 2019). To be clear, our work does not speak to this issue and should not be used to support such statements. We accordingly issued a correction to rectify this statement (Johnson & Cesario, 2020). Although our data and statistical approach were valid to estimate the question we actually tested (the race of civilians fatally shot by police), given continued misuse of the article (e.g., MacDonald, 2020) we felt the right decision was to retract the article rather than publish further corrections. We take full responsibility for not being careful enough with the inferences made in our original article, as this directly led to the misunderstanding of our research.

Ultimately, what concerns the men is that the report stopped short of calculating the probability that a black person, as opposed to a white person, would be shot. Instead, they showed only that, as between police officers and those shot, race was not a factor. They strongly imply that Mac Donald in turn misused their study to say that black people weren't really being shot at all.

As Mac Donald explains, though, that implication is false:

To the contrary, I have, like them, stressed that racial disparities in policing reflect differences in violent crime rates. The only thing wrong with their article, and my citation of it, is that its conclusion is unacceptable in our current political climate.

Academia in America is a joke. The leftist infection began with easily manipulatable liberal arts programs and their myriad "studies" (e.g., "gender studies," "queer studies," "African-American studies"), and has now infected every area of higher education, including the once objective field of STEM studies (science, technology, engineering, mathematics). Just the other day, a woman who describes herself as a teacher asserted that "the idea of 2 + 2 equaling 4 is cultural and because of western imperialism / colonization[.]" Tell that to my fingers when I count on them.

When one looks at the Marxist insanity plaguing America today, there is a Ground Zero: America's colleges and universities. Whether it's about race, sex, economics, or pure America-hatred, it all started in those institutions. It is long past time to pull every single federal taxpayer dollar out of these places of indoctrination, whether in the form of grants, loans, or whatever other imaginative way the Democrats have figured out to pass taxpayer money to academies that churn out legions of mindless Marxists who disseminate their ignorance into our K12 schools, media outlets, Hollywood, and corporations.

Image: Flickr.
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We will not have an easy time in the future. I think we will be exposed to great, great, let me not say pressure, but expectations from our European partners, Vucic said. At the same time we are faced with a completely unrealistic approach from Kosovo Albanians who want it all, leaving Serbia without anything, he said.
Alabama

Montgomery: The coronavirus outbreak is headed in a bad direction, the head of the Alabama Hospital Association said Wednesday, as the state reached a new high for people hospitalized with COVID-19 and a new low for available intensive care beds. Im worried, said Dr. Don Williamson, the former state health officer who now heads the state Hospital Association. I just think things are trending in a very, very bad direction. On Wednesday, 1,110 people were hospitalized because of the coronavirus across the state, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health. That is the highest number since the pandemic began. Williamson said 88% of ICU beds are full, leaving 202 available statewide. Hospitals are managing for now, but Dr. Jodie Dionne-Odom, an assistant professor of infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, said when confirmed cases rise, the number of hospitalizations typically rises about two weeks later.

Alaska

Sitka: All residents of the city will be offered free coronavirus screening tests to help prevent the spread of the illness. The Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium announced it will provide tests to everyone living in Sitka regardless of whether they exhibit symptoms, The Daily Sitka Sentinel reports. Free testing by self-swab nasal collection will be available 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays at a drive-up testing center, the health consortium said. People who are walking or on bicycles are also welcome, said Maegan Bosak, consortium marketing and communications director. The testing has been funded through a grant from the U.S. Indian Health Service. The consortium plans to offer additional testing in other Southeast Alaska communities beginning later this month, including Wrangell and Juneau. Free testing of asymptomatic individuals in Juneau will be limited to tribal beneficiaries, the consortium said.

Arizona

Glendale: One of the nations coronavirus hot spots got a sliver a good news Wednesday when an Arizona State University researcher and the White Houses coronavirus response coordinator both said an exponential rise in the percentage of people testing positive for the virus in the state appears to have leveled off. Dr. Joshua LaBaer of ASUs Biodesign Institute tempered the news with a warning that the states tally of new daily cases remains unsustainable, although it shows a sign of leveling off. He said Arizona is steadily seeing about 3,500 new cases a day, and hospitals are still admitting more patients than theyre discharging. Dr. Deborah Birx, who is coordinating the White House response, said the seven-day average for positive tests appears to no longer be rising, an encouraging development. The rate a month ago was less than 10%, and now it is above 20%.

Story continues

Arkansas

Little Rock: The state on Wednesday reported its second-highest increase in new confirmed coronavirus cases and four more deaths from COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. The Department of Health said at least 25,246 people have tested positive for the virus, an increase of 734 cases since Tuesday. Wednesdays one-day increase was the highest since Arkansas reported 878 new confirmed cases last Thursday. Arkansas cases are dramatically higher since the state began allowing businesses that closed because of the pandemic to reopen in May. Arkansas Health Secretary Dr. Nathaniel Smith also said a summer camp had shut down after campers and staff had tested positive for the virus. A Health Department spokeswoman said Camp Ozark in Mt. Ida informed the department of at least three people from out of state who had tested positive.

California

Sacramento: Surging coronavirus cases in the state prompted a warning Wednesday from the nations most populous county of a possible delay to classroom instruction in public schools next month  a setback Gov. Gavin Newsom said he hopes to avoid by convincing more people to wear face coverings and stay away from gatherings. Los Angeles County public health officials say, on average, more than 10% of people tested for the virus end up having it, a rate not seen since late April. Given the high number of cases, Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said local school officials should prepare for delaying a return to classroom instruction. With the uncertainty that we face right now in our county, everyone needs to have sort of a Plan B around the reopening, she said. You absolutely would not want to open a sector when you thought the result of reopening could be an explosion of outbreaks within that sector.

Colorado

Aurora: Health officials who oversee a large swath of suburban Denver decided Wednesday to impose a mask-wearing requirement to curb the spread of the coronavirus, but jurisdictions will be allowed to opt out of the order. The Tri-County Health Departments Board of Health voted 5-4 on the mask order, which will apply to Douglas, Arapahoe and Adams counties, the Aurora Sentinel reports. Everybody should be wearing a mask across the Tri-County area, said Adams County representative Julie Mullica, an infectious disease expert who voted for the order. Board of Health members sparred mostly over the optics of unelected representatives imposing a sweeping and divisive rule on a diverse region. Aurora, Colorados third-largest city, declined to impose a mask mandate in May. But Mayor Mike Coffman has called for one. The boards decision came during a concerning uptick in coronavirus cases in the three counties, home to 1.4 million people.

Connecticut

Hartford: The state has so far built up a stockpile of personal protective equipment that can last about 60 or 70 days, with plans to eventually have enough for 90 days in case there is a second wave of the coronavirus, Gov. Ned Lamont said Wednesday. While its the responsibility of nursing homes and businesses to secure their own PPE, the state has been a backstop for those entities during the pandemic. Lamont said the state did a lot of backstopping over the past few months and is now trying to replenish its stock of gloves, masks, gowns and other protective equipment. We are now building up our stockpile again, Lamont said during an event in Hartford. As you know, its getting a little competitive out there, given whats going on in the other states. Last week, Josh Geballe, Lamonts chief operating officer, said the state has been able to secure new orders with key suppliers that were reliable during the past several months.

Delaware

Georgetown: Delawares prisons are seeing that coronavirus isnt going away. After fighting back a large outbreak at the states largest prison earlier this year  a fight that saw seven prisoners die from the coronavirus  the prison system is now battling an outbreak that will likely infect even more at Delawares southernmost prison. On Thursday, Delaware Department of Correction officials announced that 119 inmates at Sussex Correctional Institution south of Georgetown are infected. They are the first positive cases of inmates at that prison during the pandemic, as well as the first results since correction officials announced earlier this week that each of the approximately 900 inmates at the prison will be tested for the virus. The number of infected is expected to rise as more of the inmate population is tested. Officials said the virus is present in multiple housing units, making it harder to quarantine inmates who have not been exposed or to know who hasnt.

District of Columbia

Washington: The districts top health official said more people in the nations capital are now dying of treatable ailments, including diabetes, heart disease and cancer, as routine visits to hospitals and primary care providers continue to fall, WUSA-TV reports. The leading hypothesis issued Wednesday by the D.C. Department of Health is that as people continue to stay home, checkups and hospital visits are being postponed. The delays may be resulting in deadly consequences, officials said, contributing to a significant rise in the number of deaths D.C. recorded between January and May 2020. Weve been looking at what we would consider to be excess deaths, and weve seen a 40% increase, D.C. Health Director Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt said in a news conference. About 54% of those deaths are related to COVID-19. But 46% of the excess deaths weve seen in the district are not related to COVID-19.

Florida

St. Petersburg: A state legislator said Wednesday that he is recovering from the coronavirus, but his parents are now infected, while a man and his three sons are facing federal charges that they illegally sold a bleachlike chemical mixture as a miracle cure for the coronavirus and other diseases. State Rep. Shevrin Jones, 36, tested positive positive last week after showing up at the emergency room with fever, chills and trouble breathing. The Broward County Democrat said Wednesday that he is feeling better but is fearful for his 71- and 74-year-old parents. Florida is one of the nations virus hot spots. Nearly 10,000 confirmed cases were added Wednesday, bringing its total since March 1 to nearly 224,000. Almost 4,000 people have died, including 48 reported by the state Wednesday. The state shows that 41 of the states 208 hospital intensive care units are at capacity, and another 49 are at 90% capacity or greater.

Georgia

Atlanta: The mayor has signed an executive order mandating masks in the states largest city, defying Gov. Brian Kemps decision to strongly encourage but not require face coverings. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms on Wednesday signed the order requiring masks, which could set up a confrontation with the Republican governor. We will continue to take active measures to help slow the spread of COVID-19 infections in Atlanta, Bottoms said in a statement. Public health experts overwhelmingly agree that wearing a face covering helps slow the spread of this sometimes deadly virus. The order also prohibits gatherings of more than 10 persons on city of Atlanta property. Like a number of other local leaders in Georgia, Bottoms has unsuccessfully appealed to Kemp to change his order that local governments cant exceed the states requirements.

Hawaii

Honolulu: The City Council on Wednesday urged the governor to consider delaying a plan to allow travelers to use a negative COVID-19 test to bypass quarantine until the numbers of new cases on the U.S. mainland and in Hawaii drop significantly. The nine-member council unanimously approved a resolution making the request. The document cites a surge in new cases both locally and in California, Texas, Florida and Arizona since Gov. David Ige announced the travel plan June 24. The testing program would allow travelers arriving from out of state to skip a requirement that they self-quarantine for 14 days if they test negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours before arriving. Its scheduled to take effect Aug. 1, though the state has yet to release details on how it would be carried out. If the governor doesnt delay the start date, the council urged a number of additional measures to safeguard Hawaii from the coronavirus.

Idaho

Boise: The states 300,000 schoolchildren in grades K-12 can return to schools this fall but with flexible learning strategies to protect them and their communities during the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Brad Little said Thursday. The plan, unanimously approved by the Idaho State Board of Education a few hours earlier, says schools must be prepared to teach students with traditional face-to-face methods in the classroom, distance learning online or a hybrid combination. The plan mainly gives decision-making authority to local school districts but also says the types of teaching will depend on the level of virus transmission in the local community. Specific criteria on that arent contained in the plan. State officials closed schools in late March after the virus entered the state, switching to online learning. The plans release coincides with surging infections and some half-dozen cities making face coverings mandatory, including the states largest city, Boise.

Illinois

Springfield: The state reported more than 900 newly confirmed cases of the coronavirus Wednesday, the highest one-day total since early June. Gov. J.B. Pritzker, meanwhile, said the state is rolling out 12 mobile testing teams in Illinois, which will be prepared to visit meat factories, nursing homes and homeless shelters. These mobile teams are in addition to our 11 free, state-run drive-thru and walk-up testing sites across the state, the governor said. The public health department reported 980 new virus cases and 36 deaths. Illinois coronavirus-related deaths now total 7,099. From July 1 to Tuesday, the rate of positive tests was 2.6%. The states public health chief, Dr. Ngozi Ezike, said there has been an increase in infections among young people who have attended social gatherings. Conditions here in Illinois have improved, but I urge everyone to remain vigilant, Ezike said.

Indiana

Indianapolis: Officials showed no signs Wednesday of slowing down school reopenings that are just weeks away even as the state has been seeing higher rates of people testing positive and being hospitalized for the coronavirus. Some Indiana school districts are poised to resume classes with students in attendance starting in late July under guidelines issued by state education officials last month. Health officials will monitor for COVID-19 outbreaks, but school decisions will be made between school leaders and local health departments, said Dr. Kristina Box, the state health commissioner. We are going to do what we can to try to support schools so that they can stay open, Box said. We think thats important, not only for the educational experience of our students but for their mental and their physical health also.

Iowa

Iowa City: As the state faced a shortage of equipment needed to protect people from the coronavirus, it received timely gifts from a foreign government and major corporations of nearly 1.4 million surgical masks. New disclosure filings show that the free masks came from the government of Taiwan and its diplomatic office in Chicago, a Chinese auto parts conglomerate, a major apparel company and the states largest health insurer. In all, Gov. Kim Reynolds accepted pandemic-related supplies with an estimated total value of $1.33 million as gifts to the state. A state official acknowledged Wednesday that the gifts werent disclosed within 20 days as required by Iowa law. The biggest and most valuable came from Hanesbrands, the North Carolina-based clothing company that gave 1.2 million of its surgical procedure masks. Some of those masks have been distributed for free to shoppers at grocery stores across the state.

Kansas

Topeka: The states top health official says most counties are not following Gov. Laura Kellys executive order requiring people to wear masks to help contain the spread of COVID-19, even though data is showing that masks work. Department of Heath and Environment Secretary Norman said at a news briefing Wednesday that countries with cultural norms or government policies that support public mask wearing have seen nine-fold decreases in mortality. Norman cited the data from a study published in the journal Health Affairs, which he said also showed a decrease in U.S. infections between 1% and 2% daily in state that mandate masks. Kelly, a Democrat, issued an executive order last Thursday requiring people to wear masks in public and in their workplaces because of a surge in cases. Counties can opt out under a new pandemic law that took effect in June and resulted from a compromise between Kelly and the Republican-led Legislature.

Kentucky

Frankfort: Amid an explosion of COVID, all Kentuckians must wear masks in public starting at 5 p.m. Friday, Gov. Andy Beshear announced Thursday. His new executive order, signed Thursday, will last 30 days from July 10 and be enforced by health departments, he said during an afternoon press conference. After the 30 days, he said hell reevaluate whether the order is still needed. Exceptions will include kids under 5, people with breathing problems and people exercising while social distancing. A person in a room alone or with their family at home doesnt need to wear a mask. Its time to get serious, Beshear said, citing health expert advice on the benefits of masks. The order applies to anyone in a retail environment, a grocery store, and any other indoor or outdoor space where one cant be 6 feet from others. We cannot let where we are  333 cases  turn into 3,352, Beshear said. And the reason that Kentucky has done so well is we took early aggressive action. We all bought in. And we did it together. Were at that same moment that we were before, but we dont have to shut everything down if we will all follow these instructions and wear a facial covering.

Louisiana

New Orleans: COVID-19 is showing an alarming statewide rise, and New Orleans will restrict bars and restaurants to table service starting Saturday in hopes of reducing the diseases resurgence, officials said Wednesday. We have a statewide epidemic. Its no longer one or two regions, Gov. John Bel Edwards said at his weekly coronavirus briefing. While New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell issued new regulations, the governor didnt make any statewide move to restrict bars, which the state health department identified Wednesday as the focus of 36 outbreaks that infected 393 people with the novel coronavirus. The new data released by the Department of Health showed another 68 cases were traced back to 16 outbreaks involving restaurants, 11 outbreaks  and 423 cases  to food processing facilities and 16 outbreaks to industrial settings where 117 people were infected.

Maine

Portland: The governor announced Wednesday that the state is requiring many businesses to enforce mask rules and extending its state of civil emergency order until at least August. Democratic Gov. Janet Mills issued an executive order requiring large retail stores, restaurants, lodging establishments and some other businesses to enforce the face covering requirement in Maines coastal counties and its most populous cities. Mills said the move, which strengthens existing rules in the state, will help the state contain the new coronavirus as its economy reopens and tourists return. Mills also extended the state of civil emergency until Aug. 6. She has said the state of emergency allows the states government to deploy all available resources to protect the health and safety of Maine people and to respond quickly and as-needed to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Maryland

Annapolis: After problems in the states mostly mail-in primary last month, Gov. Larry Hogan directed election officials Wednesday to conduct the November election with enhanced options for voters in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Hogan directed the state to open all polling locations on Election Day, as well as all early voting centers. The Republican governor also directed the Maryland State Board of Elections to promptly send out an absentee ballot request application to every eligible Maryland voter for people who choose to vote by mail. Maryland law already allows anyone registered to vote to use an absentee ballot. Hogan said every effort should be made to promote early voting, absentee voting by mail and voting at off-peak times. This approach  which is already fully authorized by existing state law  will maximize participation in the November election by offering voters more options while minimizing confusion and risk during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hogan said in a news release.

Massachusetts

Boston: The state has drastically scaled back its ambitious, statewide contract tracing effort to prevent spread of the coronavirus amid complaints from local health officials that it was unreliable. The Boston Globe reports the states multimillion-dollar effort with Partners in Health, a Boston-based nonprofit, now has roughly 700 staffers, down from some 1,900 when it launched to fanfare in April as the first of its kind in the nation. Republican Gov. Charlie Baker said Wednesday that the effort simply had more staff than needed because the pandemic has been easing in Massachusetts. The rate of positive cases in the state has hovered around 2% since mid-June. But local health officials complain the effort has been beset with computer glitches, inadequate training and poor communication. Thats lead to delays in contacting infected residents, prompting some cities and towns to opt out of the initiative and focus on their own efforts, the Globe reports.

Michigan

Lansing: All health workers in the state will be required to receive implicit bias training under a directive issued Thursday by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who said the mandate is intended to address the coronavirus pandemics disproportionate impact on people of color. Black residents account for 14% of Michigans population but 40% of COVID-19-related deaths. Meanwhile, Whitmer on Wednesday vetoed bills that would have further delayed tax payments amid the pandemic, citing harm to local budgets and saying one measure related to property taxes was blatantly unconstitutional. The legislation had won overwhelming bipartisan approval in the GOP-led Legislature. The Democratic governor said business-backed bills to delay sales, use and withholding payments an additional three months and to make larger businesses eligible for similar treatment were commendable but would push many local budgets over the precipice into fiscal crisis.

Minnesota

Minneapolis: State health officials are warning against people holding or attending COVID parties as a way to share exposure to the coronavirus. This is a really, really bad idea, state infectious disease director Kris Ehresmann said Wednesday during a media briefing. Ehresmann said people exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19 face a small but real risk of significant illness and complications, as well as the risk of passing along the virus to family members. So if youre thinking, Oh, lets just do this and get it over with, its really playing Russian roulette, Ehresmann said. While Edina has seen a surge in young adult cases, Ehresmann said officials have seen no evidence that the virus was transmitted at COVID parties. But she said officials have heard of people considering holding such parties.

Mississippi

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves speaks about his executive order relaxing restrictions on nightclubs and bars during the daily COVID-19 news update in Jackson, Miss., Wednesday, June 10, 2020.

Jackson: After weeks of loosening restrictions on residents and business, Gov. Tate Reeves said Wednesday that he is preparing new executive orders that will enforce social distancing  and possibly include a mask mandate. Reeves warned that Mississippis health care system will be overwhelmed if the state does not change its trajectory on coronavirus cases and hospitalizations. We have seen day after day of very high numbers, Reeves said at a press conference. The fact is that the crunch on our hospital system is not a hypothetical. It is not in the future. The orders could target specific communities or go into effect statewide, Reeves said, and could also include new guidelines for hospitals on elective procedures and reserving beds for coronavirus patients. Those orders will be finalized in the near future, he said, but he did not give a specific date.

Missouri

Branson: A surge in coronavirus cases is proving worrisome in this popular southwestern Missouri tourist destination. Confirmed cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, have more than doubled in less than two weeks in Taney County, where Branson is located, the Kansas City Star reports. On June 26, the county had recorded just 43 confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic. That figure has more than doubled since then, standing at 107 cases and two COVID-19 deaths as of Wednesday. Branson, with its wide array of shows and attractions, is among the most popular tourist destinations in the Midwest. Community leaders are now stressing the need for face coverings, though they have stopped short of requiring people to wear them. We knew they would increase once we opened back up, said Sheila Wyatt, a Taney County commissioner. But we didnt know it would be so quickly.

Montana

Helena: Local governments and agencies are placing restrictions on gatherings and urging residents to wear masks as the number of reported COVID-19 cases in the state continues to increase. Another eight people associated with Canyon Creek Memory Care in Billings have tested positive for COVID-19, the facility said Wednesday. The new positive cases include six staff members and two residents. With the new cases, Canyon Creeks case total rises to 66  45 residents and 21 employees. The Chippewa Cree Tribe implemented a seven-day lockdown that began Wednesday for all but essential services and is requiring residents to self-quarantine during that time. The Whitefish City Council adopted a resolution Monday encouraging mask use, while Lewis and Clark Public Health set stringent guidelines for events with between 50 and 249 attendees and is now prohibiting events with more than 250 attendees.

Nebraska

Omaha: State figures released Wednesday show Nebraska has surpassed 20,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus since the outbreak began. The states online virus tracker shows 155 cases were reported Tuesday, bringing the state total to 20,201. Of those, nearly 15,000 have recovered from the virus. The total number of deaths attributed to COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, had reached 282 by the end of Tuesday. While Nebraska is not experiencing the surge in cases being seen in other states, some of its health care providers and testing sites are reporting a shortage of testing supplies and longer wait times for test results. A drive-thru testing site in south Omaha temporarily closed over the weekend because of a shortage of testing supplies. Despite the shortages, state figures show Nebraska still have a large amount of space in hospitals to treat new patients.

Nevada

Reno: The first coronavirus antibody study conducted in the state suggests COVID-19 test results dramatically underestimate the number of people who actually have been infected by the disease, health officials said Wednesday. The joint study by the Washoe County Health District and researchers at the University of Nevada, Reno concludes that four to five times more people likely have been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 than have been formally confirmed as positive cases to date in the Reno-Sparks area. Based on blood tests for antibodies, the study conducted last month indicates 2.3% of adults in Washoe County had an infection or exposure resulting in an immune response to the virus. That means that while only about 1,800 cases of COVID-19 had been confirmed as positive in Washoe County as of June 10 based on nasal swab testing, the real number of adult infections in the county was probably closer to 8,200.

New Hampshire

Concord: State House Speaker Steve Shurtleff asked the governor Wednesday to use his close relationship with President Donald Trump to ensure that attendees at the presidents Saturday rally wear face masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Trump is holding a campaign rally at Portsmouth Regional Airport, where masks will be handed out but not required to be worn. You have often touted your work with the White House and your close relationship with President Trump and his administration. I ask you to use that relationship now to put Granite Staters first and have the presidents campaign practice basic safety standards and require masks on Saturday, Shurtleff wrote in a letter to Sununu. Shurtleff, D-Concord, has not publicly proposed mask requirements. Sununu, a Republican, has declined to mandate mask use beyond workers who interact with the public. He said Tuesday he plans to greet Trump at the airport but will not attend the rally.

New Jersey

Hillside: Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy said Thursday that he is directing $20 million in federal coronavirus relief funds to food banks across the state. Murphy announced the plan alongside fellow Democrats Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin and Senate President Steve Sweeney at the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. Murphy said the money would be paid out to six food banks across New Jersey, with half coming by August and the second half arriving by December. During April and May, the height of the outbreak in the state, 7 million meals were distributed, according to the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. The food bank said that broke a record for distribution. The state got roughly $2.4 billion in federal relief, and Murphys budget proposes spending more than half of that on payroll and health benefits for state workers responding to COVID-19, along with aid for schools and higher education.

New Mexico

Albuquerque: It will be up to the New Mexico Supreme Court to decide what authority the state has to enforce certain provisions of the public health orders that have stemmed from the coronavirus pandemic. Arguments will be presented during an Aug. 4 remote hearing. About a dozen business owners and companies sued the state in May, challenging Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams authority to levy hefty fines for violating the public health orders. The plaintiffs say state law authorizes fines of $100 or less in such cases, not the $5,000-per-day penalty cited by state officials. The Democratic governor has declined in recent weeks to ease any more restrictions on businesses because of an uptick in COVID-19 cases. New Mexico on Wednesday reported an additional 290 cases, bringing the statewide total to more than 14,000. Nearly 530 deaths in the state have been attributed to the virus. Wednesday marked New Mexicos second-highest daily new case count yet.

New York

Albany: Malls can reopen Friday if they have high-efficiency venting systems capable of reducing the spread of COVID-19, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. The announcement Wednesday came after Cuomo last week delayed mall reopening plans across much of upstate New York, citing concerns about coronavirus particles infecting mallgoers and workers if venting systems didnt meet certain standards. Malls were initially expected to open by Phase 4 of the states four-phase reopening plan, which all of upstate hit July 1. Nonessential businesses were closed March 22 as coronavirus swept through the state but started to reopen May 15. Now, indoor malls can open Friday if their region is in Phase 4, which includes everywhere outside New York City. Other large gathering places, such as casinos, amusement parks and movie theaters, including those inside malls, remain shuttered under the existing state orders.

North Carolina

Raleigh: Dozens of bowling alleys closed since March can reopen provided they meet sanitizing and social distancing rules, a state judge ruled this week in blocking part of Gov. Roy Coopers COVID-19 executive orders shuttering them. Judge James Gale granted a preliminary injunction that would apply to the 75 North Carolina bowling establishments within a three-state industry association. Lawyers for the state immediately asked Gale to delay the effective date of his decision while they appeal on Coopers behalf. The Bowling Proprietors Association of the Carolinas and Georgia sued last month. It said that a state law Cooper was using to mandate business closings was unconstitutional and that its members were treated differently from businesses with similar risk factors allowed to reopen.

North Dakota

Bismarck: A foundation that supports the states biggest tourist attraction and Gov. Doug Burgums real estate development firm were among hundreds of thousands of businesses and nonprofits across the country to get loans from the Treasury Departments Payroll Protection Program. The government this week identified some 650,000 mostly small businesses and nonprofits that applied for taxpayer money from a program designed to soften job losses due to the coronavirus. In North Dakota, more than 19,700 businesses got more than $1.7 billion in federal aid that included applicants from farmers and religious and tribal organizations to health care and energy groups. The bulk of the loans went to businesses that got loans of $150,000 or less. More than 2,100 businesses got loans of $150,000 or more, including more than 300 that got loans exceeding $1 million, data show.

Ohio

Columbus: The states unemployment claims declined for the 10th consecutive week, indicating residents are returning to work as Ohio reopens amid the viruss continuous spread. For the week ending July 4, Ohio saw a reported 33,483 initial jobless claims to the U.S. Department of Labor, according to the state Department of Job and Family Services. The decline comes after weeks of record-breaking jobless claims as the state weathered the initial outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic that halted the economy. In the past four months, nearly $5 billion in unemployment payments have been made to more than 736,000 Ohioans, according to the state agency. As Ohio continues to push through its reopening plan, the numbers of reported cases rise once again, reaching 1,277 reported cases Wednesday. The number of probable or confirmed cases statewide pushed past 60,000 this week.

Oklahoma

Tulsa: President Donald Trumps campaign rally in the city in late June that drew thousands of participants and large protests likely contributed to a dramatic surge in new coronavirus cases, Tulsa City-County Health Department Director Dr. Bruce Dart said Wednesday. Tulsa County reported 261 confirmed new cases Monday, a one-day record high, and another 206 cases Tuesday. By comparison, during the week before the June 20 Trump rally, there were 76 cases on Monday and 96 on Tuesday. Although the health departments policy is to not publicly identify individual settings where people may have contracted the virus, Dart said those large gatherings more than likely contributed to the spike. In the past few days, weve seen almost 500 new cases, and we had several large events just over two weeks ago, so I guess we just connect the dots, Dart said.

Oregon

Bend: A steep drop in lottery funds due to the COVID-19 crisis has killed the sale of $273 million in state bonds to pay for major projects in the state, the Bulletin newspaper reports. The 37 projects authorized by the Legislature at the end of the 2019 session include water system overhauls in Warm Springs and Salem, rehabilitating the Wallowa Lake Dam, a Deschutes Basin piping project, two affordable housing projects, a new YMCA for Eugene and deepening the Coos Bay channel. Theres not enough money  there is no repair, said Sen. Betsy Johnson, D-Scappoose, a chair on the budget-writing Joint Ways and Means Committee. In order to sell bonds, the state has to show a 4-to-1 ratio between forecast Lottery Fund revenue and the amount of debt in the bonds. That has not been a problem in previous budget cycles. But lottery sales sharply declined during the coronavirus crisis that arrived in Oregon at the end of February.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: Gov. Tom Wolf on Thursday extended a statewide moratorium on foreclosures and evictions until Aug. 31, saying renters need more breathing room in the midst of the pandemic. The Wolf administration has been facing growing calls to extend the four-month-old moratorium  which had been set to lapse Friday  with housing advocates and others predicting a rush to the courthouse and a wave of evictions and homelessness. House and Senate Democrats had also been pressing the Democratic governor for an extension. I am taking this action to help families know they will have a roof over their heads and a place to live while all of us fight the COVID-19 pandemic, Wolf said in a news release. The ban on foreclosures and evictions does not cover a tenant who damages property, breaks the law, or breaches the lease in some other way aside from nonpayment of rent or overstaying a lease.

Rhode Island

Providence: A restaurant was ordered closed over the July Fourth weekend for failing to follow the states coronavirus safety regulations. The state Department of Business Regulation ordered Harris Bar and Grill in Coventry closed July 3, making it first establishment the state has closed for failing to follow the pandemic regulations. The restaurant reopened Wednesday after being reinspected and found to be in compliance, WJAR-TV reports. Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo said Wednesday that the state will begin more aggressive enforcement on businesses that continue to ignore the states virus regulations. There are those of you out there, and you know who you are, youre not even trying, she said. Your own employees, your own hosts and hostesses, are whispering to your customers, Dont worry about the mask, oh, its OK, oh, we got this, and were going to crack down on you because its not fair to the rest of the restaurants.

South Carolina

Columbia: As the state reports spiking numbers of confirmed cases of COVID-19, its children are also suffering from mental health and educational consequences of closed schools, health and education leaders told state lawmakers Wednesday. The state needs to reduce its high rate of cases so students can return to school safely, Department of Education Superintendent Molly Spearman told a state Senate subcommittee meeting. Since Memorial Day, South Carolina has seen a spike in reported cases and hospitalizations. Dr. Debbie Greenhouse, a pediatrician speaking on behalf of the American Academy of Pediatrics state chapter, urged in-person learning for students. She said childrens experiences during the pandemic have been devastating, with social isolation leading the vulnerable to anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts.

South Dakota

Sioux Falls: Gov. Kristi Noem on Wednesday doubled down on her hands-off approach to the coronavirus pandemic by pointing to the states low hospitalization numbers, and she cast doubt on key recommendations from public health officials like wearing a mask. The Republican governors reluctance to endorse mask-wearing and the states relatively low amount of testing have some health experts in the state worrying the early success in managing the pandemic could yet be undone. Noems refusal to issue statewide lockdown orders has earned praise from conservative pundits, with Newsmax magazine recently dubbing her the Iron Lady of the Prairie. They point to the states relatively low COVID-19 numbers as evidence her approach is working. But a closer look shows that South Dakota is currently testing residents less frequently than nearly any other state, leading doctors to worry the state wont be able to catch clusters of infections before they get out of control.

Tennessee

Nashville: The states elections coordinator says all 95 counties have updated their websites or written materials to reflect a judges ruling that every eligible voter can choose to vote by mail during the coronavirus pandemic. Elections Coordinator Mark Goins confirmed the updates by counties Wednesday in a court filing ordered by Davidson County Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle. That includes updated written materials from 12 counties without election commission websites. Tennessee officials have indicated they still plan to enforce a requirement that first-time voters who register by mail cast their ballots in person. A separate federal lawsuit is challenging that absentee voting requirement and two others. Nashville election officials, for one, have told new voters they can vote by mail if they show their ID at the election commission office.

Texas

Austin: The state reported its deadliest day of the pandemic with nearly 100 new deaths Wednesday as newly confirmed cases continued soaring, and Austin began preparations to turn the downtown convention center into a field hospital. The 98 reported deaths in Texas set a record one-day high, surpassing the record 60 deaths reported a day earlier. Texas has now recorded a total of 2,813 deaths. The state also reported 9,979 new coronavirus cases Wednesday after hitting a record-high 10,028 new cases the day before. Hospitalizations of people with coronavirus continued to climb Wednesday, with 9,610 patients in hospitals across the state. Meanwhile, officials in Houston canceled the Texas Republican Partys in-person convention, saying the spread of the coronavirus made it impossible to hold the event as scheduled. Houston has emerged as one of the nations hot zones in the pandemic.

Utah

St. George: The states surge in COVID-19 cases continued Wednesday as health officials counted 722 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, a new record high. The state reported seven new deaths. The state has now counted 26,760 cases in total, and 201 deaths have been reported. Statewide, nearly two-thirds of all intensive care unit hospital beds are occupied, with 199 people hospitalized for COVID-19, according to the Utah Department of Health. The median age of those hospitalized was 55. Todays positive case counts represent another daily record, and further reinforce the need for Utah residents to be taking the appropriate precautions to protect themselves and those around them, Angela Dunn, the state epidemiologist, said in a statement. Please, wear a mask in public, practice physical distancing, stay home if you are sick, and wash your hands regularly. We are all part of the solution.

Vermont

Rutland: A New Jersey summer camp that brought several hundred students to Vermont for a three-week stay at a Rutland hotel has been told the hotel is over capacity. After the state inspected the Holiday Inn, officials with camp Zichron Chaim were given three days to reduce the number of guests to comply with Vermonts COVID-19 occupancy restrictions for hotels. The hotel can hold 600, so they can have 300 campers there, said Vermont Public Safety Commissioner Michael Schirling. Somewhere between 350 and 400 campers are there, so theyve been given a warning to come into compliance in the next couple of days, and well check back later in the week. Schirling said that beyond the occupancy issue, everything else seems to be in order. Rabbi Moshe Perlstein, of Lakewood, New Jersey, the camp director, said he was working with state officials to reach a workable solution that keeps everyone safe.

Virginia

Richmond: Initial payments have begun to laid-off workers under the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program, which Virginia lagged most other states in getting up and running. The program referred to as PEUC provides up to an additional 13 weeks of regular unemployment insurance to individuals who have already exhausted their benefits. Payments through the federally funded program began Tuesday and are available through the week ending Dec. 26, the Virginia Employment Commission said in a news release Thursday. The commission has paid out $9.9 million on more than 12,000 claims so far, officials said. More than 41,000 individuals are potentially eligible. The commission said they were contacted by phone or text message last week ahead of the launch of the application portal last Thursday.

Washington

Puyallup: The 2020 Washington State Fair has been canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. Fair CEO Kent Hojem said in a video on the events website that the decision to cancel the September event was made after thoughtful consideration. He said at its core the fair is a people-gathering event, which runs contrary to the challenges of containing the pandemic. It was a decision made in what we feel are the best interests of the health and safety of all of our guests, our employees, our exhibitors; basically all of our constituents, he said. He said organizers realize canceling will have severe impacts on their partners. The most recent data from the Washington State Fair shows that in 2017, 1,960 people were employed at the fair. Some 1.7 million people attended, spending about $246 million at the fair, KING-TV reports. The fair has been operating since 1900. This is the first time its been canceled since World War II, Hojem said.

West Virginia

Milton: A popular pumpkin festival has been canceled this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. The West Virginia Pumpkin Festival board voted Tuesday to call off this years festival in Milton. The board is heartbroken over this decision, the festival said on its Facebook page. We have been monitoring the restrictions and guidelines set forth by the state government for fairs and festivals and we feel like there is no way for us to put on the festival that all of you have come to love. The festival was scheduled to be held in the first week of October. Vendors who have paid for booths will receive refunds starting this week, the board said. The board said it is considering the possibility of offering virtual events and socially distanced activities.

Wisconsin

The Wisconsin Capitol in Madison will remain closed to the public next week.

Madison: The state Capitol building will not reopen next week as planned, and state employees will have to start wearing masks whenever theyre working indoors as the coronavirus continues to spread in Wisconsin, Gov. Tony Evers administration announced Wednesday. The Capitol in Madison has been closed to the public since Evers handed down a stay-at-home order in March. The state Supreme Court struck down that order in May, and Evers administration had planned to reopen the building Monday. But infection rates have been climbing in Wisconsin over the past two weeks, and the administration announced Wednesday that the Capitol will remain closed indefinitely. The administration also announced that starting Monday all state employees must wear masks whenever theyre inside a state facility, including offices, parking garages, elevators and bathrooms, waiting in line to enter a state facility and inside any enclosed building on state business.

Wyoming

Cheyenne: State agencies have submitted plans for 10% budget cuts that could eliminate services for children and the elderly and slash funding for mental health programs, Gov. Mark Gordon said. Another 10% cut across state agencies and layoffs will follow as Wyoming faces a steep decline in revenue, Gordon said at a news conference Wednesday. Revenue from coal, oil and natural gas extraction industries in the state has fallen sharply during the coronavirus pandemic. Oil and gas prices are low and coal production is down as people stay home and use less electricity, causing utility companies to buy less coal to burn in power plants. With the pandemic, the state could see a $1.5 billion budget shortfall over the two-year budget cycle that began July 1, the Casper Star-Tribune reports.

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Post-rally surge, PPE stocks: News from around our 50 states
The secretary of state and others within the State Department need to recognize now, three years into this administration, that they have fallen down on this issue, he said. This is an opportunity for them to really speak to people, who are people of faith around the world, whose lives are in danger, who have been unsettled from their homes, targeted by governments, targeted by extremist groups. This is an opportunity for them, and they need to step up.
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South West England's coronavirus R rate could now have edged above one, government scientists warned today as they admitted the Midlands is now the only region where it is definitely below the dreaded number as Britain recorded just 48 more Covid-19 deaths.

Number 10's expert advisory panel SAGE revealed the reproduction rate  the average number of people each Covid-19 patient infects  is still between 0.7 and 0.9 as a whole for the UK, meaning it hasn't changed in almost two months.

But SAGE admitted the top-end estimate has risen slightly for England and warned it could be as high as 1.1 in the South West, home to Britain's stay-cation hotspots of Devon, Cornwall and Dorset. London's rate was feared to be above one last week but has now dropped to between 0.7 and 1.

Keeping the rate below one is considered key because it means the outbreak is shrinking as not everyone who catches it passes it on. But the estimates do not reflect the lockdown being relaxed last weekend, with scientists warning it is too early to judge whether 'Super Saturday' triggered a spike in cases.

Separate data released by the advisers also claimed the UK's current growth rate  how the number of new cases is changing day-by-day  is between minus five and minus two per cent, offering more proof that Britain's Covid-19 crisis is definitely shrinking.

Top experts warned the findings mean it is unlikely the UK will eliminate the virus before the winter but confessed that the R rate is no longer a useful number because transmission is so low.

In a SAGE file published today, scientists said: 'When there are few cases, R is impossible to estimate with accuracy and will have wide confidence intervals that are likely to include 1. This does not necessarily mean that the epidemic is increasing but could be the result of greater uncertainty.'

Department of Health chiefs today announced just 48 more lab-confirmed coronavirus deaths, taking the official number of victims in all settings to 44,650. It means the average daily number of fatalities has now dropped to 74 - the lowest since March 24 and a 28 per cent fall in a week. For comparison, 85 coronavirus deaths were recorded yesterday and 137 were announced last Friday.

Other promising data released yesterday from a government surveillance testing scheme suggested the outbreak is still shrinking but only slowly. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) claimed just one in every 3,900 people are currently infected.

In other coronavirus developments in Britain today:

Families can finally look forward to reunions with elderly relatives in the coming days after Health Secretary Matt Hancock suggested the care home visit ban will be lifted imminently;

Coronavirus 'air bridges' finally come into force with dozens of destinations opened up for Britons desperate to escape lockdown in the UK - but airports remained quiet;

Cruise holidays could be back by October, a minister suggested after furious backlash from companies at new advice telling all tourists to avoid ships because of the coronavirus risk;

The Covid-19 pandemic is 'getting worse' as the number of worldwide cases has doubled to nearly 12million in just six weeks, the boss of the World Health Organization warned;

Documents presented to the Government's SAGE group showed that behavioural scientists fear the public will not follow the rules in future lockdowns because they no longer believe they are necessary.

Number 10's scientific advisers today revealed the R rate  the average number of people each Covid-19 patient infects  is still between 0.7 and 0.9 as a whole for the UK. But SAGE admitted it could be one or higher in London, the Midlands, the North East and Yorkshire, the South East and the South West. Outbreaks could even be growing in London and the South West by 2 per cent each day, according to the latest estimate of growth rate

Separate data released by the government panel also claimed the UK's current growth rate  how the number of new cases is changing day-by-day  could be between 0 per cent, meaning it has stagnated, or minus 6 per cent

HOW HAS THE R RATE CHANGED IN THE UK? AREA ENGLAND UK --- EAST LONDON MIDLANDS NORTH EAST NORTH WEST SOUTH EAST SOUTH WEST THIS WEEK 0.8-1.0 0.7-0.9 --- 0.7-1.0 0.7-1.0 0.7-0.9 0.7-1.0 0.7-1.0 0.8-1.0 0.7-1.1 LAST WEEK 0.8-0.9 0.7-0.9 --- 0.7-0.9 0.8-1.1 0.8-1.0 0.8-1.0 0.7-0.9 0.7-1.0 0.7-1.0 Advertisement

HOW HAS THE GROWTH RATE CHANGED? AREA ENGLAND UK --- EAST LONDON MIDLANDS NORTH EAST NORTH WEST SOUTH EAST SOUTH WEST THIS WEEK -4% to -1% -5% to -2% --- -4% to +1% -5% to +1% -6% to -2% -5% to -1% -5% to -1% -4% to 0% -6% to +1% LAST WEEK -5% to -2% -6% to 0% --- -5% to 0% -4% to +2% -4% to 0% -5% to 0% -4% to 0% -5% to 0% -7% to +2% Advertisement

COVID-19 PANDEMIC IS 'GETTING WORSE' AS CASES DOUBLE TO NEARLY 12MILLION IN SIX WEEKS The World Health Organization has warned the coronavirus pandemic has still not reached its peak  as lockdown measures are relaxed to make international travel easier. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the UN agency, said the virus is not under control 'in most of the world' and is 'getting worse'. He revealed the total number of cases of coronavirus worldwide has doubled in the last six weeks, with almost 12million confirmed infections since the pandemic first began in China. The pandemic - which has seen 550,000 people die worldwide - is now being driven by outbreaks in the US, Brazil and India. There are now concerns that Africa - which was spared from the first six months of the crisis - is seeing rocketing numbers of cases. Infections there have risen by 24 per cent in a week to more than half a million, with almost half in South Africa. It took four months for the first one million cases to be declared worldwide - the milestone was hit on April 3 after the pandemic began in late December in the city of Wuhan. But since then it has taken only three months for another 11million cases to be confirmed, showing the breakneck speed at which the virus spread worldwide. Advertisement

Department of Health figures released yesterday showed almost 250,000 tests were processed on July 8. The number includes antibody tests for frontline NHS and care workers.

But officials have refused to say how many people have actually been tested since May 22, instead only revealing how many swabs were carried out.

It means the exact number of Britons who have been swabbed for the SARS-CoV-2 virus  which causes Covid-19  has been a mystery for seven weeks.

A further 512 more cases of Covid-19 were announced today. Government statistics show the official size of the UK's outbreak now stands at least 288,133 cases.

But the actual size of the outbreak, which began to spiral out of control in March, is estimated to be in the millions, based on antibody testing data.

The daily death data does not represent how many Covid-19 patients died within the last 24 hours  it is only how many fatalities have been reported and registered with the authorities.

The data does not always match updates provided by the home nations.

Department of Health officials work off a different time cut-off, meaning daily updates from Scotland as well as Northern Ireland are always out of sync.

And the count announced by NHS England every afternoon  which only takes into account deaths in hospitals  does not match up with the DH figures because they work off a different recording system.

For instance, some deaths announced by NHS England bosses will have already been counted by the Department of Health, which records fatalities 'as soon as they are available'.

NHS England today recorded 22 lab-confirmed coronavirus deaths in hospitals across the country. No Covid-19 fatalities were recorded in all settings in the rest of the home nations. Northern Ireland has now gone longer than a week without suffering a death.

More than 1,000 infected Brits died each day during the darkest days of the crisis in mid-April but the number of victims had been dropping by around 20 to 30 per cent week-on-week since the start of May.

The rolling seven-day average daily death toll currently stands at 74 and has stayed under three figures for a week. Official data shows the average number of Covid-19 fatalities recorded each day has dropped 28 per cent in a week.

It comes as government scientists today revealed the overall R rate for the UK has not changed but England's has risen slightly from 0.8-0.9 to 0.8-1.0.

An R of 1 means the coronavirus spreads one-to-one and the outbreak is neither growing nor shrinking. Higher, and it will get larger as more people get infected; lower, and the outbreak will shrink and eventually fade away.

At the start of Britain's outbreak it was thought to be around 4 and tens of thousands of people were infected, meaning the number of cases spiralled out of control.

The R has now been between 0.7 and 0.9 since the end of May, according to the Government, but experts say it will start to fluctuate more as the number of cases gets lower.

ENGLAND'S COVID-19 OUTBREAK IS STILL SHRINKING AND CASES HAVE HALVED IN A WEEK England's coronavirus outbreak is still shrinking and the number of new cases have more than halved in a week, according to the results of a government surveillance testing scheme. The Office for National Statistics, which tracks the spread of the virus, estimates 1,700 people are getting infected with Covid-19 each day outside of hospitals and care homes  down from 3,500 last week. The estimate  based on eight new cases out of 25,000 people who are swabbed regularly  also claimed there are just 14,000 people who are currently infected. This is the equivalent of 0.03 per cent of the population of the whole country, or one in every 3,900 people. It is down from 0.04 per cent last week and 0.09 per cent a week before. Separate figures, from King's College London, suggest the outbreak in England has stopped shrinking  but its estimate is lower than the ONS's at around 1,200 new cases per day. Department of Health chiefs have announced an average of just 546 new positive test results per day for the past week  but up to half of infected patients are thought to never show symptoms. A report by Public Health England and the University of Cambridge predicted on Monday that the true number of daily cases is more like 5,300, ranging somewhere between 3,500 and 7,600. Advertisement

The fewer cases there are, the greater the chance that one or two 'super-spreading' events will seriously impact the R rate estimate, which are at least three weeks behind.

Sir Patrick Vallance, the Government's chief scientific adviser, explained last month that the UK is approaching the point where the R will no longer be an accurate measure for this reason.

The Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (SPI-M)  a subgroup of SAGE  use data on the number of Covid-19 deaths and positive tests to work out how quickly outbreaks are growing. Monitoring confirmed cases, hospitalisations and deaths is a more accurate way to identify local hotspots, they say.

As the number of people with the virus falls, the data measuring them will be more volatile and affected by small outliers or unusual events. A large margin of error could mean one 'super-spreading' event, when one person infects a lot of others, could send the R rate for one area soaring, mathematicians warn.

R rates also fluctuate depending on mobility, and are likely to shoot up when lockdown eases because infected patients will come into contact with more people, on average - especially if they show none of the tell-tale symptoms. But a temporarily high R rate is not necessarily cause for concern if the actual number of infections stays low.

For example, if there are 1,000 people infected with the virus and they all infect 0.8 people each on average, or 800 in total, the R will be 0.8.

But if 995 of them infect 0.8 people each, on average, but five of them don't realise they are ill and infect 10 people each, there are now a total of 846 extra patients. This means the R rate is 0.846 - a marginal increase.

However, if there are only 10 people with the virus in an area, with nine of them at an R of 0.8, and one of them is a super-spreader and infects 10 others, there are 17 patients from those 10 and the R rate has risen to 1.72.

SAGE files published today, from SPI-M, saw scientists explain to the Government in June: 'Estimates of R are less reliable and less useful in determining the state of the epidemic as cases decrease. There are three main reasons for this:

'Firstly, when there are few cases, R is impossible to estimate with accuracy and will have wide confidence intervals that are likely to include 1. This does not necessarily mean that the epidemic is increasing but could be the result of greater uncertainty.

'Secondly, as incidence decreases, R will tend towards 1, and has to be evaluated in conjunction with incidence. The policy implications of R = 1 when there are 1,000 new infections per day are very different to when there are 100,000 per day.

'Finally, R is an average measure. When incidence is low, an outbreak in one place could result in estimates of R for the entire region to become higher than 1. Conversely, small, local outbreaks will not be detected. Estimates of R based on small numbers may also not capture change in the area fast enough to inform policy in a useful way.'

As the country moves further out of lockdown officials say the growth rate of the outbreak - the speed at which cases are increasing or decreasing - is more important.

For the UK as a whole, the current growth rate, which reflects how quickly the number of infections is changing day by day, is minus 5 per cent to minus 2 per cent. Last week advisers warned it may have been at 0 per cent, meaning it had stagnated.

If the growth rate is greater than zero, and therefore positive, then the disease will grow, and if the growth rate is less than zero, then the disease will shrink.

It is an approximation of the change in the number of infections each day, and the size of the growth rate indicates the speed of change.

It takes into account various data sources, including the government-run Covid-19 surveillance testing scheme  which is carried out by the ONS and published every Thursday.

For example, a growth rate of 5 per cent is faster than a growth rate of 1 per cent, while a disease with a growth rate of minus 4 per cent will be shrinking faster than a disease with growth rate of minus 1 per cent.

Neither measure - R or growth rate - is better than the other but provides information that is useful in monitoring the spread of a disease, experts say.

Professor James Naismith, of the University of Oxford, said: 'That the number of cases is falling slightly is to be welcomed. This suggests, that so far, relaxation of the lockdown has not precipitated a second wave.

'It has to be emphasised that no one knows what the safe level of relaxation is for the UK and there is a delay between action and consequence. The virus is here and we could easily see a surge in cases if a mistake is made.

MEASURING THE R RATE IS NO LONGER USEFUL - ESPECIALLY ON A REGIONAL LEVEL, SAGE WAS TOLD LAST MONTH Measuring the reproduction rate of the virus - the R - will not be useful now that the outbreak has shrunk, according to files released from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) today. SPI-M-O, the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling, Operational - which advises the Government on the possible trajectory of the outbreak, said regional R rates are definitely no longer useful on June 12. When giving its estimates of the R value - the reproduction rate of the coronavirus - it cautioned that the figures are not useful when there are small numbers of people testing positive. The R rate is currently between 0.7 and 0.9 for the UK as a whole, meaning that every 10 infected people pass the virus on to between seven and nine others, on average. But SPI-M-O warned: 'Estimates of R are less reliable and less useful in determining the state of the epidemic as cases decrease. There are three main reasons for this: 'Firstly, when there are few cases, R is impossible to estimate with accuracy and will have wide confidence intervals that are likely to include 1. This does not necessarily mean that the epidemic is increasing but could be the result of greater uncertainty. 'Secondly, as incidence decreases, R will tend towards 1, and has to be evaluated in conjunction with incidence. The policy implications of R = 1 when there are 1,000 new infections per day are very different to when there are 100,000 per day. 'Finally, R is an average measure. When incidence is low, an outbreak in one place could result in estimates of R for the entire region to become higher than 1. Conversely, small, local outbreaks will not be detected. Estimates of R based on small numbers may also not capture change in the area fast enough to inform policy in a useful way.' The scientists said they were so unconvinced about the accuracy or usefulness of measuring the reproduction rate that it shouldn't be used for policy decisions such as imposing regional restrictions or lockdowns. They added: 'Estimates of R at regional levels are subject to the same difficulties in interpretation of national estimates, but amplified because of the smaller numbers of cases. 'Publishing large numbers of estimates increases the statistical chance that one of them is artificially high. SPI-M-O does not have confidence that regional R estimates are sufficiently robust to inform regional policy decisions.' Advertisement

'Much more important than an individual decision to relax this or that measure, will be a willingness to admit error and reverse the decision in the light of new data. This how science works, with new and incomplete understanding, honest mistakes end up being made.

'With more data, errors are corrected without blame and shame, everyone moves forward. Things will end very badly for the UK, if the decision to relax or lock down a specific activity becomes a test of consistency or a contest to see who was "right all along". A dose of humility is called for.'

He added: 'The government is correct to draw attention to the problem with fixating on the R-value  it is not currently a particularly useful number.

'What is now crucial is that the testing regime is sampling sufficiently to detect any local hot spots, that the individual is supported to rapidly isolate, contacts are rapidly traced, rapidly tested and if needs be rapidly isolated. There is considerable room for improvement in this end-to-end process.

'These numbers also tell us that we are unlikely to eliminate the virus from the UK before the winter. In any event the virus has become global, without a vaccine we have to plan for its presence.

'It seems likely that the onset of colder weather will see the virus begin to spread more rapidly. We have a short breathing space to get ourselves organised to cope with the winter.'

Professor Oliver Johnson, who specialises in information theory at University of Bristol, said: 'The fact that R is still estimated to be below 1 across the UK implies that the epidemic is continuing to shrink overall.

'This is consistent with the numbers observed through positive tests and deaths, which both continue to decline. There is uncertainty on these estimates because R cannot be directly measured and inferring its value becomes hard when the number of cases is low.

'For this reason it is not possible to rule out the possibility that the epidemic is growing in some regions, though values in the middle of the ranges given are most likely.

'There appear to be no particular trends in these numbers compared with last week, and the overall UK estimate has remained consistent at 0.7-0.9 over the last 7 weeks, suggesting that the weekly rate of decline is roughly constant.

'However it is too early to judge the effect of "Super Saturday" openings based on these numbers, since any infections that took place last weekend are unlikely to have led to positive tests soon enough to influence them.'

It comes after the results of a government surveillance testing scheme yesterday revealed England's coronavirus outbreak is still shrinking and the number of new cases each day have more than halved in a week.

The Office for National Statistics, which tracks the spread of the virus, estimates 1,700 people are getting infected with Covid-19 each day outside of hospitals and care homes  down from 3,500 last week.

The estimate  based on eight new cases out of 25,000 people who are swabbed regularly  also claimed there are just 14,000 people who are currently infected.

This is the equivalent of 0.03 per cent of the population of the whole country, or one in every 3,900 people. It is down from 0.04 per cent last week and 0.09 per cent a week before.

Separate figures, from King's College London, suggest the outbreak in England has stopped shrinking  but its estimate is lower than the ONS's at around 1,200 new cases per day.

Department of Health chiefs have announced an average of just 546 new positive test results per day for the past week  but up to half of infected patients are thought to never show symptoms.

A report by Public Health England and the University of Cambridge predicted on Monday that the true number of daily cases is more like 5,300 but could even be as high as 7,600.
Chandigarh, July 10 : No flight of fancy this! A billionaire Punjabi in Dubai has taken charity to new heights by virtually launching chartered flights to bring distressed compatriots back.

Philanthropist Surinder Pal Singh Oberoi is now a messiah for workers and tourists who have been stuck in the UAE due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.

This week a first batch of 177 people returned to Chandigarh and reunited with their families. Three more flights have been lined up this month; four in August.

"We are arranging free charter flights mainly to repatriate low-income workers who have lost their jobs and they ran out of money," Oberoi, 64, a Dubai-based industrialist from a small town in Punjab, told IANS here on Friday.

He said the stranded Indians include tourists who came out on a shoestring budget and the money is running out.

"We are giving priority to pregnant women, old, sick and families," he said.

The next scheduled chartered flight of SpiceJet, each carrying 177 passengers, is on July 13, 19 and 25.

A flight costs Rs 40-42 lakh and is being paid by Oberoi-managed Sarbat Da Bhala Charitable Trust.

Oberoi, who came to Dubai in 1977 as a mechanic, is well known for charity work.

His trust saved more than 80 people convicted of various cases for crimes in the United Arab Emirates. It rescued a woman from Punjab who was sold as domestic help in Oman.

In 2013, the trust had paid millions of dirhams as "blood money" to secure the release of 17 Indians who were on death row for killing a Pakistani man in the UAE.

"With the grace of God my business is growing. I am giving back 98 per cent of my income to society by getting into social work and the rest two per cent is enough for me and my family to sustain a decent life," an elated Oberoi, who owns seven companies in Dubai, told IANS.

Emotionally bonded with his roots, he said 75-80 per cent of the people who are coming in these specially arranged flights are those who are struggling to survive after being rendered homeless and penniless.

"For them, we have made arrangements to put stay in our shelter homes till they are repatriated," he said.

"Five to seven per cent people who travelling in our flights are the stranded tourists who can't afford to buy the ticket at full price. Then we have passengers who have capacity to bear 10-40 per cent of the ticket cost. Also the airfare of a few travellers is borne by their employers," he said.

Oberoi, the Chairman of the Apex Group of Companies who came to Dubai at the age of 20 in 1977 on a job visa and launched his own business in Dubai in 1993, urged wealthy Indians in the UAE to help stranded people.

He said it is the spirit of the UAE that has encouraged him to be a philanthropist.

The Sarbat Da Bhala Trust, which does not raise any charity, is ensuring free food distribution to 60,000 families per month in Punjab and neighbouring states who have been affected amid the lockdown that came into effect on March 23.

The supply of ration kits to sustain at least five members in a family will continue till September, trust spokesperson Manpreet Sandhu said.

He said the trust provided funds to tune of Rs 20 crore to the local authorities, the Border Security Force (BSF) and various government departments to his home state to fight Covid-19.

He said the trust got permission to operate four more chartered flights in August.

"They will fly to the Chandigarh and Amritsar airports. We hope to fly back around 750 passengers this month and an equal number next month," trust volunteer Sandhu told IANS.

"For the next month's flights, we have sought a list of stranded people from Indian Missions in the UAE. All flights will take off from the Ras Al Khaimah Airport," he said.

Oberoi, the privileged expatriates who have been granted the 10-year Gold Card by Dubai's General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners' Affairs, said this journey of social work would continue beyond the chartering flights.

(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)
Its planet Earth and Im still on it, chilling, says Zac Efron at the start of his new Netflix eco-travel show, Down to Earth with Zac Efron, so we cant say we havent been warned about the tone of what will follow. As televised peregrinations go, this will not be on a level with Parts Unknown, or Simon Reeve, or Top Gear.

Efron, who made his name as the wax-chested hunk in Disneys High School Musical, has evolved into a 32-year-old hairy hunk, complete with hipster beard, plaid shirts and a beanie perched atop his chiselled jaw. With maturity, he has also acquired a slight sadness around the eyes. If his previous aesthetic was electrified Ken doll, the new look is more bewildered coffee shop owner. He is joined by his mate, the author and wellness expert Darin Olien, brought along to lend a bit of fraternal jocularity to Zacs grand tour.

We never learn why Efron has been chosen for this task. He doesnt seem to have any particular interest in the environment, or food, and is not a natural travel presenter. Although hes relentlessly positive, and has obviously spent plenty of time in front of a camera, he never expresses curiosity beyond the most simplistic admiration. Presumably, Netflix hopes that he still has enough clout with younger millennials and Gen Zers that theyll tune in out of respect for his oeuvre. There must be a narrow band of people who care enough about Efron to tune in, but not enough about the environment to find this hopelessly simplistic.

Oliens not much better. Hes older than his co-presenter and obviously cant believe his luck at being asked along for the ride. He tags along behind like an older brother, doing Lord of the Rings and Star Wars voices and contributing no insight or expertise, except for the odd crack at his selective veganism.

In the first episode, the bros hump around Iceland, a haven for sustainability experts thanks to its abundant geothermal and hydroelectric power plants. From high school musical to pre-school geography. Few nations are as photogenic, and its all shot with Netflixs typical high-definition gloss, with abundant drone shots of gorgeous volcanic panoramas. Efron and Olien bake bread in thermal sands, swim in the Blue Lagoon, have an ice and fire massage, make chocolate, eat reindeer tartare at the Michelin-starred Dill, and do various other Iceland 101 tourist activities. Wow, they say. Gnarly. Bigtime. Woah. Dude. Nailed it. Holy s***. Rad. Wild. This is one of four geothermal plants in Iceland, says Olien, as they pull into the car park. Sick, Efron replies.

Efron reveals that his father works as an engineer at a nuclear power station, before asking a startled-looking employee how a turbine works. Its possible this is faux-naivety, an artistic device to help the audience join him on his voyage of discovery, but Im not convinced. Later, he starts talking about the health benefits of negative ions, for viewers who prefer inane travelogue to come with a side of quackery.

Electricity is easy to take for granted, he muses, after a trip to a hydroelectric plant. But this place gives me much greater appreciation for what makes electricity. I wonder if the experience of filming Down to Earth has given him a greater appreciation for what makes decent television.
(This July 6 story corrects in the 3rd paragraph that Obamas administration, not Obama himself, signed the treaty)

By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - China on Monday joined a global arms trade treaty spurned by the United States, taking a swipe at U.S. President Donald Trumps administration by accusing it of bullying, unilateralism and undermining efforts to combat global challenges.

Chinas U.N. ambassador, Zhang Jun, said he had deposited Chinas instrument of accession to the treaty, which regulates a $70 billion global cross-border trade in conventional arms and seeks to keep weapons out of the hands of human rights abusers.

China, which announced its plans in September, becomes the 107th party to the pact, approved by the U.N. General Assembly in 2013. Then-U.S. President Barack Obamas administration signed it, but it was opposed by the National Rifle Association and never ratified by the U.S. Senate.

Trump said in April last year that he intended to revoke the status of the United States as a signatory. In July 2019, the United States told U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that Washington did not intend to become a party to the treaty and that it had no legal obligations from its 2013 signature.

Without naming the United States, but amid escalating tensions between Beijing and Washington, Zhang said in a statement that a certain country ... walked away from international commitments, and launched acts of unilateralism and bullying.

This has brought huge uncertainties to the global strategic balance and stability, and seriously undermined the joint efforts of all countries to tackle global challenges, he said, adding that major powers need to ... set an example by contributing to safeguarding the international order, the rule of law, the role of the U.N. and multilateralism.

The U.S. mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Zhangs remarks.

China was the fifth-largest global arms exporter between 2014 and 2018, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, although China itself does not publish figures for how many arms it exports.
Welcome to Cultural Pittsfield's weekly guide featuring in-person and virtual classes and events, information, and more. If you are a Pittsfield business and would like your event listed, please email us at cultural@pittsfieldch.com. Thank you and be well!
The Select Board met at Town Hall for the first time since closing in early March because of the COVID-19 pandemic. While some board members and staff have been in the building, the meetings had been held remotely.

Clarksburg Sets Special Town Meeting for PILOT Authorization

CLARKSBURG, Mass.  The town hopes to come to an agreement with two solar installations for payment in lieu of taxes.

The Select Board will need authorization to enter into any PILOT and a special town meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 26, at 6 p.m. at the Senior Center for that vote.

"The town has to say, yes, you have permission to enter into an agreement," Town Assessor Ross Vivori told the Select Board on Wednesday. "Once that's in place, it should be good for future stuff that comes up as well."

There are two large commercial arrays off River Road and a third off Gravel Bank Road. Only one, Clean Energy Collective on River Road, has already agreed to a PILOT.

Vivori explained that there were two assessing elements to the arrays: one is the real estate underneath them that can be assessed as industrial and the personal property side  mountings, panels, inverters, etc.

"The law hasn't caught up with a lot of this stuff yet," he said. "The law was so broadly written that, technically, they're exempt from personal property tax on installed equipment."

Several towns had attempted to tax arrays but a ruling by the Appellate Tax Board has found in favor of industrial solar based on the state law.

The town has been frustrated in trying to develop agreements with the two arrays. The Planning Board balked at expanding the current solar overlay zone largely because it felt the town was getting no benefit from the industrial power generators.

Last year, the Select Board voted to bill the arrays but, as Vivori predicted at the time, both appealed to the tax board, which found in their favor.

However, in negotiating the abatements, the arrays indicated they may be agreeable to PILOTs.

The details are still being worked out but Vivori estimated the town could get around $10,000 annually for 20 years.

"It's not huge money but it's either this or nothing," he said.

In other business, Town Administrator Rebecca Stone reported that she has been working on several grants, including a MassWorks grant for improvements on Middle Road. She said she will be reaching out to surrounding communities and the state of Vermont to help "beef up" the application. Middle and River roads are main roads into Vermont.

 The new fire alarm system at Town Hall has been completed. It was last upgraded in 1973. Weatherization is still being worked on.

 The town garage addition and renovation has been pushed back because of availability of materials.

 The town has renewed its search for an administrative assistant and is now accepting applications. The town also needs someone to fill a vacant seat on the three-person Board of Assessors.

 , planned for 34 Cross Road, will be holding a community outreach meeting on Wednesday, July 15, at 7 p.m. at the Senior Center. Representatives of the proposed pot production greenhouse and retail outlet will hear residents' concerns and answer questions. New England Regional Dispensaries , planned for 34 Cross Road, will be holding a community outreach meeting on Wednesday, July 15, at 7 p.m. at the Senior Center. Representatives of the proposed pot production greenhouse and retail outlet will hear residents' concerns and answer questions.

 The next meeting of the Select Board will be Wednesday, Aug. 12.
The killing of gangster Vikas Dubey and some of his henchmen in a series of alleged encounters in Uttar Pradesh is reminiscent of a similar incident in Hyderabad in which four people, accused of rape and murder of a veterinary doctor, had met a similar fate in December 2019.

IMAGE: People garland policemen for killing of gangster Vikas Dubey, outside the mortuary at the Lala Lajpat Rai Hospital in Kanpur, on Friday. Photograph: PTI Photo

In the Cyberabad incident, all the four accused were killed at one go in an exchange of fire.

Police in both the cases claimed that the suspects 'snatched' their weapons and opened fire at them forcing them to retaliatory action 'in self-defence'.

Dubey was shot dead Friday by police, who claim he was trying to flee after the car carrying him from Ujjain overturned on the outskirts of Kanpur.

He was the sixth man to die in a police encounter after the ambush he allegedly masterminded in Kanpur's Bikru village past midnight on July 2, killing eight policemen who had come to arrest him.

Earlier, five members of Dubey gang were killed in separate encounters.

Surprisingly in both the Kanpur and Cyberabad encounters, the accused were not handcuffed while they were being taken in vehicles before the alleged retaliatory firing took place resulting in their deaths.

The snatched weapons were in 'unlocked' position and the slain accused were not handcuffed when the firing took place, the Cyberabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar had earlier said when asked whether they were handcuffed.

According to Cyberabad police on the night of November 27, 2019, the four accused kidnapped the woman veterinarian and killed her after sexually assaulting her, and then shifted the body in a lorry to Chattanpalli near Hyderabad where it was burnt under a culvert.

They were arrested on November 29.

They were killed in police firing on December 6, 2019 at Chattanpalli when they were taken to the scene of crime near the culvert, under which the charred remains of the 25-year-old veterinarian were found on November 28, to recover her phone, wrist-watch and others pertaining to the case.

The Cyberabad police had claimed that its personnel resorted to 'retaliatory' firing after two of the accused opened fire after snatching their weapons besides attacking them with stones and sticks, resulting in injuries to two policemen.

The Telangana government had set up a Special Investigation Team to probe the killings.

In December last year, the Supreme Court appointed a three-member inquiry commission headed by former apex court judge V S Sirpurkar to probe the case.
A girl wearing a protective mask depicting the TikTok logo poses for a picture inside a slum in Mumbai, India, July 1, 2020. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas - RC28KH9SBO0C

A lot of mainstream writing about TikTok on news and related websites, even now, revolves around trying to explain the phenomenon and the app to non-users. It has suddenly become a talking point ever since India banned 59 Chinese apps on June 29.

However, except for when the occasional TikTok video/meme/joke/challenge finds its way into Twitter feeds and Facebook timelines, a large part of what has become the online public sphere would appear to be almost completely unaware of the phenomenon that is TikTok.

One of the important reasons for this is that TikTok isnt a platform for communication. Unlike Twitter or Facebook, the focus of the app, and indeed its users, has been on content, and not communication. This is an important distinction, putting TikTok more in the same space as YouTube, rather than Twitter or Facebook.

Then again, unlike YouTube, TikTok is about small quick videos, easy editing, filters, and fun challenges that capture the attention of teenagers and older millennials alike. It brings the familiar, algorithmically-curated endless scroll of social media; and combines it with quick video content for short attention spans, and manages to transcend English-speaking echo chambers. Its reputation as not high-brow, sometimes decried as cringe, added to its being ignored by the jet set.

In India, Internet penetration is still only at about 50 percent; the literacy rate is around 74 percent; and entrenched offline structural inequalities of caste, class, religion, gender, etc. tend to seamlessly spill into online spaces as well. Given the many barriers of access, a majority of Indians tend to get left out of those social media circles that pass for the public sphere. This public sphere is, therefore, largely influenced and controlled by those at the higher end of the class and caste spectrums.

Even when the barrier of access to the Internet has been breached  as it has by the ubiquity of the smartphone  the first-time Internet user, especially from non-metropolitan India, runs up against the barrier of language. This upper class, upper caste public sphere conducts its business of influencing and opinion-making mostly through writing (which requires literacy) and often in English, leaving out the vast majority.

In some ways TikTok provided a platform that democratised the space of the Indian Internet. The shepherd with a winning smile who lip-syncs to Salman Khan songs while his sheep graze lazily in the background became as popular as any Hollywood celebrity doing one of the many challenges on the platform. Everyone from teenagers and non-binary LGBTQI+ folk from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities across India embraced the medium that allowed their everydayness, their queerness, and just their own selves to become accepted and even popular.

While TikTok is not without its problems (handling of user data, accusations of indecent content, problems with protecting children from objectionable matter, bullying, etc.), these problems are not particular to this app. Everyone from Facebook and Google to the many new TikTok replacers (that have suddenly mushroomed) have problematic content, uncertain data policies, and questionable privacy practices.

However, the ease with which TikTok allows users to make, edit, curate, and post content made it possible for everyone to become content producers, in a way that many other apps could not. The short quick video format made it easy for anyone to consume this content, allowing for a wider reach and more audiences. The sophisticated, in-built video-enhancing tools allowed everyone to make watchable videos. It was this that made TikTok one of the most popular apps in India with 200 million users in the country in 2019.

The mobile phone has been one of the most effective ways of taking the Internet across the digital divide. With mobile networks having become available in even the so called remote areas of India, the Internet has become accessible to many first-time Internet users. These users often discover the Internet through applications such as WhatsApp and TikTok.

However, with the ban on TikTok, it remains to be seen how those who finally managed to find their spot in the sun react to this development. If the ban is not lifted soon, perhaps an indigenous phoenix will have to rise from the ashes of the Chinese behemoth.

Perhaps those whose voices had remained unheard for so long and had found a way to express themselves will have to find another way to enter our carefully curated elite mainstream and shatter these structural barriers of the virtual world.
Buffalo, N.Y.  Another statue is coming down amid protests calling for social change and racial equality, this time in Western New York.

WKBW reports the Christopher Columbus Statue in Buffalos Columbus Park was removed by the city early Friday morning. The statue was vandalized with blue paint earlier this week, and was hit with other incidents of vandalism in the past.

According to WIVB, the Columbus statue is being returned to the Federation of Italian-American Societies of WNY. The group said the statue will not be destroyed, but hasnt decided on a new location or if it will be displayed publicly.

Columbus Park, in Buffalo, where Columbus Statue has been removed. pic.twitter.com/URCH0s0ldx  John Hickey (@jhickeyBN) July 10, 2020

Theres a petition on https://t.co/GYcH2P9sVZ to remove the Christopher Columbus statue in #Buffalo.

The petition says: the statue is a disgraceful showing of support for a man who committed genocide against indigenous people & keeping it, signals the city stands by his actions pic.twitter.com/iaHyifKptH  Jeannie McBride (@jeanniemcbride_) June 12, 2020

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said in a press conference Friday that he would like to see another statue honoring Italian-Americans in Columbus Park, inviting the Italian-American community to decide on a new monument.

Meanwhile, Syracuse is trying to decide what to do with its own statue of the famous Italian explorer, who critics say represents the genocide of Native Americans. Hundreds of protesters gathered at Columbus Circle last month to demand its removal, while many Italian-Americans have argued it should it should stay.

Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh said hes appointing an advisory board to develop a plan for an educational site in Columbus Circle and to make a recommendation about whether the statue should stay or come down.

15 Columbus statue protest in downtown Syracuse

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Protesters call for removal of Syracuses Columbus statue

Columbus statue: Symbols of oppression go far beyond the Confederate flag (Commentary)

1934: Even before its unveiling, Syracuses Columbus statue was controversial
Freeway traffic flows lighter than usual on the 110 and 101 freeways before the new restrictions went into effect at midnight as the the coronavirus pandemic spread in Los Angeles on March 19, 2020. (David McNew/Getty Images)

Economic Downturn, Stay-at-Home Orders Amid COVID-19 Outbreak Fuel Overdose Crisis: Experts

The CCP virus pandemic has worsened another existing epidemicthe opioid crisisas the virus has worsened feelings of anxiety, social isolation, and depression while many recovery programs have been forced to close or scale back, health experts say.

Evidence shows how economic downturn, specifically unemployment, can lead to issues like drug overdose deaths, as well as becoming a risk factor for suicide, Dr. Benjamin F. Miller, the chief strategy officer of the Well Being Trust, a national foundation focused on improving mental health, told The Epoch Times in an email.

Because of the challenges associated with social isolation and loneliness, this could be a multipliersomething that we have never seen as a country. The combination of social isolation and economic decline is likely to cause a substantial amount of distress for countless in our communities, Miller said.

Suspected overdoses have jumped by 18 percent in the United States since March (pdf) after state-mandated stay-at-home orders were introduced and 62 percent of the participating counties experienced an increase in overdose submissions, according to statistics by the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP), a surveillance system that provides near real-time suspected overdose data nationally.

Detected overdose clusters have shifted from traditional centralized, urban locations to adjacent and surrounding suburban and rural areas; and the number of spike alerts and the duration of overdose spikes has increased nationally, ODMAP states in its report, COVID-19 Impact on US National Overdose Crisis.

The Advocacy Resource Center of the American Medical Association (AMA) said in a July 8 update (pdf) that 35 states have reported an increase in opioid-related mortality.

Deaths of Despair

A photograph comparing the relative potency of heroin and fentanyl during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on March 22, 2018. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Certain counties have borne more than the others. For example, Sarasota County in Florida has reported 29 opioid fatalities in the first six months compared to 13 for all of 2019, according to a statement by Rep. Vernon Buchanan (R-Fla.). He wants more funds for drug treatment in the next coronavirus relief bill, which is expected to be a $1 trillion package.

According to Buchanan, the number of nonfatal overdoses also rose from 88 in 2019 to 121 for the first six months of this year. The same figures in Manatee County, Florida, rose from 46 to 49 for fatal overdoses, and from 258 to 388 for nonfatal cases in the same period.

The spike in drug overdoses in our region during the coronavirus pandemic is tragic and alarming, said Buchanan.

We have to get treatment to those in need both in Southwest Florida and across the country. As we continue to combat the coronavirus, we need to make sure we are addressing other health impacts exacerbated by this pandemic.

A report titled Projected Deaths of Despair from COVID-19 by the Graham Center (pdf) identified drugs to be one of the three causes of what it defines as deaths of despairthe other two being alcohol and suicide.

Deaths of despair have been on the rise for the last decade, and in the context of COVID-19, deaths of despair should be seen as the epidemic within the pandemic, the report states; it estimates potentially an additional 68,000 deaths to despair during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Officials in DuPage County, Illinois, a suburban area west of Chicago, issued a public safety announcement in early May that warned residents of an increase in overdose deaths, according to a report by the American Medical Association.

In the past three weeks, we have had 20 overdose deaths, mainly due to opioids, said Richard Jorgensen, M.D., the DuPage County coroner. We do not know if this is due to a change in the makeup of the drugs, drug usage on the streets, or due to current COVID-19-related changes in society.

Shelby County in Tennessee has reported 391 cases of suspected overdoses and 58 deaths between April 7 and May 7 alone. The AMA reports surges from Milwaukee County in Wisconsin and Franklin County in Ohio.

Isolation Fuels Opioid Addictions

A discarded syringe sits in the dirt with other debris under a highway overpass where drug users are known to congregate in Everett, Wash., on Feb. 16, 2017. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Spending time in isolation can affect the mental health of a person and increase the chances of the development and advancement of opioid addiction, according to AppleGate Recovery, an opioid addiction treatment service.

Social support is closely tied to better treatment adherence and recovery outcomes. Similarly, being socially isolated while struggling with addiction makes the condition worse in a number of ways, AppleGate stated in a commentary.

Miller says the uncertainty, fear, and dread due to social isolation and economic downtown have exacerbated the situation; he points out that the effects differ in different communities.

Based on the last available data from the CDC, our country had been making progress on opioids, with a slight decline in deaths to opioids, he said. However, early data from 2020 shows that drug overdose may be again on the rise, putting many of the improvements at risk of being undoneand the progress is incredibly unevenwith American Indians, Asians, Blacks, Latinos, and older adults all experiencing increases in drug-induced deaths recently.

Decreased Access to Treatment

This illustration image shows tablets of opioid painkiller Oxycodon delivered on medical prescription taken in Washington on Sept. 18, 2019. (ERIC BARADAT/AFP/Getty Images)

The escalation of the opioid epidemic due to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus pandemic has increased isolation and decreased access to opioid treatment, according to a report published in The American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC) in July.

COVID-19-related protective shelter-in-place orders have pushed individuals battling sobriety into isolation and have decreased access to treatment and opportunity for a distraction from addictions, the report says. The addiction community is raising alarms that the current epidemiological climate alone is a risk factor for substance abuse relapse.

The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) also says the pandemic has decreased access to treatment as the community programs themselves remain at risk.

Communities and treatment programs across the country remain at risk for increasing population prevalence over time, the ASAM said in its guidance to the Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs) that makes the Take Home Medication for OTPs more flexible.

The AMA appreciated the increased flexibility that involves providing buprenorphine and methadone to patients with opioid use disorder; both of these are approved drugs for opioid withdrawal symptoms.

The AMA is further pleased at increased flexibility provided by the DEA to help patients with pain obtain necessary medications, it said, further urging governors and state legislatures to take action.

Buchanan, whose Fentanyl Sanctions Act (H.R. 2226) was signed into a law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act last year, says its important to address the health concerns exacerbated by the CCP virus pandemic.

The opioid crisis has destroyed too many families and lives. We cannot forget about this crisis even during the coronavirus pandemic, he said.
Xinjiang Party Secretary Chen Quanguo speaks during a meeting of the Xinjiang delegation at the ongoing National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 12, 2019.

The U.S. sanctioned a top member of China's Communist Party on Thursday, along with three other senior officials and a Chinese entity involved in systematic human rights abuses of Muslim minorities and ethnic Kazakhs in China's western province of Xinjiang. The action is likely to ratchet up already high tensions between the U.S. and China.

"The United States will not stand idly by as the CCP carries out human rights abuses targeting Uyghurs, ethnic Kazakhs, and members of other minority groups in Xinjiang," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement, referring to the Chinese Communist Party.

The Trump administration has likened China's mass detention of more than 1 million Muslim Uighurs in Xinjiang to the worst human rights abuses since the 1930s, when 6 million European Jews were killed in the Holocaust.

Among those sanctioned were the architect of the detention camps, Chen Quanguo, the Communist Party secretary for Xinjiang. Chen developed the system of mass surveillance when he was party secretary of the Tibet autonomous region from 2011 to 2016. He later used the same tactics of "forced labor, arbitrary mass detention, and forced population control" over the Uighurs and other Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang, the State Department said in a press release.

Zhu Hailun, party secretary of the Xinjiang Political and Legal Committee, worked with Chen to establish the policies and procedures for managing the camps, including "abnormal deaths" and not allowing "escapes," according to a Treasury Department statement.

It is the first time such sanctions have targeted sitting Chinese officials, and Chen, a Politburo member, is the highest-ranking Chinese official ever to have been sanctioned under the Global Magnitsky Act. The measures include travel restrictions on the four people and their families to the United States.

The sanctions are the latest in a series of actions the U.S. has taken against China since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and the imposition of national security legislation restricting the autonomy of Hong Kong.

"The United States is committed to using the full breadth of its financial powers to hold human rights abusers accountable in Xinjiang and across the world," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in the announcement.

It is unclear what practical effect the sanctions will have on the officials, who would be unlikely to travel to the U.S. and whose financial assets are probably based largely in China.

Naomi Kikoler, director of the Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, described the action as a "rare glimmer of hope."

"The new sanctions are an important response to what constitutes crimes against humanity committed by the Chinese government. However, much more remains to be done," Kikoler said. "The abuses in Xinjiang demand a coordinated response from the global community to halt crimes against humanity and provide accountability and security for the Uighur people."
Two mannequins  one dressed as a bride and the other as a groom  stood at the entry of a sober wedding hall in the town of Saray in Tekirdag province, the European part of Turkey, on July 5. Visitors wearing face masks pinned gold coins on the blonde-wigged dummy bride and banknotes  either Turkish liras or dollars  on the groom under the watchful eye of the real bride and groom who sat at a safe distance, both wearing masks.

A cheeky Twitter user compared the photos of this coronavirus wedding as a scene from Black Mirror, alluding to Netflixs dystopian science fiction anthology. However, the newlyweds Sinem and Sinan Dag were simply trying to reconcile tradition with the Turkish governments new regulation on weddings during these pandemic times. Weddings were once again allowed in Turkey as of July 1 following a new regulation that carefully outlines new rules that aim to assure social distancing.

In such pandemic-conscious affairs, the usual jovial congratulations with kisses and hugs at the entrance are to be replaced with checking temperatures and offering sanitizers. Under the regulation, no one will dance but the grooms and brides. No group photos are to be taken, and gifts are to be placed in a box rather than pinned on the bridal couple as tradition dictates. Gone are the big fat Turkish weddings with lavish celebrations, before and after parties, and the halay  a traditional dance where people dance shoulder to shoulder in a line, similar to the dabke in the Middle East)  where bachelors in the wedding rub shoulders.

Fahrettin Koca, Turkeys health minister whose terse twits often names and shames those who deviate from his ministrys coronavirus measures, relented on the halay tradition, tweeting that it was alright to do it as long as people held something like a pole between them, rather than dance shoulder to shoulder.

But on July 8, the minister threatened to send "observers" to the weddings to ensure that the measures were respected. "When we look at the filiation in the new cases, we see that some people [catch Covid-19] at weddings," he said. "One couple's happiness should not cause the misery of others."

His proposal of dispatching observers to weddings and engagement parties has drawn quick reactions in the Twittersphere. "Perhaps we should request international observers," said one tweet.

Of course it would have been nicer [to have a traditional wedding], but given the risk, this was the best we can do, and it is not too bad, Sinan told cameras shortly before he swirled his bride, who kept everyone including the groom at a safe distance with her full skirt, on the empty dance floor.

Despite measures taken across wedding halls all across the country to comply with the regulations, wedding high-season months July and August are expected to be a pale shadow of previous years.

I should have at least three people here on a regular June afternoon, Belma Ates complained as she discontentedly eyes her empty bridal boutique in downtown Izmir. It is, after all, the wedding season, she said.

Her bridal shop is empty save two assistants carefully putting the last touches on a creamy white gown with a full train. Later, they will sew a face mask trimmed with lace and embroidered with semi-precious stones to go with the gown.

Ates bridal shop, located at the coastal citys wedding district near the historical center, has a sign at her door announcing it does not sell gowns to brides under the age of 18, the legal age in Turkey, where, despite the law, child marriages are on the rise. In March, shortly after the first official COVID19 case was announced in Turkey, Ates said she would provide masks for all wedding gowns she designed. At the end of March, however, the Turkish government put a stop to all weddings  delivering a heavy blow to Turkeys billion-dollar wedding industry that touches many sectors from florists to furnituremakers.

Now that people can get married again, the business is picking up slowly, Ates told Al-Monitor.

The coastal city of Izmir, which hosts one of the largest bridalwear fairs in Europe every February, is jokingly referred to as Turkeys capital of marriage and, ironically, divorce. The owners of the citys bridal shops like to claim that 70% of all wedding gowns in Turkey come from Izmir. Ates boutique  a mid-scale enterprise  makes 250 wedding gowns a year, but her customers come from all over the region. I have customers in Dubai, Palestine and Lebanon who are already inquiring about my masked gowns, she said.

From Cairo to Gaza, business-savvy fashion designers are busy adding bejeweled masks to their creations. The idea, explained Ates, is to have a largely decorative mask be used above a regular surgical mask. It will not be comfortable, but then, the wedding will not take six hours as it used to before the coronavirus outbreak, she said.

Extravagant Turkish weddings, which are an occasion for the families to show off, included a henna party before the wedding and an after-party where the couple and friends danced the night away. In more conservative families, parallel weddings take place in which women and men entertain themselves in separate places for religious reasons.

All this meant that we designed not one but several bridal gowns: one for the entrance and the civil ceremony, one for the wedding party and walking through the tables, and another for the after-party, explained Ates, adding, And, of course, for the henna party too. But now we only design one, often with full skirts to facilitate social distancing.

We organizers will do our best to ensure social distancing, but a whole lot depends on the guests. Some rules are downright impossible. How can you make sure there is only one family per table? What about the traditional table where both families sit together? Yonca Oner, co-owner of Ankara-based wedding planner Bloomy Studio, told Al-Monitor.

She predicts that business will come back as many people will want to get married before the predicted second wave of the virus, but they will hold smaller affairs, and possibly many people  family elders or celebrities  will turn down invitations. It is unlikely that there would be major, headline-grabbing weddings, huge Insta affairs, Oner said.

Ankaras headline-grabbing political weddings have stopped for the time being, says another manager who works in a five-star hotel in the capital. Speaking to Al-Monitor on the condition of anonymity, the manager said, Those marriage ceremonies, where top businessmen or political heavy-weights tried to get the president or the prime minister to be the witnesses or guests of honor, were plum events for the marriage planners and the hotels because the parents would spare no expense. But it is impossible to hold them now. Could anyone expect the president or the first lady to attend a wedding wearing a mask? she said, adding, COVID-19 has infected our healthy wedding sector.

The pandemic has also left its mark on slogans put on wedding cars. I have poured cologne on your path to stop COVID/ Lets wed before it gets morbid, read the bumper of a bridal car in the central Anatolian city of Konya.
The number of people refused post-Brexit immigration status under the EU settlement scheme has surged by 700 per cent in a month, figures show, fuelling concerns about the process less than a year before the deadline by which EU nationals and their family members need to apply.

Data published by the Home Office shows that 1,400 applicants were refused settled status in June, compared with 200 in May. Overall, 2,300 refusals have been issued since the scheme opened in March 2019, meaning 61 per cent of refusals were issued last month alone.

In addition, the number of applicants not granted settled status because their cases were either withdrawn or void or invalid  meaning they do not have a right of appeal  has also increased significantly, from 7,100 in May to 12,300 in June, a rise of 73 per cent.

Overall, almost one in 10 applicants who received outcomes in June were given no status under the scheme, according to the figures.

While the proportion of people who have not been granted settled status remains proportionately small  at 1.7 per cent of the 3.5 million applications processed overall  campaigners warn that the sudden surge in refusals suggests straightforward cases have been prioritised, while the more complex cases have been put on the back burner.

There are also concerns about the fact that the Home Office has stopped publishing reasons for refusals  which usually come under either eligibility or criminality  on a monthly basis, a move that experts said has led to less transparency in the system than ever before. The Home Office said this decision was made in order to enable quicker collation of the figures.

Kuba Jablonowski, a research associate at the3million, a campaign group, told The Independent: The Home Office has been fast-tracking some applications since the EU settlement scheme started. Now we see what happens when the more complex cases get processed.

The rise in refusals is staggering. It suggests that politics creeps into immigration decision-making, and that complex cases were not prioritised. They are being decided now when the Covid-19 pandemic and looming deadline increasingly put pressure on the scheme.

Mr Jablonowski said the steep rise in of cases categorised as void, withdrawn and invalid was also troubling, adding: Unlike refusals, rejections have no rights to appeal and we know that error rates are high for immigration decisions.

All this shows there are more refusals, fewer grants of status, and less transparency in the system than ever before. And the clock is ticking.

 Tory MP admits EU settlement scheme sometimes 'doesn't work as well as we expect'

The Home Office said the sudden increase may be in part because caseworkers work for several months to get in touch with an individual to help them provide the evidence required, making a minimum of three attempts to contact, meaning there are more refusals being issued later in the scheme.

Kevin Foster, the minister for future borders and immigration, said: EU citizens are our friends, family and neighbours, which is why its great more than 3.4 million have already been granted status under the EU settlement scheme and secured their rights in UK law.

We are always looking for reasons to grant status and refusals are a last resort. However, applications will be refused where an individual is a serious or persistent criminal, or does not meet the eligibility criteria for the scheme.
Park Hyun-ki's video installations on view at "HYUNDAI 50 Part II" at Gallery Hyundai in downtown Seoul / Courtesy of Gallery Hyundai



By Kwon Mee-yoo



Gallery Hyundai, one of the top commercial galleries in Korea, continues to celebrate its 50th anniversary this year, shedding light on Korean experimental artists from the 1960s, international artists the gallery introduced to Korea and young contemporary artists who portray the era we live in through art.



"HYUNDAI 50 Part 1," held from April 17 to May 31, focused on Korea's modern art. The highlight was Kim Whan-ki's "05-IV-71 #200 (Universe)"; art lovers lined up outside the gallery to have a glimpse of the most expensive Korean painting. It was the first time for the painting to be exhibited after being sold for a record 13.2 billion won at a Hong Kong auction in November 2019.



"Part 2 has a different vibe from Part 1. We started by trying to treat the master experimental artists properly, having a high regard for what they have done in Korea's modern art history," said Do Hyung-teh, president of Gallery Hyundai.



Do, who studied art and art history at New York University and the Pratt Art Institute, took over the gallery from his mother Park Myung-ja, the gallery's founder, and breathed new life into the gallery.



The main space is dedicated to five Korean experimental artists  Lee Seung-taek, Kwak Duck-jun, Park Hyun-ki, Lee Kun-yong and Lee Kang-so. They did not follow the mainstream art world, but developed their own artistic universe.



"We have been trying to promote Korean experimental artists at overseas art fairs for years," Do said.





Lee Seung-taek's "Untitled" (1892) on view at "HYUNDAI 50 Part II" at Gallery Hyundai in downtown Seoul / Courtesy of Gallery Hyundai



The gallery's efforts paid off as the Tate acquired Lee Seung-taek's "Godret Stone" in 2013 and Lee Kun-yong's "Logic of Place" in 2016. Park Hyun-ki's "Untitled (TV Stone Tower)" became a part of the Museum of Modern Art's permanent collection.



The artists, who were mainly active from the late 1960s to 1970s, produced installations, performances and conceptual art pieces, breaking away from traditional painting and sculpture.



Lee Seung-taek, who has a major retrospective coming up at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea in November, is the pioneer of "non-sculpture," which disrupts conventional artistic notions and questions established political and social values.



"Untitled" (1982) is a site-specific installation that consists of aluminum pipe, paper and thread, creating temporary lines across the space and making viewers reinterpret a familiar space.



Kwak Duck-jun presents his iconic image series "President and Kwak," in which he juxtaposes his face with the faces of U.S. presidents featured on the covers of TIME Magazine, as well as conceptual artwork "Two Weight-scales and Stones" questioning the concept of measurements.



Park Hyun-ki blends the medium of video art with Korea's shamanistic and spiritual objects such as stone towers and "gut" (exorcism).



For the Lee Kang-so section, the gallery presents photographs of his famous works "Void (Reed)" and "Disappearance, Bar in the Gallery" as well as some of his serigraphy works which are on public view for the first time.



Last but not least, Lee Kun-yong showcases his well-known "body drawing," in which he moves his body without watching the canvas to record his movements and trajectories on canvas.





Moon Kyung-won and Jeon Joon-ho's "Anomaly strolls II, Alchemy of Gloden Leaf" on view at "HYUNDAI 50 Part II" at Gallery Hyundai in downtown Seoul / Courtesy of Gallery Hyundai



Gallery Hyundai became the first Korean gallery to participate in an international art fair in 1987 and made efforts to promote Korean art on the global stage while introducing top international artists to Korean viewers.



The gallery's new space is filled with colorful and distinctive works from international and contemporary Korean artists.



Francois Morellet's neon work "Prickly  Neonly No. 2, 1=3" is displayed adjacent to Ivan Navarro's "Constellations," which portrays 88 constellations with LED lights in a mirrored wooden box. Robert Indiana's blue and red sculpture "AMOR" is also on view.



Photographer Thomas Struth's works show how a gallery can collaborate with an artist. Struth visited South and North Korea for three years with help from Gallery Hyundai, producing a series of contrasting yet similar images of the two Koreas.



The gallery also works to support and nurture Korean contemporary artists.



Artist duo Moon Kyung-won and Jeon Joon-ho unveils "Anomaly strolls , Alchemy of Golden Leaf," which was on view in 2018 at their exhibition "News From Nowhere" at Tate Liverpool in the U.K.



Kinetic artist Choe U-ram's latest work "One (Reply to Dr.Lee)" is made of Tyvek, a protective clothing material, as a metaphor of life and death in the pandemic era.





Kim Min-jung's "The Street" on view at "HYUNDAI 50 Part II" at Gallery Hyundai in downtown Seoul / Courtesy of Gallery Hyundai
Suspicions Mount Of Foreign Hand In Fire At Sensitive Iranian Nuclear Site

Golnaz Esfandiari July 09, 2020

There is growing support among outside security experts for the notion that an "incident" at Iran's main nuclear-enrichment facility last week was an act of sabotage in a shadow war aimed at setting back Tehran's nuclear activities.

Many analysts believe that a foreign state, possibly Israel, was behind the July 2 fire at the Natanz facility in Iran's central Isfahan Province.

The conflagration caused "considerable financial damage," according to Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, which had originally sought to downplay the incident.

An image released by Iran in the aftermath of the incident and satellite images released abroad showed significant damage -- including ripped-out doors, scorch marks, and a collapsed roof -- at a building where centrifuges were assembled.

Iranian authorities have said they know the cause of the incident but have withheld any public announcement due to "security" issues.

"Many countries have a clear interest to delay the Iranian nuclear military project; one of them is Israel," Yaakov Amidror, a retired major general and former national-security adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told RFE/RL.

Iran maintains that all of its nuclear activities are peaceful, and it has opened its known nuclear sites to UN inspectors since signing a deal in 2015 exchanging curbs on its nuclear program for sanctions relief with world powers including the United States, which has since walked away from the deal.

But the United States and Israel have for years accused Iran of a long-running effort to acquire a nuclear bomb-making capability.

Previous Attacks

They are thought to have targeted Iran's nuclear program in the past with cyberattacks and malicious software, or malware.

One of those suspected joint efforts was the Stuxnet computer worm, which damaged Iran's nuclear infrastructure according to reports that began to emerge in 2010.

At least four Iranian nuclear scientists were assassinated between 2010 and 2012, engendering speculation that the killings were part of a suspected covert campaign waged by Israel against Iran's nuclear program.

After last week's fire at Natanz, The Washington Post on July 6 quoted a Middle Eastern security official as saying a "huge explosive device" had been planted by Israeli operatives to "send a signal" to Tehran.

"There was an opportunity, and someone in Israel calculated the risk and took the opportunity," the unnamed official told the paper.

On July 5, The New York Times quoted "a Middle Eastern intelligence official with knowledge of the episode" as saying Israel had targeted Natanz using what the paper called "a powerful bomb."

Israel has neither confirmed nor denied any role in the incident.

Speaking on July 5, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz said his country wasn't "necessarily" behind every incident in Iran, adding that Israel's long-standing policy is not to allow Iran access to nuclear capabilities.

Ilan Goldenberg, director of the Middle East Security Program at the Center for a New American Security, said Israel has demonstrated the ability "to penetrate Iran's nuclear program," most recently in 2018 when Israeli agents are reported to have broken into a warehouse in the Iranian capital and extracted a trove of documents detailing the country's nuclear activities.

"It is the type of operation that Israel might conduct at any time when it sees the opportunity," Goldenberg, who previously headed an Iran team in the Office of the U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, told RFE/RL.

'Perception Of Chaos'

Speaking generally and not about this specific incident, he suggested the aim of such operations might be to delay Iran's nuclear program "as much as possible."

"For Israelis, there is also the additional benefit of trying to create the perception of chaos at a time when the Iranian government is struggling with an economic crisis and COVID-19," he added.

The Natanz incident comes amid a gradual backing away by Tehran from its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal.

It has said its moves are a response to the May 2018 withdrawal from the so-called Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action (JCPOA) by U.S. President Donald Trump and the reimposition of harsh U.S. sanctions that have crippled Iran's economy.

Raz Zimmt, an Iran analyst at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) in Tel Aviv, suggested that the incident at Natanz could reflect Israeli concern about Iran's expansion of its nuclear activities beyond the limit set in the nuclear deal, which Israel opposed.

"Not only that Iran still refuses to return to negotiations, but it has withdrawn from its commitments to the JCPOA shortening the breakout time considerably," he said in a reference to the period needed to amass enough weapons-grade uranium to arm a nuclear weapon.

"Under those circumstances, and especially considering the possibility that it would be difficult to go back to the JCPOA whether Trump wins the U.S. elections [in November] or [Democratic challenger] Joe Biden [does], Israel is back in the dilemma of either to allow Iran to continue advancing its nuclear program up to a short distance from a breakout capability or to use covert operations, or even a military option in the future, in order to delay Iran's nuclear program," Zimmt said.

Tehran's Dilemma

Any sabotage targeting Natanz, if conducted by Israel, could pose a dilemma for Tehran on how to respond. Admitting an Israeli role could be interpreted as showing that Tehran was unable to prevent such an attack and would also likely suggest a need for retaliation, which could in turn prompt Israeli action.

"The reason why authorities are not ready to point their fingers at Israel is that they would then be forced to react -- at least at the same level, which would be very difficult, and it would result in Israeli retaliation," said former Iranian diplomat Hossein Alizadeh, who thinks Tehran's "cautious" reaction appears to confirm the assessment that Natanz was targeted by a foreign power.

Speaking on July 7, Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei suggested that reports claiming an Israeli role in the destruction at Natanz were part of a "psychological war" against his country.

"The Israeli regime should be aware that creating a norm-breaking narrative on any attack against our nuclear facilities, even if it is only propaganda, is considered as stepping in the path of violating red lines of global peace and security," Rabiei was quoted as saying by the semiofficial Mehr news agency.

Suspicious Incidents

The fire at the Natanz facility follows several other suspicious incidents, including a June 25 explosion at a gas-storage facility near a military base east of Tehran.

That has led to speculation about a possible Israeli or U.S. effort to destabilize Iran's clerical establishment, which is already under intense pressure due to sanctions, growing public discontent, and a coronavirus outbreak that has killed more than 12,000 Iranians and infected nearly 250,000, according to official figures that are thought to be a significant underreporting.

Analyst Zimmt, meanwhile, warned of the danger of speculating about connections between such events.

"It is inevitable that some of the incidents are also related to infrastructure problems due to the difficult economic situation or mismanagement," he said.

Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/iran- natanz-fire-suspicions-foreign- hand-nuclear/30715741.html

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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In the span of a few hours on Friday, Amazon banned and then unbanned the TikTok video sharing app from employee mobile devices, calling the move a mistake.

The news generated widespread attention for the Chinese-owned social media platform coming the same week US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States was "certainly looking at" banning TikTok, suggesting it shared information with the Chinese government.

It was not immediately clear what led to the initial ban by Amazon. One person familiar with the matter said senior Amazon executives were unaware of the request to delete TikTok from employee devices. The ban was reversed after TikTok and Amazon representatives discussed the matter, according to an email sent to TikTok employees.

Earlier this week, Wells Fargo sent a note to employees who had installed TikTok on company-owned mobile devices telling them to remove the app immediately.
The nose cone containing the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover sits atop a motorized payload transporter at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on July 7, 2020. Credit: NASA/KSC

NASA's Perseverance Mars rover has been attached to the top of the rocket that will send it toward the Red Planet this summer. Encased in the nose cone that will protect it during launch, the rover and the rest of the Mars 2020 spacecraftthe aeroshell, cruise stage, and descent stagewere affixed to a United Launch Alliance Atlas V booster on Tuesday, July 7, at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Central Florida.

The process began when a 60-ton hoist on the roof of the Vertical Integration Facility at Space Launch Complex 41 lifted the nose cone, otherwise known as the payload fairing, 129 feet (39 meters) to the top of the waiting rocket. There, engineers made the physical and electrical connections that will remain between booster and spacecraft until about 50 to 60 minutes after launch, when the two are pyrotechnically separated and Perseverance is on its way.

"I have seen my fair share of spacecraft being lifted onto rockets," said John McNamee, project manager for the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. "But this one is special because there are so many people who contributed to this moment. To each one of them I want to say, we got here together, and we'll make it to Mars the same way."

With the mating of spacecraft and booster complete, the final testing of the two (separately and as one unit) will be underway. Then two days before the July 30 launch, the Atlas V will leave the Vertical Integration Facility for good. Traveling by rail, it will cover the 1,800 feet (550 meters) to the launch pad in about 40 minutes. From there, Perseverance has about seven months and 290 million miles (467 million kilometers) to go before arriving at Mars.

The Launch Period

A crane stands at the ready to hoist the payload fairing, or nose cone, containing NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance rover onto the top of an Atlas V launch vehicle. The image was taken at the Vertical Integration Facility at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on July 7, 2020. Credit: NASA/KSC

NASA and United Launch Alliance recently updated the mission's launch periodthe range of days the rocket can launch in order to reach Mars. It now spans from July 30 to Aug. 15.

The launch period opening changed from July 17 to 30 due to launch vehicle processing delays in preparation for spacecraft mate operations. Four days were also added to the previously designated Aug. 11 end of the launch period. NASA and United Launch Alliance Flight Teams were able to provide those extra days after final weights of both the spacecraft and launch vehicle became available, allowing them to more accurately calculate the propellant available to get Perseverance on its way.

No matter what day Perseverance lifts off during its July 30 to Aug. 15 launch period, it will land in Mars' Jezero Crater on Feb. 18, 2021. Targeting landing for one specific date and time helps mission planners better understand lighting and temperature at the landing site, as well as the location of Mars-orbiting satellites tasked with recording and relaying spacecraft data during its descent and landing.

More About the Mission

Managed by JPL, the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover's astrobiology mission will search for signs of ancient microbial life. It will also characterize the planet's climate and geology, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first planetary mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith (broken rock and dust). Subsequent missions, currently under consideration by NASA in cooperation with the European Space Agency, would send spacecraft to Mars to collect these cached samples from the surface and return them to Earth for in-depth analysis.

The Mars 2020 mission is part of a larger program that includes missions to the Moon as a way to prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet. Charged with returning astronauts to the Moon by 2024, NASA will establish a sustained human presence on and around the Moon by 2028 through NASA's Artemis lunar exploration plans.

Explore further NASA's Perseverance rover spacecraft put in launch configuration

More information: For more information about the mission, see For more information about the mission, see mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/
An unusual but necessary and apt (given the times) activity has emerged the source of the most work in the Garib Kalyan Rojgar Yojna, the ambitious jobs-for-migrants scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 20 -- the laying of optic fibre cables.

In the three weeks since its launch, the government has spent 6,000 crore on the scheme on which it plans to spend a total of 50,000 crore in 125 days, providing jobs to millions of daily wage workers who returned to homes in the Indian hinterland from cities in the wake of the coronavirus disease and the lockdown imposed to slow its spread.

A total of 59.8 million days of work has been created across a bouquet of 25 schemesclubbed to create the programmein the three weeks, indicating, according to government officials who asked not to be named, the demand for work in rural areas.

Of this, laying optic fibre cables generated the most work, and accounted for 93,390 activities (or work lots) according to government data. Details of how many man days this translated into were not immediately available. construction of houses for rural poor, which got off to a slow start, accounted for 64,756 activities. This comes at a time when a lot of daily activities have moved online, even in rural India, in the wake the coronavirus disease.

The government estimates that at least 7.5 million migrant workers returned home due to the pandemic and the national lockdown. Policymakers scrambled to tweak plans and resources as rural India saw heavy demand for work while construction in some urban centres faced paucity of labourers.

Demand for work under the goverments flagship rural guarantee scheme has soared. According to government data, 67.2 million individuals have already worked and 227,000 households have completed their entire quota of 100 days of work.

The Garib Kalyan Rojgar Yojna was crafted last month to offer work to migrant labourers and, at the same time, focusing on key priorities. With around 60% of the workers having worked in the construction sector -- the government conducted a large survey to assess this -- the scheme was heavily loaded with similar opportunities.

Interestingly, the data shows that two flagship schemes the Jal Jeevan mission and Urja Ganga, are yet to generate any work. While the Jal Jeevan mission aims to supply water to all houses, Urja Ganga aims to buid a piped network of cooking gas.

The Garib Kalyan Rojgar Yojna and MGNREGA are the two major sources of jobs in rural India at this point in time. Together, they have a budget of 2 lakh crore .

Former rural development secretary Jugal Kishore Mohapatra said, The rozgar scheme was envisaged to help migrant workers get livelihood in this crisis period. It is helpful but the ground reports suggest that many migrant workers are going back to their old workstations in cities and many of them are unwilling to take up hard manual work in rural areas. So, we may see a lot of existing workforce in villages taking up some of these works.

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VANCOUVERReputed gang leader Jamie Bacon pleaded guilty Thursday to a charge stemming from shootings in 2007 that left six people dead at a highrise apartment building in Surrey, B.C.

Bacon pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to murder Corey Lal in the so-called Surrey Six case.

He also pleaded guilty to one count of counselling to commit murder in a separate case involving the shooting of a man who survived an attack on Dec. 31, 2008.

Sentencing has been tentatively scheduled for July 23, when victim impact statements will be heard by the court.

Court heard a joint sentencing submission that includes 18 years for conspiracy to murder and 10 years for counselling to commit murder to be served concurrently.

Outside court, defence lawyer Kevin Westell said if the sentencing submission is accepted, Bacon is looking at an additional five to six years in prison after time served is taken into account.

This has been a long, deliberative process of coming to the right agreement with the Crown, he said. Weve come to a resolution thats principled and thats appropriate from all sides.

Bacon was also charged with one count of first-degree murder in the Surrey Six case, but only pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge as part of a plea deal. Court heard the murder charge will be stayed at the sentencing hearing.

Police have said four of the victims were targeted, but Chris Mohan, who lived on the floor where the killings occurred, and Ed Schellenberg, a maintenance worker, were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Eileen Mohan said outside court that she would like to see Bacon serve at least 12 years for his part in the Surrey Six case.

It breaks my heart, she said when asked about the possibility Bacon could be free in five or six years.

This crime came to my doorstep. We didnt go to it, and this crime dictated my sons life that hes buried and dead now, and its dictating our lives for the last 13 years. That has to be considered.

Mohan said she will deliver a victim impact statement in person at the sentencing hearing.

I will have my day in court with him, she said.

Six peoples lives meant something to this country and to the laws of Canada.

Its yet to be determined whether Bacon will appear at the sentencing in person or via video link due to restrictions aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19.

In court documents, the Crown alleges that at the time of the murders, Bacon was a leader of the Red Scorpions gang.

The officer in charge of the investigation previously told the court it was one of the largest and most complex investigations that police have undertaken in the province. By November 2016, about 1,300 officers had been involved in the investigation.

In 2014, two men were convicted of six counts of first-degree murder in the Surrey Six case.

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A TOTAL of 226 women living in Limerick had an abortion in Ireland last year, new figures reveal.

According to the first Annual Report on the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018, a total of 6,666 terminations were carried out in Ireland in 2019.

The report states that the number of terminations notified by women who listed Limerick as their place of residence was 226.

The figures relate to terminations of pregnancy carried out between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2019.

Following the release of the report on Tuesday of last week up to 70 people of all ages gathered in Limerick city centre on Saturday for Rally for Life organised by Limericks pro-life movement. It was one of a number of such gatherings nationwide at the weekend.

The participants stood at both sides of OConnell Street holding pro-life banners.

One of those in attendance was Michael Ryan who was a candidate for Aontu in the Limerick City Constituency in both the 2019 local elections and this years general election. It was his first time attending a pro-life rally.

The publication earlier last week of the government figures on abortion last year in our Republic - 6,666 abortions - left me stunned and completely saddened. I, and Im sure the other attendees, needed to express our abhorrence of these figures in some way - to do what the rally said on the tin- to stand up for the right to life of all and to give some witness, without judgement or recrimination, that there are people everywhere who care what happens to the unborn, he said.

Mr Ryan who lives in Pallasgreen is the principal of Our Lady Queen of Peace primary school in Janesboro in the city.

All of us who share these troubling concerns, and perhaps especially those who aspire to a role in political life, must be prepared to grasp this stinging nettle, to discuss hard truths with those who do not share our views, to consider partial solutions we might not have contemplated in the past, and to engage fully in creating a society whose members will only want to embrace new life. Nobody can claim the high moral ground on this or any other matter, he said.

Meanwhile, Amnesty Ireland has welcomed that women and girls were able to receive abortion care within Ireland's health system.

In a statement, it said that to go from a country that exiled women seeking abortions two years ago, to one that is now caring for them at home, is an important step forward.

On May 25, 2018, the Referendum on the Thirty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution Bill (concerning regulation of termination of pregnancy) was held. The referendum passed, with 66.4% in favour to 33.6% against.

The main purpose of the Act of 2018 is to set out the law governing access to termination of pregnancy in Ireland. It permits termination to be carried out in cases where there is a risk to the life, or of serious harm to the health, of the pregnant woman, including in an emergency; where there is a condition present which is likely to lead to the death of the foetus either before or within 28 days of birth; and without restriction up to 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Until 2018, the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013 regulated access to lawful termination of pregnancy in Ireland. Under that legislation, a termination of pregnancy could only be carried out to avert a real and substantial risk to the life of the pregnant woman.

Of the 6,666 abortions carried out in Ireland last year, 6,542 terminations took place in early pregnancy while 100 terminations were due to a condition likely to lead to the death of a foetus.

Twenty-one terminations were carried out under section 9 of the Act - where there is a serious risk to the life or of serious harm to the health of a pregnant woman.

The remaining three were carried out under section 10, where there is risk to life or health of the pregnant woman in an emergency.

The report shows there were 73 terminations notified by women living in Clare, 606 by women living in Cork, 174 by women living in Tipperary and 48 terminations notified by women living in Kerry.

The highest number of terminations - 625 - took place in January 2019.

The next highest was 602 in July of last year, followed by 592 in December and 580 in May of last year.

The Pro Life Campaign said that when the figure of 6,666 abortions is added to the 375 abortions carried out on women from Ireland who travelled to England during the same period, the figure amounts to 7,041 in total.
Ukraine and the Republic of Turkey will soon start practical implementation of an agreement on military and financial cooperation.

Defense Minister Andriy Taran stated this at a joint briefing with Minister of National Defense of the Republic of Turkey Hulusi Akar, who is in Ukraine on an official visit, the press service of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry reports.

In the near future, we will begin practical implementation of the agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of the Republic of Turkey on military and financial cooperation. This agreement has a real financial dimension and will facilitate the planned transformations, Taran said.

The parties have discussed the priorities of bilateral defense cooperation and the issue of Euro-Atlantic integration in the context of the importance of using new instruments of defense and military cooperation that Ukraine has achieved as NATO Enhanced Opportunities Partner.

According to Taran, the agreements will help strengthen the defense capabilities of the two countries, increase the operational and combat capabilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and guarantee peace in the Azov-Black Sea region.

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Much of the scientific understanding of how the coronavirus affects children is provisional. A study by researchers in the United Kingdom published last month found that children are only about half as likely as adults to become infected with the virus. Another study, from the University of California at Berkeley, did not see any significant effect on the community spread of coronavirus from the closing of schools in March.
Lori Ciesla has maintained a strong lead over Ted Tomaszewski in the race for Republican nominee for Warren County freeholder.

But she wasn't ready to declare victory Friday, three days after Election Day.

"I haven't yet, just because I'm a numbers person," Ciesla told lehighvalleylive.com.

What the numbers show is that as of Thursday afternoon, 7,006 ballots had been counted. But, she said, Warren County sent out about 29,000 Republican ballots. For historical perspective, 13,274 Republicans cast ballots in the last presidential primary election, in June 2016.

Warren County Clerk Holly Mackey said the 2020 primary results won't be official until July 24.

Her office can't begin to count provisional ballots cast at the polls until after the July 14 deadline to receive mail-in ballots that were postmarked by the date of the election, July 7. The county elections board then has to approve or reject the provisional ballots to ensure no one cast one of them in addition to sending in a mail-in ballot.

Voters whose mail-in ballots were rejected because of discrepancies over their signature also have until July 23 to file a challenge, Mackey said.

As of Thursdays update on the count at warrencountyvotes.com, Ciesla drew 84.5% of the vote over Tomaszewski.

"It's so up in the air," Ciesla said Friday, noting: "The math is with me."

Tomaszewski could not be reached immediately for comment Friday afternoon. Ciesla said she hadn't heard from him.

If the ratios hold out and Ciesla declares victory, she said she would post an announcement on her campaign Facebook page, Lori Ciesla for Freeholder.

Ciesla, of Lopatcong Township, and Tomaszewski, of Mansfield Township, ran to succeed Freeholder Director Richard Gardner. The primary winner will face Blairstown Township resident Steven J. Hamburger in the Nov. 3 general election. Hamburger did not have an opponent on the Democratic ballot Tuesday. Gardner did not seek a seventh three-year term.

At the municipal level, Warren County has some contested primary races with razor-thin margins as the count continues. Among them is the Republican primary for Washington mayor, with Dale Parichuk and David Higgins separated by eight votes as of Thursday. The boroughs council race among Republicans is also close, as is the GOP primary for White Township Committee.

In addition to the countys website, the countys numbers are being input as they are released into searchable results at lehighvalleylive.com/elections.

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

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com.
By Andy Sullivan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats vowed to keep up their fight to get access to President Donald Trump's finances after the U.S. Supreme Court denied their request to see them but ruled they must be shared with a New York criminal investigation

By Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats vowed to keep up their fight to get access to President Donald Trump's finances after the U.S. Supreme Court denied their request to see them but ruled they must be shared with a New York criminal investigation.

The decision means voters almost certainly will not see Trump's tax returns and other documents before the Nov. 3 election, when he will try to win a second four-year term. But Democratic leaders said they would continue their efforts to make that information public.

"No matter how much he wishes it to be true, President Trump is not king," Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement. "The Supreme Court today upheld a fundamental tenet of our democracy that no one is above the law."

Unlike other recent presidents, Trump has refused to disclose materials that would shed light on the scope of his wealth and his family-run real estate business.

The Supreme Court ruled that a New York prosecutor can get Trump's financial records, but prevented, at least for now, the Democratic-led House of Representatives from obtaining similar documents. That case will continue in lower courts.

Trump himself did not take the ruling as something to celebrate.

"Now I have to keep fighting in a politically corrupt New York. Not fair to this Presidency or Administration!" Trump wrote on Twitter.

Trump's lawyer Jay Sekulow said the battle was not over.

"We will now proceed to raise additional Constitutional and legal issues in the lower courts," Sekulow said in a prepared statement.

Trump's lawyers had argued that U.S. presidents are immune from criminal proceedings while in office. But he could face legal exposure if he is defeated in November and leaves office in January 2021. Opinion polls show Trump trailing his likely Democratic rival, former Vice President Joe Biden.

House Democrats have been examining whether Trump's business dealings involved money laundering or left him vulnerable to foreign influence. Several said they were disappointed that the Supreme Court did not give them immediate access to his finances but predicted they would succeed in the long run.

"I am confident our Committee ultimately will prevail," House Oversight Committee chair Carolyn Maloney said in a statement.

Trump's Republican allies said both investigations are motivated by partisan politics.

"It seems much more political than anything else," House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy said at a news conference.

(Reporting by Andy Sullivan; Additional reporting by Karen Freifeld, David Morgan, Mark Hosenball and Susan Cornwell; Editing by Scott Malone and Alistair Bell)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
PRE-TAX losses continued to mount last year at the Irish arm of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp social media intelligence and news agency Storyful.

Former RTE 'Primetime' presenter Mark Little set up the company in 2010. He and the company's other investors sold it to News Corp for 18m in December 2013.

Accounts show the company recorded pre-tax losses of 8.87m in the 12 months to the end of June 2019 following pre-tax losses of 9m in the previous financial year.

The company's revenues declined 21pc from 8.32m to 6.54m last year.

Directors attributed the drop "due to the geographical movement of some contracts to other group undertakings".

They stressed that the figures relate to Storyful's Irish unit, Storyful Ltd, and not all of Storyful's global revenues are included. They said Storyful Ltd was expanding services for media, brands and social platforms and made investments in its product and technology departments.

The directors said they have considered the losses to date and are satisfied that appropriate measures have been taken to promote profitability.

They said the funding provided by the shareholder is sufficient to enable the company to meet its obligations as they fall due.

News Corp ploughed another 4m into the business last November and this followed a cumulative investment of 35.26m over the previous three years.

The further investment last year resulted in shareholder funds of 5.78m at the end of June 2019.

On the business impact of Covid-19, the directors state that there has been no significant impact on the company's revenues. They state that in May this year, the commercial services provided out of the company's Sydney offices had ceased, incurring a cost of 206,206.

The company incurred restructuring costs of 169,587 last year with the termination of its Hong Kong operations.

Numbers employed by Storyful last year declined by 14 to 124. Numbers in its editorial department fell by 19 to 59.

However, employees in sales and marketing increased by two to 11, by two to 35 in technology and development, and by one to 19 in general and administration.

The loss last year takes account of non-cash depreciation costs of 308,078, and non-cash amortisation of intangible assets of 1.38m. Directors' pay rose 56pc to 493,896.
(Newser)  Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein weren't so close, her lawyers have told a New York court. In fact, the longtime companions had no contact for at least the last decade of Epstein's life, a court filing Thursday maintains. Maxwell's lawyers made the statement in asking a judge to free her on $5 million bond while she awaits trial, the New York Times reports. Prosecutors say Maxwell, 58, helped Epstein recruit, groom and sexually abuse girls for years, but her lawyers told the court that not only does she deny the charges, "Ghislaine Maxwell is not Jeffrey Epstein." The filing was Maxwell's first significant response to the charges she faces. Epstein died in his New York cell before his trial could begin.

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Maxwell was arrested last week in New Hampshire. Prosecutors said she had "effectively been in hiding" since Epstein was arrested in July 2019, per CNN, and "poses an extreme risk of flight." Her lawyers contested that, pointing out that Maxwell has lived in the US since 1991 and hadn't left since Epstein was arrested, though she knew she was under criminal investigation. In fact, the lawyers say, Maxwell wasn't hiding and was in contact with the prosecutors all along. A spokesman for the US Attorney's office in Manhattan would not comment on that contention. Maxwell is due in court Tuesday on her request to be released until trial. (Read more Ghislaine Maxwell stories.)
Candidates begin to file nominating petitions as election year kicks off

Two local petitions have already been filed for local seats up for election in 2022.
The shareholders of Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc (DSR) have endorsed the formal takeover of Savannah Sugar Company Ltd (SSCL).

This, they say, is in a bid to enhance production capacity and further increase their market share.

According to a statement by a spokesperson of the conglomerate, the shareholders of DSR during their Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM), voted in favour of the merger of the two company as the sub-Saharan Africas largest sugar refining firm embarked on the next stage of its backward integration plan to revolutionized the sugar sub-sector of the nations economy.

DSR had earlier announced plans to merge with SSCL through a disclosure notice sent to the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

It said, at the time, that the decision would be subject to the approval of both companies shareholders, adding that further announcements on the transaction would be provided to the market

In its new declaration, the Chairman of the company, Aliko Dangote, said the DSR, a top tier player in the industry with installed capacity to produce 1.44 million metric tons per annum will be leveraging on the savannah sugars sugarcane production capacity to enhance its production capacity.

According to him, Savannah Sugar has 32,000 hectares of land available for cultivation of sugar cane as well as milling capacity of 50,000 tonnes of sugar per annum and that upon the merger, further investments would be made to increase SSCL land under cultivation.

Mr Dangote explained that the DSR board considered the merger as fair and reasonable and believed that it would provide strategic opportunities and benefits for the company, employees, and other concerned parties, as the new company would be operating from the position of increased access to capital and then higher profitability.

He listed some of the benefits of the merger as being to consolidate the assets, intellectual property rights, operations, and business dealings of the SSCL into the DSR; eliminate cost inefficiencies arising from duplication of resources and processes and improve the efficiency through more focused management of resources and position it as the biggest integrated sugar producer in Nigeria.

Mr Dangote explained that necessary approvals have been given by all concerned regulatory authorities and that the merger would positively alter the sugar sectorial landscape as the federal governments backward integration policy would be better implemented by the company.

Earlier, during AGM of the company, a shareholder rights activist, Nona Awoh reportedly urged the Government to protect the manufacturing sector through incentives and promotional policies.

He specifically asked the government to secure the borders in order to deter smugglers who flood the market with inferior goods at lower prices, therefore, strangulating the manufacturing sector.

Mr Awoh also asked Dangote Sugar to liaise with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and NECA to form a pressure group that should engage the government to increase efforts in curbing smuggling.

He appreciated that he was chosen to represent other shareholders at the AGM where attendance and participation were restricted because of the COVID-19 guidelines.

In his reaction, the shareholder activist, Sunny Nwosu, urged Dangote Sugar to increase local production by setting more sugar plantations so as to make Nigeria sufficient in sugar production.

He said that Dangote has achieved this feat in cement which has made Nigeria a net exporter of cement adding that it is possible to replicate the same in sugar production.

Mr Nwosu was particular that management should increase production volume now that the borders are shut and develop export capabilities to increase sales and profit.

Another shareholder representative, Bisi Bakare, tasked the management of the sugar refinery to put more efforts to make more profits which would result in more dividends.

Responding to this, DSR said that the future of the business is in growing more sugar locally as to hedge from the fluctuations in foreign exchange. Growing more sugar locally means removing the need for the import of raw sugar for refining.

He said that the backward integration which is still ongoing has seen the establishments of many sugar plantations across Nigeria. We will try to meet the domestic demand for sugar from local production.

The company posted a group turnover of N161.1 billion, a 7.1 percent increase over N150.4 billion in 2018, a profit before tax (PBT) of N29.8 billion, profit after tax (PAT) of N22.4 billion.
Students at Tulane University in New Orleans now risk being suspended or even expelled if they are caught gathering in groups of 15 people or more as the famous party school tries to crack down on coronavirus spread.

University officials were angered after the July 4 weekend when students hosted large pool parties and social gatherings despite warnings against super spreader events.

The parties was plastered all over social media showing no social distancing and many students not wearing masks in what the university called 'indefensible and truly shameful' behavior.

In an email to all students Wednesday, Dean of Students Erica Woodley branded their actions 'disrespectful, selfish and dangerous' as the university but measures in place to prevent it from happening in the future.

Tulane University will suspend or expel students found gathering in groups of 15 people or more after the Dean of Students condemned 'shameful' behavior over the July 4 weekend

It comes as city leaders raise concerns that new coronavirus cases among young people may force New Orleans to backtrack on reopening.

Woodley warned students that if they return for the Fall semester no large gatherings of 15 people or more can be held and masks must be worn in public spaces as well as social distancing maintained.

'Do not host parties or gatherings with more than 15 people, including the host. If you do, you will face suspension or expulsion from the University,' she cautioned.

'There is no room for error here. Peoples lives depend on your adherence to these rules. They arent just nameless, faceless people  they are our people.

'Do you really want to be the reason that Tulane and New Orleans have to shut down again?' Woodley asked.

Tulane, which is ranked among the top five party schools in the country, had planned to reopen for the new academic year and allow students to return to campus from August 1.

'The calculation is simple - If you want to have a residential experience at Tulane in the fall, you have to behave differently,' the dean wrote.

The university called students to hold each other accountable and shared a link to an online reporting system where they can tell school officials if there are large gatherings being hosted.

Students were also encouraged to call the Tulsa police.

Dean of Students Erica Woodley emailed all students on Wednesday warning them that holding parties was 'disrespectful, selfish and dangerous' to the community

Tulane is known for is raucous parties. Pictured is video of a party from early 2020

'You know Im not happy, but its a smart idea,' senior Henry Eckhouse told Fox 8.

'Bunch of instances of people calling each other out on social media so the school had to take action.

I would say 80% of the people I talk to you say yeah that makes sense, I think a lot of people are thinking the same thing as me, its like wed rather not be the case but it makes sense.'

The emails was sent Wednesday as New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell announced new restrictions on restaurants and bars despite reopening after a July 4 weekend that saw more than 100 complaints about gatherings.

Mayor Cantrell praised the university's quick action and said she is 'hoping that other institutions will follow so there will be a unified message'.

New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell praised the school for its swift actions

Sarah Babcock, director of policy and emergency preparedness for the New Orleans Health Department, added that she is 'proud to have local universities taking our guidelines seriously and partnering with us to slow the spread of Covid-19 in our community'.

'A lot of our students live off-campus in apartments, they are living in the community with other people, and their actions have consequences for our entire community. That includes bartenders and service industry employees that they may be around,' she added.

The city's health experts are now warn that if community spread continues at its current rate, New Orelans phases moving back its reopening.

'Since entering Phase Two, and predominantly since reopening bars in New Orleans a few weeks ago, we have seen an increase in the number of large parties and gatherings taking place,' Babcock told CNN.

'These events have been particularly attended by young people, and that seems to be correlating with large percentages of people age 18 to 29 who are testing positive for Covid-19 in both New Orleans and across Louisiana.'

She added that there had been 100 large-gathering complaints and 169 business complaints over the holiday weekend.

As a result, Mayor Cantrell had introduced the new measures from July 11 which rule indoor seating will be limited to 25 patrons and that bar service will be prohibited.

New daily coronavirus cases in Orleans are beginning to spike after it reopened

Daily deaths in Orleans have remained low since the peak of the outbreak in early April

In a press conference announcing the measures Wednesday, New Orleans Health Department Director Dr. Jennifer Avegno revealed that it is people under 24 who are recently testing positive at higher rate.

'We are currently looking at our hospitalization rate because the number of young people being hospitalized in New Orleans is starting to increase,' Babcok added.

After seeing a first peak in early April, new coronavirus cases in New Orleans are beginning to spike once more.

There were 57 news cases on Thursday which is still well below the peak of 878 new cases on April 2.

There are 71,994 coronavirus cases in Louisiana and there have been 3,247 deaths.

Orleans parish is among the worst hit in the state, alongside neighboring Jefferson parish. It has 8,344 cases and 539 deaths in total.
T he family of a woman killed when a 65ft crane crashed through their east London home have paid tribute to the loving and loyal retired dressmaker.

June Harvey, 85, was sorting clothes upstairs in the terrace house in Bow when the crane plummeted through the roof on Wednesday afternoon.

She was standing just metres from her niece Jacqueline Atkinson, who miraculously escaped with cuts and bruises.

Sam Atkinson, 28, was sleeping on the sofa downstairs and described desperately trying to dig through the rumble to reach his mother Jacqueline and great aunt who were trapped upstairs.

He said: I thought a plane had crashed into the house. There was dust everywhere and the house was crumbling around me. I was trying to get up the stairs and through the rubble but it was impossible.

I was screaming for mum and June but I wasnt getting any response. It was the most frightening moment of my life.

The crane was being used by Swan Housing Association and NU living at a development site in Watts Grove and had been put up the previous day.

Crane collapse in Bow - In pictures 1 /34 Crane collapse in Bow - In pictures Jeremy Selwyn PA Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn Rescue personnel use a dog in the area where a crane collapsed in Bow Reuters Members of the Fire Brigade stand on a platform as they look into the damaged roof of a property in Bow AFP via Getty Images Rescue personnel use a dog in the area where a crane collapsed in Bow Reuters A drone flies over the scene of a damaged roof of a property in Bow AFP via Getty Images Police blocked streets around the scene of the crash Rachael Burford The 20-metre long crane fell onto two houses Rachael Burford The 20-metre long crane fell onto two houses Nathaniel Kelly The 20-metre long crane fell onto two houses London Fire Brigade Emergency services at the scene of the crane collapse in Compton Road Bridget Teirney The 20-metre long crane fell onto two houses PA Emergency services at the scene of the fallen crane PA The London Fire Brigade carried out a 'complex rescue operation' PA The London Fire Brigade carried out a 'complex rescue operation' PA Emergency services at the scene of the crane collapse in Compton Road PA The 20-metre long crane fell onto two houses PA Cordons were in place at the scene of the incident PA Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn

Mr Atkinson managed to get their dog, Teddy, out of the home and then helped neighbours rescue his mum from a first floor window.

But they were unable to find Ms Harvey, who had moved to the house in Compton Close just over a year ago so her niece and great nephews could help look after her.

Rescue crews were still working to retrieve her body from the ruins of the family home on Friday.

Mr Atkinson, a chef in Canary Wharf, said: June was a loving and caring woman. Really loyal and a proud eastender. She was born in Poplar and had lived here all her life, working as a sewing machinist.

"We are all in complete shock. Mum still cant speak. Its a miracle she survived but it is going to take a long time for us all to get over this. We need answers about how this happened. We have lost everything.

The family have launched a GoFundMe page to cover expenses for Ms Harveys funeral.

A joint investigation is underway involving officers from the Mets Central East Command Unit and Specialist Crime, the Health and Safety Executive, and the London Fire Brigade.

At least four other people were injured in the disaster, including a construction worker who remained fighting for life in hospital on Friday.

Detectives have called for anyone with video footage of the crane collapse to come forward.

Tower Hamlets council has helped almost 100 people into temporary accommodation while crew test the structural integrity of homes in the street.

Mayor John Biggs said: Tower Hamlets is a place where construction sites and cranes are a common sight. But I know that some might be feeling differently about them following the terrible events in Bow.

One person dead after crane collapses in east London

We have no reason to believe there are other sites at risk. It is nonetheless vital that all developers and construction companies stay alert and keep their procedures up to date at all times. Today, we have written to all the major developers operating in Tower Hamlets to ask them to review their safety practices and inspections, particularly where they are using cranes or heavy lifting equipment.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Wrigley from Specialist Crime, said: The investigation into how this crane came to collapse is still in its very early stages but I am appealing to the public to assist us in building a picture of how these events unfolded.

I am looking for anyone who witnessed the incident, or the moments prior to the crane collapsing to get in contact.

I am aware that several videos were posted online in the immediate aftermath of this incident  I would appeal to anyone that has footage or images on their mobile phone, or any drivers who may have captured events on dashcam footage, to speak to my team.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the police incident room on 020 8345 3715 or tweet @MetCC.
Dallas, Texas, July 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Smart Railway Market by Device Type (Network & Connectivity Devices, Sensors, Surveillance Cameras, and Others), Solutions (Security and Safety Solutions, Passenger Information System, Rail Networking and Communication System, Rail Analytics, and Others), Services (Managed Services and Professional Services), and by Region, Global Forecast, 2018 to 2025 study provides an elaborative view of historic, present and forecasted market estimates.

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The global smart railway market size is anticipated to reach over USD 39 billion by 2025. In addition, it is expected to exhibit a CAGR of over 14% during the forecast period 2018-2025. Globally the railway networks are getting busier and complex due to the growing population and urbanization. The railway systems have already been using information technologies. However, with the increasing load on trains and growing demand to provide better customer services are the crucial factors generating the need for smart railway solutions.

The existing and future smart railway market developments are defined to define the attractiveness of the market. Key impacting factors highlight the smart railway market opportunities throughout the forecast period. Factors such as the globally increasing government initiatives for PPP working models and smart cities. Also, the growing need for better network connectivity while traveling to enhance customer experience is the key factor boosting the global smart railway market growth. However, the high deployment cost of infrastructures is expected to impede market growth. Furthermore, the advent of autonomous trains is expected to be opportunistic for the market in the forthcoming years.

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The report also highlights numerous aspects of the global smart railway market by evaluating the market through value chain analysis. Besides, the smart railway market report covers various qualitative aspects of the smart railway' industry in market drivers, restraints, and key industry opportunities. Furthermore, the report offers a complete assessment of the market competitiveness along with company profiling of local as well as global vendors.

The smart railway market has strong competition among the pre-established and new emerging players. Also, the smart railway industry players are targeting prospective markets to capture a competitive advantage over the other industry players by forming agreements, mergers & acquisitions, acquiring new startups & other companies, forming collaboration and partnerships, and expanding their business presence.

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Based on the solutions, the market is segmented into security and safety solutions, passenger information systems, rail networking and communication system, rail analytics, and others. The rail networking and communication system segment leads the market growth in 2019 and it is expected to do so throughout the forecast period. The growth of this segment is mainly attributed to the growing demand for mobile internet-based solutions and applications such as passenger infotainment, navigation, smart ticketing, and passenger connectivity. However, the rail analytics segment is anticipated to experience the highest market growth in the forthcoming years.

The European region dominated the overall market in 2019 and it is expected to maintain its position throughout the forecast period 2018-2025. The dominance of this region mainly attributed to the well-established infrastructure in countries such as France, German, UK, and others. However, the Asia-Pacific region is anticipated to see the highest growth throughout the forecast period. Moreover, the North America region will be the second-largest market during the forecast period.

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The major players of the global smart railway market are Cisco, ABB, Siemens, Honeywell, Bombardier, Thales, Toshiba, Fujitsu, IBM, and Hitachi. Moreover, the other potential players in the smart railway market are Advantech, Wabtec, Huawei, Indra, and Alcatel-Lucent. The recognized companies are coming up with innovative and new smart railway solutions. For instance, in April 2019, IBM announced a collaboration with Sund & Blt, an infrastructure company. With this collaboration, Sund & Blt is assisting IBM in its AI-powered IoT solution that is specifically designed to increase the lifespan of aging tunnels, highways, bridges, and railway.

Major points from Table of Contents:

Chapter 1 Introduction

Chapter 2 Research Methodology

Chapter 3 Executive Summary

Chapter 4 Market Outlook

Chapter 5 Smart Railway Market by Device Type

Chapter 6 Smart Railway Market by Solutions

Chapter 7 Smart Railway Market by Services

Chapter 8 Smart Railway Market By Region

Chapter 9 Competitive Landscape

Chapter 10 Company Profiles

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Adroit Market Research is a global business analytics and consulting company incorporated in 2018. Our target audience is a wide range of corporations, manufacturing companies, product/technology development institutions and industry associations that require understanding of a markets size, key trends, participants and future outlook of an industry. We intend to become our clients knowledge partner and provide them with valuable market insights to help create opportunities that increase their revenues. We follow a code Explore, Learn and Transform. At our core, we are curious people who love to identify and understand industry patterns, create an insightful study around our findings and churn out money-making roadmaps.
Infrastructure Minister of Ukraine Vladyslav Kryklii has met with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to Ukraine Toyly Atayev to discuss the possibility of resumption of flights.

"Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine Vladyslav Kryklii held a working meeting with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to Ukraine Toyly Atayev in Kyiv today, on July 10. The parties discussed the possibility of resuming scheduled passenger flights between the two countries and prospects for further cooperation in other areas," the press service of the Ministry of Infrastructure informs.

Kryklii stressed that Ukraine was interested in resuming air services with Turkmenistan and was ready to hold consultations in the video conference format to discuss the issue with the leadership of the Turkmenistan Airlines.

The parties also discussed the possibility of resuming transport links to increase trade between the two countries.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Toyly Atayev stressed that Turkmenistan was interested in cooperation and involvement of Ukrainian companies in restoring economic relations between the two countries.

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Living with the coronavirus until a vaccine is developed will require unprecedented community engagement along with onerous individual sacrifices for the common good, global infectious disease experts said Friday at the first major conference on COVID-19.

International authorities have figured out how to co-exist with the virus and keep it contained. But that takes enormous effort, and many countries  most notably the United States  are flailing, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nations top infectious disease expert.

What we saw before us was the somewhat frightening but nonetheless real emergence of a true global pandemic, said Fauci of the emergence of the new coronavirus in December and January  and the alarmingly explosive increase in cases worldwide.

It just went on and on and got worse and worse. And worse, he said, clicking through slides showing the spread of disease across the globe in his virtual presentation Friday morning. There were responses that were sometimes favorable, in that countries got it under control. But my own country is in the middle, right as we speak, of a very serious problem.

Fauci joined Dr. Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus response coordinator, and other global infectious disease leaders for a panel as part of the International AIDS Societys COVID-19 Conference. The meeting piggybacked on the International AIDS Conference hosted by Bay Area HIV/AIDS leaders and held online this week.

The sessions are free to the public and available online at covid19.aids2020.org. In addition to several panels discussions, several scientific studies are being presented.

In the morning panel, scientists discussed the horrifying speed with which COVID-19 has spread around the world  from just a couple dozen cases when it was first identified in Wuhan, China, at the end of December to more than 12.3 million as of Friday. More than half a million people have died in just over six months.

The United States has borne the largest burden of disease: 3.1 million confirmed cases and more than 133,000 deaths. The nation has particularly struggled to control its outbreak and cases currently are surging, with more than 60,000 new infectious a day.

Birx on Friday shared some of the reports her team looks at daily to assess the state of the pandemic in the United States. Four states  California, Texas, Arizona and Florida  currently account for half of all new cases, she pointed out in her latest summary. Another eight states are reporting more than 1,000 new cases a day.

The percentage of tests coming up positive  a critical marker of how much disease is in the community  is climbing in many states, Birx said. In Texas and Arizona, nearly 20% of all tests are positive. The World Health Organization states that the virus is under control if fewer than 5% of results are positive.

Birx said during the panel that reaching young people is going to be key to controlling the pandemic in the United States, since many of them dont have symptoms but are still able to spread disease.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

When you think of individuals under 30: Potentially up to 80% could be asymptomatic or have mild disease, and asking them to be tested and self-isolate and make sure theyre wearing masks - this is a lot to ask of young people, Birx said. Just like we did with AIDS, when we want to prevent illness and disease we need to go to young generational leaders.

Salim Abdool Karim, director of the Centre for the AIDS Program of Research in South Africa who spoke with Birx and Fauci, said all countries could learn from a community-unifying concept he called ubuntu. It means: I am because we are.

Response to the pandemic first relied on strict, government-ordered shelter-in-place orders, but to live with the virus in the long-term will require individual respect and cooperation, Karim said.

Were asking people to take agency, he said. Its through our collective action that we make a difference.

Erin Allday is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: eallday@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @erinallday
A coronavirus vaccine candidate developed by a unit of Chinas Chongqing Zhifei Biological Products has moved into Phase II human trials, the company said on Friday, less than three weeks after it launched clinical trials.

The firm did not provide details of the trial design or results of the Phase I test of the experimental vaccine, being co-developed by Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biopharmaceutical and the Institute of Microbiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Earlier, the company had estimated Phase I trials would be completed on July 21, with the study results expected on Sept 20.

Shares in Zhifei rose 3.5% on Friday in a flat market.

The vaccine candidate is one of eight treatments Chinese researchers and companies are testing in humans. Nearly 20 vaccines are in different stages of clinical trials globally against the virus that has caused more than half a million deaths.

However, none of them have yet passed large-scale, late-stage phase III clinical trials, a necessary hurdle for entry to the consumer market,

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The COVID-19 pandemic continued to impact crude prices this week.

West Texas Intermediate on the New York Mercantile Exchange gained 93 cents, or 24 percent, Friday to close at $40.55, but below Mondays close of $40.63 a barrel. Fridays increase also did not overcome the $1.28 loss reported Thursday. The posted price ended the week at $37 a barrel.

Natural gas prices on the NYMEX rose 2.6 cents to $1.805 per Mcf Friday, below Mondays close of $1.830 per Mcf.

Prices Friday were boosted by a report from Gilead Sciences that its Remdesivir treatment for COVID-19 cut mortality risk by 62 percent, Bloomberg reported. But the news agency also quoted the International Energy Agency as saying rising cases around the world could derail the markets recovery.

Unfortunately, what goes up must come down, Grant Swartzwelder, pesident and owner of OTA Compression LLC, OTA Environmental and Kimark Systems, told the Reporter-Telegram by email. With companies bringing production back on and the large number of DUCs, the industry can quickly respond to price increases by adding supply. With that supply being added to a very sensitive demand situation, the commodity price can swing more freely and quickly  not a good thing. It sure looks like that will be the case for a while.

Bloomberg said crude has struggled to extend a recent rally as traders weigh fresh outbreaks of the virus. California, Texas and Florida have recorded some of their biggest daily gains in cases and deaths this week. Theres a growing risk that a resurgence will impede efforts to reopen the economy.

While the IEA said demand should rebound sharply over the next three months as economic activity resumes, the agency also warned a flare-up of the virus, which is raging across several U.S. states and re-emerging in Asia, is casting a shadow over the outlook, Bloomberg said.

Even though U.S. oil prices are still down about 34 percent since the start of the year because of coronavirus demand destruction, U.S. crude futures have jumped 113 percent over the past three months on hopes that global economies will snap back as governments lift lockdowns.
Former Air Force base in Gettysburg on market for $4.5 M

A former air force base near Gettysburg is up for sale. The base is listed as having 50 beds and 15 bathrooms on a 42-acre parcel of land.
Even as the world is reeling under the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, new outbreaks -- some of which were seen centuries ago -- continue to emerge. Coronavirus is not even near its end and scientists are already concerned about new epidemics. To put it in short, 2020 just can't seem to catch a break. Coronavirus that broke out in the end of 2019, continues to wreak havoc in many countries. In fact, as per the latest developments, according to scientists, coronavirus could be airborne as well. In an open letter to the WHO, 200 scientists outlined evidence that they say shows floating virus particles can infect people who breathe it.

However, WHO Chief Scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan said, "We don't say it doesn't happen. But it does not mean that since COVID-19 is airborne, it means it is everywhere and nothing can be done. If it was truly airborne like measles, in the sense that it was everywhere, all of us would have been infected by now."

Not only coronavirus, 2020 has seen the emergence and re-emergence of other epidemics. Here's what scientists fear after COVID-19:

Unknown pneumonia: The Chinese embassy in Kazakhstan has issued a warning about an unknown pneumonia that is sweeping through the country. More than 600 people have died of the disease in June. The Chinese embassy issued a warning for its citizens in the country and stated that the unidentified pneumonia has a fatality rate that is much higher than COVID-19. The unknown pneumonia in Kazakhstan has caused 1,772 deaths in the first six months, including 628 deaths in June alone. However, Kazakh media have called it pneumonia and not 'unknown'.

Bubonic plague: A city in Northern China, Bayannur, was put on high alert after a suspected outbreak of Bubonic plague was reported. Authorities in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region announced a Level III warning of plague prevention and control. Local authorities said that the warning period will continue until the end of 2020. "At present, there is a risk of a human plague epidemic spreading in this city. The public should improve its self-protection awareness and ability, and report abnormal health conditions promptly," authorities announced. The Bubonic plague is a bacterial infection that spreads from fleas and rodents. It is a zoonotic plague which means the infection can spread from animals to humans. It has a reproduction rate or RO between 5 and 7.

New swine flu strain: A new strain of H1N1 flu has been detected in China's pig farms, which must be "urgently" contained to prevent another pandemic, warn scientists. Called G4 EA H1N1, the new strain has been common since 2016. According to a study published by National Academy of Sciences, the strain effectively replicates in human airway. While it has only infected some people without causing any disease, there is a possibility of that scenario changing for the worse. The study said that the G4 EA H1N1 has all the makings of a candidate pandemic virus.

Dengue fever: Countries like Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore are witnessing a high number of dengue fever cases. Dr Leong Hoe Nam, a Singapore-based infectious diseases physician at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital, told CNBC, "We are seeing exploding numbers of dengue in South East Asia." Singapore has seen more than 15,500 cases of dengue fever till July 6 and is likely to overtake the previous record of 22,170 cases in 2013. Indonesia reported 68,000 cases of dengue fever till end of June.

Also read: Coronavirus vaccine: Zydus Cadila to complete Phase II in 3 months; Oxford candidate safe for 'low immunity' patients

Also read: Airborne transmission of COVID-19 a possibility, needs urgent research: WHO
AccuWeather forecasters are warning chances of snow and other wintry weather to break out across portions of the eastern United States, just after a winter storm spent the weekend making a mess of places from the Tennessee Valley through the Southeast and up the Eastern Seaboard into New England.
The Ghana Reinsurance Company Limited (Ghana Re) has paid GH9 million to the government as a dividend for the 2019 financial year.



This is in spite of a decline in the company's profit from GH38.63 million in 2018 to GH30.16 million last year, as a result of higher than expected claim payments that affected its profitability.



The Board Chairman of the company, Mr George Otoo, presented the cheque to the shareholders representative, Mr Andrews Kwesi Frimpong, who is also a General Manager of the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA) at the annual general meeting (AGM) of Ghana Re on July 3 in Accra.



Mr Otoo said based on the companys performance in year 2019, the board approved a dividend of GH0.18 per share amounting to GH9.00m to be paid to the shareholder for year 2019.



Financial performance

The insurance firm posted a profit of GH30.16 million last year as against the GH38.63 million in 2018.



The return on equity reduced from 16.9 per cent in 2018 to 11.7 per cent in 2019 while return on assets reduced from 10.5 per cent in 2018 to 7.4 per cent in 2019.



Its shareholder equity grew from GH332.51 million in 2018 to GH365.18 million in 2019. Total assets to total liabilities ratio was 2.7 in 2019 compared to 2.8 in 2018.



As at end of 2019, Mr Otoo said, total investment portfolio across the company represented 64 per cent of total assets of GH585.33 million as against 70.2 per cent in year 2018.



He noted that investment portfolio yielded an average return of eight per cent in year 2019 same as 2018.



Commitment

Mr Otoo said the board of the company was committed to its steady growth and would continue to exercise its oversight mandate to ensure profitability.



He stated that Ghana Re, as part of measures to ensure business continuity and profitability, had activated its business continuity plan and accelerated the companys information technology infrastructure upgrade.



He added that with a good retrocession arrangement and prudent management practices, the company was well positioned to meet its claims and other financial obligations.



Mr Otoo assured the shareholder that, Ghana Re would employ and continually improve on its technical expertise and information technology systems to enhance the turnaround time for service delivery.



The company will also seek to capitalise on its strong financial base and unblemished reputation to increase acceptance of non-traditional insurance products, forge strategic partnerships and position the company in the face of growing competition.



"Ghana Re will continue to re-align its investment portfolio to optimise yield while ensuring adequate liquidity and preservation of capital," he said.



Appreciation



Receiving the cheque, Mr Frimpong expressed the governments gratitude to Ghana Re for the dividend paid to the state through SIGA over the years.



I will take this opportunity to urge SIGA to continue to strive strong and be reliable as well as profitable as always to enhance the dividends paid to the government periodically, he said.

Source: Daily Graphic









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He always said good writing was hard, and it was always about the words. If it flowed effortlessly and sparkled with clever imagery, you could be sure the author worked his/her butt off to produce the effort. Never bore, and inspire some response in the reader.

Those are the words of Denise Carlyon, reflecting on the life and work of her husband Les, who died in 2019. A former editor of The Age, editor-in-chief of the Herald and Weekly Times and much revered among journalists, Les Carlyon applied his philosophy of always about the words in many areas, notably his coverage of horseracing. But perhaps his best-known legacy is his history of the Anzacs in his books Gallipoli and The Great War.

The Australian War Memorial is introducing a history-writing prize named after Les Carlyon. Credit:Paul Jeffers

Its a fitting tribute to Les Carlyon that a new literary award has been set up in his name  one of a number of new prizes to emerge for writers who might have produced anything from a scholarly military history to a racy historical novel to a short, sharp Agatha Christie-style tale of a body in a library.

There has possibly never been such a tough time for Australian writers as the pandemic present, when such government support for the arts as there is concentrates on the performance arts, and its harder than ever to raise funding from private sponsors. Youd expect literary awards to drop off the radar, simply as a way of cutting costs.
Celebrity homes are usually temples of opulence with a piece de resistance.

John Travoltas front yard has an airstrip suitable for Boeing. Lady Gaga has a bowling alley. Michael Jordan has an infinity pool with floating grass island. Paris Hiltons $300,000 doghouse is bigger than my semi. Celine Dion once had a water park with twin slides. Kim Kardashian has a walk-in fridge.

Imagine getting lost while searching for mayo.

But there are exceptions to every rule. Some celebrities are so down to earth, they do not covet a spire in the sky. Some are so comfortable in their own skin, they do not yearn for a petting zoo. Some are free spirits who feel no urge to flaunt the trappings of material excess, especially during a pandemic.

Why, some have no problem using a bathroom that would make a hobo gag.

Demi Moore has a new podcast, Dirty Diana. The six-part scripted drama is described as a show for all of us who are craving connection and searching for a new kind of erotica. If thats your thing, you weirdo, the podcast starts Monday.

To plug the project, Moore recently shared two photos on Instagram. And now Im finding it hard to care about this fictional Diana. Im too distracted by the real Dirty Demi.

In the snaps, Moore is wearing headphones and army boots. She is plopped on a shabby, floral-print sofa unfit for the Queens servants. Based on the MacBook and tablet script display, this is her podcasting studio. But hang on. A few feet away, in the background, is that a toilet? Does this lavatory have wall-to-wall shag carpeting, circa 1976, in the shade of excrement? Is the faucet cabinet cluttered with products and creepy dolls and what appears to be a plastic severed hand holding a sun hat?

Or is that a mushroom lamp? All I know is the serial killer vibe is strong.

But not as strong as the gross energy.

Broadloom in the restroom? Thats not retro decor  its a germ factory. A life-sized Joan of Arc statue staring down as you soak in the tub? Thats just spooky. Why does this bathroom have a door to the outside? Why is there a toy monkey squished into the tacky bricks? And when Bruce Willis was in lockdown with his ex a few months back, did he sit on that toilet and talk to that plush simian?

The train is leaving the station. Yippee-ki-yay, little monkey.

This is not a place to do your business  its the stuff of nightmares and cognitive dissonance.

Live and let live, thats my motto. But today Im changing it to: MAKE A DECISION. Dirty Demi? Make a decision: living room or bathroom? It cant be both because thats disgusting. Look at yourself. Youre wearing cropped overalls and podcasting with a beaming smile a few feet away from where someone just did No. 2. Do you think Bill Gates built Microsoft with his elbow on a urinal? How are we supposed to listen to Dirty Diana when we know it rumbled to life inside a biohazard lab?

Did Ashton Kutcher get all of the interior design books and ceramic tile in the divorce? Are your dining chairs bidets? Are your bookshelves lined with Charmin? Do you sleep in a shower stall? Does the family room have a beach towel nailed to the wall instead of a flat-screen TV?

Now that Netflix has rebooted Unsolved Mysteries, it should investigate these photos.

Dirty Demi is podcasting from a carpeted washroom. Thats like woodworking in the kitchen or doing jumping jacks on the roof. Am I overreacting? Probably! But Im a germaphobe smack dab in the middle of a pandemic and seeing dated upholstery hug the base of a crapper is giving me the heebie-jeebies. You know what else? On the sink, I see a tube of moisturizer. I see a bottle of alkaline artesian water imported from New Zealand. BUT I DONT SEE ANY SOAP!

I swear to God, if I knew Moores address in Idaho, Id board a plane in my haz-mat suit and go rescue that MacBook, perched on a makeshift basket stand atop a rustic coffee table in the haze of a million filthy microbes. Poor laptop. Then Id line Moore and her daughters against the garage and hose them down with Purell. Then Id board up that podcasting loo and put a Porta Potty in the driveway.

You maniacs need to stop relieving yourselves in a lounge latrine!

Oh, Dirty Demi. Dirty, Dirty Demi. I had a teenage crush on you after watching Ghost.

Now all I feel is middle-aged queasy.

Forget about a new kind of erotica  you should be searching for an old kind of sanitary.
China-Europe freight trains record 36% surge in trips

From:ChinaDaily | 2020-07-10 14:21

The number of China-Europe freight trains has registered a significant increase in the first half of this year as freight trains continue to play a vital role in maintaining global supply chain amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the country's railway operator.

The freight trips between China and Europe rose 36 percent year-on-year to 5,122 during the first six months this year, said China State Railway Group on Friday, adding that the figure hit a record monthly high of 1,169 in June.

With maritime and air cargo transport at near-standstill due to the pandemic, China-Europe freight trains have become a more favorable choice and transported a total of 461,000 standard-sized shipping containers between the two regions, up 41 percent from last year, it added.

Since the first train carrying medical supplies departed from the eastern Chinese city of Yiwu, Zhejiang province, on March 21, the China-Europe freight trains have transported 27,000 tons of epidemic prevention materials to European countries by the end of last month.

The company has also worked closely with multiple railway authorities along the route to cut the journey time and improve efficiency, it said.
The incident began when the men gained entry to the home of an elderly woman. One of the men remained with a person at the home while brandishing a firearm, while the other man took a second person to a bank to withdraw money, police said.
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NEW YORK, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of financial markets for over 10,000 U.S. and global securities, today announced Mako Mining Corp. (TSX-V: MKO;OTCQX: MAKOF), a gold mining, development and exploration firm, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market. Mako Mining Corp. upgraded to OTCQX from the OTCQB Venture Market.

Mako Mining Corp. begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol "MAKOF." U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com.

The OTCQX Market is designed for established, investor-focused U.S. and international companies. To qualify for OTCQX, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance, and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws. Graduating to the OTCQX Market from the OTCQB Market marks an important milestone for companies, enabling them to demonstrate their qualifications and build visibility among U.S. investors.

About Mako Mining Corp.

Mako Mining Corp. is a publicly listed gold mining, development and exploration firm. The Company is developing its high-grade San Albino gold project in Nueva Segovia, Nicaragua. Mako's primary objective is to bring San Albino into production quickly and efficiently, while continuing exploration of prospective targets in Nicaragua.

About OTC Markets Group Inc.

OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates the OTCQX Best Market, the OTCQB Venture Market and the Pink Open Market for 10,000 U.S. and global securities. Through OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN, we connect a diverse network of broker-dealers that provide liquidity and execution services. We enable investors to easily trade through the broker of their choice and empower companies to improve the quality of information available for investors.

To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.

OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN are SEC regulated ATSs, operated by OTC Link LLC, member FINRA/SIPC.

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To the Times:

I have been a teacher for 25 years, a span of time where I simply had to ignore the leftist ideology of my colleagues so I could go on and continue drawing a salary. In his book, The Breakdown of Higher Education, John Ellis, Professor Emeritus of the University of California, Santa Cruz, tells us that what we are now seeing is the result of years of indoctrination of our children. Visiting speakers at colleges ask, Why is free speech constantly under threat on the campuses? Why do shout downs and near riots now occur with such regularity? The answer: Higher education has been thoroughly corrupted and diverted from its real purpose. The real problem is way behind the scenes in the classrooms, which the public never sees.

Weve had a very long campaign of converting the universities into one-party campuses. If you go back 50 years, there were three left-of-center professors to two right-of-center professors, which was very consistent with a very healthy debate between the left and the right on campus. But by the end of the century, 1999, a study shows five to one, and another five to six years later, its gone to eight to one, and the current studies being done coming out now, show something like 13 to one. If one then looks to the junior ranks, lets say the recent appointees  assistant professors, associate professors  we find that the ratio there, left to right, is 48 to one. In other words, the hiring being done now is at the rate of about 50 to one, not five to one or eight to one. So youre going to wind up with a complete monoculture within a short period of time. You cant have a serious debate about the issues of the day when one party is missing.

Now, ask why Bernie Sanders says we should have free college and why does he want everybody to go to college? Is it because these have become indoctrination and brainwashing mills with groupthink? The so-called peaceful part of the mostly peaceful protests appear to consist of a lot of college students, probably some college professors, probably some members of the NEA and the AFT, as far as I can tell, since schools been out for a very, very long time. You can bet on the fact that most of the almost insane radical left ideas that are floating to the surface in the wider world now come ultimately from the campus, which is so far left and so irrational now that its poisoning the culture. One profession after another is being essentially corrupted.

And we keep funding these institutions. Theres really no oversight and they have massive endowments from corporations and nonprofit organizations. Congress never looks at them. State legislatures never look at them. And they have enormous costs as they keep expanding and getting bigger and bigger. Somebody ought to look in on them from time to time to simply assess for quality of standards and if they are being met. Academia is a very fad and fashion driven place where, if a new politically correct folly arises on one campus, itll spread to the other campuses very rapidly, and there is no competition in the sense that you have a rational institution competing with an irrational institution. They all essentially adopt the same irrationality very quickly. Result: you cannot have a one party system that stays sane. You take one party away, and the other one goes insane for lack of the discipline of having to answer to the arguments of the other. Its precisely the opposition of the one to the other that keeps each one of them within the bounds of reason and sanity, but the ratio of left to right professors increases. The taxpayers keep subsidizing this, the cost of which is an involuntary campaign contribution to the radical left.

Some of the professors actually call themselves Marxist, probably something like a quarter of them, at least in some areas like Sociology, for example, where certainly thats true. Theyll call themselves socialists or activists. But the end result is certainly the majority opinion on campuses now is to remake this society into something it isnt. The radical left has essentially taken over the academic world. It is now a boot camp for political radicalism. It is no longer a place that prepares children for the careers that await them, the lives that are facing them with the mental equipment to face new challenges, to analyze new situations.

A society cant survive very long when its children and grandchildren are taught to hate it. And this has become ubiquitous. You can see it in the media. You can see it in Hollywood. Its almost chic. Its almost the cool thing to do. Its totally poisoned journalism. Its poisoned the teaching in the high schools because the high school teachers are all trained on college campuses, and we (society) need to wake up and decide whether we really want to pay these vast sums of money to support this apparatus.

One has to face the fact that the one party campus is made precisely because those ideas dont stand up to challenge very well. If the radicals allowed a healthy debate on campus, theyd lose. They always lose. So, the only way they can actually win is by shutting out people with other ideas, and thats what theyre doing. And the public has to throw off the spell created by the great names of Harvard and Columbia and face the fact that thats the past. The present is quite different.

Joseph B. Previty, Aston
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 22:26:48|Editor: huaxia

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DAMASCUS, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Battles between the Syrian army and the Islamic State (IS) group renewed on Friday in the desert region in the eastern part of the country, a war monitor reported.

The battles renewed in the town of Sukhneh in the remote eastern countryside of Homs province near the administrative border of the eastern province of Deir al-Zour, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The Britain-based watchdog group said Russian warplanes were raiding the IS positions while the battles were ongoing with no reports on casualties yet.

On July 7, the observatory said the IS militants were launching attacks on the Syrian army positions in a triangle of areas combining countryside areas of Aleppo, Hama, and Raqqa provinces in northern Syria.

It said 601 Syrian and pro-government soldiers have been killed in the battles with IS militants in the desert since March. It added that 256 IS militants have been killed as well.

After losing key areas across the country, the IS now has a presence in the Syrian desert region in the remote eastern countryside of Homs province and Deir al-Zour province. Enditem
Gay rights activists have welcomed news that the Government will lay regulations next week that will permit same-sex religious marriages in Northern Ireland to take place from September.

The announcement came hours after the first same-sex couple to marry here criticised Secretary of State Brandon Lewis for a delay in introducing regulations to allow religious wedding ceremonies.

Robyn and Sharni Edwards-Peoples spoke out on what was the one-year anniversary of a landmark House of Commons vote by MPs in legislating for same-sex marriage locally.

While same-sex civil marriage became legal in January, the necessary regulations permitting religious ceremonies to be part of the wedding have not yet been set out.

But late on Wednesday a spokesman for the UK Government said: "We intend to lay regulations next week to allow for same-sex religious marriage in Northern Ireland to come into effect from September 1, 2020.

"Conversion entitlements regulations will follow as soon as possible before the end of the year."

Cara McCann, director of Here NI, an organisation representing lesbian and bisexual women and part of the Love Equality campaign for marriage equality said: "We warmly welcome this announcement by the Secretary of State and would urge him to now finish the job of marriage equality in Northern Ireland by allowing couples in civil partnerships to convert to married status if they wish without further delay.

"This affects around 1,200 couples in Northern Ireland, including me and my partner Amanda, who entered a civil partnership in the absence of same-sex marriage and who are currently unable to marry."

Patrick Corrigan of Amnesty International said: "This is brilliant news for all the same-sex couples of faith who have been waiting for this overdue change in the law and who can now plan their wedding in a church or other religious setting.

"This is an important issue for many Northern Ireland couples, who currently have to suffer an interference with their freedom of religion by not being allowed to marry in their own church."

Indoor weddings resume today following a relaxation of coronavirus regulations, leaving Northern Ireland the only part of the UK or Ireland where same-sex couples cannot have religious weddings, or the ability to convert civil partnerships to marriage.

Robyn and Sharni, who tied the knot at a civil marriage in Carrickfergus earlier this year, had called on Mr Lewis to take urgent action.

"We loved having our big day back in February surrounded by the people we love," explained Sharni.

"It was a dream day for us and we want everyone to have the same chance to enjoy that feeling. But by not laying the necessary regulations at Parliament, the Secretary of State is stopping many couples from being able to plan their own big day."

Under the legislation, same-sex couples would be able to get married in a religious ceremony where the church offers such weddings.

A number of faith groups here expressed discomfort at the time the legislation was passed and therefore no church will be compelled to offer same-sex weddings.

According to the 2019 Act, same-sex couples with an existing civil partnership will be able to convert this to a marriage through a simple administrative process.
By Susan Heavey WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Groups representing the nation's doctors, teachers and top school officials on Friday pushed back against pressure from President Donald Trump to fully reopen U.S. schools despite a surge in coronavirus cases, saying science must guide the decisions. 'Public health agencies must make recommendations based on evidence, not politics,' the American Academy of Pediatrics, two national teachers' unions and a school superintendents' group said, following days of threats by Trump to choke off federal education funds if schools do not open their doors for the upcoming academic year

By Susan Heavey

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Groups representing the nation's doctors, teachers and top school officials on Friday pushed back against pressure from President Donald Trump to fully reopen U.S. schools despite a surge in coronavirus cases, saying science must guide the decisions.

"Public health agencies must make recommendations based on evidence, not politics," the American Academy of Pediatrics, two national teachers' unions and a school superintendents' group said, following days of threats by Trump to choke off federal education funds if schools do not open their doors for the upcoming academic year.

"We should leave it to health experts to tell us when the time is best to open up school buildings, and listen to educators and administrators to shape how we do it," AAP, the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and the School Superintendents Association said in a joint statement.

Their call was echoed by two medical groups - the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the HIV Medicine Association.

Trump ramped up his threat on Friday, saying the Treasury Department would re-examine schools' tax-exempt status and their federal funding.

The Republican president this week also moved to eject foreign students attending universities in the United States if their schools do not offer in-person classes, prompting at least two lawsuits.

His push to reopen schools comes as cases of the novel coronavirus surge in some of the country's most populous areas, prompting some state and local authorities to roll back plans to relax restrictions.

School administrators are weighing the risk of opening their buildings to students and staff as U.S. cases have topped 3 million this week. Some universities have announced online-only instruction plans, while others may change their calendars. New York City schools, the nation's largest public school district, announced a hybrid plan mixing both on-site and online classes.

Trump has accused Democrats of exploiting the pandemic for political gain by refusing to reopen schools and businesses to hurt the economy and his re-election prospects, even as health experts caution against easing restrictions too quickly.

"Too many Universities and School Systems are about Radical Left Indoctrination, not Education," he said in a Twitter post on Friday. "Therefore, I am telling the Treasury Department to re-examine their Tax-Exempt Status and/or Funding, which will be taken away if this Propaganda or Act Against Public Policy continues. Our children must be Educated, not Indoctrinated!"

It was not immediately clear how Treasury could restrict funds, and the department could not be immediately reached for comment. Most primary and secondary school funding is local.

In their statement, AAP and the other groups urged Congress to provide more money to schools so they could reopen safely, calling the idea of withholding funds a "misguided approach."

Democrats have said they want students to return to in-person classes but only if it is safe. Trump's likely rival in the November election, former Vice President Joe Biden, has said online instruction is probably needed for a little while longer.

Even some of Trump's fellow Republicans have dismissed his heavy-handed push to reopen schools.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine on Friday said local administrators would decide the best plan for schools in his state and that much of what happens depends on people adopting face masks and other measures now.

"What we do in the fall ... is going to depend to a great extent on what we do in the next 30 days," he told CNN.

"We're not going to be bullied or threatened by the president," Maryland's Larry Hogan, another Republican governor, told MSNBC this week.

(Reporting by Susan Heavey; additional reporting by David Lawder; Editing by Tim Ahmann, Howard Goller and Daniel Wallis)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Three sheriff's deputies were shot and a suspect is dead after an hour-long standoff in California.

A man accused of holding a woman hostage overnight and threatening to set her on fire barricaded himself inside a home in Knightsen, Contra Costa, where he fired at deputies throughout the day on Thursday.

Just before 9pm, the suspect emerged from the house and shot at officers who returned fire, shooting him dead.

Three sheriff's deputies were shot and a suspect is dead after an hour-long standoff in Northern California. Pictured: A police car at the scene

A man accused of holding a woman hostage overnight and threatening to set her on fire barricaded himself inside a home in Knightsen, Contra Costa, where he fired at deputies throughout the day on Thursday. Pictured: A fire truck at the scene

Two deputies were taken to a hospital. Their conditions are unknown.

Cops were called to the home on reports of domestic violence just before 10am.

A woman claimed she was held hostage overnight by a man who pushed her onto a coffee table breaking her ribs.

Just before 9pm, the suspect emerged from the house and shot at officers who returned fire, shooting him dead. Pictured: A fire truck at the scene

Cops were called to the home on reports of domestic violence just before 10am Thursday. Pictured: Lights at the scene

She said he poured gasoline on her and told her he would set her alight, a statement from Contra Costa Sheriff's Office read.

The woman was able to escape while the man barricaded himself inside before shooting at deputies throughout the day.

The county's SWAT Team and hostage negotiation team spent the afternoon and early evening asking the suspect to surrender.

The suspect, who was not immediately identified, came out of the house just before 9pm and shot three members of the SWAT Team.

The deputies returned fire and the suspect was pronounced dead at the scene.

The sheriff's office said more information would be release Friday.
According to Ukrainian intelligence reports, two invaders were wounded on July 9.

Russia's hybrid military forces on July 9 mounted seven attacks on Ukrainian positions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine.

"The Russian Federation's armed formations violated the ceasefire seven times in the past day," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation said in a Facebook update as of 07:00 Kyiv time on July 10, 2020.

Read alsoUkraine needs direct dialogue with Russia to resolve Donbas conflict  Kuleba

Russia-led forces fired proscribed 122mm artillery systems, 82mm mortars, anti-tank missile systems, grenade launchers of various types, machine guns, and small arms.

Under attack came Ukrainian positions near the town of Maryinka, and the villages of Novoluhanske and Prychepylivka.

Joint Forces returned fire to each enemy shelling. According to Ukrainian intelligence reports, two invaders were wounded on July 9.

"Since Friday midnight, Russia-led forces have attacked Ukrainian positions once near Prychepylivka, using 120mm mortars," the update said.

No casualties have been reported among Ukrainian troops over the period under review.
President Donald Trump is going to wear a mask, which has been declared the most effective tool in the battle against Covid-19 by experts around the world, when he visits a military hospital on Saturday. He has been pointedly averse to it for himself while allowing experts the last word for others.

Trump reportedly dropped his resistance to a mask or any face-covering at the pleading of aides, as the United States has continued to witness a surge in new infections, which went up by 63,247 over the past 24 hours to a cumulative 3.11 million, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker. Deaths climbed by 990 over the same time-span to 133,291.

Also read: US will respond if Russia bounty reports are true, says Pentagon

President Trump, who is pushing the country to get past the epidemic, had attributed the spike to increased testing, contrary to the reason stated by health experts and scientists. Trump has also focused on declining mortality rates to make his case. Statistically, the percentage of people testing positive has been on a rise, along with soaring number of people getting hospitalised, especially in the southern and western states hit the hardest such as Texas, Florida, and California.

For the first time, Trump will wear a mask during his Saturday visit to the Walter Reed military hospital in Bethesda, in the adjoining state of Maryland.

Im going to Walter Reed to see some of our great soldiers who have been injured. Badly injured. And also see some of our Covid workers, people who have such a great job, Trump said in an interview to Fox News Thursday. And I expect to be wearing a mask when I go into Walter Reed. Youre in a hospital so I think its a very appropriate thing.

The American president declared his refusal to use a facial covering early in March, when his public health officials first recommended them as part of their plan to slow the spread of the virus. I dont see it for myself, he had said then and has stood by it since, fanning a culture war around it.

Also read: Why Americans are having an emotional reaction to masks

Some conservative Americans have refused to wear a mask to register their independence from the state. One Republican member of the House of Representatives Matt Gaetz, who is from Florida and is a staunch ally of the president, famously wore a gas mask to the chamber to make his point.
Despite the pandemic slowing down some business, Texas Central is still making progress on their high-speed train connecting Houston to Dallas, nearing the end of their permitting process.

Carlos Aguilar, CEO and president of Texas Central, said the company received their final environmental impact statement May 29, culminating six years of review, consultation and public hearings regarding the project. The statement, he said, determines that the route chosen by the company for the rail connecting Houston to Dallas will have the least impact, both environmentally and socially.

Chamber receives train update: Texas Central presents Texas High-Speed Train updates to Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce members

Texas Centrals map shows the route begins in northwest Houston, running alongside Hempstead Road and Highway 290 before crossing 290 north into Montgomery County toward Dallas.

Thats the most important aspect that weve gained on the permitting side, a defined route ensuring it is one that has the least impact on everybody, Aguilar said.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Houston Food Bank, the nation's largest, seeks to fill volunteer gaps with National Guard leaving

The company currently holds the option for ownership or ownership of about 40% of the land parcels needed for the project, he said, particularly in the rural areas through which the rail will run.

Aguilar said the current timetable shows the permit process completing between the end of July and early September, with the goal of starting construction toward the end of the year.

Despite how the pandemic has slowed some business and caused many to shut down or lay off workers, Aguilar said the coronavirus hasnt affected their progress so far.

'We're seeing the worst of the worst': Houston nurse describes dire situation in ICU surge

We had to refocus our budget to the areas that we needed to prioritize but on the other hand the permit process is continuing on schedule and we are working with all of these partners all committed to the project, Aguilar said.

Since the pandemic began, many projects in the energy sector have been postponed with the price of oil going down, and Aguilar said that would present a good window for Texas Central to be able to source materials in a better market.

It can hurt you; it can benefit you, he said.

Not everyone is in favor of the project, however. Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Conroe) recently sent out an email voicing his opposition to the railway and asked his constituents for feedback. Brady said he is opposed to the project because many of the rural communities he represents are along the route.

It will frankly destroy the rural countryside, damage families and ranches that have been in peoples hands for generations with no benefit to those communities, Brady said.

Aguilar called the process of acquiring land a one-on-one respectful process where they negotiate with each individual landowner.

We want this to be accepted by the community and all the stakeholders involved, Aguilar said. Even if we have eminent domain as a result of the legal case, that is not gonna be our first course of action. We will continue our strategy to negotiate good terms. You want good neighbors.

But Brady said he thinks the most current situation is that Texas Central is on its last leg, citing project delays and fleeing investors, but Aguilar said that wasnt the case.

We have not lost any investors, Aguilar said. If anything, we have seen their commitment and resolve become more and more clear to the project as a result of this.

paul.wedding@hcnonline.com
A brick was thrown through the window of a citys employee home in the 4300 block of South Artesian Avenue about 1:20 a.m. and approximately an hour later the garage of the home next door was set on fire, according to Kellie Bartoli, a police spokeswoman. Chicago Fire Department crews responded to the fire, but there were no injuries.
These advertisers will be back soon enough. Were not gonna change our policies or approach on anything because of a threat to a small percent of our revenue, or to any percent of our revenue, Mark Zuckerberg was quoted as saying in a transcript of remarks made at an employees meeting. (Photo | AP)

Washington: Organizers of a Facebook ad boycott vowed to press on with their campaign, saying the social networks top executives had failed to offer meaningful action on curbing hateful content.

At a virtual meeting that included Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, the #StopHateForProfit coalition leaders didnt hear anything... to convince us that Zuckerberg and his colleagues are taking action, said Jessica Gonzalez of the activist group Free Press, a coalition member.

Rashad Robinson, president of the activist group Color of Change, told reporters on a conference call the meeting was a disappointment.

Robinson said the executives showed up to the meeting expecting an A for attendance, but that we did not get answers to questions we put on the table.

The meeting was seen by Facebook as an opportunity to hear from boycott organizers and reaffirm a commitment to combating hate on the platform, a spokesperson told AFP.

They want Facebook to be free of hate speech and so do we, the spokesperson said, noting steps the social network has taken to ban white supremacist groups and fight interference with voting or the census.

We know we will be judged by our actions not by our words and are grateful to these groups and many others for their continued engagement.

The meeting took place during a boycott which has grown to nearly 1,000 advertisers pressing for more aggressive action from Facebook on toxic and inflammatory content which promotes violence and hatespurred by the wave of protests calling for social justice and racial equity.

This isnt over. We will continue to expand the boycott until Facebook takes our demands seriously. We wont be distracted by Facebooks spin today or any day, Gonzalez said.

Anti-Defamation League CEO Johnathan Greenblatt said of the meeting: We saw little and heard just about nothing.

Greenblatt said the organizers had 10 specific demands for Facebook but got no commitment or clear outcomes to any of them.

Some of the activists say Facebook should do more to curb disinformation from political leaders including President Donald Trump, and limit his comments which critics say promote violence and divisiveness.

Among posts which particularly roiled activists was Trumps comment during widespread protests that when the looting starts, the shooting starts, which critics said was an incitement to violence.

Sandberg pledges more steps

Facebook has steadfastly refused to fact-check political speech and has a largely hands-off policy on comments from world leaders.

But it has said it will take down comments that could lead to imminent harm, and recently updated a policy to label a post which violates its rules, even if it is allowed to remain online for being newsworthy.

Earlier Tuesday, Facebooks chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg pledged further steps to remove toxic and hateful content ahead of the discussions with the boycott organizers, led by the NAACP, Color of Change and the Anti-Defamation League.

She added that the Silicon Valley giant would be announcing policy updates as a result of discussions with civil rights activists and its own audit of civil rights practices.

Facebook has to get better at finding and removing hateful content, Sandberg wrote.

We are making changesnot for financial reasons or advertiser pressure, but because it is the right thing to do.

Sandberg said the final report of the independent civil rights audit would be published Wednesday following a two-year review, and that this would be used to guide Facebook policy changes.

While the audit was planned and most of it carried out long before recent events, its release couldnt come at a more important time, she said.

While we wont be making every change they call for, we will put more of their proposals into practice soon.

The auditors are set to issue scathing criticism of Facebook, according to The New York Times, which obtained a draft.

Unfortunately, in our view Facebooks approach to civil rights remains too reactive and piecemeal, the draft says according to the Times.

The Auditors do not believe that Facebook is sufficiently attuned to the depth of concern on the issue of polarization and the way that the algorithms used by Facebook inadvertently fuel extreme and polarizing content.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
Announcement of Periodic Review: Moody's announces completion of a periodic review of ratings of Ireland, Government of

Global Credit Research - 10 Jul 2020

Paris, July 10, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") reviews all of its ratings periodically in accordance with regulations -- either annually or, in the case of governments and certain EU-based supranational organisations, semi-annually. This periodic review is unrelated to the requirement to specify calendar dates on which EU and certain other sovereign and sub-sovereign rating actions may take place.

Moody's conducts these periodic reviews through portfolio reviews in which Moody's reassesses the appropriateness of each outstanding rating in the context of the relevant principal methodology(ies), recent developments, and a comparison of the financial and operating profile to similarly rated peers. Since 1st January 2019, Moody's issues a press release following each periodic review announcing its completion.

Moody's has now completed the periodic review of a group of issuers that includes Ireland and may include related ratings. The review did not involve a rating committee, and this publication does not announce a credit rating action and is not an indication of whether or not a credit rating action is likely in the near future; credit ratings and/or outlook status cannot be changed in a portfolio review and hence are not impacted by this announcement. For any credit ratings referenced in this publication, please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for the most updated credit rating action information and rating history.

The credit profile of Ireland (issuer rating A2) is supported by the country's Economic strength assessed as "a3", which balances the country's high levels of wealth and competitiveness against its comparatively small size and high growth volatility; Ireland's "aa2" Institutions and governance strength reflects the country's robust institutions and transparent policy framework; its "baa2" Fiscal strength reflects declining, but still-elevated, debt levels, which is more evident when distortions in the GDP data are taken into consideration; and its "baa" Susceptibility to event risk, reflecting Brexit-related risks as well as lingering risks posed by the banking sector, which has strengthened considerably as banks have strengthened their capitalization ratios and reduced their level of impaired assets.

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This document summarizes Moody's view as of the publication date and will not be updated until the next periodic review announcement, which will incorporate material changes in credit circumstances (if any) during the intervening period.

The principal methodology used for this review was Sovereign Ratings Methodology published in November 2019. Please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.

This announcement applies only to EU rated and EU endorsed ratings. Non EU rated and non EU endorsed ratings may be referenced above to the extent necessary, if they are part of the same analytical unit.

This publication does not announce a credit rating action. For any credit ratings referenced in this publication, please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for the most updated credit rating action information and rating history.

Sarah Carlson, CFA Senior Vice President Sovereign Risk Group Moody's France SAS 96 Boulevard Haussmann Paris 75008 France JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454 Yves Lemay MD - Sovereign Risk Sovereign Risk Group JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454 Releasing Office: Moody's France SAS 96 Boulevard Haussmann Paris 75008 France JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454

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MJKK and MSFJ also maintain policies and procedures to address Japanese regulatory requirements.


"Women shouldn't shy away from leadership, especially during tough economic times such as these," says Shilpa Mehta, the newly elected first female president of The Entrepreneurs' Organisation Durban Chapter (EO).

Shilpa Mehta, the newly elected first female president of The Entrepreneurs Organisation Durban Chapter (EO).

How is EO empowering women entrepreneurs in building large and successful businesses?

Does EO have any accelerator programmes that empower women?

What can governments do to help drive women entrepreneurs in SA?

How do you think EO and other big companies can help in the fight against GBV?

Big corporates can create CSR programs around this. Anyone involved in the manufacturing, sale and distribution of alcohol can educate men on the importance of protecting and respecting women.



A lot of GBV is deep rooted in cultural beliefs and EO has reached out to tribes of women in Africa have helped fund education programs for women to go to school. Through education women can be independent and self-sufficient and earn an income.



Corporates and entrepreneurs need to create safe platforms for women to speak out and heal against gender-based violence.

Could you share any future plans of EO?

Creating a learning calendar made up of highly influential speakers



Forming strategic alliance partnerships with specific organizations which will assist our member and the EO Durban Chapter



Creating a key executive forum for our members 2Ics who also need to be lifted and we are particularly excited about launching this.



Creating a pitch platform for our members to present new business ideas and concepts in a safe environment without solicitation. Based on the current economic climate, this will be hugely beneficial to the member



Create industry-specific forums where members can discuss business within specific industries that they are in such as property, franchises, IT and manufacturing



Creating more spousal engagement. Often the entrepreneur grows personally and professionally by being a member and encourage the spouses to grow as well.

You've recently been appointed as president of the Durban Chapter of the EO. What are your plans and goals?

A CA by training and entrepreneur in her own right who is quite at home working in a male-dominated industry, Mehta takes over from property guru and Remax franchise owner, Grant Gavin.She takes the reigns at a time when businesses in South Africa are struggling to cope with losses incurred during the Covid-19 lockdown and delays in the gradual re-opening of the ailing South African economy.The post-Covid-economy is looking to be one where we are extremely focused on rebuilding, growth as well as collaboration. Embracing diversity is a priority and businesses will shift to proactively embrace this.The challenges of a Covid recovery and embracing diversity are tough challenges for everyone. Whilst I am a woman, I have had the same challenges as other business owners. Entrepreneurs are carrying the load to ensure their businesses, staff and family are all safe and learn to respect diversity whilst at the same time ensuring you have a business that adapts in the current crisis. Although we will be the ones to make a difference, this places a huge weight on an employers shoulders.What has helped is my EO network and forum and together we have navigated this crisis as best possible, knowing our decision making sound and rational rather than emotional and based on sound business principles rather than fear. We have leaned into the network to share the numerous challenges and also many opportunities which have certainly helped, says Mehta.Shilpa Mehta, who is also the owner of electronic manufacturing service provider, Production Logix, chats with us about female entrepreneurs, Covid-19 and gender-based violence in South Africa.Being surrounded by successful business owners in EO allow women the platform to shine and understand their unlimited potential that their business can grow to, EO removes the gender barrier and forces you to focus on growth and key importance. There are also mentorship programs and the forum experience where you have your own personal board of directors who challenge you out of your comfort zone.In addition to this, we have a group called MyEO women who connect from all over the world once a month on a call and share their experiences, highs and lows with other women. Almost all our women members are part of the MyEO women network and the women really leverage this network and help each other succeed.EO has recently launched an accelerator program which is a two-year course based on the principle of scaling up your business. Its a brilliant course and allows you to 10x your business. we launched this last year and was fully subscribed and mostly by women.The government has created a great platform in BBBEE codes for women to start as entrepreneurs and on the back of this there are various grant and funding opportunities for women. Government can definitely ease the bureaucracy around this. I am already seeing a number of young women walking through trade shows looking for opportunities and its exciting to see.There is so much that we can do!We have a really exciting year planned ahead and we have outlaid all of this in our strategic plan which focuses on two main themes. Namely keeping our core engaged and leaning into the EO community for bolder and authentic member connections.There are many action points but some of them are:My goal is to have EO Durban as the go to organisation for every entrepreneur and cement it as the leading organisation for entrepreneurs to learn and grow personally and business and create a safe environment for entrepreneurs to share their highs and lows.
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The latest industry survey conducted by the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) shows national occupancy levels of 23% and 26% for the peak summer months of July and August respectively, based on confirmed bookings, compared to an average of 90% for the same period last year.

Occupancy for September, traditionally a popular time for US visitors, currently stands at 22%. IHF Midlands branch chair, Dara Cruise said that the figures show there is plenty of availability in hotels and guesthouses in every county including Longford.

However, he added that the substantial drop in occupancy levels highlighted the unprecedented challenges facing the sector and the requirement for immediate interventions to support tourism businesses in Longford and across the country.

When we look across the water to the UK, we see the decisive action taken this week by the UK Government in their Plan for Jobs. The slashing of their VAT rate from 20% to 5% is a clear sign of their commitment to support the recovery of their tourism and hospitality industry. Given how closely our economies are intertwined a similar cut here is necessary. The UK is not only Irelands biggest market for overseas tourists, it is also our biggest competitor, said Mr Cruise.

Mr Cruise also called for urgent clarity on the guidelines for gatherings in light of the decision this week by the Northern Ireland Executive to allow the capacity for indoor gatherings including weddings to be determined by the size of the venue from 10th July.

Currently capacity here is limited to 100 people regardless of the size of the venue. We are calling on the Government to allow hotels that can safely host larger weddings to do so based on the size and scale of the venues, rather than imposing a general limit on how many people can gather at any venue, regardless of safe capacity, he added.

Almost 90% of hotels in Longford and across the country are expected to be open again by the middle of the month. Mr Cruise said that hotel and guesthouse owners have been heartened by the strong support from people who are donning the green jersey and taking a staycation this year.

However, he said that this continues to be a critical time for the tourism industry, and the almost 270,000 livelihoods it supports. It is important to note that 70% of these jobs are outside of Dublin, highlighting its vital role in spreading employment opportunities and prosperity across the entire country. Here in Longford tourism supported 1,200 jobs and generated 17m in local revenues before this crisis.

Time and again, tourism has proven itself as a hugely successful engine for economic growth, particularly in regional Ireland. In the aftermath of the last recession, tourism created 90,000 new jobs. Last year alone it generated over 9 billion in revenue. We are committed to working closely with the Government and with Minister Catherine Martin to safeguard tourism, Irelands largest indigenous employer, so that it can play a key role again and be a significant lever in the countrys economic recovery. However, this requires specific sectoral supports now in relation to liquidity and competitiveness.

Five Urgent Measures Immediately Required  Longford hoteliers are calling on the Government to implement the following measures as a matter of urgency:

Continuation of the Wage Subsidy Scheme and inclusion of seasonal employees. The scheme should be extended to include seasonal employees as well as take account of employees previously on reduced hours due to seasonality. The scheme should be continued until the impact of Covid-19 restrictions has fully abated.

Gatherings  the size of gatherings should be linked to venue capacity as opposed to an arbitrary cap on numbers. Greater clarity is now urgently required for gatherings beyond July.



A reduction in tourism VAT to 5% until December 2021 followed by a permanent restoration to 9% to assist recovery and secure a viable and sustainable future for tourism. International competitiveness is an urgent issue with Irish hotel VAT now higher than 28 European countries with which we compete.

Liquidity measures tailored to the specific challenges facing tourism to help businesses survive and restart: i) significantly increase grants to assist tourism businesses reopen and survive; ii) 0% interest on Government guaranteed finance; iii) a Government supported scheme for deferral of capital and interest payments for a period of one year.

Local Authority rates and charges  the three-month waiver period should be extended for tourism businesses to coincide with business interruption due to Covid-19 and for a minimum of 12 months. After that, payment of local authority rates should be based on reduced levels of activity due to the crisis.
She recently opened up about embracing her post-pregnancy figure after giving birth to baby Sienna 10 weeks ago.

And Millie Mackintosh continued to put on a confident display as she modelled a summery pink maxi dress on her Instagram on Friday morning.

The reality star, 30, looked radiant in the full length number which was cinched in at the waste and featured cute tassel details and puffy capped sleeves.

Glowing: Millie Mackintosh put on a confident display as she modelled a summery pink maxi dress on her Instagram on Friday morning after giving birth ten weeks ago

The TV personality wore her honey tresses loose around her shoulders in the video taken in her dressing room.

She chose to forgo any accessories as she showed off the outfit and kept her makeup minimal to highlight her naturally pretty features.

She captioned the snap: 'I'm just loving these big puff sleeves on the Taylor dress...'.

Summery: The reality star, 30, looked radiant in the full length number which was cinched in at the waste and featured cute tassel details and puffy capped sleeves

It comes after Millie posed for a refreshingly honest postpartum snap on Wednesday night, saying she is 'in awe of what her body has achieved' since she became a mother.

She gave birth to baby Sienna 10 weeks ago and proclaimed her daughter is worth 'every extra inch, pound and stretch mark' as she posed in underwear in a selfie posted to her Instagram page.

The TV personality took aim at cruel social media trolls and said although she is not 'totally happy' with her body, she is doing her best to ignore 'hurtful comments' about her appearance.

Honest! On Wednesday, Millie took to Instagram to share a photograph of her post-pregnancy body while cradling baby Sienna, and to discuss post body confidence

In the Instagram selfie, Millie can be seen wearing just a nude pair of knickers and a white maternity bra while cradling baby Sienna in her arms.

She wrote in a lengthy caption: 'With Sienna nearing 10 weeks old nothing has given me more purpose than knowing that a small life depends entirely on me to feed and nourish her as she grows.

'I try to live a healthy, balanced lifestyle and I count myself lucky that throughout my adult life I've felt and identified as pretty body confident but now all that has changed along with every other aspect of my life, which makes me look at my body in a totally new light and it's been a big adjustment!

'Fitting into my pre pregnancy clothes seems a long way off and I have no intention of rushing into 'getting my body back' but it would be a lie if I said I feel totally happy and at one with my body post pregnancy,' admitted the reality star.

Raw: In a lengthy caption, the MIC star insisted that despite not feeling 'totally happy' with her body, her daughter is worth 'every extra inch, pound and stretch mark'

Sadly, Millie admitted that trolling on social media has been difficult to endure, but that ultimately she is astonished that he body enabled her to become a mother.

She wrote: 'The process has been made a lot harder by some overly strong and hurtful comments online about my appearance (as much as you try and ignore them).

'I'm in awe of what my body has achieved over the last year but I find it hard not seeing the girl I know to be me looking back at me in the mirror.

'I now see photos of myself pre-pregnancy and remember thinking at the time I didn't like my body at certain angle but now I look back and think I looked great!

'It's made me realise how critical I am of myself and how it's so crucial, as women, that we learn to let ourselves off the hook.

Sweet: Millie Mackintosh shared an adorable snap with baby Sienna after the newborn had her first vaccinations last week

'My mantra has always been that you exercise because you love your body not because you hate it, so any movement I do now is with the intention to feel good and never to punish myself.

'Sienna is worth every extra inch, pound and stretch mark. My body made me a Mother and for that I'll always be grateful.'

At the end of last month, Millie shared an adorable snap with baby Sienna after the newborn had her first vaccinations.

The MIC star revealed on social media that her daughter had her eight week jabs the day before, also known as the 6-in-1 vaccine.

The 6-in-1 vaccine is given at 8, 12 and 16 weeks old and protects against diphtheria, hepatitis B, Hib, polio, tetanus and whooping cough.

Millie looked radiant as she cradled her baby girl in the sweet snap, penning: 'Poor baba had her eight week vaccinations yesterday and needs extra cuddles'.

The new mum also shared a striking picture of herself in a fuchsia dress as she revealed she had given her patio area a mini makeover.

Last month, Millie finally unveiled the name of her baby daughter, five weeks after welcoming her first child with husband Hugo Taylor.

She introduced little Sienna Grace to the world as she cradled her adorable girl in a stunning cover shoot with Hello! magazine.

Glowing: The new mum also shared a striking picture of herself in a fuchsia dress as she revealed she had given her patio area a mini makeover

The blogger gushed she's 'on cloud nine' and praised sunglasses entrepreneur Hugo, 34, for being present during labour amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has caused most hospitals in the UK to allow only one birthing partner.

Revealing that the couple settled on Sienna Grace's name 'months' before the birth, Millie added of their first few weeks of parenthood: 'We've been on cloud nine; it's gone so quickly.

'We've been in our little love bubble at home, cherishing those newborn moments, whether that's her sleeping on me or just lapping up all the cuteness.'

'Time has gone so quickly. She is so adorable, even down to the little noises she makes.'

Hugo added: 'Sienna has turned our world upside down. It's like first love all over again  that wondrous feeling of excitement, joy and endless possibility for the future. I can't wait to watch her grow.'
Houston-based Grocers Supply will close its administrative offices and lay off 90 people, according to a filing with the Texas Workforce Commission.

The company plans to permanently eliminate positions at its Kirby Drive offices as of Sept. 4, Alan Kintisch, senior vice president and deputy general counsel for parent company C&S Wholesale Grocers, wrote in a July 3 letter to the commission.

GSC Wholesale, LLC d/b/a Grocers Supply (the Company) is taking steps to be more efficient and reduce costs, Kintisch wrote in an attached memo to employees, dated the same day.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Grocers Supply distribution center breaks ground in north Houston

All employees affected by the closure are nonunion, he told officials.

This notice is given based upon the best information available to the Company at this time, he wrote.

On Friday, a spokesperson for C&S said decisions regarding layoffs remain in flux.

It is a long-standing practice of C&S Wholesale Grocers not to comment on questions concerning structure changes, said Lauren La Bruno, vice president of communications and change management. However, I can tell you that the information provided on impacts is inaccurate and we are still evaluating changes.

Grocers Supply recently occupied a new 727,600-square-foot distribution center on Woodham Drive in North Houston and acquired 34 acres surrounding that property. The company previously told the Chronicle the new distribution center will consolidate several of its operations into one facility to more efficiently distribute food products throughout Houston.

The company signed a long-term lease to operate in the facility but did not specify terms at the time.

We remain committed to satisfying our customers needs to the fullest and are dedicated taking the necessary actions to achieve our overall strategic priorities that drive our long-term growth, La Bruno said Friday.

amanda.drane@chron.com




Malawis newly-elected president has formed a government with the appointment of a 31-member Cabinet.





Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, who came into power in June, has also nominated a new police chief, new central bank governor and tax authority head.





The new president of the south-eastern African country, who promised 40 percent female representation and no more than 30 ministers, just narrowly missed his target having appointed 12 female ministers, 38,7 percent of the Cabinet.





The new Cabinet has, however, angered Malawians who took to social media to express disappointment with the inclusion of old-timers and corrupt individuals.





The electorate voted for change, but this new Cabinet lacks novelty. It is definitely uninspiring, if not disappointing, said Danwood Chirwa, a Malawian law professor at the University of Cape Town in South Africa.





He said the new government should have sent a clear message to all and sundry that patronage, corruption and looting will end but to no avail. Individuals who have looted before should be investigated and prosecuted, and that new, clean and competent people should lead Malawi, Chirwa said.





Gender activist Emma Kaliya described the Cabinet as a raw deal.





We are deflated that the president has not lived up to the promise of 40 percent female representation. What is even more saddening is that most women are deputy ministers. His appointments are less inspiring, Kaliya told The Nation, a local daily.





The Cabinet composition shows that Chakweras Malawi Congress Party dominates with 16 party members  12 full ministers and four deputies  representing 51,6 percent, while Vice President Saulosi Chilimas United Transformation Movement has six members: four ministers and two deputies, representing 19,4 percent.





There are also two independent legislators in the new government. The president had initially named five people to Cabinet positions within days of his election.





In the new announcement, Chakwera also fired acting police inspector general Duncan Mwapasa and director general of National Intelligence Service Kenam Kalilani, replacing them with George Kainja and Dokani Ngwira, respectively. The new leader has also named Wilson Banda as central bank governor replacing Dalitso Kabambo. Banda is a centrist in monetary policy circles.





Chakwera (65) defeated former leader Peter Mutharika in June 23 court-sanctioned presidential election rerun. The soft-spoken ex-preacher garnered 58,57 percent of the votes against Mutharikas 39 percent.  Reuters.




On Tuesday July 7th, 2020, Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila led House of Representatives; going by reports introduced consolidated two bills that among other provisions, seeks to penalize law enforcement bodies that fails to arrest and compel the appearance of Ministers and Heads of Agencies who fail to honour summons of the National Assembly.

To add context to the discourse, the two Bills are entitled; A Bill for an Act to Amend the Legislative Houses(Power And Privileges) Act 2917 to Prescribe the Offence and Punishment for Contempt of Legislative Houses, to Provide Punishment on the Police or any other Law Enforcement Agent that refuses to Arrest any Person as directed by a Legislative House, to provide Exception to the kind of person to be compelled by a Legislative House, such as President, the Executive Governors and their Deputies, Diplomats and their agents, Representatives of international Organisations such as the United Nations, the African Union, the European Union, ECOWAS.

At a glance, when one analyzes this latest Bill, it brings to the fore the role of foresight in leadership as well as leaves the analyst lost with the impression that such step was developed under the aegis of prophets as it appears so logical. It is a perfect way of restructuring the system and building the nation by extention.It did not come to many as a surprise as a peep into the 9th Assembly reveals that the present Assembly, going by the profile of members, is arguably filled with the best trained and most highly skilled in the history of NASS in Nigeria. But for identified personal interests that will be explained on the course of this piece have not allowed them do the job of lawmaking that will enhance the life chances of Nigerians.

Talking about the merit of the present Bill, aside from the fact that the National Assembly is empowered by sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution, to investigate all agencies and cause arrest, of those who do not cooperate with their enquiry on any issues, the most telling good intention about this latest Bill is signposted in its willingness to making law enforcement officers be alive to their responsibilities while promoting checks and balances among different arms of government.

Essentially also, there are more concrete reasons that made me marvel at the quality of their decision. First, separate from the fact that Nigerians have in the past witnessed situations where some Ministers and Head of Agencies ignored the legitimate legislative and judicial directives, thereby become a threat to the very structure they were appointed to protect, there is an accompanying believe that when leaders are not held accountable for serious mistakes, they, and their successors are more likely to repeat those mistakes. Such has in the past brought unwelcome departure from normal good sense and judgement in the country.

And so what this all means is that, today, and every day, Nigerians have as a responsibility to remember that enforcement of such checks and balances like AL Gore, a former Vice President of the United States of America (USA), noted, will definitely make us stronger by ensuring that decisions will be tested, studied, reviewed, and examined through the process of government that are designed to improve policies. And on the part of the Ministers and Heads of Agencies, the knowledge that their decisions will be reviewed prevents over-reaching and checks the accretion of power. For whenever power is unchecked and unaccountable, it almost inevitably leads to mistakes and abuse and in the absence of regorious accountability, incompetences flourishes, dishonesty is encouraged and rewarded.

But, in the pursuit of this new Bill, there is, however, something fundamentally new and different and has to do with moral argument.

Infact, there is a wide disagreement. Nigerians with critical minds are concerned about why the House is seeking obedience/compliance from the Ministers, Heads of Agencies and law enforcement agencies, to their directives whereas they (Lawmakers) have never complied to the detects of the masses that elected them to the office. The underlying premise of representative democracy, they argued, was that the voters in each constituency would be able to communicate freely within the public forum with their representatives and could rely on the free flow of information about their representatives subsequent performance in the house in order to hold them accountable.

But what Nigerians have witnessed all this years is but increased use by the lawmakers, of sophisticated methods to manipulate public opinion and selectively controlled information relevant to collective decision making. A feat that has brought about on the part of the masses increased public apathy and declining participation in political activities, increased cynicism and distrust of the integrity of the countrys National Assembly. Of course, this explains why what is today said at the floor of the national assembly hardly matters to the people.

Specifically, think about some of the trends Nigerians have seen in the hands of the members of the 9th assembly which comprises of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The Internet Falsehood and Manipulations Bill, that sought a three-year jail term for anyone involved in what it calls the abuse of social media or an option of fine of N150, 000 or both. And also proposed a fine of N10 million for media houses involved in peddling falsehood or misleading the public. The Non Governmental Organizations governance Bill (the NGO Bill), on its part contained far-reaching, restrictive provisions.

What about the Control of Infectious Diseases Bill 2020' which aims at empowering the Minister of Health, the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and various other public health and allied institutions to regulate on quarantining, vaccination and prevention of infectious diseases in the country?

Away from the above unpalatable propositions, there are several reasons, both morally and socioeconomically that did so well to support the assertion that the lawmakers may afterwards not be better than or different from the people they propose the Bill for or accused of non compliance to the Houses directive.

The first example that comes to mind is the Houses recent but wrong push, through Honourable Odebumi Olusegun, of Ogo-Oluwa/Surulere federal constituency (APC, Oyo), a bill tagged; Bill for an Act to Alter Section 308 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), which provides that: no civil or criminal proceedings shall be instituted or continued against the President, Vice President, Governors and Deputy Governors during their period of office. And have same provision extended to accommodate/cover Presiding Officers of Legislative offices during their period of office.

If they were so interested in transparency, accountability and compliance with set rule, why seek such protection? Such move was made worse by the fact that it came at a time average Nigerians were getting worse off, economically and materially, than he/she was in 2015. And when the list of actions not yet taken to better the life chances of Nigerians were still lengthy and worrying.

At this very moment also, Nigerians remember with nostalgia, the recent decline by the house the opportunity to promote local content--an expression that is daily preached within the government circle without compliance. As the house refused to patronize the locally assembled vehicles by Innoson Group, said to have been recommended for them; and in its place, opt for the 2020 edition of Toyota Camry which will not only double the price of the initially recommended but, will cost a whopping 5 Billion to purchase 400 of the Toyota Camry model needed by the house.

Essentially, aside from the rejection of Innoson brand of SUVs initially recommended for members, and in its place, went for 2020 edition of Toyota Camry, that will gulp about N5 billion of tax payers money, and happening in the face of recent lamentation that the House is broke, what, however, made the development newsy is that the house going by report has before now been at the forefront promoting the local content laws in the country.

Finally, as the debate rages, another important point to make is that every generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its mission, fulfill it or betray it remarked Frantz Fanon. Now that lawmakers are faced with the role of nation building, and the nation cries for restructuring, so has their responsibilities graduated to double folds. First, it is time for them to use their pragmatic intelligence devoid of emotional attachment to ask solution oriented questions in a solution--oriented manner. Secondly, and very important is that the hour has come for the Honourables to become the bearers of true' restructuring flagship by conscientiously restructuring their actions and inactions via leadership by example as it will collectively add up to restructuring the nation.

Very importantly also, Nigerians on their part must develop a war room' using our resolve and powers to fight the undemocratic and criminal tendencies in our consciences and government in order to usher in a truly egalitarian nation we all yearn for. This pivotal step must be taken as a failure to achieve this may render our race to restructuring elusive and view our discourse as a body without a soul.

Utomi is a Lagos-Based Media Consultant.


DUBLIN, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "2020-2021 Intelligent Virtual Agent Product and Market Report" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The critical role of IVAs on the front line of self-service during the COVID-19 crisis has eliminated any doubt about the efficacy of these solutions. Once the recovery process is underway and the new normal takes hold, adoption is expected to increase.

Essential solutions in the midst of COVID-19

The pandemic has highlighted the need for organizations to develop and implement reliable disaster recovery (DR)/business continuity (BC) plans as well as comprehensive self-service solutions. In the world of customer service, IVAs are becoming mission-critical tools as organizations strive to maintain their service levels while responding to today's unprecedented service demands. IVAs provide 24 x 7 support, in some cases providing fully automated self-service to replace a diminished staff of live agents.

IVAs have many advantages over outdated, inflexible IVR solutions. IVAs can be programmed and implemented rapidly, in some cases without the assistance of IT staff. IVAs are using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), which enable them to respond to customer inquiries with concierge-style service. Consumers can utilize natural language to speak or write an inquiry, and when an IVA needs to escalate a transaction to a live agent, it can pass on the transaction with context and stay on the line, using ML capabilities to listen and learn so that it can handle similar transactions more effectively on its own in the future. IVAs can improve internal business processes as they assist employees by automating tasks, increasing productivity and improving accuracy.

Timely and comprehensive analysis of this critical sector

The report provides an in-depth analysis of these solutions, which should become an elemental part of the strategic direction of contact centers and customer service departments. This report examines the IVA market, competitive landscape, technology, products, functional capabilities, and the business, servicing and market trends that are driving adoption and innovation. It features 7 leading and contending vendors who offer IVA solutions that address front- and back-office functions and other enterprise-wide uses: Artificial Solutions, Avaamo, Inference Solutions, Kore.ai, Omilia, Rulai and Verint Systems.

The report includes:

Definition of an IVA and the key distinctions between IVAs and robotic process automation (RPA)

High-level overview of the underlying technical components of IVA solutions

Market trends and challenges that are driving interest, adoption and innovation in this sector

IVA vendor innovation and near-term roadmaps, including new product features and what is planned to be delivered in the next 12 - 18 months

Insightful discussion of the foundational role of AI and automation in contact center applications and their impact on the contact center of the future

Predictions for the future of IVA and self-service

Review of how IVAs are delivering seamless and intelligent self-service in the customer's channel of choice

A look at the top use cases for IVAs in the contact center and back office, and the growing number of applications for IVAs across the enterprise

IVA vendor market activity

Review of the IVA competitive landscape, including the technology sectors that are developing AI-based IVA solutions and an overview of the 7 featured IVA vendors, their product offerings and packaged solutions

Detailed side-by-side comparative analysis of the technical and functional aspects of the 7 featured IVA solutions

Implementation analysis, including vendor methodology, best practices, professional services, training, maintenance and support

IVA benefits and return on investment (ROI) analysis

IVA pricing structure, by vendor

Results of a comprehensive customer satisfaction survey, which ranks vendors based on customer satisfaction across 10 product capabilities, 10 product effectiveness categories and 10 vendor categories

Detailed company reports for the 7 IVA vendors, analyzing product functionality and near-term product roadmap deliverables

IVA Vendor Directory

Key Topics Covered



1. Executive Summary

2. Introduction

3. Research Methodology

3.1 Report Participation Criteria

4. Intelligent Virtual Agents Defined

4.1 IVA vs. RPA

5. Anatomy of an IVA

5.1 High-Level Technical Components

6. IVA Trends and Challenges

6.1 IVA Trends

6.2 IVA Challenges

7. IVA Market Innovation

8. AI: The Force Behind the Contact Center of the Future

9. Projections for the Future of Self-Service

10. IVAs: Intelligent Self-Service in the Customer's Channel of Choice

10.1 Customer-Facing Use Cases

10.2 Escalating from Automated to Live Assistance

11. IVA for the Enterprise

11.1 Contact Center Use Cases

11.2 Non-Contact Center Use Cases

12. IVA Market Activity Analysis

13. IVA Market Projections

14. IVA Competitive Landscape

14.1 IVA Company Snapshot

14.2 IVA Vendor Offerings and Products

14.3 Packaged IVA Offerings

15. IVA Technical Analysis

15.1 High-Level Technical Analysis

15.2 High-Level Cloud Infrastructure

15.3 Integration

15.4 Security and Compliance

16. IVA Functional Analysis

16.1 High-Level Functional Analysis

16.2 Administration/Design and Content Development Environment

16.3 Accuracy and Tuning

16.4 Dashboards, Reporting and Analytics

17. IVA Implementation Analysis

18. IVA Benefits and Return on Investment

19. IVA Pricing Structure

20. IVA Vendor Satisfaction Survey and Analysis

20.1 Summary of Survey Findings and Analysis: Vendor Categories

20.1.1 Vendor Satisfaction by Category and Customer

20.2 Summary of Survey Findings and Analysis: Product Capabilities

20.2.1 Product Capabilities Satisfaction Ratings, by Category and Customer

20.3 Summary of Survey Findings and Analysis: Product Effectiveness

20.3.1 Product Effectiveness Satisfaction Ratings, by Category and Customer

20.4 Customer Background and Insights

20.4.1 Business Units Using IVAs

20.4.2 Channels Supported

20.4.3 Top 3 Benefits from IVA Solutions

20.4.4 Top 3 IVA Challenges

20.4.5 Additional Comments

21. Company Reports

21.1 Artificial Solutions

21.2 Avaamo Technologies, Inc.

21.3 Inference Solutions

21.4 Kore.ai

21.5 Omilia Natural Language Solutions Ltd.

21.6 Rulai

21.7 Verint Systems

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Jake Gyllenhaal has been friends with Amy Schumer's husband Chris Fischer since they were children, but it wasn't clear just how close they were until the release of her new HBO Max docuseries Expecting Amy.

The three-part documentary, which was released Thursday, features a surprisingly raunchy scene from the couple's wedding reception in which Jake, 39, gives a toast to his old pal.

While accompanied by two other childhood friends, the Zodiac actor reveals that Chris was the only one of their boyhood quartet who wasn't circumcised.

TMI: Jake Gyllenhaal, 39, reveals in Amy Schumer's new HBO Max documentary Expecting Amy that her husband was the only one of his childhood friends who wasn't circumcised; shown in October 2017

'Were going to start this off with Chris is the only uncircumcised one amongst the four of us,' Jake says out of the blue while standing with Chris' other friends, both named Dave.

He adds that the anatomical detail 'was a mystery to us as young boys because we only knew the penis to be one way.'

Chris isn't the only one in the family who's friendly with Jake.

The actor previously appeared in a hilarious sketch on Amy's Comedy Central series Inside Amy Schumer as a bizarre version of himself.

Eye opening: Jake adds that the anatomical detail 'was a mystery to us as young boys because we only knew the penis to be one way'

Family connection: Jake previously appeared on a hilarious Inside Amy Schumer sketch in which she worried he was catfishing her, only to learn it was the real Jake Gyllenhaal  but he was obsessed with ferrets

After Amy worries that her online boyfriend is using Jake Gyllenhaal's photo to trick her, she confronts him with a Catfish-like TV crew, only to learn that she was chatting with the real Jake.

But he's obsessed with ferrets, and she learns he was only interested in her because she had one.

Amy's new documentary features footage charting her courtship with Chris and their 2018 wedding in Malibu, California, as well as her debilitating struggle with hyperemesis gravidarum, a serious form of morning sickness that can last well into the second trimester.

The condition, which famously afflicted Kate Middleton, causes the standard nausea and vomiting, though it's much more extreme than for most women.

It can also cause extreme dehydration, weight loss and make it nearly impossible for some sufferers to eat or drink without vomiting.

Women suffering from the condition should consult with their doctor immediately, as it can have serous complications, evidenced by Amy's hospital stay.

Getting real: Amy's documentary features footage of her courtship with Chris and their 2018 wedding in Malibu, as well as her debilitating struggle with hyperemesis; shown in 2018

Major chef: Amy's husband Chris is a respected Martha's Vineyardbased chef and a James Beard award winner who's been filming Amy Schumer Learns To Cook with her in quarantine

Amy's husband Chris is a respected chef based in Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts.

After stints in Europe and working under now-disgraced chef Mario Battali in Manhattan, he returned to the tony island, where he took over the Beetlebung farm, once owned by his grandfather, and was the executive chef at the Beach Plum Inn & Restaurant.

He was awarded the James Beard award for his 2016 cookbook inspired by his family farm.

More recently, Chris, has been appearing in the quarantine series Amy Schumer Learns To Cook, in which he prepares delicious meals from his pantry while his comedienne wife assists.

In her new documentary, Amy reveals Chris' autism spectrum diagnosis and delves into what life is like with him.

'He knows that his brain is different,' she told Page Six. 'His brain just sees things so differently. Hes just the f***ing best.'
Were not law enforcement officers, Neely said. As guardsmen, were military. We go to war and we do not need to go to war in our cities. ... It was important to me (troops) were not putting their hands on civilians. So we didnt do riot control and some of those other missions. We focused on supporting law enforcement, allowing them to do the things theyre best trained to do.
U.S. Sen. Cory Booker now knows who hell face in the general election this fall.

Rik Mehta, a pharmacist and lawyer making his first try for public office, has won the Republican Senate nomination. The Associated Press called the race for Mehta Friday, three days after the polls closed in New Jerseys first election with mostly mail-in ballots.

Mehta and Hirsh Singh, an engineer who lost primaries for governor in 2017 and U.S. House in 2018, had been in a tight race.

Mehta served as vice president of Aquestive Therapeutics, a pharmaceutical company, and was a board member of two privately held firms, Licentiam Inc. and Lactiga Therapeutics. He formerly worked for the Food and Drug Administration.

While campaigning during the coronavirus pandemic, Mehta said people cared more about his background as a pharmacist and former U.S. Food and Drug Administration official than his status as a Senate candidate.

Mehta, of Chester Township, largely self-financed his primary run, lending himself $315,000. He raised $78,640 in contributions, including $4,000 from state Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr.s congressional committee, and had $48,214 in the bank as of June 17.

Booker raised $3.8 million and had $2.9 million cash on hand.

The two Washington-based publications that track congressional races, the Cook Political Report and Inside Elections, rated the seat as solid Democratic.

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Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him at @JDSalant.

.
A student at Texas A&M University who claimed he found racist notes left on his car was accused by campus cops of leaving them there himself.

A&M senior Isaih Martin, 21, posted an image on Twitter of the notes he found on his car parked outside a campus apartment building in June saying 'all lives matter,' 'you don't belong here' and the n-word.

The alleged discovery later prompted an investigation and $1,200 reward offered for information leading to the arrest of a suspect.

Campus cops, however, dropped the probe after they reviewed surveillance video and claim that Martin may have placed the notes on the vehicle himself.

Martin insists the investigators are wrong and says he did not place the notes on his own car.

A&M senior Isaih Martin, who is black, posted an image on Twitter of racist notes (pictured) he found on his car parked outside a campus apartment building in June saying 'all lives matter,' 'you don't belong here' and the n-word

Martin (pictured) after posting the image of the notes on social media prompted an investigation by the university

Texas A&M also offered a $1,200 reward for information leading to the arrest of a suspect

A police report notes there was no camera nearby that shows directly what happened, only surveillance video of the student when he first parked his car on George Bush Drive June 24 about 11.am and returns about 90 minutes later, KBTX reported.

A couple of people walked near the car while he was away, but each was next to the vehicle for a few seconds, the report said.

Upon returning to the car, according to the report, Martin immediately walks to the passenger side 'but does not open any doors'. He is then spotted in front of the car and a 'brief white speck' is spotted from about mid-torso 'moving toward his vehicle,' the report said.

'Another white speck is seen near his chest area,' the report continued. 'Martin is then seen stepping back and onto the sidewalk in front of his vehicle, most likely taking photos and videos.'

The report concludes with Martin returning to the passenger side for a 'few moments', before walking around the vehicle, getting in and driving away. His total time spent at the car was 1 minute and 15 seconds, police said.

Cops claimed it was 'difficult to distinguish any characteristics of the suspect in the video' but 'based on video evidence, no other person had enough time to place the messages on Martin`s car other than himself.'

The incident comes as protests have erupted across the nation after the police-related slaying of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Memorial Day.

Floyd, a black 46-year-old father of five, died while being arrested by former police officer Derek Chauvin. Chauvin, who is white, pressed his knee against the man's neck for nearly nine minutes leading to his death.

The incident over the notes comes as protests have erupted over the police-related slaying of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Floyd is pictured as former cop Derek Chauvin pressed his knee against the 46-year-old man's neck, leading to his death

The slaying was caught by a bystander on a video that went viral and set in motion Black Lives Matter protests calling for an end to police brutality and systematic racism.

Critics of the movement have responded with their own slogan, 'All Lives Matter', which is quoted in one of the notes that was left on Martin's vehicle.

At the time of the notes' discovery, Martin spoke out and said that he had seen incidents before like the one which he alleged happened to him, but never expected he would also become a target.

'Racism is here in college station and that problem needs to be addressed and brought up and needs to be fixed,' Martin told KBTX a day after he claimed to find the notes on June 24.

Texas A&M President Michael K. Young the same day released a statement offering the $1,200 reward.

Texas A&M President Michael K. Young the day after released a statement offering the $1,200 reward.

'I am utterly disappointed,' said Martin on Thursday, after campus cops dropped the case, challenging a report of their conclusions.

'There are several things they did not include in this report,' Martin insisted.

However, the student said he is no longer speaking to authorities and has consulted an attorney.

He posted on social media his reasons for no longer communicating with the police.

'I'm in a predicament where the topic of the case was let's find out who did this to them pointing the finger at me,' wrote Martin in a protected message on Twitter that only authorized users can read by permission, and which was obtained by KBTX.

'In the end, I stopped talking to them because it seemed they were more interested in me getting the blame for this hate crime instead of finding the actual person who did it.'
More than a sandwich, the Vietnamese banh mi is an expression of ingenuity and independence.

The Vietnamese created the wildly popular sandwich by adapting the baguettes, cold cuts and spreads of the French colonizers to their culture. They developed their own pate, swapped out butter for mayonnaise and threw in pickled vegetables and local herbs. By the time the French left Vietnam in 1954, the sandwich had taken hold, and in the ensuing decades it would travel with Vietnamese immigrants as they settled in America.

More than a half a century later, banh mi sandwiches are ubiquitous. In Albuquerque, youll find them at high-end restaurants, food trucks and outlets of national sandwich chains. The iconic sandwich is even featured in the names of two of the citys restaurants: Banh Mi Coda in the International District and Leona Banh Mi on the West Side.

Leona Banh Mi opened in a tired-looking strip mall on Coors near Interstate 40 in 2018. The name is a blending of the first names of owners Leo and Anna Villarejo Ruiz. There have been a few upgrades to the narrow space inside recently; most notably, the chalkboard menus behind the counter have been replaced by printed banners.

The scene during a recent weekday lunch offered stark reminders of todays state of affairs. The place smelled strongly of disinfectant, and chairs had been upended and placed on several tables to keep in compliance with the 50% capacity rule.

It wasnt all so grim, though. Cutout paper hearts hung everywhere, and the steady procession of takeout and eat-in customers hinted that the pandemic isnt smothering the business.

Leonas menu is far less extensive than those of other Vietnamese restaurants, and thats not necessarily a bad thing. Free from having to wade through pages of vermicelli and stir-fry dishes, one can concentrate on Leonas selection of banh mi, bowls of pho and spring rolls.

Banh mi is sold in 6-inch ($7.95) and 12-inch ($10.95) sizes and as a lettuce wrap ($8.25). Each sandwich comes with pickled carrots and daikon. Protein choices include meatballs, chicken, tofu and vegan ham.

The sandwiches arrived just a few minutes after my friend and I ordered, each wrapped in red-and-white checkered paper.

Bread is the key to a good banh mi, and Leonas, with a crisp shell over a light and airy core, did not disappoint. In the bahn mi dac biet, or special combo, the bread is smeared with a buttery housemade pate that tastes faintly of smoke and iron. Two types of ham, including a thick, whitish slab of Vietnamese ham thats cut from a steamed pork roll, bulk up the fillings. The variety of tastes and textures in each bite, from the breads thin armor through the fatty, rubbery meats and, finally, the tart, sweet crunch of the pickled vegetables, is a reminder of why this is a great sandwich.

A BBQ beef special ($7.95) was equally good, the thick slices of meat tenderized and charged with flavor from the marinade. Cucumber spears and cilantro tempered the heat of the fiery sauce.

Two big bowls of pho arrived shortly after the sandwiches, accompanied by a plate of bean sprouts, basil, limes and jalapenos.

Just as bread is the key to a good banh mi sandwich, broth is essential for successful pho. Leonas had ample flavor and a good salt level, and the jalapenos and Sriracha allow you to customize the heat level to your preference.

The thin-sliced strips of beef in the rare beef with meatballs pho ($9.95) are slightly pink when they get to the table but quickly turn pearly white in the shimmering pool of broth. They add a slightly metallic taste to the mix. In the chicken pho ($8.95), the strips of white chicken meat are wispy, ephemeral presences in the strongly flavored broth.

With all the broth and the rice noodles lurking underneath the surface, its a struggle to finish a bowl, but the server is happy to provide you with a cup to take the rest home with you.

Leona Banh Mi has an extensive selection of coffee and tea drinks and fruit smoothies. A special that day of watermelon juice ($6), made of diced watermelon, juice and ice, was like the essence of the fruit distilled into a cup. It was an apt choice for this time of year.

The woman running things in the dining area did an admirable job taking orders, bringing out the food and checking in on people. Several patrons greeted her like an old friend, suggesting that the place has a lot of repeat business.

Leonas Banh Mi does its namesake sandwich proud. Its another star in Albuquerques Vietnamese food firmament.

LEONA BANH MI

3 stars

LOCATION: 3250 Coors NW, Suite H, 347-1913, leonabanhmi.com

HOURS: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Friday; 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday

NO ALCOHOL
The studys numbers dwarf previous estimates of the viruss skewed impact on racial and ethnic minorities. Across the United States, Black and Latino people have been reported to be about three times as likely to contract the coronavirus as white people  a trend roughly mirrored by data collected by the city of Philadelphia. But these patterns have largely been based on tests for active infections, which have struggled to accurately capture where and how the virus has spread.

Although there is increasing awareness that many coronavirus infections cause few to no symptoms, many diagnostic testing centers  stymied by a lack of equipment and trained personnel  have rationed their tests to only people who are noticeably sick. And people who have reliable access to health care and insurance, often white and well-off, are more likely to seek out tests than others.

Diagnostic testing sites in many cities, including Philadelphia, have also been cordoned off by ZIP code, said Carmen Guerra, a health disparities researcher at the University of Pennsylvania who was not involved with the study, but is collaborating with the research team on others. Residents who do not own cars or cannot afford public transportation, she said, must surmount enormous barriers to determining their health status.

Tests that look for coronavirus genes also cant find people who were previously infected and are now virus free. To fill that gap, several health centers in the area are now offering antibody tests in addition to those for active infections, said Dr. Karen Puopolo, a neonatologist at Pennsylvania Hospital and an author of the study, which was posted to the website medRxiv on Friday. But many people decide not to get antibody tests, painting an incomplete picture of exposure throughout the city.

Keeping tabs on pregnant women, who have continued to seek medical care amid the pandemic, could offer a less biased glimpse into what is going on in the population at large, said Scott Hensley, a virologist at the University of Pennsylvania who also was an author of the study.
Business groups are stepping up the pressure on Finance Ministre Paschal Donohoe to cut the Vat rate as part of this month's Covid-19 economic stimulus package after the UK this week slashed its Vat rate for food businesses.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak cut the Vat rate to 5% from 20% for food services in restaurants, cafes, and pubs, and for accommodation firms through to mid-January.

It was part of a 33bn (36.7bn) in additional supports announced by Mr Sunak, which suggest that Minister Donohoe will need to announce measures this month of around 3.7bn to match the British response to the crisis.

Early in the crisis, the UK also ushered in bank loans that are 100%-guaranteed by the British state which have proved highly effective in injecting billions of liquidity into companies. However, Irish officials appear to be lukewarm about introducing 100%-guaranteed loans.

Gerard Brady, chief economist at Ibec, said the business group had submitted its thoughts to the new coalition on the shape of the stimulus package earlier this week, which includes cutting the Vat rate as a way of helping businesses. The biggest issue was securing an extension in the wage-subsidy scheme, he said.

New Revenue figures showed the number of employees availing of the wage-subsidy fell by 5,000 to 405,000 in the past week.

Small businesses call for Vat reductions

Isme chief executive Neil McDonnell said the economy will require stimulus measures, requiring "reducing the Vat rate, even if for a defined period of time".

"The SME sector is of systemic, irreplaceable importance to the State. It accounts for more than half of our Paye, Prsi, and USC collection while two-thirds of Vat collection is again from SMEs," Mr McDonnell said.

The Small Firms Association wants the 9% hospitality Vat rate restored up until the end of next year and an extension to the wage subsidy scheme.

The Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) and the Restaurants Association are calling for a reduction in the tourism and hospitality sector Vat rate to 5% from the current 13.5% rate. The IHF wants the 5% rate to apply to the end of 2021, after which, it said, it should settle at 9%.

Groups for the pubs and drinks trade want a Vat reduction to 9%. The Licensed Vintners Association and the Vintners Federation of Ireland have warned that 22,500 jobs could be lost and 7,000 pubs could struggle with restrictions after reopening.

Tom McDonnell, co-director at the Nevin Economic Research Institute, or Neri, said there was a logic behind any cut in Vat because it was designed to help businesses rather than boost demand, but that the costly initiative should be time-limited.

He said there would be better ways in time in October's budget to spend money on boosting new training and apprenticeships for young people who work in low-paid jobs likely to be hit hard by the crisis.

In the stimulus package, Neri favours extending the wage-subsidy scheme and wants bailout outs for transport companies and the universities.
Porsche C. via Yelp

On Wednesday, two Alcohol Beverage Control officers visited Loft Wine Bar and Restaurant in Benicia to see if they were complying with statewide COVID-19 safety guidelines after a community complaint, according to KRON4. What they found were employees (and the owner) without masks  so they wrote the restaurant a citation.

Owner Jason Diavitas admitted to KRON4 that at least four of his five staffers werent wearing masks "because of health issues."
Massachusetts will not be exempt from the impact of Tropical Storm Fay, which is currently winding its way through the mid-Atlantic, bringing in its wake strong downpours, flooding and winds.

As the tropical storm picks up speed and strength, forecasters are warning that much of Western Massachusetts may be hit with intense rainfall and flash flooding.

Fay will bring heavy downpours to New England starting around 6 p.m. There is a potential for flooding mainly across northern Connecticut and Western Massachusetts, where a hazardous weather outlook and a flash flood watch have been issued.

Widespread rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are expected across the region this afternoon and especially tonight, the National Weather Service said. Localized higher amounts may occur which will result in the potential for flash flooding.

Western Massachusetts may see rainfall totals as high as 2.25 to 2.50 inches. The rest of the state should be hit with 0.5 to 1.5 inches of rainfall, with bands of showers and a few thunderstorms forecast. Severe weather is not expected, though.

Most of the rainfall will come to an end by Saturday morning, but the weather will remain quite humid, and a few strong thunderstorms are forecast later in the afternoon, mainly across northern Connecticut and Western Massachusetts again.

Tropical Storm Fay will lift northward tonight and likely track west of southern New England as it eventually weakens to a depression, the National Weather Service said on Friday.

The storm system formed off the coast of the Carolinas on Thursday and has since strengthened slightly, according to an Air Force Hurricane Hunter aircraft. It is now barreling northward at 10 miles per hour, producing 50-mile-per-hour winds, the National Hurricane Center said.

Fay is expected to produce 2 to 4 inches of rainfall with isolated amounts of 7 inches along and near its current track from the lower eastern shore of Maryland through Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York and southern New England.

These rains may result in flash flooding where the heaviest amounts occur, the hurricane center said. Widespread river flooding is not expected at this time.

As Fay continues its journey across the mid-Atlantic states, a tropical storm warning has been issued for the coasts of New Jersey, New York and Connecticut, including Long Island.

Although flash flooding from heavy rainfall is the main concern Friday night to Saturday morning, forecasters are warning of a moderate to high risk of rip currents off south coastal beaches.

Tropical storm force winds are also a concern, according to the National Weather Service.

Related Content: Strong chance tropical storm could develop off Carolinas and hit Massachusetts with widespread rainfall and flash flooding
For most of her life, Mary L. Trump was shunted aside by her own family.

Her uncle, U.S. President Donald Trump, for years looked down on her father  his own brother, Fred Trump Jr., an alcoholic who died when she was a teen.

Her grandfather, Fred Trump Sr., hated her mother, whom he blamed for Fred Trump Jr.s drinking, court papers say. Her aunt, the presidents sister, once accused Mary Trump and her brother in a legal deposition of being absentee grandchildren.

Even when Mary Trump shared Christmas with her family, her grandfather was often annoyed by what he took to be her disrespectful nature. Her crime, court papers say: she showed up wearing a baggy sweater.

Mary Trumps status as an outcast culminated in 1999 when Fred Trump Sr. died, and she discovered that she and her brother had been cut out of his will, depriving them of what they believed was their rightful share of untold millions. A dispute over the will devolved into a court fight, its details shielded by a confidentiality agreement that Mary Trump has adhered to for nearly 20 years.

Now, however, the story of that fight  and other new allegations  has been thrust into the spotlight with the publication of Trumps memoir, a copy of which The New York Times obtained Tuesday. The book, along with a number of court documents that have never been reported, sheds new light on a decades-long saga of greed, betrayal and internecine squabbles, laying out what Mary Trump has described as her familys legacy of darkness and dysfunction.

Her book, Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the Worlds Most Dangerous Man, which is set to be released next week, has ended up in court itself: the Trump family has sought to stop its publication. Mary Trump has countered that the secrecy provision that has kept her silent until now is unenforceable and based on financial fraud.

The book makes a number of allegations that Mary Trump depicts as family secrets, among them a claim that a young Donald Trump paid someone to take his SAT, the standardized test used for college admissions. It also alleges that his sister, Maryanne Trump Barry, a former federal judge, considered him a clown who had no principles and that the Trump family left Fred Trump Jr. unattended at a hospital on the night that he died.

In her book, Mary Trump seeks to explain how Donald Trumps position in one of New Yorks wealthiest and most infamous real estate empires helped him acquire what Mary Trump has referred to as twisted behaviours  attributes like seeing other people in monetary terms and practising cheating as a way of life.

Mary Trump, a clinical psychologist, calls her grandfather  the presidents father, Fred Trump Sr.  a sociopath who damaged his children. His fathers behaviour, she concludes, led the president to adopt bullying and other aggressive behaviours to mask his own insecurities.

While several close associates of Donald Trump have published exposes of him and his time in office, Mary Trump, who is 55 and lives on Long Island in New York, is the first member of the family to have broken ranks by writing a book.

Sarah Matthews, a White House spokesperson, said Tuesday that the book was in Mary Trumps own financial self-interest. She said the president has described his relationship with his father in warm terms and called the allegation about the SAT completely false.

A lawyer for Trumps family, Charles Harder, did not respond to an email seeking comment.

John Barrengos, one of Mary Trumps oldest friends, said that he believed the book was her response to a family that she feels tried to silence her and an attempt to shed light on her uncle, whose politics she strongly opposes.

I think trying to tell the story as she sees it is a way of again claiming her voice not just in the construct of the family, but in the context of what our country is going through, Barrengos said.

A turbulent family

The seeds of Mary Trumps alienation began before she was born, with her fathers relationship to his family, and continued through her childhood before bursting open when her grandfather died, according to her book and court documents, some of which remain under seal.

Mary Trump and her brother, Fred Trump III, were the only children of Fred Trump Jr., the oldest sibling of Donald Trump, and Linda Clapp Trump, a one-time flight attendant who did not win her father-in-laws approval.

Fred Trump Jr. was not inclined to the family real-estate business, so Donald Trump stepped into the role of his fathers successor. The eldest Trump sibling became a pilot and struggled with alcoholism.

In her book, Trump writes that her uncle Donald watched her grandfather mock her father, learned from the ridicule to become Fred Sr.s favourite son and joined in it. Donald Trump told his brother, referring to his career as a pilot: Dads right about you: youre nothing but a glorified bus driver.

For a child of one of New Yorks most successful families, Mary Trump had a turbulent upbringing. Her father was clashing with his own father and younger brother, she writes, drinking and smoking heavily. They lived in a drafty apartment in Highlander Hall, a Trump building in Queens, and at one point she was hospitalized with pneumonia.

Her father started to spiral downward. He had tried to buy a house but could not get a mortgage. Our family was effectively trapped in that rundown apartment in Jamaica, she wrote. At 29 years old, my father was running out of things to lose.

On one occasion, young Mary woke up to her father laughing while aiming a gun at her screaming mothers face, she wrote in her book. By 1970, her mother told her father to leave, and he would never live with them again. They divorced in 1971. Fred Trump Jr. died of a heart attack in 1981 at age 42.

His children, who had already been given $400,000 (U.S.) each in trust by their grandfather, inherited a 20 per cent stake their father had been granted in Trump apartment buildings in Brooklyn and Queens, several ground leases and other revenue-producing businesses.

Long after their fathers death, Mary Trump and her brother continued attending family events, including a Mike Tyson fight in Atlantic City with Donald Trump, their grandfathers birthday party at Peter Luger Steak House, Ivanka Trumps eighth birthday party and weddings, holidays and visits with their grandmother.

Still, they remained at the edges of the family. Fred Trump Sr. never liked Linda Trump, according to testimony in a battle over his will, and worried that any money left to his two grandchildren would end up in her hands.

He had a tremendous dislike for their mother, Donald Trump said of his father in a deposition obtained by the Times. He felt the mother was the cause of Freds difficulty.

Fred Trump Sr. also looked down on Mary Trump and her brother because of what he perceived as a poor work ethic fostered by inheriting their fathers money, according to testimony in the will dispute by John Walter, Donald Trumps cousin.

He knew what Fred III was doing, Walter testified. He knew what Mary was doing. He knew what their father had done before them. Fred Trump III, Walter said, was not working hard enough.

Although Walter said that Fred Trump Sr. did not expect Mary Trump, as a woman, to work in construction, he did not think either of the children was fulfilling their potential.

A fight over inheritance

When Fred Trump Sr.s will was revised in 1991, he left $202,000 to each grandchild, including Mary Trump and Fred Trump III. The bulk of the Trump fortune would pass to his four living children. His other grandchildren stood to eventually inherit their parents portion. But Mary Trump and Fred Trump III  without their knowledge  were cut out of a 20 per cent share of their grandfathers estate that they might have received had their father lived.

This is tantamount to disinheriting them, an adviser told the Trump patriarch in a memo before the will was finalized. You may wish to increase their participation in your estate to avoid ill will in the future.

After Fred Trump Sr. died on June 25, 1999, Mary Trump and Fred Trump III learned that they had been cut out. Nine months later, they contested the will in court in New York, arguing that their grandfather had been suffering from dementia and that his children had manipulated him to influence the way the will was written.

A week after they went to court, a Trump family company cut off health insurance to Mary Trump, her mother, brother and her brothers family, including Fred IIIs nine-month-old son William, who had suffered from seizure disorders and would be diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Donald Trump acknowledged the termination of the insurance was related to the fight over his fathers will.

When (Fred III) sued us, we said, Why should we give him medical coverage? he told the New York Daily News at the time. Mary Trump told the newspaper that by contesting the will, she was fighting for their father to be recognized. He existed, he lived, he was their oldest son. And William is my fathers grandson, she said.

Litigation over the will and the health insurance became the vehicles for the Trumps to hurl insults and raise grievances that had hung in the air for years.

In an affidavit in a lawsuit over the health insurance, Mary Trump said that at a meeting at the Drake Hotel, her uncle Robert tried to persuade her and her brother to accept the wills terms, mentioning how much had been spent on Williams medical care. They interpreted the statement as a threat to terminate the insurance if they fought the will.

Robert Trump, in his own affidavit, called Williams 24-hour nurses highly paid babysitters.

Fred III said he was shocked that his family would trivialize his sons medical care.

My loving aunts and uncles, in an expression of their undying concern for William, were more than willing to jeopardize his care in order to punish me and my sister, he said in his affidavit.

Those aunts and uncles had not visited William at a hospital a short cab ride from their Manhattan apartments, although in a restaurant Donald Trump yelled across the tables that he had heard my child was sick, Fred III later said.

Absentee grandchildren

The fight over the will was equally bitter.

They live like kings and queens, Donald Trump said of his niece and nephew in his deposition. This is not two people left out in the gutter.

Maryanne Trump Barry testified there was no relationship between Mary and Fred III and her father, calling them absentee grandchildren, even as she acknowledged that they had attended Christmas at her parents house and other family events.

They often came and left very early, she said. On each time they came Freddy was never wearing a tie, which drove my father bananas, and Mary was in pants and a baggy sweater, which drove him bananas as well.

Mary Trump, in response, gave her lawyer a long list of the events they had attended.

In her book, Mary Trump accuses Robert Trump of telling her and her brother during the will battle that if they did not settle, the family would bankrupt one of the companies in which they had inherited a stake and saddle the two of them with the bill.

Barry and Robert Trump did not respond to requests for comment.

The Trumps settled their disputes in April 2001, court records show. As part of the deal, Mary and Fred III received an undisclosed cash settlement, and they agreed to turn over the 20 per cent stake in Trump assets they had inherited from their father, including seven apartment complexes, ground leases and stakes in a public housing complex and in the company Robert Trump had purportedly threatened to bankrupt.

After the Times reported on the familys questionable valuations of its real-estate assets in 2018, Mary Trump concluded that she and her brother were duped in the settlement, she has claimed in the run-up to publishing her book.

Even as the court fight over the will was starting to be resolved, Trump tried to establish her own life.

After working on a masters degree in English at Columbia University, she switched directions and in 2001 started taking psychology courses at Adelphi University, not far from her home. In 2003, she earned a masters degree, and by the end of the decade had finished her doctoral studies, writing a dissertation that examined the qualities that made people vulnerable to being stalked by their partners.

Around the same time, she entered into a romantic relationship. Mary Trump and her partner raised a daughter before separating several years later.

When her uncle Donald announced that he was running for president in June 2015, Mary Trump did not take it seriously, assuming, she wrote, that he simply wanted the free publicity for his brand. Throughout the campaign, which was marked by scandals like the release of the Access Hollywood tape, Mary Trump did not speak out, fearing that her voice would not be heard and that her views would make no difference, she wrote in the book.

She stayed in touch with her aunt, Barry, whom she quotes as saying about the presidential race, Hes a clown  this will never happen, during one of their regular lunches in 2015. Barry was particularly baffled by support for her brother among evangelical Christians, according to the book.

On election night, however, Mary Trump took to Twitter, writing, Worst night of my life. She also wrote: We should be judged harshly, adding, I grieve for our country.

Mary Trump has grown apart from the brother with whom she had been aligned in the family conflict years ago. While she has chosen to speak out against the family, he has taken a different path, nurturing a relationship with their uncle. In a statement released through the Trump family last month, Fred Trump III distanced himself from his sisters book and said their legal settlement had been generous and his son well provided for.

Read more about:
A US marine in Darwin has tested positive for coronavirus after being screened on arrival.

The soldier, who doesn't have any symptoms, arrived on Wednesday and had no direct contact with the general community.

In a statement, Defence said all US personnel who arrived or interacted with the person would continue to be monitored during their mandatory 14-day quarantine.

Northern Territory Health Minister Natasha Fyles said the person has been transferred to Royal Darwin Hospital.

'But this is not someone that has been mixing in our community. This is not a case of community transmission.

'This is an individual who arrived on a charter flight, they went through the military side of Darwin airport, and they have been in quarantine.'

A US marine in Darwin has tested positive for coronavirus after being screened on arrival (pictured, US Marines march in a parade)

The Northern Territory plans to reopen its borders to the rest of the country - except Victoria - on July 17, after closing them during the outbreak of COVID-19 earlier in the year (pictured, a US Marine receives a COVID-19 test in Darwin)

The Northern Territory plans to reopen its borders to the rest of the country - except Victoria - on July 17, after closing them during the outbreak of COVID-19 earlier in the year.

Victoria recorded 134 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday following a record 191 on Tuesday in an escalation of community transmission of cases.

That has been linked to flaws in the Victorian hotel quarantine system that Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner insisted would not occur in the NT.

Metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire, north of the city, began a six-week lockdown at midnight on Wednesday.

Victoria was isolated from its neighbouring states after NSW closed its southern border for the first time in a century overnight, with Tasmanian and South Australian borders closed on Wednesday night.

Mr Gunner apologised to regional Victorians for widening the declaration to all of Victoria indefinitely, given the outbreak is mostly in Melbourne.

Anyone from Victoria that enters the NT will have to go into supervised quarantine at a government facility for 14 days and foot a $2,500 bill.

'Melbourne is out-of-control. That makes it harder for the rest of Victoria to stay in control,' Mr Gunner said.

'That is not a risk that we, in the Territory, are prepared to take.

'So to the rest of Victoria - I am sorry, you haven't done anything wrong but it is my job to put the territory first.'

There was confusion on Wednesday about why the mandatory supervised quarantine at a $2,500 cost for Victorians does not start for another nine days.

Mr Gunner said currently all interstate visitors to the Territory still had to go into quarantine, until borders reopen on July 17 (pictured, Darwin residents queue outside a local pub)

Victoria was isolated from its neighbouring states after NSW closed its southern border for the first time in a century overnight, with Tasmanian and South Australian borders closed on Wednesday night (pictured, roadblocks have been set up outside Melbourne)

A police officer speaks to a driver at a roadblock set up outside Melbourne as the city was plunged back into lockdown

Mr Gunner said currently all interstate visitors to the Territory still had to go into quarantine, until borders reopen on July 17.

They can choose the location and are unsupervised, but could be forced into supervised accommodation if they breached the rules.

A 27-year-old man who breached his quarantine to go to a Darwin nightclub was among a recent spate of people caught flouting COVID-19 rules, with 121 fines issued.

Mr Gunner acknowledged the decision would be a blow to industry, which has been pushing for the borders to reopen, but said it was foremost a health crisis.

'I know there are a lot of businesses out there doing it tough that might find it hard to believe or accept but right now we're actually performing the best because of those early decisions that we made to make sure we stayed the safest,' Mr Gunner said.

The hard borders for Victorians have been called for by organisations such as Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance NT, due to the perceived vulnerability of Indigenous communities to the virus.

Council on the Ageing NT chief executive Sue Shearer said she was delighted on the behalf of senior Territorians, but acknowledged some would be disappointed about not seeing family members.

Spring Street in Melbourne is deserted as a six-week lockdown came into effect in the city

An empty Bourke Street Mall in Melbourne after the city was placed into a six week-long lockdown
LONDON, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --

To:

Dr. Hakan Bjorklund (Chairman of the Supervisory Board)

Stephane Bancel (Supervisory Board Director)

Dr. Metin Colpan (Supervisory Board Director)

Prof. Dr. Ross Levine (Supervisory Board Director)

Prof. Dr. Elaine Mardis (Supervisory Board Director)

Lawrence A. Rosen (Supervisory Board Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee)

Elizabeth E. Tallett (Supervisory Board Director and Chairwoman of the Compensation Committee)

Thierry Bernard (Chief Executive Officer)

Roland Sackers (Chief Financial Officer)

Hulsterweg 82, 5912 PL Venlo, Netherlands

Dear Members of the Supervisory Board and Management Board,

Davidson Kempner European Partners, LLP is the sub-adviser to Davidson Kempner Capital Management LP which acts as the discretionary investment manager to various funds which hold in aggregate, as of close of business 10 July 2020, 6,853,458 shares of Qiagen N.V. (the "Company"). This aggregate holding represents 3.0% of the share capital of the Company.

We have greatly appreciated the opportunity to have a dialogue with you. In our two letters, dated 11 June and 19 June 2020 and on our most recent call with Dr. Hakan Bjorklund, Thierry Bernard, Roland Sackers and John Gilardi that took place on 26 June 2020, we set out our concerns with respect to a number of key issues.

We are writing this letter to express our view that the Board of the Company should issue an Adverse Recommendation Change. We believe the offer of 39/share from Thermo Fisher Scientific ("Thermo") is inadequate as it fails to reflect the Company's fundamental standalone value and offers shareholders no premium for control.

Qiagen's Prospects as a Leading Franchise in Molecular Diagnostics and Life Sciences

Under the leadership of former CEO Peer Schatz and the founders, the Company has over the last 36 years built a leading franchise across molecular diagnostics and life sciences. In particular, COVID-19 has highlighted and amplified the strength and importance of the Company's business in diagnostics and testing and has positioned the Company to be a major beneficiary of the key secular trends in this industry. The Company's products have become increasingly important to governments and healthcare institutions as they seek to mitigate the risk of future pathogens and protect their citizens and economies. Many industry experts expect that spending on this previously small part of the healthcare industry will increase substantially in the coming years given the cost effectiveness of these capabilities in managing pandemics. These developments should create significant long term value and benefits for all the Company's stakeholders.

We also think the proposed acquisition of Qiagen by Thermo presents a highly strategic and complementary opportunity. The deal has become even more attractive as the impacts of COVID-19 and the broader implications have become significantly clearer since the initial announcement on 3 March 2020.

Our Assessment of the Current Offer

We believe the strategic review announced on 15 November 2019 was conducted at a particularly disadvantaged point in time for the Company, following shortly after a profit warning and the departure of the longstanding CEO, Peer Schatz. This undermined the Company's ability to extract fair value for its shareholders from the process, as reflected by the opportunistic approach from a number of parties immediately following the departure of the CEO in October 2019. Following discussions with five parties during the review period, the Company terminated talks with all parties on 24 December 2019. Interestingly, the Company Board quickly re-initiated discussions with only Thermo in mid January 2020 and announced a deal on 3 March 2020. We note that the recommended offer announced on 3 March 2020 at 39/share is effectively the same as the $43/share (equivalent to 39.09/share) proposal made by Thermo on 22 November 2019.

The Board did not incorporate any impact of COVID-19 into their evaluation of the Company's standalone value when agreeing the 39/share deal on 3 March 2020. The Board's view at the time was that they were apparently unaware of the impact on the business. While the Board now acknowledge its materiality, they have so far decided not to update the transaction documentation (Offer Document, Fairness Opinions, Reasoned Position Statement, Guidance and any ad hoc disclosures) or their recommendation based on the impact now being considered too uncertain.

We believe COVID-19 has a material long term impact on the diagnostics industry. We have spent a substantial amount of time and effort speaking to your peers, industry experts, procurement experts and have conducted significant proprietary research in order to understand the short, medium and long-term trends for the diagnostics industry, that have been highlighted by COVID-19. We believe these trends are going to be a significant driver for the Company's prospects and fundamental value over the short and long term, regardless of the uncertainty around COVID-19.

The Current Offer Undervalues Qiagen

We believe the standalone fair value to be around 50/share. The offer of 39/share for the Company is therefore inadequate as it fails to reflect the Company's fundamental standalone value and offers shareholders no premium for control.

Since 2 March 2020, the day prior to the transaction being announced, the share prices of the Company's closest European peers have increased in value by an average of 61%, which more than reflects the 51% increase in the average earnings that these peers are estimated to generate over 2020 due to the tailwinds of COVID-19. The Company's preliminary Q2 earnings reported on 09 July 2020 show that the Company delivered adjusted EPS of $0.55-0.56/share - a 68% increase over the same period in Q2 2019.Since 2 March 2020, the Company's share price has increased by only 21% following the Thermo offer, while we estimate the Company will see its earnings increase 67% for the full year 2020. It seems reasonable to conclude, that if the Company was not in a bid situation and was trading freely, the significant increase in earnings they have experienced alongside the similarly affected European peers would see the stock price trading well into the mid 40s.

We believe the Company could deliver $2,074m in Sales and EPS of $2.54 in 2020, which is a 32% and 67% uplift vs. sell-side consensus pre COVID-19. For 2021, we believe the Company could deliver $2,433-2,756m of Sales (48-67% uplift vs. sell-side consensus pre COVID-19) and EPS $2.91-3.33 (76-101% uplift vs. sell-side consensus pre COVID-19). After the Q2 update, we have even more confidence that the Company can deliver these numbers or better.

We have considered the US life science peers given many were included by the Company's financial advisors in their fairness opinions as part of the Reasoned Position Statement. However, we note that their earnings trajectory is materially worse than the Company given that the COVID-19 tailwinds do not offset the declines in the rest of their businesses. For this reason, we believe this is the wrong peer set and we would expect the Company's stock price to materially outperform these companies given the abovementioned very different earnings trajectory. Despite the negative earnings revisions in 2020, we note that the broader US life sciences peer set have still seen their share prices rise by an average of 23% since 2 March 2020.

1) Using Company forward P/E multiple range of 19-21x (this is based on the conservative end of the historic multiple trading range). Multiples are applied to Davidson Kempner's estimate of the Company's 2020 EPS. See Appendix for further details.

2) DCF based on Davidson Kempner analysis of the Company's COVID uplift streams (see Appendix for further details) as well as carrying out proprietary research.

Concerns About Corporate Governance and the Rights of Minority Shareholders

The Offer is conditional on 75% of the Company's shareholders tendering their shares into the Offer. We also note that this threshold can be lowered further if the Company Board were to acquiesce to Thermo's request to do so.

The Offer also has a top-up mechanism, which providing Thermo satisfies the acceptance condition (or any lowered acceptance condition), enables the Company to issue shares directly to Thermo to ensure that they end up holding a minimum of 80% of the Company's shares and Thermo can then squeeze out minority shareholders. Consequently, Thermo will be able to acquire 100% of the Company's shares and force out minority shareholders potentially representing a significant percentage of the Company's share capital. In addition, this would enable Thermo to achieve tax benefits it might otherwise not obtain.

The combination of these two mechanisms is aggressive, highly concerning to us and undermines the ability of shareholders to protect their interests. If the Company's Board agrees with Thermo's request to reduce the acceptance condition, Thermo could effectively squeeze the Company's shareholder out at a level substantially less than the 95% standard squeeze-out threshold stipulated by Dutch corporate law and generally accepted standards in that jurisdiction.

We urge the board to exercise extreme caution when considering their support for any request to lower the acceptance condition.

Davidson Kempner Considers the Current Offer to be Wholly Inadequate and Will Not Tender Its Shares

The offer of 39/share for the Company is inadequate as it fails to reflect the Company's fundamental standalone value and offers shareholders no premium for control. Accordingly, we will not be tendering our shares into the offer.

In addition, we note last Friday's Reuters article suggesting another substantial shareholder shares our views. We encourage other shareholders to likewise make their views clear to the Board of the Company and reject the offer.

Furthermore, we note that you have stated on 22 June 2020 that the Company will update the market on many of the issues above and expect that you are doing this as you too have reached the conclusion that the Offer is no longer attractive to the Company' shareholders. We urge the Board to issue an Adverse Recommendation Change.

Please reach out to our team with any questions you may have.

cc: Risto Koivula (Partner)

Appendix

Davidson Kempner Financial Forecasts

RNA Reagents - Assumptions:

- 2020 RNA reagent kits sold

o Q3: 14mn (per month) / 41mn (for quarter)

o Q4: 19mn (per month) / 58mn (for quarter)

- 2021 RNA reagent kits sold

o Q1: 20mn (per month) / 60mn (for quarter)

o Q2: 14mn (per month) / 41mn (for quarter)

o Q3: 10mn (per month) / 28mn (for quarter)

o Q4: 5mn (per month) / 14mn (for quarter)

- Average selling price: $4.50 per kit

- Profitability: 50% EBIT margin

Third Party Reagent Manufacturing - Assumptions:

- Trends based on RNA reagent volume sales trajectory

- Profitability: 30% EBIT margin

QiaStat Machines & Associated Consumables - Assumptions:

- Machines: an incremental 225 machines (above and beyond what was expected at the beginning of the year) are sold across 2020. No incremental machines sold in 2021

- Consumables (COVID syndromic panels): incremental machines used at 100% capacity utilisation through 2020 before dropping to 50% in 2021

- Profitability: 35% EBIT margin on consumables

Base Business Performance - Assumptions:

- 2020:

o Q3: -15% vs Q3 2019

o Q4: -10% vs Q4 2019

- 2021: 6% growth vs 2019 levels

Davidson Kempner DCF Assumptions

- RNA Reagents:

o Kits sold

- Low end of range based on aforementioned assumptions

- High end of range assumes ramp up to 30mn at peak in 2021 reducing to 15mn in 2022 and zero thereafter

o Average selling price: $4.50 per kit

o Profitability: 50% EBIT margin

- QiaStat Consumables

o Low end utilisation on incremental machines of 50%

o High end utilisation on incremental machines of 100%

- WACC range: 6%-7%

- Terminal value:

o RNA kits: based on a residual tail of RNA kits which we believe will remain as a result of governments needing to ensure preparedness for any future outbreaks

o QiaStat: terminal value based on the incremental machines sold during COVID and associated consumables from these machines

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For media enquiries:

Greenbrook

Andrew Honnor, Rob White, Fanni Bodri

Email: davidsonkempner@greenbrookpr.com

Tel: +44(0)20-7952-2000
Storyful

A pod of Hectors dolphins joined paddleboarders in Te Waewae Bay, New Zealand, recently shared video shows.Footage by Ross Harvey Trafford shows the dolphins swimming alongside and underneath paddleboarders off the southern coast of New Zealands South Island.New Zealands Department of Conservation lists Hectors dolphins as nationally vulnerable, meaning the species faces a high risk of extinction in the medium term, reports said.There are about 15,000 Hectors dolphins over the age of one, the department said.The Department of Conservation has rules about flying drones near marine mammals. However, it said that Trafford was not in breach of them as this was an unplanned wildlife encounter, with the dolphins swimming into the frame of Traffords video. Credit: Ross Harvey Trafford via Storyful
Delhis Covid-19 count crossed the 1 lakh mark earlier this week with a continuing surge in new cases since the end of June. A ray of hope, however, shone through the health crisis in the capital as the recovery rate from the infection increased and nearly 80,000 patients recovered from the disease, according to Delhi government data.

With the number of tests increasing, the death toll too has indicated a slight dip while the projections for July have not yet happened. These positive signs have raised hopes that the national capital may well be able to flatten the coronavirus curve if things go according to plan. Experts, have however, cautioned about the need to sustain the dip in cases. They have emphasised on the urgent need to continue with social distancing guidelines, mandatory wearing of masks, hand hygiene and other dos and donts to ward off the infection. Neglecting any of the health guidelines could once again lead to coronavirus cases soaring in the national capital, health experts have said.

ALSO READ | Indias Covid-19 deaths per million among lowest globally: Health Ministry

Although Covid-19 cases surged and crossed the one lakh mark on July 6, the active cases and positivity rate declined and the recovery rate increased in Delhi. On July 5, the recovery rate was 71.74 per cent, up from 63.32 per cent the week before . This was higher than the national recovery rate which at that time was 60.7 per cent.

The Delhi government has adopted certain containment plans to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the city. Here are some of the measures that have helped Delhi to fight the viral infection and bring about a dip in Covid-19 cases:

1. Home Isolation and an awareness drive:

The Delhi government has promoted the concept of home isolation of Covid-19 positive patients who were asymptomatic or even had mild symptoms. These patients made up almost 80% of all Covid-19 positive cases. Medical teams visited their homes explaining home isolation. Regular monitoring was done by these teams and guidance given via daily phone calls by healthcare workers. So patients had the option of recovering in the comfort of their homes. Their family members were also quarantined in the same house for 2 weeks and this ensured that they did not spread the disease. The accompanying awareness campaign also helped to reduce the stigma around being Covid-19-positive for most people.

2. Aggressive testing and Isolation of patients:

The national capital had been following a strategy of high testing from the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. Before the end of last month, the capital city was testing more than any other state in India at 10,500 tests per million on May 31. From the first week of June, a strategy of increased testing was adopted by the Delhi government with a focus on areas that were becoming coronavirus hotspots. In the first week of June, the Delhi government carried out 5,500 tests per day. With the help of antigen test kits, by mid-June, the government carried out 11,000 tests per day and by the first week of July almost 21,000 tests per day.

Obviously increased testing hiked the number of cases so Covid-19 positive patients were traced and isolated to curb the spread. So the number of active coronavirus cases began to plateau despite high testing, from June 16 onwards and fresh cases began to sharply decline from June 23.

ALSO READ | ICMR plans nationwide sero-survey to detect exposure of people to Covid-19 infection

3. Increasing hospital beds in Delhi:

Till early June, there were only 8 private hospitals that were treating Covid-19 patients and these had a total of 700 beds available. This was in addition to 2,500 beds in Delhi government hospitals. When the cases started rising in the first week of June, the 8 private hospitals filled their capacity and when patients reached some of these hospitals they found no beds available. The government started expanding bed capacity in private hospitals. According to a government order, all private hospitals with more than 50 beds had to reserve 40% of beds for treating Covid-19 patients. The number of Covid-19 beds in private hospitals increased from 700 to 5000, it also meant that Covid-19 facilities were now available in all parts of the city.

4. Roping in large hotels and banquet halls:

A few hotels were linked to private hospitals thereby increasing bed capacity of hospitals. With this hotel linkage, the number of beds in private hospitals went up from 5000 to 7000. Currently, there are over 15,000 Covid-19 beds in Delhi. While much of this increased capacity is still vacant - with only 38% of 15,000+ beds are occupied.

5. Counselling of coronavirus patients by doctors:

Many suspected patients rushed to hospitals, even though their symptoms were mild and they did not need hospitalization. In response to this, the Delhi government collaborated with a network of NGOs and doctor-volunteers who started real-time calling and counselling of Covid-19 positive patients, as soon as their lab reports got uploaded. A patient was able to get medical advice and counselling within hours of getting their lab reports. When doctors counselled them and explained how most coronavirus patients did not need hospitalization, patients were able to cope with the psychological and trauma of the disease.

6. Plasma Therapy:

Convalescent plasma showed encouraging results across countries in preventing mortality amongst critical patients, as it provides the patient with antibodies to fight the virus. Delhi was one of the first cities to start an experimental trial of plasma therapy in LNJP, the largest Delhi government Covid-19 facility. Trial results were encouraging. So Plasma Therapy could save some lives in Delhi. The government also set up a Plasma Bank so that patients could easily access convalescent plasma. An aggressive awareness campaign for plasma donation has been led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to encourage recovered patients to come forward and donate their plasma for treating others.

7. Oximeters and Oxygen Concentrators:

One of the causes of deaths due to coronavirus is reduction in oxygen levels in the blood, hypoxia. Unlike other ailments where this hypoxia is accompanied with breathlessness, in Covid-19 a phenomenon of Happy Hypoxia, wherein a patient may have dangerously low levels of oxygen but may not be aware about it is visible. Monitoring oxygen levels and having accessible supply of oxygen was crucial to prevent mortality of patients in Home Isolation.

The Delhi Govt provided oximeters to all patients recovering in home isolation so they could monitor their oxygen levels to prevent any sudden dip. The government purchased 59,600 oximeters and 58,974 are in use by patients in home isolation. Oxygen Concentrators were provided to local dispensaries that could immediately take these to a patients home and provide oxygen support, if their oxygen levels began to dip. The Delhi government purchased 2,750 oxygen concentrators. Most beds in Delhi government hospitals have oxygen facility.
WASHINGTON - The June 28 email to the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was ominous: A senior adviser to a top Health and Human Services Department official accused the CDC of "undermining the President" by putting out a report about the potential risks of the coronavirus to pregnant women.

The adviser, Paul Alexander, criticized the agency's methods, and said its warning to pregnant women "reads in a way to frighten women . . . as if the President and his administration can't fix this and it is getting worse."

As the country enters a frightening phase of the pandemic with new daily cases surpassing 62,000 on Wednesday, the CDC, the nation's top public health agency, is coming under intense pressure from President Donald Trump and his allies, who are downplaying the dangers in a bid to revive the economy ahead of the Nov. 3 presidential election. In a White House guided by the president's instincts, rather than by evidence-based policy, the CDC finds itself forced constantly to backtrack or sidelined from pivotal decisions.

The latest clash between the White House and its top public health advisers erupted Wednesday, when the president slammed the agency's recommendation that schools planning to reopen should keep students' desks six feet apart, among other steps to reduce infection risks. In a tweet, Trump - who has demanded schools at all levels hold in-person classes this fall - called the advice "very tough & expensive."

"While they want them open, they are asking schools to do very impractical things. I will be meeting with them!!!" Trump tweeted Wednesday. Within hours, Vice President Mike Pence had asserted the agency would release new guidance next week.

"The president said today we just don't want the guidance to be too tough," Pence told reporters. "And that's the reason next week the CDC is going to be issuing a new set of tools."

Analysts say the deepening divide is undermining the authority of one of the world's premier public health agencies, which previously led fights against malaria, smallpox and HIV/AIDS. Amid the worst public health crisis in a century, the CDC has in recent months altered or rescinded recommendations on topics including wearing masks and safely reopening restaurants and houses of worship as a result of conflicts with top administration officials.

"At a time when our country needs an orchestrated, all-hands-on deck response, there is simply no hand on the tiller," said Beth Cameron, former senior director for global health security and biodefense on the White House National Security Council.

In the absence of strong federal leadership, state and local officials have been left to figure things out for themselves, leading to conflicting messaging and chaotic responses. Trump's decision to pull the U.S. out of the World Health Organization further undermined efforts to influence global strategies against the coronavirus, including how vaccines will be distributed.

The CDC, meanwhile, is increasingly isolated - a function both of its growing differences with the White House and of its own significant missteps earlier in the outbreak.

Those stumbles include the botched rollout of test kits likely contaminated at a CDC lab in late January, which led to critical delays in states' ability to know where the virus was circulating. And the CDC's initial decision to test only a narrow set of people gave the virus a head start spreading undetected across the country.

During a May lunch with Senate Republicans, Trump told the group the CDC "blew it" on the coronavirus test and that he'd installed a team of "geniuses" led by his son-in-law Jared Kushner to handle much of the response," according to two people familiar with the lunch who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

"There is a view the CDC is staffed with 'deep state' Democrats that are trying to tweak the administration," said one adviser who also spoke on the condition of anonymity to reveal private conversations.

White House officials, who see the president's reelection prospects tied to economic recovery, also say they've been deeply frustrated by what they view as career staffers at the agency determined "to keep things closed," according to a senior administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to reveal internal deliberations.

Trump believes the CDC is "ineffective" and a "waste of time," but doesn't blame CDC Director Robert Redfield and generally likes him, said another official speaking on the condition of anonymity. "He just thinks he is a poor communicator," the official added.

Joe Grogan, former head of the White House Domestic Policy Council, said Redfield had fans inside the White House who work on "addiction issues, on life issues, on HIV issues," among other topics.

But he said Redfield has few political appointees to help him run a complex agency. "How do you run a place like that with . . . [few] appointees?" Grogan asked.

HHS Secretary Alex Azar called the director "a key scientific guide for the President and his administration, a trusted source for the American people, and a closely engaged partner of state and local governments."

But Redfield is not a voice in coronavirus task force meetings, and "is never really in the Oval [Office] with the president," said another senior administration official, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the internal dynamics.

Even Redfield's supporters say he has failed to be an effective advocate for the agency.

"Bob Redfield's commitment to public health is completely strong," said William Schaffner, a veteran infectious-disease specialist at Vanderbilt University. But he said Redfield lacks the standing, deftness, and communication capacity to persuade skeptical audiences, including those in the White House, that protecting public health and fostering economic recovery are not opposing goals.

Redfield, for his part, downplayed Trump's criticism of the CDC school reopening guidelines after a coronavirus task force briefing Wednesday, saying the agency and the president were "totally aligned."

"We're both trying to open the schools," he said.

White House spokesman Judd Deere also disputed big differences, saying in a statement the White House and the CDC "have been working together in partnership since the very beginning of this pandemic to carry out the President's highest priority: the health and safety of the American public.

"The CDC is the nation's trusted health protection agency and its infectious disease and public health experts have helped deliver critical solutions to save lives. We encourage all Americans to continue to follow the CDC's guidelines and use best-practices they have learned, such as social distancing, face coverings, and good hygiene, to maintain public health and continue our Transition to Greatness."

But some health experts were indignant the agency had been ordered to rewrite guidance to reopen schools to "make it easier and cost less" - a demand that effectively "turns science on its head," said Tom Inglesby, director of Johns Hopkins University's Center for Health Security.

"CDC should be giving their best judgments on how to lower risks to make schools safer," he said. "That's their job. If they aren't allowed to do that, the public will lose confidence in the guidance."

- - -

The diminished role of the 74-year-old agency has bewildered infectious-disease experts, as well as members of the public seeking guidance.

After six states set one-day case records on July 3, Carlos del Rio, executive associate dean at Emory University's School of Medicine, tweeted at Tom Frieden, a former CDC director, "Tom, where is @CDCgov ? Why are they not out there shouting 'fire'?"

Frieden shot back: "They are still there, still doing great work, just not being allowed to talk about it, not being allowed to guide policy, not being allowed to develop, standardize, and post information that would give, by state and county, the status of the epidemic and of our control measures."

Jeffrey Duchin, the health officer at Seattle and King County health department, added: "Agree. Muzzled, neutered and exiled."

The agency has been largely invisible. After more than three months of silence, it resumed briefings for the public last month. There have been two.

By comparison, when the H1N1 swine flu pandemic hit the United States in the spring of 2009, the CDC held briefings almost every day for six consecutive weeks.

During this outbreak, the agency's regular briefings ended abruptly after White House officials were angered when a top CDC leader warned that Americans could face "significant disruption" to their lives as a result of the virus's spread to the United States.

CDC officials say they are still getting their message out, pointing to more than 2,000 documents providing pandemic-related information about reopening and staying safe for dozens of groups and venues, including funeral home directors, amusement parks, and pet owners. Each Friday, the CDC also posts CovidView, a weekly report of selected data and trends on testing, hospitalizations, and reported deaths.

But the information is posted without additional explanation or analysis.

"I want to hear a real person give me three minutes based on these findings," said del Rio, also a global health and infectious-disease professor at Emory. "I want to see them in the news, being interviewed, giving us the data."

Scientists at the CDC and former colleagues speak of deep frustration and low morale over its inability to fully share and explain scientific and medical information.

Researchers are fearful for their jobs and want to protect the integrity of the data they release. "If you want to say something, you're thinking, 'what's the White House going to say and how are they going to use it,' " said one longtime scientist who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

The lack of briefings has fostered misunderstandings at times. In early April, for instance, when the agency reversed its position and recommended the use of cloth face coverings, CDC scientists gave no public briefings explaining why they made the change.

"It's not rocket science," said Nancy Cox, a virologist and former CDC official who led the influenza program for 22 years and was part of the agency's response during the 2009 H1N1 swine flu pandemic. "But the reasoning behind those changes should be explained as clearly as possible and then you can get everyone on board."

In the CDC's absence, academic medical centers, public health and professional disease groups have filled the void by holding coronavirus briefings and providing analysis of key issues, data and research studies. Frieden, the president of Resolve to Save Lives, a New York nonprofit, has also been posting long Twitter threads analyzing the weekly CDC data released on Fridays.

- - -

Alarmed at the agency's diminished role, nearly 350 public health organizations sent a letter Tuesday to Azar urging him to advocate for the CDC. The agency must be allowed to speak based on the best available science "and with an unfettered voice," said John Auerbach, president and chief executive of Trust for America's Health, a public health nonprofit that led the effort.

House Democrats echoed those concerns in a separate letter to Azar last month. Reps. Diana DeGette of Colorado and Frank Pallone Jr. of New Jersey, who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said they were troubled by reports that administration officials are considering narrowing the CDC's mission and embedding more political appointees at the Atlanta-based agency.

Traditionally the CDC has one political appointee, the director. Now it has Redfield and five other political appointees, including two advisers who were added in recent weeks.

"Now more than ever, the American people need a robust and effective CDC that is not repeatedly undermined by others in the administration, including the President and the Vice President," the letter said.

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows views the agency as a problem and has criticized the CDC repeatedly to other administration officials, said a senior administration official.

White House and HHS officials are discussing what the CDC's "core mission needs to be," said one adviser familiar with the talks who spoke on the condition of anonymity to comment on policy deliberations. The discussions were first reported by Politico.

Over the years, the agency that was founded to fight malaria now works on virtually every aspect of public health. "It has tried to be everything to everyone," the adviser said, suggesting the agency might need to refocus more narrowly.

On the global front, administration officials are also weighing a $2.5 billion initiative called the President's Response to Outbreaks that would move a significant portion of national and international pandemic responses to the State Department, according to a draft obtained by The Post. Details were first reported by Devex.

"There is no clear leadership role for CDC" in this plan, said Jennifer Kates, a senior vice president for global health and HIV policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation. "In global health, you need an engaged CDC."

Taken together, the administration efforts seem "designed to position CDC to the margins," said one federal health official who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

- - -

The report that drew the email attack, accusing the agency of undermining the president, had provided detailed but incomplete information about pregnancy risks related to the coronavirus. It found pregnant women with covid-19 were more likely to be hospitalized, admitted to an intensive care unit, and to need ventilator support than infected women who are not pregnant.

The sender, Alexander, a specialist in health research methods, is a senior adviser to Michael Caputo, a longtime Trump ally who was recently appointed assistant HHS secretary for public affairs , which includes the CDC.

The email was directed to Redfield and Caputo.

Even amid the intense criticism of the agency, the email "crosses the line," said the official, who was aware of the content.

Like all of the CDC's reports, the analysis itself noted several limitations. One key one that researchers acknowledged was that they did not have data to indicate whether the pregnant women were hospitalized because of labor and delivery, or because they had covid-19.

Administration officials are "seeing political boogeymen where there aren't any," the federal health official said, adding that such narratives could further hamper the U.S. response.

"It could feed the fire to limit the flow of scientific data and communication to the general population," the official said. "People are getting sick and dying. Can we just focus on the science?"

Alexander said in his email that the lack of data about why women were hospitalized was a "key issue."

"The CDC is undermining the President by what they put out, this is my opinion and sense, and I am reading it and can see the subtle and direct hits," he wrote.

Alexander, also a part-time assistant professor at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, did not respond to emails and telephone calls seeking comment.

Caputo said in an interview that he agreed with Alexander. The CDC represents itself as the gold standard for public health agencies, he said, "but in the case of pregnancy analysis, it wasn't even bronze."

He called CDC's track record "spotty" and "questionable," pointing to Zika diagnostic testing errors in 2016.

"In many cases over the years, regardless of administration, the CDC has undermined presidents and themselves," Caputo said, referring to leaked drafts of CDC guidances. "Who says the CDC is the sole font of wisdom when it comes to detecting and fighting deadly pathogens?"

Experts say that even with some big unanswered questions, the pregnancy findings represent the best available evidence and are important. The lack of data reflects decades of long-neglected national surveillance on pregnancy.

"I don't think this is frightening women," said Denise Jamieson, who heads the obstetrics and gynecology department at Emory University and Emory Healthcare. True, the report "suffers from completeness of data," she said. But now doctors can be more confident that pregnant women are more likely to have severe disease and use "this really important information" to counsel patients, she said.

- - -

The Washington Post's Yasmeen Abutaleb, Alice Crites and John Hudson contributed to this report.
Insurer Admiral has restarted sales of travel insurance to new customers now the UK has once more allowed people to go on holiday, but rivals Aviva and Direct Line are yet to follow.

Major travel insurers in Britain said in mid-March they would only offer cover for existing customers after several countries, including the US, banned visitors from other countries due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Following months of lockdown, the UK government changed its guidelines to remove quarantine for travellers returning from more than 50 countries. The changes take effect today.

Admiral said on its website it would provide travel insurance for new customers, including for medical expenses and repatriation related to Covid-19. But it said the insurance would not cover cancellation due to the virus.

Admiral started selling the cover to new customers from July 7, a spokesperson said. Aviva, Direct Line and Allianz-owned LV said they were not yet reinstating travel insurance for new customers.

Direct Line will resume the sale of new travel insurance policies once we are confident that we can provide cover that meets the needs of our customers, a spokesperson said.

Some insurers aim to offer policies from next that would give relief during lockdown. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Pandemic-proof policies

Meanwhile, US insurers are creating products for a world where virus outbreaks could become the new normal after many businesses were left out in the cold during the Covid-19 crisis.

While new pandemic-proof policies might not be cheap, they offer businesses from restaurants to film production companies to e-commerce retailers ways of insuring against disruptions and losses if another virus strikes.

The providers include big insurers and brokers adding new products to existing coverage, as well as niche players that see an opportunity in filling the void left by mainstream firms that categorise virus outbreaks like wars or nuclear explosions.

Tech firm Machine Cover, for example, aims to offer policies next year that would give relief during lockdowns. Using apps and other data sources, the Boston-based company measures traffic levels around businesses such as restaurants, department stores, hairdressers and car dealers.

If traffic drops below a certain level, it pays out, whatever the reason.

This is the type of coverage which ... businesses thought they had paid for when they bought their current business interruption policies before the coronavirus pandemic, the companys founder Inder-Jeet Gujral said.

I believe this will be a major opportunity because post-Covid, it would be as irresponsible to not buy insurance against pandemics as it would be to not buy insurance against fire.

The company is backed by insurer Hiscox and individual investors, mostly from the insurance and private equity world.

Restaurants in Floridas Miami-Dade County, where Mayor Carlos Gimenez ordered dining to shut down soon after reopening, are now reeling, said Andrew Giambarba, a broker for Insurance Office of America in Doral, Florida.

Its been like they made it to the ninth round of the fight and were holding on when this punch came out of nowhere, said Mr Giambarba, whose clients include restaurants that did not get payouts under their business interruption coverage.

Every niche that is dealing with insurance that is affected by business interruption needs every new product they can have.

Pandemic exemptions have helped some insurers emerge relatively unscathed and the sector has largely resisted pressure to provide more virus cover. Indeed, some insurers that paid out for event cancellations and other losses have removed pandemics from their coverage.

British risk managers association Airmic said last week that the pandemic had contributed to a lack of adequate insurance at an affordable price and most of its members were looking at other ways to reduce risk. Reuters
Asker, Norway (10 July 2020)  Following the pre-announcement of Q2 2020 revenues, TGS will release its entire Q2 2020 results at 7:00 am CEST on 23 July 2020. A pre-recorded presentation of the results and business update featuring CEO Kristian Johansen and CFO Fredrik Amundsen will be released at www.tgs.com at the same time.

The same day at CEST 3:00 pm Kristian Johansen, CEO at TGS, will host a conference call to go through the update and answer questions. We encourage attendees to call in 5-10 minutes before CEST 3:00 pm to ensure registration and access.

Telephone conference dial-in details:

Norway: +47 23963688

United Kingdom: +44 3333009034

USA: +1 8335268347

About TGS

TGS provides multi-client geoscience data to oil and gas Exploration and Production companies worldwide. In addition to extensive global geophysical and geological data libraries that include multi-client seismic data, magnetic and gravity data, digital well logs, production data and directional surveys, TGS also offers advanced processing and imaging services, interpretation products, and data integration solutions.

Forward Looking Statement

All statements in this press release other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, which are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict, and are based upon assumptions as to future events that may not prove accurate. These factors include TGS' reliance on a cyclical industry and principal customers, TGS' ability to continue to expand markets for licensing of data, and TGS' ability to acquire and process data product at costs commensurate with profitability, as well as volatile market conditions, which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the severe drop in oil prices. Actual results may differ materially from those expected or projected in the forward-looking statements. TGS undertakes no responsibility or obligation to update or alter forward-looking statements for any reason.

Story continues

For more information, visit TGS.com or contact:
LATEST, July 12, 3:03 p.m. Due to rising coronavirus cases in Sonoma County, the state's Department of Public Health has declared new restrictions on indoor operations for several businesses, including the following:



- Restaurants



- Wineries/ tasting rooms



- Bars and distilleries



- Movie theaters



- Family entertainment centers such as bowling alleys and arcades



- Zoos and museums



- Card rooms



The restrictions will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, remaining in place until at least Aug. 2. Listed businesses will still be able to continue outdoor operations, including patio dining and take-out service. Wineries and tasting rooms will be permitted to operate outdoors without serving food, though bars and distilleries can only serve alcohol outdoors in the same transaction as a meal.

"This new order by the state does not come as a surprise given the rapid escalation of our infection rate and hospitalizations," said Dr. Mase, who added the rate of infections per 100,000 residents has increased from 20 cases in early June to more than 120 on July 12. "This will be one more tool to help us slow the spread in our community."

July 12, 1:30 p.m.: Yet another Bay Area county has been added to the state's coronavirus watch list.

Alameda County was added to the watch list on Sunday morning. More than two dozen counties around California are on the list, including seven Bay Area counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Napa, Marin, Santa Clara, Solano and Sonoma.

The case increase in Alameda County is "above what we expected" with more testing alone, the California Department of Public Health said. The two main drivers appear to be "increased interpersonal interactions without face coverings and physical distancing" and "ongoing transmission among health care workers, within households, in frontline workplace settings, and in skilled nursing and other congregate living facilities."

The California Department of Public Health created the watch list to monitor counties that experience significant changes in COVID-19 infection rates, an increase in hospitalizations, outbreaks in congregate settings or a rise in community transmission at workplaces. Counties on the list are working with the state to identify the causes for any worrisome trends and next steps to mitigate the virus spread.

Counties on the list for more than three days are required to close some indoor operations including dining.

July 12, 8 a.m.: Only three states are showing a slight downward trend in coronavirus cases, according to the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 database.

Delaware, Maine and New Jersey are all seeing declines in reported cases. New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont Washington state and Wyoming are holding steady. The remaining states  including California  are seeing increases. The trending tracker looks at the last two weeks of testing data to determine if states are experiencing declines or surges.

The United States has seen over 3 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. Overnight, it added 66,281 and 811 more deaths, according to CDC data.

California is experiencing record surges in cases and hospitalizations, largely driven by Los Angeles County. Half of the state's counties are now on the California Department of Public Health's watch list.

July 11, 1 p.m.: Multiple cities in Alameda County will continue to close streets to allow for expanded outdoor dining despite Alameda County's announcement that a new state guidance requires the county to limit restaurants to takeout and delivery.

In a statement released late Friday night, Alameda County officials announced that the state now prohibits outdoor dining in counties that have not received a regional variance from state officials. Alameda County and Southern California's Imperial County are the only two counties in the state that have not gone through the attestation process for a variance.

"While Alameda County's Health Officer Order allowed for outdoor dining, under this stricter state guidance, all restaurants, wineries, and bars in Alameda County may only be open for drive-through or pick-up/delivery options," the statement reads.

In response, officials in Hayward, Livermore, Pleasanton and Dublin announced plans to proceed with street closures aimed at creating more outdoor seating, and Oakland officials announced that while street closures will be halted, there will be no local enforcement of the state guidance. The cities noted that the Alameda County health order allowing outdoor dining on June 18 has yet to be formally rescinded or superseded with a new order.

Read more about the Alameda County confusion here.

July 10, 3:45 p.m. Santa Clara County CEO Jeffery Smith wants California Gov. Gavin Newsom to issue a statewide mandate banning all indoor activity as the virus surges in the state.

"I'm frantic," he said in an interview with The Chronicle. "Everybody is frantic. The public health officer is frantic. Because there is no leadership from the top and we are not going to be able to control this regionally or locally... There is no way that we can utilize testing and tracing with such high numbers to test everyone."

A spokesperson for the state said such interventions would be done at the county level. Smith's own county is moving forward with a new health order that would reopen hair salons, gyms and other indoor high-risk Stage 3 businesses Monday.

July 10, 2:45 p.m. San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced Friday that the city will allow the San Francisco Zoo and Gardens to reopen on July 13 with an approved safety plan in place.

The Zoo has been struggling financially in recent weeks due to the closure prompted by the coronavirus outbreak. As of earlier this week, it had burned through most of its $2.6 million Paycheck Protection Program loan. Owners and managers, frustrated, have been asking why a mostly-outdoor zoo was not allowed to reopen while some indoor businesses had already been able to welcome back visitors.

Click here to read more.

July 10, 12:30 p.m. A safe sleeping site for homeless individuals at Everett Middle School in the Castro is closing July 14, just five weeks after opening, Hoodline reports.

Department of Emergency Management (DEM) spokesperson Kristen Hogan told Hoodline the site needs to be closed in order to prepare the school to reopen in August. The SFUSD, however, hasn't decided yet whether any schools will reopen, and won't make a final ruling until the end of July.

Nevertheless, the site was sparsely populated by homeless individuals, only housing 36 people at its peak. Occupants have been invited to be relocated to hotel rooms.

July 10, 12:20 p.m. California Gov. Gavin Newsom is expected to announce Friday afternoon that 8,000 inmates within California's prison system will be released in an effort to ease crowding in prisons hard-hit by COVID-19.

The news was first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle. Read more here.

July 10, noon Two-hundred homeless people who are staying in San Francisco hotels as part of the city's COVID-19 emergency response will have the chance to move into long-term subsidized housing, Mayor London Breed's office announced Thursday.

https://update.covid19.ca.gov/

Under the program, the 200 people will be chosen out of a Flexible Housing Subsidy Pool and placed in homes by the end of this year.

The program is modeled after a similar program in Los Angeles that has helped place more than 8,000 formerly homeless people into vacant, privately owned apartments since 2014, according to the mayor's office.

"Even as we have implemented emergency responses to COVID-19, we have remained focused on long-term solutions to homelessness, particularly more housing," Breed said in a statement. "The Flexible Housing Subsidy Pool is an innovative and cost-effective way to get our unhoused residents out of temporary shelters, off the streets, and into permanent homes."

July 10, 11:45 a.m. A McDonald's restaurant in Oakland's Temescal District that has been linked to 25 cases of the novel coronavirus may reopen Sunday, but must show it is keeping employees and the public safe from the virus, following a court order on Thursday.

A 10-month-old baby who experienced severe symptoms of COVID-19 was a child of an employee of this McDonald's, according to a complaint filed in the case last month.

So far, those diagnosed with COVID-19 include a manager for both stores, 11 workers at the Oakland restaurant, six of their family members and seven workers at the Berkeley store, for a total of 25 linked cases, according to the complaint.

Workers allegedly were discouraged from taking sick leave when they experienced virus symptoms and were not told when their co-workers tested positive. An emergency ordinance in Oakland mandates paid sick leave for many workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bay City News contributed to this story.

July 10, 11:30 a.m. The California Department of Public Health updated its coronavirus data dashboard Friday with new numbers from July 9.

There were 45 more hospitalizations on Thursday due to confirmed COVID-19 cases, with hospitalizations going up .7% in a 24-hour period. Twenty-five more individuals were put in intensive care units, resulting in a 1.4%-increase in ICU patients.

The state reported 7,7980 new cases and 140 new deaths, bringing the case total to 304,297 and the death toll to 6,851.

More than 5 million tests have been implemented in the state as of Thursday. The rate of positive tests over the last 14 days is 7.4 percent.

The positivity rate is the percentage of people who test positive for the virus of all of individuals who are tested. In the event of a surge, it reveals whether an increase can be explained by increased testing.

July 10, 8:45 a.m. As Sonoma County officials warned the county was edging toward moving onto the state watch list, the Press Democrat confirmed Thursday night the county will be officially added to the monitoring program on Friday.

The California Department of Public Health created the watch list to monitor counties that experience significant changes in COVID-19 infection rates, an increase in hospitalizations, outbreaks in congregate settings or a rise in community transmission at workplaces. Counties on the list are working with the state to identify the causes for any worrisome trends and next steps to mitigate the virus spread.

More than two dozen counties are on the watch list, including Contra Costa, Napa, Solano and Marin counties in the Bay Area.

Counties on the list for more than three days are required to close some indoor operations including dining.

LATEST July 10, 7:35 a.m. Multiple employees at Berkeley Bowl grocery store's two locations have tested positive for COVID-19, according to Berkeleyside.

KURT ROGERS / SFC

Berkeley Bowl Marketplace (2020 Oregon St.) and Berkeley Bowl West (920 Heinz Ave.) have undergone deep-cleanings and remain open. Infected employees and others who came into close contact with them have been quarantined, according to Berkeleyside.

Berkeley Bowl has posted signs alerting customers of the situation at both locations.

Berkeley Bowl wasn't immediately available for comment on this story.

July 10: 7:15 a.m. San Francisco's annual Fleet Week festivities are cancelled. The Blue Angels will not be flying in October.

Department of Defense

Obviously with COVID-19, were not able to do that,Beth Baker of the U.S. Navy told KCBS Radio. Its really for the safety and health of everybody.

The Navy is planning a virtual event for October.

Coronavirus in the greater Bay Area: Links you need

COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENTS

Alameda County: Find the latest COVID-19 numbers and health order.

Contra Costa County: Find the latest COVID-19 numbers and health order.

Lake County: Find the latest COVID-19 numbers and health order.

Marin County: Find the latest COVID-19 numbers and health order.

Monterey County: Find the latest COVID-19 numbers and health order.

Napa County: Find the latest COVID-19 numbers and health order.

San Benito County: Find the latest COVID-19 numbers and health order.

San Francisco County: Find the latest COVID-19 numbers and health order.

San Mateo County: Find the latest COVID-19 numbers and health order.

Santa Clara County: Find the latest COVID-19 numbers and health order.

Santa Cruz County: Find the latest COVID-19 numbers and health order.

Solano County: Find the latest COVID-19 numbers and health order.

Sonoma County: Find the latest COVID-19 numbers and health order.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Here are answers to your most frequently asked questions about coronavirus

Overwhelmed California hospitals sending COVID-19 patients to SF

Covid-19 is turning San Francisco's inequality gap into a chasm

WHEN WILL THE BAY AREA REOPEN?

One Bay Area county added to 'watch list,' another falls off

Will Bay Area schools reopen in-class this fall?

Confusion as Santa Clara County's reopening reportedly rejected
MOSCOW -- Sergei Furgal, the detained governor of Russia's Far Eastern Khabarovsk region, has been sent to pretrial detention on charges of attempted murder and ordering the killing of two local businessmen.

The Basmanny district court in Moscow on July 10 ruled that the 50-year-old, who has pleaded not guilty, must be held under pretrial arrest until September 9.

His lawyers, who asked the court to choose a more lenient pretrial restriction for their client, said they will appeal the ruling.

Furgal, a member of Vladimir Zhirinovsky's nationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) won a surprise victory over the Kremlin favorite in a vote two years ago. He was arrested on July 9.

A court in Moscow is expected to decide on Furgal's possible pretrial detention later on July 10.

Meanwhile, police in Khabarovsk on July 10 detained two regional lawmakers, also members of LDPR, party faction leader Sergei Zyubr said.

According to Zyubr, Sergei Kuznetsov and Dmitry Kozlov, deputy chairman of the regional parliament, were detained after their homes, garages, and vehicles were searched.

Police also searched the properties of three other LDPR members in Khabarovsk, Zyubr added.

The TASS news agency quoted a source as saying that the detention of Kuznetsov and Kozlov was not, "at this point," related to Furgal's case.

The two lawmakers used to run the Amurstal steel plant.

The daily Kommersant reported that the two are suspected of large-scale fraud.

Zhirinovsky said in the lower chamber of the Russian parliament, the State Duma, that Furgal's detention might be politically motivated.

"We are ready to resign in protest. If need be, the LDPR faction will give up its mandates and leave this place. Let the whole world learn what a mess this country is," Zhirinovsky said.

Without naming President Vladimir Putin, Zhirinovsky mentioned that his party supported recently adopted constitutional amendments that, among other changes, allow the president to seek two more terms after his current term ends in 2024.

"You wanted a constitution? We gave you a constitution. And you put cuffs on our hands! Shameless! You are sitting in high office and start acting like [Soviet dictator Josef] Stalin!" Zhirinovsky said.

Media reports said that Furgal's arrest was part of a wider investigation into an organized criminal group operating in the region.

The charges relate to events in 2004-05, RIA Novosti reported.

Furgal beat incumbent Vyacheslav Shport in the 2018 election in a major upset of the ruling United Russia party.

With reporting by RBK, Kommersant, TASS, and RIA Novosti
Kylie Jenner got in touch with nature during her desert vacation in Utah.

The 22-year-old makeup mogul simply sizzled while taking in the scenic rocks surrounding her luxury suite at Canyon Point, Utah's Amangiri resort.

'This place is unreal,' the almost-billionaire wrote as she gazed towards the sky the ultra artsy bikini shot.

In awe: Kylie Jenner enjoyed nature's beauty while posing for some artsy bikini shots in the desert of Utah, where she is currently vacationing with sister Kendall and friends

Kylie glowed while modeling an orange bikini from designer Dipped In Blue. The avant-garde angle of the shot showed off maximum underboob while also revealing a sliver of the clear, blue sky.

As the youngest Kardashian/Jenner tossed her head back and arched her back, she put her toned center in the spotlight.

The LA-based beauty master showcased her stunning bikini body in a number of similar desert shots on Thursday.

Kylie and her clique certainly seem to be living it up during their stay at Amangiri resort in Canyon Point, Utah.

The remote five-star hideaway is said to be a perfect escape for either an adrenaline-fueled adventure or a peaceful desert retreat.

Wowed: 'This place is unreal,' the almost-billionaire wrote as she gazed towards the sky the ultra artsy bikini shot

Posing precariously by rocks wearing an orange bikini from designer Dipped in Blue, it seemed that Kylie, 22, had opted for a bit of both.

She's been gushing over the picturesque resort recently where she spent several days getting in some sun and swim time and declaring she 'loved it' there.

Along for the ride are friends such as Anastasia 'Stassie' Karanikolaou, Harry Hudson and Fai Khadra, and of course, her daughter Stormi.

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star previously confessed that her life 'changed forever' when she welcomed Stormi into the world two years ago.

Good company: Kylie is said to be vacationing with friends such as Anastasia 'Stassie' Karanikolaou, Harry Hudson and Fai Khadra, and of course, her daughter Stormi

Taking it all in: Kylie is staying at the remote five-star hideaway in Utah is said to be a perfect escape for either an adrenaline-fueled adventure or a peaceful desert retreat

She wrote on Instagram to mark Stormi's birthday earlier this year: 'And just like that she's two ... happy birthday to my Stormi. February 1st 4:43pm the moment my life changed forever. We were meant for each other stormiloo (sic)'

Kylie had previously opened up about Stormi's birth for the first time. The mother-of-one said: 'I actually got induced. I thought I was gonna have her on the second, 2-2-18, and she came early. They broke my water and I had her 45 minutes later...'

'It was crazy and, yeah, I would love to share with you guys. Happy early birthday to my baby. I can't believe she's about to be two.'

Feeling herself: Kylie also posted this outfit on Thursday from her holidays

Space to breathe: Despite the rest of the country being on lockdown, Kylie is on the move

And Kylie had revealed she would love to have four children, saying: 'I see myself for sure having four kids I just don't know when. I don't have a timeline for this. I don't know if I'm going to have four kids tomorrow or four kids in seven years.'

Her sister Kim reassured her that it is possible to have four children and have a successful career as well but the key to it is 'being really organised.'

The brunette beauty explained: 'Be really organised. I think that's the key to just being successful. It's hard, it's a lot of work but you can totally do it.'

'I pray everyone is staying healthy and safe,' Kylie wrote on Instagram along with a soothing video of clear water lapping against smooth rocks

Looking fab: Kylie also uploaded an Instagram video of herself posing up a storm in her white Bugatti, which has a bright orange interior
WASHINGTON - Callers on President Donald Trump in recent weeks have come to expect what several allies and advisers describe as a "woe-is-me" preamble.

The president rants about the deadly coronavirus destroying "the greatest economy," one he claims to have personally built. He laments the unfair "fake news" media, which he vents never gives him any credit. And he bemoans the "sick, twisted" police officers in Minneapolis, whose killing of an unarmed black man in their custody provoked the nationwide racial justice protests that have confounded the president.

Gone, say these advisers and confidants, many speaking on the condition of anonymity to detail private conversations, are the usual pleasantries and greetings.

Instead, Trump often launches into a monologue placing himself at the center of the nation's turmoil. The president has cast himself in the starring role of the blameless victim - of a deadly pandemic, of a stalled economy, of deep-seated racial unrest, all of which happened to him rather than the country.

Trump put his self-victimization on public display Thursday in response to a Supreme Court ruling rejecting his claim of absolute immunity and permitting a New York prosecutor to see the president's private and business financial records.

Trump reacted with a social media meltdown, writing on Twitter, "PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT!" and "POLITICAL WITCH HUNT!" He wrote that the decision was "Not fair to this Presidency" and claimed that "Courts in the past have given 'broad deference'. BUT NOT ME!"

Trump has always exhibited a healthy ego and his self-victimization tendencies are not a new phenomenon, according to those who have known him over the years. But those characteristics have been especially pronounced this summer, revealing themselves almost daily in everything from private conversations to public tweets as the pandemic continues to upend daily life across America and threaten the president's political fortunes.

Barbara Res, a former executive at the Trump Organization, said that when she worked for Trump, he interpreted nearly everything in deeply personal terms.

"Whatever bad happened, no matter what it was, it was always against him, always directed at him," Res said. "He would say, 'Why does everything always happen to me?' "

She added: "It was as if the world revolved around him. Everything that happened had an effect on him, good or bad."

Now, however, Trump's sense of victimhood strikes even some allies as particularly incongruous considering the devastation wrought by the pandemic and the pain and anguish apparent in Black Lives Matter protests.

More than 130,000 Americans so far have died of the novel coronavirus, with more than 3 million cases reported. Nearly 43 million Americans - more than a quarter of the labor force - have filed for unemployment benefits since the pandemic began. And the nation is riven not just by protests following the death of George Floyd, the unarmed black man killed in Minneapolis police custody, but also by a president who has deliberately stoked racial animus.

Even those in Trump's orbit are trying to nudge him toward a sunnier, less egocentric approach to the crises he is facing, fearing that his sullen demeanor could backfire politically. Among those internally who have advocated a more optimistic tone are Alyssa Farah, the White House communications director, and Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law and senior adviser, according to one senior administration official.

Other top White House advisers - including Hope Hicks and Dan Scavino - have also sought to buttress Trump's mood with events they thought he would enjoy, such as celebrating truckers by bringing 18-wheelers onto the White House South Lawn in mid-April or creating social media videos that feature throngs of his adoring fans, according to aides.

Advisers also have sought to boost Trump's mood by presenting him internal polling that shows him in a better position than public surveys, which universally show him trailing presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden.

One senior administration official rejected the notion that Trump views himself as a victim, saying instead that he has repeatedly expressed his frustration over a virus that seemed to emerge out of nowhere and has ravaged the country, and that his only concern is for the victims of the pandemic. A second official said that the president is most frequently speaking about how the country collectively has been victimized by the virus.

The first official added that Trump, as a former businessman, is especially well-suited for this unprecedented moment of crisis, and has demonstrated his management abilities by making the decision early on to shut down some travel from China and by waiving regulations to rush coronavirus therapeutics to the market.

"The United States of America did not ask for this plague and every American has been affected from the closure of our economy to caring for the sick and mourning those tragically lost, but under the leadership of President Trump our Transition to Greatness has already begun, and the American people are showing tremendous courage to defeat the virus, responsibly open the economy, and restore law and order to our streets," White House spokesman Judd Deere said in an email statement. "The President's message has been consistent: resilience, hope, and optimism."

Jen Psaki, former communications director in the Obama White House, agreed with private assessments that the president's complaining could be costly.

"I don't think he has many sympathetic ears to his claims that he's been mistreated," Psaki said. "Leadership, as we've seen at many moments in history, is about not only accepting adulation when you do something great but also accepting responsibility. That lack of accepting responsibility is seen as a lack of leadership and that doesn't sit well with people who might be more open to supporting him again."

At times, though, Trump can't seem to help himself, said people who have spoken with him in recent weeks, describing him as shellshocked and sullen about his declining fortunes even as he continues to insist he will ultimately win in November.

"We had the greatest economy in the world," Trump said in an Oval Office meeting last month, talking about how good the statistics were before the coronavirus, said one adviser. An outside adviser in frequent touch with the White House offered a similar recollection, saying that Trump simply keeps on repeating, "I had this great economy and they made me shut it down."

Another adviser who chatted with Trump about a month ago said the president opened with a lengthy rant expressing animus toward reporters - with Trump citing individual names of journalists and specific stories, particularly those about the coronavirus recovery. This person added that Trump also railed about pollsters being out to get him and deliberately sampling the wrong voters, and complained he was being blamed for protests that he had nothing to do with.

A third outside adviser in frequent touch with the White House said that in a recent conversation, the president seemed almost "inconsolable" and summed up Trump's riff: Gripes about the great economy he built, now felled by the virus, and also how "some stupid cop in Minneapolis kneels on someone's neck and now everyone is protesting."

The president has also complained to political advisers that the media blames him for the protesters in the wake of Floyd's death, and that no matter what he says, "it is not enough."

To some of his longtime advisers, the president has seemed tired, low-energy and lacking the passion and energy that defined him when he was a candidate during the 2016 race. Aides noticed he largely read his script at Mount Rushmore and did not veer off the teleprompters for high-energy riffs like he usually does when delivering political speeches.

He has been spending an inordinate amount of time watching television news and has been scrambling for ways to fire up his base and keep his loyalists supportive, with little in the way of a set daily schedule.

"Every guy that talks to him, the first half of the conversation is, 'Woe is me,' " said one of the outside operatives, speaking anonymously to share private details. "They're all saying, 'You've got to snap out of it. You're the president. Presidents are supposed to deal with crises.' But he's fixated."

Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a history professor at New York University and author of the forthcoming book, "Strongmen," a history of authoritarian leaders, said Trump's victimization complex fits a pattern of authoritarian leaders past and present.

"They have no empathy, and they only see the world through how things affect them personally," Ben-Ghiat said. "They're not there to govern. They're there to enrich themselves, they're there to plunder the nation, and they're there to be world historical."

Some officials and advisers, however, say they are encouraged that Trump in recent days has gotten into a more optimistic mind-set, where he sees a path to victory and is ready to work toward it. The president just approved a calendar through the beginning of August that includes coronavirus-focused events, economic events and, they hope, a return to regular political events. On Saturday evening, for instance, Trump will hold a campaign rally in an airport hangar in Portsmouth, N.H.

June was a tough month for both the country and the president, the senior official said, but Trump's celebration in South Dakota in advance of July 4 represented something of an unofficial turning point, as aides hope the president will refocus on several top priorities.

The key themes for coming weeks, the official added, are rebuilding the nation's economy, continuing to fight the virus and continuing to secure communities, which will encompass the aftermath of the protests. There may also be some actions intended to show toughness against China.

The president's mood had also improved as he focused on the fight over whether to rename or tear down statues named after Confederate generals and other controversial historical figures. Aides say he believes a battle over such symbols will help him politically.

Despite his bouts of moroseness, Trump can also exhibit optimism not entirely grounded in reality. He has continued to tell advisers, for instance, that he is certain the virus will go away by October and that there will be a "cure" by then - a word he favors over "vaccine."

Then, he adds in these tellings, the economy will rebound overnight and he will win a second term.
Day 4 of the Johnny Depp libel trial and matters turned once more to the difficult issue that has dominated this torrid case so far.

Barristers on 300 an hour struggled to solve the central conundrum of which tootsie did the whoopsie on the bed in the couples Los Angeles penthouse.

Can anyone name the nincompoop who pooped on the 500 Thread Count Sheets? It was like a game of celebrity Cluedo, but with a distressingly feculent whiff.

Johnny was convinced that the deed was done by Amber in the master suite with the dodgy piping  because she was furious that he had ruined her birthday party by turning up late.

And if not his ex-wife, then the 57-year-old actor aired his belief that it was her friend iO Tillett Wright who was born a woman but does not recognise gender (and who, utterly remarkably in the circumstances, is not an anagram).

Actor Johnny Depp is pictured arriving at the High Court in London for a hearing in his libel case against the publishers of The Sun and its executive editor, Dan Wootton

Depp leaving court. The Pirates of the Caribbean star has brought the action in response to an April 2018 article in which he was accused of being violent to his ex-wife during their marriage

Sasha Wass QC  acting for News Group Newspapers whom Depp is suing after The Sun described him as a wife beater  started referring to the matter as The Defecation Incident as if it were right up there with the Boxer Rebellion and the Moon Landings in terms of international importance.

Speaking with a no-nonsense Mary Poppins authority, Wass suggested that the culprit might have been Boo, one of the couples two Yorkshire terriers, who apparently had problems with her toilet habits.

Well, we all know what that means, little Boo hoo! Mr Depp countered that the dogs were very well trained although Boo was not as trained as Pistol which made me suspect that Pistol might well be that smartest member of this blighted little household.

In the overspill court, where socially distanced journalists were corralled watching the court feed on a monitor, we learned that Depp was convinced that whoever was responsible, it was not a three or four-pound dog.

Do you know, I went right off my morning pain au chocolat after that.

During another long day on the witness stand, Johnny issued rebuttal followed by denial as the accusations came thick and fast.

It was exhausting testimony, but there were sparky moments. Miss Wass tried to make something of the fact that Johnny ordered magnums of wine at a party, not bottles.

If there is a group of 12 or more, magnums just make more sense, he patiently explained.

Depp had arrived in Court 13 before 10am, smartly dressed in a brown suit with a shirt and dark tie. A white handkerchief was folded into his breast pocket. He took the stand, poured a glass of water and drummed his tattooed fingers on the desk. With his clipped moustache and collar-length hair, he looked like a cowboy summoned to Dead End Gulch for one last showdown with the sheriff

Day 4 of the Johnny Depp libel trial and matters turned once more to the difficult issue that has dominated this torrid case so far. Barristers on 300 an hour struggled to solve the central conundrum of which tootsie did the whoopsie on the bed in the couples Los Angeles penthouse. (Above, Depp leaves the High Court in London today after his fourth day on the stand in his blockbuster libel trial)

Can anyone name the nincompoop who pooped on the 500 Thread Count Sheets? It was like a game of celebrity Cluedo, but with a distressingly feculent whiff. Johnny was convinced that the deed was done by Amber in the master suite with the dodgy piping  because she was furious that he had ruined her birthday party by turning up late. (Above, Amber Heard leaving the High Court in London for a hearing in Depp's libel case against the publishers of The Sun)

There was a flash of arrogance when asked if a Hollywood agent was trying to court his favour. Courting my favour? An agent in Hollywood? Sure, yes, he said, almost with a snort.

Depp had arrived in Court 13 before 10am, smartly dressed in a brown suit with a shirt and dark tie. A white handkerchief was folded into his breast pocket. He took the stand, poured a glass of water and drummed his tattooed fingers on the desk.

With his clipped moustache and collar-length hair, he looked like a cowboy summoned to Dead End Gulch for one last showdown with the sheriff. It was notable that he was scrupulously polite at all times. Yes, Maam, he would reply to Miss Wass. No, Sir, he would tell his own lawyer, David Sherborne.

It was impossible to see Ambers expression, or if she even glanced in her former husbands direction, or if those glances were filled with regret or antipathy or something else.

It was impossible to see Ambers expression, or if she even glanced in her former husbands direction, or if those glances were filled with regret or antipathy or something else. (Above, the 34-year-old actress and her 'Team Heard' arriving at the High Court; far right, her lawyer Jennifer Robinson)

Everything about this case is astonishing. It has laid bare a restless world of the beautiful and the damned.

Sherborne, sporting a lockdown tan the colour of baked clay, began his questioning of his client before lunch yesterday, quickly establishing that Depp was a good guy who would help little old ladies across the road, ate all his greens and couldnt help it if women such as actress Ellen Barkin, supermodel Kate Moss and French chanteuse Vanessa Paradis fell in love with him.

Gosh Sherborne talks a lot  a terracotta warrior of chat  and when Depp could get a word in edgeways, he sounded more fluent and confident than the sometimes stumbling man whod read out his own oath-strewn texts earlier in the day.

Later, I wandered over to Court 13 in time to see Depp exit the first-floor courtroom, pop on his sunglasses and make his way down the corridor.

His waiting bodyguard swiftly folded in behind him, like a bald, muscular duckling. Johnny was wearing divine aftershave, was taller than expected and looked preoccupied.

Next week it is his ex-wifes turn to tell her story, to lay out her own summer picnic of dread, distress and bruises that ripen like strawberries.

Whatever happens next in the Amber & Johnny Show, I suspect she will want to put The Defecation Incident behind her.

Like for ever.
Maxwell has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center, a jail in Brooklyn, New York since her arrest.

Ghislaine Maxwell, the former girlfriend and longtime associate of the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, on Friday forcefully denied charges she lured underage girls so he could sexually abuse them, and said she deserves bail.

Maxwell filed her request in the United States District Court in Manhattan eight days after being arrested in New Hampshire, where authorities said she had been hiding at a sprawling property she bought while shielding her identity.

The 58-year-old Maxwell vigorously denies the charges, intends to fight them, and is entitled to the presumption of innocence, the filing said.

Maxwell has been held since Monday at the Metropolitan Detention Center, a jail in Brooklyn, New York.

She said her detention there put her at serious risk of contracting the COVID-19 disease.

She also said she is not a flight risk, citing her lack of a prior criminal records and her remaining in the US after Epsteins arrest last July.

Prosecutors have called Maxwell an extreme risk of flight who should remain in jail until trial.

Her arraignment is on July 14, and she faces up to 35 years in prison if convicted.





The arrest of Maxwell, the daughter of late British publishing magnate Robert Maxwell, came nearly one year after Epstein pleaded not guilty to charges he sexually abused women and girls in Manhattan and Florida.

Epstein died last August 10 at age 66 by hanging himself in jail. He had before his arrest socialised over the years with many prominent people including British royal family member Prince Andrew, US President Donald Trump and former US President Bill Clinton.

Prosecutors accused Maxwell of recruiting girls as young as 14 for Epstein from 1994 to 1997.

Maxwell faces six criminal charges, including four related to transporting minors for illegal sexual acts, and two for perjury in depositions about her role in Epsteins abuses.
A Turkish court has ruled that Istanbul's Hagia Sophia must be converted back into a mosque.

The big picture: The giant domed structure was constructed beginning in 532, and it served as the home of Eastern Orthodox Christianity for nine centuries before becoming a mosque following the Ottoman conquest in 1453. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan led a campaign to reverse its conversion into a museum in 1934 despite international opposition, including from the U.S.

Between the lines: This is an attempt by Erdogan to "reverse the ongoing erosion of his popular base," writes Soner Cagaptay of the Washington Institute.

"[T]he decision is unlikely to give him more than a temporary boost in popularity; what it will surely do is undermine Turkeys international brand as an open, Muslim-majority society at peace with its Christian heritage," Cagaptay contends.

Erdogan's career is defined in many ways by bringing Islam back into public life and he sees the construction  or in this case conversion  of massive mosques as a way to define his legacy, Cagaptay adds.

Flashback: The decision to convert Hagia Sophia into a museum was taken under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who re-founded Turkey as a secular state.

The other side: The step was taken despite lobbying from Greece and Russia, both centers of the Orthodox Church, and from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who said it would erase a vital "bridge between those of differing faith traditions and cultures.

The latest: Shortly after the ruling, Erdogan declared Hagia Sophia open for worship. He reportedly plans to worship there himself next week.
Hong Kong police searched the office of an independent political pollster on Friday, more than a week after Beijing imposed sweeping national security legislation that has sent a chill across the former British colony.

Robert Chung told Reuters authorities arrived at his office late in the evening and he "negotiated" with police to try to understand the basis for the search warrant. He said police copied some information from computers but had not confiscated anything.

Police confirmed to Reuters they had searched his office.

"The police received a report from the public that the computer system of a polling organisation was suspected of being hacked and some personal information of the public was leaked," they said in a statement.

"...The investigation is still ongoing and no one has been arrested."

Last year, Chung, who has repeatedly been criticised by pro-Beijing forces who question the accuracy of his polls, broke away from a polling operation he oversaw at the University of Hong Kong to set up his independent Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (HKPORI).

HKPORI conducted three public opinion polls for Reuters on how residents of the city saw the sometimes violent pro-democracy protest movement that began in 2019. The surveys were conducted in December, March and June.

In the most recent poll, almost half of Hong Kong residents polled said they were "very much opposed" to Beijings move to implement national security legislation in the city that returned to Chinese rule in 1997 with a guarantee of wide-ranging autonomy.

The poll also showed support for the protest movement fading even as most people continued to voice support for its key demands, including universal suffrage and the resignation of Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam.

One question in the survey asked residents if they supported independence for Hong Kong, a political call that is a red line for Communist Party rulers in Beijing and has already become a target under the new security law.

Of those surveyed, 21 percent said they supported an independent Hong Kong, about unchanged from March. Opposition to the idea was at 60 percent.

Beijing imposed the national security legislation just before midnight on June 30, making crimes of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces punishable with up to life in prison.

Both Hong Kong and Chinese government officials have said the law is vital to plug gaping holes in national security defences exposed by the months of anti-government and anti-China unrest.

They have said action was vital given the citys failure to pass such laws by itself as required under its mini-constitution, known as the Basic Law.

Hong Kong democracy lawmaker Au Lok-hin said he believed the raid was related to primary elections that are due to take place in the city over the weekend.

Reuters could not independently confirm the reason for the raid.

The primary elections seek to pin down pro-democracy candidates who will stand the best chance of achieving a 35-plus majority in the Legislative Council election in September, giving them power to block government proposals and potentially paralyse the administration.

Pro-Beijing lawmakers have said that the democrats' aim to disrupt the administration could lead to a constitutional crisis.

Secretary for Constitutional Affairs Erick Tsang warned this week that the primary election could violate the new security law, drawing a swift rebuke from the democracy camp.
FLINT TWP, MI - An 18-year-old man accused of assaulting a Macys store manager on June 15 at Genesee Valley Center in Flint Township is now in custody. The incident attracted the attention of President Donald Trump.

Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton, who previously authorized a felony warrant for assault with intent to do great bodily harm, confirmed Thursday, July 9, that the man was taken into custody. His name is being withheld pending arraignment in court.

The incident was captured by both surveillance video in the Macys store and on video originally posted on Facebook by a 22-year-old man.

Police investigating video of beating inside Genesee Valley mall

In the Facebook video, the 50-year-old Macys manager, who is wearing a cloth mask, is talking on a cellphone when hes punched in the head by another man.

I didnt touch you ... Im sorry, the man on the ground says in the video before hes punched a second and third time.

Macys has called the attack unprovoked, while a witness has claimed the incident began with a racial slur.

Leyton said he and his senior staff reviewed the case for charging the 18-year-old man with a hate crime, but said the evidence does not support that charge.

President Donald Trump weighed in on the matter when he retweeted a tweet by Matt Walsh, a writer for The Daily Wire, which includes the video.

Looks whats going on here, said Trump. Where are the protesters? Was this man arrested?

Looks whats going on here. Where are the protesters? Was this man arrested? https://t.co/2E1UbU5vNN  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 23, 2020

The assault with intent to do great bodily harm charge carries a possible penalty of up to 10 years in prison.

Related news:

Trump retweet Michigan mall assault video, asks Where are the protesters?'
PHOENIX, July 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Copperstate Farms Management, LLC, a vertically integrated cannabis company based in Arizona, today announced Aaron Chamberlin as CEO of the companys Good Things Coming edibles brand. Chamberlin is a chef and restauranteur who co-founded the infused-products line in 2019.



Good Things Coming was established as a healthy, medicinal cannabis brand after a close friend of Chamberlins was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

When I was first introduced to the medical cannabis industry, I noticed many products on the market were full of artificial ingredients and high-fructose corn syrup. I wanted to create an edibles company that put a priority on wellness and emphasized nutrition, stated Chamberlin.

Chef-driven and precision-dosed, Good Things Coming uses all-natural, gluten-free ingredients and third-party, lab tested distillate from Copperstate Farms. Known for its exotic flavor profiles and micro-dose options, products include: Lavender Lemon Drops, French Chocolate Brownies, and Fruit Jellies in mango chile, yuzu citrus, very cherry, and pomegranate.

Aaron is a successful restauranteur with more than thirty years of experience in the food and beverage industry. He has grown and developed Good Things Coming with a chefs mentality and passion to create a different kind of edibles brand. We look forward to Aaron furthering our tremendous growth through his boundless energy and entrepreneurial zeal, stated Copperstate Farms CEO Pankaj Talwar.

Chamberlin also serves as the owner of Arizona restaurants Phoenix Public Market Cafe and Taco Chelo. He is the creator of Chef Dad, a healthy eating project focused on shifting family behaviors to adopt more nutritious meal habits.

Established in 2016 and headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Copperstate Farms is home to the largest indoor cannabis facility in the U.S. with 40 acres under glass. In addition to Good Things Coming, it serves as the parent company to a diverse portfolio of industry brands, including dispensary retail concept Sol Flower. For information visit CopperstateFarms.com.



* Copperstate Farms has implemented social distancing and enhanced safety measures at its cultivation facility and Sol Flower dispensaries during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

About Copperstate Farms Management, LLC:

Established in 2016, Copperstate Farms Management, LLC, is a vertically integrated cannabis company headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. The company is a licensed producer and distributor of medical cannabis in the U.S. and operates a 1.7-million-square-foot facility and 40-acre greenhouse grow in Snowflake, Arizona. Copperstate Farms is the parent company of multiple product suites including Good Things Coming and dispensary retail concept Sol Flower, which includes a public-facing cafe and wellness classroom. The multi-use dispensary brand has locations in Tempe and Sun City, Arizona.

Copperstate Farms is dedicated to bringing growth to the local and state economy through the hiring of local laborers, material suppliers, and contractors. For more information, visit CopperstateFarms.com.

Media Contact:

Neko Catanzaro

Proven Media

Neko@provenmediaservices.com

(401) 484-4980

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ec20f01b-de68-4fc4-a107-845ad03708ce

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9d3c2031-5087-479c-9974-51b27c4367bf
In this article 1089-HK

TME

A pedestrian walks past Tencent Holdings's headquarters in Shenzhen, China. Qilai Shen | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Chinese tech giant Tencent is in exclusive talks to acquire Leyou Technologies, the Hong Kong-listed games developer announced on Friday. Leyou has a number of subsidiaries which make video games. It is most well-known for "Warframe," a title created by subsidiary Digital Extremes. It has also announced plans to bring out a game based around "The Lord of the Rings" franchise and is co-developing the upcoming title with Amazon's gaming division. Leyou and its controlling shareholder, Charles Yuk, have entered into an exclusivity agreement with Tencent Mobility Limited, a Tencent subsidiary, Leyou said. Tencent Mobility is looking to buy Leyou and take it private. Piers Harding-Rolls, head of games research at Ampere Analysis, noted that Leyou began life as a food processing company before pivoting to games and buying up developers like Digital Extremes and Splash Damage.

"My view is that it is looking for a buyer because its main service game Warframe suffered in 2019 due to a slow update cycle and new competition," he told CNBC by email Friday. "Although it has a growth strategy for the title, it will need investment in development to drive engagement." The exclusivity agreement means that Leyou and Yuk won't be able to negotiate with another potential buyer in the next three months while the Tencent talks are ongoing. Leyou said the negotiations were still in progress and that there was no certainty the talks would lead to a binding deal. The firm had earlier halted trading in its shares pending an incoming takeover announcement.

Aggressive expansion strategy

In the past few years, Tencent has bolstered its gaming portfolio via investments in other firms. For example, it acquired most of Finnish mobile game maker Supercell in 2016 and took a stake in "Fortnite" creator Epic Games in 2012.
In this Wednesday, July 8, 2020, file photo, doctors and nurses work at a COVID-19 isolation center in Mumbai, India. In just three weeks, India's confirmed cases shot up from the world's sixth to the third-worst hit country by the coronavirus pandemic, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. India's fragile health system was bolstered during stringent monthslong lockdown but could still be overwhelmed by an exponential rise in infections. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade, File)

In just three weeks, India went from the world's sixth to the third-worst hit country by the coronavirus pandemic, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. India's fragile health system was bolstered during a stringent monthslong lockdown but could still be overwhelmed by an exponential rise in infections.

Here is where India stands in its battle against the virus:

STEADY CLIMB, MULTIPLE PEAKS

India has tallied 793,802 infections and more than 21,600 deaths, with cases doubling every three weeks. It's testing more than 250,000 samples daily after months of sluggishness, but experts say this is insufficient for a country of nearly 1.4 billion people.

"This whole thing about the 'peak' is a false bogey because we won't have one peak in India, but a series of peaks," said Dr. Anant Bhan, a bioethics and global health researcher. He pointed out that the capital of New Delhi and India's financial capital, Mumbai, had already seen surges, while infections had now begun spreading to smaller cities as governments eased restrictions. The actual toll would be unknown, he said, unless India made testing more accessible.

DUBIOUS DATA

The Health Ministry said Thursday that India was doing "relatively well" managing COVID-19, pointing to 13 deaths per 1 million people, compared to about 400 in the United States and 320 in Brazil. But knowing the actual toll in India is "absolutely impossible" because there is no reporting mechanism in most places for any kind of death, said Dr. Jayaprakash Muliyil, an epidemiologist at the Christian Medical College in Vellore who has been advising the government.

In this Friday, July 3, 2020, file photo, a man speaks with his mother who has been admitted in a COVID-19 hospital through a video phone facility by the COVID help desk, as another leaves crying after talking to her relative, outside a hospital, in New Delhi, India. In just three weeks, India's confirmed cases shot up from the world's sixth to the third-worst hit country by the coronavirus pandemic, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. India's fragile health system was bolstered during stringent monthslong lockdown but could still be overwhelmed by an exponential rise in infections. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup, File)

Official data shows 43% of the people who have died from the coronavirus were between the ages of 30 and 60, but research globally indicates that the disease is particularly fatal to the elderly, suggesting to Muliyil that many virus deaths among older Indians "don't get picked up" or counted in the virus fatality numbers.

"NO CENTRAL COORDINATION"

In India, public health is managed at a state level, and some have managed better than others. The southern state of Kerala, where India's first three virus cases were reported, has been held up as a model. It isolated patients early, traced and quarantined contacts and tested aggressively. By contrast, Delhi, the state that includes the national capital, has been sharply criticized for failing to anticipate a surge of cases in recent weeks as lockdown measures eased. Patients have died after being turned away from COVID-designated hospitals that said they were at capacity. It led the Home Ministry to intervene and allocate 500 railway cars as makeshift hospital wards.

In this Tuesday, May 12, 2020, file photo, migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh state sit stuffed inside a goods truck to return to their villages hundreds of miles away, during a nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of new coronavirus on the outskirts of Hyderabad, India. In just three weeks in June and July, India's confirmed cases shot up from the world's sixth to the third-worst hit country by the coronavirus pandemic, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. India's fragile health system was bolstered during stringent monthslong lockdown but could still be overwhelmed by an exponential rise in infections. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A, File)

But as the capital rushes to conjure new beds, officials admit that they're worried about the lack of trained and experienced health care workers. According to Jishnu Das, a professor of economics at Georgetown University, there is "no central coordination" to move health care staff from one state to another, exposing India's relative inability to use data to guide policy decisions.

"The one big thing that we're learning from this pandemic is it takes any cracks in our systems and it drives a chisel to them. So, it's no longer a crack, it's a huge chasm," Das said.

INDIA'S ROLE IN GLOBAL FIGHT

India has seven vaccines in various stages of clinical trial, including one by Bharat Biotech that the Indian Council on Medical Research pledged would have results from human trials by Aug. 15, the country's Independence Day. The top medical research body quickly backtracked, but regardless of whether India comes out on top in the global race for a vaccine, the country will play a critical role in the world's inoculation against COVID-19.

In this Monday, July 6, 2020, file photo, a health worker screens people for COVID-19 symptoms at Dharavi, one of Asia's biggest slums, in Mumbai, India. In just three weeks, India's confirmed cases shot up from the world's sixth to the third-worst hit country by the coronavirus pandemic, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. India's fragile health system was bolstered during stringent monthslong lockdown but could still be overwhelmed by an exponential rise in infections. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool, File)

In this Monday, July 6, 2020, file photo, a health worker takes a nasal swab of a person for a COVID-19 test at a hospital in New Delhi, India. In just three weeks, India's confirmed cases shot up from the world's sixth to the third-worst hit country by the coronavirus pandemic, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. India's fragile health system was bolstered during stringent monthslong lockdown but could still be overwhelmed by an exponential rise in infections. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup, File)

In this Tuesday, June 9, 2020, file photo, migrant workers from other states rest on a pavement as they wait for trains to their home states in Hyderabad, India. In just three weeks in June and July, India's confirmed cases shot up from the world's sixth to the third-worst hit country by the coronavirus pandemic, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. India's fragile health system was bolstered during stringent monthslong lockdown but could still be overwhelmed by an exponential rise in infections. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A., File)

The Serum Institute of India in the central Indian city of Pune is the world's largest vaccine manufacturer. India makes about 1,000 ventilators and 600,000 personal protective equipment kits per day, according to government think-tank Niti Aayog, making it the second largest kit maker in the world after China.

THE ECONOMIC CURVE

Although Indian airspace remains closed to commercial airlines from abroad, India's economy has largely reopened. Consumer activity has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, government data showed, and factory workers who fled cities when India imposed its lockdown March 24 have begun to return, enticed, in some cases, by employers offering free room and board.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has used the health crisis along with a military standoff with China over a disputed border region to rally the country around the idea of a "self-reliant India" whose home-grown industries will emerge stronger. Approval ratings that U.S. pollster Morning Consult estimate at 82% suggest many Indians are with him, even after the hasty lockdown triggered a humanitarian crisis, with thousands of migrant workers fleeing on foot toward their natal villages, and as two top government scientists on the front lines of the coronavirus fight stepping down in recent weeks. With the coronavirus nowhere near abating in India, how Modi will fare as the toll of infections and deaths continues to rise is still unclear.

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
The funding for schools to cover the costs associated with complying with public health advice must be approved quickly, the national teachers union has warned.

Significant funding will be necessary for the new school year, the Oireachtas Covid-19 response committee heard on Friday.

This will not just be to cover the additional cleaning costs schools will have, but also to cover the costs of substituting teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) in the event of absences, which are expected to increase, and for additional supports for school leaders.

The Department of Education is currently preparing cost estimates, Sean O Foghlu, general secretary, told the committee.

However, he could not put a precise number on how many substitute teachers and additional staff would be necessary but he expects it to be "significant".

The department is also working with Bus Eireann as there will be a need for physical distancing measures on school buses, he added. Students are not expected to need PPE or wear masks when they return to the classroom, he said, adding that older children might have to wear masks on school transport. This is in line with the current public health advice.

Responses to a tender on providing schools with PPE and cleaning equipment are currently being considered.

"With only seven weeks to go, schools need clarity, guidance and funding to be put in place quickly," a spokesman for the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) said.

The union recognises the commitment given that all remaining guidance around reopening schools will be provided to schools by the end of July, he added.

The current health advice to teachers and students is to not attend school if they have any symptoms of respiratory infection. This represents a change in culture, Mr O Foghlu told the committee, adding it will be necessary to keep infection out of schools.

The INTO has called on the department to offer certainty around how absences will be managed.

In formal engagement, the INTO has set out the need for a well organised approach to substitutable cover, release days for teaching principals, and the funding needed for schools to comply with the public health guidance set out," they said.

"While the commitment by the Department of Education and Skills on these issues is reassuring, it is imperative that the Department of Finance approves the necessary funding quickly so that the recruitment process can begin."
(JTA) - With the passing of Carl Reiner, who passed away of natural causes at his home in Beverly Hills on June 29, 2020, at the age of 98, we lost one of the comedy greats, Jewish or otherwise. His obituary recalled a show business career that dated to the infancy of television in the 1950s.

Reiner gained success starting in his late 20s as a writer and performer on "Your Show of Shows" and "Caesar's Hour," sketch comedies that one might broadly consider precursors to "Saturday Night Live," sans the politics. Those early programs featured an unparalleled staff of writers, almost all Jewish, that also included Neil Simon, Mel Brooks and Woody Allen.

They provide the backdrop for the 1982 comedy "My Favorite Year," my choice for your COVID-19 lockdown viewing this week. (With cases on the rise, a reminder to heed what Larry David said in April: Stay home! Watch TV!)

The film is seen through the eyes of a twenty-something Jewish writer named Benjy Stone (nee Steinberg) for a show in the mid-'50s called "Comedy Cavalcade." Its star is King Kaiser, played by Joe Bologna, a Caesaresque personality: tyrannical and tough, but softhearted. Stone (Mark Linn-Baker) is enthralled that his hero, the dashing actor Alan Swann (Peter O'Toole), will be appearing as the guest star.

Stone and Swann develop a rapport, but Swann has a drinking problem, and in turn a promptness problem. Stone's more seasoned colleagues on the writing staff want Swann fired, but the youngster stands up for the down-on-his-luck thespian who had provided so many magical moments with his swashbuckling roles. In turn, Swann helps Stone to romance a young assistant on the show's staff. (Stone at one point offers his wannabe girlfriend lessons on how to tell a joke, Borscht Belt style. It doesn't go well.)

Through it all, the odd couple experience plenty of craziness, like riding off on a horse together in Central Park following some chaos started by Swann.

The movie has a Jewish ethos, but here's the most Jewy part: Stone goes to visit his mother, Belle (Lainie Kazan) in Brooklyn, a stereotypical Jewish mom - in a quintessential Jewish setting - except that she's now married to a former Filipino fighter named Rookie Carroca, who does all the cooking. (He makes parrot for the dinner: "They put up quite a squawk.")

Other guests at the dinner include more relatives who embarrass Benjy: Uncle Morty (Lou Jacobi, one of my favorite character actors) and his wife, who wears her wedding dress to the function: "You like it? I only wore it once."

Belle the yenta prods Swann, whom she calls Swanny, about his personal life, and he divulges that he has a young daughter whom he hasn't seen in ages.

Morty is more pointed in his inquiries: "That paternity suit - did you shtupp her?" he asks. "Did you go all the way?"

They leave the apartment with its throng of residents, all Jewish, trailing behind. One man offers his Italian surname and Swann asks how he got in the building. "I'm the super," he says.

At showtime, Swann finds out that the broadcast is live and is petrified ("I'm a movie star, not an actor!"), going off to drink away his fears. Stone gets him to return, and the one-time heartthrob makes amends for any difficulties he caused during the week by helping King Kaiser fight off some mobsters on the live show who don't take kindly to one sketch.

Wonder if "Your Show of Shows" ever had the same dilemma?

Back to Reiner: He would go on to create "The Dick Van Dyke Show," about a comedy writer named Rob Petrie, that would be one of the most embraced sitcoms not just of the '60s but all time. Looking back on it, the Emmy winning show may seem idyllic, especially as it was on the air during the civil rights era.

But Reiner was well aware of what was happening: On one episode, Petrie makes an impassioned plea for brotherhood among all people at a banquet sponsored by a group for interracial understanding.

Carl Reiner left a legacy in so many ways. He will be greatly missed.
The number of new US unemployment claims dipped last week, but job losses continue to batter the economy as rising coronavirus cases pushed some regions of the country to reverse course and reimpose shutdown orders on businesses.

More than 1.3 million workers, seasonally adjusted, filed new claims for regular unemployment benefits last week, the US government reported on Thursday (US time). Another million first-time claims were filed under the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program. Taken together, the report paints a disappointing picture of recovery: Total new unemployment claims have edged up from their mid-June lows.

Although hiring nationwide has picked up in recent weeks, most of the payroll gains were temporarily laid-off workers who were rehired. The pool of employees whose previous jobs have disappeared and who must search for new ones has grown.

"Their circumstances may be more challenging to rectify than those who were laid off because of a temporary closure," said Elizabeth Akers, who was a staff economist with the Council of Economic Advisers under President George W. Bush. "Finding new jobs will be more difficult. There's been scarring in the economy."
President Trump calls Supreme Court rulings on tax returns, financial records political witch hunt

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President Donald Trump called a 7-2 ruling by the Supreme Court upholding the Manhattan district attorneys demand for his tax returns a political witch hunt Thursday as critics celebrated it as powerful statement about the limits of presidential power.

Two hundred years ago, a great jurist of our Court established that no citizen, not even the President, is categorically above the common duty to produce evidence when called upon in a criminal proceeding. We reaffirm that principle today and hold that the President is neither absolutely immune from state criminal subpoenas seeking his private papers nor entitled to a heightened standard of need, Chief Justice John G. Roberts wrote in the courts majority opinion.

Cy Vances office subpoenaed Trumps tax return as part of an investigation into alleged hush money payments made to silence two women who claim to have had affairs with the president.

The justices cited landmark rulings in which President Richard M. Nixon was required to turn over tapes of Oval Office conversations and President Bill Clinton was forced to give evidence in a sexual harassment suit.

The Supreme Court also sent back a case to a lower court Thursday to decide if Congress can get access to President Trumps financial records.

The president wasted very little time in reacting to the rulings, in which only Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented.

We have a totally corrupt previous Administration, including a President and Vice President who spied on my campaign, AND GOT CAUGHT...and nothing happens to them. This crime was taking place even before my election, everyone knows it, and yet all are frozen stiff with fear. No Republican Senate Judiciary response, NO JUSTICE, NO FBI, NO NOTHING. Major horror show REPORTS on Comey & McCabe, guilty as hell, nothing happens. Catch Obama & Biden cold, nothing. A 3 year, $45,000,000 Mueller HOAX, failed - investigated everything, Trump argued in a series of tweets.

Now the Supreme Court gives a delay ruling that they would never have given for another President. This is about PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT. We catch the other side SPYING on my campaign, the biggest political crime and scandal in U.S. history, and NOTHING HAPPENS. But despite this, I have done more than any President in history in first 3 1/2 years! POLITICAL WITCH HUNT!

Jenna Ellis, senior legal adviser to the Trump campaign and an attorney for the president, said in a statement that the court decisions Thursday only reflect a delayed victory for the president.

This is just a delayed victory for President Trump. The Court is sending both cases back to the lower courts for further proceedings and the President will continue to fight for his constitutionally protected right to be free from congressional and prosecutorial harassment and he will prevail, she said in a statement on Twitter.

Congress must respect the separation of powers and cannot articulate any legitimate legislative purpose to satisfy the criteria set forth by the Supreme Court, and Cy Vance is on a fishing expedition that amounts to a malicious prosecution. Democrats have continued to harass President Trump through the Russia Witch Hunt, the Impeachment Hoax, and other lies and manipulations, and Democrats will continue to lose. All Americans including the President of the United States, have a right to be free from politically-motivated harassment.

Vance disagreed in a statement Thursday, calling the courts decision to clear the way for his case to proceed against the president a tremendous victory for the justice system.

This is a tremendous victory for our nations system of justice and its founding principle that no one  not even a president  is above the law. Our investigation, which was delayed for almost a year by this lawsuit, will resume, guided as always by the grand jurys solemn obligation to follow the law and the facts, wherever they may lead, he said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the Supreme Courts rulings is not good news for President Trump.

A careful reading of the Supreme Court rulings related to the Presidents financial records is not good news for President Trump, Pelosi said in a statement.

The Court has reaffirmed the Congresss authority to conduct oversight on behalf of the American people, as it asks for further information from the Congress. Congresss constitutional responsibility to uncover the truth continues, specifically related to the Presidents Russia connection that he is hiding. The Congress will continue to conduct oversight For The People, upholding the separation of powers that is the genius of our Constitution. We will continue to press our case in the lower courts.
CALGARYA survey by the Alberta Medical Association suggests more than 40 per cent of the provinces physicians have at least considered looking for work elsewhere in Canada.

The group blames the potential exodus on the United Conservative governments announced changes to how doctors are paid.

Some of the measures announced in February were rolled back during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the government and the association remain at odds, and Premier Jason Kenney has said compensation needs to be reined in.

The survey found 87 per cent of Alberta doctors were making changes to their practices, including layoffs, reduced hours, early retirement and possibly leaving Alberta.

The medical association is taking the province to court, alleging breaches of charter rights because it was not given access to third- party arbitration.

Health Minister Tyler Shandro says its questionable whether doctors would leave for other provinces, where they would earn far less than under Albertas funding arrangement.

He said the AMA has never presented a credible proposal to keep physician spending at $5.4 billion annually. The Alberta governments filed statement of defence to the lawsuit argues the province has engaged with doctors in good faith.

The AMA needs to stop playing games and start taking the economic crisis facing this province and this country seriously, Shandro said in a statement Friday. Were still offering to hold our spending at the highest level in Canada, and, frankly, that commitment is looking more generous by the day, considering the fiscal situation in this province and this country.

The government is looking into publicizing physician compensation, as it does for other public servants, he added.

AMA president Dr. Christine Molnar said she cant blame doctors for wanting to protect their livelihoods and calls the Alberta governments actions reckless.

Physicians have reached a breaking point, Molnar said in a release Friday. Im deeply troubled by where this is going and what its going to mean for medical practices and patients in the coming months.

Opposition health critic David Shepherd said he was troubled, but not shocked, by the surveys results.

Premier Jason Kenney and Health Minister Tyler Shandro are at war with Alberta doctors: tearing up their contract, cutting their pay, and imposing hundreds of pages of new paperwork in the middle of a public health emergency, the New Democrat said in a statement.

Kenney and Shandro have smeared Alberta doctors at every turn, suggesting they are lazy, greedy and dishonest. Its despicable.

The AMA surveyed 1,470 physicians from across Alberta between June 24 and July 3. It says the results are accurate within 2.4 percentage points 19 times out of 20.

Correction - July 14, 2020: This article was edited from a previous version that misstated the amount of annual funding Alberta has committed to spending on physicians as $5.4 million. In fact, it is $5.4 billion.

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Donald Trump said he will wear a mask when he visits US troops at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center outside Washington this weekend.

The US president, who has not been seen masked in public since the Covid-19 pandemic started in March, said he expected to wear a mask at the hospital.

I expect to be wearing a mask when I go into Walter Reed. Youre in a hospital setting. I think its a very appropriate thing. I have no problem with a mask, Mr Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity.

I think its fine to wear a mask out if it makes you feel comfortable, added the president, who said certain conditions would make masks appropriate in public, such as visiting a hospital.

The president will meet wounded soldiers and healthcare workers managing Covid-19 when he travels to the Walter Reed Medical Centre in Bethesda, Maryland, on Saturday.

There is no indication Mr Trump will be photographed wearing a mask when he meets patients on the visit.

An unconfirmed photo aired on MSNBC in May appearing to show the president masked on a Michigan Ford plant tour, when he told reporters that [he] didnt want to press to get the pleasure of seeing it.

Those comments were criticised at the time, which contravened US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advice issued in April.

I have no problem with a mask. I dont think you need one when youre tested all the time, everybody around you is tested, youre quite a distance, added Mr Trump on Thursday.

Health experts have, however, complained that Trump supporters now have doubts over masks.

The problem there is that the issue has become a political issue and people have lost sight of the fact that the enemy is the virus, said Houston Health Department authority Dr David Persse to The New York Times. People have decided that the enemy is some sort of a political agenda.

As new Covid-19 cases continue to surge  with more than 60,5000 across the United States on Thursday  Republican governors and lawmakers have started to advocate wearing masks in public.
Kasmira Kincaid is the first student who grew up in care to graduate Corpus Christi college Cambridge

A student who was once homeless is celebrating becoming the first ever care leaver to graduate from her college at Cambridge University.

'Exceptionally talented' Kasmira Kincaid, from Lampeter, Ceredigion, announced on Wednesday that she is graduating with a 2:1 degree in English Literature from the world-renowned university.

Her achievement marks her as the first care leaver to graduate from Corpus Christi College in its 668 year history, and she has gone viral online as a result of the inspiring news.

The 25-year-old joins other notable alumni including actor Hugh Bonneville and playwright Christopher Marlowe, who also studied at the notable college.

In a tweet posted on Wednesday Kasmira revealed that her feat was accomplished despite numerous obstacles, including being made homeless at 16.

Although she 'missed half of high school', determined Kasmira managed to achieve her life long dream and was accepted into the esteemed institution.

A delighted Kasmira took to social media to share her amazing achievement, saying: 'Today I became the first care leaver ever to graduate from Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.

'Not bad for someone who missed most of secondary school, went through half a dozen foster placements, was homeless at 16, and completed her A-levels living alone on benefits.'

Her achievement marks her as the first care leaver to graduate from Corpus Christi College in its rich 668 year history

Kasmira Kincaid (seen at the back, far right) pictured with her friends at the University

It's estimated that around 6% of care leavers go into higher education, with the percentage even smaller for those attending Oxbridge.

So Kasmira's tweet, which has since clocked up almost 70,000 likes, has prompted an outpouring of support.

Author Lemn Sissay MBE wrote: 'Dear you! We spoke a long time ago. And look at you now. You bright brilliant star.'

Another social media user added: 'Congratulations! As a care leaver myself who was declared homeless twice during my A-Levels seeing this sort of thing is incredibly inspiring.'

And one woman wrote: 'Well done. Your determination leaves me in awe. Wonderful achievements. What will you do next?'

Speaking today, Kasmira confirmed she is working on her first novel. She said: 'For the last few years I've been working on my debut novel. So that's the plan, really, become a writer. Of novels, mainly.

Kasmira (right) with friends Alice (left) and Jo (middle). She has now gone viral online after celebrating her achievements via social media

'Although, I'd love to branch out into TV and film as well. If they ever let me write an episode of Doctor Who, I'll die happy.

'I always knew I wanted to apply to Oxbridge. It was a bit weird and alienating at times, a lot of strange archaic rules.

'But one of the great things about Cambridge is that there's so much going on that, no matter how strange you think you are, they'll always be a club or society for your particular niche or interests.

'Although I am the first care leaver to graduate from Corpus, I'm not the first to graduate Cambridge. Nor was I the only care leaver there during my time there.

'It's a tougher journey, sure. But I believe every child in care is capable of doing every bit as well as their peers.

'My achievement didn't seem all that astonishing until I tried to sum it up in a Tweet!

'It took me a little longer than most people to get here, but I am quite proud of myself.

'I'm hoping, since I've had more than my fair share of adversity so far, it'll be plain sailing from here on out.'

Dr Marina Frasca-Spada, Senior Tutor of Corpus Christi College, added: 'Kasmira (or Vashti, as we all know her at Corpus Christi College) is an exceptionally talented young woman who has succeeded after living through very difficult experiences.

'It has been a pleasure to come to know her and to be able to support her during her years at Corpus.

'We have enjoyed discussing both her academic and her creative work, and I am delighted with her personal and academic achievements.'
Prepare for the global impact of US COVID-19 resurgence

Recently, the US has suffered a series of COVID-19 surges. The escalation wont stay in America. It is likely to cause collateral damage worldwide.

In early June, U.S. states began to exit from the lockdown measures, even though the epidemic curve had not been adequately flattened. On July 4th, the White House sought for a return to normal with a celebration at Mount Rushmore, where President Trump, who has recently associated himself with far-right white power extremists, gave a bizarre speech warning about a new far-left fascism.

And once again, the Trump crowds were not required to wear face masks or practice social distancing, although the US has recently tallied its highest single-day totals of coronavirus infections. Currently confirmed virus cases in the US total 3 million, with almost 135,000 deaths, while new confirmed cases average over 50,000 daily.

Despite the Independence Day, traditional July 4th routines  beer, beach and BBQs  were severely adjusted. Florida, still another state that rushed a premature exit, set a national record with more than 10,000 new cases.

Not so long ago, younger people were hosting COVID-19 parties like there was no tomorrow. Many may now get what they wished for. When the White House began to mobilize against the pandemic two months ago, more than two of three patients were aged 50 or older. But today, almost 60% of cases are aged 18-49.

The COVID-19 surge across America is no surprise, however. It was only to be expected in light of the catastrophic mishandling of the pandemic by the White House, as I projected in The Tragedy of Missed Opportunities in April (click here). The following draws from that report; only data has been updated.

White House alerted on Jan 3, yet mobilized 2 months later

On January 3, when the virus gene sequencing was completed by Chinas CDC and emergency monitoring initiated, Chinese officials notified WHO and relevant countries. That day, U.S. CDC director Dr. Robert R. Redfield called Alex M. Azar II, secretary of health, telling him that China had potentially discovered a new coronavirus. In turn, Azar informed the National Security Council (NSC), for a reason.

When Trump arrived in the White House three years before, his administration killed the global health unit that had been part of the NSC and that had been created to respond to potential global pandemics. Now a newly-created team began daily meetings in the basement of the West Wing. Yet, no mobilization occurred in the US. Instead, a long debate began within the Trump administration over what to tell to the American public.

Between the first recorded case in Wuhan (Dec 30, 2019), and the WHOs announcement of the international emergency (Jan 30, 2020), the epicenter of the outbreak was in China. Yet, first cases were also recorded in 20 countries worldwide, including the US. But once again, the Trump White House chose not to mobilize.

On March 10, the WHO declared the virus a pandemic. By then, the epicenter had moved from Europe to the US. It was only on March 13 that the White House began to mobilize federal resources against the COVID-19 outbreak. By then, there were 1,264 confirmed cases in the U.S. and 277 deaths. The figures grossly under-estimated the spread of the virus since basic testing capacity and diagnoses were lagging into April.

Trumps crisis mishandling had deferred the inevitable awakening but when it finally ensued, it would prove devastating, as I projected in April. Subdued by the trade wars and after growth of 2.3% in the 4th quarter, the U.S. GDP growth suffered a -5% contraction in the 1st quarter and is likely to cope with a historical -53% plunge in the 2nd quarter.

Playing the blame game

As the Trump administration began national mobilization weeks belatedly, it struggled to reduce the economic damage by reopening the economy after mid-April. Trump gave governors a road map for recovering from the economic pain of the coronavirus pandemic. "You're going to call your own shots," Trump told the governors. "We're going to be standing alongside of you."

Heres the Machiavellian translation: Its my mistake, but your headache. Its election year, you know.

Following the Trump administrations loss of credibility, many states developed their own exit stances, including "Trump-proof" plans in the Tri-State area. Belated mobilization was devastating not just nursing homes, but prison systems and other dense closed facilities. As perceptive observers noted, this was the next information battle field in America: Who gets counted in the coronavirus death toll .

As I argued in The Tragedy of Missed Opportunities, the US mobilization against the pandemic failed, due to a series of factors, including

Complacency, belated mobilization, inadequate preparedness, poorly-enforced lockdowns, and failed crisis leadership by the Trump White House;

Ineffective monitoring of quarantines and self-quarantines;

faulty test kits and long delays in testing, plus deficient contact tracing;

huge shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) that endangered the lives of frontline healthcare professionals;

trade war that caused additional, unwarranted PPE shortages;

failed responses to the outbreak, which have dramatically added to health risks;

misguided media coverage that has contributed to infodemics;

a paranoid style of politics to shift the blame on China and the WHO and its executives (and the disastrous decision to exit the US from the WHO)

premature exits from lockdowns;

and the list goes on.

These mistakes have been followed by Trumps decision to exit the US from the WHO, which will compound public-health risks in the future, both in the US and worldwide.

But the long-term international implications may prove even worse.

US virus exports into Mexico  and beyond

What happens in America will not stay in America. Due to months of fattening rather than flattening the curve and the associated resurgence of COVID-19 in the US, international exits from lockdowns and global economic recovery are virtually ensured to take a series of new hits when the US eventually returns back to business.

The recent travel ban by the EU against the United States is just a tip of the iceberg. Mexican border states have raised serious concerns about Americans pandemic inflows into the south.

Washington implemented strict inflow protocols against Mexicans in March. Yet, as the virus had its first peak in early spring and is now enjoying its second wave in the US, hundreds of thousands of Americans continue to cross the border into Mexico.

What happens in the US-Mexican border today is just a prelude to what will ensue internationally as US containment failures  followed by secondary virus waves  are likely to be exported around the world.

Dr. Dan Steinbock is the founder of Difference Group and has served at the India, China and America Institute (US), Shanghai Institute for International Studies (China) and the EU Center (Singapore). For more, see http://www.differencegroup.net/

 2020 Copyright Dan Steinbock - All Rights Reserved

Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors.

Dan Steinbock Archive

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.




Uttarakhands famous stone-pelting fair in Champawat in which two groups hurl stones or fruits on each other will not be held this year.

The fair called Bagwal, held in Champawat district, every year has been cancelled this year due to the Covid epidemic. The decision in this regard was taken in a meeting of the local administration and the temple and fair committee of Devidhura on Thursday, an official said.

This fair is held every year on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan on the premises of temple dedicated to Goddess Varahi Devi in Devidhura area, a tiny hamlet around 75 km from the district headquarters. Earlier, it was decided to hold a symbolic Bagwal to mark the age-old tradition, but now it will be not held at all.

There will be no fair or Bagwal this year. Only prayer will be held by the committee members in the temple, while maintaining social distancing, said SN Pandey, district magistrate, Champawat.

Devidhuras Bagwal fair is different from other traditional fairs in Uttarakhand due to its ritual of hurling stones. Earlier, stones were used to play Bagwal, but after the intervention of the state High Court in 2013, the fair committee decided to play it with various kind fruits of like apple, guava peach, lemon and flowers instead of stones to avoid injuries.

Kriti Bhallav Joshi, chief priest of the temple, said, Bagwal is an ancient religious practice of Kumaon. Though there is no document about it, but it is said that Bagwal used to be played in Katturi regime in the Kumaon region in the sixth century. According to folklore, there was a tradition of offering human sacrifice once a year to goddess Varahi. As time passed, it was converted into Bagwal.

It is played between Chamyal, Walik, Gaharwal and Lamgariya Khaam (clans) of the seven local villages. They split into two groups at the time of Bagwal and as the chief priest gives a signal by blowing Shankh (conch), they start pelting stones at each other. After a few minutes, the priest again gives a signal to stop Bagwal. Devotees try to offer their blood to Goddess through this practice, he added

Joshi said in the present situation it is very important to check Covid-19 outbreak. Large gatherings could spread viral infection so we decided to cancel the fair this year. Thousands of devotees and people used to gather to witness the event from across the country, he said.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 22:48:43|Editor: huaxia

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NEW DELHI, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Solar energy will be a medium of energy needs of the 21st century because solar power is "sure, pure and secure," said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday while dedicating the 750 megawatt (MW) solar power project in the central state of Madhya Pradesh.

Further elaborating, Modi said that solar power is "sure" because of the continuous supply of energy from the Sun, "pure" as it is environment friendly, and "secure" because it is a secure source for our energy needs.

He said that the solar power project will make the entire region a major hub for pure and clean energy in this decade, and the biggest beneficiaries would be the poor, the middle class, the tribesmen and the farmers of Madhya Pradesh.

It will also supply power to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), along with the entire region surrounding Rewa district of Madhya Pradesh.

"Very soon Madhya Pradesh would be the main center of solar energy in the country, as such major projects are in progress in the state's other areas, including Neemuch, Shajapur, Chattarpur and Omkareshwar," added Modi. Enditem
Rolls-Royce burned through 3billion of cash during the first six months of the year as coronavirus dealt a hammer-blow to its finances.

The engineering group warned it was set to lose another 1billion by the end of 2020  and that it would take several years to recover from the 'historic shock' created by the pandemic.

Three-thousand employees have already volunteered to leave the business as part of swingeing job cuts that will help it save 1.3billion a year by 2022.

Bailout plea: Rolls-Royce warned it was set to lose another 1bn by the end of 2020  and that it would take several years to recover from the 'historic shock' created by the pandemic

But Rolls has admitted that despite having around 8billion at its disposal it would need to raise more cash  probably by going cap in hand to investors.

Experts warned that the Government could even have to bail it out if the pressures facing the airlines and aerospace companies got worse.

Describing the update as 'materially worse' than expected, analysts at JP Morgan wrote: 'If there is a second wave of Covid-19 or a slower than hoped for recovery, then it is very possible, in our view, that the Government will need to step in to save Rolls-Royce.'

The redundancies at Rolls-Royce came on another bleak day for the jobs market in the UK. Pharmacy chain Boots axed 4,000 staff and John Lewis warned of 1,300 of job losses as the High Street giants closed stores.

Burger King also warned it could close a tenth of its outlets  putting 1,600 jobs at risk.

Rolls-Royce has been pummelled as flights worldwide were grounded for months as countries went into lockdown.

The number of hours flown by its engines dived by 75 per cent between April and June, when Europe and the West were at the height of lockdown.

The hours fell by 50 per cent across the first six months of the year as a whole. These flying hours and lower demand for its engines knocked 1.1billion off its revenues.

Shares in Rolls plunged by 11 per cent, or 31.5p, to 256.3p after it released the trading update, meaning it has lost around two-thirds of its value, or about 8billion, since the start of the year.

Around half of Rolls' 15billion annual turnover comes from its civil aerospace arm, which makes and maintains engines for jets such as the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787.

The company makes a loss on each engine it sells  instead earning money from maintaining and servicing them.

This means the recent pause on international travel sent shockwaves through the business. Chief executive Warren East said: 'These are exceptional times.

'The Covid-19 pandemic has created a historic shock in civil aviation which will take several years to recover.'

Airlines do not think demand for flights will recover until at least 2023, while plane makers such as Airbus and Boeing are expecting to struggle until 2025.

More aviation jobs are axed Britain's aviation industry faces even more job losses as companies struggle to survive the Covid crisis. US plane engine maker GE is cutting almost 800 roles in Wales and Scotland. It had already arranged for 323 workers to take voluntary redundancies  but yesterday announced it would axe a further 446 roles blaming the unprecedented impact of the pandemic. The Unite union said the aerospace industry is seeing a tsunami of job losses, with the likes of Boeing and Airbus cutting thousands of roles. Airlines have been hit similarly hard, with British Airways planning to let go of 12,000 staff, Easyjet 4,500 and Virgin Atlantic more than 3,000. And Jet2-owner Dart Group yesterday warned it too was preparing to slash jobs. The package holiday operator said it would have to make a number of redundancies, though it did not say how many.

But Rolls is at an even greater disadvantage because it only makes engines for big planes  and it is short-haul routes which use smaller jets that are expected to rebound quickest.

In a bid to save cash, Rolls in May unveiled plans for a mammoth restructuring plan that will see it axe one in six of its global workforce, or 9,000 of around 53,000 employees. Around 8,000 will be in the civil aerospace arm.

The company said 3,000 UK employees have already volunteered to take redundancy  with 2,000 of these expected to leave by the end of August. Around 5,000 UK jobs are expected to go in total.

It was already working through a huge restructuring programme that East introduced in 2018.

Derby-based Rolls said plans to raise more cash are at an early stage, but it is thought likely it will sell more shares, as well as sell it Spanish aerospace subsidiary ITP Aero.
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...
Over 2 million is being made available to Scottish landowners and farmers to help them play their part in creating more woodland.

The support is part of Scottish Forestrys Harvesting and Processing Grant, which will help farmers and foresters buy specialist woodland equipment.

This could range from poly tunnels, seed trays through to mounding equipment, work site welfare units and small scale sawmills for wood processing.

Scottish government's rural economy secretary, Fergus Ewing said forestry had a 'key role' to play in helping the rural economy recover from the Covid-19 crisis.

Assisting smaller scale businesses to grow and become more resilient is key to achieving these ambitions, and to maintaining livelihoods and creating more job opportunities in remote rural areas.

"This funding supports investment by forestry businesses in new specialised equipment to increase capacity, expand the business and sustain employment," he said.

The funding is made up of 1 million from Defra, 1 million from the Scottish government and 50,000 from the Welsh government.

The Scottish government aims to plant 12,000 hectares of trees and woodlands annually and will increase that to 15,000 hectares per year by 2025.

The UK governments target is to plant 30,000 hectares a year by 2025.

How does the grant work?

The grant supports investments in three main areas:

 New specialised equipment which will increase the local small-scale harvesting and processing capacity.

 New specialised equipment for forest tree nurseries, including tree seed supply businesses and equipment for afforestation ground preparation projects, including forestry fencing projects.

 Support for the mobile equipment to help forestry businesses or enterprises to adapt and recover from Covid-19.

Grant claims must be made by the end of February of the year following their award, for example, grant claims with a 2020 year must be submitted to Scottish Forestry by the end of March 2021.
SPRINGFIELD  Local government officials in Illinois have their hands tied behind their back when responding to COVID-19-related economic struggles, three community and business advocacy groups argued Thursday.

Burdensome, unnecessary state rules dictating how federal CARES Act  Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security  funds are allocated to local authorities will likely make fewer dollars available to officials to use as they deem appropriate, Brad Cole, executive director of the Illinois Municipal League, said at an outdoor event in Springfield.

Instead, the state will reallocate that money to other areas and limit economic recovery in communities, he added.

But a spokesperson for the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity said that assertion is simply false and the situation is more complex than the Municipal League, Retail Merchants Association and Manufacturers Association are portraying.

Congress approved just over $4.9 billion for Illinois based on its population. That money is required to be used toward costs related to the public health emergency.

Chicago and counties with more than 500,000 residents  Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake and Will  received direct payments totaling about $1.39 billion. The rest, around $3.5 billion, was sent to the state to allocate.

In May, when the General Assembly met in Springfield for a truncated special session, legislators approved a budget plan that specified how those funds were to be disbursed by several entities  the Departments of Commerce and Economic Development, Revenue, Human Services and Healthcare and Family Services, as well as the Emergency Management Agency.

Their priority, the lawmakers wrote, was to assist our communities most in need, and they specified the federal funds were to empower historically and presently disproportionately impacted areas.

That budget implementation bill created two programs to be overseen by DCEO. One, the Local CURE Support Program  Coronavirus Urgent Remediation Emergency  was designed to use $250 million to reimburse local governments for COVID-19 costs since March.

The other, called the Business Interruption Grant Program, allows companies to apply for money to assist with expenses related to closures. That initiative was allocated $316 million.

Cole said at a news event Thursday that Illinois rules restrict local governments ability to financially assist businesses and stimulate local economies. Chicago and the collar counties were permitted to use their direct funding toward priorities identified by officials there  other communities should have that authority as well, he argued.

Its disappointing the state wants to take away (local governments) ability to decide how federal dollars are spent to support economic development, especially as they watch shops, restaurants and other businesses close around them at an alarming rate, Cole said. This decision undermines federal efforts to keep local economies afloat during the pandemic and demonstrates how out of touch state officials are with the needs of communities across Illinois.

A DCEO spokesperson said rules it proposed are designed to best operate the programs created by the General Assembly. Officials there are working with local governments to assist them in identifying COVID-19 costs eligible for federal reimbursement.

Any reallocation of those CARES Act funds would be made if local communities cannot determine expenses that qualify for reimbursement. None of the money included in Illinois Local CURE program was intended to be given to local officials to then distribute to businesses in their district  the BIG Program was designed for that purpose.

Cole also took issue with the departments rule moving the application deadline up 60 days. The DCEO spokesperson said officials took that step, allowed in federal guidelines, to ensure the state could distribute funds where they are most needed.

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government and distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
A young girl waits patiently for her Airman father to return to Fairchild Air Force Base on July 1 after a seven-month deployment overseas.

FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE  July 1 was a day to remember for the families and 19 members of the 92nd Air Refueling Squadron. Two KC-135 Stratotankers returned to Fairchild Air Force Base after being deployed in Turkey for seven months.

It was the longest time period that Stratotankers had been deployed from Fairchild.

"I'm pretty excited," said Capt. Kirsten Larson, aircraft commander of the 92nd Squadron upon arrival. "They kept giving us dates, and kept pushing it back."

The two KC-135's arrived at Fairchild about half an hour apart. Soldiers were greeted with signs, cheers, hugs and kisses from wives, children, parents and other close connections.

Originally, the 92nd was expected to return from a four-month deployment in the spring, likely around April. However, due to rulings concerning COVID-19, they weren't given the okay to head back until mid-June.

Nelson said despite COVID concerns, actual deployment duties didn't change much.

"The missions were pretty much the exact same," Nelson said. "We just didn't know when we were coming home, so we had to keep our spirits up."

Once a new squadron arrived in Turkey and necessary COVID-19 tests and precautions were taken, the 92nd Air Refueling Squadron could finally make the trek back to the Inland Northwest.

"It was a group effort through the entire chain of command through the Air Force," 93rd squadron commander Lt. Col. Scott Davis said. "It was a matter of making sure we had procedures here in place to catch 'em (and) make sure we understood the environment they were coming from."

Soldiers were evaluated on a case-by-case basis to see if they needed to quarantine.

All were given 14 days off as an observation period to make sure they didn't show any COVID symptoms before returning to work. Their health is currently being monitored as a precautionary measure.

Drew Lawson can be reached at drew@cheneyfreepress.com.
Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley made a forceful case Thursday for changing the names of bases honoring Confederate generals, citing the particular burden African American troops bear when they serve at these installations.

Milley said he had in mind "those young soldiers who go onto a base, a Fort Hood [Texas] or a Fort Bragg [North Carolina] or a fort wherever, named after a Confederate general. They can be reminded that that general fought for an institution of slavery that may have enslaved one of their ancestors."

Read Next: Soldier Makes History As First Woman to Join the Green Berets

"I had a Staff Sergeant when I was a young officer [at Fort Bragg]," Milley said. "He said he went to work every day on a base that represented a guy who enslaved one of his ancestors."

The base was named for Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg.

Rep. Anthony Brown, a retired Army colonel and the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, questioned Milley on the 10 Army bases named for Confederate leaders.

"Does it reflect the values that we instill in our soldiers? Are these Confederate officers held up as role models in today's military?" he said. "Does it help or hurt the morale and unit cohesion of service members, particularly the black and brown service members who live and serve on these installations today?"

Political decisions were made years ago to name the bases for Confederates, "and they're going to be political decisions today" on whether the names should be changed, Milley said.

However, "we've got to take a hard look" at the base names that have become part of the current national debate on racial justice and the legacy of the Civil War, Milley said.

"The military equity here is divisiveness and, as you mention, cohesion," he said.

Those who fought for the Confederacy committed "an act of rebellion and an act of treason at the time against the Union, against the Stars & Stripes, against the U.S. Constitution," Milley said. "Now some have a different view of that -- some think it's heritage" that led the South into rebellion, "and some think it's hate."

If the decision is made to change the names, "the way we should do it matters as much as that we should do it," Milley said. "So I've recommended a commission of folks to take a hard look at the bases, the statues, the names -- all of this stuff, to see if we can have a rational, mature discussion," he said.

The issue of the base names has been part of the debate in Congress on the $740 billion National Defense Authorization Act. The House and Senate versions of the NDAA both include amendments to remove the names of Confederate leaders from bases.

President Donald Trump has threatened to veto the NDAA if the amendments are included in the final version of the bill.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.

Related: House Bill Earmarks $1 Million to Rename Bases Honoring Confederate Leaders
The man was walking north in the 500 block of South Sacramento Boulevard around 2:55 a.m. when he was hit by a light-colored SUV heading east on Congress Parkway, according to police.
A Pennsylvania police officer caught on video roughly kicking a female protester after she was sprayed with mace at a Black Lives Matter demonstration will not face charges.

Erie County District Attorney Jack Daneri also said the protester, 21-year-old Hannah Silbaugh, will not face charges stemming from the disturbing May 30 incident, which was caught on camera.

Footage begins with several Erie Bureau of Police officers attempting to clear an intersection of demonstrators, who were protesting against police brutality and systematic racism in Erie.

Officers can be seen spraying mace at protesters, including Silbaugh, who sits on the ground and refuses to move after being sprayed.

'They're macing innocent people right now,' one witness who recorded the incident says.

That's when the officer is seen walking towards Silbaugh, before kicking her in the shoulder.

Video of the kick was shared to social media, where it amassed more than 7million views and caught the attention of Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minneapolis.

'This is criminal,' she wrote.

Since protests began after the death of George Floyd, 46, Omar has repeatedly called for law enforcement to be defunded due to a history of excessive force and overly aggressive policing tactics.

An unidentified Erie Bureau of Police officer was caught on camera kicking a women in the shoulder after she was maced in Erie, Pennsylvania (pictured)

The incident took place near Erie's City Hall and followed a peaceful protest that became volatile after it ended earlier in the day

Authorities initially said they were 'not aware of any civilian injuries' during the demonstration or afterwards.

Speaking at a news conference, Daneri said the officers actions did not warrant prosecution.

He added that the officer, who has not been identified by city officials, had the right to use that kind of force under the circumstances.

Daneri also mentioned that at the time that Silbaugh was kicked, police and a law enforcement vehicle needed to get past a line of protesters to attend to more serious violence in the area.

Daneri said the protesters could have been charged with failure to disperse, but his office declined to file those charges because of the facts and in the interest of moving forward.

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar called the action 'criminal' on Twitter after footage of the kick went viral

Erie Mayor Joe Schember had announced June 15 that the officer would be suspended for three days without pay and would remain on desk duty until he completed sensitivity training.

Schember and Erie Police Chief Dan Spizarny have both said the investigation had concluded that the officer followed approved procedures and his use of force was technically justified

But Schember said 'the that the manner in which it was applied by the officer was inappropriate' and warranted discipline.

On that night, police said several hundred people descended on City Hall at night and began spray painting the building, breaking windows, pulling parking meters out of the ground, vandalizing shops and restaurants and throwing objects at police.

Police reportedly believed there was an active shooter near the scene.

Silbaugh, a manager at retail store, had participated in the demonstration as an ally and supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement.

'The point of the movement was against police brutality. And they responded in the exact way that we were protesting against,' she told Go Erie.

The peaceful demonstration that took place at Perry Square that weekend reportedly turned volatile when several people not involved in the protest arrived.

The officer who kicked Sillsbaugh (center) was suspended for three days without pay and will remain on desk duty until he completes sensitivity training

Officers used tear gas and tried to disperse the crowd around 9:30pm, but residents still lingered outside in the street.

An hour later, a SWAT team was dispatched to the front of City Hall to clear out the protesters.

Silbaugh said she went to the demonstration to 'to the protest by myself' and didn't arrive until around 8pm.

She said the crowd was 'rowdy but not violent.'

'I was peacefully protesting and I was doing a non-compliant but nonviolent protest,' she said.

Sillbaugh eventually ended up sitting in an intersection with her hands up in the air when the SWAT team moved in.

'They decided that they wanted to push us back further. This (was) the second time that they they tried to push us back,' said Sillbaugh.

'They were telling the entire crowd to disperse. And we did not.'

She said the macing began after she and a handful of other people stood between demonstrators and police.

'When I started sitting on the ground, thats when they started to Mace me. When I wouldnt move, thats when the cops kicked me.

'I fell to the ground (from a seated position). They used that opportunity when my hands were away from my eyes to continue to Mace me directly in the face.'

Silbaugh said the incident threatened to get more intense after officers reportedly indicated they could taze her.

Hannah Sillbaugh (pictured): 'When I started sitting on the ground, thats when they started to Mace me. When I wouldnt move, thats when the cops kicked me'

Sillbaugh (center): 'I think that the police need to be held accountable for their actions. They were being too aggressive with people who were protesting peacefully'

'They finally stopped Macing me to tell me that they were going to taze me. Then I got up and ran away. I was being sprayed and bombarded,' she said.

'I ran down the nearest side street, looking for water. I couldnt see. I couldnt breathe.'

Sillbaugh said she did not seek medical care, but did call poison control when she still suffered reactions from the mace hours after was discharged.

'My body is very sore, especially where I hit the ground and where I was kicked,' she said.

She said she originally felt safe protesting in Erie, but the behavior of local officers changed her mind.

'I think that the police need to be held accountable for their actions,' said Sillbaugh. 'They were being too aggressive with people who were protesting peacefully.'

Her lawyer, Timothy McNair, has taken legal steps toward filing a lawsuit and has filed for a write summons.

McNair also requested that the involved officer's name be, which city officials have refused to do.

Other instances of police brutality and excessive for have been caught on camera during demonstrations over the last few months.

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

In one instance, 75-year-old peace activist Martin Gugino was shoved by two Buffalo Police Department officers in June.

Gugino hit his head on the concrete ground during his fall and blood began to leak from his ear.

The officers, Aaron Torgalski and Robert McCabe, have pleaded not guilty to allegations of assault.

They each face up to seven years in prison if convicted of the class D felony. They were released without bail and will appear back in court on July 20.
Civilian review boards with subpoena power to investigate police malfeasance, mandatory body and dashboard cameras and the possibility of banning cops from the profession for life are the centerpieces of bipartisan legislation that will reach the General Assemblys special session later this month.

The 65-page bill, released on the legislatures website Thursday evening, would also create a new inspector general within the states Division of Criminal Justice, with the power to investigate and prosecute law enforcement officials involved in excessive-force incidents.

It would also strip liability protections from rogue officers and open all disciplinary records for public scrutiny.

The reform legislation arose from the Black Lives Matter movement in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd, a Minneapolis man who died after a police office kept Floyds neck pinned under his knee for for nearly nine minutes.

The bill includes provisions for police departments to study the feasibility of using social workers to help respond to incidents that might be better de-escalated  a partial response to the so-called defund police demands by many protesters.

The bill, scheduled to be unveiled Friday morning at the state Capitol, would also change the way police are trained. Cops would be required to report excessive force instances. It would create a statewide ban on the use of chokeholds except when an officers life is in danger, similar to Gov. Ned Lamonts executive order which is scheduled to expire in September.

I am proud of the bipartisan work we have undertaken, said state Rep. Steve Stafstrom, D-Bridgeport, co-chairman of the Judiciary Committee. This is a robust bill that I believe responds to this moment. We look forward to discussing the bill further tomorrow and to the feedback from our legislative colleagues and the public.

Stafstrom and Sen. Gary Winfield, D-New Haven, the other Judiciary Committee co-chairman, worked with ranking GOP members Sen. John Kissel, R-Enfield and Rep. Rosa Rebimbas, R-Naugatuck, on the bill in recent weeks without divulging details of the debate. It was unclear late Thursday what provisions the members of the different parties wanted that did not make it into the proposal.

Under the proposal, decertifying police, effectively banning them from working in other places after an unacceptable encounter, would require clear and convincing evidence similar to some of the violent encounters that have sparked the Black Lives Matter movement following Floyds death on May 25.

The inspector general would be confirmed by the legislature for a four-year term. Towns and cities would also have the option to create their own civilian review commissions, with unprecedented subpoena power.

Officers who report instances of excessive force would have whistleblower protections, and police disciplinary records would be open to the public under the state Freedom of Information Act. There would also be mandatory mental health screening.

So-called consent searches, in which police stop motorists with minor equipment problems such as malfunctioning tail lights, could not be used as a means to request the search of the entire vehicle. Officers would need probable cause to stop and search vehicles.

The bill also includes provisions to attract racially and ethnically diverse law enforcement personnel.

Nationally, police have come under criticism for responding with force during incidents that might have required only non-violent mediation.

All four committee leaders issued a joint statement Thursday night on the proposal.

This draft is the product of many hours of joint discussions and review amongst the leaders of our committee, the statement said. This proposal is a compilation of those discussions. We have received and appreciated the input from our respective caucuses and the public at large that has gone into the drafting of this bill.

The special session of the General Assembly is expected to begin around July 20, as legislative leaders are still planning how to deal with 187 members, even more staff and public access to the Capitol, which has been closed since March 12 due to the coronavirus pandemic, which terminated the annual regular session.

After Floyds death in Minneapolis, and the national and international protests against police brutality, as well as the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, state lawmakers have discussed reforms that in recent years have stalled, such as the mandatory use of cameras, which have been optional for Connecticut law enforcement.

State Rep. Rep. Brandon McGee, D-Hartford, chairman of the legislative Black and Puerto Rican Caucus, who was briefed on the major points of the bill, said the proposal is a big step forward, and he was pleased.

In the coming weeks, as leaders in the state legislature, well have plenty of negotiations on a final product, said McGee. I am hoping and pray that our colleagues land on the right side of history, support equity and transparency in a bill that has teeth and that would hold many of the bad actors accountable. This should not divide us. We should think about the many lives taken by police officers who are bad actors. We have gone so long allowing the misuse of power that law enforcement officers have.

kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT
Next Monday night in a Q&A special, former Prime Minister Julia Gillard joins host Hamish Macdonald live from Sydney.

The only woman to hold the top job in Australia, Julia Gillard is Chair of Beyond Blue, one of Australias leading mental health bodies, and has joined a medical research company involved in the search for a COVID-19 vaccine.

With Victorians locking down again for at least six weeks, how is the pandemic impacting the mental health of Australians? And how close are we to a vaccine?

Well also discuss how she reflects on her political career  she now she says there are things she would have done very differently.

So what are they? What did she learn? And how is she tackling the vexed challenge of being an ex-PM?

With her experience on the world stage in politics, economics and global not-for-profits, Julia Gillard has written a new book, Women in Leadership with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, canvassing the impact of gender on womens access to positions of leadership. Why do men still dominate the corridors of power around the world? Do women make better leaders?

With a long held passion for education and equality, Julia Gillard now works for the Global Institute for Womens Leadership at Kings College and the Global Partnership for Education.

Her iconic Misogyny speech from 2012 went viral and has recently turned up on TikTok.

The good, the bad and the prickly with Julia Gillard on Q+A, July 13, 9.35pm. Unmissable TV!

Monday July 13 at 9.35pm on ABC.
[July 10, 2020] AbCellera Files Patent Infringement Lawsuit Against Berkeley Lights, Inc.

AbCellera Biologics today announced that it has filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware against Berkeley Lights, Inc. for patent infringement of U.S. Patent Nos. 10,107,812; 10,274,494; 10,466,241; 10,578,618; 10,697,962; 10,087,408; 10,421,936; and 10,704,018. By its complaint, AbCellera is seeking a declaration by the Court that the defendant directly infringes, induces infringement, and contributes to the infringement of AbCellera's patents. The asserted patents cover AbCellera's proprietary platforms directed, inter alia, to the use of microfluidics for single cell antibody discovery, cell clone culture and selection, and genomic sequencing, using nanoliter volume chambers. AbCellera is asking the Court for a declaration that defendant direct and indirectly infringed AbCellera's patents, and is further seeking damages along with a permanent injunction preventing the defendant from using AbCllera's patented inventions for internal discovery programs and from offering for sale or selling any instrument or device that practices AbCellera's patented inventions, in the United States.



AbCellera is the market leader in the use of high-throughput microfluidics for single cell assays in nanoliter volumes with patent filing priority dates back to 2010. AbCellera recently used its pioneering technology to discover the first human monoclonal antibody to be tested in a human patient, worldwide, against COVID-19. About AbCellera Biologics Inc.

AbCellera is a privately held biotech with a drug discovery platform that searches and analyzes natural immune systems to find antibodies that can be used to prevent and treat disease. AbCellera's technology, which combines high-throughput microfluidics, hyper-scale data science, machine learning, bioinformatics, and genomics, identifies new first-in-class drugs and reduces the time it takes to bring treatments to the clinic. AbCellera's partners include leading biotechnology companies, global health organizations, and many of the top 10 biopharmaceutical companies. For more information, visit www.abcellera.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200710005446/en/

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Bharatiya Janata Party ally Lok Janshakti Party on Friday joined the opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal in expressing concern over holding the Bihar assembly polls amid a spread of COVID-19 cases, with its president Chirag Paswan saying it will put people at risk and may result in a very low voter turnout.

Paswan's comments have again highlighted his party's rift with its allies, especially the Janata Dal-United, which was quick to snub him and asserted that timely elections would be in interests of "good governance".

The BJP's response was more guarded as the party said that conducting elections was the prerogative of the Election Commission.

In his tweets, the LJP president said, "Not only Bihar but entire country is affected by the coronavirus. It has impacted finances of the Centre as well as Bihar. Holding elections amid this will financially burden the state more."

He added, "The Election Commission should take a decision with a lot of deliberations. It should not happen that a huge population is put into danger. Polling percentage may also be very low if elections are held amid this pandemic which is not good for democracy."

However, he said his party is ready for the polls.

The state polls are due in October-November. The Election Commission has so far not made any official announcement about the schedule.

A few days ago, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav had said that it would not be proper to hold the elections during the pandemic as he described the situation in the state as "scary".

Asked about whether he thought it would be proper to hold elections in time in view of the rising cases of the infection, he had said, "I think it would not be proper. The situation in the state is scary and the people have been left to fend for themselves in the face of the raging pandemic."

Both the BJP and the JD-U have asserted that they are ready for the polls and have been holding organisational meetings.

JD-U spokesman Rajiv Ranjan Prasad said his party believes that the Election Commission has taken a decision after consultations with all political parties to hold the elections on time.

"The Janata Dal (United) has made its preparations keeping in mind the possibility of the elections being held on time," he said.

He added that timely elections would be in interests of 'good governance and helping Bihar get its due respect on the national stage'.

BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand said that the EC is already working on modalities to ensure not only free and fare but also safe elections in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

If the EC is satisfied with situation, then the elections will surely be taking place on time, Anand said in a statement.

"Any political party is free to express an opinion but conducting the election is the sole prerogative of the EC. We will go by the decision of EC related to Bihar elections due in October- November 2020," he added.

Paswan has been critical of the Nitish Kumar-led government over a host of issues, including its handling of the migrant crisis.

The LJP believes that Kumar, the JD-U president, has been working to marginaise it within the National Democratic Alliance fold and is not keen of giving it an adequate number of seats to contest in the assembly polls.

RJD's coaltion partner Congress,however, has favoured timely assembly polls with some conditions due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

All India Congress Committee in-charge for Bihar Shaktisinh Gohil has said Congress is fully in support of holding the elections as per schedule even as he underscored the health and safety of voters and poll personnel during the elections.

Another opposition coalition partner -- Hindustani Awami Morcha of former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi -- also wants election on time.

Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, a controversial former MP who has floated his own Jan Adhikar Party, has threatened to move the Supreme Court seeking postponement of the polls.
By PTI

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Thursday said it would hear on August 12 the pleas of DMK MLAs challenging the show-cause notice in connection with the display of the banned 'gutka' in the Tamil Nadu Assembly in 2017.

The MLAs face privilege proceedings for having brought sachets of the contraband into the Assembly to show how freely the tobacco product was available in the open market.

On August 28, 2017 the privilege committee of the Assembly initiated the privilege proceedings and issued the show-cause notice to 21 MLAs, including M K Stalin. Challenging the proceeding, the 21 legislators moved the High Court. On September 7 that year, the court stayed further proceedings in the issue.

"The term of the legislators as well as the Tamil Nadu Assembly is going to expire soon, and an early date of hearing of the case must be allotted for bringing a logical conclusion," advocate-general Vijay Narayan said.

Senior advocates N R Elango and Shanmugasundaram, representing the MLAs, submitted that they would be engaging senior counsels from Delhi and assured the court that they would not seek for any adjournment and would argue the case.

Recording the submission, the first bench of Chief Justice AP Sahi and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy agreed to exclusively hear the case on August 12, 2020.
Trump on Friday threatened to re-examine federal funding and tax-exempt status for schools that resist opening.

Groups representing the nations doctors, teachers and top school officials on Friday pushed back against pressure from President Donald Trump to fully reopen schools in the United States despite a surge in coronavirus cases, saying science must guide the decisions.

Public health agencies must make recommendations based on evidence, not politics, the American Academy of Pediatrics, two national teachers unions and a school superintendents group said, following days of threats by Trump to choke off federal education funds if schools do not open their doors for the upcoming academic year.

We should leave it to health experts to tell us when the time is best to open up school buildings, and listen to educators and administrators to shape how we do it, AAP, the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and the School Superintendents Association said in a joint statement.

For our country to truly value children, elected leaders must come together to appropriately support schools in safely returning students to the classroom and reopening schools. Read the full statement here: https://t.co/EdPVL4Jfyb @NEAToday @AmerAcadPeds  AFT (@AFTunion) July 10, 2020

Their call was echoed by two medical groups  the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the HIV Medicine Association.

Trump ramped up his threat on Friday, saying the Treasury Department would re-examine schools tax-exempt status and their federal funding if they resisted opening.





His push to reopen schools comes as cases of the novel coronavirus surge in some of the countrys most populous areas, prompting some state and local authorities to roll back plans to relax restrictions.

School administrators are weighing the risk of opening their buildings to students and staff as US cases have topped three million this week. Some universities have announced online-only instruction plans, while others may change their calendars. New York City schools, the nations largest public school district, announced a hybrid plan mixing both on-site and online classes.

Trump has accused Democrats of exploiting the pandemic for political gain by refusing to reopen schools and businesses to hurt the economy and his re-election prospects, even as health experts caution against easing restrictions too quickly.

Too many Universities and School Systems are about Radical Left Indoctrination, not Education. Therefore, I am telling the Treasury Department to re-examine their Tax-Exempt Status  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2020

It was not immediately clear how Treasury could restrict funds, and the department could not be immediately reached for comment. Most primary and secondary school funding is local.

In their statement, AAP and the other groups urged Congress to provide more money to schools so they could reopen safely, calling the idea of withholding funds a misguided approach.

Democrats have said they want students to return to in-person classes but only if it is safe. Trumps likely rival in the November election, former Vice President Joe Biden, has said online instruction is probably needed for a little while longer.

Even some of Trumps fellow Republicans have dismissed his heavy-handed push to reopen schools.

The federal government does not decide if NYS schools reopen  the state does. We will make that decision based on the science and the data. A decision will be announced in the first week of August.  Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) July 8, 2020

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine on Friday said local administrators would decide the best plan for schools in his state and that much of what happens depends on people adopting face masks and other measures now.

What we do in the fall  is going to depend to a great extent on what we do in the next 30 days, he told CNN.

Were not going to be bullied or threatened by the president, Marylands Larry Hogan, another Republican governor, told MSNBC this week.
A British entrepreneur who has been embroiled in a bitter court battle with his ex-wife claims he has been left 'penniless' and now lives with his 76-year-old mother after having his five properties taken away.

Richard Rothschild, 45, and Charmaine de Souza had a 21-year relationship after meeting as students, marrying in 2005 and having two children, now aged 13 and 10, before later separating.

He then met US Playboy model Sherra Michelle and moved her into his luxury Miami flat. Now the businessman, from west London, is fighting his ex-wife in court after complaining that a divorce judge handed her millions and left him nothing.

Mr Rothschild and Ms de Souza ran a thriving west London telecomms business, which he claims was started by capital injected by his mother during the 1990s.

The pair led a lavish lifestyle living in the UK, with Mr Rothschild driving a Lamborghini. He lived together with his then wife in the UK, where they ran their Park Royal business together in London, though the couple also enjoyed a multi-million dollar condo in an exclusive Miami Beach apartment block.

British entrepreneur Richard Rothschild (pictured with his now girlfriend, playboy model Sherra Michell), says he has been left living with his 76-year-old mother in London after a bitter divorce row with his ex-wife left him 'penniless'

Charmaine De Souza, 46, outside London's Court of Appeal. The judge awarded her the 1.85m Park Royal, west London-based mobile phone business they had run together, plus cash and properties worth almost another 1m

The pair split in 2016 and first clashed in court in 2018 after Mr Rothschild moved his new girlfriend, American Playboy model Sherra Michelle, into the Miami condo.

Mr Rothschild does not descend from the well known Rothschild family who made their fortune in banking, but was known as Richard Pierzchalo-Piasecki before changing his name on a Companies House record in June 2016.

He told MailOnline he initially decided to change his name in 2010 when his eldest daughter started school, and had concerns about his Polish surname.

'Some people are racist in the UK, and there's an issue of bullying,' he said. 'Going into business I used to use my middle name and answer the phone as Rich Scott.

'I read Dale Carnegie's book, How to win friends and influence people, and I didn't realise he had also changed his name.' Mr Rothschild claims he was not aware of the significance of the Rothschild name and empire, but instead simply 'googled famous names' and selected the new surname due to it 'being a common name in line with my heritage, my father was born in Lithuania and mother born in a former region of Poland, now Ukraine.'

In December last year, divorce judge Mr Justice Cohen divided their collective wealth, awarding Ms de Souza, 46, the 1.85m telecoms company BusinessMobiles.com plus cash and properties worth almost another 1m.

Richard Rothschild (left) moved Playboy model Sherra Michelle (right) into the apartment he once shared with his wife, which started off the original court proceedings

He says he has happily moved on after his marriage broke down, and now cannot wait to marry US model Sherra Michelle in the future

The couple met on a Miami beach, which Mr Rothschild says occurred after his split from his wife Ms de Souza

Mr Rothschild was given the Miami apartment, which the judge valued at $3million (2.38m), but which the husband says is worth far less, leaving him effectively with nothing after paying off family debts.

He is now challenging the 'unfair' divorce ruling at the Court of Appeal, where his lawyers this week said he had been left 'with in effect no capital at all, and no income.'

Mr Rothschild told MailOnline: 'I'm now back living in London with my 75-year-old mother after they took my five houses.

'They sold my Lamborghini, a 400,000 car for around 95,000. But I don't care, you can sell my things but you can't take my happiness. I love Sherra and I can't wait to marry her.'

He says he has not seen his young children properly since 2017 and has gone through multiple mediation sessions, each of which have failed.

The former couple had waged an earlier court war over the apartment in 2018 after Mr Rothschild moved in his then girlfriend, Miss Michelle, prompting a bid by Ms de Souza to get him jailed for contempt of court.

That clash blew up after Mr Rothschild said the Miami Beach property belonged to him alone, but he was told by a divorce judge in London at that time that he had to share it 50/50 with his ex.

He promised to give up 'vacant possession' of the luxury flat, to spend thousands of dollars repairing it and to put it on the rental market.

But instead he continued to stay there himself and also let his then girlfriend Miss Michelle stay, lawyers for his ex-wife said.

The former couple eventually settled their differences over that issue and a year later Mr Justice Cohen split their wealth, handing the business to Ms De Souza and the whole apartment to Mr Rothschild.

Ms de Souza had a 21-year relationship with Mr Rothschild after meeting as students, marrying in 2005. They now have two young children together, aged 13 and 10

Ms De Souza, pictured here in Miami, was awarded the London telecoms business by the judge, though Mr Rothschild disputes this and says it was originally started by his mother

But his barrister Patrick Chamberlayne QC told the Appeal Court that, after debts including about 300,000 in lawyers' fees for their divorce fight had been paid, the judge's order left the wife with capital worth 1,760,138, while Mr Rothschild got just 23,938.

And he went on to claim that the position in reality was even worse than that for the husband, arguing that the judge had overvalued the Miami Beach apartment by 615,000, leaving Mr Rothschild with nothing at all from the marriage, while his ex got millions.

Regarding the telecoms company, Mr Rothschild told MailOnline: 'It was my mother who started that company, putting over 600,000 of investment in. She has now only got that investment back which was put in 25-years ago, and would now be worth millions.

'She [Ms de Souza} came to us as basically a glorified secretary. We took her in. She was employee number nine and never started the company.'

Mr Rothchild's barrister said that the judge had deprived the husband of 'every penny, everything he has achieved in this 21-year marriage' and left him without any assets or the ability to meet his needs.

Mr Chamberlayne argued that the judge had not taken into account Mr Rothschild's financial needs when he split the couple's wealth, but only the needs of his ex-wife.

The 'huge disparity' in what the former couple ended up with must have been because the judge took into account Mr Rothschild's 'conduct' during the long-running litigation.

Mr Justice Cohen had criticised some of Mr Rothschild's conduct as 'lamentable,' saying he had been 'vindictive and irrational,' Mr Chamberlayne told the Appeal Court.

The luxury condo building in Miami containing the apartment owned by Richard Rothschild - the judge valued this at $3million (2.38m), but the husband says is worth far less, leaving him effectively with nothing after paying off family debts

'There is no doubt that the husband presented himself to the judge as an unattractive personality, insensitive, over-confident and overbearing,' the barrister added.

He continued: 'The overwhelming impression is that the judge sympathised with the wife's position due to the husband's behaviour, and it is no part of this appeal that he was not entitled to do so.

'However, that caused him to lose sight of considering both parties' needs, and to reach the ultimate draconian outcome - all the net assets and available income go to one party, permanently, and the other party gets nothing, permanently.'

He added: 'That form of huge disparity has to be explained in terms of conduct, and it is not sufficient for the judge to make in various parts of the judgment statements like 'the husband has brought this on himself'.'

'The judge's rationale for the outcome was that the wife needed the business to provide income to meet her and the children's needs. She also needed to be largely debt-free,' he said.

'The outcome was indeed that she would be largely debt-free, with a business worth 1.85m, and 18,000 per month net income (216,000 per annum). The income would also enable her to pay her rent

'The husband, however, would end up...with in effect no capital at all, and no income.'

Mr Rothschild presented himself to the judge as an unattractive personality, insensitive, over-confident and overbearing, said a barrister

Mr Rothschild told MailOnline that he once took out 32 billboards across to put his girlfriend's image across the capital city following a modelling campaign

He also claimed that an assessment by a local estate agent suggested the judge overvalued the apartment, which was the main asset the husband took out of the marriage, by 615,000.

'That would take his capital figure down from 23,938 to minus 591,000,' the QC said.

He added: 'Given that the husband was already on virtually zero capital (23,000) on the basis of a $3m sale, the judge should have given proper consideration to what the impact on him would be if the property sold for less.'

Mr Chamberlayne urged Lord Justice Patten, Lord Justice Moylan and Lord Justice Newey to overturn the divorce judge's order.

But for Ms de Souza, Charles Hale QC argued that the judge got it right.

He said that the disparity in the outcomes for Mr Rothschild and Ms De Souza could be explained by the judge having taken into account their children's needs.

The judge reserved their decision in the case at the end of a day-long hearing, to be given at a later date.
By Azernews





By Aisha Jabbarova

Azerbaijans Defence Minister Zakir Hasanov has extended his condolences to his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar over the deadly explosion in Turkeys northwestern Sakarya province.

I am deeply saddened by the news about the death and wounding of military servicemen of fraternal Turkey's Armed Forces during the disposal of pyrotechnics  I wish speedy recovery for the wounded soldiers. Your grief is our grief, too, Hasanov said in a statement published in the ministrys official website on July 10.

Three Turkish soldiers lost their lives and six others were wounded during the explosion in a truck carrying explosives retrieved from the fireworks factory on July 9. The explosion took place as the explosives were being unloaded.


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SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Global miner BHP Group Ltd <BHP.AX> said on Wednesday its Escondida copper mine in Chile, the world's largest, had offered some workers the option for early retirement amid the coronavirus pandemic, a plan blasted by the companys union as a scheme to oust the old and sick.

Escondida said in a statement to Reuters the offer would provide an "improved" package of retirement benefits to workers who met its "requirements." The company declined to detail those stipulations.

But its powerful workers union said they were intended to entice the elderly and those with health conditions to retire early at a time when many still need to work. Government mandates have already required the most vulnerable workers be sidelined to protect their health.

"(BHP) is trying to try relieve itself of the burden of holding the jobs of the sick and elderly, who beyond ... retirement, will now be left unemployed," the union said in a statement.

The union said it would closely monitor the plans to ensure they were not used as a pretext to eliminate workers during the pandemic. There are 2,372 unionized workers at the mine.

The dispute between BHPs Escondida and its unionized workers comes as the coronavirus outbreak has exploded across much of Chiles mine-rich northern desert. The South American nation has recorded more than 300,000 cases of the virus and upward of 6,500 deaths.

Mining Minister Baldo Prokurica has pleaded with mining companies to refrain from layoffs and protect the health of workers while maintaining output.

Escondida did not specify the number of workers it hopes will take the retirement option.

(Reporting by Fabian Cambero; Writing by Dave Sherwood; Editing by Peter Cooney)
Protesters clash with police officers near the district attorney's office Thursday, July 9, 2020, in Salt Lake City. Two police officers in Utah were cleared earlier Thursday in the death of Bernardo Palacios-Carbajal, an armed man shot at more than 30 times as he ran from police, a decision that prompted his grieving family to heighten their calls for systematic changes to law enforcement. (Photo | AP)

Boston: At the behest of the U.S. government, German authorities have seized a computer server that hosted a huge cache of files from scores of U.S. federal, state and local law enforcement agencies obtained in a Houston data breach last month.

The server was being used by a WikiLeaks-like data transparency collective called Distributed Denial of Secrets to share documents _ many tagged For Official Use Only _ that shed light on U.S. police practices.

The data, dating back to 1996, include emails, audio and video files and police and FBI intelligence reports. DDoSecrets founder Emma Best said the data, dubbed BlueLeaks, comes from more than 200 agencies. It has been stripped of references to sexual assault cases and references to children, but names, phone numbers and emails of police officers were not redacted, said Best, who uses they/their pronouns.

Best said that DDoSecrets obtained the data from an outside individual who sympathized with nationwide protests against police killings of unarmed Black people. Some of the files offer insights into the police response to those protests, they said.

While hacking into computers and stealing data is a federal crime, U.S. courts have consistently ruled that journalists may publish stolen documents as long as they are not involved in their theft. DDoSecrets says it is a journalistic organization that shares documents in the public interest.

The documents came to light via a breach of Houston web-design company Netsential, which hosts portals for law enforcement agencies and fusion centers, state-run operations created after the 9/11 attacks to share threat intelligence with local and state police and private-sector partners.

The prosecutors office in Zwickau, a German city near the Czech border, said in an emailed statement Wednesday that the server was confiscated July 3 in the town of Falkenstein following a request from U.S. authorities.

The FBI declined to comment. A U.S. Embassy spokesperson in Berlin did not respond to phone calls and emails seeking comment.

The Zwickau prosecutors statement said it would be up to German judicial authorities to decide whether to hand the server over to U.S. authorities. It said it would not disclose the reason for the U.S. request. Neither would a representative of Hetzner Online, the company that hosted the server.

Best said they assume the seizure was related to the posting of the BlueLeaks documents. They said the files show a lot of things that are entirely legal and normal and horrifying, including police surveillance and police intelligence of dubious origin. Best said none were classified.

The document dump helps expose the United States overdeveloped police intelligence apparatus, said Brendan McQuade, a criminology professor at the University of Southern Maine who has viewed the documents. The files do not include high-level intelligence but provide a window into the relationship between law enforcement at all levels, he said _ one that he believes the FBI doesnt want the public to see lest it add more fuel to the protests against police brutality and racism in policing.

Best said the files remain publicly accessible through more complicated means such as BitTorrent and the Tor network, both of which complicate censorship efforts. Best said the organization is now rebuilding its infrastructure for public access. All they cost us is time, they said.

Shortly after DDoSecrets posted the data, Twitter permanently suspended the organizations account for publishing links and images from the collection, citing a ban on the posting of hacked material.

One U.S. law enforcement agency affected by the breach is the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy. Its director, Judy Bradshaw, told The Associated Press the breach revealed names of students in academy courses and their drivers licenses, but no financial information.

She said Netsential had scores of clients in law enforcement, where it was a strong niche provider. Netsential itself confirmed the breach in an undated statement on its bare-bones website and said it was assisting the investigation but would provide no further information due to the sensitivity of client information.

Executives of the National Fusion Centers Association did not respond to emails and phone calls seeking comment on whether any sensitive investigations may have been compromised by the breach. But Maine State Police said in a statement on June 26 that the FBI was investigating and that affected bulletins may contain identifying information, such as full name and date of birth of people under investigation by other law enforcement agencies. It said they may also involve individuals wanted for criminal activity.

DDoSecrets was created in late 2018 by Best, a journalist specializing in freedom-of-information petitions. It has worked on various investigations with established media organizations including the German newsmagazine Der Spiegel and the U.S. news organization McClatchy.

Previous DDoSecrets releases include data on offshore Bahamas accounts used as tax havens, files hacked from Chilean police and data from a British provider of offshore financial services that has drawn comparisons, on a smaller scale, to the 2016 Panama Papers leak.

Boston: At the behest of the U.S. government, German authorities have seized a computer server that hosted a huge cache of files from scores of U.S. federal, state and local law enforcement agencies obtained in a Houston data breach last month.

The server was being used by a WikiLeaks-like data transparency collective called Distributed Denial of Secrets to share documents _ many tagged For Official Use Only _ that shed light on U.S. police practices.

The data, dating back to 1996, include emails, audio and video files and police and FBI intelligence reports. DDoSecrets founder Emma Best said the data, dubbed BlueLeaks, comes from more than 200 agencies. It has been stripped of references to sexual assault cases and references to children, but names, phone numbers and emails of police officers were not redacted, said Best, who uses they/their pronouns.

Best said that DDoSecrets obtained the data from an outside individual who sympathized with nationwide protests against police killings of unarmed Black people. Some of the files offer insights into the police response to those protests, they said.

While hacking into computers and stealing data is a federal crime, U.S. courts have consistently ruled that journalists may publish stolen documents as long as they are not involved in their theft. DDoSecrets says it is a journalistic organization that shares documents in the public interest.

The documents came to light via a breach of Houston web-design company Netsential, which hosts portals for law enforcement agencies and fusion centers, state-run operations created after the 9/11 attacks to share threat intelligence with local and state police and private-sector partners.

The prosecutors office in Zwickau, a German city near the Czech border, said in an emailed statement Wednesday that the server was confiscated July 3 in the town of Falkenstein following a request from U.S. authorities.

The FBI declined to comment. A U.S. Embassy spokesperson in Berlin did not respond to phone calls and emails seeking comment.

The Zwickau prosecutors statement said it would be up to German judicial authorities to decide whether to hand the server over to U.S. authorities. It said it would not disclose the reason for the U.S. request. Neither would a representative of Hetzner Online, the company that hosted the server.

Best said they assume the seizure was related to the posting of the BlueLeaks documents. They said the files show a lot of things that are entirely legal and normal and horrifying, including police surveillance and police intelligence of dubious origin. Best said none were classified.

The document dump helps expose the United States overdeveloped police intelligence apparatus, said Brendan McQuade, a criminology professor at the University of Southern Maine who has viewed the documents. The files do not include high-level intelligence but provide a window into the relationship between law enforcement at all levels, he said _ one that he believes the FBI doesnt want the public to see lest it add more fuel to the protests against police brutality and racism in policing.

Best said the files remain publicly accessible through more complicated means such as BitTorrent and the Tor network, both of which complicate censorship efforts. Best said the organization is now rebuilding its infrastructure for public access. All they cost us is time, they said.

Shortly after DDoSecrets posted the data, Twitter permanently suspended the organizations account for publishing links and images from the collection, citing a ban on the posting of hacked material.

One U.S. law enforcement agency affected by the breach is the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy. Its director, Judy Bradshaw, told The Associated Press the breach revealed names of students in academy courses and their drivers licenses, but no financial information.

She said Netsential had scores of clients in law enforcement, where it was a strong niche provider. Netsential itself confirmed the breach in an undated statement on its bare-bones website and said it was assisting the investigation but would provide no further information due to the sensitivity of client information.

Executives of the National Fusion Centers Association did not respond to emails and phone calls seeking comment on whether any sensitive investigations may have been compromised by the breach. But Maine State Police said in a statement on June 26 that the FBI was investigating and that affected bulletins may contain identifying information, such as full name and date of birth of people under investigation by other law enforcement agencies. It said they may also involve individuals wanted for criminal activity.

DDoSecrets was created in late 2018 by Best, a journalist specializing in freedom-of-information petitions. It has worked on various investigations with established media organizations including the German newsmagazine Der Spiegel and the U.S. news organization McClatchy.

Previous DDoSecrets releases include data on offshore Bahamas accounts used as tax havens, files hacked from Chilean police and data from a British provider of offshore financial services that has drawn comparisons, on a smaller scale, to the 2016 Panama Papers leak.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
W hile coronavirus rages in the west and south of America, Elmhurst Hospital in Queens  only recently at the epicentre of the pandemic in New York and nationally  is in a tentative state of recovery.

At its height, lines of people queued outside, a refrigerated lorry was used as a makeshift morgue and ambulances brought in a stream of critically-ill patients.

Dr Stuart Kessler, director of emergency medicine, said: I dont think your worst nightmares would have included the intensity and degree of illness that we saw. I feel bad for the doctors in the rest of the US that are facing it, and dealing with this, but it was unimaginable.

Now most patients are coming to emergency for non-coronavirus issues like strokes, trauma and heart attacks. On the worst day of the crisis in April, there were 6,377 cases in the city alone.

The following day, the fatality rate hit its peak at more than 800 probable and confirmed deaths. On Wednesday there were 275 confirmed new cases in the city and eight deaths across the state.

Dr Kessler says the threat of a second wave looms. Were preparing for the possibility that next week, next month or fall, or winter, when the flu hits and Covid could come back to New York.

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The city is gradually opening up. Once deserted streets are now dotted with cordoned-off areas where masked waiters serve customers at spaced out tables. Paul Downey, 43, director of operations of The Wild Son in East Village, said people are excited to come out.

He approves of the new outdoor dining allowances, saying it makes New York look like Paris. When I was walking down the street the other night it felt a bit like Paris. I dont see why it shouldnt be allowed to continue.
Charlotte Tilbury has expanded her popular Pillow Talk range to include two new Lip & Cheek Glow. (Getty Images)

Yahoo Lifestyle is committed to finding you the best products at the best prices. We may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change.

Beauty brand, Charlotte Tilbury, is a celebrities favourite, A-list fans of the make-up brand including Salma Hayek, Regina King, Emma Roberts and Renee Zellweger.

The Pillow Talk range is the British labels most popular collection, with three Pillow Talk products selling every minute.

And the popular collection has just expanded to include two more highly coveted products.

Tilbury has launched the new Pillow Talk Lip and Cheek Glow to the capsule.

Speaking about her latest venture, the beauty mogul said: Darlings, so many of you have been dreaming of a creamy, buildable, sheer, lip-blush to make you glow forever, and my new PillowTalk Lip & Cheek Glow is the answer.

Theyre my secret to a universally flattering, fresh-from-a-meadow-glow for everyone, aged 18-108! I wanted to create a texture that was easy-to-blend, chiffon-sheer and worked just as well on the lips as on the cheeks for a glowing Pillow Talk lip-blush that looks fresh, healthy and radiant.

Buy it: Pillow Talk Lip and Cheek Glow | 30 from Charlotte Tilbury

The latest drop comes in two shades; Colour of Dreams, which is a warm rose pink and coral shade, and Colour of Passion that is a deep berry hue.

The formula is a blend of nourishing oils, emollients, nourishing raspberry leaf stem cell extract, vitamin E and beeswax.

The ingredients combine to create a weightless blush and lip tint, which provides a semi-sheer colour that is easy to blend on the face.

The new release, which comes in a gold packaging with a compact mirror fitted, is ideal to keep in your make-up bag - especially when on the go.

While the product title states it can be used on the lips as a balm, and cheeks as a blusher, some may want to experiment even more and apply it to the eyelids for a subtle alternative to eyeshadow.

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It is simple to use, as all you need to do is dab the product on your finger tip and blend on the target area.

The best part is the Pillow Talk Lip and Cheek Glow is super affordable, as the 2-in-1 retails for 30 on the Charlotte Tilbury website.
How to safely open the nation's schools this fall has become the latest spat in attempting to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have decried the guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as too complicated and expensive and ordered a new set. Meanwhile, tests for the virus remain difficult to get, particularly in states experiencing spikes, and getting results to patients is taking increasingly longer, making contact tracing effectively impossible.

Also this week, the Supreme Court handed the Trump administration a victory, upholding a set of regulations aimed at making it easier for employers to decline to offer birth control as part of their health insurance  even though it is generally required under the Affordable Care Act.

And Oklahoma voters narrowly approved a ballot measure to expand the Medicaid program, becoming the latest Republican-dominated state where voters opted for something that had been rejected by their elected officials.

This week's panelists are Julie Rovner of KHN, Joanne Kenen of Politico, Mary Ellen McIntire of CQ Roll Call and Kimberly Leonard of Business Insider.

Among the takeaways from this week's podcast:

Although the Supreme Court upheld  at least for now  the changes made to ACA contraception coverage, Congress could rescind the policy, which might happen if Democrats gain control of the Senate next year. The rule could also be struck down by a lower court on grounds that were not reached in the current lawsuit.

Much attention has been paid to the Trump administration's rule on contraception coverage. But at the same time, the administration has been chipping away at other programs that provide birth control to many low-income women.

With Trump doubling down on his support of Republican state officials' legal challenge to the ACA, the federal health law could play a role again in the fall election. But it will likely also be linked to other health issues, including the government's response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Medicaid vote in Oklahoma comes as the pandemic has created economic havoc, and it's not clear where the state will get its share of the costs for the federal-state program that provides health coverage to low-income residents.

Even after four months of battling COVID-19 in the U.S., people are still waiting in long lines to get a test, and results are slow because of the huge demand. Some consumer advocates hope a new stimulus package will provide more funding, but what's really needed to help the economy and the schools is a rapid, inexpensive test that can be self-administered.

Also this week, Rovner interviews KHN's Sarah Varney, who reported the latest KHN-NPR "Bill of the Month" installment, about an essential health worker with suspected COVID-19 who was sent to the emergency room, where she did not get a COVID test  but did get a large bill. If you have an outrageous medical bill you would like to share with us, you can do that here.

Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too:

Julie Rovner: The New York Times' "Sweden Has Become the World's Cautionary Tale," by Peter S. Goodman.

Kimberly Leonard: The Atlantic's "The Pandemic Experts Are Not Okay," by Ed Yong.

Joanne Kenen: The New Yorker's "The Emotional Evolution of Coronavirus Doctors and Patients," by Dhruv Khullar.

Mary Ellen McIntire: Science News' "How Making a COVID-19 Vaccine Confronts Thorny Ethical Issues," by Bethany Brookshire.

To hear all our podcasts, click here.

And subscribe to What the Health? on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify, or Pocket Casts.
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 9, 2020) - Steppe Gold Ltd. (TSX: STGO) ("Steppe Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement of approximately C$15.0 million (the "Private Placement"), through the sale of 6,976,944 subscription receipts (the "Subscription Receipts") at a price of $2.15 per Subscription Receipt, subject to the approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange and, if required, shareholder approval.

Each Subscription Receipt will convert into units (the "Units"), consisting of one common share and one common share purchase warrant, exercisable into one common share at an exercise price of $3.00 per common share for a period of 24 months from the closing date.

Mr. Eric Sprott, through 2176423 Ontario Ltd., a corporation beneficially controlled by him, is subscribing for the entirety of the Private Placement.

Matthew Wood, Executive Chairman of Steppe Gold stated "On behalf of the Board and the Management of Steppe Gold, I am delighted to welcome Mr. Sprott's initial investment. His support serves as a strong endorsement for Steppe Gold's exciting gold assets."

The net proceeds of the Private Placement will be used by the Company to advance their exploration and development projects as well as for working capital and general corporate purposes.

Proceeds from the Private Placement will be placed in escrow on the closing date, to be released to Steppe Gold on the receipt of all necessary shareholder and regulatory approvals (the "Approvals"). On conversion, each subscription receipt will automatically convert into a Unit, for no additional consideration. In the event that the Approvals are not obtained by October 31, 2020, each Subscription Receipt will be cancelled, and the subscription funds will be returned. Mr. Sprott currently does not own any common shares of Steppe Gold.

All securities to be issued pursuant to the Private Placement will be subject to a four month hold period from the closing date under applicable securities laws in Canada.

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This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase any securities in the United States. The securities being offered in the Private Placement have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act, or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

Steppe Gold Limited

Steppe Gold is Mongolia's premier precious metals company.

For Further information, please contact:

Matthew Wood, Executive Chairman

Bataa Tumur-Ochir, CEO and President

Shangri-La office, Suite 1201, Olympic Street

19A, Sukhbaatar District 1,

Ulaanbaatar 14241, Mongolia

Tel: +976 7732 1914

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:

The above contains forward-looking statements that are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in our forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause such differences include: changes in world commodity markets, equity markets, costs and supply of materials relevant to the mining industry, change in government and changes to regulations affecting the mining industry. Forward-looking statements in this release include, among other things, statements regarding the trading of the Common Shares and business, economic, and political conditions in Mongolia. Although we believe the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, results may vary, and we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. We disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. ANY FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RESTRICTION MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF U.S. SECURITIES LAWS

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/59442
Abuja, Nigeria (PANA)  The Nigerian Armed Forces said on Friday that airstrikes by the Nigerian Air Force fighter jets killed eight bandit leaders and no fewer than a dozen of their fighters in the Zamfara State section of Kagara Forest
BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday refuted United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's remarks in which he claimed China had not told the world the truth about COVID-19, saying the remarks had once again exposed Pompeo's nature of lying and cheating.

"Speaking of credibility, the United States, under the banner of 'America first', had repeatedly deserted its own international commitments and obligations, frequently withdrawn from treaties and quit international organizations, and had become the biggest troublemaker in recent years," said Zhao Lijian, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at a news briefing.

"Speaking of facts, I want to ask if the U.S. government could tell the truth and explain to the U.S. people and the international community issues including the Fort Detrick bio-lab, and the EVALI and its biological laboratories worldwide," he said.

"Speaking of accountability, the confirmed number of COVID-19 cases in the United States has surpassed 3 million, with over 130,000 deaths, and the U.S. government bears unshirkable responsibility for this," said the spokesperson.

"Under all these circumstances, I can not figure out why people like Pompeo are still shamelessly yakking about credibility, facts, and accountability," Zhao said, adding that China urged the U.S. to listen to the voices of strong opposition to its frequent withdrawal from treaties and organizations.

"After the outbreak of COVID-19, China informed the World Health Organization promptly. The timeline announced by the two sides clearly lists the relevant facts, and can be verified by each other," Zhao said, stressing that fabricating facts and shifting blame can not hide mistakes the U.S. government has made in handling the pandemic.

"It will only let the world realize the hypocrisy, arrogance, and ignorance of some people in the United States," he said.
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed before the Supreme Court on Friday seeking CBI probe into the killing of five of Vikas Dubeys aides by the Uttar Pradesh Police. All the five men were gunned down in encounter.

The plea, which was filed before Dubey was killed today in an alleged encounter, also raised concerns that the gangster from Uttar Pradesh too might suffer the same fate.

The petitioner Ghanyshyam Upadhyay, therefore, prayed that Dubey should be given adequate security so that he is dealt with as per the law.

Killing of accused by police in the name of encounter is against the rule of law and serious violation of human right and this is nothing short of Talibanisation of the country, the petition stated.

Dubey was killed in an encounter near Kanpur on Friday morning. The gangster was being brought by the Uttar Pradesh Police from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh where he was arrested on Thursday.

Also Read: The Sequence of Events in Past Week

The police said that the convoy in which Dubey was travelling met with an accident. They said that Dubey tried to flee after a vehicle of the convoy overturned and was gunned down in a field.

Dubey was being chased since the killing of eight policemen by his men in Bikru village near Kanpur.

The police, during their investigation and chase, identified key aides of Dubey who were killed in separate encounters in different cities of Uttar Pradesh.

While on July 3 - the day eight policemen were killed - two of his associates, Prem Prakash Pandey and Atul Dubey, were killed by police in an encounter in Kanpur, on July 8 the police killed another aide, Amar Dubey, who carried a reward of Rs 50,000, in Maudaha village in Hamirpur district.

On July 9, two more aides of gangster Vikas Dubey, wanted in connection with the Kanpur ambush, were killed in separate encounters in Kanpur and Etawah districts.

Prabhat Mishra was killed in Kanpur when he tried to flee from police custody, and another aide of Vikas Dubey, Praveen alias Bauwa Dubey, was shot dead in an encounter in Etawah. Mishra was arrested from Faridabad on Wednesday.
The Kaduna State Government has converted the sickbay of the College of Nursing and Midwifery, Kafanchan, into a 30-bed capacity temporary COVID-19 isolation centre in Jemaa Local Government.

The 30-bed capacity temporary COVID-19 isolation facility in Kafanchan would service the entire southern Kaduna region until the permanent site proposed at the General Hospital, Kafanchan is built.

The isolation centre is equipped with hospital beds, ambulances with oxygen facilities, Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), and would be manned by four Doctors, Pharmacists, Health environmental Scientists, Nurses among other critical personnel.

Conducting the Jemaa Local Government Chairman, Peter Averik, round the facility on Friday, the Medical Director, General Hospital kafanchan, Samuel Kure, said the isolation centre already has on admission two coronavirus patients from Zango Kataf Local Government Area.

Mr Kure explained that the isolation facility would only diagnose and manage COVID-19 patients while the test would still be conducted at the testing centre in Kaduna.

In his remarks, Mr Averik thanked the governor, Nasir El-Rufai, and the State Task Force on COVID-19 led by the deputy governor, Hadiza Balarabe, for the initiative, adding that the isolation centre would be instrumental in the fight against the coronavirus infection in Southern Kaduna and the state in general.

He advised the people to continue to strictly adhere to the COVID-19 safety protocols.

(NAN)


COPENHAGEN (dpa-AFX) - Danish brewer Carlsberg (CABGY.PK) reported Friday that its second-quarter Group revenue declined 14.6 percent and total volumes declined 7.8 percent, both on organic terms. Meanwhile, the company reported improved performance in Western European region towards the end of the quarter. Further, Chinese business rebounded strongly in the quarter and profits improved significantly.



Carlsberg shares were gaining around 5 percent in the early morning trading in Denmark.



In the Western European region, the company reported a very difficult start to the quarter. Improved performance towards the end of the quarter reflected gradual reopening of the on-trade channel and subsequent restocking in many markets, as well as good weather in June.



In Asia, Chinese business was benefited by cost reductions and the fact that many marketing activities were postponed to the second half. Meanwhile, sales in the other markets in Asia were significantly impacted by the lockdowns, especially in India and Nepal.



In Eastern Europe, businesses have so far been less impacted by the pandemic due to limited on-trade exposure.



For the first half, Group revenue declined 11.6 percent organically and total volumes declined 7.7 percent.



The company expects to report an organic decline in operating profit of 8.9 percent.



In Denmark, Carlsberg shares were trading at 912.20 Danish kroner, up 4.73 percent.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
Stone Mountain Confederate Memorial, often called the granddaddy of all Confederate monuments, is once again at the center of an ongoing debate over a symbol that some see as a shrine of southern American heritage, and others see as a depiction of white supremacy etched into stone.

The fight over the monument, which is located in Dekalb County, Georgia, is unfolding as the U.S. grapples with civil unrest following the recent Black Lives Matter protests. Cities are being forced to reckon with a dark history, facing growing pressure to confront the racist past of confederate leaders honored in monuments across the country.

Though many statues and monuments have been quickly uprooted, both willingly by government officials or forcefully by protestors, monuments like Georgias Stone Mountain, the largest confederate memorial in the country which was christened with a cross burning when the Ku Klux Klan initiated 700 new members in 1948, are almost indelible.

The carvings of three Confederate leaders Gen. Robert E. Lee, General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson and President of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis sits 400 feet above the ground, which is larger than a football field. The memorial overlooks an outdoor recreational park and casts a shadow over Stone Mountain, Georgia, a predominantly black city.

Calls for racial equality have swelled in Georgia following the death of Ahmaud Arbery and Rayshard Brooks. As part of the growing movement, state officials are once again facing pressure to remove the controversial carvings engraved into the historic monument.

(MORE: Here's where Confederate statues and memorials have been removed in the US )

Viral video of a peaceful demonstration caused a stir on social media on July 4, when the Not F****** Around Coalition (NFAC), a self-proclaimed black militia group, led nearly 200 armed marchers in a protest that called for the removal of the memorial.

In Stone Mountain, Georgia earlier today pic.twitter.com/F2Autd4YtI  Naomi (@naomiruta) July 4, 2020

The Official Grand Master Jay, the NFAC founder, told ABC News he believes the Stone Mountain carving is a reminder of white supremacy, a history that cannot be cast simply as southern Confederate heritage.

Story continues

The United States has allowed it to exist but it's become a pain point. It's gotten to the point where it's more so fuel to the fire than it does to remind folks of their heritage. And of course, there are both sides to that, but I do believe that this particular monument is the pink elephant in the room, he said.

Other organizations such as Black Lives Matter and the NAACP have also called for the removal of the monument.

Gerald Griggs, an African American civil rights attorney and vice president of the Atlanta NAACP, says the local chapter has marched on Stone Mountain over the last five years.

The organization spoke with the Stone Mountain Association on numerous occasions and has attempted to reach out to Gov. Brian Kemp about the possible removal of the Confederate monument, Griggs said.

They don't believe that Georgia has the appetite to remove those symbols, he said, explaining that state resistance comes as local county officials have recently voted to remove confederate flags and symbols in their cities.

Several other counties are in the process of removing, so I think that there's a groundswell of support throughout the state to revisit this conversation, Griggs added.

PHOTO: A woman speaks in front of the Confederate Monument carved into granite at Stone Mountain Park in Stone Mountain, Georgia, June 16, 2020. (Dustin Chambers/Reuters, FILE)

The Granddaddy of Confederate Monuments"

The massive carving surrounded by a recreational theme park is just 19 miles outside of Atlanta, a major urban city where over 50% of the population is Black according to the U.S. Census.

In 1914, Helen Plane, a charter member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, fought for a Confederate memorial carving honoring Southern Civil Leaders after their defeat in the Civil War. Gen. Robert E. Lee, Gen. Thomas Stonewall Jackson and President of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis faces were carved detail-by-detail on horseback with hats over their hearts, according to author and historian David Freeman, who detailed the timeline of Stone Mountain in his book "Carved in Stone: The History of Stone Mountain." The sculpture is so grandiose it's often compared to Mt. Rushmore National Park in South Dakota.

They intended it to be the granddaddy of all Confederate memorials, Freeman said.

Freeman, who considers the carving environmental vandalism, says the monument perpetuates Confederate culture.

People wanted to exploit it, even the KKK wanted to attach their name and their organization to it," Freeman told ABC News.

Decades later, the monument completed in 1972 is now Georgia's most visited attraction drawing nearly 4 million guests each year, according to the Smithsonian.

Griggs, a fifth-generation Georgian, says America needs to reevaluate its history.

We have to talk about [the monuments] in their historical context. And to have the largest shrine to the Confederacy in the world in DeKalb County, which is a fairly diverse County, just one county over from the birthplace of Dr. King and the birthplace of civil rights, speaks volumes to hypocrisy.

While thousands have called for the monuments removal, experts from the Atlanta Geological Society say, it would cost millions to obliterate the carving with explosives due to its size and location.

There are also legal complications since Stone Mountain Monument has been under Georgia preservation since 2001. Georgia law states that the memorial to the heroes of the Confederate States of America graven upon the face of Stone Mountain shall never be altered, removed, concealed, or obscured in any fashion.

Freeman considers the monument a remarkable achievement and it's unlikely it will be removed but suggests altering the nature of the park itself to contextualize the monument as a compromise.

People of all races want to come to the park and enjoy it... and they can add a monument honoring the civil rights struggle to counterbalance the narrative, he added.

However, Griggs says Georgians should not compromise their principles.

When you talk about the enslavement of my forefathers, my ancestors, I'm not compromising, Griggs said.

Georgia activists seek to remove 'Stone Mountain', the 'granddaddy of Confederate monuments' originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Toyota has sacked two high ranking employees after a video was leaked of George Floyd's death apparently being mocked at their Indiana plant. Patrick Talley, a supervisor, was seen to kneel on a binder while reportedly saying: "That will keep them down," according to witnesses. An onlooker, who shot the video on June 6, and requested anonymity, said: "It was a disgusting gesture Talley made to imply that kneeling on a black man's neck until he dies is a great way to 'keep them down' and continue to repress them.
The Deep Blue Sea (NT at Home,via YouTube)

Verdict: Helen McCrory shows her stuff

Rating:

Othello (BBC4 on Sunday at 9.30pm,and on iPlayer)

Verdict: The Moor of Venice almost redeemed

Rating:

Fans of Peaky Blinders have a golden opportunity to see what Helen McCrory is really made of. I don't much care for the Brummie gangster TV series, but I am an ardent admirer of McCrory's acting.

In this production of Terence Rattigan's post-war drama about a married woman determined to kill herself in the wake of a failed affair, she plays, well, an absolute blinder.

I'm not sure the story is the scorching psychological thriller Carrie Cracknell's 2016 production thinks it is.

Fans of Peaky Blinders have a golden opportunity to see what Helen McCrory is really made of. In this production of Terence Rattigan's post-war drama about a married woman (above, with Tom Burke) determined to kill herself in the wake of a failed affair, she plays, well, an absolute blinder

Rattigan's drama is painfully personal, for sure  it's said to have been inspired by the suicide of his own lover.

But it's also more English than cucumber sandwiches. The mores and manners of the 1950s make it feel alternately quaint and melodramatic.

Even so, it's a potently emotional journey for McCrory's heroine, Hester. On the one hand, she has Peter Sullivan as her husband  a tall, handsome and surprisingly youthful High Court judge.

On the other she has Tom Burke as the louche, feckless ex-RAF lover who forgets her birthday, dismisses her suicide bid and finds it all too easy to walk out on her.

I'm not sure the story is the scorching psychological thriller Carrie Cracknell's 2016 production thinks it is. Rattigan's drama is painfully personal, for sure  it's said to have been inspired by the suicide of his own lover

Not much of a contest, you'd have thought, and not even the charismatic Burke makes you warm to this comprehensive heel.

But McCrory puts them both in the shade with a beautifully fragile performance that's also steely and tenacious. She's lived-in yet youthful, gloomy yet upbeat, and desperate yet resilient.

When the door inevitably slams behind Burke on his final exit, it's as if she's been hit by a truck.

Her acting is enhanced on screen by the close-ups of her constantly flickering eyes, which are shifty, planning and paranoid.

Some of that would have surely been lost within Tom Scutt's murky, shadowy boarding house set, on the vast Lyttelton stage. Now, though, you can get the full emotional effect.

I'm increasingly convinced that if Othello were written today, the Bard would be run out of town.

Not only does it come perilously close to enacting the institutional racism experienced by a black army officer in Elizabethan Venice, our hero is also the perpetrator of the most vile domestic abuse, for which he offers nauseating excuses about 'honour'.

Yet Iqbal Khan's handsome, visceral and thoughtful production from 2015, starring Holby City's Hugh Quarshie in the title role, almost saves Shakespeare's skin.

Khan's great ruse was to cast Lucian Msamati as Othello's right-hand man and nemesis, Iago.

Iqbal Khan's handsome, visceral and thoughtful production of Othello from 2015, starring Holby City's Hugh Quarshie (left) in the title role, almost saves Shakespeare's skin. Khan's great ruse was to cast Lucian Msamati (also pictured) as Othello's right-hand man and nemesis, Iago

Quarshie brings great dignity to Othello at the start. He styles him as an urbane Barack Obama figure, ruefully ignoring the antediluvian attitudes towards him. Joanna Vanderham (left), as his young bride Desdemona, is an Amazonian blonde who is confident, flirtatious and no wallflower

Normally played by a white actor, his Iago cunningly uses the racism in Venice to destroy Othello. It's a sinister study in motiveless malignancy, mixing playfulness, bitterness, cynicism, guilt, self-doubt and even fear.

Quarshie, too, brings great dignity to Othello at the start. He styles him as an urbane Barack Obama figure, ruefully ignoring the antediluvian attitudes towards him.

He is at ease with the verse and makes it thoroughly accessible, but he's also impressively volcanic when portraying the fits of rage that eventually undo him And, crucially, Khan's production doesn't seek to sentimentalise Othello's domestic violence.

Joanna Vanderham, as his young bride Desdemona, is an Amazonian blonde who is confident, flirtatious and no wallflower.

I still find the ending hard to stomach, but this is a show of tremendous vitality. With Ciaran Bagnall's sets of watery Venetian crypts and the bombed-out ruins of Cyprus, as well as gorgeous Moorish music, this is as good as Othello can get today.
Libya has been witnessing recently a very rapid pace of political and military transformation. And no doubt Libya is an integral element of Egypts national security strategy, either due to border security, countering radicalisation and terrorism or fighting the phenomenon of illegal immigration through the coasts of the Mediterranean, all core Egyptian strategic interests. However, the latest developments in Libya show there is a dual path currently. One has to do with new international and regional alliances that Egypt is trying to mobilise to stop Turkish intervention in Libya, and another has to do with military developments with regards to reaching a state of ceasefire and ensuring that the dividing line between the east and the west at the city of Sirte is not crossed by any military force.

The international community has been moving during the past week on the Libya file. France, Italy and Germany declared their refusal of any foreign intervention in Libya and made clear the necessity to go back to a political process under the supervision of the United Nations. Moreover, tensions between France and Turkey have been escalating recently due to the Turkish role in Libya, spilling out on the NATO platform. Moscow hosted Aguila Saleh, head of the Libyan parliament, in an official visit to meet with the ministers of defence and foreign affairs, and the US communicated with Fayez Al-Sarraj, the prime minister of the Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli. Al-Sarraj also met with the Turkish minister of defence in Tripoli last week.

The overall scene heralds a sort of a resurrection of the role of the international community in the Libyan matter. The coronavirus had put the role of the international community and its institutions in limbo on several files, specifically in the Arab world, like Syria, Libya and Yemen. But Egypts long-term interests in Libya makes it obliged to act. Egypts main allies at the moment are the European countries that refuse the Turkish military presence in Libya and in the South of the Mediterranean, including France, Germany, Italy, Greece and Cyprus. At the same time, alliances with the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia still exist and are active. However, the role of both Russia and the US is still not clear, and their interference within the Libyan interior remains to be seen.

Militarily, the situation is becoming more complex. As mentioned earlier, Egypt has set a faultlines at Sirte and Al-Jafra. However, Turkey does not always respect the norms of the international community in its foreign policy. This means that Egypt might face a dilemma in seeing a necessity for military intervention while its political position refuses foreign intervention in Libya and respecting the arms embargo decision taken by the UN Security Council. This contradiction requires lots of coordination between the different divisions within the Egyptian state, specifically the armed forces, the presidency and intelligence institutions.

It is highly unlikely that Egypt will officially and directly intervene militarily in Libya; this option is in last place on its list of priorities. The new challenge that Egypt is facing today on Libya is trying to pressure the international community to stop Turkish military intervention while trying to minimise political and geographical divisions within the Libyan interior. This is political work that the armed forces will not be bureaucratically involved in, according to the Egyptian state structure. However, there will be a high level of coordination between political and military institutions in Egypt during the coming phase concerning developments in the situation in Libya.

The Libyan interior remains at this moment very far from a moment of reconciliation and a new beginning for an effective political process. Both sides remain in a state of denying the legitimacy of each other, and these positions are stated clearly through the media. The east believes that the GNA is based on the Skhirat Agreement, and those who signed this agreement were not authorised by the Libyan people through fair and transparent elections, according to Saleh. The West, on the other hand, sees General Khalifa Haftar as a war criminal who should not be present in any negotiations. Between these contradicting positions, a political solution in Libya seems far-fetched at the moment.

Egypt is facing a new reality in Libya that it has to adapt to for the sake of its national interests. Either on the political or military levels, Egypts positions must be flexible in the coming months, in service of the Egyptian vision for the Libyan conflict.

*The writer is a senior researcher and director of the Programme for Mediterranean and North African Studies at the Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 9 July, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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By Os Hillman Jul. 10, 2020 | 10:11 AM | PADUCAH

"Then the LORD said to Joshua, 'Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you'" (Joshua 5:9).A longtime TGIF subscriber, Bill called and asked for my help. I met him in Lake Tahoe and, over a three-hour lunch, he confided to me some of his struggles in his industry. He said that he'd often been lied to and exploited by others in his business. The Holy Spirit prompted me to say, "That's because the ruling spirit in this industry is mammon and deceit. I believe that God has called you to play a part in cleaning up your industry.""But how?" he said. "I've got a federal lawsuit on my back. I'm being driven out of business.""Bill," I said, "God has put you in a season of preparation in order to remove the 'Egypt' from your working life in order to bring His Kingdom into your industry."God desires to bring His Kingdom into every sphere of life. When Jesus wanted to bring His Kingdom into the corrupt tax system in Jerusalem, the first thing He did was recruit Matthew, the tax collector. He began investing in his life.The same was true of Zacchaeus. "Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. When Jesus reached the tree, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.'" But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount" (Luke 19: 2, 6-8). Jesus' presence brought conviction to anyone who was operating in an ungodly manner.Do you need the presence of Jesus in your industry? Invite Him in today.

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The high unemployment could be useful when foreign investors start flocking to Vietnam

According to the latest report of the General Statistics Office of Vietnam (GSO), in the first half of this year, Vietnam had 1.2 million unemployed people due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, up 123,900 people on-year. The unemployment rate was 1.14 times higher than in the same period last year.

In addition, the 15-24-years-old without jobs numbered 451,600, making up 36.8 per cent of the unemployed population.

There were 53 million people above the age of 15 with jobs, down 1.4 million on-year. The number of female workers declined by 877,400 people and 1.8 times higher than male workers.

Among the 51.8 million people who have jobs, 30.8 million were impacted by the pandemic and 2.4 million lost their jobs.

According to Vu Thi Thu Thuy, director of the GSOs Department of Population and Labour Statistics, the unemployment ratio was the highest in the past 10 years and almost all people in this group are low-skilled labourers.

Although labour picture in the first six months of this year was quite bleak, however, if seen in a positive angle, these umemployed people will be on standby for foreign-invested projects in the coming time. As recruitment is one of the barriers for enterprises establishing business in Vietnam.

Investors in the manufacturing and processing sector will start to look for workers after they finish administrative procedures and start the construction of their facilities. Previously, recruitment often took 25-30 per cent of the time of setting up manufacturing and trading operations in Vietnam but in recent years, the rate has increased to 40-50 per cent.

In addition, the difficulty in recruiting labourers is not only the problem of newly-established enterprises but also existing ones which are planning to expand operations. Samsung is an example, which visited mountainous provinces to look for unskilled workers.

The problem is the uneven distribution of industrial zones across the country. Almost all enterprises, especially import-export ones, want to establish their manufacturing facilities in key economic centres of Vietnam such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, or in cities and provinces with convenient transport infrastructure.

Vendors or satellite enterprises of global groups tend to locate facilities near their partners.

Thus, in the coming time, when foreign-invested enterprises rush to invest in Vietnam, the demand for recruiting labourers is very large.
DUBLIN, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- ResearchAndMarkets.com published a new article on the natural gas industry "Natural Gas Affected by Lower Electricity Demand Arising Business Closures due to COVID-19"

Natural gas has been less severely impacted than oil and coal but has still seen a decline in demand during the COVID-19 crisis. US natural gas demand declined an estimated 4.5% year over year in Q1. This is due to a steep decline in commercial and industrial usage as a result of business closures. Demand for natural gas was already lower than usual before the COVID-19 outbreak because an unusually mild winter had reduced the demand for natural gas for home heating.



Lockdown measures have changed patterns of electricity consumption resulting in a significant decline in overall electricity demand. Analysts also predict that the pandemic will accelerate the move towards low carbon sources of energy such as low carbon sources of electricity including nuclear, hydropower, wind and solar power which could affect future demand for natural gas.



To see the full article and a list of related reports on the market, visit "Natural Gas Affected by Lower Electricity Demand Arising Business Closures due to COVID-19"

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.



Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.



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MIAMI - Fighting a surge in coronavirus cases in the spring, Florida appeared to be flattening the curve as theme parks shuttered, sugar sand beaches closed and residents heeded orders to stay home. Now, its almost as if that never happened.

Bars, restaurants and gyms began reopening in May  critics said it was too soon  and weeks later, the Sunshine State became one of the countrys virus hot spots, experiencing an alarming surge in cases. On Thursday, officials reported 120 deaths in one day, the highest number since the previous record of 113 in early May.

We thought maybe we could keep this thing under wraps. And that worked for a little bit of time, Dr. Jason Wilson, an E.R. physician at Tampa General Hospital, said during a conversation with Tampa Mayor Jane Castor that was livestreamed Wednesday on Facebook. But eventually ... it caught up to us.

From Miami to Jacksonville and Tampa, hospitals in June and July have seen their numbers of coronavirus patients triple, with new patients outpacing those being discharged.

A record 435 newly hospitalized patients were reported Friday to have tested positive for the virus, including some who sought care for other reasons and arent necessarily symptomatic. There were 6,806 patients being treated for COVID-19 in Florida hospitals, according to a new tally that state officials started releasing Friday. Before that, available data only showed overall hospital occupancy and capacity, including noncoronavirus patients.

Hospital networks are scrambling to hire more health care workers to expand their COVID units. Last week, hospitals in several cities announced they would again halt or reduce nonemergency procedures to free up space.

Wilson and other health experts believe the spike was sparked in large part by young people who werent experiencing symptoms and were more likely to take fewer precautions while gathering at reopened bars and crowded beaches.

We saw the floodgates open really for young people having what we call asymptomatic or presymptomatic spread, he said. Three weeks later, we are starting to see everyone else starting to get the virus as well.

The states predicament echoes that of other current hot spots. Texas, which is marking its deadliest week of the pandemic, on Thursday reported a record daily death toll of more than 100, a new high for hospitalizations for the 10th consecutive day, and a nearly 16% positive test rate, its highest yet. In Arizona, hospitals were at nearly 90% capacity, with a record 3,437 patients hospitalized as of Wednesday, and a record number of those, 575, on ventilators, health officials said. Earlier in the week, a record high number of 871 patients filled ICU beds.

In Miami-Dade, Floridas worst-hit county, a few of the smaller hospitals have run out of ICU beds completely, though countywide there were still about 14% available as of Friday, the state health agency reported. Even hospitals with some of the biggest ICUs in the state are stretched: Tampa General currently has 70 patients who are infected, half of whom are in ICU beds, Wilson said.

More than 45% of intensive care units in Florida hospitals were at capacity or had fewer than 10% of their beds available as of Friday, the state Agency for Health Care Administration reported on its website.

However, many hospitals can convert additional beds to ICUs, and Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a news conference Friday that no major hospital in Florida had yet gone to the surge level.

Florida Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Mary Mayhew said her agency is working with hospitals to open up hospital beds by discharging patients who can be cared for at home through telehealth, and sending COVID-19 positive patients who dont need hospitalization to nursing facilities where they can be isolated.

Were focused on how we can help hospitals decompress so that their beds again are used for individuals who absolutely require hospital level of care, both COVID and non-COVID, Mayhew said in an interview.

Chad Neilsen, the infection prevention director for UF Health Jacksonville hospital, anticipates the hospital will run out of rapid test kits in about two weeks or maybe sooner because manufacturers cant keep up with demand. He said the hospital instead will have to rely on commercial labs, which can take several days to issue results. Quest, a company that operates many such labs, said this week that it is potentially facing an even longer turnaround because of high demand.

Slower test results have a domino effect because a hospital has to assume that every patient with flu-like symptoms has COVID-19, meaning it will burn through its protective equipment and other gear much more quickly.

For a hospital, thats a big problem, Neilsen said. We have patients that need surgery that we want to test. We have mothers about to give birth that we want to test.

The rise in hospitalizations comes as physicians and nurses have been working around the clock for months, and during the summer, when facilities are typically low staffed. Gov. Ron DeSantis just deployed 200 nurses to fill staffing shortages in Miami and Tampa, and has pledged to send hundreds more.

Were just overwhelmed with patients. ... Right now, its like all hands on deck, said Esther Segura, a nurse at Miamis Jackson South Medical Center, who said she and her colleagues are weary after four months working in the pandemic. Now were just spiking all the way. Every day the numbers keep surging.

Physicians and hospital officials are also concerned about how long it takes to discharge patients.

Yolanda Villalobos of Homestead, Florida, said her husband, Julio Alejandro Berrios, was on a ventilator for weeks at one of the first intensive care units to fill up in the Miami-Dade area. The 37-year-old, 300-pound (136-kilogram) man was feverish, delusional and screaming in pain when Villalobos carried him out of their bedroom and delivered him into the hands of paramedics.

I thought he would be there three days or a week at the most, Yolanda Villalobos said.

In both Jacksonville and Miami, doctors expressed worries about a noticeable uptick in the number of patients on ventilators. The Florida Hospital Associations interim president, Crystal Stickle, said providers are all trying to get their hands on remdesivir, which has been shown in a clinical trial to help with the disease.

Stickle said initially the governor and federal lawmakers helped obtain quantities of the drug that the state health department then distributed to hospitals. But beginning next week, she said, the drug will begin shipping directly to the hospitals.
Unions want all essential workers to be prioritised for face masks amid fears of a rush on stocks in pharmacies after Premier Daniel Andrews advised Victorians to start wearing them in public.

On Friday Mr Andrews said that everyone living in the lockdown zone of metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire should wear masks on public transport, in taxis, at the supermarket and in other situations where they cannot maintain the required 1.5 metre social-distance.

A mask wearer in the city on Friday Credit:Paul Jeffers

It is our request of you, it's not compulsory, we are simply asking that if you can wear a mask where you can't distance, that is exactly what we would like you to do, the Premier said.

The updated advice has prompted calls from unions and the Victorian Trades Hall Council for government funding to provide masks to all essential workers who come into contact with the public.
For months, Patricia Merryweather-Arges, a health care expert, has fielded questions about the coronavirus pandemic from fellow Rotary Club members in the Midwest.

Recently people have wondered "Is it safe for me to go see my doctor? Should I keep that appointment with my dentist? What about that knee replacement I put on hold: Should I go ahead with that?"

These are pressing concerns as hospitals, outpatient clinics and physicians' practices have started providing elective medical procedures  services that had been suspended for several months.

Late last month, KFF reported that 48% of adults had skipped or postponed medical care because of the pandemic. Physicians are deeply concerned about the consequences, especially for people with serious illnesses or chronic medical conditions.

To feel comfortable, patients need to take stock of the precautions providers are taking. This is especially true for older adults, who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19. Here are suggestions that can help people think through concerns and decide whether to seek elective care:

BEFORE YOU GO IN

Give yourself at least a week to learn about your medical provider's preparations. "You want to know in advance what's expected of you and what you can expect from your providers," said Lisa McGiffert, co-founder of the Patient Safety Action Network.

Merryweather-Arges' organization, Project Patient Care, has developed a guide with recommended questions. Among them: Will I be screened for COVID-19 upon arrival? Do I need to wear a mask and gloves? Are there any restrictions on what I can bring (a laptop, books, a change of clothing)? Are the areas I'll visit cleaned and disinfected between patients?

Also ask whether patients known to have COVID are treated in the same areas you'll use. Will the medical staffers who interact with you also see these patients?

If you're getting care in a hospital, will you be tested for COVID-19 before your procedure? Is the staff being tested and, if so, under what circumstances?

Hospitals, medical clinics and physicians are offering this kind of information to varying degrees. In the New York City metropolitan area, Mount Sinai Health System has launched a comprehensive "Safety Hub" on its website featuring extensive information and videos.

Mount Sinai also encourages physicians to reach out to patients with messages tailored to their conditions. People "want to hear directly from their providers," said Karen Wish, the system's chief marketing officer.

Don't hesitate to press for more details, said Dr. Allen Kachalia, senior vice president of patient safety and quality at Johns Hopkins Medicine: "Where people get in trouble is when they're afraid to bring their concerns forward."

SEEKING CARE

Wendy Hayum-Gross, 57, a counselor who lives in Naperville, Illinois, had been waiting since mid-March to get blood tests that would help doctors diagnose the underlying cause of a new condition, a goiter. A few weeks ago, she decided it was time.

The hospital lab she went to, operated by Edward-Elmhurst Health, told Hayum-Gross to wear a mask and gave her a number to call when she arrived in the parking lot. Outside the front door, she was met by a staffer who took her temperature, asked several screening questions and gave her hand sanitizer.

"Once I passed that, a phlebotomist met me on the other side of the door and took me to a chair that was still wet with disinfectant. She wore a mask and gloves, and there was no one else around," Hayum-Gross said. "When I saw the precautions they had put in place and the almost military precision with which they were carrying them out, I felt much better."

Marjorie Helsel DeWert, 67, of Athens, Ohio, was similarly impressed when she visited her dentist recently and noticed circular yellow signs on the floor of the office, spaced 6 feet apart, indicating where people should stand. Staffers had even put pens used to fill out paperwork in individual containers and arranged to disinfect them after use.

DeWert, a learning scientist, came up with a patient safety checklist and distributed it to family and friends. Among her questions: Can necessary forms be completed online before a medical visit? Can I wait in the car outside until called? What kind of personal protective equipment is the staff using? And is the staff being checked for symptoms daily?

BRINGING A CAREGIVER

Some medical centers are allowing caregivers to accompany patients; others are not. Be sure to ask what policies are in place.

If you feel your presence is necessary  for instance, if you want to be there for a relative who is frail or cognitively compromised _ be firm but also respectful, said Ilene Corina, president of the Pulse Center for Patient Safety Education & Advocacy.

Be prepared to wear a gown, gloves and mask. "You're not there for yourself: You're there to support the health care team and the patient," said Corina, whose organization offers training to caregivers.

In Orland Park, Illinois, Debi Ross, an interior designer, and her sister live with her 101-year-old mother. Eight years ago, when her mother had a tumor removed from her colon, Ross and her sister wiped down every electric socket, cord, surface and door handle in her mother's hospital room.

"Unless Mom absolutely needs (medical) care, we're not going to take her anywhere," Ross said. "But I assure you, if she does have to go see somebody, we're going to clean that place down from top to bottom, I don't care what anybody says."

If you are not allowed into a medical facility, get a phone number for the physician caring for a loved one and make sure they have your number as well, Merryweather-Arges said. Ask that you be contacted immediately if there are any complications.

AFTERWAR

Patients leaving hospitals are fearful these days that they may have become infected with COVID-19, unwittingly. Ask your physician or a nurse what equipment you'll need to monitor yourself. Will a pulse oximeter and a thermometer be necessary? Will you need masks and gloves at home if someone is coming in to help you out with the transition? Can someone provide that equipment?

"Family caregivers need instructions that are clear," said Martin Hatlie, chief executive of Project Patient Care. "They need to know who to call 24/7 if they have a question. And they need clear guidance about infection control in the home."

If home care is being ordered, ask the agency whether they have trained staff to recognize COVID symptoms. And have home care workers been tested for COVID-19 or had symptoms?

If follow-up care is being provided via telehealth, make sure the setup works before your loved one comes home. Ask your physician's office what kind of equipment you will need, which service they use (Zoom? Skype?) and whether you can arrange a test in advance.

Finally, as you resume activities, help protect others against COVID-19 as well as yourself. When you go out into the world again, "mask up, socially distance and wash your hands," said Kachalia of Johns Hopkins. "And if you're sick or have symptoms, by all means, let your doctor's office know before you come in for a checkup."

Kaiser Health News (KHN) is a national health policy news service. It is an editorially independent program of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.
A LONG JOURNEY TO BELIEVE GOD

I born and grew at a college town in a godless country. The most people didn't believe in God. God knew me, but I did not know him. I have experienced a long way to believe in God. During my journey, I have realized some people who I have met played a pivotal role in guiding me to trust God. Some were there to affect me, some have taught me, some have helped me, and some have brought up the best in my life. I am thankful for them, and they are my most excellent teachers and deserve unique places in my heart. I have plenty of stories to tell.

Bible Story? & Christian? & Church?

Bible Story - When I was a little girl, I occasionally listened to a Bible story from a short wave charnel of my radio. I didn't know that the program was from overseas. I only noticed that was a pleasant male voice, "today, I am going to tell you a story of Edam and Eva. The story drew my entire attention so that I didn't feel my father was standing behind me. I didn't know how long he was there. My father asked me to turn off that channel and stop listening to the program again. I questioned him why not. He told me our government prohibited from listening to the program from that area. From then on, I never got a chance to hear the Bible story in that town. But, the voice of the story's teller frequently appeared in my ears.

A Christian Student - Time went to 1988. I was teaching at the same college. One of my students attracted my attention. He looked grave, quiet, and gentle. He was wearing a necklace with a cross pendant. Other students told me he was a Christian and believed God. I noticed that he was easy going and getting along with people. In the class, he did hard work, and he disciplined. There was constantly smiling on his face. That smile liked Mona Lisa's smile. That didn't mean his life was perfect. That smile was a symbol of Faith. It was the first time I had contacted a Christian. However, I never dare to talk about the religious issue with him, even though I had a lot of questions.

A Christian Classmate - The time flown to 1998, I was working on my PhD program in a graduate school at a big city, and had an opportunity to contact a Christian. She was a grave and silent girl with a soft voice and beautiful eyes. We lived in the same dormitory. Every Sunday morning, she disappeared from my eyesight. The young lady had a stand off-don't-ask-me air. I just guessed that she visited her relative who lived in that city. Until one day, when all my roommates were absent, she passed a paper to me. I read it, but I could not understand what was written on the page. She told me she believed God. Every Sunday, she went to a church to worship God. She asked me, "would you like me to share the gospel with you?" She even invited me to go to the Church with her. I was astonished and became upset because I knew nothing about God and the Bible. I couldn't be able to accept her invitation. It was too earlier for me to involve this kind of activity without any purpose.

Since that time, I knew she was a Christian and regularly attended a catholic church, which created by the government. That city, there was a Bible College established by the government. However, no Christians wanted to tell the public their identity. Fewer People know what did they do? Why did they trust God? What did the Bible tell?

Welcome to Visit Our Church - Time moved to 2000. I visited my husband, who worked in Hong Kong. The city was a financial center of the world, so it was diverse. There was a different social system between Hong Kong and my area. Hong Kong was much more open and provided people the freedom to practice their religions. One day, I saw two ladies were spreading flyers in a central park. They gave one to me. That flyer invited people to visit their Church and join their Sunday morning service. After the service, the Church would provide a free lunch for everyone. I felt I came to a new world, which was totally different, the area I lived in before. I didn't go to that Church since I didn't believe God. I didn't believe anyone would like to give a free lunch to a stranger because I was always taught, "there is no free lunch in the world."
(Natural News) Jonathan Lopez, a former candidate for commissioner of Umatilla County, Oregon, recently claimed to have received a racist, hate-filled letter from an anonymous person. After a thorough investigation from the Hermiston Police Department (HDP), it turns out that he wrote the letter to himself.

The letter is peppered with racist remarks, such as one stating that Lopez and other Mexicans were not welcome in the United States. It also contains many homophobic and misogynistic slurs directed against the aspiring politician. Lopez claimed that he received the letter but that he bore no resentment for the anonymous sender.

The letter, news of which went viral on social media after Lopez shared it, ends by saying that America is for the God fearing, pro-gun, pro-life humans who refuse to be controlled by the government. Theres no room for people like you here! This makes it clear that the letter was supposed to be written by a racist conservative.

Our investigation has shown that Mr. Lopez wrote the letter himself and made false statements to the police on social media. The end result is a verbal and written admission by Mr. Lopez that the letter was fabricated, said HPD Chief of Police Jason Edmiston in a statement sent by the department.

The police chief also said that the former county commissioner candidates case is being forwarded to the Umatilla County District Attorneys office, who will review if a case can be filed against Lopez for initiating a false report, which is a Class A misdemeanor in Oregon. This is punishable by up to a 364-day jail sentence, a $6,250 fine or both.

Listen to this episode of the Health Ranger Report, a podcast by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, as he talks about how the mainstream media is gaslighting Americans into believing that the violent demonstrations in America are actually largely peaceful.

Lopez claims whole affair was a big misunderstanding

In an attempt to save his own skin, Lopez initially claimed that all he meant to do was to speak with Chief Edmiston about the prevalence of racism in Umatilla County, and to use the letter he forged as an example of the type of racism that many people of color in the county experience.

I never meant to file a report, it just kind of spiraled [out of control], he said.

But when he was questioned about statements he made on social media and the fact that he told reporters that he received the letter in his mailbox on June 24, the former politician confirmed that he had told an HPD officer the same story on the day he supposedly received the letter.

Lopez has since taken down his social media accounts, and has also sent an open letter addressed to esteemed Umatilla county commissioners, leaders, representatives, law enforcement, community members and all residents.

In his open letter, he admits to sending himself the racist message, and apologizes for fabricating the hate crime and for the hurt his hoax caused to the community. He also claimed that the letter was written during a very dark, low point in his life and that he now accepts that he is not fit to be any kind of public servant or representative for the people of Umatilla County.

He also apologized to his church and to his wife, as he knows his actions reflected poorly on both of them. (Related: NASCAR noose incident NOT hate crime but garage pull down strap.)

Umatilla Countys Latin community worried about hoaxs repercussions

Members of Umatilla Countys Latin community have voiced how appalled they are of Lopezs actions. Three individuals  Anesat Leon-Guerrero, Helday de la Cruz and Jazmin Yajaira Avalos  even penned a response to the revelation that Lopez faked the whole affair.

In their response, they made it clear that Lopez was never really able to represent his community, as many of his politics and stances were not supported by Umatillas Latin population.

In fact, they also stated that many members of the community began asking questions about Lopezs policies and credentials when he first filed his candidacy to be county commissioner.

The trust he was attempting to build was questionable from the beginning, they wrote, and the revelation that the racist letter was nothing more than a hoax confirmed their belief that Lopez is not the right person to represent Umatilla Countys Latino community.

Among the questions raised include his supposed service with the U.S. Coast Guard. Chief Edmiston stated that the HPD has found no evidence to support Lopezs claim that he previously worked with the Coast Guard, and the former candidate himself has not provided any documentation either to the police or to local media outlets to support his claim of service. If his claims are fully proven to be fraudulent, then Lopez can also be charged under the Stolen Valor Act of 2013, which criminalizes false claims of service in the military.

Edmiston is personally frustrated with the whole affair, as the county is currently dealing with civil unrest, multiple major investigations and having to work with fewer resources due to constraints put upon them by the emergence of the global Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The time spent on this fictitious claim means time lost on other matters, he said, not to mention it needlessly adds to the incredible tension that exists in our nation today. As a lifelong resident of this diverse community, Im disgusted someone would try to carelessly advance their personal ambitions at the risk of others.

Learn more about the different ways other criminals are faking hate crimes at Hoax.news.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

KOMONews.com

EastOregonian.com 1

HermistonHerald.com

CriminalDefenseLawyer.com

EastOregonian.com 2
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In the wake of the recent violent clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers in eastern Ladakh, the parliament's PAC on Friday decided to review the construction of border roads at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and procurement of high-altitude clothing for the armed forces, and may call the Defense Secretary and other top officials to be briefed on the same.

Friday's meeting of the 22-member Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chaired by leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was attended by 17 out of the total 20 members. Its two seats are vacant.

Members of the PAC, in which BJP enjoys majority and is led by senior party leader Bhupender Yadav, thwarted Chowdhury's attempt to select the PM Cares Fund for examination saying its amount was not sanctioned by the parliament and therefore it cannot be taken up by the committee.

MPs from BJD and JD(U) also supported the BJP on the issue.

Meanwhile, the PAC has decided to examine various subjects with special focus being given to the CAG report number 5 of 2017, a performance audit of the Sino-India Border Roads, and CAG report number 13 of 2019 which is on the provisioning and procurement of high altitude-clothing, equipment, ration and housing for soldiers.

As per the papers circulated among the members of the committee on Friday, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on border roads is the top most subject for examination by the committee during the year.

CAG's Report 5 of 2017, which in the wake of the recent face-off on LAC between the soldiers of Indian and China, "talks about the highly important issue of construction of Indo-China border roads by Border Roads Organisation seems to be reviewed and further improved upon," as per the agenda papers of the meeting.

Similarly, troops in high-altitude areas such as Siachen, Ladakh, etc need to be provided high-altitude clothing, equipment, special ration and housing facilities and the CAG report number 13 of 2019 points out at delays in procurement of clothing and equipment for troops in these regions, as per PAC's agenda papers.

Sources in the committee said the PAC may call the Defense Secretary and other top officials to be briefed by them on the same.

The PAC meeting on Friday was the first meeting of the panel in the current calendar year. It assumes significance as it was the second meeting of the Lok Sabha's standing committee after parliament was adjourned prematurely on March 23 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On June 15, Indian and Chinese soldiers clashed along the LAC in the Galwan valley in eastern Ladakh in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed.
Maryland Governor: Pelosi Lost Touch With Baltimore Community

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan accused House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) of losing touch with Baltimore after she said people will do what they do regarding vandals who toppled a Christopher Columbus statue there.

Hogan, a Republican, said he was disappointed that Pelosi has lost touch with the Baltimore community that her family served.

While efforts towards peaceful change are welcome, there is no place in Maryland for lawlessness, vandalism, and destruction of public property.

Hogan said Maryland would not let mobs do what they do.' The mob did not represent Baltimore, he added.

The statue of Columbus, an Italian explorer credited with discovering America, was torn down near Little Italy on July 4.

Republican state Del. Kathy Szeliga, who represents part of Baltimore County, also pushed back on Pelosis comments, writing in a statement, She may have grown up in Bmore, but shes out of touch.

A voicemail left at Pelosis press office wasnt returned.

Pelosis father, Thomas DAlesandro Jr., represented Maryland in the U.S. House of Representatives and was mayor of Baltimore for 12 years.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan talks to reporters during a news briefing in Annapolis, Md., on April 17, 2020. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Baltimore Mayor Bernard Young, a Democrat, condemned the vandals who tore down the statue at a press conference on Thursday.

You just cannot erase history. And for those who want to destroy property, and things of that nature, its not going to be tolerated. And when we find out who destroyed those statues, they will be held accountable, the mayor said.

Young lost in the recent Democratic primary and will depart from the office in December.

We support peaceful protest. This is not a peaceful protest, destruction of property is just unacceptable and those who have destroyed those statues if we identify them they will be brought to justice, the mayor said.

Statues of Columbus and other historical figures have been targeted by hooligans across the country in riots and protests sparked by the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis on Memorial Day.

While some statues have been removed through legal processes, mobs have ripped down others illegally.

Pelosi said at the press conference Thursday that shes not big on having monuments and other markers to history.

I am more interested in what people have accomplished. I think that it is up to the communities to decide what statues they want to see, but I think that it is very important that we take down any of the statues of people who committed treason against the United States of America, she said.

It doesnt diminish my pride in my Italian American heritage and the fact that it was a country discovered by an Italian and named for an Italian, Amerigo Vespucci. So I have that pride, but I dont care that much about statues, she added later.
EUR/USD retreats from the 1.1370 as market sentiment deteriorates.

US Initial Jobless Claims came in better than expected but were largely ignored.

The pair needs to hold above 20-day SMA to keep focus on the upside.

After reaching a fresh four-week high during the Asian session at 1.1370, EUR/USD came under pressure and accelerated to the downside in the New York trade, turning negative for the day. A bout of dollar demand, a retreat in Wall Street indexes made the market mood swing evident. Renewed concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with a Supreme Court ruling granting access to a New York Prosecutor to US President Donald Trump's tax returns, cast a shadow over investors.

US data failed to boost market mood and went largely unnoticed. There were 1,314,000 initial claims for unemployment benefits in the US during the week ending July 4th, following the previous week's print of 1,413,000 (revised from 1,427,000) and slightly better than the market expectation of 1,375,000.

The EUR/USD pair retreated sharply from its daily peak of 1.1370 and slid back below the 1.1300 mark. The pullback also sent the pair back below a descending trendline coming from February 2018 highs, questioning bulls' ability to sustain the upmove. The short-term technical picture has deteriorated, with indicators falling below their mid-lines in the 4-hour chart. However, the bias remains slightly bullish in the daily chart, with 1.1400 as the next target. The EUR/USD needs to hold above the 20-day SMA at 1.1255 to keep focus on the upside, while a loss of this level could point to a deeper correction to the 1.1190-70 area.

Support levels: 1.1255 1.1190 1.1168

Resistance levels: 1.1370 1.1400 1.1422

View Live Chart for the EUR/USD

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 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
COLUMBIA, S.C. - Counterprotesters said a passing driver pointed a gun at them Friday and said All Lives Matter, as competing groups gathered in front of South Carolinas capitol building to mark the five-year anniversary of the states removal of the Confederate battle flag from Statehouse grounds.

The driver stopped in the middle of the road and stuck his middle finger out at several demonstrators who were on a road median shortly before noon, protester Kamison Burgess told The State newspaper. He then said All Lives Matter,  a phrase used by critics of the Black Lives Matter movement  before pointing the gun and driving away, Burgess said.

A handful of members of the State House Honour Guard, supporters of the emblem, had gathered outside the state capitol in the morning. A separate group, the Columbia Racial Justice Coalition, held an event in the afternoon.

The flag held by one of the Honour Guard members, clad in dress uniform, was not the battle emblem, with its red field topped by a blue X and 13 white stars, as expected. Instead, the group unfurled the official state flag, with its iconic palmetto tree and white crescent.

A woman with the group did not answer questions about their choice of flag Friday. She said they were not speaking with reporters.

The groups decision not to unfurl the Confederate battle flag prompted one counterprotester, Tori Hyder, to call the Honour Guard members cowards.

Two sets of barricades set up by law enforcement separated the Honour Guard from Hyder and about two dozen other counterprotesters, who lined the sidewalk carrying signs that read Black Lives Matter and other slogans that have been associated with demonstrations nationwide against racial injustice and police brutality following the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd in May.

Counterprotesters interviewed said they were taking a stance against the Confederate flag, widely seen as a symbol of racism and hatred. Some of the demonstrators said they had gathered at the statehouse daily since late May.

South Carolina pulled down the rebel banner from the Capitol grounds in 2015, a month after a white supremacist slaughtered nine black church members during a Bible study at a Charleston church.

Since then, groups for and against the Confederate battle flag have regularly gathered on the anniversary of its removal from South Carolinas Statehouse.

On Friday, the Honour Guard blasted music from its speakers, including The Star-Spangled Banner and songs from the Confederacy such as Join the Calvary!

At one point, counterprotesters on the opposite side of Gervais St. blared heavy metal, each side attempting to drown the other out.

Both the State House Honour Guard and the Columbia Racial Justice Coalition attempted to reserve a permit for the grounds at the same time on Friday, news outlets reported. State officials scheduled the Honour Guards gathering in the morning and the coalitions event in the afternoon.

A third group, Flags across the South, aims to fly the Confederate flag from a temporary flagpole by a monument dedicated to confederate soldiers Saturday, The State newspaper reported.

___

Liu is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a non-profit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
U.S. President Donald Trump pauses as he speaks prior to signing an Executive Order on the White House Hispanic Prosperity Initiative in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, July 9, 2020.

President Donald Trump's former body man entered the White House after he was chosen to lead the Presidential Personnel Office earlier this year with a message to a team of liaisons: sweep out anyone disloyal to the commander in chief.

John McEntee, Trump's new personnel head, reportedly called on the group in that meeting in February to find any so-called "Never Trump" political appointees and bring their names back to him.

McEntee later pushed out many of those liaisons he called upon to help with his purge. They were then replaced by a group of younger, more loyal representatives in positions that historically act as a go-between the White House and various agencies, according to people familiar with the matter who declined to be named. Liaisons have often assisted both their assigned department and the White House with hiring political appointees.

As a result of several controversial hires, morale has plummeted at the federal government's agency for foreign aid, according to these people.

The people who spoke to CNBC for this story declined to be named as these details had yet to be made public.

One of the loyal Trump White House liaisons backed by McEntee, these people said, is William Maloney, who now works with the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID. The department that focuses on providing foreign aid to countries around the world and boasts a budget of nearly $40 billion.

Maloney has been close to Trump and his allies for years. Beyond his recent stint as a paralegal at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, he was an assistant for the pro-Trump nonprofit America First Policies and was an assistant at the Department of Justice. He was an intern on Trump's 2016 campaign.

USAID acting spokesperson Pooja Jhunjhunwala did not deny Maloney's involvement with the controversial appointments and referred questions about their hiring practices to the White House, which did not respond for comment.

"On your questions regarding specific personnel decisions, we will have to refer you to the White House. USAID is honored to continue to work with the White House in carrying out the administration's important work," Jhunjhunwala told CNBC on Friday. "William Maloney is the White House Liaison for the agency, and his role is just that  working as a liaison between the White House and USAID on political appointments. This is always the role of that position for any administration, regardless of party," he said.

Maloney declined to comment for this story when reached.

Since becoming the USAID liaison, Maloney has supported and has been involved with pushing through multiple controversial political hires that work at or with the agency, including some who have a history of anti-Islamic and LGBT remarks, these people said. That has led to an extreme drop in morale and a rush of requests both within and outside the agency to acting USAID administrator John Barsa to either investigate or address a wide range of social issues linked to the new recruits.

Merritt Corrigan, the new USAID deputy White House liaison, has previously published online posts, such as one on Twitter, that said "our homo-empire couldn't tolerate even one commercial enterprise not in full submission to the tyrannical LGBT agenda," according to ProPublica.

The Washington Post reported that Mark Kevin Lloyd, the agency's new religious freedom advisor, and another USAID hire backed by Maloney, the sources said, has a track record of promoting anti-Islamic comments.

Barsa has publicly defended these hires.

"Political appointees are appointed at the discretion of the White House to carry out the President's foreign policy agenda at USAID," Barsa said in a statement in early June. "I have full confidence that each political appointee at USAID has and will continue to implement the President's policies and agenda to the best of his or her ability," he added.

Jhunjhunwala noted that USAID officials were not aware of any allegations of discrimination filed against anyone at the agency.

"While at USAID, we are not aware of any allegations of discrimination or other actions by the appointees in question that are less than professional or not up to the highest legal, moral and ethical standards that USAID has always held," the spokesperson told CNBC. "USAID leadership remains committed to creating a diverse, inclusive environment, free from discrimination and intolerance. We have long ensured that USAID employees, regardless of hiring category, are held to the highest legal, moral and ethical standards and will continue to do so."

Maloney helped Joseph Guy land a spot at USAID, as well, according to one of the people. According to his LinkedIn profile, he started working in May as the special assistant to the assistant administrator at the agency. He was previously a Trump White House intern. Rick Guy, who is Joseph Guy's father, became a senior advisor at the USAID Office of General Counsel a month after his son joined the agency, his LinkedIn profile says.

Prior to his role at USAID, Rick Guy was a personal injury lawyer and ran in 2018 for a New York State Senate seat. During the Republican primary for that seat, he faced hurdles from the state Board of Elections after his son Joseph picked up signatures needed to get his father's name on a Republican ballot, only for it to be later discovered that the younger Guy was not a member of the Republican Party. Joseph Guy had previously signed a waiver saying he was, in fact, a member of the party, according to a report by The Citizen newspaper. The Board of Elections later removed Rick Guy from the ballot and he did not appeal, the paper later reported.

People familiar with the matter say that Maloney has signaled to allies that he plans to recommend more political hires that would be Trump loyalists.

Employees at the agency have started pushing Barsa to take a stand against the hires.

CNBC reviewed an email that was sent to Barsa in late June, which appeared to be in reaction to the recent string of hires.

Co-signed by close to a dozen USAID employee resource groups, including Gender and Sexual Minorities at USAID and the Young Professionals at USAID, the email directly calls out Barsa for his earlier statement that month that backed Corrigan and Lloyd.

"We are concerned that your press statement did not demonstrate concern for the well-being of USAID employees who have been targeted by the language in question, nor address accountability measures to prevent language like this from occurring within the Agency," the email said. "We request a meeting with you to discuss how we can collaborate on ensuring that USAID's workforce is valued in its full diversity and can experience a supportive and inclusive working environment."

The Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network, a bipartisan coalition that "promotes more effective and accountable U.S. foreign assistance that advances American interests," wrote a letter to Barsa dated June 26 voicing their concerns about the group of hires.

"We write to you today to express our concerns that, at this critical time, the philosophical beliefs of some employees may be hindering effective delivery of U.S. foreign assistance," the group said. "As leader of the world's premier bilateral aid agency, we urge you to ensure that USAID's career and political staff are empowered to continue their focus on delivering U.S. foreign aid based on development outcomes and data-driven programming."

It was signed by co-chairs of the coalition. Some of whom had previously worked for USAID.

Then there's a group of seven Democratic lawmakers who wrote to Barsa on June 17. They specifically targeted the hiring of Lloyd and Corrigan, while demanding an investigation of their past statements.

"The appointment of Lloyd and Corrigan risks alienating the hardworking staff at USAID  not only women, Muslims and members of the LGBT community  but any employee that is justifiably dismayed that people who hold these views were appointed to represent the world's premier international development agency," the letter said.
Lawyers involved in actor Efremovs road accident trial face disciplinary punishment

 RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov

13:52 10/07/2020

MOSCOW, July 10 (RAPSI)  Disciplinary cases have been opened against attorneys Elman Pashayev and Alexander Dobrovinsky representing parties in a deadly road traffic accident case against actor Mikhail Efremov, the press service of the Federal Chamber of Lawyers reports.

Earlier, the Chambers Council called the lawyers for self-restraint and asked them to avoid public naming and shaming of other case parties.

Moreover, the Chamber stated inadmissibility of the lawyers offensive behavior, self-advertisement, malpractice and breach of secrecy.

On the evening of June 8, Efremov driving his car crossed into the oncoming lane in central Moscow and collided with a delivery service vehicle. He was arrested on the scene. Alcohol and drugs were reportedly found in his blood. Victim Sergey Zakharov was taken to hospital where he died early in the morning of June 9.

The famous actor was charged with committing a traffic offense in a drunken state that led to a victims death. He could face from 5 to 12 years behind bars if conficted.

On June 9, Moscows Tagansky District Court ordered Efremov to be put under house arrest until August 9. In particular, he was banned from communicating with other case parties, using mobile phone and Internet.




WASHINGTON, July 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday that the United States is "very hopeful" to continue dialogue with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) at various levels, though the latter has signaled its unwillingness to do so.

"We're very hopeful that we can continue to have this conversation, whether that's at levels beneath the summit, or if it's appropriate and there is a useful activity to take place, to have senior leaders get back together as well," Pompeo said during a press briefing when asked whether another U.S.-DPRK summit is possible before the U.S. presidential election in November.

"As for who and how and timing, I just don't want to talk about that today," he added.

President Donald Trump suggested earlier this week that he is open to another summit with DPRK leader Kim Jong Un.

"I understand they want to meet and we would certainly do that," Trump said in an interview with Gray Television's Greta Van Susteren. "I would do it if I thought it was going to be helpful," added Trump.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State and special envoy for DPRK Stephen Biegun also noted that Washington is ready for talks with Pyongyang.

"When Chairman Kim appoints a counterpart to me who is prepared and empowered to negotiate on these issues, they will find us ready at that very moment," Biegun said Wednesday in Seoul.

"I believe this is very much possible. President Trump has given us his full support to continue this effort," he noted.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in said last week that his country would make all-out efforts to let the DPRK and the United States hold talks before the U.S. presidential election.

Pyongyang, however, has expressed its unwillingness for more talks with Washington. Kwon Jong Gun, director general of the Department of U.S. Affairs of the DPRK's Foreign Ministry, said Tuesday that the DPRK was unwilling to talk face to face with the United States, urging South Korea to stay away from meddling in Pyongyang's affairs.

Denuclearization talks between Washington and Pyongyang have been stalled since the Hanoi summit between the two leaders in February 2019 ended with no agreement.

Tensions escalated on the peninsula as the DPRK demolished the inter-Korean liaison office building in the DPRK's border city of Kaesong last month in protest against anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent across the border by South Korean civic group activists, mostly defectors from the DPRK. Pyongyang has cut off all communication lines with Seoul.
A former insurance account executive in California has filed a lawsuit claiming she was fired from her job in retaliation for complaining about discrimination against her by a supervisor who didnt like her caring for her two children while she worked from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The suit, filed in the Superior Court of California in San Diego, alleges gender discrimination, retaliation, gender harassment, and wrongful termination by HUB International Insurance Services Inc., a massive insurance brokerage headquartered in Chicago that provides property/casualty, risk management, life and health, employee benefits, investment, and wealth management products and services. Hub employees more than 10,000 and has more than 375 offices across the U.S. and Canada.

The lawsuit seeks damages due to losses in earnings and employment benefits, emotional distress, and loss of reputation, to be determined at the time of trial.

Drisana Wallace was employed by HUB in San Diego from August 2019 to June 2020. In the suit she alleges that her supervisor, Daniel Kabban, an executive vice president, had issues with her working from home and caring for her children, and that she was eventually terminated over her complaints about the supervisor.

This employer holds itself out as an expert in HR services, employment regulations and personnel management, said Wallaces attorney, Daphne A.M. Delvaux, with Gruenberg Law. For a company with so much know-how on employee matters they should hold themselves to the highest standards in its own implementation of employment law.

A HUB spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Wallace was unable to arrange childcare for her children, ages 4 and 1, because of the lockdown. She was able to perform her job functions, but it took a toll on her children, one of which she was nursing, according to the suit.

Because Plaintiff was working, the children were put in front of the television, which made Plaintiff feel guilty, the lawsuit states. Plaintiff stopped working during the lunch hour so she could feed her children and put her youngest down for a nap, and return back to work. Most days, she did not have time to feed herself between the demands of young children and her job and would only drink coffee to get through the day. Repeatedly, Plaintiff worked at night when her children were asleep. Plaintiff never worked harder in her life. Plaintiff and her children sacrificed so she could keep her commitments to her job.

Wallace emailed a human resources representative at the firm in March requesting assistance, and was told that managers were expected to be more flexible, so she believed HUB would be supporting her, according to the lawsuit.

The suit alleges that Kabban was biased against mothers, engaging in a barrage of sexist statements against Wallace, as well as telling her that children are not to be heard during phone calls, which the suit says was difficult for her to do because the calls occurred when the children were awake.

Unfortunately, throughout the pandemic and teleworking accommodation, Kabban continued scheduling calls during lunch times, when Plaintiff was feeding her children, nursing, or putting her child down for a nap. Plaintiff reiterated her schedule allowed for calls in the afternoon, the suit states.

The suit also alleges that Kabban often gave Wallace rush tasks that demanded immediate turnaround, he questioned her availability, and he treated fathers working from home differently that she was treated.

Wallace again met with human resources in June and notified the department of what she felt were bias and sexism in HUBs workforce, and following that she was terminated. However, she was told that HUB was experiencing reduced revenue due to COVID-19, so she was in fact being laid off, the suit alleges.

HUB has hidden behind COVID-19 as a shield to cover up an illegal termination, the lawsuit states. HUB has sent a clear message to its employees that mothers will be discriminated against, and that reporting discrimination to HR will lead to immediate termination, in violation of Californias retaliation protections for workers.

Wallace also filed charges of discrimination with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing on June 5, according to the suit.

Topics Lawsuits California COVID-19
NEW DELHI: Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Friday said that the COVID-19 situation is improving in the country as the recovery rate among COVID-19 patients stands at about 63%, whereas the mortality rate is just 2.72%.

The health minister said that the government is not majorly concerned about the rising number of COVID-19 cases and that the same should be seen in correct perspective vis-a-vis Indias population.

Indias COVID-19 recovery rate stands at 63%, mortality rate is just 2.72. We are not concerned about the number of cases. We are ramping up testing so that maximum cases can be detected and treated, the Union Health Minister said.

Harsh Vardhan added that around 2.7 lakh tests are being done daily.

Despite being such a large country, we've not reached the community transmission stage of COVID-19. Though there are some small pockets where there could be slightly higher transmission locally, he said.

The remarks from Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan came on a day when India recorded the highest single-day spike of over 26,502 new coronavirus cases and 475 deaths in the last 24 hours, pushing the total tally close to eight lakh with 21,604 deaths, Health Ministrys`s data revealed on Friday.

According to the data, out of total 7,93,802 cases, 4,95,513 have recovered while 2,76,685 remain active in the country. With more Covid-19 patients recovering, the gap between the number of recovered cases and active cases has increased by two lakh.

The rate of recovery among the Covid-19 patients continues to increase and has touched 62.42 per cent. India, however, remains to be the third worst-affected country after the US and Brazil.

During the last 24 hours, 2,83,659 samples were tested, as the testing lab network continues to expand. As on date, more than 1,119 labs have enabled people to undergo coronavirus tests.

Maharashtra tops the chart and remains the worst hit state, with cases reaching up to 2,30,599 and 9,667 casualties so far, of which 417 occurred in the last 24 hours. Tamil Nadu remained the second worst hit with a total of 1,26,581 cases, including 1,765 deaths.

With 2,187 new coronavirus cases and 45 deaths in the last 24 hours, the national capital on Thursday recorded a total tally of 1,07,051 cases and 3,258 deaths.

States with more than 10,000 cases include Gujarat with 39,194 cases and 2,008 deaths, Uttar Pradesh (32,362), Rajasthan (22,563), Madhya Pradesh (16,341), West Bengal (25,911), Haryana (19,369), Karnataka (31,105), Andhra Pradesh (23,814), Telangana (30,946), Assam (14,032) and Bihar (13,944) cases.

On the global front, the overall number of global Covid-19 cases has surged to over 12.2 million, while the deaths have increased to more than 5,54,000, according to the Johns Hopkins University.
Washington, July 10 : The US Supreme Court has ruled that President Donald Trump's financial records can be examined by prosecutors in New York.

In a related case, the court ruled that this information did not have to be shared with Congress, the BBC reported on Thursday.

Trump has come under fire for not making his tax returns public like his predecessors.

His lawyers had argued that he enjoyed total immunity while in office and that Congress had no valid justification to seek the records.

Two Democratic-controlled House of Representatives committees and New York District Attorney Cyrus Vance - also a Democrat - had demanded Trump's tax documents over several years in order to determine whether current conflict-of-interest laws on a US president were tough enough.

Trump, a Republican, denies wrongdoing and has called the investigation into his tax affairs a "witch hunt".

"The Supreme Court sends case back to Lower Court, arguments to continue. This is all a political prosecution," he wrote in a series of tweets following the court rulings.

In the case regarding the request from the New York prosecutors, the Supreme Court ruled by a majority of seven to two that the president did not have absolute immunity from criminal investigation.

"Two hundred years ago, a great jurist of our Court established that no citizen, not even the President, is categorically above the common duty to produce evidence when called upon in a criminal proceeding," the court said.

"We reaffirm that principle today." But the two cases regarding Congressional committees were closely watched, as they could have had implications on how far US lawmakers could scrutinise the activities of a sitting president.

The court ruled that Congress had significant, but not limitless, power to request the president's personal information. In this case, the court returned the case to the lower courts.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 design has just leaked in a seemingly official render. This image comes from Evan Blass, who is usually spot on when it comes to leaks.

The tipster shared this image via his Patreon page, by the way. He shared a single image, which is showing the design of the Galaxy Tab S7s front side only.

The Galaxy Tab S7 render shows thin bezels, sleek design

If you take a look at the picture, youll notice that the device has really thin bezels for a tablet. Those bezels are still there, though, so grasping the device should not be an issue.

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Youll notice that the power / lock, volume up, and volume down buttons are all on the same side. Theyre on the top in landscape mode (when you hold the tablet in landscape), and on the right side in portrait mode.

Interestingly enough, the device seems to have sensors both at the top, and on the side. We presume those are not all cameras, even though they look like it.

At least one of those sensors is a camera sensor, while the rest are probably a light sensor and a proximity sensor. Do note that they do not look like it, though, and their placing is quite odd.

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This phone has both rounded corners, and rounded display corners. The curvature of the devices corners is much more pronounced than the curvature of its display corners, though.

It remains to be seen whether this device will have a single camera on the back, or two of them. The Galaxy Tab S7+ did leak in CAD-based renders last month, and it showed two rear-facing cameras.

Considering this is the base model, it could include only one, well see. Were not sure if Samsung plans to include a fingerprint scanner here. If it does, it will be placed under the display, as its not on the side or the back.

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Not much information surfaced when it comes to the Galaxy Tab S7 specs. Its Plus sibling got a lot more attention in that regard. We did see some information, though.

The device will include an 11-inch display

The Galaxy Tab S7 is expected to feature an 11-inch display. Its Plus sibling will ship with a 12.4-inch one, if rumors and leaks are to be believed. The Galaxy Tab S7 will be fueled by the same SoC as the Plus model, though.

Both devices are said to include the Snapdragon 865 Plus from Qualcomm. Now, Samsung may opt for the regular Snapdragon 865 instead, as the Plus model is brand new. It remains to be seen. These two tablets will launch either this month, or during Samsungs Unpacked event next month.
CAIRO  The Libyan National Army (LNA), led by Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter, on June 28 sent military reinforcements from the 128th Infantry Battalion to the central Libyan region to repel any attempts by the Turkish-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) forces to advance toward the key city of Sirte and al-Jafra air base.

During an inspection tour of the Egyptian armed forces in the western military zone on June 20, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi had said that Egypt would not allow the Libyan pro-government forces to cross Sirte and al-Jafra, as these constitute a red line for Egypts national security. Sisi alluded to military intervention in Libya.

Sirte is located 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) from the Egyptian border, an equal distance between the capital city of Tripoli, which is controlled by the GNA, and Benghazi, which is controlled by the LNA.

Taking control of Sirte would pave the way for tightening the grip on Libyas oil ports in the east. Al-Jafra, which is located in the center of the country, is one of the largest air bases and a major operations room for the Hifter-led forces. In other words, controlling these two would lead to controlling the Libyan east, and this poses a clear threat to Egypts western borders, according to military experts.

Sisis statements and declaration of intent to militarily intervene in Libya come following a series of defeats suffered by Hifters forces over the past weeks against the GNA and the Turkey-led armed militias, most recently in Tarhuna, Hifters last stronghold in the west of the country from which he withdrew in favor of the GNA forces on June 5. Earlier, the GNA had regained full control of Tripoli and its suburbs after Hifter's attempts to liberate it from the grip of the militias in a battle he launched in April 2019.

In his remarks at the western military zone, Sisi announced for the first time Egypts readiness to train and equip Libyan tribal youth to confront the Turkish-backed militias and stop any progress they might make. Sisi addressed the tribes: If we ask the Egyptian forces to progress, they will do so spearheaded by tribal sheikhs. And when the matter is over, the Egyptian forces will come out in peace because we do not want anything but the security, stability and peace of Libya. And if the Libyan people moved through you (the tribes) and demanded us to intervene, it would be a signal to the world that Egypt and Libya are one country with common interests: security and stability.

Sisis call to arm tribal youth was widely welcomed, and residents of Tobruk issued a statement on June 20: We, the civil society institutions, sages, dignitaries, sheikhs and citizens of the city of Tobruk and Dar al-Salam, Libya, support President Sisis speech announcing his will to stand by Libya and the Libyan people against the Turkish invasion and aggression and the Syrian armed militias.

On Dec. 29, 2019, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights Rami Abdul Rahman revealed that 300 Syrian fighters loyal to Turkey have been deployed to Libya to fight alongside GNA forces against Hifters army. Meanwhile, the LNA accused in a May 20 statement Syrian militias of killing Libyan civilians who were returning to their homes in Tripoli.

In a statement issued on June 20, the Council of Sheikhs and notables of Tarhuna announced its full support for Sisi's speech, as it stressed that Egypts intervention in Libya is legitimate in accordance with the Treaty of Joint Defense and Economic Cooperation.

The treaty, which was signed by Arab League member states in June 1950, calls for taking all necessary measures, including resorting to the armed forces, to counter any aggression on any member state and restore peace and security. The treaty also stipulated the creation of a joint military command that includes representatives of the Arab military chiefs of staff to organize the common defense actions.

The statement continued, We are exposed to Turkish colonialism that seeks to control our capabilities, plunder our wealth, dismantle the social fabric, revive the Ottoman heritage, in addition to turning Libya into an incubator for terrorism, mercenaries and [the Islamic State].

The council further called on Egypt to intervene immediately and implement Sisis speech.

On June 30, the people of Benghazi raised banners that read, Egypt, the Heart of the Arab Nation, thus expressing their endorsement of Egypts support to the Libyan people in the face of Turkish aggression.

On the same day, chairman of the Libyan Council of Elders Mohamed Idris el Maghrabi called for a mass demonstration throughout Libya on July 5 against the Turkish invasion. He stressed that the tribal youth will fight alongside the armed forces led by Hifter.

Benghazi witnessed a mass demonstration on July 5 in support of the LNA and to reiterate the peoples rejection of Turkish interference in Libya.

Head of the Cabinet of the Supreme Council of the Sheikhs and Notables of Libya Muhammad al-Misbahi told Al-Monitor he is preparing to organize a meeting in Cairo in the presence of tribes from all cities and regions to coordinate with the Egyptian side regarding the training and armament mechanism aimed at confronting the Turkish ambitions on their lands.

Misbahi said the council will allow the tribal youth to volunteer and will present them to the Egyptian leadership to train and arm them so that they are recruited in the LNA, led by Hifter, to fight the Turks and secure Sirte and al-Jafra, especially as the GNA is mobilizing its forces to advance toward the two sites and oil ports while rejecting any cease-fire initiatives.

On June 25, GNA forces announced their intention to continue advancing toward the city of Sirte. There are no red lines impeding our forces advance toward Sirte, Salah al-Din al-Namroush, the undersecretary of the Ministry of Defense in the GNA, said in an interview with the Anadolu Agency.

The GNA forces are at the gates of Sirte, and the process of liberating it has not been delayed. Our forces are making some arrangements on the outskirts of the city, he added.

On June 7, the GNA announced its rejection of a political initiative announced by Sisi to implement a cease-fire in Libya as of June 8, adding that it is seeking to control all Libyan territory.

Gamal Mazloum, a military expert and adviser at the Nasser Higher Military Academy, said that Sisi is seeking to win the support of the tribes in his battle to secure his borders with Libya, firstly to show the world that his entry into Libya came with the support and desire of the Libyan people, and secondly to benefit from the fighting experience of the tribesmen on their lands, which are located outside of the Egyptian borders and require extensive monitoring.

Asked about the intransigence of the Turkish side and the GNA and its insistence on advancing toward Sirte, Mazloum said, I think Sisi is intent on entering Libya; his statements whereby Libya is a red line means that he will not back down from intervention.

If the [pro-government] forces cross Sirte and al-Jafra, east Libya will be under control, and this poses a threat to Egypts western borders and puts its national security at great risk.

Mazloum concluded his statements by saying, Sisi does not want to go to war in Libya, especially considering that Sirte is about 1,000 kilometers from Libyas borders with Egypt. This requires increased efforts, weapons and huge costs, especially considering that Egypt is fighting on several fronts and cannot bear the costs of entering into war outside its borders. Developments on the ground, however, seem to be paving the way for war.
Thirteen members of UNSC vote to extend approval for aid to be delivered into Syria across two border crossings.

Russia and China have vetoed a last-ditch attempt by members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to extend approval  which expires on Friday  for humanitarian aid to be delivered across two border crossings into Syria from Turkey for the next six months.

The UN says millions of Syrian civilians in the mostly rebel-held northwest of the country depend on the humanitarian aid delivered from Turkey, describing it as a lifeline.

The remaining 13 council members voted in favour of the German-Belgian draft resolution on Friday. The UN authorisation, which allows the body to distribute aid to displaced Syrians without needing permission from Damascus, is due to expire later in the day.

Third failed vote

The 15-member council has been split, with most members pitted against Syrian allies Russia and China, who want to cut the number of border crossings to one, arguing those areas can be reached with humanitarian help from within Syria.

This was the third failed vote on the issue by the council and the second veto by Russia and China this week.

The UNSC first authorised the cross-border aid operation into Syria six years ago, which also included access from Jordan and Iraq. Those crossings were cut in January due to opposition by Russia and China.

On Tuesday, Russia and China vetoed a bid to extend for a year-long approval which would have allowed for the maintenance of two crossing points on the Turkish border  at Bab al-Salam, which leads to the Aleppo region, and Bab al-Hawa, which serves the Idlib region.





Russia then failed to win enough support on Wednesday for its proposal to authorise one crossing for six months.

Germany and Belgium, two non-permanent Council members responsible for the humanitarian aspect of the UNs Syria dossier, presented the draft on Thursday that was put to vote on Friday.

We categorically reject claims that Russia wants to stop humanitarian deliveries to the Syrian population in need, Russian Deputy UN Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy wrote in a tweet ahead of the vote.

A death sentence for many

The council was expected to vote on a second Russian draft text to approve aid deliveries for one Turkish crossing for one year.

Al Jazeeras diplomatic editor James Bays reporting from the UN said if nothing is agreed on by the end of Friday, there would be no aid crossing the border for a time.

UN director Louis Charbonneau reacting to the vote said on Twitter: Russia and China again cynically vetoed renewal of Syria UN cross-border aid mandate, this time hours before it expires.

They politicise humanitarian aid like they accuse others of doing elsewhere. Millions of Syrians rely on aid. This could be virtual death sentence for many.

.@hrw: #Russia & #China again cynically vetoed renewal of #Syria UN cross-border aid mandate, this time hours it before expires. They politicize humanitarian aid like they accuse others of doing elsewhere. Mlns of Syrians rely on aid. This cld be virtual death sentence for many. pic.twitter.com/4gH1MPXQ6S  louis charbonneau (@loucharbon) July 10, 2020

According to a statement from the Chinese ambassador, Bays said China would like some sanctions relief for the Assad regime in the resolution.

Thats one thing that would potentially make them change their position, Bays said.

But because the council is operating virtually during the coronavirus pandemic, members have 24 hours to cast a vote so a decision would not be known until Saturday.

The NGO Oxfam warned that stopping cross-border aid would be a devastating blow to the millions of Syrian families who rely on this aid for clean water, food, health care and shelter.

Russia and China argue the UN authorisation violates Syrias sovereignty, and aid can increasingly be channelled through Syrian authorities.

Concession

In the only concession to Moscow, the new draft asked for just a six-month extension of cross-border aid authorisation, instead of one year. But Germany and Belgium still wanted both border crossings kept open.

According to Washingtons ambassador to the UN, Kelly Craft, keeping only one border crossing open would cut off 1.3 million people living north of Aleppo from humanitarian aid.

David Miliband, president of the International Rescue Committee, described the veto as a dark day for Syrian civilians and the UN.

He added it defies logic or humanity to dismantle a system designed to bring life-saving aid to Syrians in the form of food, health supplies, vaccines, and now critical COVID-19 provisions.

Russia has vetoed 16 council resolutions on Syria since Syrias President Bashar al-Assad cracked down on protesters in 2011, leading to civil war. For many of those votes, Moscow has been backed in the council by China.
Competitive eater Joey Chestnut (nicknamed "Jaws") set a world record on July 4 when he scarfed down 75 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes to win the Mustard Yellow Belt at the famous Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest for the 13th time in 14 years.

At the event (which is typically held in Coney Island, New York but was moved this year to a private location due to the pandemic), Chestnut topped his own record of 74 hot dogs and buns, set in 2018.

"Oh my God, I still love it," Chestnut, 36, told TMZ Sports, denying rumors he was going to retire. "I love the whole thing, pushing myself, the prep, even the recovery."

But Chestnut told CNBC Make It in March that he never set out to become a full-time competitive eater.

"It's ridiculous. I went to school for engineering, but I now I travel around the world and eat," he says.

Chestnut says he was pushed into competitive eating by his younger brother (Chestnut is one of six kids), who was impressed by how much Chesnut would eat when he came home from college.

"I could eat more than anybody. So, he signed me up for my first [competition]," a lobster-eating contest in Reno, Nevada, in 2005, he says. Despite not placing, Chestnut said he fell in love with the sport.

"At first I was ashamed by the whole process and how much I could eat, but once I started doing it, oh my, I was made for it," Chestnut says.

Chestnut, who at the time, was taking a nutrition course in college, consulted the professor for advice on how to approach training. However, over the last decade, he has fine-tuned his regimen to help him eat more and recover faster.

While the top prize for a Nathan's Hot Dog contest is typically about $10,000, according to Chestnut, he makes around $300,000 a year through private and public companies, who hire him to break food records with their products on social media.

Chestnut once ate 32 Big Macs in 38 minutes, for example, which is another world record, and posted it on YouTube and Instagram.

For the annual Nathan's Hot Dog competition, Chestnut said he typically trains for three months straight, starting at the end of April with weekly practice runs on either a Saturday or a Sunday, followed by a few recovery days.

"After the first practice, [recovery] is the hardest [because] my body is getting back to digesting that ridiculous amount of food," Chestnut says. After that, each weekly practice gets a "little bit easier."

After practice runs, Chestnut forces himself to eat greens like cucumbers and lettuce to help with digestion. When he starts to feel better after a few days, he drinks only lemon water and coffee in the morning and fasts for a day and half before his next practice run.

"Its usually about every six days that I can do a practice," Chestnut says, though when he was younger, he could practice every four days.

During the week, Chestnut said he typically only one meal a day, which is usually a large salad with protein or a fish. (Even when he isn't training, Chestnut said he sticks with one big meal a day and occasional cheat days.)

Chestnut says runs and does yoga about two or three times a week. Both exercises help him control his breathing, which helps him eat more efficiently and find a rhythm during competitions.

Chestnut also keeps a journal to track everything he eats and drinks to see how it affects him.

"It sort of trial and error," he says, which means Chestnut's engineering degree comes in handy. "I definitely try to solve everything like its a problem."

"I had to work my butt off to understand by body and I think that other people should too."

Chestnut also consults with his doctor regularly.

As for mental preparation, Chestnut says he tries to stay calm and loose during the competition, but really, "I love to eat so much that even when i'm uncomfortable, I still love to eat," he says.

After a contest, Chestnut does not typically get sick or vomit, but he is exhausted.

"I just want to fall asleep," he says.

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The UN Security Council will be notified of this step as well.

The Dutch government on July 10 decided to bring Russia before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) for its role in the downing of Flight MH17 over occupied Donbas on July 17, 2014.

"By submitting an inter-State application, the government is sharing all available and relevant information about the downing of Flight MH17 with the ECHR," the Dutch government said in a statement on its website.

Read alsoMH17 case: Russia-controlled supervisor of 'DPR' terrorists detained in Kyiv

The contents of the inter-State application will also be incorporated into the Netherlands' intervention in the individual applications submitted by the victims' next of kin against Russia to the ECHR.

"By taking this course of action the government is offering maximum support to these individual cases," the statement said. "What is more, by submitting this inter-State application, the Netherlands stands by all 298 MH17 victims, of 17 different nationalities, and their next of kin."

"Achieving justice for the 298 victims of the downing of Flight MH17 is and will remain the government's highest priority," the statement quoted Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok as saying.

The UN Security Council will be notified of this step as well.

The Dutch government says it attaches importance to continuing the meetings with Russia on the matter of state responsibility. "The purpose of these meetings is to find a solution that does justice to the enormous suffering and damage cause by the downing of Flight MH17," the statement said.

"Nearly six years since the downing of Flight MH17, which killed all 298 people on board, the pursuit of truth, justice and accountability remains the top priority for the Dutch government. The government has always said that it would not rule out any legal remedy to achieve this goal. This latest course of action brings us one step closer," it said.
Islamabad, Pakistan  US authorities have revoked authorisation for Pakistans state-owned airline to conduct flights to and from the country based on concerns regarding the authenticity of pilot licences, an airline spokesman says.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) had been authorised earlier this year to conduct 12 direct flights to and from the United States to allow repatriation of Pakistani citizens stranded in that country due to the coronavirus pandemic.

On Thursday, the US Department of Transportation (US DoT) revoked that authorisation, with seven flights operated and five still pending, PIA spokesman Abdullah Khan told Al Jazeera.

According to an internal PIA email, seen by Al Jazeera, the US DoT identified recent events identified by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority that are of serious concern to aviation safety, specifically matters pertaining to the proper certification of certain Pakistani pilots as the reason for the revocation.

On June 25, Pakistani Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan said authorities had found 262 Pakistani pilots  almost a third of all licensed pilots in the country  had obtained their licences fraudulently, a claim strenuously challenged by pilots groups.

The Pakistani national carrier suspended 150 pilots after questions over the authenticity of their licences emerged. Earlier, an initial investigation found human error was primarily responsible for a PIA plane crash that killed 98 people in southern Pakistan in May.

The announcement prompted widespread outcry, with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) suspending PIAs third country operator authorisation to fly to European destinations days later.

Several national civil aviation authorities, including those in Vietnam, Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates have written to the Pakistani Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) to verify the licences of pilots serving in those countries.

EASA has also written to European countries civil aviation authorities asking them to suspend Pakistani pilots pending further verification of their credentials.

The aviation ministrys allegations appear to centre around discrepancies in written examination dates, flagging pilots who were logged to have taken the exams on the same days as having flown flights, or on public holidays.

Several pilots told Al Jazeera that they did not dispute that they had flown later in the same day as their exams, but said this was a normal practice and did not contravene any regulations.

Earlier this week, the PCAA suspended the licences of 34 pilots over the issue. Seventeen previous suspensions of this kind, issued in January 2019, have been challenged in court, with hearings continuing.

PIA, once a pioneering airline in international commercial aviation, discontinued flying to US destinations in 2017, citing financial considerations due to being forced by US security regulations to stop at European destinations on the way.

The seven repatriation flights were the first time a Pakistani airline has ever flown direct flights to and from the US, spokesman Abdullah Khan told Al Jazeera, saying the airline had been hoping to secure permanent authorisation after the coronavirus pandemic.

Pakistani authorities initiated the process of applying for that authorisation from the US Transportation Safety Administration last year, with US inspectors conducting audits at Pakistani airports in July 2019.

Asad Hashim is Al Jazeeras digital correspondent in Pakistan. He tweets @AsadHashim
The Kennedy Center and its resident opera and orchestra will commission composers and librettists from around the country to respond to local racial crimes and violence as part of an effort to promote anti-racism.

Led by the National Symphony Orchestra and the Washington National Opera, the Cartography Project will create an unspecified number of new works from artists of color that promote healing and understanding, Kennedy Center President and CEO Deborah Rutter said Thursday. The project is named for its intention to become a kind of musical map, tracing events that have sparked marches and activism across the nation. Shorter orchestral pieces may be presented digitally as soon as this fall, while opera commissions will take much longer, Rutter said.

"What I would love to see is that this is something that we start and is taken up by colleagues across the country as a way to continue the memory of the individuals who we lost in this way," Rutter said. "Saying I hope we do a dozen doesn't really mean anything because a dozen doesn't begin to cover the individuals we lost. It's more about starting a project."

The Kennedy Center will also launch an online performance series, "Arts Across America," to spotlight community arts leaders, unique regional arts styles, and organizations and artists focused on social justice. The 20-week program, supported by Facebook, will feature performances every weekday afternoon from July 27 through Dec. 11. Jazz bassist Christian McBride, poet and children's book author Kwame Alexander and musician Aloe Blacc are among the hundreds who will participate.

The two programs were announced Thursday as part of a larger effort to strengthen and deepen programs for black artists, audiences and communities. On June 2, as nationwide protests raged against police brutality andthe killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis a week earlier, the Kennedy Center issued a statement in support of black lives, culture and artists.

"We pledge that more of them will be heard on the stages of the nation's cultural center, as we continue in our ongoing effort to reflect the entire nation through the performing arts and within our organization," the statement said. "We know we can do better - through the art we present on our stages and by ensuring that the center is always a home for critical conversations about race and discrimination."

The multipronged approach expands on the work of the center's Social Impact division, created in 2018, and establishes an institutional mandate that moves beyond gestures, said Marc Bamuthi Joseph, vice president and artistic director of Social Impact.

"This is how we move forward, not just with symbols but with an interconnected system of activity that we are committed to," Joseph said. "We begin with belief that if racism is structural, then anti-racism also must be structural."

Joseph and his team last year launched a program to support the Washington-area arts landscape, including school partnerships, mini artist residencies and a Culture Caucus, a collective of artists and organizations. Members of the caucus receive direct financial support as well as in-kind services such as marketing aid and use of the Reach, the expansion that opened last fall with rehearsal, classroom and performance spaces. Other programs focused on black artists and audiences, unified under the banner #BlackCultureMatters, will start soon, Joseph said.

"Here is where we codify, organize and think about the effort cohesively," he said. "It's not like we haven't been working with black artists. But what we haven't done is come together, with an organized model. We now have a pathway. It's not a treadmill, we're not walking in place. We're moving forward."

The arts center will also focus on diversity, equity and inclusion within the institution by strengthening existing hiring practices and training and mentoring programs, Rutter said. People of color represent just under 30% of the arts center's total staff, including those who have been furloughed during the pandemic, she said. Thirty one percent of senior leadership identifies as nonwhite.

"We're making headway, but there's still a long way to go," she said, adding that she doesn't have a specific goal or time frame for increasing these numbers.
Supporting Haitis COVID-19 response

July 10,2020 | Source: moderndiplomacy

Haiti is well acquainted with challenge. In any given year, a typical Haitian household will face multiple shockswhich may include hurricanes, floods, disease, death, unemployment or any combination thereof.



For Haitians, some might say that COVID-19 is only the latest thing. But it is a critical thing.



Even before the pandemic, almost 59 per cent of the Haitian population were living in poverty, with 23.8 per cent in extreme poverty and more than 60 per cent unable to meet basic needs.



Of all the challenges Haitians face, health shocks take the greatest toll on household incomes. With limited access to insurance or credit, many families cope by borrowing money, selling assets, or take children out of school. The poor have even fewer options, and coping with the pandemic may have long-term negative impactsdecreasing their food supply, depleting their savings or alienating them from their social networks.



Since 2017, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has worked in close partnership with Haitis national Directorate for Civil Protection, developing early-warning systems to reduce disaster risksparticularly in the countrys small but densely populated southern islands, exposed to storms with 300 kilometre per hour winds.



Strictly speaking, pandemic response is not part of UNEPs mandate to support Haitis Ministry of Environment. But when COVID-19 hit, the Port Salut office knew it would have to extend beyond its usual reach.



UNEP Haiti Programme Officer, Jean-Max Milien says, COVID-19 has pushed every limit. Our adaptabilitythe fact that we are ready and willing to do whatever is neededis not just important to our work. It underpins the relationship we have with the people of Haiti.



UNEP Haiti has been supporting national institutions on their response and protection plans, helping incorporate pandemic risksespecially with regard to sanitation. The organization is also working closely with local communities, supporting partners to raise awareness and put mitigation measures into place.



Strict limitations on movement and widespread adoption of sanitation measuresthe go-to response in many other countries hit by COVID-19are less straight-forward in Haiti.



With the majority of Haitians earning their livelihoods through informal work like fishing, direct services or street vending, a ban on such activities would not only be difficult to impose, it could also cripple household incomes. In fact, according to the World Bank, a 20 per cent reduction in household consumption could push another million people into poverty and 2.5 million into extreme poverty.



At the same time, access to water and sanitation is disparate, at best. Even in metropolitan Port-au-Prince, for example, only about 55 per cent of the population has access to the public water network. And while access to piped and other improved water sources is increasing for the rural top 20, it is decreasing for the rest of the rural population.



UNEP Haiti and its partners, the Directorate of Civil Protection and Peche Artisanale et Developpement Integre, started with the simple act of handwashing. And it wasnt just the act that was simple.



Handwashing units were constructed from repurposed cooking oil buckets, fitted with taps and tubes. A local producer installed 1,200 handwashing points while training community members to build the same types of units in the Marine Protected Areas of Port-Salut, Saint-Jean-du-Sud and La Cahouane. Communities are now equipped to expand the initiative and refill the handwashing units with water and bleach when needed.



To encourage their use, handwashing points are located where communities gather most frequently: local associations, shops, restaurants, hotels and main roads, ensuring access even for the most isolated. The repurposed buckets are also branded with messages, encouraging people to wash their hands and reduce their risk of infection. In April, a sound-equipped truck issued the same messages as it moved throughout inland and coastline communities every day.



These simple interventions are not only effective and cost efficient, they also enforce UNEPs duty of careallowing space and not exposing any partner or person to unnecessary risk while establishing the campaign. Moreover, because of their small budget, additional funds remain and will allow UNEP to provide further support, in case the disease peaks.

Theme(s): Others.
Vivica A Fox says Zendaya would be her perfect as her daughter in Kill Bill 3 (Image by Miramax Films)

Over the last few years Quentin Tarantino has repeatedly teased his interest in making a third installment to his beloved Kill Bill films.

At the end of last year, he even admitted that he currently has an idea that could be interesting.

Vivica A Fox, who played Vernita Green in the first two Kill Bill films, doesnt yet have an update on Tarantinos progress, telling NME, I havent got any official word.

Read More: Quentin Tarantino and Uma Thurman have discussed the possibility of 'Kill Bill 3'

Fox thinks she knows the reason for the delay, though. I had a feeling that hopefully [Tarantino] was waiting on [the actress who plays] my daughter to grow up a little bit.

However, Fox understands that Ambrosia Kelley, who played her daughter in the first film, might not have the star power required for the potential follow-up, which is likely to see her avenging Vernitas death at the hands of Uma Thurmans Beatrix Kiddo.

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 06: Zendaya attends the Bvlgari B.zero1 Rock collection event at Duggal Greenhouse on February 06, 2020 in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Steven Ferdman/Getty Images)

Luckily, Fox has her own suggestion for who could play her daughter, if a replacement is needed.

Zendaya.

How hot would that be? And that would probably green light this project. Because her and Uma are both very tall, and it would just be kick-butt ,and I love her.

Hopefully now we can put that out, like Tarantino, cast Zendaya! And spark his interest to put it on the fast track. Wouldnt it be amazing?

Read More: Quentin Tarantino Ends the Kill Bill Debate Once and For All: Its Not Two Movies

Of course, Fox expects her and Thurman to return their roles, too, even though Vernita died in the first Kill Bill film.

Wed come back and reprise our roles. Id get on the phone with my agent immediately, making sure that I could be a part of it.

Tarantino has a great way of figuring out how to bring a character back even if they died, in a flashback or something. People have been waiting, and Im in the waiting line too!
Every year since 1989, 11 July has been marked as World Population Day by the United Nations  a day to address the ever-growing human population on earth, and the issues related to this population growth. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), this years theme is Putting the brakes on COVID-19: How to safeguard the health and rights of women and girls now.

Why womens health needs additional focus now

If youre wondering why this theme and why now, its simply because the COVID-19 pandemic  while affecting millions across the world  does not affect everyone equally. Even in regular circumstances, womens health issues have a tendency to get sidelined. This is why the UN, other organisations and governments run awareness and support programmes.

The pandemic has not just disrupted regular sexual and reproductive health services promised to women all over the world, but also interrupted UN- and government-led programmes promoting womens health issues.

A recent UNFPA report expects the transformative targets it has been working towards, according to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, to get delayed.

This is the reason why ensuring that women and girls have access to their sexual and reproductive health rights during the pandemic is very important, and every nation, community and individual needs to focus on providing support in the following key areas.

1. Contraceptives

Women and girls need contraceptives not just for family planning and to avoid unintended pregnancies, but also to treat conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), uterine fibroids, endometriosis, etc.

The UNFPA report estimates that 47 million women in 114 low- and middle-income countries may not be able to access modern contraceptive methods.

An additional two million women may not be able to get contraceptives if lockdowns and disrupted services continue beyond six months in such countries.

2. Family planning

Not only is access to family planning a human right, but it saves lives and promotes healthier populations, more efficient health systems and stronger economies, the UNFPA report states.

It also mentions that around seven million unintended pregnancies are expected to occur if the lockdown carries on for six months and there are major disruptions to health services.

Even in countries like India, where medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) has been legal and a part of womens gender and reproductive rights since 1971, women might not be able to access clinics and hospitals for the fear of COVID-19 infection. That this will lead to an unexpected rise in global populations and all the socio-economic, healthcare and environmental concerns that come with it is undoubted.

3. Domestic violence

Intimate partner violence undermines the health, dignity, security and autonomy of women. The UNFPA expects a rise in both numbers and levels of domestic violence across the world, with an estimated increase of two million cases in 2020-2021.

If prevention programmes are unable to meet with the demands of this increase  which is highly likely during COVID-19 lockdowns and restricted movement norms  it could mean almost 200 million fewer cases of violence being averted by 2030 as per the report.

4. Maternal healthcare

Maternal and newborn health, while a top priority for most countries including India, is also expected to suffer immensely due to the pandemic. Visits to the obstetrician for antenatal care appointments are affected by the fears of contracting COVID-19 at hospitals, and this might also affect hospital births  which is considered to be the safest setting for childbirth and postnatal care. A study in The Lancet in May 2020 estimates that these disruptions in maternal healthcare are likely to increase maternal mortality as well as under-five-years-old infant mortality in low- and middle-income countries.

For more information, read our articles on Womens Health.

Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, Indias first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health.
Lying on the floor of his hotel room and wincing at the sound of gunfire, Ben Sweeney pecked out a text message to his wife, but did not hit send.

"Babe, I think someone is shooting here I'm really scared it's loud."

The gunfire sounded like it was coming from the room next door, Sweeney told The Washington Post. His mind raced to the worst possible scenario: An active shooter, kicking in doors, killing random hotel guests.

But the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino is huge, and so is Las Vegas, and Sweeney didn't want to scare his wife - asleep back home in Pennsylvania - until he knew what was going on.

They had just said their goodnights. Sweeney was attending an IT conference that started the next day. He'd checked into the hotel around 6 p.m., walked around a bit and listened to the country music concert going on 30 floors below.

His wife is a country music fan. He is not. So before turning in, he held the phone up in the air to let her hear the music and crawled into bed.

Then he heard booms.

He assumed it was fireworks connected to the concert, he told The Post, and figured he might as well catch a glimpse before turning in.

He opened the curtains, but instead of lights in the sky, he heard more booms, closer together, from the hotel.

"That's a machine gun," he thought, dropping to the floor. "An automatic rifle."

The booms were tightly grouped. Seven at a time. Five at a time.

"It seemed like I was so close," he told The Post. "I thought it was coming from the room next to me. I could hear the shots go off inside the hotel first, then echo outside."

He made sure his door was locked, turned off the TV and crawled into the bathroom. There, inside whatever safety the tub provided, he looked at his phone and hit "send."

Now, both Sweeneys were worried, but neither knew what was going on - or what to do.

Sweeney sent his wife a picture of the ground below the hotel, but it was too far away to show any detail. Then he sent her an audio file, but she couldn't really hear it.

His realization came a few moments later:

"Ya hun It's an active shooter I swear it's right in the room next to me."

"It's so loud and it echoes. It's a machine gun."

Sweeney and his now-fully-awake wife cobbled together what was going on from Twitter and Facebook and news reports.

A man opened fire from the 32nd floor of the hotel - two floors up and one room over from where Sweeney huddled in the bathtub.

The shooter had almost the same view that Sweeney had, and he was firing indiscriminately into the crowd.

At least 58 people were killed by gunfire, and more than 500 were wounded. The victims were attending the Route 91 Harvest festival.

But Sweeney was safe.

He texted his parents, figuring they'd wake up, hear the news and worry. And he whispered to his wife on the phone.

Occasionally, he crept over to the bed. Afraid that the TV would attract a shooter, he checked social media on his laptop for information.

At one point, "all of a sudden I hear this loud explosion," he told The Post. It was also from inside the hotel.

Police in Las Vegas said their SWAT team used explosives to get into the room where the suspected shooter, Stephen Paddock, had fired from.

Paddock was an accountant with real estate investments around Orlando and "plenty of money to play with," a family member said. He killed himself as SWAT officers closed in. The investigation into what has been called the worst mass shooting in the modern era is ongoing. On Monday, police were working to identify the dead.

Around 4:30 a.m., Sweeney was awakened by officers at the front door who said they wanted to do a welfare check. He assented and they burst in, checking the closets and the bathroom with guns pointed, clearing the room. When they left, he heard similar shouts and commands as the officers moved on.

By the time the sun came up, he said, the IT conference was an afterthought. He just wanted to be out of Las Vegas.

He booked a flight to Newark. His wife was going to drive 90 miles to pick him up.

Before he left the hotel, less than a day after checking in, he glanced outside the window. In the daylight, he could make out the police activity 30 floors below.

And he could see white tarps. There were dozens of them. Under each, he assumed, was a body.

"If I look out my window right now, I see the tarps out there. The aftermath. You see the tarps and you know someone went out there to have a good time in Vegas and never went home."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 21:24:44|Editor: huaxia

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SEOUL, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Three people have been confirmed dead and 27 others wounded in a hospital fire that occurred in southwestern South Korea early Friday, according to local media reports.

The fire broke out at 3:42 a.m. local time Friday from the first floor of a hospital in Goheung, South Jeolla province, some 470 km south of the capital Seoul. It was extinguished about 140 minutes later.

Of 86 people inside the hospital including 69 patients, seven nurses and 10 family members of the patients, three were killed and 27 others were injured.

Two of the dead were found on the stairs of the second and third floors of the hospital each. Out of the wounded, nine were allegedly in a critical condition because of smoke inhalation and burns.

The cause of the blaze was under investigation, but it was believed to have been triggered by an electrical problem as no sign of intrusion was detected outside of the seven-story hospital building. Enditem
A protest was held Wednesday afternoon in Missouri City after documents surfaced that Fort Bend County Precinct 2 Constable Daryl Smith held his knee against the neck of a handcuffed suspect during a 2016 arrest.

At the time of the incident, Smith was a sergeant for the Missouri City Police Department, according to an Missouri City Police Department internal affairs investigative report. Protest organizers and roughly a dozen supporters gathered to demand Smith to step down.

Related: Activist Quannel X confronts Fort Bend County Attorney Cordes over federal civil rights case

This type of policing is unacceptable. We will not stand for it and we are holding Daryl Smith accountable, said Candice Matthews Ph.D., Texas Coalition of Black Democrats statewide accountability chair.

The 2016 use-of-force incident involves a 25-year-old Richmond man suspected of driving a stolen car who was arrested after leading five Missouri City officers, including Smith, on a 20-minute high-speed car chase which ended in a car crash on May 28, 2016. Officers allegedly pulled the suspect from the car and put him face-down on the ground to be handcuffed, during which time Smith reportedly put his knee on the neck of the suspect for 45 seconds, according to an internal affairs investigation report. The suspect was taken to the hospital in an ambulance but later recovered.

If we can all watch the knee being put on the neck of brother George Floyd unjustly, what about the black knee in uniform that was put on another Black mans neck by Constable Daryl Smith, community activist Quanell X said. If we dont tolerate the white knee in uniform, we cant tolerate the Black knee in uniform either. We want Constable Daryl Smith held accountable.

First elected in November 2018, Smith is currently running for re-election to his second term and faces opponent Tonja Beard in a runoff in the upcoming July 14 Democratic Primary election. When asked to respond, Smith denied the allegations.

Related: Fort Bend County #SayTheirNames vigil honors George Floyd

The incident that happened involved a chase. When the guy got out of the car, we got him down and my knee was across the small of his back because hed already ran and everything. As soon as we got handcuffs on him, we got up and took care of the guy and everything was done properly, Smith said, adding he believed he had been unfairly targeted during the investigation for political reasons by the assistant police chief at the time. I have never injured anyone and I have never used excessive force.

The protest ended peacefully after Quanell X and a small group from the protest confronted Smith outside the Missouri City City Hall early voting polling location, where Smith was campaigning and talking to voters.

We are calling on the Fort Bend County District Attorneys office to re-open this investigation and look into the facts of this case. Daryl is no different than what happened in Minnesota, Quanell X said, referring to officer Derek Chauvin, who pressed his knee on the neck of Houston native George Floyd for more than 8 minutes until he stopped moving. We want Mr. Daryl Smith held accountable because if he did the same thing as the white cop in Minnesota did, why is he not being held accountable?

According to a Letter of Discipline by Missouri City Chief Mike Berezin, the Internal Affairs investigation ruled Smith was guilty of excessive use of force. He was also disciplined for not reporting the incident or informing police officials as per department policy and for leading officers in potentially dangerous high-speed chase. At the end of the four-month investigation, Smith was demoted from patrol unit supervisor to desk sergeant following a 10-day suspension without pay.

Daryl Smith should resign his position at this point and Daryl Smith should be prosecuted by the district attorney of Fort Bend County, said Gerry Monroe, executive director of the United Urban Alumni Association.

Missouri City officials declined to comment on details of the internal affairs report findings.

It is the citys position that individuals requesting documents should draw their own conclusions from records provided by the city, city officials said via email.

knix@hcnonline.com
New Delhi, July 10 : Indian and South Korean governments have decided to enhance cooperation in defence technology and promote industries working in this field.

In this regard, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Jeong Kyeong-Doo, Minister of National Defence, Republic of Korea, over phone on Friday.

During the conversation, the ministers reviewed the progress on various bilateral defence cooperation initiatives and expressed commitment to further promote defence cooperation engagements between the two armed forces.

"It was also agreed to take forward the agreements in the field of defence industry and defence technology cooperation between the two countries," said the Defence Ministry.

The ministry said that views on regional development of mutual security interests were also shared during the talks.

China has transgressed into Indian territories in recent times. A total 20 Indian soldiers and an unknown number of Chinese troops were killed in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on June 15 in the bloodiest clash between the two forces in four decades.

The two defence ministers also had discussions on issues pertaining to the Covid situation. Rajnath Singh informed Kyeong-Doo about India's contribution to international efforts to combat the pandemic and discussed the areas of mutual cooperation in the global fight against the dreaded virus.

The ministers also agreed to work together to deal with the complex challenges posed by the pandemic.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Two people have been arrested in Yuma, Arizona after police said they refused to wear masks and coughed on Walmart employees.

On July 8, the Yuma Police Department responded to a report of a man and woman who were coughing on Walmart workers and not wearing masks, according to a statement by the department. Walmart trespassed the two people, meaning they wanted them to leave, according to the statement.

Businesses can trespass people and sometimes will ask police to issue a trespass warning, according to the Scottsbluff Star Herald.

Frank Montoya, 38, was confrontational after police tried to stop him and Victoria Parra Carranza, 23, according to the statement. Police said Montoya tried to flee and fought with police, who were trying to detain him. Parra Carranza also tried to interfere with the officers, police said.

Both were booked into the Yuma County Adult Detention Facility, according to inmate records. Montoya was charged with resisting arrest, aggravated assault of an officer, disorderly conduct for fighting, and criminal trespass. Parra Carranza was charged with criminal trespass, hindering prosecution, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct for fighting, and aggravated assault against an officer.

The Department of Justice said in a March letter that COVID-19 appears to meet the statutory definition of a biological agent and that people who try to infect people on purpose could face terrorism charges.

Threats or attempts to use COVID-19 as a weapon against Americans will not be tolerated, he wrote.[Y]ou may encounter criminal activity ranging from malicious hoaxes, to threats targeting specific individuals or the general public, to the purposeful exposure and infection of others with COVID-19, Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen wrote in a statement. Because coronavirus appears to meet the statutory definition of a biological agent under [federal law], such acts potentially could implicate the Nations terrorism-related statutes.

Story continues

Other people have been accused of intentionally coughing on others.

A school worker lost her job after video showed her coughing on a baby in a yogurt shop. Security camera footage at a Yogurtland in San Jose, California shows a woman pulling down her face mask and coughing into a babys face. The baby boy, who was in a stroller, and his mother were in line behind the suspect.

The incident occurred on June 12 and an investigation found that the suspect was upset the female was not maintaining proper social distancing, so the suspect removed her face mask, got close to the babys face, and coughed 2-3 times, according to a San Jose Police Department in a news release.

More than 3 million people have been infected with COVID-19 in the U.S. as of July 9, according to Johns Hopkins University. More than 132,000 people have died from the virus in the U.S.
Egypts tourism minister on Friday discussed the recent resumption of tourist traffic in the country with a group of ambassadors from EU member states.



Tourism and Antiquities Minister Khaled El-Enany held a virtual meeting with 24 ambassadors to discuss the resumption of tourism between Egypt and the EU, after flights restarted on 1 July.



He reviewed the preventive measures undertaken by Egypt regarding overseas tourists, which seek to ensure the safety of both tourists and locals.

El-Enany said infection rates in South Sinai, Red Sea and Matrouh, the three Egyptian governorates which foreign tourists are currently allowed to travel to, are lower than in some EU countries.



During the meeting, the ambassadors reviewed a set of criteria required of visitors from non-EU countries who wish to enter the EU. The list is revised twice monthly.



Maged Mosleh, supervisor of the Central Administration for Public and International Relations at the tourism and antiquities ministry, said EU officials stressed that there were no current restrictions on travel by EU citizens to Egypt.



Sharm El-Sheikh airport received two flights from Ukraine on Friday carrying 377 tourists, a separate statement by the tourism ministry said.



A flight from Kiev carrying 187 tourists arrived first, followed by a flight carrying 190 tourists from Kharkiv.



Around 6,000 tourists have arrived at the two resorts since the beginning of July the statement said.

Sharm El-Sheikh has received 30 flights, from Ukraine and Belarus, while Hurghada has received 15 flights, from Ukraine, Belarus and Switzerland.

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NEW HAVEN  A city woman pleaded guilty Thursday, admitting her role in conspiring to distribute heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine, according to federal authorities.

Jenna Defelice, 35, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, controlled substances. That offense carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison.
States seeing surges in coronavirus cases should pause their reopening processes, Dr. Anthony Fauci said.

Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said some states skipped over recommendation and reopened too quickly amid the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, several states - including Alabama - have seen the number of cases soar to record levels in recent week.

There are things that can be done, however, Fauci stressed.

"Rather than think in terms of reverting back down to a complete shutdown, I would think we need to get the states pausing in their opening process," Fauci said, mentioning four states  Arizona, California, Florida and Texas  that account for about 50% of all new infections. Fauci said those states need to work to keep people socially distant by closing bars and preventing crowds.

"If we can do that consistently, I will tell you, almost certainly, you're going to see a down curve of those infections," he said.

For complete COVID-19 coverage from AL.com, go here.

Here are more COVID-19 headlines:

Starbucks to require masks

You will have to wear a mask if you want your Starbucks fix.

Starting July 15, Starbucks will require customers to wear facial coverings at all company-owned locations.

At select locations where a local government mandate is not in place, customers that may not be wearing a facial covering will have various options to order their Starbucks, including ordering at the drive-thru, curbside pickup through the Starbucks app or placing an order for delivery through Starbucks Delivers, the company said in a statement.

Florida records record number of COVID deaths

Florida recorded 120 COVID-19 deaths Wednesday, a record high for the state.

More than 4,000 people have died of coronavirus in Florida, as the state experiences a massive upswing in COVID cases. Florida reported 9,000 new COVID cases as of Wednesday, bringing the total number in the state to 233,000.

New Jersey: Wear your masks outdoors

New Jersey is mandating residents wear a masks while outdoors.

Outdoor masks are required anywhere people congregate, Gov. Phil Murphy announced.

Children under age 2 are exempt from the rule, as are people eating or drinking in an outdoor dining establishment.

More than 10,000 New Jersey residents have died of COVID and the states infection rate recently hit a 10-week high.

Students at New Orleans Tulane University are receiving a stern warning: No parties.

In an email sent to students, Dean of Students Erica Woodley warned against hosting parties or gatherings of with more than 15 people, including the host.

If you do, you will face suspension or expulsion from the university, she wrote.

Gatherings of any size require masks and social distancing, Woodley explained.

The email came after photos and videos were posted to social media showing Tulane students holding large parties over the July 4th weekend.
(HedgeCo.Net) The Securities and Exchange Commission has obtained a consent judgment against Chicago resident Zvi Feiner and his company FNR Healthcare, LLC for operating a fraudulent scheme that targeted investors in the Orthodox Jewish community in the Chicago area.

The SECs complaint, filed on September 19, 2019, alleged that Feiner, FNR, and Feiners partner, Erez Baver, raised more than $10 million from at least 62 investors to acquire nursing homes and assisted living facilities throughout the Midwest. According to the complaint, the defendants falsely told investors that the investments were low-risk and would generate high returns, and also misappropriated investor funds to pay distributions to earlier investors and for their personal use. The complaint also named Feiners company Netzach Investments LLC and Bavers company Cedarbrook Management, Inc. as relief defendants for the purposes of recovering investor funds that those companies received from the fraud.

On June 24, 2020, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois entered a judgment that permanently enjoins Feiner and FNR from violating the antifraud provisions of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. Without admitting or denying the allegations in the complaint, Feiner, FNR, and Netzach consented to entry of the judgment ordering them to pay disgorgement and prejudgment interest. Baver and Cedarbrook previously settled the SECs charges by agreeing to permanent injunctive relief and to pay a total of $2,253,734 in disgorgement and prejudgment interest. The amounts of disgorgement and prejudgment interest to be paid by all defendants and relief defendants, together with the appropriateness and amounts of any civil penalties imposed against Feiner, FNR, and Baver, will be determined by the court upon motion by the SEC.
Chandigarh, July 10 : The Punjab government on Friday challenged the judgment of the high court relating to payment of school fees for the lockdown period.

In a letter patents appeal (LPA), the state has sought a stay on the operation of the single judge order and judgement of June 30 "in the interest of justice and fair play".

In its ruling of June 30, a single judge of the high court had given relief to the private schools to effectively collect all types of fees irrespective of whether it offered online education or classes.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had earlier expressed concern over private schools charging fee from students even when no online or offline classes were held in the wake of the Covid-induced shutdown.

The matter had come up for discussion at Wednesday's Cabinet meeting and Advocate General Atul Nanda was asked to file the LPA in the high court.

The LPA points out that the private schools, despite pleading financial hardship and incapacity to meet their expenditures or charges, did not place on record any evidence or material to prove the same.

It was further noted that the high court, in its ruling, had completely ignored the fact that the government of Punjab had been constrained to issue orders directing private schools to charge only "tuition fee" in respect of online education provided by them in order to mitigate the emergent hardship faced by the parents due to the Covid-19 crisis.

The impugned order and judgement, according to the LPA, provides no mechanism to check and verify the "actual expenditure" while allowing the schools to charge their "actual expenditures." Thus, there are practical difficulties in the enforceability and implementation of the impugned order and judgment, it said.
[July 10, 2020] Caverion to be Responsible for Technical Maintenance and Facility Management of Telia's Data Centers in Finland

HELSINKI, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Caverion has signed an agreement with Telia Finland Oyj for the technical maintenance and facility management services of Telia Helsinki Data Center and Telia's other large and medium-sized data centers in Finland. Telia's hundreds of data centers located around Finland are critical for communications traffic, hence securing their uninterrupted operation requires 24-hour readiness from maintenance. Caverion has total responsibility for technical maintenance of all building solutions and other services in the premises. "The growing network traffic and wide-spreading data-enabled services throughout the society set increasing requirements for the location and maintenance of the data centers and network equipment. We are confident that Caverion will further improve the quality, efficiency and sustainability of technical building solutions and services," says Kimmo Fransila, Head of Sites, Telia Finland. Caverion uses its digital applications for operations management and customer reporting. Caverion SmartView portal brings together all the features needed for property management and provides real-time information increasing predictability, transparency and productivity. With the portal, ensuring critical functions and monitoring the response times and production efficiency is easy. Operational reporting is also made through SmartView. "We are delighted that our cooperation with Telia is now expanding. Our services support Telia's own core business. We also want to commit to Telia's sustainability goals of reducing CO2 emissions in their properties. Recent months have changed the way we work and experience this world. We have been reminded of the important role Telia and Caverion play in maintaining the critical functions of our society. We are proud to enable performance and people's well-being in the built environments smartly and responsibly", says Ville Tamminen, Executive Vice President, Caverion Finland. Read more about our services for real estate users Read more of the SmartView portal CONTACT: For more information, please contact:

Pasi Vartiainen

Sales Director

Caverion Finland

[email protected]

Tel. +358-50-343-3171 Kimmo Fransila

Head of Sites

Telia Finland

Puh. +358-40-508-2393 Kirsi Hemmila

Communications Manager

Caverion Finland

Tel. +358-50-390-0941

[email protected] This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/caverion/r/caverion-to-be-responsible-for-technical-maintenance-and-facility-management-of-telia-s-data-centers,c3151337 The following files are available for download:







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The US has once again set a record-high number of coronavirus cases for the third day in a row, recording more than 63,000 new infections in a single day.

This breaks the previous record set on Wednesday of more than 62,000 and brings the total number of cases to more than 3.1 million.

So far, more than 133,000 Americans have died since the start of the pandemic with 990 deaths recorded on Thursday, the second-highest ever.

Deaths were previously trending downwards even as the number of infections surged across the country, but lately have begun catching up.

On Thursday, Florida reported 120 coronavirus-related fatalities, the most since the pandemic began Deaths in Texas also surpassed 100.

Hospitalizations have also been skyrocketing in multiple states with intensive-care unit beds at or nearing capacity, leaving doctors and nurses stressed and overwhelmed.

DEATHS: Florida, California and Texas are seeing spikes in deaths, according to data tracking the seven day average of in the three hot pot states. On Thursday, Florida (left) recorded its highest-number of deaths at 120. Meanwhile, California reported 137deaths while Texas deaths surpassed 100 for the first time (right)

CASES; Cases are also on the rise in the three-respective states. Florida (left) recorded 8,936 cases, California reported a near-record 9,816 (center) and Texas reported 9,752 (right)

For the second consecutive day, the US has set a record-high number of coronavirus cases with more than 62,000 new infections reported in a single day (above)

'We're in a very difficult, challenging period right now,' Dr Anthony Fauci, the top infectious disease experts in the US, said on Thursday during a teleconference organized by The Hill.

As the country began reopening, many states 'jumped over the benchmarks,' Fauci said, referring to indicators of a slowing infection rate required for states to begin phasing out of lockdowns.

'I would think we need to get the states pausing in their opening process,' he said, although he added: 'I don't think we need to go back to an extreme of shutting down.'

President Donald Trump has openly said he disagrees with Fauci, and has continued to downplay the spike in cases.

'For the 1/100th time, the reason we show so many Cases, compared to other countries that haven't done nearly as well as we have, is that our TESTING is much bigger and better,' he tweeted on Thursday.

'We have tested 40,000,000 people. If we did 20,000,000 instead, Cases would be half, etc.'

On Thursday, Florida recorded 8,936 cases (left) and 120 (right), the latter being a record high for the Sunshine State, bringing totals to more than 232,000 infections and more than 4,000 deaths

Despite Florida having the fourth-highest number of cases in the country, Gov Ron DeSantis has resisted reinstating lockdown measures and said he does not believe that mandating masks will help reduce the spread of the virus

The Florida Department of Health reported 120 deaths on Thursday, the highest single-day jump since the start of the pandemic in March.

Additionally, the Sunshine State recorded 8,936 cases, bringing the total to 232,718, the fourth-most in the country.

In Miami-Dade County, home to South Beach, the local health department reported a 33.5 percent positivity rate, believed to be the highest in the state.

Despite record numbers of cases and deaths being reported, Gov Ron DeSantis said he believes Florida has 'stabilized,' but admitted he'd liked to see cases and deaths go back to May and June.

However, DeSantis has resisted reinstating lockdown measures and said he does not believe that mandating masks will help reduce the spread of the virus.

He also echoed President Trump's comments that the rise of COVID-19 across the US is a result of more testing rather than increased spread.

'There have been way more infections than documented cases,'' DeSantis said during on Monday. 'But it's not really evidence that it's more prevalent.'

A total of 9,689 patients have been hospitalized in Texas after testing positive for the virus, a 0.82% increase from the previous record set on Wednesday (above)

Un Louisiana, after reaching a low of 542 patients on June 13, the state rebounded as is now reporting 1,042 hospitalizations, the highest since May 15 (above)

Meanwhile, Texas set multiple coronavirus records with top officials warning that the worst is yet to come.

The Houston Chronicle reports that 9,689 patients have been hospitalized after testing positive for the virus, a 0.82 percent increase from the previous record set on Wednesday.

Currently, 953 ICU beds are available in the state, which is the first time since March 13 that Texas has had fewer than than 1,000 available ICU beds.

Another record set on Thursday was the amount of tests combing back positive over the past seven days, which sits at 15.6 percent.

'The numbers are going to look worse as we go into next week,' Gov Greg Abbott told local station KRIV-TV in Houston on Thursday.

In a stark contrast from the beginning of the pandemic, during which he was resistant to wearing masks, Abbott now begged people to wear them.

Abbott said he understands the face coverings may be uncomfortable, but that's 'the only strategy we have left to avoid having our economy shut down again.'

'The last thing we want to do is shut things down again,' he told KRIV-TV.

Hospitals in several states are beginning to feel the strain as their beds become full and staff becomes overwhelmed.

Three states, Arizona, Arkansas and California, all reported single-day record highs in coronavirus-related hospitalizations.

And in Louisiana, after reaching a low of 542 patients on June 13, the state rebounded as is now reporting 1,042 hospitalizations with 110 of those patients requiring ventilators.

That's the highest level in the state since Phase 1 reopening began on May 15.

On Wednesday, Louisiana's Gov John Bel Edwards said the state is 'going in the wrong direction' and has wuped nearly erasing all the gains it had made against the virus in just three weeks.

In Florida, nearly half of the state's intensive-care units intensive care units are 90 percent full while at least 20 percent have reached capacity, state data shows.

According to the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, 95 hospital ICUs were at least 90 percent full on Thursday while 45 hospital ICUs were at capacity.

At least 46 others had just one bed available.

'Three months ago, everyone joined in a shared goal of flattening the curve, which was temporarily accomplished,' Larry Antonucci, CEO of Southwest Floridas Lee Health hospital system told USA TODAY.

'The curve is no longer flat. Instead we have a spike in cases and the spike is growing fast.'
A close associate of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, who is in jail on charges she helped him sexually abuse young women and girls, should be released to home arrest while she awaits trial, her lawyers say.

British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell was arrested last week at her New Hampshire estate before being moved to New York City to face the federal charges.

Expand Close A photo of Ghislaine Maxwell with Jeffrey Epstein (John Minchillo/AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp A photo of Ghislaine Maxwell with Jeffrey Epstein (John Minchillo/AP)

Maxwell, 58, has been detained at a lock-up in Brooklyn without bail. Prosecutors have labelled her an extreme risk of flight and said they want her jailed until trial.

In court papaers, her lawyers cited the coronavirus risk in jail as reason to release her on five million US dollars (4 million) bond.

A judge has set a hearing for Tuesday to hear bail arguments and to arraign Maxwell on multiple charges, including that she conspired to entice girls as young as 14 to engage in illegal sex acts with Epstein from 1994 through 1997 at his homes in New York City, Florida, and New Mexico  and at Maxwells residence in London.

She has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and called some claims against her absolute rubbish.

Epstein killed himself in a Manhattan jail last August while he awaited trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
In a Zoom interview with Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate for the TIME 100 Talk, Angelina Jolie spoke about the things she's learned from her 15-year-old daughter Zahara, who she adopted from Ethiopia. After talking with the activist about the need for an intersectional approach to climate justice, Jolie brought up the issue with the way Black history is taught in the United States and where it falls short for her daughter and everyone else.

"I dont know about the schools in Uganda...But what I see in, for example, American history books and how limited they are they start teaching people who are Black about their lives through the Civil Rights movement, which is such a horrible place to begin," Jolie said.

Nakate responded to Jolie, saying that the first thing more people need to get educated on is the fact that Africa is not a country, but a continent with 54 countries. Similar to Jolie's perception of U.S. school, Nakate also remembers her history education teaching "so much of slavery" and that the narrative needs to change.

"We dont need to learn about all that cruelty that our people went through, because to me it completely lowers your value as a person," she said. "I think African children or any other children should be told about the power that lies within Africa. The African continent is not just about the history of slavery. Its about the young people who grew up and became doctors, who became professionals in their own careers."

Vanessa Natake

The other thing people need to learn? "That when an African voice speaks, then its really an important matter, because for a very long time, we have [had so] few voices coming out of the African continent that are amplified," Nakate said. "But [so many others] never get a chance for their stories to be heard."

Jolie discussed her daughter's own connection to her African roots, saying what it's like to watch her grow up.

Story continues

"My daughter is from Ethiopia, one of my children. And I have learned so much from her," Jolie said. "She is my family, but she is an extraordinary African woman."

She continued: "Her connection to her country, her continent, is veryits her own and its something I only stand back in awe of."

In previous interviews Jolie has discussed her fear of her daughter growing up a Black woman in the U.S. "There is racism and discrimination in America," she told Harper's Bazaar earlier this month. "A system that protects me but might not protect my daughteror any other man, woman, or child in our country based on skin coloris intolerable."

However, she also addressed the need for action, explaining that it isn't enough simply to condemn these issues without making structural change. "We need to progress beyond sympathy and good intentions to laws and policies that actually address structural racism and impunity," she said. "Ending abuses in policing is just the start. It goes far beyond that, to all aspects of society, from our education system to our politics."
According to Mateo Askaripour, theres nothing about writing that doesnt make him happyand his enthusiasm and perseverance have all paid off: on Jan. 12, 2021, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt will publish his novel Black Buck.

The protagonist, Darren Vender, is a 22-year-old underachiever working at a Starbucks in New York City who gets his big break when a regular customer, the CEO of a mysterious tech start-up, offers him a job. Part of an elite sales team and the only Black person in the company, Darren reinvents himself as Buck and sets out to empower young people of color.

MLK, Malcolm X, James Baldwin, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Frederick Douglass were all salesmen, Darren says. Hell, Nina Simone, Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, and every other black woman who achieved any leap of success was a saleswoman.... Each and every one of these people was selling something more precious than gold: a vision. A vision for what the world could look like if millions of people were to change their mindsthe hardest thing to change. I am a black man on a mission. No, I am a black salesman on a mission. And the point of this bookwhich Im writing from my penthouse overlooking Central Parkis to help other black men and women on a mission sell their visions all the way to the top.

I watched a Zoom interview with Askaripour before I spoke with him, and his confidence and charisma are undisputable. He was the director of sales development at a start-up at age 24. But I always told stories, he says. I made my emails a creative writing exercise, a narrative. Writing was an escape, but now its my life. And Darren is partially me. My journey and my book are one and the same. I feel a level of responsibility to help people.

Askaripours gift for persuasion caught the attention of Tina Pohlman, an agent at Ross Yoon Agency (who was at Union Literary when she sold Black Buck to HMH), who calls his query letter wonderful and down to earth. Hes a salesman, she says. It was a well pitched letter.

And Askaripour says that when HMH editor Pilar Garcia-Brown courted him and said about Black Buck, This is like a sales manual, he was thrilledhe remembers thinking, She got it!

In May 2016, Askaripour gave up weekend partying and started writing: articles, a blog, and his first novel. That August, he quit his job and finished his manuscript in four and a half months. From there, the path was about figuring out how to be a writer, he says. I had no training, no MFA, and wondered sometimes what I was doingif maybe I should stay in tech. What I did was read more and write more. I wrote two books in a year, just trial and error.

In the process, Askaripour went to Costa Rica, googled literary agencies, sent queries, and made phone calls. Even rejection letters made me happy, he says. Back in New York, he continued querying agents. He got nine responses, but nothing happened.

Askaripour went to Bali and on to Bangkok. He rewrote book number two and got more responses to his queriesbut still nothing happened. Finally, he says, I threw external ideas out the window and decided I was going to have fun and write the book I wanted to write. In January 2018, he started Black Buck.

Then, at the Rhode Island Writers Colony, Askaripour found his community. It changed my life, he says. I felt supported as a writer. I gave a reading and a man came up to me after and wanted to buy my book. There was no published book, but the validation made me think I could get to the place I wanted to be.

Askaripour was in San Francisco when he got a phone call from Pohlman. We hit it off right away, he says. Pohlman asked him to sign with her. He immediately called a brother (he has four, all older), who advised, Wait. Dont let her punk you!

But despite other offers, Askaripour went with Pohlman. Her experience as an editor for 25 years impressed him, and she was equally impressed with him. The query for Black Buck came over the transom, she says. Hed sent 20 pages and I asked to see the rest and devoured it. My reading of the book made him happy and we really clicked. I remember he made me wait before he agreed to representation. Hes so funny. I love him.

Pohlman signed Askaripour in February 2019 and that July sent Black Buck out to 15 editors. The first call she got was from Garcia-Brown, who had just been promoted to editor at HMH. (Coincidentally, the novel is set at 3 Park Avenue, the address of HMHs New York offices.) Garcia-Brown says that she, like Pohlman, tore through the manuscript and brought it to an editorial meeting. Askaripour is so smart, with such energy and vervea great voice and accessible. The book is a sharp look at diversity. People were in the office until 8 p.m. reading. Everyone was excited, but Tina didnt want me to speak to Mateo unless we had an offer. I knew we could make a preempt, so Tina set up the call, and it was a great conversation. Mateo has a real vision and is able to communicate that vision.

The preempt offer for North American rights was in the mid-six figures. Its the most Garcia-Brown has ever paid. My biggest book to date, she confirms.

Askaripour says he was thrilled with Garcia-Brown. She didnt want to tear the book apart; he felt like she understood it. And he had encouraging emails from everyone at HMH. But still... What about an auction? he asked Pohlman.

Pohlman thought HMH was a great fit, but what sealed the deal, Askaripour says, was a friend who told him intent trumps money. So then, he adds, it was a no-brainer.

The contract was signed in September. Its been a dream, Pohlman says. I was only an agent for a year when I sold this book. I loved being an editor, but its great being an agent. I love the thrill of discovery.

Askaripour says hes grateful every day. After we took the preempt, I flew to New York and went into the bathroom on the plane, and I just cried.

Correction: This article initially stated that Askaripour has three brothers. He has four. It also called Askaripour "head of tech" at a startup when he was, in fact, director of sales development. In addition, this article has been updated with further information.
TOKYO - A U.S. envoy reassured top Japanese officials Friday of the importance of their alliance in dealing with regional security threats, just as the North Korean leaders sister expressed low expectations of a summit between her brother and President Donald Trump this year.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun is in Tokyo after his visit to Seoul where he discussed nuclear diplomacy with North Korea, which has refused to resume talks due to what it calls hostile American policies.

Biegun met with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defence Minister Taro Kono separately and reaffirmed the importance of their alliance in maintaining and strengthening the free and open Indo-Pacific and dealing with regional concerns including North Korea and China.

Earlier Friday, Kim Yo Jong said her brother wont be meeting Trump because there is no need for the North to gift Trump meetings when its not getting any reward in return. In her statement released through Pyongyangs official Korean Central News Agency, she called for major concessions from washing ton to keep alive the nuclear diplomacy.

Kim Yo Jong is seen as her brothers closest confidant and was recently confirmed as his top official for inter-Korean affairs.

South Korea on Thursday asked Biegun to try to revive the talks with the North. He stressed during his meetings in Seoul that resuming the diplomacy with the North was important. But he separately accused a senior North Korean nuclear negotiator who had blamed the deadlocked talks on American hostility of being locked in an old way of thinking. Those remarks indicated Washington wont likely make concessions to resume the talks despite the Norths pressure.

Kim Yo Jong said a surprise thing may still happen, depending upon the judgement and decision between the two top leaders but that the U.S. needed summit talks while Pyongyang did not.

North Korea has demanded that the U.S. lift international sanctions and provide a security guarantee if its truly committed to talks about the status of its nuclear weapons program.

Some analysts believe North Korea, which is sensitive about potential changes in U.S. leadership, will avoid serious talks with the Americans for now before an eventual return to negotiations after the U.S. presidential election in November.

Kim Yo Jong said that the diplomacy could be salvaged only by a reciprocal exchange of irreversible simultaneous major steps.

The nuclear diplomacy has stalled since a second summit between Kim and President Donald Trump in early 2019.

___

AP journalists Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul and Emily Wang in Tokyo contributed to this report.

___

Follow Mari Yamaguchi on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/mariyamaguchi
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 22:04:24|Editor: huaxia

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DAMASCUS, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army foiled a massive rebel attack in the country's northwestern province of Latakia on Friday, the army said in a statement.

The Turkey-backed rebels launched a wide-scale offensive on military sites north of the town of Rabia in the countryside of Latakia, said the statement, which was carried by state news agency SANA.

It said the army foiled the attack and inflicted hefty tolls on the rebel groups.

No casualties have been reported on the Syrian army side, said the statement, adding that the rebels used various types of weapons.

Various rebel groups are located in the northern countryside of Latakia, on top of which is the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front. Enditem
For all the hysterical clamour the last four years about building a wall in North America, it turns out the most important one, the one keeping a nation free from pestilential invaders from the south, is the border between Canada and the United States.

To the north of that now-closed line, Canada is  as CNN recently reported  crushing the curve of coronavirus cases.

To the south, the richest, most powerful, most technologically developed nation on Earth leads the world in COVID-19 cases and death.

In Ontario, there were no new deaths on Monday.

In the U.S. especially the south and southwest, in Florida and Texas and California, reopenings have been halted and closures reannounced as numbers of those infected surged.

To add insult to mounting American injury, the European Union has reopened to Canadians, but not Americans.

There can be gratitude in all this, but certainly no gladness or gloating.

Its a terrible thing for an old, dear friend to watch America  as a result of its wilful blindness, contempt for science and gross mishandling of the pandemic  descend to the status of a pariah state.

Just as it was jarring  though hardly wrong  to see the Irish commentator Fintan OToole say recently that the world now looks on the U.S. of President Donald Trump with a new emotion. Pity.

The Atlantics George Packer described in one searing paragraph recently just how pitiful the former promised land of the planet had become.

When the virus came here, it found a country with serious underlying conditions, and it exploited them ruthlessly. Chronic ills  a corrupt political class, a sclerotic bureaucracy, a heartless economy, a divided and distracted public  had gone untreated for years.

The crisis demanded a response that was swift, rational and collective, Packer said.

Instead, it got Donald Trumps singular ignorance, delusion and pathological instinct to see everything, even matters of life and death, in political terms.

In his 2018 book, The Fifth Risk, which warned of perils the Trump government might face, Michael Lewis said the United States government might be the most complicated organization on the face of the Earth.

Yet it has been run as if it were a one-man corner store. And with coronavirus, the bill for that failure came due.

The last sentence in Lewiss book explained why attention to the world beyond ones own experience and instincts and borders is essential.

Its what you fail to imagine that kills you.

With Trump, there has been delusion, but little imagination. There is also endlessly recurring petulance, as illustrated in a pithy headline this week on a New York Magazine piece on the pandemic: United States, World Leader in COVID-19 Deaths, to Leave WHO.

So, why has Canada done better?

Part values, part experience, part humility of people and their leadership, part consistency of government messaging.

At core, our national DNA favours the collective during a crisis that has demanded collective action, mutual sacrifice, looking out for the other rather than insistence on personal liberty and pursuit of happiness.

Many of the characteristics frequently cited as negatives in comparing Canada to the U.S.  our smaller size, our humility, our greater trust in government, our commitment to community and social services, no sense of our own mythic exceptionalism  have become assets in this crisis.

As well, there was the experience with SARS in 2003, which hit Canada hard, was almost unfelt in the U.S., and served as a warning on the nature and threat of novel infectious diseases.

After SARS, Canada redesigned the federal-provincial relationship on public health and infectious diseases. Our public systems are more amenable to coherent reaction to widespread crisis than the private institutions in the U.S

Perhaps most important, the prime minister  while inevitably imperfect  has appeared calm, measured, appropriate, while chief public officers of health have become leading voices.

In Canada, unlike the United States, the partisan cudgels were put aside  mercifully avoiding the vexation of states forced to deal with what Washington wouldnt, and governors putting political affiliation and loyalty to the president ahead of science and medical expertise.

On CNN, for instance, there was astonishment that Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland had become confidants during the crisis.

It was as if, the reporter sputtered, a Democratic governor had praised the vice-president.

Canadian success has engendered confidence.

This week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took a pass on meeting in Washington with Trump and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to discuss the new trade agreement among the three countries.

Also this week, the Star reported on economic experts saying escalating infections in the U.S. mean the border must remain closed to non-essential travel.

A Nanos poll found that, for all the economic cost attached to the measure, and all the disruption to summer vacation plans, more than 80 per cent of Canadians agreed.

Its pretty sad but we can understand why the border is closed and cant open right now, Beth Potter, president and CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario, told the Star.

How practically and rationally and unselfishly Canadian.
Racism is real; not only is it real, its alive and well in America and around the world.

Since the death of Mr. George Floyd, people have said to me, I didnt know it was like that. I suppose Ill have to believe them because many of them have taken to the streets in protest. Quietly, I wonder where have you been all this time. Racism may be alive and well in your own home, next door, up the street, down the street, in the local schools, on the job, in the church, in the town hall, in the county hall, in the state capital, in the White House, and, more devastatingly, in your own heart. We are not born with it.

Fortunately, we are led to believe it is learned behavior which means it can be eradicated from the host. This condition is like a pandemic. Anyone can become infected with it. The infected host may be symptomatic or asymptomatic. The effect of this condition can be very mild on the host or life-threatening to the carrier and those he/she encounters. Many of us tend to believe that we are immune to this condition or just cannot become infected or influenced by it. Others have believed for years that this condition only existed in certain areas of our country or remote parts of the world. In America, many citizens want to believe that this condition had its roots in our southern states and, around the world, it was mostly limited to Southwest Africa and South Africa where it was called apartheid.

For years many Americans have tried to believe that racism somehow disappeared when you crossed the Mason-Dixon Line, and this condition of the mind and heart only existed in states on the south side of the line. While many of the states in that region openly practiced Jim Crow justice, this infection can be seen across these United States of America. I was born in Columbus, MS, and lived there only a few years. While living in Mississippi, I was too young to attend school but can vividly recall my first encounter with the horror of racism. In those days, everyone had clotheslines in the backyard. We had four poles shaped like the letter T with two-wire lines on each pair. This was long before the introduction or invention of an automatic dryer into the home.

Early one morning I walked out of the back door into the yard to play. To my shock and amazement, I saw my cousin draped across one of the clotheslines bleeding from his chest and abdomen. I screamed and yelled for mom and dad to come and help. My cousin was someone I admired as a child. He was strong, handsome and everyone liked him. All I could wonder was who could have done this horrible thing to him and why? I was told that my cousin had been playing dice with some white men and was winning. One of the men accused him of cheating and had cut him with a razor to teach him a lesson. I was told that the man who cut him was a person I knew to be crippled and always walked with crutches. I could not understand how this man could have done this to my cousin. Eventually, it was explained to me that several men had held my cousin down and allowed the man to cut him. Now, it was clear to me. I remember that no ambulance was called and no police were summoned to investigate the incident. However, my cousin did recover. Sometime later, our family left Mississippi because the plant where my father worked was closing and we were moving to the North. This incident has remained with me all my life.

For years the citizens of our country have wanted to believe that events like the one I just mentioned only occur in the South. However, the 8 minutes and 46 seconds in the tragedy surrounding the death of George Floyd occurred in Minneapolis, MN, very far north from the Mason-Dixon Line. This human affliction crossed the Mason-Dixon Line in wagons, in cars, in trains, aboard boats, and in airplanes, shrouded in the bosoms of our fellow Americans. The protests that we are witnessing are just symptoms of the cure required to rid us of this human condition. Despite all the past enslavement, the Civil War, the lynching, the raping, the mob violence, the job barriers, the voter suppression, the education obstructions, the cultural destruction and personal hatred, maybe this time in this generation we can remove a large portion of this racial disease from our hearts. The change that so many of us appear to be seeking wont happen quickly after you leave the protest march. The protest is the first and a vital step to address this dreadful human condition.

If you are being pained by the steps to fight COVID-19, you are in for a much more severe awakening. If you believe removing some of the misplaced honor from statues, forts, photos, airports and other places are all that is necessary to release us from this condition, you are free to do so but will be sadly mistaken. To remove this moral stain from our country and around the world we will discover how deeply rooted this cancer is lodged in the fabric of many human beings. For many, the changes required to eradicate this plague will seem much worse than living and practicing this malignant lifestyle. The perpetrators of racism will rather perish than give up the myth of this existence and will threaten those who suggest the process for a cure. There is no vaccination or silver bullet, but what is required is a change of mind and heart. Many people would say it is just as painless as wearing a mask and washing your hands in a pandemic. Yet, many will refuse to do so for no good reason.

John E. Cunningham is a retired educator from the Alton School District. He resides in Edwardsville with his wife Carmen. He has been a member and officer of the Edwardsville Branch #3014 of the NAACP since the early nineties. He has been President of the Branch since 2016
Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) will reopen Aug. 3, administrators announced in a July 9 press conference.

IPS Superintendent Aleesia Johnson said the district has been working closely with the Marion County Public Health Department and following guidelines set by the Indiana State Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to ensure students can safely return to school.

IPS students and staff will all be required to wear either a face mask for a face shield, which will be provided by the school. Johnson said her team is working to determine at what times  such as lunchtime or recess students will be permitted to take off their masks during the course of the school day.

The district also plans to follow social distancing guidelines at all times.

Families will have the option of resuming coursework virtually if they do not feel comfortable sending their student back to school amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Johnson said, based on data the township collected through surveys with families, about one-third of parents in the district previously said they would opt for virtual learning if given the option.

For those who do end up resuming classes online, the district will provide equipment, as well as personal hotspots, if needed.

During the press conference, Johnson discussed new measures to reduce contact throughout the day, including new touchless water fountains  which follow the Indiana Department of Education mandate prohibiting the use of standard water fountains during the pandemic  as well as having teachers remove unnecessary furniture from their classrooms to prevent contact and make more space for social distancing.

Along with classroom alterations, school buses will look much different this school year, as well.

In an effort to keep students and drivers safe, Johnson said everyone on the bus, including the driver, must wear a mask at all times. Students will sit one child per seat and per row, and the district has reached out to parents to encourage anyone who can drop their child off at school to do so.

IPS is partnered with IndyGo  which recently moved to enforce the use of masks for anyone riding the bus  to help students get to school. Unlike IndyGo, however, Warren Morgan, chief academics officer for IPS, said the district is not able to install plastic shields for the drivers, but said drivers sit arent close to students.

Johnson declined to say whether or not IPS would return to virtual-only classes if a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19.

We are being intentional about not having a blanket response that we would put into place, Johnson said.   Were putting protocols in place because we want to be sure that were able to contact trace.

Johnson said certain measures the district is taking, including limiting time spent in the hallways, will hopefully help contain the spread if someone is positive for COVID-19, and said the likelihood of having positive cases in schools is likely.

In the event that someone tests positive, Johnson said IPS is working with the county health department to get onsite testing.

Scott Martin, deputy superintendent for operations, said common touch points, such as doorknobs, will be cleaned frequently throughout the school day. After school, classrooms, bathrooms and school buses will be deep cleaned daily.

Administrators say these measures to ensure the health and academic success of students  including technology, personal protective equipment and the touchless water fountains  has resulted in $15 million in additional expenses, and that number is growing.

Contact staff writer Breanna Cooper at 317-762-7848. Follow her on Twitter @BreannaNCooper.

Inside the John Morton-Finney Center for Educational Services, where the Indianapolis Public Schools board meets. (Recorder file photo)
Enemy losses are being verified.

A Ukrainian soldier was wounded as Russian-led forces opened fire in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, on July 10.

Read alsoJFO Commander elaborates on Russian army grouping deployed in occupied Crimea

"The enemy opened fire from grenade launchers of various types and heavy machine guns near the town of Avdiyivka. As a result of the shelling, one of our soldiers sustained a shrapnel wound," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation Headquarters said on Facebook on July 10, 2020.

The serviceman was evacuated to a hospital and provided with medical care. His state of health is satisfactory.

The Joint Forces returned fire. Enemy losses are being verified.

As UNIAN reported earlier, Russia's hybrid military forces on July 9 mounted seven attacks on Ukrainian positions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine.
The two options that would reduce traffic congestion most would have four toll lanes  two in each direction  on both the Beltway and I-270. In one scenario, I-270 would see two new toll lanes constructed to serve traffic flowing in each direction, in addition to its existing carpool lanes. In the other, one new toll lane would be constructed in each direction, and the existing carpool lanes would be converted to toll lanes.
Republican senators who sided with Trump are criticised in the new attack ad: (The Lincoln project - YouTube)

A new attack ad released by a Republican campaign group formed to get president Donald Trump out of office, has taken aim at some of his allies in the Senate.

The Lincoln Project, a Republican political action committee that is aiming to prevent the reelection of Mr Trump, accused several senators of cowardice and betrayal in a new ad released on Wednesday.

The narrator in the ad, titled Names, starts by claiming that once the president is out of the White House, his allies in the Senate will be begging for forgiveness from others in the Republican Party for how they voted during his presidency.

Someday soon, the time of Trump will pass. This circus of incompetence, corruption and cruelty will end. When it does, the men and women in Trumps Republican Party will come to you, telling you they can repair the damage hes done.

Theyll beg you to forgive their votes to exonerate Trump from his crimes, ask you to forgive their silence, their cowardice and their betrayals as Trump wrecked this nation.

The ad specifies Republican senators, Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham, Ted Cruz, Cory Gardner, Marco Rubio, Susan Collins, John Cornyn, Tom Cotton, Mike Rounds, Steve Daines, Joni Ernst, James Inhofe, Martha McSally and Thom Tillis.

All of the senators named, except for Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz are up for reelection in November, according to the Hill.

Every time they had a choice between America and Trump, they chose Trump. Every time they were called to the service of this nation and their sacred oath, they chose Trump, the narrator adds.

Learn their names. Remember their actions. And never, ever trust them again.

Writing about the new ad on Wednesday, Reed Galen, co-founder of the Lincoln Project, claimed that the senators named have failed to stand up for the US Constitution.

These are senators who have abandoned their consciences, left the American people behind, and fail to stand up for the Constitution and common decency.

Story continues

The new video is the one of several ads from the campaign group in the past week, and it claimed on Tuesday that the president has a loyalty problem, in his administration, following recent leaks of information.

Addressing the president directly, the narrator said that the leaks are in your campaign, your White House, in Congress, even your own family.

Read more

Ad from veterans group compares Trump to Americas greatest traitor
Biden vows to overturn HHS conscience protections for Little Sisters, Hobby Lobby if elected president

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Former Vice President Joe Biden said he would overturn religious conscience protections for nonprofits and businesses opposed to the Health and Human Services' contraceptive coverage mandate if elected president.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled 7-2 that the Trump administration could broaden a religious exemption to the HHS mandate, protecting the Little Sisters of the Poor.

The decision affirmed a 2017 Trump administration order broadening the religious exemption to the mandate on contraception coverage to include groups like the Little Sisters.

 the plain language of the statute clearly allows the Departments to create the preventive care standards as well as the religious and moral exemptions, wrote Justice Clarence Thomas for the majority.

In a statement emailed out to supporters, the Democratic presidential nominee denounced the Supreme Court's decision as an attack on womens healthcare.

Health care is a right that should not be dependent on race, gender, income or zip code. Yet as a result of today's decision, countless women are at risk of losing access to affordable, preventive care, stated Biden.

I am disappointed in today's U.S. Supreme Court decision that will make it easier for the Trump-Pence Administration to continue to strip health care from women  attempting to carve out broad exemptions to the Affordable Care Acts commitment to giving all women free access to recommended contraception.

In the campaign email, Biden went on to promise to overturn the religious exemption the Trump administration put in place, turning the clock back before the Supreme Court ruling in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, which provided an exemption for closely-held businesses.

If I am elected, I will restore the Obama-Biden policy that existed before the Hobby Lobby ruling: providing an exemption for houses of worship and an accommodation for nonprofit organizations with religious missions, continued Biden.

The accommodation will allow women at these organizations to access contraceptive coverage, not through their employer-provided plan, but instead through their insurance company or a third-party administrator.

CatholicVote President Brian Burch denounced Biden's comments, telling LifeNews.com that, if elected, Biden would mistreat and marginalize Catholics.

From his support for taxpayer-funded pro-abortion extremism, to his pledge to continue to harass the Little Sisters of the Poor, Biden will be a wrecking ball against all things that Catholics hold dear, said Burch.

All Catholics in America must speak out forcefully against these threats, lest the Catholic Church in America be trampled.
Early reopening turns Brazil's capital into COVID-19 hot spot FILE PHOTO: Outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Brasilia

By Anthony Boadle

BRASILIA (Reuters) - When an 80-year-old woman collapsed last week in the streets of the Brazilian capital's poorest and most populous suburb, she was rushed to hospital and put on a ventilator, neighbors told local media.

But this was not just any suspected COVID-19 case.

Maria Aparecida Ferreira is the grandmother of Brazilian first lady Michelle Bolsonaro, who grew up in Ceilandia, a sprawling, dusty satellite city that has become a hot spot for coronavirus contagion around Brasilia.

The modernistic capital was the first big Brazilian city to adopt social distancing measures to curb the pandemic in March and was weathering the crisis well, until the lifting of quarantine rules triggered a surge in cases, health experts say.

Among the city's spate of high-profile patients is President Jair Bolsonaro himself, who said on Tuesday he tested positive for the novel coronavirus after running a fever.

Under pressure from Bolsonaro, mayors and governors across Brazil are loosening isolation orders even as confirmed infections explode past 1.7 million cases, with nearly 70,000 dead  the world's worst outbreak outside the United States.

Brasilia is a case study in the risks of reopening. The capital now has more infections per capita than any other major city in Brazil, with 2,133 confirmed cases per 100,000 people. That is more than two times higher than metropolitan Sao Paulo or Rio de Janeiro, according to Health Ministry statistics.

Some of that may come down to more testing in Brasilia, which has the country's highest income per capita. But specialists say the recent explosion in cases has clearly been driven by a premature reopening.

Gyms and beauty parlors reopened on Tuesday. Bars and restaurants will resume business next week under a decree by Federal District Governor Ibaneis Rocha.

"This measure will condemn to death thousands of Brasilia inhabitants," said public health expert Rubens Bias, a member of the city's health council.

Story continues

With rising deaths and its hospital system approaching collapse due to a lack of intensive care units, Brasilia should be in total lockdown, Bias said. He blamed the governor for ceding to Bolsonaro's pressure to reopen for economic reasons. The president has said the economic impact of lockdowns is worse than the health risks of the disease itself.

On Wednesday, a judge suspended the decree reopening Brasilia and the city appealed the ruling. The governor then declared a lockdown for all but essential activities in Ceilandia and Sol Nascente, an adjacent shantytown hot spot.

The governor's office declined to comment.

But the city's development agency said the Federal District has done more testing in proportion to its population than the United States, Switzerland or Austria.

It reported that coronavirus is still spreading in the city, though transmission has slowed to 1.2 people getting COVID-19 for every confirmed case, down from 2.1 in early April.

"LIVING HELL"

Brazil's third-largest city, with 3 million inhabitants, Brasilia reported its first case of COVID-19 on March 5  a woman of 52 who had returned from Britain and Switzerland.

In the two months after its first fatality, on March 24, Brasilia's death toll climbed slowly to 100. But in the month after shopping malls reopened, on May 27, confirmed cases and deaths accelerated five-fold.

On Monday, the death toll passed 726 and the city reported a record of 2,529 additional cases in 24 hours.

"It's chaos, a living hell. The cases don't stop increasing," said a nurse working in the emergency wing at Ceilandia's main hospital, exhausted from 12-hour shifts.

The nurse, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisal by local government officials, said the hospital was short of doctors, nurses and ambulances to bring critical patients to the few beds available in intensive care units.

The pandemic has moved from affluent Brasilia to the teeming outer suburbs where workers often spend an hour on crowded public transport to get to their jobs in the center, said the health council's Bias.

"It is really tragic here. The number of cases has grown a lot in the last few days," said Cilede Nogueira, a Sol Nascente resident.

Nogueira, who works as a maid in central Brasilia, said bars in her neighborhood were packed with people not wearing masks, and neighbors were heedlessly partying on weekends.

She said lines at banks were jammed with people collecting emergency payments from the government to supplement their incomes in the pandemic.

"There are electoral and economic interests that are more concerned with making money than saving lives," said Bias.

(Reporting by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Brad Haynes and Dan Grebler)
Anunt de selectare a participantilor si participantelor la cel de-al doilea curs de instruire din cadrul Programului educational pentru dezvoltarea competentelor lucratorilor de tineret
Taiwan urges citizens to reconsider traveling to China

ROC Central News Agency

07/09/2020 09:50 PM

Taipei, July 9 (CNA) Taiwan's top government agency in charge of China affairs on Thursday called on Taiwanese nationals to avoid traveling to Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, citing the increased risk of facing prosecution on allegations of violating the newly implemented Hong Kong national security law.

Chiu Chui-cheng (), deputy head and spokesman of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), said the "vaguely defined" clauses of the law could be interpreted broadly.

Chiu said it has thus largely increased the risk of facing possible prosecution as one could break the law without intending to.

Once found to have violated the law, one could be transfered to mainland China to face charges under Chinese laws, regardless of his or her nationality, Chiu said.

He reminded Taiwanese nationals that if they are concerned about the new law, they should reconsider their planned visit or even transit via China, Hong Kong and Macau.

He said if they are already there, they should reconsider their needs to remain in Chinese territories.

Chiu was referring to the law on "safeguarding national security in the Hong Kong Special Administration Region," which was passed by China's national legislature in June and took effect on the last day of the month.

The law prohibits acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and conspiring with external forces and is widely seen as an effort by Beijing's government to take full control of Hong Kong after last year's pro-democracy protests in the special administrative region.

On Monday, Hong Kong authorities further made public the implementation rules under Article 43 of the national security law, which authorizes the territory's police force to take measures if necessary when handling cases related to endangering national security.

In response, President Tsai Ing-wen () on Tuesday denounced the newly-effective rules of the security law and pledged that her administration would consider countermeasures when necessary.

Asked to elaborate on the so-called "countermeasures," Chiu on Thursday did not give any details, saying only that Taiwan's government is closely monitoring the latest developments pertaining to the law, and will consider launching responsive measures to protect national security and the rights of its people.

Chiu also said MAC will not close its representative office in Hong Kong for the time being as it will continue to offer service to Taiwanese in the Chinese special administrative region "to the last minute."

MAC currently operates a Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Hong Kong.

The office, however, has been devoid of a chief since 2018 as Hong Kong has yet to issue a visa to its new head Lu Chang-shui () amid worsening ties between Taipei and Beijing. The office is now headed by its deputy and acting head Kao Ming-tsun ().

Meanwhile, Chiu said a special office Taiwan's government launched on July 1 to offer Hong Kong people humanitarian assistance has so far received around 700 phone calls and email inquiries.

The office titled Taiwan-Hong Kong Services and Exchanges Office was founded to provide one-stop services to Hong Kongers who wish to study, do business, make investments, or seek asylum in the country.

It is part of Taiwan government's efforts to extend a helping hand to people in Hong Kong who may face political risks due to the passage of the new law.

(By Lai Yen-hsi and Joseph Yeh)

Enditem/cs

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BERLIN (JTA) - They date back to the late Middle Ages and irritate to this day: The Judensau (literally "Jewish sow") is a Christian folk image that depicts Jews sucking on the teats or peering into the anus of a pig.

Mostly found in the form of reliefs or gargoyles on the exterior of German churches, some of them major historical landmarks, the images have been the subject of increasing public debate in recent years. And now Germany's highest court will weigh in on the matter when it hears the case of a Jewish man who says one such sculpture insults him personally.

Michael Duellmann has already lost his bids against St. Marien Church in Wittenberg in district court and on appeal.

"This is the first case regarding a Judensau that is going to the Federal Supreme Court," Duellmann's attorney, Christian Rohnke, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

In fact it may be the first Judensau case to go to court at all, but it's certainly not the first time a German church has tried to lance this abscess. Last week, a landmarks commission in the town of Calbe ruled against a local church that was seeking to retire its Judensau, which had been removed temporarily for restoration. The commission insisted the sculpture be put back on the church facade. The church has not decided whether to appeal.

There are assumed to be about 40 Judensaus in Germany, the oldest dating to the 13th century. Intended to teach lessons about sin and virtue, they were usually placed inside where Jews would not see them.

But beginning in the 14th century, churches also placed them outside, according to the late Israeli historian Isaiah Shachar. In a 2017 interview with the Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper, Shachar said there are Judensaus in Portugal, France, Poland and Sweden, but most are in German-speaking countries.

Opinion is split over how to deal with the sculptures. The German-Jewish historian Michael Wolffsohn recently told Deutschlandfunk radio that the Judensau is a "perversity," but he opposed taking them down, saying it's better to address the issue forthrightly than hide it from view.

"What's done is done and cannot be undone," he said.

But Germany's commissioner on anti-Semitism, Felix Klein, says all the Judensau reliefs should be taken down and put in museums.

Wolfram Kastner, an artist and activist, agrees.

"They have to be removed from the public space," he said.

Kastner has been fighting against Judensaus since 2002, when he and a colleague paraded in front of the Cologne Cathedral wearing sandwich posters printed with the word "Judensau." The pair drew stares and questions from a curious public, some of whom had never noticed the Judensaus outside and inside the 13th-century church.

Historians and clergy should "take [the exterior sculptures] inside the church and contextualize them and confront them and their history," Kastner said in a telephone interview from his home in Munich. "But they should not be outside. They have the same insulting and humiliating impact today as they did in the Middle Ages."

That's exactly what St. Stephani Church in Calbe was hoping to do with its Judensau, which depicts a Jew with his head buried in the rear of a pig. The church had applied for permission to bring the sculpture indoors as part of an exhibition on the history of anti-Semitism, but they were turned down by the landmarks commission. The Judensau, which had been taken down for renovation along with other gargoyles, was put back up last week.

"Their job is to protect landmarks and not bend to the spirit of the day, the zeitgeist," Pastor Jurgen Kohtz said. "[But] we do not want anything on our church that is insulting to other religions and people, especially not the Jews."

Calbe Mayor Sven Hause told JTA that he understands both positions, and favors meeting with politicians and religious leaders to find a solution.

"I don't think anyone really wanted to have to see this chimera again," he said.

The image is small and sits alongside the face of a monkey wearing the pointed hat assigned to Jewish men in the Middle Ages.

Pastor Johanna Levetzow and some church volunteers have been discussing what to do about it for more than two years. They began by making a flyer about its history.

"We saw how important it was to face this and hear different opinions about whether to take it down, cover it or put it in a museum," she said. "We decided to confront it, even if it is hard for us."

In February, Yuri Kadnikov, the chief rabbi of the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, which is home to some 1,300 Jews, visited the church along with the state's commissioner on anti-Semitism, Hansjoerg Schmutzler. The rabbi climbed two flights of stairs to see the sculpture; he concluded it should be left in place.

"If we take it away, we can forget, and this is very problematic," Kadnikov said. "There is a danger one can repeat the history. But if it stays, it is important that there is an explanation."

In Wittenberg, the 14th-century Judensau is more extreme. Affixed to the outside of the church where Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses more than 500 years ago, it depicts Jews sucking on a sow's teats while a rabbi peers under its tail. The inscription above it - added later, inspired by one of Luther's anti-Jewish texts - is an erroneous transliteration of God's Hebrew name.

An explanatory plaque, installed in 1988, explains that the inscription is a deliberate corruption of God's name, adding that "this name died with six million Jews under the sign of the cross."

Pastor Johannes Block recently told Suddeutsche Zeitung that he was "shocked and outraged" when he first saw the relief.

"It also fills me with shame and pain that this sculpture is hanging on the facade of our church," he said.

Block is talking with the Central Council of Jews in Germany about the design of a new plaque. Duellmann has turned down an invitation to take part in these talks.

"It is a disgusting, obscene mockery of Jews and Judaism and the name of God," Duellmann said.

Activist Wolfram Kastner informs a passerby about a Judensau.

In 2017, Duellmann joined a vigil outside the church with a group of nuns who asked if he, as a Jew, would sue to remove it. Duellmann took on the task with enthusiasm.

His case is not directly about confronting the past but about something simpler - whether by keeping the sculpture, the church is insulting Duellmann as a Jew. He is arguing that explanatory plaques are insufficient to address that issue.

"I am not sure whether or to what extent this [case] is a mirror of a changing society," said his lawyer, Rohnke, who expects to get a Supreme Court date by early 2021. "What is important is that it makes the matter very official. The court will have to take an official position."

"If I lose again, then we will go to the European Court for Human Rights," Duellmann said. "It is a test for all of Germany."
Two protesters and one police officer die as demonstrations in several key cities turn violent.

At least three people have been killed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as protests in several cities against the nomination of an election commission head turned violent.

Police on Thursday used tear gas to disperse thousands of supporters of President Felix Tshisekedi and democracy campaigners as they rallied through the streets of the capital, Kinshasa, as well as Lubumbashi, Goma and several smaller towns.

The United Nations Joint Human Rights Office (UNJHRO) said it was concerned about the use of lethal force by law enforcement which led to the death of two protesters  one in Kinshasa and one in Lubumbashi, and the wounding of others.

A police officer also died during the clashes in Kinshasa while public and private property  including political parties offices  had been attacked and set ablaze, it added.



A UN source was quoted as saying by AFP news agency that the policeman was lynched after firing on the demonstrators while several other officers were injured.

In Kananga, a stronghold for Tshisekedis Union for Democracy and Progress (UDPS), three protesters suffered gunshot wounds, according to AFP.

Demonstrators run in the street during a protest where demonstrators and police officers clashed in Kinshasa [Arsene Mpiana/AFP]

The protests were triggered by plans to appoint of Ronsard Malonda as the president of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI).

Malondas nomination was ratified last week by the National Assembly, which is dominated by former President Joseph Kabilas supporters, but Tshisekedi has yet to sign off the decision.

The presidents supporters accuse Malonda of being close to Kabila, who stepped down after 18 years in office but still wields extensive political influence through his parliamentary majority and control of most cabinet ministries.

Kabilas political alliance denied in a tweet they had anything to do with Malondas nomination, and said responsibility for the appointment rested with civil society and religious organisations.

Violence erupted as thousands of UDPS supporters protested against the appointment of Ronsard Malonda as president of the Independent National Electoral Commission [Arsene Mpiana/AFP]

Tshisekedi, who has to govern in a fragile coalition with Kabilas supporters, took office in January 2019 in the countrys first peaceful political transition.

But he did so after elections rocked by accusations that the results were rigged to deny Tshisekedis rival, Martin Fayulu, victory.

The latest demonstrations reflect increasing tensions within the governing coalition which shaked once again at the end of June when the president proposed controversial judicial reforms which critics say was a ploy to muzzle the judiciary.

Further protests have been called for July 13 and 19.
VANCOUVERFor 30 years, Hilary Jordan talked to her husband about the goings-on in their family and the world, but she wasnt sure if the police officer injured in a crash could hear anything as he lay unconscious in a hospital bed.

I like to believe that he did hear me, she said in an interview this week.

I said something to him before he passed, which made him know that it was OK to leave us, and I had never said those words before, so shortly thereafter he did pass. I do believe he could hear.

Ian Jordan suffered a head injury when he and another officer were on their way to a call in Victoria in September 1987. He died in April 2018.

Now, research from the University of British Columbia suggests people who are unresponsive can hear, even hours before they die.

Lead author Elizabeth Blundon, who recently graduated from the university with a PhD in psychology, said the findings may bear out a persistent belief among health-care workers that hearing is the last sense to go in the dying process.

The study, published recently in Scientific Reports, was the first to investigate hearing when people are close to death, in one case six hours beforehand, Blundon said.

The research involved eight patients at a hospice doing a hearing task when they were still responsive. Five of them repeated the task when they became unconscious.

A control group of 17 young, healthy participants also took part in the study, which was completed between 2013 and 2017.

Participants wore a cap with 64 electrodes that measured brain waves as they listened to a series of tones grouped in five patterns that would occasionally change.

Those in the control group pressed a button when they heard the pattern change while the responsive patients at the hospice were asked to count the number of times the pattern changed.

The brain activity of the control group and the responsive hospice patients was very similar to that of the unresponsive patients, Blundon said.

Its an encouraging sign that at the very least the brain is reacting and processing at some capacity the auditory information that its receiving, she said of the glimpse into brain activity that persists in the transition between life and death.

But I cant tell anybody if their loved one understands them or knows whos talking to them, Blundon said, adding further research is needed to delve deeper into the mysteries of end-of-life hearing.

Previous research into hearing of unresponsive patients has been done in Europe on patients with traumatic brain injury and showed they also respond to sound, said Blundon, who hopes to continue her work at the University of Miami, where she may also look into the effects of music on those near death.

Dr. Romayne Gallagher, who recently retired as a palliative care physician at St. John Hospice, where part of the study was completed, said she noticed during 30 years in her job that patients would react positively when they heard the voice of a loved one, even on the phone.

Families can take some measure of comfort from spending time talking to their loved ones, even when they dont respond, she added.

A lot of people are scared of this time and they dont quite know what to do, and we often say to them, Talk to them, play their favourite music. Things like that.

Jordan said she spent thousands of hours chit-chatting with her husband and playing his favourite music from the 1970s and 80s on a boom box she brought to hospital.

It just seemed natural, speaking to him, she said, adding that he seemed to respond most favourably every time she mentioned their son Mark, who was 16 months old when the crash happened.
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Friday expressed his gratitude to Donald Trump for avoiding in public the thorny subject of the US president's promised border wall during the two leaders' summit in Washington earlier this week.

Lopez Obrador also thanked his US counterpart for a less "discriminatory tone" during his visit, a rare reference from the Mexican leader to Trump's past insults toward Mexico and its migrants.

"We thank him for not raising the subject (of the border wall) in public," Lopez Obrador told reporters at a regular government news conference, adding that the wall was mentioned during a White House dinner "but without the purpose of imposing anything."

Dating back to his successful 2016 presidential campaign, Trump made the construction of a wall on the country's southern border a signature pledge, while also promising to force Mexico to pay for it.

His administration has constructed sections of high fencing along the border.

The Washington summit between the two presidents mostly focused on economic issues, in particular the celebration of a revamped North American trade accord that took effect at the beginning of this month.
China Should Meet Russia to Consider Next Steps for Arms Control Talks, US State Department Says

Sputnik News

15:51 GMT 09.07.2020

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States recommends that China and Russia hold a meeting soon to discuss next steps in order to launch trilateral discussions on arms control, State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said in a statement on Thursday.

"The United States welcomes China's commitment to engage in arms control negotiations. As such, prudent next steps will need to include face-to-face meetings between the United States and China," Ortagus said. "The Special Presidential Envoy for Arms Control, Ambassador Marshall Billingslea, will invite the Chinese government to join in good faith negotiations in Vienna, Austria. The United States also recommends that China meet with Russia at an early date to consider next steps for trilateral arms control negotiations."

Ortagus continued to say that the three sides will bring different perspectives and objectives to the negotiating table, although there will surely be disagreements.

"But it is time for dialogue and diplomacy between the three biggest nuclear weapons powers on how to prevent a new arms race," Ortagus said.

On Wednesday, US Special Representative for Arms Control Marshall Billingslea accused China of seeking nuclear weapons parity with Russia and the United States as he was pushing a case for trilateral negotiations.

Billingslea said that he sees positive evolution in China's position and will continue efforts to bring it to the negotiations table or meet bilaterally in Vienna as a way of settling stage in due course for a trilateral discussion.

On 22 June, Russia and the US launched talks in Vienna in an effort to rescue New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), the last pact limiting the two countries' nuclear arsenals that is set to expire in February. China repeatedly declined the invitation to join the talks, dashing United States' hopes of making them trilateral.

A Sputnik

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The debate on whether and how to reopen school buildings has ramped up, with some politicians calling for a quick return to full in-person instruction and many teachers expressing major safety concerns.

President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos have urged governors to reopen school buildings , rejecting the hybrid in-person and remote approaches many districts have floated. Trump has threatened to cut off funding for schools that continue remote learning. Meanwhile, many teachers have pushed back against the idea of returning to school, saying the plans theyve seen from their states and districts pose more questions than answers .

And yet the start of the school year is fast approaching. Districts are starting to release more concrete reopening plans, and in many places, teachers unions are urging caution. Union leaders have said theyre concerned about the healthy and safety of their members, and they dont think many of the current plans go far enough to address their concerns.

In the nations five largest school districts, teachers unions are largely opposed to a full return to in-person instruction. Here is what they have said.

See also: Special Report: How We Go Back to School

New York City

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that students in the countrys largest school system would return to the classroom between one and three days a week this fall. Students would learn remotely the rest of the week, allowing schools to maintain social distancing with fewer children in the classrooms. The final decision on reopening, however, is up to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has often disagreed with de Blasio. Cuomo plans to announce his decision during the first week of August.



In a letter to members, United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew said the hybrid approach balances the unions safety concerns with the need to bring students back. However, he said the UFT is still waiting for de Blasio to offer a concrete plan for child care for educators and other working parents on the days their children cant be in school buildings.

The department of education needs to work out more details, he said, adding that a final decision on reopening shouldnt be made until late August. The school year in New York City typically starts the first week of September.

Reopening our schools will be a complex and difficult process, but we are not going to be careless with our students, their families, and our educators, Mugrew said in a statement. The UFT represents nearly 200,000 educators.

Meanwhile, a caucus of members has released a list of safety precautions they want to see in school buildings. Those include temperature checks and mandatory COVID-19 testing for educators before they return to work.

Los Angeles

The teachers union for the nations second largest school district is recommending that school buildings remain closed when the new school year begins on Aug. 18. The district is still working on a plan.

It is time to take a stand against Trumps dangerous, anti-science agenda that puts the lives of our members, our students, and our families at risk, said United Teachers Los Angeles President Cecily Myart-Cruz in a statement. We all want to physically open schools and be back with our students, but lives hang in the balance. Safety has to be the priority. We need to get this right for our communities.

The union is polling its members today to get their opinion on returning to the classroom. The results will be released at the end of the day. The UTLA represents 33,000 educators.

Chicago

Teachers in the third-largest school district say they do not want to go back to work in the fall unless extensive safety precautions are taken, according to survey results from the Chicago Teachers Union.

Nearly 5,000 educators responded to the survey, which was issued in mid-June. More than 85 percent said they felt like they should not or might not go back to the classroom without a detailed safety plan in place. More than two-thirds said they needed masks, gloves, and other personal protective equipment from the district to feel comfortable going back to work, and that those should be required for everyone who enters a school building.

Most respondents also said they wanted daily COVID-19 testing and temperature screening for everyone entering the building, a full-time nurse or other health professional in each school building, remote learning options for vulnerable teachers and students, daily sanitation, and plans to ensure distancing in the classrooms and on school buses .

Our members have made it very clear that they are not willing to put the healthand the lives, quite franklyof their students, or their students families, or their own in jeopardy under any circumstances, and especially now if the Trump administration is talking about using them as guinea pigs to help jumpstart the economy, CTU President Jesse Sharkey said in a statement.

The CTU, which represents more than 25,000 educators, is currently in negotiations with Chicago Public Schools on what precautions will be taken in the fall.

Miami

Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said the fourth-largest school district will not open its doors until the county is in the second phase of the states reopening plan. Currently, the county is still in phase one. When schools do reopen, parents can choose to keep their children at home full-time. The district will either have full-time in-person instruction or adapt a hybrid approach, depending on how many students opt to return to school.

The United Teachers of Dade, which represents about 29,000 educators, has applauded the wait-and-see approach.

"[Carvalho is] taking a stand despite the political pressures and the political agendas that exist, UTD President Hernandez-Mats told local news station CBS-4 . We know that at the end of the day we have to do what is right for the health and well-being of our students and of course those taking care of children. We know there will be regression but I would much rather take educational regression that losing the life of my child or losing the life of a loved one in my family.

Clark County, Nevada

Both teachers unions that represent the nations fifth-largest school district have come out against Clark Countys plan for reopening. The school system, which encompasses Las Vegas, has proposed a plan that has most students attending in-person classes twice a week and spending the three remaining days at home, engaging in distance learning. Another cohort of students would be learning remotely full-time.

But the two unions, Clark County Education Association and the National Education Association of Southern Nevada, have said the plan does not go far enough to address educators safety concerns. The NEA-SV, which represents fewer than 1,000 educators as of last year, said more teachers should have been consulted for what it will take to reopen.

After looking at the district plan for reopening, we are categorically against opening in person at this time, wrote NEA-SN President Vicki Kreidel in an open letter to the board of trustees . In short, we do not believe the Clark County School District has the infrastructure to support a safe and healthy environment for our students, staff members, and our community. If we proceed, it is all but certain that students and their families, as well as staff members and our families, will contract COVID-19. Some will get very ill and die, as some in the district already have. The question you all must ask: How many student, staff, and family deaths are acceptable?

And the CCEA, which represents about 18,000 educators, said the decision should be left up to the governor . The district needs more money from the state to put the proper safety precautions in place, the association said.

We believe the reopening of the schools in Nevada is a state issue, not an issue to be punted to the local and underfunded school districts, CCEA said. "[U]nless the governor addresses the key issues with resources in reopening the Clark County School District in this upcoming special session, CCEA cannot sign off on CCSDs current plan as it stands and will support every educator and parent who chooses not to participate in the reopening of CCSD.

Image via David Goldman/AP-File
KANPUR: The Special Task Force (STF) of the Uttar Pradesh Police on Friday explained the sequence of events and the circumstances under which notorious gangster Vikas Dubey was killed shortly after he arrived in Kanpur in a police vehicle from Ujjain on a transit remand.

The UP STF claimed that a herd of cows and buffaloes suddenly appeared before the police vehicle that was transporting gangster Vikas Dubey to Kanpur and this caused an accident, following which the vehicle overturned and several policemen were injured.

It said that taking advantage of the situation, Dubey tried to escape from the spot and snatched a police personnels pistol and fired at the police party. However, he was shot dead in self-defence.

"The herd of cows, buffaloes suddenly came in front of the vehicle and the driver swerved the vehicle causing it to overturn," said a statement released by the UP STF on Friday evening.

"Taking advantage of the situation, Vikas Dubey snatched the pistol of inspector Ramakant Pachauri and got out of the vehicle. He started running away. The second vehicle coming from behind and STF DSP Tej Pratap Singh and other STF personnel stopped and were told that Dubey had run away with the firearm. They chased the gangster and he started firing at them. Thee STF personnel tried to catch him alive but had to fire in self-defence," the statement read.

Inspector Ramakant Pachauri, Sub Inspectors Pankaj Singh, and Anup Singh, constables Satyavir and Pradeep Kumar received serious injuries in this accident. The STF further said that they immediately took Vikas Dubey to the hospital for "first aid" but the doctors declared him dead after examination.

Inspector Shivendra Singh and constable Vimal Yadav were injured in the firing by Dubey and they were also rushed to hospital. The STF officials refused to respond to questions like if Dubey was shot dead in wet mud, why were there no marks of mud on his clothes.

However, questions are being raised over UP police theory as Dubey had a rod in his one leg which made him walk with a limp, making it nearly impossible for him to run so fast from the site of the accident.

The UP STF personnel chased Vikas Dubey after the accident as he snatched the service revolver of one of them. A gunfight ensued at the spot in which gangster was killed on the spot. Dubey was taken to the hospital where he was declared brought dead by doctors.

"Gangster Vikas Dubey killed in an encounter when he tried to flee after a road accident," said IG, Kanpur Mohit Agarwal. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was also apprised of the incident.

Four police personnel, including two Inspectors, were injured in the encounter. They were immediately rushed to the hospital and given medical treatment. All four police personnel are said to be out of danger now.

Dubey, the main accused in the Kanpur encounter case, was arrested by the police in Ujjain on Thursday morning. He was on the run for the last several days and had come to Ujjain to offer prayers at Temple, where he was identified by a security guard at the shrine.

The gangster was the main accused in the encounter that took place in Bikru village in Chaubeypur area of Kanpur last week, in which a group of assailants allegedly opened fire on a police team, which had gone to arrest Dubey.

Eight police personnel were killed in the encounter. Dubey managed to escape, and the Uttar Pradesh Police then launched a hunt and raised the bounty on him to Rs 5 lakh.
The 2021 Jeep Gladiator  the most capable midsize truck ever  offers the most torque and best driving range with the introduction of the 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V-6 engine. The expected fuel economy ratings will deliver the highest driving range on one tank of fuel ever for Gladiator.

"Before we introduced Gladiator, one of the most common questions consumers asked us was, 'Will you please offer a Jeep truck?,' followed closely by, 'Will it be offered with a diesel engine?' While we know the answer to the first question, I'm pleased to answer the second with a resounding, 'Yes!'," said Jim Morrison, Head of Jeep Brand  North America. "Gladiator's combination of unmatched off-road capability and the vehicle's fun-to-drive on-road performance, best-ever Gladiator fuel economy and incredible driving range underwrite the fact that our customers knew exactly what they were asking for."

The new 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V-6 engine, rated at 260 horsepower and 442 lb.-ft. of torque, with engine stop-start (ESS) technology standard, is available on Gladiator Sport, Overland and Rubicon models. To handle greater torque loads, the EcoDiesel V-6 connects to a newly added TorqueFlite 8HP75 eight-speed automatic transmission, calibrated for low RPM shifts and the on- and off-road rigors of Jeep Gladiator duty. There are more than 40 individual shift maps to optimize shift points for fuel economy, performance and 4x4 capability.

Jeep Gladiator EcoDiesel Sport, Overland, and Rubicon models feature third-generation Dana 44 front and rear heavy-duty axles. Additionally, all Gladiator EcoDiesel models feature a 3.73 axle ratio. The Rock-Trac two-speed transfer case with a 4.0:1 low-range gear ratio is standard on Rubicon models and the Command-Trac part-time two-speed transfer case with a 2.72:1 low-range gear ratio on Sport and Overland models.

The 2021 Jeep Gladiator EcoDiesel goes on sale in the third quarter of 2020 and customers can order now.

All-new EcoDiesel engine

The third generation of the turbocharged 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V-6 engine delivers increased torque and horsepower, along with superb fuel economy and minimal levels of noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) to meet the needs of Gladiator customers.

Several significant changes contribute to the new EcoDiesel's improved dynamic and fuel economy performance:

A new-generation water-cooled turbocharger with variable geometry turbine (VGT) and low-friction bearing increases efficiency and responsiveness during transient conditions

Redesigned cylinder head intake ports with higher flow capability improve swirl and flow, increasing performance and fuel economy

The exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system design has been updated to a dual loop (low and high pressure) system. The added low-pressure circulation system draws gases after the diesel particulate filter, thus minimizing turbocharger energy losses, which increases fuel economy

The compression ratio has been optimized to 16.0:1 from 16.5:1 to improve fuel economy and reduce engine noise

High-pressure (29,000 psi/2,000 bar) direct-injection fuel injector nozzles were redesigned to match the newly designed and optimized combustion chamber, reducing fuel consumption

Lightweight aluminum alloy pistons were completely redesigned to include thinner rings and low-friction diamond-like carbon coating on the pin and compression piston ring to reduce parasitic losses

NVH has been improved by offsetting the piston pin 0.3 millimeters from the centerline

The lower portion of the two-piece oil sump uses a lightweight sandwiched polymer/metal material, which further reduces NVH

The 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V-6 uses dual overhead camshafts (DOHC) with four valves per cylinder and a 60-degree angle between the cylinder banks. The block is cast with compacted graphite iron, which provides strength to dampen vibrations, but weighs less than gray cast iron. A compacted graphite iron bedplate adds rigidity to the block.

The EcoDiesel V-6 engine uses a forged steel crankshaft and connecting rods for strength and durability. The aluminum alloy pistons are cooled on the underside via oil jets. Heat-treated aluminum cylinder heads use individual bearing caps to reduce friction and minimize NVH. The chain-driven overhead camshafts employ roller-finger followers.

The diesel engine's turbo Charge Air Cooler (CAC) is located at the base of the grille, in front of the radiator, to maximize cooler temperatures. The CAC uses the same mounting position as in the four-cylinder gasoline turbo engine, helping to reduce complexity.

A new 5.1-gallon diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) tank is located immediately behind the fuel tank with refill location next to the diesel fuel filler. DEF refills align with oil changes lasting up to 10,000 miles. Levels are monitored via a new DEF gauge in the front cluster.

The 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V-6 engine is produced at the FCA Cento facility in Ferrara, Italy.

Jeep Brand

Built on nearly 80 years of legendary heritage, Jeep is the authentic SUV with class-leading capability, craftsmanship and versatility for people who seek extraordinary journeys. The Jeep brand delivers an open invitation to live life to the fullest by offering a full line of vehicles that continue to provide owners with a sense of security to handle any journey with confidence.

The Jeep vehicle lineup consists of the Cherokee, Compass, Gladiator, Grand Cherokee, Renegade and Wrangler. To meet consumer demand around the world, all Jeep models sold outside North America are available in both left- and right-hand drive configurations and with gasoline and diesel powertrain options. Jeep is part of the portfolio of brands offered by global automaker Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. For more information regarding FCA (NYSE: FCAU/ MTA: FCA), please visit www.fcagroup.com.

Follow Jeep and FCA news and video on:

Company blog: http://blog.fcanorthamerica.com

Media website: http://media.fcanorthamerica.com

Jeep brand: www.jeep.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/jeep or https://www.facebook.com/FiatChrysler.NorthAmerica/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/jeep or www.instagram.com/FiatChrysler_NA

Twitter: www.twitter.com/jeep or www.twitter.com/FiatChrysler_NA

YouTube: www.youtube.com/thejeepchannel or www.youtube.com/fcanorthamerica

SOURCE FCA

Related Links

https://www.fcagroup.com/


Aromatase Inhibitors, Nolvadex and Cholesterol

Choosing the Right Anti-estrogenic Drug

By William Llewellyn

Aromatase inhibitors are a class of medications that block the enzyme responsible for estrogen formation in the body, and are without question powerful tools in the bodybuilders drug arsenal. The common use of these agents in our sport is actually a new phenomenon, despite the fact that drugs of this type were first developed many years ago. (Teslac dates back to the 1960s, for example). It seemed to take the release of Arimidex some years ago, a selective third-generation aromatase inhibitor noted for superior clinical effectiveness and tolerability,1 to finally spark our interest. Prior to this, the anti-estrogen Nolvadex was the drug of choice (both black market and medically), which works by blocking estrogen at its receptor instead of actually lowering its levels.

Aromatase inhibitors and anti-estrogens produce a similar end result, namely countering the effects of estrogen, but have two very different modes of action in doing so. Its important to understand that as such, there are separate advantages and disadvantages to these drugs, and you may not want to choose one for your next cycle based solely on which is more potent. As you will see, there are important risks, specifically regarding cholesterol, involved with aromatase inhibitors that need to be discussed before jumping headfirst on the Arimidex bandwagon.

Estrogen Suppression and Cholesterol

It is poorly understood that there is a link between estrogen and cholesterol levels in men. We tend to think of this hormone as exclusively relevant to females, which is grossly inaccurate, to say the least. Estrogen plays a vital role in the production of HDL (high-density lipoprotein; the good cholesterol) in both men and women, and is believed similarly to play a protective role from heart disease for both sexes. Cardiac risk relating to cholesterol is really assessed more by looking at the ratio of HDL to LDL (the bad cholesterol) than by the total cholesterol count. Similarly, maintaining a high ratio is looked at as a primary concern for sustaining good cardiovascular health.

It is here that aromatase inhibitors can present a startling risk to the user, as the suppression of estrogen in men can have profound consequences on our cholesterol ratio and cardiac risk profile. In some instances, in fact, a drug such as Arimidex could be more dangerous than the anabolic steroids we would want to use it with.

This suggestion may sound surprising to you, but the consequences of estrogen suppression are actually well documented in the medical literature. One study, for example, demonstrated without question that estrogen is needed to support high-density lipoprotein cholesterol synthesis in men.2 In this study, a group of normal young men were given Nal-Glu, a potent antagonist of GnRH, to suppress endogenous testosterone levels. Testosterone enanthate was given in a dose of 100 milligrams weekly to restore levels to the normal range, allowing the investigators to better control the amount of testosterone and estrogen in the body.

A second group was given the same, plus the aromatase inhibitor Teslac, so as to produce an estrogen deficient state. A third group was given all placebo medications. What the investigators found was quite striking. The group of men with suppressed estrogen levels noticed a profound drop in HDL levels, most specifically in the HDL-2 fraction. This was compared to a slight, but not statistically significant, drop in HDL cholesterol in the TE only group, and no change in hormonal and lipid profiles in the placebo group. The investigators were left to conclude, obviously, that estrogen was important in maintaining HDL cholesterol levels, and may offer protection against cardiovascular disease in men.

A second study, published a few years earlier, might perhaps come across to you as more relevant to the steroid-using athlete.3 This investigation looked at the cholesterol altering effects of 280 milligrams per week of testosterone enanthate, when it was taken with or without (again) Teslac. The 12-week length of intake was typical for a steroid cycle, and the dosage applied at least on the low end of what would be considered acceptable for building muscle. The difference noticed between the two regimens was, again, startling.

HDL cholesterol levels were not significantly altered at all with the use of testosterone only, while they dropped 24 percent by the fourth week for those taking testosterone with the aromatase inhibitor. For this group, levels remained suppressed for the rest of therapy, and for a few weeks after. Based on HDL levels alone, the men in the testosterone + Teslac group were categorized by the researchers as having a remarkably higher risk for coronary artery disease compared to those taking testosterone only. They also noted that this study shows that high-dose testosterone administration does not necessarily have a dramatic effect on ones risk for heart disease, and that aromatization to estrogen offers some protection by helping to maintain favorable cholesterol levels. The implications for the current en-vogue practice of routinely suppressing estrogen with aromatase inhibitors, as a way to mitigate estrogen-related side effects, are clear.

Nolvadex and Cholesterol

But what about Nolvadex? Since its an anti-estrogen, wouldnt it have the same effect on cholesterol? The answer, surprisingly, is no. This was demonstrated well in a study that took place in 1988 at the Netherlands Cancer Institute, which charted the cholesterol altering effects of Nolvadex on a group of 54 women.4 Noting the important role of estrogen in cardiovascular health, the investigators wanted to see if the recently adopted practice of using tamoxifen long-term to prevent breast cancer could present a danger to cholesterol profiles because of its anti-estrogenic action. The result, surprisingly, was exactly the opposite of what they feared. A 10-milligram daily dose actually increased HDL cholesterol, while simultaneously lowering LDL levels. Cardiovascular risk, as assessed by serum cholesterol levels, was lowered instead of increased. All factors pointed to an estrogenic effect on cholesterol levels rather than an anti-estrogenic one.

It turns out that Nolvadex is a very unique type of drug. Its a tissue-selective estrogen receptor agonist/antagonist, meaning it exhibits anti-estrogenic properties in some areas of the body while actually acting as an estrogen in others. One place in particular that Nolvadex actually exhibits estrogenic activity is the liver, which is the location responsible for HDL cholesterol synthesis. As a result, instead of lowering HDL levels, Nolvadex actually tends to raise them. It seems our old standard anti-estrogen is still the safest option, at least where cholesterol is concerned. In many regards it is an ideal solution really, being anti-estrogenic in tissues where it counts, such as the breast, while acting estrogenic in one of the most important places to have such activity. It could serve both cardiovascular protective and side-effect mediating purposes; far different from that of aromatase inhibitors.

Choosing the Right Drug

The facts presented in this article should make clear that although aromatase inhibitors can effectively mitigate the unwanted effects of estrogen, they also present significant risks by suppressing estrogen levels. There is no question as to which is the stronger agent. Arimidex would not be as popular as it is today if it were not effective. But, as we see, there is more to choosing the right anti-estrogenic drug than picking the most potent. Steroid use indeed entails some health risks, and the smart athlete is always looking to minimize them. With the relationship between cholesterol and heart disease, the risks related to aromatase inhibitors certainly should not be ignored. I am not calling for an abandonment of these agents at all, as clearly there are times when they can be highly valuable. But, given the general unawareness of their risks in the bodybuilding public, and their far too liberal use at this point, I felt the discussion was sorely needed.

William Llewellyn is widely regarded as one of the worlds foremost authorities on the use of performance-enhancing substances. He is the author of the bestselling anabolic steroid reference guide ANABOLICS and CEO of Molecular Nutrition. William is an accomplished researcher/developer in the field of anabolic substances, and is also a longtime advocate for harm reduction and legislative change. He built the website anabolic.org, an extensive online database of information on anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs.

References:

1. Anastrozole is superior to tamoxifen as first-line therapy in hormone receptor positive advanced breast carcinoma. Bonneterre J Cancer 2001 Nov 1;92(9):2247-58

2. Physiological levels of estradiol stimulate plasma high-density lipoprotein2 cholesterol levels in normal men. Bagatell, et al. J Clin Endocrinol Metab v.78(4) 1994 855-61

3. High-Density Lipoprotein It Not Decreased if an Aromatizable Androgen Is Administered. Friedl, Hannan et al. Metabolism v.39(1) 1990 69-74

4. Tamoxifen, serum lipoproteins and cardiovascular risk. Bruning, Bonfrer et al. Br. J Cancer 58(4) 1988 497-9

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Ahead of elections, Pakistan pumping in huge number of IEDs into India

Woman injured in Pak shelling dies

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Jammu, July 10: A woman, who was injured in heavy Pakistani shelling in civillian area along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, has succumbed, officials said on Thursday.

The officials said Pakistani troops shelled mortars and fired with small arms in three sectors of Qasba, Kirni and Degwar of Poonch district tonight, in violation of a ceasefire agreement.

The Indian troops, guarding the borderline, retaliated resulting in a gunfight, they said.

Woman dies after Pakistan resorts to unprovoked firing, intense shelling on LoC

One woman, who was injured in shelling by Pakistan on Lanjote village of Poonch district on Wednesday, succumbed on Thursday evening in the hospital, they said.

Vikas Dubey killed in an encounter, Akhilesh Yadav raises questions | Oneindia News

A 65-year-old woman was killed and some others were injured on Wednesday as Pakistan violated ceasefire by targeting forward posts and villages along the LoC in different sectors in Jammu and Kashmir, the officials said.
An explosion was heard in western Tehran early on June 10, Irans state broadcaster IRIB and the semiofficial Mehr news agency reported, citing social media.

However, officials denied there was any blast in that part of the Iranian capital.

IRIB said power was cut in the area of the city suburbs where the blast allegedly occurred.

The report did not provide any information about the cause of the explosion.

The governor of Qod city, Leila Vaseghi, dismissed the reports as "rumors."

"Security bodies do not confirm the sound of an explosion in Qods city and Garmdareh," Vaseghi told the semiofficial Fars news agency.

Vaseghi acknowledged that there was a power outage, but she said it lasted only five minutes and was caused by works at a hospital, according to the official government news agency IRNA

Lawmaker Hossein Haghverdi, who represents Qods city and Shahriar in parliament, said there was no explosion in Qods, Lamard, and Shahriar -- three areas located in the west of Tehran.

A power outage was caused by activities by the electricity department to fix a problem, according to Haghverdi.

The semiofficial ILNA news agency quoted an official at the Ministry of Energy as saying that the temporary power cut was due to work in the city of Qods.

There have been several explosions and fires around Iranian military, nuclear, and industrial facilities in the past week.

With reporting by IRNA, Mehr, and Reuters
"Twitter's resident gynecologist" and medical mythbuster Dr. Jennifer Gunter is demanding transparency from the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority after her ailing father received what she says is negligent treatment while in Victoria General Hospital.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/7/2020 (557 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

"Twitter's resident gynecologist" and medical mythbuster Dr. Jennifer Gunter is demanding transparency from the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority after her ailing father received what she says is negligent treatment while in Victoria General Hospital.

"What Im hoping for is just answers as to how this happened," Gunter said Thursday. "Its not going to bring my dad back, but I want to know."

Gunters father Derek, a former Manitoba Hydro electrical engineer, was 90 years old when he was admitted to the hospital after falling ill Jan. 1.

The New York Times columnist and author of The Vagina Bible said problems began when she tried to inform hospital staff of her father's medical history and past illnesses, noting that staff did not seem willing to hear details about his health.

From there, Gunter said, communication between herself, her brother and hospital staff continued to deteriorate. When her father experienced a delirious state a few days into his stay, hospital staff would not indicate what had caused the worsening condition, she said. In late January he experienced a possible respiratory arrest, but she said she was unable to get details on his condition.

"Nobody could tell me what was wrong with him," Gunter said. "No one would tell me what the diagnosis was."

Gunter, who lives and practises in San Francisco, was unable to visit her father during the winter and spring because of the COVID-19 lockdown and border restrictions.

Dr. Jen Gunther is a New York Times columnist and author of The Vagina Bible known for debunking medical myths. (Chloe Jackman Photo)

It took five weeks of phone calls and public callouts on Twitter before the hospital communicated with her and her brother, she said.

In February, her father developed new sores on his feet, which the hospital had not informed her about. She also learned the hospitals geriatrics and palliative-care teams had not been consulted on her father's care, she said.

"Theyre not supposed to happen," Gunter said of the bedsores, also called pressure ulcers. "Youre supposed to get the care you need so that doesnt happen."

In the absence of responses from the hospital, Gunter called the Protection for Persons in Care Office twice but did not receive a call back.

"My dad is basically rotting to death in Victoria Hospital, no one will tell us whats going on," Gunter said. "His muscles were wasting away  he had no possible chance of recovery at this point; the horse was gone, the barn door was closed."

Gunter said her father had asked for hospice care but was denied. When he was later moved from the hospital to a nursing home, he was approved for medically assisted death, leaving Gunter with questions about the denial of hospice approval.

"What he wanted was hospice, and he was denied hospice care," she said. "This is, to me, the worst possible death: dying slowly in the hospital, bit by bit."

Gunter said her father was always adamant that he did not want to die in a nursing home, which happened in late March while he was awaiting medically assisted death.

"He died in the exact way he didnt want to," she said. "He was powerless to do anything."

Though she acknowledges her father was ill before being admitted to the hospital, she believes the WRHA and Victoria General have much to answer for regarding his care and communication with the family.

"I want someone from the hospital to answer every issue," she said. "Why was no one answering our calls? I want answers to each question. None of them are going to make me happy, but I want answers thats the only way Im going to get closure."

A spokesperson for the WRHA said in an email statement that communication between the hospital and the Gunter family was adequate from the beginning.

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.

"Although health care officials are not at liberty to discuss details of an individual patients care with members of the public, we can confirm that senior representatives of Victoria Hospital have maintained regular contact with Mr. Gunters family, both during his hospitalization and since," the statement said.

The WRHA confirmed to the Free Press that a patient-safety review was conducted regarding Derek Gunters care.

The family is scheduled to discuss the results of a critical-incident report regarding his treatment "shortly," the WRHA spokesperson confirmed.

Still, Gunter said shes looking for the government and health authority to address the "bigger system issues" that were at play and provide transparency about the level of care the hospitals can provide.

"Victoria Hospital needs a diagnosis," she said. "I just feel like its a leaky boat with a bunch of patches... there was no dignity in my fathers death."

julia-simone.rutgers@freepress.mb.ca
[July 10, 2020] Atox Bio Announces a Positive Effect of Reltecimod on Resolution of Organ Dysfunction in Phase 3 ACCUTE Trial for Patients with Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infection ("Flesh Eating Disease")

- After Discussions with FDA, NDA Submission Planned for 3Q 2020 under Accelerated Approval Pathway -

Reltecimod in conjunction with currently available standard of care demonstrated a significant difference in the percentage of patients who achieved resolution of organ dysfunction/failure by Day 14 versus standard of care alone

Resolution of organ dysfunction/failure at Day 14 is associated with improved survival at Day 90

Treatment effects in composite NICCE primary endpoint were significant in the clinically evaluable population analysis but not in the primary mITT analysis

Patients receiving reltecimod demonstrated improvement in hospital discharge status versus placebo

Patients presenting with shock appeared to particularly benefit

Reltecimod was well tolerated

Peer reviewed results published in latest electronic edition of Annals of Surgery DURHAM, N.C. and NESS ZIONA, Israel, July 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atox Bio today announced results from the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3 ACCUTE ( A B103 C linical C omposite endpoint St U dy in Necrotizing Soft T issue inf E ctions) trial of reltecimod for the early treatment of severe Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infection (NSTI). The data showed a significant difference in the percentage of patients administered reltecimod who achieved resolution of organ dysfunction/failure by Day 14 vs. the percentage of patients who received placebo. Resolution of organ dysfunction by day 14 has been noted in the literature and was shown in this trial to have a beneficial effect on 90-day mortality. As this was the first pivotal study ever performed in NSTI, a necrotizing infection clinical composite endpoint (NICCE) was developed. This endpoint was designed to assess both the local and systemic components of NSTI and included the measurement of resolution of organ dysfunction/failure. While statistical significance on the primary composite endpoint was not achieved in the modified intent to treat (mITT) population, the efficacy assessment in the clinically evaluable (CE) population demonstrated a p-value=0.039. Atox Bio believes that, for the reasons detailed below, the CE population reflects the more clinically relevant and statistically appropriate patient population for evaluation of the treatment effect of reltecimod. Atox has reviewed the topline results of this trial with the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and, based on these discussions, plans to submit a New Drug Application (NDA) to the FDA in Q3 2020 under the Accelerated Approval Pathway with resolution of organ dysfunction being the basis for this approval pathway. "Patients with NSTI are critically ill and could greatly benefit from a treatment option designed specifically for their condition," said Eileen Bulger, M.D., Chief of Trauma at Harborview Medical Center, Professor of Surgery at the University of Washington, and Principal Investigator for the ACCUTE trial. "Reltecimod has the potential to significantly advance the standard of care for NSTI by addressing a major unmet medical need for these complex and challenging patients and appears to be well tolerated. Successful completion of the ACCUTE trial is a major milestone for Atox Bio that reinforces our commitment to patients with NSTI. This is a potentially life-threatening condition with significant morbidity and long-term mortality that has no FDA-approved treatment. said Dan Teleman, CEO of Atox Bio. Reltecimod has been designed to modulate rather than completely suppress acute inflammation that can lead to a dysregulated immune response and we are actively working to bring this important new potential therapy to patients. About the Study

As the first pivotal study ever performed in NSTI, a new clinical composite responder analysis was developed as the primary endpoint. The necrotizing infection clinical composite endpoint (NICCE) that was developed was designed to assess both the local and systemic components of NSTI. NICCE included a Modified Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (mSOFA) scoring tool to evaluate resolution of organ dysfunction. SOFA scores have been shown in previous studies to be a good indicator of prognosis in other septic conditions. All patients allowed into the study had to have significant organ dysfunction in one or more organs at baseline and the measure of resolution of organ dysfunction using mSOFA was consistent with SEPSIS-3 definitions. Elevated mSOFA at Day 14, defined as mSOFA >1, delineates persistent organ dysfunction in which a patient could require prolonged ventilation, ongoing blood pressure support and dialysis or other interventions for complications of acute kidney injury at a time point that has been associated with the development of chronic critical illness.1,2 At the Day 14 time point, mSOFA offers a simple categorical tool to help distinguish patients at risk for persistent organ dysfunction that is associated with longer term morbidity and mortality. Blinded study drug (reltecimod or saline placebo) was administered by a single 10-minute infusion. All patients received currently available standard of care, which include surgical debridement, broad spectrum antibiotics and supportive intensive care. Organ dysfunction and failure can progress rapidly in these patients and intervening as early as possible once organ dysfunction has begun is considered critical for any immune-based therapy. For this reason, patients were required to be administered the blinded study drug within 6 hours of being scheduled for surgery to confirm the NSTI diagnosis, often before all of a patients clinical information is available.



While analysis of the mITT population was the primary analysis, the CE population, in which only those patients who met the appropriate study entry criteria were included, was considered relevant in this study because of the potential to inadvertently enroll patients with unrelated chronic organ conditions that could not be cured by an acute treatment for NSTI and thus could confound estimates of treatment effects. For this reason, Atox Bio considers the CE population the more clinically relevant and statistically appropriate analysis population. Of the 290 patients enrolled in the study, 13 were excluded from the CE analysis population for failure to meet pre-defined study entry criteria. All exclusions were identified programmatically from the study database and reviewed by blinded medical and statistical reviewers prior to unblinding the trial. Results

Results of the study demonstrated that, in the analysis of the mITT population on the NICCE primary endpoint, 48.6% of patients achieved clinical success on reltecimod vs. a 39.9% success rate in patients on placebo. This result did not achieve statistical significance (p=0.14). Given the consequences of persistent organ dysfunction, a key outcome of the study was the assessment of resolution of organ dysfunction, defined as Day 14 mSOFA =1 in combination with a decline of at least 3 mSOFA points from baseline. In this assessment, reltecimod demonstrated a distinct advantage over placebo (65.1% success vs. 52.6%, p=0.041).

Using the more clinically relevant patient population in the CE analysis, 52.6% of patients receiving reltecimod achieved clinical success on the NICCE primary endpoint vs. 40.3% on placebo (p=0.039). In the evaluation of resolution of organ dysfunction, as described above, reltecimod demonstrated a strong clinically meaningful effect over patients receiving standard of care alone, with 70.9% of patients on reltecimod achieving resolution of organ dysfunction by Day 14 vs. 53.4% on placebo (p=0.005). There is increasing evidence that resolving organ dysfunction by Day 14 in septic patients such as those enrolled in this trial has important benefits. Studies have shown that patients who remain chronically critically ill with organ dysfunction beyond 14 days are more likely to require long-term care, develop recurrent infections and have an increased risk of late mortality, after day 28, and poor functional recovery. Consistent with these findings, in this study in patients who survived to Day 14, whether on reltecimod or placebo, those that had resolved organ dysfunction by Day 14 had a 90-day mortality of 2.4% vs. 21.5% in patients who had persistent organ dysfunction at Day 14 (p<0.001) in the CE analysis population. While not showing a difference in mortality at Day 28 and although not powered to show significance for mortality generally, in those patients surviving to Day 14, the Day 14 to Day 90 mortality was 5.9% on reltecimod vs. 11.5% on placebo (p=0.12) in the CE analysis population. In the mITT analysis, the Day 14 to Day 90 mortality was 6.5% on reltecimod vs. 11.2% on placebo (p=0.17). Additional pre-specified secondary endpoints were evaluated and of these evaluations, patients presenting with shock and hospital discharge status demonstrated clinically relevant effects that may lead to improved patient outcomes. In the subgroup of patients that entered the study with septic shock, requiring vasopressors prior to dosing, 72.5% on reltecimod successfully resolved organ dysfunction by Day 14 vs. 49.1% on placebo (p-0.008) in the mITT analysis. In the CE analysis population, the results were 75.1% on reltecimod vs. 49.1% on placebo (p=0.003) achieving resolution of organ dysfunction by Day 14. Patients on reltecimod also showed benefit in the percentage of those with a favorable hospital discharge status in this trial. Favorable discharge status was defined as being either sent home or to a rehabilitation facility. Unfavorable discharge status was defined as being discharged to a skilled nursing facility, other acute care hospital or dying before discharge. In patients surviving to Day 14, those on reltecimod had a clinically beneficial improvement in favorable hospital discharge status in the CE analysis population (68.6% on reltecimod vs. 54.6% on placebo, p=0.024). In the mITT analysis, 60.6% on reltecimod had favorable discharge status and 50.0% placebo had favorable discharge status (p=0.071). Reltecimod was well tolerated in this study, with the profiles of adverse events being similar between the reltecimod and placebo treatment groups. The most common adverse events (~5%) reported in patients treated with reltecimod were anemia (reltecimod 6.3%, placebo 4.8%), acute kidney injury (reltecimod 5.6%, placebo 5.4%), atrial fibrillation (reltecimod 4.9%, placebo 6.8%), and peripheral edema (reltecimod 4.9%, placebo 1.4%). Serious adverse events occurred in 20.3% of patients receiving reltecimod and 17.0% of patients receiving placebo. The most common serious adverse events were atrial fibrillation (reltecimod 2 [1.4%], placebo 4 [2.7%]), acute myocardial infarction (reltecimod 2 [1.4%], placebo 3 [2.0%]), acute respiratory distress syndrome (reltecimod 2 [1.4%], placebo 3 [2.0%]), and pulseless electrical activity (reltecimod 3 [2.1%], placebo 2 [1.5%]). There was no apparent difference in secondary infections between reltecimod and placebo treated arms in this study, which is important in this fragile patient population. The ACCUTE pivotal study manuscript is now available from the Annals of Surgery as an ePublication entitled, A Novel Immune Modulator for Patients with Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections (NSTI): Results of a Multicenter, Phase 3 Randomized Controlled Trial of Reltecimod (AB 103). About Reltecimod

Reltecimod is a synthetic peptide antagonist of both superantigen exotoxins and the CD28 T-cell costimulatory receptor.3 By modulating, but not inhibiting, the bodys acute inflammatory response, reltecimod is designed to help control the cytokine storm that could otherwise quickly lead to morbidity and mortality. FDA granted reltecimod Fast Track status and orphan drug designation for NSTI. The European Commission granted orphan designation for reltecimod in the treatment of NSTI. About Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections (NSTI)

NSTI, commonly referred to as flesh eating disease or bacteria, is a serious infection that can travel quickly from the infection site and requires frequent, rapid surgical intervention to remove dead and infected tissue to stop further progression and the need for amputation. By their nature, these surgeries often leave patients significantly disfigured. In more serious cases, acute inflammation that results from this infection leads to systemic organ dysfunction in the heart, lungs and/or kidneys. Even with the best current standard of care which includes surgical debridement, broad spectrum antibiotics and supportive intensive care, multi-organ failure frequently occurs. Mortality rates are significant in both the short and intermediate term, and patients who do survive often face long and expensive hospital and rehabilitation center stays. Hospital discharge data indicates there are approximately 30,000 cases of NSTI in the US each year, with a similar number in Europe, and there are currently no therapies approved for this indication. About ACCUTE

ACCUTE ( A B103 C linical C omposite endpoint St U dy in Necrotizing Soft T issue inf E ctions) is a Phase 3 randomized, placebo-controlled study that enrolled 290 patients across sites in the US and France. It evaluated the safety and efficacy of a single dose of intravenous reltecimod 0.5mg/kg versus placebo (0.9% saline) administered in conjunction with surgical debridement (removal of damaged skin, subcutaneous tissue, fascia, and sometimes muscle), antibiotic therapy, and supportive care in patients = 12 years of age with NSTI. The trial also assessed hospital discharge status and impact on healthcare resource utilization. About Atox Bio

Atox Bio is a late stage clinical company that develops immunotherapies for critically ill patients. The ACCUTE study was funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the Department of Health and Human Services; Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response; Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), under Contract No. HHSO100201400013C. Major investors in the company include SR One, OrbiMed, Lundbeckfonden Ventures, Arix Bioscience plc and Adams Street Partners. The Company was established by Prof. Raymond Kaempfer and Dr. Gila Arad from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Yissum. Please visit www.AtoxBio.com for more information. Media Contact:

Julia Wilson

JW Communications

[email protected]

+44 781 8430877 1 Gardner AK, Ghita GL, Wang Z, et al. The Development of Chronic Critical Illness Determines Physical Function, Quality of Life, and Long-Term Survival Among Early Survivors of Sepsis in Surgical ICUs. Crit Care Med. 2019;47(4):566573.

2 Brakenridge SC, Efron PA, Cox MC, et al. Current epidemiology of surgical sepsis: discordance between inpatient mortality and 1-year outcomes. Ann Surg. 2019 Sep 1;270(3):502-10. 3 Shirvan, A., Bulger, E., and Dankner, W. Reltecimod. Drugs of the Future 2018, 43(4): 243-259.



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WELLINGTON, July 9 (Reuters) - New Zealand said on Thursday that it was reviewing settings of its relationship with Hong Kong, which would include extradition arrangements, controls on exports of strategic goods and travel advice.

"China's decision to pass a new national security law for Hong Kong has fundamentally changed the environment for international engagement there," Foreign Minister Winston Peters said in a statement.

The announcement comes shortly after neighbouring Australia suspended an extradition agreement with Hong Kong.

(Reporting by Praveen Menon; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
An explosion has been heard in western Tehran as electricity cut out in a city suburb, in yet another blast to rock Iran in recent weeks.

The claim was made by state broadcaster IRIB and cited online reports, but senior officials were quick to deny rumours of the explosion.

The blast is the latest in a string of explosions to have swept across Iran over the past two weeks, amid suspicions that Israel may have been behind at least one of them.

IRIB said power was cut in the area of the city suburbs where the explosion happened.

It is not yet known what caused the blast or if any casualties have been recorded.

The blast is the latest in a string of explosions to have swept across Iran over the past two weeks, amid suspicions that Israel may have been behind at least one of them

A photo from Fars News Agency shows the aftermath of an explosion in an oxygen factory in the town of Bagher on Tuesday

The governor of Qod city, Leila Vaseghi, was quoted by the semi-official Fars News agency as saying no explosion had occurred, but that there was a power outage that lasted about five minutes.

It was not immediately clear if the reported incident had taken place in Qod or in a different area of Western Tehran, and residents contacted by Reuters in other parts of the city said they had heard no explosion.

Iranian military expert Fabian Hinz told the New York Times: 'There are two underground facilities, a site associated with chemical weapons research and an unidentified military production site,' in the area where the blast reportedly happened.

The newspaper added the mayor of nearby town Garmdareh claims residents heard an explosion at a factory making gas cylinders.

But although though state media had already reported it, Hossein Haghverdi, the MP for the affected area, said there was no explosion and the power loss was caused been by an issue at a local power station.

There have been multiple explosions around Iranian military, nuclear and industrial facilities in the past two weeks.

In the early hours of Tuesday morning an explosion rocked the Sepahan Boresh factory in the city of Baqershahr, south of Tehran, according to state media.

It was caused by 'workers being negligent whilst filling oxygen tanks', the town's governor Amin Babai was quoted as saying.

Three people were also injured in the blast, two of them suffering injuries so severe they required hospital treatment.

On July 2, the country's atomic energy agency reported that an 'accident' had damaged warehouses under construction at the Natanz nuclear site, around 150 miles south of Tehran.

The organisation released a photo of a building apparently damaged by fire, with doors hanging off hinges after they appeared to have been blown outwards.

The Natanz nuclear facility was destroyed by a fire, with Israel suspected of being behind the cyber-attack

Last Friday, Iran's Supreme National Security Council announced that the 'cause of the accident' at Natanz had been 'accurately determined' and declined to give further details, citing security reasons.

But the lack of detail over the incident sparked speculation over the cause, with many Iranians suspecting covert Israeli operations were responsible.

Agency spokesman Kamalvandi acknowledged to the IRNA state news agency that the incident had caused 'significant financial damage', but did not elaborate further.

He said the damaged building had been designed to produce 'advanced centrifuges', hinting that their assembly had begun prior to the 'accident'.

On the evening of July 2, IRNA published an editorial that warned Iran's arch-foes against hostile action.

It said that unnamed Israeli social media accounts had claimed the Jewish state was behind the incident.

The editorial warned Israel and the US against any attack on Iran's 'security' and 'interests'.

The Natanz complex is mostly underground and is among the sites now monitored by the International Atomic Energy Agency after Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers

Iran confirmed that serious damage occurred at the Natanz nuclear enrichment facility (pictured), which could put back the country's nuclear enrichment programme back by two months

A Twitter account linked to an Israeli analyst had claimed in Arabic on July 1 that Israel had attacked an Iranian uranium enrichment plant.

The BBC's Persian service, which Iranian authorities consider hostile, said it received a statement 'hours before' the incident from a group called the 'Homeland Cheetahs' who claimed responsibility.

They claimed to be 'dissidents present in Iran's security apparatus' and said the location was targeted as it was not 'underground' and that therefore the alleged attack could not be denied.

Iran's civil defence chief, Brigadier General Gholam Reza Jalali, told state TV on Thursday night that any proven cyberattack against Iran would elicit 'a response'.

Israel's Defence Minister and Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz said: 'Iran is aiming for nuclear [weapons], we can't let it get there.

He however added that 'not every event taking place in Iran is necessarily connected to us'.

On June 30, a powerful explosion hit the Sina At'har health centre in the upmarket northern Tehran neighbourhood of Tajrish, killing 19 people and damaging nearby buildings.

Authorities said it was caused by a fire that had set light to gas canisters in the clinic's basement.

Tehran's fire department spokesman Jalal Maleki told state TV that some victims 'were in upper floors in operation rooms, who were either patients being operated on or those with them.

'They unfortunately lost their lives due to the heat and thick smoke'.

That blast came just days after a gas tank explosion near a military complex east of the capital in Parchin on June 26, though there were no casualties in that incident.

Parchin is a site suspected of having hosted conventional explosion tests applicable to nuclear power, which the Islamic republic denies.

It had come under scrutiny from the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency in 2015.

Iran had refused the IAEA access to the site because of the nature of its work, but the agency's then chief, the late Yukiya Amano, paid a visit there.
The endorsement by Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Green Party of the new Programme for Government on Friday, June 26, was a historic occasion for a variety of obvious reasons. One of the lesser discussed reasons is the commitment in the programme to regularise the status of undocumented migrants in Ireland.

Today's world is home to tens of millions of undocumented migrants, individuals present without permission in a country that is not their country of citizenship. Undocumented migration is the result of a complex set of factors, including the availability of work in destination states, lack of opportunity in countries of origin, and the failure of states to align their immigration systems with the realities of international migration by providing adequate channels for legal migration.

The presence of undocumented migrants is a lose-lose situation. Such migrants will often be afraid to approach the authorities if they fall victim to crime. They may avoid accessing healthcare services until an illness becomes acute, creating a health risk not just for themselves, but for the wider community. They will be unable to provide a stable, supportive environment for their children. They will be slow to seek redress through official channels when exploited in the workplace.

This is all because they fear that contact with the authorities may lead to deportation. This creates a situation where the trust essential for effective policing is eroded, the health of the community at large is put at risk, innocent children suffer disadvantages that have lifelong consequences, and unscrupulous employers enjoy an advantage over competitors who play by the rules.

The NGO Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI), long at the forefront of efforts to address the plight of the undocumented in Ireland, estimates the country currently hosts up to 26,000 such migrants. Many of them have been here for more than five years, putting down roots, working, and raising children who have known life in no other country apart from Ireland. Regularisation will give legal recognition and protection to their membership of Irish society and will remove the threat of deportation that makes them vulnerable.

The Government can ensure the success of its regularisation initiative by learning from the mistakes that undermined past regularisation efforts in Ireland and countries around the world.

Firstly, it is important that the regularisation initiative promised in the new Programme for Government is put on a permanent footing. Introducing a one-off time-bound scheme that accepts applications only until a specified future date may reduce the current undocumented population, but will do nothing to address the situation of future undocumented migrants. Undocumented migration is a reality of the contemporary globalised world. It is a reality that can be proactively addressed by ambitious policy action, instead of reactive stopgap measures.

Secondly, an energetic awareness-raising campaign is needed to ensure information about the new "pathways" to legal status reaches the target group, some of whom may be socially isolated and reluctant to have contact with State officials. This will require direct engagement with migrant communities and support organisations and provision of informational material in a variety of languages.

To reduce the understandable reluctance of undocumented migrants to provide detailed personal information to State officials, any regularisation initiative should be accompanied by a "firewall", a guarantee that the personal data of applicants will not be used for purposes of immigration control and enforcement. Many individuals will refrain from applying for regularisation if they fear that an unsuccessful application may result in deportation.

Thirdly, to shrink Ireland's population of undocumented migrants as far as possible, any new pathway to legal status should be subject to minimal eligibility criteria. Reasonable criteria would include a requirement for applicants to have been present in the State for a specified minimum period of time, say four years, and the absence of a serious criminal record. Other eligibility criteria, such as previous lawful presence or past possession of a work permit, would severely restrict the pool of potential applicants and thereby undermine the effectiveness of a new regularisation initiative.

Fourthly, the Government should avoid using regularisation as a revenue-generating device. Application fees for regularisation should be set at a rate that covers the administrative costs involved, and should not be so high as to have the practical effect of preventing otherwise eligible candidates from submitting applications.

Finally, for regularisation to be meaningful, it must provide successful applicants with a residence permit which, even if initially temporary, is easily renewable.

Time spent in the State on such permits should be reckonable towards long-term residence and, ultimately, citizenship. Ireland should avoid the mistake of countries that provided short-term legal status to undocumented migrants and then allowed them to fall back into irregular status, essentially defeating the purpose of the initial regularisation.
New Delhi:

A 20-year-old man involved in robbery of 10 kg gold from Uttarakhand's Rishikesh was arrested in Jahangirpuri, the police said on Saturday.

Naveen was arrested near Kushal Cinema Chowk, Jahangirpuri, last night and the police have seized Rs 4.5 lakh from him, they said.

They said Naveen and his associates had conspired and looted Joginder, who works with a jewellery firm in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur, in Rishikesh on October 12 while the latter was on his way to deliver the yellow metal.

One of Naveen's associates, Saurav, also used to work for the firm. On the day of the robbery, Saurav had informed the accused about Joginder's travel plan.

Another accused, Sumit, boarded the same bus as Joginder and had kept other associates informed about his whereabouts before looting him at Terry bus stand in Rishikesh, police said.

The accused fled after looting Joginder and sold the gold to a gold smith in Jahangirpuri.

"Based on their information, the Uttarakhand Police sought assistance from us. Finally, Naveen was arrested from near the chowk at around 9 PM yesterday," an official said.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Friday he condemned 'in the most intense manner' a decision by Turkey to convert Istanbul's Hagia Sophia museum into a mosque.

"This is a choice which offends all those who also recognise the monument as a world heritage site. And of course it does not only affect relations between Turkey and Greece, but its relations with the European Union," Mitsotakis's office said in a written statement.

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Recently, 150 writers artists and academics wrote an open letter arguing against ideological conformity amid a debate over so-called cancel culture  where prominent people face attack for sharing controversial opinions

In that list of 150 who signed an open letter published on Wednesday decrying the restriction of debate are some of the most recognised western writers.

Noam Chomsky. Salman Rushdie. JK Rowling. Margaret Atwood. Malcom Gladwell. Gloria Steinem.

They are upset about how the free exchange of information and ideas, the lifeblood of a liberal society, is daily becoming more constricted. This letter comes, incidentally, right after Rowling was mercilessly trolled and cancelled by gender activists who felt she insulted and belittled transgenders in her tweets.

People who menstruate. Im sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud? Opinion: Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate https://t.co/cVpZxG7gaA  J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 6, 2020

While we have come to expect this on the radical Right, the intellectuals said in the letter, censoriousness is also spreading more widely in our culture: an intolerance of opposing views, a vogue for public shaming and ostracism, and the tendency to dissolve complex policy issues in a blinding moral certainty.

Even while lamenting the tyranny of the far-Left, why do they repeatedly bring in the Right? What are they actually saying?

Well good boys and girls (and all other genders, and not in that order), let us continue to bash the Right and deny them free exchange of ideas; but for gods (or Marxs) sake, dont turn on us!

The irony is that these writers have made the ground fertile for cancel culture, the tyranny of cancelling all views and voices other than ones own. By either selective attacks or silence, they have over the years emboldened a clutch of intellectual cowards to stage gratuitous attacks on free speech.

And while possessing the gift of the most nuanced and amazing twists of phrase and mastery over language, Chomsky, Rowling and others have reduced political debate to half-a-dozen high-school-level insults like fascist, racist, misogynist, bigot, Islamophobe and supremacist.

These words have been so misused and overused by these wordsmiths themselves, that their original meanings have got greatly diluted.

In June 2016, Rowling called Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump a fascist in all but name. Trump had not even come to power then, and till date as US President, he has done nothing to rekindle even slightest memory of the torture and horror that Nazis or fascists had unleashed in 40s Europe.

Chomsky has compared right wing media to Nazi Germany. In an interview, he said he saw symptoms of fascism in India under Modi.

Most of the signatories of the anti-cancel culture document have become like an Open Letter Writers Club, pontificating on every political issue, targeting popularly elected democratic governments across the world, but being excessively soft on the real fountainheads of murder and oppression: Islamism and communism.

Their letter rightly points out the shocking excesses of cancel culture: Institutional leaders, in a spirit of panicked damage control, are delivering hasty and disproportionate punishments instead of considered reforms. Editors are fired for running controversial pieces; books are withdrawn for alleged inauthenticity; journalists are barred from writing on certain topics; professors are investigated for quoting works of literature in class; a researcher is fired for circulating a peer-reviewed academic study; and the heads of organisations are ousted for what are sometimes just clumsy mistakes.

The signatories of this letter include dozens of teachers and academicians. But they never spoke up, for instance, when eminent thinker and psychologist Jordan Peterson was hounded and shouted down at McMaster University by rabid social justice warriors for his speech opposing gender-neutral pronouns. Using they as singular, for instance, instead of he or she.

These academicians never raised their voice against the widespread discrimination on campuses against Right-leaning views.

In Passing on the Right, Jon Shields and Joshua Dunn Sr describe how so many conservative professors remain closeted. Many of those interviewed clearly said they identify with the experience of gays and lesbians in having to hide who they are.

Wokeness has struck western campuses in dark and absurd ways. Mount Holyoke College dropped a new logo that used the Venus symbol after trans students objected. Five years ago, the college cancelled a performance of Eve Enslers iconic feminist play, The Vagina Monologues because it offers an extremely narrow perspective on what it means to be a woman.

In November 2016 at Oberlin College, Ohio, a bakery owners son caught an underage black student with two wine bottles under his shirt. He chased him and got into an argument with two other black Oberlin students. The police arrested all three students, who accepted their guilt. Oberlin, enabled by sanctimonious faculty and administrators, erupted in rage. They blasted the bakery for a history of racial profiling and racial discrimination and cancelled a store that had done business with the college for decades.

In its zeal, the political correctness monster has started killing all voices except its own, justifying all evil that its member-groups commit. Many of the open-letter signatories have enabled this monster, which has now turned on them, by going after other points of view viciously, relentlessly and undemocratically.

One hopes this time they will heed their own words: If we wont defend the very thing on which our work depends, we shouldnt expect the public or the state to defend it for us.
Man, dog pronounced dead after early morning explosion, structure fire near Harbor Springs

A man and a dog have both died as the result of an explosion and structure fire early Tuesday morning in West Traverse Township near Harbor Springs.
Yang only recently divulged that she was raped at 18 by a classmate at Harvard Law School. She describes the assault, its traumatic aftermath ("the next two and a half years became a delicate dance of hide-and-seek, tiptoeing around my attacker, asking friends if they saw him in the library, and studying his patterns of migration like a zoologist." ) and the school's complete abdication of responsibility in a very damning note at the end of the book.

The book begins with Kyle taking his first girlfriend, Nadia, on the long drive to his grandparents' "Nowhere" ranch for Thanksgiving, where she meets with overwhelming approval from his large extended family including his closest friend, his cousin Emily. Then it's March, and Kyle and his dad are making the long drive to "Nowhere" for yet another family gathering when his dad breaks the news that Kyle's mom is having an affair, but orders Kyle to keep the news to himself ("keep it in the vault'). The burden of the secret sends Kyle reeling: he starts avoiding his girlfriend, bails on the school baseball team and avoids his parents as much as possible. Things get even more complicated when Kyle starts coaching a kids' baseball team and realizes one of the kids is the son of the man his mother is having the affair with.
The U.S. economy is caught in the middle of President Donald Trump's tug-of-war to reopen schools -- and could end up damned no matter what happens.

The full-fledged restart the president is pushing for would boost economic growth by allowing parents to go back to work instead of staying at home to care for their children. But it also would risk a more-rapid spread of viral infections that are already surging in some states, sapping the momentum of the nascent recovery.

"It's really important for students have good learning opportunities," said Emiliana Vegas, co-director of the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution. "The problem in the U.S. right now is reopening the schools in the midst of rising numbers of cases. No country has done that so far."

There's little doubt the closings have a deleterious effect -- in the short and long term. A four-week shutdown costs the economy more than $50 billion in lost output from working parents who can't do their jobs, according to calculations by Brookings analysts. It also increases unemployment by a couple of percentage points, said Vicky Redwood, a senior economic adviser at Capital Economics.

These costs fall disproportionately on people least able to afford them: single parents and low-income earners who can't perform their jobs remotely. Health-care workers also are more affected, Brookings Senior Fellow Ross Hammond said.

A smooth economic recovery depends on the country finding a way to restart classes safely, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic told reporters Wednesday.

"The schools are really important" he said. "If parents can't get child care and they are worried about those sorts of issues, they are not going to be as productive in the workplace."

If young people fall seriously behind in their education and social development, the economic impact can be long lasting. Four months of lost education could cost the U.S. $2.5 trillion in students' future earnings, Vegas calculates.

Trump intensified his pressure campaign on Wednesday, attacking the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention over guidelines he said are too onerous and threatening to cut federal funding to schools that don't bring students back to the classrooms.

Despite Trump's eagerness to reopen, the decision about whether, and how, to do so rests with governors, mayors and local administrators and not with the president, a point several of them are making.

In California, which reported a record number of coronavirus deaths on Thursday, Gov. Gavin Newsom said any decision will be based on the case count when the academic year starts. And in New York, once the U.S. epicenter of the epidemic, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Trump has no authority to order classes to resume.

"We will open the schools if it is safe to open the schools," said Cuomo, who frequently sparred with Trump over restarting businesses. The state will make a decision in early August, he added.

Reopening won't come cheap. Total costs for improved cleaning, new staff to help with health protocols, protective equipment and safe transportation to and from schools might amount to almost $1.8 million for the average district, according to a study by the Association of School Business Officials International and AASA, The School Superintendents Association. There are about 13,600 districts in the U.S.

Congress earmarked $13.3 billion in the CARES act to assist in reopenings. Democrats in the House of Representatives have proposed setting aside about $100 billion more in the next aid bill, while the Republican-controlled Senate also is studying additional support.

Nobel laureate economist Paul Romer argues that Congress needs to pay for frequent and widespread covid-19 testing at schools so students can safely return to their classrooms. He reckons the cost could be as high as $22 billion for the school year, but it would help reassure skittish teachers and parents worried about the virus's spread.

More than one-third of parents aren't comfortable with their children returning to school in the fall, according to a CivicScience study of more than 1,300 released this week.

The big numbers being bandied about for aid to schools could give Trump leverage in his push for full-fledged reopenings -- depending on how the programs are structured, said Frederick Hess, director of education-policy studies at the free-market American Enterprise Institute.

He proposed something akin to the Paycheck Protection Program, which enticed small businesses to keep their workers when the economy tanked. Under his proposal, school districts that receive aid to reopen must meet certain standards for educating students or risk losing out on a commensurate amount of future federal funding.

The U.S. spends about $700 billion a year on kindergarten through 12th grade education, with about 90% of the financing coming from local sources, including property taxes.

Hess said he fears the default option for many districts will be to have students spend two days a week socially distancing at school and the rest of their time with "lousy virtual learning.""If schools are not going to resume in full capacity -- which seems likely -- it's going to be a limiting factor for the broader economic recovery," said Michelle Meyer, head of U.S. economics at Bank of America Corp.
The screams of a 13-year-old girl as she struggled to swim to shore were what brought rescuers to her Tuesday night in Galveston Bay, according to authorities.

The girl was likely in the water for more than four hours, leaving a rental boat that had also carried the childs mother who fell overboard and a man who went after her. Their bodies were found Wednesday morning in Seabrook. Larry Cryer, Chambers County Justice of the Peace for Precinct 6, on Friday identified the boaters as the childs mother, Kontessa Walker, 32, and Darrell Dacke, 62.

The child was 250 yards from shore and clinging to a flotation device around 10:40 p.m. when a homeowner with a pier in the 4100 block of Todville Road in Seabrook heard her cries, said Andrew Gutacker, chief of Seabrook Volunteer Fire Department. His assistant chief, Andy Castiglione, whom he lauded for saving another life earlier this year, was one of the first rescuers to reach the pier.

Castiglione, a retired Marine, said a pair of Seabrook police officers lowered him into the water and he swam out to save her.

While the water was brackish-warm, the bay was dark, choppy and Castiglione, 44, often lost sight of her in the surf, he recalled. He fought through the waves and would often swim on his back to hear her calling out for help as first responders on shore shined a flashlight on her.

He finally reached her and found the girl clinging to what appeared to be an orange floatie.

She was clearly in a state of panic, Castiglione continued. She wasn't swimming. She was just in a state of survival.

Castiglione paused to catch his breath and then set off for shore with the girl rolled under him. About two-thirds of the way back, Coast Guard rescuers found the two and plucked them from the water. The girl began calming down.

Castiglione managed to get a few words out of her. She revealed that two adults had been with her. She was unsure where or when her ordeal began. The sun was still out when the adults went under and she remembered seeing kite sailers. He believes she tried working the boat after the two went overboard.

The girl, Coast Guard officials believe, next grabbed a flotation device and decided to swim back to land. The boat washed ashore at El Jardin Beach around 7:15 p.m. in Seabrook  about 2 miles north of where she was later found. The boats kill switch had been pulled, officials said. She would spend the next three hours trying desperately to stay afloat. During that time, the sun set.

This girl was incredibly tough to be out in the water for that long in the dark, Castiglione said.

Castiglione warned that boaters should always be wearing life jackets.

Its such a simple thing to do, he said.

Boat traffic is not heavy in the area where the girl was found but large waves can be an issue, Gutacker said.

nicole.hensley@chron.com
Hundreds gathered in front of the Serbian parliament on July 9 for the third straight night of protests sparked by government-proposed restrictions to curb a spike in coronavirus infections. Most chose to sit on sidewalks, keeping physical distance while nationalists chanted anti-Kosovo slogans nearby. No major incidents were reported and some protesters danced to traditional Serbian music. On July 7-8, protesters tried to storm the parliament before being dispersed by police. In the face of the protests, the government backtracked on the restrictions.
Michel Barnier has mocked a Tory MPs protests about the EUs aims for a post-Brexit trade deal  pointing out he voted for the measures himself.

Mark Francois, head of the hardline European Research Group, wrote to the EUs chief negotiator last month, insisting he must drop his unreasonable demands.

In a scathing response, Mr Barnier sets out how those demands  on adherence to EU rules and the role of the European Court of Justice  were both agreed by Boris Johnson, in the Brexit deal.

It was then voted for by the House of Commons, including yourself, as part of the withdrawal agreement ratification, he points out.

In a letter dripping in sarcasm, Mr Barnier adds: All we are asking of the UK is to honour its commitments in the political declaration.

An agreement is still possible, he argues  despite the short time available, which is the choice of your government.

The last point is a reference to the prime ministers decision to reject an extension to the transition period, threatening both sides with a no-deal Brexit on 31 December.

The negotiations remain deadlocked over the flashpoints listed by Mr Barnier, plus fishing rights, the UK insisting that to concede would mean giving up its sovereignty.

However, the EU can point to the terms of the political declaration, signed in haste by Mr Johnson last autumn to strike an exit deal and take the UK out of the bloc on 31 January.

It agrees that, on any dispute over EU law, the arbitration panel should refer the question to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) as the sole arbiter of Union law, for a binding ruling.

Michel Barniers letter is dripping in sarcasm

And, on so-called level playing field issues, both sides pledged to uphold the common high standards applicable in the Union and the United Kingdom at the end of the transition period in the areas of state aid, competition, social and employment standards, environment, climate change, and relevant tax matters.

Despite Mr Johnsons signature on the document  and ratification by the Commons  the UK has insisted it will not sign a trade deal that prevents it breaking free of EU rules, or leaves it under the remit of the CJEU.

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

The clash came as the prime minister sparked accusations of putting Brexit before health by rejecting an invitation to join an EU scheme to procure a coronavirus vaccine.

Meanwhile, the British Retail Consortium warned the cost of household staples  ranging from meat and cheese to school uniforms and drinking glasses  will soar under a no-deal Brexit.

The public should prepare for price hikes on ordinary household goods that every consumer has to buy and replenish, it said.
Washington, July 10 : The 2020 annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group will likely be held in a primarily virtual format due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the leaders of the two institutions announced.

In a joint statement on Thursday, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and World Bank Group President David Malpass said they are recommending the annual meetings, scheduled for October 12-18, be held in a "primarily virtual format", given the ongoing global health crisis, reports Xinhua news agency.

"While we are preparing for a virtual scenario, we remain flexible with the format of the meetings in light of developments and will work, in consultation with our Executive Boards, to accommodate the needs of our membership," the statement read.

The annual meetings usually bring thousands of government officials, business people, journalists and other representatives from across the globe to the two institutions' headquarters in downtown Washington D.C.

"Our goal is to serve our membership effectively while ensuring the health and safety of Annual Meetings' participants, staff, and the local community in the Washington D.C. area," the statement added.

In April, the two multilateral institutions already held the 2020 IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings in a virtual format.
WASHINGTON - California Attorney General Xavier Becerra sued the Trump administration Thursday, seeking to block a rule that would require international students to take classes in person this fall, despite increasing coronavirus cases.

"Right now is the worst time to enforce such a policy," Becerra said, with just weeks to go before the start of the school year and cases spiking in California.

Earlier this week the federal Student and Exchange Visitor Program announced that visas would not be issued to students in schools that plan to teach classes fully online this fall. Those students would be barred from entering the country, and students already in the United States would need to leave the country or transfer to a school with in-person instruction to keep their visas.

The rule has not been published yet, but the guidance issued Monday blindsided university officials who had expected federal immigration authorities to continue flexibility put in place this spring. International students had been required to take classes in person, but when the pandemic shut down most campuses the government had allowed students to continue their studies online - and said that the new guidance would remain in effect for the duration of the emergency.

The suit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, argues that California is disproportionately impacted by the order with more than 184,000 international students. Becerra was joined by school leaders from California State University and California Community Colleges.

On Thursday, Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Northeastern University filed a lawsuit challenging the rule on similar grounds.

California officials described students unable to afford travel back to their home countries, frightened by the prospect of attending classes in person during a pandemic and unable to reach consular officials for advice.

A spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has said the agency cannot comment due to pending litigation.
The state launches free, COVID-19 testing sites Friday in eight communities that have been hit hard by the pandemic. Not one is in Western Massachusetts.

Nor is there any in Worcester County, which takes up most of Central Massachusetts. When asked why, Gov. Charlie Baker noted the rates were low, but at least one Western Massachusetts lawmaker pushed back against the lack of new free sites in the region.

Massachusetts Sen. Eric Lesser, a Longmeadow Democrat, said the eight new sites are a good start but fail to offer any relief to Western Massachusetts residents.

It is simply unacceptable that there is not one testing site west of I-495. Many of the risk factors most associated with COVID-19 such as age and underlying health conditions like diabetes and asthma are highly prevalent in Western Massachusetts, he said. These are also areas with diverse populations and underlying racial and economic disparities.

Baker announced Wednesday the launch of new sites in eight communities that have higher positive COVID-19 rates and lower testing levels than the state average. Those cities are Chelsea, Everett, Fall River, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, Marlborough and New Bedford.

AFC Urgent Care, one of two testing sites in Marlborough, is just west of 495 by the exit ramp. But thats roughly 70 miles from Springfield, Chicopee, Holyoke and other Western Massachusetts communities.

While the statewide positive test rate remains at roughly 2%, these communities have seen positive test rates of 8%, Baker said.

Baker explained the sites as free resources for anyone in the state who wants one, including asymptomatic individuals.

When asked whether a Western Massachusetts site would be included, Baker said the numbers are low but he will if he sees any change in the rates across the region.

If the folks in Western Massachusetts start to have issues, absolutely, he said. Remember, Western Mass. was sort of one of the first parts of Massachusetts that showed significant outbreaks and then Western Mass. actually got very low.

Bakers office said Friday the administration will continue to monitor the data for signs of positive case increases in other communities and expand accordingly. When selecting the eight communities, the Baker administration looked at elevated total spread, elevated spread over the last two weeks, high positive test rates over the past two weeks and declining testing levels since late April.

While Massachusetts has seen the number of new daily cases drop significantly compared to mid-April, the coronavirus has not been eradicated from the state. As of July 2, the state recorded a seven day total of 11 cases per capita in Western Massachusetts, 12 cases per capita in parts of Eastern Massachusetts and as many as 21 cases per capita in the northeastern corner of the state.

The fatality rate in Hampden County is at 9.73% compared to the statewide rate of 7.66%. While some of that could partly be attributed to the outbreaks at long-term care facilities, Lesser notes that residents face other factors such as underlying health conditions, racial disparities and economic disparities.

Local health officials raised concerns that racial, ethnic and income disparities are only exacerbating who contracts the virus. In New Bedford, Latinos make up one-quarter of the population but account for nearly half of the COVID-19 cases. New Bedford Health Director Damon Chaplin suspected there were more, but said the fear of the cost alone deterred some residents.

A lot of folks are afraid of receiving the bill in the mail for a test that they went and received, Chaplin said. Free testing for anyone who needs it and wants it, in my opinion, is the one thing that I would want to see happen.

There are more than 300 COVID-19 test sites throughout the state as of Friday, according to the states test site locator. There are more tests in more densely populated areas in Eastern Massachusetts, such as Boston. Western Massachusetts residents have nearly two dozen test sites to choose from with many of those sites in the Springfield Metropolitan Area.

When the needs of the person getting tested increase, their options dwindle. Some sites dont test children, others require a referral or dont offer free testing for the uninsured. If a Western Massachusetts resident needed to find a testing site that accepts MassHealth, tests children and does not require a referral, the options drop by half across four counties. If a resident sought a site that offers free testing for the uninsured without a referral, that person would have nine options across the region. Like many services, getting tested requires access to reliable transportation.

The effort to test the communities in this first round are laudable and have my full support, but it is simply inexcusable to exclude a geographic area spanning 4,280 square miles and a population of over 1.65 million, Lesser said.

Detecting hot spots

Massachusetts health officials on Thursday reported the positive test rate was just below 2%, overall a sign that the state is on track to contain the coronavirus.

A closer look reveals that some cities have higher rates than others. As of Wednesday, Boston has a 2.27% COVID-19 positivity over the past two weeks. Cambridges positivity percentage is below 1%.

New Bedford and Fall River, two of the cities getting free testing, had positivity percentages of over 5%. Everett, another community flagged for free testing, had a 4.47% positivity. Chelsea, which recorded the highest cases per capita in the state during the surge, has a 7.46% positivity from the last 14 days.

But its not just Eastern Massachusetts seeing higher percentages. While Pittsfield and North Adams have positivity percentages near zero, Springfields was 4.25% as of Wednesday. State officials reported 39 new cases in Springfield between July 1 and Wednesday.

Some health experts say the disparities in infection rate within a city, between neighborhoods, are greater, but those trends are difficult to track without more granular data available.

Some medical professionals and local health experts could probably point to hot spots within their communities and find a number of factors, ranging from housing density to the number of essential workers and people returning to work in an area.

Dr. Frank Robinson, vice president of public health and community relations at Baystate Health, tried to detect hotspots within Springfield using the hospital systems data. He found higher COVID-19 rates in the central and western parts of the city, particularly in the north end and part of Mason Square. When he overlaid data on housing density, income level and census figures, he found the two racially diverse, working-class neighborhoods were among the most at-risk of contracting COVID-19.

The data is limited. He only has access to the COVID-19 test results out of Baystate Health. The latest data analysis he shared compiles results from June 11 and include 963 of the citys more than 2,600 cases at the time. Yet even his batch of data shows correlations between structural barriers in housing affordability, income, health care access  racial, ethnic and class disparities within Springfield  and higher risk of the coronavirus.

If I present this kind of data, I like to do it by explaining the context, he said. These are communities of disinvestment, communities that have been subjugated historically for 50 to 60 years with clear patterns of racial discrimination and structural, systemic racism, Robinson said in an interview with MassLive.

Baystate Health total COVID-19 cases per thousand by census tract.Courtesy of Baystate Health

Robinson said he wouldnt have been able to detect those hot spots as closely were it not for the geo-locational data. If the state and public health experts could analyze the data at such a localized level, he said, the state could help detect hotspots that might not otherwise be visible.

Robinson wants to replicate his data analysis with all the results across Springfield. But neither the city of Springfield nor the state has publicly released localized data that he can analyze on the same level.

The Harvard Global Health Institute created a nationwide assessment map to detect hot spots at the local level. Now the institute needs the geolocated data in Massachusetts.

Danielle Allen, director of the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard University, said the public needs clear and consistent information about COVID risk levels in different jurisdictions for personal decision-making, and policy-makers need clear and consistent visibility that permits differentiating policy across jurisdictions.

In Robinsons case, the localized data helps highlight systemic factors that put primary care access into context. He believes the data can help provide a health equity index beyond COVID-19, which he and local partners have tried to develop over the past few years.

COVID came along and it gave us a backbone for sharing work weve been actually doing for years, trying to get some traction, he said.

If anything that comes out of the pandemic, thats worth all the struggle, all the death, all the challenge, its that we might for the first time sincerely begin to do things differently, Robinson added. Its not that this stuff is new. We know what we need to do to correct the problem, maybe there will be enough public will to move things forward.

Related Content:
These are the rides likeliest to endure the test of time with collectors and car fans.

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- When it comes to cars, love can fade. So can value. (The average new car loses about 25 percent of its value in the first year after being driven off the dealer lot, and another 10 to 15 percent the year after that.)

But every year, manufacturers produce vehicles that buck this trend to become the collectible stars of tomorrow. To identify them, each year Hagerty's staff of industry analysts, valuation experts and busted-knuckle gearheads reviews the crop of new cars, trucks and motorcycles and picks a select few for its "Hot List."

"Hot List cars have that just-right blend of performance and appeal that add a lot of value over time," said Hagerty's Jonathan Klinger. "These are also the cars that our team thinks will still be fun to drive years from now and grab people's attention."

To be considered for the 2020 Hagerty Hot List, a vehicle must be available in, or close to, the 2020 model year. Preference is given to newly and recently released vehicles, so don't be surprised if a previous winner doesn't show up despite still being present in showrooms. In the past, the list has been limited to production cars with a base price of $100,000 or less, which is why it has seldom included high-end manufacturers like Lamborghini and Maserati. This year, however, we moved the price limit up a bit, just for fun.

Think we've committed a grave injustice with one our choices, or overlooked a deserving vehicle? Make your voice heard in the Hagerty Community.

The 2020 Hot List includes:

2020 Shelby Mustang GT500 ($74,095)  Saying "it won't get better than this" is a proven way to be proven wrong, but this 760-horsepower Mustang looks to be the exception. Like a certain cross-town rival, this Shelby makes the point that there comes a time when the solution to your problems isn't more horsepower. That this model is the most deserving of the hallowed GT500 nameplate since the 1967 original is almost incidental.

2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray (C8) ($59,995)  The six-cylinder 1953. The split-window 1963 coupe. Those first, thundering Z06s. The Corvette's seven decades are littered with legendary cars that time turned into six-figure auction results. But 2020's mid-engined car is the single biggest step in that storied history. Smart investments don't get easier than this.

2020 Polestar 1 ($156,000)  With a turbocharger, a supercharger and two electric motors tucked into a concept-car body, the Polestar has the performance, the looks and the "wait, what?" weirdness that make for auction gold. You probably didn't even know it was made by Volvo.

2020 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon ($43,545)  The Jeep Wrangler does not depreciate. As sure as the sun will rise, this is true. Now take that Wrangler and add a pick-up bed and all of the go-anywhere hardwareand while keeping the doors-off freedomthat has minted money for Jeep for decades, and a Gladiator Rubicon is ready to mint money for you, too.

2019/2020 Cadillac CT6-V ($97,190)  The right car born at the wrong time, the CT6-V was supposed to usher in a new era at Cadillac. But after management pulled the plug, all it ushered in was a meager handful of sales. GM isn't planning any other uses for the car's 4.2-liter, 550-horsepower "Blackwing" twin-turbo V-8, so the only piece of this car's story that isn't already written is just what sort of return that scarcity will turn into.

2021 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP ( $28,950 )  Last time Honda sold anything close to this motorcycle, they charged nearly $200,000 for it. This time, it only costs $28,950 . Exotic construction, racing-derived aerodynamic innovations and wheelie-popping power ensure that the Fireblade SP will spend the next 30 years climbing toward that old untouchable price.

For Hagerty's full Hot List article, visit www.hagerty.com/media/

About Hagerty

Hagerty is an automotive lifestyle company. Our mission is keep driving alive for car lovers and drive positive change in the world. Hagerty is home to Hagerty Drivers Club,Hagerty DriveShare, Hagerty Valuation Tools, Hagerty Drivers Club magazine, Hagerty Media and MotorsportReg and more. Hagerty is the world's largest provider of specialty insurance for enthusiast vehicles and supports keeping car culture alive through youth programs, the Historic Vehicle Association (HVA) and the RPM Foundation. For more information, call (800) 922-4050 or visit www.hagerty.com.

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DUBLIN, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "India Hotel Market, By Hotel Type (Mid-market, Upscale Hotels, Economy Hotels), By Revenue Streams (Room, Food & Beverages, and others), By Booking Type, By Region, By Major City, Competition, Forecast & Opportunities, 2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

India hotel market is projected to grow from around $7.5 billion in 2019 to $16.8 billion by 2025, exhibiting a CAGR of nearly 15% during the forecast period.



The market is expected to grow on account of rising urbanization, increasing foreign as well as domestic tourist arrivals coupled with growing disposable income in the country. Expanding young & working population coupled with an increasing number of dual-income families is expected to positively affects the market in the coming years.



The country's hotel market is categorized into Mid-market Hotels, Upscale Hotels and Economy Hotels. Mid-market hotels segment holds the largest market share and the trend is expected to continue in the coming years due to customer-friendly prices, standard amenities and affordable room services offered by Mid-market hotels. Nevertheless, both Upscale as well as Economy segments are also anticipated to witness robust double digit growth during the forecast period.



Additionally, due to the rising investments by international players in the country's hotel industry, more hotels are expected to come up in the coming years. North India dominated the country's hotel market in 2019 and the region is expected to maintain its dominance during the forecast period. South India is another fast growing region in India hotel industry.



Major players operating in India hotel market include Oravel Stays Private Limited; Indian Hotels Company Limited; ITC Limited; EIH Limited; Bharat Hotels Limited; Lemon Tree Hotels; The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts; Marriott Hospitality Services Private Limited; etc.



Years considered for this report:

Historical Years: 2015-2018

Base Year: 2019

Estimated Year: 2020

Forecast Period: 2021-2025

Objective of the Study

To analyze and forecast the market size of the India Hotel Market.

To classify and forecast India Hotel Market based on Type, Revenue, Booking Type, Region and Cities.

To identify drivers and challenges for India Hotel Market.

To examine competitive developments such as expansions, new product launches, mergers & acquisitions, etc., in India Hotel Market.

Hotel Market. To identify and analyze the profile of leading players operating in India Hotel Market.

Key Topics Covered



1. Area of Interest Introduction/Definition: Hotel Industry



2. Research Methodology



3. Executive Summary



4. Voice of Customers/Customer Insights



5. India Hotel Industry Market Outlook

5.1. Market Size & Forecast

5.1.1. By Value

5.2. Market Share & Forecast

5.2.1. By Hotel Type (Mid-market, Upscale Hotels and Economy Hotels)

5.2.2. By Revenue Streams (Room, Food & Beverages, and others (Auxiliary services, laundry, transport etc.)

5.2.2.1. India Hotel Industry Bookings Type Market Share

5.2.2.1.1. By Booking Mode/Channel (Offline Vs Online)

5.2.2.1.2. By Tourist (Domestic VS International)

5.2.3. By Region (North, West, South, East)

5.2.4. By Major Cities (Top 10)

5.2.5. By Company

5.3. Market Attractiveness Index



6. India Mid-market Hotel Market Outlook

6.1. Market Size & Forecast

6.1.1. By Value & Volume

6.2. Market Share & Forecast

6.2.1. By Revenue Stream (Room, Food & Beverages, and others (Auxiliary services, laundry, transport etc.))



7. India Upscale Hotels Market Outlook

7.1. Market Size & Forecast

7.1.1. By Value & Volume

7.2. Market Share & Forecast

7.2.1. By Revenue Stream (Room, Food & Beverages, and others (Auxiliary services, laundry, transport etc.))



8. India Economy Hotel Market Outlook

8.1. Market Size & Forecast

8.1.1. By Value & Volume

8.2. Market Share & Forecast

8.2.1. Revenue Stream (Room, Food & Beverages, and others (Auxiliary services, laundry, transport etc.))



9. Market Dynamics

9.1. Drivers/Opportunities

9.2. Challenges/Restraints



10. Market Trends & Developments



11. Policy & Regulatory Landscape



12. India Economic Profile



13. Competitive Landscape

13.1. Company Profiles (Top 10 Companies)

13.1.1. Oravel Stays Private Limited

13.1.2. Indian Hotels Company Limited

13.1.3. ITC Limited

13.1.4. EIH Limited

13.1.5. Bharat Hotels Limited

13.1.6. Lemon Tree Hotels

13.1.7. The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts

13.1.8. Marriott Hospitality Services Private Limited

13.1.9. Hilton India Pvt. Ltd.

13.1.10. Radisson (India) Private Limited



14. Strategic Recommendations



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/p62fh3

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



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Bethlehem residents and city leaders alike are fed up with their neighborhoods sounding like the Fourth of July every night over the past few weeks.

City council and Mayor Bob Donchez want state lawmakers to tackle the 2017 law that legalized fireworks in the Keystone State. Legalization generates millions of dollars for the state each year because of the 12% fireworks sales tax.
HOUSTON, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As an experienced plaintiff's attorney and the founder of The Ammons Law Firm LLP, a premier personal injury firm in Houston, Attorney Rob Ammons has often been recognized for his accomplishments, including listings in Super Lawyers, Martindale-Hubbell, and Best Lawyers. Now, Attorney Rob Ammons has once again been recognized in the Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers Guide for 2020.

Aiming to showcase the "best of the U.S. plaintiff's bar," the Lawdragon research team uses intensive research, in-depth analysis, client and peer nominations, and data about settlements and verdicts to determine which 500 attorneys qualify for top rankings within their practice area. As a renowned legal media organization, Lawdragon has extensive connections within the legal community  and a reputation for accurately identifying excellence in the field of law.

With his previous inclusion on the Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers Guide in 2019, Attorney Rob Ammons continues to stand out as a leading advocate for consumers, particularly in matters concerning auto defects, product liability, catastrophic injury, truck accidents, industrial workplace accidents, and SUV rollover accidents. Under his leadership, The Ammons Law Firm LLP will continue to fight on behalf of injury victims in Texas and nationwide, recovering millions for those who have been injured and wronged.

To contact The Ammons Law Firm LLP for press inquiries and other information, visit https://www.ammonslaw.com/.

SOURCE The Ammons Law Firm LLP

Related Links

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Former Conservative MP Charlie Elphicke sexually assaulted a young parliamentary worker then 'lectured' her 'not to blab', she tearfully claimed today.

The 49-year-old father-of-two was also accused in court of telling her he 'had not been happy for years' in his marriage to Natalie Elphicke, moments after groping her.

Southwark Crown Court was told he attacked the woman in Westminster after inviting her to share some champagne with him in spring 2016.

The alleged victim, who was in her early 20s and cannot be identified for legal reasons, said she found Elphicke 'physically repulsive'.

She said she kept telling him she was not interested in a sexual relationship with him, despite his protestations that she did.

Asked by prosecutor Eloise Marshall QC if she thought Elphicke believed she was, in fact, 'up for it', the woman, who wept while giving evidence, replied: 'I think he thought that if he kept going that I would one day cave. But I wouldn't'

Former MP Charlie Elphicke with his wife Natalie, who took his parliamentary seat, on their way to court today

Elphicke denies three counts of sexual assault, two involving the parliamentary worker, and one involving another woman in 2007 at his home in central London.

The parliamentary worker described how she and Elphicke were chatting over a drink in Westminster, talking about how they apparently both liked 'musicals and Abba' before he allegedly put his arm around her and told her he liked her.

The jury heard excerpts from notes the woman made after the incident in which she told him she was not interested.

The woman wrote: 'I said: 'This was not OK'.

'He said: 'Why not?'

'I said: 'You're married'.

'He said he hadn't been happy for years.'

The trial has already heard claims former MP Charlie Elphicke (pictured right with wife Natalalie) had chased a women around his London flat chanting 'I'm a naughty Tory'

The woman then mentioned Elphicke's children, aged nine and 15 at the time, to which Elphicke was said to have replied that 'it wasn't that easy to separate'.

The court heard how he contacted the woman by phone after the incident and warned her about talking to others.

She said: 'He gave me a lecture about how I mustn't blab: don't say anything to anyone.'

Elphicke is alleged to have sexually assaulted the same woman later in 2016 when he ran his hand up her leg.

Asked by counsel Ms Marshall in court if she found Elphicke attractive, the woman replied: 'Absolutely not.'

The trial, at which Mr Elphicke has denied three counts of sexual assault, is being held at Southwark Crown Court in London

She said she had wanted to tell Elphicke: 'You physically repulse me.

'That's what I wanted to say.

'I was trying to deal with it by saying: I don't like you like that.'

The court heard the witness agreed to meet with Elphicke in summer 2016, shortly after he became a backbencher when he was removed from government as Theresa May became prime minister, in which she challenged him about his behaviour.

She said in a message to a friend at the time: 'It (the meeting) went as well as it could have.

'He just kept apologising.

'The massive demotion has really hit him hard and I think it humbled him massively.'

The trial has already heard claims he chased another woman around his house in central London chanting 'I'm a naughty Tory' trying to spank her bottom.

She said that she was later told to 'dress like Dawn French' and 'wear garlic' to ward off the ex Tory MP's 'Jekyll and Hyde Personality'.

Elphicke, Dover MP from 2010 until 2019 when he stood down and was succeeded by his wife, denies three counts of sexual assault. The trial continues.
simon2579/iStockBy DR. SABINA BERA, ABC News



(NEW YORK) -- Novavax, a vaccine development company, was recently awarded over $1.6 billion by the United States government to support commercial-scale manufacturing of their potential coronavirus vaccine.



According to Stanley Erck, CEO of Novavax, the company was selected to be part of the government's Operation Warp Speed program because of its prior experience with two related coronavirus vaccines (SARS and MERS), as well as other infectious diseases such as Ebola.



"We use the same platform," Erck told ABC News' Bob Woodruff. "In all of these different diseases, we take a surface protein on the virus and when you inject it into the body, the body sees it as flu or it sees it as coronavirus -- we add it to an adjuvant which sets off a more powerful immune response and sets off, not just antibodies, but T cells against it."



Three other vaccine companies -- Johnson & Johnson, Moderna and AstraZeneca -- have also received funding through Operation Warp Speed. Each will produce its own coronavirus vaccine, which will be distributed to the population if it proves successful in large-scale clinical trials.



Erck said each company's vaccine is targeting the same virus, but using a different type of vaccine technology. It's still not clear if any of them will prove safe and effective in the long run -- but Erck claims Novavax's candidate must have shown the most promise considering how much funding the company received.



"They saw our [data] and I have to infer that our data must have been as good as or better than the others," Erck said. "Some of the vaccines require freezing them at minus 80 degrees, and ours happens to be stable at room temperature and at refrigerator temperature, so there are a few characteristics of our vaccine that make it more attractive."



Novavax's vaccine has been tested in animals, and the company has already started testing it in humans. Erck expects phase 1 trials to be completed by the end of this month, which should help establish if the vaccine is safe enough to proceed to larger studies. This will be followed by phase 2 and phase 3 trials to make sure it is effective and stable. He estimates that the cost of all these trials will amount to about $1 billion.



Like many vaccine companies, Novavax is ramping up manufacturing before it knows if its vaccine is effective. That way, the company hopes to have 100 million doses ready to go as soon as positive data becomes available.



"We concluded early on," Erck told ABC News, "if we delayed -- if we decided to wait until we saw how the mouse [tests] worked and the non-human primate [tests] worked -- and didn't start the manufacturing investment, which is a huge investment, you'd lose six months. And in a pandemic every day counts."



If the vaccine proves effective, Erck hopes to be able to vaccinate front-line health care workers as early as the end of this year.



"The first people to get it are going to be the front-line health care workers and they'll get the first 50 million doses or however many doses," Erck said. "And then it'll start to spread out for people who are most at risk of getting seriously ill."



When asked about the effectiveness of the vaccine, Erck said early animal studies are promising. While most vaccines take about 10 to 15 years to develop, Erck said the process can be sped up safely.

Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(Photo : Pool/Getty images) COVID19, the worst nightmare the US is facing, but why are they reopening?

Last year at the Hill's Future of Healthcare Summit, Steve Clemons, the outlet's editor-in-chief, asked Dr. Anthony Fauci to identify his nightmare public health scenario. Fauci responded with, "[A] respiratory borne illness that spreads rapidly, that's new, mainly, there's no background immunity in the population, and that almost turns out to be brand new pandemic influenza."

The nation's leading infectious disease expert said that "when you have a respiratory illness that easily spreads, and has a high degree of morbidity and some degree of mortality, you could have a public health catastrophe."

Dr. Fauci's worst prediction has come true, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic suggesting an apology during his appearance at this year's summit on Thursday.

Currently, the United States has recorded over 3.1 million cases of COVID-19. And according to Johns Hopkins coronavirus research centre, there are 133,000 deaths since the spread of the virus in the country. The country accounts for roughly one-fourth of the COVID19 cases throughout the world, which made it the worst-hit nation, partly because of a besieged and erratic federal public health response that saw nationwide testing shortages in the pandemic's pivotal early stages.

Several states have a temporary prohibition of activity on their premature reopening plans after the rise of recent cases. However, Dr. Fauci does not recommend a return to statewide sheltering orders. Instead, he proposed to Clemons that we need to get states pausing in their opening process.

Based on the report delivered to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions last June, Dr. Fauci warned that the U.S. could have at least 100,000 new cases per day if the states insist on reopening and don't begin taking health precautions aimed at curbing the spread of the virus into a serious account.

Dr. Fauci was, concerned about four states that account for roughly 50 percent of the fresh cases pouring in Texas, Florida, California, and Arizona.

Last Thursday, Dr. Fauci specifically faulted Florida, which has continued to go through with planned reopenings of beaches and theme parks for summer despite skyrocketing COVID19 cases. He mentioned this scenario during his guesting on FiveThirtyEight's weekly podcast on COVID-19.

"There are some times when despite the guidelines and the recommendations to open up carefully and prudently, some states skipped over those and just opened up too quickly," Dr. Fauci mentioned, adding that Florida had especially, per him, jumped over a couple of checkpoints.

His remarks are a complete contradicting to President Donald Trump's, who has continuously responded to the pandemic with scepticism, chatter, and racism. Perhaps continuing to create presidential plague rallies will help reach and send mixed signals to states trying to navigate this international crisis to safety.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
1. Yes. Too many kids are staying home. They need a virtual learning option to keep up.

2. Yes. Teachers are out sick and subs cant handle the load. Online learning is needed.

3. No. Its too late in the school year to make a wholesale switch in teaching platforms.

4.No. Many parents arent in a position to stay home while their kids learn virtually.

5. Unsure. It may seem like a good idea from a health standpoint, but it has shortcomings.

Vote

View Results
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Its earnings seriously dented by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Railways have announced a series of austerity measures.

These range from a freeze on creation of new posts, rationalisation of manpower at workshops, shifting outsources work to CSR and moving ceremonial events to digital platforms to cutting down on the use of stationary by half.

According to sources, the financial commissioner of the Railways recently wrote to general managers of all zones on this. Apparently, the traffic earnings of the railways dropped by 58 per cent at the end of May as compared to the corresponding period last year.

Under the austerity drive, the zones have been asked to control expenditure by reducing staff cost and rationalizing their tasks, review contracts, reduce energy consumption and cut administrative and other costs.

The financial commissioner has also recommended that all work be transferred to the digital space and all correspondence be done through secure emails.

Denied promotion, senior cop resigns

In an earlier column (June 10) I had reported that senior IPS officer and director of Telangana State Academy Vinoy Kumar Singh was unhappy and had threatened to resign from the service. He has kept his word. Mr Singh has put in his papers. In a letter to the Union home secretary, Mr Singh said that he does not want to be a burden on the government.

According to sources, in his letter, Mr Singh said he was seeking premature retirement from the service effective from October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Those in the know say that Mr Singhs exit was expected ever since he was overlooked for promotion as director general of police (DGP), although he was eligible. Earlier in May, in a letter to the state chief secretary Somesh Kumar, Mr Singh had reportedly complained that though he was empanelled for the post of DGP three months ago, the government had still not taken up the matter of his promotion.

Mr Singh is a 1987-batch IPS officer and has alleged that officers of 1986 batch of regular recruits of Telangana cadre were promoted three years ago without clear vacancies. Similarly, IAS officers of 1989 batch of Telangana cadre were also promoted without clear vacancies.

IPS officers of 1989 batch of many states, including Andhra Pradesh, were promoted long back.

He has reportedly said that after retirement, he would like to work for reforms among the people of Telangana. Seems like hes hinting at a new career.

TN cops shamed

In the aftermath of the alleged custodial deaths of P. Jeyaraj and his son J. Bennix at Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu, the Madras high court passed an unprecedented order directing the district collector to depute revenue officials to take control of the Sathankulam police station, where the incident happened.

The deaths had shocked the nation once the details of torture and police brutality came to light.

Apparently, this is the first time since the Indian Police Act came into existence in 1861 that a court has ordered for a police station to be taken over by revenue officials.

The court further initiated criminal contempt action against additional SP D. Kumar, deputy SP Prathapan and constable Maharajan for destroying evidence, not cooperating with the investigation and intimidating the judicial team conducting the probe.

The Tamil Nadu government has ordered a CBI inquiry into the deaths of Jeyaraj and his son following a public outcry. Other steps are being taken. The Tiruchy range DIG V. Balakrishnan has reportedly released 80 cops with anger issues from duty and asked them to undergo behavioural therapy for one month.

This coincides with a major reshuffle involving 39 senior IPS officers. But the states cops cant live down this disgraceful behaviour easily.

Share a babu experience! Follow dilipthecherian@Twitter.com. Lets multiply the effect.
Houston Texans' Justin Reid and H-E-B's Scott McClelland have joined forces to give back to essential workers in the medical field.

The partnership was formed through Twitter, with Reid originally asking, "Who has a creative idea for me to give away a brand new @Microsoft Surface to a college kid in Houston needing one to take classes from home?" McClelland saw the tweet and responded to Reid, telling him to "come up with a good way to give a @Microsoft away to someone deserving and I'll match your gift...Love your play."
Technavio has been monitoring the PoS mobile card reader market and it is poised to grow by USD 2.08 billion during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of over 9% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200710005165/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global PoS Mobile Card Reader Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact

The market is concentrated, and the degree of concentration will accelerate during the forecast period. Etsy Inc., Fiserv Inc., Ingenico Group SA, Intuit Inc., PayPal Holdings Inc., Shopify Inc., Square Inc., Thales Group, Visa Inc., and Worldline SA are some of the major market participants. The lower costs of mobile card reader devices will offer immense growth opportunities. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

Lower costs of mobile card reader devices have been instrumental in driving the growth of the market.

PoS Mobile Card Reader Market 2020-2024: Segmentation

PoS Mobile Card Reader Market is segmented as below:

Technology Contact Contactless

Geography APAC North America Europe South America MEA



To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR43661

PoS Mobile Card Reader Market 2020-2024: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our PoS mobile card reader market report covers the following areas:

PoS Mobile Card Reader Market Size

PoS Mobile Card Reader Market Trends

PoS Mobile Card Reader Market Industry Analysis

This study identifies lower transaction and switching costs as one of the prime reasons driving the PoS mobile card reader market growth during the next few years.

PoS Mobile Card Reader Market 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of vendors operating in the PoS mobile card reader market, including some of the vendors such as Etsy Inc., Fiserv Inc., Ingenico Group SA, Intuit Inc., PayPal Holdings Inc., Shopify Inc., Square Inc., Thales Group, Visa Inc., and Worldline SA. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the PoS mobile card reader market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports.

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PoS Mobile Card Reader Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024

Detailed information on factors that will assist PoS mobile card reader market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the PoS mobile card reader market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the PoS mobile card reader market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of PoS mobile card reader market vendors

Table Of Contents:

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

Value chain analysis

Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2019

Market outlook: Forecast for 2019 2024

Five Forces Analysis

Five forces summary

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

Market Segmentation by Technology

Market segments

Comparison by Technology

Contact Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Contactless Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by Technology

Customer Landscape

Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

APAC Market size and forecast 2019-2024

North America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Europe Market size and forecast 2019-2024

South America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

MEA Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography

Market Drivers

Market Challenges

Market Trends

Vendor Landscape

Vendor landscape

Landscape disruption

Competitive scenario

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market PoSitioning of vendors

Etsy Inc.

Fiserv Inc.

Ingenico Group SA

Intuit Inc.

PayPal Holdings Inc.

Shopify Inc.

Square Inc.

Thales Group

Visa Inc.

Worldline SA

Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market PoSitions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive PoSitions within changing market scenarios.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200710005165/en/

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Technavio Research

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Email: media@technavio.com

Website: www.technavio.com/
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World Health Organization officials are holding a press conference Friday to update the public on the coronavirus outbreak and announce initiatives for quitting tobacco to help reduce risks of the virus.

The virtual press conference will be joined by Princess Dina Mired of Jordan, who is also president of the Union for International Cancer Control and global advocate for tobacco control, as well as Thibaut Mongon, worldwide chairman of Johnson & Johnson's consumer health division.

On Thursday, the WHO published new guidance saying it can't rule out the possibility that the coronavirus can be transmitted through air particles in closed spaces indoors, including in gyms and restaurants.

It previously acknowledged that the virus may become airborne in certain environments, such as during "medical procedures that generate aerosols." The new guidance recognizes some research that shows the virus may spread through particles in the air in "indoor crowded spaces," citing choir practice, restaurants and fitness classes as possible areas of transmission.

Earlier Thursday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the coronavirus pandemic is continuing to accelerate.

"The virus can be brought under control," he said in his opening remarks at a briefing of member states in Geneva. "But in most of the world, the virus is not under control; it's getting worse."

The new coronavirus, which emerged in Wuhan, China, in late December, has infected more than 12.2 million people around the world and killed at least 555,486 people so far, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

"The pandemic is still accelerating," Tedros added. "The total number of cases has doubled in the last six weeks."

 CNBC's Will Feuer contributed to this report.

Read CNBC's live updates to see the latest news on the COVID-19 outbreak.
10 July 2020

Type Media Article



BovINE (Beef Innovation Network Europe) has been established across 10 EU member states to focus solely on the needs of the 255,000 farmers that constitute the EU bovine meat sector. Coordinated by Teagasc (IE), BovINE is built around a multi-actor approach, requiring focused cooperation between researchers, advisors, farmers and other relevant actors/players in the beef industry to facilitate knowledge exchange and acceptance of co-created solutions.



About Bovine

BovINE (Beef Innovation Network Europe) has been established across 10 EU member states to focus solely on the needs of the 255,000 farmers that constitute the EU bovine meat sector. BovINE is tackling sustainability challenges, identified as urgent by beef farmers themselves, by bringing together beef farmers, farming organisations, advisors, researchers and other stakeholders to collectively develop practical innovations that can be implemented on European beef farms immediately. Coordinated by Teagasc (IE), BovINE is built around a multi-actor approach, requiring focused cooperation between researchers, advisors, farmers and other relevant actors/players in the beef industry to facilitate knowledge exchange and acceptance of co-created solutions.

Recognising the role of farmers as innovators, BovINE will draw on the reservoir of knowledge which exists at farm level on the four related key themes of:

socio-economic resilience

animal health & welfare

production efficiency & and meat quality

environmental sustainability.

Using these themes, BovINE will also identify research findings that have not yet been widely adopted at farm level. Before recommending uptake their feasibility in practice will be assessed, including demonstration of such solutions on multiple beef farms across Europe.

Each year priority topics for each of these themes will be identified by European beef farmers. For 2020, these priority topics are:

Join the network if you want to influence the priority topics for 2021 and 2022.

Project Aims

The overall aim of the project is to stimulate and foster knowledge exchange and the integration of research and good practice into practical innovation at regional, national and international levels between the relevant actors within the European beef sector.

The specific objectives are to:

Establish a network of EU beef farmers, farming organisations, researchers, advisors, other agricultural professionals, and other relevant actors/players, driven by four sub-themes (Socio-Economic Resilience, Animal Health & Welfare, Production Efficiency & Meat Quality and Environmental Sustainability) and nine national/regional sub-networks. Identify and assess beef farmers urgent knowledge needs, and evaluate dissemination channels and formats appropriate to share such knowledge, taking account of regional/national specificities. Create an online archive (the BovINE knowledge hub (BKH)) of practice-ready research solutions and good practices previously analysed in terms of cost-benefit and ability to address beef farmers needs accessible to all players in the European beef industry. Create and disseminate end-user material to demonstrate good practice and practice-ready research to the relevant audiences (beef farmers, advisors, policy makers). Collate ideas from end-users for further innovation-driven research and communicate this back to the EIP-AGRI network and policy makers.

Partners in Ireland

There are two BovINE partners in Ireland:

1. Teagasc -

Teagasc will coordinate the project and establish a beef innovation network at EU level to enhance sustainability of the EU beef sector. With ILVO (Belgium) and INTIA (Spain), it will provide a lead support role in network formation and implementing the multi-actor approach. It will also work closely with regional practice partner, the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) to establish a national beef innovation network in Ireland. Leveraging its research staff it will identify research that is not yet in widespread use across the four thematic areas of the project, and through its advisory and education staff it will identify good practices, and support knowledge exchange. It will test some of the solutions identified in its research and demonstration farms to assess feasibility of proposed solutions to farmers needs. Finally, it will use its dissemination channels, and committed media partners, to access advisors and farmers in Ireland and use its position within organisations such as EUFRAS, SCAR and professional bodies such as the European Association of Animal Production to communicate about the project at EU level.

2. Irish farmers association (IFA)

Kevin Kinsella

The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) will work with Teagasc to form a national beef network to identify Irish beef farmers priority needs, identify good practices, and facilitate knowledge exchange between farmers and researchers in Ireland and between Irish and other European farmers trans-nationally. It also has a key role in ensuring effective dissemination of the projects results to end-users and to communicate about the project at national and EU level to a range of stakeholders including farmers, industry and policy makers.

Join the mailing list for project news at bovine@minervacomms.net.

For more information, visit the project website
Share price of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) was trading flat after the IT firm reported a 13.8 per cent year-on-year decline in its consolidated net profit for quarter ended June 31, 2020. TCS share price was trading 0.56% lower at Rs 2,192 against previous close of Rs 2204 on BSE. It hit an intra day high of Rs 2,222, gaining 0.81% and intra day low of Rs 2178 during early session. The large cap stock has gained after 2 days of consecutive fall.

The share trades higher than 20 day, 50 day, 100 day and 200 day moving averages but lower than 5 day moving averages. The share traded 4.38% away from record high of Rs 2,301 today. Market capitalisation of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) stood at Rs 8,21,059 crore.

Net profit came in at Rs 7,008 crore for the first quarter ended June 30, 2020 (Q1 FY21) as business was disrupted by coronavirus pandemic.

In Q1 of 2018-19, the firm reported profit of Rs 8,131 crore. The IT firm reported 0.4 per cent growth in consolidated revenue at Rs 38,322 crore in Q1 FY21 compared to Rs 38,172 crore in Q1 FY20. Revenue in constant currency terms fell 6.3 per cent YoY.

Jyoti Roy, DVP Equity Strategist at Angel Broking said,"While the Q1FY21 numbers were below street expectations on all counts, new deal wins remained strong at $6.9bn for the quarter which was a key positive. Markets will also look forward to management commentary and their outlook for the rest of the year."

TCS Q1 results: Profit falls 14% to Rs 7,008 crore; revenue rises marginally

Industry wise, revenue growth for FY20 was led by life sciences and healthcare business, which continued to grow strongly at 13.8 per cent YoY. Other than that, all other industry verticals showed declines of varying degrees: BFSI (-4.9 per cent), Retail & CPG (-12.9 per cent), Communications & Media (-3.6 per cent), Manufacturing (-7.1 per cent) and Technology & Services (-4 per cent).

Macquarie downgraded the share to neutral from overpriced and gave a target price of Rs 1,900. Growth recovery will be gradual given uncertainties in key verticals such as retail, BFSI and Manufacturing. Drag on margins will remain till growth recovers. The brokerage expects EBIT margins to decline 80 bps in FY21 and improve 160 bps on FY22.

Share Market LIVE: Sensex drops 150 points, Nifty at 10,766; Adani Ports, Tech Mahindra, JSW Steel top losers

Morgan Stanley said F1Q21 revenue trajectory was weaker than expected due to some lingering supply-side issues. Margins were weaker too due to revenue impact. However, management said growth could return in F2Q, which could lift sentiment across other IT stocks. The brokerage is equal weight on the stock with target price of Rs 2,125.

Stocks in news: TCS, RIL, PNB, Tata Motors, Dr Reddy

Kotak Institutional Equities said key highlight in Q1 was a strong 21% YoY growth in new deals. Struggle to justify stock's punchy valuations. The brokerage cut FY21-23 EPS estimates for TCS by 2-4%. It maintained reduce position on the stock with a target price of Rs 2040.
Massachusetts Rep. Carlos Gonzalez called for Springfield Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood to reconsider the firing of a detective who posted a pro-Black Lives Matter image when white officers accused of police brutality remain on the force.

Gonzalez publicly questioned the firing of Fuentes, a newly promoted detective in the Special Victims Unit who had posted a pro-Black Lives Matter image to her personal Instagram account while off duty.

The firing of Detective Florissa Fuentes is unsettling and open to question, the Springfield Democrat wrote. The fact that a Latina officer was fired for an alleged violation of a social media infraction while numerous Springfield police officers with allegations and evidence of police brutality remain on the city payroll is unconscionable.

In this 2018 file photo, the 41st Western Mass County Correctional Officer's Class Academy graduation was held at the Hampden County Correctional Center in Ludlow, where 20 recruits became correctional officers after nine weeks of academy training. Florissa Fuentes, class president, is seen getting her badge pinned on by academy commandant, Sgt. Joseph Celetti. (Don Treeger / The Republican)Staff-Shot

The letter comes two days after the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Massachusetts released a scathing report that said officers in the Narcotics Bureau routinely punch suspects in the head or neck as a form of control, a violation of civilians constitutional rights. The study also notes that record-keeping was so poor that federal investigators couldnt assess the severity of force used in nearly half of prisoner injury files reviewed  and noted that several more allegations of excessive force appear to have gone unreported altogether.

After the report came out, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno and Clapprood focused on the the partnership with federal officials to implement reforms. They pointed to enhanced training, a new record-keeping system and the deployment of body-worn cameras for officers.

The report referenced two high-profile police brutality cases involving Springfield officers. Thirteen current and former members face charges in connection to an alleged 2015 off-duty police beating of four men outside Nathan Bills Bar and Restaurant.

Five of those officers, who were suspended without pay for more than a year after being criminally charged, were reinstated earlier this year. Sarno said he supported the decision, adding the city is in unprecedented times with all hands on deck needed to continue to keep all our residents and business community safe.

In a separate incident, former narcotics detective Gregg Bigda faces federal charges after allegedly kicking two Hispanic minors in the face during a 2016 arrest.

Gonzalez, who is the chairman of the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus, submitted a series of questions to the commissioner about the disciplinary action against Fuentes. He also asked how many police officers are on suspension with pay and what is the racial breakdown of the police force.

Related Content:
Putin's People

By Catherine Belton

Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 624 pp. $35

---

In her deeply researched new book, Catherine Belton tells a dark tale of Vladimir Putin's rise to power and his 20 years as leader of Russia. Reading "Putin's People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and Then Took On the West," we are reminded of how far we've come from the romantic days of the late 1980s and early 1990s, when Western writers depicted a Russia full of hope and hints of freedom. We've also progressed far from the exhilarating but scary portrayals of the immensely rich oligarchs in the late 1990s who flocked around Boris Yeltsin and his family.

In Belton's view, freedom, private enterprise and liberalism simply don't exist in Russia. To her, Putin's Russia is all gloom. She details how Putin's nefarious efforts took shape with others in St. Petersburg and its seaport, an area that "became ground zero for an alliance between the KGB and organized crime that was to expand its influence across Russia, and later into Western markets and institutions." She delves into territory explored by Russian historians Yuri Felshtinsky and Vladimir Pribylovsky in "The Corporation: Russia and the KGB in the Age of President Putin"; by opposition politicians Boris Nemtsov and Vladimir Milov in their white paper, "Putin and Gazprom"; and by Karen Dawisha in "Putin's Kleptocracy: Who Owns Russia?" But Belton, a former Moscow correspondent for the Financial Times, digs deeper.

Hers is a story about Putin, his KGB colleagues, businessmen and mobsters pieced together though interviews with many relevant players. Belton's access to prominent personalities is impressive, perhaps unmatched, though her interlocutors also steer the direction of her story.

The main takeaway is that the KGB and organized crime have operated symbiotically for a long time and that their overt Russian nationalism is nothing but a veneer. Belton characterizes the ambitions of Putin's people in her description of Nikolai Patrushev, the former head of the Federal Security Service (FSB) and now secretary of the powerful Security Council. "A hard-drinking KGB man," she writes, "he combined a strong capitalist ethic of amassing wealth with an expansive vision for the restoration of Russian empire." Thus, Putin's men (they are all men, of nearly the same age, mostly from St. Petersburg) have created a potent mix of the KGB, larceny and a wistfulness for Russian imperialism.

Belton appropriately compares Putin's regime to that of Czar Nicholas I, who reigned from 1825 to 1855. Putin's "philosophy was a direct copy of the state doctrine of 'Orthodoxy, Autocracy and Nationality' of Nicholas I, one of the most reactionary tsars, known for his brutal suppression of one of Russia's first democratic uprisings," Belton writes. "Putin's KGB men were seeking to recycle his ideology to define their rule and justify their clampdown on any opposition."

When Putin became president in 2000, he already controlled the FSB and soon Russia's legislative body, the Duma. During his first term (2000-2004), he consolidated his power: His KGB men served as a counterweight to Yeltsin's oligarchs, and he seized control of television, the regional governors and the judiciary. He ordered the oligarchs to keep out of politics, but their power remained great. Putin ended the Yeltsin regime by taking down the biggest of all the oligarchs, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, by confiscating the Yukos Oil Company.

That story is well-known, but Belton's account is probably the best. She spoke extensively with the main Yukos owners, including Khodorkovsky and Leonid Nevzlin. In her view Khodorkovsky had fallen victim to his own hubris, believing he could criticize corruption within Putin's circle. The result was that Putin took him down. But Khodorkovsky's plight reflected something much larger. Putin's grip was becoming a stranglehold. "The country was turning back to the times of the gulag," Belton writes. "The Kremlin had taken control of the legal system. The power of the secret services was being cemented. Khodorkovsky, the country's onetime richest man, was languishing in a prison camp in Krasnokamensk."

In October 2002, about 40 armed Chechen fighters seized the Dubrovka Theater in a Moscow suburb and took about 900 people hostage. The siege lasted three days, until Russian security forces stormed the theater after gassing both the fighters and the hostages. More than 100 hostages died. The traditional story is that the heavy-handed security services could not have cared less about the loss of the civilians.

But Belton offers a novel interpretation of what happened at the theater. On the basis of credible inside information, she claims that this purported Chechen terrorist attack was a Putin charade that went horribly wrong. Based on her conversation with a source familiar with Kremlin discussions about the matter, Belton argues that the attack was planned by FSB chief Patrushev as a way to "cement Putin as president. It was intended as no more than a fake exercise that would boost Putin's authority when he successfully brought it to an end, and increase support for the war in Chechnya, which was beginning to flag." Patrushev assured Putin that the terrorists-for-hire did not have real bombs and that in the end, Belton writes, "Putin would emerge as a hero, as the one world leader who'd ended a hostage crisis without any civilian deaths - and then he could tighten control in Chechnya."

But it all started falling apart on the first day of the siege, when a civilian entered the theater and was shot to death by one of the Chechens. Belton's source told her: "Everything spiralled out of control. . . . By the time the security forces prepared to storm the building, the hostage-taking was being treated as if it were a real act of terror."

In Belton's telling, Putin uses an "obschak" for both his private business dealings and his personal life. "In Russian criminal parlance," Belton writes, an obschak is "a common cash pot or slush fund for a criminal gang." The Panama Papers - millions of documents on offshore entities, leaked in 2016 - revealed that much of the obschak was held offshore. Belton devotes two chapters to the obschak, focusing on Gazprom's devious gas trade with Ukraine and the government larceny revealed in the Panama Papers. But she doesn't take her analysis much beyond the role of defector Sergei Kolesnikov, a Russian businessman and whistleblower who charged Putin's closest business friends and cronies with vast corruption before he fled Russia in 2010.

Belton builds a strong case against Putin's corruption and the bald hypocrisy of his propaganda. She quotes Putin's former banker, Sergei Pugachev, as saying, "They're stealing from all sides and then they come out and speak about how Putin is fighting against corruption." But Belton is unable to shed any new light on Putin's personal finances. Pugachev is her dominant source, but he "had gradually been sidelined," Belton writes, after Putin's attack on Khodorkovsky. Pugachev's own downfall came because he was not sufficiently submissive to Putin; ultimately he was deprived of most of his enterprises and had to flee to the West.

Belton also probes the many connections between Russian organized crime in New York and Donald Trump. But Craig Unger has already pursued this trail in greater detail in his excellent book "House of Trump, House of Putin: The Untold Story of Donald Trump and the Russian Mafia."

Belton's book is an outstanding account of Putin's Russia, and elegantly told. At the heart of her story is the long battle between the KGB and the country's oligarchs. From 1994 to 2000, when Putin came to power, Russia was an oligarchy. Today, the tables have turned: Russia has no oligarchs, only wealthy servants of Putin and his FSB. As a former senior military intelligence officer told Belton, the KGB once had to serve the oligarchy. "Now they are having their revenge."

---

Aslund is a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. His latest book is "Russia's Crony Capitalism: The Path From Market Economy to Kleptocracy."
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The cold, famine and unrest in ancient Rome and Egypt after the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BCE has long been shrouded in mystery. Now, an international team, including researchers from the University of Copenhagen, has found evidence suggesting

PHYSICS The cold, famine and unrest in ancient Rome and Egypt after the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BCE has long been shrouded in mystery. Now, an international team, including researchers from the University of Copenhagen, has found evidence suggesting that the megaeruption of an Alaskan volcano may be to blame.

Dark times befell upon the Mediterranean around the time of Julius Caesar's assassination in 44 BCE. Written accounts describe the region as severely impacted by unusual cooling, failed harvests, famine and disease, all of which combined to contribute to the fall of the Roman Republic and Ptolemaic Kingdom. While researchers long suspected that a volcanic eruption was to blame, they were unable to pinpoint exactly where and when such an eruption might have occurred.

The brightness of the sun was darkened, the disc was pale for a year and the sun did not rise with its usual brilliance and force. It gave but slight heat. For this reason, the crops brought forth were so poor and immature that they rotted in the cold air.

Greek Roman philosopher Plutarch describing the weather in the wake of Julius Caesar's death

Now, an international team, including researchers from the University of Copenhagen's Niels Bohr Institute, the Desert Research Institute in Reno, Nevada and the University of Bern has analysed volcanic ash in Greenlandic ice core samples, which together with historical accounts, can be linked to an inexplicable cooling event in the Mediterranean region during this crux in the history of Western civilization.

The ash comes from the remote Okmok volcano in Alaska's Aleutian Island Chain. According to the ice core tests, the volcano experienced a two-year megaeruption that began in early 43 BCE, one that filled Earth's atmosphere with enough smoke and ash to significantly impact climate.

"The eruption is regarded as one of the largest volcanic eruptions of the past 2,500 years. Using the ice core samples, climate models and historical records, we are quite certain that the eruption is linked to the violent climatic changes noted around the Mediterranean and in Rome," says Jrgen Peder Steffensen, professor of ice, climate and geophysics at the Niels Bohr Institute and one of the researchers behind the discovery.

Coldest years in the Northern Hemisphere

In an extensive collaboration with historians and others, researchers collected prehistoric climate data from around the planet to confirm the likelihood that this particular eruption was responsible for widespread climate change. The sources of evidence include tree ring archives from Scandinavia, Austria and California and a Chinese cave formation.

The researchers' extensive analysis of climate during this ancient era demonstrates that the years after the Okmok eruption were some of the coldest in the northern hemisphere over the past 2,500 years. The researchers' climate models indicate that temperatures were roughly seven degrees Celsius below normal during the summer and autumn after the eruption in 43 BCE.

"Historical accounts describe how wet and extremely cold weather led to poorer harvests, as well as how the Nile overflowed its banks--destroying crops and leading to famine--all of which correlates with our results," says Jrgen Peder Steffensen.

While the researchers believe that a variety of factors contributed to the fall of the Roman Republic and Ptolemaic Kingdom, they maintain that Okmak's eruption played an unmistakably large role and that their discovery serves to fill in gaps which have been missing in history books dealing with the era.

The research was recently published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)

Facts:

The Niels Bohr Institute's Ice and Climate Group has been working on the "Caesar Volcano" since the 1980's. The group was the first in the world to systematically use the counting of annual layers in ice cores to date volcanic eruptions.

The group also invented the ECM-method (Electric Conductivity Method) to find volcanic ash in ice cores. ECM consists of placing two electrodes along fresh ice cores and measuring resistance. Sulphuric acid from volcanoes changes the resistance in the ice, making it quite easy to identify volcanic layers.

The new research article is the latest in more than 40 years of work on the volcano.

###
People in Maharashtras Aurangabad kept indoors on Friday as the city observed a Janta Curfew or a self-imposed curfew amid the rising cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

Called by the local administration, the Janta Curfew is in effect from 12am on Friday and will continue for nine days till July 18. All services except the essential ones have been prohibited during this period.

I thank people of Aurangabad for their cooperation. We believe that the nine-day long curfew will help us slow down the spread of Covid-19, Chiranjeevi Prasad, Aurangabads police commissioner, said.

The curfew will be implemented strictly and all arterial roads will be monitored closely, Prasad had said while speaking to the reporters on Thursday. He also said that action will be taken against people driving around without permission.

More than 7,400 people have been infected with the coronavirus in Aurangabad, according to Maharashtra health department data. It has said 314 patients have lost their lives to Covid-19 so far.

Maharashtra is the worst-affected state in India with more than 2.30 lakh cases of Covid-19 and 9,667 deaths related to the viral disease.

Meanwhile, the number of infections across India spiked to 793,802 after more than 26,500 new Covid-19 cases were recorded on Friday, according to the Union health ministry.

It said 475 Covid-19 patients succumbed to the viral disease in the last 24 hours, taking the toll to 21,604.
TAIPEI, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Center Laboratories Inc. (CenterLab: 4123.TWO), a pharmaceutical company dedicated in specialty drug product development, announced today that the anti-diabetic drug  CS02 meets its primary endpoint. The topline results of a phase 2 clinical trial of CS02 showed significantly decreases of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in treated patients as compared to placebo group by 0.45% (p value = 0.0098).

CS02 is an orally administered small molecule drug under development following the abbreviated 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway for new drug approval. This phase 2 trial is a proof of concept (PoC) study according to the US FDA's guidance to explore its glycemic controlling effect primarily. Furthermore, CenterLab included Homeostasis model2 assessment -cell (HOMA2-) as a secondary endpoint demonstrating its capability in beta cell preservation. The results from the Phase 2 trial showed that CS02 significantly decreased HbA1c and had stellar performance on preserving pancreatic beta cell function with HOMA2- increased by 13.45%.

According to American Diabetes Association (ADA), cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the major cause of morbidity and mortality for diabetic patients and results in $37.3 billion in related expenditure per year. As CS02 was designed to be submitted through 505(b)(2) pathway to treat diabetes with new mechanism, not only could CS02 reduce blood glucose level, but it could also reduce the risk of cardiovascular complications by reducing blood pressure as its inherent feature. Through 505(b)(2) pathway, the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetic profiles from previously approved drug and published references can be leveraged to support the safety and/or effectiveness of CS02, by that, redundant investigation processes could be waived and significantly shorten the drug product development time to market.

"CenterLab is highly committed to patients' unmet needs, thus, CenterLab aims to bring on better treatments which is more cost-effective and safer compared to other treatments. We believe CS02, as a potential blockbuster for diabetes treatment, has a role in improving patients' life quality," said Robert Hsu, the GM of CenterLab.

For further development of CS02, CenterLab is actively seeking global partners for co-development or licensing opportunities.

About CenterLab

Center Laboratories Inc. is a professional oral liquid pharmaceutical company and experts in worldwide specialty drug development. Also, we bring together resources and experiences to help potential biotechnology and healthcare companies tap into the global market.

Contact:

Clara Chang

[email protected]

+886-2655-8680 #623

SOURCE Center Laboratories Inc.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 02:43:26|Editor: huaxia

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LIEGE, Belgium, July 9 (Xinhua)-- King Philippe of Belgium paid a visit on Thursday to Liege Airport to thank the staff and its key partners including China's e-commerce giant Alibaba for their efficient distribution of medical supplies to Belgium and across Europe during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the vital role of logistics in supporting Belgium and Europe's economic recovery.

During his visit, King Philippe participated in a roundtable discussion with representatives of key partners of Liege Airport, including Alibaba Group. The King expressed his appreciation for the efficient distribution and logistics capabilities of Alibaba's eWTP (electronic World Trade Platform) hub and Liege Airport, according to a press release from Liege Airport, Alibaba Group and the Wallonia Export-Investment Agency (AWEX), a governmental agency of the Walloon Region of Belgium in charge of promoting foreign trade and attracting foreign investment.

"During this unprecedented crisis, Belgium, and especially Wallonia, played a crucial role as the hub for distributing vital personal protective equipment, including more than 1 billion protective face masks, to the most affected European countries through Liege Airport," said Michel Kempeneers, chief operating officer (COO) Overseas Export - Investment of AWEX.

According to Kempeneers, the rapid mobilization was made possible thanks to existing direct transport lines with China in Belgium which were established as part of Alibaba's eWTP hub at Liege Airport.

"The Alibaba Foundation and the Jack Ma Foundation were able to activate this logistics network quickly and efficiently at the beginning of the crisis to deliver urgently needed donations of PPE, and it was a determining factor in the WHO's choice to place Liege on the map of the world's emergency relief hubs, as underlined today by HM King Philippe during his visit," said Kempeneers.

For Luc Partoune, CEO of Liege Airport, the royal visit is recognition of the key role of the airline industry. "We are very proud that His Majesty the King is visiting our facilities. This pride reflects on our staff and all workers on the site who have stepped up their efforts during the COVID-19 crisis," he said.

James Song, secretary-general of the Globalization Office of Alibaba Group, said that eWTP hubs will continue their efforts in assisting economic recovery in the coming days.

"During this pandemic, our global eWTP hubs have played a significant role in distributing urgently needed medical supplies across the world, including our Belgium hub which has played a critical role in Europe. As countries gradually emerge from the crisis, our eWTP hubs will pivot towards supporting global trade, with a focus on using technology to assist SMEs, in order to assist with the economic recovery," said Song.

The Alibaba Group and the Belgian government established the first eWTP hub in Europe in 2018. Since then, the two sides have worked together on a number of initiatives to promote trade, technology, training and tourism between Belgium and China, including investment to further reinforce Liege Airport as a leading logistics hub in Europe.

During the pandemic, to support the distribution efforts, Alibaba has worked with Belgium Customs to digitize customs clearance procedures and Alibaba's Cainiao Network has increased the number of chartered cargo flights to five per week. Among the European countries that have received donations of medical supplies via the eWTP hub at Liege Airport are Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden and Switzerland, according to the release. Enditem
KNIGHTSEN, Calif. - Three Northern California sheriffs deputies who were wounded in a deadly confrontation with a shotgun-wielding man have been released from the hospital, authorities said Friday.

During Thursday nights confrontation, a deputy struck in the chest was saved by his bulletproof vest while another was hit in the head by shotgun pellets and the third was wounded in the arm, the Contra Costa County Sheriffs Office said in a statement.

Deputies returned fire, killing 44-year-old Eduardo Martinez of Bay Point. A photo released by the Sheriffs Office shows Martinez pointing a shotgun at deputies after a daylong standoff at a home in Knightsen, authorities said.

The area is an unincorporated community about 50 miles (81 kilometres) northeast of San Francisco.

Martinez previously had been arrested on allegations ranging from spousal abuse to receiving stolen property and driving under the influence, the Sheriffs Office said.

Deputies were called to the home shortly after 9:30 a.m. Thursday by a woman who said her ex-boyfriend had held her hostage overnight, according to the statement.

The woman said the man sexually assaulted her, threw her on a coffee table, tied her to a chair with duct tape, and poured gasoline on her, threatening to burn down the house.

The woman said Martinez had a shotgun and a pistol, made threats to shoot law enforcement and said he did not want to go back to jail, the statement said.

The woman managed to escape from the home and deputies surrounded the residence and called in a SWAT team when he refused to come out.

During the standoff, a hostage negotiation team repeatedly asked Martinez to surrender. Instead, he shot at deputies several times during the day, authorities said.

Shortly before 9 p.m., Martinez came out of the house, fired his shotgun at SWAT team deputies and was shot. He died at the scene.
Senator Tammy Duckworth has written an op-ed in response to desperate attacks earlier in the week from Fox News host Tucker Carlson and president Donald Trump.

Ms Duckworth, who became a recipient of the Purple Heart after she lost both her legs in a helicopter crash while serving in Iraq, was criticised by Carlson on Monday for comments she made on CNN the day before.

Carlson falsely claimed on Tucker Carlson Tonight, that Ms Duckworth had called for monuments to George Washington to be torn down and said that the senator and other Democratic officials hate America.

In the face of all this, the conclusion cant be avoided: These people actually hate America, the host said. Theres no longer a question about that, he added.

Responding to Carlsons comments on Tuesday, the senator tweeted: Does @TuckerCarlson want to walk a mile in my legs and then tell me whether or not I love America?

In an op-ed published in the New York Times on Thursday, Ms Duckworth added that Carlson twisted what she said in her interview on CNN, and denied calling for statues to the US first president to be removed.

Setting aside the fact that the right wings right to lie about me is one of the rights I fought to defend, let me be clear: I dont want George Washingtons statue to be pulled down any more than I want the Purple Heart that he established to be ripped off my chest. I never said that I did, she wrote on Thursday.

During the interview on Sunday, Ms Duckworth said that we should listen to everybody about the monuments, but referenced the coronavirus pandemic, and added: Im more worried about the 130,000 who have lost their lives recently ... than I am about our historical past.

Recommended Tucker Carlson accused of echoing white supremacist slogan live on Fox

The president had also waded into the debate earlier in the week, by retweeting a clip of Carlsons monologue where he criticised Ms Duckworth, according to USA Today.

His campaign later released a statement saying the senator was using her military service to deflect from her support for the left-wing campaign to villainise Americas founding.

The senator, who is Thai-American, wrote that the president and Carlson attacked her to deflect from the White Houses widely criticised response to the pandemic.

Its better for Mr Trump to have you focused on whether an Asian-American woman is sufficiently American than to have you mourning the 130,000 Americans killed by a virus he claimed would disappear in February, she wrote.

Theyre doing it because theyre desperate for Americas attention to be on anything other than Donald Trumps failure to lead our nation, and because they think that Mr Trumps electoral prospects will be better if they can turn us against one another.

Their goal isnt to make or keep  America great. Its to keep Mr Trump in power, whatever the cost.

Recommended Trump threatens anyone who destroys monuments with 10 years in prison

Ms Duckworth added that their comments that suggested she hates the US, will not stop her loving the country.

Attacks from self-serving, insecure men who cant tell the difference between true patriotism and hateful nationalism will never diminish my love for this country, she said.

Or my willingness to sacrifice for it so they dont have to. These titanium legs dont buckle.
THE HAGUE, July 9 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday called on all parties to "address the issue of chemical weapons in Syria in strict accordance with the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), so as to maintain the authority and effectiveness of the CWC," the Chinese delegation said.

The 94th Session of the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) on Thursday voted on a draft decision over "the possession and use of chemical weapons" in Syria.

China, Russia and Iran voted against it. Nine countries, including Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, India, and Pakistan, abstained.

In a speech at the session, the Chinese delegation expressed its regret on the voting, saying that the voting "would create further polarization and confrontation among States Parties, and lead to constant politicization of the work of the OPCW."

China always firmly opposes the use of chemical weapons for any purpose by any country, organization or individual under any circumstance.

"The point of departure of China is to uphold the authority and effectiveness of the CWC. China believes that the OPCW should carry out comprehensive, objective and impartial investigation into any possible use of chemical weapons according to the CWC and its Verification Annex," the Chinese delegation said.

Since the beginning of the establishment of the Investigation and Identification Team (IIT), China has emphasized its establishment is beyond the mandate of the CWC, its working methodology and procedure are inconsistent with the provision of the CWC, and its composition does not reflect a fair geographic distribution, the Chinese delegation said.

China has repeatedly called for the issue of attribution of the use of chemical weapons being guided back to the framework of the CWC.

"As a technical organ, the Technical Secretariat of the OPCW should strictly follow the CWC and uphold the spirit of objectivity, impartiality and independence to carry out its function," it said.

The Policy-Making Organs such as the Executive Council shall play its due role, and address the issue on the basis of facts with the CWC as the yardstick. The Executive Council shall take in-depth, sufficient discussions prior to reaching any conclusion or taking any action in a cautious and serious manner.

"States Parties shall bridge the differences through dialogue, and jointly safeguard the authority and seriousness of the CWC," the Chinese delegation added.
At the conference (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi - An online conference was jointly organised in Hanoi on July 9 by the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MoPI), the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam, the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) to promote Japanese investment flows into Vietnam.

The conference saw the participation of more than 1,000 Japanese enterprises in Japan and around the world.

Addressing the event, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Vu Dai Thang said the conference provided the latest information on Vietnam's business and investment environment in the context that Vietnam has successfully controlled the COVID-19 pandemic and issued new policies, including the Law on Investment (revised), the Law on Enterprises (revised), and the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Law.

The Vietnamese National Assembly recently has approved the European Union -Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), he noted.

Director of the MoPIs Foreign Investment Agency Do Nhat Hoang said Vietnam has a stable political situation, high economic growth, abundant human resources, potential market, and increasing per capital income.

Vietnam has also expanded international integration and cooperation with other economies worldwide, he stressed, adding that the Southeast Asian country has a strategic position as it takes only 3-5 hours to fly from Vietnam to Japan, Thailand, India and China  the key investment hubs in Asia.

Vietnam also has preferential policies to attract foreign investment, with priority given to new technology, environmentally-friendly and high value projects, Hoang said.

Aguin Toru, Chief Representative of JBICs Hanoi Office, said the bank considers Vietnam as a key area, and an important partner of Japan in many fields such as infrastructure, production and resources.

Meanwhile, Envoy Okabe Daisuke from the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam said Japanese investors are now very interested in Vietnam.

According to a survey on Japanese enterprises in Asia and Oceania conducted by JETRO in February 2020, 63.9 percent of asked Japanese businesses that are doing business in Vietnam said they will continue to expand business activities in the Southeast Asian nation, he noted.

Okabe said in order to attract more investment, Vietnam needs to speed up the disbursement of capital for public investment projects, ensure transparency, fairness, and effectiveness in implementing policies, and further foster international integration.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has criticised an independent UN human rights expert's report insisting a American drone strike that killed a top Iranian general in January was a "watershed" event in the use of drones and amounted to a violation of international law.

The report presented by Agnes Callamard to the UN-backed Human Rights Council on Thursday chronicled events around the death of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and the legal implications of his killing as part of a broader look on the use of drone strikes.

Callamard, the special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions who has been commissioned by the council, called the January strike in Iraq -- the first known incident in which a state invokes self-defense as justification for an attack against a government official outside a declared armed conflict."

Pompeo said in a statement late Thursday that the US rejected her report and "opinions".

"Ms. Callamard's conclusions are spurious,' he said. "The strike that killed Gen Soleimani was in response to an escalating series of armed attacks in preceding months by the Islamic Republic of Iran and militias it supports on US forces and interests in the Middle East region."

Pompeo said the strike on Baghdad International Airport was carried out "to deter Iran from launching or supporting further attacks against the United States or U.S. interests, and to degrade the capabilities of the Qods Force."

He said Callamard "gives more cause to distrust U.N. human rights mechanisms".

The Trump administration pulled the United States out of the rights council two years ago, accusing it of an anti-Israel bias and alleging that it is too accepting of autocratic regimes that regularly abuse human rights.

Callamard is perhaps best known for leading an investigation into the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi national, and issuing a scathing report on the actions of Saudi officials.

In her new report, Callamard acknowledged in her report that international humanitarian and human rights law can provide "diverging answers" on the legal validity of some drone strikes, and the one against Soleimani raised "genuine uncertainty as to how to interpret its lawfulness".

She said the United States had not "engaged with" her as she drafted the drone report. But based on the evidence the US provided, "the targeting of Gen. Soleimani, and the deaths of those accompanying him, constitute an arbitrary killing for which, under (international human rights law), the U.S. is responsible", she said.
American rapper Kanye West recently took everyone by surprise when he announced that he will be running for US presidential election this year. A lot of celebrities and people all over the world are expressing their views on Kanye Wests announcement. The current US President Donald Trump recently spoke about Kanye West's Presidential Run. In his interview to a leading news agency, Donald Trump brushed off Kanye West's Presidential Run and his recent comments that he no longer supported the president. Here is what Donald Trump had to say about it.

Also Read | Jamie Foxx Reacts To Kanye West's US Presidential Bid, Calls Him A 'clown'

Also Read | Kanye West Struggling With Bipolar Disorder As He Declares His Bid For POTUS Office?

Donald Trump on Kanye West's Presidential run

According to a news report, Donald Trump was recently involved in an interview with a news agency where he opened up about Kanye West's Presidential Run. President Donald Trump said that Kanye West is always going to be there for them and not just him, his wife is also going to support him. In his interview, Donald Trump also brushed off Kanye Wests comments where the rapper had said that he no longer supports the president.

Donald Trump maintained that Kanye West will support him in his re-election bid. Trump said that Kanye is a very good guy and he gets along with Kanye him well. Donald Trump feels that Kanye West will ultimately support him over anyone else in his attempt to stop the radical left from taking over the United States.

Also Read | Kanye West Tweets & Deletes Photos And His Take On Abortion Rights: Netizens Angered

Also Read | Kanye West Reveals He No Longer Backs Donald Trump; Says 'looks Like One Big Mess To Me'

Kanye West's previous support to Donald Trump

Rapper Kanye West was known as a supporter of Donald Trump. In 2018, he had visited Donald Trump at the White House wearing a Make America Great Again cap. He had also delivered a speech in which he talked about alternate universes and his diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Kanye Wests wife Kim Kardashian has also met with US President Donald Trump, lobbying for criminal justice reform.

Kanye West's Presidential Run

We must now realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future. I am running for president of the United States ! #2020VISION  ye (@kanyewest) July 5, 2020

Earlier this month, American rapper Kanye West took the internet by storm when he announced that he will be running for US Presidency this year. He took to his official Twitter handle and announced the decision. His wife Kim Kardashian reshared his tweet and showed her support for her husband. Despite the negative opinions about Kanye West's Presidential Run, he has also received support from several celebrities. Tesla founder Elon Musk, Shark Tank star, entrepreneur and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban among others have extended their support to the rapper in his US Presidency bid.

Promo Image Credits: kanyew.est and Donald Trump Instagram
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-09 23:54:17|Editor: huaxia

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TUNIS, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Tunisian authorities foiled terrorist plans targeting the tourism sector and sovereign state institutions, Tunisian Interior Ministry announced on Thursday.

"In a preventive operation, Tunisia's National Unit of Investigation for Terrorist Affairs and Organized Crime has successfully foiled terrorist plans targeting the tourism sector and places of sovereignty," said a statement released by the ministry.

"During the operation, the main element of the terrorist plans was arrested in one of the governorates of Grand Tunis," it added.

The suspect admitted that he contacted with a dangerous terrorist implicated in a terrorist attack outside the country, and "recruited" a number of elements loyal to the Islamic State (IS) group, according to the ministry.

"Several other suspects involved were arrested," said the ministry.

Since 2011, Tunisia has known terrorist acts that escalated in 2013, in which dozens of security and military agents, civilians and foreign tourists were killed. Enditem
Earl Cameron, a veteran film, television and theater actor who in the early 1950s became one of Britains first Black movie stars, died on July 3 at his home in Warwickshire, England. He was 102.

The cause was pneumonia, his daughter Serena Cameron said.

Mr. Cameron was still appearing in films well into his 80s and 90s, most recently in small parts in The Queen (2006) and Inception (2010). But his breakout role came more than a half-century earlier, in Pool of London (1951), a film noir about a group of sailors on shore leave.

Mr. Cameron had a co-starring role at a time when Black leading men and women were virtually nonexistent on British screens. Just as notable, his character developed a romance with a white woman, played by Susan Shaw. It was the first interracial relationship in British cinema.

For Mr. Cameron, whose wife was white, the role didnt seem groundbreaking at the time. I never saw myself as a pioneer, he told The Guardian in 2017. It was only later, looking back, that it occurred to me that I was.
It looks like Julian Edelmans olive branch has been accepted.

The New England Patriots wide receiver said on his Twitter account Friday morning that he spoke with DeSean Jackson following the Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver anti-Semitic social media posts. This follows Thursdays video from Edelman, one of the NFLs most prominent Jewish-identifying players, addressing Jacksons posts.

DeSean and I spoke for awhile last night. We're making plans to use our experiences to educate one another and grow together. Stay tuned.

@DeSeanJackson10  Julian Edelman (@Edelman11) July 10, 2020

Jackson became the center of criticism earlier this week when he posted images of a quote attributed to Adolf Hitler on his Instagram account that claimed Jews will blackmail America.

On Thursday, Edelman said in a video that Jackson said some ugly things, but also said that it was an opportunity to have a conversation.

Edelman offered to meet in Washington D.C. so that he could take Jackson the Holocaust Museum and then have the Eagles receiver take him to the Museum of African American History and Culture.

Afterwards, well grab some burgers and we have those uncomfortable conversations, Edelman said. This world needs a little more love, compassion and empathy. Take care.

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Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas's wife Ginni branded the Black Lives Matter movement a 'Trojan Horse for mob rule' after a tiny town in northern Virginia put up a banner expressing support for protesters.

The banner with the words 'Welcome to Clifton, Where Black Lives Matter' was hung over the town's Main Street last month in what Mayor William R Hollaway called 'a first step' toward discussions of racial equality.

While the gesture received mostly positive reactions from members of the community, it drew outrage from some in the surrounding area.

Among the furious critics was Ginni Thomas, according to The Washington Post, which viewed an email sent to town officials from her account.

Ginni Thomas, the wife of the only black justice on the US Supreme Court and an outspoken conservative, runs a consulting firm in Burke, about eight miles east of Clifton.

Her email dated June 24 states: 'BLM is a bit of a dangerous Trojan Horse and they are catching well-meaning people into dangerous posturing that can invite mob rule and property looting.

'Let's not be tricked into joining cause with radical extremists seeking to foment a cultural revolution because they hate America.'

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas's wife Ginni (above together) branded the Black Lives Matter movement a 'Trojan Horse for mob rule' after a tiny town in northern Virginia put up a banner expressing support for protesters

The banner with the words 'Welcome to Clifton, Where Black Lives Matter' was hung over the town's Main Street last month and drew fierce criticism from members of nearby communities

The email came as the US entered its second month of anti-racism protests sparked by the May 25 death of George Floyd, a black man who was killed when white Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck during an arrest.

Ginni Thomas' purported comments echoed those made by President Donald Trump and other conservatives who condemned the protests in part due to the looting and rioting that had occurred alongside them in the early days.

The Post reported that her Facebook page is filled with similar comments against the protests - though the newspaper was unable to reach her to confirm that she had written the email.

But Ginni Thomas was hardly the only one railing against the banner, according to local officials who said the town's Facebook page was flooded with comments demanding it be taken down.

Mayor Hollaway said the banner was 'the biggest controversy we've seen in many years' as his office was flooded with complaints.

One of the critics was Lin-Dai Kendall, a tea party Republican and former candidate for the Fairfax County School Board.

Kendall wrote an email to the Clifton Town Council charging that the sign was welcoming 'rioters who have vandalized entire zones in multiple American cities across the United States for the past three weeks', according to the Post.

'You are affirming a misnomer that threatens to send us all into a cultural revolution pitting Marxists against freedom-loving Americans,' Kendall's email stated.

Clifton residents, the majority of whom are white, also reported receiving fliers in the mail that tied the Black Lives Matter movement to various international conspiracies.

Ginni Thomas, an outspoken conservative, runs a consulting firm in Burke, about eight miles east of Clifton. Her husband Clarence Thomas is the only black justice on the Supreme Court

The Town Council held a meeting on Tuesday night to address the outrage, during which nearly all 16 people who spoke said they supported the banner, the Post reported.

One supporter, Mark Cherry, told the council: 'As an African American, I never would have guessed that this community would come together . . . to make such a clear message of welcome and openness.'

Another supporter, Tony DiBari, called on the council to stand by their initial 'right decision' by refusing to bow to outside critics.

'You guys already made the right decision; you put up the banner,' DiBari said.

'Now do you have the willingness, the wherewithal, the fight to stand behind the people of this community?'

The council ultimately decided to keep the banner in place until another organization requested to use the space to advertise for a civic event.
ZHANJIANG, July 10 -- Two first-generation homemade ocean-going tank landing ships, namely the Yuntaishan and Zijinshan, were officially decommissioned from the PLA Navy on July 7.

A combat support ship flotilla attached to the navy under the PLA Southern Theater Command held a grand decommissioning ceremony at a military port in Zhanjiang City of Chinas Guangdong Province.

The navy ensigns were dropped from the two landing ships in the background of resounding military song. With the equipment advancement of PLA Navy, the first-generation homemade vessels have been retreating from public view gradually.

The landing ship Yuntaishan (Hull 927) was commissioned in 1979 and has served for 41 years, being reputed as the No.1 landing ship in China, while the landing ship Zijinshan (Hull 929) was commissioned in 1982 and has served 38 years, being known as the fluttering flag on the South China Sea.

Both ships were the first-generation ocean-going tank landing ships independently designed and built by China in the 1970s. They were manufactured by the Shanghai-based Zhonghua Shipyard with the capability of beaching, landing and cargo carrying.

Serving in the East China Sea for a long time, the landing ships Yuntaishan and Zijinshan have superbly performed a variety of urgent, dangerous and difficult tasks, including combat readiness patrol, safeguarding maritime rights and construction in the South China Sea.

In recent years, they have been transferred to the South China Sea due to the needs of naval defense development, where they have witnessed the construction and development of the region.
The owner of Wagamama has warned that one in 10 of its restaurants will not reopen this year as it battles its way out of lockdown.

The Restaurant Group (TRG)  which has closed nearly 200 sites since the pandemic struck with the loss of 4,500 jobs  said it has started a 'phased reopening' of its remaining 400 venues.

The group  which also owns Frankie & Benny's  plans to have around 100 open by the end of this month, 240 by the end of August and 360 by the end of September.

Off the menu: A Frankie & Benny's waitress. The Restaurant Group has closed nearly 200 sites since the pandemic struck with the loss of 4,500 jobs

The 40 remaining sites  primarily in airports where visitor numbers are likely to be lower than normal for some time  are not expected to resume trading before 2021.

The decision raises questions over the future of staff who work at those sites, as the Government's job retention scheme only supports the wages of furloughed workers until the end of October.

TRG declined to say how many jobs were affected.

Shares in the business fell 2.2 per cent, or 1.2p to 52.3p.

Like many other casual dining chains, TRG has been hammered by the pandemic, putting its Chiquito's and Food & Fuel sites into administration and closing 125 other restaurants, including many in the Frankie & Benny's chain.

Burger King this week revealed it may close one in 10 of its UK outlets, putting 1,600 jobs at risk, while Cafe Rouge and Bella Italia owner Casual Dining Group followed Carluccio's into administration.

TRG said it has secured a 50million loan through a Covid business lending scheme set up by the Government to shore up the finances of struggling firms.

TRG's board took a 40 per cent pay cut at the start of April as they tapped into Government furlough money.

They have now upped their pay, but will still take 20 per cent less than normal until it stops accessing the scheme.

If the cut remains in place to the end of October, chief executive Andy Hornby is likely to have given up around 100,000 of his 630,000 base salary.
A report of a missing boy at the beach came in just after 5 p.m., said Gary Police Cmdr. Jack Hamady. He was last seen in the water and multiple dive teams were called to the scene.

The Lake County Sheriff's Aviation Unit searched the area along with marine units and divers across the Region.

The Indiana DNR, Gary police, National Park rangers and the U.S. Coast Guard convened at the scene. Firefighters from Gary, Hobart, Crown Point, Lakes of the Four Seasons, Merrillville, Burns Harbor, Chesterton, Porter and Portage also responded, Brock said.

Gary police, DNR officers and the Lake County coroner's office are conducting an investigation into the incident.

Lee's drowning was the 16th in Lake Michigan this year, according to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project.

Once again Great Lakes drownings are on a record pace when compared to previous years, said Dave Benjamin, GLSRP Executive Director. At this pace, we will likely have 100 Great Lakes Drownings in 2020.

While there were no swim advisories in effect Thursday, the National Weather Service has issued a beach hazard warning for Friday, effective from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
As the Royal Commission into national natural disaster arrangements continues to hear submissions on the preparation for, and recovery efforts after, last summers catastrophic Black Summer bushfires, Cooper says there is a range of active policy measures the federal government can impose to improve the nations resilience.

Read more: Industry bodies join forces to deal with climate risks

Among his list of recommendations is removing all taxes on insurance - a move he says will encourage more people to insure in the first place.

In NSW alone, almost 60% is added to the cost of building insurance, just in taxes. How do you encourage people to adequately insure, or insure at all, when so much tax is added on to premiums? Cooper asked.

Insurance is not like tobacco and alcohol; you cant just increase prices to try and reduce its consumption. Everyone needs insurance to protect their assets. Everyone needs to be adequately insured, so it needs to be based on pure risk costs, and as affordable as possible.

It is also such a regressive set of taxes that includes GST and stamp duty on insurance contracts in every state (except the ACT who exclude Stamp Duty). Insurance should be tax free as it is vital for our economy and can help rebuild peoples lives following a disaster.

The federal government should also pay for houses in vulnerable locations to be inspected by experts to offer guidance on how to bring their property up to a standard that can better cope with intense storms, droughts and bushfires for the future, he said.

Additionally, there are also financial measures the federal government could make to help improve equity for building standards, alongside stronger regulation standards.

The government can then provide no-interest loans for buildings to be brought up to that level. This is better than a $25,000 grant for those doing $150,000 renovations which is what is being offered now. Its a good recession recovery project, Cooper added.

There needs to be tighter rules on property development, so we are not seeing buildings in known high risk areas, such as on the beach or the coast, or on flood plains, or in dense forests.

Investing in research for fire-resistant building materials and funding the CSIRO to develop building products that can resist fire and intense storms are measures Cooper believes can be taken to help the nation prepare for future catastrophic events.

Read next: "Many risks will be considered uninsurable"

The Rural Fire Service (RFS) also needs to receive essential funding for more sophisticated equipment.

The federal government should invest in much more modern-day firefighting equipment and not rely on the poor volunteers who do not have enough resources at present to fight these extreme fires, he added. As a preventative measure, they can increase, substantially, the penalties and fines on those builders not abiding by the building codes and Australian standards.
by Shafique Khokhar

Minorities are increasingly discriminated. A Christian dies after he was shot for buying a house in a Muslim neighbourhood. The Archbishop of Islamabad-Rawalpindi calls on the authorities to protect all citizens, without distinction of belief. Attempts to block the construction of a Hindu temple are unconstitutional.

Lahore (AsiaNews)  The coronavirus pandemic has not stopped religious intolerance in Pakistan. This is the bitter comment from the National Commission of Justice and Peace (NCJP) after the recent death of a Catholic man who died after he was gunned down for buying a house in a Muslim neighborhood.

On 4 June, Nadeem Joseph was attacked by Muslim residents in the Sawati Phatak colony in Peshawar. The attackers, some of whom were immediately arrested (but not the leader of the attack), wanted to force the Christian and his family to abandon their home.

In a statement, the NCJP condemned the act of violence against Nadeem, calling on the authorities to do everything in their power to capture the main culprit.

Everyone has the right to buy property in Pakistan, the NCJP says. This incident is a clear violation of human rights; it is an act against the law and cannot go unpunished.

Archbishop Joseph Arshad of Islamabad-Rawalpindi, chairman of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Pakistan, urges the government to protect Nadeems family whose lives are now danger.

The prelate goes on to say that acts of discrimination are growing across the country, and that the current government must take them seriously and provide protection to all religious minorities.

Catholic Church leaders have been complaining of a growing climate of intolerance in the country. Minorities find it increasingly difficult to live in Pakistan. They are even discriminated in the distribution of food aid and COVID-19 health protections.

The attempt to block the construction of a Hindu temple in Islamabad is another example of hatred towards non-Muslims.

According to NCJP national director Fr Emmanuel Yousaf (Mani), the controversy over the Hindu temple reflects the age-old hostility of the Muslim majority's most conservative fringes towards minorities.

All this is contrary to the values enshrined in the Constitution, which allows religious minorities the freedom to profess religion and manage religious institutions.
The map depicts the spread of cholera in Pennsylvania and other eastern states in 1832. Credit: New York Academy of Medicine

By now, most Americans have heard the cautionary tale of Philadelphia's decision to hold a huge patriotic parade with nearly 100,000 spectators in the fall of 1918, a super-spreader event blamed for the city's overwhelming outbreak of flu in the following days. Within 72 hours of the parade, all hospital beds in the city were full. Within six weeks, more than 12,000 people died, amounting to a death every five minutes.

During the current pandemic, Philadelphia's 1918 response has become the poster child of how not to handle an outbreak. But the "Spanish flu" certainly wasn't the first infectious disease the city had ever faced, and historian Timothy Kent Holliday makes the case that Philadelphia was well equipped for outbreaks decades and even centuries earlier.

Holliday earned his Ph.D this spring with his dissertation entitled "Morbid Sensations: Intimacy, Coercion, and Epidemic Disease in Philadelphia, 1793-1854." His research looks at epidemics in Philadelphia and the role of what he calls intimate care in managing those diseases in institutions, hospitals, prisons, and quarantine stations like the Lazaretto.

Penn Today spoke with Holliday about why he thinks Philadelphia was better prepared for cholera in 1832 than it was nearly a century later when the flu landed at the Navy Yard, and what lessons citizens and governments can take from comparing the two outbreaks.

Why is the 1918 flu epidemic referenced so much during the current COVID-19 outbreak?

The best parallel to what's happening now is always going to be the 1918 pandemic just because it's a centennial sort of thing, it's viral, and it's airborne.

But the 1832 cholera outbreak is also something that you can draw parallels with to COVID because it's a disease wending its way across the world and people are really frightened by it. The world is tracing its movement, and it is interpreted as a new disease, as was cholera in the mid-1800s.

The place where the cholera outbreak becomes a good foil for the 1918 pandemic is that Philadelphia was really well prepared for cholera. They had hospital care in place to address the excess mortality and excess illness that cholera would bring. There wasn't the same kind of strain on public health as there was in 1918.

Why was Philadelphia more prepared for cholera than the flu?

For one, cholera spread over the course of years, so cities could brace themselves a little further in advance.

Secondly, and this is kind of a happy accident, Philadelphia had a really good municipal water supply. And they didn't know it at the time, but cholera was transmitted through water.

What did the city do to gear up for a possible cholera outbreak?

As cholera was spreading throughout Europe, the city government and the board of health established a number of cholera hospitals, sort of temporary locations where cholera of patients could be treated. These are like schoolhouses, carpenter shops, not newly erected buildings. They were places chosen for their airiness that were easily ventilated. Basically, they were whatever buildings fit that criteria they could get their hands on because a lot of places didn't want to volunteer to house cholera patients out of fear. People didn't want to be living next to places that were going to be designated as cholera hospitals.

They established about 20 of these temporary hospitals. A lot of them housed just a few patients over the course of the epidemic. Some of them stayed empty the whole time.

So, Philadelphia was really well prepared in terms of having an infrastructure in place to house cholera patients and to take care of them. They also appointed cholera physicians who would be tasked with managing the hospitals and the Sisters of Charity were really important as care providers during this time, too. So, you had religious nurses, you had lay nurses, you had attending physicians, and you had the presiding physicians in these hospitals. They were really very well staffed.

They could be chaotic places, some of the more crowded ones. But I think the point of all this is that Philadelphia prepared itself for the arrival of cholera well in advance.

To compare, in the early 20th century, and maybe the late 19th century, the onus was often placed on individuals to combat disease. There's a big moral component and an individual component to what's called "the new public health model" in the era of the 1918 pandemic. As a result of that, at a governmental level, the underlying sort of systemic factors that contributed to the spread of infectious disease were ignored in favor of putting the onus on individual action.

Why was this idea of individual action popular at the time?

I think that it's connected really strongly to germ theory because one of the side effects of germ theory is that the seat of disease becomes the individual. Disease is transferred from person to person.

So, the focus is on educating the individual, modifying the individual's habits, and as a result, a lot of public health officials and physicians ignored or just didn't pay attention to underlying systemic factors that would influence behavior or a range of behaviors available to people. Like we see today, not everybody is in a position where social distancing is an option. It was the same in 1918. You have people who are living in crowded tenement houses and are not able to avoid congregating. You have people whose livelihoods depend on close intimate contact with others. And there's the focus on, "Oh, you need to do this and that and the other as an individual, as a person to make yourself a better person." Rather than saying, "Here's what we as a community need to do to fix what is wrong or what needs to be addressed on a systemic level."

How did the idea of individual action affect the response?

Philadelphia in 1918 is a really good example of an object lesson of how not to do public health.

The city's public health director, Wilmer Krusen, gets a lot of blame from historians and amateur historians for letting the parade that we've all heard about go on in 1918 that led to the spike in cases in Philadelphia. Some historians have started to push back against that and say that it wasn't necessarily within Krusen's power to cancel it. Especially because the mayor at the time, Thomas Smith, was such a "boss mayor," very typical of what you might associate with that era.

Krusen toed a middle line between putting the ball in the court of individuals versus the government. So, when the state government ordered the closure of cinemas, theaters, ice cream parlors, and other places of social gathering, Krusen also added to that the closure of schools and places of worship. So, he recognized in a way that a lot of historians have ignored that there was a role for umbrella government initiatives to enforce what we would call social distancing.

There were things done wrong, and a lot had to do with corrupt politicians. If you look at the mortality rate of the 1918 flu pandemic, the top three cities are Pittsburgh, Scranton, and Philadelphia. Not only are they all in Pennsylvania, which had a lot of government corruption at the time, but they're all cities with big boss mayors or boss governments.

The most obvious thing that's associated with 'boss politics' is corruption, corruption, corruption. Like a mayor who makes nails and sells them to the city and has the city buy them at exorbitant prices. It's basically just running the government like a machine, like a business. Appointing people to positions based on personal financial interests and operating in ways that might seem pretty familiar on the federal level today.

So what kind of lessons can citizens and governments take from the cholera epidemic?

Public health organizations, and the government more broadly, need to be invested in preparation for an infectious disease outbreak, even when there is no clear and present danger for such an outbreak.

Philadelphia in 1831 was preparing itself for cholera, but it was also already kind of prepared in the sense that there was already a strong history of public health, stretching back to the 1790s with yellow fever. Public health initiatives in Philadelphia really strengthened in response to that. The really clean municipal water supply is just one example of that.

For today, the big lesson from the cholera response is to be prepared, even in times when there isn't an imminent risk for an outbreak.

Explore further What history has taught us about epidemics
As a vertical SaaS company, Sprout is committed to building the best-in-class cannabis CRM and marketing platform

Sprout, a leading cannabis CRM and marketing platform, announced today its expansion into two more states - Missouri and Montana. Sprouts cannabis CRM and marketing software is now servicing dispensaries in 28 states, as well as in Canada and Puerto Rico. Missouri became the 32nd state to legalize medical cannabis and is projected to mature into a $480MM/year industry.

As a vertical SaaS company, Sprout is committed to building a best-in-class cannabis CRM and marketing platform and making it available in all legalized cannabis markets, stated Jaret Christopher, CEO of Sprout. We are excited to expand into Missouri and Montana and help dispensaries utilize our technology to improve operational efficiencies and meet the needs of growing patient population.

The newest dispensaries to the Sprout family include Missouri Health & Wellness and Midwest Cannabinoid Clinics in Missouri and Seed of Life Labs and Think Higher Caregivers in Montana. The dispensaries are using Sprout to acquire new patients and engage them through personalized marketing and loyalty campaigns.

Sprouts CRM platform includes an entire suite of marketing tools making it easy for dispensary owners and managers to access their customer data and implement marketing campaigns. As one of the industrys market leaders, Sprout seamlessly integrates with many of the top cannabis, point of sale (POS) and ERP systems such as Treez, Greenbits, Flowhub Helix BioTrack, MJ Freeway / Akerna and LeafLogix, creating a best-in-class experience for the dispensary and the consumer.

It is gratifying to see Sprout expand into new markets and becoming a market leader, commented Christopher. Sprout has taken a disciplined approach to growing its business with 100% focus on customer success and our clients wants and needs. Many of our new customers come from referrals which is an excellent indicator that Sprout is on the right path and providing a technology platform that dispensaries are willing to recommend.

To learn more about Sprout, visit them at http://www.sprout.online, or call 1-888-411-1699.

About Sprout

Sprout is a leading cannabis CRM and marketing software platform used by dispensaries across 28 states, Canada and Puerto Rico. Sprout helps cannabis companies increase revenues and customer loyalty by engaging their customers, creating brand awareness and driving online and in-store orders. Sprouts cannabis CRM platform includes an entire suite of marketing solutions including customer relationship management, text & email marketing, loyalty, mobile wallets, QR codes, mobile surveys, mobile coupons, advanced customer segmenting and analytics. To learn more about Sprout visit http://www.sprout.online
Frank Mba, spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force, has described Hushpuppi as a billionaire crook for whom no one should weep. Hus...

Frank Mba, spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force, has described Hushpuppi as a billionaire crook for whom no one should weep.





Hushpuppi was earlier arrested in Dubai with 11 of his associates after he was accused of crimes including money laundering, hacking, impersonation, scamming, banking fraud, and identity theft.





Although the money laundering charge brought against Hushpuppi doesnt make him a convict, lawyers involved in the case say he risks a statutory maximum of 20 years jail if adjudged guilty.





During a radio programme on Thursday, Mba opined that the embattled Instagram celebrity can afford the best of lawyers to defend himself but that police evidence would speak for themselves.





I think Hushpuppi will enjoy the privileges of being tried in a free world, liberal democracy. I also have no doubt about his capacity to pay for the best of lawyers. Hes a billionaire crook, he said





But the good thing about the law is that, when the facts are so clear, they speak for themselves. As long as the prosecution is able to establish their case, the judge would rule in their favour.





However, if the prosecution is unable to prove their case, then the benefit of the doubt would be given to the suspect, although I doubt if that would happen in Huspuppis case.





Because there is massive multilateral collaboration still working on that case and putting evidence together. Im not going to weep for Huspuppi and I say no one should.





The UAE authorities had shared footage of Hushpuppis arrest in a special operation dubbed Fox Hunt 2, accusing him of cyber-fraud involving 1.9 million victims to the tune of N168 billion.





Asked if the Nigerian police have a cybercrime unit that would crack Hushpuppis case as the UAE did, Mba made reference to Interpols bureau in the country, noting theyre manned by Nigerians.





Hushpuppi is just one out of the cyber crooks out there not just in Nigeria but all over the world. The feat that was achieved by the Dubai police wasnt of their effort alone, he continued.





It was actually an international collaboration that ran across multiple security and policing agencies, with Interpol and the FBI playing a very big role. The Dubai police only took the lead.





They were policing a country where Huspuppi is based and where a bulk of his activities emanated from. The national bureau of Interpol domiciled in Abuja has a very strong cybercrime unit.





Mba said the Interpol unit in Abuja contributes immensely to investigations carried out by the FBI in Nigeria adding that the unit has well-trained men and women.




CSE: VYGR

OTCQB: VYGVF

Borse Frankfurt: UCD2

VANCOUVER, BC, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Voyager Digital (Canada) Ltd. ("Voyager" or the "Company), is issuing this press release to announce that it is accelerating the expiry date of all outstanding common share purchase warrants (the "Warrants") of the Company issued pursuant to the financing of the Company that closed on June 15, 2020.

Pursuant to the terms of the certificates evidencing the Warrants, the Company may accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants in the event that the closing price of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company ("Common Shares") on the Canadian Securities Exchange is equal to or greater than C$0.30 per Common Share for a period of ten consecutive trading days (the "Acceleration Trigger").

The Company confirms that as of the close of markets on July 8, 2019, the Acceleration Trigger had occurred. In accordance with the terms of the certificates evidencing the Warrants, this news release constitutes notice to the Warrant holders of the Acceleration Trigger. Accordingly, the Company confirms that the Warrants are now set to expire at 5:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on August 9, 2019, being the 30th day following the date of this notice (the "Accelerated Expiry Date"). Any Warrants remaining unexercised after the Accelerated Expiry Date will be cancelled.

As of the close of market on July 8, 2020, a total of 6,489,086 Warrants of the 8,095,560 Warrants originally issued had yet to be exercised. Each Warrant is exercisable to acquire one Common Share at an exercise price of C$0.30 per Common Share. Accordingly, if all of the outstanding Warrants are exercised, gross proceeds to the Company will total C$1,946,725.80.

About Voyager Digital (Canada) Ltd.

Voyager is a crypto-asset broker that provides retail and institutional investors with a turnkey solution to trade crypto assets. Voyager offers customers best execution and safe custody on a wide choice of popular crypto-assets. Voyager was founded by established Wall Street and Silicon Valley entrepreneurs who teamed to bring a better, more transparent and cost-efficient alternative for trading crypto-assets to the marketplace. Please visit us at https://www.investvoyager.com for more information and to review the latest Corporate Presentation.

The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed this press release and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on assumptions and judgments of management regarding future events or results. Such statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to revise or update such statements. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis and other disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulators, which are posted on http://www.sedar.com.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange, nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange), accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein in the United States. The securities described herein have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities law and may not be offered or sold in the "United States", as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act, unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration requirements is available.

SOURCE Voyager Digital (Canada) Ltd.
Police investigate at Salter Street and Flora Avenue on July 1.
KITCHENER  House of Friendship is asking for donations of cloth masks for people staying in emergency shelter and supportive housing who cant afford one.

Well collect them and well distribute them with instructions on safe use and care, said Amy Weaver, human resources director.

House of Friendship put out the call on social media earlier this week, and soon it garnered lots of interest from those wanting to help.

We have no doubt well have an abundance of masks. People care a lot, Weaver said.

Disposable masks have been handed out for people to be prepared for Monday, when everyone in Waterloo Region is required to wear a face covering in enclosed public spaces and on Grand River Transit.

But the disposable ones are not meant for repeated use, and House of Friendship staff wants to be able to give fabric masks that can be reused and laundered to its hundreds of program participants. Cloth masks can cost $5 to $15, which is an expense out of reach of many of the people House of Friendship serves.

Were just looking to give each person one, Weaver said. If people have more than one, its great.

Donations can be dropped off outside 51 Charles St. E. in Kitchener, Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The region will be handing out free masks, both disposable and reusable ones, to public transit users to ensure thats not a barrier. Theyre considering also making masks available at regional buildings for those who come in without one.

Regional Chair Karen Redman heard about the call for mask donations, and she also has faith the community will help those in need.

I think people are being innovative and if the past several months are any indication, our community will step up, make masks and donate them to people who otherwise might not be able to afford them.
Italy close to extending covid-19 state of emergency, reports Italian media.

Italy is working towards extending its state of emergency, over the covid-19 crisis, until 31 December 2020, according to numerous reports in Italian media.

Italy's premier Giuseppe Conte is reportedly close to extending the current state of emergency - which was introduced on 31 January and comes to an end of 31 July - until the end of this year.

Speaking to reporters in Venice on 10 July Conte said that people "shouldn't be surprised" if the state of emergency is extended, as without it Italy would no longer have the "means or tools" to intervene, reports Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore.

The state of emergency grants authorities special powers to tackle the fallout from the virus quickly, cutting through the usual bureaucratic procedures.

Conte told Spanish reporters on 9 July that, in the eventuality of a second wave of coronavirus, Italy is "equipped to keep it under control," reports Italian news agency ANSA.
DENVER, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --

A2Z Sync, a software and dealer-services company that enables dealers to modernize and transform the car-buying experience by re-organizing their stores around a Single Point of Contact (SPOC) sales process, today announced that Chip Perry has joined the company as President and CEO.

Over the past 20+ years, Perry has amassed extensive experience leading companies in the digital-auto space, including AutoTrader.com, where he was the first employee in 1997 and served as founding CEO for 16 years. At AutoTrader.com, he helped create the online auto classifieds industry, grew the Company to 2000 employees and 20,000 dealers, and acquired several prominent businesses such as vAuto and Kelley Blue Book. Perry later served as CEO of TrueCar. Earlier in his career, as a Vice President of the LA Times, he led the team that launched one of the first online newspapers in 1993.

"I'm very excited to welcome Chip Perry as the new President and CEO of A2Z Sync. He has unparalleled experience as a digital-automotive visionary and a stellar reputation as a hands-on leader who inspires both employees and dealers to high levels of performance," said Aaron Wallace, the founder of A2Z Sync and the CEO of the Schomp Automotive Group in Denver, CO. "Perry will help us rapidly scale A2Z Sync and enable dealers to dramatically improve customer satisfaction, sales staff retention, and dealership profitability," Wallace said.

"I joined A2Z Sync because I'm a big believer in its mission to help dealers fundamentally transform how they sell cars, by having a single salesperson handle the entire transaction from start to finish without the usual back and forth and waiting for F&I," Perry said. "By using A2Z Sync's highly automated software platform to deliver a superior customer experience, dealers are selling cars much faster, often in under one hour, while also enhancing the jobs of sales people, reducing operating expenses, and increasing F&I income. I'm excited to help bring this breakthrough technology to dealers all across America," Perry said.

Perry went on to say, "Because new cars are largely viewed as commodities, the only way dealers can truly differentiate themselves, other than through location and inventory size, is by providing a better customer experience. While a differentiated experience is the 'Holy Grail' that many dealers have aspired to, few have been able to deliver it. A2Z helps dealers win by delivering the highly convenient and transparent experience customers have come to expect from other product categories.

About A2Z Sync

A2Z is a software and dealer-services company that enables dealers to transform the car-buying experience through a Single Point of Contact (SPOC) sales process. Dealers who use our platform, training, and support services achieve significantly higher customer satisfaction, employee retention, and dealer efficiency and profitability.

A2Z Sync was founded in 2017 by Aaron Wallace, the owner of the Schomp Automotive Group. He set out to revolutionize the retail environment by creating a highly customer-centric purchasing experience that enabled his dealerships to stand out from the competition, gain market share, and increase profitability. In 2018, Morrie's Auto Group was the first non-Schomp dealer to adopt the A2Z platform. Today, A2Z serves 25 dealerships who passionately deliver their customers a modern, streamlined, automated, and efficient car-buying experience. To date, more than 250,000 vehicle-sale transactions have been processed through the A2Z platform.

A2Z helps its clients successfully transition into SPOC by providing operational readiness assessments, intensive in-dealership training, and ongoing technical and training support. A2Z develops a fully-customized implementation roadmap tailored to the needs of each dealer to ensure the successful long-term use of its software platform.

SOURCE A2Z Sync

Related Links

https://www.a2zsync.com


Attorneys for two of three young men charged in the death of 8-year-old Royta Giles Jr. inside the Riverchase Galleria said their clients were defending themselves.

Hoover police earlier this week announced capital murder charges against King Gary Williams and Demetrius Dewayne Jackson Jr. Both are 19 and from Birmingham. They also are charged with three counts of second-degree assault each in connection to the wounding of three others inside the mall on July 3.

Also charged with the same crimes in the deadly shooting is 22-year-old Montez Moses Miracle Coleman. All three are being held without bond in the Jefferson County Jail.

Royta was shot in the head while he, his mother Jesslyn Layfield, stepfather Anthony Jones, and little sisters Trinity, 5 and Marlee, 4, were waiting to get into the Childrens Place to buy new outfits for the Fourth of July.

According to Hoover police, a shootout that lasted only seconds long ended Roytas life and wounded three other innocent bystanders who are now recovering.

Birmingham attorney Victor Revill represents Jackson, who he said is a graduate of Huffman High School. He is a son, a grandson, a cousin, and a friend. This young man has never been arrested, charged, nor convicted of a crime in his young life,' Revill said.

Jackson, he said, was put in a position where he was forced to defend himself against the violent actions' of Coleman, whom he didnt know. Mr. Jackson has been charged with capital murder and assault for defending his own life and for refusing to be victimized by a person who clearly had no regard for human life.

Mr. Jackson is yet another victim of a system that maintains a blatant double standard between the actions of members of the public and actions of police officers. Instead of searching for answers and cloaking Mr. Jackson in the presumption of innocence which the law requires, law enforcement chose to arrest Mr. Jackson without gathering all of the evidence,' Revill said.

While many members of the law enforcement community are given the benefit of the doubt when a shooting occurs, it is deeply disturbing that Mr. Jackson was not given the benefit of a full investigation prior to him being charged. Regardless of the assumptions being made in this case, we are confident that justice will prevail, the truth will be heard, and Mr. Jacksons actions in self-defense will be vindicated.

King is being represented by lawyer John Lentine. King, a young man who has never been in any trouble in his life, went to the Galleria to shop, not to be killed or to kill or hurt anyone, but when he nearly was killed any actions he took was to defend himself from being killed that day,' Lentine said. This was a terrible unfortunate tragedy and King Williams is not guilty of any offense he has been charged.

An attorney for Coleman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Hoover police and fire medics responded to the Galleria at about 3:18 p.m. Friday after the Hoover 911 center received multiple calls of shots fired inside the mall. Responding officers located three victims suffering from gunshot wounds.

Two victims were transported to Childrens Hospital and the third victim was transported to UAB Hospital. A fourth victim drove himself to American Family Care and was transported to UAB Hospital.

Royta was pronounced dead shortly after arrival at Childrens. Police said the three other victims were all treated and released Friday evening.

As additional officers arrived on the scene, they were alerted to a male with a firearm running through the parking deck of the Hyatt Regency Hotel. That suspect has now been identified as Coleman. He was taken into custody without incident.

The investigation has determined Coleman got into a verbal argument with a group of males on the first level of the mall, near the food court. He said there was no indication that any of this was planned. We believe this was just a feud that had been going for a while that came to a head in the mall,' said Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis.

During the argument, police said, Coleman brandished a 5.56 caliber handgun - an AR pistol - concealed in a backpack and fired at the other males. Several of the males were armed with handguns and police believe Williams and Jackson immediately returned fire. Police have not said publicly who fired the shots that struck Royta and the other victims.

The suspects have a preliminary hearing set for 10 a.m. on Sept. 23.
Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have intensified protests against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over the seizure of 30 kg of gold from a diplomatic consignment at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. The opposition parties have sought the resignation of Vijayan and have asked him to face a CBI probe.

According to media reports, the protesters threw coronavirus caution to the wind by huddling together and waving party flags in protest of the scandal. In Palakkad, BJP activists climbed atop police barricades, whereas youth Congress activists took out a rally outside CM Vijayan's ancestral house in Kannur. Thereafter, the state police had to use teargas shells to control protesters.

Meanwhile, the Centre has already ordered a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the incident. The decision on the NIA probe came a day after CM Vijayan wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking his "intervention for an effective investigation" into the seizure of gold.

On July 5, around 30-kg of gold worth Rs 15 crore was concealed from a diplomatic cargo addressed to the UAE Consulate-General Office in Thiruvananthapuram.

As per law, a diplomatic cargo should not be subjected to routine customs examination. The apprehended cargo was listed as bathroom fittings, noodles, biscuits and dates, sent from Sharjah-based Al Zatar Spices. However, the customs already had specific inputs about smuggling of gold. This led to the arrest of Sarith Kumar, who had worked as the Consulate PRO from 2016.

During the questioning, Sarith told that Swapna Suresh, his former colleague at the UAE Consulate, was also at the centre of this smuggling ring. Suresh was the operations manager at the Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Limited (KSITL), which comes under the IT Department, a portfolio held by CM Pinarayi.

She filed an application for an anticipatory bail before the Kerala High Court on Thursday. But on Friday, the HC deferred her bail application but the court did not stay arrest warrant against her.

The incident has taken a political colour after the main accused Suresh was reported to be very close to many higher ups in the state government, including CM Vijayan's principal secretary M Sivasankar. Sivasankar was allegedly a frequent caller at her apartment. It also came to light that protocol was not followed in her appointment to the KSITIL. Amid the political chaos, Vijayan has transferred Sivasankar.

Meanwhile, the UAE Embassy in India has condemned the attempted use of diplomatic channels for smuggling, and has promised of full cooperation with the customs authorities.

Also read: EXCLUSIVE: Lakshmi Vilas Bank a strategic oppurtunity, due diligence process on, says CLIX Capital

Also read: Has People's Bank of China sold entire stake in HDFC Bank? Here's what we know
Pakistan: Intensive fish farming launched at NARC

July 10,2020 | Source: Pakistan Observer

The Chairman, PARC, Dr. Muhammad Azeem Khan said that inland aquaculture in Pakistan is mainly based on semi-intensive farming which is gradually shifting towards intensive farming due to increased interest of people in Fish farming, availability of commercial fish feed, availability of suitable fish species for intensive farming such as Tilapia, Channel Catfish, African Catfish, Pangasius and enhanced fish production per unit area. The PARC chief expressed these views while addressing to the inaugural ceremony of Intensive Fish Farming here on Thursday.



Certain Scientists has got the foreign trainings of intensive farming through PARC since 2019 such as In-pond raceway system and Biofloc fish farming Moreover, on Farm trainings is also being provided by PARC. However to find out suitability of intensive fish farming technology there is need to initiate intensive fish rearing programs locally to facilitate more and more farmers in the country. The Chairman, PARC further added that in this regard, Aquaculture and Fisheries Program (AFP) in collaboration with PATCO, NARC working under PARC has started an activity which will be focusing on intensive rearing of Tilapia and Channel Catfish in earthen and concrete ponds. Chairman, PARC Dr. Muhammad Azeem Khan also shared on the occasion that this project will serve as pilot project in initiation of controlled fish farming which will be first of its kind at government level. Results of this pilot project will be shared through research paper and seminars among academia and farmers.
After receiving a full scholarship worth VND6 billion to study at a university in the US, Nguyen Hoang Ngan won an internship at NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration) thanks to his creative science projects.

Ngan, 22, is a former student at Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted in HCM City. Four years ago, Ngan thanks to his terrain wheelchair disabled project, obtained a scholarship to study in the US.

Nguyen Hoang Ngan





Ngan is studying mathematics and physics at Harvey Mudd College in California. He intended to carry out research at a scientific research establishment, but Ngans program was cancelled because of Covid-19.

Many organizations and science establishments in the US have halted their operation, downsized the labor force, and suspended research because of the pandemic.



However, he still became an intern at NASA and began working there this summer.



He found that in Vietnam, there were not many playing fields for high school and university students. Some competitions in science and technology development are designed for university students only, while other scientific exhibitions are reserved only for brilliant ideas.

In Vietnam, there were not many playing fields for high school and university students. Some competitions in science and technology development are designed for university students only, while other scientific exhibitions are reserved only for brilliant ideas.

Exhibitions and forums where students can share experiences are organized but there is little else.

For instance, it is very difficult to find models which give support and provide additional comprehensive knowledge to promote the potential of people who are nurturing their ideas and scientific topics.



When implementing the terrain wheelchair project, Ngan and his friends had to do everything from scratch. Lacking experience and knowledge, they had to read hundreds of documents to find solutions.

As a result, Ngan decided to connect Vietnamese students engaging in scientific research. He kicked off Science for the Future Fair project, a non-profit program which aims to create a free playing field to inspires young people who have aspirations for scientific research.



The path to NASA



Ngan initially did not intend to apply for the internship because he thought NASA did not accept many interns in theoretical physics.



However, Ngans teacher introduced him to another teacher who was working for NASA, where he was admitted after an interview.



Asked about the work he did at NASA, Ngan said the major task was designing an experiment from a satellite to the Earth and from the Moon back to the Earth. The aim of the experiment was to find out whether quantum theory was influenced by relativity and vice versa.

Le Huyen

Scientific research: spending is high, but results are few Universities and local authorities spend big money on scientific research, but the results remain unclear.
Another scientific study has confirmed that 5G is 'harmless and benign' in response to crackpot conspiracy theorists who say the next-gen network causes disease.

US researchers investigating the effects of radio-frequency radiation generated by the ultra-fast mobile internet reveal that it has negligible health impacts.

The study comes after several 5G masts were vandalised during the coronavirus lockdown following unfounded conspiracy theories saying the form of wireless communication causes Covid-19.

Theorists have claimed the fifth-generation wireless standard, which began widespread deployment last year, emits radiation that lowers the immune system.

Despite providing essential communications technology during the pandemic, 5G masts have been subject to arson attacks throughout the UK.

Scroll down for video

Findings from an Oregon State University suggest few health impacts from exposure to 5G radio-frequency radiation

Scientists and government experts have dismissed theories linking 5G exposure to Covid-19 and a weakened immune system as being completely false and having no basis in scientific fact.

'Based on our study, we don't think 5G radiation is that harmful,' said Dr Subham Dasgupta at the Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology at Oregon State University.

'It's predominately benign.'

Pictured, a burned down mast in London on 15 April. Scientists and government experts have dismissed the theories as being completely false and having no basis in scientific fact

WHAT DO 5G CONSPIRACY THEORISTS BELIEVE? One theory claims that the coronavirus originated in Wuhan because the city had been rolling out 5G. It suggests it has been spread to other cities that are also using 5G. Other theories suggest that the radiation emitted by 5G masts lowers the immune system of people nearby. One version of this theory suggests the radiation sucks the oxygen out of the atmosphere and disrupts the regular functioning of the human body. Scientists have described the claims as baseless and a biological 'impossibility'. Advertisement

5G provides faster connectivity and more bandwidth, meaning higher download speeds for internet users, and more capacity and connectivity for billions of devices.

In their research paper, published in PLOS ONE, the team write that the potential for health effects from higher radio-frequency radiation should be examined as concerns 'over their potential health impacts are ongoing'.

To learn more, researchers conducted experiments using embryonic zebrafish, an organism often used to discover interactions between potential environmental stressors and biological systems.

Around 70 per cent of human genes are found in zebrafish, according to scientists, which makes them well suited as lab models.

Zebrafish and humans have similar developmental processes and are similar on a genomic level, meaning the results of experiments on them can be confidently applied to humans.

Dr Dasgupta and his colleagues exposed embryonic zebrafish for two days to 3.5 GHz radio-frequency radiation  the frequency typically used by 5G-enabled phones.

The zebrafish embryos were placed on plates, which were put inside a box made of copper dubbed 'the exposure chamber'.

The radiation entered the box through an antennae and the copper kept the radiation from escaping.

The experts found no significant impacts on mortality, how the embryos formed or their behavioural response to light.

The experimental set up used in the experiments. The future research will use the same standardized experimental set up used in this study. It involves a box made of copper. The zebrafish embryos are placed on plates, which are put inside the box. The radiation enters the box through an antennae and the copper keeps it inside the box

Adult zebrafish in the lab. Around 70 per cent of human genes are found in zebrafish, according to scientists, which makes them well suited as lab models

They did find a modest impact on a test that measures the embryos' response to a sudden sound that they will investigate further.

Future research will look at the 5G radiation effects on the same zebrafish used in the study at a gene level and as they develop from embryos to adults.

In the future, the team want to study the impacts of higher frequencies and higher exposure levels on zebrafish using the same methods.

Scientists, top doctors and other experts have already debunked the theory that 5G radiation causes harm to humans in response to wacky claims regarding its safety.

Conspiracy theorists have variously suggested that 5G waves lowers people's immune systems, causes the symptoms or contraction of Covid-19 and 'poisons cells in our bodies'.

NHS GP Gero Baiarda said 5G does not weaken the immune system and that viruses cannot travel by radio wave and only enter the body at specific points.

Dr Baiarda dismissed claims that 5G signals act to weaken the human immune system, saying 5G radio waves 'carry too little energy to cause harm' and that 5G occupies the same wavelengths 'as those previously used by analogue TV'.

NHS GP Gero Baiarda explained that 5G does not weaken the immune system and that viruses cannot travel by radio wave and only enter the body at specific points

'The wavelengths emitted from your microwave oven are more powerful than 5G  both are perfectly safe,' he said.

On its website, the World Health Organization (WHO) says no adverse health effect has been causally linked with exposure to wireless technology to date after much research.

'Tissue heating is the main mechanism of interaction between radio-frequency fields and the human body,' WHO explains.

'Radio-frequency exposure levels from current technologies result in negligible temperature rise in the human body.

As the frequency increases, there is less penetration into the body tissues and absorption of the energy becomes more confined to the surface of the body (skin and eye).

'Provided that the overall exposure remains below international guidelines, no consequences for public health are anticipated.'

Radiation watchdog International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) has also already stated that 5G is safe and poses 'no health risks' .

The watchdog found no risks of cancer or other illnesses from exposure to the frequencies used in fifth generation networks, after studying seven years of data.
Gangster Vikas Dubey, on Friday morning, has been killed in an encounter in Kanpur. A vehicle of of Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF), which was bringing back history-sheeter Vikas Dubey from Madhya Pradesh to Kanpur, overturned at Barra on Friday. After the accident, Dubey snatched the pistol of an STF personnel and tried to flee but was surrounded by the police team and he was injured in an exchange of fire. He was rushed to the hospital, where he was declared dead. Kanpur IG Mohit Agarwal said four policemen were injured during the accident.

"Gangster Vikas Dubey attempted to flee after the car overturned. He attempted to flee by snatching pistol of the injured policemen. Police tried to make him surrender, during which he fired at the policemen. He was injured in retaliatory firing by police. He was later rushed to the hospital", SP Kanpur West told news agency ANI.

Kanpur: One of the vehicles of the convoy of Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) that was bringing back #VikasDubey from Madhya Pradesh to Kanpur overturns. Police at the spot. More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/ui58XBbd82 - ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 10, 2020

Dubey was being brought from Ujjain to Kanpur on a transit remand. He was one of the main accused in the Kanpur encounter that claimed the lives pf 8 UP police cops. He was arrested from a temple in Ujjain, MP, yesterday where he was identified by a security guard at the shrine.

Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) team along with history sheeter #VikasDubey who was arrested in Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh) yesterday, reaches Kanpur. pic.twitter.com/C405jxATZr - ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 10, 2020

He was arrested after a high voltage drama that unfolded at the Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain, where he allegedly shouted "Main hoon Vikas Dubey, Kanpur Wala"(I am Vikas Dubey from Kanpur). Police were alerted and the murder accused was arrested. As the policemen escorted him towards the police vehicle, Dubey again shouted the same words again, the video footage reveals.

Yesterday, after Dubey's arrest, his wife, son and a servant too were apprehended by the Uttar Pradesh STF.

Vikas Dubey's wife Richa Dubey was arrested from her Krishna Nagar residence by a team of the STF on charges of harbouring the gangster and conniving with him

Also read: Who is Vikas Dubey, main accused in Kanpur encounter case: All you need to know

Also read: BREAKING: Wanted gangster Vikas Dubey arrested from Ujjain
Ahead of the September governorship election in Edo State, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Resident Electoral Com...





Ahead of the September governorship election in Edo State, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Dr Johnson Alalibo Samikiem has disclosed that a total number of one million, seven hundred and thirty five thousand, nine hundred and ten permanent voters cards have been collected, while four hundred and eighty three thousand, eight hundred and sixty eight are yet to be collected.





Speaking to newsmen after a closed-door meeting in Benin city, the state capital, Dr Samikiem said the inter-agency consultative committee on election security meeting with heads of the various security agencies in the state was necessary as part of ways to synergize.





While giving a breakdown of the total number of permanent voters cards collected so far, he said the 2019 election register will be used for the Edo State 2020 Governorship election.





For now, the Commission has no plan on carrying out the continuous voter registration, we are going to use the data from the 2019 register, he said.





The REC also appealed to the various key players in the Edo politics not to see the governorship election as a do or die exercise, which he said was the foundation of election violence.




More than a dozen detectives are still working around the clock to locate missing Colorado mom Suzanne Morphew two months after she disappeared.

Suzanne, 49, has not been seen since since she set off from her home in Maysville, Colorado on a solo bike ride on Mother's Day, May 10.

On Thursday, the Chaffee County Sheriff's Office released a statement revealing that investigators conducted a second search of the $1.5 million home Suzanne shared with her husband, Barry, earlier in the day.

Members of the FBI initially conducted a thorough search of property shortly after Suzanne mysteriously vanished, before it was released back to Barry and the couple's two adult daughters, Mallory and Macy.

'The case remains very active, as more than a dozen investigators are aggressively working this case on a daily basis,' Chaffee County Sheriff John Spezze said Thursday.

'And until we determine what happened to Suzanne, we can't discount any scenario or formally eliminate anyone from suspicion.'

Barry Morphew has been keeping a low profile after announcing a $100,000 reward for his wife's safe return a short time after she disappeared. That figure was later doubled by a family friend. The $200,000 reward still remains on offer.

More than a dozen detectives are still working around the clock to locate missing Colorado mom Suzanne Morphew two months after she disappeared. Suzanne (pictured) mysteriously vanished after setting off on a bike ride from her home in Maysville on May 10

On Thursday, the Chaffee County Sheriff's Office released a statement revealing that investigators conducted a second search of the $1.5 million home Suzanne shared with her husband, Barry, earlier in the day. The property is pictured

Suzanne was home alone at the time she set out on her bike ride on May 10, with husband Barry believed to be more than 140 miles away in Denver.

It was Suzanne and Barry's adult daughters, Mallory and Macy, who raised the alarm about her disappearance.

They contacted a neighbor when they couldn't get a hold of their mom when they returned from a camping trip in Idaho.

On the day Suzanne vanished, Barry was reportedly in Denver at a training course for his job as a volunteer firefighter.

Suzanne's disappearance sparked an extensive search that included tracking dogs, water rescue teams and tactical mountain rescuers. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the FBI were also called in.

Suzanne's husband, Barry (pictured), has been keeping a low profile in recent weeks. Shortly after Suzanne's disappearance, he offered a $100,000 reward for her safe return

Suzanne is pictured with her two daughters and husband Barry in a family photo taken back in 2017

On May 17, a week after her disappearance, Barry released a video pleading with the public to help find his missing wife.

'Oh Suzanne, if anyone is out there and can hear this, that has you, please, we'll do whatever it takes to bring you back,' Morphew stated in the video.

'We love you; we miss you; your girls need you. No questions asked, however much they want - I will do whatever it takes to get you back. Honey, I love you, I want you back so bad.'

Two weeks after her disappearance, police took custody of the $1.5 million Morphew residence to carry out a search.

Cops were seen carrying evidence bags and equipment into the home.

A CSI photographer was spotted on the premises, and evidence bags were pictured being brought out and loaded into a van before the house handed it back to the family on May 28.

Suzanne's daughters Mallory and Macy who first raised the alarm after they were unable to get hold of her on Mother's Day as they made their way back from a camping trip in Idaho

Police and the FBI also conducted a three-day search of a separate residential property where Barry Morphew had recently worked as a landscaper.

The riverfront Salida property is located around 12 miles from the couple's home.

Authorities dug up a concrete slab that had been laid at that site, but it did not yield any further leads into Suzanne's disappearance.

An earlier search took place along U.S. 50 after finding what was believed to be a personal item of Suzanne's.

It was suspended on May 15 when it led to no further leads.

The Chaffee County Sheriff's Department is urging anyone with information to call (719) 312-7530.
Thames Valley Trail allows you to explore nature in the rural countryside and in the heart of a large city. The Thames Valley Trail follows a meandering 130-kilometre path along the Thames River, one of southern Ontarios major waterways. The rivers three main branches  known today as the North, Middle and South Thames. The trail follows these branches through diverse habitats in the Carolinian Forest Region, in which a wide range of plant species thrive. In spring, populations of trilliums and other wildflowers explode in the forests, while the pungent smell of early-blooming skunk cabbage permeates the air in swampy wetlands. In open areas, youll find everything from meadow herbs to cultivated crops.

The North Branch and South Branch meet at The Forks in the heart of the City of London, and flow through downtown parks. Thanks to these green spaces, urban wildlife, from rabbits and groundhogs to white-tailed deer and coyotes, flourish. The sight of an eastern spiny softshell turtle sunning itself along the muddy banks is a special treat. With its pancake-shaped leathery shell and long, pointed nose, this threatened reptile is extremely distinctive. Much of its habitat has been lost to shoreline development, so Ontarios softshells are left to depend on sites like the Thames to survive.

There are many spots from which hikers can access the trail along its length. Start at Londons Ivey Park, follow the river northward to Harris Park, and then cross the river at Blackfriars Street. Wander the opposite bank back south to Riverside Park. Kensington Bridge returns you to your starting point.

The St. Williams Conservation Reserve is part of the Norfolk Sand Plain, a delta that formed on the northern shore of Lake Erie after the retreat of the last ice ages glaciers. Early pioneers eventually settled much of this land, clear-cutting populations of native trees and plants over time and exposing the sandy soil to the elements. The St. Williams Forestry Project was established more than a century ago to grow and plant seedlings in an effort to stabilize what had effectively become desert areas. As one of the first projects in Canada, it serves as a model for subsequent initiatives.

Made up of oak woodland, oak savannah, forest, wet- lands and sand barrens, the St. Williams Conservation Reserve is located on Crown land within the Long Point Biosphere Preserve. With more than 1,000 hectares at two sites, the reserve is a multi-use area that supports a great number of Canadian species at risk. Today, it is being managed to restore and preserve the richly diverse Carolinian habitats and flora and fauna populations that once flourished here.

While exploring the trails, keep your eye open for one of Ontarios most beautiful and endangered woody plants, the eastern flowering dogwood. This small tree is alive with large blooms in May. Interestingly, the white petals on the four-parted flowers are not petals at all but bracts, a leaf-like structure that has taken on the petals job of attracting pollinators with their showy colour. The familiar poinsettia and bougainvillea plants share the same characteristic.

Another St. Williams denizen to watch for is the eastern hog-nosed snake. When attacked, it hisses, makes a striking motion, flattens its neck and even plays dead. Its a harmless display intended to discourage potential predators. Unfortunately, in recent years, this snake has moved from threatening to threatened as its population has declined; a research project at St. Williams is focused on how to preserve this intriguing Ontario species.
Researchers from IRB Barcelona, the University of Barcelona (UB) and the Sant Joan de Deu Research Institute - Hospital Sant Joan de Deu (SJD) have set up Gate2Brain, a company based on a novel technology developed at IRB Barcelona to transport drugs into the brain.

Gate2Brain is the second joint spin-off between IRB Barcelona and the UB to be funded by the Mind the Gap Programme run by the Botin Foundation.

Driven by IRB Barcelona associate researcher Meritxell Teixido, Gate2Brain combines several families of peptides able to cross the blood-brain barrier, a structure that hinders access of most drugs to the brain.

The brain is a precious organ that is strongly protected by a kind of wall. We have managed to develop "keys" that facilitate entry and that we believe could allow different drugs to enter the brain and treat diseases of this organ." Meritxell Teixido, Associate Researcher, IRB Barcelona

The pharmaceutical industry has invested millions of euros in the development of drugs that ultimately did not cross the blood-brain barrier and have consequently been unsuccessful.

Gate2Brain has been set up to exploit the technology developed over the last 15 years in the Peptide and Protein Laboratory headed by Ernest Giralt (Professor at the UB) at IRB Barcelona, in which Teixido is a Research Associate.

The research line that Teixido has led in recent years has produced three families of shuttle peptides with the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and deliver therapeutic molecules to the brain that cannot cross it unaided.

In addition to IRB Barcelona, the UB has also participated in the development of these families of peptides, and the Sant Joan de Deu Hospital has also been involved in the development of the first product.

The advantages of this technology include the possibility to improve the effectiveness of many treatments, as well as to reduce the amount of drug administered and thus limit side effects.

A multidisciplinary team to drive the company's growth

Gate2Brain has come about with an initial investment of 500,000 from the Mind the Gap Programme run by the Botin Foundation.

In its previous stage, this research line was supported by "la Caixa" Foundation's CaixaImpulse Programme, to advance with the preclinical study for a specific type of pediatric glioma.

A year ago, the technology also received funding from the Agency for the Management of University and Research Grants (AGAUR) in the "Funding for the Knowledge Industry- PRODUCTE" call.

The new company will be based at the Barcelona Science Park, while the experimental work will be conducted at the Sant Joan de Deu Hospital.

The company plans to advance the development of a drug to treat a type of childhood brain cancer, as well as evaluate the performance of the drug transport platform in other diseases that require therapeutic agents to cross the blood-brain barrier.

In addition to Teixido, Gate2Brain has founding partners with a multidisciplinary profile, bringing expertise in basic peptide and protein research, pharmaceutical development, clinical expertise in pediatric oncology, and business insight to drive the company's growth.

According to Teixido, "the company launch today is the result of the collective success of the research groups and Innovation departments, which I want to thank for their work.

We have worked shoulder to shoulder during all this time to finally make the company a reality."

The sixth spin-off created by IRB Barcelona to date

Transfer and innovation are key for IRB Barcelona and, since the launch of the institute, its Innovation Department has promoted the setup of six spin-offs.

Its director, Francesc Posas, says, "We are very proud that nearly 15 years of research at IRB Barcelona bear fruit and have brought about a new spin-off as promising as Gate2Brain."

"In the coming years, we intend to continue to foster spin-offs derived from the fundamental biomedical research done in our centre--companies that will ultimately benefit patients with diseases for which there is currently no cure."

As the unit for technology transfer and innovation at the University of Barcelona, the Bosch i Gimpera Foundation (FBG) is responsible for transferring research results to society through the creation of spin-offs, patent licensing, and through contracts with companies and institutions, thus contributing to the competitiveness of the business fabric and to the improvement of social well-being.

In 2019, 826 projects were managed and received 33.85 M funding. Gate2Brain is the 46th spin-off created by the FBG-UB, 28 of which involve participation of the UB.

Backing from Mind the Gap

Since 2010, the Botin Foundation's Mind the Gap Programme has been promoting entrepreneurship in the Life Sciences in order to help technologies produced by Spanish centres reach the market and generate socio-economic development.

To this end, it invests financial (500,000) and management resources, the latter through an expert advisor who provides guidance and support in the critical aspects of project viability.

Since 2016, in addition to the Botin Foundation, Mind the Gap has been operating through a co-financing vehicle involving the participation of a group of private investors.

Gate2Brain joins the eight companies that already form part of the Mind the Gap Programme. To date, these companies have secured 16 M of investment.

They have a combined annual turnover of 1.5 M, and in 2019 they provided 53 highly qualified jobs.
Related First Arab mission to Mars designed to inspire youth

The first Arab space mission to Mars is scheduled to blast off July 15 on a mission to unravel from above the weather dynamics in the Red Planet's atmosphere.

The unmanned probe named Al-Amal -- Arabic for Hope -- is to take off from a Japanese space centre, marking the next step in the United Arab Emirates' ambitious space programme.

Here are some facts and figures about the oil-rich nation's project, which draws inspiration from the Middle East's golden age of cultural and scientific achievements.

- Outsize plans -

The UAE, made up of seven emirates including the capital Abu Dhabi and freewheeling Dubai, has nine functioning satellites in orbit with plans to launch another eight in coming years.

In September, it sent the first Emirati into space -- Hazza al-Mansouri, who was part of a three-member crew. They blasted off on a Soyuz rocket from Kazakhstan, returning home after an eight-day mission in which he became the first Arab to visit the International Space Station.

But the UAE's ambitions go well beyond that, with a goal of building a human settlement on Mars by 2117.

In the meantime, it plans to create a white-domed "Science City" in the deserts outside Dubai, to simulate Martian conditions and develop the technology needed to colonise the planet.

Under a national space strategy launched last year, the UAE is also eying future mining projects beyond Earth and space tourism, and has signed a memorandum of understanding with Richard Branson's space tourism company Virgin Galactic.

- Hope's journey -

The next milestone is the launch of the "Hope" probe, which officials say is designed to inspire the region's youth and pave the way for scientific breakthroughs.

The 1,350-kilogramme (2,970-pound) probe -- about the size of an SUV -- is due to blast off from Japan's Tanegashima Space Centre on July 15, but with a launch window that runs until early August, depending on variables including the weather.

Hope will take seven months to travel the 493 million kilometres (307 million miles) to Mars, in time to mark the 50th anniversary of the emirates' union in 2021.

Once in orbit, one loop will take 55 hours at an average speed of 121,000 kph, while contact with the UAE command and control centre will be limited to six to eight hours twice a week.

The probe will remain in orbit for a whole Martian year -- 687 days.

- Study and inspire -

Three instruments mounted on the probe will provide a full picture of Mars's atmosphere throughout the Martian year.

The first is an infrared spectrometer to measure the lower atmosphere and analyse the temperature structure.

The second is a high-resolution imager that will provide information about ozone levels. And the third, an ultraviolet spectrometer, is set to measure oxygen and hydrogen levels from a distance of up to 43,000 kilometres from the surface.

Understanding the atmospheres of other planets will allow for a better understanding of the Earth's climate, officials say.

But the project is also designed to inspire a region too often beset by turmoil, and recall the heyday of scientific advances during the Middle Ages.

"The UAE wanted to send a strong message to the Arab youth and to remind them of the past, that we used to be generators of knowledge," Omran Sharaf, the mission's project manager, told AFP.

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Vikas Dubey  accused of killing eight policemen last week  shot dead, with the opposition calling it staged drama .

A top suspect in dozens of crimes, including the killing of eight police officers last week, was fatally shot on Friday in police custody while allegedly trying to flee, officials said, with critics and opposition politicians calling the killing a staged drama.

Vikas Dubey snatched a gun from officers after their vehicle overturned on a highway near the northern Indian city of Kanpur and tried to flee, police officer Mohit Aggarwal told The Associated Press news agency. He said Dubey died in an exchange of fire.

Dubey, in his 40s, had given himself up in the central town of Ujjain on Thursday after a weeklong search. He was being driven in a police convoy to Kanpur where the eight police officers were killed.

The cold blooded murder of criminal Vikas Dubey is an insult to our Constitution & the due process of law. This is one of those key moments in time when our Judiciary is under test. Will they stand up and defend our Constitution or will they look the other way? #FakeEncounter pic.twitter.com/dMbDK6T3RX  Nikhil Alva (@njalva) July 10, 2020

Dubey was on the run for about a week after he allegedly ordered the ambush on a police team. He is believed to have links with state politicians and the police. Two police officers were arrested this week for allegedly tipping him off about a police raid on his home last Friday.

The gangster had been accused in 60 criminal cases, including offences like murders, attempted murders, robberies and kidnappings, and talk of his links with police and politicians has been dominating headlines ever since the shoot-out last week.

Two of Dubeys aides were killed in last weeks violence.

Extrajudicial killing

Amarnath Aggarwal, an opposition Congress party leader, accused police of killing Dubey. Its a preplanned murder. It was committed with the motive that Dubey did not reveal the names of people who provided patronage and protection to him.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has called for an investigation into the incident. Truth about those whove raised a criminal like Vikas Dubey should come out. No justice till nexus between politicians and criminals is exposed, Vadra, the daughter of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, said in a video statement posted on Twitter.

Jayant Chaudhary, the leader of regional Rashtriya Lok Dal party, called the gun battle that led to Dubeys killing as a drama staged to protect the real culprits behind the killing of policemen last week.

Senior journalist Saba Naqvi dubbed it extrajudicial killing. If you support extra judicial killing, you could be next. Remember that. On any pretext at any point. Rule of law means police and politicians cant bump off inconvenient people without trial, she tweeted.

Deaths in police custody are not isolated incidents in India.

OUTRAGEOUS STORY of Vikas Dubey encounter. The vehicle is seen lying "conveniently" on its side, all doors closed. Note the road condition. No reason to overturn "so softly"! Open fields all around! Even a fool with a paunch wud not consider running away in open. pic.twitter.com/8NGT2zx6lT  Dr. N. C. Asthana, IPS (Retd) (1986-2019) (@NcAsthana) July 10, 2020

A report last month by a New Delhi-based rights group, the National Campaign Against Torture, said at least 1,731 people died in custody in 2019, which means five custodial deaths a day.

In December last year, police shot dead four men suspected of raping and killing a young female veterinarian in southern India after investigators took them to the crime scene. Human rights groups have been calling for investigations into the deaths.

Dubeys gang is accused of fatally ambushing officers who had come to arrest them. They blocked the road with excavators and fired from rooftops, police said. Five officers were also wounded and the assailants fled before police reinforcements could reach the area.

Uttar Pradesh, with a population of 230 million, is one of the most impoverished states in India. It is also considered one of the most lawless states with high incidences of armed robberies, kidnappings for ransom and crimes against women, according to the National Crime Record Bureau.

Dubey was also accused of the killing of a local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, Santosh Shukla, in a police station in 2001. Two policemen were also killed in the attack.
The $66bn spending bill would also maintain US funding for the World Health Organization through 2021.

A subcommittee in the United States House of Representatives approved a measure on Thursday that, as part of a broader foreign aid spending bill, would reverse a Trump administration decision suspending aid to Palestinians and restore millions in aid to non-governmental organisations working in the West Bank and Gaza.

The move by a subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee  inserted into a $66bn State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs funding bill  would restore $255m in aid to the territories during the 2021 fiscal year, which begins on October 1 this year. The aid was cut off in 2018 by the Trump administration after Palestinian officials dismissed a peace plan proposed by the president.

The amendment was introduced by the committees chairwoman, Nita Lowey, a Democrat from New York who is seen as a pro-Israel stalwart and one of the most influential Jewish legislators on Capitol Hill. In October 2019, the 82-year-old Lowey announced she would not be seeking re-election in 2020.

During markup of the bill, Lowey said her measure would direct aid to be delivered directly to the Palestinian people through non-governmental organisations working in the region.





What we can do is ensure that life-saving, critically needed assistance is not politicised by our administration or the PA [Palestinian Authority] and that it is delivered through trusted NGOs directly to the Palestinian people, she said, according to The Hill newspaper.

In so doing we can ensure that the United States regains our position as a defender of stability and peace in an area of the world about which we all care so passionately. Thats all my amendment seeks to do, she added.

She said the amendment would effectively strip the authority of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to suspend aid to the Palestinian territories.

In 2018, the Trump administration cut off some $200m in aid to the Palestinian Authority (PA) after officials rebuffed a peace proposal authored by Trumps son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner. At the time, the administration also suspended aid to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency that provides assistance to some 5.6 million Palestinian refugees from 1948 and their descendants.

In @AppropsDems #SFOPS markup, @NitaLowey champions US global leadership: The #ForeignAssistance bill embodies our common belief in the absolute necessity of effective global engagement. This is not only a moral imperative, it supports the safety and security of all Americans."  USGLC (@USGLC) July 9, 2020

The larger foreign aid spending bill also maintains US funding for the World Health Organization (WHO), which Trump notified earlier this week the US would be withdrawing from in July 2021. The topline $66bn figure represents an $8.5bn increase from the previous years spending and is $21.5bn more than the presidents budget request.

Loweys amendment passed the committee by a voice vote. The larger $66bn foreign aid spending bill passed by a 29 to 21 vote of the full committee. The bill will move to the full House for approval in coming weeks and must be meshed with a Senate version before it can go to the president for his signature.
Lt. Gen. Nguyen Van Nghia, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam Peoples Army (VPA) joined the virtual ASEAN Chiefs of Army Multilateral Meeting (ACAMM) on July 9.

A view of the virtual ASEAN Chiefs of Army Multilateral Meeting (ACAMM), which is held on July 9, on Vietnam's side. (Photo: bqp.vn)

The ACAMM, chaired by Commander of the Royal Brunei Land Force Brigadier General Dato Seri Pahlawan Awang Khairul Hamed bin Awang Haji Lampoh, gathered chiefs of army from ASEAN member states to discuss response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his remarks at the event, Nghia spoke highly of the active role of the Royal Brunei Land Force as Chair of the ACAMM 2020.

He said since the COVID-19 broke out, the VPA has actively participated in the countrys efforts to contain the spread of the disease. The armed forces have turned its military bases across the country into quarantine camps for those who have returned from foreign countries, helped disinfect coronavirus clusters; and tightened control of border checkpoints and areas along the border, he noted.

The Vietnamese army has also successfully developed and produced testing kits for the coronavirus, he added.

He went on to say that Vietnams Ministry of Defence has actively advanced defence cooperation among ASEAN countries to make it in line with this years ASEAN theme Cohesive and Responsive.

The VPA has also ramped up experience sharing and promoted mutual supports on a bilateral basis with other countries, such as Laos, Cambodia, China, Russia, Myanmar and Cuba, Nghia said.

He expressed his belief that with such goodwill and determination, the pandemic will soon be brought under control regionally and globally.

The member countries agreed that the next ACAMM will be also held online in November. It will be hosted by the Myanmar Army as ACAMM Chair 2021./.VNA
Blackmon pinned the investigation on a handful of injudicious comments he said he had made in public to co-workers in 2015 and 2016. Some of his comments were taken completely out of their factual and, in some cases, religious context, he said, and nobody had communicated their offense or discomfort with him at the time.
Chennai, July 10 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday filed a charge sheet against six persons accused of murdering Special Sub-Inspector Wilson in Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari district in January this year as part of "waging jihad".

Wilson was shot dead on January 8 this year, while he was on duty at the Kaliyakkavilai Market Road checkpost near the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border.

The six accused, charge sheeted by NIA in the case, are Abdul Shameem, Y. Thowfeek, Khaja Mohideen, Mahboob Pasha, Ejas Pasha and Jaffar Ali.

They have been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including murder, of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and the Arms Act.

The case was first registered at the Kaliyakkavilai Police Station of Kanyakumari district under sections of the IPC and the Arms Act on January 9.

Wilson was shot and stabbed to death by Abdul Shameen and Thowfeek in order to create terror in the minds of people including police as part of waging violent jihad, the NIA said, adding it re-registered the case on February 1 and took over investigation from the Tamil Nadu Police.

During the NIA investigation, the roles of other accused viz. Mohideen, Mahboob Pasha, Ejas Pasha and Ali in the larger conspiracy were revealed and they were also arraigned as accused in the case.

During the probe, it was revealed that Mohideen was a member of the proscribed terrorist organisation IS/Daesh.

Since May 2019, he had radicalized Abdul Shameem and Thowfeek (A-2), on the perverted jihadi ideology and recruited them into his terrorist gang to carry out violent attacks against the establishment, especially police, in Tamil Nadu, to bring Islamic Rule or Shariah.

In October 2019, Mohideen had also instructed Mahboob Pasha and Ejas Pasha of Bengaluru and Ali of Cuddalore to procure illegal fire arms and prohibited ammunition for carrying out attacks.

After mid-December 2019, on instructions of Mohideen, Abdul Shameem and Thowfeek were sheltered in Karnataka and Maharashtra by Mahboob Pasha and they were subsequently provided illegal fire arms and prohibited ammunition.

According to the NIA, in early January 2020, when Tamil Nadu Police arrested the associates of Mahboob Pasha from Bengaluru and started pursuing Mohideen, Mahboob Pasha, Ali and others, Mohideen instructed Abdul Shameem and Thowfeek to attack Tamil Nadu Police at check posts along inter-state border in Kanyakumari district.

Consequently, the assailants had travelled to Kaliyakkavilai on January 8 and deliberately attacked Wilson that night.

After committing the terror act, they escaped towards Kerala and concealed the knife and illegal fire-arm used in the attack near the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus stands in Thriuvananthapuram and Ernakulam, respectively.

The assailants further proceeded to Kozhikode, disguised themselves and then travelled to Maharashtra before returning to Karnataka's Udupi, from where they were arrested on January 15, the NIA said.
By Defense Post

July 09, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - Beijing said Wednesday that US demands for it to join nuclear disarmament talks with Russia are a ruse to sink the negotiations, but it could take part if Washington lowers its arsenals to Chinas level.

US and Russian officials held talks in Vienna last month to discuss a replacement for the New START treaty, which limits each side to 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads but is due to run out in February.

US President Donald Trump has insisted China be included in disarmament talks, citing what he says is the free rein Beijing has had to develop weapons systems.

China has shown no interest in participating.

Fu Cong, director-general of the Department of Arms Control at Chinas foreign ministry, said the US pressure is nothing but a ploy to divert world tension and create a pretext under which they can walk away from the New START.

Their real purpose is to get rid of all the restrictions and have a free hand in seeking military superiority over any adversary, real or imagined, Fu said at a news conference.

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The US and Russia hold more than 90 percent of the worlds nuclear weapons, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

According to the institutes latest research, Russia has 6,375 nuclear warheads, including those that are not deployed, and the United States has 5,800.

By contrast, China has 320, France 290, and the UK 215.

Saying that the small number of nuclear warheads that China possesses poses a threat to US security, when the US has 6,000, I dont think that stands to logic, Fu said.

I can assure you that if the US says that they are ready to come down to the Chinese level, China will be happy to participate the next day. But actually, we know that its not going to happen. We know the US policy.

The priority for China is for Washington and Moscow to agree to extend the New START treaty and continue to reduce their arsenals on that basis, Fu said.

He added that China will participate when their nuclear arsenals come down to a level comparable to the level of Chinese nuclear warheads.

- " Source " -

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See also China Refuses to Join U.S. , Russia in Negotiation of Nuclear Arms Control Treaty Congress wants more unnecessary anti-China weapons programs in annual defense bill

The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House.


Praying provision for those bound in poverty Praying provision for those bound in poverty



Jill Gower invites us to focus our prayers on those who are struggling financially because of Covid-19, and to have an entrepreneur anointing.





Provision

Lord, we cry out to you on behalf of those who are finding this situation so difficult right now, and have lost their jobs, their income and struggling to support their families. We ask that no one should go hungry, or without shelter, or provision during this time.



We declare breakthrough for those bound in poverty in our communities. We bless them with the abundant provision of God, with enough for themselves and some to give away.



We bless them with the will to get out of debt. We bless them with sound financial advice. We bless them to know the abundant life Jesus came to give.



We bless those who are rebuilding their businesses, those who are attempting new ventures in this day to be prosperous, and to succeed.



Thank you, dearest Father.



Amen



Light of the world



Jesus, thank You that You are the Light of the world, and You call us to be the light. Let Your people arise and shine and be the source of hope and encouragement to others.



Thank You that You call us to be the head and not the tail, and that we can be Your representatives and ambassadors here on earth, heralding in the new wine of Your Kingdom. May Your people be willing to let go of the old ways of doing things and embrace the new.



We call forth an entrepreneur anointing to break through the darkness with Your glorious Kingdom that no knows no end. We thank You that the light penetrates the unbelief and confusion that hovers over the land right now.



May we have the ability to see and to hear what the Spirit of the Sovereign Lord would say to us His Church in these days.



Father God, pour out Your love that casts out all fear. Thank You that You have the solution to all things, and even when we cannot see that You have all things in the palm of Your mighty hand.

We declare that Your word says, You will never leave us nor forsake us.



We pray that You will raise up those who hear from You to speak to our leaders; to those who are in places of power and influence, the Government and advisors of this country, to have a voice into their lives. We call forth a prophetic voice speaking Your direction and Your will for us here in the United Kingdom.



Father God, may we see this time as a time of preparation and to get ready for something far greater than we have experienced before. It may feel we are in the desert, and in the midst of uncertainty just like the Israelites felt before they crossed into the Promised Land.



Jesus, You say dont build Your house on the sand, for when the storms come it will not stand, but rather build on the Rock. We thank You, Jesus, that You are that Rock.



We declare that the safest place to be is in the purposes of God, and when Your Presence has moved on, like the Israelites we too must move on. Help us to follow the cloud and fire, to depend on the leading of the Holy Spirit, for we have not been this way before.



Teach us Your ways, O Lord, and let us have hearts that are open to you, even when we are unsure of what that might mean.



In the Mighty and Powerful Name of Jesus,



Amen



You can read about the debt advice work of Christians Against Poverty here:



www.networknorwich.co.uk/Articles/574160/Network_Norwich_and_Norfolk





Eldred Willey, 08/06/2020
Britains decision to resume selling arms to Saudi Arabia is tantamount to signing the death warrants of thousands of children in the Middle East, a charity has warned.

The UK paused exporting weapons to the kingdom last summer amid fears the hardware was being repeatedly used to commit war crimes in the Yemen Civil War.

But, despite a review finding Saudi forces had continually breached international humanitarian standards since weighing into the conflict in 2015, the British government announced on Tuesday it would continue sales.

Now the charity War Child has added its voice to the growing anger at the decision with bosses calling the ruling shameful and deadly.

Rob Williams, chief executive, said: By allowing these arms sales, the UK will be complicit in the suffering and murder of children in what is already the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. It is tantamount to signing the death warrants of thousands of children in Yemen.

Recommended Britain to resume selling arms to Saudi Arabia again

Figures compiled by the UN suggest the Saudi coalition has been responsible for killing and injuring at least 3,481 children in the five-year-old conflict  which has also claimed at least 100,000 adult lives and been described by the organisation as a humanitarian crisis of cataclysmic proportions.

Schools, hospitals, weddings and food infrastructure have all been bombed. It is said both sides expect the worst of each other and are rarely disappointed.

Colette Fearon, War Childs director of programmes and advocacy, told The Independent: The arms the UK are providing to Saudi Arabia flies in the face of all our commitments to protection of children and the upholding of human rights.

And she added: To stand up and proclaim to be a supporter of human rights and rules-based systems and, yet, at the same time, trade arms when we know this was declared illegal, is unacceptable.

The charitys furious response came after international trade secretary Liz Truss made the announcement of resumed sales on Tuesday.

She admitted Saudi forces had committed possible breaches of international humanitarian law but said the government viewed these as isolated.

The incidents which have been assessed to be possible violations occurred at different times, in different circumstances and for different reasons, she said in a statement.

The civil war itself started in 2015 when Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, took up arms against the internationally recognised government and claimed large swathes of territory, including the capital.

Saudi Arabia and seven allies weighed in in 2015 in a bid to restore power to the government.

The resulting fighting has left 80 per cent of Yemenis in need of humanitarian assistance with no sign of an end to the fighting  but, up until last summers export pause, had been something of a boon for the UK arms industry.

Since it started, the government has issued export licences worth 5.3bn, including 2.5 billion of licences relating to bombs, missiles and other types of ordinance.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Thursday sought reply of the police on an application filed by Pinjra Tod members and JNU students Devangana Kalita and Natasha Narwal, booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, seeking court monitored investigation in a case related to communal violence in north east Delhi in February.

Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana directed the investigating officer to file the reply on the plea by July 14. Kalita and Narwal have been arrested in the case under the anti-terror law for allegedly being part of a premeditated conspiracy in connection to the riots in north east Delhi during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act in February.

Besides Kalita and Narwal, Jamia Millia Islamia students Asif Tanha and Gulfisha Khatoon, former Congress Councillor Ishrat Jahan, Jamia Coordination Committee members Safoora Zargar, Meeran Haider, President of Jamia Alumni Association Shifa-Ur-Rehman, suspended AAP Councillor Tahir Hussain, activist Khalid Saifi, and former JNU student leader Umar Khalid have also been booked under the anti-terror law in the case.

Umar Khalid has not been arrested in the case yet. The police alleged in the FIR that Umar and his associates had instigated people to start riots in the area and it was a premeditated conspiracy. Communal clashes had broken out in northeast Delhi on February 24 after violence between citizenship law supporters and protesters spiralled out of control leaving at least 53 people dead and around 200 injured.

Pinjra Tod (Break the Cage) was founded in 2015 with an aim to make hostels and paying guest accommodations less restrictive for women students. In 2015, Jamia Millia Islamia University had issued a notice restricting female students to stay out after 8 pm. When the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) questioned the Jamia administration on it, a group of women students decided to protest against the restrictions not only in Jamia but other universities in Delhi. Later named as Pinjra Tod, the group mobilised people around several issues faced by female residents of hostels and PG accommodations.
A homeowner in Louisiana was forced to make an awkward apology to her neighbours when she discovered that her pet cat had been stealing clothes  after she had called the police.

Heather Bardi, 36, from New Orleans, had her husband Joe contact police after discovering a grey tank top, ripped boxer shorts, bikini bottoms and socks outside her home.

She feared that a burglar may have been nearby.

Admiral Galacticat casually strolls past the front door of its owners home in New Orleans, Louisiana, with a sock in his mouth

Admiral's owner Heather Bardi comes outside her home to go to work only to discover her cat wandering by with an item of clothing in its mouth

CCTV footage caught Admiral on another spree, this time at night, as he wanders around outside owner Heather's front door with another item of clothing

However, when she was leaving home for work on June 25, she saw her cat, Admiral Galacticat, stroll past her front door with a sock in his mouth.

CCTV footage from outside Heather's home shows the moment Admiral Galacticat casually strolls past her before she runs inside calling for Joe.

More footage recorded at night shows the cat wandering around outside Heather's front door with more clothing in its mouth before setting it down on the floor.

Speaking after she made the discovery, Heather said: 'When I saw him it was like I had an epiphany; I was excited to finally figure out what was happening.

'I'm so glad I had it on video because I had been telling all my friends about what was going on and I didn't think anyone would believe it was the cat if I didn't have proof.

Paws off! Admiral Galacticat (pictured) has been taking items of clothing from nighbours and dumping them in his owners' front yard

Heather posing with Admiral Galacticat who has just been discovered to be the mystery thief taking clothes from neighbours

'I was also feeling kind of embarrassed because my husband had called the cops and filed a report and had them drive by periodically to make sure there wasn't a prowler, at least not a human one.

'I never actually counted the items but it was a small load's worth because I washed them for my neighbour before he came to retrieve them yesterday evening.'

It was only after the coronavirus lockdown began that Admiral began his stealing spree.

Having grown tired of being cooped up inside with Heather, Joe and their five-year-old son Elias, he asked to be allowed outside.

Heather had her husband contact the police about the mystery clothes, fearing a burglar may have been in the area

Boxer shorts and a grey tank top are among the items in Admiral Galacticat's clothes haul

After making the discovery about her cat, Heather posted an appeal on Facebook urging neighbours to collect their clothes.

The post began by saying: 'My cat is stealing your laundry. I have no clue where else to post to reach you all.

'Two weeks ago, suspicious items started appearing on my front porch. First was a tank top and two Nike socks.

'The next morning, a dishrag, a ripped pair of boxers and more Nike socks. Now in that past two days, half a girl's bikini, size medium, a few more dishrags, and a beach towel.'

She finished the post by saying: 'You are more than welcome to come by and grab the bag. Just message me. Also, sorry my cat is a kleptomaniac.'

Heather and husband Joe had been left confused by items of clothing mysteriously turning up in their yard

Her post has since been shared more than 12,000 times

'Admiral never brought the clothes into the house, merely left them on my front porch, on the front walk, the skirt of the driveway,' Heather said.

'He never got constructive with them, just left them laying on the walkway or on the patio chair.

'When he saw me walk out the first time I caught him I knew he was up to no good because he looked at me, dropped the sock and then ran next door underneath my neighbour's truck.'
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th July, 2020) Beijing believes that relations between China and Panama after the coronavirus pandemic will become closer, and there will be even more opportunities for bilateral cooperation, the office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry's spokesperson told Sputnik as the countries marked the third anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations last month.

In June 2017, Panama and China, the second-largest user of the Panama Canal, established official diplomatic relations, as the Central American country had broken ties with Taiwan.

"We are convinced that after the end of the epidemic, relations between China and Panama will be closer, and bilateral cooperation will have even more opportunities," the office said.

According to the ministry, over the past three years, bilateral relations have been rapidly developing. Mutual trust between the two countries continues to deepen and real cooperation is bearing fruit. In particular, between January and May, the volume of bilateral trade increased by 15.

9 percent, while Panama's export to China grew 14 times.

"In the context of a major blow of a new type of the coronavirus infection to world trade, achieving such results in China's trade with Panama was not easy. This fully demonstrates the full power and enormous potential of bilateral trade," the office said.

In addition, since the outbreak of the coronavirus, Panama has been actively supporting China. According to the ministry, since China has overcome difficulties, the country is now actively raising funds to transfer them to Panama to help combat COVID-19.

In the past three years, China and Panama have concluded over 50 agreements on cooperation in different fields, including the economy, trade, finance, tourism and culture. In 2019, the volume of bilateral trade amounted to $8.387 billion, which is 19.4 percent more than in 2018. At the same time, Panama's exports to China grew by 444.5 percent.
GENEVA (Reuters) - An investigator for the U.N. Human Rights Council urged member states on Thursday to pressure Saudi Arabia to free women activists before a G20 nations summit which Riyadh will be hosting in November.

At least a dozen prominent women's rights activists were arrested in Saudi Arabia in 2018 as it lifted a ban on women driving cars, a step that many of the detainees had long campaigned for. The women were rounded up as part of a broader crackdown on dissent that extended to clerics and intellectuals.

In a speech to the council in Geneva, Agnes Callamard, the U.N. special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, said Saudi Arabia should release "prisoners of conscience, women, human rights defenders that are currently in prison for demanding the right to drive".

There was no immediate comment from Saudi Arabia, the current chair of the Group of 20 major economies.

Several of the arrested women have alleged torture and sexual assault in detention. Saudi officials deny this and said the detainees were suspected of having harmed Saudi interests and offered support to hostile elements abroad.

Some of the activists are now on trial, but few charges have been made public. Charges against at least some of the activists relate to contacts with foreign journalists, diplomats and human rights groups.

Their prosecution has drawn global criticism, particularly following the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents inside the kingdom's Istanbul consulate.

The families of some of the activists, included Loujain al-Hathloul, raised concerns earlier this year when they were unable to contact their detained relatives in prison for several weeks. Contact was eventually restored.

Callamard, who led a U.N. investigation into Khashoggi's killing, also said that "far more needs to be done" internationally regarding accountability for his death.

She welcomed efforts by Turkey, which last week began trying 20 suspects in absentia over Khashoggi's killing. Callamard attended those proceedings.

(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Writing by Raya Jalabi; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
Hong Kong: Payments for affected tenants set

The Government will grant another $6,000 ex-gratia payment under the Anti-epidemic Fund to public rental housing applicants who have accepted advance allocation offers for Fai Ming Estate in Fanling and Chun Yeung Estate in Fo Tan.

The prospective tenants will be informed individually and the ex-gratia payment will be disbursed through cheques by post from mid-July.

The Housing Department in mid-April disbursed a one-off ex-gratia payment of $6,000 per household to eligible public rental housing applicants who have accepted advance allocation offers for the two estates.

The Housing Authority has also issued letters to the prospective tenants on the latest situation of the reinstatement progress of Fai Ming Estate and the arrangements after the cessation of the use of Chun Yeung Estate as a quarantine centre.

Consisting of two blocks with about 950 units, Fai Ming Estate was seriously vandalised and damaged on January 26.

The authority pointed out that it takes time to complete the reinstatement works and the intake date has been delayed.

Sing Fai House is expected to commence intake from late July. However, due to the severe damage to Tai Fai House, the authority expects that its intake could only begin at the end of this year or early 2021.

For Chun Yeung Estate, the Government announced on June 26 that it would cease to be used as a quarantine centre in late July and be handed over to the authority upon clearance and disinfection of the relevant units.

The authority will then carry out detailed inspections and conduct relevant restoration works and acceptance testing.

Chun Yeung Estate consists of five blocks involving about 4,800 units and the restoration works required for individual blocks or units vary.

The intake of the first batch, involving Chun Sze House and Chun Wu House, is estimated to begin in late August.

As for Chun Yat House, Chun Yi House and Chun San House, it is estimated that more extensive restoration works may be required and their intake may only gradually commence from late October.

This story has been published on: 2020-07-10. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
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In collaboration with the Department of Foreign Relations (DBB), the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth, and Sport (ECYS), and the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunication (TEATT), a repatriation flight has been arranged with Spirit Airlines for students and residents to return to St. Maarten. The flight will depart from Hollywood International Airport (FLL) in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, and proceed to Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM).





Students and residents who have already registered via the DBB, ECYS and TEATT, have been forwarded to Spirit Airlines. Spirit Airlines will make the flight available for online booking via spirit.com as of 3:00 PM today.





SPIRIT AIRLINES FIGHT NUMBER: NK#6221





Saturday, July 18, 2020





Departure Time: 10:30 AM





Arrival Time: 1:00 PM





Arriving passengers are required to fill in the heath declaration form on stmaartenentry.com and will have to quarantine for 14 days at home, per the requirements of the Department of Collective Prevention Services.





This flight is also an opportunity for U.S. citizens to return to the U.S. The flight will depart Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) at 2:30 PM for Hollywood International Airport (FLL) in Ft. Lauderdale.





The Ministry of TEATT continues to collaborate in order to arrange the possibility for a repatriation flight from the Dominican Republic. More information will be forthcoming once the plans have been finalized. For updates and the latest information, visit the Ministry of TEATTs Facebook page: Ministry of TEATT SXM, and monitor our website stmaartenupdates.com.




A California man who planned to launch himself 1,800 feet high on Saturday in a homemade scrap-metal rocket - in an effort to "prove" that Earth is flat - said he is postponing the experiment after he couldn't get permission from a federal agency to do so on public land.

Instead, Mike Hughes said the launch will take place sometime next week on private property, albeit still in Amboy, California, an unincorporated community in the Mojave Desert along historic Route 66.

"It's still happening. We're just moving it three miles down the road," Hughes told The Washington Post on Friday. "This is what happens any time you have to deal with any kind of government agency."

Hughes claimed the Bureau of Land Management said he couldn't launch his rocket as planned on Saturday in Amboy. He also claimed the federal agency had given him verbal permission more than a year ago, pending approval from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Representatives from the BLM and the FAA did not immediately respond to requests for comment Friday.

Hughes said he had originally intended to arrive in Amboy on Wednesday to start setting up the rocket. The BLM's denial, along with some technical difficulties - a motor in his modified motor home quit working for a day - threw a wrench into his plans, according to Hughes.

"I don't see [the launch] happening until about Tuesday, honestly," he said. "It takes three days to set up. . . .You know, it's not easy because it's not supposed to be easy."

Assuming the 500-mph, mile-long flight through the Mojave Desert does not kill him, Hughes told the Associated Press, his journey into the atmosflat will mark the first phase of his ambitious flat-Earth space program.

Hughes's ultimate goal is a subsequent launch that puts him miles above Earth, where the 61-year-old limousine driver hopes to photograph proof of the disc we all live on.

"It'll shut the door on this ball earth," Hughes said in a fundraising interview with a flat-Earth group for Saturday's flight. Theories discussed during the interview included NASA being controlled by round-Earth Freemasons and Elon Musk making fake rockets from blimps.

Hughes promised the flat-Earth community that he would expose the conspiracy with his steam-powered rocket, which will launch from a heavily modified mobile home - though he acknowledged that he still had much to learn about rocket science.

"This whole tech thing," he said in the June interview. "I'm really behind the eight ball."

That said, Hughes isn't a totally unproven engineer. He set a Guinness World Record in 2002 for a limousine jump, according to Ars Technica, and has been building rockets for years, albeit with mixed results.

"Okay, Waldo. 3 . . . 2 . . . 1!" someone yells in a test fire video from 2012.

There's a brief hiss of boiling water, then . . . nothing. So Hughes walks up to the engine and pokes it with a stick, at which point a thick cloud of steam belches out toward the camera.

He built his first manned rocket in 2014, the Associated Press reported, and managed to fly a quarter-mile over Winkelman, Arizona.

As seen in a YouTube video, the flight ended with Hughes being dragged, moaning from the remains of the rocket. The injuries he suffered put him in a walker for two weeks, he said.

And the 2014 flight was only a quarter of the distance of Saturday's mile-long attempt.

And it was based on round-Earth technology.

Hughes only recently converted to flat-Eartherism, after struggling for months to raise funds for his follow-up flight over the Mojave.

It was originally scheduled for early 2016 in a Kickstarter campaign - "From Garage to Outer Space!" - that mentioned nothing about Illuminati astronauts, and was themed after a NASCAR event.

"We want to do this and basically thumb our noses at all these billionaires trying to do this," Hughes said in the pitch video, standing in his Apple Valley, California, living room, which he had plastered with drawings of his rockets.

"They have not put a man in space yet," Hughes said. "There are 20 different space agencies here in America, and I'm the last person that's put a man in a rocket and launched it." Comparing himself to Evel Knievel, he promised to launch himself from a California racetrack that year as the first step in his steam-powered leap toward space.

The Kickstarter raised $310 of its $150,000 goal.

Hughes made other pitches, including a plan to fly over Texas in a "SkyLimo." But he complained to Ars Technica last year about the difficulty of funding his dreams on a chauffeur's meager salary.

A year later, he called into a flat-Earth community web show to announce that he had become a recent convert.

"We were kind of looking for new sponsors for this. And I'm a believer in the flat Earth," Hughes said. "I researched it for several months."

The host sounded impressed. Hughes had actually flown in a rocket, he noted, whereas astronauts were merely paid actors performing in front of a CGI globe.

"John Glenn and Neil Armstrong are Freemasons," Hughes agreed. "Once you understand that, you understand the roots of the deception."

The host talked of "Elon Musk's fake reality," and Hughes talked of "anti-Christ, Illuminati stuff." After half an hour of this, the host told his 300-some listeners to back Hughes's exploration of space.

While there is no one hypothesis for what the flat Earth is supposed to look like, many believers envision a flat disc ringed by sea ice, which naturally holds the oceans in.

What's beyond the sea ice, if anything, remains to be discovered.

"We need an individual who's not compromised by the government," the host told Hughes. "And you could be that man."

A flat-Earth GoFundMe subsequently raised nearly $8,000 for Hughes.

By November, the AP reported, his $20,000 rocket had a fancy coat of Rust-Oleum paint and "RESEARCH FLAT EARTH" inscribed on the side.

While his flat-Earth friends helped him finally get the thing built, the AP reported, Hughes will be making adjustments right up to the launch.

But he won't be able to test the rocket before he climbs inside and attempts to steam himself at 500 mph across a mile of desert air. And even if it's a success, he's promised his backers an even riskier launch within the next year, into the space above the disc. He told Ars Technica last year that the second phase of his mission might involve floating in a balloon up to 20,000 feet above the ground, then rocket-packing himself into outer space.

"It's scary as hell," Hughes told the AP. "But none of us are getting out of this world alive."

This is true. And yet some hope to live to see its edges.
Untenable, exaggerated, says India on Chinas Galwan Valley claim

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, July 10: India has rejected China's claim on the Galwan Valley as exaggerated and untenable.

A statement that was released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry after the talks between National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval and China's foreign minister, Wang Yi did not make a subtle reference to Beijing's claim of sovereignty on the Galwan Valley.

Anurag Srivastava, the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said that the government has noted some inaccurate and uninformed comments about the process of disengagement of the Indian and Chinese armies. He spelt out the position of the government that China's claim on the Galwan valley were exaggerated and untenable and that the LAC must be strictly respected and observed as it was the basis for peace and tranquility in the border areas.

As tensions de-escalate at Galwan Valley, focus now moves to Gogra, Pangong Tso

Vikas Dubey killed in an encounter, Akhilesh Yadav raises questions | Oneindia News

He also recalled New Delhi's position that neither side should take any unilateral action to alter the Line of Actual Control. We remain convinced of the need for maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border areas and the resolution of differences through dialogue, he also said. India is strongly committed to ensuring its sovereignty and territorial integrity, he also added.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Friday, July 10, 2020, 8:40 [IST]
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 10

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

If the OPEC+ cuts stay in place as agreed, global supply could fall by 7.1 mb/d in 2020 before seeing a modest recovery of 1.7 mb/d next year, Trend reports with reference to the Oil Market Report of the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Global oil production fell sharply in June to stand 13.7 mb/d below the April level. The compliance rate with the OPEC+ supply agreement was 108 percent. This includes over-performance by Saudi Arabia which cut production by 1 mb/d more than required, reducing OPEC crude output to its lowest point in nearly three decades, reads the IEA report.

This solid performance by the OPEC+ group has been supplemented by substantial market-driven cuts, mainly in the United States, according to the IEA.

Total US oil production fell by nearly 1 mb/d in April versus March and we estimate that May and June will see further month- on-month falls of 1.3 mb/d and 0.5 mb/d, respectively. However, in the second half of the year supply could start to grow: we see US production bottoming out and then slowly growing and OPEC+ countries are set to ease their existing cut by around 2 mb/d from August. Also, by the end of the year Libyas oil production could be as much as 0.9 mb/d higher than it is today, reads the report.

For refiners, any benefit from improving demand is likely to be offset by expectations of much tighter feedstock markets ahead, according to the IEA.

Refining margins will also be challenged by a major product stocks overhang from the very weak 2Q20. In China, throughputs in June were estimated at a record level of nearly 14 mb/d. Global refinery runs are forecast to fall by 6.4 mb/d in 2020 to 75.1 mb/d and increase by 4.7 mb/d in 2021, reads the report.

Crude prices increased in June for the second successive month. North Sea Dated prices oscillated between $38-$43/bbl, supported by tighter fundamentals but capped by rising numbers of Covid-19 cases and economic uncertainty. By early July, prices were firmly above $43/bbl. The flatter contango seen recently will encourage crude stock draws. With ample stocks, product prices lagged crude, squeezing cracks and refinery margins. Freight rates continued to ease over the month, said the IEA.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn
A Cambridge University college that produced a paper accused of 'reputation laundering' for Huawei received 200,000 from the Chinese state and 155,000 from the telecoms giant.

In February, Jesus College published a 'white paper' on global communications reforms which caused a stir for its favourable portrayal of Huawei following a previously undisclosed contribution.

The paper by the college's UK-China Global Issues Dialogue Centre also said that 'transnational governance' of the technology industry 'needs to consider differences in the normative standards accepted by different countries.'

Under a freedom of information request submitted by The Times, Jesus confirmed that it received 155,000 from Huawei last September to 'cover a two-year research co-operation.'

Huawei's alleged reputation laundering appears today to be money down the drain after intelligence chiefs warned the government that the company's 5G infrastructure in the UK could enable spying by Beijing.

Professor Peter Nolan, 71, director of the China Centre and a fellow at Jesus, meets with Chairman Xiao Yaqingm, head of Beijing's State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, in Beijing in September 2018

The FOI request by The Times also revealed that in September 2018, the month the college's UK-China Global Issues Dialogue Centre was created, it banked 200,000 from an agency of China's State Council, the country's administrative authority.

A different group, the China Centre, is also affiliated with Jesus and is overseen by a charitable trust which organises a two-week training course for execs from Chinese state-owned companies.

China's own officials select and supervise who is dispatched to the UK for the training.

The Times reported that the charitable trust which oversees the China Centre was sent 55,000 in November 2018 from a group linked to China's State Council.

Professor Peter Nolan, 71, is one of the charity's trustees, director of the China Centre and a fellow at Jesus.

He became the first ever 'Chong Hua' professor at Cambridge, a role founded in 2012 'to further the study of China.'

The professorship was backed by a 3.7 million donation made by the daughter of former Chinese prime minister Wen Jiabao, according to The Times.

Jesus College told the paper it 'always upholds the principle of academic freedom when entering a partnership agreement.

'It was made very clear [in February] that the report was funded by Huawei, and we would like to reiterate that the company was in no way able to shape or veto the publication's views, research findings or conclusions.'

A Huawei spokesman said: 'We are proud of our partnerships with world-leading universities and researchers here in the UK.'

Prof. Nolan did not comment.
The second tranche of the Bharat Bond exchange-traded funds (ETF) will open for subscription on July 14. Bharat Bond ETF is India's first corporate debt ETF initiated by the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) and designed and managed by Edelweiss AMC.

Here's all you need to know about Series II of Bharat Bond ETF 2020:

- Just like the first tranche of December 2019, the second tranche will be offered in two variants: a 10-year ETF that will mature in April 2031 (Bharat Bond ETF April 2031) and a five-year product that will mature in April 2025 (Bharat Bond ETF April 2025). The two maturities will help meet the interests of both short-term and long-term investors.

- The second tranche will be open for subscription from July 14 to 17, 2020.

Also Read: Bharat Bond ETF - Should you invest?

- The second tranche is expected to raise anywhere between Rs 3,000 to Rs 14,000 crores. The funds raised will be used to finance capacity expansion plans of central public sector enterprises (CPSEs).

- The ETF will invest in constituents of Nifty Bharat Bond Indices consisting of AAA-rated public sector companies such as Power Finance Corporation, REC, Power Grid Corporation and National Housing Bank, among others. The exposure to each company will be capped at 15 percent with quarterly revision of the indexing to minimise risk.

- Of the offer size, 25 percent is reserved for retail investors, while the balance 75 percent is for retirement funds, Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIBs), and non-institutional investors.

- The units of both the ETFs with maturities April 2025 and 2031 will be listed on the stock exchanges where they can be traded. The units of the first tranche will also continue to be available for trading on NSE.

- Investors can buy and sell units from the fund house directly if the transaction value is worth Rs 25 crore. A fund-of-funds is also made available to those who do not have demat accounts. As there is no lock-in period, units can be bought or sold through the trading day at any time.

- In the 2025 bond, the fund allows for a minimum retail investment Rs. 1,001/- and in multiples of Rs. 1/- thereafter, subject to the maximum investment amount of Rs 2,00,000. While for Retirement Funds, QIBs, Non-Institutional Investors, the minimum investment is at Rs 2,00,001 and in multiples of Re 1 thereafter. The same conditions apply for the long-term 2031 bonds as well.

- The fund will be managed at a very low cost of maximum Re 1 for Rs 2,00,000 worth investment.

- Investors in Bharat Bond ETF 2020 will get a tax break with long term capital gains (LTCG) tax applicable at 20 percent post-indexation.

- There will be regular disclosures of portfolio constituents and live NAV through the day to maintain transparency.

- With the launch of Series II, Bharat Bond ETFs will have four maturity points on the yield curve  2023, 2025, 2030 and 2031.

- Dhawal Dalal will be the fund manager and it will be co-managed by Gautam Kaul.

Currently, the 2019 ETFs -- Bharat Bond ETF April 2023 and April 2030 launched in December -- hold assets worth Rs 5,157 crores and Rs 8,585 crores, respectively. Their returns since launch are around 7.49 percent and 9.15 percent, according to Livemint
Yuma News

Yuma, Arizona - Today, just after 4:30 am, a fire was reported in a mobile home at the Shady Acres Mobile Home Park, 1340 West 3rd Street. Arriving Yuma Fire Department personnel found heavy smoke and flames coming from the rear of a mobile home in space #78.

Firefighters were able to quickly knock down the fire before it could spread through the whole home or to other homes nearby.

Two adult females were home at the time the fire was discovered and both were able to safely evacuate. The fire was believed to have originated in the area of the exterior rear of the structure. The interior of the home sustained significant fire and smoke damage, and an outside storage shed was also damaged. The home was not able to be reoccupied and the American Red Cross responded to provide assistance to the occupants. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
Islamabad, July 11 : Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan urged a coordinated national response of federal and provincial governments and organizations to cope with locust attack to ensure food safety, the Prime Minister Office said.

While visiting the National Locust Control Center in Islamabad to review the locust situation, Khan said locust attack in parts of the country combined with COVID-19 has become a huge challenge for Pakistan, according to a statement released by the office on Friday, Xinhua news agency reported.

The prime minister was briefed about the efforts being made for monitoring, survey and control, inter-organisational coordination, resource allocation and mobilization and awareness campaign for locust control in the country.

Khan said his government will undertake every possible effort for locust control since it involves food security of the country, according to the statement.

Due to the trans-boundary nature of locust swarm movement, Pakistan has maintained close liaison with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and affected countries in the region to take timely pre-emptive measures, the statement said.

At a briefing to the diplomatic community in Islamabad, Pakistan had called for regional and international cooperation to combat desert locusts in Pakistan and beyond, the country's foreign ministry said late Thursday.

The Pakistani government earlier this year declared national emergency over locust swarms after the pest destroyed large quantities of crops across the country.


For the first time in 15 years, the Justice Department will be resuming federal executions. Even though the coronavirus pandemic has affected life both outside and inside the prisons, this doesn't stop the Justice Department from going back to business as usual.

Accord to reports, there are three individuals to die by lethal injection to start on Monday at an Indiana Prison. The Bureau of Prisons officials have been having safe drills for several months to accomplish it safely, according to AP News.

All family of the sentenced prisoners can attend with face masks on and prison officials will take they temperatures. Although they will not be tested for COVID-19, there are PPE's available for witnesses.

According to Robert Dunham of the Death Penalty Information Center, resuming federal executions should not be a priority amid the pandemic.

"Why would anybody who is concerned about public health and safety want to bring in people from all over the country for three separate execution in the span of five days to a virus hot spot? The original execution plan last year appeared to be political. And the current plan eliminates any doubt about that," says Robert on AP News.

Some people are thinking that this decision is politically motivated, but Attorney General William Barr rebutted and said it is the obligation of the government to carry out delayed executions.

He added that the American citizens, through Congress and government bodies, have made it imperative that all heinous crimes must get a death sentence.

In spite of this, many are criticizing this decision about federal executions. Some government critics are saying there were more important priorities for the government, like immigration.

The 2018 General Social Survey cited that Americans who favor the death penalty are nearly at 60% only.

Democrats oppose it and are using it against President Trump who considers it a deterrent to the heinous crime in the United States. The US has been rocked by the pandemic and protests that Democrats have used in their political agenda.

Also read: Bloodbath in NYC Continues With 9 Dead, 41 Injured Overnight

Trump is pushing for a new death penalty legislation that is under review and most may not live to see trial.

Samuel Spital said that it is not part of the immediate agenda and it ignores inequality. He raised the issue of police violence against colored communities, which is balanced by recent activities of colored individuals responsible for heinous crimes, according to The Telegraph.

Blacks and Hispanics on death row

Most of the sentenced inmates are Hispanic and colored people who make up the most of death row. Contrary to the criticism that all coloreds are given the death sentence, next week, three inmates due to be executed are all white.

One of those scheduled for execution is Danny Lee. He killed a family of three including an 8-year-old. The family asked the judge to delay execution because of the pandemic.

Another is Ira Purkey from Kansas, who raped and killed a 16-year-old and an 80-year-old woman. Dustin Lee Honken was convicted of killing five, including two innocent children.

Last is Keith Dwayne Nelson who is scheduled to be executed in August for kidnapping a 10-year-old girl who was rollerblading. He abducted and raped the victim in a forest, then strangled her.

All of them were supposed to be executed last year, but it was halted by a federal appeals court in Washington and Supreme Court. But now the decision is reversed and only the lower court can stop it, according to KWQC.

All executions will be at the federal correctional institution in Terre Haute, Indiana. The unit which holds the sentenced is virus-free according to the officials. Barr has approved the execution procedures to be used, replacing the old system and executions are due to begin next week.

Related topic: NYC Blood Bath Continues With 75 People Injured, 55 Shootings in Seven Days

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The Texas Democratic Party on Friday called for four of the states nine Supreme Court justices to recuse themselves from a case involving the Texas Republican Partys in-person convention, claiming each had a conflict of interest.

The campaigns of Chief Justice Nathan Hecht and Justices Jane Bland, Jeffrey Boyd and Brett Busby each sponsored the convention, according to an archived list of sponsors that since has been removed from the Texas GOPs website.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner canceled the event earlier this week, drawing a legal challenge from the party that now is before the Texas Supreme Court.

Texas GOP officials are seeking a writ of mandamus from the court that would block Turner from canceling the convention, a day after a Harris County judge denied the partys attempt to do so in state district court.

Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa said the four justices, each of whom is up for re-election in November, are faced with an obligation to do the right thing and choose the law over political allegiance.

A justice who funds a dangerous convention should not judicially decide the fate of that same convention, Hinojosa said in a statement. All four have interests in the case coming before them and all four should recuse.

In its petition filed Friday, the Texas GOP alleged that Turner canceled the convention because of politics, violating the constitutional rights of attendees. The party also argued that Turner inappropriately invoked the force majeure clause of the contract between the party and Houston First, the citys public nonprofit that operates the George R. Brown Convention Center.

Turner said the clause allows one side to cancel over something out of its control, including epidemics in the City of Houston. The party argued in its petition Friday that Turner must show that his chosen measures are absolutely necessary and could not be achieved by less restrictive means.

The Democratic Party said the four justices should recuse themselves under a part of Texas Rules of Civil Procedure that says a judge must recuse in any proceeding in which the judges impartiality might reasonably be questioned, or if the judge has a personal bias or prejudice concerning the subject matter or a party.

Jared Woodfill, an attorney for Houston Republican activist Steve Hotze, also filed a petition for a writ of mandamus with the Supreme Court Friday. Hotze and several other activists challenged Turners decision to cancel the convention Thursday, hours before the Texas GOPs lawsuit, but a judge denied their request for a temporary restraining order.

The Supreme Court on Friday requested a response to both petitions, giving the defendants a deadline of 5 p.m. Saturday.

jasper.scherer@chron.com
A study based on satellite data showed that one quarter of the newly added green areas in the world between 2000 and 2017 was in China, making it the top country globally in terms of increasing the worlds green area.

Vehicles run on the Yulin-Jingbian Expressway through the Mu Us Desert in Yulin City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Aug. 1, 2018. The expressway is the first of the kind built in a desert in China. (Xinhua/Tao Ming)

The country has been making constant efforts to promote ecological management, and people have been delighted to find through remote-sensing maps that green areas in north Chinas yellow sand areas are continuously expanding from green dots into green pieces.

One of Chinas four major deserts, Mu Us Desert, has been a particular success story, seeing amazing improvements in desertification control and afforestation over the past few decades.

Half of the sandy land of the Mu Us Desert is in Yulin, northwest Chinas Shaanxi province. These sandy lands will soon disappear from its territory, thanks to the efforts of generations of local people who have now managed to bring 93.2 percent of the sandy land in the province under control.

The grass and forest coverage in Yulin has been increased from 0.9 percent to 34.8 percent.

Local farmer Shi Guangyin is one of the people who have spent their whole lives dedicated to desertification control in Yulin, contributing significantly to the improvement of the citys ecological environment.

Shi grew up in a part of the city located in the southern edge of Mu Us Desert, an area that had long been blighted by sand.

In 1984, Shi became one of the first local people to answer the countrys call for individuals to help reclaim the land, and signed a contract with the local government to bring 200 hectares of sandy land under control.

After decades of painstaking efforts, Shi and his peers created a green ecological barrier in the southern edge of Mu Us Desert . The place Shi lived when he was young is now full of green plants. Now approaching the age of 70, Shi has become a well-known hero in the field of desertification control.

In fact, promising changes are being seen in more sandy areas around China.

Yang Yuming, a resident of Shangquan village, Datan town, Minqin county, which is only about 1 kilometer from desert, still remembers vividly the sandstorm that struck ten years ago.

Yang recalled that sand blew into the village and hit people in the face with such violence that they couldnt open their eyes, while mulching film was blown into trees and seeds were swept away.

We could fill up a wooden cart with the sand blown into our yard from a sandstorm at that time. Now we see much less sand, and you cant even gather a dust pan of sand after a strong wind, Yang said.

Data released by Chinas National Forestry and Grassland Administration (NFGA) showed that the countrys area of desertified and sandy land have been continuously decreasing since 2004.

At the end of the 1900s, China had seen its area of desertified land increase by an average of 10,400 square kilometers per year. Today, it is being reduced by an annual average of 2,424 square kilometers.

At the end of the last century, Chinas area of sandy land had grown by 3,436 square kilometers a year on average, but is now decreasing by an average of 1,980 square kilometers per year.

The countrys initial success in curbing the expansion of desertification is a result of major ecological projects and campaigns aimed at controlling desertification while fighting poverty.

Over the past decade, the country has implemented major ecological projects with different goals, including one aimed at turning marginal farmland into forests and grasslands, the Three North Shelterbelt Project (or Sanbei Shelter-forest Project), which was designed to protect natural forests and control the causes of sandstorms in Beijing and Tianjin, and a project aimed at curbing rock desertification.

China has signed the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), and enacted a law on prevention and control of desertification, providing legal guarantees for efforts to promote ecological protection.

At the same time, a large number of leading enterprises and role models in controlling desertification have actively joined the nationwide campaign against desertification, making great efforts to expand the countrys green areas and halt the increase of sand dunes.

In addition, the efforts to control desertification and fight poverty have formed a virtuous circle.

Various regions have made use of resources in sandy areas such as light, heat, and wind, and developed featured crop and plant cultivation, as well as other green industries such as processing and desert tourism. These industries have increased job opportunities for farmers and herdsmen, expanding channels for increasing incomes and speeding up the efforts to get rid of poverty, said Sun Guoji, director of the desertification control division of NFGA.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 10

By Fidan Babayeva  Trend:

The recently established Dagestan Agricultural Consumer Cooperative Deria is holding talks with Azerbaijani side on launching export of poultry products, Trend reports referring to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Dagestan of the Russian Federation.

The ministry allocated 31.5 million rubles ($446,000) for the production of poultry products, including a grant totaling 110 million rubles ($1.55 million) with a design capacity of 20 tons per shift.

Bringing the new facility to its design capacity will allow producing additional poultry products in the volume of up to 5,000 tons per year worth 525 million rubles ($7.4 million) and create up to 80 additional jobs, the message said.

Moreover, Deria also holds negotiations on the supply of poultry products with Kazakhstan.

Dagestan exports products mainly to Iran, Azerbaijan, Latvia, Vietnam, Georgia, India and Israel.

----

Follow the author on Twitter: Fidan_Babaeva
(HealthDay)The permanent birth control device Essure is associated with higher rates of chronic lower abdominal or pelvic pain and abnormal uterine bleeding compared with tubal ligation, according to interim results of a postmarket study ordered by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The researchers compared Essure and tubal ligation among more than 1,100 women across the United States and found that rates of chronic lower abdominal or pelvic pain were just over 9 percent in the Essure group and 4.5 percent in the tubal ligation group, and rates of abnormal uterine bleeding were 16.3 percent in the Essure group and 10.2 percent in the tubal ligation group, CNN reported.

The Essure group had higher rates of gynecologic operationsincluding surgery to remove the devicethan the tubal ligation group, while pregnancy rates were similar in the two groups, according to a statement from Terri Cornelison, M.D., director of the FDA Health of Women Program.

In 2018, Essure maker Bayer pulled the device from the U.S. market due to concerns about side effects. The FDA told Bayer to extend a postmarket surveillance study on Essure from three to five years, CNN reported. The study is ongoing, and patients are still completing one-year follow-up visits, the FDA said.

"As the FDA itself notes: 'This study is ongoing and the results are interim. Final analyses of end points will not be completed until the study concludes' in 2025. It is therefore too early to draw any conclusions," Bayer said in a statement, CNN reported. "The results of several large, real-world observational studies comparing patients with Essure to patients who have had tubal ligations consistently show that Essure's safety profile is similar to that of tubal ligation."

Explore further FDA announces safety monitoring measures for the essure device

More information: AP News Article

Copyright  2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
ANN ARBOR, MI  Voters in every Ann Arbor ward have a choice to make in the Aug. 4 primary about who will represent them on City Council the next four years.

The League of Women Voters in Ann Arbor is helping to inform voters by hosting virtual candidate forums and, in partnership with Community Television Network, making them available to watch online.

Forums for all five council races are now posted on YouTube, with candidates discussing issues such as housing, systemic racism, income inequality, budget challenges, the citys A2Zero carbon-neutrality efforts and what voters are talking about.

Watch the videos here:

WARD 1

Incumbent Anne Bannister vs. challenger Lisa Disch

WARD 2

Incumbent Jane Lumm vs. challenger Linh Song

WARD 3

Tony Brown, Travis Radina and Evan Redmond competing for open seat being vacated by Zachary Ackerman

WARD 4

Incumbent Jack Eaton vs. challengers Jen Eyer and Mozhgan Savabieasfahani

WARD 5

Erica Briggs, Dan Michniewicz and David Silkworth competing for open seat being vacated by Chip Smith

CTN also posted three-minute videos of 12 of the 13 candidates as part of its Candidates Comment series. Eyer did not participate.

Anne Bannister

Lisa Disch

Jane Lumm

Linh Song

Tony Brown

Travis Radina

Evan Redmond

Jack Eaton

Mozhgan Savabieasfahani

Erica Briggs

Dan Michniewicz

David Silkworth

MLive has partnered with the nonpartisan League of Women Voters of Michigan to provide information to voters.

Check out the leagues election guide at Vote411.org to find out more about candidates and proposals on the ballot.

MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS:

Where Ann Arbor council candidates stand on the firing of Howard Lazarus

Whos running in the Aug. 4 primary in Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County

These 8 proposals are on the Aug. 4 primary ballot in Washtenaw County
MOUNT PLEASANT, MI  Eight people have tested positive for COVID-19 after attending a party in Isabella County over the Fourth of July weekend.

The eight people reportedly had been at a sand bar party at Littlefield Lake on July 4 and then attended an after-party at a private residence that ended the following day, the Central Michigan District Health Department announced on Thursday, July 9. During a subsequent investigation, health department personnel determined numerous individuals may have been exposed to COVID-19 during these events.

The health department anticipates seeing additional related cases in the coming days. Those who attended the party or after-party are encouraged to monitor themselves for signs and symptoms of the disease.

Those infected with COVID-19 have reported a wide range of symptoms, ranging from mild to severe, the health department stated. Symptoms may appear two to 14 days after exposure to the virus. Those who think they may be showing the symptoms described below should contact their doctor:

 Fever or chills

 Cough

 Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

 Fatigue

 Muscle or body aches

 Headache

 New loss of taste or smell

Testing locations can also be found at http://www.mi.gov/coronavirustest or by calling 2-1-1.

Isabella County has had a confirmed 122 people test positive for coronavirus, eight of whom have died as of July 9. Statewide, there have been 67,683 confirmed cases and 6,024 deaths.

Related:

Thursday, July 9: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan

Michigan reports 446 new coronavirus cases, 9 new deaths

Michigan reports 398 more coronavirus cases, 3 deaths on July 4
China will roll out measures to enhance safe operation of public transport vehicles after a bus plunged into a lake in southwest China's Guizhou Province, the Ministry of Public Security said Wednesday.

Public security authorities across the country are required to beef up early-warning capabilities, according to a video conference of the ministry. New technologies will also be used to improve risk analysis.

The accident on Tuesday killed 21 people and injured 16 others. An investigation into the accident is under way.

More manpower and equipment will be channelled to authorities across the country to ensure a swift response when needed, according to the ministry.

Other measures include assigning security guards to buses, providing safety training to bus drivers, strengthening supervision and inspection, raising public awareness about traffic safety, and building volunteer teams for public traffic, according to the ministry.
[July 09, 2020] Genial Technology Launches GenialAI OCR to Help Accelerate Digital Transformation

Genial Technology, Inc. is excited to announce the launch of GenialAI OCR, a SaaS (News - Alert) product that will reduce document processing costs while maintaining accuracy and security. The official launch date for GenialAI OCR is July 9, 2020. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200709006002/en/ As the demand for digital transformation rapidly grows because of COVID-19, OCR (optical character recognition) services take on importance to digitize paper-based transactions. GenialAI OCR automatically extracts and visualizes data from scanned document, such as invoices, shipping documents, receipts and contracts. To help customers utilize the extracted data in other platforms, GenialAI OCR converts the data to spreadsheet format. Genial Technology believes that the primary use cases for GenialAI OCR are accounting, finance, procurement, supply chain and medication history management in retail, manufacturing, logistics and healthcare industries. It reads documents in 10 differen languages at the release date and is going to support more.



GenialAI OCR is priced at $0.5 per page. The first 100 pages are free to ease customer's evaluation and provided with the same quality as paid services. It simply replaces the existing workflow as there is no need to download and install software, and it only takes 5 minutes to get ready. With the user-friendly dashboard, a customer can quickly and easily set up OCR configurations on a browser.

To provide the online OCR service under robust security, Genial Technology achieved ISO 27001 certification, the international standard of best practices for information security management systems. GenialAI OCR is delivered on secured data access and data storage with military-grade encryption, while customers can remove the data any time. GenialAI OCR is developed based on GenialAI Audit, the audit industry's first service to automate evidence gathering activities. For more information on Genial Technology's GenialAI OCR, please visit: https://genialtech.io/product/genialai_ocr About Genial Technology Genial Technology is a company to offer software that automates audit procedures, including accounting data reconciliations and audit document exchanges between an auditor and a client, by utilizing cloud computing and artificial intelligence technologies. Genial Technology and GenialAI are among the trademarks of Genial Technology. The term "Genial Technology" refers to Genial Technology, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200709006002/en/

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Gardai who raided exiled gang boss Cornelius Price's compound as part of an investigation into the double murder of a couple searched what a senior source described last night as a "glorified dump".

Three men and a woman aged from their 20s to 60s remained in garda custody last night where they were being questioned about withholding information about the savage murders of Willie Maughan and his pregnant girlfriend Ana Varslavane in 2015.

Depraved

They continued to be grilled as senior sources revealed details of the "depraved state" of Price's compound at Price's property in Gormanston, Co Meath, which was searched yet again from top to bottom.

"The place is in absolute s**t - it used to be kept relatively well but it seems that since Price and most of his immediate family left at the start of the year it has gone to the dogs," one source said.

"You had a bizarre situation that Army personnel were drafted in for searches with metal detectors - literally every five seconds they were going off.

"There was so much copper wire, bits of cars, even bits of washing machines in the ground.

"The place is nothing but a glorified dump - it certainly is not an easy place to search.

"For someone that is one of the main players in organised crime in Ireland, where he lived is an absolute kip.

"The place is shocking - there are rusty caravans everywhere. It's a horrible place."

Price remains in his bolthole in England, as the massive investigation into his gang's involvement in the double murder continues, with four of his associates still being held last night.

Yesterday the Herald revealed that a male relative of a famous boxer, the sister of a notorious crimelord and a close associate of a gun murder victim were all being questioned about the double murder of Mr Maughan (34) and Latvian Ms Varslavane (21), whose bodies have never been found.

The couple are believed to have been abducted and murdered by the gang after they went missing on April 14, 2015, in Gormanston.

They were planning on moving back to Mr Maughan's family home in Tallaght on the day they went missing and are understood to have been brutally murdered because they had key information about the gang's activities, including another murder.

Price left Ireland after the murder of Keane Mulready-Woods (17) in January, which happened as part of the Drogheda feud.

He is closely linked to the Maguire faction in that deadly dispute.
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Linkedin Moch. Fiqih Prawira Adjie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 10, 2020 07:18 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406653dbdb 1 National extradition,maria-pauline-lumowa,BNI-46,fraud-cases,fraud-suspect,Serbia,Law-and-Human-Rights-Ministry,corruption-suspect Free

Indonesia succeeded in finally repatriating fugitive Maria Pauline Lumowa, who had been wanted for 17 years for allegedly stealing billions of rupiah from a state-owned bank, from the Republic of Serbia on Thursday.

The successful extradition, however, should inspire the authorities to catch other high-profile suspects and convicts who have fled the country, experts have insisted.

On Thursday morning, the Law and Human Rights Ministrys extradition team escorted Maria as the group arrived at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport from Belgrade, where the Serbian government had formally handed her over to Indonesian authorities.

Maria was named a suspect for fraudulent gains she made from loans from state-owned lender Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) issued to her company PT Gramarindo Group, which she co-owned with Adrian Waworuntu. She allegedly used a fictitious letter of credit to obtain US$136 million and 56 million euro ($118,846) in bank loans between 2002 and 2003.

Read also: Jakarta 'welcomes home' BNI loan fraud fugitive from Belgrade

BNI grew suspicious about the company and reported the case in June 2003 to the National Police, which opened a fraud investigation.

However, Maria reportedly fled to Singapore in September 2003, just a month before the police investigation team named her a suspect in the case. Interpol issued a red notice in December 2003 for Maria, who had by then been on the run for three months.

Meanwhile, the South Jakarta District Court tried and sentenced Adrian in 2005 to life imprisonment for corruption.

Yasonna said in a statement that authorities later discovered that Maria  who was born in Paleloan, North Sulawesi in 1958  had obtained Dutch citizenship in 1979 and was hiding in the Netherlands, from where she reportedly made several trips to Singapore.

He added that the ministry had sent requests for her extradition to the Dutch government in 2010 and 2014, but they were rejected.

The Interpol National Central Bureau (NCB) in Belgrade apprehended Maria on July 16, 2019, as she was entering the country through Belgrades Nikola Tesla Airport and alerted the Indonesian NCB in Jakarta.

The Law and Human Rights Ministry then issued a request for Maria's temporary detention and extradition from Serbia.

We, along with law enforcers, will work to recover from abroad assets obtained by Maria [from her crimes]. We will take all legal measures to freeze her assets, including by blocking her bank accounts, Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly said in a statement on Thursday.

While many lauded the government for the extradition, experts have called on the authorities to capture other high-profile suspects and fugitives that have fled overseas.

The fugitive list includes Djoko Tjandra, who was convicted in 2009 for embezzling billions of rupiah from the state bailout fund during the 1998 Asian financial crisis. He escaped to Papua New Guinea (PNG), a day before a court announced the verdict and he reportedly obtained PNG citizenship later that year.

Read also: Indonesia will be ashamed if it is made a fool of by fugitive Djoko Tjandra: Mahfud

After being at large for more than a decade, Djoko has reportedly returned to Indonesia to file a review of his case, although his whereabouts remain unclear. He was absent from the first hearing in his case review on Monday.

Attorney General ST Burhanuddin previously criticized the immigration authorities for their failure to notify his office of Djokos arrival in the country. However, the immigration office claimed it had found no trace of Djoko in its system.

Zaenur Rohman, a researcher at Gadjah Mada Universitys Center for Anticorruption Studies (PUKAT UGM), said the government had managed to capture Maria in Serbia but failed to bring home Djoko from PNG, despite the fact that Indonesia does not have an extradition treaty with either country.

Such a failure is caused by the lack of a government program to repatriate them to Indonesia. There is no measurable target and single well-planned effort to bring them back home, Zaenur said on Thursday.

He added that the fugitives immense wealth might have hindered efforts to capture and extradite them because they had brought economic benefits to the countries to which they had fled.

Indonesian Anti-Corruption Community (MAKI) coordinator Boyamin Saiman called Marias arrest a cover up of the ministrys shame for letting Djoko slip through undetected.

"Maria's extradition case has proven that if the government is serious, it can catch fugitives, including Djoko Tjandra and other high-profile ones, Boyamin said in a statement.

Read also: Airport CCTV footage shows PDI-P politician Harun Masiku returning to Indonesia, despite official claims

He highlighted other major fugitives, including Eddy Tansil who was found guilty of having embezzled $565 million in state funds in a loan scam channeled by the Bank Pembangunan Indonesia (Bapindo) to his Golden Key Group

Eddy escaped from prison in 1996 while serving his 20-year prison sentence, and has reportedly hidden in China since at least 2011.

The Law and Human Rights Ministry was not immediately available to comment on the experts calls to arrest other fugitives.

BNI corporate secretary Melly Meiliana said in a statement that the bank appreciated the governments efforts to extradite Maria and would support the ongoing legal proceedings, which could become an opportunity to recover some of the losses endured by the lender.
China's State Council Information Office released a white paper titled "Fighting COVID-19: China in Action" in early June. The white paper chronicles China's all-hands-on-deck response to the public health emergency, showing what makes a responsible major country in the face of a crisis. The country deserves credit for its efficiency in messaging the epidemic dynamics to its people as well as its timeliness and transparency in terms of information sharing with the international community because what it has done greatly helped both the domestic and global fights against the virus.

The hard truth laid bare in this pandemic tells people that humanity needs to form an effective, cooperative, and transparent system for global public health governance. Countries should strengthen cooperation in building a community with a shared future for humankind and optimize the system for epidemic information sharing to safeguard the lives of the planet's human population.

Building Consensus and Trust

Virus respects no national borders. No country will be spared if an epidemic strikes, nor will any country win the fight alone.

As Chinese President Xi Jinping said when addressing the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference in 2015, "No country can have its own security ensured without the security of other countries or of the wider world." The future and destiny of different countries and nations are closely connected and inter-dependent. In face of a global emergency, the most important imperative is to reach consensus for concerted response efforts. If countries across the world fail to build such a consensus, act on the principle of mutual trust or share epidemic information, the response will be chaotic and blind.

When meeting with visiting World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on January 28, Xi said that the Chinese government has been releasing information about the epidemic in a timely, open, transparent, and responsible manner, responding to the concerns of all sides actively, and enhancing cooperation with the international community.

China has also been sharing its effective measures in responding to the epidemic with other countries and international organizations. Since late January, Chinese President Xi Jinping has spoken with foreign state leaders and heads of international organizations on more than 50 occasions, practicing the principles of building a community with a shared future for humankind.

"Major infectious disease is the enemy of all," Xi said when speaking at the Extraordinary G20 Leaders' Summit video conference on March 26. "At such a moment, it is imperative for the international community to strengthen confidence, act with unity and work together in a collective response. We must comprehensively step up international cooperation and foster greater synergy, so that humanity, as one, could win the battle against such a major infectious disease," Xi stressed.

Countries should discard parochial nationalism, and oppose attempts to politicize the COVID-19 pandemic, undermine global consensus on a joint pandemic response, or sabotage mutual trust.

Cooperation: the Only Way out

Facts speak louder than words. It is a proven fact that no country is able to stem the spread of a pandemic alone, thus making global cooperation the only solution.

China has been on the track of such cooperation from the very beginning. On January 21, the State Council Joint Task Force for the Novel Coronavirus Epidemic Response was established to coordinate national efforts to fight the virus, and regularly hold press conferences on the outbreak. On the same day, the National Health Commission began to release infection figures to the public on a daily basis. The English version of the daily report has been available since February 3.

In the meantime, China has unreservedly shared with the WHO, regional organizations, and various countries its experience in epidemic response and medical treatment as the pandemic situation evolves. It has also been conducting global cooperation in drug and vaccine development and offering assistance to other countries fighting the pandemic. Apart from face masks, protective gowns, testing kits, ventilators, and other medical supplies, China sent medical teams to countries including Iran, Iraq, Italy, Serbia, Cambodia, Pakistan, Venezuela, and Laos.

What China has done in the face of the health emergency was applauded internationally.

"The speed with which China detected the outbreak, isolated the virus, sequenced the genome and shared it with the WHO and the world is very impressive, and beyond words," said WHO Director-General Tedros.

Dino Patti Djalal, founder of the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia and former deputy foreign minister of Indonesia, lauded China's actions in assisting other countries battle the virus, while containing its domestic outbreak and gradually reopening the economy.

According to Ravindra Gupta, professor of clinical microbiology at the Cambridge Institute for Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Diseases, the Chinese government and related institutes shared information about the virus in an open manner, so that global researchers could understand the biological characteristics and genetic sequence of the virus and curb the spread through concerted efforts.

Unleashing the Power of Synergy

The community with a shared future for humankind has the power to combat the virus.

To better play the role of such a community, countries across the world should step up cooperation in the following aspects.

First, reporting systems for major epidemic outbreaks should be established particularly in sectors where mass gatherings are unavoidable. Transparency for such information should be improved.

Second, countries around the globe should establish and improve a long-lasting mechanism for information sharing as data support to effective global policies for public health.

Third, they should be fully aware of the unique nature of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and mull over policies to make its containment routine work. In a global concerted response to the pandemic on a regular basis, an open and transparent information system should be put in place for effective results.

Fourth, they should actively defend the role of the United Nations and support epidemic response efforts by international organizations including the WHO, the United Nations Children's Fund, the United Nations World Food Program, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the International Telecommunication Union.
For Bagby, whose brother is state Del. Lamont Bagby, D-Henrico, working with others has helped him maintain his desire to stay clean, and inspired him to plan for the opening of his own sober-living home.

I feel like helping them is helping me at the same time, he said. It keeps me busy. I feel good about myself at the end of the day.

But the past few months havent been easy, seeing new friends leave as fast as they came. Bagby, Shinholser and the director of True Recovery RVA reported an increase in relapses and overdoses.

When daily peer meetings and counseling sessions shifted online, the loss of human, face-to-face connections added to the list of barriers keeping people from holding one another accountable.

David Rook, CEO of True Recovery RVA and chairman of the Virginia Association of Recovery Residences, estimates that about 25% of the people in his homes have relapsed since the start of the pandemic.

Some of them have remained in the program as in-person group meetings resumed in late June. He said the support of other nonprofit charities and faith-based organizations has also helped people in the program pull through in recent months.
Paschal Donohoe's winning of the prestige job chairing Eurogroup finance ministers from the states that use the single currency was a victory for smaller EU countries over big.

The favourite for the post was Spanish Finance Minister Nadia Calvino, who had the backing of France and Germany. Chancellor Angela Merkel had said she would like to see the post go to a woman for the first time.

Mr Donohoe's other opponent was the Luxembourg finance minister, Pierre Gramegna.

The problem there was that Mr Gramegna's pitch for the job was much the same as the Irish minister's.

Both contenders had emphasised compromise between the frugal and prosperous northern countries - and the economically embattled southern countries seeking more Brussels-led investment.

Mr Donohoe's two-and-a-half year term starts next Monday.

The Eurogroup president, as it is known, is ranked not far behind the three key posts of presidents of the policy-guiding Commission, the law-making Council of Ministers and the influential European Parliament.

Mr Donohoe will hold the new post in parallel with his job as Irish Finance Minister and means he is responsible for EU economic policy co-ordination. Thus, it is a job with the potential to wield a lot of influence.

The Eurogroup began life informally around the time the single EU currency was launched on international money markets in 1999. After it got formal status in 2004, the first appointee was Jean-Claude Juncker, who used it very skilfully and went on to head the EU Commission.

Chairing the Eurogroup can be of benefit to Ireland as Brexit enters its final and treacherous phase. The election comes as EU governments fight over the division of 750bn in post-coronavirus aid. It also happens as EU single currency membership rules on borrowing and debt are re-written to face the biggest recession in the bloc's history.

Mr Donohoe was backed by the powerful EPP party grouping but the Spanish minister remained favourite.

The ministers met by videolink to cast a secret ballot and, in the first round of voting, nobody got the necessary 10 votes. The lowest scorer, the Luxembourg minister, then dropped out, and his backers were left to decide between the two remaining candidates.

Brussels diplomats believe Mr Donohoe "came through the middle" in this second ballot. He had presented himself as "a small-country compromise candidate".

His pitch was that Ireland suffered through an EU-IMF bailout and saw the need for a blend of careful management - appealing to the "frugal North" - and requirements for economic stimulus to reassure less conservative southern EU states.

Mr Donohoe also stressed the experience he has gained of EU meeting rooms since he was appointed EU affairs minister in 2013. He first got to know EU economic and finance wrangling in 2016 when he became Public Expenditure Minister, moving to the role of Finance Minister in 2017.

The eurozone economy is predicted to contract by a record 8.7pc this year, with mass unemployment and other dire consequences still a possibility, all due to coronavirus.

"Across the EU, our citizens are looking to us to provide the necessary leadership," Mr Donohoe said in a statement.

"As president, I will seek to build bridges amongst all members of the euro area, and to engage actively with all member states."

The 45-year-old will also be in charge of reviving stalled reforms of the single currency that is widely seen as needing fixing.

This eurozone job has sometimes been billed as the vehicle to be used in deepening links at all levels of economic management among countries using the euro. That also means a more centralised eurozone tax system.
Chinese domestic lithium prices fell in an otherwise flat market in the week to Thursday July 9, with producers forced to reduce offers to tempt buyers amid sufficient supply.

Ample supply has offset slightly improved downstream operating rates in China, pressuring Chinas battery-grade lithium carbonate price lower.

Chinas industrial-grade lithium carbonate offers firm, with individual producers increasing prices.

Chinas lithium hydroxide prices drift lower due to cheaper offers on the spot market.

Asian lithium market still flat with thin spot trades.

Prices in Europe, United States steady, with participants seeing no short-term signs of recovery.

Lithium Americas temporarily halts on-site work at Argentina project due to Covid-19 cases among workforce.

Sufficient spot supply and slow buying activity continues to plague the Chinese domestic battery-grade lithium carbonate market, which fell by 1.3% week on week. Downstream operating rates have reportedly improved slightly in July versus previous months, but this failed to provide support to the price this week.Fastmarkets weekly price assessment for lithium carbonate, 99.5% Li2CO3 min, battery grade, spot price range exw domestic China was 37,000-41,000 yuan ($5,291-5,863) per tonne on July 9, widening downward by 1,000 yuan from 38,000-41,000 yuan per tonne the previous week.It is still a hard period for selling battery-grade lithium carbonate, and some eager sellers keep giving lower prices to boost sales, which continues bringing pressure to the whole market. Downstream operation rates seem to have improved a little since the end of June, but the overall market remains slow, a producer source said.Prices of above 39,000 yuan per tonne are becoming increasingly rare, and more prices are at around 39,000 yuan per tonne or even lower. Considering the sufficient supply, I think it will be hard for prices to move up, a downstream buyer told Fastmarkets.Meanwhile, technical and industrial-grade lithium carbonate offers became firmer this past week, with some individual producers increasing offer prices due to slightly improved downstream buying. But no deals were concluded at higher levels within the assessment period, keeping the Chinese technical and industrial-grade lithium carbonate spot price at 30,000-34,000 yuan per tonne on Thursday, unchanged from a week earlier.Continued weak buying interest from the downstream high-nickel ternary sector and lower prices reported on the spot market further eroded the Chinese battery-grade lithium hydroxide market.Fastmarkets lithium hydroxide monohydrate, 56.5% LiOH.H2O min, battery grade, spot price range exw domestic China fell to 45,000-51,000 yuan per tonne on Thursday, down by 2% from 46,000-52,000 yuan per tonne the previous week.Buying activity for battery-grade lithium hydroxide remained slow, with few buyers purchasing. Hydroxide prices keep softening as it is very hard to sell at higher level under the sluggish market, a second producer said.There was little spot trading activity in the cif China, Japan and South Korea battery-grade lithium spot markets this past week, keeping both spot compound prices unchanged at their current low levels.Fastmarkets assessed the lithium carbonate, 99.5% Li2CO3 min, battery grade, spot price cif China, Japan and Korea at $6.50-8 per kg on a basis, unchanged from a week ago.The corresponding lithium hydroxide monohydrate, 56.5% LiOH.H2O min, battery grade, spot price was also unchanged week on week at $9-10 per kg.Downward pressure remains in the Asian seaborne market, but I am not seeing prices below $6.50 per kg at the moment. Some Japanese customers received offers of $6.50-6.70 per kg recently, a distributor source said.Battery-grade lithium spot prices in Europe and the US were steady week on week, with market participants not anticipating significant movement in a continually weak market.Fastmarkets' lithium carbonate 99.5% Li2CO3 min, battery grade, spot price ddp Europe and US assessment was unchanged week on week at $8-9.50 per kg on Thursday.The lithium hydroxide monohydrate 56.5% LiOH.H2O min, battery grade, spot price ddp Europe and US was at $9.75-11 per kg on the same day.The more liquid technical-grade lithium market remained under pressure, with demand subdued following Covid-19 disruptions.Fastmarkets assessed the lithium hydroxide monohydrate min 56.5% LiOH.H2O technical and industrial grades, spot prices ddp Europe and US at $8-9 per kg on Thursday, narrowing downward from $8-9.25 per kg the previous week.Market sources reported material being offered at lower prices, bringing the assessment range down.Elsewhere, Argentina - a country rich in lithium resources - is grappling with soaring numbers of Covid-19 cases.Earlier this past week, Canadian junior miner Lithium Americas reported that two workers tested positive for Covid-19 at the Cauchari-Olaroz project in Argentina.As a result, construction of the pilot plant has been temporarily halted in line with the companys Covid-19 health and safety protocol.Lithium Americas is developing the Cauchari-Olaroz lithium project in Argentina in a 50/50 joint-venture partnership with Chinese lithium manufacturer Ganfeng Lithium.Livent, a key lithium incumbent in Argentina, told Fastmarkets via email that it has implemented all necessary safety measures and its operations in the country remain operational.
Boris Johnson has sparked accusations of putting Brexit before health by rejecting an invitation to join an EU scheme to procure a coronavirus vaccine.

The UK told Brussels on Friday that it fears signing up would risk a delay before people in Britain could receive a vaccine in the quantities needed.

Ministers have concerns about a cap on the number of doses allocated to each member state  and will argue that pharmaceutical companies are offering the UK similar prices to EU countries anyway.

However, a committee of MPs revealed this week that participation was threatened by the UKs refusal to pay increased budget contributions to Brussels during 2020.

And the move will be seen by some as a gamble that will backfire if the EU secures access to a successful vaccine which is then denied to the UK.

Layla Moran, the Liberal Democrat leadership contender, said: The government walking away from this EU deal just smacks of ideological dogma.

Working together would help drive down costs and make sure we get value for money. For this government, its Brexit over vaccines.

The rejection also follows criticism that the government put Brexit before breathing by failing to join the EUs ventilator and personal protective equipment schemes in March.

The UK has the right to join procurement programmes during the Brexit transition period, potentially benefiting from lower prices through the EUs collective purchasing power.

Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Show all 23 1 /23 Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy holds hands with Nichollette and Ryan as she experiences contractions in a birthing tub Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy Pedroza, 27, who is pregnant, sits next to Ryan Morgan, 30, her partner and father to their unborn child, as they relax at Pedrozas parents house in Forth Worth, Texas, where they currently live, during the coronavirus outbreak Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy Pedroza attends an appointment with her licensed midwives Susan Taylor, 40, who checks her stomach, and Amanda Prouty, 39, in Taylors home office at her house Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy takes a brisk walk to try and speed up her contractions with Ryan and her midwives near Taylors home where Pedroza plans to give birth Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy receives support from Nichollette Jones, her doula Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy experiences contractions Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy is supported by Ryan and Nichollette as she experiences contractions while labouring at the home of Pedrozas licensed midwife, Susan Taylor Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy lies on a bed in front of Ryan as he helps to pump her breastmilk to try and speed up her contractions Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy experiences contractions as Susan lies on a bed Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy embraces Ryan Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy is supported by Ryan as she experiences contractions in a birthing tub Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy experiences contractions Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy in a birthing tub Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy is placed onto an ambulance stretcher to be taken to hospital by paramedics, after her unborn childs heartbeat dropped from 130 beats per minute to 30 Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy is carried on an ambulance stretcher to be taken to hospital by paramedics Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy is carried into an ambulance on a stretcher Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy holds her one-day old newborn son, Kai Rohan Morgan Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy breastfeeds her newborn son at the house of her parents, where they are currently living Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Susan Taylor positions Kai for a photograph at his newborn screening Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Amanda Prouty and Susan Taylor conduct a newborn screening for Kai at Kais maternal grandparents house Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Susan takes two-day old Kais temperature while checking if he has tongue tie, an oral condition that can potentially cause issues with feeding Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Nancy and Ryan clip the fingernails of their two-day old son Reuters Giving birth during the coronavirus outbreak Kai, who is two days old and is experiencing jaundice, is positioned in the sunlight by his mother Nancy Reuters

The government can point to a bilateral deal already secured with AstraZeneca in partnership with Oxford University, but there is no guarantee that its vaccine trial will be effective.

The Wellcome Trust research trust was among institutions to have expressed support for the EUs collective drive to achieve a vaccine, rather than a go-it-alone approach.

Alex Harris, the trusts head of global policy, said last month: We applaud the EU for agreeing to work together to accelerate the development and deployment of vaccines against Covid-19. This is not just a European challenge but a global one.

Ministers will reject accusations of putting Brexit ideology ahead of the national interest by insisting that the decision was taken on advice of the risks of delays.

Under a joint deal, member states are required to hand over live negotiations with producers to the commission, which then decides how a successful vaccine should be distributed.

Alok Sharma, the business secretary, is believed to have failed to win sufficient assurances over the quantity and timing of a vaccine reaching the UK.

Brussels has increased its 2020 budget by more than 4bn for various coronavirus-related schemes, of which 2.7bn (2.4bn) is primarily to secure a vaccine.

But the UK argued the budget was agreed only after it had left the EU, so it was not obliged to pay towards it under the terms of the withdrawal agreement.
MECHANICVILLE  Saratoga Countys highest-paid municipal attorney will be adding to her salaries and her workload.

Lyn Murphy, the town of Halfmoons lawyer and a Saratoga County assistant district attorney, has been hired by the city to do its legal work, Mayor Dennis Baker said. Effective July 1, she will earn $40,000 a year for the part-time job. She is already earning $168,242 in Halfmoon and an additional salary as an ADA assigned to Saratoga Springs and Waterford; those jobs are also part-time.

Murphy, who in 2014 was dubbed by the Empire Center as one of the highest-paid local government employees in New York, will not be provided benefits through the city. Empire Center is a fiscally conservative nonprofit.

I really think we can do with a part-time attorney, Baker said. We had three people we interviewed. Most of them were looking for jobs with benefits and more pay. She rose to the top right away. Shes a great hire.

Previously: Halfmoon town attorney highest paid in county

Even before being hired by the city, Murphy's salary already outstripped other municipal attorneys' pay in the county. In 2018, Saratoga Springs attorney Vincent DeLeonardis was earning $135,000 and in 2019, Clifton Park attorney Tom McCarthy earned $131,000 a year. Both of them are full-time.

Most Saratoga County municipal attorneys earn less than $100,000 a year, including Miltons James Craig at $52,032 a year, as noted in town meeting minutes, and Maltas Tom Peterson who earns $62,682 with an additional $23,000 for his work in Round Lake. Wilton used Mark Schachner, paying his law firm about $45,000 a year. Debra Kaelin in Ballston earns about $30,000 a year, Supervisor Eric Connolly said.

Murphy could not be reached by the Times Union on Friday for comment.

Murphy succeeds Val Serbalik, who retired two years ago. Baker said the city is saving because Serbalik was paid more and received health benefits and a pension.

The city was able to hire Murphy after a state bill passed allowing the city to amend its residency requirement to seek hires outside of its small citys limits. Baker said he initially sought to hire an attorney from Saratoga County or adjoining counties. However, the state agreed to limit the hiring to a resident of Saratoga County only.

Baker said the city advertised on the county's bar associations website. When asked if he was concerned that she was taking on too much, he said he was not, but added her contract will be reviewed annually.

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

If it gets to be too much for her or us, we will have to look for somebody else, Baker said. I dont think that will happen.

In other Mechanicville news, the city Commissioner of Finance Jodie Gilheany resigned on June 15.

She just decided she didnt want to be here anymore, Baker said. I pushed her on it and she said she just doesnt want to put up with it anymore. So, thats the only answer she gave.

He said he was not certain what that meant and Gilheany could not be reached by the Times Union on Friday to explain further.

Baker said the city will have a special election in November to fill out her term, which will be one year.
In a recent survey of North Carolina by The New York Times and Siena College, 51 percent of registered voters in the Charlotte suburbs disapproved of Mr. Trumps handling of recent protests, compared with 44 percent who approved.

Were a changing and evolving district; the Lost Cause narrative is no longer relevant, said Democratic State Representative Christy Clark, who flipped this statehouse seat from Republican control in 2018 and faces a competitive re-election fight. We need to pay attention to racism in our society.

Asked about Mr. Trumps remarks in defense of the Confederate flag (Flag decision has caused lowest ratings EVER! he tweeted, in reference to NASCARs decision to ban Confederate flags from its events), she said, Trying to hold tight to it as a national narrative is tone deaf.

Johanna Godlewski, 35, an occupational therapist from Radnor, Pa., said she was uncomfortable with removing statues that commemorate heroes of the Confederacy or others who perpetuated racism.

Thats a little different, because I still believe its a part of history, she said.

But she also said she believed that Mr. Trump was stoking intolerance and that he is a racist  The way he speaks about women so roughly, I can see him saying the same thing racially, she said.

Ms. Godlewski voted for Mrs. Clinton and is undecided this year. But she said she would be unlikely to support the president because her husband is a police officer, and she fears he would confront more protests if Mr. Trump is re-elected  a direct rebuke to Mr. Trumps claim that he is the candidate who can bring order.

The Trump campaign, for its part, is working to cast the Democratic Party as filled with extremists who support unfettered property destruction, violent protests and defunding of the police (Mr. Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, has objected to all of that). The campaign is working to play on the concerns of voters who believe some acts of protest have gone too far.
Illustrative image (Photo: internet)

Garment 10 Corporation JSC, one of Vietnams 500 largest businesses, according to VNR500, is known as a business featuring significant improvements thanks to digital transformation. Early in catching the trends, Garment 10 has already applied modern technology into administration, production, and distribution.

Applying new solutions into production for both domestic and overseas markets, collecting the information of customers, markets, tastes, and designing has brought numerous achievements to the corporation recently, CEO Hoang The Nhu shared at a recent conference on the ASEAN economy. In addition to standardising all processes, applying Industry 4.0 and automation has already improved the performance and productivity of all units.

Digitalisation is also being applied in online marketing and sales (via websites and fan pages), contributing significantly to the general revenue of Garment 10. This confirms that digitalisation is a proper movement for the corporation, bringing new experience to customers and reporting better performance than via traditional methods, Nhu said.

Digital transformation is a global trend. However, in Vietnam, Garment 10 is one of the few local businesses willing to apply such a model. At a conference held at the end of 2019, the group said that only 10 per cent of local businesses apply digitalisation, while the remaining 90 per cent have yet to do so. This figure for Vietnam is a great deal different from the average of other countries and will lead to disadvantages in mobilising investment and improving competitiveness.

Around 70 per cent of total venture capital into Asia comes from internal resources, where countries like China and Japan are major investors developing their businesses across the region. Asian businesses have provided 60 per cent of total investment in recent times, with $9.1 billion into ride-hailing service Grab (in Singapore), $1.4 billion from Japanese conglomerate holding company SoftBank, and $1 billion from Japanese car giant Toyota. Meanwhile, Chinese technical giants Tencent and Alibaba are major investors in ASEAN startups such as ride-hailing app Go-Jek and e-commerce platform Lazada.

Trinh Minh Giang, chairman of Venture Management Consulting Group (VMCG) said, The exchange of internal resources in Asia has enabled some ASEAN economies to emerge and become new innovation hubs, where a lot of technical giants and high-tech projects are based and developed in. In addition to Singapore, Jakarta in Indonesia and Myanmars Yangon are emerging as the silicon valleys of the ASEAN.

Thereby, in order to catch up with the trend and become not left behind, especially after the current pandemic, digitalisation is an essential process in order to match the growth speed of regional countries and survive after the crisis.

Experts said that COVID-19 is a sign that local businesses cannot stand by the wayside of the evolution, because the same crisis could re-emerge at any time. While the pandemic has hit the economy horribly, events such as this can contribute towards boosting infrastructural development, technology, and working processes moving ahead to online solutions and digitalisation.

Highly appreciating the role of digital transformation, Nguyen Trung Chinh, vice chairman of the Vietnam Private Entrepreneurs Association cum chairman of CMC Corporation, said, The earlier they acknowledge and implement, the sooner success comes. In fact, digital transformation will minimise costs, optimise operation, and management, and report performance more specifically.

Digital transformation provides suggestions to create new products and services based on a digital platform or delivers traditional goods on ommichannels to gain breakthrough revenue. In Vietnam, some retailers like Big C, Saigon Co.op, and VinMart that apply new models in promotions, sales, and delivery have already seen significant increase of revenue, even during the pandemic.

Digitalisation will multiply the scale of business operation and outcome by creating more sales and marketing channels like D2C (direct to customers) and O2O (online to offline), and chances of approaching global customers will be unlimited.

Other experts in the field have outlined culture and strategy, leading staff and customers, innovating processes, applying new technology, and utilising data are the priority pillars in order to embrace such a transformation.

As a result, digital transformation is the only way for local businesses to survive after every crisis, catch up with global and regional trends, and enable Vietnam to become one of the tech hubs of the region, just like Singapore, Jakarta, and Yangon.
BANGKOK, July 10 (Reuters) - U.S. Army Chief of Staff General James McConville met with Thailand's prime minister and its army chief on Friday, in the first high-level visit by a foreign delegation to Thailand since the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted international travel.

McConville met with Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and also Thai army chief Apirat Kongsompong and signed a Strategic Vision Statement, a U.S. Embassy statement said, as Washington looks to reassure allies about its commitment to the region.

The text of the statement was not released, but the embassy said McConville and Apirat "discussed modernisation, interoperability, joint training, and doctrine".

The United States has sought to counter China's influence in Southeast Asia, most recently by sending two aircraft carriers to the South China Sea while the Chinese military conducted drills near islands that are also claimed by Vietnam.

Thailand is Washington's oldest ally in Asia, but relations were strained by a 2014 military coup led by then-army chief Prayuth that ousted an elected civilian government.

The United States scaled back some military exchanges with Thailand, and Bangkok responded by forging a closer ties with China.

But ties improved after last year's general election that officially restored civilian rule while keeping Prayuth on as a civilian leader, resulting in arms deal for U.S.-made armored personnel carriers and light attack helicopters last year.

Prayuth on Friday also acknowledged $2 million in U.S. aid to help Thailand to cope with the coronavirus, according to a news release from his office.

The U.S. delegation visited under a special arrangement to follow strict coronavirus safety measures that required members to wear face masks.

Thailand has gone six weeks without confirmed community transmission of coronavirus, while the United States marked a new daily record of more than 60,000 new cases on Thursday. (Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um; Editing by Martin Petty)
Dan Aykroyd hopes to change the minds of supernatural skeptics with his chilling new show, Hotel Paranormal.

The upcoming Travel Channel show reenacts real-life hotel ghost stories, with actual video evidence and commentary from paranormal experts.

The narrator of Hotel Paranormal, Dan, 68, considers himself a true believer in the the supernatural, according to People.

'It's entertaining': Dan Aykroyd hopes to turn skeptics into believers as the narrator of the new supernatural series, Hotel Paranormal

'Bottom line about all of it, whether you're a believer or not, it's entertaining,' he told People.

Right away, the premiere episode will feature an array of stories including a traveling salesman who captures poltergeist activity on his cell phone and teenagers who accidentally free an ancient evil, according to People.

'It's psycho kinetic energy. That's the invisible world at work,' Dan explained. 'What's neat about it is you actually get to see the actual footage in a few of the episodes.'

For skeptics out there who don't believe in the paranormal, Dan hopes this show could potentially change things around.

Hair-raising: The upcoming Travel Channel show reenacts real-life hotel ghost stories, with actual video evidence and commentary from paranormal experts (pictured 2017)

Dan says 'the incredible encounters we're highlighting will open up a lot of minds and hopefully break through some of the skepticism people carry about the paranormal.'

Dan may be best known for starring opposite Bill Murray in the beloved comedy Ghostbusters, but that certainly isn't the only popular credit to his name.

The actor/writer has also appeared in 50 First Dates, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and The Blues Brothers.

Who you gonna call? The actor may be best known for starring opposite Bill Murray in the beloved comedy Ghostbusters, but that certainly isn't the only popular credit to his name

Dan was also a Saturday Night Live cast member, where he hosted the Weekend Update.

Dan has been married to actress Donna Dixon since 1983, and together they share daughters Danielle, 30, Belle, 27, and Stella, 22.

Hotel Paranormal will premiere on the Travel Channel on Saturday.
US military personnel deployed in Uzbekistan's Karshi-Khanabad Air Base (K2), a former Soviet military installation, between 2001 and 2005 were exposed to dangerous toxins, according to the declassified Department of Defense files released by the US House of Representatives

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th July, 2020) US military personnel deployed in Uzbekistan's Karshi-Khanabad Air Base (K2), a former Soviet military installation, between 2001 and 2005 were exposed to dangerous toxins, according to the declassified Department of Defense files released by the US House of Representatives.

The US forces were deployed in the Central Asian country after the September 11 terrorist attacks on New York's World Trade Center in 2001 to support the US mission in Afghanistan. In 2019, the US newspaper McClatchyDC reported that at least 61 soldiers who were stationed at K2 have been diagnosed with cancer or died from the disease.

"On July 9, 2020, the Subcommittee on National Security released previously classified documents produced by the U.S. military in 2001, 2002, and 2004, which reveal: Servicemembers were exposed to multiple toxic hazards while at K2," the files released by a bipartisan group of lawmakers from the Committee on Oversight and Reform of the house of representatives on Thursday read.

According to the files, the US military was exposed to Petrochemical Contamination, Volatile Organic Compounds, Particulate Matter 10 and Tetrachloroethylene. Moreover, "up to 100 percent of units" deployed at the K2 base were exposed to radiation, the house of representatives said.

The documents released by the committee include health risk assessments and environmental hazard surveys carried out by the defense authorities. In particular, the department of defense found out that the soil around the K2 base was contaminated with jet fuel.

Thousands of US troops have served at the K2 base where, the Pentagon claimed, missiles had been destroyed during the Soviet era.

Ex-Uzbek President islam Karimov ejected US troops in 2005 from the country following Washington's criticism of human rights violations and a crackdown on protesters of the former government.
A public consultation exercise has been launched to ask the people of Limerick what they want from their directly elected Mayor.

On May 24, 2019 voters in Limerick endorsed proposals that will see Limerick Limerick become the first county in Ireland where people will directly elect their mayor  possibly as early as summer 2021.

The result of the Mayoral Plebiscite, which took place on the same day as the local and European elections, saw it pass on a final result of Yes 38,122 - No 34,573.

We are now asking the people to think about the potential in that role for Limerick and to tell us what they would like of their new Mayor, said Cllr Michael Collins, mayor of the city and county of Limerick.

The public consultation exercise was commissioned by the Independent Advisory Group formed to advise the Minister on the establishment of a directly elected mayor. It was developed by Professor Maura Adshead and her team in the Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Limerick.

Since it was established at the end of 2019, the Independent Advisory Group has been working to shape a new local authority with a directly elected mayor that will deliver fresh possibilities for Limerick City and County. The Group will report to the Minister later this summer.

The Chairman of the Implementation Advisory Group, Limerick-man and former career diplomat and Secretary General to the President, Mr Tim OConnor, welcomed the launch of this public consultation.

The Implementation Advisory Group has commissioned the University of Limerick to create a forum for people to engage with our work. The Covid-19 emergency has meant that this will be no ordinary public consultation. An exciting new digital way of asking the public what they want has been especially created for this exercise by UL. It will be visual, interactive and provides real-time feedback. People can participate as part of a community group, with their family and friends, or as individuals, said Mr OConnor.

Limerick has a reputation for being at the forefront of innovation and, once again, together with our partners in UL have developed a new and exciting way for people to have their say, added Mayor Collins.

Minister of State for Local Government and Planning, Mr Peter Burke is encouraging people in Limerick to take part in the consultation process.

We want the people of Limerick to be involved and invested in this major reform project, which offers huge potential for their City and County. We encourage everyone in Limerick to participate in shaping this new role of Mayor, added the Minister.

The creation of the role of a directly-elected mayor of Limerick is included in the Programme for Government which was agreed last month.

For more information and to participate in the public consultation excercise click here.
Proposing to your love for marriage is one of the most special moments in a persons life. Many would assume the day to be straight out a fairytale. However, for a man based out of Michigan, things didn't go as smooth after he slipped on the sea shore.

According to a report published in Daily Star, Logan Jackson had taken his partner, Maria Gugliotta, to Lake Michigan in Grand Haven for proposing to her for marriage. But as luck would have it, he fell on his hips. However, this did not entirely ruin his plan as he soon after went on his knees with a box of ring in hand. Eventually, Maria says yes and the couple can be seen kissing each other.

The video of the incident has been shared by Maria on her Facebook profile. The clip, which was posted on July 5, has been liked by more than 300 people and is quite viral on the portal.

Captioning her unique proposal, she said, He fell so hard he popped up with a ring!!! Im so excited but first I have to stop laughing.

Most comments on the posts have congratulated the couple. A person, who seemed to point out what went wrong wrote, The first thing that went wrong was having both of ur handing in your pocket u should have left one out lol another one wrote, This is the best video ever lmao I watched this like 5 times haha best memories congratulations to you both.
With the Chinese troops pulling back from Galwan Valley and Hot Springs, the first few tottering steps towards de-escalation have started along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. It will take at least a few more weeks if not months for the status quo to be restored provided the People's Liberation Army (PLA) sticks to the modalities of disengagement. The Indian army remains cautious though as a similar pullback was done by Beijing before catching India on the wrong foot in 1962.

But keeping aside the modalities and mechanisms of disengagement, the standoff leading to the subsequent clash and Beijings power play in South China Sea have thrown up some vital lessons that not only India but the world has to take cognisance of.

Chinas rise is a threat to others

M Taylor Fravel, director of the Security Studies Program at MIT, believes that Beijings need to project its strength is the main reason behind the confrontation with India. Indeed it will be a grave mistake to view the border dispute as a problem of perception between the two sides or Chinas concern over India augmenting infrastructure along its side of the LAC.

Theres a pattern in which China raises its territorial issues with its neighbours and uses them as pressure points to bog them down. In the last decade and half, Beijing has hardly allowed Japan, Vietnam, Philippines to carry out their maritime activities without incurring the wrath of the Chinese navy. From ramming into Vietnamese fishing boats to laying its claim over Senkaku Islands, the brazen belligerence is often at full public display.

The muscle flexing and territorial demands, which till now came to be regarded as salami slicing, were just a smokescreen. All in all it was Chinas way of saying to its neighbours that they should accept and kowtow to the hegemonic might of the worlds second largest economy as it wants the world to be Sinocentric.

USA gearing up to play a decisive role

The common glue that binds India, Japan, Vietnam, South Korea and even Australia is the United States, or the dependency of these countries on Americas military might to stop a marauding communist China. And all indications are that the US will take the posture it deems necessary to meet any challenge from China. Already, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said that America will shift some of its troops from Europe to counter Chinas threat to India and other Southeast Asian countries.

A few days later, Chief of Staff at the White House, Mark Meadows, unambiguously said that the US will not let anyone including China take up the reins and become the dominant force. Chinas continuous threat towards Taiwan and its sabre-rattling in the South China Sea has unnerved the US so much that it has sent two aircraft carriers to conduct dual carrier operations at the disputed sea.

To make its intent clear and send a message to Beijing, Washington had also dispatched a long-range, nuclear capable B-52 Stratofortress bomber.

Imperative for India, Japan, South Korea to increase military spending

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute military expenditure database shows an important fact thats hard to ignore. Since 2014, Chinas military budget has always been more than $200 billion annually whereas Indias highest-ever budgetary allocation in that period has only been $71 billion. For Japan and South Korea, the highest budgetary allocations in this period for a particular fiscal year have only been $47.6 billion and $46 billion, respectively.

The figures clearly emphasise the thrust and the importance that Beijing has put on developing its forces into a formidable military power. From aircraft carriers to stealth fighters, it depended on its domestic industry, while it imported technologies and weapons platforms like the S-400 missile defence system which it couldnt develop on its own. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his recent visit to Ladakh, peace cannot be achieved by the weak, all those finding it impossible to accept Chinas bullying anymore must develop their military prowess.

Australia has already showed its intent by publicly announcing that the country will acquire state-of-the-art long-range missiles, anti-ship cruise missiles, AWACs and even establish an offensive cyber unit. India, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines all need to increase their spending and ramp up their preparedness to meet any eventualities.

The need for a grand alliance against China

In the short term, almost all of Chinas neighbours, who have been antagonised by Beijings muscular engagement policy, will find it difficult to take on the might of the dragon. Theres a need for a united front against China. The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), a strategic forum compromising the US, India, Australia and Japan, needs to up its military coordination and present a united front against any future misadventure by China.

Deception and surprise: Cornerstone of Chinas military tactics

Attack your enemy where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected, said Sun Tzu, former Chinese military strategist. The Middle Kingdom has mastered the art of deception and surprise as espoused by Tzu, who lived in the Eastern Zhou period of ancient China.

The territorial aggression at Ladakh happened out of the blue without Beijing even once voicing its displeasure over Indian activities in the region. The violent clash at Galwan was also a quintessential Chinese deception that took the form of a Machiavellian scheme. In a similar move, its new demand over Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary, situated in eastern Bhutan adjoining Arunachal Pradesh, is another masterstroke in subduing the enemy without fighting  another cornerstone of Sun Tzus war principles.

By creating multiple pressure points and opening multiple fronts, China likes to catch its neighbours completely off guard with new demands every now and then and shifting the goalposts. This strategy is highly effective in disrupting the opponents plans who are forced to revise and recalibrate their tactics in order to fend off the Chinese.

China doesnt want to be seen as an expansionist, arrogant force

For a country, which views all its territorial problems and belligerence through the prism of sovereignty, PM Narendra Modis indirect reference to China's expansionist policies has hit the bullseye. While the opposition in India was busy criticising the PM for not naming China, its embassy spokesperson in New Delhi, Ji Rong, cried foul claiming that it was groundless to view China as expansionist, exaggerate and fabricate its disputes with neighbours. Beijing feared that being called out would expose its real intentions before others and jeopardise its carefully crafted discourse that Chinas rise has been peaceful and it poses no threat to others.

Only countries part of Chinas BRI are safe from the dragons wrath

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is like one of the East India Companys treaties with local kingdoms in India whose eventual but inevitable fate would be to get completely gobbled up by the Raj. Under the guise of providing credit and expertise to develop infrastructure in developing and poor countries, China pushes them into a huge debt trap by investing in a series of economically unviable projects. Those countries, unable to pay back, are forced to behave like a vassal or a client state.

Take the example of Pakistan. It moved its troops to Gilgit-Baltistan along the Line of Control (LoC) and allowed the PLA to use its airbase at Skardu in June at the height of the face-off. In April only the Imran Khan Government had sought an extension on a debt repayment of $30 billion that Islamabad had taken to build the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Though Islamabad vouches that China is its only all-weather friend, behind the troop movement lies the cold calculations of easing the repayment process.

And Pakistan is not an isolated case. Those countries which are a part of the BRI have been spared the bullying tactic as they speak in unison to endorse Beijings wolf warrior foreign policy. The Council on Foreign Relations, a US think tank, calculated that the combined debt of 67 countries, who are a part of the project, tracked in 2017, amounted to $135 billion. No doubt all these countries supported Chinas decision to impose the security law in Hong Kong.

Like Hitlers Germany in the 1930s, Chinas meteoric rise now threatens to upend the system that has become the bulwark of 21st century world order. Unless and until Beijing decides to revisit and reform the way it is taking on the world through its BRI project and wolf warrior diplomacy, the day is not far when a confrontation involving multiple nations will be inevitable.
Emergency services and military troops in Japan were working Thursday to reach thousands of homes cut off by devastating flooding and landslides that have killed dozens and caused widespread damage in central and southwestern areas of the country.

The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said rising floodwater on roads damaged by landslides had blocked access to more than 3,000 households, mostly in the hardest-hit Kumamoto Prefecture where fresh downpours were forecast.

Authorities said since Saturday, the torrential rain has left at least 60 people dead across the affected areas.

At a disaster task force meeting Thursday Japan's prime minister, Abe Shinzo, said 130,000 workers are engaged in rescue and relief activities across eight prefectures including Kumamoto, Oita and Gifu. They include police, firefighters, coast guard members and Self-Defense Force personnel.


The rift between John Setka's Victorian construction union and the Australian Council of Trade Unions has resurfaced with a sledge against the ACTU President after she assisted with a food drive at Melbourne's locked-down public housing flats.

In a now-deleted post on the union's Facebook page it said Michele O'Neil was "talking sh*t to the locked down residents of the Flemington flats" and said she had not helped her members when running the former clothing union.

ACTU president Michele ONeil. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The post is a marker of the ongoing rift between the union, an influential player in Labor and union politics, and the ACTU, which has been leading unions' response to coronavirus and negotiating with the government on industrial relations reforms.

Ms O'Neil was at the flats along with other union members on Thursday as part of an effort to feed residents in the buildings while they are under a strict lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
You can visit a collection of all White House posts by clicking here.

Contact: White House

White House Press Office

With great appreciation, the United States and Mexico recognize the advancements our two countries have achieved toward a renewed and strengthened partnership equipped to the twenty-first century economic and security challenges of our North American region. Our meeting commemorates the entry into force of the historic United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), a free trade agreement that will strengthen our global competitiveness as a region and promote economic growth, jobs, and prosperity for the American and Mexican people.The pandemic created by the COVID-19 virus has deeply affected the American and Mexican people. The United States and Mexico continue to coordinate closely as we respond to unprecedented health, security, and economic challenges. Our countries have restricted, since March 2020, movement at our shared land border to essential travel only, while ensuring the flow of critical goods and services, the continuity of our supply chains, and the movement of emergency and critical workers to mitigate the spread of the virus in our nations.Mexico became the largest goods trading partner of the United States for the first time in 2019. Every day, $1.6 billion worth of trade crosses our border, directly supporting American and Mexican businesses, jobs, and workers.The USMCA is the ideal instrument to provide economic certainty and increased confidence to our countries, which will be critical to the recovery that has begun in both of our nations. The USMCA reaffirms our shared understanding that North America is a region that generates prosperity for all of its citizens and it strengthens our cooperation in fighting corruption through the strongest disciplines on corruption in international trade of any international agreement. The USMCA marks the beginning of a new era that will benefit the workers, farmers, engineers, and entrepreneurs of both countries, who serve as the backbone of our integrated economies. The USMCA will allow our successful economic partnershipone of the strongest in the world  to expand even more over the coming years in a continuation of our great history of shared cooperation.Signed at Washington on July 8, 2020, in duplicate, in the English and Spanish languages.
A popular Sydney pub has been issued a $5,500 fine after hundreds of students were caught ignoring social distancing measures.

An investigation was launched into the Golden Sheaf in Double Bay after pictures emerged of a crowded line outside the venue on Wednesday night.

Liquor & Gaming NSW believed up to 250 customers failed to comply with social distancing rules in front of the popular bar.

Pictured: The Golden Sheaf in Double Bay has been fined $5,500 after hordes of university students were seen crammed together outside the pub on Wednesday night

Liquor & Gaming NSW issued the fine after launching an investigation into The Golden Sheaf (pictured) which holds a night targeted at university students every Wednesday

Director of Compliance Operations, Dimitri Argeres, said inspectors attended the venue on Thursday to investigate the breach and review CCTV footage.

'We are treating this matter extremely seriously. Venues should be aware that Liquor & Gaming NSW conducts both overt and covert inspections to check for compliance with COVID restrictions.

'With the potential for new cases of COVID-19 to emerge in NSW, we need all businesses, including hotels and clubs, to be constantly vigilant in checking that patrons are observing the rules,' Mr Argeres said.

Nightclubs remain shut in NSW while hotels and pubs are allowed to operate with no capacity cap under a one person per four-square-metre rule.

'Under the NSW public health orders, hotels must have a COVID-safe plan which must be enforced at each premises and include measures to manage gatherings that may occur outside the venue.

'While our inspections have shown that the vast majority of venues are complying, those caught doing the wrong thing face significant penalties,' Mr Argeres said.

The crowd of pub-goers quickly sparked speculation about when a second outbreak would hit Sydney, leading to another dreaded lockdown. Pictured: the Golden Sheaf dance floor prior to the pandemic

NSW Police received multiple reports in regards to a large crowd outside the Golden Sheaf and confirmed officers were sent to disperse people waiting to gain entry.

A statement from Solotel Group CEO Justine Baker, who runs The Golden Sheaf, said the venue understood and accepted the fine.

'Wednesday night showed us that we need to pay more attention to our guests and the queues outside the venue as well.'

Mr Baker said the venue had employed more security and staff to assist with managing queues and introduced a bookings only policy from 8pm on Wednesdays.

'We will continue to practice social distancing and COVID-Safe measures within the Golden Sheaf and all of our venues,' the statement read.

Hordes of university students were seen crammed together on the street while they waited to enter the popular pub at about 9pm on Wednesday.

The Golden Sheaf holds a night targeted at university students every Wednesday.

Before COVID-19 restrictions, they had $5 drinks and music playing till 1am every Wednesday. But at the moment, the bar just has music.

A furious local captured a photo of the packed queue and posted it online with the caption: 'How many days until Sydney is locked down?'

The crowd of pub-goers quickly sparked speculation about when a second outbreak would hit Sydney, leading to another dreaded lockdown.

'Looking at that picture I can smell the corona,' one person wrote.

The crowd of pub-goers quickly sparked questions about when a second outbreak would hit Sydney, leading to another dreaded lockdown

Gladys Berejiklian is considering drastic measures to stop community transmission from Victoria into NSW. Pictured: testing at Bondi Beach on Tuesday

'As someone who lives in a place that is still pretty locked down, this photo makes me feel very anxious,' said another.

'I give it 7 days until lockdown to be honest,' another comment read.

'What part of social distancing don't these people get?'

Others feared Sydney's social distancing complacency would lead to the Queensland Government scrapping the NSW/Queesnland border opening set for tomorrow.

'Queensland is due to allow NSW people into the state from Friday 10th. I wouldn't be surprised if that idea gets canned,' one person wrote.
We often hear about the success stories of tech entrepreneurs. Each of them inspires and ignites passion because of the work they do and the way they lead. Some famous and successful business leaders are often admired because they have started small and risen to the top after encountering seemingly undefeatable odds to survive and succeed. Tech entrepreneurs are undoubtedly worth looking up to, and it wouldn't do to overlook how challenging their journey has been, especially in the first few years of the business. But their unshakeable belief in themselves and their product or service is what makes them stand apart from the rest. This is how the UK-based tech entrepreneur, Chris Hughes, commenced his journey in the world of entrepreneurship, proved his love for technology and created an excellent experience for end-users.

In Hughes's opinion, people are motivated to start their business to get rid of the job they dislike. However, having spent over two decades in the industry, he believes that to innovate and make an idea a reality, the individual ought to be committed. Otherwise, the lack of passion is likely to throw a spanner in the works. "Clients will sense it, and the business will never get off the ground," adds Hughes. In his case, his curiosity towards technology led him to establish his first web hosting company in the UK in 1996. At an age when most people of his age chose to pursue higher education, Hughes decided to embark upon his entrepreneurial dream, through which he ended up hosting over 50000 websites of clients across different sectors. His quest to grow and expand his business drove him to sell his venture to the largest hosting company, Fasthosts, in late 2002.

Looking back, Hughes feels the early years of his career as a tech entrepreneur have been extraordinarily intense and have demanded more time, energy, dedication, and hard work, than the phase now. And yet, he adds that juggling different roles and trying his hand at different things have helped him learn a lot that he wishes he'd known before. At present, Hughes divides his time between designing and developing different tech products and services, engaging in as many events as possible, and working alongside his employees to upgrade client offerings.

Since 2003, Hughes has been focusing on running multiple businesses simultaneously, most of which include handling the award-winning pub & bar guide site, hotel booking platforms, and cruise & destination portals. His zeal to experience the offline business model and interact with customers in real-time pushed him further to establish a bakery in the small Cotswolds town of Cheltenham. Through all this, tech remains at the core of everything he does. Subsequently, the launch of another hosting company happened in 2017, which was later pivoted to WordPress development and maintenance services in 2019.

The chief among these ventures is his recently launched software acquisition and development arm, RedLettuce. So far, having established, supported, and scaled several tech businesses, Hughes gets looked upon as a pioneer in his own right. He advises other aspiring entrepreneurs to keep pushing themselves, develop a network of mentors, and not get discouraged. "If the concept is good, it will find its way in the market," he adds.
LONDON - The traditional British summer getaway to sun-soaked Mediterranean beaches picked up steam Friday as U.K. quarantine restrictions were removed from dozens of countries, including France, Greece and Italy.

But with many flights still cancelled, resorts working on ensuring that they are COVID-safe and many potential vacationers reluctant to make a trip abroad in light of the pandemic, Britains airports are much less busy than they would be in any other year.

Last weeks announcement by the British government to ease quarantine requirements for anyone arriving back to the U.K. has given some a nudge to take the plunge. Scotlands list is slightly different to that for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, requiring people from Spain to quarantine, for example.

We probably would have gone later, said Ray Gordge, 64, at Gatwick Airport, south of London, on his way to Paris to see his daughter for the first time in six months, and meet his new grandson, born last week.

As of Friday, anyone arriving back to England, Wales and Northern Ireland  resident or non-resident  from around 75 countries and territories wont have to self-isolate for 14 days.

The aviation and travel industries are hoping the new rules will help them salvage part of the summer vacation booking season battered by the restrictions imposed during the coronavirus pandemic  thousands of people have lost their jobs as business ground to a halt.

The crucial period will be later this month when the school year officially ends and travel companies and airlines start ramping up operations.

Gatwick Chief Executive Stewart Wingate said the relaxation of the rules can make a massive difference, given that around three-quarters of the destinations the airport serves are now free from quarantine requirements.

From a consumer point of view, what were hoping is that will persuade people to take advantage of the flights, he said.

Wingate said that there would be around 50 flights on Friday, rising to around 100 by the end of the month and possibly 400 later in the summer  way below the 900 or so the airport normally handles in the peak season.

The list doesnt include the United States, which is considered high-risk. Portugal, another popular destination for British tourists, also isnt on the list though discussions between the respective governments are ongoing. Serbia was originally on the list, but was removed on Friday because of a spike in coronavirus infections in the country.

Confidence is key and susceptible to any new outbreaks  home or abroad  over the coming weeks. Though the U.K. has the highest official virus death toll in Europe with 44,650, it has reduced the rate of infection.

Professor Keith Neal, an epidemiologist at the University of Nottingham, said scrapping quarantining requirements to those countries with lower rates of coronavirus transmission makes sense because travellers are less likely to get COVID-19 on vacation than they are staying in the U.K.

However, he said the list needs to be reviewed probably twice a week in case countries have flare-ups.

One of the major changes greeting vacationers is the necessity to wear face coverings at the airport and on the plane.

I think its going to be difficult to maintain social distancing, but I also think the chances of coming into contact with someone with COVID is pretty low and they seem pretty on the ball with masks and things, Eoin Burgin, a 21-year-old student at Edinburgh University, said at Gatwick.

Burgin said he was very excited to be heading to Basel, Switzerland, to see his girlfriend for the first time in about five months, but that he wouldnt have been going if the quarantine changes hadnt been announced.

The getaway will gather pace in coming days. TUI U.K., the countrys biggest travel company, for example, is due to restart its summer program on Saturday, with flights to eight destinations in Greece, Spains Balearic Islands and the Canaries, from three airports. TUI has said it plans to add more flights and destinations by the end of July to offer a total of 19 destinations from five U.K. airports.

___

Follow AP pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
[July 10, 2020] BNCCORP, INC. Announces Leadership Changes

BNCCORP, INC. (BNCC or the company) (OTCQX Markets: BNCC) today announced that its board of directors and Timothy J. Franz, president and chief executive officer, have mutually agreed that Mr. Franz would step down as president and CEO of the company, effective immediately. BNCC's Chief Financial Officer Daniel Collins has been elected chief executive officer on an interim basis. He will focus on the company's near-term strategic priorities and facilitate BNCC's management transition while the company seeks a permanent CEO. "We thank Tim for his years of dedication to the company. He joined BNCC in 2006 and played many important roles along the way, including CFO before becoming CEO in 2013. During his tenure, Tim has modelled high ethical standards and this mutual agreement is not related to any regulatory, compliance, financial reporting or similar matter. We wish him the very best," said BNCC Chairman Michael Vekich. "We are fortunate to have Dan Collins on the senior managemen team. He is an experienced financial services executive who will provide a steady hand during the transition."



Mr. Vekich continued, "Our talented and dedicated leadership group and employee base will continue to work to provide the best service, products and solutions to our customers and communities and to deliver value for all of our stakeholders. Additionally, the board is focused on improved execution, business and financial performance, good governance practices, near-term strategic priorities, maintaining the organization's safe and sound practices in a volatile economic environment and driving shareholder value." "It has been my privilege to lead BNCC and BNC National Bank for the last seven years," Mr. Franz said. "It has also been my privilege to work with such a dedicated and talented group of colleagues who are committed to leading this wonderful organization into a great future."

Mr. Franz has resigned from the board of directors and from all positions held at BNC National Bank. The board of directors has reduced the size of the board from seven to six members. BNCCORP, INC., headquartered in Bismarck N.D., is a registered bank holding company dedicated to providing banking and wealth management services to businesses and consumers in its local markets. The company operates community banking and wealth management business in North Dakota, Arizona and Minnesota from 13 locations. BNC also conducts mortgage banking from 11 locations in Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Arizona, Michigan and North Dakota. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200710005070/en/

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Linkedin Lisa Shumaker and Howard Schneider (Reuters)  Fri, July 10, 2020 07:35 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406653eb26 2 World COVID-19,COVID-19-infection,economic-impact,revival,economic-recovery,pandemic,SARS-CoV-2,virus-corona,novel-coronavirus,US,coronavirus,coronavirus-effect Free

Record-breaking coronavirus cases and deaths in several US states are dimming hopes of economic recovery, with cellphone data showing shoppers are staying away from stores in areas where cases are rising the most.

In Arizona, Texas, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, which were among the first states to reopen commerce in May, retail foot traffic now lags levels elsewhere, data firm Unacast said.

More than 60,000 new COVID-19 infections were reported on Wednesday, the greatest single-day tally of cases by any country since the virus emerged late last year in China. US deaths rose by more than 900 for the second straight day.

Florida on Thursday announced nearly 9,000 new cases and 120 new coronavirus deaths, a record daily increase in lives lost. California and Texas, the most populous states, announced record increases in COVID deaths on Wednesday.

The surge is making some Americans hesitant to return to public spaces and patronize businesses despite President Donald Trump's efforts to downplay the risks.

Stephanie Porta, 41, a lifelong resident of Orlando, Florida, said only about half the people at her grocery store wore masks but that was an improvement from two weeks ago.

"They're trying to make everything seem normal, when it's not. People are dying, people are getting sick. It's insane," she said. "A lot of people are taking notice. But so many are being fed the message that everything is normal. If they're smart, they're scared."

The increasing COVID cases weighed on the stock market with the Dow and S&P 500 each down over 1% on investor worries the nation could face another lockdown to contain the surge.

Governors in California, Florida and Texas have either ruled out ordering most businesses to close and residents to stay home or said it would be a last resort. So far closures have been limited to bars, beaches and a few other types of businesses.

Extraordinarily high jobless figures on Thursday compounded the gloom from worsening coronavirus trends. Investors initially cheered a drop in the number of people newly filing for unemployment benefits because the total was lower than economists had forecast.

But that news was quickly overshadowed by the record number of people collecting unemployment checks -- 32.9 million -- in the period. Although initial unemployment claims have gradually fallen from a late March peak, they remain roughly double their highest point during the 2007-09 Great Recession.

"Don't be fooled, the economy's troubles aren't over yet, not by a long shot," said Chris Rupkey, chief economist at MUFG in New York.

With coronavirus cases rising in 41 of the 50 US states over the past two weeks, according to a Reuters analysis, many states have had to halt and roll back plans to reopen businesses and lift restrictions.

Earlier this week, Trump criticized his health agencys recommendations for reopening schools in the fall as too expensive and impractical, insisting that all schools must open for classroom instruction. Vice President Mike Pence said on Wednesday the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would issue a "new set of tools" next week.

Many Americans cannot return to work if schools do not open for in-person learning, as they are a major source of childcare in the country.

The CDC's director, Robert Redfield, on Thursday defended the guidelines but gave no details on what the CDC was changing.

"It's not a revision of the guidelines. It's just to provide additional information to help the schools be able to use the guidance that we put forward," he told ABC's "Good Morning America" program.
Rating Action: Moody's affirms six and downgrades three classes of DBUBS 2011-LC3

Global Credit Research - 09 Jul 2020

Approximately $437.3 million of pooled structured securities affected

New York, July 09, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service, ("Moody's") has affirmed the ratings on six classes and downgraded the ratings on three classes in DBUBS 2011-LC3 Mortgage Trust as follows:

Cl. A-4, Affirmed Aaa (sf); previously on Dec 23, 2019 Affirmed Aaa (sf)

Cl. A-M, Affirmed Aaa (sf); previously on Dec 23, 2019 Affirmed Aaa (sf)

Cl. B, Affirmed Aaa (sf); previously on Dec 23, 2019 Affirmed Aaa (sf)

Cl. C, Affirmed Aa1 (sf); previously on Dec 23, 2019 Upgraded to Aa1 (sf)

Cl. D, Affirmed Baa1 (sf); previously on Dec 23, 2019 Affirmed Baa1 (sf)

Cl. E, Downgraded to B1 (sf); previously on Apr 17, 2020 Ba2 (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade

Cl. F, Downgraded to Caa2 (sf); previously on Apr 17, 2020 B3 (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade

Cl. X-A*, Affirmed Aaa (sf); previously on Dec 23, 2019 Affirmed Aaa (sf)

Cl. X-B*, Downgraded to B3 (sf); previously on Apr 17, 2020 B1 (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade

* Reflects interest-only classes

RATINGS RATIONALE

The ratings on five P&I classes were affirmed due to the pool's share of defeasance and the transaction's key metrics, including Moody's loan-to-value (LTV) ratio, Moody's stressed debt service coverage ratio (DSCR) and the transaction's Herfindahl Index (Herf), being within acceptable ranges.

The rating on two P&I classes, Cl. E and Cl. F, were downgraded due to a decline in pool performance and higher anticipated losses driven primarily by the declining performance of the Dover Mall and Commons (16.6% of the pooled balance) and the Albany Mall (5.1% of the pool). As of the June remittance statement, The Dover Mall and Commons loan was more than 60 days delinquent and the Albany mall loan was between 30 -- 59 days delinquent. Both loans mature by July 2021 and may face significant refinance risk due to the current retail environment.

Story continues

The rating on the interest only (IO) class, Cl. X-A, was affirmed based on the credit quality of the referenced classes.

The rating on the interest only (IO) class, Cl. X-B, was downgraded due to the decline in credit quality of its referenced classes.

The actions conclude the review for downgrade initiated on April 17, 2020.

The rapid spread of the coronavirus outbreak, the government measures put in place to contain it and the deteriorating global economic outlook, have created a severe and extensive credit shock across sectors, regions and markets. Our analysis has considered the effect on the performance of commercial real estate from the collapse in US economic activity in the second quarter and a gradual recovery in the second half of the year. However, that outcome depends on whether governments can reopen their economies while also safeguarding public health and avoiding a further surge in infections. As a result, the degree of uncertainty around our forecasts is unusually high. We regard the coronavirus outbreak as a social risk under our ESG framework, given the substantial implications for public health and safety. Stress on commercial real estate properties will be most directly stemming from declines in hotel occupancies (particularly related to conference or other group attendance) and declines in foot traffic and sales for non-essential items at retail properties.

Moody's rating action reflects a base expected loss of 12.7% of the current pooled balance, compared to 6.5% at the last review. Moody's base expected loss plus realized losses is now 4.4% of the original pooled balance, compared to 2.3% at the last review. Moody's provides a current list of base expected losses for conduit and fusion CMBS transactions on moodys.com at http://www.moodys.com/viewresearchdoc.aspx?docid=PBS_SF215255.

FACTORS THAT WOULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATINGS:

The performance expectations for a given variable indicate Moody's forward-looking view of the likely range of performance over the medium term. Performance that falls outside the given range can indicate that the collateral's credit quality is stronger or weaker than Moody's had previously expected.

Factors that could lead to an upgrade of the ratings include a significant amount of loan paydowns or amortization, an increase in the pool's share of defeasance or an improvement in pool performance.

Factors that could lead to a downgrade of the ratings include a decline in the performance of the pool, loan concentration, an increase in realized and expected losses from specially serviced and troubled loans or interest shortfalls.

METHODOLOGY UNDERLYING THE RATING ACTION

The methodologies used in rating all classes except interest-only classes were "Approach to Rating US and Canadian Conduit/Fusion CMBS" published in May 2020 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBS_1226187 and "Moody's Approach to Rating Large Loan and Single Asset/Single Borrower CMBS" published in May 2020 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBS_1227875. The methodologies used in rating interest-only classes were "Approach to Rating US and Canadian Conduit/Fusion CMBS" published in May 2020 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBS_1226187, "Moody's Approach to Rating Large Loan and Single Asset/Single Borrower CMBS" published in May 2020 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBS_1227875, and "Moody's Approach to Rating Structured Finance Interest-Only (IO) Securities" published in February 2019 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBS_1111179. Please see the list of ratings at the top of this announcement to identify which classes are interest-only (indicated by the *). Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of these methodologies.

DEAL PERFORMANCE

As of the June 12, 2020 distribution date, the transaction's aggregate pooled certificate balance has decreased by 65% to $488 million from $1.40 billion at securitization. The certificates are collateralized by 22 mortgage loans ranging in size from less than 1% to 9% of the pool. Twelve loans, constituting 51% of the pool, have defeased and are secured by US government securities.

Moody's uses a variation of Herf to measure the diversity of loan sizes, where a higher number represents greater diversity. Loan concentration has an important bearing on potential rating volatility, including the risk of multiple notch downgrades under adverse circumstances. The credit neutral Herf score is 40. The pool has a Herf of 5, compared to 6 at Moody's last review.

As of the June 2020 remittance report, loans representing 71% were current, 4% were beyond their grace period but less than 30 days late, 8% were 30 days delinquent and 17% was delinquent at 60 days.

Five loans, constituting 26.0% of the pool, are on the master servicer's watchlist. The watchlist includes loans that meet certain portfolio review guidelines established as part of the CRE Finance Council (CREFC) monthly reporting package. As part of Moody's ongoing monitoring of a transaction, the agency reviews the watchlist to assess which loans have material issues that could affect performance.

No loans have been liquidated from the pool since securitization, There are three loans, constituting 21% of the pool, are currently in special servicing.

The largest specially serviced loan is the Dover Mall and Commons Loan ($81.0 million -- 16.6% of the pooled balance), which is secured by an approximately 554,000 SF component of an 886,000 SF single-level enclosed super-regional mall located in Dover, Delaware. Mall anchors include Macy's, Boscov's (non-collateral), and JC Penney (non-collateral). The mall has one vacant anchor box, a former Sears (111,000 SF) which vacated this location in August 2018. The total mall and inline space (<10,000 SF) was 67% and 79% leased, respectively, as of December 2019, down from 72% and 79%, respectively, in December 2018. Property performance generally increased through 2017, however, rental revenue has since declined annually and the 2019 NOI was 3% lower than in 2011. The sponsor, Simon Property Group (68% ownership), recently classified this mall under their "Other Properties." The loan has amortized nearly 14% since securitization, however, it is currently more than 60 days delinquent (last paid through its May 2020 payment date) and transferred to special servicing in June 2020. The loan has a maturity date in June 2021 and the special servicer is currently reviewing the asset to determine a resolution strategy.

The remaining two specially serviced loans are secured by one retail and one manufactured housing properties. Both loans transferred to special servicing prior to 2020 and were less than 30 days delinquent as of the June remittance statement.

Moody's has also assumed a high default probability for two poorly performing loans, constituting about 8% of the pool. The troubled loans include the Albany Mall loan, further described below, and the Feasterville Shopping Center secured by a retail property that had a DSCR below 1.00X in 2019.

Moody's received full year 2019 operating results for 100% of the pool, Moody's weighted average conduit LTV is 102%, compared to 106% at Moody's last review. Moody's conduit component excludes loans with structured credit assessments, defeased and CTL loans, and specially serviced and troubled loans. Moody's net cash flow (NCF) reflects a weighted average haircut of 20% to the most recently available net operating income (NOI). Moody's value reflects a weighted average capitalization rate of 9.9%.

Moody's actual and stressed conduit DSCRs are 1.43X and 1.06X, respectively, compared to 1.32X and 1.07X at the last review. Moody's actual DSCR is based on Moody's NCF and the loan's actual debt service. Moody's stressed DSCR is based on Moody's NCF and a 9.25% stress rate the agency applied to the loan balance.

The top three non-specially serviced loans represent 19% of the pool balance. The largest loan the Providence Place Mall Loan ($42.9 million -- 8.8% of the pooled balance), which represents a pari passu portion of a $152.6 million of a senior loan. This loan has non-pooled subordinate debt ($109 million), portions of which are held as non-pooled "rake" bonds in this deal (not rated by Moody's). The loan is secured by a 980,000 SF portion of a 1.2 million SF regional mall in downtown Providence, Rhode Island. The property anchors include Macy's (non-collateral), Boscov's and Providence Place Cinemas. As of March 2020, the collateral was 90% leased, compared to 92% in September 2019. The mall's revenue has declined in recent years, however, the 2019 NOI was 2% higher than in 2011. The senior note has amortized nearly 22% since securitization and Moody's LTV and stressed DSCR on the senior pooled portion are 39% and 2.50X, respectively, compared to 40% and 2.45X at the last review.

The second largest loan is the Albany Mall Loan ($25.1 million -- 5.1% of the pool), which is secured by a 447,900 SF component of a 756,300 SF regional mall in Albany, Georgia. Non-collateral anchor tenants at the property include Dillard's, J.C. Penney and Belk. One former anchor, Sears (95,000 SF), closed its store at this location in March 2017 and the space remains vacant. As of February 2020, the total property was 69% leased, compared to 70% at year-end 2019 and 71% in 2018. Performance has deteriorated since securitization as revenue has declined annually since 2016 and the 2019 NOI was 32% below the NOI in 2011. In addition to the reduce occupancy, renewing tenants have generally signed leases at the similar or lower rents due to a lack of sales growth at the property. The loan matures in July 2021 and due to the declines in financial performance and the upcoming refinance risk, Moody's has identified this as a troubled loan. The loan is last paid through its April 2020 payment date.

The third largest loan is the Montgomery Plaza Loan ($24.7 million -- 5.1% of the pool), which is secured by a 388,000 SF anchored retail power center located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The property was 71% leased to 29 tenants and servicer commentary notes the borrower has perspective LOIs out to five prospective tenants for approximately 85,000 SF of the vacant space. The loan has amortized 15% since securitization and despite the decline in occupancy since securitization the 2019 NOI DSCR was 1.64X. The loan matures in July 2021 and Moody's LTV and stressed DSCR are 99% and 1.10X, respectively, compared to 83% and 1.22X at the last review.

REGULATORY DISCLOSURES

For further specification of Moody's key rating assumptions and sensitivity analysis, see the sections Methodology Assumptions and Sensitivity to Assumptions in the disclosure form. Moody's Rating Symbols and Definitions can be found at: https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_79004.

The analysis includes an assessment of collateral characteristics and performance to determine the expected collateral loss or a range of expected collateral losses or cash flows to the rated instruments. As a second step, Moody's estimates expected collateral losses or cash flows using a quantitative tool that takes into account credit enhancement, loss allocation and other structural features, to derive the expected loss for each rated instrument.

Moody's did not use any stress scenario simulations in its analysis.

For ratings issued on a program, series, category/class of debt or security this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the same series, category/class of debt, security or pursuant to a program for which the ratings are derived exclusively from existing ratings in accordance with Moody's rating practices. For ratings issued on a support provider, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the credit rating action on the support provider and in relation to each particular credit rating action for securities that derive their credit ratings from the support provider's credit rating. For provisional ratings, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the provisional rating assigned, and in relation to a definitive rating that may be assigned subsequent to the final issuance of the debt, in each case where the transaction structure and terms have not changed prior to the assignment of the definitive rating in a manner that would have affected the rating. For further information please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page for the respective issuer on www.moodys.com.

For any affected securities or rated entities receiving direct credit support from the primary entity(ies) of this credit rating action, and whose ratings may change as a result of this credit rating action, the associated regulatory disclosures will be those of the guarantor entity. Exceptions to this approach exist for the following disclosures, if applicable to jurisdiction: Ancillary Services, Disclosure to rated entity, Disclosure from rated entity.

The ratings have been disclosed to the rated entity or its designated agent(s) and issued with no amendment resulting from that disclosure.

These ratings are solicited. Please refer to Moody's Policy for Designating and Assigning Unsolicited Credit Ratings available on its website www.moodys.com.

Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating review.

Moody's general principles for assessing environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks in our credit analysis can be found at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1133569.

At least one ESG consideration was material to the credit rating action(s) announced and described above.

The Global Scale Credit Rating on this Credit Rating Announcement was issued by one of Moody's affiliates outside the EU and is endorsed by Moody's Deutschland GmbH, An der Welle 5, Frankfurt am Main 60322, Germany, in accordance with Art.4 paragraph 3 of the Regulation (EC) No 1060/2009 on Credit Rating Agencies. Further information on the EU endorsement status and on the Moody's office that issued the credit rating is available on www.moodys.com.

Please see www.moodys.com for any updates on changes to the lead rating analyst and to the Moody's legal entity that has issued the rating.

Please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for additional regulatory disclosures for each credit rating.

Tulay Sangiray Analyst Structured Finance Group Moody's Investors Service, Inc. 250 Greenwich Street New York, NY 10007 U.S.A. JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376 Client Service: 1 212 553 1653 Matthew Halpern VP - Senior Credit Officer Structured Finance Group JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376 Client Service: 1 212 553 1653 Releasing Office: Moody's Investors Service, Inc. 250 Greenwich Street New York, NY 10007 U.S.A. JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376 Client Service: 1 212 553 1653

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As its documented, horses have existed for the longest time and have constantly helped human beings for various purposes. It is known that there are more than 350 breeds of horses with each having their own unique traits and characteristics. However, here are five of the rarest horse breeds in the world that are still around for now.

1. AkhalTeke

Believed to be one of the oldest breeds of horses that exist, the Akhal-Teke is immensely popular for their eye-catching metallic sheen. A genetic mutation known as a dilution gene is actually responsible for the breeds extraordinary shiny coat, which has helped earned its nickname as Golden Horses. They are known to adapt to extreme climatic conditions and have a reputation for possessing three characteristics, namely speed, endurance, and diligence.

Its widely perceived that the tribes of Turkmenistan selectively bred these horses to refine their physical and aesthetic characteristics. In the past, this breed was used in wars and races. To this day, Akhal-Tekes are depicted on the official coat of arms and on banknotes that are made and issued within Turkmenistan. Additionally, the species is listed as threatened on the Conservancys Conservation Priority List (CPL).

2. Curly Horse

Known for their uniquely distinctive curly coat, the curlies are often referred to as Bashkir Curlies, American Bashkir Curlies, and North American Curly Horses.

The curlies are known for their calm and gentle personality. The origins of this horse breed has remained one of the greatest mysteries in the horse world, claims Carol Ann Baldwin, a board member of the American Bashkir Curly Horse Registry, according to Equitrekking.

Research done at UC Davis was able to identify that some of the genetic markers of the Curly can be traced to the distinct breeds of the Quarter Horse and the Morgan, Carol said. Other rare and unusual Curly horse traits that emerged from the UC research are found only in feral horses or in those breeds based on the feral herds.

Another unique characteristic that all horse lovers with allergies could note is that this breed is hypoallergenic for most.

A close-up shot of a Curly horses coat. (Penella22/CC BY 3.0)

3. Black Forest Horse

These gentle and beautiful horses are a light draft from the Black Forest of southwest Germany. Characterized by a dense golden tail and mane that covers both sides of its neck, this breed has immense strength and patience.

Possessing a rich chestnut-color coat, the Black Forest horse was mainly bred for work in agriculture and forestry, and its origins date back to 600 years ago. These horses are facing a decline in numbers and are considered endangered.

4. Mangalarga Marchador

The Mangalarga Marchador is the national horse of Brazil and is a product of a rich agriculture area. According to the International Museum of the Horse, the Mangalarga are very versatile and can perform a variety of tasks, which include management of large agricultural farms and cattle ranches and a number of nonspecialized sports. This breed of horse is well known for its keen intelligence, docile nature, undying stamina, and regal bearing. Additionally, the breed is smooth-gaited, with two natural intermediate speed-ambling gaits.

5. Sorraia

The Sorraia is one of the rarest horse breeds in the world. This ancient breed is indigenous to the region of the Iberian peninsula, in the Sorraia River basin, in Portugal. These intelligent species with Gullo color are known to have roamed in the wild area. These days, there are a couple of breeders and enthusiasts that are working to preserve the breed as there only a few hundred of them that exist now.

We would love to hear your stories! You can share them with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.nyc
Dublin, July 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Data Center Power Market in US- Industry Outlook and Forecast 2020-2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



In-depth Analysis and Data-driven Insights on the Impact of COVID-19 Included



The study considers the present scenario of the US data center power market and its market dynamics for the period 2019-2025. It covers a detailed overview of several market growth enablers, restraints, and trends. The report offers both the demand and supply aspect of the market. It profiles and examines leading companies and other prominent ones operating in the market.



The U.S. data center power market share is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 3% during the period 2019-2025.



South Eastern U.S. is one of the major contributors to the U.S. data center power market. With a power capacity share of over 40%, the region attracted high initial investments, especially Virginia, which witnessed over $1 billion in 2019. States such as Virginia, Arizona, Illinois, Nevada, California, Texas, Ohio, Tennessee, Iowa, and North Carolina have received significant investments in recent years. Colocation providers are the major investors, accounting over 50% share, with enterprises, hyperscale operators, and government entities contributing to the rest of the investments.



North America is likely to dominate the global data center power market with over 50 hyperscale development projects to be operational in the United States and Canada in the coming years. The U.S. market is likely to experience a rise in edge data center computing to deliver services with low latency and high efficiency. There is a significant rise in the number of data centers that run blockchain and cryptocurrency workloads across the U.S. market. These blockchain and cryptocurrency facilities consuming hundreds of megawatts of capacity. This is likely to boost the U.S. power market growth during the forecast period.



Growth Drivers



Increasing Procurement of Renewable Energy

Emergence of Nickel-Zinc & Prussian Blue Sodium-ion Battery UPS Systems

Use of Fuel Cells in Data Centers

Adoption of DC UPS Systems to Reduce Power Loss

U.S. Data Center Power Market Segmentation



This research report includes a detailed segmentation by power infrastructure, UPS systems, generators, tier standards, and geography.



The adoption of lithium-ion batteries is growing significantly during the forecast period as their price will continue to decline. Since most vendors are offering lithium-ion based UPS systems, the market is likely to become highly competitive during the forecast period. The U.S. generator market will continue to grow because of the construction of large and mega facilities. However, with growing concerns over carbon emissions, the use of diesel generators is expected to decline, thereby providing growth opportunities to natural gas generators. The growing complexity of data center infrastructure is propelling the growth of automated switchgear technology. With the increased construction of data centers across the country, the market for transfer switches and switchgears is also expected to grow during the forecast period. The adoption of rack PDUs supporting up to 20 kW will increase with the use of high-performance computing infrastructure in the United States.



Most data centers have a minimum of N+1 power redundancy configuration in their UPS systems in the South-Western U.S. A prominent vendor in the region procured UPS with Eco Mode designed flexibility to support up to 2N+1 redundant configuration. Several facilities in the Mid-western region are equipped with dedicated UPS systems with minimum N+1 power redundancy. Most UPS systems in the Western US are installed with a capacity of 500-750 kVA. Data centers facilities with below 10 MW of power capacity will commonly comprise 500 kVA of capacity per unit, whereas there are facilities with a power capacity above 10 MW that will comprise up to over 750 kVA UPS units in the North Eastern U.S. The application of < =500 kVA UPS systems will be higher among prefabricated and hyperscale operators in the United States. Vendors such as Delta, Mitsubishi, Schneider Electric, Eaton, and Vertiv have a strong presence in the market. These systems are used in data centers built across multiple data halls, supporting up to 3 MW of IT load capacity per hall.



Most data centers have a minimum of N+1 power redundancy configuration in their UPS systems in the South-Western U.S. A prominent vendor in the region procured UPS with Eco Mode designed flexibility to support up to 2N+1 redundant configuration. Several facilities in the Mid-western region are equipped with dedicated UPS systems with minimum N+1 power redundancy. Most UPS systems in the Western US are installed with a capacity of 500-750 kVA. Data centers facilities with below 10 MW of power capacity will commonly comprise 500 kVA of capacity per unit, whereas there are facilities with a power capacity above 10 MW that will comprise up to over 750 kVA UPS units in the North Eastern U.S. The application of < =500 kVA UPS systems will be higher among prefabricated and hyperscale operators in the United States. Vendors such as Delta, Mitsubishi, Schneider Electric, Eaton, and Vertiv have a strong presence in the market. These systems are used in data centers built across multiple data halls, supporting up to 3 MW of IT load capacity per hall.



A majority of under-developed projects across the US fall under the Tier III category. There were about 115 Tier III data center projects, which were opened and under construction in 2019. However, several operators are expected to shift to the Tier IV category based on the growth in rack power density and critical applications during the forecast period. There were over 15 Tier IV data center projects that either opened or under construction in 2019. All self-built hyperscale data centers are considered as part of Tier IV infrastructure. Southeastern US is dominating the US Tier IV data centers market, followed by other regions.



These facilities generate more revenue for the market, with focused investment on highly efficient power systems.



Segmentation by Power Infrastructure

UPS

Generators

Transfer Switches & Switchgears

Rack PDUs

Others

Segmentation by Generators

System Capacity

< =1MW

1-2MW

>=2MW

Segmentation by UPS Systems

System Capacity

< =500kVA

500-1,000kVA

>=1,000kVA

Segmentation by Tier Standards

Tier I & Tier II

Tier III

Tier IV

Insights by Geography



The US is the major data center operations market. Colocation and cloud service providers are the major contributions to the market growth. Over 130 projects were identified in the US, which is likely to be operational between January 2019 and June 2020. The South Eastern US is the major location, it accounted for over 40% of the market investment in 2019, and there are around 50 projects, which are opened and under construction between 2019 and June 2020. South Eastern is followed by Western US, Mid-western US, and the South Western US.



Segmentation by Geography

North Eastern US

South Eastern US

Mid-western US

South Western US

Western US

Insights by Vendors



The US data center power market is witnessing an increasing competition among power infrastructure providers. The market is becoming highly competitive as power solution providers are offering innovative products with maximum efficiency and reliability. Data center operators are more open to procuring energy-efficient power infrastructure solutions. Varied requirements of operators are prompting vendors to develop innovative products that reduce OPEX by up to 50%.



Key Vendor Profiles

ABB

Caterpillar

Cummins

Eaton

Schneider Electric

Vertiv

Other Prominent Vendors

AEG Power Solutions

Artesyn Embedded Technologies

Black Box Network Services (AGC Networks)

Bloom Energy (Fuel Cell)

Chatsworth Products

Cisco Systems

Controlled Power Company

Crenlo

Cyber Power Systems

Delta Group

Detroit Diesel

Euro-Diesel (KINOLT)

Fuji Electric

Genarac Power Systems

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)

Hitachi Hi-Rel Power Electronics

Hitec Power Protection

Hitzinger

Kohler (SDMO)

Legrand

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation

MTU On Site Energy (Rolls-Royce Power Systems AG)

Natron Energy

Panduit

Piller Power Systems

Pramac

Riello UPS

Rittal

Socomec Group

Toshiba

Virtual Power Systems

Yanmar Group (HIMOINSA)

ZAF Energy Systems

ZincFive

Key Questions Answered



1. What is the U.S. data center power market size and growth forecast?

2. What are the factors impacting the growth of the U.S. data center power market forecast?

3. What are the leading drivers, trends, and restraints in the data center power market in the US?

4. Who are the leading vendors and what are their market shares?

5. What impact the COVID-19 Pandemic has on the market?



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/8nf1tj

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.
Gangster Vikas Dubey was killed in an encounter on Friday morning after he reportedly tried to escape when a car in the Special Task Force (STF) convoy taking him from Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain to Uttar Pradesh's Shivli overturned in Kanpur.

He was wanted for the death of 8 policemen, and was carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh for information leading to his arrest. The gangster had been on the run since last Friday night when a police party, which had gone to arrest him from his house in Bikru village in the Chaubeypur area of Kanpur, was ambushed.

Here are some details about the late gangster Vikas Dubey:

Who Was Vikas Dubey?

Vikas Dubey was a notorious gangster and a prime accused in some 60 criminal cases in his lifetime, including murders. In 2001, Dubey allegedly shot down a BJP leader Santoh Shukla, after chasing him inside the Shivli police station in Kanpur Dehat. He was named in the FIR and had surrendered after six months but was acquitted four years later. Almost everyone gave statements in the gangster's favour.

When he was 20-years-old, Dubey was first dragged to the police station after he had beaten some men from another caste for allegedly insulting his father. However, local heavyweights intervened and got him released, without a case being registered.

Just a year later, in 1991, the first case was registered against him under section 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The very next year, in 1992, Vikas hit the headlines by murdering two Dalit men. This was the first case of murder against him, registered at the Chaubepur police station of Kanpur.

The gangster is also known for gunning down Sidheshwar Pandey, the principal of the Tara Chand Inter College in Shivli town. The sensational murder was committed over a land dispute.

How Were the 8 UP Policemen Murdered?

On last Friday, a large team of policemen who went to Dubey's Bikru village to arrest him in an attempted murder case. They were caught by surprise after firing from the rooftops, resulting in the deaths of eight policemen in the ambush set up after the gangster. Dubey was tipped off by a local police inspector and escaped with many of his men after the massacre.

Who Is Vikas Dubey's Wife?

Hours after the arrest of gangster Vikas Dubey from Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain, his wife, son and a servant were held by the Uttar Pradesh STF here on Thursday evening.

Vikas Dubey's wife Richa Dubey was arrested from her Krishna Nagar residence on Thursday evening by a team of the Special Task Force (STF) on charges of harbouring the gangster and conniving with him, police sources said. The gangster's son and a servant were also arrested, sources said.

Richa is said to have supported Dubey in his unlawful activities. She is allegedly the part of the conspiracy that led to the killing of eight policemen at Kanpur's Bikru village on July 3.

She had connected her mobile phone to a CCTV camera installed in their now-demolished house at Bikru village and kept an eye on the activities there even from her absence. Richa had gone missing immediately after the Kanpur ambush.

Why Was His House Razed?

The Uttar Pradesh district administration on Saturday demolished Dubey's house due to the deaths of eight police personnel being gunned down by criminals during an attempt to arrest him.

His mother, Sarla Devi, said she was "unhappy" after the razing down of the house of her notorious gangster son, a day after she urged police to shoot and kill him.

I am saddened by this action. It was our ancestral house. The house was built by my husband and father-in-law and not by my son Vikas Dubey. The administration could have demolished Vikass properties, not ours, Sarla Devi told ANI.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 10)  During the first day of implementation of the new back-riding policy, law enforcers will just warn, and not arrest violators, the Department of Local and Interior Government assured Friday.

"Sa ngayon po, mag-wa-warning muna ang ating kapulisan," Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said in a briefing.

[Translation: For now, police officers will just issue warnings.]

Cohabiting couples are now allowed to ride motorcycles together again, provided there is a protective shield between both riders, and they present proof they live together at quarantine control points or to law enforcers. Pillion riders may present documents such as marriage certificate or barangay-issued certificate proving they share the same address.

Officials said the protective shield could be like the prototype plastic shield proposed by Bohol Governor Arthur Yap, which appears to be unsafe, according to experts. But Malaya said the prototype was subjected to scrutiny by their own group of experts as well as the Land Transportation Office, and they do not see this as a possible safety concern.

Those who will be caught violating the protocols may already be arrested in the succeeding days, Malaya said.

The National Task Force Against COVID-19 will release within the day the official rules and regulations on back riding, the official added.

He noted that they may also allow family members to ride pillion, but this would depend on the situation on the ground.
Rating Action: Moody's assigns B1 rating to Calumet Specialty Products' senior secured notes

Global Credit Research - 09 Jul 2020

New York, July 09, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service (Moody's) assigned a B1 rating to Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P.'s (Calumet) proposed senior secured first lien notes due 2024. The existing ratings were affirmed, including the B3 Corporate Family Rating (CFR), B3-PD Probability of Default Rating and the Caa1 ratings on the existing senior unsecured notes. The Speculative Grade Liquidity Rating was downgraded to SGL-3 from SGL-2. The rating outlook is stable.

The proposed $200 million senior secured first lien notes are being offered as part of an exchange at par for $200 million principal amount of senior unsecured notes due 2022.

"Calumet's proposed debt exchange will extend the maturity of $200 million of notes, leaving $150 million of notes to be refinanced prior to the January 2022 maturity," stated James Wilkins, Moody's Vice President. "The company's leverage will be unchanged as a result of the exchange transaction."

The following summarizes the rating activity.

Downgrades:

..Issuer: Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P.

.... Speculative Grade Liquidity Rating, Downgraded to SGL-3 from SGL-2

Assignments:

..Issuer: Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P.

....Senior Secured First Lien Notes, Assigned B1 (LGD2)

Affirmations:

..Issuer: Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P.

.... Probability of Default Rating, Affirmed B3-PD

.... Corporate Family Rating, Affirmed B3

....Senior Unsecured Notes, Affirmed Caa1 (LGD4)

Outlook Actions:

..Issuer: Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P.

....Outlook, Remains Stable

RATINGS RATIONALE

The proposed senior secured first lien notes are rated B1, two notches higher than the B3 CFR, reflecting the secured notes higher priority claim on assets than borrowings under the unsecured notes. The secured notes have a first lien on substantially all the assets of Calumet and subsidiary guarantors other than assets securing the ABL revolving credit facility (accounts receivable, inventory, cash and the Great Falls refinery). Moody's believes the B1 ratings on the secured notes are more appropriate than the ratings suggested by Moody's Loss Given Default (LGD) methodology. The unsecured notes are rated Caa1, one notch below the B3 CFR, reflecting their lower priority claim on assets compared to the secured revolver and notes. Calumet's balance sheet debt (as of March 31, 2020, and pro forma for the proposed debt exchange), includes the secured ABL revolving credit facility, the proposed senior secured first lien notes and three existing unsecured notes issues totaling $1.0 billion.

Story continues

The rapid spread of the coronavirus outbreak, deteriorating global economic outlook, low oil prices, and high asset price volatility have created an unprecedented credit shock across a range of sectors and regions. Moody's regards the coronavirus outbreak as a social risk under its ESG framework, given the substantial implications for public health and safety. The affirmation of Calumet's CFR reflects the impact on the company of the deterioration in credit quality it has triggered, given its exposure to US refined products and specialty chemicals, which has left it vulnerable to shifts in market demand and sentiment in these unprecedented operating conditions.

Calumet's B3 CFR reflects its modest scale, elevated leverage and generally improving operating performance, but history of inconsistent free cash flow generation. The company generated negative free cash flow of $35 million in the first quarter 2020 when working capital was a large use of cash due to the sharp decline in oil and refined products commodity prices. However, Moody's expects that to be reversed as oil prices revert to higher levels and demand for refined products recover. The company has reduced its leverage (4.0x Debt to EBITDA as of March 31, 2020, including Moody's analytical adjustments) by retiring debt and open market purchases of notes as well as by growing earnings. Moody's expects Calumet to further improve profit margins, generate more consistent positive free cash flow and further improve its credit metrics. The company has been restructuring its operations through implementation of self-help projects, divesting non-core assets, and spending on opportunistic growth capital projects. In 2020, the company announced it is reviewing strategic options for its Great Falls, Montana refinery. The company benefits from geographic diversity of operations, a diverse customer base (no customer represents ten percent or more of revenues) and its numerous specialty products (some of which are recognized brands) offer exposure to diverse end markets.

Calumet's SGL-3 Speculative Grade Liquidity rating reflects its adequate liquidity profile, supported by availability under the ABL revolving credit facility, cash balances ($105 million as of June 30, 2020) and operating cash flow that should cover its capital expenditures. The company has inventory financing agreements related to its two largest refineries (Great Falls and Shreveport) that mature in June 2023. The asset based revolver commitments total $600 million and it had a borrowing base of $279 million, and availability of $140 million as of June 30, 2020, after accounting for outstanding borrowings and letters of credit. The borrowing base declined in the first half 2020 with the decline in oil commodity prices and will likely rise as commodity prices recover. However, the $99.6 million that was added to the borrowing base in October 2019 to reflect the fixed assets of the Great Falls, MT refinery amortizes on a straight line basis over ten quarters starting in the first quarter 2020.

The next debt maturity is the remaining $150 million of unsecured notes due in January 2022 and following that $325 million of notes are due in April 2023. The revolver has one springing financial covenant which currently provides that only if availability under the facility falls below the sum of the FILO loans plus the greater of: (i) 15% of the Borrowing Base (10% when the fixed assets of the Great Falls, MT refinery are no longer in the borrowing base); and (ii) $35 million, the company is required to maintain a Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of at least 1.0 to 1.0 as of the end of each fiscal quarter. The conditions for when the springing covenant is tested change upon the effectiveness of the revolver amendment.

The stable rating outlook reflects Moody's expectation that the company's earnings will improve as the US demand recovers and it will refinance the balance of the notes due January 2022 well before the maturity.

FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATINGS

The ratings could be upgraded if Calumet consistently generates positive free cash flow, maintains retained cash flow to debt above 10% and leverage (debt / EBITDA) consistently below 4x, and refinances the notes due 2022. The ratings could be downgraded if the company does not refinance its notes due 2022 well before the maturity date, it generates negative free cash flow, leverage is expected to be above 6x or liquidity declines.

The principal methodology used in these ratings was Refining and Marketing Industry published in November 2016 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1040610. Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.

Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P., headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, is an independent North America producer of specialty hydrocarbon products, such as lubricants, solvents and waxes, and fuel products. It is structured as a publicly traded Master Limited Partnership (MLP). Calumet operates two business segments: Specialty Products and Fuel Products.

REGULATORY DISCLOSURES

For further specification of Moody's key rating assumptions and sensitivity analysis, see the sections Methodology Assumptions and Sensitivity to Assumptions in the disclosure form. Moody's Rating Symbols and Definitions can be found at: https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_79004.

For ratings issued on a program, series, category/class of debt or security this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the same series, category/class of debt, security or pursuant to a program for which the ratings are derived exclusively from existing ratings in accordance with Moody's rating practices. For ratings issued on a support provider, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the credit rating action on the support provider and in relation to each particular credit rating action for securities that derive their credit ratings from the support provider's credit rating. For provisional ratings, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the provisional rating assigned, and in relation to a definitive rating that may be assigned subsequent to the final issuance of the debt, in each case where the transaction structure and terms have not changed prior to the assignment of the definitive rating in a manner that would have affected the rating. For further information please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page for the respective issuer on www.moodys.com.

For any affected securities or rated entities receiving direct credit support from the primary entity(ies) of this credit rating action, and whose ratings may change as a result of this credit rating action, the associated regulatory disclosures will be those of the guarantor entity. Exceptions to this approach exist for the following disclosures, if applicable to jurisdiction: Ancillary Services, Disclosure to rated entity, Disclosure from rated entity.

The ratings have been disclosed to the rated entity or its designated agent(s) and issued with no amendment resulting from that disclosure.

These ratings are solicited. Please refer to Moody's Policy for Designating and Assigning Unsolicited Credit Ratings available on its website www.moodys.com.

Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating review.

Moody's general principles for assessing environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks in our credit analysis can be found at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1133569.

At least one ESG consideration was material to the credit rating action(s) announced and described above.

The Global Scale Credit Rating on this Credit Rating Announcement was issued by one of Moody's affiliates outside the EU and is endorsed by Moody's Deutschland GmbH, An der Welle 5, Frankfurt am Main 60322, Germany, in accordance with Art.4 paragraph 3 of the Regulation (EC) No 1060/2009 on Credit Rating Agencies. Further information on the EU endorsement status and on the Moody's office that issued the credit rating is available on www.moodys.com.

Please see www.moodys.com for any updates on changes to the lead rating analyst and to the Moody's legal entity that has issued the rating.

Please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for additional regulatory disclosures for each credit rating.

James Wilkins Vice President - Senior Analyst Corporate Finance Group Moody's Investors Service, Inc. 250 Greenwich Street New York, NY 10007 U.S.A. JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376 Client Service: 1 212 553 1653 Steven Wood MD - Corporate Finance Corporate Finance Group JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376 Client Service: 1 212 553 1653 Releasing Office: Moody's Investors Service, Inc. 250 Greenwich Street New York, NY 10007 U.S.A. JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376 Client Service: 1 212 553 1653

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July 10 (Reuters) - Australia has granted provisional approval to Gilead Sciences Inc's remdesivir as the first treatment option for COVID-19 in the country, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) said on Friday.

The approval is for adults and adolescent patients with severe COVID-19 symptoms and have been hospitalised, the Australian regulator said. (https://bit.ly/2BWzAw7)

Remdesivir has become the treatment of choice for many countries against severely ill COVID-19 patients after the intravenously-administered medicine helped shorten hospital recovery times in a clinical trial.

The Australian approval broadens the use of remdesivir around the world - the United States has cleared it for emergency use and the European Commission has conditionally approved the treatment.

It is also approved as a COVID-19 therapy in Japan, Taiwan, India, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.

Australia has been struggling to contain a COVID-19 outbreak in the country's second most populous city and on Friday said it would halve the number of citizens allowed to return home from overseas each week.

(Reporting by Ankur Banerjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich)
Its getting easier for the pro-Brexit government in London to make good on its threat that the EU transition period will not be extended beyond 2020, no matter what the circumstances, including a no-deal Brexit.

Boris Johnsons government has less to lose, after German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, told the European Parliament last week to prepare for a No Deal scenario (but that the aim was for a good deal in the autumn).

In her speech to mark Germany taking over the EUs rotating presidency for six months, she repeated a warning she made a week earlier, on Germanys first day of the EU presidency, that the EU and Germany should prepare for the possibility of a hard Brexit.

The EUs chief negotiator on future relations with the UK, Michel Barnier, also advised EU businesses last week to step up their planning for a no deal scenario, when the UK leaves the Single Market at the end of 2020.

He said significant divergences remain in negotiations on a new EU-UK trade deal, but added, We will continue working with patience, respect and determination.

EU talk of a no-deal allows Prime Minister Johnson to fall back on such remarks later and paint a picture of the EU not being willing to negotiate.

There may even be some truth in it, because Brexit has fallen so far down the EUs priority list since Covid-19 arrived on the scene in the spring.

The full attention of EU leaders is now on a different set of negotiations, the talks among EU leaders over the European Commissions proposed 1.85 trillion budget-and-recovery package.

Merkel told the European Parliament that there was no time to waste on finding an agreement for the recovery fund, saying they needed it before the EUs summer recess.

EU leaders will meet tomorrow to try and thrash out a deal for the rescue package, which is based on raising money on the financial markets, and using debt shared by the member states for the first time.

But some northern European countries oppose having common debt with southern EU countries, such as Greece and Italy, so negotiations on the rescue package could be difficult, and may not be resolved before the autumn.

But if it is resolved , the EU could become even more complacent about Brexit.

Meanwhile, fighting the coronavirus on the ground remains the EUs other priority.

Both issues have deflected attention from Brexit.

In Brussels, London is no longer the biggest worry, and many EU leaders may find some consolation in not having the UKs Brexit demands uppermost in their minds.

In turn, many UK leaders may be looking forward to having the no-deal they want handed to them on a plate.

With EU leaders no longer seeming confident that a trade deal can be agreed with the UK, less blame would be attached to the UK government for a no-deal outcome, allowing them to get on with negotiating independent trade deals with non-EU countries (which would be difficult if the EU-UK transition period were extended).

The UKs Conservative government, with its majority of almost 80 votes, can welcome a Brexit no-deal as their opportunity to fundamentally restructure the UK economy. It could even be claimed as a boost to their poor performance against Covid-19, by enabling the UK to build resilience against pandemics through controlling borders and shoring up key local industries, while it intervenes and supports these businesses without EU interference.

Such political messages could allay public fears in the UK over the government compounding their current Covid-19 crisis by having a disorderly no-deal exit from the EU.

Maybe both sides privately think Brexit has caused enough trouble, and it is time to bite the bullet, rather than have yet another year of transition, on which a deal depends more with every passing day.

Deal, or no deal, there will be major adjustments on each side.

No deal means more than 1 billion in WTO tariffs in Irelands agri-food sector alone, and Ireland wants every effort made to avoid that eventuality, through negotiation.

But the Government in Dublin too is planning behind the scenes for a worst-case Brexit.

Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney has said the Government is reminding businesses which are focused on Covid-19 to ensure that our economy is as Brexit-ready as it possibly can be for all scenarios, including a no trade deal Brexit.

Even with a deal, the EU will need many changes in 2021 in goods and services, energy and legal co-operation, travel, and tourism.

How much worse would a no-deal scenario be, than having to deal with a UK government which hasnt even worked to implement the Northern Ireland protocol, the part of the Withdrawal Agreement which commits the UK to avoid the return of a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic?

At least, 2020 has given breathing space to advance Brexit preparedness.

This was evident from the recent Bord Bia Readiness Radar survey report.

In the survey of 128 Irish food, drink and horticulture companies, 91% said they had made progress in Brexit preparedness over the past 12 months.

However, 41% of those surveyed reported an increase in their sales to the UK over the past 12 months; 39% reported stable UK revenues; 55 were planning to grow sales in the UK, and the remaining 45% planned to maintain sales in the UK.

So a no-deal would be a huge let-down for our food exporters, and all who depend on them.

It could be even worse news in Northern Ireland, where many business organisations say their businesses cannot deal with a no trade deal Brexit on top of the Covid-19 crisis.

First things first: the real threat of a no-deal Brexit makes progress this week on EU negotiations of the 1.85 trillion budget-and-recovery package even more important.
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Linkedin -- (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 10, 2020 08:03 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406654041e 1 Business startup,e-commerce,Southeast-Asia,Indian,Indonesia,COVID-19 Free

India-based tech start-up Perpule has launched its online marketplace service, Perpule E-Commerce+, to help offline retailers in Southeast Asia to shift to an online platform and mobile application, as part of its market expansion strategy.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the company announced it aimed to grab 20 percent of the e-commerce market share in the region with the launch, including in countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam.

We are very excited to be present in Southeast Asia and we will do our best to ensure that retailers have a successful journey in going online, Perpule CEO and cofounder Abhinav Pathak said in a statement.

He added that the company would focus on retailers in the electronics, fashion, food and beverage, and groceries sectors.

Pathak said retailers were among those most-affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and that it aimed to help retailers continue operating during the ongoing health crisis. In Indonesia, the coronavirus has infected more than 70,700 people as of Thursday afternoon, while also disrupting business activities as citizens are told to stay at home to slow the spread of the virus.

The start-up estimated that the retail market in Southeast Asia was worth more than US$700 billion, and with the pandemic propelling e-commerce adaptation, the industry is predicted to grow 25 percent this year.

Publicly listed retailer Matahari Department Store welcomed the expansion while stating that it was currently doing a project with Perpule.

The Perpule platform has been built with the right focus to support the needs of growing modern retail, and we see it being used widely in all our stores in the future, Matahari Department Store chief financial officer Niraj Jain said in a statement.

Perpule claimed it would be able to help retailers migrate to the online platform within seven to 15 days.

The platform will be equipped with enterprise resource planning (ERP) and point of sales (POS) solutions, as well as a payment gateway and customer loyalty program. (eyc)
China has warned its citizens living in Kazakhstan of a local "unknown pneumonia" which, it said, has a "much higher" fatality rate than the COVID-19 disease, prompting the Central Asian country to dismiss it as "fake news."

The "unknown pneumonia in Kazakhstan caused 1,772 deaths in the first six months of the year, including 628 people in June alone", the Chinese embassy in the central Asian country said in a statement on its WeChat platform on Thursday, adding that the fatalities also included Chinese citizens.

However, Kazakhstan has dismissed as "fake news" the warning put out by the Chinese embassy.

The fatality rate of the disease is much higher than COVID-19," state-run Global Times quoted the embassy's statement on Friday.

Many organisations including Kazakhstan's health department are studying the "virus of this pneumonia", the embassy said.

There has not been any indication whether this disease is related to the COVID-19.

Some Chinese experts said that measures should be taken to prevent the pneumonia from spreading into China.

Reacting to this, Kazakhstan's health ministry termed the Chinese embassy statement as "fake news."

"The information published by some Chinese media regarding a new kind of pneumonia in Kazakhstan is incorrect," Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post quoted the ministry as saying.

It said its tallies of bacterial, fungal and viral pneumonia infections, which also included cases of unclear causes, were inline with World Health Organisation guidelines. "The information published by some Chinese media regarding a new kind of pneumonia in Kazakhstan is incorrect," the ministry said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing here that, We would like to get more information. China hopes to work with Kazakhstan to fight the epidemic and safeguard the public health," he said.

Kazakhstan borders China's northwest Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

The embassy is reminding the Chinese citizens in Kazakhstan to raise their awareness of measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

It quoted local media as saying that since mid-June, almost 500 people have been infected with the pneumonia in three regions of Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan's healthcare minister on Wednesday said that the number of patients sickened by the pneumonia is two to three times more than those who have been infected with the COVID-19, the report quoted Kazakh media as saying.

The minister said that it has planned to publish accurate tallies of confirmed cases as early as next week, noting that while it is not necessary to publish the number, the public needs to know the true situation, Kazakh international news agency Kazinform reported.

Kazakhstan has reported 51,059 cases of COVID-19, including 264 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University's coronavirus resource centre.

The US and many countries have accused China of hiding the COVID-19 data from the world.

However, China has denied covering up the extent of its coronavirus outbreak and accused the US of attempting to divert public attention from the pandemic that has hit America, which is the worst-hit nation.
When the Supreme Court voted 5-4 in June Medical Services, LLC v. Russo to strike down a Louisiana law requiring abortionists to have hospital-admitting privileges, it dealt a blow to the pro-life movement. However, while disappointing, this was not a decision that sends us packing our bags, said Louisiana Right to Life executive director Benjamin Clapper.

In Clappers view, the decision actually gained lost ground for the pro-life movement, as Chief Justice John Roberts concurrence, which controls as precedent for the lower courts, eviscerated the balancing standard established by Whole Womans Health v. Hellerstedt, a case involving a similar admitting-privileges law in Texas.

The chief justice returned us to the Planned Parenthood v. Casey standard, where its the question of whether theres a substantial obstacle to the undue-burden test, he said.

Clappers hope is strengthened by the Courts decision to vacate and remand the case of Box v. Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky, Inc. last week, involving an Indiana ultrasound and parental-consent law that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit had struck down as unconstitutional using the Hellerstedt decision.

The Indiana law is breaking ground that Casey didnt even address with parental consent, Clapper said. So, thats certainly a hopeful new day that really, we believe, brings us back to pre-2016, when Hellerstedt was decided.

In his concurrence, Roberts wrote that while he believed Hellerstedt, a case in which he dissented, had been wrongly decided, the Court was bound by precedent to strike down the Louisiana law.

While the chief justice has historically taken an incremental approach to chipping away at wrongly decided precedents, Chelsey Youman, Human Coalitions Texas state director and national legislative consultant, said we would argue that when a precedent is wrongly decided and you have the chance every five, maybe ten years to correctly decide that case, thats what should be done.

Story continues

Senator Ben Sasse (R., Neb.) called the decision plain terrible jurisprudence in a statement to National Review.

SCOTUS got this decision wrong by yet again trying to do footsie-politics. If the Court cares about preserving its legitimacy as a non-political institution, it shouldnt make decisions based on how its judgments will be perceived politically, the pro-life senator said.

Roberts has proven a wild card, siding with the liberal justices in the June Medical decision and in blocking the Trump administrations attempt to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, as well as in a case that prohibited employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

I think [the decision] is awful for conservative jurisprudence and I think for every pro-life American, Roberts is out, said 40 Days for Life co-founder, CEO, and president Shawn Carney.

Hes absolutely useless. Its not that hes a disappointment, its that no one respects him and this decision confirmed that.

Roberts wavering loyalties have underscored the importance of both the vetting process in Supreme Court nominations and the upcoming 2020 presidential election.

Its important for (potential nominees) to have had drafted opinions on these issues and have published opinions on these issues so that we understand exactly where they stand when ultimately appointed, Youman said of the vetting process.

President Trump does an incredible job of vetting justices, she added, a sentiment echoed by many in the pro-life movement who are pleased that President Trumps justices, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, have held to a conservative viewpoint in June Medical and other cases.

One or two more seats in the next four years would be exactly what the movement needs to really ensure that Roe v. Wade is ultimately overturned, she said.

March for Life president Jeanne Mancini stressed the importance of reelecting President Trump in November, as well as electing pro-life legislators, saying this is the single most important election when it comes to pro-life issues.

For pro-lifers who know that culture is upstream of policy and that our biggest goals are to change hearts and minds and to create a culture where abortion is unthinkable, we also know that legislation and laws prescribe to people what is ethical and they influence culture, Mancini said.

According to a May 2020 Gallup poll, 24 percent of registered voters said a candidate must share their views on abortion, while 50 percent said abortion was one of many important factors and 25 percent of respondents said it was not a major issue.

The onus is really on Congress to take back Roe v. Wade, Youman said. The responsibility falls squarely on our legislators shoulders, thats why its so important to vote for our legislators on this issue specifically because we dont have to wait a lifetime  its been 47 years since Roe v. Wade was decided  to overcome it, we can simply pass the right legislation.

In the meantime, the movement has other cause for optimism: abortion rates are at an all-time low, pro-life support is high  47 percent of Americans say abortion is morally wrong and 9 percent say morality depends on the situation  and only 587 Planned Parenthood clinics remain open, down from a peak of 938 in the mid 90s.

I think its hard to see sometimes the moment youre in, said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony List. We are in the arc of history on abortion in the pro-life movement and very close to what is a beautiful story within some really difficult stories about the direction of the country.

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BALTIMORE and PRINCETON, N.J., July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As economic uncertainty due to COVID-19 continues to impact businesses across the country, a new report commissioned by trade credit insurers Euler Hermes, Coface and Atradius found that a lack of support for the trade credit insurance (TCI) industry could disrupt the stability of millions of businesses across the U.S. The report outlines the importance of trade credit insurance to the economy, the significant cutbacks in TCI coverage that the COVID pandemic has caused, and the reasons why government support for the TCI industry is vital to the continuity of economic activity. The report conservatively concludes that in the absence of a government response, the cutbacks in coverage will inhibit $46 billion in additional production and the creation of approximately 155,000 U.S. jobs at supplier firms, with additional effects on downstream buyers.

Euler Hermes, Coface and Atradius are the world's three largest trade credit insurers, representing about 60% of the market in the U.S. Last month, the three companies formed a working group to educate the public and the U.S. government on the essential role trade credit insurance plays in supporting U.S. businesses and the economy at large.

Statement from James Daly, CEO of Euler Hermes North America, Oscar Villalonga, President and CEO at Coface North America, and Gordon Cessford, President and Regional Director for North America at Atradius:

It is not often that you see the main players in a single industry, typically competitors, come together for a common purpose of public interest. That purpose, we believe, is to provide an additional layer of economic security to the businesses that rely on credit insurance. We've come together to raise awareness about the important role our industry plays in the strength of the economy and in the hopes that we can work with the United States government, as other countries across the globe have, to ensure that trade credit insurance continues to deliver vital support to the American supply chain.

The Role of Trade Credit Insurance in the U.S. Economy

In the U.S., companies rely on trade credit insurance, which covers non-payment of accounts receivable, to support their trading operations. With $600 billion in business-to-business transactions covered each year, trade credit insurance plays a vital role in protecting businesses and jobs in times of crisis. Without this safety net, companies would not be able to sustain production levels or expand their sales, resulting in supply chain disruption and significant damage to the U.S. economy.

More than 60% of TCI customers in the U.S. are small- and medium-sized businesses, and TCI is an integral part of their credit management strategy. TCI customer Doug Konop, CFO at Pacific Northwest lumber wholesaler Specialty Forest Products, says: "I look at credit insurance as a strategic advantage, not only for our company but for our industry as a whole. Recovery is only going to go quicker if everyone extends more credit."

Credit insurance also provides an important source of capital for businesses. Coverage from a well-rated credit insurer makes a business's receivables more valuable. Banks will typically advance 70-80% toward domestic receivables. When covered by TCI, they will loan up to the 90% indemnity amount due to the carrier bearing the risk of the asset. On a million-dollar line of credit, this means a business has access to as much as $100K in additional working capital  funds that can make the difference between laying off workers or continued growth.

Proposing a Partnership with the U.S. Government

In the face of economic uncertainty, credit insurers are forced to scale down their coverage, notably in higher-risk sectors. This hinders the ability of TCI customers to safely offer credit terms or maintain adequate cash flows, significantly reducing liquidity in the U.S. supply chain. This is happening now, and the problem will only continue to compound, as the COVID pandemic has already forced the TCI industry to cut back its insurance coverage by 14% since year-end 2019.

With less TCI coverage, insured companies will be less likely to meet rising demands for their goods and services from buyers  manufacturers and retailers  as demand picks up. The report conservatively concludes that the TCI coverage cutbacks will inhibit $46 billion in additional production and the creation of approximately 155,000 jobs among supplier firms in the absence of a government response.

These adverse effects can be avoided. The report proposes a temporary government quota share reinsurance program, in which the U.S. government would partially share the non-payment risk of TCI customers with the TCI industry. Under the proposal, TCI insurers would continue marketing, undertaking and paying claims for TCI policies, but the government would reinsure a percentage of the losses from the risk of buyer non-payment. This type of program draws on best practices from similar approaches that have already been adopted or are under consideration in other G-7 countries.

For more information, the full report can be accessed here: https://www.econone.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/A-Strong-Recovery-Requires-a-Healthy-Trade-Credit-Insurance-Industry.pdf.

Euler Hermes is the global leader in trade credit insurance and a recognized specialist in the areas of surety, collections, structured trade credit and political risk. Our proprietary intelligence network analyses daily changes in corporate solvency representing 92% of global GDP. We give companies the confidence to trade and be paid. We compensate your company in the event of a bad debt, but more importantly, we help you avoid bad debt in the first place. Whenever we provide trade credit insurance or other finance solutions, our priority is predictive protection. But, when the unexpected arrives, our AA credit rating means we have the resources, backed by Allianz to provide compensation to maintain your business. Headquartered in Paris, Euler Hermes is present in 50+ countries with 5,800 employees. In 2019, our consolidated turnover was 2.9 billion and insured global business transactions represented 950 billion in exposure.

For more information, please visit: eulerhermes.com .

Coface: for trade

With over 70 years of experience and the most extensive international network, Coface is a leader in trade credit insurance and adjacent specialty services, including Factoring, Single Risk insurance, Bonding and Information services. Coface's experts work to the beat of the global economy, helping ~50,000 clients build successful, growing, and dynamic businesses across the world. Coface helps companies in their credit decisions. The Group's services and solutions strengthen their ability to sell by protecting them against the risks of non-payment in their domestic and export markets. In 2019, Coface employed ~4,250 people and registered a turnover of 1.5 billion. www.coface.com

About Atradius

Atradius provides trade credit insurance, surety and collections services worldwide through a strategic presence in more than 50 countries. Atradius has access to credit information on over 240 million companies worldwide. Its credit insurance, bonding and collections products help protect companies throughout the world from payment risks associated with selling products and services on trade credit. Atradius forms part of Grupo Catalana Occidente (GCO.MC), one of the leading insurers in Spain and worldwide in credit insurance. Learn more at atradius.us .



SOURCE Euler Hermes; Atradius; Coface

Related Links

http://atradius.us


CHICAGO, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Protective Clothing Market by Material Type (Aramid & Blends, Polyolefin & Blends, Polyamide, and PBI), Application (Thermal, Chemical, and Visibility), End-Use Industry (Construction, Manufacturing, Oil & Gas, and Mining) - Global Forecast to 2025", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Protective Clothing Market is projected to reach USD 12.3 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 6.9% from USD 8.8 billion in 2020.

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Stringent regulations pertaining to the safety of personnel in developed economies is expected to drive the protective clothing market. Government authorities in the developed economies are increasingly concerned over the health and safety of the workers. Many government regulations and standards compel the end-use industries to provide protective clothing to the workers working under hazardous conditions. For instance, according to the 2010 memorandum of the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), it is mandatory for the workers in the oil & gas industries to wear heat- and flame-resistant clothing. It also requires the workers at construction sites to wear high visibility safety apparels, as they are exposed to either traffic or moving machinery. The increasing demand for protective material drives the market of advanced protective clothing.

Aramid & blends is the largest segment of the protective clothing market.

The aramid & blends segment is estimated to lead the protective clothing market, in terms of value, in 2020. The demand for aramid & blends is fueled by the increasing use of protective clothing for industrial safety & protection. The use of aramid fibers in the military grade equipment and protective gears is increasing, thus, driving the protective clothing market growth over the forecast period. The dominance of the aramid & blends segment is attributed to its ability to provide high tensile strength and durability with thermal, chemical, and radiation resistance.

Manufacturing is estimated to be the largest end-use industry segment of the protective clothing market during the forecast period.

The manufacturing segment is estimated to be the largest end-use industry of protective clothing during the forecast period. The selection of the material type for protective clothing to be used in the manufacturing industry depends on the desired application and performance. The use of such clothing helps to reduce the risk of on-job injuries and casualties. The growing infrastructural development and rising construction activities in the developing nations are likely to boost the growth of the protective clothing market during the forecast period.

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North America is estimated to be the largest market for protective clothing during the forecast period.

North America is the largest protective clothing market and is expected to continue dominating the global market during the forecast period. The market is largely driven by the increased awareness for safety and regulations that mandate the usage of protective clothing in various industries. Apart from the major producers, small companies are also focusing on developing advanced protective clothing that is used in making safety gloves and jackets. The market in North America is largely driven by innovation. The players in the protective clothing market are focusing on developing innovative products to widen their product portfolio and offer advanced products.

The key market players profiled in the report include as 3M Company (US), E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (US), Ansell Limited (US), Kimberly Clark Corp (US), Teijin Limited (Japan), Sioen Industries (Belgium), and Lakeland Industries, Inc. (US).

Related Reports:

Chemical Protective Clothing Market by Type (Aramid & Blends, PBI, Polyamide, Cotton Fibers, Laminated Polyester, Polyolefin & Blends, UHMW Polyethylene, and Others), End-Use Industry (Construction & Manufacturing, Oil & Gas, Healthcare/Medical, Firefighting & Law Enforcement, Mining, Military, and Others), & by User Type (Industrial, and Personal) - Global Forecast to 2020

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/chemical-protective-clothing-market-91519958.html

Personal Protective Equipment Market by Type (Hands & Arm Protection, Protective Clothing, Foot & Leg Protection, Respiratory Protection, Head Protection), End-Use Industry (Manufacturing, Construction, Oil & Gas, Healthcare) - Global Forecast to 2022"

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/personal-protective-equipment-market-132681971.html

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Bahrains High Criminal Court requested five years in prison for five officials of a local bank suspected for involvement in a money laundering case in connection with three Iranian banks.

The officials from Future Bank are also fined a million Bahraini dinars ($2.65 million) each.

The court ordered the confiscation of the funds transferred by the banks involved in the money laundering case.

Future Bank reportedly carried out thousands of international financial transactions for Iranian entities that are allegedly implicated in funding terrorism or which are under international sanctions, allowing these entities to avoid organizational auditing.

The financial institution operates under the supervision of two Iranian banks.
Robert Hughes once explained his reasons for leaving Australia by saying that if hed stayed, he would have ended up as the world expert on Tom Gleghorn. It wasnt a swipe at one particular artist so much as an airy dismissal of Australian provincialism, but it left me with a lingering impression of Gleghorn as the apogee of narrow local attitudes.

Its not fair and its not true, but its amazing how a one-liner can become wedged in ones mind more effectively than volumes of art history. Its also a warning about taking someones name in vain just for the sake of a joke.

Artist Tom Gleghorn and his gallery director wife, Elise, in his studio in 1965. Credit:Fairfax Media

He may have used Gleghorn as a negative example but Hughes couldnt deny the extraordinary prominence the artist had attained by the early 1960s. In his book The Art of Australia, published in 1966, the critic had to take a punt on those contemporaries who would stand the test of time, and Gleghorns claims could not be denied.

Five decades later, at the age of 95, Gleghorn is still hard at work, although nowadays hes unlikely to be first choice for the Sydney Biennale. Homeward Bound: The Art and Life of Tom Gleghorn is a compact survey put together by guest curator Scott Bevan for the Newcastle Art Gallery. During the lockdown, the show has been accessible on a video link that enables the viewer to move around the gallery, pause in front of pictures and zoom in for a close-up. It is, however, much better to see the actual works.
A group of 30 US Senators and 136 Congressmen -- all from the Opposition Democratic Party -- has urged the President Donald Trump-led administration to reverse its order that bars international students from staying in the country if they do not have in-person classes to attend next semester.

In separate letters to Acting Secretary, Department of Homeland Security, Chad Wolf and Acting Secretary, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Matthew Albence, the lawmakers expressed concern over the ICE's recently announced modifications to the Student Exchange and Visitor Program (SEVP).

In its July 6 order, the ICE declared that nonimmigrant F-1 and M-1 students attending schools operating entirely online or taking only online courses will not be permitted to take a full course load and remain in the United States.

The modifications also limited many students at normally operating schools from taking more than one class or three credit hours online in order to remain in the country.

"ICE's announcement of their plans to force out or deport international students who remain at U.S. colleges and universities and who are taking a full online course load is cruel and unconscionable," wrote the Senators.

"These students are already in the United States, are established members of educational communities, and have been determined through the visa screening process to pose no danger to the United States," it added.

The letter, signed by Senators Robert Menendez, Cory Booker and Indian-Origin Senator Kamala Harris among others, expressed concern that the ICE's guidance is motivated not by public health considerations, but rather by animus towards non-citizens, immigrants and is a flagrant attempt to hold international students hostage in order to force schools to reopen even as COVID-19 cases are rising.

In the 2018-2019 academic year, there were over a million international students in the US. "We call out this policy for what it is: a cruel, senseless, and xenophobic attempt to use non-citizens as political pawns in order to financially coerce colleges and universities to reopen campuses this fall, despite what is best for public health," the lawmakers continued.

"This policy is dangerous to the health and well-being of numerous communities," they said. The House letter is co-led by Congresswoman Linda Sanchez, Higher Education and Workforce Investment Subcommittee Chairwoman Susan Davis, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, and Immigration and Citizenship Subcommittee Chairwoman Zoe Lofgren.

Observing that the students and schools are facing unprecedented challenges, the letter said that ICE's announcements only add to these burdens, and potentially put more students at risk.

The ICE's SEVP exemptions for the spring and summer semesters permitting students to take more online courses than usually permitted was sensible given the risks of the pandemic.

"The administration should consider the wisdom of these earlier exemptions and cease the finalisation of their modifications," the Congressmen wrote in the letter.

"These modifications have also not thought out the practical challenges of remote learning for international students," said the letter.

Students who must move a continent away or to the other side of the world will have to participate in online classes in time zones hours apart from where they are located, which could have detrimental effects on their education, health, and livelihood.

Other students may return to regions where internet connectivity needed to participate in online classes is inadequate, leaving them unable to receive the full value of the education they are paying for, the lawmakers said.

For some students, being forced to leave the country may lead them to leave the school permanently and fail to receive a degree into which they have put so much time, effort, and tuition dollars, they continued.

"This will also deprive universities of needed revenue at a time of great financial stress, straining resources for the students who remain at schools and make it harder for those with financial challenges to meet. Moreover, forcing students to leave in short order will place financial burdens on them. Many have housing or automobile leases that they cannot break, or other financial obligations in the United States," the Congressmen wrote.

The loss of international students, according to the letter, only serves to isolate them at a time when they need the support of their faculty and classmates.

"This policy sends a message to international students that they are not welcome in the U.S and disregards their well-being and the well-being of student bodies. These modifications will only further disincentivise international students from coming to the U.S where they enrich campus life and our society through their talents and contributions," they said.

The letter is supported by the University of California, Advancing Justice, South Asian Americans Leading Together, Central American Resource Center, Empowering Pacific Islander Communities, National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA) and Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, among many other groups.
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Imo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic PartyPDP has faulted the state Governor, Hope Uzodinma over his claim that eight pensioners in the state received Three Hundred and Thirty million (N330m) as pension in the state.

A statement signed by the Acting Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Ogubundu Nwadike and made available to The Agenda Online accused the Governor of not saying the truth on pensions verification in the state.

Below is the full statement

The attention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) , Imo State Chapter has been drawn to the allegations attributed to Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State by some sections of the media that eight pensioners are masterminds of pension fraud in the state and that they have been receiving N330 million as pension annually. He listed the names of the purported pension fraudsters and the specific amounts each of them has been receiving to justify his spurious claims. Uzodinma also alleged that retired Judges have been receiving over a million Naira each month as pension,and that 1000 pensioners who retired as far back as 1976 still earn pension entitlements while a former SSG, Osuigwe who had died long ago is still being paid pension.

Although our great party is accustomed to Uzodinmas barrage of propaganda, disinformation and mischievousness, we have nonetheless decided to respond to the above accusations understanding that they are mischief-prone targeted at maligning Rt..Hon Emeka Ihedioha-headed PDP RebuildImo Administration pension reform regime applauded by a wide spectrum of Imolites as the best pension scheme in the history of the state. Our reaction has therefore become imperative to set the records straight and to underpin the inherent frivolities in Uzodinmas vague allegations.

Accordingly, we are inclined to make the following submissions:

(1) When Uzodinmas statement is juxtaposed with the evidence-based, verifiable and unassailable rebuttal by Sir Chime Alilele, former executive chairman, Imo State Pensions Commission in the Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha-headed RebuildImo Administration, our great party and indeed Imolites are left without any iota of doubt that Senator Uzodinmas claims are a cocktail of lies, dishonesties and misrepresentations

(2) It is therefore incontrovertible that this is yet another false alarm deliberately fabricated by Uzodinma administration to defame the immediate past Rebuild Administration of Ihedioha in order to score cheap political points

(3)The overt discrepancies in the numbers Uzodinma himself made available to the public, arising from his inability to compute accurately mere arithmetical figures further underscores the flawed nature of his allegations. The specific amounts claimed by Uzodinma that represent the yearly entitlements each of the accused pensioners receive do not add up to the N330m lump sum claim that the pensioners have been embezzling annually. For instance, accurate addition of the figures Uzodinma supplied that each of the eight pensioners receive amount to a total of N114.5m, conflicting clearly and embarrassingly with his claim of N330m fraud.

(4) Sir Alilieles reliable report that only four out of the eight persons Uzodinma listed were verified in the database of the Imo Pension Commission under Ihedioha-headed Rebuild Administration further underscores the fiction, falsehoods and logical contradictions in Uzodinmas claims

(5) Contrary to Uzodinmas allegation that the eight listed persons receive annual pension of N330m, Aliliele disclosed in his verifiable, irrefutable and incontrovertible report that only N5,086,219.20 is paid to them on annual basis, leaving a curious gap of over N324m.

(6)Governor Uzodinma deliberately misled the unsuspected Imolites and other members of the public by giving the erroneous and malicious impression that the Rebuild Imo Administration pension reform regime approved the following absurdities: Unlawful pension entitlements to retired Judges, resulting in some of them earning over a Million Naira in a month, payment of pension to late SSG, Osuigwe and to 1000 pensioners who retired in 1976 when Imo was founded. The truth as affirmed by Aliliele which can easily be cross-checked is that there wasnt a single pensioner who retired in 1976 in the database of the Pension Commission during the Rebuild Imo Administration and late SSG, Osuigwe was never verified at that time as a pensioner. Besides, all the retired Judges monthly pension entitlements were below N1m.

(7) The refutation on the social media of Uzodinmas claims by Canice Obasi, one of the pensioners alleged by the government to be involved in the pension fraud speaks volumes of Uzodinmas fallacies on the matter. Canice debunked governments claims that he has been receiving annual pension of N3,360, 366.64, clarifying that what he has been getting annually is N1,524,399.64. Similarly, Damian Njoku, another pensioner, linked by Uzodinma with the pension fraud received monthly pension of N5,022.76 during the RebuildImo administration as against the N5,042,439.58 annual payment he was falsely accused. Emenalo Theresa, who Uzodimma stated was getting N3,058,592.00 annually as pension, was not a verified pensioner in the State.

(8) Its self-evident from these false claims that Senator Uzodimma deliberately and characteristically decided to deceive Imolites in order to delude them into believing that his insensitive and avaricious government means well for them.

(9) It is on record that for the seven months that the PDP RebuildImo administration was in office, the pension system was restored and made functional with Imo pensioners seamlessly and happily receiving five months pensions through the e-banking alerts services. Chief Aliliele captured it succinctly when he submitted that everything about Pensions was straightened out by the Ihedioha administration, including initiating the process for Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), which was the main reason for setting up Imo State Pension Commission.

(10) Therefore, in the interest of Imolites and our teeming senior citizens who have been passing through excruciating times since Uzodinma took over as Governor given the government sustained failure to pay their entitlements, our advice to Uzodinma is to build and draw on the revolutionary revamp pension scheme instituted by Ihediioha, in so doing, offsetting the backlog of pension arrears instead of this resort to blackmail and wicked propaganda

Signed:

Ogubundu Nwadike,

Ag. State Publicity Secretary,

Imo PDP.

July 8, 2020.
Te Mana o Ngati Rangitihi Trust (Te Mana) has completed its negotiations with the Crown to comprehensively settle historical claims for breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi by the Crown on behalf of Ngati Rangitihi uri.

Trustees of Te Mana and the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little initialled the Deed of Settlement in Parliament, on Thursday, in the presence of Ngati Rangitihi representatives, including kaumatua and rangatahi.

The initialling of the Deed of Settlement is the end of negotiations and signals the start of the ratification process  an iwi-wide voting process where adult registered members of Ngati Rangitihi will have the opportunity to have their say on whether or not to approve the settlement package.

Te Mana Chairman Leith Comer says the journey to settlement for Ngati Rangitihi spans more than a decade.

While we have been in direct negotiations with the Crown since 2015, we acknowledge all those Ngati Rangitihi claimants who submitted Waitangi Tribunal claims for Te Tiriti o Waitangi breaches by the Crown  those who have passed on, and those who are still with us.

While we are living with the consequences of the losses and mamae today, it is our tipuna who were there when land was lost and who suffered directly. Our mokopuna will benefit from the settlement if it is approved, but we must not forget those that started the journey for us.

I thank our team of Negotiators and Trustees who have pushed hard to negotiate the settlement for our people. I thank all our Ngati Rangitihi members for their support over the years, which has enabled us to get to this point.

Leith says, if approved, this settlement will help achieve a number of aspirations for the Iwi.

It will enable the return of lands that are culturally and spiritually significant to us, and it acknowledges our important role as kaitiaki of our whenua and awa.

The Deed of Settlement includes an Historic Account, Crown Acknowledgements of how and when it breached Te Tiriti, and the Crowns Apology.

It sets out the return of culturally significant lands, relationship agreements with Government agencies, and an entity to restore and protect Tarawera Awa (with $500,000 of funding), as well as Financial Redress of $11.3 million.

Te Mana will receive $4 million plus interest in addition to the interest in forest lands valued at $7.3 million that were part of the 2008 Central North Island Forest Lands Collective Settlement (CNI).

Ngati Rangitihi and Crown representatives at the Initialling ceremony.

Letih urges all Ngati Rangitihi descendants to register with Te Mana.

This is a critical point of our settlement journey and we want all our whanau to have the opportunity to have their say by voting on this significant kaupapa.

Voting on the Deed of Settlement will take place from 24 July to 23 August 2020. There will be a series of Information Hui held in Matata, Hamilton, Rotorua, Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch where members will have the opportunity to ask questions on the settlement package negotiated.


Geoffrey Berman, then-acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, speaks during a news conference in New York on April 23, 2019. (Mary Altaffer/AP Photo)

Ousted Federal Prosecutor Tells Lawmakers That AG Barr Repeatedly Pressed Him to Resign

The former federal prosecutor who refused to step down from his role after being replaced told lawmakers that Attorney General William Barr repeatedly pressured him to voluntarily resign from his role before he was eventually fired from the job.

Geoffrey Berman, the former U.S. Attorney for Southern District of New York, testified before the House Judiciary Committee in a closed-door hearing on Thursday. In a prepared statement (pdf) provided by Berman to lawmakers, the ousted prosecutor recounted how Barr repeatedly attempted to urge him to step down in order to make way for Jay Clayton, who is currently the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, to ascend to the position.

Berman said on June 19 he was summoned to Pierre Hotel in New York for a discussion with Barr. During the 45 minutes, Berman said he repeatedly rebuffed Barrs attempts to change his mind about resigning by offering him other positions in the federal government, including the head of the Justice Departments Civil Division and the chairmanship of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

I said that there was no job offer that would entice me to resign from my position, Berman told lawmakers, according to the statement.

He said he resisted the attorney generals attempts because there were important investigations in the office that I wanted to see through to completion.

At the time, Berman was leading the prosecution against sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, before Epstein committed suicide in jail. He was also probing several people who were once close to Trump, including Michael Cohen, Trumps former lawyer, and Rudy Giuliani, the presidents current lawyer.

Berman said during that meeting, Barr had warned that if he did not resign from his position, he would be fired. Barr added that getting fired from my job would not be good for my resume or future job prospects, Berman said in his statement.

The former attorney said following the meeting he consulted his personal attorneys in the event that he was fired from his post, saying that he was prepared to challenge his dismissal.

Berman was eventually removed from his post the next day following a public clash with Barr. The attorney said that he learned about his resignation from an announcement on the evening of June 19. Berman responded to the announcement in a statement saying that he had no intention of leaving his position until a presidentially appointed nominee is confirmed by the Senate.

Barr then sent a letter to Berman the next day saying that he was surprised and disappointed by Bermans statement and that he had asked the president to fire Berman. He also said in the letter that Deputy U.S. Attorney Audrey Straus will take over the job until a permanent successor is in place.

With that concession, and having full confidence that Audrey would continue the important work of the Office, I decided to step down and not litigate my removal, Berman said in his statement to the committee.

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Geoffrey Berman speaks during a press conference in New York City, N.Y., on Oct. 10, 2019. (Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images)

The Epoch Times reached out to the Justice Department for comment on Bermans statement.

Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), chairman of the Judiciary Committee, told reporters following the hearing that he was unsure whether the attorney generals conduct was criminal but he felt that his actions were awfully close to bribery.

Barr faced intense scrutiny by Democrat lawmakers following Bermans dismissal, which also prompted suggestions that House Democrats were considering initiating an impeachment inquiry against the attorney general. The attorney general is scheduled to appear before the House Judiciary Committee on July 28 to testify over a range of issues including the firing of Berman.

The attorney general had previously defended his decision to dismiss Berman from his role, saying that it was simply a personnel action.

The president had never made an appointment to that office. Geoffrey Berman was interim. He was appointed by the court as a temporary U.S. attorney holding the fort. He was living on borrowed time from the beginning. And when a really strong, powerful candidate raised his hand, that is Jay Clayton, currently the chairman of the S.E.C., a prominent New York lawyer from Sullivan and Cromwell, very well-known and highly regarded, an independent, and he said that he was prepared to leave the government, was going back up, wanted to go back up to New York but very much would desire this job, I view that as an opportunity to put in a very strong person as a presidential appointment to that office, Barr told NPR in an interview in June.

Barr added that when making the decision he was aware that some might find the move inappropriate but he felt that it was actually a good time to do it because I was not aware of anything that would suggest there would be an ulterior motive behind the move.

Berman said in his statement that he told Barr that he knew and liked Jay Clayton but he felt that Clayton was an unqualified choice for U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York because he was never an AUSA and had no criminal experience.
There may be many cases where theres a Native American who had committed a crime on Indian lands, or Indian Country under the Major Crimes Act statute, that is in jail or prison and would want to challenge that conviction, McBride said.

But they have to weigh how long is that going to take and if I get retried in federal court is the federal sentence potentially going to be worse than what Im serving already?  McBride said.

Many could find  they are rolling the dice and they could lose big if they go for another trial, he said.

The state of Oklahoma claimed in Supreme Court filings in Murphys case that thousands of cases would be subject to being overturned if the court ruled against the state, McBride said.

They really backed off of that (claim) in the McGirt case. McBride said. It appears there are considerably (fewer cases) than that.

A law passed in 1996 by Congress greatly limited post-conviction appeals in federal court to one year, he said.
Ferrari and Mercedes have been warned about a breach of the strict coronavirus measures in force for the back-to-back races in Austria.

While most of the paddock remained in their 'bubbles' between the first and second race weekends, it emerges that Charles Leclerc and Valtteri Bottas each travelled back to Monaco earlier this week.

"I was tested twice before returning," Leclerc, who was photographed out for dinner with his girlfriend and another person without wearing a mask, insists.

And Bottas is quoted by Finnish media: "It makes no difference if I stayed here with the team or returned home. In terms of safety, there is no difference at all."

However, an FIA spokesman insisted: "We have issued a warning.

"Any further breaches will be referred to the stewards."

(GMM)
The operators of Woronora Village Tourist Park, Heathcote Tourist Park and Sheralee Tourist Caravan Park said they had not been contacted by the health ministry saying they were affected. Loading Sydney Tourist Park in Miranda did not return phone calls. "I thank him for coming forward. That is excellent that he came forward, and I encourage others in a similar situation [who] may have come from Victoria or Melbourne particularly to make sure you are on high alert because we in NSW are on high alert," Mr Hazzard said. "We want you to get tested  and it is crucial you do  because otherwise you will be the instrument of seeding or one of the possible instruments of seeding here in NSW."

The woman, from south-west Sydney, and the man, from the Blue Mountains, are not otherwise linked, NSW Health said. Crossroads Hotel told patrons on Facebook it had "temporarily closed" for deep cleaning but looked forward to welcoming them back soon. Local resident Michelle Smith, 55, had lunch with friends at the pub on Thursday and while she saw staff wear gloves and take extra hygiene measures, she said no one took her contact details down when she walked in. However, one of her friends made a booking under their name. She said the pub had been busy "as it is normally" and she felt "shocked and annoyed" by the news. "I've got no symptoms but I might drive to the testing clinic and ask," she said. "I hope they improve their cleaning practices."

Community tests misplaced Meanwhile, 77 swabs from community tests in Balmain and Rozelle have gone missing, with Mr Hazzard urging people who were tested in the area to undergo another test. People living in Balmain and Rozelle were on high alert last week after a man in Melbourne flew to Sydney and tested positive for COVID-19 after working for two days at Balmain Woolworths. Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant and Mr Hazzard at today's press conference. Credit:Brook Mitchell "Those 77 [tests] have been misplaced in the rush to get so many tests done so quickly, but they also ask for you to come back and get retested, and I would obviously ask for that as well," Mr Hazzard said.

"Please come back. On behalf of NSW pathology, I'm sorry about that. "But I think everybody understands this is like a war. There is a lot happening every day; a lot of people under massive pressure. I won't point the finger at anybody. "Obviously, from time to time, human error will occur. That's normal, it's a human system. A human or humans made a mistake and that's all I'm going to say, except to say I'm not condemning them. "I'm asking them to continue to work the enormous hours they've been working and thank them for the work they have done." Mr Hazzard also said anybody one who has travelled to NSW from Victoria should return home if possible.

Loading "I would ask you at this point to consider packing up your caravan, packing up your tent or what else you have, and head home to Victoria," he said. "Your government has put in place very strict guidelines and rules. It is not helpful to be out of that environment if you were in that environment." NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said the man in the caravan made the trip very quickly and had minimal contact on the way to Sydney. "It is just the person he is with [who is] in the caravan and one or two other contacts that we are now exploring," Dr Chant said.

Mr Hazzard refused to rule out the state only being open to returning NSW residents in the future. He said the government was particularly conscious of the challenges Victorians, and Melburnians in particular, are facing. "Certainly, we want to see the citizens of Melbourne and Victoria comply with their state laws and our laws. Effectively, they just shouldn't be coming here." It comes as national cabinet agreed to cut the number of international arrivals by just over half across all airports to ensure the risk of COVID-19 infections from the hotel quarantine system can be properly managed. Prime Minister Scott Morrison also announced a nationwide review of hotel quarantine, to be run by former secretary of the federal Health Department, Jane Halton, who sits on the COVID-19 co-ordination commission.
The monk is now a tough administrator and his measure for measure policy gets amplified as and when his personal or the governments image is threatened.

Highly conscious of his image that he has cultivated brick by brick in three years, his day starts with a meeting with senior officials of the information department. By then, he has read most of the prominent dailies.

Perhaps Swami Chinmayanand , one of the architects of the temple movement, may have lots to share, whom many believed Yogi would bail out because of the saffron they wear.

Though the opposition still accuses the government of going soft on Chinmayanand, the latter has much to complain about. Another former BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who mustered some initial support in the administration, too, was abandoned to fight a legal battle.

The fact remains Yogi will not compromise his governments image. He will spare none; he will dump old associates without a wink of his eyelid if they are wrong. No doubt, many now dub him ruthless.

Take for instance, the dreaded gangster Vikas Dubey. He couldnt have grown his empire without political patronage.His pictures with political leaders, including a former chief minister and present ministers, had gone viral while the UP police were chasing him ever since he murdered eight cops.

But the growing criticism of his government escalated the police action against Dubey. Yogi gave one weeks time to the state director general of police to nab him  dead or alive. The incident took place on July 3 last and Vikas Dubey surrendered on July 9.

Obviously, he surrendered after all help from his resources and sources were snapped by the government the friendly cops were suspended while others turned hostile, his close associates were gunned down. Eventually, he surrendered for his life, knowing Yogi wont spare him now.

The fact is on the eve of Dubeys surrender, the chief minister was personally monitoring the actions on the ground, keeping in touch with his Madhya Pradesh counterpart. The state police, too, were collaborating with cops of four adjoining states.

And now Yogi has relaunched his campaign against gangsters, demolishing the empires of Mukhtar Ansari, Atiq Ahmad in east UP and Sundar Bhatti and Sushil Moonch in west UP. In his last campaign against criminals, colloquially dubbed thoko drive, about 100 criminals were gunned down, all having rewards on their heads. Questions were raised on the encounters  fake or real.

Dubeys surrender before the expiry of the seven-day deadline, and on the day when the Prime Minister had a one-hour interaction with the NGOs of his constituency, won Yogi much appreciation for his administration in handling the Covid-19 pandemic.

And this is not the first time. Earlier, also the Prime Minister had publicly lauded Yogi when he had said, Whoever shows courage in crisis gets success. What you have done is an example for the world. The Prime Minister had then compared UPs 24 crore population, equal to four European countries, and the number of Covid deaths.

While the opposition does not spare him for his alleged communal face or acts, he brazenly follows his Hindutva agenda. He does not brook criticism  anti-CAA protestors are facing the music for  damaging government property and some media personnel have been booked in cases.

Although some BJP MLAs are also critical of him for not entertaining personal requestshe has turned down requests from union ministers too  Yogi has succeeded in demolishing  power centres  in the party.

However, when it comes to PMO or BJP leadership, he is all eyes and ears.

Barely three years back, when Yogi had taken over as the chief minister of the most volatile state, people had raised eyebrows as he had no administrative experience, though he had been an MP for several terms till then.

The opposition, as well as experts, had then quipped, Running a math is different from running a state. His saffron robes and his religious practices were discussed. But after three years in office, it is his 18-hour work schedule that has overshadowed everything.

He performs duties of the monk before people wake up- at 4 am, followed by yoga. His fitness routine also has a brisk walk in the evening. No doubt, hard work has yielded dividends - among BJP chief ministers he is rated the best- and is a star campaigner in elections next to the Prime Minister.
He now says his restaurants might reopen before theres a vaccine, though its dependent on diners wanting to return. We had a fire drill last week because we thought the city was going to move into Phase 3, which would permit you to serve at 50%, Meyer says. It was the act of recruiting the team and going through spring training. When its safe enough, we have the proper protocols, but what is going to drive this is consumer demand and people knocking down our doors.
Ghana will maintain its existing protocol despite the World Health Organisations (WHO) new definition of the mode of transmission of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Patrick Kumah-Aboagye, has maintained.



According to the WHO, there was new evidence that suggested that the virus was airborne and could spread through the air.



However, responding to a question on the new classification by the WHO in Accra yesterday, Dr Kuma-Aboagye has said the new classification would not compel Ghana to change its safety protocol.



Rather, he stated it would help the country to beef up means of responding to the safety measures instituted by the service and the government.



We will not change protocols, whether airborne or not, as long as you strongly abide by the existing protocols by wearing the mask and keeping distance from each other the likelihood of contracting the virus is low, Dr Aboagye added.



He noted that the fast spread of the disease could be related to how people flouted the protocols and urged them to strongly adhere to it.



The virus, Dr Kuma-Aboagye observed was complicated and could not be seen which makes it necessary for the WHO to constantly update the world on the nature of the coronavirus to enable countries secure means in containing its spread.



The WHO on Tuesday acknowledged evidence emerging of the airborne spread of the novel coronavirus, after a group of scientists urged the global body to update its guidance on how the respiratory disease passes between people.



The WHO Committee member, Prof Benedetta Allegranzi said evidence on airborne transmission was emerging but was not definitive.



She explained that the possibility of airborne transmission in public settings, especially crowded places, poorly ventilated settings could not be ruled out.



However, the evidence needs to be gathered and interpreted and we continue to support this, Prof Allegranzi added.



The WHO has previously said the virus that causes the COVID-19 spreads primarily through small droplets expelled from the nose and mouth of an infected person that quickly sink to the ground.



Any change in the WHOs assessment of the risk of transmission could affect its current advice on keeping one metre of physical distancing.





Source: The Ghanaian Times









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On Arms Control Negotiations with China

Press Statement

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July 9, 2020



The United States welcomes China's commitment to engage in arms control negotiations. As such, prudent next steps will need to include face-to-face meetings between the United States and China. The Special Presidential Envoy for Arms Control, Ambassador Marshall Billingslea, will invite the Chinese government to join in good faith negotiations in Vienna, Austria. The United States also recommends that China meet with Russia at an early date to consider next steps for trilateral arms control negotiations. We will all bring different perspectives and objectives to the negotiating table and will surely have disagreements. But it is time for dialogue and diplomacy between the three biggest nuclear weapons powers on how to prevent a new arms race.

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Koalas left destitute after fire and flood destroyed 22 per cent of their wildlife park have returned home with a new family member in toe in one of the most telling signs of the bush springing back from the dead.

Jed, Yellow, Scully, Billa and Gulu were removed from the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve in the ACT after blazes from Australia's summer of hell killed about 800 million wildlife.

The five koalas - with a new addition to the family - returned to their habitat on Thursday after a six-month stint at the Australian National University.

The five koalas - with a new addition to the family - were returned to their habitat from Australian National University on Thursday

The heartwarming moment was captured on footage which showed the koalas scrambling to get out of their cages and back to their old stomping grounds.

One koala quickly crawled over to a tree and began to make its way up its branches so it could begin munching on some leaves.

The marsupials were enjoying their time exploring their home and discovering the new additions that had been made during the rebuild.

Twenty-two per cent of the park had been damaged during the bushfire season.

The new joey, which hasn't been named, was born in March and is still a bit shy in her new surroundings.

Wildlife carer Dr Sarah May said the young marsupial was remaining put in her mother Yellow's pouch but that the other koalas were happy to be home.

'She's going to poke her head out in a couple of months, they poke their heads out at around five, six months, and that's when we'll start to know whether it's a boy or a girl' she told Nine.

Minister for the Environment and Heritage Mick Gentleman encouraged Canberrans to visit the animals in their home.

'The koalas have a new member joining their family, with the Tidbinbilla wildlife team finding a joey in Yellow's pouch. We expect the little joey to emerge from the pouch in a few months' time ready for warmer weather,' he said.

'The koalas were returned in good health to Tidbinbilla in late February and have been housed behind the scenes in secluded enclosures while the team refurbished the public display enclosure in the Eucalypt Forest.

Jed, Yellow, Scully, Billa and Gulu were removed from Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, ACT, blazes that killed an estimated 800 million wildlife

'The upgrades include new "furniture" in the form of trees and logs for the koalas to enjoy. There's also new clear fencing, a viewing platform and seating to better allow visitors to experience these iconic critters.

'Tidbinbilla's first foray into threatened species conservation began with the introduction of koalas in 1939. The current family of koalas were introduced following the devastating 2003 bushfires, which wiped out all-but-one koala later named "Lucky".'

He thanked ANU for caring for the koalas over the summer.

Other animals are slowly being returned to the park following the rebuild to a fifth of the park.
Mexico has surpassed Iraq and Afghanistan to become the world's second-most deadly conflict zone after Syria, according to a study of wars around the globe.

The number of fatalities from the expanding war among Mexico's criminal cartels grew to 23,000 in 2016, compared with 17,000 in Afghanistan and 16,000 in Iraq, according to the annual Armed Conflict Survey by the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

That level of bloodshed was all the more surprising, because "Mexico is a conflict marked by the absence of artillery, tanks or combat aviation," IISS director general John Chipman said in remarks at the survey's launch in London on Tuesday. Virtually all of those deaths were caused by small arms.

The largest number of fatalities occurred in Mexican states that have become "key battlegrounds for control between competing, increasingly fragmented cartels," he said, with violence flaring as gangs try to clear areas of rivals so they can monopolize drug trafficking routes.

The Middle East in general and Syria in particular remained the most lethal regions on earth, with the nearly six-year-old-Syrian conflict claiming a further 50,000 lives. That brings the total number of deaths during the civil and proxy war to an estimated 290,000, almost three times the number killed in Bosnia, in the early 1990s.

Sub-Saharan Africa was a relative bright spot, with the number of deaths in war falling by more than a third since last year. Overall, the number of people killed in armed conflicts around the world fell slightly last year to 157,000, from 167,000 in 2015. Yet the figure remains high compared with the previous decade and the number of civilians displaced by war continued to rise, according to the survey.

Chipman and the report's authors were downbeat about the prospects for reducing these levels of violence on several counts.

One is that conflicts are becoming more urban, with siege warfare increasingly common, according to the survey. That's especially true in Syria, where that approach proved brutally effective for the regime of President Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo.

A second reason is that as new conflicts emerge, old ones tend not to get resolved but rather subside into a "simmering" state, capable of boiling over again at any moment. Chipman cited Turkey's more than three-decade-old battle with the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, which exploded again last year into an urbanized insurgency that killed 3,000 people. That was the highest annual death count from the conflict since 1997, and a dramatic increase from near peace of recent years. The low-level war in Eastern Ukraine also looks like falling into this "simmering" category, Chipman warned.

A further cause for concern is that even though the Islamic State terrorist organization lost a quarter of its territory and a higher proportion of its fighters last year, the toll on civilians is likely to increase as the group returns to more traditional insurgent tactics, rather than try to hold territory as a conventional army, according to the IISS.

Finally the main tool available for the international community to try to reduce bloodshed -- the $8 billion-a-year United Nations peace-keeping forces -- are increasingly overstretched and ineffectual, said Mats Berdal, of King's College London.

Peacekeeping has become overly ambitious, focused on preventing civilian casualties and peacemaking since the genocides in Rwanda and Srebrenica in the 1990s, rather than just policing ceasefires and political settlements, according to Berdal. The U.N. is also by its nature too politically riven to carry out effective military operations, he said.

"There are real limits to how you can make a U.N. peacekeeping force effective," said Berdal, citing the varied and often poor quality of troops, as well as the U.N.'s lack of real disciplinary control over them. He recommended the number and ambition of blue helmet missions should be scaled back, and that the UN refocus on the diplomacy of securing political settlements.
PLANS by Glanbia Ireland for a 140m new cheese manufacturing facility in Co Kilkenny have been approved by An Bord Pleanala following an appeal against the development by An Taisce.

The board upheld Kilkenny County Council's planning permission for the country's largest milk processor to build a continental cheese manufacturing plant in the IDA's Belview Science and Technology Park near the Port of Waterford.

The project is being developed by JHOK Ltd, a joint venture between Glanbia Ireland and Dutch dairy group Royal A-Ware.

The company plans to develop a Dutch-style cheese production facility on a 10-hectare site next to an existing Glanbia milk processing plant in Belview.

An Taisce had objected to the development on the basis of the impact of the proposed plant on milk supply given the adverse environmental impacts of bovine agriculture.

The organisation claimed any increase in Irish dairy production was untenable as it would affect water quality and result in a loss of biodiversity.

An Taisce said an increase in the national dairy herd to facilitate the supply of the 450 million litres of milk needed annually to serve the proposed development would also have a negative impact on greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.

An Bord Pleanala said the indirect impact on climate from the production of 450 million litres of milk was expected to be offset by the increased efficiency of the existing dairy herd.

An inspector with An Bord Pleanala noted it was national policy to allow a modest increase in dairy farming.

The board was also satisfied that the proposed factory would not adversely affect the integrity of protected EU habitats once mitigation measures were followed.

It acknowledged the development also had potential positive impacts for regional employment and the economy.

Glanbia Ireland is a joint venture 60pc owned by a co-op of farmers and 40pc owned by Glanbia .

Welcoming the An Bord Pleanala ruling, Glanbia Ireland said it would create a new route to market for the milk from its network of 4,500 family farms and diversify its portfolio of consumer products and ingredients as part of a Brexit mitigation strategy.

JHOK expects the plant, which will employ about 80 people, will produce approximately 40,000 tonnes of continental cheeses in "Euro blocks" (13-15 kg) annually as well as 11,500 tonnes of value added cheeses in sizes varying from 250g to 3kg across two production lines.

The company hopes that the plant will open by the end of 2022. It expects around 400 jobs to be created during its construction.

The plant will operate on a 24/7 basis across three shifts for 40 weeks of the year, closing down for 12 weeks during the winter months.
KABUL, Afghanistan - Last summer, an Afghan police commander invited me to his post for tea - and to view his "beautiful" boy sex slave.

I stumbled through a farm of chest-high opium poppy stocks to reach his mud-and-wattle outpost on the outskirts of Tarin Kot, the capital of southern Uruzgan province that is teetering in the face of a Taliban upsurge. On its open roof, a slight teenager sat next to his hulking captor, stealing sad glances at me as he quietly filled our tea glasses. A shock of auburn curls jutted out of his embroidered pillbox hat and his milky eyes were lined with kohl. The commander flaunted him the way a ringmaster exhibits an exotic animal. "See my beautiful bacha (boy slave)," he said, blithe and casual, a gun dangling at his side.

The commander, an ally of the United States in the war against the Taliban, is not an anomaly. Hundreds of such outposts of the Afghan Local Police (ALP), a front-line force armed and funded with U.S. taxpayer dollars, and other pro-government militias are believed to have enslaved young boys for dancing and sexual companionship, many of them kidnapped.

Freedom from the Taliban's puritanical regime in 2001 also brought freedom to do "bacha bazi," the cultural practice of sexual slavery and abuse of boys who are often dressed effeminately and whose possession is seen by Afghan strongmen as a marker of power and masculinity.

As the United States sinks deeper into the Afghan quagmire, preparing to send additional troops into a seemingly endless war, it is glossing over this hidden but pervasive abuse of children by its local allies. U.S. tolerance of this egregious inhumanity sends out the message that it is acceptable for U.S.-backed forces to keep child sex slaves.

It also has strong security implications. I reported last year how the Taliban are exploiting entrenched bacha bazi to infiltrate Afghan security ranks, effectively using child sex slaves - many of them brutally abused and hungry for revenge - as Trojan Horses to mount deadly insider attacks.

Institutionalized bacha bazi, described as culturally sanctioned male rape, is likely to continue unabated in the absence of any real deterrent. The United Nations has called on Afghanistan to urgently adopt legislation to criminalize bacha bazi and swiftly prosecute state officials guilty of the practice.

One senior official in Uruzgan described bacha bazi as an addiction worse than opium, saying commanders compete - and sometimes battle - one another to snatch pretty boys. Many prowl neighborhoods for boys "who have not seen the sun for years," a cultural euphemism for unblemished beauty.

Last year when I unearthed a kidnapping epidemic of boys, it was disturbing to see local authorities pussyfooting around the issue and using security to rationalize their inaction. On the surface, President Ashraf Ghani has vowed zero tolerance for bacha bazi in security forces. But multiple officials in southern Afghanistan told me that any action against guilty commanders - a bulwark against insurgents - would anger them and cause them to abandon their posts with their loyalists, paving the way for the Taliban. There is therefore no desire to recover or rescue the innocent victims whose lives have been upended by this practice.

To completely understand this perverse logic, imagine an American sheriff with pedophilic proclivities openly snatching children - and instead of rescuing the victims and bringing the sheriff to justice, the administration pandered to his criminal behavior and justified letting him keep his job.

This heartless apathy explains why the commander I met was so shockingly blase about keeping a sex slave. No senior official has ever been prosecuted for bacha bazi; the commander probably knows that he, too, will escape punishment.

Afghanistan has also become a living tapestry of institutionalized abuse on Washington's watch. As the conflict unspooled over 16 years, abusive strongmen were propped up to fight insurgents - from unruly militiamen sowing tyranny in their fiefdoms to torturers in military uniforms.

Buttressing abusive allies is a strategy best described as fighting fire with fire, which is pushing Afghanistan deeper into instability and chaos.

Security is a legitimate concern, but turning a blind eye to crimes such as bacha bazi amounts to a serious contravention of America's Leahy amendment, which bans U.S. assistance or training to foreign military units that fail to honor basic human rights.

The United States needs to deploy the leverages at its disposal in a country heavily dependent on it for aid to end this overriding culture of impunity. Additional troops and financial assistance must be contingent upon urgent reform and prosecution of abusers.

To win in Afghanistan, America cannot afford to lose its humanity.

---

Chopra is the outgoing Kabul bureau chief of Agence France-Presse (AFP). His next posting for AFP will be Riyadh. He tweets at @AnujChopra.
Weve all heard the argument that Apple iPhones update quickly because Apple controls both hardware and software. With the hundreds of unique devices that run Android, its very difficult to have this same speed and effectiveness of major updates  not to mention, the vast differences of software that OEMs offer. Google has been able to push many updates through Google Play Services, even if devices are no longer receiving major OS updates.

In a Google Developers Blog post, its revealed that Android 10 was the quickest adopted Android version ever. Of course, it didnt happen overnight. Google gradually introduced new practices over the past few years to speed up the update process for OEMs while also testing newer version of Android much earlier through Developer and Public Beta programs for Google Pixels, and other OEMs.

In Android Oreo, Google introduced Project Treble, which modulated the core Android OS seperate from OEMs skin customizations. This sped up Android Pie adoption by 2.5X compared to Oreo. Every smartphone that came with Android Oreo was compliant with Treble.

Then with Android Pie, Google launched a Developer Preview program with other OEMs so that pre-Beta builds could be tested across more smartphone models prior to release. This sped up Android 10 adoption by 1.5X compared to Pie.

With Android 10, Googles Project Mainline made it possible to update critical apps and elements of Android via Google Play. This is what Google used to update 2 billion devices with the Exposure Notification API that was developed for contact-tracing COVID-19.

Google Pixel 4 XL running Android 10

Android 11 has 7 OEMs participating in its Developer Preview program with a variety of hardware for testing. Seamless Updates were introduced in Nougat and has been a bit slow to adopt since it requires double the amount of storage reserved for the OS. Updates would install in the background on a separate OS partition and applied at the next reboot. A new form of this is called Virtual A/B which does the same thing while requiring less storage to be reserved for the OS. Google will require OEMSs to implement Virtual A/B with devices running Android 11 to make OTA updates as frictionless as possible.

is currently on its second Public Beta build after a full round of Developer Preview builds. As per Googles own Smart Home presenter, Android 11 should be ready for official rollout on September 8.

Source
95-year-old academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering Cui Kun and his wife, Zhu Huinan, donated another 4 million yuan to aid university students from poor families, raising the total donation amount to 10 million yuan ($1.4 million), according to central Chinas Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), on July 8.

(Photo/Hubei Daily)

Beginning in 2020, the money will be used to fund university students from 133 impoverished families over the course of five years. Each student will receive 6,000 yuan a year.

The academician expressed hope that the money could help the students finish their studies. He also encouraged them not to give up on learning due to financial difficulties.

(Photo/Hubei Daily)

Known for leading a frugal life, the couple, both professors at HUST, initiated a stipend to help excellent undergraduates from poor families early in 2013. So far, the program has benefited 312 students.

(Photo/Hubei Daily)
The higher education



department on Thursday objected to the advisory of the central government, asking universities and other academic institutions to compulsorily conduct final-year examinations by September-end



In a letter to the HRD ministry, Principal Secretary of Department of Higher Education and School Education Department, Manish Jain, urged it to re-examine the matter in the interest of the physical/mental well-being of students amid the present COVID-19 situation.

Jain said the state should be allowed to implement its own decision by not making the revised MHRD guidelines mandatory.

"Mentioning statements like final-term examinations should be compulsorily conducted as per the revised guidelines of UGC, by the Ministry of HRD vide its letter dated 6th July, is only against the spirit of the federal structure enshrined in the Constitution, as education is placed in the concurrent list, and the state was never consulted by UGC despite sending a request for consultation with respect to framing of such guidelines..." the letter said.

With the current trend of rise in COVID-19 cases since April, "we are not sure whether the situation will be conducive for the conduct of offline examinations by September in a vast country like India," it said.

Considering a vast section of students are still deprived of net connectivity as well, it will not be appropriate to hold online exams, Jain said.

In view of the "unforeseen, uncertain and challenging situation when educational institutions are being used as quarantine centres" and due to restrictions on rail movement and cyclone Amphan damages, had issued an advisory for universities, giving due weightage to internal assessment and performance of candidates in previous semester to ensure transparency, the letter said.

"The students, their parents and other stakeholders have overwhelmingly appreciated the advisory," Jain added.

According to a revised guideline issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC), students unable to appear in final-year in September will get another chance, and universities will conduct special "as and when feasible.

(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.)
What should you do if you spot a dog locked in a car and are worried it is overheating? (Getty)

Its well known that leaving dogs in cars can kill them, with new research suggesting its a risk all year round rather than just in the summer.

But when it comes to helping potentially save a dogs life if you spot it locked in a car, do you know you what you should do?

Heres everything you need to know if you see a poorly pooch trapped in a vehicle:-

Who should you contact?

First check the animals health and condition to see if theyre suffering from heatstroke. If they are youll need to call 999 straight away.

The RSPCA says: In an emergency, we may not be able to attend quickly enough, and with no powers of entry, we'd need police assistance at such an incident, so urges people not to be afraid to dial 999.

Dogs can die in cars all-year round, new research has suggested. (Getty)

Along with panting, signs of heatstroke in dogs include red or dark gums and tongue, confusion and unsteadiness, diarrhoea, vomiting and agitation.

If the dog isnt showing symptoms of heatstroke, try to establish how long it has been in the car, the RSPCA advises, possibly by checking any pay and display ticket in the car.

If youre at a shop, venue or event, ask staff to make an announcement to try to find the owner, or you could try asking a manager if there are officers or places of employment nearby.

Read more: Dog found brain-damaged after being left in boiling hot car in US

Try to get someone to stay with the dog to keep an eye on their condition and call 999 if necessary.

Make a note of the cars registration. Even if the owner comes back, if you think the situation was dangerous you can report the incident to the police.

You can call the RSPCAs 24-hour cruelty line for advice on 0300 1234 999 but if the dog is in danger, you should always dial 999.

The RSPCA says people shouldn't be scared to dial 999 if they see a dog in a car and are concerned. (Getty)

Should I smash the car window?

If the situation becomes critical, most peoples instinct will be to break into the car, the RSPCA says.

But the charity warns that if you do so it could technically be classed as criminal damage.

In its advice about dogs in hot cars, it instructs people to make sure they tell the police what they plan to do and why, as well as taking pictures or videos of the dog and names and numbers of witnesses.

Story continues

The law states that you have a lawful excuse to commit damage if you believe that the owner of the property that you damage would consent to the damage if they knew the circumstances (section 5(2)(a) Criminal Damage Act 1971), it adds.

Read more: RSPCA reveals pet owners' most shocking excuses for leaving their dogs in hot cars

Last year ex-policeman Al Moore was praised for smashing a car window when he found a dog inside it in 22C heat in Fakenham, Norfolk.

At the time Norfolk Police said: The dog had been taken out of the car by a member of the public. The owner was given advice, when they returned, on not leaving dogs in hot cars.

What's the punishment for leaving a dog in a hot car?

In the UK, its not actually illegal to leave your pet unattended in a vehicle.

However, it is against the law to mistreat or abuse an animal in your care.

That means that leaving your dog in a hot car could be classed as neglect under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and you could be fined.

If your dog dies as a result of you leaving it in a car, you could be charged with animal cruelty.

You could be charged with animal cruelty if your dog dies in a hot car. (Getty)

But isnt it just a problem in summer?

Apparently not. Researchers have warned that leaving dogs in parked cars can be potentially dangerous all year round, even in the winter when outside temperatures are low.

A study by dog welfare experts at Nottingham Trent University found temperatures inside cars are hot enough throughout the year to pose a risk to dog health.

The researchers monitored internal temperatures of cars in the UK without dogs inside every day for two years.

They found temperatures could exceed 25C  high enough to cause some breeds to overheat  in every month of the year,

The team also found the highest internal temperatures in vehicles occurred between 4-5pm, and exceeded 35C between April and September.

Read more: Firefighters rescue cockerpoo left locked in shopping centre car park for more than hour in sweltering heat

Dogs need to pant to control their body heat in over 35C but in enclosed vehicles panting can be harder for because of humidity and lack of air movement.

Based on their findings, recently published in the Open Veterinary Journal, the researchers suggest annual campaigns to raise awareness of the risk of dogs becoming ill in hot cars, which usually begin in May, need to start earlier in the year.

Dr Anne Carter, a researcher at Nottingham Trent Universitys School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, and first author on the study, said: Our work shows an even bigger risk to leaving dogs in parked vehicles than previously thought.

She added: People assume the risk is only midday during the summer, when in fact cars can reach potentially dangerous temperatures all year round, with late afternoon the hottest time period.
If Housing Minister Richard Wynne turns his head when he leaves his home, and looks 50 metres down the street, he can see the public housing towers in North Melbourne.

Those high-rise towers, and four more in nearby Flemington, are the same ones the Labor government  of which Wynne is a senior member  placed under an immediate hard lockdown last Saturday.

Housing Minister Richard Wynne. Credit:Darrian Traynor

Premier Daniel Andrews described this house arrest of 3000 of Victorias poorest and most vulnerable as the most challenging issue we have dealt with throughout this entire pandemic.

It upset many  including Wynne, who was clearly aware of the gravity of the decision when announcing it with Andrews  and left critics questioning whether more could have been done to prevent coronavirus entering the high-density towers in the first place.
Now and then, there is a lot of drama series that was being recreated due to high ratings and overall appeal to the audience. These are the drama series with a unique storyline that it would be great to have a remake, but of course, it will vary from one country to another.

On July 9, JTBC released a statement that Yeon Woo Jin and Han Sun Hwa confirm to appear on the Korean remake of the British series, "Undercover."

Co-produced with BBC America Undercover is a six-part BBC television drama series which premiered last April 2016. In the United States, the drama series was shown as a six-hour mini-series played for two days, airing from November 16 to 17, 2016 on BBC America. While in Canada, it began its run on the CBC in August airing every Mondays at 9pm/9:30 NT starting 22 August 2016. Meanwhile, on Canal + in France, it started airing in January 2017.

Maya Cobbina is a criminal law and human rights barrister and later on she became the Director of Public Prosecutions. Undercover follows the lives of Maya Cobina and her husband Nick Johnson as well their family. Maya has long been fighting legally to prove that Rudy Jones, who is an American, is innocent and should not be put on death row.

Maya's husband Nick Johnson is a former undercover Detective Sergeant with the Metropolitan Police and has been hiding his identity even from his wife.For their Korean counterpart, Maya will be played by the multi-awarded Kim Hyun Joo and Nick will be played by Ji Jin Hee also a multi-awarded actor.

In the meantime, "Undercover" is just the working title. Choi Yeon Soo (Kim Hyun Joo) is a human rights lawyer, and she eventually became the first head of the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit which aims to fight for justice. On the other hand, Han Jung Hyun (Ji Jin Hee) is a man who has been hiding his identity as an undercover.Han Sun Hwa and Yeon Woo Jin and will play the younger versions of Choi Yeon Soo and Han Jung Hyun.

Han Sun Hwa is a former member of the South Korean girl group Secret. She was cast for supporting roles in several drama series namely, Ad Genius Lee Tae-baek, God's Gift - 14 Days and Marriage, Not Dating. Aside from being an actress, she is busy with her modelling career. She was coined as "White paper", or "baekji", a term used by Netizens and the cast of Invincible Youth, which means "dumb blonde." Her role helped the popularity of Secret because of her dumb blonde persona.

Meanwhile, in 2007, her co-star Kim also began his career as a fashion model in Seoul Fashion Week and also model for the brand Evisu the next year. He started to gain recognition for his role as the youngest brother in the hit drama Ojakgyo Family. He got his first lead role in the four episode Drama Special Just an Ordinary Love Story where he fell in love with the sister whose brother was the murderer of his brother. His latest drama was KBS2's I Wanna Hear Your Song.

Brace yourself as "Undercover" is yet to premiere early next year.
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Leaders of state transportation departments across the nation say the coronavirus pandemic has left them facing an estimated $50 billion shortfall in funding needed to repave rutted and pockmarked roads, maintain bridges and otherwise prop up already shaky infrastructure.

The budget gap is in large part the result of the lockdown the country entered in the spring to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. That sent demand for gasoline falling by hundreds of millions of gallons each day. And as gas stopped flowing into the tanks of Americans' cars and trucks, the tax revenue from that fuel stopped flowing to state transportation departments.

More than $8.5 billion of work planned in 14 states and 19 localities - from major highway projects to local street repairs - has been canceled or delayed, according to the American Road and Transportation Builders Association.

The organization is urging Congress to step in and provide state transportation agencies a $50 billion rescue package, after they were left out of the last round of stimulus funding that Congress approved in late March.

"There really is an urgency about finding direct assistance for state DOTs so they can continue to move forward with the projects they had planned for this summer," said Jim Tymon, the executive director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO).

In recent weeks, demand for gas has rebounded as people take to the roads again, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, but demand remains well below where it stood last summer. Officials expect the recovery to be slow and unsteady as a surge of cases of covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, leads governors to retrench on reopening plans and the deep economic pain from the first round of stay-at-home orders lingers.

Jack Marchbanks, director of the Ohio Department of Transportation, saw trouble coming early. In February, he was sitting with U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao at a conference in Washington when she mentioned that roads were empty in Wuhan, the Chinese city where the virus was first detected.

"That hit me like a ton of bricks," Marchbanks said.

Initially, some states used the traffic-free roads as an opportunity to speed up construction projects. But for Marchbanks, the looming math was simple: No cars, no gas sold, no money.

When he got home, Marchbanks had his financial team sketch out what might be coming and quickly moved to push back the timeline for a pair of major highway projects. His department announced the step just two days after the state's stay-at-home order went into effect in March.

Marchbanks said the projects are necessary to improve safety and ease congestion. One of them, where Interstates 70 and 71 meet in Columbus, is tackling a section of road that is among the state's most dangerous - with some 900 crashes a year - and one of the most snarled junctions in the country.

"We do need these improvements, and we are hoping for a rebound in the economy or a stimulus package that will allow us to restart," he said.

But the idea of "infrastructure week" has become a stock joke in Washington, with officials promising to deliver billions or even trillions of rejuvenating dollars only for plans to evaporate.

Even now, when the Treasury has pumped out money to battle the economic impact of the pandemic, the prospects for aid from Washington are uncertain. And they're complicated by Congress's needing to extend the federal highway funding program before it lapses in September. But AASHTO's Tymon and the road builders association say they remain optimistic about getting at least some form of help.

A five-year highway bill passed by House Democrats last week would give states a cushion by freeing them from their obligation to spend a dollar on transportation to get four more from the federal government, and would pump in extra cash, too.

Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., chairman of the House Transportation Committee and chief architect of the bill, called it "exactly the kind of investment we need to help our economy recover from the current pandemic."

But House Republicans stridently opposed the legislation, which includes sweeping policy changes to bend resources toward supporting transit and reducing the environmental impact of the transportation system. Missouri Rep. Sam Graves, the ranking Republican on the Transportation Committee, said the Democrats' proposal was too radical to adopt in the midst of the pandemic.

"What our transportation businesses and workers need right now is stability, but this partisan process and seismic upheaval of our federal transportation programs robs them of that," Graves said on the House floor.

The Senate, which Republicans control, has yet to finalize its own version of a five-year transportation bill. And though President Trump tweeted about the idea of a $2 trillion infrastructure package as a form of coronavirus relief, no proposal on that scale has emerged.

That fits a pattern of almost four years of unfulfilled pledges by the president and congressional leaders alike to set the country's transportation networks on a new course with a massive infusion of money. Instead, the virus left officials on the front lines scrambling to hold their aging systems together.

The transportation network is vital to the national economy and supporters of more federal spending say that investing now not only could avert the crisis but also could promote growth in the long run.

Alison Black, chief economist at the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, said that spending now would help put people to work in construction at a time when millions are jobless and would make the economy more productive.

"The more you invest in infrastructure, it helps business productivity," said Black, who has been compiling weekly reports on where states are cutting projects. "Otherwise, we will pay for it in terms of the rising costs of goods."

The stay-at-home orders issued by many governors dealt the states a deep, if fairly short-lived, setback in revenue.

In April, Americans drove about 40 percent fewer miles than they did at the same time last year, according to the Federal Highway Administration. In May, the most recent month for which figures are available, the decline was still more than 25 percent.

Demand for gasoline likewise plunged, from 407 million gallons per day in mid-March to 212 million gallons per day in the first week of April, according to the Energy Information Administration - the lowest figure in almost 30 years of the agency's data.

Figures compiled by private companies analyzing cellphone location data indicate that travel is returning to near where it was in late winter. But the demand for gas at the end of June was still down 10 percent from the same point last year.

"The impacts of what we're seeing with covid-19 are going to be long-lasting," Tymon said. "Who knows what next month brings? This is such an evolving situation week to week, day-to-day, it's hard for anybody to be able to plan."

Black's reports have noted not only the $7 billion of delayed projects but also about a dozen proposals to increase funding that have been canceled or pulled from ballots as politicians worry about imposing new taxes on their constituents. That could ultimately mean transportation agencies losing out on billions more, according to Black.

In Washington, the D.C. Council gave preliminary approval to a 10-cent gas tax increase this week. But Mayor Muriel Bowser opposed any effort to raise taxes in the middle of the crisis, calling the idea "foolhardy," although she said after the council vote that the impact of a gas tax increase probably would be small because so many city residents buy fuel in Maryland and Virginia.

The crisis has hit some states much harder than others, especially those that haven't raised their gas taxes in several decades, leaving them precariously reliant on federal funding.

In North Carolina, the transportation department's cash reserves fell so low in May that it tripped a legal provision barring the department from entering into new contracts. The state had already announced that it was delaying more than 100 projects, including a half-billion-dollar plan to widen a section of Interstate 95 to eight lanes.

Missouri transportation director Patrick McKenna wrote to members of his state's congressional delegation in mid-April with a dire warning: The state might not be able to scrounge up enough money to match federal funds it was due.

"To put this into perspective, that would equate to approximately 400 bridges and 20,000 lane miles of Missouri roadways NOT being repaired that are in our current plan," McKenna wrote.

While experts say no state has ever had to forgo the federal money because of an inability to provide matching funds, McKenna's warning shows how sharply some states are feeling the pinch.

Carved up by rivers and sitting on major cross-country highways, Missouri has an outsize network of roads and bridges, yet it has not increased its own gas tax since 1996. McKenna, who is president of AASHTO, the state highway officials group, said in an interview that he's forced to look after Missouri's transportation infrastructure in a way that amounts to plugging holes.

"What we've been doing is managing the decline of the infrastructure," he said.

One of his biggest concerns is not being able to move forward with work to replace the 3,018-foot Rocheport Bridge, which carries Interstate 70 across the Missouri River and, among its functions, is a vital link between plants where Ford makes engines for F-150 trucks and assembles finished pickups. Should work pause, McKenna said, the bridge would have to be reduced to one lane each way, causing 25-mile backups.

"That's just one example of the economic dislocation," he said.

Other states have been able to juggle, at least for now. In Oklahoma, lawmakers raided a transportation fund to give $200 million to schools, which were facing their own budget crisis, but authorized the state transportation department to issue bonds to make up the shortfall.

The Virginia Department of Transportation has been evaluating its spending plans as part of a statewide review ordered by Gov. Ralph Northam, D. Emily Wade, a spokeswoman for the department, said the impact of the pandemic on VDOT's finances would become clearer over time as the state actually collects the revenue from taxes charged at gas pumps.

In Maryland, where one agency oversees airports, a major transit system and highways, officials were able to use federal rescue funds to prop up the airport and transit budgets and then divert state money to roads. That filled a $500 million hole for the last budget year, but the state expects to have to find another $500 million for the fiscal year that began July 1.

Maryland Transportation Secretary Greg Slater is a veteran of the 2008 financial crisis and the recession that followed and has been tapping into the wisdom of the team he worked with back then to navigate the present crisis.

"This is a much different shock because it was just so drastic," he said.

While shuffling money has worked for now, Slater said he doesn't think he'll be able to pull it off for a second year. That has left him looking to the federal government.

"We're hopeful we'll get some congressional action," he said.

- - -

The Washington Post's Fenit Nirappil contributed to this report.
ECERDC: Strategic projects to revitalise Malaysian regions economy post-Covid-19

July 10,2020 | Source: Malay Mail

The federal government of Malaysia, through the East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC), will continue implementing strategic projects and attract new investments to revitalise the East Coast Economic Regions (ECER) economy post-Covid-19.



ECERDC chief executive officer Baidzawi Che Mat said the council would remain focused on its primary agenda of enabling the regions socio-economic transformation and growth.





As such, in addition to the recovery agenda, the strategic projects that have been earmarked in the ECER Master Plan 2.0 (EMP 2.0) will continue in full force to ensure long-term growth in the region, he said in a statement.



In the manufacturing sector, the biggest contributor to ECERs economic development, infrastructure projects including the expansion of industrial parks, logistics and services will be implemented to increase ECERs competitiveness and attract more private investment.



Among the projects are the expansion of Kerteh Biopolymer Park in Terengganu, construction of Kuantan Port City port link road and the Kemaman-Gebeng water supply project in Pahang.





To further strengthen the regions appeal as a distinctive and dynamic destination for investments, ECERDC and the Pahang state government will establish a One-Stop Centre in Gebeng, Pahang within the ECER Special Economic Zone.



ECER has attracted RM122.6 billion in committed investments over the past 10 years, which will create 118,700 job opportunities and develop 10,720 entrepreneurs.



Despite the challenges brought on by the pandemic, with the strategies laid out, we are confident that the EMP 2.0 target of RM70 billion in new investments, creating 120,000 job opportunities and 60,000 new entrepreneurs by 2025 can be achieved, he said.



Meanwhile, the region is well-positioned to capitalise on the demand for domestic tourism as international travel restrictions will remain in force in the foreseeable future.



To further boost domestic tourism, the council said it is critical for key tourist attractions be completed, including the redevelopment of Kampung Laut in Kelantan, Kampungstay Air Papan in Mersing, Johor, and the upgrading of infrastructure in the islands in ECER.



Covid-19 has also underlined the need for Malaysia to focus on food security, therefore, enhancing Malaysias food production and other downstream activities will be an important focus for the council in the medium to long term.



Among the key projects are the establishment of Jemaluang Dairy Valley which is targeted to produce 4.8 million litres of milk a year, Tok Bali Integrated Fisheries Park which will focus on value-added processing activities, as well as, Endau Mersing Fish Processing Park which will establish a new fisheries hub in the district and provide small and medium enterprises with a platform to produce high value fish products.



In efforts to boosting cross-border trade, among the key projects that are critical for the regions macro-economic growth include the development of the Tok Bali Port as strategic trading outpost to the Indo-China Region, Tok Bali Industrial Park, Tak Bai-Pengkalan Kubor Bridge, Rantau Panjang-Sg Golok Bridge, and the Sungai Golok flood mitigation project, which will boost trade between Kelantan and Thailand.

 https://www.malaymail.com/news/money/2020/07/09/ecerdc-strategic-projects-to-revitalise-regions-economy-post-covid-19/1882982

Theme(s): Others.
The mayor of Seoul, a contender to be South Korea's next president and a former human rights lawyer, took his own life a day after he was accused of sexual harassment, authorities said Friday. Park Won-soon, whose body was recovered on a mountain in the capital, is by far the most high-profile politician to be implicated in a harassment case in South Korea, a highly patriarchal society where the #MeToo movement has led to the fall of scores of prominent men in multiple fields. Park offered a general apology in a suicide note -- handwritten with ink and brush -- found at his official residence and released by city authorities. "I'm sorry to everyone. I thank everyone who has been with me in my life," he wrote, asking to be cremated and his ashes scattered at his parents' graves. "I'm sorry to my family, to whom I only caused pain." "Bye everyone," he signed off, without referring to the allegations against him. A heavyweight figure in the ruling centre-left Democratic party, Park ran South Korea's sprawling capital -- home to almost a fifth of the national population -- for nearly a decade. He won three elections while promoting gender and social equality, and did not shy away from expressing his ambitions to replace incumbent President Moon Jae-in in 2022. His death came a day after his former secretary filed a police complaint -- said to involve sexual harassment -- against him. According to a document purporting to be the statement of Park's victim, who worked as his personal secretary from 2015, he committed "sexual harassment and inappropriate gestures during work hours", including insisting she hug him in the bedroom adjoining his office. After work, she said, he sent her "selfies of himself in his underwear and lewd comments" on a messenger app. "I brainwashed myself, bearing tremendous fear and humiliation, that all of this was in the interest of Seoul City, myself, and mayor Park," she said, according to the document. The police confirmed a complaint had been filed but declined to confirm the details. Park's death means the investigation will automatically be closed. South Korea remains male-dominated despite its economic and technological advances, but the country has seen a widespread #MeToo movement in the last two years, sparked by a prosecutor who publicly accused a superior of groping her at a funeral. The perpetrators have included a former provincial governor who sought the presidency in 2017 but was jailed last year for sexual intercourse by abuse of authority after his female assistant accused him of repeatedly raping her. Park is the country's highest-profile politician to die by his own hand since former president Roh Moo-hyun, who jumped off a cliff in 2009 after being questioned over corruption allegations involving family members. - Jailhouse to courthouse - Park was a student activist in the days of South Korea's military dictatorship -- he was jailed for taking part in a rally against then-president Park Chung-hee -- and later became a human rights lawyer. He defended many political activists and in the 1990s won South Korea's first sexual harassment conviction, in a landmark judgement. He helped launch the People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, an influential NGO pushing to reform the conglomerates that dominate South Korean business. Park also founded the Beautiful Foundation -- a philanthropic group that promotes volunteerism and community service. It grew into one of the largest non-profit organisations in South Korea and launched the Beautiful Stores, a chain of charity shops modelled after Britain's Oxfam shops. Reactions were mixed on Friday, including both condolences and criticism that he killed himself to avoid punishment. There was an outpouring of grief from his supporters, some of whom wailed at Seoul National University Hospital as his body was brought in. "Mayor Park, you were an excellent politician," one poster wrote on Daum, the country's second-largest portal site. "But a twist of fate put an end to your journey. I hope you are at ease in heaven." Others were more critical of the 64-year-old, accusing him of exploiting his power to harass a subordinate and then taking his own life to "avoid the fallout". "The victim must have had painful times in the run-up to the filing of the complaint," wrote one user. "I hope Park reflects on his misdeeds and atones in the afterlife." A memorial altar was to be set up in front of the Seoul city hall for citizens to pay respects.
With school campuses across the national capital being shut as a result of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, admissions to seats in private schools reserved for economically disadvantaged families have also been disrupted. While parents whose children were selected in the first list of selected candidates released by the Directorate of Education (DoE) in February said they could not complete the process due to the prevailing situation, many said they are still waiting for the second list to be made released.

Under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, 25% of all seats in private schools are to be reserved for families under the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and Disadvantaged Groups (DG) in entry-level classes  nursery, KG and class 1. Starting in 2020, 3% of these 25% of seats have been kept aside for children with disabilities. This year, there were around 45,000 reserved seats available in around 1,700 private unaided schools in Delhi.

The centralised admission process on these seats began on January 25, and the DoE declared the first list of selected candidates on February 29. However, Delhi schools were shut from March 19, as a measure to stem the spread of Covid-19, and have been closed since then.

Four months since the academic session began, many parents from economically disadvantaged families said they could not complete their childrens admissions even after they were selected in the first list. Parents expressed concerns over their children being left out due to the delay in admission.

Suman Kumari, a resident of south Delhis Jaitpur area who stitches clothes for a living, said her five-year-old son was selected for admission in KG in a private school in the neighbourhood. I had submitted his documents on March 11 for admission under the EWS quota in Real View Public School in Jaitpur. After a few days, the lockdown was announced and all schools were shut. We contacted the school for the follow-up but they said they wont be able to do anything before July. I waited for three months. Now they are saying that there are issues with our documents. They are telling me this after three months. I do not know how I will get documents changed amid the pandemic. How will my son catch up with other students in class if his admission is delayed further, she said.

Sumit Chandila, an accountant at the school, said, The school could not start the process of verifying documents earlier, due to the lockdown. There are some issues like incorrect spellings and addresses in a few documents. We have asked the parents to get them fixed first as we cannot enrol anyone without proper documents.

Deepak Kumar, who runs a puncture repair shop in north-east Delhis Karawal Nagar said his five-year-old daughter was not selected for admission in nursery under the EWS category in any private school in the first list. We had contacted the DoE and were told that some more lists would be announced in the coming months, but we are still waiting, he said.

Education activist Sumit Vohra, who runs an online portal on nursery admissions, said they received several complaints from parents whose children were eligible for admissions under the EWS/DG quotas. Many parents have complained that schools are rejecting admissions on the pretext of incomplete documents. They are unable to get the certificates issued amid the pandemic. The schools should at least give them provisional admissions till they manage to get the requisite documents, he said.

Yogesh Pratap, deputy director of education (private schools branch) of the DoE, said the education department is yet to collect data on the number of EWS/DG seats filled under the first list. We can only release the second list of selected students after we know the number of seats filled in the first list. The schools remained closed for over three months amid the Covid-enforced lockdown, and could not access the data. We will definitely release consecutive lists and fill the seats once the schools reopen physically, he said.

Pratap said the DoE had issued 10 lists last year to fill the EWS/DG seats, with three of them being released by this time last year. The situation is unprecedented this year. But we will not let any seat go vacant. No school can deny admission after their childrens name appears in the list of selected candidates. We will also carry forward the vacant seats next year if required, he said.

Ekramul Haque, founder of Mission Taaleem, an NGO, said they have written multiple times to the DoE and the office of Delhi education minister Manish Sisodia on the issue. Three months of this academic session have already passed. How will EWS/DG students catch up with other students if their admissions get delayed for months like this? The government should release the second list of selected candidates and give admission. The students can at least start studying at homes till the schools reopen physically, he said.

A senior advisor in Sisodias office said, The admissions in entry-level classes in Delhi governments Sarvodaya Schools are also pending due to the prevailing situation. The DoE will surely release more lists of selected EWS/DG candidates. The government is monitoring the situation.

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Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, attends a teleconference on stabilizing foreign trade and investment, in Beijing, capital of China, July 9, 2020. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua on Thursday called for efforts to keep the overall performance of foreign trade and investment stable.

Hu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks at a teleconference.

Foreign trade and investment play a significant role in the development of China's economy. Stabilizing foreign trade and investment is an important part of the efforts to ensure stability in six fronts and security in six areas, Hu said.

The six fronts are employment, financial sector, foreign trade, foreign investment, domestic investment, and expectations. The six areas refer to job security, basic living needs, operations of market entities, food and energy security, stable industrial and supply chains, and the normal functioning of primary-level governments.

Hu stressed that government policies must be faithfully implemented and services to businesses must be improved to help enterprises tide over difficulties in the context of grave and complicated international environment and COVID-19 pandemic situation.

No efforts should be spared to help enterprises stabilize their market shares and new business forms and new models in foreign trade should be supported to accelerate their development, he said.

Meanwhile, Hu urged efforts to maintain the stability and integrity of industrial and supply chains and give full play to the role of foreign-invested enterprises in the industrial chain, while promoting the higher-level opening-up.
In the face of what it calls the first wave of the predicted tsunami of job losses, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) is intensifying its efforts to help university managements impose cuts in pay and conditions, as well as thousands of job cuts.

Despite the collapse of its pay-cutting national framework with university managements, which provoked a revolt by union members, the NTEU is seeking deals across the country to achieve the same basic result: The imposition of unprecedented sacrifices on university workers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The latest July 7 edition of the NTEU magazine Advocate contains a list of the agreements struck by the union already, combined with appeals to both the employers and the Liberal-National government to work with the union.

One Advocate article boasts of the union-supported packages adopted at various universities. It states that where proposals were developed cooperatively with the NTEU, union members are prepared to contribute to a collective effort.

These contributions include 10 percent pay reduction, plus deferral of wage rises and increments and some directions to take annual leave at La Trobe University. Pay freezes were agreed at Monash and the University of Tasmania, as were purchased leave schemesanother form of wage-cutting and deferraland other concessions at Western Sydney University (WSU) and the University of Western Australia.

The article then lists unendorsed variations at Wollongong, Melbourne and the Australian National University, where employers sought very similar pay cuts and sacrifices, but without the power of union support. The Melbourne proposal was rejected in a staff ballot.

The unions only objection to the unendorsed variations is that they do not include agreements to retain the NTEU as a management partner by establishing new employer-union committees to monitor and implement the cuts.

The Advocate article claims that the union-backed deals provide guarantees on job security. In reality, each agreement leaves open wide scope for retrenchments, on top of the thousands of jobs already eliminated, mostly of casuals.

At WSU, for example, the document commits management to nothing, just no forced redundancies for COVID reasons in 2020 and no stand-downs without pay during 2020. This does not prevent the management from eliminating jobs for other reasons, such as course closures, and it has an even freer hand for 2021 and beyond, when greater revenue losses are expected.

In another Advocate article, NTEU national assistant secretary Gabe Gooding admits that 20 universities have cut casual and fixed-term staff and/or indicated that job losses are inevitable and many, many, more job losses are coming.

So far, this tsunami includes over 400 jobs being axed at Deakin, 271 jobs at Central Queensland and 200300 jobs at Wollongong. Goodings only criticism of the Deakin cuts is that they are not based on strategic decision making, just cost-cutting.

In fact, the NTEU already has proven that it does not oppose job cuts. It claimed that the pay cuts of up to 15 percent offered by its failed national framework would save just 12,000 of the 30,000 jobs that Universities Australia estimates will be eliminated to overcome revenue losses of $16 billion over the next three years.

Gooding concludes her article by pleading for the Liberal-National government and the employers to adopt viable solutions. In particular, she calls on the managerial class of the sector to unify behind the common goal of a sustainable vision for higher education.

In his article, NTEU general secretary Matthew McGowan makes a similar plea for a mechanism for high level dialogue within the sector, while NTEU national president Alison Barnes urges the government to fully fund our universities so they can truly play a vital role in rebuilding Australias economy and help create a better future for all Australians.

These appeals align directly with the governments pro-business and nationalist program, which is what lies behind its ongoing refusal to offer any financial assistance to the public universities.

In a July 2 media statement, Education Minister Dan Tehan stepped up the commercialisation of universities by announcing new partnerships between universities and industry, known as Industrial Transformation Research Hubs, to produce real-world commercial research.

We want universities to be even more entrepreneurial and engaged with industry, Tehan stated. This was part of our Job-ready Graduates reforms.

These reforms feature more than doubling the student fees for humanities courses, seeking to incentivise young people to take narrower, more vocational courses that big business regards as vital, such as science, maths, agriculture, IT, engineering, teaching and nursing.

The government also is insisting that the universities return to face-to-face teaching, threatening the health and lives of staff and students. This is part of the bipartisan drive, backed by the opposition Labor Party, to fully reopen the economy despite the worsening global COVID-19 pandemic.

This agenda consists of exploiting the COVID-19 crisis to accelerate the cost-cutting and pro-business restructuring of the 39 public universities. Far from opposing this agenda, the magazine articles confirm that the NTEU supports the transformation of universities into institutions ever-more directly serving the profit needs of Australian capitalism.

Not only are the livelihoods and futures of university employees, both academic and administrative, at stake, so are the basic rights and conditions of students, whether domestic or international. The job losses, together with course and campus closures, mean narrower study choices, lower quality education, larger classes and worse services and facilities.

These developments underscore the call issued by the Committee for Public Education (CFPE) and the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) for a unified struggle by university workers and students for the defence of jobs and conditions and for the right to decent, free and first-class education for all, including international students, and full-time jobs for all university workers.

This requires the formation of democratically elected rank-and-file committees of university workers and students. These have to be completely independent of the NTEU and other trade unions, which have shown they are nothing but political and industrial police forces, committed to meeting the requirements of big business.

Such a struggle means challenging the capitalist profit system and turning to a socialist perspective, based on the total reorganisation of society in the interests of all, instead of the financial oligarchy.
LAS VEGAS, NV, July 10, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - Through the discovery process in an ongoing federal lawsuit emails were provided of a safety meeting held at the Washington Companies Modern Machinery office in Rochester, WA following a tragic preventable bridge strike. The notes from the meeting show that its employees presented several safety improvement suggestions to the Washington Companies management. The internal meeting was to see if there were reasons to alter their site-specific safety procedures on what to do with outgoing equipment shipments after a bridge strike from equipment loaded incorrectly at the Washington Company site. There were several safety related ideas present which would have helped Washington Companies become a progressive shipper in the national campaign to stop accidental bridge strikes.This Komatsu sub-contractor forwarded the safety meeting recommendation to a Mr. Jeremy Holt, Import Procurement Manager of the Komatsu America Supply Chain Division. Mr. Holt's response, on behalf of Komatsu, was "at this point I would not offer any directions to the carriers." Effectively, this response shuts down the Komatsu sub-contractors desire to do the right thing in protecting the United States interstate system from future bridges strikes, the motoring public from debris from future bridge strikes, and the American truckers transporting dangerous cargo unaware. There seems to be contempt by this international company to become engaged in the United States "Good Samaritan" philosophy of "Just do the Right Thing".In the end, Komatsu and its sub-contractor Washington Companies Modern Machinery site was more concerned about becoming legally involved if the facility were to warn the driver and carrier of an observed unsafe condition before leaving their facility. The meeting participants failed to take into consideration Washington Companies contractual obligation to load Komatsu (KAC) equipment per the KAC loading configurations versus what a driver might want the site to do. The meeting notes show the procedures Modern Machinery finally re-adopted would load the load without concern for the safety of the motoring public, public infrastructure, and the truck driver.It is the contention in the on-going Federal lawsuit that Washington Companies and Komatsu had no desire to become a steward of safe shipping, as shown by their lack of concern for the safety of the equipment they load once it leaves their Modern Machinery Rochester, WA site. This lack of safety culture was present when they loaded two Komatsu excavators over height causing the load to strike a major bridge along the I-5 interstate in Washington State.Modern Machinery discussions confuses the duty between how a commercial truck driver wants the equipment placed on his trailer for weight distribution versus the shipper's duty to package the equipment for transport correctly, which is required by Komatsu the manufacturer to be configured for safe highway transportation.Modern Machinery a part of a large consortium of privately held companies collectively known as the Washington Companies, owned by billionaire Dennis R. Washington. Modern Machinery sells and rents high quality heavy equipment and provides product support to the construction, mining, and forestry industries. The Modern Machinery terminal in Rochester, WA is a home to a large staging area for a variety of Komatsu product brought from overseas awaiting shipment to other Komatsu dealers.ETON is a Las Vegas-based premier transportation company serving the Western United States with equipment, professional drivers and superior on-time service.Komatsu America Corp. is a U.S. subsidiary of Komatsu Ltd., (OTCMKTS: KMTUY) the world's second largest manufacturer and supplier of earth-moving equipment, consisting of construction, mining and compact construction equipment.Source: ETON TransportationCopyright 2020 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
Photo: (Photo : unsplash/Element5 Digital)

President Trump said that in the coming months, schools reopening will proceed for the fall semester. Parents are torn about whether to bring their children back to school or not since there are no signs that the coronavirus is going away anytime soon.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends allowing kids to go back to school. It said that social and emotional needs are better met in physical schools, especially for children with special needs. It also noted that going back to school could help narrow racial and socioeconomic inequality gaps at home.

Read also: Coronavirus: Your Ultimate Guide to Risky Activities [Avoid Risk Level 9]

Things to consider before letting kids go back to school

School and COVID-19 experts made a list for parents to note before deciding whether to let their children go back to school.

Age

An infectious disease specialist and epidemiologist at Bellevue Hospital in New York City, Dr. Celine Grounder, spoke to TODAY Parents. She said that children below ten years old have a lower risk of getting infected than older kids and adults. She also said that younger children benefit from an actual classroom than the older ones. Teachers could also easily isolate younger students. Older children could socialize using other ways, and they can handle virtual learning better.

Health

Parents should choose the best for their children both medical and developmental standpoints, said Dr. Tim Lahey. He is the University of Vermont Medical Center director of clinical ethics and an infectious disease specialist. If your child has a compromised immune system, it would be better not to send him to school yet.

Parents of children with special needs should weigh if their child needs more assistance from the school. Others perform better at home than at school.

Read also: Children with Disabilities Are Greatly Affected by The Coronavirus Pandemic

Mental health

A family therapist and parenting expert, Alyson Schafer, said that physical connection affects mental health. She said that virtual connection could not replace face-to-face interaction. Social relationships are needed for better mental health.

Read also: Empathic Listening: An Effective Guide for Parents to Help Children Process Grief

Affordability to be in quarantine for two weeks

Without vaccines, you are not sure when your children are going to be exposed to the virus. If you decided to bring them back to school, be ready to quarantine at least once this school year. Frontliner parents need to consider that.

Delayed time

Some families could not afford to delay schooling for their children. Dr. Lahey said that some single moms who work have to send their kids somewhere to stay employed. Fortunate parents could delay schooling for their children. He said that it could make schools safer because schools become less crowded.

What is good about having no good answer about the current situation is that you could not make a wrong choice, said Dr. Lahey. If you feel the need to bring your children to school, you do not have to feel guilty. Dr. Lahey's advice to parents is that there is no perfect decision. You could test the waters first to see what best fits your child.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 10

Trend:

Working Group of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) on fighting COVID-19 pandemic held the first online meeting, Trend reports referring to Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry.

The working group was established on the initiative of NAMs current chairman, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on May 4, 2020 during a summit in the form of a video conference on combating the COVID-19 pandemic of NAMs Contact Group. The group was created on the basis of the relevant paragraphs of the Joint Declaration of the Heads of State and Government of the Movements member countries adopted at the meeting.

The group was commissioned to create a unified information database reflecting the medical, social and humanitarian needs of the NAM member countries.

According to the ministry, during the meeting, the Azerbaijani delegation chairing the Working Group informed the participants about the work done over the past period to form the group and prepare the unified information database.

The meeting was attended by representatives of many member states of NAM, as well as Director-General Envoy for Multilateral Affairs of the World Health Organization (WHO) Michele Boccoz and Head of WHOs Operations Support and Logistics Department Paul Molinaro.

"In their speeches, the WHO representatives expressed their gratitude to Azerbaijans president for international efforts in the fight against COVID-19, including the permanent support of WHO activities, welcomed the activities of the Working Group created on the presidents initiative, the ministry said. The representatives also noted that resting upon the relevant information provided by Azerbaijan chairing the NAM, WHO began to provide assistance to the NAM member states. They also expressed satisfaction about the possibility of further cooperation with the working group in this direction.

The ministry stressed that the NAM member states participating in the meeting thanked Azerbaijan for their intensive activities in the field of combating COVID-19 as the organizations chairman and informed about the work done in their countries in the fight against the pandemic.

Summing up the meeting, the participants scheduled next steps related to the working group activities.
A former head of the Commission for Racial Equality has urged young black men to realise the "greatest danger" to them is gangs - not the police.

Trevor Phillips, 66, said yesterday that youngsters in this country should not compare Britain's problems with America.

His intervention comes after outbreaks of violence and clashes with police during UK-based Black Lives Matter marches over George Floyds death in Minneapolis on May 25.

It also comes on the same day the Independent Office for Police Conduct said it would launch an inquiry into racial discrimination in the use of stop and search by forces across England and Wales.

Mr Phillips pointed out hundreds of youngsters were dying every year due to gang-related crime.

He said: There is absolutely no doubt that if you are thinking about what is the greatest danger today to a young black man in the capital, the answer is not the police, it's somebody else in a gang.

Former Commission for Racial Equality head Trevor Phillips warned gangs not police were the biggest problem facing young black me in the UK

Mr Phillips said people of colour are more likely to be searched by police, seen here at Notting Hill Carnival in 2017

"That person is very likely to be a person of colour.

While we have to get the police to do the right thing and behave in the right way, let us not forget that young black men are dying in hundreds every year. Never mind the ones that are being injured and maimed."

Mr Phillips made the comments to the The Telegraph's Planet Normal podcast and said there was "clearly a problem" stop and searches.

He spoke out after the Met apologised to British sprinter Bianca Williams after she and her partner were pulled over in their car

Her three-month-old son was also in their Mercedes with them on Saturday when it was stopped and footage she shot went viral on the internet.

Earlier this week Met Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick told a committee of MPs officers had visited Ms Williams to apologise for "distress" caused by the stop.

British sprinter Bianca Williams with her partner Ricardo dos Santos pulled over by police

Footage of the stop and search went viral online after it was posted on the internet

Ms Williams believes she and her partner Ricardo dos Santos, a Portuguese international 400m runner, were racially profiled by officers because they were black.

Mr Phillips said he too had been pulled over in the same way by police 20 years ago in an absurd stop.

He described it as humiliating and ridiculous" before adding that people of colour were more likely to be pulled over in a way that is not courteous, that is not founded in some proper crime-fighting activity.

Black Lives Matter protests have been in held in the UK, but some have exploded into various with some campaigners (not pictured here) becoming aggressive towards the police

The Independent Office for Police Conduct is set to launch an inquiry into racial discrimination in the use of stop and search by forces across England and Wales.

It is looking at police forces in the UK to examine whether there are any patterns of prejudice against ethnic minorities.

The murder of Nicole Smallman, 27, and Bibaa Henry, 46, will be investigated after two officers were arrested after it was alleged that they took selfies with their bodies in the background.

Footage revealed yesterday showed Sussex Police holding down a man who was complaining that he could not breath

Figures from the Met Police show that less than one per cent of the more than 250 annual complaints about racism are upheld.

Yesterday the MailOnline showed footage of an arrested man claiming he couldn't breathe while three officers restrained him.

The footage of the man sparked an internal investigation by Sussex Police and Britain's police watchdog.

The suspect, who is believed to be from Brighton's BAME community, was held on suspicion of criminal damage and assaulting an emergency worker in Montpelier Road this week.

The unnamed man is heard yelling: 'I can't breathe. That is my Adam's apple and you are crushing it' - but the officer closest to his head repeatedly tells him that his arm is on his collarbone.

The footage emerged two days before a Black Lives Matter protest in the city following the murder of George Floyd in the US who died when a police officer crushed his neck with his knee.

In a statement, Sussex Police said: 'Police officers searching for a vulnerable missing teenager attended an address in Montpelier Road in Brighton at 10.15am on Tuesday 7 July.

'A resident of the address, a 28-year-old man, refused police entry and was arrested.

'Police subsequently found the missing 17-year-old young woman hiding at the property and returned them safely home.
Actor Brad Pitt was spotted at his ex-wife Angelina Jolies house for the second time in less than two weeks. The visit comes after a report said that the ice in the former couples relationship was beginning to melt.

Like the last time, Pitt was spotted pulling out of Jolies home on his motorbike. He was wearing a jacket, jeans and sneakers. People magazine quoted a source as saying, Its taken them a long time, with a lot of family therapy, to get to this point. The couples six children -- Maddox, 18, Pax, 16, and Knox, 11, and daughters Zahara, 15, Shiloh, 14, and Vivienne, 11 -- are no longer dealing with separation issues from Angie, continued the source. The actors visit comes just two days before Knox and Viviennes birthday.

Jolie recently spoke to Vogue about her decision to split. I separated for the well-being of my family. It was the right decision. I continue to focus on their healing, she said.

In an interview to French magazine Madame Figaro, she said I had lost myself a bit when her relationship with Brad was coming to an end. She added, I felt a deep and genuine sadness, I was hurt.

Also read: Brad Pitt spotted at Angelina Jolies house for the first time since split, spent 2 hours with her. See pics

Meanwhile, actor Alia Shawkat broke her silence about dating rumours surrounding her and Pitt in a recent interview. Were not dating, she told Vulture in an interview published last week. 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.

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Taliban accuses Afghan intelligence of conspiring to keep foreign forces in Afghanistan.

In an exclusive interview, an official with the Talibans political office in Doha, Qatar has denied allegations that Russia offered money to kill American soldiers in Afghanistan.

Khairullah Khairkhwa was released from Guantanamo in exchange for a United States soldier.

The Taliban says the group is against attacks on hospitals and funerals.

They say the intelligence in the Afghan government is responsible for killing innocent people.

Khairkhwa says the Taliban is ready for intra-Afghan talks as soon as the government releases 5,000 inmates.

They acknowledge the change in Afghanistan in the last 20 years and promise to safeguard womens roles and youths aspirations.

Al Jazeeras Osama Bin Javaid spoke to the Talibans Khairullah Khairkhwa about the reports.
Australia will halve the number of citizens who can return home each week to relieve pressure on its quarantine system as an outbreak in the nation's second-most populous state worsens, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Friday.

Morrison also told reporters the process of quarantining arrivals in hotels would be reviewed, after missteps in Melbourne saw security guards contract the virus -- contributing to an outbreak in the city. Victoria state recorded a record 288 new cases in the past 24 hours, and urged residents to begin wearing masks -- a departure from the health advice issued so far in Australia's Covid-19 crisis.

More than 70,000 Australian citizens and permanent residents have undertaken 14-days of mandatory isolation at government-leased hotels since the crisis began, and the policy has helped contain the spread of the virus. But the system is creaking, particularly as flights are rerouted due to the outbreak in Melbourne, placing pressure on other parts of the country.

Many nations require incoming passengers to self-isolate, but only a handful including New Zealand and Vietnam mandate quarantine in hotels or other facilities. In South Korea, citizens can self-isolate at home but foreigners are quarantined at government-run sites.

Morrison said it was inevitable the cap on numbers would now make it more difficult for Australians to come home and lead to delays. Some 4,000 fewer people would be arriving home each week, he said.

The quarantine review will examine issues such as training for security guards and hotel staff, testing and management of suspected and confirmed cases.

Australia had enjoyed early success in crushing the curve of virus infections by shutting its international border, quarantining arrivals, social distancing measures and a widespread testing and tracing regime.

But a mixture of complacency as restrictions were eased, and missteps in Victoria's quarantine program, has seen a fresh outbreak that's led to Melbourne being placed in a six-week lockdown.

"Certainly 288 new cases today is a pretty ugly number," Victoria's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton told reporters. He urged Melbourne residents to wear masks where social distancing was difficult, such as on public transport. Unlike countries such as Japan and China where mask-wearing is common to curb colds and flu and has been prevalent during the pandemic, the practice is rare in Australia.

Sutton said he expected the daily virus count to plateau in the next week, provided people follow stay-at-home directions.

Like other states and territories, Victoria ordered all international arrivals into hotel isolation. But instead of drafting in police to oversee the operation, as was done elsewhere in the country, the state farmed the task out to security firms without even inviting tenders for the contract, according to local media reports.

A litany of malpractice followed, the Herald Sun newspaper reported, including improper use of personal protection equipment, allowing families to mix in each other's rooms, and even some guards having sex with quarantined guests.

According to the report, the virus spread among the guards who car-pooled or shared cigarette lighters. They then unwittingly introduced the disease to their own communities in Melbourne's poorer and more multicultural suburbs where it spread through large family gatherings that breached social-distancing rules.

The six-week stay-at-home order in Melbourne is set to devastate the city's restaurants, cafes, beauty spas and small retailers, which were just taking their first tentative steps back to business-as-usual after an earlier nationwide lockdown.

The sweeping restrictions threaten to deepen and prolong Australia's first recession in almost 30 years. Victoria contributes about one-quarter of gross domestic product, but is now isolated from the rest of the country as other states shutter their borders against a worrying spike in community transmission.

Melbourne's travails also provide a cautionary tale for other big, service economy-driven cities such as London, that are reopening pubs and restaurants in a bid to jump-start their crippled economies.
The biggest planet in the solar system will make its closest approach to Earth on Monday night, giving stargazers of all ages something to spot after the sun sets.

Comet NEOWISE has stolen the spotlight recently and will start to appear in the evening sky by midweek, but stargazers may also want to step outside on Monday night into Tuesday morning to look for Jupiter.

"On Tuesday morning, July 14, 2020, the planet Jupiter will appear opposite the Sun as seen from the Earth (called "opposition")," NASA said.

When a planet is at opposition, it is the best time to look for it in the night sky. This is the point in its orbit when it's closest to the Earth, making it appear brighter than other times of the year.

Jupiter will be visible all night long, rising in the southeast around sunset and remaining above the horizon until sunrise when it sets in the southwest. The best time to look for the planet is between midnight and 2 a.m. (local time) when it is at its highest point in the sky, as long as Mother Nature cooperates.

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Many people across the U.S. will have mainly clear conditions on Monday night for uninterrupted views of Jupiter. This includes cities such as Baltimore, Atlanta, New Orleans, Salt Lake City and San Francisco where the planet will easily be visible despite light pollution.

Some clouds are in the forecast for the southern Plains, but there should be enough breaks in the clouds for folks from St. Louis through Oklahoma City to be able to catch occasional glimpses of the planet.

Unfortunately for those in New England, Quebec and the western Great Lakes, thick clouds and rain will blanket the sky on Monday night.

If cloudy conditions obscure the sky on the night of the Jupiter opposition, stargazers will still have plenty of opportunities to spot the planet. Although Jupiter reaches peak brightness on the night of opposition, it will still look to be just about as bright through the rest of July.

Story continues

Folks will continue to see Jupiter in the evening sky throughout the rest of 2020, but it will gradually appear dimmer and dimmer heading into autumn and early winter as it moves farther away from the Earth.

The Jupiter opposition may not be a dramatic astronomical event, but it is the best time of the year to observe the planet, presenting new telescope owners with the perfect opportunity to see an interesting object that is easy to find. Most binoculars can also show some extra details that the naked eye can't see.

"With an inexpensive pair of binoculars, it's quite easy to spy Jupiter's four largest moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto," NASA explained. "These four moons are often referred to as the Galilean moons as they were first observed using a telescope by astronomer Galileo Galilei in 1610."

A bigger telescope with more magnification power can reveal a few more features of Jupiter, including the planet's weather. Jupiter has bands of red clouds that circle the planet and the Great Red Spot, the biggest storm in the solar system.

Once folks identify Jupiter, they should also look off to the left of the planet to spot Saturn, the second-largest planet in the solar system.

Saturn, while not as bright, will be easy to spot as it will be next to Jupiter throughout the entire night. The ringed planet will be reaching opposition about one week after Jupiter on Monday, July 20.

Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 10

By Matanat Nasibova - Trend:

Gamigaya Barakat Gida Mahsullari LLC, located in Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic (NAR), will increase the production of pasta, and expand range of this type of flour products, a source at the company told Trend.

According to the source, in this summer, the development of a new variety of pasta will be completed to launch its production in the autumn.

The source noted that in the first half of 2020, the company has already increased pasta production capacity by 15 percent, planning to bring up this figure to 30 percent by the end of the year.

At the same time, the company plans to start delivering pasta abroad, first of all to Georgia and Iraq, roughly in November this year.

The company's products have an ISO 9001:2008 certificate and a certificate of conformity issued by the State Committee for Standardization, Metrology and Patents of Azerbaijan.

The company uses equipment of Italian, German and Turkish production.
Storyful

Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko addressed supporters at the airport in Kyiv as he arrived to face treason charges on January 17.We are here not to defend Poroshenko. We are here to defend Ukraine, he told a crowd numbering in the hundreds, according to a translation from Radio Free Europe. We have to unite to show that Ukraine is strong and is able to stand against [Russian President Vladimir] Putins aggression, he said.Prosecutors are alleging that Poroshenko was involved in financing Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine through the sale of coal.Poroshenko tweeted he was returning to Ukraine for the sake of unity and protection from the Kremlins aggression.Twitter user @di__cortez recorded this footage which shows Poroshenko address a crowd upon his arrival at the airport, and the scene outside the court. Credit: @di__cortez via Storyful
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 11:02:54|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

- - - -

LA PAZ -- Jeanine Anez, head of Bolivia's opposition-backed interim government, said Thursday that she has tested positive for COVID-19 and will be in quarantine. "Along with my entire team, we have been working for Bolivian families during this whole time and, given that in the past week many of them tested positive for the coronavirus, I took the test and I also came out positive," Anez said in a video posted online.

- - - -

ISLAMABAD -- Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has inaugurated the China-aided Isolation Hospital and Infections Treatment Center (IHITC) to enhance the country's capability to fight COVID-19 and ease pressure on hospitals in capital Islamabad.

Pakistani Chief of Army Staff Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, Information Minister Shibli Faraz, Chairman of CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) Authority Asim Saleem Bajwa, and Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing attended the inauguration ceremony.

On the occasion, the Pakistani side thanked China for the firm support to Pakistan in the fight against the pandemic. The Chinese government and the Chinese people have been helping Pakistan prevent and control COVID-19, providing a large amount of medical supplies, sending medical expert teams and aiding Pakistan with the building of the IHITC, the Pakistani side said.

- - - -

BEIJING -- Beijing on Thursday reported no new confirmed domestically transmitted cases of COVID-19, the municipal health commission said Friday.

This marked that the Chinese capital city had reported no new confirmed domestically transmitted COVID-19 cases for four consecutive days.

No new suspected or asymptomatic cases were reported, and 12 were discharged from hospital after recovery on Thursday in the city, the commission said in a daily report.

- - - -

KIGALI -- Rwandan police on Thursday arrested four people who had escaped from a COVID-19 treatment center in Eastern province.

The quartet, who contracted the disease and were receiving treatment at the center set up at a secondary school in Ngoma district, escaped on Wednesday evening after breaking iron window bars, the Ngoma district police said in a statement.

- - - -

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Thursday that the Trump administration will work with the Senate to pass the next COVID-19 relief bill by the end of July.

"I had a very productive call with (Senate Majority Leader) Mitch McConnell yesterday," Mnuchin said in an interview with CNBC.

- - - -

CARACAS -- Diosdado Cabello, president of Venezuela's National Constituent Assembly, said Thursday that he has tested positive for COVID-19 and quarantined himself.

"After taking corresponding tests, I have tested positive for COVID-19. Since then, I have isolated myself and I am complying with the recommended treatment," Cabello, also first-vice president of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, wrote on Twitter.

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SHANGHAI -- The COVID-19 pandemic has not changed the trend of technological transformation, but instead has accelerated the pace of change for digital technology, according to Jack Ma, Co-chair of the UN High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation.

Ma made the remarks while attending the opening ceremony of the 2020 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai on Thursday in a virtual forum via a holographic projection.

- - - -

NEW YORK -- Global COVID-19 deaths surpassed 550,000 on Thursday, reaching 550,440 as of 10:33 a.m. local time (1433 GMT), according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.

Meanwhile, the total COVID-19 cases around the world rose to 12,081,232 according to the CSSE. Enditem
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Linkedin Claire Lee (Agence France-Presse) Seoul, South Korea  Fri, July 10, 2020 18:15 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066576f17 2 World South-Korea,mayor,suicide,sexual-harassment,sexual-harassment-scandal,misogynistic Free

The magnitude of South Korea's sexism problem has been illustrated by the case of a top politician and women's rights advocate who was accused of sexual harassment then took his own life, activists say.

Seoul mayor Park Won-soon, a former human rights lawyer, was instrumental in advocating against gender discrimination and in the 1990s won what is widely considered the first sexual harassment case in the conservative society.

But following his suicide, feminist campaigners said he had avoided shame and punishment for allegedly harassing his female secretary, who filed a police complaint against him the day before his death.

The circumstances of Park's case -- despite his liberal background and after a high-profile #MeToo campaign in the country -- highlight the scale of gender inequality in South Korean politics, they said Friday.

Park was the latest in a series of senior figures in the ruling center-left Democratic party to face accusations of sexual misconduct.

Ahn Hee-jung, a former provincial governor who was runner-up in the 2017 race for the party's presidential nomination, was convicted of "sexual intercourse by abuse of authority" last year after his assistant accused him of repeatedly raping her.

And three months ago Oh Keo-don, the Democratic mayor of South Korea's second biggest city Busan, resigned after admitting he had "unnecessary physical contact" with a female staffer.

"Almost all South Korean men, whether they are politically conservative or liberal, are very traditional and patriarchal when it comes to gender issues," Lee Soo-yeon, a researcher at the Korean Women's Development Institute in Seoul, told AFP.

"Politicians -- who constantly seek power and acknowledgement -- are no exception."

Male Korean politicians also "generally don't understand what's private is also political", she said.

"They would endorse feminism if it helps their political career, but would not think how they treat women in real life -- such as at home or at work -- also matters."

Activists have previously accused President Moon Jae-in -- who once called himself a feminist -- of failing women.

"This is both the failure of the individual and the political party," said Harvard researcher Keung Yoon Bae.

"The chauvinism and misogyny -- as well as the blindness to these issues -- within the Korean Left has a long history, going back to student activism," she added. "It can't go unaddressed."

Case closed

Park was one of the most prominent male advocates for women's rights in South Korea and a pioneering figure in the field.

As a lawyer he won a landmark, high-profile sex crime case in 1988, representing a young female labor activist who was sexually tortured by a policeman.

More than a decade later, he won another case widely recognized as the country's first workplace sexual harassment suit, which set a legal precedent in the country -- where activists say such acts had barely been considered illegal prior to the ruling.

Last year he told a public forum he was a feminist, and that he had cried while reading a controversial feminist novel dealing with a young mother's struggle in a sexist society.

But his former secretary is said to have accused him of multiple acts of harassment, including sending her selfies in his underwear.

Park's death automatically closed any police investigation into him, meaning that his accuser will not have an opportunity to legally prove her allegations, while he will not be able to mount a defense.

As a result he kept "all of his honors and office status", said Yun Dan-woo, a women's rights activist.

By taking his own life Park had once again silenced the accuser, activists said, as many would now dismiss her claims.

Minor opposition Justice Party lawmaker Ryu Ho-jeong expressed her support, telling her in a tweet: "I hope you know that you are not alone."
Chinas aggression in the remote Galwan Valley came as a surprise to Indians because Indian media has failed in reporting the illegal aggression of China on many fronts.

Of late, on the seas, Chinese forces have rammed a Vietnamese fishing boat and a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ship, threatened a Philippines Navy ship, harried a Malaysian survey ship, pushed into Indonesian waters and staged a large live-fire military exercise, overtly aimed at training for an invasion of Taiwan.

Beijing also has launched a new security law that would dramatically undercut Hong Kongs civil liberties and imposed punitive trade measures on Australia to punish Canberra for daring to ask for an inquiry into the origins of COVID-19.

Recently, Myanmar and Nepal accused China of funding terror groups and creating trouble on the border.

Why is China taking such an aggressive stand against all its neighbors?

Lets not forget that the great book The Art of War was written by a Chinese general Sun Tzu, who wrote appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak. Is that why China is fighting too many wars on too many fronts? To appear strong?

After many years of abject poverty, starvation, inhuman killings and suppression of freedom under Maos regime, CCP realized that for survival it needed foreign investments. But nobody was ready to invest in a totalitarian state. This is when China devised a three-step strategy (3SS): Deceive, Infiltrate and Dominate.

Just to illustrate an example of this sinister strategy, in 2001, the World Trade Organisation made China a member on the promise that China would reduce trades barriers, open up markets and protect IPR, labour, human and legal rights of other countries.

Ten years later, in 2011, the US Congress investigated and found that China had failed on all its promises. But by then China had infiltrated the world market by deceiving the WTO. Today, it dominates the world market with almost 20% of all gross global product, 41% of all world computers exports, 34% of global air conditioner market and 70% of all mobile phones market.

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Not only that, it is said to be the undisputed leader of the counterfeit and piracy markets, with a gigantic 85% share.

China achieved this power by fighting many invisible wars against the world with its 3SS.

1. Piracy Wars

Following a centuries-old tradition of piracy in the South China Seas, China has become the worlds largest pirate nation.

Chinas modern pirates, with the strong support of their government, are not just stealing software and Hollywood movies on DVDs, they are blatantly counterfeiting virtually the entire alphabet of goods from air conditioners, automobiles and brake pads to razors, refrigerators, and the worlds most recognizable pharmaceuticals such as Lipitor, Norvasc and Viagra.

In the process, these pirates are posing grave health risks to hundreds of millions of people. They are also destroying all semblance of global intellectual property law protections vitally needed to spur innovation. Almost 85% of all world piracy market is with China, followed by Turkey with only 3% share.

2. The Drugs War

China has also retained its historical role as a major transit area for opium from the Golden Triangle and it is rapidly emerging as a highly efficient production center for ecstasy and speed.

According to Peter Navarro, the brain behind Trump administrations China policy, with an unholy nexus of gangsters, international smugglers and corrupt Communist Party officials as cartel kingpins, China has emerged as one of the worlds biggest dope dealers. Today, its China, not Columbia, which produces all four of the worlds major hard drugs: cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and Ecstasy. Not coincidentally, Chinese criminal syndicates are awash in illicit cash, and Chinas banking system is becoming an important hub for global money laundering.

Today, even the life-saving drugs are controlled by Chinese drug cartel and the US, Euro and Indian pharma companies are almost out of business. Chinas domination of the medical industry is so strong that in the middle of the coronavirus crisis, its official mouthpiece Xinhua media agency reported, ... if China bans exports of medical products to the USA, the US will plunge in the mighty ocean of coronavirus. The USA will sink into the hell of a coronavirus epidemic.

3. The Air Pollution and Global Warming Wars

China has been crowned as the most polluted nation on Earth boasting of 16 of the worlds 20 dirtiest cities on its mainland. As a result of its rapid industrialisation and nil environmental controls, Chinas toxic emissions are crossing borders and polluting the world. China is primarily a coal economy and it consumes more coal than the entire world put together. With its belching coal plants and rapidly multiplying automobile fleet, China will soon eclipse the United States as the single largest contributor to global warming.

Chinese pollution storms from Chinas Inner Mongolian desert cover Korea and Japan with tons upon tons of toxics-laden dust. Chinese chog flows via jet stream to Los Angeles and Vancouver.

China understands that without energy there is no growth and without growth there is no power. It doesnt want to make the same mistake that Hitler made who couldnt invest enough to convert coal into synthetic oil and it cost him the war. China badly needs oil and natural gas and, therefore, it has waged another 3SS war on the world.

4. The Blood for Oil Wars

China has emerged as the worlds second largest petroleum consumer, behind only the United States, and soon it will become worlds biggest consumer of oil. The problem is that it produces only 10% of its requirement.

Thats why China focused on West Asia. Of course, West Asia (or Middle East, as the West calls it) means oil but China realises it also means a war market. With Israel vs Palestine, war-ridden Syria, Yemen, Lydia, Kurdistan, Iraq vs Iran, Qatar vs the UAE, Turkey against NATO, and Syria vs IS caliphate, West Asia is the biggest market for military products.

In 2016, the CCP came with ARAB Policy Paper, and declared West Asia as Level One Priority, sold cheap military technology, ballistic missiles, drones, etc to war-ridden countries and today it dominates West Asia as the number 1 investor, leaving the US behind. Today, 1 out of every 3 euros in West Asia come from China.

China is mostly a supply-oriented economy, depending on ships. These ships have to pass West Asia, especially the Suez Canal, Mandeb Strait, Hormuz Strait, which are dominated with US naval ships. Also, most ports and choke points are US-owned and if the US closes them, Chinas economy will shut down.

So, with its company SINOPEC, it created a $10-billion refinery in Saudi Arabia and a $13-billion refinery in Kuwait. Five years ago, in a place called DUQM in Oman, there was only sand, but today its the biggest port in West Asia. All built by China.

As a result, at Hormuz Strait, Chinese shipping companies can operate without entering Persian Gulf.

This unconscionable blood for oil diplomacy has resulted in the slaughter of millions, the impoverishment of millions more and a rapid spike in nuclear proliferation in both the Middle East and Asia.

5. The New Imperialist Wars

50 years back, in 1971, in the United Nations, a vote was given to decide the membership issue between Republic of China (Taiwan) and Peoples Republic of China (Mainland China) and it was considered as a test for the US vs Chinas influence over the world.

As many as 35 countries from Africa voted against PRC, but still China won. In 2007, when a vote was given to condemn human rights in North Korea, again vote was seen as US vs China. This time, most of the African nations voted with China.

In 40 years, geopolitics had changed, and Africa had become Chinas ally. Chinas double-digit growth has reached its saturation and Africa means fast growth. Africa means mines, minerals, natural resources plus cheap labour. If China has cheap labour, Africa has cheaper labour. This is why China started buying out poor countries. Just to give some examples:

In Kenya, it built a $3.2-billion railway system which is faster than any American train.

In power-deprived Guinea, it built a $526-million dam to generate power which is in surplus today and Guinea exports it to neighbouring nations.

In Ethiopia, it built a $475-million light rail system.

As a strategy, the Export Import Bank of China funds extremely risky projects which no other bank will fund on low or no interest, knowing well that the money wont come back. Most of the African countries today are victims of Chinas debt trap, aka death trap, which enables China to use Africa as a political vote in the UN. Countries which dont recognize Taiwan as a country get 2.8 more infra projects.

China has used the same strategy in Latin America. From Brazil, Cuba and Venezuela to Equatorial Guinea and the Ivory Coast, China dangles lavish, low-interest loans and sophisticated weapons systems as bait. It then uses its weapons of mass construction, a huge army of engineers and labourers, to build everything from roads and dams to parliament buildings and palaces.

Novarro has observed that after these unwitting countries are driven ever deeper into Chinas debt, Chinas imperialistic quid pro quo is the rapid extraction of the countrys raw materials Bolivian tin, Chilean copper, Cuban nickel, Congolese cobalt, gold from Sierra Leone, Rwandan tungsten, and the vast mineral wealth of South Africa. As the despotic puppets running Chinas new colonies transfer billions in bribes to their Swiss bank accounts, the peasants these despots rule over slide ever deeper into poverty.

1. BRI war

After the 2008 global economic crisis, Chinas multi-billion-dollar, cheap-goods economy came crashing down with millions of Santa Clauses and teddy bears rotting in factories. This is when China started the Belt and Road initiative known as BRI policy, enticing more than 60 countries at a cost of $1 trillion.

This is nothing but the extension of its imperialist war against the world. Under this initiative, it has already started building a 12,000-km railway line from Yishu in China to London, a massive road project connecting east China to South Pakistan in Gwadar port, and a 1800-km gas pipe line from Turkmenistan to China.

San Tzu professed land grab as the most effective war strategy instead of land war, and China is planning to win this war with cheque books instead of swords.

2. Military wars

PLA (Peoples Liberation Army), which is the military arm of CCP, has an extensive and ambitious plan laid out for itself to give China geographical domination of the world. As per its plan, it has to wage 6 wars before 2060:

1st War: Unification of Taiwan (Year 2020 to 2025)

2nd War: Reconquest of Spratly Islands (Year 2025 to 2030)

3rd War: Reconquest of Southern Tibet (Year 2035 to 2040)

4th War: Reconquest of Diaoyu Island [Senkaku] and Ryukyu Islands (Year 2040 to 2045)

5th War: Unification of Outer Mongolia (Year 2045 to 2050)

6th War: Taking back of lands lost to Russia (Year 2055 to 2060)

Navarro has observed, In a supreme historical irony, one of imperialisms worst former victims has become the twenty-first centurys most relentlessly imperialistic nation.

But the most pertinent question remains unanswered: Is China really as strong as it appears?

My answer is, not really. Because one major war that China is fighting is not outside, but its within.

3. Wars from Within - ticking time bombs

Chinas hyper-growth is causing the worlds most populous nation to spin out of the control of its leaders. As per Novarro, Chinas strange bedfellow combination of a totally unrestrained free market capitalism operating under a harshly repressive totalitarian umbrella is becoming a political and social Molotov coktail. The greatest danger to the world community may be Chinas coming wars from within.

These wars from within may be triggered by any number of internal ticking economic and demographic time bombs that threaten to bring on that which the Chinese people fear most - chaos or luan.

The number of protests and riots in China has risen to nearly 100,000 annually.

The Chinese countryside has become a slave labour camp and dumping ground for every imaginable pollutant.

The rural peasantry is being sucked dry by corrupt government tax collectors who seize land on behalf of developers, pocket the monies that are supposed to compensate villagers and then enlist local gangsters to quell protests.

In the big cities, unpaid construction workers leap to their deaths in protest of wages that go callously unpaid.

Meanwhile, on Chinas Western prairies, ethnic separatist tensions continue to smoulder over the ongoing Han-ification of the mostly Muslim population on the Western frontier.

People are getting old faster than it is getting rich. China is now facing a pension crisis.

China is also a nation getting increasingly sick. Environmental pollution serves as a deadly catalyst for an explosion of myriad cancers and an epidemic of respiratory and heart diseases.

Adding to these extreme pressures is an HIV/AIDS epidemic that may soon become the worst in the world.

And, of course, the COVID-19 crisis which has locked down the entire world and the CCP is perceived as the political incarnation of the deadly coronavirus.

With such deadly wars of China, both outside and inside, the CCP has become the existential risk of the humanity. Period.

Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri is an award-winning filmmaker and a bestselling author. He tweets at @vivekagnihotri

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Two sites in Atlantic Canada have been recognized as new UNESCO Global Geoparks, a designation that recognizes sites and landscapes of international geological significance.

The Cliffs of Fundy Global Geopark in Nova Scotia stretches along a roughly 165-kilometre drive, with about 40 designated sites from Debert to the Three Sisters cliffs past Eatonville, out to Isle Haute. The area is the only place on Earth where geologists can see both the assembly of supercontinent Pangea 300 million years ago and its breakup 100 million years later.

The Discovery Global Geopark in Newfoundland and Labrador's Bonavista Peninsula, a rugged coastline overlooking views of caves, arches and sea stacks, features fossils from what UNESCO describes as "one of the most significant transitions in Earth's history"  the rise of animal life.

WATCH | Cliffs of Fundy in N.S. bestowed UNESCO Global Geopark designation:

The two parks are among 15 new Global Geoparks approved by UNESCO at meetings in Paris and announced on Friday.

"I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to visit these outstanding places," said Nikolaos Zouros, president of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network, who came to visit both sites last year from his home in Lesvos Island, Greece.

"We collect pieces of information about this unique book of the story of our planet. These do not belong only to the people of Canada but [are] an important piece of evidence for the whole of humanity."

Cliffs of Fundy Geopark

Emma Davie/CBC

While the announcement comes as a point of pride for those involved in Nova Scotia, it also signals the beginning of more work left to do to make sure the designation does what they want it to do  bring tourists to the area and boost the local economy.

"The beauty of the designation is that it immediately puts you on the world stage," Beth Peterkin, manager of the Cliffs of Fundy Geopark. "It will let us reach audiences we could never, ever reach on our own."

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The New Brunswick side of the Bay of Fundy is already designated as the Stonehammer Geopark, located at the confluence of the Saint John and Kennebecasis rivers.

In Nova Scotia, Cumberland and Colchester counties brought together geologists, paleontologists, businesses, tourism operators, Indigenous communities and local people to bring the idea for a geopark to life.

This partnership is a first of its kind, said Christine Blair, mayor of the Municipality of the County of Colchester, and that teamwork is what made this idea into reality.

Steve Lawrence/CBC

"To have two municipalities form an agreement, that has never happened in the history of the two municipalities before," she said.

"To have all of the communities and our First Nation community involved is very significant, because it's recognizing the whole of what we have to offer  and not just part of the whole."

The designation also comes ahead of a new Mi'kmaw cultural centre that will be built, in the next two to three years in Debert, says Donald Julien, executive director for The Confederacy Of Mainland Mi'kmaq.

"Our ancestors have been here for over 13,000 years according to archeological evidence. So it's very exciting for the Mi'kmaq, our cultural centre and the recognition is going to be fantastic," he said.

The Fundy region in particular, Julien said, is included in many legends about Glooscap, the most famous figure in Mi'kmaw culture who brought peace and restored balance to the world.

Robert Guertin/CBC

Julien said he hopes the UNESCO designation will help teach people about the history of the Mi'kmaq.

"At times in our history books and our histories, it sort of tended that we disappeared but we didn't. We're still here, alive and well," he said.

"This is probably history in the making. Everybody is going to benefit."

Discovery Geopark

The Discovery Geopark was recognized, in part, for the Ediacaran fossils that can be found in the area. These fossils  some of which can be accessed from the boardwalk in Port Union  are an estimated 560 million years old, and show some of the earliest multi-cell organisms.

"With over 20 taxa present, these enigmatic fossils record the oldest architecturally complex multicellular lifeforms, providing a window to study the preface to the Cambrian Explosion," wrote the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council in nomination papers.

"The Geopark preserves a dramatic transition in Earth history."

Garrett Barry/CBC

Fossils for the Haootia quadriformis, believed to be the first example of muscle tissue in an animal, were found just two kilometres from Port Union's museum.

"For most researchers who come here, Newfoundland is the best place in the world to come to do the research, because we're so easy and accessible to the fossils," said Edith Samson, a long-time volunteer with the local Geopark committee.

"They're right at our doorstep."

Garrett Barry/CBC

Cliffs of Fundy needs help, councillor says

But in Nova Scotia, there's still more work to be done.

Donald Fletcher, president of the Cliffs of Fundy Geopark and the board chair, said the province and tourism sector will need to put money forward to make this a success story.

"I've felt over the years that we've sort of been neglected," said Fletcher, who is also a councillor for the Municipality of Cumberland.

"This area and we have so much to offer. And as I mentioned before, we've just basically taken what Mother Nature has put here and we're showcasing that to the world."

Emma Davie/CBC

Fletcher said that includes fixing up the roads in the area, helping with signs and supporting their tourism sector.

"With the whole COVID thing, a lot of them are hurting," he said.

"This is big and people are going to come, maybe not so much this year, but they're going to come and see what we have to offer."

Peterkin said other work to be done includes clearly marking the geosites, updating guidebooks and maps, educating staff working in the parks about the designation, and recruiting volunteers.

"It's all about making the visitors feel welcome, so that they'll come back again and again," she said.

Steve Lawrence/CBC

But the promise of a lucrative tourism sector is also bringing hope to communities still reeling after a gunman in Nova Scotia killed 22 people on April 18 and 19, in what is now one of Canada's deadliest mass shootings in history.

"That will be with us forever. But we don't want to be remembered specifically for that event," Blair said.

"I believe we will all move forward together in the healing process. To have a positive announcement like we have at this geopark will be part of that; I truly believe that."

Peterkin says they're hoping to plan a celebration this summer once it's safe to do so with the Public Health guidelines around COVID-19.

"I think we have so much to offer with the mixture of the geology, the culture, the music, the arts, the local experience," she said. "Get your feet and hands dirty in the tide."

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Protesters camped out at Nathan Phillips Square were clearing their tents from the area Friday morning following a trespass notice served by the city earlier in the week.

The Afro Indigenous Rising collective, the group that had organized the protest, wrote on Instagram that they were being raided and asked supporters to help pack up and move their tents.

We will not be defeated, the post read.

The demonstrators had been occupying the square to protest police brutality and urging the abolition of the police since June 19.

The city had asked protesters to clear the area of tents by Monday, stating that people cannot camp, or light candles or torches in the area.

They are free to stay and protest, just not camp and set up tents and other prohibited equipment on the square, said City of Toronto chief communications officer Brad Ross.

The city is grateful for the compliance and peaceful resolution.

Ross said that City Hall security guards were on hand as the protesters packed their tents.

TY Tom Yun is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star's radio room in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter: @thetomyun

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Summer may be in full swing, but it isnt too late to whip up a summer cocktail. And while Im usually partial to whiskey, nothing says summer like a drink with rum. Something about the result of distilled molasses has just the right combination of sweetness and bite. I find the occasional over-the-top umbrella rum cocktaillike a mai tai, pina colada, or rum punchhave to have too much sweetness to pair well with a smoke (though the classic Daiquiri, as opposed to the overly sweet frozen version, is excellent). So here are five classic rum drinks that work fantastically with a cigar:

5) Mount Gay Tonic  Want a fresh drink thats perfect for a warm afternoon? Mount Gay Tonic is the answer. Mix rum and tonic water in nearly equal parts, serve over ice with a lime, and youll end up with a versatile and invigorating drink thats a suitable pairing for most medium-bodied smokes.

4) Dark n Stormy  Made with Goslings rum and tangy ginger beer, this concoction mixes one part dark rum with two parts ginger beer, ideally Barritts. Known as the official drink of Burmuda, youll need a full-flavored cigar to stand up to its spice.

3) Cuba Libre  You can just call it a rum and Coke, but when youre pairing it with a cigar cuba libre seems so much more fitting. (The pairing is so fitting that Nestor Plasencia named a cigar Cuba Libre.) I recommend a spiced rum and pairing it with a spicy Cameroon-wrapped cigar.

2) Mojito  For my money its hard to beat a mojito: mint, rum, lime, sugar, and a splash of soda water blended perfectly into a refreshing beverage. Enjoy it with a mild- to medium-bodied smoke, preferably a creamy stick with a Connecticut wrapper.

1) Straight Up or On the Rocks  As well as rums blend with other beverages, its easy to forget that the best way to taste a fine rum is straight up or on the rocks. Fine rums offer as much intensity as a fine scotch or bourbon, and only unaccompanied will you be able to discern all the complexity of a well-aged spirit. Each will require its own cigar pairing, but with such flavors as honey, banana peel, oak, cedar, and pepper, there are more than enough flavors to pair with a fine smoke.

So there you have it, my favorite rum drinks to accompany a fine cigar. Think I missed one? Let us know in the comments.

Patrick S

photo credit: Wikimedia
COVID-19: How AAP government is defeating the pandemic in Delhi

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Anuj Cariappa

New Selhi, July 10: COVID-19, one of the biggest health crisis faced in recent times has thrown life out of gear. In the midst of the pandemic, the Arvind Kejriwal led AAP government took several measures in Delhi and today the results can be seen.

The nationwide lockdown imposed on March 25 helped contain the spread of the virus, but it also brought with it other socio-economic crises.

Unlock 1.0, announced by the Central Government, which started on June 1 did begin to pick up the economy, but brought with it difficulties for Delhi. In the first week of June, Delhi started witnessing a rising number of cases, a rising number of deaths and because of these a rapidly rising panic amongst the citizens of Delhi.

However a month later, each of these seems to have plateaued. Let us take look at how the AAP government is taking steps to defeat the virus.

Controlling the number of cases:

The key to controlling the number of cases is a strategy of aggressive testing and isolation. Only if COVID positive patients and their high-risk contacts can be isolated and quarantined, can the spread of the disease be reduced.

Home Isolation and its awareness drive:

The Delhi Government aggressively promoted Home Isolation of COVID-positive patients who were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms. These constitute almost 80% of all COVID-positive cases. After a visit of a medical team to their homes explaining Home Isolation, regular monitoring and guidance was done with daily phone calls from healthcare workers. This meant that patients could recover in the comfort and emotional security of their homes. Their family members could also be quarantined in the same house for 2 weeks and this ensured that they did not become spreaders.

Aggressive testing and Isolation:

Delhi was following a strategy of high testing from the very start. Even before the end of June, Delhi was testing more than any other state in India at about 10,500 tests per million on May 31. Once the stigma around being a Corona patient was successfully reduced, it was possible to further ramp up testing.

From the first week of June, a strategy of aggressive testing was started, with a focus on areas that were becoming hotspots. In the first week of June, Delhi Government was conducting 5,500 tests per day. With the help of Centre's support in providing antigen test kits, by mid-June, this figure stood at 11,000 tests per day and by the first week of July at 21,000 tests per day.

Rapidly increasing hospital beds:

Till early June, there were only 8 private hospitals that were treating Corona patients and these had total of 700 beds available. This was in addition to 2500 beds in Delhi Government hospitals. When the cases started rising in the first week of June, the aforementioned 8 private hospitals reached their capacity and when patients reached some of these hospitals they found no beds available.

Bed capacity was immediately expanded in private hospitals. An order was passed by the Kejriwal government whereby all private hospitals with more than 50 beds had to reserve 40% of beds for treating COVID patients. Not only did this mean that the number of COVID beds in private hospitals increased from 700 to 5000, it also meant that COVID facilities were now available in all parts of the city. With hotels being linked to private hospitals the number of beds went up to 15,000.

Accessible information on bed availability

More than a 1000 beds were available even in the first week of June, but the patients and their families did not know which were the hospitals where these beds were available.

The Kejriwal government became the first in the country to launch 'Delhi Corona App' that displayed real-time availability of beds.

Counselling of Corona patients by doctors:

The Delhi Govt collaborated with a network of NGOs and Doctor-volunteers who started real-time calling and counselling of COVID-positive patients, as soon as their lab reports got uploaded. This meant that a COVID-positive patient was able to get medical advice and counselling within hours of getting their lab reports.

Reducing deaths:

COVID-19 has a 2-5% mortality rate across the world. In the absence of a vaccine for this virus, it may not be possible to bring the mortality rate down to zero, but proper patient and facility management can lead to reduction of mortality and this is exactly the strategy that has been followed in Delhi.

The focus of the Delhi Government was on ensuring that the patients who had mild symptoms could recover at home, so that hospital facilities remained available for serious and critical patients.

Plasma Therapy:

Delhi was the first to start an experimental trial of plasma therapy in LNJP, the largest Delhi Government COVID-19 facility. Trial results were very encouraging. In a first, across the country, a 'Plasma Bank' has been set up by the Delhi Government.

Public engagement and participation:

Throughout the pandemic the Chief Minister himself has kept a direct engagement with the people of Delhi - be it explaining Home Isolation, how oximeters work, why plasma should be donated, how hospitals beds are being increased.

This engagement has meant that the people of Delhi have always been informed by a trusted voice about where the city stands in its ability to confront the Coronavirus.

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Story first published: Friday, July 10, 2020, 18:31 [IST]
BRUSSELS - Serbia and Kosovo agreed Friday to resume long-stalled negotiations on normalizing their strained relations, but both sides refused to budge on key issues in their dispute during video talks led by France and Germany.

And Serbias president said the Europeans have unrealistic expectations for any breakthrough.

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel held virtual preparatory talks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti aiming to set up the first face-to-face meeting of the Balkans leaders since November 2018 under a European Union-backed dialogue process.

That meeting had been slated to take place in Brussels on Sunday, but it has now been downgraded to a follow-up videoconference, with the in-person talks only likely to happen Thursday. No reason was given for the change of plans.

In a joint statement after Fridays talks, France and Germany said that Vucic and Hoti agreed to resume the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina that has been suspended since 2018. It said the two agreed to deepen co-operation in various areas to help rebuild trust.

The statement noted that the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia is extremely important for security and stability in the region and, beyond that, of great significance for the EU membership prospects of both countries.

Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo have rarely eased in the more than 20 years since Belgrade sent troops into its then-province to crush a separatist uprising. Ethnic Albanians made up the rebel Kosovo Liberation Army that fought Serbian armed forces in 1998-99 and now are the majority in Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008.

Serbia has never recognized Kosovos independence  indeed only 22 of the 27 EU nations do as well  and statehood remains the biggest stumbling block. The five EU countries that dont recognize Kosovos independence are Romania, Cyprus, Greece, Slovakia and Spain.

Speaking after Fridays meeting, said we had really tough negotiations, and that he told Macron and Merkel that if Kosovos independence is what they want to talk about, then these talks are completely meaningless.

We will not have an easy time in the future. I think we will be exposed to great, great, let me not say pressure, but expectations from our European partners, Vucic said. At the same time we are faced with a completely unrealistic approach from Kosovo Albanians who want it all, leaving Serbia without anything, he said.

During the talks, Hoti insisted that mutual recognition between the two countries is the only way to normalize relations and pave the way for both countries (toward) EU integration.

The prime minister also spoke out against any land swap idea between the two, saying that the territorial integrity of the Republic of Kosovo is non-negotiable, according to extracts of his remarks during the meeting.

Despite the long-standing differences between the sides, a French presidential adviser said the dialogue is picking up and that Vucic and Hoti had showed their goodwill simply by coming to Paris for separate meetings earlier this week.

The adviser, who isnt authorized to be publicly named under presidential policy, acknowledged that the talks are complex, but said that no one underestimates the challenges, and all sides understand that finding a solution is important for regional security.

We recognize Kosovo... Serbia doesnt. Thats the difficulty to resolve, said the adviser, who added: We shouldnt allow a vacuum to develop in this region.

The EU-facilitated negotiations, which the Europeans say is the only forum that addresses their future aspirations, started in March 2011 and have produced some 30 agreements, but most of them have not been observed. Some EU member states themselves havent recognized Kosovos independence.

European Commission spokesman Peter Stano said it is important to focus on moving things forward and not to get bogged down in the thorny issues holding up the talks.

This is not a one-off event. Dialogue is a process, Stano told reporters. What is important at this stage is to get things moving.

___

Jovana Gec in Belgrade, Llazar Semini in Tirana and Angela Charlton in Paris contributed to this report.
Belfast journalists Barry McCaffrey (left), solicitor Niall Murphy, journalist Trevor Birney, solicitor John Finucane and Patrick Corrigan of Amnesty International outside the Royal Courts of Justice in Belfast (Rebecca Black/PA)

Two journalists have called for an apology from the PSNI chief after the Court of Appeal quashed a search warrant used to raid their homes and offices.

Barry McCaffrey and Trevor Birney were arrested over the alleged theft of a police watchdog document that appeared in their film No Stone Unturned on a notorious loyalist massacre in Loughinisland during the Northern Ireland Troubles.

Last year judges ruled search warrants used by police had been inappropriate.

Expand Close Patrick Corrigan of Amnesty International (left), journalist Trevor Birnie, solicitor John Finucane, journalist Barry McCaffrey and solicitor Niall Murphy at outside the Royal Courts of Justice in Belfast. (Rebecca Black/PA) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Patrick Corrigan of Amnesty International (left), journalist Trevor Birnie, solicitor John Finucane, journalist Barry McCaffrey and solicitor Niall Murphy at outside the Royal Courts of Justice in Belfast. (Rebecca Black/PA)

This resulted in the criminal probe into the journalists being discontinued.

On Friday a panel of judges sitting in the Court of Appeal ruled the conduct of the hearing to obtain the search warrant fell woefully short of the standard required to ensure that the hearing was fair.

The Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan delivered the judgment on behalf of a panel which included Lord Justice Treacy and Mrs Justice Keegan, telling the court that the journalists had at all times acted as investigative reporters adhering to their professional code.

We see no overriding requirement in the public interest which could have justified an interference with the protection of journalistic sources in this case, he said.

The PSNI responded with a statement saying: The Police Service of Northern Ireland will now take time to consider the judgment.

Speaking outside court, Mr McCaffrey and Mr Birney demanded an apology from PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne.

All we did was our job. Barry McCaffrey

I hope that Simon Byrne this evening sees that he has to now apologise, this didnt happen on his watch but the responsibility falls on his shoulders to put this right and he should be putting it right immediately, Mr Birney said.

He doesnt need time to study this judgment. He lost 10-nil in court, police should never have arrested us, they should never have searched our homes and offices and they should not have put us through this ordeal.

Mr McCaffrey added: Journalists throughout Ireland and the UK were waiting for this judgment because it has now copper-fastened protections. The highest court in the land has protected our right to protect sources and to ask the difficult questions.

All we did was our job.

The NUJ hailed the judgment as an historic victory for journalism.

Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, said: We very much welcome the decision of the judges to quash the warrants and the bold emphasis they have placed on the right of journalists to protect their sources.

Journalists must not be treated as criminals, they must not have their homes and offices raided, simply for doing their jobs.
As has been the case at namesake schools across the country, Jean Vanier Secondary School in Welland will be getting a new name.

The River Road French language Catholic school was named for Vanier, who was the founder of the L'Arche Federation, a Catholic philosopher, theologian and a humanitarian. He was lauded around the world for his work with people with intellectual disabilities.

But that all unravelled this past February when an internal report by the LArche Foundation concluded Vanier had sexually assaulted six women over a 35-year period from 1970 to 2005 while living in France.

Vanier died in May 2019, at the age of 90.

A spokesperson for school board Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir, who asked not to be identified, said the decision to rename the school was made after the board consulted with the school community.

The response was overwhelmingly in favour of such a change, the spokesperson said. In mid-June, school council sent a request to the board asking for permission to begin a consultation process that would lead to the selection of a new name for the school.

The spokesperson said that three potential names were to be submitted for board consideration.

Board members will then select the schools new name, the spokesperson said, adding the short list is to be presented to the board at its next meeting on July 15.

In 1964, Vanier  a Canadian professor of philosophy and retired naval officer  was distressed by what he saw after he visited some institutions for men with intellectual disabilities. It prompted him to start his own charity, and he went on to renovate a home in Trosly-Breuil, a small village in France.

He called the home LArche, which translated to English means The Ark, and it became an environment where men, and later women, with intellectual disabilities could live and participate fully in their community instead of being labelled as only patients.

The Welland school will not be the first to drop the Vanier name. Schools in Regina, Sask., Brantford, Collingwood and Milton have already dropped the name.
ASHEVILLE, NC / ACCESSWIRE / July 10, 2020 / If an investor has chosen a Self-Directed IRA, how many options will they have to fund that account? That is the question posed-and answered-at a recent post at the American IRA blog. American IRA, a Self-Directed IRA administration firm based in North Carolina, wrote about three distinct funding opportunities: contributions, rollovers, and transfers.

The post went on to describe each individual funding option. For example, direct contributions are simple. In a Self-Directed Roth IRA in 2020, an investor could contribute up to $6,000 to the Roth IRA, or as much a $7,000 at the age of 50 or older. In this way, it is possible for investors to begin their investment process simply by putting after-tax money into the account and putting the money to work.

A transfer is another funding method that works by directly moving money from one account to another. This is an ideal way to fund a new account, but it is contingent on specific rules being met. For example, an investor would not be able to transfer before-tax money currently in a Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA.

In a rollover, the post explains, an investor temporarily takes possession of the funds, with a specified time limit to deposit them in the new account. This is an indirect funding method, but it is one of the most popular ways to move retirement funds from one account to another.

In addition to the three direct funding opportunities available to investors, American IRA noted that there is also the possibility of using non-recourse loans with a Self-Directed IRA. For example, an investor who holds a Self-Directed IRA can use a non-recourse loan to fund a real estate purchase. In a non-recourse loan-a loan secured by collateral, according to Investopedia-the lender cannot continue to seek out additional compensation from the borrower in the event of a default.

For more information about Self-Directed IRA funding options, visit the American IRA blog at www.AmericanIRA.com or call 866-7500-IRA.

About:

American IRA, LLC was established in 2004 by Jim Hitt, CEO in Asheville, NC.

The mission of American IRA is to provide the highest level of customer service in the self-directed retirement industry. Jim Hitt and his team have grown the company to over $400 million in assets under administration by educating the public that their Self-Directed IRA account can invest in a variety of assets such as real estate, private lending, limited liability companies, precious metals and much more.

As a Self-Directed IRA administrator, they are a neutral third party. They do not make any recommendations to any person or entity associated with investments of any type (including financial representatives, investment promoters or companies, or employees, agents or representatives associated with these firms). They are not responsible for and are not bound by any statements, representations, warranties or agreements made by any such person or entity and do not provide any recommendation on the quality profitability or reputability of any investment, individual or company. The term "they" refers to American IRA, located in Asheville and Charlotte, NC and Atlanta, GA."

SOURCE: American IRA, LLC

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/595940/American-IRA-Explains-Self-Directed-IRA-Funding-Options
A memorial photo of Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon is seen at Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno, Seoul, Friday. Yonhap



By Bahk Eun-ji



Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, 64, who was found dead near Sukjeong Gate on Mount Bugak at around 12:20 a.m. Friday, was a former civic activist before he was elected. He emerged as one of the ruling Democratic Party's leading presidential candidates after he became a three-term mayor of the nation's capital, but his sudden death amid allegations in a #MeToo scandal shocked not only the political community but also the whole country.



Born in Changnyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, he entered Seoul National University after graduating from Gyeonggi High School in 1974, but was jailed for participating in protests against Korea's dictatorship, and subsequently expelled from SNU. Park later passed the 22nd bar exam after graduating from Dankook University in 1980.



After his brief career as a prosecutor, Park opened his law firm in 1983. He began to make his name known in the political community by defending suspects involved in public security cases, and began to step into civic movements in the 1990s. From 1996, he served as the secretary general of the People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy and launched a movement seeking rights for minority shareholders, and a campaign to disclose information on budget monitoring of public organizations. He also opened a nonprofit organization "Beautiful Store" where donations from citizens are sold cheaply and its profits are used for charities.





A Seoul Metropolitan Government official holds a note left by Mayor Park Won-soon, which reads "Sorry for everyone, for giving nothing but pain," at Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno, Seoul, Friday. Yonhap

Although Park led the progressive civic movement, he was barley known in politics. In 2011, he stepped into institutional politics when he was elected Seoul mayor as an independent candidate in a by-election held when Oh Se-hoon, a member of the Grand National Party, resigned to take responsibility for the failure of a referendum on free school meals.



Park won his third term in the 2018 local elections, defeating candidates Chung Mong-joon of the ruling Saenuri Party and Kim Moon-soo of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party. While serving as the first three-term Seoul mayor, he continued to carry out many experimental policies such as cutting college tuition in half, providing free school meals, permanent-employment status to irregular workers, youth allowances and urban regeneration.









Along with positive reviews from citizens about the city government life-centered administration, criticism has also been raised, which claimed, "The mayor was only centered on gaining popularity among the people and operated the city government as a civic group."



During his third term, he appointed a number of current ruling party officials to deputy mayor posts for political affairs, and many of them entered the 20th and 21st National Assembly, expanding his influence in the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK).



It is known that Park had been preparing to run in the 2022 presidential election. At a private luncheon held at Cheong Wa Dae in late August last year, he reportedly said, "I would like to do more for the country and the people," to President Moon Jae-in.



He is said to have frequently contacted close ruling party figures such as lawmakers Park Hong-keun, Ki Dong-min, Jin Sung-joon and Kim Won, who were elected in the April 15 general election this year, to discuss ways to prepare for the presidential election. Park also recently showed his willingness to run in the presidential election at a meeting with 17 lawmakers of the DPK he was close to and discussing strategies for the presidential campaign, according to a ruling party official.





Park Won-soon raises up bouquet after winning his third term for Seoul mayoral election in this 2018 file photo. Yonhap
CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan socialist party leader Diosdado Cabello has tested positive for COVID-19, the official wrote on Twitter Thursday.

Shortly after his announcement, President Nicolas Maduro said on state television Cabello would need several days of treatment and recovery, but that "he is already resting, he is fine."

Cabello wrote on Twitter that he is in isolation and receiving treatment. "We will win!" he added.

Cabello's announcement comes after the governor of Venezuela's Zulia state, Omar Prieto, tested positive for COVID-19, according to Maduro, after being admitted on Tuesday to a private clinic due to respiratory trouble. [L1N2EF2P1]

"Warrior of light, warrior of total rest, Omar Prieto," Maduro added.

Zulia, which Maduro has identified as a coronavirus hot spot, has been among the states hardest hit by Venezuela's crumbling power and water services, hampering efforts to maintain basic sanitation even in hospitals.

"The virus exists, the virus reaches everyone, it can affect anyone, you have to take care of yourself," he said. "This is not a game."

Maduro in a televised broadcast on Wednesday announced 317 new cases of the virus, taking Venezuela's total to 8,010.

Opposition leaders have questioned the official figures, pointing to a lack of transparency in reporting cases and persecution of journalists and health workers who question official data.

The ruling Socialist Party says Venezuela has handled the outbreak better than other Latin American nations, and that most of the countrys cases come from Venezuelan migrants returning from Colombia and Brazil.

(Reporting by Sarah Kinosian; Editing by Chris Reese and Daniel Wallis)
Italy closes borders to 13 countries at high risk of covid-19.

Italy has banned entry to people arriving from 13 countries that it said presented an excessive rate of covid-19 infections.

The list of 13 nations compiled by Italy's health ministry comprises Armenia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brazil, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chile, Kuwait, North Macedonia, Moldova, Oman, Panama, Peru and Dominican Republic.

The travel ban affects anyone who has stayed in or travelled through these countries during the previous 14 days, health minister Roberto Speranza said in a statement on 9 July.

Italy has suspended all direct and indirect flights to and from the 13 'high-risk' countries, reports Italian news agency ANSA.

Citing "maximum prudence", Speranza said that Italy could not "nullify" the sacrifices made by Italians over the last few months.

The move comes two days after Italy ordered the temporary suspension of flights from Bangladesh following a spike of coronavirus cases traced back to people arriving in Rome from Dhaka.

"We cannot allow [covid-19] positive and unmonitored people to come in from foreign countries," said Italy's premier Giuseppe Conte, citing as an example Bangladesh where there are "no checks" on outgoing passengers, reports ANSA.

On 8 July airports in Rome and Milan sent Bangladeshi passengers back on the same planes in which they arrived as health authorities in Lazio undertake a major covid-19 testing programme among the resident Bangladeshi community.

Earlier this week the governor of Italy's north-eastern Veneto region introduced a 1,000 fine for anyone caught breaking the quarantine rules after a Vicenza businessman caused a fresh outbreak of covid-19 following his return from Serbia.

On 3 June Italy reopened to tourists from the European Union and the Schengen Area, allowing unrestricted travel after months of lockdown due to the covid-19 crisis, however travel restrictions remain in place for visitors from most countries outside Europe, including the US.

On 1 July the EU reopened its borders to travellers from a list of "safe countries" whose citizens now have quarantine-free access to the EU: Algeria, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, New Zealand, Montenegro, Morocco, Rwanda, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay.

The EU says that China could also be added to this list but only if Beijing reciprocates by permitting entry to EU nationals.

However Italy decided to opt out and retain its quarantine regulations for all nations that are not part of the free-travel Schengen area.

Photo La Repubblica
Naya Rivera drowned in what appears to be a tragic accident, according to investigators. The Ventura County Sheriffs Office held a press conference on Thursday afternoon after confirming the search for the missing Glee star has turned into a recovery mission.

This is a terrible tragedy, Captain Eric Buschow said. We hope to bring closure to that family Were going to do everything we can to find her.

Rivera, 33, never returned from a swimming excursion with her 4-year-old, Josey Dorsey. The actress son was found unharmed on the boat she rented, which was drifting in Lake Piru, Calif. Video from the dock shows Rivera and her son were the only two people on board.

How long it had been unmanned, we dont know, Buschow said.

Rivera rented a pontoon boat for three hours at 1 p.m. PT on Wednesday. When she didnt return at 4 p.m. PT, workers went out to look for them. They found her son sleeping on the boat and called 911. The boy had been wearing a life vest, but investigators dont believe Rivera had been wearing one as a second life vest was found inside the boat. Riveras purse and ID were also located on board, Buschow revealed. Its unclear how her son got back on the boat. Its also unknown how long she was in the water with her son.

A pontoon boat is docked and roped off with police tape at Lake Piru, where actress Naya Rivera was reported missing Wednesday, on July 8, 2020. According to the Ventura County Sheriffs Department this is believed to the boat that was rented by Rivera. (Photo: Getty Images)

Riveras son told investigators that he and his mother had been swimming in the lake and that he got back in the boat, but his mother did not. While an investigation is ongoing, Buschow told reporters they have enough information to conclude that she never made it out of the water. He added that the focus of our search efforts are in the water at this time.

I think its too early to say what happened here, he cautioned. Were still investigating its not uncommon we have boating accidents and people lose their lives.  We have had drownings here.

According to Buschow, Rivera had previously been to Lake Piru, which is about an hour outside of Los Angeles.

She had had experience boating on this lake before, he said. When asked by a reporter if Rivera was a strong swimmer, Buschow said he didnt know, but noted that swimming is permitted in the lake.

Story continues

Theres really no strong undercurrents like you have in the ocean, but sometimes the water can be very cold, Buschow shared, but added he didnt know, yet, if that was a factor in Riveras likely drowning. He also didnt know the temperature of the water on Wednesday afternoon.

The boat was found floating in an area estimated to be 30 feet deep with 15 feet visibility in the northern part of the lake, which is the area currently being searched. There are a lot of trees underwater in the area. When asked how long it can take for a body to be recovered from the lake, Buschow told reporters it could be anywhere from two days to a week, but added, If the body is entangled in something beneath the water it may never come back up.

Buschow said its going to be a slow search process due to difficult conditions. When the search resumed Thursday morning, divers were experiencing less than one foot of visibility in the water in daylight.

The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department is assisting in the search with divers and sonar equipment. Approximately 100 personnel are participating in the recovery operation, including resources from neighboring counties and the United States Coast Guard. Buschow said they will do everything they can to bring closure to the family.

Buschow also confirmed Josey Dorsey, whom Rivera shared with ex-husband Ryan Dorsey, is with family. Father and son were photographed together on Thursday.

Naya Rivera is presumed dead after she went missing on Lake Piru:

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If youve watched the news at all lately, youve probably heard of social distancing. The phrase was first used back in 2003 during the SARS epidemic, made brief appearances in the years following, and had its most famous comeback just a few months ago when the coronavirus pandemic first struck. Now, in one of the most creative ways imaginable, four art shows in Austin, Texas are zeroing in on the meaning of the phrase.

With little to no good news recently on the pandemic, Austin artists decided to spin the misery into something positive. They unveiled four different projects in parks throughout the city, including Roy Guerrero Colorado River Park, Pease Park, Republic Square, and Zilker Park.

How the Project Materialized

Austin was determined to bring some joy and happiness to the lives of its people. The Austin Foundation for Architecture, Austins Parks and Recreation Department, the Pease Park Conservancy, and the Downtown Austin Alliance Foundation all got together to brainstorm ideas that would incorporate bright cheerful colors and stress the importance of following the CDC guidelines. Sticking to those procedures in wide open spaces such as parks has been difficult for many, and the new Austin installations greatly simplify the concept.

The Installations

In each of the parks, oversized, colorful boxes were painted onto the grass, each exactly 64 square feet in size and six feet away from the boxes around it. Even better, the paint used to make the boxes was an environmentally friendly water-based type designed specifically to paint turf. Each color palette in the separate parks was motivated by the hues of Texas Hill Country wildflowers, with an overall goal of increasing the safety of outdoor areas in an artistically pleasing way.

Images of several different Texas Hill State County wildflowers, which served as the inspiration for the colorful new PARKSPACE installation.

Gerardo Gandy, a designer at Gensler, introduced the idea when he saw similar art projects being implemented in other cities. His inspiration to integrate the colors of assorted Texas wildflowers was partly due to a memorable quote by former first lady and dedicated conservationist Lady Bird Johnson: Where flowers bloom, so does hope.

Story continues

City Leaders Praise

Not only are the residents of Austin thankful for the uplifting art spaces, but many of Austins leaders also voiced their appreciation for the project.

The minds behind the PARKSPACE project proudly open an Austin park up for safe, socially distant fun.

Ingrid Spencer, executive director for the Austin Foundation for Architecture and AIA Austin, issued a press release stating: We could not be more excited to be part of this important, timely, relevant, and necessary project. P A R K S P A C E boldly weaves the elements of an architectural landscaping intervention and a social distancing awareness campaign into one exciting public outdoor experience.

Kimberly McNeeley, Parks and Recreation Department director, echoed those sentiments in her own press release, which explains that as we navigate the current situation, the Parks and Recreation Department encourages utilization of our parks and green spaces to create community safety. Were delighted to be partnering with the Austin Foundation for Architecture to facilitate their creative vision of P A R K S P A C E that will help Austinites continue to maintain physical distancing while the park goers nurture their mental, physical, and spiritual health.

Even Austin Mayor Steve Adler told the media that Creative placemaking is a communal experience, and P A R K S P A C E is an installation for our times; a new way to be together, apart.

The entire four-park pilot project was completed prior to the Fourth of July weekend, even though all Austin and Travis County parks were closed over the holiday as COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the state of Texas. More local parks are currently under consideration for P A R K S P A C E installations.
On a hot, sticky May afternoon in 1970, a crowd of several thousand students and protesterstook over the University of Maryland mall. Many were there to protest the Vietnam War. Others were hoping to catch a glimpse of a famous Hollywood actress. Her name was Jane Fonda.

As the war raged, the one-time blonde bombshell cut her naturally brown hair short, trading sex appeal for liberal activism and rebranding herself as a political crusader against the war. On campus, she was pushing her movement to turn U.S. soldiers into pacifists. "The Army builds a tolerance for violence," she shouted at the crowd. "I find that intolerable."

The Washington Post spent that day with Fonda, following her and a dozen or so students to Fort Meade in Maryland, where they planned to hand out antiwar leaflets to soldiers. She was arrested before she got the chance, just as she had been at Fort Lewis, Washington, Fort Hood, Texas, and Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Fonda told The Post she'd made talking to GIs her full-time job.

For the next several years, Fonda would continue as one of the most prominent public faces in the antiwar movement. But it wasn't until she traveled to Hanoi in July 1972 that she really enraged critics and fundamentally altered how the world viewed her for decades to come.

This weekend, filmmaker Ken Burns's 10-part documentary on the Vietnam War began airing on PBS. Burns said the project is an attempt to heal old resentments. Although he didn't interview Fonda, the film looks at her controversial 1972 visit to Hanoi.

Fonda's transformation from actress to activist began several years earlier. She was active in the Black Panthers and marched for the rights of American Indians, soldiers and working mothers. But she was advised by other activists to focus her political energies, deciding to go all-in as an impassioned voice for the antiwar movement.

She and actor Donald Sutherland started an "anti-USO" troupe to counter Bob Hope's famous shows for the troops. They called it FTA, which they said stood for Free the Army, but it was also a not-so-subtle nod to the expression "f- the Army."

By July 1972, when Fonda accepted an invitation to visit North Vietnam, America had been at war overseas and with itself for years. She went to tour the country's dike system, which was rumored to have been intentionally bombed by American forces - something the U.S. government to this day forcefully denies. During her two-week stay, Fonda concluded that America was unjustly bombing farmland and areas far flung from military targets. North Vietnamese press reported - and Fonda later confirmed - that she made several radio announcements over the Voice of Vietnam radio to implore U.S. pilots to stop the bombings.

"I appealed to them to please consider what you are doing. I don't think they know," Fonda said in a news conference when she returned home. "The people who are speaking out against the war are the patriots." She said the radio addresses were the only way to get access to American soldiers, because she was barred from meeting them at their bases in South Vietnam.

In Hanoi, Fonda also met with seven American POWs and later said they asked her to tell their friends and family to support presidential candidate George McGovern; they feared they'd never be freed during a Richard Nixon administration. Rumors spread and still persist that she betrayed them by accepting secret notes and then turning them over to the North Vietnamese. The POWs who were there have denied that this ever occurred.

But the action that still enrages veterans most was that photograph of her with the Viet Cong on an anti-aircraft gun that would have been used to shoot down American planes. This, probably more than anything, earned her the nickname "Hanoi Jane."

After Fonda returned from her trip, the State Department spoke out against her.

"It is always distressing to find American citizens who benefit from the protection and assistance of this government lending their voice in any way to governments such as the Democratic Republic of Vietnam - distressing indeed," said State Department spokesman Charles W. Bray, according to a July 1972 Reuters story.

Some lawmakers called her actions treason. Congress held hearings. The Veterans of Foreign Wars passed a resolution calling for her to be prosecuted as a traitor.

Perhaps most dramatically, in March 1973, the Maryland state legislature held a hearing to have Fonda and her films barred from the state. Democratic Del. William Burkhead said, "I wouldn't want to kill her, but I wouldn't mind if you cut her tongue off," according to a Post story.

Fonda wasn't deterred. She continued openly to question the accounts of the U.S. government and American POWs, who told devastating stories of the torture they endured at the hands of the North Vietnamese.

"These men were bombing and strafing and napalming the country," she said, according to an Associated Press report in April 1973, which quoted an interview she gave to KNBC-TV in Los Angeles. "If a prisoner tried to escape, it is quite understandable that he would probably be beaten and tortured."

Over the years, as Fonda reinvented herself as a fitness maven and again a movie star, she apologized many times for the anti-aircraft gun photo. But she maintains she was not a traitor by speaking out against the war or trying to turn soldiers against it, because she still believes the U.S. government was lying to them.

In her 2005 memoir, "My Life So Far," Fonda wrote of the infamous photo this way:

"Here is my best, honest recollection of what took place. Someone (I don't remember who) leads me toward the gun, and I sit down, still laughing, still applauding. It all has nothing to do with where I am sitting. I hardly even think about where I am sitting. The cameras flash. I get up, and as I start to walk back to the car with the translator, the implication of what has just happened hits me. Oh, my God. It's going to look like I was trying to shoot down U.S. planes! I plead with him, You have to be sure those photographs are not published. Please, you can't let them be published. I am assured it will be taken care of. I don't know what else to do. It is possible that the Vietnamese had it all planned. I will never know. If they did, can I really blame them? The buck stops here. If I was used, I allowed it to happen. It was my mistake, and I have paid and continue to pay a heavy price for it."

Still, for some veterans, no apology from Fonda will ever change their views of her as an adversary of America and the troops during wartime. In 2015, about 50 veterans stood outside the Weinberg Center for the Arts in Frederick, Maryland, to protest Fonda's appearance there. They held signs that read "Forgive? Maybe. Forget? Never." and booed people attending the event, according to the Frederick News-Post.

Fonda told the audience that their protests saddened her.

"It hurts me," she said, "and it will to my grave that I made a huge, huge mistake that made a lot of people think I was against the soldiers."
Halton police are investigating after a person was killed and a second victim rushed to hospital in a double shooting in a Burlington parking lot.

Shortly after 1 p.m. Friday, Halton police received reports of a shooting.

When officers arrived on scene, two victims with gunshot wounds were located at 484 Plains Rd. East. in the lot of Good Chinese Buffet and Pro Patio Furniture.

Police say theyre still looking for at least one suspect who fled the scene.

Information from witnesses indicates that a male suspect fled the scene westbound on Plains Road East in a grey sedan, police said.

One of the shooting victims succumbed to their injuries at the scene. A second victim was transported to hospital for treatment for gunshot wounds.

Police do not have further information about the suspects and the investigation continues.

There is no threat to public safety, police added.

As the investigation continues, Plains Rd. E. is closed in both directions between Road King and Waterdown Road.

Residents have been advised to avoid the area.

Investigators are appealing for any video footage from the area between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on July 10, and to any witnesses to come forward.

Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers.

BS Bambang Sadewo is a general assignment reporter for InsideHalton.com and its sister papers. Reach him via email: bsadewo@metroland.com

Raneem Alozzi is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Stars radio room in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @r_alozzi

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 10)  The remains of 49 overseas Filipino workers who have died of COVID-19 and other natural causes in Saudi Arabia were flown home on Friday. Over 200 more are set to be brought home in the coming days.

The cargo plane carrying the bodies of 32 OFWs from Dammam and 17 from Riyadh arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 10:30 a.m. Twenty of them died of COVID-19.

The bodies were transported to the Villamor Airbase, where the caskets were disinfected upon arrival. Several government officials were waiting with a short and somber program.

Defense Secretary and National Task Force on COVID-19 chairman Delfin Lorenzana recognized and thanked the OFWs for their sacrifices and contributions.

"Ang nais natin sana para sa OFWs ay ang mainit na pagbati ng 'Maligayang pagdating!' sa lupang sinilangan. Ngunit sa malungkot na pagkakataong ito, maraming salamat at paalam sa inyo, aming mga kababayan," he said.

[Translation: We want to give a warm welcome to our OFWs. But in this instance, we will send our gratitude and good bye to our fellow Filipinos.]

After the ceremonial blessing and short speech, they were brought to the crematoriums, where their families are waiting. The cost for cremation will be shouldered by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.

The repatriation of 274 OFWs in Saudi Arabia is being done in batches as each charter flight can only accommodate around 40 caskets.

The Labor Department was given until July 4 to bring back all OFWs who died in the Gulf state. But their return was delayed due to documentary requirements and other health protocols amid the COVID-19 crisis.

"We sincerely apologize for the much-delayed homecoming owing to the lockdowns, and strenuous processes that we have to undergo for their return," Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said in a statement on Friday. "The added anxiety to the families caused by the suspended homeward journey is certainly undeserved."
Mylan gets DCGI nod for remdesivir in India, to launch at Rs 4,800 per vial. (AFP Photo)

Bengaluru: Global pharmaceutical major Mylan has got approval for its remdesivir from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) and will launch a generic version of Gilead Sciences' COVID-19 anti-viral in the country at Rs 4,800 for 100 mg/vial.

The drug will be launched under the brand name Desrem in India and will be available to patients later this month at about 80 per cent below the price tag for wealthy nations, the company said.

The approval for restricted emergency use is part of the DCGI's accelerated approval process to address urgent, unmet needs amid the evolving coronavirus pandemic.

Mylan will manufacture remdesivir in India at its injectables facilities which also make the product for the United States and have been inspected by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for compliance with good manufacturing practices.

The company said it continues to work extensively toward expanding emergency use access for patients in the 127 low- and middle-income countries where it is licenced by Gilead Sciences to do so, subject to reviews by national regulatory bodies and the pre-qualification programme of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The approval by DCGI in India represents the first for Mylan in these 127 markets.

Mylan President Rajiv Malik said the company and Gilead Sciences have partnered for many years to make high-quality medicines available to people who need them and have made significant progress to reduce the incidence of infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS, around the world.

"We commend Gilead for their continued leadership on this front, and also applaud and are proud to continue partnering with the DCGI for its ongoing efforts to accelerate access to critical medicine for patients with COVID-19 in India," he said in a statement.

Mylan joins domestic pharma firm Cipla and Hetero which have already received permission from the DCGI to manufacture and market remdesivir for the treatment of Covid-19.

In May, domestic pharma firms Hetero, Cipla and Jubilant Life Sciences and pharma major Mylan had entered into non-exclusive licencing agreements with drug major Gilead Sciences Inc for manufacturing and distribution of remdesivir.

The medicine has been issued an emergency use authorisation by the US FDA to treat COVID-19 patients.
We got the idea into our heads that once we'd got through a couple of months of lockdown, we'd revert blissfully back to life as we'd known it. There were only two states of being. Locked down or set free. Serving time or party time. A bit like the concept of earthly life followed by entry into heaven. The sufferings and tribulations of this life will give way to eternal happiness.

Likewise, we got the idea that there were only two states of economic existence. Shut or open. Hibernating and awake, as Scott Morrison put it earlier. The virus has other plans. Victoria's bungling has been a spectacular setback. It has demonstrated how quickly the disease can surge back to plague proportions. Australians are dying of the virus. Again.

The defence forces checking drivers on the Geelong highway on June 10. Credit:Jason South

Returning to a shutdown would be "the very worst thing" Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said in May. He was right. It's disruptive, depressing and costly. He's now living his own worst case, in company with 5 million fellow Victorians. The Economist magazine describes Victoria's situation as: "Lock, unlock, repeat." And it's not the only case. New outbreaks and "second waves" of COVID-19 infection are emerging around the world. Even in some of the countries most successful in containing the first.

It's Victoria today but could be Queensland or NSW next week. "All you need is a couple of cases to get away and all of a sudden you have a hell of a problem on your hands," says Peter Doherty, patron of the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity. "The other premiers will be looking at what's happened to the Andrews government and say, 'There but for the grace of God go I'."
Seoul, July 10 : Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon was found dead on Friday, hours after he was reported missing, police said.

A police search team found his body in the forested hills of Mount Bukak near his official residence, reports Yonhap News Agency.

He is presumed to have taken his own life but the police will launch a probe into the cause of death.

Park, 64, had reportedly faced a probe into allegations of sexual harassment against a former female secretary.

She filed a formal complaint with the police on Wednesday over unwanted "physical contact" and "inappropriate" messages from Park, according to sources.

"A complaint has been received by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency," a police official said but declined to elaborate.

"(The body) did not show particular signs of homicide," the official said.

Park's daughter filed a police report on Thursday evening that he "had left home four to five hours ago" after leaving a message that sounded like a will and his phone was turned off.

Park left his residence in the central Seoul ward of Jongno on Thursday morning.

CCTV footage showed him arriving by taxi at Waryong Park in a hilly neighbourhood in Jongno, said the Yonhap News Agency report.

Shortly after receiving the report of him missing, police officers launched a massive search operation around the area involving hundreds of officers, drones and sniffer dogs.

Park, a member of the ruling Democratic Party, had served as mayor of Seoul since 2011 and he was regarded as a potential candidate to run for the 2022 presidential elections.

Also a human rights lawyer and civic activist, Park had two more years in office.

By law, Seo Jeong-hyup, first vice mayor for administrative affairs, will serve as acting mayor until the by-election slated for April 7, 2021.
SAN FRANCISCO (dpa-AFX) - Amid the worsening coronavirus pandemic and mounting costs, banking major Wells Fargo & Co. is preparing to cut thousands of jobs starting later this year, Bloomberg Law reported. Citing people with knowledge of the confidential talks, the report noted that executives are drafting plans that may ultimately eliminate tens of thousands of positions from its about 263,000 workforce, following 'pressure to dramatically reduce costs'. The San Francisco-based bank has been struggling for years with higher expenses due to legal costs and fines related to scandals. In February, the bank had agreed to pay $3 billion to settle criminal and civil investigations into its sales practices scandal. The company employees allegedly opened millions of unauthorized bank accounts in order to meet unrealistic sales goals. Earlier, federal regulators had ordered former Chief Executive John Stumpf to pay $17.5 million fine for his role in the bank's scandal. Wells Fargo recently said it would donate around $400 million to help small businesses impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The bank is targeting to distribute a total of $10 billion to small business customers under the requirements of the Paycheck Protection Program or PPP, and is donating all gross processing fees from the program. 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.
July 10, 2020





Idea management is all about generating new ideas that lead to innovations. Idea management systems provide a way to collect, organize and utilize today's ideas that will become tomorrows great innovations.

According to Forrester, 53% of decision-makers are investing in emerging technologies like idea management systems to drive innovation. Idea management adds value to every aspect of a company from employees to efficiency and from productivity to the bottom line.







As this system is all-inclusive, everyone from the high school kid working part time to the CEO has a chance to contribute to the success of the company by expressing their ideas.

Here is a simple guide to create an effective idea management process.

1. Identify challenges and opportunities

Problems and windows of opportunity come from the same source. Customer feedback, feature requests, product suggestions and customer complaints are where the ideas for the next wave of innovation are spawned. Use these opportunities to brainstorm ideas.

2. Understand where ideas come from

Great ideas dont pop-up only above a certain pay grade or are accompanied by a degree. Creativity is a great equalizer.

Brilliant (News - Alert) ideas float around in the minds of the guy who runs the forklift, the woman who fills the vending machines and even the person who sweeps the floor.

Successful companies are the ones where idea generation is all-inclusive.

3. Collect feedback

Idea management relies on feedback. The opinions of employees are just as valuable as their ideas.

When the idea brainstorming session has netted some intriguing ideas, give employees time to consider and discuss these ideas. Have a system in place where they can easily (and even anonymously if they choose) give their opinions and assessments of the ideas collected.

Ideas lead to other ideas; making feedback one of the most important components of an effective idea management process.

4. Leave no good idea undeveloped

Executing an idea can be a very complex and expensive phase. If the idea in question is simple and related to a minor change in procedure or policy then the expenditure in time and money would be minimal.

If the idea is of a grander nature as in developing a brand-new product or a major productivity upgrade then the idea needs to be exhaustively discussed, researched and looked at from many perspectives.

5. Store ideas like the valuable commodity they are

Do not discard interesting ideas just because they may not be relevant at the present moment.

An effective idea management software will allow you to store ideas of merit in the platform where they are readily accessible at any future time.

6. Implement an automated system

Implementing an effective idea management system can come handy later. All the ideas generated by a brain-storming session may not be useful at present but storing them for future consideration can be useful.

That is where an automated system for idea storage comes in. The latest technology frees up time spent manually cataloguing great ideas for future use.

7. Assign an idea manager

Having one person responsible for the set up and running of the idea management system makes the process more cohesive and efficient. Ideally you want someone who is naturally good at connecting with and motivating others to be an idea manager.

An idea manager must also be able to study and analyze the ideas to identify the ones with the best potential.

Conclusion

As we venture into the drastically changed social landscape of 2020, creativity and innovation will be one of the most important tools for a successful business.

Thus, creating an effective idea management process in your company equals more black ink on the financial statements.
This is an illustration of a brown dwarf. Despite their name, brown dwarfs would appear magenta or orange-red to the human eye if seen close up. Credits: William Pendrill

With the help of citizen scientists, astronomers have discovered two highly unusual brown dwarfs, balls of gas that are not massive enough to power themselves the way stars do.

Participants in the NASA-funded Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 project helped lead scientists to these bizarre objects, using data from NASA's Near-Earth Object Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) satellite along with all-sky observations collected between 2009 and 2011 under its previous moniker, WISE. Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 is an example of "citizen science," a collaboration between professional scientists and members of the public.

Scientists call the newly discovered objects "the first extreme T-type subdwarfs." They weigh about 75 times the mass of Jupiter and clock in at roughly 10 billion years old. These two objects are the most planet-like brown dwarfs yet seen among the Milky Way's oldest population of stars.

Astronomers hope to use these brown dwarfs to learn more about exoplanets, which are planets outside of our solar system. The same physical processes may form both planets and brown dwarfs.

"These surprising, weird brown dwarfs resemble ancient exoplanets closely enough that they will help us understand the physics of the exoplanets," said astrophysicist Marc Kuchner, the principal investigator of Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 and the Citizen Science Officer for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. Kuchner is also an astrophysicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

These two special brown dwarfs have highly unusual compositions. When viewed in particular wavelengths of infrared light, they look like other brown dwarfs, but at others they do not resemble any other stars or planets that have been observed so far.

Scientists were surprised to see they have very little iron, meaning that, like ancient stars, they have not incorporated iron from star births and deaths in their environments. A typical brown dwarf would have as much as 30 times more iron and other metals than these newly discovered objects. One of these brown dwarfs seems to have only about 3% as much iron as our Sun. Scientists expect very old exoplanets would have a low metal content, too.

"A central question in the study of brown dwarfs and exoplanets is how much does planet formation depend on the presence of metals like iron and other elements formed by multiple earlier generations of stars," Kuchner said. "The fact that these brown dwarfs seem to have formed with such low metal abundances suggests that maybe we should be searching harder for ancient, metal-poor exoplanets, or exoplanets orbiting ancient metal-poor stars."

A study in The Astrophysical Journal details these discoveries and the potential implications. Six citizen scientists are listed as co-authors of the study.

WISE images of the newly discovered brown dwarf WISE 1810 as seen with the WiseView tool. Two indicators reveal the object to be a brown dwarf. The first is the objects orange hue in these false-color images. The second is its changed position, which shows it moved between 2010 (left) and 2016 (right). Credit: Schneider et al. 2020

How volunteers found these extreme brown dwarfs

The study's lead author, Adam Schneider of Arizona State University's School of Earth and Space Exploration in Tempe, first noticed one of the unusual brown dwarfs, called WISE 1810, in 2016, but it was in a crowded area of the sky and was difficult to confirm.

With the help of a tool called WiseView, created by Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 citizen scientist Dan Caselden, Schneider confirmed that the object he had seen years earlier was moving quickly, which is a good indication that an object is a nearby celestial body like a planet or brown dwarf.

"WiseView scrolls through data like a short movie," Schneider said, "so you can see more easily see if something is moving or not."

The second unusual brown dwarf, WISE 0414, was discovered by a group of citizen scientists including Backyard Worlds participants Paul Beaulieu, Sam Goodman, William Pendrill, Austin Rothermich, and Arttu Sainio.

The citizen scientists who found WISE 0414 combed through hundreds of images taken by WISE looking for moving objects, which are best detected with the human eye.

"The discovery of these two brown dwarfs shows that science enthusiasts can contribute to the scientific process," Schneider said. "Through Backyard Worlds, thousands of people can work together to find unusual objects in the solar neighborhood."

Astronomers followed up to determine their physical properties and confirm that they are indeed brown dwarfs. The discovery of these two unusual brown dwarfs suggests astronomers may be able to find more of these objects in the future.

About Backyard Worlds: Planet 9

The ongoing Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 project lets anyone join the quest to find more mysterious objects in spacecraft data. Citizen scientists using this project have discovered a wealth of astronomical treasures, including more than 1,600 brown dwarfs and the oldest, coldest white dwarf surrounded by a disk of debris.

About 150,000 people have participated so far. Check it out at backyardworlds.org.

Explore further Citizen scientists discover rare cosmic pairing

More information: WISEA J041451.67-585456.7 and WISEA J181006.18-101000.5: The First Extreme T-type Subdwarfs? arXiv:2007.03836 [astro-ph.SR] Journal information: Astrophysical Journal WISEA J041451.67-585456.7 and WISEA J181006.18-101000.5: The First Extreme T-type Subdwarfs? arXiv:2007.03836 [astro-ph.SR] arxiv.org/abs/2007.03836
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* Palestinians see Trump as biased towards Israel

* Palestinian leaders want "new dynamic" from Democrat Biden

* Palestinian-Americans pressing Biden for change

By Rami Ayyub

RAMALLAH, West Bank, July 9 (Reuters) - Palestinian leaders hope Democrat Joe Biden will tone down Washington's pro-Israel policies if he becomes U.S. president, and Palestinian-Americans have been pressing his campaign for a change, sources familiar with the efforts said.

So far, their efforts have had little impact, the sources said.

U.S. President Donald Trump has recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital, moved the U.S. Embassy to the city and made peace proposals envisaging Israeli sovereignty over parts of the occupied West Bank, territory Palestinians seek for a state.

Trump's moves -- including aid cuts to the Palestinian Authority that exercises limited self-rule in the West Bank -- have prompted Palestinian officials to sever ties with Washington.

"If Mr Biden (is) elected in November, we hope that it will be a totally different dynamic," Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said last week during a virtual conference with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Biden is the presumptive Democratic challenger in November's election. He is on record as challenging plans by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to extend sovereignty to Jewish settlements in the West Bank -- de facto annexation of territory Israel seized in a 1967 war.

"Biden opposes any unilateral action by either side that makes the prospects of a two-state solution less likely - including annexation, which Biden opposes now, and would continue to oppose as President," campaign spokesman Michael Gwin said in a statement for Reuters.

Gwin did not address what action Biden might take if he were president and Israel annexed West Bank land.

Netanyahu's proposed move, under Trump's peace blueprint, has been criticised by Arab and European nations. The Israeli leader is awaiting the green light from Washington.

PROGRESSIVE SUPPORT

Story continues

Buoyed by support from progressives in the Democratic party, Palestinian diaspora activists want Biden to take a more critical look at Israel's treatment of the Palestinians.

More than 120 prominent Palestinian-Americans have signed a "Statement of Principles" that they say determine their community's support for candidates for federal office.

They include making aid to Israel conditional on it ending "practices that violate Palestinian rights and contravene international law", and revoking any potential U.S. recognition of Israeli sovereignty in occupied territory.

"We want to see Biden embrace the party's progressives, who have recognised the shared struggle between Palestinians living under military occupation, and Black and brown Americans who face police brutality, systemic racism and injustice," said Zeina Ashrawi Hutchison, a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in August.

Those positions have failed to gain traction with Biden's team, three people familiar with the campaign's thinking said.

"The progressives want a full-throttle platform change -- a pro-Palestinian flank, an anti-annexation flank -- but there just isn't appetite in the campaign so far," one of the sources said. (Additional reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt in New York, Editing by Jeffrey Heller and Timothy Heritage)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 10



By Jeila Aliyeva - Trend:



Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan discussed cooperation in trade and economic sphere, Trend reports with reference to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.



This was stated during a telephone conversation between Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Mukhtar Tleuberdi.



The sides discussed issues of bilateral cooperation in political and diplomatic, trade and economic, transport, cultural and humanitarian fields.



The parties noted the proximity of positions and interests of Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan on a number of issues. They also considered the activation of partnership within international organizations and mutual support for the initiatives of the two countries.



In addition, the importance of strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation for the overall fight against the pandemic was emphasized.



In general, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan are strategic partners. Ashgabat and Astana regularly discuss partnership issues in the gas sector and in the development of cross-border mineral deposits.

Kazakhstan is involved in a big project to supply the Central Asian gas to China. Since 2009, China National Petroleum Corporation has been purchasing Turkmen fuel transported through the territories of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.



Within the cooperation in the transport sector, the project on the construction of the Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran transnational railway was implemented in December 2014. The goods can be freely transported to the countries of the Persian Gulf, to the Indian Ocean, and transported to Europe via this trade route.



This project was implemented on the basis of an agreement signed by Turkmenistan, Iran and Kazakhstan in 2007.



The project was implemented with financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank and the Islamic Development Bank.



---

Follow the author on Twitter: @JeilaAliyeva
Click here to read the full article.

When asked why he wanted to record new versions of songs his band June of 44 first released more than two decades ago  on their final proper studio LP, 1999s Anahata  guitarist-vocalist Jeff Mueller gives a simple answer: Hed never really felt like they were finished in the first place.

The session for Anahata was pretty tough; many of the songs felt underdeveloped, Mueller writes in an email. Speaking for myself  it all just felt rushed and messy  I had very little grasp on how to organize and play my parts.

More from Rolling Stone

Now, all these years later, he and his bandmates are getting a chance at a do-over. After reuniting in 2018 for their first shows since their 1999 breakup, June of 44  an indie-rock supergroup of sorts, whose Nineties releases married post-hardcore muscle with dubby exploration  went into a California studio last year to record reworked versions of a handful of Anahata songs, plus new takes on two tracks from a 99 EP, recorded for the Dutch Konkurrent labels In the Fishtank series. That material will come out this August, along with a 1996 outtake and new remixes by Matmos and Tortoises John McEntire, on a brand-new June of 44 LP, Revisionist: Adaptations & Future Histories in the Time of Love and Survival, released via San Franciscos Broken Clover label. As a preview of the set, the band has just released ReRecorded Syntax, their update of Anahatas Recorded Syntax.

Some of the older material, Mueller says, has been either radically altered or rearranged to a point to where you may not recognize the new version from the one that came before it. But in this case, the Revisionist version sticks pretty close to the original. Bassist Fred Erskine and drummer Doug Scharin lay down a hypnotic vamp, as Mueller and fellow guitarist-vocalist Sean Meadows carry on a ghostly speak-sing duet, layering in chiming, dramatic guitar lines. Its an effective piece of sustained moodcraft that both demonstrates the quartets fully intact chemistry and serves as a reminder of how distinctive their sound was in the first place.

Story continues

Just after we started playing together again, Sean suggested we start considering a list of songs that perhaps could be reworked for a new album, Mueller says of the origins of Revisionist. [W]ed never afforded ourselves the time to thoroughly think through the writing process of several of our later songs  we thought very differently of them upon our return a couple years back. Mickey [Darius] at Broken Clovers proposal for us to make an unusual recording fit neatly within the ideas that wed been cultivating. Ultimately, I think we needed to get these new versions out of our system  so that we could advance and look ahead to whatever may come of us creatively. Were all quite prideful of the way that its turned out, and, truth be told, its evolved into something quite a bit farther reaching than I think any of us had anticipated.

June of 44 formed in the fall of 1994. (The band name refers to a convergence of events in June 1944: the correspondence of writers Henry Miller and Anais Nin; Meadows grandfathers time in the military; and the birth of Muellers mother.) At the time, Mueller, Erskine, and Scharin were all coming out of beloved underground bands: Louisvilles Rodan, D.C.s Hoover, and New Yorks Codeine, respectively. Together with Meadows, who worked with Muellers former Rodan bandmate Tara Jane ONeil in the Sonora Pine and would go on to play with Baltimore art-rock mystics Lungfish, the four got together in New York to devise a sound from scratch.

Id met Sean, Fred, and Doug while each of us were involved with other projects, Mueller says. Just after Rodan broke in September of 1994, what would become June of 44 scheduled its first writing and recording session for mid-November the same year. Wed never played a note together, yet, somehow, it made sense to think that we could meet for the first time in Brooklyn, rehearse for two straight weeks, record a full-length album, and end with a week of shows. With no money. Genius.

Given the time crunch, the results were impressively coherent. Recorded by a preLCD Soundsystem James Murphy, June of 44s 1995 debut, Engine Takes to the Water, built on the calm-before-the-storm dynamics of predecessors like Slint and capitalized on its members knack for executing complex material with an organic feel. Later albums like Tropics and Meridians  which, along with Engine Takes to the Water, will come out in a new Record Store Day vinyl edition this August  and Four Great Points found the band gradually expanding its sound, so that by the time of Anahata, it was harder to classify them even under the broad umbrella of underground rock.

With growth and an increase in time spent together, it was important that we cultivate a more diplomatic approach to writing  where we could each share an equally proprietary section of our body of songs, not have it continuously lean in a singular direction, Mueller says. What started as essentially an extension of my aesthetic relationships with Louisville and Chicago music quickly evolved into something much broader, pulling in elements of dub, soul, psychedelia, and, ahem, funk.

The band toured extensively during the Nineties, even as the members branched out into other projects like the Crownhate Ruin, the Shipping News, Rex, and Him. They played the last show of their original run in November of 1999. Mueller says that theyd turned down a few reunion requests in the intervening years but, when their friends in the Sicilian avant-rock band Uzeda got in touch asking June of 44 to play at Uzedas 30th anniversary party in their hometown of Catania in 2018, they felt they couldnt say no.

On a personal note, much of my headspace during rehearsal and throughout those first few shows back together was filled with thoughts of my friend Jason who passed away back in 2012  cancer murdered him, Mueller says, referring to Jason Noble, his bandmate in both the Shipping News and Rodan. Many of the people we were going to see in Italy on that first reunion trip I hadnt seen since hed died. Our band, Shipping News, played its last show in the early summer of 2009, which would be the last concert Id play for nine years, until the Uzeda party. That all being said, once June of 44 was on stage in Catania, on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, among thousands of friends, it could not have felt better. We were just so thankful to be there. Id been concerned that there might not have been a proper way for us to appropriately communicate our feeling of appreciation. Once there, as it turns out, I was immensely underprepared for the gratitude that we were to receive; that giving of honest thanks for our being there completely caught me off guard. If all that wasnt enough, my then13-year-old son was in attendance  cathartic for both of us, to say the very least!

The band played more shows in Italy that year, and then returned to Europe in 2019 for additional gigs including Barcelonas Primavera Sound. Last fall, they played in the Bay Area, where they also recorded Revisionist. They made it to the Midwest in January 2020 and had planned to head east in May, but due to the pandemic, those shows have been moved to October.

According to Mueller, now that the band has made peace with its past on Revisionist, new music might be in its future.

As long as we all are healthy, communicative, and, ultimately, enjoying the process, I think were all happy to proceed indefinitely  albeit at a far different, [more] intentional pace than the one wed set for ourselves in the Nineties, he says.

When asked about the bands goals going forward, he broadens the scope. There are many, in this time of deep political divides, racial/civil injustice, and environmental chaos  where capitalist wealth owns full control and sustains its rank by suppressing, exploiting, or making extinct any identity that stands for healthy balance and equity, he says. Ive always landed firmly that, by design, a life in art or music is political  as the measures that either occupation must take to survive and thrive in this economy and our societal hierarchy work in direct contradiction and opposition to those that aim to destroy such vision and voice. For these reasons, along with creativity and care, we must continue  despite an imposed status of being marked non-essential, Id argue that theres not been a moment in my lifetime where Ive felt art and music were more needed than right now.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 21:55:35|Editor: huaxia

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Diners are seen at an outdoor cafe in Riga, Latvia, on July 10, 2020. At an extraordinary meeting on Friday, the Latvian government decided to toughen COVID-19 containment rules for cafes, bars and restaurants amid an increase in new coronavirus cases in the Baltic country, local media reported. (Photo by Janis/Xinhua)

RIGA, July 10 (Xinhua) -- At an extraordinary meeting on Friday, the Latvian government decided to toughen COVID-19 containment rules for cafes, bars and restaurants amid an increase in new coronavirus cases in the Baltic country, local media reported.

The number of people allowed to sit at one table is now limited to four indoors and eight outdoors, and all cafes and restaurants, which until now were allowed to stay open until 2 a.m., are now required to close by 12 midnight.

The ministers also agreed to relaunch a cross-sectoral coordination group tasked with drafting proposals for further coronavirus restrictions if warranted. The task force was dissolved after Latvia lifted a state of emergency in June.

Several ministers also called for stricter rules for people arriving in Latvia from abroad. Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics, for instance, suggested revising the rules for holders of temporary residence permits, arguing that people have been arriving in Latvia in large numbers lately from countries with high levels of COVID-19 incidence.

Rinkevics also called for enhancing coordination among the three Baltic states (Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania) regarding COVID-19 restrictions and control.

"If we have to return to more severe restrictions, we will," said Health Minister Ilze Vinkele. She said that over the past couple of weeks Latvia's 14-day cumulative number of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population has risen to 2.8 from 0.7.

Latvia has recorded a notable increase in new confirmed COVID-19 cases this week. While over the past four weeks there were 15 new cases per week on average, the number of new cases detected this week alone reached 41 by Friday.

The uptick results from outbreaks linked to several restaurants in Riga, the capital city, and the seaside resort of Jurmala, and to a high-school graduation party, the health authorities said.
Researchers from the University of Houston, in collaboration with others, have designed a catch and kill air filter that they say can trap the virus responsible for COVID-19, killing it instantly.

Zhifeng Ren, director of the Texas Center for Superconductivity at UH, said he collaborated with Monzer Hourani, CEO of Medistar, a Houston-based medical real estate development firm, and other researchers to design the filter, which is described in a paper published in Materials Today Physics.

The researchers reported that virus tests at the Galveston National Laboratory found 99.8% of the novel SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, was killed in a single pass through a filter made from commercially available nickel foam heated to 200 degrees Centigrade, or about 392 degrees Fahrenheit. It also killed 99.9% of the anthrax spores in testing at the national lab, which is run by the University of Texas Medical Branch.

This filter could be useful in airports and in airplanes, in office buildings, schools and cruise ships to stop the spread of COVID-19, said Ren, M, professor of Physics at UH and co-corresponding author for the paper. Its ability to help control the spread of the virus could be very useful for society. Medistar executives are is also proposing a desk-top model, capable of purifying the air in an office workers immediate surroundings, he said.

Ren said Medistar approached the Texas Center for Superconductivity at the University of Houston (TcSUH) on March 31, as the pandemic was spreading throughout the United States, for help in developing the concept of a virus-trapping air filter.

Luo Yu of the UH Department of Physics and TcSUH along with Dr. Garrett K. Peel of Medistar and Dr. Faisal Cheema at the UH College of Medicine are co-first authors on the paper.

The researchers said they knew the virus can remain in the air for about three hours, meaning a filter that could remove it quickly was a viable plan. With businesses reopening, controlling the spread in air conditioned spaces was urgent. Also, the virus cant survive temperatures above 70 degrees Centigrade, about 158 degrees Fahrenheit. So they decided to use a heated filter. By making the filter temperature far hotter  about 200 C  they were able to kill the virus almost instantly.

Ren suggested using nickel foam, saying it met several key requirements: It is porous, allowing the flow of air, and electrically conductive, which allowed it to be heated. It is also flexible. But nickel foam has low resistivity, making it difficult to raise the temperature high enough to quickly kill the virus. The researchers said they solved that problem by folding the foam, connecting multiple compartments with electrical wires to increase the resistance high enough to raise the temperature as high as 250 degrees C.

By making the filter electrically heated, rather than heating it from an external source, the researchers said they minimized the amount of heat that escaped from the filter, allowing air conditioning to function with minimal strain.

A local workshop built a prototype that was first tested at Rens lab for the relationship between voltage/current and temperature; they then sent it to the Galveston lab to be tested for its ability to kill the virus. Ren said it satisfies the requirements for conventional heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.

This novel biodefense indoor air protection technology offers the first-in-line prevention against environmentally mediated transmission of airborne SARS-CoV-2 and will be on the forefront of technologies available to combat the current pandemic and any future airborne biothreats in indoor environments, Cheema said.

Hourani and Peel have called for a phased roll-out of the device, beginning with high-priority venues, where essential workers are at elevated risk of exposure, particularly schools, hospitals and health care facilities, as well as public transit environs such as airplanes.

That will both improve safety for frontline workers in essential industries and allow nonessential workers to return to public work spaces, they said.

Topics COVID-19 Texas Education Universities
A doctor acquitted of multiple sexual offences involving female patients will not stand trial for other matters on which a jury was unable to reach a verdict.

While the judgment was delivered on May 19, nothing could be published as the case remained under a reporting restriction that had been initially imposed to ensure a fair trial.

Such orders fall at the conclusion of the case but enquiries revealed in this instance, it had been retained.

Following a challenge from the Press it has since been removed.

Dr Tony Chee (51) of Danesfort, Moira, was charged after a number of women made complaints while he was working as a GP in Armagh between 2009 and 2011.

Each claimed they were sexually assaulted while the doctor carried out intimate examinations.

The case reached Armagh Magistrates Court in 2014 when Dr Chee faced eight charges, but after this was published in the media, more women came forward with allegations.

By the time the case was transferred to the Crown Court in 2016, Dr Chee faced 26 charges, involving 19 complainants.

He pleaded not guilty to all charges, maintaining this position throughout.

Defence lawyers successfully applied to split the cases, with the first trial covering 11 counts involving seven complainants who reported allegations directly to police.

Reporting restrictions were imposed at this stage to ensure fairness in the second trial.

In May 2018, after a 16-day trial, Dr Chee was cleared on all counts, with the jury deliberating for just over an hour.

The remaining 13 allegations were heard at a separate trial which related to complaints made after the publication of the first matters and following a public appeal by police.

As the case opened in February 2020, no evidence was offered in respect of one complainant.

After a 20-day trial, Dr Chee was found not guilty on seven further counts, but the jury was unable to reach verdicts on the remaining allegations.

The prosecution applied for a retrial, but defence lawyers challenged this asserting it amounted to abuse of process.

The matter was heard by Judge David McFarland QC in Belfast Crown Court.

He referred to the seriousness of allegations of this nature against a medical practitioner as they involved complaints of sexual assaults carried out during purported medical examinations.

Judge McFarland acknowledged there was delay, with the first instances of alleged inappropriate examinations reported to police in 2011.

Dr Chee was interviewed in November 2013, then again in August 2014 when he was formally charged.

He was then interviewed on the second set of allegations in May 2015 and the charges were conjoined.

Judge McFarland found "no evidence of any specific prejudice or unfairness arising from the delay (but) it is a relevant factor".

"Delay is not insignificant in this matter," he said.

"By the date of any retrial it will have been six years since first charge on the first set of allegations.

"As a stand-alone factor it would not be sufficient to merit a stay as an abuse of process, but it is a factor that must be taken into any overall assessment."

As to the complaints, it was noted Dr Chee "remembers little if anything about the alleged incidents. Some evidence from his clinical notes is available although of limited value".

In both trials, the prosecution argued that the examinations were carried out, at least in part, to obtain sexual gratification.

Expert medical evidence found Dr Chee's examination procedures were outdated.

"There was no privacy curtain at one of the surgeries, the examinations were carried out without a chaperone, and there was a deficiency in note taking," the court was told.

It was however accepted when Dr Chee trained in the 1990s, examinations of this nature would have been routine.

Having considered the matter in depth, Judge McFarland ruled: "I consider the defendant could not receive a fair trial by virtue of the relevance of the two sets of earlier acquittals, and it would be unfair to try him for a third time, by virtue of the nature of the case against him and the decisions made by the earlier juries."

Halting proceedings at this point, Judge McFarland ruled: "The remaining five counts will therefore be stayed as an abuse of the court's process."

The reporting restriction would normally have been removed at this point, but it stayed in place.

The Press challenged this through the Office of the Lord Chief Justice.

Initially told the case had concluded and the order was remaining, an invitation was made to the Press to file a submission setting out why it should be removed.

Following further discussions, the judge then removed the order.

According to the General Medical Council register, as of May 21, Dr Chee remains suspended from practice.
Two brothers are facing trial after businessman James Mansfield Jnr was allegedly attacked in a violent raid at his home by a gang of sword and blade-wielding intruders.

Martin and Edward Wall have both had new charges brought against them, for allegedly falsely imprisoning and assaulting Mr Mansfield in the incident last year.

The son of late billionaire hotelier Jim Mansfield Snr was punched in the face by Martin Wall, who then swung an ornamental sword around, it is alleged.

The cases were adjourned at Dublin District Court for the preparation of books of evidence.

Martin Wall (40), of Woodbine House, Pollardstown, Curragh, Co Kildare, and his brother Edward 'Ned' Wall (48), of Fortunestown Crescent, Tallaght, were already charged with aggravated burglary with weapons.

Martin Wall is alleged to have had a sword and Edward Wall a bladed weapon at Mr Mansfield's home at Tasaggart House, Garter Lane, Saggart, on November 1, last year.

At their latest court appearance, they were further charged with false imprisonment and assault causing harm.

Caution

The prosecuting garda said neither accused made any reply to the charges after caution and the DPP was directing trial on indictment.

Bail was extended from the original charges, with Judge Bryan Smyth remanding them on continuing bail to appear in court again in September.

The accused were not required to address the court and have not yet entered pleas.

The aggravated burglary charge first came before Blanchardstown District Court last November, when evidence was given during a bail hearing that a gang of five, some armed with Stanley blades, entered Mr Mansfield's house.

At the time, Detective Sergeant Darragh Kenny said both accused were known to Mr Mansfield.

It was alleged that Edward Wall arrived in a 4x4 jeep and was admitted by Mr Mansfield's ex-wife. He was upset over "a horse and where it was to be kept", and had a conversation in the living room with Mr Mansfield, the court heard.

The discussion became heated and it was alleged Edward Wall summoned others from the jeep by phone, telling Mr Mansfield he could "tell what he told Mr Wall to the rest of the gang", Det-Sgt Kenny added.

Furniture

Martin Wall and others allegedly entered the house without permission. Some or all of the group had Stanley blades, Det- Sgt Kenny said.

It was alleged Mr Mansfield was punched in the face twice by Martin Wall who then picked up an ornamental sword and swung it, hitting a door.

It was alleged Edward Wall punched another man who was in the house and others threw furniture around the room.

Det-Sgt Kenny said CCTV footage showed Edward Wall entering the house, and then Martin Wall leaving the house with the sword.

Mr Mansfield's ex-wife Donna Mansfield told gardai that when she went to pick up the phone, an unknown member of the group, not the accused, told her "not to call the gardai or she would be shot".

The prosecution would say the accused were among a "group of five, clearly acting in concert from start to finish", Det-Sgt Kenny said.

At that bail hearing, defence solicitor Lorraine Stephens said the accused were presumed innocent.

Martin Wall was a father-of-six and was on disability allowance, she said. The accused "strenuously denied any involvement" and would contest the case, she said.

Bail was granted, subject to conditions and they have both since taken bail up.
72.7% of Entrepreneurs in the Balearic Islands are negative about Spains third quarter prospects, making them the most pessimistic in the country, according to the National Statistics Institute.

The INE estimates that the Business Confidence Index, or ICEA, has fallen by 3.6% in the Balearic Islands compared to the previous quarter, making it the third largest decline in Spain.

Only 3.5% of Business Managers in the Islands are positive about third quarter trade, 72.7% are negative and the rest believe business will be normal.

The National Index remains unchanged after the 26.9% collapse recorded in the second quarter and at 95.5 points is the lowest value in history.

The Transport & Hospitality Sector has the lowest expectations and size-wise, small businesses with less than 10 employees are more concerned about the situation.

sConfidence is lowest in Autonomous Communitie, like the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands where Tourism is a fundamental part of the economy.

In Spain as a whole, 7.7% of entrepreneurs are optimistic about third quarter prospects, 54.9% are pessimistic and 37.4% believe it will be normal.

That leaves a balance of expectation of -47.2 points, compared to -72 points in the previous quarter, which is also a historic low.

In three of the five Sectors analysed business confidence had decreased compared to the previous quarter with the biggest drop of 4.7% in Transport & Hospitality and the biggest increase of 7% in Trade.

By region, business confidence increased for the third quarter in 10 Autonomous Communities compared to the second quarter and decreased in the other 7.

The largest increases in business confidence were 9.5% in Extremadura, 5.5% in Asturias and 3.7% in Cantabria.

The biggest drops in business confidence were 4% in Madrid and Galicia and 4.6% in the Balearic Islands.

Business confidence in the second quarter, during the coronavirus lockdown dropped by 62.8 points, which was better than forecast.

The INE data for third quarter forecasts was collected between June 15 and July 6 after the State of Emergency ended, whereas information for the second quarter was collected during the coronavirus lockdown.
An entrepreneur who moved a Playboy model into his luxury flat is fighting his ex-wife in court after complaining that a divorce judge handed her millions and left him nothing.

Richard Rothschild and Charmaine de Souza had a 21-year relationship after meeting as students, marrying in 2005, having two children and running a thriving west London telecomms business.

The pair led a lavish lifestyle, with Mr Rothschild driving a Lamborghini. He lived together with his British wife in the UK, where they ran a business together in London, though the couple also enjoyed a multi-million dollar condo in an exclusive Miami Beach apartment block.

The pair split in 2016 and first clashed in court in 2018 after Mr Rothschild moved his new girlfriend, American Playboy model Sherra Michelle, into the Miami condo.

Mr Rothschild does not descend from the well known Rothschild family who made their fortune in banking, but is believed to have been formerly known as Richard Pierzchalo-Piasecki before changing his name on a Companies House record in June 2016.

In December last year, divorce judge Mr Justice Cohen divided their wealth, awarding Ms de Souza, 46, the 1.85m telecoms company BusinessMobiles.com, which is based in Park Royal, West London and they had run together, plus cash and properties worth almost another 1m.

Richard Rothschild (left) moved Playboy model Sherra Michelle (right) into the apartment he once shared with his wife and children, following their split

Mr Rothschild, 45, was given the Miami apartment, which the judge valued at $3million (2.38m), but which the husband says is worth far less, leaving him effectively with nothing after paying off family debts.

He is now challenging the 'unfair' divorce ruling at the Court of Appeal, where his lawyers this week said he had been left 'with in effect no capital at all, and no income.'

The former couple had waged an earlier court war over the apartment in 2018 after Mr Rothschild moved in his then girlfriend, Miss Michelle, prompting a bid by Ms de Souza to get him jailed for contempt of court.

That clash blew up after Mr Rothschild said the Miami Beach property belonged to him alone, but he was told by a divorce judge in London at that time that he had to share it 50/50 with his ex.

He promised to give up 'vacant possession' of the luxury flat, to spend thousands of dollars repairing it and to put it on the rental market.

But instead he continued to stay there himself and also let his then girlfriend Miss Michelle stay, lawyers for his ex said.

The former couple eventually settled their differences over that issue and a year later Mr Justice Cohen split their wealth, handing the business to Ms De Souza and the whole apartment to Mr Rothschild.

Charmaine De Souza, 46, outside London's Court of Appeal. The judge awarded her the 1.85m Park Royal, west London-based mobile phone business they had run together, plus cash and properties worth almost another 1m

She had a 21-year relationship with Mr Rothschild after meeting as students, marrying in 2005

Ms De Souza, pictured here in Miami, has two young daughters with Mr Rothschild

But his barrister Patrick Chamberlayne QC told the Appeal Court that, after debts including about 300,000 in lawyers' fees for their divorce fight had been paid, the judge's order left the wife with capital worth 1,760,138, while Mr Rothschild got just 23,938.

And he went on to claim that the position in reality was even worse than that for the husband, arguing that the judge had overvalued the Miami Beach apartment by 615,000, leaving Mr Rothschild with nothing at all from the marriage, while his ex got millions.

'The husband is left with nothing income wise or capital wise and the wife is left with the means to meet all her needs in the form of this business,' the barrister said.

He said that the judge had deprived the husband of 'every penny, everything he has achieved in this 21-year marriage' and left him without any assets or the ability to meet his needs.

Mr Chamberlayne argued that the judge had not taken into account Mr Rothschild's financial needs when he split the couple's wealth, but only the needs of his ex-wife.

The 'huge disparity' in what the former couple ended up with must have been because the judge took into account Mr Rothschild's 'conduct' during the long-running litigation.

Mr Justice Cohen had criticised some of Mr Rothschild's conduct as 'lamentable,' saying he had been 'vindictive and irrational,' Mr Chamberlayne told the Appeal Court.

The luxury condo building in Miami containing the apartment owned by Richard Rothschild - the judge valued this at $3million (2.38m), but the husband says is worth far less, leaving him effectively with nothing after paying off family debts

'There is no doubt that the husband presented himself to the judge as an unattractive personality, insensitive, over-confident and overbearing,' the barrister added.

He continued: 'The overwhelming impression is that the judge sympathised with the wife's position due to the husband's behaviour, and it is no part of this appeal that he was not entitled to do so.

'However, that caused him to lose sight of considering both parties' needs, and to reach the ultimate draconian outcome - all the net assets and available income go to one party, permanently, and the other party gets nothing, permanently.'

He added: 'That form of huge disparity has to be explained in terms of conduct, and it is not sufficient for the judge to make in various parts of the judgment statements like 'the husband has brought this on himself'.'

'The judge's rationale for the outcome was that the wife needed the business to provide income to meet her and the children's needs. She also needed to be largely debt-free,' he said.

'The outcome was indeed that she would be largely debt-free, with a business worth 1.85m, and 18,000 per month net income (216,000 per annum). The income would also enable her to pay her rent

'The husband, however, would end up...with in effect no capital at all, and no income.'

Mr Rothschild presented himself to the judge as an unattractive personality, insensitive, over-confident and overbearing, said a barrister

Mr Rothschild and the Playboy model are believed to still be in a relationship, and regularly post romantic pictures with each other on social media

He also claimed that an assessment by a local estate agent suggested the judge overvalued the apartment, which was the main asset the husband took out of the marriage, by 615,000.

'That would take his capital figure down from 23,938 to minus 591,000,' the QC said.

He added: 'Given that the husband was already on virtually zero capital (23,000) on the basis of a $3m sale, the judge should have given proper consideration to what the impact on him would be if the property sold for less.'

Mr Chamberlayne urged Lord Justice Patten, Lord Justice Moylan and Lord Justice Newey to overturn the divorce judge's order.

But for Ms de Souza, Charles Hale QC argued that the judge got it right.

He said that the disparity in the outcomes for Mr Rothschild and Ms De Souza could be explained by the judge having taken into account their children's needs.

The judge reserved their decision in the case at the end of a day-long hearing, to be given at a later date.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  When Shannon Kelley was growing up in Columbus, he had two achievements in mind that measured success.

Since he came up with modest means, one was having a refrigerator that had ice and water available through the front. The other was having Browns season tickets. The latter came before the former, and Kelleys passion for his team lives in his dedication to his tickets.

Kelley, 51, has been back in Cleveland since July 2019, and lives in Strongsville with his wife, Laura, and 15-year-old son, Jack.

He initially moved to Cleveland in the early 1990s and bought season tickets for the 1995 season. But once the Browns left, he couldnt part with the tickets. When the team returned, he had been moving around the country to Salt Lake City and Houston, but he continued to keep tickets. He sometimes gave them to his nieces and nephews.

It was a goal of mine as a kid, Kelley said in a phone interview. Thats what I wanted to achieve. Thats one of the things that I wanted to achieve, and obviously as you get older you realize there are things that are more important. The health, welfare and safety of your family and kids and all that stuff.

But when youre 14 years old growing up youre like man, Ive gotta get Browns season tickets. It was just what you wanted.

Kelley grew up loving to watch the Kardiac Kids, while maintaining an NFC favorite in the Vikings. A child of the 1980s, Kelley was deeply hurt like many Browns fans when the team left. Nevertheless, he was going to keep the tickets he had coveted since his childhood.

Having those tickets  it was just a way to measure success, Kelley said. But it is strange because all the years that I didnt live here I couldnt get rid of those tickets because there was something that would have eaten at me if I had let em go.

Kelley briefly lived in Pittsburgh and Huntington, West Virginia before moving back to Cleveland. While in Pittsburgh, he was closer to First Energy Stadium and seldom missed a home game. While 4.5 hours away in Huntington, he would make five or six Browns games each season.

For Kelley, being a Browns fan has been a significant part of his life. He remembers being at the 1988 Christmas Eve playoff game against the Houston Oilers. The Browns lost 24-23, but Kelley appreciates the memories he made with family.

Its just been kind of a fabric of my life, and it was something that I migrated to more so than Id say my immediate family, than my parents, Kelley said. My mom liked the Browns, my dad had no interest. It was just something that I developed a passion for.

-

New Browns face masks for sale: Heres where you can buy Cleveland Browns-themed face coverings for coronavirus protection for adults and youth, including a single mask ($14.99) and a 3-pack ($24.99). All NFL proceeds donated to CDC Foundation.

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The first drug slated to combat COVID-19 in severely ill patients and reduce recovery time has been approved for use within Australia hospitals.

COVID-19 drug remdesivir was given provisional approval in Australia on Friday, for use in adults and adolescents with severe virus symptoms.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) said remdesivir had the potential to reduce the strain on the healthcare system by "reducing recovery times" and freeing up hospital beds.

A vial of the drug remdesivir, which has been given provisional approval for use in Australia. Credit:Gilead Sciences

The drug will not be available to Australians unless they are in hospital, severely unwell and requiring oxygen or high-level breathing support. It has not been shown to be effective in preventing COVID-19 or improving milder cases of the virus.
Serbia and Kosovo will on Friday hold their first talks in 18 months on resolving one of Europes most intractable territorial disputes.

Kosovos Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will hold a video summit that will also be joined by French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

These discussions will be followed by more talks on Sunday between Hoti and Vucic at EU headquarters in Brussels.

Serbia has refused to recognise the independence Kosovo declared after the province broke away in the bloody 1998-99 war that was ended only by a NATO bombing campaign against Serb troops.

But both Kosovo and Serbia have been facing mounting pressure from the West to reboot negotiations, where resolving the impasse is seen as crucial for Belgrades bid to join the EU.

Also online for the talks Friday will be EU foreign policy chief Josep Borell and Miroslav Lajcak, the EUs special envoy for dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.

The video conference is due to get underway at 0830 GMT.

The new push comes after Kosovos President Hashim Thaci was charged last month with war crimes by prosecutors in The Hague.

 EU seeks to regain initiative 

More than 13,000 people died in the war, mostly Kosovo Albanians, who form a majority in the former province.

Kosovo is now recognised by more than 100 other states but the EU is not unified on the issue with 22 out of the 27 bloc members recognising its independence.

A French presidential source, who asked not to be named, said that territorial exchanges were not part of the talks but the eventual aim was for Serbia to recognise Kosovo.

Vucic, who is facing a major crisis at home after protests over a new coronavirus lockdown in Serbia, warned ahead of the talks that he did not expect a smooth ride.

No one is going to cuddle us or give us a present. On the contrary, we will be pressured to give in. It is not going to be easy, he said.

A summit held in Berlin in April 2019 had already failed to restart the talks. But the EU appears newly determined to get the process on track again.

The indictment of Thaci at the tribunal led to the postponement of a White House summit between Serbia and Kosovo due to be held at the end of June.

European officials had bristled at the US initiative and the new talks are seen as a chance for the bloc to show it still is capable of resolving the conflict.

During the war, Thaci was the political leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), but prosecutors in The Hague suspect him of being behind nearly 100 murders, as well as numerous cases of persecution and torture.

Thaci, who has denied the charges, has said he would be interviewed next week in The Hague by prosecutors.
Washington:

US President Barack Obama has celebrated Diwali by lighting the first-ever diya in the Oval Office of the White House and hoped that his successors would continue the tradition.

Obama, who was the first president to celebrate Diwali personally at the White House in 2009, talked about this momentous occasion in a Facebook post soon after he kindled the diya in his Oval Office with some Indian-Americans working in his administration.

aI was proud to be the first President to host a Diwali celebration at the White House in 2009, and Michelle and I will never forget how the people of India welcomed us with open arms and hearts and danced with us in Mumbai on Diwali,a Obama said.

aThis year, I was honoured to kindle the first-ever diya in the Oval Officeaa lamp that symbolises how darkness will always be overcome by light. It is a tradition that I hope future Presidents will continue,a Obama said on the White House Facebook page, which became viral on the social media.

"I wish you and your loved ones peace and happiness on this Diwali." a@POTUS to all of those celebrating #Diwali: https://t.co/HOyk3I4Mqc pic.twitter.com/tLsjyXJnDs a The White House (@WhiteHouse) October 30, 2016

By late night it was liked by more than 1.5 lakh people and shared more than 33,000 times.

aOn behalf of the entire Obama family, I wish you and your loved ones peace and happiness on this Diwali,a Obama said.

aTo all who are celebrating the festival of lights across America and around the world, happy Diwali. As Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists light the diya, share in prayers, decorate their homes, and open their doors to host and feast with loved ones, we recognise that this holiday rejoices in the triumph of good over evil and knowledge over ignorance,a said the US President.

aIt also speaks to a broader truth about our shared American experience. Itas a reminder of whatas possible when we see beyond the differences that too often divide us. Itas a reflection of the hopes and dreams that bind us together,a he said.

Obama said that it is a time to renew collective obligation to deepen those bonds, to stand in each otheras shoes and see the world through each otheras eyes, and to embrace each other as brothers and sistersaand as fellow Americans.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who has a large fan following in the Indian-American community greeted Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains across the world on the occasion of Diwali.

aOn Sunday, nearly a billion Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists around the worldaincluding more than two million Americansawill celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights.A For members of these faiths, lighting the lamp (the diya) is a reminder that light prevails over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil,a Clinton said.

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Linkedin Issam Ahmed (Agence France-Presse) Washington  Fri, July 10, 2020 07:09 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406653cbfe 2 Science & Tech bystander,bystander-effect,peer-pressure,George-Floyd,#BlackLivesMatter Free

Rats are less likely to assist a fellow rodent in need if other members of their group are being unhelpful, according to a study that sheds new light on the so-called "bystander effect."

Peggy Mason, a neurobiologist at the University of Chicago and the senior author, told AFP the findings helped explain certain human behaviors such as why police officers fail to intervene when one of their own is engaging in brutality.

In an experiment published in Science Advances on Wednesday, scientists found that when a rat encountered a distressed peer in a restrainer, they were generally interested in opening a door and rescuing them.

One or two bystanders, who were rendered unhelpful by giving them a low dose of the anti-anxiety drug midazolam, were then added to the scenario.

In the presence of these unhelpful bystanders, a rat that had previously been helpful in a one-on-one interaction now stood by idly and did not rescue the subject.

On the other hand, when undrugged, helpful bystanders were placed at the scene, a rat that had been helpful one-on-one became even more keen on being a good Samaritan.

"I think this is a very apt study for the times," said Mason, pointing to how during recent US protests against police racism, protesters rushed to aid injured peers while police stood by.

"In the George Floyd case, there were three other police officers, including one who went into the police force to change the narrative about police brutality against black people -- and nonetheless, he stood by and did not intervene," she added.

Mason likened these officers to the drugged rats, "except they didn't take the chill pill, they took years of training."

If a person does not help, "that individual is less likely to be a bad apple and more likely to just be an apple in the orchard, the orchard of mammalian behavior. This is what we do."

Paradigm shift

The term "bystander effect" was first coined by psychologists after the 1964 murder of Catherine "Kitty" Genovese in New York, whose death was reportedly witnessed by more than 35 of her neighbors, none of whom intervened.

The story was later found to be highly misleading -- but the basic finding held up in controlled experiments where human subjects were placed in distressing situations, such as smoke entering the room or a person having a seizure.

When bystanders were added to these scenarios, members of the public who weren't a part of the experiment often failed to respond.

This led psychologists to hypothesize that perhaps people weren't willing to take responsibility when others were present.

Mason said the hypothesis suffered from a fatal flaw -- the fact that the "bystanders" were in on the experiment and were acting indifferently on purpose.

A study led by Richard Philpot and published in American Psychologist last year in fact found that in the real world, bystanders rarely stood by.

This paper reviewed more than 200 violent incidents recorded on surveillance cameras and showed that people intervened nine times out of 10.

Mason said her paper built on Philpot's by showing that having helpful bystanders enhanced the desire to help, compared to when there was no audience watching.

On the other hand, having passive spectators decreased the impulse to assist, which reinforces what psychologists found in their early experiments decades ago.

Mason's team believes that in humans, as for rats, the decision to help or not is more likely linked to the brain's internal reward circuitry than it is to notions of who should be responsible.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 10, 2020 11:21 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066556cd1 1 National UNJ,Jakarta-police,bribery-case,graft-allegation,drop,Jakarta-State-University Free

The Jakarta Police have stopped an investigation into alleged bribery involving a Jakarta State University (UNJ) staff member, claiming no laws had been violated.

After questioning [44] witnesses and two expert witnesses, we didnt find any violations, Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Yusri Yunus said on Thursday as quoted by kompas.com.

The police also reconstructed the case at the Education and Culture Ministry, where the alleged graft took place, and found no indication that illicit funds had changed hands.

Therefore, the investigators decided to stop the investigation [into the UNJ case], he said.

He added that the police would hand over the case to the ministry.

Read also: KPK, not police, should investigate university graft case, ICW says

Acting education ministry inspector general Chatarina Muliana Girsang said the ministry would examine whether an ethics violation had occurred in the case.

We will investigate the case with the secretary-general, she said.

Chatarina also said the ministry would return the case to the police if they found evidence that indicated a crime had taken place.

Earlier in May, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested DAN, the head of staffing of UNJ, and seized US$1,200 and Rp 27.5 million ($1,850) that was reportedly to be given to education ministry officials as holiday bonuses.

The KPK handed the case over to the police as it claimed that there had been no involvement from state officials in the case. (aly)
If they arent already, Hamilton residents should prepare to mask up during the pandemic.

The citys board of health has passed a bylaw making face coverings mandatory in public indoor spaces to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Minimizing risk is just the right thing to do for everyone, Mayor Fred Eisenberger said before a 13-2 vote in favour of the bylaw Friday.

The regulation applies to commercial areas, retail spaces, places of worship, community services and public transit.

The bylaw comes into force July 20. Staff expect to review it and report back to council every three months.

Children under the age of two, people with underlying health conditions that prevent them from wearing masks and those who cant don them without help are among the exemptions.

The pandemic has stabilized in Hamilton, but the risk of the virus spreading remains, especially as the economy opens up, Dr. Elizabeth Richardson, the citys medical officer of health, told councillors.

So when we ease up those restrictions ... we are very much needing to continue to rely on public heath measures, Richardson said, noting handwashing and physical distancing are key measures.

Masks should be part of that suite of methods to help prevent spread of the virus, she said. My mask protects you. Your mask protects me.

Hamiltons bylaw follows efforts by other municipalities  including Waterloo, Guelph, Toronto, Mississauga, Windsor, Kingston, London and Sudbury  to make masks mandatory in the absence of overarching provincial legislation.

Hamiltons bylaw still requires a formal final nod by council July 17, but a strong majority backed it Friday.

At the end of the day, were protecting the health and safety of our residents, Coun. Brad Clark said, noting people who dont show symptoms can infect others who may fall ill.

Coun. Brenda Johnson said the bylaw will take pressure off retail workers who can face belligerent customers. So maybe the new signs will say, No shirts, no shoes, no masks, then no service.

Sound public health is also good for the economy, said Coun. Maureen Wilson, pointing to how some U.S. states have been forced to revert to lockdown measures after relaxing restrictions too quickly.

Coun. John-Paul Danko agreed, noting in addition to the very real health consequence, the economic fallout of a second wave would be an absolute disaster.

But Coun. Esther Pauls, who voted against the bylaw, described mandatory masking as too much for residents who have followed public healths advice so far.

I always thought education is better, she said, noting about half of the emails from constituents oppose the bylaw.

Coun. Lloyd Ferguson, who also voted against the bylaw, asked whether Richardsons recommendation had been influenced by politics, saying it was OK to not wear a mask at the peak of this pandemic.

Ferguson added officials are scaring the daylights out of residents. Leaders are supposed to spread hope, not fear.

Richardson responded that politics had nothing to do with her take on masks, but growing scientific evidence that shows face coverings help prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Eisenberger dismissed a series of letters on Fridays agenda that suggested the bylaw infringed on civil liberties, noting the same failed argument was made for seatbelts and airport security.

So I think were on the right path here. Sure, theres always going to be detractors.
Russia and China vetoed a UN Security Council resolution to prolong cross-border humanitarian aid to war-torn Syria, diplomats said Friday.

Thirteen countries voted in favor of the German-Belgian draft, but Moscow and Beijing opposed the extension for a second time this week because they favor a more limited proposal.

The authorization for the transport of aid is due to expire later in the day.

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The family of an Arizona man who succumbed to the coronavirus late last month after a three-week battle with the illness has published a searing obituary that blamed his death on the 'carelessness' of local politicians and their 'lack of leadership.'

Mark Urquiza, a 65-year-old husband and father from Maryvale, known to his loved ones as 'Black Jack,' lost his life to COVID-19 on June 30.

His wife, Brenda, and daughter, Kristin, could not be by his side in the hospital because of the contagious nature of the illness and were forced to say goodbye to his over FaceTime as he breathed his last, with only an ICU nurse in the room with him.

In a matter of weeks, Mark Urquiza, 65, had gone from a healthy man full of energy to a person on his death bed. Urquiza succumbed to COVID-10 on June 30 (right)

Urquiza's funeral took place on Wednesday. It was sparsely attended do to coronavirus restrictions in Arizona amid surging cases

Kristin Urquiza, 39, says she believes that her once healthy, energetic father would have been alive today, were it not for the actions of local politicians, especially Governor Doug Ducey, a Republican, in response to the pandemic.

'I think that Duceys got blood on his hands,' she told AZ Central.

On Wednesday, Kristin, who lives in San Francisco but who traveled to her native Arizona during her father's health crisis, organized a vigil at the State Capitol in Phoenix to honor her father and the more than 2,000 other victims of the coronavirus outbreak.

'For the last week since my father has passed, I have been talking on Facebook to hundreds of people who are fed up with the leadership here in the state of Arizona,' Kristin said at the event.

According to posts on a Facebook page that the woman has launched, titled Marked By COVID, Urquiza 'believed it was safe to resume his normal activities in May when Gov. Doug Ducey allowed the stay-at-home order to expire.'

His daughter suspects that her father contracted the illness in the weeks after the lockdown was lifted, allowing for bars and other businesses to reopen, according to AZ Family.

'Mark, like so many others, should not have died from COVID-19,' his obituary read 'His death is due to the carelessness of the politicians who continue to jeopardize the health of brown bodies through a clear lack of leadership, refusal to acknowledge the severity of this crisis, and inability and unwillingness to give clear and decisive direction on how to minimize risk.'

Urquiza is pictured with his only child, daughter Kristin, as a baby

Kristin Urquiza is blaming local politicians, especially the Republican governor, for her father's death through their response to the pandemic

As part of her public campaign to hold the politicians' feet to the fire over their response to the pandemic, Kristin sent Gov Ducey a letter, inviting him to her father's funeral on Wednesday.

Kristin said that Governor Dough Ducey has 'blood on his hands' for allowing Arizona's stay-at-home order to expire in mid-May (pictured sanitizing his hands on Thursday)

'I write to invite you to the burial of my father, Mark Anthony Urquiza,' the missive began. 'He was one of the 88 Arizonans who died on June 30, 2020 from COVID-19. Despite having a huge family and many friends he died alone with an ICU nurse holding his hand. He had no known underlying health conditions. He was 65.'

According to the letter, Urquiza, who was a high school 400-meter dash state champion and cross-country runner. came down with a high fever and cough on June 11, and was tested for COVID-19 the next day.

On June 16, Urquiza, described by his family as 'the life of the party,' was admitted into a hospital for low oxygen levels. After 10 days of high oxygen treatment, he was put on a ventilator and taken to the ICU, where he died four days later.

His wife also has since been diagnosed with the coronavirus.

Kristin sent this letter to the governor, inviting him to her father's funeral so that he could see the tragedy of her family first-hand

'My father contracted the virus during the period when you forbade local governments from implementing their own safety measures, such as mandating the wearing of masks, to protect the public from the spread of COVID-19 through Executive Order 2020-36,' Kristin wrote, addressing the governor directly. 'As a master of public affairs, I can attest that poor policy and terrible leadership was responsible for his death.'

The letter goes on to accuse Ducey of 'gross mismanagement' of the health crisis, which as of Friday afternoon has claimed more than 2,000 people in Arizona, which in recent weeks has emerged as one of the major hot spots of COVID-19 in the US.

'Your inaction and active denial of the devastation Covid-19 is causing has made it clear that the people dying, and their families left behind are just numbers to you,' Kristin stated. 'My father was anything but a number; his life mattered.

'That is why I invite you to his burial, to witness first-hand the tragedy of a family mourning our loved one and unable to even hold each other in our grief. This should not be happening this way. My father's life should have mattered to you, too.'

A spokesperson for Gov Ducey responded with a two-sentence statement that expressed condolences to the family.

Kristin (pictured with her parents and a loved one), is planning to start a fund to raise awareness about the risks of COVID-19

'Our hearts go out to the family and loved ones of Mark Anthony Urquiza,' it read. 'We know nothing can fully alleviate the pain associated with his loss, and every loss from this virus is tragic.'

Kristin has launched a GoFundMe campaign whose initial aim was to help the family with her father's funeral costs and her mother's medical expenses.

Having easily met the $20,000 goal, Kristin has updated the goal to $40,000. She now plans to start a fund 'to battle misinformation in Maricopa County and elevate the truth about the deadliness of this virus in order to save more lives.'

A day before Urquiza's death, Ducey ordered the state's bars to close back down. On Thursday, he issued an executive order limiting restaurant capacity for dine-in service to below 50 per cent.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday refused to condemn demonstrators who toppled and rolled a Christopher Columbus statue into Baltimore's Inner Harbor last weekend.

'If the community doesn't want the statue there, the statue shouldn't be there,' Pelosi, who is from Baltimore, told reporters.

'It's up to the communities to decide what statues they want to see,' Pelosi said, adding that the toppling of the Columbus statue 'doesn't diminish my pride in my Italian American heritage'.

'I think that it's very important that we take down any of the statues of people who committed treason against the United States of America,' Pelosi said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (pictured) on Thursday refused to condemn demonstrators who toppled and rolled a Christopher Columbus statue into Baltimore's Inner Harbor last weekend

When asked whether a commission should decide what statues go rather than protesters, Pelosi responded: 'People will do what they do.'

'I do think that from a safety standpoint, it would be a good idea to have it taken down if the community doesn't want it. I don't know that it has to be a commission,' she added.

On Independence Day, a crowd pulled down the Columbus statue located near Little Italy, dragged it to the edge of the Inner Harbor and rolled it into the water. About 300 people were gathered around the area during the incident.

Pieces of the Columbus statue were retrieved from the Inner Harbor on Monday.

Crews used a pulley and a dive team to recover pieces of the statue a day after a group of people in the Little Italy neighborhood launched an unsuccessful effort to retrieve the statue with a rope.

The city's mayor, Bernard Young said Thursday that those responsible for the incident will face justice.

On Independence Day, a crowd pulled down the Columbus statue (left) located near Little Italy, dragged it to the edge of the Inner Harbor and rolled it into the water (right, officers looking at the statue that's under water)

Pieces of the Columbus statue (pictured before it was toppled) were retrieved from the Inner Harbor on Monday

Mayor Bernard Young (right) said Thursday that those responsible for the incident will face justice. Young said he was not going to tolerate the destruction of the Columbus statue, adding that while the city supports peaceful demonstrations, the incident was not peaceful

Young said he was not going to tolerate the destruction of the Columbus statue, adding that while the city supports peaceful demonstrations, the incident was not a peaceful protest.

The mayor, who lost last month's Democratic primary and will leave office in December, said the protesters cannot 'erase history. You learn from it'.

Monuments, such as ones to the 15th-century Italian explorer, 'should have something there to talk about what happened in the dark past'.

The statue's fall divided many as to how the city should handle the legacy of Columbus, a famous explorer who brutalized and enslaved nonwhites during his colonization of what is now the Dominican Republic.

Gov Larry Hogan, a Republican, decried the statue's toppling, calling on Baltimore's leaders to 'regain control of their streets' on Sunday.

In recent weeks, statues of Columbus have also been toppled or vandalized in cities such as Miami; Richmond, Virginia; St Paul, Minnesota; and Boston, where one was decapitated.
Superstar American rapper Kanye West announced his candidacy for president of the United States on July 4. Much of the celebritys foreign policy platform has yet to be determined. However, his lyrics, travels, tweets and wifes social media indicate possible positions he may take on Iran, Israel, Iraq and Turkey.

We must now realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future, he said in an Independence Day tweet.

In an interview with Forbes, West said he has yet to formulate his views on foreign policy. I havent developed it yet. Im focused on protecting America, first, with our great military. Lets focus on ourselves first, he said.

However, West's lyrics offer a glimpse into his views on the Middle East. In the synthesizer-heavy remix of his 2010 banger Power, West criticized the US military presence in Iraq and a possible US war with Iran.

Bring our troops back from Iraq, keep our troops out of Iran, said West in the song. He also makes an appeal to Muslims in the tune by using the Arabic-language religious greeting salam alaikum."

The United States withdrew its troops from Iraq in 2011, but they returned in 2014 to aid in Iraq's fight against the Islamic State; around 5,000 US troops remain there.

US tensions with Iran are arguably much higher now than they were at the time of the song. The Trump administration removed the United States from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and then placed harsh sanctions on the Islamic Republic. There have been a series of tense incidents between the two countries in the Persian Gulf this year.

In 2018, West tweeted we have love in Persian. He did not offer an explanation for the tweet. And his 2016 song Feedback samples music from Iranian pop icon Googooshs song Talagh.

In 2015, West and his celebrity wife, Kim Kardashian, visited Israel. The boycott, divestment sanctions (BDS) movement criticized West for the visit. BDS supports a variety of boycotts, including cultural ones, against Israel due to its treatment of Palestinians.

Kardashian, an American of Armenian heritage, often comments on Armenian causes as they relate to Turkey. She has tweeted in support of recognizing the Armenian genocide several times.

The Armenian genocide was the forced expulsion or murder of Armenians in Turkey at the end of the Ottoman Empires reign. It coincided with similar actions against Greeks, Syriacs and Assyrians in the country. Turkey adamantly denies the events constitute genocide.

Kardashians comments are controversial in Turkey. She also received criticism from some in the Armenian-American community last year due to her products being sold in Turkey. In March, she was slammed by some in Turkey for calling the Middle Eastern bread dish lahmacun Armenian pizza.

West himself does not appear to have addressed Turkey in his music or statements.

West has praised US President Donald Trump, and met with him in the Oval Office in 2018. West told Forbes that he does not support the president now.

Wests announcement came relatively late in the lengthy US election cycle, but he can still appear on the ballot in most states.
How Books and Buckets program in Long Beach aims to keep kids away from gang violence
Christina Anstead of Flip Or Flop fame turned 37-years-old on Thursday.

And the blonde beauty celebrated by slipping in a bikini for a day at sea with friend Shannon Houston after having fun in a tent with her husband Ant Anstead and the two children she shares with her ex-husband Tarek El Moussa.

'Big 37!! Had the best day in a tent and on the sea,' said the photogenic home improvement specialist.

Hot stuff on the high seas: Christina Anstead of Flip Or Flop fame turned 37-years-old on Thursday. And the blonde beauty celebrated by slipping in a bikini for a day at sea with Shannon Houston

A closer look: The siren was also seen holding a pink drink in a video she posted to Instagram

The siren was seen in a pink bikini with her hair down as she embraced Shannon on a boat off the coast of Southern California.

In another shot, she is with her two kids as well as Ant in a tent. She also has son Hudson London Anstead, aged 10 months, with Ant but the child was not seen.

The design expert is no stranger to posting bikini photos on Instagram.

In May she showed off her dazzling shape in a black bikini as she posed for the camera with her little dog this weekend.

The little ones: In another shot, she is with her two kids as well as Ant in a tent. She also has son Hudson London Anstead, aged 10 months, with Ant but the child was not seen

And in her caption, the Orange County, California resident wishes fans a happy Memorial Day.

'Taking a much needed digital detox. Going to enjoy the next 3 days being present for the kids and Ant and relaxing by the pool. Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend everyone ,' said the TV wonder.

The siren looked slender in her hot black bikini as she cozied up to her dog.

With her love: For the past two years she has been married to Ant Anstead

The furniture wiz wore her hair partially up and added sunglasses.

HGTV has renewed one of her shows, Flip or Flop, for a ninth season.

Christina - born Christina Meursinge Haack - has starred on the home renovation series since 2012, with ex-husband Tarek, 38. The couple have had their share of public drama, but it appears to have calmed down recently.

'It's definitely gotten a lot easier,' Christina said of co-parenting with the father of two of her three children.

Good to slow it down: 'Taking a much needed digital detox. Going to enjoy the next 3 days being present for the kids and Ant and relaxing by the pool. Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend everyone ,' said the TV wonder in May

No stress here: In April she was enjoying her backyard as she stays home in Orange County, California during self-isolation

'The kids love seeing us sit together and that's what's important. Me and Tarek work together still, obviously, so it's not like we don't see each other. And I'm still really close with his family, as well.'

Christina married ex-husband Tarek in 2009. The former couple are parents to daughter Taylor, eight, and Brayden, four.

The duo separated in May 2016 and officially divorced in January of last year.

Christina married British TV host Ant Anstead, 40, last December. They celebrated their first wedding anniversary in May.

Her third child: The siren with her newborn baby as well as her daughter and son and Ant

Like his beauty, Ant has both a son (Archie) and daughter (Amelie) with his ex-wife, Louise Anstead.

In December she told Us Weekly that her newborn has 'definitely been [the] hardest' of all of her three children.

The reality star said that her little one doesn't take to well with leaving home, something that doesn't mesh well with her family's packed schedule.

'He still really just likes being in the house. He doesn't like going out. As a very busy family, that's been very difficult,' she began.

The cover girl has noticed though that her little one has improved.

'But since he hit the 3-month mark, he's been doing a lot better. A lot more smiles and coos and sleeping better, so I think we're on the right track.'
Fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi got another jolt after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seized assets to the tune of Rs 329.66 crore in connection with the ongoing investigation in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam case, also involving his uncle and fugitive accused Mehul Choksi. The fresh action was taken as per the provisions of the fugitive economic offenders law.

Attached properties of fugitive Nirav Modi consisting of flats, farm house, wind mill, shares and bank deposits totalling to Rs 329.66 crore stands confiscated to the Central government under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018, ED tweeted.

The seized property includes four flats at Samudra Mahal in Worli, a sea-side farm house and land in Alibaug, a windmill in Jaisalmer, a flat in London and residential flats in UAE along with shares and bank deposits.

The action came after clearance from a special court in Mumbai for the confiscation. With the current action, the agency has in all attached Modis assets worth Rs 2,348 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Modi (49) is currently lodged in a UK jail after being arrested in London in March, 2019 and is currently fighting extradition to India. The ED is following up with his extradition which is a crucial step in the scam probe.
Ireland is beginning to reimport Covid-19 cases through international travel, a senior health adviser has warned.

After the reproductive rate of Covid-19 in Ireland increased to one, Professor Philip Nolan, chairman of the National Public Health Emergency Team's (NPHET) modelling group, said a travel-related introduction of the disease is "problematic".

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The Department of Health announced on Thursday that a further six people diagnosed with Covid-19 in Ireland have died. It brings the total number of deaths linked to the virus to 1,743.

A further 23 cases of the virus have also been confirmed, bringing the overall number to 25,565. It emerged that of the 23 new cases, 15 were "directly or indirectly" related to travel.

Prof Nolan told RTE Morning Ireland: "NPHET has recommended an escalation of a set measures to ensure that we close down on that.

Expand Close Professor Philip Nolan, Chair of the NPHET Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, speaking during a COVID-19 update briefing at the Department of Health, in Dublin. / Facebook

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Whatsapp Professor Philip Nolan, Chair of the NPHET Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, speaking during a COVID-19 update briefing at the Department of Health, in Dublin.

"Our current tracking and tracing mechanism is how to track down those cases and isolate them at an early stage.

"We're also beginning to see people being more sociable, perhaps people being forgetful about the risks of the viral transmission, and we're seeing clusters of cases emerging in very small numbers of circumstances.

"These circumstances are those we advise against - gatherings of large numbers of people, particularly indoors, are the ideal opportunity for this fire to spread."

Prof Nolan said the advice from NPHET and from Government is to avoid any unnecessary international travel.

He added: "One can understand the Government's position, of course, that one always have to be proportionate in the level of restriction or the level of closure that would apply.

"That's perfectly reasonable for Government, and what many governments across Europe are doing is to tell you: 'Right now, we're recommending you can't travel.'

"But as we go on in the coming weeks, are there ways in which we can safely travel internationally, and there may well be.

"You could imagine the circumstances under which travel between two countries with low prevalence of the disease may well be feasible.

"The positions are not mutually exclusive."

The Irish Government has extended its advice for people to avoid all non-essential travel until July 20.

It is expected the Government will then publish a "green list" of countries which people can travel to.
Turkeys highest administrative court has issued a ruling paving the way for the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul to be converted back into a Muslim house of worship.

The Council of State threw its weight behind a petition brought by a religious group.

It annulled a 1934 Cabinet decision that changed the sixth century building, which was once a cathedral, into a museum.

The ruling allows the Turkish Government to restore the Hagia Sophias previous status as a mosque.

Hagia Sophia is one of Istanbuls main tourist attractions (Emrah Gurel/AP)

Dozens of people who awaited the courts ruling outside the Hagia Sophia jubilantly chanted Allah is great! when the news came out.

The decision is in line with the Turkish presidents calls to turn the hugely symbolic world heritage site into a mosque despite widespread international criticism, including from the US and Orthodox Christian leaders.

It could deepen tensions with neighbouring Greece, which also called on Turkey to maintain the structures status as a museum.

The religious group had contested the legality of the 1934 decision by the modern Turkish republics secular Government ministers and argued the building was the personal property of Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II, who conquered Istanbul in 1453.

The court ruled Hagia Sophia is the property of a foundation managing the Sultans assets and has opened it up to the public as a mosque.
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Every fall, I teach Brett Staples' essay, "Just Walk On By: Black Men in Public Spaces" to my juniors. We analyze how the author presented himself in the text, how he organized his thoughts, and how he used anecdotes to deliver his message.

Staples begins his essay by calling the white woman who crosses the street to avoid him his "victim." He is acutely aware of how his dark skin has "the ability to alter public spaces in ugly ways" and how he must manage this perception.

How To Participate Since June 2020, we've asked for your stories about how race and ethnicity shape your life and and published as many of these stories as we can. We call this year-long effort Race in LA. Click here for more information and details on how to participate.

This school year, a Black student asked, "When was this published?"

"1986," I answered.

The class grew silent. "This still happens now. It happened to me," said the same Black student. Then all the Black students nodded their heads solemnly in agreement.

I don't know if that lesson imparted what rhetorical devices Staples used or how he organized his essay. What I remember is how quickly all 35 teens knew and understood Black men still endure the same injustices of public perception.

I left class wondering how many times my students had encountered similar instances. I wondered if there would ever be a year where Staples' experience would be a foreign one. I wondered if I've ever had to manage public perception because of my own skin color. I wondered if I've ever altered public spaces and if my race has altered my classroom.

Caroline and her sister dressed in traditional Korean hanbok for Halloween in 1989. (Courtesy Caroline Rhude)

I'm aware that my interactions with public perception as a Korean American woman aren't remotely similar to those of a Black man's. But neglecting to acknowledge them doesn't discount those experiences and, in facing them, I might bring a deeper empathy into the classroom.

'CHINESE, JAPANESE, DIRTY KNEES'

One time in elementary school, I joined a bunch of kids swinging on a frayed volleyball net. The nylon border separated from the net, and we made it into a swing. When a teacher supervising the playground stomped over, the other kids fled, but I was caught.

The teacher grabbed my arm and demanded the names of the other students. In a state of panic all I could manage to cry was a pitiful, "No."

I had been trying to say, "No, I don't know who they are. No, I don't know their names." But language is hard when you haven't learned it fully yet (I didn't begin learning English until first grade). It was hard to build a defense for myself.

Caroline pictured as a baby. This type of photo is traditionally taken 100 days after a child is born in Korea. This custom celebrates the milestone, as children haven't always been expected to live to this age. (Courtesy Caroline Rhude)

My punishment that week included random kids running up to me as I sat alone on a bench on the edge of the playground, with their fingers stretching the corners of their eyes singing, "Chinese, Japanese, dirty knees." In their contorted eyes, I was one and the same: Chinese, Japanese, it didn't matter. I was not them.

When I look back on that experience, I'm quick to remember that the world -- the school playground -- seemed oppressively large, and I, especially small. I'm also aware that the teacher did what she could. I understand that now, as a teacher myself.

I've learned that the teacher didn't mean to single me out. I was visually more noticeable than the other students -- Brown students, mostly -- whose skin color was more or less the same. Theirs mirrored hers. Her intent wasn't to solely punish me or to make me an example. But I remember crying over the jumble of emotions I was unable to identify at the time: shame, frustration, injustice.

I realize that her intent was to act upon what was in her control -- to correct a child's behavior. She was unable to identify all the other students, but me? Immediately. So, she did what she could. But the result was that I felt wronged. Not wronged for being punished but wronged since I knew -- as all young children of color know -- why I was singled out. And the kids on that playground knew it too.

My skin color, highlighted by my sitting alone, made me an easy target for them. By their approaching me with racial taunts, I had unintentionally contributed to how those children -- as well as those who witnessed it -- interacted with someone who was Asian. I altered that public space.

Until police shot and killed Michael Brown in 2014 in Ferguson, I wasn't certain my students' parents -- those who weren't Black or Brown -- had discussions about race. Growing up, mine didn't. Even during the 1992 L.A. riots when the acquittal of four policemen for brutally beating a Black man and ensuing racial tensions erupted into violence and flames, my Korean parents never discussed race. Even when we watched the news, where images of Korean men holding semi-automatics on the rooftops of their businesses were spliced with images of Black communities destroyed, we didn't talk about race. Not once.

Caroline stands beside her mother as she holds her infant sister in an aged passport photo. Caroline immigrated to the U.S. from Korea with her family when she was 5 or 6 years old. (Courtesy Caroline Rhude)

It wasn't that they thought they were exempt from racism or that they were resistant to its effects. It's because when you're unable to change your skin color and you don't speak the language of your new country, it's easier to keep your head down and move about silently -- obediently.

My parents have been quarantining with my husband and me. The pandemic and Black Lives Matter movement have provided a perfect milieu to have these discussions about race, inequality, poverty, the American Dream and who can have it.

My parents still go to work everyday at the clothing store they've run for 21 years. Here, they converse with customers in a makeshift language comprised of a little Spanish, a few words of English, some Korean and mostly, emphatic gestures that usually involve picking up pieces of clothing. Since reopening their doors after the citywide shelter-in-place measures, my parents noticed that patrons have been saying thank you in Mandarin, "Xie xie."

"They think we are Chinese... I'm worried," my mother confessed to me.

Her concern is understandable as recent anti-Asian racist attacks have been on the rise, even in places known for their diversity and sizable Asian populations: Long Beach, Torrance, San Francisco. Still, my parents don't correct these people. To them, it's easier to survive when you're not confrontational. For them, it's better if you're indistinguishable than to be identified as something you're not. For immigrants whose livelihood rests on aesthetic perceptions, they understand how their race alters the spaces they're in.

Caroline on vacation with her parents and sister at Sequoia National Park in 1987. (Courtesy Caroline Rhude)

In recent conversations, I asked them about their decision to have me bused to the Valley for junior high when we were living East L.A. at the time. I went from a predominantly Latino, working-class school in Echo Park to a predominantly white, affluent one in Sherman Oaks. They said that access to quality education shouldn't be dependent on where you can afford to live. They couldn't afford to live in the Valley, so they did the next best thing.

I thought about one November morning when I rode the usually sleepy bus to Sherman Oaks. On this day, all the kids were clamoring, excited. The energy was much like the anticipation before the start of a concert or before the first punch is thrown in a fight -- infectious tension mounting. Something was going on; something was going to burst. Everyone was going to walk out.

When I asked why, my seatmate said, "It's not for you."

MORE FROM OUR RACE IN LA SERIES

Prop. 187 to a bunch of kids bused in from East L.A. meant yet another rejection from the state they called home. It meant that undocumented immigrants wouldn't be able to attend public schools or use other public services.

When I asked my homeroom teacher about Prop. 187, she echoed my seatmate, "It doesn't concern you." As I sat listening to the din around me and reading flyers, it dawned on me that to some, "immigrant" was a title exclusively reserved for Mexicans, Salvadorans, Guatemalans, and so forth. It didn't matter that the majority of my homeroom classmates had a hyphenated ethnic identity. I didn't have the same skin color as them, I was the "wrong kind of immigrant."

Therefore, I was not included. They were all wrong. But I did what was expected. I sat obediently as the rest of the class walked out in protest.

THE GAZE

I think about moments like this as I revisit my curriculum every summer. I think about how race has shaped my understanding of what it feels like to be an outsider: a person of color who is often overlooked as a person of color.

I think about the time my junior high social studies teacher taught the class about the Chinese Exclusion Act. I remember how uncomfortable I became as I sensed his gaze. A well of emotions and questions flooded through me: How would he know about injustice? Why is he staring at me? Has he ever been singled out as a white man? His presumptive stare offended me. I was not Chinese. I was Korean.

Caroline, 9, with her younger sister in Echo Park. (Courtesy Caroline Rhude)

I tuned out the adjectives, the descriptions, the anecdotes he presented and focused on the facts: 1882, 1892, Geary Act, 1920. Although I knew what he was hoping to achieve, when it was my turn to share my thoughts on the only time the U.S. government denied a specific ethnic group entrance into a country composed of immigrants, I was mute.

As a teacher now, I realize he merely wanted me to connect my identity with my country. He wanted my classmates to benefit from an Asian student who may have experienced racism and exclusion. He wanted to show me that Asians have a part in American history, that they too helped shape its identity, that they belong here as much as any other group.

And I understand because I'm guilty of that gaze, too.

When I briefly taught at an affluent private school in Seattle, I found my gaze falling upon the only Black student in my English class as we were analyzing Zora Neale Hurston's essay, "How It Feels to be a Colored Me." I had to consciously remind myself to stare elsewhere. It was difficult, because in my own mind, I knew she could offer insight where none of the other 13 white students could do so.

There, in that class, was the literal depiction of Hurston's line: "I feel most colored when I am thrown against a sharp white background." I was grateful when that only student of color in class spoke: "I've never experienced racism until I came here [to the United States]."

As one of only two Black 10th grade students in a predominantly white school in an overwhelmingly white city, she had grown accustomed to being individualized. She was also an immigrant, and, like me, understood how she contributed to the enrichment of her peers' education. When I was her age, I didn't. She was perceptive of how her skin color changed her surroundings and embraced it. I didn't.

But I do now.

It has taken years of deflecting, navigating and refraining to really understand how I can't avoid delving into my personal experiences with race, especially in the classroom. My reluctance to actively incorporate my experiences was due in part to feeling disparaged each time a student's parent said, "Oh, you're not what I expected." Translation: You're not white.

Somehow, I subconsciously felt that my skin color invalidated my credibility as an English teacher. Perhaps, by refusing to turn the lens onto myself, I would be able to assert that I was somehow more of an English teacher, more legitimate?

After all, how common is an Asian English teacher? In my school of approximately 120 faculty members, 30 in the English department, I'm the only one. In last week's Advanced Placement training of 33 educators from across the country, I was the only one.

However, while I don't explicitly recount my experiences with race in the classroom, all of them permeate nonetheless.

They're present when I'm asked to represent my school at recruiting events. They're present when I sit in a Zoom training of English teachers. They're present when I stand in front of my students. They were present when our staff selected Anna Deavere Smith's "Twilight: Los Angeles" as a central text.

They were present when a student in my second period asked me if I ate bats the week before LAUSD closed their doors due to COVID-19, and opened remote classrooms.

They were present as I tried to make sense of an Asian police officer's involvement in George Floyd's murder to a Zoom screen full of students this May.

They're present every fall when I teach Brett Staples' essay. They're present in the choices I make for my curriculum.

My interactions with race -- as is the case for my students -- are valuable, and I'm reminded that they require serious reflection and mindful application. Not only in my personal experience in Los Angeles as a Korean American and an immigrant, but in relation to other minority groups. After all, we have a shared history.

And I'm still learning my part in shaping that history.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Caroline Rhude is a first generation Korean immigrant who arrived in the U.S. as a child, learned English as an ESL student and is now an English teacher in LAUSD. She has lived in Los Angeles since 1985 (save for a long 11 months in Seattle). She is a strong believer in helping the whole child through coaching with Students Run LA and supporting students to achieve goals in and out of the classroom. In 2017, she was one of LAUSD's Teachers of the Year. That same year, she was instrumental in finding funding for a school district subscription program to The New York TImes for LAUSD.
In an effort to soften the impact of the surging Coronavirus pandemic in the country Carrot Films announced the Lockdown Film Festival with the conviction that the time of the lockdown was ideal to unlock creativity of aspiring & emerging filmmakers. The theme of the film festival was to document stories of common people dealing with the pandemic & their perspective of the ongoing situation.

The Minister for Information & Broadcasting Shri Prakash Javadekar also applauded their efforts by sending them a note of appreciation for organizing a film festival that provides a platform for young talent.

The conclusion of the festival saw overwhelming entries out of which 20 films shortlisted by an eminent jury of film industry professionals namely- Sharmila Tagore, Ratna Pathak Shah, Prahlad Kakar, Adil Hussain, Ken Ghosh, Nivedita Basu, Gautam Rode, Hiten Tejwani, Modhura Palit, Ida Ali, and Iqbal Niyazi. Filmmaker Aparna Sen is the chairperson of the Jury.

Veteran filmmaker Aparna Sen shared "I was extremely delighted at the innovativeness of the films submitted. It was a test of creativity for the filmmakers to be able to do this within the confines of their homes and really, I had a hard time judging the entries."

Padma Bhushan awardee and two times National award winner Sharmila Tagore sums up her role "It's been a positive and fun-filled experience during the lockdown. The thinking & execution part was very good. I've really enjoyed and liked all the films. Well done!"

Widely acclaimed black-comedy Lipstick Under My Burkhas actress Ratna Pathak Shah said I enjoyed these films very much. Imaginative, interesting, different from each other, and not letting limitations get in the way. They were a very reassuring experience for me - proof that we may soon make good films regularly rather than occasionally. It was a rather daunting job though, as comparisons became inevitable. We had lively discussions in the jury and most of us wished we could have included more films.

With a view to make available the selected short films from the Lockdown Film Festival  Carrot Films is delighted that National Film Development Corporation will enable streaming of the winning films from the film festival on www.cinemasofindia.com which is NFDCs homegrown OTT platform.

National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) India leveraged its diverse cinematic portfolio and the advent of digital distribution, to create its own OTT (over-the-top) platform www.cinemasofindia.com in 2012. Cinemas of India streams the corporations classic titles. With the greatest number of award winning, critically acclaimed films on OTT  the platform is representative of Indian independent cinema and independent filmmakers that NFDC through its many endeavors continues to mentor, support and uphold.

Besides global players, Cinemas of India is a platform with home-grown content. It lets you watch all NFDCs indie films & acquired content, much of which isnt available anywhere else. It offers a decent mix of shorts, documentaries and features. Available on Premium subscription of INR 149 for a month & INR 599 for a year for all content (SVoD) or titles can be rented for INR 60 each for 72 hours (TVoD).

Cinemas of India has not only emerged to be another platform to consume content but has also raised the bar to provide a platform for independent filmmakers. Smt. T.C.A. Kalyani, Joint Secretary Films (Ministry of I & B) & Managing Director NFDC India, also shared her views on the collaboration  These films reaffirmed that creativity cannot be locked down no matter what. There is so much untapped talent in India alone and by giving these films a platform we want to recognize their value. Each day I focus on new ways to operate and expand my own role to fit in new filmmakers and the Independent content creators priorities. These are times for innovative opportunities and we have to look for ways to grow the industry and become more efficient.

In line with the mandate of the organization NFDCs OTT is now a streaming partner for The Lockdown Film Festivals selection of 20 short films that have won the jurys approval. Swarnendu Bose, Festival Director, Lockdown Film Festival, Carrot Films -shared the thought behind organizing the Lockdown Film Festival The idea behind the Lockdown Film Festival was simple, to activate the creative note among people in this pandemic. Lockdown was becoming stressful and boring for people out there. Even for us. That's when we thought of starting this one of a kind film festival. However, we didn't think it would take such a big shape as it did and we were overwhelmed with responses. This festival was made a success by people who joined forces to promote the art of storytelling. The biggest giveaway for me is how families came together to tell a story, so impactfully. I thank each and every member of this big family who came together to make this festival what it is. More so, I am extremely thankful to NFDC for collaborating with us for streaming the shortlisted films on their OTT platform Cinemasofindia.com. I am sure this will be a great platform for all the filmmakers."

Carrot Films also collaborated with eminent members of the film industry such as R. Balki, Piyush Pandey, Parambrata Chatterjee, Kubbra Sait, Sona Mahapatra, Sawan Dutta, RJ Archana, Indraneil Sengupta, Anubhav Singh Bassi, RJ Khurrafati Nitin, Sushma Seth, Karan Singh Magic for preparing motivational video messages to encourage participants in these challenging times. 20 new micro films, duration of each around three (3) minutes from the Lockdown Film Festival will be available for viewing on www.cinemasofindia.com from this month (4 July 2020) onwards for free.
By Laman Ismayilova

"Carpet World Association" Public Union has organized trainings on promotion of carpet weaving art and protection of cultural and material heritage.

The project won the competition announced by the Council on State Support to Non-Governmental Organizations and the Azerbaijan Ministry of Culture, Azertag reported.

The main goals of the the project to be implemented in Guba region is to support the restoration, protection and development of Azerbaijani carpet weaving traditions, promotion of this art form as a source of economic income.

The initiative also aims at increasing the potential of carpet weaving in remote areas and to train qualified personnel in the field of carpet weaving.

The trainings offer all partcipants to earn a living by owning a profession, as well as mastering this art form.

The project consists of practical and theoretical parts and envisages the participation of 10 women living in Guba region, who have a great interest in carpet-weaving art.

Unique Azerbaijani carpets are well-known all over the world for their quality and high artistic value. Besides, amazing and fantastic carpets of Azerbaijan represent a real mystery, leading one inside the fairy tales full of majestic feelings. The Land of Fire has seven carpet producing regions including Baku, Shirvan, Guba, Tabriz, Karabakh, Ganja and Gazakh and each of them has its own technology, typical patterns and colors. According to their technical aspects, Azerbaijani carpets are classified as flat-woven (pileless) and knotted (pile). The flat-woven carpets are linked to the earlier period of carpet weaving. There are several kinds of pileless carpets such as Shadda, Verni, Jejim, Zilli, Sumakh, Kilim and Palas. Shadda is a flat weave carpet, made primarily in Nakhchivan, Agdam, Gubadly, Agjabedi. The artistic composition of shadda made by complicated whipping, as well as its constituents have a complex form. One of the most widely spread type of the flat-weave carpet is "verni". The key pattern of "verni" is the S-element. Its shape varies, it may resemble both figure 5 and letter S. This element means "dragon" among the nomads and water among the village people. According to the ancient believes, a dragon featuring carpet would protect the family from foul weather. Agjabedi, Barda, Aghdam, Nakhchivan are the centers of this type of pileless carpets. Jejims are woven on simple horizontal looms by narrow stripes 3035 cm wide and 1510 cm long. The resulting product is a cloth to be used as a wall carpet, a bedding coverlet, or curtains. The major jejim production centers are Barda, Nakhchivan, Zangilan, Shusha, Shamakha. Zilli carpet is characterized by stylized forms of animals and vegetal elements. In terms of their composition and pattern the Azerbaijani zillis are very diverse. They feature the images of large elements in the shape of big lozenges, paired horns, various stylized elements. The Sumakh carpets have become widely spread and recognized over the last few centuries. Since the 18th century, they have been made in country's Guba and Gusar regions. The Sumakh carpets feature the diverse stylized vegetal motifs, various geometrical elements such as large hexahedral, square, rhomboid medallions. Kilim is the most widespread type of flat-woven carpets. They are made by passing the weft through the warp using the technique of compound interweaving. Kilim is characterized by a slot-like gap (opening) around the geometrical patterns. The technique of kilim weaving predetermines the pattern shapes in the form of a lozenge, triangle, and trapezium. Images of animals, birds and humans are geometrized in kilims. Kilims of different regions are distinguished by their composition, pattern, and colors. In terms of their technical peculiarities kilims can be classified into five major groups based on the area of production: Kazakh, Karabakh, Absheron, Shirvan and Tabriz kilims. Palas is one of the widely spread flat-weave carpets. The palas weaving process consists in passing the weft through the warp by a simple technique. The weavers decorate the palas by traditional patterns in the form of horizontal stripes commonly used throughout Azerbaijan. As a rule, the palas is not framed by a border.

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One stock that might be an intriguing choice for investors right now is Apache Corporation APA. This is because this security in the Oil and Gas - Exploration and Production - United States space is seeing solid earnings estimate revision activity, and is in great company from a Zacks Industry Rank perspective.

This is important because, often times, a rising tide will lift all boats in an industry, as there can be broad trends taking place in a segment that are boosting securities across the board. This is arguably taking place in the Oil and Gas - Exploration and Production - United States space as it currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 30 out of more than 250 industries, suggesting it is well-positioned from this perspective, especially when compared to other segments out there.

Meanwhile, Apache is actually looking pretty good on its own too. The firm has seen solid earnings estimate revision activity over the past month, suggesting analysts are becoming a bit more bullish on the firms prospects in both the short and long term.

Apache Corporation Price and Consensus

Apache Corporation Price and Consensus

Apache Corporation price-consensus-chart | Apache Corporation Quote

In fact, over the past month, current quarter estimates have narrowed from a loss of $1 per share to a loss of 98 cents per share, while current year estimates have narrowed from a loss of $2.52 to a loss of $2.28 per share. The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), which is also a favorable signal. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

So, if you are looking for a decent pick in a strong industry, consider Apache. Not only is its industry currently in the top third, but it is seeing solid estimate revisions as of late, suggesting it could be a very interesting choice for investors seeking a name in this great industry segment.

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Story continues

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Kat, a working-class stay-at-home mother, spoke with the WSWS on Wednesday about the situation confronting locked-down residents of public housing towers in Melbourne, Australias epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic.

On Saturday afternoon, the Victorian state Labor government of Premier Daniel Andrews announced that the 3,000 residents of nine towers in the inner-city suburbs of Flemington and North Melbourne would be subject to a hard lockdown.

Residentswho come from the most oppressed sections of workers, with many having migrant backgroundswere surrounded by 500 police officers sent in to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the buildings. Tenants were starved of basic necessities and healthcare.

Only yesterday did Andrews announce the lifting of the restrictions on all but one of the towers. Cases among residents now stand at over one hundred. There are more than fifty confirmed cases in the one North Melbourne building that will remain under police lockdown for another nine days.

Kat (right) with her partner and daughter

Kat explained that she heard of the lockdown from a fellow resident who received a text from health authorities which said a lockdown would be in place effective about midnight while they were playing with their toddlers in a nearby park.

After returning home, Kat and her friend thought to quickly run to the shops and get some supplies before they lock us in. The police were already at the doors and not letting us out. When I asked about it starting at midnight, they said its effective immediately.

Kat and her family were not contacted by the authorities until her partner received a phone call on Tuesday afternoon, during which detention centre rules were read out.

On Sunday, Kat called the health department, telling them that she has a toddler and was in need of nappies and milk. She was informed that they would deliver food that night or the next morning. But the first bit of food we received wasnt until Monday, 11 p.m., other than some sausage rolls that were left on our doorstep.

But most of our building is Muslim, so most people couldnt even eat that. I saw some of the stuff that was left for other people. Some expired in May, bags of prison slop. I realise that theyve never had to do anything like this in Australia, but I still think it is being managed pretty poorly.

The food, Kat said, included a fair bit of fresh fruit and vegetables. But otherwise its mostly canned stuff. There are no proteins or anything like that, no butter. Theres so much canned food and pasta sauce. Its just stuff that we and most of the people in the building dont eat.

Neighbours have been knocking on our door, bringing the stuff that they dont want. If thats not the best way to spread COVID, then I dont know what is. Ive been saying no at the door. I dont want to offend anyone, I dont want to accuse anyone of being sick, but at the same time its about being careful. So, theres enough, youre not going to die of starvation. Whether its nutritious or not, Im not really sure.

As of Wednesday, testing still had not commenced in Kats building, increasing the anxiety of residents. Only on Thursday evening did Andrews announce that all tenants had been examined.

Like other residents, Kat said that she was provided with minimal information throughout the lockdown: Were getting frustrated not knowing what is going on, because you keep getting told that this is going to happen, and it just doesnt We want some real answers because no one is giving them to us.

When asked if social and healthcare workers were present, Kat responded: Nothing. Nobody except police. Tuesday was the first day anybody came through and cleaned the communal areas of the building. The hand sanitiser dispensers in the lobby have been empty for days, and the health department refuse to provide PPE [personal protective equipment] unless you have masks already. I dont know why it took three days to get anybody to clean anything when youre telling us that there are infections in the building.

She added: I was given a phone number for a doctor in Flemington who said there is supposed to be somebody here but there is no-one. Only police.

The police presence included as many as seven officers at each of the three entrances to the building. Some of them talk to you like youre a human being, Kat said, but a lot of them are aggressive. Ive been made to feel like a criminal, but I havent done anything wrong.

Kat, who has lived in the flats since April 2018, said her building had some refurbishment work done, but the contract expired halfway. She said when you go above around level 12Im on level 16its pretty bad. The floors are unfinished. I dont even know how you would sanitise it. Theres no linoleum or tiles or anything. The insides have all been redone, but the communal areas are trashed.

She said you dont end up here because you have done very well in life. I ended up here because I was homeless when I was pregnant with my daughter. These are situations people cant avoid.

There are a lot of unaddressed mental health issues in these buildings. It is very difficult when you are in a bad state of mind to go and ask for help. People have already been throwing things outside their windows. It is going to come to a point where somebody is going to lose it.

While there were confirmed COVID-19 cases in the buildings, residents reported that sick people were not removed and treated at hospitals. Ive seen one ambulance in the last four days, Kat said. Im sure they dont really want to draw any attention to the cases. But I havent heard of anyone being taken away. Knowing that there are cases in our building, what are they doing with those people?

The governments police response, Kat said, has a lot to do with the colour of peoples skin and the fact that we are of a lower social standing, which is disgusting. Its 2020 in Australia. Were a civilised country, this sort of stuff shouldnt be happening here.

On the impact of COVID-19 internationally, Kat said she had heard that there are 3 million cases in the US. She said, I pity the people who have Trump as a president. It doesnt look like anythings being done to handle the situation. There was a little bit of isolation, but thats all over now. Businesses are all open and everythings back to normal, isnt it?

The WSWS interviewer explained that this was an international phenomenon, based on the reopening of the economy to shore up the profits of the wealthy and the murderous policy of herd immunity.

Kat said: That is so disgusting. Thats all about that one percent looking out for each other, isnt it? That makes me really angry.

Like I was telling you, when I was watching these press conferences, he [Andrews] has this way of saying things like, its under control, or it has been thought about, and somebody gives a shit about us, you know. But the proof is in the pudding, and I am not seeing any of that proof trickling down to us.
Los Angeles: Former Hollywood couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are reportedly co-parenting amicably, thanks to "family therapy" four years after their bitter split.

They have sons Maddox, 18, Pax, 16, and Knox, 12, and daughters Zahara, 15, Shiloh, 14, and Vivienne, 12.

Late last month, Pitt was seen leaving Jolie's home on his motorcycle.

"They definitely needed help figuring out all the child-custody issues and how Brad could be a dad again," a source told PEOPLE.

"Since the kids are older now, they are no longer dealing with separation issues from Angie."

"It's taken them a long time, with a lot of family therapy, to get to this point," the source said.

"The younger kids go back and forth between their houses, and Brad loves spending as much time with them as possible. He seems much happier."

Pitt and Jolie married in 2014 after first meeting on the set of their 2005 release, "Mr. And Mrs. Smith". They split in 2016.
Dr Robert Redfield, director of the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, said on Thursday that keeping schools closed would be a greater risk to children's health than reopening them. California and Texas, the two most populous states, announced record increases in COVID deaths on Wednesday. California has seen cases and hospitalisations surge, even though it imposed one of the strictest lockdowns. Fauci says he hasn't briefed Trump in two months

Dr Anthony Fauci, the top US infectious disease expert, said on Friday that he has not briefed President Donald Trump in at least two months and not seen him in person at the White House since June 2, despite a coronavirus resurgence that has strained hospitals and led several states to pause reopenings. Fauci told the Financial Times he was "sure" his messages were sent to the President even though the two have not been in close contact in the past several weeks. The comments from the Trump administration's director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases came as Trump has been critical of Fauci and spoken openly about issues on which they disagree. In a Thursday interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity, Trump said Fauci had "made a lot of mistakes" but called him a "nice man." Trump also said "most cases" of coronavirus would "automatically cure. They automatically get better". Fauci also in the Financial Times interview said Trump was incorrect in claiming 99 per cent of coronavirus cases were "harmless" and may have conflated some statistics.

"I'm trying to figure out where the President got that number," Fauci said. "What I think happened is that someone told him that the general mortality is about 1 per cent. And he interpreted, therefore, that 99 per cent is not a problem, when that's obviously not the case." WHO reports record daily increase in global cases The World Health Organisation reported a record increase in global coronavirus cases on Friday, with the total rising by 228,102 in 24 hours. The biggest increases were from the US, Brazil, India and South Africa, according to a daily report. The previous WHO record for new cases was 212,326 on July 4. Deaths remained steady at about 5000 a day. Global coronavirus cases exceeded 12 million on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally, marking another milestone in the spread of the disease that has killed more than 555,000 people in seven months.

Maria Van Kerkhove, technical lead on the COVID-19 pandemic at the WHO, also said on Friday that airborne transmission of the new coronavirus had always been a concern but that droplets appeared to be the most common infection route. "Aerosol transmission is one of the modes of transmission that we have been concerned about since the beginning, particularly in healthcare settings ... where we know these droplets can be aerosolised - which means can stay in the air longer," she told an online briefing from Geneva. The WHO released new guidelines on the transmission of the coronavirus on Thursday that acknowledged some reports of airborne transmission but stopped short of confirming that it spreads through the air, a route that cannot be blocked by the social distancing now common around the world. Colombian capital to renew lockdowns as cases rise

The Colombian capital Bogota will initiate strict, rolling two-week quarantines in certain neighborhoods starting Monday to curb the spread of coronavirus as cases rise and intensive care units fill, the mayor said on Friday. The Andean country has reported just under 134,000 cases of COVID-19 and 4714 deaths. More than 32 per cent of cases have occurred in the capital, along with a fifth of deaths. A funeral worker sanitises equipment used to transport the body of a person who died from COVID-19 in Bogota. Credit:Getty Images "Nobody in Colombia has the same challenge we do," Mayor Claudia Lopez said in a video broadcast. Eight neighbourhoods will enter quarantine on Monday, Lopez said, with another four neighbourhoods beginning lockdown on July 27 and a final three entering quarantine on August 10.

The measures are a return to those declared in late March by President Ivan Duque as part of an ongoing national quarantine. The lockdown is set to continue until August 1, but many restrictions have already been lifted, especially in municipalities without any recorded COVID cases. Johnson says England may need stricter face mask rules British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said tighter rules on wearing face coverings may be needed to stop a resurgence in COVID-19 infections, and that he would like to see them worn more frequently in shops in England. "I do think we need to be stricter in insisting that people wear face coverings in confined places where they are meeting people that they don't normally meet," Johnson said in a pre-recorded question-and-answer session with the public. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Credit:AP

Britain has Europe's highest coronavirus death toll, with almost 45,000 confirmed deaths, and weekly figures on Friday showed a small rise in the COVID-19 reproduction rate, although the number of new infections continues to fall. People in England are only required to wear face masks on public transport and when visiting hospitals, but on Friday Scotland made it compulsory to wear them in shops as well. Just over half of British adults who left their homes last week wore a mask, rising to 89 per cent of people on public transport, according to official data published earlier on Friday. French coronavirus death toll rises above 30,000 France on Friday became the sixth country to report a total coronavirus death toll of more than 30,000, with the number of new confirmed cases above 600 for the third day in a row.

The health ministry said in a statement that 25 people had died from coronavirus infection in the past 24 hours, boosting the cumulative total since early March to 30,004. Loading Friday's increase compares to an average increase of 15 in the previous seven days. In June, France counted on average 34 new deaths per day, in May 143 and in April 695. The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 fell by 115 to 7062, continuing a weeks-long downtrend, and the number of people in intensive care units fell by 16 to 496, the first time the ICU count had fallen below 500 since mid-March. The number of confirmed coronavirus infections rose by 658 to 170,752, the third day in a row with more than 600 new infections, compared to an average of 495 over the past 30 days and 527 over the past seven days.
Aleppo:

Syrias regime and rebels on Sunday were locked in fierce clashes on the western edges of Aleppo, where 38 civilians have been killed in two days of opposition rocket fire, a monitor said.

Among those killed over the two-day period were 14 children, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Another 250 civilians have been wounded in heavy bombardment by anti-government factions since Friday morning, according to the Britain-based group.

The barrage is part of a major assault by rebels and allied jihadists to break a three-month government siege of Aleppos eastern half, where more than 250,000 people still live.

Rebel fighters have launched hundreds of rockets and shells onto the western districts from positions inside the city and on its western edges, said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman.

He said the rebels were trying to push east from Dahiyet al-Assad districtmost of which they seized in the first day of the onslaughttowards Hamdaniyeh. Hamdaniyeh is a regime-held district directly adjacent to opposition-controlled eastern neighbourhoods.

Fighting lasted all night and into this morning, with air strikes and artillery fire along the western battlefronts heard even in the eastern districts, an AFP correspondent there said.

Plumes of smoke could be seen snaking up from the citys skyline.

The offensive has seen an estimated 1,500 opposition fighters mass on the western edges of Aleppo since Friday. They include local Aleppo rebels and reinforcements from Idlib province to the west, among them the jihadist Fateh al-Sham Front, which changed its name from Al-Nusra Front after breaking ties with Al-Qaeda.

Fighting has killed 30 regime and allied fighters, as well as 50 Syrian opposition militants, according to the Observatory.

The monitor did not have an immediate death toll for foreign anti-regime fighters, many of whom have joined jihadist factions.

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Linkedin Andrea Shalal (Reuters) Washington, United States  Fri, July 10, 2020 10:22 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406654f76f 2 Business IMF,World-Bank,virtual-meeting,annual-meeting Free

The leaders of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank on Thursday confirmed that they were preparing to hold their annual meetings in October largely online given the coronavirus pandemic.

In a joint statement, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and World Bank President David Malpass said they were recommending the annual meetings, set for Oct. 12-18, be held in a primarily virtual format.

They said they remained flexible about the format of the talks, depending on developments, and would work to accommodate the needs of their members.

Malpass first disclosed the plans for virtual annual meetings in a letter to the Banks governors on Monday.

The institutions semi-annual meetings usually bring some 10,000 government officials, business people, civil society representatives and journalists from across the globe to a tightly packed, two-block area of downtown Washington that houses their headquarters.

The annual events including meetings of the IMFs 24-member International Monetary Fund and Financial Committee (IMFC) and the Development Committee, which oversees the work of the World Bank, as well as many smaller meetings throughout the week.

The decision to meet virtually, rather than in person in Washington, was widely expected given rising infections in the United States, and continuing travel restrictions. More than 60,000 new COVID-19 infections were reported across the United States on Wednesday, the greatest single-day tally by any country since the virus emerged late last year in China.

The spring meetings were also held virtually in April.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Federal officials were so worried Jeffrey Epsteins longtime confidant Ghislaine Maxwell might take her own life after her arrest that they took away her clothes and bedsheets and made her wear paper attire while in custody, an official familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.

The steps to ensure Maxwells safety while shes locked up at a federal jail in New York City extend far beyond the measures federal officials took when they first arrested her in New Hampshire last week.

The Justice Department has added extra security precautions and placed federal officials outside the Bureau of Prisons in charge of ensuring there is adequate protection for Maxwell. That's to help prevent other inmates from harming her and to stop her from harming herself, the official said.

The concern comes in part because Epstein, 66, killed himself in a federal jail in Manhattan last summer while in custody on sex trafficking charges, spawning conspiracy theories over his death despite a medical examiner ruling it a suicide. The sprawling case against him ensnared British royalty and American elite who attended parties at his mansions. Whispers over who knew what and when about Epstein even reached the White House, after video surfaced of President Donald Trump and the financier chatting at a Mar-a-Lago party in 1992.

The case appeared dormant until Maxwell was arrested last Thursday on charges she helped lure at least three girls  one as young as 14  to be sexually abused by Epstein, who was accused of victimizing dozens of girls and women over many years.

Maxwell, the daughter of the late British publishing magnate Robert Maxwell, was the former girlfriend and longtime close associate of Epstein. She is accused of facilitating his crimes and even joining him in sexually abusing the girls, according to the indictment against her. Several Epstein victims have described Maxwell as his chief enabler, recruiting and grooming girls for abuse. She has denied wrongdoing and called claims against her absolute rubbish.

Maxwell was arrested by a team of federal agents last week at a $1 million estate she had purchased in New Hampshire. The investigators had been keeping an eye on Maxwell and knew she had been hiding out in various locations in New England.

She had switched her email address, ordered packages under someone elses name and registered at least one new phone number under an alias G Max, prosecutors have said.

When the agents swooped in to arrest her, they werent sure that she was even at the home, the official said. Some investigators believed she may have already fled the United States to avoid prosecution, the official added.

Maxwell was not sent to the same jail. Rather, she was taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, just over the Brooklyn Bridge from where Epstein was held.

The other protocols put in place for Maxwells confinement include ensuring that she has a roommate in her cell, that she is monitored and that someone is always with her while shes behind bars, the official said.
(Newser)  Michael Cohen "had the rug pulled out from under him" Thursday when he was abruptly sent back to prison, one of his lawyers says. According to the New York Times, President Trump's longtime personal lawyer and fixer was "in good spirits" as he arrived to the courthouse, expecting to fill out some routine paperwork and then go back to home confinement in Manhattan. But Cohen was instead asked to sign a document agreeing not to publish a book or talk to reporters until his 3-year sentence for campaign finance violations and other crimes is completed, and, believing his First Amendment rights were being violated, he refused. The probation officers said they would attempt to come to a resolution, but 90 minutes later, three federal marshals arrived to take Cohen into custody. He then said he'd sign, but was told by the marshals, "It's out of our hands."

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The document says its purpose was to "avoid glamorizing or bringing publicity to your status as a sentenced inmate serving a custodial term in the community"; Cohen was released on a medical furlough in May amid the coronavirus pandemic. But when he refused to sign (which is according to his legal adviserhis lawyer says he simply voiced objections to the document), he pointed out that he had spoken to reporters while he was behind bars. Last week, Cohen tweeted that his tell-all about working for Trump was ready for publication and that he expected a September release date. The federal Bureau of Prisons' official reasoning for returning Cohen to jail: He "refused the conditions of his home confinement." "I've never seen any language like this in my life that would strip a person of their First Amendment rights to communicate with the media," says Cohen's lawyer, per CNN. (Read more Michael Cohen stories.)
Business organisations must not jettison the lessons COVID-19 has taught the world when the pandemic is eventually defeated, a professor of International Business, Jurgen Bode has said.



He said businesses were now diversifying, innovating and sourcing most of their raw materials and inputs for production within their respective countries.



Speaking at the University of Cape Cost (UCC) School Of Business e-seminar series, Prof Bode who is also the Deputy Vice Chancellor for International Affairs and Diversity at the University of Applied Sciences, Bonn in Germany, explained that, COVID-19 has led to de-globalisation in which many businesses are focusing on their strategies within.



The seminar, the sixth and final session of the e-seminar series of the University of Cape Coast School of Business was on the topic, Coronavirus pandemic: Global marketing, logistics and supply chain.



Prof Bode emphasised that the Coronavirus pandemic had taught companies and businesses that they can cut down on travel cost and still be productive and relevant.



COVID-19 has saved a lot of expenditure budgeted for business, conference and other related travels by organisations, he said, and stressed the monies saved on the aforementioned expenditures could be ploughed back into the business.



A Professor of Marketing and Associate Dean of Lindner College of Business, University of Cincinnati, USA, Susan Powell Mantel said COVID-19 pandemic had created opportunities for some businesses through adaptation, innovation and diversification.



She called on corporate bodies to review their business strategies and ensure a good balance between risk and return during the pendency of the Coronavirus pandemic.



The Executive Director of Chartered Institute of Marketing Ghana, Kwabena Agyekum explained that COVID-19 has taught marketers to engage in constant communication and give continuous assurances to their customers about their risks, products and services as well as their innovations.



The Dean of the School of Business, Prof John Gatsi, in his remark thanked all the discussants especially those from other universities in Ghana, Germany, United States of America and South Africa as well as professional bodies.



The blend of international and national academics on one hand and industry and professional bodies representation on the other, demonstrates the strength of the School of Business in ensuring diversity and closer affinity with professional bodies in accounting, taxation, marketing, human resource, banking, corporate governance, procurement and supply chain, he said.



The Provost of the College of Humanities and Legal Studies, Professor Francis Amanquandoh, who chaired the programme, lauded the UCC Business School for the topics and discussants chosen for the e-seminar.







Source: The Ghanaian Times









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

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Carina Adley MacKenzie is no longer executive producer and co-showrunner of Rosewell, New Mexico, The CW sci-fi drama she created.

A spokesperson for Warner Bros. Television confirmed her exit in a statement to TheWrap.

Carina Adly MacKenzie has departed as executive producer/co-showrunner of Roswell, New Mexico. The third season of the series will return to The CW as part of the networks 2021 midseason lineup, the spokesperson said.

Also Read: 'DC's Stargirl' to Leave Streaming Platform DC Universe, Renewed for Season 2 at The CW

MacKenzie addressed her reason for leaving in a statement, saying she had chosen to resign from the show voluntarily, citing fundamental disagreements.

I have made the difficult decision to resign from my role on Roswell, New Mexico. I do not take this decision lightly, but ultimately due to fundamental differences, I must depart and entrust Roswell, New Mexico to capable hands. I am so proud of what we built over the last two years, and I believe in the heart and soul of the show: asking tough questions, striving to make the world better, amplifying marginalized voices, and fighting the good fight, she wrote in a tweet.



She also clarifyed that there is no bad blood between her and the cast, crew or writers.

Over the last few months, the team and I broke the Season 3 story together, I had talks with the actors about the season character journeys. I put my finishing touches on the season premiere this week, she continued. But this is a business, and there were fundamental disagreements about a couple of things that were and are very important to me.

Last month, MacKenzie raised concerns on Twitter over a gay love scene that was censored by ITV.

Also Read: 'Katy Keene' Canceled After One Season at The CW

Really, really, REALLY upset to hear that @itv cut out a (pretty tame) love scene between two men and kept a (much more raunchy) heterosexual sex scene in their airing of an episode of #RoswellNM tonight. There are a lot of angry tears happening at my house tonight, she wrote, adding, Its just blatant homophobia/biphobia/bigotry and Im so, so sorry and so, so angry.

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ITV did not immediately respond to TheWraps request for comment, but gave this statement to THR:

Editing is only ever undertaken to ensure content is suitable for scheduling in a pre watershed time slot when younger age groups may be watching. Scenes involving sexual content were edited in keeping with the regulator, Ofcoms, guidelines, the rep said.

MacKenzies writing credits also include The CWs The Flash and its Vampire Diaries spin-off The Originals. The Hollywood Reporter was first to report the news of MacKenzies exit.

Read original story Roswell, New Mexico Creator Carina Adly MacKenzie Out as Co-Showrunner on CW Drama At TheWrap
Vikas Dubey, who was shot dead by police on Friday, had received four bullet injuries, three of them in the chest, said the principal of a medical college where the gangster was brought.

Principal of Ganesh Shankar Vidhyarthi Medical College Dr RB Kamal told reporters on Friday that Dubey was brought dead to the hospital. "Dubey sustained four bullet injuries, three in the chest and one in the hand."

But the post-mortem report is yet to be made public.

A panel of three doctors at Lala Lajpat Rai Hospital, which is attached to Ganesh Shankar Vidhyarthi Medical College, performed the post-mortem of Vikas Dubey.

The post-mortem has been videographed, a doctor involved in it said, adding that the police have been briefed about the findings and the report would be handed over very soon.

A large number of police personnel were present in the hospital.

The police have persuaded Dinesh Tiwari, the brother-in-law of the slain gangster, to take the body in his custody and perform the last rites. The body was later taken to Bhairoghat amid heavy security for the last rites.

Tiwari was earlier detained for questioning by the police immediately after the ambush in Kanpur in which eight policemen, including Deputy SP Devendra Kumar Mishra, were killed.

Police claimed that Dubey was shot dead as he was trying to flee after the car carrying him from Ujjain overturned on an isolated stretch of the highway on the outskirts of the city.

The SUV met with the accident at Bhaunti in Kanpur district, toppling on the road which was slippery after the rains, police claimed. The car was part of a small convoy of police vehicles.

Police said the gangster snatched a pistol from one of the policemen injured in the accident and was shot when he opened fire while trying to flee, an account being questioned by opposition parties.

Six policemen, including two from the Special Task Force, were hurt in the accident and the exchange of fire around 6 am, an official said.
(JTA)  For Orthodox Jewish advocacy groups, the last day of the U.S. Supreme Courts 2020 session brought a big win.

On Tuesday, the high court handed school voucher proponents a victory in ruling that a state-run scholarship program funded by tax-deductible gifts could not exclude religious schools. The court split 5-4 in the Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue case, with Chief Justice John Roberts providing the swing vote by joining the conservative justices.

A State need not subsidize private education, Roberts wrote. But once a State decides to do so, it cannot disqualify some private schools solely because they are religious.

The case was significant for Orthodox Jewish advocacy groups that have fought alongside Christian groups for expanded state aid to parochial schools. For most Orthodox families, parochial schools are considered an expensive necessity, and both the Orthodox Union and Agudath Israel, two major Orthodox organizations, filed briefs on behalf of the plaintiffs.

Over the past decade, the Orthodox Unions advocacy work has spearheaded the creation or expansion of many state aid programs to support parental choice in education, Allen Fagin, executive vice president of the Orthodox Union, said in a statement applauding the ruling. Todays strong ruling from the Supreme Court solidifies the legal bases for these programs and bolsters their long-term benefits for the Jewish community and other faith communities.

Agudath Israel has played a leading role in advocating for programs that make it easier for parents to choose private and religious schools, Rabbi A. D. Motzen, Agudath Israel of Americas national director of state relations, said in a statement. Todays ruling endorses Agudahs longtime position that states may not bar families from using state aid at the school of their choice simply because they choose a religious option.

The case, in which the Montana Supreme Court had ruled that a scholarship program funded by tax-deductible donations had to be dismantled because scholarships used for religious schools would violate the state constitutions no-aid clause, was viewed as a proxy in the fight over school vouchers. School vouchers are programs through which states allow parents to use taxpayer money to pay for tuition at private schools, most of which are religious in the United States.

Critics of no-aid clauses, also known as Blaine Amendments, have cited their origins in arguing against their enforcement. The amendments, which were rooted in anti-Catholic sentiment, were added to state constitutions in the late 19th century to prohibit the use of state funds for religious private schools.

Its unclear whether and how the ruling will affect Jewish schools in the short term. The ruling does not compel states to offer voucher programs, and New York and New Jersey, home to the countrys largest Orthodox Jewish communities and most Orthodox schools, do not permit vouchers. Lawmakers there are unlikely to create voucher programs, which are favored by political conservatives.

Still, the case matters because it nudges open the door for state funding to flow more often to religious schools. It follows a 2017 case in which the court ruled that a church could not be excluded from receiving government benefits because of its status as a religious organization.

If you wanted to boil down the key contribution of the opinion, its the application of the rule from 2017 to schools, said Michael Helfand, associate dean for faculty and research at Pepperdine Universitys Caruso School of Law. Ultimately it nudges the ball down the road in terms of the ability of schools to get equal treatment.

That is increasingly the agenda for Orthodox groups. Fagin of the Orthodox Union told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency last week that school choice could become one of the most important civil rights issues of the next decade.

Private schools can already receive public funding for some services, including busing and textbooks, that are extended to all students. (Many students who attend yeshivas in New York City ride buses paid for by the city.) But the broader pot of taxpayer funds goes to public schools and the students they educate, leaving families and religious groups to fund private schools.

Receiving additional state funding can be a double-edged sword for private schools. Some states require students whose education is subsidized by vouchers to take state exams, with consequences flowing to schools whose students fall short. That arrangement could be complicated for Orthodox advocates, who have fought against oversight of yeshivas in New York City.

In the Espinoza case, one Jewish group filed a brief supporting the original decision by the Montana Supreme Court.

The Montana Association of Rabbis argued that the scholarship program violated the Free Exercise clause by using taxpayer money to pay for religious education. The group also noted that the only religious schools in Montana were Christian, meaning that the program would effectively privilege Christianity over other religions.
We often see insiders buying up shares in companies that perform well over the long term. The flip side of that is that there are more than a few examples of insiders dumping stock prior to a period of weak performance. So we'll take a look at whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in MinRex Resources Limited (ASX:MRR).

What Is Insider Selling?

It's quite normal to see company insiders, such as board members, trading in company stock, from time to time. However, such insiders must disclose their trading activities, and not trade on inside information.

Insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing. But equally, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether. For example, a Columbia University study found that 'insiders are more likely to engage in open market purchases of their own companys stock when the firm is about to reveal new agreements with customers and suppliers'.

View our latest analysis for MinRex Resources

MinRex Resources Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when insider Adam Blumenthal bought AU$1.5m worth of shares at a price of AU$0.10 per share. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, even at a higher price than the current share price (being AU$0.014). Their view may have changed since then, but at least it shows they felt optimistic at the time. We always take careful note of the price insiders pay when purchasing shares. Generally speaking, it catches our eye when insiders have purchased shares at above current prices, as it suggests they believed the shares were worth buying, even at a higher price.

Happily, we note that in the last year insiders paid AU$2.1m for 75.68m shares. On the other hand they divested 34033063 shares, for AU$367k. In the last twelve months there was more buying than selling by MinRex Resources insiders. The average buy price was around AU$0.028. This is nice to see since it implies that insiders might see value around current prices. You can see the insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

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ASX:MRR Insider Trading Volume July 10th 2020

There are always plenty of stocks that insiders are buying. So if that suits your style you could check each stock one by one or you could take a look at this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Insiders at MinRex Resources Have Sold Stock Recently

Over the last three months, we've seen notably more insider selling, than insider buying, at MinRex Resources. In that time, insider James Schwarz dumped AU$235k worth of shares. On the flip side, insider Simon Durack spent AU$1.3k on purchasing shares. Generally this level of net selling might be considered a bit bearish.

Insider Ownership

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. MinRex Resources insiders own about AU$1.2m worth of shares. That equates to 37% of the company. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment.

So What Do The MinRex Resources Insider Transactions Indicate?

The insider sales have outweighed the insider buying, at MinRex Resources, in the last three months. On the other hand, the insider transactions over the last year are encouraging. And insiders do own shares. So the recent selling doesn't worry us too much. So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. For example, MinRex Resources has 5 warning signs (and 3 which are a bit concerning) we think you should know about.

If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions.

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.
Washington: The United States has imposed sanctions on the highest-ranking Chinese official yet targeted over alleged human rights abuses against the Uighur Muslim minority, a move likely to further ratchet up tensions between Washington and Beijing.

Washington blacklisted Xinjiang region's Communist Party Secretary Chen Quanguo, a member of China's powerful Politburo, and three other officials. The highly anticipated action followed months of Washington's hostility toward Beijing over China's handling of the novel coronavirus outbreak and its tightening grip on Hong Kong.

A Hong Kong protester shows support for Uighurs and their fight for human rights. Credit:AP

A senior administration official who briefed reporters after the announcements described Chen as the highest-ranking Chinese official ever sanctioned by the US.

The blacklisting was "no joke", he said. "Not only in terms of symbolic and reputational effect, but it does have real meaning on a person's ability to move around the world and conduct business."
Australians could wait for two and a half years for a widespread vaccine to counter the coronavirus, former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark has warned after being named to lead a global inquiry into the health crisis.

Warning of a crippling economic and social shock, Ms Clark called for a dramatic increase in global action to save countries from collapse as the pandemic gets worse.

Former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark will lead the independent investigation into the coronavirus. Credit:Kate Geraghty

Ms Clark said Australia had been right to push for the inquiry at the World Health Organisation and that she expected full cooperation from China to discover when authorities first learned the virus had spread to humans.

While the inquiry could take more than a year, Ms Clark said its findings would not only help counter the next coronavirus but also deal with COVID-19 because the current pandemic could last for years.
Castro, Duboce Triangle

The Market Street building. | Photos: Teresa Hammerl/Hoodline

Sonder, a San Francisco-based startup specializing in furnished apartment rentals, is suing to end its lease at 2112 Market St. (at Church).

The company, as well as the building's developer, faced criticism last year for allotting all 52 of the building's market-rate housing units to medium-term rentals of a month or more.

Some area residents decried the loss of new, permanent dwelling units, arguing that using the building for furnished rentals by the month exploited a city loophole. San Francisco defines "short-term" rentals as stays of 30 days or fewer.

The San Francisco Business Times was first to report the lawsuit, filed with the San Francisco Superior Court on July 2. In the suit, Sonder argues that its business has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and it can't afford to continue operating out of the building.

"We're exercising our right to terminate certain leases in the San Francisco market, due to newly enacted or changed restrictions," a Sonder spokesperson told Hoodline via email.

In the lawsuit, Sonder argues that an "early termination provision" in its contract is applicable to any situation that would have a "material adverse effect" on its business.

In the meantime, developer Brian Spiers says the company hasn't been paying him rent, even as it continues to collect rent from its subtenants.

In a statement to Hoodline, Spiers says that Sonder asked him for three to four months of rent abatement when the pandemic hit in March. It also refused to pay rent moving forward, unless its lease was amended with "meaningful concessions."

"We are disappointed that Sonder has unilaterally ended our good-faith discussions regarding a potential early lease termination by filing this lawsuit," Spiers wrote. "We intend to exercise our remedies under the lease for the failure of Sonder to comply with its lease obligations."

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The company declined to comment on how many residents still live in the building and pay rent to Sonder, or when it last paid rent to Spiers. Some units in the building are still listed for rent on Sonder's website.

The view from a Sonder-operated unit at the 2112 Market St. building.

The Church & Market building was one of several included in a subscription-based product called Sonder Residences, which allowed residents to change buildings (and even cities) on a monthly basis as desired. The furnished rentals offered hotel-like amenities, including housekeeping and freshly laundered sheets and towels.

As of last fall, Sonder Residences also operated out of two other San Francisco buildings, at 600 South Van Ness Ave. in the Mission and 1463 Lombard St. in the Marina. The subscription service itself appears to have been discontinued, but units in the Mission building remain listed for rent on Sonder's website.

Sonder's spokesperson says the company is seeking to terminate its leases on "all non hotel-licensed locations that do not currently offer short-term stays." They declined to share a list of the locations.

Two weeks ago, Sonder raised a $170 million Series E round, at a valuation of $1.3 billion.

According to Forbes, 27-year-old CEO Francis Davidson put "recession clauses" in many of Sonder's contracts, which have protected the company by decreasing rents 8% during the pandemic. It's unclear if the Church & Market contract had such a provision.

The Church & Market building's lobby.

Neighborhood advocates expressed optimism about the potential return of permanent dwelling units to the building, which Spiers said will continue to be used for apartment rentals.

"While a pandemic is not the situation we had hoped would change the use of the building, we do hope that if Sonder does vacate the property, the owner will return to his original proposal of much-needed housing for long-term residents," said Kimyn Braithwaite, president of the Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association.

Sterling Bank (left) will relocate to the currently empty retail space on the right.

The building also has eight below-market-rate (BMR) units, which are managed through the Mayors Office of Housing. Spiers said six of those units now have tenants, five of whom moved in over the last six weeks.

Construction on one of the building's ground-floor retail spaces, which will be the new home of neighboring Sterling Bank, is also underway. A bank representative confirmed that "some work has begun."
By Amanda Fries | Times Union, Albany

Albany, N.Y.  When New York released a study absolving the state as well as nursing homes and other health care facilities of blame for the more than 6,000 Covid-related nursing home deaths, health care industry leaders quickly confirmed the states findings in statements issued by the administration of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.

But many of those leaders have close ties with Cuomos administration and have benefited from policies and contracts in New York state, calling into question the independence of those reviewing the report.

This is by no means peer-reviewed, said Bill Hammond, director of health policy for the Empire Center, a fiscally conservative think tank based in Albany. Usually you submit a paper to a journal and they pick the experts, and try to find experts that dont have a relationship with you. The idea that you would be allowed to pick two to three people you happen to like and who also are dependent on (state) funding  thats just ridiculous.

Thats why Hammond and many others, including some state policymakers and federal lawmakers, are calling for an independent investigation that would ensure unbiased conclusions.

Republican leaders in the state Senate and Assembly blasted the report and contend the blame for the high number of deaths is a March 25 executive order issued by Cuomo requiring nursing homes to accept residents even if they had tested positive for coronavirus  with many returning to the facilities after being discharged from hospitals. Cuomos administration has defended the order, claiming it followed federal guidance and that nursing homes that werent equipped to safely handle those residents  including quarantining them  should not have done so.

Its not only the March 25 directive that led to this disastrous and deadly outcome, Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt said in an emailed statement following the reports release. An independent investigation is needed to understand what went wrong to provide answers to families and to help our nursing homes deal with infection control, not a report issued by the Cuomo administration and their allies.

The state study dismissed any connections to the policy and the number of deaths, instead pointing to the staff working in the homes and bringing the infectious disease into the facilities at a time before the spread of coronavirus within the state was known. It also absolved the health care industry of any blame on the quality of care given  a finding that comes after that industry was afforded special protections in the state budget passed in April for claims filed against nursing homes for its handling of coronavirus cases.

New York has proportionately had the second-highest number of nursing home deaths in the nation behind New Jersey, although the states 6,432 fatalities in those facilities do not include nursing home residents who contracted Covid-19 and later died after being transferred to a hospital. More than 6,000 elderly residents with Covid-19 were transferred from hospitals to nursing homes between March 25 and May 10, when the order was rescinded. That period also marked the height of the pandemic in New York.

Cuomo's administration has dismissed criticism of the report as politically motivated. It also continues to stress that the data proves the March 25 directive was not the main driver in Covid-19 infections and deaths in nursing homes.

When you look at the attacks on this report  red-face, partisan attacks  the Empire Center and the Manhattan Institute are part of whatever crazy industrial complex that the Republican Party is trying to use to avoid and deflect from the many, many failings of this federal government in this pandemic, Cuomo spokesman Richard Azzopardi said.

Jim Clyne, who is president of LeadingAge New York and reviewed the report after Health Commissioner Howard Zucker announced the findings this week, said the focus on the March 25 order has distracted from other pressing issues nursing homes faced.

The main issue was how do you get PPE (personal protective equipment), how do you get more testing and how do you keep your staff for the issues we were struggling with. Not whether we were going to take discharges from the hospitals, he said. Many of my members felt very strongly and didnt need a governors order, they were going to take (residents) back no matter what because its their home.

However, Clyne acknowledged the policy may have played a role in the level of deaths but stressed that many factors contributed to the situation, which he said needs to be discussed further to plan for the future.

While LeadingAge  which represents nonprofit nursing homes  does not have the entanglements with the state like the other industry leaders quoted in the news release issued by the state Health Department on Tuesday, it serves as an influential force in the state Legislature and lobbied for a law protecting nursing homes and other health care facilities from legal claims arising from the pandemic.

That law, which was tucked into the state budget, did not cover immunity on willful, criminal misconduct or gross negligence, but it likely covers harm arising from a shortage of staffing or protective equipment. It was also drafted by the Greater New York Hospital Association  another influential lobbying group for hospitals  whose leader lauded the states recent report.

Kenneth Raske, president of the Greater New York Hospital Association, said in the Health Departments release this week that the report is a reminder that repeating a narrative doesnt make it true  an apparent chide against those who have suggested taking in Covid-positive residents could have caused more deaths in nursing homes.

There is no blame here. The virus was widespread far earlier than anyone knew, and we were learning about it in real time, Raske said in the release. We have long believed that multiple factors, independent of admission policies, drove the number of Covid-19 deaths in New York nursing homes. The DOH report casts an important light on what occurred during this incredibly challenging pandemic.

Raske has donated more than $77,000 to the governors campaign account in the last five years, which includes $25,000 in donations last year.

When asked for further comment Thursday, the Greater New York Hospital Association re-sent the statement Raske released earlier this week on the report and pointed to comments by clinicians dismissing the claim that the admission policy impacted deaths in nursing homes.

Clinician after clinician told us this claim simply did not add up, and studies from the CDC and around the world found that Covid-19 patients are contagious early in their illness, when many are still hospitalized, and not when they are ready to be discharged, he said.

Leaders at Northwell Health and Mount Sinai  who also agreed with the conclusions in the state's report  also are entangled with the state.

Northwell CEO Michael Dowling and Mount Sinai CEO David Reich have both contributed thousands of dollars to Cuomos campaign over the years. Both hospitals also have contracts with New York, according to the state comptrollers online contract portal. Further, Dowling served on both iterations of the Medicaid Redesign Team  in 2011 and again this year  and served the governors father, the late-Gov. Mario M. Cuomo, in the early 1990s as deputy secretary for human services.

Requests for comment from both hospitals were not returned.

Azzopardi defended the industry leaders and pointed to other experts who he said further validated the states report.

If these disingenuous political hacks are questioning the credibility of two of the premier hospital organizations in the world, and basically saying they are putting their licenses and degrees on the line, then make a complaint, Azzopardi said. Otherwise, knock it off.

One of the experts  who Azzopardi provided the Times Union contact information for  also defended the states findings, but noted that the policy could have played some role.

"The New York health department report on Covid-19 cases in nursing homes presents a strong case that the most significant means of transmission was via nursing home staff to patients due in large part to infection-control procedures which weren't rigorous enough to prevent the spread," said John Auerbach, president and CEO of the Trust for America's Health. "While it can't be ruled out that there was some infection due to admission policies, the report provides solid evidence that such policies were not a primary source."

Still, not everyone followed the March 25 order. Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin said his administration declined to allow any Covid-positive residents into the county-run Van Rensselaer Manor Nursing Home, a decision they contend contributed to having only one resident test positive for coronavirus at the facility. There were also five cases of employees there testing positive, but there was no spread to the homes population and the resident who contracted the disease was quickly isolated and moved to a hospital, his office said.

Assemblyman Richard N. Gottfried, the Manhattan Democrat who chairs the Assemblys health committee, also said the March 25 order may not have been the key driver of infection in nursing homes, but noted the report would have been more persuasive if academic experts backed up the findings.

If I were putting out a report on nursing homes and people being discharged from hospitals I would think Id want people sitting next to me who were perhaps from one of New Yorks schools of public health, rather than people who are deeply involved with major health care providers, he said, adding that if the data in the states report is inaccurate, experts should speak up.

Critics of the report say it missed the opportunity to examine whether the early policy is something that should be practiced in the future, and state officials confidence in the findings should translate to a willingness for an independent review.

Its very simple: if everything they say is true, they should be welcoming further examination of this, Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay said, noting that New York has had the highest number of nursing home fatalities from the virus. We know the outcome. We know it wasnt good. We know New York was an outlier in nursing home deaths compared to other states. Why is that and what can we do to help prevent something in the future?

Critics also expressed concern with how the state is counting nursing home deaths, which they say could be undercounts.

Stephen Hanse, president and CEO of the New York Health Facilities Association representing over 450 skilled nursing and assisted living facilities across the state, said the state report revealed that the virus is to blame and policymakers should focus on ensuring nursing homes and other senior facilities have adequate resources to address public health crises in the future.

As we move forward, first and foremost, the lessons learned really are that nursing homes and assisted-living facilities need to receive equal priority status as hospitals based on the population we care for, Hanse said.

The state Legislature is expected to host virtual public hearings to allow a variety of voices to weigh in on the virus impact on nursing homes and other health care facilities, and the state attorney general also is investigating how nursing homes responded  but that investigation is not of the Health Departments role. New York continues to collect data on antibody testing of essential workers, Azzopardi said.

This is not a one-off. We still have an investigation ongoing with the attorney general, he said. Concerns may very well be addressed in other things that are going on.
New Delhi, July 10 : Former Supreme Court judge Justice A. K. Patnaik has said that gangster Vikas Dubey, who was killed Friday morning after being critically injured in an alleged shootout with STF officials, was a threat to the rule of law and the police action was justified.

Speaking to IANS, Patnaik said he does not think that the police action was wrong. Dubey was shot when he reportedly tried to flee, following a road mishap in which the vehicle he was in turned upside down. He was taken to the emergency ward of the Hallett Hospital in a blood-soaked condition.

Queried on police not following the rule of law and instead resorting to an alleged encounter, Patnaik cited the incident where the gangster was involved in gunning down policemen and described Dubey as a threat to the rule of law. When asked if police had not breached the rule of law in Dubey's case, Patnaik insisted "I think police action is justified." Former Delhi High Court judge Justice R S Sodhi said that the rule of law has totally collapsed as one of its most important pillars, the judiciary, is not functioning. "When judiciary collapses then extra judicial methods are deployed . . . Dubey breached the rule of law and the people (citing media reports) who acted on it also breached the rule of law" added Sodhi.

However, several senior retired judges of the Delhi High Court and Supreme Court refused to comment on the matter and insisted that it is too early to make a statement on this issue.

Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi also took a swipe at the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh over Vikas Dubey's 'encounter', saying silence is better than many answers. Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra demanded a probe by a sitting Supreme Court judge to find out the truth behind the encounter.
As we awaken from COVID-19 lockdown, it is clear that Ontarians experience of the pandemic has not been equal. Although the virus itself may not know race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status, these factors have played a clear role in who is being disproportionately affected.

A recent CBC report found neighbourhoods with high COVID-19 rates were more likely to have a high proportion of racialized people, immigrants and low-income residents. Rates of hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID-19 were dramatically higher in these neighbourhoods compared to the average.

Bruce Arthur recently wrote a recent column in the Toronto Star asking who was providing advice for the government during this pandemic. While the government has consulted widely, the usual cadre of hospital CEOs, leaders of academic institutions, civil servants and public health officials are likely to top that list.

And as has been the case since Jacques Cartier first sailed up the St. Lawrence, that group is mostly white, and male from a privileged background. To be blunt, the medical leadership in Ontario does not look like the people who ride the TTC every morning and use their medical services.

This phenomenon is well documented. A 2016 study by the Academic Womens Association at the University of Alberta found that 96 per cent of the leadership positions at Canadas 15 research intensive universities were held by white men and women, and very few of the key decision makers within our health care system are racialized.

This is by no means a criticism of the dedicated public servants, medical and academic leaders who are working tirelessly to guide us through the pandemic. All are top of their field. Nor do we view this homogeneity of voices as a political decision, as the same experts would likely be around the table whether the government was blue, red, green or orange.

However, the leaders at these tables are in a position of power. They have the ability to direct how resources are distributed, or how policies are made for all of us. Increasing the diversity of voices advising the government during this critical time is neither tokenism or affirmative action but is a critical step to ensure that those in power make good policy choices that meet the needs of all Ontarians.

Policy-makers have had to make judgment calls throughout this pandemic informed by the best medical evidence, however in the case of COVID-19 there hasnt been much evidence to rely on. Many of these judgment calls are social policy decisions, such as closing schools, or allowing outdoor gatherings.

These judgment calls have trade-offs, advantaging one group over another. Having voices at the table that can speak from different experiences can bring those trade-offs sharply into view. Decision makers that bring different perspectives can help us avoid blind spots in our policy-making that may be fatal for people in our society who all too often end up marginalized.

Would we have been so slow to test in congregate living settings if some of the key medical experts or leaders knew those settings well or grew up in them? Would we make the same decisions about the inhumane way people are being treated in federal prisons, often locked in their cells for 23 hours a day, if some of the experts at the table knew community members who had been in jail? How differently would we treat personal support workers, the majority of whom are women of colour, if one of our hospital CEOs was raised by one?

One of the key themes during the Black Lives Matter protests has been critically examining who are the voices being heard when it comes to key matters of policy, like policing. The differential impacts that COVID has on visible minorities and marginalized communities, and our policies to protect these communities will, and should, come under scrutiny. Having policy decisions informed by medical leaders and experts who are from these communities is not about tokenism. It could save lives.
Desperate relatives are waiting in line for hours for an overwhelmed Kazakh morgue to release the bodies of their loved ones, raising questions about the country's COVID-19 data. Official statistics show hundreds of deaths related to COVID-19 and more than 1,000 dead from "pneumonia." But Chinese news reports about a form of pneumonia in Kazakhstan that is deadlier than the coronavirus have been dismissed by the Kazakh Health Ministry as "fake news."
Indian police shot dead one of the country's most wanted gangsters on Friday just a day after his dramatic arrest, sparking accusations of a staged extrajudicial killing. Officials said Vikas Dubey, detained for the killing of eight police officers, was shot as he tried to escape a police vehicle while being driven to his home city in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. Within hours of TV stations carrying images of his bloodstained body lying in a hospital, rights lawyers and activists alleged that police had killed Dubey to prevent him revealing his connections with powerful people. "This is the most blatant case of extra-judicial killing. Dubey was a gangster terrorist who may have deserved to die. But (Uttar Pradesh) police have killed him to shut his mouth," Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan wrote on Twitter. "Will we allow police to kill anyone without a court trial?" Utsav Bains, another Supreme Court lawyer, added. Senior opposition Congress party leader Priyanka Gandhi said the people "protecting" Dubey were still free and called for a judicial probe into the killing. Dubey, aged about 50, was accused of more than 60 murders, attempted murders and other crimes. He was said to have shot dead an Uttar Pradesh state minister inside a police station in 2001. Despite those cases and his reputation for ruthlessness, Dubey has built considerable local political links over the past two decades. On July 3, eight officers were gunned down when his gang staged an ambush on a police team aiming to arrest him. A nationwide manhunt was launched, during which five of Dubey's associates -- including his bodyguard nephew -- were killed. Police said he was tipped off about the deadly raid by local officers, some of whom have been arrested for leaking information to the gangster. He finally gave himself up in a temple in Madhya Pradesh state on Thursday. According to the police account, the car transporting him early Friday overturned on a wet road in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh and he tried to escape. "Dubey has been killed in an exchange of fire after he snatched the pistol of our men and tried to flee after firing at them. Four of our men are also injured," Kanpur police inspector general Mohit Agarwal told reporters. - 'Encounter killings' - Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, a senior member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, has publicly endorsed police killings as a "deterrent" to crime. Yogi's government has pledged to root out crime from the state and his tenure has coincided with a surge in the number of criminals dying in police shootouts. "Encounter killings" have a long history India and for decades shootouts were staged to bypass India's judicial system when police battled armed separatist movements in West Bengal, Punjab, Kashmir and elsewhere. "History repeats," Nirjhari Sinha, a civil rights leader from western Gujarat state, wrote on Twitter in response to Dubey's death. "Dead gangsters can't speak about their political patronage." More recently, suspects accused of violent crimes have died in custody. Last year, police in southern India shot dead four men accused in the horrific rape and murder of a 27-year-old woman. Police said the car carrying Dubey overturned on a wet road and he tried to escape Police arrive at the scene to investigate after the shooting of Dubey
Bounce Back Marietta, part of Bounce Back USA, provides free business listings and connects community members with businesses so they can support each other at this time. For Judith Danny and the Minuteman Press franchise in Marietta, GA, the Bounce Back initiative led to an out-pouring of support from local businesses and a community-wide celebration for the Class of 2020.

Minuteman Press franchise in Marietta, GA helps support local businesses with free Bounce Back Marietta website, part of Bounce Back USA.

Local business owner Judith Danny of Minuteman Press Marietta explains three ways that Bounce Back Marietta was embraced by fellow business owners and residents:

1. One of the first people to contact me after my first Bounce Back email blast was Kelly, an employee and a mother of a 2020 graduate at Marietta High School. She wanted to direct the schools printing operations to Minuteman Press in order to support local businesses. We were talking about her sons graduation materials and that led to discussing the possibility of school-wide graduation signs. A couple of weeks later, over 500 contour-cut yard signs of the graduates smiling faces lined the front of the high school. This unique graduation celebration made the front page of the local newspaper and received thousands of views on social media.

2. The owners of Marcos Pizza and Marietta Perks were inspired by my example to remain open. They cited Bounce Backs supportive community as a source of hope during these times. Both businesses were in the middle of pre-opening renovations just as the shutdown happened, so there was no better time to find support.

3. Jennings Music was the first business to advertise in the Bounce Back Marietta website, because they remained hopeful. They realized that the possibility of serving customers is reason enough to stay open and stay the course.

By quickly adapting during COVID-19 and embracing the nationwide Bounce Back USA initiative launched by Minuteman Press International, Judy has been able to earn business, reinforce relationships, and serve as a great example for other businesses in Marietta, adds Dave Walton, Minuteman Press Regional Vice President.

Story continues

Judith Danny, owner, Minuteman Press franchise, Marietta, GA.

For information on Minuteman Press Marietta, GA, visit https://www.marietta.minutemanpress.com. Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities and read Minuteman Press franchise reviews at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com.

Contact Details

Chris Biscuiti

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The owner of Wagamama and Frankie & Benny's has said one in 10 of its restaurants will not reopen before the end of the year.

The Restaurant Group said the stores - largely in airports - will open next year at the earliest as they are unlikely to attract enough customers to make it worthwhile.

Those affected are in areas 'where footfall is anticipated to remain considerably weak', the company said in an update for shareholders on Friday.

It raises concerns for the jobs of those who work at the sites, as the Government's furlough scheme, which covers salaries, will end in October.

It is the latest firm to reveal it is struggling due to the coronavirus crisis, following Boots, John Lewis, Rolls Royce and Burger King this week.

The news comes as another blow to Rishi Sunak's battle to keep Britons in work as it emerged nearly 60,000 workers face redundancy.

A series of businesses pulled the trigger on layoffs less than a day after the Chancellor delivered a 30billion package designed to keep people off the dole.

The Restaurant Group, which owns Wagamama (pictured, the Chancellor at a central London site yesterday) said the stores - largely in airports - will open next year at the earliest

The Restaurant Group did not immediately provide an answer to what will happen to its staff.

All the stores that will reopen this year will have started serving customers by the end of September, the company said.

Meanwhile, 60 per cent of its sites that open before the end of August can take advantage of the Government's Eat Out to Help Out scheme, which gives diners up to 50 per cent off their meal during the first three days of the week.

One in four of the Restaurant Group's restaurants and pubs will be open by the end of this month.

It told investors: 'The group has now started a phased reopening of its restaurants and pubs for eat-in trade in line with Government guidance.

'We are very pleased to be able to welcome back our customers and colleagues ensuring that their safety is paramount, whilst maintaining an enjoyable experience.

'The diversified portfolio of the group allows each division to adapt to the challenges of social distancing uniquely, whilst keeping the customer at the heart of every decision.'

The news comes at a turbulent time for the company. Last month it announced 125 Frankie & Benny's sites will close permanently, with 3,000 jobs on the line.

It will be left with around 400 restaurants and pubs after the restructuring. The company's board took a 40 per cent pay cut at the start of April as they tapped into Government furlough money.

On Friday they upped their pay, but will still take 20 per cent less than normal until all staff are off Government-backed furlough.

The Restaurant Group did not immediately provide an answer to what will happen to its staff

John Lewis yesterday confirmed eight of its stores will not be reopening after closing for lockdown.

The ailing department chain will permanently close major sites in Birmingham and Watford, as well as smaller outlets at Heathrow airport, St Pancras train station in London and four At Home shops in Croydon, Newbury, Swindon and Tamworth.

Rolls Royce and Burger King said job cuts were still on the cards, with Boots another to announce redundancies.

The high street pharmacy more than 4,000 posts will be axed  seven per cent of its workforce  due to the 'significant impact' of Covid-19.

The move is a humiliating reality check after Mr Sunak raided the Treasury once again to prop up UK plc.

His mini-Budget included a 1,000 'jobs retention bonus' for business who bring workers back off furlough, and half-price meals out funded by the government.

A grim-faced Chancellor conceded yesterday morning he could not protect all workers, and the UK was on track for a 'severe' recession.

Shadow business minister Lucy Powell said: 'Despite yesterday's announcements job losses are continuing apace. We need more targeted support in hard-pressed sectors.'

Unite chief Len McLuskey said Mr Sunak had 'failed' to prevent more redundancies on Britain's struggling high streets.

Around 4,000 jobs are set to go at Boots, with 48 of its opticians stores expected to close

Boots' announcement will hit staff at its Nottingham support office hardest, but redundancies could also impact some deputy and assistant manager, beauty adviser and customer adviser roles across its stores.

The restructuring will also result in the closure of 48 Boots Opticians stores.

Boots said the cuts represent an 'acceleration' of its transformation plans to improve profitably across the business.

Managing Director of Boots UK Sebastian James said: 'The proposals announced today are decisive actions to accelerate our transformation plan, allow Boots to continue its vital role as part of the UK health system, and ensure profitable long-term growth.

'I am so very grateful to all our colleagues for their dedication during the last few challenging months.

'We recognise that today's proposals will be very difficult for the remarkable people who make up the heart of our business, and we will do everything in our power to provide the fullest support during this time.'

It comes after retail sales tumbled by 48 per cent over the past three months in the face of the pandemic, despite Boots keeping swathes of its stores open to customers.

Meanwhile, its opticians business saw sales dive by 72 per cent compared to the same quarter last year as people stayed at home.

Critics of Mr Sunak's mini-budget have said that employers may choose to wait until early next year to claim their bonus from the taxpayer and then sack their staff - or may not see 1,000 as enough of an incentive to employ someone until January at all and make them redundant now.

Unite chief Len McCluskey said: 'Redundancy notices are already flying around like confetti so today was the day we needed the Chancellor to put a stop to this with policies as bold as the jobs retention scheme. This statement failed that test'.

John Lewis said it will permanently close eight of its department stores, putting 1,300 workers at risk.

The firm said it will shut two stores in Birmingham and Watford, four At Home shops in Croydon, Newbury, Swindon and Tamworth, and two travel hub outlets at Heathrow and St Pancras.

It said the eight shops were already 'financially challenged' before the pandemic, which has ramped up the shift towards online shopping.

John Lewis estimated between 60 per cent and 70 per cent of sales are set to be made online this year and next, compared with 40 per cent before the pandemic.

On the slide: John Lewis Partnership bonus payments through time

Profits: John Lewis Partnership profit numbers since 2010, provided by MarketLine

Weekly sales: John Lewis Partnership weekly sales figures over the last year, provided by MarketLine

Gross sales: John Lewis Partnership gross sales since 2009

John Lewis & Partners Here's how John Lewis & Partners has fared on the financial front in the last few years. This relates to John Lewis' performance and excludes Waitrose: January 2015 Gross sales: 4.43bn

Like for-like sales: +6.5%

Operating profit: 250.5m January 2016 Gross sales: 4.56bn

LFL sales: +3.1%

Operating profit 250.2m January 2017 Gross sales 4.74bn

LFL sales: +2.7%

Operating profit 231.4m January 2018 Gross sales 4.86bn

LFL sales: +0.4%

Operating profit: 232.9m January 2019 Gross sales: 4.89bn

LFL sales: +1.4%

Operating profit 114.7m Advertisement

Chairman of the John Lewis Partnership Sharon White said: 'Closing a shop is always incredibly difficult and today's announcement will come as very sad news to customers and partners.

'However, we believe closures are necessary to help us secure the sustainability of the partnership - and continue to meet the needs of our customers however and wherever they want to shop.

'Redundancies are always an absolute last resort and we will do everything we can to keep as many partners as possible within our business.'

Meanwhile more than 3,000 British workers have applied for redundancy at Rolls-Royce, with many leaving in the next two months.

It came after the company announced a sweeping round of job cuts, with around two thirds of the workers to leave the business by the end of August.

It is also seven weeks after Rolls-Royce said it would slash 9,000 jobs across its global workforce, warning factories in the UK were set to be the worst hit.

The Derby-based maker of plane engines had already been facing problems before the coronavirus pandemic dealt a serious blow to the global economy.

It was forced to make changes to its Trent 1000 engines, grounding many of its customers' planes to perform maintenance work, after an engine fell to bits and rained metal on an Italian town.

The company said on Wednesday it was making 'good progress' on fixing the Trent 1000s, and had got the number of grounded aircraft to below 10.

But the virus put extra pressure on its customers, as so-called widebody engine flying hours were down by 75 per cent in the second quarter of the year.

Leaving: Over 3,000 British workers have applied for voluntary redundancy at Rolls-Royce

She's a fan: The Duchess of Cambridge officiates the launch of the first aero engine and fan blades produced in Singapore at the Rolls Royce Seletar campus in 2012

Chief Executive Warren East said: 'These are exceptional times. The Covid-19 pandemic has created a historic shock in civil aviation which will take several years to recover.

He added: 'We are taking steps to resize our Civil Aerospace business to adapt to lower medium-term demand from customers and help secure our future.

'This means we have had to take the very difficult decision to lose people who have helped us become the company we are and who have been proud to work for Rolls-Royce.'

'It is my first priority to treat everyone - whether they are leaving or staying - with dignity and respect.'

The business revealed cash inflow had dropped by 1.1billion and it had taken a further 1.1billion one-off hit as it stopped sending out invoices.

Yet the company still managed to stay on track for its target of producing 250 engines by the end of the year, getting through 130 in the first half, Rolls-Royce said.

Its defence business has held up better than elsewhere, and there are signs that planes are starting to take off again, especially regional and business trips that are less likely to cross international borders.

It expects widebody engine flying hours to be down around 55 per cent over the course of the year.

Burger King UK's boss also warned more than 50 of its 530 UK branches could shut, putting up to 1,600 jobs at risk.

Burger King has said jobs could be lost with more than 50 restaurants at risk of closure in the UK

It follows similar cuts at other fast food chains such as Pret a Manger and Upper Crust.

More than 12,000 job losses were announced at the start of July at various restaurants, shops and businesses, including up to 1,330 at Pret a Manger, 5,000 at Upper Crust and 900 at management consultancy firm Accenture.

Casual Dining Group entered administration last week, costing 1,900 jobs at Bella Italia, Cafe Rouge and Las Iguanas.

With workers either furloughed or based remotely, fast food chains are losing out on office trade, while high street chains have suffered after months of lockdown.

Alasdair Murdoch told the BBC around 10 per cent of stores could close, putting up to 1,600 jobs at risk

Burger King, which employs around 16,500 people in the UK, has only reopened about 370 of its 530 UK stores have reopened since the nation went into lockdown.

Chief executive Alasdair Murdoch told the BBC's Newscast the economic damage stemming from the crisis could ultimately force the company to permanently close up to 10% of its stores.

He told Newscast: 'We don't want to lose any (jobs). We try very hard not to, but one's got to assume somewhere between 5% and 10% of the restaurants might not be able to survive.

'It's not just us  I think this applies to everyone out there in our industry.'

He added: 'We're in a slightly better situation than others, the classic in town high street restaurants, they're really struggling, we haven't opened all of those.

'We don't expect to get all of those open any time soon but we have a significant chunk. Those numbers are a long way down.'

Chancellor Rishi Sunak on Wednesday unveiled a 30billion support package to help boost the nation's economic recovery, which included plans to subsidise restaurant bills throughout August to encourage people to dine out.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the Eat Out to Help Out scheme on Wednesday in a bid to help restaurants

On Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays in August, customers will be able to claim the reduction, up to a maximum of 10 per head, at participating businesses which will claim the money back from the Treasury.

How many jobs are at risk across the UK? Accenture - 900

Airbus - 1,700

Arcadia - 500

BA - 12,000

Beales - 1,052

Bentley - 1,000

Burger King - 1,600

Casual Dining Group (Bella Italia, Cafe Rouge and Las Iguanas) - 1,900

DHL at Jaguar Land Rover - 2,200

EasyJet - 4,500

Go Outdoors - 2,400

Harrods - 700

Harveys - 240

Links - 350

Mothercare - 2,500

Oasis Warehouse - 1,800

P&O Ferries - 1,100

Pret a Manger - 1,330

Ryanair - 3,000

SSP Group (Upper Crust, Caffe Ritazza) - 5,000

Ted Baker - 160

TM Lewin - 600

Tui - 8,000

Victoria's Secret - 800 at risk Advertisement

Mr Sunak hailed the scheme as a 'creative' solution to get the restaurant trade back on its feet.

Chief executive Alasdair Murdoch of Burger King UK described the scheme as 'innovative'.

But he added Government schemes do not do enough to compensate restaurants for the combination of fixed costs and lost sales throughout the pandemic.

He added on Newscast: 'I don't think you can ever get over the top of this problem.'

Last week it was announced up to 5,000 jobs are under threat at the group which owns Upper Crust and Caffe Ritazza following plunging passengers numbers at railway stations and airports amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The SSP group warned it expects to open only around a fifth of its sites in the UK by the autumn as travel is set to remain at very low levels amid the Covid-19 crisis.

It has launched a consultation on a restructure to 'simplify and reshape' the business in the face of the pandemic, which could lead to more than half of its 9,000-strong peak season workforce being axed.

It came in a wave of job cuts including 1,700 in the UK at Airbus.

That followed previous announcements by airline firms including Ryanair, EasyJet and British Airways, where a combined total of nearly 20,000 jobs are at risk, with consultations currently underway.

Elsewhere Harrods announced up to 700 jobs were at risk, Topshop owner Arcadia made 500 head office redundancies and Bentley said 1,000 were in peril.

Two in five of the entire workforce employed by DHL on the JLR logistics contract face losing their jobs, around 2,200 according to trade union Unite.

The cuts are set to fall on all of JLR's major factories in the North West and the West Midlands including Castle Bromwich, Ellesmere Port, Halewood, Hams Hall, Midpoint, Solihull and Tyrefort, will be affected by the proposed redundancies.

Fashion giant H&M confirmed on Tuesday it was closing 170 of its stores, putting hundreds of positions at risk.
Philip Morris International Inc. PM has been benefiting from focus on reduced risk products or RRPs, especially the IQOS device that has been a major hit. The companys efforts clearly got a boost with the latest move by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Incidentally, the FDA has approved IQOSs marketing as a modified risk tobacco product (MRTP).



The FDA authorized Phillip Morris electrically heated tobacco system  IQOS  as an MRTP after ensuring that it heats tobacco and does not burn it. Further, consumers shift from conventional cigarettes to IQOS lowers their exposure to injurious or potentially injurious chemicals. Cleary, the FDAs decision reinforces that the use of IQOS is likely to be beneficial for the overall populations health.



Notably, IQOS is the first and sole electronic nicotine product, which has been given marketing permits via the FDAs MRTP process. This is likely to be a big win for Phillip Morris, which generated one-fifth of net revenues from smoke-free products as of the end of 2019. The companys IQOS, a smokeless cigarette, counts amongst one of the leading RRPs in the industry.



IQOS, which was faring well internationally, was commercialized in the United States through a deal with Altria MO that was approved by the FDA in 2019. Further, Phillip Morris submitted a supplemental premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) with the FDA on Mar 30 for the IQOS 3 tobacco heating device. We note that RRPs formed around 22% of the companys total revenues in the first quarter of 2020, including about 10% contribution from IQOS devices.



These next-generation devices are backed by substantial scientific insights and research. The company expects such advanced and high-quality products to help adult smokers switch from traditional cigarettes to smoke-free options. In fact, there were 14.6 million total IQOS users as of Mar 31, depicting an increase of more than 4 million adult users from the same period last year. Strong growth in IQOS boosted revenues in the RRPs unit, which increased 25.1% to $1,555 million in the first quarter. Moreover, heated tobacco unit shipment volumes of nearly 16.7 billion units surged 45.5% year over year.



The company expects consistent growth in IQOS and heated tobacco category, and therefore has been committed toward expanding these products. Among other initiatives, Philip Morris announced a partnership with South Koreas KT&G this January in order to commercialize the latters smoke-free products outside the country. This global collaboration aims at expanding the reach of KT&Gs smoke-free products to many other markets. To further propel growth of this category, the company launched The Year of Unsmoke in April 2019. The action is aimed at creating a better future for smokers by encouraging them to either quit smoking or shift to low-risk alternatives.



Given these factors, the FDAs nod to market IQOS as an MRTP appears to be a major highlight, as it has immense potential to make cigarette smokers switch to IQOS and aid revenues. Such strong moves in the RRP space, together with efficient pricing, should help Phillip Morris counter challenges related to soft cigarette volumes.



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US Professor Charged for Illegally Using US Research Grants to Aid China

A U.S. professor has been arrested for using over $4 million in federal grant money to benefit Chinas research in rheumatology and immunology.

Zheng Songguo, 57, a rheumatology professor at the Ohio State University (OSU), was arrested in Alaska on May 22, before he could fly to China on a charter flight, according to a July 9 press release from the Department of Justice (DOJ). When he was arrested, he was carrying multiple items, including several USB drives, three cellphones, and a briefcase containing two laptops.

We allege that Zheng was preparing to flee the country after he learned that his employer had begun an administrative process into whether or not he was complying with rules governing taxpayer-funded grants, stated David M. DeVillers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, in the press release.

At a detention hearing on Thursday, Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Preston of the federal court for the Southern District of Ohio, ordered Zheng to be held without bond because he was a flight risk.

Zheng is charged with one account of grant fraud for failure to disclose that he was engaged in a scheme to use about $4.1 million in grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to help the Chinese regime. According to the DOJ, the fraud charge is punishable by up to ten years in prison.

He is also charged with one count of making false statements, which is punishable by up to five years in prison. According to prosecutors, he failed to disclose his employment positions in China while being employed at U.S. universities, including Ohio State University (OSU).

U.S. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers said in the press release that the federal grants were designed to benefit the health and well-being of the people of the United Statesnot to be hijacked to supplement the research goals of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

According to a criminal complaint unsealed on Thursday, Zhang was an associate professor at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California (USC) from 2000 to 2012. Then from 2013 to 2019, he was a professor of medicine and director of rheumatology research at Pennsylvania State University. He has been a professor and researcher in rheumatology and immunology at OSU since January 2019.

While employed at OSU, Zheng was also employed at the Third Affiliated Hospital at Sun Yat-Sen University, located in southern Chinas Guangdong Province. The universitys homepage named him as an expert under the Thousand Talents Plan (TTP), according to the criminal complaint. The website is no longer accessible.

Beijing rolled out the TTP in 2008 to recruit promising science and tech researchers from foreign countries to work in China, for the ultimate goal of fulfilling its ambitions in global tech dominance.

It is unclear when Zheng was first recruited for the TTP. In May 2017, Sun Yat-Sen University announced on its website that Zheng was among six chosen for a provisional state-run recruitment program called the Pearl River Talent Program.

There were times when Zheng was receiving money from both the U.S. NIH and National Natural Science Foundation of China (NNSFC), which is managed by Chinas Ministry of Science and Technology.

FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) agents found that Zheng did not disclose his funding from NNSFC for a total of four different NIH applications.

For two of those U.S. grants, which he submitted an application for in April 2019, FBI agents found that he was also a project manager on at least three NNSFC grants.

As part of the NIH grant applications, Zheng made either untimely, incomplete, or no disclosure of foreign components, foreign affiliation, for foreign funding to his employers, according to the criminal complaint.

One of Zhengs simultaneous U.S. and Chinese projects was for a project at Sun Yat-Sen University in 2017. The Chinese NNSFC gave Zheng about 600,000 yuan (about $86,400) in grant money, according to the criminal complaint.

In recent months, federal authorities have prosecuted several criminal cases involving U.S. professors who signed up for Chinese recruitment programs, usually the TTP.

In March, a former West Virginia University professor pleaded guilty to fraud in connection to his participation in TTP, according to a DOJ press release.

A professor at the University of Arkansas was arrested on wire fraud on May 8 for failing to disclose funding from TTP and Chinese companies, while receiving grant money from NASA. Days later, a former Emory University professor was convicted for tax fraud related to his earnings while participating in TTP.

A former chair of Harvard Universitys chemistry department was indicted in June on charges of making false statements about funding he received from TTP while working on sensitive U.S. research, some of it involving lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles.
China released a warning about an unknown disease that could be far deadlier than the novel coronavirus. According to Daily Mail's latest report, deadly unknown pneumonia is currently sweeping across Kazakhstan, which could be more contagious than COVID-19, as claimed by China.

Also Read: Broken Heart Syndrome Cases Rise Amid Pandemic: Know the Symptoms Before It Gets Deadly

However, CNN reported that the authorities denied the report published by Chinese officials in Kazakhstan. The alert came after Kazakhstan authorities confirmed that a second-wave of COVID-19 spiked in the country and a sharp rise in pneumonia cases.

A warning was issued to citizens living in the Central Asian country by the Chinese Embassy in Kazakhstan, stating that more than 1,700 people succumbed to unknown pneumonia.

"Kazakhstani Health Department and other agencies are conducting comparative research and have not defined the nature of the pneumonia virus," said the Chinese Embassy.

It was also stated that since mid-June, new cases of unidentified pneumonia have been increasing significantly across the country, with authorities reporting hundreds of new cases a day. Although the Kazakhstan health ministry acknowledged the presence of "viral pneumonia of unspecified etiology, they denied that the outbreak is a new or an unknown one.

"In response to these reports, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan officially declares that this information does not correspond to reality," added the Chinese Embassy.

The unknown pneumonia

The Chinese Embassy stated that the regions of Aktobe, Atyrau, and Shymkent are where the rise of pneumonia concentrated, totaling almost 500 new cases and more than 30 critically ill patients. Currently, the disease killed 1,772 people, some of whom were Chinese citizens as confirmed by the embassy, with 628 deaths recorded in June alone.





You can't make this stuff up. Kazakhstan - with it's strange unfinished "Illuminati" metropolis Astana - now is the hotspot of a new outbreak of an "unknown pneumonia" with a higher death rate than #COVID19 You can't make this stuff up. pic.twitter.com/CG6LY727WX  Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) July 9, 2020

"This disease is much deadlier than Covid-19," said the embassy.



Kazakhstan's prominent news agency, Kazinform, reported that the number of pneumonia cases in the capital city Nursultan has more than doubled this June from the same time last year.



"Up to 200 people are admitted to hospitals every day. Over the last few days, some 300 people diagnosed with pneumonia were taken to hospitals a day. Besides, some receive treatment at home," said the Nursultan healthcare department's head.



A warning was given to the residents, suggesting limiting their time outside and avoiding crowded public areas. Safety measures such as disinfecting spaces, wearing a mask, allowing good air circulation in indoor spaces, and frequently washing hands were encouraged by the Chinese Embassy.

Also Read: 'Miracle' COVID-19 Cure Sellers Earned Over $100K For 30 Days Now Charged with Fraud

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Hyderabad, July 10 : The South Central Railway on Friday announced that for the first time in the Indian Railways, it has loaded and despatched a special parcel train beyond the country's borders - to Bangladesh with dry chillies from Andhra Pradesh.

A special parcel express train consisting of 16 parcel vans reached Benapole in Bangladesh, carrying red chillies from Reddipalem in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh.

Each parcel van was loaded with 466 dry chillies bags, weighing around 19.9 tonnes and the total weight carried by the special parcel express is around 384 tonnes.

The cost per tonne for carrying by special parcel express is Rs 4,608 and which is economical compared to Rs 7,000 per tonne by road transport, the South Central Railway (SCR) said.

Guntur and its surrounding areas in the state of Andhra Pradesh are well known for chillies cultivation. Earlier, the farmers and merchants from the region were transporting dry chillies by road to Bangladesh in small quantities. During the lockdown period, they could not move this essential commodity by road.

Then, railway officials approached the consignors and explained the facilities to transport by rail.

For moving the consignment by goods trains, it was mandatory for the farmers and merchants to mobilise the quantity in bulk, that is at least 1,500 tonnes in each trip. To facilitate the rail users to move their quantities up to a maximum of 500 tonnes in each trip, the Guntur Division of SCR took permission from Railway Board to move special parcel express to Bangladesh.

Gajanan Mallya, General Manager, SCR, advised the rail users, especially the farmers and merchants handling transportation of dry chillies and other essential commodities, to utilise this new facility for easy and hassle-free transportation of their goods. Railway is the fastest, safest and cheapest mode of transport, he said.
"We invest in our employees with continuous training so they all have the opportunity to grow and advance their career." - Sam Boak, president & founder, Boak & Sons, Inc.

After the COVID-19 pandemic caused Boak & Sons to close their doors for nearly a month, Sam Boak reopened those doors with a positive attitude. When he saw his employees eager to get back to work, he decided to reward them by helping them climb that ladder of success during the start of the summer season. The company reopened their doors in full swing in May, and has been working twice as hard to keep their customers well taken care of.

When most people hear the term climbing the success ladder, they think of a person working their way up in a business. That person may start at an entry-level position and work their way up to a senior one with years of hard work and hustle. At Boak & Sons, climbing the success ladder might seem much more literal since it typically involves actually climbing ladders, but there is much more to it.

Boak & Sons, Inc. is a residential and commercial exterior contracting company based in Youngstown, Ohio. The contracting company specializes in roofing, siding, gutters, sheet metal and insulation and serves customers from Cleveland to Pittsburgh. Boak does jobs that range from small repairs to full replacements and new installations.

Each department has a crew complete with a project manager who gives the initial estimate, a foreman and a handful of general laborers. No matter what position you start in when you join the company, which can vary depending on experience, there is room for growth or climbing the ladder at Boak & Sons.

What many people dont realize is you can climb the success ladder in any job, not just a corporate business setting, said Chris White, vice president operations at Boak & Sons, Inc. We encourage young adults who are exploring career options after high school to look into the skilled trades industry as much as we encourage older adults who may be looking to take a different career path to consider our field. It doesnt take long to climb the ladder here at Boak & Sons as long as youre willing to work hard and continue to develop your skills.

President and Founder of Boak & Sons, Inc., Sam Boak, started the business when he was in high school as a small insulation company. Realizing the need for expansion into other departments, the company quickly grew into what it is today. Boak & Sons has residential and commercial departments for each service area, but there are also many behind the scenes positions that keep the business running. The company has its own mechanics shop and team, as well as a warehouse crew that handles all of the equipment and supply orders. There is also the office staff that handle everything from billing, contracts and scheduling to marketing, payroll and safety regulations.

Sam Boak climbed the success ladder in his business through hard work and giving back to his community, but also by creating lasting relationships with his customers, coworkers and suppliers.

You dont just climb that ladder by clocking in at 9 and out at 5, said Sam Boak. The employees here at Boak & Sons work their way up quickly because they know what it takes to be successful. I have two simple rules that we follow here; 1. Safety is always first and 2. Never ever EVER cut a corner. We invest in our employees with continuous training so they all have the opportunity to grow and advance their career. Theres a reason a majority of our employees stay here for decades.

To learn more about Boak & Sons, Inc., visit http://www.boakandsons.com. If youre interested in a career opportunity with the company, call 330-793-5646.

About Boak & Sons:

Boak & Sons, Inc. was founded by Sam Boak in 1974 as an insulation contractor. With the high energy costs of the 70's, Boak & Sons expanded early on into the roofing business. They offered economical roof installations through cutting edge technology and equipment, allowing customers to recoup even more in energy savings. Today, Boak & Sons is a residential and commercial contractor for roofing, insulation, sheet metal, siding, and gutters. Based in Youngstown, Ohio, the company serves customers in surrounding areas from Cleveland, Akron, and Canton to Cranberry and Pittsburgh. For more information on Boak & Sons, visit their website at: https://www.boakandsons.com/.
In Nigerias northwest region, each emerging morning is met with echoes of tragedies.

Men and women and children clutch their radios in wooden decks at the threshold of their huts to hear the news of attacks and neighbours who died. Some days, smokes of burnt houses in far-flung villages will float into the clouds until droplets of the spring rain smother their charred ruins. When the deaths come in this country, which hasnt known the pleasure of peace for decades, people typically try to absorb it as a routine of life.

If this story was told some months ago, only Boko Haram, a dreaded jihadist group, would come to mind. But a new group, whose brutality exceeds that of Boko Haram, is taking the country to a breaking point.

Pundits call them motorcycle bandits.

On 1 March, the group killed at least 50 people in Kerawa, Zareyawa and Minda, farming communities in Kaduna, Nigeria. Cattles were rustled, residents kidnapped and farms and homes burnt. On May 28, another attack by the bandits killed around 70 people in five villages close to the border with Niger in Sokoto. Weeks later, on 14 June, around 20 soldiers and 40 civilians were killed by the same group. In all, around 300 people have been killed in the space of three months, though the numbers are likely far higher.

So, who are Nigerias motorcycle bandits?

There is limited insight into the group. But most people regard them as aggrieved cattle herders whose minor clashes with farmers over space for land and water has now been hijacked by criminal gangs. They also rely on ransoms from kidnapped individuals to stay active and equipped.

Protests and anger continue to rise, complete with hashtags, campaigns and critical editorials against Muhammadu Buhari, Nigerias president, who wants more time and calm. Thousands of youths took the protest to Buharis hometown recently. They want him to resign. Or at least pretend to be in control of the situation.

But two things complicate matters for the president and the government. One, inflated heroic acts of the past, now punctured by reality. Two, embellished promises during the polls, not matched with working evidence afterwards. In all fairness to millions of Nigerias who voted him in for a second term in 2019, Buharis histories and experiences, bloated or not, were fascinating.

During a brutal civil war of 1967-1970, Buhari was one of Nigerias finest soldiers. In 1983, he overthrew an elected government in a bloodless coup, before being deposed in 1985. His regime as a military dictator, which lasted 20 months, was highly regarded for enforcing discipline and etiquette in public places as well as fighting corrupt politicians. When, in 1983, the Chadian army, Nigerias neighbour in the northeast of the country, invaded and captured a few villages in the Lake Chad region, the army under Buharis command was crushed instantly.

He is one of the greatest Nigerians that can look anybody in the face, Musiliu Olaore, a retired army officer told Nigeria newspaper, Nation, about Buhari. He is not corrupt. He does not drink, he does not smoke and he does not womanise. As a result of the growing severity of the countrys security, corruption and economic problems, citizens inclined their hopes towards a man whose history had a tint of toughness.

Yet, integrity and reputation is only a small part of what earns people power in Nigeria. Buhari knows this. Thats why in 2015, fed up with failing for 16 years, he indulged in politics of patronage. He was brought to power by an alliance of many odd opposition parties, built on dirty compromises and reverse reward. Today, while he fulfils his dream as the figurehead on the iron throne, the choices that govern the country are rarely his as his wife said often.

How does this affect his performance in the matter of security and other state affairs? For starters, the toughness that was required to stamp out the incompetence fuelling the countrys crisis was lost. Security chiefs deserving of sacks and probes were rather promoted. Party allies were rewarded with appointments and those who led the countrys war on security, with several accused of stealing funds budgeted for purchasing weapons and paying frontline military officers, remain unscathed.

Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram Show all 16 1 /16 Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram Fifteen year old Nigerian refugee Fati, hugs her mother Mariam while carrying her sister, at the Minawao refugee camp in Northern Cameroon UNICEF Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram Fifteen year old Nigerian refugee Fati, carry her eight month old sister, who she last seen when she was 3 months old, at the Minawao refugee camp in Northern Cameroon. She was abducted by Boko Haram and spend four months in captivity. She was given to a man and forced to be his wife. She was eventually freed by Cameroonian soldiers and have been reunited with her family in a refugee camp in Cameroon UNICEF Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram Nigerian refugee's at the Minawao refugee camp in Northern Cameroon. The conflict in North-East Nigeria prompted by Boko Haram has led to widespread displacement, violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, protection risks and a severe humanitarian crisis. This is one of the fastest growing displacement crisis in Africa  one of the worlds most forgotten emergencies, with little attention from the donor community UNICEF Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram Nigerian refugee children at the Minawao refugee camp in Northern Cameroon UNICEF Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram Nigerian refugees line up to receive food aid at the Minawao refugee camp in Northern Cameroon UNICEF Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram Didja Damna (26) with her daughter, 17 month old Ngarvounsia, as she gets treatment at the Maroua hospital in Northern Cameroon UNICEF Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram Didja Damna (26) with her daughter , 17 month old Ngarvounsia, as she gets treatment at the Maroua hospital in Northern Cameroon. Didja have four other children and had her first child when she was sixteen. Ngarvounsia lost weight and have been treated for three day's in hospital and is recovering UNICEF Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram Fadi ,the wife of internally displaced Alagi Dubji feed her daughter, Ina Petal( 13 months) a peanut butter supplement, at their home in Maroua in Northern Cameroon. Ina received treatment for malnourishment and is doing well after she was discharged from the hospital. Alagi and his family had to flee from his village near Maroua after Boko Haram fighters burned down his house.Alagi had 40 children with 26 still alive UNICEF Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram A malnourished girl gets treatment at the Maroua hospital in Northern Cameroon UNICEF Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram More than 135 displacement sites have been noted along the border with Nigeria UNICEF Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram Temporary schools in the refugee camp of Kabelewa, counts eight classrooms for 549 pupils. Out of those 549 children, only 12 had already been to school before UNICEF Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram As the river continues to dry up in April and May, we expect to see an increase in violence in the Diffa region. Both refugees and internally displaced people are affected by the insecurity, fleeing attacks and also fleeing to safer locations ahead of attacks. Generally noticed is a movement from locations near the border towards the inland area along the main road where spontaneous new sites are being created and host villages' population increasing UNICEF Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram Forced displacement in the region of Diffa is becoming regular and is linked to the volatile security situation in the region. Diffa, the Niger's poorest region, has been affected by the consequences of the increased acts of violence in Nigeria, conducted by the armed group Boko Haram, increasingly expanding and targeting the civilian population in Niger - and Diffa region in particular. With water levels starting to fall, the Nigeria-based armed group is seizing the opportunity to cross over the Komadougou River, into Niger from Nigeria UNICEF Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram Fatima Abubakar, 13, in Dar Es Salam refugee camp, Lake region of Chad. Fatima lost five family members during the attack of her small village in Nigeria, in the shores of the lake Chad. She now lives in Dar Es Salam refugee camp, in Chad, with her father, mother and 3 siblings, "The table was all set and we were just about to have our breakfast together when the gunshots started outside. We immediately left in panic. I escaped with my mother. We left in two pirogues. My mothers pirogue had a whole and they put a cloth to stop the water from entering. But they had to come back to shore. I thought I would be forever alone and that my parents were dead. I cried for days. When I met them both days later in Ngouboua (an island in Chad) I couldnt be happier. I sometimes think about our table, where the breakfast was served, and how the house would be now" UNICEF Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram Hafsa Mohammed sews in the UNICEF-supported child friendly space in Dar Es Salam refugee camp, Lake region of Chad. Every childs future starts with a dream and Hafsa Mohammed, 16, has a very clear idea of what she wants to become. She wants to be a successful businesswoman and own a notions store. She now lives in Daresalam refugee camp, Lake region of Chad. I have started again to sew. I used to do it back in Nigeria. My parents encouraged me to do it. It will be useful for me to start my own business and I would be happy to teach others as well, explains Hafsa UNICEF Beyond Chibok: Report shows alarming trends in countries affected by Boko Haram Salta Bintou Hassan is 11. She lost her arm after an suicide attack on Bagasola market in October 2015. After spending two months in the hospital of N'Djamena, she is back with her family. Yet, her life will never be the same UNICEF

Today, Nigeria security forces, aside being outnumbered, ill-equipped and underfunded, are stretched on all fronts facing several internal crises in all the regions of the country. The bandits are kinsfolk of the president, from the Fulani tribe, which many believe has caused Buhari to treat them with the least brutality.

Worst of all, Buhari doesnt have the backing of all parts of the country because he failed to unite long divided and bitter ethnic groups who feel marginalised for having few representatives in power. His great love for loyalty meant he mostly rewarded his kinsmen and the regions that voted for him heavily  further fostering this sense of isolation. In fact, most of the heads of security agencies in the country are from his region.

Against the backdrop of the crisis, the president faces huge pressure to redeem the pompous promises and reputation that brought him to power  or resign. He was seen as a tough, decisive, brave and uncompromising leader who would deal with the countrys biggest problem of insecurity. Instead, his time has seen the proliferation of crises.
New Delhi, July 10 : With the impending formation of the new national team of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), several leaders are eyeing the vacant four posts in the party's parliamentary board. It is considered a sign of growing stature and becoming politically strong in the organisation.

After the death of senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj, there has not been a single woman in the parliamentary board. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani are reportedly in the fray. Either of the two leaders could be assigned a place in the parliamentary board.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party President J P Nadda, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, Dalit face and Union minister Thawar Chand Gehlot, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and organisation general secretary B L Santosh are the eight ministers who comprise the parliamentary board.

Four posts are vacant after Venkaiah Naidu became Vice President and three other BJP leaders Arun Jaitley, Ananth Kumar and Swaraj passed away.

Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, national general secretary Bhupendra Yadav, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union ministers Prakash Javadekar and Ravi Shankar Prasad and Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, say sources, could be given representation in the parliamentary board.

The parliamentary board has a quota of 11 to 12 members. However, it is up to the party president to add more or less members to the board.

A party leader told IANS that the list prepared by Nadda was to be released by July 6 but it may now be announced after August 3.
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Linkedin Mas Achmad Santosa and Januar Dwi Putra (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, July 11 2020

The ocean provides humans with many valuable live-sustaining resources. Its global economic value of US$24 trillion dwarfs the largest sovereign wealth funds owned by Norway, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and China, which total $3.1 trillion, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and Boston Consulting Group in 2015. The oceans economic value derives from marine living resources at $6.9 trillion, shipping lanes at $5.2 trillion, the productive coastline at $7.8 trillion and carbon absorption at $4.3 trillion.

However, the vastness of the ocean also creates challenges to monitor and enforce all activities taking place in it. The oceans economic value is dwindling rapidly due to habitat destruction, pollution, impacts of climate change and overfishing. The Food Agriculture Organization (FAO) found in its latest report that 34.2 percent of the global fish stock had been overfished, up from 31.4 percent and 33.1 percent in 2016 and 2018 respectively.

Furthermore, one in every five fish found in the market is likely to be illegally caught or unreported, making illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing one of the primary drivers of overfishing as Sjarief Widjaja et al say in their report IUU Fishing and Associated Drivers (2020).

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As the coronavirus pandemic all but halts travel across the Taiwan Strait, China is taking its campaign pushing for "reunification" with Taiwan to the virtual world of live broadcasts, online conferences and video-making competitions.

The intensifying efforts to win hearts and minds in democratic Taiwan come amid widespread support on the island for anti-government protests in Hong Kong and opposition to a new Chinese-imposed security law for the city.

Taiwan is China's most sensitive territorial issue, with Beijing claiming the self-ruled island as its own, to be brought under its control by force if needed.

While many Taiwanese trace their ancestry to mainland China and share cultural similarities with Chinese, most don't want to be ruled by autocratic China.

Beijing has long sought to win over Taiwan, where defeated Nationalist forces fled in 1949 at the end of the Chinese civil war. Cut-price summer programmes for young Taiwanese, find-your-roots tours and other schemes push the message Taiwan would be better off under Beijing, and has nothing to fear.

With normal travel links suspended, China has turned to the internet to continue this campaign.

In June, dozens of Taiwan families joined a gala in the southern Chinese city of Fuzhou via video call to celebrate the traditional Dragon Boat Festival.

Chinese state media described the event as an effort to boost "ancestral identity of Taiwan youth" and "express wishes for everlasting love across the Taiwan Strait".

A video-making contest to "break down barriers created by the virus" is now being advertised to Taiwan high school students.

"The epidemic has cut off the mountains from the seas, but cannot cut off the longing for home," an online poster on the competition wrote, which was co-hosted by a Chinese Communist Party youth group based in Fujian province, on the other side of the strait from Taiwan.

TAIWAN UNNERVED

The moves have unnerved security agencies in Taiwan.

One agency described them as part of a "new campaign model" to guide political ideology and sow discord towards Taiwan's government, according to an internal security report reviewed by Reuters.

A second internal security report reviewed by Reuters said the move online made it harder for Taiwan authorities to trace who was involved and could bring a "new national security crisis".

"They have been instructed to expand efforts for live broadcasts and video conferences," a Taiwan security official investigating the matter told Reuters. "They want to increase the favourable impression towards China."

Security officials say the virtual campaigns are initiated by Chinese state agencies including the Taiwan Affairs Office and the United Front Work Department, which is in charge of co-opting overseas Chinese and non-communists.

Social media platforms including TikTok and Instagram have been used to "lure interactions" with Taiwan youth, a third security report says.

A TikTok spokeswoman declined to comment. Facebook, which owns Instagram, did not respond to requests for comment.

China's Taiwan Affairs Office told Reuters in a statement that amid the pandemic it was a "natural choice" to engage with Taiwan's people online.

But Taiwan's government was seeking to "stigmatise normal exchanges between compatriots across the strait," the office said, labelling it a "despicable" move aimed at Taiwan's independence.

Taiwan's China-policy making Mainland Affairs Council told Reuters people need to stay cautious to avoid "falling into the Chinese Communist Party's trap" as China's campaigning "takes a new form".

But the move might not be as effective as physical exchanges, which China is likely to restart once travel resumes, security officials said.

"It's harder to convince people without actually seeing what's on offer," a second security official said.

Some evidence suggests the campaign is not succeeding.

About 27% of people on the island support Taiwan's formal independence, a record high, in contrast to 0.7% who want to join with China, according to a July poll by Taipei's National Chengchi University. The majority of those polled preferred to maintain the status quo.

"They have made a lot of effort with the virtual campaign," the first official said. "But most people in Taiwan are clear-headed."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 11:27:16|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, July 9 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on Thursday submitted the notification to the Congress of the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Japan, which includes 42 F-35B jets able to be deployed on amphibious assault ships.

F-35B, a stealth vertical take-off and landing fight jet, could help the amphibious assault ship gain a close aggressive capability similar to an aircraft carrier.

The U.S. State Department has already approved the sale before DSCA's submission.

Besides the batch of F-35B, Japan also requested 63 F-35A jets, along with 110 Pratt and Whitney F135 engines, the DSCA said.

"It is vital to U.S. national interest to assist Japan in developing and maintaining a strong and effective self-defense capability," the DSCA said, noting that the proposed sale "will not alter the basic military balance in the region." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 11:52:51|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Washington's decision to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO) has drawn the ire of academics and observers around the world, who denounced the move as disappointing, irresponsible and strategically wrong.

The U.S. withdrawal from the WHO is "a huge disappointment," said Humphrey Moshi, a professor of economics at Tanzania's leading state-run University of Dar es Salaam, adding that it reflects the country's double standards and failure to be a global leader, especially in global health.

"The U.S. withdrawal from the WHO means that the world will not trust the U.S. again, including its allies in Europe. Addressing the COVID-19 pandemic calls for solidarity and putting hands together, which the U.S. has failed to do," the professor told Xinhua.

The Trump administration's decision to pull the United States out of the WHO undermines the spirit of multilateralism and global cooperation, said Cavince Adhere, an international relations researcher specializing on China-Africa relations.

It's an exemplification of narrow nationalism with little regard to the greater national interest of the country or humanity's wellness, according to the expert.

"Instead of pushing for a united global response to stem the tide of the disease, President (Donald) Trump has made the unpopular and non-strategic decision to weaken (the) WHO," he said.

The expert also hailed the WHO as a platform for cooperation and knowledge sharing, and a key player in leading international efforts to provide lifesaving equipment and medicine for countries worldwide.

"With health experts warning even more damaging disease outbreaks in the future, building global consensus to strengthen the WHO and other regional organizations should be prioritized," he noted.

The COVID-19 crisis has once again emphasized the significance of international cooperation to tackle with global problems, said Benyamin Poghosyan, chairman of the Center for Political and Economic Strategic Studies in Armenia.

He stressed that the U.S. withdrawal from the WHO fully demonstrates its unilateralism on international issues, and the Trump administration has gone deeper and deeper into a blame game, in a bid to manipulate the pandemic for the election in November.

"Some states continue to stick with their unilateral approach, undermining norms and principles of international law and blaming others for their own failures," he said.

The decision is a "strategic mistake," which is "dangerous, irresponsible, immoral and self-defeating," and an attempt to blame the U.S. failure in handling COVID-19 on the WHO and China, according to Wilson Lee Flores, columnist of The Philippine Star.

"This U.S. withdrawal from (the) WHO shall have a negative impact on international cooperation to contain the pandemic, in seeking a vaccine," he said. "In a time of crisis, we should not waste our energies on useless political acts, but be guided by science and common sense to cooperate."

Global COVID-19 deaths surpassed 550,000 on Thursday, reaching 550,440 as of 1433 GMT, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University. Meanwhile, the total COVID-19 cases around the world rose to 12,081,232.

The United States reported the most COVID-19 cases and deaths, standing at 3,057,431 and 132,360, respectively, the CSSE data showed. More than 20 states in the country have either paused or partially reversed their staged economic reopening.

Economists and officials warned that the pandemic has worsened U.S. inequities in income, wealth, opportunity and race. The longer the current recession lasts, the greater risks will grow across the country. Enditem
Syracuse, N.Y.  Workers picketing with signs was once a regular sight outside Carrier, General Motors, New Process Gear and other Syracuse-area factories.

With many factories shuttered and union membership waning, seeing manufacturing workers on strike has become a rare sight locally. But now, a glimpse into what was so common in the past is happening in Syracuse.

For the last month, 26 union members have been walking a picket line outside a factory on the North Side in a strike over pay and benefits. They remained on the sidewalk late Friday morning outside of the Burnet Avenue business amid stifling temperatures, sitting in folding chairs and holding up signs.

The members of Local 1947 are striking against Babbitt Bearings Inc., a third-generation, family-run business founded in 1943 that once made bearings for many local companies including Carrier Corp.

Local 1947 is a member of Workers United out of the Rochester Regional Joint Board, which is a Service Employees International Union affiliate. The union is holding a rally with supporters outside the factory at 4 p.m. Friday.

Strikes have decreased locally and, according to federal statistics, nationally over the years.

One reason is the number of manufacturing workers in unions has dropped, said Kate Bronfenbrenner, director of labor education research at Cornell Universitys School of Industrial and Labor Relations.

In the 1970s, there were on average 289 strikes of 1,000 employees or more each year in the United States, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This last decade, there were on average 16 strikes a year of that size.

The federal data doesnt reflect the whole picture because it doesnt include strikes of fewer than 1,000 people, she said. And it doesnt account for the rise in public-sector strikes  like those led by teachers unions  in recent years, she said.

For manufacturing workers on strike, the underlying problems resemble those of the past: Its over pay and benefits.

In this 1995 photo from The Post-Standard's archives, a man checks his work on bearings for Carrier Corp. while working at Babbitt Bearings Inc. in Syracuse.Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard's archives

David Butkins, who has worked at Babbitt Bearings for 28 years, said financial hardships led workers to strike. For example, extra money employees have to put toward health insurance, he said, are eating their raises.

Were out here not just for ourselves, but for everyone else who works hard for less and less money, he said.

In a statement, Babbitts management group refuted the unions claims, saying the strike came after months of negotiations and what appeared to be a tentative agreement.

In trying to understand these issues, we have listened closely to the public accusations that have been made about us by union leadership explaining why the strike was called, the statement said. To say the least, we disagree strongly about what has been sad about our company and us personally.

A federal mediator is working to try to settle the strike.

Employees feel the company is in their debt.

The Syracuse company asked its union workers five years ago to temporarily give up some benefits to help the struggling business stay open, said Erin Young, of Workers United, which works with the Syracuse-based union. Assured they would get back their benefits, she said the union workers made concessions like giving up benefits ranging from four paid holidays to half of their 401K pay.

When it came time to hammer out a new contract this year, the union asked for the company to give its members back the benefits theyd conceded, Yound said.

Babbitt Bearings Inc, as pictured on this photo from Friday, July 10, 2020, has long called Burnet Avenue in Syracuse home.Samantha House | shouse@syracuse

The company declined, Young said. So thats when the union decided it was time to go on strike.

Its common for union members to give up benefits when their companies are struggling, Bronfenbrenner said. When companies recover, she said its also extremely common for them to forget the workers who helped make them through tough times.

Babbitt Bearings posted job listings for a mill machinist and a lathe machinist on its Facebook page. In a statement, management told employees they will have to consider hiring replacements as the strike continues.

In a twist provided by the coronavirus pandemic, Babbitt Bearings was among a slew of Central New York businesses granted a loan from the federal government to help keep workers employed in a strained economy.

The company received between $350,000 to $1 million under the Paycheck Protection Program, according to data released this week by the federal government.

The money is considered a loan. But if the money is mostly used to pay workers, most of the loans can be forgiven.

Babbitt Bearings told the government the loan would help the company keep 42 people employed. Over half of those workers are currently on strike. Its not clear what impact if any the strike will have on the company using the money.

READ MORE: Dinosaur BBQ, Destiny USA, more: Which Syracuse-area companies got the most PPP money?

Staff writer Samantha House covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? Reach her at shouse@syracuse.com.
SPRINGFIELD  An Illinois group trying to get a constitutional amendment on the Nov. 3 ballot is not entitled to looser regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday.

The Committee for the Illinois Democracy Amendment is advocating for a state constitutional change mandating the General Assembly to take roll call votes on legislation proposing stronger ethical standards for Illinois public officials.

It would also allow residents to introduce related bills by submitting a petition including at least 100,000 signatures.

In a lawsuit filed against the secretary of states office and State Board of Elections, the organizations attorneys argued Gov. JB Pritkzers social distancing and stay-at-home orders unconstitutionally prevented canvassers from securing the required 363,813 hand-written signatures  or, 8 percent of votes cast for governor in the last election  by May 3.

The three U.S. Court of Appeals judges wrote that the committee brought the problem on itself. The group was founded April 1, according to documents filed with the State Board of Elections, almost 17 months after Illinois rules permitted signature collection to begin and one month after Pritzker issued executive orders to manage COVID-19s spread.

Committee members had plenty of time to gather signatures before the pandemic began, the judges wrote in their ruling. Thats a good reason to conclude that they are not entitled to emergency considerations.

The court acknowledged social distancing and stay-at-home restrictions surely make it hard to round up signatures, but wrote changes to social behaviors caused by the pandemic would contribute to the difficulty as well.

And the judges added this matter is wholly one of state law because the U.S. Constitution does not guarantee a right for voters to include initiatives on the ballot  Illinois law does.

If we understand the governors orders, coupled with the signature requirements, as equivalent to a decision to skip all referenda for the 2020 election cycle, there is no federal problem, the judges wrote in their opinion. Illinois may decide for itself whether a pandemic is a good time to be soliciting signatures on the streets in order to add referenda to a ballot.

A spokesperson for the secretary of states office wrote in an email that officials are pleased with the ruling. A spokesperson for the State Board of Elections declined to comment.

Former Gov. Pat Quinn, an attorney representing the committee, said in an interview Friday he and his clients are disappointed.

They brought this lawsuit, he said, because its impossible to comply with state law mandating petitions be circulated in person and with the governors social distancing order.

The state should not be allowed to try to cancel out the rights of voters to circulate petitions to put issues on the ballot, Quinn said. It makes the whole process very dangerous. Were going to keep fighting.

Their options, he said, include appealing the decision  the committee is free to pursue the issues in this case in a district court, the judges wrote in their ruling  or attempting to change the law so voters have the option to sign petitions electronically during the pandemic, which is not going away.

Quinn pointed out his ruling comes 40 years after the Cutback Amendment  which decreased the number of lawmakers in the General Assembly  was successfully added to the ballot. It remains the only one to do so in Illinois history.

These are fundamental rights that have to be protected from politicians and the State Board of Elections, who are doing everything they can to keep these off the ballot, he said.
To receive Steve Gutterman's Week In Russia each week via e-mail, subscribe by clicking here.

Raids, arrests, and a terror-related verdict against a journalist examining the root causes of a violent act. Russia's first week under an amended constitution that opens the path for Vladimir Putin to remain president until 2036 was packed with developments that deepened concerns among opponents, rights activists, and critics about the country's direction in a potentially harrowing new era.



Here are some of the key developments in Russia over the past week and some of the takeaways going forward.



Warning Signs



In September 2007, late in what would have been President Vladimir Putin's final term had he not resolved to remain in power far longer, Mikhail Gorbachev warned against the rehabilitation of Josef Stalin, saying that the Soviet dictator's lethal heyday was being portrayed as a "golden era"  with dangerous, potentially disastrous consequences for Russia's future.



It was one of many warnings since the Soviet collapse, from Gorbachev and others, that Russia must reckon with the darker episodes of its past and examine the roots of its problems in the present -- not leave them buried or twist them for short-term political purposes -- if it is to have a brighter future.



"It is impossible to live in the present or build long-term plans for the future if the disease of forgetfulness afflicts the country and society, or at least certain sections of it," Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, told a forum at which another participant, Irina Shcherbakova of the rights group Memorial, said the Russian people were under "a massive attack aimed at revising our memory."



Still president today, Putin certainly seems to be building long-term plans for the future: An amended constitution that could keep him in the Kremlin until 2036 took effect on July 4  a date that was not likely to have been coincidental, given the Russian state's recent penchant for tweaking, trolling, and thumbing its nose at America -- following a nationwide vote marred by widespread allegations of fraud.

The words of warning came to mind in light of the verdict handed down to journalist Svetlana Prokopyeva on July 6, two days after the changed constitution came into force: Guilty, the judge ruled, of "justifying terrorism," a charge stemming from a 2018 commentary about a bombing at the offices of the Federal Security Service (FSB) in the northern city of Arkhangelsk.



The suspected attacker, a 17-year-old boy who died when his homemade bomb exploded, had posted remarks on social media in which he accused the FSB of falsifying criminal cases. Prokopyeva linked the teen's statements to the political climate under Putin, suggesting that activism was severely restricted by the authorities, leading people to despair.



Question Less?



Prokopyeva's conviction was denounced by supporters and media freedom advocates as an attack on the freedom of speech and an effort, in the vein of forgetting, hiding, or whitewashing crimes of the country's past, to punish someone who is serving society -- not doing it a disservice, let alone posing a threat -- by examining the possible root causes of a violent act.



"Why should we not think about it and try to understand why it happened?" Ivan Golunov, a journalist who was arrested in June 2019 on a drug charge that police later acknowledged was falsified. "Attempting to understand the reasons that pushed a 17-year-old boy to build a bomb and go to the local FSB building is a socially important part of a journalist's work."

Prokopyeva, a freelance contributor to RFE/RL's Russian Service, was not sentenced to prison -- though prosecutors had asked court to put her behind bars for six years. But she was fined 500,000 rubles ($7,000) -- a ruling that opposition politician Dmitry Gudkov likened to the state demanding a "ransom" for the unspoken understanding of innocence while formally finding her guilty.



Search And Destroy?



In thanking Russians after the weeklong ballot on the constitutional amendments, Putin made  two days after the voting was over  by far the closest thing to a direct pitch for the option of seeking two more six-year terms after 2024. Speaking almost 30 years after the Soviet collapse and more than 20 years since he came to power, Putin said that modern Russia is "still in the formative stage," and added: "We need internal stability and time to strengthen the country and all of its institutions."



For Russians targeted in a series of searches, raids, and arrests focusing on opponents of the constitutional amendments, there was little stability on offer in the first week after their adoption -- and plenty of confirmation for analysts who had predicted the changes would strengthen the security services, law enforcement, and assorted hard-liners while leaving ordinary citizens increasingly vulnerable to the whims of the state and its agents.



Prokopyeva's verdict, on July 6, came amid a head-spinning series of actions by law enforcement agencies and the courts -- what one journalist described as a "a flurry of arrests, detentions, [and] trials."



For Tatyana Usmanova, a coordinator with Open Russia, an opposition group that helped organize a "Nyet" campaign urging Russians to vote "No" on the constitutional ballot, the flurry came in the form of a home search in which officers confiscated two computers, a telephone, a bank card, and "every single piece of paper with anything at all written on it."

For Olga Gorelik, another coordinator with Open Russia, which was founded by Putin foe and former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, it meant "12  hours of searches" at home and office followed by questioning at the Investigative Committee. Gorelik's husband, opposition Moscow district lawmaker Konstantin Yankauskas, decried the actions of the authorities with a term that could be translated as "fantastic bastardliness."



Yankauskas and others said that the formal pretext for the searches was an investigation linked to Yukos, Khodorkovsky's former oil company, which was taken apart after the tycoon's arrest in 2003 and later sold at auction.

It ended up in the hands of Rosneft, the state oil giant headed by Igor Sechin, the close Putin ally whom Khodorkovsky -- who was imprisoned for 10 years on financial crimes charges he said were a politically motivated fabrication -- contends was behind the law enforcement actions that broke up Yukos and led to his two trials.



Gorelik was in sixth grade in 2003, Yankauskas said, and Open Russia members said they believe the real motive for the raids was a planned protest against the vote results in central Moscow on July 15.



In between the Prokopyeva verdict and the raids, meanwhile, came the arrest of another journalist, longtime former defense reporter Ivan Safronov, on a treason charge stemming from allegations that he provided a NATO country with classified information.



Trial And Error



Safronov's arrest and moves targeting the "Nyet" campaign deepened fears that a crackdown by emboldened security services  the so-called "siloviki" -- is under way following the constitutional vote allowing Putin, a former Soviet KGB officer and Russian FSB chief, to seek two more terms.



"What, among the 206 amendments that 78 percent of the people joyfully supported, was the one that lets the siloviki do whatever the [expletive deleted] they want?" journalist Tatyana Felgengauer tweeted sarcastically.

Another indication of the strength of the "siloviki" and the vulnerability of Russians who question Kremlin narratives about the past, present, and future may come with the verdict in the trial of Yury Dmitriyev, the head of Memorial in Karelia who has worked to expose crimes committed by the Soviets in the northwestern region.



After years of legal proceedings, a verdict is expected later this month in Dmitriyev's trial on a charge of violent sexual abuse of a child.

The 64-year-old historian and his supporters and colleagues contend he is innocent and say the case is an attempt to thwart his research into extrajudicial executions in Karelia under Stalin.
The Homicide Files, Part 1

It can be said with certainty that two things happened in the 22 hours between Carlton Coleman's arrest and his arraignment last October.

One is that he was interrogated by homicide detectives. The other is that his health went from good to poor. When it was all over, he spent the next 28 days hospitalized for injuries of the abdomen, arms, shoulders, chest, calf, spine and back

Medical problems are not rare among those interrogated by the Philadelphia Police Department's 84-member homicide division, In fact, a four-month investigation by The Inquirer has found a pattern of beatings, threats of violence, intimidation, coercion and knowing disregard for constitutional rights in the interrogation of homicide suspects and witnesses.

The study shows that many homicide detectives, in beating or coercing suspects and later denying it under oath, have come to accept breaking the law as part of their job.

As a result of those practices, the Inquirer has found, there are cases in which murders have remained unsolved, killers have gone free and innocent men have been imprisoned.

From 1974 through this month, judges Common Pleas Court have been asked to rule in pretrial hearings on the legality of police investigations in 433 homicide cases. Those rulings require the judge to decide who is telling the truth  the police or the suspect. In most cases, the judge believes the police.

In 80 of those cases, however, judges have ruled that the police acted illegally during homicide interrogations. The judges found in many cases that police had used either physical or psychological coercion. In some cases, the victims injuries were documented by X-rays, medical records and photographs.

Extensive interviews with homicide detectives and prosecutors who work with detectives every day confirm these findings. The interviews - including some with detectives who frequently have been accused of beatings  make it clear that top officials in the police department know of and tolerate the coercive measures.

The illegal interrogations follow a pattern:

They are conducted by teams of detectives in tiny rooms at police headquarters  known as the Roundhouse  at Eighth and Race Streets. The suspect or witness is often hand-cuffed to a metal chair, which is bolted to the floor. Some of these sessions have lasted 24 hours.

Some of the techniques used in the beatings leave no severe marks. Those techniques include placing a telephone book on a suspects head and hammering it with a heavy object; beating his feet and ankles: twisting or kicking his testicles; and pummeling his back, ribs and kidneys.

Other techniques do leave marks. Testimony about interrogations that judges have ruled illegal has shown that suspects have been beaten with lead pipes, blackjacks, brass knuckles, handcuffs, chairs and table legs. One suspect was stabbed in the groin with a sword-like instrument.

The detectives make use of one-way mirrors through which the interrogation rooms can be observed. Suspects and witnesses have testified that they were forced to watch beatings through such windows and were told that they would receive the same treatment unless they cooperated.

What were living in at the Roundhouse,' a former homicide detective said, is a return to the Middle Ages. All this nonsense about the thin blue line between society and the underworld, its bull. Police are breaking the law every day, and they know it.

Why are detectives doing this?

The main reason, detectives say, is outrage  outrage at the heinousness of the crimes they investigate, and outrage at a court system that allows murderers to 'walk, or go free.

Its a fight every day,' one detective said. The homicide detective must fight the lawyers, the judges, the Supreme Court  and he must fight crime.

But there is also another reason: money.

To get a statement from a suspect, a detective often works around the clock  and that means overtime. Once he gets a statement, he becomes a court witness  and court time means more overtime.

City payroll records show that the average homicide detective got $7,575 in overtime pay last year. One, Michael Chitwood, more than doubled his base pay, earning a total of $36,293, which is higher than the salary of Police Commissioner Joseph F. O'Neill.

Do high police officials know about the crimes in the interrogation room?

They, like all citizens, have access to court records, including the 80 recent homicide cases in which interrogations have been ruled illegal. They also work extremely closely with the elite homicide division.

In one case, testimony by an assistant district attorney showed that a homicide investigation was under the direct supervision of Commissioner ONeill and Chief Inspector Joseph Golden, who set up a temporary command post office at the Roundhouse.

In that case, a judge later concluded, a suspect named Larry Howard was beaten. Howard testified that he was hit with a lead pipe, punched with brass knuckles and handcuffs and grabbed by the testicles. Another suspect, Richard Atkins, testified that he was forced to watch Howards interrogation through a one-way mirror.

Within the police department, there is constant pressure to get suspects to talk. Detectives say that Chief Inspector Golden has a standing order to the Homicide Division: Get a statement,

At times, the emphasis on getting statements can produce odd results.

On Jan, 19, when a North Philadelphia shopkeeper named George Lewis was murdered during a holdup, investigators determined that he had been killed by a single bullet.

Homicide detectives questioned two suspects, and by the time they emerged from their respective interrogation rooms, each had allegedly admitted firing the shot. Their cases are pending.

So far this year judges have heard 31 formal allegations of illegal interrogations, and have ruled for the defendant 11 times.

One case that is expected to come up in 1977 is that of Carlton Coleman, the man who was hospitalized for 28 days after his interrogation. Coleman, 26, is charged with shooting an off-duty policeman. He allegedly signed a confession, but he is expected to argue that he was beaten and coerced.

Does the police department care that murder cases are lost because illegal confessions are thrown out?

As individuals, the police care very much. But their concern does not carry over into the departments official gauge of its effectiveness  the rate at which murder cases are cleared. A cleared case is one in which someone is charged with the crime  but not necessarily convicted.

The department is proud that it has cleared nearly 87% of its cases in recent years. But 20% of the homicide defendants who went to court last year were acquitted or were freed because the district attorneys office dropped the charges for lack of evidence.

An example of a murder that was cleared, but apparently not solved, is the well-known Santiago firebombing case. As The Inquirer reported in November, the police rounded up seven neighbors, beat the men, threatened the women and forced them to sign false statements implicating Robert (Reds) Wilkinson in five murders. He was convicted, but the verdict was overturned when another man, David McGinnis, confessed.

Why are homicide detectives not forced to obey the law?

No homicide detective has been prosecuted in recent years  if ever  for a crime committed during an interrogation. This apparent immunity can be explained in part by the detectives close working relationship with the district attorneys office.

Prosecutors depend on the police for testimony and cooperation in presenting evidence. If the district attorneys office were to press criminal charges against detectives, the cooperation could collapse.

In the 80 cases in which judges have ruled interrogations illegal, the record shows that the police do not discriminate: The victims have been white and black, guilty and innocent. Women, too, have been coerced and threatened, but The Inquirer has seen no testimony that women have been beaten in interrogations.

Judges, in hearing these cases, have taken extensive testimony and examined documentary evidence, including photographs, X-rays, and other medical records, before making formal findings of fact.

Based on these cases, here are several incidents from the Round-house interrogation rooms:

William Hoskins, 23, a black murder suspect, was handcuffed to a metal chair bolted to the floor. During an interrogation by homicide detectives Michael Chitwood, John Strohm, Daniel Rosenstein and Rosborough McMillan, Hoskins was stabbed in the groin with a sword-like instrument and blackjacked on his feet, ankles and legs until the blackjack broke in two.

Lawyers present on the scene that night  Nov. 5, 1975  said Hoskins was carried out of the Roundhouse and driven by police to Philadelphia General Hospital, where he was carried in on a stretcher.

Medical records show that Hoskins could not stand up when he was admitted to the hospitals emergency ward. Doctors wrote that Hoskins suffered severe injuries to his kidneys, that he was urinating blood and that the left side of his body, from his shoulders to his buttocks, was swollen and bruised. The prisoner, handcuffed to his hospital bed, was placed on intravenous feeding and remained at the hospital for five days.

Common Pleas Court Judge Samuel Smith ruled that the Hoskins interrogation was illegal. There is no question he was beaten, Judge Smith said in an interview. This guy was hurt bad.

Hoskins was later convicted of murder. The verdict is being appealed.

Richard Rozanski, 28, a white murder suspect, was kicked in the testicles and beaten on the back with a wooden chair by Detective Richard Strohm. He was punched on the head and face by Detective George Cassidy until he was 'numb, Rozanski testified.

That same nightDec. 22, 1975 Detective Strohm approached Rozanskis brother-in-law, Joey Kedra, 22, who was in another interrogation room. According to court testimony, Strom pointed a gun at Kedras head and said: Im going to blow your motherf---ing brains out, Punch.

Judge James R. Cavanaugh ruled that the 17-hour interrogation of Rozanski was illegal and that the defendant had been subjected to physical and mental threats and coercion.

Judge Cavanaugh made his ruling after reviewing photographs and hearing the testimony of Rozanski, homicide detectives and Dr. Daniel Jacobs, who examined Rozanski a day after his interrogation.

Last July, after spending six months in prison, Rozanski was acquitted by a jury in Common Pleas Court. The murder of Joseph Lucano Jr. remains unsolved.

Mary Kirkman, a 28-year-old black housewife and mother of six, was held for 24 hours and denied the right to consult her lawyer. As a result, the statements she gave could not be used as evidence.

Mrs. Kirkman was arrested at 8:50 a.m. on Jan. 3, 1974, as a suspect in the murder of Stanley Tiller. According to a ruling by Judge Francis A. Biunno, she refused to give a statement and asked to see a lawyer.

Detective Lawrence Grace, however, proceeded to question her without a lawyer present. Two and a half hours later, she signed a statement denying any involvement in the shooting of Tiller.

Two hours after that, attorney Richard A. McDaniel arrived at the Roundhouse to represent her. But for the next 20 minutes, the judge found, detectives Grace and Henry Konieczny continued the interrogation while McDaniel was kept outside.

At the end of this period, Mrs. Kirkman signed a statement saying that Tiller had pulled a gun from his pocket and I pushed him and the gun went off.

Immediately after the statement was signed, McDaniel met with Mrs. Kirkman and instructed her to remain silent. He also told Detective Grace not to interrogate his client further.

After the lawyer left, however, Mrs. Kirkman was interrogated throughout the afternoon and held for another 19 hours. During that time, she gave three more statements, each more damaging to her legal position than the last.

That afternoon, according to Judge Biunnos ruling, Mrs. Kirkman was told by Detective Grace: Dont pay any attention to McDaniel. All he wants is his fee. Im here to help you.

Judge Biunno ruled that the interrogation was illegal, that Mrs. Kirkmans statements were the product of psychological coercion and that police had cajoled and misled her.

In a recent interview, Mrs. Kirkman said her 24 hours in the Roundhouse had left her nervous and sick. She said detectives kept telling her: Why dont you say you did it so we can go home already? Were getting tired.

The impression they gave me, Mrs. Kirkman said, 'was that if I told them what they wanted to hear, Id be out of there in no time.

On Aug. 14, 1974, Mrs. Kirkman was acquitted in a 45-minute trial by Common Pleas Court Judge Eugene Gelfand. No one has ever been convicted for the Tiller murder.

Ronald Hanley, 37, a white suspect in the Santiago firebombing case, testified that he was systematically beaten by four homicide detectives: John Ellis, Sheldon Zucker, James Carty and a man he identified only as George.

Hanley said he was struck in the ribs and chest at least 40 or 50 times before signing a confession. Medical records show that a rib was broken.

Common Pleas Court Judge Theodore B. Smith Jr. ruled that Hanleys interrogation was illegal. He wrote: Hanley was subjected to gross physical abuse, coercion and violence at the hands of several police officers.

Such violence, coercion and abuse consisted of the sticking of a finger in his left eye and heavy blows to his face, head and torso, heavy enough to cause his nose to bleed, his left lung to suffer a bruise discernible by X-ray 19 days later, Oct. 24, 1975, and control of his bowels to be lost during part of the time he was in police custody.

When Hanleys confession was thrown out by Judge Smith, the district attorneys office decided that there was not enough evidence to convict him, and Hanley went free.

It took federal authorities to get a conviction. Two months ago, Hanley was found guilty of firebombing charges in U. S. District Court.

Although 18 months have passed since five persons were burned to death in the firebombing, the efforts of the city police and the district attorneys office have not produced a conviction that has held up.

Louis Roach, 20, a black suspect in the murder of a Temple University student, was held at the Roundhouse for 19 hours in March 1972.

James Davis, 20, another suspect in the case, testified that he was taken to a small room in the Roundhouse by Detective David L. Porter.

There Davis testified he saw Roach handcuffed to a metal chair, his face swollen and blood streaming from his nose and mouth.

You see that in there? Davis quoted Porter as saying. You want to be like he is? You dont cooperate, that is how you going to be.

Davis also testified that Porter punched him in the face and chest. He was released without being charged.

Judge Robert A. Latrone ruled that the interrogation was illegal. In that case, the judge said Roach was the hapless victim of impermissible psychological coercion ... by five detectives with interrogative expertise.

Roach later pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the stabbing death of Carey Dillinger.

Larry Howard, 28, a black suspect in the shooting of two policemen, was kicked, beaten with a lead pipe and punched with handcuffs and brass knuckles during an interrogation ruled illegal by Judge Lisa A. Richette.

Testimony by an assistant district attorney, Arthur R. Shuman Jr., showed that the investigation was under the direct supervision of Police Commissioner ONeill and Chief Inspector Golden, who were operating at the command post in the Roundhouse. (The policemen who were shot did not die, but the case was treated as a homicide because they were in critical condition at the time of the interrogation.)

At one point in Howards interrogation, Richard Atkins, 23, a black college student who was also a suspect, was forced to watch through four one-way mirrors.

At that time, Detective Rosborough McMillan, who is 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs 325 pounds, was hammering with brass knuckles at the back of Howard's head, according to testimony. Detective Gerald Ross, with handcuffs around his fists, and Detective James Richardson were beating Howard's arms, chest, back and legs.

Richardson, according to the testimony, was bending back Howard's fingers, and then suddenly grabbed Howard in the groin and pulled his testicles.

Atkins testified that Howard began like twitching in pain, I could hear him hollering. He was twisting, he was yelling . . . and I saw his arm jerking. (Howard later testified: He tried to mutilate me.)

Atkins said a policeman turned to him and said: You see the beating he is getting?

Yes, Atkins replied.

Well, you cant stand up to that beating, so you better cooperate with the officers, the policeman said, according to Atkins. (Atkins signed a statement in which he allegedly admitted throwing a gun out of the house where the policemen were shot, but he was Iater acquitted of all changes.)

At this point, Howard's beating was not over.

He was taken from the interrogation room to the basement, where he was beaten again, according to the judges ruling.

I just lost track of time, Howard testified, Next thing I know they had me in the basement in the back room. There is a locker there, and they had me in the corner kicking me... (They) beat me with pipes down there.

After 20 hours of questioning and beatings, Howard had signed a confession and was left alone, buckled over in pain on a metal chair. It was in that condition  at 4:45 p.m. on April 27, 1973  that his attorney, Jack Myers, the former chief of homicide for the district attorneys office, found him. Myers later recounted the following exchange:

"What the hell did you do to this man?" Myers yelled at a group of detectives gathered together about 10 feet from the open door.

Well, he fell down some steps, one detective said.

I want somebody to come back in here and hear what this man has to say, Myers shouted. If anything happens to this man - if he dies  youre going to be held accountable.

Alarmed at his clients condition, Myers had Howard examined by Dr. Henry J. Dudnick, a police surgeon. The examination in the interrogation room lasted one minute and 35 seconds, according to uncontradicted testimony. Dr. Dudnick found nothing wrong.

Howard was taken to Metropolitan Hospital, however, and doctors there found multiple contusions and abrasions of the chest and a tenderness in the left rib cage. When Howard reached the detention center, he spent two days recovering in the medical treatment area.

In court, the police officers involved gave conflicting testimony about how Howard had sustained his injuries. They did agree, however, on one thing: They all said they had not beaten him.

Upon hearing the contradictory testimony, Judge Richette took an unusual step. She interrupted the proceedings and went with Myers, Howard and the prosecutor to the Roundhouse to determine whether Howard had been telling the truth about being beaten in the basement, an area where prisoners are not routinely taken.

Howard led her to a spot that matched the place he had described in testimony with a certainty that was almost frightening, the judge later wrote.

After hearing testimony and seeing medical records and photographs, the judge threw out Howards statement, saying she did not believe Dr. Dudnick and the policemen. Still later, she had Howard transferred to a prison outside the city after hearing testimony that he was beaten again while being transported to and from his trial. Ultimately he was convicted of the two shootings.

Joseph Bilhardt, 36, a white suspect, was struck during an interrogation by Detectives John Stohm, Philip Formicola and James Vales, according to a ruling on March 31 by Common Pleas Court Judge Richard B. Klein.

Bilhardt, arrested last Sept. 19 for the murder of his wife, testified that Strohm refused his request to call an attorney and then beat him in the ribs, lower chest and back. At one point, Bilhardt testified, he was refused permission to use the lavatory and urinated in his pants because of the blows to his kidneys.

Medical records of Bilhards physical condition when he arrived at the Philadelphia detention center could not be found by the Commonwealth at the time of a pretrial hearing.

Even though the beating left no visible bruises, Judge Klein refused to believe the testimony of Detective Strohm, who said the suspect had not been beaten or threatened in any way.

Bilhardt is awaiting trial.

Marion Dockery, 49, a black, signed a confession to the murder of his wife, Margaret.

Dockery can neither read nor write.

He was first arrested shortly after the murder on Aug. 9, 1976. He was questioned extensively then but was released.

Five months later, in January, he was arrested again by Detectives Chitwood and John Strohm.

Dockery testified that he had signed papers after being told by detectives that he was signing forms authorizing the police to give him a polygraph test.

Judge George J. Ivins ruled that Dockery had been arrested illegally because the police had no more information in January than when he was arrested five months earlier. Ivins ruled that the interrogation was illegal, and the confession was thrown out,

Dockery, who has been in prison since January, is awaiting trial.

Hadley Nelson, 17, was arrested on Sept. 11, 197S, for the rape, robbery and murder of Ellizabeth Grobben, 71. Judge Juanita Kidd Stout ruled that Nelsons interrogation had been illegal and threw out his confession, Assistant District Attorney Jeffrey Brodkin then addressed the court, saying: There is no other evidence at this time . . . therefore, your honor, the Commonwealth reluctantly asks the court to grant its motion to nol pros (drop the charges).

No one was ever convicted of the Grobben killing.

James Howell, 18, was arrested for the rape, robbery and murder of Henrietta Tucker on Dec. 3, 1971. Common Pleas Court Judge Thomas M. Reed ruled that Howell was subjected to undue psychological duress during a 20-hour interrogation. When the judge threw out Howells confession, the district attorney dropped the charges. No one was ever convicted of the Tucker killing.

Michael Everett, 14, a ninth-grade student with no criminal record, was arrested in April 1976 for the murder of Robert Robinson. Common Pleas Court Judge Alex Bonavitacola ruled that Everetts interrogation was illegal, and Everett was acquitted. No one was ever convicted of the Robinson murder.

James Churchill, 24, was pickeed up on June 2, 1973, as possible witness in the murder of his friend Reginald Adams. Judge Ivins found that Churchill was forced to stay in an interrogation room over a period of approximately 27 hours during which eight interrogations were held. During that time, Chorchill allegedly confessed to the crime.

Judge Ivins threw out Churchill's confession. The district attorney, who had no other evidence, dropped the charges.

Gregory Culler, 14, a Meck, was arrested on Feb. 9, 19%, for the murder of Gerald Clarke. In August, Judge Armand Della Porta ruled that Cullers interrogation had been illegal and threw out his confession. Assistant District Attorney Brodria dropped the charges and said in court: The Commonwealth has no evidence with which to proceed at this time.

No one was ever convicted of the Clarke killing.

John Wardlow, a 15-year-old sophomore at Olney High School, was arrested on June 9, 1973, for the murder of another youth, Anthony Hoke. On June 10, Wardlow confessed.

Later, however, it was shown in court that be had been arrested solely on the basis of a tip that, in being transcribed by the homicide division, was altered to falsely incriminate Wardlow,

The police were given the tip in an interview with Harold Hunter Jr., a 14-year-old neighbor of Wardlow. Hunter said he had seen Wardlow and his friend, Ronald James, 17, about a block from the murder scene half an hour before the shooting.

But in their written version of the interview, police recorded that Horter told them that Wardlow had been carrying a gun.

Roth Hunter and his father, who was at the Roundhouse for his son's interrogation, testified later that Hunter had never said anything about Wardlow carrying a gun. The inclusion of a gun, Hunter said, was a fabrication.

Questions were also voiced about the interrogation of James.

When James went to the Roundhouse for interrogation, he was accompanied by his father, William James, a veteran Philadelphia policeman whose home in West Oak Lane is decorated with citations and other honors for valor in the line of duty

Romie, youre going to be charged with murder, a detective said, according to the youths account.

| thought it was a dream, James said in a recent interview. Then I started crying. My father wouldnt leave me by myself because he knew their tactics.

Wardlow's parents, John and Mary, also came to the Roundhouse that night. But they were not allowed to see their son during the 7.5 hours of his interrogation Detectives Alan Twyman and Arthur Verbrugghe.

Wardlow quoted Detective Twyman as saying: All right, you tell me how you capped (killed) that guy. Youre going to give us a statement.

Wardlow said that detectives, whom he could not identify by name, hit him with a blackjack, poked him forcefully in the chest and punched him in the head.

At one point, Wardlow said, he was told by police that James, his neighborhood friend, had named him as the killer. (James said in a recent interview that he told police nothing of the sort.)

Near the end of the interrogation Wardow said he was still insisting that he had been at home with his family at the time Hoke was shot.

Finally, he said, a detective told him: All right, you sign these papers to verify that youve been questioned, and you can go home.

Wardlow signed.

Welkome to a murder one (first-degree murder) charge, said the detective, according to Wardlow.

The papers were a confession. In a recent interview, Wardlow said that the statement had been written entirely by his interrogators and that he had not read it before signing. At that time, he said he was frightened enough to do anything police asked.

On Nov. 27, 1973  more than six months after his arrest  Judge Ivins threw out Wardloes confession and ruled that his interrogation had been illegal.

And six months after that, Wardiow, who had spent a month in prison and incurred hundreds of dollars in legal expenses, was acquitted in a trial that lasted only half an hour because there was no evidence.

In the area of West Oak Lane where Anthony Hoke was murdered, the verdict was not a surprise The neighbors generally believed that Wardlow was not the murderer. They had heard accounts indicating who was  another youth well known in the area

But police never reopened the investigation. For the homicide division, the killing of Anthony Hoke was cleared the morning John Wardlow was booked for mwrder

The official reply

Police Commissioner Joseph F. ONeill, informed of The Inquirers conclusion that there is a pattern of illegal interrogations by the homicide division, responded in writing: As police commissioner, I emphatically and categorically deny this allegation.

ONeill refused to be interviewed. So did Mayor Frank L. Rizzo, District Attorney Emmett Fitzpatrick and Chief Inspector Joseph Golden.

O'Neill would not allow the 31 policemen mentioned in this series to be interviewed. The Inquirer, however, did interview a number of the officers with the agreement that they would not be quoted by name. All 31 were asked for interviews by certified mail

The only rights you get...are right fists'

Anthony Prado, a murder suspect who turned out to be innocent, remembers what a detective said when Prado asked about his constitutional rights.

Rights? a detective replied Youve been watching too much *Kojak.' This is murder were talking about.

Many have shared Prados experience. Again and again, suspects and witnesses who have been interrogated by homicide detectives have later reported that their rights  especially

the constitutional rights to remain silent and to consult a lawyer  were treated as a joke

Richard Rozanski, who a judge found was beaten and illegally interrogated, said a detective told him The only rights you get down here are right fists.

In another case, Judge Rodert A. Latrose became incredulous upon hearing a homicide detective, Chester Koscinsky, testify that he had interrogated 600 suspects in three years and that not not one had asked to see a lawyer.

The judge interrupted to ask the detective: You never have the defendant answer in response to the Miranda warnings that he desired to have a lawyer. . .? You never had that happen?

Not that I can recall, no sir, the detective replied.

Even when suspects do have lawyers, and the lawyers advise them to remain silent, the interrogations sometimes go on.

In one instance, Frank Lowery, 22, a murder suspect, surrendered voluntarily police with his attorney, Dennis B. Haggerty, present. Haggerty testified that he told Detective John Ellis that Lowery was not to be interrogated. Ellis said he would not interrogate Lowery, and he did not.

But Detective Richard Strohm did.

Ellis later testified that he had indeed said he would not question Lowery. He added, however, that he had never made any promises on behalf of other detectives

Under cross examination about the Lowery interrogation, Strohm testified that Haggerty doesnt advise me to do anything. He may advise his client of his constitutional rights, but he doesnt advise me.

Longtime criminal lawyer. Louis Lipschitz supplies some of his clients with a two-page letter to the police in case they are arrested. It says:

"I am specifically advising you that you do not interrogate him (the client) . . expose him to threats of any kind or any form of psychological, mental, moral or physical coercion, "

Please do not expose him to any rides in your elevator or any lie detectors which you may suggest will induce him to have a change of heart or unburden himself or make peace with his Maker . . . or subject him to any other form of persuasion, inducement, wile, seduction or suggestion...

I am aware of the possibility that I have not mentioned all of the things for your consideration which in the past have been asserted through the ingenuity of pseudo-legal minds. I do

feel that the above thoughts serve to remind you of those I have forgotten.

Rizzos defense: Traditional view

Mayor Frank L. Rizto refused to be interviewed for The Inquirer's series on homicide investigations

However, on March 17, when the State Supreme Court handed down a new ruling requiring that all suspects be arraigned within six hours of their arrest, Rizzo, in a telephone interview with The Inquirer, made these comments that touch on some of the issues in the series:

It seems to me we have to consider the entire community. What are we talking about here? Murder. Its not like Kojak, when vou just look out the window and solve a crime. It has to be done with detective work. A lot of painstaking hours, walking the streets, talking to witnesses, checking records.

Take the case of a variety store owner being shot. It's bad enough there's an innocent victim, bot then, tell me, in a city of 2 million people, how are you going to come up with

the killer? You hope he leaves evidence behind  a gun, a bullet we can run down  but its not that easy

Sometimes we come up with a guy. So we got to talk to him. He comes in without a lawyer. There has to be a dialogue between criminals and police, The man talks to us and he tells us he had nothing to do with it. So we let him go and track down his alibis,

Do we ever use the rubber hose (to beat people)? Ive never seen it. We would not permit it to ever happen in Philadelphia. , ,

So we go out and investigate his alibi. Then the man comes back with a lawyer. It used to be you could use any statement (police obtained from a defendant), before they had Miranda and Escobedo (two U.S, Supreme Court rulings requiring that police inform citizens of their rights to remain silent and to consult with a lawyer). But now the courts are tying you down, more. and more

The police arent going to suffer. Its the people who are going to suffer. In the violence thats sweeping through the nation, this court ruling will only make it more difficult to protect a free society...

Im as concerned with the nights of the criminal as I am about anything else. But the scales of justice have to consider the innocent victim You have to weigh the difference between a lawful society and an unlawful society

The scales are shifting too much to the rights of the criminal, Its unfair to the law-abiding citizen. . .

You tell me they (police) bring in the wrong people and question them? Unfortunately, that happens, But unfortunately, these are the times we live in.
A research team led by UCLA materials scientists has demonstrated ways to make super white paint that reflects as much as 98% of incoming heat from the sun. The advance shows practical pathways for designing paints that, if used on rooftops and other parts of a building, could significantly reduce cooling costs, beyond what standard white 'cool-roof' paints can achieve.

The findings, published online in Joule, are a major and practical step towards keeping buildings cooler by passive daytime radiative cooling -- a spontaneous process in which a surface reflects sunlight and radiates heat into space, cooling down to potentially sub-ambient temperatures. This can lower indoor temperatures and help cut down on air conditioner use and associated carbon dioxide emissions.

"When you wear a white T-shirt on a hot sunny day, you feel cooler than if you wore one that's darker in color -- that's because the white shirt reflects more sunlight and it's the same concept for buildings," said Aaswath Raman, an assistant professor of materials science and engineering at UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, and the principal investigator on the study. "A roof painted white will be cooler inside than one in a darker shade. But those paints also do something else: they reject heat at infrared wavelengths, which we humans cannot see with our eyes. This could allow buildings to cool down even more by radiative cooling."

The best performing white paints currently available typically reflect around 85% of incoming solar radiation. The remainder is absorbed by the chemical makeup of the paint. The researchers showed that simple modifications in a paint's ingredients could offer a significant jump, reflecting as much as 98% of incoming radiation.

Current white paints with high solar reflectance use titanium oxide. While the compound is very reflective of most visible and near-infrared light, it also absorbs ultraviolet and violet light. The compound's UV absorption qualities make it useful in sunscreen lotions, but they also lead to heating under sunlight -- which gets in the way of keeping a building as cool as possible.

The researchers examined replacing titanium oxide with inexpensive and readily available ingredients such as barite, which is an artist's pigment, and powered polytetrafluoroethylene, better known as Teflon. These ingredients help paints reflect UV light. The team also made further refinements to the paint's formula, including reducing the concentration of polymer binders, which also absorb heat.

"The potential cooling benefits this can yield may be realized in the near future because the modifications we propose are within the capabilities of the paint and coatings industry," said UCLA postdoctoral scholar Jyotirmoy Mandal, a Schmidt Science Fellow working in Raman's research group and the co-corresponding author on the research.

Beyond the advance, the authors suggested several long-term implications for further study, including mapping where such paints could make a difference, studying the effect of pollution on radiative cooling technologies, and on a global scale, if they could make a dent on the earth's own ability to reflect heat from the sun.

The researchers also noted that many municipalities and governments, including the state of California and New York City, have started to encourage cool-roof technologies for new buildings.

"We hope that the work will spur future initiatives in super-white coatings for not only energy savings in buildings, but also mitigating the heat island effects of cities, and perhaps even showing a practical way that, if applied on a massive, global scale could affect climate change," said Mandal, who has studied cooling paint technologies for several years. "This would require a collaboration among experts in diverse fields like optics, materials science and meteorology, and experts from the industry and policy sectors."
OTTAWA  Manitobas grand chief says he was a vaccine skeptic until his ailing son needed a major medical procedure.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/7/2020 (556 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  Manitobas grand chief says he was a vaccine skeptic until his ailing son needed a major medical procedure.

"You vaccinate animals; I wouldnt immunize my kids," is how Grand Chief Arlen Dumas characterized his past thinking about immunizations, urging families to get the flu shot in the fall.

"I used to have sort of principled positions on how I felt about immunizations," he said Friday during an Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs COVID-19 webcast.

"Unfortunately, you have to go learn and educate yourself and find out this stuff."

Dumas's eldest son, Achahk, died in March 2019 at age 18 from complications related to cystic fibrosis.

Before that, he required a lung transplant, changing his father's world view.

"Because it was so important for him to receive (the transplant), I really had to do a lot of research, and I had to do a lot of thinking on that whole idea of immunizations," he said.

"I, too, would encourage anyone: if you can, please immunize your babies. Lets keep everyone as healthy as possible," Dumas said.

CF is a genetic disease that cant be prevented, though medical experts recommend vaccines including annual flu shots to keep up general lung health.

The Manitoba government offers the chickenpox vaccine to anyone with high-risk medical conditions including CF, and strongly recommends people living with CF get the annual flu shot, as well.

Vaccines came up during the livestream in the context of an anticipated second wave of the coronavirus in the fall.

Dr. Marcia Anderson, a medical officer of health, said she was concerned about Indigenous people not getting the flu shot when it becomes available, leading to worsening outcomes and the health-care system grappling with both COVID-19 and the flu at the same time.

"Vaccines are not perfect but there is a ton of evidence about their effectiveness," Anderson said, noting that measles is resurgent in parts of North America where immunization rates have dropped.

Studies show 20 to 30 per cent of Canadians are "vaccine hesitant," meaning they tend to delay or outright refuse to have their children immunized.

It's less common for parents to forgo any vaccines, though refusal rates have been rising, which experts have linked to anti-vaxxer websites and conspiracies on social media.

Anderson said the focus on COVID-19 has added to the difficulty in making sure children get their shots.

"There are a lot of kids who got behind on their vaccines in that time where we were really shifting to virtual care for only really necessary things, because of the risks of being in the health-care setting," she said.

"Nows a great time as well to get caught up on those vaccines."

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In 2009, the H1N1 swine flu impacted First Nations people to a greater extent than any other group in Manitoba.

However, University of Manitoba health professor Michelle Driedger has documented how the rollout of the H1N1 vaccine in Winnipeg was hampered by communications challenges.

Officials had expedited safety tests and selected Indigenous people as a target population, likely because they have a higher rate of other health conditions.

But the term "adjuvanted vaccine"  referring to one with added substances to boost immune response  confused some people, and the sped-up testing stoked conspiracy-style fears that Indigenous people were being used as guinea pigs.

Researchers are already preparing for how to publicize a COVID-19 vaccine if it comes along without isolating the most vulnerable people.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
Two people on a late-night KFC run in Dandenong have led police to a backyard birthday party, where they fined 16 people for breaking COVID-19 restrictions.

Victoria Police issued 60 fines over 24 hours for breaches of the Chief Health Officer's directions, as the state recorded an additional 288 COVID-19 cases on Friday.

People in metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire can be fined $1652 if they are caught outside their homes for reasons other than work, exercise, purchasing essential items, receiving healthcare or caregiving requirements.

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said ambulance officers noticed two people ordering around 20 KFC meals at 1.30am, with their car's registration leading police to a townhouse where there were 16 people "hiding out the back".
OTTAWA - The Liberal government is updating a legal definition of "parent" to make it easier for some parents to pass their Canadian citizenship onto their children.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/7/2020 (558 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Marco Mendicino speaks during a press conference on COVID-19 in West Block on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Thursday, March 19, 2020. The Liberal government is updating the interpretation of "parent" in order to make it easier for people to pass on their Canadian citizenship to their children. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

OTTAWA - The Liberal government is updating a legal definition of "parent" to make it easier for some parents to pass their Canadian citizenship onto their children.

Previously, children born to Canadians abroad automatically received citizenship only if there was a genetic link between the parent and the child or the parent gave birth to the child.

Now, the government announced Thursday, the government will allow non-biological Canadian parents who are a child's legal parent at birth to pass down their citizenship.

Laurence Caron, who is Canadian, and her partner Elsje van der Ven, who is Dutch, are responsible for the change after a long legal battle.

When van der Van gave birth to their son four years ago while they were living in the Netherlands, the couple went to apply for his Canadian citizenship and found out he didn't get it automatically.

The reason: Caron's biological material was not used for his conception.

"We were shocked, disappointed and very hurt," Caron said during a virtual news conference Thursday.

"In the discrimination that we sometimes face as a same-sex family, we always thought that Canada would have our back but the reality was different."

While they could have sought a grant of citizenship for Benjamin, it is a cumbersome process, and didn't treat them equally under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, federal Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino acknowledged Thursday.

He applauded them for taking the step of challenging the system in court, leading to the new interpretation of the term "parent."

The change will benefit LGBTQ communities and parents facing fertility challenges, he said.

"It makes a strong statement to recognize the diversity of Canadian families, a statement which demonstrates the government's commitment to strengthening diversity and fostering inclusion," he said.

However, another commitment to make citizenship more inclusive  a promise in the Liberals' 2019 election platform to make citizenship applications free  appears to be on hold.

Mendicino said Thursday the government does remain committed to reducing barriers to citizenship, but noted also the unprecedented situation of COVID-19 that is putting extreme pressure on government finances.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 9, 2020.
WASHINGTON - Joe Biden unveiled a proposal Thursday to spend $700 billion on American products and research, challenging President Donald Trump's "America First" agenda with a competing brand of economic nationalism and setting the stage for an election-year showdown over the country's financial future.

In one of his most far-reaching plans since emerging as the presumptive Democratic nominee, Biden called for the federal government to spend $400 billion over four years on materials and services made in the United States, as well as $300 billion on U.S.-based research and development involving electric cars, artificial intelligence and similar technologies.

He also advocated a 100-day "supply chain review" that could require federal agencies to buy only medical supplies and other goods manufactured in the United States. And he urged an end to loopholes that let procurement officers and federal contractors get around existing "Buy American" clauses.

"When we spend taxpayers' money - when the federal government spends taxpayers' money - we should use it to buy American products and support American jobs," Biden said in a speech at a metal works plant in Dunmore in Pennsylvania, a crucial battleground state.

The announcement marked an effort by Biden to begin laying out his agenda in more detail after months in which his central message was Trump's failures. It also amounted to a recognition that while Trump trails in the polls, many voters support his handling of the economy.

The president has been arguing for months that the economy will regain its momentum when business, restaurants and other operations are allowed to reopen. Some Trump allies were frustrated Thursday that Biden offered his plan before the president announced a similar "Buy American" proposal that officials say has been held up for months amid internal White House objections.

"They are essentially trying to steal the Trump program of 2016 and steal that playbook," Trump's former chief strategist Stephen Bannon said on his radio program. "For some reason, the White House and the campaign have been caught flat-footed. Biden has very smart people around him, particularly on the economic side."

Biden's pitch underscores a striking shift in both parties away from globalization and free trade and toward protecting American workers and revitalizing struggling domestic industries. Those trends have been accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic, which has wreaked havoc on the economy.

Biden said Thursday that his plan would restore the jobs lost this year and create 5 million new ones. It amounted to the most forceful case he has made for reducing dependence on foreign countries to supply the United States with essential goods.

Biden repeatedly castigated Trump and sounded populist notes that were reminiscent of his more liberal primary challengers. He stressed the need to protect workers and Main Street rather than the "wealthy investor class" and "bankers and CEOs." He declared that "enough is enough," saying it is "time to reverse the priorities in this country. It's time to help small businesses, middle-class folks, manage their way through the pandemic."

Trump's rise in 2016 was built heavily on promises of bringing back American jobs, as well as blaming immigrants for hurting American workers. As president, he has stoked a trade war with China and imposed tariffs that flew in the face of his party's orthodoxy.

Vice President Mike Pence was also in Pennsylvania on Thursday, touting Trump's economic performance in a talk to business leaders in the borough of Malvern near Philadelphia. While 22 million jobs have been lost during the pandemic, the country has regained 7 million of them, Pence said.

We see "this country coming back because of the solid foundation that was put in place" by the Trump administration, Pence said, including lower taxes, less regulation, more U.S.-produced energy and better trade agreements. He called it "the great American comeback."

Still, Trump's efforts to revive domestic manufacturing produced uneven results even before the pandemic. There were fewer manufacturing workers in Wisconsin this January than there were at any point under the Bush administration, for example.

Biden, who once supported the North American Free Trade Agreement and Trans-Pacific Partnership, has in contrast focused his current campaign on prioritizing American industries, following the lead of Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., the democratic socialist who was his top rival for the Democratic nomination,and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., who released a "Plan For Economic Patriotism" during the primary and has undergone vetting by Biden's campaign to be his running mate.

Biden and Warren's teams consulted closely on the new plan, according to two people with knowledge of the situation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private talks.

The plan won some praise Thursday from liberal leaders. "All in all, on the right track," Columbia University economics professor Jeffrey Sachs wrote in an email to The Post. Sachs supported Sanders for president and now backs Biden.

Biden's new platform focuses heavily on using the power of the federal government to promote a U.S. domestic manufacturing base. The $400 billion procurement initiative would be spread over four years to spur demand for American products and services, as would the $300 billion investment in research and breakthrough technologies. Half of the $300 billion would go to clean-energy initiatives and were previously announced.

Before Biden spoke Thursday, he toured the metal works plant with Sen. Robert Casey Jr., D-Pa., and plant owner Robert McGregor.

"How are you, man?" Biden asked a worker. "I keep distance," the worker said. Biden wore a mask throughout the tour.

Later he delivered his remarks outside at a covered loading dock. It started raining, and Biden invited attendees to seek shelter under the covering as the water loudly pelted the steel roof. Some workers took him up on his offer.

Circles were placed in front of Biden's lectern to encourage listeners to stay within them and maintain social distancing. Reporters had their temperatures taken and were asked coronavirus screening questions as they entered.

Biden broadened his argument against Trump beyond the economy, criticizing his defense of Confederate symbols, which has been the subject of ongoing debate in the presidential race. Trump is "determined to drive us apart to keep his base in place," the former vice president said.

Holding a significant lead in the polls, Biden is seeking to close off any possible openings for Trump to make the contest more competitive. He said he plans to unveil proposals next week on infrastructure and clean energy, the second part of what he bills as the "Build Back Better" plan. The other two components are caregiving and education, and racial equality.

Both campaigns are gearing up for an escalating clash over the economy, a normally dominant theme in presidential elections. Trump argues that he built a booming economy before the coronavirus outbreak and could do it again. Biden blames Trump for his erratic reaction to the pandemic and frequent flouting of public health advice, which he says fueled the alarming rate of infections and badly damaged the economy as a result.

On the Republican side, White House advisers and allies worried about Biden's "Buy American" push, with Bannon saying on his radio program that the Democrat's rollout could help him in such states as Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, which Trump narrowly won in major 2016 upsets.

Trump aides said the president remains the obvious person to reignite the economy as he has done before.

"President Trump's policies of lower taxes, deregulation, reciprocal trade and energy independence built a booming economy once, and they will do so again under his leadership," said Judd Deere, a White House spokesman.

White House officials led by senior Trump adviser Peter Navarro have drafted an executive order requiring federal agencies to buy medical supplies and pharmaceuticals produced in the United States.

That executive order has languished for months, however, amid objections by some of Trump's other senior advisers, including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, who have warned that it could lead China to limit the supply of personal protective equipment, or PPE, that it is sending to the United States.

Some analysts said the executive order could now be signed swiftly, but it remained unclear Thursday when or whether that would happen.

When it comes to Biden's plan, the Democrat's campaign says he will finance the ongoing costs of his economic agenda by reversing some of Trump's tax cuts for corporations and imposing "common-sense tax reforms that finally make sure the wealthiest Americans pay their fair share." The campaign declined to provide a more detailed accounting of how it would pay for the $700 billion in spending it proposed Thursday.

A senior Biden campaign official said more specific details would be released once the full plan is out, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the campaign did not authorize the person to speak on the record. Those details would include a stimulus package, which Biden believes will be needed, and continuing costs, the official said.

Biden often touts his central role in the Obama administration, but he has been less eager to tout the administration's championing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which proved controversial with the party's union base. Labor leaders said it did too little to require America's partners improve their environmental and labor standards.

Trump highlighted the shortcomings of the TPP and other trade deals in his 2016 campaign and rejected it upon taking office. Biden has said he wants to renegotiate the agreement, which includes several Asian countries and which supporters say could serve as a bulwark against China's influence. Thursday's plan calls for using tax dollars to "stand up to the Chinese government's abuses, insist on fair trade, and extend opportunity to all Americans."

"Trade negotiations over big trade deals is something that in sequence will follow a dramatic set of domestic investments," said the senior Biden campaign official. In addition to closing loopholes around existing "Buy American" clauses, Biden is pushing for a crackdown on false advertising of "Buy American" goods.

Since the end of the Obama administration, many Democrats have backed off the TPP and focused instead on directly promoting domestic production. Bipartisan momentum has grown in recent weeks for tax incentives for companies to onshore their supply chains, in part because of the gaps in U.S. medical supply production exposed by the pandemic.

The nation is facing a new shortage of personal protective equipment, including of N95 masks and medical gowns, as cases rise. But bringing supply chains back to the United States could prove difficult, and the Trump administration has struggled to do so.

A Biden administration, like the Trump White House, would face the prospect of foreign retaliation for any promotion of American companies. "Buy American" provisions are also likely to face objections from U.S. firms that would see their costs increase if forced to buy more expensive supplies. Senior Biden officials said Wednesday that their plans were carefully vetted and do not run afoul of World Trade Organization rules.

"Incentivizing companies to raise their costs by 'Buying American' is not going to fix almost two decades of low productivity growth - it's going to take us in the opposite direction," said Adam Ozimek, chief economist at Upwork. "This will just create higher costs for American businesses and consumers."
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Syracuse, N.Y.  Syracuse Assistant Provost and Dean of Student Success Amanda Nicholson said students caught hosting fraternity parties when the school returns during the coronavirus pandemic would be subject to immediate suspension, according to a report from the schools student television station.

Nicholson made the comments during a University Senate forum last month. Reporter Ricky Sayer viewed the forum.

During the forum we viewed, Asst. Provost Amanda Nicholson said in regard to social distaning rules: "And someone hosting a huge party in a frat house. Right. I mean, so there's this levels of this, the latter would be immediate suspension." @CitrusTVNewshttps://t.co/ivTxscKhcl  Ricky ''Reports'' Sayer (@RickyReports) July 10, 2020

Nicholson also stated punishment for students breaking rules about partying during the pandemic would need to be swift and heavy and that students who arent able to comply should be online.

Someone hosting a huge party in a frat house, I mean, so theres these levels of this, Nicholson said, according to Sayer. The latter would be immediate suspension. I mean, we will. Thats all I can tell you.

During the faculty senate meeting, Nicholson said that Syracuse was still finalizing enforcement levels and processes.

Syracuse University declined to immediately address Nicholsons specific comments from the forum with syracuse.com | The Post-Standard but referred to a previous e-mailed statement from Mike Haynie, the schools vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation.

That statement indicated students will be expected to follow public health guidance while on campus and could be disciplined if they dont.

Students who knowingly violate public health directives could face disciplinary action, Haynie wrote. If you choose to remain in or return to off-campus housing, we expect you to support efforts to promote the health and safety of this community. Please, take very seriously your obligation to safeguard public health and the health of others.

Currently, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has limited most gatherings to 50 people in New York.

Nicholson indicated that rules banning large gatherings would not just apply to school property but would be applied in off-campus neighborhoods. She did not indicate how Syracuse University intended to enforce those rules.

You can gather with your own family unit and your own apartment or your own floor of a residence hall  thats allowed. But no big parties, all the rest of it, Nicholson said, according to the report.

Sayer reported that Nicholson said the school was working on a social compact that students will be encouraged to sign. He reported that a draft of that compact included promises that students will avoid leaving Central New York, wear masks and stay six feet apart.

Nicholson suggested that if students dont want to follow the rules, they should take classes online instead.

If students dont feel they can uphold this. ... they need to be online or they need to do something else because this is going to be the deal, Nicholson reportedly said.

The compact and penalties have not been published, meaning students wont actually have much time, if any, to factor it into their academic or housing decisions this fall. According to Syracuse Universitys website, the fall tuition deadline for students is Friday, July 17. While most students at Syracuse receive some financial aid, the schools listed cost-of-attendance for new students is $74,381 for the full year.

In addition to the comments on partying, Haynie told the faculty senate that the school will not require faculty and staff to be tested for coronavirus before they return but that it would create chances for testing to be done voluntary. Students will be required to produce a negative test before they arrive on campus and will be part of a pool screening at least twice afterward.

Haynie indicated the difference is because faculty members live in Central New York and they would not be importing new cases of the virus and there is relatively limited spread locally.

Were being told its an unnecessary step for us to test the entire faculty and staff population given the rate of infection locally, Haynie said.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

Coronavirus in NY: Hospitalizations increase slightly

Syracuse nursing home, which became CNYs coronavirus hospice, is No. 2 in cases Upstate

Online school likely to return in fall: CNY kids, teachers, parents share what worked, what didnt

Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com

Contact Chris Carlson anytime: Email | Twitter | 315-412-1639
NEW DELHI: While the AAP government in Delhi has taken a slew of measures to control the spread of deadly coronavirus in the national capital, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal too led the fight against COVID-19 from the forefront.

Due to the collective efforts of the Centre, Delhi government, Delhi hospitals, health workers, the COVID-19 recovery rate in the national capital has gone up while the mortality rate has seen a sharp decline.

While the nationwide lockdown announced in March helped contain a rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus, it brought with it other socio-economic crises with people losing their jobs, daily wage earners being left with no means to earn a living, migrants being stranded without food and shelter and an acute fall in government revenues. It was clear that a lockdown couldnt be a long-term strategy and the economy would need to be gradually opened up.

Unlock 1.0, announced by the Central Government, which started on June 1 did begin to pick up the economy but brought with it difficulties for Delhi. In the first week of June, Delhi started witnessing a rising number of cases, a rising number of deaths and because of these a rapidly rising panic amongst the citizens of Delhi. At this moment, Delhi CM decided to lead the battle against COVID-19 from the forefront.

Public engagement and participation

This proved to be a trump card of the Arvind Kejriwal government not just in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, but behind many success stories of the AAP government.

Direct Public Engagement by the Chief Minister

Throughout the pandemic the Chief Minister himself has kept a direct engagement with the people of Delhi - be it explaining Home Isolation, how oximeters work, why plasma should be donated, how hospitals beds are being increased.

This engagement has meant that the people of Delhi have always been informed by a trusted voice about where the city stands in its ability to confront the Coronavirus. This engagement has also been important because controlling a pandemic requires a change in peoples behaviour; and change in behaviour comes from being informed of facts in a credible manner however difficult they may be.

2. Involving all Stakeholders

Instead of relying only on the government machinery to manage this pandemic, the Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, aggressively reached out to different stakeholders to contribute in this fight. From Central government that provided ventilators, masks, testing kits and medical staff, hotels that provided rooms, non-profit organisations that have helped run COVID Care centres, volunteer-doctors who helped man the helplines to counsel COVID-positive patients to civil defence volunteers who helped families in Home Isolation to buy groceries - all of these were brought together by the Chief Ministers outreach efforts.

It did not stop there; CM representatives were placed in every medical facility to ensure that public grievances were addressed promptly and with a human touch. Chief Minister Fellows and Delhi Legislative Assembly Fellows were pulled out of their offices and placed in district offices to support in the COVID-19 patient management process. Community volunteers were involved in the process of tracing and isolating patients.

It was this public driven effort that helped stabilise the COVID-19 pandemic in Delhi.

The success of Delhi in overcoming the Coronavirus lies not just in its capacity to expand hospital infrastructure, increase testing or aggressively isolate but also in its ability to understand the psychological and emotional challenges that this pandemic has created and the political will to resolve the public health crisis in a manner that take cognisance of the state-of-mind of the people of Delhi.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 22:03:33|Editor: huaxia

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TEHRAN, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian police have seized over 2.5 tons of narcotics in the country's two provinces, semi-official Fars news reported on Friday.

The Police Commander of southern Kerman province Abodlreza Nazeri said on Thursday that 1,526 kg of opium and hashish were seized in the province.

The police forces clamped down on the smugglers and seized the cargo that was being transferred to Kerman province from the eastern borders, Nazeri was quoted as saying.

In the operation, one smuggler was arrested, he said.

In a similar operation, the police force of Yazd province, central Iran, captured 1,048 kg of opium and hashish.

Police Commander of Yazd Province Abbas Ali Behdani Fard said in the operation, nine smugglers were arrested and handed over to the judiciary.

The report put the time of operation on Wednesday.

Iran has being suffering from drug trafficking given its location at the crossroads of international drug smuggling from Afghanistan, the world's top opium producer, to Europe.

Over the past few decades, Iran's eastern and southeastern borders have seen deadly clashes between Iranian security forces and armed drug smugglers. Enditem
Bhopal, July 10 : Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti on Friday praised the Uttar Pradesh Police for the alleged encounter killing of gangster Vikas Dubey, adding that Lord Shiva took the life of 'demon' Dubey for killing an honest police officer like (Circle Officer) Devendra Mishra.

Dubey was arrested on Thursday from Ujjain after he was on the run after killing eight police officials in Bikru village in Kanpur district on July 3. He was shot dead early on Friday when he tried to escape while being transited to Kanpur from Ujjain.

The former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister said there was still a mystery over three things -- How did he reach Ujjain? For how long did he remain in the Mahakaal Temple in Ujjain? Why did it take so long to recognise him when he could have easily been found out in CCTV footage? She said that she would have a word on these issues with Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and the Home Minister.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
For his part, Jacobs  who declared victory on the night of the election  pretty much did so again.

"With the counting completed today and the outcome reaffirmed, I'm eager to get to work for the people of Western New York as their representative in Congress," he said in a statement. "I care deeply about this community and I will do all I can to serve it with honesty and integrity."

Jacobs won't become a member of Congress right away, though. Niagara County Elections Commissioner Lora Allen said the county won't even begin counting its absentee ballots until next week, and the election results can't be certified until that count is completed.

That means the soonest Jacobs could be sworn in would be the week of July 20, when the House returns from a two-week recess.

Cam Savage, Jacobs' political consultant, said he expected the June special election race to tighten once the absentee ballots were counted. Election officials had previously said the vast majority of absentee ballots returned were from Democratic voters.
Lilongwe (Malawi) (AFP) - Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera on Friday fired back at critics over the choice of his maiden cabinet which they said was tainted by family ties, insisting that the appointments were based purely on merit.

The newly-elected president was reacting to public outrage that ensued on Thursday when Chakwera unveiled a 31-member cabinet which included six figures who are related to each other, although not to the president.

"The only thing that counts is merit because for far too long, we have defined merit wrongly in this country," Chakwera said during a swearing in of the newly-appointed ministers.

"I believe that a just society is not only one in which familial, regional, and marital ties do not qualify you for service, but also one in which those ties do not disqualify you for service," he said.

Chakwera said that in making the appointments, he did not consider what families or regions the candidates came from nor whom they were married to.

"Many Malawians are not as persuaded as I am that you are the right people for this job," he told his new ministers, while challenging them to prove critics wrong by delivering "the transformation that Malawians have long cried, prayed, and fought for."

He warned his new ministers against displaying "lazy, abusive, wasteful, arrogant, extravagant, divisive, and corrupt" behaviour.

"I will not hesitate to have you replaced. Contrary to public opinion, I am not beholden to any of you, nor do I have any of you to appease, for I owe both my election and allegiance to God and the Malawian people," he said.

Chakwera, 65, comfortably beat Peter Mutharika with 58.5 percent of the vote last month, marking the first time in African history that an election re-run led to the defeat of an incumbent.

The former evangelical preacher vowed to tackle corruption on his election ticket.

His victory had brought hope for change in landlocked Malawi, where around half of its 18 million people live below the poverty line.
Poor Jennifer Aniston - it looks like that Brad Pitt has, once again, left her in the dust, as he finally settles with Alia Shawkat.

After coming this close to having Aniston and Pitt reuniting for the second time, it may be the end of the line for the "Friends" actress.

In September 2019, Brad Pitt was pictured with Alia Shawkat. At that time, sources told the media that they were just friends.

However, they started to develop feelings for each other while the "Ad Astra" actor's romance with the blonde beauty remained stagnant.

"Jen noticed," according to In Touch's July 20, 2020 issue, "She gave Brad time and space, but he continued to bounce back and forth."

Their source added, "Finally, he picked Alia, afraid it wouldn't work with Jen, and he'd hurt her again."

The 56-year-old has reportedly fallen in love with the "Arrested Development" star and "has asked her to be his wife," according to In Touch.

The publication also detailed how Pitt asked Shawkat to be his wife.

"One day, during a hike in Malibu, Brad spontaneously got down on one knee and asked Alia to marry him," their tipster reported.

"He didn't even have a ring yet. Alia said yes, of course. She was ecstatic."

Shawkat has also reportedly moved in with Pitt in his compound in Los Angeles' Los Feliz neighborhood.

While Shawkat is reportedly so ecstatic for the new chapter in her life with Pitt, the same can't be said for Jennifer Aniston when she found out.

"She's devastated," an insider revealed.

In a surprising twist, however, Angelina Jolie, Pitt's recent ex-wife, is said to be happy for him.

"Angie called Brad and wished him well. He was floored, especially since they're still fighting over Chateau Miraval," their French property.

The "Tomb Raider" actress seemed sincere, according to the magazine.

"But people suspect part of the reason she's so supportive is that she's relieved he's not marrying Jen again," the source said.

"That's the last thing Angie would have wanted."

Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie in Good Terms?

The former power couple of Hollywood, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are reportedly co-parenting amicably, thanks to family therapy.

A source told People Magazine, "They definitely needed help figuring out all the child custody issues and how Brad could be a dad again."

"Since the kids are older now, they are no longer dealing with Angie's separation issues."

The source further revealed that the family had taken a lot of time in therapy to get to where they are now, adding that there's no longer some tension between the former couple.

"The younger kids go back and forth between their houses, and Brad loves spending as much time with them as possible. He seems much happier."

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have shifted their focus on their family and their charitable causes.

Jolie has donated $1 million to No Kids Hungry and $200,000 to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.

Meanwhile, Pitt appeared in different videos to offer support throughout the coronavirus pandemic, including a surprise for a sanitation worker in New Orleans.

He has also attended numerous protests over the killing of George Floyd.

READ MORE: The Disgusting Reason Why Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's Marriage Ended
New audio has emerged from the investigation into the death of Breonna Taylor, who was shot at home by police during the execution of a no-knock warrant.

Newly released interviews with police and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, who spoke to authorities hours after he survived the encounter that killed Taylor at their home on March 13 reinforce that the couple had no idea who was attempting to break into the apartment that night.

In the audio, which was first obtained by NBC News, Walker is heard telling Public Integrity Unit officials, who investigate officer-involved shootings, why he fired a shot inside their Springfield Drive apartment.

"It's a loud boom at the door. First thing she said was, 'Who is it?' No response," he said.

"We both get up, start putting on clothes, another knock at the door. She's like, 'Who is it?' Loud, at the top of her lungs. No response," Walker, 27, said. "I grab my gun, which is legal, like I'm licensed to carry, everything. I've never even fired my gun outside of a range. I'm scared to death."

PHOTO: Attorney Benjamin Crump, left, holds up the hand of Kenneth Walker during a rally on the steps of the Kentucky State Capitol in Frankfort, Ky., June 25, 2020. (Timothy D. Easley/AP Photo)

After another knock at the door, Walker said Taylor yelled "at the top of her lungs," but there was "no response, no anything." Walker added that he and Taylor put on clothes to answer the door, which then came "off the hinges."

"I just let off one shot. Like, I still can't see who it is or anything. So now the door's, like, flying open," he continued. "I let off one shot, and then all of a sudden there's a whole lot of shots and we like we both just dropped to the ground."

Taylor, 26, who worked for Louisville Metro Emergency Medical Services as a licensed EMT, was killed when police returned fire.

MORE: Louisville police officer involved in Breonna Taylor's death fired 3 months later

Officers had executed a no-knock entry "due to the nature of how these drug traffickers operate," according to the arrest warrant obtained by ABC News.

Story continues

Taylor was accused of accepting USPS packages for an ex-boyfriend whom police were investigating as an alleged drug trafficker who used her address, according to the warrant.

Newly released video showed the moment Walker was arrested in the parking lot of their apartment. Initially, authorities charged him with attempting to kill police officers, but those charges were dismissed.

PHOTO: This undated photo courtesy of Breonna Taylor family shows Breonna posing during a graduation ceremony in Louisville, Ky. (Family of Breonna Taylor via AFP/Getty Images)

On Thursday, ABC News obtained Walker's audio statement to police from his attorney. His lawyer also released another audio interview, conducted March 25, with the highest-ranking officer who was at the couple's front door when Taylor was shot to death.

In the audio, Walker could be heard expressing concern for the officer he shot. "[Is] the police officer that got hit OK?" he says in the audio.

At one point he says that he aimed down when he fired.

"Yeah, like, because I wouldn't, of course ... I don't need to kill anybody. ... If I could just get you out of here just by you hearing that," he said.

MORE: Timeline: Inside the investigation of Breonna Taylor's killing and its aftermath

When investigators asked Sgt. Jon Mattingly, who with officers Myles Cosgrove and Brett Hankison used a ram to break open the door and were involved in Taylor's shooting, whether he could remember the name of the target on the search warrant, he said "not offhand."

Mattingly also said during the interview, which happened 12 days after the fatal incident, that the officers did not initially announce who they were when they started banging on the door just after midnight.

"The first banging on the door, [we] did not announce," he said. "I think after that we did. ... After that, each one of them said, 'Police, come the door. Search warrant. Police, search warrant.'"

Walker, however, told police that he didn't hear police saying this.

"All can hear is a knock at the door," he said. "Even if somebody was saying something on the other side, you probably couldn't hear them. But as loud as we were screaming to say who it is, I know whoever will be on the other side of the door could hear us."

PHOTO: Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly is pictured here. (Louisville Metro Police Department)

Once inside Taylor's home, Mattingly recalled, "I could see enough to see a male on the right. A female on the left. Could identify their faces."

"But I could actually see the handgun in his hand," he said. "I remember seeing the barrel of that soon as we turned that corner."

The lawsuit, filed in Jefferson District Court on April 27 by attorneys Sam Aguiar and Lonita Baker, seeks damages for battery, wrongful death, excessive force, negligence and gross negligence. Hankison, Cosgrove and Mattingly are named as defendants in the suit filed by Aguiar and Baker on behalf of Taylor's mother, Tamika Palmer.

"The recorded statements of Kenny Walker and Sergeant Jonathan Mattingly released today clearly reveal that there has been a conspiracy to cover up Breonna's killing since day one," Aguiar, Baker and their co-counsel, renowned civil rights attorney Ben Crump, said in a statement Thursday. "They substantiate what we've maintained all along: that police did not announce themselves when they broke into the residence with a battering ram and released a shower of gunfire into the apartment, killing Breonna, that the warrant and its execution were based on erroneous information and that Louisville police actively worked to cover up Breonna's brutal murder."

Hankison, who fired the shots that killed Taylor, was terminated from the Louisville Metro Police Department in late June, with Police Chief Robert J. Schroeder writing in a letter that he "displayed an extreme indifference to the value of human life" by firing 10 shots upon entering Taylor's home unannounced.

ABC News' Christina Carrega contributed to this report.

This report was featured in the Friday, July 10, 2020, episode of Start Here, ABC News daily news podcast.

"Start Here" offers a straightforward look at the day's top stories in 20 minutes. Listen for free every weekday on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, the ABC News app or wherever you get your podcasts.

Sergeant involved in Breonna Taylor's death, her boyfriend recount details in newly released interviews originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
AEVIS VICTORIA SA / Key word(s): Real Estate





Release of an ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 KR

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.





Press release

Fribourg, 10 July 2020

AEVIS VICTORIA SA: Subsidiary Swiss Hotel Properties SA focuses on luxury hospitality real estate



At the end of 2019, AEVIS VICTORIA SA (AEVIS VICTORIA) announced the signing of acquisition agreements, through its real estate subsidiary dedicated to the hospitality segment Swiss Hotel Properties SA (Swiss Hotel Properties), of several hotel properties from Credit Suisse Real Estate Fund Hospitality (CS REF Hospitality), a real estate fund of Credit Suisse Funds. These included the Mont Cervin and Petit Cervin buildings in Zermatt, the InterContinental in Davos and the Swiss Holiday Park in Morschach.

In order to ensure optimum long-term cooperation between its different hotels, AEVIS VICTORIA will only focus on operating and owning four and five-star hotels. The parties have therefore agreed that the Swiss Holiday Park will remain in the CS REF Hospitality portfolio. The transfer of ownership of the remaining properties in Zermatt and Davos has taken place.

AEVIS VICTORIA, through its subsidiaries Victoria-Jungfrau SA and Seiler Hotels SA, is now operating eight luxury hotels under the brand Michel Reybier Hospitality : the Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa in Interlaken, La Reserve Eden au Lac in Zurich, the Crans Ambassador Luxury Sport Resort in Crans Montana, the Mont Cervin Palace, Le Petit Cervin and the Monte Rosa Hotel in Zermatt, the Bellevue Palace in Bern and the InterContinental in Davos. The real estate subsidiary Swiss Hotel Properties holds 17 properties in its portfolio located on six sites and totalling 93'052 sqm and 663 rooms. The total value of the portfolio amounts to more than CHF 450 million with rental income between CHF 15 and 20 million.

For further information:

AEVIS VICTORIA SA Media and Investor Relations: c/o Dynamics Group, Zurich

Philippe R. Blangey, prb@dynamicsgroup.ch, +41 (0) 43 268 32 35 or +41 (0) 79 785 46 32

Severine Van der Schueren, svanderschueren@aevis.com, +41 (0) 79 635 04 10



AEVIS VICTORIA SA - Investing for a better life

AEVIS VICTORIA SA invests in healthcare, hospitality & lifestyle and infrastructure. AEVISs main shareholdings are Swiss Medical Network SA, the only Swiss private network of hospitals present in the country's three main language regions, Victoria-Jungfrau AG, a luxury hotel group managing luxury hotels in Switzerland, Infracore SA (30%, directly and indirectly), a real estate company dedicated to healthcare-related infrastructure, a hospitality real estate division, Medgate (40%), the leading telemedicine provider in Switzerland, and NESCENS SA, a brand dedicated to better aging. AEVIS is listed on the Swiss Reporting Standard of the SIX Swiss Exchange (AEVS.SW). www.aevis.com.





End of ad hoc announcement
GARY  A Chicago man was charged with the murder of a 20-year-old that led to a carjacking and police chase Wednesday.

Larry Boston, 19, was charged with the murder of Charles Golden, of Chicago, according to Lake County Superior Court records. An arrest warrant was issued for Boston on Thursday.

Golden died from gunshot wounds and his death was ruled a homicide, the Lake County coroner's report said. Boston was apprehended after a chase, police said.

Gary police responded about 10:45 a.m. Wednesday for a report of a gunshot victim in the 4700 block of Adams Street in Gary. There, they found the man with apparent gunshot wounds, Gary police Lt. Dawn Westerfield said. He was taken to Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus, where he was pronounced dead.

Police dogs were deployed to track the suspect, who was seen running from the scene. A short distance away, it was reported that a man who matched the suspect description carjacked a vehicle, said Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez.

Gary police saw the stolen vehicle and the suspect led Gary officers and several other law enforcement agencies on a pursuit that extended into Illinois, Westerfield said.
If an agent chooses, they can literally hand off all of their marketing and transaction processing needs to RECS, which then frees them up to focus on what they do bestexpertly representing their clients and generating more business.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty, one of the countrys fastest-growing real estate brokerages, today launched a new platform that makes it easy for agents to obtain a wide range of brokerage services.

Named the Real Estate Concierge Service, RECS is an online store that offers an array of transaction management, property marketing and agent branding services designed to save agents time and money. Offerings on the RECS Store include many items essential to the success of an agents business, allowing them to delegate tasks on their never-ending To Do list to a team of experienced designers and administrators.

The RECS Store is in keeping with our company mission to provide a gateway to an enhanced quality of life for our agents, said Mid-Atlantic President and CEO Kevin Wiles. If an agent chooses, they can literally hand off all of their marketing and transaction processing needs to RECS, which then frees them up to focus on what they do bestexpertly representing their clients and generating more business.

The launch of the RECS Store also includes the debut of the companys contract-to-close transaction management service, staffed by an expert team with years of experience in successfully guiding deals to settlement. This new service, which oversees the many day-to-day tasks associated with transactions, is a game changer for PenFed Realty agents, especially those who manage multiple transactions at a time.

In addition, agents can also select from a robust menu of marketing services critical to the success of their business, including:



Custom design of print, digital marketing and advertising materials

Video production services

Turnkey property marketing

Personal branding and advertising

The RECS Store is now available exclusively for PenFed Realty real estate professionals through the company Intranet. For more information, visit whyjoin.penfedrealty.com.

About Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty (http://www.penfedrealty.com) is a full-service real estate company with an annual sales volume of over $5 billion. The company has 1,800 agents and more than 50 offices, providing complete real estate services nationwide. PenFed Realty is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PenFed Credit Union and is a member of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices brokerage network, operated by HSF Affiliates LLC. Membership with PenFed Credit Union is not required to conduct business with BHHS PenFed Realty. We are proud to be an equal employment opportunity employer. Equal Housing Opportunity.
FILE PHOTO: Volkswagen TDI diesel engines are seen in this photo illustration of second-hand car parts in Jelah

By Philip Blenkinsop

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU consumers should be able to sue Volkswagen <VOWG.p.DE> in their national courts if they have bought cars with emission cheat devices installed, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled on Thursday.

The verdict by the EU's top court raises the possibility that the German carmaker could face masses of legal complaints from consumers across the bloc.

The case came to the EU court after an Austrian court handling a claim by the Austrian consumer association VKI on behalf of 574 owners of manipulated vehicles had sought to establish if it had jurisdiction on the matter.

The Court of Justice said that under EU law court applicants should, in principle, sue where the defendant is domiciled.

However, in cases of tort there was also the possibility of taking action in the place where damage had occurred.

The EU court said that the damage occurred only at the time when the vehicles were purchased as they were acquired at a price higher than their actual value.

The VKI wants compensation for the difference between the price consumers paid for vehicles, and the value of a manipulated vehicle.

Volkswagen said the judgment changed little for plaintiffs, defendants and courts in the dieselgate proceedings.

"Outside of Austria, the question of jurisdiction has hardly arisen," it said.

Austria's minister for consumer protection, Rudolf Anschober, said the ruling was encouraging for a large number of affected Austrians.

"Consumers must not be treated differently according to their nationality," he said in a statement.

Volkswagen admitted in 2015 to using illegal software to cheat U.S. diesel engine tests, a scandal that has cost it more than $30 billion in vehicle refits, fines and provisions.

Nearly all U.S. owners of affected cars agreed to take part in a $25 billion settlement in 2016 in the United States. The carmaker is in talks in Germany to settle a class action lawsuit there.

(Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop, additional reporting by Ilona Wissenbach in Frankfurt and Kirsti Knolle in Vienna; editing by Robin Emmott and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
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Linkedin George Obulutsa (Reuters) Nairobi, Kenya  Fri, July 10, 2020 11:51 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406655a982 2 World Africa,coronavirus,COVID-19,COVID-19-infection,coronavirus-testing,pandemic,COVID-19-test,SARS-CoV-2,virus-corona,novel-coronavirus Free

African countries must carry out more coronavirus testing and make people use masks, a regional disease control body said on Thursday as cases topped half a million in the continent.

New cases in Africa were up 24% over the past week, with data from governments and the World Health Organization showing it had 512,499 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 11,930 deaths.

"The pandemic is gaining full momentum," John Nkengasong, head of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), told a virtual news briefing from Addis Ababa.

Nkengasong said African countries, many of which do not have reliable data, must adopt an aggressive approach to encourage the wearing of face masks and ramp up testing and tracing.

"This will save lives and save (the) economy."

Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, and Algeria account for 71% of infections on the continent, Nkengasong said.

Some governments have been reluctant to acknowledge epidemics or to expose crumbling health systems to outside scrutiny, while others are either too poor or conflict-ridden to carry out significant testing.

Nkengasong said it was inevitable that as cases rise, hospitals will become overwhelmed.

"That is something that is happening already. We will continue to see it as the pandemic expands," he added.

Although many have also started gradually easing lockdowns to reopen hard-hit economies, governments are conscious that opening up too quickly could lead to a spike in new cases.

The African Union Commission said on Thursday it had launched a consortium for vaccine clinical trials to be headed by the Africa CDC, which aimed to secure more than 10 late stage vaccine clinical trials as early as possible.

South Africa and Egypt are already running human trials for a potential vaccine.
Coronavirus 'air bridges' finally come into force today with dozens of destinations opened up - but a poll shows they might fall flat as under a fifth of Britons intend to go on holiday abroad this year.

Research for MailOnline found limited appetite among the public for heading for sun-drenched beaches, despite the lifting of draconian quarantine measures on many countries.

Just 17 per cent intend to have a break abroad this year, while 22 per cent say they will go on holiday in the UK. Some 54 per cent say they have given up on the idea altogether for 2020, according to the poll by Redfield & Wilton Strategies.

Even among those who do expect to have a holiday, most will not be going in the summer. Just 11 per cent are looking at booking for this month, a third next month, and 28 per cent say they will wait until September.

Another 27 per cent say they won't be taking a break until October or later this year.

Nearly half said they were planning a holiday abroad before the pandemic struck - and only a quarter were not proposing any kind of getaway.

Some 54 per cent say they have given up on holidays altogether for 2020, according to the poll for MailOnline by Redfield & Wilton Strategies

The poll found that even among those who do expect to have a holiday, most will not be going in the summer

Where can you fly to and from without having to go into quarantine? The 73 countries Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, Croatia, Curacao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Faroe Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malta, Mauritius, Monaco, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Reunion, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, South Korea, Spain, St Barthelemy, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Pierre and Miquelon, Switzerland, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Vatican City, Vietnam. Plus the 14 British Overseas Territories. And who isn't on the list? Canada, the US and most of Central or South America. Countries in Africa, the Middle East and most of Asia are also excluded. In Europe travellers from Sweden, Portugal and Russia must also quarantine. Advertisement

The UK government has confirmed quarantine-free travel to more than 70 countries and British overseas territories.

As well as short-haul European destinations, the travel corridor list also includes long-haul locations such as Australia, Barbados, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand and Vietnam.

But the US, Canada, Portugal and Sweden are not on the list and many other countries in South America, Asia and Africa are not included in exemption because of high rates of coronavirus.

As part of the plans, the Foreign Office has relaxed its embargo on 'all but essential' global travel for 67 countries - although travellers will still have to quarantine when they come back from destinations which don't have a travel corridor.

The rules are slightly different in Scotland, where First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has approved 57 countries - but Spain is not one of them.

The scheme finally began as:

Anger grew as the Foreign Office officials told all Britons to avoid cruise ships - not just the over-70s;

People travelling to the UK from France say they are stilling being told they need to isolate for 14 days;

Holidaymakers are urged to wear masks at all times even on the beach and by the pool;

Travel insurers admitted that they are unlikely to pay out if someone falls ill with Covid-19 abroad;

With the World Health Organisation warning that the coronavirus pandemic is still rising, tourists face a very different experience on most holiday spots.

A separate poll yesterday suggested there is also widespread doubts in many other countries over whether they want British tourists, with infection rates still relatively high in the UK.

On the Balearic Islands  which are braced for the arrival of thousands of English sunseekers this weekend  police have been given the power to fine holidaymakers 90 if they fail to wear coverings outside their hotel rooms.

But officials confirmed last night that holidaymakers will not have to wear the masks by pools or on beaches in Majorca and Ibiza.

Tourists will also not have to wear a face covering in restaurants and bars if they are seated to eat or drink.

Spanish authorities are concerned the mass arrival of tourists could lead to a spike in Covid cases on the Balearics, which have some of the lowest rates of infection in Spain.

In recent days, police have shut down a series of illegal parties in Majorca and Ibiza where large numbers of tourists have gathered with no masks and no social distancing.

It emerged today that Serbia is being removed from a list of where people returning to or visiting England can avoid quarantine.

The UK Government announced that the Joint Biosecurity Centre and Public Health England have 'updated their coronavirus assessments of Serbia based on the latest data'.

Serbia was included on a list of 76 countries and territories from which people arriving into England will no longer need to self-isolate for 14 days from Friday.

The list included popular destinations such as Spain, Germany, France and Italy, but Portugal was one of the notable omissions.

Holidaymakers should wear a mask EVERYWHERE as part of the 'new normal' Holidaymakers should wear masks while travelling, in hotels and even on beaches, a coalition of the world's biggest travel companies will say today. As part of a 'new normal' for holidays, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) is urging tourists to wear masks at virtually all times, wherever they are, to prevent a second wave of coronavirus. Tourists should even have face coverings on by the pool and on beaches where they cannot keep a two-metre gap between their fellow sunbathers, the council says. Airports, hotels, nightclubs, museums, gyms and all other 'indoor venues', including public areas on cruise ships, should also have mandatory mask-wearing rules in force until a vaccine is found, it recommends. Advertisement

The Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive decided to follow the same approach, but the Scottish Government produced a list of just 39 countries not including Spain or Serbia.

There have been two nights of violent clashes in Serbian capital Belgrade by thousands of people protesting against coronavirus lockdown measures.

Serbian authorities have reported 352 coronavirus deaths and 17,342 cases, but it has been claimed the data does not represent the full impact of the virus.

UK holidaymakers were looking forward to meeting new grandchildren and being reunited with loved ones as they travelled on the first day of the new quarantine rules being in place.

Passengers passing through Gatwick Airport's north terminal admitted they would not be travelling if they were still required to self-isolate for two weeks on their return.

'We probably would have gone later,' said Ray Gordge, 64, from Taunton, who was on his way to Paris to see his daughter for the first time in six months, and meet his new grandson, born last week.

'It's exciting, I'm pleased the quarantine has been lifted to be honest,' he said.

'It's nice to have a bit more normality.'

Mr Gordge said he only booked his easyJet flight in the last few days, but had no concerns about travelling.

'I think it's OK as long as you're wearing a face mask. It's very strange.'

While Labour welcomed the UK Government's relaxation of the quarantine for some countries, it criticised ministers for failing to secure agreements with more destinations to accept UK visitors without restrictions.

Shadow transport secretary Jim McMahon said workers and holidaymakers were paying the price of the Government's failure to act.

He added: 'The fact they have been unable to negotiate air bridges is an indictment of their failure to tackle the crisis at home.

'They were too slow to take lockdown, too slow to order PPE (personal protective equipment) and too slow to protect our country.

'Labour has consistently called for a sectoral deal that supports the whole aviation industry including the supply chain based on our six conditions.

'Tory ministers have failed to act and workers are paying the price and trips are being cancelled.'

As of today, Scottish holidaymakers are allowed to visit 57 countries and 14 British territories without having to enter a two-week quarantine on their return. But travellers have been warned to expect restrictions in destination countries, including temperature checks on arrival.
A group of 16 friends have been slapped with a $26,000 fine for illegally gathering during coronavirus restrictions after paramedics overheard an order for 20 meals.

Paramedics were enjoying their KFC meal at the fast food restaurant in Dandenong in Melbourne about 1.30am on Friday when they spotted two people ordering 20 meals.

Following a brief chat with the pair, paramedics alerted police who received the number plate and stumbled upon an illegal house party with 16 people.

Police said two people were 'asleep' but 16 others were caught hiding in the backyard after they received their KFC meals.

Paramedics were enjoying their KFC meal at the fast food restaurant in Dandenong in Melbourne about 1.30am on Friday when they spotted two people ordering 20 meals (stock)

Police said two people were 'asleep' but 16 others were caught hiding in the backyard after they just received their KFC meals

Victoria Police Chief Shane Patton slammed the partygoers for breaking coronavirus restrictions as the state battles through a surge in cases.

'That is ridiculous that type of behaviour,' he said.

'It is an expensive night when you think apart from the KFC, we have issued 16 infringements at that amount, that is $26,000 that birthday party is costing them.'

'That is a heck of a birthday party to recall. They will remember that one for a long time.'

A total of 60 infringements were issued in the past 24 hours including to four sex workers after a group of men where seen coming and going from an address.

'They (the sex workers) were on a break when we attended. They have been issued infringements.'

'There is a range of totally unacceptable behaviour that is occurring.'

Victoria Police Chief Shane Patton slammed the partygoers for breaking coronavirus restrictions as the state battles through a surge in cases

Victoria recorded a staggering 288 positive coronavirus cases on Friday - the highest total since the beginning of the pandemic.

Only 26 of those were linked to known outbreaks with the 262 under investigation.

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

There are currently 1,172 active cases in the state.

Melbourne and Mitchell Shire, in the state's north, have since gone back into stage 3 lockdown and as the state battles through a second wave.

Residents are only allowed to leave their homes for four reasons which include: exercise, work, to buy essential items and for medical attention.

People in lockdown are also encouraged to wear face masks if the safe 1.5metre distance cannot be maintained.

'Through an abundance of caution, through the fact it is relatively easy, we should request of all Victorians when they are out of their home, and this relates principally to metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire ... it is our request of you (to wear a mask),' Premier Daniel Andrews said.

'It's not compulsory, we are simply asking that if you can wear a mask where you can't distance, that is exactly what we would like you to do.

'That's a relatively small contribution but one that could make a really big difference.'

The state government has already ordered two million reusable masks and one million single use masks for the communities to slow the spread of the deadly virus.
A political party representing Myanmars persecuted ethnic Rohingya is pressing election authorities to allow members of the Muslim minority who hold temporary white card IDs to vote and to run in November nationwide elections.

Myanmars treatment of the Rohingya  more than 740,000 of whom were driven out of their communities in northern Rakhine state in a military-led crackdown and took refuge in Bangladesh in 2017  has brought Western sanctions and war crimes charges against the countrys military in international courts.

Before the mass expulsions, however, Rohingyas in the majority Buddhist country struggled against discrimination, being denied citizenship and widely viewed as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh  and derisively called Bengalis though many have lived in Myanmar for generations and the group has a longer history in Rakhine.

The Democracy and Human Rights Party (DHRP), which represents the Rohingya in northern Rakhine state, says holders of white cards issued by the Immigration Ministry as temporary IDs for Rohingya who are not verified Myanmar citizens, should be able to vote or contest elections in November for both houses of the national parliament as well as for state and regional assemblies.

More than 1 million Rohingya from Rakhine state who held white cards were permitted to vote in 2010, when Rohingya candidates from the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) won parliamentary seats in the election.

But the right to vote was taken away from the cardholders in 2013 under the government of former president Thein Sein, a retired general who ruled Myanmar for five years until handing power to civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi in 2016.

Those who hold white cards must apply for citizenship and undergo a vetting process. Along with security, a lack of clarity and certainty about their status is a major reason that Rohingya groups in Bangladesh cite in rejecting appeals to return to Myanmar.

Rohingyas lost their right to vote and to contest in elections, DHRP secretary Kyaw Soe Aung told RFAs Myanmar Service. Now, the Rohingya are asking for the rights that they lost during Thein Seins government.

300,000 Rohingya in northern Rakhine

In a letter to the Union Election Commission (UEC), the DHRP, cited the Rohingyas participation in previous elections and referendums under past governments in requesting the UEC to restore the rights, Kyaw Soe Aung said. The DHRP repeated the request during a meeting on June 27, but the commission did not give an answer.

The UEC declined to answer RFAs questions about the Rohingya voting issue over the phone and said someone would do so only at a press conference.

Asked about the voting right issue, Monywa Aung Shin, secretary of the ruling National League for Democracys (NLD) Central Information Committee, while stressing that it was his personal opinion, said he agreed that the Rohingya should seek the right to vote.

The countrys leaders might think that with the way the fighting is going on in this area and with the political situation not being so good that they should suspended the Muslims right to vote, he told RFA, But they should ask for the right, I believe.

According to the UEC, more than 300,000 Muslims still live in the northern Rakhine townships of Buthidaung, Maungdaw, and Rathedaung, the scene of the scorched earth expulsions of 2017 and also a conflict zone in a 19-month war between the national army and ethnic Rakhine Arakan Army (AA).

Shwe Maung, a former USDP lower house lawmaker from Rakhines predominantly Rohingya Buthidaung township, told RFA that the Rohingya were stripped of their rights to vote and to contest parliamentary seats by authorities who issued another policy in 2015.

Rohingya Muslims were not allowed to contest in elections for the reason that their parents were not citizens, he said. Muslim citizens in the region were not allowed either.

When Rohingya lawmakers served in parliament until 2015, they could advocate for Rohingya rights not only in parliament, but also outside of parliament, Shwe Maung added.

Something is wrong

Aye Lwin, a Muslim community leader who once sat on a government advisory commission on resolving the religious and ethnic divisions in Rakhine state, also called for voting rights for the Rohingya.

They could vote the 1990 election, he said. In the 2010 election, many voted, [and] some of them were elected as USDP candidates and got into parliament.

But, they now are unable even to vote, he added. Something is wrong. They should get back their right to vote.

Nickey Diamond, a Myanmar human rights specialist with the Southeast Asia-based NGO Fortify Rights, noted that the Myanmar government must work on the Rohingyas right to vote under provisional measures ordered in January by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Myanmar faces genocide-related charges at the ICJ, the U.N.s top court which settles disputes between nations.

If Myanmar fails to do so, then the international community will point out the fact that they could vote in the past but now they cannot, he said.

The UEC has announced that Nov. 8 elections will be held in all townships in Rakhine state, despite the fighting between Myanmar troops and the rebel AA across the northern townships.

Reported by Kyaw Lwin Oo for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
NEW YORK - President Donald Trumps former lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, was transferred to the same federal lockup in Otisville where he was serving time for tax evasion, lying to Congress and campaign finance crimes before the coronavirus pandemic prompted his early release, his attorney said Friday.

The move late Thursday came hours after federal authorities said Cohen refused to accept the conditions of his home confinement, specifically that he submit to wearing an ankle monitor. He had briefly been held at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan.

Cohen attorney Jeffrey Levine said Cohen never refused to wear an ankle monitor but raised concerns about conditions of his home confinement that forbade him from using social media, speaking with the press and publishing a tell-all book he wrote in federal prison. Cohen had been planning to publish the book in the coming months.

I was not notified and his family was not notified of the transfer to Otisville, Levine told The Associated Press. He is in solitary confinement under the CDC guidelines for COVID-19 for a period of two weeks.

Cohen, 53, had been furloughed in May as part of an attempt to slow the spread of the virus in federal prisons.

He returned to custody Thursday after authorities presented him with new restrictions associated with his home confinement  a different level of supervision that includes electronic monitoring.

Cohen is completing a three-year term and is scheduled for release in November 2021, according to the federal Bureau of Prisons. His attorneys, however, were preparing new legal action, having attempted to file an emergency appeal within hours of his latest arrest.

Records obtained by the AP said Cohen was remanded after he failed to agree to the terms of Federal Location Monitoring. But Cohens lawyers said he ultimately agreed to accept all the requirements of home confinement and was taken into custody nevertheless.

We were engaged in a dialogue, Levine said. Everything was professional and pleasant.

The federal prison in Otisville is about 80 miles (130 kilometres) from New York City, tucked in the lush countryside south of the Catskill Mountains. There currently are eight inmates and one staff member at the prison who have tested positive for coronavirus, according to the BOP. Twenty inmates and 14 staff members have recovered from COVID-19.
The subject of COVID-19's airborne transmission has been argued upon since its prevalence. The World Health Organization (WHO) has consistently downplayed the possibility that it could be, but following 237 experts alleging that the novel coronavirus is indeed airborne, we need to be more vigilant.

Mounting scientific evidence indicated that the coronavirus can linger aloft for hours in small droplets in stagnant air which can lead people to contract the virus.

People are the most susceptible to the virus in packed indoor spaces with less ventilation, as also indicated by its prevalence in churches, meatpacking plants, and restaurants, reported Irish Times.

Scientists across the globe have been tackling to assess the transmission of the coronavirus since the pandemic marked its beginning.

Public health guidance initially stated its primary transmission is through large respiratory droplets discharged by a person diagnosed with the virus coughing or sneezing, according to Fox6 News.

On Thursday, the WHO then released new measures on the transmission of the coronavirus, taking into account a number of reports of airborne spread. The updated scientific guidelines on its transmission indicated that airborne spread can transpire in health care locations wherein specific medical procedures can produce very small droplets -- aerosols that can evaporate and be dissemminated much faster, reported Times Now.

Over 230 scientists have reached out to the United Nations agency persuading them to make alterations to their guidelines pertaining to the probability of COVID-19's airborne transmission.

Also Read: How COVID-19 Made Camilla From 'Most Hated Woman in Britain' to Favorite Royal

The aforementioned scientists acknowledge that the coronavirus can be transmitted through microscopic respiratory droplets and not merely within 6 feet but up to many meters in enclosed indoor spaces.

Two hundred thirty-nine scientists from 32 countries released a commentary on the Clinical Infectious Diseases and underscored evidence the coronavirus' possibility of lingering in the air.

The manuscript indicated, "There is significant potential for inhalation exposure to viruses in microscopic respiratory droplets (microdroplets) at short to medium distances (up to several meters, or room-scale), and we are advocating for the use of preventive measures to mitigate this route of airborne transmission."

Here are recommendations taking into account the said airborne nature:

1. Social distancing is still necessary as close proximity to an infected person denotes more exposure to a greater number of aerosols and droplets.

2. Hand-washing for at least 20 seconds still remains to be a vital practice.

3. As per the recommendation of health officials, the 3 Cs are underscored: Avoid crowds, avoid closed spaces having poor ventilation, and avoid close contact with other individuals.

4. Don a face shield when venturing outside in the said crowded locations to alleviate respiratory infections.

5. Avoid touching your face if unnecessary.

6. Consider wearing a mask in indoor spaces.

According to Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency physician at the Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, "Since aerosolized droplets (containing viral particles) may remain in poorly ventilated rooms for minutes to several hours, the importance of wearing a mask while indoors should strongly be considered."

Related Article: Experts Claim COVID-19 is Airborne, May Spread Despite Social Distancing

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Yes, I am concerned about the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and I dont have the impression that we are moving in the right direction. This is what second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan stated as he touched upon his book during a remote meeting with his supporters yesterday.

There are many things to fix. Perhaps its not worth getting into details now. I will give a separate interview devoted to this topic soon and try to share my concerns in detail, he said.
(Newser)  Face masks soon will no longer be up for debate at Starbucks. The company said Thursday that customers who come inside will be required to cover their faces as of July 15, in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The rule will apply at all company-owned locations, Delish reports. "The company is committed to playing a constructive role in supporting health and government officials as they work to mitigate the spread of COVID-19," Starbucks said. Until now, the company has just requested that masks be worn. In places where the government doesn't require masks, customers without one can use curbside pickup or have their order delivered, the company said, adding that workers' feedback was partly behind the decision.

story continues below

Employees are put in the middle, per the Washington Post. Some Starbucks workers said their managers have told them to quit posting signs about masks and not speak to customers who aren't covering their face. A supervisor at a store in Los Angeles, which requires masks, said about 10% of people don't cover their faces, some of whom become angry when reminded. "It's already unfair that we have to work right now because we have bills to pay," she said, "and now you're going to put us in a compromising situation because you dont want to wear a mask for 5 minutes? That's not cool." An employee at a New Jersey Starbucks said a customer responded by screaming about the mask mandate. When told the bathrooms were closed because of the pandemic, he urinated in front of the store, the employee said. The company declined to discuss the issue. (Read more Starbucks stories.)
A Jackpot Hi-5 mandatory payout highlights a competitive 11-race card on Saturday (July 11) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Frozen since the completion of last Saturdays program, the carryover for the Jackpot Hi-5 mandatory payout is $250,903.30. Jackpot Hi-5 wagering will be offered on Race 11 and features many of Mohawk's notable weekly warriors lining up in an overflow field of 11. The purse for the non-winners of $11,000 last five starts or $22,000 last 10 starts pacing contest has been bumped to $30,000.

The most recent Jackpot Hi-5 mandatory payout was held on June 6 and saw $594,669 in new money wagered. The carryover on that occasion was $236,338.67. A $1 winning ticket scored $6,562.75 ($0.20 ticket $1,312.55).

This Saturdays carryover of $250,903.30 is the highest carryover entering a mandatory payout since March 30, 2019. Each of the last four mandatory payouts has seen the new money total come in at more than double the amount of the carryover.

Horseplayers can start studying for the Jackpot Hi-5 (Race 11) by downloading a free program. Woodbine offers free programs for each card of live racing through its website.

Saturday evenings card is intriguing from start to finish with many of the regular overnight pacers competing, plus several Pepsi North America Cup eligibles and a two-year-old pacing event.

The list of Pepsi North America Cup eligible horses racing Saturday is available below:

Race 8:

Aneto (PP1, Chris Christoforou/Rod Boyd)

Indictable Hanover (PP2, Bob McClure/Casie Coleman-Herlihy)

Velocity Rukkus (PP7, Paul MacDonell/Paul MacDonell)

Race 10:

Mayhem Hanover (PP1, Doug McNair/Gregg McNair)

Denali Seelster (PP3, Sylvain Filion/Dr. Ian Moore)

Ys Mathis (PP4, Louis-Philippe Roy/Richard Moreau)

Post time for Saturday evenings card of harness racing is 7:10 p.m. The Jackpot Hi-5 mandatory payout (Race 11) is scheduled for approximately 11:10 p.m.

IMPORTANT LINKS:

 Entries  TrackIT Program Pages  PDF Program Pages  Horseplayer's Journal 

(Woodbine)
Business owners have been unable to apply for PPP loans because their employer Identification Numbers were stolen and used for fraudulent loan applications

Fraudsters who offer to broker the sale of personal protective equipment have sent nothing in return

Business email compromise schemes, similar to phishing scams, have fooled businesses into sending information to what they think is a familiar email address

Through dubious work-from-home and dating websites, people are being turned into money mules whose bank accounts criminals use to launder money

According to Michael Scheumack, senior vice president of marketing for IdentityIQ, home buyers can be particularly vulnerable to such scams, especially if theyre doing much of their communication online or over the phone and sharing information like Social Security and bank account numbers. Mortgage professionals can play an important role in preventing these scams by educating their clients about the scams themselves and how not to fall prey to them.

In addition to taking extra precautions when emailing documents that contain personal information, such as password-protecting attachments, Scheumack says consumers also need to make sure they are storing their sensitive information properly.

The best way to send sensitive info is to request a secure place to upload the files, he says. If a consumer used their smartphone to scan their W-2 or tax return, make sure those documents are deleted from the phones files right away. If not, and you lose your phone or its stolen, someone else might have access to your personal information.

As Scheumack explains, borrowers may have their guard down as they go through the home loan process because they are expecting to share their personal information.

They know their tax information, pay stubs, etc., are going to be requested, he says. But when it comes to such sensitive information, now is the time for them to be especially cautious when sharing it. Scheumack says borrowers should always be double-checking senders email addresses, ignoring unexpected attachments, and not clicking on hyperlinks before verifying their authenticity.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said Finance Minister Paschal Donohoes election as Eurogroup president is a great win for Ireland.

He was speaking after Mr Donohoe was elected as president of the group of 19 eurozone finance ministers.

Mr Donohoe takes over as head of the Eurogroup after a contest was held to fill the post vacated after the resignation of Portuguese Finance Minister Mario Centeno.

Mr Donohoe beat off competition from the Spanish and Luxembourg finance ministers.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin led the congratulations to the Fine Gael minister saying it is a significant achievement for Ireland.

Speaking at Government Buildings, the Taoiseach said: It is an outstanding achievement and it is a testament to his skills. It speaks volumes to the respect he is held in by his colleagues in the Eurogroup. It is no mean achievement to emerge from such a group. He will have his hands full as this is a very challenging time.

I salute Paschal on his success and we are delighted, he added.

Tanaiste Leo Varadkar described the election of his close political ally as a "fantastic result" for Europe and Ireland.

It is very good for Ireland because we will be in the room when very important decisions are going to be taken. It is good as we are a small country and sometimes we get to sit at the top table. It is a very interesting coalition you put together from all quarters of Europe, he said.

Mr Donohoe's election was confirmed after the contest went to a second-round runoff between him and Nadia Calvino, the Spanish finance minister. She had been seen as the lead candidate heading into Thursday's vote. She was said to have the support of Germany, France and Italy. Pierre Gramegna, the Luxembourg finance minister, was making a second attempt, but was eliminated in the first round.

Reacting to his election, Mr Donohoe said: "I am deeply honoured to be elected as the new President of the Eurogroup.

"I look forward to working with all of my Eurogroup colleagues in the years ahead to ensure a fair and inclusive recovery for all as we meet the challenges ahead with determination."

This was a national story that resonated throughout the Eurozone. It was a very demanding election campaign, he said.

The Eurogroup is the group of 19 eurozone finance ministers.

Paschal Donohoe 'honoured' to be elected as President of Eurogroup of Finance Ministers

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has been elected as president of the group of eurozone finance ministers.

Mr Donohoe takes over as head of the Eurogroup after a contest was held to fill the post vacated after the resignation of Portuguese Finance Minister Mario Centeno.

Mr Donohoe beat off competition from the Spanish and Luxembourg finance ministers.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin led the congratulations to the Fine Gael minister saying it is a significant achievement for Ireland.

Tanaiste Leo Varadkar described the election of his close political ally as a "fantastic result" for Europe and Ireland.

Mr Donohoe's election was confirmed after the contest went to a second-round runoff between him and Nadia Calvino, his Spanish counterpart. She had been seen as the lead candidate heading into Thursday's vote.

She was said to have the support of Germany, France and Italy. Pierre Gramegna, the Luxembourg finance minister, was making a second attempt, but was eliminated in the first round.

Reacting to his election, Mr Donohoe said: "I am deeply honored to be elected as the new President of the Eurogroup.

"I look forward to working with all of my Eurogroup colleagues in the years ahead to ensure a fair and inclusive recovery for all as we meet the challenges ahead with determination."

The Eurogroup is the group of 19 eurozone finance ministers.
After 11 a.m., only isolated segments of the Riverwalk, like the stretch between LaSalle and Lake streets, were open for exercise. That inconvenienced people who count on the path for a workout and use it to connect to the 18-mile-long Lakefront Trail.
At least 150,000 jobs have been cut or put at risk at more than 60 major British employers during the coronavirus lockdown, with fears that millions could be left unemployed over the next few months.

Industries from aerospace manufacturing to hospitality are set to contract over the next few months as the coronavirus plunged the UK into its deepest recession on record.

The pace of redundancies has picked up in recent weeks, according to figures compiled by the Press Association news agency, as companies work out if they can afford to bring back furloughed staff once they have to pick up the tab.

The Paris-based think tank the OECD has warned that unemployment could reach as high as 14.8%

The government's job retention scheme is currently paying the wages of 9.4million employees, but Chancellor Rishi Sunak confirmed on Wednesday that it would end in October.

The scheme has helped shelter people during the three-and-a-half month lockdown, but the end of it has led some to fear a resurgence of '1980s style' unemployment.

The jobless rate was just 3.9 per cent at the end of April, but the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development warned this week that it could hit as high as 14.8 per cent on the back of the pandemic.

On Thursday, high street fixtures John Lewis and Boots became the latest companies to announce thousands of potential job losses. Other big names include Harrods, Jaguar Land Rover, Rolls Royce and Frankie and Benny's owner The Restaurant Group.

JOB LOSSES ANNOUNCED SINCE 23 MARCH: 9 July  Eurostar  unknown number 9 July  Boots  4,000 9 July  John Lewis  1,300 at risk 9 July  Burger King  1,600 at risk 7 July  Reach  550

6 July  Pret a Manger  1,000 at risk 2 July  Casual Dining Group (owns Bella Italia and Cafe Rouge)  1,909 1 July  SSP (owns Upper Crust)  5,000 at risk 1 July  Arcadia (owns TopShop)  500 1 July  Harrods  700 1 July  Virgin Money  300 30 June  Airbus  1,700 30 June  TM Lewin 600 30 June  Smiths Group  'some job losses'

25 June  Royal Mail  2,000 24 June  Jet2  102 24 June  Swissport  4,556 24 June  Crest Nicholson  130 23 June  Shoe Zone  unknown number of jobs in head office 19 June  Aer Lingus  500 17 June  HSBC  unknown number of jobs in UK, 35,000 worldwide

15 June  Jaguar Land Rover  1,100 15 June  Travis Perkins  2,500 12 June  Le Pain Quotidien  200 11 June  Heathrow  at least 500 11 June  Bombardier  600 11 June  Johnson Matthey  2,500 11 June  Centrica  5,000 10 June  Quiz  93 10 June  The Restaurant Group (owns Frankie and Benny's)  3,000 10 June  Monsoon Accessorise  545 10 June  Everest Windows  188 8 June  BP  10,000 worldwide 8 June  Mulberry  375 5 June  Victoria's Secret  800 at risk 5 June  Bentley  1,000 4 June  Aston Martin  500 4 June  Lookers  1,500 29 May  Belfast International Airport 45 28 May  Debenhams  'hundreds' of jobs 28 May  EasyJet  4,500 worldwide 26 May  McLaren  1,200 22 May  Carluccio's  1,000 20 May  Rolls-Royce  9,000 20 May  Bovis Homes  unknown number 19 May  Ovo Energy  2,600 19 May  Antler  164

15 May  JCB  950 at risk 13 May  Tui  8,000 worldwide

12 May  Carnival UK (owns P&O Cruises and Cunard)  450 11 May  P&O Ferries  1,100 worldwide 5 May  Virgin Atlantic  3,150 1 May  Ryanair  3,000 worldwide 30 April  Oasis Warehouse  1,800 29 April  WPP  unknown number 28 April  British Airways  12,000 23 April  Saffran Seats  400 23 April  Meggitt  1,800 worldwide 21 April  Cath Kidston  900 17 April  Debenhams  422 21 March  Laura Ashley  268 March 30  BrightHouse  2,400 at risk March 27  Chiquito  1,500 at risk Source: Press Association

And the pace of the announcements has picked up. Nearly 17,000 potential job losses have been announced so far this month, PA found, compared to just over 14,000 at the same point in June.

Overall around 75,000 job losses were announced last month.

Tip of the iceberg: Although 150,000 job cuts have been announced at some of Britain's biggest companies, more job losses are expected to be announced as the scheme winds down

And the PA list contains only some of the biggest job cuts announced so far at major UK companies. This is Money has previously reported that the likes of the St John Ambulance service, Groupon and travel money provider Eurochange were in talks to cut hundreds of jobs, with furloughed staff among those facing the axe.

Some British employers like BP and HSBC have released figures which include the impact on their global operations, where the UK arm may not take all of the predicted hit.

Union bosses called on the government not to stand by and watch as thousands of employees lost their jobs. Trades Union Congress general secretary Frances O'Grady told the PA: 'We need fast and targeted action to save livelihoods in badly-hit sectors  like manufacturing, retail, and aviation  before it is too late.'

The unemployment rate was 3.9% at the end of April, but there are fears Britain could see unemployment reach 1980s levels where more than a tenth were out of work

'That's why the TUC is calling for a National Recovery Council, that brings together unions and businesses to draw up plans for support and recovery. This should include extending the Job Retention Scheme for viable businesses who need longer to recover.'

Her comments were echoed by John Phillips, the acting general secretary of the GMB union: 'It's clear that despite warnings, the Government has ploughed through this crisis without any real long-term plan and as these figures show, the results are catastrophic.

'Entire industries are fighting for survival and millions of frontline workers paid less than the real living wage, our economy is well and truly broken.

'We need urgent action on a sector by sector basis and large scale investment in a sustainable industrial strategy.'

Although many jobs will have been lost as a direct result of the economic squeeze forced by the coronavirus lockdown, thousands of employees were already facing job uncertainty regardless of the pandemic.

HSBC and Virgin Money both paused their pre-coronavirus redundancy plans when the pandemic began and later resumed the process.

The Chancellor on Wednesday announced a 1,000 bonus for every furloughed worker brought back by companies

The Office for National Statistics has suggest that 600,000 UK workers lost their job in May alone, while vacancies slumped to a record low.

Experts also worry that much worse could be ahead as the furlough scheme is wound down from August before it ends in October.

On Thursday, Rolls-Royce confirmed that 3,000 of its UK workforce have applied for voluntary redundancy as part of a previously announced plan to cut 9,000 jobs.

'The job losses are a stark reminder that these are highly-skilled jobs that the UK economy can ill-afford to lose as it faces the economic realities of the post-pandemic world,' Unite union's national officer for aerospace Rhys McCarthy said.

On Wednesday, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a new plan to pay a 1,000 bonus to companies who bring back staff from furlough.

The jobs retention bonus will be paid to companies for each employee they continue to pay at least 520 a month until January.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-09 23:30:48|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on Feb. 19, 2020 shows the Pentagon seen from an airplane over Washington D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday urged the United States to discard its Cold-War mentality and ideological bias, and work with China to move forward bilateral relations along the track of coordination, cooperation and stability.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the comment at a press briefing in response to remarks by U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, who said "China and Russia constitute our top strategic competitors," and that "we established a China Strategy Management Group and I directed the National Defense University to refocus its curriculum by dedicating 50 percent of the coursework to the PRC."

"This U.S. official's remarks and the 2018 National Defense Strategy he mentioned are fundamentally flawed and run counter to the trend of the times as they preach nothing but obsolete concepts of a Cold-War mentality, a zero-sum game mindset, and hyped-up strategic competition between major countries," Zhao said.

China's policy toward the U.S. is consistent and clear, he said. "We are committed to working with the U.S. side for non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation. At the same time, we are firmly committed to safeguarding China's sovereignty, security and development interests."

China urges the U.S. to discard its Cold-War mentality and ideological bias, view the world and China-U.S. relations in the 21st century in a correct way, and work with China to move forward the bilateral relations along the track of coordination, cooperation and stability, Zhao said. 




Australia has repeatedly ignored China's warnings that its moves are pushing bilateral ties to breaking point. If it continues to do so, it should be prepared to reap what it has sown.

In just the past few days, Canberra has taken several steps that have further poisoned the atmosphere for bilateral cooperation. Australia's travel advisory on China, which alleges that Australian visitors could be at risk of arbitrary detention, for one, has drawn the ire of the Chinese Foreign Ministry which condemned it as defamation.

The Aussie travel alert on China is ridiculous: Foreigners in China have no need to worry as long as they obey the law, and their legitimate rights and interests are guaranteed in accordance with the law. Not to mention that China has virtually contained the coronavirus pandemic on its soil, making it a safe destination for international travelers. Of course, international travelers still need to observe virus prevention and control measures when traveling in China, but this is a requirement of all countries given the virus is still raging in many parts of the world.

Apart from issuing its unwarranted travel alert for China, Australia also chose to take a tough stance over the East China Sea and South China Sea issues in a recent virtual trilateral strategic summit with the United States and Japan, despite it not being party to the maritime disputes.

Canberra's meddling solely serves its purpose of joining the US bandwagon of containing China's rise and development. That is true of its meddling in Hong Kong affairs as well.

Canberra has joined the US in trying to distort China's justified moves to strengthen national security and improve law enforcement in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region by suspending its extradition treaty with Hong Kong and extending the visas for Hong Kong residents from two to five years offering a pathway to a permanent residency visa.

As a key US ally, Australia has always looked to the US for leadership at the expense of an independent foreign policy. There are some in the country who still covet the role of it being the "deputy sheriff" of the US in the latter's strategic maneuvering in the Asia-Pacific region.

As a result, with anti-China sentiment running high in Washington, politicians in Canberra have been more than happy to join the US chorus.

Yet if they are speculating that China has no choice but to accept Australia as a politically hostile partner for economic reasons, that is a losing bet. Australia is not irreplaceable, as it will find out to its cost if it persists with its adversarial stance.
Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SolidusGold Inc. (the Company) (TSX-V: SDC) announces the resignation of Steven Kahn as a director of the Company for personal reasons.

On behalf of the Company and the Board, I would like to thank Steve for serving on our Board over the past several years. Steve has been an integral part of Solidus from the beginning and we will miss his always balanced views and keen business sense. We wish him well all the best in his future endeavors, said Rick Van Nieuwenhuyse, Chairman of the Board.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Converting Istanbul's Byzantine-era cathedral Hagia Sophia back into a mosque will allow Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to expand his Islamic and nationalist base and divide the opposition, experts say.

But the move will heighten tensions between the West and Turkey's veteran leaderErdogan, who has been grappling with an economic crisis and regional conflicts in several nearby countries, they say.

Critics accuse Erdogan of undermining the secular credentials laid down by Kemal Ataturk -- the founder of modern Turkey.

Founded 1,500 years ago as a cathedral, the Ottomans made Hagia Sophia a mosque but it was turned into a museum in 1934 and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Erdogan, who has in the past repeatedly called for the stunning building to be renamed as a mosque, signed a presidential decree on Friday, handing over Hagia Sophia to Turkey's religious affairs directorate for reopening to Muslim worship.

Despite its secular status as a museum, Islamic rituals have been performed in the complex on several occasions, including lavish celebrations to mark Istanbul's conquest by the Ottomans, since Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power in 2002.

"Hagia Sophia's museum status was seen by many who support Erdogan's government as a dispossession," said Jean Marcou, associate researcher at the French Institute for Anatolian Studies.

"Erdogan intends to reaffirm Turkey's power and Muslim identity with this approach seen in many ways national as much as religious," he said.

Converted for the first time into a mosque after the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottomans in 1453, the Hagia Sophia is one of Istanbul's most visited tourist attractions.

Ozgur Unluhisarcikli, Ankara director of the German Marshall Fund, said the move would win hearts and minds as the majority of the Turkish public "would favour such a decision for religious or nationalist sentiments".

"This is a debate president Erdogan cannot lose and the opposition cannot win. As a matter of fact, this issue also has the potential to disunite the opposition parties," he told AFP.

- 'Scoring points' -

The traditional voters of the secular Republican People's Party (CHP) are not too interested in the Ottoman past, said Unluhisarcikli.

"(But) they are very sovereignty conscious and some of them could support the decision just because others are telling Turkey it cannot do this," he said.

Turkey's fellow NATO members -- the US and Greece -- as well as Russia, have warned Ankara against reopening the Hagia Sophia to Muslim worship.

"The decision is intended to score points with Erdogan's pious and nationalist constituents," said Anthony Skinner of the risk assessment firm Verisk Maplecroft.

"Hagia Sophia is arguably the most conspicuous symbol of Turkey's Ottoman past -- one which Erdogan is leveraging to strengthen his base while snubbing domestic and foreign rivals," he said.

The court ruling on Hagia Sophia's status comes amid escalating tensions between Turkey and the European Union over Ankara's controversial drilling strategy in the eastern Mediterranean and its involvement in the Libyan conflict.

Turkey has sent drones and Syrian fighters to support the UN-backed government in Tripoli, angering France which is suspected of backing a Libyan renegade general.

Hagia Sophia's transformation into a mosque in defiance of the West "is consistent with Turkey's muscular foreign policy", said Skinner.

"It is consistent with the government's projection in the east Mediterranean and Libya."

Marcou said altering Hagia Sophia's status would "move Turkey even further away from its Western allies, affect Greek-Turkish relations and likely hamper Russian-Turkish ties.

"Symbolically, such a decision would appear as the culminating point for Turkey which has systematically gone on the offensive in all theatres of regional conflicts: Syria, Iraq, Libya and eastern Mediterranean," he said.

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Mumbai:

A major fire broke out at a commercial complex near Dream Land theatre in south Mumbai on Sunday evening, fire brigade officials said.



The blaze erupted on the first floor of the four-storeyed Mehta Mansion in Girgaon at around 8:15 PM, they said.



The fire then spread to the second floor of the complex, the officials said, adding no casualty or injury to anyone has been reported in the incident so far.



According to them, eight fire tenders have been pressed into service. Earlier in the day, a fire broke out in a residential building on P DMello Road.



However, no one was injured in the incident. The blaze had erupted on the first floor of the ground plus three storey building Sai Niwas near Kaisar Hind Hotel at around 3:45 PM, a fire brigade official said.

Read More: Fire breaks out in residential building in South Mumbai, no casualties reported
Rep. Ted Lieu's national profile skyrocketed as he became the acerbic foil to the nation's tweeter in chief, blasting President Donald Trump with incessant and sharply worded responses to presidential posts.

But the California Democrat's recent foray into social media took aim at other legislators who he said were not doing enough to beef up the nation's gun control laws in the wake of Sunday's mass shooting at a Texas church.

While his colleagues were inside the House chambers on Monday, having a moment of silence for the victims, Lieu was outside, phone in selfie position, being the opposite of silent.

"My colleagues are doing a moment of silence in the House of Representatives chamber. I respect their right to do that and I myself have participated in many of them, but I can't do this again," he told his Facebook followers.

"I've been to too many moments of silences. In just my short career in Congress, three of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history have occurred. I will not be silent. What we need is we need action. We need to pass gun safety legislation now."

It was a spray of gasoline on the already incendiary debate about guns in the United States - particularly concerning access to the most dangerous weapons that have been used to take dozens of lives in violent moments.

Lieu, who is Catholic, told The Washington Post he prayed for the victims on Sunday, but got angry when he saw the congressional calendar. It contained the moment of silence, but no legislative action.

"This is all we do in Congress," he told The Post. "We do this brief moment of silence, and then nothing happens. It's not as if we're business people. We make laws. We're actually in a position where we can do something about this."

His ire grew for most of a day, and when the moment of silence began Monday, he grabbed his phone and walked out.

Before Lieu had finished the video, he had already received praise from people who say he got to the meat of the issue and criticism from those who derided him for making a political point during a moment of mourning.

"So glad you are MY REPRESENTATIVE. So proud of you," one woman wrote during the video.

"Your an idiot," a man wrote a few milliseconds later. "To leave a moment of silence to do a political rant is not cool. Total disrespect for those killed."

"One minute is all you needed to wait," another commenter said. "It's an embarrassment that you couldn't show 60 seconds of respect before you started grandstanding."

Lieu was not the first to raise the gun control issue. Others brought it up in the hours after the shooting, which left 26 dead in a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas.

For President Barack Obama tweeted "May God also grant all of us the wisdom to ask what concrete steps we can take to reduce the violence and weaponry in our midst."

As the debate raged on, investigators were trying to parse out how the suspected killer got his guns despite a violent criminal past.

The Air Force said it did not follow policies for alerting authorities about Devin Kelley's criminal history when he served at a New Mexico base, as reported by The Washington Post. He should not have been allowed to buy a gun because of his domestic-violence conviction in 2014.

Trump said Tuesday that tougher gun laws would have made "no difference three days ago." He said "hundreds more" people would have died had another man not been able to "neutralize" the alleged killer with a gun of his own.

A month ago, a similar debate raged about "bump stocks," a contraption that can be used to legally increase a rifle's firing rate. Several rifles with bump stocks were found in the room of the shooter who opened fire on a concert crowd on the Las Vegas Strip last month from an upper hotel floor, killing 58 and injuring more than 500.

After the Las Vegas mass shooting, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., introduced a bill specifically targeting bump stocks and similar inventions.

A month later, Lieu ended his moment of non-silence with a call to action, saying Congress should pass "reasonable gun safety legislation including a universal background check law."

He told The Post that he got the irony of his predicament - that more people are listening to him because of his sharp tweets toward Trump.

"For whatever reason, in me tweeting, it has resulted in more people paying attention, and I do think that while I have this opportunity, I should try to affect sentiment while I can."

He also sought to blunt criticism that skipping out on a congressional moment of silence was in some way disrespectful to victims. Not being silent, he said, was pretty much the point.

"I think the best way for me to honor victims of mass shooting is to try to prevent further mass shootings."
Pfizer Inc and its German partner BioNTech SE say they expect their experimental coronavirus vaccine to be ready to seek regulatory approval by the end of the year.

SE co-founder and CEO Dr Ugur Sahin told The Wall Street Journal the company hopes to produce millions of doses before approval, and more than one billion by the end of 2021.

It comes on the heels of news that Pfizer and BioNTech's COVID-19 immunization showed encouraging early results in a study of 45 people.

Volunteers given either a low or a medium dose had immune responses in the range expected to be protective when compared to COVID-19 survivors, according to the preliminary findings.

The experimental vaccine is expected to move into a large trial involving 30,000 healthy participants later this month, pending regulatory nod.

Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech SE are entering large-scale human trials this summer for their coronavirus vaccine. Pictured: The first patient enrolled in Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, receives an injection, May 4

The companies expect results to come back relatively quickly and will seek FDA approval by the end of the year. Pictured: Pfizer headquarters in New York City

'It is in the nature of innovation to take center stage at a time of great urgency,' Dr Sahin told The Journal.

'The world has never seen such a rapid global development of new vaccines, just as it has not seen such a quick, global spread of a pandemic before.'

The vaccine candidate from Pfizer and BioNtech uses part of the pathogen's genetic code to get the body to generate antibodies and recognize the coronavirus and attack it if a person becomes infected.

The Journal says this type of vaccine would be cheaper and easier to produce than vaccines that traditionally use dead or partially alive virus particles.

BioNTech says one batch of its inoculation would take between nine and 11 days to produce.

Although the company's international partnerships would allow it to quickly manufacture and widely distribute the jab, the virus has already reached all corners of the globe.

Dr Sahin believes it will take at least 10 years to beat back COVID-19.

'I assume that we will only be done with this virus when more than 90 percent of the global population will get immunity, either through infection or through a vaccine,' he told The Journal.

For the study, three groups of 12 received either a 10-microgram dose, a 30-microgram dose or a 100-microgram dose. Nine were given a placebo.

The highest dose shot caused fevers in about half of the group, so a second shot wasn't given.

Three weeks later, participants were given a second dose. Following that, 8.3 percent of the 10-microgram group and 75 percent of the 30-microgram reported fevers.

However, these side effects did not result in hospitalization, nor were considered life-threatening, and resolved after about one day.

The immunization generated not just antibodies against the virus but specifically neutralizing antibodies, meaning they stop the virus from infecting human cells.

Results showed the levels of neutralizing antibodies were between 1.8 and 2.8 times greater than those seen in recovered patients.

Volunteers who received one 100-microgram dose had lower levels of antibodies than those who were given two shots of the low or medium dose.

Following news of the preliminary results, shares of Pfizer rose by four percent last Wednesday.
New Delhi: Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations will declare the ICSE Class 10 and ISC Class 12 results at 3 pm today, (July 10, 2020). The Council will make the results accessible on the careers portal of the Council, website, and also through SMS.

Once the Council announces the results, students can visit the official website of Council  cisce.org  to check and download class 10 and 12 results. ICSE and ISC results will also be made available on the result page of CISCE  results.cisce.org.

Students can also check their results on their mobile via SMS by typing ICSE<Space><Unique Id> and send it to 09248082883. And to get ISC Results on your mobile SMS, students should type ISC<Space><Unique Id> and send it to 09248082883.

This year, the Council commenced the ICSE and ISC exams in February. The Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations had to cancel six papers for ICSE and eight papers for ISC amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

In 2019, a total of 1,93,413 had declared passed in ICSE exam while 83,697 candidates had qualified in ISC exam and the overall pass percentage stood at 98.54% for ICSE and 96.52% for ISC.
With the decline in the Thai and worldwide economy, businesses and factories have closed and migrant workers have been among the first people laid off. As Thailand has entered the worst economic recession in its history, migrants who normally work for daily wages are facing tough times.

After Thailand announced an Emergency Decree to control the outbreak of COVID-19 in late March, the country closed its borders, leaving millions of migrant workers stranded in the country. Some workers were later able to head back across into Myanmar but many are still in Thailand, trapped without jobs and few options to help them get by. Myanmar migrant workers in northern Thailand are among them.

These workers are also faced with the challenge of overcoming local language barriers. Many lack the technical and computer skills to access useful information and guidance or support. They have limited rights to access government social welfare schemes, including those intended to help people through the coronavirus crisis. Their lives hang on uncertainties.

Along the Thailand-Myanmar border in Tak Province, villages went into lockdown and the crisis forced migrant workers from Myanmar to abandon their farms, becoming largely dependent on food handouts. They said the amount of rice handed out wasnt enough to feed them, lasting only around three days.

The villagers have come to buy sacks of rice on credit five times already, and it will take at least a year for them to pay back the installments, said migrant worker Cho Zin Win, 26 years old.

In the city of Chiang Mai during lockdown, it became a common sight to see people, a mixture of local people and migrant workers, lining up for food handouts.

A visit to one of the construction camps in Chiang Mai showed that business closures have forced the wives of construction workers out of their jobs as housekeepers at hotels, while only a few of their husbands have been hired. Some families have less than 1,000 baht left (US$32.08), but they still have to bear the burden of expenses and debts.

Kham Kheng Wong-Ong, 27 years old, is a Shan migrant working as a housekeeper in Chiang Mai. Speaking in tears, she said, Since my workplace was closed, I dont have much money left, I dont know where to find work. I live in a construction camp with my 4-year-old son. My husband is a daily wage construction worker. We dont even know when he will be laid off. We have to bear the burden of all the expenses such as electricity, school fees, food and also medicine.

By July, restrictions on businesses were lifted and most businesses reopened. But with the economic collapse brought by the coronavirus crisis, businesses are still unable to hire back many of their workers. Hundreds of thousands of migrant workers in the countryif not moreare still unemployed and many are unable to adapt to the economys new normal.
The economy is opening up based on positive news regarding coronavirus infections, recoveries, etc., but the economy has done very little to prepare itself for if/when a second wave returns in the fall, said Moshe Lander, poll respondent and professor at Concordia University. Those safeguards should be put in place now while there is time rather than in haste and haphazardly when it strikes, to limit the economic damage.

Most economists are also expecting relative stability in terms of home prices, with an annual decline of just around 2% in late 2020.

This rosy forecast was a reversal from the Bank of Canada June report which found our experts more pessimistic about housing valuation, predicting an average price decline of around 8% with double-digit decreases for Vancouver and Toronto, said the Finder report. This time, around Vancouver and Calgary are forecasted to decrease the most at 4% each, followed by Toronto and Edmonton at 3% each.

This trend will be apparent in most of the country, likely signalling a gradual return to more manageable conditions.

Meanwhile cities like Montreal, Quebec City, Hamilton and Ottawa are forecasted to experience more modest declines, while Halifax and Winnipeg are predicted to remain totally flat on average, Finder said.
For us, the contribution to the event gives an opportunuty to share our competence in applying AI technologies for fleet maintenance, POI classification, on-street parking and building footprints detection. We are proud to be a part of it.

On July 9th Jakarta welcomes the worlds biggest and most-elite AI conference among the various high-level conferences  the World AI Show (WAIS) by Trescon. Intetics supports it as an official Silver Sponsor.

WAIS has a reputation of getting global AI experts, investors, and AI-based solution providers all under one roof yearly.

The current circumstances and the uncertainty around the COVID-19 outbreak, made the show host to move the event online by launching its virtual edition.

Virtual events are an excellent opportunity for everyone in the industry to come together during these difficult times. Affordable and intelligent AI solutions & strategies are the need of the hour, says Mohammed Saleem, CEO & Founder of Trescon.

Supported by the KEMKOMINFO (Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Government of Indonesia) and Jakarta Smart City, World AI Show will feature expert keynotes, private networking sessions, secure audio-visual meetings, investor connects & private meetings designed specifically to help meaningful interactions.

The conference will use state-of-the-art technology to ensure sponsors can quickly chat and connect with potential investors and clients.

Attendees will be able to communicate instantly with solution providers, download brochures, and discuss proposals and projects via secure audio-visual chat rooms.

As an official sponsor, Intetics joined the lineup of speakers to cover the important topics of digital transformation, the role of AI in a post-pandemic world, AI and ML helping to deal with the pandemic, leveraging RPA technologies, enterprise AI and many more.

It is great that despite the circumstances we are having today, the technology leaders are still doing their best to develop the expertise, share best practices, and grow technological potential.

For us, the contribution to the event gives an opportunity to share our competence in applying AI technologies for fleet maintenance, POI classification, on-street parking and building footprints detection. We are proud to be a part of it, says Sergey Kizyan, CTO Intetics Inc.

The 16th edition of World AI Show - Jakarta 2020 is designed to maximize networking opportunities while simultaneously offering hours of high-quality content streamed straight to your screen.

About World AI Show

World AI Show is a thought-leadership-driven, business-focused, global series of events taking place in strategic locations across the world. It connects top AI experts, enterprises, government representatives, data scientists, technology leaders, startups, investors, researchers, academicians, and global AI innovators - to discuss the impact of AI on commercial applications and the revolutionary ways it can transform businesses and government functions.

About Intetics Inc.

Intetics is a leading global technology company providing custom software application development, distributed professional teams, software product quality assessment, and all-things-digital solutions built with SMAC, RPA, AI/ML, IoT, blockchain, and GIS/UAV/LBS technologies.

Based on proprietary pioneering business models of Offshore Dedicated Team and Remote In-Sourcing, an advanced Technical Debt Reduction Platform (TETRA), and measurable SLAs for software engineering, Intetics helps innovative organizations capitalize on global talent with our in-depth engineering expertise based on the Predictive Software Engineering framework.

Intetics core strength is the design of software products in conditions of incomplete specifications. We have extensive industry expertise in Education, Healthcare, Logistics, Life Science, Finance, Insurance, Communications, and custom ERP, CRM, Intelligent Automation, and Geospatial solutions.

Our advanced software engineering background and outstanding quality management platform, along with an unparalleled methodology for talent recruitment, team building, and talent retention, guarantee that our clients receive exceptional results for their projects. At Intetics, our outcomes do not just meet clients expectations, they have been exceeding them for a quarter of a century.

Intetics operates from 11 offices in 6 countries including the US (headquarters), Germany, UK, Belarus, Poland, and Ukraine.

Intetics is ISO 9001 (quality) and ISO 27001 (security) certified and a Microsoft Gold and Amazon Partner. The companys innovation and growth achievements are reflected in winning prestigious titles and awards, including Inc 5000, Software 500, CRN 100, American Business, Deloitte Technology Fast 50, European IT Excellence, Best European BPO, Clutch and ACQ5 Awards, and inclusion into IAOPs Best Global Outsourcing 100 list.
The press service of the Armenian Territorial Development Fund of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Armenia reports that the Fund is pleased to inform that it is launching a large-scale project for gasification in several districts of three large settlements in Syunik Province today.

The unified community of Meghri, as well as the non-gasified parts of the Lehvaz and Agarak settlements will be gasified through funding provided by the Government of Armenia.

The Armenian government has invested AMD 72,500,000 in Meghri, nearly AMD 56,000,000 in Lehvaz settlement and AMD 128,900,000 in Agarak settlement.

After successful completion of the project, nearly 500 economies will receive natural gas, and the process of gasification of another 1,500 economies will become easier. The project is scheduled to end in 2021.
The Punjab and Haryana high court has suggested the Haryana government to consider a regulatory authority in each district to check cheating cases by unscrupulous travel agents.

The high court bench of justice Arun Monga requested the home secretary and the director general of police to have a meeting to explore the possibility of preventing illegal immigration/human trafficking.

..they may constitute some kind of regulatory body and/or nominate an officer in every district who would have to necessarily issue an accreditation certificate as a pre-requisite to every agent claiming to be in business of immigration/naturalization and/or offering overseas jobs to the public at large in their state, the bench said, adding that accredited agents list can be uploaded on the website so that a background check can be carried out on their genuineness/credentials, before anyone hires their services.

The order came on the bail plea of a travel agent, who was accused of sending a Kurukshetra resident abroad illegally for an amount of 20 lakh. The court termed the content of the FIR no less chilling and shuddering than a goosebumps giving and observed that factual narrative of the FIR and the ordeal suffered by the complainant, is a sordid tale on how unscrupulous immigration agents deceive gullible Indians who are aspirants of overseas jobs.

As per the FIR, the agent took 10 lakh from the complainant and the remaining money was to be paid on his successful arrival in USA. The complainant reached South America instead of the United States. He was made to take a flight from Delhi to Sao Paulo in Brazil and then to Ecuador (South America). He travelled from Ecuador in a bus to Columbia (South America) and then by sailing in a boat to Capurgana (Colombia).There he was bunched with illegal immigrants, who then trekked the thick forests of Panama (Central America), where they stayed for five days and another 24 days in an army camp before travelling to Nicaragua (Central America) and onward to Honduras (Central America) from where he was taken to Mexico for entering the United States of America.

When the complainant reached the USA, he was arrested in California for illegally entering the country and lodged in a jail in Georgia. For ten months, he continued to languish in Georgia prison but due to Covid-19 outbreak and was deported to plug the community spread of coronavirus infection in jails. The FIR was lodged after his return to India in May this year.
Representative image

Kazakhstan, on July 10, dismissed Chinese reports of 'unknown pneumonia' deadlier than the novel coronavirus.

China has warned its citizens living in Kazakhstan of a local "unknown pneumonia" which, it said, has a "much higher" fatality rate than COVID-19.

The "unknown pneumonia in Kazakhstan caused 1,772 deaths in the first six months of the year, including 628 people in June alone", the Chinese embassy in the central Asian country said in a statement on its WeChat platform on July 9, adding that the fatalities also included Chinese citizens.

The fatality rate of the disease is much higher than COVID-19," state-run Global Times quoted the embassy's statement on July 10.

Many organisations including Kazakhstan's health department are studying the "virus of this pneumonia", the embassy said.

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

There has not been any indication whether this disease is related to the COVID-19.

Some Chinese experts said that measures should be taken to prevent the pneumonia from spreading into China. Kazakhstan borders China's northwest Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Follow our LIVE blog for the latest updates of the novel coronavirus pandemic

Kazakhstan rejects Chinese claims

Kazakhstan's healthcare ministry branded Chinese media reports based on the embassy statement as "fake news". The ministry said its tallies of bacterial, fungal and viral pneumonia infections, which also included cases of unclear causes, were in line with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.

"The information published by some Chinese media regarding a new kind of pneumonia in Kazakhstan is incorrect," the ministry said.

Kazakhstan, which imposed a second lockdown this week to rein in the pandemic, has a tally of almost 55,000 COVID-19 infections, including 264 deaths. The number of new cases rose on Thursday to a daily record of 1,962.

On July 7, state news agency Kazinform had said the number of pneumonia cases "increased 2.2 times in June as compared to the same period of 2019".

(With inputs from PTI and Reuters)
CAMBRIDGE  A year after the Roadtrek brand was rescued from receivership, the RV maker is once again preparing to boost production after temporarily closing its doors due to the pandemic.

The company employs about 100 people and was getting ready for a busy spring season when the shutdown order came in mid-March due to COVID-19. They reopened about two months later and are now facing a healthy backlog of orders, the CEO says.

It certainly wasnt what anyone desired, and no one knew when we shut down what things would look like on the other side, said Dane Found, an industry veteran who was hired last October by new Roadtrek owner Rapido Group.

Fortunately for our industry, its exploded on the other side.

RV manufacturers and dealers across North America have said sales and orders for RVs are booming during the pandemic as people look to vacation in isolation and avoid busy airports, hotels and other crowded spaces.

Roadtrek has enough staff to build about three vehicles per day and currently offers six models for sale, starting at USD$96,000.

With a second assembly line recently brought online, and a hiring push in place to bring in new workers, Found said output should increase over the coming weeks and months. They have space to add a third assembly line at their current facility if needed.

The company must grow responsibly, however, to not only ensure the high quality people expect from Roadtrek  a name that once dominated the Class B RV category  but to keep workers safe, the CEO said.

Staggered start times will help reduce crowding at the beginning and end of each shift, and every employee must answer screening questions and have their temperature taken every morning.

Face masks, gloves and face shields are required, and lunch and other breaks have also been staggered.

Other production challenges outside Roadtreks control have emerged as the pandemic impacts almost every aspect of the global economy.

A recall of Chrysler-built vehicles was slow to be resolved since the necessary part was manufactured in Wuhan, China (the suspected epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak), and an American supplier of refrigerators has seen output drop after some employees didnt return to work due to the virus, Found said.

Its been a busy 18 months for the local RV manufacturer after the former owner of the Roadtrek brand, Erwin Hymer Group North America, went into receivership in February 2019 and filed for bankruptcy in September.

About 900 people lost their jobs locally and the company owed creditors about $315 million. The financial problems were discovered months earlier during a takeover bid by U.S. competitor Thor Industries.

France-based RV maker Rapido stepped in last April, announcing it would purchase the Roadtrek brand and resume operations in Cambridge. That deal closed last July, and financial details were not disclosed.

Found said theyve grown the company strategically in the months since the sale, including outsourcing some of the production work that was previously done in-house, such as painting.

Were a leaner company in every aspect, he said.
The consecutive summit in the Normandy format is being rescheduled, and the events occurring around the Minsk process have long turned it into a to be or not to be stage. Russia is constantly trying to narrow down the room for Ukraine to maneuver, while Ukraine is trying to impose a scenario that best suits its interests.

Currently, the main demand of the Kremlin is that the Constitution of Ukraine regarding the special status of the Donbas be amended. This status should grant a broad autonomy to the Donbas, and it would provide for a righr to veto in Ukraines home policy and specifically in foreign affairs. However, this scenario is not particularly appealing to Kyiv, because the topic of what the status of the Donbas will be presents a subject for discussion.

We can talk about different types of autonomy, such as based on economics, politics, or culture. Each of these approaches has its pros and cons, but down the road, they can determine the nature and dynamics of coexistence within Ukraine.

The political type basically provides the right to influence foreign policy and the power of veto in other strategic decisions of the Ukrainian government. A case in point is the status of the Russian language as the official regional language.

It is similar to political and cultural autonomy, which apart from politics, also includes features of the regional cultural tradition. For example, redecommunization is the preservation of what decommunization sweeps away.

As for the third, economic type, it involves the elimination of restrictions on trade and economic relations between the partly occupied areas of the Donbas and the Ukrainian government-controlled territory.

The need to modernize the "Minsk process" in the Donbas appears to be as urgent as never before.

Today the need to modernize the Minsk process in the Donbas appears to be as urgent as never before. Because what we are having now does not lead to peace. Instead, within the existing framework, the discussion is constantly shifted to mutual accusations of the tasks not having been fulfilled. Ukraine is required to fulfill all the clauses set out in the Minsk documents. But Russia must also fulfill its obligations on the agreement, such as withdrawing its troops from the territory of Donbas and cooperating in the conflict de-escalation. What do we have instead?  The continued weapon delivery for the gunmen not to cease firing.

Ukraine cannot fully implement the political part of the agreements on the Donbas (talking about local elections), unless the issue of security is resolved (this is the key issue for holding democratic elections). Moreover, it is illogical to make amendments to the Constitution in such a situation (as Oleksiy Reznikov, the Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories, made his point in a recent TV programme).

That said, without a sustainable ceasefire, it will be hard to implement any further steps, and this is not a lopsided game, but rather a two-way process. Only then it is possible to talk about implementing the decisions of the Paris Normandy format summit.

Ukraine must not stop talking about Crimea. If we remain silent, the world will understand that we have reconciled.

Therefore, the Ukrainian side hints at a new format, such as some kind of Minsk modernization. Moreover, to this end, we can also talk about strengthening the process by various high-level international platforms. This will allow discussing not only the issue of Donbas, but also the problems of Crimea. Thus, we are ready for any additional formats  It should not be exclusively the Minsk process, but it could also be Budapest + or Normandy +. And although Russia avoids discussing Crimean issues in every possible way, Ukraine must not stop talking about Crimea. If we remain silent, the world will understand that we have reconciled.

However, it should not be left out that the Kremlin will place more and more demands for a new meeting in the Normandy format to prevent this. We already went through this last year before the summit in Paris. This is Moscow style. You have to keep this in mind, but proceed with imposing your action plan. Otherwise they will just do it for us.

The Minsk process performs to the core a single function, namely  the battle of the narratives and the formation of a worldview. This is a war of the verbal devices, and the more comprehensible language weapon you have, the better Donbas worldview is shaped.

With what purpose? To privatize the reality in which the Ukrainians live. Having gained the power over their worldview, including the socio-political space, you can form your own historical truth and get access to living resources.

Taras Semenyuk, KyivStratPro analyst
Police said the gangster snatched a pistol from one of the policemen injured in the accident and was shot when he opened fire while trying to flee.

IMAGE: Cops inspect the encounter site where gangster Vikas Dubey was killed when he allegedly tried to escape from the spot following an accident, near Kanpur, on Friday morning. Photograph: PTI Photo

Gangster Vikas Dubey was shot dead Friday by police, who claim he was trying to flee after the car carrying him from Ujjain overturned on an isolated stretch of the highway on the outskirts of the city.

The SUV met with the accident at Bhaunti in Kanpur district, toppling on the road which was slippery after the rains, police claimed.

According to a statement from the Special Task Force, the driver had tried to avoid cattle on the road.

IMAGE: A vehicle being pushed upright near the encounter site. Photograph: PTI Photo

The car was part of a small convoy of police vehicles.

Police said the gangster snatched a pistol from one of the policemen injured in the accident and was shot when he opened fire while trying to flee, an account being questioned by opposition parties.

Six policemen, including two from the Special Task Force, were hurt in the accident and the exchange of fire around 6 am, an official said.

Dubey was the sixth man to die in a police encounter after the ambush he allegedly masterminded in Kanpur's Bikru village past midnight on July 2, killing eight policemen who had come to arrest him.

IMAGE: Vikas Dubeys wife and son leave after his cremation at Bhairav Ghat Hindu Crematory, in Kanpur, on Friday. Photograph: PTI Photo

Madhya Pradesh police arrested Vikas Dubey outside the Mahakal temple in Ujjain on Thursday morning. He was handed over to an Uttar Pradesh police team late in the evening.

Kanpur Range Inspector General Mohit Agarwal said Dubey fled from the car with an injured policeman's pistol.

He was chased and surrounded by policemen who asked him to surrender.

When he started firing with an 'intention to kill', police opened fire in self-defence, Kanpur police said.

Blood smudges marked the spot on a dirt road, trailing off the highway, where the alleged gangster was shot.

IMAGE: Police and media at the encounter site. Photograph: PTI Photo

A press release said he was immediately taken to a hospital, where he died during treatment.

Ganesh Shankar Vidhyarthi Medical College principal Dr R B Kamal said he was brought dead to the hospital.

"Dubey sustained four bullet injuries, three in the chest and one in the hand," he told reporters.

Two policemen also suffered wounds, one in the arm and the other in the hand.

A panel of doctors conducted the post-mortem examination.

IMAGE: A vehicle is towed away from the encounter site. Photograph: PTI Photo

Hours before the encounter, an advocate had filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Uttar Pradesh government and police to ensure that he is not killed.

Uttar Pradesh's Inspector General (Civil Defence) Amitabh Thakur too had apprehended the possibility, a day before it happened.

'Vikas Dubey has surrendered. It is possible he might try to escape from the custody of the UP police tomorrow and get killed. With this, the Vikas Dubey chapter will end,' he had tweeted in Hindi.

Questions were being raised over the police version, challenging the account of the attempted escape of a gangster who had made no attempt to flee when nabbed near Ujjain's Mahakal temple a day earlier.

There was also scepticism over the possibility of someone managing to snatch a policeman's weapon and then extricating himself from an overturned vehicle.

IMAGE: Police personnel at the encounter site. Photograph: PTI Photo

There were allegations that the media trailing the police convoy was stopped for a few minutes before the encounter took place.

Video clips also appeared to show Dubey sitting in a different car when the convoy set out from Ujjain.

The UP police have denied any switching of cars and said the media may have been stopped for checks.

Prakash Singh, a former UP Director General of Police, said he was 'disappointed' about the encounter.

Had Dubey been interrogated, he would have disclosed who had colluded with him, the retired officer said.

Opposition parties targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Uttar Pradesh after the encounter.

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the encounter as well as the ambush in which eight policemen died last week.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the criminal is now gone and asked what about those who had 'protected' him.

Her party has demanded a judicial probe in the entire Vikas Dubey episode.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said it was not the car that had toppled but the encounter had saved the state government from toppling, had facts come to light.

Eight policemen, including Deputy Superintendent of Police Devendra Mishra, had died in a hail of bullets from the rooftops in Dubey's Bikru village in Chaubeypur area of Kanpur on July 3.

IMAGE: Police inspect the encounter site where gangster Vikas Dubey was killed. Photograph: PTI Photo

Police suspect that Dubey, who faced about 60 criminal cases over the past several years, was tipped off by someone from Chaubeypur station about the team heading out to arrest him.

Dubey was also alleged to have links with politicians.

Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said of the 21 people named in the FIR registered after the Bikru ambush, six are now dead and three arrested.

Seven others were also arrested in connection with the same crime. Twelve people, carrying rewards for their arrest, are absconding, he said.

On the day the Bikru ambush took place, two of Dubey's alleged accomplices, Prem Prakash Pandey and Atul Dubey, were killed in an encounter with police in Kanpur district.

On July 8, police killed another aide, Amar Dubey, in Maudaha village in Hamirpur district.

Two more alleged accomplices were killed in Kanpur and Etawah districts on Thursday. One of them, Prabhat, died in circumstances similar to Dubey's killing, according to the police versions.

He was being brought to Kanpur on transit remand after his arrest in Faridabad when he snatched the pistol of a policeman and tried to flee, police had said.
HOLLYWOOD, Calif., July 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Los Angeles Urban League, veteran showrunner and editor Ri-Karlo Handy and the Handy Foundation, last week announced a landmark partnership to address diversity in Hollywood below-the-line, and the Editors Guild (IATSE, Local 700) is stepping in to help. Through an existing initiative, the Backstage Careers Program, diverse young adults are prepared for practical employment opportunities in TV, film, and the recording industry, with classroom training and hands-on experience.

Attorney Nicole French's Twitter post ignited the firestorm of debate on reverse racism. LA Urban League COO, Brian Williams, officially launched Backstage Careers Program at Los Angeles City College surrounded by students from Better Youth and representatives from Hillman Grad Productions, Los Angeles County, and Los Angeles City College's cinema and television department.

Ironically, this collaboration was initiated with a well-intended FaceBook post by Handy to recruit black editors as an assist to post supervisors looking to address a lack of diversity in their staffing. The ensuing exchange devolved into a racially charged discussion that included rants from several high-profile white film editors who interpreted Handy's efforts to source professional editors of color as 'reverse racism.' The outcry from a cyber culture made more intolerant of perceived white privilege or hate speech in public social media forums in the days following the tragic death of George Floyd was immediate -- Handy's post and the subsequent remarks went viral, and sparked a media firestorm.

Seeking to offer solutions rather than simply making demands, Handy looked for guidance from the nation's oldest Black advocacy group focused on issues of employment, the Urban League. The result is a commitment to mentor, train, and employ Black and minority young adults to work in Hollywood. The aim of this historic alliance is to address Hollywood's lack of diversity, at all levels of the business, as a systemic issue requiring immediate and proven solutions to effect lasting change.

"Inequity in BTL careers requires a multi-faceted solution involving production companies, studios, unions, and training providers," says Brian Williams, Los Angeles Urban League chief of operations. "We're finally bringing all of these elements together to move the needle, and to do it at scale."

Handy facilitated a conversation between Williams and the national executive director of the Motion Picture Editors Guild (IATSE Local 700), Cathy Repola, to begin a dialogue on ways to effectively impact diversity hiring in Hollywood. A vital component of the Backstage Careers program is providing participants with unique access to mentors and opportunities to learn specialized craft and trade skills from industry professionals who are masters in their respective fields. Repola and the Editors Guild will support Backstage Careers by recruiting trainers, mentors and program speakers from among guild membership. The goal is to create a space for learning to occur, and relationships to be cultivated and nurtured.

"As a union, we remain committed to enhancing our outreach to programs and schools that serve all communities, especially those who might not otherwise have opportunities to be exposed to the array of jobs with our jurisdiction so they can envision a career path they may not have known existed or believed was possible," says Repola.

Armed with a list of over 300 Black editors, for Handy the first order of business is to start connecting people with the representatives from companies like eOne, Fremantle, and Paramount, who have contacted him about job opportunities.

"The response has been awesome, it's very exciting to have these conversations," says Handy. "Hiring mangers from Viacom, Tyler Perry Studios, Netflix, NBCUniversal, CBS, and so many more have reached out to me directly, or have downloaded the Black Editors list."

In many ways, the Backstage Careers Program represents a formalization of what Handy set out to accomplish with his post, to connect good people with great job opportunities. The companies contacting Handy will now join a rapidly-expanding list that currently support cohorts in the Backstage Careers Program like Adobe, AT&T, Disney, AEG, and the Grammy Museum Foundation.

"As long as I have known Ri-Karlo, he's always been a leader in the industry providing opportunities and mentorship for black producers and creative talent," said Tara Long, eOne's President, Global Unscripted, Television. "I have the utmost respect and admiration for Ri-Karlo, and along with eOne, we are proud to support his ongoing success and achievements.

The Urban League, flanked by program partners Better Youth, Los Angeles City College (LACC), and Hillman Grad Productions, launched the Backstage Careers program at a press conference held February 21. The pilot program enrolled seven cohorts, most of them foster youth, at LACC. When COVID-19 hit the courses were cancelled due to quarantine. However, by working closely with their cohort managers at Better Youth, the students stayed engaged with Backstage Careers through the shutdown, producing content for the Urban League, and delivering a virtual film festival as a fundraiser for CASA LA.

"Quarantine presented every possible impediment for our cohorts and we worried it would end the still emerging program," says Darren D. Dickerson the advisory board chair for Better Youth. "Instead, the way our cohorts responded validated the program's effectiveness and now we are scaling to broadening the scope."

To receive more information about planned diversity in Hollywood activities, events, or to lend your support, please click here to get started .

Please contact Tosha Whitten-Griggs via email at [email protected] or

Darren D. Dickerson at [email protected] to schedule interviews.

SOURCE Los Angeles Urban League
Uptown Charlotte is our home. Our office remains in the heart of the citys financial district and its central location allows us to benefit from the regions highly skilled and diverse workforce. We are well situated for continued growth.

Commercial Credit Group Inc. (CCG), an independent commercial equipment finance company, announces that they will move the company headquarters, within Charlotte, effective Monday, July 13, 2020. The new office is located at 525 N. Tryon Street, Suite 1000, Charlotte, NC 28202 and will house 80 employees.

When we moved into our current office space in 2010 we had 17 employees in the Charlotte office. Weve grown to over 80 employees here in Charlotte and the space simply isnt large enough. The new location accommodates our current staff and allows for continued growth. Additionally, amenities such as the fitness center, nearby restaurants, and proximity to the light rail will help us continue to attract top-caliber job applicants, stated Sr. Vice President and Corporate Secretary, Angelo Garubo.

Company co-founder, President and CEO, Dan McDonough noted, Uptown Charlotte is our home. Our office remains in the heart of the citys financial district and its central location allows us to benefit from the regions highly skilled and diverse workforce. We are well situated for continued growth.

In addition to the companys national machine tool and waste divisions and its southeast construction and transportation groups, the Charlotte office also houses corporate operations for parent company, Commercial Credit, Inc. and accounts receivable finance company, Commercial Funding Inc. Commercial Credit Group Inc. is currently hiring professionals to fill positions in accounting, documentation, finance and sales.

About Commercial Credit Group Inc.:

Commercial Credit Group Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary of Commercial Credit, Inc. is an independent commercial finance company that provides equipment loans and leases to small and mid-sized businesses in the construction, fleet transportation, machine tool and manufacturing and waste industries. The companys sales force is located throughout North America. Since its inception in 2004, CCG has originated over $4.5 billion of equipment loans and leases. CCG is headquartered in Charlotte, NC and operates full-service offices in Buffalo, NY and Naperville, IL. CCG Equipment Finance Limited services the Canadian Provinces of Ontario, west to British Columbia, from its Canadian headquarters in Hamilton, Ontario. For more information, please visit http://www.commercialcreditgroup.com.
Brazil president Jair Bolsonaro is one of those leaders who famously belittled COVID-19.

Since the surge of the coronavirus disease in his home nation, the controversial leader has refused to wear a mask. Multiple news outlets also reported how they often see him in public, shaking hands with his supporters and mingling with them as if a pandemic is not happening.

In March 2020, he also claimed that he would not feel anything if he catches COVID-19 since his history as an athlete would protect him from the virus and its symptoms. The far-right president even downplayed the virus before adding that the disease would be nothing but a "little flu" to him.

Furthermore, he repeatedly put Brazil's economy first over the public's health, as he said that there is no way to prevent over 70 percent of the population from contracting the disease. So instead of prolonging the lockdown period, Bolsonaro explained that shutting down the economic activities would cause more hardship to people.

Because of this, Mauricio Santoro -- a political science professor at the State University of Rio de Janeiro -- described him as "the democratic leader who has most denied the seriousness of this pandemic."

"Him getting infected is a blow to his credibility. It will be seen as another example of the failure of his coronavirus response," Santoro previously warned.

However, not long after he shrugged the existence of the disease, Bolsonaro tested positive for COVID-19, per Business Mirror.

On Tuesday, the president revealed that he contracted the disease after downplaying its severity in Brazil.

"You can't just talk about the consequences of the virus that you have to worry about. Life goes on. Brazil needs to produce. You need to get the economy in gear," he said while wearing a mask.

The 65-year-old populist also disclosed that he underwent a lung X-ray on Monday after experiencing fever, muscle aches and malaise.

On Tuesday, his fever subsided, and he thanked hydroxychloroquine for improving his condition. Hydroxychloroquine is an anti-malaria drug that he, like President Donald Trump, has been promoting. However, no clinical trial has proven its effectiveness.

"I'm, well, normal. I even want to take a walk around here, but I can't due to medical recommendations," he went on, ensuring that he still feels fine. "I thought I had it before, given my very dynamic activity. I'm president and on the combat lines. I like to be in the middle of the people."

Ever since the public learned about his diagnosis, Brazil's benchmark Ibovespa stock index fell and closed 1.2 percent down on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Dr. Michael Ryan, the World Health Organization's emergencies chief, wished the president a speedy recovery. He added that his infection brought the reality of COVID-19, saying that it does not distinguish between "prince or pauper."

Aside from Bolsonaro, other world leaders also suffered from COVID-19, including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Prince Charles, Prince Albert II of Monaco, and President Juan Orlando Hernandez.

As of writing, more than 65,000 Brazilians have succumbed from COVID-19 and over 1.5 million have been infected.

READ MORE: COVID-19 Painful Effect: Tom Hanks Reveals Truth About Coronavirus
Texas schools that reopen with in-person classes for the 2020-21 school year could start conducting daily temperature checks on students and staff, stagger pick-up and drop-off times and have students eat in classrooms to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

These are just some of the new recommendations released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week for school systems to consider implementing. The CDC states on its website these guidelines are not required but should be considered and tailored for what is feasible for each school.

TEA UPDATE: Here's what the 2020-21 school year calendar may look like

The CDC recommends staff and students wear cloth face coverings, excluding children younger than 2 years, those with breathing issues and those who are unable to remove a covering without assistance. Other notable guidelines include spacing desks at least 6 feet apart and facing students in one direction, installing physical barriers between bathroom sinks, spacing bus riders six feet apart and closing off playgrounds and cafeterias.

Field trips are not recommended at this time, and school-wide parent meetings, performances and student assemblies should be held virtually instead of in-person.

Schools should reevaluate sick leave and absenteeism policies and consider not having perfect attendance awards so employees and students are not penalized for staying home if they come into contact with the virus or have to care for someone who has it.

Teachers should discourage sharing items among students and keep children's belongings separated in labeled containers. High-touch surfaces, buses and playground equipment should be routinely cleaned and disinfected.

RELATED: Texas schools can re-open for summer classes under safe distancing practices

The CDC says broadcasting regular COVID-19 announcements on PA systems and posting signs that promote personal hygiene and frequent handwashing are important to keep students up to date on the virus, but also recommends encouraging students and staff to take breaks from the COVID-19 news cycle.

Texas schools may resume in-person summer classes starting June 1 as part of Gov. Greg Abbott's phased reopening plan. But many area school districts have yet to announce plans on when they may resume in-person classes and are in the process of considering calendar changes after the Texas Education Agency released a new year-round calendar. That calendar adjustment calls for longer breaks, earlier start and later end dates and would help plan for a possible spike in COVID-19 cases.

Find a complete and detailed list of the new school guidelines on the CDC's website.

Rebecca Hennes covers community news. Read her on our breaking news site, MySA.com, and on our subscriber site, expressnews.com. | rebecca.hennes@chron.com
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 12:56:07|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

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RIO DE JANEIRO -- The death toll from COVID-19 in Brazil has reached 69,184, with 1,220 deaths registered in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health reported on Thursday.

The number of total confirmed cases of the disease in the country has reached 1,755,779, with 42,169 new cases registered over the last 24-hour period.

This is the third consecutive day when Brazil reported more than 1,200 deaths and 40,000 new cases of the virus.

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LOS ANGELES -- The death toll from the novel coronavirus in the U.S. state of Arizona has topped 2,000 as new highs for hospitalizations were reported on Thursday.

Arizona Department of Health Services reported 75 more deaths on Thursday, bringing the state's total deaths to 2,038.

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NEW YORK -- U.S. state Mississippi's five largest hospitals had no intensive care unit (ICU) beds available for patients by Wednesday, while four other hospitals had 5 percent or less open, officials said Thursday.

Mississippi is among the states recording the greatest increases in COVID-19 cases in the country. The Grenada county, which has nine ICU beds, reported a 22-percent increase in coronavirus cases this week compared to last week, according to data by Johns Hopkins University.

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WASHINGTON -- A top U.S. infectious diseases expert said on Thursday that U.S. states hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic should not be moving forward with reopening.

"I would think we need to get the states pausing in their opening process, looking at what did not work well and try to mitigate that," said Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, during an interview with the Hill.

- - - -

SEOUL -- South Korea reported 45 more cases of the COVID-19 as of 0:00 a.m. Friday local time compared to 24 hours ago, raising the total number of infections to 13,338.

The daily caseload moved between 40 and 70 for the past 10 days amid the continued small cluster infections and imported cases.

- - - -

BRUSSELS -- The scheduled video conference of European Union (EU) economy and finance ministers on Friday is expected to focus on COVID-19's economic impact and EU's recovery measures, according to the meeting's agenda.

The ministers will exchange views on the progress achieved on the measures to respond to the COVID-19 crisis at the EU level, including the safety nets of the European Investment Bank, the European Stability Mechanism and SURE (support to mitigate unemployment risks in an emergency), according to the agenda.

- - - -

WASHINGTON -- A reporter who attended White House briefings this week has tested positive for the coronavirus, the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) said on Thursday.

The case marks the first known coronavirus case among the White House press corps.

The reporter, who has not been named, wore a mask during press briefings with Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Monday and Wednesday, the WHCA said.

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LA PAZ -- Jeanine Anez, head of Bolivia's opposition-backed interim government, said Thursday that she has tested positive for COVID-19 and will be in quarantine.

"Along with my entire team, we have been working for Bolivian families during this whole time and, given that in the past week many of them tested positive for the coronavirus, I took the test and I also came out positive," Anez said in a video posted online. Enditem
Opposition Prosperous Armenia party leader Gagik Tsarukyan has issued a statement on the latest developments in the country.

Gagik Tsarukyan is charged with vote buying, but he does not accept the charge and says it is unlawful.

According to Tsarukyan, he was planning a big press conference to answer all the questions directly, but cannot communicate with a large audience now as he had tested positive for COVID-19.

Speaking about the current developments in the country, he noted that the authorities do not represent the real scope of the problems.

"They dont imagine that in the near future we will have 200-300 thousand new unemployed, tens of thousands of businesses will be closed, entire business lines will go bankrupt," he noted.

"The authorities do not understand that the tens of thousands of our compatriots who work in Russia this year may not have this opportunity and, therefore, may not have money to support their families," Tsarukyan added.

"No need to be afraid of Tsarukyan, you need to be afraid of hundreds of thousands of people left without work and salaries. You need to be afraid of a parent who does not have money for food, clothing, and medicine for a child," he noted. "One must be afraid of those who have lost hope, who have no means of livelihood, and who have gone bankrupt by tens of thousands of small and medium-sized entrepreneurs."

The opposition leader said he did his best for the past two years, however, many programs have been suspended, canceled, or left incomplete under the leadership of the current authorities.
Washington: Some call him Teflon Trump, because he's survived more scandals than most modern presidents in US history.

But Thursday's Supreme Court ruling, which found that US President Donald Trump did not have absolute immunity from criminal investigations, was a sobering reminder that no president  no matter how loved, loathed, or lucky  is above the law.

With four months until election day, the long-awaited court ruling was a mixed bag for Republicans, Democrats and voters.

On the one hand, it was a legal defeat for Trump, who will now have to fight to keep his taxes and financial records hidden from a New York grand jury.
 Flash

The Trump administration's new policy of prohibiting foreign students from taking online-only courses in the US this fall has sparked immediate backlash from leading educational institutions, with some now taking legal action against it.

The guidance issued by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Monday terminates F1 and M1 visa programs for international students in academic and vocational studies if their schools operate under a remote-learning model this fall. Under the new rule, if these students do not transfer to schools offering at least partial in-person instruction, they would have to leave the country or face deportation.

Leaders at several top universities used terms such as "cruel", "destructive", "senseless and unfair" to denounce the guidance and pledged support for international students while urging the White House to take a more flexible approach.

Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Wednesday sued the Trump administration over the directive, arguing that ICE's decision not to provide an exemption for online-only courses puts them in an "untenable situation" of either proceeding with their plans to operate fully or largely online or attempt to provide in-person learning.

The lawsuit stressed the challenges posed to students as they are largely unable to transfer to universities providing in-person instruction in the few weeks before the fall semester starts, and it's "impossible, impracticable, prohibitively expensive" for many of the students to participate in online instruction from their home countries.

Harvard is the latest institution to announce a virtual-only operating model for the fall semester, which means its approximately 5,000 international students would have to leave the country under the ICE directive.

"The order came down without notice  its cruelty surpassed only by its recklessness. It appears that it was designed purposefully to place pressure on colleges and universities to open their on-campus classrooms for in-person instruction this fall, without regard to concerns for the health and safety of students, instructors and others," said Harvard President Larry Bacow.

"Personally, I think this policy is outrageous. It is inhumane to force international students to return to their home country during this time when the pandemic is still serious around the world," Bebe Huang, a graduate student at Georgetown University, told China Daily. Huang's university will operate on a hybrid model with most classes online and limited space on campus for students.

"Also, there is no obvious evidence that the remote education does harm to the social order in the United States," Huang continued. "Such a policy violates the freedom of choosing different ways of education and makes international students face a dilemma between study and health."

She also criticized the policy as "bizarre", arguing that the policymaking process didn't involve stakeholders like international students and that the implementation seems "relatively vague".

More than 1.1 million foreign students currently have active student visas, according to the US Department of Homeland Security. Data from The Chronicle of Higher Education, which is tracking nearly 1,100 colleges and universities' reopening plans, shows that 8 percent of schools are planning to be online-only, and the majority are planning to offer in-person instruction or a hybrid model combining both methods.

Though their international students are largely not affected by the new rule, some universities that offer the hybrid model also expressed strong opposition, such as Cornell University. It joined the lawsuit by Harvard and MIT as a friend of the court.

"This was wholly unexpected, and it is a senseless and unfair policy that runs counter to all that we stand for as a global academic community," said Martha E. Pollack, president of Cornell.

Mary Sue Coleman, president of the Association of American Universities, said in a statement that the ICE policy is "immensely misguided and deeply cruel" to international students.

"It is also likely to do further damage to our nation's universities, which are already struggling with unprecedented uncertainty, massive logistical complications, and significant financial losses due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic," she said.

Columbia University President Lee Bollinger said in a universitywide email that the school "must continue to vigorously oppose immigration policies that damage Columbia, higher education, the national interest, and the international students, researchers, and faculty who immeasurably enrich our institution and the intellectual and personal experiences of each of us".

Bollinger said the ICE mandate has a "destructive and indefensible purpose" and that it will "severely disrupt and cause enormous harm to the lives of the international students".

Immigrant advocates also criticized the Trump administration for using the pandemic to advance his anti-immigration agenda.

"This policy is both unconscionable and unworkable. Rather than address the public health crisis with leadership, the Trump administration is weaponizing the pandemic to further restrict access to our immigration and education systems. This is another blatant attempt to attack immigrants and part of their longstanding campaign to make America white again," said Hong Mei Pang, director of advocacy at Chinese for Affirmative Action.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jul. 10

By Ilkin Seyfaddini  Trend:

Horticulture Value Chain Promotion Project conforms to the development policy and direction of the Government of Uzbekistan, as well as the cooperation policy and analysis of the Government of Japan and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and will contribute to inclusive, sustainable economic growth and employment promotion in Uzbekistan, Project Formulation Advisor of JICA Uzbekistan Office Mizuho Kubota told Trend in an interview.

On December 19, 2019, the Japan International Cooperation Agency signed three loan agreements with the Government of Uzbekistan in Tokyo, to provide Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA) loans of up to a total of 187.8 billion yen ($1.7 billion) for three projects, aiming for high-quality infrastructure and industrial diversification, which include Navoi Thermal Power Plant Modernization Project, Phase 2, (loan amount - $1.2 billion), Electric Power Sector Capacity Development Project, Phase 2, (loan amount - $344,1 million), and Horticulture Value Chain Promotion Project (loan amount - $217,1 million).

"JICA has implemented multiple projects in the agriculture sector of Uzbekistan including an ODA Loan 'Amu-Bukhara Irrigation System Rehabilitation Project, loan agreement on which was signed in 2015, a JICA partnership program 'Technology improvement of fruit growing project in Tashkent and Samarkand regions' implemented from March 2011 through March 2013, and a JICA partnership program 'Enhancement of Uzbekistan farmers income through applying modern apple growing technology', which was implemented from March 2015 through March 2017)," Mizuho Kubota stated.

Mizuho Kubota added that the objective of the new project is to support the improvement of financial access and the strengthening of the horticultural value chain via supplying funds to horticulture crop growers and agro-related companies (end-users) through accredited participating financial institutions, and by providing technical assistance for development of the capacity of the participating financial institutions, end-users and other project beneficiaries, thereby contributing to the development of the agriculture sector through a strengthening of the export capacity of horticulture crops together with the promotion of employment.

The project shall be will completed by the end of March 2025.

JICA is one of the worlds largest bilateral aid agencies. Its in charge of administering Japans Official Development Assistance, which is an arm of Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

JICA supports socioeconomic development in developing countries through flexible combination of various types of assistance methods, such as Technical Cooperation, Finance and Investment Cooperation, and Grants.

It operates in approximately 150 countries and regions of the world.

---

Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 22:12:23|Editor: huaxia

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GABORONE, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Francistown, Botswana's second largest city, on Friday donated 420 blankets valued at 117, 600 pula (about 9, 878 U.S. dollars) to assist the needy people during the cold winter season.

Luo Jinghong, the spokesperson for the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Francistown, said the donors decided to do something for the northeastern community of Botswana since they do business and live there, at a donation ceremony held in Francistown, a city situated some 430km northeast of the southern African country's capital Gaborone.

"We are donating these 420 blankets which will be distributed to the needy people within the communities because we wish everyone good health and prosperity," said Luo.

Luo said most Chinese people doing business and living in Francistown as well as its surrounding areas are now regarding Francistown as their second home due to the co-existence between them and locals.

"Our kids go to the same schools with those of the locals. We need to hold hands, stand and fight together challenges coming our way," he said.

Godisang Radisigo, the mayor of the City of Francistown, said the donation has come at an opportune time bearing in mind that it is winter time. In winter, Radisigo said temperatures drop significantly, thereby exposing some underprivileged people to the harsh weather conditions.

"This will go a long way in ensuring that the people will keep warm this winter. We are very grateful," said Radisigo.

Radisigo said the donation is another effort of the countless efforts by the Chinese community in Francistown to complement the Botswana government to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since 2016, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Francistown has conducted seven donations to over 1, 000 people, who are mostly the elderly. Enditem
European diplomats moved to seize back the initiative on one of their continent's most intractable fronts after U.S. efforts in the Balkans stumbled. But it remains a path fraught with diplomatic peril.

Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron joined the leaders of Serbia and Kosovo in a video conference Friday to prepare the ground for a Sunday summit in Brussels to resuscitate the stalled efforts.

Instead, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic emerged shortly after to say the summit would be postponed to July 16, an ominous sign that the scene-setting chat with the two most important figures in the EU did not go well.

Friday's call was "difficult because Serbia has a different stance from other participants," Vucic said, complaining that Kosovo had presented "maximalist demands."

He added: "We are ready to take steps that will improve relations between our peoples, the flow of goods and capital, but we won't accept ultimatums."

The European Union felt the U.S. administration was freezing them out of talks between the Balkan neighbors when it announced a meeting at the White House between Donald Trump and the two leaders at odds.

When that June 27 summit fell apart -- after the president of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, was accused of war crimes just days before -- it gave the EU an opportunity to step in.

It can't afford to surrender a key matter of European interests to the U.S. as Serbia and Kosovo both seek a path to join the 27-member bloc, according to four officials familiar with the discussions. U.S. special envoy Richard Grenell says he supports the EU initiative.

For the last decade, the Greek debt crisis, Brexit and now covid-19 have fueled resistance among some of the bloc's more established members toward letting both its poorer ex-communist newcomers and those waiting for membership deeper into the fold.

That's given the U.S., Russia and China an opening to increase their influence in the region. But there are signs that reluctance may be easing.

In March, EU governments unblocked the membership path for North Macedonia and Albania by overcoming a French roadblock after months of deliberations. And Croatia, another country that emerged from the wars that broke up the former Yugoslavia in the early 1990s, will peg its currency to the euro in the coming days along with fellow EU newcomer Bulgaria -- a step they consider vital to joining the richer West.

Serbia and Kosovo have made much less progress in their accession efforts, in large measure due to a standoff following a 1998-1999 war that led to the latter declaring independence in 2008. There's no compromise in sight as both nations stick to their positions while grappling with political challenges at home. Kosovo, a country suffering from a leadership vacuum, demands international recognition. Serbia, whose all-powerful president is facing violent protests, refuses to let it go.

The EU officials said no settlement between the two is possible without the U.S. and that American engagement is welcome. But they've been critical of the Trump administration, including Grenell, accusing the U.S. of going it alone and damaging years of diplomatic work with ad-hoc efforts aimed at scoring a quick win for Trump.

The Balkan jostling is a flashpoint in transatlantic tensions and underscores the growing chasm between the EU and Trump on issues ranging from trade to defense spending. It comes at a time when leaders such as Merkel are insisting that Europe forge its own path as strong post-World War II ties to the U.S. weaken.

Grenell, who served as the U.S. ambassador to Germany until last month, has rebuffed the accusation of quick-win diplomacy, saying that the U.S. is mainly focused on an economic settlement and would leave the political talks to the Europeans.

Grenell oversaw an agreement in February under which Serbia and Kosovo pledged to develop road and rail links to boost economic cooperation before resolving their long-lasting enmity. A month before, they signed a letter of intent to restore direct flights between their capitals, Belgrade and Pristina.

U.S. officials have also pointed to EU failures in foundering talks in recent years -- and the fact that five EU members don't recognize Kosovo's sovereignty.

"We have never believed in a quick election-year deal between Kosovo and Serbia," Grenell said in a series of tweets early Wednesday embracing the EU initiative. "And we never thought our sole focus on economic normalization would be a quick fix."

Still, Europeans have taken a dim view of U.S. overtures, viewing the Trump administration as treading on territory previously occupied by Merkel, who's championed EU expansion in the Balkans.
Lorraine Toussaint, left, Santino Fontana and John Ortiz in the livestreamed world premiere of "The Line," written by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen and presented by the Public Theater. (The Public Theater)

The Line, the new live-streamed documentary play by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen presented by the Public Theater, follows a format that will be familiar to viewers of the evening news. The drama, a series of talking head monologues, offers a cross-section of first-hand accounts of New York Citys first responders during the coronavirus crisis.

The characters are nurses, doctors, a manager of a nursing home, a veteran paramedic and an ambulance driver turned emergency medical technician. Their reports of overrun hospital wards, emergency intubations, PPE shortfalls, fears of contagion, and the rapid succession of lonely deaths have been circulating since the disease first exploded in Wuhan, China.

Blank and Jensen are best known for their anti-death-penalty play The Exonerated, which relates the true sagas of wrongly convicted death row inmates who were later exonerated. The Line (which will be live-streamed through Aug. 4) follows a similar procedure in trusting individual testimonies to paint a larger portrait of social injustice  in this case, the disproportionate number of Black and brown people who have fallen ill and died from COVID-19.

Dramatic criticism of the plays tendency to lionize its characters, to treat them as inspirational heroes rather than as ordinary first responders who, regardless of their commitment or competency, were thrust headlong into a public health nightmare demanding their service, is beside the point. As the pandemic burns through the country, no one can have any distance from the material. The only appropriate response to these stories is tearful gratitude.

But The Line, which was directed by Blank, achieves a power through its casting that augments and strengthens the drama. Obviously, the real-life individuals from which this work was derived are representative of the diversity of New York, but to see these characters and experiences embodied by such an inclusive group of actors endows the production with a deeper reality.

Story continues

The case for diversity in casting is often made on abstract ethical grounds, a matter of equal opportunity, democratic fairness, etc. The Line makes an artistic case: The more viewpoints and backgrounds invited in, the more accurate and complete the human picture.

The more devastating, too.

John Ortiz, an indispensable talent, plays Oscar, the Latino ambulance driver who became an EMT because he couldnt stand being unable to directly help the patients he was transporting. Lorraine Toussaint portrays Sharon, a Black nurse who manages a facility for elderly residents that she looks after as though they were her own relatives.

Lorraine Toussaint in "The Line." (The Public Theater)

Blank and Jensen provide just enough personal information about these characters to give us a sense of Oscars rough and tumble background and Sharons bustling home life. Oscars sense of professional purpose becomes more meaningful as a result, and we understand Sharon's fears of exposing her loved ones to this virus when she returns from work.

There are two characters who happen to be gay: Vikram (played by Arjun Gupta) is a doctor of Indian background and Dwight (played by Nicholas Pinnock) is a nurse originally from Trinidad who works at a cancer hospital. Both bring up their male partners as aspects of their lives requiring no explanation. No justification is needed either for including two gay men in a seven-character play, even if the demographic unpredictability of this theatrical world is still somewhat unusual in the American theater.

Alison Pill in "The Line." (The Public Theater )

The three white characters extend the range. Alison Pills Jennifer is a first-year medical intern at a busy Brooklyn hospital who was inspired to become a doctor by her Czech familys harrowing run-ins with 20th century history. Santino Fontanas David is an intensive care nurse with a thick Long Island accent who relates caring for patients to his passion for acting. Jamey Sheridans Ed, a paramedic who has brought his training to danger zones around the world, has a gruff outer-borough exterior and a steely determination to help where he can.

Ive heard versions of their stories before, but I felt them acutely while watching this hourlong drama on my laptop. The actors convey the true subject of their play  the way the coronavirus crisis has simultaneously revealed our interrelatedness and brutally exposed our societal rifts and inequities  through the specificity of their flesh and blood presences.

Vikram articulates the plays moral in a speech that has an almost summing-up quality:

All of us were afraid, right? Everyone. But that shared vulnerability, that shared fear, is something that certain communities could escape. They could work remotely, they could quarantine, they could go upstate or to the Hamptons or wherever. I cant tell you the last time a white person has delivered a GrubHub or a Seamless to my door. Through this whole thing, our economy has been on the backs of the Black and brown people who couldnt escape that vulnerability.

These words sting with truth, but its the human spectrum before us that turns sociological observation into gasping emotion.

For the record:

4:26 PM, Jul. 12, 2020: In a previous version of this story, the main photo caption did not include Lorraine Toussaint and misidentified Santino Fontana.


Dhaka:

According to Government accounts it has been found that four foreign backed cell phone operators owe USD 500 million to Bangladesh in unpaid taxes. By the companies accounts, the figure is closer to USD 50 million if it isnt zero.

As the legal row drags into its fourth year without resolution, telecommunications analysts warn it is putting pressure on the industry that is Bangladeshs single largest source of revenue, providing USD 1.43 billion in tax revenues in 2015.

Government regulators say the companies broke the law by selling old SIM cards without properly notifying regulators, and then failed to pay taxes on those sales from July 2009 and December 2011.

They also allege the companies concealed customer information to obscure the issue, according to government legal documents on the case.

The four companies Norwegian Telenors subsidiary Grameen Phone; Egypts Orascom Telecoms Banglalink; Robi, the Malaysian-Japanese joint venture Robi Axiata Ltd; and Indias Bharti Airtels subsidiary Airtel have rejected the governments demands, taking the claim to the tax appellate tribunal.

Both the government and its tax authority refused comment while the case is still under court review.

Industry experts say the standoff may alienate companies and spook investors in this country of 160 million people.

British-based Vodafone is facing a similar case in India, where authorities want USD 2.5 billion in back taxes from an asset purchase done before Indian legislation in 2012 made such deals subject to taxation.

Most of the 128 million mobile-phone subscribers in Bangladesh are customers of one of the four private companies involved in the tax dispute.

The government must think of the issue from the point of view that this is the largest foreign investment sector in the country, said TIM Nurul Kabir, who heads the Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh lobbying consortium. The industry is suffering for this dispute.

Telecoms companies and their investors are growing more cautious about building a rural cellphone network, said Abu Saeed Khan, a Bangladeshi telecommunication expert who works as a senior policy fellow of the Colombo-based LIRNEasia think tank.

Business confidence is feeling the pinch, he said. Khan said Asian regulators dont understand how to effectively tax telecoms companies, and end up going back for more later. In Bangladesh, the dispute involves some grey areas from the regulators side ... and operators used these grey areas for their own benefit.

The case erupted in 2012, when the government handed the four foreign-backed subsidiaries the bill for back taxes totaling about USD 500 million combined.

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Twelve members of gangster Vikas Dubeys group  all suspected to be involved in the killing of eight policemen on July 3  are still on the run and raids are underway to apprehend them, Uttar Pradesh police officials said on Friday.

Six people from the gang, including Vikas Dubey, have been killed in separate encounters in the states Kanpur, Etawah and Hamirpur, Prashant Kumar, additional director general (ADG) of police, law and order, said. He said three of the gang members have been arrested.

In a first information report (FIR) filed in Chaubeypur near Vikas Dubeys village  Bikru  the police named of 21 people, including the gangster named in about 60 criminal cases, and 15 unidentified people.

ADG Kumar said rewards have been announced for the capture of the absconding 12 members of the gang, which laid a trap for a police team that was raiding the village and killed eight personnel on July 3.

Of those still on the run, two people  Gopal Saini and Heeru Dubey  carry a reward of 1 lakh each, and the remaining 10  Chhottu Shukla, Shashikant Pandit, Shiv Tewari, Ram Singh, Ramu Bajpai, Shivam Dubey, Bal Govind, Bauwan Shukla, Vishnu Pal Yadav and Monu  carry a reward of 50,000 each.

Multiple teams of the Kanpur district police and UP Special Task Force (STF) are carrying out searches to arrest these 12 wanted criminals.

Apart from Dubey, the five others killed in police encounters are Prem Shankar Pandey, Atul Dubey, Amar Dubey, Praveen Dubey and Prabhat Mishra, ADG Kumar said.

Prem Shankar Pandey and Atul Dubey were gunned down within a few hours of the ambush in Bikru village in Kanpur. Two pistols looted from policemen were recovered from them.

Officials said an AK-47 assault rifle and an Insas rifle looted from the policemen killed in the ambush are still to be recovered.

Amar Dubey, Vikas Dubeys personal security guard and a shooter, was killed in a police encounter in Hamirpur on Wednesday. Prabhat Mishra and Praveen Dubey were killed in two separate encounters in Kanpur and Etawah on Thursday.

ADG Kumar said Shyam Bajpai, Jahaan Yadav and Dayashankar Agnihotri  three other gang members who too were allegedly involved in the ambush  have been arrested in separate operations in Kanpur.

Dayashankar Agnihotri was held after he was shot in retaliatory firing by a police team in Kanpur on Sunday, while Shyam Bajpai and Jahaan Yadav were arrested from Kanpur on Monday.

In addition to this, seven people  Dayashankar Agnihotris wife Rekha; Amar Dubeys wife Kushi; Vikas Dubeys neighbours and relatives Kshama, Suresh Verma and Shanti Devi; and two sub-inspectors Vinay Tewari and KK Sharma  have been arrested for being part of the conspiracy.

Vinay Tewari was the station officer of Chaubeypur police station and KK Sharma, too, was posted there. Bikru village falls under the jurisdiction of the police station.

Tewari and Sharma allegedly tipped off Vikas Dubey about the police raid that gave him time to plan and prepare for the attack on the police team, including deputy superintendent and Bilhaur circle officer Devendra Mishra, three sub-inspectors and four constables.

All 68 policemen at Chaubeypur police station have been sent to police lines with officials probing an alleged nexus between law and order personnel and the gangster.

ED MAY REGISTER CASE

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) might investigate the financial network of Vikas Dubeys gang . The ED team from its Lucknow regional office visited Kanpur on Wednesday to meet Mohit Agarwal, the inspector general (IG) of police, Kanpur range.

A senior ED official in Lucknow region, who did not want to be named, confirmed that a team visited Kanpur to collect details of Vikas Dubeys assets and his aides who invested his illegal money into legal businesses.

He said the case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act could be registered after going through all the details.
Oil prices will rise above $ 100 per barrel one day amid a decrease in its production and lower investment in the industry, The Wall Street Journal reported referring to experts' forecasts.

Trevor Woods, a chief investment officer of Ohio-based hedge fund Northern Trace Capital, noted that the pressure of underfunding will be very serious and it will be really difficult for some manufacturers to continue mining.

According to him, oil prices may rebound to $ 150 by 2025.

Other experts believe that the temporary closure of enterprises and the almost full paralysis of air transportation in the world amid the pandemic has already laid the trend for a general reduction in costs and low prices for hydrocarbons.

Analyst Christian Malek from JP Morgan Bank said oil production would decline by 5 million barrels per day or about 5% of the level before the pandemic. According to the expert, it will be necessary to invest an additional $ 625 billion by 2030 in order to meet demand.

He noted that oil prices can reach $ 100 in the next two years.

Richard Fullarton, a chief investment officer of London-based investment fund Matilda Capital Management sais he expects oil prices to rise above $ 100 a barrel by the end of 2020.
New Delhi: India is examining various legal options to protect former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav who is currently imprisoned in Pakistan, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday without elaborating on what these options could be. The comment by the MEA was made in response to several media queries including one on whether India would approach the International Court of Justice (ICJ) again.

India had on Wednesday accused Pakistan of both coercing Mr. Jadhav not to file a review petition against the verdict of a Pakistani military Court and of refusing to implement last years ICJ verdict in letter and spirit, adding that New Delhi would do its utmost to protect Mr. Jadhav and ensure his return and would consider all appropriate options for this. New Delhi had reacted, after Islamabad issued a statement inviting India to file the review and reconsideration petition on behalf of Mr. Jadhav to give effect to the ICJ Judgment.

A Pakistani military court had on April 10, 2017, sentenced Mr.Jadhav to death on charges of"espionage and sabotage". Islamabad has been claiming that Mr. Jadhav was "apprehended by Pakistan law enforcement agencies on March 3, 2016 after he illegally crossed over into Pakistan" and that he had been engaging in "espionage, terrorist and sabotage activities aimed at destabilising and waging war against Pakistan". But New Delhi has consistently rubbished these claims as false and baseless. India had argued that Mr. Jadhav was 'kidnapped from Iran, where he was carrying on business after retiring from the Indian Navy, and was then shown to have been arrested in Balochistan" on 3 March 2016 ...".

But in a major victory for India, the ICJ at The Hague in the Netherlands on July 17 last year had held Pakistan guilty of violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations for its failure to give India consular access to Jadhav while directing Pakistan to provide "effective review and reconsideration of the conviction and sentence" (of death penalty) awarded earlier by a Pakistani military court to Jadhav. The ICJ had also held that the "continued stay of execution constitutes an indispensable condition for the effective review and reconsideration of the conviction and sentence" of Jadhav.

On Wednesday, the MEA had said, The media statement made by Pakistan today in the case seeks to mask its continuing reticence to implement ICJ judgment in letter and spirit. Pakistans claim that Mr. Jadhav, who is incarcerated in Pakistans custody, has refused to initiate review petition is a continuation of the farce that has been in play for the last four years. Mr. Jadhav has been sentenced to execution through a farcical trial. He remains under custody of Pakistans military. He has clearly been coerced to refuse to file a review in his case.

The MEA had added, The Government will do its utmost to protect Shri Jadhav and ensure his safe return to India. To that end, it would consider all appropriate options. Since 2017, when Military Court carried out a farcical trial, Pakistan has refused to hand over any relevant document, including FIR, evidence, court order, etc in the case to India. Clearly, Pakistan is attempting to create a mirage of compliance with the ICJ judgment.

In its statement on Wednesday, Islamabad had said, Pakistan invited India to file review and reconsideration petition in ... Kulbushan Jadhav Case. ... the (Pakistani foreign ministry) Spokesperson said that Pakistan has invited India to file review and reconsideration petition after refusal by Jadhav to do so ... While Jadhavs mercy petition is still pending, India is invited to file review and reconsideration petition to give effect to the Judgment of the ICJ.
(Photo : App Store) screenshot of the ABTraceTogether App Store preview (Photo : Martin Sanchez/Usplash) Can the app pose privacy and security risks?

The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta (OIPC) said the province's COVID-19 tracing application smartphone app could be a security risk if used on Apple devices.

According to Commissioner Jill Clayton, as reported by Global News, while Alberta Health considered privacy and security in developing the ABTraceTogether app and applied measures to protect privacy, she has concerns about the app's functionality on Apple devices.

Clayton said the app poses security risks because Apple devices need to remain unlocked to make it work. Thus, risks are significantly heightened risk in case of loss or theft.

The Alberta government and its Health Services office launched the voluntary smartphone application on May 1 to control the spread of coronavirus. The app uses Bluetooth and can be downloaded for free.

Three weeks after its launch, Ministry Spokesperson Tom McMillan said on May 22 that Alberta Health is coordinating with Apple and Google to enhance ABTraceTogether's efficacy and functionality. The spokesperson also noted that enhancements will be released later.

McMillan earlier said Apple's iOS 13.5 update on May 20 already included the "exposure notification framework," which allows running the app even when the device is not being used or locked.

Nearly two months after, Alberta Health said Apple has not yet issued a fix allowing the app to run in the background, but the office is working with the tech giant to make it happen soon.

Meanwhile, health officials earlier said the app already worked on Android devices.

Privacy may be breached

Meanwhile, the OIPC report said Alberta's privacy laws may be breached by employees who store health or personal information on provided devices or their own and running the app.

Clayton noted that both the AH and AHS have legal responsibilities to protect the personal and health information in their custody or control.

She also recommended Alberta Health to publish the potential privacy risks as her office does not regulate the actions of those who download the app. Also, OIPC advised to have regular updates on the app's effectiveness or make plans on dismantling the app in the future.

Meanwhile, the Alberta government said the app continues to play a key role in controlling COVID-19 and ultimately saves thousands of lives. Yet, Alberta Health vowed to review the OIPC report and make necessary changes.

While the ABTraceTogether app has initial popularity with 140,000 downloads three days after its launch, fewer people have been getting it. As of June 19, only 210,093 or about 5% of the population have downloaded it.

According to Heather Baxter, a family physician and university lecturer in Calgary, not enough Albertans have been using the app.

Health officials said at least 20% of the population should have downloaded the app to deem it as effective. The actual numbers though is far from the ideal.

How does the app work?

ABTraceTogether app uses Bluetooth to create a record of smartphones it has been in contact with within two meters for at least 15 minutes. The encrypted data is held on the phone for 21 days.

If users have tested positive for COVID-19, they can agree on uploading their phone records to AHS, so human contact tracers can reach out to phone numbers other users have registered the app with.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
There are action-packed cards, and then theres Saturdays blockbuster program at The Meadows -- 16 stake splits featuring 113 top filly pacers vying for more than $600,000 in purses. Among those outstanding fillies is Lyons Sentinel, the 2019 Dan Patch Award winner making her sophomore debut.

While the program wasnt planned to be so stakes rich, COVID 19-related rescheduling helped create Saturdays extravaganza. Now, the program includes four stakes spanning 16 divisions: the Adios Betty, a Pennsylvania Sires Stake for three-year-olds; the Sand Tart, a PASS for freshmen, and PA Stallion Series events in both those divisions. The card also features a $1,912.68 carryover in the final-race Super Hi-5. First post is 12:45 PM.

As you might expect, the program shines brightly with equine luminaries, but keep your eye on these fillies:

 Lyons Sentinel (race 6, post 6, Tim Tetrick). Although the divisional and PA champ has looked good in three qualifiers, trainer Jim King, Jr. would have preferred an earlier start for the daughter of Captaintreacherous-Tutu Hanover owned by Threelyonsracing.

I didnt want her in an Open with older horses, so there was nowhere else to race her, King said. Im satisfied with her qualifiers, but shes not an exciting horse while training; if you saw her, youd say Whos that? When it comes to show time, look out.

Among Kings eight starters Saturday, he cites Lyons Softassilk (race 7, post 4, Tetrick) and Sniper Hanover (race 4, post 1, Tetrick) as promising two-year-olds.

 Rocknificent (race 6, post 5, Scott Zeron), Baby Your The Best (race 10, post 5, David Miller). Rocknificent is a Captaintreacherous daughter out of Rocklamation, who won a Dan Patch Award as an older mare. She earned $285,006 last year for owners Enviro Stables, South Mountain Stables and Little E LLC. Baby Your the Best was no slouch, with $258,717 in winnings for Richard Young and Joanne Young.

Linda Toscano, trainer of both, indicated the cancellation of the Lynch Memorial at Pocono, typically a premier showcase for three-year-old filly pacers, forced her to modify the schedules for her pair.

Losing the Lynch was hard; we had prep races wed planned to lead to the Lynch, she said. The stakes now are a bit more concentrated then I would like, but were all in the same boat.

Toscano said Rocknificent has come back especially well.

Last year we had to protect her a little, make sure she was following horses, she said. She may be able to take a bit more air this year. Shes a stronger version of herself.

 Let Er Buck (race 7, post 2, Mark MacDonald), Rodeo Beach (race 15, post 3, MacDonald). In 2017, Wild West Show was named Dan Patch Pacing Broodmare Of The Year for such outstanding offspring as Huntsville, the divisional champ at two who retired with more than $1.7 million in the bank. On Saturday, Wild West Show will be represented by these half-sisters.

Let Er Buck is of particular interest, since shes from the first crop of Betting Line and captured her stakes debut in a PASS at Harrahs Philadelphia.

Shes been a nice horse to be around, says breeder/owner/trainer Ray Schnittker. I really dont know what her top end is, but she always digs in at the wire.

Extending his tradition, Schnittker, a rodeo devotee, named the filly for the Let Er Buck Room, a popular watering hole for fans at Oregons annual Pendleton Roundup.

(MSOA)
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: On a day when the third minister in the state tested positive for COVID-19 but preferred to be admitted to a private hospital, BJP and Congress leaders have urged them to get treatment at government hospitals. The statements come in the wake of widespread social media chatter on the issue.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, BJP president L Murugan said Tamil Nadu government hospitals have very good infrastructure and doctors had been providing good service to the people in treating COVID-19. When a scribe asked about ministers and MLAs preferring private hospitals over government hospitals, Murugan said, "I suggest that the ministers get treatment in government hospitals."

Congress state president KS Alagiri too urged that public representatives such as ministers and MLAs should get treatment at government hospitals to enhance the quality of the treatment at the

hospitals and encourage staff members of the health department.

Till Kamarajar was the Chief Minister it was a practice whoever it may be ministers and officials would get treatment only at government hospitals. Kamarajar and then Chief Secretary of the state Nambiyar had been admitted in government hospitals for their illness. Even today the Chief Minister, Prime Minister and Union ministers approach the AIIMS hospital in Delhi if they fall ill, he told The New Indian Express.

Alagiri further added, The doctors and staff members of the health department will be encouraged if the public representatives get admission in government hospitals for their illness as we have spent

thousands of crores every year to improve the public health system. And the facilities of the system would be enhanced only if the public representatives get admission in the government hospitals and the general public would get confidence in public health facilities.
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP)  Police fired tear gas at hundreds of demonstrators who tried to storm Serbia's parliament on Friday, the fourth night of protests against the Balkan country president's increasingly authoritarian rule.

Demonstrators  who were defying a ban on mass gatherings amid a spike in virus infections  threw bottles, rocks and flares at the police guarding the domed parliament building in central Belgrade and removed the metal fences in front of it. Smoke rose above the entry stairway.

Police first used their shields to push back the protesters and prevent them from entering the building. But after repeated attacks, they fired tear gas to disperse the crowd, and then ended up in running battles with demonstrators.

Several people were arrested, and many reporters were injured, mainly in attacks by the demonstrators.

Some opposition leaders have said the violence was the work of far-right nationalist demonstrators controlled by the government  with an aim to discredit the peaceful protests that began in response to President Aleksandar Vucic's efforts to reimpose lockdown restrictions against the virus. But, they have mushroomed into an expression of wider frustration with his hard-line rule.

Vucic has denied that hooligans, who were seen beating up the peaceful protesters earlier this week, are under his control, claiming they were brought in by the opposition. On Friday evening, he told pro-government Pink TV that all those who were attacking the brave" policemen will be arrested.

The masks have fallen, Vucic said, describing the protesters as a mix of tycoons and bullies who want to take over power.

Earlier in the day, Vucic said he wasn't worried about losing political power amid the protests, considered the most intense since the overthrow of former Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic in 2000. He instead expressed fear about the spread of the virus by the demonstrators.

It is so irresponsible to call upon people to gather and demonstrate when we are faced with the most horrific numbers of infections from the coronavirus," Vucic told reporters during his state visit to France.

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I beg people, please lets keep our health safe. Nobody is going to take power by force. Power is taken at the elections. You can protest as much as you want when the epidemic is over," he said.

The Serbian prime minister announced the highest daily number of deaths, 18, on Friday since the start of the pandemic in the Balkan country. She said 386 new confirmed were recorded cases in the past 24 hours. That brings the total to over 17,300 confirmed cases and 352 deaths since March.

Friday's unrest came after a peaceful protest on Thursday  though there was also violence earlier this week.

The protests started on Tuesday when Vucic announced that Belgrade would be placed under a new three-day lockdown following a second wave of confirmed coronavirus infections. They have continued even though Vucic suspended his plans to enforce the lockdown. Instead his government has banned gatherings of more than 10 people in the capital.

After initially handling the pandemic relatively well, Vucic and his government have been accused of allowing the crisis to spin out of control in order to hold a June 21 election that tightened his grip on power.

During his nearly three years in office, Vucic has consolidated a tremendous amount of power in the presidency, a role that previously was only ceremonial.

Opponents blame the president for contributing to the large spike in deaths and new cases after he entirely lifted previous very tight lockdown measures. Mass gatherings at soccer and tennis matches and at nightclubs were allowed despite warnings by experts that this could lead to a spike in infections.

Serbian officials denounced the protests as an attempt to overthrow the government and weaken Vucics position in the European Union-mediated negotiations on Kosovo, a former province whose 2008 declaration of independence Belgrade doesn't recognize.

___

Associated Press writer Jovana Gec contributed to this report.

___

Follow AP pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
BETHESDA, Md., July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Walker & Dunlop, Inc. announced today that it structured $10,744,000 in financing for Landmark of Laurel Creek, a 106-bed skilled nursing facility located in Manchester, Kentucky, and $14,645,900 in financing for The Vistas Fox Valley, a 136-bed supportive living facility in Aurora, Illinois.

Walker & Dunlop Senior Managing Director, Joshua Rosen, led the origination team, which has extensive experience with seniors housing and healthcare facilities across the country. Leveraging their knowledge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Walker & Dunlop team utilized the Agency's LEAN 232/233(f) refinance program, which provides long-term and reduced-rate financing for specialty healthcare facilities.

The permanent financing for The Vistas Fox Valley will replace the existing debt previously provided by Walker & Dunlop's bridge lending program, which utilizes the company's own balance sheet to offer short-term, nonrecourse loans for properties that are being acquired or repositioned as part of a new business strategy.

Located in Aurora, Illinois, a far-western suburb of Chicago, The Vistas Fox Valley is one of the most advanced providers of post-hospital care in the Fox River Valley region. The Vistas Fox Valley is designed to appeal to the unique needs and expectations of seniors 65+, offering a safe, engaging environment with full medical support and rehabilitation services. The property is conveniently located near many of the area's top hospitals and healthcare facilities and offers hotel-like amenities such as spacious private suites, housekeeping services, expansive family lounges, an on-site spa and salon, dining services, transportation options, and 24-hour medical assistance.

Landmark of Laurel Creek is located approximately 100 miles south of Lexington, Kentucky, and holds a four-star rating from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Laurel Creek operates as a rehabilitation and skilled nursing center, including rehab-to-home programs, wound care, respite care, and hospice care.

Walker & Dunlop ranked as the 3rd largest HUD lender in 2019 based on MAP initial endorsements, closing over $94 million of seniors housing and healthcare transactions. For information about Walker & Dunlop's view on the apartment market, including expert perspectives on markets, leadership, and the road ahead, visit our new Driven by Insight information center.

About Walker & Dunlop

Walker & Dunlop (NYSE: WD), headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, is one of the largest commercial real estate finance companies in the United States. The company provides a comprehensive range of capital solutions for all commercial real estate asset classes, as well as investment sales brokerage services to owners of multifamily properties. Walker & Dunlop is included on the S&P SmallCap 600 Index and was ranked as one of FORTUNE Magazine's Fastest Growing Companies in 2014, 2017, and 2018. Walker & Dunlop's 850+ professionals in 40 offices across the nation have an unyielding commitment to client satisfaction.

SOURCE Walker & Dunlop, Inc.

Related Links

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OTTAWA - The WE organization has paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in speaking fees to members of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's family, it acknowledged Thursday, as organizations that need volunteers awaited word of the future of a $900-million program WE was to run.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/7/2020 (558 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau listens to a question during a news conference, Wednesday, July 8, 2020 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

OTTAWA - The WE organization has paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in speaking fees to members of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's family, it acknowledged Thursday, as organizations that need volunteers awaited word of the future of a $900-million program WE was to run.

The government says it is working on what to do with the Canada Student Services Grant after its agreement with WE was cancelled amid controversy over the Trudeau family's connections to the Toronto-based charity and its for-profit arm, ME to WE Social Enterprise.

The WE organization said Thursday that it had paid Trudeau's mother Margaret about $250,000 for 28 speaking appearances at WE-related events between 2016 and 2020.

His brother Alexandre has been paid $32,000 for eight events, according to WE. The organization that represents them as speakers was paid additional commissions, WE said.

And Trudeau's wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau received $1,400 in 2012 for a single appearance that year.

Most of the payments went from the for-profit component of the organization, which sponsors the charitable component, WE Charity said in a statement, though about $64,000 went from WE Charity to Margaret Trudeau's speaker's bureau because of "an error in billing / payment."

"Justin Trudeau has never been paid by WE Charity or ME to WE Social Enterprise for any speeches or any other matters," WE Charity said.

Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet said late Thursday that Trudeau should step aside until the matter is fully probed, turning power over to Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland.

Trudeau is now under investigation by the ethics commissioner over allegations of a potential conflict of interest when the government awarded the sole-source contract to WE. Trudeau has acknowledged he did not recuse himself when cabinet approved the deal.

Trudeau has maintained the non-partisan public service recommended WE to administer the deal, while his spokesman Alex Wellstead on Thursday said "the prime minister's relatives engage with a variety of organizations and support many personal causes on their own accord."

"What is important to remember here is that this is about a charity supporting students. The Canada Student Service Grant program is about giving young people opportunities to contribute to their communities, not about benefits to anyone else."

WE's sudden departure from the volunteering program has created confusion as the days tick past for young people to put in hours for which the government promises to pay them up to $5,000 toward schooling.

Several non-profits say they and their volunteers are anxiously waiting for answers from the government, including whether the program is going to go ahead and the students they have already taken on will be compensated for their work.

"I have three or four students talk to me and they're anxious, and I get why they're anxious," said Emily Fern, mission co-ordinator for the Saint Andrew's Community Outreach and Support Program in Whitby, Ont. "And I've had a mom call me and she's anxious.

"I've got a few people who are volunteering in good faith right now and we are keeping track of their hours. And some of the families that use our program have been asking (to volunteer) and I can't tell them anything right now."

The grant program promises to pay students up to $5,000 for their post-secondary educations if they volunteer the maximum 500 hours. WE said last week that around 35,000 applications had been received for the program.

The Saint Andrew's program provides food assistance to local families in need, among other things. Fern said demand has increased by more than 25 per cent since the pandemic started in March even as the number of volunteers available has dramatically declined.

It was for that reason that Fern asked for and was given approval to take on five student volunteers through the Canada Student Service Grant while WE was administering the program. But since WE left last week and the government took over, "it's kind of been radio silence."

"It's not like I have a ton of time to deal with this," she said. Most of us are all volunteers too. And it's also such a stressful time that if I didn't need the help I wouldn't have asked for it. And I definitely didn't need more work."

Michelle Porter, CEO of the Souls Harbour Rescue Mission in Halifax, said she has also heard nothing from Ottawa since it took over the program from WE, which both she and Fern praised for their level of support.

"They were giving us frontline care," Porter said of WE. "'What do you need? What do you need them for?' So we thought this is great because we were getting great treatment. And then they kind of got pulled away and we haven't heard anything since."

Porter doesn't know whether the five students she has now will be compensated as promised and she is reluctant to advertise the other 10 unfilled positions, which her organization needs to run the 17,000-square-foot thrift store that funds many of its other charitable operations.

"Students want to come here and I would like to see even more students if we could get them," Porter said. "That's the biggest thing, having to just put it on a hold because we don't know if there are going to be any changes or if they are going to pull it away."

Youth Minister Bardish Chaggers spokeswoman Danielle Keenan appeared to stand by the Canada Student Services Grant program this week even as she said government officials were "working right now to determine the next steps" and acknowledged the likelihood of a delay.

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The program itself has criticized since the details were rolled out at the end of June, with some questioning the blurry lines between volunteer and paid work. Others have blasted the government for compensating students $10 per hour worked, which is less than minimum wage.

Canadian Federation of Students deputy chairperson Nicole Brayiannis echoed those criticisms Thursday as she urged Ottawa to pull the plug on any further positions and invest instead in more direct aid to students, noting the summer is already well underway.

She also suggested keeping existing placements, but increasing their pay to at least minimum wage.

"Students do want to be able to contribute to their communities and they do want to build their resumes and gain that experience," she said.

"However, the volunteer program just doesn't seem to make sense in the way that it was laid out. It would make much more sense just to ensure that if compensation is received for work that is being done, it should be at the minimum-wage level."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 9, 2020.
LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA  Two transportation projects in Loudoun County will receive funding from the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) as part of its six-year, fiscal year 2020-2025 program. On Thursday, the NVTA approved 21 of 14 projects requested by 13 Northern Virginia localities and agencies.

Despite an estimated $240 million net revenue loss for the six-year program during the coronavirus pandemic, the authority provided $539 million in funding for the 21 projects. The two projects in Loudoun County will receive a total of $54.7 million in funding.

Other localities in Northern Virginia with approved projects include Arlington County, city of Alexandria, city of Falls Church, city of Fairfax, Fairfax County, Prince William County and the town of Dumfries. Projects were also approved for the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, NOVA Parks and Virginia Railway Express.

"The adoption of the Six Year Program Update demonstrates an ongoing commitment to a multimodal approach that addresses Northern Virginians' mobility needs and challenges, and supports the region's economic vitality, while providing an economic stimulus to the region's economy," Phyllis Randall, chair of the authority and the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, said Friday in a statement.

See the full list of 21 approved projects funded by the authority and project descriptions.

The authority's main purpose is to update Northern Virginia's long-range transportation plan, as well as prioritize and fund transportation projects to provide congestion relief. In 2013, a Virginia law established dedicated funding for Northern Virginia transportation projects for the authority to carry out its work.

Membership is made up of nine Northern Virginia localities: Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties and the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas and Manassas Park.

NVTA funding will go toward these two projects in Loudoun County:

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Construction of Crosstrail Boulevard from Sycolin Road to the Dulles Greenway : The $36.7 million in funding will be used to build the last portion of Crosstrail Boulevard, a half-mile segment, between Sycolin Road and the Dulles Greenway. The project is assumed to have a major bridge crossing of Sycolin Creek as it travels east from the Dulles Greenway to land beyond the existing floodplain between Sycolin Road and the Dulles Greenway, including connection to the Dulles Greenway at the existing Shreve Mill Road Interchange.

Evergreen Mills Road Widening from Northstar Boulevard to Stone Springs Boulevard: The $18 million in funding from NVTA will cover work on a portion of Evergreen Mills Road between the proposed Northstar Boulevard extension and Belmont Ridge Road. The total length of this portion of Evergreen Mills Road is about 1,900 feet. Evergreen Mills Road for the study area has been constructed as a two-lane undivided roadway with a shoulder and ditch. Several driveways are located along this segment of Evergreen Mills Road serving private properties along the segment. The work also will cover the area between Belmont Ridge Road and Stone Springs Boulevard. The total length of this portion of Evergreen Mills Road is about 2,200 feet.

NVTA put out a call for regional transportation projects in July 2019. Over 41 projects were reviewed, and around 1,000 public comments have come in during the process.

With the new funding program and four previous programs, the authority is advancing 106 regional transportation projects. The projects, totaling almost $2.5 billion, are aimed at reducing congestion in the region.

This article originally appeared on the Ashburn Patch
Jaipur, July 10 : Alwar, which has become the hub for many criminal gangs, is back in the news for all wrong reasons as dreaded gangster Vikas Dubey had allegedly managed to cross into Rajasthan from there on his way to Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain even as armed state police personnel were deployed at the inter-state border with Haryana.

However, Alwar's Superintendent of Police Tejaswini Gautam on Friday told IANS that police is yet to ascertain which route he had taken to reach Ujjain.

"There is no such confirmation on which way he took to reach Ujjain as there are many roads leading to Ujjain from Rajasthan," she said.

While sources said that Dubey travelled from Alwar, via Dausa and Kota, to reach Ujjain and was in contact with gangsters of Alwar, police did not confirm this and said that it will investigate his route only if it is required.

Dubey was arrested from Ujjain's Mahakaal temple on Thursday morning and was shot dead by the UP Police on Friday as he was trying to flee while being taken to Kanpur.

While on Wednesday, reports were pouring in about Dubey's presence somewhere in the NCR, the SP had told IANS that Rajasthan's Alwar and Mewat regions also come under the NCR and "therefore we are working on the theory of 'prevention is better than cure' by deputing our teams with arms and equipment to tackle any situation on the border with Haryana".

"As Rajasthan is connected to Delhi, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh, there are possibilities of the dreaded criminal making an inter-state movement and hence we have put our teams on alert mode," she said.

In Alwar, there are many gangs involved in serious crimes like extortion and murder. These include the Vikram Papla gang, the Jasram Gurjar gang, Laden gang, Chiku gang, amongst others, and all have a network in neighbouring states too. They take refuge in Haryana and UP after committing crimes in Rajasthan and the criminals from these two states take shelter in Alwar.

In fact, on September 6 last year, criminal Papla Gurjar, locked up in Behror jail, had escaped after firing at police with an AK-47. Since then, the Rajasthan Police, including the Special Operations Group (SOG), is looking for him but he still remains untraceable.
China has issued a warning to France after Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said he was "considering measures" in response to China's Hong Kong policy. Last week, Beijing's national security law came into force, effectively curbing Hong Kong's relative independence.

"The affairs of Hong Kong are part of China's internal affairs and no country has the right to interfere," according to Zhao Lijian, the spokesperson of China's Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Beijing imposed its national security law in Hong Kong last week. It is aimed at quelling subversion, secession, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces. The regulations are a direct answer to last year's violent protests where some demonstrators went as far as demanding independence for the former British crown colony.

Radical change

The law constitutes the most radical change for Hong Kong since London handed the city back to China in 1997. Pro-democracy activists now fear an unprecedented erosion of freedoms and autonomy in the territory.

Le Drian, addressing the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, said that France would not remain inactive on the Hong Kong question.

"We are considering measures that I will announce when the time comes," he added, stressing they would be taken in "coordination" with other European countries.

"This is a break with the 1997 Basic Law on the one country, two systems principle, so we won't stand by idly, he says.

The one country, two systems scheme, which is embedded in Hong Kong's constitution, guarantees the territory's semi-autonomy, the rule of law, capitalist system and budding democracy. Beijing and London signed a joint declaration, guaranteeing that Hong Kong's status quo would be maintained for at least 50 years.

But critics say that over the years since 1997, Beijing has gradually reduced commitment to its promises, leading to increasingly violent protests in the city.

'Prudence in words'

In response to the French comments, China's spokesman said he hoped that some countries would exercise "prudence in words and in actions" and behave "in a more positive way for the stability of Hong Kong".

But Jean-Yves Le Drian repeated his remarks during a joint press briefing on Thursday with his Spanish counterpart Arancha Gonzalez: "This security law is a very serious act which in our view questions the 1997 Basic Law which validated Hong Kong's form of autonomy under 'one country, two systems'.

"When the fundamentals of justice are being questioned, we think those principles are undermined."

French nationals

He also expressed concern about the fate of French nationals currently living in Hong Kong, as the controversial Article 38 of the Hong Kong National Security Law points out that non-residents both inside and outside Hong Kong are now to be subjected to its regulations.

On 20 July, the issue will be discussed at EU level in Brussels.

Until now, EU reactions to the Hong Kong security law have been measured, unlike those from Washington where punitive legislation has already been put in place.

Meanwhile, London has said it would facilitate Hong Kong citizens' access to British citizenship. Beijing rejected the announcement as "gross interference" as well.

Australia for its part announced Thursday the suspension of its extradition agreement with Hong Kong and the extension of visas for the benefit of Hong Kongers.
Emissary of St. Petersburg cell of terrorist organization jailed for 6 years

 flickr.com/ Albuquerque Film Office

09:38 10/07/2020

ST. PETERSBURG, July 9 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov)  Emissary of a so-called sleeper cell of the international terrorist organization Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist organizations banned in Russia Bekzod Karimov has received 6 years in a high-security prison in St. Petersburg, RAPSI has been told in the Federal Security Services (FSB) Directorate for St. Petersburg and Leningrad Region.

According to the FSB press service, the sleeper terrorist cell operating in St. Petersburg and Leningrad Region coordinated from Syria was liquidated in 2019; Karimov was its leader.

Russias security service says so-called sleeper cells are not active but ready to start terrorist actions ordered by their curators.
In Kenya's urban areas, there's a serious problem of people not having enough food, particularly in the capital city of Nairobi.

Those who live in low-income settlements earn very low wages  for instance around 67% of the urban poor are informal workers who earn about US$130 each month. As a result residents spend over half of their daily income buying food, because basic food items such as maize flour are expensive. This is due to a combination of soaring global commodity prices , poor harvests and post-harvest food losses which have led to a sharp rise in the cost of food since 2007.

To make ends meet, families are forced to take fewer meals and data shows that over 80% of households in low-income settlements don't have access to enough nutritious food.

This situation has serious consequences, particularly for children. Research by the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) shows that about half of children under five years of age living in Nairobi's low-income settlements are chronically undernourished (stunted) and about a third of women of reproductive age are underweight.

The COVID-19 pandemic further complicates the situation. At least one million Kenyans have lost their jobs and there's been a disruption to food supply from rural areas because of containment measures.

In theory, governments are duty bound to ensure that their people have food. The realisation of the right to food is when every person lives in conditions that allow them to produce food or to purchase it. In Kenya, this is enshrined in the constitution.

The government can fulfil this right by putting accountability at the heart of food security policies. For instance, by publicly declaring that it recognises its responsibility  as Brazil did with its zero hunger programme  and establishing standards and procedures for the implementation of food security policies and programmes. In addition, the government can also monitor food production levels and prices while keeping track of how food insecure people are. Indonesia is one country that has this strategy in place.

In Kenya, there is still a long way to go to ensure that this right is enjoyed by all. For instance, there are currently no measures in place to fully regulate the price of basic needs, especially food. A key way to hold the government accountable is to ensure communities know that they have a right to food. This empowers them to demand the right and urges those responsible to put strategies in place that realise the right.

Right to food initiative

For the past two years, my colleagues and I have been working on the right to food issue through the Right To Food Project . This works with communities in low-income settlements in Kenya to understand their experiences and engage them on their rights. We also organise dialogue with policymakers.

The aim is to influence policy decisions towards the realisation of the right to food. We do this by identifying and documenting the realities of the urban poor and their experiences with regard to food insecurity. We then present recommendations to relevant change agents, such as policymakers. This amplifies the voice of communities and ensures that their experiences and insights are part of this process.

So far, our initiative has revealed that barriers to food access occur mainly due to poverty. People earn too little to buy enough food. They also rely heavily on purchased food, as they can't grow their own. The food that they can buy is often of poor quality, not very nutritious and produced in an environment with low food safety standards.

Some urban poor resort to risky strategies, such as scavenging for food from dump sites or engaging in crime, to get food.

Engagement on the Right to Food

Our initial focus was on Nairobi. We worked with eight community groups to engage communities in ten informal settlements. Moving forward, we will include the County of Kisumu, a project that will end in 2022. Within these communities the aims were to engage them on their right to food, their role and the obligations of the government in the realisation of the right.

This government's obligation is not to take measures that arbitrarily deprive people of their right to food. For instance, one finding from our project is that the government needs to address the issue of taxation especially of food staples in order to lower food prices for the urban poor.

It was also important that  although highlighting the role the government should play in providing food  communities suggest strategies that would work for them. For instance, the communities said that they wanted be enabled to grow their own food.

This is where the dialogues convened by the project were useful. For instance, though people may want to grow food, it's not always possible. We set up dialogue between political leaders, which included local chiefs, representatives of members of parliament, representatives from the Nairobi County Women Representative office, and officers from the Ministry of Agriculture. The community could voice the challenges they face when it comes to urban farming: a lack of agricultural skills, farming land, and money to buy inputs such as seeds.

Following this dialogue, the Ministry of Agriculture agreed to ensure agricultural extension officers reach urban poor settings to support urban farmers and improve the implementation of the 2015 Nairobi Urban Agriculture Promotion and Regulation Act, which pledges to improve people's capacity in food production.

This commitment to improve policy is crucial, but so is ensuring that these new laws and policies are enforced. To this end the project is undertaking an audit and review of existing policies  such as the 2017 Food Security Bill  and legislation in Kenya in order to identify the extent to which food security concerns of the urban poor have been addressed, and engage for change.

As seen through this case, through public engagement this project can help to enhance the communities' understanding of the concept of their right to food and provide opportunities to explore potential strategies that will work for them.

Hilda Owii, David Osogo, Florence Sipalla and Michelle Mbuthia from APHRC contributed to the writing of this article.

Elizabeth Kimani-Murage receives funding from Wellcome Trust, UK. She is affiliated with African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC).

David Osogo, Hilda Owii, [email protected] , and [email protected] do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

By Elizabeth Kimani-Murage, Research Scientist, African Population and Health Research Center
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 19:34:27|Editor: huaxia

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DAMASCUS, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The first COVID-19 case was reported in Syria's major rebel-held Idlib province Friday, as the Syrian government reported new cases in government-held areas, according to a war monitor and state media.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the first case was officially reported in areas controlled by the rebel groups, mainly the al-Qaida-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, in Idlib province, the last major rebel stronghold in northwestern Syria.

The patient is a doctor who had returned from Turkey a few days ago, said Rami Abdul-Rahman, the head of the observatory.

Unfortunately, he added, the doctor had contacted tens of people as a result of his work at the Bab al-Hawa hospital.

Now, the rebels have applied preventive measures such as social distancing and wearing masks, Abdul-Rahman said.

Meanwhile, the head of the observatory said if the virus continues spreading in that region, the situation will be "tragic," particularly among the displaced people in displacement camps amid lack of medical teams and humanitarian aid.

While this is the first case in the Idlib region near Turkey, the UN recorded six cases in Kurdish-controlled areas in northeastern Syria, including one death.

In the government-controlled areas, the Syrian Health Ministry said Friday that 22 new cases were recorded on Friday, bringing the overall number of infections to 394, including 16 deaths.

The first case was reported in government-controlled areas in March.

The government has taken several measures to prevent the spread of the virus such as curfew and shutting down businesses.

However, with the tough economic situation and the new sanctions imposed on the country, the government eased the measures but kept on urging people to adhere to self-safety measures.

The government also tried to benefit from the experiences of China to face the pandemic.

China has offered help to Syria to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

On April 15, China delivered the first batch of medical aid, including 2,016 COVID-19 test kits, to Syria.

On April 23, a video conference was held between Chinese and Syrian medical experts for sharing the experience in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

On June 4 and June 24, Syria received another two batches of medical supplies donated by China, including test kits, protective suits, masks, goggles, and infrared thermometers. Enditem
The Kazakhstans healthcare ministry, however, has branded the Chinese media reports based on the embassy statement as fake news'

The Chinese Embassy in Kazakhstan on Thursday warned that an "unknown pneumonia" deadlier than the coronavirus was sweeping through the country, according to several media reports.

The death rate of this disease is much higher than the novel coronavirus. The countrys health departments are conducting comparative research into the pneumonia virus, but have yet to identify the virus, the embassy said in a statement to Chinese citizens, as per the South China Morning Post.

"Unknown pneumonia in Kazakhstan caused 1,772 deaths in the first six months of the year, including 628 people in June alone, including Chinese citizens," the embassy said in a statement. "The fatality rate of the disease is much higher than COVID-19."

As per the SCMP, it is not clear why the embassy described the illness as unknown or what information it had.

The embassy website, citing local reports, said Atyrau and Aktobe provinces and Shymkent city reported significant spikes in pneumonia cases since the middle of June.

Kazakhstani officials and media have only said it is pneumonia, as per the SCMP.

Global Times, quoting local media, reported that Kazakhstan's healthcare minister said on Wednesday that the number of patients who have taken ill with pneumonia is two to three times more than those who have been infected with COVID-19.

The report quoted the minister as saying that the accurate tallies of confirmed cases are planned to be published as early as next week. The minister also reportedly said that while it's not necessary to publish the number, the public needs to know the situation.

However, on Friday, the Kazakhstans healthcare ministry branded Chinese media reports based on the embassy statement as fake news, a report in Reuters said.

The ministry said its tallies of bacterial, fungal and viral pneumonia infections, which also included cases of unclear causes, were in line with World Health Organisation guidelines.

The information published by some Chinese media regarding a new kind of pneumonia in Kazakhstan is incorrect, the ministry said.

Kazakhstan, which imposed a second lockdown this week to rein in the pandemic, has a tally of almost 55,000 COVID-19 infections, including 264 deaths. The number of new cases rose on Thursday to a daily record of 1,962.

With inputs from Reuters
VANCOUVERAs she boarded a bus Monday after a morning of classes at a downtown Vancouver campus, Tina Hoang was pleased to see that most passengers were physically distancing.

She sat down at an empty area near the middle of the bus.

But soon, a white man got on board and walked by a row of people who were all wearing masks, who all happened to be people of colour.

Jesus Christ! Everyone is wearing a mask. Its the f---ing Chinese virus, he ranted loudly.

Hoang, who is 21, said she snapped at that moment after enduring months of dirty looks from people in Vancouver, which she attributed to scapegoating for the coronavirus outbreak.

I told him, Hey, thats really racist! Dont say that! Its very rude of you.

The man stopped and stood over Hoang, who is a small woman of just five feet.

At that moment, Hoang felt scared, but she stood her ground and demanded an apology from the man.

He snarled, No! Its a Chinese virus, from Chinese people eating s---.

Thats when other passengers on the bus stepped up.

To Hoang, it felt like a collective uprising against a spate of racist attacks in the city.

In March, a man pushed a 92-year-old man with dementia to the ground outside a convenience store while yelling racist insults about COVID-19. In another incident, a man punched a woman of Asian descent near a bus stop downtown and walked away.

Eight per cent of Chinese Canadians respondents said they have been physically attacked by strangers during the pandemic, according to a recent survey from the Angus Reid Institute and the University of Alberta.

On the bus, the passengers werent going to stand by for another attack.

Two older women, one of Latino descent and the other of Southeast Asian descent, began to lecture the man about his shameful behaviour.

They were trying to educate him about why people wear masks, Hoang told the Star.

The women said something along the lines of, Everyone is trying to be respectful and take care of each other by wearing masks and keeping a distance.

Some passengers said, Dont be racist! while others chose more subtle means of solidarity, changing their seats to stand or sit protectively around Hoang, who had burst into tears.

You made this girl cry; how can you do that? one man said.

Hoang told the Star she was shaking from anger, thinking about the racism her family endured when they lived in a mostly white suburb of Mississauga, Ont. Her parents are immigrants from China and Vietnam.

People belittled my mother for not speaking English correctly, and white men hit on her. I couldnt believe my mother had to stand up for her rights, and I still have to do it now, Hoang said.

Before she reached her stop, the man struck out again, telling her, Youre a piece of s--- for eating s---.

I hope you can find inner peace, Hoang responded calmly.

Of the 516 Chinese Canadians who responded to the poll from the Angus Reid Institute and the University of Alberta, 43 per cent also reported being threatened or intimidated.

Every day, I pray that you people die, is one of the threats and name-calling instances respondents reported.

Since March 2020, I have been repeatedly yelled at on the sidewalk in my own neighborhood, said one person who took part in the survey.

Because of the support of her fellow passengers, Hoang says she feels hopeful about the future.

Canada has systemic racism, but people are willing to stand up for change and that makes me proud to be Canadian, she said.

With files from Wanyee Li

Joanna Chiu is a Vancouver-based reporter covering both Canada-China relations and current affairs on the West Coast for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @joannachiu

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The Kerala High Court on Friday deferred the bail application of Swapna Suresh, the main accused in the Thiruvanathapuram airport gold smuggling case, to Tuesday after her lawyer said he is yet to get a copy of the first information report filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Though the plea was deferred the high court did not stay her arrest. The NIA opposed her bail plea saying the smuggling incident involves international ramifications and the accused enjoyed a good rapport with influential people. She had moved the Kerala High Court for bail on Thursday.

The Union Home Ministry had handed over the probe to the NIA on Thursday. This is the first time the agency is investigating a smuggling case.

The Customs Department had seized 30 kgs of gold from an air cargo consignment from the United Arab Emirates to the countrys consulate in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday. Suresh, who was working as the operational manager of the Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Limited under the state IT Ministry, had gone underground after the seizure. Later, the CM had transferred his principal secretary M Sivasankar who was close to Suresh.

The issue took on political colour after the Opposition Congress and BJP claimed that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan knew about his principal secretary Sivasankars alleged link with the prime accused. As the issue flared up, more skeletons started tumbling out of the cupboard of the accused.

The Maharashtra -based university, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University, from where she reportedly obtained her B.Com degree made it clear that the varsity did not have a B.Com course and her degree was fake. Later, the controller of the examination Dr Vivek S Sathe sent a mail to a news channel saying it was a fake certificate. She was given a job at Air India-SATS and the Kerala IT department based on this degree. Two days back, her estranged brother also claimed she did not even clear her class 10 examination.

Protests by the opposition parties seeking the resignation of the chief minister turned violent at several places. In Kozhikode in north Kerala, many people were hurt after police resorted to baton charge on agitating Youth League workers. In Kochi too, Yuva Morcha protests turned violent. In Kannur, police lobbed teargas shells to control Youth Congress workers who held a rally outside Vijayans ancestral house.

Despite the CPI(M) and coalition rallying around the CM, many party insiders say the latest incident has dented the image of the government when the elections are just 10 months away. Some of the allies of the ruling dispensation have started airing their displeasure against the way Vijayan protected former principal secretary M Sivasankar. Junior partner the CPI said it had warned him about the freestyle of his secretary several times but the CM had ignored them.
The Sea Hawks were playing their first game in three weeks, but were able to hold off the Panthers for the win.
By Steve Holland

July 10 (Reuters) - Florida confirmed its place as an emerging epicenter of the COVID pandemic in the United States on Friday by reporting its second sharpest daily rise in cases, while Walt Disney Co. prepared to reopen its flagship theme park in Orlando to the chagrin of some employees.

Florida recorded 11,433 new coronavirus cases, the state health department said, more evidence that the virus is still spreading largely unchecked throughout parts of the country.

The state experienced the surge after initially avoiding the worst of the outbreak that hit New York and other northeastern U.S. states. Friday's total was just short of the state's record high for new cases, set last Saturday.

The Walt Disney World theme parks in Orlando will open to a limited number of guests on Saturday. To lower the risks, visitors and employees will have to wear masks and undergo temperature checks, and the resort will not hold parades, fireworks displays and other activities that draw crowds.

Around 19,000 people, including workers, signed a petition asking Disney to delay the reopening and the actors' union that represents 750 Walt Disney World performers has filed a grievance alleging retaliation against its members over the union's demand that they be tested for the coronavirus.

Florida is one of the few states that does not disclose the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. But more than four dozen Florida hospitals reported their intensive care units reached full capacity earlier this week.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Thursday called the rising cases a "blip" and urged residents not to be afraid.

"I know we've had a lot of different blips," DeSantis said. "We're now at a higher blip than where we were in May and the beginning of June."

INCONSISTENCY 'HURTS'

Scott Burkee, a former Disney employee from Davenport, Florida, said DeSantis, a Republican, "has shown zero effort to control the spread, he only becomes concerned when Trump does. The virus is clearly out of control."

Story continues

Burkee, 43, said different rules in neighboring Florida counties were hampering efforts to control the spread.

"Its this inconsistency that is hurting us," he said.

President Donald Trump, a Republican, traveled to Florida on Friday for a full schedule of visits including an event at the U.S. military's Southern Command and an election campaign fundraiser at a private home in Hillsboro Beach.

Trump, seeking to force school districts and universities to reopen despite the coronavirus, said the U.S. Treasury Department would re-examine their tax-exempt status and funding.

The president already has threatened to cut their federal funding and sought to eject university students from abroad.

"Too many Universities and School Systems are about Radical Left Indoctrination, not Education," the Republican Trump wrote in a tweet on Friday likely to sit well with his conservative base.

He accuses Democrats of exploiting the pandemic for political purposes by refusing to reopen schools and businesses, even as health experts caution against the perils of easing restrictions too quickly.

The United States has the highest known numbers of both COVID-19 cases and deaths in the world. The number of confirmed U.S. cases is over 3 million, according to a Reuters tally, stoking fears that hospitals will be overwhelmed.

More than 133,000 Americans have died from the disease, a toll that experts warn will likely surge following recent record spikes in case numbers in many states. (Reporting by Steve Holland and Susan Heavey in Washington and Maria Caspani in New York; Writing by Alistair Bell; Editing by Howard Goller)
In less than 48 hours, 29-year-old Jesslyn Layfield will bury her firstborn, 8-year-old Royta Giles Jr.

Its something no parent should have to do, but Layfield said she is preparing for it by trying to remember what Royta would expect from her.

Im thinking about what Royta would want,' Layfield said. I know if he was here, one tear or one ugly face from me would change his mood so Im just trying to stay positive until I can bury my son. After that, whatever happens, Im OK with it.

Friday will mark one week since Royta was shot in the head while he, his mother, stepfather Anthony Jones, and little sisters Trinity, 5 and Marlee, 4, were waiting to get into the Childrens Place at the Riverchase Galleria to buy new outfits for the Fourth of July. Hoover police say a 22-year-old man armed with an automatic pistol got into a dispute with a group of other men and a barrage of gunfire was exchanged.

When it stopped, Royta was motionless on the mall floor, surrounded by his family. He had been shot in the head and would be pronounced dead within hours.

Since his death, communities throughout Jefferson County and beyond have rallied around the family. On Thursday night, a vigil led by Hoover City Councilman Derrick Murphy outside the mall was attended by city officials from both Hoover and Bessemer  where Royta had attended school  as well as police officers, residents from across Jefferson County and Roytas family.

One of the speakers at the vigil was Hoover police Officer Schylur Parrish, one of the first officers at the scene when Royta was shot. Parrish wrote about the ordeal in a Facebook post that was shared thousands of times, but Thursday was the first time he had spoken about it publicly.

Visibly emotional, the officer read his post and then said of the family: I cant make it stop, but if I could take all the pain away from them and hold myself, I would.

For any of those who think us cops are not human, youre wrong,' he said. I am devastated. I am crushed. I will always be here for this family. Forever, we have gained a guardian angel to watch over us.

Layfield said the officer will forever hold a special place in the familys heart.

I gained a brother. At that scene, I was so devastated and at a point where I was trying to fight people that had cameras on my son,' the grieving mother said. I basically felt like I was in defense mode, I was in Mommy mode.

Me being in mommy mode trying to stop everybody from recording my son, I felt like I wasnt able to be there for Junior but the Lord sent me him (Parrish) to be there with Junior and when it was time, he snapped me out of that.'

He was like your son is still breathing and I was like, hes gone, hes gone and he was like, No, get your butt in the ambulance and whatever happens pray about it'' she said. Ill forever be in contact with him. I will forever look for him no matter where I go. He cared. He stayed there. He didnt leave his side until help came and that was special to me.

Roytas father, Royta Giles Sr., also attended Thursdays vigil. Im taking it hard. I went and seen his body today  he was beautiful,' Giles said. It wasnt easy for me. He was everything to me.

Murphy held the vigil in the parking lot of Macys Department Store. He said prayer is crucial at this time and it must continue.

When I read about or hear about Roytas life and how energetic this young man was, and how positive he was, how much charisma he had, how much confidence he had, you typically dont get that unless you have a couple of different things,' Murphy said. That, he said, includes a supportive, loving family, which was evident in young Roytas character.

When you know youre loved and know youre cared about, no matter what anybody says about you or your dreams, you know Mama and Daddy love youand nobody can get in the way of that.

Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato said the city is grieving with the family.

Roytas grandmother, Kesha Layfield, is a city of Hoover employee in the Public Safety Building. When they found out Royta was your grandson, it was already a deep, deep hurt but it really became more personal because we all know you,' Brocato said to her. I have not seen anything impact our city like this, if ever. Just know we love yalland were going to remember that little sweet boy.

The city of Hoover has established a fund for the family at Iberia Bank. Roytas mother said it is the only official fund for the family, though shes heard that others have been started in their name. We are beyond blessed,' she said.

The family, said Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis, has been on the hearts of the police department since July 3. The loss of your son has had a profound impact on the Hoover Police Department. Where do we go from here? he said. The violence has got to stop. Its time for parents to take responsibility for what their kids are doing. If your child is carrying a gun, take it away from them. If youre not sure, find out.

Young people must stop carrying guns and using firearms to settle arguments. We pray that young people will think about consequences before they act,' he said. We pray that this tragedy will be a wake-up call for all communities around the metropolitan area. Enough is enough. Roytas death should be a call for action to stop the nonsense thats taking place in our communities today.

Bessemer Schools Superintendent Dr. Autumn Jeter also spoke at the vigil. She said when the shooting happened, she was in the area and actually had to pull over to let police pass by. She had no idea what was going on, and then quickly learned it had involved one of her school systems students.

It ripped us apart, she said. Royta was truly a good student.

We know that he is in way better hands than those of us who are still here on Earth, but it just hurts to know he did not get to live out his life and his dream,' Jeter said. But God knows better than any of us here. We wish we could have more time with him, but we will never forget Royta Giles.

Bessemer Cutoff District Attorney Lynneice Washington said she didnt know Royta but has come to love his beautiful smile that has been seen time and time again over the past week. This one baby unified this county and a lot of counties beyond,' she said. His life was powerful, and we cant let it go in vain.

Just know in the end we serve a God that sits high and He looks low and Hes a just God and He does not make any mistakes,' Washington said. Roytas life and his absence are for a reason. Its for unity.
Credit: Western Sydney University

Researchers from Western Sydney University's Humanitarian and Development Research Initiative (HADRI) have used international research linkages to produce a new report on government responses to the COVID-19 pandemic as it spread across the globe.

The report, "The State Responses to COVID-19: a global snapshot at 1 June 2020," was edited by HADRI Director, Associate Professor Nichole Georgeou, and HADRI Adjunct, Dr. Charles Hawksley of University of Wollongong. It features a compilation of analyses and case studies from 70 regional experts.

Associate Professor Georgeou said the report provides valuable insights into the health, social, political and economic responses to the pandemic, as well as the impacts on vulnerable groups across 43 states and territories at 1 June 2020.

"The report contrasts the decisions of individual states and builds a collective understanding of how governments chose to address and prepare for the crisis. From testing and isolation, through to economic stimulus and education, there are many lessons to be learnt," said Associate Professor Georgeou.

"Some of the broader trends relate to the idea of community resilience and the role people played in supporting and protecting each other. We also note early adaptors generally fared better, with some states more proficient in locking down, mobilising healthcare, and utilising technology. Many vulnerable people world-wide have been left exposed."

According to Dr. Hawksley, Australia benefitted from having the time to observe other states in various stages of management and crisis: "Initial modelling predicted that a "do nothing" approach would result in around 150,000 dead, and no government was prepared to accept that cost. The Federal government followed science, listened to experts and issued accurate statistics daily."

Dr. Gordon Nanau from the University of the South Pacific noted that neighbouring Pacific Island countries were still recovering from the 2019 measles outbreak when COVID-19 arrived.

"Experiences with measles testing, nation-wide vaccinations and contact tracing became valuable skills during the COVID-19 response. In both instances, decisive and determined leadership by national frontline agencies became critical in containment efforts," said Dr. Nanau.

"Political leadership aided by social cohesion and social capital through Melanesian, Micronesian and Polynesian social systemsthe wantok system, Fa'a Samoa, Faka Tonga, and other networks across Oceaniamitigated potential livelihood disasters during the pandemic."

Professor James Arvanitakis, Western Sydney University's Institute for Culture and Society, and Dr. Jason McConnell, University of Wyoming, suggest the United States of America's response to the pandemic was more complex than the headlines suggested, with politics often overwhelming policy.

"Since a brief moment of bipartisanship, everything about the virus has become partisan in the US. In such a large and diverse nation, what is evident is that any response required a localised approach to garner buy-in from the people," said Professor Arvanitakis.

"For a complex set of reasons including, pre-existing health and socio-economic conditions make the coronavirus particularly deadly for African Americans. Likewise, the pandemic is exacerbating existing vulnerabilities in First Nations communities."

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
NEW YORK - Lawyers for Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime confidant of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, asked a judge on Friday to grant her release from federal custody, saying her supporters would endorse a $5 million bail bond and that she would consent to monitored home confinement while awaiting trial.

In their response to a detention memo filed by the Manhattan U.S. attorney's office, Maxwell's lawyers sought to counter federal prosecutors' characterization of her as Epstein's enabler and a flight risk. Attorney Mark S. Cohen wrote that she has been wrongly targeted, that attention erroneously shifted from Epstein to Maxwell after his death in federal custody. He described the pair as estranged, saying "she'd had no contact with Epstein for more than a decade."

"Ghislaine Maxwell is not Jeffrey Epstein," Cohen wrote. He noted that she has no arrest history and was never found liable in a lawsuit. Maxwell, Cohen added, denies "any allegations of claimed misconduct."

The court brief says Maxwell has the firm support of friends and family.

"Two of her sisters, who have agreed to co-sign her bond, live in the United States, and they have several children who are U.S.-born citizens," Cohen wrote, adding that Maxwell "is very close with her sisters and maintains regular contact with them, as well as with her nieces and nephews." Maxwell is also godmother to children of close friends, he said.

Maxwell's arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday in Manhattan. She is expected to appear via video from the Brooklyn detention center where she's being held. Judge Alison Nathan is expected to hear arguments over her bail request at that time.

Maxwell, 58, was arrested in New Hampshire on July 2 on charges she exploited teenage girls in the 1990s by providing them to Epstein after recruiting and grooming them to engage in sex acts with him. She was taken into custody about a year after Epstein's arrest on sex trafficking charges. He committed suicide in August at Manhattan's Metropolitan Correctional Center, after which prosecutors here vowed to continue the investigation of anyone who may have acted as an accomplice.

Maxwell faces up to 35 years in prison. Officials have said that, at the time of her arrest, she was living at a large, secluded home in Bradford, N.H., having purchased the 156-acre property with cash in December. Citing her wealth and international ties, prosecutors have argued that Maxwell should not be released from custody.

"The strength of the Government's evidence and the substantial prison term the defendant would face upon conviction all create a strong incentive for the defendant to flee," says the detention memo signed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Moe.

The French-born socialite, whose late father was a British media mogul, has been a naturalized U.S. citizen since 2002 and has lived in the United States for three decades, Cohen wrote in the court brief. She also has British citizenship. Cohen noted that Maxwell did not flee or travel internationally after Epstein's arrest last year, despite having been accused in lawsuits of participating in his child exploitation.

Cohen also argued that Maxwell should be released because of coronavirus concerns. He wrote that, in addition to the health risk she faces while in custody, in-person lawyer visits are off-limits, jeopardizing their ability to prepare her defense.

In announcing Maxwell's indictment last week, acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss accused her of having "normalized" underage girls' sexual involvement with a much older man. Epstein, who owned lavish homes in New York, Florida, the Caribbean and elsewhere, was 66 when he died.

Prosecutors say Maxwell in some cases arranged for girls to travel to Epstein's properties and other destinations. She's also accused of sometimes participating in sex acts with the victims and lying about what she knew of Epstein's activities, an allegation traced to a sworn deposition she gave as part of a lawsuit brought by one of Epstein's accusers.

A wealthy financier with deep political connections, he had previously resolved similar allegations through a plea deal widely criticized as overly lenient. Epstein's accusers have expressed hope that Maxwell will help authorities shed light on his dealings with other wealthy and influential people who may have had encounters with underage victims.
[July 10, 2020] INVESTIGATION ALERT: The Schall Law Firm Announces it is Investigating Claims Against NovaGold Resources Inc. and Encourages Investors with Losses of $100,000 to Contact the Firm

The Schall Law Firm, a national shareholder rights litigation firm, announces that it is investigating claims on behalf of investors of NovaGold Resources Inc. ("NovaGold" or "the Company") (NYSE: NG) for violations of the securities laws. The investigation focuses on whether the Company issued false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose information pertinent to investors. NovaGold is the subject of a research report published by J. Capital Research on May 28, 2020. The report alleges: "NovaGold's management team has systematically misled investors" about its Donlin gold project, "a deposit so remote and technologically challenging that the mine will never be built" The report also criticizes the Company for using "custom metrics designed to deceive," including that "the deposit will require $6.7 bln in capital, [when] the feasibility study clearly shows this number is $8 bln." J. Capital Research also claims: "the proposed natural gas pipeline central to powering the project is dead on arrival," quoting an engineer familiar with the project as saying that he "doesn't know of any engineering company that has the experience to build such a complex pipeline."



If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate. We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall of the Schall Law Firm, 1880 Century Park East, Suite 404, Los Angeles, CA (News - Alert) 90067, at 310-301-3335, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm's website at www.schallfirm.com, or by email at [email protected].

The class in this case has not yet been certified, and until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member. The Schall Law Firm represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200710005411/en/

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One in three apartments in Melbourne's CBD sold for less than they were bought for in the first three months of the year, as fears rise of a bigger hit from the coronavirus pandemic on property markets.

Across the country, 87.7 per cent of homes sold at a profit in the March quarter, compared to 88.7 per cent in the December quarter, a new Pain and Gain report from CoreLogic released on Friday shows.

Owners of apartments in inner-Melbourne were the most likely in the city to sell at a loss. Credit:Luis Enrique Ascui

In the City of Melbourne, 33.6 per cent of homes sold at a loss at a median decline of $44,500. These 120 properties were all apartments and 68.6 per cent were investor-owned.

In Sydney, the council areas with the highest proportion of loss-making owners were Burwood, where 22.4 per cent sold for less than they were bought for, Parramatta at 15.9 per cent, and the Ryde and Strathfield areas at 13.5 per cent.
Yahoo Life is committed to finding you the best products at the best prices. We may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change.

Nora Schaper, Ward Johnson, Dion Hughes and Jay Schaper (left to right), founders of HiBar. (Photo: courtesy of HiBar)

Everyone has a favorite shampoo. You have one, I have oneand were all dedicated to our brands like theyre part of our DNA.

So what do you do if youre founding a new shampoo company and want to lure folks away from their steadies? You make a damned good product, thats what. All this was part of the equation when Dion Hughes was pondering a plan to address the massive problem of plastic pollution, with a line of solid shampoo. When he talked to longtime pals Nora and Jay Schaper and Ward Johnson at a party, he discovered the three entrepreneurs had also been researching ways to banish plastic.

As you probably know, plastic packagingof food, toys, electronics, detergent, and of course shampoois an environmental disaster; it accounts for about 17 million tons of problematic debris per year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Soright there, at a friends housewarming partythe four friends put all their concerns in the same pot and brainstormed HiBar: the worlds first salon-quality shampoo bar and conditioner bar. Then they joined forces to make it real.

Raising the bar on haircare. (Photo: HiBAR)

Shop it: HiBAR shampoo or conditioner bar, starting at $12.60 with code 10NOPLASTIC (was $14), amazon.com

We knew that...mass awareness of the [plastic] problem would eventually lead to a tipping point, where using single-use plastic would become as socially unacceptable as, say, smoking in enclosed public spaces, Hughes told Yahoo Life of the teams thinking. But they also knew that losing the plastic wasnt going to be enough. With brand loyalty so high in haircare, there was no way to make this work without creating a truly superior shampoo and conditioner. So thats what they did.

Mission: Create a shampoo bar so amazing, folks would gladly switch from their bottle brand

Story continues

Easy to use, because it's shaped to fit comfortably in the hand. (Photo: HiBAR)

According to Hughes, shampoo bars are, by their very essence, superior to liquids. Liquid shampoos and conditioners are more than 80 percent water, he said. HiBAR is made with the highest-quality ingredients, only without the water. HiBAR shampoo and conditioner bars use nourishing, all-natural ingredients including African dates, Vitamin B5, coconut oil, and shea butter. Theyre color-safe and contain no sulfates, phthalates, parabens, or siliconechemicals known to dry out and damage strands.

They come in three formulas: Maintain for normal hair, Moisturize for dry and coarse hair, and Volumize for thin hair. Depending on how frequently you wash your hair, a bar can last up to six months, according to the company. Each bar is $14, but, obviously, lasts way longer than a typical bottle of shampoo.



For a limited time you can save 10 percent on your entire order. HiBar is offering an exclusive discount code to Yahoo readers. Just enter 10NOPLASTIC at checkout beginning July 3 for 10 percent off your purchase. Wherever you purchase HiBar, though, make sure it says 'Ships from and sold by HiBAR" to ensure plastic-free delivery.

Shampoo and conditioner come three ways, so you can choose the right formula for your hair: Moisturize, Maintain, or Volumize. (Photo: HiBAR)

Shop it: HiBAR shampoo and conditioner bar set, $23.85 with code 10NOPLASTIC (was $26.50), amazon.com

Transporting shampoo as a solid cuts out carbon emissions, too, since the company is not hauling around excess H2O. Water is heavy. Why ship so much water around the country, churning out all that carbon? said Hughes. Since HiBAR shampoo and conditioner bars are made in America, fossil fuels are kept to an absolute minimum.

HiBAR shampoo bars stand out from the competition

Shampoo bars themselves arent a totally novel concept. Other brands sell shampoo and conditioner as solids, but they dont necessarily compare to the formulation of HiBAR products.

Youve got to understand what youre buying, warned Hughes, who said many so-called shampoo bar companies are actually selling bricks of soap. And thats a problem. Soap is a totally different chemical formula, made from saponifiable oils and lye, which plays havoc with most hair types, Hughes told Yahoo Life. While the company is clearly mission-driven, its super-concerned with results: HiBAR puts beauty first. said Hugh.

HiBAR shampoo delivery gorgeous results with a light footprint on the planet. (Photo: HiBAR)

Shop it: HiBAR shampoo or conditioner bar, starting at $12.60 with code 10NOPLASTIC (was $14), amazon.com

Made in Minnesota

As for the four pals who reunited to pursue their shared passion? Well, theyre living the dream. Not only do they serve customers salon-worthy hair products in paper packaging, but they get to manufacture HiBAR right at homein Minnesota.

Most advisors suggested we manufacture overseas, and though there were cost benefits, it just never felt right to us, Hughes recalled. We felt we could not be as certain about the integrity of the ingredients, and the quality of the finish.

The HiBAR founders decided their only option was to change the world from within their own community. Minnesota has a tight connection to nature and conservation, said Hughes. So, the awareness of our impact on the environment is with us constantly.

For Hughes, Johnson, and the Schapers, though, theres always room for improvement, hence their brand name. HiBAR is based on the idea that problems are there to be solved, said Hughes, and that every day we can all try harder to do our best, to raise the bar a little higher.

Shop it: HiBAR shampoo or conditioner bar, starting at $12.60 with code 10NOPLASTIC (was $14), amazon.com

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LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices dropped on Friday and were headed for weekly declines as inventories rose and record-breaking new coronavirus cases in the United States stoked concern about the pace of economic recovery and fuel demand.

Brent crude was down by 46 cents, or 1.1%, at $41.89 a barrel by 1130 GMT, and U.S. oil fell 51 cents, or 1.3%, to $39.11 a barrel.

Brent was set for a weekly decline of almost 2% and U.S. crude for a fall of almost 4%.

More than 60,500 new COVID-19 cases were reported in the United States on Thursday, setting a daily record. The tally was also the highest daily count yet for any country since the pathogen emerged in China late last year.

"Further job losses are on the horizon as several states reimpose lockdown restrictions. America is still in the throes of the pandemic and this spells bad news for the oil demand outlook," said Stephen Brennock of oil broker PVM. (Graphic: demand supply balance, here)

The International Energy Agency (IEA) bumped up its 2020 oil demand forecast on Friday, but warned that the spread of COVID-19 posed a risk to the outlook.

While the oil market has undoubtedly made progress ... the large, and in some countries, accelerating number of COVID-19 cases is a disturbing reminder that the pandemic is not under control, the IEA said.

Prices also dropped after Libya National Oil Corporation announced it had lifted its force majeure on all oil exports after a half-year blockade by eastern forces.

Meanwhile, oil inventories remain bloated due to the evaporation of demand for gasoline, diesel and other fuels during the initial outbreak.

If we take a bigger picture view of the market, what stands out to us is that we have not yet seen much of a decline on the global inventory front, JBC said.

U.S. crude oil inventories rose by nearly 6 million barrels last week after analysts had forecast a decline of just over half that figure.

The rising tension between the United States and China also put pressure on prices. China said on Friday it would impose reciprocal measures in response to U.S. sanctions on Chinese officials over alleged human rights abuses against the Uighur Muslim minority.
The United States and Libya are probing a suspected scheme in which eastern Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar is allegedly paying Nicolas Maduros regime in Venezuela U.S. dollars in exchange for gold, The Wall Street Journal reported, quoting Western and Libyan security officials.

Libyas government, against which Haftars Libyan National Army (LNA) and affiliated factions are fighting in the civil war, has been tracking the commanders private jet, which appears to have traveled to Venezuelas capital, Caracas.

According to the investigations reported by the Journal, the plane is suspected of loading gold in Venezuela, delivering cash in U.S. dollars to Maduros regime, which is cut off from the international oil trade by strict U.S. sanctions.

The U.S. and the United Nations are assisting the Libyan government with tracking the movements of Haftars private jet, the Journals sources said.

Last month, David Schenker, Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, said on a press briefing:

I  weve been tracking those reports on Haftars trip  alleged trip to Venezuela. The allegations are concerning.

Haftar has been concerned his accounts could be frozen if he comes under sanctions and would rather have gold, which is more difficult to track, a European security official told the Journal.

Haftars LNA and affiliated factions occupied Libyas oil export terminals and oilfields in January, choking off Libyan oil exports and sending its production plunging to less than 100,000 bpd from 1.2 million before the blockade.

Apart from the alleged gold trade with Libyan commander Haftar, Venezuela is also cooperating with Iran in a gold-for-services scheme, according to U.S. officials.

U.S. Special Representative for Venezuela Elliott Abrams said earlier this year that Maduros regime is paying Iran in gold for help with Venezuelas crumbling oil industry.

Iran is also sending tankers loaded with gasoline to Venezuelashipments that U.S. federal prosecutors are trying to cut off.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Even as the India's COVID-19 tally is nearing 8 lakh, the cases per lakh people is one of the lowest in the world despite its high population density.

Referring to the 'WHO Situation Report-168' dated July 6, the Union health ministry said that India's COVID-19 cases per million population is 505.37 as against the global average of 1,453.25.

Rediff Labs has analysed how many cases per lakh people have been affected around the world.

The below map contains the number of coronavirus cases per lakh people in each country.

Move your pointer to know more about cases in each country.
Top Pentagon leaders told Congress on Thursday that reports of Russia offering Taliban militants bounties for killing Americans were not corroborated by defense intelligence agencies, but said they are looking into it and the US will respond if necessary.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper said his military commanders heard initial reports on the bounties in January and he first saw an intelligence paper about it in February. While the threats were taken seriously, he said they have not yet been found credible.

Esper and Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were testifying before the House Armed Services Committee on the role of the military during recent protests triggered by the killing of George Floyd. Several House members asked about the Russian bounty reports.

Milley said Russia and other nations have long worked against the US in Afghanistan, but the specific notion of bounties has not been proven.

If in fact theres bounties directed by the government of Russia or any of their institutions to kill American soldiers, thats a big deal, he said. I and the secretary and many others are taking it seriously, were going to get to the bottom of it, were going to find out if, in fact, its true. And if it is true we will take action. The bulk of the hearing focused on the role of the National Guard soldiers during the civil unrest in support of law enforcement agencies.

Esper said using the Guard was a better alternative than using active-duty forces as President Donald Trump had threatened. His stance is at odds with Trump, who had spoken of invoking the Insurrection Act in order to use active-duty forces on the streets of the nations capital during protests in late May and early June that included limited acts of violence, such as setting a fire in St. Johns Episcopal Church near the White House. Several active-duty units were put on alert but ultimately were not deployed in Washington.

Using active-duty forces in a direct civilian law enforcement role should remain a last resort, and exercised only in the most urgent and dire of situations, Esper said, stressing that no active-duty military units engaged protesters or took a direct part in law enforcement in the District of Columbia or other places in the country.

Esper and Milley, however, acknowledged there was confusion in the streets and it was often difficult to tell the difference between the Guard troops and the many law enforcement agencies who also had personnel in Washington.

You want a clear visual distinction, said Milley, between that which is military and that which is police. And Esper said one thing officials are discussing is that the Guard loaned shields to law enforcement officers during the unrest. In the future, he said, they might want to cover the military police designation on the shields when they are loaned out, to make it clearer they are not military.

Thursday was the first time Esper and Milley have testified before Congress since March 4, when they appeared to discuss the administrations defense policy proposal. A few of the panel members were in the room, but many participated remotely due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Trumps push for an aggressive response to the civil unrest led to an extraordinary clash with Esper and Milley, who on June 1 accompanied the president when he walked from the White House to St. Johns Church on Lafayette Square, where he held up a Bible for photographers.

That day, a National Guard helicopter was flown at extremely low altitude to help disperse protesters from the capitals streets, prompting a Pentagon investigation into whether that was a proper use of military resources.

Esper told the committee the Army has completed the helicopter probe and the results are under review.

Esper drew Trumps ire for telling a Pentagon news conference on June 3 that he opposed invoking the Insurrection Act to permit the president to use the armed forces to put down domestic civil unrest. Esper said he saw no need for such an extreme measure, a clear counterpoint to Trumps threat to use force.

Esper also had previously made known his regret at having accompanied Trump to the presidential photo opportunity in front of St. Johns on the day of the Lafayette Square confrontations.

In his testimony Thursday, Esper alluded to his worry that the photo op episode could be seen as undermining his apolitical role.

As one of the countrys most respected institutions, we work to maintain the trust of the American people through our time-honoured commitment to our mission and core values, while remaining neutral and non-partisan in all matters, he said.

Milley in June expressed public regret that he also had been part of the scene with Trump. He said he had been wrong to stride in uniform with Trump after protesters had been cleared from Lafayette Square. Milley said his presence created a perception of the military involved in domestic politics. I should not have been there, he told a National Defense University commencement ceremony. (AP) IND IND
Hong Kong politicians, tycoons and celebrities joined grieving relatives Friday at the funeral of Stanley Ho, the flamboyant gaming magnate who made his fortune in neighbouring Macau. It was the third day of ceremonies for the Hong Kong-born Ho, who played an integral role in transforming the former Portuguese colony from a sleepy outpost into the world's biggest casino hub. He died at the age of 98 on May 26. In the morning, black-clad family members including Ho's daughter Pansy and his fourth wife Angela Leong arrived at the funeral home, in the northeast of Hong Kong Island. Local politicians including city leader Carrie Lam, as well as her predecessors Leung Chun-ying and Tung Chee-hwa, arrived at about noon, as did Luo Huining, director of Beijing's Liaison Office in Hong Kong. City tycoons and businesspeople -- including property mogul Thomas Kwok and banker David Li -- joined film star Brigitte Lin among the few hundred guests paying tribute. A public memorial had been held on Thursday and hundreds of white floral wreaths with messages of condolence were placed around the corner of the venue. Ho was known as the "godfather" of Macau casinos, having been instrumental in turning the city on China's southern coast into a gambling boomtown with gaming revenue surpassing Las Vegas. He is survived by three wives and 15 of his 17 children. Speculation about how his vast fortune -- estimated at HK$50 billion ($6.4 billion) -- would be divided among his offspring has long occupied Hong Kong's tabloid media, along with public family feuds. His Sociedade de Jogos de Macau Holdings (SJM) empire owns 19 casinos and remains a major player in Macau, the only place in China where casinos are allowed. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam arrives at the funeral of late Macau tycoon Stanley Ho Profile of Stanley Ho and map of Macau highlighting the casinos run by the Sociedade de Jogos de Macao Holdings which was founded by Ho. Floral wreaths were left near the funeral venue
Long lines spilled outside Anaheim's Downtown Disney reopening Thursday way before businesses even opened.

While amusement rides remain closed, several stores and restaurants reopened to customers for the first time since the park closed in mid-March.

Businesses open at 10 a.m., but cars were standing by, and lines spilled down outside the parkway before. Some guests even stayed overnight to come to the reopening, reported local TV station KTLA.

Visitors and workers need to have their temperatures checked before going inside the Downtown Disney district. Anyone over the age of two also needs to wear face masks.

Social distancing measures are also in place in selected locations.

Guests only have limited parking, with only the Simba Parking Lot open to Downtown Disney visitors. There are also clearly defined entrances.

In a report from Deadline, the World of Disney store was mobbed by people taking toys, shirts, and other goodies minutes after opening. The crowd was said to have not followed distancing rules.

Other Disney Parks Re-openings

In Florida, Walt Disney World has already started the reopening process with the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom opening on July 11. Epcot and Hollywood Studios also open again on July 15.

Amid the surge in coronavirus cases in Orange County, Disneyland and California Adventure parks delayed reopening indefinitely.

Unions that represent thousands of Disneyland workers have told time and time again that the parks are not ready to reopen safely, reported CBS Los Angeles.

Reopening Spurred Mixed Emotions Among Workers

The reopening raised both the hopes and concerns of Downtown Disney employees.

Union representative Andrea Zinder said some people are ready to go back to work and look forward to earning again, but many people in the union do not know what to expect when they get back and feel at risk.

Zinder said union leaders are still discussing some issues, NBC Los Angeles reported.

The workers think there are more ways Disney can do to protect them and the guests. Zinder stressed the weight of testing on the Disney premises for employees when they go back for work.

She pointed out that the park has a healthcare facility so the testing would be a "very easy addition."

Workers also demand Disney pay those who are on time off because they have to quarantine after exposure to the virus.

Zinder said the workers would have to pick between pay and safety if Disney does not assist them.

There is also concern about patrons who do not want to wear a face mask. But Zinder remains hopeful that the district's rules will be followed because it is essential in indoor facilities like the World of Disney.

Anaheim spokesman Mike Lyster has a lot of confidence in the opening plans of Disney. He said the procedure laid down by the company is "very solid."

Lyster said they share the concerns regarding reopening in the middle of a pandemic, but Disney thinks it is a good step forward.

Want to read more? Check these out!
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that a New York prosecutor can obtain President Donald Trump's financial records but prevented - at least for now - the Democratic-led House of Representatives from obtaining similar documents.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that a New York prosecutor can obtain President Donald Trump's financial records but prevented - at least for now - the Democratic-led House of Representatives from obtaining similar documents.

Below are reactions to the news:

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP ON TWITTER:

"Courts in the past have given 'broad deference'. BUT NOT ME!"

"The Supreme Court sends case back to Lower Court, arguments to continue. This is all a political prosecution. I won the Mueller Witch Hunt, and others, and now I have to keep fighting in a politically corrupt New York. Not fair to this Presidency or Administration!"

MANHATTAN DISTRICT ATTORNEY CY VANCE, JR.:

"This is a tremendous victory for our nation's system of justice and its founding principle that no one  not even a president  is above the law. Our investigation, which was delayed for almost a year by this lawsuit, will resume, guided as always by the grand jurys solemn obligation to follow the law and the facts, wherever they may lead."

DEMOCRATIC U.S. HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER NANCY PELOSI:

"A careful reading of the Supreme Court rulings related to the President's financial records is not good news for President Trump.

"The Court has reaffirmed the Congress's authority to conduct oversight on behalf of the American people, as it asks for further information from the Congress. Congress's constitutional responsibility to uncover the truth continues, specifically related to the President's Russia connection that he is hiding.

"The Congress will continue to conduct oversight For the people, upholding the separation of powers that is the genius of our Constitution. We will continue to press our case in the lower courts."

JAY SEKULOW, TRUMP'S PERSONAL LAWYER:

"We are pleased that in the decisions issued today, the Supreme Court has temporarily blocked both Congress and New York prosecutors from obtaining the Presidents financial records. We will now proceed to raise additional Constitutional and legal issues in the lower courts.

TREASURY SECRETARY STEVEN MNUCHIN ON CNBC:

"As I understand, that case doesn't involve the Treasury. That case is between the President and third parties, but I would say the only thing I do agree on, on that report, is when things go to Congress, they tend to get leaked and when things go to grand juries they don't."

DEMOCRATIC U.S. REPRESENTATIVE JERROLD NADLER, ON TWITTER

"No one is above the law."

DEUTSCHE BANK STATEMENT:

"Deutsche Bank has demonstrated full respect for the U.S. legal process and remained neutral throughout these proceedings. We will of course abide by a final decision by the courts."

REPUBLICAN U.S. HOUSE MINORITY LEADER KEVIN MCCARTHY

"It seems to me the New York district attorney and others that have tried for it, seems much more political than anything else."

DAVID COLE, NATIONAL LEGAL DIRECTOR, AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION:

"The court's 7-2 decisions in these cases send an important message that constitutional decisions must be decided by legal principle, not party loyalty. That Justices Kavanaugh and Gorsuch voted against President Trump, who appointed them, is an important reaffirmation of that principle.

MARK ZAID, WASHINGTON LAWYER WHO REPRESENTED THE WHISTLEBLOWER WHO SPARKED TRUMP IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS:

"Contents of Trump's tax returns were unlikely to influence many decisions for election day one way or other but today's SCOTUS decision sets legal stage for potential NY criminal prosecution in Jan if president loses in Nov. Let that sink in Mr. Trump."

(Reporting by Karen Freifeld, David Lawder, Rick Cowan, Susan Cornwell and David Morgan; Editing by Scott Malone and Alistair Bell)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
An Asda employee fainted in front of Prince Charles in a dramatic moment during a royal visit.

Video from the visit on Thursday afternoon shows the unnamed man swaying as he chats to the Prince of Wales, before falling over backwards.

Charles, 71, leans forward and extends his hand to check the man is alright, as others rush to his attention.

The man is reported to be well, and was seen meeting Charles again later in the same visit.

Charles and Camilla, 72, were at the Asda distribution centre in Avonmouth, Bristol on Thursday, to thank staff for their work during the coronavirus pandemic.

With supermarkets among the only stores which were open for weeks, workers were pushed to their limits keeping shelves stacked as people worked from home.

Online orders and deliveries also went up.

Charles and Camilla unveiled a plaque which marked their visit. (Getty Images)

Charles and Camilla both use the namaste greeting to meet people, to avoid shaking hands. (Getty Images)

Chris Tilly, 48, general manager of the distribution centre, said it had been really, really challenging.

He said: Weve had a lot of support from colleagues right across the business working extra hours, extra shifts to keep the shelves filled for customers.

I think it is fantastic that the prince and duchess have taken the time out to come to the distribution centre and meet colleagues.

Every single colleague that they saw they thanked for what they had done during the last 14 weeks, which I was truly humbled by.

They were really interested in what the colleagues did within Asda, how long they had worked for us and just wanted to know how they had been doing while working through the pandemic.

Read more: Celebrity bookings, online exercise and Zoom family calls: 10 things we learned when Camilla took over Radio 5

The couple thanked staff for their work during the pandemic. (Getty Images)

The royals were met by Peaches Golding, the Lord-Lieutenant of Bristol as they arrived, and kept social distance throughout the visit.

They greeted people with a namaste gesture, frequently used by Charles, and referenced by Camilla as she guest edited Radio 5 earlier this week.

The couple also met Richard Sigward, 74, a warehouse operator, who has been working for Asda for 17 years and told them he refuses to retire.

Story continues

The duchess was saying to me she definitely agrees that if people can work and are happy to do it, they should carry on, Mr Sigward said.

She said she refuses to retire herself. The prince was the same.

The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall unveiled a plaque marking their visit as they left, and Charles said: Thank you, thank you very much everybody. You deserve a stiff drink after all this.

Charles joking with staff at the factory in Gloucestershire. (Getty Images)

Camilla speaks to a worker during a visit with Prince Charles, Prince of Wales to the Turnbull & Asser shirt factory. (Getty Images)

Read more: Camilla appears to take style cues from Duchess of Cambridge for Swindon visit

After the Asda visit, they went to the Turnbull & Asser shirt factory, where staff have been making scrubs for NHS workers.

Turnbull & Asser usually makes luxurious shirts for customers including the heir to the throne.

But for eight weeks, they changed production to scrubs, using new machines to produce medical grade clothes.

Speaking to staff in the car park of the factory in the Quedgeley area of Gloucester he asked one: Was it a very busy time trying to make these scrubs? You kept up with demand? Brilliant.

It made such a difference and it made such a difference to the local GP as I managed to put them in touch with your beautifully made scrubs.

The royals followed social distancing throughout the visits. (Getty Images)

Read more: Camilla compares Prince Charles to a mountain goat, as she calls him 'fittest man I know'

Charles and Camilla signed the visitors book before they left.

Managing director Jonathan Baker said afterwards: We closed the factory on March 24 as we felt it was the right thing to do but we soon recognised there was a shortage of PPE and said what could we do.

We were quite slow at first as it was completely different machinery but we got up to speed very quickly.

He said he was grateful and humble for the royal recognition, adding: Really it is a credit to the team and they have been incredible through this and for them to have that acknowledged by this visit is quite incredible.
Simulated picture shows Hayabusa2 touching down on the asteroid Ryugu. (Xinhua/JAXA)

By Wen Weiru

It is reported that the Japanese Cabinet recently passed the revised Basic Plan on Space Policy, which marked the finalization of Japan's space development and utilization strategy over the next decade. The new plan places more emphasis on the military-oriented use of the space, increases contents such as joint R&D of low-orbit small satellites with the US, and aims to establish a sound space monitoring system to closely watch the space movements of its neighboring countries.

Japan aims to become a self-sustained space faring nation.

The Basic Plan on Space Policy, a long-term strategic plan formulated by Japan based on the Basic Space Law, has been revised several times since 2009. The Japanese Strategic Headquarters for Space Development initiated an amendment bill to the Cabinet again in June this year, which was passed on June 30.

The surrounding strategic security environment of Japan is undergoing conspicuous changes. The space has become an important domain of security defense, the combat training of the army, navy and air force is more dependent on space systems, and outer space technologies such as optical communication and quantum communication are taking big strides forward, stressed the revised Basic Plan on Space Policy adding that the immense changes prompt Japan to reevaluate and adjust its development strategy.

According to the plan, Japan endeavors to become a self-sustained space faring nation over the next 10 years. To achieve that goal, the document requests the country to closely follow the global trend, lucubrate into space technology, promote the export of relevant technologies and verification results, and fully leverage the favorable policies, to motivate private capital and technological forces to the largest extent. It should also intensify the cooperation with allies and friendly countries in space development to further enhance its capability of achieving self-sustainability.

The new plan displays an obvious intent of military space utilization.

Compared with the previous edition, the new Basic Plan on Space Policy has four distinctive characteristics.

First, the plan places more emphasis on military-oriented utilization. The new plan mentions ensuring security dozens of times, stresses Japans military use of the space as a trend of the time, and explicitly vows to vigorously advance such projects as the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS) and the X-band defense satellite communication networks. It also pledges to build comprehensive and systematic satellite networks to enhance the positioning, communication and intelligence-gathering ability.

Second, small satellite R&D is stressed to intensify space reconnaissance. Through cooperation with the US, Japan will develop operationally responsive small satellites to form constellations, equipped with compound sensors to perform space reconnaissance tasks and forge reliable early warning capability against missiles from the DPRK. This kind of small satellite weighs about 100kg and works in orbit at about 200km altitude with a resolution ratio higher than 0.4m. It doesnt have to perform long-term tasks but can be quickly launched when necessary to monitor the targets at a fairly low orbit. It is reported that tracing missiles with multiple satellites can raise the precision of monitoring, even if one satellite has a failure, the others can step up and make up. Its clear that this kind of small satellite thats still in the pipeline will be an important entry point for Japan to establish its space reconnaissance capabilities.

Third, Japan will deeply engage in Americas moon-landing program. The new plan emphasizes explicitly that Japan will continue to deeply engage in Americas Artemis moon-landing program, with a focus on exerting its cutting-edge technologies in manned aircraft and space station replenishment.

Fourth, the plan aims to revitalize the Japanese space industry. The new plan specifies a series of supportive measures, including fostering an export-oriented market mechanism and bolstering private space R&D to boost the development of the Japanese space industry by doubling its scale from the current JPY1.2 trillion (about USD11.2billion).

Japans new Basic Plan on Space Policy covers a full range of aspects, including security safeguard, intelligence gathering, missile monitoring and moon landing. It fully indicates Japans strategy and ambitions in space exploration and the military-oriented utilization of space technologies, which should keep the neighboring countries on high alert.
Vietnam Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh at the 13th Mekong-Japan Foreign Ministers' Meeting, held online on July 9, 2020. Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Vietnam and four other countries in the Mekong region will receive Japanese aid worth $115.3 million to combat Covid-19 and work for sustainable development.

Japan announced the decision at the 13th Mekong-Japan Foreign Ministers Meeting held online on Thursday and co-chaired by Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh and Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Motegi Toshimitsu, a press release by the Vietnamese foreign ministry said.

Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Thailand will get $106 million to buy medical equipment, train medical personnel and increase their capability to fight the pandemic.

Japan will also give them loans for undertaking emergency responses to the disease and deploy the Kusanone Mekong Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Initiative, with a non-refundable component of 1 billion ($9.3 million).

The initiative is meant to improve public health, the education environment and agricultural productivity, build clean water systems and improve the living environment to achieve inclusive growth in the region.

Minh said at the meeting Vietnam and Japan need to quickly deploy the Mekong-Japan Initiative for SDGs since the river basin is suffering severely from drought and salinity.

The initiative was adopted at the 11th summit in Bangkok last November.

The attendees also discussed cooperation to fight Covid-19 and methods to revive the post-pandemic economy, while agreeing to increase cooperation to make a Covid-19 vaccine, protect the supply chain and support businesses.

The Mekong, which flows 4,880 km from its origins in Tibet through Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam before reaching the sea, has recorded low water levels and severe water shortages downstream since last year.

Experts have blamed this on climate change and the construction of hydroelectric plants on the river.
Over-75s must start buying 157.50 annual TV licences, but are being told to wait for a letter before doing anything - while the poorest pensioners will still get them for free.

The BBC postponed axing the perk due to the coronavirus outbreak, after the Government withdrew funding for it in June, but the extension ends on 1 August.

The broadcaster's licensing body has promised purchasing will be 'Covid-19 safe'. We explain the new rules and how to qualify for a free licence below.

New rules: The BBC is introducing TV licence for over-75s from 1 August

A rush of over-75s have already claimed pension credit in order to carry on getting free TV licences.

This has caused a knock-on 600million rise in Government spending on pension credit, This is Money revealed earlier this year.

The BBC estimated the annual cost of funding free TV licences for over-75s was 745million.

But it is estimated that more than 1million people who would be eligible for pension credit are not signed up - partly, because the eligibility criteria is quite complex.

How can over-75s buy a TV licence?

TV Licensing says no one needs to take immediate action, or leave their home, to claim a free TV licence or to pay for one.

Over-75s can wait until they are contacted by letter, and they will then be offered payment options that include spreading the cost in weekly, fortnightly or monthly payments.

Why are free TV licences being axed for over-75s? Charter renewal negotiations between the Government and the BBC in 2015 safeguarded the licence fee system for funding the broadcaster. The Government boosted the BBC's income by requiring iPlayer users to have a licence, and unfroze the licence fee for the first time since 2010. But as part of the deal, the BBC agreed to take over responsibility for bankrolling free licences for the over-75s. This would cost it an estimated 745million in 2021/2022 alone, and force it to drastically cut services. It has therefore announced plans to ditch the free perk for an estimated 3.7million people, while around 1.5 million households will remain eligible if they claim pension credit.

'No one will be expected to pay for a new licence until they have been contacted by letter from TV Licensing and they will be given plenty of time to set up their new licence,' says the licensing body.

It has launched a free telephone information line giving recorded information to help over-75s - the number is 0800 232 1382.

TV Licensing says it has increased the size of its customer call centre, although its website currently warns that social distancing means it is only running an 'essential service' over the phone.

The main call centre numbers are 0300 790 0368 if you pay by direct debit or in one go, or 0300 555 0286 if you are on a payment card.

TV Licensing says information and frequently asked questions for over-75s can also be found on its website here.

Its standard frequently asked questions section is here.

The body says it has worked with the Alzheimers Society and other groups to ensure that the needs of vulnerable older people have been taken into consideration when preparing communications around licences for over-75s.

How do you keep a free licence?

You can do this by claiming pension credit, a benefit for the poorest pensioners which comes in two parts - guarantee credit and savings credit.

Guarantee credit pushes up your income to 173.75 if you are single or 265.20 if you are a couple.

You may be eligible if you have reached state pension age and your income is less than these amounts, even if you own your own home.

A separate savings credit element is available to people who reached retirement age before April 2016.

There isn't a limit on how much you have in savings, but if you have over 10,000 you will receive less money.

Read a This is Money guide to claiming pension credit here.

Age UK has previously warned that the BBC's plan for over-75s to prove they are on pension credit poses a risk to public health.

It claims he methods of getting your documents together contravene official advice the Government has issued on curbing Covid-19, and therefore inadvertently place some older people at heightened risk of contracting it.

The charity's advice on applying for pension credit is here.

Age UK said it was 'bitterly disappointed' by the decision to start charging over 75s for TV licences, and warned many on low incomes will have to forego some other essential, or try to survive without TV at all.

TV Licensing said it is 'assuring customers that implementation of the new scheme will be Covid-19 safe'.
Those wanting to work from home permanently after the coronavirus pandemic should approach their boss with a structured plan, an employment expert has revealed.

Marko Njavro, co-founder of online job platform FlexCareers, says many people will continue working from home when mandatory remote working comes to an end, which varies from office to office.

About 92 per cent of workers would continue to work from home regularly if they were given the opportunity by their boss, according to a survey by HR management company EmploymentHero.

Meanwhile, 65 per cent would consider working remotely on a permanent basis.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Mr Njavro said employees should formulate a working from home plan before approaching their boss.

'I would recommend having it written down for yourself, but you dont have to hit your boss up with a document on your first approach, rather use it for a structured discussion and to support your case,' Mr Njavro said.

About 92 per cent of workers would continue to work from home regularly if they were given the opportunity by their boss (stock)

Workers should include five points in their plan, the first of which is to have a 'very clear and structured idea on which days youd like to work from home and the hours you will be available for your team or clients'.

'There are many different types of flexibility available and you need to approach your boss with clarity,' Mr Njavro said.

'For example, "Id like to transition to working from home on Thursday and Friday during the usual business hours".

'If your request is for to work all your days from home, you will likely have to propose a transition period, where your days in the office reduce over time until you are WFH five days a week.'

Mr Njavro said workers should still show flexibility around being able to come into the office for important meetings.

He also said people can use 'evidence of improved productivity' during recent working from home stints to back up their case.

Concerns about health and safety could also be used to support a working-from-home case.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Mr Njavro (pictured) said employees should formulate a working from home plan before approaching their boss

The second step of the plan is to have an 'effective handover' to transition to working from home without negatively affecting colleagues.

'Once the new regime is in place, detail how you will include your team in your work. For example, scheduled weekly handover meeting on Wednesdays, and via summary email on Fridays,' Mr Njavro said.

'For those working from home exclusively, it would be something along the lines of daily or weekly video or phone calls with relevant people to check-in.'

The third step is to create a calendar that communicates to colleagues and clients when you are on the job.

'It can't be a free for all in terms of randomly changing your days and hours. You need to make it very clear when you're available, which could be done with a calendar or timetable,' Mr Njavro said.

'There are other people on the team that are depending on you, so you can't be a man or woman of mystery who casually jumps in or jumps out, and doesn't returns calls or emails.'

The fourth step is to document your work with a project plan, so colleagues are aware of what you are working on.

An example of an email signature from a NSW Government employee that clearly showed they were available all weekdays except for Wednesday

Planning systems such as Jira, Trello and Monday.com allow workers to clearly communicate what they are working on and continue each others' work.

Lastly, the fifth step of the 'five-step success plan' is 'visibility'.

'Ensuring calendars are always up to date so your availability is easy to determine. Include details of work days/time on email signature,' Mr Njavro said.

'If you are in a job share, make sure your calendar is visible.'

The FlexCareers co-founder provided an example of an email signature from a NSW Government employee that clearly showed they were available all weekdays except for Wednesday.

Even when offices return to normal after the COVID-19 pandemic, many employees are likely to continue working from home.

A survey of 1,200 workers by HR management company EmploymentHero revealed that working from home is very popular among professionals.

About 51.8 per cent of workers either like or love working from home, 31.7 per cent 'don't mind it' and only 16.6 per cent disliked it or preferred working in the office.

The survey also revealed employees' pet peeves about working in an office.

About 59 per cent of employees do not miss the commute to work, 34 per cent disliked distracting colleagues, and 28 per cent were annoyed by sick people coming into the office.

It also revealed the things people missed about working in the office; 63 per cent missed being able to brainstorm with colleagues, 50 per cent missed the office camaraderie and 36 per cent missed the ease of communication with bosses.
Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner Jeff Dunn told legislators today he expects to announce the planned locations of three new mens prisons by August or September.

Dunn told the Senate General Fund committee at a meeting in Montgomery that proposals submitted by two developer teams on May 14 are undergoing a financial evaluation that should be finished by the end of the month.

The next step will be an announcement to start negotiations on separate contracts for the three new prisons, Dunn said. That announcement will include the proposed locations. Dunn said the goal is to have the negotiations completed by the end of the year.

Dunns report today was an update on a plan for three new mens prisons that Gov. Kay Ivey announced in February 2019. The developers will finance, build, and maintain the prisons on property they obtain. They will lease them to the state, which will operate them.

Alabamas prisons are decaying, overcrowded, and understaffed. The Department of Justice alleged last year that violent conditions in the prisons violate the Constitution. The DOJ report also noted the poor physical condition of the prisons.

Dunn reiterated today what he has said repeatedly, that new prisons will enable the ADOC to offer the education and treatment programs that arent feasible in the current prisons, which he said are essentially warehouses.

Dunn said the announcement on prison locations and contract negotiations will not reveal the estimated costs. He said cost will be a major part of the negotiations.

The request for proposals the ADOC sent out in December says the states annual cost for the leases would be no more than $88 million a year. Dunn said the leases would be for 30 years.

The request for proposals said the three new prisons will house a total of about 10,000 inmates, roughly half the current inmate population. One of the three will be designed for inmates with medical problems and older inmates, as well as inmate intake. It will be in central Alabama, according to the request for proposals, but the specific location has not been announced.

The ADOC did not release any information about the proposals when it received them in May except the names of the developer teams. The ADOC included in its request for proposals a confidentiality clause that said information would not be disclosed until the final contracts are approved.

As of April, Alabama had 20,506 inmates in facilities designed for 12,412, an occupancy rate of 165%.

Decaying conditions forced the ADOC to close Draper Correctional Facility in 2018 and the main housing unit at Holman Correctional Facility this year. The ADOC has said many of its 13 mens prisons are in poor condition and that major renovations are not feasible.

Dunn said its possible the system might have to close another prison before new prisons are built, although he did not say which one.

Some of the existing prisons are also expected to close as part of a cost-savings and consolidation plan to help pay the leases on the new prisons. State lawmakers are concerned about the loss of prisons in their districts and the impact on communities that have invested in infrastructure like water and sewer service to accommodate them.

The two developer teams involved in the process:

Alabama Prison Transformation Partners, which includes Star America; BL Harbert International; Butler-Cohen; Arrington Watkins Architects; and Johnson Controls, Inc.

CoreCivic, which includes CoreCivic; Caddell Construction; DLR Group; and R&N Systems Design.
KYODO NEWS - Jul 10, 2020 - 16:04 | All, Japan, World, Coronavirus

Japan is looking to begin discussions with around 10 countries and regions including China, South Korea and Taiwan next week on easing travel restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, Japanese government sources said Friday.

The talks are expected to prioritize allowing businesspeople to enter, with other countries that have the outbreak under control such as Brunei, Myanmar and Laos also under consideration.

Japan currently has an entry ban in place for 129 countries and regions, with foreign travelers who have been to any of the areas within 14 days of their arrival being turned away.

Travel to and from Japan has slowed to a trickle since the pandemic began earlier this year. The country saw just 1,700 inbound foreign travelers in May while 5,500 Japanese departed, both down more than 99 percent from a year earlier, according to government data.

The government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has already started discussions with Vietnam, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand on easing travel restrictions, on condition that foreign travelers submit negative COVID-19 test results and an itinerary of where they plan to visit during their stay.

Flights to Vietnam partially resumed in June with a chartered plane carrying 150 people.

China and South Korea are expected to pose a larger challenge because of the sheer number of people that could potentially come to Japan, which is still limited in the number of tests it can administer daily.

Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi told a press conference Friday that Japan is looking to hold discussions with countries seeing declining coronavirus infections and with high demand for business trips.

"It won't take too long for us to begin looking at the second group of countries," he said.
MOSCOW  After leaving Russias regional leaders to take much of the responsibility and heat for battling the coronavirus pandemic, the Kremlin has sent a blunt message to recently empowered local elites: Dont even think about challenging the will of President Vladimir V. Putin.

In an emphatic blow against a regional leader long viewed as disloyal, masked security officers in camouflage uniforms on Thursday arrested the governor of Khabarovsk Krai, a remote territory in the Russian Far East. The Kremlin has fired or forced sitting governors to resign in the past but rarely had them arrested.

The Khabarovsk governor, Sergei I. Furgal, who took office in 2018 after defeating a Kremlin-endorsed candidate, was pulled from his vehicle and bundled into a van near his home in Khabarovsk city on suspicion of involvement in multiple murders in the early 2000s while working in business, investigators said.

The very fact that they could not find anything more fresh to accuse him of is a clear signal that this is an act of political repression, Nikolai Petrov, a political analyst who studies regional politics, said in a telephone interview They are telling local elites that if they can arrest a sitting governor for crimes going back 15 or 20 years then they can arrest anyone.
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Linkedin Brenda Cristie Edina (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 10, 2020 08:42 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066542932 3 Health herbal-medicine,antivirus,Agriculture-Ministry,COVID-19,Science,health,Research-and-Development Free

The Agriculture Ministrys recent Introduction of its "anti-coronavirus eucalyptus necklace" has prompted a paradigm shift in public response to the information they receive. The ensuing public debate and skepticism show that people are starting to check their facts as they called for clarification from manufacturers, researchers and the mass media.

The initial claim was that the necklace would kill a certain percentage of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 if it was worn for a specific duration. A later clarification said that the eucalyptus necklace was jamu (traditional herbal medicine) that had passed preclinical tests and was intended as aromatherapy to provide an uplifting effect.

We were not overclaiming it as 'anti-coronavirus', as this was not stated in the BPOM [Food and Drug Monitoring Agency] license for the necklace and inhaler. We registered it as jamu, and did not test it for [treating] COVID-19 directly, but for all coronaviruses, Fajdry Jufry, who heads the ministry's research and development division, said during a press conference earlier this week.

Amid the government's constantly flip-flopping stance and conflicting views, the public has been prompted to investigate jamu and herbal therapies on their own: Are herbal medicines really effective in curing disease? Where do they stand with respect to modern medicines? To what extent are they being used in Indonesia?

Indonesia has prided itself on its vast wealth in natural resources, including native plant species with medicinal properties. According to the BPOM, Indonesia is home to more than 30,000 native plant and algae species that contain alimentary compounds. These compounds have cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory or anti-pathogenic properties with potential applications as alternative medicine, pending scientific research conducted in an objective and standardized manner.

By February, 23 phytopharmaceuticals and 62 standardized herbal medicines  informally referred to as "obat herbal" (herbal medicine) or "jamu"  had been registered with the BPOM.

Not to be confused, phytopharmaceuticals are herbal medicines that have passed standardized clinical trials in humans, while "standardized herbal medicine" refers to plant derivatives that have passed preclinical trials in a laboratory setting.

Passing a preclinical trial does not mean that a substance has been proven effective and safe for human use. Subjective testimonies from individuals or nonstandardized groups does not prove applicability to the majority of a general population. This is why clinical trials are necessary to adjust the substance's dose and dosage form (tablet, capsule, oral suspension, etc.) for consumption by the general population.

While phytopharmaceuticals and standardized herbal drugs have long been defined in ministerial and BPOM regulations, the public and the media had only recently started regarding the two as distinct medicinal types.

Although the field of phytopharmaceutical research is growing, Indonesia still has a long way to go in developing its medicinal herbs as phytopharmaceuticals, with around 9,600 plant species still needing research on their potential medicinal applications. That Indonesia produces more herbal medicines than phytopharmaceuticals is perhaps inevitable, as clinical trials are much more complex in terms of the resources required and the significance of their results than preclinical trials.

The good news is, Indonesia is actively pursuing research on herbal therapies. In 2019 alone, 19 herbal species researched under BPOM supervision were licensed, while eight trials comprising five preclinical trials and three clinical trials were conducted.

Knowing the facts, it is still disappointing to see that public exposure tends to focus on recently registered herbal drugs instead of phytopharmaceuticals that have been licensed for safe use in humans. The spotlight is always reserved for researches claiming to have produced "significant results", regardless of the current phase or methodology of the research.

As vague as it may be, people still want to hear of alternative means of treating diseases that are more affordable and more culturally acceptable. This has often led to the premature release of the results of researches on herbal medicines, most of which are not ready for clinical use.

In addition to the risk of misinformation, prematurely publishing research results might end up overshadowing and devaluing standardized researches into other herbal medicines in terms of public perception. People might end up developing trust issues regarding all herbal therapy researches, due to earlier publicized studies that caused controversy and misrepresentation of the entire field. This is a shame, because Indonesia has great potential in the medicinal plant industry.

It was [called] anti-coronavirus because it is just a prototype. It serves to encourage researchers that we are getting closer [to developing anti-coronavirus treatment], Fadjry told kompas.com.

Using the same premise of altruistic intentions, Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto told detik.com, [Regardless of the effectivity of the contents] that "the most important thing is [that] it lifts our spirits psychologically and mentally, and also boosts our immune system.

Read also: Its for aromatherapy, not an antivirus: Ministry backtracks on anti-COVID-19 necklace claims

Does recognizing the potential of herbal medicines as anti-coronavirus treatment justify the premature publication and promotion of herbal drugs, even they have not been proven to be clinically effective and safe?

This is a common phenomenon around the globe, with the World Health Organization's (WHO's) Africa branch stating that many herbals were touted and promoted socially with only minimal evidence of their quality, safety and efficacy. WHO Africa implied that the danger of this phenomenon was that unproven traditional medicines claiming to be treatments for COVID-19 gave people a false sense of security, distracted them from following proven preventive and curative measures, and increased instances of self-medication.

As with the eucalyptus necklace, premature publication and commercialization can only be justified if it did not lead to public misperception and belief in a false cure that then caused people to neglect physical distancing, hand washing and prescribed evidence-based medicines. While the placebo effect is an empirical concept  in which the state of our minds affect our physical health  and may lead to public acceptance of the eucalyptus necklace, the question still remains: Can it replace clinically proven and evidence-based medicines?

Ari Fachryal Syam, the dean of the University of Indonesia medical school, has suggested an appropriate mindset for this situation: Do not overreact, but do not be skeptical [either].

This situation is a reminder for us to be supportive to the development of herbal drugs for its vast potential, while serving as the check-and-balance system by being selective consumers.

Therefore, critical analysis of newly publicized traditional solutions should be put into habit, and hopefully, it will inspire essential stakeholders to be wiser in dealing with similar matters in the future. (kes)

***

The writer is a bachelor of medicine currently researching targeted herbal therapies for breast cancer on her clinical rotation under the University of Indonesia medical school-Cipto Mangunkusumo hospital (FKUI-RSCM) program. She is passionate about phytochemistry, bioinformatics and internal medicine, and has published an article on alternative therapies for sleeping disorders.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
A ripple effect.

Thats how Debra Kaplan of Council Bluffs explains her post-retirement work as a go-to photographer for nonprofit agencies on both sides of the Missouri River.

Kaplan spent 31 years as a teacher in the Westside Community School District in Omaha, spending her first 10 years as a special education physical education before shifting to elementary health and physical education. She worked at the elementary, middle and high school level during her career, while also serving as department chair and in other leadership roles.

Through years of hard work in her career and modest living, Kaplan has been able to give back since retiring, with the vast majority of her photography work done as a donation to nonprofits.

Everything came out of relationships, she said. Thats life, its all about relationships.

Kaplans had a camera in her hand for most of her life. It started when she was young

I always had a camera around my neck. I had my Instamatic and my Mickey Mouse camera, she said, noting it was in the old film days.

Kaplan got her first 35mm camera in high school, working in black and white photography, learning to develop her photos. She said she used film until about 14 years ago.

I was basically the documentation of life wherever I went, she said. Whether it was at school or community events. Wherever I went, I had my camera with me.

After she retired  though she still subs  those connections at Westside led to her current role as a photographer blossoming. For example, Kaplan took photos at the announcement event for Career EdVantage, a mentorship program for southwest Iowa students connected to Omaha-based Avenue Scholars. The CEO of Avenue Scholars is former Westside Superintendent Ken Bird.

I do a lot for Avenue Scholars. Its so cool they brought it over here, Kaplan said.

Kaplan listed off a number of nonprofits shes done work for during an interview, including Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Completely Kids, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the Northstar Foundation, the Immigrant Legal Center, Ronald McDonald House, Project Harmony, No More Empty Pots and others on both sides of the Missouri River. Shes also done photos for Life Dimensions by Ilona, and on the journalism side, Todays Omaha Woman Omaha, Metro Magazine and The Reader.

It was a ripple effect from Westside Schools, she said, listing people she knew from the nonprofits that led to demand for her services growing on both the nonprofit and business side. Just this amazing ripple effect.

She also shoots the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network walk in Omaha, one that has extra meaning, as her mother died of the disease.

Kaplan said the work for Komen started through Westside as well. She put together teams for the Komen walk during her time teaching full-time and always took photos. That eventually morphed into taking photos during the event for Komen.

(Photography) opened my world from spending 70 hours a week at Westside Community Schools and being a part of the community, she said, widening her arms, to being a part of the community.

Another ripple  Kaplan developed a friendship with Ilona Holland, owner of Life Dimensions and a popular yoga instructor in Council Bluffs. Holland held a stand-up paddle board yoga class as a benefit for Childrens Square, where Kaplan met then-CEO Carol Wood.

Then I ended up photographing their gala, Kaplan said.

Its just been this incredible ripple effect primarily because of availability, a willing heart. I support causes and community-based things that I believe in, she said, connecting the dots from organization to organization, event to event. And its been pretty phenomenal.

Kaplan said photography has given her the chance to connect more with Council Bluffs, where shes lived for decades while working in Omaha.

I was a commuter, she said. But now its morphed more over here.

Along with Career EdVantage and Childrens Square, shes done work with artists at the Harvester lofts, ShareOmahas extension into Council Bluffs and other organizations and events.

It gives everyone a chance to revisit these powerful events and look back on some very memorable and community shifting moments, Holland said of her work, noting Kaplan has done work for her business in exchange for nothing more than a thank you, with Holland sometimes insisting on giving her a gift card. Its a passion of hers and she definitely shares it.

Building those connections throughout the metro has kept Kaplan busy. She doesnt have a website, relying on knowing people and word-of-mouth recommendations. Though shes had a love of photography throughout her life, theres still a thrill when someone asks for her services.

It freaks me out, every time I get a call, she said. Everybody nowadays has a camera around them, and everybody has one in their pocket. The documentation of life is happening more than ever. Im very blessed, very thankful. I just try to give back in abundance whats been given to me over time.

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World Population Day is observed each year on July 11th in an attempt to increase awareness about issues regarding global population. First established by the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme in 1989, it marks the day that the world reached the population of 5 billion in the year 1987. The world has come a long way since then; as of July 2020, according to the worldmeters website, the world population has hit an all-time high at 7.8 Billion people.

World Population Day is observed in an attempt to raise awareness about the importance of family planning, adoption, gender equality, poverty, maternal health and human rights. It also seeks to show people the adverse effects that mass populations can have on the delicate ecosystem of the world and now the development of society.

With the ongoing coronavirus, we are scheduled to see an increase in population in the coming months due to various unplanned pregnancies. As countries remain in lock down, supply chains that ensure the availability of contraceptives are not delivering.

Research done by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has conclusively proved that if the countries remain in lockdown for more than 6 months it can severely disrupt the health services. 47 million women in low- and middle-income countries may not be able to access modern contraceptives resulting in 7 million unintended pregnancies. UNFPA shared on their website.

Each year the United Nations Development programme assigns a theme in an attempt to shed light on a particular issue concerning the world and this year the theme is centred around the health and rights of women and girls. During the pandemic, with unemployment on the rise, womens health and well-being are on the line, not just from the coronavirus but also from the increase in gender-based violence.

The United Nations Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs along with the UNFPA and other agencies of the UN are working towards providing sufficient aid to the vulnerable communities of society especially during these types.

Since a gathering to observe this event cannot take place, UNFPA aims to raise awareness about the sexual and reproductive health needs and vulnerabilities of women and girls during the pandemic by sharing statistics and guidelines online in order to provide information and increase general knowledge about these issues.

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LJUBLJANA (dpa-AFX) - Slovakia industrial production declined at a softer pace in May, data from the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic showed on Friday. Industrial production fell a working day adjusted 19.1 percent year-on-year in May, following a 32.5 percent decrease in April. The latest output was significantly affected by the annual drop in the production of transport equipment, by 56.9 percent. Manufacturing output declined 22.3 percent in May. Output in mining and quarrying declined 16.7 percent, while electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning sector output rose 2.9 percent. On a monthly basis, industrial production grew 19.7 percent in May. 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.
Vancouver, British Columbia and Denver, Colorado--(Newsfile Corp. - July 9, 2020) - Cannabis One Holdings Inc. (CSE: CBIS) ("Cannabis One", "CBIS", or the "Company") is providing an update to its shareholders and investors about a halt in trading related to the late filing of the Company's quarterly financial statements. The Company's international footprint left it particularly vulnerable to the COVID- 19 interruptions, as its officers and directors are spread out over Canada and the United States, and these disruptions have caused certain financial information preparation delays. Cannabis One, its management, auditors and bookkeepers are currently working to finalize the statements and the Company expects to complete both the annual financials and the quarterly financials, along with the corresponding management's discussion and analysis and certificates (the "Financial Statements"), on or about July 17, 2020. Until the Financial Statements are filed the British Columbia Securities Commission has decided to issue a Cease Trade Order ("CTO"), which is expected to be lifted once Cannabis One files the Financial Statements.

About Cannabis One

IF WE BRAND IT, THEY WILL COME - Cannabis One Holdings Inc. (CSE: CBIS) is focused on aggregating and optimizing popular cannabis brands throughout North America. With its unique, franchise-ready retail brand, The JointTM, and through targeted acquisition and partnership opportunities, Cannabis One intends to become the premier, globally recognized, "House of Brands", holding a client portfolio of award-winning products with an extensive market footprint. Through the Company's The JointTM retail concept, Cannabis One intends to leverage the consumer and brand data harvested from its retail locations to bring data-driven analytics to an emerging, branded industry. For consumers, Cannabis One desires to become the definitive source for unparalleled product selection and renowned service in an otherwise fragmented market.

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Disclaimer and Forward-Looking Information

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 "anticipate", "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "potential", "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 parties' current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate, among other things, to: the successful completion and filing of the Financial Statements and the lifting of the CTO. These statements are only predictions. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

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.

Cannabis is legal in certain States in the United States ("U.S."), however cannabis remains illegal under U.S. federal laws. Cannabis One intends to conduct its U.S. cannabis operations in a manner consistent with the applicable State laws and compliance with regulatory and licensing requirements applicable in the applicable State. However, the readers should be aware that any change in federal guidance on enforcement actions could adversely affect Cannabis One's ability to access private and public capital required in order to support continuing operations and its ability to operate in the U.S.

Unlike in Canada which has Federal legislation uniformly governing the cultivation, distribution, sale and possession of cannabis under the Cannabis Act (Federal), readers are cautioned that in the U.S., cannabis is largely regulated at the State level. To the knowledge of Cannabis One, there are to date a total of 33 states, plus the District of Columbia, that have legalized cannabis in some form. Notwithstanding the permissive regulatory environment of medical cannabis at the State level, cannabis continues to be categorized as a controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act in the U.S. and as such, cannabis-related practices or activities, including without limitation, the manufacture, importation, possession, use or distribution of cannabis are illegal under U.S. Federal law. Strict compliance with State laws with respect to cannabis will neither absolve Cannabis One of liability under the U.S. Federal law, nor will it provide a defense to any Federal proceeding, which may be brought against Cannabis One. Any such proceedings brought against Cannabis One may materially adversely affect its operations and financial performance in the U.S. market.

Further Information: For investment inquiries, please contact Scott Koyich, Investor Relations at Scott@briscocapital.com or (403) 619-2200.

Related Links www.cannabisone.life

THIS PRESS RELEASE IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RESTRICTION MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF UNITED STATES SECURITIES LAW

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/59514
10.07.2020 LISTEN

Members of the bereaved family, friends and relatives of the deceased, sons and daughters of the hardworking yet underpaid class, resilient cadres and militants, ideologues, veterans, well-wishers, and sympathizers of the Vanguard Student Unification Party-SUP.

The Student Unification Party greatly regrets the earthly exit of one of its astute and ideological veterans  Vet. Munah E. Pelham-Youngblood. SUP has lost a fearless revolutionary combatant and a selfless national servant. The demise of veteran Munah is a great loss we may not easily get over anytime soon considering her extraordinary role played in our party and the State. This is a great tree that had fallen and its echo has caused a political and revolutionary quaver not only in our party but also across our nation  Liberia. SUP mourns this versatile revolutionary, a politician and reputed stateswoman of our nation. Indeed, Liberia has lost a great soul.

Veteran Munah was not only a Representative for the people of District #9 in Montserrado but a distinguished fearless patriot and freedom fighter; a characteristic she exemplified during her days at the State-run University of Liberia. Working with the Student Unification Party (SUP) to create a favorable learning environment for students through a genuine advocacy; she diligently served the Women Presidium of our Party with unquestionable commitment and courage. Her immeasurable impact to our nation building will forever remain an unforgettable experience and humbling privilege that will serve as source of enthusiasm for young women in Liberia and beyond.

A sanctuary of truth and boldness is a true reflection of the fallen veteran of our party. She lived a life of courage, humility and patriotism pursuing our dream without any fear; she opined on critical national issue without fear, she courageously danced on the floor of the National Legislature installing fear in her opponents. We cant just imagine this loss  it is too throbbing to bear; death has silenced yet another great mind. In a special column of our revolutionary book of history, she has a special reward as she rests in martyrdom. As revolutionaries, our mission to serve and liberate humility does not end in THE GRAVE. We believe that revolutionaries do not die, in their martyrdom; they multiply into beautiful flowers and roses. So is the case of veteran ideologue Munah E. Pelhman-Youngblood. The revolutionary mission of veteran Munah was well fulfilled with pride and honor.

SUP therefore considers veteran Munah E. Pelham-Youngblood as a MARTYR as she reunites with Wewee Debbah, Irene Nimpson, Momolu Lavala, Wuo Gabe-Tapia, Tonie Richardson, Benedict Garlawolu and other ideological martyrs of SUP. SUP once more extends sympathy to her family and calls on everyone to celebrate the life of veteran Munah E. Pelham because she was a true revolutionary patriot, a fearless and courageous stateswoman.

In line with our partys tradition and doctrine, the Chairman of Africa biggest repository of consciousness and true enlightenment, the indomitable Vanguard Student Unification Party, Cde. Charles M. Songha has with immediate effect mandated the Women Presidium and the Bureau of Veteran Affairs of the party to open a Book of Condolence in honor of veteran Munah E. Pelham-Youngblood and Chair Emeritus Kutubu Sheriff upon the resumption of normal academic activities at the University of Liberia.

Chairman Songha is, therefore, calling on all Liberians especially veterans, ideologues, cadres and militants of SUP to observe Friday, July 10, 2020 and mourn for the fallen veteran and other martyrs of the Vanguard Party.

Long live SUP  Long Live Massescracy  Long Live Social Justice, Academic Freedom and Peace. Aluta, the struggle continues!

Done and issued on this 9th Day of July, A.D. 2020 by the 29th Central Committee and Politburo Concomitantly.

Signed:

Cde. Ephraim T. Nyumah

Secretary General/ SUP

Approved

Cde. Charles Songha

Chairman/SUP
Egypt will exempt incoming tourists on direct flights to resort cities from visa fees until the end of October, the end of the summer tourism season, the cabinet said on Wednesday.

The decision is part of measures to encourage tourism following the expected resumption of flights in the upcoming period.

Egypt has suspended international flights since March in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

The civil aviation ministry had earlier decided to grant a 50 percent discount on landing and parking fees for charter planes to the country's resort cities.

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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 9, 2020) - First Vanadium Corp. (TSXV: FVAN) (OTCQX: FVANF) (FSE: 1PY) ("First Vanadium" or the "Company") announces that it has completed the closing of its non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") previously announced on June 18, 2020 and increased on June 26, 2020. The Company has issued 10,666,667 units for gross proceeds of $1,600,000. All securities issued are subject to a four month hold period expiring November 10, 2020, in accordance with applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange.

Insiders of the Company purchased a total of 100,000 units under the private placement, which is considered a related party transaction within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company relied on the exemptions from the valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in Sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(a), respectively, of MI 61-101 in respect of such insider participation. No new insiders and no control persons were created in connection with the private placement.

In connection with the private placement, the Company paid cash finder's fees totaling $13,072.50 and 87,150 non-transferable warrants. The warrants otherwise have the same terms as the unit warrants in that each is exercisable for a common share at a price of $0.26 for three years. These securities are also subject to a four month hold period expiring November 10, 2020, in accordance with applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange.

The Company has also awarded the drill contract to drill-test the gold opportunity on the Carlin Vanadium Project.

Paul Cowley, the Company's CEO, stated: "We are very pleased with the interest and positive market response for our private placement. Most of the capital will be used tactically to drill-test this exciting target, guided by a proven mine finder, Dave Mathewson. We are moving decisively on the drill program by today awarding the drill contract and for drilling to commence next month."

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This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including in the United States of America. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 as amended (1933 Act), or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available.

About First Vanadium Corp.

First Vanadium has an option to earn a 100% interest in the Carlin Vanadium Project, located in Elko County, 6 miles south from the town of Carlin, Nevada on Highway I-80. The Company announced the completion of a Preliminary Economic Assessment on the Project on May 11, 2020 and filed its Technical Report June 25, 2020.

ON BEHALF OF FIRST VANADIUM CORP.

per: "Paul Cowley"

CEO & President

(778) 655-4311

pcowley@firstvanadium.com

www.firstvanadium.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 information

Certain statements in this news release constitute "forward-looking" statements. These statements relate to future events or the Company's future performance and include the Company's ability to meet its obligations under the Access and Mineral Lease Agreement and the conditions required to exercise in full its option to acquire the Carlin Vanadium project. All such statements involve substantial known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results to vary from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, they should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and they will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not such results will be achieved. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes are reasonable assumptions on the date of this news release, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable securities regulations.



NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR

FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/59511
Robert De Niro's lawyer said the coronavirus pandemic has limited or halted business for the restaurant chain Nobu and Greenwich Hotel, where the actor has stakes.

The coronavirus dealt a massive financial blow to veteran actor Robert De Niro's finances, his lawyer revealed in court, as his estranged wife Grace Hightower asked for an emergency order to raise her monthly American Express card credit limit from $50,000 to $100,000.

According to Page Six, Hightower's lawyer told the judge that De Niro had cut her credit card limit from $100,000, and also claimed that she and her two children have been banned from the actor's New York compound.

Attorneys for De Niro said the actor has come under financial strain as the coronavirus pandemic has limited or halted business for the restaurant chain Nobu and Greenwich Hotel, of which, he has stakes in both, resulting in the cut to the credit card limit.

The Irishman star's lawyer Caroline Krauss claimed that Nobu lost $3 million in April and $1.87 in May.

He also recently had to pay investors $500,000 on a capital call. To make the payment, Krauss said that De Niro had to borrow money from business partners "because he doesn't have the cash."

Additionally, Krauss cited the actor's prenuptial agreement with his estranged wife, which states that the actor owes his wife $1 million each year as long as he's making at least $15 million a year, and the spousal support will be adjusted proportionally should De Niro make less than $15 million.

"His accounts and business manager ... says that the best case for De Niro, if everything starts to turn around this year, ... he is going to be lucky if he makes $7.5 million this year," said Krauss.

De Niro is only expected to make about $2.5 million in 2020 and 2021 for The Irishman, lawyers said, as most proceeds have already been paid.

And, the actor's latest movie project has been put on hold.

Krauss said, "These people, in spite of his robust earnings, have always spent more than he has earned so this 76-year-old robust man couldn't retire even if he wanted to because he can't afford to keep up with his lifestyle expense," claiming De Niro has been "dramatically" cutting his spending.

Hightower's lawyer Kevin McDonough fired back, "Mr De Niro has used the COVID pandemic, my words would be, to stick it to his wife financially".

McDonough added, "I'm not a believer that a man who has an admitted worth of $500 million and makes $30 million a year, all of a sudden in March he needs to cut down [spousal support] by 50 percent and ban her from the house."

The judge ruled that De Niro should maintain the $50,000 credit card limit, but pay Hightower $75,000 so that she and their two children can find a summer home.

Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Matthew Cooper in his temporary ruling, said, "$50,000 seems to be certainly enough to avoid irreparable harm."

De Niro  who had been with Hightower on-and-off since 1997  filed for divorce from her in 2018. The pair divorced in 1999 and patched things up again in 2004. They share two children: 21-year-old Elliot and 8-year-old Helen.
Muwafaq al-Dawah is accused of being a prominent militia leader and participating in the rape of women from the Yarmouk camp in the al-Bashir Mosque writes Zaman Al-Wasl.

Muwafaq al-Dawah, Palestinian-Syrian militant based in Germany is suspected of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Syria. He was one of the most prominent leaders in the Popular Committees of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine  General Command (PFLP-GC).

According to the sources, Dawah, who was living in the Yarmouk Refugee Camp, south of Damsacus, participated in the rape of women from the Yarmouk camp in the al-Bashir Mosque, as well as in the Ali al-Wahsh massacre in which dozens of demonstrators were killed and arrested, and hundreds were disappeared. He was directly responsible for firing an RPG at civilians in Yarmouk camp during the distribution of humanitarian aid, and starving the residents of the camp as well as bombing and destroying the area.

Dawah was one of the most dangerous leaders of the Palestinian militias, eye-witnesses said.

After the outbreak of the revolution, Dawah, along with Abu Mohamed Sarriya, a senior militia commander, participated in attempts to suppress protests in the neighborhoods of Attadamon, Zahira and al-Midan south of the capital.

According to an eye-witness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, Dawah was one of the first people to join Ahmed Jibrils militia, leading one of the groups that worked to suppress demonstrations in Yarmouk, Hajar al-Aswad, and Yalda, in addition to participating in the battles against the Free Syrian Army factions in the region.

Another witness said that Dawah was one of the leaders of the fighting groups in the military wing of the Free Palestine Movement, al-Aqsa Shield Forces led by Saed al-Abdel, which was confirmed by the photos obtained by Zaman al-Wasls investigation team in which Dawah and his group appear with the flags and slogans of the militia behind them.

According to the witness, Muwafaq al-Dawah is accused by Yarmouks residents of the rape of the women of the camp in the al-Bashir Mosque, which was documented by Action Group for Palestinians of Syria, and other crimes.

This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday filed a chargesheet against six persons, including an ISIS terrorist, for their alleged involvement in the killing of a police official in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu as part of waging a violent jihad, an official said.

The six men are Abdul Shameem, 30, and Y Thowfeek, 27, of Kanyakumari; Khaja Mohideen, 53, and Jaffar Ali, 26, of Tamil Nadu's Cuddalore; Mahboob Pasha, 48, and Ejas Pasha, 46, of Bengaluru.

They have been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Arms Act, an NIA spokesperson said.

The chargesheet was filed before a special NIA court in Chennai, he said.

Wilson, Special Sub-Inspector (SSI) of Kaliyakkavilai police station, was shot and stabbed to death on January 8 by Shameem and Thowfeek while the officer was on duty at Kaliyakkavilai market road check post, the official said.

After the arrest of the assailants on January 15, it was revealed that they had committed the crime with the intention of creating terror in the minds of people, including police, as part of waging a violent jihad, the NIA official said.

The NIA took over the case on February 1 from the Tamil Nadu Police and during investigation, the roles of Mohideen, Mahboob, Ejas and Jaffer in the larger conspiracy were revealed and they were arraigned as accused in the case, he said.

Mohideen, a member of the ISIS terror group, had radicalised Shameem and Thowfeek on the jihadi (violent extremist) ideology since May 2019, and recruited them into his terrorist gang to carry out violent attacks against the establishment, especially police, in Tamil Nadu, to bring the Islamic Rule or Shariah, the official said.

In October 2019, Mohideen instructed Mahboob, Ejas and Jaffer to procure illegal fire arms and prohibited ammunition for carrying out attacks, he said.

After mid-December 2019, on Mohideen's instructions, Shameem and Thowfeek were sheltered in Karnataka and Maharashtra by Mahboob and they were subsequently provided illegal fire arms and ammunition, the NIA official said.

In early January this year when Tamil Nadu police arrested the associates of Mahboob at Bengaluru and started pursuing the others, Mohideen instructed Shameem and Thowfeek to attack the Tamil Nadu police at check posts along the inter-state border in Kanyakumari district, the official of the premier investigation agency said.

The assailants travelled to Kaliyakkavilai on January 8 and attacked on-duty SSI Wilson, he said.

After committing the terrorist act, they escaped towards Kerala and concealed the knife and illegal fire arm used in the attack near Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) Bus Stand in Thriuvananthapuram and Ernakulam, respectively, the official said.

They fled to Kozhikode, changed their appearance and travelled to Maharashtra to live in disguise before returning to Udupi in Karnataka where they were arrested on January 15, the NIA official added

Further investigation was underway, the probe agency said.
New Delhi, July 10 : Less than two weeks ago, UN experts said that they were "appalled by the enforced disappearance" of activist Idris Khattak, a leading human rights defender from Pakistan who went missing last year.

Professor Muhammad Sajjad Raja, chairman of National Equality Party and a leading political activist from Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, on Thursday slammed the Imran Khan-led government at the 44th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

"The extra-judicial killings taking place in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan are not acceptable... The citizens stand before you today seeking intervention from the repression and the extra judicial killings of our people. Azad means free but this is a false label, which has been attached to our people to hide the truth in a disgusting way. In fact, any dissent towards Pakistan is mercilessly crushed through by army atrocities and the ISI," Raja said in a strongly-worded statement On June 29, the UN human rights experts had condemned the widespread silencing of human rights defenders "through intimidation, secret detention, torture and enforced disappearance, whether with the direct involvement of the Pakistani government, or with its complicity or complacency." The statement mentioned Pakistan's long history of enforced disappearances, many of which have targeted human rights and minority defenders critical of the government and the military, as well as persons suspected or accused of involvement in the opposition.

"While successive governments have promised to criminalize enforced disappearance, none has taken concrete steps and the practice continues with impunity," it mentioned stressing that there can be no justification for the government's failure to end enforced disappearances and that any such violation must be investigated, prosecuted and punished.

It isn't the human rights activists alone who are being targeted by the Pakistani deep state.

A leaked internal memo issued by the Interior Ministry listing measures to stop the "rhetoric against Pakistan" and targeting journalists, particularly those living abroad, has once again highlighted the shocking agenda of the government.

The confidential memo dated June 18 accused six journalists-five Pakistanis and an Afghan citizen-alleged to be "involved in various activities in Europe and America which are seriously damaging Pakistan's foreign interests abroad." The memo was addressed to the Director-General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Islamabad, the Director-General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting, the Director-General of Military Intelligence, Islamabad, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

It accused the journalists of "either participating in anti-Pakistan activities or producing anti-state content" for foreign media under pseudonyms. It added further: "You are requested to strictly follow movements and social media accounts." Paris-based independent NGO Reporters Without Borders (RSF) expressed "shock" at the contents of the leaked memo and warned that "the Pakistani authorities will be held responsible for anything that happens to these journalists or their families." "Let's not be fooled, the Pakistani intelligence agencies could have leaked this document in an attempt to poison public opinion and intimidate the journalists it names," said Daniel Bastard, the head of RSF's Asia-Pacific desk.

"Even if it is not an official memo, the sinister nature of the suggestion that journalists based abroad should be 'approached through proper channels' is extremely shocking. We will pay close attention to the safety of the reporters named in this memo and we will know who to hold responsible if any of them, or a member of their family, is subjected to threats or intimidation." RSF said it has seen a disturbing surge in incidents targeting Pakistani journalists based abroad since the start of the year. The most serious is the mysterious death in Sweden of Sajid Hussain, the editor of the Balochistan Times website, whose body was found in late April, seven weeks after he went missing.

"Hussain's death was all the more disturbing for coming exactly one month after Ahmad Waqass Goraya, a Pakistani blogger living in self-imposed exile in the Netherlands, was attacked and threatened outside his Rotterdam home by two individuals whose methods "fit the modus operandi of Pakistani spy agencies," he said.

Pakistan is ranked 145th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2020 World Press Freedom Index, three places lower than in 2019.

(This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)
SPRINGFIELD  House Speaker Michael Madigan called Thursday for the removal of Stephen Douglas imagery from the Capitol, citing the late U.S. senator's disturbing past as a Mississippi slave owner and "abhorrent words toward people of color."'

Madigan, a Democrat, said he'd offer a resolution authorizing removal of a Douglas portrait in the House chamber and replace it with one of Barack Obama, calling the former president "a more fitting representation of the modern-day Democratic Party.'

Madigan said the decision was solidified after George Floyd's killing, which has already inspired a wave of removals of Confederate monuments and other historic statues nationwide.

Memorializing people and a time that allowed slavery and fostered bigotry and oppression has no place in the Illinois House, where the work of all Illinoisans is conducted, he said in a statement. We can only move forward in creating a more just world when these symbols of hate are removed from our everyday lives.

Madigan also called for removing statues of Douglas and Pierre Menard, Illinois' first lieutenant governor who also owned slaves, from the Capitol grounds. Madigan said a Martin Luther King Jr., statute should be moved to a prominent location.

He said he'd request the Office of the Architect to get legislative approval.

Douglas is probably is best known for a series of debates with Abraham Lincoln in 1858. He lost the 1860 presidential election to Lincoln.

10 ways Illinois schools could look different this fall

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HOTELS are barely a quarter full nationwide and need the same VAT break just provided to hoteliers in the UK to compete, according to the Irish Hotels Federation.

The UK on Wednesday cut its VAT rate for hospitality firms - including hotels, restaurants and pubs - from 20pc to 5pc until next January. This has undercut Ireland's 13.5pc VAT rate on hospitality firms, most of which have reopened since June 29.

The Irish federation's president, Elaina Fitzgerald Kane, said its 1,000 hotel and guesthouse members normally have 90pc of their rooms booked through August. But bookings are running only 23pc for this month and 26pc next month.

She said Ireland must match the UK's VAT cut.

"The slashing of their VAT rate from 20pc to 5pc is a clear sign of their commitment to support the recovery of their tourism and hospitality industry," she said. "Given how closely our economies are intertwined, a similar cut here is necessary. The UK is not only our biggest market for overseas tourists, it is also our biggest competitor."

She said the State also should follow the UK's lead on the maximum size of indoor gatherings. As of today, the Northern Ireland Executive is allowing indoor venues, including hotels hosting wedding parties, to set caps based on the size of the venue. This potentially would allow much larger wedding parties in the biggest churches and hotels.

"Currently capacity here is limited to 100 people regardless of the size of the venue. We are calling on the Government to allow hotels that can safely host larger weddings to do so based on the size and scale of the venues, rather than imposing a general limit on how many people can gather at any venue, regardless of safe capacity," said Ms Fitzgerald Kane, who is director of the Fitzgeralds Woodlands House Hotel and Spa in Adare, Co Limerick.

The hospitality sector long has campaigned for VAT to be returned to 9pc, the discounted rate that applied from 2011 to 2018. More recently, publicans have repeatedly called for the Government to slash VAT to 5pc to aid the ravaged cash flow of firms reopening after four-month shutdowns.

Ms Fitzgerald Kane said Ireland should reduce VAT on hospitality firms to 5pc until December 2021.

Hoteliers north of the Border have celebrated the VAT cut - and some say they are reducing their rates and menu prices accordingly.

"We have long complained that our VAT rate at 20pc was inequitable compared to the south," said Howard Hastings, managing director of Hastings Hotels.

"The decision to reduce it to 5pc until January means that we can now offer even more incentives to people to travel to the north for their holidays. We will have new lower accommodation rates on our website and all our food menus will be repriced to reflect the VAT changes," said Mr Hastings, whose firm owns seven hotels across Northern Ireland, including the five-star Culloden Estate and Spa, the Slieve Donard Resort and Spa, and three Belfast hotels: the Europa, Stormont and Grand Central.

While hotels here broadly report weak bookings, those with scenic views are reporting stronger business for dinners and drinks.

The Marker Hotel in Dublin's Docklands, which has reopened this week, says 70pc of its tables on its Rooftop Bar & Terrace are already booked for this month.
When I was growing up, my family was already COVID-19 prepared. My parents had no friends and we never went anywhere. All the food was frozen, kept in a massive freezer in the garage. You could lock our family down for months and none of us would have been the wiser.

Certainly, we never went on interstate holidays. Correction: we went once. To the Gold Coast. We drove up, my parents bickering all the way, while I sat in the back, consuming my own body weight in Enid Blyton.

A 10-year-old Richard Glover with his father, Ted. Credit:Courtesy of Richard Glover

Occasionally, my father had to pull over so I could chunder. I like to think this was my response to Enid's pedestrian prose style, but more likely it was the result of my father's erratic driving.

The holiday was horrible. As a bookish, asthmatic, only-child I could find no one to play with, and  after spending most of my life indoors  was left looking like a lobster after 10 minutes in the Queensland sun. By day two I'd stick to any surface. If I sat for a moment on a vinyl banana lounge, I'd have to forgo a layer of skin just to stand up.
Russian Foreign Ministry Sees UK's 'Magnitsky' Sanctions as Another Unfriendly Step

Sputnik News

14:10 GMT 09.07.2020(updated 14:11 GMT 09.07.2020)

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The UK's new sanctions against Russian nationals under the Magnitsky Act are another unfriendly step, as well as an attempt to put pressure on justice and interfere in Russia's domestic affairs, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday.

"The UK imposed personal sanctions against Russian citizens. We consider the decision announced on July 6 by the government of this country to introduce sanctions against a number of officials in our country within the framework of the so-called Magnitsky case to be another unfriendly step by the UK authorities," Zakharova said at a briefing.

The spokeswoman recalled that Moscow had repeatedly provided comprehensive explanations on all issues related to the death of Russian tax accountant Sergei Magnitsky.

"Apparently, London prefers not to notice them [the explanations], it is not clear on what basis they designate those guilty and determine so-called punishments for them. The UK's acts are nothing but an attempt to intervene in the domestic affairs of another state and exert pressure on the Russian justice system," Zakharova said, adding that the decision will affect bilateral relations.

In addition, the spokeswoman noted that Moscow reserved the right to retaliate to UK's sanctions.

"The principle of reciprocity is one of the fundamentals in international relations, therefore, we reserve the right to retaliate and urge London to abandon the practice of groundless accusations, choosing the path of a civilized dialogue about existing problems and concerns," Zakharova said.

The UK Foreign Office said on Monday that it has created a new sanctions list to include Russian and Saudi citizens who will face sanctions for being involved in alleged human rights violations. The list is comprised of 25 Russians, including Investigative Committee chief Alexander Bastrykin, 20 Saudi citizens, two Myanmar military generals involved in violence against ethnic minorities, and two North Korean special services.

A Sputnik

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Market Research Future published a research report HTS Market Research Report - Global Forecast till 2025 Market Overview, Segmentation, Progress, Regional analysis, key Trends, Major Players and Forecast to 2025. Global Wearable Sensors Market is likely to value of USD 13,460 million with a CAGR of 7.5% during the forecast period

Competitive Landscape:

Better integration of diverse plans in the global high throughput screening market and introduction of several strategic moves that encompasses mergers, acquisitions, tie-ups, and others are expected to inspire growth. Companies impacting the growth in the market are Danaher (US), Aurora Biomed Inc. (Canada), Tecan (Switzerland), PerkinElmer (US), Axxam (Italy), Hamilton (US), Corning (US), Merck Group (Germany), Beckman Coulter, Inc. (US), BioTek (US), Luminex Corporation (US), Agilent Technologies Inc. (US), and Roche (Switzerland).

Overview

High-throughput screening (HTS) can be defined as a method that includes scientific experimentation needed for various drug discovery and deciding typical moves in the the fields of biology and chemistry. The procedure includes data processing/control software, liquid handling devices, robotics, and sensitive detectors. This allows the system to get into the procedure of conducting tests for millions of chemical, genetic, or pharmacological processes. The process has evolved as necessary to find active compounds, antibodies, or genes that can cover various biomolecular pathway. This process assists in the designing of various market process.

The HTS Market is getting traction from high technological advancements in HTS and hike in expenditure for research and development. The government funding for the procedure is also providing better scope for growth.

Segmental Analysis

The global market for high throughput screening, by product & service, can be segmented into instruments, reagents & assay kits, consumables & accessories, and software and services. The reagents & assay kits segment can find growth with increasing demand from the diagnostic segment.

By technology, the global market report on high throughput screening can be segmented into cell-based assays, Bioinformatics, 3D cell culture, 2D cell culture, perfusion cell culture, 3D cell culture, Ultra-high-throughput Screening, lab-on-a-chip (LOC), and Label-free Technology. The 3D cell culture segment includes scaffold-based technologies and scaffold-free technologies. The scaffold-based segment comprises hydrogels, inert matrix, and micropatterned surfaces. The scaffold-free technologies segment consists ultra-low binding plates, hanging-drop plates, microplate, and other scaffold-free technologies.

By application, the global market for high throughput screening includes primary and secondary screening, toxicology assessment, target identification & validation, and others. The application segment is showing signs of fastest CAGR owing to its inclusion in the research and development sector.

By end user, the global market for high throughput screening can be segmented into contract research organizations, academic & government institutes, pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies, and others.

Global High Throughput Screening Market Research Report- https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/high-throughput-screening-market-1280

In October 2019, researchers at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute revealed that they have developed a machine-learning algorithm that would assist in the high throughput screening of epigenetic drugs.

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These are the schools that have canceled classes for Jan. 18

Some school districts across the county are virtual today. Others will make up the snow day.
New Delhi, July 10 : As soon as the Parliamentary standing committees started to resume work after a long spell of hibernation, it was not all good news that came in front of them. Notwithstanding the ambitious target set for its market launch, the Standing Committee on Science and Technology was told on Friday that India will have to wait till at least the first quarter of 2021 to get its vaccine that can treat Covid-19.

Officials cautioned that this is the earliest possible time frame when India can practically have its vaccine.

Professor Krishnaswamy VijayRaghavan, who is the government's Principal Scientific Advisor, was present in the committee meeting along with representatives from thee Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Biotechnology.

Interestingly, this development comes closely on the heels of India's foremost medical research body, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), in a letter dated July 3, setting a target to get the vaccine ready by August 15. However, faced with criticism for putting unrealistic pressure, it later clarified saying it was "meant to cut unnecessary red tape, without bypassing any necessary process, and speed up recruitment of participants".

Senior officials told the Parliamentary committee led by Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Friday that they are hopeful and optimistic about India's chances of inventing the vaccine that will be able to treat the deadly Covid-19.

During the proceedings of the committee, certain members were believed to have raised specific questions about recent claims made by yoga guru Ramdev who launched Coronil, claiming it can treat coronavirus, only to retract later.

Meanwhile, researchers in India are all set to start human trials of India's first indigenous coronavirus vaccine candidate - COVAXIN.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
Director Yeon Sang-ho, third from right, poses with the cast of "Peninsula" at the press conference held in Seoul, Thursday. / Korea Times file



By Kwak Yeon-soo



Following the success of "Train to Busan," "Peninsula" is another Korean zombie film that casts a commentary on people's desire to live and find hope in the worst situation.



Set four years after the hit "Train to Busan," the upcoming blockbuster tells the story of the survivors and a world taken over by zombies.



Gang Dong-won plays Jung-seok, a former soldier who goes back to the zombie-packed peninsula on a mission, while Lee Jung-hyun plays Min-jung, a mother of two daughters and an uninfected survivor of the zombie apocalypse. Lee saves the lives of Jung-seok and his mission crew from a massive zombie attack and they join forces to escape the devastated land.



Director Yeon Sang-ho said he wanted to go with a different ending compared with "Train to Busan," carrying a message of hope and positivity.



"In the movie, all the characters have the desire to escape the peninsula, but the world is not greener outside," Yeon said during a press conference for the film, Thursday. "I wanted the audience to feel that who you are with is more important than where you are."



At the beginning of the film, Jung-seok is portrayed as a poorly-treated refugee in Hong Kong after fleeing South Korea.





Actor Gang Dong-won in a scene from the film "Peninsula" / Courtesy of NEW
Gangster Vikas Dubey was killed in an encounter on Friday after a police vehicle carrying him from Ujjain to Kanpur met with an accident and he tried to escape from the spot in Bhauti area, police said.

He was killed exactly seven days after the Kanpur ambush in which Vikas Dubey and his gang killed 8 policemen.

Here's what happened on Friday morning leading to his death.

IMAGE: The body of gangster Vikas Dubey at the Hallet Hospital in Kanpur. Photograph: PTI Photo

1. On early Friday morning, Vikas Dubey was being brought from Ujjain, where he was arrested, to Kanpur by the UP Special Task Force.

2. It was raining heavily and one of the police vehicles in the cavalcade overturned near Kanpur.

3. Amid the commotion of the car turning over, the gangster tried to flee with the inspector's pistol but was surrounded by the police t eam. He opened fire at the police and the personnel fired back in retaliation .

4. He was rushed to the hospital where he was declared dead.

5. Four police personnel were also injured in the firing as Vikas Dubey tried to escape them. The encounter took place at Sachendi border area in Kanpur .
In June Puerto Vallarta, Mexico reopened to tourists. Airlines began to restore flights from the U.S. The airport enacted strict physical-distancing protocols, Plexiglass and disinfectant mats. Forty-five hotels opened at 30-percent occupancy. Restaurants spaced tables to maintain distance. Beaches opened up. Bars and clubs remained closed.

Tourists started to trickle back into the popular Mexican beach town after three months of closures.

The influential World Travel and Tourism Council bestowed its "Safe Travel" stamp on Puerto Vallarta and the surrounding state of Jalisco, indicating that governments and companies had adopted "world-class hygiene and sanitation standards."

As in the U.S., things were looking up as the peak summer season beckoned.

Then, on July 6, the state of Jalisco reported a new record of COVID-19 infections with 664 new cases and 19 deaths. According to the Puerto Vallarta Daily News, "with just six days into the month of July, Puerto Vallartas COVID-19 numbers are already nearing the figures experienced during the entire month of June. In just five days, 176 new infections have already been registered and 16 people have lost their lives to the coronavirus. In all of June, there were 228 cases of COVID-19 and 31 deaths according to federal reports."

With that news, the governor of Jalisco offered a stern warning that he is prepared to press what he is calling "an emergency button" that would shut down the state if hospitalization and infection rates continued to increase, and hit specific levels.

It's hard to say if the governor will really press the emergency button, or if the threat of another lockdown is bluster to get residents, hotel and restaurant owners, and visitors to pay attention to COVID-19 restrictions.

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Don Pickens, the owner of the popular Casa Cupula perched on a hill above town told SFGATE, "Unfortunately the wave of infections in Mexico has been more closely related to the timing of infections in Texas or Arizona than in New York and as a result, in Puerto Vallarta, we are seeing a continuing increase in cases. That said, the state of Jalisco is doing very well compared to the rest of Mexico due to strong quarantine and administration. Our hotel caters to an upscale LGBT audience and we have found that they are among the most adventurous and willing to travel in almost any circumstance. However they are mostly concerned about safety during air travel and those who are making reservations now are generally booking for later in this year."

ferrantraite/Getty Images

So is now the time to jump on a plane to Mexico? While the land border between the U.S. and Mexico is closed, flights are still open for Americans flying in both directions. The current ban on non-essential travel between the two countries lifts on July 21, according to the U.S. Embassy in Mexico site. Upon arrival in Mexico, air travelers will be subject to health screenings and temperature checks and could be asked to return to the U.S. if they are exhibiting symptoms.

Starting in August, United and Alaska Airlines will bring back nonstop flights from the Bay Area to PVR at relatively cheap prices for summertime  as low as $250-$300 roundtrip.

According to Casa Cupula's Pickens, it won't be that different when you get there. "It is generally more safe to be outdoors as long as you have good social separation so the experience is different but still a wonderful place to relax."

Still, given the dynamic nature of travel these days, it's worth keeping an eye on developments on these sites and checking in with airlines to be sure flight schedules remain intact: Puerto Vallarta Tourism, Puerto Vallarta Daily News. And don't forget your face mask.

Read all recent TravelSkills posts here

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The first prayers will be held in Turkey's Hagia Sophia on July 24, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday, after declaring the ancient monument was once again a mosque following a court ruling revoking its status as a museum.

Erdogan said the nearly 1,500-year-old Hagia Sophia would remain open to Muslims, Christians and foreigners, but added that Turkey had exercised its sovereign right in converting it to a mosque and would interpret criticism of the move as an attack on its independence.

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By Leika Kihara

TOKYO (Reuters) - Forced to cancel a popular on-site tour due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Bank of Japan created a virtual one that takes viewers through the brick corridors, dome-roofed rooms and even an underground vault of its century-old headquarters online.

With a click of the mouse, visitors to the "Tour the BOJ from home" site enter through the central bank's massive courtyard and stroll inside the western, classical-style building with a 360-degree panoramic view of its interiors.

They can also browse a three-dimensional, virtual reality video of the building hunting for hidden "treasures" that include an old chair that had been used by the BOJ's governors and the world's first automatic bill inspection machine.

The virtual guide, available for free on the BOJ's website, was created after the central bank was forced to cancel from March a popular tour of its headquarters that attracted 19,000 visitors last fiscal year - of which nearly 10% were overseas travellers.

"What's unique about this online tour is that it's not affected by COVID-19, and that visitors can have the historical building all to themselves," said BOJ director Noriaki Kawamura.

Located in Tokyo's Nihonbashi business district, the BOJ's headquarters consist of a new complex, and an old building that was built in 1896 and designated by the government as a cultural heritage.

The link, below, is the entrance to the tour with English instructions: https://www.boj.or.jp/en/announcements/education/ouchi.htm

(Reporting by Leika Kihara; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 03:24:16|Editor: huaxia

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PARIS, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Nearly two months into lockdown exit, France now sees its population back with their rituals again, with all indicators suggesting the epidemic situation is well under control. However, fears of a resurgence of coronavirus epidemic linger, forcing the government to be ready to protect the fragile recovery of economic activities.

FEARS OF EPIDEMIC RESURGENCE

Since June, the average of daily deaths caused by the respiratory disease stood below 50, sharply down from 500 in early April. Hospitalization data maintained its long-running decline and daily confirmed infections remained well below 3,000, the limit set by the government for reimposing restriction on people's movement.

The government, however, repeatedly warned that the epidemic is not over.

As of Thursday, France has registered 29,979 COVID-19 deaths and 170,094 confirm infection cases. Some 333 clusters have been detected since mid-May.

In western city of Mayenne, the number of cases has increased fourfold in two weeks and six clusters have been detected, forcing the health authorities to launch a massive testing campaign targeting 300,000 people.

In a further sign of rising alert, analysis of the latest sewage water samples, a key indicator to gauge the virus circulation among the population, showed a slight resumption of the novel coronavirus in Great Paris between June 22 and 25.

"The virus continues to circulate, albeit much slower, much more controlled, but it is still here," said Jean-Francois Delfraissy, an immunologist and head of the scientific council that advises the French government on COVID-19.

"We do not see how we would avoid a virus resurgence in the northern hemisphere in autumn. So most likely a possible second wave is expected in October-November," he told Le Monde newspaper on Thursday.

Speaking to local broadcaster Europe 1, Prof. Eric Caumes, head of the infectious diseases department at the Pitie-Salpetriere hospital in Paris, echoed the same alert, calling on people to "be extremely vigilant because the virus circulates with low noise."

"We manage to control things, but we must to be very careful. We have never said that the epidemic was behind us. On the contrary, it is likely that the worst of the epidemic is still ahead of us," he warned.

NO GENERAL CONFINEMENT AGAIN

Cornered between the hammer of the disease risk and the anvil to put economy back on track as soon as possible, Prime Minister Jean Castex said the government has been working on a plan that would minimize the risks of a second wave of coronavirus and lessen its eventual economic fallout.

"We would not proceed to a general lockdown like in March, as that has terrible economic and human consequences. Any new lockdown would be targeted," he told BFMTV.

Castex, who had orchestrated the de-confinement plan, stressed "the need to preserve economic and social life" while implementing emergency measures to contain the epidemic resurgence.

Struggling to contain the epidemic, France imposed a lockdown from March 17 to May 11 to curb the spread of the virus. Only necessary journeys were allowed, all non-essential businesses were shut down, factories halted production and borders were closed.

As a result, the eurozone's second largest power suffered its sharpest contraction in the first half of the year since records began in 1949. The gross domestic product (GDP) shrank 17 percent in the second quarter after contracting 5.3 percent over the January-March period.

To Geoffroy Roux de Bezieux, head of Medef, the organization for entrepreneurs, "a local confinement would be temporarily bearable."

"We cannot afford to lockdown the country again because the economy will not recover. That would be something terrifying," he told RMC local radio.

"The priority is to consolidate the beginning of recovery and to revive the economy. The priority is to get businesses back on track. They have already resumed activities but it should be ensured that this recovery is rapid," he said.

Since mid-May the French economy "recovered significantly," the national statistics institute INSEE said in its economic outlook published on Wednesday.

Economic activities were operating at 12 percent below normal levels in June compared with a 32-percent decline in the first two weeks of lockdown in March. By the end of the year, activities would resume to between 1 and 6 percent below pre-crisis levels, according to INSEE.

It forecast French economy to rebound by 19 percent in the third quarter and 3 percent in the last three months of the year. For the whole year of 2020, it predicted a contraction of 9 percent, below the government forecast of 11 percent.

"This estimate is of course subject to many uncertainties linked to the health situation in France and in the world. In particular, a possible second epidemic wave on the national territory would necessarily slow down the recovery," INSEE noted. Enditem
The Vietnam International Travel Mart (VITM) 2020, themed Vietnamese tourism looks toward the future, is slated for August 12-15 in Hanoi.

At the VITM 2019

The online conference, which also saw the participation of foreign ministers from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand, also discussed measures to bolster trade and investment cooperation to speed up economic recovery in each country following the pandemic.

In his speech, Minh emphasised the need for a comprehensive approach that both responds to the pandemic and recovers the economy.

While sharing Vietnams experience in containing the disease, he affirmed the timeliness and effectiveness of the comprehensive policies adopted by the Vietnamese Government.

Vietnam is continuing to apply measures to control and prevent the spread of COVID-19 while at the same time gradually reopening its economy, Minh said.

Mekong-Japan cooperation could effectively support the economic recovery process of member countries by giving priority to fields that help restore regional supply chains, stimulate consumption, and strengthen the capacity of health systems, he stressed.

Minh proposed specific groups of solutions, including strengthening the complementariness and enhancing the general strength of economies, in particular promoting enterprises investment in infrastructure projects; supporting the industrialisation process in Mekong countries; facilitating trade and investment cooperation; and creating favourable conditions for high-quality goods from Mekong countries to enter Japan.

He also highlighted the significance of increasing human resources for healthcare facilities, improving Mekong countries capacity to monitor diseases, produce vaccines, and build laboratories; and urgently implementing the Mekong-Japan Initiative for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) towards 2030, especially in the context of the Mekong River basin being seriously affected by severe drought and saline intrusion.

The Deputy PM also expressed his sympathy with the Japanese people over the losses of life and property from to the recent floods and thanked Japan for its valuable assistance to Vietnam in the fight against COVID-19.

Participants reaffirmed the need to strengthen joint efforts in preventing the disease and promote economic recovery in the context of complicated movements in the global economic situation.

Regarding health cooperation and disease prevention, the delegates agreed to promote transparent and timely information sharing among countries on policies and measures to respond to COVID-19; expand cooperation in epidemiological research and attract resources for anti-viral vaccine development and production; and cooperate to improve national health systems in each country.

They agreed to strengthen cooperation in ensuring the operation of regional supply chains, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises to adapt to new circumstances, maintaining trade and investment flows, and enhancing scientific and technological applications in agricultural production; and developing high quality infrastructure.

The ministers highly valued the cooperation between Japan and the Mekong region in the fight against COVID-19, and applauded initiatives proposed by the Japanese side at the meeting.

Accordingly, the Government of Japan will provide 56 million USD worth of medical equipment and technical training for health workers in Mekong countries and provide at least 50 million USD to regional countries to improve their capacity to cope with the pandemic; provide a loan to support the emergency response to the COVID-19 crisis; and deploy the KUSANONE Mekong initiative for the SDGs with total non-refundable aid of 1 billion JPY (9.3 million USD) to help Mekong countries implement projects on improving public health, education, agricultural productivity, and building clean water systems and improving the living environment./.VNA
Houstonians will say farewell to a Midtown supermarket favorite, Fiesta Mart, after its parent company announced it will be closing the doors this Friday.

Considered an iconic neighborhood fixture in Midtown, Fiesta gave shoppers a vast selection of fresh produce and international foods. The store is located at the intersection of Wheeler and San Jacinto.

Loyal Houston customers have been weighing in about their bittersweet goodbye to this neighborhood spot.

"Gonna miss this Fiesta on the edge of the Third Ward, used to be my spot for arcade games as a kid, shopped there throughout my life," wrote Fat Tony on Twitter.

Fiesta Mart's parent company, Bodega Latina Corporation said that the closure was due to the store's declining customer base. According to Lilia Rodriguez, community relations manager for Bodega Latina Corp., closing the store was a difficult decision to make.

BAKERY GIVES BACK: Texas City's Bear Fruit bakery gives $30K to fellow businesses during COVID-19 pandemic

"It is with difficulty that we announce that the Fiesta Mart store located at 4200 San Jacinto will be closing at the end of business on Friday July 10th," Rodriguez wrote in a statement sent to Chron.com. "The decision to close this store was not taken lightly, but due to the expiration of our lease and a number of newer grocery stores in the area we had to make this difficult decision. Despite tremendous efforts by our dedicated store employees and our operations, buying, merchandising and other support teams, sales performance of the store has continued to decline over the past few years."

Rodriguez added that Fiesta store employees will have the opportunity to work at another Fiesta location.

"We are deeply appreciative of our employees collective efforts, and all store employees will have the opportunity to continue their employment with Fiesta at a different store," she said in the statement. "We want to express our thanks and gratitude to all of our valued customers over the years. We look forward to the opportunity to continue to serve our customers across all of our stores in the Greater Houston market."

alison.medley@chron.com
Scallops with zucchini carpaccio, parmesan, arugula and butter beans with artichoke, cherry tomato and braised red onion at the Summer Salt pop-up at Isabel's Bakery in Avalon, N.J., on July 3, 2020. The pop-up restaurant is open 6-9 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Read more

The trepidation would arrive like clockwork along with the hunger pangs, right on time for supper. What kind of dodgy seating situation would we encounter if we ventured out tonight?

Our first experiences with outdoor dining at the Jersey Shore had been problematic, from mask-denying hecklers to careless restaurateurs and clueless fellow diners. So, as noted last week, we indulged in fantastic takeout. But as New Jerseys al fresco restaurant reopening segued from its opening days into subsequent weeks, I found several places that are approaching their responsibilities seriously to create relatively safe experiences. For a dining scene that depends on just a few months of business, getting this right is essential to a restaurants survival and the health of its customers and staff.

 READ MORE: Takeout at the Shore delivers big flavors without the crowds

And with the best examples from Long Beach Island to Cape May, I saw it in the details, from clearly posted pandemic-era rules (no mask, no service) to contact-minimizing systems, table spacing beyond the six-foot minimum, and deliberately brief service interactions to minimize mutual exposure.

At the new Black Eyed Susans Tavern, even the doors leading to the restrooms inside were purposefully left ajar so folks wouldnt have to pull one open. Little things resonate! Especially as operators resort to filling whatever open spaces remain available  tented parking lots, alleys, beaches  to keep summer restaurants viable.

I cant say Ive yet fully embraced outdoor dining. My thoughts continue to evolve on whether its a good idea long term for the industry and its workers, especially as COVID-19 numbers rise. But my early explorations found several places at the Shore that appeared to both meet and exceed required safety guidelines, peeling back my trepidation just enough to recognize some of the beauty in restaurants Ive always appreciated. Young talents pushing boundaries with a pop-up. Existing operators stepping up ambitions. New life for a classic. And handmade food thats realized one immigrants lifelong restaurant dream and still connects her vividly to family abroad.

Takeout? Most of these places still offer that. (Summer Salt and the Deauville Inn do not). But if youre ready to eat out, four of these five places are doing it right.

Black Eyed Susans Tavern & Restaurant

A second act for Black Eyed Susans was inevitable since chef Christopher Sanchez and Ashley Pellagrino opened their hit BYOB in Harvey Cedars a decade ago. So when the opportunity came this fall to buy the former Plantation (190 seats plus a liquor license), they undertook an ambitious move, renovation and concept makeover to prepare for summer liftoff.

Their beloved tuna tartare  fished during a full moon, mounded beside rouille and sparked with preserved lemon, pine nuts, and smoky bonito? Check. A new pizza oven and pasta extruder to fuel their casual new tavern menu option? Check.

Debuting inside a tent on their parking lot? Not in the plans. Black Eyed Susans has made the most of it with nearly 100 seats scattered between potted plants over artificial grass, and a diligent staff modeling the mask-on policy, delivering fruit-infused wine popsicles, and giving space while customers check off selections on single-use paper menus.

Get that tartare, but also the colorful pickles, honey-dappled ricotta with crusty sourdough, black garlic Caesar, and clams Casino with house-smoked bacon. Sanchez still makes one of my favorite crab cakes, its sweet lumps barely bound with herbs over remoulade.

The new pastas and pizzas still need refining  less cooking on the noodles, a little more on the pies, inspired by a working visit to Joe Beddias kitchen. The new oven hadnt yet hit peak roasting powers. But the well-crafted toppings  fennel sausage with caramelized onions, Jersey tomato sauce, and Doe Runs St. Malachi; or the white clam pie bright with preserved lemons and crunchy bread crumbs  gave me confidence. The ingredients are in place for Black Eyed Susans summer liftoff toward a bright future.

Black Eyed Susans Tavern & Restaurant, 7908 Long Beach Blvd., Harvey Cedars, 609-494-4990; blackeyedsusanslbi.com

Summer Salt pop-up

The farm-to-table trend has, at times, felt like hollow marketing. But at the Summer Salt pop-up dinners hosted each weekend in front of Isabels Bakery & Cafe in Avalon, the chicken on my plate was raised  and dispatched  by the same woman who took my order, farmer Heather Sedlacek (whose last name in Czech coincidentally means little farmer).

She currently barters some of the chickens she raises for access to land in West Cape May where she launched Bayleaf Farm & Hospitality with her husband, Connor Dore. Hes the chef (and Diving Horse alum) who plancha-roasts these excellent chicken legs to a juicy crisp alongside an array of mix-and-match accompaniments, from farro risotto to Parmesan-crisped potatoes, or, also for my plate, a briny tumble of steamed local clams.

There are nods to Dores North Carolina roots, some pimento cheese-stuffed peppers and garlicky shrimp a la plancha. But this menu is largely built around beautiful Jersey ingredients cooked simply  like the gorgeously seared fluke or scallops with flavorful sauce options (try the chermoula or grilled rosemary beurre blanc).

The collaboration with their friends, sisters Rhianne and Justine Lowe, who own Isabels and encouraged this lovely pop-up partnership after many meals together, has fringe benefits, like the crusty baguettes and house-churned butter, bread pudding, and fruit pies for dessert alongside a deep chocolate tart.

Sedlacek and Dore recently bought 23 acres nearby to add more poultry varieties to their farm and, someday, bees, pigs, and a bed-and-breakfast, an investment in agriculture they believe more sustainable than a brick-and-mortar restaurant. Dore will surely keep cooking. But the food on his table will remain as close to the farm as possible. Summer Salt pop-up at Isabels Bakery, 2285 Dune Dr., Avalon, 609-796-2096; summersaltavalon.com

La Dona

If you should be so lucky, La Dona herself will make your guacamole. Im talking about Lucy Covino, who owns this festively colored patio restaurant in Cape May. She propped her guac station six feet from our table and deftly scooped and mashed avocados  plus a pinch of salt, squeeze of lime, kick of jalapeno, cilantro and onions  into creamy green molcajete magic. The native of Oaxaca is picky about avocados (from Mexico only!), wrapping them in newspaper until theyre densely rich and ripe. Yes, fresh guacamole is common, but Covinos knowing touch makes a difference.

The handmade care is a recurring theme across the menu of this four-year-old restaurant. The mole negro, with 27 ingredients, is cooked to her mothers recipe. The chorizo is so good because she makes it from a blend of dried chiles and fermented pineapple skin tepache. The black beans gain depth from avocado leaves her mother dries on her porch in Mexico, then ships to New Jersey, along with cumin, chiles, and epazote.

They have taste, says Covino of her beans, explaining why even the burrito, a dish I rarely order was so delicious.

Covino will be familiar to fans of Andrea Trattoria, the Italian restaurant she owns in Millville with her Neapolitan husband, Andrea Covino. But creating La Dona was Lucys dream. And while their Andreas has remained closed during the pandemic (the Sea Isle branch co-owned by her brother has reopened), the fact all of her 72 seats are al fresco means that La Dona  the woman and her restaurant  are poised to shine. La Dona, 31 Perry St., Cape May, 609-884-5503; ladonamex.com

Josie Kellys Public House

This Irish powerhouse has gone parking lot pub in a big way. And while its impossible to replicate the vintage decor and 350 seats built into the Gaelic rehab last summer of the old Macs Seafood in Somers Point, the fake grass beneath the tented tables beside Josie Kellys Public House is green enough to still draw hundreds of diners a night.

Despite those crowds, owners Kathleen and Dermot Lloyd have done a fine job maintaining table space and line management, and putting contact-free logistics in place so you can sip that refreshing Pimms Cup or creamy draft of Guinness from a proper social distance. The tawny beer-battered fish and chips hasnt lost its textbook crisp.

But this summers true bonus is new chef Michael Brennan, the young star between versions of his Cardinal Bistro, whos brought culinary ambitions and a lighter touch. Yes, the classic shepherds pie is still great. But dishes like grilled halibut over red pepper relish with a minted pea sauce, or the Fab Cakes that offer a satisfying vegan twist to crab cakes with hearts of palm and artichoke stuffings over succotash, show theres potential to explore a more contemporary pub personality.

Im sorry I just missed the new grilled lobster over curried carrot puree. But I devoured enough Irish chocolate cheesecake and buttery Craic pie to know Ill be back. (Craic is Irish for good times.) No matter when that is, or if were still dining in the parking lot, I hope Brennans fresh influence lingers.

Josie Kellys Public House, 908 Shore Rd., Somers Point, 609-904-6485; josiekellys.com

The Deauville Inn

The Deauville Inn is one Shore classic that needed to be reborn. I ate such a forgettable seafood meal at this 19th-century behemoth years ago, all I remember is that it was expensive and tired. Still, nearly 800 people a day can flock to its sandy, sunset view from Whale Beach beside Corsons Inlet in Strathmere. The crowds may be enough validation for the multimillion-dollar investment health-care mogul Tim Fox (of Fox Rehabilitation) spent refurbishing its wall-to-wall carpeted frump into a polished beach club.

All those people, though, are what give me pandemic pause, judging by the crowds that clogged the long bar counters just beyond the entrance, some overly tight tables with guests seated closer than six feet apart, and a general lack of awareness once customers got deep into their orange crush cocktails and totchos platters of tater tots smothered in creamy she-crab bisque and bacon.

Once we negotiated a more isolated table (picnic tables on the beach are quite well-spaced), I saw the Deauvilles potential. Fox hired the firm owned by Bar Rescues Jon Taffer to run the operation (were not a Bar Rescue! Fox insists), and its corporate blitz of five executive chefs have created a massive menu that delivered solid quality despite its catchall size. I ate one of the better strip steaks Ive encountered down the Shore, beautiful local scallops over sweet corn, and a spot-on rare yellowfin. My overcooked burger was an unexpected brick on a layup.

But a good frozen cocktail and a sunset can offer some genuine consolation, and by the time my straw slurped bottom, the bay was glowing golden, and it was impossible to deny this Shore classic had been given some much-needed new vitality. The Deauville Inn, 201 Willard Rd., Strathmere, 609-263-2080; deauvilleinn.com
Rich Phone Brokers Caught in North Korean Crackdown Escape Harsh Sentences

2020-07-09 -- Authorities in North Korea have unexpectedly released several brokers who facilitate remittance payments from abroad after a crackdown on illegal phone use last month, letting the well-connected brokers off lightly despite government warnings that violators would be severely punished with no exceptions, sources told RFA.

North Korea allows domestic cellphones, but North Korean smartphones all run an application called "Red Flag" that keeps a log of webpages visited by users and randomly takes screenshots. These can be viewed, but not deleted with another app called "Trace Viewer."

To avoid monitoring and to reach the outside world, people along North Korea's border rely on smuggled Chinese cellphones that can access the Chinese mobile network. The illegal phones are a necessity for the families of refugees to keep in contact with loved ones who have left the country.

The brokers typically use the phones to coordinate transfers of money between North Korean refugees in South Korea and their families remaining in the North, usually through China. According figures from the South Korean Ministry of Unification, tens of millions of dollars are sent into North Korea this way each year.

After catching a large number of illegal phone users, authorities declared they would all face harsh punishment.

But sources in the country told RFA's Korean Service that among approximately 10 phone brokers arrested in the area of Hyesan city, three were released this month with the relatively light sentence of reeducation.

"They were classified as subject to reeducation, and released early at the beginning of this month. Other people, including the family members of North Korean defectors, are still being held," a resident of Ryanggang province told RFA July 3.

"Only a few of the phone brokers have been released and the residents are arguing back and forth over what the reason for the release could be," the source said.

The source, who requested anonymity for security reasons, identified by surname one of the brokers caught in the crackdown.

"Kim, a man in his 40s living in Yeokjeon-dong, Hyesan city, made money by being an illegal phone broker for a long time, but he was caught in a joint crackdown by the Provincial Security Department and the police last month," the source said.

"The law enforcement authorities threatened that if caught, the brokers would not be released even if they bribed them as usual. But somehow they were able to send some of the brokers to reeducation and released them," the source said.

The source said that in the recent crackdown 10 phone brokers from Hyesan were arrested, "but only two or three people, including the man named Kim, were released for reeducation."

According to the source, those released had been caught for the same infraction before.

"All of them are known to have given a large amount of money to the provincial investigation agency in exchange for their release [from previous arrests]," the source said.

"Even though the authorities said they would punish them with no exception, people suspect that bribery may have worked this time again," the source said. RFA was unable to confirm if the brokers had again offered bribes.

A resident of neighboring North Hamgyong province, who requested anonymity to speak freely, told RFA that the crackdown and suspicious releases had happened there as well, raising the same bribery suspicions.

"Two of the residents who were arrested last month in a crackdown on money transfer brokers and illegal phone users were released a few days ago," the second source said.

"A 35-year-old woman, identified only by her surname Park, and a man in his 40s, were released after being classified for reeducation," the second source added.

The second source said the brokers' wealth was a major factor in securing their releases.

"It is difficult for law enforcement to punish the rich brokers," the North Hamgyong source said.

"Law enforcement agencies also need operating funds and must set aside some funds to the party, and high-ranking officials need their cut, too, to support their lifestyles," the second source said.

"If they punish [the brokers] as part of the crackdown, where would such funds come from?" the second source said.

"After all these crackdowns and warnings of severe punishment, it is only the poor and powerless residents that are subject to said punishment," said the second source.

"Those who have a lot of money always have someone who has their back, so they can get away with only being subject to reeducation," the second source said.

"Ordinary people who have no cash to pay to the authorities have no choice but to go through all the hardships at correctional camps, so they are mortified and resentful, but alas, it is our reality."

While there is no way to know exactly how many illegal phone users there are in North Korea, the Database Center for North Korean Human Rights, which interviewed 414 North Koreans in the South reported that 47 percent of them were in constant contact with their families in the North in 2018. Of those, about 93 percent said they called their families on the phone.

In the same survey 62 percent said they had sent money to North Korea. Based on their answers, the database center estimated that refugees in the South who send money to North Korea do it about twice per year, sending around 2.7 million South Korean won (U.S. $2,260) each time.

Each time they had to pay an average broker fee of almost 30 percent.

According to South Korea's Ministry of Unification, 32,000 North Koreans have settled in South Korea since 1998, including 1,047 last year.

Reported by Jieun Kim for RFA's Korean Service. Translated by Leejin Jun. Written in English by Eugene Whong.

Copyright  1998-2016, 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 July not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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WASHINGTON, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Aviation scholars from across the nation will pose questions next week to NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station. The educational downlink event will air live at 1:10 p.m. EDT Tuesday, July 14, on NASA Television and the agency's website.

NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley will answer prerecorded questions from students participating in the Experimental Aircraft Association's (EAA) Young Eagles Ray Aviation Scholars program. EAA is a community of more than 240,000 members in 900 local chapters who embody the spirit of aviation by sharing their passion for flying, building, and restoring recreational aircraft.

This downlink is produced in partnership with NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, which directly benefits today's air transportation systems, the aviation industry, and the passengers and businesses who rely on aviation every day.

Charles Precourt, retired NASA astronaut and EAA board member, will provide opening and closing remarks for the event.

Linking students directly to astronauts aboard the space station provides unique, authentic experiences designed to enhance student learning, performance and interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Astronauts living in space on the orbiting laboratory communicate with NASA's Mission Control Center in Houston 24 hours a day through the Space Network's Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS).

For nearly 20 years, astronauts have been continuously living and working on the space station, testing technologies, performing science and developing the skills needed to explore farther from Earth. Through NASA's Artemis program, the agency will send astronauts to the Moon by 2024, with eventual human exploration of Mars. Inspiring the next generation of explorers  the Artemis Generation  ensures America will continue to lead in space exploration and discovery.

Follow America's Moon to Mars exploration at:

https://www.nasa.gov/topics/moon-to-mars

Follow NASA astronauts on social media at:

https://www.twitter.com/NASA_astronauts

See videos and lesson plans highlighting research on the International Space Station at:

https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation

SOURCE NASA

Related Links

http://www.nasa.gov


-Appoints Matthew Osborne as Chief Financial Officer-

-Names Hagop Youssoufian, M.D., as Interim Chief Medical Officer-

-Hires Bill McDonald, Ph.D., as Vice President of CMC-

-Promotes Kerry Culm-Merdek, Ph.D., to Vice President of Clinical Development-

WALTHAM, Mass., July 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Oncologie, Inc., a precision medicine company using an innovative RNA-based biomarker platform to develop novel, targeted oncology therapies, today announced an expansion of its management team with the appointments of Matthew Osborne as Chief Financial Officer, Hagop Youssoufian, M.D., as Interim Chief Medical Officer, Bill McDonald, Ph.D., as Vice President of Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls (CMC), as well as the promotion of Kerry Culm-Merdek, Ph.D., to Vice President of Clinical Development.

We are pleased to expand Oncologies management team with the additions of Matt, Hagop and Bill, and the promotion of Kerry, and look forward to their contributions, said Laura Benjamin, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of Oncologie. Their collective experience and leadership will be critical as we further develop and deploy our RNA-based biomarker platform to advance the state of the art of precision medicine to identify the right patients for our clinical stage programs, Navicixizumab and Bavituximab.

Mr. Osborne brings to Oncologie more than 20 years of leadership, financial and industry experience, gleaned from years on Wall Street and through professional roles with small to large cap biotechnology companies. In these roles, he successfully led multiple equity financings, applying his expertise across disciplines spanning scientific, financial, strategic planning, investor relations and corporate communications functions. Before joining the company in 2020, Mr. Osborne served as Chief Financial Officer at Unum Therapeutics, Inc. Prior to joining Unum Therapeutics, Mr. Osborne served as Head of Corporate Affairs, Communications and Investor Relations at Voyager Therapeutics, Inc., and through similar roles at Shire, Plc (acquired by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company in 2019), Synageva BioPharma Corp. (acquired by Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in 2015) and Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated. Mr. Osbornes Wall Street experience includes serving as a sell-side analyst at Lazard Capital Markets and Leerink Swann (now SVB Leerink), where he covered small to large cap biotechnology companies, analyzed drug launches and launched several initial public offerings. He received a B.S. in Biology from Syracuse University and an M.B.A. from the DAmore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University.

Story continues

Dr. Youssoufian is a physician-scientist with more than 25 years of experience in drug development working with seed-stage ventures to multi-national biotech and pharmaceutical corporations. After a successful academic career as a clinician, teacher and NIH-funded investigator, he held increasingly senior roles in clinical and translational science including Head of Experimental Medicine at Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Distinguished Scientist at Sanofi Aventis, Chief Medical Officer at ImClone Systems Incorporated, President of Research and Development and Chief Medical Officer at Ziopharm Oncology, Inc., Executive Vice President of Research and Development at Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Chief Medical Officer at BIND Therapeutics, Inc. He supported or led the development and approval of a number of medicines including Sprycel, Taxotere, Erbitux, Cyramza, Lartruvo and Copiktra. He is an elected member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation, the recipient of many national and international awards, and the author of more than 100 publications. He received a B.S. in biology from Boston College and M.Sc./M.D. from University of Massachusetts Medical School, followed by fellowships at Johns Hopkins University, Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

William Bill McDonald, Ph.D., brings more than 20 years of experience in process development and the manufacturing of antibodies, recombinant enzymes, antigens, antibody targets, viral vectors and vaccines. Prior to joining Oncologie, Bill served as Vice President, CMC at Contrafect Corporation where he was responsible for all CMC activities for Contrafects novel biologics platform of anti-microbial therapies. Previously, Bill served as Executive Director and Manufacturing Site Head at Celldex Therapeutics, Inc., where he oversaw the Fall River GMP manufacturing facility and was responsible for internal manufacturing of all early clinical stage biologics. Bill also held roles of increasing responsibility at Synageva BioPharma Corp. (acquired by Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in 2015), including Senior Director of Process Development. He also previously served as Head of Process Science at Pfizer, Inc., Director of Antigen Production at Genocea Biosciences Inc. and Director of Biochemistry at VaxInnate Corporation. Within the scope of technical operations, he has supported the development and manufacture of several approved biologics including Kanuma, Soliris and Strensiq. Bill received a B.S. in Microbiology from the University of Florida and received a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology at Cornell University.

Kerry Culm-Merdek, Ph.D., brings over 15 years of clinical drug development expertise and experience in small molecule and therapeutic protein development in rare disease and oncology indications including her role as Head of Clinical Pharmacology and Quantitative Bioanalytics at ImmunoGen Inc., where she was responsible for clinical pharmacology strategy for global clinical and preclinical development of oncology therapies. Prior to joining ImmunoGen, Kerry spent 13 years at Sanofi Genzyme, most recently serving as a Global Project Head, where she led the therapy project teams for Fabry disease, Gaucher disease type 3 and multiple gangliosidosis/galatosialidosis indications. Kerry received a B.S. in Biochemical Pharmacology from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She received a Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics at Tufts University School of Medicine.

About Bavituximab

Bavituximab is an investigational chimeric monoclonal antibody that targets the activity of phosphatidylserine (PS). Bavituximab is believed to reverse PS-mediated immunosuppression by blocking the engagement of PS with its receptors, as well as by sending an alternate immune activating signal. PS-targeting antibodies have been shown to shift the functions of immune cells in tumors, resulting in multiple signs of immune activation and anti-tumor immune responses. This mechanism may play an important role in allowing other cancer therapies to more effectively attack tumors by reversing the immunosuppression that limits the impact of those treatments. Oncologie is conducting a Phase 2 trial of bavituximab plus pembrolizumab as a second-line treatment in patients with advanced gastric or gastroesophageal cancer. Using its biomarker platform, Oncologie is analyzing patient tissue samples from this on-going trial with results expected later this year to inform future clinical development for this program.

About Navicixizumab



Navicixizumab is an anti-DLL4/VEGF bispecific antibody designed to inhibit both Delta-like ligand 4 (DLL4) in the Notch cancer stem cell pathway as well as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and thereby induce potent anti-tumor responses while mitigating certain angiogenic-related toxicities. In preclinical studies, navicixizumab demonstrated robust in vivo anti-tumor activity across a range of solid tumor xenografts, including colon, ovarian, lung and pancreatic cancers, among others. In a Phase 1a trial of 66 patients with various types of refractory solid tumors, treatment with single agent navicixizumab generated an overall response in three of 12 (25%) patients with ovarian cancer. In a Phase 1b trial in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer patients who had failed more than two prior therapies including bevacizumab, treatment with navicixizumab plus paclitaxel generated an interim overall response in 10 of 30 (33%) patients. Treatment-related adverse events in the Phase 1b trial were manageable and included hypertension (58%), headache (29%), fatigue (26%) and pulmonary hypertension (18%). Using its RNA-based biomarker platform, Oncologie is analyzing patient tissue samples from all navicixizumab trials with results expected later this year to inform future clinical development with this program. The FDA granted Fast Track designation to navicixizumab for the treatment of high-grade ovarian, primary peritoneal or fallopian tube cancer in patients who have received at least three prior therapies and/or prior treatment with bevacizumab.

About Oncologies RNA-based Biomarker Platform

Predictive biomarkers historically worked on single-driver mutations yet only approximately 10% of cancer patients have known driver mutations with available targeted therapies. Using its proprietary biomarker platform, Oncologie is advancing a new paradigm of precision oncology with an RNA-based approach to identify the dominant biology in the tumor microenvironment. This could improve clinical outcomes by matching patients to therapies with a mechanism of action that targets that specific biology and expand precision medicine to those therapies whose potential remains unrealized. Oncologie is further optimizing the biomarker platforms tumor microenvironment panel through multiple research collaborations, including a collaboration with Moffitt Cancer Center.

About Oncologie, Inc.

Oncologie, Inc. aims to advance the state of the art of precision medicine to dramatically improve the lives of people with cancer. Leveraging a deep understanding of the evolving biology of cancer, Oncologie is developing unique RNA-based biomarker panels to match patients to novel, targeted therapies that modulate the bodys tumor immune system and angiogenesis pathways. Oncologie, Inc., based in Waltham, Massachusetts, and Oncologie Shanghai Co., Ltd., based in Shanghai, China, are subsidiaries of Oncologie, Ltd., and are working with global partners to acquire and further develop innovative drugs for cancer patients around the world. For more information on Oncologie, Inc., please visit https://oncologie.com/.

Investor and Media Contact:

Ashley R. Robinson

LifeSci Partners, LLC

arr@lifesciadvisors.com


An audit on Facebooks civil rights record has found serious setbacks in its efforts to deal with issues such as hate speech and misinformation.

The social media company ordered the investigation two years ago to measure Facebooks performance on major social issues. The findings were released on Wednesday.

The auditors reported that Facebook had taken "important steps forward in building a long-term civil rights accountability structure." But they said the steps do not go far enough and should not be the end of Facebook's progress.

The report says Facebooks progress could be obscured by the painful decisions the company has made that represent significant setbacks for civil rights."

The audit suggests that Facebook attempt to build a civil rights infrastructure into every part of the company.

The auditors expressed concern at how the company chose to deal with some Facebook posts by politicians, including U.S. President Donald Trump.

One of his messages was widely criticized for giving false information about the process of voting by mail. In another post  appearing on both Facebook and Twitter  Trump used the words: Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts.

The second message was posted in May during protests after the death of 46-year-old George Floyd. Some of the demonstrations turned violent.

Floyd died after a Minneapolis police officer held his leg on Floyds neck for more than eight minutes.

Twitter acted on both posts by Trump, saying they had violated its policies. In the first case, Twitter warned users that the claims about voting by mail had been judged to be false by investigators. In the second, Twitter hid Trumps message, saying it violated its policy against glorifying violence.

Facebook did not take action against either post. Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg defended the companys decision, saying it represented a commitment to free speech.

Facebooks position was that the Trump messages did not violate its community standards," the report said. But the auditors said they strongly disagreed, claiming the messages "clearly violated Facebook's policies."

The report said Facebooks unwillingness to act seemed to reflect a statement of values that protecting free expression is more important than other stated company values."

Facebooks Chief Operating Officer, Sheryl Sandberg, described the audit as a really important process for our company. She said in a statement the auditors had looked at a wide range of civil rights issues, including our policies against hate.

We have made real progress over the years, but this work is never finished, Sandberg said. There are no quick fixes to these issues - nor should there be What has become increasingly clear is that we have a long way to go.

The findings were announced at a time when hundreds of advertisers have joined a boycott of Facebook to pressure the company to do more to remove hate speech.

On Tuesday, organizers of the boycott held a video conference with Zuckerberg and Sandberg. After the meeting, activists said they saw no commitment to action from the company.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn wrote this story for Learning English, based on reports from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. George Grow was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

setback  n. a problem that makes something happen later or more slowly than it should

accountability  n. the fact or condition of being accountable; responsibility

obscure  v. prevent something from being seen or heard

infrastructure  n. the basic systems a country uses in order to operate effectively

assume  v. to take a position of control

loot  v. to steal something from a place

glorify  v. to describe or represent something in a way that makes it seem better or more important

commitment  n. a promise or firm decision to do something

standard- n. a level of quality, achievement, etc., that is considered acceptable or desirable

reflect  v. to think about in a serious and careful way
Coronavirus: Yemenis stay away from hospital out of fear Only half of 20 COVID beds in Sanaa hospital occupied, MSF

(ANSAmed) - ROME, JULY 10 - With the spread of the coronavirus in Yemen, the fear of becoming infected is stopping people from seeking medical treatment. A Doctors Without Borders (MSF) team that has recently begun supporting a COVID-19 treatment center at the Sheikh Zayed hospital in the capital Sanaa noted that only half of the 20 beds set aside for COVID-19 patients is currently occupied. The MSF team said that many people consider hospitals a possible source of infection while others believe ''disturbing'' rumours about what may happen to hospitalised patients or are afraid of being stigmatised by their communities if they test positive for the virus. As a result, many Yemenis are not seeking treatment until their condition becomes serious. ''We are seeing firsthand the harmful impact of widespread disinformation across the entire country, which is increasing fear of the virus in society,'' said MSF doctor Abdulrahman, who is working at the Sheikh Zayed hospital. ''Hospitals are safe places for patients and the earlier they come to us, the better chance there is that we will be able to treat them.'' Many patients arriving at the emergency room of the hospital are in critical condition and require immediate respiratory support, MSF said. All six of the beds occupied are in the intensive therapy unit, where those with serious respiratory problems are receiving treatment 24 hours a day, attached to oxygen tanks that must be replaced every three hours. ''We are concerned about what we are seeing in the hospital but we are even more concerned about the patients that we are not seeing, those that choose not to get medical treatment until their conditions worsen sharply,'' said MSF mission chief for Yemen Caroline Ducarme. (ANSAmed). (ANSA).






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Even as the coronavirus pandemic battered the economy, forcing tens of millions of workers to file for unemployment and shuttering businesses large and small, a surprising trend emerged: The number of people filing for personal bankruptcy plunged.

In April, consumer bankruptcies dropped 47% from the same month last year, while May filings were down 43% year over year, according to the American Bankruptcy Institute. For the first half of the year, bankruptcies were 24% lower than the first six months of last year.

Experts pointed to numerous factors for the slowdown.

Courts and attorneys offices remained closed during state shutdowns. Evictions and foreclosures  often precursors to bankruptcy because people want to save their homes  were put on hold. Generous government support and forgiving creditors also kept many from falling into financial distress. Last, those on the brink of bankruptcy before the pandemic had more pressing issues to deal with.

Peoples mental inboxes are full, Professor Robert Lawless at the University of Illinois College of Law, who specializes in bankruptcy, consumer finance and business law, told Yahoo Money. There are a lot of things to sort out in their lives  going to see a bankruptcy lawyer has been pushed further down on the to-do list for understandable reasons. I think that was a big part in the early days and weeks of the pandemic.

But the reprieve may be short-lived as the economy sputters, stopping and going as new COVID-19 outbreaks pop up, and as many of the temporary layoffs morph into permanent ones.

There will be a flood of bankruptcies come fall

As government lifelines to help stabilize the economy begin to expire, bankruptcy provides a shield for households and companies facing intensifying financial distress, ABI Executive Director Amy Quackenboss said in a statement earlier this week, announcing the half-year bankruptcy statistics. We anticipate filings to begin increasing as a result.

Story continues

How quickly people file for bankruptcy and how many will do so remain unclear, but bankruptcy attorney George Wade in Alexandria, Virginia, isnt very optimistic.

A man walks through a neighborhood on July 07, 2020 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Everyone who files for unemployment is a potential bankruptcy, he said, noting that many of those who lost jobs wont be getting them back. Were in a state of suspended animation because the government is picking things up.

What happens, he asked, when many of the outside forces keeping people afloat are removed, starting with the expiration of the extra $600 in unemployment benefits at the end of the month and then the eventual resumption of evictions and foreclosures?

In the fall, there will be a flood of bankruptcies, he said. I think it will be a bloodbath.

The gradual argument

Lawless is more skeptical. His past research on bankruptcies shows that people take a long time to choose bankruptcy, typically struggling through financial difficulties between two to five years before filing. Oftentimes, they are finally persuaded after a creditor sues them.

Its not like if people get laid off from a job today that they file for bankruptcy tomorrow, he said. It has a very long tail.

Lawless also noted that bankruptcy doesnt find unemployed people jobs; it solves debt problems. If they dont have debt, they dont file for bankruptcy, he said.

Eric Lipps, 52, waits in line to enter the NYCHires Job Fair in New York December 9, 2009. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton

Debt  rather than job loss  has a tighter macroeconomic correlation with bankruptcy, going back to the explosion of filings in the late 1990s during the dot.com boom and then the increase during the Great Recession. Both of those periods were punctuated by high consumer debt.

Before the pandemic, consumer credit also had been rising, approaching but not yet reaching levels seen before 2008. But that doesnt mean Lawless doesnt expect an increase in filings as the pandemic and its rolling economic effects continue. He just expects many Americans to turn to other debt to sustain them until they finally reach a breaking point.

I think there will be more bankruptcies, but the shape of that curve may be more of a gradual run-up as debt problems accumulate, he said. We may look out two years from now and see there were a lot more people filing.

Janna is an editor for Yahoo Money and Cashay. Follow her on Twitter @JannaHerron.

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Egyptian national Fehmi Lassoued is presented to the media at police headquarters in Quezon City, Philippines, after being arrested, allegedly with explosives and bomb-making paraphernalia, Feb. 19, 2018.

An anti-terrorism law recently signed by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is necessary to combat Islamic State-linked militants, a well-known security expert said Friday, amid criticisms it could be used to weaken human rights in the country.

Sidney Jones, director of the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict, said that while the law signed last week might not be a silver bullet for the countrys extremism problems, it gives state enforcers a better tool to legally and properly address terrorism, compared to the weak 2007 Human Rights Security Act it replaces.

At least this should help in trying to keep people in custody while the process of investigation can go forward without having to result in phony charges and fake evidence, Jones told the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines in an online forum.

Jones said the country was still a hotspot for terrorism in Southeast Asia, with key players maintaining close ties with the so-called Islamic State group (IS).

Philippines remains the regional hotspot and continues to be a more dangerous terrorist center than anywhere else in the region. That is the context for the new law, flawed as it is, she said.

In the same forum, Lt. Gen. Cirilito E. Sobejana, head of Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Mindanao Command, allayed fears that the law would be abused to crush dissent and oppress civil rights.

Dialogue

He said that while the law gave government more teeth to eradicate and address terrorism, there were several provisions in place to ensure that rights would be protected.

Jones said that fears about state forces being granted sweeping powers were understandable, especially for residents of Mindanao, the southernmost island group in the Philippines. The military and the community should hold a dialogue to address each other's concerns, she said.

Sobejana said a community dialogue started this Friday morning.

We have started it already. We dont want to violate any human rights law while we implement the Anti-Terror Law, he said. Besides, we should not compare our Armed Forces before to what we have right now. I should say, with all modesty, that our AFP today is more professional and more matured.

Local and international groups have expressed concern that the measures bolster the power of security officers to arrest, detain and file charges. Two contentious provisions of the law allow the detention of suspects for 24 days, and arrest without a warrant.

I think the first thing to say [is], there isnt a single terror law anywhere in the world that is completely satisfactory, and there isnt anyone that made a perfect balance between human rights and what you may call repressive measures, Jones said. This law replaces one of the worst anti-terrorism laws that was never used or almost never used.

Latest suspected IS attack

On Thursday, a policeman and his civilian driver were killed in a roadside bombing blamed on Filipino militants with links to the IS in the town of Shariff Aguak in the southern Philippines.

Local army spokesman Lt. Col. Anhouvic Atillano said a group of police officers and their driver were heading back to their headquarters when the attack occurred.

Killed were police Master Sgt. Antonio Balasa and the driver. Four other officers were injured and rushed to a nearby hospital, where they were said to be in critical condition.

Our primary suspects here are the militants operating in the area, he said, referring to the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), Muslim militants who have links to the IS.

The mayor of Shariff Aguak, Marop Ampatuan, condemned the attack and offered a bounty for the arrest of the suspects.

Let us not allow terrorism to prevail in our town, he said.

The incident was the second deadly clash with BIFF suspects in Mindanao since July 2, when attackers killed a police officer manning a quarantine checkpoint near the nearby town of Esperanza.
By PTI

LOS ANGELES: Actors Michelle Williams and Oscar Isaac are set to star in HBO's remake of Swedish master filmmaker Ingmar Bergman's 1973 miniseries 'Scenes from a Marriage'.

The iconic six-part series was written and directed by Bergman for Swedish television, while the upcoming HBO remake will be adapted and helmed by 'The Affair' co-creator Hagai Levi.

Michael Ellenberg's Media Res and Endeavor Content are producing the limited series.

Williams and Isaac will also executive produce in addition to starring.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the new version is said to re-examine the show's depiction of love, hatred, desire, monogamy, marriage and divorce through the lens of a contemporary American couple.

Bergman's 'Scenes from a Marriage', starring Liv Ullmann and Erland Josephson, was also condensed for a theatrical release, which debuted in 1974 in the US.
It is a well-known fact that among all the affected corners of the investing world, airlines are one of the worst-hit industries by the coronavirus pandemic. The global health peril placed several countries on lockdown coupled with wide-spread travel restrictions after being declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on Mar 11. With people confined to their homes, air-travel demand experienced a massive meltdown (particularly since March).

Notwithstanding the above scenario, the aviation sector breathed a sigh of relief when air-travel demand started picking up from the second half of May as economies began to reopen. However, coronavirus cases spiked in some parts of the earth following the relaxation of shutdowns. For example, a few states in the United States have been reporting a surge in new cases over the past few days, stoking the fears of a second wave. Per a Reuters report, 15 states in the country reported a record spurt in new cases of COVID-19 within the first four days of July.

Spike in Cases Dampens Hopes

The relief to U.S. airlines owing to the uptick in bookings turned out to be short-lived due to the sharp rise in cases. This is understandable from the bearish commentary of United Airlines UAL, which carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) at present. Management at this Chicago-based company stated that due to the relapse in COVID-19 cases, bookings were hurt. Consequently, it does not expect a linear path to recovery in travel demand.

You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Due to the recent depressing demand trends, management further added that capacity for August 2020 is expected to be down approximately 65% year over year including adjustments that the carrier aims to make to the previously announced August schedule.

What is more alarming is that the carrier warned of furloughing or laying off multiple employees starting Oct 1, 2020. Notably, the payroll support program under the CARES Act will take care of sustaining the airline jobs only through Sep 30, 2020.

Story continues

United Airlines downbeat update resulted in its 7.6% stock price depreciation on Jul 7. In fact, this assertion hampered other airline stock movements as well. For instance, both Delta Air Lines DAL and American Airlines AAL shed 5% and 7% of value, respectively. Consequently, the NYSE ARCA Airline Index declined 4.2% on Jul 7. Akin to United Airlines, Delta alerted its pilots about potential furloughs due to bleak demand. Moreover, it may trim its previously announced August flight schedule.

Airlines Seek Federal Loans to Stay Afloat

With the recent resurgence in cases mitigating the upswing in demand, airlines have been dealt a body blow. With demand failing to recover, carriers face the problem of overstaffing, inducing warning of job losses.

In such a grim situation, airlines signed letters of intent pertaining to their share of the $25-billion federal loan under the CARES Act. Notably, the Treasury Department confirmed that Alaska Airlines, Delta, JetBlue Airways JBLU, United Airlines and Southwest Airlines LUV signed the letters on terms of the financial aid, thereby joining five other carriers including American Airlines, SkyWest SKYW and Spirit Airlines SAVE, who signed last week. Notably, per the CARES Act, an amount worth $25 billion is set aside for loans to cash-strapped U.S. airlines apart from the grants already awarded.

The Path Ahead

Although, the signing of the letters of intent does not mean that airlines are obligated to borrow loans, we expect them to avail of the same to bolster their liquidity position. With the recent upswing in bookings being somewhat reversed due to the escalation in coronavirus cases, evident from the United Airlines update, airlines may face cash crunch once the payroll backing program expires on Sep 30. This, in turn, might lead to multiple job cuts in the industry, which is already indicated by many airline majors.

Confronted with such a gloomy scenario, acceptance of the federal loans seems the only logical way forward. Per U.S. Treasury secretary Steven T. Mnuchin: We look forward to working with the airlines to finalize agreements and provide the airlines the ability to access these loans if they so choose.

Come what may, we expect investors interested in this not-so-long-ago high-flying space to keenly await the latest notifications on the airlines decision on the federal loans.

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Crowds brandishing Turkish flags and shouting Allahu akbar  God is great  began forming outside the Hagia Sophia, an icon of Christian Orthodoxy revered the world over, today to celebrate its imminent conversion from a museum back to a mosque.

The celebrations began after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a passionate advocate of making the Hagia Sophia a mosque once again, issued an executive decree transferring the management of the 1,500-year-old Byzantine structure from the Culture and Tourism Ministry to the Religious Affairs Directorate.

The anticipated change follows a ruling by a Turkish court annulling a 1934 decree issued under the revolutionary founder of the modern Turkish republic, Kemal Ataturk, changing its status from mosque to museum.

The decision was very much a formality. Erdogans close circle made it clear in private exchanges that despite the likely international furor that is likely to erupt, the presidents mind was made up.

We know they will mount a battle to take it back from us but by the grace of God it will remain a mosque forever, a woman told cameras positioned outside the UNESCO world heritage site in the heart of Istanbul. Fellow Muslims from across the world hailed the news. Pakistani analyst Zaid Hamid tweeted that his wife had refused to set foot in the Hagia Sophia until it was a mosque. "Allahu Akbar  Allahu Akbar!!" he exclaimed.

Neighboring Greece was among the first to denounce the move. Culture Minister Lina Mendoni called it a direct challenge to the entire civilized world.

Christians in Turkey aired their grief and worry that the conversion would further polarize Muslims and Christians at home and beyond. It will make life more difficult for Christians here and for Muslims in Europe. Hagia Sophia was a symbol of our rich history. Its dome was big enough for us all, lamented Garo Paylan, an ethnic Armenian Christian opposition member of the Turkish Parliament in a tweet.

Hailed as an architectural wonder, the Roman Empires first Christian cathedral was converted to a mosque by Mehmed the Conqueror upon wresting Istanbul from the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I in 1453. Ataturks gesture carried a powerful message of Turkeys determinedly Western orientation. But for millions of pious Turks reeling from Ataturks scrapping of the caliphate and banning of the Islamic veil, the change was nothing short of heresy.

Nicholas Danforth, a historian and a fellow at the Wilson Centers Kennan Institute, told Al-Monitor, As a museum, the Hagia Sophia symbolized the idea of there being common artistic and cultural values that transcended religion to unite humanity. Its conversion into a mosque is an all too appropriate symbol for the rise of right-wing nationalism and religious chauvinism around the world today.

Danforth continued, Having personally defeated Western powers in battle, Ataturk could confidently court their approval by appealing to sense of shared civilization. Erdogan now seems to be courting Western criticism and presenting Turkey as still embattled to shore up his base.

The issue of the Hagia Sophias reconquest has been a rallying cry for Muslim nationalists for decades led by Erdogans ideological hero, the late Turkish poet Necip Fazil Kisakurek. Even as restoration work on its famous basilica has continued, Erdogans veteran lieutenant, Bulent Arinc, spearheaded a vocal campaign for the conversion until Erdogan publicly took up the cause in 2019.

Appeals by the Ecumenical Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I as well as by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to preserve the Hagia Sophia as a museum will have only sharpened the sense of victory among Erdogans pious base.

There is widespread speculation that the Hagia Sophia will be formally reinstated as an Islamic house of worship on the fourth anniversary of the July 15 coup attempt in 2016, with Erdogan, a certified imam, leading prayers. Erdogan was scheduled to address the nation tonight to share the good news. His first reaction was to say Hayirli Olsun, or May it be auspicious on Twitter.

Whether its to fulfill a historic mission or to cynically court votes, Erdogans success so far has been in making the two indistinguishable, Danforth noted.

Maybe so for the faithful, but not for his political rivals. Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of the main opposition Republican Peoples Party, said Erdogan was seeking to bait him into a debate over whether the Hagia Sophia should be opened to Muslim prayer when in fact one of its wings has effectively been so for several years.

In 2016, the Religious Affairs Directorate appointed a full-time imam to the Hagia Sophia, and the call to prayer is broadcast from all four of its minarets, which were added following its initial conversion.

Ozer Sencar, the founder of the Ankara-based polling agency Metropoll, noted in a series of tweets that the move will do little to salvage the ebbing popularity of Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development Party as rising prices and unemployment take their toll. Sencar cited the results of a survey that show that young people in particular are not impressed by the Hagia Sophia gambit. Around 74% of 18-24 year olds surveyed said they believed it was part of an effort to deflect attention from the economic crisis.

Whatever its motivation, the governments overarching concern now needs to be to ensure that the Hagia Sophias exquisite mosaics and other artifacts are not harmed, UNESCO has warned. The results of the conversion of its 13th century namesake in the Black Sea city of Trabzon in 2012 following a similar legal path are hardly encouraging and many fear vandals may be emboldened.

This will be a powerful historical rupture, observed a veteran European observer of Turkish politics who sought anonymity. But it also places the mosaics  some of humanity's greatest ever works of art  in serious jeopardy unless they are monitored by professional scientists and recognized experts and not just clerical bureaucrats. There is a risk of a tragedy which future generations will not forget, he told Al-Monitor in emailed comments.

It remains unclear how todays ruling will affect the day-to-day management of the monument, which rakes in millions of dollars of now sorely sought tourist revenue. Will it be closed to non-Muslim visitors during prayer times? Will its depictions of Jesus and Mary be obscured during worship in keeping with Islamic strictures? The hiatus in tourism caused by the COVID-19 pandemic gives the government time to plot the way forward. But whatever the outcome, July 10 will be recorded in world history as a monumental day.
Executives from three of Canada's largest grocery chains were in communication before launchingand ending temporary wage increases for grocery store workers during COVID-19, but maintain their decisions were not co-ordinated.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/7/2020 (557 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Shoppers are seen in a Loblaws in Montreal on Monday, March 9, 2015. Executives from three of Canada's largest grocery chains defended their decision to end temporary wage increases for grocery store workers during COVID-19 on the same day as independently made despite exchanging courtesy calls and emails. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

Executives from three of Canada's largest grocery chains were in communication before launchingand ending temporary wage increases for grocery store workers during COVID-19, but maintain their decisions were not co-ordinated.

Metro Inc. was aware of Loblaw Companies Ltd.'s decision to stop its so-called pandemic pay program before it made a similar decision, chief executive Eric La Fleche told the House of Commons standing committee on industry, science and technology Friday.

La Fleche said that a Metro competitor's move was one of several influencing factors in its decision-making process.

He joined the Loblaw president and Empire Co. Ltd. chief executive at a two-hour session about why they stopped paying a temporary wage bump to employees as of June 13.

"Let me be absolutely clear, we did not co-ordinate our decisions," said Michael Medline, Empire CEO, in his opening statement before the committee. Medline, whose company owns the Sobeys and Safeway brands, was the first of the trio to give his opening remarks.

"The decision was our own."

Loblaw president Sarah Davis echoed the sentiment, but noted she sent a "courtesy email" to both competitors, as well as Walmart and Save-On-Foods, on June 11. The latter two did not appear at the hearing.

The email notified competitors of Loblaw's decision to end its pandemic pay program on June 13. The company had already informed its roughly 200,000 employees, she said, and recognized "the news would be public immediately."

La Fleche said in later questioning that he was aware of the email when Metro made its decision to end its bonus pay program on the same day.

"We made our own decision based on the information we had, which included that last piece of information, yes," he said.

He called it "one factor among others" contributing to its decision. Other factors included the broader economic reopening, other retailers starting to open their doors, lower business volumes and a gradual return to more normal conditions.

Empire had not received Davis's email when the company made its decision to terminate the extra wages, said Medline, but had heard through the grapevine that Loblaw was considering doing so.

Davis received a reply to her June 11 email, and said she would provide copies of the original and all answers to the committee.

She also sent a courtesy email to competitors when Loblaw decided to begin its extra pay program. Davis said she doesn't recall sending courtesy emails to competitors on other topics, including executive compensation.

In addition to receiving the email, La Fleche said he made several phone calls to competitors in May and June to ask whether they planned to extend their bonus pay programs or end them on previously announced dates.

"In perfect compliance with The Competition Act, I asked my counterparts their intentions regarding whether or not they would maintain the temporary bonus," he said, in a translation from French, during his opening remarks.

In each case, competitors, including Medline from Empire and Davis from Loblaw, told him they had not yet decided.

"Whatever the case, those calls were made in a decisional process that was much larger and ... did not inform our decisions."

When asked why he made the phone calls, La Fleche answered he "wanted as much information as I could have in order to make a best decision for our company, our employees at the right time."

He said he would "absolutely not" characterize those conversations as trying to obtain a tacit agreement on wages.

Those who sent emails and made phone calls said they consulted with company counsel before doing so and lawyers were present during at least one phone discussion.

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The appearance was a chance for the executives to admit they were wrong to end the pay increases, said Jerry Dias, president of Unifor, a private sector union.

"What we got instead was highly paid grocery executives insisting they did not collude, and then going on to say  remarkably  virtually the same thing over and over again," he said in a statement.

"The executives all admitted to exchanging 'courtesy emails' and 'courtesy calls' on pandemic pay, and yet insist there was no collusion. I look forward to the committee's ruling on that."

Unifor has been critical of retailers ending temporary wage increases while the pandemic continues and has called for the pay bump to be permanent.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 10, 2020.

Companies in this article: (TSX:L, TSX:MRU, TSX:EMP.A)
Update: Amazon released a statement saying that an email to employees telling them to delete TikTok from their phones was sent out in error.

This mornings email to some of our employees was sent in error. There is no change to our policies right now with regard to TikTok, an Amazon spokesperson said.

Amazon sent out an internal email on Friday ordering employees to delete the TikTok app from their phones, citing security risks connected with the app.

While employees will be permitted to view TikTok from laptop browsers, they must delete the app from any device with access to Amazon email. TikTok allows users to generate and share short clips of them singing and dancing to music and is popular among teenagers.

We are fully committed to respecting the privacy of users, TikTok said in a statement. Amazon did not communicate to us before sending their email, and we still do not understand their concerns.

U.S. officials have expressed concern that TikTok, which is owned by Chinese parent company ByteDance, can be used to pass user data to Chinese authorities. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday that the U.S. was looking at banning the app entirely, along with other Chinese social-media apps.

One should only use the app if you want your private information in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party, Pompeo said.

In late June, Apple discovered that TikTok was gathering personal data off the phones of millions of users.

TikTok has moved to strengthen its lobbying team in the U.S. as a result of added scrutiny toward the app. Among others, TikTok has hired Michael Hacker, a former senior adviser to House majority whip James Clyburn (D., S.C.), and Albert Calamug, a policy adviser who spent 20 years in the U.S. Marines, CNBC reported on Wednesday.

The app has also drawn increased scrutiny in other nations worried about Chinese influence. India announced in late June that it would ban TikTok entirely, along with 58 other Chinese apps, following deadly border clashes between the two nations. The company is reportedly facing losses of up to $6 billion after the ban in India, which constitutes the apps largest market.

More from National Review
Whether youre a Pop lover or a Rock fan, a Jazz enthusiast or a K-Pop stan, the love for discovering new global music unites us all. Listeners are not only integrating audio into their daily moods and moments, but coming together on Spotify to share their love of discovering and streaming international music. To celebrate this growing culture, Spotify had launched its Listening Together campaign a few months ago.

Also read: Britannia Good Day encourages India to #RaiseTheCurveOfHappiness

To kickstart the campaign globally, Spotify introduced the Listening Together microsite in May, highlighting the power of audio and how it brings us closer together in a time when many of us are feeling apart. The microsite is a visualization of listening connections in real-time in a way that has never been done before.

Now, the brand has launched an ad campaign in India, that stems from the insight on how music is synonymous with life, and listeners across the country are listening to similar tracks in similar situations of their lives. With playlists such as Todays Top Hits with more than 25 million followers, Global Top 50 at over 15 million followers, and Rock Classics with over 8 million followers globally, Spotify is bringing listeners and communities together in moments, and across emotions.

This campaign highlights a growing culture in India where our local users are streaming the very best of music that others across the world are listening to. No matter ones age or location, Spotifys 4 billion playlists are the ultimate destination for all kinds of music lovers to make the music a part of their daily lives. And we have seen this with the growing popularity of playlists like Global Top 50, Todays Top Hits, and even the old school Rock Classics, all of which have millions of followers globally, said Neha Ahuja, Head of Marketing - India, Spotify.
By Express News Service

RANCHI: In a first, Railway Protection Force (RPF) of South Eastern Railway (SER), in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic has deployed drones to safe-guard the railway assets over Kharagpur, Adra, Chakradharpur and Ranchi divisions falling under it in the states of West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand.

The initiative, according to an official release from South Eastern Railway, was taken as it had become a challenging task for them to keep all around surveillance round the clock on the fixed and moving railway assets.

"Since physical surveillance is somehow difficult, SER's RPF have been deploying drones to keep an eye on huge railway assets. The drones are being used to keep a close eye round the clock in the entire network of SER," stated the release issued by SER.

It said that these drones are being used mainly at yard-signaling, infrastructures, wagon stocks, good sheds and station relay rooms. The official release further added that drones have been deployed to optimize security personnels effectiveness and proactivity.

With the help of drones, images of railway areas are being captured to give the clear view of the area within a radius of 2 kilometers from suitable heights. In addition to that, sniffer dogs have also been deployed to detect explosives, theft, criminal activities and security of railway assets during lockdowns.
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(Kitco News) - The gold market is preparing to end its fifth straight week of gains with prices holding over $1,800 an ounce, near their highest level since 2011 and both Wall Street analysts and Main Street investors don t expect the trend to end anytime soon.

The latest results of the Kitco News Weekly Gold survey showed unprecedented bullish sentiment in the marketplace with Wall Street sentiment at its highest level in the survey s history. Most analyst note that gold s break above $1,800 an ounce has created significant momentum in the market.

You have to stick with the trend, no matter how much I want to see a correction and a better entry point into this market, said Phillip Streible, chief market strategist at Blue Line Futures.

Of the 17 Wall Street professionals who took part in this week s poll, 15, or 88%, called for gold prices to rise. Two analysts, or 12%, predicted lower prices. There were no neutral votes in this week s survey.

A total of 1,610 votes were cast in an online Main Street poll. Of these, 1078 respondents, or 67%, looked for gold to rise in the next week. Another 300, or 17%, said lower, while 232 voters, or 14%, were neutral.

Wall Street Bullish Bearish Neutral VS Main Street Bullish Bearish Neutral

In the last survey for the current trading week now winding down, Wall Street and Main Street were both bullish. As of 11:10 a.m. EDT on Friday, Comex August gold futures last traded at $1,805.90 an ounce, up nearly 1% compared to the previous week.

Not only has gold pushed above a critical long-term resistance point but analysts note that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread across the U.S. unabated, creating further uncertainty for economic activity.

A correction would be healthy at these levels but there is no reason to sell gold right now, said Afshin Nabavi, head of trading with MKS (Switzerland) SA. The gold market looks healthy as the global economy worsens by the day.

Charlie Nedoss, senior market strategist with LaSalle Futures Group, said that a weak U.S. dollar has room to move lower, which will be bullish for gold.

The relatively stink in the U.S. dollar is starting to rise, he said.

Nedoss added that he is bullish on gold as the price continues to bounce off support at its rising 10-day moving average.

Adrian Day, chief executive officer of Adrian Day Asset Management, said that he is bullish on gold but would also like to see a correction.

So long as flows continue, it will move up. We see nothing imminent to stop those flows, he said.

Colin Cieszynski, chief market strategist at SIA Wealth Management, said that not only does gold s technical momentum point to higher prices, but three major central bank meetings could support the yellow metal. He added that there are expectations that the Bank of Japan, the Bank of Canada and the European Central Bank will reaffirm their commitment to support the global economy.

However, not all analysts are bullish on the precious metal. Frank McGhee, precious metals dealer at Alliance Financial, said that he is bearish on gold as the trade is starting to look a little crowded.

However, he added that anyone selling in the current environment needs to be nimble.

Selling news high is only somewhat less risky than trying to catch a falling knife on a big break, he said.

Lukman Otunuga, senior research analyst at FXTM, was the second bear in this week s survey, saying that because of gold s big move above $1,800, the market could be hit with some significant profit taking.

After charging to levels not seen in nine years, Gold may experience a technical correction back towards the $1,780-$1,765 regions before bulls gather fresh momentum, he said.
Bill Field seated at the Wurlitzer at El Segundo's Old Town Music Hall (Courtesy DonHoltz.com)

With Bill Field at the Wurlitzer, the Old Town Music Hall was a time warp that sailed its guests back to the early 20th century when movie houses were gilded palaces and orchestras supplied the soundtrack that film had yet to master.

Fields love affair with old movie theaters, silent film and the soaring power of the Mighty Wurlitzer was so infectious it attracted a hard-core stable of followers who would show up for an evening concert and a short film or a Sunday matinee at the downtown El Segundo theater.

For a brief period of time you could leave behind your humble existence and live like royalty, said Don Manning of the Los Angeles Conversancy, explaining the dreamlike experience of the theater to The Times in 1991.

The music hall closed in mid-March when the pandemic began its march across California. But Field and his supporters remained hopeful that it would someday open again.

Waiting still, Field died June 28, his death likely a result of a stroke he had suffered as well as prostate cancer, friends said. He was 80.

When we lost Bill Field, we lost a part of L.A. history," said Oscar- and Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker James Moll, an advocate for the theater and one of Fields friends. Fortunately, he leaves a valuable legacy in Old Town Music Hall, which will keep doing its thing for as long as there are people in L.A. who love classic film and music.

The Old Town Music Hall in El Segundo. The music hall closed in mid-March when the pandemic began its march across California. But Field and his supporters remained hopeful that it would someday open again. (DonHoltz.com)

Field and his friend Bill Coffman found the Wurlitzer at the old Fox West Coast Theater in Long Beach. Full orchestras had long since vanished from the pits at movie houses and now the pipe organs were on their way out as well.

The two borrowed $2,000 from a credit union to buy the instrument and then put it in storage, where it sat  in pieces  for the next 10 years.

The organ and the two film aficionados finally found a home when a boxy old movie theater on Richmond Street became available in 1968. It had once been home to the El Segundo State Theater and, for a while, a Baptist church.

Story continues

In came the Wurlitzer, the ruby red carpeting, the majestic curtains, the evocative oil paintings and glittering chandeliers.

Reassembled, the Wurlitzer was a behemoth of an instrument  more than 2,000 pipes and 244 keys arranged on four keyboards along with stopkeys that triggered the sounds of bells, cymbals, trumpets and drums. In short, a full orchestra,

In the dark, it glowed eerily and then sprung to life when the curtains parted, a musical explosion before Lon Chaney, or perhaps Charlie Chaplin, appeared on the screen.

You knew you were walking into somebodys dream bubble, Janet Klein, a musician who performed at the theater, told Variety.

William Charles Field was born in Los Angeles on Oct. 4, 1939, one of four children in a hardworking family. Both of his parents were employed by the Los Angeles Unified School District  his father as an electrician, his mother a secretary. Though they both worked in a public school district, the couple sent their children to Catholic schools.

Field found his love, his avocation and his future all at once when he wandered through the Barker Bros. department store in downtown L.A. and was captivated by the sound of a pipe organ roaring and dipping in the background as shoppers browsed. By the time he was 12, he had been hired as the organist at the Los Angeles Theatre on South Broadway.

He never wandered far from the instrument.

Pipe organs were the soul and sound of the old theaters, Field told The Times in 2008.

3 years ago tomorrow, Bill Field, co-founder of LA gem The Old Town Music Hall, played me down the aisle on his Mighty Wurlitzer. @Dustinlmu & I fell in love at his theatre. You'd hear his organ, do a sing-along, watch a comedy short, then a feature classic. RIP to a local legend pic.twitter.com/zuY21uLxQS  Charley Feldman (@charley_feldman) June 30, 2020

Both Field and Coffman lived simply  Field in his familys old home in South L.A. and Coffman in a rented room in El Segundo. Field repaired organs for a living, while Coffman got by on a small pension from his days as a musician. But at the theater, both felt rich and rewarded.

Even as his health declined, Field navigated his way to the organ on a scooter and pulled the audience under the spell of the Wurlitzer before the silent movies and early talkies began to roll.

We tried to create an escape from the bombardment of modern-day electronic trauma, said Coffman, who died in 2001. Organ music does that.

The lights were turned off at the Old Town Music Hall in March following a showing of the musical For Me and My Gal with Judy Garland and Gene Kelly. Moll said the plan is to reopen the theater when the pandemic loosens its grip and that Edward Torres, a 24-year-old organist who was mentored by Field, will take over the Wurlitzer.

But Field's presence will linger inside the music hall.

"Weve lost a quiet champion of a defining cultural feature of Los Angeles: the music and film industry," said Tom Bopp, a musician who first walked into the music hall as an 18-year-old classical music student. "Bill Field, by keeping the classic films rolling and the vintage music flowing, nourished the roots of todays pop culture and kept them alive."

Field is survived by his longtime partner, Danny Tokusato, and two sisters.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Encompass Health Corp. (NYSE: EHC) today announced it has purchased land located at the northwest corner of Silver Lane and Highway 207 in St. Augustine, Florida for the future development of a 40-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital to serve patients recovering from debilitating illnesses and injuries.

The planned hospital, once opened, will become part of Encompass Health's national network of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals and home health and hospice agencies. The Company's Florida footprint currently includes 12 inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, a hospital under construction in north Tampa, a planned hospital in Pensacola and 19 home health locations. A construction timeline for the hospital has not yet been established.

"This new, state-of-the-art hospital will help meet a growing need for intensive physical rehabilitative services in the St. Augustine area," said Linda Wilder, president of Encompass Health's southeast region. "Provided in a hospital setting, Encompass Health's services are tailored to meet each patient's complex needs and help them regain the strength and confidence they need to return to their community at their highest level of independence."

Services at Encompass Health inpatient rehabilitation hospitals complement those provided by local acute care hospitals. Offering 24-hour nursing care, physical, occupational and speech therapies, and a multispecialty medical staff, the hospitals treat patients recovering from strokes and other neurological disorders, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, amputations and complex orthopedic conditions.

About Encompass Health

As a national leader in integrated healthcare services, Encompass Health (NYSE: EHC) offers both facility-based and home-based patient care through its network of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, home health agencies and hospice agencies. With a national footprint that includes 136 hospitals, 245 home health locations, and 83 hospice locations in 39 states and Puerto Rico, the Company is committed to delivering high-quality, cost-effective, integrated care across the healthcare continuum. Encompass Health is ranked as one of Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For. For more information, visit encompasshealth.com, or follow us on our newsroom, Twitter and Facebook.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this press release which are not historical facts, such as those relating to the likelihood, timing and effects of the completion of this hospital project, are forward-looking statements. In addition, Encompass Health may from time to time make forward-looking public statements concerning the matters described herein. All such estimates, projections, and forward-looking information speak only as of the date hereof, and Encompass Health undertakes no duty to publicly update or revise such forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily estimates based upon current information and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Encompass Health's actual results or events may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors. While it is impossible to identify all such factors, factors which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated include, but are not limited to, the regulatory review and approval process, any adverse outcome of various lawsuits, claims, and legal or regulatory proceedings that may be brought by or against the Company; the possibility this project will experience unexpected delays; the continued spread of COVID-19, including the speed, depth, geographic reach and duration of the spread; the actions to be taken by Encompass Health in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; the ability to successfully complete and integrate this project consistent with Encompass Health's growth strategy, including realization of anticipated revenues, cost savings, and productivity improvements arising from the related operations and avoidance of unforeseen exposure to liabilities; changes in the regulation of the healthcare industry at either or both of the federal and state levels; competitive pressures in the healthcare industry and Encompass Health's response thereto; the hospital's ability to maintain proper local, state and federal licensing; potential disruptions, breaches, or other incidents affecting the proper operation, availability, or security of Encompass Health's information systems; Encompass Health's ability to attract and retain nurses, therapists, and other healthcare professionals in a highly competitive environment with often severe staffing shortages and the impact on Encompass Health's labor expenses from potential union activity and staffing shortages; changes, delays in (including in connection with resolution of Medicare payment reviews or appeals), or suspension of reimbursement for Encompass Health's services by governmental or private payors; general conditions in the economy and capital markets; and other factors which may be identified from time to time in Encompass Health's SEC filings and other public announcements, including Encompass Health's Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2019 and Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020.

Media Contact:

Hillary Carnel | 205 970-5912

[email protected]

Investor Relations Contact:

Crissy Carlisle | 205 970-5860

[email protected]

SOURCE Encompass Health Corp.

Related Links

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A federal judge in Boston declined to release on bail the father-and-son duo accused of masterminding former Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn's highly publicized bail jump from Japan.

The judge decided that Michael Taylor and his son, Peter Taylor, posed too significant of a flight risk.

"Detention would still be warranted because the respondents have not demonstrated by clear and convincing evidence that their release would not pose an unreasonable risk of flight," Judge Donald Cabell wrote in a memorandum on Friday.

MORE: Men accused of helping ex-Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn escape from Japan arrested

Cabell's ruling went on to cite allegations in Japan that Michael Taylor planned and executed "a most intricate, sophisticated, and deceptive scheme" to smuggle Ghosn into Lebanon after the executive was charged with a slew of financial crimes.

PHOTO: Former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn talks during an interview with Reuters in Beirut, Lebanon Jan. 14, 2020. (Mohamed Azakir/Reuters, FILE)

Ghosn's escape was the center of an international firestorm at the beginning of the year. The former Nissan chairman has denied wrongdoing and said he fled Japan to escape "political persecution." Court documents allege he "engaged in major financial wrongdoing, including conspiring with others to falsely state his compensation in Nissan's Annual Reports and shifting financial losses of his asset management company to Nissan."

MORE: Former Nissan executive Carlos Ghosn's dramatic escape from Japan prompts Interpol wanted alert

His charges carry up to 15 years in prison in Japan, according to The Associated Press.

PHOTO:This Dec. 30, 2019 image from security camera video shows Michael L. Taylor, center, and George-Antoine Zayek at passport control at Istanbul Airport in Turkey. (DHA via AP)

Ghosn has yet to divulge details about how he escaped, though he reportedly hid in a box used for audio equipment that was transported on a private jet.

PHOTO: Photo provided by Istanbul Police Department shows the case which former chairman of Nissan, Carlos Ghosn hid in while fleeing from Japan, where he was held in house arrest, to Lebanon in Istanbul, Turkey, Jan. 8, 2020. ( Istanbul Police Department/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

In late December, Taylor posed as a musician and arrived at a Tokyo hotel, where his son had earlier checked into a room with "large black audio equipment-style cases," according to court records. Ghosn had separately arrived at the Grand Hyatt around the same time.

Michael Taylor soon loaded his luggage onto a private jet, which departed for Turkey. On Dec. 31, Ghosn announced he was in Lebanon.

The Taylors' next court date is July 28.

Alleged masterminds behind ex-Nissan chief's international bail jump have been denied bail originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
SUDBURY, Ontario, July 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Supreme Metals Corp. (Supreme or the Company) (CSE: ABJ) (FSE:A68) today announced that it has closed a non-brokered private placement of units (Units) for aggregate proceeds of $3,253,550 (the Offering). The Company sold an aggregate of 21,690,332 Units pursuant to the Offering. Each Unit was issued at a price of CAD$0.15 and comprised of one common share of the Company (each a Common Share) and one common share purchase warrant (each a Warrant). Each Warrant is exercisable to acquire one Common Share of the Company for a period of 36 months following the closing date at an exercise price of CAD$0.30 per Common Share (the "Exercise Price").



The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering to advance its exploration projects and for working capital purposes. The Units have been issued on a private placement basis pursuant to applicable exemptions from prospectus requirements under applicable securities laws. All securities issued or issuable pursuant to the Offering are subject to a hold period of four months and one day.

Additionally, the Company today announced that, further to its press release date May 14, 2020, it has closed the acquisition (the Acquisition) of 100 percent of the issued and outstanding shares of Sol Sureno Canada Inc. (Sol Sureno), an Ontario based exploration corporation focused on the acquisition and development of lithium properties in Peru. Pursuant to the Acquisition, the Company issued 15,000,000 common shares to the shareholders of Sol Sureno in exchange for all of the issued and outstanding shares of Sol Sureno.

Sol Sureno, via its wholly-owned subsidiary, Sol Sureno Sociedad Anonima Cerrada (Sol Sureno S.A.C.) (Sol Sureno Peru) a corporation formed under the laws of Peru, holds 22 registered mining concessions totalling 19,200 hectares (Ha) and another 10 mining concessions of 7,000 Ha still pending registration (the Macusani Project). The Macusani Project is located 120 km southeast of the Macusani Plateau in the Crucero-Picotani Plateau area which hosts known lithium occurrences in the same rhyolitic tuff formations as the lithium bearing formations within the Macusani Plateau.

Story continues

The Company paid a finders fee of 1,500,000 Common Shares to arms length parties in connection with the Acquisition.

About the Macusani Project

The Macusani Project is comprised of 22 registered mining concessions totalling 19,200 hectares (Ha) and 10 pending mining concessions totalling 7,000 Ha. located in two areas. Sol Surenos concessions in the Macusani area are adjacent to or within the Macusani Concessions of Plateau Energy Metals Inc. and within an 8 to 25 km radius of the original Falchani Lithium Discovery. The Crucero-Picotani Plateau area is located 120 km southeast of the Macusani Plateau and hosts known lithium occurrences in the same rhyolitic tuff formations as the lithium bearing formations within the Macusani Plateau.

The geology of the Macusani Crucero-Picotani Plateau and surrounding area is unique in that it contains some of the worlds most highly evolved rhyolitic peralkaline rocks, both intrusive and extrusive. Such rocks have anomalous accumulation of tin, tungsten, beryllium, rubidium and lithium. At this time lithium exploration has been focused on several flat lying horizons within the Chacaconiza member of the Quenamari Formation of rhyolitic tuff but the presence of lithium in both rhyolitic intrusive and pegmatite rocks has not been thoroughly examined. Most of Sol Surenos concessions overly the outcropping Chacaconiza member.

On Behalf of the Board,

Bob Komarechka

CEO

About Supreme Metals Corp.

Supreme Metals Corp. (CSE: ABJ)(FSE:A68) is a Canadian based exploration company with a focused approach in the area of green and energy metals in the Western World adjacent to anticipated downstream manufacturing projects that will have a significant need for these metals.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on assumptions and judgments of management regarding future events or results. Such statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. There is no assurance the private placement, property option, change of board or reinstatement of trading referred to above will close on the terms as stated, or at all. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to revise or update such statements.

545 Granite Street

Sudbury, Ontario P3C 2P4

Tel: 705 690-8118
THE chief executive of migrant rights charity Doras Luimni has called on people to rally around Limericks new deputy mayor.

John Lannon was speaking after Fianna Fail councillor Abul Kalam Azad Talukder was targetted with whats been described as repulsive and racist abuse on the Internet.

In the days after he was decisively elected as deputy mayor of the city and county, far-right commentator Gemma ODoherty published a picture of the Bangladeshi national, and wrote: If we don't take back our country very soon, it will be gone again, but this time for good.

Many of her followers on the social media network site appeared to agree with her remarks.

Mr Lannon said Doras is appalled that the race, ethnicity or religion of any public representative would be used as an opportunity to spread intolerance and hate.

The recent general elections have shown that there is next-to-no public support for people and parties that overtly carry anti-immigrant, far-right views, he added.

Cllr Talukder  who became Limericks first Muslim member last summer  agreed with that point, saying: It is very disappointing, but she couldn't even get elected herself. She has no mandate. People in Limerick City West elected me. I was elected by the people, I was even elected deputy mayor. That's why I won't use my energy for her.

It makes me very sad. My family and my community worry. I've had a lot of calls on this, not just from Limerick, but from Cork, Waterford and elsewhere after the racist attack. I told my community, don't be sad. Irish people have already proven they are not like this.

Ms ODohertys comments have been reported to Twitter, while newly appointed Minister of State Niall Collins deemed the remarks as repulsive in the extreme.

The less media focus and attention she [Ms ODoherty] gets, the better. Azad represents the face of a changing Limerick, and it is right we embrace all creeds, cultures and none, all parts of society, he said.

Fellow City West councillor Daniel Butler was one of dozens to also report the comments to Twitter. He said: The election of Azad is reflective of Limerick and the new Irish society we have. Everyone has been enriched by new cultures which have come in. We are the better for them.

Cllr Butler said he felt if he didnt do anything, he would be complicit in the abuse.I think it's important not just as a public official, but a citizen, I condemn anything that I see as racist against any individual.
State

CMO Dimapur appeals to returnees in quarantine centres

DIMAPUR | Publish Date: 7/10/2020 1:02:08 PM IST

Extending his warm welcome to the homecoming returnees, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dimapur, Dr. Tiasunup Pongener has appealed all the returnees in the quarantine centres to adhere to quarantine rules to ensure safe stay and timely release.

In an appeal to all returnees, the CMO informed that its teams motto is Your safety is our concern and our safety is your concern. He maintained that the health workers have been working ceaselessly and sleeplessly for the last four to five months to help the returnees and the people of the state to remain safe from COVID-19. During this period we have faced many ups and downs and many unfavourable but avoidable circumstances with the returnees in the quarantine centres, because of which I appeal to you so that your stay at the quarantine centre is safe for everyone, he added. The CMO reminded that there were instances where spread of infection happened among returnees due to the returnees not adhering to the quarantine rules leading to some of the returnees being discharged after 32 days instead of the normal 14 days (due to cross infection). Remember that your near and dear ones are waiting anxiously for your safe and early home coming, he stated. Pongener said that it is their desire that the returnees maintain strict social distancing, wearing of mask at all times, frequent hand washing, not spitting everywhere, not loitering around inside the quarantine centres so that their stay is pleasant and they are released on time.

Inspite of all out efforts put in by the government, I am sure the facilities in the quarantine centres may not be like your home, but I assure you that your short stay at our institutional quarantine centre will be a life time experience which you will cherish later on in life, said the CMO.

In case of any health issues, the CMO has asked the returnees to feel free to contact its Quick Response Medical Teams led by its medical officers (24 X 7).
It's been three years since she she finished her parole and returned to Australia, after being behind bars for nine years in an Indonesian jail.

On Friday, Schapelle Corby showed she has been enjoying spending time with her family, as she celebrated her 43rd birthday at home.

Wearing a plastic princess tiara and sipping on Moet champagne, Schapelle looked overjoyed to be spending the occasion with her loved ones.

Celebrations! Schapelle Corby (pictured) donned a plastic princess tiara as she celebrates her 43rd birthday on the Gold Coast with her family

Schapelle lifted her champagne glass as she posed in front of a handmade cake in the Instagram post, before sharing several photos of herself surrounded by family.

'Happy Birthday to me 43! 2020,' Schapelle wrote, adding a smiling face and blue heart emoji.

Back in April, Schapelle seemed to handle Australia's coronavirus lockdown better than many others.

In a post on Instagram at the time, the convicted drug smuggler shared a photo of herself living her best life in her backyard swimming pool.

Quality time: Wearing a plastic princess tiara and sipping on Moet champagne, Schapelle looked overjoyed to be spending the occasion with her loved ones

Happy birthday! Schapelle lifted her champagne glass as she posed in front of a handmade cake in the Instagram post

'What a difference a pool makes in isolation,' she captioned the photo, a clear reference to her infamous stint in an Indonesian prison.

Dressed in a strapless black bikini, a smiling Schapelle flaunted her cleavage, while grinning happily at the camera as she stood in her pool.

Her long dark hair was piled up in a topknot, and a bottle of Malibu rum was seen sitting on the edge of the pool beside her.

Right at home: Back in April, Schapelle seemed to handle Australia's coronavirus lockdown better than many others

It's not the first time Schapelle has poked fun at her sordid past, after she was convicted of smuggling cannabis into Bali back in May 2005.

In January last year, during Instagram's viral '10 year challenge', in which social media users were sharing photos of themselves now juxtaposed against themselves 10 years ago, Schapelle posted a photo of herself behind bars.

'Been a rough-trot. Better now,' she captioned the photo.
Indonesia has recorded a huge jump in daily coronavirus cases with 2657 new infections reported on Thursday.

The total smashes the previous record for daily infections of 1853 cases, set only on Wednesday, and confirms infection rates are growing alarmingly across the archipelago.

The 2657 cases were found in a cohort of just 12,554 people who were tested, suggesting an infection rate of more than 20 per cent. Testing rates are hovering at around 3500 per million people, far behind neighbouring countries including Malaysia (25,000), Thailand (8600), Singapore (148,000) and Australia (114,000).

Teachers and students wear protective gear at a Koran educational facility at on the outskirts of Jakarta. Credit:AP

The country has recorded 70,736 cases of coronavirus and is on track to pass China's official tally of 83,581 cases in a little over a week if the trend continues, which would mean that Indonesia was the second hardest-hit country in Asia after India. Some experts have questioned the veracity of both countries' figures, however, and suggested infection rates are much higher.
With coronavirus cases spreading rapidly, Alabama continues pushing for a return to normalcy. Businesses are reopening and campuses are preparing for a fall semester. But what will it take to get back to normal?

One possible answer is herd immunity. That might be attempted either through a vaccine or through mass infections. Disease experts welcome the first, but say the second is improbable and dangerous.

We may not be able to wipe out this virus in a year, but it is possible to wipe it out over time (with a vaccine), said Dr. Pamela Foster, University of Alabama professor of community medicine and population health.

Herd immunity is when the majority of a population is immune and is therefore unlikely to spread a disease. Dr. Walter Orenstein, associate director of the Emory Vaccine Center, says 60 to 70 percent of the population would need to be immune to COVID-19 to achieve herd immunity.

Thats unlikely without a vaccine, said Orenstein. My feeling is that we shouldnt be hopeful, in the absence of the vaccine, that were going to get a high enough infection rate that the virus will wipe itself out.

Alabama added over 2,000 coronavirus cases Thursday, a new daily record, as the states hospitals are nearing capacity with staffing and ICU beds.

Some Alabamians told al.com this spring that they wanted to reach herd immunity so Alabama can get back to regular life, including the head of the state dental board and regular office workers. Even this week, Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh said he hopes more Alabamians would get sick so we could get to immunity.

.

But new research shows that widespread outbreaks in other parts of the world resulted in less than 10 percent of the population testing for antibodies for COVID-19.

Without a vaccine, attempting herd immunity is a deadly and unlikely proposition, experts say.

High cost of herd immunity

If the majority of Alabamians got coronavirus, that would mean tens of thousands of deaths, according to Dr. Amber DSouza, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins University. She says the diseases mortality rate is an estimated one percent.

A number (like) that would be very difficult to imagine and nothing like those of us alive today can imagine, said DSouza.

Taking it on the chin can be a pretty dangerous approach, said Dr. Stephen Kissler, a research fellow at Harvards TH Chan School of Public Health, who pointed to racial disparities in health outcomes.

That burden of herd immunity will be paid for with the health and lives of least privileged members of society, Kissler said.

And then theres the possibility of hospitals being overrun and lacking room for patients with emergencies, such as heart attacks or injuries from car accidents.

Experts point to countries like Sweden, which tried to reach herd immunity without a vaccine and has seen a spike in deaths compared to neighboring nations. Studies show just 7.3 percent of Swedes had antibodies from the disease at the end of April. In Spain, the data was lower at close to 5 percent.

Despite the high impact of COVID-19 in Spain, prevalence estimates remain low and are clearly insufficient to provide herd immunity, researchers reported in The Lancet medical journal Monday.

Vaccine challenges

Further complicating Alabamas prospects for herd immunity, it is not clear how long coronavirus immunity lasts, or whether people can be infected twice.

That may mean any vaccine, if and when one becomes available, would need to be administered multiple times.

Public health systems would decide who would take priority for getting a vaccine, such as health workers and immunocompromised people, but access could be an issue, experts worry.

And surveys reflect that only about half of Americans would be willing to get a vaccine, making vaccine-produced herd immunity, by scientific standards, impossible.

Tamping down transmission

Still, some immunity is better than none, said Orenstein, if people get it safely, through a vaccine.

Even if we dont achieve herd immunity, if we have higher immunity than we have right now, we will tamp down transmission, he said.

When a larger percent of the population is immune, less people are likely to spread COVID, if they come into contact with it, breaking the chain of transmission.

Herd immunity gives you an opportunity to at least manage the disease, said Foster in Alabama.

Right now were out of control (and) overwhelming our system, she said, referring to hospital staffing and ICU bed shortages that could result in hospitals not having enough room to take new patients.

Foster hopes a vaccine could be ready as soon as this fall.

Dr. DSouza is hopeful a vaccine might be available by 2021.

Next best option

Gov. Ivey has encouraged, but not mandated masks in Alabama, although many city and local officials have stepped in and ordered residents to wear masks in public.

If everyone in Alabama wore a mask, it would reduce deaths by more than half, saving about 1,700 lives by November, the University of Washingtons Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation estimates.

Beyond that there is the lockdown, which is being tried again from Australia to Spain. Even Texas and Florida have recently restricted some businesses, such as bars, to battle summer surges.

At the moment, the only tool in the tool chest is isolation, said Orenstein.

Alabamas numbers have been growing rapidly ever since Memorial Day and since people emerged from the lockdown. The New York Times reported Wednesday that if Alabama were a country, it would now have the worlds eighth highest rate of spread.

So what happens if Alabamians decide the best course is drop all precautions and let the fittest survive?

You can quote me saying no, no, no, no, said Foster. She called the natural route to herd immunity, without a vaccine, a selfish approach by relatively healthy people, fraught with bioethical issues.

When youre talking about beds being tied up in an ICU, then you have to decide who gets an ICU bed and who doesnt. Would you want to be in that position?
Peshawar, July 10 : A single-member judicial commission probing the 2014 Peshawar Army Public School massacre has submitted its report to the Supreme Court.

The Peshawar High Court had formed the single-member commission headed by Justice Mohammad Ibrahim Khan on October 12, 2018, on the orders of the Supreme Court, reports Dawn news.

The panel became functional seven days later.

Spokesman for the commission Imranullah Khan told the media on Thursday that the report comprised around 3,000 pages and carried statements of different people and important documents.

He said the probe body had recorded the statements of 132 people and of them, 31 were police and army officials and the rest were witnesses, including injured students and parents of the children who lost their lives in the carnage.

The commission had also sent a letter to the Defence Ministry on Februrary 11, 2019, to ensure the appearance of eight army officers before it for recording statements in connection with the attack which killed 149 people, mostly students.

The officers later turned up before the commission and recorded statements regarding the carnage.

On December 16 2014, six Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan stormed into the school and opened fire on school staff and children,.

Of the 149 victims, 132 schoolchildren.

In December 2015, four of the accused were hanged.
Remembering The July 1999 Iran Student Movement; A Forgotten Protest?

Behrouz Turani July 09, 2020

Friday July 9, 1999 was the hottest day for students in Tahran as their anti-government protests were met by the iron fist of the Revolutionary Guard. It remained in memories as Iran's student movement, but it marked a watershed after which disillusionment with the Islamic Republic gradually deepened and the era of popular protests began.

Everything started on July 6 when the Judiciary banned the country's leading reformist daily newspaper Salam, under pressure from the Intelligence Ministry for publishing a confidential letter by its notorious deputy Saeed Emami to the chief of intelligence. Emami was proposing restrictions on media freedoms, including the establishment of a media censorship organization.

He had earlier sent a similar document to Majles, Iran's Parliament, which was discussing an amendment to the media law when Emami's letter arrived. Deputy Speaker Majid Ansari refused to read out the letter at the podium. However, Salam published the letter the next morning and the Judiciary banned it.

At the time, all the reformist papers published the news of the ban and protested the decision. Nonetheless, the Majles passed Emami's amendment.

Thousands of university students took to the streets of Tehran in protest to the ban on Salam. The daily's managing editor was Mohammad Musavi Khoiniha, the man who called on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei just two weeks ago to acknowledge his responsibility for the failure of the Islamic Republic.

As the students refused to go back to their classes or the dormitory, things led to violence. Eyewitnesses still remember young men and women in cages mounted on vans being taken to jail.

Police Chief Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, IRGC's elite commander Qassem Soleimani and 14 other officers wrote a letter to reformist President Mohammad Khatami, warning that they would open fire at the students if they did not stop their protest.

Twenty-one years later, Pro-reform news website Fararu and reformist daily Sharq are among the media outlets that remembered the date on its anniversary. However, both of them did not elaborate on the violence that took place later.

A former journalist at Salam, Morad Vaisi, who currently is a staff journalist at Radio Farda tweeted on the anniversary, "After 21 years, the man who used to beat and suppress the students [Qalibaf] is the Speaker of the Parliament. The one who justified the suppression in a speech [Rouhani] is the President of the country, and the man who ordered the suppression is the Supreme Leader [Khamenei]."

Vaisi further reminded that "those who protested that day were university students, but today's protesters are the residents of 30 of the country's 31 provinces."

The main attack on students took place at a dormitory in Amir Abad Avenue in Tehran. Police and plainclothes thugs attacked the students in the middle of the night and threw some off upper floors. No one counted the wounded or the dead. The thugs set fire to dorm rooms and destroyed the students' belongings.

The courtyard of the dorm was full of bodies dead and alive. The next day, everything was cleared up as if nothing had happened. Reports on state controlled national television portrayed everything as a riot stopped by law and order officers to keep society safe.

President Khatami refused to support the students although some of his advisers say they had told him to do so. Even worse, he branded the protests "An insult to the system and its values." Was this the beginning of an end to the reform movement as everyone knew it? Some say yes it was. Student leaders and many others were put in prison and reformist politicians denied them their support although they were in charge of the government.

Today, almost all the leaders of the 1999 student movement, the biggest show of dissent in the history of the Islamic Republic to that date, are living in exile in London, Washington, Paris and other European and U.S. cities. Some are so disillusioned that they wouldn't talk about the anniversary. Nevertheless, many of them are among the most vocal critics of the Islamic Republic.

It took another 10 years before the next generation of unhappy students took to the streets in 2009 as the Green Movement in protest to an elaborately rigged presidential election. That movement did not make it anywhere either. It lacked proper organization and leadership. The leaders of the movement were two candidates who had lost the election. Today they are under a decade-long house arrest, but many criticize them for turning a blind eye to political murders and unjustifiable violence in the early years of the Islamic revolution.

The student movement is nowhere to be seen. The protests in 2018 and 2019 was faceless in the sense that they had no figurehead. Students, workers, women and all other politically active groups were present in those massive protests. Does this mean that the government has effectively cracked down on the student movement?

In Iran, they say it is fire under the ashes. Still burning without a glow. Those who were active in 1999, desperately wish to be remembered.

"Remember us as 22 year-olds

Who died with the flames of love in our red hearts,

Before finding the time to fall in love."

Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/remembering- the-july-1999-iran-student-movement-a -forgotten-protest-/30716685.html

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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It hasnt been for lack of trying, as various film and TV studios have taken interest in The Sandman over the years. But the fact that some previous screen translations have failed to materialize, Gaiman said, has always been a source of incredible relief to me  you only have to miss by a tiny amount for Sandman to go very wrong.

Instead an authorized multimedia adaptation of The Sandman will arrive on July 15 as an audio drama on Audible, which has been building its library of audio narratives and other original content. (The company, which is owned by Amazon, is also preparing new projects from authors like Jesse Eisenberg, James Patterson and David Koepp and featuring actors like Christian Slater, Carrie Coon, Aaron Paul and Alicia Silverstone.)

Image The Sandman will arrive on July 15 on Audible, part of the companys strategy of developing audio narratives. Credit... N/A

The first installment of its series, which consists of 20 episodes, is based on the first three volumes of the Sandman graphic novel. It features a cast that includes James McAvoy as the ethereal title character; Kat Dennings as his spectral sister Death; Michael Sheen as the fallen angel Lucifer; and Riz Ahmed as the stylish nightmare being the Corinthian.

For Gaiman, who is the creative director and an executive producer of the audio project, the endeavor is a validation of his patience and his strategic stubbornness. As he sees it, the Audible adaptation hasnt required him to compromise the audacity, the ambiguity or the endearing strangeness of the comics.
Gov. Gavin Newsom will release approximately 8,000 people incarcerated inside Californias prison system by the end of August in an effort to save lives amid devastating coronavirus outbreaks at several facilities and pressure from lawmakers and advocates.

The releases, which were announced Friday, will come on a rolling basis, and they will include both people who were scheduled to be freed soon and people at high risk of serious complications if they contract the virus.

Across state prisons, 2,286 people in custody were confirmed to have active cases of the virus and 31 had died as of Friday morning, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Staffers with active cases of the virus totaled 719.

The first round of releases will free people who have 180 days or less to serve on their sentence, making about 4,800 prisoners eligible for release by the end of the month, officials said. Additional reviews will be conducted for incarcerated people with a year or less to serve, and those who live in one of the eight prisons that house large numbers of high-risk patients.

While health experts and prisoner advocates applauded the move, many said it still was not enough to curb a fast-moving outbreak inside Californias chronically overcrowded prisons. The institutions currently hold 123% of their design capacity.

We certainly appreciate the effort from the administration to reduce the prison population, said Donald Specter, executive director of the Prison Law Office, an organization representing incarcerated clients in a long-running lawsuit over substandard medical care in California prisons. We still remain concerned that theres not enough space, especially in places like Vacaville and Folsom to house people safely if the virus gets into those institutions.

The plan follows other steps taken by prison officials in recent months, including freezing intake of new inmates while speeding up parole for thousands of others close to release, which have lowered the prison population by nearly 10,000 since the end of February.

As of Wednesday, about 104,725 individuals remained imprisoned in Californias 35 institutions. Nearly 20,000 people would need to be released just to reach 100% capacity.

Newsom did not comment on the announcement Friday, but his corrections secretary, Ralph Diaz, said in a statement that prison officials aim to implement these decompression measures in a way that aligns both public health and public safety.

Prisoners will be disqualified from the new releases if they are serving time for domestic violence or other violent crimes, as well as if they would need to register as a sex offender or are deemed to present a high risk of committing violent crimes.

Those who are aged 30 or older and meet the criteria will be immediately eligible for release, prison officials said. Those 29 and under will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account factors like medical risk and time served.

On Thursday night, prison officials announced they would provide 12 weeks of credit to every inmate eligible for release who had not been found guilty of a serious rule violation between March 1 and July 5. The change  adopted because prisons have shut down their credit-earning programs during the pandemic  could lead to more than 2,000 inmates getting out by September.

The state will also expedite the governors review for people who were granted parole, which can traditionally take about six months, Specter said.

Additional releases will include people who are at high risk of dying if they get the coronavirus, including people who are over 65 or have chronic health conditions or respiratory illnesses. Pregnant individuals, or those in hospice care, may also be considered.

At San Quentin, the worst outbreak in the state and one of the largest in the country, hundreds of inmates became infected after a transfer of inmates from the California Institution for Men in Chino (San Bernardino County). The transfer introduced the virus to the North Bay prison, which until that time had no confirmed cases.

As of Friday morning, 1,330 inmates at San Quentin were confirmed to have the virus and 205 staffers were infected. Seven inmates had already died of what officials suspected to be COVID-19 complications, including men on Death Row.

Everyone who qualifies will be tested for COVID-19 within a week of their release. Prison officials will additionally make victim notifications prior to the releases and work to find reentry housing for those set free.

Marc Levine, a state assemblyman for Marin County, said the new releases are a good step, but it will be hard to make a dent at San Quentin.

Levine said he was told that state officials are thinking about shifting 800 incarcerated men at San Quentin to a closed county jail elsewhere, but getting that started back up is like turning around an aircraft carrier.

Health officials echoed Levines concerns.

My first reaction is, the devil is in the details, said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a UCSF infectious disease expert who treats COVID-19 patients. It sounds like a lot on paper, but California is a huge state.

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.

He said he was worried about the lack of a targeted plan to battle the extensive outbreak at San Quentin, which he described as a public health emergency distinct from larger questions about decarceration. To give doctors a fighting chance to help patients, Chin-Hong said, the prisons population should be cut by at least 50%.

Its Chernobyl, he said of San Quentin. The towers are still burning, and its going out to the community, because were absorbing all these patients right now.

Brie Williams, a UCSF professor of medicine, called the announcement good news and a very important first step. Along with several UC health experts, Williams urged the state in mid-June to immediately cut San Quentins population in half to help doctors control the outbreak and save lives.

Williams said she was curious to learn more details about the new releases and stressed that its important to focus on releasing older people and those with chronic illnesses, as well as people in architecturally inadequate old facilities like San Quentin and Folsom State Prison, which were built in the 19th century. Both were among the eight facilities state prison officials have identified as high risk.

Darrell Smith, a 46-year-old incarcerated man at Folsom State Prison, said during a phone interview Friday that the men in his building were under lockdown after someone tested positive for the virus. According to the states web tracker, the prison recorded its first coronavirus case on July 2.

I got a kidney disease, I got high blood pressure, Smith said, adding that its impossible to socially distance inside the aging prison and he worries about getting sick.

If the virus takes hold in Folsom, he said, Its going to be just like San Quentin.

San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Alejandro Serrano contributed to this story.

Jason Fagone, Megan Cassidy and Alexei Koseff are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: jason.fagone@sfchronicle.com, megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com, alexei.koseff@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jfagone, @meganrcassidy, @akoseff
New Delhi, July 10 : Interim Congress President Sonia Gandhi has called a meeting of Lok Sabha MPs to discuss issues facing the nation.

Congress sources say the issues which will be deliberated are mainly the Chinese border transgressions and economic situation arising due to Covid-19.

Sonia Gandhi has written many letters to the Prime Minister regarding issues to handle the Covid situation and Chinese transgressions.

The meeting comes in wake of government tightening noose around foundationss related to the Congress on which the party has reacted sharply. The government has constituted inter-ministerial committee to investigate the funding of RGF and other trusts.

Rahul Gandhi in a tweet said, "Mr Modi believes the world is like him. He thinks everyone has a price or can be intimidated." "He will never understand that those who fight for the truth have no price and cannot be intimidated," added Rahul.

The Congress has also issued a statement saying that the party and its leadership will not be intimidated by the "cowardly acts and blind witch-hunt by a panicked Modi government".

Party spokesman Randeep Surjewala said, "Will the Modi government hold an enquiry into the donations and the amounts received by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) from all sources including foreign sources, individuals, entities, organisations and governments?"
Singapore, July 10 : Voting was underway on Friday for Singapore's general elections, where the city-state's ruling People's Action Party (PAP) is contesting on all the 93 seats.

Polling stations opened at 8 a.m. and will close at 8 p.m., reports Xinhua news agency.

Some 2.65 million people are eligible to vote in these elections, the 13th since independence.

A total of 191 candidates from 11 political parties and an independent candidate are competing for the 93 seats at stake.

Meanwhile, the Elections Department (ELD) has asked voters to vote within the recommended time bands.

Younger voters were encouraged not to vote between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m., unless they have been allotted specific time bands within this window, as the morning voting hours have mostly been allotted to senior voters aged 65 years and above.

ELD has announced the approach for voting by certain groups of voters in view of the prevailing COVID-19 situation.

Voters on Stay-Home Notice or medical certificates for acute respiratory infection, or are having a fever, are advised to vote between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m.

The COVID-19 patients and voters who are on Quarantine Order will not be allowed to vote.

Besides, ELD has said that there are 6,570 overseas voters in the general election, and 10 overseas polling stations have been set up in Beijing, Canberra, Dubai, Hong Kong, London, New York, San Francisco, Shanghai, Tokyo and Washington D.C.

Local media reported that some overseas voters had cast their votes before Friday.

The ELD has also said temperature screening was being conducted to detect those with fever or respiratory symptoms at the polling stations.

It has asked the voters to take their temperature and check online the queue situation before going to vote, wear masks and comply with safe distancing measures at all times in the polling stations.

The elections are taking place after President Halimah Yacob dissolved Parliament on June 23.

For this year's election, the city-state is divided into 14 single-member constituencies (SMCs) and 17 group representation constituencies (GRCs), representing the 93 seats.

The PAP is the only party with candidates contesting every seat, and they will be challenged in all seats, the second general election in a row that there will be such contests.

Prime Minister and Secretary-General of PAP Lee Hsien Loong said earlier this month that the PAP will fight for every vote.

"Every constituency is contested, so this is not a by-election. It's a general election for the most important issues concerning the country at the moment of crisis," he has said.

During the 2015 General Election, the PAP won 69.9 per cent of the votes as well as 83 seats out of the total 89 seats in Parliament.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
India reports dip in Covid infections with 2,38,018 new cases, positivity rate at 14.43%

Failure to vaccinate everyone will give rise to new variants, says UN chief

Faith vs safety in burials: COVID-19 remains in dead bodies for 9 days says Centre

COVID-19: Why has this Japanese theme park banned screaming

India

oi-Briti Roy Barman

New Delhi, July 10: One Japanese theme park wants you to hold your emotions while riding their roller-coaster. And if you are the best you can end up getting free entry passes.

Fuji-Q Highland near Tokyo, Japan re-opened last month after COVID-19 lockdown.

In the view of minimising the spreading droplets, they are encouraging riders to put on their most 'serious face' while riding.

Amid coronavirus outbreak, Disneyland all set to reopen theme park on July 17

The theme park asked riders to "scream inside your heart" and share their serious-faced picture online in the #KeepASeriousFace challenge and those who do best will be given free day passes.

The executives said violations will not actually be punished.

The no screaming rule needs mandatory use of face masks

Vikas Dubey killed in an encounter, Akhilesh Yadav raises questions | Oneindia News

The theme park will be running the challenge until 17 July.

The theme park authority said the challenge is a part of the measures that are taken to give customers the confidence to return after the lockdown.

The authority earlier released a video of two of their executives riding in silence to show it can be done and video became viral.

In the video, both executives are seen serious-faced and in masks while one of them is slowly adjusts his hair after the roller coaster plunges down and looks almost bored by the entire exercise.

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Story first published: Friday, July 10, 2020, 16:49 [IST]
Water is something that is so basic and yet, sometimes, it can be quite expensive to a majority of the worlds population. Life, as you know it on earth, is dependent on water as it is used in farming, transportation, washing, cooking, and even makes a huge proportion of the human body. There is no doubt that fresh drinking water is a necessity when it comes to quenching thirst. To many, water is just water, and that is why it is difficult to understand the rationale behind the prizes of some of the most expensive bottled water brands.

Image: wikimedia.com (modified by author)

Source: UGC

The idea that all water tastes the same is a misconception. Those who have had a taste of the different brands can easily tell that the taste and quality of water differ. Although water is generally cheap, the tale is different when it comes to some bottled water brands.

10 most expensive bottled water brands

Some people are more than happy to buy their bottled water for less than a dollar while others can spend as much as a thousand dollars or more for a small bottle of water because of the standards they have set for themselves. What is the most expensive water you can buy?

1. Beverly Hills 9OH20 Luxy Collection Diamond Edition - $100,000 per bottle

Image: wikimedia.com

Source: UGC

Beverly Hills 9OH20 Luxy Collection Diamond Edition is the most expensive bottled water brand in the world in 2020. How much is the most expensive water in the world? A single bottle of this brand costs $100,000. Beverly Hills has a reputation for having tasty water that is sourced from the mountain springs of northern California.

In a place where some of the worlds wealthiest celebrities live, it shouldnt come as a surprise that a bottle of water can cost thousands of dollars. Beverly Hills 9OH20 Luxy Collection Diamond Edition is sourced from the Sierra Nevada Mountains and then instilled with minerals, calcium, and potassium to enrich its nutrient supply and taste.

The brands bottle was designed by a jeweller named Mario Padilla. The bottle has a white gold cap that is encrusted with 14-karat gold which has more than 250 black diamonds and 600 G/VS white diamonds. Only nine such bottles were made and buying just one means you get a full year supply of the Beverly Hills 9OH2O Lifestyle Collection.

2. Acqua di Cristallo Tributo a Modigliani - $60,000 per bottle

Image: wikimedia.com

Source: UGC

Acqua di Cristallo Tributo a Modigliani comes in a unique hand-crafted bottle made from 24-karat gold with 5mg of 23 K gold dust. It gives you a taste of both water and gold. The water bottle was inspired by the artwork of Italian artist Amedeo Clemente Modigliani.

It is a 1.250 ml bottle containing a combination of glacier water from Iceland and natural springs water from France and Fiji Islands. This expensive bottled water was sold at an auction for a whopping $60,000 in 2010.

3. Bling H2Os The Ten Thousand - $2,700 per bottle

Image: wikimedia.com

Source: UGC

Products adorned by Swarovski have always been expensive as is the case with the Bling H2Os The Ten Thousand, which costs $2,700 for each bottle. The water bottle is filled with Swarovski crystals in a unique design that shames its competitors.

The water bottle was named The Ten Thousand because it is embellished with 10,000 Swarovski crystals. This is more of a case where the brand influences the cost of the product and not the other way round.

READ ALSO: 20 most expensive things on Amazon in 2020

4. Kona Nigari - $402 per 750ml bottle

Kona Nigari bottled water prides itself in being harvested from 2000 feet below the surface of the Pacific Ocean in the Island of Hawaii. The deep seawater from Kona Nigiri has to go through several processes such as desalination.

It is associated with lots of health benefits to those who drink the water because of its special qualities. This brand of water is sold exclusively in Japan at a premium price, thus earning itself a place on this list.

5. Filico - $200 - $240 per bottle

Image: wikimedia.com

Source: UGC

Why is Filico water so expensive? Filico bottled water comes in a very sophisticated and uniquely designed water bottle that justifies its price. Like most of the worlds most expensive bottled water brands, Filico bottle features a design with tens of thousands of Swarovski crystals.

The unique water bottles are inspired by Japanese craftsmanship and creativity. The water is said to be smooth, of high quality and with natural minerals. This water is sourced from a place called Kobe in Japan. The water comes with bottles of different designs, but all are based on angelic and royalty themes.

6. Svalbard - $85 per 750ml bottle with gift tube

Image: wikimedia.com

Source: UGC

Svalbard is said to be among the purest water available in the market. This bottled water brand is from Europe in the northern region and among the most expensive drinking water brands in the world. At $85, you get to gift yourself or your family and friends this brand of water which comes with a gift tube.

The company producing the water has incorporated a strategy whereby it offers various gift packages to their customers. Svalbard water bottles vessel has an extra-flint glass and a wooden cap which resembles arctic driftwood.

READ ALSO: Most expensive sneakers in the world

7. Iluliaq - $50 per bottle

Image: wikimedia.com

Source: UGC

Iluliaq bottled water brand is synonymous with the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier found in Greenland and has been a UNESCO protected site since the year 2004. Some work has to be done before this water is a finished product ready for drinking.

Icebergs have to be carried onto a boat by local labourers and then carried onto vats to melt naturally. This brand of water is limited because it relies on environmental factors and natural elements; hence why it is among the most expensive water to drink.

The company does not stock the bottles to ensure that they deliver the water while it is still very fresh. Along with that, once ordered, the bottle is dated and the name of the customer written on the label.

8. Bling H2O Frosted Collection - $38.98 per bottle

Image: wikimedia.com

Source: UGC

Bling H2O Frosted Collection features a frosted glass bottle that has the Bling H2Os traditional designs that include Swarovski crystals. Bling H2O brands are expensive and target high-end clients. Initially, the company used to hand-pick famous personalities that would use the brand.

READ ALSO: 10 most expensive phones in the world in 2020

9. Soma - $30 per bottle

Image: wikimedia.com

Source: UGC

For a small bottle of Soma water, you get to pay $30, making it one of the most expensive water brands. The parent company has a reputation for the creation of water filter pitchers. Soma water comes in a shatter-resistant glass bottle that has a grip protective sleeve.

The bottle casing comes in different colours that go in line to stimulate an active lifestyle because customers can carry durable bottles to go anywhere. The production of this bottle was done using sustainable materials such as the cap which is made out of bamboo. Part of the companys profits is donated in water project charities.

10. Veen - $23 per bottle

Image: wikimedia.com

Source: UGC

Veen bottled water is sourced from a variety of natural springs from around the world. The first source of Veen water is a spring in Finnish Lapland while the second source is Bhutans spring mineral water. This water has low mineral content and is filtered through the ice to achieve a smooth texture. The water is packaged in a glass bottle which has a beautiful design.

Many companies have been able to tap the potential of water, thus becoming the most expensive bottled water brands in the world. How amazing that water has been turned into a luxury item many people cannot afford. This has not stopped individuals from seeking this expensive water brands. This is because most of the expensive brands source their water from the deepest and purest body of water in the world.

READ ALSO: The most expensive whiskey brands in Kenya 2020

Source: TUKO.co.ke
Policemen carry the body of Park Won-soon who was found dead in northern Seoul early Friday. / Yonhap



Park says 'sorry to everyone' in suicide note



By Kim Se-jeong



Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, a former human rights lawyer with a long record of defending women, was discovered dead in an apparent suicide early Friday, two days after his secretary filed a sexual harassment complaint against him.



The reason for his action is not yet known but it is presumed that Park, who was seen as a potential presidential candidate in 2022, killed himself because of undue pressure following the complaint. An investigation is under way to discover what drove him to kill himself.



A police search team found his body near Sukjeong Gate, the northern gate of the old city walls on Mount Bugak, one minute after midnight. Police said that he was found in a state that seems to suggest that he committed suicide.



According to the complaint filed with the police in Seoul, Wednesday, the harassment began in 2017, with him hugging the victim and groping her body in his office. She said she had also received obscene images and messages from him through Telegram and that he had demanded her send pictures as well.



The victim wrote she had reached out to colleagues for help but didn't receive any and mentioned that she knew other victims in the city government who were too afraid to do anything. She quit her job recently and sought psychiatric treatment and counseling before filing the complaint.





Mayor killed himself: police Seoul Mayor found dead: police 'Thank you, sorry and good bye': Mayor's handwritten will unveiled Park's death expected to heat up 2021 by-elections In what seemed to be a suicide note unveiled by the city authorities Friday, Park wrote: "Thank you everyone with whom I shared my life. To my family, I am deeply sorry for causing so much pain. Please cremate my body and spread my ashes on my parents' graves."



According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police, Park's body was found in the forested hills near his official residence, seven hours after his daughter filed a missing person report at 5:17 p.m. Thursday. She said the mayor left a message to his family that sounded like his "last words" before he left home.



His death came as a shock not only to those in political circles but also Seoul residents because Park, a longtime civic activist and a member of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, had been regarded as a potential candidate for the 2022 presidential election.



Park, who became the first Seoul mayor elected for a third consecutive term in June 2018, unveiled a variety of measures to tackle growing social and economic divisions with a focus on young people, the environment and urban regeneration  which have been widely appreciated by middle- and low-income households.



With Park's death, Seo Jeong-hyup, the first vice mayor for administrative affairs, under the law, will serve as acting mayor until a by-election slated for April 7, 2021.



"We pray for the soul of the deceased and extend our deepest condolences to the residents. City affairs will firmly continue according to Mayor Park Won-soon's values that prioritized stability and welfare," Vice Mayor Seo said during a press briefing.



The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to hold a civic funeral for Park and run on contingency plans for the time being. It said that Park's funeral will be held after a mourning period of five days  generally this lasts for three days.



A memorial altar will be set up in front of City Hall in central Seoul for residents and staff members wanting to pay their respects to Park, they added.



The late mayor had made his name as a human rights lawyer, especially representing sexual harassment victims.



Between 1993 and 1999, he defended a teaching assistant from Seoul National University who sued her professor for sexual harassment, in a symbolic case which marked the first to be filed and which also raised awareness of the issue in Korean society. He won the case after a six-year fight.




United Nations: India has slammed Pakistan for not acting on the concrete evidence shared by it on several terrorist attacks, including the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts and the 2008 Mumbai terror attack and pointed out that the perpetrators of these heinous crimes, though proscribed by the UN, continue to enjoy "state hospitality" in the country.

Mahaveer Singhvi, head of the Indian delegation, made the comments at a webinar on Thursday during the ongoing virtual Counter-Terrorism Week.

This is an occasion for reiterating our collective resolve to protect and uphold human rights. It is unfortunate that Pakistan, a sponsor of cross border terrorism, and the globally acknowledged fountainhead and pernicious cradle of terrorism, has once again used this forum for propagating its discredited narrative and making mischievous and scurrilous allegations against India, Singhvi said.

While the whole world, including India, has undertaken proactive steps to promote human rights and build resilience against terrorism, Pakistan has main-streamed terrorism as statecraft, Singhvi added.

"It continues to provide military, financial and logistical support to cross border terrorism but has denied the victims of terrorism their fundamental right to justice by not acting on the concrete evidence shared by India on several terrorist attacks, including 1993 Mumbai Serial Blasts and 2008 Mumbai Terror Attack. The perpetrators of these heinous crimes have been proscribed by the UNSC 1267 committee but continue to enjoy state hospitality in Pakistan, Singhvi, Joint Secretary for Counter-Terrorism in the Ministry of External Affairs, said.

Singhvi also said Pakistan's attempt to masquerade as a promoter of human rights and egalitarianism is farcical considering its record of systemic persecution of its minorities, including Christians, Ahmadiyyas, Sikhs, Hindus, Shias, Pashtuns, Hazaras, Sindhis, and Balochis. Through draconian blasphemy laws, forced conversions and marriages and extrajudicial killings.

Pakistan consistently rakes up the issue of Jammu and Kashmir and other internal matters of India at various UN fora. Earlier this week also, India had strongly hit out at Pakistan for raising India's domestic policies and internal affairs at the counter-terrorism forum.

During the webinar Protecting and Promoting Human Rights as a Cornerstone for Building Resilience against Terrorism', Singhvi asserted that Jammu and Kashmir has been, is and will continue to remain an integral part of India and said Pakistan should cease to covet it.

What is portrayed by Pakistan is actually state-sponsored cross border terrorism? India reiterates that despite the continued proxy war and state-sponsored cross border terrorism raged by Pakistan against the people of Jammu and Kashmir, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have reposed their faith in the Indian democracy.?

Singhvi said that before preaching to others, Pakistan must remember that terrorism is the worst form of human rights abuse.

The world doesn't need lessons on human rights from a country whose own citizens as well as minorities have never enjoyed true democracy. The least Pakistan could do, therefore, is to look into its own sorry state of affairs and put its house in order before pointing fingers at others and spewing venom against the democratically elected Indian Government and its leaders.

Singhvi told the UN forum that India has a civilisation ethos of inclusiveness, tolerance and acceptance and the philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam', the world is one family, permeates each aspect of Indian life.

"Our cultural, linguistic and religious diversity is our strength and our Constitution guarantees equal rights to all faiths and creeds. Pakistan may repeat its Goebbelsian lies, a thousand times, but it cannot change the fact that Minorities feel secure and empowered in India.?

He further said that terrorism is the grossest affront to the enjoyment of the inalienable human right to life and to live in peace and security. It poses a serious threat to economic and social development, undermines democracy and jeopardises the rule of law and is an attack against freedom of thought, expression and association.

While acts of terrorism violate the rights of individual victims, it also deeply affects the enjoyment of a range of rights by the families of the victims and society as a whole, he said, adding that building the resilience of the society against terrorism forms an integral part of any counter-terrorism strategy.

There is a need to foster a society in which individuals and communities are able to counter the spread of terrorist ideologies and challenge those who espouse them. This requires robust partnerships and cooperation with citizens and local communities.

Noting that any terrorist incident disproportionately affects the human rights of women, girls and children, he said gender and age-sensitive measures need to be incorporated in addressing the short, medium and long-term needs of the most vulnerable groups of victims of terrorism.

Protection of the rights of children and young persons, especially their right to education is also critical to prevent radicalisation and indoctrination of terrorist ideologies, he said.
Nearly 30 U.S. congressmembers are calling for Canada and the United States to consider an interim measure easing cross-border restrictions on families and property owners.

But not so fast, said mayors representing border communities in Niagara.

New York congressmembers Brian Higgins and Elise Stefanik, co-chairs of the Northern Border Caucus, are leading a push for both nations to develop guidance that prepares for reopening while the border is under its current shutdown to all but essential travel.

They are joined by 27 other congressmembers, both Democrat and Republican.

We are asking that the United States and Canada immediately craft a comprehensive framework for phased reopening of the border based on objective metrics and accounting for the varied circumstances across border regions, wrote the U.S. politicians.

Additionally, we request consideration of any interim measures that may be appropriate to bilaterally ease restrictions on family members and property owners  including those with property on U.S. soil accessible only through cross-border transit  in order to restore the social bond that unites our two nations.

The congressmembers said states and provinces have created frameworks for reopening that rely on monitoring public health data, the expertise of health officials, and other defined criteria to inform government decisions on how to proceed with each phase of a reopen.

This process alleviates uncertainty and allows residents to understand the decision-making and anticipate next steps. Continuing to extend border restrictions at 30-day intervals is untenable for the communities that have been separated from family and unable to tend to their property for over three months.

Niagara-on-the-Lake Lord Mayor Betty Disero said its too early to be talking about easing restrictions.

I can see the United States wanting to open the border, but Im not sure that our public is at this point, she said.

Not having (Americans) here is hurting us, but at this point, I think the United States needs to work on their (COVID-19) issues. I dont want their issues to become our issues. I look forward to the day when we can have a safe reopening between the two countries, I just think its still a bit too early.

Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati said the only way he would support easing restrictions for additional travellers is if theres controllable, strict regimens and protocols in place that will be enforced.

If somebody is coming over because they own property here in Canada and  theyre going to isolate for two weeks in their property and we can follow up on that, we have a means of doing that, that would be the only way Id even be open to having that kind of a discussion. There needs to be an absolute plan before Id even entertain a discussion in that matter.

Diodati said were nowhere near the point of generally reopening the border, but he can understand the desire for those with certain unique, extenuating circumstances.

Certain ones of compassion and these types of things for family members that have been separated, yeah, as long as theres protocols in place.

Fort Erie Mayor Wayne Redekop said if restrictions are eased for family members and/or property owners, he would want to see a protocol in place by Canada Border Services Agency and U.S. Customs and Border Protection to ensure travellers dont have COVID-19, and that border officials follow up with them.

If they come across, theyve got to self-isolate for 14 days, and that would have to be followed up by Canada Border Services and Im sure it would be the same thing on the opposite side of the border, he said.

Its unrealistic to expect that the border is going to remain closed as it is now for months on end  there will have to be some gradual easing, I presume. But my concern, primarily, is the safety of our residents.
I dont know why Im still surprised, after 3+ years and countless lies, that Trumps followers have done more than swallow the poisonous stew he spews. They have become the stew. And nothing could be a better example of this than the recent article in the Heritage, Time For Trump To Be Trump, written by columnist Caroline Glick.

Heres a few of the falsehoods and exaggerations Glick stated so vehemently in her article:

America had become the laughingstock of its enemies and the worst nightmare of its friends, as Obama and his merry band of foreign policy experts abandoned and denigrated allies

According to FBI data, after rising sharply in the last years of the Obama presidency, violent crime in America went down in every year of Trumps presidency.

Americans are now expected to kneel when the Star Spangled Banner plays  while swallowing whole a false, malicious new history that claims America has been a force for evil at home and worldwide.

The Chinese are betting that their virus, which capsized the Trump economy, will spell the demise of their nemesis.

The strength of Americas alliance with Israel is a reflection of the strength of American power.

Whats interesting to me is the clever way in which Glick weaves together the Trumpian themes of Obama-bashing, attacks on white America, and righteous America vs. the world, all while lacking any acknowledgement of either history or the complexity of the issues she cites. A few points to make this clear:

First of all, HAHAHAHA! Was it Obama who made the U.S. a laughingstock to its allies? Did Obama denounce NATO? Did Obama say he admired Putin, and believed him more than U.S. intelligence experts? Did Obama say hed never been briefed on Russian bounties being placed on the heads of American soldiers? It has become an all-too-common and all-too-easy ploy to bash former President Obama, who Trump supporters seem to hate almost as viscerally as they do Hilary Clinton. With the exception of Obamas relationship with Netanyahu (they both really dislike one another), and his mixed (at best) support of Israel, Obama was widely admired worldwide. And Trump? Our allies dont trust or believe him. He embarrasses himself with the ease in which he is manipulated by praise and pomp. John Bolton says Putin believes he can play Trump like a fiddle. HAHAHAHAHA.

Now lets look at some real statistics. In 2007, the year before Obama took office, there were 1,422,970 cases of violent crime committed in the United States, as reported by the FBI. In 2016, the year he left office, there were 1,250,162. Yes, an uptick occurred in the last two years of his presidency, and violent crime decreased by 0.2 percent in Trumps first year, a difference of less than 3,000 crimes nationwide. But the overall trend during Obamas presidency was a decrease of 12 percent in violent crime.

Are Americans now expected to kneel when the Star Spangled Banner plays? No. But there should be an understanding that the right to protest and the right to free speech are inherently American.

Only the most radical elements of the left believe the U.S. is evil. But is there any truth that the United States has implemented racial injustices throughout our history? As reported by the Stanford Open Policing Project, a black man is more than twice as likely to be pulled over while driving by the police than a white driver, and more than four times as likely to be searched. African American men are incarcerated at more than 5 times the rate of whites, and African American women at more than 2 times the rate of white women. Does that sound like equitable justice, and if it doesnt, can we admit that there is a problem that needs to be rectified?

Glick coyly says the coronavirus belongs to the Chinese, implying both that they created and control it. Besides the fact that there is no evidence that it was created in a laboratory, and even though the Chinese were undoubtedly duplicitous in their reporting on the nature and spread of the virus, I guarantee they neither want to own it nor lay claim to it. And Trump has touted his friendship and admiration of President Xi Jinping repeatedly, until such time as it was detrimental for him to do so.

Finally, is U.S. power tied in any way to support of Israel? While that sounds nice, there is no inherent connection between US power and US support of Israel, though one could make the case that no country stands alone, that alliances are important, and if that is the case, Trump has undermined the U.S. relationship with nearly every ally we have with the exception of Israel. For all you passionate Israel supporters out there, I would only ask, is this reason enough to support him?

Trump has decimated environmental protections. He trashed the Iran nuclear agreement with nothing to replace it, and the end result has been Irans re-starting its nuclear program. He gave a huge tax deduction to the rich, which temporarily boosted the economy and left us with trillions of dollars in debt that was supposed to be paid for by 6 percent growth, which never occurred. In fact, Trumps economy has been barely, marginally better than Obamas, even with the tax cuts.

So where does that leave us? Only with the obvious acknowledgement that Glicks article, like so much information reported by the White House is little more than lies and propaganda. Sad.

And thats the bad word on Trump. Feel free to contact me through the Heritage, or at dsb328@gmail.com. Im David Bornstein. True that.
Project to preserve Black churches gets $20M donation; Mayfield church first to receive funds
Guided by ex-Pak army officials, operating in buddy pairs: Why the Poonch encounter has dragged so much

Tire, track eliminate: Why has the Poonch encounter dragged on for so long

Hit by three bullets on the chest, one on the arm: How Vikas Dubey was killed

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Kanpur, July 10: Vikas Dubey was hit by four bullets in retaliatory firing by Uttar Pradesh State Task Force members, who tried to stop him from fleeing.

Vikas Dubey killed in an encounter while being taken to Kanpur from Madhya Pradesh | Oneindia News

He had three bullet injuries on the chest and one in the arm, Dr R B Kamal, the principal of Kanpur's LLR Hospital said while being quoted by ANI. Further, he also said that the condition of the three injured police personnel was stable.

He was shot dead, when he was trying to escape, following an accident involving one of the vehicles of the Special Task Force (STF), which was bringing him back to UP from Madhya Pradesh, where he was arrested on Thursday.

Vikas Dubey, man behind killing of 8 cops shot dead in encounter

After the accident, Dubey tried to escape. He snatched a police weapon and rain to a nearby field. The police say that they asked him to surrender, but he refused to do so.

The Kanpur police in a statement said that after being chased by the police team, he was asked to surrender, but he did not do so. Instead he began firing, with an intention of killing the policemen. The police team fired in self-defence after which Dubey was injured.

He was taken to hospital, where he died during treatment, the police also said.

The encounter took place at the Sachendi border in Kanpur. It may be recalled that three of his accomplices were also shot dead, while trying to escape.

Vikas Dubey encounter case: Heard gunshots, says eyewitness

Dubey was arrested outside the Mahakal temple in Ujjain on Thursday morning after a six-day manhunt following the Kanpur ambush in which eight policemen were gunned down.
Geneva, 4 July 2020 (SPS) - Namibia, via its permanent delegation to the United Nations Office in Geneva, said Thursday that it "will not go against the tide of history" on the issue of Western Sahara, noting its commitment to continue to defend the inalienable right of the Sahrawi people to independence.



"As a country that has experienced the same (colonial) situation, we are determined to stay on the right side of the story," said Collin O'Brien Namalambo, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Namibia in Geneva at a session of the Human Rights Council.



For his part, the Namibian diplomat replied to the Moroccan delegation, affirming that his country was committed to the promotion of the protection of human rights in all countries, including developing countries under foreign occupation, such as Western Sahara and Palestine.



These two peoples, "continue to be deprived of their right to self-determination," he said. (SPS)



062/SPS/APS
(CNN)  Companies often talk about the benefits of scale. And during a pandemic, it appears bigger can be better.

What's happening: A new analysis by Bank of America found that spending at big restaurant chains has "largely recovered," while small chains and independent eateries remain under pressure. It pointed to Chipotle as one player with a big presence whose shares could rise over the longer term.

"Larger chains [are] flexing [the] benefits of size," analysts Gregory Francfort and JonMichael Shekian told clients.

Chipotle's stock is up 33% this year. The company's investments in technology  one of such advantages  have helped it pivot to delivery and takeout, with digital sales shooting up 81% in the first quarter. Meanwhile, its commitment to food safety protocols following past scandals allowed it to quickly implement safeguards specific to the coronavirus.

Why it matters: Scale allows companies to paper over issues at struggling locations and spread out costs associated with new safety measures. That flexibility could be crucial as COVID-19 cases rise across parts of the United States, forcing at least two dozen states to pause or roll back reopening plans.

Still, size isn't a panacea. Walgreens said Thursday that it's cutting 4,000 jobs at its UK pharmacy chain Boots, which kept most of its stores open through lockdown. The company cited a "dramatic decline" in footfall.

UK shoppers are making a tentative return to shops as lockdown restrictions ease, according to a report Friday from the British Retail Consortium and ShopperTrak, a research firm.

But the country's High Streets, which host the top chains, remain under strain. Footfall declined by nearly 65% year-on-year in June. As non-essential stores began to reopen in second part of the month, traffic improved; but was still down 58% compared to 2019.

Governments are frantically trying to get people to feel comfortable shopping and dining out again. Earlier this week, UK finance minister Rishi Sunak announced that meals at participating restaurants, cafes, and pubs will be discounted by up to 10 ($12.61) per head from Monday to Wednesday for the month of August.

The path the virus takes could dictate the success of these efforts, however. In the United States, high-frequency data indicates that the number of seated diners at restaurants has been sliding since the July 4 holiday weekend as cases shoot up in some states.

There are signs of a pullback in activity even in states that have not reimposed restrictions, Andrew Hunter of Capital Economics told clients this week. That indicates that fears about the virus could outweigh messaging from the government  which would hit chains and independent stores alike.

Demand for oil could be hit by a rise in new infections

Oil supply hit a nine-year low in June as OPEC, its allies and producers in the United States pulled back to meet diminished demand for energy, the International Energy Agency said in a report released Friday.

That's helped push Brent crude futures, the global benchmark for oil prices, back above $40 per barrel. But the agency warned that the recent rise in coronavirus cases and the return of partial lockdowns "introduces more uncertainty into the forecast."

"While the oil market has undoubtedly made progress since 'Black April,' the large, and in some countries, accelerating number of COVID-19 cases is a disturbing reminder that the pandemic is not under control; and the risk to our market outlook is almost certainly to the downside," the IEA said.

The agency now expects demand to plunge by 7.9 million barrels per day this year, a slightly smaller decline than forecast in its previous report.

The April to June period wasn't quite as bad as expected, it said, with demand rebounding "strongly" in China and India this spring. In China, transport fuel deliveries actually surpassed 2019 levels in April and May.

That said, globally, demand for transport fuel is still "much lower" than it was one year ago, per the IEA.

And it's difficult to predict the effect of a virus resurgence in some regions. One one hand, a spike in cases could push more people to use cars, which would prop up fuel demand. But it could also just serve to reduce the amount of people moving around, limiting demand for energy.

Watch this space: Demand could also take a hit if governments enact large-scale clean energy programs as part of their economic recovery plans. The International Energy Agency hosted a summit Thursday with 40 government ministers to discuss how to reduce global emissions while boosting the economy.

A 'dangerous new normal' for the US job market

Week after week, the number of initial unemployment claims filed by Americans has declined. But the overall scale of applications for jobless benefits has remained stubbornly high, feeding fears among economists that the recovery is running into trouble.

The latest: Initial claims for the week ending July 4 came in at 1.3 million, down slightly from 1.4 million the previous week. That's well below the apex of nearly 6.9 claims reached in late March.

But Daniel Zhao, senior economist at Glassdoor, expressed concern about a "dangerous new normal."

"The decline in initial claims appears to be stalling out, with well over a million initial [unemployment insurance] claims being filed every week," he said in a blog post Thursday. "This level of [unemployment insurance] claims almost double the pre-crisis record was unthinkable just a few months ago."

James Knightley, chief international economist at ING, told clients that jobless claims have proved "far stickier than most analysts thought likely as the reopening got underway."

"Unfortunately, we don't expect to see meaningful declines from these huge numbers anytime soon," Knightley said.

The numbers should bolster Congress' resolve to pass additional stimulus measures, which are currently locked in partisan negotiations, said Joseph Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM. But he warned that "fiscal fatigue" appears to be taking hold.

This story was first published on CNN.com "Why it pays to be a chain during a pandemic"
KYODO NEWS - Jul 11, 2020 - 06:11 | Japan, World, All, Coronavirus

Japan and the United States on Friday confirmed their cooperation on North Korea as the reclusive state rebuffs calls to resume denuclearization negotiations, while Washington conveyed its continued readiness for dialogue with Pyongyang.

In a meeting in Tokyo, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi stressed to visiting U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun the need to strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance in an ever-changing security environment.

"It is crucial that Japan and the United States work together to maintain and bolster a free and open Indo-Pacific region," Motegi said.

Biegun, who was on a two-day visit to Tokyo after making a stop in Seoul to speak with South Korean officials, replied, "As we face new challenges in this era, it is ever more important for us to work closely together."

In separate meetings with Motegi and Defense Minister Taro Kono among other Japanese officials, Biegun "emphasized continued U.S. readiness to engage in dialogue with the DPRK," the State Department said, referring to the acronym for Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name.

Biegun also discussed with the Japanese officials "the importance of continued close cooperation with Japan and other like-minded partners on promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific and countering efforts by those who seek to undermine good governance and the rules-based international order," in an apparent reference to China, which has been flexing its muscles in territorial disputes in the South and East China seas.

The U.S. special representative for North Korea also met separately with Shigeru Kitamura, national security adviser to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Relations between the two Koreas have sunk to their lowest level in years following the North's demolition of an inter-Korean liaison office on its side of the border in mid-June.

Senior North Korean officials have also lashed out at the United States in recent days, rejecting the possibility of resuming negotiations that have been deadlocked since a summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and the North's leader Kim Jong Un collapsed in early 2019 over disagreements on sanctions relief.

Kim's sister and close aide, Kim Yo Jong, issued a statement Friday saying Pyongyang is not willing to arrange another summit this year unless Washington changes its stance.

The United States and its allies in Asia are facing security challenges including China's growing assertiveness, seen both in its actions in surrounding waters and the enactment of a new national security law in Hong Kong, a move that has drawn criticism for undermining the "one country, two systems" principle.

"In the time of coronavirus and COVID-19, we still have to worry about some country trying to change the status quo with force," Kono said in his meeting with Biegun.

Biegun is the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Japan since travel restrictions were imposed to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

He and his staff were exempted from the entry ban on people traveling from the United States and South Korea on condition that they be tested for COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus, and avoid contact with members of the public.
International students in the US  there are at least 200,000 from India  might have to leave the country or risk deportation, if their universities shift to online-only mode. The US also suspended for this year the H1-B visa programme, used by a lot of skilled Indian workers, last month. Kuwaits parliament has passed a bill putting quotas on the migrant population that could force 800,000 Indians to leave the country. And closer home, the Haryana government has issued an ordinance to reserve 75% private sector jobs for applicants from the state.

All are clear signs that the pandemic, and the economic disruption it has inflicted, has added to the already growing backlash against free movement of labour across the world.

At a time when India has also imbibed self-reliance as the cornerstone of post-pandemic recovery, there is a need to seriously examine the implications of such a sentiment.

World Bank data shows that India received the highest amount of personal remittances, $ 83.1 billion, in 2019. This is more than combined amount received by Mexico and Philippines, countries ranked second and third that year. Net personal remittances, or remittances received after subtracting remittances paid, for India were $75.6 billion in 2019. These numbers have been continuously increasing.

The net remittances received in 2019 amount to 2.6% of Indias GDP. To put this in perspective,the amount is more than double of what India spends on health. As is obvious, India will stand to lose the most if there is a major backlash against immigrant workers. (See Chart 1)

The importance of migrant workers in the Indian economy is not limited to those who cross international borders. The Economic Survey, an annual publication of the ministry of finance, estimated that almost a fourth of Indias workforce is made up of migrant workers. In their book How Lives Change: Palanpur, India and Development Economics, Himanshu, Peter Lanjouw and Nicholas Stern show that 70% of workers who left their villages for non-farm work travelled more than 50km . A third of such workers actually travelled at least 100km. A lot of them must have crossed state borders. A 2018 World Bank paper by Gaurav Nayyar and Kyoung Yang Kim found that migrant remittances had a share of 35% in Bihars gross state domestic product (GSDP) and positively affected consumption at the household level. Not all this migration is due to push factors, or poor income levels in states which send out migrants.

Migrant-receiving states are equally dependent. Southern states such as Tamil Nadu and Kerala, where population growth has slowed down considerably need more workers from states with high population growth to meet their labour requirements . While a lot of this migration is of unskilled workers, policies that hinder upward mobility for migrant workers are bound to create discontent. And the cascading effects of loss in remittance incomes will ultimately hurt demand in the country.

Any blanket policy which reserves jobs for local residents will also have an adverse effect on the talent pool available to enterprises. Annual Survey of Industry (ASI) data shows that 40% of Indias industrial jobs were located in just three states - Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Gujarat. If factories located in these three states were to hire just locals, or mostly locals, they would miss out on the talent pool available to them. Any such policy will also have serious consequences for Indias IT industry, which is concentrated in a handful of cities. (See Chart 2)

To be sure, the push for anti-immigrant policies has an objective basis. With economies in contraction mode across the globe, politicians are doing all they can to placate local workers, who are also voters. While such short-termism might be attractive at the moment, it can end up doing long term harm. Foreign students bring large amounts in tuition fees and a wealth of knowledge to the American higher education system. India rich states are critically dependent on migrants for a host of activities.

Political temptation for counterproductive policies during times of economic crises is not new. Economies tried to hurt each others exports by trade barriers or competitive devaluation during the Great Depression of the 1930s.

This is often referred to as a beggar-thy-neighbour policy. Because all countries replicated this, it only ended up worsening the situation. A century later, the world seems to have shifted from beggar-thy-neighbour to beggar-thy-neighbours worker.

As the highest recipient of remittances, it is in Indias interest to lead the charge against such a mindset. Doing this will require coherence in international and domestic policies.

Policies which institutionalise discrimination in dealing with migrant workers or state governments enacting legislations which exclude migrants from jobs are the opposite of what is required to demonstrate such coherence.

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In the melting hot summer of 2017, Le Thu Huong drove her motorbike 14km every noon to take her daughter to Bai Dinh Pagoda.

For a poor single mother who couldnt afford to send her kid to an English language centre but wanted her to speak English fluently, the tourist-crowded complex in her hometown in northern Ninh Binh Province was a godsend. Her daughter would get the chance to meet and talk to many native English speakers, Huong thought.

However, it was not an easy start. Pham Huong Mai, her eight-year-old daughter, refused to talk to anyone for the first three days.

The girl had practised speaking to herself for two years but starting a conversation with a stranger was a real challenge.

But her mother didnt give up.

She held my hand and showed me the way, Mai said.

She told me to say hi and introduce myself and asked me what the visitors said. I translated for her, and she would think of something for me to say to continue the conversation, and tell me in Vietnamese so I could say it in English.

I felt secure having my mum right beside me.

They did it every day for the next three months, carrying with them five bottles of water and several instant noodle packs for lunch, staying at the temple from 12pm until 3pm so Mai could speak English.

I cant remember exactly how many visitors we spoke to and how far we walked around tourism sites in our hometown, the mother said.

Pham Mai Huong guides foreign visitors around Bai Dinh Pagoda - the spiritual and cultural complex in her hometown in northern Ninh Binh Province.

When the summer holiday ended, the girl went back to school but they still went to practise English every weekend.

Ive seen the progress that my child has gained every single week. From a simple basic conversation, she knew how to keep the conversation going and never ran out of things to say after a short period of time. She no longer needed me to accompany her, Huong said.

Thats when the mother thought of a way to bring her English to a new level.

I told my kid to try introducing Bai Dinh Pagoda to foreigners. It was a serious job and needed a lot of practice, she said.

Living in a small rural village in Nho Quan Districts Son Ha Commune, the mother had no one to seek advice from. All she had to do was the internet on her old laptop  one of the most valuable things she owned at that time.

Theres an ocean of Vietnamese information on the internet. I had to translate it into English, write it down into a notebook and help my child learn this knowledge, Huong recalled.

The work consumed more time than she thought. Working as a farmer in the rice fields all day and not speaking a word of English, Huong stayed up till 1-2am preparing lessons for her kid to be a tour guide. And Mai spent up to three hours every day learning about the pagoda.

Their hard work paid off and the story of the little tour guide quickly spread thanks to her thorough knowledge about the structure, history and data involved in the complex of the spiritual site on Bai Dinh Mountain and fluent English ability.

In mid-December 2017, Mai appeared in the ao dai (traditional long dress) in the VTV television series Little Big Shots Vietnam. The little girl impressed the audience with her confidence and fluency when presenting an eight-minute-long bilingual introduction about Bai Dinh Pagoda in her hometown.

Mai was 10 years old at the time.

Huong improves her English speaking skill by giving a tour to foreign visitors around Bai Dinh Pagoda. Photos courtesy of Le Thu Huong

Ive strived to nurture a passion for my kid by helping her learn English. I want her to dream big and fly high. Theres nothing you can do in a small corner of the house, Huong said.

Big things start with small steps

In fact, to prepare for the future, the mother and daughter have made a lot of things in the small corner of her house.

The eight-square-metre area, located between the bed and the kitchen and divided by aluminium sheets, was Mais study space. A small bookshelf occupied most of the space. A tiny table was on the bed, where Mai sat to study next to the pillows and blanket. The aluminium sheets were used as the board. It was full of English new words, phrases and grammar structures. On the old wall were certificates Mai earned thanks to her excellent academic performance.

Huong said she made a monthly income of roughly VND2 million (US$86.6), so sending her kid to an English language centre was out of the question.

Theres one thing I know for sure is that I must be with her, accompany her, encourage and push her forwards on her study journey, the mother said.

It was a long journey when Huong chose to conquer the new language by herself.

Huong decided to cut half of her workload and used every minute of her day when her child went to school to study speaking skills and pronunciation on the laptop. At noon, she would practise speaking with her child.

Huong set a rule for both two of them  spending at least 30 minutes reading English books and listening to native English speakers two hours per day. To have enough time to do it, Huong copied English songs and short conversations and played them when Mai was bathing or eating.

That's been their routine every single day for three years.

Mai slowly made progress from saying a single word to speaking a long conversation with a broad vocabulary.

When my child reached an intermediate level, I had nothing to teach her, Huong said. I shot video clips of her speaking and posted them on the internet to get comments for her to correct and improve herself.

Mai has also learned how to create a mind map, give a presentation and made her own YouTube channel to share experience in learning English.

New milestone

Last winter, the mother and daughter took a bus to Hanoi to take the entrance exam for Doan Thi Diem Secondary School, a top private school in the city. Mai earned a full scholarship.

It was a milestone in our life. It was such a good chance for my daughter that I couldnt say no, Huong said.

Huong had never left her hometown before and had no experience in moving to another place. She found a 10sq.m house at the cost of VND2 million ($86.6) near the new school and sold fresh fruits to earn a living.

The mother and daughter have adapted to their new life and new school well. Huong also helps two of her nieces back in her hometown to apply for a full scholarship at Doan Thi Diem Secondary School with the same method that she used with her daughter.

After learning about her story, many parents have contacted her via Facebook to seek advice for their kids. Huong has created three groups to help parents exchange experience in the journey to help their kids learn English, maths, and Vietnamese.

Shes a brave person in my eyes and has done everything for me. I have a full life because of her, Mai said.

Currently, the mother and daughter are studying English at EV Academy, an online school base in England following the UK national education curriculum, as a way of preparing for Mais big dream  studying abroad.

Huong is now working on a book about the journey to knowledge. The book is expected to be published by the end of this year. VNS

Khanh Linh

Ninh Binh's time to shine The magnificent province of Ninh Binh, home to winding water flows among beautiful karsts, rice fields and lotus swamps, the natural studio for the blockbuster Kong: Skull Island is now back in the national spotlight.
PENSACOLA, Fla.  It all happened so fast.

Davon Hill's family thought he was going to turn the corner in his battle against COVID-19 after he was placed on a ventilator and given convalescent plasma at the Santa Rosa Medical Center in Milton, according to his adopted parents, Timothy and Donna Hendrix.

On July 1, doctors told the family that the 24-year-old's vital signs looked great, and they were optimistic he would soon be off the ventilator.

But after 1 a.m. July 2, the family received another call, this time telling them that Hill's condition had worsened and they needed to come to the hospital.

Davon Hill

By the time they arrived, Hill had passed away.

"Everything just stopped," Donna Hendrix said in an interview Wednesday with the News Journal. "His organs just shut down within minutes. It was just horrible."

Hill is the youngest person in Northwest Florida to die from COVID-19. His death was officially recorded by the Florida Department of Health on Wednesday as a 24-year-old Escambia County resident, although he lived with the Hendrix family in Milton. His biological family lives in Pensacola.

The young man's friendly and "bubbly" personality made him well-known throughout Milton, where he worked at the local Whataburger restaurant.

"He was never grumpy," said Donna Hendrix. "That's why people at Whataburger, even the elderly people at Whataburger, know him so well because he's so bubbly, all the time. Always has been. He would give you the shirt off his back. I mean, he is  he was  so kind to everybody."

Christa Sievers, one of Hill's close friends he met working at Whataburger, said Hill never met a stranger.

"Whenever anybody passes away, people want to say, 'Oh, they're a great person and everything,' but he genuinely was," Sievers said. "He gave off this energy that nobody else has ever given off, just this loving energy. And if he's in a room you feel welcome, no matter where you are, he just has like this welcoming presence."

Story continues

Symptoms quickly escalated

Donna Hendrix, an Escambia County teacher, met Hill when he was in the fourth grade after his family relocated to Pensacola from New Orleans as evacuees from Hurricane Katrina.

She became a mentor to him, and eventually the Hendrix family took Hill into their home, where he spent weekends, holidays and summers with the family. When he graduated from Booker T. Washington High School, he moved in with the family.

Hill's symptoms started June 22 when he had a sore throat but no fever. By the next day, he had a fever.

"It went downhill from there," Donna Hendrix said. "It was really quick. The sore throat, the body aches, the coughing."

Click below to hear more stories of COVID-19 symptoms.

She insisted Hill get a test at the University of West Florida testing site, and while waiting on results, he went to the emergency room at the Santa Rosa Medical Center. He was told he had pneumonia and strep throat.

Two days later, he went back to the ER and was admitted to the hospital. A test at the hospital came back negative for COVID-19, but a pulmonologist who treated him insisted that despite the test, Hill had the virus, Donna Hendrix said.

He was moved to an intensive care unit, and the test from the UWF site came back with a positive result for COVID-19.

Donna Hendrix said she felt like the treatment he received was "being made up as they went along." She said the idea of convalescent plasma, a treatment involving an infusion of antibodies from donated plasma from someone who has recovered from the virus, was only brought up after she mentioned it.

COVID-19 deaths among young people remain rare

COVID-19 fatality rates for young adults remains low, with a 0.016% fatality rate for people 15 to 24, according to Dr. Wesley Farr, a professor of environment health and infectious diseases for the University of West Florida Department of Public Health.

Many of the cases involve underlying health conditions like obesity, chronic lung disease, asthma or diabetes, Farr said, but there are cases were seemingly healthy people develop complications.

"Even healthy young people and adults who get COVID-19 infection, there still is a small risk that they'll get severe disease and a very small risk of fatality," Farr said.

Timothy Hendrix said while Hill was "heavy," but worked out every day and was otherwise healthy. The family said they weren't aware of any underlying conditions.

Tragedy pushes family to warn others

The Hendrix family is now quarantining themselves in their home and will not be able to attend Hill's funeral Friday at Christian Family Funeral home.

Donna Hendrix said she worried about Hill working during the pandemic, but he told her that he was wearing a mask at work. She questions why this happened to Hill, who she has called "D" since she was his teacher.

"Why did it happen to D? And is it going to just spread like wildfire?" she said. "It's almost like I have my life before he passed away, and now after he's passed away. And the after passed away is like you're in a solitary confinement, because you're not going to go anywhere. And you're not going to let your families go anywhere. It's just horrible."

Post by timothy.hendrix.7.

Timothy Hendrix posted a heartfelt message about Hill's death on Facebook earlier week. He said he did so because he wanted to share that the virus was real and should be taken seriously.

"It was just so hard to believe when no one you know or they know has been affected by it," he said. "I posted what I did because you couldn't find a bigger nonbeliever than me."

The couple both said they want people to understand that the virus has very real consequences.

"You wouldn't believe the number of posts that say that it's all fake, and it's just things that politically people are making up and it's just if they only knew," Donna Hendrix said. "It doesn't have anything to do with your political affiliation."

Follow Jim Little on Twitter: @JimWLittle.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: COVID death of 24-year-old Florida man Davon Hill shocks community
In a lengthy July 3 article, the New York Times extensively documented a right-wing extremist conspiracy involving sections of the German military, intelligence agencies and police to carry out a violent uprising on Day X. The article, based on a year-long investigation, documents wide-ranging far-right networks within the military and police, the infiltration of the elite special forces unit (KSK) by fascists and the growing influence of right-wing extremist political forces like the Alternative for Germany (AfD).

Headlined As neo-Nazis seed military ranks, Germany confronts an enemy within, the article details how shadowy networks for planning attacks and storing weapons have been tolerated and even supported by army commanders for years. One former KSK commander, Gen. Reinhard Gunzel, published a book in which he likened the KSK to the Waffen-SS, the Nazi stormtroopers notorious for carrying out numerous mass executions of Jews during the Holocaust.

In a raid on the house of just one KSK soldier in May, investigators found two kilograms of PETN plastic explosives, a detonator, a fuse, an AK-47, a silencer, two knives, a crossbow and thousands of rounds of ammunition, according to the Times. Another former KSK member nicknamed Hannibal ran a chat group in which the plotting of terrorist attacks were discussed. Several members of the group are under investigation, and one has been placed on trial. Interviewed by the Times, Hannibal described his group as being about war gaming against gangs, Islamists and antifa, who are the enemy troops on our ground.

The Times piece appeared just days after Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer was forced to announce the restructuring of the KSK, including the disbanding of one of its companies, due to its emergence as a hotbed for right-wing extremists. This extraordinary event, which illustrates how the German state apparatus and security forces are increasingly dominated by neo-Nazis 75 years after the collapse of Hitlerite fascism, forced the Times and a host of newspapers internationally to report on a reality they have largely sought to ignore for years.

Recalling political conditions during the Weimar Republic following World War I, the Times article paints a picture of a nominally democratic state confronting far-right conspiracies on all sides, above all from within. Right-wing extremist networks are hoarding weapons, maintaining safe houses, and in some cases keeping lists of political enemies to execute, the Times noted. Within the KSK alone, 48,000 rounds of munition and 62 kilograms of explosives have gone missing.

The Times article pointed to the comments of Brenton Tarrant, the far-right terrorist who gunned down dozens of Muslim worshippers in a mass shooting at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, to the effect that hundreds of thousands of soldiers in Europes militaries hold fascist and right-wing nationalist views. It continued, Germanys military counterintelligence agency is now investigating more than 600 soldiers for far-right extremism, out of 184,000 in the military. Some 20 of them are in the KSK, a proportion that is five times higher than in other units.

But the German authorities are concerned that the problem may be far larger and that other security institutions have been infiltrated as well. Over the past 13 months, far-right terrorists have assassinated a politician, attacked a synagogue and shot dead nine immigrants and German descendants of immigrants.

The true extent of the far-right infiltration remains unclear, the Times continued, because sections of the intelligence agencies are dominated by right-wing extremists as well. It referred to a tip-off given to KSK soldiers by a military counter-intelligence agent about a raid in May, before quoting Stephan Kramer, president of the domestic intelligence agency in the state of Thuringia, as saying, What we are dealing with is an enemy within.

The author of the article, Katrin Bennfold, observed that military and intelligence officials and avowed far-right members told her about nationwide networks of current and former soldiers and police officers with ties to the far-right. Some media outlets describe it as a shadow army, recalling the campaign of assassinations, coup plots and conspiracies conducted by far-right forces within the military during the Weimar Republic with the aim of overturning bourgeois democracy.

In many cases, soldiers have used the networks to prepare for when they predict Germanys democratic order will collapse, continued the Times, in perhaps its most startling revelation. They call it Day X. Officials worry it is really a pretext for inciting terrorist acts, or worse, a putsch.

For many Times readers, the news that Germany, held up by ruling circles as one of Europes leading democracies following the defeat of Nazism in 1945, faces the imminent threat of a military coup by the far-right will have come as a surprise. However, the reality is that the same objective contradictions of capitalism that led the German bourgeoisie to back the installation of Hitler as Chancellor in January 1933 behind the backs of a hostile working class are propelling its descendants towards the cultivation of the far-right and outright fascist forces. On the one hand, German imperialism is confronted by the necessity of advancing more ruthlessly its predatory economic and geostrategic interests around the world under conditions of accelerating tensions between the major powers. On the other, it faces deep-seated opposition among working people to its policies of austerity and war.

The German Trotskyists of the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (SGP) and the World Socialist Web Site warned from the outset that the attempt to develop a more aggressive foreign policy to assert German imperialist interests on the world stage was intimately bound up with the rehabilitation of right-wing extremist views and the promotion of pro-Nazi forces. The SGP declared in a September 2014 resolution adopted at a special conference against war, The propaganda of the post-war erathat Germany had learnt from the terrible crimes of the Nazis, had arrived at the West, had embraced a peaceful foreign policy, and had developed into a stable democracyis exposed as lies. German imperialism is once again showing its real colours as it emerged historically, with all of its aggressiveness at home and abroad.

This resolution was adopted in opposition to the statements of German President Joachim Gauck, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and Defence Minister Ursula Von der Leyen, who all proclaimed at the 2014 Munich Security Conference that the era of German military restraint was over. Germany was too large to comment on world politics from the sidelines, argued Steinmeier, before going on to call for a more decisive and substantial intervention by the armed forces in foreign military operations.

The same month Gauck, Steinmeier and Von der Leyen delivered their remarks, Jorg Baberowski, a professor of Eastern European history at Berlins Humboldt University, told Der Spiegel magazine, Hitler was not a psychopath, he was not vicious. He did not want to talk about the extermination of the Jews at his table.

Not a single voice from academia or the political establishment was raised against this gross falsification of history by Baberowski, who also proclaimed his support for Ernst Nolte, the most well-known pro-Nazi historian in post-war Germany. On the contrary, Baberowski and his co-thinkers were defended and supported by Humboldt Universitys management, which declared attacks in the media on him to be unacceptable. This support extended beyond Germany, with Princeton University awarding Baberowski a research grant of $300,000 for his work on dictatorship, which the professor studies as a legitimate and even popular alternative political order to democratic forms of rule. When Baberowski travelled to Princeton in the spring of 2019 to attend a closed-door conference, he was accompanied by his research assistant Fabian Thunemann, who was identified as a leading participant in a neo-Nazi demonstration in the German city of Hannover in 1998. (See: Why did Princeton University provide funding for the German right-wing extremist Jorg Baberowski?)

While Baberowskis far-right rewriting of history enjoyed sympathetic backing from the media and academia, the SGP and its student organization were subjected to a vicious media campaign. In 2018, the SGP was placed on a watch list by the Secret Service for being left-wing extremist. In its justification of the move, the intelligence agency, which was headed at the time by the AfD sympathiser Hans-Georg Maassen, argued that the struggle for a democratic, egalitarian, socialist society and agitation against alleged imperialism and militarism are anti-constitutional, i.e., illegal.

The reason for this ruthless response was that the SGPs opposition to Baberowski, the trivialisation of the Nazis crimes, and the revival of German militarism cut across the ruling elites conspiracy to shift politics sharply to the right. The neo-fascist AfD has been systematically built up since its founding in 2013. After it secured 12.6 percent of the vote in the 2017 federal election and became the first fascist party since 1945 to be represented in the federal Parliament, Steinmeier, who was by then German president, met with the AfDs leaders and urged other parties to dismantle the walls of irreconcilability around the AfD and strive for German patriotism. Several months later, the Christian Democrats and Social Democrats concluded the formation of a new grand coalition government, which had the effect of making the AfD the official opposition party in Parliament.

The AfD has since been able to dictate large parts of the grand coalitions policy, particularly in the areas of immigration and refugees. All of the parliamentary parties ensured that positions were left open at the head of important parliamentary committees for the far-right party to fill.

In February, the liberal Free Democrats and Christian Democrats took this cooperation with the AfD to its next logical step in the state of Thuringia, where they relied on the votes of the neo-fascists to elect the FDPs Thomas Kemmerich as the states Minister President. Widespread popular outrage over the first Minister President in a post-war German state to be elected with the votes of a fascist party forced Kemmerich to resign soon afterwards. (See: Sound the alarm! Political conspiracy and the resurgence of fascism in Germany)

It is within this reactionary right-wing political climate that the activities of fascist terrorists and coup plotters in and around the military, police and intelligence agencies have flourished.

The fact that the Times now feels compelled to report so explicitly on the danger of right-wing extremist networks speaks to the deepening crisis of bourgeois rule under conditions of world capitalist breakdown that are unprecedented since the 1930s. Faced with glaring levels of social inequality, a resurgence of inter-imperialist rivalries and the erosion of democratic forms of rule, ruling elites everywhere are turning to authoritarian and right-wing extremist forces to defend their interests against the working class at home and their national competitors abroad. As Trotsky wrote in 1929, analysing the growing trend towards dictatorship in Europe and the strengthening of fascist forces, The excessively high tension of the international struggle and the class struggle results in the short circuit of the dictatorship, blowing out the fuses of democracy one after the other.

While the infiltration of the German military and state apparatus by fascist forces with the backing of the political establishment is the most graphic example of this process, no less dangerous developments are under way in other leading capitalist countries.

In neighbouring France, President Emmanuel Macron has lauded the legacy of Nazi collaborator Philippe Petain as a national hero and ordered a brutal military-style crackdown on Yellow Vest protesters, resulting in fatalities and the maiming of hundreds.

In the United States, Trump continues to cultivate a base of support among far-right and fascist layers, as shown most recently by his retweeting of a video showing one of his supporters shouting white power. Confronted by mass, multi-racial protests against police brutality in early June, the US president responded by initiating a military coup with the aim of creating an authoritarian regime under his personal command.

Far-right and fascistic forces are also being promoted in Canada, including to intimidate and disperse working class struggles. Just a day prior to the publication of the Times expose of the far-right in Germany, an army reservist motivated by right-wing extremist views launched a failed assassination attempt against Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

There could be nothing more criminally light-minded than to underestimate the threat from the fascist far-right. But unlike the 1920s and 1930s, the far-right in Germany and elsewhere does not yet enjoy a mass following. In fact, the AfD and its backers are widely despised among the broad masses of the population, who have not forgotten the barbaric crimes perpetrated by the Nazis throughout Europe, above all the Holocaust. The far-rights apparent strength comes exclusively from the fact that it has powerful allies within the ruling elite and its state apparatus.

To prevent the far-right conspiracies of the ruling elites in Germany and other countries from succeeding, the widespread working class hatred towards right-wing extremism must be transformed into a conscious political movement against the revival of fascism and militarism, and the rotten capitalist profit system in which this process is rooted. Above all, this requires the building of the International Committee of the Fourth International as the revolutionary leadership of the international working class.
Ghislaine Maxwell was given paper clothing to wear upon her entry into the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn this week because federal officials feared the long-time confidante of financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein might attempt to take her own life while in jail.

The Associated Press (AP) quoted an anonymous official Thursday who said, they took away her clothes and bedsheets and put in place other measures at the federal jail in New York City that extend far beyond the measures federal officials took when they first arrested her in New Hampshire last week.

In addition to suicide concerns, the federal official told the AP that the US Department of Justice (DoJ) has added extra security precautions and placed federal officials outside the Bureau of Prisons in charge of ensuring there is adequate protection for Maxwell in order to help prevent other inmates from harming her.

Ghislaine Maxwell with Jeffrey Epstein in 2005 [Photo Credit: US Justice Department]

The AP report said, The other protocols put in place for Maxwells confinement include ensuring that she has a roommate in her cell, that she is monitored and that someone is always with her while shes behind bars, the official said.

The official also told the AP that the special precautions are being taken with Maxwell, in part, because Epstein, 66, was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell last summer while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. The AP source said that Epstein had killed himself, but his death spawned conspiracy theories despite a medical examiner ruling it a suicide.

From this description, it appears that the leaked details of Maxwells imprisonment are aimed at reinforcing the official line that Jeffrey Epstein died from suicidal hanging instead of being murdered, as much of the evidence surrounding his death indicates and has been determined by independent medical experts who were present for the autopsy the day after he was discovered unconscious in his jail cell.

That Maxwell was given paper clothing and federal officials were fearful she might take her own life was also confirmed by ABC News with two federal law enforcement sources. The ABC News report also said, Its unclear whether Maxwell has been placed on suicide watch, and that the paper clothing requirement is standard procedure for high-profile inmates or new inmates.

On Wednesday, ABC News spoke to Attorney General William Barr about the DoJs handling of Maxwell, who was arrested on July 2 and accused of facilitating Epsteins crimes and participating in the abuse of teenage girls as young as 14 between 1994 and 1997. Also going on about the death of Epstein, Barr said he is keeping a close watch to make sure that Maxwell makes it to trial.

We have asked [the Bureau of Prisons] to tell us specifically the protocols theyre following, and we have a number of redundant systems to monitor the situation, the Attorney General said. Barr claimed he was livid about Epsteins death while in custody on August 10.

Real estate listing for the one million dollar residence where Ghislaine Maxwell was living when she was arrested by federal agents on July 2

I believe very strongly in that case, Barr told ABC News. And I was very proud of the work done by the department, the Southern District [of New York], on that case. And as you will recall, after he committed suicide, I said that I was confident that we would continue to pursue this case vigorously and pursue anyone whos complicit in it. And so, Im very happy that we were able to get Ms. Maxwell.

Except it took Barr and federal law enforcement officials 47 weeks to pick up Maxwell, who was known for decades to be Epsteins closest associate in planning and hosting high-society social gatherings on his private Boeing 727-200 passenger jetdubbed the Lolita Expressand at his multimillion dollar residences in New York City, Palm Beach, Paris, New Mexico and the private Little St. James Island in the Caribbean.

Maxwell was picked up on July 2 at a $1 million 156-acre secluded residence in Bedford, New Hampshire that she had purchased for cash through a carefully anonymized LLC in December 2019. According to prosecutors in New York City, Maxwell went to great lengths to conceal her whereabouts and has been hiding out mostly in New England.

In particular, the defendant has effectively been in hiding for approximately a year, since an indictment against Epstein was unsealed in July 2019, prosecutors say. Maxwell also moved at least twice, switched her phone number and registered it under the name G Max, and changed her email address and ordered packages under a different name.

Prosecutors also disclosed in unsealing the indictment of Maxwell that she has 15 different bank accounts, some with balances of more than $20 million and she holds other accounts in foreign countries containing more than $1 million. The court documents show that Maxwell moved large amounts of cash last year, including $300,000 from one account to another last July when Epstein was indicted.

Given the electronic and geolocation surveillance capabilities of the DoJ and FBI, even with official FISA Court authorized spying on individuals, none of the above actions by Maxwell represent a credible reason for why it took so long for federal authorities to locate her. It also does not explain why no one else has been arrested in connection with Epsteins decades-long sexual abuse and trafficking of underage girls internationally to his elite friends and associates.

A more plausible explanation for the delay in picking up Maxwell is that the DoJ needed time to work out who, among the long list of well-connected individuals associated with Epsteins international sex ring, is going to take the fall and how his victims are going to be compensated.

One indication that these details have already been arranged is the agreement announced on Tuesday that Deutsche Bank would pay $150 million in fines to settle with the New York State Department of Financial Services because it inexcusably failed to detect or prevent millions of dollars of suspicious transactions within Jeffrey Epsteins accounts going back to 2013.

Others have publicly discussed the events of the past week and done so without concealing their identity. Spencer Kuvin, an attorney who represents several of Epsteins victims in Palm Beach, Florida, said he believes Maxwell will either take her own life or be silenced by powerful people.

It may be that she cant handle the fear of whats going to happen to her and takes matters into her own hands or there will be people who are very afraid of what she has to say, Kuvin told the U.S. Sun. He then added that Maxwell is not going to get out of jail alive. I think she knows way too much informationI just have this gut feeling.

On Tuesday at the time of Maxwells transfer from New Hampshire to New York City, Cameron Lindsay, a former warden at the MDC, told Reuters, You go from living a life like Maxwell to all of a sudden being in a situation where youre being strip-searched and having people look into your body cavities. That is a crushing experience.

Lindsay said MDC officials had to decide whether to keep Maxwell in her 10-foot-by-12-foot cell alone or house her with another female prisoner. A cellmate might help prevent her from attempting suicide, but Lindsay said the nature of her charges and her high profile also makes her a target for other prisoners. Injuring Maxwell, would be a badge of honor, said Lindsay.

Maxwell is scheduled to be arraigned via video stream from the Brooklyn jail to a Manhattan courtroom on Monday. If convicted on all six counts, she faces up to 35 years in prison. Maxwells attorneys have made no public statements about the indictment of their client and have not responded to requests for comments from news media.
LONDON/BERLIN/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - If Donald Trump loses in November, its no secret that most European policymakers will be happy to see his back. But as they envision the possibility of a post-Trump future, many are wondering how quickly the trans-Atlantic alliance can be fixed.

Despite U.S. opinion polls showing Biden ahead, officials in capitals across Europe say they are making no assumptions about the likely outcome of the U.S. election.

Having failed to anticipate Trumps first victory, the German government already burned its fingers, said Jurgen Hardt, foreign affairs spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkels CDU party and an expert on U.S.-German ties. I do not have the impression that the German government is waiting for another president  and I would advise them not to do it.

Still, when they allow themselves to look ahead to the prospect of a Biden presidency, they dont necessarily see an instant resumption of the easier Barack Obama years. Though tone and style would shift overnight, policy substance on issues from China to Russia to trade could take longer to overhaul.

I dont expect that, if we have a new president, everything will just fall into place, said Reinhard Buetikofer, a trade expert for the Greens in the European Parliament.

At best, if Biden wins, Buetikofer sees a chance for revisiting and reforming multilateralism after years of open U.S. hostility to institutions from NATO and the EU to the World Health Organization and the World Trade Organization.

There are areas where frictions created by Trump could disappear as soon as Trump does: on climate policy, for example, a President Biden is likely to jump straight back into the Paris climate change accord that Trump quit.

The WTO trade dispute mechanism that has collapsed because of a U.S. veto of the appointment of judges could be put back together quickly.

European countries that have prized Western unity in rebuffing Russian advances in Ukraine will no longer have to worry that the president of the United States will invite Vladimir Putin to a G7 summit without consulting them, as Trump did last month.

We would review all of the decisions that President Trump has taken, Antony Blinken, Bidens senior adviser on foreign policy, told Reuters, referring specifically to Trumps threat in recent weeks to withdraw U.S. troops from Germany.

IRAN, CHINA, TRADE

But there are also issues where a Biden presidency may not be able to simply pick up where Obama left off.

On Iran, for example, Europe has spent the past three years trying to salvage an Obama-era agreement to lift sanctions in return for curbs on Tehrans nuclear programme. But so much has happened since Trump abandoned the pact in 2018, and so much has unravelled, it may be too late to save it.

And there are other issues where Europe and the United States have real differences that are not going to be simple to resolve, even with a friendlier figure in the White House.

On China, Bidens team wants to take a closer look at the security implications of Beijings investment in European infrastructure such as ports, said Julianne Smith, a former Obama-era national security official advising Bidens campaign.

Biden is not expected to be any happier than Trump was about European countries plans to incorporate technology from Chinas Huawei, the worlds biggest telecoms equipment maker, in their next generation mobile phone networks.

On trade, while Biden is not likely to be as trigger happy as Trump has been to impose tariffs on allies, there are serious disputes. Germany, for example, wants to help the exports of its big car manufacturers.

With the elections months away, European countries are still working on their own issues with the U.S. administration.

In the Netherlands, that means discussing whether Dutch chipmaker ASML should have a license to export technology to China. In France, the focus is on plans to tax big, mostly American tech companies, after Washington scuppered global talks.

European countries with nationalist leaders that have enjoyed warmer ties with Trump may use the next few months to consolidate diplomatic gains. Poland aims to solidify plans for a Fort Trump - a long sought-after base of U.S. troops.

But any big changes in the trans-Atlantic relationship will have to wait at least until November, said the Paris-based ambassador of a large EU country, predicting a moment of confrontation if Trump should win another term.

Everybody is keeping their fingers crossed and will wait.

(This story has been refiled to correct spelling of first name to Antony instead of Anthony, paragraph 11).
As weve seen in this pandemic, fear and ignorance are the ultimate risk to public health. Misinformation and confusion spawn a chaotic response  whether its public policy or panic buying.

When it comes to racism, fear and ignorance are lethal  causing harm to Black people, Indigenous communities and immigrants across Canada.

Its no coincidence that were having a consciousness-raising moment. In times of crisis, the ongoing acts of fear, ignorance and hate that pervade our society spike. We cant look away. The evidence is everywhere.

On June 22, the Angus Reid Institute and the University of Alberta released a poll showing the impact of racism on Asian Canadians in this crisis. Of the 516 Chinese Canadians who responded, 43 per cent reported being threatened or intimidated; eight per cent report being physically attacked.

A new Institute for Canadian Citizenship-Leger poll reinforces the findings, examining discrimination against the broader immigrant community.

The Leger poll compared the responses of nearly 1,000 new Canadians against members of the general public.

Again, the Asian community is being targeted, with 53 per cent of Asian immigrants reporting that theyve been judged or discriminated against.

New Canadians from all backgrounds expressed concern about negative reactions in their daily lives  whether they wear masks, run errands or take transit. A full 63 per cent of the new Canadians (and 81 per cent of Chinese Canadians) are uneasy every time they take a bus or other form of transit, even though they must.

They worry about the discrimination they will face should they have to share possible symptoms of illness with their co-workers.

These polls bolster reports of racism from immigrants on the front line who have shared their real-life experience, from a Filipino physiotherapist mistaken for a cleaning worker to a Black health-care aide whose credentials are regularly questioned and is described as just the help.

The health pandemic is leading to a pandemic of racism, and that should be a cause for concern for everyone.

Immigrants are taking on a high degree of risk on the front line to look after their fellow Canadians. One in four is a health-care worker. Nearly one in two is an essential service worker.

As they are disproportionately targeted with verbal slurs, attacks and even physical assault, the immigrants who serve us are suffering  mentally and physically. That suffering comes at a cost to their families, their communities, and ultimately to us all.

Racism is not just a social ill, its a public health threat. The antidote is education, awareness and action.

From protesters to police leaders to parliamentarians, Canadians are acknowledging systemic racism. But while many demand new laws and policies, it will take a systemic response.

It will take individual and group actions at the community level, and not just in government. We need to be better allies. We need to speak up when we witness racism.

We need to stand together with those Canadians  Black, Indigenous, Asian, newcomers  who are bearing a disproportionate impact of the pandemic.

One heartening result from the poll is that more Canadians  especially younger Canadians and people of colour  believe this crisis will bring diverse communities closer together.

Martin Luther King Jr. said, The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. Lets leverage our strength to bend that arc. Lets stand together to demand justice.
Kanpur: The Uttar Pradesh Police said gangster Vikas Dubey was killed in an encounter after a police vehicle carrying him from Ujjain to Kanpur met with an accident and he tried to escape from the spot.

Inspector-General of Police (Kanpur) Mohit Agarwal said Dubey snatched a 9mm pistol from Inspector Ramakant Pachauri and tried to flee from the spot following the road accident at Barra area in Kanpur. He said Dubey tried to flee after snatching a 9 mm pistol from Inspector Ramakant Pachauri but was surrounded by the police team and he was injured in an exchange of fire.

According to reports, the gangster suffered bullet injuries on his leg and chest. He was immediately rushed to the Hallet Hospital where he was declared dead by doctors.

Senior Superintendent of Police (Kanpur) Dinesh Kumar P said that the accident took place in the morning when it was raining heavily and the police vehicle overturned near Kanpur. Prashant Kumar, ADG (Law and Order), Uttar Pradesh said an official statement on the encounter will be released shortly.

Meanwhile, a high-level meeting is underway at Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's official residence. According to reports, senior police officials including DGP are briefing the CM Yogi on the incident.

In a related development, authorities have beefed up security outside the gangster's now razed residence in Bikru village in Kanpur. His wife Richa Dubey and sons, who were on July 9 arrested in Lucknow, will be brought to Kanpur today.

Here's a timeline of event that led to Vikas Dubey's encounter on Kanpur encounter:

STF convoy carrying gangster Vikas Dubey from Ujjain to Kanpur on Friday morning. Several vehicles of media organisations were accompanying the convoy.

The convoy crossed the Kanpur Dehat border at around 6:40 am.

At around 7:15-7:30 am, the STF vehicle carrying Dubey overturned near the Sachendi Pass.

Taking advantage of the situation, Dubey snatched 9 mm pistol of police personnel and tried to flee from the spot. He suffered bullet injuries in the cross-firing which ensued thereafter.

He was taken to the Hallet Hospital where he was declared brought dead by doctors.

Raising question on the encounter, the Opposition parties, including Congress, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party, demanded a CBI probe into the incident alleging that the criminal was killed to save those who were supporting him in his dreadful activities.
Grade 9 math will be the first subject to be destreamed in Ontario, starting in 2021  meaning no more applied-level math classes that, if taken, leave teens with almost no chance of going to university.

If the system is broken, they cant achieve their goals, Premier Doug Ford said Thursday at Queens Park, noting that just half of Black students in the provinces high schools are in the post-secondary-bound academic level courses.

Our Black, Indigenous and racialized students face more social and economic barriers to success than their fellow students, Ford also said. And thats just not right. They deserve the same shot at their dreams as any other young person their age.

The provinces move to destream  which educators have urged for decades, saying the practice disproportionately disadvantages Black and racialized students  was first revealed by the Star. It is part of a new education equity strategy that will also ban most suspensions for kids in kindergarten to Grade 3 and see stricter punishments for teachers who make racist comments.

I want to make something crystal clear: racism, anti-Semitism, homophobia, Islamophobia and any kind of hate whatsoever has no place in our classrooms, Ford said. Any teacher who engages in this type of behaviour or who makes hateful slurs, theyre done. Theyre gone.

Education Minister Stephen Lecce said with a new elementary math curriculum this fall, and updated lessons for Grade 9 math coming in 2021, that will be the first curriculum in Ontario that will be destreamed for Grade 9.

Ontario is the only province in the country that streams in Grade 9, Lecce said, noting that the OECD, which represents developed nations, has recommended moving streaming to later, Grade 10 or 11; well be moving that back. And I think, to be quite honest with you, this is going to open a conversation about streaming and the efficacy of streaming.

He noted that the Toronto District School Board began merging academic and applied courses two years ago, and what they have seen is they maintain the integrity of learning for those students that were in the academic stream, if you will, as likewise, while lifting up the performance of those students who are in the applied stream, which is backed up by testing data.

And so, the fact is, they both can be achieved.

He did not provide specifics on other courses that might be destreamed, but some Toronto schools have done so for English or French.

Experts have applauded the move but say, for it to work, students will need to be in smaller classes and have extra supports.

Education Professor Charles Pascal said the change is not enough. Starting with one subject? Clueless. Systemic barriers to destreaming success (are) deep and crosscutting. Heres another example of superficial messaging, he tweeted.

Liz Stuart, president of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association, said the decision was made before any genuine consultation or planning has been carried out. Research and experience suggests that to have the intended effect, destreaming should be accompanied by reduced class sizes, strict guidelines around class composition, training for teachers and supports for students.

Jamil Jivani, the provinces advocate for communities, said he was streamed into applied courses in high school and I know that very few people who will experience streaming in our schools ever make it to a place like this: standing before you on an official podium alongside the premier of Ontario.

We are challenging Ontarios education establishment to become more student-centred, he said. The education establishment in this province, and by this I mean the school boards, teachers unions, teachers, colleges and other institutions that create the education status quo in Ontario, need to be challenged to serve students better.

Lecce has called streaming one of a few systemic, racist, discriminatory practices in the provinces schools and said the status quo is indefensible.

Advocacy and research group People for Education, using school board data, found that students who take Grade 9 applied math have just a small chance of going to university. In Toronto alone, just 21 per cent of teens who took that class went to college and only three per cent to university.

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Federal officials were so worried Jeffrey Epsteins longtime confidant Ghislaine Maxwell might take her own life after her arrest that they took away her clothes and bedsheets and made her wear paper attire while in custody, an official familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.

The steps to ensure Maxwells safety while shes locked up at a federal jail in New York City extend far beyond the measures federal officials took when they first arrested her in New Hampshire last week.

The Justice Department has added extra security precautions and placed federal officials outside the Bureau of Prisons in charge of ensuring there is adequate protection for Maxwell. Thats to help prevent other inmates from harming her and to stop her from harming herself, the official said.

The concern comes in part because Epstein, 66, killed himself in a federal jail in Manhattan last summer while in custody on sex trafficking charges, spawning conspiracy theories over his death despite a medical examiner ruling it a suicide. The sprawling case against him ensnared British royalty and American elite who attended parties at his mansions. Whispers over who knew what and when about Epstein even reached the White House, after video surfaced of President Donald Trump and the financier chatting at a Mar-a-Lago party in 1992.

The case appeared dormant until Maxwell was arrested last Thursday on charges she helped lure at least three girls  one as young as 14  to be sexually abused by Epstein, who was accused of victimizing dozens of girls and women over many years.

Maxwell, the daughter of the late British publishing magnate Robert Maxwell, was the former girlfriend and longtime close associate of Epstein. She is accused of facilitating his crimes and even joining him in sexually abusing the girls, according to the indictment against her. Several Epstein victims have described Maxwell as his chief enabler, recruiting and grooming girls for abuse. She has denied wrongdoing and called claims against her absolute rubbish.

Maxwell was arrested by a team of federal agents last week at a $1 million estate she had purchased in New Hampshire. The investigators had been keeping an eye on Maxwell and knew she had been hiding out in various locations in New England.

She had switched her email address, ordered packages under someone elses name and registered at least one new phone number under an alias G Max, prosecutors have said.

When the agents swooped in to arrest her, they werent sure that she was even at the home, the official said. Some investigators believed she may have already fled the United States to avoid prosecution, the official added.

Maxwell was not sent to the same jail. Rather, she was taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, just over the Brooklyn Bridge from where Epstein was held.

The other protocols put in place for Maxwells confinement include ensuring that she has a roommate in her cell, that she is monitored and that someone is always with her while shes behind bars, the official said.

The official could not discuss the ongoing investigation publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

The Bureau of Prisons has been the subject of intense scrutiny since Epsteins death, with staff shakeups and leadership changes. Attorney General William Barr said his death was the result of the perfect storm of screw ups.

The Bureau of Prisons has been plagued for years by serious misconduct, violence and staffing shortages so severe that guards often work overtime day after day or are forced to work mandatory double shifts. It has also struggled recently with an exploding number of coronavirus cases in prisons across the U.S.
Washington, July 10 : America's top infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci said that US partisanship has made the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic harder.

"You have to be having blindfolds on and covering your ears to think that we don't live in a very divisive society now," Xinhua news agency quoted Fauci, Director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, as saying in a podcast on Thursday.

"You'd have to make the assumption that if there wasn't such divisiveness, that we would have a more coordinated approach," he said.

In his latest rebuke to President Donald Trump, Fauci acknowledged that the country has performed poorly in the battle against COVID-19.

"As a country, when you compare us to other countries, I don't think you can say we're doing great. I mean, we're just not," he said.

Fauci's remarks stood in sharp contrast to those of Trump, who has repeatedly downplayed the worsening COVID-19 pandemic in the country and encouraged states to quickly reopen their economies.

In a separate interview with The Hill news website also on Thursday, Fauci says hard-hit US states should pause moving forward with reopening their economies.

"I would think we need to get the states pausing in their opening process, looking at what did not work well and try to mitigate that," he said in the interview.

However, Fauci stopped short of calling for full lockdowns.

"I don't think we need to go back to an extreme of shutting down," he said, adding that hard-hit states should take measures including closing bars and avoiding large gatherings.

The US currently accounts for the world's highest number of infections and fatalities at 3,112,252 and 133,228, respectively.
SPRINGFIELD  Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan on Thursday called for removing statues and portraits of 19th century U.S. Sen. Stephen A. Douglas from the Statehouse, along with other known slaveholders.

While reading Sidney Blumenthals book All the Powers of Earth concerning the pre-Civil War period a few months ago, I learned of Stephen Douglas disturbing past as a Mississippi slave owner and his abhorrent words toward people of color, Madigan said in a statement. I advised my staff to research and confirm the history to support removing the Douglas portrait from the House chamber.

Douglas was a prominent Democratic politician in Illinois during the 1840s and 1850s. He served briefly as secretary of state and, later, as associate justice of the Illinois Supreme Court before he was elected to the U.S. House in 1842. The General Assembly elected him to the U.S. Senate in 1847 where he served until 1861, just as the Civil War was beginning.

While in the Senate, Douglas helped write the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 which allowed the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to decide by popular vote whether to enter the union as free or slave states. That effectively overturned the Missouri Compromise, which banned the extension of slavery into new territories, and it led to violent tensions along the Kansas-Missouri border, setting the stage for the Civil War.

In 1858, Douglas was up for re-election, but Abraham Lincoln of the newly-formed Republican Party challenged him in the election by the General Assembly. The issue of whether or not to expand slavery to the new U.S. territories was the subject of a series of high-profile debates  the seventh and final one held in Alton  known as the Lincoln-Douglas Debates where Douglas argued it should be a matter of popular sovereignty and Lincoln argued against expanding slavery.

Douglas tolerance for slavery has long been known. But the fact that he actually owned slaves in another state was not widely known before the publication of Blumenthals book last year.

Madigan said he plans to offer a resolution to replace Douglas portrait in the House chamber and replace it with one of former President Barack Obama, calling that a more fitting representation of the modern-day Democratic Party. In the meantime, he said he is looking into ways to cover the portrait immediately.

He also called on the Office of the Architect of the Capitol  which supervises all repairs and alterations to buildings in the Capitol Complex  to move swiftly to remove statues of Douglas and Pierre Menard, a slave owner and the states first lieutenant governor, while relocating a statue of Martin Luther King Jr. to a more prominent location.

Madigan also said that office should conduct a review of all statues, portraits and symbols on the Capitol grounds to identify and remove any inappropriate fixtures.

His call for removing images of Douglas from the Statehouse comes amid nationwide protests over racial inequality and calls for the removal of statues and monuments that honor slaveholders and the Confederacy.

Memorializing people and a time that allowed slavery and fostered bigotry and oppression has no place in the Illinois House, where the work of all Illinoisans is conducted, Madigan said. We can only move forward in creating a more just world when these symbols of hate are removed from our everyday lives.
She recently returned to her home in New York after spending much of quarantine on the West Coast.

And Emily Ratajkowski showed off her Big Apple style on Wednesday as she enjoyed a stroll around Tribeca.

The model and actress dressed for the heat in a pretty print midi dress, teamed with a mask as she checked out some stores.

Back in the big city: Emily Ratajkowski showed off her Big Apple style on Wednesday as she enjoyed a stroll around Tribeca

Emily went braless under the strappy number which was covered in a pink and white floral print.

She kept comfy in flat brown sandals and swung a small black bag over her shoulder.

With shades and her mask on, Emily tied up her newly lightened locks, which she dyed blonde last month, to hit the streets.

The bombshell has just returned from a rural retreat to parts unknown.

Summer chic: The model and actress dressed for the heat in a pretty print dress, teamed with a mask as she checked out some stores

The country getaway came a couple of weeks after the Gone Girl actress and her husband Bear-McClard, 38, returned to the Big Apple after spending a majority of their quarantine in their Los Angeles home.

They caught a flight out of JFK in April, shortly after the CDC issued an advisory, asking 'residents of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut to refrain from non-essential domestic travel for 14 days effective immediately.'

She previously told British GQ: 'You know, [my husband and I] have been a little bit on the fence. My parents are in California, but as we know the responsible thing is to not travel right now.

'But eventually we would like to make it out there just because, well, New York is the epicenter, although my bodega is still open. I live in Tribeca and it is already very quiet.'

The couple have been married for just over two years.

Always gorgeous: With shades and her mask on, Emily tied up her newly lightened locks, which she dyed blonde last month, to hit the streets
WASHINGTON  U.S. Sen. John Cornyn said during a TV interview Thursday that its unclear whether children can get and transmit COVID-19. That same day, Texas reported more than 550 COVID infections in children 9 and younger.

Cornyns comment comes as the Trump administration has pushed this week for schools to reopen in the fall, with the president going as far as to threaten to cut off federal funding for those that dont. In Texas, officials have said schools must reopen in August, with few exceptions.

Asked about reopening schools, the Republican said during an interview on NBCDFW that the most important thing is safety.

IS IT WORTH RISKING OUR LIVES?: Texas teachers worried as state orders schools to reopen

The schools can open, but if parents dont feel comfortable sending their children back, then they wont, Cornyn said. I think weve got a long way to go in regaining their confidence.

He continued: The good news is, if you look at the numbers, no one under the age of 20 has died of coronavirus.

We still dont know whether children can get it and transmit it to others, he said.

Texas reported 1,722 confirmed cases in people 19 and younger, including 550 in children 9 and younger as of Thursday. At least one Texan under the age of 18 is reported to have died of the coronavirus, a 17-year-old girl from Lancaster who died in April, according to health officials there, the Dallas Morning News reported.

A spokesman for Cornyn said the senator was not questioning whether children can catch the virus, but the extent to which they can transmit it.

This comment is being widely misinterpreted on social media and unfairly twisted by partisan Democrats for political gain, said Drew Brandewie, a spokesman for the senator. Sen. Cornyn was not questioning whether children can catch the virus  of course they can. He was questioning the likelihood that children can catch it and THEN transmit it.

Brandewie said Cornyn was referring to a tweet from Scott Gottlieb, the former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, that said: Balance of data clearly shows theyre less likely to become infected and less likely to transmit infection.

But IMHO we need to have humility on this question and recognize we dont fully understand all the risks; and while kids are less vulnerable, less risk doesnt mean no risk, Gottlieb said in the tweet.

The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said this week that we really dont have evidence that children are driving the transmission cycle of this during a White House Task Force briefing to address school reopenings. White House health adviser Dr. Deborah Birx said later in the briefing that there isnt enough data yet to know the extent to which children drive transmission, as most of the testing so far has been in adults.

FIRE FROM ALL SIDES: Gov. Abbott targeted by Democrats and fellow Republicans over COVID response

The Democrats vying to take on Cornyn in the November election hammered him for the comments Friday.

Royce West, a longtime state senator from Dallas, called Cornyns remarks irresponsible and asinine.

The problem here is that John Cornyn has lost touch with Texas, West said. If he had closer connections to the people, and to more families who have been impacted by this terrible disease, he wouldnt engage in such irresponsible conduct.

Former Air Force pilot MJ Hegar said it is inexcusable that once again Sen. Cornyn, who is tasked with making critical decisions about our governments response to COVID-19, doesnt know basic publicly available information about it.

For the health and safety of Texans, it is time to send Cornyn packing, Hegar said.

ben.wermund@chron.com
Sahaya Novinston Lobo By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: A sexagenarian, who left his home 40 days back to run an errand, has gone missing. His sons, living in Dubai and Bengaluru, are worried, and have no clue about his whereabouts. VS Subramanian (63) was living alone in Rajaji Street of Chromepet.

He was staying with me in Dubai, and returned to Chennai in December last year to run some errands, says his elder son Balaji over phone from Dubai. He was supposed to return to Dubai in March, but it got delayed due to the lockdown. Karthik Narayanan, the second son, says both he and his brother used to call their dad every day to check on him.

He left from home on May 29, to run some errand, and has been missing since. I called him in the night and there was no answer. I sent my friend over to the house to check on him, and found out that he had left his phone behind. Karthik managed to reach Chennai on May 31, and lodged a complaint with the Chitlapakkam police station.

He stayed in Chennai for three weeks and went around looking for his dad, unsuccessfully. After looking through CCTV visuals, police found the man walking towards the main road from his house at around 11.37am on May 29.

Most other CCTV cameras installed on the main road are not functional, and hence they did not get a breakthrough. We immediately set up a team to locate the elderly person, and have alerted all police stations to check for him during patrolling. The brothers have sought the help of public. Anyone who has information can contact 9976509139/9677374393.
Vonetize (TLV: VNTZ) has appointed Haim Ramon Chairman of the Board.

Ramon has held several leadership positions in Israel, including Minister of Health, Minister of Internal Affairs, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Minister of Justice, and Vice Prime Minister.

In his new role at Vonetize, he will lead the companys strategic plans.

The company said it is currently raising capital to acquire recreational and medical cannabis operations in the U.S., focusing on states where cannabis is entirely legal.

The global cannabis industry is developing rapidly around the world, while Israeli companies lag behind, not seizing global market share," Ramon told Benzinga. "The focus of the local cannabis industry needs to be on broader markets outside of Israel, and especially in the US, which I expect that in a relatively short period of time will have to legalize cannabis at the federal level, due to the growing support among the people."

Photo: Itzike / CC BY-SA

See more from Benzinga

 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
A former Red Lion School District dean of students pleaded guilty Thursday to having sexual contact with a 17-year-old student 13 years ago, the York Daily Record reported.

Chad Keiser, 45, of Windsor Township, was charged with corruption of minors for having sexual contact with a minor two times between Sept. 1 and June 30 of 2006 in his car. He was 31 years old at the time, according to the York Daily Record.

Court records show he was an elementary school teacher and assistant band director in the district then.

Keiser is set to be sentenced on Oct. 14 to four years probation through a proposed plea agreement.

I ask forgiveness from my family, and my wife, and the Red Lion School District, Kieser said, according to York Daily Record. I feel like I gave them a little black eye.

Keiser resigned from Red Lion School District in October 2019, one month after the York Area Regional Police Department began investigating reports of sexual abuse made through ChildLine, a child abuse and neglect hotline.

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Harrisburg official resigns after charges from naked gardening

Central Pa. teen shot and killed 9-year-old brother while playing cops and robbers, investigators charge

Sex trafficking arrests made after 14-year-olds plea to mom: I dont want to be here anymore
Following two straight months of falling immigration levels, Canadas permanent resident intake increased significantly in May.

Canadas immigration levels nearly tripled in May Following two straight months of falling immigration levels, Canadas permanent resident intake increased significantly in May.

Canadas immigration levels nearly tripled in May Following two straight months of falling immigration levels, Canadas permanent resident intake increased significantly in May.

Canadas immigration levels nearly tripled in May Following two straight months of falling immigration levels, Canadas permanent resident intake increased significantly in May. Kareem El-Assal Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

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Canadas immigration levels increased significantly in May 2020.

Canada welcomed 11,000 immigrants compared with just 4,000 in April.

The top 5 source countries of these immigrants were India, China, the Philippines, the US, and Nigeria.

This new data by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) strongly indicates that the countrys immigration system is beginning to normalize amid the coronavirus pandemic.

In early 2020, Canada was off to a fast start until the coronavirus led to travel restrictions and disruptions to the operations of IRCC and other arms of the government.

In a given month, some 25,000-35,000 individuals officially become permanent residents of Canada.

Unsurprisingly, Canadas immigration levels fell in March and then plummeted further the following month.

However, immigration levels almost tripled in May compared with April.

The higher immigration levels in May tell us that IRCC is able to process more applications compared with the start of the pandemic.

Find out if you are eligible for any Canadian immigration programs

It also tells us that more immigrants exempt from Canadas travel restrictions completed their landing process in May. Under Canadas current travel rules, those with a confirmation of permanent residence (COPR) prior to March 18 are eligible to enter Canada.

The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) was the leading source of new permanent residents with 3,000 arrivals in May.

Over 2,000 of the new permanent residents in May were spouses and partners of Canadian citizens and permanent residents. They are also exempt from Canadas travel restrictions.

IRCCs data also shows that 1,300 immigrants gained permanent residence as skilled workers, primarily through the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP).

Another 2,000 gained permanent residence through the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program.

Express Entry and PNP draws have occurred frequently since March.

IRCC has issued 35,100 invitations to apply (ITA) for permanent residence, primarily to CEC and PNP candidates. The rationale for this is it would be easier for such candidates to complete their permanent residence process than Express Entry candidates overseas. The assumption of this policy was that most CEC and PNP candidates are currently living in Canada, so they are less likely to experience coronavirus disruptions than those abroad.

However, on Wednesday, IRCC resumed inviting FSWP candidates under Express Entry. In fact, some FSWP candidates also currently live in Canada so it should be just as easy for them to complete the PR process as CEC and PNP candidates currently in the country.

Moreover, the return to all-program Express Entry draws suggests that IRCC is preparing to welcome even more immigrants from overseas towards the end of 2020 and early 2021.

Given the recovery in Canadas immigration levels in May, plus the fact that more immigrants tend to complete their landing process during the summer, we should expect Canadas immigration levels to continue to rise in the coming months.

Find out if you are eligible for any Canadian immigration programs

 2020 CIC News All Rights Reserved
New Delhi, July 10 : Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Lok Sabha MP Kunwar Danish Ali has written to Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to enhance the search operations by deploying best men and machines to find the 27-year old Indian Engineering Service (IES) officer missing since June 22 in Ladakh.

In a letter to Rajnath Singh, the BSP MP said, "Subhan Ali had gone for an inspection of the Minamarg Quarantine centre on June 22, but did not return." Ali, who is the Lok Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh's Amroha said that the 27-year-old officer's family was informed on June 23 that the vehicle in which he was travelling has fallen into a deep gorge and was swept away in the fast flowing river in Drass.

Ali further said that four days later, the Maruti Gypsy was taken out of the river, but the officer and his driver Palvinder Singh were still missing.

"The Border Roads Organisation and Kargil administration have been trying to find the officer and the efforts they have made with their limited resources have not succeeded in finding the missing officer," he said. "I request you to kindly look into the matter and deploy best men and machines to find the missing IES officer whose distraught parents are going through a traumatic nightmare," the BSP leader added.
Police chiefs across Canada, including Waterloo Regional Police Chief Bryan Larkin, want personal possession of illicit drugs decriminalized.

Canada continues to grapple with the fentanyl crisis and a poisoned drug supply that has devastated our communities and taken thousands of lives, Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police president Adam Palmer said at a virtual news conference on Thursday.

We recommend that enforcement for possession give way to an integrated health-focused approach that requires partnerships between police, health care and all levels of government.

Larkin, co-chair of the associations committee on the decriminalization of illicit drugs, fully backs the recommendations.

Essentially it is the path forward, he said at the news conference.

Its the modernized approach to ensuring that we address the social determinants of health and how they impact crime in our communities but also allow policing to focus on illicit drug trafficking and importation, which is often linked to violent crimes.

Larkin said Ontario has long had the highest charge rates in Canada for personal possession.

But a significant tide has changed, he said, and police chiefs now recognize there are definitive, much more practical approaches.

The association of police chiefs said all police agencies in Canada should recognize substance abuse and addiction as a public health issue to help reduce drug overdoses.

Access to health care, treatment and social services should be boosted to divert people struggling with substance use or addiction away from the criminal justice system, the association said.

This would apply to individuals in possession of small or predetermined amounts of illicit drugs for personal consumption.

Police chiefs believe helping drug users get treatment would not only reduce fatal overdoses but also cut property crime and the demand for drugs.

While law enforcement continues to be required to stop those putting poisoned and illegal substances on our streets, the traditional role of front line policing has fundamentally shifted to harm reduction when interacting with people experiencing addiction or mental health issues, said Palmer, chief constable of the Vancouver Police Department,

Frequently, our officers are the point of first contact and the ones who will assist individuals in accessing appropriate services and pathways of care.

The association is calling for a national task force to research drug policy reform.

Read more about:
'Together apart' has been the global rallying call as humanity unites in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, and South African meal-kit delivery company UCook, through a number of its initiatives, has stepped up in answer.

David Torr, CEO, UCook

These partnerships have contributed to our success and there's no better time to pay it forward."

More than a cook-along

UCook Food Fund helps feed Cape Town's hungry

UCook Market Box supports local small-scale food producers

Knowing that were making a difference, however big or small, in peoples lives is what keeps us motivated  from making dinner time easier for a family, to giving a route to market to a small-scale local farmer and doing our part to fight hunger," says Torr.

Its latest effort, UCook for Restaurants, aims to assist the local industry which continues to feel the financial pinch, with many struggling to keep their doors open."Its no secret that the Covid pandemic and resultant lockdown has brought the vibrant and diverse local hospitality industry to a tragic halt and a lot of the establishments that weve come to know and love are at risk of closing their doors. Despite the recent relaxation for the sector, restaurant owners are still desperately trying to find a way to support their staff as well as managing expenses," explains UCook CEO David Torr."We launched UCook for Restaurants to help support an industry that has supported UCook since the beginning. For years we have partnered with restaurants in an attempt to bring food that excites and inspires into peoples homes.UCook for Restaurants' live cook-alongs launched late last month across the company's online channels and first up to the plate was The Kitchens Chef Karen Dudley. On the menu was The Kitchen's seared leg of lamb with chermoula and pine nuts - with the freshest ingredients delivered by UCook, the dish was both delightful to put together and devour. The experience, though, is more than just learning to cook good food with an expert chef - we got to share in the vibrant Dudley's love for food and her passion for cooking for people.Sadly, after 11 years, The Kitchen has had to close its doors as the pandemic has taken too much of a toll on what was once a thriving business. A portion of the revenue from the UCook for Restaurants initiative will help support The Kitchen's staff, and may be a saving grace for other establishments that are also taking strain. Whether or not ordering from UCook, the restaurateurs featured in the initiative can still be supported via an instant donation mechanism on UCooks media channels. Upcoming UCook-alongs will feature Jerusalems Chef Reuben Riffel on 14 July, and Il Leone's Daniel Toledo on 21 July.Says Torr, "The response from our audience has been wonderful and its shown us that our customers are really willing to stand behind the establishments they love. I think its also been a welcome distraction for many from the current anxiety and stress surrounding health and Covid."As an essential service provider, UCook was able to continue operating throughout the lockdown and saw an uptick in orders which Torr attributes largely to consumers' increased reliance on e-commerce. Given their fortunate position, they've made every effort to give back where possible.Launched in April in partnership with FoodForward South Africa, the Philippi Economic Development Initiative (PEDI) and Ladles of Love, the UCook Food Fund managed to raise R1m to help feed some of Cape Town's most vulnerable communities, with a particular focus on the Philippi area. Donations are still open and can be made here Another recently launched initiative, developed in partnership with the Oranjezicht City Farm Market, is the UCook Market Box which aims to help small-scale farmers make ends meet during the Covid-19 crisis. The Market Box, the contents of which changes weekly, delivers fresh, seasonal ingredients and artisanal food products to consumers, showcasing local food producers and their produce. Sourcing products from many small outlets, UCook is able to support multiple suppliers of the same product."Since inception, UCook has maintained an ethos centred around making a positive impact in the space in which we operate. We have always invested heavily in our sourcing protocols, supplier partnerships and ethical business practice, and this has translated (particularly during this pandemic) into addressing the fundamental needs of those most affected."Our commercial goal is by no means the only driver at UCook and through our feeding schemes and the campaign in the hospitality space, we feel comfortable that we are benefiting a ream of individuals and businesses less fortunate than ourselves. Collaboration is key. We need to work together to overcome the challenges that our country faces."
An online conference was jointly organized in Hanoi on Thursday by the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam, the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation to promote Japanese investment flows into Vietnam.

The conference, the first of its kind held by the Vietnamese planning ministry, saw the participation of representatives of more than 1,000 Japanese enterprises, according to Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Vu Dai Thang.

Addressing the event, Thang said that Vietnam ranked 70 among 190 economies in this years Doing Business 2020 report released by the World Bank  falling one spot from its position last year but with a higher overall score of 69.8 points  as the nation has proactively improved its business and investment environment for foreign companies.

Data of the ministry showed that Japan is the second-largest FDI investor in Vietnam, with a registered capital of over US$60 billion out of the total investment of $380 billion in 32,000 FDI projects across the Southeast Asian country.

Director of the ministrys Foreign Investment Agency Do Nhat Hoang said Vietnam has a stable political situation, high economic growth, abundant human resources, large market potential, and a growing per capita income.

Vietnam also has preferential policies to attract foreign investment, with priority given to new technology, environment-friendly, and high-value projects, Hoang said.

Business representatives and officials attend an online conference to promote Japanese investment flows into Vietnam in Hanoi, July 9, 2020. Photo: B.N. / Tuoi Tre

Notably, Vietnam and Japan have signed agreements on the avoidance of double taxation, investment protection and many other deals to ensure the interests of businesses in both countries in investment and trade, he added.

Meanwhile, Okabe Daisuke from the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam said Japanese investors are now very interested in Vietnam.

A survey on Japanese enterprises in Asia and Oceania conducted by JETRO in February 2020 revealed that over 63 percent of Japanese enterprises doing business in Vietnam have the desire to expand their investment in the near future, the highest rate in ASEAN.

Okabe said in order to attract more investment, Vietnam needs to speed up the disbursement of capital for public investment projects, ensure transparency, fairness, and effectiveness in implementing policies, and further foster international integration.

The envoy also expected traveling between Vietnam and Japan will soon return to normal against the context of the ongoing novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

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Pompeo's 'nonsense' remarks on China bore audience: FM

Global Times

Source: Global Times Published: 2020/7/9 19:03:40

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday urged US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to stop talking about credibility, truth or responsibility, as the US is the biggest troublemaker and has been morally bankrupt.

After Pompeo accused the Communist Party of China of having "credibility problems" in sharing coronavirus information, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said that Pompeo should stop talking about credibility, truth or responsibility.

"Even if you are not tired of repeating it, we have been tired of hearing your nonsense," Zhao said at Thursday's routine press conference.

The US, waving the flag of American priority, keeps breaking its international promises and shunning its responsibilities. Quitting international organizations all the time, it has become the biggest "troublemaker," Zhao said.

As for the truth, Zhao asked Pompeo whether the US government could give an explanation to Americans and the international community about Fort Detrick, e-cigarette diseases and its bio labs located all over the world?

With the highest number of COVID-19 infections in the world, reaching 3 million, and fatalities topping 130,000 in half a year, the US is responsible for the pandemic situation, Zhao noted.

"Why do people like Pompeo have the courage to talk about these issues when they are morally bankrupt? We advise the US to listen to international opposition to its frequent withdrawal from multinational organizations," Zhao said.

Responding to Pompeo's accusation, Zhao noted that China reported the coronavirus epidemic to the World Health Organization at the first opportunity, and the timeline the two sides released could be cross-verified.

Pompeo ignored these facts and indulged in fabricating evidence to scapegoat others, but this cannot cover up the US' mistakes and failure in handling the virus. Such deeds only further exposed the country's lying and cheating, and revealed its hypocrisy, arrogance and ignorance to the world, Zhao said.

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Rendering by Weber Thompson [enlarge] Architect Weber Thompsons preferred design would preserve a large cork oak tree on the corner. In exchange, the tower would gain about 7,200 square feet of floor area.





On the corner at 700 N.E. 45th St. in the University District, Champion Real Estate of Los Angeles plans to build what it calls Victory on 45th.





. . .
Rapper Kanye West took his fans by surprise when he announced his bid for US Presidential Elections 2020, all set to take place in the month of November this year.



Ever since he has become the talk of the tinsel town. Days after his announcement, he made yet another revelation about him contracting the deadly COVID-19 in the month of February.



In a 4-hour long interview, he gave to Forbes, West not only spoke about how he doesnt support Donald Trump anymore but also shared his experiences with the virus.



Not only this, he even claimed that rapper Drake might have been tested positive. However, certain media reports said that Drake has tested negative.



Kanye told the portal his experience of having Coronavirus and said, Chills, shaking in the bed, taking hot showers, looking at videos telling me what Im supposed to do to get over it. I remember someone had told me Drake had the Coronavirus and my response was Drake cant be sicker than me! He said that his illness had nothing to do with his decision of president run and said, God just gave me the clarity and said its time, West said.



You know I was out there, ended up in the hospital, people were calling me crazy. Im not crazy.









We must now realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future. I am running for president of the United States ! #2020VISION

 ye (@kanyewest) July 5, 2020

Talking about controlling COVID-19 spread through a vaccine, he said, Its so many of our children that are being vaccinated and paralysed. So when they say the way were going to fix Covid is with a vaccine, Im extremely cautious. Thats the mark of the beast. They want to put chips inside of us, they want to do all kinds of things, to make it where we cant cross the gates of heaven.Further, he said that people should pray for the freedom from this pandemic and need to stop doing things that make God mad. If his claims about being COVID-19 positive are true, then Kanye marks the first Hollywood celeb as Tom Hanks was tested in March 2020.Talking about his announcement, he made it through the medium of social media and tweeted, We must now realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision, and building our future. I am running for president of the United States! #2020VISION.

Source: indiatvnews.com









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

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Congress chief Mullappally Ramachandran on Thursday welcomed the Central government's decision for Investigation Agency (NIA) probe in the Thiruvananthapuram case.

However, he said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Central government should also rope in and RAW, in addition to the NIA, for the investigation in the case.

"I welcome the probe in the case. I had written to the Prime Minister demanding an probe. But the Prime Minister and the Central government should also announce a and investigations in addition to the investigation," he said.

He said that there is a huge racket behind the

"Some of the officials, including those in customs, are associated with this racket. It is a matter of security and friendly relations with the UAE which requires high priority," he said.

The state Congress chief said that a parallel economy that was destroying India's economy could not be allowed to grow under the shadow of the gold smuggling gang.

On July 5, around 30 kg gold worth Rs 15 crore, concealed in diplomatic consignment, was seized at the Thiruvananthapuram international airport by the Customs Department.

Sarith Kumar, an accused in the case who had previously worked as a public relations officer (PRO) in UAE Consulate-General's office in Thiruvananthapuram, was arrested on July 6 and remanded to 14 days.

Swapna Suresh, another accused in the case, is on the run after the gold was seized from the airport. Suresh was employed in Space Park and State Information Technology Infrastructure Limited (KSITL), which comes under the IT department, a portfolio held by Chief Minister.

Swapna was ousted after being named an accused in the case.

M Sivasankar, who was Chief Minister's Principal Secretary and served as IT secretary, was removed from both the posts.

The authorities in the United Arab Emirates have also launched an investigation in the case to find out who sent the cargo containing gold to the address of UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram.

The Embassy said that the culprits have not only committed a major crime but also "sought to tarnish the reputation of the UAE mission in India" and they will not be spared.

(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.)
San Antonio police are searching for several individuals after a North Side bank was burglaried Friday morning.

Officers were called to the Lone Star Bank near the 15300 block of Huebner Road just before 4:20 a.m. for an alarm call. When officers arrived, they found a stolen pick-up truck still running in the parking lot with a chain attached to the back, officials said.

FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox

There was also a variety of tools on the ground next to a smashed ATM.

Police believe the suspects got away with an undisclosed amount of cash.

So far, officials don't have any suspect information, but say the bank had a lot of cameras that they will be reviewing.

Taylor Pettaway is a breaking news and general assignment reporter for MySA.com | taylor.pettaway@express-news.net | @TaylorPettaway
OTTAWA - Canada's police chiefs are calling for decriminalization of personal possession of illicit drugs as the best way to battle substance abuse and addiction.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/7/2020 (558 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Vancouver Police Chief Adam Palmer arrives for a news conference in Vancouver, B.C., on Wednesday November 8, 2017. Canada's police chiefs are calling for decriminalization of personal possession of illicit drugs as the best way to battle substance abuse and addiction. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

OTTAWA - Canada's police chiefs are calling for decriminalization of personal possession of illicit drugs as the best way to battle substance abuse and addiction.

The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police is proposing increased access to health care, treatment and social services to divert people away from the criminal justice system.

This would apply to people possessing a small amount of illicit drugs for personal consumption.

The Trudeau government has already legalized recreational use of marijuana with the goal of keeping pot out of the hands of young people and denying profits to organized criminals.

Canada continues to grapple with the fentanyl crisis and a poisoned drug supply that has devastated communities and taken thousands of lives, said Chief Const. Adam Palmer of Vancouver, the association president.

"We recommend that enforcement for possession give way to an integrated health-focused approach that requires partnerships between police, health care and all levels of government."

The chiefs say diversion would improve the health and safety outcomes for drug users while reducing property crime, repeat offences and the demand for drugs in communities.

They urge creation of a national task force to research drug policy reform, specifically looking at section 4(1) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, covering simple possession.

The office of Health Minister Patty Hajdu did not respond to a request for comment.

Enforcement and judicial efforts must continue to target trafficking and the illegal production and importation of drugs to choke off the supply of harmful substances coming communities, the chiefs say.

But the traditional role of frontline policing has fundamentally shifted to harm reduction when interacting with people experiencing addiction or mental-health problems, Palmer said in a statement.

"Frequently, our officers are the point of first contact and the ones who will assist individuals in accessing appropriate services and pathways of care."

The chiefs' recommendations flow from the findings of a special committee to study the decriminalization of illicit drugs and its impact on public safety.

"We must adopt new and innovative approaches if we are going to disrupt the current trend of drug overdoses impacting communities across Canada," the committee report says.

"Merely arresting individuals for simple possession of illicit drugs has proven to be ineffective. Research from other countries who have boldly chosen to take a health rather than an enforcement-based approach to problematic drug use have demonstrated positive results."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 9, 2020.
EDWARDSVILLE  The citys new fire chief will not be imported; he is already in the department.

James Whiteford, the current deputy chief, will be elevated to chief Monday, with the retirement of current fire chief Richard Rick Welle.

The promotion wasnt a surprise. We have been working toward this for some time, he said by phone Wednesday. But it was not a sure thing until recently.

Whiteford, 51, joined the department as a volunteer firefighter in 1996, after three years with an all-volunteer department in Marion, the seat of Williamson County. He said he was only a volunteer in Edwardsville for a short period before he signed on full-time with the department. He will mark his 25th year in the fire service in September.

Im very excited about the promotion, he said. We have a dedicated group of hard-working people who really care about the community. These are, hands-down, some of the best paramedic-firefighters in the area and having a chance to lead them is a true honor.

One of his initial priorities has been to develop a roadmap of his expectations and plans for the department for the rest of 2020 and beyond. He said he started working on that last week, and as such, the map is incomplete. He did say that part of the planning involves girding for a second wave of the coronavirus this fall. In Edwardsville, the fire chief is also responsible for serving as the citys emergency services and disaster agency coordinator. For now, the deputy chief post is vacant.

Another part of this roadmap should involve the citys newest firehouse, which is slated to be built somewhere along Governors Parkway, on the citys east side, where much new growth is expected. The new facility will replace the current house #2 in the Montclaire area that was built in 1969 and only has space for two staff members. Whiteford refused to comment about the new firehouse.

He said the department has eight missions - fire suppression, emergency medical services, hazardous materials response, water rescue, confined space and trench rescue, high angle rescue, fire prevention and life safety education.

Each of these constitutes a specialty in and of itself, Whiteford said. Many of these have some outside agency that requires continuing education to maintain certification and all of them require regular training as a practical matter, just to stay sharp.

Whiteford said he, like a lot of firefighters, entered the field in the traditional manner: following in the footsteps of family members. My father was a deputy chief in South Florida, where I grew up, so I learned a lot about being a firefighter there, he said.

I didnt come up in the fire service wanting to be a fire chief, he said. When I started on the Williamson County Fire Protection District, I would say, Someday, I might want to go as high as a battalion chief or maybe assistant chief but thats it.

While he received some state firefighter certifications in Marion, the bulk of his training and education has been with Edwardsville  paramedic, hazardous material, advanced firefighter  and more.

After getting promoted to deputy chief, I looked back on my career, how the city and the fire department supported my training, helped with my education, took care of me when I was injured, and everything I learned along the way, and I decided I owed something back, Whiteford said.

He said working for the Edwardsville Fire Department has been one of the great parts of his life. Without support from the Edwardsville Community and city leaders, we would not be able to train at the level we do and we wouldnt be able to provide the level of service we do.

Its no accident that Edwardsville such good fire department, over the years, city leaders have had the foresight to make public safety a priority, he said. This forward vision is largely responsible for the top-notch fire, rescue and emergency medical services we provide.

When not on-duty, Whiteford said he enjoys making things using his hands.

Like my father, Im a fiddler, he said, referring to taking things apart and reassembling them. He also enjoys woodworking. He said he does repairs and maintenance to his home using these fiddling skills.

He and his wife, Wendy, live in Edwardsville and have been married for almost 30 years. They have three daughters  the oldest is a teacher and lives in Edwardsville, the middle daughter is in college and lives in Glen Carbon while the youngest is enrolled at Metro-East Lutheran High School.

Working with Chief Welle for the past 10 years taught me a whole lot about what it means to be a fire chief, Whiteford said. Without his mentoring, I am not sure I would be ready even now. He is one of those rare people who never tells you what you are doing wrong; he just tells you how to do it right.

Reach reporter Charles Bolinger at (618) 659-5735
Pronunciamiento del Consejo de Estado. pic.twitter.com/ZnWlcIDUGk
The Workers' Party team for Sengkang GRC in GE2020 at a constituency political broadcast on 7 July 2020. (SCREENSHOTS: Mediacorp/YouTube)

SINGAPORE  The Workers Party (WP) is leading in Sengkang GRC at the 2020 General Election with 53 per cent of the vote based on a sample count.

If the results were to remain relatively unchanged at the end of the poll count, Sengkang would be only the second GRC to be in the hands of the opposition after the WPs historic victory in Aljunied GRC in GE2011.

The WPs Sengkang GRC team comprises He Ting Ru, Louis Chua Kheng Wee, Raeesah Khan, and Jamus Lim.

The PAP team is anchored by Ng Chee Meng, Minister in the Prime Ministers Office, and also comprised Lam Pin Min, Amrin Amin and Raymond Lye. It has 47 per cent of the vote based on the sample count.

On the sample counts for all the constituencies, the Elections Department said, As this is a sample count, the election result could be different. Counting is still in progress. The public should wait for the announcement of the election result by the Returning Officer, Mr Tan Meng Dui, which will be broadcast live on television.

The closely watched GRC was in the news before the GE after two police reports were filed over alleged remarks made by WPs Raeesah. The candidate later apologised for her insensitive remarks at a doorstop arranged by the WP. Police investigations into the matter are ongoing.

Last Saturday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong reached out to the residents of Sengkang GRC, urging them not to settle for the PAP-lite WP.

PM Lee was referring to the televised debate last Wednesday involving representatives from four parties including Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan from the PAP and WPs Dr Lim.

Dr Balakrishnan told Dr Lim that the PAP could have written the WP manifesto and said that was why the opposition party has been labelled by people as PAP-lite or PAP-like.

Lee said, Why do you want to settle for PAP-lite? The real thing is much better. And here in Sengkang, you have the real thing with the four members of our PAP team.

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
A COMPLAINT made against a Henley town councillor has been thrown out.

Dylan Thomas, of Northfield End, Henley, claimed that Donna Crook broke the councillor code of conduct when she spoke to him in Falaise Square on Thursday, May 7, before the coronavirus lockdown was partially relaxed.

He was taking his daily exercise with his wife Clare, son Archie, seven, and twin daughters Phoebe and Hennie, three, when she approached them.

Mr Thomas claimed she accused him and his family of breaking lockdown rules.

Councillor Crook, a member of the ruling Henley Residents Group, denied any wrongdoing and said she was concerned about public safety.

South Oxfordshire District Council considered the complaint but would not make public the findings of monitoring officer Margaret Reed.

However, the Henley Standard can reveal that Mr Thomas, a former town councillor, has been told his complaint will not be progressed and that it was found to be politically motivated.

He said the council had told him that because he was a former councillor and he had told the Henley Standard about the incident, his complaint had been deemed to be politically motivated.

Mr Thomas denied this, saying: Cllr Crook wasnt on the council when I was a councillor and to my knowledge before this encounter we had never exchanged two words. As far as Im aware, she has been both a Conservative and a member of HRG and Im not sure what she is these days but I wouldnt pretend to know her politics.

Anyhow, I resigned from the council in order to take a job that required political impartiality in the public sector.

Cllr Crook said: Im happy that common sense has prevailed and the truth has come out and the fact that it was political.

The fact he went to you with the story did not do him any favours whatsoever. He shouldnt have done that. It kind of backfired on him.

I knew Id done nothing wrong and I was only reiterating the town councils coronavirus policy to keep people safe at that particular time.

Im just glad that I was found to be telling the truth. Im very happy and I just want to get on with my council duties.

A spokeswoman for the district council said: We cannot comment on the outcome, the identity of the complainant or the councillor involved.

Mr Thomas resigned from the council in 2017 after almost two years of service with the Conservatives.

Cllr Crook was elected under a HRG banner last year after previously serving as a Conservative member before quitting the party and sitting as an independent.
After months of touting an unproven anti-malaria drug as a treatment for the coronavirus, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has turned himself into a test case live before millions of people by swallowing hydroxychloroquine pills on social media and encouraging others to do the same.

Mr Bolsonaro said this week that he tested positive for the virus but already felt better thanks to hydroxychloroquine.

Hours later he shared a video of himself gulping down what he said was his third dose.

"I trust hydroxychloroquine," he said, smiling. "And you?"

On Wednesday, he was again extolling the drug's benefits on Facebook, and claimed that his political opponents were rooting against it.

A string of studies in Britain and the United States, as well as by the World Health Organisation, have found chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine ineffective against Covid-19 and sometimes deadly because of their adverse side effects on the heart. Several studies were cancelled early because of adverse effects.

US President Donald Trump has promoted hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for Covid-19, but chloroquine - a more toxic version of the drug, produced in Brazil - has been even more enthusiastically promoted by Mr Bolsonaro, who contends the virus is largely unavoidable and not a serious medical problem.

"He has become the poster boy for curing Covid with hydroxychloroquine," said Paulo Calmon, a political science professor at the University of Brasilia. "Chloroquine composes part of the denialist's political strategy, with the objective of convincing voters that the pandemic's effects can be easily controlled."

Mr Trump first mentioned hydroxychloroquine on March 19. Two days later, Mr Bolsonaro announced he was directing the Brazilian army to ramp up output of chloroquine.

The army churned out more than two million pills - 18 times the country's normal annual production - even as Brazil's intensive care medicine association recommended it not be prescribed.

The White House on May 31 said it had donated two million hydroxychloroquine pills to Brazil. Two weeks later the US Food & Drug Administration revoked authorisation for its emergency use.

Meanwhile, stocks of medications used in intensive care ran out in three states, according to Brazil's council of state health secretariats.
The Russian Orthodox Church on Friday said it regretted that a Turkish court did not take its concerns into account when ruling that Istanbul's Hagia Sophia being a museum was unlawful, the TASS news agency reported.

It said the decision could lead to even greater divisions.

A Turkish court said on Friday it annulled a 1934 government decree turning Istanbuls Hagia Sophia into a museum, ruling it was unlawful, paving the way for the buildings conversion back into mosque despite international warnings against such a move.

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Linkedin Lucie Peytermann and Eleonore Hughes (Agence France-Presse) Paris, France  Fri, July 10, 2020 18:45 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066578e4b 2 SE Asia Cambodia,repression,human-rights,critics,coronavirus,COVID-19,coronavirus-restrictions,SARS-CoV-2,pandemic,human-rights-violations Free

The Cambodian government is using the coronavirus pandemic as a pretext to ramp up a crackdown on human rights defenders and environmental activists, two leading watchdogs charged on Thursday.

Rights activists, labor leaders and journalists have all faced increased violence, intimidation, detention and judicial harassment in the southeast Asian nation since a crackdown was launched ahead of the July 2018 general election, a new report said.

"Since March 2020, the novel coronavirus pandemic provided the government with a set of additional arguments and tools to further crack down on dissent in Cambodia," said the report by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT).

A new law drawn up in the context of COVID-19 and promulgated on April 29 allows the government to declare a state of emergency whenever Cambodia faces "danger" and "a great risk" such as a pandemic.

The law's terms are "ill-defined" and give the government sweeping powers to restrict movement, rights to freedom of expression and association as soon as the state deems a situation "dangerous", the report said.

'Silence all criticism'

Cambodia's law on the State of Emergency "risks violating the right to privacy, silencing free speech and criminalizing peaceful assembly," the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Cambodia said on April 17.

Rights group Human Rights Watch last month also accused authorities of using the pandemic as a pretext to arrest opposition supporters and critics who had questioned the government's handling of the coronavirus.

"The accusations of fake news linked to the pandemic have increased in recent months. More than 40 people have been arrested since the beginning of the pandemic for posts related to posts on Covid-19," said Hugo Gabbero, who coordinated the FIDH and OMCT report.

"The accusation of fake news silences all criticism, particularly through arrests which create ripple effect of fear through the rest of civil society," Gabbero told AFP.

He asked the international community to apply pressure to the Cambodian government to ensure the law isn't applied.

'Bleak place'

"The tools at the Cambodian authorities disposition seem to us sufficient to deal with the pandemic. We're worried about this law being instrumentalized to silence civil society even more," Gabbero added.

Cambodia has reported just 141 coronavirus cases and no deaths, although skeptics say the low numbers are due to a lack of testing and contact tracing within the country.

Since the July 2018 general election, rights groups say human rights defenders have operated in a repressive environment that is unprecedented in Cambodia's recent history.

"Cambodia has become a bleak place for civil society -- from labor leaders to land rights and cyber activists," said OMCT Secretary General Gerald Staberock in a statement.

"The government of Cambodia must stop harassing human rights defenders and adopt urgent measures to protect them and ensure they can continue to carry out their vital work," he added.

Cambodia's prime minister Hun Sen is one the world's longest-serving leaders, maintaining a 35-year grip on power with methods that critics say include jailing political opponents and activists.

Strongman regimes from around the world -- including in Azerbaijan, Hungary, Russia and China where the virus originated -- have been accused by activists of using COVID-19 as a way to tighten their grip on societies.
Johnny Depp is set to give evidence for a fourth day as his high-profile libel case against The Sun over allegations he was violent towards Amber Heard continues.

The 57-year-old actor has previously told the High Court that the couples tumultuous relationship was a crime scene waiting to happen, admitted accidentally headbutting his ex-wife and accused Ms Heard, 34, of building a dossier to support her hoax allegations.

The Pirates Of The Caribbean star is suing The Suns publisher News Group Newspapers (NGN), and its executive editor Dan Wootton, over an April 2018 article which labelled him a wife beater.

Expand Close Actress Amber Heard arriving at the High Court in London (Victoria Jones/PA) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Actress Amber Heard arriving at the High Court in London (Victoria Jones/PA)

NGN relies on 14 alleged incidents of domestic violence towards Ms Heard, which Mr Depp denies, in their defence against the actors libel claim.

The Hollywood star is expected to finish giving his evidence on Friday, having spent around 15 hours in the witness box so far.

On Thursday, the actor was accused of reinventing his account of how the top of his middle finger was cut off during a visit to Australia by the couple in March 2015.

Mr Depp claims Ms Heard injured the finger when she threw a vodka bottle at him, which she denies.

Expand Close Johnny Depp is to give his third day of evidence in his high-profile libel action against The Sun newspaper (Victoria Jones/PA) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Johnny Depp is to give his third day of evidence in his high-profile libel action against The Sun newspaper (Victoria Jones/PA)

His ex-wife claims Mr Depp subjected her to a three-day ordeal of assaults, and left the house they were staying in completely destroyed following a drink and drug-fuelled rage.

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During her cross-examination, NGNs barrister Sasha Wass QC put it to Mr Depp that he subjected Ms Heard to a litany of abuse during the Australia trip, including slapping her, grabbing her by the throat, and throwing her against a ping pong table which collapsed  all of which the actor denied.

Ms Wass said Mr Depp reinvented his account of how he lost the tip of his finger, but the actor described Ms Heards allegations as pedestrian fiction.

Expand Close Johnny Depp said he had told Amber Heard several times that they were a crime scene waiting to happen (Jonathan Brady/PA) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Johnny Depp said he had told Amber Heard several times that they were a crime scene waiting to happen (Jonathan Brady/PA)

The court was also told the star had used his severed finger, dipped in paint, to scrawl graffiti in the house.

Ms Wass said Ms Heard came downstairs in the morning  and the house was completely destroyed.

The barrister also said: You had written on a mirror. You had written in paint but you had used your finger, your injured finger, in place of a paintbrush so you had dipped your injured finger in the paint and then used your finger to do the graffiti.

Mr Depp said: At first, I had used my blood.

The actor later said that when he realised the top of finger was missing and pouring blood profusely and the bones was sticking out, I believe that I went into some kind of breakdown.

Mr Depp also admitted accidentally headbutting Ms Heard while she was said to have been flailing and punching him at their Los Angeles penthouse in December 2015.

The actor said he had a collision with Ms Heard as he tried to get hold of her while she allegedly attacked him.

Expand Close A mirror in the house where Johnny Depp and Amber Heard were staying in Australia in March 2015 (PA) / Facebook

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Whatsapp A mirror in the house where Johnny Depp and Amber Heard were staying in Australia in March 2015 (PA)

Ms Wass said Mr Depp was in an uncontrollable rage, threw a decanter at Ms Heard, punched the walls and pulled her up the stairs by her hair, removing clumps from her scalp  which Mr Depp denies.

The actors case against NGN and Mr Wootton arises out of the publication of an article on The Suns website on April 27 2018 with the headline: Gone Potty: How can JK Rowling be genuinely happy casting wife beater Johnny Depp in the new Fantastic Beasts film?

NGN is defending the article as true and says Mr Depp was controlling and verbally and physically abusive towards Ms Heard, particularly when he was under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs between early 2013 and May 2016, when the couple split.

The pair met in 2011 and began living together in 2012 before marrying in Los Angeles in February 2015.
Iggy Azalea welcomed her first child approximately two months ago.

And on Thursday, the Australian rapper touched down in Los Angeles with a nanny and her newborn son.

The 30-year-old followed the nanny through the terminal, with the baby's face covered by a blanket.

Baby on board! Iggy Azalea (pictured back), 30, touched down in Los Angeles on Thursday with a nanny (pictured front) and her newborn son

Iggy covered up her famous figure in a white graphic T-shirt and grey leggings.

The Fancy artist added a black bomber jacket and coordinating sneakers, and carried her essential items in a Fendi tote and Louis Vuitton weekender bag.

Iggy tied her blonde locks into a ponytail at the nape of the neck, and wore a face mask.

Bundle of joy: The nanny carried Iggy's son, whose name she is yet to reveal, through the airport terminal

Hired help: The nanny covered the baby's face with a blanket and carried a bag filled with essentials

Casual: Iggy covered her famous figure in a white graphic T-shirt, grey leggings and a black bomber jacket

Her son, whose name she is yet to reveal, was carried through the airport terminal by a nanny.

Iggy officially announced the birth of her child last month, telling her Instagram followers: 'I have a son.'

The notoriously private star added: 'I kept waiting for the right time to say something but it feels like the more time passes the more I realise I'm always going to feel anxious to share news that giant with the world.

Safety first: The Australian rapper secured her blonde locks into a ponytail at the nape of the neck, and wore a face mask

Low-key: Iggy attempted to fly under the radar as she made her way through the terminal

Announcement: Iggy officially announced the birth of her child last month, telling her Instagram followers: 'I have a son'

The notoriously private star added: 'I kept waiting for the right time to say something but it feels like the more time passes the more I realise I'm always going to feel anxious to share news that giant with the world'

'I want to keep his life private but wanted to make it clear he is not a secret and I love him beyond words.'

Though she did not reveal the father of her child, reports have claimed it is her longtime boyfriend, rapper Playboi Carti, 23.

Iggy and Playboi Carti have been linked since the summer of 2018 and have had what many would describe as an on-and-off relationship.

Iggy continued: 'I want to keep his life private but wanted to make it clear he is not a secret and I love him beyond words'

Family: Though she did not reveal the father of her child, reports have claimed it is her longtime boyfriend, rapper Playboi Carti, 23

They endured a brief breakup in December of last year - with Iggy declaring on Instagram that she was 'single'.

However, they reconciled shortly after.

News of Iggy's baby joy first surfaced in early May, when TMZ reported that she and Playboi Carti had welcomed a son together.

Timeline: They endured a brief breakup in December of last year - with Iggy declaring on Instagram that she was 'single'. However, they reconciled shortly after
There are no statewide restrictions in Connecticut. Visitors are advised to follow C.D.C. guidance.

There are no statewide restrictions in Delaware.

Except for those who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and asymptomatic, or those who were infected with the virus in the previous 90 days and are fully recovered, anyone visiting for more than 24 hours from a high risk area must get a negative coronavirus test no more than 72 hours before their arrival. If they are staying in Washington for more than three days, they must have another test done three to five days after arriving. If the test is positive the visitor, and any close contacts, must complete their isolation before traveling home. A high risk area is considered any jurisdiction with more than 10 positive cases per 100,000 people per day. The local government isnt providing a list, but an interactive map put together by The New York Times provides that information.

The order does not apply to travelers from Maryland and Virginia who have not been in a high risk area in the previous two weeks. As of May 2, it also excludes visitors from Alabama, Arkansas, California, Guam, Hawaii, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Northern Mariana Islands and the Virgin Islands.

There are no statewide restrictions in Florida.

There are no statewide restrictions in Georgia.

Travelers ages 5 and older wishing to bypass the 10-day mandatory quarantine on the islands of Hawaii, Kauai, Maui and Oahu must have a negative Nucleic Acid Amplification result from an approved testing site that was taken within 72 hours of the final leg of the trip. Those without a test or with pending test results must quarantine, and test results will not be accepted once the traveler is in Hawaii. The results must either be uploaded online into a mandatory health form or travelers can bring a hard copy when boarding their flight.

In addition to the pre-travel test for trans-Pacific passengers, some counties mandate a second test. The county of Hawaii is randomly testing at least 25 percent of arriving passengers at the airport at no charge. Maui and Kauai counties are requesting another free voluntary test 72 hours after arrival.

Those who were fully vaccinated in the state of Hawaii at least two weeks prior may travel inter-county without pretesting or quarantine. For others, however, there are also testing requirements in some areas for traveling from one county to another. People entering Hawaii County can either have a test 72 hours before arrival, or be tested after entering the county and quarantine until a negative result is received. Visitors to Maui County must have a test 72 hours before arrival and if unvaccinated, take a free rapid coronavirus test upon arrival at Kahului Airport. Alternatively, they may quarantine for 10 days. Visitors to Kauai County may avoid a 10-day quarantine with a pretest, but those who arrive with a pretest approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration but not by the state of Hawaii can participate in a resort bubble policy that allows travelers at certain hotels to move about the grounds, and then take a virus test on the third day. If the test is negative, the visitor is released from quarantine. There is no inter-island test or quarantine required for Honolulu County.

There are no statewide restrictions in Idaho, but the state recommends following C.D.C. guidelines for isolating after travel.
As part of measures to restore calm and sanity at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Senior High School (KNUST-SHS), the Ashanti Regional Directorate of Education has released the Senior Housemaster of the school, Mr. Seth Owusu Ansah, and the Densu Housemaster, Mr. Anthony Awotwe, to the Oforikrom Municipal Directorate of Education for reposting.



This followed the incident that led to the death of a final year Business student, Master Richard Leonard Sam, last Tuesday.



Already, the Ghana Education Service (GES) had interdicted the Headmistress of the school, Ms. Felicia Asamoah Dankwaa, to allow for an investigation into the incident.



The Ashanti Regional Director of Education, Ms. Mary Owusu-Akyaw, has been asked to take temporary responsibility for the administration of the school.



Committee



The Ashanti Regional Public Relations Officer of the GES, Mr. Mark Ofori, said the regional office was in consultation with the GES to set up the committee that would investigate the incident.



We are in the process of forming the committee, he said.



Confirmation





Mr. Ofori, who confirmed the reposting of the teachers to the Daily Graphic, said the decision was to ensure that sanity prevailed in the school.



Contrary to media reports that the two teachers have been asked to step aside, he said the teachers were not being investigated and that the decision formed part of the measures being implemented by the regional office to restore peace and also create a conducive atmosphere for teaching and learning at the school.



Calm



Meanwhile, he said, calm had returned to the school with the students and teachers resuming academic work as was agreed the previous day.



There is complete calm on the compound and students have resumed their normal daily routine, he said.



Background



Last Tuesday night, students of the school went on a demonstration to protest against what they termed as the insensitivity of the school authority leading to the death of their mate who complained of severe stomach ache.



The students claimed the inaction of the teachers led to the death of Master Sam.



The students caused damage to the windscreen of the car belonging to the headmistress and it had to take the intervention of the police to restore calm.



Last Wednesday, the students boycotted classes in solidarity with their deceased mate.



They agreed to resume classes after the intervention of the Regional Director of Education.

Source: Daily Graphic









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The presence of the coronavirus in schools continues to spark debate, with cases rising in secondary schools.

Currently, six classes in Esch-Lallange secondary school are in quarantine, as well as two in the Lycee technique du centre, three in Bonnevoie, and a class of first years in the Lycee de Garcons Esch-sur-Alzette. These examples were confirmed by the Ministry of Education in response to a query by the Tageblatt newspaper.

The newspaper also reported that some schools have asked staff to practise discretion with regard to the quarantined classes, and refrain from giving out information over the number of infections. Other schools have chosen not to inform teachers of the situation.

The latest figures from the Ministry of Health seem to confirm a spread among adolescents. On Thursday, 19% of active infections concerned patients who were between 0 and 19 years old - nearly one in five of all cases.

A debate will take place in the Chamber of Deputies on Friday afternoon after a public petition which opposed the reopening of schools and high schools before the month of September garnered the necessary amount of signatures. Although the petitioner and the Minister of Education held a private meeting prior to schools opening in May, the debate is sure to take into account recent developments in schools.
East Alabama Medical Center had fewer than 60 beds available Thursday, and hospital officials say the community is at another pivotal point in the fight against COVID-19.

We had flattened the curve in our community, but due to relaxed state orders and an unwillingness by some people to follow the three simple guidelines needed to help control COVID-19, we are almost back to square one, EAMC President and CEO Laura Grill said. Its frustrating and quite demoralizing to our staff and physicians, and those in our community who are following the rules.

EAMC had 259 of its 314 beds occupied by patients Thursday, of which 36 patients were COVID-19 positive and two were awaiting COVID-19 test results, the hospital said.

While that is still short of the 54 positive COVID-19 patients EAMC had at its presumed peak on April 11, the difference is that EAMC only had 164 total patients on that day, EAMC said in a statement. With nearly 100 more patients today, it brings great concern to think about the real possibility of surpassing that original peak of 54.
LOVE BIRDS

Thank you for printing the lovely picture of the two parakeets snuggling together in Miami Beach, FL. (page 12, July 8). It made me happy. Perhaps, Republicans and Democrats could put their differences aside and embrace one another instead of hurling offensive names to each other. After all, its just the ideology that sets each other apart. We can learn how to agree to disagree and respect each other as human beings. People underestimate birds. We could learn from them. Look at these parakeets! So loving, so innocent and so adorable!

NATURAL SELECTION

Our commander-in-moronity has no mind to don a mask. He wants great crowds of followers at his rallies and the convention and they too show a disregard for donning a mask. So let them mingle, rally and convoke in their own fashion, there could be fewer of them in November. A win-win!

THE MAN BEHIND THE MASK

GO BOOM!

Who in this state decided it was a good idea to allow people to set off fireworks? Apart from the noise, guys are injuring hands and setting fires with them.

BOB FROM ALDAN

WAIT AND SEE

Another reason to avoid going or investing in Philadelphia. They now are dropping all charges against those arrested in the riots, yes the riots, not the media peaceful protest spin. Delco will be safer for a few more years and maybe longer, let all try to make it a place to live and invest. Reap what we sow.

TWO OF A KIND

I hear you, Bad News, couldnt of said it better myself. Bob from Sharon Hill doesnt get it! The Chinese and Democrats really did a number on the USA, thats for sure! God bless America and the true Americans!

RICK FROM ASTON

THE BIDEN TRAP

So some people think Joe Biden is in the early stages of senility. Well if thats true, then you have to hope his running mate is up to the task of taking over. So who is his running mate? No one has been picked yet. Why not? Because they dont want you to know yet. Why? Because they want to wait until the lastest possible moment. This way its too late to get them to change their choice. You wont like their pick. But if Biden gets elected I predict he wont be a sitting president for long. He will either been deemed unfit to hold office and replaced, or assassinated. Then were stuck with the V.P. Its a trap. Mark my words.

SO SORRY

To the girl Crossing Chester Pike with her dog at Swarthmore Avenue: Im sorry.

LADY DRIVER

MAIL IT IN

I am a concerned voter and I have the right to do a mail-in vote if I want, especially doing a pandemic. No one in the state or the president can say that you cannot use mail-in ballots. They are legal.

THEY DONT GET IT

Caller Scram Tom is upset with the mandate to wear masks in public by the governor. She said if I want to get the coronavirus and go on a ventilator, thats my right. This idiot doesnt know the main function of the mask is to prevent the wearer from spreading the virus. People like Scram Tom and others who dont wear masks are mainly responsible for the new surge of COVID-19 across our nation. How pathetic.

OLD MEDIA MUSTANG

THAT SINKING FEELING

Im calling about my local swim club. I drove by there yesterday and the whole lot was filled up. Where is the social distancing? Why are all those people allowed to go into the swim club? Doesnt the owner care about people getting the virus? And and what about what about the people that were there? He should have set a limit on the number of people that can get in that club. In fact for this year I dont know why people just stay home. Why they dont just stay home in their backyard? I mean surely they could do that to save their life or somebody elses.

CAUTIOUS

A JOB WELL DONE

I just wanted to thank the trash man. That really counts, you are doing a great job always. Some of the stuff, I cant walk. Thank you again, Ridley Township trash personnel.

GRATEFUL
India Cuts Troop Deployment Time in Strategically Important Areas of Jammu & Kashmir With 6 Bridges

Sputnik News

10:07 GMT 09.07.2020

New Delhi (Sputnik): The Border Roads Organisation, responsible for infrastructure development in India's border areas, has been constructing 61 roads in regions ranging from Arunachal Pradesh to Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir.

India often engages in cross-border fire with Pakistan along the 740 km Line of Control with Pakistan, and has reduced the troop deployment time along the border with six new bridges in Jammu and Kashmir. The Tarnah-II bridge on NH-44 will provide easier access to troops and army convoys from Pathankot to Jammu.

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday inaugurated Tarnah-I (160 metre), Tarnah-II (300 metre), Palwan (91 metre), Ghodawala (151 metre), Pahadiwala (61 metre) and Panyali (30 metre) in Jammu and Kashmir.

Considering the heightened cross-border firing that takes place in the remote areas bordering Pakistan, these bridges will facilitate the movement of the Armed Forces in these strategically important sectors.

"The construction of these bridges will provide relief to the local people and the army convoys. About 400,000 people from 217 villages will directly benefit from the construction of the bridges," the Defence Minister said.

Out of the six bridges, constructed at a cost of US$ 6 Million, four are located in the Akhnoor sector and two in the Jammu-Rajpura area. Earlier in the week, the defence minister had a review meeting with BRO officials on improving the infrastructure near the Line of Actual Control with China and the Line of Control with Pakistan (LOC).

In May, the minister had inaugurated an 80 km road at Lipulekh Pass, easing access to the border with China. The Indian government has also approved an additional $225 million for strategic road projects in Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir.

China had objected to India's rapid infrastructure development along the 4,057 km LAC, resulting in an over 9-week stand-off between the armies.

Along with 61 roads, BRO is working on 17 highways along the eastern border areas. They are being converted to double lanes and for use as airstrips for fighter jets during war-like situations. The highways will have weapons storage dumps, landing lights, fuel, and firefighting equipment.

A Sputnik

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She's the stunning Australian model who has caught the eye of Megan Fox's estranged husband Brian Austin Green.

And it's not hard to see why the Hollywood heartthrob is smitten with Tina Louise, who looked simply stunned in a recent photo shoot.

In one image, the 38-year-old showcased a hint of cleavage in a sheer tank top with a black bra underneath.

Flawless: Australian model Tina Louise, who has been linked to Brian Austin Green, showcased a hint of cleavage in a sheer tank top with a black bra underneath in a recent photo shoot

In another photo, she wore skintight black vinyl pants and an AC/DC tank top.

Her many tattoos were visible in the shoot, as the former Maxim model has full sleeves on both arms.

Tina is a popular model on Instagram, where she boasts 2.4 million followers.

Bad girl: In another photo, she wore skintight black vinyl pants and an AC/DC tank top

Her new photo shoot comes after she was spotted getting cosy with Beverly Hills, 90210 star Brian on Melrose Avenue in LA.

The pair enjoyed their romantic date at Sugar Taco, which Tina co-owns. The restaurant serves vegan Mexican fare such as tacos, nachos and burritos.

Last week, Brian was spotted meeting Tina for the first time; they also dined at Sugar Taco on this occasion.

Superstar: Tina is a popular model on Instagram, where she boasts 2.4 million followers

On May 18, Brian emotionally revealed on an episode of his podcast ...With Brian Austin Green that Megan had left him.

Megan has been married to the thespian since 2010 and they share three sons, Noah, seven, Bodhi, six, and Journey, three.

The Transformers actress filed for divorce from Brian in 2015 citing irreconcilable differences, but she was back with him and pregnant with Journey the following year.

Megan has moved on with rapper Machine Gun Kelly, who has already declared on social media that he is 'in love' with her.
It was a hot Fourth of July weekend in Louisiana and a time for families and friends to gather together to celebrate with cookouts and picnics.

Erica Nicole Hunt, 20, and her 2-year-old daughter, Breionna, attended a family get-together at her uncles home in Opelousas.

Erica Nicole Hunt at her uncle's Fourth of July party. (Contributed by the family.)

It was just a good day for our family, Ericas sister, Shantashia Isaac, told Dateline. Everyone was just hanging out and having a good time.

Shantashia said Erica seemed to be enjoying herself as she gushed about plans for her upcoming 21st birthday and working toward moving into a new house.

Ericas mother, Shannon Isaac, told Dateline she remembers her daughter talking about her plans to go to Lake Charles the next day with a friend who also had a child. But those plans were never realized.

It was like night and day that weekend, Shantashia said. One day she was there and everything was good and the next, she was gone. It was just unbelievable. It still is.

The evening of July 3 was the last time Shantashia and their mother, Shannon, saw Erica.

Shantashia told Dateline that Erica left Breionna with their mother to spend the night, and was planning to return the next day to pick her up for their trip to the lake.

Erica was also supposed to braid her friends daughters hair the next day, and when she didnt show up, her friend grew concerned. Shantashia said Ericas roommate hadnt seen her either, so they all started calling her phone.

But it just rang and rang and rang, Shantashia said. Then it would just go straight to voicemail. Something wasnt right.

Shantashia told Dateline that in the past, even if Erica ran out of minutes on her phone or if the battery died, she always found a way to call her family, especially to check on her daughter.

On July 6, Ericas family reported her missing to the Opelousas Police.

There have been stories about sightings of Erica at Ray's Boudin on Hirsch Alley and on Madison Street, but Opelousas Police Chief Martin McClelland told Dateline these reports were not confirmed.

Story continues

Searches were organized and fliers were plastered all over the community, but there was no trace of Erica. Shantashia said Ericas wallet with ID was left behind, but her cell phone has never been found.

It was just all so hard to process, Shantashia said. Breionna asked for her, but we didnt know what to say. She was so young. And it was all so overwhelming.

Shantashia added that her sister would never leave the family, especially her daughter. She describes Erica as lively, energetic and the firecracker of the family.

She was always smiling and she just loved being around family and friends, Shantashia said. And we were as close as sisters could be. I mean, of course we fought like crazy. But we could be arguing and then if something happened and I needed her, it didnt matter, she would be right by my side to help me. Thats who she was.

Chief McClelland told Dateline that in 2018, they received a tip that Ericas remains were possibly in a house on Hirsch Alley in Opelousa. Shantashia told Dateline her sister had previously lived in that house, but was not living there in 2016.

Cadaver dogs were brought in, but found no trace of human remains. The family was called to the area, but when nothing was found, they were devastated once again by the lack of answers.

Shantashia told Dateline the case was passed along through the police department over the years and has since hit a dead end.

We have little information and havent heard anything in awhile, Shantashia said. And by little, I mean nothing at all. Just any bit of information would help.

Chief McClelland said they have followed every tip and lead that has come in over the past four years, but nothing has led to Erica.

This is still considered an outstanding missing persons case and we invite anyone with information to contact us, Chief McClelland said. This young lady deserves to be returned to her family.

Chief McClelland confirmed that while there are no suspects in Ericas disappearance, authorities are concerned for her safety.

Ericas mother and sister both expressed that they would just like closure, but know that closure might mean Erica is no longer alive.

Its heartbreaking, but we havent given up, Shantashia said.

The family advocates for Ericas safe return with the Facebook page Bring Erica Hunt Home and the hashtags #BringEricaHome, #JusticeForErica and #WhatHappenedToEricaHunt. Signs with Ericas photo and information decorate hundreds of yards in Opelousas, as the community strives to keep hope alive.

Ericas daughter Breionna, who is now six years old, is being cared for by Erica's mother, Shannon, who said Breionna still asks for her mother from time to time.

Weve been living a nightmare these past few years, sisterShantashia said. But were trying to stay strong. Were not giving up until we bring Erica home.

Erica would be 24 years old today. At the time of her disappearance, she was described as being 54 tall, weighing 160 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.

She has a tattoo of the name "Nicole" on her lower back, a tattoo of the name "Breionna" on the outside of her right wrist, and a tattoo of a Care Bear with a star on the back of her shoulder.

Anyone with information about Ericas whereabouts is asked to contact the Opelousas Police Department at 337-945-8577.
WASHINGTON  As many as 100 foreign citizens working in the United States as journalists for the Voice of America, a government-funded news outlet, might not have their visas extended once they expire, according to people familiar with the planning.

Michael Pack, the new chief executive for the U.S. Agency for Global Media, has indicated he may not approve extensions for any journalist holding a J-1 visa, which allows foreign citizens to temporarily work in the United States in ways that promote cultural exchanges.

The decision could be a blow to the news-gathering and global-broadcasting abilities of the V.O.A., which operates independently but is funded by the government. Foreign journalists on the specialty visa are often recruited to work there because they are able to translate American news reports into languages like Swahili or Mandarin and can do reporting using those languages.

J-1 visas are a crucial tool for management to get the talent that is needed to run a complex multilingual news organization, said David Ensor, a former director for the Voice of America. Thats what V.O.A. is.
Luke Dirks, the co-owner of popular Portland restaurants Ava Genes and Tusk, is leaving Submarine Hospitality, the restaurant group he co-founded with chef and James Beard Award-winning cookbook author Joshua McFadden in 2016.

The decision comes as the Portland restaurant industry continues to reel over a series of anonymous Instagram messages calling out prominent Portland restaurants groups, including Submarine, for fostering toxic workplace cultures. Those messages were posted over Fourth of July weekend by chef Maya Lovelace, who then came under criticism for her own treatment of employees at her Northeast Portland restaurant, Yonder.

This moment of crisis and self-reflection in the hospitality industry will be defined by the way we listen to one another, take accountability and fight for actionable change, Dirks wrote. I remain forever committed to this work but have chosen to continue it outside of Submarine Hospitality.

Dirks, who grew up in Salem, got his start in restaurants in New York City, where he traveled in 2009 as the director of wholesale operations for Stumptown Coffee Roasters. Shortly after returning to Oregon five years ago, he teamed up with McFadden to form Submarine, buying the Italian-focused Ava Genes from Stumptown founder Duane Sorenson and opening the Middle Eastern restaurant Tusk almost simultaneously in early 2016.

Late last week, Lovelace began posting anonymous accounts alleging abusive behavior including misogyny, homophobia racism and more from managers at Ava Genes, Tusk and La Neta, the groups former restaurant at The Hoxton hotel (Submarine will no longer be involved with The Hoxtons food and beverage program when the London-based hotel reopens this month).

Both Dirks and McFadden released public statements on their Instagram pages, with McFaddens coming under fire from former employees who found it tone-deaf and vague. In a comment on McFaddens post, Tusk chef Sam Smith said he found McFaddens lack of accountability disappointing.

According to Dirks, plans for his departure began in April, but the timing of his Friday announcement was influenced by recent events.

Its not about the current moment, but its also not not about the current moment, Dirks said in a phone interview Friday. Its hard to pull pieces apart and point specifically to everything, but Joshua and I have been in the process of breaking up professionally for months.

-- Michael Russell, mrussell@oregonian.com, @tdmrussell

Subscribe to The Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Solusi Bangun Indonesia reviews its capex after challenging 2Q20

ICR Newsroom By 10 July 2020

Semen Indonesia-owned Solusi Bangun Indonesia (SBI) is reviewing its capital expenditure plans for 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to Bisnis.



"The current conditions are still very dynamic, which depends on the corona virus which is still ongoing. Many government projects, such as from the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR), have not been running because of it " the companys President Director, Aulia Mulki Oemar, said.



While the company had prepared a IDR500bn (US$34.6m) capex plan for this year and in the first half-year had invested around IDR150bn of this total in various projects.



At present, the company had not yet decided whether to cancel the investment plans or reduce them. "The budget we prepared this year will not necessarily be used in full. Because the cash position must be very guarded for the operational interests of the company", Mr Oemar said. He added that the first half of the year had been challenging for the company due to the coronavirus outbreak, high rainfall, Ramadan and Eid Ul Fitr, which had affected sales volumes, particularly in May 2020. However, sales in June had shown signs of recovery.



In the 1Q20 SBI posted a revenue of IDR2.46trn, up 4.9 per cent YoY, and driven by cement sales. Cement sales in the first quarter increased 9.5 per cent YoY to INR2.24trn, despite a 4.7 per cent domestic market contraction in January-March. Cement and slag sales volumes of 2.84Mt were reported in the 1Q20.



While SBI would continue to prioritise domestic sales, it is looking to enter new export markets, particularly the Americas, to support its revenue and profits. Exports can be a driver of the companys financial performance when domestic demand is under pressure, said SBI Director Lilik Unggul Raharjo. Currently exports of cement, slag and other materials are delivered to Bangladesh, China and the Philippines.

Published under
* Graphic: World FX rates http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh * China shares set for best week since 2015 * Philippines on track for worst week since April By Nikhil Nainan July 10 (Reuters) - Philippine stocks fell almost 1% for a second day on Friday, leading a wave of losses for Asian stocks and currencies as an eight-day rally in Chinese markets ground to a halt and investors worried about the scale of new coronavirus infections. The southeast Asian nation has reported record daily infection numbers on three of the past six days, and while Thursday saw no deaths for the first time in four months, analysts say the prospect of new restrictions to halt the outbreak is weighing on markets. Shares in Manila fell more than 0.8% in early deals, and the peso, which has proven relatively resilient this week on the back of gains for other regional currencies, lost just over 0.1%. "The Philippine market has been lagging ... as daily cases rise," said Jennifer Lomboy, a fixed income fund manager at First Metro Asset Management. "The rise in reported infections has crippled business activity ... and continues to cast doubts on economic recovery." In Indonesia, which posted its biggest single-day rise in cases on Thursday, shares were marginally lower while the rupiah fell half a percent. A Reuters poll on Thursday found bets on the Indonesian currency had turned bearish for the first time since mid-May on the prospect of further easing by the central bank which may dent the appeal of its high-yielding government bonds. Barclays, for example, expects a 25 basis point rate cut by Bank Indonesia next week in what would be the fourth cut this year. Markets in Singapore were closed for an election that is almost certain to be won by the ruling People's Action Party as the city-state's economy heads for its worst-ever recession. The 1% fall in Shanghai's main index, which often tends to drive markets across Asia, came after Chinese state-run media on Thursday urged investors stacking up on highly leveraged bets to be prudent. The editorial in the China Securities Journal also pointed back to the bursting of a stock market bubble in 2015 as the main indexes headed for an 8.3% gain this week, their best gain since that time. HIGHLIGHTS: ** Top Philippine broadcaster ABS-CBN down 0.1% ahead of a likely vote by lawmakers on its license renewal - a widely watched decision for the network that has angered President Rodrigo Duterte ** Top losers in the Philippines were Bloomberry Resorts Corp, Robinsons Land Corp and Ayala Land Inc ** Indonesian 3-year benchmark yields are down 1 basis points at 6.005% Asia stock indexes and currencies at 0342 GMT COUNTRY FX FX FX INDEX STOCKS STOCKS RIC DAILY % YTD % DAILY % YTD % Japan +0.15 +1.48 -0.23 -4.99 China -0.16 -0.58 -1.05 11.95 India +0.00 -4.82 0.00 -11.14 Indonesia -0.52 -3.61 -0.02 -19.82 Malaysia -0.23 -4.24 -0.07 -0.42 Philippines -0.13 +2.37 -0.84 -21.41 S.Korea -0.59 -3.84 -0.61 -1.96 Singapore -0.09 -3.53 -0.63 -17.69 Taiwan +0.39 +2.18 -0.58 1.04 Thailand -0.37 -4.43 -0.52 -13.98 (Reporting by Nikhil Kurian Nainan in Bengaluru; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
With the World Health Organization warning the globes 1.3 billion tobacco users are at higher risk during the global COVID-19 pandemic and in need of new tools to quit, its calling in the big guns: Johnson & Johnson, Amazon.com Inc. and Alphabet Inc.s Google.

In a rare tie-up with the private sector, the WHO is launching with its partners a program that includes nicotine patches and artificial-intelligence-fuelled support to tackle both the physical and mental obstacles to quitting at once. Called the Access Initiative for Quitting Tobacco, the program will begin with a pilot in Jordan, which has some of the highest tobacco use rates in the world, the public health agency said, and will eventually be rolled out to other countries.

This partnership will improve peoples health and save lives during COVID-19, Dr. Ruediger Krech, director for health promotion at the WHO, said in an email. Bringing together partners from the tech and pharmaceutical industries as well as our UN family is witness of what we can achieve when we work together both to end the pandemic and, moving forward, to build back better.

Johnson & Johnson is providing the first batch of nicotine patches, while Florence, the AI-powered digital persona designed to help with the mental aspects of addiction, was developed and donated by New Zealand-based tech company Soul Machines. Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud support the Soul Machines technology for its widespread use in this project. J&J has already donated 37,800 Nicorette patches worth about $750,000 (U.S.) to help more than 5,000 people in Jordan quit smoking.

For tobacco companies, the initiative comes at a time of heightened controversy over their products. Public health agencies have cautioned that smoking can make the coronavirus more severe. If the programs a success, it could be a blow to sales of both cigarettes and the so-called reduced risk nicotine products that big companies have been positioning as safer products as their cigarette sales decline.

Dr. Maria Cristina Profili, a WHO representative to Jordan, said the partnership between the health agency and the private sector came about beginning in March, when the coronavirus was spreading around the world. Florence, the AI digital health worker, will be on the WHOs site beginning Friday and can be accessed around the world, said Greg Cross, co-founder of Soul Machines.

When it comes to quitting smoking, people become embarrassed about trying over and over again, Cross said. Digital people can be helpful because they remove the fear of human judgment.

The AI tool is expected to work well in Jordan, where almost 50 per cent of the population is under age 25, Profili said. The government there has already moved to ban smoking in public places amid the pandemic.

Although around 60 per cent of tobacco users want to quit, only 30 per cent of them have access to tools that can help them do so, according to the health agency, which the U.S. is in the process of leaving as a member.

Quitting is more urgent now than ever during the pandemic when smokers are more vulnerable to a severe case of COVID-19, WHO spokeswoman Jaimie Guerra said. These efforts will help respond to the ongoing pandemic.

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I think I was 18 years old when I first read Bless Me, Ultima, and about 10 pages in when it clicked that the coming-of-age novel was about a Mexican American protagonist. It changed the way I saw myself.

I was dumbfounded. In six years of honors and AP English, history and literature classes, I couldn't recall a single book about someone like me. Few books in my required reading were about anybody but white people.

Most were written by dead white men. It was a point I often brought up to reprimands, like when my Honors European Literature teacher told the class "Erick's just being macabre" and made me sit in the hallway for the rest of the period.

I just sat there feeling foolish and had to bust out my pocket dictionary to look up what "macabre" was: disturbing and horrifying. I read the whole dictionary that period.

Three years later, I picked up Bless Me, Ultima because I was doing a homework assignment for a girl I liked. She was in a regular English class taught by a Latina and too smart to do her own homework. I didn't care. I liked reading and writing and I liked her. So I picked up this paperback with a black and red cover and began to read.

The novel's title character is Ultima, a curandera, who becomes the spiritual mentor of a young boy named Antonio, or Tony, when the healer moves in with his family in New Mexico.

The book begins by explaining a duality that exists in Tony's essence: should he roam free or stay tethered? From the first page, it's peppered with Spanish, but I had read Spanish books from Latin America and Spain at that point. My whole life was peppered with Spanish anyway. It was this duality that clicked in me like, Oh. That's me.

I had to go back to the cover to read the author's name to confirm what I was experiencing. RUDOLFO ANAYA -- written in all caps across the top. A quick Google search confirmed that Anaya was indeed Mexican American and was, in fact, considered a pioneer in Chicano literature.

Anaya's death on June 28 made me recall the revelation his book was for me during a point in my life when I needed one. I needed to see myself as something more than a thug or a side character in someone else's story. I didn't have to be the kid in the hallway looking in on all the white people reading Hamlet in a big semi-circle.

I truly believe Bless Me, Ultima is a big reason why I am a writer today. I think about it often when I write. Anaya painted the world with enough magical realism that I could begin to believe in big dreams and better worlds.

School boards and administrators have tried to ban this gift of a book at times for being "satanic, vulgar and offensive." They say it's too macabre, basically. Thankfully, the bans have only made it more popular. And I imagine there are hundreds of writers like me who were inspired by it.

I thought about this idea of inspiration and the feeling of being seen recently, when I wrote a very personal essay for LAist's Race In LA series. The piece, On Life As A Freckle-Faced, Redheaded, Mexican American From Southeast Los Angeles, was about my own experiences coming to age as a Mexican American in L.A.

It's nothing compared to Bless Me, Ultima. But I feel blessed that I am a writer and a storyteller.

I felt overwhelmed with gratitude after loads of emails, tweets, DM's, Facebook comments and LinkedIn messages poured in from people of all different backgrounds to tell me they felt seen when they read my story. Some people even wanted to write their own stories for the series.

It was a lesson I had learned from Rudolfo Anaya that I was learning again: We are never as alone as we think, even in our uniqueness.

In honor of Antonio, Ultima and Anaya, I want to share some of those messages. I hope that their stories inspire you as much as they've inspired me.

Thank you @ErickGEEE for this  Your story is so many of our stories. Im not a freckle-faced, redheaded Mexican American but I am a brown skinned Japanese Mexican American who has navigated many of those rooms and many of those thoughts as well. #raceinLA #hapa #mixed #identity https://t.co/1EoV9muvM5  morena strategies (@remy_morena) June 26, 2020

I feel so seen. Im a fellow freckle-faced, redheaded Mexican American who grew up in a family of morenos. Did you grow up hearing youre the hijo del lechero?  Patricia Perez (@2Latina) June 26, 2020

I get the what are you all the time. Sometimes its annoying and other times its a great convo starter and chance to educate. Never judge a book by its cover applies for us multi-racial peoples. At the end of the day Im from LA and wear it like a badge of honor. Big ups.  Don Fuego (@Megamaniak16) June 26, 2020

thank you sharing. As a Latina growing up in Boyle Heights, I can relate to Ericks journey. going to follow Erick Galindo.  susie mercado (@susiemercado) June 26, 2020

This makes me think of my nephews son! The most beautiful and talented child! Hes 50% Latino, a quarter black and a quarter white. Red headed with beautiful freckles. Hes going to be somebody too. Just like you writing this great article.  Emily Stogsdill (@StogsdillEmily) June 27, 2020

1% Asian? *fist-bump* lol My green-eyed, natural brown-haired Filipina wife (okay so her grandmother is from Spain) could pass as a distant relative of yours!  Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (@RustedMecha) June 26, 2020

Totally relate. I had light brown hair growing up and super pale. I still dont look like my parents who are very tan.  I get confused for half white/ half Chinese quite a bit. Quien sabe!  MJ (@oenophile79) June 27, 2020

I share this experience. Red headed, freckled, adopted into a Mexican family when I was a young boy. I often feel Mexican when no one else sees me that way.  Michael Glenn (@MichaelRojo) June 27, 2020

Sounds like me and my family with red headed Latinos. Too white to be Chicano. Darker relatives treat me like white. White people say racist things about Latinos in front of me thinking I'm one of "them." Stuck in the middle somewhere in LA.  Mary C  (@MaryCummins1) June 26, 2020

About the Mis Angeles column: Erick Galindo is chronicling life in Los Angeles for LAist. He took on this role after serving as our immigrant communities reporter. Erick came to us last year from LA Taco, where he was the managing editor of a James Beard award-winning staff.

MORE FROM ERICK GALINDO:

WE LOVE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS
New Delhi:

Air India as well as its chief Ashwani Lohani apologised on Saturday for an error in the article on Puri Jagannath temple which was published in its in-flight magazine, saying the carrier did not intend to "hurt sentiments".A

It was mentioned in the article titled 'Devotion can be Delicious' that non-vegetarian dishes are also served at the temple.A

"#AI apologises for the error. Our intention was not to hurt sentiments. #ShubhYatra magazine copies have been removed with immediate effect," the airline said in a tweet.

#AI apologises for the error. Our intention was not to hurt sentiments. #ShubhYatra magazine copies have been removed with immediate effect. a Air India (@airindiain) October 29, 2016

This comes against the backdrop of protests against the article in Odisha.

"I, #AI CMD Ashwani Lohani, offer my apologies regarding the article on #ShubhYatra. Corrective action has been taken regarding the same," the airline said in another tweet adding that the author has also provided a written apology.

I, #AI CMD Ashwani Lohani, offer my apologies regarding the article on #ShubhYatra. Corrective action has been taken regarding the same. 1/2 a Air India (@airindiain) October 29, 2016

Further, the airline said it would not publish any articles by the author without disclosing the name.

"Said to be the largest in the country, the Jagannath Temple's kitchen in Puri since its inception has had an army of 500 cooks and 300 helpers to serve 1,00,000 people every day, round the clock, which means almost 285 varieties of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes every day," the article published in this month's magazine had said.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 22:34:06|Editor: huaxia

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NAIROBI, July 10 (Xinhua) -- As he readies his wife and three children to travel to the rural area in Busia, western Kenya, where they will stay for the rest of the year, Johnson Okwaro knows that they are going to a completely changed environment thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Okwaro is sending them upcountry to ease his burden, having lost his job at a hotel in Nairobi, the east African nation's capital.

"They are traveling on Sunday and once they reach there, they must adhere to all safety guidelines announced by the Ministry of Health to protect themselves and people there, in particular my elderly parents," he said.

Since they are traveling from Nairobi, one of the COVID-19 hotspots, they would be expected to sanitize at the entrance once they reach home.

"I have also agreed with my parents that there would be no physical greetings and they will isolate at my home for two weeks before they interact with them and other relatives though our houses are in the same compound," he said.

Okwaro observed that he has explained to his parents and his wife the measures so that they do not misconstrue them.

When his family was there in December 2019, it was welcomed with song and dance and they spent hours at his parents' home before retreating to his. But that is all now gone.

The new containment measures are being taken after the government lifted a partial lockdown in Nairobi and the coastal city of Mombasa.

The measures, crucial in the battle against the disease, have disrupted the serene life in rural Kenya, which is highly social unlike in towns.

It is a new culture in villages across the east African nation as neighbors stay away from each other, grandparents keep off their grandchildren, social events remain scarce and visitors are unwelcomed.

Before the pandemic, in rural areas, unlike in towns, visitors were freely welcomed and they would pop in anytime. Not anymore as anyone visiting is increasingly seen as a carrier of COVID-19.

"I visited my father on Wednesday in Imenti, central Kenya, and the first thing that greeted me at the main gate was a can of water and soap. For the first time, I felt lost but it is necessary to save lives," said journalist Jean Wanjuki.

She did not hug or physically greet her parents and they had lunch in the open to maintain the 1.5-meter physical distance rule.

"I was happy to see them after months of lockdown in Nairobi but the whole visit made me feel like a stranger home. I don't think I will visit soon unless the disease is contained," she said.

Kenya's rural areas host a majority of elderly people, which the Ministry of Health has identified as one of the most vulnerable groups.

The ministry has discouraged citizens from traveling to the rural areas from Nairobi and Mombasa to avoid the risk of spreading the disease to the vulnerable.

But with many Kenyans having lost their jobs or sources of incomes leading to constrained lives, and schools closed until next year, most urban families are sending their children, and some even spouses, to the rural areas.

It is one way of cushioning themselves from tough effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kenya's cabinet minister for health, Mutahi Kagwe, has discouraged the practice noting that it would lead to a spike in COVID-19 cases and deaths.

"Please don't go to the rural areas from Nairobi because you will take the disease to your elderly parents. But if you must, follow all the containment measures and take to them sanitizers and masks," he said on Thursday. Enditem
The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Hon, Barbara Oteng-Gyasi has inaugurated Local Content committee of the National Film Authority.



The mandate of the Committee is to develop a policy that will put into law, the guidelines for a minimum requirement of Ghanaian produced content for television.



The brief inaugural ceremony took place at the Accra Tourist Information Centre.



Addressing guests at the ceremony, Chairman of the National Film Authority (NFA), David Dontoh said the formation of the Committee was very important to help sieve out good contents from the bad ones.



At last we have recognized that over the years we have been running away from ourselves.



We want to formulate policies that will help us concretize what we are thinking as Ghanaian local content, he added.



Veteran Filmmaker who was the Special Guest at the event, Kwaw Ansah said he was happy that finally the long march to achieve a true African Film industry was bearing fruits.



Throwing his weight behind a call by the NFA, for a 100 million Ghana Cedi National Film Development Fund, he said, such interventions were necessary to develop the infrastructure and superstructures needed to produce quality content that would excite local interest.



According to him, content is the most important aspect of filmmaking, therefore Africa and Ghana, in particular, must wake up and begin producing content that focuses on celebrating rich local values.



Inaugurating the Committee, Minister of Tourism Arts and Culture, Barbara Oteng-Gyasi said a local content policy will give Ghanaians the needed control over what we see on our airwaves and what we feed our children on a daily basis.



It is time to ask ourselves as Ghanaians, what values do we want to push. Which parts of our cultural identity must we preserve? What kind of future do we see for our children?  What we consume on television is an important part of this conversation and Ghanaians must take the responsibility and pay attention to the content we feed to our population, she stressed.



Oteng-Gyasi charged the Committee to work diligently and to consult all stakeholders to help ensure a local content policy that is acceptable and workable for all.



The 10-member committee is chaired by Samuel Attah-Mensah  CEO of Omni Media, operators of Citi FM and Citi TV. In a brief remark, he said that the Committee wants Ghana to win at the end of the day, So we will put ourselves together and take a cue from the National Film Authority and other agencies to deliver on our mandate.



Committee Members



Samuel Attah-Mensah  Chairman



David Dontoh



Julie Yaa Asantewaa Asante



Ernest Boateng



Peter Sedufia



James Aboagye



Nii Adokwei



Mike Amon-Kwafo Two other members are expected to be named later.



Read Minister for Tourism, Arts and Cultures full speech below.



On behalf of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and the National Film Authority, I am excited to inaugurate the Local Content committee today which is one the important commitments to the film industry towards the introduction of a local content regime in the electronic media.



The local content policy is a policy that will provide, the guidelines for a minimum requirement of Ghanaian produced content on our electronic media landscape. The policy will ensure that Ghanaian producers and broadcasters collaborate to bring quality local productions to the viewing public.



The local content policy is expected to drive investment into the sector, by creating access to market, generate jobs and grow the sector to compete favorably on the international scene.



Countries like Nigeria, have implemented local content policy to the benefit of its industry. With 70 percent local content requirements in Nigeria, we can attest to the fact that Nigeria film market (Nollywood) has grown exponentially to become the second largest producer of Content in the world. This has opened the door for innovation and growth of the Sector which now contributes over USD1 billion to the Nigerian economy with 1.3 million jobs annually directly and indirectly. To ensure that Ghana becomes a film and content hub in the region, we must take the actions that push us forward, by giving Ghanaian producers the opportunity and the responsibility to produce quality content locally, for consumption in Ghana and beyond.



Available research indicates that countries that put in place local content policies to allow their local industries to grow, have the highest GDPs in the world.



Globally, from the United States to Norway to Australia, countries have turned to local content policies to encourage many sectors to become competitive. In Ghana, the Petroleum and Mining sectors currently benefit from such policies and it is time to extend same to the film industry.



It is also important to note that this will drive competition and ultimately ensure quality productions. Ghanaian content makers have the training and the capacity to deliver. NAFTI has over 40 years, produced professionals ready to step up to the challenge, given the opportunity and the right investments, and this is what the local content policy will achieve.



Governments all over the world have used local content to help raise the expertise of the local sector, encourage local collaboration and investments as well as create jobs and generate revenue.



It is my expectation that broadcasters will collaborate with local producers to make world class content that can sell anywhere in the world, to generate foreign exchange and the needed investments into the film industry.



Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, the work of the Local Content Committee will ensure the restoration and viewership of our local films at prime times on our television stations. With this, we can be assured of what will influence our Ghanaian people and their culture. I strongly believe in the professional competence and technical ability of the members of this Committee to be chaired by Mr. Samuel Attah-Mensah and I expect that the outcome of the committees work will resonate with the hopes and aspirations of the Ghanaian people and our culture.



It is time to ask ourselves as Ghanaians, what values do we cherish? Which parts of our cultural identity must we preserve and showcase? What kind of future do we see for our children. What we consume on television is an important part of this conversation and Ghanaians must take the responsibility and pay attention to the content we feed to our populace. Government is committed to supporting the industry make this impact.



The local content policy will empower Ghanaians in this direction. I will urge the committee to consider the most effective route of least resistance regarding the legal framework for the implementation of the policy. On this note I declare the Local Content Committee duly inaugurated.

Source: Kasapafmonline.com









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

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Currently, there is no Russian strike group along the administrative border between Kherson region and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, all units are deployed at permanent duty stations.

"The state of affairs in the Taurida direction is such that the Armed Forces of Ukraine have intensified all types of intelligence. Intelligence operations are also being conducted by all Ukrainian forces with such authority. The information about the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation on the peninsula, in the temporarily occupied territory, is obtained daily and submitted to the leadership of Ukraines Armed Forces. The information is analyzed, clearly monitored in detail: the condition, position of those units stationed in the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea, actions towards our North Crimean Canal. The situation regarding the possible redeployment of additional forces and resources to the peninsula from the mainland part of the Russian Federation is monitored. We see that the enemy has not yet prepared an offensive strike group. The hostile units are deployed at permanent duty stations," Commander of the Joint Forces of Ukraines Armed Forces Serhiy Nayev said on air of the Ukrainian 1+1 TV channel.

He also informed that a small number of units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation stay along the administrative border between Kherson region and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea to monitor the Ukrainian troops stationed in Kherson region.

"So far, we have identified no direct threats of Russian Armed Forces' attack on Kherson region," the Commander said.

ol
Rating Action: Moody's assigns Aaa to Mississippi Home Corporation Single Family Mortgage Revenue Bonds, Series 2020B (Non-AMT)

Global Credit Research - 09 Jul 2020

New York, July 09, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") assigns a rating of Aaa to the proposed $48,715,000 of Mississippi Home Corporation (the "Corporation") Single Family Mortgage Revenue Bonds, Series 2020B (Non-AMT). Moody's maintains the rating on the outstanding program bonds. The outlook is stable.

RATINGS RATIONALE

The Aaa rating reflects the high quality of the collateral which is comprised of 100% mortgage backed securities (MBS), the high overcollateralization of the program at 114%, as well as the strong profitability of 20.94% in 2019, based on audited financials after Moody's adjustments.

We regard the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak as a social risk under our ESG framework, given the substantial implications for public health and safety. The coronavirus crisis is not a key driver for this rating action. We do not see any material immediate credit risks for the Corporation. However, the situation surrounding Coronavirus is rapidly evolving and the longer-term impact will depend on both the severity and duration of the crisis. If our view of the credit quality of the Corporation changes, we will update the rating and/or outlook at that time.

RATING OUTLOOK

The outlook is stable based on the stable outlook of the US government as well as the overcollateralization level of the program and strong profitability.

FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OF THE RATING

- N/A

FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO A DOWNGRADE OF THE RATING

- Deterioration of the financial performance of the program.

- Downgrade of the U.S. Government

LEGAL SECURITY

The bonds are special obligations of the Corporation, payable from and secured by all revenues and assets of the program.

USE OF PROCEEDS

The bonds are being issued to fund first lien, single family mortgage loans as well as roughly $3 million in second lien loans that will be used to fund down payment assistance. The second lien loans are not anticipated to fund the repayment of the bonds as they are forgivable after ten years as long as certain criteria is met. Any principal that might be paid on the second lien loans in the first ten years will however be used to pay down bond principal.

Story continues

The mortgage loans to be originated will be wrapped in a guarantee by Ginnie Mae (GNMA) and Fannie Mae (FNMA) or Freddie Mac (FHLMC). The guarantee provides that monthly payments will be made to the trustee, regardless of the performance of the underlying mortgages.

The Corporation is expected to contribute funds in approximately $751,696 to pay for costs of issuance.

PROFILE

There are currently fifteen series of mortgage revenue bonds under the Single Family Mortgage Revenue Bonds 2009 General Resolution. The bonds under the indenture are equally and ratably secured on a parity basis with the Corporation's Prior Single Family Mortgage Revenue Bonds and with any additional Single Family Mortgage Revenue Bonds hereafter issued pursuant to the Trust Indenture. The collateral for all bonds under the General Resolution is 100% MBS. Currently are no indenture funds held in Guaranteed Investment Contracts (GIC) under the General Resolution.

METHODOLOGY

The principal methodology used in this rating was US Housing Finance Agency Single-Family Housing Methodology published in October 2019 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1154478. Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.

REGULATORY DISCLOSURES

For further specification of Moody's key rating assumptions and sensitivity analysis, see the sections Methodology Assumptions and Sensitivity to Assumptions in the disclosure form. Moody's Rating Symbols and Definitions can be found at: https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_79004.

For ratings issued on a program, series, category/class of debt or security this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the same series, category/class of debt, security or pursuant to a program for which the ratings are derived exclusively from existing ratings in accordance with Moody's rating practices. For ratings issued on a support provider, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the credit rating action on the support provider and in relation to each particular credit rating action for securities that derive their credit ratings from the support provider's credit rating. For provisional ratings, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the provisional rating assigned, and in relation to a definitive rating that may be assigned subsequent to the final issuance of the debt, in each case where the transaction structure and terms have not changed prior to the assignment of the definitive rating in a manner that would have affected the rating. For further information please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page for the respective issuer on www.moodys.com.

Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating review.

Moody's general principles for assessing environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks in our credit analysis can be found at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1133569.

Please see www.moodys.com for any updates on changes to the lead rating analyst and to the Moody's legal entity that has issued the rating.

Please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for additional regulatory disclosures for each credit rating.

Timothy Mone Lead Analyst Housing Moody's Investors Service, Inc. 7 World Trade Center 250 Greenwich Street New York 10007 US JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376 Client Service: 1 212 553 1653 David Parsons Additional Contact Housing JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376 Client Service: 1 212 553 1653 Releasing Office: Moody's Investors Service, Inc. 250 Greenwich Street New York, NY 10007 U.S.A JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376 Client Service: 1 212 553 1653

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BSP chief Mayawati has sought a Supreme Court-monitored, independent investigation into the death of gangster Vikas Dubey who was killed in an encounter by the Uttar Pradesh Police on Friday.

Taking to Twitter, Mayawati said that an investigation should be done in the matter, including the encounter in Kanpur and later killing of Vikas Dubey.

The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister further stated that a high-level investigation is necessary in the matter so that the family of eight policemen, who were killed in Kanpur encounter, can get justice. She added that it is necessary that nexus between the police and criminal political elements can be identified and they face the law.

Only with such steps, Uttar Pradesh can be made crime-free, Mayawati said.

Kanpur encounter main accused Vikas Dubey was killed in an encounter with the police on Friday.

Dubey was arrested by the police in Ujjain on Thursday morning. He was on the run for the last several days and had come to Ujjain to offer prayers at Temple, where he was identified by a security guard at the shrine.

The gangster is the main accused in the encounter that took place in Bikru village in Chaubeypur area of Kanpur last week, in which a group of assailants allegedly opened fire on a police team, which had gone to arrest Dubey. Eight police personnel were killed in the encounter.
New York, July 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Automotive Wheel Market Research Report by Off-Road Vehicle, by Vehicle Class, by Vehicle, by Material, by Rim Size, by End Use - Global Forecast to 2025 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05913488/?utm_source=GNW

On the basis of Off-Road Vehicle, the Automotive Wheel Market is studied across Agriculture Tractor and Construction & Mining Equipment.



On the basis of Vehicle Class, the Automotive Wheel Market is studied across Economy, Luxury Priced, and Mid-Priced.



On the basis of Vehicle, the Automotive Wheel Market is studied across Heavy Commercial Vehicle, Light Commercial Vehicle, and Passenger Vehicle.



On the basis of Material, the Automotive Wheel Market is studied across Alloy, Carbon Fiber, and Steel.



On the basis of Rim Size, the Automotive Wheel Market is studied across 13-15, 16-18, 19-21, and >21.



On the basis of End Use, the Automotive Wheel Market is studied across Aftermarket and OEM.



On the basis of Geography, the Automotive Wheel 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 Automotive Wheel Market including Accuride, Alcar, Borbet, Hitachi Metals, Iochpe-Maxion, Kalink, Mangels Industrial, Mefro Wheels, Ronal, Steel Strips Wheels, Superior Industries International, and Thyssenkrupp.



FPNV Positioning Matrix:

The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the Automotive Wheel 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 Automotive Wheel Market?

2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Automotive Wheel Market during the forecast period?

3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Automotive Wheel Market?

4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Automotive Wheel Market?

5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Automotive Wheel Market?

6. What are the modes and strategic moves considered suitable for entering the Global Automotive Wheel Market?

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05913488/?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.



__________________________
By Nic White for Daily Mail Australia

A vegan activist who invaded the field during an AFLW match has emerged from court with her mouth taped shut and animal slaughter sounds blaring.

Tash Peterson, 26, ran on to Perth Stadium in the first-ever women's Western Derby on February 15, holding a black flag reading 'right to rescue'.

The serial protester ran around for about a minute before she was tackled by Fremantle midfielder Kiara Bowers long enough for security to catch up.

Peterson walked free from Perth Magistrate's Court with a spent conviction and a $1,800 fine over trespassing charges.

Peterson, 26, ran onto the oval with a black flag that read 'right to rescue' at Perth's Optus Stadium, late in the first half of the Fremantle and West Coast game on February 15

Tash Peterson emerged from Perth Magistrate's Court with her mouth taped shut and animal slaughter sounds blaring, alongside another activist

She and a fellow activist stood on the court steps for several minutes with black duct tape over their mouths holding signs reading 'it's time to listen to the animals'.

Peterson refused to answer questions from reporters while the squeals of cows and pigs being slaughtered in Western Australian abattoirs played from nearby speakers.

'We're choosing not to speak today because we want people to look at what's really happening, we're not here for ourselves,' a third activist said.

'We are just a mouthpiece for the animals and we will not stop until people see what is really going on.'

Peterson told Daily Mail Australia after the protest that her sentence was 'reasonable and expected' but wouldn't deter her from more protests.

'As long as animals are continuing to be exploited, it will not deter me from speaking up for them,' she said.

'If society ignores their screams, we will continue to defend and speak out for them.'

Peterson rose to infamy with a series of stunts in supermarkets where she dressed as an abattoir worker covered in fake blood holding a lamb

Fremantle midfielder Kiara Bowers made short work of Peterson, tackling her and holding her shirt while security guards rushed to detain the vegan activist

Peterson rose to infamy with a series of stunts in supermarkets where she dressed as an abattoir worker covered in fake blood holding a lamb.

Peterson at the time of the Perth Stadium invasion said her arrest was actually helpful to her cause.

'This was an opportunity to be a powerful voice for animals with a big audience and make them listen to us,' she told Daily Mail Australia at the time.

'It's so effective because everyone wants to know "why are you doing something so insane?" and it gets people talking and thinking.'

Peterson said she was surprised how easy it was to get on to the ground from the grandstand and security were unable to stop her.

'When I first got there I did freak out because it looked like a massive jump, but once I got over the fence it was easy,' she said.

'There was security all around the oval so I was concerned that they were going to get me straight away but I got through.

'It couldn't have worked out better, really.'

In livestreamed footage of the protest, Peterson can be seen jumping the fence onto the oval with her flag in hand.

Peterson leaves an earlier court appearance with a toy lamb under her arm and a sign referencing Australia's bushfire crisis

Australian stadiums have increased security over the years to stop pitch invaders, including stationing guards just metres apart around the fence.

However, Peterson was able to climb over the fence, jump off a ledge, recover from a pulled muscle and start running without being noticed or stopped.

Peterson said her stunt was a success because dozens of people came up to her outside the ground to ask about her cause.

'Some asked what the right to rescue was, many just congratulated me and shook my hand,' she said.

'Two sheep farmers asked me: do I know where my food comes from?

'(It) led to a big conversation on animal rights.'

Peterson said one of the farmers was initially she was very angry but settled down as they discussed it.

'She said many farmers treat their animals well and humanely. I told her that I don't doubt many truly love their animals but in the end they're all sent to have their throats slit,' she said.

'I am not against farmers, I am against the system that has indoctrinated us to believe it is OK and humane to use animals for food and other forms of exploitation when it is unnecessary.'

'As you can see Tash Peterson has just been taken off of the field now. She's likely to be arrested,' the woman recording the video said. Ms Peterson was served a three-year ban from Optus Stadium and pulled a leg muscle from running on the field

DXE posted another video of Ms Peterson, filmed before the match, in which she explained what the groups 'right to rescue' campaign

The protest was to support fellow activist James Marsden, the leader of animals rights group Direct Action Everywhere, who with another activist was on trial for allegedly stealing a calf from a farm last year.

'We believe that if an animal is sick, suffering, or dying, we have the right to help them,' she said.

Marsden, 25, was later handed a 12-months suspended sentence and Arkadiusz Swiebodzinski, 26, fined $5,000.

They were found guilty of breaking into White Rocks Dairy, near Bunbury, WA, and stealing a a $1,500 fresian calf in October 2018.

'By no means does this mean that animal rights activists are going to stop what we're doing,' Warden told reporters outside court.

'This is just the start of the Right to Rescue campaign, so you're going to be hearing a lot more about that.'

In livestreamed footage of the pitch invasion, Ms Peterson can be seen jumping the fence onto the oval with her flag in hand.

James Warden, 25, (pictured) who is accused of raiding farms and stealing livestock, has defiantly told of how he would rather go to prison than apologise

Ms Peterson (pictured) made her protest in Western Australia, telling shoppers meat is murder

Wearing tights that said 'vegan booty' and a 'right to rescue' crop top, the activist made a beeline to the centre of the pitch, where she was tackled by Bowers.

Dockers star Bowers was the best on ground in the 45-point Fremantle victory, making 13 disposals and 18 tackles.

'We're here to play football and we just wanted to get on with the game,' Bowers said after the landslide victory.

The star player joked that her tackle of the protester should have counted as an extra tackle, as she was just three off beating the AFLW tackle record of 21.

DXE posted another video of Ms Peterson, filmed before the match, in which she explained what the groups 'right to rescue' campaign.

The video included footage of Warden carrying the calf he stole around his shoulders.

'My friends rescued a bobby calf named Theodore from a dairy farm here in WA. Theodore was taken to a sanctuary to live out the rest of his life in peace but when the police found out, they took him back to the farm,' Peterson said in the clip.

'Bobby calves like Theodore are often killed at just five days old.'

She was dressed in bloodied clothes and called on the big supermarkets to 'tell the truth about where their meat really comes from'

On Christmas Eve last year, Peterson entered supermarkets with a stereo blasting cow and pig noises - calling on the supermarkets to reveal where their meat 'really comes from'.

Peterson, dressed in a bloodied apron with a fake butchered pig's head under her arm and wearing a face mask, made her protest at Western Australia stores.

The back of her shirt read: 'Your ''food'' fought for their life. That should leave a bad taste in your mouth.'

The 26-year-old held a sign which demanded: 'Coles/Woolworths Tell them the truth.'

Peterson made her way to the butcher section of the supermarkets and stood silently as a stereo blasted sounds of cows and pigs being slaughtered, much to the displeasure of customers shopping for their Christmas meats.

She repeated the stunt days before Australia Day where she spoke against festive bardeques and blamed meat eaters for the bushfire crisis.




ANN ARBOR, MI -- An Ypsilanti-based bicycle business is moving to Ann Arbors Kerrytown.

Kim Mayes and Jim Summers, husband and wife, are moving their electric bike company Human Electric Hybrids into a new space, along with their other shop Urban Rider Cargo Bikes, this August into the bottom floor of 410 N. 4th Ave., the former Hollanders space. The two were looking for more space, Mayes said.

Kerrytowns Hollanders paper shop to close after nearly 30 years

Summers previously worked as a controls engineer and commuted 20 miles each way to work on his bike. He added an electric motor and in 2013, began converting more into electric bikes from the couples Ann Arbor condominium, Mayes said.

I told him he should be the electric bike guy in the area, Mayes said. The business just kept growing exponentially. We had to move out of our condo to have more room for the business. We did it in a lower level of a house and started selling factory-made electric bikes instead of doing conversions.

The Ypsilanti shop was born at 25 South Huron St. in July 2016. The two also began selling cargo bikes in February 2019 in Kerrytown, but had to close temporarily due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Ann Arbor market still huge. We havent reached it yet because Ann Arborites dont want to leave Ann Arbor for anything, Mayes said. Even though we were in the tiny upstairs little space, we sold cargo bikes like gangbusters.

She said Ann Arbor is where most of their cargo bike customers lived.

Cargo bikes can hold 200-500 pounds and are used worldwide to ship items or for parents to travel with their children, Mayes said. The shop provided an electric cargo bike to the Detroit Filling Station at the beginning of the stay-home order in March for the restaurants delivery drivers.

So many people come in our store and say theyve never seen anything like this, unless theyve been to northwestern Europe, Mayes said, adding they can come in both electric and pedal options.

Electric bikes have a small electric motor to assist with pedaling.

Its exactly like riding a bike, only youre Captain America or Wonder Woman. It doesnt feel any different from riding a regular bike but theres as much effort as you want. Thats key, Mayes said. A lot of people use bikes for exercise, so its important to know you get as much of a workout as you want to on electric bicycle.

Ann Arbor SPARK to give $8.5M grants to Washtenaw-area businesses

Frita Batidos in Ann Arbor to expand into former Logan Restaurant space

Divided Ann Arbor council approves plan to reconfigure streets during pandemic
For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL  July 10, 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: Ameresco AMRC, Sunrun RUN, Vivint Solar VSLR, Bloom Energy BE and SolarEdge Technologies SEDG.

Here are highlights from Thursdays Analyst Blog:

4 Renewable Energy Stocks Returning More than 50% YTD

While the majority of industries are struggling to adapt to the new normal economic situation courtesy of the coronavirus outbreak, renewable remains one of the few witnessing a rally. Impressively, renewable electricity remained largely unaffected amid the pandemic, while demand fell for other uses of renewable energy.

Per a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), in the first quarter of 2020, global use of renewable energy in all sectors increased by about 1.5% relative to the first quarter of 2019.

Solar and Wind in Focus

We observe that solar and wind energies have been leading the growth in global renewable space of late. Notably, the increase in global use of renewable energy during the first quarter was driven by a rise of about 3% in renewable electricity generation, after more than 100 GW of solar PV and about 60 GW of wind power projects were completed in 2019. Consequently, the share of renewables in global electricity generation jumped to nearly 28% in the first quarter of 2020 from 26% in the year-ago period.

It is imperative to mention in this context that while the need for adopting clean energy to avoid the adversities of greenhouse effect has been the primary catalyst driving renewables popularity as the fastest electricity generation source, rapidly plummeting cost of electricity generation has also been a reason. Such notable cost deceleration can be attributed to improved product design. For instance, wind turbines are now much larger and have much higher capacity factors. Another reason for the cost decline is improvement in manufacturing efficiency, which has lowered the cost of producing solar PV panels dramatically.

Story continues

Has There Been No Real Impact of COVID-19?

One cannot assert that the pandemic had absolutely no impact on the renewable industry. Lockdown measures following the spread of the virus disrupted normal manufacturing rate of vital clean energy products like solar panels and wind turbines. As a result, the industry faced moderate supply chain disruptions. Also, there was a slowdown in installation activities to maintain social distance along with low electricity demand due to dearth of adequate economic activities.

Nevertheless, compared to other energy sources, renewables are resilient to lower electricity demand because they are generally dispatched before other electricity sources due to their cost effectiveness as well as regulations that give them priority. It is this resilience of the industry that has set it apart from other energy sources in this crisis situation.

Moreover, in most countries, the energy sector comes under the category of essential services. Therefore, lockdown measures did not lead to complete stalling of construction activity in energy projects, including renewables. So, the impact of the pandemic on the renewable space was relatively less compared to other major industries like airlines, commercial aerospace and transportation.

Stocks to Watch

Despite supply chain disruptions that have delayed activity in several key regions, IEA projects that expansion of solar, wind and hydro power will help renewable electricity generation to rise nearly 5% in 2020. This sets the stage for investors to be interested in renewable stocks.

We have selected four favorably-ranked renewable stocks that have returned more than 50% year to date, outperforming the broader market and thereby reflecting their resilience to the COVID-19 impacts. The fact that they also have quite an impressive long-term outlook makes them even more desirable.

Ameresco is a leading independent provider of comprehensive energy services and is currently designing and constructing a wide range of renewable energy plants using LFG, wastewater treatment biogas, solar, biomass, other bio-derived fuels, wind and hydro sources of energy. The shares of this Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) company have returned 63.7% year-to-date against the Zacks S&P 500 composites decline of 2.1%. Its estimated long-term earnings growth rate is pegged at 17.5%. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Sunrun is a leading provider of home solar panel and battery storage. It recently signed a $3.2 billion deal to take over Vivint Solar in an attempt to expand its footprint in the U.S. residential solar market. Shares of this Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company have returned 104.7% year to date, while its estimated long-term earnings growth rate is pegged at 9.4%.

Bloom Energys proprietary solid oxide fuel cell technology, Bloom Energy Server is a stationary power generation platform capable of delivering highly reliable, uninterrupted, 24x7 power that is clean and sustainable. Shares of this Zacks Rank #2 company have returned 67.7% year to date, while its estimated long-term earnings growth rate is pegged at 25%.

SolarEdge Technologies is a leading solar PV inverter manufacturer, with presence in more than 130 nations. Shares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have returned 66.1% year to date, while its estimated long-term earnings growth rate is pegged at 25%.

Zacks Top 10 Stocks for 2020

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Last year's 2019 Zacks Top 10 Stocks portfolio returned gains as high as +102.7%. Now a brand-new portfolio has been handpicked from over 4,000 companies covered by the Zacks Rank. Dont miss your chance to get in on these long-term buys.



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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.



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 Close Trump seen wearing a face mask in public for the first time

As the number of coronavirus infections in the US surges for the third day in a row to more than 69,000 cases, President Donald Trump has appeared for the first time in public wearing a face mask, at a medical facility outside Washington.

Mr Trump has eschewed the wearing of face coverings in public, previously saying he didnt want the press to get the pleasure of seeing it. But with Covid-19 infections and deaths rising across the country, the president made an abrupt U-turn earlier this month and claimed he is all for masks.

On Saturday, Mr Trump appeared to express confidence in rapper Kanye West, who recently announced plans to run for the White House and distanced himself from the president.

Retweeting an article in which one of his own campaign advisers mused that Mr West may be trying to take black votes away from Democrat candidate Joe Biden, Mr Trump added: That shouldnt be hard. Corrupt Joe has done nothing good for Black people! He added nothing further to the theory.
Ranchi, July 10 : Two trains will not ply to Jharkhand from July 13 due to the rising number of coronavirus cases in the state.

At the request of the Jharkhand government, the railway board has agreed not to send two trains originating from Bihar to Jharkhand. The two trains are the Patna-Ranchi-Patna Jan Shatabdi Express and the Tata Danapur Express. The Patna-Ranchi Jan Shatabdi will ply from Patna to Gaya only.

Coronavirus cases have jumped to over 3,300 in Jharkhand.

Jharkahnd Chief Minister Hemant Soren and his principal secretary Rajiv Arun Ekka have gone into home quarantine after Jharkhand Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) Minister Mithilesh Thakur was found coronavirus positive.

Jharkahnd Mukti Morcha (JMM) legislator Mathura Mahto, and 20 scribes in Dhanbad districts have also been infected by the coronavirus.

The Hazaribagh district administration has put the district under lockdown for a week from July 10.

171 fresh cases surfaced on Thursday and more than 40 cases were found on Friday in the state.

Out of the total 3,300 cases which have been detected, 2,169 have been brought by migrant workers returning from various coronavirus hotspots in the country including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi and Tamil Nadu.

The recovery rate among the Covid-19 patients has come down to 67.64 percent which was earlier ten per cent more.
Wealth and gender differences continue to impact educational progress of young children in India. Credit: University of Birmingham

Findings from a research conducted by researchers from the University of Birmingham and University of East Anglia find that poorer children continue to experience educational disadvantages compared to children from wealthier households, with girls being more adversely affected than boys.

Their work, "Picking winners: An empirical analysis of the determinants of educational outcomes in India," is published in the British Educational Research Journal.

The research was conducted jointly by Dr. Christian Darko, a lecturer in Applied Business and Labour Economics at the Birmingham Business School and Dr. Nicholas Vasilakos, a lecturer in International Business in the Norwich Business School at UEA.

Dr. Darko said: "Our results show that family background may encourage girls and boys to value different aspect and subjects of education differently we also find that "differences in performance between boys' and girls' academic performance were driven by parental expectations and aspirations for children's."

These findings further show that despite the success of educational policy reforms in boosting enrolment rates and improving access to education for boys and girls in Indian households, wealth and gender differences continue to impact educational progress of young children in India.

Dr. Darko said "Because changes in culture are more difficult (and slower) to achieve, interventions that go beyond education policy is required."

The project used data from the Young Lives longitudinal survey to analyze the effect of socioeconomic conditions and gender on the educational performance of young children in India.

Data was drawn from standardized scores on two cognitive tests: the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) and a maths test, and the researchers looked at results from 951 children from the regions of Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema and Telangana.

Dr. Vasilakos said: "India has undergone a period of rapid modernisation across all areas of social and economic activityincluding education. Despite recent policy reforms in boosting enrolment rates and improving access to education, there are still substantial gender- and wealth-driven disparities affecting the educational progression of young children in India Our results show that children from wealthier households consistently outperform their less-affluent peers."

"There are also significant gender differences in the way household wealth affects the educational performance of children. Specifically, boys born into wealthier households perform considerably better in maths than those from worse-off economic backgrounds. The effect of wealth on the PPVTwhich measures verbal ability and general cognitive developmentis stronger for girls than it is for boys.

"We also find that high caregiver aspirations are positively and significantly associated with better performance in math, for boys but not for girls."

Children from wealthier households have fewer constraintssuch as the cost of books, school fees or uniformsand no need to work for income or perform household chores, as their less-affluent peers often must. Additionally, children from poorer households may only have access to substandard schools and resources, and less parental support with their education. They are also more susceptible to adverse economic shocks, which may in turn force parents to make choices about which child to send to schoolor indeed, to choose between work and an education.

The research highlighted the importance of early life education as a determinant of later-life success. Moreover, additional policy reforms need to consider gender differences in access to education as well as employment opportunities, and tackle issues related to gender bias both in schools and the workplace.

Dr. Vasilakos said: "Educational policy reforms may not be able to fully achieve their objectives, unless they are accompanied by economic policies that address issues of inequity and inequality. Such policies should aim to economically empower poorer households to reap the benefits of educational reforms by making them less reliant on their children's income for survival, whilst improving schooling quality, especially in areas where children from poorer households are likely to be over-represented. Until these changes happen, India will be limiting its economic and developmental potential."

"Picking winners: An empirical analysis of the determinants of educational outcomes in India," is published 10 July 2020 in the British Educational Research Journal.

Explore further Teenage boys in India given better food than girls

More information: Christian K. Darko et al. Picking winners: An empirical analysis of the determinants of educational outcomes in India, British Educational Research Journal (2020). Christian K. Darko et al. Picking winners: An empirical analysis of the determinants of educational outcomes in India,(2020). DOI: 10.1002/berj.3657
Elon Musk envisions tunnels deep in the ground to solve 'soul-destroying traffic'  but now he needs your help.

The billionaire is hosting a competition through The Boring Company that challenges the public to dig a 98-foot deep tunnel with a circular opening of 19.7 inches.

According to The Boring Company's site, the main objective of the contest is to dig faster than a snail, which is 14 times faster than its own machine.

Three winners are set to be chosen in spring 2021 for fastest to complete the tunnel, along with one that has a driving surface that a Tesla remote controlled car can drive through.

Scroll down for video

Elon Musk envisions tunnels deep in the ground to solve 'soul-destroying traffic'  but now he needs your help. The billionaire is hosting a competition through The Boring Company that challenges the public to dig a 98-foot deep tunnel with a circular opening of 19.7 inches

'The Boring Company's goal is to build the tunnel infrastructure necessary to enable fast, safe, and comfortable transportation, including Loop and Hyperloop,' reads the firm's website.

'To feasibly build a large network of tunnels, one must first rapidly innovate to increase tunneling speed and reduce tunneling costs.'

'This competition challenges teams to come up with tunneling solutions and answer the question, 'Can you beat the snail?'

The Boring Company uses the Tunnel Boring Machine to dig the tunnels, but notes a snail 'is effectively 14 times faster,' which is why it wants a quicker solution.

According to The Boring Company's site, the main objective of the contest is to dig faster than a snail, which is 14 times faster than its own machine (pictured)

The competition is open to everyone around the world, who have an opportunity to design, build, and race their own tunneling solution  but Musk does not give details what the three winners will receive.

Musk founded The Boring Company in 2016 due to his experience with the never-ending, bumper-to-bumper traffic in Los Angeles, California.

'It's a pain in the a**,' Musk said regarding public transportation in a 2017 interview.

'That's why everyone doesn't like it. And there's like a bunch of random strangers, one of who might be a serial killer, OK, great. And so that's why people like individualized transport, that goes where you want, when you want.'

On Twitter in 2019, Musk gave more details about his plans for future underground tunnels - for cars, saying: 'These would be road tunnels for zero emissions vehicles only  no toxic fumes is the key.

'Really, just an underground road, but limited to EVs (from all auto companies). This is not in place of other solutions, eg light rail, but supplemental to them.'

A year prior, The Boring Company showed reporters a new test tunnel in California, but Las Vegas is Boring's first paying customer.

Three winners are set to be chosen in spring 2021 for fastest to complete the tunnel, along with one that has a driving surface that a Tesla remote controlled car can drive through.

Musk founded The Boring Company in 2016 due to his experience with the never-ending, bumper-to-bumper traffic in Los Angeles, California. Pictured are plans for a tunnel under Las Vegas, Nevada

The cost of the tunnel, originally estimated to be as low as $35 million, has since risen to $52.5 million, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Musk has also advocated for a futuristic underground tunnel system for trains, called the Hyperloop, which would allow passenger capsules on Tesla-built chassis to move through low-pressure tubes at high speeds.

He aspires eventually to build such a system linking Washington and New York along the busy US Northeast corridor; he has also proposed projects for Chicago and Los Angeles.

The billionaire hopes Boring's people-moving technology will help revolutionize urban transit in an ever more crowded world.

He says the idea came to him as he sat in growing frustration in his car, stuck in a traffic jam between his pricey villa in Bel Air, California and the SpaceX offices in Hawthorne, south of Los Angeles.

Musk also envisions thousands of autonomous electric vehicles eventually moving millions of people underground at speeds up to 155 miles per hour -far higher than the moderate 35 mph speeds planned for the short Las Vegas link.

However, just as his vision for self-driving cars and colonies on Mars, the dream of underground roadway systems has also had its delays.

In October 2018, Boring said it planned to have the first commercial Hyperloop could be in operation as soon as 2019.

And a tunnel was set to be operational under Las Vegas this year.
The Dutch government has decided to bring Russia before the European Court of Human Rights for its role in the downing of Flight MH17.

The decision was approved by the Government today, the press service informs.

By submitting an inter-State application, the government is sharing all available and relevant information about the downing of Flight MH17 with the ECHR. The contents of the inter-State application will also be incorporated into the Netherlands intervention in the individual applications submitted by the victims next of kin against Russia to the ECtHR. By taking this course of action the government is offering maximum support to these individual cases, the statement reads.

Achieving justice for 298 victims of the downing of Flight MH17 is and will remain the governments highest priority. By taking this step today  bringing a case before the ECtHR and thus supporting the applications of the next of kin as much as we can  we are moving closer to this goal, said Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands Stef Blok.

As reported, in May 2018, the Netherlands and Australia formally accused Russia of being responsible for the downing of the Malaysia Airlines passenger jet.

In March this year, the District Court of The Hague began the consideration of the case of the downing of flight MH17 in the sky over Donbas.

On June 19, 2019, the international Joint Investigation Team named four suspects believed to be involved in the transportation and combat use of the Buk missile system, from which MH17 flight had been downed. Three of them are Russians: Igor Girkin (Strelkov), former colonel in Russia's FSB intelligence service and former so-called defense minister of the so-called Donetsk Peoples Republic; Sergey Dubinskiy, general (at the time of downing  colonel) of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces and head of the so-called Main Intelligence Directorate of the Donetsk Peoples Republic; Oleg Pulatov, lieutenant colonel of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces. The fourth suspect is Leonid Kharchenko, a Ukrainian civilian, who fought on the side of the so-called Donetsk Peoples Republic. Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was shot down over conflict-hit Donbas in July 2014. There were 283 passengers and 15 crew members on board. All of them died.

The Joint Investigation Team reported that the plane had been shot down from a Buk missile system that belongs to the 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade of the Russian Armed Forces stationed in Kursk.

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A girl who ran away from home following a row with her parents was r*ped and killed after being picked up by a married couple, say police.

Chilling CCTV footage shows eight-year-old Victoria (Vika) Teplyakova walking alone next to a busy road shortly before she was kidnapped.

The husband allegedly r*ped and strangled Vika with a plastic bag on Monday, the day she disappeared after leaving her familys home in Novoaleksandrovsk, Russia, and dumped her body near a lake in a forest.

Vika was missing for three days before a 32-year-old woman told police she and her husband had given the child a lift in their car.



The man allegedly told his wife he would attack the girl and the woman did nothing to stop it because she was too scared of him, according to a police source.

In the early hours of Friday, the woman showed police where Vikas body was hidden near a lake, said law enforcement.

Police have released pictures of the detained husband and wife suspects, named as Igor Dvornikov, who turns 49 this year, and mum-of-two Kristina Dvornikov, who turns 32 this year.

It is claimed the couple initially admitted picking up a girl, but gave a description that did not match Vikas.

Kristina Dvornikov initially denied abducting, abusing and killing the girl.

However, she later confessed during further questioning and said they picked up Vika on their way to a beach, according to law enforcement.

The woman told police her husband drove to a remote area and ordered her out of the car, and she didnt object because she was afraid of him.

She claims her husband r.a.p.e.d the girl in the car and then strangled her with a bag.

He allegedly carried Vikas body out of the car and dumped her on the shore of the lake.

Both the husband and wife have been detained as detectives launch a murder probe.

Follow Us on Facebook  @LadunLiadi; Instagram  @LadunLiadi; Twitter  @LadunLiadi; Youtube  @LadunLiadiTV for updates
Morrison Government at the Forefront of Countering Beijings Unrestricted Warfare: Expert

The Australian prime minister, since banning Huawei from involvement in the countrys 5G network in 2018, has been actively countering Beijings unrestricted warfare operations, according to an expert in international law, conflicts, and terrorism.

The federal government has launched investigations into foreign interference and is ramping up its cyber capabilities and military strength as Beijings grey zone activities grow in the Indo-Pacific.

When Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a new record high defence budget and strategy on July 1, he warned that Australia faced a world that is poorer, that is more dangerous, and that is more disorderly.

A CH-47 Chinook from the 5th Aviation Regiment is seen deploying from Townsville, Australia on Jan. 5, 2020 (Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

Defence Minister Linda Reynolds, in a follow-up speech on July 2, warned of nations exploiting tactics that fall below the threshold of armed conflict.

She spoke of grey zone activities, saying: Cyber-attacks, foreign interference, and economic pressure seek to exploit the grey area between peace and war.

In the grey zone, when the screws are tightened: influence becomes interference, economic cooperation becomes coercion, and investment becomes entrapment, she added.

Australian beef is seen at a supermarket in Beijing on May 12, 2020 (Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images)

According to Sascha-Dominik Dov Bachmann, an international law professor and an expert in grey zone (or hybrid) warfare, the Morrison government has countered Beijings grey zone activities since 2018.

Bachmann said Australia stands at the forefront of trying to curtail the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) growing influence.

The government has done what it could and what is in its power to safeguard the sovereignty of Australia, he added.

What is the Grey Zone?

Bachmann, a former lieutenant colonel in the German military, told The Epoch Times on July 7 that the CCPs actions in the South China Sea, including the building of artificial islands and its deliberate misinterpretation of international law, was a demonstration of grey zone activity.

The CCP has been using the whole spectrum of what some people would call the grey zone; other people would call it unrestricted warfare.'

A Chinese H-6K bomber patrols the islands and reefs in the South China Sea, in this file photo. (Liu Rui/Xinhua via AP)

In 1999, two colonels from the CCPs air force published a book titled Unrestricted Warfare in which they argued the CCP had limitless battlefields or domains that it could exploit to gain an advantage over a geopolitical rival. These domains included the environment, finance, trade, culture, and the legal sector.

Related Coverage Communist Chinas Silent War Against America

Winning without fighting is one of the maxims, Bachmann said.

In 2003, Beijings Central Military Commission drew on the doctrine of unrestricted warfare and approved a guiding principle for its military called the three warfares.

It consisted of public opinion warfare or intending to project a positive image of China domestically and abroad.

There was psychological warfare where China would undermine any enemy by deterring and demonising their countrys military personnel, and supporting civilian populations.

Finally, legal warfare, which uses national and international law to support Chinese interests, Bachmann said.

The CCP Wages Unrestricted Warfare on Australia

Bachmann said the CCP has deployed operations against Australia in a number of grey zone domains.

From cyber, from influence operations, to basic trade boycotts, and diplomatic threats. Its a whole spectrum, he said.

The role of the CCPs influence operations has come under the spotlight in recent years with revelations surrounding Confucius Institutes, the Belt and Road Initiative, cyber-attacks on Parliament, and exposure of the United Front Work Department, which culminated in the downfall of former Senator Sam Dastyari.

Chinas then-Vice President Xi Jinping (now Chinese leader) unveils a plaque at the opening of Australias first Chinese Medicine Confucius Institute at the RMIT University in Melbourne on June 20, 2010. (William West/AFP/Getty Images)

Australian Labor Partys Senator Sam Dastyari fronts the media in Sydney to make a public apology after asking a company with links to the Chinese Government to pay a bill incurred by his office on Sept. 6, 2016. (William West/AFP/Getty Images)

In recent times, the CCP has shifted to a more aggressive style of wolf warrior diplomacy in Australia and around the world, which has seen Beijing engage in public attempts to influence government decision-making.

Australia has been engaged in a trade dispute with Beijing since April when the regime used the imposition of new tariffs on Australian barley imports and a ban on beef imports from four local abattoirs as a form of economic coercion.

In 2020, we have seen the CCP try to influence how the Australian government exercises its sovereign rights. That is a direct violation of sovereignty, according to Bachmann, who said the CCP would also attempt to change public opinion and create backlash internally in Australia.

To that end, the regime issued warnings to Chinese travellers and students amid the CCP virus pandemic that there was an upsurge in discrimination against Chinese and Asian people in Australia; a claim which Australian officials denied.

Chinese Ambassador to Australia Cheng Jingye speaks to the media during a press conference at the Ambassadors residence in Canberra, Australia, on Dec. 19, 2019. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch)

When the Australian government stands tall, the CCP declares via the information sphere (with a holistic mix of trying to blackmail the government and people) a new narrative where Australia suffers tremendously in terms of trade, and in terms of academia, said Bachmann.

On June 12, a new report revealed Beijing was actively using Twitter and Facebook to shape, manage, and control narratives related to its handling of the CCP virus pandemic, the Hong Kong protests, and Taiwan.

Australia Pushes Back Against Beijing

Since the ban on Huawei in 2018, the Morrison government has taken incremental steps to push back against Beijings unrestricted warfare activities in the region.

More recently, on June 5, the Australian government introduced tougher laws preventing foreign investment deemed detrimental to the countrys national interest. On June 30, the prime minister announced a ramp-up of cybersecurity funding with over $1.35 billion (US$942 million) to expand Australias cybersecurity capabilities.

A person delivers a computer payload while working on a laptop during the 11th International Cybersecurity Forum in Lille, France, on Jan. 22, 2019. (Philippe Huguen/AFP/Getty Images)

Bachmann said a comprehensive approach to counteracting Beijing needs to include the private sector and the general public. Recent announcements on cybersecurity have seen the government proactively warn and engage private organisations about the cybersecurity threat Australia is facing.

When it comes to trying to find and counter a hostile actor, you need a comprehensive approach combining anything a state actor can use including military, cyber, and intelligence capabilities, Bachmann added.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks during a press conference in Sydney, Australia on Feb. 1, 2020. (Don Arnold/Getty Images)

According to Bachmann, Australia has also become clearer on the nature of the CCP amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read More Governments Underestimate the Chinese Communist Partys United Front System of Interference

You know you are under threat because of how the coronavirus was handled and how the World Health Organization (WHO) was corrupted in the beginning, he said, alluding to the WHOs failure to declare the COVID-19 a pandemic, amid accusations it was covering up for Beijing.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison issued a dire warning on July 1 that Australias current strategic environment was reminiscent of the existential threat we faced when the global and regional order collapsed in the 1930s and 1940s.
Iran's new ambassador to Austria Abbas Ardakani met and held talks with the Austrian deputy Minister for Economic and Digital Affairs Michael Sterl on the expansion of trade and commercial relations between the two countries, Trend reports citing Mehr.

During the meeting, the two sides agreed to hold the two countries' joint commission soon.

In addition, it was decided that the working groups established under the important document 'Roadmap for Economic Relations', which was signed in 2016, will be continuously strengthened by pursuing further agreements.

The meeting was also attended by the Director-General of Economic Cooperation, the Planning Adviser to the Minister of Economy, and the Director of the Middle East (West Asia), the United States and Africa Office of the Austrian Ministry of Economy.

Ardakani submitted his credentials to the Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen in a ceremony held At the Austrian Presidential Palace lat week.

He conveyed the friendship message of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to the Austrian president and full readiness of the Iranian government for the development and expansion of relations with Austria in all the political, economic, cultural fields Based on historical and long-standing relations between the two countries.

The Austrian President also extended his greeting to his Iranian counterpart and voiced his readiness for the expansion of bilateral ties.
BRECKSVILLE, Ohio  Councilman Jack Petsche has sued the city in an attempt to keep City Council from unseating him.

The lawsuit, filed July 6 in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, says Brecksville council members legally cannot hear the case against Petsche because they are biased against him. It says that only an impartial tribunal can preside over Petsches removal hearing, under due process provisions in the U.S. and Ohio constitutions.

Also, the suit says councils case against Petsche lacks evidence of clear and substantial misconduct and fails to show that his further presence in office would be harmful to the public welfare, which are standards the Ohio Supreme Court has established to remove an elected official from office.

The lawsuit also claims that it was Mayor Jerry Hruby and Law Director David Matty who filed a complaint with the Ohio Ethics Commission regarding Petsches actions. That investigation eventually led to felony charges against Petsche in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.

One of Petsches attorney, Peter Pattakos, repeated his past statement that councils attempt to remove Petsche from office is nothing more than political payback, based on past positions Petsche has taken in opposition to other elected and appointed city officials, including Hruby and Matty.

We look forward to defending this unlawful attack on (Petsches) council seat and to clearing him of all the retaliatory charges against him, Pattakos said in a press release.

Pattakos told cleveland.com that the court, if it rules in Petsches favor, might grant an injunction to prevent council from having its removal hearing, scheduled for July 21 in City Hall. Or the court might declare that Petsche can be removed only for clear and substantial misconduct, which Pattakos said is lacking in councils case, but allow council to proceed with its hearing.

Sergio DiGeronimo, Brecksvilles assistant law director who brought removal charges against Petsche on behalf of council, said he had no comment on the lawsuit.

When the matter is pending before a court, it is important for the litigants to refrain from out-of-court commentary regarding the allegations when those allegations are controverted by fact, DiGeronimo told cleveland.com in an email.

Meanwhile, council on Tuesday hired Walter Haverfield, a Cleveland law firm, to provide legal counsel in the Petsche removal proceedings. Council will pay the firm $275 an hour.

On June 16, council started impeachment proceedings against Petsche, who was charged by a Cuyahoga County grand jury earlier in June with three counts of unlawful interest in a public contract and one count of attempted unlawful interest in a public contract. His arraignment is scheduled for July 22.

County prosecutors said Petsche, 66, voted as councilman to award city money to a construction firm, Panzica Construction Co., that had subcontracted with a Petsche-owned company, USA Roofing. The project was the construction of a new Brecksville police station.

Also, prosecutors said that In April and May 2018, respectively, Petsche voted with the rest of council to issue $500,000 in notes and $2 million in bonds to help pay for the police station project -- on which USA Roofing was then working.

Prosecutors added that in March 2019, Petsche, along with the rest of council, voted to amend its pricing agreement with Panzica for the police station. They said Petsche didnt disclose to his fellow council members the relationship between USA Roofing and Panzica until August, after USA Roofing had been paid $142,000.

Finally, prosecutors said that in May 2019, USA Roofing -- while Petsche was on council -- bid as a subcontractor on the citys aquatics center renovation project. USA Roofing ultimately wasnt hired by the general contractor, Seitz Builders, after a city official noticed that Petsches firm had submitted a bid to Seitz.

The Brecksville charter states that council can remove any member for gross misconduct or malfeasance or nonfeasance ... or upon conviction while in office of a felony or other crime involving moral turpitude, or for violation of his oath of office.

DiGeronimo said the charter also states that a council member shall not directly or indirectly solicit ... in any profit or emolument from or on account of any contract, job, work or service with or for the municipality.

History of opposition

Petsches lawsuit states that he has been a political opponent of longtime city officials even before he was elected to council in 2017.

In 2012, Petsche and his wife Rose led a campaign to place a Democracy Day initiative on the ballot. It would require the city to have annual public hearings on the influence of money on politics. Voters passed the ballot initiative.

Matty unsuccessfully challenged the ballot initiative to the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, and Hruby unsuccessfully sought to invalidate it before the Ohio Supreme Court.

After Petsche joined council, he brought attention to the Four Seasons issue. In 2018, the city and Cuyahoga County agreed to pay close to $682,000 in back sewer taxes for dozens of residents in the Four Seasons subdivision -- where council President Michael Harwood and Councilwoman Kim Veras live. The citys contribution was $587,000.

Harwood and Veras abstained from the vote to bailout Four Seasons. However, many residents believed council and the administration tried to hide their actions by discussing Four Seasons in private executive sessions, then publicly voting to appropriate city money for the sewer taxes before the matter appeared on a council agenda.

At the time, Petsche said council was not being transparent with residents and opposed the Four Season bailout.

Hruby and Matty both publicly expressed their anger with Petsche over his opposition to their Four Seasons dealings, the lawsuit says.

Then, in 2019, Petsche ran against Hruby for mayor. Hruby has held the office for nine consecutive terms since 1987 and rarely if ever has faced opposition.

Secret investigation

The lawsuit states that Hruby, Matty and Harwood all knew for a long time that Petsche owned USA Roofing.

In 2007, Matty, when he was law director in Solon, corresponded with Petsche regarding USA Roofings work on the Solon fire station. In 2013, Hruby met with Petsche to discuss repairs on Brecksvilles Old Town Hall. In 2015, Harwood, as project manager with Panzica, worked directly with Petsche and USA Roofing on a country club project in Pepper Pike.

Then, in 2017, USA Roofing bid on the Brecksville police station job  submitting an offer to the general contractor, Panzica Construction  before Petsche was elected to council.

In fall 2018, just days after the Four Seasons controversy hit the local news media, Hruby and Matty filed a report regarding Petsches and USA Roofings work on the Brecksville police station. Hruby and Matty didnt tell Petsche or the public about their concerns, the lawsuit says.

As for the aquatics center project, the lawsuit says that Petsche didnt know that the city charter barred elected officials from submitting bids for public contracts.

It was Petsches understanding that if USA Roofings bid was competitively submitted with full transparency, and USA Roofing was the low bidder on the project, that it was not improper for his company to do the work for the city, and that it would indeed be a service to the city to be the lowest bidder for the work, the lawsuit says.

Meanwhile, Petsche didnt know about the ethics commission investigation until August 6, 2019, the same day that he announced that he was running for mayor. Matty for the first time accused Petsche publicly of having an improper interest in the police station project.

At this (council) meeting, as well as at the next months meeting on September 3, Hruby, Matty, and council members feigned surprise and outrage that Petsche was affiliated with USA Roofing, and threatened to have him removed from his elected council seat, the lawsuit says.

Ohio law references

The lawsuit says Petsches and USA Roofings actions involving the police station and aquatics center projects dont meet Ohio standards for removing someone from office. It also says that Petsche expects to be cleared in the court trial.

The lawsuit says that under Ohio law, a public officials interest in a public contract is not prohibited when the contract involves necessary supplies and services, when the supplies and services are unobtainable elsewhere for the same or lower price, when the public official gives either preferential treatment to the public entity or the same treatment he or she gives to other customers, and when the transaction is conducted at arms length with full knowledge of the public entity.

The lawsuit says Petsche and USA Roofing met all those conditions.

Further, the lawsuit says it would be unfair for council to conduct a removal hearing against Petsche when Petsche plans to call Hruby, Matty and council members as witnesses at his trial. Thet lawsuit asks that the Cuyahoga County Probate Court conduct the removal hearing instead, as provided under Ohio law.

In a June 23 letter to Pattakos, DiGeronimo said the Ohio constitution gives municipalities like Brecksville the right to home rule powers and allows them to establish their own charters and rules.

A charter allows a municipality to choose its own plan of government without having to default to statutory options, such as your suggestion to utilize (a section of Ohio law), DiGeronimo told Pattakos in the letter.
Ukraines gross domestic product (GDP) decreased by 5.9% between January-May 2020, according to the latest Economic Activity Report released by the Ministry for Development of Economy, Trade and Agriculture.

In particular, the reduction of ISP (consolidated index of goods and services production by main economic activities) totalled 7.3% in January-May 2020 (a 6.7% decline in January-April 2020), and respectively, the Economy Ministry estimates the decrease in GDP at 5.9% (the fall in GDP was 1.3% (p.p.) in Q1 2020, according to the updated data of the State Statistics Service), which currently corresponds with previously published projections of the Economy Ministry (minus 1.2%), reads the report.

According to the NBU, the index of business activity expectations grew to 37 points in May 2020 from 29.9 points in April 2020, although a value of less than 50 points indicates a rather pessimistic business mood.

As reported by Ukrinform, the Action Program of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine projects that the Ukrainian economy may decline by 4-8% compared to 2019 over the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

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Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati and regional councillor Bob Gale met Friday at city hall with a teenager who was recently subjected to  and a witness of  racism in the south end of the city.

In a Facebook group post, Tia MacDonald Jones said her 17-year-old daughter, who is of mixed ethnicity and her friend, who is also of colour, were called a derogatory slur for a Black person by a white woman and man in Chippawa July 3.

She said there was an altercation taking place on the street involving a Black man. The two girls were infuriated when the woman and man repeatedly used the derogatory name.

MacDonald Jones said her daughter corrected the woman, trying to explain to her it is unacceptable for her to say that word, only to be screamed at and called it herself.

A 14-second video shows the incident but does not show what led up to it.

MacDonald Jones said the girls were badly shaken up by the incident and that it has deeply affected them.

These are good kids who now feel unsafe in their own neighbourhood/community.

After Fridays meeting, MacDonald Jones daughter, who did not want to be identified, said she and her friend did not know the people involved in the altercation, and just stumbled upon the incident.

She said she does not know what led to the argument between the Black person and the woman and man, but that the woman claimed the Black man was using the derogatory term, so she was using it back at him.

I didnt hear (the Black man) say it, but thats what she was basically saying.

She said she has never personally experienced racism as blatant as this before.

MacDonald Jones said she was disturbed her daughter and friend had to experience that situation.

I just wanted to say to my community, hey, this happened, and I was really upset about it, she said.

People fluffing something like this off is what prevents change from happening.

Gale said when the issue was brought to his attention by a Black friend of his, he called for a meeting between himself, Diodati and the family.

Also involved in the meeting was the Black friend, who did not want to be identified, and Sherri Darlene, a Black woman who founded the local grassroots organization Justice4BlackLives, which organized the peaceful demonstration attended by thousands of people in Niagara Falls June 6.

The meeting allowed the family to explain what happened and plans are being made to have officials representing minority organizations come and speak to city council during a meeting in August about the importance of inclusivity and education.

People have to control their emotions, said Gale.

I know that this man was in a state of anger and Ive heard that the lady also used the word, but we have to control our emotions, and stop with this. Its one thing to get in an argument, but dont escalate it.

Gale said he doesnt know how the incident started, and I really dont care once it got to that level.

The common theme in this meeting was education, education, education. People show up to protests and then they go home, and they say, Well, I did my part. Well, theres more than that.

Diodati said he was really disappointed and sad that that kind of blatant racism can take place in Niagara Falls.

You cant hide from it. I think overall our community is great, but we do definitely have some ugly parts that we need to correct, he said.

The fact that we met today, we heard what happened, we saw what happened, we acknowledged what happened  I think were on our way. I dont think its going to be an overnight thing.

Diodati credited the teenage girls for calling out the man and woman for using racist language.

We need to make sure that we call people out when they do stuff like this. Some people do it unconsciously because its something theyve always done, and I think its really incumbent upon all of us that are in a privileged situation to make sure that doesnt happen. Its fine to make a mistake, but its not OK if you knowingly do something to hurt somebody  thats wrong and unacceptable.
Egypt is top of the Arab countries that are working on developing its nuclear programme, whether through supporting its nuclear research centre, in the nuclear medicine field or through establishing El Dabaa nuclear power plant to generate clean, affordable, sustainable electricity, former director of nuclear energy at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Alan E. Waltar, told Ahram Online.

According to research carried out by Waltar, Egypt has always been keen to improve its agriculture and increase the self-sufficiency levels of its strategic agricultural crops.

During the period from January to April of this year, total Egyptian agricultural exports increased to more than 2.4 million tonnes.

Speaking to Ahram Online, Waltar said that the world is now moving towards an enhanced adaptation of nuclear technologies for the massive positive implications they can bring, not only for countries and their economies, but also for individuals. With this augmented interest, much research has been conducted to study the techniques that will help in empowering and developing various sectors.

Similarly, according to Waltar, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) alongside the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have been working together to enhance these techniques for over 50 years.

Certain nuclear technologies can improve the soil and water balance, which improves the production of crops as a result, thus satisfying the growing populations needs.

That is why the world is now moving towards enhancing the peaceful nuclear national programmes, to get the utmost benefits from the applications of nuclear technologies, especially in the Arab world, Waltar told Ahram Online.

The International Atomic Energy Agency, in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization, has supported MENA countries facing severe salinization (the increasing amount of salt content in soil) to improve soil. The IAEA trained 60 scientists from ten countries -- Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen -- who are now using nuclear and isotopic techniques to improve crop yields on salt-affected soils. Five years on, farmers are successfully growing crops under saline conditions IAEA reported, he said.

The applications are endless, said Waltar.

According to a research paper by Waltar, the majority of the citizens are aware of the contributions of nuclear technology to the production of electricity via commercial nuclear power plants. However, most are unaware that the impact of this technology is even greater for non-power applications.

The worlds of medicine, agriculture, and modern industry has been substantially improved by the harnessing of radioisotopes, and new applications continue to make major humanitarian contributions to our quality of life, according to the research.

Not only does nuclear technology allow for higher crop production, it is also better for the environment, Waltar said, adding that attaching radioactive tracers to known quantities and varieties of fertilisers helps determine the associated nutrient efficiencies. This technique can therefore majorly reduce the amount of fertilizer required, reducing costs to the farmer as well as minimising environmental damage.

The application of radiation techniques to the development of new crop varieties has likely provided the highest global economic value of any form of harnessing radiation. This includes mutant varieties or cultivars such as rice, barley, wheat and many more, he added.

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Who is the ugliest man in the world? Certainly not a title that anyone would gladly bestow upon themselves. However, certain perks accompany the world's extreme. The hype and popularity are just incredible, and for the crowned individuals that expose a human side that most people learn to shun, it is a courageous move. Everyone has their insecurities and physical flaws and learn to live with them. The majority of individuals are busy fawning on celebrity hotties and rarely think about the ugly men of this world. The ugliest man face might be a grotesque sight for many, but by their admission, they have accepted the ugliest man crown  the undisputed specimen of hideousness.

Image: twitter.com, @LRglobe

Source: Twitter

Do you sometimes wonder how the world would have been if everyone was alike? Annoying, would it not be? Indeed, the differences that the creator bestowed upon us create a balanced society. It is not easy being referred to as ugly and crowned for it, but the facts are bare, and there is no better way than accepting your faults.

Interestingly, the ugliest man in the world title has not been a preserve for one but has been shifting from one person to another. Many are coming out to contest the Guinness record for ugliest man. Who holds the crown?

Who is the ugliest man in the world?

Would you be rattled to lose the title of the ugliest man in the world? Many would not even dare to venture into such a competition because it is a confirmation of their worst fears. That is why the contestants that battle it out to clinch the first position are courageous.

You have probably heard of the worlds ugliest man in Uganda. Is the narrative true, and is he the undisputed champion of the hideous men on earth? The ugliest man is genuinely on a league of their own, thrust into the limelight for what many would not dare come out for.

1. Godfrey Baguma

Image: twitter.com, @LRglobe

Source: Twitter

Godfrey Baguma is the ugliest man in the world and has even won a Guinness World Record for his disproportioned look. He was born in Uganda, where he resides as well. Godfrey was a shoemaker, a profession that barely made ends meet. Faced with intense pressure to improve his living standards and earn a good living, Godfrey decided to partake in the ugliest man in the world competition.

He won owing to his grotesque appearance. Godfrey Baguma suffers from a rare condition that makes his look like a strange creature. His entire face is deformed, having lumps on different parts, features that easily won him the ugliest man in the world title.

According to Tony Wilson, head of medicine at Mbarara Hospital in the western region of Uganda, Godfrey suffers from a rare condition called Fibrodysplasia. This condition affects the growth and placement of cell tissues resulting in the widespread abnormality in his head and other parts of his brain. Fortunately, he cannot pass down the disease to his children, and the condition can be easily managed with the right medication.

Today, Godfrey is a local celebrity and is singing African Pop music. His videos on YouTube are amassing millions of views. And if you thought that the man with the ugliest face in the world was not fortunate enough to get a wife, then you are wrong. Godfrey is married and is a father to eight children.

READ ALSO: Who is the poorest person in the world?

2. William Masvinu

Image: facebook.com, @H-Metro Real Life Real Drama Win

Source: Facebook

Wiliam Masivinu, for the longest time, has been termed as Zimbabwe's ugliest man although he has lost the title to another, a decision that he hotly contested. Zimbabwe usually runs Mr Ugly, a contest that seeks to celebrate the beauty in ugliness every year.

The competition began in Beitbridge in 2009 and has gained immense popularity ever since with many contestants battling it out for the top slot. And the reigning champion, William Masvinu never seems to disappoint every year. He has sure enjoyed various endorsements that allow him to take advantage of his deformity.

It is impressive how William relishes his ugliness and wins awards for it. According to him, he couldn't be prouder and clinching the crown in Zimbabwe is one of the most significant accomplishments in his life. Probably, he is among the ugliest in the world and easily challenges the Guinness World Record holder.

3. Maison Sere

Image: facebook.com, @Lipas Trbang

Source: Facebook

He is the guy with the ugly smile that seems to be his signature ugly face. Maison has also enjoyed the title of being the ugliest person in Zimbabwe after defeating the long-running champion William Masivinu, a decision the previous title holder was not happy about.

Maison has several teeth missing, and his looks are not appealing at all. Even worse, during the competition whereby he dethroned Masivilu, he was dressed in a torn overall, creating the ideal unappalling appearance on stage.

4. Joshua Glen Box

Image: twitter.com, @AnOpenSecret

Source: Twitter

Are you still wondering, "Who is the ugliest man in the world?" Joshua came into the limelight in 2018 after being charged with being a child predator. When his images surfaced online, anyone would have ranked him as the ugliest man in the world because of his deformed face.

Joshua certainly looks hideous. He attempted to kill himself in 2015, whereby he shot himself in the face when he was first charged with child porn. Unfortunately, he never died and lived to suffer from the gun short that deformed his face.

READ ALSO: 15 richest Nigerians in 2020

5. Michael Berryman

Image: facebook.com, @Michael Berryman

Source: Facebook

Michael was probably the ugliest boy in the world when he was young because of his unique medical condition. Today, the famous actor is 72 years old and suffers from hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia that is characterised by the absence of sweat glands, hair and nails. That is why he has a horrific appearance that has allowed him to secure many roles in horror movies.

Many remember him from his creepy portrayal of Pluto in "The Hills Have Eyes." Michael has played in numerous spooky movies that have gained him immense popularity. That is why many individuals easily associate him as the ugliest man in the world. He has a very horrific appearance.

Many people who are wondering who is the ugliest man in the world," probably did not know how deformed someone's face could be. The person that takes the crown has reached the highest ever rating of the ugliest man, and his challengers are hideous as well. Thank God for your looks!

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Source: TUKO.co.ke
The meat factories' representative body has been accused of 'stonewalling' questions on the Covid-19 outbreaks in meat plants around the country.

Meat Industry Ireland (MII), which represents meat factories, told an Oireachtas Commitee yesterday that there has been approximately 1,100 positive cases in meat factories, since one of its members first reported a positive Covid case on March 17.

However, Independent TD for Limerick Richard ODonohue accused MII of stonewalling questions and going around in circles, with MII representatives unable to provide details of how many of the 1,100 positive cases involved migrant workers or if the majority of its meat factory members have sick pay for workers.

MII Chairman Philip Carroll said it was "completely unfair" to be accused of stonewalling questions and they had answered around 75 questions at that point.

Carroll said meat factories had implemented a comprehensive set of measures to deal with Covid-19, but admitted that there have been too many positive cases associated with meat plants.

The 1,100 positive cases, he said, is not a badge of honour for the sector, but that there are no active cases in meat plants today and our absolute focus is to maintain this. MII also said that five sites had carried out mass testing of workers. Five meat factories had over 100 positive cases among its workers by June 1, according to HSE figures.

The committee also heard that 70pc of the country's 15,000 meat factory workers are non-Irish, with 20pc from outside the EU. However, MII could not provide a breakdown of how many Irish and non-Irish workers had tested positive for Sinn Fein TD Matt Carthy. MII said it would "strive" to provide the information.

In relation to sick pay Committee Chairman Michael Mc Namara asked MII three times if the majority of its members had sick pay available to workers. "Some of them have sick pay scheme and some of them dont, Cormac Healy, Senior Director MII, told the committee.

Labour TD Duncan Smith said there are "massive concerns" about how meat factory workers are treated.

Deputy Smith referred to the treatment of MII workers as the largest example of systemic worker exploitation thats happening in the State.

Edel McGinley, Director of Migrant Rights Centre, told the committee she was deeply concerned about the approach taken by the HSA and if there are more outbreaks it will call for the closure of plants.
PouYuen workers in HCM Citys Binh Tan district exit the company after work (Photo: tuoitrenews.vn)

HCM City - The HCM City Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs would take whatever measures are needed in the second half of the year to safeguard workers incomes and jobs, which have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Le Minh Tan, its director, has promised.

More than 327,000 workers in the city were laid off in the first half, he said. Tourism and other services were the hardest hit with some 4,400 enterprises being affected and 100,000-120,000 workers laid off.

To protect workers rights, the department has set up working groups to support businesses and ensure employees are treated in accordance with legal provisions, he said.

Enterprises that lay off workers must notify them 45 days in advance.

In addition, companies must have additional support policies for more vulnerable employees such as seniors and pregnant women, he added.

Of the nearly 2,800 PouYuen workers in Binh Tan district who have been laid off, 745 want to stay in the city. We will look for businesses in the same industry to find jobs for those workers.

The department is working with eight companies in Go Vap district to recruit 2,222 workers who had been laid off by Hue Phong Footwear JSC in the district, he said.

The department has learnt that a Taiwanese furniture company in Cu Chi would lay off around 800 jobs soon, and is looking for wood manufacturing enterprises seeking to hire workers, he said.

It would also send workers in need of vocational training to vocational centres, he said.

According to city authorities, 90 percent of 8,400 enterprises facing difficulties are eligible for the 62 trillion VND (2.7 billion USD) support package of the Government and Resolution 2 of the City Peoples Council. The businesses that receive the funding from these two programmes should keep their workers.

The Government has allowed businesses to suspend paying social insurance premiums for their workers, trade union funds and others until the end of the year if they retain them.

According to a survey by the HCM City Statistics Office, nearly 14,000 out of the citys 16,300 enterprises were affected by the pandemic in the first half, with around 8,400 enterprises suspending operations and thus laying off a large number of employees.

If the pandemic continues in the second half, another 4,800-5,000 enterprises in the services, industrial and construction sectors will be affected and 160,000-180,000 more workers could lose their jobs.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc recently approved the relief package worth over 62 trillion VND to benefit around 20 million people nation-wide with a focus on workers who lost jobs and incomes and businesses affected by the pandemic.

Under Resolution 42, as of the end of June, HCM City provided financial support worth a total of 560 billion VND to more than 510,000 out of a total of 542,000 people affected by the pandemic.

In March, HCM City authorities approved a support package targeting 600,000 workers and teachers at private pre-schools who lost their jobs and poor families.
Days after University Grant Commission (UGC) announced that final year examinations for graduation and post-graduation courses will be conducted in September, UGC Secretary has told that the safety of students was its prime concern. Speaking to news agency ANI, UGC Secretary Professor Rajnish Jain said that the authorities are aware of the COVID situation in the country and hence have ordered examination for only the terminal year.

This comes as parents, students, and various state governments have raised their objection on the safety and security of the students after UGC decided to conduct examinations even as COVID cases are on the rise. Jain further stated that if in any case, students could not appear in examination then Universities will conduct special examination for those students.

"We are conducting examination only for the terminal semester or the final year. Conducting final year examination of graduation or post-graduation is very important while the safety and security of students is our prime concern. We have come to know that some states announced that examination will not be conducted but we have uniformity across the nation and therefore the guidelines are to be adopted and UGC guidelines they should adopt and they should conduct the examination for the final year students." he said.

READ | Coronavirus Live Updates

Prof Jain also added: "At the same time, we have to see that examination is an integral part of the higher education system for any other education system. We are conducting examination only for the terminal semester or the final year students for the Universities and colleges while maintaining safety security and all other protocol of the governments. It was decided by union health ministry that all the protocols are be followed and everything will be followed in place for the long term interest of students so, therefore, it is recommended that we should conduct the final semester examination," he said.

As states oppose UGC's direction on final year exams,

READ | UGC Exam Guidelines should be advisory not mandatory says Maharashtra Education Minister

Political parties oppose move

West Bengal's Principal Secretary of the Department of Higher Education and School Education Department urged Centre to re-examine the matter in the interest of the physical and mental well-being of students. Congress MP from Tamil Nadu Manickam Tagore also condemned the decision.

Maharashtra minister of technical and higher education Uday Samant said that he has written to the HRD Minister urging him to make the UGC guidelines on conducting the examinations as 'advisory' and not 'mandatory.' He has also said that it will not be possible to conduct final-year exams at universities by September-end amid the surge in COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra.

READ | UGC allows final year exams to be held in September; issues fresh guidelines for colleges

UGC guidelines for exams

As the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) permitted universities to conduct examinations during the Unlock period, the University Grants Commission (UGC) issued revised guidelines for exams and academic calendar in view of Coronavirus pandemic. Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal has confirmed that final year examinations will now be conducted in September.

The UGC has revisited its earlier guidelines related to university examinations.

In view of the safety, career progression and placements of the students and their larger interests, after consulting @HMOIndia and @MoHFW_INDIA, it has been decided that pic.twitter.com/evKTYPwnIa  Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank (@DrRPNishank) July 6, 2020

READ | 'No one except Maharashtra': BJP tells Uddhav govt to avoid politics over UGC's decision

(with ANI inputs)
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Russia and China vetoed a last-ditch attempt on Friday by Western members of the U.N. Security Council to extend approval for humanitarian aid to be delivered across two border crossings into Syria from Turkey for the next six months.

The approval was set to lapse at 12:01 a.m. Saturday. The United Nations says millions of Syrian civilians in the countrys northwest depend on the humanitarian aid delivered from Turkey, describing it as a lifeline.

The remaining 13 council members voted in favor of the resolution on Friday. The 15-member council has been split, with most members pitted against Russia and China, which want to cut the number of border crossings to one, arguing those areas can be reached with humanitarian help from within Syria.

This was the third failed vote on the issue by the council and the second vetoes by Russia and China this week.
Local officials say they did not request the assistance and did not coordinate efforts with the federal government.

Protesters who have clashed with authorities in the Pacific Northwest are not just confronting local police.

Some are also facing off against federal officers whose presence reflects President Donald Trumps decision to make cracking down on violent mayhem a federal priority.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has deployed officers in tactical gear from around the country, and from more than half a dozen federal law enforcement agencies and departments, to Portland, Oregon, as part of a surge aimed at what a senior official said were people taking advantage of demonstrations over the police killing of George Floyd to commit violence and vandalism.

Once we surged federal law enforcement officers to Portland, the agitators quickly got the message, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss a continuing operation.





The deployment represents somewhat of a departure for DHS, which was created after the September 11, 2001 attacks and is primarily focused on threats from abroad and border security. During the Trump presidency, its focus has been largely on carrying out the presidents tough immigration agenda. Now it is in the role of supporting Trumps law-and-order campaign, raising questions about overstepping the duties of local law enforcement.

Portland Deputy Police Chief Chris Davis said his department did not request the assistance and did not coordinate efforts with the federal government amid often chaotic clashes that have ranged across several downtown blocks after midnight for weeks.

I dont have authority to order federal officers to do things, Davis said. It does complicate things for us.

Continuing protests

The DHS officers presence comes at an incredibly tense moment for Portland. After Floyds death, the city for days saw marches and rallies that attracted more than 10,000 generally peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters to the downtown area. The police took a mostly hands-off approach to those events because they were orderly, Davis said.

Civil liberties advocates and activists have accused federal authorities of overstepping their jurisdiction and excessive use of crowd-control measures, including using tear gas and patrolling beyond the boundaries of federal property. Portland police are prohibited from using tear gas under a recent temporary court order unless they declare a riot.

DHS should go back to investigating the rise of white supremacist activity and actors who are seeking to cause violence against these peaceful protests, that is under the purview of the agencys mission, said Andrea Flores, the deputy director of immigration policy at the American Civil Liberties Union who was a DHS official during the Obama administration.

Trump issued an executive order on June 26 to protect monuments after protesters tried to remove or destroy statues of people considered racist, including a failed attempt to pull down one of Andrew Jackson near the White House.

Protesters have sought to topple Confederate statues across the country [File: Lee Storrow/Reuters]

The president has denounced the Black Lives Matter movement and protests calling for the removal of statues honouring racist figures, associating peaceful protests with the sporadic outbursts of vandalism and looting at some demonstrations. He referred to the violent mayhem we have seen in the streets of cities that are run by liberal Democrats, as well as the merciless campaign to wipe out our history, in his July 3 Mount Rushmore speech.

Following the executive order, DHS created the Protecting American Communities Task Force and sent officers from Customs and Border Protection and other agencies to Washington, DC, Seattle and Portland. Others were ready to deploy elsewhere if needed.

Improving coordination among law enforcement agencies is part of DHSs mission. It also oversees the Federal Protective Service (FPS), which guards federal government buildings around the nation.

But the FPS does not have the resources to respond to the kind of sustained attacks that have taken place in Portland and elsewhere on the margins of protests over the May 25 killing of Floyd in Minneapolis.

Federal Protective Service Officer David Underwood was shot and killed outside a federal building in Oakland during a protest in May. Authorities charged an Air Force staff sergeant affiliated with the far-right, anti-government Boogaloo movement with his murder.

Demonstrations have continued in Portland, Oregon since the killing of George Floyd in May [File: Gillian Flaccus/The Associated Press]

As local governments in Washington, DC, and Portland have stepped back to allow space for peaceful demonstrations, the Trump administration has stepped up its effort against what the senior official called opportunistic criminals.

Attorney General William Barr says there have been more than 150 arrests on federal charges around the country, with about 500 investigations pending related to recent protests. There were at least seven in Portland in recent days.

Portland police officials say the cycle of nightly attacks, which have shut down much of the downtown, has been unprecedented. Early Thursday, a man in a four-wheel drive fired several times into the air as he drove away from protesters who had surrounded his car. Weve never seen this intensity of violence and focused criminal activity over this long period of time, Davis said.

Elite border patrol deployed

Among the federal forces deployed in Portland are members of an elite Border Patrol tactical team (BORTAC), a special operations unit that is based on the US-Mexico border and has been deployed overseas, including to Iraq and Afghanistan.

BORTAC members, identifiable by patches on their camouflage sleeves, are mixed in with Federal Protective Service outside the court. Others in the unit, which includes snipers, have been stationed in overlook positions on the courthouses ninth floor, where a protester in a black hoodie shined a green laser into the eyes of one of the officers on Monday, according to court documents.

Members of an elite Border Patrol tactical team (BORTAC), a special operations unit that is based on the US-Mexico border, have been deployed amid continuing protests in Portland [File: Adrees Latif/Reuters]

The night before, a BORTAC agent tackled and arrested a demonstrator suspected of pointing a laser at him and others from a park across the street from the court.

A former DHS official said BORTAC agents were viewed as highly trained, valuable, scarce resources and would typically be used for domestic law enforcement in extraordinary circumstances. These units dont normally sit around idle, said the official, who spoke on condition anonymity because he no longer works at the agency, after serving under Trump and President Barack Obama, and is not authorized to discuss operations.

What did they get pulled off of in order to watch over statues?
Elaine Weiss, journalist and author: The term was made up by a journalist in The Daily Mail in London. It was 1906, and he was making fun of the more militant suffragists in the U.K.  and so he used the diminutive -ette to belittle them. But then they turned around, as often happens in a movement, and they decided to own it. They said, OK, youre going to call us suffragettes? Were going to call ourselves suffragettes. But that was in Britain. The American press began using it too, just because it was cute, and expressed the disdain most American newspapers held for the movement. Its easier to say, I have to admit it.

Ware: I tried to write to Hillary Clinton a few years back to tell her that she was using it incorrectly. I wrote this nice, long letter and I said, Im a Wellesley graduate, and so on. I never heard anything back. That was really infuriating to me, because she has brought a lot of attention to the suffrage movement. And yet she calls them suffragettes.

Kate Clarke Lemay, historian and curator: I find it maddening that only two womens names, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, are consistently taught in core history classes. Suffrage was a movement of thousands of women  including African-American women, who are often left completely out of the record. In fact, Anthony wasnt even at the Seneca Falls convention in 1848, which so many still think of as the starting point of the movement. (The reason people think this, by the way, is because Stanton and Anthony called it as much when they later started writing a six-volume history of the suffrage movement. Because there was so little recorded history from that time, it was taken as fact.)

Sally Roesch Wagner, historian: A lot of my work centers on the influence of Haudenosaunee, or Iroquois, women on the movement. These are Indigenous women who, for a thousand years, had political voice in their sovereign nations  and continue to. The Haudenosaunee clan mothers decide the chiefs to represent their clan. They advise them and have the responsibility to remove them if they dont live up to their responsibilities. One absolute rule is that a chief cant have abused a woman or child. That sounds pretty good as a test of suitability for office, doesnt it? The early suffragists knew Indigenous women had authority over their lives in their nations that U.S. women didnt: rights to their bodies, their possessions and their children, safety and political voice. Having this model showed some suffragists that equality was possible.

Adele Logan Alexander, historian: Can I add something about time? Clearly this years centennial is a significant landmark, but its not the only date we should be thinking of. The federal Voting Rights Act, which became law in 1965, was incredibly important too, because the passage of that legislation supposedly guaranteed the franchise to African-American women  since even after ratification of the 19th Amendment, stifling Jim Crow regulations throughout the South had kept the vote from women, as much as they did for Black men.

Lemay: I think the way we talk about suffrage needs attention. It is so often described in a way that makes it seem kind of dowdy and dour  whereas in fact it is exciting and radical. Women staged one of the longest social reform movements in the history of the United States. This is not a boring history of nagging spinsters; it is a badass history of revolution staged by political geniuses. I think that because they were women, people have hesitated to credit them as such.
Macron asks Israel to drop annexation plans 'Would jeopardize possibility of two-state solution'

(ANSAmed) - PARIS, JULY 10 - French president Emmanuel Macron on Friday asked Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to refrain from any plan to annex Palestinian territory as it would jeopardize peace prospects. According to sources at the French president's office, the head of state ''noted France's commitment to peace in the Middle East'' and called upon the Israeli prime minister to ''regain from any move to annex Palestinian territory. He underscored that such a move would be against international law and would jeopardise the possibility of a two-state solution for a fair and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians''. (ANSAmed). (ANSA).




Iran, Syria sign agreement to expand "comprehensive" military cooperation

Global Times

Source: Xinhua Published: 2020/7/9 10:40:37

Iran and Syria signed an agreement on Wednesday to expand "comprehensive" military and security cooperation, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

The agreement was signed between Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Baqeri and Syrian Defense Minister Ali Abdullah Ayyoub in the Syrian capital Damascus.

As part of the agreement, Iran "will strengthen Syria's air defense system," Baqeri was quoted as saying.

"The agreement will increase our determination for joint cooperation to confront the U.S. pressures," Baqeri said.

The regional peoples and countries do not welcome the U.S. presence in the region, he noted.

The Iranian commander also urged Turkey to settle problems with Syria through dialogue.

For his part, Ayyoub said that the United States has been "unable to bring Iran, Syria and the resistance front to their knees."

Iran has been a major ally of the Syrian government in its fight against the armed rebels since 2011.

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The Delhi government has issued fresh guidelines under which residents of containment zones who are identified as contacts of Covid-19 cases, people with influenza-like symptoms, and high-risk individuals will be tested thrice through rapid antigen kits within 15 days of sealing an area, senior government officials said on Friday.

The order, issued by the director-general of health services, and which has been reviewed by HT, said that the same set of people, all of whom will be identified during the formation of a containment zone, will be screened and tested between the first and third day of sealing an area, then again between the fifth and seventh day, and, finally, once again, between the 13th and 15th day.

Their health records will be saved in a database and they shall be asked to visit the nearest antigen test centres. The objective of the strategy is to get a better picture in terms of local transmission so that the governments ongoing testing efforts can be enhanced for better accuracy, said a senior government official who did not wish to be identified.

High-risk individuals include people aged above 60 years, pregnant women, those with severe acute respiratory illnesses and those with comorbidities, said health department officials.

Dr Lalit Kant, former Head, Division of Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases, Indian Council of Medical Research said, By employing this strategy it will be possible to test as many people as possible who may have come in contact with the infected individual in the entire period in which they are capable of infecting others. By tracking, testing, and treating these people, it will allow early detection of disease thereby limiting further spread of the infection.

Jugal Kishore, head of the community medicines department in Safdarjung Hospital, said: Such a strategy can help the government in assessing the prevalence of the disease and get a better picture concerning local transmission so that testing drives in future can be better strategised for more accuracy.

The new guidelines came even as the number of containment zones in the Capital rose from 458 to 563 between Wednesday and Friday, with several existing ones being split , government data showed. This move is a part of the governments new delineation strategy for containment zones under which Covid-19 clusters are identified within existing containment zones and they are divided into multiple units of no-go zones.

The first round of the delineation strategy was implemented between June 26 and 28, and the number of containment zones in the city rose from 280 to 421. The strategy has two objectives. First, fewer people remain in containment zones. It is a matter of inconvenience and the government acknowledges that. Second, smaller containment units allow for stronger and more focused surveillance efforts, said an official in the revenue department who asked not to be named.

Containment zones in Hari Nagar, Tilak Vihar, Badarpur, Sangam Vihar, Meet Nagar, GTB Nagar, Jahangirpuri, Mahendru Enclave, Alipur, Malkaganj and Pratap Nagar are among those that have been split under the governments new delineation strategy.

Kishore said, However, it is high time that the Delhi government revisits its overall containment policy. Now that a large number of people are apparently adhering to home isolation norms on being diagnosed Covid-19 positive, the government may limit its policy to areas where it is absolutely necessary.
NEW YORK (AP)  The U.S. Roman Catholic Church used a special and unprecedented exemption from federal rules to amass at least $1.4 billion in taxpayer-backed coronavirus aid, with many millions going to dioceses that have paid huge settlements or sought bankruptcy protection because of clergy sexual abuse cover-ups.

The churchs haul may have reached  or even exceeded  $3.5 billion, making a global religious institution with more than a billion followers among the biggest winners in the U.S. governments pandemic relief efforts, an Associated Press analysis of federal data released this week found.

Houses of worship and faith-based organizations that promote religious beliefs aren't usually eligible for money from the U.S. Small Business Administration. But as the economy plummeted and jobless rates soared, Congress let faith groups and other nonprofits tap into the Paycheck Protection Program, a $659 billion fund created to keep main street open and Americans employed.

By aggressively promoting the payroll program and marshaling resources to help affiliates navigate its shifting rules, Catholic dioceses, parishes, schools and other ministries have so far received approval for at least 3,500 forgivable loans, AP found.

The Archdiocese of New York, for example, received 15 loans worth at least $28 million just for its top executive offices. Its iconic St. Patrick's Cathedral on Fifth Avenue was approved for at least $1 million.

In Orange County, California, where a sparkling glass cathedral estimated to cost over $70 million recently opened, diocesan officials working at the complex received four loans worth at least $3 million.

And elsewhere, a loan of at least $2 million went to the diocese covering Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia, where a church investigation revealed last year that then-Bishop Michael Bransfield embezzled funds and made sexual advances toward young priests.

Simply being eligible for low-interest loans was a new opportunity. But the church couldnt have been approved for so many loans  which the government will forgive if they are used for wage, rent and utilities  without a second break.

Religious groups persuaded the Trump administration to free them from a rule that typically disqualifies an applicant with more than 500 workers. Without this preferential treatment, many Catholic dioceses would have been ineligible because, between their head offices, parishes and other affiliates, their employees exceed the 500-person cap.

"The government grants special dispensation, and that creates a kind of structural favoritism," said Micah Schwartzman, a University of Virginia law professor specializing in constitutional issues and religion who has studied the Paycheck Protection Program. "And that favoritism was worth billions of dollars."

The amount that the church collected, between $1.4 billion and $3.5 billion, is an undercount. The Diocesan Fiscal Management Conference, an organization of Catholic financial officers, surveyed members and reported that about 9,000 Catholic entities received loans. That is nearly three times the number of Catholic recipients the AP could identify.

The AP couldnt find more Catholic beneficiaries because the governments data, released after pressure from Congress and a lawsuit from news outlets including the AP, didnt name recipients of loans under $150,000  a category in which many smaller churches would fall. And because the government released only ranges of loan amounts, it wasnt possible to be more precise.

Even without a full accounting, AP's analysis places the Catholic Church among the major beneficiaries in the Paycheck Protection Program, which also has helped companies backed by celebrities, billionaires, state governors and members of Congress.

The program was open to all religious groups, and many took advantage. Evangelical advisers to President Donald Trump, including his White House spiritual czar, Paula White-Cain, also received loans.

In late April, after thousands of Catholic institutions had secured loans, several hundred Catholic leaders pressed for additional help on a call with President Trump. During the call, Trump underscored the coming presidential election and touted himself as the candidate best aligned with religious conservatives, boasting he was the "best (president) the Catholic church has ever seen," according to Crux, an online publication that covers church-related news.

The lobbying paid off.

Catholic Charities USA and its member agencies were approved for about 110 loans worth between $90 million and $220 million at least, according to the data.

In a statement, Catholic Charities said: "Each organization is a separate legal entity under the auspices of the bishop in the diocese in which the agency is located. CCUSA supports agencies that choose to become members, but does not have any role in their daily operations or governance."

The U.S. church may have a troubling record on sex abuse, but Bishop Lawrence Persico of Erie, Pa., pushed back on the idea that dioceses should be excluded from the governments rescue package. Approximately 80 organizations within his diocese received loans worth $10.3 million, the diocese said, with most of the money going to parishes and schools.

Persico pointed out that church entities help feed, clothe and shelter the poor  and in doing so keep people employed.

"I know some people may react with surprise that government funding helped support faith-based schools, parishes and dioceses," he said. "The separation of church and state does not mean that those motivated by their faith have no place in the public square."

By REESE DUNKLIN and MICHAEL REZENDES Associated Press. Data journalist Justin Myers contributed from Chicago.
The Iredell-Statesville School System plans to be ready for whatever form that schools come back later this year, but they can start preparing in earnest once they know exactly which plan that will be.

We were all waiting for the governor to tell us what were going to do, but that has not happened yet, Iredell-Statesville Schools Superintendent Dr. Jeff James said.

The coronavirus and its recent resurgence made plans for how students will attend school this year even harder to decide. Gov. Roy Cooper and the state of North Carolina havent made the call yet as to whether students will be back or how often, but they have laid out separate plans for how schools may proceed when the new school year begins.

James has made sure I-SS schools are ready for whichever path the state chooses.

We as educators we have learned to do many, many things at any given time. Were constantly working on multiple plans and those play off each other and whats best for students, James said.

As far as the exact plans for how students will attend school, its as easy as ABC, at least on paper.
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Linkedin Rob Goodfellow (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, July 11 2020

On Aug. 17 this year it will be a mere 75 years since the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence from the Dutch. In contrast, it has been 239 years since the Declaration of American Independence from British colonial rule.

For Americas black population, the lofty constitutional proclamation that, All Men are Created Equal is still profoundly contested as the nation-wide Black Lives Matter protests have revealed. Inspired by the killing of George Floyd, a broad global movement has now emerged with the key demand of ensuring the social, economic, and political power necessary for people of color to thrive.

My question is, can these milestones be addressed in Indonesia with respect to the people of Papua?

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No chicken-on-a-stick. No Show us your shoes! No parades. No Fiesta.

The Fiesta San Antonio Commission announced Friday that, due to concerns about COVID-19 and the potential for it to spread among crowds, it was suspending all planning for Fiesta this calendar year  the first time since World War II that San Antonio will not have its annual 11-day citywide celebration.

In March, Fiesta was postponed from April to November. Fiesta 2021 will take place April 15-25, according to a news release from the Fiesta Commission.

Most event organizers said they were not surprised by the cancellation.

It was inevitable, said Ray Chavez, executive director of Cornyation, the irreverent satirical show held at the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre. It was impossible for 150 (actors) to be downstairs in the dressing rooms three nights in a row from 5 p.m. to midnight to put on a show.

Cornyation organizers provide many of the monies raised for theater student scholarships. That fund took a hit when Fiesta didnt go on in April.

Last month, Chavez said, event organizers gave scholarships of $3,000 each to three students, using seed money and donations from people who had already purchased tables to event. Thats a far cry from the $10,000 scholarships they typically award to four students each year. And the organization was unable to give anything to the AIDS-related organizations it usually supports, including the San Antonio AIDS Foundation.

We dont have any money, Chavez said. We didnt make any money.

On ExpressNews.com: Postponing Fiesta until November has many nonprofits, service industry workers scrambling

As the number of COVID-19 cases continued to increase dramatically in recent weeks, the Fiesta Commission stayed in close contact with the city. During a call Friday, Mayor Ron Nirenberg told representatives that he wasnt comfortable going forward as planned, according to Baltazar Serna Jr., a lawyer who is Fiesta Commission president.

At the end of the day, it was the citys decision, he said. And we support them 100 percent.

In a statement posted on its social media accounts Friday, the Fiesta Commission wrote, We recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic is not likely to subside sufficiently at any time in 2020 and, in light of public health directives from the governor, Bexar County, and the city of San Antonio, we must forgo Fiesta 2020 in November.

The commission is encouraging organizers of each Fiesta event to honor tickets sold for 2020 events in April 2021.

Fiesta is just the latest in a series of big, crowd-pleasing festivals to fall victim to the coronavirus. Earlier this year, Austins South by Southwest in March was canceled, as was Austin City Limits, which would have been held in October. Aprils Coachella, the popular music festival in California, also was nixed. And on Tuesday, the State Fair of Texas, which would have run in September, was canceled.

Fiesta has an annual economic impact of more than $340 million, supports 3,464 full-time-equivalent jobs and is attended by about 2.5 million people, according to the Fiesta Commission. The cancellation will be a blow to many area nonprofits, which rely on money raised during the festivities to fund programs, grant scholarships and pay for staff and other expenses.

At the Southwest School of Art, the Fiesta Arts Fair brings in about 4 percent of the schools annual budget, according to Paula Owen, the schools president. That sounds small, but when youre trying to operate a nonprofit organization that serves the community and offers higher education to low-income students, it makes a very big difference, she said.

About 25 percent of faculty and staff have been either indefinitely furloughed or their positions were eliminated in order to do extreme belt tightening in order to survive, Owen said. We will have to endure some really uncomfortable cuts and, frankly, were going to have to work harder with fewer staff and fewer resources in the future, Owen said.

The schools annual Gala and Art Sale in November  another large fundraiser  was pushed back to the spring, so Owen hopes it and Fiesta 2021 will happen.

As late as Thursday, San Antonio Conservation Society officials were considering alternative ways to hold a safer A Night in Old San Antonio, including staging it as a drive-thru. NIOSA, one of Fiestas most popular events with food booths and music in La Villita over four nights, raises $1.5 million for the organization annually, according to the societys chairwoman. It awards as much as $100,000 in educational scholarships, and officials previously said theyd have to consider possible staff cuts, eliminating grants and dropping programs should it be canceled.

On ExpressNews.com: Fiesta this year may have a drive-thru NIOSA

Money raised during the Womens Club of San Antonios three Fiesta events all goes toward scholarships for women attending San Antonio College. So when Fiesta was delayed, club members were concerned they might not be able to fund those and were relieved when a donor stepped in to fully fund the scholarships.

Were kind of thinking that this year (those scholarships are) going to be particularly important for these folks, said Ferne Burney, club president, referring to the dramatic rise in unemployment since COVID-19 arrived.

Even before Fridays announcement, several event organizers had already decided they would not participate in a November Fiesta. Fiesta Oyster Bake was canceled in March, shortly after Fiesta was postponed, over concerns the ball fields were its staged would be otherwise occupied.

In May, Any Baby Can canceled its 5K race and 2-mile run fundraiser. Organizers were worried about the rising COVID-19 infection rates and thought two Fiesta events just five months apart would be too much.

Nonprofits that rely on Fiesta events for the bulk of their fundraising are already making adjustments to their plans, such as the Rey Feo Scholarship Committee, which now is looking for ways to connect more directly, if distantly, with donors.

Were working on ways we can fundraise without social gathering, said Sandy Saks, a board of member on the committee. Maybe a virtual fundraiser where people can make donations online. And were reaching out to our existing sponsors that we can depend on every year.

The Brighton Center, a nonprofit therapy program for young children with developmental disabilities and delays, in April launched the VIVA Brighton campaign on its website, seeking donations to offset the deficit brought on by not holding its Taste of Northside Fiesta event, which features food from a variety of San Antonio restaurants, this spring.

As a nonprofit, Brighton desperately relies on the funds raised from Taste of the Northside  We stand to face significant financial troubles with the cancellation of Taste and we ask that you consider making a donation to Brighton, the site reads.

Fiestas cancellation wont just hurt nonprofit beneficiaries. Vendors who sell food, drink and merchandise during Fiesta will be hit hard, too.

For a lot of these small businesses, the money they make during Fiesta is a large portion of their income for the year, Serna said. But in the end we had to balance that with the health and safety of the city.

On ExpressNews.com: State Fair of Texas canceled because of the coronavirus

For one of Fiestas sparkliest events, the show will go on as planned  next year. The 2020 Queen of The Order of the Alamo, along with her court, will shift a year and become the 2021 Queen and court, according to Matthew White, publicity chair for The Order of the Alamo, the group that puts on the elaborate ceremony at the Majestic Theatre.

Theres some concern that some of the young ladies may not be able to participate next year, he said. But the families have told us theyre excited to be able to participate next April, and so are their daughters.

Beyond the lost charitable funds, there was a general air of sorrow that the citywide party that is so much a part of San Antonios identity wont happen.

Were just as disappointed as everybody else, Saks said. Fiesta is so exciting. It gives so much to the city. But this is just a hiccup. We have to keep the city and the country safe. Were looking forward April.

Staff Writer Madalyn Mendoza contributed to this report. Richard A. Marini is a features writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Richard, become a subscriber. rmarini@express-news.net | Twitter: @RichardMarini
The USC School of Cinematic Arts will remove an exhibit dedicated to John Wayne, the school announced Friday. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

USCs School of Cinematic Arts will remove an exhibit dedicated to John Wayne after students called for its removal last year because of racist comments the late actor made in a 1971 Playboy magazine interview, the school announced Friday.

Citing a push to promote anti-racist cultural values, Evan Hughes, the assistant dean of diversity and inclusion, announced the change in a letter to the school's community.

Conversations about systemic racism in our cultural institutions along with the recent global, civil uprising by the Black Lives Matter Movement require that we consider the role our school can play as a change maker in promoting antiracist cultural values and experiences, Hughes said in the statement. Therefore, it has been decided that the Wayne Exhibit will be removed.

In December, the school said it would not remove the exhibit and instead create a space exploring the American West, according the Daily Trojan. A few months before, students protested the Wayne exhibit, stating that by keeping it, the school was endorsing white supremacy. Wayne attended USC in the late 1920s, where he played football.

The protests were prompted after comments Wayne made in the Playboy interview resurfaced. The popular actor made bigoted statements against Black people, Native Americans and the LGBTQ community.

I believe in white supremacy until the blacks are educated to a point of responsibility, he said in the interview. I dont believe in giving authority and positions of leadership and judgment to irresponsible people.

He later said that although he didnt condone slavery, I dont feel guilty about the fact that five or 10 generations ago these people were slaves.

He also felt no remorse about the subjugation of Native Americans.

I dont feel we did wrong in taking this great country away from them," he said. There were great numbers of people who needed new land, and the Indians were selfishly trying to keep it for themselves.

On June 26, Orange Countys Democratic Party passed an emergency resolution calling for the re-naming of John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana and condemning Waynes statements. The airport was named after him in 1979.

The decision at USC comes just a month after the university removed the name of its fifth president, Rufus Von KleinSmid, a eugenics leader, from one of its prominent buildings on campus. President Carol Folt said Von KleinSmids beliefs were at direct odds with USCs multicultural community and our mission of diversity and inclusion.
A construction worker has filed a discrimination lawsuit against a Passaic County company, claiming his supervisors refused to accommodate his requests to bring his emotional support dog to a job site and fired him when he did.

Frank Orlando, 42, worked for Dobco Inc. of Wayne as a project superintendent on the grounds of Ramapo College in Mahwah, according to the suit, filed July 3 in Superior Court of Passaic County.

During his employment, which began in September 2019, Orlando disclosed to his bosses that he was receiving treatment to address mental health issues, including bipolar and personality disorders, the suit states.

As part of his treatment, Orlando acquired a dog. The use of the emotional support dog was prescribed by (Orlandos) treating physician, the suit states.

The lawsuit claims supervisors at Dobco refused to accommodate the animal and refused to discuss the need for an emotional support dog at the job site. On Jan. 5, Orlando was fired, the suit claims.

Orlando says in the suit the reason for his termination was that supervisors did not want to address the issue of his emotional support dog.

The lawsuit claims Dobco violated Orlandos civil rights under New Jerseys Law Against Discrimination by failing to offer reasonable accommodations for his dog and by unlawfully terminating his employment.

Dobco did not immediately respond to a phone call or email seeking comment on Friday.

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Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
The former US police officer charged in the death of George Floyd told him to stop shouting and save his breath as he knelt on his neck and Floyd gasped for air, according to a newly released transcript of police body camera footage.

The death of Floyd, a black man, in police custody on May 25 led to anti-racism protests and demonstrations against police brutality across the United States and around the world with protesters calling for racial equality and police reforms.

"Tell my kids I love them. I'm dead," Floyd said during the nearly nine minutes that the officer knelt on him as he went lifeless.

Floyd pleaded for help as he was pinned to the ground, according to the transcript made public on Wednesday as part of a motion filed in the Minneapolis state court.

LEFT: Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin. RIGHT: A still from a video showing Chauvin kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, who was pleading that he could not breathe. Source: AP

"I'm through, through. I'm claustrophobic. My stomach hurts. My neck hurts. Everything hurts. I need some water or something, please. Please? I can't breathe officer," he said.

"You're going to kill me, man."

Derek Chauvin, the officer who knelt on Floyd, replied: "Then stop talking, stop yelling, it takes a heck of a lot of oxygen to talk."

Chauvin, who is white, was arrested on May 29, four days after Floyd's death. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter.

Three other former Minneapolis police officers, who are white, black and Asian American, have been charged with aiding and abetting in the case.

At one point, one of those officers, Thomas Lane, suggested Chauvin roll Floyd on his side, according to the transcript.

A portrait of George Floyd is painted on the side of the comedy club The Laugh Factory in Los Angeles. Source: AP

"No, he's staying put where we got him," Chauvin responded.

All four of the officers have been fired from the Minneapolis police department. None of them entered a plea during a brief hearing on June 29.

The transcript was made public as part of an effort by Lane's lawyer to have charges that he aided and abetted Floyd's murder thrown out by a judge, according to US media.

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 secretary of the Army announced Friday that he has ordered an independent review of command climate and culture following the disappearance and alleged murder of Army Spc. Vanessa Guillen.

Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy met Friday with Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, and leaders of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) to hear concerns about Fort Hood's handling of the April 22 disappearance of the 20-year-old 3rd Cavalry Regiment soldier.

Read Next: Vanessa Guillen's Mother Calls Fort Hood Officials 'Clowns in a Circus'

Guillen's alleged murder by Army Spc. Aaron Robinson has touched off a wave of controversy, resulting in many public officials calling for separate investigations into the command's handling of the tragedy.

"I had the opportunity to sit down with [LULAC] and Congress to discuss the loss of SPC. Vanessa Guillen," McCarthy tweeted Friday. "I am directing an independent & comprehensive review of the command climate and culture. We have to listen in order to create enduring change."

Fort Hood officials announced Monday that they had identified human remains discovered in Bell County as Guillen's.

Robinson allegedly told 22-year-old Cecily Aguilar that he killed Guillen "by striking her in the head with a hammer" while on base April 22, then smuggled her body to a remote site in Bell County, according to a July 2 criminal complaint filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas.

Aguilar, a civilian and the estranged wife of a former Fort Hood soldier, allegedly then helped Robinson mutilate and dispose of Guillen's body, according to the complaint. Federal authorities charged Aguilar with conspiracy to tamper with evidence in Guillen's disappearance, according to the complaint.

Police attempted to apprehend Robinson on June 30, but he produced a firearm and took his own life, Army investigators have said.

LULAC officials demanded that a separate, independent agency outside of the military protocol be established to investigate reports of rapes, assaults and sexual harassment, which "some of our soldiers are being subjected to and, all too often, their claims are ignored," according to a recent news release.

"We also know, as we hear from soldiers impacted, that there is a credible fear of reporting due to retaliation and that the majority of cases are not reported. Further, we want women to head these investigations to ensure that the message is loud and clear to every female soldier: WE WILL HEAR YOU, AND WE WILL TAKE ACTION."

Natalie Khawam, an attorney representing Guillen's family, has alleged that Robinson sexually harassed Guillen before he murdered her. Fort Hood and Army Criminal Investigation Command officials maintain that there is no credible evidence that Guillen was the victim of sexual harassment.

Maj. Gen. Scott Efflandt, deputy commander of III Corps and Fort Hood, in late June requested that Army Forces Command send a seven-member inspector general team to the base to determine whether its Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Program, or SHARP, is working effectively and properly offering support to soldiers.

Several lawmakers have also called for investigations into the handling of the Guillen case.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, and Rep. Jackie Speier, D-California, recently signed a letter calling on Pentagon Acting Inspector General Sean O'Donnell to conduct a "a full investigation of the circumstances surrounding SPC Guillen's disappearance."

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, recently requested the Government Accountability Office to conduct an immediate review of the Army's implementation of SHARP.

Garcia, the Texas lawmaker, has also announced her intention to get involved in the case.

"Vanessa was a 20-year Latina soldier with a bright future ahead of her," she wrote in a July 5 statement. "Sadly, that bright future was cut short while she was serving our country. I will continue to work with the family until they get justice for Vanessa, and we guarantee this never again happens to another soldier."

-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.

Related: 'We All Feel Her Loss:' Fort Hood Commander Confirms Vanessa Guillen's Death
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday will meet Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and the three services chiefs to discuss the current situation on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh.

The meeting will also review the overall security situation.

Asserting that India is committed to ensuring its sovereignty and territorial integrity, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson, Anurag Srivastava said during a media briefing on Thursday, The diplomatic and military officials of both sides will continue their meetings to take forward the process of disengagement and de-escalation as agreed to by the Special Representatives. The next meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China border affairs (WMCC) is expected to take place soon.

Srivastavas remarks came as the first phase of disengagement between armies of India and China at friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh has been completed and the talks for the second phase are expected to begin in next few days.

On July 5, the Special Representatives of India and China on the Boundary Question-- Ajit Doval and Chinese State Councillor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi--- had a frank and in-depth exchange during a telephone conversation during which they agreed that both sides should complete the ongoing disengagement process along the LAC expeditiously.

As part of the first phase of disengagement, Chinese troops have moved back from Finger 4 to Finger 5 in the Finger area. They have already moved back by around two kilometres in the other friction points including Galway valley, Hot Springs and Patrolling Point-15, top government sources told ANI.

The Indian side has also moved back as per the mutual disengagement agreed upon during the Corps Commander-level talks, the sources added. The vacant spaces will be treated as temporary non-patrolling zones by both sides and their troops will not come there.
An Accounting 101 classroom is full at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa. Community colleges and the Cal State system are supporting the state's lawsuit against the Trump administration over a new policy restricting international students attending online college classes. (Los Angeles Times)

California sued the Trump administration Thursday to challenge new visa rules that bar international students from staying in the U.S. if they take all of their classes online, arguing it could worsen the spread of COVID-19 to require attendance in person.

The lawsuit filed in federal court in Northern California is supported by leaders from the California State University and California Community Colleges systems and alleges that the new federal policy unfairly harms students and that campuses would suffer financially from the lost revenue.

It is a callous and inflexible policy that unfairly disrupts our more-than 10,300 international students progress to a degree, unnecessarily placing them in an extremely difficult position, Cal State Chancellor Timothy White said in a statement.

The Cal State system plans to offer primarily online classes this fall because of the resurgence of COVID-19 in California.

The policy guidance issued Monday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is also seen as harmful to California Community Colleges, at which some 21,000 international students are enrolled, according to Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley.

We will not sacrifice the benefit of the diversity of experiences and perspectives that international students bring to our colleges, nor will we sacrifice the safety of any student, faculty or staff member at our 115 colleges, Oakley said.

The lawsuit seeking an injunction to block the change in policy says the federal government failed to follow procedures for notice and comment for rule making, and it alleges the change will harm university budgets and endanger the health of college students and faculty if the schools are forced to hold in-person classes during the pandemic.

In addition to being cruel, Defendants attempt at a policy change to force in-person learning in the middle of a pandemic is absurd and the essence of arbitrary and capricious conduct in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act, the lawsuit says.

Story continues

The University of California is separately planning to go to court to seek a temporary restraining order to bar enforcement of the new federal policy on grounds it violates the rights of the university and its students.

More than 27,000 UC undergraduates last year were nonresident international students who could be affected.

At the same time, USC has joined an amicus brief supporting a lawsuit filed by Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that challenges the federal rules, USC President Carol Folt said on social media, adding that the university is actively considering all other legal options.

The new federal rules for the Student and Exchange Visitor Program bar nonimmigrant students who take a full course load online from remaining in the U.S. and block the return of those who left the country during the coronavirus outbreak.

International students who wish to stay in the U.S. would have to enroll at a university providing in-person classes or a hybrid program of online and in-person courses.

In a statement, ICE said that international students had been granted a temporary exemption allowing them to attend online courses because of COVID-19.

This policy permitted nonimmigrant students to take more online courses than normally permitted by federal regulation to maintain their nonimmigrant status during the COVID-19 emergency, the agency said.

However, California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra said he is going to court to preserve the ability of international students to study in the U.S.

"Shame on the Trump administration for risking not only the education opportunities for students who earned the chance to go to college, but now their health and well-being as well, Becerra said.

The lawsuit is the 86th filed by Becerra against the Trump administration, with others challenging federal policies including those on the environment and healthcare.
Argentina President Alberto Fernandez has called for unity during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the country's Independence Day.

Fernandez's statement was pointed out to "serial haters." The July 9 celebration is usually held in Tucuman, where independence was declared on July 9, 1816.

But this year, it was celebrated with a remote session from the Olivos presidential residence at the capital. All provincial governors with different political stripes joined the program.

Fernandez used the event to ask leaders to put aside their difference to fight COVID-19.

"No society realizes its destiny amid [a climate of] insults and divisions and hatred as a common denominator. I came here to end with the serial haters and open our arms so that we all unite in search of a common destiny," Fernandez was quoted in Buenos Aires Times.

Fernadez said he celebrates the diversity of all kinds, may it be gender and beliefs. He said this diversity should be carried with responsibility.

"The first responsibility is not to lie, to tell the truth, and respect us," he was quoted in a report.

COVID-19 in Argentina

Argentina's COVID-19 cases total to 90,680 with 1,720 deaths, and 38,300 recoveries. Positive cases and deaths continue to rise even with the partial quarantine in place since March 20.

Many are trying to make ends meet after losing their job since the lockdown applied in mid-March. The extended lockdown is implemented until July 17.

The pandemic also hit the country's economy. Experts said there might be a 12-percent economic decrease for 2020.

A United Nations data showed that this could lead millions into poverty. This could result in almost six out of every ten minors below the poverty line. "The pandemic is causing an increase in poverty," said Argentina UN Coordinator Roberto Valento.

He predicted that 58.6 percent of children and adolescents would be in poverty by the end of the year. This is an increase from late 2019's 53-percent.

"We already have a level of growth in poverty that goes far beyond what Argentina could have foreseen even in its worst nightmares," Valent was quoted.

He said up to 850,000 jobs could be lost this year because of the pandemic.

Argentinian baker Antonio Chenarce said he is trying to make ends meet after losing his job because of the pandemic.

"If I don't work, it's all screwed up. Food is expensive. Hunger doesn't wait for you," Chenarce was quoted in a report.

Measures on Fight vs. COVID-19

A bishop and priests are serving around the slums of Argentina called for a response from health authorities. He said people are turning to parishes due to "inadequate" health responses.

"We are entering the most critical moment of the pandemic, and our parishes are accompanying their communities with many different actions," Bishop Eduardo Garcia was quoted in a June 29 statement.

Garcia said that they do not want to replace the state and said they could cooperate.

People cured of the disease in Argentina have donated plasma as part of national clinical trial treatments for patients infected with COVID-19.

A person has to be well for at least 14 days and test negative twice for coronavirus to donate plasma.

Check this out:
MIDLAND, MI - President Donald Trump has approved a major disaster declaration for Midland County and the surrounding area after destruction caused by severe flooding and dam failures in mid-May. The declaration will make millions of dollars in federal funds available as the region rebuilds.

In a tweet the evening of Thursday, July 9, Trump said at the request of U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Midland, he approved the declaration to provide more than $43 million to help the people of the GREAT State of Michigan recover from the recent dam break flooding.

I will always stand with Michigan! the tweet reads.

At the request of Congressman Moolenaar, I have approved a major Disaster Declaration to provide more than $43 million in Federal Funds to help the people of the GREAT State of Michigan recover from the recent dam break flooding. I will always stand with Michigan!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2020

A major disaster declaration expands federal resources available to the region and allows federal reimbursement for certain expenses.

The move comes after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer sent a 50-page letter in mid-June to the president asking for a disaster declaration in the wake of the collapse of the Edenville Dam and heavy rainfall that led to extensive flood damage.

At the time of the June 15 letter, it was estimated residents had incurred more than $190 million in losses as well as $55 million in response costs and damage to public infrastructure.

Gov. Whitmer formally asks President Trump to declare mid-Michigan flooding a major disaster'

Whitmer issued a statement following Trumps announcement.

Seeing the people and businesses of these communities pull together to help one another after this 500-year flooding event continues to inspire me, said Whitmer in a prepared statement. The devastation of this disaster touched thousands of Michigan families and businesses and this federal declaration is an important step in our efforts to continue to provide assistance as they recover and rebuild.

Whitmer declared a state of emergency on May 19 for the counties affected by the dam failures and requested and received a federal emergency declaration for Midland and Gladwin counties, which unlocked limited federal assistance.

FEMA issued a federal emergency declaration for the floods Thursday, May 21.

She expanded her declaration on May 27 to include Iosco County, the same day Whitmer directed the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, or EGLE, to launch an investigation into what caused the dam failures.

EGLE is designing an investigation into the dam failures and the states approach to dam safety. The state is also suing Edenville Dam owner Boyce Hydro to recoup damage costs.

More on MLive:

Edenville Dam didnt meet state standards at time of collapse, report says

Michigan sues Edenville Dam owner, seeks flooding damage compensation

Legislators call for independent investigation of Midland dam disaster

Gov. Whitmer calls for state investigation into Midland County dam failures

Feds warned years ago Edenville Dam couldnt handle a historic flood
Representative image

As dengue season sets in across large parts of India with the onset of the monsoon, scientists warn that COVID-19 and the mosquito-borne disease have overlapping symptoms and worry the country's healthcare infrastructure won't be able to cope with this double whammy.

The impact of a dengue-COVID-19' season would entail two different diagnostic tests and extract a huge toll on patients too, each disease making the other more complicated to deal with and perhaps more fatal.

While the number of COVID-19 cases races towards the 8,00,000 mark with 7,93,802 cases on Friday and 21,604 fatalities, the incidence of dengue is also high.

Based on 2016-2019 data, virologist Shahid Jameel estimated that India gets about 100,000 to 200,000 confirmed cases of dengue each year.

According to the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), 1,36,422 dengue cases were diagnosed in 2019 and an estimated 132 people died.

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 virus is endemic and present around the year in southern India, and in monsoon and early winter in northern India, Jameel, CEO at DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance, a public charity that invests in building biomedical sciences and health research framework, told PTI.

Both COVID-19 and have symptoms such as high fever, headache and body pain. The dengue season may aggravate the COVID-19 situation as both viruses may supplement each other, warned Dhrubjyoti Chattopadhyay, virologist and vice chancellor of the Amity University in Kolkata.

This situation is not yet well studied. But the information available from South America is dangerous and found to create a major challenge to their medical infrastructure, he said.

The effect will be very critical. As major symptoms are overlapping, simultaneous infection will be much more fatal. Weakened immune systems will help the other to be more fatal.

Once the dengue season starts, added virologist Upasana Ray, the infection spreads aggressively due to high prevalence of its mosquito vector, aedes aegypti.

Each season, we experience heavy loads in the hospital wards due to dengue outbreak and those times it gets almost unmanageable. So, have we thought about what will happen when we have two menaces to handle together? Both of them have overlapping symptoms. Are we geared to distinguish if a person has dengue or COVID 19? asked the senior scientist, CSIR-IICB, Kolkata.

The challenges are many.

Almost each patient with a three-day fever would need to undergo a test for dengue and another for the SARS-CoV-2 virus which causes COVID-19.

Considering the current numbers of COVID-19 patients, will our hospitals have beds available for dengue patients? Or will only severe dengue cases be handled at hospitals? she asked.

Explaining how the viruses manifest in the human body, Jameel said the dengue virus enters via a mosquito bite through the subcutaneous layer of the skin from where it reaches the lymph nodes that are rich in types of blood cells called monocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells.

The virus, he said, primarily reproduces in these cells and can severely alter cytokine production by these cells, a fundamental response to injury and infection in the body.

On the other hand, SARS-CoV-2 enters the cells primarily through mucosal membranes of the mouth and nasal cavity and initially replicates in the epithelial cells of the upper respiratory tract.

In some cases, however, the infection moves down the trachea into the lungs, where it infects the air sacs that exchange oxygen with blood. This causes inflammation as the immune system tries to fight the virus and leads to fluid accumulation in the lungs, which results in respiratory distress and oxygen demand.

So, you see, both viruses infect via different pathways and different cell types. There would of course be overlaps in physiological effects and immunological responses. They would most likely make each disease worse than either infection alone, Jameel noted.

The most likely effect, he said, would be on healthcare capacity.

Since initial clinical presentation is similar -- high fever -- one would be ignored at the expense of the other. With hospitals mainly in COVID-19 mode, they may also refuse dengue patients, Jameel said.

He said this has been already seen in connection with pregnancy care and deliveries, dialysis and tuberculosis treatment.

We need to be careful and deploy tests for dengue also for febrile illness. Thankfully, India makes some very good tests for dengue virus, e.g. NS1 antigen test that is positive on the first day of fever, said Jameel.

Ray pointed out that there is no vaccine available clinically for either and no specific antiviral to treat them.

This infection may show low to severe forms of infection including simple dengue fever, severe dengue and the hemorrhagic fever, said Ray.

We are already amidst the SARS-CoV2 pandemic and hospitals are running out of beds although the government is trying its level best. We are yet to attain enough facility to handle the increasing coronavirus cases every day in India, she said.

According to Ray, careful preparation is needed as the country has very little time before a full-blown dengue season starts.

While many dengue patients don't end up in critical care units (CCUs), a good fraction do. Do we have enough ICUs and CCUs to tackle dengue and COVID 19 together? Do we have enough trained manpower?

Healthcare and research, she said, need to gear up to fight this upcoming very realistic situation.

Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic here
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 20:55:00|Editor: huaxia

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KATHMANDU, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Nine people were killed in 24 hours from the landslides that occurred in two western districts of Nepal following incessant rainfall in the country, local official said on Friday.

The landslides buried houses in Kaski and Lamjung districts on Thursday night and six people died on the spot in Pokhara Metropolitan City-18, Sarankot.

Jiban Shrestha, superintendent of police in Kaski District Police Office, said eight injured have been rescued so far. The injured are being treated at local hospitals.

Among the victims, "a person in his 30s was killed by the landslide in another location of Pokhara," Shrestha told Xinhua, "His house located at Paitedanda was swept by the landslide where three of his family members were successfully rescued."

Meanwhile, in another landslide incident at Lamjung district, three people of the same family were killed.

Rescue operation was hampered as landslides blocked roads. "According to the information received by the police in Lamjung, there are still 60 households that are living under the risk of landslide," he added.

With activated monsoon in the Himalayan country, the country is expected to encounter more landslides. According to the country's Hydrology and Meteorology department, the country would experience heavy rainfall from July 9 to July 12. Enditem
OTTAWA  Federal bureaucrats had no emergency response committee for the Prairies and had to scramble to assemble one as the region entered COVID-19 lockdowns in March, internal documents show.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/7/2020 (557 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  Federal bureaucrats had no emergency response committee for the Prairies and had to scramble to assemble one as the region entered COVID-19 lockdowns in March, internal documents show.

"The Prairie region is the only region that lacks an executive-level federal coordinating group," reads a March 19 briefing note the Free Press obtained through access-to-information laws.

Such working groups co-ordinate how at least 24 federal departments and agencies respond to the pandemic and economic shutdown, from food inspectors to tax agents.

In response to the coronavirus, that means prioritizing which services should be offered while staff work remotely, and helping to shape federal programs so they meet provinces' needs, such as different stages of reopening.

The document was issued for the bureaucratic head of Western Economic Diversification (WED), one of the six economic development agencies that administer federal grants and liaise with provincial governments.

"There should have been a stronger leadership from a federal government that just doesn't seem to care about the Prairies."  James Bezan, Manitoba Conservative MP

It shows that Public Safety Canada, along with the Public Health Agency of Canada, asked WED to put together a group "to support information sharing in our region," pointing out that Manitoba and Alberta had already declared states of emergency.

The document points to portions of the Federal Emergency Response Plan that refer to maintaining public order, reducing economic losses and reporting to the government operations centre, the 24/7 federal nerve centre for responding to disasters.

Manitoba Conservative MP James Bezan said he was surprised the government didnt have a working group set to go, especially given the Liberals scant representation in the region after last Octobers election.

"This is an indictment upon the Liberals, who have failed to put in place regional ministers," Bezan said.

He argued the Liberals should have individual ministers for the regional agencies, instead of just parliamentary assistants who do not participate in cabinet discussions.

CP Northern Affairs Minister Dan Vandal, whose riding is in Winnipeg, has taken part in Manitoba stakeholder meetings, and has insisted hes been working the phones to ensure federal supports reach the province. (Justin Tang / Canadian Press files)

Western Economic Diversification referred questions to Public Safety Canada, which said that a body for the entire region didnt exist, but lower-level committees in each of the three provinces "have played a key role in helping to co-ordinate the federal response to COVID-19, spring flooding, and seasonal wildfires."

The newer, cross-provincial body was formed to help "ensure the effective sharing of information and the co-ordination of federal activities at a more senior level within the region," wrote spokeswoman Karine Martel.

She added that federal Public Safety Minister Bill Blair has weekly calls with his provincial counterparts.

Manitoba MPs have raised issues about constituents grappling to contact the local branches of Service Canada and the Canada Revenue Agency. Thats included Manitobans being asked to send documents to a regional office in Edmonton that didn't seem to accept mail for weeks.

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.

Its unclear if the delay in establishing regional co-ordination contributed to those issues.

Northern Affairs Minister Dan Vandal, whose riding is in Winnipeg, has taken part in Manitoba stakeholder meetings, and has insisted hes been working the phones to ensure federal supports reach the province.

Bezan argued having committees in each region except the Prairies shows the three provinces arent being properly represented.

He noted that WED monitors both the Prairies and British Columbia, and B.C. apparently had its own high-level body.

"There should have been a stronger leadership from a federal government that just doesn't seem to care about the Prairies."

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
(Natural News) Shufords Smokehouse in eastern Tennessee recently became a target of Black Lives Matter (BLM) terrorists after it dared to accept a catering order for a local Back the Blue event supporting police officers.

The owners of Shufords say they immediately started receiving nasty threats on social media once the event went public, as people who hate law enforcement flooded the company with negative feedback, demanding that it cancel the order or else face serious repercussions.

Initially, Shufords had planned to go ahead with catering the event despite these threats, as far-left internet mobs are nothing new in todays society. But after at least one social media user threatened to burn down the Shufords restaurant as punishment, its owners decided that the best course of action was simply to cancel the order.

A man came in on Tuesday and placed a $1,000 order for food, explained Madison Davis, one of the owners of Shufords, located in Red Bank, to the local media.

To us, it was just another order for a small business that is trying to make it in this COVID environment, she added, perplexed that this even became an issue. To us, it had nothing to do with backing the police or with racism. It was just another order.

In addition to threatening to physically destroy Shufords, the BLM terrorist mob also took to Facebook to try to destroy the restaurants user rating in the hopes of deterring all future customers from eating there.

Within the first hour of this mob becoming aware of the controversial food order, the Facebook ranking for Shufords dropped from 4.8 to 4. This is right about the time that Shufords decided to pull its Facebook page entirely to avoid watching that rating potentially drop to zero.

To us, it was not worth the risk of putting our business and the lives of our employees on the line, Davis added, revealing that the terrorist mob had threatened to destroy its Signal Mountain Road location where meats for the main location are still smoked.

Shufords eventually had to take down its Facebook page entirely for protection, and has since gone public with the disturbing details of what the love trumps hate crowd is capable of when triggered by anything that even remotely looks like racism.

Check out the following episode of The Health Ranger Report, which discusses the mainstream medias complicity in falsely claiming that leftist demonstrations against police violence are all peaceful:

So much for love trumps hate

This is what happens when societys far-left contingent, riled up over contrived media depictions of systemic racism by police, is given the green light to take social justice matters into their own hands.

What America is now witnessing at the hands of these violent terrorists is a full-scale Marxist takeover being disguised as the pursuit of justice. Shufords did absolutely nothing wrong by accepting a catering order for a police event, and the hateful threats it received illustrate the vital importance of keeping our police funded.

It was literally just a business transaction and I think thats where the misunderstanding comes in, Davis added, emphasizing the fact that Shufords needs to accept any and all orders it receives, especially in the current economic climate. (Related: Black Lives Matter is a full blown cult.)

Weve never discriminated on what jobs we take. If someone comes to us with money wanting to buy food, were not going to turn away money because we are a business and thats what were trying to run.

More news about the BLM terrorist mob is available at CivilWar.news.

Sources for this article include:

WDEF.com

Chattanoogan.com

NaturalNews.com
The Government of India banned TikTok, UC Browser and 57 other Chinese apps last month. Now the government has sent a questionnaire to the companies owning the apps as a follow-up to the ban.

The banned apps of Chinese origin have been asked to furnish details about their data collection practices, location of operational centers and more to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), according to a report by Hindustan Times.

The Government of India banned TikTok, Shareit and 57 other apps at a time when border tensions between India and China are at an all-time high.

The report states that a questionnaire seeking the details was sent by the ministry to the parent companies of the apps, as a follow-up to the ban.

The emails have been sent to them so that we can collate and analyse more details about the operations of the applications. This is a part of the process under the IT Act, an anonymous MeitY official was quoted in the report.

The government invoked relevant provisions under the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking of Access of Information by Public) Rules 2009 to ban the apps from the Indian webspace, citing engagement in activities which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order.

A TikTok spokesperson had said the app has already reached out to the government with relevant details regarding their operations and would be challenging the ban. India is one of the largest markets for the short video platform. Within days of the ban, homegrown alternatives to TikTok have cropped up, racking in the downloads. Even Instagram didn't want to let go of the opportunity and started testing the Reels feature in India.

"TikTok continues to comply with all data privacy and security requirements under Indian law and has not shared any information of our users in India with any foreign government, including the Chinese government," Nikhil Gandhi, Head of TikTok India said in a statement.

For now, the 59 apps that are banned have been taken down from the Google Playstore and the Apple App Store. A panel has also been set up to hear the representations of the owners of the apps. The panel will include officials from MeitY, Home Ministry, CERT-In and the law ministry, in according with provisions under Section 69A of the IT Act.
The Ubly Fox Hunters Club hosted a pop-up food pantry on Thursday afternoon, with members filling up residents' cars with goods.

The pantry was done in conjunction with the Eastern Michigan Food Bank, which has helped put on other food pantries in Huron County over the past few months. It was the first time the Fox Hunters Club had done a pantry like this.

Some of the items given out include fresh produce, dairy products, meats, frozen food, and other home cleaning supplies.

There was also a table for the Empowering Youth Today program that the Huron and Tuscola County health departments there, where members would give out information about the program, masks, and some stickers.
An NHS hospital in Bristol discharged hundreds of untested or previously Covid-19 positive patients into care homes, an investigation has revealed.

Southmead Hospital transferred 213 untested patients into care homes in March and April without checking whether or not they were infected.

Another 20 who had tested positive 'at some point during their stay' were sent to a care home without being re-tested prior to the move, meaning they could have still been infectious.

The findings, from a Freedom of Information (FOI) request by Bristol Live, give an insight into impact of chaotic guidance at the start of the pandemic.

In March the NHS was keen to free up hospital beds for incoming Covid-19 patients, and the Government said testing was not necessary on discharge.

The decision has been now partly blamed for the huge impact the coronavirus has had on vulnerable people in care homes.

It is unclear how many patients with coronavirus were moved into care homes during the coronavirus crisis due to a lack of testing. The full scale of the problem will likely never be uncovered.

Southmead Hospital transferred hundreds of untested patients into care homes in March and April without checking they did not have the coronavirus

The FOI found Southmead Hospital, ran by The North Bristol NHS trust, discharged 171 untested patients in March.

This dropped to 42 in April, explained by new NHS England guidance that came into effect on April 16 requiring hospitals to test patients being discharged into care homes, and zero in May.

The 20 patients who had tested positive 'at some point during their stay' were from March 1 to April 15 - before guidance changed.

Those patients were not given a test before they were discharged, meaning those patients 'cannot be said to have been positive when discharged', the trust said.

It added that from April 16, patients who tested positive 'were supported to remain in hospital for a further 14-day isolation period' and on discharge provided with seven days of PPE.

However, a further seven patients who had tested positive in the 48 hours before their discharge were transferred to care homes between April 16 and May 31.

REGULATOR FORCED TO INVESTIGATE SAFETY AT 50 CARE HOMES DURING COVID-19 CRISIS Around 50 care homes were officially investigated by regulators during the Covid-19 crisis because of concerns they weren't safe, it was revealed today. Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday sparked a bitter row between politicians and care bosses after saying 'too many' homes weren't following proper procedures. Chiefs in the sector called his comments 'despicable', 'cowardly' and a 'slap in the face', and warned he had 'picked a fight with the wrong people'. But it has now emerged that dozens of care homes had people so concerned about the way they were acting that inspectors had to be sent out to check what was going on. The Care Quality Commission, which regulates hospitals and care homes in England, received almost 1,000 reports about unsafe practices in homes across the country, The Telegraph reports. Some forced staff to come into work while they had symptoms of Covid-19, others didn't tell people when workers or residents had tested positive, and agency staff were sent to work in numerous different homes despite the risk of spreading the disease. One Government source told the newspaper 'some of these care providers are no angels'. Britain's care sector - which is privately run but linked to NHS hospitals and local councils - has been hammered during the pandemic and more than 30,000 residents have died either of coronavirus or from other causes. Bosses have blamed a Government and NHS policy of sending hospital patients out into homes without testing them for Covid-19 for seeding deadly outbreaks in their facilities. In Birmingham, the city council paid 16 care homes 1,000 each to take hospital patients who hadn't been tested - some of whom allegedly had coronavirus - in order to free up bed space, the Birmingham Mail has revealed. Advertisement

This was made in agreement from the care provider 'that the necessary infection control measures and resources were in place, including the provision of additional PPE' where the resident was moving to.

Many care homes argued that they had struggled to procure adequate PPE during the pandemic.

In response to the shocking findings, which are among the first to lay bare the scale of the care home scandal, North Bristol MP Darren Jones says the Government has 'failed' care homes.

He said: 'Southmead Hospital and all of our health care providers have done an exceptional job saving lives in the most challenging circumstances.

'Care homes especially were failed by the Government.'

He criticised the 'inadequate' testing after the strategy has been lambasted by key figures for months.

Until April 15, the Government guidance said testing was a requirement only if the patients being discharged had obvious symptoms.

Official guidance said: 'Negative tests are not required prior to transfers/admissions into the care home.'

Care home managers also complained that they had been pressured into taking the patients, and families said their loved ones had been moved out of hospital like 'sacrificial lambs'.

It has since become clear that patients without symptoms of the virus (asymptomatic) are able to spread the infection to others.

And elderly people are more likely to show atypical signs of the virus without the usual cough and fever, including delirium and diarrhoea.

NHS figures show 25,060 patients were moved from hospitals to care homes between March 17 and April 16.

But there is no national data to show how many of those patients had the coronavirus because testing was not accessible.

During the same period, care homes were crying out for more PPE to be supplied in order to protect both residents and staff from the infection.

There have been accusations the NHS was prioritised over care homes in terms of protecting it from being overwhelmed.

In May, Health Secretary Matt Hancock claimed Government had thrown a 'protective ring' around care homes 'from the start' - which has rattled chiefs in the care home sector.

They have been further raged by Prime Minister Boris Johnson who appeared to shift blame onto care homes for their death toll surging into the thousands.

The Prime Minister had said during visit to Goole in East Yorkshire on Monday, July 6: 'We discovered too many care homes didn't really follow the procedures in the way that they could have, but we're learning lessons the whole time.'

Sector bosses called his comments 'despicable', 'cowardly' and a 'slap in the face', and warned the PM he had 'picked a fight with the wrong people'.

Mr Johnson refused to apologise for his controversial remarks after Labour leader Sir Keir offered him the chance during Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday.

The Labour leader said the premier's silence 'rubs salt into the wounds of the very people that he stood at his front door and clapped'.

He added that the PM and Health Secretary Matt Hancock 'must be the only people left in the country who think they put a protective ring around care homes'.

Care home residents make up almost 30 per cent of the total 55,000 deaths due to confirmed or suspected Covid-19 up until June 26, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) data.

In Bristol, it rises to 48 per cent of the city's 249 deaths.
A contractor working on a multimillion-dollar upgrade to the Woodward sewage treatment plant has sent about 1,200 tonnes  or 30 dump-truck loads  of PCB-contaminated dirt for disposal in Quebec.

Those hauls are part of an effort to handle 6,000 tonnes of soil tainted with polychlorinated biphenyl found at the construction site of the Woodward Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Its too early to know how much the unexpected disposal project will cost with excavation still underway, city water director Andrew Grice said Thursday. Certainly, there will be a premium cost.

North American Construction holds the contract for $165-million worth of tertiary treatment upgrades at the Woodward Avenue plant.

The hazardous dirt was found in the area of the chlorine contact tank, which Grice described as the back end of the sprawling property, not far from the iconic methane globe near the QEW.

The contaminated soil that hasnt yet been trucked to the certified Quebec facility will remain on the construction site.

It is certainly something that we are taking seriously, Grice said. This is nasty material.

For decades, PCBs were used in industrial products for sealing and caulking agents, as well as oils, inks and paints. They were used in coolants and lubricants for transformers, too.

The Ministry of the Environment says the contamination source is a landfill that closed in the 1970s before current hazardous waste laws were in effect.

The ministry says the city has delineated the extent of the contamination and theres no indication it migrated from the former landfill.

Grice has said the grim discovery poses no health risks to residents but it will set back the schedule of the roughly $380-million sewage plant upgrade by about two months.

Before the PCBs and COVID-19, the goal was to finish the project by December 2021.

The ministry says it has not issued any orders to the city, which is undertaking the disposal effort voluntarily.

The plan is to use lightly contaminated soil as berms at the Woodward site capping it so it doesnt pose risks.

The city says there are comprehensive segregation and sampling plans to separate the hazardous soil.

Grice expects the excavation to continue until at least the end of the year.

Read more about:
Texas Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) said Friday that the U.S. Army supports a call for the Department of Defense's Inspector General to conduct a full and independent investigation into the murder of soldier Vanessa Guillen at Fort Hood.

At a news conference, Rep. Garcia and the LULAC leadership said that Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy was directing the review and that it will be conducted by an independent panel of congressional representatives selected in collaboration with League of United Latin American Citizens. The panel will examine claims and historical data of discrimination, harassment and assault

"I'm pleased to report that the Secretary is going to recommend to the Department of Defense to do this investigation, Garcia said. "It will be up to the Secretary (Mark Esper) to make that decision and to make sure that the Department of Defense does its job."

Secretary McCarthy confirmed the news in a post on Twitter.

An Army commander confirmed Monday that dismembered remains found last week buried near Fort Hood belonged to 20-year-old Guillen who vanished more than two months ago from the Texas base.

Guillen, who had been missing since April, was killed and dismembered by U.S. Army Specialist Aaron Robinson, a 20-year-old soldier from Calumet City, Illinois, took his own life last week, federal and military investigators have said.

Guillen's family has said Robinson, the soldier accused of killing her, sexually harassed Guillen at Fort Hood, but they have not given specifics of what they were told.

Guillen was assigned to work in an armoury room at Fort Hood on April 22, when she was last seen walking to a parking lot, according to the Army. On April 23, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigations Division learned of her disappearance and began investigating.

(Representative Image)
Seventy-five years after the martyrdom of Peter To Rot and 25 years since his beatification, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands (CBC PNGSI) concluded its annual General Assembly on Thursday, 2 July, with a Mass celebrating the life, example and witness of Peter To Rot, the first Blessed in Papua New Guineas history. Bishops, men and women religious and lay people remembered him at a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Anton Bal of Mandang, the newly elected President of the CBC PNGSI; Cardinal John Ribat, MSC, Archbishop of Port Moresby; Archbishop Rochus Josef Tatamai, MSC, of Rabaul, outgoing President of the Bishops Conference; and Bishop Otto Separy of Bereina, the newly elected Vice President of the Conference.

During his homily, Archbishop Tatamai, who is a close descendant of the Blesseds family, described To Rot as a radiant example of holiness in the daily life of lay people and families, a man of courage and fortitude in his faith and in his determination to follow Jesus Christ with his life, unto death.

Archbishop Tatamai, Agenzia Fides reports, retraced the Blesseds life from the moment that his parents became first generation Christians (when the missionaries landed on Matupit Island in 1882). Peter To Rot was a second generation Christian who followed in his parents footsteps. He was a family man, who worked hard, with discipline and obedience, to become a good teacher and catechist. He lived the life of husband and father in accordance with the teachings of the Gospel, defending the values of matrimony and resisting the traditional culture of polygamy as well as the laws of Japans Imperial army. When religious activities were banned in March 1944, an order which Peter found unacceptable, he built an underground shelter on his property to administer the Sacraments regularly. He died a martyr, defending his Christian faith.

To Rot left behind many great examples of obedience and exemplary family life, Archbishop Tatamai said, and he lived and represented his faith even when some members of his family betrayed him. Lay people in particular, the prelate added, are challenged to carry forth his example especially in todays difficult and uncertain times, persevering in the pastoral work of teaching and catechesis. Archbishop Tatamai urged the faithful to be resilient and to continue to grow in the faith during the lockdown caused by Covid-19.
Two World Health Organization (WHO) experts will spend the next two days in the Chinese capital to lay the groundwork for a larger mission to investigate the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.

One animal health expert and one epidemiologist will work in Beijing to fix the 'scope and terms of reference' for the future mission aimed at learning how the virus jumped from animals to humans, a statement from the United Nations body said.

Scientists believe the virus may have originated in bats, then was transmitted through another mammal such such as a civet cat or an armadillo-like pangolin before being passed on to people at a fresh food market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year.

In an effort to block future outbreaks, China has cracked down on the trade in wildlife and closed some wet markets, while enforcing strict containment measures that appear to have virtually stopped new local infections.

The WHO mission is politically sensitive, with the U.S. - the organization's top funder - moving to cut ties with it over allegations it mishandled the outbreak and is biased toward China.

An example of a Chinese wet market in Macau, China, in which wild animals are sold for human consumption. Since the coronavirus outbreak, the practice have been widely banned in China, as it is believed that the virus could have transferred from animals to humans at a similar market in the Chinese city of Wuhan

The WHO has sent one animal health expert and one epidemiologist to lay the groundworks for a future investigation into the origins of Covid-19. Above, Dr. Gauden Galea, the World Health Organization (WHO) representative in China, speaks during an interview

More than 120 nations called for an investigation into the origins of the virus at the World Health Assembly in May.

China has insisted that WHO lead the investigation and for it to wait until the pandemic is brought under control. The U.S., Brazil and India are continuing to see an increasing number of cases.

The last WHO coronavirus-specific mission to China was in February, after which the team's leader, Canadian doctor Bruce Aylward, praised China's containment efforts and information-sharing. Canadian and American officials have since criticized him as being too lenient on China.

An Associated Press investigation showed that in January, WHO officials were privately frustrated over the lack of transparency and access in China, according to internal audio recordings.

Complaints included that China delayed releasing the genetic map, or genome, of the virus for more than a week after three different government labs had fully decoded the information.

Privately, top WHO leaders complained in meetings the week of January 6 - days after the first case was detected - that China was not sharing enough data to assess how effectively the virus spread between people or what risk it posed to the rest of the world, costing valuable time.

One theory suggests Pangolins, the most trafficked animal in the world, could have passed the virus onto humans. No consensus has been reached yet on how it was transferred. Pictured: Pangolin are watered by a customs officer who confiscated them

U.S. officials have hammered WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus for praising China for its 'transparency' early in the outbreak, and on Tuesday, the Trump administration formally notified congress of its withdrawal from the organisation, having first announced its intention to do so on May 29.

U.S. Senator Robert Mendendez, who chairs the Foreign Relations Committee, announced the notification on Twitter, while criticising the decision as shortsighted and risky.

'Congress received notification that POTUS officially withdrew the U.S. from the WHO in the midst of a pandemic. To call Trumps response to COVID chaotic & incoherent doesn't do it justice,' he wrote.

'This won't protect American lives or interestsit leaves Americans sick & America alone.'

WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, pictured above speaking during this year's World Health Assembly in Geneva, has been hammered by the U.S. for praising China's transparency in the early stages of the outbreak, while others have criticised the country for not sharing enough data to assess how effectively the virus spread between people

The administration also told the UN Secretary General, an administration official told Fox News. The move will take effect in July 2021  which potentially could give Trump or Democrat Joe Biden, who is leading in the polls, the chance to roll back the decision.

Trump blasted the WHO this spring as he shocked U.S. and world officials when he announced the move. He said the WHO had failed to make 'greatly needed reforms,' and said the U.S. would divert funds to other global health organizations.

The move drew pushback even from prominent Republicans, who have called out some missteps by the WHO but nevertheless saw the benefit in having a global health group tending to issues like COVID-19, Malaria, and Ebola.
MANILA, Philippines - Philippine lawmakers voted Friday to reject the license renewal of the countrys largest TV network, shutting down a major news provider that had been repeatedly threatened by the president over its critical coverage.

The House of Representatives Committee on Franchises voted 70-11 to reject a new 25-year license for ABS-CBN Corp. The National Telecommunications Commission had ordered the broadcaster to shut down in May after its old franchise expired. It halted broadcasting then, but the vote takes it off the air permanently.

Only the House of Representatives, which is dominated by President Rodrigo Dutertes allies, can grant such franchises and the chance of any reversal of Fridays vote is extremely low, lawmakers said.

The network, which used to be viewed by millions of Filipinos on free TV, has been able to continue broadcasting some of its TV and radio news programs over paid cable channels, but with a small fraction of its former viewership.

We are deeply hurt, ABS-CBN President and CEO Carlo Katigbak said, but he suggested the company will try to find other ways to return to business.

Together with our employees and our audiences all over the world, we share in your sadness over this setback, Katigbak said. We look forward to the day when we can again reunite.

In the networks newsroom, journalists hugged each other and wept. We lost our voice, Irish Vidal, a news staffer, said in tears. Outside its headquarters, journalists and TV and movie celebrities lit candles and held protest placards.

Duterte and his allies had questioned the networks compliance with the law and the terms of its franchise, including its alleged use of a dummy corporation and large numbers of non-regular workers without employment security. The company denied any wrongdoing in a dozen televised House hearings.

International media watchdogs condemned the closure of ABS-CBN, which was founded in 1953, as a major blow to press freedom.

Human Rights Watch said the lawmakers vote was a grievous assault on press freedom in the country and the greatest blow to media freedom caused by any government act since late dictator Ferdinand Marcos shut the broadcasting giant and other media outlets after declaring martial law in 1972.

This move solidifies the tyranny of President Rodrigo Duterte, said Phil Robertson, the deputy Asia director of the U.S.-based rights group.

Reflecting the extent of unease over the networks shutdown, both the opposition and several key Duterte allies questioned efforts to close it. Concerns have also been raised by a diverse range of groups, including top business executives, left-wing activists and Catholic Church officials.

ABS-CBN has more than 11,000 news and production personnel nationwide. Aside from reporting on the coronavirus, which has infected more than 50,000 people and killed 1,314 in the Philippines, it has provided food and medical aid to more than 2 million people, company officials said.

Watchdogs accuse Duterte and his government of muzzling independent media such as ABS-CBN that have reported critically on issues including his anti-drug crackdown, which has left thousands of mostly poor drug suspects dead. Duterte has accused the network of not airing his paid campaign ads and favouring a rival candidate in the 2016 election, allegations the company denied.

Other critical media, including leading newspaper the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Rappler, an online news site, have also come under attack from the president.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Duterte took a neutral position on ABS-CBNs franchise renewal and left it to Congress to decide.

But ahead of the franchise expiration, the governments solicitor-general, Jose Calida, asked the Supreme Court in February to revoke the franchises of ABS-CBN and a subsidiary in a separate attempt to shut the company for allegedly abusing its franchises and violating a constitutional prohibition on foreign investment in Philippine media.

ABS-CBN denied the allegations. The high court eventually dismissed the petition.

___

Associated Press journalists Aaron Favila in Manila, Philippines, and Kiko Rosario in Bangkok contributed to this report.
SPRINGFIELD  The chairman of the Springfield Catholic Dioceses volunteer Review Board resigned in the wake of the release of a report finding late Bishop Christopher Weldon raped a young boy.

John Hale, who served on the volunteer board that hears clergy abuse allegations for 14 years, said he resigned in disgust in the wake of the report, authored by retired Judge Peter A. Velis at the request of the diocese.

The report was released in late June, rocked the local church and will prompt the purging of Weldons name from a medical building, his photographs stripped from walls and his body exhumed and banished to a less prominent place in Gates of Heaven Cemetery.

Hale, of Chicopee, said he believed conversations he had with diocesan officials when the scandal broke and during the investigation were mischaracterized.

The church should not throw people under the bus, and thats what they did  they threw the Diocesan Review Board under the bus and made it look like we were at fault, Hale said, citing instances in the report where he believed his position on a victims accounts of his abuse by Weldon and other priests were twisted.

Hale, retired from both the U.S. Air Force and the Hampden County Sheriffs Department, said even more than that, his experience over the Weldon matter triggered his decision to leave the Catholic church altogether.

I just dont believe people who can be so callous about thoughts and feelings should be in charge of my salvation, Hale said.

He added that he maintains the utmost respect for Archbishop-designate Mitchell T. Rozanski, calling him an honest and honorable man.

The diocese on Friday announced it has appointed James A. Stankiewicz as interim chair of the Diocesan Review Board.

I am most grateful to Jim for accepting this interim appointment during this time of transition as the Task Force develops recommendations that will address the deficiencies revealed in the Judge Velis report, said Archbishop-designate Rozanski in a statement.

Stankiewicz was formerly the head master at St. Agnes Academy in Dalton and a survivor of clergy abuse.

This is a developing story that will be updated with more information.

Related content:
Barely three weeks after the dissolution of Adams Oshiomhole led National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the chairman of the party in Etsako Ward 10 in Edo State, Stephen Oshawo, has suggested another possible reason for supporting the suspension of the partys former national chairman.

Mr Oshiomhole was controversially suspended by his ward in Edo State in November 2019, for alleged anti-party activities.

That decision has been upheld by different courts and to an extent, contributed to the crisis that rocked the party before the final dissolution of the NWC at the partys emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting presided by President Muhammadu Buhari about three weeks ago.

Mr Oshawo, at an award ceremony in Benin City, the capital of Edo State, on Thursday, lamented how he was unfairly treated, despite being a chairman during Mr Oshiomholes rule as governor of the state, Punch newspaper reports.

He said the former governor did not pay his pensions for eight months when he was governor of the state, a condition that was reversed in a month after Godwin Obaseki assumed office as a state governor.

You know, this government (Obasekis government) believes in development and the masses. The truth is that, when the former government (Oshiomhole) was in power as the governor of the state, I was an insider, I was the chairman of Ward 10. I suffered many things and nobody knew me or recognised me.

As a chairman to the governor of the state, I couldnt receive my gratuity as a pensioner and as a chairman to Oshiomhole when he was still the governor of the state, I was not able to get my pension for eight months, but when Godwin Obaseki came in, it didnt take him up to a month, he paid my gratuity and not only me but all the pensioners in Edo State, Mr Oshawo said.

He reiterated his commitment to eliminating godfatherism, one of the allegations Mr Obaseki levelled against Mr Oshiomhole.

Mr Obaseki has since moved to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under whose platform he is seeking re-election.

While Mr Obaseki continues to perfect plans to ensure his re-election under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Oshiomhole, after the dissolution of the NWC, has been incorporated into the APCs 49-member campaign committee tasked to ensure the victory of its governorship candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, at the September 19 governorship election in Edo State.
(Natural News) When Big Pharma finally unveils its newfangled vaccines for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) as early as this fall, the endgame is to depopulate the Earth. This is according to Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, who recently declared that Bill Gates and Anthony Fauci are basically eugenicists trying to get rid of all the useless eaters.

A controversial figure, Farrakhan urged African leaders during his annual Fourth of July address from his headquarters in Chicago to tell their black followers to avoid getting any vaccinations, or medications, for that matter, developed by the likes of Gates or Fauci.

I say to my brothers and sisters in Africa, if they come up with a vaccine, be careful, Farrakhan proclaimed from his pulpit. Dont let them vaccinate you with their history of treachery through vaccines, through medication. Do not take their medication.

The 87-year-old religious activist quickly started to trend on Twitter following the speech, drawing blacks and whites alike who are skeptical of Big Government medicine to question whether getting vaccinated for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) is really a good idea.

Farrakhan has proposed forming a team of independent virologists and epidemiologists to take a closer look at whatever vaccines are eventually rushed to market. This, he says, will help to determine whether or not they are truly safe and effective.

Theyre making money now, plotting to give seven billion, five-hundred million people a vaccination, Farrakhan went on to state, referring to the globalist plot as presented on the infamous Georgia Guidestone to reduce the worlds population to just 500 million people.

Dr. Fauci, Bill Gates and Melinda  you want to depopulate the Earth, he added. What the hell gave you that right? Who are you to sit down with your billions to talk about who can live, and who should die?

Echoing what many truthers have been saying for years now, Farrakhan went on to curse these globalist monsters, declaring publicly that their work is coming to an end quickly, because you have sentenced billions to death.

But God is now sentencing you to the death that you are sentencing to others, Farrakhan went on to say.

Conservative Daily Caller chides Farrakhan, likens him to anti-vaxxers making unfounded allegations

As to be expected, some in the so-called conservative media have responded with antagonism towards Farrakhan, who in the past has been accused of anti-Semitism for calling out Jewish special interests that he says get a free pass when it comes to steering political narratives.

Ben Shapiros The Daily Caller is also upset that Farrakhan dared to question the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, as well as level unfounded allegations about Faucis handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Daily Caller would appear to support Faucis agenda, based on these remarks, as well as oppose the popular conspiracy theory  that Fauci is prolonging the duration of the coronavirus pandemic by proposing a series of economic lockdowns and social distancing policies until a vaccine is developed.

This type of globalist rhetoric is nothing new for The Daily Caller, which back in early 2019 got into bed with the vaccine industry by blaming anti-vaxxers for the alleged measles outbreaks that were being reported around that time.

Interestingly, The Daily Caller appears to have removed its comment section, at least on this particular article about Farrakhan, which prevents readers from chiming in on what they think about his statements. Perhaps this news outlet recognizes that its positions on the pandemic, mass vaccination, and anti-Semitism are not all that popular after all?

For more related news about the dangers and ineffectiveness of vaccines, which Farrakhan is right to question, be sure to check out Vaccines.news.

Sources for this article include:

DailyCaller.com

NaturalNews.com
It is time to crack down on speeding drivers and photo radar is the most efficient and cost-effective way to achieve this objective.

I and many other safety advocates were disappointed in 1995 when the Ontario government rescinded its photo-radar program. At that time, politicians called photo radar nothing but a cash grab. When it was shelved, it had raised more than $16 million in fines. Between mid-August and December 1994, there were 240,000 speeding tickets issued.

If it was such a cash grab, I wonder why not one penny of that money was ever returned to the offenders. It costs less than $720,000 to implement photo radar in the province, a rather low price to pay for a law-enforcement system with the potential to nab literally hundreds of thousands of lawbreakers every year.

At that time, a safety research report found that photo radar was having a dramatic impact on speeding in Ontario. The Ministry of Transportation report revealed that speeds were down overall. The proportion of drivers speeding dropped by as much as 42 per cent, depending on the location.

There was also a big change among high-speed drivers. At one research site, there was a 71-per-cent reduction in drivers driving faster than 150 km/h. During the five months the program was in effect, more than 31.3 million vehicles were counted. Based on this, the number of fines was less than one per cent. This is rather negligible, dispelling any myth that it was a cash grab.

During the short period covered by the report, there were impressive results: A reduction of speeders by 15 to 42 per cent, depending on the test site. In the month prior to photo radar there were 997 vehicles driving more than 150 km/h at the four-lane test site. This dropped to 287 in the last month covered by the report.

In a cash-strapped economy, electronic enforcement has another benefit: it enables police to improve traffic enforcement without increasing overall costs, but it should never be seen as a cash machine. The provincial and municipal governments must ensure the administration of justice is never tied to revenue generation.

Think about how dangerous it is for police to chase speeders on busy highways, roads and in school zones. The risk involved in catching offenders is often unacceptable, both for the officers and the public.

It should also be noted that tickets that are issued as a result are rarely challenged by those who are ticketed. A few years back, the British Columbia Court of Appeal ruled on the legality of photo radar, arguing that public health and safety took precedence over civil liberties.

It is time to bring back photo radar in our communities, and, in the process, enhancing public health and traffic safety. The public deserves nothing less.
'Making a vaccine is no cakewalk where you decide one day, and come out with it in a few weeks's time.'

IMAGE: A quality control test being conducted at the Serum Institute of India. Photograph: Kind courtesy seruminstitute.com

More than Bharat Biotech, the Indian company developing India's first indigenous COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, in collaboration with the Indian Council for Medical Research and the National Institute of Virology, it is a letter shot off by the ICMR director-general that is making news right now.

The letter written by the ICMR DG said, 'It is envisaged to launch the vaccine for public health use latest by 15th August 2020 after completion of all clinical trials.'

ICMR also asked the 12 institutes chosen for clinical trials to fast track them as it was considered one of the top priority projects being monitored at the top-most level of the government.

The ICMR DG letter went on to say, 'Kindly note non-compliance will be viewed very seriously. Therefore, you are advised to treat the project on highest priority and meet the given timelines without any lapse.'

Though ICMR later offered a feeble explanation that the letter was written to cut red tape, ordering the institutes to fast-track the clinical trial made headlines worldwide, and scientists within India and outside questioned such an order.

Dr Soumya Swaminathan, chief scientist at WHO, said a vaccine needs at least 8 to 9 months for clinical trials to conclude.

"We should not give false hope to people or the government saying that we will have a vaccine in one month's time or five months' time,"Dr Rakesh Mishra, director, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, tells Rediff.com's Shobha Warrier. The first of a two-part interview:

Do you think the ICMR DG's letter has affected the credibility of Indian science?

You should not take the letter beyond its spirit. You should not give too much of importance. It was addressed to the hospitals to expedite the trial.

I agree that it is absolutely absurd to say that in five weeks' time, the vaccine should be delivered for which the trial has not even started. There is no explanation why ICMR did it.&

One thing is, it is just not possible.

But I don't agree that this undermines the credibility of Indian science because many of us immediately gave statements, and the Science Academy also responded in no time.

This was a mistake by ICMR, which I assume they did to put pressure on the internal system, so that people took the trial seriously.

At a critical time like this, do you need to put pressure?

By pressure, I mean perhaps at ICMR, they feel that those involved may delay the process. I agree that there are many ways to put pressure on those doing the work, but writing a letter to fast-track the trial is unprofessional.

The fact is, you can't do something which requires X number of days in half X number of days.

Now they have corrected what they have done, and said that there would not be any short cuts.

It would take not five weeks to develop a vaccine; normally it takes five years. Yes, it will be wonderful if we can come out with a vaccine in five months!

The strong reaction from the Indian Academy of Sciences was that a vaccine by August 15 was 'unfeasible and unrealistic'.

Yes. Even before that reaction itself, many of us scientists have said that such a deadline is not possible, and it cannot be done.

Have you seen such an accelerated development pathway for any vaccine anywhere in the world?

There are certain things you cannot do beyond a time limit. It takes 2-3 weeks' time to know if there is a response to a vaccine or not. That is because that is how our immune system works.

The Stage 1 trial is to see whether the vaccine is harmful or not, that is, whether it is safe. You can call it a safety trial. You cannot say whether it is safe or not in 2 or 3 days' time.

You have to wait for a certain number of days for the body to react. So, you wait for the stipulated time, look at the reaction, collect the data, analyse it and then go to the agency with the result.

If you see that those who took the vaccine are safe, you can move to Stage 2.

In Stage 2 also, you have to go through the same exercise, and wait for 2-3 weeks to see whether there is any immune response or not.

If you find anti-bodies against the virus in the body to neutralise the virus, you have to check it.

It will take at least three months for these two stages to be completed no matter how much you accelerate it.

Do you test on the same group of people in stage 1 and stage 2?

No. You choose different sets of people.

The first phase is to check safety, and the second phase is to find out the efficacy and safety together.

You test on a smaller number of people in phase 1 and 2.

Then, you go to stage 3 which is the major trial, in the sense that the number of people involved will be quite large.

You need thousands of people so that you can find out how the vaccine behaves in different sets of people.

Having anti-bodies alone doesn't mean you have protection; you have to wait for a certain period to see how the body reacts to the virus.

It will take 6 to 8 months to find out whether the vaccine gives protection to people against the virus. That is, if everything works in a textbook fashion.

There is another point here. We are going ahead with the trials assuming what we have is the vaccine.

There is also a chance that what you have is not the vaccine. Then, you have to go back to the drawing board again.

You have to remember that so far, there has been no success in developing a good vaccine against coronaviruses.

That's why there are hundreds of trials going on at different stages in different parts of the world.

People are trying many different methods because there is no guarantee that what you have is the vaccine.

We have to be open about the success or the failure of the vaccine part. But we have to try.

It is very important that we should not give false hope to people or the government saying that we will have a vaccine in one month's time or five months's time.

If we give hope, they will make plans and policies based on that assumption.

It means vaccine trials cannot have deadlines at all...

Yes. You can have an internal deadline for the procedure. But you cannot tell people that there will be a vaccine after a certain period because there may not be a vaccine for years to come.

So, we have to first prepare ourselves on how to deal with the pandemic.

If we move ahead thinking that there will be vaccine after six months, and if there is no vaccine?

Then you have lost the opportunity of other methods of controlling the virus.

What I mean is, you should not depend on something that doesn't exist.

At present, it is a dream of everyone to have a vaccine against COVID-19. We all want our dreams to be a reality.

But the fact is, you cannot give false hope to people.

In which phase will you come to know that the vaccine will work or not?

Every stage is an elimination stage, so every stage is important.

For example, you take the safety aspect of the vaccine.

You give the vaccine in phase 1 and people react to it and show unusual symptoms means, it is unsafe.

The moment something fails, you drop it at that stage itself.

There are over 100 trials going on all over the world. Some may pass stage 1, some may pass stage 2 and very few will pass stage 3.

There is an elimination in each stage. We will generally come to know, at first indication, whether a vaccine candidate is safe in 3-4 weeks's time.

You mean in the first stage, you will know whether it is safe or not, and in the second stage, you will know how much antibodies each person is producing?

Yes. Only then you will figure out how much dose to give, how many times, etc.

It takes several months to figure this out.

In fact, even after approvals, vaccines are studied over many more years. Some vaccines work in certain ethnic groups and will not work in some other communities.

There are many permutations and combinations behind a vaccine working successfully.

See, we have no vaccine against many diseases even today.

We have no vaccine against HIV/AIDS, we have no vaccine against malaria, we have to worry about common flu every year.

So, making a vaccine is no cakewalk where you decide one day, and come out with it in a few weeks's time. You have to meet many criteria.

Having said that, this is the biggest effort the world has ever done against a particular pathogen in a concerted manner, in such a scale. That means we can hope for the better chance.

Even against HIV/AIDS?

That was not a pandemic. It did not spread like this. The world did not shut down because of the HIV virus. But today countries are frozen because of this virus.

Never has the entire world worked on one research problem in such a coordinated manner at multiple locations.

It is a huge effort and also there is an improved understanding, improved technology and new approaches for the vaccine.

So, there is a good chance that we will have a vaccine sooner or later. But not before some time next year. That's the best bet.
Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: After remaining elusive for around a week, dreaded gangster Vikas Dubey, the mastermind of the gruesome killing of eight policemen during an encounter in Bikru village in Kanpur last Thursday, gave the cops the slip and travelled 1200 km from Chaubeypur in Kanpur to Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh across five states despite high alert.

As per the sources in UP STF, the gangsters trail began in the wee hours on Friday (July 3). At around 2 am, the gangster fled his house by pillion-riding with Kartikeya alias Prabhat Mishra, one of his accomplices. They reached a friend's hose at Shivli in Kanpur Dehat and from there sneaked into an adjoining forest at 5 am on Friday.

He stayed put in Shivli for next two days dodging a huge police force of 40 police stations and UP STF who had been tracking the criminal. From Shivli, Dubey took a lift in a truck and covered around 92 km to reach Auriyya at 5 am on Sunday.

In Auraiyya also, he managed to evade the police despite intense combing operation.

Dubey left Auriyya on July 5 and reach Badarpur, New Delhi, covering 385 km in an SUV the same day. At 10 am next morning (July 6), UP STF sleuths reached a hotel in Badarpur following a tip-off about his presence but by then the gangster had reached Faridabad in Haryana.

His next location was traced to a sweet shop in Faridabad in the afternoon (3:20 pm) of Tuesday (July 7). However, there is no detail or evidence of his destination in the period between Monday and Tuesday afternoon. Video footage showed him coming out of the shop and taking an auto.

It is believed that Dubey spent two days in Faridabad with one of his relatives. He then tried to book a room in Sri Sasaram guesthouse but was refused. He left the place after he was tipped off about the UP STF and Haryana police following him.

On the basis of the information about his presence in Faridabad, Haryana crime branch reached greater Faridabad and nabbed three of his aides and recovered weapons snatched from the police party in Kanpur. But Dubey again gave cops the slip and managed to flee Faridabad on Wednesday morning.

UP STF believes that Dubey returned to New Delhi from Faridabad in a private car and then moved to Jaipur in Rajasthan on the same day covering 269 km.

He was spotted by locals in Jaipur while taking a bus to Kota. He is believed to have stayed in Kota for sometime before leaving the city for Ujjain in MP on a bus at 1 am on July 9. He reached the MP town at 8 am covering 252 km before being nabbed by the police.
California officials on Thursday said they intend to file a lawsuit against the Trump administration over guidelines announced this week that put restrictions on visas of international students from staying in the United States.

This action makes California the first state to sue over the guidelines. The state's lawsuit comes a day after universities like Harvard and MIT sued in federal court to stop the policy from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency.

The lawsuit seeks to stop the new foreign student visa policy's enforcement until a ruling is made, the NBC reported.

In ICE rules, students holding F-1 and M-1 visas have to leave the U.S. if their classes were moved fully online. To stay, they have to find other ways to keep their status "lawful," like transferring to a school that does in-person classes.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra called out the Trump administration for "risking education possibilities," health and wellbeing of the affected students, reported The Hill.

The rules were also met with backlash from academics. The order affects over a million international students in the United States.

California, for one, has the most students on visas than any other state, Becerra said. It is suing on behalf of 21,000 foreign students at its public community colleges.

Becerra added that there are around 184,000 student visa holders in the state of California.

He said the rules "could put everybody at risk of getting the coronavirus or being subject to deportation" if the foreign students do not follow.

The rules were issued on Monday without warning. This reverses the ICE statement last March that said student visa holders would be allowed to stay in the U.S. in light of the pandemic.

The standard policy requires international students to have most of their classes held in-person to stay in the U.S. The change in policy last March was done as an effort to allow for social distancing in schools to protect students against the spread of the virus.

The reversal comes as Trump is pushing for schools to fully reopen next month despite the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the U.S. reaching high numbers.

School reopening to be handled by health, education officials

In a report from Los Angeles Times, Governor Gavin Newsom on Wednesday said California's school reopening plans would be made by local education and health officials.

Newsom stressed that he wouldn't be swayed by statements made by the president to reopen schools quickly.

The local officials will look into the state of the COVID-19 pandemic, when making the decision. Newsom warned that the numbers of COVID-19 cases in the state are still surging.

Amid the president's call to reopen schools "quickly and beautifully," health officials think the surge in new cases requires continued distance learning.

In a news conference Wednesday, Newsom said he is not worried about the latest tweets from the president. He said the state needs to focus on the safe reopening of schools.

"We need to make that a foundational principle," he said. "That, to me, is not negotiable."

Want to read more from us? Check these out!
Dubai, July 10 : An Indian man went on trial at the Dubai Court of First Instance after he was accused of assaulting a compatriot to death after a heated argument, it was reported.

The incident took place last December in the city's Al Quoz area, Gulf News said in a rpeort on Thursday An Indian witness testified that the accused and the victim drinking at the back of a parked pick-up when a phone went missing, following which there was an argument.

The owner of the pick-up found the victim dead and alerted Dubai Police.

While testifying in the court, a policeman said: "He was under the influence of alcohol. He claimed the defendant knocked the victim on the ground and stepped on his chest. He didn't know that it caused the victim's death.

"He left the place and didn't know the victim was dead until we arrested him." A verdict is expected on July 27.
3-month validity of cheques will not be impacted by lockdown: SC

Covid-19 continues to rage across the Americas as the US, Mexico and Brazil report high rates of new infections on a daily basis along with a large number of deaths. Bolivian and Brazilian state premiers have already been infected.

Click here for the complete coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic

In the Eurasian region, Russia continues to report high numbers of infection. The daily number of new cases have seen a slight dip. In India, experts have started fearing community transmission but the government has assured that is not the case. India also has a lower number of cases per million.








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I support the idea of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) as a taxpayer-supported public media enterprise which serves Canadians coast to coast to coast.

However, this noble ideal of the CBC is not a reality today.

Instead, what we as Canadians have been given is an organization which takes money from taxpayers and serves the egos of the cocktail circuit of baby boomers and yuppies which runs this organization.

The CBC's basic attitude to Canadians is "don't call us, we'll call you"  unless you happen to be the likes of Justin Trudeau, Margaret Atwood or a representative of some "in-group" which is linked to government interests.

Unfortunately, the CBC has become a Pravda-like state broadcaster which represents various entrenched interests and does not equitably represent the voices of average Canadians.

And TVOntario is just as bad, if not worse. TVOntario is just as politically incestuous as the CBC.

Let me give you an example of why both the CBC and TVOntario ought to be regarded as "anti-public" broadcasters.

So, we started a local festival which got a lot of support from artists and authors alike.

As you know, the success of any grassroots festival relies on publicity.

When we called Rogers TV, they called us back to get more information.

The local affiliate of CTV was also very interested in our new festival and interviewed us.

Even Public Broadcasting Service(PBS) affiliates from the United States immediately began to contact us to get more information on what we were doing.

Public Radio International in the U.S. called us within 20 minutes of receiving our email.

In sharp contrast, both the CBC and TVO, after having received detailed information about our festival, wouldn't even take the time to piss on us.

CBC and TVOntario to this day have totally ignored us because they apparently could not trace our festival to being controlled by the political in-group that they seek to support.

And have you ever tried visiting a CBC facility? You're more likely to get a better welcome from CSIS or a National Defence facility.

The CBC and TVOntario totally lack the system of public accountability and public participation found in PBS stations in the United States.Moreover,all private broadcasters in Canada welcome contact from Canadians in ways which far exceed both CBC and TVOntario, which seem to lack interest in having any contact with average Canadians.

If the CBC and TVOntario want to improve their ratings, they should start by listening to average Canadians at all levels of its broadcasting operations.

The only show that I watch on CBC that also has been my favourite is Murdoch Mysteries.

Ever since broadcaster Peter Mansbridge retired,the CBC program The National, along with the current drivel that CBC Radio calls "current affairs programming," has become the most visible representation of the sad egos which are running the CBC to the ground. CBC News, like the rest of that network and TVOntario, are failing in their supposed public broadcaster role miserably.

It is about time that CBC and TVO began to use taxpayer dollars to represent Canadians equitably  and that includes support for cultural activities and community initiatives.

CBC and TVO ought to be ashamed of themselves that American public broadcasting affiliates are more willing to publicize Canadian grassroots initiatives than both of these self-serving organizations. There's nothing public about the CBC and TVOntario except for where they get their money to spend.



If you are a Canadian author or artist who is seeking marketing support or even book self-publishing services, then I invite you to contact OttawaBookExpo.ca or TorontoBookExpo.ca.
Sometime in the next few days, Justin Trudeau will promise to consult the ethics commissioner about any future plans to let charities hand out government money.

This is not a leak of the prime ministers intentions; it is a prediction, based on how he has handled ethics transgressions of the past.

The newest one is Trudeaus connection to the WE charity, hand-picked by his own government to dole out nearly $1 billion in pandemic-relief efforts for students: a choice that has since gone from reversal to regrets to really big trouble.

Its not the first time things have gone so badly this way for Trudeau and thats the baffling thing.

If this was a binge-watching series, viewers would have seen the hints in previous seasons.

First there is the denial and doubling-down.

Then there is the retraction, accompanied by revelations that things are worse than originally reported.

Then comes the prime ministers promise to do better.

After more than four years in power, this shouldnt have become a habit.

Trudeaus ethical problems with the WE charity were magnified exponentially on Thursday when it was revealed that his mother and brother had enjoyed financial benefits from their association with WE.

Thanks to revelations by CBC and Canadaland, we now know that Margaret Trudeau received $250,000 in honorariums for speaking at 28 WE events between 2016 and 2020.

Alexandre Trudeau, or Sacha, as hes known, was paid $32,000 in speaking fees between 2017 and 2018.

The fact that this is news to Canadians is one thing.

The fact that it is news to the Trudeau government  or seems to be  is a clear sign that little has been learned from previous ethical lapses.

While the payouts to Trudeaus family date back to his time as prime minister, this particular controversy has echoes of his past, even before he gained power.

Trudeau, many will remember, came under significant political heat for his own time on the charity speaking circuit back in 2013, when it was revealed he had been accepting money for speeches while he was an MP.

As is the pattern, first Trudeau defended it, then offered to repay the fees.

So there was the first red flag in this current controversy: did the PM, or anyone around him, ask whether there was a speaking-fee problem here?

As it happens, there was: nearly $300,000 of it.

(Oddly enough, thats roughly around the same amount  $277,000  that Trudeau had offered to pay back on his own speaking-circuit controversy back in 2013.)

Then there was the ethics problem with his trip to the Aga Khans island in 2016; a trip that came about because of longstanding relationships with Trudeaus wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, as well as Margaret Trudeau.

Is this starting to sound familiar?

Then, as now, the trip was vigorously defended by the PMO, until it was revealed that the Aga Khan runs a charity that receives millions of dollars from the government.

The ethics commissioner ruled the trip was a violation of the rules.

Trudeau said: It is important that as we move forward, we learn from this mistake.

One of the mistakes was not doing the due diligence beforehand.

Another one was refusing to acknowledge it as a mistake when the initial questions were asked.

But it seems to be a perpetual Trudeau impulse; perhaps best illustrated by his initial statements when the SNC-Lavalin scandal of 2019 first hit the news.

The story was, in Trudeaus now memorable words, false.

It wasnt false, but this also seemed to be news to Trudeau and his team throughout the weeks and months that the new facts emerged about the political-legal knot of pressure surrounding a favoured Canadian corporation.

The ethics commissioners findings after that controversy had Trudeau vowing to do better, too.

We recognize the way that this happened shouldnt have happened, Trudeau said.

The WE charity fiasco has all the ingredients of ethics lapses past.

Theres the troubling closeness of his wife and his mother to a charity-turned-government contractor.

Sophie and Margaret Trudeau, lets not forget, were in London for a WE charity event that brought the COVID-19 pandemic literally to the PMs home in early March.

Shades there of the too-close relationship with the Aga Khan.

Throw in trouble with speaking fees and what rules the government is willing to blur for the sake of jobs (SNC or student jobs) and it feels like weve seen this movie before.

Critics of the government love when history repeats itself; it establishes patterns easy for the public to understand.

Trudeau, it seems, cant resist them either.

Next comes the promise to do better.

Correction  July 10, 2020: This column was edited to note that while Justin Trudeau offered to repay $277,000 in speaking fees he earned in 2013, its not known how much he actually did pay back. As well, Trudeau has been prime minister for more than five years, not four as previously stated.
Since late December 2019, there has been an emergence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that has to date infected over 12.2 million individuals across the globe and killed over 554,000 persons. One of the notable features of this virus is its particularly severe course among the elderly and those with comorbid conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. The infection and its manifestations in these individuals lead to hospitalization and necessitate intensive care and often ventilation. Children and newborn babies who contract the infection are relatively at a lower risk of such complications.

In a new study titled, The clinical course of SARS-CoV-2 positive neonates, Italian researchers led by Guiseppe De Bernado from Division of Pediatrics Neonatology and NICU, Ospedale Buon Consiglio Fatebenefratelli, Naples, explain the course of the infection among newborn babies. Their study is published in the latest issue of the Journal of Perinatology.

COVID-19 in newborn babies

Pneumonia caused by COVID-19 was first reported in Wuhan, China, and since then, it has become a global public health problem. The researchers wrote that it was expected that, like any viral infection, the newborns would be at a higher risk of complications when infected with the SARS-CoV-2. The team explains that neonates typically have under-developed immune systems and also have an immature respiratory and cardiovascular system, which makes them susceptible to infections and complications. They wrote, During previous pandemics, they were reported cases of infants suffering from respiratory infection. These infections led to complications in neonates such as spontaneous abortions, preterm delivery, low birth weight, and congenital disabilities, they wrote.

With COVID-19, there have been instances where the infection in the neonate has been acquired from the mother or caregiver. Still, detailed clinical reports on outcomes of these babies are not available. What data is available suggests that neonates and infants have a benign form of the infection even if they were prematurely born or had low birth weight. The team wrote, Data available for SARS-CoV-2-positive preterm neonates suggest that neonates infected (even if extremely preterm) might not necessarily be susceptible to severe disease with clinically significant or major morbidity.

Why was this study conducted?

The experts say that it is still too early, and there is too little evidence to show the definitive risk of this viral infection on neonates. This study was conducted to assess the literature and evidence available on the clinical course and outcome of COVID-19 among neonates.

What was done?

The researchers combed through all the published literature on journal databases such as the PubMed database (National Library of Medicine, Washington, DC) between December 2019 and 27th April 2020 to look for clinical notes on neonates and infants with COVID-19. All language articles were included, and neonates less than 28 days of age were included in the study analysis.

The researchers said that neonates with a false-negative and false-positive rate of antibodies IgM were 29.8% and 3.8%, respectively. Thus only babies testing positive for the SARS CoV-2 on RT PCR were included in the analysis. A total of 421 papers were initially found of which 345 had to be discarded because there was a duplication of the data. The analysis thus allowed only 76 articles. Of these 58 articles had to be removed from analysis due to their inability to meet the criteria set by the researchers. Finally, 18 articles were included in the analysis of the data.

For all the neonates included in the 18 articles, data such as gestational age (to determine if they were prematurely born), method of delivery, gender, Apgar score at birth, presence of other diseases, and epidemiological data were recorded. Over the course of the infection, their clinical reports were analyzed. These included clinical features, method of infection acquisition, diagnostic methods used, treatment protocol followed, duration of stay in the hospital or NICU (Neonatal ICU), and rate of death. Outcome measures checked were clinical signs and symptoms, route of infection, treatment, and course of the disease and outcome.

What was found?

A total of 25 neonates and their clinical outcome with COVID-19 was analyzed for this study. Of the 25 neonates, 11 were Chinese, 3, were Italian, 2 were Iranian, and the rest were from Spain, Belgium or South Korea, the team wrote. Of these 25 babies, 16 were born via Caesarean section (CS). The average gestational age of the babies was 37.4 weeks, and the average birth weight was 3,041 grams. The ratio of male babies to females was 2.8. This indicated the increased susceptibility of male babies to the infection.

Among the babies, 68 percent had mothers infected with SARS CoV-2, while 20 percent had both parents infected. In the rest of the cases, grandparents were found to be infected and may have transmitted it to the neonates. Among none of the cases, there was a risk of infection transmission from someone outside the family (third party), wrote the researchers.

The team found that there was no evidence that the babies could be infected while within the uterus from an infected mother (no vertical transmission, they wrote). The main symptoms found included fever, cough, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and shortness of breath, they wrote. Manifestations of the condition usually appeared on the eighth day after birth on average. Some of the neonates (4 of 25) had no symptoms during their hospital stay. Among all the 25 neonates analyzed, 32 percent needed intensive care, and there were no deaths. Complications included pneumonia, respiratory distress, sepsis, and pneumothorax, wrote the researchers. On average, the hospital stay was around 15.8 days, they found.

Conclusions and implications

The researchers noted that the course of COVID-19 is usually free of severe life-threatening complications, and treatment should be supportive and symptomatic. They recommend, After discharge, simple hygiene measures should be taken during home care as caregivers washing hands and face often, disinfecting the daily supplies of newborns with 75% medical alcohol and chlorine-containing disinfection water to wipe the floor and furniture, regular window ventilation, heat-resistant bottles, and pacifiers should be disinfected at high temperature.

They added that further studies with a larger number of neonates and more extended follow-ups are needed to confirm their findings. They wrote in conclusion, SARS-CoV-2-positive newborns show good prognosis, with a low rate of severe complications and without deaths.
Brussels, Belgium (PANA) - Members of European Parliament (EMEPs) have raised suspicions of alleged embezzlement of humanitarian aid intended for Sahrawi refugees in the Tindouf camps, demanding an investigation into the case, an informed source in Brussels told PANA
For years, I have described pinot grigio as an Italian phrase that translates as "boring." But lately, I've tasted several outstanding versions. The key is to look for pinot grigio from northern Italy, where altitude helps preserve the grapes' acidity and freshness. We have two this week, both excellent values at an affordable $12 per bottle. We also have two reds to pair and a refreshing rose to round out the week's lineup.

GREAT VALUE

Il Casato Pinot Grigio Valdadige 2019

Three stars

Italy, $12

Racy and refreshing, with a sense of energy that awakens the palate, this juicy wine is an ideal partner for salads, seafood dishes or even that lazy quarantine lunch of canned sardines on crackers. As I went to write this, I realized I'd left the bottle about a third full, opened, on the counter for at least three weeks. The wine is still fresh and delicious. Alcohol by volume: 13 percent.

GREAT VALUE

Cantina Colli Euganei Pinot Grigio delle Venezie 2019

Two and a half stars

Italy, $12

Crisp and citrusy, this wine has a saline character that reflects the marine fossils in the region where the grapes are grown. Tasting it made me salivate for ceviche or a lime-scented seafood salad. ABV: 12.5 percent.

GREAT VALUE

Zorgvliet Silver Myn Cabernet Franc Rose 2019

Two and a half stars

Stellenbosch, South Africa, $13

Lovely bright flavors of red berries, mint and a hint of peppery spice make this rose exceedingly refreshing. You will probably want to have more than one bottle handy, as this wine goes down easily. ABV: 13.5 percent.

Bodegas Hercal Bocca Roble 2018

Two and a half stars

Ribera del Duero, Spain, $18

From the name and the amusing cartoon on the label, you might expect this wine to scream at you, but it doesn't. Each sip quietly pulled my attention back to my glass for another sniff of the black fruit and tobacco leaf aromas, signatures of the tempranillo grape. And ultimately, its savory taste and lingering finish had me licking my lips, wanting more. And the more I tasted it, the more I liked it. ABV: 14.1 percent.

Zonte's Footstep Blackberry Patch Cabernet 2018

Two and a half stars

Fleurieu Peninsula, Australia, $22

This wine greeted me with a smile - at least, it made me smile at the first sip. As the name suggests, aromas of blackberries and baking spice perfume the glass, followed by flavors of cassis and berries. As the evening drew on and the bottle drew down, each sip added a nuance of spice or an insight of fruit. The last few sips were like dessert, or the fine cigar that punctuates an enjoyable evening. ABV: 14.5 percent.

- - -

3 stars exceptional, 2 stars excellent, 1 star very good

- - -

Availability information is based on distributor records. Wines might not be in stock at every listed store and might be sold at additional stores. Prices are approximate. Check Winesearcher.com to verify availability, or ask a favorite wine store to order through a distributor.
WESTLAND, MI  What witnesses initially perceived to be an active shooter situation at a Southeast Michigan mall is believed to have been shots fired during an argument, authorities said.

Several shots were fired inside Westland Shopping Center on Thursday, FOX 2 Detroit reports. The two or three men involved in the incident fled the mall on foot. No arrests have been made, but police say there is no threat to the public.

A witness told FOX 2 that the men were arguing inside the European Perfumes Store when one of them pulled a gun and fired at least two shots. Shoppers and employees and nearby stores heard the shots and believed it was the start of an active shooter situation.

The Westland Police Department was assisted at the scene by neighboring law enforcement agencies to secure and search the scene. The investigation is ongoing.

READ MORE:

Man dead, woman injured in shooting outside Southeast Michigan Family Dollar

Cedar Point reopens with 20% capacity, reservations, face masks

200-year-old apparel company that dressed Lincoln, JFK, Clark Gable, files bankruptcy
China's financial watchdog is increasingly worried about speculative leverage on the soaring Shanghai and Shenzhen equity markets, fearing a repeat of the boom-bust debacle in 2015 when the crash almost span out of control.

The China Securities Regulatory Commission has blacklisted 258 brokerage houses accused of offering illegal margin accounts at 10 times leverage. It told investors to "raise their risk awareness" before the buying frenzy reached dangerous levels.

The China Securities Regulatory Commission has warned investors to "raise their risk awareness". Credit:AP

The state media followed with sober reminders of the "tragic lesson" five years ago when the market spiked and then plunged 40 per cent.

That episode shook confidence in the authorities and combined into a currency crisis which proved hard to contain. In the end, the People's Bank had to burn through $US1 trillion ($1.4 trillion) to defend the exchange rate and counter capital flight.
Panaji, July 10 : Children are most vulnerable to sexual predators on social media platforms, beaches, and even yoga centres in Goa, a study has revealed.

The study 'Sale and Sexual Exploitation of Children in the Context of Travel and Tourism in Goa' claimed that the state's free and easy-going image had influenced the state's infamy as the sex capital of India and therefore made minors vulnerable to sexual exploitation.

"Hotels/lodges and rented homes provide such tourists with easy access to children. It is impossible for the authorities to monitor such places. Goa is a popular yoga destination. These places have made children vulnerable. Spas and massage parlours and casinos are openly supplying children," said the study authored by Dr Ranjana Ferrao, a professor at the VM Salgaocar College of Law in Panaji.

The study published in the latest edition of 'Journal of Victimology and Victim Justice' published by Sage Publications also says that social media platforms and websites were key contact points between sexual predators and unsuspecting minors.

Nearly 200 respondents were interviewed for the study.

In its observation on international child trafficking in Goa, the study said that the biggest grouping of minor victims of sexual abuse are from Bangladesh (42 per cent), followed by Thailand (28 per cent), Nepal (25.5 per cent) and Uzbekistan (16 per cent).

"The victims are provided with documents such as Aadhaar card, voting cards and marriage certificates to make them seem adults," Ferrao said in her study.

The study pointed out that foreign paedophiles often target developing or poor countries on account of weak legal systems, but Goa's projection as a state with an easy-going social ethos has also unfortunately earned it the infamous sobriquet as the "sex capital of India".

"Many Indian and foreign tourists come in search of child sex in Goa. Goa is also openly advertised as a state with free and liberal values. This has made our children vulnerable," the study added.

Incidentally, the first international paedophile ring to be busted in 1991 in India was operating out of Goa.

The study mentioned the arrest of Freddy Peats, whose orphanage in the beach village of Calangute served as a destination for sexual exploitation for foreign paedophiles, as well as the case of slain British minor girl Scarlett Keeling who was sexually assaulted and left to die at North Goa's Anjuna beach.

Goa's beaches, in fact, said the study, were a vulnerable zone for children.

"Children are found roaming nude or as little as with few undergarments on Goan beaches. In no other country in the world do you see children roaming unaccompanied by either a parent or guardian. This puts children at risk," the study states, adding that domestic tourists seek sexual favours from children for 'as little as Rs 50 to Rs 200' but foreigners pay more.

"Some come in contact with children who are begging in public places. Children are found working at restaurants, thus making them easy targets. The tourist may approach the child in person on the streets, the beach, in schools or centres for children. The modus operandi adopted by the tourist is first to befriend the child through its family and relatives or through an intermediary on the beach, in hotels, guesthouses, karaoke clubs and massage parlours," the study pointed out.
(Natural News) Scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) have recorded a mysterious and unprecedented flash of light coming from the supermassive black hole at the heart of our galaxy.

Known to scientists as Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), the black hole at the center of the Milky Way is relatively quiet. For the most part, Sgr A*s activity is low key, with minimal fluctuations in its brightness.

In May of 2019, however, ULCA scientists caught Sgr A* glowing 75 times brighter than normal  the brightest scientists have ever seen it in near-infrared wavelengths  before going back down to normal levels.

Brightest flash from the heart of our galaxy

Sgr A*s sudden burst was captured over a four-night period by scientists at the W. M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii. On one night, scientists were able to capture over two hours of footage which they have since been able to compress into just a few seconds via time-lapse.

Here's a timelapse of images over 2.5 hr from May from @keckobservatory of the supermassive black hole Sgr A*. The black hole is always variable, but this was the brightest we've seen in the infrared so far. It was probably even brighter before we started observing that night! pic.twitter.com/MwXioZ7twV  Tuan Do (@quantumpenguin) August 11, 2019

I was pretty surprised at first and then very excited, said UCLA astronomer Tuan Do to Science Alert. The black hole was so bright I at first mistook it for the star S0-2, because I had never seen Sgr A* that bright. Over the next few frames, though, it was clear the source was variable and had to be the black hole.

I knew almost right away there was probably something interesting going on with the black hole, he added.

As bright as the flash capture on the footage was  brighter than any other observed in human history  it may have even been brighter. The peak brightness that the scientists saw was at the start of the telescopes imaging  it may have even been brighter right before that.

Searching for the cause of the flash

With footage of the event in hand, scientists are now on a mission to find out what caused Sgr A* to flash so brightly.

While black holes are known to regularly flicker, changing in brightness from moment to moment, large flashes similar to the one observed with Sgr A* are rare and usually indicate that another celestial object has been caught in the black holes gravitational pull.

Scientists, however, are unaware of any large object that may have been swallowed by the supermassive black hole.

To find out if such an object was pulled into the supermassive black hole, scientists poured through footage and data from the observatory. Do and his team narrowed their search down to two immediate possibilities.

The first of these is G2, an object that scientists believe to be a gas cloud that approached within 36 light-hours, or about 24 billion miles, of Sgr A* in 2014. If G2 was the culprit, then this proximity should have torn it to shreds, with parts of it consumed by the black hole; however, nothing of the sort happened.

Scientists later called this flyby a cosmic fizzle, though the researchers believe that the flash may have been a delayed reaction.

The other possible culprit, is S0-2. This is a star thats on a long, looping, 16-year elliptical orbit around Sgr A*. In 2018, the star made its closest approach to the supermassive black hole, coming within 17 light-hours  11.4 billion miles  of it.

One of the possibilities, is that the star S0-2, when it passed close to the black hole last year, changed the way gas flows into the black hole, and so more gas is falling on it, leading it to become more variable, explained Do.

More data is needed for the scientists to come to a conclusive answer, however. For this, theyre relying on data from other telescopes that can see the galactic center even as it moves out of range of the Keck Observatory.

Sources include:

DailyMail.com

ScienceAlert.com

Twitter.com

ArXiv.org
The Nellore district administration on Friday ordered a probe into the incident of local municipal staff resorting to mass burial of three bodies of Covid-19 victims by carrying them in an earthmover and dumping them in a grave, at a place adjacent to Penna river.

A video, apparently shot at night by a person passing by on the highway adjacent to the river, showing some people wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) taking out three bodies from an ambulance one after the other and dumping them in the front portion of the earthmover has gone viral.

In another video, the earthmover was seen carrying the bodies to a grave a few metres away and dumping all of them into the pit which was already dug.

As the videos went viral on social media and were played up on local television channels, the chief ministers office ordered the Nellore district administration to conduct an inquiry.

A detailed probe has been ordered into the burial of the dead bodies of Covid-19 patients near Penna river. Nellore revenue divisional officer Hussian Saheb has been appointed as special officer and will conduct the enquiry, an official statement from the CMO said.

Hussain Saheb, who is also a sub-divisional magistrate, said he would submit a report to the district collector after conducting an inquiry into the incident.

The opposition Telugu Desam Party found fault with the Nellore municipal authorities for their inhuman treatment of the bodies of Covid-19 patients. Pained to see bodies of Covid-19 patients in Nellore being disrespectfully thrown into a single pit using an earthmover. This is happening time & again. @ysjagan Govt must offer an apology to the grieving families who wished for a respectful departure for their loved ones, TDP president and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu tweeted.

This is the third such incident in Andhra Pradesh in the recent past. On July 6, municipal authorities in Tirupati also used an earthmover to lift the body of a Covid-19 victim from an ambulance and dump it into a grave.

Tirupati municipal commissioner P S Girisha admitted that the municipal staff should not have done that but said they had no option but to use the excavator to lift the body which was weighing about 175 kg only after taking the consent of the family members.

On June 26, the municipal staff in Palasa town in Srikakulam district also used an earthmover to carry the body of a Covid-19 victim from his house to the graveyard for cremation, after the victims relatives refused to perform last rites. Following instructions from chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, the district authorities suspended six municipal employees for using an earthmover to carry the body.
State, 1789

Treasury, 1789

Interior, 1849

Agriculture, 1862

Justice, 1870

Commerce, 1903

Labor, 1913

Defense, 1947

Health and Human Services, 1953

Housing and Urban Development, 1965

Transportation, 1967

Energy, 1977

Education, 1979

Veterans Affairs, 1989

Homeland Security, 2002

There are now 15 United States federal executive departments. Here they are, in order of their dates of inception:The present essay is an attempt to make the case for the elimination of the Department of Education.Why pick on that Department? There are two reasons. One, it was established 31 years ago. We got along without it up until the year of our Lord 1978; we can get along without it now.But why not pick on Veteran's Affairs and Homeland Security? They came along even later, so, following a "last in, first out" argument, they should be abolished first. Sorry, they will have to wait. Each department deserves its own moment in the sun.The second reason for choosing the Educrats for elimination is that they are now in the news, and every op-ed writer worth his salt knows full well there is a journalistic prohibition about writing on any topic that does not have a "peg." No one, it would appear, ever wants to hear about anything not already heavily discussed in the media.So, what's up with the Department of Education? Why are they now hogging up all that ink? First, a little background.Once upon a time, long, long ago, those accused of rape or sexual harassment on campus were dealt with approximately as they would have been in any other non-university context. There would have been due process, the presumption of innocence, the right for the defense to confront the accuser, the right to an unbiased judge, the right for the defendant to hire a lawyer, and other such hoary traditions of justice.The underlying principle, then, was that it was better that 10 criminals go unpunished, than one innocent person be found guilty.But in 2011, a "Dear Colleague" Title IX letter came from the Obama administration. It swept away virtually all of those ancient protections for the accused. Here, the even-handed procedures of the courts were deemed too favorable to accused rapists and harassers at universities. This is more than curious; in the past, left-liberals had insisted upon the right of legal aid for the poor. Evidently, that does not apply to the accused on campus. Are there no poor male students?Betsy DeVos, secretary of education, pretty much rescinded all that and "turned back the clock" to the pre-"Dear Colleague" institutional arrangements. Those of us who believe that justice is justice is justice, whether on the mean streets or the campus quad, certainly welcome this alteration. Yet, that positive change is not enough to save the Department from abolition.The Department of Education should disappear, simply, because each university, each business, each person ought to be able to impose whatever rules of justice they wish on all people and institutions they deal with voluntarily. Suppose I set up a grocery store and announce that if there is any altercation between me and a shopper, the matter will be settled with the flip of a coin, or dice, or chicken entrails, or tea leaves, or based on my own subjective interpretation. Do I or do I not have the right to impose that rule? Of course I do-at least in a free society. If you, gentle customer, do not want to abide by that, take your business elsewhere.The same applies to every institution, including those of higher learning. DeVos, well-intentioned as she may have been, was imposing a one-size-fits-all rule on some 4,000 colleges and universities in the nation.Obama's Dear Colleague letter threatened to withhold funds from schools that disobeyed him. But the same charge can be made against DeVos' new rules. Both are in the business of imposing their view on what is right with the threat of withholding other people's money from recipients.We got along without the Department of Education before 1979 and we can do so again. The value of a college education will not disappear if the federal government takes a hands-off approach.Both DeVos and Obama are educational "authoritarians." Both want awesome power over the educational decisions of thousands of universities." Just because the DeVos' concept of justice is by far the more reasonable one does not mean she has the right to impose on all voluntary transactions. With the Department of Education in place, Obama-era guidelines will return when the Democrats next occupy the White House. Without the Department, universities will be able to compete with one another based on their standards for misconduct and justice as well as on the basis of the more traditional educational issues.Suppose both Obama's and DeVos's strictures were struck down and free enterprise reigned in this vital part of our economy. All institutions of higher learning were now allowed to adopt whichever policy they desired in this regard. Which would pass the market test?Undoubtedly, DeVos would win, hands down. Other things equal, many parents would be unlikely to send their male children to an Obama University; instead, they would select a DeVos College. This difference might tip the balance and lead in the direction of all-female student bodies for those which employed the Obama rules. But many customers prefer co-education. This effect would mitigate in favor of DeVos rules.The annual budget of this department is some $81 billion . I know of some taxpayers who would rather keep those funds in their own pockets.
Escape from New York. Now. If you can. That seems to be the thinking of hundreds of thousands of Big Apple denizens as the city, recently one of the safest in the world, devolves into a dystopian hell at the hands of demented progressives.

Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani and his former police commissioners such as Bernard Kerik, who headed up the NYPD force from 2000 to 2001 and directed the police response to 9/11, can only watch and weep as the city they had so successfully cleaned up rapidly descends into chaos and carnage. This Nightmare in New York is brought to you courtesy of Gov. Andrew Cuomo; Mayor Bill de Blasio; and a cast of thousands of Black Lives Matter protesters, anarchists, and street thugs. The once vibrant city is turning into a virtual no-go zone of looted shops, shuttered store windows, and skyrocketing murder rates. The number of shooting victims is up 51% this year so far, and that tragic trend is accelerating. In June of this year, there were 250 shootings, as opposed to 97 in June of 2019.

New York was already reeling from the highest coronavirus death toll in the (formerly) United States, due in large part to Gov. Cuomo approving the transfer of thousands of recovering COVID-19 patients to nursing homes at the height of the pandemic. Then the rioting began, and Mayor de Blasio's response was to shame cops and propose cutting his city's police department budget by more than one billion dollars. (That's one thousand million for those of you who were educated in the city's public schools.)

The Dimwitted Duo have caused a mass exodus, with 500,000 mostly middle-class New Yorkers fleeing the city thus far and many more likely to follow. Half a million New Yorkers heading for the proverbial hills. That's more than the entire population of Minneapolis, where all the madness started. Of course, with the Minneapolis City Council repeatedly voting to disband its police force, the entire population of the "Mini apple" may head for the hills as well.

The Big Apple is rotting and shrinking. Needlessly. Minneapolis is, too  as are many other large American cities. The rioters and the elites are together making these cities uninhabitable for everyone else, including the police.

And they call it "social justice."
Jack Dorsey, the billionaire CEO and co-founder of Twitter, is contributing millions of dollars to fund a universal basic income experiment. This universal basic income experiment is only a smaller part of a larger mission called Mayors for a Guaranteed Income.





Is This The Beginning Of Nationwide Universal Basic Income?

On July 9, Mayors for a Guaranteed Income put out an announcement saying that the universal basic income program would affect a maximum of 7 million Americans located over 14 different cities, which includes Jackson in Mississippi, Newark in New Jersey, Atlanta, and Los Angeles.

The mayors who are involved are planning to launch the pilot guaranteed income programs in their respective cities at an unspecified date in the future, and they're also planning to lobby federal lawyers to consider a national guaranteed income program as well.

The group responsible for the universal basic income program experiment says that when you give people guaranteed income, you help them escape the clutches of poverty and it could cushion the blows to careers and the economy due to the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the announcement, Jack Dorsey, whose net worth has reached $7.5 billion, is going to contribute $3 million into the guaranteed income program from his nonprofit. This universal basic income program was announced only a short time after Dorsey publicly pledged to donate $1 billion to help with coronavirus relief efforts.

The group didn't specifically say who would be eligible for the guaranteed income payments and how much the plan would give them. According to a statement, the group envisions that universal basic income is a flexible supplement to be used with existing social programs.

Past research, along with proponents, has claimed that guaranteed income will be the most effective method of leveling the divide of wealth between the poorest and richest Americans. Universal basic income critics have said that the effects on the economy from these kinds of programs haven't been researched thoroughly and this could stop recipients from getting jobs and working.

Read More: [Anti-Troll] Twitter Users Can Now Turn Off Replies, But Why Do Some Complain?

Universal Basic Income Has Been Experimented With Before

Jack Dorsey isn't the only American with significant wealth that has experimented with universal basic income. The entrepreneur and former United States presidential candidate Andrew Yang announced back in May that he will be giving $500 to twenty New York citizens every month over five years via his nonprofit as a way to test how universal basic income would fare.

Andrew Yang came up with his universal basic income proposal, which was a scheme he called the Freedom Dividend. This proposal had every American adult receive $1,000 every month, and it was one of the central focuses of Yang's presidential campaign.

Universal basic income used to be a policy proposal that was unlikely to happen that was accepted by Silicon Valley giants like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. Still, the idea of guaranteed income has taken off since then, and has been gaining traction.

Read More: Artificial Intelligence Will Be Making More Ethical Decisions Thanks To New Model
UBACH PALENBERG, GERMANY / ACCESSWIRE / July 10, 2020 / ?ZenMate is a German cyber-security solution and a popular VPN software that encrypts and secures users' internet connection by connecting them to remote servers from across the world.

The newest ZenMate free VPN extension was just launched on the new Microsoft Edge browser and the Chrome VPN and Firefox VPN extensions were updated to the ultimate version.

Earlier this year, ZenMate VPN already expanded its servers collection by offering users the possibility to connect to servers from over 74 countries worldwide. As well as access on unlimited devices with just 1 account.

Now, the company has developed a new solution to help people from anywhere in the world use the ZenMate Free VPN browser extension.

The app's newly implemented blockchain technology allows users worldwide to connect to ZenMate servers even if they were blocked before.

ZenMate prevents cyber-criminals, hackers, governments, and ISPs from spying on users' online activities, downloads, banking details, emails and more.

More than 47 million people from all over the world use ZenMate VPN to protect their data and stay anonymous online.

The newly updated ZenMate interface was specifically designed to be straightforward and easy to use. So that any user, no matter their technical skills, can stay protected and become invisible online.

ZenMate VPN offers users:
A panel of state senators that is digging into criminal justice and police reform met for the first time Friday to listen to presenters describe areas where the Virginia General Assembly could pursue changes.

The Senates Judiciary and Rehabilitation and Social Services committees, led by Sens. John Edwards, D-Roanoke, and Barbara Favola, D-Arlington, listened for more than two hours to testimony from criminal justice experts who provided a wide range of ideas, from law enforcement recruitment and training to changing police culture and a more fair court and correctional system.

There are a lot of investments that need to be made in our criminal justice system to ensure a fair and equitable system, said Public Safety Secretary Brian Moran, who provided the senators with an overview of the various law enforcement and corrections agencies in the commonwealth.

Senators pressed him on the early release of some inmates with less than a year left in their sentence because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Moran said the state prioritized the early release of nonviolent offenders with adequate home plans, and 500 inmates have been released so far. Moran said that 11 inmates in state prisons and correctional facilities under the Department of Corrections have died from COVID-19.

The General Assembly is expected to return to Richmond in August for a special session. Gov. Ralph Northam has not set a date.

Originally, the legislature was convening to take up budget matters affected by the coronavirus pandemic. After the legislature ended its regular session in March, the coronavirus pandemic and a national outcry over the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis has put pressure on Virginia lawmakers to enact changes related to those events as well.

Senate Democrats have identified several issues theyd like to address, such as creating a procedure to revoke officers certification for misconduct, prohibiting police from executing search warrants without first announcing their presence, and making it illegal for police to have sex with someone in their custody.

The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus has unveiled a list of priorities for the special session, such as banning the use of chokeholds, restricting the use of excessive force, expanding hate crimes to include false 911 calls based on race, and requiring the creation of civilian review boards with subpoena power.

Laurie Robinson, a former U.S. assistant attorney general who is now a professor at George Mason University, said a report published after the police killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, is a useful playbook today as lawmakers wrestle with how to focus their police reform proposals.

After Browns death six years ago, President Barack Obama convened a panel of experts, activists and academics to rethink policing in America, and Robinson was one of the leaders of the task force. The group published a report in 2015 with 59 recommendations, including codifying use-of-force policies and collecting data.

Robinson told the panel that changing police culture is a bigger picture issue that isnt something that can be immediately implemented.

Police should not be like an occupying force in dealing with a community, she said.

She said one of the biggest challenges with reforming law enforcement is how decentralized and different all agencies are in terms of size, structure and resources.

For instance, she said she would recommend that everyone in law enforcement receive crisis intervention training to better respond to those in a mental health crisis. But she said a problem that emerges is that small agencies of 10 officers dont have the ability to go through the lengthy training while still ensuring they have enough officers on duty.

Kim Rolla, the interim director of the Civil Rights and Racial Justice Program at the Legal Aid Justice Center, said one of the priorities should be to allow localities to establish civilian review boards that can investigate and discipline officers accused of misconduct or improper use of force.

Along with that, Rolla said, the legislature needs to review Virginias Freedom of Information Act exemptions to allow the public to review information about when officers use deadly force and are disciplined.

Law enforcement agencies are given broad discretion over the release of most of their records, which has led to little information being available for public scrutiny.

The joint Senate panel will hold additional meetings before the special session. The House of Delegates also has a joint panel to discuss criminal justice reform, and it has scheduled hearings for July 22, July 29 and Aug. 6.

The Senate panel will receive public comments through July 31 at public_comment@senate.virginia.gov.

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A lorry driver has been charged after two men were killed in a three-vehicle crash on a controversial section of 'smart' motorway.

Prezemyslaw Zbigniew Szuba, 40, has been charged with two counts of causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving relating to the horror crash last June.

Jason Mercer, 44, was killed when he pulled over to exchange contact details with fellow motorist Alexandru Murgeanu, 22, after they had a minor accident on the M1.

Jason Mercer, left, and Alexandru Murgeanu, right, were killed following a minor collision on a section of smart motorway on the M1 in South Yorkshire in June 2019. As they exchanged details on the side of the road, their cars were struck by a truck driven by Prezemyslaw Zbigniew Szuba

Because the stretch of road they were near Sheffield, South Yorkshire, on was an 'All Lanes Running' Smart Motorway, there was no hard shoulder to pull over into.

After they left their vehicles a lorry collided with the pair and they were tragically pronounced dead at the scene.

Smart Motorways are stretches of highway which see the traditional hard shoulder removed and allow motorists to drive in it to help traffic flow at peak times.

Mr Mercer's widow, Claire, launched a legal fight to halt the use of smart motorways and has long-campaigned for the re-introduction of a working hard shoulder.

South Yorkshire Police said Mr Szuba would appear before Sheffield Magistrates' Court in September.
Local Fine Gael Senator John McGahon has been appointed by the Tanaiste Leo Vardakar as the Seanad Spokesperson on Climate, Communications, Energy & Natural Resources.

Senator McGahon will be working alongside Minister Eamonn Ryan in his brief as Minister for Climate Action, Communications Networks and Transport and Super Junior Minister Hildegarde Naughton who has special responsibility for Climate Action.

Speaking on his appointment, Senator McGahon said I am really pleased to have been offered this important role by An Tanaiste Leo Varadkar. It is a big brief with a lot of legislation that will need to be guided through the Seanad.

Senator McGahon said: Climate action is crucial to the future of our planet and to building the resilience of our homes, farms, schools and businesses. The Government are committed to taking the necessary steps on climate action, to cut our greenhouse gas emissions, which will help make our homes warmer, our air cleaner and our economy more sustainable. Equally Fine Gael has ensured that the Climate Action Plan approach is at the heart of the PFGs New Green Deal.

Senator McGahon has said one of his first priorities in the Seanad will be to progress the early enactment of the Climate Action Bill. The new Bill will amend the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 and provide for a strengthened statutory framework for continual long-term planning for the realisation of Ireland's 2050 vision. Most importantly, the Bill will establish a 2050 emissions reduction target in law alongside making the adoption of carbon budgets a legal requirement.

Equally, as part of my Communications Brief, I really want to focus on a strategy for remote working and remote service delivery, taking advantage of the National Broadband Plan. The Covid Era has shown us that remote working is the way forward and my brief will play a large part in ensuring that homes in urban and rural Ireland have the necessary tools to avail of it," he concluded.
Ms Chen confirmed to this masthead that the video was removed from her personal website and her Vimeo channel "a few weeks ago in June". Ms Law posted on Twitter: "In depicting teens naively putting ash on their face  and asking themselves if it was appropriate  we created an inappropriate scene. "I know some argue the scene doesn't constitute blackface. For me it doesn't matter: I think it does, and I am ashamed." One respected Indigenous filmmaker who had seen the film  which has also been viewed by this masthead  pointed to it as a marker of how easily scenes could be taken out of context.

"I would never hold that up and say that's racist, or a bit of misappropriation," said the filmmaker, who asked to remain anonymous out of a fear that speaking out would lead to a campaign of harassment and vilification online. "But I've had this fantasy moment where I would post this one image, out of context, of a white girl and her face being painted black, and send it around and say, 'as an Indigenous person, I feel that this is cultural appropriation, racism, how did this film get funded by Screen Australia? Did they ask any Indigenous people? Were there any Indigenous people on their crew?' And then I'd watch the pile-on." Ms Law said she decided to post the apology  "owning [her] mistakes and errors completely"  after an anonymous Twitter user posted clips from the scene. Gabby (Janet Wang) applies blackface in the 2013 short film Bloomers. Credit:Screenshot The apology appeared hours after this masthead had approached Ms Chen for comment on Bloomers. Ms Law has not responded to recent requests for comment from The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, and has been vocal in her criticism of the mastheads for recently appointing five freelance cultural critics, all of whom were white (two of whom resigned in protest over the lack of cultural diversity among the five critics).

"If you've held me to account over this, I'm very grateful," Ms Law tweeted. "I'm also sorry you had to invest energy and time to do so. "It's entirely fair those coming after me are using with the same rhetoric I've been using. This conversation is part of a bigger and vital dialogue now, one in which I'm committed to participating. I'll continue asking all parties hold themselves to account. That includes me." In a statement, Ms Chen said the scene was "indefensible". "As many people have been doing in the last few weeks, I have been reflecting on my own blindspots with regards to behaviour in my work, actions that may seem harmless but are actually incredibly hurtful to certain people, or are perpetuating systemic racism," Ms Chen wrote.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Gov. Mike DeWine has finally explained the thinking behind his switch to a county-by-county coronavirus approach.

Were talking about the data and the timing on This Week in the CLE.

Listen online here.

Editor Chris Quinn hosts Thursdays daily half-hour coronavirus news podcast, with help from editors Jane Kahoun, Kris Wernowsky and me. We answer many of the questions youve sent through our text message platform.

Youve been sending Chris lots of thoughts and suggestions on our from-the-newsroom account, in which he shares once or twice a day what were thinking about at cleveland.com. You can sign up for free by sending a text to 216-868-4802.

And youve been offering all sorts of great perspective in our coronavirus alert account, which has 13,000-plus subscribers. You can sign up for free by texting 216-279-7784.

Here are the questions were answering today:

What is broken heart syndrome and why do Cleveland Clinic researchers think they are seeing a lot of it because of the stress of the coronavirus? Cleveland Clinic cardiologists have seen a notable increase in cases of broken-heart syndrome during the coronavirus pandemic, indicating the psychological and emotional stress of the crisis is adversely affecting physical health.

How did Gov. Mike DeWine explain his new county-by-county coronavirus strategy, and what Northeast Ohio counties moved into the coronavirus red zone Thursday, meaning they now have mask requirements? The Ohio Department of Healths list now includes Cuyahoga, Lorain and Summit counties, as well as Butler, Clermont, Franklin, Fairfield, Hamilton, Montgomery, Pickaway, Trumbull and Wood. DeWine explained that the virus is more severe in some counties, and that public attitudes have shifted about mask-wearing.

Why are health experts telling us they do not expect the reopening of schools to cause the spread of the coronavirus? They say kids arent at high risk to really spread the disease. There has been little research, though, as schools scramble to make plans.

Did Cleveland Housing Court really sign an eviction order for someone because he did not know how to participate in a hearing via Zoom? His lawyer said she didnt get the link. A magistrate held the hearing without them and ordered the man evicted any day after Monday. Housing Court Judge W. Mona Scott signed off the same day.

Has somebody finally done something to stop cities from collecting income taxes from people who have not stepped foot inside cities for four months because of the coronavirus? A conservative advocacy group in Columbus is suing the city of Columbus and state Attorney General Dave Yost over the law change, tucked as a provision into a larger emergency coronavirus-relief bill state lawmakers approved in March.

In this year of near Biblical plague, should we expect monster algae top arise in Lake Erie? No, thankfully. A dry spring means a prediction for a moderate harmful algal bloom.

Are pregnant women in more danger from the coronavirus than we thought in the beginning of the pandemic, and what are Cleveland hospitals doing to help? Yes. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now warning pregnant women could be more likely to develop severe symptoms.

Want more? You can find all our past episodes here.

Do you get your podcasts on Spotify. Find us here.

If you use Stitcher, we are here.

RadioPublic is another popular podcast vehicle, and we are here.

On Google Podcasts, we are here.

On PodParadise, find us here.

And on PlayerFM, we are here.
We dont question whether people with profound mobility challenges can run down the corridor to get the door; we dont ask people on crutches to participate in a dance (though some people who use them can do so). But what are we to make of someone who has to be insulated from extreme stress because she has epileptic seizures when she is strung out? What do we do with someone whose clinical depression prevents him from working efficiently on bad days?

Students granted extra time to take a test may be met by the cynicism of peers; some may choose not to avail themselves of a reasonable accommodation because they fear being stigmatized. Working people who require specific environmental conditions  an autistic person, for example, may need an office without florescent lighting  may attract suspicion and even mockery.

Wayne Connell founded the Invisible Disabilities Association in 1996 after his wife was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and late Lyme disease. He was frustrated by the outside perception that she didnt have a real infirmity.

People with invisible disabilities who are young or who look healthy are often accused of faking their condition or milking the system, and must fight to have their challenges acknowledged. Some women report being told that they are too pretty or attractive to have a disability.

People with hidden disabilities may experience significant physical or psychic pain that may not be legible to others. The ethicist N. Ann Davis has commented, There is no reason to believe that the invisibility of a disability itself necessarily lessens its impact or makes the disability less serious. Disability, she explained, is not a purely factual matter, but is always being defined and redefined in relation to changing social architecture and norms. As one group of scholars put it, Legislation is one size fits all  invisible disabilities are not.

In the Victorian era, people in mourning wore a black armband or dressed in black clothing known as widows weeds, so that others would know that they required tender respect. We have abandoned such markers of extreme grief. That grief is, in effect, a temporary disability. The day after my mother died, when I was on my way to the funeral home, no one I encountered outside had any idea that I was in emotional agony, and their ignorance exacerbated my anguish. In many circumstances, privacy is a liability, not an advantage.
Click here to read the full article.

LONDON  Mulberry is resizing and restructuring at pace: One month after revealing plans to lay off 25 percent of its staff, the company has confirmed it will no longer offer ready-to-wear or footwear, and will instead focus on its core leather goods category.

Last month, the brand had said recovery from COVID-19 store closures would be gradual due to social-distancing measures, a slowdown in footfall and lack of international tourism, and that it needed to act swiftly to manage its operations and cost base.

On Friday, Mulberry confirmed it was shelving the rtw and footwear collections, which had been produced under license by Onward Luxury Group since 2015, as part of its push to become a 360-degree lifestyle brand.

Mulberrys shares on the London Stock Exchange closed down 0.6 percent at 1.80 pounds at the close of trading on Friday.

We have made the decision with our partner OLG not to renew our ready-to-wear and footwear licenses in order to focus on our core product category of leather goods, which make up around 90 percent of our turnover, a Mulberry spokesperson said.

The person added that the fall 2020 collection of rtw and accessories, which is in stores now, will be the last one it sells under license, although the brand will continue to develop and invest in our other lifestyle categories across soft accessories, eyewear and jewelry, alongside leather goods.

Back in 2015, chief executive officer Thierry Andretta had wanted full footwear and rtw lines that channeled the brands British roots and bohemian flair. In the past, the brand had shown rtw and footwear on the runway, but it was always a very small part of the business.

The rtw collection that was produced and distributed by OLG had an advanced contemporary price point that ranged from about 250 pounds to 1,500 pounds, while the footwear had stickers about 20 percent lower than many of the big luxury brands.

But even then Andretta stressed that leather goods would always be the driver of business.

Story continues

Womens rtw was first launched under the brands founder and former owner Roger Saul in 1979, with a mens collection introduced in 1985. Mulberry produced rtw collections on and off over the years, and sometimes pieces were designed purely to accompany bags and accessories on the runway, in presentations or ad campaigns.

The latest rtw collections, designed by Mulberrys former creative director Johnny Coca and produced by OLG starting with fall 2016, showed during London Fashion Week and during static presentations in Paris. Coca won largely positive reviews, but the clothing never eclipsed the brands core handbags and accessories offer.

Mulberry is the largest manufacturer of luxury leather goods in the U.K., and makes about 50 percent of its accessories collections at its factories in Somerset, England.

It is understood that Mulberry is still in talks with staff and unions about layoffs, and some 474 jobs are at risk across the global business.

While its stores were shut during lockdown, Mulberry continued to trade through its digital channels, which operated throughout the pandemic in all markets without interruption. While digital sales have been robust, Mulberry said they could not fully offset the decline brought on by the store closures.

Some 95 percent of Mulberrys sales are direct-to-consumer via its omnichannel business model.

It has been a year of change so far for Mulberry: In March, Coca left the company after five years and later joined Louis Vuitton, while Mulberry has shifted into high gear in the sustainability arena.

Earlier this year, it launched the 100 percent sustainable leather Portobello Tote and the M Collection, a capsule of bags and outerwear crafted from a blend of Econyl-branded regenerated nylon and sustainable cotton.

The brand has long urged its customers to send back bags to its Somerset factories to be repaired, and has a dedicated division that stockpiles hardware, leather and other materials so that even the oldest models can get a new life.

Earlier this year, as part of its quest for transparency across the business, the brand decided to harmonize the prices of its leather goods for customers, whether theyre shopping online or off-line in Shanghai, London or Los Angeles.

Mulberry began rolling out global pricing last year with the launch of its collaboration with Acne Studios, and continued in that vein with the eco-conscious M Collection. The new, standard pricing was achieved by bringing international stickers in line with U.K. ones, inclusive of any local sales taxes, VAT or duties.

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Boris Johnson is facing a cross-party backlash over the expected appointment of Chris Grayling as chair of parliaments intelligence watchdog.

The prime ministers preferred nominee was branded dangerous and truly astonishing by opposition parties, while Dominic Grieve, who was the chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) in the last parliament, accused Mr Johnson of trying to politicise a vital institution.

The whole point about this committee is it is non-partisan, Mr Grieve, a former Tory attorney general, told BBC Radio 4s Today programme on Friday.

The prime minister nor anybody should be seeking to tell the committee who should be the chair; it is for the committee to decide under the statute which sets it up.

I dont have a view for who the right chair should be apart from the fact Im absolutely clear in my mind it should be a matter for the committee and that the committee should not be put under party political pressure as to who the chair should be.

Mr Grayling, who is widely seen as having been an ineffective cabinet minister and has sometimes been given the nickname failing Grayling, is widely reported to be the prime ministers pick for the committee.

Mr Johnson was also criticised after announcing that the civil service role of national security adviser would also become a political appointment.

Nick Thomas-Symonds, the shadow home secretary, said of Mr Graylings expected appointment that it was truly astonishing for the prime minister to politicise a vital national security role at a critical time.

It beggars belief that the apparently strongest Conservative candidate has overseen disasters such as the botched privatisation of probation services, a ferry agreement with a firm with no ferries, and the mishandling of the East Coast rail franchise, he said.

Yet again, this is an example of the prime minister seeking to work in his own interest, rather than the national interest. The work of the ISC is vital and the country will accept no further delays in the publication of the long-awaited Russia report.

Mr Graylings reputation also prompted ridicule from critics. Liberal Democrat leadership candidate Layla Moran said: This could be the first time in history that Chris Grayling appears in the same sentence as intelligence.

Former Tory MP Dominic Grieve was the last chair of the committee (AFP/Getty)

This is the man who paid a ferry contract to a company with no ships and oversaw the catastrophic privatisation of probation. That he is being put in charge of this committee shows the governments scant regard for national security.

After Downing Street touted Mr Graylings extensive experience for the role, Labour MP Wes Streeting said: Its our extensive experience of Chris Graylings extensive experience that worries us... 

The SNPs Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, said: The chair of the ISC has long been appointed by consensus and this move does nothing less than undermine the role of the ISC and breach its independence.

The likely nomination of Chris Grayling as chair  who has a distinct record in government as a jack of all trades and master of none  will deliver a blow to the effectiveness of the committees work.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 17 January 2022 Bonhams Danny McIlwraith holds a Nigerian polycrome carved wood mask during a photocall for the sale of the Jim Lennon Collection at Bonhams in Edinburgh PA UK news in pictures 16 January 2022 The moon rises above the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, Hampshire PA UK news in pictures 15 January 2022 Demonstrators outside Downing Street during a Kill The Bill protest against The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill in London PA UK news in pictures 14 January 2022 Ecologist Emma Smart (left) and retired GP Dr Diana Warner outside HMP Bronzefield, in Surrey, following their release from the prison where Emma undertook a 26-day hunger strike during her incarceration. Ms Smart was sentenced in November, along with other members of Insulate Britain, to serve four months for breaking a High Court injunction by taking part in a blockade at junction 25 of the M25 motorway during the morning rush hour on 8 October last year PA UK news in pictures 13 January 2022 A TV presenter holds a copy of a newspaper outside 10 Downing Streetafter the Prime Minister apologised for attending a gathering of colleagues in the Number Ten garden in May 2020, while the UK was in strict lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic Getty UK news in pictures 12 January 2022 Fitness guru Derrick Evans after receiving an MBE during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 11 January 2022 A couple walk underneath an umbrella during wet weather on Westminster Bridge in central London PA UK news in pictures 10 January 2022 A jogger passes the Covid Memorial Wall in London AP UK news in pictures 9 January 2021 The sun rises over horses at Seaton Sluice in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 8 January 2022 Riders compete during the Veterans Men's race at the UK Cyclo-Cross National Championships 2022 in Ardingly, south of London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 7 January 2022 A dog looks out of a car window at the wintry conditions in Killeshin, Co. Laois PA UK news in pictures 6 January 2022 People walk through frost and mist alongside a frozen lake during sunrise in Bushy Park, London REUTERS UK news in pictures 5 January 2022 A skier jumps on the slopes at Allenheads in the Pennines to the north of Weardale in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 4 January 2022 Freshly-fallen snow covers houses in Corbridge, near Hexham in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 3 January 2022 Dean Morrison, 13, receives his Covid-19 vaccine from student nurse Anthony McLaughlin during a vaccination clinic at the Glasgow Central Mosque PA UK news in pictures 2 January 2022 Konastantinos Tsimikas of Liverpool with Chelseas Mason Mount during the Premier League match at Stamfrod Bridge Liverpool FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 January 2022 New Years Eve Lasers, drones and fireworks illuminate the sky in front of the Royal Naval College in Greenwich shortly after midnight in London EPA UK news in pictures 31 December 2021 Competitors in fancy dress run across the Pennine tops near Haworth, West Yorkshire, in the annual Auld Lang Syne Fell race which attracts hundreds of runners every year PA UK news in pictures 30 December 2021 Sunrise at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 29 December 2021 The Very Revd Dr Robert Willis, Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, looks at Becket, a six month old red-billed chough as he visits Wildwood Wildlife Park in Kent on the anniversary of the murder of Thomas Becket PA UK news in pictures 28 December 2021 Troops of the Household Cavalry are seen reflected in a puddle during the changing of the Queens Life Guard, on Horse Guards Parade, in central London PA UK news in pictures 27 December 2021 A pedestrian walks past a winter sale sign outside a John Lewis store on Oxford street in London Getty UK news in pictures 26 December 2021 Riders take their bikes through the snow near Castleside, County Durham PA UK news in pictures 25 December 2021 Patrick Corkery wears a santa hat and beard as waves crash over him at Forty Foot near Dublin during a Christmas Day dip PA UK news in pictures 24 December 2021 People stand inside Kings Cross Station on Christmas Eve in London Reuters UK news in pictures 23 December 2021 Christmas shoppers fill the car park at Fosse Shopping Park in Leicester PA UK news in pictures 22 December 2021 The sun rises behind the stones as people gather for the winter solstice at Stonehenge. Getty UK news in pictures 21 December 2021 People take part in a winter solstice swim at Portobello Beach in Edinburgh to mark the solstice and to witness the dawn after the longest night of the year PA UK news in pictures 20 December 2021 An auction employee displays poultry to buyers and sellers attending the Christmas Poultry Sale at York Auction Centre in Murton PA UK news in pictures 19 December 2021 Joao Moutinho of Wolverhampton Wanderers looks on during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea at Molineux Getty Images UK news in pictures 18 December 2021 Freight lorries queuing at the port of Dover in Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 December 2021 Newly elected Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan, bursts 'Boris' bubble' held by colleague Tim Farron, as she celebrates following her victory in the North Shropshire by-election PA UK news in pictures 16 December 2021 Brussels sprouts are harvested by workers as they prepare for the busy Christmas period near Boston in Lincolnshire PA UK news in pictures 15 December 2021 Lewis Hamilton is made a Knight Bachelor by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 14 December 2021 The Royal Liver Buildings surrounded by early morning fog in Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 13 December 2021 People queue outside a walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centre at St Thomas's Hospital in Westminster Getty Images UK news in pictures 12 December 2021 People take part in the Big Leeds Santa Dash in Roundhay Park, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 11 December 2021 People arrive at a Covid-19 vaccination centre at Elland Road in Leeds, PA UK news in pictures 10 December 2021 Stella Moris speaks to the media after the US Government won its High Court bid to overturn a judges decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange PA UK news in pictures 9 December 2021 Camels are lead around Salisbury Cathedral during a rehearsal for the Christmas Eve Service PA UK news in pictures 8 December 2021 Margaret Keenan and Nurse May Parsons, a year after Margaret was the first person in the UK to receive the Pfizer vaccine PA UK news in pictures 7 December 2021 Snowfall in Leadhills, South Lanarkshire as Storm Barra hits the UK with disruptive winds, heavy rain and snow PA UK news in pictures 6 December 2021 A person tries to avoid sea spray on New Brighton promenade in Wallasey as the UK readies for the arrival of Storm Barra Getty UK news in pictures 5 December 2021 People release balloons during a tribute to six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes outside Emma Tustin's former address in Solihull, West Midlands, where he was murdered by his stepmother PA UK news in pictures 4 December 2021 People walk through a Christmas market in Trafalgar Square Reuters UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 2 December 2021 Duchess of Cambridge inspects a Faberge egg at the Victoria and Albert Museum Getty UK news in pictures 1 December 2021 Meerkats at London Zoo with an advent calendar PA UK news in pictures 30 November 2021 Workers put the finishing touches to the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree ahead of the lighting ceremony later in the week PA UK news in pictures 29 November 2021 Home Secretary Priti Patel is greeted by a police dog at a special memorial service for Met Police Sergeant Matiu Ratana Getty

The ISC must be able to hold the confidence of parliament and get on with the job of properly overseeing key security matters and addressing the diverse threats facing the UK. This latest attack on government institutions from Cummings and Co, however, marks yet another dangerous step.

Asked what qualities the prime minister thought Mr Grayling would bring to the ISC, a Downing Street spokesperson said: All the nominees are senior parliamentarians with an extensive range of experience in government, opposition and parliament. We believe that will ensure robust and effective scrutiny of the security services.

Asked whether Tory members of the committee were being instructed to back Grayling as chair, the spokesperson said: The chair will be agreed by the committee itself once it has gone through all the stages in parliament.
A law firm which represented the owners of the former GM lands in St. Catharines, has been denied a lien against the property after alleging its client Bayshore owes it $1.5 million in legal fees.

Howard Manis and his firm Macdonald Sager Manis requested through the courts that it be granted a charging order or solicitors lien, which would allow it to collect alleged unpaid fees, disbursements and HST through assets owned by Bayshore.

But in a written judgement this week, Superior Court Judge Thomas McEwen dismissed the motion, writing that the evidentiary record of MSM was deeply flawed and there was no formal account submitted of the money owed.

Manis, who represented Bayshore Groups in many civil cases, said he has not made a decision yet on whether he will try to recoup his costs through a lawsuit.

After 15 years of working with them, Im very disappointed in how it ended, Manis said Friday. They werent only clients, they were friends. I took good care of them.

Manis had been representing Bayshore and its principals Chiara and Robert Megna in front of McEwen in a $15 million lawsuit launched in May 2017 by Attar Metals. The Mississagua-based company is alleging that Bayshore didnt honour a contract related to the former GM property at 282-285 Ontario St.

Bayshore has denied the allegations.

A trial is scheduled to start on Sept. 28 in Torontos Superior Court.

Bayshore has new lawyers for the case, Bergman and Associates, based in Montreal. The Standard reached out to the firm on Friday but did not receive an immediate response.

Bayshore also had an outstanding $354,000 legal bill with the new lawyers, but that was addressed by McEwen in a May 28 decision.

The company had asked the judge to set aside a November 2018 court order which prevents them from selling off any personal or business assets, so they could pay legal and living expenses.

The judge did not grant the request to set aside that order on May 28, but he did permit them to access funds by allowing a further mortgage advance on their residential property.

McEwen wrote that the defendants have historically failed or refused to produce relevant documents to the case, including yearly financial records for their main corporation and its tax returns.

It also bears noting that it is difficult to understand how the defendants, all of a sudden, found themselves in dire straits due to their failure to operate any business where they have continued to pay salaries to their daughter and her boyfriend and purchased two vehicles for the business right up until the urgent need arose, he wrote, adding the Megnas also undertook expensive residential renovations which they claim they can no longer complete.

McEwen wrote the mortgage increase should be limited to paying an outstanding $354,000 legal bill to the new lawyers and a lump sum of $125,000 for living and business expenses.

I am of the view, speaking generally, that this should allow the Megnas some reasonable breathing room for the next four to six months, he wrote, adding that accounting will have to be kept in the event he wants to see it.

The judge said he was not prepared to grant an order to increase the mortgage on the former GM property.

Given the current situation, I cannot see how any of the defendants could become re-involved in the project and earn fees as they contemplate.

The judge has heard the most recent motions in the case by videoconference due to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.

In his decision Monday about MSMs attempt to recoup $1.5 million in legal fees, McEwen wrote that the evidentiary record of the MSM firm was deeply flawed and primarily consisted of the affidavit evidence of an articling student who had absolutely no first-hand knowledge of the issues in question.

The judge was also not satisfied that the order requested under the Solicitors Act would provide Manis and his firm with the relief sought or that he should grant a solicitors lien.

The act states that a lawyer can seek a charge on property recovered or preserved through the effort of the lawyer. But McEwen wrote that the work done on behalf of Bayshore by Manis cannot be said to have recovered or preserved property and that the GM property has remained static as far as ownership.

McEwen also said MSM hasnt given any formal accounting to Bayshore to form the basis of relief sought and the amount of fees owing is in dispute.

With an incomplete record and no cross examinations, it is not possible to reasonably estimate the amount owing, the judge said.

However, McEwen added, nothing in this endorsement affects MSMs ability to pursue its claim for legal fees via another method.
Volkswagen can be sued anywhere in the EU, says top court, illustration photo

The case stemmed from Austria, where a consumer organisation is seeking at least 3.6 million euros ($4.1 million) on behalf of hundreds of car owners.

"A motor vehicle manufacturer whose unlawfully manipulated vehicles are resold in other member states may be sued in the courts of those states," a court statement said.

Since the scandal broke, Volkswagen has had to deal with numerous legal actions, both criminal and civil.

A top German court ruled in May that Volkswagen must buy back a diesel car it had modified, a decision that could influence outcomes in thousands of other "Dieselgate" cases.

One of the next major trials expected in Germany is that of former Audi boss Rupert Stadler, who is due to appear in court from September 30.

The total bill for the Volkswagen scandal is expected to exceed 30 billion euros, including several billion in the United States to compensate customers.
A few weeks back, the convoy carrying outsize parts for the final Airbus A380 superjumbo jet arrived in Southern France, residents welcomed the trucks with applause and tears because this marks the end of an era. Not only was the A380 the biggest airplane to be ever built by humans, but also because this signifies the onset of imminent death of big airplanes around the world. So in order to commemorate its farewell, we bring to you 5 astonishing facts about the aircraft that made it a legend in its 13 years of service.

Watch Video:

1) Arriving in an Era Too Late

It is a well-known fact that the Airbus A380 was touted against the Boeing 747. However, not a lot of people know that the two rivals had once considered joining forces. In 1993 the two companies came together to study the potential market size of very large airplanes. This partnership, however, fell apart three years later after Boeing decided to not invest on the idea of another jumbo jet. However, as Airbus pressed on, Project A3XX was born which was later renamed to A380.

Interestingly, by the year 2000, Airbus foresaw a demand for 1,200 jumbo jets in the following two decades and decided to build as many as 750 planes, instead, it scheduled to halt production in 2021 after having produced just over 250 aircraft.

Airbus A380. (Image source: Airbus)

2) A Real Winner on Paper

A double-deck aircraft is essentially an aircraft with a main-deck and a secondary deck both dedicated to seating passengers. Today, the only two double-deck aircraft are the Boeing 747 and the Airbus A380. While the 747 is a partial double-deck, A380 is the only full-length double-deck in the world.

In a typical three-class layout, the Airbus 380 can seat up to 525 passengers, which can be pushed to 853 with a single-class layout. The aircraft is propelled by four engines that are available with two options including Rolls-Royce Trent 900 or the Engine Alliance GP7000 turbofan engines. It can fly up to 1030 kmph and can hold up to 81900 gallons of fuel at a time providing a range of up to 15,205 in one trip.

To build an Airbus A380 4 million individual components manufactured by 1500 different companies are required. To handle the width and weight of the aircraft, several airports had to make notable changes. Sydney airports alone spent $128 million dollars on upgrades.

Airbus A380. (Image source: Reuters)

3) Emirates Ran the Show

Since its inception over a decade back, the biggest customer buying the A380 from Airbus has been the Emirates. The A380s survival has been directly tied to the Dubai-based airline after having purchased almost half of all the A380s ever delivered. Emirates image subsequently has been built around the gigantic aircraft.

The production of A380 would have stopped sooner if Emirates would not have ordered another three dozen aircraft in 2018. However, its demise is also partly due to the airline as it cut down its remaining orders from 53 to 14 in early 2019. As Emirates decided to go for the younger A350s instead, Airbus deduces that its $25 million investment will not pay off.

Airbus A380. (Image source: Reuters)

4) No US Buyers

Major European carriers bought the A380, but in modest quantities. However, it is quite surprising that the company failed to sell even one unit on the crucial American market. While a very plausible explanation could be a pro-Boeing bias, it should be noted that other Airbus models are extremely successful in the United States.

For instance, the American Airlines operates the worlds largest fleet of both the Airbus A319 and A321 airplanes. JetBlue, the sixth-largest carrier in the United States does not have a single Boeing aircraft in its fleet, which is constituted 80 per cent of Airbus airplanes. Similarly, US-based United Airline has the fourth largest order of the A350s.

Considering that Boeing too pulled the plug on the 747 recently, we could assume that like the rest of the aviation industry, America fell out of love for big airplanes as well.

Airbus A380. (Image source: Airbus)

5) Safest of its Kind

The Airbus A380 is the heaviest commercial aircraft to exist. Hence, it was on Airbus shoulders to convince the passengers that the giant aircraft was as safe as it gets. After its maiden test flight, the Airbus A380 was subjected to 2500 hours of flight test over the course of 19 months. Test pilots pushed the A380 to its limits, conducting tests in extreme temperature and conditions. And the flight passed every test with flying colours.

As the life of the A380 neared its end, Airbus acknowledged its mistakes with the humble giant. This coupled with a worldwide liking for modern twin jets and adaptation of the point to point travel model instead of the hub and spoke model clearly explains why a jumbo jet makes no sense in todays world.

Not to mention, the aviation industry is currently facing one of its worst times during the COVID-19 pandemic. And in a world like this, nothing can be more dreadful for airlines than flying a four-engine jumbo jet. Hence, it could be said that the A380s that are currently parked, could remain parked for a long time to come.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 09:45:34|Editor: huaxia

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BERLIN, July 10 (Xinhua) -- German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and Minister of Finance Olaf Scholz have reportedly declined an invitation to attend the gathering of ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) in the United States.

Citing U.S. and German sources, Der Spiegel magazine reported that Germany told the U.S. administration that it would instead send state secretaries to the meeting, scheduled for July 29.

Other G7 countries were also considering sending second-tier delegates to the meeting, the magazine reported.

In May, German Chancellor Angela Merkel declined to attend the G7 summit in Washington. Enditem
A Minnesota Doctor Says He Is Being Targeted for His Viewpoints on COVID-19

A Minnesota doctor says he is under investigation by the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice for his vocal views about the CCP virus and the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) guidelines on certifying COVID-19 deaths.

Dr. Scott Jensen, a family physician and a Republican state senator, took to social media to share that the Board of Medical Practice in Minnesota was investigating him for spreading misinformation in regards to the completion of death certificates on a news program and providing reckless advice by comparing COVID-19 to influenza following two public complaints filed to the Board.

Most important video Ive donecould this happen to you?

Share the message, no ones immune to attacks. (part 1/2) pic.twitter.com/gbU06l9oEK  Scott Jensen (@drscottjensen) July 6, 2020

I should have seen it coming because I saw the threats on social media; Ive seen them for the last two or three months, Jensen said. They didnt agree with me. They didnt like that I was trying to provide some context for the flu, for COVID-19.

Jensen claims that the threats came from people in all walks of life including physicians. He says hell never know who made the complaints.

I dont know if theyre routinely in a political camp if theyre activists. Ive gone online and looked at what it takes to complete a complaint that the Board of Medical Practice has to follow up on, Jensen said. Its a one-page deal. You can say what you want, you could be a huge donor for the other party.

According to the pursuant to the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, complaint and investigative data, including the source of a complaint, are classified as confidential during an active investigation, Ruth Martinez, MA and the executive director of the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice, told The Epoch Times in an email. Because the complaint information is not public, the Board is unable to confirm an investigation or share any information.

In April, Jensen appeared on Chris Bergs show to voice his concern of how the CDCs guidelines on how to complete COVID-19 death certificates (pdf) may influence doctors to inflate the number of COVID deaths since they dont have to confirm them with a test. After his appearance on Fox News, the Minnesota Department of Health came out several times to clarify that they would not list unconfirmed cases as deaths in the state.

Regarding his public statements comparing COVID-19 to the flu, Jensen says, Weve had some 35-40,000 cases of COVID-19 in Minnesota thus far. According to the department of health people, that might translate into 10 times that many. And if it does translate it to 10 times that many, thats 350,000 cases. But in 2018, we have more than half a million Minnesotans with the flu. When I say that, am I recklessly giving you advice regarding COVID-19 and the flu?

He says he is not saying anything different from Dr. Anthony Fauci or Dr. Robert Redfield.

In an article in the New England Journal of Medicine, regarding COVID-19, Fauci, Redfield, and another doctor said, If one assumes that the number of asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic cases is several times as high as the number of reported cases, the case fatality rate may be considerably less than 1%. This suggests that the overall clinical consequences of Covid-19 may ultimately be more akin to those of a severe seasonal influenza (which has a case fatality rate of approximately 0.1%) or a pandemic influenza (similar to those in 1957 and 1968) rather than a disease similar to SARS or MERS, which have had case fatality rates of 9 to 10% and 36%, respectively.

Jensen says he feels targeted for his differing viewpoints and will cooperate with the investigation. His family has given him strength and support during this time.

If this could happen to me [because] of my views, it could happen to anyone, Jensen said.
Coronavirus Updates: In a tweet, Abhishek Bachchan said that both have mild symptoms and requested everybody to stay calm and not panic

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This "total" lockdown, as part of which most shops were closed and essential items ordered to be home delivered, was enforced on 2 July for a period of ten days. It has been extended for seven more days.

A lockdown with very few exemptions that is in force in Thane city of Maharashtra till 12 July has now been extended to 19 July. The order was issued by Thane Municipal Corporation Additional Commissioner Ganesh Deshmukh.

He said that, by extinguishing clusters of infection, the world could "potentially avoid the worst of having second peaks and having to move backwards in terms of lockdown".

Dr Mike Ryan, head of the World Health Organization's emergencies programme, said on Friday it was unlikely that the new coronavirus would be eliminated. "In the current situation it is unlikely we can eradicate this virus," he told an online briefing from Geneva.

The decision comes after complaints of irregularity in distribution of remdesivir and tocilizumab and trade in black market. State home minister Anil Deshmukh and food and drug administration (FDA) minister Dr Rajendra Shingne held a meeting on Friday to regulate the distribution of the drugs.

The state has also set up a toll free number (1800222365) where people can report anyone hoarding the drugs or selling them at high prices.

The Maharashtra government on Friday made it mandatory for all medical shops to keep a record of Aadhaar card numbers, prescriptions and contact numbers of all those buying remdesivir and tocilizumab, which are being used to treat moderate and severe cases of COVID-19.

The government said that 18 states/Union Territories (UT) have a recovery rate more than the national average, while 30 States/UTs have a fatality rate lower than the national average.

The Union Health Ministry on Friday informed that the COVID-19 recovery rate has climbed up to 62.42 percent while, fatality rate declined further to 2.72 percent.

India registered 793,802 total COVID-19 infections with 21,604 deaths as on Friday. "There are 276,882 active cases and all are under medical supervision with 495,515 recovered cases of coronavirus patients till date," said the health ministry.

Considering the unmet medical needs to treat COVID-19, Drugs Controller General of India, Dr VG Somani, approved monoclonal antibody injection Itolizumab, an already approved drug of Biocon, for restricted emergency use for the treatment of 'cytokine' release syndrome in moderate to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome patients due to COVID-19, they said.

India's drug regulator has approved Itolizumab, a drug used to cure skin ailment psoriasis for "restricted emergency use" to treat COVID-19 patients with moderate to severe acute respiratory distress, officials told PTI on Friday.

"And some of these examples are Italy, Spain and South Korea, and even in Dharavi - a densely packed area in the megacity of Mumbai - a strong focus on community engagement and the basics of testing, tracing, isolating and treating all those that are sick is key to breaking the chains of transmission and suppressing the virus," said the WHO chief.

"There are many examples from around the world that have shown that even if the outbreak is very intense, it can still be brought back under control," said Tedros during a virtual press conference in Geneva.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the examples of Italy, Spain, South Korea and Dharavi, largest slum in Maharashtra, showed that however bad a outbreak was, the virus could still be reined in through aggressive action.

The World Health Organization said Friday that it is still possible to bring coronavirus outbreaks under control, even though case numbers have more than doubled in the past six weeks.

Of the total, there are 743 active cases while, 304 patients have recovered since.

Eleven new COVID-19 infections were reported in Kohima, taking the total number of cases in Nagaland to 743 as on Saturday, S Pangnyu Phom, Minister for Health & Family Welfare.

The COVID-19 toll climbed to 22,123 after 519 more patients succumbed to the infectious disease in the past 24 hours.

With 27,114 more people testing positive for the novel coronavirus, India's COVID's overall count exceeded 8 lakh on Saturday. With this, India registers over 27,000 cases for the first time in a single day.

So far, at least 5,15,386 patients have been cured of the viral infection, taking the COVID-19 recovery rate to 62.78 percent.

The total confirmed cases in India stand at 8,20,916 including 2,83,407 active cases, according to the latest data released by the Union Health Minsitry on Saturday.

At least 1,13,07,002 COVID-19 samples have been tested so far, said the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), adding that of the total over 2.82 samples were tested on Friday alone.

The RBI chief was speaking at the 7th SBI Banking & Economics Conclave.

Commenting on the impact of world's biggest lockdown on the Indian economy, RBI governor Shaktikanta Das on Saturday said, "COVID-19 pandemic perhaps represents so far the biggest test of robustness and resilience of our economic and financial system."

"It dented the existing world order, global value chains, labour and capital movements across globe," Das said at the 7th SBI Banking & Economics Conclave.

Remarking on the strict stay-at-home measures that contributed to the 'negative consequences' on the job sector, the RBI governor Shaktikanta Das on Saturday said, "COVID-19 is the worst health and economic crisis in last 100 years with unprecedented negative consequences for output, jobs and well being."

As many as 472 police personnel in Assam have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, reported News18 on Saturday. Over 900 officials are currently under home quarantine while, one succumbed to the viral infection.

"The restrictions were reimposed as a precautionary measure after some locals were tested positive for COVID-19. While in most cases the source of the infection is known, there are some cases where the source is unknown," Additional Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri, Sher Singh told PTI.

The entire Rajouri city and adjoining areas were sealed and people were asked to stay indoors as part of the efforts to slow the spread of the infection, they said.

Strict lockdown restrictions were reimposed on Saturday in parts of Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district following a spike in coronavirus cases, officials said.

"There is no room for any complacency in this regard," said Modi.

Reiterating the need to maintain personal hygiene and social distancing in public spaces, Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the COVID-19 review meet on Saturday said there must be a widespread awareness about the infection.

The Congress has been critical of the BJP-led government over various issues, especially its handling of the pandemic as COVID-19 cases have risen exponentially after the easing of the lockdown, and the situation at the border with China in eastern Ladakh where 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a violent standoff with Chinese troops on 15 June.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi held a meeting with the party's Lok Sabha MPs through video conferencing on Saturday and is learnt to have discussed with them the COVID-19 situation in the country.

Infections have also been detected in other major cities such as Gwangju and Daejeon. At least 15 new cases were linked to international arrivals.

South Korea reported 35 new cases of coronavirus, bringing its overall count to 13,373, with 288 deaths. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said Saturday that 13 of the new cases came from Seoul.

With 76 new coronavirus cases, Meghalaya on Saturday reported the highest single-day spike taking the overall count to 312, PTI quoted officials as saying.

Sawant said the process of unlocking has started and priority should be given to resume economic activities.

Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant has ruled out the possibility of imposing further lockdowns in the coastal state, which is grappling with the rise in COVID-19 cases.

He further directed that similar approach should be adopted with other state governments in containing the outbreak in entire NCR area, ANI reported.

During the COVID-19 review meeting on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appreciated the concerted efforts of the Centre, state and local authorities in containing the pandemic situation in Delhi.

The new cases were reported from various areas in the city and villages. The case count in the district stood at 700 as on 6 July 6.

With 25 fresh COVID-19 cases being reported on Saturday, the overall count in Amravati district of Maharashtra increase to 820, a health official said.

"Proactive screening helped in early detection, timely treatment and recovery," he said.

Kiran Dighavkar, Assistant Commissioner of the G North ward of BMC said the civic body had to change its traditional approach of waiting for patients, contact tracing, isolation and home quarantine to begin proactive screening instead.

The total number of recoveries in India crossed the five lakh mark on Saturday, said the health ministry in a statement. As many as 5,15,385 COVID-19 patients have so far been cured and the recovery rate has climbed to 62.78 percent, it said, adding that recovered cases outnumber active COVID-19 cases by 2,31,978.

The Nagaland government has decided to extend the ongoing lockdown in the state till 31 July, and charge fees for COVID-19 tests and stay at quarantine centres at a later stage. The ongoing lockdown in the state, which was supposed to be lifted on 16 July, was extended for another 15 days at a meeting of the High Powered Committee (HPC) on COVID-19 on Friday. Planning and Coordination Minister Neiba Kronu told news agency PTI that the present arrangement of free testing and staying in quarantine facilities without any charge will continue till the extended period of the lockdown. The rates will be fixed later but they will be minimal, the minister said.

Complete lockdown will be imposed in Bengaluru Urban and Rural districts from 8 pm on 14 July to 5 am on 22 July in view of rising COVID-19 cases. Essential services will be exempted, reports ANI quoting the Karnataka Chief Minister's Office (CMO). Detailed guidelines will be released on Monday, said the chief minister.

Activist Akhil Gogoi, arrested by the National Investigation Agency for his role in anti-CAA protests, tests COVID-19 positive in Guwahati jail, reports PTI quoting officials. The news agency also said that 55 inmates of Guwahati Central Jail were found to be COVID-19 positive and an order has been issued to test all prisoners

Actor Amitabh Bachchan said that he had tested positive for the novel coronavirus infection and has been shifted to the hospital. According to news agency ANI, the actor has been admitted in Mumbai's Nanavati Hospital. The 77-year-old actor urged those who has come into contact with him to get tested.

Noida and Greater Noida in Gautam Buddh Nagar are listed in 'A category' along with Ghaziabad, Kanpur, Bareilly, Lucknow, Agra, Allahabad, Gorakhpur, Meerut, Varanasi where these charges would apply, stated the order signed by Principal Secretary (Health) Amit Mohan Prasad.

Private super speciality hospitals across Noida and Greater Noida can charge no more than Rs 10,000 per day for isolation beds, Rs 15,000 for ICU and Rs 18,000 for ICU with ventilator care for COVID-19 treatment, an official order said on Saturday.These charges are for National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers-accredited private facilities and include the cost of personal protective equipment (PPEs), the order issued by the Uttar Pradesh government stated. For private hospitals that are not NABH-accredited, the charges have been capped at Rs 8,000 for isolation beds, Rs 13,000 for intensive care units (ICU) and Rs 15,000 for ICU with ventilator (invasive or non-invasive).

State BJP president Dilip Ghosh alleged that the claim of the West Bengal government that there are sufficient beds for patients infected with coronavirus is untrue. "The government is repeatedly saying that there are enough beds in COVID-19 hospitals. But in practice, we are seeing that the patients are being harassed and turned away," Ghosh said.

check the growing trend of hospitals refusing admission to COVID-19 patients. There have been allegations that several private hospitals are refuting to treat COVID-19 patients.

The BJP's West Bengal unit on Saturday attacked the state's Trinamool Congress government claiming that the administration is not doing anything to

T 3590 -I have tested CoviD positive .. shifted to Hospital .. hospital informing authorities .. family and staff undergone tests , results awaited .. All that have been in close proximity to me in the last 10 days are requested to please get themselves tested !

Actor Amitabh Bachchan said that he had tested positive for the novel coronavirus infection and has been shifted to the hospital. According to news agency ANI, the actor has been admitted in Mumbai's Nanavati Hospital. The 77-year-old actor urged those who has come into contact with him to get tested.

have been discharged so far, while 12,135 were under treatment.

positive cases in the state to 33,402 and deaths to 348. Out of the 1,178 fresh cases, 736 were reported from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), followed by Ranga Reddy and Medchal districts with 125 and 101 cases respectively. A state government bulletin said 20,919 people

COVID-19 cases continued to surge in Telangana on Saturday, with as many as 1,178 new cases and nine fatalities being reported, taking the total number of

The coronavirus case count in Mumbai rose to 91,457 on Saturday with 1,308 new patients found, said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). 39 patients died, taking the toll due to the pandemic in the financial capital of the country to 5,241. However, the figures for Mumbai were different in the Maharashtra government's statement, which put the toll in the city at 5,244 and increase in cases at 1,284 with over all count of 91,745 cases.

Sources told PTI that Gaikwad was not keen on imposing lockdown and was in favour of opening up during a meeting chaired by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar on Friday. His transfer comes at a time when Pune city is set to undergo a 10-day lockdown with minimum exemptions from 13 July.

The Maharashtra government on Saturday transferred Pune Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad and replaced him with Vikram Kumar who is currently CEO of Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority. Pune is among the worst-hit cities in the state and, as on Friday evening, had 25,893 cases, with the rise particularly sharp and worrying over the past few days.

Extremely saddened to hear the news of Shri #AmitabhBachchan Ji testing COVID Positive. Praying for his strength & speedy recovery. @SrBachchan please get well soon!

Dear Amitabh ji, I join the whole Nation in wishing you a quick recovery! After all, you are the idol of millions in this country, an iconic superstar! We will all take good care of you. Best wishes for a speedy recovery! @SrBachchan @juniorbachchan #AmitabhBachchan #COVID https://t.co/NHeY7e2mjC pic.twitter.com/CsVKlvCJeG

Earlier today both my father and I tested positive for COVID 19. Both of us having mild symptoms have been admitted to hospital. We have informed all the required authorities and our family and staff are all being tested. I request all to stay calm and not panic. Thank you. 

Abhishek Bachchan said that he has also tested positive for the coronavirus infection and said that he and his father have mild symptoms. "The BMC has been in touch and we are complying with them," he added.

Sad to hear both Amitabh Bachchan Sir and his son got COVID19 positive. Get well soon @SrBachchan @juniorbachchan . Whole family now undergo tests. Praying for the entire family . #AmitabhBachchan #AbhishekBachchan #StaySafeAtHome #UseFaceMask pic.twitter.com/4YlxpVxOHn

Coronavirus Updates: "Earlier today both my father and I tested positive for COVID 19. Both of us having mild symptoms have been admitted to hospital," said Abhishek Bachchan.

Actor Amitabh Bachchan said that he had tested positive for the novel coronavirus infection and has been shifted to the hospital. According to news agency ANI, the actor has been admitted to Mumbai's Nanavati Hospital.

The Karnataka government has decided to implement complete lockdown in Bengaluru Urban and Rural Districts for seven days starting 8 pm on 14 July, said chief minister BS Yediyurappa.

Kerala's total case count climbed to 7,438 while the toll due to COVID-19 reached 29 with two more deaths reported on Saturday.

The Nagaland government has decided to extend the ongoing lockdown in the state till 31 July.

The COVID-19 case count in Tamil Nadu climbed to 1,34,226 and toll reached 1,898 as the state reported 3,965 new cases and 69 deaths.

Meanwhile, the Meghalaya government announced a total lockdown in Shillong on Monday and Tuesday.

The health ministry said that a total of 5,15,385 COVID-19 patients have so far been cured and discharged, of which 19,870 were discharged in the last 24 hours. With this, the recovery rate has risen to 62.78 percent and the number of recoveries exceeds active cases by 2,31,978.

The civic body had to change its traditional approach of waiting for patients, contact tracing, isolation and home quarantine to begin proactive screening instead in Dharavi.

"Proactive screening helped in early detection, timely treatment and recovery," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday reviewed the COVID-19 situation across the country. He stressed on the need for widespread awareness about the viral infection.

The Delhi government has asked all the universities to evaluate students according to their previous academic record or come up with a progressive plan to grade students.

In a series of tweets, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh also said fines to the tune of over Rs 11 crore were collected from offenders during this period.

The central bank governor, while speaking at the 7th SBI Banking & Economics Conclave, said that COVID-19 has dented the existing world order, global value chains, labour and capital movements across the globe.

After 27,114 more people tested COVID-19 positive for the first time in a day, India's overall count crossed 8 lakh on Saturday.

India's drug regulator has approved Itolizumab, a drug used to cure skin ailment psoriasis for "restricted emergency use" to treat COVID-19 patients with moderate to severe acute respiratory distress.

The World Health Organization said Friday that it is still possible to bring coronavirus outbreaks under control, even though case numbers have more than doubled in the past six weeks.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the examples of Italy, Spain, South Korea and Dharavi, largest slum in Maharashtra, showed that however bad a outbreak was, the virus could still be reined in through aggressive action.

Dr Mike Ryan, head of the WHO's emergencies programme, said that by extinguishing clusters of infection, the world could "potentially avoid the worst of having second peaks and having to move backwards in terms of lockdown".

India, the third worst-hit country by the novel coronavirus, on Friday registered its highest single-day spike in COVID-19 cases with 26,506 new infections being reported in 24 hours. Additionally, the Union health ministry said that 475 deaths were also reported, taking the toll to 21,604.

The total number of cases rose to 7,93,802 on Friday, including 2,76,685 active cases, and 4,95,513 cured/discharged/migrated patients. The ministry also said that the recovery rate stands at about 63 percent.

Meanwhile, the ICMR said that with 2,83,659 samples being tested for coronavirus on Thursday, the total number of samples tested up to 9 July is 1,10,24,491.

Union health minister Harsh Vardhan on Friday said the recovery rate of COVID-19 patients in India currently stands at about 63 percent and asserted that India has not reached the community transmission stage, despite being a large country.

"Recovery rate among COVID-19 patients stands at about 63 percent. The mortality rate is just 2.72 percent. We are not concerned about the number of cases. We are ramping up testing so that maximum cases can be detected and treated," he was quoted as saying by ANI.

In the meantime, the BSF on Friday said that 73 new coronavirus cases and 14 recovered/cured patients in the force were reported in the last 24 hours. The total number of positive cases in BSF stands at 1,659, including 927 recovered cases.

No COVID-19 vaccine till next year, officials tell MPs

A vaccine for COVID-19 is expected only by early next year, a parliamentary panel was informed on Friday.

Presentations were given by the Department of Science and Technology, Department of Biotechnology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the principal scientific adviser to the government before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Climate on the Centre's COVID-19 preparedness.

The panel is chaired by senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who, along with six other members, attended the meeting.

Sources said it was conveyed to the panel that a vaccine for COVID-19 could be available only by early next year.

This was the first meeting of the panel since the nationwide lockdown was imposed on 25 March.

Lockdown to be imposed in Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad areas

In a bid to stem the spread of COVID-19, a 10-day lockdown will be imposed in Pune, neighbouring Pimpri-Chinchwad and a few other parts of the district in Maharashtra starting 13 July. The lockdown will come into force from midnight of 13 July and end on 23 July.

The district reported a record spike of 1,803 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday that pushed the tally to 34,399, while the toll rose to 978.

The decision to enforce the lockdown was taken in a meeting chaired by Maharashtra deputy chief minister and district guardian minister Ajit Pawar.

Lockdown extended in Thiruvananthapuram, Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli municipal regions

Various lockdown guidelines were extended by respective authorities in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram and in Maharashtra's Kalyan-Dombivli, and Thane municipal areas as coronavirus cases continued to rise. This is in addition to the lockdown restrictions enforced in areas of West Bengal and Bihar.

Kerala's COVID-19 tally inched towards 7,000, with 416 people testing positive on Friday in the highest single-day spike of the infection so far, as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan warned that the situation was "becoming alarming". He also said the triple lockdown imposed in Thiruvananthapuram corporation limits has been extended by another week. The state government had on Sunday decided to enforce the lockdown in the capital city following a spike in coronavirus cases.

In addition to the complete lockdown announced in Maharashtra's Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) announced the extension of the lockdown in the area till 19 July. The Thane municipal corporation also announced a similar extension.

Conduct rapid antigen tests in every households, Adityanath tells UP officials

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has asked officials to carry out rapid antigen tests in every household during the three-day special cleanliness campaign initiated from Friday.

"A special cleanliness campaign has been initiated from 10-13 July to create awareness about COVID-19, vector-borne diseases and other ailments. Under the campaign, door-to-door surveillance should be done and rapid antigen tests should be conducted in every household," Adityanath was quoted in a statement released by the government.

He said the number of lab technicians should be increased and 15,000 rapid antigen tests should be conducted per day.

During the meeting with officials, Adityanath said that a massive sanitisation should be undertaken to check the spread of coronavirus. He added that all ministers should monitor the campaign in their respective districts.

State-wise COVID-19 cases and deaths today

With as many as 2,38,461 COVID-19 cases, Maharashtra continues to remain the worst-affected state, followed by Tamil Nadu (1,30,261) and Delhi (1,09,140). Maharashtra reported a record 7,862 new cases on Friday, while Tamil Nadu recorded 3,680 new infections.

Meanwhile, Delhi reported 2,089 new cases.

As many as 1,608 more people tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 24 hours in Andhra Pradesh, taking the coronavirus tally to 25,422.

Himachal Pradesh detects two new COVID-19 positive cases, taking the total number of cases to 1,143 including 268 active, 851 recoveries and nine deaths.

Jharkhand reported 170 more COVID-19 cases taking the state's tally of coronavirus cases to 3,362. The total number of active cases in the state stands at 1,129, while 2,210 patients have recovered so far.

Meanwhile, 115 more COVID-19 cases have been reported from Rajasthan on Friday. With this, the total number of cases in Rajasthan stands at 22,678, including 5,043 active cases and 17,140 recoveries.

Prisons across Maharashtra reported a total of 763 COVID-19 cases till date. The figure includes 596 inmates and 167 jail staff, informed the Maharashtra Prison Department on Friday.

The highest number of cases was reported from Nagpur Central Prison with 219 inmates and 57 jail staff testing positive for the novel coronavirus.

As many as 222 new COVID-19 positive cases and three deaths reported in the state police force in the last 48 hours. The total number of positive cases in the force now stands at 5,935 including 74 deaths and 4,715 recovered, said Maharashtra Police.

As many as 352 new COVID-19 positive cases reported in Bihar today taking the total tally in the state to 14,330 including 9792 recovered cases, the Bihar government said.

Odisha's COVID-19 case tally rises to 11,956 with 755 new positive cases reported in the last 24 hours. The number of recovered patients in the state is 7,407, toll 56, said state health department.

Nine new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Ladakh; two patients cured and discharged. COVID-19 active cases in the Union Territory has gone up to 1,064 (350 in Leh district and 714 in Kargil district), said the Department of Information and Public relations Leh, Ladakh.

Cases 'more than doubled' in six weeks,s ays WHO

"Today the world recorded 12 million cases. In the last six weeks cases have more than doubled," said Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Friday.

Ghebreyesus was also quoted by News18 as saying, "In Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, New Zealand, Italy, Spain, South Korea and even in Dharavi, a densely packed area in Mumbai, a strong focus on community engagement and the basics of testing, tracing, isolating and treating all those that are sick is key to breaking the chains of transmission and suppressing the virus."

With inputs from agencies
BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Beijing on Wednesday started building a support platform for scientific research, Beijing Daily reported on Thursday.

The platform, located in the northern Huairou District of Beijing, will provide support for scientific research and experimental technology training, public academics, sci-tech service, as well as operation and maintenance, for a national science center in Huairou. The construction of the facility will be completed in 30 months, said the newspaper.

The platform will satisfy the demands of interdisciplinary research and experimentation, and would be available for basic research by providing auxiliary experimental facilities and equipment, said the newspaper.

The experiment area for general scientific research instruments and facilities on the platform will serve material science, information intelligence science and bioscience. Laboratories for micro-nano analysis and processing, physical structure analysis and biological analysis have also been planned.
There is no final decision on new sites for the disengagement of forces and weapons.

Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's Office, has announced a new round of the swap of prisoners with Russia-occupied districts in Donbas, eastern Ukraine.

"We've agreed the swap will continue," he told reporters on July 10, according to the NV news outlet. "I think another round of the exchange, which will happen in the near future, will become its result."

Read alsoFamilies of Ukrainian political prisoners Russia holds in Crimea rally outside President's Office (Photo)

According to him, new sites for the disengagement of forces and weapons remain an open question. Many issues have already been agreed, but there is no final decision, he said.

"We're very close to agreeing on a landmine clearance plan. Indeed, a lot of time was spent on this, but today we are very close to the result. The political subgroup has started working  bills were introduced there, namely it is a bill on the special aspects of local self-government, where, as we said, we are planning to implement the Steinmeier formula," he said.

"And indeed, if the formula proposed by Ukraine for representation, presence and participation of local representatives works out, it will be powerful impetus for those legislative acts, which are stipulated in the Minsk deal, to be considered for further submission to the Verkhovna Rada for debates in its [respective] committee, for discussion in society, etc.," Yermak added.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 13:17:47|Editor: huaxia

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MANILA, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines' total external trade in goods in May amounted to 9.84 billion U.S. dollars, an annual decline of 38.7 percent, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Friday.

The PSA said this is lower than the steep 59.5 percent decline in April but faster than its rate of decrease of 0.1 percent in May 2019. Of the total external trade, the PSA said 59.5 percent were imported goods and the rest were exported goods.

The PSA said the trade deficit also dropped at a slower rate in May 2020.

The country recorded a trade deficit of 1.87 billion U.S. dollars in May, with an annual decline of 48.9 percent, the PSA added.

In April 2020, the trade deficit fell at a faster rate of 88.2 percent while in May 2019, it was slower at 6.0 percent.

PSA data showed that the country's total export sales in May 2020 amounted to 3.99 billion U.S. dollars, a decrease of 35.6 percent from the 6.20 billion U.S. dollars total export generated in May 2019.

According to the PSA, May was the third consecutive month that total exports was declining.

Exports to Japan comprised the highest value amounting to 731.89 million U.S. dollars during the month.

PSA data showed that total imported goods in May 2020 amounted to 5.85 billion U.S. dollars, down at an annual rate of 40.6 percent.

"This was the second highest annual drop since decreases were observed beginning May 2019," the PSA said.

The PSA said China was the country's biggest supplier of imported goods in May 2020. Enditem
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Outraged protesters smashed the windows of a Utah government building and smeared red paint to mimic blood after two officers who fatally shot a 22-year-old 34 times in the back as he ran away escaped charges because the killing was justified under state law.

One police officer was injured and two residents were arrested late Thursday night in Salt Lake City after DA Sim Gill announced officers Neil Iversen and Kevin Fortuna would not face charges in the death of Bernardo Palacios-Carbajal.

The decision was an irredeemable blow to community members and activists who for weeks gathered outside the Salt Lake County District Attorney's office to demand a full investigative report into Palacios-Carbajal's death.

Bernardo Palacios-Carbajal was gunned down by officers Iversen and Fortuna outside Utah Village Motel in the early hours of May 23 after they responded to reports of a suspect 'making threats with a weapon'.

The Salt Lake City Police Department and protesters fighting against police brutality clashed in a volatile exchange on Thursday after District Attorney Sim Gill announced two officers would not be charged in the death of 22-year-old Bernardo Palacios-Carbajal

District Attorney Sim Gill inspects the damage to the district attorney's office on Friday after protesters covered it with red paint and protest signs reading 'Justice for Bernardo'

Several protesters dipped their hands in the red paint left a series of hand prints across the District Attorney office's front entrance sign and across glass windows covered in 'Justice for Bernardo' protest signs

A group of more than 300 people gathered outside the Salt Lake County District Attorney's office Thursday evening to cover the exterior in red paint meant to symbolize the blood on DA Sim Gill's hands over his decision on the Palacios-Carbajal case

Police officers were seen in cell phone footage charging at peaceful protesters near the District Attorney's office on Thursday, as well as roughly shoving them back with riot shields and hitting several with batons

Bernardo Palacios-Carbajal (pictured), 22, was shot dead by Salt Lake City officers Neil Iversen and Kevin Fortuna on May 23 outside a Utah Village Motel as he ran away from them

Officers shot at Palacios-Carbaja three dozen times, hitting him 13 to 15 times, after they claimed he was armed and they feared for their lives as he ran away from them.

Gill said under Utah law the use of deadly force by the cops was legally justified.

The law states officers can use deadly force if 'the suspect has committed a felony offense involving the infliction or threatened infliction of death or serious bodily injury,' to 'prevent the escape' of a suspect or if 'the suspect poses a threat of death or serious bodily injury to the officer or to others,' he said.

'In this case, it is justified under the statute,' Gill said.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports protest organizer Sofia Alcala vowed some sort of civil disobedience after the DA's decision was revealed.

'They will feel the wrath of the f****** community today,' she warned.

A video shared by Attorney T. Greg Docette appeared to show Salt Lake City police officers charging at a group of peaceful protesters and beating them with batons.

'Another view of [744] in Salt Lake City UT, as police charge and beat unarmed protesters for the heinous crime of saying the word "s***" loudly,' wrote Doucette on Twitter.

'The cops are still rioting...'

Footage shows a group of demonstrators chanting 'Don't start no s***, Won't be no s***' across from a human wall of police officers donning riot gear and shields.

After DA Sim Gill made the announcement, protest organizer Sofia Alcala reportedly promised some sort of civil disobedience, warning 'They will feel the wrath of the f****** community today'

Authorities said that one protests on Thursday had to be carried away with an injury, while some officers were reportedly hit with pepper spray and one was taken to the hospital for an unspecified injury

Another look at the protest in Downtown Salt Lake City @fox13 pic.twitter.com/mcjgIIgrgi  Lauren Steinbrecher (@LaurenSnews) July 10, 2020

Salt Lake City police officers said they encountered Palacios-Carbaja (pictured) after they received reports about a man in possession of a weapon threatening residents

Protesters on Thursday reportedly used metal rods to shatter glass windows at the District Attorney's office, but it's unclear if any of those involved were arrested

Pictured: DA Sim Gill (pictured) walks outside the District Attorney's office on Friday as some of the paint smeared across the entrance sign is cleaned off

Suddenly, the line of officers rush at the protesters and begin roughly shoving people with their shields and batons.

Demonstrators are heard screaming in fear as admonish officers for using such brute force on peaceful protesters.

'What is wrong with you? These are peaceful protesters!' one man shouts. A woman standing in front of him is immediately hit with a baton.

The group of demonstrators then link arms to form a human barricade in defiance of the officers. They chant: 'Unified power' and 'Justice for Bernardo.'

The footage ends with officers once again charging the crowd while protesters scream out. Some protesters used a bicycle to try ward off officers, according to KSL.com.

Before that moment, scores of protesters waited outside the DA's office on Thursday in hopes of murder charges, but were let down by the announcement - expanding on the growing divide between law enforcement and civilians since George Floyd's death in May.

Crowds of protesters have gathered outside DA Sim Gill's office for weeks demanding that a full investigative report of Palacios-Carbajal's death be released after he was shot dead in May

Messages scrawled in paint read near the District Attorney's office read 'too much blood,' 'Sim Gill you killed,' 'Abolish all cops' and 'Respect Existence or Expect Resistance'

Pictured: 'Justice for Bernardo' and 'Sim Gill...Their Blood is on Your Hands' signs are hung outside the District Attorney's office by protesters on Thursday

A police officer ushers a person a protester off a street outside the district attorney's office as police tried to clear the street Thursday in Salt Lake City, Utah

Some officers were injured during the clash with protesters, reportedly prompting police to respond by shoving some to the ground and striking them with clubs

Salt Lake Co DA Sim Gill surveying the damage done to the district attorneys office building after a protest re: the shooting death of a young man by SLCPD officers turned into violence and vandalism pic.twitter.com/jd0iC9TCeV  scott mckane (@macfox13) July 10, 2020

As a result, protesters stuck true to their promise of 'No Justice, No Peace' and held demonstrations so fraught with 'civil unrest' that the Utah's governor issued an emergency order.

Around 150 residents descended upon the DA's office after 6pm hoisting signs demanding justice, as well as chanting 'How many shots? 34!'

The streets of Salt Lake City turned red as protesters spilled paint in front of the DA's office to smear it across the entrance steps, sidewalks and doorways.

The red paint, according to protesters, was symbolic of the blood on DA Sim Gill's hands after he did not file charges against the officers.

Red hand prints were seen on the building's entrance sign along with photo of Palacios-Carbajal.

Messages scrawled in paint read 'too much blood,' 'Sim Gill you killed,' 'Abolish all cops' and 'Respect Existence or Expect Resistance.'

The glass doors of the DA's office were covered in protest signs declaring Black Lives Matter and Defund the Police.

Salt Lake City police officers charged at peaceful protesters at least twice on Thursday, according to footage taken at the scene, as they attempted to clear them away from the District Attorney's office

The Salt Lake City Police Department said they urged demonstrators to leave, but were forced to engage after the refused and tensions skyrocketed

Organizers had given speeches to the growing crowd - now around 300 - proclaiming Palacios-Carbajal should not be dead and police could have relied on non-lethal force, like using a stun gun or tackling him.

They wondered where Palacios-Carbajal would be now if officers Iversen and Fortuna had used a Taze gun instead.

Then, protesters shatter three glass windows of the DA's office just as vans full of officers arrived at the scene.

Police Chief Mike Brown said this is what caused city officials to declared the event an 'unlawful assembly' and attempt to shut it down.

Calls for justice in Palacios-Carbajal's case come after the death of George Floyd, which sparked nationwide protests against police brutality

'It was my sincere hope that the protest tonight would remain peaceful as it has night after night, Brown wrote on Twitter.

'Sadly, as they began to break windows at [Salt Lake County District Attorney] office, we declared it an unlawful assembly.'

The two groups meeting only resulted in clashes as police helicopters whirled overhead and protesters shouted 'We ain't scared!'

Protesters reportedly threw bottles, pieces of wood and other debris at officers and refused to leave the area.

'Objects are being used against us, force will be used against you,' one officer reportedly said.

Some officers were injured, reportedly prompting police to respond by shoving some to the ground and striking them with clubs.

A police car intentionally rammed into a protester's vehicle that was being used as a barricade.

The Salt Lake City Police Department said an unspecified amount of officers were hit with pepper spray.

One injured protester had to be carried away, while one police officer went to the hospital for treatment.

Two residents were arrested during the commotion, but their identities and the reason why were not disclosed.

A video shared to Facebook appeared to show Sofia Alcala handcuffed by officers who said she was being taken in for 'destruction of property.'

Salt Lake City police chief Mike Brown said the demonstration was labeled an 'unlawful assembly' after protests shattered windows of the DA's office with metal rods

Posted by Justice For Bernardo on Thursday, July 9, 2020

Earlier, protesters shared a permanent marker to write down phone numbers on their arms in case they were taken into police custody.

Activists on Twitter shared tips on how to hide their identities and stopped media crews from filming certain aspects of the protest.

One group surrounded a handful of broadcast reporter with umbrellas to block their cameras after Salt Lake City police used footage from previous protests to build cases in recent arrests.

Authorities, sensing a volatile confrontation, had told local media about the riot gear.

City managers told staffers in an email that they would work from home on Thursday and Friday to stay away from skirmishes.

The mounting tension between civilians and law enforcement proved to much for Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, who declared a State of Emergency Thursday night.

The order closed off Utah State Capitol ground and allowed the Utah Department of Public Safety to mobilize.

The order stated 'recent protests have become violent and the civil unrest has resulted in bodily injury and destruction of private and public property, including extensive defacement of a Utah State Capitol building.'

The executive order will remain in effect until July 13 at 11:59pm.

Bodycam footage released by police in June showed the two cops arriving on the scene outside the Utah Village Motel and spotting a man - Palacios-Carbajal - immediately run from them across the parking lot.

The cops went in pursuit of him on foot with their guns drawn, as one officer says over police radio that he is armed.

'He's got a gun in his pocket. He's reaching in his right...' the cop is heard saying.

The chase continues into an alley and the cops are heard shouting 'stop,' 'show me your hands' or 'drop it' a total of 17 times.

When they reach the parking lot of Granary Storage Palacios-Carbajal stumbles and falls before he gets up and falls again.

Palacios-Carbajal stumbles and falls before he gets up and falls again. One officer shouts to taser him but moments later a hail of gunfire rings out

The cops went in pursuit of him on foot with their guns drawn, as one officer says over police radio that the suspect is armed

Lucy Carbajal (left), the victim's mother) :ts not a correct decision that [Gill] made, and we will continue fighting...And even though my son isnt here, he gives us the right to continue fighting so mothers like me do not lose their sons, like they killed my son. That was cowardice'

Pictured: People gather at a memorial for Bernardo Palacio-Carbajal during a march in Salt Lake City. District Attorney Sim Gill says Utah police officers were legally justified in firing more than 20 times and killing an armed man as he ran away

One officer shouts to taser him but moments later a hail of gunfire rings out.

Palacios-Carbajal's family called for the officers to be charged over his killing, pointing out that he was running away when they shot him and that bodycam footage does not show him pointing a weapon during the chase.

The family said they plan to sue the police department and vowed to work with protesters to reform authorities policies.

'Its not a correct decision that [Gill] made, and we will continue fighting,' Lucy Carbajal, his mother, said in Spanish to the Salt Lake Tribune.

'And even though my son isnt here, he gives us the right to continue fighting so mothers like me do not lose their sons, like they killed my son. That was cowardice.'
A federal judge in Indiana on Friday halted the first federal execution in nearly two decades over concerns the victims families could not attend due to the coronavirus.

Chief District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson ruled that 47-year-old Daniel Lees scheduled execution on Monday would be delayed after the family of his victims said doing so would put them in to potentially deadly peril as COVID-19 cases resurge and the virus is also ravaging Americas prisons.

As of July 10, more than 3.1 million cases have been confirmed in the U.S., based on NBC News reporting. There have been more than 130,000 deaths.

Danny Lee waits for his arraignment hearing for murder in the Pope County Detention Center in Russellville, Ark. on Oct. 31 1997. (Dan Pierce / AP file)

In 1996, Lee and four other associates, who were members of a white supremacist organization, went on a crime spree that included the murders of gun dealer William Mueller, his wife, Nancy, and her 8-year-old daughter, Sarah Powell. All five defendants were arrested and convicted.

Earlene Peterson, Kimma Gurel, and Monica Veillette are members of Lee's victims' families and were selected by the warden at the U. S. Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana to attend the execution.

However, in the midst of the pandemic in June, Attorney General William Barr directed the Federal Bureau of Prisons to move forward with the executions. They were originally scheduled last year, but a federal judge put a hold on the plan. A federal appeals court lifted that ban and then the U.S. Supreme Court denied to hear a challenge from the four convicted murderers slated for execution, clearing the way.

The victims families argue that Barr violated federal law when he scheduled the execution for July 13 without adequate measures in place to protect them.

Baker Kurrus, an attorney for the families, said in a statement Friday they are "grateful to the court for this ruling."

"We hope the government finally acts in a way to ease, rather than increase, the burdens of Mrs. Peterson and her family who have already been through an unspeakable tragedy," Kurrus said.

Story continues

Barr's order directed prison officials to begin carrying out the first lethal injections in the federal system in 17 years. Court fights over the traditional three-drug method, and a shortage of one of those drugs, had brought federal executions to a halt. Barr ordered the use instead of a single drug, Pentobarbital, can slow down the brain and nervous system.

Judge Magnus-Stinson said in her order that she is granted the preliminary injunction until the Justice Department is in compliance with the federal law and reasonable consideration of the plaintiffs' right to be present for the execution.

The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Two Republican senators have filed an amendment to a piece of legislation that would replace Columbus Day with Juneteenth as a new federal holiday.

"Juneteenth is a day in our history that redefined the meaning of freedom and equality in America," Sen. James Lankford, of Oklahoma, said in a news release. "Throughout our history, we have strived to become a more perfect union and Juneteenth was a huge step in attaining that goal."
OTTAWACalls for independent review of the Liberal government giving a sole-source contract to the WE organization intensified Friday with the Conservatives demanding police step in and the NDP asking the ethics commissioner to add the finance minister to the list of those hes investigating.

The Conservatives said they want a criminal investigation into the governments decision to have WE run a $900-million program for student volunteers.

Though an ethics investigation into Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is already underway, new facts add to the seriousness of the issue, Conservative ethics critic Michael Barrett said.

The revelation that $350,000 in cash was paid by this organization to immediate members of Justin Trudeaus family, that organization that he awarded a sole-sourced $1-billion contract to, that revelation raises the need for the police to take a look at it, he said.

Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion had announced a week before hed probe whether Trudeau broke conflict of interest law.

The Conflict of Interest Act calls on a holder of a public office, including a minister, to recuse himself or herself from any discussion, debate or vote on any matter in respect of which he or she would be in a conflict of interest.

And it describes a conflict of interest as a situation where an office holder exercises an official power, duty or function that provides an opportunity to advance his or her private interests or those of his or her relatives or friends or to improperly further another persons private interests.

There are long-standing ties between the WE organization and the Trudeau family. Trudeau, his mother Margaret, brother Alexandre and wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, have all appeared at the groups many events.

Margaret Trudeau has a profile as a mental health advocate and has been in the public eye for decades.

On Thursday, the WE organization said she had been paid about $250,000 for 28 speaking appearances between 2016 and 2020.

Alexandre, who is a filmmaker, has been paid $32,000 for eight events, according to WE.

The organization that represents them as speakers was paid additional commissions, WE said.

And Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, who had a career in television, received $1,400 in 2012 for a single appearance that year.

Most of the payments were from the organizations for-profit component, ME to WE Social Enterprise, which sponsors the charitable component, WE Charity said in a statement.

Justin Trudeau was never paid for anything, said WE Charity.

Trudeaus office has said the prime ministers relatives engage with a variety of organizations and support many personal causes on their own accord.

He also maintained the non-partisan public service recommended WE be paid $19.5 million to administer the $900 million Canada Student Services Grant program.

Announced in June, the program will pay students $1,000 toward their education costs for every 100 hours of volunteering done through approved charities and non-profits.

At the time, Trudeau said WE was the only organization in Canada with the reach and expertise needed to execute the plan.

Placements are uncertain now that WE has withdrawn and the government has taken over.

The ethics commissioner had announced his investigation also prior to Trudeaus admission that he did not recuse himself from cabinet approval of the deal.

The NDP said Friday that the commissioner should now also investigate Finance Minister Bill Morneau for failing to do the same.

One of Morneaus daughters has spoken at WE events in the past, though was not paid, and the other is currently working in the organizations travel department on a contract, Morneaus office confirmed.

It would seem apparent that Minister Morneau would recognize that the fact that his family member was an employee of this organization necessitated him to recuse himself regarding this extraordinary decision to outsource nearly billion-dollar commitment of public funds in a single source contract, NDP ethics critic Charlie Angus wrote in a letter to the commissioner asking for an investigation.

Morneaus spokesperson said there was no connection.

There is absolutely no link between her employment and any work that WE does with the Government of Canada, said Morneaus spokesperson Maeva Proteau in an email.

Liberal Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains and Public Services and Procurement Minister Anita Anand were asked Friday, at an event in Oshawa, Ont., whether they knew about the payments from WE to the Trudeau family and whether the prime minister should have recused himself from the decision to award WE the contract.

They ducked direct answers.

We work very closely with the public servants who are non-partisan and they provided us with a clear set of recommendations and we followed those recommendations, Bains said.

The section of the Criminal Code the Conservatives are suggesting could apply is the same one once used to charge former Conservative senator Mike Duffy in the Senate expenses scandal.

It deals with frauds on the government, and creates offences related to government officials, or their families, benefiting from government contracts.

Duffy was charged under section 121 of the Criminal Code for taking a $90,000 cheque from then-chief of staff to the prime minister, Nigel Wright, to repay his housing expenses.

Duffy was also charged under section 122, for breach of trust. Advocacy group Democracy Watch called Friday for that section to applied to the WE matter and is filing its own complaint with the RCMP.

Duffy was later acquitted on all charges. Though that verdict came after the Conservatives lost power, the scandal was a major distraction for the Conservatives in the waning days of their majority government.

None of the three opposition parties have said they would consider trying to bring down the Liberal minority government over the WE scandal.

Were looking to get the truth and accountability, the Conservatives Barrett said.
Myth 1: Mental illnesses are rare | On October 7, the World Health Organization said close to one billion people globally have a mental disorder. (Image: Reuters)

An advance team from the World Health Organization (WHO) has left for China to organise an investigation into the origins of the novel coronavirus which sparked the global pandemic, a spokeswoman said on Friday.

The virus is believed to have emerged in a wholesale market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, since then closed, after jumping the species barrier from the animal kingdom to infect humans.

The two WHO experts, specialists in animal health and epidemiology, will work with Chinese scientists to determine the scope and itinerary of the investigation, WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris told a UN briefing in Geneva.

"They have gone, they are in the air now, they are the advance party that is to work out the scope," she said.

This would involve negotiations on issues including the composition of the fuller team and what skills were needed, she 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

"One of the big issues that everybody is interested in, and of course that's why we're sending an animal health expert, is to look at whether or not it jumped from species to a human and what species it jumped from," Harris said.

"We know it's very, very similar to the virus in the bat, but did it go through an intemediate species? This is a question we all need answered," she said.

The WHO will have no role in an independent panel, announced on Thursday, to review the global handling of pandemic, Harris said, adding: "From now on it is completely hands off".

US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Michael Pompeo have said it may have originated in a laboratory in Wuhan, although they have presented no evidence for this and China strongly denies it. Scientists and US intelligence agencies have said it emerged in nature.

Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic here
Listen to Outbreak Alabama: Stories from a Pandemic, above.

Today, we hear from Karen Scott, a bookkeeper at a school in Franklin County and an ER registration clerk at Russellville Hospital.

She was diagnosed with COVID-19 in May. Even after taking every possible precaution, she tested positive. While in good health, at 50-years-old, she thought she would be in a fight for her life. She described her case as moderate, somewhere between mild and severe.

I was in the fight for my life, she says. I thought OK, I have something for the first time in my life that can possibly kill me, so now Ive got to fight it.

As the virus rages on in Alabama, Karen said she hopes people soon begin to take it seriously. As of Wednesday, there were 48,588 confirmed cases in Alabama, with 1,042 confirmed deaths, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health.

I spoke to Karen about what she thought when she was diagnosed, the stress she has even after recovery and what she hopes others might learn from her experience and survival.

Outbreak Alabama will release two or three episodes per week, chronicling the experiences of those directly impacted by COVID-19s spread, including health care professionals, business owners, city leaders, artists, AL.com reporters and many others.

If you or anyone you know is affected by coronavirus and want to share your story, please email bflanagan@al.com. For all of our coverage on the outbreak and how it continues to impact Alabama, visit AL.com/coronavirus.

Listen and subscribe on Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, Acast or wherever you get your podcasts. If you like the show, please rate it and write us a review. Thank you for listening.

More from Outbreak Alabama:

Its not about you

The death rate

Its on us, yall

The unemployment crisis

Trending the wrong direction

Do we even want a football season?

Where is God right now?

Are you ready for concerts again?

CNNs Kaitlan Collins on covering COVID-19 and Trump

Protesting during a pandemic

Cases are surging in Tuscaloosa

Nick Saban steps it up

Whats next for schools?

The spike in Montgomery

Astonishing disparities in the rural South

Where is the nursing home data?

Is it a mistake to reopen now?

Whiter Thomas on staying creative during the pandemic

Our successes and failures so far

The return of retail

A barbers dilemma

Is it really time to reopen Alabama?

A coronavirus survivors message to the rest of us

Ivey not ready to reopen just yet

Crime in the age of coronavirus

What role do our churches play?

The absence of sports

Learning from a distance

Walt Maddox on leading Tuscaloosa through coronavirus

Social distancing, or not

Coronavirus early impact on musicians

Alabama restaurants
-- Focus on improving and optimizing drug discovery, development and manufacturing

-- Integrated lab with customizable solutions, validation services, training and hands-on applications

-- Shanghai center is newest and largest addition to Merck's global network of nine M Lab Collaboration Centers

DARMSTADT, Germany, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Merck, a leading science and technology company, opened its M Lab Collaboration Center in Shanghai, the company's largest of nine centers worldwide.

"With the booming pharmaceutical industry in Asia and greater emphasis on novel drug therapies, we see an increase in R&D on leading-edge treatments including cell and gene therapies in China," said Udit Batra, member of the Merck Executive Board and CEO, Life Science. "Our M Lab Collaboration Center offers customizable solutions and services that help bio pharmaceutical and biologics companies improve their processes from drug discovery, development to manufacturing - saving costs and increasing speed to market."

With a total lab size of approximately 10,000m2, Merck's newest M Lab Collaboration Center is located in Pudong, at the heart of the biomedical sciences and research community in Shanghai.

The new M Lab Collaboration Center in Shanghai offers customizable solutions tailored for China's Life Science community to help advance drug development. It includes Pilot Scale and Process Development support labs that offer non-GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) lab space where pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical manufacturers can explore ideas, learn innovative techniques and work side-by-side with the company's scientists and engineers to solve critical process development and production challenges. Customers can participate in product demonstrations, hands-on training, formal bioprocessing educational courses and experiments, as well as apply best practices and new approaches to develop, optimize and scale-up processes and simplify global technology transfer.

Customers will also be able to tap into the following Merck offerings:

Lab Management Software : This digital platform helps scientists improve efficiency and processes by automating workflows and connecting lab instruments via the cloud. The software centralizes research information, allowing researchers to move away from transferring and documenting data by hand, increasing productivity and helping them to avoid costly errors.

: This digital platform helps scientists improve efficiency and processes by automating workflows and connecting lab instruments via the cloud. The software centralizes research information, allowing researchers to move away from transferring and documenting data by hand, increasing productivity and helping them to avoid costly errors. Customized Cell Culture Media facility : This facility develops cell culture media, which are used in the production of biopharmaceuticals and will be used for non-GMP pilot production.

: This facility develops cell culture media, which are used in the production of biopharmaceuticals and will be used for non-GMP pilot production. Solid Dose Formulation facility: This facility helps ensure drugs in tablet/capsule/powder form contain high quality excipients and active pharmaceutical ingredients. This facility will support customers in China and around the world.

Additionally, the center will host a new BioReliance End-to-End Solutions GMP manufacturing facility offering contract development manufacturing organization services to customers in China and Asia-Pacific.

As a leading innovator in the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry, Merck is committed to playing an active role in China's transformation into an innovation- driven economy. Through this new center, Merck will collaborate with local and regional customers to increase drug quality and safety and provide training and knowledge transfer.

All Merck news releases are distributed by email at the same time they become available on the Merck website. Please go to www.merckgroup.com/subscribe to register online, change your selection or discontinue this service.

About Merck

Merck, a leading science and technology company, operates across healthcare, life science and performance materials. Around 56,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people's lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From advancing gene editing technologies and discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices - the company is everywhere. In 2019, Merck generated sales of 16.2 billion in 66 countries.

Scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to Merck's technological and scientific advances. This is how Merck has thrived since its founding in 1668. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company. Merck holds the global rights to the Merck name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck operate as EMD Serono in healthcare, MilliporeSigma in life science and EMD Performance Materials.

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As part of efforts to maintain and sustain good sanitation in major cities of the country, the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources (MSWR), in partnership with Zoomlion Ghana Limited (ZGL), has donated five (5) double cabin pick-up vehicles to the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).

The move is to enable personnel of the GAF to monitor and ensure compliance with environmental bye-laws in the national capital--Accra--and the other regional capitals in the country.

Making the presentation at the forecourt of the Directorate of Public Relations, Burma Camp, Accra, on Friday, June 10, the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Mrs. Cecilia Abena Dapaah, said: "We are by this gesture appreciating the efforts of the Armed Forces" in the fight to ensure clean environs of our cities."

She said it was imperative that Ghanaians strive to practice good personal hygiene and also observe good sanitation practices.

That, she said, will help prevent the outbreak of diseases and keep a healthy population to support the country's development drive.

"In our pursuit of general cleanliness, we should behave like animals who always keep their environs clean," the sanitation and water resources minister suggested.

Mrs Dapaah commended the GAF for supporting her ministry in the quest to make the country clean.

"I must place on record that every time we have appealed humbly to the defence minister, he has shown readiness to assist my ministry.

...not only in the area of cleaning and cleansing, but also personnel of GAF have participated in desilting and dredging of drains across the country," she gladly expressed.

In this regard, she commended, especially Zoomlion Ghana Limited, for being very supportive of her outfit.

Mrs Dapaah, therefore, used the opportunity to remind Ghanaians on the need to observe the Covid-19 safety protocols.

"Let us keep ourselves and environs clean and observe all the Covid-19 safety protocols, particularly the wearing of nose masks to protect ourselves and others from contracting the virus," she reiterated.

While praising the MSWR and Zoomlion Ghana Limited for the donation, the Defence Minister, Mr Dominic Nitiwul, intimated that the gesture will contribute to achieving the Presidents vision of making Accra the cleanest city in Africa.

"We cannot agree with the President less at this era of Covid-19 pandemic as such, this presentation is timely and essential," he said.

He assured that the vehicles will be used by GAF for its purpose---monitoring of environmental sanitation programmes.

"We will also ensure that the vehicles are properly maintained to carry out the tasks in order to achieve the intended purpose for which they were presented," the defence minister affirmed.

He expressed the hope that the existing collaboration between the two ministries--defence and sanitation and water resources--will grow as part of efforts to defeat the deadly novel coronavirus disease in the country.

He recalled the sanitation and water resources donation of some 600 waste bins to his ministry, stating that "It, therefore, shows the commitment and seriousness she [Mrs. Dapaah] attaches to my ministry and that of hers."

In a welcome address, the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), Lieutenant General Obed Akwa, described the presentation as a "noble gesture."

According to him, collaborations such as this was essential in the country's battle against Covid-19.

Also, he said, the presentation of the vehicles was timely, thereby applauding the gesture by the MSWR and Zoomlion Ghana Limited.

He particularly lauded Zoomlion Ghana Limited for its support over the past years to GAF.

In attendance was the deputy Defence Minster, Major (Rtd) Derrick Oduro, Service Commanders, Chief Directors of the MSWR and MoD among others.
T his is the first picture of a teenager who was stabbed to death in Dulwich, who has been named by police as Donnell Rhule.

Detectives are appealing for information about the death of Mr Rhule, from south east London, who was found with stab injuries on Wednesday evening.

Officers were called at 6.30pm to reports of a stabbing on Seeley Drive.

Police battled to save the 18-year-old before paramedics arrived, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Donnells next of kin have been informed, Scotland Yard said.

A post-mortem examination will be held at Greenwich Mortuary on July 10.

It is believed the victim was attacked on Lyall Road before making his way to a parade of shops on Seeley Drive.

A witness described how the boy was involved in a row with a group of youths outside a shop on the Kingswood Estate.

The group, including one riding a moped, were seen to pursue him. He was then seen collapsed on a grass area having been stabbed.

A murder investigation has been launched and detectives from the Specialist Crime Command are leading the investigation.

DCI Rob Pack, Senior Investigating Officer, said: "I would like to speak with anyone who witnessed the stabbing or who saw anyone leaving the scene.

"This is a generally quiet area, so I am certain that a number of people will have seen or heard something significant.

"I am also appealing to trace the driver of a blue Renault hatchback, possibly used as an Uber or other private hire vehicle, which picked up a passenger in Seeley Drive at around 6.30pm."

Ch Supt Colin Wingrove, Commander of the Mets Central South Command Unit, added: "I am saddened to hear of this tragic murder and our thoughts are with Donnells family, friends and the wider community.

"We are committed to bringing them the justice they deserve and we are supporting the Specialist Crime Command who lead the investigation.

"I urge anyone with any information about the events leading to this tragic loss of life to come forward and tell us."

No arrests have been made.

Anyone with information that could assist police is asked to call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Pressure Group OccupyGhana has backed calls for President Akufo-Addo to reverse his directive to Auditor General Daniel Yaw Domelevo to proceed on leave.



It comes after several civil society groups signed a petition for the outspoken anti-graft campaigner to be brought back to work.



The President in a statement directed the Auditor General to proceed on his accumulated leave.



The move has sparked anger among some Ghanaians with some questioning the Presidents commitment to the fight against corruption.



Below is a statement by OcuppyGhana;



OccupyGhana has observed with great disquiet the circumstances leading to and following the Presidents directive to the Auditor-General to proceed on an accumulated leave. We find it difficult reconciling that directive with the constitutional injunction under which in the performance of his functions, which necessarily includes the mundane matter of whether, when and how he takes his leave, the Auditor-General is insulated from the direction and control of any person or authority.



While it may be best industrial, governance and management practice for every worker, including the Auditor-General, to take an annual leave, we think the constitutional insulation of that office is clear and leaves no room for any penumbra within which the presidential directive may operate. Even if there was, which we dispute, the circumstances of this matter should have given the Executive a great opportunity for exercising restraint of power and the development of the constitutional check and balances inherent in the creation and protection of independent constitutional bodies. Ours is still a nascent democracy that requires all of us to assist in upholding the independence of constitutionally protected bodies such as the Auditor-General, the Electoral Commission, CHRAJ and the Judiciary. Ghana would be the ultimate loser if presidential power is deployed to micromanage any of these independent constitutional bodies, contrary to the express terms of the Constitution.



We also believe that this matter ought to be resolved by the Council of State in a manner that upholds restraint of power and errs on the side of the development of the constitutional check and balances inherent in the creation and protection of the independent constitutional bodies. Leave Is a Constitutional Right



First, leave is a constitutional right, and not a statutory obligation. With respect to the Auditor-General, article 187(12) of the Constitution specifically mentions, recognises and protects his rights in respect of leave of absence. These words are repeated verbatim in section 10(7) of the Audit Service Act.



The leave entitlement of the Auditor-General is part of the terms and conditions of his office, expected to be provided under article 71 of the Constitution. Under that article, the facilities and privileges of the Auditor-General (which definitely includes his rights in respect of leave of absence) is first recommended by the relevant Article 71 Committee and then determined by the President, acting in accordance with the Council of States advice.



From our checks, the relevant and applicable Article 71 Committee Report is the Edu-Boandoh Report of August 2016, which was to apply for 2013 to 2017 but has continued in operation because there is no other, current Report. Our review of that document shows that it contains no provision on the Auditor-Generals leave entitlement.



To compound matters, the whopping 40-day leave provided under the Conditions Of Service For Management Staff of the Audit Service dated 30 July 2008 (extended by the reported practice that adds 4 days of travel time to annual leave periods for some public officers) does not apply to the Auditor-General. That document, prepared by the Board of the Audit Service under article 189(3) of the Constitution states expressly as follows: These Conditions of Serviceshall apply to the Management Staff of the Audit Service (Deputy Auditors-General, Assistant Auditors-General and Directors) other than the Auditor-General.



In this situation, all that an Auditor-General is assured of, is the minimum 15 days entitlement provided for under section 20 of the Labour Act.



Further, and with respect to leave being a right and not an obligation, article 24(2) of the Constitution assures all workers of rest, leisure and reasonable limitation of working hours and periods of holidays with pay, as well as remuneration for public holidays. These are assurances, not obligations. Thus, if a worker may voluntarily opt to work beyond the normal limitation of working hours, then that worker does nothing wrong in deciding to take less or even no periods of holidays with pay, however personally unhealthy that might be.



That is why section 31 of the Labour Act cannot be interpreted or applied to convert the constitutional right into its exact opposite, a statutory obligation. Such an interpretation or application is not only unconstitutional but does violence to the internal harmony of the Labour Act itself, section 20 of which aligns with the position of the superior provisions of the Constitution, that leave is a right.



While we may debate the propriety or otherwise of not taking ones leave entitlement, and also debate the meaning of the outlawing of an agreement to relinquish or forgo leave under section 31 of the Labour Act, whichever meaning is applied cannot turn or flip the constitutional right on its head into a statutory obligation.



Thus, we respectfully think that the singling out of the Auditor-General and applying leave to him as an obligation is a grave error and a regrettable unconstitutional act.



Our worries got even exacerbated when the presidency purported to direct the Auditor-General to also proceed on his 2020, largely unearned leave when 2020 is only about halfway through. While that directive is also unconstitutional by itself, in our view, it also breaches section 20 of the same Labour Act that the presidency relies upon, which speaks of the right to leave being in any calendar year of continuous service.



2020 is not over and every worker, subject to arrangements with the employer, technically has until the last 15 days of the year (the minimum statutory period of leave) to exercise that right. The presidencys direction to the Auditor-General to take his 2020 leave literally in the middle of the year, could become a bad precedent that can only harm our constitutional development.



We are further alarmed at the purported reliance on some previous direction to another Auditor-General to proceed on accumulated leave. We are convinced that that alleged administrative precedent was illegal and unconstitutional, and that the quiet compliance with, and failure, refusal or neglect of the affected person then to challenge it (reminiscent of the period where successive Auditors-General were too scared to even exercise their constitutional disallowance and surcharge powers), does not convert that illegality and unconstitutionality into a much-desired precedent, worthy of being followed.



We are certainly not convinced by the purported reliance on the decision of the Court of Appeal in Adrah v ECG. That decision was simply that an employer could not provide for commuting leave into cash in its Staff Manual and then assert in court that that was illegal. Dzamefe JA characteristically did not mince his words. He said ECG cannot play hot and cold at the same time It is contradictory. The companys negligence and mistakes cannot be visited on the innocent employee.



In his detailed concurring opinion, Ofoe JA spent considerable time to analyse and interpret section 31 of the Labour Act and held that what that section did was to deny the worker the right to sell his leave and prevent the employer from buying that leave. However, based on the specific facts of the matter, he held that in equity, it would be unconscionable, grossly unfair, manifestly unjust and fraudulent to allow ECG to rely on this section of the Act. He would not allow ECG to use the law as an engine of fraud and therefore held that it is not every agreement to forgo leave that is void and for which accumulated leave yields no benefits for the worker.



Thus, throughout this unanimous decision, the Court was careful to uphold the fact that leave is an entitlement to the worker. For section 31 to apply, it held, there must be an agreement to sell the leave. That is what was outlawed. This case did not provide any general support to compelling any worker to go on so-called accumulated leave.



What the case rather establishes is that section 31, on which the entire presidential direction appears to be based, outlaws agreements to sell or purchase leave. Thus, where the worker fails or neglects to take or commence leave in the calendar year the worker loses the leave days and cannot be paid for it, unless the court finds grounds to the contrary.



We must also comment on the eye-popping leave entitlement of some public officials. 44 working days of leave, in addition to the 13 days of public holidays, means that for three months in each year, these public official enjoy leisure and rest, while being paid by the tax payer. It is time to begin a national debate on whether it is right at out stage of development when hard work is what is required, for public officials to work for just three-quarters of a year, and to enjoy paid rest for one-quarter of the year.



The reality, we know, is that several public officials never took the full leave entitlement. The simply sold it back to us and we paid for it. This is what section 31 seeks to prevent, according to the Court of Appeal in Adrah v ECG.



Thus, neither the purported administrative precedent nor purported judicial precedent is applicable or of any relevance to this matter.



We should also look beyond the immediate and be concerned about why at least two Auditors-General have been reluctant to take their full leave entitlements, and the role that the Board of the Audit Service plays in all of these matters. Independence of the Auditor-General



The Constitution vests in the Ghanaian presidency, some of the most immense powers in any democracy on earth. The President is the repository and embodiment of executive power and authority, and gets to appoint almost every actor in the public service.



But having vested such immense powers in the President, the Constitution puts in place certain checks and balances that, hopefully, would restrain the exercise of those powers and not leave Ghana with the oxymoron or contradiction of a democratic, constitutional dictatorship to replace the dictatorship that we quietly rejected and overthrew when we voted to enact this Constitution at a national referendum held throughout Ghana on the 28 April 1992.



One way in which the Constitution checks presidential power is the creation of independent constitutional bodies or offices. Although the President appoints persons to those bodies or offices, the President has and exercises absolutely no power over them after they are appointed. As hard as that may be to accept, the President has no political, executive, administrative, financial or even disciplinary power over those offices.



Those bodies or offices are the Electoral Commission, CHRAJ, NCCE, National Media Commission, Public Services Commission, Lands Commission, and of course the Auditor-General. By the use of the radical and mandatory words shall not be subject to the direction or control of any person or authority, the Constitution insulates these from being subjected to any other entity, including the Executive and Parliament. The only other body with similar insulation is the Judiciary.



Yet the Constitution did not seek to constitute those offices into demi-gods. It therefore subjects them and their operations to the Constitution and the law, by providing specific, limited instances for calling them to order, such as articles 23, 33, 295(8) and 296 of the Constitution.



That is why in the 25 June 2020 ruling of the Supreme Court in NDC v AG & EC (Consolidated), the Court felt constrained to refer to and reiterate its 2016 decision in Abu Ramadan & Gary Nimako v EC (No 2), that an independent body such as the EC in the exercise of its functions, cannot be compelled to act in a particular manner unless there is clear evidence that they have acted unconstitutionally, and that it was necessary to keep the Court itself within its proper limits in order to give effect to the supremacy of the law. We commend this exemplary exercise of restraint of power, to the Executive and Legislature in their dealings with these bodies.



This constitutional architecture that restrains even the highest court of the land from giving directions to or exercising control over these bodies, in the absence of any evidence of unconstitutionality, is deliberate. These bodies are expected to counter-balance and check the power of, and stand up to, all other persons or authorities, if need be. Thus our Constitution does recognises not just the traditional three branches of power, but carves out and ring fences another branch, composed by the independent constitutional bodies, essential watchdog bodies, and insulates them from any control. By this, the Constitution anticipates and expects healthy tension between these bodies and other persons and authorities, and therefore protects the former from the whims and caprices of the latter, in the expectation that out of that equilibrium of tension, (to borrow from Nixon v Sirica) Ghanaians would be protected from oppression.



Separation of powers is not to promote efficiency but to preclude the exercise of arbitrary power. The purpose was not to avoid friction, but by means of the inevitable friction incident to the distribution of the governmental powers to save the people from autocracy (Myers v United States.)



This is the state of the unique separation within even executive power, meant to hold the otherwise super-powerful executive presidency in check. Thus, although the occupants of the independent office are public officers appointed by the President, the latter shall not direct and control them in any manner whatsoever.



Therefore, the argument from the presidency, that article 297(a) subjects these bodies to the Presidents disciplinary control simply on account of his having appointed them is implausible, is untenable and drives a fleet of Ayalolo buses through the carefully constructed constitutional architecture meant to prevent just that.



The fact that a past President breached that constitutional architecture and got away with it, sets a bad precedent. Bad precedents are not followed. Bad precedents are not justified. If this is not checked and rolled back immediately, we will be setting further bad precedents that will eventually erode the precious little constitutional checks on executive power that exist. Concluding Comments



OccupyGhana has from its formation been interested in the work of the Auditor-General and a great deal of our time, resources, advocacy and efforts have been directed toward making that office work to protect the national purse. When the occupant of that office and the powers-that-be at the time would not listen to us, we went to the Supreme Court. The victory that we won and the seminal decision in OccupyGhana v AG, marked a turning point in the work of that office in the history of this nation. Not only that, we drafted and submitted the bill, which together with changes made by the Rules of Court Committee, was enacted as High Court (Civil Procedure) (Amendment) (No 2) Rules, 2016 (CI 102), to regulate appeals from the Auditor-Generals disallowances and surcharges.



However, we can never discount the yeomans role that this Auditor-General has personally played in seizing the opportunity offered by judgment by the scruff of the neck and running with it.



In the State of the Nation Address delivered on 8 February 2018, the President endorsed the work of OccupyGhana with the Auditor-General as follows: The role of OccupyGhana in increasing awareness of the importance of the work of the Auditor-General should be recognised.



The President made this statement after recounting the huge savings Ghana had made from a blatant attempt by some public officers to swindle the nation, but for the work of the Auditor-General. The President said: a staggering amount of GH5.4 billion has been identified as constituting fictitious claims.



It remains a source of surprise to us that no person involved in making those fictitious claims, which Auditor-Generals work exposed, has faced prosecution or even compelled to take a leave.



In a speech delivered by the Vice President at a town hall meeting held on 3 April 2019, he referred to this saving and said of the work of the Auditor-General: In addition to this, 112 Certificates have been issued and a total amount of GH511,211,239.04 was levied against individuals, companies and institutions who committed financial infractions against the State. Also, GH67million had been recovered from disallowances and surcharges. This is protecting the public purse.



We bring these up because we do not think that Auditor-General should be subjected to this treatment on account of him losing his leave. Although he has not taken the full complement of his leave, his office has been audited each year by the independent auditing firm appointed by Parliament for that purpose under article 187(15) of the Constitution.



The combination of the decision in OccupyGhana v AG and the Auditor-Generals sterling work has raised the stature and profile of Ghana in the world of auditors to the extent that some African countries, namely South Africa, Liberia and Sierra Leone (and Zambia, earlier in time), have adopted Ghanas disallowance and surcharge provisions, so that their Auditors-General can do what has been done in Ghana.



When the history of the office of the Auditor-General is written, the appointment (and even the timing and circumstances of it), the work of the current Auditor-General and the phenomenal financial and other support that this government gave to his office, should be what are highlighted. That story should not end with a final paragraph that says in the twilight of his public service, the Auditor-General was subjected to an unconstitutional removal from office dressed up as an enforced accumulated leave.



The constitutional history of the Fourth Republic is replete with stories of the little people who, with their lawyers, stood up to and stared down at authority, and helped shape our constitutional rule. Key examples are found in the ex parte Ampong and ex parte Adim Odoom cases where ordinary civil servants and their lawyers refused to be cowed by the might of the presidency. They stood up to the then President, and with the support of the courts, established that the President had no disciplinary powers over civil servants and could not place them on interdiction. The principle that supported their efforts then, should be alive, respected and upheld today.



We call on the President to revoke the directive and allow the administrative system in the Auditor-Generals office to appropriately evolve, like every other institution, and perfect some of the very basic matters such as leave in order to safeguard the constitutional principles which justified guaranteeing the independence of office. We should do all in our power as a nation not to sour and soil one of the few highlights in the generally and historically stuttering fight against corruption in Ghana.



Considering the seriousness of this matter, we also call on the Council of State to intervene, in the exercise of its advisory mandate under article 91(3) of the Constitution to upon request or on its own initiative, consider and make recommendations on any matter being considered or dealt with by the President.



We identify with and endorse the unified position of fellow Civil Society Organisations to demand a reversal of this directive.



We also commend to all the wisdom and foresight in the enduring and near-prophetic words of Dotse JSC in his powerful and insightful dissent in Appiah-Ofori v AG: It should be noted that in view of the very important watchdog role that the Auditor-General plays or is supposed to superintend in the transparent use and accountability of the public purse, any attempt to prejudice and/or compromise his position by linking it to the pleasure of a sitting President, is untenable. This is because the President is the head of the Executive Branch of Government whose use of monies entrusted to them, the Auditor-General is mandated to audit Once appointed to that office, the Auditor-General must have his continued stay in office subject only to this Constitution, and no more.



The presidency does not deserve this. The Auditor-General does not deserve this. More importantly, Ghana does not deserve this. Yours in the service of God and Country

Source: OccupyGhana









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Featured Video
By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

Police checkpoints set for monitoring residents compliance with quarantine rules have resumed their work in Baku, local media reported on July 10.

Control over the movement of cars on some roads of the capital has been strengthened since morning.

Traffic police officers are checking permits of drivers and passengers at the quarantine posts to ensure that those not allowed leave their place of residence, do not pass through the post.

Moreover, the control in city parkings, supermarkets and streets has also been reinforced.

Furthermore, head of the Public Relations Department of the State Road Police, Colonel Kamran Aliyev said that quarantine posts will be restored if necessary on Saturdays and Sundays in areas where strict quarantine has been introduced.

It should be noted that special police posts established in the streets and avenues of Baku in connection with special quarantine regime will be removed as of July 2. The Interior Ministry said that the reason for this was to ensure traffic intensity on inner-city roads, to attract more personnel to control the strict quarantine regime.

Azerbaijan first introduced quarantine regime on March 24, and on June 18 decision was taken to extend special quarantine regime until August 1.

On July 2, Cabinet of Ministers announced decision to prolong a strict quarantine regime till July 20.

The new lockdown imposed on July 5-20 in capital Baku, as well as in Jalilabad, Ganja, Lankaran, Masalli, Sumgayit, Yevlakh cities and Absheron district, and Goranboy, Goygol, Mingachevir, Barda, Khachmaz, Samukh, Siyazan and Sheki regions.

Under the lockdown rule, citizens are allowed to leave their place of residence only after obtaining SMS permissions.

Baku metro will be suspended from July 4 midnight till July 20, and the entire public transport will not operate on weekends in cities and districts in which the special quarantine regime has been toughened

Moreover, operation of shopping centers, restaurants, cafes, beauty salons, as well as museums, exhibition halls, sport and beaches was also suspended until July 20. Azerbaijan mandated wearing face masks on May 31.
Announcement of Periodic Review: Moody's announces completion of a periodic review of ratings of Belarus, Government of

Global Credit Research - 10 Jul 2020

London, 10 July 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") reviews all of its ratings periodically in accordance with regulations -- either annually or, in the case of governments and certain EU-based supranational organisations, semi-annually. This periodic review is unrelated to the requirement to specify calendar dates on which EU and certain other sovereign and sub-sovereign rating actions may take place.

Moody's conducts these periodic reviews through portfolio reviews in which Moody's reassesses the appropriateness of each outstanding rating in the context of the relevant principal methodology(ies), recent developments, and a comparison of the financial and operating profile to similarly rated peers. Since 1st January 2019, Moody's issues a press release following each periodic review announcing its completion.

Moody's has now completed the periodic review of a group of issuers that includes Belarus and may include related ratings. The review did not involve a rating committee, and this publication does not announce a credit rating action and is not an indication of whether or not a credit rating action is likely in the near future; credit ratings and/or outlook status cannot be changed in a portfolio review and hence are not impacted by this announcement. For any credit ratings referenced in this publication, please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for the most updated credit rating action information and rating history.

The credit profile of Belarus (issuer rating B3) reflects its "b1" economic strength, which is supported by relatively high income levels compared to peers, although the country faces adverse demographics and a high level of government involvement weighs on the economy's dynamism. Belarus' institutions and governance strength is also assessed at "b1" which reflects strengthening policy effectiveness, albeit from low levels, given improvements to the monetary policy framework, although the country's weak survey scores for the rule of law and voice and accountability weigh on the assessment. The country's "baa3" fiscal strength reflects its moderate government debt burden although public debt is significantly exposed to exchange rate shocks, as well as the risks posed by sizeable contingent liabilities given high levels of state ownership. Finally, Belarus' susceptibility to event risk is "b" driven by external vulnerability risk as the central bank's liquid foreign exchange reserves, despite strengthening in recent years, remain very low relative to external debt-service requirements.

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This document summarizes Moody's view as of the publication date and will not be updated until the next periodic review announcement, which will incorporate material changes in credit circumstances (if any) during the intervening period.

The principal methodology used for this review was Sovereign Ratings Methodology published in November 2019. Please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.

This announcement applies only to EU rated and EU endorsed ratings. Non EU rated and non EU endorsed ratings may be referenced above to the extent necessary, if they are part of the same analytical unit.

This publication does not announce a credit rating action. For any credit ratings referenced in this publication, please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for the most updated credit rating action information and rating history.

Evan Wohlmann VP - Senior Credit Officer Sovereign Risk Group Moody's Investors Service Ltd. One Canada Square Canary Wharf London E14 5FA United Kingdom JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454 Yves Lemay MD - Sovereign Risk Sovereign Risk Group JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454 Releasing Office: Moody's Investors Service Ltd. One Canada Square Canary Wharf London E14 5FA United Kingdom JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454

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Dublin, July 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Smart Water Management Market - Growth, Trends, Forecasts (2020 - 2025)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global smart water management market was valued at USD 7.14 billion in 2019, and it is expected to reach USD 13.81 billion by 2025, registering a CAGR of 12.31% during the forecast period.



More than two-third of the world's population will be living in water-scarce areas by 2025, according to Xylem. By 2050, the demand for water is expected to increase by 55%, compared to the 2015 level, due to contamination, which leads to the destruction of water resources by humans.



The worldwide demand for water from the growing population, increasing urbanization, and the cost implications of maintaining aging infrastructure are among the major factors driving the growth of the smart water management market.



Similarly, with the proliferation of IoT, smart cities across various regions are also expected to promote the growth of the market studied. Technological advancements in smart meters and their integration with communication solutions (SCADA, GIS, etc.) have transformed water management in addressing the challenges faced by water utilities, residents, and industries, in terms of erroneous billing and water management.



Owing to the global demand, the need to address the operational issues of water management becomes crucial. Consequently, the adoption of smart water management technologies is expected to gain traction. The smart water management ecosystem consists of sensors, smart meters, communication infrastructure, and supporting software to enable two-way communication, thus, allowing users to gather actionable information and make informed decisions about optimized water distribution and usage.

Whereas, the market comprises technology giants, like IBM, Schneider Electric, Hitachi Ltd, Utility Systems, and SUEZ Group, who provide smart water management solutions with advanced cloud-based monitoring technologies, smart meter manufacturers (Honeywell, Sensus, etc.), and software providers, like Esri and i20Water Solutions.

Story continues

Key Market Trends



Residential Vertical to Record Huge Penetration

Residential usage of water accounts for a large portion of water consumption, globally, as water is considered to be one of the luxuries that need to be conserved efficiently. Therefore, technology also plays a vital role in making people liable for misuse of water.

Consumers are upgrading their residences by adopting smart water management software and hardware. This adoption rate is rapidly proliferating, as software and hardware are becoming cheaper and affordable.

For instance, WEGoT, a utility solution provider, provides sensor-based Internet of Things (IoT) devices and a software platform, VenAqua, which helps in reducing the demand for water by more than 50%, especially in residential buildings, by tracking real-time flow. The granular data collected from various installations across residential buildings is analyzed, and the insights are shared with the end-users on a mobile app.

Digitization, along with the adoption of connected technologies, is impacting all applications of smart water management solutions, by revolutionizing the way smart water management systems interact with the surroundings in the residential sector.

Asia-Pacific to Record the Fastest Growth Rate

The Asia-Pacific region is home to more than 2.1 billion urban residents, with over two-third estimated to be living in cities by 2050. The region comprises countries with substantial non-revenue water (NRW) losses, like India (with almost 60% of revenue losses from the total water distributed) and Singapore, among others. Such figures signify the need for water management and indicate the potential for market growth in the region.

The rising number of smart cities in the region is expected to create substantial business opportunities for the smart water management solution providers. Accounting for about half a million dollars, India is planning to build over 100 smart cities by 2022, which is expected to impact the total population of almost 1 billion. Also, Singapore spent over USD 1 billion in smart city initiatives in FY 2019. Such smart city initiatives in the region are expected to provide a huge scope for the adoption of advanced metering infrastructure.

Significant initiatives, to develop smart water systems, are evident in the Asian countries, like Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand, among others, indicating the scope for the growth of the market. Japan, which has relatively lower NRW (US-24%), invests in water management infrastructure. Japan, with the aid of its Japan Water Research Center (JWRC), plans to achieve a 100% smart water meter rollout by 2025.

Countries, such as India, are witnessing increased investments in the start-ups that are operating in the market. In October 2019, WEGoT, an IoT-based start-up, announced that it received an investment of USD 2 million in seed funding. The company offers integrated water management solutions in real-time to prevent and address the water crisis.

Competitive Landscape



The smart water management market is fragmented due to the presence of a large number of companies. Some of the major companies include IBM, GE, Siemens, among others. Some key recent developments in the market include:

September 2019 - IBM applied big data technology to improve water security in northern Kenya. IBM Research-Africa developed a cloud-hosted water management platform that connects a network of sensors for monitoring water levels and groundwater extraction rates in boreholes.

September 2019 - Siemens and Grundfos signed a digital partnership framework for the strategic cooperation between the two companies. The new partnership focuses on the complementary products and solutions provided by both parties in three main areas: water and wastewater applications, industrial automation, and building technology.

Key Topics Covered



1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Study Assumptions and Market Definitions

1.2 Scope of the Study



2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY



3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY



4 MARKET DYNAMICS

4.1 Market Overview

4.2 Market Drivers

4.2.1 Growing Need to Manage the Increasing Global Demand for Water

4.2.2 Increasing Demand to Reduce Non-revenue Water Losses

4.3 Market Challenges

4.3.1 Lack of Capital Investments to Install Infrastructure

4.4 Porter's Five Forces Analysis

4.4.1 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

4.4.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers/Consumers

4.4.3 Threat of New Entrants

4.4.4 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry

4.4.5 Threat of Substitute Products

4.5 Value Chain/Supply Chain Analysis

4.6 Assessment of Impact of COVID-19 on the Industry



5 MARKET SEGMENTATION

5.1 Type

5.1.1 Solution

5.1.1.1 Asset Management

5.1.1.2 Distribution Network Monitoring

5.1.1.3 Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)

5.1.1.4 Meter Data Management (MDM)

5.1.1.5 Analytics

5.1.1.6 Other Solutions

5.1.2 Service

5.1.2.1 Managed Services

5.1.2.2 Professional Services

5.2 End-user Vertical

5.2.1 Residential

5.2.2 Commercial

5.2.3 Industrial

5.3 Geography

5.3.1 North America

5.3.2 Europe

5.3.3 Asia-Pacific

5.3.4 Latin America

5.3.5 Middle-East and Africa



6 COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

6.1 Company Profiles

6.1.1 ABB Ltd.

6.1.2 IBM Corporation

6.1.3 Suez Group

6.1.4 Honeywell International Inc.

6.1.5 Schneider Electric (+ Aveva)

6.1.6 Siemens AG

6.1.7 Utility Systems (Micro Mega Holdings Limited)

6.1.8 Hitachi Ltd.

6.1.9 Arad Group

6.1.10 TaKaDu Limited

6.1.11 Sensus Inc. (Xylem Inc.)

6.1.12 Itron Inc.

6.1.13 i2O Water Ltd.

6.1.14 Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.

6.1.15 Esri Geographic Information System Company

6.2 Investment Analysis



7 MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE TRENDS



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/bayhql

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| By Jena Frick

For the past couple of months, researchers and health professionals around the world have been dealing with the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. One by one, countries around the globe have had to cope with unprecedented challenges including soaring case numbers, overrun hospitals, and a lack of testing kits and personal protective equipment.

In the face of this pandemic, coordinated global support is essential and low-resource countries on the African continent are particularly vulnerable. The University of Maryland School of Medicines (UMSOM) Center for International Health, Education, and Biosecurity (Ciheb) in Africa has been playing a key role in utilizing resources to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, while also staying consistent with HIV surveillance and treatment programming during this challenging time.

The July 9 edition of Virtual Face to Face with Dr. Bruce Jarrell featured two leaders of Ciheb who discussed how they are carrying out the fight against infectious disease in Africa, and what lessons they have learned from past disease outbreaks that may help guide efforts in the United States.

Alashle Abimiku, PhD, Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, and Ndwapi Ndwapi, MD.

Joining University of Maryland, Baltimore Interim President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, live from Nigeria and Botswana were Alashle Abimiku, PhD, professor of medicine, Institute of Human Virology (IHV), UMSOM; executive director, International Research Centre of Excellence at IHV-Nigeria; and senior technical advisor, laboratory services, Ciheb; and Ndwapi Ndwapi, MD, country director, Ciheb-Botswana.

Abimiku and Ndwapi started the event by discussing how COVID-19 is affecting their respective countries. Abimiku explained that Nigerias first few cases were discovered in mid-February including several cases in Lagos, a very populous city with over 20 million people. The Nigerian Centers for Disease Control (CDC) was quick to react with quarantine orders and contact tracing strategies.

I think the virus would have spread much more rapidly if it hadnt been for the response in Lagos, said Abimiku. Lagos had a prior history of containing the Ebola outbreak, so the countrys epidemiology and emergency response team was really strong and intervened very fast by closing down borders and putting shutdowns in place across several states.

Abimiku also explained that UMBs IHV was immediately pulled into the containment efforts and was essential in setting up testing sites and a surveillance programs.

We were in the mix very early, she said. Fortunately, the platform for testing for COVID-19 was very similar to what we had already set up in the country for testing for HIV, so all of our trained Nigerian colleagues turned our molecular labs into COVID testing labs.

In Botswana, Ndwapi said that his country had about 277 confirmed cases and the majority of them were truck drivers who were diagnosed coming across the border from South Africa. He credits those low numbers to preparedness efforts from Botswana leadership, which started months ago when cases were starting to emerge in China.

Right from the beginning there was a presidential call with 19 task force members and that became the command center for the entire response to the pandemic, said Ndwapi.

The task force worked to create national standard operating procedures for health, business, transport, etc. in response to COVID-19. The task force also reviewed the countrys legislative framework for public health and created short- and long-term projections for strategic needs such as food, fuel, medicine, and personal protective equipment.

This preparedness effort was the foundation of our response and it was simultaneously implemented with the World Trade Organization prevention approaches, he said. We also used social media as a vehicle for prevention early on.

Their discussion about the global fight against infectious diseases drew audience members from around the world, including colleagues from Kenya and Zambia who tuned in to join the conversation.

Watch the entire program by accessing the link above.
Workers in protective suits prepare a coffin containing the body of someone who presumably died of COVID-19 for burial at a cemetery in Jakarta, Indonesia. (AP)

Jakarta: The mob of over 150 people who forcefully took Muhammad Yunus cadaver from a hospital in eastern Indonesia thought it was impossible that the 49-year-old Islamic preacher could have died from the coronavirus. He had always washed his hands, worn a mask and followed health protocols issued by the government, according to local residents.

So when he died the day after going to the hospital on Sulawesi island with chest pains and having trouble breathing, his followers were determined to retrieve his body for what they considered a proper Muslim burial. Over 100 people broke into the hospital, threatened nurses and eventually carried Yunus corpse away less than 30 minutes after his death.

What we have done is noble in Gods eyes, but despicable in the eyes of the law, said a community member identified by the police only as Ramli.

As Indonesias virus death toll rises, the worlds most populous Muslim country finds itself at odds with protocols put in place by the government to handle the bodies of victims of the pandemic. This has led to increasing incidents of bodies being taken from hospitals, rejection of COVID-19 health and safety procedures, and what some experts say is a lack of communication from the government.

With over 87% of the country identifying as Muslim, Islamic rituals are commonplace in Indonesia when someone dies. Religion dictates that those practising must usually bury their dead within 24 hours, the bodies interred without a casket so bodies can lie on their right side facing the holy city of Mecca.

Before the burial, the body is washed by family with soap and scented water, then wrapped in a seamless cloth that is tied at the head and feet. Cremation and embalming are forbidden. A wake is usually not held because prayers for the forgiveness of the dead are said at the gravesite.

But with corpses of coronavirus victims thought to possibly be contagious, government protocols for handling bodies have meant that rituals typically performed by families have fallen on the shoulders of those handling the countrys dead.

Corpse handling officer Sahrul Ridha said his job has changed since the outbreak. Hours are longer, more people are required on shift to handle the bodies, and hes begun administering religious procedures to the dead because families are unable to.

Even though it is an emergency situation, we should wash the bodies, do the ablution and shroud the infectious bodies properly, said Ridha.

Indonesia has confirmed more than 68,000 cases of the coronavirus, including over 3,350 deaths, the most infections and fatalities in Southeast Asia.

At a graveyard in Jakarta, Indonesias capital, gravediggers such as Imang Maulana work from early morning into the night as ambulances carrying the bodies of COVID-19 victims arrive throughout the day.

While graves are dug, families must keep their distance, preventing them from performing burial rituals.

Maulana said that if families ask him to perform final prayers, he usually does, as long as he has time to clean himself and prepare for the next burial.

I think it is one of the ways to deliver my sympathy to the family, he said. I feel very sad when I see the family cannot come closer while we bury the bodies. I wonder that if it happens to me or my relatives, we will only be able to pray from a distance.

Daisy Indira Yasmine, a sociologist at the University of Indonesia, said that while rituals regarding death have traditionally been a private matter in Indonesia, the pandemic has caused the government to intervene with health and safety procedures.

Some people see the protocols are violating their culture, she said. Theyre disappointed, as they cannot accept the protocols. They think the government is violating their rights.

Another issue, she said, is that there is a communication divide between the government and society. The government is urging people to follow health protocols for coronavirus patients, but without the participation of local authorities, messaging if often disregarded.

The time between coronavirus testing and results is also a problem in Indonesia, which has one of the lowest testing rates in the world. Residents in rural areas said that results can take up to a week to come back.

The lack of trust and clear information has become systematic in Indonesias fight against the virus. While neighbouring countries shut their borders and began lockdowns early in the year, Indonesian officials attributed prayer to the countrys then-low number of virus cases.

This information gap can have serious health consequences. In the city of Makassar on Sulawesi island, five of 13 men who were accused of stealing corpses of COVID-19 victims were put in a quarantine facility after they tested positive for the coronavirus. Officials believe the men may have contracted the virus from handling Yunus corpse.

Bodies of coronavirus victims have also been stolen in other places across Indonesia. Local government officials in East Java province called an outbreak related to the theft of a body a corpse cluster. In response, Indonesias National COVID-19 Task Force chief, Doni Monardo, announced that engagement with the community and religious leaders would begin to help support national health protocols used for curbing the viruss spread.

We will continue with the prevention campaign, Monardo said. We cannot work alone  we need community support and discipline.
ODU SPC 16

ODU, a worldwide leader in designing and manufacturing high-performance connector solutions and cable assemblies, is introducing to the market ODU SPC 16, the robust single power connector solution.

The ODU SPC 16 is a robust single power high voltage and high current connector. This connector benefits of the ODU LAMTAC technology, a high performance contact system with maximum current carrying capacity.

ODU SPC 16 has a robust housing made of engineered plastics and a bayonet locking system that ensures a quick and easy mating. The single power connector is IP65 in mated condition, can stand currents up to 615A/1,000 V, and has up to 5,000 mating cycles, making it a highly reliable and stable connector solution. Additional product features include: touch proof IP2X, operating temperature range of -40 C up to +60 C, crimp termination type for the plug and a screw termination for the receptacle, cable cross section of 150 / 185 / 240 mm and 6 color coding options.

ODU's new high power connector solution, ODU SPC 16, is ideal for various applications, such as but not limited to stationary power distribution, emergency generators, and mobile power supply trucks. For more info go to: https://www.odu-usa.com/connector-solutions/electrical-contacts/odu-spc-16/

ODU Group: Global Representation with Perfect Connections

The ODU Group is one of the worlds leading suppliers of connector systems, employing 2,300 people around the world. In addition to its company headquarters in Muhldorf am Inn (Germany), ODU also has an international distribution network and production sites in Sibiu/Romania, Shanghai/China and Tijuana/Mexico. ODU combines all relevant areas of expertise and key technologies including design and development, machine tooling and special machine construction, injection, stamping, turning, surface technology, assembly and cable assembly. The ODU Group sells its products globally through its sales offices in China, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Korea, Romania, Sweden and the US, as well as through numerous international sales partners. ODU connectors ensure a reliable transmission of power, signals, data and media for a variety of demanding applications including medical technology, military and security, automotive, industrial electronics, and test & measurement.
New Delhi:

Farhat, the PA of Samajwadi Partys Rajya Sabha MP Munwwar Saleem, was on Saturday sent to police custody for ten days by a Delhi court in the Pak espionage case. The investigating officer said the accused, who was allegedly working for an ISI spy ring, was produced before Duty Magistrate Arun Kumar Garg and remanded for custodial interrogation till November 8.

He said Farhat has to be confronted with other arrested men to unearth the larger conspiracy and nab others.



Delhi Police claimed that Farhat was involved in the espionage ring in which Pakistan High Commission staffer Mehmood Akhtar, described as the kingpin working for Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence, was detained by police for alleged possession of sensitive defence documents.



It said that Farhat was detained last night and was arrested this afternoon after prolonged questioning. The officer said that preliminary questioning has led to certain revelations that need to be further investigated as other names have cropped up.



The agency has already arrested three personsShoaib Hasan, Maulana Ramzan and Subhash Jangirearlier in the case who are in police custody till November 8.



During the proceedings on Saturday, police alleged that more persons are likely to be apprehended and more documents and other evidence to be recovered with the help of the accused.



The agency also said that all the accused persons arrested so far would be confronted with each other and taken to various places in the course of the investigation.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Face masks and socially distanced visitation stations



In the first week of June, Massachusetts became the first state to allow nursing homes to offer regulated outdoor visiting hours. Charlwell House Health and Rehabilitation Center in Norwood was among the first facilities in the state to draw up visitation guidelines.

Administrator Chris Roberts set up outdoor stations 8 feet apart on the building's large front porch. Residents loved ones schedule visits in 15-minute blocks, and the facility provides a hydration cart to help everyone stay cool. Visitors must wear masks, with only two visitors per resident at a time.

"If they're letting us do it, why are we not moving mountains to make this happen? Roberts asks. His 124-bed facility does not have an active outbreak, but 22 people there have died from the coronavirus since the pandemic began, according to state data.

Guidelines requiring masks and restricting visitor numbers have been adopted throughout Massachusetts and the rest of the states that have opened to outdoor visits: Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Vermont, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Some other states, including Ohio and Pennsylvania, have developed plans for outdoor visits but are not yet authorizing them, Ginny Jeffries birthday visit at Parkhouse notwithstanding.

"The biggest thing is wearing masks, says Deb Veit, executive director of the 25-acre Oak Meadows Senior Living community in Oakdale, Minnesota. There were some families who initially were not too sure why they needed to have a mask on outside. But that's just the way it is. Health experts say that the virus does not spread as easily outdoors but that masks can still prevent people from infecting others.

Oak Meadows introduced outdoor visits for residents and their loved ones June 18. Veit says demand is high, with 15 calls a day about scheduling one. For residents like 96-year-old Doris Maloney, they've been an improvement over phone calls, videoconferences and window visits.

"I hadn't seen my son for seven weeks, Maloney says. He started coming to the window visits, so I would see him then. But it's just been wonderful to be able to sit and talk with him."

Maloney's son, Bob, now stops in twice a week to see her. She also gets visits from friends who live nearby, returning to some sense of normalcy after being cooped up for months. I just look forward to these visits with people so much. My daughter lives in Florida, and she's coming up July 4, Maloney says. Just to see them and know that they're still here."

In states that haven't approved outdoor visitation, some facilities are getting creative in facilitating face-to-face interaction. The St. James Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center on Long Island, New York, borrowed a cherry picker from a tree service and invited visitors to go up in the basket, opening window visits to residents who don't live on the first floor.

A big element of frustration

The new outdoor visits don't always work  they're weather-dependent, and mostly limited to residents able to walk outside or be pushed out in a wheelchair. Nursing home residents who are confined to a bed still rely on phone calls and virtual visits.

And for many, the visits carry an element of frustration, because they're unable to embrace a loved one they haven't seen in months.

"One of us will sit out there during the visit to remind people if they start to take their mask down or try to come around to hug their loved one, says Justin Teal, nursing home administrator at the North Shore Estates long-term care facility in Duluth, Minnesota. It's not like they're trying to break the rules. It's just reflex."

The visits can also be challenging for people with medical conditions that limit their ability to talk at a distance. Bill Lundgren, 87, was thrilled to see his wife for the first time since March during a recent outdoor visit at the North Shore Estates.

But Lundgren is hard of hearing. And his wife, Betty, suffers from dementia. When you put her 6 feet from me, I can't hear hardly anything she says, he says. It was pretty much just sitting with each other. There was a little conversation, but there wasn't much."

Lundgren says he plans to visit Betty at least once per week now that the outdoor visits are an option. But he would have liked a more meaningful reunion. You would've liked to give her a hug or hold her hand or something, which you can't, he says. Hopefully sometime in the next couple months, things will change."

Many nursing homes have been cautious in rolling out visitation options, even if their state government has given a green light. And now that coronavirus cases are surging in much of the country, many states and facilities are unlikely to reopen anytime soon.

Veit, the executive director of Oak Meadows in Minnesota, recently got a call from a woman whose mother lives in a different facility, asking how she could convince management to begin offering outdoor visits, like Oak Meadows has. There are no easy answers, she says, describing a balancing act of keeping residents physically and emotionally healthy.

"I get the fears. We're all afraid of getting it. There's no question, says Veit, whose facility hasn't had a coronavirus case. But we have to understand it's going to be with us. So how do we live with it but still stay sane? Emotional well-being for these folks is just so critical."
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Anyone who suffers from irritable bowel syndrome can testify to its signature trait: It gets worse during times of stress.

However, women with irritable bowel syndrome appear to have more severe abdominal pain than men when they're under stress. An OU College of Medicine researcher is moving closer to understanding why, and the National Institutes of Health recently validated the promise of her work with a $1.3 million grant.

Beverley Greenwood-Van Meerveld, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Physiology, director of the Oklahoma Center for Neuroscience, and a Senior VA Career Scientist, has devoted much of her research career to the connection between emotional stress and gastrointestinal problems. Each discovery has served as a stepping stone to another, more specific research project, such as her current work, which seeks to identify mechanisms in the brain that make women with irritable bowel syndrome more susceptible to abdominal pain than men when under stress.

"Irritable bowel syndrome is a difficult condition because along with abnormal bowel habits, people have abdominal pain, often in conjunction with anxiety and depression," she said. "People feel miserable and there's nothing that can really treat the pain. While it's not a disease that will lead to death, it affects quality of life and leads to lost work days. The financial burden to society is huge, and it's one of the most common disorders that influence women's work productivity.

"The research question we are asking now is, why are females more vulnerable to abdominal pain? Our hypothesis is that there is an epigenetic change in specific brain nuclei in females," she said. "Once we know that, we can potentially direct therapies to treat stress-induced pain. Because we have both male and female research models, we can compare and look for molecular mechanisms of coping vs. vulnerability."

Greenwood-Van Meerveld's previous research has built the foundation for her current project. Thus far, her research has demonstrated that males with irritable bowel syndrome who are exposed to chronic stress as adults experience increased abdominal pain. Females in the same scenario experience even greater pain.

In addition, she studies different types of stress and how they affect both males and females with irritable bowel syndrome. Her previous research has demonstrated that when exposed to early-life stress that was predictable, both males and females coped well when they encountered stress again in adulthood. However, when the early-life stress was unpredictable, females were far more likely to have pain when they experienced stress again as adults, while males remained resilient.

Her current project, which seeks to identify and compare the mechanisms of stress-induced pain between males and females, is a step closer to potentially devising a solution.

"We know that early-life stress is a risk factor for the development of irritable bowel syndrome later in life," Greenwood-Van Meerveld said. "But, because research has traditionally used male research models, we need a better understanding of the connection between the brain and the gastrointestinal tract in women."

###

OU COLLEGE OF MEDICINE

Founded in 1910, the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine trains the next generation of healthcare professionals. With campuses in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, the College of Medicine offers the state's only Doctor of Medicine degree program and a nationally competitive Physician Assistant program. For more information, visit oumedicine.com/collegeofmedicine.

OU MEDICINE

OU Medicine -- along with its academic partner, the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center -- is the state's only comprehensive academic health system of hospitals, clinics and centers of excellence. With 11,000 employees and more than 1,300 physicians and advanced practice providers, OU Medicine is home to Oklahoma's largest physician network with a complete range of specialty care. OU Medicine serves Oklahoma and the region with the state's only freestanding children's hospital, the only National Cancer Institute-Designated Stephenson Cancer Center and Oklahoma's flagship hospital, which serves as the state's only Level 1 trauma center. OU Medicine is the No. 1 ranked hospital system in Oklahoma, and its oncology program at Stephenson Cancer Center and OU Medical Center ranked in the Top 50 in the nation, in the 2019-2020 rankings released by U.S. News & World Report. OU Medicine was also ranked by U.S. News & World Report as high performing in four specialties: Ophthalmology in partnership with Dean McGee Eye Institute, Colon Surgery, COPD and Congestive Heart Failure. OU Medicine's mission is to lead healthcare in patient care, education and research. To learn more, visit oumedicine.com.
New Delhi:

Samajwadi Partys Rajya Sabha MP Munawwar Saleems personal assistant Farhat has been associated with political leaders since 1986, Crime Branch Police sources have said. In 1986, he served as the Personal Secretary of an MP and since then he has been associated with four different MPs, sources said.



The sources further reveal that Farhat used to steal documents related to Parliament and sell it to the Pak ISI. He was paid between Rs 10,000 and Rs 1 lakh for the documents, said sources.



Pakistan High Commission staffer Mehmood Akhtar, expelled by India for spying, had named Farhat as one of his close associates in the crime following which he was arrested.Farhat was picked up from Saleems residence Friday night and detained. He was arrested on Saturday afternoon after prolonged questioning. This is the fourth arrest in the case.

ALSO READ | Pakistan espionage case: SP MP's PA Farhat sent to 10-day police custody



During Mehmoods questioning, Farhat Khans name surfaced as one of his close associates in the espionage racket he was running along with names of some other Pakistan High Commission staffers, said a senior police officer.

TV channels also aired a confessional video of Mehmood Akhtar in which he purportedly named Farhat besides others including Syed Farruq, Khadim Hussain, Shahid Iqbal and Iqbal Cheema, claiming that they were also staffers. In the video, he also said he used to meet Farhat at Mandi House Metro Station.

ALSO READ | Pak espionage racket: Samajwadi Party MP Munawwar Saleem's close aide Farhat arrested by Delhi Police



A crime branch officer said Farhats preliminary questioning has led to certain revelations that need to be further investigated. Names of several other people allegedly involved in the racket have cropped up.

Watch video: Pak espionage racket  I was not aware of Farhat's activities, says Samajwadi Party MP Munawwar Saleem

Delhi Police is also trying to apprehend other members of the espionage ring who, it believes, were in close contact with Pakistan Mehmood Akhtar. The Pakistan High Commission staffer was caught receiving secret documents here on October 26.



Two others, Maulana Ramzan and Subhash Jangir, residents of Nagaur, Rajasthan, were held along with Akhtar. Another accused Shoaib was detained in Jodhpur and brought to Delhi by the police where he was arrested.



(With PTI inputs)

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Grief: Seamus Brophy is supported by family as he walks behind the remains of his sons Fergus and Philip. Photo: Frank McGrath

Two brothers who died in a scuba-diving accident in Co Tipperary have been remembered as men with a passion for life and sport who were loved and valued members of the community.

Fergus Brophy (42) and his younger brother Philip (34) from Co Laois had gone to Portroe Dive Centre near Nenagh last Sunday morning to try out a new underwater scooter.

At around 1.30pm Fergus surfaced and raised the alarm but then lost consciousness and died.

He was taken from the surface and Philip's body was then recovered by divers from a point deep under the water.

The funerals of the two brothers, who were from the townland of Lough, near Portarlington, Co Laois, took place at St John's Church in the village of Killenard, just outside Portarlington.

The men are survived by their parents Dinah and Seamus, their brothers James and Patrick, and sister Emma. Fergus is survived by his wife Michelle.

A framed photograph of Fergus and Philip standing side by side, taken at Fergus's wedding, was placed on the altar, and the coffins were placed side by side in front of it.

Symbols brought to the altar to represent the brothers' interests and achievements during their lifetimes included a set of darts, a jersey from the O'Dempseys GAA club, a Leinster rugby jersey, and a Laois county GAA jersey, which was carried by the men's father Seamus.

Mother Dinah brought Philip's Ironman triathlon medal which he received following an event in Nice, France.

A model tractor was selected to represent the brothers' background in farming.

In his homily, parish priest Fr Tim Dooley said news of the deaths of Fergus and Philip had shocked and saddened all who knew them.

"We have lost two valued and loved members of our community," he said, adding that the deaths had left a deep void in the lives of the men's families.

Fr Dooley said the brothers had loved to compete, something that was symbolised by Philip's Ironman gold medal.

"Their great passion was sub-aqua diving," he said. "Both were dive masters, and their sport brought them all over the world, to exotic places like Malta, Mexico, Brazil and Egypt."

Gardai and members of the rescue services were included in the ceremony's prayers of the faithful.

After requiem Mass, the coffins of Fergus and Philip were carried from the church to the adjoining cemetery where they were buried, side by side, in death as in life.
NEW YORK, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Bank of Montreal (TSX: BMO) (NYSE: BMO) today announced that it will implement a 1-for-10 reverse split of its MicroSectors FANG+ Index -3X Inverse Leveraged ETNs (NYSE: FNGD) (the "ETNs" or "Notes"), expected to be effective as of July 20, 2020.

The reverse split will be effective at the open of trading on July 20, 2020. FNGD will begin trading on the NYSE Arca on a reverse split-adjusted basis on July 20, 2020. Holders of FNGD who purchased such ETNs prior to July 20, 2020 will receive one reverse split-adjusted ETN for every ten pre-reverse split ETNs.

In addition, such purchasers that hold a number of ETNs not evenly divisible by ten will receive a cash payment for any fractional ETNs remaining (the "partials"). The cash amount due on any partials will be determined on July 24, 2020 and will equal, for each remaining ETN, the closing indicative value of FNGD on such date. Bank of Montreal will pay these amounts on or about July 29, 2020.

The closing indicative value of FNGD on July 17, 2020 will be multiplied by ten to determine the reverse split-adjusted closing indicative value. Following the reverse split, FNGD will have a new CUSIP but will retain its same ticker symbol.

The reverse split will affect the trading denominations of FNGD but it will not have any effect on the stated principal amount of the ETNs, except that the stated principal amount will be reduced by the corresponding aggregate amount of any cash payments for the "partials."

Illustration of a Reverse Split

The following table shows the effect of a 1-for-10 reverse split on the hypothetical closing indicative value of the ETNs. The closing indicative value of an ETN is not the same as the principal amount (currently, $50) or the trading price of that ETN.





Number of

ETNs

Hypothetical

Closing Indicative

Value

Aggregate Closing

Indicative Value Pre-Reverse Split

100,000

$5.00

$500,000













1-for-10 Post-Reverse Split

10,000

$50.00

$500,000

None of the other exchange traded notes issued by Bank of Montreal are affected by this announcement.

Reverse Split

Ticker Symbol

Current CUSIP / New CUSIP MicroSectors FANG+ Index -3X Inverse

Leveraged ETNs due January 8, 2038

FNGD

063679 864 / 063679 666

The Notes are senior, unsecured obligations of Bank of Montreal.

Investment suitability must be determined individually for each investor, and the Notes may not be suitable for all investors. This information is not intended to provide and should not be relied upon as providing accounting, legal, regulatory or tax advice.

Investors should consult with their own financial advisors as to these matters.

Bank of Montreal, the issuer of the Notes, has filed a registration statement (including a pricing supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus) with the SEC regarding the offering of the Notes. Please read those documents and the other documents relating to the Notes that Bank of Montreal has filed with the SEC for more complete information about Bank of Montreal and the Notes. These documents may be obtained without cost by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, Bank of Montreal, and any agent or dealer that participated in the offering of the Notes, will arrange to send the applicable pricing supplement, the prospectus supplement and the prospectus if so requested by calling toll-free at 1-877-369-5412.

About REX

REX Shares is an independent provider of exchange-traded products (ETPs). As ETP architects, the REX team specializes in creating investment vehicles that solve specific access or efficiency challenges in investor portfolios. The firm is rooted with decades of structuring and building innovative exchange-traded product solutions.

For more information, please visit www.microsectors.com

Follow REX on Twitter @msectors

REX Media Contacts: [email protected]

About BMO Financial Group

Serving customers for 200 years and counting, BMO is a highly diversified financial services provider - the 8th largest bank, by assets, in North America. With total assets of $987 billion as of April 30, 2020, and a team of diverse and highly engaged employees, BMO provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management and investment banking products and services to more than 12 million customers and conducts business through three operating groups: Personal and Commercial Banking, BMO Wealth Management and BMO Capital Markets.

MicroSectors and REX are registered trademarks of REX Shares, LLC ("REX"). FANG+ is a registered trademark of ICE Data Indices, LLC ("ICE Data"). The trademarks have been licensed for use for certain purposes by Bank of Montreal. The NYSE FANG+ Index is a product of ICE Data, and has been licensed for use by Bank of Montreal. The ETNs are not sponsored or sold by REX or any of its affiliates or third party licensors (collectively, "REX Index Parties") or by ICE Data or any of its affiliates or third party licensors (collectively, "ICE Data Index Parties"). REX Index Parties and ICE Data Index Parties make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the ETNs or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the ETNs particularly or the ability of the NYSE FANG+ Index to track general market performance. REX Index Parties and ICE Data Index Parties' only relationship to Bank of Montreal with respect to the Index is the licensing of the Index and certain trademarks, service marks and/or trade names of REX Index Parties and ICE Data Index Parties.

Internet: www.bmo.com

SOURCE BMO Financial Group
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 10:11:28|Editor: huaxia

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LOS ANGELES, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Additional charges involving five new victims were filed Thursday against George Tyndall, former campus gynecologist at University of Southern California (USC), authorities said Thursday.

Tyndall was charged with five counts of sexual penetration of an unconscious person and one count of sexual battery by fraud in an amended complaint, according to a statement released by the Los Angeles County district attorney's office.

The new charges allege Tyndall sexually assaulted five women while he was working at a USC health center between 2011 and 2015.

Tyndall, 73, allegedly sexually assaulted 21 young women. Prosecutors said that all 21 victims aged 17-31 went to the campus facility for annual exams or other treatment.

Arraignment on the amended complaint is scheduled for July 24 in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom. If convicted as charged, Tyndall will face a possible maximum sentence of 64 years in state prison.

In June last year, Tyndall was charged with 18 felony counts of sexual penetration of an unconscious person and 11 counts of sexual battery by fraud.

Hundreds of female patients have come forward to file suits over alleged inappropriate behavior by Tyndall who had worked as the only full-time gynecologist at the USC student clinic for nearly 30 years.

Tyndall was fired in 2017 after complaints of sexual misconduct and racist language.

In February, a U.S. District Judge signed a final order and judgment, approving a 215-million-U.S.-dollar class-action settlement between USC and former patients of Tyndall.

According to the Los Angeles Times, which first revealed the scandal in May 2018, some colleagues of Tyndall feared that the gynecologist was targeting the university's growing population of Chinese students in recent years. Those Chinese students often had a limited knowledge of the English language and American medical norms. The Consulate General of China in Los Angeles expressed serious concern over the scandal after the news broke. Enditem
As the world reels from the COVID-19 pandemic, the issue of nature is increasingly coming to the forefront, climate change remains another issue that the globe is grappling with. Nonrenewable energy sources accounting for more than 80% of the worlds energy supply are major drivers of climate change, as a result of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases produced when they burn.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) fossil fuels contributed 89% of the worlds global CO2 emissions in 2018, underlining the impact of these fuels. Consequently, the world is increasingly moving towards renewable energy sources, with this uptake increasingly significantly in Africa over the last 20 years.

In Ghana, renewable energy is increasingly taking root with major sources including wind, hydropower and solar energy among others. As this demand increases, there is a need to balance these developments with protecting biodiversity. Statistics indicate that millions of birds are killed every year, due to negative interactions with energy developments through electrocution, collisions and the destruction of habitats. Wind turbines and power lines may also act as barriers to the movement of some migratory birds or birds commuting moving between different sites for breeding, feeding and resting. Additionally, these interactions have a negative effect on the power providers and the economy occasioned by high maintenance costs and power outages. Other negative impacts of these developments include displacement from feeding, nesting, roosting areas, and habitat degradation among others.

Consequently, there is need to develop a policy framework to guide these developments. Ghana Wildlife Society (GWS), BirdLife Partner, has been instrumental in various conservation initiatives around the country. GWS has developed a position statement on the deployment of renewable energy programmes and projects, in line with the countrys aspirations.

Ghanas wind energy infrastructure are currently being installed in areas close to the coastline and wetlands, including areas recognized as a Ramsar site and Important Bird & Biodiversity Area (IBA). Consequently, much will need to be done to safeguard biodiversity amidst these developments. World over, several tools have been developed to ensure that these energy developments are located in suitable areas thus minimizing risk to birds. For example, BirdLife has developed a sensitivity map for vulnerable species and sites which can be instrumental in the planning of energy developments. Environmental assessment tools such as Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs) and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) are critical in mapping out potential impact areas for biodiversity at strategic and site-specific levels.

Ghanas EIAs guideline for the energy sector should be reviewed to reflect current trends & realities and findings from SEAs on the renewable energy sector in the country. With regards to existing energy infrastructure, wind farms and power lines should be monitored regularly and their impact on birds and biodiversity evaluated at the national scale as well as the effectiveness of mitigation measures in place to minimise impacts on birds populations.

National legislation and policies, such as the Renewable Energy Act, 2011 (Act 832); the Environmental Assessment Regulations, 1999 (L.I. 1652); the EIA Guideline for the Energy Sector; the National Energy Policy; and the Strategic National Energy Plan (2006-2020), should be updated and enforced.

Most importantly, the involvement of stakeholders in the energy sector including public and private institutions will be critical in initiating dialogue on this issue. GWS will continue engaging with stakeholders in the sector to ensure that biodiversity considerations are taken into account in the development of Ghanas renewable energy sector development.
This is an opinion column.

Alabama Senate Pro Tem Del Marsh hopes more people get the coronavirus.

That might seem like over-the-top conjecture, but its not. It might seem unbelievable, but its real. Those are his words, this week. He said them on purpose in front of a scrum of reporters and TV cameras. He meant it.

Marsh hopes more people get this disease.

On Thursday, a TV reporter asked Marsh  arguably the most powerful member of the Alabama Legislature and perhaps the most powerful elected official in Alabama  whether he was concerned about the sudden rise of coronavirus cases in the state. Marsh said hes not.

Im not as concerned so much as the number of cases, Marsh said. In fact, quite honestly, I want to see more people because we start reaching an immunity if more people have it and get through it.

The comments followed a budget committee meeting at the Alabama Statehouse where Marsh was one of the three committee members not wearing a mask.

Marsh did say that he wanted as few deaths as possible, which would count for relief if deaths and coronavirus werent related things.

Sen. Del Marsh (R) Anniston, says he wants to see more people get #coronavirus to build up an immunity. I asked was he concerned about Alabama's latest surge in cases. pic.twitter.com/omb2GVg9Ev  Reshad Hudson (@ReshadHudson) July 9, 2020

The thing Marsh thinks will save Alabamas economy is something called herd immunity  when enough people have caught the disease and developed antibodies that it becomes difficult for the virus to spread through the population.

Public health experts have said herd immunity is a long way off and might be impossible without a vaccine. One very early study out of Spain has cast doubt on whether immunity is possible at all.

RELATED: Public health experts weigh in on herd immunity in Alabama. They are not optimistic.

But what the experts think doesnt matter to Marsh. He suffers from a different disease, one of the mind and one endemic to Alabama.

He thinks he knows better.

Marsh is not a physician, but he thinks he knows better.

Marsh is not an epidemiologist but he thinks he knows better than them, too.

Marsh is not a public health expert, a virologist, a contagious disease specialist nor even a hospital orderly.

Hes not the governor or the state health officer, but he thinks he knows better than them, too.

None of those peoples opinions matter because Marsh has read some things on the internet.

Living in an alternative dream world isnt a new thing for the senator. Throughout the coronavirus crisis, Marsh has second-guessed experts and bedeviled Gov. Kay Ivey in those rare moments when she has shown leadership.

As early as April, Marsh began holding up Sweden as a model for how governments can keep their economies healthy while embracing the disease in a great national coronavirus party.

The only problem is it hasnt worked. Swedish health officials have said they wish they hadnt turned their country into a laboratory experiment. Deaths there have been higher than in neighboring countries, with 40 percent more deaths per capita than the United States and 12 times as many per capita than neighboring Norway. Meanwhile, the economic impact has been as awful, too. It got the worst of both worlds.

Despite Sweden flunking this test of time, Marsh is undeterred by that, too. As recently as a week ago, Marsh said Gov. Ivey should lift more restrictions  not that there are many left  and he believed a statewide mask ordinance was unnecessary.

In fact, Marsh has never taken the virus seriously. When the federal government gave the state $1.8 billion of CARES Act relief funds, Marsh proposed the state spend $200 million of that money to build a new statehouse. Even after the budget request became public and the Alabama Legislature became a target of national ridicule, Marsh continued to defend it.

That blunder was one of the latest in a series of missteps by the Senate leader, including backing a failed bill last year that would have gutted Alabamas ethics law and would have made bribes under $5,000 a misdemeanor.

The question then has to be, if Marsh cant take what might be the most dangerous public health crisis since the 1918 flu pandemic seriously, why does anyone take him seriously? How can he be one of Alabamas most powerful politicians?

The answer, strangely, is that he was next in line when Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard went to prison. He inherited the role and everyone in the Alabama Statehouse has sort of accepted it without questioning why. If any of his fellow lawmakers hope to have careers beyond the quadrennium, theyd better start asking why hes in charge.

What Marsh said this week might be the dumbest thing Ive heard come out of an Alabama politicians mouth, and Marsh might be Alabamas most dangerous politician.

Because, for all the damage Hubbard did, the cost of his corruption could be measured only in dollars.

When the final toll is tallied for Marshs ineptitude, the balance will be counted in lives.

Kyle Whitmire is the state political columnist for the Alabama Media Group.

You can follow his work on his Facebook page, The War on Dumb. And on Twitter. And on Instagram.

More columns by Kyle Whitmire

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Kay Ivey is not your Mee-Maw: What the governor needs to tell Alabama about COVID-19

Alabama monuments law affects more than Confederate monuments

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Dont be fooled. Huntsvilles Confederate monument isnt going anywhere.

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If Alabama has a coronavirus plan for nursing homes, its hiding it

The Confederate monument is gone, but white supremacy still rules Alabama

When a Confederate monument wouldnt fall, rioters turned on Birmingham

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Alabamas Black Belt is in trouble, again

Remember when Alabama lawmakers said porn was a public health emergency? That was three months ago.
Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany in partnership with African First Ladies and Ministries of Health, continue to provide one, two- and three-year Oncology Fellowship and Master degree for African doctors through their Cancer Access Program with the aim to increase the limited number of Oncologists across the continent.



Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and One of 100 Most Influential Africans emphasized, Our strategy is to develop a Multidisciplinary Oncology Care team in each country such as; Medical, Surgery, Pediatric, Gynecology, Radiation Oncologists, Nursing, Pathologist and Radiology Technician.



As an African woman, I am proud that we are making history in Africa through training the first oncologists and first cancer care teams in many countries such as; The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Burundi, Liberia, Guinea Conakry, Central African Republic, Chad and Niger.



Our main objective is to provide quality and affordable care to patients who never had anyone to care of them before.



The First Lady of The Gambia, H.E. FATOUMATTA BAH-BARROW said, I am very proud with this program that added great value to my country The Gambia, by providing specialty training the first oncologists in my country.



The First Lady of Liberia, H.E. CLAR MARIE WEAH emphasized, Merck Foundation is the first Foundation that provided this valuable specialty training to first oncologists in Liberia. They are also providing the training for the first fertility specialists, embryologists and diabetes specialists in my country Liberia.



In partnership with my office, Merck Foundation will also provide on line one year diploma and two year master degree in Respiratory Medicines, Cardiovascular Medicines, Sexual and Reproductive Medicines, Acute medicines and Endocrinology for Liberia and of course the rest Africa.



Merck Foundation has provided one, two-and three-year Oncology Fellowship and Master degree for more than 80 Oncologists from 26 countries through their Cancer Access Program in partnership with African First Ladies and Ministries of Health of these countries.



As per the data, the burden of cancer in Africa is growing with recent estimates reporting 1.06 million new diagnosed cancer cases per year.



This figure is expected to increase by 102% to 2.12 million by 2040. While the burden of cancer in Africa is rapidly rising, there is a very limited number of oncologists and there is also a lack of investment in building professional cancer care capacity across the continent.



Therefore, we strongly believe that building professional healthcare capacity is the right strategy to address this pressing challenge. It is an on-going initiative as the aim is to build cancer care capacity and we plan to scale it up to train more doctors in more African countries added Dr. Rasha Kelej.



Launched in 2016, the Merck Cancer Access Program provides One-, two- and three-years fellowship and master degree programs for African doctors in India, Egypt, Kenya and Malaysia.



Merck Foundation through its Merck Cancer Access Program has till date trained more than 80 Oncology Care Specialists from 26 countries which are: Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, CAR, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, DRC, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinee, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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

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Kerala: Many fishermen families decline to join relocation scheme

July 10,2020 | Source: The Hindu

The Punargeham project, introduced by the State government for the relocation of fishermen residing along coastal areas which are prone to sea erosion, has not found favour with many of the beneficiaries identified in Kozhikode district. The scheme which was officially launched the other day in Vadakara taluk, includes just 14 families in the first phase. Though the year-long groundwork for the scheme identified around 550 fishermen families, 308 families declined to join the scheme owing to its alleged flaws. As of now, only 242 families have expressed their willingness to accept the scheme in various taluks in Kozhikode district.



Though there are 66 fishermen families in Vadakara taluk who are ready to change their coastal houses, it is likely to take years to accomplish their dream. The first 14 families selected for the scheme too will have to wait for months to get their houses constructed on the found 50 cents of land identified for the purpose. In Koyilandy taluk, there are 78 families that have expressed their willingness to cooperate with the scheme and shift from their houses. However, the project implementation is moving at a snails pace. The same is the case with Kozhikode taluk where 98 families have expressed their willingness to cooperate with the scheme. A suitable parcel of land is yet to be identified for the majority of applicants.



Though the scheme offers a financial aid of Rs.10 lakh for a family to purchase the land and construct the house, the majority of the fishermen families consider the amount too small considering the increasing price of land and construction materials. Proposals related to land pooling and construction of flats to meet this challenge are yet to make any progress in the urban area. Leaders of fishermen organisations say the shifting of their houses from the coastal area to a remote place is hardly a practical idea as it will affect their vocation and life around harbours.
Rewa, July 10 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation the Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Power project, to the nation via video conference on Friday. It is Asia's largest power project.

Speaking on the occasion the Prime Minister said the Rewa project will make the entire region a major hub for pure and clean energy in this decade.

He said very soon Madhya Pradesh would be the main centre of solar energy in India, as such major projects are in progress in Neemuch, Shajapur, Chattarpur and Omkareshwar.

The biggest beneficiaries of this would be the poor, the middle class, the tribals, and the farmers of Madhya Pradesh, he said.

Modi said solar energy would be a major medium for providing the energy needs of an aspirational India in the 21st century.

He described solar energy as one which is 'Sure, Pure & Secure'. Sure because of the continuous supply of energy from the Sun, pure as it is environment friendly and secure because it is a secure source for our energy needs.

The Prime Minister termed such solar energy projects are a true representation of Aatmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India).

He said the economy is an important aspect of self-reliance and progress.

Referring to the regular dilemma whether to focus on economy or ecology, Modi said India resolved such dilemmas by focussing on solar energy projects and other environment friendly measures.

Modi said Economy and Ecology are not contradictory but complementary to each other.

He said in all the programmes of the government, priority is being given to environmental protection as well as Ease of Living. He referred to programmes like Swachch Bharat, supply of LPG cylinders to the poor households, the development of CNG networks as ones which focused on Ease of Living and improving the lives of the poor and the middle class.

The Prime Minister said that the government is making sure that the befits of clean energy reaches every corner of the country, every section of society, every citizen. He elaborated this with an example of how the introduction of LED bulbs has reduced the electricity bill. Nearly 40 million tons of carbon dioxide is prevented from going into the environment, due to the LED bulbs. He said this also reduced the electricity usage by 6 billion units and accrued a saving of Rs 24,000 crore to the exchequer.

Modi said India's exemplary progress in the field of solar energy would be a major source of interest to the world. He said owing to such major steps, India is being considered as the most attractive market of clean energy.

The Prime Minister said that the International Solar Alliance (ISA) was launched with the motive to unite the entire world in terms of solar energy. He said the spirit behind it was "One World, One Sun, One Grid".

The Prime Minister expressed confidence that Madhya Pradesh's farmers will also make use of the government's KUSUM scheme and will install solar energy plants in their lands as an additional source of income.

He expressed the hope that very soon India will be a major exporter of power.

Prime Minister said India is also focusing reducing its dependence on imports of various hardware needed for solar plants, like photovoltaic cells, battery and storage.

He said work is progressing rapidly in this direction and the government is encouraging the industry, youth, MSMEs and start ups to not miss this opportunity and work for production and betterment of all the inputs required for solar energy.

Referring to the ongoing crisis owing to COVID-19 pandemic, the Prime Minister said for either the government or the society, compassion and vigilance are the greatest motivators to tackle this difficult challenge. He said right from the beginning of the lockdown the government ensured that the poor and needy are assured of supply of food and fuel. He said with the same spirit, the government decided to continue the free supply of food and LPG till November this year, even during the phase of Unlock.

Not only this, the government is also giving full contribution to the EPF accounts of millions of private sector employees. Similarly, through the PM-Swanidhi scheme, those who have the least access to the system are benefitted.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
The latest coronavirus news from Canada and around the world Friday. This file is no longer updating. Click here to read the latest coverage. Web links to longer stories if available

6 p.m. Ontarios regional health units are reporting 38,470 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19, including 2,752 deaths, an increase of 118 cases since Thursday evening, according to the Stars latest count.

The rate of new infections has fallen sharply in the province over the last two months and has remained low so far in July.

Over the last seven days, the provinces 34 health units have reported an average of 130 new infections per day, well down from a sustained peak of nearly 600 cases per day, seen in late April.

Fridays low total included two days worth of data in Toronto, which nevertheless reported a low 42 new cases.

Starting this week, Toronto Public Health switched to reporting cases only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. As such, the provincewide count of COVID-19 cases reported each day is likely to be higher than typical on those days.

Another 10 new fatal cases were reported Thursday, seven in Toronto and one each in York, Waterloo and Niagara Regions. During the worst of the provinces epidemic, the health units reported as many as 94 deaths in a single day.

Earlier Friday, the province reported 117 patients are hospitalized, including 34, who are in an intensive care unit, of whom 24 are on a ventilator. These numbers are themselves near the lowest the province has reported since first publishing hospitalization data in early April.

The province says its data is accurate to 4 p.m. the previous day. The province also cautions its latest count of total deaths, 2,710, may be incomplete or out of date due to delays in the reporting system, saying that, in the event of a discrepancy, data reported by (the health units) should be considered the most up to date.

The Stars count includes some patients reported as probable COVID-19 cases. This means they have symptoms and contacts or travel history that indicate they very likely have the disease, but have not yet received a positive lab test.

3:35 p.m. There are 107,023 cases of COVID-19 in Canada, including 8,759 deaths, according to The Canadian Press.

This breaks down as follows (NOTE: The Star does its own count for Ontario):

Quebec: 56,316 confirmed (including 5,612 deaths, 25,675 resolved)

Ontario: 36,464 confirmed (including 2,710 deaths, 32,155 resolved)

Alberta: 8,519 confirmed (including 161 deaths, 7,774 resolved)

British Columbia: 3,028 confirmed (including 186 deaths, 2,667 resolved)

Nova Scotia: 1,066 confirmed (including 63 deaths, 999 resolved)

Saskatchewan: 815 confirmed (including 15 deaths, 757 resolved)

Manitoba: 314 confirmed (including seven deaths, 314 resolved), 11 presumptive

Newfoundland and Labrador: 262 confirmed (including three deaths, 258 resolved)

New Brunswick: 166 confirmed (including two deaths, 163 resolved)

Prince Edward Island: 33 confirmed (including 27 resolved)

Repatriated Canadians: 13 confirmed, all of which have been resolved

Yukon: 11 confirmed, all of which have been resolved

Northwest Territories, all of which have been resolved

Nunavut reports no confirmed cases.

2:56 p.m.: Officials in Ontarios Windsor-Essex region called on the provincial or federal government Friday to take the reins in tackling COVID-19 outbreaks in farms, saying the situation requires more co-ordination than they can provide themselves.

Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said there have been instances where the left hand doesnt know what the right hand is doing, and having a lead agency would help prevent that.

Everyone is doing the best they can do locally but this type of situation requires a different level of co-ordination because of the complexity involved, he said in a news conference with other local leaders Friday morning.

What we want to do is make sure there are no gaps, and no duplication of efforts, he said.

He noted, for example, that if migrant workers who test positive are being housed in a hotel, there must also be arrangements to deliver meals to them so they dont have to leave their rooms.

2:30 p.m.: As the Blue Jays wait for word on whether theyll be able to play in Toronto after training camp, infielder Travis Shaw voiced his concern Friday about the length of time players may need to stay in their closed environment at Rogers Centre and its adjoining hotel.

Shaw replied to a tweet from TSN reporter Scott Mitchell, who reported that multiple sources told him players could face a $750,000 fine and potential jail time if seen outside the ballpark  which also are maximum punishments in the Quarantine Act.

We were told two weeks... not all summer... all summer is a bit much, Shaw tweeted.

1:45 p.m.: Finance Minister Bill Morneau took part in a cabinet decision to award a multimillion contract to WE Charity despite the fact his daughter works for the organization.

Morneaus daughter, Grace Acan, has been working in the WE organizations travel department since 2019.

Despite his daughters employment with the organization, Morneau participated in the cabinet discussion and decision to tap WE Charity to run the governments $900 million student volunteer grant program.

The Stars Alex Boutilier has the full story.

1 p.m: In just three weeks, India went from the worlds sixth worst-affected country by the coronavirus to the third, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. Indias fragile health system was bolstered during a stringent months-long lockdown but could still be overwhelmed by an exponential rise in infections. Here is where India stands in its battle against the virus.

India has tallied 793,802 infections and more than 21,600 deaths, with cases doubling every three weeks. Its testing more than 250,000 samples daily after months of sluggishness, but experts say this is insufficient for a country of nearly 1.4 billion people.

The Associated Press has a full explainer here.

12:02 p.m.: The U.S. congressman who wants a plan to ease travel restrictions at the Canada-U.S. border is taking the ensuing backlash in stride.

Rep. Brian Higgins got an earful from Canadian Twitter users when he tweeted details of his bipartisan call on both countries to start talking about how best to begin reopening the border.

Higgins, a New York Democrat, says he doesnt blame Canadians for wanting to keep Americans out, considering the failure of the Trump administration to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.

But he says the damaging border restrictions can be gradually eased without jeopardizing public health, and he and other members of Congress from northern border states will keep pressing their case.

A recent online poll by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies found 86 per cent of respondents in Canada opposed to letting U.S. tourists north of the border, compared with 11 per cent who supported it.

The current border restrictions are due to expire July 21, but the fresh surge in COVID-19 cases in the U.S. makes it all but certain they will be extended before then.

11:40 a.m.: A small community south of Montreal is making mask-wearing mandatory inside all commercial businesses beginning today following a COVID-19 outbreak authorities say is tied to a house party.

Health officials say they believe the party in the municipality of Saint-Chrysostome, located about 50 kilometres south of Montreal, is connected to a series of infections that forced several businesses to close in the nearby town of Mercier.

11:40 a.m.: Quebec reported 100 additional cases of COVID-19 today, the second consecutive day new cases topped the 100 mark.

The province has now had 56,316 infections of the novel coronavirus, with 25,675 cases considered recovered.

Quebec is also reporting three new deaths attributed to COVID-19, two of which occurred in the past 24 hours while one occurred before July 2, for a total of 5,612 fatalities.

Nine more people are in hospital with the disease compared with the prior day, for a total of 317, including 24 people who are in intensive care, a reduction of three.

11:20 a.m.: Ontario is reporting 116 new instances of COVID-19 and seven more deaths, but the province has fewer active cases than it has seen since before the April peak of the outbreak.

Health Minister Christine Elliott noted Friday that 30 of the provinces 34 public health units are reporting five or fewer cases and 17 of those had no cases at all.

Only Toronto, Peel Region, York Region, and Windsor-Essex reported more than five cases apiece.

Read the full story from the Stars Robert Benzie.

11:20 a.m.: Tests for what would have been Nunavuts first case of COVID-19 have come back negative.

The territorys chief public health officer, Dr. Michael Patterson, is confirming the result this morning.

A fly-in worker at the Mary River iron mine on the northern tip of Baffin Island was originally diagnosed positive on June 30. Medical officials have said the initial result was on the low end of the infection spectrum.

Patterson says the worker, originally from Western Canada, and all of that persons eight contacts will no longer have to isolate.

None of the contacts have developed symptoms that are consistent with COVID-19.

Nunavut remains the only jurisdiction in Canada without a confirmed case of the infection. A presumed positive case in the spring also turned out to be negative.

11 a.m.: Newfoundland and Labrador has confirmed a new case of COVID-19, the first reported in more than a month.

The Department of Health says the man in his 50s lives in the Eastern Health region and had recently returned from the United States.

The department says the man self-isolated when he returned to the province and he did not travel through other Atlantic provinces.

Its the first case of COVID-19 confirmed in the province since May 28, bringing the provincial total to 262.

Three people have died from the illness in Newfoundland and Labrador, and 258 people have recovered.

The province has slowly lifted restrictions on businesses and gatherings over the last month and opened its borders to travellers from Atlantic Canada last week.

11 a.m.: The Conservatives say they want a criminal investigation into the Liberal governments decision to have the WE organization run a $900-million program for student volunteers.

Their call for police to step in comes after it was revealed that the group has paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in speaking fees to members of Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus family.

Trudeau is already under investigation by the ethics commissioner for potential conflict of interest with regard to the contract, as his long-standing family ties to the group are well known.

But that review was launched prior to revelations the prime ministers mother, brother and wife have been paid in the past by the WE organization and the Conservatives say that elevates the issue to a potential crime.

The Conservatives say they will send a letter to the police today to see if a section of the Criminal Code pertaining to government fraud could be applied in this situation.

Trudeau has maintained the non-partisan public service recommended WE to administer the program, though did acknowledge he did not recuse himself from the cabinet approval of the deal.

10 a.m.: Serbias president said Friday hes not worried about losing political power amid large protests against his handling of the coronavirus crisis and hard-line rule, but instead expressed his fear about the spread of the virus by the demonstrators.

It is so irresponsible to call upon people to gather and demonstrate when we are faced with the most horrific numbers of infections from the coronavirus, President Aleksandar Vucic told reporters during his state visit to France.

I beg people, please lets keep our health safe. Nobody is going to take power by force. Power is taken at the elections. You can protest as much as you want when the epidemic is over, Vucic said.

If you dont understand this, and you want to bring some tycoons to power  let me tell you  this is not going to happen.

After two nights of violent protests and clashes with police, peaceful demonstrations were held in the capital of Belgrade and several other Serbian towns on Thursday. A few people wore face masks.

Defying a ban on mass gatherings passed by the government on Thursday, many protesters wore white T-shirts with the inscription, Sit Down, Dont Be Set Up  referring to widespread reports that the violence the previous nights that played into the governments hands was staged by far-right groups close to the authorities.

8:40 a.m.: Statistics Canada says the economy added nearly one million jobs in June as businesses forced closed by the pandemic moved to reopen.

The agency says 953,000 jobs were added last month including 488,000 full-time and 465,000 part-time positions.

The unemployment rate fell to 12.3 per cent in June after hitting a record-high of 13.7 per cent in May.

The average economist estimate for June had been for an addition of 700,000 jobs and the unemployment rate to fall to 12.0 per cent, according to financial data firm Refinitiv

7:55 a.m.: Premier Doug Ford will make multiple public appearances at businesses today to thank Ontario workers for their service during the pandemic.

Fords day will start at a skylight manufacturing company in Woodbridge, Ont., where the premier is set to make an announcement alongside Vic Fedeli, minister of economic development.

Hell then tour a Toronto-based textile company that retooled its facility to start producing face masks.

The premier will then visit a bakery in Torontos west end to serve customers through a take window built by the shop.

Fords last event is scheduled at 4 p.m. when hell tour a dairy and food plant that ramped up production to meet customer needs during the COVID-19 lockdown.

6:20 a.m.: The coronavirus storm has arrived in South Africa, but in the overflowing COVID-19 wards the sound is less of a roar than a rasp.

Oxygen is already low in hospitals at the new epicentre of the countrys outbreak, Gauteng province, home to the power centres of Johannesburg and the capital, Pretoria.

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, visiting a hospital Friday, said authorities are working with industry to address the strained oxygen supply and divert more to health facilities.

Some of the hospitals patients spilled into heated tents in the parking lot. They lay under thick blankets in the middle of winter in the Southern Hemisphere, with a cold front arriving this weekend and temperatures expected to dip below freezing.

South Africa overnight posted another record daily high of confirmed cases, 13,674, as Africas most developed country is a new global hot spot with 238,339 cases overall. More than a third are in Gauteng.

6:17 a.m.: Australias Victoria state on Friday reported the new daily record of 288 coronavirus cases, which also reflects a record number of tests exceeding 37,500.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that the number of citizens and permanent residents allowed to return to Australia each week will be reduced by more than 4,000 from next week.

Sydney, Australias largest city, has been carrying a disproportionate burden of hotel quarantine that is currently paid for by the New South Wales state government.

Victoria, to the south, has banned international arrivals after breaches of hotel quarantine in Melbourne were blamed for Australias only widespread transmission of COVID-19.

Victorias Chief Helath Officer Breet Sutton said certainly, 288 new cases today is a pretty ugly number.

6:16 a.m.: Two World Health Organization experts were heading to the Chinese capital on Friday to lay the groundwork for an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic.

An animal health expert and an epidemiologist will meet Chinese counterparts in Beijing to work out logistics, places to visit and the participants for a WHO-led international mission, the UN organization said.

A major issue will be to look at whether or not it jumped from species to human, and what species it jumped from, WHO spokesperson Dr. Margaret Harris said at a briefing in Geneva.

Scientists believe the virus may have originated in bats and was transmitted to another mammal such as a civet cat or an armadillo-like pangolin before being passed on to people.

6:15 a.m.: Statistics Canada is set this morning to give a snapshot of the job market as it was last month as pandemic-related restrictions eased and reopenings widened.

Economists expect the report will show a bump in employment as a result, further recouping some of the approximately three million jobs lost over March and April.

Financial data firm Refinitiv says the average economist estimate for June is for employment to increase by 700,000 jobs and the unemployment rate to fall to 12.0 per cent.

The unemployment rate in May was a record-high 13.7 per cent, a far turn from the record low of 5.5 per cent recorded in January.

The Bank of Canada and federal government say the worst of the economic pain from the pandemic is behind the country, but Canada will face high unemployment and low growth until 2021.

The economic outlook released by the Liberal government Wednesday forecasted the unemployment rate to be 9.8 per cent for the calendar year, dropping to 7.8 per cent next year based on forecasts by 13 private sector economists.

4 a.m.: The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 4 a.m. ET on July 10, 2020:

There are 106,805 confirmed cases in Canada.

-Quebec: 56,216 confirmed (including 5,609 deaths, 25,616 resolved)

-Ontario: 36,348 confirmed (including 2,703 deaths, 31,977 resolved)

-Alberta: 8,519 confirmed (including 161 deaths, 7,774 resolved)

-British Columbia: 3,028 confirmed (including 186 deaths, 2,667 resolved)

-Nova Scotia: 1,066 confirmed (including 63 deaths, 999 resolved)

-Saskatchewan: 813 confirmed (including 15 deaths, 750 resolved)

-Manitoba: 314 confirmed (including 7 deaths, 314 resolved), 11 presumptive

-Newfoundland and Labrador: 261 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 258 resolved)

-New Brunswick: 166 confirmed (including 2 deaths, 163 resolved)

-Prince Edward Island: 33 confirmed (including 27 resolved)

-Repatriated Canadians: 13 confirmed (including 13 resolved)

-Yukon: 11 confirmed (including 11 resolved)

-Northwest Territories: 5 confirmed (including 5 resolved)

-Nunavut: No confirmed cases, 1 presumptive

Total: 106,805 (12 presumptive, 106,793 confirmed including 8,749 deaths, 70,574 resolved)

Thursday 3 p.m.: The World Health Organization is acknowledging the possibility that COVID-19 might be spread in the air under certain conditions  after more than 200 scientists urged the agency to do so.

In an open letter published this week in a journal, two scientists from Australia and the U.S. wrote that studies have shown beyond any reasonable doubt that viruses are released during exhalation, talking and coughing in microdroplets small enough to remain aloft in the air.

The researchers, along with more than 200 others, appealed for national and international authorities, including WHO, to adopt more stringent protective measures.

WHO has long dismissed the possibility that the coronavirus is spread in the air except for certain risky medical procedures, such as when patients are first put on breathing machines.

In a change to its previous thinking, WHO noted on Thursday that studies evaluating COVID-19 outbreaks in restaurants, choir practices and fitness classes suggested the virus might have been spread in the air.

Airborne spread particularly in specific indoor locations, such as crowded and inadequately ventilated spaces over a prolonged period of time with infected persons cannot be ruled out, WHO said.

-

More coverage from Thursday.
Mumbai, July 10 : Actress Aditi Rao Hydari has shared the only nation she plans on visiting in 2020 in a hilarious new social media post.

Aditi took to Instagram, where she shared a picture of herself. In the image, she is seen holding her hair as she poses for the camera. The "Wazir" actress is seen wearing a black t-shirt, which has "cancelled plans" written on it with white.

Captioning the picture, Aditi wrote: "The only nation I'm visiting this year is imagination #CancelledPlans #2020Mood." Actress Patralekhaa took to the comment section and wrote: "Pretttyyy Aditi".

On the work front, Aditi's latest release was "Sufiyum Sujatayum". The Malayalam film recently released on an OTT platform.

"When I heard the story, I felt a very fairytale-like quality in the narrative. It is almost like a fable that we hear in childhood, where the world and incidents happening around are surreal but all the characters and their emotions are real. I found it fascinating. Also, in the film I am playing the character of a girl who is speech-impaired, which means I have no dialogue. So I didn't think twice before saying yes to the film," she had told IANS.

"The stories of Malayalam films are good. I watch them and I am a fan of Malayalam cinema. But learning Malayalam is tough. I managed Telugu and Tamil. I am half south-Indian -- I am Hyderabadi. Earlier I didn't do Malayalam films because that is a very difficult language for me to learn," she had said.

-- Syndicated from IANS
Click here to read the full article.

Count fashion as collateral damage in the growing trade battle between the U.S. and France.

The administration of President Trump said late Friday that it would impose 25 percent duties on $1.3 billion worth of French fashion goods, the response to a digital services tax in France that impacts companies such as Amazon, Apple, Google and Facebook.

More from WWD

The office of U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said it would delay implementation of the action for up to 180 days if the Trade Representative determines that substantial progress is being made, or that a delay is necessary or desirable to obtain U.S. rights or satisfactory solution.

That gives the U.S. and France until Jan. 6 to hold bilateral and multilateral discussions that could lead to a satisfactory resolution of this matter, the USTR said.

When first proposed in December, the duties on French goods were set at 100 percent, so the result, while punishing for companies importing certain goods, was not as bad as it could have been.

Still, the measure hits a large swath of the fashion industry and could make it more expensive to import a variety of French-made beauty products and handbags  from eye makeup preparations and soap to handbags wrought in materials ranging from reptile leather or plastic.

The tariffs are tied to a trade fight that has nothing to do with fashion  and one that goes alongside the many other trade fights Trump has engaged in, mostly notably with China.

The heavyweight match between U.S. and China has reached a kind of standstill, likely until after the November elections, and now the same seems to be the case in Trumps tiff with France.

In December, the U.S. Trade Representatives office declared a digital services tax in France was unreasonable or discriminatory and burdens or restricts U.S. commerce. The fix was to impose duties of 100 percent on some imports from France, including handbags, cosmetics, wine and cheese.

Story continues

Fashion turned out to fight the proposed tariff increase at public hearings in January.

Nate Herman, senior vice president for policy at the American Apparel & Footwear Association, said: Our industry has absolutely nothing to do with the issue  a dispute between the U.S. and France over Frances digital services tax.

(This type of thing has happened before and going the other way across the Atlantic, for instance when Europe boosted tariffs on U.S.-made jeans in a spat over steel and aluminum.)

Herman noted that U.S. companies imported more than 1.4 million handbags from France in 2018  more than twice the number recorded the prior year.

And our American workers design, develop, market and sell these handbags to American consumers, Herman said. If a punitive tariff is imposed by the U.S. government, our members will be forced to source fewer handbags, which will obviously lead to lower sales, which impacts our workers  American workers.

The tariffs could impact some of the largest French luxury names, although business is down in the U.S. and just about everywhere else given the coronavirus pandemic.

Hermes produces all of its handbags in France, where it counts 42 production facilities.

Both LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton and Kering count America as a major market, although LVMH has set up production in the U.S. and Kering makes the bulk of its accessories in Italy.

Among the categories subject to a 25 percent boost in tariffs are:

* Eye makeup preparations

* Manicure or pedicure preparations

* Beauty or makeup powders, whether or not compressed

* Beauty or makeup preparations & preparations for the care of the skin, excl.

* Medicaments but incl. sunscreen or sun tan preparations, nesoi

* Castile soap in the form of bars, cakes or molded pieces or shapes

* Soap, nesoi; organic surface-active products used as soap, in bars, cakes, pieces, soap-impregnated paper, wadding, felt, for toilet use

* Soap; organic surface-active products used as soap, in bars, cakes, pieces; soap-impregnated paper, wadding, felt, not for toilet use

* Soap, not in the form of bars, cakes, molded pieces or shapes

* Organic surface-active products for wash skin, in liquid or cream, contain any

aromatic/mod aromatic surface-active agent, put up for retail

* Organic surface-active products and preparations for washing the skin, in liquid or

cream form, put up for retail sale, nesoi

* Handbags, with or without shoulder strap or without handle, with outer surface of

reptile leather

* Handbags, with or without shoulder strap or without handle, with outer surface of

leather, composition or patent leather, nesoi, n/o $20 ea.

* Handbags, with or without shoulder strap or without handle, with outer surface of

leather, composition or patent leather, nesoi, over $20 ea.

* Handbags, with or without shoulder straps or without handle, with outer surface of

sheeting of plastics

* Handbags with or without shoulder strap or without handle, with outer surface of

textile materials, wholly or in part of braid, nesoi

* Handbags with or without shoulder strap or without handle, with outer surface of

cotton, not of pile or tufted construction or braid

* Handbags with or w/o shoulder strap or w/o handle, outer surface of veg. fibers, exc.

cotton, not of pile or tufted construction or braid

* Handbags with or w/o shoulder strap or w/o handle, with outer surface containing

85 perent or more of silk, not braided

* Handbags with or without shoulder strap or without handle, with outer surface of

MMF materials

* Handbags with or without shoulder strap or without handle, with outer surface of

textile materials nesoi
BOSTON  Colleges and universities pushed back Wednesday against the Trump administrations decision to make international students leave the country if they plan on taking classes entirely online this fall, with Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology filing a lawsuit to try to block it, and others promising to work with students to keep them on campus.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement notified colleges Monday that international students will be forced to leave the U.S. or transfer to another college if their schools operate entirely online this fall. New visas will not be issued to students at those schools, and others at universities offering a mix of online and in-person classes will be barred from taking all of their classes online.

The guidance says international students wont be exempt even if an outbreak forces their schools online during the fall term.

In a statement, the U.S. State Department said that international students are welcome in the U.S., but the policy provides greater flexibility for nonimmigrant students to continue their education in the United States, while also allowing for proper social distancing on open and operating campuses across America.

The guidance was released the same day Harvard announced it would be keeping its classes online this fall. Harvard says the directive would prevent many of Harvards 5,000 international students from remaining in the U.S.

Harvard President Lawrence Bacow said the order came without notice and that its cruelty was surpassed only by its recklessness.

It appears that it was designed purposefully to place pressure on colleges and universities to open their on-campus classrooms for in-person instruction this fall, without regard to concerns for the health and safety of students, instructors, and others, Bacow said in a statement Wednesday. This comes at a time when the United States has been setting daily records for the number of new infections, with more than 300,000 new cases reported since July 1.

Universities across the U.S. say the more than 1 million international students have an important place in their communities. Many schools have also come to depend on revenue from international students, who typically pay higher tuition rates.

It creates an urgent dilemma for thousands of international students who became stranded in the U.S. last spring after the coronavirus forced their schools to move online. Those attending schools that are staying online must depart the country or take other measures, such as transferring to a school with in-person instruction, according to the guidance.

They may have just re-signed leases on apartments ... Our university starts in six weeks or seven weeks. They have been planning to be here, they have already spent money so its really devastating, said University of Southern California lecturer Melanie Johnson.

The university last week reversed course on a plan to bring students to campus, saying classes will be hosted primarily or exclusively online. Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and Rutgers in New Jersey this week made similar announcements amid surging COVID-19 cases.

Johnson worries that even students who start off on campus will be prevented by travel restrictions from going home if a surge forces classes online mid-semester.

What if a student like that, who for no fault of their own, finds themselves here without their classes and ends up in a detention center or deported? she said.

Professors fielded messages from frantic students seeking assurances that at least some of their courses would be face-to-face.

They are, of course, all concerned, said University of Iowa Associate Professor Jan Wessel. I am on board with anything we can do to circumnavigate these circumstances, and Im willing to do any in-person arrangement if it helps a student.

But Wessel, who runs the university's cognitive neurology lab, said it was more important to take a stand against the policy and say politics should not use our students as a poker chip in whatever they are trying to do. He said he would suspend his teaching if any of his students was forced out.

At Brown University, President Christina Paxson issued a statement supporting the Harvard and MIT lawsuit and said she was working with peers to find other ways to oppose the new policy.

The lawsuit, filed in Bostons federal court, seeks to prevent federal immigration authorities from enforcing the rule. The universities contend that the directive violates the Administrative Procedures Act because officials failed to offer a reasonable basis justifying the policy and because the public was not given notice to comment on it.

The White House's press secretary on Wednesday sidestepped a question about whether it was designed to pressure colleges to reopen their campuses, saying the policy speaks for itself.

You dont get a visa for taking online classes from, lets say, University of Phoenix, so why would you if you were just taking online classes generally? Kayleigh McEnany said at a press briefing.

Paxson called the rule "nothing short of cruel and said she would work with faculty to minimize the chance that students would have to leave the country if the Rhode Island university had to alter its plans for a blend of classes.

New York University President Andrew Hamilton also promised to work with international students to keep them in the U.S., calling the rule needlessly rigid.

If there were a moment for flexibility in delivering education, this would be it, he said. Both on our own and in association with other universities, NYU will be reaching out to federal officials urging them to revoke or modify this rule.

An online petition in favor of letting international students stay if classes were online had drawn more than 220,000 signatures by Wednesday.
The parties had a preparatory meeting in Berlin on July 3.

Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's Office, says that a new Normandy summit of the leaders of Ukraine, France, Germany, and Russia, will be held in the coming months.

On July 10, he briefed the Ukrainian press on the outcome of a preparatory meeting in the Normandy format in Berlin on July 3, according to the NV news outlet.

According to Yermak, the Normandy meeting in Berlin lasted for 11 hours and was attended, among others, by Dmitry Kozak, the deputy head of Russian President Vladimir Putin's Administration.

Read alsoNormandy Four leaders' meeting may take place in Aug  minister

"The meeting at which we went through all the issues that the parties, the Normandy leaders, agreed in Paris late last year  what has been and what has not been done  wasn't easy," he said.

In his words, all parties came to the conclusion that the summit should be held as soon as possible.

"Therefore, I think, this summit should take place in the coming months. Of course, there must be a primary condition for this  the implementation of the agreements. For us, of course, these are primarily security arrangements, so we went through all the provisions in great detail. I can't say that we have an agreed position on all the provisions," he said.

He also noted that Germany and France greatly supported Ukraine.
Highlights Mi Notebook 14 series is going on sale in India today

The series brings two new laptops with itself

Of the two, the Mi Notebook 14 Horizon Edition is the real flagship

Xiaomi recently launched the Mo Notebook 14 and Mi Notebook 14 Horizon Edition laptops in India. The two devices have received quite well in India since their launch, and now, the company is all set to put them up for sale once again. The two laptops will be available for purchase via Amazon and Mi.com starting 12 pm today.

They bring impressive hardware and, including up to 10th Gen Intel Core processors and GPUs from Nvidia. The two also promise fast performance with inbuilt SSDs transferring data over the NVMe standard.

The Mi NoteBook 14 begins retail at Rs 41,999 for the entry variant with 256GB storage while the 512GB one costs Rs 44,999. The top-end variant with 512GB storage and Nvidia graphics card costs Rs 47,999. The Mi Notebook 14 Horizon Edition has two variants with same storage and RAM but different processors. There is a Core i5 variant which comes in at a price of Rs 54,999, while the Core i7 variant retails for Rs 59,999. There's also an HDFC Bank offer that which gives up to Rs 2,000 off on the Horizon Edition model.

As for the laptops, the Mi Notebook 14 Horizon Edition is the flagship model for Xiaomi's this year and features a narrow-bezel display. The Horizon Edition comes with a 14-inch Full HD display that has a screen-to-body ratio of 91 per cent. The display also gets an anti-glare coating.

Made out of Aluminium and Magnesium alloy, the laptop weighs at 1.35Kg. Inside, there's a standard keyboard with scissor keys that Xiaomi says have 1.3mm of key travel. The keyboard does not have a Numpad. Of course, there's also a trackpad. The stereo speakers are bottom mounted.

When it comes to connectivity, the Horizon Edition features two USB 3.1 ports, a USB 2.0 port, a Type-C port, HDMI 1.4b port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a charging port. For performance, Xiaomi has fitted the device with a 10th Gen Intel processor. The Horizon Edition comes with an option to choose between a 10th Gen Core i5 and 10th Gen Core i7 processors. Both the variants come as standard with 8GB DDR4 RAM clocked at 2666MHz.

For storage, Xiaomi is using a 512GB SSD NVMe Gen 3 storage on the Horizon Edition. Graphics performance is taken care of by a dedicated Nvidia GeForce MX350 card. For battery, it gets a 46Whr pack that offers up to 10 hours backup on a single charge. Xiaomi is bundling a 65W charger with the laptops. The Mi Webcam HD is also bundled in the package.
Egypt said on Friday it rejected a proposal by Ethiopia to delay a decision on "points of contention" in the current negotiations on the disputed Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) until after an agreement is reached.

In an official statement, Egypts irrigation and water resources ministry said AU-brokered talks on the filling and operation of the dam continued for the eighth day in an attempt to converge views on points of disagreement in the attendance of observers from the US and EU.

The statement said Egypt refused a suggestion by Ethiopia to postpone a decision on contentious points in the talks until an accord is signed and a technical committee is formed to follow up with the implementation of the accord's provisions.

Such points of disagreement that touch upon Egyptian concerns in key technical issues cannot be deferred to the technical committee later after the signing of the agreement, the statement added.

The statement noted that Egypt has proposed several draft agreements for the convergence of views on procedures to deal with extended drought and rules of annual operation and refilling.

Ethiopia said it will review alternatives proposed by Egypt, with a tripartite ministerial meeting set to be held on 12 July to discuss the proposals, according to the Egyptian statement.

No consensus was reached over points of disagreement during discussions by the legal committee seeing the participation of the three countries, it added.

The talks, which have not resulted in any breakthrough in the crisis, come as Ethiopia remains adamant to start filling the GERD reservoir this month to take advantage of the current heavy rain season, regardless of whether or not an agreement is reached with Egypt and Sudan.

The two downstream countries have repeatedly called on Ethiopia not to take any unilateral action concerning the filling of the dam.

Egypt, which relies on the Nile for 95 percent of its fresh water, fears the dam will significantly reduce the rivers flow, especially during the filling stages through periods of drought, extended drought and dry years. Ethiopia, on the other hand, says the project is key to its development.

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Photo for illustration (Source: VNA)



Accordingly, the workers are working for Sendje hydropower plant in the Republic of Equatorial Guinea under labour contracts between Duglas Alliance Ltd of the UK and two Vietnamese companies, CMVIETNAM and LILAMA 10.



In a report to the Vietnamese Embassy in Angola, both CMVIETNAM and LILAMA 10 said in the context of the complex development of the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa, they had worked with the general contractor and local health agencies to strictly take preventive measures, including testing and quarantining suspect cases, to ensure Vietnamese workers safety.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Angola is requested to verify, keep in close touch, and guide the citizens with necessary prevention measures.

In addition, the representative diplomatic agencies are required to work closely with relevant companies and local authorities to protect the health of Vietnamese citizens and create favorable conditions for them to return home at an earliest possible time.

Due to the complex development of COVID-19 globally, Vietnamese representative agencies abroad give top priority to citizen protection, while keeping in regular contact with the overseas Vietnamese community, answering the citizens questions concerning changes in the immigration policy of Vietnam and the host country, and requesting local authorities to take care of unfortunate cases of infection, confirmed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In the coming time, Vietnamese agencies, Vietnamese representative agencies abroad and domestic airlines will continue to conduct flights to bring overseas Vietnamese citizens stranded overseas back to Vietnam under the Prime Ministers instructions./.
UN warns that poverty across the region will rise by 7 percent, an increase equivalent to 45 million people.

The United Nations secretary-general, Antonio Guterres, has warned that the coronavirus pandemic in Latin America and the Caribbean will plunge millions of people into poverty.

Launching a policy brief on the future of the region, he added that 18 million people would lose their jobs, with the worst affected being women and Black and Indigenous communities.

Al Jazeeras Daniel Schweimler reports from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
If nonimmigrant F-1 students are attending schools that are doing in-person instruction, they may take a maximum of one online class, or three credit hours, and if the school has adopted a hybrid model, they will be allowed to take more than one online class, or three credit hours, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said on their website.
CNNs Don Lemon calling Jesus not perfect is blasphemy, Mike Huckabee says

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CNN host Don Lemon has garnered criticism for claiming that Jesus Christ was not perfect while He was living on earth.

On an episode of CNN Tonight that aired earlier this week, Lemon talked about how Americans have learned about their history with fellow CNN host Chris Cuomo.

At issue was the debates over statues and monuments for Confederate soldiers, former U.S. presidents, and Americans who were not slave owners but whose statues have been torn down by rioters in recent weeks, such as abolitionist Col. Hans Christian Heg.



During their discussion, Lemon said, a lot of what youve been taught in school classrooms about American history has been propaganda, adding that some things you need to unlearn.

Jesus Christ  if you believe in, if thats who you believe in, Jesus Christ  admittedly was not perfect when he was here on this earth. So why are we deifying the founders of this country, many of whom owned slaves? said Lemon.

Former Arkansas Gov. and Baptist minister Mike Huckabee took to Twitter on Thursday afternoon to denounce Lemons comments as blasphemous.

Just when I didn't think Don Lemon could say something any dumber than stuff he's already said, he dons his ecclesiastical hat and declares Jesus wasn't perfect. In the faith world, we call that kind of arrogant comment blasphemy, tweeted Huckabee.

Pastor Robert Jeffress, head of the megachurch First Baptist Dallas, told Fox News that he considered the words of Lemon to be heretical in nature.

Don Lemon's comments are, first of all, heretical, explained Jeffress, and it contradicts the most basic tenet of the Christian faith and demonstrates how tone-deaf the left is to faith issues.

Our founding fathers, like all of us, were imperfect human beings, but Jesus Christ was different than any other man that lived, and as the founder of our faith, He had to be perfect.

Becket Adams of the Washington Examiner wrote in an opinion piece that the idea of Jesus not leading a perfect human life has not been a serious question for believers in more than 1,500 years.

In the Bible, simply look to 1 Peter 2:22, He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth; Hebrews 5:9, and having been made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him, noted Adams.

And just because Lemon says Christ was admittedly not perfect, I should point out that there is no tradition that I am aware of and no scriptural citation that has Him declaring, Hey, I am only human!

In April, the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University released a report from their American Worldview Inventory 2020 which found that 44% of Americans believed that Jesus did not lead a sinless life while on Earth.
Australia on Thursday offered pathways to permanent residency for thousands of people from Hong Kong, in a risky challenge to China over its crackdown on dissent in the city. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said his government was also suspending its extradition agreement with the city and in addition to extending the visas of 10,000 Hong Kongers already in the country, threw open the door to thousands more to start a new life Down Under. Morrison said the decisions were taken in response to the imposition by China last week of a tough new security law in Hong Kong, which he said "constitutes a fundamental change of circumstances" for the semi-autonomous territory. "Australia is adjusting its laws, our sovereign laws, our sovereign immigration programme, things that we have responsibility for and jurisdiction over, to reflect the changes that we're seeing take place there," he said during a press conference. Foreign Minister Marise Payne said China's moves in Hong Kong were discussed earlier Thursday with Australia's so-called "Five Eyes" security partners -- New Zealand, the United States, Britain, and Canada. Morrison's announcement came a day after China opened a new office in Hong Kong for its security agents to oversee implementation of the law targeting acts of subversion, secession, terrorism and foreign collusion. The law, which followed sometimes-violent pro-democracy protests, is the most radical change in Hong Kong's freedoms since Britain handed the city back to China in 1997 under an agreement designed to preserve its freedoms for 50 years. China has bristled at widespread global criticism of the law and Australia's move to provide safe haven to some Hong Kong citizens was expected to worsen already rising tensions between the two. Beijing in recent months has imposed tariffs on some Australian imports and impeded trade in other key commodities in response to Australian steps to counter Chinese interference in the country. China, Australia's biggest trade partner and a competitor for influence in the Pacific, was notably infuriated when Canberra led calls for a probe into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic. New Zealand is also reviewing its relationship with Hong Kong because of the new law, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said, "including extradition arrangements, controls on exports of strategic goods, and travel advice". - Permanent residency pathway - Morrison brushed aside questions about whether the challenge over Hong Kong would likely lead to further Chinese retaliation. "We will make decisions about what's in our interests, and we will make decisions about our laws and our advisories, and we will do that rationally and soberly and consistently," he said. Under the new measures, 10,000 Hong Kong citizens and residents in Australia on student or temporary work visas will be allowed to remain in the country for an additional five years. "If you're a temporary visa holder, your visa will be extended to an additional five years from today, in addition to the time you've already been in Australia, with a pathway to permanent residency at the end of that period," Morrison said. The five-year visa and possible permanent residency were also offered to Hong Kong entrepreneurs or skilled workers who wish to relocate to Australia in the future. "If there are businesses that wish to relocate to Australia, creating jobs, bringing investment, creating opportunities for Australia, then we will be very proactive in seeking to encourage that," he said. The move echoed Australia's response to the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown when Canberra offered refuge to thousands of Chinese students and their families. But it contrasts with the current conservative government's policy of restricting immigration. Morrison said he did not expect a rush of new visa applications from Hong Kongers, in part due to coronavirus travel restrictions. And he added that it would be "very disappointing" if China tried to prevent Hong Kong citizens from taking advantage of the offer. Australia has already warned its citizens of the risk of detention under the new security law. Shortly before Morrison's announcement, the foreign ministry warned Australians in Hong Kong of the risk of detention under the new security law.
Founder of Kamq (Will) NGO for protection of Armenian values Vahagn Chakhalyan and the members of the NGO today held a protest in front of the Residence of the President of Armenia. Earlier, they had announced that they wanted to hand a letter to the President and give a press conference.

We have brought a letter to hand to the President of Armenia in order to shame him for adopting the Lanzarote Convention. These people dont want our children to learn history of the Armenian Church, Armenian language and history, and instead, they want to teach sexual education and advocate perversion so that they can implement their plans through repression. Theyre taking actions to only let Nikol Pashinyans beloved politicians hold protests. Were complaining against the Armenian authorities discrimination, Chakhalyan stated, adding that police let people protest against smuggling of tobacco or the constitutional amendments, but dont let citizens hold protests regarding national dignity.

The police gave the protesters two minutes to leave the premises, after which they apprehended the protesters, including Vahagn Chakhalyan and Sona Aghekyan, who also wasnt wearing a face mask.
Meghan Markle married Prince Harry with 'no intention' of living in the UK, a royal photographer has claimed.

London-based veteran royal photographer Arthur Edwards, 79, alleged that staying in the UK was not in Meghan Markle's 'plans' - despite spending 2.4million of taxpayers' money to refurbish Frogmore Cottage.

He also claimed that Prince Harry, 35, reportedly went 'completely sour' following his union with the Duchess of Sussex, 38.

Speaking on TalkRadio, he explained: 'All that house refurbishment at Frogmore and the money that they spent on that, she had no intention of staying here.

Meghan Markle married Prince Harry with 'no intention' of living in the UK, royal photographer Arthur Edwards has claimed. Pictured, leaving St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle after their wedding on 19 May 2018

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attend the Commonwealth Day Service 2020 on March 9, 2020 in London

Arthur - who has been photographing the Duke of Sussex since the day he was born - also described seeing a change in Prince Harry's behaviour towards the media.

'Unfortunately for the last couple of years, he has gone completely sour,' he said. 'He didn't talk to me for a year. I've been photographing him since he was born, and it was down to her.'

He went on to explain how the media requested to organise a meeting with the Duchess on three occasions - but it never happened.

'I think the moment she married Harry it was '"right, let's get out of here as quick as we can," he added. 'I mean, it was ridiculous.'

The royal pair headed to LA at the start of the coronavirus pandemic - where they have since been staying with son Archie at Tyler Perry's $18million Beverly Hills mansion.

But the photographer claims the way in which Meghan changed clothes and went straight to Heathrow Airport to fly to Los Angeles suggests she 'had no intention of staying in the UK.'

Pictured, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor meet Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his daughter Thandeka Tutu-Gxashe at the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation during their royal tour of South Africa on September 25, 2019 in Cape Town

He added: 'It's not in her plans and she is dragging Harry along and unfortunately, he's gone along with it.'

It comes just days after the photographer claimed Prince Harry's criticism of the Commonwealth shows he has 'lost the plot' and 'should stop listening to his wife.'

Earlier this week the Duke of Sussex, faced criticism after he appeared to take a swipe at the British Empire by saying the history of the Commonwealth 'must be acknowledged', even if it's 'uncomfortable'.

Harry made the comment as he joined wife Meghan Markle, 38, for a video call from their Los Angeles home with young leaders from the Queen's Commonwealth Trust last week that was made public on Monday.

As part of the discussion on 'justice and equal rights', Harry said the Commonwealth - of which his grandmother is head - needs to follow others who have 'acknowledged the past' and are 'trying to right their wrongs', and also admitted to having his own 'unconscious bias'.

Writing in The Sun, Arthur observed: 'Prince Harry is entitled to his views. But in criticising the Commonwealth  the organisation closest to his grandmothers heart  he has simply lost the plot.'
New Delhi: Hours before gangster Vikas Dubey was killed in an encounter near Kanpur on Friday, a petition was filed in the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Uttar Pradesh government and the police to safeguard his life and ensure that he is not killed by the cops.

The plea has also sought registration of an FIR and an apex court monitored probe by the CBI into the encounter of five co-accused, who were alleged to be associated with Dubey in the killing of eight policemen last week.

Eight policemen, including DSP Devendra Mishra, were ambushed in Bikru village in Chaubeypur area of Kanpur when they were going to arrest Dubey and fell to bullets fired from rooftops shortly after midnight on July 3.

Dubey was killed in an encounter this morning when a police vehicle carrying him from Ujjain to Kanpur met with an accident and he tried to escape from the spot in Bhauti area, the police said.

Four policemen, including an inspector posted in Nawabganj, were injured in the accident, IG, Kanpur Range, Mohit Agarwal said.

He was rushed to the hospital where he was declared dead. Dubey was the prime accused in the ambush in which the policemen were killed.

Prior to Dubey's encounter, five of his alleged associated were killed in separate encounters.

The plea, filed in the apex court by advocate Ghanshyam Upadhyay, has referred to media reports and claimed that encounter of these five co-accused by the police is "not only extremely illegal, inhuman, but also it is shocking to the conscience of the court and is nothing but Talibanisation of the country, which cannot be countenanced at all".

"I had done e-filing of the petition at 2 AM and provisional number was also allotted," Upadhyay told PTI over phone.

It has sought direction to the Uttar Pradesh government and police to register FIR for demolition of residential building, vehicles and other properties of Dubey and also regarding encounters of the co-accused.

The plea said the investigation must be transferred to the CBI and the probe agency should be directed to submit its periodical reports before the top court.

"In view of the extremely high handed and illegal action of Uttar Pradesh Government/Police so carried out inasmuch as completely pulling down/demolishing the residential building, shopping mall of accused Vikas Dubey .there is every possibility of even accused Vikas Dubey being killed by Uttar Pradesh Police after his custody being obtained by them from MP police and then concoct a story of encounter .," the plea alleged.

It claimed that killing of accused by police and then "giving the same colour of encounter is extremely inhuman and against the very rule of law and orderly society" and the same cannot be countenanced under any circumstances.

"Though, it cannot be denied the act of the accused of killing eight policemen is extremely heinous crime, yet the accused were/are required to be dealt with in accordance of law and in the process, upon their guilt being proved after full-fledged trial, they could have been convicted even for death sentence .," it said.

It said that FIR should be registered against the concerned policemen and officials involved in demolition of residential building of Dubey and encounter of five co-accused.

The plea said that in India, even criminals like 2008 Mumbai attack case accused Ajmal Kasab and those involved in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts were given complete opportunity to defend themselves during the trial and appeal up to the apex court.

"Time has come when this court being ultimate custodian of law and Constitution, under which the country needs to be ruled/governed, needs to take serious view of the matter or else, a time will come when there will be only police raj in this country, which cannot be countenanced," it said.

It claimed that emergence of people like Dubey is a glaring example of "corruption in police department and law enforcing machineries".

Referring to media report, it alleged that Dubey had blessing of politicians of various political parties and had deep connection with police department.

While on July 3, two of his alleged associates, Prem Prakash Pandey and Atul Dubey, were killed by police in an encounter in Kanpur, on July 8 the police killed, Amar Dubey, who carried a reward of Rs 50,000, in Maudaha village in Hamirpur district.

On July 9, two more alleged aides -- Kartikeya alias Prabhat and Praveen alias Bauwa Dubey -- were killed in separate encounters in Kanpur and Etawah districts.
By Gabriela Baczynska and Marine Strauss BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Council President Charles Michel on Friday sought to bridge gaps between EU countries over their long-term budget and economic stimulus plans before national leaders meet next week to haggle over how to recover from the coronavirus pandemic. With EU economies in free fall in the wake of the pandemic, Michel will chair the first face-to-face talks of the 27 European Union heads since lockdowns took hold in March and feuds over how to respond to the coronavirus divided the bloc

By Gabriela Baczynska and Marine Strauss

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Council President Charles Michel on Friday sought to bridge gaps between EU countries over their long-term budget and economic stimulus plans before national leaders meet next week to haggle over how to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

With EU economies in free fall in the wake of the pandemic, Michel will chair the first face-to-face talks of the 27 European Union heads since lockdowns took hold in March and feuds over how to respond to the coronavirus divided the bloc.

"The COVID-19 crisis presents Europe with a challenge of historic proportions," Michel said. "We are slowly exiting the acute health crisis... the emphasis is now shifting to mitigating the socio-economic damage."

Hoping to overcome major differences over how to revive economic growth between the wealthy, thrifty north and the high-debt south, hit harder by COVID-19, he proposed a smaller joint EU budget for 2021-27 than previously envisaged.

The Netherlands, Sweden and Finland were quick to welcome a step making the proposed massive stimulus scheme more palatable to the more frugal nations. But they all said more work was needed.

Michel presented a long-term EU budget of 1.074 trillion euros and a recovery fund of 750 billion euros for pandemic-hammered economies, with two-thirds of that to be in the form of free grants and a third issued as repayable loans.

"Some right steps regarding the (budget) but much work needs to be done on the recovery package. We need a lower overall level and better balance of grants and loans," said Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin, who sits in the northern camp willing to offer loans rather than grants to the south.

Her comments were echoed by Sweden and by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte - the key hawkish figure in the talks - insisted on enshrining economic reforms as conditions for accessing the funds, something the south wants to avoid.

The COVID-19 pandemic is the latest big challenge for the EU after a debt crisis a decade ago, mass immigration in the mid-2010s and the trauma of Brexit. Some have even framed it as an existential dilemma, as eurosceptic feeling grows in countries such as Italy.

Michel proposed maintaining the so-called rebates that wealthier states receive on their budget contributions and, in a couched reference to Poland, Hungary and others, said funding would be conditional on respect for the rule of law.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban - who stands accused of undercutting democracy at home - swiftly said Budapest could veto the plan if money came with strings attached.

That sets the stage for arm-twisting at the EU summit on July 17-18, though Olaf Sholz - the finance minister of Germany, which holds the bloc's presidency - voiced optimism that the leaders would reach a deal.

A flurry of top-level meetings in recent days has helped to narrow the differences somewhat though some diplomats in Brussels already envisage more negotiations at a second summit later in July.

COMPLEX BUT CRITICAL

Michel proposed allocating most of the recovery funds to debt-burdened countries in the south like Italy and Greece, but also to efforts to combat climate change.

EU bargaining over money is always very fraught, and agreeing on budgets to cover spending from support for agriculture to regional development, research and scholarships is an arcane process in which member states trade concessions in one area against benefits in the other.

Even before the pandemic, which sent the euro zone's economy into its worst-ever recession forecast at 8.7% this year, the bloc's joint coffers were already short due to Brexit. Michel on Friday proposed a new, 5 billion euro fund to ease related disruptions in member states from 2021.

Rutte, who ostentatiously took a biography of Polish-French composer Fryderyk Chopin to previous budget talks to demonstrate that the proposal on the table was so far off he saw no point in engaging in negotiations, this time said:

"It's starting to go our way. I will leave my Chopin book at home this time."

But there is still a long road to an agreement - which will have to be ratified by the European Parliament and some national assemblies - as one EU lawmaker warned straightaway that the chamber could reject an overall budget below earlier plans.

"A smaller MFF will jeopardise EU support to our researchers & students. It will prevent us from tackling climate change or improving citizens' security," Siegfried Muresan said.

(Additional reporting by Tarmo Virki, Anthony Deutsch, Writing by John Chalmers, Editing by William Maclean and Hugh Lawson)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Naya Rivera described herself as a 'f***ed-up kid', but dreamed of a long life with multiple children and grandchildren with her then-husband, actor Ryan Dorsey, her autobiography reveals.

Years from now, when Im still married and Ryan and I have all these kids and grandkids running around, I can sit back and think, Yeah, I lived. I really lived, she wrote in her 2016 book, Sorry Not Sorry.

The book revealed how Rivera struggled with anorexia as a child and later with the trauma of a secret abortion, and was hit hard by the death of her close friend and Glee co-star Cory Monteith from an accidental heroin overdose in July 2013.

She describes how she wasnt surprised her ex-boyfriend and co-star Mark Salling had a dark, criminal side after he pleaded guilty to possessing thousands of pornographic images of prepubescent minors. He committed suicide in January 2018.

Details from Riveras book have resurfaced in the wake of her presumed death on Wednesday at Lake Piru about 60 miles outside LA, when she apparently drowned on a boat trip with her four-year-old son Josey.

Naya Rivera described herself as a 'f***ed-up kid', but dreamed of a long life with multiple children and grandchildren with her then-husband, actor Ryan Dorsey, her autobiography reveals

Details from Riveras book have resurfaced in the wake of her presumed death on Wednesday at Lake Piru about 60 miles outside LA, when she apparently drowned on a boat trip with her four-year-old son Josey. A day after posting a tragic final Instagram (right) with her son which she captioned 'just the two of us'

Dorsey, the heartbroken ex-husband of Rivera, was seen for the first time comforting Josey on Thursday, just a day after the Glee actress vanished from a California lake where shed been boating with the four-year-old

The California lake search for Rivera is now a recovery mission as it was revealed she'd been visiting the beauty spot for years and considered it her 'sanctuary', despite its reputation for rip currents.

Riveras memoir Sorry Not Sorry: Dreams, Mistakes, and Growing Up was described as being funny and deeply personal and details of Rivera's successes and missteps, where she urges young women to pursue their dreams and to refuse to let past mistakes define them.

She wrote that she and Monteith, who died in July 2013 from a heroin overdose, were like siblings, and that she saw him break his sobriety at a party after the cast wrapped season three of Glee.

Riveras memoir Sorry Not Sorry: Dreams, Mistakes, and Growing Up was described as being funny and deeply personal and details of Rivera's successes and missteps

When he decided to order a cocktail, it was the first time we had ever seen him drink, she wrote. He explained that he wanted to be able to drink in moderation, that he could do it and be just like everybody else.

'He seemed calm and confident about it, so we all just accepted it. To be honest, I dont think many of us really understood how addiction worked.

Rivera said she was hit hard by the news of his death, delivered on the phone by a friend late one night.

But she got little sympathy from her then-fiance, rapper Big Sean. I shook Sean awake and told him that Cory had just died.

He just said, Oh man, babe, Im really sorry about that, and rolled over and went back to sleep. I was crying, and kept coming in and out of the room as I went out into the hallway to make phone calls, and he never got out of bed or even so much as sat up and turned on the light,' she wrote.

Talking about her other former-costar Salling, she wrote she wasnt surprised that her ex, who she saw on and off from 2009 for three years and pushed her to take drugs and cheated on her, also had a dark, criminal side.

I cant say I was totally shocked, but stillWTF? she wrote in her 2016 memoir. My sons nanny actually told me about it when the story broke Then I had no doubt that God really did have my back along the way.

She wrote that she and Monteith, who died in July 2013 from a heroin overdose, were like siblings, and that she saw him break his sobriety at a party after the cast wrapped season three of Glee

Rivera wrote how she wasnt surprised her ex-boyfriend and co-star Mark Salling (pictured in 2010) had a dark, criminal side after he pleaded guilty to possessing thousands of pornographic images of prepubescent minors. He committed suicide in January 2018

Rivera revealed that while on a brief break from when she previously dated Dorsey in 2010 she discovered she was pregnant with his child and had a secret abortion. She wrote that she was back on the Glee set the day after the abortion, despite continuing to bleed for the next two weeks. Pictured: Naya Rivera in Glee (left) with Heather Morris and Diana Agron in 2009

The couple split in 2012 when she discovered his infidelity and she poured dog food, Coca-Cola, eggs and birdseed on his car.

Rivera has had several turbulent relationships that led her family to worry about her mental health.

In spring 2014 she discovered on the internet that her planned marriage to Big Sean was cancelled after she accused him of stealing a Rolex he gave her.

His publicist released a statement saying the wedding was called off.

So I learned that I was no longer getting married from THE INTERNET, and at the same time as the rest of the world, Rivera wrote. Not only were we no longer getting married, but apparently we werent even together anymore.

Just three months later she was married to actor Ryan Dorsey, the father of her now four-year-old son.

The couple temporarily split in 2016 and she filed divorce papers which she later withdrew.

But months after getting back together, Rivera was arrested in November 2017 on suspicion of domestic battery, allegedly getting physical, out of control and hitting Dorsey. He later asked for the charge to be dismissed.

After her arrest friends told E! News that her family urged her to seek mental health help.

Rivera was arrested in November 2017 on suspicion of domestic battery, allegedly getting physical, out of control and hitting Dorsey. He later asked for the charge to be dismissed

she got little sympathy from her then-fiance, rapper Big Sean (pictured in 2013). I shook Sean awake and told him that Cory had just died. In spring 2014 she discovered on the internet that her planned marriage to Big Sean was cancelled after she accused him of stealing a Rolex he gave her. His publicist released a statement saying the wedding was called off

This is not the first time that their relationship has been violent, and the fact that she hit her husband and lashed out like that, is very scary to everyone around her, the friend said.

Many people close to Naya are urging her to seek immediate help for the sake of her son and herself.

Rivera revealed that while on a brief break from when she previously dated Dorsey in 2010 she discovered she was pregnant with his child and had a secret abortion.

The actress wrote that afterwards she became addicted to MTVs Teen Mom as a way to punish herself for getting the procedure.

I was so jealous that they got to keep their kids, she wrote. Watching it over and over was a way of punishing myself. Whats wrong with you? Id ask myself.

She said she struggled to get over the trauma of the event.

I dont think I ever emotionally healed from the abortion, which is why it is so mind-blowing that some people think having an abortion is the carefree girls No. 1 choice to keep on partying, Rivera revealed in her book.

In reality, it is anything but an easy choice. In some ways, I think choosing to have an abortion is almost harder than choosing to have your child, because you make that choice knowing, or at least suspecting, that many moments of your life will now be tinged with regret.

Rivera (pictured left as a child) said she struggled with her mental health even as a child, suffering from anorexia in high school. 'One day I just decided to see how long I could go without eating,' she wrote in her biography. She began fasting and became neurotic about exercise, secretly jogging on the spot to try to burn any calories she consumed

Years from now, when Im still married and Ryan and I have all these kids and grandkids running around, I can sit back and think, Yeah, I lived. I really lived, she wrote in her 2016 book, Sorry Not Sorry

She wrote that she was back on the Glee set the day after the abortion, despite continuing to bleed for the next two weeks.

It was incredibly painful  your body is basically in labor with strong, frequent contractions. I was nauseous and kept going in and out of consciousness because of the pain, she wrote.

When I got up to work the next day, a little more than 12 hours after having a medical abortion, I had to put my cheer leading uniform back on and hope that the skimpy bloomers covered the giant pad I was wearing.

Rivera said she struggled with her mental health even as a child, suffering from anorexia in high school.

'One day I just decided to see how long I could go without eating,' she wrote in her biography.

She began fasting and became neurotic about exercise, secretly jogging on the spot to try to burn any calories she consumed.

The 54 actress dropped to just 98 lbs and by her high school sophomore year she couldnt even force herself to eat an apple.

She wrote that she bounced back after making friends with healthier body images.
Washington, July 10 : US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said the United States is "very hopeful" to continue dialogue with North Korea at various levels, though the latter has signalled its unwillingness to do so.

"We're very hopeful that we can continue to have this conversation, whether that's at levels beneath the summit, or if it's appropriate and there is a useful activity to take place, to have senior leaders get back together as well," Pompeo said on Thursday during a press briefing when asked whether another US-North Korea summit is possible before the US presidential election in November, Xinhua reported.

"As for who and how and timing, I just don't want to talk about that today," he added.

US President Donald Trump suggested earlier this week that he is open to another summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

"I understand they want to meet and we would certainly do that," Trump said in an interview with Gray Television's Greta Van Susteren. "I would do it if I thought it was going to be helpful," added Trump.

US Deputy Secretary of State and special envoy for North Korea Stephen Biegun also noted that Washington is ready for talks with Pyongyang.

"When Chairman Kim appoints a counterpart to me who is prepared and empowered to negotiate on these issues, they will find us ready at that very moment," Biegun said on Wednesday in Seoul.

"I believe this is very much possible. President Trump has given us his full support to continue this effort," he noted.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in said last week that his country would make all-out efforts to let North Korea and the US hold talks before the US presidential election.

Pyongyang, however, has expressed its unwillingness for more talks with Washington. Kwon Jong Gun, director general of the Department of US Affairs of North Korea's Foreign Ministry, said on Tuesday that North Korea was unwilling to talk face to face with the United States, urging South Korea to stay away from meddling in Pyongyang's affairs.

Denuclearization talks between Washington and Pyongyang have been stalled since the Hanoi summit between the two leaders in February 2019 ended with no agreement.

Tensions escalated on the peninsula as North Korea demolished the inter-Korean liaison office building in North Korea's border city of Kaesong last month in protest against anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent across the border by South Korean civic group activists, mostly defectors from North Korea.

Pyongyang has cut off all communication lines with Seoul.
CEDARVILLE, Ohio  Cedarville University student Elena Hein of Medical Lake, majoring in nursing, was named to the Deans Honor List for spring 2020, the university announced in a June 22 news release. This recognition required Hein to maintain a 3.75 GPA and carry a minimum of 12 credit hours.

Founded in 1887 and located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 4,380 undergraduate, graduate and online students in more than 150 areas of study. For more information about the university, visit http://www.cedarville.edu.
Malaysia Airlines (MAS) has agreed to provide a 20% rebate on domestic airfares for students, teachers, and lecturers who will be returning to schools and campuses soon.

According to senior minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, the discount for teachers and lecturers are applicable for online bookings made between 9 July to 10 August, with the travel period being from 10 July to 30 November. Discounts can be enjoyed through online booking by keying in a promo code that will be announced by the government soon, he said.

Meanwhile, students can get their 20% discount through the MHexplorer programme, which requires you to sign up first if youre not yet a member. The programme, which is a fully digitised student travel programme by MAS, will allow students to enjoy the discounted fare until 30 November or until their membership expires.

I thank Malaysia Airlines management for agreeing to offer discounted fares to teachers, lecturers, and students, and I hope other airlines will also follow in their footsteps, said Datuk Seri Ismail.

Datuk Seri Ismail further explained that the discount is provided only until 30 November because most schools and universities are expected to reopen by then, if not earlier. Schools, for example, will reopen fully by 22 July. For higher education institutions, the minister will be making an announcement soon. Hence, those involved will be travelling in the near future, and not later, he said.

Earlier this week, Datuk Seri Ismail had issued a request for airline companies to adjust their flight prices back to pre-movement control order (MCO) levels following public outcry over inflated airfares. Alongside that, hed also called on the Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) to negotiate special ticket prices for students, teachers, and higher education institute students who need to travel back to their institutions when classes resume.

(Source: The Sun Daily)

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Navy allows service members to attend church during COVID-19, updates policy

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The U.S. Navy has clarified an order on in-person gatherings to allow personnel to gather for indoor worship services after members of Congress raised concern that the order barred service members from attending churches and houses of worship.

Last month, the First Liberty Institute, a legal group representing service members, voiced concern that a June 24 order barred service members from attending indoor worship gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic while permitting other, secular forms of indoor activity.

Concern about the order was also raised by two Republican members of Congress in a July 1 letter to Secretary of Defense Mark Esper.

But on Wednesday evening, Acting Undersecretary of the Navy Greg Slavonic sent out a memo clarifying that in-person worship was permissible, provided measures are taken to curb the spread of COVID-19.

"[The order should not] be construed to restrict attendance at places of worship where attendees are able to appropriately apply COVID-19 transmission mitigation measures, specifically social distancing and use of face covering, wrote Slavonic in the memo.

"I am directing you to ensure that all Service guidance reflects the reference message and to inform Commanders to incorporate this clarification allowing attendance at religious services where COVID-19 transmission mitigation measures may be appropriately applied."

The First Liberty Institute, a conservative religious freedom law firm which had been representing chaplain Daniel Schultz and others who complained about earlier limitations, praised the memo.

First Liberty General Counsel Mike Berry said in a statement Thursday that this was a major victory for the Constitution and for religious freedom within our military.

We are grateful to Acting Undersecretary Slavonic and Navy leadership for righting this ship, and to Commander-in-Chief Trump for making religious liberty a priority, stated Berry.

This memo means tens of thousands of our brave service members will be able to safely and freely exercise their religious beliefs.

For their part, First Liberty sent a letter on June 29 on behalf of Schultz arguing that efforts to combat the coronavirus cannot come at the expense of the Constitution.

No compelling interest has been cited as a basis for banning Major Schultz and other service members from the right to freely exercise religious beliefs via in-person religious services, read the June letter.

And even if the Navy can establish that its order is necessary to advance a compelling government interest, it cannot satisfy [Religious Freedom Restoration Act] by proving that an outright ban on religious service attendance is the least restrictive means of advancing that interest.

Reps. Doug Collins, R-Ga., and Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., argued in their July 1 letter to Esper that while it is important to protect the health and safety of service members during the pandemic, it is unlawful to single out religious gatherings while allowing other gatherings to take place.



To enforce that prohibition under threat of court-martial is unconscionable and provides yet another example of why change is sorely needed at the Pentagon, the congressmen wrote.

In-person worship services have become a subject of controversy when it comes to efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19. There have been instances in which church gatherings have been linked to outbreaks of the virus. Some, however, argue that it is unfair to single out churches as sources of infection when people are gathering in secular locations as well.

Legal battles have been fought in multiple states and localities by congregations arguing that they have been unfairly singled out for stricter rules on gatherings than secular organizations.

Last month, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit ruled that Illinois was right to limit in-person worship to no more than 10 people.

Judge Frank Easterbrook authored the opinion, concluding that the state executive order capping in-person attendance did not single out religious gatherings.
GONZALES  For more than a century, a rebel soldier, his right hand clutching a musket, his left shading his eyes, has looked steadfastly northward from his sentry post atop a tall pedestal in a downtown park.

If the marble figure in Confederate Square could actually see into the far, far distance, he would note statues of controversial Civil War figures including Stonewall Jackson and Jefferson Davis have been defaced, toppled over or quietly removed.

But that is unlikely to happen here, where, for most people, the looming statue erected to memorialize the Confederate dead is a cherished piece of local heritage.

In Gonzales, known as the birthplace of the Texas Revolution, history is revered.

Its not a statue of real person, like Robert E. Lee. Its just a reminder of history, heritage or whatever you want to say it is. It helps us remember the ones who died in the Civil War, said County Judge Patrick Davis, who was born and raised here. And you cannot change history. You can make things better, but you cant change the past.

While Davis opposes removing the 40-foot tall Confederate monument, he is open to other historical figures being added to the square.

But one mans fond heritage can be another mans bitter affront.

Some Gonzales natives see a more complex picture at the square and are pushing against the longstanding status quo.

I can understand, a little bit, the statue being there, but its time for a change of names of Confederate Square, said Quincy Johnson, 57, an African American whose roots here go back more than a century.

Loving the city that I grew up in, I dont feel it should have a place of homage to the Confederacy. And having city events take place in Confederate Square is kind of a slap in the face, he said.

Among the functions held there is the three-day Come and Take It, festival, which celebrates the first battle of the Texas Revolution in 1835.

Founded in 1825 near the junction of the San Marcos and Guadalupe Rivers, Gonzales was one of the earliest Anglo-American settlements in Texas.

Its finest moment came on Oct. 2, 1835, when local men repulsed a contingent of 100 Mexican soldiers that was sent from San Antonio to retrieve a small cannon.

Five months later, a group of Gonzales men, now known as the Immortal 32, rode west to join the defenders of the Alamo. They all perished in the famous siege.

Located 75 miles east of San Antonio, Gonzales has about 7,500 residents, with a Hispanic majority. Whites make up about 30 percent and Black residents about 12 percent, according to the U.S. Census.

The downtown remains charming, featuring stately brick buildings, some more than a century old, and a huge Come and Take it flag.

Just off the square is another tourist draw, the hulking old jail which once held famed fugitive Gregorio Cortez.

Gonzales is a tight-knit, orderly community, but protective of its image. The current attention on Confederate Square is not welcomed by everyone.

City leaders, including the mayor, police chief, director of the Chamber of Commerce and the chair of the county historical commission, all declined to be interviewed about the issue.

Its a sensitive matter. I dont want to add fuel to the fire. I want to be part of the solution, said another local figure.

Lest We Forget

The marble figure standing above the square was commissioned by the local chapter of the Daughters of the Confederacy. It includes the inscriptions Our Confederate Dead 1861-1865 and Lest We Forget, as well as a Confederate flag on the pedestal.

On July 21, 1909, more than 4,000 people turned out for its groundbreaking and a day of celebration, according to an article in the Gonzales Inquirer.

It is one of the 747 Confederate statues and memorials found in 31 states and the District of Columbia, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. Many were erected between 1890 and 1950, during the Jim Crow era of segregation.

Texas, with 64 monuments, ranked in fourth place behind Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia.

The law center also estimates that between 2015 and early 2019, at least 138 Confederate symbols were removed from public spaces, including nine in Texas.

The pace of removal has greatly accelerated in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the Black Lives Matter protest movement his death triggered.

In late 2017, a statue to the Confederate dead that had stood for more than 100 years in Travis Park in San Antonio was taken down.

Earlier this month, a statue of Christopher Columbus, seen by some as a symbol of white supremacy, was removed from another San Antonio park.

But unlike many other places, Gonzales has not been riven by protest and acrimony over these issues.

Gonzales is one big happy family. The people who were born and raised here are very partial to Gonzales. Were also very partial to our Black heritage, said Davis, the county judge.

By all accounts, ethnic relations are harmonious, even though whites have always held the political power.

Growing up in a small town, everyone knows everyone. Im a good friend of our current sheriff. I know our police chief fairly well, as do a lot of citizens, said Johnson, a project coordinator for the Guadalupe Valley Electric Coop.

Thats not to say we dont have disagreements or different feelings, but I think we all have a lot more respect for each other here, he said.

The mood changed dramatically last month after a newspaper poll about the statue and the square exposed deep rifts in public opinion about the Confederate symbols.

The informal poll by the Gonzales Inquirer, conducted just before the recent Juneteenth rally on June 19, showed that more than three-quarters of the respondents opposed removing the statue or renaming the square.

Among the hundreds of social media posts were some that were heated and even confrontational.

Im sick of the crap. This bothers me. Lets remove it. How about leave it alone? Erasing statues and things from history doesnt change the fact it happened. Get a life, wrote one woman.

To which a man responded, Yes, Yes, Yes. Me and a few of my buddies will volunteer and help. We have a bulldozer already offered for free use.

Joe Southern, the interim editor, had thought the poll would fit nicely into the ongoing national debate about racial issues. He was shocked by the intensity of the responses.

It just went absolutely nuts on Facebook. I got accused of being a left-wing nut when Im about as conservative as they come. People were calling us names and calling for a boycott, he said.

Armed people show up

On June 19 when a peaceful protest was held as part of the Juneteenth celebration, armed men stood on rooftops around Confederate Square.

About 100 heavily-armed members of the Texas Freedom Force had come to protect the statue. Some wore the Confederate flag image.

Weeks earlier, they had gone to the Alamo during demonstrations in San Antonio.

Ultimately, despite rumors of antifa and other outsiders sneaking into town to cause trouble, the event came off peacefully, with speakers calling for unity and social justice.

Everyone behaved. It went pretty well, considering all the chaos around it, said Joe White, 33, one of the organizers.

And although White, who works in the oilfield, could not have foreseen the robust debate prompted by the Inquirer poll, he welcomes it.

Honestly, a lot of the African-American community really didnt know it was called Confederate Square or know much about the statue. Everyone knows what it is now and a lot of people are saying it needs to be removed, he said.

Our goal was to get the conversation started. A lot of people are afraid of having it, but it needs to be had, he said.

White, an African American whose roots here go back to the 19th century, supports putting the statue somewhere more appropriate, like a museum, and replacing it with a more unifying symbol, like a cannon.

We could call it Come and Take It Square, he said, while acknowledging that given the majority sentiment, moving the statue is unlikely.

Politics will determine what if anything happens at Confederate Square, said Don Page, a hotel owner and chairman of the county Republican Party.

The only people who could make those changes is our city council. They control city parks, he said. And that will require our Black community to be at these meetings and talking to the candidates to push the issue.

Why dont we have a Martin Luther King street here in Gonzales? Its a great question, he said.

Lest We Forget II

Three years ago, David Tucy, 67, a retired Army master sergeant, now the countys veterans service officer, and Thomas Enriquez met with Mayor Connie Kacir, Police Chief Tim Crow and other officials. Their objective was to voice the minority communitys unhappiness with the Confederate monument.

That statue stands for a person who fought to enslave the men, women and children of that community, said Enriquez, who suggested a statue of Abraham Lincoln would be more appropriate, according to an article in the Gonzales Inquirer.

To make his point, Tucy offered a more dramatic alternative: So, if that Confederate statue remains, then why dont we erect a statue of a slave right there beside it .... The slave with deep whiplashes across his back, bending over to pick cotton ..... with the inscription, lest we forget.

Despite talk of a committee being formed, nothing happened. But then came George Floyd and Black Lives Matter, bringing the issue to the forefront.

Since that earlier meeting, Tucy said he has given a lot of thought to the issue. Recently, he and Kacir resumed their conversation.

He now believes that removing the Confederate statue is a political impossibility, but he has hope for the future.

I feel in my heart that someday its probably going to happen, but I also feel that it wont be my generation that gets it done through legal channels, he said.

As more people get educated and become aware of how Black people feel about Confederate Square and the Confederate statue, then it will happen. I probably wont see it, he added.

In the meantime, Tucy said, his focus is on giving the square a new name that is palatable to everyone in Gonzales.

We understand there is a process. If this is our town, then our town would represent both sides of the story, he said.

On Thursday night, he outlined his ideas to the city council. Among them: rename the square and allocate space for a display and monument giving the African-American side of the story. The council asked that he come back with a proposal.

In the meantime, the square will remain a vexation.

I have a granddaughter here from Florida. Shes 12, very smart and inquisitive. Id like to take her around and show her some historic sites in Gonzales, Tucy said.

But what side of history do I tell her when I take her down to Confederate Square and the Confederate statue?
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 20:54:08|Editor: huaxia

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HONG KONG, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The COVID-19 cases surged in South Asia on Friday as India reported the record high of 26,506 new cases during the past 24 hours and the number of confirmed cases in Bangladesh reached 178,443.

Meanwhile, in Japan, Tokyo's new cases also hit record high.

India's federal health ministry Friday morning reported 475 new deaths from COVID-19 and 26,506 new cases during the past 24 hours across the country, taking the number of deaths to 21,604 and the total infections to 793,802.

This is the highest single day spike in the number of fresh cases in the country so far.

The country has entered "Unlock 2.0" phase, though restrictions remain in full force inside the COVID-19 containment zones.

On Thursday, the government of Uttar Pradesh, the country's biggest state in terms of population, decided to impose a weekend lockdown from Friday night till Monday morning, to cut the chain of transmission of COVID-19.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Bangladesh reached 178,443 on Friday, as 2,949 new infections were confirmed in the last 24 hours.

Senior Health Ministry official Nasima Sultana said in a briefing Friday afternoon that "2,949 new COVID-19 positive cases and 37 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours across Bangladesh."

Sultana again urged people to follow the government guidelines on precautions.

"Your security is in your hands and never forget to wear a mask," said Nasima, as media reported that streets are extremely congested again and safety rules including social distancing are not applied or obeyed properly with many people without wearing masks.

Not wearing a mask while in public is illegal in Bangladesh, according to a circular issued by the Directorate General of Health Services earlier.

TV footage showed Friday afternoon that traders and buyers were in congested cattle markets in parts of Bangladesh without maintaining social distancing and adopting other safety guidelines.

In Japan, the number of daily COVID-19 new cases in Tokyo hit a record high of 243 cases, the second straight day that new cases have topped 200.

The latest number of daily infections surpasses 224 cases confirmed a day earlier and has surged past 75 cases reported on Wednesday when cases had dropped to double digits for the first time in seven days.

The capital has continued to grapple with a resurgence of cases since the government's emergency declaration over the virus was completely lifted on May 25.

The number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines surged to 52,914 after the Department of Health (DOH) reported 1,233 new cases on Friday.

The DOH said that the number of recoveries further rose to 13,230 after 286 more patients have survived the disease.

The death toll also increased to 1,360 after 42 more patients have succumbed to the viral disease.

The COVID-19 cases in Indonesia rose by 1,611 within one day to 72,347, with the death toll adding by 52 to 3,469, Achmad Yurianto, a Health Ministry official, said on Friday.

According to him, 878 more people had been discharged from hospitals, bringing the total number of recovered patients to 33,529.

Yurianto called on the public to obey the health protocols to avoid more infections.

South Korea reported 45 more cases of the COVID-19 as of 0:00 a.m. Friday local time compared to 24 hours ago, raising the total number of infections to 13,338.

The daily caseload moved between 40 and 70 for the past 10 days amid the continued small cluster infections and imported cases.

One more death was confirmed, leaving the death toll at 288. The total fatality rate stood at 2.16 percent.

Malaysia reported another 13 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, bringing the national total to 8,696 cases.

Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a press briefing that eight of the new cases are imported and the remaining five are local transmissions.

No new deaths had been reported, leaving the total deaths at 121.

A U.S. marine deployed to Australia's Northern Territory (NT) has tested positive for COVID-19. Natasha Fyles, the NT Health Minister, said on Friday that the marine had returned a positive test while serving a mandatory two-week quarantine period at the Australian Defence Force (ADF) facility in Darwin after arriving in the NT "a few days ago" as part of the annual Marine Rotational Force.

New Zealand reported two new cases on Friday, bringing the number of active cases of COVID-19 in the country to 23, according to the Ministry of Health.

It has been 70 days since the last case of COVID-19 was acquired locally from an unknown source, said a ministry statement.

Friday's newly reported cases brought the total number of confirmed cases to 1,192.

Fiji reported on Friday five new cases, bringing the number of active cases to eight in the island nation since July 6.

All the eight active cases were among the 107 passengers on the same repatriation flight from India last Saturday.

Fiji had reported a total of 18 COVID-19 patients since it confirmed its first case on March 19, and all of them have fully recovered before June 5.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has inaugurated the China-aided Isolation Hospital and Infections Treatment Center (IHITC) to enhance the country's capability to fight COVID-19 and ease pressure on hospitals in capital Islamabad.

With the support from China, the IHITC was built in a short span of time to treat COVID-19 patients and the medical facility will be used in infections treatment in the post- COVID-19 scenario, said the Pakistani side.

According to the data available on the website of the health ministry on Thursday, Pakistan recorded 240,848 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 4,983 deaths and 145,311 recoveries. Enditem
By Fred First

First is a lifelong biology-watcher, naturalist, essayist and speaker. He lives in Floyd County.

We should suffer no illusions that nature bats last, and once on the other side of the COVID-19 wake-up call, wed best be looking at what other previously unexamined threats our house-of-cards socio-economic scaffolding might suffer that could bring our precarious civilization down around our ears.

We are witnessing how, in our human-centric economic eco-system, all parts are tied together with every other part in a web of dependencies. If one rare earth or workforce (like meatpackers) or machine-part weakest-link becomes unavailable, the processes downstream come to a halt. Everything is attached to everything else. That is what ecology teaches us.

Even the smallest links matter in ways we come to know best  and to our great dismay  when they disappear and it is too late to call them back.

Two seemingly trivial groups of players in this interlocking puzzle called nature are the insects and fresh-water mussels. As their fate is determined, so perhaps is that of homo not-so-sapiens.

The great insect die-off you have surely heard about  recently visible in these pages and well documented regarding the plight of honeybees. But the collapse of this most abundant group of Animalia is far, far more extensive and consequential than the essential service of almond pollination. And take note: the causes of the insect apocalypse are habitat loss, climate change, pesticide use and the pressures of increasing human numbers and needs.

What fewer people know or yet care about is that fresh-water mussels of creeks and rivers and lakes are dying all around the world. These mollusks are not cuddly  and yet the fate of these living rocks should matter to us. Like the collapse of insects, these backbone-less uncharismatic creatures are our canary in the coal mine for the health of aquatic ecosystems.

North America is home to one third of the worlds freshwater mussel species. Increasingly over the past decades, there have been declines in 70% of U.S. species due to known threats from pollution, impoundment and other man-made stressors or competition with invasive zebra mussels.

Where they thrive, freshwater mussels filter billions of gallons of U.S. drinking waters, mitigating pollution and clearing biomass and sediment, adding carbon and nitrogen to the stream beds. Fishing is good in waters where mussels do well.

Now new, unrelated and unexplained die-offs are happening from the much-studied Clinch River near Abingdon to waters in Spain and Sweden. European countries have reported up to 90% declines in some mussel populations.

Even in remote and protected waterways; even in the absence of toxic spills, parasites, bacteria or other pathogens, mussel species are becoming threatened or going extinct at an alarming rate in collapses from Washington state to Oklahoma to Wisconsin. We dont know why.

We do know that as filter feeders, their precarious survival-in-place depends on whats in the water. And in the process of cleaning our waters for us, they are dying.

Why? Stress from warmer water. From logging. Nutrient overload. Agricultural run-off. Viruses yet undiscovered. The disappearance of specific life-cycle fish hosts for their larvae. All  or none  of the above?

What we know is that we are the only Earth species that alters its environment to maximize its own profit and comfort. And we are the only one that can predict and reverse the decline and death of other species  maples and elephants, insects and mussels  with whom our lives are inextricably connected. Do we have the will to do this thing in our own best interest?




Haiti - FLASH : The Minister of Justice dismissed





Thursday July 9 Lucmane Delile, the Minister of Justice and Public Security, returning from abroad, vigorously condemned the demonstration earlier this week in the streets of Port-au-Prince, of bandits heavily armed with the new coalition of gangs "G9 and allies".



"We consider it extremely serious that armed bandits are gaining the streets of the capital to terrorize peaceful citizens. Haiti is not a banana republic where offenders can do whatever they want. I instruct the PNH to track down these criminals, because it is revolting and unacceptable [...]" declared Minister Delile.



A few hours later the Minister of Justice was removed from his post and immediately replaced by Rockefeller Vincent, former Director of the Unit for the Fight against Corruption as indicated by the presidential decree published in the Official Journal Le Moniteur #114 dated July 9.



Is this a sanction from the Prime Minister concerning the presence of detainees on the Presidency's grace list who did not meet the criteria for release https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-31187-haiti-justice-minisitre-delille-freezes-the-release-of-the-pardoned-prisoners-and-takes-sanctions.html or the end of an internal conflict while the situation has become more and more tense in recent weeks between the Minister of Justice, which is increasingly difficult to control, the Prime Minister and the Presidency.



To be continued...



SL/ HaitiLibre


















BUTCH CASSIDY

The True Story of an American Outlaw

By Charles Leerhsen

A quirky subgenre of narrative history has emerged in recent years that explores the lives of iconic heroes of Hollywood westerns. A good example is Charles Leerhsens worthy biography of Butch Cassidy, the former Mormon farm boy and leader of the Wild Bunch, a gang of five immortalized in an old studio photo. They were responsible for a succession of bank and train robberies across the intermountain West between 1896 and 1901. Despite a lengthy career that flip-flopped between dull but honest work as a ranch hand and his carefully plotted holdup schemes, Robert LeRoy Parker, a.k.a. Butch Cassidy, is better remembered today as the wisecracking lead character whom Paul Newman played in the George Roy Hill film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

The new genre has its limitations, and Butch Cassidy: The True Story of an American Outlaw cant escape them. The movie heroes are larger than life, thanks to the actors quips and star power, whereas the real outlaws were smallish cowboys of dubious morals, whose backgrounds, behavior and life chronologies are prone to extreme sketchiness and heated historical disputes. The Wild Bunch, for example, featured a changing cast of bandits who werent that wild; they werent even a bunch. No wonder the dime novels and yellow press of the day exaggerated the facts surrounding the western gangs and gunfighters: Too often those facts wont stand on their own.

Leerhsen, who is the author of biographies of Ty Cobb and the harness horse Dan Patch, amply demonstrates that cowboys are in his corral. He has taken the trouble to read the literature and track down the living descendants of the Wild Bunch in order to get the slippery details as straight as he can. Then he starts his own one-man posse in pursuit of the charismatic outlaw, visiting homesteads and following the historical trail all the way to Bolivia and Argentina, where Cassidy and his friend and fellow thief Harry Longabaugh, rechristened the Sundance Kid, spent their final years. At one point he says of his research, I am standing in about six inches of llama poop.

Yet even an investigator as diligent as Leerhsen cant get close enough to the outlaw or lay his hands on enough original material to bring Cassidy, a kind of backwater Anthony Bourdain, to life. And that is too bad because Leerhsen does a fine job of recounting the events surrounding the heists  like the gangs use of fresh horses spread out along their escape routes so that they could outgallop whatever lawmen were trailing along in dogged pursuit, thus stealing a trick from the old Pony Express. Cassidy, who was kind to shopkeepers and children, at first refused to rob anyone other than flush banks and railroads, which accounted for his Robin Hood-like appeal to the tabloids of the day.
Kazakhstan on Friday dismissed a warning issued by the Chinese embassy for its citizens to guard against an outbreak of an unknown pneumonia in the central Asian nation, describing it as being more lethal than the coronavirus as incorrect.

The Chinese embassy in Kazakhstan, located in the city of Nur Sultan, issued a late statement on Thursday on its official account on the popular app, WeChat, flagging a significant increase in cases in the Kazakh cities of Atyrau, Aktobe and Shymkent since mid-June.

On Friday, however, Kazakhstans healthcare ministry said the news was incorrect.

According to agency reports, the ministry said its tallies of bacterial, fungal and viral pneumonia infections, which also included cases of unclear causes, are in line with World Health Organisation guidelines.

The information published by some Chinese media regarding a new kind of pneumonia in Kazakhstan is incorrect, the ministry said.

The Kazakhstan health ministry acknowledged the presence of viral pneumonias of unspecified etiology, but denied that the outbreak was new or unknown.

In response to these reports, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan officially declares that this information does not correspond to reality, the statement read.

The Chinese embassy statement had said pneumonia in Kazakhstan killed 1,772 people in the years first half, with 628 deaths in June, including Chinese citizens.

The mortality rate of the disease is much higher than that of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus, it said.

The country implemented a lockdown on March 16 to contain the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic; restrictions were lifted in May but reimposed following an increase in cases.

President Kassim-Jomart Tokayev has said the country could be facing a second wave of infections.

Kazakhstan, which imposed a second lockdown this week to rein in the pandemic, has a tally of almost 55,000 Covid-19 infections, including 264 deaths. The number of new cases rose on Thursday to a daily record of 1,962.

According to a Tuesday report by Kazinform, the state news agency of Kazakhstan, the number of pneumonia cases increased 2.2 times in June as compared to the same period of 2019.

The country implemented a lockdown on March 16 to contain the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic; restrictions were lifted in May but reimposed following an increase in cases.

China, according to a Reuters report, is a major investor in oil- and metals-rich Kazakhstan and is one of the main markets for its exports, dominated by commodities. Kazakhstan also makes money from Chinese goods carried across its territory to Europe.

The Kazakhstans foreign ministry had summoned the Chinese ambassador in April to protest over an article on a Chinese website saying the country was keen to become part of China, the ministry said.

It was a rare move as the two countries avoid criticising each other.

It was during a lecture at a university in Kazakhstan that President Xi Jinping had first talked about the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), his ambitious inter-continental connectivity project, in 2013.
After China unveiled its latest plan to promote the Greater Bay Area as a wealth management hub on June 29, confusion reigned in financial circles.

Under the pilot scheme, dubbed Wealth Management Connect, Hong Kong and Macau residents can buy onshore wealth management products sold by Chinese banks, while bay area residents can invest in products sold by Hong Kong and Macau's banks.

This broad outline left asset managers puzzling over what it would mean for China's capital controls and travelling fund salespeople. So far, they agreed, the Wealth Management Connect is more of a concept than a road map.

Behind the scenes, regulators and industry professionals are fleshing out the details and have come up with a working plan for marketing products, regulation of mis-selling, and the type of products allowed, the South China Morning Post has learned.

China has much at stake. If the long-awaited scheme is a success, the bay area's wealthy will be able to grow their nest eggs at a faster clip by using a wider array of instruments. The region will burnish its credentials as a wealth management hub, and less money will flow to rival destination, Singapore.

The bay area is home to about 480,000 high-net-worth individuals, broadly defined as wealthy people with financial assets in excess of US$1 million, according to consultancy KPMG's 2018 report.

Failure could look like a redux of the heavily regulated and little-used Hong Kong-China Mutual Recognition of Funds (MRF) that China launched on July 1, 2015, which was hailed as a "major breakthrough" by then Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah.

"To make this real, the economic impact for Hong Kong and the bay area needs to be greater than from the Mutual Recognition of Funds scheme," said Ricardo Wenzel, a wealth and asset management adviser at KPMG.

Story continues

Wealth Management Connect, which was first proposed two years ago, still lacks a launch date, list of products and investment quota size.

"We're still waiting for a lot of the details," said Tai Hui, JP Morgan Asset Management's chief strategist for Asia. "What I hope to see is a tighter geographical coverage [than the nationwide MRF], but hopefully a broader product range."

A sticking point is how banks engage clients. Most banks cannot sell to a client for the first time without meeting them face-to-face and going through a host of protocols such as anti-money-laundering checks.

Offshore private bankers are not allowed to solicit business onshore. China detained a Singapore-based UBS private banker in 2018, prompting other international banks to caution their staff against travelling to meet wealthy clients in China informally. At the same time, clients do not want the inconvenience of having to travel to Hong Kong to meet their private banker.

The scheme's architects have come up with a neat solution. There will be a one-to-one partnership between banks on either side of the border, according to three people involved in the planning.

The whole process of marketing to the client will be handled by the bank on the same side of the border as the client, obviating the need for bankers or clients to cross borders. Everyone will have to find their dance partner, quipped one industry professional.

This structure mirrors the underlying structure of two existing investment schemes between Hong Kong and the mainland, the Bond Connect and Stock Connect. In these trading links, international investors trade mainland stocks and bonds via Hong Kong-based stockbrokers, and mainland China investors trade Hong Kong stocks using mainland China brokers.

If this one-to-one structure is formally adopted, how to punish mis-selling would also fall into place.

If a client makes a complaint, the regulator on the same side of the border as the banker responsible for misrepresenting the product or selling it to an unqualified investor deals with it. If the product itself is flawed, then that would fall under the jurisdiction of the regulator that manages the bank that manufactured the product, said the people.

Another hurdle is China's capital controls, limiting the amount of money flowing in and out of the country.

Wealth Management Connect will be a "closed loop" said the announcement. This means it will follow the same rule as the Stock and Bond Connect schemes: if investors buy a product in Hong Kong and then sell it, the proceeds must flow back into the mainland.

It is likely to have a more flexible quota system than the old MRF that had a combined North and South quota of 600 billion yuan (US$86 billion) and limited asset managers from selling more in mainland China than they had under management in Hong Kong.

Five years after its launch, the China Securities Regulatory Commission had only approved 29 funds, often with delays of 18 months to three years. Mainlanders had dropped just 17.2 billion yuan net into the scheme as at the end of May this year, according to China's State Administration of Foreign Exchange (Safe), or 5.7 per cent of the southbound quota.

Hong Kong's Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has approved 50 mainland funds under the MRF in the same period. However, Hongkongers spent only 328 million yuan net on these mainland funds as of the end of May, according to Safe, only 0.1 per cent of the northbound quota.

"Wealth Management Connect will not be a repeat of the Mutual Recognition of Funds as it will work in a completely different way," said Christine Lin, a partner at consultancy firm EY, who contributed to the first draft of the plan back in 2018.

It is also unclear as yet which wealth management products will be allowed under the scheme.

But unlike the MRF scheme, Lin said regulators would not require financial institutions to seek approval for individual funds or products. Instead, the SFC and the CSRC will give "blanket approval" for batches.

Most industry professionals expect the watchdogs will initially only allow the least risky and most easily understood products into the scheme. That rules out racy products such as accumulators, derivatives or structured instruments.

So not all of the over 2,000 funds with assets under management of over US$1.7 trillion authorised by the SFC, will make it into the scheme.

"It is likely to be those so-called 'plain vanilla' funds to begin with," said Bruno Lee, chairman of Hong Kong Investment Funds Association.

Likewise, the SFC is unlikely to allow retail investors in Hong Kong to buy the full gamut of mainland China's wealth management products.

This caution is partly because wealth management means very different things on the mainland and in international circles. Bank wealth management products in China mushroomed as shadow banking grew in the mainland, said Peter Alexander, founder and managing director of Z-Ben Advisors, a fund consultancy in Shanghai.

Those investment products are "bank savings substitutes" that provide short duration options over three months, six months or nine months, with returns typically of 4 or 5 per cent. "I have no clue how this [Wealth Management Connect] is going to work," he said.

Market participants expect a repeat performance of how other cross-border investment channels with mainland China have evolved since 2014. Beijing tends to point the direction, followed by a lot of discussions and not much real business before, eventually, traffic swells.

It took seven months between the announcement of Stock Connect and its launch, but longer than that for regulators on both sides of the border to iron out the kinks in the trading scheme such as settlement and around two years before turnover started to build.

Swiss bank UBS expects China to launch the scheme before the end of this year. Others are more sceptical.

"I certainly think this will take longer than some might expect," Alexander said.

Additional reporting by Chad Bray

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.
Prince Andrew's 'awkward' nature has been exposed by a Tatler writer who interviewed more than 30 of the Duke's friends and acquaintances for a portait of the royal's controversial social life.

The Duke of York, 60, has been under scrutiny over his friendship with the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, who has been charged with child sex trafficking and perjury, and his alleged partying in the nineties.

Writing in Times 2, UK-based Vassi Chamberlain, a former features editor at society bible Tatler, claimed that on a night out 'sexy young women' would throw their hands all over the eighth-in-line to the throne - who they refer to as 'Andy'.

Ms Chamberlain recalled being at a dinner party hosted by an art dealer with the Prince in the 1990s, where she alleged his 'sexual appetite' was on full display.

UK-based Vassi Chamberlain - Former features editor at society bible Tatler - alleged that on a night out 'sexy young women' would throw their hands all over Prince Andrew. He is pictured in the 1990s at Chinese New Year party

While the writer and fellow guests bowed and curtsied at the Prince's arrival, when a group of 'sexy young women, introduced as models' joined the crowd she claimed they didn't respect formalities.

'They flung their arms around him, crying: '"Andy, darling!'" They clearly knew him well,' she penned.

'What I remember above all about this most unusual experience was the look on his face. It wasn't that of a creepy, sex-obsessed man  he looked more like a dumbfounded adolescent.'

Ms Chamberlain, who has met the prince several times, also added that his 'reputation as a blundering and arrogant buffoon is not without foundation'.

Ms Chamberlain recalled being at dinner party hosted by an art dealer with the Prince in the 1990s, where she alleged his 'sexual appetite' was on full display. Prince Andrew is pictured in March this year in London

The writer claimed she witnessed the Duke's 'boorishness' first hand at a lunch in his honour at Conde Nast's UK headquarters Vogue House. Andrew is pictured in his Navy uniform

The writer claimed that she witnessed the Duke's 'boorishness' first hand at a lunch in his honour at Conde Nast's UK headquarters Vogue House in central London.

She recalled that he was 'awkward and uneasy' in a group conversation, but that didn't stop him from giving an unsolicited 30-minute monologue to the eight editors present on the difficulties of reversing 'a tanker into port'.

One of her friends, who knew the Prince well, called him a man with 'all the airs and graces of royalty, but none of their superiority' - and added that the father-of-two 'lacks Eton charm.'

Ms Chamberlain, who spoke to more than 30 of his friends for the article, claimed that many - including one of his former lovers - said he 'always chased a sh*g'.

Prince Andrew is pictured at Goga Ashkenazi's 30th Birthday Party at Tyringham Hall in Buckinghamshire in 2010. Ms Chamberlain, who has met the prince several times, also wrote that his 'reputation as a blundering and arrogant buffoon is not without foundation'.

The article also went on to allege that Andrew and other royals 'actively seek out the rich' as every penny they spend needs to be accounted for - meaning they're unable to splash out on private planes and yachts. He is pictured at his billionaire friend's Goga Ashkenazi 30th birthday party

Ms Chamberlain, who spoke to more than 30 of his friends for the article, claimed that many - including one of his former lovers - said he 'always chased a sh*g'. She is pictured at a dinner hosted by Alexa Chung in London in 2018

The article also went on to allege that Andrew and other royals 'actively seek out the rich' because every penny they spend needs to be accounted for - meaning they're unable to splash out on private planes and yachts.

One member of his social circle wrote: 'They love free holidays. I'm not surprised Andrew was so easily seduced by Epstein, with his vast array of influential friends. The girls around [Andrew] were not the main point, but they were definitely his Achilles' heel.'

Another of his former lovers claimed that Andrew had a 'pathetic sense of humour' and found 'poo cushions funny' - adding he used 'because I'm the Duke of York' as every punchline.

The revelations come as Donald Trump's Attorney General said his prosecutors 'definitely' want to speak to the royal about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and his alleged madam, Ghislaine Maxwell.

Pictured, Prince Andrew and Virginia Roberts aged 17 at Ghislaine Maxwell's townhouse in London. The Duke of York is in a war of words with the US authorities and the royal insists he is willing to speak to them about Jeffrey Epstein

Bottoms up! Andrew is seen holding an empty pint glass and donning a tux at a 2003 bash. He partied with a vast array of influential friends, one source claimed

Andrew is involved in a war of words with the US authorities over whether he will assist their inquiries into the sex crimes of his paedophile friend Jeffrey Epstein, who died in a New York jail cell last summer.

Ms Maxwell was arrested on 2nd July after a raid on her remote mansion in New Hampshire and is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn after being charged with child sex trafficking and perjury.

Epstein's 'sex slave' Virginia Roberts claimed she was trafficked by Epstein and Maxwell to have sex with Andrew three times when she was 17. But Andrew strenuously denies this claim.

Yesterday the US Attorney General Bill Barr said that Andrew must speak to the FBI and his team 'definitely' want to interview him.

He commented: 'The department wants to talk to Prince Andrew. That's why the Southern District has been making efforts to communicate with him. We've made it clear that we'd like to communicate with him'.

A source close to Prince Andrew previously told DailyMail.com that he was 'bewildered' by the ongoing claims that he wasn't cooperating, and says his team tried to reach prosecutors several times.
By Michael Holden and Alistair Smout

LONDON (Reuters) - Meghan, Britain's Duchess of Sussex, on Thursday sought a court order to stop the publisher of the Mail on Sunday tabloid from revealing the names of five friends who could be witnesses in an ongoing legal dispute, according to a court filing.

Meghan, wife of Queen Elizabeth's grandson Prince Harry, is suing publisher Associated Newspapers over articles the Mail on Sunday printed last year that included parts of a handwritten letter she sent to her estranged father, Thomas Markle, in August 2018.

Markle and his daughter have not spoken since he pulled out of appearing at her wedding to Harry in May 2018.

The Mail justified publishing the letter by saying five unnamed friends of Meghan had put her version of events in interviews with the U.S. magazine People.

Her legal team say it was untrue she had authorised or arranged for her friends to tell People about the letter, and on Thursday said Associated Newspapers were threatening to publish their names.

"These five women are not on trial, and nor am I. The publisher of the Mail on Sunday is the one on trial," Meghan said in a witness statement to London's High Court reviewed by Reuters.

"Each of these women is a private citizen... and each has a basic right to privacy," she added, saying their names had appeared in a confidential section of her legal papers.

A spokesman for the Mail on Sunday said the newspaper had "no intention" of publishing the names of the friends this weekend, but said it had told Meghan's lawyers that the question of their confidentiality should be considered by the court.

"Their evidence is at the heart of the case and we see no reason why their identities should be kept secret," he said.

Meghan, Harry and their baby son Archie are living in Los Angeles, having stepped down from royal duties at the end of March, partly because of intense media intrusion into their lives.

In documents filed last week as part of Meghanas privacy case, her lawyers said her friends had spoken out because of the "tremendous emotional distress" caused by "false" British tabloid press articles.

Story continues

In May, the judge in the case rejected part of her claim that the paper had acted dishonestly and stoked the rift with her father. The full trial is not expected until next year.

(editing by Kate Holton and John Stonestreet)
A new project will see bison introduced to woodland in Kent for the first time in centuries (Kent Wildlife Trust/PA)

Bison could be seen in British woodland for the first time in thousands of years thanks to a project to restore an ancient habitat and its wildlife.

Four European bison, the continents largest land mammal, are being introduced into a nature reserve in Kent as part of a plan to help wildlife in the UK.

The introduction of the herd is part of a 1 million project led by Kent Wildlife Trust and the Wildwood Trust to help manage Blean Woods near Canterbury.

Earlier this month, the Woodland Trust warned that a huge increase in litter and fly-tipping in woodlands during lockdown is harming the countryside and putting nature at risk.

The herd of four bison will be in an enclosure near Canterbury, Kent, away from footpaths. (Kent Wildlife Trust/PA)

European bison are the closest living relative to ancient steppe bison that would have once roamed Britain and naturally managed the habitat, conservationists say.

The creatures fell trees by rubbing up against them and eat bark, creating areas of space and light in the woods and providing deadwood which helps other plants and animals.

Read more: 'Life in lockdown' photo series shows thriving wildlife during coronavirus pandemic

Kent Wildlife Trust said patches of bare earth creating by the animals dust bathing would encourage lizards, burrowing wasps and rare arable weeds, while bark stripping would create standing deadwood that benefits fungi and insects such as stag beetles.

More light to the woodland floor helps plants such as cow wheat, which the heath fritillary  a rare butterfly found in Blean  depends on.

The arrival of the bison is part of a project led by Kent Wildlife Trust and the Wildwood Trust to restore ancient habitat and its wildlife. (PA)

The herd will be introduced into a fenced enclosure away from public footpaths but will be within a wider 500 hectare (1,200 acre) area, which will also use other grazing animals such as Konik ponies to help stimulate wildlife.

The project is funded by 1,125,000 from the Peoples Postcode Lottery Dream Fund.

Blean Woods near Canterbury, Kent, where the bison are being reintroduced. (Kent Wildlife Trust/PA)

The overall project will be managed by Kent Wildlife Trust, which owns several woods in the Blean area, one of the largest areas of surviving ancient woodland in England, while Wildwood Trust, a native species conservation charity, will be looking after the animals and ensuring their welfare.

Story continues

Paul Hadaway, director of Conservation at Kent Wildlife Trust said: The Wilder Blean project will prove that a wilder, nature-based solution is the right one to tackling the climate and nature crisis we now face.

Using missing keystone species like bison to restore natural processes to habitats is the key to creating bio-abundance in our landscape.

Paul Whitfield, director general of Wildwood Trust said: The partners in this project have long dreamt of restoring the true wild woodlands that have been missing from England for too long.

This will allow people to experience nature in a way they havent before, connecting them back to the natural world around them in a deeper and more meaningful way.

Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK
Berlin, July 10 : German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and Finance Minister Olaf Scholz have reportedly declined an invitation to attend a G7 meeting in Washington, media reports said.

Citing American and German sources, the Hamburg-based Der Spiegel magazine said on Thursday that Germany told the US administration that it would instead send state secretaries to the meeting, scheduled for July 29, reports Xinhua news agency.

Other G7 member countries were also considering sending second-tier delegates to the meeting, the magazine reported.

In May, German Chancellor Angela Merkel declined to attend the G7 summit.

Thehideouts and picked up his relatives in an attempt to mount pressure on the gangster.

The borders of the state were sealed and frantic searches were carried out on the highways while Vikas remained holed up in a relative's house in Kanpur itself for two days.

He then managed to reached Faridabad where he was caught in a CCTV camera at a hotel. The police reached after he had left.

Every move of Vikas Dubey was hungrily lapped up by the media, turning the gangster into a much-dreaded don almost overnight.

Even as the police continued its attempts to arrest the gangster, Vikas quietly slipped into Madhya Pradesh and then to Ujjain. On Thursday morning, he went to the famous Mahakaal temple where he revealed his identity and got himself arrested.

The Madhya Pradesh police claimed the credit for his arrest and Vikas was handed over to the UP STF on Thursday night.

He had reached Kanpur on Friday morning when the SUV he was being brought in overturned and he was killed while trying to flee.

When he died, Vikas Dubey had completed his journey form a nonentity to a much-dreaded gangster -- all in a week, from Friday to Friday.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Mrs. Geringer became a psychotherapist because of her drive to help people. Read more

Meredith Henry Geringer, 62, of Berwyn, a psychotherapist who focused on the family, and a former journalist, died Sunday, July 5, at Paoli Hospital of early onset Alzheimers disease.

The youngest of three sisters  Treacy and Alexis are the others  Mrs. Geringer created a life for herself and her family that inspired friends and left her sisters feeling off balance as they look to a future without her.

She was joyful, optimistic, unique, stylish, and brilliant, Treacy Henry said. She had such curiosity and a sense of compassion. She was very serious about her life and so involved with everything she did.

Dan Geringer met his future wife at a party in 1984, and she told him shortly thereafter that they seemed like a mismatch. He conceded that she was a bit more uninhibited than he.

That was the one thing she was wrong about, he said.

They were married in 1986, had two children, and spent the last three years hiking and hugging and laughing about those differences.

I loved her, and she loved me, he said. It wasnt about the details.

Mrs. Geringer was born in 1957 and grew up in Trenton and Allentown. Her father was a journalist, and she worked as a waitress and earned a journalism degree from Temple University in 1981. She went on to work for three newspapers, including The Inquirer, from 1981 to 1989. But her real passion was people.

She was empathetic and warmhearted, said her husband, a longtime writer at the Daily News and Inquirer, now retired. She was sincerely interested in helping people.

After their daughter, Dylan, was born in 1988 and their son, Drew, in 1991, Mrs. Geringer earned a master of science degree in clinical social work at Bryn Mawr College. She first worked at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, then opened a practice in Wayne in 2000.

She embraced life and stories, and wanted to get to know people, Treacy Henry said. She was an amazing listener, and she had compassion beyond belief.

The practice flourished, and her husband marveled at Mrs. Geringers skill at juggling work and home life. She took the children to the playground often, whipped up delicious meals, and focused on family life as much as work.

Mrs. Geringer retired after her diagnosis in 2017 but couldnt fully get away from her former clients. She was often stopped in the grocery or around town by those she had helped, and they insisted on updating her on their progress.

They stopped us to thank her, her husband said. I just stood there and listened. It was amazing.

The couple took to hiking over these last few years to fight off the effects of the disease. Their last walk together was in March along Valley Creek in Cedar Hollow Preserve near Malvern, and Dan had to hold Mrs. Geringers hand. They also spent time at the Jersey Shore and mugged for photos at the many concerts they attended. She loved music and dancing.

Mrs. Geringer was prone to malapropisms, her sister said. She liked to be goofy. The youngest of the five Henry children, they called her the runt. But, petite throughout her life, she could, as her sister put it, pack away the pasta.

She was perhaps not the best driver in the Henry family, and she had one job on Thanksgiving one year: Cook the turkey. She forgot. She loved to watch movies and had roles in local theater productions as a teen.

As her health deteriorated, Mrs. Geringer had trouble speaking. But there was one sentence, her sister said, that she never stopped repeating: I love you.

She had a vision for her life. She had a quest, Treacy Henry said. So she plotted her path, and she dazzled.

Said her husband: Ill always remember that smile.

In addition to her husband, children, and sisters, Mrs. Geringer is survived by brothers Richard and Kevin; son-in-law George Murphy; and granddaughter Ramona, who was born in the morning on the day that Mrs. Geringer died.

Services are private.
[July 10, 2020] Meet Monir Islam, An Inspiration to All Up and Coming Entrepreneurs

Dubai, July 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Monir Islam, a young entrepreneur from the UK, had a purpose which led him to build a one-of-its-kind business venture BE. Only those who are willing to risk and go too far can find out how far one can go. This is about Monir's story, and the extra mile he went to reach success.



"Life didn't come easy for me. I had a rough one from a very young age, and that experience made me pursue a life of basic comfort. So, I was ready to risk it rather than regret it. I wanted to tell people, show them a life of dreams is possible. The entrepreneurial journey doesn't get easier, but it surely does get better. You should be ready to invest the time and efforts to enjoy the fruit of it."  Monir Islam, Co-Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of BE.



It's those breadcrumbs of experience in life, put you in the path towards a higher purpose. Monir's life was full of setbacks when he was young. His first job was a newspaper delivery boy when he was 14 years old. Then he went on to take other odd jobs, including driving taxis to make ends meet. To be honest; all of us have been there and done that to cover the daily expenses. For Monir, becoming an entrepreneur was a far-fetched thought while just being 20-something, he had no clue about entrepreneurship or had the money for it. But at 25, he received an invitation from his brother Moyn Islam to chat about a business idea. That's the first time Monir realized that he needed to leap forwrd to change his life forever. It wasn't a walk in the park for sure.







After following his passion through every single hurdle, today, Monir along with his brothers Moyn Islam and Ehsaan B. Islam have successfully turned their dreams into BE.



As the Chief Visionary Officer, Monir leads a team of over 140 employees around the globe with his brilliant spirit. BE is quite a successful venture, wherein the year 2019, the company witnessed a 1500% growth. The year 2020 has been massive, with 700% growth even during the pandemic. BE proved that everything digital is what people need during this adverse time. The company aims to reach $100 million in the sale this year.





Monir follows a definite principle, 'Success isn't about what you accomplish in your life; it's about what you inspire others to do'. He is a true visionary, and his morals are spot-on. Today, BE is a catalyst in helping hundreds and thousands of people realize their potential. The company is all about digital innovations that harness the power of Artificial Intelligence, which not only allows people from all walks of life to succeed but also better their lives overall. With its groundbreaking concept of 'Live & Learn', BE has created an ecosystem that revolves around unique e-learning and travel platforms. Today, the world is looking for a ray of hope and progress, Monir, meanwhile, has spent every single day of his professional life trying to make that progress a reality. His priority is always serving the customer with better technology to enhance their lives. In his owns words, 'The higher we are placed, the more humbly we need to walk.'



Watch out for Monir and take his cues to succeed because he's doing something right. Hope his success story will inspire many more budding entrepreneurs around the world.



To visit Monir Islams official Instagram account, click here. For more information about BE, click here.



Attachment Monir Islam Media Contact Company Name: BE Contact Person: Media Manager Email: [email protected] Website: www.befactor.com

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LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / July 10, 2020 / Technicolor (TCH) has negotiated a refinancing with its lenders, to be put to shareholders at an EGM on 20 July. This involves an initial injection of 420m of additional debt, in part to repay a bridge loan expiring at the end of July, to be followed by a 660m debt-to-equity swap. Shareholders will have the chance to participate in this element through a rights issue priced at 2.98. Management has outlined trading scenarios for a base case and a high case through to FY22e, both of which reflect the COVID-19 impact. We have adopted the base case guidance as our model. It has had a particularly harsh impact on the Production Services activities.

Given the current liquidity situation, traditional valuation metrics such peer comparison and DCF are of little use. If the proposed refinancing goes to plan, it should result in a much stronger balance sheet and improved visibility. However, it comes at a price to existing shareholders leading to a significant equity dilution.

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The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Mitchell Kukulka.

Tuesday, July 7

11:57 p.m. -- Deputies were dispatched to a private property location in Larkin Township in reference to a vehicle partially in a ditch. Deputies made contact with the driver, a 54-year-old Greendale Township woman, who was confused and was having medical issues. She was transported by an ambulance to the MidMichigan Medical Center-Midland emergency room to be evaluated. There was no damage to the vehicle, nor injuries.

11:29 p.m. -- Deputies responded to a car-deer crash in Warren Township.

9:51 p.m. -- Deputies and EMS were dispatched to an Ingersoll Township residence for a report of a possible overdose. The deputies made contact with a 49-year-old Saginaw man, who stated he had ingested an overdose of his prescription medication because he was depressed. The man was petitioned to be seen at the ER for a mental health evaluation.

8:10 p.m. -- Officers responded to an assault in the 1000 block of Eastman Avenue.

6:49 p.m. -- Deputies responded to a vehicle crash in Lincoln Township.

6:22 p.m. -- A call was made to 9-1-1 in reference to a possible breaking-and-entering in Larkin Township. The incident was handled by the Michigan State Police troopers.

5:42 p.m. -- A deputy was dispatched to speak with a 41-year-old Lee Township woman who was involved in a road rage incident on M-20. The woman obtained a license plate number and asked that the other driver be spoken to about safe driving. The deputy made phone contact with the other driver, and both individuals alleged that the other was driving recklessly. Both were spoken to about safe driving.

5:12 p.m. -- Officers responded to a vehicle crash in the area of Eastman Avenue and Joe Mann Boulevard.

5:08 p.m. -- Deputies responded to a vehicle crash in Jerome Township.

1:59 p.m. -- A trooper responded to a crash in Ingersoll Township.

1:55 p.m. -- A deputy made contact with a 65-year-old Geneva Township woman regarding her boyfriend, a 68-year-old man, failing to pay at a gas station in Clare. The woman informed the deputy that it was not intentional and that she would head to the gas station to pay the balance.

1:27 p.m. -- A 63-year-old Mills Township man reported a $14 yard sign was stolen from a Mills Township location.

10 a.m. -- Officers responded to a report of ID theft in the 6000 block of Summerset Drive.

9:20 a.m. -- Officers responded to a report of ID theft in the 2800 block of Scarborough Lane.

7:34 a.m. -- Deputies responded to car-deer crash in Lincoln Township.

1:16 a.m. -- Deputies were dispatched to a Jerome Township residence, along with EMS and Jerome Township Fire, in reference to a 41-year-old man having some type of unknown medical issue. It was unknown if the man's marijuana use earlier in the day was playing a part in his apparent mental breakdown. Deputies assisted EMS with getting the man out of his residence, riding in the ambulance, and following EMS to the MidMichigan Medical Center ER. The man was transported to the ER for further treatment.

Monday, July 6

10:27 p.m. -- A deputy was dispatched to a Hope Township residence in reference to a dog bite. The 30-year-old animal owner was bitten by his dog on the hand, while attempting to grab the animal's collar. An isolation notice was completed.

10:03 p.m. -- A deputy was dispatched to a Lee Township residence in reference to a suspicious situation. The complainant has been having issues at her residence with a family friend who allegedly entered her residence a few weeks ago and ransacked it. Today, she noticed a window screen loose and a window cracked. It was unknown when it occurred, how it occurred or if it was done maliciously. The deputy attempted to contact the family friend, but his phone was not in service.

9:08 p.m. -- A deputy was dispatched to a Edenville Towpnship residence in reference to complainant reporting someone in the riverbed removing logs using a tractor. The deputy checked the area and located the tractor used. The owner stated they would inform the operator that it was not legal to be out on the riverbed and removing logs.

8:53 p.m. -- A deputy was dispatched to a Midland Township business in reference to a suspicious situation. The employee, a 26-year-old Bay City woman, said a man had come into the store two days in a row intoxicated. She said the man was taking videos of her and making her feel uncomfortable while he was in the store. The woman spoke with her district manager and decided they wanted the man removed from the property. A deputy made contact with the 51-year-old Midland Township man and escorted him from the property.

7:25 p.m. -- A deputy investigated a two-vehicle traffic crash in Lee Township. The at-fault driver was cited for improper backing.

6:49 p.m. -- Officers responded to a larceny in the 2200 block of Eastlawn Drive.

6:26 p.m. -- A deputy responded to a Mount Haley Township roadway for a report of someone spray-painting a road. A juvenile on-scene identified a 17-year-old Coleman boy as the possible suspect. The Midland County Road Commission responded to address the situation and requested contact be made with the suspect regarding the incident. The Road Commission is not interested in criminal charges. Contact was made with the 17-year-old's father.

6:18 p.m. -- A deputy was dispatched to a City of Coleman residence in reference to a delayed report of a hit-and-run crash. The suspect vehicle is unknown.

4 p.m. -- A 55-year-old Edenville Township man reported that he was a victim of a fraud with an unknown individual out of Chicago. The man had completed a transaction with the person regarding a wheel-loader. When he realized he was possibly being scammed, he canceled the USPS money-order he had sent for $1,250. The man is waiting for confirmation that his money order is being returned from the USPS cancellation.

1:49 p.m. -- Animal Control received a complaint in reference to a dog bite in the City of Midland. The complaint was investigated and the dog owner spoken to.

12:41 p.m. -- Officers responded to vehicle crash in the area of South Saginaw Road and Eastlawn Drive.

11:09 a.m. -- A deputy contacted a 70-year-old Jerome Township man after his boat was found in Edenville Township. The caller believed the boat was displaced by the flood.

9:39 a.m. -- Officers responded to a vehicle crash resulting in injuries in the area of East Buttles Street and Rodd Street.

9:27 a.m. -- An unknown subject in a blue sedan drove off with $21 in gas from a Coleman Shell station.

8:35 a.m. -- Deputies responded to a car-deer crash in Jerome Township.

Sunday, July 5

11:51 p.m. -- A deputy was dispatched to a Homer Township location to speak with a 36-year-old Lee Township woman, who thought she was being followed. She said the reason she called was to talk to a Michigan State Police trooper in reference to an incident in Saginaw County. The woman spoke with a trooper, and a deputy provided her with a ride to her residence.

11:39 p.m. -- A 54-year-old Midland Township man reported his home security alarm was going off. The man found the garage access door ajar, but no one was inside and there were no signs of forced entry. It isn't known if the door wasn't shut tight or if someone actually opened the door, but there was nothing missing and no sign of anyone entering the home.

11:10 p.m. -- A deputy, MSP trooper, Mills Township Fire Department and MidMichigan EMS responded to a Mills Township intersection for a single-vehicle traffic crash. The female driver fled the scene prior to first responders arriving. The investigation is ongoing.

10:51 p.m. -- A 27-year-old woman made a delayed domestic violence report about an incident that occurred in Lee Township. The woman said her 36-year-old boyfriend punched her in the face. She didn't require any medical attention and was safe at a family member's house. The boyfriend was not located at the time of this report. A copy of the report will be forwarded to the prosecuting attorney.

6:01 p.m. -- Deputies assisted Midland Police with a domestic assault in the City of Midland.

4:15 p.m. -- A deputy and MSP troopers responded to a Lincoln Township residence for a domestic violence incident between a 59-year-old man and his 26-year-old son. The 59-year-old was arrested for domestic violence.

12:03 p.m. -- A 31-year-old man had a verbal dispute with his 30-year-old sister. The man reported his sister threatened him during the conversation, while the sister reported her brother threatened her. Both agreed not to have further contact with each other, and said they had no intentions for follow through with the threats made.

10:05 a.m. -- Deputies assisted the Jerome Fire Department by keeping unruly bystanders out of their fire scene, so they could continue fighting two structure fires.

Saturday, July 4

10:34 p.m. -- A 63-year-old woman reported her daughter's 35-year-old boyfriend showed up to her house and would not leave. The 35-year-old was escorted from the property and advised not to returned.

10:34 p.m. -- Officers responded to a drug overdose in the area of Kentucky Street and Ohio Street.

10:13 p.m. -- A deputy responded to a two-vehicle crash in Homer Township.

10:01 p.m. -- Deputies were dispatched to a Homer Township residence for a report of an assault between a 35-year-old Midland man, a 51-year-old Homer Township man, a 55-year-old Homer Township woman and a 31-year-old Bay City woman. The 35-year-old man was arrested for felonious assault against the 55-year-old woman. A report has been forwarded to the prosecuting attorney for review of possible additional charges.

7:59 p.m. -- Officers responded to a trespassing complaint in the 300 block of Post Street.

6:11 p.m. -- A deputy was flagged down by a 56-year-old Edenville Township woman who wanted to report a breaking-and-entering of her home. The woman stated items were taken, but she did not know the value. There are no suspects and the investigation is ongoing.

4:44 p.m. -- Deputies responded to a vehicle crash in Midland Township.

2:18 p.m. -- An unknown man attempted to steal and conceal items from a Greendale Township business. The man was confronted by the manager, and turned the items over her before leaving. The manager said her business did not wish to pursue the matter, though she requested deputies attempt to contact the man and advise him not to return to the property. Deputies checked the area and were unable to locate the man.

7:19 a.m. -- A 57-year-old Homer Township man reported that he believes someone messed with a "no trespassing" sign on his property. He reported that the sign was now partially hanging on the tree instead of being secured with all four nails. The man does not know who would have done this, but believes someone would have had to trespass on his property to dislodge the sign from some of the nails. There are no suspects.

3:04 a.m. -- Officers responded to a report of domestic violence in the 6000 block of Loretta Lane.

1:53 a.m. -- Officers responded to a drug overdose in the 2900 block of Ronan Street.

12:57 a.m. -- Officers responded to a report of domestic violence in the 2200 block of Jefferson Lane.
If you want to know who really controls American Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:AFG), then you'll have to look at the makeup of its share registry. Insiders often own a large chunk of younger, smaller, companies while huge companies tend to have institutions as shareholders. I generally like to see some degree of insider ownership, even if only a little. As Nassim Nicholas Taleb said, 'Dont tell me what you think, tell me what you have in your portfolio.

American Financial Group has a market capitalization of US$5.1b, so it's too big to fly under the radar. We'd expect to see both institutions and retail investors owning a portion of the company. Taking a look at our data on the ownership groups (below), it's seems that institutions are noticeable on the share registry. Let's delve deeper into each type of owner, to discover more about American Financial Group.

Check out our latest analysis for American Financial Group

NYSE:AFG Ownership Breakdown July 10th 2020

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About American Financial Group?

Institutions typically measure themselves against a benchmark when reporting to their own investors, so they often become more enthusiastic about a stock once it's included in a major index. We would expect most companies to have some institutions on the register, especially if they are growing.

American Financial Group already has institutions on the share registry. Indeed, they own a respectable stake in the company. This implies the analysts working for those institutions have looked at the stock and they like it. But just like anyone else, they could be wrong. It is not uncommon to see a big share price drop if two large institutional investors try to sell out of a stock at the same time. So it is worth checking the past earnings trajectory of American Financial Group, (below). Of course, keep in mind that there are other factors to consider, too.

NYSE:AFG Earnings and Revenue Growth July 10th 2020

Institutional investors own over 50% of the company, so together than can probably strongly influence board decisions. We note that hedge funds don't have a meaningful investment in American Financial Group. Because actions speak louder than words, we consider it a good sign when insiders own a significant stake in a company. In American Financial Group's case, its Co-Chief Executive Officer, Carl Lindner, is the largest shareholder, holding 12% of shares outstanding. Meanwhile, the second and third largest shareholders, hold 9.8% and 8.7%, of the shares outstanding, respectively. Furthermore, CEO Stephen Lindner is the owner of 5.4% of the company's shares.

Story continues

On further inspection, we found that more than half the company's shares are owned by the top 9 shareholders, suggesting that the interests of the larger shareholders are balanced out to an extent by the smaller ones.

While studying institutional ownership for a company can add value to your research, it is also a good practice to research analyst recommendations to get a deeper understand of a stock's expected performance. While there is some analyst coverage, the company is probably not widely covered. So it could gain more attention, down the track.

Insider Ownership Of American Financial Group

The definition of company insiders can be subjective, and does vary between jurisdictions. Our data reflects individual insiders, capturing board members at the very least. Company management run the business, but the CEO will answer to the board, even if he or she is a member of it.

Most consider insider ownership a positive because it can indicate the board is well aligned with other shareholders. However, on some occasions too much power is concentrated within this group.

Our information suggests that insiders maintain a significant holding in American Financial Group, Inc.. Insiders own US$954m worth of shares in the US$5.1b company. That's quite meaningful. Most would be pleased to see the board is investing alongside them. You may wish to access this free chart showing recent trading by insiders.

General Public Ownership

The general public holds a 14% stake in AFG. While this size of ownership may not be enough to sway a policy decision in their favour, they can still make a collective impact on company policies.

Next Steps:

It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand American Financial Group better, we need to consider many other factors. Consider risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 4 warning signs for American Financial Group you should know about.

If you would prefer discover what analysts are predicting in terms of future growth, do not miss this free report on analyst forecasts.

NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.

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.
New Delhi, July 10 : Automobile major Tata Motors Group, including Jaguar Land Rover, on Friday reported a plunge of 64 per cent in global wholesales Q1FY21 on a year-on-year basis.

According to the group, global wholesales of all Tata Motors' commercial vehicles and Tata Daewoo range in Q1 FY21 declined by 89 per cent to 11,598 units over Q1 FY20.

"Global wholesales of all passenger vehicles in Q1 FY21 were at 79,996, lower by 49 per cent compared with Q1 FY20," the company said in a statement on Friday.

Furthermore, global wholesales for Jaguar Land Rover stood at 65,425 vehicles.

"Jaguar wholesales for the quarter were 17,971 vehicles, while Land Rover wholesales for the quarter were 47,454 vehicles," the statement said.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Ndi-Anambra, Today being July 10, has remembered a former governor of the state, Dr. Chris Ngige, for his good deeds in the state.

Dr. Ngige is currently the Minister of Labour and Employment.

Below is their statement:

We remember that today, July 10, 2020 marks exactly seventeen years the foundation of the modern Anambra State was laid. That day, one man staked his life for Ndi-Anambra to be free. Held hostage for five and half hours(10am -3.30pm) in his office, he almost lost his life. Thence, waken from despair, Ndi-Anambra of all walks of life , the lowly, the high and the mighty all, united in struggle to liberate our homeland from the clutches of the deadly godfathers.

We recall the grim picture of the late AIG Ralph Ige, commanding more than two hundred and fifty other officers and men of the Nigeria Police, armed to the teeth, encircling the Anambra Government House as well as the Anambra State House of Assembly and held the Governor, His Excellency Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige, OON captive, in an effort to extract a forced resignation letter. Courageous, Dr. Ngige broke loose from powers of captivity at the popular Choice Hotel, Awka where he was transferred by his police captors and made contact with the outside world, announcing that he was still alive. The contacts yielded dividends as senior party leaders, Chief Audu Ogbe, then National Chairman, late Chief A. K Dikibor, then National Vice Chairman, South-South and Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, National Secretary of the PDP made critical intervention in conjunction with the then Vice President. The rest is now history.

From that day however, the people of Anambra, men and women formed the Anambra State Liberation Army with a self-imposed mandate to protect the State Governor in and out of office and form a bulwark against internal re-colonization by vicious godfathers. Inspired by this unprecedented peoples power, the revolution began! Forthwith, arrears of salaries, pensions and gratuities previously outstanding from the previous regime were cleared. The Governor went on to institute an Executive Order which placed payment of salaries and pension on First Line Charge and backed it up with relevant laws by the Anambra State House of Assembly. That prompt payment of salaries and pensions is taken for granted in Anambra till today is traceable to the enablement of this visionary act.

Then, the revolution torched off an armada of road construction, covering over one hundred and five roads built by reputable first class contractors led by RCC Nig. Ltd, Setraco Nig. Ltd, Nigercat Nig. Ltd among others. In nearly thirty-four months as Governor, over 500km of roads, spanning all the senatorial zones of the state and still standing close to two decades, were done. Some of these roads deserve mention.

*Isuochi Owerri Ezukala- Ogbunka  Umunze  Umuchu  Amesi-Uga/Uga -Ezinifte  Igboukwu Rd.

*Otuocha-Aguleri-Umuleri-Nteje-Awkuzu-Ifite Dunu-AbaganaEziowelle-Abatete-Uke-Ideani-Alor-Nnokwa Rd.

*Nnobi-Nnewi-Ozubulu-Ihembosi-Okija- Ihiala Rd.

*Isseke-Orsumoghu-Ukpor-Utuh-Nnewi-Awka Etiti Rd.

*Amawbia-Nibo-Mbaukwu-Agulu-road

*Onitsha-Atani-Osamara- Ogwu-Ikpere Rd

*Onitsha Township roads-Modebe Avenue, Oguta Rd, Ozomagala Str, Upper -Lower Iweka Road, , Francis Street, Ms Elems, Port Harcourt Road.

*Ziks Roundabout- Nkpor-Umuoji-Uke-Nnobi Road

*Awka Township Roads-dualization of Nnamdi Azikiwe Avenue, Civil Service Commission Rd, Nya Lane etc.

*Nnewi Township Roads-Roads- bank road, Ezemewi, Ibeto, Nnewi High School, Rds.

Similarly, education, the pride of the State as the Light of the Nation was not left out as you initiated a Memorandum of Agreement with Church Leaders for the return of schools to the mission. While Archbishops Obiefuna and Valerian Okeke, Bishop Hilary Odili Okeke and Bishop Simon Okafor led the Catholic Church team; Bishops Maxwell Anikwenwa, Ken Sandy Okeke, Efobi and Okpala led the Anglican team. Effectively therefore, schools were handed over to the Missions on 15th September 2005. Today Anambra is better for it.

You didnt stop there. You revived the basic education scheme by payment of counterpart fund of 1.6 billion naira as well as renovation of primary and secondary schools.

Other success recorded in this and other sectors include:

*Infrastructures at the State University with the accreditation of 32 courses in 2005 and decentralization into a multi-campus system.

Ending the infamous 18 months strike by doctors in the state and partnering with international donor agencies to give a new lease of life to healthcare by paying off counterpart funds owed these donor agencies.

*Establishment of the Anambra State Vigilante Service with an enabling law by the State House of Assembly, providing security to every nooks and cranny of the State.

*liquidation of government debts to banks, clearance of arrears of salaries, some of which accumulated up to 15 months.

*Establishment of the Anambra State Vigilante Service with an enabling law by the State House of Assembly, providing security to every nooks and cranny of the State. *liquidation of government debts to banks, clearance of arrears of salaries, some of which accumulated up to 15 months. 134% rise in pensions

Decongestion, development and re-location of new social market centres for building materials, textiles, and electricals from Onitsha City centre to the peripheries at ogidi, Ogbinike, Bridge Head, and Oba respectively.

Revival of the Onitsha and Awka Township Water Scheme (pipe-borne-water ran in these two major cities before his exit in 2006.

Mapping out of the agriculture zones in Omor, Ifite Ogwari in Ayamelum and Ogboji in Aguata L.G.A.

*Changing the State epithet from Home for All to  Light of the Nation

*Resting the ghost of religious dichotomy by ensuring that all denominations were treated equally in appointments as well as other benefits.

We wish to place on record, that subsequent governments in the state have been consolidating on these gains and building on the foundation solidly laid by Onwa netliora, though Ndi-Anambra have had cause to draw a comparison between the beginning and the now manifest retardation in speed, pace and quality of service . Very important is to recall also that when the Appeal Court said otherwise and you had to leave the seat of governance; you had already saved a whopping N13.8 billion reserve for the succeeding Obi administration. Though the administration tried to deny this huge savings, the Justice Ononiba Commission, which the same administration set up, confirmed the sum and heaped encomiums on you for selfless service to the state. Onwa, jide k iji!

Subsequently in 2011, the masses you selflessly served decided that you represent them at the Senate. Onwa, you left the Seventh Senate with an indelible record of achievements. And when in 2015 President Muhammadu Buhari found you worthy for appointment as the Minister of Labour and Employment, you came with your usual Midas touch. Your unprecedented brilliant labour administration not only restored Nigeria to the Governing Board of the ILO after over a decade at a remote, back corners but you also emerged as the Chairman of the Governing Board of the organisation. That election was sequel to the frontline leadership that endeared you to the Africa regional membership of the organization who had earlier in 2018 elected you its spokesperson on critical issues of African interest. Back home, you midwifed the National Minimum Wage Negotiations, giving the Nigerian worker a critical base pay of N30, 000 Naira. Notwithstanding teething challenges confronting the Buhari administration since 2015, your sterling contributions enabled the Federal Government clear decades of unpaid salaries, allowances to Federal Civil Servants. It is a great feat that under you , no Federal civil servant was retrenched even while Nigeria was in recession rather millions of jobs were created through your job rich labour policies. The existing relative industrial harmony and stability needed for optimum national productivity is largely also attributable .

No wonder, our dear President found you worthy of re-appointment in 2019 and no wonder at all that the Director General of the ILO , Mr. Guy Ryder in his congratulatory letter on your re-appointment described you as a remarkable Minister whose reappointment did not come as a surprise ! Onwa, you have since moved to ensure that the house of bricks you met in 2015 when you were first appointed is left in marbles when the work is done in 2023!

As we reflect on this day, may we flashback on so many persons , living and the dead who participated in that struggle. Time to congratulate ourselves while thanking God for your solid soul, golden heart and vision. We thank Him for your uncommon courage with which you fought off the vandals, the godfathers, thus saving the state from their brutal grip. We fervently pray the Almighty God to protect you always. We wonder at times what would have been the fate of our dear State had you lost your life that day. Again, what a time for Ndi-Anambra to critically reflect on the fate of their state today. Time to reflect on the extant backward progress and ask whether this is what Ngige put his life on the line for ? Needless saying every July 10 is your day of rebirth.

May God continue to bless you Sir.

Chief Sir Uzoma Igbonwa,  Ngige Mandate Movement (N.M.M ) Lagos

Chief Emma Ojukwu. 

Chief Chijioke Nkataukwu Uzokwe 

Ifee Robison  N.M.M Port Harcourt

Chief Engr. Johnbosco Onunkwo  

Engr. Nelson Onubogu.  

Hon. Paul Ezeobi.  

Mazi Uche Okwukwu. 

Sir Paul Chukwuma.  N.M.M Abuja

Bar. Chukwulo Moedu.  

Bar. Ifeanyi Ebele  N.M.M Abakiliki

Princess Anthonia Awam.  

Idi Benson Igwe( Omekozuora ). N.M.M Umuahia

Hon. Calista Nwachukwu  N.M.M Onitsha

Chief Azubuike Ikenga Okafor  

Hon. Onyinye Okongwu  

Hon. Kene Nzekwe.  NMM Kaduna

Alhaji Kabiru Umar.  

Chief John Japan Okoye  N.M.M Kano

Kabiru Maitama Sule  

Engr. Bob Anakwenze   N.M.M Owerri

Mr. Ikechukwu Obiefuna  

Chief Clement Aniefuna  N.M.M Warri

Chief Maduka Oyedu-  N.M.M Uyo, Akwa Ibom State

And many other branch coordinators of the Ngige Mandate Movement
India plans to invite Australia to join the annual Malabar naval exercise that has so far included just Japan and the U.S., in a move that could risk Chinas ire.

The decision to include Australia in the drills -- the first time all members of the regional grouping known as the Quad will be engaged at a military level -- comes as Beijing and New Delhi are caught up in their worst border tensions in four decades. The exercise will bring together the navies of India, Japan, Australia and the U.S. in the Bay of Bengal at the end of the year, according to senior Indian officials who asked not to be identified, citing rules.

New Delhi is expected to clear the way next week for a formal invitation to Australia following final government clearance and consultations with the U.S. and Japan, the officials said.

The timing of India potentially letting Australia into Malabar would be especially significant at this juncture," said Derek Grossman, researcher at the Washington-based RAND Corporation who worked in the U.S. intelligence community for more than a decade. It would send a significant message to China that the Quad -- U.S., Australia, Japan, and India -- are de facto conducting joint naval exercises, even if not technically conducted under the auspices of a Quad event."

China has been uncomfortable with the informal coalition of four democracies, which was first formed in 2004 to help nations in the Indo-Pacific after the tsunami and revived in 2017. Post the coronavirus pandemic, the grouping has been coordinating efforts every month with Vietnam, South Korea and New Zealand.

Indian Navy Spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhawal declined to comment.

Australian Defense Minister Linda Reynolds media team on Thursday didnt immediately provide a response to queries about possible participation in the exercises.

Strengthening Ties

While the Malabar exercises between U.S. and Indian navies were instituted in 1992, they have been more regular since 2004 with other Asian nations joining in the annual event. China had objected to the only other time Australia participated in the drills along with India, Japan, U.S. and Singapore in 2007.

Indias inclusion of Australia this year follows a defense agreement and upgrading ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The Mutual Logistics support agreement announced in May by Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Scott Morrison allows access to each others bases and ports. India has a similar agreement with the U.S.

Canberras inclusion in the games was only a matter of time" given improving defense and economic ties, according to Biren Nanda, former Indian High Commissioner to Australia and senior fellow at Delhi Policy Group. Australias merchandise trade with India for the year ended June 2019 was A$21.1 billion ($14.5 billion), according to Australias Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Theres no direct relation between inviting Australia and whats happening at the Sino-Indian border," said Nanda in a phone interview. This was a natural progression. Yet the question will be raised: how would the Chinese regard this? And they will react negatively. Just like they had done earlier."

Weaponized Quad

China objected to Japans inclusion in the U.S-India annual Malabar event in 2015 with the then foreign ministry spokesperson Hong Lei warning relevant countries" to not provoke confrontation and create tension" in the region. Five years later, with an assertive China pushing neighbors across the Asian seas, Nanda expects a similar response.

Yet, there may be more acceptance to the idea of like-minded democracies that seek to keep the Indo-Pacific free and open" amid Indias rapidly souring on China ties, purely out of frustration, said Rajeswari Pillai Rajagoplan, distinguished fellow at New Delhi-based Observer Research Foundation and author of Clashing Titans: Military Strategy and Insecurity Among Asian Great Powers.

Although India and China are now in the process of disengaging along their 3,488 kilometer (2,167 mile) unmarked boundary in the Himalayas after high-level military and diplomatic talks, the deadly clashes that followed the months-long standoff in the Galwan valley was a blow to relations between the nuclear-armed neighbors.

Especially after Galwan, theres a growing realization in New Delhis elite circles that its increasingly difficult to trust China. They have broken more than four decades of agreements. Good trade ties are no guarantee of peace," said Rajagoplan. They have time and again tried to interfere in other nations foreign policy. But theres an agreement in India that China should not have a say in who our friends are."

With Washington indicating its willingness to back the region through an increased force deployment in Asia, the Malabar exercises may take on more importance.

The Quad has always been a security platform but didnt have a military context to it," said Rajagopalan. The Malabar exercises may give it just that thanks to China upping its ante and threatening the regions security."

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

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The Irish Property Owners Association, the national landlord association, are calling on the Minister for Housing not to extend the emergency legislation beyond the July 20 and to allow the private rental market to function in a normal manner.

Stephen Faughnan Chairman asserted, The emergency legislation is preventing the normal business of managing property, anti-social tenants are protected, resulting in neighbours and other tenants being distressed and breach of tenants obligations cannot be addressed.

Read more County Kildare news

The move follows an increase in complaints about anti social behaviour at house parties.

The legislation prevents landlords terminating tenancies and allows tenants to remain in accommodation where the tenancy was terminated before the emergency and the tenant had not already left. It protects non-paying tenants, anti-social tenants, facilitating overcrowding and partying. Properties are sale agreed and possession cannot be sought. It prevents people who came home from abroad including medical workers from returning to their property.

The legislation was put in place to restrict movement, but tenants could always terminate tenancies. Stephen Faughnan stated, the country has gone back to work, there is no longer any restrictions on movement, and therefore the emergency measures should not be extended.
US pledges to help deter trafficking

THAILAND: United States ambassador Michael George DeSombre yesterday (July 9) pledged to assist Thailand in achieving its goal to be upgraded from Tier 2 in the US Trafficking in Person Report (TIP) to Tier 1.

crime

By Bangkok Post

Friday 10 July 2020, 02:59PM

Michael George DeSombre, Ambassador of the United States to Thailand pays a courtesy call on Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwon in the Reception Room of the Deputy Prime Ministers Office, Command Building 1, Government House. Photo: Government House

The annual report divides nations into tiers based on their compliance with standards outlined in the US Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000. Tier 1 refers to countries whose governments fully comply with TVPA minimum standards.

Tier 2 is for countries whose governments do not fully comply with TVPA minimum standards but are making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance.

Speaking after a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwon yesterday, the US ambassador said Washington stands ready to support Thailand in the ranking elevation, as requested by Gen Prawit.

They discussed various topics during the meeting and the TIP report was one of them. Gen Prawit said he has already seen the TIP Report 2020, in which Thailand remains on Tier 2.

Thailand is determined to continue working hard to tackle the human trafficking problem, Gen Prawit said, adding the issue is high on the countrys priorities and it involves cooperation from all sides to tackle.

All parties involved in this work are ready to fully cooperate with the US in the continued fight against human trafficking, he said.

According to the report, the government of Thailand does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts.

The government has generally demonstrated increasing efforts compared to the previous reporting period although the country remains on Tier 2, said TIP Report 2020.

The efforts include providing anti-trafficking training to judges and working with non-governmental organisations to arrange trauma-informed care training to police, prosecutors and shelter staff, said the report.

The government investigated more suspected cases of labour trafficking compared to the previous reporting period while convicted traffickers faced stiffer penalties, it said.

It also increased the amount of compensation provided to victims through the anti-trafficking fund and handed out restitution to victims of trafficking for the first time during the reporting period, said the report.

However, it did not meet the minimum standards in several key areas, said the report.
TANZANIA, Tanzania - The United Nations said Friday it is encouraged that a U.N. team may be able to visit an oil tanker loaded with 1.1 million barrels of crude oil that is moored off the coast of Yemen, posing a serious risk to Red Sea marine life, desalination plants and shipping.

Houthi rebels, who control the area where the ship is moored, have denied U.N. inspectors access to the vessel.

But U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the local authorities recently signalled they would approve a U.N. mission to the site.

Wearefollowing up with them now to confirm details, he said. We hope logistical arrangements will be quickly completed so this work can begin.

Internal documents obtained by The Associated Press last month show that seawater has entered the engine compartment of the FSO Safer tanker, which hasnt 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.

According to APs June 26 report, experts say maintenance is no longer possible because the damage to the ship is irreversible.

Dujarric said the U.N. remains extremely concerned about the tanker.

He said water in the engine room could have led to disaster and a temporary fix has been applied, but it is unclear how long this might last. He gave no further details.

Dujarric said the assessment mission will conduct feasible light repairs and will help to determine the appropriate next steps.

The Iranian-backed Houthi rebels are in control of the western Red Sea ports, including Ras Issa, 6 kilometres (3.7 miles) from where the FSO Safer tanker has been moored since the 1980s. They are at war with the internationally recognized government, which is backed by a Saudi-led coalition and the United States. President Abed Rabbu Mansour Hadi is in exile in Saudi Arabia and his government in disarray.

The floating tanker is a Japanese-made vessel built in the 1970s and sold to the Yemeni government in 1980s to store up to 3 million barrels pumped from oil fields in Marib, a province in eastern Yemen, before it was exported. The ship is 360 metres (1,181 feet) long with 34 storage tanks.
A false facial recognition match has led to the arrest of another innocent person. According to the Detroit Free Press, police in the city arrested a man for allegedly reaching into a persons car, taking their phone and throwing it, breaking the case and damaging the screen in the process.

Facial recognition flagged Michael Oliver as a possible suspect, and the victim identified him in a photo lineup as the person who damaged their phone. Oliver was charged with a felony count of larceny over the May 2019 incident. He said he didnt commit the crime and the evidence supported his claim.

The perpetrator, who was recorded in footage captured on a phone, doesnt look like Oliver. For one thing, he has tattoos on his arms, and there arent any visible on the person in the video. When Olivers attorney took photos of him to the victim and an assistant prosecutor, they agreed Oliver had been misidentified. A judge later dismissed the case.

Facial recognition tech was used in Olivers case before new rules came into force. Detroit police can now only use it to investigate violent felonies. Wayne Countys top persecutor will also review all facial recognition cases when an assistant prosecuting attorney and supervisor agree that charges should be laid.

This is not the only time officers in the city have wrongfully arrested someone following a false match. In a high-profile case earlier this year, they arrested and detained Robert Williams for almost 30 hours for a crime he didnt commit. These are the first two known cases of wrongful arrests to stem from false facial recognition matches.

Late last month, Detroit Police Chief James Craig suggested the technology the department uses, which was created by DataWorks Plus, isnt always reliable. If we were just to use the technology by itself, to identify someone, I would say 96 percent of the time it would misidentify, he said in a public meeting, according to Motherboard. From the start of the year through June 22nd, the force used the software 70 times per the departments public data. In all but two of those cases, the person whose image the technology analyzed was Black.

Story continues

Oliver and Williams are both Black men. Various studies have suggested there are elements of racial bias in facial recognition tech.

Detroit polices new policy is a fig leaf that provides little to no protection against a dangerous technology subjecting an untold number of people to the disasters that Robert Williams and Michael Oliver have already experienced, American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan legal director Dan Korobkin told Engadget in a statement.

Lawmakers must take urgent action to stop law enforcement use of this technology until it can be determined what policy, if any, can effectively prevent this technology's harms. At the same time, police and prosecutors nationwide should review all cases involving the use of this technology and should notify all individuals charged as a result of it. This technology is dangerous when wrong and dangerous when right.

There have been calls at varying levels of government to ban police use of facial recognition tech, including from Black Democrats in the Michigan House of Representatives. Several cities, including Boston and San Francisco, have banned or limited the use of facial recognition. Members of Congress filed a bill last month that seeks to prohibit biometric surveillance by the federal government without explicit statutory authorization.

Some tech companies that have worked on facial recognition have reassessed their positions on the tech. IBM says itll no longer develop general purpose facial recognition due to human rights concerns. Amazon has paused police use of Rekognition, while Microsoft wont sell its facial recognition tech to police departments until there are federal rules grounded in human rights.
Torrential rain brings floods to Tsunagi, Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan (Reuters Connect) Rescuers scrambled on Thursday to search people isolated by the catastrophic flooding and mudslides as hundreds of people in scenic hot springs and hiking areas in central Japan are still stranded. Death toll in the southern region is almost 60, and more people are still missing. (Photo : Reuters Connect )

Rescuers scrambled on Thursday to search people isolated by the catastrophic flooding and mudslides as hundreds of people in scenic hot springs and hiking areas in central Japan are still stranded. The death toll in the southern region is almost 60, and more people are still missing.

The death toll since Saturday has reached 59 as of Thursday morning, and most of the deaths are from Kumamoto prefecture, the hardest-hit area.

The tourist spots Nagano and Gifu, where scenic mountain trails and hot springs are known, the torrential rains have flooded the features.

In Kamikochi, more than 300 people, including visitors and hotel staff, were trapped as the main road connecting the town to Matsumoto was blocked by floods and mudslides. Prefecture officials, however, reported that all the stranded people are safe.

In Gifu, hundreds are still trapped in Gero and Otake, a famous hot spring town. Officials said that almost 1,000 households or 2,300 people are still isolated due to floods and mudslides.

Local farmers and fishermen are severely affected. Floodwaters severely damaged vegetables and fishes that are almost ready for shipment to consumers. Eel grower Kazuya Kusuda said that he could not ship his eels, feed, or check on his eels as rains have hit his culturing farm. Masatoshi Inayosi, a local farmer from the Kurume City of Fukuoka, said his mustard spinach was ready for harvesting when the floods ravaged it.

After the landslides and floods, houses were reduced to rubble, house items, and appliances were damaged, and homes have become inhabitable.

In Kumamoto, an official said that there is no more stranded resident, and they can now reach all the areas which have been isolated. The focus now is on doing clean-up operations. Forty (40) residents in Ashikita Village in the region were rescued after being stranded for five days due to the floods and landslides.

On Thursday, Kumamoto started accepting volunteers to help residents clean their homes. Officials said that the volunteers must only be from Kumamoto, and temperature checks and masks are required to curb the coronavirus spread.

Thousands of people are still in areas under evacuation advisories, as leaving is not mandatory. The number of people in the evacuation shelter is not known. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued an evacuation order to around 350,000 people, its second-highest evacuation order. Evacuation is not mandatory, with most residents choosing not to go to shelters due to fears of contracting the coronavirus.

Heavy rains will likely continue until July 12, urging citizens to take "extreme vigilance" for landslides and flooding, especially in low-lying areas.

Deployed troops numbered around 130,000 rescue workers and troops for search and rescue operations all over the country, Prime Minister Shinto Abe said.

According to authorities, the coronavirus pandemic complicates the rescue and evacuation efforts. COVID-19 has already claimed 1,000 lives, and there are 20,000 infected cases in the country. Social distancing reduced the capacity at the shelters, while many opted to stay in their vehicles for fear of contracting coronavirus.
London: Julia Gillard says the coronavirus crisis should encourage voters to think more carefully about whom they support at the ballot box, while criticising "macho strongmen" like Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for failing to provide the empathy offered by women leaders.

The former Australian prime minister predicted the mixed handling of the pandemic by world leaders might "shock" people out of complacency about politics.

Former prime minister Julia Gillard says the coronavirus pandemic risks progress on climate change and improving pay and conditions for frontline workers. Credit:James Brickwood

"I'm not saying people shouldn't have a laugh or a joke but selecting who is going to represent you in Parliament is a serious thing," Gillard told a British audience via videolink on Thursday, London time.

"It's been so serious in 2020 that the capacity of people [whom] voters have selected right around the world has increased or decreased people's chances of living or dying. That's how serious this decision is."
WASHINGTON - Determined to proceed with the first federal execution in nearly two decades, the Justice Department plans to appeal a judges ruling that would halt authorities from carrying it out on Monday.

The family of the victims in the case had requested that it be called off because their fear of the coronavirus would keep them from attending. Not that they wanted to see the killer die; they have long asked that he be given a life sentence instead, and their pandemic objection could postpone the execution indefinitely.

Daniel Lee, 47, had been scheduled to die by lethal injection on Monday. Lee, of Yukon, Oklahoma, was convicted in Arkansas of the 1996 killings of gun dealer William Mueller, his wife, Nancy, and her 8-year-old daughter, Sarah Powell.

But Chief District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson ruled Friday that the execution would be put on hold because the familys concern about the pandemic, which has killed more than 130,000 people and is ravaging prisons nationwide.

About an hour after the judges ruling, the Justice Department filed its notice to appeal to the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and filed court papers asking the district judge to stay the order pending the appeal. The 7th Circuit, based in Chicago, includes Indiana, which is where the execution was to take place at the federal prison in Terre Haute.

The Justice Department argues that it is likely to win an appeal. It contends that executions require extensive planning and co-ordination with other law enforcement officials and says dozens of staff members were already being brought in from other facilities ahead of Mondays planned execution.

These preparations cannot easily be undone, the filing says.

Attorney General William Barr has said part of the reason the Trump administration wants to resume executions is to deliver a sense of justice to the victims families.

But relatives of those killed by Lee strongly oppose that idea. They wanted to be present to counter any contention that it was being done on their behalf.

For us it is a matter of being there and saying, `This is not being done in our name; we do not want this, said relative Monica Veillette.

The relatives, including Earlene Branch Peterson, who lost her daughter and granddaughter in the killing, have argued that their grief is compounded by the push to execute Lee in the middle of a pandemic.

The harm to Ms. Peterson, for example, is being forced to choose whether being present for the execution of a man responsible for the death of her daughter and granddaughter is worth defying her doctors orders and risking her own life, the judge wrote.

The injunction delays the execution until there is no longer such an emergency. The court order applies only to Lees execution and does not halt two other executions that are scheduled for later next week.

The decision to resume executions has been criticized as a dangerous and political move. Critics argue that the government is creating an unnecessary and manufactured urgency around a topic that isnt high on the list of American concerns right now.

The family hopes there wont be an execution, ever.

The family is hopeful that the federal government will support them by not appealing todays ruling, a reversal of which would put them back in the untenable position of choosing between attending the execution at great risk to their health and safety, or forgoing this event they have long wanted to be present for, said Baker Kurrus, an attorney for the victims family.

The relatives would be travelling thousands of miles and witnessing the execution in a small room where the social distancing recommended to prevent the virus spread is virtually impossible. There are currently four confirmed coronavirus cases among inmates at the Terre Haute prison, according to federal statistics, and one inmate there has died.

It feels disingenuous to me for someone to say theyre doing this in our familys name and for us and no ones taken into account our well-being and health, Veillette said.

In an interview with The Associated Press earlier this week, Barr said he believed the Bureau of Prisons could carry out these execution without being at risk. The agency has put a number of additional measures in place, including temperature checks and requiring witnesses to wear masks.

The federal prisons system has struggled in recent months to stem the exploding coronavirus pandemic behind bars. As of Friday, more than 7,000 federal inmates had tested positive; the Bureau of Prisons said 5,137 of them had recovered. There have also been nearly 100 inmate deaths since late March.

Lees attorneys also sought the delay on grounds that theyve been forced to choose between their own health and adequately defending their client.

Chevie Kehoe, whom prosecutors described as the ringleader of the killers, recruited Lee in 1995 for his white supremacist organization. Two years later, they were arrested for the killings of the Muellers and young Sarah in Tilly, Arkansas, about 75 miles (120 kilometres) northwest of Little Rock. At their 1999 trial, prosecutors said Kehoe, of Colville, Washington, and Lee stole guns and $50,000 in cash from the Muellers as part of their plan to establish a whites-only nation.

Lees attorneys also cite evidence from his trial that Kehoe was the man who actually killed Sarah.

The executions appeared set to happen following a Supreme Court decision refusing to block them and a lower court affirming the ruling. Its not clear what will happen with the other scheduled executions, which are scheduled next week for Wednesday and Friday.

Wesley Ira Purkey, of Kansas, who raped and murdered a 16-year-old girl and killed an 80-year-old woman, is scheduled to die Wednesday. Dustin Lee Honken, who killed five people in Iowa, including two children, is scheduled to be executed Friday.

Keith Dwayne Nelson, scheduled to be executed in August, was convicted of kidnapping a 10-year-old girl while she was rollerblading in front of her Kansas home, raping her in a forest behind a church and then strangling her.

___

DeMillo reported from Little Rock, Arkansas.

___

This story was first published on July 10, 2020. It was updated on July 11, 2020, to correct in the summary that the victims in the case were a gun dealer, his wife and her 8-year-old daughter, and not a gun dealer, his daughter and her 8-year-old daughter.
An Offaly worker from the Irish Wheelchair Association is asking people to get behind the organisations #NotMyIndependenceDay petition, which urges the new Government to ensure independence for people with disabilities.

Irish Wheelchair Association launched #NotMyIndependenceDay this week, a campaign to urge the new Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration to ensure that people with disabilities can live the life they choose, with independence.

Josephine Kenny, Irish Wheelchair Association worker in Offaly said: As Covid-19 restrictions ease, many people are looking forward to getting back to normal, visiting friends, getting haircuts, going to pubs and gyms. But not everyone will be enjoying their full freedom.

Lockdown restrictions give just a small flavour of what life is like every day for people with disabilities. Lack of wheelchair accessible transport, lack of home support hours, discrimination in the job market and inaccessible buildings and public amenities, are just some of the challenges that restrict people with disabilities from living an independent life.

Irish Wheelchair Association has launched its #NotMyIndependenceDay campaign to petition Roderic OGorman, new Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration and the new Government to commit to ensuring that policy decisions in housing, health, social welfare, education, environment  across every department  take disability into account in a meaningful way.

We are also calling on the new Government to ensure that disability organisations are properly funded for the vital services they carry out on behalf of the State after years of underfunding by successive governments, said Josephine.

People with disabilities have waited too long for their day of independence. We hope that this new Government will finally listen to us and recognise the rights of people with disabilities from Offaly and beyond to full participation in Irish society. We want no half measures, no crumbs from the table. We want real investment in providing people with disabilities the right to live the life they choose, with full inclusion into society.

The organisation is asking people from Offaly to support the campaign, by signing its #NotMyIndependenceDay petition on iwa.ie/petition.
OAKLAND, CA and TORONTO, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Harborside Inc. ("Harborside" or the "Company") (CSE: HBOR), a California-focused, vertically integrated cannabis enterprise, is providing an update in respect of the filing of the Company's restated annual financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2018 (the "Restated Audit"), restated interim financial reports for the periods ended March 31, 2019, June 30, 2019, and September 30, 2019 (collectively, the "Restated Interims"), audited annual financial statements and corresponding management's discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2019 (collectively, the "Annual Filings"), and interim financial report for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and related management's discussion and analysis (collectively, the "Interim Filings" and together with the Restated Audit, Restated Interims and Annual Filings, the "Financial Statements").

The Company continues to work diligently and expeditiously with its auditors to finalize the Financial Statements. Despite significant effort and progress to date, the Company does not expect to complete the filing of the Restated Audit and Annual Filings by its previously expected filing date of July 10, 2020. As previously disclosed, the delay in completing the filing of the Financial Statements is due to the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company, its employees, and its ability to rely on timely information in relation to its financial reporting obligations.

In the interim, the Company continues to be subject to the previously disclosed cease trade order (the "CTO"). The Company expects trading to resume on the CSE shortly after the revocation of the CTO.

After careful consideration, the Company has also decided to postpone its annual meeting of shareholders to a later date in 2020. The Company intends to rely on the temporary blanket relief provided by the Canadian Securities Administrators, including the exemptive relief contained in Ontario Instrument 51-504  Temporary Exemptions from Certain Requirements to File or Send Securityholder Materials of the Ontario Securities Commission to postpone the public filing of its executive compensation disclosure until such time as it is filed and delivered to shareholders as part of the Company's information circular relating to its 2020 annual meeting of shareholders. The Company will provide further information on its annual meeting when an appropriate date has been determined.

As required under Canadian securities laws, the Company will provide a further update on or about July 24, 2020. Additionally, to the knowledge of the Company, there have been no material business developments as of the date of this news release that have not been generally disclosed.

For the latest news, activities, and media coverage, please visit the Harborside corporate website at www.investharborside.com or connect with us on LinkedIn , Facebook , and Twitter .

About Harborside:

Harborside Inc. is one of the oldest and most respected cannabis retailers in California, operating three of the major dispensaries in the San Francisco Bay Area, a dispensary in Desert Hot Springs outfitted with Southern California's only cannabis drive-thru window, a dispensary in Oregon and a cultivation facility in Salinas, California. Harborside has played an instrumental role in making cannabis safe and accessible to a broad and diverse community of California consumers. Co-founded by Steve DeAngelo and dress wedding in 2006, Harborside was awarded one of the first six medical cannabis licenses granted in the United States. Harborside is currently a publicly listed company on the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") trading under the ticker symbol "HBOR". Additional information regarding Harborside is available under Harborside's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com .

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward looking-statements relate to, among other things, the timing of filing the Financial Statements, and revocation of the MCTO and the CTO.

These forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Company at the time such statements were made. Actual future results may differ materially as 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 materially differ from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include: management's perceptions of the anticipated timeline in which the Financial Statements can be completed and filed, and the MCTO and CTO can be revoked; implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company's operations; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; expectations regarding the size of the California cannabis market and changing consumer habits; the ability of the Company to successfully achieve its business objectives; plans for expansion; political and social uncertainties; inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on cultivation, production, distribution and sale of cannabis and cannabis related products in the State of California; litigation risk; and employee relations. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law.

The Company is indirectly involved in the manufacture, possession, use, sale and distribution of cannabis in the recreational and medicinal cannabis marketplace in the United States. Local state laws where the Company operates permit such activities however, these activities are currently illegal under United States federal law. Additional information regarding this and other risks and uncertainties relating to the Company's business are contained under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Listing Statement dated May 30, 2019, filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com .

The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the CSE nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Harborside Inc.
The probe into the circumstances that led to the death of a 47-year-old woman at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, also known as Ridge Hospital has been concluded.

This follows the release of the report on the deceased by the Hospital authorities. The patient, Esther Sosuh died on the evening of June 25, 2020.

The hospital decided to probe the circumstances under which the patient died after her husband, Emmanuel Kuto, the Director of the Ghana Institute of Languages, accused the hospital of impunity  and total disregard for accountability.

According to the report sighted by citinewsroom.com the above-named patient (Esther Sosuh) was first seen at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (GARH) on the 9th of June 2020 where she reported with complaints of an anterior abdominal wall swelling.

The report indicates that after a thorough assessment and examination, a diagnosis of a Reducible Epigastric Hernia was made. She was then worked up for surgery and made to do various investigations and subsequently referred to see the Anaesthesia team for review and clearance for surgery. She reported back on the 16th of June 2020, having been cleared by the anaesthesia team for surgery. She was then booked to have an elective hernia repair on 22nd June 2020 to be admitted the day before surgery.

According to the Ridge hospital, she underwent successful surgery on June 22, 2020, after which she was transferred to the recovery ward where she spent 2 hours under strict monitoring. After spending 2 hours in the Recovery ward she was eventually transferred to the Surgical ward.

The hospital indicates that on arrival to the Surgical ward, her vital signs were checked and recorded and they were normal. The Patient was seen in the morning of Tuesday 23 rd June 2020 where she complained of pain at the incision site. She was examined and put on analgesia (pain relief) She was encouraged to mobilize and to start feeding.

The report, however, indicated that at around 5 pm on Tuesday, 23rd June 2020, the patient fell in the washroom whilst using the toilet and was assisted and examined by doctors and nurses on the ward and an Impression of Pulmonary embolism was formed. She was given SC clexane 80mg and put on TED stockings.

The hospital further explained that Esther Sosuh was seen in bed complaining of severe central

chest pain, sweating and [being] restless on Wednesday, June 24, 2020.

She was subsequently examined and a chest Xray, Electrocardiography, D-Dimer, Troponins I and 2 were done and Physician Specialist was requested to review her.

Results from the Electrocardiography done had features suggestive of Myocardial Infarction, for which she was put on medication, the report said.

At 11:45 pm of 24th June, 2020 [the] patient suddenly became severely dyspneic and restless. The night doctors were called to see the patient who they assessed and commenced resuscitation immediately but was unsuccessful and the patient declared clinically dead at 12:10 am on Thursday, 25th June 2020, the report concluded.
Police arrest five men and two women for assisting a man suspected of stabbing a police officer during July 1 protest.

Police in Hong Kong have arrested seven people for assisting a man suspected of stabbing a police officer during a protest against Chinas new national security law for the city.

Authorities arrested five men and two women, aged between 24 and 71, on suspicion of offences including helping the suspect buy an air ticket and arrange transportation to the airport, police said at a press briefing on Friday.

We do not rule out the possibility that more people will be arrested afterwards, said Yau Kin-hung, a senior police officer.

The stabbing took place during a July 1 protest, hours after the law  which bans secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces  came into effect.

Hong Kong police posted images on Twitter of the officer with a bleeding arm saying he was stabbed by rioters holding sharp objects.





The next day, a 24-year-old man was arrested at the airport, minutes before his flight took off, according to media reports.

The South China Morning Post identified the suspect as Wong Kwan-wa. He is facing charges of wounding with intent, according to the newspaper, an offence that carries a sentence of up to life in prison.

The SCMP said Wongs girlfriend was among the seven arrested.

Police said the group could face up to 10 years in prison for assisting the suspect.

Police had arrested more than 300 people since the protests on July 1, when they used water cannon and tear gas against demonstrators who defied the sweeping security legislation introduced by China to snuff out dissent in the former British colony.

Chinas parliament adopted the security law in response to protests last year triggered by fears Beijing was stifling the citys freedoms and threatening its judicial independence, guaranteed by a one country, two systems formula agreed when it was returned to China.

Beijing has denied interfering and officials say the law is vital to plug holes in national security defences exposed by the protests.
By Tiemoko Diallo and Fadima Kontao

BAMAKO (Reuters) - Police in Mali on Friday fired gunshots and tear gas to try to dislodge protesters demanding the resignation of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita from occupying the state broadcasting house and parliament, according to a Reuters witness.

Two sources said at least one person was killed outside the national assembly building.

Mali's state television ORTM went off the air after hundreds of protesters occupied the building in the capital Bamako.

The protesters, called to a rally by an opposition coalition, also tried to take over two major bridges.

The protest was the third since June, and came after the opposition coalition rejected concessions from Keita aimed at resolving a months-long political stand-off that began after a disputed legislative election in March.

Mali's neighbours and outside powers worry the impasse could further destabilise the country and jeopardise a joint military campaign against Islamist insurgents in the West African Sahel region.

Protesters pelted the national assembly with rocks and shattered its glass facade, then ransacked and set fires in parts of the building.

Videos on social media sites showed a fire burning outside the building while protesters ran away with what looked like files, computers, furniture and other items. The authenticity of the videos could not be verified by Reuters.

Gunshots could be heard in the vicinity of both the national assembly and the ORTM building, a Reuters witness said, while other groups of protesters fought running battles with the police along a main bridge and surrounding neighbourhoods.

Leaders of the protest had called on supporters to occupy buildings, including the Prime Minister's office, as part of a civil disobedience campaign aimed at forcing Keita to resign for failing to tackle Mali's security and economic problems.

Before the rally, influential Muslim cleric Imam Mahmoud Dicko, one of the leaders of the protest, told France24 television that they had dropped the demand for the president to resign but wanted further gestures from him.

Story continues

"This is because we think it (the resignation) will cause more problems than it will resolve," Dicko said. "Mali's problem is not about a government of national unity. It is a problem of governance."

Other leaders of the coalition said at the rally they still want Keita to resign, however, and said they would persist with the disobedience campaign until he quits.

Keita was re-elected in 2018 for a second five-year term but his leadership has faced mounting opposition amid a surge in jihadist violence and an economic crisis.

J. Peter Pham, U.S. Special Envoy to the Sahel, warned that any unconstitutional change of government in Mali was out of the question.

(Writing by Alessandra Prentice and Bate Felix; Editing by Frances Kerry, Hugh Lawson and Sonya Hepinstall)
Four hours sleep between feeds. That sounds about right with a newborn, and if youve got twins four hours is a luxury. Still, it comes as a shock to surrogate dads Giles Clark and Matt Hunt, whove adopted two hungry babies and cant quite believe how much work is involved.

As Giles hauls himself out of bed at 3am to blearily heat a bottle of milk, Matt calls out, Are you doing this feed? Yay!

But these are not just any babies. Theyre Asiatic black bears, or moon bears, which are in danger of extinction in their native south-east Asia because of poaching and the pet trade.

The cubs, David and Jane, were snatched from the wild by hunters  who probably killed their mother  at just a few weeks old, then kept in a box they couldnt even turn round in.

New BBC2 documentary Bears About The House, follows Giles Clark and Matt Hunt as they raise moon bears. Pictured: Conservationist Giles poses with Mary at the sanctuary

Acting on a tip-off, Matt and Giles rescued them to raise first at their shared house in Laos then at the nearby Free The Bears sanctuary run by Matt, where TV presenter and conservationist Giles was helping out temporarily.

Poachers take bears from the wild to sell as pets or for meat and body parts, which are used in traditional Asian medicine, says Giles.

But these cubs were probably destined for a bile farm. The bears are kept in tiny cages to have bile extracted from them; some people here believe it has a medicinal effect.

'Most know better, but it only takes a tiny percentage to create such a demand for bear bile that the animals could be wiped out.

In two-part BBC2 documentary Bears About The House, we see Giles and Matt raising several cubs at their home and the sanctuary. As well as David and Jane, theres an adorable sun bear called Mary.

Moon and sun bears, also on the vulnerable list, are so-called for their chest markings, a white crescent and yellow crescent respectively.

Mary has a lolloping run, a long tongue for licking honey from bees nests, and very sharp claws for climbing. Im not a tree, Giles yelps as she scales his leg to snatch treats from him.

Giles has been teaching rescued bear Mary (pictured) how to hunt for grubs, by pouring oil from a tin of tuna into cracks on a log

Matt rescued Mary from a filthy cage aged five months; her mother had been killed and she was close to starvation. Her owner intended to sell her for meat and fur.

But after weeks of guzzling high-fat milk shes in much better shape and bursting with affection, clambering over Giles and Matt to lick their faces.

To teach Mary how to hunt for grubs, Giles pours oil from a tin of tuna into cracks on a log. Shes soon tearing the wood to shreds, first in search of that fishy smell but then munching on insects.

Then her sensitive nose tells her Giles has hidden the tin on a rafter in her cage, and she climbs a pole to grab the fish.

I didnt think she could get up that! Giles says as the bear licks the tin clean.

She can never be released into the wild because shes learned to trust humans, which would make her vulnerable to poachers. Instead shell spend her life in secure habitats, eventually moving to a wooded five-acre site where she can disappear for days on end if the mood takes her.

Matt (pictured) and Giles introduced rescued four-year-old female sun bear Noy, warily to Mary, worried that they might fight

And shes not alone. The sanctuary recently rescued a four-year-old female sun bear called Noy, whod been kept in a hotel foyer as an attraction.

Matt and Giles introduced Noy and Mary warily, worried they might fight. Instead they became instant best friends, hugging within moments.

David and Janes story is not so happy, as thieves broke into the sanctuary and stole them. The loss hurt Matt badly.

Its like a stranger punching you as hard as they can, he says.

To ensure it doesnt reoccur, hes invested in new fencing and CCTV. And the sanctuary is being backed by the Laos government, which wants to end the bear trade.

Its my second home, says Giles. I can see myself doing a lot of work saving the bears there for a long time to come. Next time he goes, hed better take lots of tuna for Mary.

Bears About The House, Wednesday, 8pm, BBC2.
A Mexican-American driver has been charged with homicide as a hate crime for deliberately running down and killing a Marine in his pickup truck because he was white, authorities said Thursday.

Daniel Navarro, 27, is accused of intentionally crashing his vehicle into Phillip Thiessen, 55, when he was out riding his motorcycle in Taycheedah, Wisconsin, last week.

Thiessen, a Marine veteran and former Virginia cop, was killed in the July 3 attack while Navarro walked away uninjured.

Navarro told officers he targeted the motorcyclist because 'white people drive Harley Davidson motorcycles' and he wanted to make sure he killed rather than just injured the driver.

He also blamed his actions on white people and Donald Trump, saying because of them 'he has no choice and people are going to have to die.'

Mexican-American driver Daniel Navarro, 27, (left) has been charged with homicide as a hate crime for deliberately running down and killing Marine Phillip Thiessen, 55 (right) in his pickup truck because he was white, authorities said Thursday

Fond du Lac Sheriff Ryan Waldschmidt said at a press conference Thursday that Navarro had taken his father's 2004 Dodge Dakota pickup truck for a drive to recharge its battery when he noticed the motorcyclist.

The suspect then intentionally swerved the pickup into the victim's path without braking, causing the head-on crash, Waldschmidt said.

Officers arrived on the scene to find witnesses trying to save Thiessen while Navarro was standing nearby waiting for them.

Navarro told the deputies he deliberately drove into the victim because he was white.

The suspect was cooperative and took and passed a sobriety test at the scene.

Waldschmidt said the two men did not know each other but Navarro told investigators he targeted his victim because he saw the man on the bike was white.

Navarro allegedly also chose a motorcyclist because 'in Wisconsin white people drive Harley Davidson motorcycles and the Harley culture is made up of white racists.'

He said he had 'intent to kill' when he plowed into the law enforcement veteran and 'chose [to target] a motorcycle instead of a car as he wanted the driver to die and not just be injured or paralysed'.

Navarro told officers he targeted Thiessen (pictured) because 'white people drive Harley Davidson motorcycles' and he wanted to make sure he killed rather than just injured the driver

Navarro told investigators he wanted to target white people because 'all the people that cause him problems in his life are Caucasian or white'.

He said he had been 'poisoned' by friends, co-workers and neighbors and he could hear neighbors making 'racist comments through the walls' at him because he is Hispanic, Waldschmidt said.

The suspect also said people people drive by his house making noises.

'[Navarro] discussed how recent events and the racial climate in the United States contributed towards what had happened to him,' said Waldschmidt.

'He said if President Donald Trump and white people are going to create the world we are living in then he has no choice and that people are going to have to die.'

He also said he wanted to go to prison to be 'free from the people that harass him in his home,' according to Waldschmidt.

The suspect blamed his actions on white people and Donald Trump, saying because of them 'he has no choice and people are going to have to die'. Thiessen pictured above

Thiessen (pictured) retired from the Wisconsin Department of Justice in 2016 and was a volunteer at a local food pantry

Thiessen retired from the Wisconsin Department of Justice in 2016 and was a volunteer at a local food pantry.

Authorities said the suspect targeted Thiessen due to his race but did not know Thiessen was a retired member of the law enforcement community.

Navarro is charged with first-degree intentional homicide and first-degree recklessly endangering safety - both as hate crimes.

He appeared in court Thursday where his bail was set at $1 million.

He is due to return to court on July 17.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday filed a First Information Report against four accused in the case of gold smuggling via diplomatic channels. The FIRs were filed under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

It is the first time the premier agency, which handles national security, terror and security-based cases, is investigating a gold smuggling case.

In the FIR, Sarith Kumar, who is in the custody of the customs, is first accused; Swapna Suresh is second; elusive UAE-based smuggling kingpin Fazil Pareed is third; and Sureshs friend Sandeep Nair is the fourth accused.

With NIA invoking the UAPA, Suresh and Sandeep are likely to surrender in a couple of days and the agency may start extradition proceedings to get Pareed.

The NIA said the accused were part of a well-entrenched smuggling racket and the first accused and Suresh were actively involved in arranging the diplomatic papers for the delivery of the consignment.

It also said a good portion of money generated through smuggling was used to fund some anti-national activities.

The Ministry of External Affairs has also made a request to the UAE embassy in Delhi for a meeting with some employees at the consular office in Thiruvananthapuram to get more details.

On Sunday, the Customs Department had seized 30 kg of gold from an air cargo consignment from the United Arab Emirates to the countrys consulate in Thiruvananthapuram.

Suresh, who was working as the operational manager of the Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Limited under the state IT Ministry, had gone underground after the seizure. Later, the CM had transferred his principal secretary M Sivasankar, who was reported to be close to Suresh.

The Union Home Ministry had handed over the probe to the NIA on Thursday.

The issue took on political colour after the Opposition Congress and BJP claimed that chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan knew about his principal secretary Sivasankars alleged link with the second accused Suresh.

The Maharashtra -based varsity, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University, from where Suresh reportedly obtained her BCom degree made it clear that the varsity did not have such a course. Later, the controller of the examination Dr Vivek S Sathe sent a mail to a news channel saying it was a fake certificate. She was given a job at Air India-SATS and the Kerala IT department based on this degree. Two days back, her estranged brother also claimed she did not even clear her class 10 examination.

Meanwhile protests by opposition parties seeking the resignation of the chief minister Pinarayi turned violent at several places in the state.

In Kozhikode, many people were injured after police resorted to baton charge on agitating Youth League workers. In Kochi too, Yuva Morcha protests turned violent. In Kannur, police lobbed teargas shells to control Youth Congress workers who held a rally outside Vijayans ancestral house.

It is a big racket. Reports have emerged that they smuggled many such consignments. The CM cant keep silent saying he was not aware of the appointment of Swapna Suresh. He has to take moral responsibility and resign, said state opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala.

State health minister KK Shaialaja said at several places protesters ignored social distancing and they were not wearing masks also.

We are in the midst of the worst pandemic. Hope protesters realise this, she said.
Mark Royden, 47, has been jailed for four years after trying to steal the Magna Carta

A hammer-wielding thief who attempted an extraordinary smash-and-grab on Salisbury Cathedral's Magna Carta has been jailed for four years.

Mark Royden, 47, tried to steal the 800-year-old 'priceless' document yet failed to break through the toughened glass box.

With his carefully-plotted heist scuppered, the bungling thief sought to flee but was chased down and tackled by onlookers, despite him brandishing his hammer menacingly.

In his police interview, Royden, from Canterbury, Kent, insisted that he tried to snatch the Magna Carta to prove it was a fake.

But at trial he was convicted of attempted theft and criminal damage, for which he will serve four years behind bars following today's sentencing at Salisbury Crown Court.

It could also today be revealed that Royden has 23 previous convictions for 51 offences - the majority of which are theft but some include criminal damage- and has been handed jail terms in the past.

Yet his attempted raid of the Cathedral on October 25, 2018 was branded a 'gross escalation' of his prior crimes.

Mark Royden, 47, tried to steal the 800-year-old 'priceless' document yet failed to break through the toughened glass box

It could also today be revealed that Royden (pictured in January) has 23 previous convictions for 51 offences

Screengrab from CCTV footage issued by Wiltshire Police of Mark Royden in the hall of Salisbury Cathedral on October 25, 2018

And moments ahead of taking a hammer to the glass box, he set off the fire alarm to cause maximum panic to distract from the attempted theft

Sentencing Royden today, Judge Richard Parkes QC said: 'The Magna Carta is a document of huge importance to our country.

'It is widely acknowledged as the basis for many of our rights including a trial by jury.

'We are fortunate, no thanks to him that there was no damage to the Magna Carta. This is a story of a few good people acting alertly and bravely.'

He recommended Matt Delcambre and Gary Price, who helped prevent the theft, receive a 'Sheriff's Award' from Major General Ashley Truluck of 1,000 and 500 respectively.

Before attempting to snatch the artefact, Royden had scoped out the Cathedral, wearing gloves, goggles and a hoodie while identifying security cameras and entrances and exists.

And moments ahead of taking a hammer to the glass box, he set off the fire alarm to cause maximum panic to distract from the attempted theft.

With his carefully-plotted heist scuppered, the bungling thief sought to flee but was chased down and tackled by onlookers, despite him brandishing his hammer menacingly. He was then apprehended by police (bodycam footage pictured)

Wearing yellow gloves (right), Royden tried but failed to smash his way into the Magna Carta with a hammer (left)

The damaged case at the time that housed the Magna Carta at Salisbury Cathedral where Royden smacked it with a hammer

Salisbury Cathedral's priceless 800-year-old copy is the best preserved of only four surviving original exemplars in the world

The bedrock of freedoms: What is the Magna Carta? The Magna Carter is a charter of rights signed in 1215 by King John of England, which guaranteed the rights of the church, protection from illegal imprisonment, access to swift justice, and limitations on feudal payments to the Crown. It was reissued several times during the 13th century, until it was finally made part of English law. The ancient document has lived on for 800 years, and is also used in the United States Declaration of Independence and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. There are four surviving copies of the original 1215 Magna Carta. King John issued the Magna Carta after agreeing peace terms with a band of rebel barons and it is now one of the world's most celebrated legal documents. The barons demanded he obey by the law and captured London so King John was forced to negotiate. The two sides met at Runnymede in June 1215 and they wrote the Magna Carter. It established for the first time that neither monarch nor government was above the law and set out principles of liberty which echoed through the centuries. The most famous clause, which is still the law today, gave all free men the right to justice and a fair trial. Two other clauses are still in force today - the freedom of the English Church and the ancient liberties of the City of London. Copies of the 1300 edition are held by Faversham Town Council; Oriel College, Oxford; the Bodleian Library; Durham Cathedral; Westminster Abbey; the City of London and Sandwich Town Council. Advertisement

Describing Royden's bid to snatch the Magna Carta, prosecutor Rob Welling had told the hearing: 'There may well never be an answer to what he was to do when he had it but he took significant steps to get it.'

Nicholas Cotter, defending, revealed Royden has served jail terms in the past and is a 'man with difficulties', adding that attempting to steal the Magna Carta was a 'gross escalation' from his previous crimes.

Mr Cotter told the court: 'It was tragic comedy watching the CCTV and seeing his face frown up at the camera.

'It is tragic comedy that someone is seen walking through a heritage sight and clearly frightening people.'

The Magna Carta at Salisbury, signed by King John in 1215, is a historic human rights treaty and is the best preserved of only four surviving original examples in the world - and thought to be worth as much as 20million.

It is a world famous artefact which attracts tourists from all over the globe - and now the damaged glass which protected it is even on display at the cathedral.

Matt Delcambre, an American tourist, and Gary Price, clerk of works at the cathedral, tackled Royden to the ground in the works yard after the defendant tried to snatch the Magna Carta from the Chapter House.

As he fled and was restrained, Royden threatened Mr Delcambre with his hammer, told people to 'f*** off' and also exclaimed he 'would've got a medal for what he done' before telling people he 'could have done more damage with a samurai sword'.

Royden later suggested he had 'doubts over the authenticity of the Magna Carta'.

He told officers: 'You cannot talk to me about the Holy Grail. If you find a bag on the floor which says 'cocaine' on it, you would have to test it forensically.

'As for your Holy Grail, you would need a carbon test and a trace element test.'

During his trial, he unsuccessfully argued he was 'in the wrong place at the wrong time' and had therefore become the 'wrong man to be arrested'.

Royden, of Canterbury, Kent, was sentenced to four years in prison for attempted theft, and two years for criminal damage. The sentences are to run concurrently.
Black Man Found Hanging From a Tree in California Died of Suicide: Authorities

Authorities in California ruled that a black man who was found hanging from a tree in June died via suicide.

The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department announced Thursday that an investigation supported a finding that 24-year-old Robert Fuller killed himself. The agency uncovered no signs of foul play, saying that Fuller also had a history of suicidal behavior, reported the Los Angeles Times.

The LA Times also reported that the Los Angeles Medical Examiner-Coroner made the ruling.

Fullers body was found in a park in Palmdale, located near City Hall. Investigators previously said there are no surveillance cameras in the area or any evidence anyone was in the area at the time.

An independent autopsy carried out by Dr. Marvin Pietruszka, a pathologist who examined Fullers body, found no signs to indicate there was a struggle or foul play involved in Fullers death, Fullers family told the paper.

Matthew J. Miller, a deputy medical examiner with the county, meanwhile, said there was a lack of significant trauma to his neck or limbs. That is coupled with the existence of evidence of prior suicidal ideation and a history of mental health issues, he added.

Sheriffs detectives also learned that an EBT card registered to Fuller was used on May 14 to buy the rope that was used in his death, spokesman Chris Marks told the paper.

On June 16, federal law enforcement authorities are reviewing the investigations into the deaths of two black men whose bodies were found hanging from trees in California, referring to 38-year-old Malcolm Harsch of Victorville and Fullers case.

The FBI said in a statement on June 15, The FBI, U.S. Attorneys office for the Central District of California, and the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division are actively reviewing the investigations into the hanging deaths of two African American men in the cities of Palmdale and Victorville to determine whether foul play or civil rights violations played a role.

Last month, protesters and people who attended a town hall with Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva claimed that both Fuller and Harsch might have been lynched. They also said that investigators are rushing to judgment, according to The Associated Press.

On June 20, the family of Harsch confirmed to news outlets that Harsch committed suicide.

On behalf of the family of Malcolm Harsch, unfortunately it seems he did take his own life, Najee Ali, a family spokesman told CNN. The Victorville Police Department officials released new video evidence to family members. The family wants to sincerely thank everyone for their support and prayers.
A man has been found guilty of stabbing his heavily pregnant ex-girlfriend in a jealous rage, killing both her and their baby.

Aaron McKenzie, 26, broke into Kelly Fauvrelles bedroom as she slept and stabbed her 21 times, causing catastrophic injuries.

Their son Riley was delivered by caesarean section but died in hospital four days later.

The prosecution alleged crane driver McKenzie had killed the 26-year-old Royal Mail worker in a vicious and cowardly attack after their toxic relationship ended and she moved on.

A jury found McKenzie, from Peckham, south London, guilty of murdering Ms Fauvrelle, who was 33 weeks pregnant, the manslaughter of baby Riley and possession of a knife.

Aaron McKenzie, 26, of Peckham, south London, who has been found guilty of stabbing his heavily pregnant ex-girlfriend Kelly Fauvrelle in June 2019, killing both her and their baby. (Metropolitan Police)

Ms Fauvrelles family were sitting in court as the verdict was delivered at the Old Bailey after less than three hours of deliberation on Friday.

As McKenzie was taken from the dock, a man shouted: How do you feel, you evil coward? from the public gallery.
Nguyen Thi Luyen, 49 years old, of Yen Phong District in the northern province of Bac Ninh was among first borrowers from Tinh thuong One Member Limited Liability Microfinance Institution (TYM) in her hometown

when the institution opened its branch in 2008.

Nguyen Thi Luyen (central), owner of a jute bag making establishment in Yen Phong District, Bac Ninh Province tells her business to Germany ambassador to Vietnam Guido Erpo Hildner (second from left) during his visit to her workshop last week.  Photo Courtesy of TYM

With a loan of VND4 million (US$172) for 100 weeks, Luyen and her husband opened a jute bag making workshop  a goal that they had had for years but were unable to realise due to a lack of finance.

Since then, every week, she visited the TYM branch to make a principal payment of VND40,000 and interest of VND9,600. After repaying the first loan, she applied for and received more loans. Luyen is now eligible to borrow VND50 million, the maximum loan TYM offers members.

Luyen said that before 2008, she and her husband mostly earned a living from farming.

We worked hard but what we earned was just enough to feed our family and send our children to school, she said, adding that when they or their children got sick, they had to borrow money from their relatives for medicine.

At that time, we did not have any savings to start a business, she said.

After receiving the modest loan from TYM in 2008, Luyens family invested in their business to make jute bags.

With capital in our hands, we still faced other difficulties, particular in balancing costs, labour costs, finding consumers, meeting market demands and taking care of our children, she said.

As a solution for such problems, my husband was responsible for delivering products to customers and instructing workers while I was responsible for paperwork, receiving orders and buying input materials, Luyen said.

When my husband delivered products to buyers, he would get their feedback and then adjust our products to meet their tastes, Luyen said.

Luyens business improved and she provided jute bags to neighbouring communes of Trung Dung, Nghia Tho, Van Mon and other districts like Tu Son, Tien Du and then, to other provinces like Bac Giang and Hanoi also.

The family workshop was expanded, creating jobs for all members of the family and other local residents.

Now, she employs regular 15 workers and six seasonal workers with an average monthly salary of VND3 million ($130).

Thanks to accessing to TYMs loans, we can be proactive in our trade and production, she said, adding that with TYMs mechanism that allows amortisation encouraged borrowers to work harder.

In 2014, Luyen was recognised as an outstanding microfinance client with a sustainable production model under a programme funded by Citi Foundation.

TYM originated from the Tinh Thuong fund launched by the Vietnam Womens Union in 1992 to aid the Governments hunger elimination and poverty reduction programme while improving womens status within and outside the home.

TYM provides loans or microfinance for low-income people, many of them poor and vulnerable women. TYM also helps to collect its members' savings which are sent daily, weekly or monthly and can be withdrawn at any time. Last year, it received more than VND1.6 trillion ($69 million) in savings.

According to TYM, between 1992 and 2019, it had handed out more than 1.3 million loans worth VND14 trillion ($604.5 million) to nearly 170,000 clients. The repayment rate of the loans is 99.99 per cent, according to TYM.

Visiting Luyens workshop last week, German ambassador to Vietnam Guido Hildner said Vietnamese women played important roles in their families and society.

Nguyen Thi Luyen (left) borrowed loans to start a business on making jute bags since 2008.  Photo Courtesy of TYM

The women need multifaceted assistances to improve their abilities, particularly financial assistance for economic activities, he said, adding that microfinance was an effective channel for women, especially those in rural or remote disadvantaged areas, to access financial services.

For years, Germans Federal Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Development, Savings Banks Foundation for International Co-operation have helped the Vietnam Womens Association and TYM with microfinance activities.

Under a regional project strengthening regional microfinance networks in former Indochina and Myanmar, German helped TYM provide financial education classes for women, improve the institutional ability of the organisation through digitalisation, increase staff ability as well as expand co-operation among microfinance institutions in the region.

The ambassador said he hoped such assistance was helpful for Vietnamese women.

Going with the ambassador to visit two TYM clients in Bac Ninh Province, Vice Head of Vietnam Womens Association Do Thi Thu Thao said that TYM had increased its ability and became the first official microfinance institution in Vietnam.

Last year, TYM was recognised as one of the top 10 financial institutions in the world with best practices in increasing the resilience of communities vulnerable to the effects of climate change under the framework of the European Microfinance Award 2019 'Strengthening Resilience to Climate Change' (EMA 2019).

The award was organised by the European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP), the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, and the Inclusive Finance Network Luxembourg (InFiNe.lu), in co-operation with the European Investment Bank (EIB).

TYM offers tailor-made products and services, for example, loans are provided without collateral requirements, loans are disbursed quickly and require simple procedures.

Loans' sizes are small for poor women. Clients can open savings accounts with minimal capital.

Among TYMs clients, 120,000 women have escaped from poverty and 7,000 women have become micro-entrepreneurs. VNS

Selling online: new opportunity for VN micro businesses The e-commerce wave has opened a new consumption trend in which anyone can create a platform of their own to start a business.
A Kuaizhou-1A carrier rocket with a Chinese character slogan that reads "Heroic Wuhan, Great China" lifts off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in China's northwest Gansu province carrying two communications satellites on May 12, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

China Botches 5th Rocket Launch of the Year, Despite Bid to Dominate Space

The Chinese regime failed a rocket launch on July 10the fifth unsuccessful attempt that Beijing has publicly acknowledged over four monthsin its bid to further its space ambitions.

The maiden launch of Kuaizhou-11, Chinas largest solid carrier rocket to date with the strongest carrying capacity, failed upon its liftoff at a launch base in Inner Mongolia, causing the loss of two communication satellites it was carrying.

The incident marked Beijings fifth rocket launch failure since March this year. Chinese authorities said they are still looking into the causes.

The regime had originally planned for Kuaizhou-11s launch as early as the end of 2016, but has repeatedly postponed the mission due to technical difficulties.

The government has yet to provide the estimated financial losses due to the failures and destroyed satellites.

A Long March 3B rocket carrying the Beidou-3GEO3 satellite lifts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Xichang in Chinas southwestern Sichuan Province on June 23, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Previous Incidents

The Chinese regime has suffered a number of setbacks in the past year in attempting to send satellites into space.

On June 16, Beijing delayed the launch of the final Beidou navigation satellite by a week due to technical issues. With the last satellite installed a week later, Beijing aims to provide an alternate global navigation system to rival the United States GPS (Global Positioning System).

On May 5, a large Chinese rocket, known as the Long March 5B, with a roughly 20-metric-ton core stage, plunged to the earth in an uncontrolled reentry, with reports of debris landing in the Atlantic Ocean.

A Long March 5B rocket lifts off from the the Wenchang launch site on Chinas southern Hainan island on May 5, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

In April, a Chinese Long March 3B rocket carrying the Indonesian Palapa-N1, a communications satellite for broadband and broadcast, exploded less than a minute after taking off.

On March 16, Chinas new version of Long March 7A also ended in failure at its debut launch.

Washington-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies, in its 2019 space threat assessment, found China to be one of four countries that poses the greatest risk to U.S. space systems. China spent approximately $11 billion on space programs, according to the report.

[A]chieving space superiority means China must ensure its ability to fully utilize its own space assets while simultaneously degrading, disrupting, or destroying its adversarys space capabilities, according to Chinese sources cited in the report.
US attorney in New York had been investigating lawyer Rudy Giuliani and associates in an alleged campaign scheme.

A top federal prosecutor in Manhattan, who was removed last month as his office led a probe into President Donald Trumps personal lawyer Rudolph Giuliani told legislators on Thursday that United States Attorney General William Barr had pressured him to resign.

In written comments submitted as part of a congressional inquiry, former US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Geoffrey Berman said he was warned by Barr that if he did not leave he would be fired, which would not be good for my resume or future job prospects.

I told him that while I did not want to get fired, I would not resign, Berman said in his statement to the House Judiciary Committee, delivered behind closed doors on Thursday.

Berman said Barr repeatedly urged him to take another job, either in the Justice Department running its civil division or possibly as chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Berman said Barr told him that he wanted to appoint current SEC Chairman Jay Clayton to replace him as the Manhattan-based US attorney.

Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler has called Bermans dismissal part of a clear and dangerous pattern of behaviour by Barr. The panels Democratic majority is pursuing its investigation of the attorney general, who they said operates more like Trumps personal lawyer than the nations top law enforcement official.

Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee are investigating whether Attorney General William Barr has abused the power of his office to protect allies of President Donald Trump from Justice Department investigations. Chairman Jerrold Nadler, centre, accompanied by Madeleine Dean, left, and David Cicilline, right, met on Thursday behind closed doors with former federal prosecutor for the Southern District of New York Geoffrey Berman on Capitol Hill on Thursday. [Andrew Harnik/AP Photo]

The Southern District, known for its high-profile prosecutions, is where Berman oversaw several continuing investigations of Trump associates, including some who figured prominently in the House impeachment inquiry of the president.

Berman said he told Barr he regarded Clayton as an unqualified choice for the prosecutor job because he had never served as a federal prosecutor and had no criminal experience.

Berman said he initially issued a news release saying he had no intention of resigning and that I intended to ensure that our offices important cases continue unimpeded.

However, he ultimately agreed to leave, after Barr backed off an earlier plan to install New Jerseys top federal prosecutor Craig Carpenito in his place as acting US attorney.

Instead, Barr tapped Bermans hand-picked number 2, Deputy US Attorney Audrey Strauss, who is currently leading the office until a permanent replacement can be confirmed by the US Senate.

Berman said installing Carpenito would be unprecedented, unnecessary and unexplained and would delay and disrupt pending investigations.





Democrats on Judiciary released a statement itemising key takeaways from Bermans testimony.

In his effort to push out Mr Berman, Attorney General Barr lied repeatedly to the public. The Attorney General knew full well that Mr Berman had not resigned from his post when he issued his June 19 press release announcing Mr Bermans resignation, the statement said.

A full transcript of Bermans testimony is expected to be released by the committee at a later date.

Berman brought charges in October against two Giuliani associates, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, for allegedly scheming to funnel Russian money to Trumps campaign and to other Republicans.

Giuliani and Parnas were players in Trumps campaign to pressure Ukraine to open a corruption investigation of Democratic rival Joe Biden, which was at the centre of the presidents impeachment by the House in 2019.

President Trumps personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani has coffee with Ukrainian American businessman Lev Parnas at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC in 2019 [File: Aram Roston/Reuters]

Democrats have accused Barr of improperly meddling in a number of criminal and antitrust investigations to protect Trump and his allies. Barr has defended his actions and is scheduled to appear before the panel on July 28.

Last month, career prosecutor Aaron Zelinsky told legislators on the panel that the US Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia faced political pressure to scale back its sentencing recommendation for Trumps longtime friend Roger Stone.

Court papers filed in Stones case indicate that the Justice Department said Stone should report to a federal prison in Jesup, Georgia, next Tuesday. That could pave the way for a possible presidential pardon or sentence commutation after Stone was found guilty of obstruction as part of former Special Counsel Robert Muellers Russia probe.
The Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), has announced that production at its new Al Taweelah alumina refinery achieved nameplate capacity from bauxite to alumina for June, a major milestone in the ramp-up of the giant plant.

The milestone was achieved just 14 months after alumina production began in April last year, a world-class performance.

Alumina refineries convert bauxite to alumina in a four-step process which in parts exceeds 1,000C and 100 times the atmospheric pressure. It can take several years or more for new alumina refineries to reach a month of sustained production at design capacity at each step of the process.

The milestone was achieved safely, with zero injuries leading to time off work.

Zaher Alhabtari, Executive Vice President Upstream and Capital Projects at EGA, said: "We began preparing for operations back in October 2013, when Al Taweelah alumina refinery was still on the drawing board. Our careful planning has enabled us to deliver a world-class ramp-up of this important project and I congratulate every member of the team for their contribution to this benchmark achievement. We are now focused on the next milestone, which is three consecutive months of production at nameplate capacity."

The refinery cost some $3.3 billion to build and is the first of its kind in the UAE. Alumina is the feedstock for aluminium smelters.

The nameplate capacity of the plant is some two million tonnes of alumina per year, enough to meet 40 per cent of EGAs alumina needs and replacing some imports.

The development of the refinery was part of EGAs strategic expansion upstream in the aluminium value chain, making EGA an integrated global aluminium giant. EGA began production at its bauxite mining and export subsidiary, Guinea Alumina Corporation, in August last year.

Some 589 people work at the refinery, including experts recruited from countries such as Jamaica and Australia.

To develop local capacity in a new industrial activity, EGA began training nationals for roles at the refinery at the inception. This included secondments to an operating alumina refinery in Saudi Arabia.

Today, some 66 nationals work at the refinery, including 37 women.

The development of the refinery has created opportunities for other industries in the supply chain, including shipping and trade.

EGA is importing bauxite for the project using Capesize vessels, which are amongst the worlds largest. EGAs long-term requirement to bring these ships to its berth at Khalifa Port enabled Abu Dhabi Ports to invest in deepening the approaches, making it the first port in the Gulf able to handle ships of this size including container vessels. TradeArabia News Service
In just a matter of weeks, tens of millions of children will start a new school year, and what that will look like has become the nation's thorniest political and epidemiological issue. School officials have to figure out how to resume schooling while limiting the risks to children, their teachers, school staffers and their communities.

This pivotal moment in the coronavirus pandemic comes as scientists are still trying to understand precisely how the virus affects children and how children affect the spread of the virus. This dicey decision point has generated tension between President Donald Trump and his own public health experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with Trump saying the CDC is "asking schools to do very impractical things" to allow classes to resume.

The reopening of schools is likely to be halting and improvisational. It could be marked by setbacks. There is no proven strategy for the remobilization of 56.6 million K-12 students amid a pandemic like this one.

"It's not going to be easy because we've never done it before," Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Thursday in an interview with The Washington Post. "This is uncharted waters - always remembering the primary issue is the safety and welfare of the children as well as the teachers who are going to be interacting with the children."

Children are clearly at low risk of serious illness from covid-19, the disease caused by the virus. Research suggests they're also less likely to get infected to begin with. But it's unclear to what extent they can still transmit it to each other and to vulnerable adults - such as their teachers or family members.

Much of the scientific understanding of how the coronavirus affects children is provisional. A study by researchers in the United Kingdom published last month found that children are only about half as likely as adults to become infected with the virus. Another study, from the University of California at Berkeley, did not see any significant effect on the community spread of coronavirus from the closing of schools in March.

But scientific research on children and covid-19 has not been nearly as extensive as research on older people, because there haven't been nearly as many sick children to study, and children are rarely tested as part of disease surveillance programs. Deborah Birx, coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, said Wednesday the age group with the lowest rate of testing is children younger than 10.

"I think Americans have done a great job in keeping infection rates low in children," she said.

A research effort funded by the National Institutes of Health is enrolling 6,000 people from 2,000 families to try to better understand the dynamics of the disease across age groups, Fauci said.

"The data that is clear is that children do not get serious consequences of infection compared to adults," Fauci said. "That's a fact. Everything else is less secure. It is more anecdotal."

The anecdotal evidence, he said, is that children do not transmit the coronavirus to adults as readily as adults infect one another. But, he acknowledged, "the definitive study has not been done."

The pandemic has shown a clear pattern of discriminating by age. The CDC's provisional death toll from covid-19 stood at 112,000 on Wednesday - a figure officials acknowledge is likely an undercount - and of those deaths, 29 were among children under the age of 15. That compares with 37,247 deaths among people 85 and older. (A Post analysis shows more than 130,000 people in the United States have died from covid-19.)

Though epidemiologists agree that children generally dodge the worst of covid-19, the emergence of a rare but dangerous "multisystem inflammatory syndrome" in children has been linked to the virus. The syndrome, which can manifest in a variety of early symptoms such as fever and rash, shares some characteristics with Kawasaki disease, a rare illness that usually affects children under 5.

If left untreated, children can suffer lasting heart damage because of inflammation in blood vessels and arteries - though treatment has been largely successful. According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, New York hospitals identified 15,515 cases of covid-19 among people under age 21. Of those cases, 95 presented with the multisystem inflammatory condition - fewer than 1 percent.

There is no formula for how to reopen schools safely, though school officials are developing strategies for keeping kids separated as much as possible. Many school districts are adopting "hybrid" plans with students alternating between in-school and at-home learning and attending class in shifts to allow more space between desks and fewer people in buildings.

Many rural districts, however, are planning full reopenings, knowing they may need to close if cases spike. It's unclear whether any districts will keep everyone at home.

The CDC has recommended that schools try to keep students six feet apart. That may be impossible for most schools if all students are present. Another recommendation is to have students eat lunch at their desk. Extracurricular activities could be eliminated.

One recent poll found that parents across the country are split down the middle on whether they want to send their children back to school. But the return of school - real school, in class - is broadly seen as a critical step toward returning the country, and its economy, to something approaching normalcy.

Since the onset of the pandemic, parents have been forced to balance work with home-schooling. They represent a large portion of the national workforce, which is already struggling with massive job losses and a pandemic-induced recession.

Distance learning has not gone well in much of the country. In Philadelphia, many students did not have computers, so the district directed teachers to use the time for review of material already taught. No new content was introduced, and students did not get grades.

Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia suffered privacy breaches, online harassment and multiple technical failures. Public schools in Memphis offered no live instruction, and students were not required to turn in work.

In the District of Columbia, it took weeks to get most students the necessary technology to participate in distance learning, and even then teachers at low-income schools reported dismal attendance.

Keeping children at home carries its own risks, the American Academy of Pediatrics has said. Last month, the organization strongly recommended that schools try to reopen.

"Policies to mitigate the spread of covid-19 within schools must be balanced with the known harms to children, adolescents, families, and the community by keeping children at home," the group said.

"We have two not-great options. We're stuck in a very bad place right now in the U.S. with how many infections are going," said Sean O'Leary, a pediatrician who helped write the pediatric academy's guidelines.

He said the risk to schoolchildren from the coronavirus is in line with other respiratory viruses such as influenza. "It's not that kids don't get sick, but it's similar to other things we accept in our daily lives normally," said O'Leary, a pediatric infectious-disease specialist at Children's Hospital Colorado.

He said school districts have to accept there will be some infections and some outbreaks.

"It's not about risk elimination," he said. "It's risk mitigation."

In recent days, the Trump administration has stressed the academic and emotional downsides to keeping children out of school. Schools also provide mental health counseling, socialization and meals.

CDC Director Robert Redfield, speaking at a forum sponsored by the Hill, said Thursday that having schools closed "is the greater public threat to children than having the schools reopen."

Other infectious-disease experts have generally endorsed a reopening of schools in some fashion, but only with safeguards and mitigations. The virus, they note, is following its own path without regard for the pain and suffering it inflicts. Most people in the United States still lack immunity to the virus. Cases continue to surge in Southern and Western states.

"If we open up the schools and haven't really figured out how to control the virus adequately, it's not going to be that different from opening up the bars and restaurants, and the problem we've seen in the Sun Belt right now," said Jeffrey Shaman, an epidemiologist at Columbia University who has studied the spread of the virus throughout the pandemic.

Decisions on school reopenings will largely be made at the local level, and the map of viral spread is complicated, with ongoing spikes in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in Arizona, Florida and Texas.

In response to a White House education summit this week, Arizona Department of Education superintendent Kathy Hoffman published a letter saying the discussion "did not reflect the magnitude or severity of Arizona's growing public health crisis."

Hoffman said her state must get covid-19 under control and emphasized that while the virus might not pose as much risk to children as it does to older adults, older adults are involved in a return to school, too.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, said last week he plans to open schools this fall and announced guidelines including facilitating frequent hand washing and cleaning of surfaces, social distancing and developing a mask-wearing policy.

But he left many big decisions to school districts, which he says can implement the state's recently released guidance as they see fit. If schools want to take students' temperature on the way in, they can - but it isn't required. If they want to have students eat lunch in their classrooms instead of a crowded cafeteria, that works, too.

Florida's Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran took a firmer stance Monday when he ordered schools to open five days a week when classes are scheduled to resume in August.

As with so many orders issued by states in response to the pandemic, this one may sew confusion, because local jurisdictions are deciding on their own approach. The Miami-Dade County School Board last week approved a multiphase plan that includes a mix of in-person and online learning. The plan asks parents to indicate whether they prefer their child to attend classes in a school building or online.

Wednesday, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat, announced his plan for reopening classrooms to the city's more than 1 million public school students. That plan includes an all-remote option for those who want it. Families wanting in-person instruction will find that their children will probably spend just a couple of days each week in a school building.
BUDAPEST, July 10 (Reuters) - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday the EU's coronavirus recovery plan would be unacceptable if funding were linked to rule-of-law conditions, and Budapest could veto any deal as a last resort.

Orban, a right-wing nationalist who has accumulated unprecedented powers since winning election a decade ago, has clashed with the European Union executive for years over his perceived backsliding from democratic governance.

The EU's 27 national leaders are to meet next week for the first time in person since the COVID-19 crisis halted policy meetings in Brussels to hash out details of the next multiannual EU budget and post-pandemic recovery.

"We could veto (a final accord), because it needs to be a unanimous decision, but we would find ourselves facing off with 26 other countries. One should only do that as a last resort," Orban told Hungarian public radio.

The EU is set to spend 750 billion euros on aiding economic recovery in member states hardest hit by the pandemic - money that Orban said should be distributed "fairly and flexibly.

"One thing should be carefully avoided: mixing it up with politics. That's (Hungary's) gravest condition," he said.

When a liberal Hungarian EU lawmaker asked German Chancellor Angela Merkel, now holding the EU's rotating presidency, on Wednesday whether the EU was prepared to condition recovery funding on adherence to democratic standards in Hungary, Merkel told the European Parliament she would engage with Orban.

"Defending the rule of law is important...We are going to say things clearly when it comes to Viktor Orban," Merkel said Wednesday. "We will keep a watchful eye on what happens there."

Orban lashed back on Friday, dismissing the criticism as "liberals mouthing off... always trying to attach their ideology to economic matters of the EU. That's a dead end."

The opposition Socialist Party said Orban's stance was "hypocritical", accusing him of spending the last decade undoing democratic norms in Hungary. (Reporting by Marton Dunai Editing by Mark Heinrich)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 10

By Matanat Nasibova  Trend:

Azerbaijans Goycay-Sud enterprise producing dairy products and fruit juices, which is located in Goychay district, plans to further supply pomegranate juice abroad, a source in the enterprise told Trend.

The enterprise plans to export the products to Belarus, the source said. Tens tons of pomegranate juice will be supplied there in the coming days. Some 10,000 bottles were exported to Belarus in April 2020.

The enterprise supplied 430,000 bottles of pomegranate juice abroad during six months of this year. Currently, New Zealand remains the main market for the enterprise to export its products, the source said. The company exported the products to New Zealand in May 2020.

Besides the pomegranate juice, the enterprise produces apple juice, which is sold domestically.

The enterprise has been provided with modern Swedish and Italian equipment.

The products of the enterprise have a certificate of conformity issued by the Azerbaijani State Committee on Standardization, Metrology and Patents.
Performing Arts Alliance Urges Supporters To Contact Congress

The U.S. Congress is currently considering several programs including another round of the Payroll Protection Program that would affect musicians, creators, and both for-profit and non-profit music and arts organizations.

One advocacy group, The Performing Arts Alliance is calling on supports of the arts and music to contact Congress to advocate for financial relief for the arts sector during the coronavirus pandemic.

From the Alliance:

During the month of July, House and Senate negotiators will shape a new approach to the expiring Paycheck Protection Program and pandemic unemployment benefits. Legislators will also consider enhanced charitable giving incentives, dedicated stimulus funding, and other policies to support workers, employers, and communities.

As Congress increasingly considers targeted approaches to the next COVID-19 policy package, it is essential that we all work together to seek full eligibility for relief. Today, we ask that you consider taking the following actions:

View the updated key requests on Arts & COVID-19 policy campaign here. A template (which you may personalize) is available for your immediate use.

here. A template (which you may personalize) is available for your immediate use. Know your issues. Forgivable loans, renewed pandemic unemployment benefits, and charitable giving incentives are just a few of the topics on the table. Education funding, broadband access, and policies that support workplace and public health will all influence the capacity of nonprofits to meet their mission. Personalized messages matter to policy leaders and are sometimes the only ones that staff will read, so consider which issues resonate most, focus in on them, and tell your story.

Forgivable loans, renewed pandemic unemployment benefits, and charitable giving incentives are just a few of the topics on the table. Education funding, broadband access, and policies that support workplace and public health will all influence the capacity of nonprofits to meet their mission. Personalized messages matter to policy leaders and are sometimes the only ones that staff will read, so consider which issues resonate most, focus in on them, and tell your story. Partner up and engage locally. Your local partners in the arts and nonprofit sectors are carrying these same requests to Congress, so consider partnering with them to reach out to Congressional offices. And, just last week, the U.S. Conference of Mayors adopted a resolution echoing the request for arts COVID-19 relief. Consider how you and your local arts groups can partner with others at the state and local level to increase your advocacy impact.

Your local partners in the arts and nonprofit sectors are carrying these same requests to Congress, so consider partnering with them to reach out to Congressional offices. And, just last week, the U.S. Conference of Mayors adopted a resolution echoing the request for arts COVID-19 relief. Consider how you and your local arts groups can partner with others at the state and local level to increase your advocacy impact. Share, and stay tuned. Let your Performing Arts Alliance member group know when you hear a response from your members of Congress. PAA Member organizations are directly engaged in dialogue with key Congressional offices and will be closely monitoring policy proposals under consideration as they evolve.

Your ongoing advocacy will make a difference. Please continue to check the Performing Arts Alliance COVID-19 Resources page for additional information from our members.

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Washington: The IMF on Friday urged the governments across the world to redirect their fiscal policy towards a resilient, sustainable and inclusive growth, noting that the countries can truly escape the great lockdown once effective vaccine and therapeutics against the COVID-19 are widely available.

In a blog post, top IMF officials -- Vitor Gaspar, Director of Fiscal Affairs Department and Indian-American Gita Gopinath, Economic Counsellor and Director of the Research Department -- wrote that the coronavirus pandemic has already prompted an unprecedented fiscal policy response of close to USD 11 trillion worldwide.

"Once effective vaccine and therapeutics against COVID-19 are widely available, we will enter a post-COVID-19 world and truly escape the great lockdown. That will only be possible if the international solidarity allows for access to treatment and vaccines for all people, in developed and developing countries alike," Gaspar and Gopinath said.

They said that at that stage, the governments should redirect their fiscal policy towards a resilient, sustainable and inclusive growth. "The policymakers should tackle the rising poverty and inequality, as well as the structural weaknesses exposed by the crisis to better prepare for the future shocks," they wrote.

This includes investing in stronger health systems, better resourced social safety nets and digitalisation. The authorities should actively support climate-friendly investments that promote greener, job-rich and innovation-driven growth, the blog post said.

The fiscal policy must also tackle inequality through spending aimed at a universal access to health and education and progressive tax systems, it said.

"But with confirmed cases and fatalities still rising fast, the policymakers will have to keep the public health response their number one priority while retaining supportive and flexible fiscal policies and preparing for transformational economic change," the top IMF officials said.

In the face of a sharp decline in global output, a massive fiscal response has been necessary to increase health capacity, replace lost household income and prevent large-scale bankruptcies.

But the policy response has also contributed to a global public debt reaching its highest level in the recorded history, at over 100 per cent of the global GDP, in excess of post-World War II peaks, they said.

Gasper and Gopinath said that the accurate, timely and comprehensive data on health and socio-economic outcomes are essential to monitor outbreaks and react swiftly to them, and provide confidence to people that future waves of contagion can be handled.

Observing that the fiscal policy will need to remain supportive and flexible until a safe and durable exit from the crisis is secured, the two IMF officials said that the policymakers should prepare contingent plans that can be flexibly scaled to manage the health, economic and fiscal risks from the recurrent outbreaks.

To prevent lags in the delivery of the targeted support, a new generation of automatic stabilisers may be needed, they said.

Noting that the current crisis will be transformational, Gasper and Gopinath said that many of the jobs destroyed by the crisis will likely not return. It will be necessary to facilitate the transfer of resources from sectors that may permanently shrink, such as air travel to sectors that will be expanding, such as digital services.

"The support should move from maintaining jobs to supporting people as they retrain or relocate across the sectors. It will be necessary to distinguish illiquid but solvent firms from insolvent ones."

"The governments might take further steps, such as using convertible bonds and injecting equity into (or even temporarily nationalising) strategic and systemic firms. Many countries will also need to take swift and determined actions to improve legal mechanisms for resolving debt overhang and preventing long-run economic scarring," they added.

According to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, the contagion has infected over 12 million people and killed more than 554,000 across the world.

The COVID-19, which originated in China's Wuhan city in December last year, has also battered the world economy with the International Monetary Fund saying that the global economy is bound to suffer a "severe recession".
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) responded to attacks by racist and Fox News host Tucker Carlson in a New York Times op-ed that discusses what service to America actually means.

Duckworth, a decorated veteran who lost both legs while serving in combat in Iraq, said attacks from self-serving, insecure men who cant tell the difference between true patriotism and hateful nationalism will never diminish my love for this country.

The Thursday op-ed came in response to attacks from Carlson, who falsely claimed on his show that Duckworth wanted statues of George Washington torn down.

To morons like Tammy Duckworth, [George] Washington is just some old white guy who needs to be erased, Carlson said earlier this week.

The moron is Carlson, who  intentionally or not  seemed to miss what Duckworth actually said, which was that President Donald Trump is more focused on protecting statues than he is on stopping the spread of the coronavirus, which has killed more than 130,000 Americans.

[Trumps] priorities are all wrong here, Duckworth said. He should be talking about what were going to do to overcome this pandemic.

That didnt stop Carlson from calling Duckworth deeply silly and unimpressive and claiming that she and other Democrats hate America. Duckworth reminded Carlson that he can tell his lies in part because Duckworth and others like her fought for his right to.

Setting aside the fact that the right wings right to lie about me is one of the rights I fought to defend, let me be clear: I dont want George Washingtons statue to be pulled down any more than I want the Purple Heart that he established to be ripped off my chest. I never said that I did, she said in her op-ed.

Duckworth said she believes Carlson is using the baseless attacks to distract from the presidents colossal failures.

More from the op-ed:

But what I actually said isnt the reason Mr. Carlson and Mr. Trump are questioning...

Continue reading on HuffPost
Beyonce and her philanthropic foundation BeyGOOD have been stepping up to the plate to aid the Black community as COVID-19 rages on in the United States.

And on Thursday, the official BeyGOOD Instagram announced that they have partnered with the NAACP to launch The Black-Owned Small Business Impact Fund.

The fund - providing grants in the amount of $10,000 - 'will be offered to Black-owned small businesses in select cities to help sustain businesses during this time,' according to the NAACP website.

Fund: On Thursday, the official BeyGOOD Instagram announced that they have partnered with the NAACP to launch The Black-Owned Small Business Impact Fund

'The NAACP is proud to partner with BeyGOOD to help strengthen small businesses and to ensure economic empowerment for Black businesses,' reads the website's Impact Fund description.

The idea to establish the Impact Fund stemmed from months of anguish felt by the Black community due to the pandemic and prevalent social injustice.

'The challenges of Black business owners navigating in the climate cannot be understated, as the effects of uprisings across the nation have led to many businesses being placed in dire straits due to damages and other small business needs,' they explained.

In order to be eligible for the grant, applicants must either be a 'Black-owned small business owner' or be able to 'provide property damage or replacement estimates.'

Providing aid: The fund - providing grants in the amount of $10,000 - 'will be offered to Black-owned small businesses in select cities to help sustain businesses during this time,' according to the NAACP website; Beyonce pictured in 2019

Grants are also only eligible to businesses located in Houston, Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, and/or Minneapolis.

The BeyGood application process opened on July 9 and will remain open until July 18.

Once the deadline is reached, applications will enter the review process, which will occur from July 20 to July 29, and then 'selected applicants will be notified on Beyonce.com' on July 30.

Partnership: 'The NAACP is proud to partner with BeyGOOD to help strengthen small businesses and to ensure economic empowerment for Black businesses,' reads the website's Impact Fund description

COVID relief: Back in May, BeyGOOD - along with the held of Beyonce's mother Tina Knowles - launched COVID-19 mobile testing relief in Houston, after learning that Black people in Houston were being disproportionately affected by the virus

Beyonce established BeyGOOD in 2013 as a way to 'inspire people to be kind, to be charitable and to #BeyGood to themselves, to others, to the community, and to our world.'

Back in May, BeyGOOD - along with the held of Beyonce's mother Tina Knowles - launched COVID-19 mobile testing relief in Houston, after learning that Black people in Houston were being disproportionately affected by the virus.

'The campaign has been created to start a movement to encourage black communities to prioritize health in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic,' read the BeyGOOD Instagram caption on the matter.
Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh has told Democratic presidential nominee Biden that he is "rooting against Americans and their prosperity" on Thursday.

"We are already seeing the incredible growth, people [are] talking about V-shaped curves," Murtaugh told Fox News.

Murtaugh said Biden laughed. He noted Biden needs to see the bad news.

He said what is good news for Americans is bad news for Joe Biden.

Murtaugh said this after Biden suggested spending $700 billion on American products and research to bring back millions of jobs lost due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The U.S. President Donald Trump is focused on economic recovery and bringing back jobs, Murtaugh said.

"Since the coronavirus crisis hit, the president's economic message has been even stronger," Murtaugh was quoted in a report.

COVID-19 Updates

Coronavirus cases are increasing in Alabama, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, and Wisconsin.

These states have hit their records for being single-day high new cases.

The U.S. also recorded 800 deaths from the virus for three weeks straight.

A chance that the fatality rate could be catching up with the increase in new cases.

Health official Dr. Anthony S. Fauci said some states should consider "shutting down" again if there is a significant increase in cases.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has revised its description of how the coronavirus spreads.

WHO said that it might stay in the air, especially in indoor settings with poor ventilation, and called for more research.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the cases are still increasing.

More than 1,000 Transportation Security Administration employees have tested positive for the virus.

Almost all of the employees are security officers who have screened passengers at airports during the pandemic.

Hospitals are in the near full volume, especially in their intensive care units.

This can be mainly seen in hospitals in Florida, Texas, Arizona, and California.
Facial recognition technology has a dark side, with it integrated into Chinas massive public surveillance system and its social credit experiment where even minor infractions of public norms can result in sanctions.

Paris: Tech giants love to portray themselves as forces for good and as the United States was gripped by anti-racism protests a number of them publicly disavowed selling controversial facial recognition technology to police forces.

Facial recognition has numerous applications that could simplify our lives as weve seen with Apple using it to unlock smartphones or in stores to replace cash registers.

But the technology has a dark side, with facial recognition integrated into Chinas massive public surveillance system and its social credit experiment where even minor infractions of public norms can result in sanctions.

As the protests spread across the United States about police violence and racism, pressure mounted on tech firms about the technology. Microsoft and Amazon announced they would suspend sales of facial recognition software to police forces while IBM said it would exit the business.

Privacy and rights groups worry about the implications of the use of facial recognition technology by law enforcement.

Extremely intrusive technology

It is an extremely intrusive form of surveillance and can seriously undermine our freedoms and eventually our society as a whole, says Privacy International.

The biggest danger is that this technology will be used for general, suspicionless surveillance systems, says for its part the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

It notes that US state governments hold extensive photo databases as part of their motor vehicle departments, which if combined with public surveillance or other cameras, could result in a comprehensive system of identification and tracking.

In January 2020, a New York Times investigation pulled back the curtain on the activities of Californian startup Clearview AI, whose facial recognition tool could end your ability to walk down the street anonymously.

Social network photos scraped

That is because Clearview AI doesnt use photos held by governments, but billions of photos scraped from social media sites.

While social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube (Google) and LinkedIn (Microsoft) protested against the unsanctioned use of their users photos, Clearview hasnt acceded to their demands to delete them.

The firm, which received funding from PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, says it has already signed up 600 law enforcement agencies worldwide.

According to advocacy group AlgorithmWatch, at least 10 European police forces already use facial recognition technology and havent needed to turn to the tech giants.

I have never seen a contract between Microsoft, Amazon or IBM and a police force in the investigations I have done on the subject, said journalist Nicolas Kayser-Bril, who did the research behind the AlgorithmWatch report.

Technology already widely available

Tools for conducting facial recognition are widely available, he added, noting that BriefCam, a subsidiary of Japanese multinational Canon which specialises in ultra-rapid analysis of images, is one of the leaders in the European market.

China has begun to export its facial recognition technology, particularly via its telecoms equipment giant Huawei.

A company executive told a business forum in Morocco last year that with its technology not only the identity of a person can be identified, but educational and work experience, personal preferences and recent travel.

In February, The Intercept cited a report that 10 European police forces are considering a joint network for facial recognition searches by extending agreements in place that allow sharing of biometric information like DNA and fingerprints.

Frances interior ministry is expected to unveil soon proposals to widen the use of the technology, with officials keen to be able to use in certain cases such as terrorist attacks and child kidnappings.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
Donald Trump has said he believes Joe Biden has been 'brainwashed' by the 'radical left', calling into question Biden's mental capacity and warning that the United States under a Biden presidency would go the way of Venezuela.

Trump was asked during a Thursday night interview with Sean Hannity how he thought the gaffe-prone 77-year-old Biden would cope with the stresses of being president.

Trump told Fox News that it wasn't a question of age, adding that he knew many extremely sharp people in their 80s and 90s.

Rather, the 74-year-old said, it was a question of being 'brainwashed' by Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other left-leaning Democrats.

'Let's face it - he's been taken over by the radical left,' said Trump.

Donald Trump, pictured with Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the president of Mexico, on Wednesday, on Thursday night said Biden had been 'brainwashed' by the 'radical left'

'I think they brainwashed him. They brainwashed him. He doesn't know where he is. He doesn't know what he's doing.

'And our country will suffer. Our stock markets will crash. Bad things will happen.

'They will defund the police. They will abolish the police. It will be, maybe there will be a backlash or maybe it'll just go to hell like Venezuela.'

Trump said that Biden 'has no clue what they're doing and what they're getting him in to.'

He said that Biden's policies were tilting towards the left in a bid to appease Sanders voters.

Trump said Biden was trying to appease the electorate with 'crazy, radical left stuff'

Biden, said Trump, 'has no clue what they're doing and what they're getting him in to'

'And you look at the deal they made with Bernie Sanders now and the group, it's all crazy, radical left stuff,' he said.

'And Joe's never going to be able to fight it, even if he disagreed with it, which I actually don't think he does.'

Trump also mocked Biden for his appearance while wearing a 'massive' mask, saying it makes the Democratic nominee 'feel good.'

Trump himself has steadfastly refused to wear a mask, despite health experts urging Americans to cover their noses and mouths to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

'I have no problem with a mask,' he insisted.

'I don't think you need one when you're tested all the time. Everybody around you is tested.'

Speaking on the day that the U.S. had its second consecutive record-breaking number of new infections, Trump once again defended his administration's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, insisting the media was distorting reality.

He said Dr Anthony Fauci, head of the center for infectious diseases and a member of the White House coronavirus task force, is a 'nice man' who had made 'a lot of mistakes.'

He also criticized the media for focusing on the rise in cases and ignoring the decline in the death rate.

'They don't talk about death because deaths are way down,' Trump said.
ROME (dpa-AFX) - Italy's industrial production recovered at a faster than expected rate in May as factories reopened after coronavirus containment measures were eased, figures published by the statistical office Istat revealed Friday. Industrial production advanced 42.1 percent on a monthly basis in May, in contrast to a 20.5 percent fall in April. Output was expected to rise 22.8 percent. On a yearly basis, industrial output fell 20.3 percent, but slower than the 43.4 percent decrease posted a month ago. Economists had forecast an annual decline of 32.5 percent. The unadjusted industrial production decreased 25 percent from last year, after declining 41.6 percent in April. All sectors reported monthly expansion with capital goods posting the biggest increase of 65.8 percent. Output of intermediate and consumer goods gained 48 percent and 30.8 percent, respectively. At the same time, energy output grew only 3.4 percent in May. 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.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- NIO China will receive a credit line worth 10.4 billion yuan ($1,484,568,800) from six Chinese banks, the EV maker announced on July 10.



(Photo source: NIO)

Under the strategic agreement signed on July 10, the credit line afforded by six banksthe Anhui branches of China Construction Bank, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, Industrial Bank Co.,Ltd. and China Merchants Bankwill be used to support the operation and development of NIO Chinas business.

Besides, NIO China will team up with the aforesaid banks on such areas as the enterprise account system building, the supply chain finance and automobile finance.

At the signing ceremony, William Li, chairman and CEO of NIO, said the newly-formed collaboration will help NIO China speed up the construction of its headquarters in Hefei and business development. Going forward, NIO will further expand its Hefei team and deepen the cooperation with local suppliers, so as to help Hefei form a global leading innovation capacity in intelligent EV field.

As of the press time, NIO has raised over 10 billion yuan ($1,427,470,000) of funds so far this year by selling convertible notes, obtaining strategic investments for NIO China and offering American depositary shares. The newly-approved credit line further indicates that NIO has been solved its potential cash flow issue and regained the market's confidence.

NIO delivered 3,740 vehicles in June 2020, representing a 179.1% year-on-year surge and hitting a historical high level. The deliveries consisted of 2,476 ES6s and 1,264 ES8s. Partly thanks to the blooming growth in June, NIO also achieved its best-ever quarterly sales with 10,331 vehicles sold in the second quarter, a year-on-year increase of 190.8%.

NIO announced on June 28 that the investors had substantially completed the cash injection obligations for the first two installments of their investments in NIO China. NIO (Anhui) Holding Co., Ltd., the legal entity of NIO China, has received from the investors 4.8 billion yuan ($685,185,600) out of the 5 billion yuan ($713,735,000) of cash investments for the first two installments.


Marga Richter, a prolific composer whose determination to be heard in a male-dominated field once led her to rent Merkin Concert Hall to stage a program of her own works, died on June 25 at her home in Barnegat, N.J. She was 93.

Her biographer, Sharon Mirchandani, reported the death.

Ms. Richter, born into a musical family, wrote almost 200 works, for orchestra, chorus, small ensembles, voice and more, in a career that began in the 1940s and continued until late in her life. She made an impression while still in her mid-20s.

Miss Richters works were restless, inventive, dissonant, clean, and her intentions seemed to be well realized, read a brief review in The New York Times when her compositions were featured in a Composers Forum concert at Columbia University in 1951. The review added, We will hear more from Miss Richter.

That proved accurate. Over the next 30 years Ms. Richters works were performed on stages in New York and beyond. In 1977 the violinist Daniel Heifetz played her Landscapes of the Mind II as part of his program at Alice Tully Hall.
Cory Vidanes (right), the chief operating officer of ABS-CBN Corp., comforts reporter Chiara Zambrano at the Philippine networks headquarters in Quezon City, Metro Manila, after a congressional committee voted to reject the renewal of a 25-year license for the broadcaster, July 10, 2020.

The Philippine Congress on Friday rejected the renewal of a 25-year license for the ABS-CBN network, permanently blocking the countrys largest broadcaster from airing programs on its public channels, with critics deploring the move as another major blow to press freedom here.

Voting 70-11, the Committee on Legislative Franchises of the House of Representatives stopped the ABS-CBN Corp. from resuming operations, sending 11,000 of its employees jobless in the middle of a pandemic. The network, a source of critical news for Filipinos, has been a thorn for President Rodrigo Duterte and his administration.

Today is a sad day for the entire ABS-CBN family and for the millions who are hoping for our return to air, ABS-CBN chairman Mark Lopez said in a statement. This is not the outcome we have hoped for, but we remain grateful that we were able to participate in the process and clear the issues raised against ABS-CBN.

Committee Chairman Frank Alvarez announced the outcome of the vote.

The resolution to deny ABS-CBSs franchise renewal application is hereby adopted. Pursuant to Section 49 of the Rules of the House of Representatives, all House bills and House resolutions relative to the grant or renewal of the franchise application of ABS-CBN Corporation are hereby laid on the table, he said.

Lawmakers allied with Duterte control the legislature.

Rep. Mike Defensor explained that in parliamentary courtesy, when a bill is being approved, we dont necessarily vote no because we just lay it on the table.

But technically for a franchise application, the effect would be to kill the application of the franchise, Defensor said.

He and other lawmakers grilled the owner and managers of ABS-CBN during a 12-day hearing that started in June.

Duterte accepted the decision, spokesman Harry Roque said.

The Palace has maintained a neutral stance on the issue as it respects the separation of powers between the two co-equal branches government, Roque said in a statement. Much as we want to work with the aforesaid media network, we have to abide by the resolution of the House committee.

Vice President Leni Robredo, however, spoke out against the vote, ABS-CBN reported on its website.

This decision has wide implications. This has a chilling effect: its not excessive to think that editorial choices of other news organizations might change because of the repression of ABS-CBN, Robredo said.

This takes away the livelihood of thousands of workers under the networks employ, besides the contractual ones, and other industries that rely on the networks projects. This curtails the proper flow of timely information.

Meanwhile, New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) called the vote a grievous assault on press freedom in the country.

Phil Robertson, Deputy Asia director of HRW, said it was a dark day for the Philippines, which once was touted as a bastion of press freedom and democracy in Southeast Asia.

Not since the dictator Ferdinand Marcos shut down ABS-CBN and other media outlets in 1972 has a single government act caused so much damage to media freedom. This move solidifies the tyranny of President Rodrigo Duterte who accused ABS-CBN of slights against him and politically targeted it for refusing to toe the governments line and criticizing his so-called war on drugs, Robertson said in a statement.

Todays vote to deny the franchise renewal is an astounding display of obsequious behavior by congressional representatives, kowtowing to Duterte by agreeing to seriously limit media freedom in the Philippines, he said.

ABS-CBN employees and others rally outside the networks headquarters in Quezon City, Philippines, to protest a decision by Congress to cancel the broadcasters license, July 10, 2020. [Luis Liwanag/BenarNews]

2016 election reporting

The network had angered Duterte after airing an unfavorable advertisement against him during campaigning for the 2016 presidential election.

ABS-CBN went off the air on May 5 after the National Telecommunications Commission ordered it to cease operations, reneging on a promise that the network would be allowed to operate pending its application for a franchise renewal.

ABS-CBNs free radio and television channels and cable operations have been shut down and is operating online only even though state regulators repeatedly said it had no violations.

The Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) condemned Fridays decision as a painful stab at press freedom.

The decision deprives the Filipino people of an independent source of information when millions are grappling with the coronavirus pandemic, the group said.

It obliterates the livelihood of thousands of journalists and media workers risk their lives each day to keep the public informed.

The vote came less than a month after a Manila court on June 15 convicted veteran journalist Maria Ressa and former Rappler journalist Reynaldo Santos Jr. of cyber libel. Like the broadcast giant, Ressa and Rappler have been critical of the Duterte administration.

The case against them stemmed from a 2012 Rappler story that accused a businessman, Wilfred Keng, of lending a vehicle to the countrys Supreme Court chief justice and having links to the criminal underworld. The plaintiff in the complaint against Rappler, Keng, charged that the story had tarnished his image.

Ressa and Santos are out on bail while the case is on appeal.

Jeoffrey Maitem in Cotabato City, Philippines, contributed to this report.
The Education Ministry has moved to the sector Ministers defence about a report that 90% of staff at the Ministry tested positive for COVID-19.



According to the Public Relations Office of the Ministry, it is majority of the inner staff of the Ministry's staff that work closely with the Minister that have tested positive for coronavirus.



We the inner staff members are about 50. And it is only part of this number that tested positive for the virus. But we are all asymptomatic and we went into isolation immediately we got our results, Deputy PRO, Kwasi Obeng-Fosu told GhanaWeb in a phone interview on Thursday, July 9, 2020.



He said the entire staff of the Ministry are more than 300 in number.



The Minister of Education, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh had said in an interview on Peace FM Thursday morning that over 90 per cent of his staff have tested positive for coronavirus.



He told Kwame Sefa Kayi in an interview, Thursday that mass testing was conducted at the Ministry when it was made known that he had been infected with the virus.



He added, results from the testing showed that almost all staff of the Ministry had contracted the virus with the majority of them being asymptomatic.



After my second result came out as positive, testing was conducted on all staff at the ministry and the results showed that out of 50 persons, about 45 had contracted the virus. Most of them are asymptomatic so they are isolating at home, the Minister disclosed.



But reacting to this, Mr Obeng-Fosu stated that the Minister was referring to his close staff members and not the entire staff of the Education Ministry.



There is currently mass testing ongoing at the Ministry. It has not been completed, so the Minister cannot be referring to the entire staff of the Ministry, he clarified



Meanwhile, the Education Minister who contracted the virus has been disacharged from the University of Ghana Medical Centre.





Source: Ghanaweb









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Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Thursday asserted that capital's GDP has doubled in the past seven years and its per capita income is three times the national average.

Addressing the 'Invest India Exclusive Investment Forum', Sisodia said that the national capital offers a plethora of opportunities for retail and e-commerce firms. "Delhi is a city of opportunities," he said.

"Our state GDP has doubled in the past seven years and we have a per capita income of Rs 3,89,000 which is three times the national average. The highest growth on all economic indicators had been made possible due to the honest and progressive government," the leader added.

The aim of the 'Invest India' forum was to bring the state government and potential investors on a common platform to share ideas and to showcase favourable policies, ready infrastructure, and other details of the industrial ecosystem of Delhi.

The adverse financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will be more long-lasting than the health effects, he said, adding that the city is gearing up to revive its economy.

Sisodia said that Delhi has a substantial land bank for investment in sectors like tourism and hospitality, automobile parts, handloom and handicrafts, gems, jewellery and perfumes, packaged foods, leather goods and garments, steel fabrication, e-commerce, retail, Information Technology.

"The upcoming industrial hubs in Ranikhera Mundka, Baprola and Kanjhawala along with the Mundka North Warehousing Cluster has ample capacity available and makes Delhi an ideal destination for companies looking to set up retail or sourcing operations."
Francis Mathieson passed away on Tuesday, July 7, 2020, at Alexian Village, Signal Mountain, Tennessee.

Frances was born in Port Chester, NY to the late Bert and Frances Riith and was a graduate of Greenwich, CT High School. Frances was a member of St. Augustine Church, Signal Mountain.

She was preceded in death by her son, Robert (Matt). She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Robert Bob Mathieson, grandson, Justin, sisters: Barbara, Karen and Kathleen, brother, Robert.

Frances travelled extensively with her husband, a nuclear engineer, having lived in many U.S. cities and for some years in Turkey, Iran and Japan, retiring eventually in Signal Mountain. Frances didnt stay retired very long and soon established a Special Occasion gift mail order business, which lasted until she became more active as a nursing home ombudsman recruiter volunteer. Frances also attended Chattanooga State Community College where she obtained a degree in physical therapy, a profession she pursued until mandatory retirement.

The family will receive friends from 2-4 p.m. on Friday, July 10, at Lane Funeral Home.

The family will have a private interment at St. Augustine Columbarium.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Alexian Brothers of Signal Mountain.

Arrangements are by Lane Funeral Home, 601 Ashland Terrace, Chattanooga, Tn. 37415, www.lanefh.com, 423 877-3524.
A teenage girl (14) allegedly died by suicide after her parents failed to buy a smartphone for her online classes, which are being held because of the prevailing social distancing norms due to the raging coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak.

The incident occurred at a small village in Tripuras Sepahijala district on Thursday evening.

This is the second death by suicide over smartphones reported from the district and the state in July.

The girl had asked her parents for a smartphone in a bid to facilitate her attendance in online classes. Her father, a daily-wage labour, however, cited financial constraints and sought more time to fulfil her wish, police said.

This led to an altercation between the daughter and the parents on Thursday morning. Later, the parents went out for work and found her dead, when they reached home in the evening.

The body was handed over to her parents after an autopsy. An unnatural death case has been registered, said Anamika Datta, sub-inspector (S-I), Sonamura police station.

In a separate but similar kind of incident, a farmer (50) died by suicide in Sepahijala district on July 1 out of frustration after he failed to buy a smartphone for his daughter to attend her online classes due to an acute fund crunch.

In Tripura, all educational institutions are still closed because of the pandemic and classes are being held online in line with the state governments order.

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On Thursday evening, a police patrol arrested a drug dealer who tried to evade a check.

Officers searched the man and discovered 45 grams of cocaine, a large amount of cash and a smartphone.

The prosecutor's office ordered the man's arrest and confiscated the goods found on his person. He was brought before an investigating judge on Friday.
A new study by an international team of researchers and published on the preprint server medRxiv* in July 2020 describes a model to estimate the actual undercounting of COVID-19 cases and the global prevalence.

As of today, there are well over 12.23 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and over 554,000 deaths worldwide. To control the rampant spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), many countries have resorted to nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) such as imposing lockdowns, self-isolation and quarantine measures, as well as closures of workplaces and schools, and other public places like stores and supermarkets. Social gatherings have been placed under a ban, while face masks and physical distancing when out of the home have become the norm in many countries.

However, the high infectivity of the virus, along with the long incubation period, allows a high percentage of transmission to occur in the asymptomatic period. Thus, many infections remain undetected, with only a fraction of the true number being reported.

The current study aimed at using data on reported cases and deaths as well as estimates of disease severity to estimate how many cases are under-reported over time. Using data from countries with more than ten deaths, the researchers paint a picture of the epidemic in all countries and compare the cumulative incidence estimates against the actual seroprevalence where it is available. Finally, they derive the adjusted case number graphs for the ten countries with the highest confirmed and adjusted case numbers and then estimate the global prevalence.

Map of estimated seroprevalence in different countries over time. A) Estimated seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 globally as of 7th June 2020, for all countries we have estimates for. BD) The estimated seroprevalence of SARS-Cov-2 in Europe on B) 31st March, C) 30th April and D) 31st May.

Variation in Proportion of Detected Symptomatic Cases

There was a significant variation in the proportion of symptomatic to asymptomatic cases over time, from 2.4% in Bangladesh to 99.6% in Chile. In Europe, the median percentage of symptomatic cases that were detected varied from 4.81% in France to 85.5% in Cyprus.

When testing is ramped up, there could be an increasing proportion of detected symptomatic cases. However, when the researchers compared the estimated proportion of detected cases with the number of tests performed per new case per day, the moving average over a 7-day period showed that countries that tested at a high level did not have high levels of case detection.

For instance, while the UK was performing 80 tests to detect one new case, in one two-week period in March, it picked up only 3-10% of cases at this time. In other words, testing alone does not ensure that most cases will be detected.

Poor Detection at Epidemic Peak

From the time trends recorded, they found that during March, April and May, European countries detected anywhere between about 5% to 86% of cases, 6% to 100%, and 11% to 86%, respectively. To achieve this, the number of tests per new case detected was about 3 to 76, 3 to 832, and 12 to 1,334, respectively.

Countries, where the total number of confirmed and adjusted cases was highest, had a much larger and higher symptomatic cases graph, at 1.4 to 18 times as large as the reported case peak. Where the peak clearly occurred before the end of May 2020, the subsequent decline was also steeper than that shown by the confirmed case curves. Thus, at the peak of the epidemic in many countries, far fewer cases were being ascertained than actually existed.

Model Estimates Agree with Seroprevalence Studies

On comparing the estimated proportion of infected individuals with seroprevalence studies, they were found to agree well except in the case of Denmark, where the observed seroprevalence was underestimated.

When the estimation method was extended to all countries with case and death reports over time, they obtained a map of seroprevalence estimates by July 16, 2020, showing that most infections were focused in the US and Europe. The model estimates that about 0.02% to 15% of different populations have been infected in Europe, while for Africa and Latin America, between 0 and 3.5% have been infected as of this date.

The model also suggests that the early spread of the pandemic in Europe involved a prevalence that was one order of magnitude higher than the number of confirmed cases.

Limitations

The study was based on a baseline case fatality rate of 1.4% and the assumption that 10% to 70% of infections were asymptomatic. Secondly, the study assumes the accurate reporting of all COVID-19 deaths. However, the model estimates agree with available serologic data.

Applications and Implications

The researchers say this type of model could indicate whether a substantial proportion of cases is being reported, and hence help to trace the success of possible containment measures. This also helps to trace the progress of the pandemic. For instance, it is known that most UK infections from February to early March 2020 were imported from Italy, Spain, and France, which agrees with the model estimates, showing that more than 6.5% of the population of each of these countries was infected by the end of March 2020.

However, it is important to understand the true extent of unreported infections in a country to take proper measures to control the spread. This would include planning the speed and extent of NPIs. It would also facilitate the understanding of the actual measure of spread. If the proportion of reported to actual infections drops with the spread of the epidemic, the proportion of confirmed cases will be falsely low. In the declining phase, on the other hand, if more cases are detected, this phase may not be recognized.

Thus, the study shows, Reported case counts will therefore likely underestimate the rate of outbreak growth initially and underestimate the decline in the later stages of an epidemic.

Therefore, under-ascertainment of the number of cases could lead to unnecessary slowness in taking NPIs, under the false belief that cases are declining due to the measures already in place. On the other hand, if the decline is not charted, NPIs could be held in place for longer than really needed.

*Important Notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
Toronto school board trustees were right to sound alarm bells this week about the provinces plans, or more accurately, lack of plans, to return kids to school in September.

Their well-founded fear is that Ontario is preparing for a hybrid model, where children are in school some of the time, either half days, every other day, or every other week, combined with at-home learning. Nobody knows what plan will be in place eight weeks from now.

Anything short of full-time, in-class learning simply does not work. It does not work for the physical and mental health of parents and children, it does not work for the educational needs of children and it does not work for the overall economy.

It is unrealistic to expect parents to find such flexible daycare or work arrangements, especially single parents and low-income families. The choice facing many parents with young children seems to be as stark as choose work, or choose your children.

The COVID-19 pandemic, starting with the postponement of school for a week following March Break, forced everyone to make adjustments and sacrifices. It was necessary to flatten the curve and save lives. But closed schools are not sustainable.

The financial, emotional and physical stress is taking its toll. Income support and job subsidy programs that have helped drive the federal deficit to a record high of $343 billion and allowed many parents to stay at home and collect pay are not permanent. Parents will need to return to work, either from home or out of the home, and those who lost their jobs will need to find new jobs.

New York Time columnist Michelle Goldberg described it perfectly a few weeks ago: many parents will have no choice but to return to work by September. Even for parents who can work from home, home schooling is often a crushing burden thats destroying careers, mental health and family relationships. And online school has had dismal results, especially for poor, Black and Hispanic students.

Toronto public school board trustees Jennifer Story and Rachel Chernos Lin are calling for creative and ambitious alternatives to reopen schools. They were to introduce an emergency resolution Thursday night demanding the province create a school year that works better for families.

I live on a street full of kids, and I see around me every day parents who are struggling in every context to juggle working from home and taking care of kids, Story says. And as we roll toward September, that challenge is going to become greater and greater.

The Toronto trustees are urging the province to get creative and bring all levels of government together to find solutions. They cited U.S. examples of expanding learning spaces into unused public and commercial buildings, which would allow for smaller class sizes. Some boards are considering changing the length of the school day.

To achieve the necessary in-school distancing there is no way to avoid spending additional money, at least in the short term, on more teachers, educational assistants, cleaners, cleaning stations, supplies and perhaps real estate.

Premier Doug Ford, Education Minister Stephen Lecce, Health Minister Christine Elliott and Finance Minister Rod Phillips need to understand that getting children back in school full-time in the fall must be considered a provincial emergency.

Lecce told reporters on Thursday that Ontario has an aspiration and a preference for in-class, day-to-day delivery (of education).

Aspirational is not good enough. Preference is not good enough. Following a question from a frustrated reporter, the education minister ended Thursdays phone-in press conference by saying, When it comes to our kids, were going to do whatever it takes.

At this point in the summer, those words ring hollow for parents who desperately need to have their kids back in school full-time.
Black Lives Matter. Thats not only true, but since late May its been an act of political incorrectness to suggest that other lives matter, too. Saying All Lives Matter today invites accusations of racism. And yet

This summer has seen protest marches stressing that both transgender and LGBTQ lives matter. But no one has marched for the well-being of farmworkers, who are almost uniquely exposed to the coronavirus plague.

In Monterey County, the contrast between wealth along the coast north of Big Sur and the poverty of farmworkers laboring in fields two dozen or so miles inland has long been stark. Now the contrast is clear in another vital way: Coastal areas with more than one-third of the countys population accounted for less than 15 percent of its COVID-19 cases as of June 27. The agricultural Salinas and south county areas with a host of farmworkers chalked up more than 80 percent of cases in the county. So far, Soledad State Prison has contributed very little to county case and death totals.

Drive through the Salinas Valley on Highway 101 or any of dozens of byways and reasons for the caseload disparity become obvious.

Thomas D. Elias: Evidence mounting of market solution to housing New evidence arrives almost every day backing the concept of a market-based solution to Californias housing shortage, one that does not have to involve politicians at all, columnist Tom Elias says.

Many farmworkers ride old, re-painted school buses to the valleys lettuce, strawberry, spinach, cauliflower and broccoli fields. They are often crammed in like schoolchildren in pre-pandemic days.

They work parallel rows of plants side by side, any social distancing purely accidental. Workers return home on the same buses, living in conditions far more crowded than all but a few homes along the coast. Its an open invitation to the coronavirus.

The upshot couldnt be more clear: Farmworker lives dont matter.

Almost everyone in America who has participated in this years protests and unrest, no matter their ethnicity, eats food produced by these workers and folks like them. Their absence would instantly disrupt Americas food supply.

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And conditions in the Salinas Valley are not unique. The agriculture-centered Central Valley has lately seen a rise in coronavirus cases, prompting several members of Congress to urge that Gov. Gavin Newsom prioritize COVID-19 testing for farmworkers and food packers.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidelines calling for farmworkers to use face masks and other personal protective equipment, but its difficult to spot any worker doing that. While farmworkers are deemed essential laborers, the guidelines are not mandatory, leaving compliance to the discretion of farm owners and foremen.

So its no surprise that COVID-19 outbreaks among farm workers around California grow steadily more severe and frequent.

Thomas D. Elias: School districts approving ethnic studies sight unseen School boards around California are approving a flawed new ethnic studies curriculum even before its been examined in public hearings or adopted by the state Board of Education, columnist Tom Elias says.

Edgar Franks, political director of a farmworker union in Washington state, told a reporter most farms are not as scrupulous about educating and equipping workers as companies in urban settings, where inspections are more frequent. I havent seen much enforcement of guidelines in the fields, he said. No social distancing, no giving out masks, too little spacing between rows, everyone huddling close together during crew meetings.

Combined with crowded living conditions, thats a recipe for disease.

Meanwhile, pay is low and many workers fear being fired if absent. So labor advocates report few farmworkers get tested, while many report for duty when feeling ill.

Newsom has responded, but only a bit. One of his many executive orders requires anyone employing fewer than 500 food sector workers to provide up to 80 hours of paid sick leave to workers affected by COVID-19. But testing is less common in agricultural areas than in large cities, so its difficult for workers at those farms to qualify for those two weeks of sick pay. And what about workers on larger farms not affected by Newsoms order?

Thomas D. Elias: Post-lockdown realities begin to emerge Nowhere is the effect - and occasional absurdity - of the COVID-19 lockdown on display than in California's gyms, columnist Tom Elias says.

Farmworker advocates also report that Cal-OSHA, the states occupational safety and health agency, has been reluctant to investigate directly in fields where the advocates say safety guidelines are ignored.

The full extent of this problem remains unknown, partly because of the paucity of formal investigations and partly because most COVID-19 testing programs do not identify occupations of persons testing positive.

Change is plainly needed, if only to prevent contagion in the food chain. Its also high time someone asserted forcefully that farmworker lives do matter.

Editor's note: This item has been modified to correct which businesses are required to offer sick leave under the governor's executive order. It is companies employing fewer than 500 food sector workers, not more than 500.

Watch now: The psychology behind wearing a face mask

Thomas D. Elias writes the syndicated California Focus column. He is author of the book, The Burzynski Breakthrough: The Most Promising Cancer Treatment and the Governments Campaign to Squelch It.
Airlines will be told to cut the number of flights and available seats to Australia from Monday to significantly reduce the number of international arrivals in a bid to relieve pressure on hotel quarantine.

The quarantine system will also be reviewed around the country to develop best practice rules to govern it over the long term as Australia faces a significant wait to reopen international borders.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the number of seats available to Australia will be limited to reduce pressure on hotel quarantine. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Prime Minister Scott Morrison made the announcement after the national cabinet meeting on Friday, and added all states and territories will be moving toward charging for quarantine.

He acknowledged it will be harder for Australians to return home, but the decision to cut weekly arrivals from as many as 6500 to about 4000 was a judgment made "in the national interest".
NEW DELHI: The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government in Delhi has taken a slew of measures to control the spread of deadly coronavirus in the national capital and its efforts have now started yielding positive results.

While the nationwide lockdown announced in March helped contain a rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus, it brought with it other socio-economic crises with people losing their jobs, daily wage earners being left with no means to earn a living, migrants being stranded without food and shelter and an acute fall in government revenues. It was clear that a lockdown couldnt be a long-term strategy and the economy would need to be gradually opened up.

Unlock 1.0, announced by the Central Government, which started on June 1 did begin to pick up the economy, but brought with it difficulties for Delhi. In the first week of June, Delhi started witnessing a rising number of cases, a rising number of deaths and because of these a rapidly rising panic amongst the citizens of Delhi. So, heres how AAP government is defeating the deadly pandemic.

Controlling the number of cases

The key to controlling the number of cases is a strategy of aggressive testing and isolation. Only if COVID positive patients and their high-risk contacts can be isolated and quarantined, can the spread of the disease be reduced.

Home Isolation and awareness drive

The Delhi government aggressively promoted Home Isolation of COVID- patients who were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms. These constitute almost 80% of all COVID-positive cases. After a visit of a medical team to their homes explaining Home Isolation, regular monitoring and guidance was done with daily phone calls from healthcare workers. This meant that patients could recover in the comfort and emotional security of their homes. Their family members could also be quarantined in the same house for 2 weeks and this ensured that they did not become spreaders.

Public awareness campaign

An important component of Delhi government's COVID-19 management programme was the public awareness campaign that the government ran on Home Isolation, which made people realise that they could recover in their own homes.

Even more importantly, this awareness campaign helped reduce the stigma around being COVID-positive. This normalisation of being COVID-positive and the confidence that patients could recover in their own homes, made it possible for the Delhi Government to pursue an aggressive testing strategy.

Aggressive testing and isolation

Delhi was following a strategy of high testing from the very start. Even before the end of June, Delhi was testing more than any other state in India at about 10,500 tests per million on May 31. Once the stigma around being a Corona patient was successfully reduced, it was possible to further ramp up testing.

From the first week of June, a strategy of aggressive testing was started, with a focus on areas that were becoming hotspots. In the first week of June, the Delhi Government was conducting 5,500 tests per day. With the help of Centres support in providing antigen test kits, by mid-June, this figure stood at 11,000 tests per day and by the first week of July at 21,000 tests per day. While increased testing seemed to increase the number of cases, what it meant was that COVID positive patients were now being traced and isolated in a timely manner. With thousands of patients and their families being isolated every day, within a fortnight the success of this strategy was visible. As a result of this, 'Active Cases began to plateau despite high testing, from 16 June onwards and New Cases began to sharply decline 23 June onwards.

Reducing Panic

As cases began to rise in Unlock 1.0, there began a spread of panic, especially through social media. Several measures were taken to reduce this panic and build public confidence 

1. Rapidly increasing hospital beds

Till early June, there were only 8 private hospitals that were treating Corona patients and these had a sum total of 700 beds available. This was in addition to 2500 beds in

Delhi Government hospitals.

When the cases started rising in the first week of June, the aforementioned 8 private hospitals reached their capacity and when patients reached some of these hospitals they found no beds available. Some patients even went to 2-3 of these private hospitals and did not find beds. While more than a 1000 beds continued to be available in government hospitals during this period, many people preferred private hospitals.

2. Accessible information on bed availability

When several cases came to light of patients going from one hospital to another, the government realised that the problem was also the availability of information. More than 1000 beds were available even in the first week of June, but the patients and their families did not know which were the hospitals where these beds were available. It was then that the Kejriwal government became the first in the country to launch Delhi Corona App that displayed real-time availability of beds in every hospital of the city.

As hospitals got into the rhythm of using the App, bed availability started being displayed on a real-time basis. So now every Delhi-ite had the information about the nearest hospital, how many beds they had available as well as a 24x7 dedicated helpline number for each hospital.

Counselling of Corona patients by doctors

The list of COVID positive patients is provided by the testing labs to ICMR which give it to the Delhi Government Health Dept; and from the Health Department to the District Surveillance teams who reach out to patients and assign them to Home Isolation, Quarantine centres or move them to hospitals depending upon their condition.

Delhi Govt collaborated with a network of NGOs and Doctor-volunteers who started real-time calling and counselling of COVID-positive patients, as soon as their lab reports got uploaded. This meant that a COVID-positive patient was able to get medical advice and counselling within hours of getting their lab reports. When doctors counselled them and explained how most Corona patients do not need hospitalisation, patients were able to cope with the psychological and emotional trauma of their COVID-positive status, without panicking.

Reducing deaths

COVID-19 has a 2-5% mortality rate across the world. In the absence of a vaccine for this virus, it may not be possible to bring the mortality rate down to zero, but proper patient and facility management can lead to a reduction of mortality and this is exactly the strategy that has been followed in Delhi.

The focus of the Delhi Government was on ensuring that the patients who had mild symptoms could recover at home, so that hospital facilities remained available for serious and critical patients. A close watch was also kept on patients to ensure a swift transition to hospitals in case of escalating symptoms. The objective was to reduce deaths by preventing mild and moderate patients from becoming severe and preventing severe patients from getting into critical condition.

Public engagement and participation

Throughout the pandemic the Chief Minister himself has kept a direct engagement with the people of Delhi - be it explaining Home Isolation, how oximeters work, why plasma should be donated, how hospitals beds are being increased.

This engagement has meant that the people of Delhi have always been informed by a trusted voice about where the city stands in its ability to confront the Coronavirus. This engagement has also been important because controlling a pandemic requires a change in peoples behaviour; and change in

behaviour comes from being informed of facts in a credible manner however difficult they may be.

Instead of relying only on the government machinery to manage this pandemic, the Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, aggressively reached out to different stakeholders to contribute in this fight.
The coronavirus has swept with alarming speed and mortality across the globe over the past six months, but the United States has particularly struggled to respond to the pandemic, national and local authorities said Friday, even as the country reported a new peak in daily cases.

More than 60,000 new cases were reported in the United States on Friday, and nearly 1,000 deaths. California reported 9,337 new cases  not a daily record, but the third time the state has hit 9,000 this week. Hospitalizations, too, hit new highs.

The U.S. has borne the burden of COVID-19 globally with 3.1 million confirmed cases  about a quarter of all cases worldwide  and more than 133,000 deaths. Persistent outbreaks in California and elsewhere show that even though public health authorities have learned how to keep the virus contained, the U.S. is simply failing to do so, national and local authorities said.

In the Bay Area, more than 33,000 cases had been reported as of Friday, and 639 deaths. More than 311,000 cases have been reported across the state  about 10% of the total nationwide.

What we saw before us was the somewhat frightening but nonetheless real emergence of a true global pandemic, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nations top infectious disease expert, said Friday at an international COVID-19 conference, referring to the discovery of the new virus in December  and the alarmingly explosive increase in cases worldwide.

It just went on and on and got worse and worse. And worse, Fauci said, clicking through slides showing the spread of disease across the globe in his virtual presentation. There were responses that were sometimes favorable in that countries got it under control. But my own country is in the middle, right as we speak, of a very serious problem.

Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, spoke during the worlds first major COVID-19 conference, part of the International AIDS Conference hosted by Bay Area HIV/AIDS leaders.

Santa Clara Countys top executive echoed Faucis concerns Friday and called for more aggressive action from top leadership of the state and nation. Daily coronavirus cases in Santa Clara County have nearly tripled over the last month.

Im frantic. Everybody is frantic. The public health officer is frantic. Because there is no leadership from the top, and we are not going to be able to control this regionally or locally, said Jeffrey Smith, a medical doctor and the countys leader.

Smith called the situation an overwhelming crisis and told The Chronicle that Gov. Gavin Newsom should call for a statewide ban on nonessential indoor activity. He also said the federal government should require anyone traveling into the country or between states to either show proof of testing or quarantine for at least 14 days.

He made his comments on the day his countys Public Health Department rescinded an order that would have allowed indoor gatherings of up to 20 people, starting Monday. Nail and hair salons and barbershops are still expected to reopen Monday if they follow stringent protocols.

The indoor ban is necessary, Smith said, because relying on testing and contact tracing alone to contain the virus isnt working. In Santa Clara County, the average daily number of new coronavirus cases reached 145 this month  nearly three times the average daily rate in June, of 53. In all, 5,678 people in the county have tested positive for the virus.

There is no way that we can utilize testing and tracing with such high numbers to test everyone, Smith said. Nationwide, we are over 50,000 cases a day. In the state, not quite as much, but still thousands. And you just cant do testing and contact tracing for that many people effectively.

Much of California has slowed down, halted or even rolled back attempts to reopen an economy shattered by months of sheltering in place. But so far, Newsom has declined to enact dramatic new restrictions to control case counts that are spiking in many parts of the state, mostly in Southern California.

Asked to respond to Smiths call for a statewide ban on indoor activities, a spokesperson for the California Department of Public Health defended the states approach, which advocates restrictions by region, rather than a blanket ban on certain activities.

With Californias large population, more than that of 21 states combined, the response (to the pandemic) is based on science and data (and) local conditions, and takes into consideration our collective response on a community/county level, the department said in an unsigned email.

In San Francisco, officials said Friday that some businesses  barbershops, tattoo parlors, hair salons, gyms, museums and pools  will not be allowed to open Monday as the city had planned. The San Francisco Zoo, however, will reopen Monday. The city has averaged 42 new coronavirus cases a day this month, about the same as in June.

Alameda County public health officials said they will file for a variance with the state next week that would allow them to serve alcohol outdoors and reopen the Oakland Zoo. Last week, the zoos executive vice president told the Alameda County Board of Supervisors that the Oakland Zoo could close permanently unless it is allowed to reopen as an outdoor museum.

County officials said late Friday they would reinstate a ban on outdoor dining, under rules recently issued by the state, but could bring it back if they receive the variance.

The health officials said they dont want to reopen more of their economy while the county and state are reporting widespread illness. Alameda County has the most coronavirus cases in the Bay Area  7,485 as of Friday  and has also experienced large upticks in recent weeks.

Alameda County is one of only two California counties without a state variance. The other is Imperial County on the southern border, which has been deluged with cases in recent weeks. Our being last continues to speak to the measured approach were taking, said Colleen Chawla, director of the Alameda County Health Care Services Agency.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

In Contra Costa County, public health officials said they especially are concerned about the rising percentage of coronavirus tests coming back positive  a sign that the virus is becoming more widespread in the community. The World Health Organization states that the virus is under control if fewer than 5% of results are positive.

On Thursday, the percentage of people testing positive in Contra Costa County reached 7.4%, with 68 people hospitalized. And the average daily number of new cases in the county has more than doubled this month, to 136 from 56 in June.

We are closely watching our numbers on a daily basis  a couple of key indicators in particular, said Will Harper, a county spokesman. If the percentage of people testing positive hits 8% or higher, or if we start to see a significant reduction in ICU or total hospital bed capacity, we may need to hit the rewind button a bit.

In that case, health officials will add more restrictions on indoor activities and gatherings involving food, rather than closing entire business sectors, Harper said.

In Santa Clara County, Smith said hospitals are preparing for a surge in patients and noted that more than half of their beds remain available. Statewide, 6,171 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Friday, an increase of 15%  816 more people  since July 1. The number of people needing intensive care rose by 6% in the same period, to 1,777 from 1,676 on July 1.

All businesses in Santa Clara County must submit a social-distancing plan before they can open, said Betty Duong, a county spokeswoman, adding that businesses will look much different than what people are used to. Appointments will be necessary, and customers will have to wear face masks. Salon workers will not only have to wear face masks, but also goggles or face shields, gloves and smocks.

Mary Hill, who owns Fabu Salon in Campbell, said she will reopen Tuesday, a welcome development to her three employees. Hill will take their temperatures before their shifts start. The employees will wear face shields when they trim a customers bangs or shampoo hair, and will wear a face mask at all other times.

All customers will also have to answer questions before coming inside: Have they been exposed to the virus in the past two weeks? Are they feeling sick?

Hill said she feels certain that with these protocols, her staff and customers will be safe despite the resurgence of cases in the county.

I feel pretty confident that I can operate safely, she said. And I understand that there is a risk involved, but I do know my clients, and there is a level of trust.

Sarah Ravani and Erin Allday are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com, eallday@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani, @ErinAllday
Newly released documents in the Michael Flynn case include a January 2017 DOJ draft memo that states FBI leadership decided against showing Flynn transcripts of his calls with the Russian ambassador in the White House interview that led to his guilty plea.

The DOJ document, dated January 30, 2017  along with a batch of handwritten notes from DOJ and FBI officials describing Flynns White House interview with former FBI agent Peter Strzok and FBI agent Joseph Pientka on January 24, 2017  shed further light on the FBIs spontaneous interview with Flynn, who had just begun his role as national-security adviser for President Trump.

FBI advised that based on this interview, they did not believe General Flynn was acting as an age of Russia, the DOJ draft document, which is heavily redacted, states. FBI also advised that although they recognized the statements were inconsistent with the FISA collection, they believed that Flynn believed what he was telling them. FBI did not confront Flynn with the communications during the interview.

The document explains that while the Bureau prompted Flynn with language used during the call, Flynn was not shown his actual words because of a decision made by FBI leadership not to confront Flynn with the actual tech cuts.

The mentioning of tech cuts about the interviews subject matter  Flynns December 2016 conversations with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak  adds further context to the questions over how Flynns calls were monitored in the first place. Tech cuts are commonly referred to as internal FBI documents that contain and describe FISA intelligence, suggesting that the FBI picked up Flynns calls through FISA surveillance. DOJ inspector general Michael Horowitz has said his office found no evidence of a FISA application on Flynn, raising the possibility that Flynns calls with Kislyak were picked up through FISA surveillance of the Russians.

In texts between Strzok and then-DOJ lawyer Lisa Page, with whom he was having an affair, Strzok references the cuts that the Bureau had obtained of Flynns calls, saying that then-FBI Assistant Director Bill Priestap was concerned with sharing information on Flynn  dubbed Crossfire Razor, or CR for short  with the Obama White House.

Story continues

He, like us, is concerned with over sharing, Strzok texted Page on January 3, 2017, according to a transcript obtained by John Solomon. Doesnt want Clapper giving CR cuts to WH. All political, just shows our hand and potentially makes enemies.

In April, unsealed documents from the Flynn investigation showed that Flynn was investigated in a case predicated by the FBIs Crossfire Hurricane probe of the 2016 Trump campaign, but the Bureau moved to close the investigation on January 4, 2017, after an absence of any derogatory information about Flynns Russian contacts. Strzok then intervened to keep the case open, explaining that 7th floor involved  referencing the floor in Bureau headquarters that houses senior FBI leadership.

Transcripts of Flynns calls with Kislyak were released in May, showing that Flynn never mentioned sanctions and asked Russia not to escalate after the Obama administration sanctioned the Kremlin for election interference.

Flynn released the documents in a Friday court filing after they were handed over to his defense team by the Justice Department this week. Flynn is currently locked in a battle with U.S. District Court judge Emmet Sullivan, who has so far refused to drop Flynns guilty plea despite the DOJs move to withdraw its case, citing previously undisclosed exculpatory information.

In short, there was no crime for many reasons, Flynns lawyer Sidney Powell wrote of the new information. These documents were known to exist at the highest levels of the Justice Department and by Special Counsel, yet they were hidden from the defense for three years.

On Friday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ordered Powell and the DOJ to respond within 10 days to Judge Sullivans Thursday en banc petition for Flynns case to be heard by the full appeals court. A panel for the D.C. Circuit has already ruled that Sullivan must dismiss the case.

More from National Review
Kansas City group spearheading local 'Buy Black' movement The owner of Ruby Jean's Juicery in Kansas City, Missouri, says June was an incredibly busy month thanks to intentional support from a national and local "Buy Black" movement. A local group has an app featuring a directory of Black-owned businesses around Kansas City.

Maybe the best year for this effort as allies look for ways to show their support throughout the metro . . . Read more:
Drugs, impersonation  Kelso police Wednesday arrested Keith Alan Byman, 32, of Longview on suspicion of a felony drug offense, first-degree criminal impersonation and third-degree theft.

Drugs  Longview police Wednesday arrested Valerie Yvonne Marquina, 33, of Winlock on suspicion of a felony drug offense.

Impersonation  Kelso police Wednesday arrested Donald David McKnight, 35, of Kelso on suspicion of first-degree criminal impersonation, reckless driving and a Department of Corrections warrant.

Fugitive  Longview police Wednesday arrested Ryann Leigh Plemmons, 31, of Longview on suspicion of being a fugitive from justice.

Harassment  Longview police Wednesday arrested Michael Joseph Ruiz, 39, of Kelso on suspicion of felony harassment, driving while under the influence and third-degree driving with a suspended license.

Theft, drugs  Longview police Wednesday arrested Joshua Allen Simpson, 27, of Hoquiam, Wash., on suspicion of second-degree theft and two felony drug offenses.

Escape, obstructing  Cowlitz County sheriffs deputies Wednesday arrested Bryan Matthew Thompson Rismoen, 37, of Castle Rock on suspicion of escaping from community court, obstructing a public servant, failure to obey police, resisting arrest, first-degree driving while license suspended and three warrants for contempt of court.

Burglaries

2600 block of Field Street, Longview. Wednesday.

2200 block of 28th Avenue, Longview. Wednesday.

500 block of Oregon Way, Longview. Wednesday.

200 block of 22nd Avenue, Longview. Wednesday. Someone ripped out a window screen and left a handprint.

Thefts

700 block of Harmony Drive, Longview. Wednesday. Someone stole a $125 can of epoxy grout and tried to return it at Lowes for money. The stores return system reloaded the money onto the card it was purchased with, so there was no financial loss.

700 block of Fourth Avenue, Kelso. Wednesday. Someone stole the license plates off of a car.

Vandalism

300 block of Streeter Road, Silver Lake. Wednesday. Someone shot at a window, putting holes in the pane and glass across the living room floor.

200 block of Allen Street, Kelso. Wednesday. A woman threw a beer bottle and damaged a mirror at a bar.

1900 block of 33rd Avenue, Longview. Wednesday. Someone damaged several mailboxes.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 12:56:48|Editor: Lu Hui

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BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- China's civil aviation industry gradually recovered in June as key indicators reported narrowing declines from a month ago, data from the country's aviation regulator showed Friday.

Airlines flew a total of 30.74 million passengers last month, down 42.4 percent year on year. The decline narrowed 10.2 percentage points from May, according to information released at a press briefing of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

In the first half of the year, air passenger numbers came in at 150 million, equivalent to 45.8 percent of the volume seen during the same period last year.

Domestic routes saw 140 million passengers while international routes reported 8.52 million, equivalent to 48.6 percent and 23.5 percent of the respective volume seen for the same period last year, the data showed.

The CAAC adjusted policies for international passenger flights in early June, allowing more foreign carriers to resume flights to China on a once-a-week basis starting from June 8.

China may "modestly increase" flights from some qualified countries provided that risks are controlled and adequate receiving capacities are in place, according to the CAAC.

Air cargo volume fell 5.8 percent year on year to 578,000 tonnes last month, compared with a 12-percent decrease registered in May.

The punctuality rate of Chinese airlines reached 88.2 percent in June. Enditem
Authorities on Friday said human remains discovered in Methuen have been identified as a 52-year-old New Hampshire man.

Zakhia Charabati, of Manchester, was reported missing by his family on March 14. His remains were discovered Thursday around 4:15 p.m., buried in the back of the property located at 145 Milk St. in Methuen, according to the FBI.

Agents swept the area on Thursday and the remains were sent to the Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for identification and DNA analysis.

For almost four months, the family of Zakhia Charabati have been patiently awaiting news of his whereabouts. Although not the result they were hoping for, we are pleased to have assisted in bringing them some much-needed closure. Investigative efforts to pursue those responsible for Mr. Charabatis death will continue, said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division.

The FBI said no further information would be released Friday as the investigation is ongoing.

Authorities thanked the Lawrence Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Essex County District Attorneys Office, the Manchester Police Department, the Methuen Police Department and the Metheun Department of Public Works for assistance.

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Teck Resources Limited (TSX: TECK.A and TECK.B, NYSE: TECK) (Teck) will release its second quarter 2020 earnings results on Thursday, July 23, 2020 before market open.



The company will hold an investor conference call to discuss the second quarter 2020 earnings results at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time / 8:00 a.m. Pacific time on Thursday, July 23, 2020. The conference call dial-in is 416.340.2216 or toll free 800.377.0758, quote 4330922 if requested. Media are invited to attend on a listen-only basis.

A live audio webcast of the conference call, together with supporting presentation slides, will be available on Teck's website at www.teck.com .

The recording of the live audio webcast will be available from 10:00 a.m. Pacific time July 23, 2020 on Tecks website at www.teck.com .

About Teck

Teck is a diversified resource company committed to responsible mining and mineral development with major business units focused on copper, steelmaking coal, zinc and energy. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, its shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols TECK.A and TECK.B and the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TECK. Learn more about Teck at www.teck.com or follow @TeckResources .

Investor Contact:

Ellen Lai

Coordinator, Investor Relations

604.699.4257

ellen.lai@teck.com
| By Jen Badie

The Pearl Street underpass on the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) campus is getting some added luster: an exhibit of artwork that was featured in the inaugural issue of 1807: An Art & Literary Journal.

The Pearl Street underpass has been transformed into an exhibit featuring 32 pieces of art from the inaugural 1807 journal.

A turtle swimming in the sea, three iconic Baltimore scenes, an angler fish made of metal, and a poem about living with mental illness are just some of the 32 pieces of art exhibited as part of the University project.

The exhibit, known as the UMB Pearl Gallery, was inspired by the spring 2019 issue of 1807, which encourages students, faculty, staff, and community members to submit unpublished artwork in the categories of visual arts (painting, drawing, illustration, digital art), photography, varied media (sculpture, clay, metal, glass, textiles, jewelry, wood), and the written word (short story, essay, narrative, poetry).

UMB Interim President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, who is an artist himself, said of the gallery, I am in awe of the creative talent that is evident in our University community, our alumni community, and the greater UMB community. While our community and world face daunting challenges during the pandemic, it is gratifying to celebrate art at UMB in such a public way.

The work of 28 artists that appeared in the 60-plus-page journal is featured on the wall, and each discipline is represented.

We looked to select art from each category, even the writing, so that each category could be represented in the collection, said co-project manager Dana Rampolla, assistant director of marketing, alumni communications and special projects for the University. We took into consideration balancing color, composition, file size, and type of artwork along the wall so that the individual concrete panels where the art is hung would complement one another.

The exhibit, which has been completed and will be displayed indefinitely, includes photography, paintings, photographs of three-dimensional pieces, and poetry placed on vinyl appliques by AP Graphics of Sykesville.

First, LED spotlights controlled by photocell were installed by Maranto Electrical Construction above where each piece of art would be placed, and the wall was power washed. Then AP Graphics used a handheld torch to apply heat to the vinyl, according to Rampolla. Workers used a roller to give it a relatively seamless finish at the end, she said. Its like it almost added an element of texture, which is kind of a cool outcome that we werent expecting.

Jennifer Litchman, MA, senior vice president for external relations, special assistant to the president, and founding chair of the UMB Council for the Arts & Culture, which was the driving force behind 1807, said, The Pearl Gallery is the extension of a dream the council had for an arts journal when the council was initially founded. Making the art so publicly available speaks volumes to the importance the University community places on art as an essential complement to science and healing.

I am so looking forward to the day that we are all back on campus so that everyone can take a walk or drive by the gallery and find some peace, beauty, and solace in such uncertain times, added Litchman, who is the 1807 editor-in-chief.

Noly Empeno, project manager, design and construction, who oversaw construction and funding for the exhibit, said the underpass was the perfect spot for a project like this. It is a bit darker and the graphics become highlights, he said, adding that the exhibit is very informative.

Rampolla, who worked with University architect Anthony Consoli, AIA, LEED AP, on the design of the wall, recently went to campus to see the project being installed. The exhibit is adjacent to the Pearl Street Garage on the north side of campus between Fayette and Lexington streets.

Suddenly the underpass was filled with color and words that passers-by stopped to gaze at, said Rampolla, who also serves as the journals creative director/managing editor. We have some truly fabulous artists in the UMB community  its incredibly rewarding to be able to provide not just one, but several opportunities to share their talent.

In addition to UMB Pearl Gallery, the 1807 artists work was on display last year in an exhibit at the Health Sciences and Human Services Librarys Weise Gallery.

Victoria Braudaway, a University of Maryland School of Nursing student, said she was speechless when she found out her painting Honu would be featured in the Pearl Gallery.

Painting has always been a wonderful outlet for me, and to be recognized for something that is so personal to me was eye opening on the limitless potential we all have, she said.

Owen White, PhD, director of bioinformatics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, and associate director, Institute for Genome Sciences, works with stainless steel, wood, custom animatronics, and found objects. His varied media work Angler Fish is featured in the Pearl Gallery.

He said he hopes that the art will be a conversation starter for people to examine the intersection between technology, art, and nature.

The four types of media are color-tagged on the wall, just as they are in the journal, to add continuity to the design of the exhibit. Each piece has a bottom border with the corresponding color, and the artists name is displayed with the same background color. Theres a color key on the wall that matches the journal.

The University plans an HGTV-style, socially distanced reveal of the exhibit in August and a Virtual Face to Face with Dr. Bruce Jarrell edition on the project in September.

The gallery shows that we are making an effort through our beautification efforts to make the campus attractive, Rampolla said. The underpass was really dark and dingy. Now, however, it is filled with beautiful art that broadly and creatively relates to the councils themes of social justice, health, healing, the mind, and the body, created by our UMB community of artists.
Kerala Congress chief Mullappally Ramachandran on Thursday welcomed the Central governments decision for National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe in the Thiruvananthapuram gold smuggling case.

However, he said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Central government should also rope in CBI and RAW, in addition to the NIA, for the investigation in the case.

I welcome the NIA probe in the gold smuggling case. I had written to the Prime Minister demanding an NIA probe. But the Prime Minister and the Central government should also announce a CBI and RAW investigations in addition to the NIA investigation, he said.

He said that there is a huge racket behind the gold smuggling.

Some of the officials, including those in customs, are associated with this racket. It is a matter of national security and friendly relations with the UAE which requires high priority, he said.

The state Congress chief said that a parallel economy that was destroying Indias economy could not be allowed to grow under the shadow of the gold smuggling gang.

On July 5, around 30 kg gold worth Rs 15 crore, concealed in diplomatic consignment, was seized at the Thiruvananthapuram international airport by the Customs Department.

Sarith Kumar, an accused in the case who had previously worked as a public relations officer (PRO) in UAE Consulate-Generals office in Thiruvananthapuram, was arrested on July 6 and remanded to 14 days.

Swapna Suresh, another accused in the case, is on the run after the gold was seized from the airport. Suresh was employed in Space Park and Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Limited (KSITL), which comes under the IT department, a portfolio held by Kerala Chief Minister.

Swapna was ousted after being named an accused in the case.

M Sivasankar, who was Chief Ministers Principal Secretary and served as IT secretary, was removed from both the posts.

The authorities in the United Arab Emirates have also launched an investigation in the case to find out who sent the cargo containing gold to the address of UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram.

The Embassy said that the culprits have not only committed a major crime but also sought to tarnish the reputation of the UAE mission in India and they will not be spared.
Qayyarah (Iraq):

Iraqi forces said on Sunday that they recaptured a series of villages surrounding jihadist-held Mosul as the operation to retake the city from the Islamic State group neared its third week.



Tens of thousands of Iraqi troops and Kurdish peshmerga fighters have been advancing on Mosul from the north, east and south after the launch on October 17 of a vast offensive to retake ISs last stronghold in the country.



After standing largely on the sidelines in the first days of the assault, forces from the Hashed al-Shaabia paramilitary umbrella organisation dominated by Iran-backed Shiite militiasbegan a push yesterday towards the west of Mosul.



The ultimate aim is the recapture of Tal Afar, a town west of the city, and the severing of jihadist supply lines between Mosul and Syria.



In a series of statements on Sunday, the Hasheds media office announced it had retaken at least four villages southwest of Mosul.



Al-Imraini, one of the recaptured villages, is 45 kilometres (27 miles) from Tal Afar, according to the media office.



The drive toward Tal Afar could bring the fighting perilously close to the ancient city of Hatra, a UNESCO world heritage site, and the ruins of Nimrudtwo archaeological sites that have previously been vandalised by IS.



Forces from Iraqs autonomous Kurdish region also announced gains on Sunday, saying that they had recaptured six villages north and east of Mosul.



Kurdish units are effectively operating on the opposite side of Mosul from the Shiite militiamen, with whom relations are tense.



The involvement of Shiite militias in the Mosul operation has been a source of contention, though the Hasheds top commanders insist they do not plan to enter the largely Sunni city.



Iraqi Kurds and Sunni Arab politicians have opposed their involvement, as has Turkey which has a military presence east of Mosul despite repeated demands by Baghdad for the forces to be withdrawn.



Relations between the Hashed and the US-led coalition fighting IS are also tense, but the paramilitaries enjoy widespread support among members of Iraqs Shiite majority.



The Hashed has been a key force in Iraqs campaign to retake areas seized by IS in mid-2014, when the jihadists took control of large parts of Syria and Iraq and declared a cross-border caliphate.



But the paramilitaries have been repeatedly accused of human rights violations during the war against IS, including summary killings, kidnappings and destruction of property.



Tal Afar was a Shiite-majority town of mostly ethnic Turkmens before the Sunni extremists of IS overran it in 2014, and its recapture is a main goal of Shiite militia forces.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
One of the effects of emergency measures to contain the spread of COVID-19, was enforced lockdown coupled with border closings, which left many migrants scrambling to find ways to return home without being trapped.

Such was the case in Bolivia. On 25 March, the Government enacted a total quarantine without prior notice, leaving thousands of Bolivians working in bordering countries like Chile caught in the rush to get home. Many of those migrants, who had lost jobs in border countries because of lockdown measures, found themselves stuck, waiting days at a time at the border or in makeshift quarantine camps.

"Migrants during this pandemic not only face the risks and threats that they historically and commonly suffer, but they are further exposed to the risk of contracting the virus, discrimination, stigmatization, exclusion and forced evictions," said Alan Garcia, head of UN Human Rights in Bolivia. "Many Bolivians who had migrated to neighbouring countries now seek to return to their country, because they have lost their jobs and want to be with their families."

Jacier, a 19-year-old migrant was one of those migrants.

"I went to Chile to seek opportunities to work and support my family. Now that I have lost my job, I am looking forward to seeing my mother and helping her," Jacier said.

Camps of uncertainty

The Bolivian government built quarantine camps along the borders with several countries including Chile, Argentina and Brazil. The first of these was called Camp Tata Santiago, located in the district of Pisiga (Oruro-Bolivia) on the border with Chile.

Camp Tata Santiago is located some 3,695 meters above sea level, surrounded by the Andes and nestled in a desert. Nearly 500 people, including children, indigenous people, and persons with disabilities, were housed in 66 tents there.

"At the beginning, there was a challenge due the lack of adequate food, water and sanitation, overcrowded conditions and little ability to practice physical distancing measures necessary during the quarantine", said, Jackeline Ruiz, human rights officer from the UN Human Rights technical mission to Bolivia. "Many were unsure when they were going to be able to leave the camps; some had underlying health conditions and situations that increased their risk of infection; many were not able to communicate with their families".

In response, UN Human Rights and the UN system coordinated with national and local authorities, as well as NGOs, to improve the conditions in the camp and protect migrants' human rights.

"From the first moment of camp installation, the UN Human Rights technical mission to Bolivia was present for the opening of the camp and initial verification of the human rights situation, and subsequently became part of the team of organizations that supported the maintenance and supervision of the camp", said Ruiz.

UN Human Rights' primary role was to strengthen the human rights based approach to assistance. Ruiz worked on protection issues to ensure safety for women, men, boys and girls and guarantee their dignity and integrity in the camps. For example, she disseminated information on gender-based violence and non-discrimination as well as promoted active participation of all people in the coordination activities of the camp.

"I thank all authorities and organisations that looked after me during the quarantine in Camp Tata Santiago, although the journey to reach my home took me 27 days" said Ariel, a 20-years-old camp resident.

The challenge for returnees

Through remote monitoring and by coordinating with different stakeholders UN Human Rights technical mission supported other camps in Puerto Suarez, in Santa Cruz; and Yacuiba, in Tarija; as well as centres for temporary isolation in La Paz. These camps for temporary isolation, established in the border with Argentina and Brazil, are currently closed or about to shut down.

Centres for temporary isolation have also been established to support Venezuelan migrants in La Paz and other cities. In addition, the Government has coordinated hostels and other shelters to receive other Bolivians from Peru, United States and other countries.

Camp Tata Santiago is still in place but should not be receiving further new migrants in the future.

From now, the main challenge is ensuring the sustainable reintegration of Bolivians returning to their country, said Garcia, head UN Human Rights in Bolivia. This includes securing adequate living conditions, access to health care and other essential services and to include them in national response, social protection and recovery plans.

Monica was among the early Bolivian migrants to leave Chile and try to get back home. The 28-year-old who worked on a strawberry farm, was among the first migrants to be housed in Camp Tata Santiago. Having made it home, she now worries about the future.

"I hope that the authorities will help me to recover my life in Bolivia, to stay with my family and help other people in this difficult moment" she said.

10 July 2020






DUBLIN, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- ResearchAndMarkets.com published a new article on the micromobility industry "Micromobility Market Trends Amid COVID-19 - Operators Focus on Expanding e-Bike and e-Scooter Services"

Bolt has announced it is expanding its focus on micromobility with a new pilot electric bike sharing service in Paris. Bolt plans to launch a similar service in other European capitals this year. Along with its ride hailing and e-bike rental services, the company also aims to offer e-scooter rental in more than 45 cities this summer. Jump, Uber's micromobility subsidiary, recently removed its scooters and bikes from the streets of Paris following Uber's investment in the e-scooter company Lime. Lime plans to redeploy Jump scooters and bikes in Paris, London, Rome and Barcelona initially.



Lime is not the only company looking at the untapped UK market for e-scooter rentals. In May, the Department for Transport announced it was investigating fast-tracking e-scooter trials as part of a move to sustainable transport. E-scooters could also provide an alternative to crowded public transport for commuters. Tier Mobility is understood to be working with the UK government on e-scooter trials, while Swedish startup Voi is also seeking permission to to test its e-scooters.

To see the full article and a list of related reports on the market, visit "Micromobility Market Trends Amid COVID-19 - Operators Focus on Expanding e-Bike and e-Scooter Services"

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

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Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

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Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States  Fri, July 10, 2020 10:46 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066552319 2 Sports SARS-CoV-2,PGA-Tour,virus-corona,golf,novel-coronavirus,golfer,golf-tournament,golf-championship,coronavirus,COVID-19,pandemic,COVID-19-infection Free

Three players who continue to test positive for COVID-19 teed off together in Thursday's opening round of the US PGA Workday Charity Open under "clarified" rules for symptomatic participation.

South Africa's Dylan Frittelli and Americans Denny McCarthy and Nick Watney began with pars at the 10th hole at Muirfield Village in their morning start after having limited access to facilities at the Ohio, layout.

The PGA Tour protocol guidelines involve players and caddies who meet the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) "Return to Work" guidelines after consultation with infectious disease experts and PGA medical advisor Dr. Tom Hospel.

Those allow condition returns to competition for players and caddies who continue to test positive for coronavirus if at least 10 days have passed since the symptoms first appeared and 72 hours have passed since fever has disappeared and issues such as cough and shortness of breath have improved.

"In the beginning stages of the illness, that virus is assumed to be active virus that can cause infection, can be contagious," Hospel said.

"As time passes and as symptoms resolve (the) theory is that this virus, this particle that has being detected... is no longer active or contagious.

"What we've learned along the way is that in some instances, individuals can continue to test positive for weeks if not months beyond when their illness started, and the thought is that those individuals are no longer contagious."

A 10-day isolation was required for those testing positive but under July 1 revisions, an infected player or caddie can return if there are no symptoms displayed once two negative tests are taken at least 24 hours apart.

The CDC and experts say tests used by the tour show the possibility of detecting virus even after infectious aspect of it is gone and a person is no longer contagious.

The PGA decided players and caddies who meet that criteria will be grouped together or play alone and have no access to indoor facilities "out of an abundance of caution."

"They have complied with the guidance from the CDC, they have met the medical requirements for isolation, and with respect to the opinions of our medical advisors, including infectious disease experts and the CDC, they're clear to play," PGA Tour vice president for administration Andy Levinson said.
Pastor David Platt: Gospel is advancing despite challenges in coronavirus pandemic

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As a pastor, David Platt understands how discouraging it can be to walk through an empty church parking lot and into an empty church building to preach in front of a camera week after week.

Its just heartbreaking, the McLean Bible Church pastor said in a recent discussion hosted by 9Marks ministry, as churches nationwide stopped gathering and took their worship services online.

He admitted to feeling frustrated as he tried to figure out how to care for the congregation and carry on the churchs disciple-making mission during lockdowns amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Despite his frustrations, the Virginia megachurch pastor is confident that God is working. In fact, McLean Bible Church has been reaching out to the surrounding community in ways it hasnt before.

We kind of turned our main building into a factory, a warehouse for bringing in thousands of pounds of food and distributing it, Platt said. Every week, weve got thousands of boxes going out with the Gospel  and people professing faith in Christ through conversations from six feet away, and masks, from cars.

The church has also been reaching Muslim neighbors and sharing the Gospel with them, something we were not doing before, Platt said.

Its just one example God is doing, he said. Hes working. The Good News of His grace is spreading. People are all the more open to it.

Platt believes more avenues are opening for the spread of the Gospel and disciple making that were not there before.

Among his own congregants, he and other church leaders have been going live on Facebook every day at noon to pray together and share Gods Word.

Why wasnt I doing that before? Platt wondered.

When viewing the current situation with travel restrictions worldwide and people unable to leave their homes, for the most part, it can feel as if COVID-19 is a hindrance to fulfilling the Great Commission, noted Jonathan Leeman, editorial director for 9Marks, in the discussion with Platt.

But the Virginia pastor said that is absolutely not the case.

Nothing ultimately is an obstacle to the spread of the Gospel to all the nations, Platt said.

Yes, there are challenges as it is now more difficult to interact with people and share Christ, especially with those who have never heard the Gospel. But as the Church in the book of Acts continued to grow despite persecution and obstacles, the Gospel will continue to spread today as well, Platt noted.

God has the whole thing rigged, he said. He will accomplish His purpose. The Gospel will go forward.

When he thinks of China in the mid-1900s when missionaries were expelled after Communists took power, the narrative was, whats going to happen? All these people who were working for the spread of the Gospel in China are now gone.

But people in China continued to come to faith in Christ through underground churches. Today, one missions group, OMF International, believes China is on track to have the largest Christian population in the world by 2030.

Throughout history, God has used circumstances that we thought were significant hindrances to actually lead to a significant advancement of the Gospel, Platt noted.

And thats what hes praying for now.

Gods doing things that we dont see, he said.
The Congress on Thursday sought to downplay reports of infighting within the opposition Grand Alliance in Bihar and instead claimed that it was the ruling NDA that ran the risk of disintegration in the run-up to the assembly polls in the state.

At a press conference, AICC in-charge of the state Shaktisinh Gohil also said the RJD, the largest constituent of the opposition coalition that comprises five parties including the Congress, was "justified" in projecting Tejashwi Yadav as its chief ministerial candidate, though he stopped short of lending support to the same.

"We fought Assembly polls in Punjab with Amarinder Singh as the party's face. There is no reason why any party should be denied the right to project its leader," Gohil, who had met Yadav over dinner the previous night, said.

The RJD's "unilateral" declaration of 30-year-old Yadav as its chief ministerial nominee has not gone down well with coalition partners, most notably former chief minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha founding president Jitan Ram Manjhi.

Manjhi, who is now said to be fancying his chances with the NDA, has been repeatedly attacking the RJD over its "domineering" ways and accusing it of ignoring his demand for a coordination committee with representation from all Grand Alliance partners.

Another ally, RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha has been of late maintaining a studied silence over the issue, though he had questioned Yadav's "inexperienced" leadership a number of times. Kushwaha had quit the NDA and joined the Grand Alliance, a development in which the Congress had played a crucial role.

However, Gohil sought to make light of the squabbles and remarked, "I had dinner with Tejashwi, will meet Manjhi over tea today. Kushwaha had called up to convey his regret that he was in Delhi and hence could not meet me here."

"He would look me up when I am in the national capital. So, in the Grand Alliance, 'sab changaa si' (all is well)".

The AICC spokesperson, however, evaded queries as to whether his party would back Tejashwi Yadav as the Grand Alliances' face, saying, "This is not the right time to ask these questions. We will make our stand clear when it is appropriate. Please do not force words into my mouth".

Polls for the 243-member Bihar Legislative Assembly has to take place before November-end.

Pointing to the notes of dissent emanating from Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP, an NDA partner, Gohil said, "Your worry should be about the BJP-led coalition."

Ram Vilas Paswan's son Chirag, who has taken over the mantle of the LJP chief, has been critical of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who heads the JD(U).

At a press conference in Delhi recently, Ram Vilas Paswan had cryptically remarked, "I am left with no say with regard to party matters. I have left it all to Chirag. We all will have to abide by any decision he takes".

Congress spokesperson Gohil, whose party shared power with the JD(U) for more than a year until Nitish Kumar quit the Grand Alliance and returned to the NDA, also said that he feared for the fate of the chief minister.

"The BJP is a ruthless ally which chops off the legs and heads of whoever it shares power with. The last example of its unbridled lust for power was in Maharashtra. There is no reason why it could not attempt something similar in Bihar," Gohil, who hails from Gujarat, quipped.

The Congress leader, however, differed with Tejashwi Yadav who had recently hinted that he was in favour of deferring assembly polls because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I am of the view that elections must be held in time. But, the Election Commission must come up with ways to ensure that voters' lives are not imperiled", he said.

He also seemed dissatisfied with the concept of virtual rallies and urged the poll panel "to look into the issue of a level-playing field for all parties in the fray.

"This new type of electioneering would help a party like BJP which has its coffers overflowing. But others are placed at a disadvantageous position," Gohil said.
A fighter jet lands on the USS Ronald Reagan flight deck as the USS Nimitz sails nearby during drills in the South China Sea, July 6, 2020.

Updated at 7:06 p.m. ET on 2020-07-10

The risk of the United States and China stumbling into conflict in the South China Sea is rising as their military exercises intensify and other nations adopt a more muscular presence in this key regional hotspot, analysts said.

An increasingly assertive China has been sending survey ships in waters where other claimant states want to explore for oil, and has repeatedly deployed Coast Guard and paramilitary fishing ships alongside them. On top of it all, China held naval drills in early July near the Paracel Islands that drew protests from Vietnam and the Philippines.

If Beijings show of force was intended to test Washingtons resolve, it appears to have backfired.

The U.S. and its allies are pushing back. For the first time in years, the U.S. has in the past week sent two aircraft carriers into the South China Sea on an exercise that was within sight of Chinas own drill in the Paracels. Those carrier strike groups exercised with the navy of Japan, and both Japan and Australia have unveiled new defense strategies in recent weeks that highlight concerns over China.

The rival military maneuvers at sea are echoed on the diplomatic stage. This week, U.S, Japan and Australia defense officials denounced the continued militarization of disputed features, the coercive use of coast guard vessels and maritime militia, and the disruption of other countries right to resources. That drew a stiff response from China, which accused non-regional countries of threatening stability.

Notwithstanding the growing strains in the U.S.-China relationship  Hong Kong, the sanctioning of Chinese officials over atrocities in Xinjiang, or trade disputes  RAND Corp. analyst Andrew Scobell said both the U.S. and China tend to presume the risk of conflict in the South China Sea is unlikely  and that presents a danger in itself.

It worries me because that gives both sides a sense that they can do things without worrying about the potential for escalation, said Scobell, who is also professor at Marine Corps University.

Olli Pekka Suorsa, a research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, shared concern over the growing potential for an unintended conflict breaking out.

With both China and the United States deploying significant numbers of ships and military aircraft in close proximity with one another, the risk of collision is an ever-present danger, Suorsa said. And with tensions running as high as they are today, an accident or miscalculation is never far away.

Fear of accident

The analysts interviewed said the most likely spark for fighting in the South China Sea is an accident.

Scobell harked back to the EP-3 incident in 2001, when a U.S. intelligence-gathering plane collided with a Chinese fighter jet in mid-air over the Paracels, causing the death of a Chinese pilot and forcing the U.S. plane to land at Chinas Hainan province, where its crew was detained.

That incident was defused successfully, but Scobell thinks any situation now would be more volatile and there would be more pressure on both the U.S. and China to act hastily.

As the U.S. patrols the skies and sea more frequently and China continues its paramilitary activity, the chance of ships colliding or trying to force one another to back down increases, analysts said. In the event of a crisis, there are hotlines between China and the United States, but Scobell said this direct line of communication is imperfect, slow and frequently frozen.

What gets U.S. officials frustrated is that we have this hotline or you have someones phone number, youve exchanged business cards, youve built a relationship and then in a crisis the American decision maker picks up the phone to call his Chinese point of contact and nobody answers. Thats what often happens, Scobell said.

He said this is because the difference in culture. Chinese military officials do not want to be responsible for responding to Americans during a crisis.

From the perspective of a Chinese military commander, any initiative or modest deviation from ones orders is not rewarded, youre really worried about being slapped down for stepping out of line, he said.

That has big implications for how a Chinese naval officer would respond to an accident at sea involving a U.S. ship. Whereas the U.S. Navy has a culture where officers and captains have significant flexibility in how they execute their orders, Chinas Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has far less.

When you have rigid orders, and circumstances change, and you feel like you cannot deviate from those orders, that is where the danger is, Scobell said.

Containing risk

The South China Sea is viewed as a hotspot for good reason. In addition to the plethora of tiny land features disputed by six governments, the waters are heavily fished and a potential source of undersea oil and gas.

The region is crisscrossed by shipping routes crucial for world trade, hence the concern paid to it by outside countries.

If allowed to proceed unchecked, said Hunter Stires, a fellow at the U.S. Naval War College, Chinas maritime insurgency will lead to a closed, Sinocentric and unfree sea, one where avaricious coastal states can fence off and lay claim to ocean areas nowhere near them to keep the ships and mariners of other countries out.

The last major shooting match in the South China Sea was in 1988 when China and Vietnam clashed over Johnson South Reef in the Spratlys, which left 64 Vietnamese dead and China in control of the feature.

Historically, nations have managed to contain the risk of conflict. In April, a Vietnamese fishing boat was rammed and sunk by the Chinese Coast Guard. In February, China was accused of training a radar gun on a Philippine Navy ship, which prompted Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., to file a diplomatic protest.

Neither incident escalated, and for good reason, according to Dr. Huong Le Thu, a senior analyst with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.

It is in no ones interests, neither China nor anyone in Southeast Asia, to escalate incidents into military confrontation, she said.

But with no discernable progress in resolving the myriad territorial disputes in the South China Sea, few observers are optimistic about nations reaching a durable solution to protect against conflict.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has aspired for nearly two decades to negotiate with China a binding Code of Conduct, or CoC, which would mitigate the risk of accidents at sea. ASEAN members Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, and Indonesia all have claims to the South China Sea or borders that conflict with Chinas claims.

Late last month, the bloc reiterated their desire to complete those negotiations.

But Dr. Le Thu said that it was wrong to hang on to the hope that the CoC would make the South China Sea safer.

The same week when the senior ministers meeting between China and ASEAN reassured about each others good intentions and cooperation toward the CoC, China also sent ships into Vietnams exclusive economic zone and kept harassing other Southeast Asians, she said.

A Vietnamese Coast Guard ship crewman watches Chinese Coast Guard ships follow a Vietnamese ship near a South China Sea oil rig, July 2014. [Reuters]

Taking sides

Some Southeast Asian nations which lack the capacity to stand up to China believe stepping up cooperation with the U.S. is the best way to safeguard their interests, according to Mohamad Mizan Aslam, a geopolitical strategy expert at the Universiti Malaysia Perlis.

Scobell said one of the most remarkable regional developments this year has been the Philippines backtracking on plans to dial back its military ties with the U.S., its treaty ally.

Beijing was starting to believe it had lured Manila away from Washington, he said.

Manila shelved its sudden abrogation of a visiting forces agreement with Washington on June 1 and is taking a stronger line against Chinas actions in the South China Sea.

Still, ASEAN countries remain wary about too much of a U.S. military presence in the South China Sea where there is the potential to be dragged into a U.S.-China conflict.

Dr. Le Thu said countries in the region would be more comfortable with the U.S. that has a strategy and longer-term plan to manage the tensions rather than fueling it for its own benefit.

ASEAN nations traditionally are loathe to pick sides. Suorsa said the more the Sino-U.S rivalry intensifies, the more pressure both Washington and Beijing are likely to exert over smaller powers to choose between them.

High-level officials insistence that the U.S. will not force smaller powers to pick sides is also losing credibility, Suorsa said.

The perception that the South China Sea has become a venue for that great power rivalry was echoed by a retired Vietnamese general this week.

Senior Lt. Gen. Vo Tien Trung, a former member of the Communist Party Central Committee, warned that the recent military drills by China and the U.S. have created instability and a tense situation.

Such actions of the two countries militaries create the risk of a military clash leading to instability in the South China Sea region, he told state-run Dan Viet newspaper. So we ask both sides to exercise utmost restraint.

Noah Lee in Kuala Lumpur contributed to this report.
Chinese authorities fanned out across Tibetan areas of China over the weekend, warning Tibetan monasteries not to host outside visitors during the 85th birthday on July 6 of exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, a source in exile said.



Areas covered by the prohibition included monasteries in western Chinas Sichuan and Qinghai provinces, and parts of the Kanlho (in Chinese, Gannan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in the northwestern province of Gansu, RFAs source said, citing contacts in the region.



While introducing Chinese policy and relevant laws to the monasteries, the officials emphasized that no outside visitors would be permitted to stay there, the source said.



In Sichuan provinces Kardze (Ganzi) prefecture, a government group led by Wang Shu Yin, a Communist Party official and head of the local police department, entered Ganden Phuntsok Ling monastery in Rongdrag (Danba) county on July 5 to conduct inspections, the source said.



During their tour, the Chinese officials urged the residents to become exemplary and patriotic monks and watch out for any outside visitors in the area and in the monastery itself, he said, adding, The officials urged the monks to report any suspicious persons to the local government or police department.



Strict prohibitions against overnight visitors to the monastery had already been in place since 2019 in an effort to deter protests on the occasion of politically sensitive anniversaries such as the March 10th anniversary of Tibetan national uprisings against Chinese rule and the July 6 birthday of the Dalai Lama, the source said.



Greetings and well wishes meanwhile poured in from around the world on Sunday, the Dalai Lamas 85th birthday, with Tibetans in Tibet defying Chinese prohibitions on celebrations by offering prayers and posting images of the revered spiritual leader online  often using oblique symbols.



Many devotees in different parts of Tibet have made ritual offerings of juniper smoke to celebrate the birthday of the Dalai Lama, a source in Tibet said in an earlier report, adding that other Tibetans had gone online to post images of the Buddhist deity of compassion, Chenresig, with whom the Dalai Lama is identified.



Other Tibetan netizens posted poems in celebration, with one addressing the well-loved spiritual teacher as the glorious sun, and another writing, As long as you are present, our hope remains unflinching. May you live as long as space endures.



Regarded by Chinese leaders as a dangerous separatist, the Dalai Lama fled Tibet into exile in India in the midst of a failed 1959 Tibetan national uprising against rule by China, which marched into the formerly independent Himalayan country in 1950.



Displays by Tibetans of the Dalai Lamas photo, public celebrations of his birthday, and the sharing of his teachings on mobile phones or other social medial are often harshly punished.



Chinese authorities meanwhile maintain a tight grip on Tibet and on Tibetan-populated regions of western China, restricting Tibetans political activities and peaceful expression of cultural and religious identities, and subjecting Tibetans to imprisonment, torture, and extrajudicial killings.



Reported by RFAs Tibetan Service. Translated by Dorjee Damdul. Written in English by Richard Finney.
Delhi:

Samajwadi Party's Rajya Sabha MP Munawwar Saleem on Saturday denied on Saturday that he was aware of his personal assistant Farhat's involvment in espionage activities.

Farhat was arrested by the Delhi Police in connection with the spy racket in which Pakistan high commission staffer Mehmood Akhtar was allegedly involved.

"I was not aware of Farhat's activities. Farhat was hired 11 months ago after thorough check by the RS secretariate," Saleem said adding that people involved in anti-national activities should be dealt with strictly.

Read: Pak espionage racket: Samajwadi Party MP Munawwar Salim's close aide Farhat detained by Delhi Police

A video released on Saturday showed Akhtar talking about Farhat, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, during his interrogation in the case.

Hours after India declared a Pakistan High Commission staffer Mehmood Akhtar as persona non-grata for espionage activities, Ministry of

External affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup revealed Akhtar was caught by Delhi Police with sensitive defence documents includingdeployment details of BSF along the Indo-Pak border.

Akhtar was asked to leave India within 48 hours.

Read: Pak HC staffer Mehmood Akhtar asked to leave India within 48 hrs, MEA says he came on ISI deputation in 2013

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
ByteDance is looking to make changes to the corporate structure of its short video app TikTok, a company spokesperson said on Thursday. TikTok is also in early stages to establish its headquarters, according to a source familiar with the managements thinking. The companys five largest offices are in Los Angeles, New York, London, Dublin and Mumbai, it previously said.

TikTok has been seen to distance itself from Beijing after a U.S. national security panels inquiry into the safety of the personal data it handles, Reuters first reported last year. The company has recently lost business in key regions including India, following a border clash with China, and Hong Kong. Even the Trump administration threatened to ban the video app earlier this week. Separately, TikTok released its transparency report on Thursday and said it removed more than 49 million videos from its platform in the second half of last year for violating its guidelines.
BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - French stocks were little changed in lackluster trade Friday as investors remained worried about the spread of coronavirus in the U.S. and fresh outbreaks elsewhere in the world. The United States again saw its sixth daily record for coronavirus cases in 10 days, with the surge driven largely by states in the South and the West that were among the first to ease restrictions established during the virus's initial wave in the spring. At least six states set single-day case records on Thursday. Elsewhere, Hong Kong is closing its schools again due to a spike in locally transmitted coronavirus cases. Australia said it would halve the number of citizens who can return home at any one time to relieve pressure on its quarantine system. The benchmark CAC 40 was down 8 points at 4,912 after losing 1.2 percent in the previous session. In economic releases, France's industrial production rebounded at a faster than expected pace in May as coronavirus containment measures were relaxed, data from the statistical office Insee showed. Industrial output grew 19.6 percent on a monthly basis, reversing a 20.6 percent fall in April. This was the first rise in three months. Production was forecast to climb 15.1 percent in May. At the same time, manufacturing output advanced 22 percent, in contrast to a 22.3 percent fall in the previous month. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon has risen by a quarter since last year, official statistics show.

The rainforest is also on course for its worse year on record and in the first half of 2020, 1,184 square miles (3,069 square kilometres)  an area ten times the size of Paris  was destroyed.

Preliminary data from the country's National Institute for Space Research (INPE) show June was the 14th consecutive month where deforestation has increased.

Scroll down for video

The rainforest is also on course for its worse year on record and in the first half of 2020, 1,184 square miles (3,069 square kilometres)  an area ten times the size of Paris  was destroyed

Preliminary data from the country's National Institute for Space Research (INPE) show June was the 14th consecutive month where deforestation has increased

June marks the start of the dry season and Brazil has been criticised by a number of countries and environmental groups over large-scale deforestation and fires.

Deforestation and fires in Brazil's Amazon released 115 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide in the first half of 2020, up roughly 20 per cent from the same period a year ago, equivalent to the annual emissions of 25 million cars.

President Jair Bolsonaro is now under monumental pressure from conservationists.

Destruction rose 10.7 per cent for June, compared to June 2019, and Mariana Napolitano, the head of science at WWF-Brasil said this pressure will continue to mount.

'The pressure is increasing,' she said.

'The deforestation data by itself shows that we now have a very complicated situation that is out of control in the Amazon.'

Deforestation and fires in Brazil's Amazon released 115 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide in the first half of 2020, up roughly 20 per cent from the same period a year ago, equivalent to the annual emissions of 25 million cars

If there is another increase in deforestation in July, Brazil is headed for annual deforestation of more than 15,000 square kilometers, or an area larger than Connecticut, said Ane Alencar, science director at Brazil's Amazon Environmental Research Institute (IPAM)

Britain's obsession with timber, leather and beef 'is having a heavy impact' on the Amazon rainforest Britain has an obsession with timber, leather and beef from Brazil, according to wildlife charities, who claim it is 'having a heavy impact' on rainforest wildfires. Brazil, home to two-thirds of the Amazon rainforest, is one of the riskiest countries from which the UK imports key agricultural commodities, say the WWF and RSPB. In a new report the WWF say fires are being set deliberately to make room for agriculture to feed growing demand from places like the UK. The latest figures suggest that 2,248 fire outbreaks were detected in the Amazon biome for the month of June - the highest number for 13 years. Brazil represents 13.9 per cent of the UK overseas land footprint, according to a new report, equal to about 800,000 hectares or five times the area of Greater London. Advertisement

If there is another increase in deforestation in July, Brazil is headed for annual deforestation of more than 15,000 square kilometers, or an area larger than Connecticut, said Ane Alencar, science director at Brazil's Amazon Environmental Research Institute (IPAM).

That would be up from 10,129 square kilometers last year and the highest level of deforestation since 2005, according to official government data.

Inpe measures annual deforestation from August 2019 to July 2020, with the figures slated for release late in the year.

Vice President Hamilton Mourao said international investors want Brazil to show 'results' in fighting Amazon deforestation before they will consider participating in environmental protection projects in the country.

President Jair Bolsonaro, a climate change skeptic, has facilitated farming and mining projects on protected land and indigenous reserves.

'It's not true that we're destroying the jungle to produce food,' he said, also denying that Brazil was dismantling the state's environmental protection structure.

Researchers and environmental advocates blame Bolsonaro for emboldening illegal loggers, ranchers and land speculators by weakening environmental enforcement.

He has also called for more commercial mining and farming in the Amazon to develop the economy.

Following global pressure, especially from foreign investment firms, Bolsonaro has deployed the military to combat deforestation since May and next week is slated to ban fires in the Amazon region for 120 days.
Five people have been arrested in connection with the February shooting death of rapper Pop Smoke, according to multiple reports.

LAPD Detectives have arrested three adult males and two juvenile males related to the Feb. 19th murder, CNN said the Los Angeles Police Department said in a tweet. We will provide further details as they become available.

The arrests come just six days after the release of his posthumous album Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon.

The 20-year-old rapper was killed during a home invasion at his Hollywood Hills home, police said.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS

Spanish train manufacturer Talgo will invest in manufacturing in India considering the huge market size and high projected growth

The rolling stock giant says the Rs 30,000 crore rail privatisation project is a very good opportunity and will generate a lot of jobs

Talgo India Managing Director Subrat Nath says that private operators would get assured passenger traffic which is set to jump to 13 billion a year by 2030

On the possibility of train operators going for single-class configuration, Nath said it would be trial and error but most likely be multiple class

Early bird in Indian Railways' Rs 30,000 crore private trains project would be the real beneficiary according to Spanish rail giant Talgo. Hence, it intends manufacturing train sets in India under the Make in India plan.

"Whoever is the early bird in this game, whoever takes the risk (because coming to this is huge and cost-intensive and huge risk) is going to be a real beneficiary. These risks are going to bring wonderful returns," Talgo India managing director Subrat Nath told BusinessToday.In in an exclusive interview.

Spanish train manufacturer Talgo has said Indian Railways' move to offer train operations to private players is a win-win for all and the early bird into the business would make a lot of money given the size of the market and projected rise in passenger volume.

Also read: Virgin Trains, Italferr, Indian cos likely bidders for private trains; Bombardier, Alstom to vie for rolling stock

While Indian Railways will get revenue share and fixed charges from private operators, upper class passengers would get better services. Those who cannot afford the ticket to board the private train would have the option to take Indian Railways train. Private operators would get assured passenger traffic which is set to jump to 13 billion a year by 2030.

Talgo India Chief said that the Spanish rail giant has always been very bullish about India.

"That's why we took the risk to do a trial run which was so successful. We know that Indian market offers great talent in terms of workforce and we always look forward to manufacturing in India. This project is a very good opportunity and that should justify Make in India for us. We will generate a lot of jobs," he said.

Asked if trains are designed and manufactured for standard gauge globally while India has broad gauge and hence it could pose a challenge, the Talgo India chief said, "The best thing is that Spain (Talgo's headquarters) is broad-gauge like India."

Also read: Budget airlines-Indian Railways double whammy threatens private trains' profits

"In India, the gauge is 1,676 mm. In Spain it is 1668 mm. So, it is almost the same. There is only an 8 mm difference. We have broad gauge so we can easily get a train. We have been working since we did the trial run. We have always been hopeful that it is going to take time but it is going to be a big market for us. We have been working on this project so it is not difficult for us," he added.

On the possibility of train operators going for single-class configuration, Nath said it would be a trial and error but most likely be multiple classes.

"Railways is slightly different than aviation. Here, there may be people who would like to be in a more comfortable seat and not like to pay more. In the flight, economy class ticket is Rs 5,000 and business class Rs 20,000. In trains it would not be the same, there would be people who will be ready to pay a bit more but not four times to go in a better class and there would be demand for that as well," Talgo India Chief said.

The Indian Railways' Rs 30,000 crore privatisation plan is expected to see some of the global rolling stock manufacturers such as Bombardier, Alstom, Talgo and CAF vying for a share in the pie while both local and foreign firms bidding for operating trains on 109 routes.

Also read: Railways employee unions to protest against privatisation policy

In all, 151 modern trains (rakes) are proposed to be run by private companies. As per Indian Railways, this accounts for about 5 per cent of existing mail and express trains running on its network. The concession period for operating the trains would be 35 years as this is the life cycle of rolling stocks.

As many as 27 local and global private firms including Tata Realty & Infrastructure Ltd, Adani Ports & SEZ, Bombardier, Macquarie, Mitsui & Co, BEML, Alstom, Hyundai Rotem Company had earlier participated in the meeting called by Indian Railways to discuss privatisation of train operations.

Train operations have, however, not always been profitable for private companies. Explaining the rail operations economics, Subrat Nath said that in railways about 90 per cent cost is normally infrastructure.

"Only the 10 per cent cost is for systems (rolling stock). So, if the operator owns the system then they can make money. But if you put infrastructure with it then it is difficult for them to make profit. Normally, the infrastructure should be a gift of the nation to their people because Railways is like an iron chain that holds the country together. The nation should itself invest in infrastructure and give the operator the liberty to have the system and they should only be worried about output," he said.

Also read: Indian Railways seeks private investment of Rs 30,000 crore to run 109 pairs of trains
MANZINI - Makhosini High School has been closed indefinitely as learners defied their teachers by refusing to enter classrooms yesterday.



The pupils reportedly refused to resume lessons yesterday after news about one of their teachers who contracted the coronavirus circulated.

According to impeccable sources, the pupils refused to get into class, citing that they risked being infected as the teacher, who tested positive for COVID-19, had touched a number of surfaces at the school.



The source said the pupils feared that if they entered the classrooms, they might get infected with the virus.

This is said to have happened in the morning hours when the learners were supposed to be screened with the use of a thermo scanner and sanitised before going into their various classrooms.



Fumigation



This publication also established that officials from the Ministry of Health assisted in the fumigation of the school on Wednesday.

However, the classrooms that were fumigated, according to impeccable sources, were those that were suspected that the teacher had entered into.



It was gathered that this was another issue that the pupils complained about, as they wanted all structures in the school to be fumigated. According to the source, the learners also complained that some of the teachers were not tested for COVID-19, as the ministrys officials only took samples from 10 educators and put them in isolation.



This, they said, was because the teachers had been in close contact with the teacher who tested positive; hence they could have contracted the virus, but were still not showing symptoms.



Also, one parent posed a rhetorical question and said: How do we know if there are pupils who were infected when they went to school on Monday?

The parent said if they had it their way, classes would be suspended until the ministry had fumigated all classrooms and all learners tested.

The guardian wondered why government failed to test the teachers and speed up the release of their results as they (teachers) were in school for a whole week before reopening.



Why didnt government not test them as they knew that the teachers had been at home and could have contracted the disease? This is a disaster that will affect us all, the parent said.

Given the boycott by the pupils, the source purported that it led to the schools administration contacting the office of the Regional Education Officer, Siboniso Gumbi.



Following the reopening of schools on Monday, authorities have implemented various safety measures, including temperature checks at school gates and making it mandatory for pupils to wear face masks and observe physical social distancing.

Schools have also put up sanitiser dispensers at different places on their premises and hand-washing basins.



Isolate



Through the installation and use of these safety measures, at Salesian High School they were able to isolate a pupil who recorded a body temperature of 37C.

This resulted in the pupil being taken to hospital and ordered to isolate pending the release of his results, probably today. To this, the President of the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU), Bheki Mamba, said it was for this reason that they believed qualified health workers were needed for the screening of pupils and teachers in schools.



He said this would lead to them being able to identify any person who could be at risk of easily contracting the virus and or advise them on how to deal with their underlying conditions.

Worth noting is that what happened at Makhosini High School is the tip of the iceberg compared to what happened after the reopening of schools in South Africa.



In the neighbouring republic, according to a report by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), some schools were temporarily closed after coronavirus cases were reported.
CHICAGOTwenty-one debutantes (14 high school seniors and seven juniors) spent a portion of their weekends from January until spring learning etiquette and things like how to waltz, how to tango, and how to curtsy. And when you add the young men who would be their escorts and backup escorts, that number more than doubles. All the work was intended to lead to The Links Inc. Chicago chapters 60th annual Debutante Cotillion, a formal ball where the debutantes are presented to society with the support of their escorts, family and friends. But just like proms, graduations and other milestones for young people, COVID-19 squashed this event.

The original cotillion date was April 25, but then we changed it to June 13, and then we changed it to the first weekend in August, and then we said this isnt going to be accomplishable, said 2020 Cotillion chair and The Links member Dr. Joy West. Originally scheduled to be held at the Fairmont Chicago under the theme of Diamonds and Pearls, the cotillion is now planned for May 1, 2021. This was devastating for us, basically because of the families. The senior families in particular.

According to West, when the idea for a virtual cotillion was presented, families turned it down.

Families wanted the full experience, and they didnt think the virtual experience could capture the beauty and grace of the moment for their debutantes, so they opted to wait, West said.

The move didnt sit well with Havilland Williams, a rising senior at the Chicago High School for the Arts. When she mentioned to friends that she was preparing for the cotillion, she said, many of her peers werent familiar with the concept of the ball. She likens it to a quinceanera, but its not a birthday party.

Cotillion is a rite of passage for young women in the Black community. Its a tradition that has been going on for 60 years in Chicago under the guidance of the Chicago chapter of The Links Inc., the national womens service organization based on friendship and community service. Founded in 1950, the Chicago chapter places a special emphasis on volunteering in the fields of youth services, international trends, health services and promoting African American art.

To find out school was cancelled and the cotillion was cancelled? I was really upset, Williams said. But what can you do?

Her escort, Lorenz King, who will be attending Morehouse College in the fall, calls the recent spate of cancellations and postponements unfair. As a St. Rita of Cascia High School senior, he trained for the ball alongside Williams but wont be coming back to escort her. Instead his younger brother will go.

Well never get this again in our lives. Ill never get to graduate high school, Ill never get prom, and we work so hard. Its just the feeling of accomplishment, after everything youve done, and youre just not going to get it, King said. It gets frustrating sometimes. ... Its kind of sad that we didnt get a payoff of everything we did.

West said that all of the debutantes have the opportunity to walk in 2021, and while all the juniors will do so, only about four or five seniors will return from college to participate. Its a huge miss for participants, after the community service, fundraising, classes and workshops. And lets not forget finding the proper ball gown, which has to be floor-length and white, accompanied by white gloves.

Participants raise money by selling ads to small businesses, and the cotillion class chooses a community organization to receive the money raised. The Chicago chapter of The Links focuses on mental health and wellness, West said.

Our national mission is to transform communities through service, and we feel like continuing the legacy of cotillion by providing an opportunity for our young people to witness resilience through times of unrest, is important, West said. What we wanted our current families and community to see is a dedication to continuing to transform communities through service. Even though our goal to give $60,000 (U.S.) back to the community for our 60th did not happen, we have recommitted to doing just that for 2021.

According to LaTisha Williams, Havillands mother, the cost to the family of making the cotillion happen runs in the thousands of dollars, and that includes selling $150 tickets to relatives and friends for seats at tables during the event. But Williams said its worth it for her only daughter to have this opportunity for education, mentorship and camaraderie. Havilland Williams and King said they not only learned etiquette, but have taken part in financial workshops about stocks and bonds as well as ones centred on mental health.

Havilland Williams considers cotillion to be on a higher level than prom.

It has more elegance and grace in it and kind of like ballet  makes me feel poised and pretty, and I like how that makes me feel, she said. With prom, its just everyone is there, everyone wants to look better than you, but in cotillion, its more about unity.

In the end, you just see the dancing, but theres a lot that goes into it, King said. A lot you can take away from it  years down the line, and thats why I think its better than a homecoming or a prom.

Camille Lonzer, a 2019 debutante from South Shore, says the event was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that shell remember forever.

Its just a rush of happiness seeing everyone in their dress. ... I would compare it to a graduation or a prom because you get to show off and show out. Its definitely exciting, she said. I wasnt too much of a social person beforehand, and it sort of opened my eyes to a lot of different people who have a lot of different opinions and perspectives. But also the community service aspect of the cotillion, it was life changing for me. I think thats a nice aspect of it because you really feel like the community needs you as a person.

2021 will still be our 60th anniversary, although I dont know what the flavour of that will look like, West said. But what we do know is that the journey to cotillion  the rehearsals and workshops  will be a fun and informative time for the debutantes and escorts. We want to make this next year just as interesting as this past year was.
South Africa: SA records over 13 000 new COVID-19 cases

The devastating reality of COVID-19 continues to batter the country as South Africa reported a record of 13 674 new cases on Thursday, bringing the total to 238 339 infections.

Gauteng, which is now the epicentre, also hit new highs in daily cases, with 6 531 additional infections in the last 24 hours.

Meanwhile, 129 people lost their lives due to the novel Coronavirus which brings the death toll to 3 720.

Of these, both Gauteng and the Western Cape each recorded 37 deaths, 28 from Eastern Cape, 26 from KwaZulu-Natal, and one from the Northern Cape.

The department has since corrected a miscalculation after stating that the recent total deaths in Limpopo were 44 instead of 33 on Wednesday.

This was a data interpretation error, which has been corrected. Reallocation has since been done and we have confirmed the current total with the province, Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, explained.

In addition, the number of recoveries is 113 061, while 56 170 new tests were completed since the last report.

We have thus reached a milestone of having completed over 2 million tests for Coronavirus, he said.

The Minister has also paid a special tribute to laboratory services employees who have made this feat possible.

This is an enormous achievement that we can all be proud of as South Africans, he said, adding that 2 000 569 have been conducted since the outbreak.

Gauteng now has 81 546 cases, followed by the Western Cape with 74 815, Eastern 44 432 and KwaZulu-Natal 19 630.

North West has 7 870 reported infections, Free State 3 724, Mpumalanga 2 902, Limpopo 2 381 and Northern Cape 1 039.

According to the World Health Organisation, there are 11 874 226 cases worldwide and 545 481 deaths.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-07-10. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
The Information Services Department of the Shai Osudoku District Assembly has distributed personal protective equipment (PPE) to residents to support the adherence of the COVID-19 safety protocols.



The items; 1,000 each of nose masks and hand sanitizers, were distributed to residents of Agomeda, Kordiabe, Doryumu, Manya Jorpanya and Asutuare in the Greater Accra Region.



Mrs Cornelia Asante-Obeng, the District Information Officer, who led the team, urged the people to abide by the safety measures to ensure their own safety and that of their families.



She reminded them of the existing law that criminalizes non-wearing of face masks in public adding that the District Security Taskforce would arrest and prosecute any person who flouts the law.



Mrs Asante-Obeng called on them to religiously adhere to the protocols by washing their hands and using the sanitizers regularly while avoiding handshaking and crowded places in order to curb the spread of the disease.



The beneficiaries expressed gratitude to the Assembly for the gesture and called for more education on the virus.

Source: GNA









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More than a month ago, two men shot at each other in Coconut Grove. One had dual rifles and the other a handgun.

Their gunfight ended up wounding a third person, a woman. Miami police are still looking for the two men involved.

Newly released surveillance video could help in that search.

Just after midnight on June 7, about 11 people gathered outside a home in the area of 3600 Frow Avenue, police said. The video shows an argument break out, then one man walking back into the home.

He reemerges with two assault rifles, one in each hand, walking toward the group as more people follow him from inside the house. When the man turns back to go inside, another man pulls out a handgun and fires at him, the video shows.

After taking cover next to the house, the man with dual rifles fired one of them back at the other shooter. According to the video, nearly 20 gunshots were fired.

During the crossfire, police say a bullet stroke a woman in the leg. She was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospitals Ryder Trauma Center. She was treated and released.

One of the suspects was a man 30 to 45 years old, about 61 and weighing 220 to 250 pounds. The other suspect was a man of about 30.

Anyone with information on the suspects or the incident is asked to call the Miami Police Departments Assaults Unit at 305-603-6490 or email Assaults@miami-police.org. Those with information that wish to remain anonymous can call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-8477 or visit www.crimestoppersmiami.com.

Miami Herald staff writer Carli Teproff contributed to this report.
A Camden County man who was one of the leaders of a trafficking ring that sold ghost guns  nearly untraceable firearms  was sentenced to 14 years in prison Friday, authorities said.

On Friday, Christopher Stoner, 43, of Lindenwold, was sentenced to prison for selling untraceable firearms, part of an illegal arms trading operation he ran with several associates, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said in a statement. On Feb. 12, Stoner pleaded guilty to purchasing firearm parts to manufacture untraceable firearms, along with distribution of cocaine and unlawful possession of an assault firearm, the statement said.

He also faces a pending charge of second-degree distribution of narcotics stemming from a Feb. 26 arrest by the New Jersey State Police, the statement said.

Ghost guns are notoriously difficult, if not impossible, to track, as they are not registered and dont have any serial numbers to trace them. Often, these guns are manufactured using 3D printers and thermoplastic. Since November 2018, ghost guns have been illegal in New Jersey.

This prison sentence reflects our resolve to hold gun traffickers like Stoner accountable and to protect our communities from the grave danger posed when ghost guns are brought into New Jersey and sold into the hands of criminals, Grewal said in the statement. We have taken strong action against manufacturers selling these guns in our state, and we will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute criminals who profit by supplying the black market for these deadly, untraceable weapons.

The law enforcement sting that led to Stoners arrest and guilty sentence, dubbed Operation Stone Wall, started with an investigation into alleged cocaine trafficking by three Lindenwold men, according to the statement. When authorities discovered that Stoner had allegedly sold cocaine to one of the men, the investigation led them back to Stoner and the gun trafficking ring he ran with two associates.

The two associates, Nicholas Cilien, 40, of Mt. Ephraim, and Paul Corum, 44, of Lindenwold, pleaded guilty previously to multiple crimes, including purchasing firearm parts to manufacture untraceable firearms.

Together, the trio sold illegal guns, including six AR-15 assault rifles that were untraceable, the statement said. A fourth man, Marc Freeman, of Lindenwold, allegedly assembled the rifles using kits he and Corum purchased online. The assault rifles allegedly were sold for prices ranging from $1,100 to $1,300 per gun, the statement said.

Investigators caught Corum and Cilien talking about a gun sale that would be delayed because of a 2018 law against ghost guns, the statement said. Last March, authorities found parts for two more assault rifles that were allegedly ordered by Corum and Freeman to be shipped to Bensalem, Pennsylvania, according to the statement.

According to Grewal, the trios arrests and Stoners conviction are the first of their kind under a 2018 law signed to prevent the sale and distribution of ghost guns as technology to 3D print firearms became available on the internet. In November 2018, Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law that would make it illegal to purchase parts for or to distribute instructions on how to 3D-print ghost guns.

Ghost guns can be created by anyone with a computer and access to a 3D printer, giving the public at large the ability to build their own unregistered, unsafe, and untraceable firearm, Murphy said in a statement released the day he signed the bill into law. Now, thanks to the Legislative sponsors who worked to quickly make this bill a reality, kits to assemble ghost guns will no longer be allowed in New Jersey.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Rodrigo Torrejon may be reached at rtorrejon@njadvancemedia.com.
Jacksonville Police

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Anthony M. Davidson, 21, of 919 S. Clay Ave. was arrested on a charge of driving while license is revoked and cited on charges of having no valid registration and operating an uninsured vehicle after a traffic stop at 2:06 a.m. Thursday in the 800 block of North Prairie Street.

 Jennifer L. Mullen, 38, of 142 W. Chambers St. was arrested at 10:17 p.m. Wednesday on charges of driving while license is revoked and possession of an open title and cited on a charge of operating an uninsured vehicle after a traffic stop in the 100 block of West Chambers Street.

 Shane A. Mosley, 45, of 3131 Timmons Road, Waverly, was arrested at 8:13 p.m. Wednesday on charges of possession of a controlled substance, driving while license is revoked and operating an uninsured vehicle after a traffic stop in the 1900 block of West Morton Avenue.

 Earl. E. Williams, 62, of 1080 Hoagland Blvd. was arrested at 5:58 p.m. Wednesday on a domestic battery charge.

ACCIDENTS

 Dylan R. Stepp, 26, of Jacksonville was cited on charges of improper lane use and leaving the scene of an accident after police said the car he was driving sideswiped a parked car in the 600 block of South Church Street at 12:30 a.m. Thursday.

THEFTS, BURGLARIES

 A wallet was taken at 10:42 p.m. Wednesday from an unlocked car in the 900 block of Cox Street.

Waverly Police

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Richard A. Baker, 53, of 296 N. Grove St., Waverly, was booked into the Morgan County jail at 9:26 a.m. Wednesday on a charge of driving while license is revoked or suspended.

Compiled by David C.L. Bauer
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 21:32:21|Editor: huaxia

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NEW DELHI, July 10 (Xinhua) -- India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have agreed to operate special flights to help stranded residents of the two countries to get back to their places, officials said Friday.

The special flights will be operated from Sunday until July 26.

"As part of the close strategic partnership between the governments of India and UAE, and with a view to assisting UAE residents who are presently in India to return to UAE, the civil aviation authorities of both countries have agreed to operationalize a special arrangement," India's civil aviation minister Hardeep Puri wrote on social media.

The minister said the arrangement would be in place for 15 days.

"Indian carriers operating repatriation flights and UAE carriers operating charter flights to bring Indian citizens from UAE to India can now carry ICA (Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship) approved UAE residents from India to UAE. This arrangement will be in place for a period of 15 days on July 12-26," Singh said.

International flights to and from India have been suspended until July 31 as per the orders from Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). However, all cargo operations and flights, specifically approved by DGCA, have been exempted from the restrictions. Enditem
On Sunday, Thomas Sinard, a new San Antonian who recently moved from Ohio, decided to explore the River Walk. Along the way, he found a few non-venomous snakes.

Sinard told mySA.com he was walking along the River Walk trail near the Amphitheater at the Pearl when he saw four diamondback snakes slithering in a diverting stream in the Museum Reach.

The active hiker said he is no stranger to snakes and knew the reptiles were non-venomous. However, Sinard admitted he almost thought the diamondbacks were the venomous water moccasin snakes commonly known as the cottonmouth snake.

READ ALSO: San Antonio man opens door and finds 'huge' snake wrapped around doorknob

Shaun Donovan, San Antonio River Authority environmental sciences manager, told mySA.com the diamondbacks are common around the area of the River Walk, especially near the Museum Reach. He said people sometimes mistake the diamondbacks as cottonmouth snakes due to the shape of its head.

"The cottonmouth snakes have a triangular-shaped head, and diamondback water snakes will sometimes flatten their head out so that it looks like they have that triangular-shaped head to kind of give off that impression of being a venomous species," Donovan said.

Donovan said diamondbacks are non-aggressive and will leave humans alone if people leave them alone. He said the snakes eat mice, small birds and aquatic organisms like fish. As the temperatures rise in San Antonio, you will likely see more of the snakes because they like to sunbathe.

Other wildlife that can be found along the River Walk are birds, non-native and native fish, mammals, amphibians and Amazonian apple snails, Donovan said. The San Antonio River Authority has seen venomous snakes along the river, however, Donovan said it is rare and significantly less common than the diamondbacks.

"We always try to tell people that no matter how well you think you know what a species is, just keep your distance and respect the wildlife," he said. "The beauty of the River Walk is that we have this opportunity to see wildlife from a distance."

Priscilla Aguirre is a general assignment reporter for MySA.com | priscilla.aguirre@express-news.net | @CillaAguirre
Advocate Dube termed it to be a fake and extrajudicial killing.

Mumbai: A Navi Mumbai-based lawyer Atal Bihari Dubey on Friday wrote to the Supreme Court requesting it to take suo moto (on its own) cognisance of gangster Vikas Dubeys killing and order a CBI investigation into the case. Advocate Dubey said that the encounter killing of Vikas Dubey by Uttar Pradesh was a violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed in the Constitution.

Terming it to be a fake and extrajudicial killing, advocate Dubey demanded judicial review of the encounter. He also requested in his letter that the court should take suo moto cognisance against Uttar Pradesh government and the state police for not following guidelines issued by the apex court.

The letter stated that they had been apprehensive about Vikas Dubey getting killed by Uttar Pradesh police in the same way as the other accused in the Kanpur police murder case. The police, he said, had violated guidelines issued by the court in the PUSL vs State of Maharashtra matter.

"There is no provision in Indian law which gives authority to the police to directly kill accused mercilessly by creating such a scene. The police officers are not above the law and cannot take law into their hands," the complaint read.

The letter added that it was not the duty of a police officer to kill the accused. The police could only arrest the accused and put them up for trial. However, in Vikas Dubeys case, the police arrested him and also punished him, the letter noted.

The lawyer said that the Constitution guarantees fair trial to every citizen and the accused shall be punished as per the rule of law. Vikas Dubey himself surrendered before the Madhya Pradesh Police and he was apprehensive that he might be killed. Therefore he said main Vikas Dubey hu, Kanpur wala. This makes it clear that he was not having any intention to flee and he wanted to save himself from a fake encounter, he said.

Dubey requested the court to direct the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to register an FIR under section 302 (murder) of IPC against the police personnel involved in the encounter and conduct a probe under the supervision of a retired Supreme Court judge.
CHATSWORTH, Calif.Pineapple Support, which was formed to aid in the mental health of adult industry members, has welcomed adult directory site AdultWork as a bronze-level sponsor. The company joins more than 50 adult businesses and organizations in committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

"We are delighted to become a Pineapple Support Partner, said Vince Charlton, AdultWork.com's business development director. Mental health and wellness services dedicated to adult industry performers are vital and we wholly support Pineapple for providing these."

AdultWorks support and contribution to Pineapple helps us reach even more adult performers around the world. Especially during trying times like those we are currently facing, mental health and wellness is especially important, said Pineapple Support founder Leya Tanit. Thanks to the support from all of our generous sponsors, were on track to connect more adult performers than ever this year.

Pineapple Support was founded by British performer Tanit in 2018, after a string of losses in the adult industry from depression and other mental illnesses. The organization, which is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit in the United States and a registered charity in the U.K., has so far connected more than a thousand adult performers to mental health services, including free and low-cost therapy, counseling and emotional support.
There are plenty of interesting places to visit in South Korea, but if youre all about adding new and exciting content to your Instagram feed, the you simply must add the Purple Island on your itinerary.

With the Covid-19 wreaking havoc around the world, South Korea included, international travel isnt what it used to be just a few months ago, but that just means more time to plan your next great adventure. And if you have your sights set on Instagram-worthy destinations, South Koreas new Purple Island is a must-visit. As the name suggests, this place is a purple paradise complete with vast fields of lavender, empress trees that bloom purple, purple painted houses, bridges and even purple roads.

Photos: Instagram

Its not clear how the idea of turning Banwol Island and Parkji Island  two stretches of land connected by a large wooden bridge (purple, of course)  into Purple Island came to be, but last summer authorities in Sinan County, South Jeolla Province announced their plans for the unique tourist attraction. Their plans included planting 40,000 lavender plants, thousands of empress trees, as well as other purple plants, painting residential building purple, as well as roadside attractions and even roads.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by    (@khy_0131) on Jun 12, 2020 at 5:54am PDT

Honestly, the purple Cheonsa Bridge (literally Angels Bridge) connecting Banwol and Parkji islands is worth a visit, especially at night, but there is so much more to see and photograph if you like the color purple that youre probably going to need more than a day to experience it all.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by  (@lisahakyungkim) on Jun 6, 2020 at 7:01am PDT

As youd expect on a true Purple Island, even the hotel rooms, restaurants and restrooms are painted purple. Oh, and so are some of the local cars. Purple-colored rooms start at 50,000 Korean Won ($41) per night.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sudar  (@sudar_choi) on May 4, 2020 at 11:53pm PDT

Purple Island is still a work in progress, but it recently went viral on Asian social media, after Instagram posts shot in this purple getaway started doing the rounds online.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Miss Purple (@misspurplehk) on Jun 25, 2020 at 1:17am PDT

View this post on Instagram A post shared by    (@khy_0131) on Jun 12, 2020 at 5:54am PDT

View this post on Instagram A post shared by   (@kto9suk9suk) on May 31, 2020 at 2:04am PDT
Bolivia's interim president Jeanine Anez announced Thursday that she has tested positive for coronavirus. "I've tested positive for COVID-19, I'm fine, I will work from isolation," she tweeted. The 53-year-old said in a video on Twitter that she would remain in quarantine for 14 days before taking another test. Anez becomes the second South American president in a matter of days to contract the coronavirus, after Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro announced his positive result on Tuesday. Another high-ranking Latin American government official to contract the virus is Venezuela's Constitutional Assembly President Diosdado Cabello, widely considered the second-most powerful person in the country after President Nicolas Maduro. Four members of Anez's cabinet had tested positive in recent days, while Senate President Eva Copa went into self-isolation on Wednesday as a precaution. "Given many of them tested positive over the last week, I took the test and I was also positive," said Anez. The interim leader's illness comes with Bolivia gearing up for a general election in less than two months, despite being in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. Anez initially opposed the September election, saying it should be postponed "one or two months" due to the pandemic, but eventually relented. The conservative politician assumed the interim presidency in November after socialist former leader Evo Morales resigned and fled the country following three weeks of unrest over his controversial re-election. Morales had stood for a potential fourth consecutive term despite the constitution limiting a president to two successive mandates. Although he initially tried to hold onto power, he lost the backing of the armed forces after a report by the Organization of American States found evidence of election fraud in his victory. Anez was third in the last opinion poll behind Luis Arce -- the candidate for Morales's Movement for Socialism party -- and centrist former president Carlos Mesa. "My solidarity and I hope for a speedy and complete recovery to the President @JeanineAnez," Mesa, who was president from 2003-05, wrote on Twitter. Bolivia, a country of 11 million, has recorded almost 43,000 coronavirus infections and more than 1,500 deaths. The government expects there to be 130,000 cases by the time the election comes around. More than 12 million people worldwide have contracted the virus, and almost half of those have been in Latin America and the United States. Bolivia's interim president Jeanine Anez (pictured January 2020) said she got tested for coronavirus after four of her cabinet members tested positive in recent days
When she walks into a U.S. court next week, Ghislaine Maxwell will confront federal prosecutors with years of experience in New York courts and deep knowledge of the child sex-trafficking allegations surrounding her and her former lover Jeffrey Epstein.

For her own legal team, Maxwell has assembled the mirror image -- attorneys with years of experience practicing in New York courts and also with deep knowledge of the allegations against her and Epstein.

Maxwell's hired two pairs of law partners, one from New York, the other from Denver. The New Yorkers -- Christopher Everdell and Mark Cohen -- were once federal prosecutors while the Denver duo -- Laura Menninger and Jeffrey Pagliuca -- has defended Maxwell in civil lawsuits by Epstein's victims.

It's a savvy approach for a defense that must grapple with decades-old evidence if it hopes to even the odds against the government, said Jennifer Rodgers, a former federal prosecutor in Manhattan who's not involved in the case.

"Chris and Mark Cohen have just come on the case, they're going to be scrambling to get up to speed as there's a lot of evidence and this case dates back to the mid-1990s," said Rodgers, who once supervised Everdell in the U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan. Menninger and Pagliuca "know all the facts, so this seems like a smart strategy."

Maxwell, the daughter of late British publishing tycoon Robert Maxwell, faces federal charges that she lured girls as young as 14 for sexual encounters with Epstein. Prosecutors say she spent spent years at Epstein's side and was a central figure in his criminal enterprise. Epstein died in a New York lockup in August, an apparent suicide, but prosecutors in Maxwell's trial still must present detailed evidence of a sex-trafficking ring and her alleged role as his accomplice.

The first legal clash for Maxwell, 58, is scheduled for next week when she seeks bail and prosecutors ask that she be held in custody for trial. It will be the first public appearance of Maxwell's legal team.

Maxwell's lawyers will have to review millions of pages of evidence the U.S. has collected over the decades. While her lawyers haven't yet disclosed their legal strategy, they'll have to confront the allegations as well as the emotional testimony from women who've come forward and accused Maxwell of engaging in and enabling their abuse.

More than a dozen women accused Epstein of abusing them but according to prosecutors, three were victims of both Maxwell and the financier.

The lawyers didn't returns calls and emails seeking comment about the case.

Everdell spent more than a decade working for the government, focusing on complex frauds, cybercrime, terrorism and international narcotics cases. In 2014, the Federal Drug Agent Foundation cited Everdell and his team for their work in the investigation and apprehension of Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.

Cohen served in the federal prosecutors office in Brooklyn, New York, where he was part of a team that convicted Thomas Pitera, a Bonnano organized-crime family hit man known for dismembering his victims.

Both former public defenders with experience in sex-crimes cases, Menninger and Pagliuca have represented Maxwell in civil lawsuits by women who claim she helped Epstein recruit them for underage sex, with Maxwell participating in some of the sexual assaults.

Two years ago, Pagliuca helped defend a Wyoming businessman who was charged with sexually assaulting a young woman who was unconscious in his home. The man was convicted, but the verdict was thrown out on appeal. Menninger, who was a financial analyst at Goldman Sachs before going to Stanford Law School, worked at a top-flight firm in New York before heading to the Colorado public defender's office.

Marvyn Kornberg, a veteran criminal defense lawyer in New York, said the four will play to each other's strengths.

"It's a very smart for the defense to hire and obtain local counsel who can guide them," he said. Everdell and Cohen "know their way around, they know people in the prosecutor's office and they can, if they want, try to work out a deal. They can operate with knowledge about what's going on with the other side, which can't be done as well by lawyers who practice primarily in Colorado."

Cohen and Everdell will also be in a good position to analyze and come up with a game plan and how to handle a high-profile, challenging criminal prosecution, said Jonathan Sack, a former colleague of Cohen who worked with him in the Brooklyn U.S. Attorney's office in the mid-1990s.

"Mark is a thoughtful lawyer who will know his case, understand it and have a good sense of what the prosecution is doing and what the options are for the defense," Sack said. "He'll carefully assess the strengths and weaknesses in the government's case and will have a good feeling for how a jury would view the facts as well as his client."
Reports of huge reverse migration of Indians, especially Keralites from the Gulf region during the COVID-19 pandemic are making headlines. But contrary to reports, most of the expatriates from Kerala in the Middle Eastern Arab states, whose remittance is one of the backbones of the states economy, though worried over the post COVID-19 uncertainties, are not ready to give up on their Gulf dreams.

A survey conducted by Pravasi Risala a magazine based in Dubai among Kerala expatriates indicated that 91.1 per cent of the NRKs want to continue in the Gulf and still have hopes of sustaining there. This is for the first time that a survey is being conducted on the impact of COVID-19 on NRKs in Gulf countries.

The survey conducted among 7223 participants from six GCC countries indicated that about 65 per cent of the NRKs are expected to lose jobs post COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 13.5 percent has already lost jobs and 26.02 per cent anticipating job loss. As many as 18.44 per cent has had salary cuts while 7.32 per cent are not getting salaries.

The survey was conducted on a sample comprising various age, social, educational and income groups. There were participants from all districts in Kerala. Despite having job loss, salary cut and serious financial crisis, a majority of the NRKs, including entrepreneurs and employees, are not ready to give up Gulf dreams. Most of the respondents said that they are still hopeful of a revival and want to continue here, said Ali Akbar, executive editor of Pravasi Risala.

The survey was on the impact of pandemic among the expatriate communities in the gulf region. While 52.04 per cent of the respondents wanted to stay put during the crisis or wished to return once the crisis is over, a negligable 8.9 % indicated that they would not return to the Gulf once they return to Kerala.

What makes NRKs remain in a foreign country during crisis is the lack of source of income and financial stability back home. A total of 65.54 per cent of the expatriates do not have a job or other means of living in their native place.

Only 4.75 per cent of the expats have either job, business or other means for livelihood in Kerala. More than 20 per cent of the respondents in the survey do not possess house or property. 56.12 per cent would have to depend on loans or other forms of financial assistance to set up a means of living.

A majority of the expatriates have the responsibility of marriage or education of their kids or dependents on their shoulders. Only 15.79 per cent of the participants are in a comfortable situation and staying with their family in the Gulf. A 65 per cent of the respondents said that the pandemic has had emotional impact on them while 34.65 per cent of them have expressed severe distress because of the crisis.

The findings of the survey carried out by the volunteers of Risala Study Circle (RSC) will be useful for the Kerala government while initiating schemes for the returning NRKs.
Growing up, Jack Lutz was drawn to slasher movies, because the films are like roller coasters.

You know youre going for a ride, and you know whats coming next, he says. Theres going to be a peak, and fear is going to reach its apex. When you get there, the fear sets in. But its the twists and turns that catch you off guard. Its the stuff you never saw coming that makes an impact.

Thats why the Las Cruces-based actor was drawn to The Dead of Night.

The horror movie was filmed in New Mexico, and recently the trailer was released online.

Its garnering a lot of buzz in the horror film circuit, and Lutz is excited for it.

Lutz plays a killer and had to pack on at least 20 pounds of muscle for the role, as well as wear a coyote head over his face.

It was hard to navigate during the shoot, he says.

The film was a childhood dream realized.

Being part of a horror film was something I wanted to do since I was a kid, he says.

The film is currently part of the film festival circuit and the trailer is online on YouTube.

Read more about Lutzs journey here: https://abqjournal.com/1473857/therapeutic-role.html

Inside this weeks issue, New Mexico natives Vicente Telles and Brandon Maldonado talk about their recent collaboration, Tierra y Guerra, which is on display at Pop Gallery in Santa Fe. The two artists got out of their comfort zone in creating the seven-panel altar piece.

Read more here: https://abqjournal.com/1473866/interpreting-the-past.html

The movies reviewed this week can be viewed online.

The first is The Truth, which stars Juliette Binoche, Catherine Deneuve, and Ethan Hawke. The film is streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Read the review here: https://abqjournal.com/1473887/family-amp-function.html

Netflix has been churning out some hits. The latest is Charlize Therons The Old Guard. The film makes its debut on Netflix on Friday, July 10. The review is here: https://abqjournal.com/1473879/eternal-struggle.html

Summer is in full effect, though restrictions with social distancing remain. For months, weve previewed content that can be viewed online or events that can be attended with proper health protocols.

Thank you for continuing to turn to Venue and the Albuquerque Journal. Its a different world that were navigating together.

Respectfully,

Adrian Gomez

Venue editor
New Delhi:

US software giant IBM has signed an agreement to acquire Indian IT firm Sanovi Technologies that deals in cloud computing-related software.

"As a cloud-native company, Sanovi will strengthen our resiliency portfolio to manage broad range of applications, data, and IT systems of our clients, balancing digital and hybrid cloud transformation with increased regulatory compliance," said Martin Jetter, Senior Vice-President, Global Technology Services, IBM, in a statement.

Upon closure of the deal, which is expected by the end of 2016, IBM plans to integrate the Sanovi capabilities into the IBM Global Technology Services unit. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.

Sanovi Technologies provides hybrid cloud recovery, cloud migration and business continuity software for enterprise data centres and cloud infrastructure.

"Adding these capabilities along with advanced analytics will better enable IBM to bolster its software defined resiliency strategy and delivery of business continuity and disaster recovery services for clients undergoing digital and hybrid cloud transformation," the statement said.

With Sanovi's software, IBM will further empower clients to redefine their disaster recovery strategy in the face of "unprecedented industry change".

"IBM's technology leadership in hybrid cloud infrastructure and resiliency services makes it a clear choice to bring end-to-end services to our customers and transformational value to IBM's existing client base," said Sanovi Co-founder and CEO, Chandra Sekhar Pulamarasetti.

In addition to being available as part of a managed resiliency service, IBM plans to make Sanovi DRM available as a stand-alone software licence for partners and customers looking to optimise in-house and vendor run resiliency programmes, the statement said.
DENTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / July 10, 2020 / Kieffer | Starlite, an industry leader in company sign services, has just recently celebrated their 64th anniversary. Over that time, they have established a reputation as a company that offers innovative sign products, superior customer service, and competitive pricing. The anniversary comes as the company continues to show their versatility by helping their business clients meet their signage and safety needs during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. They have even partnered with other entities, at this critical time in the country, to help address the ongoing challenges faced due to the spread of the virus.

Company President Kevin Hofert says, "We have some extraordinary members of our team with tenures at Kieffer | Starlite over 25 years. They not only advocate for our industry, but they also create a high standard for production methods and product quality for our company. We have strived as a company to create the best in quality products to meet the design look and performance to meet the market demands and help brands stand out. One of our fundamental abilities to have the staying power in a crowded industry is our dedicated team-their knowledge and passion for supporting our customers set us apart."

Hofert would go on to recall a time when a customer needed a specialized order. "A client from a large hotel brand had approved a design, and we were in the production process. A last-minute brand update was announced, and they called immediately to see if they could implement the latest standard. Our team communicated quickly, went out to the production floor, and was able to stop the project before production had gone too far. It is that service and desire to help our customers that have allowed us to be in business for 64 years. We also forecast new methods, technology, and adapt as needed with the market."

It is clear that Kieffer| Starlite has shown the ability to adapt during the current Coronavirus crisis. In response to COVID-19, they expanded their focus to meet their customers' unexpected new needs, and they also used the company's design and fabrication skills to help support medical professionals and others to support safety efforts as a result of the virus. The recent virus outbreak has created a very unexpected need for unique sign and safety products for many companies. They now had to design prototypes, and then engineer sign products that were geared toward keeping company employees and customers safe from COVID-19. Those at Kieffer | Starlite met that challenge head-on by creating a variety of different temporary signage products that made use of the company's product materials and manufacturing equipment.

It is this kind of adaptability that has allowed them to support their customers during the COVID-19 crisis, including some innovative new products.

Some of the important products that came out of this effort included mask clips that took the stress off frontline worker's ears and protective portable screens that helped create a safety measure to help mitigate the spread of the virus. Hofert went on to say that their most important project was building what they named a "protective intubation shield." This is a thick translucent, polycarbonate structure that was placed over a patient's facial area during the intubation process to help minimize the spread of aerosolized virus droplets. Hofert continued to say that they even started manufacturing sneeze guards and other types of partitions to help keep company employees and those that visit a business establishment safe. He said the company will remain committed to doing whatever they can to help in the fight against the virus.

Though they are continuing to manufacture products aimed at keeping their customers safe from COVID-19 they are still doing their regular sign making duties. That includes having existing and potential customers communicate with their experienced sign consultants so they can provide them with the best long-term signage solutions. Over the years, Kieffer | Starlite has established a reputation for helping their clients through every stage of the sign creation process. This includes steps like code research, permitting, design, fabrication, and installation. For those that would like more information on this popular national sign company, you can refer to the Kieffer |Starlite website or view the company Facebook page.

For more information about Kieffer | Starlite, contact the company here:

Kieffer | Starlite

Kelly David

214-418-6565

kdavid@kiefferstarlite.com

Kieffer | Starlite

7923 E McKinney St.

Denton, TX 76208

Email: Marketing@kiefferstarlite.com

SOURCE: Kieffer | Starlite

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/597046/National-Commercial-Sign-Company-KiefferStarlite-Celebrates-Their-64th-Anniversary
In the mid-1980s, two independent candidates, Hari Shakar Tiwari and Virendra Pratap Shahi, walked into the Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha straight from jail. They had comfortably won their seats with the tacit support of the Congress.

Tiwari was lodged in Agra jail and Shahi in Fatehgarh, hundreds of km away from their electoral arena in Maharajganj of east UP,. While Shahi was gunned down later in the 1990s, Tiwari continued his winning spree, becoming a minister in various governments.

The trendsetters belonged to the two castes  Brahmins and Thakurs -- that had dominated the electoral politics of the state till Mayawati, Kalyan Singh and Mulayam Singh Yadav emerged in the 1990s.

But two constants remained.

One, candidates with criminal antecedents continued to win elections . Some criminals fought as independent candidates, others as official nominees of the political parties.

Two, all the criminals were self-styled Robin Hoods with similar career trajectories: a small begining by bullying or befriending cops at the local level and helping people out by funding weddings; building their empire with support from local politicians; living in huge safe bungalows with luxurious vehicles and protected by an army of supporters; and creating an aura of terror. Money came from lucrative contract business -- basically, they got a cut off everything.

Over the decades, politicians and governments turned a blind eye to the growing influence of such gangsters -- instead tapping them for this very influence during elections . And people knocked on their doors as governments failed to redress their grievances.

No government or leader could ignore them -- or their power and influence.

Former BJP chief minister Kalyan Singh, a tough administrator, included Raguraj Pratap Singh in his government in 1998. Raghuraj Singh was on the run till his swearing in Raj Bhawan.

The Samajwadi Partys Mulayam Singh Yadav formed a government in 2003 and included Singh in it.

The recommendations of the Election Commission were thrown to the wind in the distribution of tickets. Winnability became the prime factor in selection of candidates.

In 2017 as many as 143 out of 403 members of the Vidhan Sabha had criminal cases against them.

Interestingly, some do fall out of the favour.

Mukhtar Ansari , a five time MLA and former MP Atiq Ahmad, are facing the heat under the present dispensation with CM Yogi Adityanath out to demolish their empires . Raghuraj Pratap Singh and his father were hounded by Mayawati and are currently lying low. Like many others, the Singhs are connected to every party.

DP Yadav who ruled the roost in west UP was denied ticket by Akhilesh Yadav in 2012. He has been languishing in the backwaters.

Prof DNS Yadav of Lucknow University says:  Politicization of criminals started during Indira Gandhi days when parties started taking their help to win elections. Thereafter started criminalization of politics - instead of supporting candidates, criminals decided to themselves contest and win elections.

Vikas Dubey, too, had a huge following, especially in his caste group (he is a Brahmin) but he did not contest elections. He took membership of BSP in 1996 but could never get a ticket to contest. He was convicted in a murder case. But his wife is independent member of zila panchayat, an indication of his clout.

The empire that he built would not have been possible without the support of the administration; Dubey had 60 criminal cases against him and had been convicted in a murder case.

Former DGP and chief of UP Election Watch, I C Dewedi told HT once that the leaders of mainstream political parties talk of clean and crime-free politics but to win elections they give tickets to criminals with money and muscle power.
Student Who Found Racist Notes on His Car Put Them There Himself: Police

Following a two-week investigation into an alleged hate crime, police concluded the Texas A&M University student who discovered notes with racial slurs on his car last month likely placed them there himself.

Isaih Martin, a senior at Texas A&M, reported to campus police on June 24 that he found three hand-written notes attached to the windshield of his car, which was parked at an on-campus apartment complex. The notes included the N-word, You dont belong here, and All Lives Matter.

I hate it here. Yall still dont think A&M is racist? Martin, who is black, wrote on Twitter. His Twitter posts have since been protected.

Texas A&M President Michael K. Young denounced the racist act, saying in a June 25 statement that the school is offering a $1,200 reward to anyone with valid information regarding the incident. Those who promote hate, discrimination and disrespect are not welcomed at this institution, he said. We are tired of bigoted members of our community marring the experiences of students of color.

The final police report on the case, however, indicates it is unlikely that anyone other than Martin left those notes where he found them.

According to the report obtained by local CBS affiliate KBTX, surveillance footage from a nearby pool camera shows that Martin left the area he parked his car and returned 90 minutes later. Upon his return, Martin was seen toward the front of his vehicle with brief white specks near his torso and chest area. He then stepped back and onto the sidewalk in front of the car, most likely taking photos and videos.

Martin drove away after walking around the front of his car for a few moments, police wrote. The total time spent at his vehicle is 1 minute, 15 seconds.

The camera also captured two people walking near Martins car during while he was away, police said. But they walked past the vehicle within 5 seconds, a window too short for them to reach over the hood and place the notes.

No other person had enough time to place the messages on Martins car other than himself, the report concluded. In this particular case and at the advice of the county attorney, there was no offense. The case is closed and no arrest was made.

Martin denied the allegation, claiming that video surveillance shows another person had enough time to placed those notes on his car, according to student newspaper The Battalion.

I have no idea who it could have been and I stopped communicating with the cops, Martin said. I wish they found who did this so they could be held accountable.
Crawford Appoints President of Complex Claims Team

Crawford & Co. has appointed Paul Kottler as president of Global Technical Services.

Kottler will assume a role previously held by Terry Hunt, who retired after a 27-year career. Hunt had been president of the U.S. GTS team since 2017.

Kottler will oversee the Crawford team that is responsible for all large and complex claims in the United States. He will also lead initiatives to strengthen GTS market position, the Atlanta-based claims administrator said in a press release.

Kottler will report to Andrew Bart, global president of Crawford GTS.

Kottler is returning to Crawford after a 10 year absence, He worked as regional vice president of U.S. property and casualty for the company from 2004 to 2010, according to his Linkedin page. After that, he became president and chief operating officer of IAS Claims Services, national director of business development for Engle Martin & Associates and president of Norcross, a Seattle-based affiliate of McLarens.

Kottler graduated with a bachelors degree in business administration from Kansas State University.

Davies Appoints CEO for U.S. Claims Unit

Davies Group, a global professional services firm based in London, has appointed Matt Button as chief executive officer of its US Claims Solutions business.

Button has held the position in an interim role since October 2019, the company said in a press release. His permanent appointment became effective July 1, the company said. Button will relocate from London to Davies U.S. headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee.

Davies entered the U.S. claims administration business just last year with the purchase of Frontier, a national claims adjusting services business, and ASC, a third-party administrator for workers compensation and other property and casualty claims.

Button joined Davies in 2015 from Towergate, where he held senior roles in merges and acquisition and finance, the company said. He reports to Davies Group CEO Dan Saulter.

Davies said it employs 3,700 people in offices in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Bermuda, the U.S. and Canada.

Provencher Appoints Supervising Examiner

Provencher & Co. LLC has appointed John Amick as supervising examiner.

The independent claims shop, based in Hammond, Louisiana, said Amick has more than 30 years experience in clams management and quality control. His old-fashioned values of fairness, integrity, and respect are attributes that make him the successful leader he is today, the company said in a press release.

Amick previously was vice president of claims and a regional general adjuster for Union Mutual,where he worked for the past 14 years, according to his Linkedin page.He graduated with a bachelors degree in business administration and economics from Houghton College in New York.

Amick has been involved with the Vermont Claims Association and Vermont Chapter of the Charter Property & Casualty Underwriters. Amicks central office will be primarily located in the Northeast region, the company said

Everest Hires Casualty Claims Head

Everest Insurance has hired Louis Manger as head of Casualty Claims. In this role, Manger will lead all facets of Casualty Claims, including all direct-handled and TPA-administered claims. He will be based in Liberty Corner, N.J.

Manger joins Everest from Blackboard Insurance, where he served as chief claims officer. Prior to joining Blackboard, he worked at Turner Construction as regional claim director for the Northeast region.

He was previously a vice president at AIG, managing claims teams in the Complex Casualty Claims unit. He started his professional career as an attorney in private practice with the Wilson Elser firm in New York, specializing in the defense of general liability and products liability matters.

Everest Re Group Ltd. is a global provider of reinsurance and insurance, operating for nearly 50 years through subsidiaries in the U.S., Europe, Singapore, Canada, Bermuda and other territories. Everest offers property, casualty and specialty products through its various operating affiliates located in key markets around the world.
The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which recently passed the House, takes baby steps to protect Americans civil rights from police, while maintaining the systemic racism that has driven millions worldwide to protest. The bills modest bans on chokeholds, milquetoast requirements for police training, and long overdue criminalization of lynching are better than the Republicans toothless joke of a bill. But millions of Americans are demanding bolder action, and this bill falls vastly short.

Rep. Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles, sponsored HR7120, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has eagerly championed it. But the bill has predictably languished in the Senate, where it faces a hopeless future. It is deeply inadequate  a mere Band-Aid rather than the urgently needed amputation. At a time when murders of Black Americans by militarized police have become shockingly common, this proposal settles for half-measures. It sadly echoes Pelosis recent statement that she doesnt regret voting for the 1994 crime bill at all. San Francisco deserves better.

The most significant step that Pelosis bill fails to take  which Minneapolis has already done, and which millions support across the country  is to defund the police. Police departments receive tens of billions of federal dollars, padding local budgets that starve municipal services while militarizing our streets, turning them into war zones. The SFPDs proposed budget for 2021 is a whopping $700 million (recently rejected by the police commission). Police have taken over functions that would be far more effectively served by community groups, mental health organizations and social workers.

This mission creep has driven an authoritarian metastasis of policing. Police should be deployed only to address threats of potential violence, particularly emphasizing nonlethal measures and de-escalation tactics. But the House bill doesnt defund the police or do much to shift their responsibilities to civilian agencies.

Congressional reticence might reflect corporate corruption: many House members  including Pelosis top ally, Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md.  receive large campaign contributions from powerful police unions that are aggressively political associations with a history of defending police abuses, promoting institutional racism and offending civil rights. Just this week, top California Democrats demanded that the party stop taking money from police groups. I strongly support that demand, while Pelosi remains silent.

Pelosi has dodged questions about police mission creep by claiming it is a local issue  but this is demonstrably false. Local and state police receive substantial federal funds, which I support curtailing and strictly limiting.

Also overlooked by Pelosis bill is the long overdue federal legalization of cannabis. Cannabis is legal in many states (including California), but in states from Alabama to Idaho, possession remains a pretext to search, abuse, detain, arrest and charge nonviolent people  most of them Black and Latino.

Federal legalization offers massive benefits: tax revenue, a wave of green jobs across the country and carbon sequestration that can help undo the damage caused by our senseless addiction to fossil fuels.

Beyond the bills failures, Pelosi hypocritically claims to champion civil rights despite a disturbing record that includes the disastrous Clinton crime bill, which she doesnt regret supporting. It led to the mass incarceration of generations of Black and brown people for minor nonviolent offenses.

Most Democrats  and even many Republicans  support ending the racist war on drugs. Yet the Pelosi-backed Justice in Policing Act falls short of addressing that established consensus.

There are other steps we should take, like eliminating cash bail. District Attorney Chesa Boudin has already accomplished this locally. But as long as Pelosi remains in office, these common-sense reforms will remain stalled at the federal level: She voted yes on the Republicans draconian 2018 Protect and Serve bill, which classifies an intentional crime against law enforcement as a hate crime; yes on the 2018 Republican-backed proposal to expand policing in schools; and yes on a huge federal police spending increase back in 2007, as well as the infamous 1994 omnibus crime bill. Our communities have waited too long for justice.

We have seen too many paramilitary police violently escalate minor incidents, and even murder nonviolent people on camera. We are done waiting.

Our Constitution applies to all Americans  but Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic leaders are stifling vital police reforms needed to make this promise a reality. San Franciscos communities deserve better, as does the rest of America.

Shahid Buttar is a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Californias 12th congressional district, and the first Democrat to ever challenge House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a general election. He is the former director of grassroots advocacy at the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
Walter Wang, chief executive of JM Eagle, in the company's Los Angeles headquarters. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)

The headlines blared after the whistleblower lawsuit against JM Eagle was unsealed, and then three years later in 2013, after a jury found the world's largest plastic pipe manufacturer had made false claims about the quality of its products.

The Los Angeles company was said by the law firm representing three states and 42 cities and water districts to be on the hook for "billions of dollars" of potential damages because of leaky pipes that would have to be replaced "much sooner than expected"  the result of shoddy manufacturing and a focus on the bottom line.

Fourteen years after the lawsuit was filed, the Los Angeles federal court judge presiding over the case delivered his own ruling last month on what was warranted to five cities and districts chosen to have their cases heard first: zero.

"There is no 'real world' evidence of defects as to the pipe," U.S. District Judge George H. Wu ruled in a 67-page decision that noted the plaintiffs failed to dig up and test the pipe at issue. "It is undisputed that they have not ceased the use of that pipe and thereby have obtained, retained (for many years), and continue to receive value from it."

The ruling hasn't ended the dispute but has dealt a severe blow to the plaintiffs in the lengthy legal saga, which a JM Eagle attorney said posed an "existential" threat to the company  and was fought in a commensurate manner. The company twice sued the plaintiffs lawyers, once for racketeering and another time for defamation, cases that were thrown out on appeal. Along the way, it has hired multiple attorneys of its own and spent what it called the "equivalent to a huge fine" in fighting the allegations.

Driving the defense has been the company's owner and chief executive, Walter Wang, who has refused to settle. The companys co-defendant, resin supplier Formosa Plastics, exited the lawsuit for $22.5 million and legal fees. But Wang, the son of the late Taiwanese billionaire who founded Formosa and JM Eagle's predecessor company, said he is determined to fight to the end.

Story continues

I dont want to settle, because I did nothing wrong. This is under my direct watch. If I settle, its not about money. Its about ruining [my] whole reputation, said Wang, a prominent Los Angeles businessman and philanthropist. I could not possibly settle, so I fought on and fought on. Even my sister and brother-in-law told me, Walter, you have to have an exit strategy.

Wang said he felt vindicated by the judges decision, but it is too early for the company to celebrate. The plaintiffs are expected to appeal the ruling, and JM Eagle still faces a class-action lawsuit that despite the whistleblower ruling is proceeding on a separate track.

Both kinds of cases can result in large awards. Among big-money whistleblower cases in recent years was one in which GlaxoSmithKline agreed in 2012 to pay $3 billion to settle all criminal and civil claims for wrongdoing, including promoting off-label uses of its prescription drugs. Bank of America agreed to pay $2.43 billion to settle a class-action lawsuit with investors related to its acquisition of Merrill Lynch & Co. amid the financial crisis.

Eric Havian, lead attorney for the plaintiffs in the whistleblower case, said Wu's decision "effectively created a Catch-22" for the water suppliers, given "they've been sold pipe that is inferior, according to the first jury's ruling."

"Yet because it's buried under the ground and the cost of digging it up would require shutting down the water system for some number of weeks or maybe even longer to exhume and test it, you can't get any damages," said Havian, who maintains that only a "random sample" of pipe would hold up in court.

Havian also disagreed there was no real-world evidence of JM Eagle pipe failures involving the plaintiffs, including one experienced by the Calleguas Municipal Water District in Thousand Oaks. Wu did not allow it to be heard at trial, he said, because the pipe was installed outside the time period of the lawsuit, which is not in dispute. A representative for JM Eagle also claims the failure might have been caused by poor installation or pressure surges.

A failure in Reno that was heard at trial occurred while the pipe was being installed in 2002. The company representative said ruptures were caused by trapped air during pressure testing improperly conducted by the city. However, he acknowledged, JM Eagle's investigation into the incident discovered a defect in one piece of pipe, so the company made good on its warranty and replaced all of it.

Havian said it was a clear example of bad pipe, and he expected the issue of failures to be raised on appeal. He also said there was nothing preventing the litigation from going forward with other plaintiffs.

The damages case relied on plaintiffs' experts who developed a sophisticated engineering model  based on internal JM Eagle tests  and alleged the pipe could fail sooner than if it was compliant with standards. A jury that heard the testimony hung on the issue of damages in November 2018, prompting the company to ask for Wu to issue his own ruling. Wu threw out the expert testimony, noting the analysis was untested and lacking peer review, among other shortcomings.

John Nockleby, a professor at Loyola Law School who has written on tort law, said it appeared that Wu may have been satisfied with just a sample large enough to test  though an expert would then have to construct a longevity test.

"I don't know if such a test would be feasible, but that's the kind of evidence the court seemed to be looking for," said Nockleby, who called the decision a "complete win for the defendant."

The litigation began in 2006 when Phillips & Cohen, a leading whistleblower law firm where Havian was a partner at the time, filed a complaint on behalf of the federal government, several states and numerous localities, as well as a former JM Eagle quality assurance engineer who said he was fired after raising questions about the quality of the company's pipe.

The lawsuit, which covered pipe made from 1996 to 2006, accused JM Eagle in its quests for profits of using inferior resins and other raw materials, running its pipe-making machines too fast and "cherry picking" pipe for testing to fool certifying bodies, according to a second amended version of the complaint.

In the years before the first case was unsealed in 2010, the federal government investigated the whistleblowers complaint, which alleged violations of the False Claims Act, a Civil War-era law intended to ensure the military is not sold shoddy goods by suppliers. It allows for private whistleblowers to receive up to 30% of damages in certain cases.

The government ultimately decided not to pursue the case, nor did California or several other states under their own false claims statutes  which JM Eagle has pointed out in its defense. Havian said that is because the pipe was largely purchased by local governments and water districts. He also notes that the federal government's investigating agent testified on behalf of the plaintiffs.

The first trial, conducted over two months in 2013, was reduced to five exemplar plaintiffs  the city of Palmdale, the Thousand Oaks water district and public water suppliers in Virginia and Nevada, including Reno  with the rest to be considered later. The plaintiffs introduced company emails and documents that raised questions about pipe quality, and presented internal test results that they argued declined over time, according to a PowerPoint presentation in court files that Havian said was displayed during closing arguments.

The company says the plaintiffs seized on the results of tests on pipe under development or that were used to ferret out manufacturing problems. It also has accused the whistleblower, John Hendrix, of being a disgruntled employee fired after seeking a kickback from a customer who had complained about receiving bad pipe  producing a signed affidavit from the customer saying Hendrix asked him to seek out a larger settlement and give him some of the proceeds.

Hendrix, who shared in the Formosa settlement, was not made available for comment but has previously denied the allegations. Havian called them false.

Attorney David Bernick, who represented the company in the damages trial, said Havian exploited Wangs efforts to build a company assembled from aging factories acquired from other pipe companies, first by Formosa and later by Wang, who bought out Formosa Plastics' interest in 2005. He said the company essentially had a "very strong record" of compliance.

Havian created a picture of sloppy manufacturing, essentially what it was, Bernick said. Yes, there were problems at these plants in particular points in time  various plants in various places. But that doesn't mean that these plaintiffs got bad pipe.

The jury in the first trial found that JM Eagle "knowingly" and "falsely represented uniform compliance" with standards of the American Water Works Assn. and UL  two key certification organizations  to the five plaintiffs, which were building 26 pipeline projects. That has left JM Eagle still liable for penalties of up to $260,000, a nominal amount compared with the potential damages the company feared.

The five cities and districts either declined to comment or could not be reached for comment, or referred questions back to their attorneys.

Following the first verdict, Phillips & Cohen issued a news release proclaiming that the company potentially faces "billions of dollars in damages after a trial that exposed JM Eagles deliberate effort to cut costs by using shoddy manufacturing practices to make weaker but more profitable polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe.

JM Eagle sued for defamation and trade libel. Its interpretation of the verdict is that the company was found not to produce every single stick of its pipe to industry standards, a benchmark no company could reach.

A California appeals court found in favor of the law firm, ruling that the release was protected speech and describing "the substantial evidence presented at trial detailing JMs decade-long policy of emphasizing production quotas over quality control, essentially unchallenged by JM, as well as the specific findings of the jury that JM knowingly misrepresented its PVC had been manufactured and tested in a manner that assured it had the strength and durability by applicable industry standards.

A JM Eagle spokesman pointed out that the opinion was not unanimous and that the majority was only summarizing, not substantiating, the evidence presented by the plaintiffs. He also said the appellate court noted in its opinion that the trial court found that as a matter of law it was untrue that JM Eagle was found liable for making and selling faulty water pipes. He said Wu's ruling in the whistleblower case further supports that point.

Havian also was sued for racketeering by the company, which accused him of abetting Hendrix in copying emails, recording conversations and otherwise illegally gathering evidence. A New Jersey appeals court ruled that the dispute should be settled in Wu's court as part of the whistleblower proceeding.

The whole litigation was scorched-earth, Havian said. Ive never had a case where I was sued for racketeering or anything else by a defendant. They never gave up. They never will give up."

After the loss in the first trial, JM Eagle brought in Bernick, a high-profile trial attorney and former Philip Morris general counsel, for the damages phase. Bernick said the case posed an existential threat to the company even though Wang said it sells enough pipe annually to circle the globe multiple times  with only 0.1% having defects, 70% of which can be traced to installation.

Its all a disaster in one place only, which is in federal court in the Central District of California and in the eyes of the plaintiffs," Bernick said.

The class-action suit faces a certification hearing, which essentially would establish whether there is a class of plaintiffs with common claims that can best be resolved together instead of individually. It is open to private purchasers of JM Eagle pipe and government entities in more than two dozen states.

Plaintiffs attorneys filed an updated complaint last month after the whistleblower ruling at the request of Wu, who is also presiding over the class-action suit. Even if he grants certification, there would have to be a jury trial on what damages may be due.

We will attempt to come up with a model of what that company should give back, said David Birka-White, the lead attorney on the class-action suit, who noted Wu had issued a tentative ruling in 2012 in favor of class certification before the whistleblower trials.

Bernick said Wus recent decision not to award damages dealt a severe blow to the class-action suit. The class action is kind of tag-along, he said.

Nockleby, however, cautioned that the class-action lawsuit asserted causes of action not in the whistleblower case  such as false advertising  and seeks punitive damages, so it is not bound by the same damages constraints.

Wang acknowledged the legal battle damaged the companys reputation, especially after the whistleblower lawsuit was unsealed and later after the first verdict. He declined to comment on the company's finances but said it lost business and has not been able to sell in the Nevada and Virginia markets. Our reputation was not shattered, but it was damaged, he said.

Whatever damage the case may have inflicted, JM Eagle is still the world's largest plastic pipe maker, according to a February report by IBISWorld. It stated that the company had a 12.4% share of the U.S. market, just about twice the size of its largest competitor. Completed before the coronavirus outbreak was in full swing, the report projected JM Eagle would grow revenue to $2.5 billion this year.

The company could possibly make any appeal and the class-action suit go away by agreeing to a settlement. Wang said that after 14 years, that won't happen. Absolutely not, he said.

For the record:

6:47 PM, Jul. 12, 2020: A previous version of this story misspelled the last name of attorney David Birka-White as Burka-White.


Australia's gravely ill coronavirus patients have among the best survival rates in the world, but this record could come under threat as Victorian hospitals brace for new arrivals as infections escalate.

The death rate was about 23 per cent for those who ended up on life support through mechanical ventilation in the first part of the pandemic in Australia in March, according to data collected by the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society.

Professor Andrew Udy and Professor David Pilcher are keeping a close on on Australia's coronavirus hospital admissions. Credit:Penny Stephens

It is a record that compares favourably with anywhere in the world. Death rates for patients on a mechanical ventilator in some countries has been reported as high as 60 per cent or more.

However, doctors are cautioning that Australia has been "lucky" so far because the nation has not had to deal with overwhelming numbers of critically ill patients seen elsewhere, in places like the US, Brazil and Britain.
Tropical Storm Fay, the sixth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, is set to batter New York City on Friday, bringing the potential for flash floods and sustained 50mph winds for at least 12 hours as the system follows a similar path as Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

Fay began to edge away from the North Carolina coast Thursday evening with its sights set on the mid-Atlantic coast and southern New England.

The US National Hurricane Center (NHS) in Miami said in its 11pm advisory that Fay was moving toward the north at about 8mph but was expected to have a faster forward speed over the next couple of days.

The storm was located Thursday night about 85 miles north, northeast of Cape Hatteras and had top sustained winds of 45mph.

NYC has finally started to begin recovering in the past month as it begun reopening on June 8 after after more than 100 days of lockdown and riots.

Tropical Storm Fay (path depicted) is set to batter New York City on Friday, bringing the potential for flash floods and sustained 50mph winds for at least 12 hours as the storm system follows a similar path as Hurricane Sandy in 2012

A tropical storm warning was issued Thursday afternoon from Cape May, New Jersey, to Watch Hill, Rhode Island.

The warning area includes Long Island and the Long Island Sound in New York, forecasters said.

According to forecasters, Fay will undergo slight strengthening into Friday before the center moves inland and weakens.

'Residents along the mid-Atlantic and Northeast coasts should expect conditions similar to a Nor'easter,' CNN meteorologist Taylor Ward said.

'Bands of rain and gusty winds will bring the potential for coastal flooding, beach erosion and rip currents from Thursday to Saturday.'

The hurricane center said the storm will produce between 3 and 5 inches of rain along and near its track, creating the potential for flash flooding where the heaviest rain falls.

'This could lead to flooding of low lying, urban & poor drainage areas,' the National Weather Service (NWS) of New York said on Twitter.

Forecasters said the rain is expected to pick up in intensity in the late morning and early afternoon on Friday.

According to forecasters, Fay will undergo slight strengthening into Friday before the center moves inland and weakens

A flash flood watch was already in place for parts of New Jersey as of Thursday night. The National Weather Service (NWS) said a flash flood watch will be in effect starting Friday morning through Friday evening

The hurricane center said the storm will produce between 3 and 5 inches of rain along and near its track, creating the potential for flash flooding where the heaviest rain falls

A flash flood watch was already in place for parts of New Jersey as of Thursday night.

The NWS said a flash flood watch will be in effect starting Friday morning through Friday evening.

A high surf advisory was also issued for parts of Brooklyn and Queens beginning 6am Friday to Friday at 9pm.

The NWS said that large breaking waves of three to six feet are expected in the surf zone as well as high rip currents.

According to the NOAA's Storm Prediction Center, there is a chance that Fay could cause thunderstorms with brief tornadoes Friday into Friday night from New Jersey to southern New England.

Fay's formation Thursday means it is the earliest sixth-named storm on record, according to Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach.

The previous record was Franklin on July 22, 2005, Klotzbach tweeted.

Two named storms formed before the official June 1 start of the hurricane season. None of this season's previous five named storms strengthened into hurricanes.

Superstorm Sandy: The hybrid storm that killed 182 people in the US and Caribbean What was meant to be a fun-filled Halloween season for New Yorkers in 2012 turned into a nightmare when Superstorm Sandy hit the tri-state area - causing massive flooding and more than $19billion in damage. The storm was the most destructive and deadliest for the Atlantic hurricane season that year, as it also affected Puerto Rico, Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republica before making its way up the eastern seaboard. The former hurricane merged with other systems to create a meteorological hybrid storm. Superstorm Sandy (satellite view depicted) killed 182 people. That number includes 48 in New York and 12 in New Jersey when the storm hit the tri-state area on October 29, 2012. More than 70 were killed in the Caribbean, including 54 in Haiti Superstorm Sandy killed 182 people. That number includes 48 in New York and 12 in New Jersey when the storm hit the tri-state area on October 29, 2012. More than 70 were killed in the Caribbean, including 54 in Haiti. The storm also damaged or destroyed more than 650,000 homes. Sandy became a tropical storm in the Caribbean Sea on October 23 and struck Jamaica as a Category 1 storm a day later. It then rapidly intensified into a Category 3 before coming ashore as a Category 2 in Cuba. As it moved north in the Atlantic, the storm became an extratropical cyclone before hitting Brigantine, New Jersey, late on October 29. Hurricane Sandy was 1,000 miles wide, and it caused nearly 100-mile-an-hour winds to push ocean water inland in New York and New Jersey. The storm caused several subway stations and tunnels to flood as sea water poured in. As Sandy moved north in the Atlantic, the storm became an extratropical cyclone before hitting Brigantine, New Jersey, late on October 29. Seawater floods the entrance to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel during Superstorm Sandy in 2012 But the storm also revealed the New York metropolitan areas vulnerability to massive flooding that hadnt been seen in decades, and it prompted lawmakers to take action to transform the most susceptible neighborhoods into uninhabited buffer zones. New York and New Jersey bought and emptied 1,250 homes in areas it deemed too difficult to protect from floods. Communities on the New Jersey shore built sand dunes to hold back surf, or fortified existing ones. Power companies and New Yorks subway system have put flood protections around key infrastructure. Hospitals moved electrical equipment out of basements. Advertisement

Meanwhile, forecasters were also keeping an eye on Tropical Storm Cristina, which formed Thursday off Mexico's western coast and was forecast to grow into the first hurricane of the eastern Pacific season by Friday morning.

The hurricane center said the storm had near hurricane-force winds Thursday night and was expected to become a hurricane soon, but would begin weakening by Friday night.

Cristina had maximum sustained winds of 70mph and was centered about 335 miles south-southwest of the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula.

It was moving to the west-northwest at 12mph. The hurricane center said the storm was expected to turn westward over the weekend and head farther into the Pacific.
Model Devon Windsor managed to fit in some work during her playtime while in the Bahamas recently with pal Olivia Culpo.

The 26-year-old beauty posed for some seaside snaps wearing a skimpy one-piece monokini from her very own swimwear line in a new Instagram post on Friday.

Devon is already back home from her holiday and back to work churning out new items in her summer collection.

Model vibes: Devon Windsor posed for some seaside snaps wearing a skimpy one-piece monokini from her very own swimwear line in a new Instagram post on Friday

The leggy blonde posed for three stunning images in waist-high crystal clear waters off the coast of the Bahamas.

Devon gazed down at the camera from the pristine sea in a pair of thick-rimmed Vehla Eyewear sunglasses with lightly tinted rose lenses.

Her saltwater soaked hair was slightly slicked back as if she had just emerged from taking a dive and she flaunted her stunning slim frame a black swimsuit.

The suit if from her Devon Windsor collection is called the Evelyn full piece which retails for $179.

Stunner: The Victoria's Secret model was photographed in a suit if from her Devon Windsor collection called the Evelyn full piece while she was on vacation recently in the Bahamas

Beachy style: It features a thin one-shoulder spaghetti strap, a large key-hole cutout at the chest and an asymmetrical cutout on the belly

It features a thin one-shoulder spaghetti strap, a large key-hole cutout at the chest and an asymetrical cutout on the belly.

'Castaway,' she captioned the post.

Later, she covered her sopping wet hair with a printed Hermes scarf that was artfully tied around her head.

The images were shot in the Bahamas where Devon recently kicked back on vacation with her friend and Model Squad co-star Olivia Culpo.

Summertime: Devon recently kicked back for a few days while on vacation with her friends including her Model Squad co-star Olivia Culpo

The beauties shared snaps from their trip sipping cocktails and lounging in the sun to their millions of combined followers on social media.

Devon clearly can do a great job as her own spokesmodel but she got a little help from a famous friend this week.

Chrissy Teigen took to her Instagram account and modeled a new swimsuit she'd been gifted from Windsor's collection

In a video the Cravings author posed in the mirror wearing the trendy textured white one-piece.

Feeling the love: Chrissy Teigen took to her Instagram account this week and modeled a new swimsuit she'd been gifted from Windsor's collection

Must have! In a video the Cravings author posed in the mirror wearing the trendy textured white one-piece that featured a clip-front belt which snatched her waist

The stylish suit featured a sweetheart neckline and a matching belt cinching the waist looked incredible on the mother-of-two who is currently vacationing in Mexico.

Devon has had to get creative with her fashion line during the COVID-19 crisis and managed to photograph her summer line at home.

The images were taken by her husband Johnny Barbara and the Victoria's Secret model did her own styling, hair and makeup while her sister Alexandra helped with lighting as she could not use a professional team due lockdown.

Talented both in front of and behind the camera, the beauty and her family ended up creating a professional looking swimwear campaign.
A new report from the Food and Drug Administration includes a warning against five hand sanitizer products that have caused the death or hospitalization of both adults and children after improper use.

The five specific hand sanitizers were all made by the chemical manufacturer Eskbiochem SA de CV in Celaya, Mexico, and contain dangerous amounts of methanol without listing it as an ingredient.

The most common and safest active ingredient for hand sanitizer is ethyl alcohol (ethanol), which is what the five hand sanitizer products listed on their own packaging.

A new FDA report has warned against the use of five specific hand sanitizer brands that have toxic amounts of methanol

However, further FDA testing showed that each of the products contained significant amounts of methanol, which can be toxic if ingested, inhaled, or even absorbed through the skin.

One of the hand sanitizer brands singled out by the FDA contained an 81% concentration of methanol and contained no ethyl alcohol at all, according to a report in ArsTechnica.

Methanol is perhaps most famous as a byproduct of bootleg liquor production, produced by improperly sterilized equipment and capable of causing blindness or even death.

Consuming the equivalent of two tablespoons can be fatal to children, and smaller quantities can damage organs, and adversely affect the optic nerve, causing serious visual impairment.

'Methanol is not an acceptable active ingredient for hand sanitizers and must not be used due to its toxic effects,' the FDA report says.

'FDAs investigation of methanol in certain hand sanitizers is ongoing. The agency will provide additional information as it becomes available.'

Ethyl alcohol, sometimes listed as ethanol, is a safe ingredient used in most sanitizers, but some products contain methanol, which is dangerous to breathe, ingest, or absorb through the skin

The five hand sanitizers the FDA warned against were all made by Eskbiochem SA de CV, a chemical manufacturer in Celaya, Mexico

Even just two tablespoons of methanol can kill a child if ingested, and smaller quantities can still cause organ damage, blindness, comas, and more

The FDA says there are specific cases of both adults and children being hospitalized, going blind, and even dying as a result of methanol exposure through the cited hand sanitizer products.

Symptoms of ethanol exposure include nausea, blurry vision, intense headaches, seizures, coma, and loss of vision.

'Although all persons using these products on their hands are at risk for methanol poisoning, young children who accidentally ingest these products and adolescents and adults who drink these products as an alcohol (ethanol) substitute, are most at risk,' the FDA report says.
The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) looked into the rights of people with disabilities in the context of climate change during its 44th session in Geneva on July 8.

Ambassador Le Thi Tuyet Mai, head of the Vietnamese mission in Geneva

This is an initiative from Vietnam, the Philippines, and Bangladesh, who co-authored the councils annual resolution on climate change and human rights.

Delegates shared views on the adverse and unequal impact of climate change on human rights, especially people with disabilities - the most vulnerable group in a crisis like the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The majority of those with disabilities live in poverty and this is one of the key components affecting the exposure of persons with disabilities to the impacts of climate change. Others are discrimination and stigma.

Intersecting factors related to gender, age, ethnicity, geography, migration, religion and sex can put persons with disabilities at even higher risk, they said.

They proposed integrating the rights of disabled people into the compilation and implementation of policies and initiatives against climate change, thus ensuring their voice is heard in these processes.

On behalf of ASEAN, Ambassador Le Thi Tuyet Mai, head of the Vietnamese mission in Geneva, told the meeting about the blocs efforts in and commitment to fighting climate change.

She said protecting and promoting the rights of people with disabilities is a persistent priority of ASEAN, as reflected through the ASEAN Vision 2025 and the 2025 ASEAN Enabling Masterplan on Mainstreaming the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

ASEAN always attaches importance to international cooperation on climate change response and hopes that countries will make strong financial commitments to this in 2020.

ASEAN also hopes that the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 26) to the UN Framework Conference on Climate Change in Glasgow in 2021 will be a success.

Vietnam, the Philippines, and Bangladesh plan to introduce a resolution on human rights and climate change, focusing on the rights of the elderly, to the council during the meeting for consideration./.VNA
By letting the coronavirus surge through the population with only minimal social distancing measures in place, the U.S. has accidentally become the worlds largest experiment in herd immunity.

Why it matters: Letting the virus spread while minimizing human loss is doable, in theory. But it requires very strict protections for vulnerable people, almost none of which the U.S. has established.

The big picture: Cases are skyrocketing, with hospitalizations and deaths following suit in hotspots. Not a single state has ordered another lockdown, even though per capita cases in Florida and Arizona have reached levels similar to New York and New Jerseys in April.

Most states never built up the testing, contact tracing and isolation systems it would take to prevent the virus from spreading widely, and and health care workers are once again facing shortages of protective medical gear.

The Trump administration is generally ignoring or downplaying soaring caseloads across the South and West, and is pushing schools to fully reopen in the fall.

In Florida, where infections, hospitalizations and deaths are surging, Gov. Ron DeSantis has repeatedly ruled out a sweeping mask mandate or taking the state back into a lockdown to stem the virus, although local governments have acted on their own, per Bloomberg.

Between the lines: Separating older, sicker people from younger, healthier ones while the virus burns through the latter group could be a way to achieve herd immunity  assuming immunity exists  without hundreds of thousands of people dying.

But the U.S. hasnt adopted such a strategy with any planning or foresight. Although younger people make up a larger portion of coronavirus cases now than they did earlier in the pandemic, vulnerable people still go to work or live with non-vulnerable people.

Frontline workers have generally been left unprotected, contributing to disproportionate caseloads, hospitalizations and deaths among people of color.

Even nursing homes are still vulnerable to outbreaks. Nursing home deaths have continued to climb in Florida, Georgia, Texas, South Carolina and California, the Atlantic recently reported.

Yes, but: Some cities and states, particularly in the Northeast, are focused on containing the virus rather than living with it.

"We're not going to go back to that dark place because local government didn't do its job or because some individuals exploited the situation besides the legal violation," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said last month, following tens of thousands of complaints about businesses not abiding by public health restrictions.

The bottom line: The U.S. may become the worlds largest herd immunity experiment, but its not the first.
New sex charges have been filed against former University of Southern California campus gynecologist Dr. George Tyndall

New charges have been filed against a former University of Southern California campus gynecologist accused of sexually assaulting young women who were his patients.

The charges, announced by Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey on Thursday, involve five new alleged victims of Dr. George Tyndall, who has previously pleaded not guilty to offences involving 16 women.

The amended complaint adds five counts of sexual penetration of an unconscious person and one count of sexual battery by fraud that allegedly occurred while Tyndall, 73, worked at a USC health center between 2011 and 2015.

His arraignment is scheduled for July 24.

'Dr. Tyndall takes every allegation seriously,' his attorney, Leonard Levine, said in a statement.

'He continues to be adamant that he has treated every patient within the standard of care and always for a state medical purpose. He is confident when all the evidence is presented and tested in a court of law that he will be totally exonerated.'

Tyndall was initially charged in June 2019 with 18 counts of sexual penetration of an unconscious person and 11 counts of sexual battery by fraud, all felonies.

All victims went to the campus facility for annual exams or for other treatment dating back to 2009, prosecutors said.

Tyndall is pictured during a court appearance in July of last year. He has denied all charges leveled against him

If convicted as charged, Tyndall now faces a possible maximum sentence of 64 years in state prison.

Tyndall - who began working at USC IN 1989- quietly resigned in 2017. Allegations against him became public in 2018 through a Los Angeles Times investigation.

However, Files released to The Los Angeles Times as part of a Freedom of Information request show the college hired a firm to carry out an investigation in 2016.

A Department of Education investigation found that the university was reportedly informed of possible misconduct by Tyndall toward five patients between 2000 and 2009.

The investigation found systemic failures in USC's treatment of allegations of sexual abuse by Tyndall and ordered the school to overhaul its procedures for preventing sex discrimination and to conduct a formal review of how employees responded.

USC's new president, Carol L. Folt, pledged to protect the safety of students, faculty and staff and to restore trust in the university.

Prosecutors say the patients were abused during visits to the student health center (pictured) for annual exams or other treatment

According to a Los Angeles Times article one student reported that Tyndall complimented her public hair and an alumna alleged he had conducted a pelvic exam without wearing a glove.

Others said Tyndall made suggestive and lewd comments about their bodies. Tyndall reportedly told some of the victims he was touching them for professional purposes.

One report found that Tyndall was targeting Asian women who didn't have a good grasp of the English language and were unfamiliar with gynecology.

'If the patients were young and Asian, they were more likely to have a pelvic exam completed,' the report stated.

A group of current and former USC students who are alleged survivors of alleged sexual assault by gynecologist Dr George Tyndall are pictured speaking out during a press conference in Los Angeles in 2018

More than 700 women have now accused Tyndall of sexual misconduct during the span of his career.

Many will be unable to file criminal charges as their claims fall outside the statue of limitations, The Los Angeles Times reports.

Back in February, a federal judge has approved a $215 million class-action settlement between USC and about 18,000 women who saw Tyndall at the university.

Payments would range from $2,500 to $250,000, with specific sums decided by a panel of experts.

Hundreds of women have opted out of the federal court settlement and many are pursuing separate lawsuits in state court.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 22:07:27|Editor: huaxia

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BAGHDAD, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi security forces thwarted a Katyusha rocket attack targeting the heavily fortified Green Zone in central the Iraqi capital Baghdad, the Iraqi military said on Friday.

The troops found the rocket in al-Qanat Street in eastern Baghdad and dismantled it before being fired by unknown militants who apparently fled the scene before the arrival of the security forces, the Iraqi Joint Operations Command said in a statement without giving further details about when exactly the incident took place.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attempt of firing the rocket. The military bases housing U.S. troops across Iraq and the U.S. embassy in the Green Zone have been frequently targeted by insurgent mortar and rocket attacks.

The attacks came as the Iraqi-U.S. relations have witnessed a tension since Jan. 3 when a U.S. drone struck a convoy at Baghdad airport, which killed Qassem Soleimani, former commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy chief of Iraq's paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces.

The U.S. airstrike prompted the Iraqi parliament on Jan. 5 to pass a resolution requiring the government to end the presence of foreign forces in the country.

More than 5,000 U.S. troops have been deployed in Iraq to support the Iraqi forces in the battles against the Islamic State militants, mainly providing training and advising to the Iraqi forces. Enditem
CDC attended a mass testing event and toured a meat processing facility in South Dakota in June. resize icon View Larger Close CDC attended a mass testing event and toured a meat processing facility in South Dakota in June.

In the face of an infectious disease outbreak without a vaccine or known treatment, communicating prevention messages is critical to slowing the spread of the pandemic.

Recommended protective measures like social distancing, cloth face coverings, and frequent handwashing are the same for everyone. But some people face more barriers when it comes to taking these actions, and some are harder to reach with messaging.

In late April, as New York and other major cities faced devastating surges of COVID-19 cases, millions stayed in their homes and left only for necessary items like medicine and food. But the pandemic also reached beyond the cities, to the small rural towns where much of that food gets packaged. Meat and poultry plant workers continued to go into work, where social distancing was a challenge. Outbreaks in meat and poultry plants could affect entire towns. And some of these towns are in areas where healthcare services and testing are hard to access.

Maggie Silver, a health communication specialist at CDCs office in Fort Collins, Colorado, recalls seeing an uptick in cases among workers at a leading beef processing plant in nearby Weld County. The plant closed for 10 days to put a hold on the spread of COVID-19 in the facility and to come up with a strategy to reopen and stay open, as the federal government announced that the food production industry was an essential service.

Maggies co-worker in Fort Collins, Dr. Marc Fischer, was dispatched to work with the plants management, the county health department, and the workers union to develop a mitigation strategy. The team quickly recognized that containing the outbreak would depend on effective communication with employees, the community, and partners. Thats when Marc called on Maggie to develop a risk communication plan.

Recognizing the value of communication

I really appreciated the teams understanding of the importance of communication in this situation, Maggie says. For many of the plant workers, English is a second language, and the health and financial risks involved complicate the situation further.

Getting workers safely back to the plant and maintaining the food supply required communicating messages that would promote behavior changes among workers and supervisors. In two days, Maggie developed a risk communication plan for the plant and got buy-in from the company and county health department. It included main prevention messages and outreach strategies such as texting workers, posting signs around the facility, and sharing messages through trusted sources like the union and community organizations.

A few weeks later, a CDC team deployed to Pierre, South Dakota, asked Maggie to support their efforts. In a state that has more cows than people, meat and poultry production is a big part of South Dakota communities, and COVID-19 spread in facilities was an ongoing concern.

This time, Maggie had a more hands-on approach on the ground while the facilities remained open. She was able to visit a facility with rising numbers of COVID-19 cases when the plant manager invited a multidisciplinary team of the state health and agricultural departments and CDC staffers to tour the facility and provide recommendations.

Employees in these facilities are in constant motion when working, Maggie says. They are quickly changing for their shift or doing their job on the floor. Lunch is their only down time.

Posting messages where workers pause

Maggie recommended placing signs with prevention messages in areas where the employees might pause, like around the lunchroom, time clocks, and bathrooms, and suggested sending reading materials home with workers. She learned that, as in Colorado, the employees and members of the surrounding community come from many different ethnic backgrounds and many speak and read limited English. Picture-based signs with little text would help broaden effective outreach.

One thing that struck me when working with the production company was how much management cared for their employees, Maggie says. When touring the facility, they stopped and greeted many of the employees by name and asked about their families. They were very concerned about the health of workers and the community.

The risk communication plan that Maggie developed for these two companies has been adapted and used in other meat and poultry production facilities. Strong partnerships and tailored risk communication messaging continue to be essential tools in protecting workers and communities.

Getting the word out meant first truly understanding the community interactions and daily lives of the workers. Trusted community groups, like refugee organizations, helped get messaging to the workers and their families.

The first step to coming up with any plan to support these facilities is to get to know all of the partners involved and their roles and goals, says Maggie. Workers unions, community groups, health departments, and facility managers all play an important part in keeping the facilities open.
[July 10, 2020] INVESTOR ALERT: Law Offices of Howard G. Smith Announces Investigation of NovaGold Resources Inc. (NG) on Behalf of Investors

Law Offices of Howard G. Smith announces an investigation on behalf of NovaGold Resources Inc. ("NovaGold" or the "Company") (NYSE: NG) investors concerning the Company and its officers' possible violations of federal securities laws. On May 28, 2020, J. Capital Research or ("J. Capital") published a report claiming that "NovaGold's management team has systematically misled investors" about the Company's Donlin gold-mining project, "a deposit so remote and technologically challenging that the mine will never be built." J. Capital criticized NovaGold for using "custom metrics designed to deceive," which included, among other representations, that "the deposit will require 6.7 bln in capital, [when] the feasibility study clearly shows this number is $8 bln." J. Capital also contended that "[t]he proposed natural gas pipeline central to powering the project is dead on arrival," quoting an engineer who worked on costing the pipeline as stating that he "doesn't know of any engineering company that has the experience to build such a complex pipeline."



On this news, the Company's share price fell $0.94 per share, or over 8%, to close at $9.71 per share on May 28, 2020, thereby injuring investors. If you purchased NovaGold securities, have information or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Howard G. Smith, Esquire, of Law Offices of Howard G. Smith, 3070 Bristol Pike, Suite 112, Bensalem, Pennsylvania 19020 by telephone at (215) 638-4847, toll-free at (888) 638-4847, or by email to [email protected], or visit our website at www.howardsmithlaw.com.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200710005445/en/

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By Kim Hyun-bin



SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus are facing a hectic July schedule as several critical issues need to be resolved by the end of the month.



The government is scheduled to make revisions to the country's law on illegal mobile phone subsidies and the changes will be announced this month, as will the results of an evaluation of the the telecom companies 5G networks. The three firms are also set to participate in the bidding for Hyundai HCN before the end of July.



"We have a lot going on with the illegal subsidies fines, the 5G services quality evaluation. On top of that we need to consider the takeover of Hyundai HCN and the scheduled revision to the illegal mobile phone subsidies law," a telecom official said.





SKT CEO Park Jung-ho

Among these issues the most anticipated is the networks evaluation as Korea was the first to "commercialize" 5G in April 2019; but since then the companies have suffered endless criticism from customers over a lack of network connectivity.



Industry watchers believe the Ministry of Science and ICT will release the evaluation in late July with some expecting it to provide a ranking among the telecom companies for their network quality. The rankings could be a devastating blow to the carriers that place second or third as the three launched their 5G services on the same day.



"We are trying to release the 5G telecom quality results within July," an official at the Ministry of Science and ICT said.





KT CEO Koo Hyun-mo

The government usually releases its annual telecom services evaluations in December, however, the ministry plans to conduct two separate evaluations this year. The first will focus on highly populated areas such as Seoul and six metropolitan cities around the country with the results expected to be released this month. The second evaluation will be conducted for the rest of the country, and is set to be released in December.



In the first half of the year, SKT, KT and LG Uplus agreed to increase their initial 5G infrastructure investments from 2.7 trillion won to 4 trillion won, which includes building 5G infrastructure in subway stations, department stores and universities. However, COVID-19 has delayed installations and the companies have fallen behind schedule.



All these issues come amid the three being slapped with fines by the country's top telecom regulator for providing illegal subsidies to customers to entice them to switch to the 5G networks, totaling 51.2 billion won, Wednesday. This was the largest fine ever levied in Korea for the provision of illegal subsidies.



The Korea Communications Commission (KCC) fined SKT 22.3 billion won, KT 15.4 billion won and LG 13.5 billion won, which must be paid within two months.



The KCC will send out the payment notice to the three this month, and after receiving the notice the companies will need to submit the payment within one month.



The hefty fine undoubtedly will have an impact on the companies both in the local and global 5G market as it will reduce capital to further enhance and invest in their technologies.



"Telecom companies will need to pay the government's fine in full, which will become a burden in increasing their 5G investments amid the COVID-19 pandemic," a telecom official said.



Next week, all three are scheduled to take part in the bidding for Hyundai HCN, a popular pay-per-view company.





LG Uplus Vice Chairman Ha Hyun-hwoi
ICSE, ISC results 2020: The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE) will announce the ICSE and ISC board exam results on Friday, July 10, 2020, at 3 pm on its official website.

After the results are announced, students of class 10 and 12 who have appeared in the ICSE, ISC board exam will be able to check their result online at cisce.org, and results.cisce.org.

Check ICSE, ISC Result 2020 live updates here

The results for ICSE and ISC exams 2020 will be released on the Careers portal of the Council, Councils main website, and will be sent through SMS.

Schools can access the results by logging into the Career portal of the council using the principals login id and password.

Earlier on June 26, CISCE had informed the Supreme Court that the results for the pending examinations will be prepared on the basis of the students performance in previous examinations and internal assessment. In this regard, the council had released a revised assessment scheme for the evaluation of the remaining papers of ICSE (10th) and ISC (12th) exams. It had also told the Court that it will give the option to write remaining exams to both classes 10th and 12th students if they want to improve their results.

Important factors for CISCE new assessment scheme:

1. Average of a students best three papers marks in board examination

2. Subject internal assessment (for 10th class)/ Subject project and practical work

3. Percentage Subject Internal Assessment (for ICSE/ 10th Class) or Percentage subject Project and Practical Work (For 12th / ISC).

The council has also said that the internal assessment component measures the subject proficiency of the candidate while the average marks are a measure of their general academic ability.

How to check ICSE/ISC results on the official results website after it is declared:

1) Visit the official results website of CISCE

2) On the homepage, select the course ICSE or ISC as required

3) Enter you UID, Index number and Captcha

4) Click on show result

5) The result will be displayed on the screen

6) Download the results and take its print out for future reference.

Steps to receive ICSE/ISC results through SMS after it is declared:

ICSE: To receive your ICSE results through SMS, type your unique Id in the new message box in the following manner: ICSE 1234567 (your 7 digits unique id) and send it to 09248082883. Your result will be displayed.

ISC: To receive your ISC results through SMS, type your unique Id in the new message box in the following manner: ISC 1234567 (your 7 digits unique id) and send it to 09248082883. Your result will be displayed.

Steps to download ICSE/ISC results through Career portal after it is announced:

1. Visit the official website of CISCE

2. Click on the link for Results 2020

3. Select ICSE/ISC as required from the course option

4. For accessing ICSE/ISC results, enter your unique ID, index number and Captcha
Police Arrest Suspect Who Allegedly Sucker-Punched 12-Year-Old Boy

Authorities in a Missouri city said they have arrested a suspect who allegedly sucker-punched a 12-year-old boy who was dancing in an assault that was caught on video.

Cedric Charles Moore, 27, turned himself to police on Wednesday and has since been charged with second-degree felony assault and first-degree felony child endangerment, the Cape Girardeau Police Department said in a news release.

Facebook Live video footage appeared to show a boy dancing on a street corner with other people. A car then pulled next to the group before a man emerged, ran to the boy, and punched him in what appears to be an unprovoked attack before the suspect returned to the vehicle and sped away.

Several other people were seen trying to grab the man. The boy fell to the ground as a result of the attack, and he appeared to be dazed and in pain.

The child suffered a bloody nose and a concussion from the punch, KSDK reported.

On Wednesday, it was announced the suspect has been charged with second-degree felony assault and first-degree felony child endangerment, according to the Cape Girardeau Police Department.

Officers were quickly on scene and the juvenile was transported to a local hospital. The juvenile was bleeding from the head and nose but he has since been released from the hospital, said the Cape Girardeau Police Department in the release.

Officials were able to identify Moore as the suspect after viewing footage of the incident, which has garnered several million views.

Before his arrest, police said officers went to the suspects residence and various additional locations he is known to frequent; however, they have been met with a lack of cooperation from the suspects friends and family.

According to KSDK, Moore previously pleaded guilty to first-degree endangering the welfare of a child and driving while under the influence. He was sentenced to probation for a domestic assault in April 2019.

It comes as an 18-year-old man recorded in an unprovoked attack that was caught on video in a Macys in Flint, Michigan, was captured by police.

Authorities said Damire Canell Palmer, who was charged with felony assault last month, was arrested, reported The Detroit News on Thursday.

Palmer, who is black, was also charged with misdemeanor retail fraud. Viral footage, captured by a man said to be Palmers brother, appears to show Palmer approaching the manager, who is in his 50s and is white, before he sucker-punched him from behind.
Photo: (Photo : Instagram/salliebhoward)

Lydia Denton got $20,000 after winning the CITGO's Fueling Education Student Challenge with her invention. The 12-year-old girl from North Carolina created a car seat device that prevents hot car deaths in babies.

Denton told People that it was cool to win the money, but she cared about saving lives more. Her first thought was that maybe no babies would die this summer because of her invention.

Upset about accidental deaths by hot cars

After watching the news and seeing that parents leave their babies in hot cars by accident, she got inspired. The soon-to-be seventh-grader did some research and saw that it happens many times. She got upset because it was not due to neglectful parents, so she wanted to help.

Initially, she thought about raising money to help families, but she knew it would not solve the problem. She said that she wanted to invent something that would prevent deaths. She shared her mom's motto in life.

Her mom often tells her to stop complaining and do something about it. Adding to that, her mom tells her that complaining or being sad does not solve the problem, so she has to take action.

Denton followed her mom's advice. She researched and thought about how she could fix the problem. The young girl wanted to build a car seat device that alerts 911 to save a baby if the parents could not. She also wanted to make an affordable device because she knows that many of her family and friends could not afford pricey car seats. She also made the device portable and one that could grow with babies.

Beat the heat car seat

After much thought, Denton was able to invent the prototype. Her car seat device has a pressure pad that detects the weight of over five pounds placed under the car seat cover. The system starts monitoring the temperature when the baby is seated. The alarm will go off if the temperature is above 102 degrees, and a warning on the LCD will appear.

The device will also send a text to the parent. After 60 seconds and no one has reset the button, the built-in GPS sends a message to 911. Arduino, the GPS, will send the car's location to emergency services.

The car seat device works fine right now after some improvements. Denton noted that they tested her invention with their local 911 center since the contest. She got frustrated because it took her over 100 tries to make it work. She thanks her science teacher mom and her brother for helping her improve and fix her work. Her younger gave her hugs, snacks, and company when she needed them.

Denton was shocked after hearing she won the contest. This spring, she also competed and placed her invention in four other national science competitions. She said that she would allot $20,000 for her college funds and use $100 for shopping.

She is currently working with a mentor about business and manufacturing her product. She hoped to sell her device someday. Her mentor predicts that it would sell for $40, or baby brands could pick it.

Because she has allergies, Denton plans to invent a device to detect allergens before it worsens. She writes down all her ideas, be it good or not.

See other stories:

Conjoined twins successfully separated after 18-hour operation by 30 doctors

Student who finished college by collecting garbage, now in Harvard Law School

Viral Video: Heartwarming reunion of 3-year--old best friends [they were separated by lockdown]
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The podcast episode is raw and heartbreaking. Host Jen Hatmaker, a popular author and speaker, invited her daughter Sydney to discuss her homosexuality and spirituality. The open discussion was part of a special A Moment of Pride series on Hatmakers For the Love podcast.

This is like a known fact in our family, and has been, Hatmaker prefaced the podcast. This is not news, this is not new news, this is not an announcement.

Sydney speaks of recognizing she was lesbian around 12 years old (12 years old!), having pretend crushes on boys, and finally understanding her sexuality thanks to representation of gay people just in movies and stuff.

She admits to struggling with confusion and, quite sadly, doing her own comprehensive Bible study to understand varying perspectives.

Sydney explained, I just remember trying to Google it, and one of the first resources that I found was just this person talking about various Christian perspectives on same-sex marriage. And they were kind of providing some different leaders who had said different things on it.

The article mentioned those who were loving, but unaffirming and then linked to an article written by Jen Hatmaker at the time. Sydney said, after that moment, I didnt touch a Bible for years.

Towards the end of the podcast, Hatmaker says that among her greatest regrets is not reconciling homosexuality and Christianity sooner. In her own words:

So, it will just always be my greatest sadness that Dad and I did not do our own work early enough so that you felt safe and beloved in your own familyor that we didnt do our work in front of you even, that that was not something that we were talking about. He and I were, but we werent talking deeply about what we were learning and processing in front of you, and thus left you alone, and vulnerable, and scared. And I am so sorry. And Im so sad. And if I could go back, I would change it. I would shake myself to life before you were even born, shake some sense into me. Like, "Look at this, look at what this is causing. Just look around, use your eyes, use your ears, use your brain, and use your heart."

I would not change one molecule of you, not one. Im so glad youre gay, Im so proud that you are free. I love that this is how you were made. Im thrilled about your future, Hatmaker concluded.

The words of Romans 1:32 are striking. Though they know Gods righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

Hear me, I know we are all deserving of death because of our sin. Its only because Jesus Christ paid our debts that we have life. But Romans 1:32 is a warning to those who blatantly disregard the moral law and deadly effects of sin.

Were listening to this happen on a podcast between Jen and Sydney Hatmaker. A popular Christian mother overlooks any recognition of sin and even apologizes for once affirming moral law.

I have no doubt that the love and experiences discussed by Jen and Sydney are genuine. As a mom of two precious babies, I feel compassion for Hatmaker. To think of my daughter feeling scared and confused because of her attractions is unbearable. So Im trying to approach this discussion with gentleness.

Yet, it is painful to listen as there is no recognition of wrong.

It is also heartbreaking to hear of parents who deny relationship with their kids because of sin. To threaten or manipulate a child to change who is struggling with same-sex attraction is not the answer either.

Hatmaker has long spoken of motherhood and parenthood. She has a strong influence on young Christian moms. Her words and actions are effective, whether we like them or not. And how she approaches her daughters sexuality will influence a cohort of young moms, many thousands who attend conservative evangelical churches.

Yes, I recognize that I have little authority to speak on parenting young adults with gay identities, and so I want to proceed cautiously here.

I do wish that more Christian leaders (with more authority than this blogger has) were sounding the alarm. But theres been little commentary, especially from female Christian leaders.

Where are the mature Christian mamas whove grappled with extending grace to their beloved children while also affirming orthodox Christian teachings? Their experiences and insights are what we need to hear now.

I know they are out there somewhere. Online, its just easier to find the Hatmakers  those who affirm without recognition of wrong. Their online communities are massive and devoted. Some other female Christian leaders just avoid the topic altogether, likely due to fear of the Cancel culture (but thats a post for another day).

Affirmation of sin isnt limited to homosexuality. We especially see it happen with cohabitation and premarital sex. Some Christian parents hand their teenage daughters hormonal contraception and IUDs and give their sons barrier methods, with little discouragement and discussion. They are buying into a culture that says: abstinence is unachievable, so its better to be safe than sorry.

We cannot change or control our kids. Im learning this lesson, even with toddlers. And we do not own our kids, whether they are toddlers or young adults. Im especially learning this lesson. Our children are gifts given to us by God that come with a responsibility to demonstrate both Gods grace and Gods law. (Thank you author Paul Tripp and his book Parenting for teaching me these principles.)

Parenthood is hard.

Somehow we must show love without sacrificing truth. Ill be the first to raise my hand in exhaustion and discouragement and recognize this challenge.

Yet, Romans 6:23 warns, For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. This truth is frightening. I cant bear to think of my children perishing and being part of the reason why they couldnt recognize sin. This verse should be enough to motivate us to boldly denounce sin, while demonstrating unconditional love.

Theres no Christian formula or 7-step article that holds the answers to this challenge. But with Him all things are possible.

Actually, only with Him is godly parenting possible.
Use of barbaric means like explosives and snares to ward off wild animals should be declared illegal and more stringent punishment should be prescribed for cruelty against animals, a plea before the Supreme Court said.

The petition filed on June 11 in light of the death of a pregnant elephant in Kerala on May 27 after she ate a pineapple filled with firecrackers, also sought guidelines for the tracking of elephants in order to save them from cruelty and extinction.

It is quite a common practice to scare off wild animals or scare wild boars/Nilgai etc by using food stuff filled with crackers as bait as the damage caused by these animals at times is severe and there happens to be no means to stop it. The Forest Department across India has failed in this endeavour to protect the wildlife and humans due to a severe shortage of staff and lack of scientific measures being used by general populace [sic], the plea filed by advocate Shubham Awasthi said.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India, SA Bobde issued a notice to the central government and 13 states which have more than 50 elephants in the wild.

On May 27, a pregnant elephant passed away in the Palakkad district of Kerala after she accidentally ate a pineapple filled with firecrackers which was meant for wild boars which destroy crops.

The incident had led to outrage on social media.

Subsequently, another incident came to light in June when a cow in Himachal Pradesh was injured in a similar incident involving crackers.

This shows that the usage of such snares is pan-India and affects wildlife across India, the petition filed through advocate Vivek Narayan Sharma said.

Awasthi prayed that vacancies in forest forces should be filled in a timely manner to ensure effective management and order in wildlife belts.

Scientific and alternative measures should be devised to ward off wild animals which pose a threat to crops and humans, he added.

Order governments to introduce necessary amendments in the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960 to enhance punishments by making it more stringent as per modern times, the petition said.
In May, Muchenje and seven other NetOne executives were arrested on corruption and abuse of office charges by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission, but were later freed on $3 000 bail each.


By Aubrey Hruby and Aubrey Rugo





Aubrey Hruby Aubrey Rugo
STOCKHOLM  A former Swedish ambassador to China was cleared of charges of wrongdoing on Friday, culminating a strange saga that combined elements of a spy novel with the opaque reality of dealing with an authoritarian state where people can be grabbed in public and disappear.

It was the first time in modern history that a Swedish diplomat has been prosecuted for crimes against state security, and the often heated trial revolved around questions about the written and unwritten rules of diplomacy.

The Swedish diplomat, Anna Lindstedt, was accused of overstepping the boundaries of her role by arranging what prosecutors said were secret back-room meetings over the fate of a Hong Kong bookseller and Swedish citizen who remains detained in China.

The bookseller, Gui Minhai, has not been seen by his family or in public since February.

Swedish prosecutors argued that Ms. Lindstedt had overstepped her authority in arranging a meeting between Mr. Guis daughter, Angela, and two businessmen who offered to help her secure her fathers freedom.
Weve heard it all before, havent we?

Wash our hands, keep our distance, follow the public health advice.

The same messages have been issued time and time again over recent months.

Heres the thing. That advice has already saved many lives.

And it is just as relevant today as when it was first issued  if not more so.

It was obviously easier to stay safe when staying at home was the order of the day.

Covid-19 had very limited opportunities to spread at that point. Adherence to social distancing was only relevant during very limited contacts with the outside world.

Now that people are out and about a lot more and socialising with friends, the virus has new opportunities to extend its reach.

That means vigilance is essential and complacency is a deadly enemy.

Dont get tired of those messages just because they are so familiar.

We have seen examples  from Leicester to Melbourne  where the virus has flared up again, leading to constraints being re-imposed on daily life.

We must not think this could never happen here.

It very much could.

A return of lockdown measures is something we all should strive to avoid. We can all play our part - the virus doesn't spread itself we spread it.

The restrictions of recent months have undoubtedly taken a heavy toll on the mental and physical well-being of many of our citizens. All of us have been affected.

The economic impact will have public health consequences too  there is a well-established link between deprivation and poor health outcomes.

We must all play our part in keeping each other safe and protecting our recently restored freedoms.

With those freedoms have come much greater individual responsibility.

People have to decide for themselves every day on how to mitigate the inevitable risks.

That will be the key case until we have a vaccine for the virus.

People across Northern Ireland responded admirably to the first surge of Covid-19.

We cannot praise them enough for the way they rose to this unprecedented challenge.

There are individuals walking around today who would not be with us were it not for this collective effort.

Right across the province, people shielded, people stayed at home, protected the health service and saved lives.

We have to sustain that spirit, that determination to keep looking after each other.

That means following those well-used messages  keeping our distance, washing our hands, covering our nose and mouth when we cough or sneeze, using a tissue and disposing of it  catch it, kill it, bin it.

We all need to avoid crowds, closed spaces and close contact with other people as much as we can.

It means wearing a face covering every time when appropriate  on public transport, in shops or other retail environments, or other indoor spaces where you cant stay 2m from other people.

It also means co-operating fully with the Test, Trace and Protect Strategy that can help keep Covid-19 in retreat.

This is essential if we are to keep progressing out of lockdown.

If you have symptoms of Covid-19 - a new, continuous cough, a high temperature or a change in your sense of smell or taste  you must immediately report these symptoms and book a test.

You should also immediately self-isolate and co-operate fully with Contact Tracing Service in the Public Health Agency if you test positive.

More detailed information is available on the Agencys website: https://www.publichealth.hscni.net/

Another holiday weekend is approaching and there is even a chance the weather might improve.

By all means enjoy yourselves, but please stay safe and stick with that familiar advice. We really do all need to do it to get through it.

Dr Michael McBride is Northern Ireland's Chief Medical Officer.

Professor Ian Young is Northern Ireland's Chief Scientific Officer.
Volta FinanceLimited (VTA/VTAS)

Director Resignation

Guernsey, 10 July 2020

Volta Finance Limited (the "Company") announces that Atosa Moini, a non-executive director of the Company and Chair of the Management Engagement Committee, has notified the Company of her intention to step down from her role on the Board and resign as a Director of the Company with effect from 31st July 2020.

Ms Moini has been on the Board since 2017 and the Directors would like to express their gratitude to her for her valuable contribution during that period.

For further information, please contact:
Ukraine's hryvnia strengthens to UAH 26.93 to U.S. dollar on July 10

10:20, 10.07.20 138

The official forex rate against the euro for Friday is fixed at UAH 30.54 per euro.
Viewers are invited to snoop around a home in London of a model that they may know well in Celebrity Snoop Dogs - but can you guess the famous homeowner from a few select clues?

In tonight's episode of the Channel 4 show, the mystery celebrity's pet pooch - Monty the Maltese - guides the nation around the property thanks to a camera which is kitted to his collar.

On his journey, he reveals a living room which boasts bay windows with shutters on each side and high ceilings - with a splendid brass and glass chandelier.

Meanwhile, narrator Kevin McCloud suggests the tasteful and romantic room could make a beautiful backdrop for a photoshoot.

The decorative and floral room also holds a bespoke guitar and Marshall Amp which is popular with musicians - so, have you managed to guess the famous face yet?

Monty the adorable Maltese (pictured) shows viewers around a grand period room in a London home in tonight's episode of Celebrity Snoop Dogs. The living room features broad wooden floor boards which look original, but could be reclaimed

The living room also boasts bay windows with shutters on each side (pictured) and high ceilings - with a splendid brass and glass chandelier

The room also holds a bespoke guitar and Marshall amp which is popular with musicians (pictured)

Narrator Kevin McCloud suggests the tasteful and romantic room would make a beautiful backdrop for a photoshoot

The photographs also hint to a clue for the rest of the house - which is all decorative and floral (pictured)

Monty also takes the nation to visit a distressed wooden side table, which holds a sculpture of a hand, floral garland and a head scratcher - the type you find at flee markets and festivals

The chic room also features a squashy velvet sofa, faux fur and cushions with intricate embroidered detail (pictured)

The table in the living room is made from a well-loved luggage trunk (pictured) - but can you guess who it belongs to?

Celebrity Snoop Dogs, Fridays at 8.30pm on Channel 4, catch up on All 4.
MOORESVILLE, N.C., July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) announces that David M. Denton, chief financial officer, will participate in a virtual fireside chat hosted by Evercore ISI.

What: David Denton to participate in virtual fireside chat hosted by Greg Melich from Evercore ISI



When: 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time on Friday, July 17, 2020



Where: http://www.Lowes.com/investor Click on Webcasts and then Lowe's Companies, Inc. - Evercore ISI Virtual Fireside Chat



How: Listen live online  the archived webcast will be available at the same location approximately one hour after the conclusion of the live event

Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) is a FORTUNE 50 home improvement company serving approximately 18 million customers a week in the United States and Canada. With fiscal year 2019 sales of $72.1 billion, Lowe's and its related businesses operate or service more than 2,200 home improvement and hardware stores and employ approximately 300,000 associates. Based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe's supports the communities it serves through programs focused on creating safe, affordable housing and helping to develop the next generation of skilled trade experts. For more information, visit Lowes.com.

LOW-IR

SOURCE Lowe's Companies, Inc.

Related Links

https://www.lowes.com


Welcome to Morningstar.co.uk!

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Concrete mixer drivers, unemployed due to the current economic crisis, block the roads with their concrete mixers and trucks around Martyrs' Square as they gather to protest against unemployment and power cuts in Beirut, Lebanon on July 06, 2020.

Lebanon's electricity shortage has caused the main hospital in Beirut to shut down operating rooms and delay surgeries. "Clouds are gathering and we might be heading into a storm," Firass Abiad, director general of the Rafic Hariri University Hospital, said via Twitter on Friday.

Power cuts across the capital city of Beirut have exceeded 20 hours a day in some areas. The darkness, extreme even for Lebanon, is caused by fuel shortages and lawmakers have warned they could last another two weeks.

Speaking to CNBC about recent street protests, Chaoul said he does not know what the trigger is going to be, adding that the political setup in Lebanon cannot evolve. "It needs a revolution, not an evolution, to move to the next stage in our political discourse."

Lebanon is in the throes of multiple crises, as Prime Minister Hassan Diab approaches five months in office. The small Mediterranean country of nearly 7 million people is in the midst of an economic meltdown, with fuel shortages and power cuts adding to the hardship faced by many nationwide. The country's unemployment rate stood above 30% at the end of May, while annual food inflation has skyrocketed to around 190%. "The only card that is remaining is the street," Henri Chaoul, former advisor to Lebanon's minister of finance told CNBC's Hadley Gamble on Thursday.

"If we do, what is the current capacity of our hospitals considering recent events? Will we be forced into another lockdown? Can we still change course and avoid a surge? We can, but it will not be easy," he added.



To date, Lebanon has recorded more than 2,000 cases of the coronavirus, with 36 related deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Chaoul, also the founder of financial advisory firm Levantine Partners, said: "There is nothing that is being done. There is actually an alignment of stars on the dark side of the room," adding that banks want to put the burden on depositors.

Purchasing power of the Lebanese pound has reportedly hit a new low of 9,000 to the U.S. dollar on the black market. Unofficial capital controls remain in place and citizens are asking expats returning for the summer to bring cash back into the country.

The Lebanese pound, which has been pegged to the U.S. Dollar since 1997, has lost 80% of its value on the black market since October.



"There is no longer any policy anchor for the pound," Nasser Saidi, the country's former economy minister and vice governor of the central bank, told CNBC's Hadley Gamble on Friday.

"There is no appetite for reform, no political courage to address Lebanon's problems," he added. Saidi compared Lebanon's political and economic woes to crisis-stricken Venezuela, coining his home country "Libazuela."

Lebanon is seeking a $10 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund and has held at least 16 rounds of negotiations.

Chaoul, who was helping to advise the finance ministry on these talks told CNBC that: "the political class will continue to give lip service to the public on issues like wanting IMF help or implementing reform, but this has been done for the last 30, 40, 50 years. Real reforms are just not happening."
The Holy Father commemorated the seventh anniversary of his visit to Lampedusa by celebrating Mass at Santa Marta on Wednesday, 8 July. During the ceremony, which was concelebrated by the two Undersecretaries of the Migrants and Refugees Section of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, Cardinal Michael Czerny, SJ, and Father Fabio Baggio, CS, and by Father Lambert Tonamou, the Dicasterys regional coordinator for Africa and Madagascar, Pope Francis invoked the protection of Mary, Solacium migrantium (Solace of Migrants), one of the invocations recently added to the Litany of Loreto. The following is the English text of the Popes homily.

The Responsorial Psalm invites us always to seek the Lords face: Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually (Ps 105:4). This quest is fundamental for the life of every believer, for we have come to realize that our ultimate goal in life is the encounter with God.

To seek the face of God is an assurance that our journey through this world will end well. It is an exodus towards the Promised Land, our heavenly home. The face of God is our destination and the guiding star that helps us not to lose our way.

The people of Israel, as described by the prophet Hosea in the first reading (cf. 10:1-3.7-8.12), had gone astray. They had lost sight of the Promised Land and were wandering in the desert of iniquity. Abundance, prosperity and wealth had caused their hearts to drift away from the Lord and had filled them instead with falsehood and injustice.

We too, as Christians today, are not immune to this sin. The culture of comfort, which makes us think only of ourselves, makes us insensitive to the cries of other people, makes us live in soap bubbles which, however lovely, are insubstantial; they offer a fleeting and empty illusion which results in indifference to others; indeed, it even leads to the globalization of indifference (Homily in Lampedusa, 8 July 2013).

Hoseas words reach us today as a renewed summons to conversion, a call to turn our eyes to the Lord and recognize his face. The prophet says: Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you (10:12).

Our efforts to seek the face of God are born of the desire for an encounter with the Lord, a personal encounter, an encounter with his immense love, with his saving power. The twelve apostles described in todays Gospel (cf. Mt 10:1-7) received the grace to encounter him physically in Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God. Jesus  as we heard  called each of them by name. He looked them in the eye, and they in turn gazed at his face, listened to his voice and beheld his miracles. The personal encounter with the Lord, a time of grace and salvation, entails a mission: As you go, Jesus tells them, proclaim the good news: The kingdom of heaven is at hand (v. 7). Encounter and mission must not be separated.

This kind of personal encounter with Jesus Christ is possible also for us, who are the disciples of the third millennium. In our effort to seek the Lords face, we can recognize him in the face of the poor, the sick, the abandoned, and the foreigners whom God places on our way. This encounter becomes also for us a time of grace and salvation, and summons us to the same mission entrusted to the Apostles.

Today marks the seventh year, the seventh anniversary of my visit to Lampedusa. In the light of Gods word, I would like to repeat what I said to those taking part in the meeting Free from Fear in February last year: The encounter with the other is also an encounter with Christ. He himself told us this. He is the one knocking on our door, hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, imprisoned; he is the one seeking an encounter with us, asking our help, asking to come ashore. And lest we have any doubt, he tells us categorically: Truly I tell you, whatever you did to one of the least of these my brethren, you did to me (Mt 25:40).

Whatever you did... for better or for worse! This admonition is all the more timely today. We ought to use it as a basic starting point for our daily examination of conscience. Here I think of Libya, detention camps, the abuses and violence to which migrants are subjected; I think of journeys of hope, rescue operations, and cases of rejection. Whatever you did  you did to me.

I remember that day, seven years ago, in the very south of Europe, on that island.... A number of people told me their stories and all that they had gone through to get there. There were interpreters present. One person was telling me about terrible things in his language, and the interpreter seemed to translate well, but this person spoke so long and the translation was brief. Well, I thought, their language must require more words to express an idea. When I returned home that afternoon, in the reception area there was a lady  God bless her, she has since passed away  who was a daughter of Ethiopians. She understood the language and she had seen our conversation on television. She said this to me. Listen, what the Ethiopian translator told you is not even a quarter of the torture and suffering that those people experienced. They gave me the distilled version. This is what is happening today with Libya: they are giving us a distilled version. The war is indeed horrible, we know that, but you cannot imagine the hell that people are living there, in that detention camp. And those people came only with hope of crossing the sea.

May the Virgin Mary, Solacium migrantium, Solace of Migrants, help us discover the face of her Son in all our brothers and sisters forced to flee their homeland because of the many injustices that continue to afflict our world.
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On July 8, 1970, President Richard M. Nixon issued his "Special Message to the Congress on Indian Affairs," which served to herald a new era in Federal Indian policy: Indian Self-Determination.In his message, President Nixon applauded the adaptability and creativity of Native Americans in the face of overwhelming obstacles, praising their enormous contributions to our Nation through art, culture, resilience, and spirit, and embracing strong Tribal governments and respecting Tribal decision-making. Building on this momentum, Congress passed and President Ford signed into law the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA) of 1975, which recognized the primacy of the Nation-to-Nation relationship between the United States and Tribes and led to the establishment of an Indian civil service and a recognition of Tribal institutions through contracting and, later, compacting between the Federal Government and Tribes.My Administration has taken historic measures to build upon the legacy of the ISDEAA. In addition to signing the first-ever Presidential Proclamation recognizing missing and murdered indigenous peoples, I was proud to sign an Executive Order establishing both Operation Lady Justice and the Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives. These initiatives are developing and implementing an aggressive, government-wide strategy, working with Tribal leaders to combat the crisis of missing and murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives-especially women and children. In furtherance of these goals, in Fiscal Year 2019, the Department of Justice awarded over $273.4 million in grants to improve public safety, serve victims of crime, and support youth programs in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. My Administration is also delivering unprecedented resources to combat opioids and drug addiction to nurture healthy families and communities for all Americans.My Administration has also advanced important cultural priorities for Indian Country. This includes allowing federally recognized Tribes to retain bald and golden eagle remains found on their land. Additionally, my Administration reached an agreement with Finland to repatriate culturally important remains and artifacts to the Pueblos and other Tribes with heritage in the Mesa Verde region. We have also taken a whole-of-government approach to enhancing coordination regarding economic growth, jobs, infrastructure, and improved standards of living in Indian Country, including elevating Federal Tribal energy development collaboration, hosting the first-ever Federal Tribal Broadband Summit, and continuing technical assistance to identify priorities, opportunities, and resources that improve connectivity for native communities. Additionally, the Department of Transportation recently published a final rule to establish the Tribal Transportation Self-Governance Program, which will remove regulatory burdens and provide a flexible, effective framework for the Federal Government and Tribes to work collaboratively to improve transportation infrastructure, economic growth, and quality of life in Indian Country.In light of the coronavirus pandemic, the Department of the Treasury, in consultation with the Department of the Interior and federally recognized Tribes, has disbursed nearly $8 billion dollars from the CARES Act's Coronavirus Relief Fund to Tribal jurisdictions. This is the largest single investment in Indian Country in our Nation's history and is delivering critical resources to respond to and recover from the coronavirus. The Department of Health and Human Services, the Indian Health Service, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency also continue working in close partnership with Tribal nations to deliver life-saving and life-sustaining assistance and financial support, including $500 million to Tribal health organizations from the Provider Relief Fund and $30 million to Tribes for meals and home and community-based supportive services.Today, as we commemorate the 50th anniversary of Indian Self-Determination, we commit ourselves anew to ensuring the sovereignty, strength, and health of Indian Tribes and Tribal citizens.
American had 24 Max jets before they were grounded in March 2019. It has orders for 76 more but wants Chicago-based Boeing to help arrange financing for 17 planes for which previous financing has or will soon expire, according to three people who spoke Friday on condition of anonymity to discuss private talks between the companies.




Linda Ejiofor and Ibrahim Suleiman

Favourite Nollywood couple, Linda Ejiofor and Ibrahim Suleiman have welcomed their first child.

Suleiman took to his social media page to make the announcement.

Managing to keep the news of the pregnancy under wraps as they did with their romantic relationship which started off the set of Africa Magics original soap opera, Tinsel, the lovebirds who got married in 2018 in a beautiful ceremony are yet to share their newest additions gender.

Suleiman gave a hint on Instagram when he shared a black and white photograph of the couple in a tight embrace with Linda sporting a huge baby bump, and wrote:

And then we were threethank you Father. Your word has indeed become flesh. #isquared18 #iCub3d20 #IbrahimSuleiman #ihuomalindaejiofor #Approved #sonOfAisha

See his post below:
Shares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money.

Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists.
Five staff and five inmates at the Metropolitan Detention Center are in quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19.

Larry Gallegos, a Bernalillo County spokesman, said the most recent case was an inmate that tested positive Thursday. All five inmates are in isolation and all five staff are recovering at home.

Although Gallegos couldnt give a precise tally, he said more than twenty cases, between staff and inmates, have popped up since the pandemic hit.

Outside of the most recent five cases, he said previously infected staff have returned back at work.

Gallegos said, overall, the jail is doing a good job of keeping the virus at bay and treating those who are sick, with no hospitalizations.

Weve been fortunate we havent had any serious cases, he said.

The last reported flare up at the jail was reported on June 24 after two staff members and an inmate tested positive for the virus. Its unclear if the most recent cases are related.

The first case of COVID-19 hit the jail in late March when a 39-year-old inmate, arrested on a probation violation, tested positive days after being booked.

At the time, it was the first known case in a New Mexico correctional facility and led to inmates, staff and the arresting officers being quarantined or told to self-isolate.
Sharon White is having a baptism of fire at John Lewis. As a partnership organisation, it is held to higher standards of governance than other retailers.

One can only imagine the pain involved in shutting eight stores and placing 1,300 jobs in jeopardy.

This on the same day as another High Street stalwart, Boots, revealed it is to shed 4,000 jobs and close its 48 optician outlets.

High Street stalwart John Lewis has been forced to shut eight stores placing 1,300 jobs in jeopardy

The drivers at Boots' owner  Stefano Pessina's Walgreens Boots Alliance  are very different to those at John Lewis.

Growth at Boots' global pharmacy and drug store network has been driven by ruthless ambition and a debt-laden private equity financing model. The UK operation, run by Dixons refugee Seb James, is paying a heavy price.

There will be sympathy for Boots' caring workforce but less for James and his lieutenants, who, unlike the supermarkets, have not had a great lockdown.

In spite of key pharmacy stores being open, Boots found itself on the wrong side of many landlords over unilateral suspension of rents.

There is a common theme in the John Lewis and Boots sackings. Pandemic and furlough have emptied city centres and strangled travel.

It is not surprising that among John Lewis closures are smaller outlets at Heathrow and St Pancras in London.

It seems quite short-sighted to close now when, if Britain is to have any chance of recovery, air and Eurotunnel travel will have to bounce strongly.

The closure of the Bullring store in Birmingham could be politically embarrassing. It cannot be what West Midlands mayor Andy Street, a former John Lewis managing director, can be hoping for as he limbers up for a postponed re-election campaign.

Retail is changing dramatically. It is hardly surprising that former Ofcom chief White is pushing the digital button hard at John Lewis, where 60 per cent to 70 per cent of sales are expected to be online this year against 40 per cent previously.

Personal experience suggests that John Lewis has catching up to do compared to rivals such as Amazon and Dixons during lockdown.

It appeared perpetually out of stock of mainstream white and electrical goods. Before anyone had heard of Covid-19, the great complaint among retailers was soaring business rates and unfair competition from Amazon.

One of Rishi Sunak's first actions as Chancellor was a one-year business rates holiday. Latest closures signal that even before Covid-19, the bricks-and-mortar model was creaking.

Engine trouble

Damage limitation continues at Rolls-Royce, but the costs are horrendous.

Sorting out some expensive hedges, together with revenues at 20 per cent of normal levels, meant a 3billion outflow of cash in the first half of the year and a prospective annual outflow of 4billion.

Best to be hoped for in 2021 is cost reductions and some restoration of flying hours. All that the UK's premier engineering group can offer investors at present is that in 2022 it could accumulate 750million in cash.

Ideally, Rolls-Royce could do with a big rights issue to strengthen prospects, but one doesn't imagine that would be possible unless it became a government-supported Project Birch candidate.

The Ministry of Defence is being helpful in bringing forward contracts, and work on Britain's new Tempest fighter continues apace.

Rolls is also in contention for a couple of big Pentagon contracts including the engines for the next generation Black Hawk made by Bell and the Boeing-built B-52 bomber. One fears, however, that with Covid-19, 'America First' might have a bit to say about that.

One better development is that with so many large aircraft grounded, Rolls has managed to fix the faults on the Trent 1000.

That means that as world aviation cranks up again, there will be no expensive down time for which Rolls must compensate customers. Investors should be grateful for small mercies.

Tax dodgers

HMRC was much less enamoured with Rishi Sunak's 9billion job retention bonus than employers. It is rightly concerned about how revenues are fleeing the exchequer when so many taxes remain unpaid.

Latest estimate from HMRC is that, in 2019, the tax gap  the difference between what should have been paid and what was collected  was 31billion.

Blame for 43 per cent or 13.5billion of the missing money is laid at the doors of small businesses.

Just 1.7billion relates to the wealthy, regarded by public enemy number one by Labour and the unions. There's a surprise.
The Ga Traditional Council has directed that this years celebration of the Homowo festival, be held within the confines of the stool houses of chiefs within the traditional area.



Furthermore, it directs that heads of the family must perform all rites in connection with the festival at their respective family houses.



The directive comes in the wake of the increasing numbers of COVID-19 cases in the country and the need to curb the spread of the virus in the traditional area.



A statement issued in Accra on Tuesday and signed by the acting president of the Ga Traditional Council, NiiDodooNsaki II stated that the outbreak of the pandemic had had devastating impact on social lives, thus urged traditional rulers to strictly abide by the protocols enrolledto celebrate the festivals.



As the time for the annual Homowo approaches amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, we have to strictly observe all the laid down protocols in our quest to celebrate the Homowo festival this year, he said.



Nii Dodoo Nsaki II explained that there was a possibility of large gathering during the twin celebration, including Yeeye-ye and the actual Homowo festival celebration and underscored the urgent need for chiefs to adhere strictly to the protocols to contain the spread of the virus.



We implore niimei and naamei and all other traditional office holders within the Ga Traditional Area to initiate and commence clean-up activities in their respective communities as we gradually move into the month of August when we shall celebrate the 2020 Homowo festival, he added.



Nii Dodoo Nsaki II also said it was imperative that all celebrations and rites be completed by 12:00pm in the respective homes of the celebrants on August 1 to 15.



The disposal of residue must be done quietly without the usual large crowds and fanfare. All social gathering must be avoided, he added.



Nii Dodoo Nsaki II promised the councils commitment to support the governments fight against the deadly pandemic.

Source: The Ghanaian Times









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

Featured Video
Case calls into question effectiveness of Italy's self-isolation process.

A 53-year-old Bangladeshi man tested positive for covid-19 on a train at Rome's Termini Station on 9 July, after his coughing and visibly ill appearance attracted the attention of railway police.

The man, who resides in Rome but travelled to Emilia Romagna in northern Italy, was admitted to the capital's Umberto I hospital with a high temperature, reports Italian news agency ANSA.

It transpired that the man had arrived in Rome's Fiumicino airport from Dhaka on 23 June and was supposed to be in self-isolation in the capital for two weeks, according to Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.

However, after his arrival in Termini Station on 9 July, police discovered that instead of self-isolating the man had spent the previous five days travelling between Rimini, Falconara in Le Marche, and Rome, using regional trains and taxis.

The man now faces charges of breaking Italy's quarantine rules as health officials scramble to retrace his movements.

Italian media say that the case brings into question the effectiveness of Italy's so-called fiduciary isolation process.

On 7 July Italy banned flights from Bangladesh, adding a further 12 'high-risk' countries to the list on 9 July.

For full quarantine rules and covid-19 information in English see Italy's health ministry website.
UP assembly polls will be about '80 per cent vs 20 per cent'; BJP will win: Yogi Adityanath

UP: Elections not won on exit polls basis, results will be surprising: Kamal Nath

Vikas Dubey encounter: A look at 5 most controversial encounters' in India

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, July 10: Vikas Dubey, the prime accused in the cold-blooded murder of eight policemen in Kanpur was gunned down in an encounter when he was trying to escape, following an accident involving one of the vehicles of the Special Task Force (STF), which was bringing him back to UP from Madhya Pradesh, where he was arrested on Thursday.

The Vikas Dubey chase: Escape, to arrest, to encounter: A timeline| Oneindia News

The Kanpur police in a statement said that after being chased by the police team, he was asked to surrender, but he did not do so. Instead, he began firing, with an intention of killing the policemen. The police team fired in self-defence after which Dubey was injured.

Was Vikas Dubey handcuffed: The past precedents on this issue

He was taken to hospital, where he died during treatment, the police also said.

However, the police action in the encounter has come under the scanner. Here are five others which led to raging controversies:

Ishrat Jahan case

Ishrat, a 19-year-old girl from Mumbai, along with three others - Javed Shaikh alias Pranesh Pillai, Amjadali Akbarali Rana and Zeeshan Johar - were killed by the police in an encounter on the outskirts of Ahmedabad on June 15, 2004.

The Gujarat Police had claimed they had terror links and had plotted to kill the then chief minister Narendra Modi.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted by the Gujarat High Court, had concluded the encounter was "fake". Following this, the HC had transferred the case to the CBI. In the first charge-sheet filed by the CBI in 2013, seven Gujarat police officers, including IPS officers P P Pandey, Vanzara and G L Singhal - were named accused. All were booked for kidnapping, murder and conspiracy, among others.

Vanzara was last year discharged in the encounter cases.

Sohrabuddin case

In 2005, Gujarat police had allegedly killed Sohrabuddin Sheikh, claimed to be a gangster, and his wife Kausarbi in a fake encounter.

CBI has charge-sheeted 37 accused including Amit Shah, who was Minister of State for Home of Gujarat when these encounters had taken place, and several police officers in the two cases. Shah is accused of being party to the conspiracy. Some of the accused, including Shah and former IPS officers of Gujarat D G Vanzara and Rajkumar Pandian, have been granted bail.

Lakhan Bhaiya

Ramnarayan Gupta alias Lakhan Bhaiya, considered a close aide of Chhota Rajan was killed in an encounter with the Mumbai Police in 2006. A probe was launched soon after family moved the Bombay High Court seeking a probe into the encounter.

The court awarded life sentence to 21 people, including 13 Mumbai Police personnel, convicted for killing Ramnarayan Gupta alias Lakhan Bhaiya in a fake encounter in 2006.

Warrangal encounter

In December 2008, the three people accused of hurling acid at two girl students were shot dead in Warangal when they allegedly attacked the police team which went to recover a motorcycle used by them in connection with the case.

The police action came in the wake of a public outcry over the acid attack in which the faces of the two girls were disfigured.

One of the victims later succumbed to the burns while undergoing treatment in Hyderabad.

Hyderabad encounter

The charred body of the woman working as an assistant veterinarian at a state-run hospital was found under a culvert at Chattanpalli, about 50 kms from Hyderabad, on November 28, a day after she went missing.

The four men, aged between 20 and 24, were arrested on November 29 for allegedly raping and killing the woman by smothering her and later burning her body.

Vikas Dubey encounter: UP Police arrest two men for helping gang members

In the Cyberabad incident, all the four accused were killed at one go in an exchange of fire. Police in both the cases claimed that the suspects "snatched" their weapons and opened fire at them forcing them to retaliatory action "in self-defence."

Netizens hailed the Cyberabad police and Sajjanar for the encounter killing of the accused in the case.
The record stockpile of natural gas in northwest Europe and Italy is eating into the regions thirst for Gazproms product, according to Reuters, and the Russian gas giant has lost more ground in terms of sales to the area compared to its competitors.

Gazproms falling natural gas exports to the region have caused Gazproms share of the natural gas market to fall by 4 percentage points in the first half of 2020, according to data compiled by Reuters and Refinitivfrom 38% a year ago to 34% now.

Sales from Gazproms competitors, including Equinor, has fallen off by a lesser amount4bcm--meaning that Equinor has actually picked up more of the market, supplying 26% of the market in H1 vs 25% last year.

North Africa has seen its market share in the region slip by 1 percentage point.

Gazproms revenues from gas exports in the first five months of this year fell a whopping 52.6% to $9.7 billion, according to Russias Federal Customs Service data cited by Kallanish Energy. Shipments of its natural gas fell 23% to 73 billion cubic meters.

The average price of Gazproms exported gas fell in May to $94 per thousand cubic meters, down from $109 per thousand cubic meters in the month prior. Gazproms total May export revenues came in at $1.1 billiona drop of 15% from April.

The high inventories have pushed the price of natural gas to record lows, and its affecting producers everywhere, including the United States. Production in the US is expected to drop 3.2 percent this year as drilling activity drops off as natural gas consumption falls due to coronavirus pandemic.

Gazproms head of finance, Alexander Ivannikov, the lower gas prices will encourage consumption in both Europe and the rest of the world.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
People travelling from Spain to England or Wales will not have to undergo a 14-day quarantine from today, 10 July.

Spain was included on a list of 59 countries and 14 British overseas territories considered "lower risk" by the government in England last Friday, but it was unclear whether this would apply to Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

However, on Thursday, the devolved government in Wales published the same list and first minister Mark Drakeford said the new regulations would also apply from today.

In contrast, however, Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon announced a modified list on Wednesday from which Spain and Serbia were omitted. This means those travelling from Spain into Scotland will still have to self-isolate for a fortnight.

The NI administration hasn't yet announced any lifting of restrictions.
The riots in the US over the murder of African-American George Floyd catalyzed Black Lives Matter movement, which began in social networks in 2013. The movement opposes violence and institutional racism against black people around the world. In other countries, people take to the streets for other reasons, but experts see the recent events as evidence that Western culture based on a white European heritage outlived and should give way to multiculturalism. One of the elements of this battle is the demolition of monuments.

Professor of Iranian Studies and Comparative Literature at Columbia University Hamid Dabashi in his article The battle of the statues: rewriting world history for Al Jazeera expresses his rather radical opinion on recent developments. Vestnik Kavkaza invites readers to get acquainted with the professors opinion.*

The battle of the statues is now global. Its most recent episode began in Bristol, United Kingdom, where the statue of slave trader Edward Colston was brought down in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter uprising sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in the US. It then quickly spread to the US and the rest of Europe.

In the US, the battle had begun decades earlier over the detested Confederate flag, and is now extended not only to Confederate statues and statues of other racists and white supremacists, but also to military bases named after racist generals of the Confederate army.

But the battle is not limited to the US, UK or even Europe. In South Africa, the people started their fight to bring down the statues and namesakes of white supremacist colonisers back in 2015. And now, people are calling for the statue of Theodor Herzl, the racist ideologue of Zionism, to be brought down in Israel, too.

In short, it is the entire history of European racism and colonialism with its global consequences that is now on trial. This battle will not stop until this overdue reclaiming and rewriting of world history comes to full fruition.

The Black Lives Matter uprising in the US first and foremost targets the statues of racist slaveholders and mass murderers like George Washington and Christopher Columbus, but the list is endless. It was less than a year ago when I wrote a piece for Al Jazeera about the staging of a racist statue of President Theodore Roosevelt outside the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Well today, that statue is coming down for good, along with countless other statues of racist, colonialist, mass murderers from Cecile Rhodes to King Leopold II of Belgium, perhaps the nastiest piece of work in the already atrocious history of European colonialism.

What is at issue here is more than just what these statues represent and literally stand for. What is at issue is that these statues occupy and pollute public spaces. People are asked to look up to, literally, and admire these men as their role models as they go about their daily lives.

I live just a few blocks from Columbus Circle in New York, and in London, I have passed by Winston Churchill's monumental statue in Parliament Square many times. In both cases, I have always shivered in disgust thinking how could these characters tower so high over the public space where human beings walk. People in the US and in Europe are now taking that disgust to the next decisive moment.

Reclaiming the public space, rewriting world history

In their edited volume, The Politics of Public Space, Setha Low and Neil Smith have brought together a collection of timely essays mourning the disappearance of public space around the world. Indeed, while public spaces remain vital for any hope for a democratic future, state and commerce have taken control of such spaces in many countries across the world.

Public spaces, ranging from Tahrir Square in Cairo to Zuccotti Park in New York, are definitive to public dissent, and bringing down racist statues polluting them is tantamount to reclaiming these spaces.

People are, today, reclaiming the symbolic registers of these public spaces and redefining them as a prelude to rewriting world history. The question is not just what statues come down, but what statues, if any, go up. These statues are the insignia of world history - not just the history of the US or Europe. They bring the nasty history of racism and colonialism back to the consciousness of our own contemporaries.

How would the British feel if they saw a towering statue of Adolf Hitler in Berlin? That is very much what the Indians and many other peoples in Asia and Africa feel when they come face to face with the statue of Churchill in London. The problem with Europeans is that they think since Hitler and Churchill were against each other, then the world must be on Churchill's side. We are not. We can easily say the hell with both of them. The world knows and understands and supports the reasons why we detest Hitler. The world must also know, understand, and support the reasons why we equally detest Churchill.

In 2015, the BBC published a piece in which it outlined the nastiest racist remarks by Churchill and in its typical BBC newspeak titled the piece "The 10 greatest controversies of Winston Churchill's career." There is no controversy about this nasty piece of Churchillian racism: "I do not admit for instance, that a great wrong has been done to the Red Indians of America or the black people of Australia. I do not admit that a wrong has been done to these people by the fact that a stronger race, a higher-grade race, a more worldly-wise race to put it that way, has come in and taken their place."

There is no controversy around the fact that Hitler was a racist mass murderer. So was Churchill.

A key question is no longer whether these statues should come down or not. The question is why it took so long.

The ruling white supremacy in Europe and the US had occupied the public sphere with such a sense of entitlement and self-righteousness that when Native Americans, African Americans, or any other kind of American except white racists said they did not like a statue, the response was the same old idiotic white supremacist mantra - you can "go back to where you came from".

Where exactly are the Native Americans to go "back" to, or African Americans for that matter, or any other Americans? Who died and made racist white settler colonialists the owner of the space they have violently stolen from their rightful inhabitants and then littered with these statues?

These statues were never innocent bystanders. They were cast and erected to claim the public spaces around them for white people only. It is not accidental that most of these statues represent the most vicious racist mass murderers in history. These statues are meant to frighten and silence people into obedience. These men did not build their own statues. Others did - others who thought these monuments were necessary like a totem pole to claim the land, generations after generations, whenever their ideologies of white supremacy were in need of being publicly and violently reasserted for non-white people to watch and learn and be quiet.

*The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Vestnik Kavkaza's editorial stance.
It was converted into a mosque in 1453, when the Ottomans conquered Istanbul, with minarets placed around its perimeter, its Byzantine mosaics covered in whitewash. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the modern Turkish republic, transformed it into a museum in 1934. It was the most visited museum in Turkey last year, drawing 3.7 million visitors, according to the website of Istanbuls governor.
Bamako, Mali (PANA) - The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday handed over a large consignment of equipment, materials and health kits, worth more than 700 million CFA francs, as part of the fight against coronavirus, PANA learned from official sources
Portuguese police have launched searches for Madeleine McCann's body on the Algarve.

The searches are said to have been conducted in wells in Vila do Bispo, a 20 minute drive west of Praia da Luz where the British youngster vanished in May 2007.

Investigators reportedly brought in a team of specialist rescue firefighters who included expert divers to examine the water wells in Vila do Bispo on the Algarve.

Portuguese state broadcaster RTP is saying detectives discovered 'fundamental evidence' to be able to prove suspect Christian Brueckner is responsible for her disappearance.

The broadcaster has also linked the German 43-year-old to another missing persons' case in the Algarve resort of Silves.

RTP reporter Sandra Felgueiras last week revealed Breuckner had been arrested on suspicion of exposing himself to children in a playground a short drive from Praia da Luz in 2017 when he was on the run from German authorities.

Portuguese police have discovered 'fundamental evidence' to be able to prove suspect Christian Brueckner (right) is responsible for Madeline McCann's (left) disappearance

She also quizzed a couple the convicted paedophile used to live with in Portugal who claimed a Scotland Yard neighbour had been helping Algarve investigators probe Madeleine's disappearance.

There was no immediate official response from Portuguese police to the RTP well search claims.

The searches are said to have involved officers from Portugals GNR force, which tends to cover rural areas, as well as PJ investigators and the fire rescue team.

However, Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha said no evidence Madeleines body had been abandoned in the wells had been found.

After the recent appeal which led to Brueckner being identified as a suspect, Portuguese police were said to be on standby to search wells and other areas German prosecutors pinpointed as possible burial sites once they had extra information.

The convicted child sex offender, who was born in Wurzburg under a different name believed to be Fischer, is currently behind bars in Germany and serving 21 months for dealing drugs in the German resort of Sylt.

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.

The serial sex offender is also facing a separate sentence for the rape of a 72-year-old American woman in Praia da Luz in 2005.

During the attack, Brueckner reportedly bound, gagged, blindfolded and whipped his victim with a metal cane before raping her for 15 minutes.

In late 2008, the sex offender was arrested on a European Arrest Warrant while living on the streets of Milan for the rape of the American pensioner and taken back to Germany where he was charged.

In December 2019, a court in Braunschweig, near Hanover in north-central Germany, where he had lived before fleeing to Italy, convicted him of the rape after DNA from his hair was found in the woman's holiday home.

The house where German paedophile Christian Brueckner lived in Praia da Luz shortly before Madeleine McCann went missing

The house where German paedophile Christian Brueckner lived in Praia da Luz shortly before Madeleine McCann went missing

Madeleine McCann vanished from this holiday apartment in the popular Portuguese holiday resort of Praia da Luz - Apartment 5a - while her parents were with friends nearby and regularly checking on their three sleeping children

The German suspect had lived in a warehouse outside Praia da Luz for several years but moved into a campervan just before Madeleine vanished

The suspect, who is in prison in Germany, has been linked to an early 1980s camper van - with a white upper body and yellow skirting, registered in Portugal - which is seen here on the Algarve in 2007

What do we know about Maddie murder suspect Christian Brueckner and his criminal past? 1976: Christian Brueckner is born in Wurzburg under a different name, believed to be Fischer. He was adopted by the Brueckner family and took their surname. 1992: Christian Brueckner is arrested on suspicion of burglary in his hometown of Wurzburg, Bavaria. 1994: He is given a two-year youth jail sentence for 'abusing a child' and 'performing sex acts in front of a child'. 1995: Brueckner arrives in Portugal as an 18-year-old backpacker and begins working in catering in the seaside resorts of Lagos and Praia da Luz. But friends say he became involved with a criminal syndicate trafficking drugs into the Algarve. September 2005: He dons a mask and breaks into an apartment where he rapes a 72-year-old American tourist. The victim was bound, gagged, blindfolded and whipped with a metal cane before being raped for 15 minutes. She said afterwards that he had clearly enjoyed 'torturing' her before the rape. April 2007: He moves out of a farmhouse and into a campervan now linked to the crime. The farmhouse is cleaned and a bag of wigs and 'exotic clothes' is found. May 3, 2007: Madeleine McCann is snatched at around 10pm from her bed as her parents eat tapas with friends yards away. Brueckner's mobile phone places him in the area that night. He returns to his native Germany shortly after that. October 2011: He is sentenced to 21 months for 'dealing narcotics' in Niebull, in northern Germany. 2014: He moves to Braunschweig where he starts running a town-centre kiosk. He then goes back to Portugal with a girlfriend. 2016: He is back in Germany. He is given 15 months in prison for 'sexual abuse of a child in the act of creating and possessing child pornographic material'. May 3, 2017: Brueckner is said to be in a bar with a friend when a ten-year anniversary appeal following Madeleine's disappearance is shown on German television. He is said to have told him in a bar that he 'knew all about' what happened to her. He then showed his friend a video of him raping a woman. MailOnline understands the friend went to police shortly afterwards. June 2017: He heads back to Portugal and extradited again to Germany. The reason was a sentencing of the Braunschweig district court to 15 months' imprisonment for the sexual abuse of a child. August 2018: After his release from prison he lives on the streets. But he was jailed again for drug offences. September 2018: Brueckner is arrested in Milan, Italy and extradited to Germany and put on trial for raping the American tourist in 2007 after a DNA match to hair found at the crime scene. July 2019: He is jailed for 21 months for drug dealing in the northern German resort of Sylt. August 2019: Brueckner is charged with the rape of the American tourist in Praia da Luz in 2005. December 2019: He is convicted of rape of extortion of the tourist based on DNA evidence. He is given a seven year sentence, but this has not been imposed pending an appeal. June 3, 2020: Scotland Yard and the German police reveal that that they have identified a suspect in the Maddie McCann case June 4, 2020: Prosecutors in Braunschweig, where he lives, say they believe Madeleine McCann has been murdered, says spokesman Hans Christian Wolters. He is named in the German press as the prime suspect. Advertisement

However he is appealing the rape verdict on the grounds that his extradition from Italy was illegal, with Germany's Federal High Court due to rule on the case.

Brueckner was an 18-year-old backpacker when he moved from Germany to Praia da Luz in Portugal in 1995 after serving part of a two-year sentence for molesting a six-year-old girl in Wurzburg.

He began working in catering in seaside resorts before reportedly becoming involved in trafficking drugs into the Algarve, according to his friends.

Earlier this year, Brueckner was identified as the prime suspect into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann- who was three-years-old at the time she went missing.

German prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters claimed authorities had 'concrete evidence' that the three-year-old was killed, and insisted that he had shared this information with Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry McCann in a letter.

'We have concrete evidence that our suspect has killed Madeleine and this means she is dead,' he said. 'The parents have been told the German police have evidence that she is dead but we have not told them the details.'

Prosecutors in Germany also labelled Brueckner a 'multiple sexual predator' and claimed that he had been convicted of a child sex offence in his native Germany when he was just 17.

Despite the new information, the drifter, who reportedly has as many as 17 criminal convictions, was apparently overlooked by Portuguese police.

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.

In June, it emerged Brueckner became a suspect for Scotland Yard in 2017 when he was said to have told a friend at a bar he 'knew all about' what had happened to Madeleine.

According to Sky News, Brueckner was prompted to make the comment when her face appeared on a TV screen in a German pub during a UK appeal for information on the tenth anniversary of her disappearance.

The convicted child sex offender reportedly went on to show his friend a video of him raping a woman.

It is understood that Brueckner lived in a remote farmhouse in Portugal from 1999 to 2006.

The remote property is surrounded by disused water wells and sits on a hillside which leads on to a footpath to the beach where the little girl played.

The farmhouse is also a 25-minute walk to the Ocean Club complex where Madeleine was on holiday with her parents and her twin siblings Sean and Amelie.

In 2014, detectives investigating the disappearance of the little girl sealed off an area of scrubland close to the farmhouse and used a ground-penetrating radar to examine whether there had been a disturbance in the soil.

Earlier this month, detective revealed a new mobile phone lead into the Madeleine McCann case after a viewer on Germany's Crimewatch recognised the phone number that suspect Bruckner is said to have phoned on the night the young girl vanished.

Details of a call involving a mobile number allegedly used by Brueckner were revealed on the German show Aktenzeichen XY Ungelost.

Police previously said a phone linked to Brueckner had received a 30-minute call between 7.32pm and 8.02pm on the night Madeleine disappeared from the Ocean Club apartment complex.

Last month the Metropolitan Police launched a fresh appeal into the disappearance of Madeleine and appealed for information about Brueckner and his movements.

DCI Mark Cranwell, from Operation Grange, said: 'Following our appeal for information yesterday, I want to thank those members of the public who have contacted us.

'As of 4pm today, Thursday June 4, 2020, we have received over 270 calls and emails into the incident room.

'We are pleased with the information coming in, and it will be assessed and prioritised.

'We continue to urge anyone with information to come forward and speak with us.'

Following their daughter's disappearance in May of 2007, parents Kate and Gerry McCann, who had been dining in a nearby tapas restaurant as their children slept at their apartment, were questioned by the Portuguese authorities.

However they were soon found to be innocent and have since continued their long battle in trying to find their missing daughter.

German authorities are now trying to track down Brueckner's ex-girlfriend Nakscije Miftari, who may hold key information about Madeleine's disappearance.
OPCW Gives Syria 90 Days to Declare Chemical Weapons

Sputnik News

16:27 GMT 09.07.2020(updated 16:43 GMT 09.07.2020)

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Syria has until October to declare to the UN chemical weapons watchdog its stockpile of illegal toxins or face "appropriate action," the OPCW executive council agreed Thursday.

An investigative team of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons concluded in April that the Syrian government used sarin and chlorine in aerial attacks on the town of Ltamenah in March 2017, hurting dozens of people.

The OPCW's 41-member executive council requested in its decision that Syria "declare to the Secretariat all of the chemical weapons it currently possesses... as well as chemical weapons production facilities and other related facilities."

It is also expected to declare facilities where the chemical weapons used in the attacks on March 24, 25, and 30 in 2017 were developed, produced, stockpiled and stored for delivery.

A Syrian man collects and bags the body of a dead bird, reportedly killed by a suspected toxic gas attack in Khan Sheikhun, in Syria's northwestern Idlib province, on April 5, 2017

If Syria fails to "redress the situation," the council warned it will recommend action against it at the next annual conference of all 193 member states, scheduled from November 30 to December 4.

Syria has repeatedly denied using chemical weapons after having them destroyed as part of a Russia-brokered agreement with OPCW in 2013. The government accuses militants of staging chemical attacks, used by Western powers to justify strikes on its territory in 2018.

A Sputnik

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Hefei Inundated by Floodwater: The Sponge City Is Now an Ocean City

In southern China, disastrous floods continue to affect tens of millions of people. Hefei, one of the cities spearheading the so-called sponge city projectdesigned to have cities soak up water and release it laterhas become an ocean city during the flood. Starting in 2016, Hefei city planned to create a sponge city area measuring 2,661 square kilometers. The China Meteorological Administration has been issuing yellow warnings for heavy rain. On June 27, the Ministry of Water Resources of the PRC claimed that floods above the alarm level occurred in 13 rivers in Sichuan, Chongqing, and Guangxi provinces. After five rounds of torrential rain in southern China, the leader of the Chinese Communist Party, Xi Jinping, admitted for the first time that the regional flood situation was serious. On the 28th, Xi Jinping issued flood control instructions.
Srinagar:

Floral tributes were paid on Sunday to the BSF jawan who was killed in accidental recoiling of his long range weapon while retaliating to the ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops in Machhil sector of Kashmir.

Senior BSF officers laid floral wreaths on the coffin carrying the body of Constable Nitin Subhash at Humhama Centre of the BSF.

Subhash sustained grievous injuries when the round blasted inside the chamber of his long range weapon he was firing in retaliation to ceasefire violation from across the LoC on Friday.

Subhash was hit in the shoulder due to the recoil and was admitted to medical facility where he succumbed.

The 28-year-old jawan, hailing from Sangli in Maharashtra, had joined BSF in 2008 and is survived by his wife and two sons aged four years and two years.

His body was sent to his native village amid tearful farewell given to him by his colleagues.

Pakistani troops violated ceasefire in Machhil sector on Friday to provide cover to a column of infiltrating militants. One soldier of army and one militant was killed in the incident. The militants had mutilated the body of the slain soldier.

Army has said this act will invite an appropriate response.

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Company Announcement no. 58  2020

Copenhagen, July 10th, 2020





GreenMobility will enter Helsinki to extend its Nordic green car sharing business





GreenMobility prepares to launch its car sharing service in Helsinki in Q4 2020 with an expected fleet of 200 electric vehicles. From Helsinki, GreenMobility sees additional potential synergies in also including Espoo and Vantaa during 2021.

Helsinki has a strong focus on green innovative solutions for mobility and is therefore an ideal market for GreenMobility. The city was the first to adopt UN Sustainable Development Goals and has a detailed action plan to make the city carbon neutral by 2035, where GreenMobility will play a significant role. Car sharing is naturally welcomed by the city of Helsinki to help achieve the sustainability goals.

GreenMobility has an ambition to offer its car sharing solution in all larger Nordic cities, and with Helsinki the company now covers 5 Nordic cities, with more to follow. Through shared customer service, marketing and platform across these cities, GreenMobility expects operational synergies with its existing operations in Sweden and Denmark, benefiting customers traveling between the Nordic cities.

Depending on the final launch date, it is not expected that the service in Helsinki will contribute significantly to the overall result of GreenMobilitys in 2020, but will have a positive effect going forward.









For further information:

Anders Wall, VP Investor Relations GreenMobility, phone: +45 2540 3020, mail: aw@greenmobility.com

GreenMobility A/S, Landgreven 3, 1301 Kbenhavn K, CVR: 35521585, www.greenmobility.com





Certified Advisor

NORDEN CEF ApS

John Norden

Kongevejen 365, DK-2840 Holte

+45 2072 0200

jn@nordencef.dk









GreenMobility offers modern urbanites easy, flexible and sustainable transport in the form of electric, shared city cars. Users have access to these cars via the GreenMobility app. Trips are paid per-minute. Today, GreenMobility operates 400 EVs in Copenhagen; 200 EVs in Malm and Gothenburg, and 100 cars in Aarhus together with our partner NRGi. More than 75,000 people have signed up with GreenMobility.

Story continues

Driven by global megatrends, GreenMobility sees a rapidly growing market for car sharing in large cities, that demand green transport for their citizens and aim to reduce the number of private cars. GreenMobilitys ambition is to be among the leading global operators of green shared mobility solutions. GreenMobility is listed on the Nasdaq First North GM in Copenhagen.




Here are todays top news, analysis and opinion at 9pm. Know all about the latest news and other news updates from Hindustan Times.

In a first, Trump to wear a mask; US Covid tally crosses 3.1 million mark

President Donald Trump is going to wear a mask, which has been declared the most effective tool in the battle against Covid-19 by experts around the world, when he visits a military hospital on Saturday. He has been pointedly averse to it for himself while allowing experts the last word for others.

Read more.

National Investigation Agency files case against 4 in Kerala gold smuggling scandal

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday filed a First Information Report against four accused in the case of gold smuggling via diplomatic channels. The FIRs were filed under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

Read more.

Kerala extends lockdown in Thiruvanthapuram by a week as community spread-threat looms

Kerala has extended the lockdown in capital Thiruvananthapuram by a week on Friday, coinciding with a record increase of 416 new Covid 19 cases in the state, taking the tally to 6,950 cases including 3,099 active cases. The states previous high of single-day spike was recorded yesterday with 339 new Covid infections.

Read more.

Why Vikas Dubey killing marks a watershed in history of encounters

Much of the commentary surrounding the killing of gangster Vikas Dubey conflates two separate issues. The first is the whole business of encounters, in which policemen kill suspects in custody and then pretend that they were shot while being apprehended or while escaping.

Read more.

With a fortune of $68 bn, Mukesh Ambani now richer than Warren Buffet

Mukesh Ambani has had a rollercoaster 2020, cutting a string of deals for his digital business, undergoing wild swings in his wealth and having his brothers finances laid bare for the world to see.

Read more.

Pune Police Commissioner tweets PSA on the importance of social distancing. Watch

Over the past few months, you may have seen several PSAs on how to keep yourself safe during the ongoing pandemic. Heres another one thats been shared on the Twitter handle of Punes Commissioner of Police Dr Venkatesham. The clip, since being shared, has been receiving several reactions from tweeple whore calling it a creative way to share a message.

Read more.

Spotify, Tinder and other iOS apps are crashing and Facebook might be responsible

Across the world today, a number of popular apps including the likes of Spotify, Tinder, Pintrest, etc have been crashing on iOS through the day. Early reports suggest that this could be happening due to a Facebook bug.

Read more.

All Work and Play: Barbados to allow year-long stay for remote workers as travel resumes

If you had the opportunity to work overlooking some of the best tropical views in the world, would you turn it down or be packing your bags as you rush out the door? Fortunately, this is not a hypothetical question any longer. The Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley announced that her government is considering letting travellers stay and work on the Island of Barbados for an entire year as more and more travel restrictions are being removed.

Read more.

Pooja Bhatt hits back at Sona Mohapatra, says she produced first film at the age of 25 with her own resources

Actor-filmmaker Pooja Bhatt responded to singer Sona Mohapatras claims of a systemic problem in the film industry, in which musicians are exploited. Sona had called for artists to have a stake in their musics success.

Read more.
Failure to vaccinate everyone will give rise to new variants, says UN chief

Coronavirus: India records more than 26,000 COVID-19 cases in last 24 hours; Tally nears 8 lakhs

India

oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P

New Delhi, July 10: Union Health Ministry on Friday said that India recorded 26,506 new cases of the coronavirus and 475 deaths in the last 24 hours pushing its infection tally to 7,93,802. According to reports, the country has recorded more than two lakh COVID-19 cases since July 1.

Coronavirus: Over 26,000 cases in India in last 24 hours for the first time | Oneindia News

It is also said there were 19,135 patients of the viral disease who were cured between Thursday and Friday morning taking the number of those sent home from hospitals to 4,95,512.

Coronavirus Vaccine: Cipla's remdesivir Cipremi launched in India, lowest priced drug for COVID-19

The death toll in India stands at 21,604 after the new fatalities were reported in the last 24 hours. The government has said the country has one of the lowest deaths in the world with deaths per million population at 15.31 which translates to a fatality rate of 2.75 per cent.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra has continued to be the worst-hit state in India with more than 2.30 lakh cases and 9,667 deaths. Tamil Nadu has as many as 1,26,581 COVID-19 cases and 1,765 deaths, while Delhi has reported 107,051 infections and 3,258 deaths till date.

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Story first published: Friday, July 10, 2020, 10:57 [IST]
Adeniyi said: Yes, General Abdulsalami called me to explain that he had no problem with Magu and that the house in question was a guest house and it was by mistake. Mrs Daisy Danjuma also called me earlier in the day. She confirmed they recently purchased a plane to replace the old one but there was no EFCC problem with the Cheque which she said she signed. She said her husband did not complain about Magu.
Polynesians and Native Americans paired up around 800 years ago, creating a genetic signature that is still found today, according to a new study.

The Stanford University study used genetic data from 800 indigenous people living in several South American countries, Mexico and Polynesia.

It is the first study to show, through conclusive genetic analyses, that the two groups met each other before Europeans arrived in South America.

"We found identical-by-descent segments of Native American ancestry across several Polynesian islands. It was conclusive evidence that there was a single shared contact event," lead researcher Alexander Ioannidis said.

"I think this work helps piece together those untold stories - and the fact that it can be brought to light through genetics is very exciting to me,"

"It's really exciting that we, as data scientists and geneticists, are able to contribute in a meaningful way to our understanding of human history."

One thing that the research doesn't show is where exactly the two populations met.

Native American people could have travelled to Polynesia or Polynesians could have travelled to the region now known as Colombia before returning to Polynesia.

Before the study, scientists reasoned that common cultural elements, such as a similar word for sweet potato, showed that the populations could have mingled before Europeans arrived in South America.

"The sweet potato is native to the Americas, yet it's also found on islands thousands of miles away," Ioannidis said.

"On top of that, the word for sweet potato in Polynesian languages appears to be related to the word used in Indigenous American languages in the Andes."

Other studies, that have analysed ancient DNA from bones belonging to Native Americans and native Polynesians were unable to provide sufficient evidence of a link between the two populations.

Credit to Newshub and Ireland Hendry-Tennent for the story.
Our own Downtown Conroe entrepreneur, Debbie Glenn from The Red Brick Tavern will be singing with her band, Southern Disposition at the Bos Extravaganza hosted by John Schneider (Dukes of Hazard) in Holden, Louisiana July 18-19. The Red Brick Tavern cooking team will be catering food to all the show crew. Get tickets for the event at www.bosextravaganza.com/

Live Music every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at both The Red Brick Tavern and Pacific Yard House. The Corner Pub is closed until further notice per the Executive Order by the Governor.
Southampton, July 11 : England openers Dom Sibley and Rory Burns saw off the last 10 overs of the day after West Indies were all out for 318 on Day 3 of the first Test against England, taking a crucial 114-run first innings lead. At stumps, the hosts were 15/0, still training by 99 runs, with Sibley on 5 and Burns on 10.

Earlier, valuable contributions from opener Kraigg Brathwaite (65), Roston Chase (47) in the middle order and wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich (61) helped the visitors take the lead.

Dowrich and Chase's 81-run partnership helped West Indies move into the lead and take a strong position in the match. West Indies captain Jason Holder joined Dowrich in the middle after Chase fell to James Anderson. However, Holder could not last long with his England counterpart Ben Stokes exacting revenge for his dismissal at the hands of Holder on Day 2.

Stokes then dismissed Alzarri Joseph after the latter had made 18 off 12 balls before dismissing Shane Dowrich to complete his four-wicket haul.

The third session thus turned out to be more fruitful for England than the second, which was largely dominated by Chase and Dowrich.

The hosts' bowlers toiled hard but couldn't force a breakthrough as the duo put together an unbeaten 49-run stand till Tea and helped the visitors take a slender 31-run lead at the end of second session. The pair only increased their run rate after the second new ball was taken before the dismissal of Chase broke the partnership.

Brief scores: England 204 & 15/0 (Rory Burns 10 n.o., Dom Sibley 5 n.o.) vs West Indies 318 (Kraigg Brathwaite 65, Shane Dowrich 61; Ben Stokes 4/49)


BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - Lithuania's producer prices declined for the fifth month in a row in June, though at a softer pace, figures from Statistics Lithuania showed on Friday.



The producer price index decreased 11.4 percent year-on-year in June, following an 16.1 percent decrease in May.



The decline in prices was mainly due to an increase in prices for refined petroleum products and a decrease in wood and wood products prices, the agency said.



Excluding refined petroleum products, producer prices fell 3.4 percent annually in June, following a 3.7 percent decline in the preceding month.



Producer prices for products sold on the Lithuanian market decreased by 7.7 percent annually in June. Prices for products sold on the foreign market fell by 13.8 percent from a year ago.



On a month-on-month basis, producer prices grew 2.7 percent in June, after remaining unchanged in the prior month.



Separate data from the statistical office showed that the trade balance logged a surplus of EUR 2.7 million in May versus a deficit of EUR 474.9 million in the last year.



In April, the trade surplus was EUR 34.8 million.



Exports declined 21.8 percent yearly in May, following a 20.1 percent fall in April.



Imports decreased 34.4 percent annually in May, following a 28.6 percent fall in the preceding month.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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T he waitress who ejected a British tech CEO from her restaurant after a racist rant has received almost $40,000 (32,200) in online tips.

Silicon Valley boss Michael Lofthouse launched the verbal tirade at the Orosa Chan family as they were celebrating a birthday at the Luciana Restaurant in Carmel Valley, California.

In a video of the incident taken by Jordan Chan, Mr Lofthouse, CEO and founder of tech company Solid8, stands up and yells at the family: "Trump's gonna f*** you."

"You f****** need to leave! You f****** Asian piece of s***!" he continues.

Jennica Cochran made Michael Lofthouse leave the restaurant after his racist rant (@jordanlizchan)

Server Jennica Cochran then admonishes Mr Lofthouse, and demands that he leave the restaurant and never return.

She is shown saying: "No, you do not talk to our guests like that! Get out of here!

"They are valued guests."

Since the clip was shared online, Ms Cochran has been praised for stepping in and defending the Orosa Chan family.

People have donated $39,000 (30,019) in tips for her to a GoFundMe page.

She told KPIX 5: "I've dealt with racism before but never on that scale.

"Never on the level where somebody completely unprovoked felt obligated to voice their hatred for absolutely no reason."

Michael Lofthouse went on a racist tirade directed at the Orosa Chan family (@jordanlizchan)

Ms Cochran told ABC News that she will never be a passive observer when people are subjected to any form of prejudice.

"I'm not a mother, but I felt almost maternal, she said. Right, like this is my family and I will take care of them and I will do whatever I can to protect these people.

"To have someone hate you just because of the way that you look, that's beyond me. I don't understand it.

"It's not something that I will condone ever again, being silent."

Jordan Chan said she was not surprised by the verbal attack from Mr Lofthouse.

Sharing her video on Instagram, she wrote: "It is no coincidence that this man has the audacity to showcase such blatant racism on the 4th of July. White supremacy has a notorious habit of masquerading as patriotism!

"The fact that Donald Trump is our president (i.e. THE MOST POWERFUL MAN IN THE WORLD) gives racists a platform and amplifies voices of hate.

"The surfacing of racists is so prevalent right now, even in such an ethnically/culturally diverse and liberal state like California, because Trump HIMSELF uses his position to incite racial tension and to promote aggression towards POC, foreigners, and immigrants. We need change!"

Mr Lofthouse has since given a statement apologising for his words.

He told the Daily Mail: "My behavior in the video is appalling. This was clearly a moment where I lost control and made incredibly hurtful and divisive comments. I would like to deeply apologize to the Chan family. I can only imagine the stress and pain they feel.

"I was taught to respect people of all races, and I will take the time to reflect on my actions and work to better understand the inequality that so many of those around me face every day."

The Bernardus Lodge has said they regret the treatment the Orosa Chan family endured at their restaurant.

"This is an extremely unfortunate situation, however, we are proud of our staff at Lucia in keeping with Bernardus Lodge's core values," said Sean Damery, the lodge's vice president and general manager, in a statement to KION.

"This incident was handled swiftly and the diner was escorted off property without further escalation. We provide guests with a safe environment for lodging and dining, and extend our sincere apologies to the guests enjoying a birthday celebration on a holiday weekend."
Kerala smuggling case has huge ramifications for national security, to be probed under UAPA

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, July 10: The organised smuggling operation may have implications on national security, the Home Ministry said while ordering a probe by the National Investigation Agency into the Kerala smuggling case.

Kerala gold smuggling case has rocked the Vijayan govt| Know the full story | Oneindia News

Cases would be registered under Sections 15,16, 17 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 2004. This prima facie clearly looks like an organised racket and also has international links to it. The case needs to be probed under the UAPA, as it has massive ramifications for national security, an NIA official informed OneIndia.

The custom officers at Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday during an operation at the International Airport seized 30 kilograms of gold worth Rs 15 crore.

Kerala Gold Smuggling: Who is Swapna Suresh?

The gold was seized from a consignment meant for the Consulate of the United Arab Emirates in the city. The main accused was identified as a woman by the name Swapna Suresh.

The opposition has been targeting the Kerala Chief Minister's Office, because Swapna was working in the IT department, which is directly under the purview of the CM's office. She has however been sacked.

Swapna Suresh is a former employee of the UAE consulate. The police say that Swapna had forged documents of the UAE Consulate to obtain diplomatic immunity to run the gold smuggling operations.

She had also hidden the fact that she worked in the Kerala IT department and that there was an investigation by the crime branch against her. This case relates to a forgery allegedly committed when she was. Trainer with Air India Sats.

Swapna Suresh was born in Abu Dhabi. Her father originally from Balaramapuram in Thiruvananthapuram was posted in Abu Dhabi. She had worked with the passenger services department in Abu Dhabi, following which shifted to Thiruvananthapuram with her daughter, owing to divorce.

Back home she worked in a travel agency for two years and then got a job at Air India Sats in 2013. In 2016, she returned to Abu Dhabi. Over there she worked for as the secretary of the Consulate General in the UAE. Last year she left the job, but the police say she was expelled for irregularities. Due to her UAE job, she got to know many bigwigs in Kerala.

It may be recalled that the accused persons in the actress Shamma Kasim extortion case had told the police about a woman. This is what led to the busting of this case.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A 17-year-old boy was found unconscious on the Perth Amboy shore after a multi-agency marine search Thursday afternoon between the coasts of Tottenville and Perth Amboy, a spokesman for the United States Coast Guard (USCG) told the Advance/SILive.com.

The young man, Johnny Vasquez, who was on the autism spectrum and suffered from epilepsy, was confirmed dead by his family following the incident, according to a PIX11 report.

Johnny was a special boy, the family said in a statement to the news agency. He was a young man with a heart of gold and a whole world in front of him. He is very much loved by all his family especially his mother and father, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.

Two people were recovered from the water after an emergency call at 2:39 p.m. on Thursday, said USCG Petty Officer John Hightower.

A 30-year-old male was recovered by the Perth Amboy Fire Department, according to Hightower. The USCG did not have immediate information regarding his condition.

The 17-year-old boy was recovered by the NYPD divers at 5:09 p.m., Hightower said.

An NYPD spokeswoman said that he was found in the vicinity of the Perth Amboy Yacht Club.

The 17-year-old was found unconscious and in cardiac arrest, according to a CBSNewYork interview with a Perth Amboy police officer.

Emergency responders began attempting resuscitation and he was transferred to Hackensack Meridian Health Raritan Bay Medical Center in Perth Amboy, according to CBSNewYork.

Another male teenager was involved in the incident and attempted to rescue the 17-year-old, the officer told CBSNewYork. He was transported to the hospital for several injuries after climbing up rocks on the shore to safety.

Swimming is not permitted in the area where the boy was found due to strong currents and the rocks.

A 29-foot USCG vessel and a rescue helicopter both assisted in the search, which was still underway as of 4:30 p.m.

The Perth Amboy Police Department was leading the search, authorities said. A spokesperson for the agency could not immediately provide information regarding the departments response.

NYPD Harbor and Aviation units were on scene Thursday afternoon assisting with the search, and an NYPD spokeswoman said two divers assisted New Jersey authorities in the search.

Multiple helicopters and marine units could be seen off the coast of Conference House Park in Tottenville just before 5 p.m.
A statue of the First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump, as been removed after it was set on fire by vandals.

The said statue was placed near her hometown, in Sevnica, central Slovenia, and it was burned by vandals on July 5, according to the Slovenian Police.

Vandalized statue

The artist who commissioned the statue of Melania Trump, Brad Downey, said that the local police department called him about the incident. He was informed about what happened four days after the burning of the statue.

The statue of the First Lady was built in July 2019 and it was a part of a project that includes a documentary film about Melania Trump, as reported by CNN.

On July 5, the burned statue was removed, and Downey state that he talked to the locals and asked them to not post pictures of the figure because he does not want it to become a meme on the internet for people to make fun of.

Downey filed police reported, but he is not interested in pressing charges. He said he only wants to know who did it and he wants to know why they did it.

Downey said that he is just curious and he thinks that the people who vandalized the statue does not like what it represents or how it looks. He also believes that the timing of the attack, which was on the weekend of US Independence Day, was not just a random act, as reported by BBC.

Also Read: Seoul Mayor Park Won-Soon Found Dead, Suspected Suicide

According to the Slovenian Police, the case is labeled as "damage to property" which is considered a criminal offense. Downey previously said that he was inspired to create Melania Trump's statue due to the anti-immigration narrative.

The said narrative is from President Donald Trump himself who showed contradiction because the main focus of his presidency is to stop immigration in the United States and yet he is married to an immigrant himself.

Downey commissioned Ales Zupevc, a local conceptual artist, who is better known as Maxi and was born in the same hospital and the same year as Melania Trump, to carve the statue from a tree using a chainsaw.

Even though media reports stated that the statue had divided public opinion, locals actually liked the project and they have looked after the statue and the area around it. Downey said that the locals were very supportive and were proud of the statue.

Next move

Downey is currently working on an artistic response to the vandalism of the statute and a video on how the media responded to the statue being burned down. He said that he will try to do something that shows how the media reported the incident and how the locals reacted.

The burned statue is now in storage and it is still unclear if they will make another one. In June, Downey released a book titled "Slapstick Formalism" and he is preparing for a new exhibition in Slovenia in September, according to The Washington Post.

Sevnica, Melania Trump's town, has 5,000 residents and has profited from Melania Trump's worldwide fame as the First Lady of the United States. They have enjoyed an increase in their tourism rates and the town had been selling a range of Melania-themed products including honey, cake, and chocolate.

Related Article: Fact Check: Dr. Fauci Allegedly Married to Ghislaine Maxwell's Sister?

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White evangelical support for President Donald Trump dropped by more than 10 percentage points the week that protests over George Floyds killing spread across the country, according to an analysis of recent polling data.

As of June 2, only 59 percent of white evangelicals said they would have voted for Trump if elections were held that day, according to Ryan Burge, an Eastern Illinois University religion and political science professor.

Burge analyzed polling by Data For Progress thats been conducted every Tuesday since April 14. He used the surveys data on white, born-again Christians as a stand-in for white evangelicals, as he said public opinion between the two demographic groups have generally mirrored one another.

Burge noted a correlation between the drop in support for Trump and national outrage over the May 25 killing of Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis, Minn.

READ MORE: Churches, once crucial to the civil rights movement, face a new 'challenge' after George Floyd

In the weeks prior to that  and despite criticism of his administrations handling of COVID-19  white evangelical support for Trump had remained relatively steady, Burge told the Chronicle.

One day after Floyd was killed, about 70 percent of white evangelicals said they would vote for Trump, Burge noted.

The protests began soon after and, on June 1, Trump drew condemnation from many Christians for having protesters forcibly removed from outside the White House so he could pose with a Bible in front of a nearby Episcopalian church.

By June 2, the presidents support among white evangelicals had dropped to just over 59 percent.

Between May and June, Trump also lost the support of about 4.5 percent of those surveyed by Data For Progress. His presumptive Democratic challenger Joe Biden gained 3.6 percent of voters over the same period.

The findings indicate a significant wavering in support for the president among a crucial voting bloc.

In the 2016 election, more than 80 percent of white evangelicals voted for Trump, and the president has since then enjoyed some of his highest approval ratings among that demographic group.

It also comes as both Trump and Biden continue to vie for religious voters. Last week, Trump announced a Faith in America campaign, and the president has also lambasted a U.S. Supreme Court decision on LGBTQ discrimination that was opposed by many conservative Christians.

Biden, meanwhile, has continued to discuss his faith on the campaign trail, raising concerns among the Trump campaign, according to a June 21 story in Politico.

Recent polling by Fox News also found that Trump was underperforming among white evangelical voters and rural voters. In 2016, Trump won white evangelicals by 64 points and rural voters by 27, according to Fox News.

He currently has a 41-point margin over Biden among white evangelicals, but only a 9-point margin among all rural voters, according to Fox News.

One of the people who conducts the Fox News poll also noted Floyds death in his analysis.

Its hard to believe an issue has emerged more challenging for Trump to navigate during his re-election campaign than a pandemic, but that happened with the racial reckoning prompted by George Floyds murder, said pollster and commentator Chris Anderson.

And it appears the issue will persist in even the more conservative spheres of evangelicalism.

Leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention, for instance, have been notably outspoken in recent weeks about addressing racial inequality in society and their own denomination, the nations second-largest behind Catholicism.

Earlier this month, SBC President J.D. Greear grabbed national headlines after he said black lives matter, but criticized some of the policy positions taken by the activist group of the same name.

A few days later, the SBCs national leadership elected a black pastor to a powerful position for the first time in the history of the denomination, which was founded out of support for slave-holding missionaries.

robert.downen@chron.com
A lightning strike at King Street fire hall knocked out Welland Fire and Emergency Services communications system Thursday night, forcing a move to a backup, says Adam Eckhart.

The strike and storm system caused other problems at the hall at 636 King St.

We have some computer issues  our basement is flooded, said Deputy Chief Eckhart.

He said the fire service is confident lightning struck an antenna on the building.

Despite the issues, Eckhart wanted to reassure Welland residents that the fire service was fully operational and ready to respond to any calls in the city.

During last nights storm, Welland firefighters had between 14 and 16 calls within two hours.

We had several alarm calls from water penetrating a structure or electrical interruptions, calls for flooding across a street.

He said there were homes south of Ontario Road that reported several centimetres of water in their basements.

Firefighters had to deal with power line fires and tree branches across lines in various parts of the city.

With the high volume of calls and some taking longer to clear, Eckhart activated the fire services call back system, where off-duty firefighters are called in to man fire stations and respond to calls.

One of the other calls firefighters dealt with Thursday night was a transformer fire in the David Street area of the city.

Perry Orosz, Welland Hydros director of customer service and employee relations, said hydro crews were kept busy during the storm, which saw frequent lightning across much of central Niagara.

Orosz said there was damage to transformers and power lines in different pockets throughout the Rose City.

We had one storm roll in and then another.

While the majority of problems were taken care during the night, Orosz said hydro was still working to restore power in a few areas Friday morning.

During the storms, he was on the utilitys Twitter account keeping residents updated as to when power might be restored in certain areas. He said despite the time estimates, other issues could crop up in the same area that would delay things.

Michelle Idzenga, Port Colbornes corporate communications officer, said the only flooding issue in the lakeside city was in the King, Killaly West and Erie streets area.

She said there was a watermain break on Erie Street that saw the basement of a home at the corner of King and Killaly Street West flooded.

Fire services and city crews were on scene.

Idzenga said water on part of Erie Street was shut off as crews dealt with the watermain break.

Environment Canada meteorologist Gerald Cheng said 30 millimetres of rain fell Thursday night during the storm according to a weather station on the south side of the Welland River near Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport.

The weather agency had issued a rainfall warning after 11 p.m., stating up to 100 millimetres of rain could fall across the region. That warning ended around 1:46 a.m.

RELATED STORIES Niagara Region Persistent hot weather taking toll on Niagara communities

The storms that passed through Niagara developed on the south side of Lake Erie before moving north into Niagara, said Cheng.

He said the storms were likely triggered by a lake breeze.

Lake breezes develop when land becomes warmer than nearby surrounding bodies of water.

With the heat wave being experienced in Niagara, Cheng said it is much hotter over the land in the Niagara area and the lake temperatures are still relatively cold.

Warm air rising over the land gets replaced by the cool air from over the surface of a lake  Lake Erie in the case of last nights storms.

Cheng said when the cool air is pushed toward the shoreline it can trigger the development of thunderstorms.

That makes it a challenge for weather forecasters in the summer months because the storms can form so quickly, said Cheng. He said the storms are small, stretching across maybe 100 kilometres or so, not like the large systems that stretch across 1,000 kilometres and are easier for forecasters to see and predict.
Amber Heard used to chop lines of cocaine for Johnny Depp and leave a shot of whiskey on the nightstand, the Pirates Of The Caribbean star has told Londons High Court as he described her alleged drug use.

He said there had been drugs at the couples wedding and rehearsal dinner, and the court heard part of an email Ms Heard sent to friends before a getaway telling them to bring some food, booze and drug of choice  yay.

On the opening day of Mr Depps libel action, Sasha Wass, leading counsel for The Sun newspapers publisher News Group Newspapers, said that during the relationship, Ms Heard was understanding and supportive of all her then-partners attempts to rehabilitate himself and during the early period of his attempts to kick his addiction he was appreciative of her support.

In a text to Ms Heards mother during a detox trip to his private island in the Bahamas in 2014, which the court heard earlier in the week, Mr Depp described himself as a poor old junkie and said without the help of Ms Heard, his then-fiancee, he wouldnt be alive.

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But on Friday  the Hollywood A-listers fourth day in the witness box  his lawyer David Sherborne asked about Mr Depps contention that Ms Heard was not always entirely supportive in terms of the challenges you faced with alcohol and drugs.

The barrister referred to a text sent by Raquel Rocky Pennington, a friend of Ms Heards, to Mr Depp which he said was sent just before you go to the Bahamas.

The text read: Hi, just called you. Do you have any mushrooms? We are planning on cooking on the island.

Another text message sent from Mr Depps phone on the same day in August read: Its Amber and I always get what I want.

Mr Depp said Ms Heard had clearly sent that text.

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Mr Sherborne referenced other text messages sent around the same time that talked about wanting to procure more mushrooms.

Mr Depp told the court: It seems that she was looking for, trying to acquire drugs, mushrooms.

Mr Sherborne referred to a schedule for the couples wedding which detailed a 7pm rehearsal dinner and then said: After, dance party, drugs and music.

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The barrister said: So this is Ms Heard wanting to arrange drugs for her friends as part of the weekend wedding celebrations?

Mr Depp said he had not seen that at the time but that seems to be the plan.

Mr Sherborne asked: And were there drugs at the wedding and rehearsal dinner?

Mr Depp replied: Yes.

An email sent by Ms Heard to friends before they went to the Hicksville trailer park in June 2013 asked all those attending to bring some food, booze and drug of choice  yay.

Mr Sherborne asked: Does that accord with your understanding of what Ms Heard and her friends liked to do when they wanted to party?

Mr Depp replied: Yes, sir.

The actor also told the court Ms Heard kept a bottle of Bulleit bourbon whiskey in the freezer for him, adding: A shot would be poured when I arrived, even if Ms Heard was asleep. When I arrived there would be a shot of whiskey on the nightstand.

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He said she would normally drink two bottles of wine a night.

Mr Sherborne said it was suggested to Mr Depp during his cross-examination by Ms Wass that it was nonsense that Ms Heard poured him whiskey and chopped lines of cocaine for him.

Mr Depp told the court: She definitely poured me whiskey  the lines of cocaine  early in our relationship it was  very much like the boots thing.

She would chop cocaine for me but she wouldnt ingest it through her nose  she would rub it on her gum.

He earlier told the court Ms Heard had a habit of unlacing his boots and removing them for him when he came home from work, something he described as a beautiful, lovely gesture.

Mr Depp said she became very upset at one point when he removed them himself because she appeared busy.

He said the small, mundane issue had then escalated to an argument.
Glitzy: Supermodel Jasmine Tookes in a Boohoo dress

Shares in Boohoo bounced back almost 30 per cent following a three-day rout that wiped more than 2billion off its value.

Shares were up a further 3.1 per cent in early trading today at 294.95p.

The rally will come as a relief to the online fashion group's founders  who lost 433million in the sell-off  and many investors with cash tied up in the business.

This includes individual shareholders and savers with money in funds that hold the stock as well as star fund manager Richard Buxton.

He is head of UK equities at Merian, which is owned by Jupiter Asset Management, and holds big stakes in Boohoo across its funds.

Jupiter is the biggest independent shareholder with a 10 per cent stake held mostly through Merian, which it bought this year.

Four Merian funds  UK Smaller Companies, UK Smaller Companies Focus, UK Mid Cap, and UK Dynamic Equity  have sizeable amounts of savers' cash in Boohoo shares.

Boohoo shares had been flying high after the coronavirus crash but have tumbled this week allegations some clothes were made in sweatshops

Boohoo has been rocked by allegations that some of its clothes were being made in sweatshops that were paying staff as little as 3.50 an hour.

The scandal sent shares plunging 42 per cent in just three days at the start of this week  costing founders Carol Kane and the Kamani family a total of 433million.

But the stock jumped 27.4 per cent, or 61.6p, to 286.1p yesterday.

Together, all four Merian funds, which own a chunk of Boohoo, manage 4.5billion of savers' money.

But the managers have not been deterred by the sweatshop scandal, as regulatory filings over the last few days show at least one of them has been snapping up shares.

Jupiter's stake in Boohoo has climbed from 9.82 per cent to 10.32 per cent since the scandal hit, as it buys shares on the cheap.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 10)  A number of senators said the decision of a House of Representatives committee on Friday to reject ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation's franchise application set a dangerous precedent to other media groups.

In a statement, Senator Grace Po said the shutdown of the media giant will have a bearing on proposed legislative franchises in the future.

The House has indeed set a high and unforgiving bar in approving franchises. This may affect current active franchises, Poe said.

Senator Risa Hontiveros said the decision sends a chilling message" to media practitioners and journalists.

Toe the line or get shut down. May takot at pagbabanta ang mensaheng inihahatid ng gobyerno: kapag kaaway ka, pwede kang ipasara, she said.

[Translation: Toe the line or get shut down. There is fear and threat that goes with this message from the government: you are an enemy, you can be shut down.]

Meanwhile, Senator Richard Gordon said that the decision of the majority of the House panel on legislative franchises would leave a bad taste in mouth.

It will really leave a bad taste in the mouth in terms of perception, they will not get away from it. The perception is that ABS-CBN was closed because, perhaps, they were having disagreement with the current administration. You cannot close that perception, he told CNN Philippines.

The lawmakers also raised their concerns regarding most of the 11,000 employees of ABS-CBN who will lose their jobs in the middle of a pandemic.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said in a separate statement that workers in the media company will suffer the consequences of the unfortunate and politically-charged event.

The 11,000 workers losing jobs next month have families to feed, rent and mortgages to pay and children to send to schools. They will suffer the consequences of the decision of the House of Representatives, Drilon said.

Voting 70-11, the House Committee on Legislative Franchises denied the consolidated bills which would have granted ABS-CBN a new license to resume broadcast operations.
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Kano State Deputy Governor Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna has described the State Emergency Operation Center (EOC) as capable of generating and visualizing data and information on COVID -19.

Dr. Gawuna who is the State Chairman Task Force Committee on Covid-19 made the statement today during the visual commissioning of the USAID upgraded public health emergency operation center in Kano.

Gawuna appreciated that Kano had the privilege to get the USAID support in upgrading the first of its kind emergency operation center which is modernized and equipped with multimedia equipment.

the EOC will serve as not only for COVID-19, but also for other public health emergencies services equipped with communication equipment, display screen and furniture as well as improved infection prevention and control materials  Gawuna added.

The Deputy Governor explained that since the first confirmed COVID-19 case in Kano, the present administration of Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje had continued to advance public health measures, leveraging on experts and NCDC guidelines and instituting a formidable taskforce that had been coordinating and managing all the operational COVID-19 incident pillars.

According to him, Isolation centers were set up, trained health workers instituted to manage infections and reduce the spread of infections in the State.

He added that the State had equally prioritized the procurement of relevant personal protective equipment (PPE) , consumables and all needed resources required to reduce the impact of the pandemic.

Dr. Gawuna therfore, hailed the effort of United States Agency International Development (USAID) for its kind intervention in upgrading the State Emergency Operation Center for Covid-19 and other public health emergencies, calling on the State Health Personnel to make judicious utilization of the facilities.

Earlier in his welcomed address, the State Commissioner of Health Dr. Aminu Ibrahim Tsanyawa expressed appreciation on behalf of his Ministry for enjoying all the needed supports from Kano Government, USAID and other Development Partners that resulted to the success in the fight against COVID -19 pandemic in Kano.

While commissioning the Upgraded center through a visual video, the United States Ambassador to Nigeria Mary Beth Leonard expressed satisfaction with measures taken by Kano State Government in its effort to curtail the spread of corona virus.
German EU Presidency Releases Tax Agenda

by Ulrika Lomas, Tax-News.com, Brussels

10 July 2020

The newly instated German presidency of the European Union will focus on introducing internationally agreed tax rules for digital companies, according to the presidency's policy agenda.

"The OECD is currently drafting reform proposals that are intended to address in an effective manner the tax challenges arising from the digital transformation and which comprise the introduction of a minimum global effective tax rate," the document notes.

"Following the conclusion of negotiations, we want to press ahead with implementing the results in the EU," it adds.

Additionally, the document reveals that the German presidency is committed to the introduction of a financial transaction tax (FTT) at European level.

The 10 EU member states negotiating towards a final legal text for a financial transaction tax have made little progress on the proposals since a draft FTT was released by the European Commission in 2011. However, in order to break the deadlock, the German Government announced its support for a 0.2 percent tax on the purchases of shares in companies with a market capitalization in excess of EUR1bn (USD1.1bn), with initial share offerings excluded from the tax.

The German presidency also proposes to revise the directive on administrative cooperation in order to "tackle tax evasion in an effective manner."

Germany assumed the six-monthly rotating presidency of the EU on July 1, 2020. Its term will end on December 31, 2020.
As a taxpayer with children in public school, Im upset to read the news story, Trump to seek tuition aid for private schools (July 6). Unfortunately, this president and his secretary of education, Betsy DeVos, are intent on diverting desperately needed federal funds away from states with COVID-19-related budget deficits to support private schools that are either religious-based or dont follow more stringent public school academic standards.

As the American Federation of Teachers has noted, about 90% of our children attend public schools that need more federal money to purchase protective equipment in order to reopen safely in the fall. So while the Trump administration is promoting aid to private schools as Education Freedom Scholarships, it should actually be called Public School Dollar Deprivations.

Jenny Wong, Daly City

Stop misusing park land

Regarding Tesla Park should be open to Bay Area walkers, not vehicles (Open Forum, July 7): Dick Schneider is right on target. I am lucky to live in the Bay Area with so many parks that are a bit of a silver lining given the stubborn virus that has engulfed our lives.

Thousands of people head to the local parks every day for exercise and a relaxing dose of nature. If Schneider is right that fewer off-highway vehicle enthusiasts visit the off-highway vehicle park in eastern Alameda County than people who use low-impact parks, my next question is why are our state parks administrators allowing this conversion of a biologically sensitive area to a motorcycle park?

It could add open space recreation for the Bay and east to Tracy and the Central Valley. The jammed parks during this virus pandemic should alert state parks that people want more open space to get recharged after home confinement for several months, and they dont want to see valuable land misused when other options are available.

Arthur Hull, Livermore

Not surprised by Trump

Can anyone be surprised to learn from the news story, Book accuses Trump of cheating as a way of life (July 8), that a tell-all book by the presidents niece, Mary Trump, includes a revelation that he paid someone to take the precollegiate SAT on his behalf when he was a high school student in Queens, N.Y.? After all, Trump has threatened to sue any school that revealed transcripts of his grades. Given this presidents track record for crooked business dealings and his penchant for spreading fake conspiracies, Mary Trumps memoir should have been called My Uncle Donald: Too Much Cheating and Never Enough Truth.

Jean Louis Cook, San Francisco

Test the candidates

I was intrigued by the claim, which President Trump denies, that our current president paid someone to take his SAT. To prove his claim, I think Trump should take the SAT again. In fact, I think all candidates for elective office should be required to take the test and not just the basic tests but the subject tests in world history, U.S. history, the science tests (biology, chemistry and physics) and literature. Id also like to have them take tests in current events, in particular world leaders and geography. Almost every occupation has some kind of licensing tests.

Shouldnt those who want to lead our country be required to at least rise to the level of college entrance, and shouldnt we as voters have some basis for judging the competence of these potential leaders?

David Posner, Napa

Goodbye to Odwalla

Say it isnt so! is my reaction to No more Odwalla (Daily Briefing, Business, July 8). As a lover of its smoothie drinks, like Superfood and Protein Monster, Im sad to learn that Coca-Cola will quit making Odwalla beverages. Although Odwalla drinks were criticized for their high sugar content, many devotees enjoyed them for their nutritional benefits, convenience and taste. For now, I guess its BTTB: Back to the Blender.

Mark Michaelson, Woodside

Deadly justification

The GOP argued forever that locals should be in charge of local education. Of course, that was a smokescreen to justify some states teaching intelligent design and the doubt of the scientific evidence connected to global warming. Now, they are poised to coerce all public schools to open with full knowledge that children, teachers and staff members will be infected by coronavirus and some will die. This is also from the party that (in reference to the Affordable Care Act) so gravely warned us of death panels in which the government would decide who lives and who dies. All of this will be done to create the whiff of normalcy during this pandemic, and therefore, improve the presidents chances of reelection. Im sure that for many, the ends (more conservative judges to imperil abortion rights) justify the means with a few thousand dead now. This is the type of calculus that they truly want taught in our schools!

Scott Godfrey, Oakland

False mask comparison

This is in response to the author of Hypocritical media (Letters, June 6), who accuses the media of being hypocritical for pointing out that most people at President Trumps rally at Mount Rushmore were not wearing masks, yet protesters against racism and police brutality are hardly ever called out for that. I hear this repeatedly and its a false comparison. The reason its not reported is that most people at the protests are wearing masks and even socially distancing when possible. From looking at photos of Trumps event at Mount Rushmore, I think itd be generous to say one out of every 50 people were wearing masks, and they were sitting shoulder to shoulder!

I agree the virus shouldnt be political, but the president has made it political by discouraging the use of masks and social distancing by holding these super-spreader events. Wearing masks in public during a pandemic should be a no-brainer. They help stop the spread and protect others around you, just like covering your mouth when you cough. I think its newsworthy when the president and his followers think otherwise.

Barry Korengold, San Francisco

Bad look for Dems

Regarding Dems debate police union donations (July 8): As an independent who invariably votes Democratic, I was appalled at the apparent admissions by top party leaders that: 1) the party accepted police donations, which they claim paid the price for our silence; and 2) large donations to the party result in kowtowing to special interest donors. Im not naive enough to not know large donors get special treatment in any political party, but to use that acknowledgment as the basis to refuse police union contributions, is not too smart, nor is it good optics.

Michael Terrizzi, San Mateo

Halt clear-cutting trees

Regarding For cleaner fleets (Editorial, July 7): The editorial describes Californias Advanced Clear Truck rule, under which the governor and Air Resources Board hope to convert diesel exhaust by trucks to electric engines, starting in 2024 until 2045.

There should be a similar program for autos, and even better if enough citizens could pressure Gov. Gavin Newsom, legislators and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to stop the shameful timber harvest called clear-cutting.

That action destroys the trees currently removing tons of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, our buffer against global warming. An emergency prohibition of clear-cutting is imperative, as we cant wait two decades for diesel emissions to drop.
A QAnon conspiracy theorist who posted a photo of shirtless partygoers packed on top of one another at a Fourth of July Fire Island party has been kicked out of his family New York home, according to a comment made from his brother.

Giancarlo Kristian Albanese, from White Plains, took to his social media platforms on July 5 to share the wild photo of the nighttime party at Fire Island Pines.

'F**k the New World Order,' he declared in the viral post. 'F**k Agenda 21. F**k Your mask. F**k your social distancing. F**k your vaccine. F**k your eugenics. Kiss my a*shole if you think I'm an a*s.'

Giancarlo Kristian Albanese, from White Plains, posted a photo on July 5 from the party at Fire Island Pines

'F**k the New World Order,' he declared in the viral post. 'F**k Agenda 21. F**k Your mask. F**k your social distancing. F**k your vaccine. F**k your eugenics. Kiss my a*shole if you think I'm an a*s'

The post has gone viral across various social media platforms, with many sharing their disgust with Albanese's blatant disregard for other's help.

It comes as more than 130,000 people have died from the coronavirus across the United States, with New York once being the epicenter of the virus in the country.

But Giancarlo - a currency analyst at EverythingFx - was also slammed by his brother Kristoff, who took to the post on Instagram and lambasted the reveler for not caring for their parents or home.

Giancarlo - a currency analyst at EverythingFx - was slammed by his brother Kristoff, who took to the post on Instagram and lambasted the reveler for not caring for their parents or home

Kristoff revealed that the siblings' parents were both high risk for contracting the virus, adding that his brother decision to go to the party was 'complete disrespect' as he lives with his parents.

'Find a new home because youre not welcome at the one you currently live at,' the brother said in the post, Queerty reports. 'Complete disrespect for Mom & Dads lives, both who are very weak.'

'Mom has chemo on Friday and youre out doing this s**t? Go live on your own and not under your parents roof where you can do whatever you like.'

Kristoff - who goes by toffmcsoft on Instagram - exchanged a quick back and forth with another commenter, sharing that his father had just undergone open heart surgery last year and was still recovering.

Giancarlo would later post a 13-minute video, refusing to apologize for his attendance to the party

'No worries though,' the brother shared. 'I'll be standing at the door. He's not walking through it.'

Giancarlo would later post a 13-minute video, refusing to apologize for his attendance to the party.

He then spewed several conspiracy theories about how the coronavirus is 'lab-made' and slammed the levels of hysteria.

The conspiracy theorist used several minutes of the video to include clips from various movies and shows that he claimed showed how various events were controlled.
Van Buren, N.Y.  A driver was on drugs when he hit another car and crashed into a tree late Sunday afternoon in Van Buren.

Tyshawn Allen, 23, has been arrested by the New York State Police and charged with driving while ability impaired by drug and reckless driving. He was arrested at Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse and issued 11 traffic tickets about two hours after the crash in Van Buren, state polices arrest logs show.

The accident happened around 5:45 p.m. Sunday on state Route 690 north about half a mile south of the Jordan/Baldwinsville exit.

Allen was speeding north in a 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix when he lost control of his car and struck a 2019 GMC Acadia, said Trooper Jack Keller, state police spokesman. The Grand Prix then veered off the highway, became airborne and crashed into a tree, he said.

READ MORE: Update: Syracuse man IDd as driver of stolen U-Haul after police chase from Geddes to Cortland County

Baldwinsville volunteer firefighters extricated Allen from his car. He was taken to Upstate, treated and released.

The three people in the Acadia were not hurt.

The Van Buren accident happened less than a year after Allen was charged with leading police on a 35-mile chase in a stolen U-Haul. The traffic pursuit happened last August, starting near the New York State fairgrounds and ending in Cortland.

Its not clear if Allens case has been resolved yet.

Staff writer Samantha House covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? Reach her at shouse@syracuse.com.
WASHINGTON  The Trump administration on Friday said it would impose new tariffs on $1.3 billion worth of French goods, including cosmetics, soap and handbags, in retaliation for a French tax that largely hits American technology companies, escalating a trade dispute that threatens to further damage the global economy.

Notably absent from the tariff list, published by the United States Trade Representative, are French cheese, sparkling wine and cookware, which the administration had threatened to tax in December. Wine retailers and other U.S. importers of French goods had voiced opposition to those potential tariffs, saying they would hurt American companies and their workers.

The 25 percent tariffs will be delayed 180 days and take effect in January 2021, a hiatus meant to give both countries time to resolve their differences over a digital tax that will hit American tech companies.

France has adopted a 3 percent tax on the revenues some companies earn from providing goods and services to French users over the internet, even if they do not have large physical presences in France, a measure that will target Facebook, Google, Amazon and others whose businesses focus on digital advertising and e-commerce.
A government body has revoked the operating license of a company managing Armenias largest casino owned by embattled businessman and opposition leader Gagik Tsarukian.

In its decision posted on a government website late on Thursday, a Ministry of Finance commission regulating gambling activities in the country said the Onira Club company failed to make in 2018 a mandatory payment to the state stemming from the license. The commission also accused it of violating an Armenian law on gambling.

The decision suggests that the Shangri La casino run by Onira will be shut down at least temporarily. The company, which is also part of Tsarukians Multi Group conglomerate, did not immediately react to it.

Armenias National Security Service (NSS) accused Onira and Shangri La of large-scale fraud hours after searching Tsarukians villa as part of a separate criminal investigation on June 14. The NSS claimed that the financial irregularities cost the state more than 29 billion drams ($60 million) in damage.

Onira strongly denied the allegations in a statement issued on June 15. It also insisted that Tsarukian, who leads the main opposition Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK), was never directly involved in its day-to-day activities and cannot be held responsible for them.

Also on June 15, the Armenian parliament controlled by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinians My Step bloc voted to allow the NSS to arrest and prosecute Tsarukian on charges of buying votes during parliamentary elections held in 2017.

Tsarukian and his party strongly deny the accusations. They claim that Pashinian ordered the NSS to fabricate them in response to the BHK leaders June 5 calls for the Armenian governments resignation. The prime minister and his allies deny this.

A district court in Yerevan refused to sanction Tsarukians pre-trial arrest on June 21. The Court of Appeals overturned the verdict earlier this week. But it stopped short of allowing investigators to take the tycoon into custody, ordering the lower court instead to hold new hearings on the arrest warrant.
Is the pandemic changing the way we sleep?

Anecdotally speaking, it would appear so. I know night owls whove become early risers, friends suffering from insomnia for the first time and have heard plenty of stories about vivid COVID-19 dreams. Ive even spoken to people who, freed from the tyranny of their alarm clocks, are finally getting a proper nights sleep for the first time in their adult lives.

We need more than anecdotes to know if the pandemic is really making a difference in peoples sleep patternsfor better or worse. Fortunately, theres an international study in the works, being run by sleep experts from 14 countries around the world that will analyze the responses from tens of thousands of participants to evaluate the impact of the pandemic on sleep and circadian rhythms in adults.

The study is still underway (Canadians have until July 15 to participate in the survey) and we wont see results published for many months. So, its still too early to call it, but the researcher heading up the Canadian chapter, Dr. Frances Chung, suspects were going to find dramatic changes.

I think the pandemic is really affecting people emotionally and it's very challenging for everyone because of the increased stress and anxiety, says Chung, a Professor of the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at the University Health Network and University of Toronto. So therell be increasing levels of irrational fears and also depression. And, you know, also were not going out and not doing exercise and regular things, that will all affect sleep.

One COVID-19 habit, in particular, worries Chung, namely, watching 24-hour cable news channels and doom-scrolling on Twitter and other platforms that feed us a constant barrage of bad news, from rising coronavirus numbers around the world to murder hornets and anti-maskers. Obviously, reading a lot of terrifying things all the time isnt a likely path to sweet dreams.

Even worse, though, is checking your feeds and/or watching CNN right before bedand not just because its hard to doze off with murder hornets on the brain. Doom-scrolling is actually double trouble, since the news is bad, plus the blue light emitted from these screens interferes with your circadian rhythms. I decided to ask Greg Wells, PhD and author of Rest, Refocus, Recharge: A Guide for Optimizing Your Life, why that was so important.

All humans have a circadian rhythm, which is a 24-hour cycle that sees our physiology change throughout, explains Wells. A lot of that is guided by a structure inside the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which is sensitive to light and so, as the light becomes brighter, we become more alert and, as it gets darker, we sleep.

He continues: Blue light is wonderful in the morning and is very helpful to wake us up and get us going but, late in the evening, it activates the brain and makes it hard to get to sleep.

Simple enough. And so is the solution. Wells says we need to protect ourselves from that and create a digital sunset. Thirty to 60 minutes before bed, he advises we turn off the devices, turn down the lights and read a book or take a bath or meditate or whatever. That will put your brain in a place where it can release melatonin, the hormone that helps us fall asleep quickly and deeply. Wells says we need to defend our last hour from tech.

Unless you have a serious sleep disorder, this might not seem like a top priority. A lot of emerging evidence, however, shows that sleep plays an important role in keeping us healthy and happy.

I think most of us did not realize sleep was so important, but sleep actually affects the bodys whole health system, says Chung. If you sleep less than six hours a night, it increases your risk for obesity by 21 per cent, your risk for stroke by 22 per cent, your risk for diabetes by 25 per cent and coronary artery heart disease by 35 per cent.

Add to that dementia and depression, say both of our sleep experts. And, unfortunately, one in four Canadians has some form of a sleep disorder.

On the brighter side, Wells thinks its possible that folks are waking up to the importance of sleep and may even be using this time to develop healthier sleep habits.

Sleep is definitely a hot topic for everybody and what I saw, especially early on during the COVID-19 pandemic, was a period of disrupted sleep for most people I work with, says Wells. However, about six weeks into all of this, we definitely saw a shift where people have gotten used to working from home and started really enjoying not commuting which gives them extra time. A lot of people are now using that extra time to exercise more, spend more time with family and sleep.

Wells cautions that his sample size is small, so we cant make too much of his observations. Still, though, its nice to know people can make changeseven during a time of crisis.

I think the key message is that the quality of your sleep is actually under your own control, Wells says. We can improve our sleep. It does take time but you can dramatically improve the amount and quality of your sleep and that will have exponential ripple effects on the rest of your life.
Vehicle storage insurance is a policy that is useful for drivers that plan to store their vehicles for a long time. This simplified policy helps them save money and protects their vehicles against damages that occur in non-driving incidents, said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director

Compare-autoinsurance.org has launched a new blog post that presents some basic information any driver should know about vehicle storage insurance.

For more info and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.org/car-insurance-basics-vehicle-storage-insurance/

When people talk about insurance for stored cars or parked car insurance, what they usually mean is that they will cancel liability and collision, and any additional options they have on their policy, and just keep comprehensive coverage. Many drivers own a convertible car that is usually stored in a garage in the winter months. Others have classic cars that are being restored and wont be ready to hit the road for many months. Canceling insurance on these types of cars is not the best idea. By keeping comprehensive coverage, policyholders can protect their stored vehicles from various non-accident related incidents such as vandalism, theft, fire damage, damage caused by animals, falling objects, floods, wind damage, and more.

Drivers who are planning to store their vehicles and get a vehicle storage insurance should know more about the following:



How does it work. Storage insurance for vehicles assumes that the vehicle is never driven and isn't parked on a public road. The first thing policyholders need to do is to get their cars off the road and keep them in a safe place for the duration of the storage period. The best option would be a locked garage. Then, they will need to cancel registration and hand over the license plates. Also, drivers should check with their local DMV if they have other requirements when storing a vehicle. Next, contact the insurance provider. The insurer will likely write a specific policy only if the policyholder has another policy on them that includes liability for another vehicle. Also, they will write a comprehensive-only coverage policy only if the state allows it. Furthermore, most providers require the car to be stored for at least 30 days before qualifying for storage insurance.

What it covers. This type of coverage protects the vehicle against any damage that may occur when the policyholder is not driving it. It protects against natural disasters such as tornadoes, hurricanes, hailstorms to fire, smoke, and flood damage. Even if the car is stored in a safe place, that does not mean it can't be damaged. The good news is that drivers can pay 50-80% less on comprehensive-only insurance than what they pay on regular car insurance.

Who needs it. Drivers who store their vehicles and want to avoid a gap in their insurance should get vehicle storage insurance. Also, if the car is leased, or the driver still owes money on the car loan, the lender will require the driver to have insurance. Furthermore, drivers who don't want to pay money from their own pockets if something bad happens with their cars while they are stored should get vehicle storage insurance.

When getting vehicle storage insurance, drivers are not required to follow the states minimum insurance requirements. It is legal to not have liability on the car as long as that car is not parked on a public road or driven, and if the owner cancels the registration and turns in the license plates.

For additional info, money-saving tips and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.org/

Compare-autoinsurance.org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc.
UK government teaming up with Indias Bharti to buy bankrupt OneWeb to provide satellite-based internet coverage.

The United Kingdom is betting that satellite operator OneWeb will help it boldly go into a post-Brexit era. But it faces formidable challenges to complete a working constellation that would provide global internet coverage and rebuild a collapsed venture that has proved a money pit for investors.

The British government and Indian telecommunications conglomerate Bharti Enterprises said last week they would together put up $1bn to buy OneWeb, which filed for bankruptcy after its biggest backer, SoftBank Group, declined to provide fresh funding.

The deal offers a new lease of life for the venture, which was founded by United States entrepreneur Greg Wyler with the vision of providing internet everywhere for everyone via 648 low Earth orbit satellites.

OneWeb, which began as WorldVu in 2012, has 74 satellites already in orbit, as it ramped up launches immediately before collapsing in late March.

The UK is looking at adding positioning technology to new satellites to complement and add resilience to the USs Global Positioning System, two sources with knowledge of the matter told the Reuters news agency, after the country exited the European Unions Galileo network as a result of Brexit.

That secondary payload could be built in the UK, the sources said. The idea of providing internet services for remote regions is also attractive to the government.

Additional investment, potentially running to more than $1bn  on top of the $1bn UK/Bharti commitment  would be needed to complete a constellation of satellites that can offer continuous service worldwide, the sources said.

The satellites, which have a lifespan of about five years and are assembled in a highly automated factory run with European aerospace giant Airbus, cost in the region of $1m each, the sources said.

The rocket launches cost about $70m apiece, the sources said, carrying 34 satellites into orbit each time.

With a smaller number of launches pushing the number of satellites towards 200, OneWeb could begin providing coverage at the poles, with the military and oil and gas industry seen as potential customers in the Arctic, according to the sources.

The British government declined to comment beyond its July 3 statement announcing the deal. Bharti also declined to comment beyond its statement then.

OneWeb declined to comment.

Getting the future commercialisation right for OneWeb will be absolutely key, said Campbell Macfarlane, former president of OneWebs enterprise division who left following the bankruptcy. He said it could prove a very shrewd investment for the UK government.

OneWeb has secured radio spectrum and regulatory approvals needed to operate its satellites and ground infrastructure and offer services around the world, documents filed with a bankruptcy court in New York show.

This is the best beachfront property there ever was in space, one of the sources said of the spectrum.

OneWebs birthing is going to be enormously painful, but in the long run it can be very valuable.

Grand vision

Providing universal internet service via satellite has been a dream of numerous tech tycoons and companies over the years, including a failed Bill Gates-backed venture called Teledesic in the 1990s.

Wyler originally brought his idea for what would become OneWeb to Google in 2013. Only a year later, he left Google to team up with Elon Musks SpaceX.

SpaceX launched its first set of 60 Starlink satellites in May, atop a reusable Falcon 9 rocket [File: Reuters]

That partnership ended too and OneWeb went it alone.

Musk and SpaceX are now building a rival constellation, Starlink, while Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is also developing a space internet business  Project Kuiper.

OneWebs parade of influential backers included Qualcomm, Airbus, Virgin Group and eventually Japanese investor SoftBank, which pumped roughly $2bn into the effort.

Wyler formed a tight bond with SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son who feted him on-stage in Tokyo in 2017 as part of his broader vision, with OneWeb aligning with SoftBanks corporate philosophy of information revolution  happiness for everyone.

However, the economics of universal internet service were daunting: it would be hard to charge consumers enough to defray the cost of launching and operating the satellites.

OneWeb was forced to step back from this grand idea and instead focus on a commercial customer base for such services, like airlines and cruise lines, willing to pay a premium.

The venture was hampered by costly contracts involving its own investors, four sources said.

In 2015 it signed a long launch contract with Arianespace, majority-owned by a joint venture of Airbus and Safran, locking in prices even as SpaceX was shaking up market pricing in the industry.

Arianespace declined to comment. Airbus did not respond to requests for comment.

Wyler himself was sidelined from day-to-day management as business pressures mounted, and the company cycled through three CEOs.

Wyler did not respond to a request for comment.

SoftBank was facing its own hard reckoning: a disastrous investment in office-sharing startup WeWork was cooling investor attitudes to money-losing ventures.

The coronavirus outbreak further undermined the business model of many of its biggest investments and hammered OneWebs biggest potential customers.

With SoftBanks share price tumbling, the conglomerate pulled out of funding talks, collapsing the venture.

SoftBank declined to comment.

Hollowed out

The acquisition of OneWeb, which is British- and US-based, is subject to approval from regulators including the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).

Its new owners will need to rebuild the companys workforce after 90 percent of its staff were let go following the Chapter 11 filing.

Former OneWeb engineers that helped build and run the system have been hired by rival companies as competition for talent in the space industry heats up. A commercial team  vital if the company is to effectively sell its capacity and achieve profitability  will also need to be reconstituted.

It was unclear if Chief Executive Adrian Steckel, who the bankruptcy filings show was paid a $2.25m retention payment on March 25, two days before OneWeb filed for Chapter 11, and Chief Financial Officer Thomas Whayne, who was paid $1m on the same day, will continue to run the company after a takeover.

Steckel and Whayne did not respond to requests for comment.
By AFP

GENEVA: The World Health Organization said on Friday that it is still possible to bring coronavirus outbreaks under control, even though case numbers have more than doubled in the past six weeks.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the examples of Italy, Spain, South Korea and India's biggest slum showed that however bad a outbreak was, the virus could still be reined in through aggressive action.

"In the last six weeks cases have more than doubled. However there are many examples from around the world that have shown that even if the outbreak is very intense, it can still be brought back under control," Tedros told a virtual press conference in Geneva.

CLICK HERE FOR LIVE COVERAGE OF COVID-19

"And some of these examples are Italy, Spain and South Korea, and even in Dharavi -- a densely packed area in the megacity of Mumbai -- a strong focus on community engagement and the basics of testing, tracing, isolating and treating all those that are sick is key to breaking the chains of transmission and suppressing the virus," he added.

The novel coronavirus has killed at least 555,000 people worldwide since the outbreak emerged in China last December, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP on Friday. Nearly 12.3 million cases have been registered in 196 countries and territories.

ALSO READ| WHO experts to spend two days in Beijing as part of COVID-19 origin investigation

"Across all walks of life, we are all being tested to the limit. from countries where there is exponential growth, to places that are loosening restrictions and now starting to see cases rise. Only aggressive action combined with national unity and global solidarity can turn this pandemic around," Tedros said.
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Linkedin (Reuters) Washington, United States  Fri, July 10, 2020 08:03 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406654066b 2 People Deborah-Birx,united-states,coronavirus,scarf,face-mask,fashion,White-House Free

US coronavirus official Dr. Deborah Birx, who attracted a cult following for wearing colorful scarves, on Wednesday sought to convince Americans that wearing face masks is not only sensible but stylish too.

"I know some of you do watch what I wear. I'm wearing this specially today," said Birx, showing a white mask with the words "Stay Safe! Stay Strong!".

"Masks can be a fashion statement," the White House coronavirus response coordinator told reporters.

As she appeared at daily televised coronavirus briefings in the spring, Birx captivated the internet with her scarf choices including bright florals and classic Hermes designs. An Instagram account devoted to her scarves attracted nearly 41,000 followers.

Read also: America's love affair with an elderly epidemiologist

Birx noted that her mask on Wednesday was a gift from the Salt River Tribe in Arizona which she visited last week.

Public health officials have said face masks can prevent the spread of disease and allow for safer economic activity. While some people have resisted wearing the coverings, several states and cities are now requiring them.

President Donald Trump has refused to wear a mask publicly or ask Americans to do so, although he has said he would if he was in a crowd and could not distance himself. Vice President Mike Pence and many other Republicans, meanwhile, have urged greater mask wearing.
A spokesman for the governor cited not only the language in the budget bill that allows a governor to spend federal money, but also the states Emergency Management Act, which allows the governor, during an emergency, to suspend state statutes so action can be taken immediately to address a crisis.

Taylor Gage, the governors spokesman, said the Legislature has a standing practice of allowing governors to spend federal funds when lawmakers are not in session or during an emergency.

Under the federal CARES Act, the U.S. Treasury allocated funds to Gov. Pete Ricketts as the authorized representative of the State of Nebraska for the limited purpose of responding to the coronavirus pandemic, he added.

Gering Sen. John Stinner, who heads the legislative committee that draws up the state budget, said he also believes that the governor has the power to spend the CARES Act money but that its not a bad idea to get an attorney generals opinion based on the questions being raised.
Researchers found the coronavirus and antibodies against it in the umbilical cord blood, breast milk, placentas and vaginas of some pregnant infected women, another suggestion that the virus can be passed to fetuses and newborns, according to results of a small study released Thursday.

Just two of the infants in the sample examined by Italian researchers tested positive for the virus, and both quickly recovered. In one case, a baby tested negative two days later, an indication that the child was already producing antibodies against the virus in the womb, said Claudio Fenizia, an assistant professor of immunology at the University of Milan, who led the study.

In an interview, Fenizia said the review of 31 pregnant women is preliminary and was plagued by factors that make it too early to draw conclusions for use in the care of pregnant women infected by the virus. But, he said, "our study should be considered a ringing bell to raise awareness that [transmission] is possible." He urged further research in the area, which is underway in some places.

The full study is not yet available. An abstract with results was released Thursday ahead of a one-day worldwide conference on covid-19 scheduled for Friday. Previous reports on a small number of infected women in China reached similar conclusions.

Diana Bianchi, director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, said she found the results inconclusive. It's difficult to tell, even in cases in which a newborn tests positive, whether the child was contaminated by bodily fluids from an infected mother during vaginal delivery or Caesarean section, she said.

A May study by Northwestern University researchers that showed damage to the blood vessels in 16 placentas is more troubling, she added. The study found insufficient blood flow from mother to fetus and blood clots in vessels of the placenta.

Bianchi's center, part of the National Institutes of Health, is funding a review of the records of births this year to help determine the virus' impact on pregnant women and fetuses. Records from March to December 2020 will be compared with records from the same period of 2019 to see whether the virus caused consistent medical problems in pregnant women, she said.

Fenizia's group looked at 31 women with the coronavirus in three Milan-area hospitals in March and April. All were late in their pregnancies, leaving open the question of the virus' impact on the early stages of gestation.

The virus itself was found in one woman's vagina, one woman's placenta, one woman's umbilical cord blood and one woman's breast milk, the results show. Nine had antibodies in umbilical cord blood and one showed them in breast milk.

Fenizia said the results suggest it may be important as the pandemic continues to monitor pregnant mothers and newborns for signs of inflammation, especially following the discovery of an alarming inflammatory syndrome linked to covid-19 that has affected hundreds of children in the United States.

At the moment, he said, there are no proven interventions for pregnant women infected by the coronavirus. Fenizia said prevention is the best approach.

In its guidance for pregnant women, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that pregnant women "might be at increased risk for severe illness" from covid-19.
Federal investigators found remains behind a U-Haul facility in Methuen Thursday afternoon, which multiple reports say is tied to an investigation into a missing New Hampshire man.

FBI Boston announced the remains were recovered around 4:15 p.m. in the back of the property at 145 Milk St. Federal agents were searching the area as part of an investigation with Lawrence police, the Massachusetts State Police, the Essex County District Attorneys Office and the Manchester Police Department in New Hampshire.

Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, used heavy machinery to search the area, NBC Boston reported.

WBZ News and WMUR, citing sources, reported that the remains are tied to a search for a New Hampshire man who went missing in April. The missing persons car was recently found in Lawrence, WBZ News reported.

Federal agents plan to stay at the scene until they have finished processing where the remains were recovered.

The remains will be sent to the Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for identification and DNA analysis.
Islamabad, July 10 : Pakistan officials have warned that the next few weeks could be crucial in the fight against desert locust infestation with major swarms expected to reach the country later this month from the Horn of Africa.

On Thursday, Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority Lt Gen Mohammad Afzal, while briefing the diplomatic corps at the National Locust Control Centre (NLCC), said the locust problem is likely to peak in the next three to four weeks, Dawn news reported.

"Next eight weeks between July 15 and Sept 15 would be critical because of monsoon and the government's ongoing commitment with anti-COVID-19 measures." Pakistan is on the locust migratory route and has both summer and spring breeding areas.

Therefore, it is particularly prone to locust attacks and has over the years suffered several outbreaks.

The latest episode here began in June last year following the start of climate change-induced international locust crisis in 2018 from the southern Arabian Peninsula's Empty Quarter bordering Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Oman.

This year was expected to be the worst for Pakistan in 27 years because of longer than usual monsoon in 2019 and more rain towards its end due to Indian Ocean Dipole - a sea warming phenomenon, said the Dawn news report.

Therefore, because of favourable conditions three generations of breeding occurred. The capacity to deal with the emerging problem too was very low last year.

Meanwhile, the continuing surge in locust numbers in Horn of Africa, Yemen and other countries in the region posed a serious threat of invasion.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
UP assembly polls will be about '80 per cent vs 20 per cent'; BJP will win: Yogi Adityanath

The rise and fall of History-sheeter Vikas Dubey: 62 criminal cases, including 5 murder

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Kanpur, Jul 10: Gangster Vikas Dubey, who met with a gory end in an encounter with the UP STF near here on Friday, conjured the image of a typical don who dabbled in real-estate, won a district-level election and rubbed shoulders with political figures.

Vikas Dubey killed in an encounter while being taken to Kanpur from Madhya Pradesh | Oneindia News

Last Friday, Dubey, who was around 50-years-old, hogged the headlines after his henchmen allegedly shot dead eight police personnel in a botched raid that he had converted into an ambush. An old photo on social media showed him at an event next to an Uttar Pradesh minister, who switched parties to join the ruling BJP.

Vikas Dubey encounter: Here's who said what

The Congress claimed this showed his political patronage. Another picture showed a poster of him appealing for votes for his wife, Richa Dubey, in a zila panchayat election which she won from Ghimau under which Bikru village falls.

The poster also carried pictures of two leaders now in the opposition, implying that she had their support.

In 2000, Dubey himself won the Shivrajpur seat in a zila panchayat poll he fought from prison, where he was lodged after a murder charge, according to officials.

However, following his arrest on Thursday, Dubey's mother Sarla Devi said, "At this time, he is not in the BJP, he is with the SP."

But, a Samajwadi Party spokesman said Dubey was "not a member of the party" and strict action should be taken against him. Moreover, his call record details should be made public as demanded by party president Akhilesh Yadav to expose his links, he said.

After being on the run for nearly a week, during which he was said to have taken refuge in a hotel in Faridabad on Delhi's outskirts, Dubey was picked up from the holy city of Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday.

The gangster was the main accused in the encounter that took place in Bikru village in Chaubeypur area of Kanpur last week, in which a group of assailants opened fire on a police team, which had gone to arrest Dubey.

Eight police personnel were killed in the encounter. Dubey managed to escape and the Uttar Pradesh police launched a hunt for him and raised the bounty him to Rs 5 lakh.

There were 62 criminal cases against Dubey in UP, including five cases of murder and eight cases of attempt to murder.

Vikas Dubey, man behind killing of 8 cops shot dead in encounter

MP Home Minister Narottam Mishra said on Thursday, "Dubey arrived at the (Mahakal) temple in his car. A police constable identified him first, after which three others (security personnel) were alerted and he was taken aside for questioning and later arrested."

However, temple sources gave a slightly different account. They said Dubey reached the temple gate in the morning and purchased a Rs 250 ticket from a counter near the police post. When he went to a nearby shop to buy prasad for the deity, the shop owner identified him and alerted police, they added.

When policemen asked him his name, he loudly said, "I am Vikas Dubey of Kanpur ", following which the cops and private security personnel deployed at the temple nabbed him.

The MP police then handed him over to the UP police. When he was being brought to the state, the police vehicle carrying him from Ujjain overturned at Bhauti area in Kanpur on Friday morning, police claimed. Inspector General of Police (Kanpur) Mohit Agarwal said Dubey tried to flee from the spot after snatching the pistol of a inspector leading to an encounter.

"Dubey was injured in the encounter and he was declared dead in the hospital," ADG Kanpur range, JN Singh said.

Dubey shot into limelight last Friday when his henchmen ambushed UP policemen who had gone to Bikru village to arrest him in a new case of attempted murder.

Officials said the road was blocked by heavy earthmoving equipment and when policemen stepped out of their vehicles, they faced a hail of bullets, and eight of them were killed. Since then, the UP police have shot dead five of Dubey's alleged accomplices.

Police claimed that Dubey was involved in about 60 cases. But details obtained from officials indicate that he was not convicted even in cases like murder. He was the prime accused in the murder of BJP leader Santosh Shukla inside the Shivli police station here in 2001, according to an official.

"Dubey had instilled so much fear in everyone that even after being accused of murdering a BJP leader having the status of minister of state, not even a single police officer gave a statement against him," alleged the official who did not want to be named. "No evidence was put before the court and he was acquitted for lack of evidence," the official said.

He claimed that Dubey used to plot and execute crimes, including murder, from inside the jail. His clout among police can be gauged from the fact that all the 68 police personnel at Chaubeypur police station near Kanpur were shunted to the reserve police lines on Tuesday with the top brass saying they suspected their integrity after last week's ambush.

How the encounter that killed Vikas Dubey took place

Even DIG Anant Deo, who till recently was the senior SP in Kanpur, was transferred from the state's Special task Force (STF) to the Provincial Armed Police (PAC) unit in Moradabad. Dubey was also an accused in the murder of Sidheshwar Pandey, a manager at Tarachand Inter College in Kanpur, in 2000.

He was accused of plotting the murder of one Ram Babu Yadav from the prison in the same year. His name came up in the murder of Dinesh Dubey, a businessman, in 2004. He allegedly committed another murder in 2013. He was accused of ordering the killing of his cousin Anurag in 2018, while he was himself in jail.

The victim's wife had filed an FIR against four people, including him, according to his history sheet shared by officials. A villager said Dubey and his brother Deepu Dubey dealt in real estate. Another younger brother Avinash was killed some time back, the local resident claimed.
After the success of the action-thriller Extraction, which marked his Hollywood debut, Randeep Hooda wants to take up more international projects. The actor has signed with a talent management agency in the US - Authentic Talent and Literary Management.

Randeep said in a statement, Extraction was a huge success worldwide with a phenomenal reach. I really enjoyed working on it and got to learn so many new things from the fabulous cast and crew. As every artist wants to reach out to as many people as possible, Im very grateful and excited for these new horizons in international cinema.

Directed by Sam Hargrave, Extraction featured Chris Hemsworth as a black-market mercenary on a mission to rescue the son of an Indian crime lord from Dhaka. Randeep played a pivotal role and his action sequences were praised by critics.

Also see | Irrfan Khans wife Sutapa Sikdar shares priceless memories of him, with son Babil. See pics

In an interview with PTI, Randeep had said that he enjoyed shooting the action scenes in Extraction. I got a great gun and I was waiting to fire some blanks and be like Rambo. Ive never done this kind of action before. It was really, really cool. The stunt team in this movie was absolutely amazing whether it is driving, guns or hand-to-hand combat, he said.

The first day, I thought what have I got myself into but then it started to grow on me. Your body is the most beautiful instrument you have and action movies put it to good use. As you stretch your limits, you realise youve got to look after yourself better, he added.

Randeeps last Bollywood release was Love Aaj Kal, starring Kartik Aaryan, Sara Ali Khan and newcomer Aarushi Sharma in the lead roles. He will be seen next alongside Salman Khan, Disha Patani and Jackie Shroff in Prabhudevas Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai. The film was scheduled to hit the theatres on Eid this year but has been stalled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
By Hussein Waaile NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York's mayor joined activists on Thursday to paint 'Black Lives Matter' in giant yellow letters on the city's exclusive Fifth Avenue in front of Trump Tower, once the crown jewel in President Donald Trump's property empire. As doormen at the luxury apartment building's shiny gold doorstep watched, Mayor Bill de Blasio and his wife, along with Reverend Al Sharpton, who eulogized George Floyd in Minneapolis in early June, joined dozens of mask-wearing people pushing paint rollers to create the block-long mural. The Black Lives Matter movement gained momentum after George Floyd died in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25 after a white officer knelt on the Black man's neck.

By Hussein Waaile

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York's mayor joined activists on Thursday to paint "Black Lives Matter" in giant yellow letters on the city's exclusive Fifth Avenue in front of Trump Tower, once the crown jewel in President Donald Trump's property empire.

As doormen at the luxury apartment building's shiny gold doorstep watched, Mayor Bill de Blasio and his wife, along with Reverend Al Sharpton, who eulogized George Floyd in Minneapolis in early June, joined dozens of mask-wearing people pushing paint rollers to create the block-long mural.

The Black Lives Matter movement gained momentum after George Floyd died in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25 after a white officer knelt on the Black man's neck.

High school student Betty Kubovy-Weiss, 16, of Manhattan, said her work painting the "V" and "E" of "LIVES" was aimed at counteracting the "negativity and violence" of Trump's presidency.

"Black Lives Matter is an important statement in and of itself. Our president has generally been highly critical of the movement in a way that I think is very dangerous and damaging to our nation," Kubovy-Weiss told Reuters.

Trump on Twitter last week called the mural a "symbol of hate."

Similar Black Lives Matter murals are planned in each of New York City's five boroughs and have appeared across the United States. They started in Washington, D.C., where the massive message covered a street near the White House after authorities used pepper spray to disperse peaceful protesters and clear the way for Trump's June 1 photo opportunity of him holding a Bible in front of St. John's Episcopal Church.

"It doesn't mean that other lives don't matter - it just means that this shouldn't be happening," said James Wallace of New York. "We won't turn our heads and deny that there is racial violence occurring."

As a hot sun beat down on hundreds of gallons of paint drying outside one of Manhattan's most prestigious addresses, de Blasio's office tweeted a photograph of the mural with the words, "NYC has a message for the world: #BlackLivesMatter."

(Writing by Barbara Goldberg; editing by Diane Craft)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Sudan Thursday said it has re-opened Khartoum international airport for flights from UAE, Turkey and Egypt, after a four-month hiatus owing to covid-19 pandemic.

Ibrahim Adlan, the general director of Sudans Civil Aviation Authority, said air traffic has partially resumed as of today for flights from Turkey, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Anadolu news agency reports.

The Sudanese official also indicated that all passengers arriving at Khartoum Airport will be tested for the coronavirus as of July 14 if they do not possess a certificate for being COVID-19 free.

Sudan suspended March 16 all flights as part of the measures to curtain the spread disease which has caused the death of 641 people out of overall cases tallied at 10,158. Recoveries have hit 5,074.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: After a marginal dip over the last two days, the State on Thursday recorded 4,231 fresh cases, of which 1,216 were in Chennai. A total of 65 deaths were reported, taking the State toll to 1,765. A Central team led by the additional secretary of the Union Health Ministry, Arti Ahuja, reviewed the situation in Chennai.

The team held discussions with State health minister C Vijayabaskar, health secretary J Radhakrishnan, and other senior officials. It then visited the RGGGH and Omandurar hospital, and held discussions with the collectors of worst-hit districts  Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Vellore, Salem, and Theni. Sources say the team will hold talks with Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday.

While the numbers continue to dip in Chennai, neighbouring districts are witnessing a steady spike. Tiruvallur topped the list with 364 cases, followed by Kallakurichi (254), Chengalpattu (169), and Vellore (87). Southern districts, too, are witnessing a spurt  Madurai (262), Thoothukudi (196), Tirunelveli (110), and Virudhunagar (289). The States overall case tally now stands at 1,26,581, of which 46,480 were active as on Wednesday.

In Tirupur, a Tasmac liquor outlet was shut down after a salesman there tested positive. He had symptoms including throat pain and fever for the past few days. His swab samples were taken on July 6, and the results came on Thursday morning. His family members and two of his colleagues have been tested now. Their results are awaited. There is no clarity on how contact tracing would be conducted among the customers who visited the shop. In Karaikal, a palmist has been cited as the source of infection for 13 of his clients, causing fear and uproar in the region.

Kiran Bedi negative

After an employee working at the Raj Nivas in Puducherry tested positive, L-G Kiran Bedi underwent a similar test for Covid. Her results came out negative
A Tennessee church held an Independence Day ceremony to honor their local police amidst calls to defund law enforcement in certain cities across the nation. As a sign of their support, the congregation gifted 23 checks of $1,000 to each employee of the department.

Pastor Perry Cleek of Lighthouse Missionary Baptist Church in Jonesborough, Tennessee, let his thoughts be known in a Facebook post ahead of the July 4 event.

We at Lighthouse believe enough is enough, the pastor stated. Its past time for the silent majority of Americans who do not approve of lawlessness and anarchy in the streets  to stand tall and firm and let our voice be heard.

Washington County Court House in Jonesborough, Tennessee (Screenshot/Google Maps)

He said that God-fearing Americans who love their country have watched in amazement as the chorus of voices denigrating and disgracing law enforcement have steadily increased in both volume and intensity.

In the Independence Day ceremony, held on the Washington County Court House steps in downtown Jonesborough, police chief Ron Street and his officers were personally honored by the pastor, who declared in a speech that he had every confidence that the police chief would never tolerate an abusive, racist, unprofessional officer.

He reinforced again the churchs support, in word and deed, for all 23 members of the departmentincluding police officers, dispatchers, and administratorswho then each received their check for $1,000.

Cleek felt that the gesture from his congregation would help boost the morale of the local men and women of law enforcement.

We recognize that we do not speak for anyone but our local church, Cleek told The Christian Post. We have not issued an appeal for other churches to follow our example.

(Illustration  Ilya Andriyanov/Shutterstock)

However, we believe that millions of Americans feel exactly the same way we do about the treatment of law enforcement in our country, but do not feel they have a voice. The voices of those blaming and condemning law enforcement for much that is wrong in our country are very loud.

We wanted our voice in support of law enforcement to be loud and bold.

Cleek hoped that his congregations act of support would also result in more American citizens following their lead by honoring the tireless efforts of law enforcement personnel in their own towns and cities.

Jonesborough Police Chief Street spoke on behalf of his colleagues to say that the gesture was certainly appreciated.

We are very appreciative of the citizen and church support, Street told Fox News. With everything thats going on in the country, defunding and everything, he added, its nice to have your citizens behind you and supporting the work we do in the community here.

The pastors last word to his congregation on Facebook came from a Bible passage from Letter to the Romans: Be not overcome of evil, he wrote, but overcome evil with good.

We would love to hear your stories! You can share them with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.nyc
By Reade Levinson and Chris Prentice

WASHINGTON, July 10 (Reuters) - At least six police unions qualified for a combined total of $2 million to $4.4 million in emergency U.S. government loans intended to help small businesses stay afloat during the coronavirus lockdown, according to data released Monday by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

The unions represent about 110,000 law enforcement officers in Philadelphia, Houston, New York state, Michigan and 11 Southern states.

All told, the six approved loans make up a small fraction of the programs $521 billion in lending across 4.9 million loans as of June 30. The data released on Monday does not specify whether the loans were disbursed or if the unions will qualify for loan forgiveness.

Intended to help small companies and non-profit organizations keep their workforces employed during the coronavirus crisis, the federal Paycheck Protection Program allows employers with 500 or fewer workers hurt by the economic fallout of the pandemic to apply for a forgivable government-backed loan.

The six police unions typically receive 90% of their revenue from membership dues, according to tax records reviewed by Reuters, and thus, barring layoffs, would not be hurting for cash. All six unions have work forces of their own, providing support to members. Their combined loan applications said they sought to retain 331 jobs.

Four forces with unions that received loans - the New York State Police, Philadelphia Police Department, Philadelphia Sheriffs Office and Houston Police Department - told Reuters they had not laid off or furloughed any employees during the pandemic, so their unions dues collections should not have suffered any significant hits.

It is clear the loan program, overseen by the Small Business Administration (SBA), gave out funds with few limits on who would benefit, said Liz Hempowicz, director of public policy at the watchdog group Project on Government Oversight.

The onus was on the SBA to ensure were not just throwing public funds at entities that dont need them," she said. It is common sense wed prioritize the industries that need it most, and I dont know thats police unions right now.

Story continues

James Miller, spokesman for the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, said the union sought a loan in anticipation of potential revenue losses and possible layoffs amid prison closures. The union, which represents about 26,000 employees and retirees, qualified to borrow between $150,000 and $350,000.

Based on current revenue projections for the remainder of the year, we anticipate returning the loan, as it is the prudent thing to do, he said, in an email to Reuters.

The other police unions approved for loans did not return repeated emails and calls seeking comment.

Qualifying for a loan of between $1 million and $2 million was the Southern States Police Benevolent Association, which represents about 58,000 federal, state, county and municipal law enforcement officers in eleven states. The Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police, which represents 14,000 active and retired Philadelphia police officers and sheriff deputies, qualified to borrow between $350,000 and $1 million.

Authorized to borrow between $150,000 and $350,000 were the Police Officers Labor Council in Michigan, which represents about 350 sheriffs and police departments; the Houston Police Officers Union, which represents 5,300 Houston Police Department officers; and the Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police Home Association, a separate non-profit that maintains a lodge for union meetings.

The police unions were among at least 117 public and private sector unions that applied for loans through the program. The SBA did not release the names of recipients of loans less than $150,000.

The Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, which represents about 900,000 members across industries including teaching, performing arts, hospitality, manufacturing and construction, said in an email Wednesday that it received $267,000 and plans to ask for loan forgiveness.

Many affiliate unions represent industries that have laid off members as a result of the coronavirus, Rick Bloomingdale, Pennsylvania AFL-CIO president, said in an email. Faced with declining dues, he said, the union decided to seek aid. We made the decision to apply for the loan to keep our people employed. (Reporting by Reade Levinson in London and Chris Prentice in Washington, D.C.)
Pasteurizing breast milk using a common technique inactivates severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) making it safe for use, according to new research in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal)

Current advice is for women with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to continue to breastfeed their own infants. In Canada, it is standard care to provide pasteurized breast milk to very-low-birth-weight babies in hospital until their own mother's milk supply is adequate.

In the event that a woman who is COVID-19-positive donates human milk that contains SARS-CoV-2, whether by transmission through the mammary gland or by contamination through respiratory droplets, skin, breast pumps and milk containers, this method of pasteurization renders milk safe for consumption." Dr. Sharon Unger, Neonatologist at Sinai Health and Professor at University of Toronto

Dr. Sharon Unger is the medical director of the Rogers Hixon Ontario Human Milk Bank, with coauthors.

The Holder method, a technique used to pasteurize milk in all Canadian milk banks (62.5C for 30 minutes), is effective at neutralizing viruses such as HIV, hepatitis and others that are known to be transmitted through human milk. In this study, researchers spiked human breast milk with a viral load of SARS-CoV-2 and tested samples that either sat at room temperature for 30 minutes or were warmed to 62.5C for 30 minutes, and then measured for active virus. The virus in the pasteurized milk was inactivated after heating.

More than 650 human breast milk banks around the world use the Holder method to ensure a safe supply of milk for vulnerable infants.

The authors report that the impact of pasteurization on coronaviruses in human milk has not been previously reported in the scientific literature.
Deloitte is facing a record 15million fine over its 'reckless' audits of a British software group before it was sold in a blockbuster deal.

The Big Four accountant, along with former partners Richard Knights and Nigel Mercer, has been accused by regulators of 'serious failings' that allowed Autonomy to make misleading claims in its balance sheet.

Auditors at Deloitte were too cosy with the company's bosses and helped to 'disguise' 118million of loss-making hardware sales, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) alleges.

Fighting extradition: Former Autonomy boss Mike Lynch, who is worth an estimated 469m, is facing criminal charges in the US

Soon afterwards, Autonomy was sold to Hewlett Packard for 9billion  but HP wrote off most of the company's value and claimed the firm's revenues and profits had been artificially inflated.

Former boss Mike Lynch, who is worth an estimated 469million, and other executives went on to make a fortune from the company's sale to HP.

But that deal and the questions over its accounts are now at the centre of High Court battle, which is thought to be the UK's biggest ever fraud trial.

Lynch, 55, faces separate criminal charges in the US and is fighting an extradition request.

Rebecca Sabben-Clare, the FRC's lead counsel in its probe of Autonomy, urged a tribunal panel yesterday to fine Deloitte 15million for its alleged failings.

That would be a record, dwarfing the 10million PwC was fined in 2018 over its botched audits of collapsed retailer BHS.

But Sabben-Clare claimed the Autonomy case was even worse than the BHS one: 'The failings are of a similar level of seriousness  but the present case is more serious still.

Deloitte knew full well that there was great market interest in the very figures to which their misconduct related.'

She added that although the findings against Knights and Mercer were 'very serious', the failures were 'emphatically not a single rotten-apple case'.

'The findings were ones involving lack of care and competence by the whole of the audit team,' she said.

Deloitte said: 'We acknowledge the seriousness of the findings of the FRC Tribunal. Deloitte is committed to the highest professional standards in everything it does and our audit practices and procedures have evolved significantly since this work was performed over a decade ago.'

The FRC tribunal is scheduled to continue tomorrow.

At the centre of Autonomy's case is how the firm classified loss-making hardware sales and reseller contracts, which the company said were part of its marketing costs.

But a six-year investigation by the FRC said it had given a misleading impression of rising revenues from software sales and accused Deloitte, Knights and Mercer of 'extremely serious' failings in audits from 2009 to 2011.
There's nothing simple when it comes to the joy of sex in the murky underwater world of seahorses. It turns what might be considered the norm in the rest of the natural world on its head.

New research from a team in Sydney has furthered understanding of how baby seahorses are delivered into the world.

Adult male pot-bellied seahorses in the laboratory. Credit:Camilla Whittington

Camilla Whittington and her team at the University of Sydney have found for the first time that male seahorses transport nutrients to their developing babies during pregnancy. That paves the way for further comparative evolutionary research.

The team studied pot-bellied seahorses that can grow up to 35 centimetres in height. They were farmed in Tasmania for aquariums but the species has been seen in Sydney Harbour.
The music stopped on March 23, 2020. That was the date we entered lockdown. In the resulting chaos, frequently bordering on panic, few of us were thinking about when we'd next be able to go out, have a drink and listen to some good music again. Flabbergasted by the speed with which our lives had been turned upside down, we struggled to deal with this new, contagious - and in the worst cases, deadly - virus.

So the silence went unnoticed for a while.

It's only now as we emerge tentatively into the post-pandemic world that many of us are starting to realise what we've been missing.

For instance, we're discovering that bars are just not the same without music. Whether it's a DJ on the decks or a live band, or even just the barman's Spotify playlist, music is an integral part of the experience.

The absence of sound is just one of the many restrictions which currently prevail in Northern Ireland's pubs - those which have actually managed to open. No singing, no dancing; you're not even allowed to stand up. Such a restricted, regimented environment is the antithesis of what going out for a drink with your mates should be all about: the opportunity to relax, kick back, switch off from the demands of everyday life and have some fun.

You remember fun? It's what we used to have before coronavirus.

Of course the logic of these rules is to keep infection risk as low as possible. If there's loud music people will shout over it, or they'll go close to others to be heard, or they'll start singing and dancing, thus spraying their germy droplets all over each other. The fear is that will put us back to a very grim square one.

Caution is undoubtedly required. But it's equally important that we don't shrug our shoulders hopelessly and accept the current situation as "the new normal".

Music in all its myriad forms is vital to society. It brings immense joy to people's lives. Yes, it can be a solitary activity if you're plugged in to your iPod, but it means so much more when you share it with other people. Music is one of life's richest communal experiences, which speaks to something deep, even primitive, within all of us. It's healing. It's inspiring. It's enlivening.

That's true whether you're sitting in the Ulster Hall listening to a performance of Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto, headbanging in the mosh pit at a metal gig, or for those so inclined, singing your heart out in church.

One of the most uplifting experiences I've ever had was on the dancefloor of an old ballroom in East Berlin in the middle of a sweaty, happy, beer-soaked crowd of all ages, singing along - with a liberating absence of irony - to Barry Manilow's 1978 tropical disco hit Copacabana.

All right, maybe you had to be there to appreciate it. But what's undeniable is that music has the power to take us somewhere beyond ourselves. It's part of what it means to be human.

Right now our first thought should be for the people who provide the music: the live venues, the artists, the technicians, the promoters, the freelancers. Without urgent assistance many face ruin, and we'll all be the poorer for it.

This week a new 33 million emergency arts support package for Northern Ireland was announced by the UK Government. It's designed to help struggling institutions "stay afloat while their doors are closed".

The money will be spread thin, but at least it should give music venues, theatres, museums, galleries and other cultural spaces such as independent cinemas some chance of surviving this grim time.

How the money will be distributed and allocated is not yet clear, however, and this is a serious cause for concern. Arts and culture funding here has long been subject to shameless sectarian carve-ups, or used as a vehicle for tit-for-tat political attacks and reprisals. Our politicians have form in this matter.

If a large portion of the emergency package is annexed and doled out to favoured projects along the usual orange and green lines it would represent a grotesque betrayal of the arts and of the vast number of people in Northern Ireland for whom culture means something more than "usuns versus themmuns".

The arts - in all their kaleidoscopic variety - belong to all of us. Whatever happens, we can't let March 23, 2020 be the day the music died.
BURTON, MI - Thousands of boxes of dairy products and fresh produce will be distributed Saturday, July 11, at the Courtland Center Mall parking lot in Burton to all who need it.

The food distribution event is being hosted by the Michigan Muslim Community Council. It was organized in partnership with the Flint Muslim Food Pantry, American Muslim Community Services and the Stockbridge Foundation.

Adil Mohammed, executive director of American Muslim Community Services, said its part of a series of events made possible by a grant received from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This is the third food distribution event being held by the organizations.

The food is free for anybody, theres no income restrictions, Mohammed said. This is something special being done because of COVID-19.

The event is a drive-thru and pickup service set for 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Volunteers there to help are members of the Grand Blanc Islamic Center and the Flint Islamic Center. Everyone is welcome while supplies last.

Mohammed encourages the community to spread the word of the free food distribution series.

Anybody can come and pick it up and go. We dont want to waste anything, Mohammed said. Wed rather see more people show up and run out of food than not enough people show up and still have food leftover.

Courtland Center Mall is located at 4190 E. Court St. in Burton. For more information, contact mmcc@mimuslimcouncil.com.

Read more on MLive:

Flint pantry distributing food every Wednesday during coronavirus pandemic
The NCDs will be issued on private placement basis in one or more tranches.

The board has approved issuing principal protected, secured, rated, listed, redeemable, non-convertible, market-linked debentures (NCDs) on private placement basis in one or more tranches/series/types aggregating upto Rs 100 crore, VIP Industries said in a statement after trading hours yesterday, 9 July 2020.

Shares of VIP Industries was down 0.49% to Rs 253.55 on BSE. The scrip hovered in the range of Rs 253 to Rs 259.90 so far.

On the technical front, the stock's RSI (relative strength index) stood at 49.548. The RSI oscillates between zero and 100. Traditionally the RSI is considered overbought when above 70 and oversold when below 30.

The stock was trading in between its 50-day moving average (DMA) placed at Rs 241.60, with will act as a support in the near term and its 200-day moving average (DMA) placed at Rs 363.61, would act as a resistance in the upcoming trade.

VIP Industries' consolidated net profit dropped 62.3% to Rs 9.52 crore on 28.4% fall in net sales to Rs 311.34 crore in Q4 March 2020 over Q4 March 2019.

VIP Industries manufactures hard luggage and markets soft luggage imported from Bangladesh and China. VIP is the largest player in the luggage industry in India.

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
It is time to find ways to end tragic choices



Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon was found dead in the Mount Bugak area near his official residence more than seven hours after his daughter reported him missing. His sudden death has shocked the nation because of its possible links to allegations of sexual harassment.



Police are looking into the death of the mayor; but at the same time acknowledged that a complaint by a former female secretary had been filed against Park, though they didn't specify what he was accused of. Reports however have emerged of allegations of sexual harassment.



First, we extend our sincere and deep condolence to Park's family.



In a note he left behind disclosed by the Seoul city government, Park wrote: "I am sorry to everyone. I am grateful to everyone who has been with me in my life." He expressed regret for causing nothing but pain to his family and asked to be cremated and for his ashes to be spread on his parents' graves.



Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Rep. Park Hong-geun, a close ally to the mayor, asked people to refrain from making ungrounded statements that may hurt the feelings of his remaining family members.



What should also be ensured is that the complainant does not suffer any possible secondary harm, and regarding this, a movement by some Park's supporters to unearth information about the alleged victim should be immediately halted.



Park's death is expected to close the sexual harassment complaint.



The three-term Seoul mayor was not only a potential presidential contender for the 2022 election but had a proven track record as a prominent human rights lawyer and civic movement leader.



As a human rights lawyer, he was involved in South Korea's first sexual harassment case in the 1990s, and as a vocal civic movement leader he was instrumental in establishing powerful citizens' groups.



Yet, he is also the third local government chief affiliated with the DPK to be embroiled in allegations of sexual harassment. Former Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don stepped down after admitting sexual harassment; and former South Chungcheong Province Governor An Hee-jung is serving a prison term. The persistent occurrences of such allegations and cases compel us to gravely review our awareness of the #MeToo movement.



The death of a public figure can impact society immensely. Residents of Seoul, like those in Busan, must wait till the by-elections next April to elect a new mayor. Seoul is a global metropolis, home to 10 million people or about one-fifth of the entire Korean population. These are difficult times that call on us to respect everyone involved and find ways to ensure so that such tragedies do not happen again.


The first comprehensive study of the pandemic shows consumption losses amount to more than US$3.8 trillion, triggering full-time equivalent job losses of 147 million and the biggest-ever drop in greenhouse gas emissions.

The international group of researchers, using a global and highly detailed model, found that most directly hit was the travel sector and regions of Asia, Europe, the United States, with cascading multiplier effects across the entire world economy because of globalisation.

The loss of connectivity imposed to prevent the virus spreading triggers an economic 'contagion', causing major disruptions to trade, tourism, energy and finance sectors, while easing environmental pressures most in some of the hardest-hit areas.

This study focuses on 'live' data to 22 May (with the exception of air travel, for which only a 12-month forecast exists), differing from most assessments of the economic impacts of the pandemic based on scenario analyses and/or projections -- and it is the first to provide an overview of the combined economic, social and environmental impacts, including indirect effects, of the coronavirus.

The findings publish today in the international scientific journal PLOS ONE.

Key Reductions

Consumption: US$3.8 trillion (4.2 percent ~ GDP of Germany)

Jobs: 147m (4.2 percent of the global workforce)

Income from wages and salaries: $2.1 trillion (6 percent)

Most directly hit: US, China (mainland), air transport and related tourism

Greenhouse gas emissions: 2.5Gt (4.6 percent) -- larger than any drop in human history*

Other atmospheric emissions -- PM2.5: Dangerously fine particulate matter emissions fall 0.6 Mt (3.8 percent); SO2 & NOx: Sulfur dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels -- which has been linked to asthma and chest tightness -- and emissions from nitrogen oxide -- from fuel combustion, for example, driving cars -- fall 5.1 Mt (2.9 percent).

Corresponding author Dr Arunima Malik, from Integrated Sustainability Analysis (ISA) and University of Sydney Business School, said the experience of previous financial shocks showed that, without structural change, environmental gains were unlikely to be sustained during economic recovery.

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"We are experiencing the worst economic shock since the Great Depression, while at the same time we have experienced the greatest drop in greenhouse gas emissions since the burning of fossil fuels began," Dr Malik said.

"In addition to the sudden drop in climate-change inducing greenhouse gasses, prevented deaths from air pollution are of major significance.

"The contrast between the socio-economic and the environmental variables reveals the dilemma of the global socio-economic system -- our study highlights the interconnected nature of international supply chains, with observable global spillover effects across a range of industry sectors, such as manufacturing, tourism and transport."

The University of Sydney Vice-Chancellor Dr Michael Spence said it was wonderful to see significant applications come to life through a collaborative platform seeded a decade ago with University of Sydney funding.

"Thanks to pioneering work here at Sydney in collaboration with other world leaders in footprinting, it's now possible to simulate the world economy quickly and accurately to see how society and the environment are impacted by changes in our consumption," Dr Spence said.

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"This research was conducted in the cloud-based Global MRIO Lab and it is these sorts of global, multidisciplinary collaborations that will help us tackle the complex issues of our time."

Research Using the Global MRIO Lab

To chart the world economy and post-disaster impacts using global multi-regional input-output (MRIO) analysis or GMRIO, researchers worked in the open-source Global MRIO Lab. This customisable database is an extension of the Australian Industrial Ecology Lab (IE Lab) led by the University of Sydney.

The advancement of GMRIO has underpinned the increasing popularity and uptake of so-called consumption-based accounting, or footprinting, which avoids loopholes such as 'carbon leakage' where pollution is externalised to the producers, rather than consumers of goods and services. The Global MRIO Lab includes data from statistical agencies, including National Accounts and Eurostat and international trade data such as UN Comtrade. The lab is powered by supercomputers calculating the impacts of international trade along billions of supply chains extending to 221 countries.

Input-output (I-O) models were developed in the 1930s by Nobel Prize Laureate Wassily Leontief to analyse the relationships between consumption and production in the economy; I-O or multi-regional input-output (MRIO) models take account of actual data, from I-O records worldwide. Global MRIO or GMRIO models now not only extend to global value chains (GVCs) incorporating all orders of production but are also able to answer flexible and complex questions to a high degree of accuracy within a relatively short time lag. Once assembled, tables can be quickly updated, limited only by the timeliness of the data to hand.

Lead author Professor Manfred Lenzen, also from ISA and a recent co-author of the "Scientists' warning on affluence," said that the Australian-funded and University of Sydney-led innovation of the IO Labs had really catalysed new research efficiency in Australia. "Whilst the Labs were initially developed by a dedicated team from eight Universities and the CSIRO, supported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, there are now hundreds of users, answering questions ranging from building sustainable cities, avoiding food waste, and carbon-footprinting tourism, to hedging against major disasters such as tropical cyclones," said Professor Lenzen.

For this study into COVID-19, 38 regions in the world were analysed and 26 sectors. In order to incorporate as much information as possible, co-authors were allocated countries with which they had language skills and familiarity, with data translated from sources in 12 languages ranging from Arabic to Hindi and Spanish.

The international team of researchers are from: University of Sydney; Edinburgh Napier University; University of Queensland; UNSW Sydney; Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia; National Institute for Environmental Studies & Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Japan; Yachay Tech University, Ecuador; Duke University; Beijing Normal University.

* Previous significant drops in greenhouse gas emissions were during the global financial crisis in 2009 (0.46Gt) and as a result of land-use changes (under the Kyoto Protocol) in 1998 (2.02Gt).
Kathmandu: Nepal on Thursday stopped the transmission of all Indian private news channels except Doordarshan, accusing them of airing reports hurting the country's national sentiment.

There was no immediate reaction from India on the issue. People familiar with the development said the Nepalese embassy in New Delhi apprised its views to the Indian government over coverage of Nepal's political developments by the Indian channels.

"We have stopped the distribution of all Indian news channels except Doordarshan," Dinesh Subedi, the chairman of Multi-System Operator (MSO), foreign channel distributor, told reporters here.

"We have halted distribution of India's private news channels as they have aired news reports hurting Nepal's national sentiment," he added.

The development comes after some Indian channels aired reports critical of Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli and his government.

However, the Nepal government did not officially announce halting the telecast of the Indian news channels.

Minister for Finance, Information and Communication Yuvraj Khatiwada also condemned some of the reports aired by the Indian news channels.

"Nepal government condemns such acts," Khatiwada said while responding to a question on the issue during a press meet on Thursday. The government will seek political and legal ways against such an objectionable act," he added.

Earlier in the day, former deputy prime minister and spokesperson of the ruling Nepal Communist party Narayan Kaji Shrestha said that the Indian media must stop the baseless propaganda against Prime Minister Oli and his government.

"The baseless propaganda by the Indian media against the Nepal government and our Prime Minister has crossed all limits. This is getting too much. Stop with the nonsense, Shrestha said in a tweet.

The India-Nepal bilateral ties came under strain after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a 80-km-long strategically crucial road connecting the Lipulekh pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand on May 8.

Nepal reacted sharply to the inauguration of the road claiming that it passed through Nepalese territory. India rejected the claim asserting that the road lies completely within its territory.

Later, Nepal updates the country's political map through a Constitutional amendment, incorporating three strategically important Indian areas.

India termed as "untenable" the "artificial enlargement" of the territorial claims by Nepal. India has handed over a diplomatic note to Nepal over the map issue, Nepalese media reports said.
By Michael Christopher

Rock Music Menu Columnist

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony originally slated to take place May 2 was moved to Nov. 7 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Now the entire spectacular has pretty much been abandoned altogether, with organizers opting instead for an exclusive special televised on the latter date on HBO.

Due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns and for the health and safety of our rock & roll family, the live 2020 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony concert scheduled for this November in Cleveland, Ohio is canceled, the Hall said in a statement. In place of the live event, the 2020 Inductees will be honored with an exclusive special that will air on HBOcelebrating the impact, influence and music of Depeche Mode, The Doobie Brothers, Whitney Houston, Nine Inch Nails, The Notorious B.I.G., T-Rex and Ahmet Ertegun Award honorees Jon Landau and Irving Azoff.

To protect the health and safety of our inductees, their families, crews and our attendees, weve made the decision that the scheduled live event is not possible, added John Sykes, Chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation in a statement. Together with HBOwe will still create an exciting program honoring our 2020 inductees, by telling the stories of their incredible contributions to music and impact on a generation of artists that followed them.

Scuttling the live show completely is understandable given the current situation. Unfortunately, it means fans wont get to see any of the artists who went from nomination to induction in a groundbreaking year for the institution. It also misses the opportunity for in the moment speeches and once in a lifetime performances.

The Rock Hall Class of 2020 was notable for giving the nod to Depeche Mode and Trent Reznors Nine Inch Nails, once again redefining what falls under the banner rock and roll, as both relied mainly on electronics to illustrate their early sound. Add that to Biggie Smalls and Whitney Houston being two names that hardly conjure up the term rock in the majority of peoples minds, and you have a fantastic debate akin to when hip-hop pioneer Grandmaster Flash was inducted in 2007, or when rappers Run-DMC followed two years later.

Almost every other concert tour and music festival scheduled for this year are being bumped to 2021, hoping for the best and intending to retain the spirit and participants who were originally scheduled given a Covid-19 vaccination is found. Why is the Rock Hall being any different? They could follow suit and either make next year a great big Class of 2020 and 2021 spectacular, or press pause like the rest.

While we might not be able to rock out together in 2020, we are excited to announce that in fall of 2021, the Induction Ceremony returns to Cleveland for a live concert and celebration, their official statement continued. More details about the 2021 Ceremony, and Induction Week will be provided at a later date.

That Wednesday announcement has already drawn an immense amount of negative reaction from fans of the respective artists slated for induction who want them to get their just due and recognition on the big stage. Somehow, it doesnt seem like a Zoom performance by Trent Reznor is going to cut it. Hopefully organizers at the Rock Hall realize their misstep and take one back.

VINYL OF THE WEEK

Keep an eye on this spot as each week well be looking at new or soon-to-be-released vinyl from a variety of artists. It might be a re-pressing of a landmark recording, special edition or new collection from a legendary artist. This week, its a collection of compositions from a recently departed composer.

ENNIO MORRICONE

PSYCHO

The world lost one of the greatest composers in history this week when Ennio Morricone passed away at the age of 91. The Grammy and Academy Award winner is best known on these shores for having scored films like Sergio Leones Clint Eastwood vehicles The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and A Fistful of Dollars as well as classics like John Carpenters The Thing and Brian DePalmas The Untouchables.

At the time of his death, the label Music on Vinyl had just begun a five-part series celebrating some of Morricones best soundtrack works, which started in May with Western. Friday sees the release of the 2-LP set Psycho  not to be confused with fellow composer Bernard Hermanns legendary score of the Alfred Hitchcock classic. This one is the second of five double vinyl releases and is dedicated to Morricones work with Italian directors spanning the late 1960s up to the 1980s.

The music on Psycho accompanied some darkly dramatic films, some veering into the realms of horror, highlighting the psychological tension within the movies that contrasts with his work in the USA during the same era. This is where the composer felt truly at home, working with the nuances and drama of the Italian psyche as laid bare by Italian filmmakers, among them Elio Petri who directed A Quiet Place in the Country and Roberto Faenza, who did Copkiller starring Harvey Keitel and Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon.

Psycho is available as a limited edition of 3000 individually numbered copies on 180-gram translucent red vinyl. The package includes a four-page insert with liner notes written by Claudio Fuiano. The gatefold sleeve contains a red-spot varnish on the outside and images of iconic movie posters on the inside. It can be purchased online and in stores from all respectable retailers who carry vinyl.

To contact music columnist Michael Christopher, send an email to rockmusicmenu@gmail.com. Also, check out his blog at www.thechroniclesofmc.com.
Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairman Lee Hae-chan speaks with reporters after visiting the memorial altar for the late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon at a hospital in Seoul, Friday. Korea Times photo by Koh Young-kwon



By Do Je-hae



The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is reeling from a series of sexual scandals involving some of it biggest star politicians.



According to the police, a former female secretary filed a sexual harassment complaint with the police against the late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon before he was found dead early Friday.



Previously, DPK heavyweights such as former Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don and former South Chungcheong Province Governor Ahn Hee-jung have come under fire for allegations of sexual misconduct.



Many Koreans find the allegation of sexual misconduct against Park particularly alarming, given that the former human rights lawyer has been a staunch supporter of women's rights and has placed gender equality at the forefront of his policy goals as mayor. Park is believed to have taken his own life for fear of a #Metoo scandal.



The series of #Metoo allegations to hit the ruling party heavyweights is feared to severely damage the people's trust in the DPK, which is already facing criticism for its unilateral operation of the National Assembly. Some Koreans are calling it the "sexual violence party," mocking the series of sexual allegations from its high-profile politicians.



The cases of Park, Oh and Ahn and similar in that the victims all involve female secretaries who worked closely with them. Oh is undergoing investigation into an allegation that he made sexual advances toward his secretary in May at his office. Ahn is serving a prison sentence for raping and sexually harassing a female secretary. He had been a considered a possible contender in the next presidential race.



The Seoul mayor's death is tragic, but some citizens are becoming furious at the party for the endless sexual scandals. There are also rising concerns that the sexual scandals surrounding the ruling party will degrade Korea's image internationally. International media have also been active in reporting the death of the mayor and its link to the #Metoo movement.



Cheong Wa Dae has not issued any statement regarding Park's death, but some of its top officials, including presidential chief of staff Noh Young-min visited a memorial altar for the late mayor Friday afternoon and conveyed the President's condolences.



The presidential office recently took flak for sending condolences to Ahn who was temporarily released from prison to take part in his late mother's funeral. Some citizens said that it was inappropriate, given that Ahn, despite his long ties to President Moon Jae-in, is a sexual criminal.



The sudden death of the Seoul mayor is expected to hamper not just the city administration, but also some major policy events.



Cheong Wa Dae was planning to hold an event on July 13 to promote Moon's "Korean new deal" for creating jobs and reviving the economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But the presidential office said the date has been moved to July 14.



The presidential office is in shock over the death of Park, who has long ties to President Moon. The head of the press center cancelled its regular briefing and is being cautious in speak about the incident.





Lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) wait for the hearse carrying the late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon at a hospital in Seoul, Friday. Yonhap
If a Berkeley proposal inspired by the countrys racial justice movement goes through, police officers wont be pulling people over for speeding, blowing through red lights or flipping U-turns in the middle of Telegraph Avenue.

Dont get too excited. Traffic enforcement isnt going away  it just wouldnt be the job of armed officers.

The first-of-its-kind proposal, due for a City Council vote Tuesday, is a response to the reckoning over brutality and racial bias in law enforcement that followed the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd and has put pressure on leaders to rethink their approach to public safety.

The proposal, while novel and potentially complex, has garnered some praise from racial justice advocates and transportation planners, and officials in Los Angeles and New York City have hinted at following Berkeleys lead.

Within a day, an L.A. City Council member was messaging me on Twitter about it, said Berkeley Councilman Rigel Robinson, who introduced the proposal on June 29. As far as we know, something like this hasnt been meaningfully attempted before.

The policy, dubbed BerkDOT, aims to fundamentally change the approach to minor traffic violations that disproportionately impact Black and brown people by creating a new Berkeley Department of Transportation, which would be staffed with unarmed civil servants. The citys current transportation commission falls under the Public Works Department, while traffic and parking enforcement rest with the investigations bureau of the police force.

Berkeleys new department would unite planning and enforcement under the common goal of creating safer streets.

We dont have all of the answers yet, said Mayor Jesse Arreguin, who co-sponsored the measure. But somebody has to break ground on this. And Berkeley is committed that this is a conversation we need to explore.

Berkeley police declined to address the proposal, saying the department does not comment on city legislation.

Traffic enforcement makes up 52% of interactions that Americans have with the police, and Black and Hispanic Americans are more likely to be stopped and searched, according to data from the Stanford Open Policing Project. As the tragic deaths of Philando Castile in Minnesota, Sandra Bland in Texas, and Maurice Gordon in New Jersey illustrate, traffic stops can too often turn deadly for Black men and women.

Berkeleys Police Department hasnt had a police shooting since 2012 but, like many cities, its traffic stop data reflects racial disparity. A 2018 Center for Policing Equity report found that Black drivers in Berkeley were four times more likely than white drivers to be searched after a stop, and Hispanic drivers were three times more likely to be searched.

Berkeley appears to be doing better than most agencies, but it has work to do, said UC Berkeley Professor Jack Glaser, who co-authored the 2018 report and recently advised San Franciscos Police Department in its decision to end the release of booking shots as part of an effort to stop perpetuating racial stereotypes.

Departments of transportation are common to large cities like Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., and many of these agencies have unarmed community resource officers, who issue citations or impound vehicles. But its uncommon for a city the size of Berkeley, which has a population of about 120,000, to create a stand-alone transportation department.

Sgt. Ray Kelly, an Alameda County Sheriffs Office spokesman, said Berkeleys idea of creating an entirely new transportation department seems costly and counterintuitive for a city of its size.

From a management perspective and budget perspective, it doesnt make sense unless youre a major metropolitan city, he said. Why create more bureaucracy when traffic can be done very professionally, with a slight learning curve, with city police departments?

If passed, the BerkDOT measure will be funded in part by the $9.2 million the council cut from the Police Departments budget on July 1. Arreguin said the move will bring long-term cost savings to a city hampered with police overtime and pension costs.

If the measure is approved Tuesday, the City Council will immediately enter a community engagement process to begin planning the new department, which officials hope to fully transition to in the next three years.

The more we move from police departments to non-sworn positions, its probably cheaper, Arreguin said. The police budget is currently 44% of our general funds. Thats not sustainable for our city.

Berkeley isnt the first city to apply a racial justice lens to how it views transportation.

In 2015, Oakland formed a new Department of Transportation, OakDOT, with a designated Racial Justice Team. OakDOT has introduced measures like targeting historically underserved areas for funding and investment, and creating low-income ride-share pricing programs. The department also works closely with the Oakland Police Department, which last year dramatically cut back on traffic enforcement to curb racial bias.

However, Berkeley would be the first city in the nation to entirely separate traffic enforcement from policing.

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.

Sgt. Kelly said he worries about the distance that could be created between civilian officials and the Police Department in situations with imminent danger. When it comes to reckless driving, DUIs or other circumstances that put civilians at risk, he said, cities need trained police officers who can respond quickly.

When you create separate departments, you risk making it harder for people to talk to each other, Kelly said. Id ask first about the communication systems in place, the training for when and how to work together to keep people safe.

Berkeley Councilman Ben Bartlett said that his own George Floyd Community Safety Act, also being considered by the council Tuesday, will help bridge that divide. The measure proposes reallocating most police work to unarmed crisis responders, who can then escalate violent situations and criminal investigations to the Police Department.

If theres a reckless driver, thats when police get called in to address that threat, Bartlett said. Right now most interactions with the police remain broken tail lights or having the wrong color sticker. By removing the police from day-to-day street activity, we allow them to focus on addressing solving crimes.

Tasking civilians with traffic enforcement may curb the risk of violence, but it wont eliminate the potential for racial bias in their work. Bartlett said this is why BerkDOT will need a traffic enforcement system that issues speeding tickets and parking citations devoid of discretion.

The details on how that will work still arent clear.

That might mean complete automation of ticketing, Bartlett said. People have different ideas.

Automated speed enforcement is not currently legal in California.

If the BerkDOT measure passes, the city will move into several months of community engagement, bringing in perspectives from residents, transportation planners, fair policing experts and a legal research team from ChangeLab Solutions. The city would also use data from a recently approved independent analysis of police calls to help inform a variety of new public safety measures.

Finally, the city would work with the Public Works Department and the Police Department to help plan and transition operations to the new agency.

Step one is stating our policy intentions, said Councilwoman Lori Droste, who co-sponsored the proposal. Clearly, there are a lot of details that we need to work out. We arent pretending otherwise.

Brett Simpson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: brett.simpson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @brettvsimpson
I worry about Joe Biden debating Donald Trump. He should do it only under two conditions. Otherwise, hes giving Trump unfair advantages.

First, Biden should declare he will take part in a debate only if Trump releases his tax returns for 2016 through 2018. Biden has already done so, and they are on his website. Trump must, too. No more gifting Trump something he can attack while hiding his own questionable finances.

And second, Biden should insist that a real-time fact-checking team approved by both candidates be hired by the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates  and that 10 minutes before the scheduled conclusion of the debate this team report on any misleading statements, phony numbers or outright lies either candidate had uttered. That way no one in that massive television audience can go away easily misled.

Debates always have ground rules. Why cant telling the truth and equal transparency on taxes be conditions for this one?

Yes, the fact that we have to make truth-telling an explicit condition is an incredibly sad statement about our time; normally such things are unspoken and understood. But if the past teaches us anything, Trump might very well lie and mislead for the entire debate, forcing Biden to have to spend a majority of his time correcting Trump before making his own points.

That is not a good way for Biden to reintroduce himself to the American people. And, lets not kid ourselves, these debates will be his reintroduction to most Americans, who have neither seen nor heard from him for months, if not years.

Because of COVID-19, Biden has been sticking close to home, wearing a mask and social distancing. And with the coronavirus now spreading further, and Biden being a responsible individual and role model, its likely he wont be able to engage with any large groups of voters before Election Day. Therefore, the three scheduled televised debates, which will garner huge audiences, will carry more weight for him than ever.

He should not go into such a high-stakes moment ceding any advantages to Trump. Trump is badly trailing in the polls, and he needs these debates much more than Biden does to win over undecided voters. So Biden needs to make Trump pay for them in the currency of transparency and fact-checking  universal principles that will level the playing field for him and illuminate and enrich the debates for all citizens.

Of course, Trump will stomp and protest and say, No way. Fine. Let Trump cancel. Let Trump look American voters in the eye and say: There will be no debate because I should be able to continue hiding my tax returns from you all, even though I promised that I wouldnt and even though Biden has shown you his. And there will be no debate because I should be able to make any statement I want without any independent fact-checking.

I get why Republican senators and Fox News dont press Trump on his taxes or call out his lies. Theyre afraid of him and his base and unconcerned about the truth. But why should Biden, or the rest of us, play along?

After all, these issues around taxes and truth are more vital than ever for voters to make an informed choice. The American people need to know if Trump is in debt in any way to Russian banks and financiers.

At the same time, debating Trump is unlike debating any other human being. Trump literally lies as he breathes, and because he has absolutely no shame, there are no guardrails. According to the Fact Checker team at the Washington Post, between Trumps inauguration on Jan. 20, 2017, and May 29, he made 19,127 false or misleading claims.

Biden has been dogged by boneheaded issues of plagiarism in his career, but nothing compared to Trumps daily fire hose of dishonesty, which has no rival in U.S. presidential history. Thats why its so important to insist that the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates hire independent fact-checkers who, after the two candidates give their closing arguments  but before the debate goes off the air  present a rundown of any statements that were false or only partly true.

Only if leading into the debate American voters have a clear picture of Trumps tax returns alongside Bidens, and only if coming out of the debate they have a clear picture of who was telling the truth and who was not, will they be able to make a fair judgment between the two candidates.

That kind of debate and only that kind of debate would be worthy of voters consideration and Bidens participation.

Otherwise, Joe, stay in your basement.

@NYTFriedman
The top commander of US military forces in the Middle East says he believes the assassination of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani has only temporarily deterred Iran from pursuing its goal of pushing US troops out of the region.

I draw no confidence from periods of quiet, the head of the US Central Command, Gen. Frank McKenzie, said in an interview with Bloomberg published today. That's when I actually begin to look very hard at what the Iranians might be up to because I think they have long-term goals to eject us, he said.

Why it matters: The US military carried out an order by President Donald Trump to kill Soleimani after suspected Iran-linked militias in Iraq killed an American contractor in a rocket barrage. The continuing rocket attacks followed sabotage of oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman and cruise missile and drone strikes on two of Saudi Arabias largest oil processing facilities on Sept. 14. The United Nations has said projectiles recovered at the site were of Iranian origin.

McKenzie has said the killing of Soleimani has restored a rough deterrence against Iran  that is, Washington believes Tehran is unlikely to risk another significant attack on US forces or allies for now, but that Irans proxy forces in the region are harder to control.

I remember well the lesson of last fall where we were in a relative period of quiet and, bang, they attacked Aramco, McKenzie told Bloomberg.

Whats next: Nobody knows. Iran may be waiting out the November presidential elections in the United States or biding time ahead of a vote scheduled for October at the United Nations over renewing an international arms embargo on Iran. The United States is pushing for the embargo to be renewed, while Russia and China have objected to US efforts.

Germany, France and the United Kingdom have said they will not support the Trump administrations effort if it goes through with its threat to snap back international sanctions on Tehran should the embargo vote fail. The United States' European allies have warned that reactivating the sanctions risks collapsing what remains of the 2015 nuclear deal. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has threatened a firm response should US actions further damage the deal.

The UN has said that Iran has also violated the deal in response to the US withdrawal.

Know more: A top United Nations expert has called the US killing of Soleimani unlawful and said it violated the UN charter. The Trump administration insists it killed Soleimani based on knowledge that Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was planning imminent attacks on US personnel and allies, but has yet to provide any evidence.
(CNN)  "Glee" actress Naya Rivera is presumed dead after disappearing at a lake in Southern California, according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

"We're presuming that an accident happened and we're presuming she drowned in the lake," Ventura County Sheriff Deputy Chris Dyer said at a news conference Thursday.

Search and rescue efforts for the actress have now shifted to a recovery operation, Dyer said.

"The goal is still to bring Miss Rivera home to her family," he said.

Rivera, 33, vanished from Lake Piru on Wednesday evening. She went to the lake that afternoon and rented a pontoon boat with her 4-year-old son, according to authorities.

Dyer said Thursday that the boat was overdue for return around 4 p.m. local time. A rental employee found the boat on the north end of Lake Piru.

Rivera's son was on the boat, but she was nowhere to be found, Dyer said. Search efforts began immediately and continued until about 10 p.m. Wednesday.

Another spokesman for the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, Capt. Eric Bushow, previously said that the child and his mother went swimming and that she did not get back on the boat. He said the child had on a life vest and an adult life vest was found on the boat.

The child is healthy and with family, Dyer said Thursday morning. CNN has reached out to Rivera's representatives for more details.

Officials resumed the search Thursday morning, and the lake has been closed during the operation, which involves more than 80 people, the sheriff's office said on Twitter.

Rivera played Santana Lopez on the Fox show for six years from 2009, and appeared in nearly every episode of the musical-comedy-drama. She was also on the CBS sitcom "The Royal Family" and in the comedy film "The Master of Disguise."

Fellow celebs, including her "Glee" co-star Harry Shum Jr., shared their concern on social media.

Actress Jackee Harry tweeted a scene she shared with Rivera on the sitcom "The Royal Family" which was Rivera's first acting job at the age of 4.

"Prayers up for the lovely Naya Rivera," Harry tweeted. "We starred alongside one another in her first very television series, The Royal Family, and I've watched her career blossom ever since. Please God, don't cut this life short."

Zack Teperman, who described himself as Rivera's former publicist, said he was shocked by the news of her disappearance.

"I still can't believe what I'm hearing and hoping it isn't true," he posted on social media. "I'm just sad. Naya Rivera was one of the first people I had the honor of working with back in 2009 when I got into public relations and moved to Hollywood. One of the first people to allow me to give her advice and guide her through those crazy Glee days."

Rivera was previously married to actor Ryan Dorsey.
"The challenges of those many months really did create a very capable work force in this area and that is now at the disposal of any state or territory that could find themselves in this situation." Despite criticisms in recent months that the COVIDSafe app had not been useful in tracing contacts, Mr Morrison urged all Australians to continue using it. Premier Daniel Andrews would not be drawn on what support could be provided from interstate, but defended his government's handling of the process so far. "Contact tracing is a difficult, laborious and really challenging task no matter how many close contacts you have, even a small number," Mr Andrews said.

"Our team is equal to it but we are growing that team. It is bigger than it has ever been and I will have more to say soon about additional resources and support to expand that team even further." Loading Mr Andrews said there were "dozens" of specialised contact-tracing staff conducting in-depth interviews with confirmed cases, and the government had also "beefed up" its entire contact tracing workforce including clinicians. A government spokeswoman said more than 1300 people were working "around the clock" to find and contain coronavirus. "Due to the concentrated efforts in recent days there have been some delays with this process and our team is working quickly to get hold of everyone."

Melbourne woman Shelley Turner said she waited 12 days for an official notice from DHHS that her child had been in close contact with another student who had tested positive for COVID-19 at Flemington Primary School. "I've worked at DHHS so I have sympathy for them, but I'd be urging people to rely on their informal networks for information," she said. "All they had to do in this case is contact the class  it's not even contact tracing, it's basic information." Ms Turner received an email from DHHS on July 8, informing that her youngest daughter had been exposed to a child with the virus on June 26.

The school's leadership had told parents there was a confirmed case at the school on July 1 and advised that DHHS would be in touch if their child was considered a close contact. Some parents travelled interstate not knowing their child could have been exposed to the child who tested positive, Ms Turner said. Loading "If you're hearing about it on WhatsApp before you're hearing about it from them [the department], there's a problem," she said. "For me it's emblematic of a public service that's been depleted over a period of time." Another woman, Michelle, said she was told by a childcare centre that her daughter was a close contact of a confirmed case five days after the contact  three days before DHHS got in touch.

"We didnt hear from DHHS until the eighth day after the contact and then only via text," she said. "Weve never had a call." Without an official DHHS letter confirming a COVID-19 case, close contacts cannot be tested for COVID-19 if they are asymptomatic. One doctor, who asked not to be named, described the contact tracing system as "a shambles". "The problem is we are not allowed to test contacts unless they have DHHS-confirmed contact notification," he said.

"I am testing them all on the basis of the patient saying they are a contact but this is against standard advice." Melbourne University epidemiologist Professor Tony Blakely said Singapore's early success in fighting the virus was largely due to its rapid contact tracing  often within a day. "Ideally, that contact tracing should be happening within hours," Professor Blakely said. Loading "This is very unfortunate, it's a consequence of the system being overloaded and there simply not being enough staff to do it this way."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 18:37:57|Editor: huaxia

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NUR-SULTAN, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev warned the country's cabinet could be dissolved or reshuffled if the COVID-19 epidemiological situation doesn't improve, the presidential press service announced Friday.

Tokayev made the remarks while chairing an expanded government session via videoconference.

"I hope the situation improves in two weeks. Otherwise, it raises a question if the government can continue working in this composition," said Tokayev, adding the current epidemiological situation is of great concern to everyone.

Tokayev said all regional governors and a number of ministers deserve to be reprimanded for failing to curb the spread of the virus.

"Now we are at war. Therefore, each leader is required to be as efficient as possible in resolving issues and completing assignments. You should not escape responsibility and engage in bureaucracy," the president said.

Tokayev added the government would allocate an additional 150 billion tenge (365 million U.S. dollars) in the fight against COVID-19.

Kazakhstan has reported 54,747 confirmed cases and 264 deaths as of Friday. More than 1,700 new cases were reported over the past 24 hours. Enditem
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Shares of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) on Friday dropped over 1 per cent after the company reported a 13.8 per cent decline in June quarter consolidated net profit.

On the BSE, the stock fell 1.22 per cent to Rs 2,177.25.It dipped 1.28 per cent to Rs 2,176 on the NSE.

The country's largest software services firm on Thursday reported a 13.8 per cent decline in June quarter consolidated net profit at Rs 7,008 crore on revenues being impacted by the coronavirus crisis.

ALSO READ: Tata Steel sales fall by 23 per cent in April-June quarter

It expects revenues to touch pre-COVID-19 levels only by the January-March quarter of this fiscal.

TCS had posted a consolidated net profit of Rs 8,131 crore in the year-ago period.

The company's Q1 revenue was almost flat in rupee terms at Rs 38,322 crore but was down 6.3 per cent on constant currency basis.

Revenues were lower by 4.06 per cent when compared with the previous quarter's figure of Rs 39,946 crore.
Hyundai of Albany, which is located at 2425 Santiam Hwy SE in Albany, offers the stylish and fun-to-drive 2020 Hyundai Sonata.

Automotive shoppers in the Willamette Valley that are looking for a stylish, roomy and fun-to-drive midsize sedan will be very pleased with the 2020 Hyundai Sonata at Hyundai of Albany, a dealership with a reputation for excellent customer service. The 2020 Sonata has many positive attributes, including a sporty design, a roomy and refined interior, superb driving dynamics, state-of-the-art technologies and high-level safety.

The 2020 Sonata has an eye-catching design, with it incorporating Hyundais Sensuous Sportiness design language, while offering premium features like LED lighting and chrome window surround moldings. Inside the Sonata, the cabin has a sophisticated layout, while the ambient mood lighting creates a relaxing atmosphere. With the 8-way Power Drivers Seat, the Sonata provides a great deal of comfort on drives. The cabin also offers many useful technologies, such as an infotainment system with either an 8-inch or a 10.25-inch color touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, a wireless smartphone charging pad, the 12-speaker Bose premium audio system and a navigation system.

With its powerful engine options, the Sonata is very fun-to-drive. The Smartstream 2.5-liter GDI 4-cylinder engine generates 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, while the Smartstream 1.6-liter Turbo-GDI 4-cylinder engine cranks out 180 horsepower and 191 pound-feet of torque. Both engines are mated to the Smartstream 8-speed electronic automatic transmission. Surefooted braking for the Sonata comes courtesy of brake features like the anti-lock brake system, Electronic Brake-force Distribution and Brake Assist. With the Motor-Driven Power Steering system, the Sonata provides confident and precise steering.

The Sonata is a very safe vehicle, especially with its safety-enhancing driving assistance technologies. This includes Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist, High Beam Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist Rear and Driver Attention Warning.

The Hyundai of Albany website (http://www.hyundaiofalbany.com) has useful information about the 2020 Hyundai Sonata, including the current vehicle inventory.

Hyundai of Albany can be reached via telephone at (541) 967-9105. The dealership is located 2425 Santiam Hwy SE in Albany.
DDoSecrets founder Emma Best said the data, dubbed BlueLeaks, comes from more than 200 agencies.

Protesters link arms while facing off against a police officer near the district attorney's office Thursday, July 9, 2020, in Salt Lake City. Two police officers in Utah were cleared earlier Thursday in the death of Bernardo Palacios-Carbajal, an armed man shot at more than 30 times as he ran from police, a decision that prompted his grieving family to heighten their calls for systematic changes to law enforcement. (Photo | AP)

Boston: At the behest of the U.S. government, German authorities have seized a computer server that hosted a huge cache of files from scores of U.S. federal, state and local law enforcement agencies obtained in a Houston data breach last month.

The server was being used by a WikiLeaks-like data transparency collective called Distributed Denial of Secrets to share documents _ many tagged For Official Use Only _ that shed light on U.S. police practices.

The data, dating back to 1996, include emails, audio and video files and police and FBI intelligence reports. DDoSecrets founder Emma Best said the data, dubbed BlueLeaks, comes from more than 200 agencies. It has been stripped of references to sexual assault cases and references to children, but names, phone numbers and emails of police officers were not redacted, said Best, who uses they/their pronouns.

Best said that DDoSecrets obtained the data from an outside individual who sympathized with nationwide protests against police killings of unarmed Black people. Some of the files offer insights into the police response to those protests, they said.

While hacking into computers and stealing data is a federal crime, U.S. courts have consistently ruled that journalists may publish stolen documents as long as they are not involved in their theft. DDoSecrets says it is a journalistic organization that shares documents in the public interest.

The documents came to light via a breach of Houston web-design company Netsential, which hosts portals for law enforcement agencies and fusion centers, state-run operations created after the 9/11 attacks to share threat intelligence with local and state police and private-sector partners.

The prosecutors office in Zwickau, a German city near the Czech border, said in an emailed statement Wednesday that the server was confiscated July 3 in the town of Falkenstein following a request from U.S. authorities.

The FBI declined to comment. A U.S. Embassy spokesperson in Berlin did not respond to phone calls and emails seeking comment.

The Zwickau prosecutors statement said it would be up to German judicial authorities to decide whether to hand the server over to U.S. authorities. It said it would not disclose the reason for the U.S. request. Neither would a representative of Hetzner Online, the company that hosted the server.

Best said they assume the seizure was related to the posting of the BlueLeaks documents. They said the files show a lot of things that are entirely legal and normal and horrifying, including police surveillance and police intelligence of dubious origin. Best said none were classified.

The document dump helps expose the United States overdeveloped police intelligence apparatus, said Brendan McQuade, a criminology professor at the University of Southern Maine who has viewed the documents. The files do not include high-level intelligence but provide a window into the relationship between law enforcement at all levels, he said _ one that he believes the FBI doesnt want the public to see lest it add more fuel to the protests against police brutality and racism in policing.

Best said the files remain publicly accessible through more complicated means such as BitTorrent and the Tor network, both of which complicate censorship efforts. Best said the organization is now rebuilding its infrastructure for public access. All they cost us is time, they said.

Shortly after DDoSecrets posted the data, Twitter permanently suspended the organizations account for publishing links and images from the collection, citing a ban on the posting of hacked material.

One U.S. law enforcement agency affected by the breach is the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy. Its director, Judy Bradshaw, told The Associated Press the breach revealed names of students in academy courses and their drivers licenses, but no financial information.

She said Netsential had scores of clients in law enforcement, where it was a strong niche provider. Netsential itself confirmed the breach in an undated statement on its bare-bones website and said it was assisting the investigation but would provide no further information due to the sensitivity of client information.

Executives of the National Fusion Centers Association did not respond to emails and phone calls seeking comment on whether any sensitive investigations may have been compromised by the breach. But Maine State Police said in a statement on June 26 that the FBI was investigating and that affected bulletins may contain identifying information, such as full name and date of birth of people under investigation by other law enforcement agencies. It said they may also involve individuals wanted for criminal activity.

DDoSecrets was created in late 2018 by Best, a journalist specializing in freedom-of-information petitions. It has worked on various investigations with established media organizations including the German newsmagazine Der Spiegel and the U.S. news organization McClatchy.

Previous DDoSecrets releases include data on offshore Bahamas accounts used as tax havens, files hacked from Chilean police and data from a British provider of offshore financial services that has drawn comparisons, on a smaller scale, to the 2016 Panama Papers leak.

Boston: At the behest of the U.S. government, German authorities have seized a computer server that hosted a huge cache of files from scores of U.S. federal, state and local law enforcement agencies obtained in a Houston data breach last month.

The server was being used by a WikiLeaks-like data transparency collective called Distributed Denial of Secrets to share documents _ many tagged For Official Use Only _ that shed light on U.S. police practices.

The data, dating back to 1996, include emails, audio and video files and police and FBI intelligence reports. DDoSecrets founder Emma Best said the data, dubbed BlueLeaks, comes from more than 200 agencies. It has been stripped of references to sexual assault cases and references to children, but names, phone numbers and emails of police officers were not redacted, said Best, who uses they/their pronouns.

Best said that DDoSecrets obtained the data from an outside individual who sympathized with nationwide protests against police killings of unarmed Black people. Some of the files offer insights into the police response to those protests, they said.

While hacking into computers and stealing data is a federal crime, U.S. courts have consistently ruled that journalists may publish stolen documents as long as they are not involved in their theft. DDoSecrets says it is a journalistic organization that shares documents in the public interest.

The documents came to light via a breach of Houston web-design company Netsential, which hosts portals for law enforcement agencies and fusion centers, state-run operations created after the 9/11 attacks to share threat intelligence with local and state police and private-sector partners.

The prosecutors office in Zwickau, a German city near the Czech border, said in an emailed statement Wednesday that the server was confiscated July 3 in the town of Falkenstein following a request from U.S. authorities.

The FBI declined to comment. A U.S. Embassy spokesperson in Berlin did not respond to phone calls and emails seeking comment.

The Zwickau prosecutors statement said it would be up to German judicial authorities to decide whether to hand the server over to U.S. authorities. It said it would not disclose the reason for the U.S. request. Neither would a representative of Hetzner Online, the company that hosted the server.

Best said they assume the seizure was related to the posting of the BlueLeaks documents. They said the files show a lot of things that are entirely legal and normal and horrifying, including police surveillance and police intelligence of dubious origin. Best said none were classified.

The document dump helps expose the United States overdeveloped police intelligence apparatus, said Brendan McQuade, a criminology professor at the University of Southern Maine who has viewed the documents. The files do not include high-level intelligence but provide a window into the relationship between law enforcement at all levels, he said _ one that he believes the FBI doesnt want the public to see lest it add more fuel to the protests against police brutality and racism in policing.

Best said the files remain publicly accessible through more complicated means such as BitTorrent and the Tor network, both of which complicate censorship efforts. Best said the organization is now rebuilding its infrastructure for public access. All they cost us is time, they said.

Shortly after DDoSecrets posted the data, Twitter permanently suspended the organizations account for publishing links and images from the collection, citing a ban on the posting of hacked material.

One U.S. law enforcement agency affected by the breach is the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy. Its director, Judy Bradshaw, told The Associated Press the breach revealed names of students in academy courses and their drivers licenses, but no financial information.

She said Netsential had scores of clients in law enforcement, where it was a strong niche provider. Netsential itself confirmed the breach in an undated statement on its bare-bones website and said it was assisting the investigation but would provide no further information due to the sensitivity of client information.

Executives of the National Fusion Centers Association did not respond to emails and phone calls seeking comment on whether any sensitive investigations may have been compromised by the breach. But Maine State Police said in a statement on June 26 that the FBI was investigating and that affected bulletins may contain identifying information, such as full name and date of birth of people under investigation by other law enforcement agencies. It said they may also involve individuals wanted for criminal activity.

DDoSecrets was created in late 2018 by Best, a journalist specializing in freedom-of-information petitions. It has worked on various investigations with established media organizations including the German newsmagazine Der Spiegel and the U.S. news organization McClatchy.

Previous DDoSecrets releases include data on offshore Bahamas accounts used as tax havens, files hacked from Chilean police and data from a British provider of offshore financial services that has drawn comparisons, on a smaller scale, to the 2016 Panama Papers leak.
Graves containing at least 180 men have been found over the past seven months around the northern Burkina Faso town of Djibo, according to a new report by Human Rights Watch, which suggests that the security forces played a part. Most of the victims were ethnic Fulani men, who were identified by their clothing and physical features.

The Burkina Faso authorities need to urgently uncover who turned Djibo into a killing field, said Corinne Dufka, Sahel director at Human Rights Watch.

Existing information points toward government security forces, so its critical to have impartial investigations, evidence properly gathered, and families informed about what happened to their loved ones, she added.

HRW is calling on the United Nations and other agencies to exhume the bodies and conduct a proper investigation.

The United States Embassy in Ouagadougou issued a statement on social media, expressing its deep concern about the continuing and increasing number of allegations of abuse and extrajudicial killings by Burkina Fasos security forces".

The US called on the Burkinabe government to launch an independent investigation.

We stand alongside the people of Burkina Faso in this fight against violent extremism, it added.

Government response

The Burkinabe defence ministry responded late last week to the first report on the killings that HRW released in June, noting that it had committed to investigate the 180 deaths, and ensuring that the security forces are there to protect civilians.

Djibo, located in the Sahel region of northern Burkina Faso, has been the site of a number of attacks by jihadists coming over the border from neighbouring Mali and Niger; also the reasoning for security forces stationed in the region.

Defence Minister Moumina Cheriff Sy wrote that the killings could have been committed by jihadist groups who stole uniforms, as it is sometimes difficult for the population to distinguish between armed terrorist groups and the Defence and Security forces".

Story continues

Eyewitnesses tell another story

Residents explained to HRW that the bodies had been left in groups along major highways, under bridges and in fields. Many of the bodies were found bound and blindfolded within a five-kilometre radius of the town.

According to interviews HRW carried out by telephone, all witnesses believed that government security forces, who are present in the town, executed the majority of those found in the common graves.

While a number of Djibo residents told HRW that there had been problems with jihadists, and the town had been attacked, there had been no clashes between jihadists and the army before a number of bodies were found.

Had there been clashes with the terrorists, the public transport would have stopped [] we never would have been able to travel, said one resident, indicating that there were no signs of an attack that would cause the military to round people up.

While eyewitnesses were able to identify many of the dead, or were even related to the victims, they also said that internally displaced people (IDPs) who had fled from other towns due to insecurity had been targeted by security forces.

The army has really hit the IDPs - theyve gone for them in the animal market, as they come to Djibo to buy and sell, one resident told HRW.

After so many major jihadist attacks in Mali and Burkina, theyre really afraid of infiltration, they added.

Ethnic profiling

The report also points out the depth of the ethnic dimension of the ongoing problems in the region. Fulani are recruited by jihadists, who in turn attack other communities, including Mossi, Foulse and Gourmanche people.

The vast majority of men killed by alleged security forces are Fulani because they are perceived to support armed Islamists, although many do not support the jihadists.

Djibo residents should feel protected by, not terrified of, their own army, said HRWs Dufka.

The governments failure to make good on promises of accountability for past allegations of security force abuse, including in Djibo, appears to have emboldened the perpetrators, she added.
Jaipur, July 10 : The Rajasthan Police on Friday arrested a man, Lokesh Meena, for allegedly calling a Police Control Room and threatening to blow off the Chief Ministers Residence (CMR).

The security agencies went on high alert soon after the call was received at 9.30 a.m. After a probe, the police arrested a 26-year-old man from Jaipur Rural at 11.30 a.m. and seized his mobile phone.

The accused is a resident of Jamvaramgarh who was arrested from his residence and was brought to the Vidhayakpuri police station in Jaipur.

In the morning, he had called the PCR from his cellphone, threatening to blow off the CMR before disconnecting the phone.

The PCR in-charge then called the Jaipur commissionerate officials which alerted security officers at the CM's residence. According to the family members of the accused, Meena is mentally unstable.

Meanwhile, security at the CM's residence has been enhanced to avert any untoward incident, confirmed officials.
Three Chairs at Twenty

Susan Monroe's superpower

by Britain Woodman

From the July, 2020 issue

"I may not remember their name, but I recognize their face, and I know what their living room looks like." This is the superpower of Susan Monroe, owner of Three Chairs Co., currently celebrating twenty years on Ashley St.



"It's a tough place for retail," Monroe says, "but somehow we're doing it."



Monroe, like all of her sales team, began as an interior designer. Experiences in product development and designing showrooms for Herman Miller stores in Manhattan and Hollywood compelled her to design a store of her own. Three Chairs opened in Holland, Michigan in 1996 and expanded to Ann Arbor four years later.



With the Herman Miller chairs in the front window, a passerby might take a glance and assume it's an office furniture firm. Three Chairs has outfitted a few downtown offices, but Monroe says most of their customers are individuals and families as well as other interior designers.



She thinks of her team as "problem solvers," often visiting a customer's house and identifying traffic flow before suggesting furniture to improve it. Suppliers include American Leather, Gus* (whose modern pieces can be covered in "vegan leather"), Lee Industries, Copeland Furniture, and Gat Creek.



"Kind of our whole drumbeat is quality furniture, good warranties, and you'll be back," Monroe says.



Three Chairs Co., 215 S. Ashley, (734) 665-2786. Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sun. noon-5 p.m. threechairs.com



[Originally published in July, 2020.]








Thirteen undocumented immigrants from Mexico and Honduras are being held as material witnesses in the federal death penalty case against a truck driver who allegedly smuggled dozens of people in an overheated tractor-trailer, leading to 10 deaths, according to federal court records.

Nine of the potential witnesses, including one woman, their faces drawn and arms cuffed, appeared in U.S. District Court on Wednesday in San Antonio. U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Chestney told them that they were not facing criminal charges but would remain in federal custody, be assigned a lawyer, and be asked to give a video deposition in the case in late August.

Four other immigrants appeared in court as possible witnesses earlier in the week.

The court appointed Michael McCrum, a former federal prosecutor, to represent the immigrants. In a telephone interview, McCrum said he planned to meet with the immigrants soon to determine if they would serve as witnesses in the federal case. He said he thought federal officials should provide them visas, instead of taking their testimony and deporting them.

"They should be treated as people, McCrum said. So often we think of their situation as just chips in a monopoly game . . . These are people with real problems, with real needs who have been victimized."

The immigrants, wearing matching blue prison scrubs, listened to a simultaneous translation of the court hearing and nodded somberly as they answered the judge's questions.

James Matthew Bradley, Jr., the truck driver charged in the case, has waived his right to a bond hearing and will not appear in court on Thursday as previously scheduled, according to the court clerk's office. Bradley is charged with smuggling immigrants for financial gain resulting in death, and is being held without bail.

His defense lawyer, Alfredo Villarreal, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In a separate news conference Wednesday, Reyna Torres, the consul general of Mexico in San Antonio, said 13 Mexican citizens who were on board the truck remain in area hospitals, some are in serious condition.

Of the 39 victims who remained on the scene when authorities arrived, 34 are Mexican citizens, she said. Those who are not hospitalized have been transferred into federal custody. Two immigrants remain unidentified, she said.

Two are minors, she said. One is hospitalized, another is in federal custody.

The immigrants hailed from a dozen states in Mexico, including 10 from the state of Aguascalientes. Seven of the 10 people who died were of Mexican descent.

Witnesses have told authorities that more than 100 passengers were crammed into the stifling hot cargo bay before the truck stopped in a Walmart parking lot late Saturday night. When the doors were opened, many passengers reportedly fled in SUVs and on foot.

Torres said U.S. officials are working with the consulate to allow relatives in the United States and from Mexico to visit immigrants in the hospital.

Torres said they have been able to identify migrants using fingerprints in Mexican government databases, taken when their citizens seek a passport or other forms of government identification. She urged immigrants who may have fled the truck to get in touch with the consulate if they need assistance.

"This is a very sad moment," she said. "I am very grateful for the support that I have received."
They were the frontline workers picking food to keep West Australians fed during the pandemic, but now 400-odd migrant workers, mainly from the Pacific Islands, have found themselves jobless, homeless and stranded in Manjimup and its surrounding townships.

As the May picking season drew to a close, the Shire of Manjimup was approved $428,364 from the LotteryWest financial hardship assistance scheme to provide food, shelter, crisis accommodation, transport, gas bottles, firewood, and other emergency relief items.

Relieved backpackers in Manjimup after receiving food donations from Second Bite.

It was the most money granted to a regional council, aside from the Western Desert Lands Aboriginal Corporation (Jamukurnu-Yapalikunu)  which got $608,000 to support the disadvantaged and vulnerable across seven Martu communities in the Central Western Desert of the Pilbara  and the states Red Cross, with $716,645.

With a number of neighbouring shires using a somewhat assertive approach to move on itinerants that had no work, Manjimup Shire saw a rapid escalation of movement to the shire of itinerant job seekers, Manjimups community services director, Gail Ipsen Cutts, said.
NORWALK  A man believed to be dead after he was pulled from the Norwalk Harbor on Thursday is still clinging to life, police said.

Lt. Jared Zwickler, a spokesman for the Norwalk Police Department, said police were told Thursday the man had died, but were then informed Friday he was still alive.

This morning we were updated that the victim in this incident is alive and in the intensive care unit, Zwickler said. The Detective Bureau continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding this incident.

Zwickler offered no further explanation about the inaccurate police report released Thursday afternoon.

Amy Forni, a spokeswoman for Nuvance Health, said Norwalk Hospital could not comment on the conflicting reports, citing HIPAA protections.

Police originally reported that the man, whose identity has not been released, was seen struggling in the water and screaming for help around 6 a.m. Thursday. Police located the man several minutes later in the water near where the Norwalk River meets the Long Island Sound off Second Street.

Police said the man was rescued by Sgt. Garrett Kruger and Officer Gabriel Demott and taken to shore, where he was given medical attention.

The original police report stated the man was transported to Norwalk Hospital where he was pronounced dead on Thursday.

Anyone with information about the incident can call Detective Brendan Collins at 203-854-3191.
Former President Jerry John Rawlings, whose presidency witnessed three successful national elections in the early stages of Ghana's multi-party democracy in 1992, 1996, and the year 2000, has completed the EC registration process.

President JJ Rawlings registered at the Maintenance Unit Castle registration centre in the Klottey Korle constituency of the Greater Accra Region.

He has therefore acquired his Voter ID card which makes him eligible to vote in the December 7th presidential and parliamentary elections.

Accompanied by his daughter and Member of Parliament for the constituency, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, the former President's presence drew a large crowd, compelling him to depart the premises soon after obtaining his card.

More than two million Ghanaians have so far registered for the card in the first phase of the registration process.

According to the Electoral Commission, the feat is impressive.

Ahead of the registration process where there was brewing tension between the two major political parties; the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Jerry John Rawlings urged the Electoral Commission (EC) to use a consultative approach that binds in stakeholders throughout the electoral process. Bawumia registered for ID card

Meanwhile, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has also registered for the new voter ID card.

Dr. Bawumia registered at the Kperiga D/A Primary School polling station in the Walewale constituency on Friday, July 3, 2020.

The Vice President in a Facebook post after registering said the process was smooth and safe and thus urged Ghanaians to adhere strictly to all safety measures as they go out to register.

As we step out to register, let us continue to adhere strictly to all safety measures, including wearing our face masks and observing social distancing.

We are in challenging times because of COVID-19, but I encourage you, patriotic citizens of mother Ghana, to take part in the registration exercise, he urged.

---CitinewsRoom
A spooked shopper has claimed she can see a terrifying 'demonic face' in the black-and-white clouds of her $19 Kmart framed canvas.

The Australian woman said she had the print hanging above her bed but upon closer inspection, she spotted the eerie facial features of a demon in the clouds.

'So after finding a demonic face in this picture, I don't want it above our bed anymore. Where else can I hang a cloudy picture?' she said in a Facebook group.

Many terrified people quickly responded to the thread, urging the woman to get rid of the popular canvas or 'burn it'.

'Once you have seen it you can't unsee it... I would get rid of it,' one said, while another added: 'Oh dear, I can see it! Looks evil.'

A spooked shopper has claimed she can see a 'demonic face' in the black-and-white clouds of her $19 Kmart framed canvas - so can you spot it?

The Australian woman said she had the print hanging above her bed but upon closer inspection, she spotted the eerie facial features of a demon in the clouds

Poll Can you see a spooky figure in this canvas? Yes No Can you see a spooky figure in this canvas? Yes 128 votes

No 1318 votes Now share your opinion





Many shared other 'creepy' things they spotted in the print such as a 'screaming face' trying to 'escape', an 'army of demons' or a 'mutated baby alien'.

'I might just have a really creepy mind, but I can see a mutated baby alien face happening there too,' one said.

Another said: 'I actually see a shadow face like you see in the 2D pregnancy ultrasounds. And now I can't unsee the creepy faces.'

Others told the woman to bin the canvas because it's 'not worth the stress'.

'Everything is perception we all see different things. But I say if it makes you uncomfortable then get rid of it and sage your home for peace of mind,' one said.

Another added: 'You'll never stop seeing it... get rid of it, it's not worth the stress.'

However, many skeptic people said they could only see clouds, while others - who own the same print - said they have spotted a 'turtle's head'.

'If you look hard enough, you can see a demonic face in anything,' one skeptic woman said.

Another shopper said: 'Mines hung the other way around and all I can see is a turtle face right in the middle.'

Last year, spooked shoppers were 'freaking out' over the popular product after spotting a 'creepy woman' in the background of it

Hundreds of people previously claimed they saw an eerie feature of a 'ghostly' woman in the background of her Kmart print of a highland cow

And it isn't the first time Kmart shoppers have claimed to see an eerie image in their print. Last year, hundreds of people claimed they saw an eerie feature of a 'ghostly' woman in the background of her Kmart print of a highland cow.

'Who can see a lady? Face and hair. She's facing down above cow. I don't like my picture anymore, it's creepy,' she wrote in the Kmart themed group.

Many people - who own the same print - were startled by the discovery, with many saying they were 'creeped' out after seeing multiple faces.

'Why did you do that, now I can see it when I look at mine,' one said.

Another said: 'I can see the two of them next to each other. The one with the hair looks like a witch lol I agree, it's creepy.'

Many people claimed they saw an eerie facial feature of a 'ghostly' woman on closer inspection after a shopper made an eerie discovery

'Yep I can see two people. I've always disliked this print, now more so,' one said.

Another added: 'Thanks for nothing! I was loving my cow above my bed. Now I know some creepy b**ch had been watching me all this time.'

Meanwhile, many suggested it was just our minds playing games.

'Our brains are wired to see faces in things like this. It's literally just your mind playing tricks on you,' one said.

And another added: 'It's natural for the mind to find faces in prints and images. It means you have a healthy mind.'
For three weeks, nearly every day has brought with it a record number of cases and hospitalizations from COVID-19 in California. Now, after back-to-back days of record-setting death tolls, the state has now experienced its deadliest seven-day period of the pandemic.

Another 135 Californians perished from the virus Thursday, according to data compiled by this news organization, just shy of the record set Wednesday but more than any other day before that. With it, the seven-day average climbed to 84 fatalities per day -- 29% higher than a week ago and the highest it has ever been. The previous peak came in mid-April, when an average of 80 people died per day from April 18-24.

New cases and hospitalizations aren't slowing down, either. The state added another 9,769 confirmed cases Thursday, raising the seven-day average to 7,909, also a new high. The number of patients hospitalized in California hit a low of 3,092 on June 13; in the month since, it has nearly doubled to 6,126, hitting a new high on Wednesday. The test-positivity rate, which the World Health Organization advises to keep under 5%, has risen to 7.6% from 4.9% just over two weeks ago.

Health officials have warned that deaths are a lagging indicator and wondered when, or if, states with rising case numbers would begin to see a commensurate rise in deaths. Earlier this week, a WHO official said "we may see deaths start to climb again because we've only really experienced this rapid increase in cases over the last five to six weeks."

In other states where cases and hospitalizations have been rising, deaths are beginning to follow. Texas and Florida also reported record numbers of deaths from the virus on Thursday. Texas has reported 203 fatalities from the virus the past two days after not having a day with more than 60 before this week; the seven-day average there is 72% higher than a week ago. In Florida, more than 400 new patients were admitted to hospitals Thursday and 120 people died from the virus -- both new records for the state.

While California has hit new highs of infections and deaths, the Bay Area has so far staved off the worst of the virus. Cases and hospitalizations continue to rise in the region, but its 10 counties (population: 8 million) accounted for seven of the 135 fatalities (5%) statewide Thursday. Los Angeles (47), Orange (26), Riverside (18) and San Bernardino (11) accounted for the majority of the deaths Thursday.

The six southern-most counties in California have the highest death rates over the past week, when accounting for population: Los Angeles (23.5 deaths per 1 million in the past week), Orange (15.1 deaths per 1 million), Riverside (27.5 deaths per 1 million), San Bernardino (17.7 per 1 million), San Diego (11.3 per 1 million) and Imperial (149 per 1 million). In the Bay Area, the death rate was 4.9 per 1 million residents over the past week.

The 554 patients in Bay Area hospitals is the most of any point in the pandemic, up 72% from two weeks ago, while the average number of cases had risen to 734 per day, 63% higher than two weeks ago. Per-capita, however, it is adding fewer cases per day than counties in Central and Southern California.

In the four counties between Los Angeles and the Arizona and Mexican borders -- Imperial, Orange, Riverside and San Diego (population: 9.1 million) -- cases are up 92% in two weeks, from 12.3 per 100,000 residents per day to 23.7 per 100,000. In seven Central Valley counties -- Fresno, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tulare (population: 3.4 million) -- the number of cases is rising even faster: up 110% from two weeks ago (15.7 per 100,000 residents per day to 33). The per-capita case rate in the Bay Area (population: 8 million) remains lower than both regions even before recent spikes, at 9.2 cases per 100,000 residents per day.

The Harvard Global Health Institute's per-capita case map seems to indicate a deteriorating situation. A week ago, Arizona and Florida were the only states designated red or "high risk," with more than 25 cases per 100,000 residents per day in the past week; now, they are joined by Louisiana, South Carolina, Texas and Georgia.

All six states also have rising positivity rates, according to the COVID Tracking Project: Louisiana, at 9.3%, is the only one under 10%. The country's percentage of positive tests has nearly doubled in less than a month and now sits at 8.4%. A majority of states have positive rates above the WHO-recommended 5% threshold.

In California, three counties were deemed high risk a week ago. Now, there are 11 shaded red on the Harvard map: Marin, Colusa, San Joaquin, Merced, Madera, Kings, Tulare, Santa Barbara, Orange, San Bernardino and Imperial. In the Bay Area, Contra Costa, Solano and Napa have also moved into the second-highest risk designation with at least 12 new cases per day per 100,000 residents.

As a state, California has reported the 12th-most cases per capita in the past week: 19.6 per 100,000 residents, one of 20 states Harvard scientists deemed red or orange risk levels. The state crossed the 300,000 case mark Thursday, one day after the Bay Area's case count crossed 30,000. In total, 6,850 Californians have died from COVID-19, including 632 Bay Area residents. In the U.S., the death toll hit 133,000 on Thursday, while the case count climbed to 3.1 million, more than triple any other county but Brazil, which had 1.7 million cases, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
In parallel with its military activity in Libya and rising profile in Africa in the past five years, Ankara has changed its traditional foreign policy priorities with Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, which has resulted in almost daily coverage in the Turkish media. Aside from their importance to maintain the Turkish military presence in Libya, these three countries also bear critical significance for Ankaras Africa opening.

For Algeria, the Friendship and Cooperation Agreement, which was signed during a visit by then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2006, serves as a strong foundation for bilateral relations.

Besides its geopolitical location that can serve as a logistics hub for Turkeys Africa dossier, Algeria is the fourth-largest economy of Africa with a population of some 40 million and with significant natural gas and oil reserves. It is also the fourth-largest liquefied natural gas exporter to Turkey after Russia, Iran and Azerbaijan. In the energy field, a Turkish conglomerate reached an agreement with Algerias Sonatrach in 2018, to establish a petrochemical site in Adana worth $1.4 billion. Mutual contacts between the two countries for joint deep sea drilling and seismic research off the coast of Algeria are also underway.

In economic terms, Turkey was one of the top investors in Algeria with Turkish investments reaching roughly $3.5 billion in late 2019. Some 12,000 Algerians are employed by Turkish companies that completed some 370 projects in various sectors from construction to chemical products, steel and textiles.

Turkey is also keen to cooperate with Algeria in the defense and military field, in return for its logistics support for Libya. Given its arms race with Morocco, Algeria spends some $10 billion a year and Turkey reportedly offers lucrative deals to the country. During his visit in January, President Erdogan asked Algiers to access Algerias air and naval bases for its operations in Libya, reiterating these offers.

Algiers is reportedly interested in Turkish-made equipment including Kirpi and Vuran model armored vehicles, products of BMC; armed drones; radars and surveillance systems; night-day vision systems; bulletproof vests; military textile and uniforms; and radios.

For Morocco, the bilateral trade with Turkey gained momentum following the free trade agreement in 2006, reaching more than $2,7 billion in 2018. The number of Turkish companies that have won infrastructure tenders in Morocco has also increased in the past years, with the number of Turkish companies currently operating in Morocco reaching more than 150. They operate in various sectors including construction, wholesale trade, textile, furniture, iron and steel. Turkeys textile investments in the country has seen a recent uptick.

The total value of the projects that have been undertaken by the Turkish contracting companies in Morocco have reached $4.1 billion. The Turkish firms have around $400 million worth of investments in Morocco as of 2019, and approximately 8,000 Moroccans are employed by Turkish companies.

Yet economic ties soured as the huge trade deficit in favor of Turkey has forced Rabat to ask for a reevaluation of a free trade agreement between the two countries. For Rabat, the agreement backfired on Moroccos economy as the country posted a trade deficit of $1.9 billion with Turkey. In February, Morocco threatened Turkey to walk out of the agreement if Ankara continues to submit Turkey-bound Moroccan products to rigid customs obstacles. Although Moulay Hafid Elalamy, moroccan minister for industry, trade and green and digital economy, announced in the same month that Turkey had agreed to revise the free trade agreement with Morocco to make it mutually beneficial, no concrete steps have been taken on that front.

The trade deficit is a problem in Turkeys relation with Tunisia that has emerged as a potential geostrategic partner in North Africa after Ankaras military involvement in Libya increased. Possible Tunisian support for Turkey on Libya can tip the balance of power in the war-torn country in favor of Libyas Turkish-backed Government of National Accord. Turkey expressed its keenness for Tunisian logistics and strategic support in the Libyan conflict during Erdogans unexpected visit to Tunis in December 2019. Reportedly, Ankara particularly asked Tunisia for the use of Cerbe airport to intervene militarily in Libya and permission to use some military bases as logistics hubs. Aside from military support, as a nonpermanent member of the UN Security Council Tunisia's stance on the issue will also be important.

However, Tunis open support for the Turkish stance over Libya seems highly unlikely given the widespread refusal of Tunisian society to get involved in the Libyan conflict. Some circles have even blamed Ankara to try to drag Tunis into Libya's problems. The Tunisian public has shown no interest in deviating from their traditional neutral stance on the conflict.

As such, the Maghreb countries seem to continue to hold a special place in Ankaras new foreign policy paradigm, as long as Ankara has its eye on Libya and Africa.
The Liberty Company Insurance Brokers has partnered with The Browning Agency of Ponte Vedra, Fla.

Established in 1989 by Jim Browning, The Browning Agency is a full-service brokerage and consulting firm specializing in high net worth personal lines and an exclusive program with the American Rental Association for equipment and party rental businesses.

The Hastings, Florida office handles primarily agricultural risks.

According to Browning, the partnership brings expanded markets and backroom support for the companys clients and staff.

The Liberty Company Insurance Brokers provides producers and agency owners a platform to create equity value with the organization. Liberty is an independently owned, full-service broker with offices throughout the country.

Topics Mergers Agencies Florida
Bengaluru, July 10 : The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has passed an internal note to the managements of its sister corporations to consider sanctioning one-year leave to its officers and staff, an official said on Friday. However, it has simultaneously clarified that there was nothing official about it yet.

"This is an internal office note and nothing is official yet. KSRTC Managing Director (MD) has written to its three affiliates -- BMTC, NEKSRTC and NWKSRTC," a company spokesperson told IANS.

KSRTC MD Shivayogi C. Kalasad is seeking the opinion and views of the North East Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (NEKSRTC) and the North West Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (NWKSRTC) managing directors about the leave proposal which comes amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Some senior officials are against this decision, KSRTC may drop it but nothing is official yet. Otherwise we should go for a board meeting and the board will take the decision and then whatever the decision may be, it will become official," said the official.

According to the official, the KSRTC MD is the cadre controlling authority for the four road transport corporations in the state. Any major decision has to be taken only after consulting the four managing directors.

When a major decision like this is being contemplated, transport corporations employees are also expected to make their representation.

Earlier, some officers and employees used to take extraordinary leave for higher studies or on health grounds for up to five years' time.

"Many officers and staff have availed the benefits, have gone for higher studies and got into Karnataka Administrative Service (KAS). With the above intention, management sent an inter-office note proposing to continue the above benefit among all the employees," said Kalasad.

However, he has clarified that there is no pressure or restriction in the said proposal.

The proposal mandates that an employee will continue to be a staffer of the corporation and will have to report back to duty after completing the one year special leave.

Meanwhile, regarding shopkeepers, hotels and restaurants shutting their businesses in the road transport corporations' bus stations, the official said it is up to the minister to take a decision.

The KSRTC has been asking the shopkeepers, estimated to be around 12,000, to at least pay 20 per cent of the license fee or rent in Unlock 2.0.

"At least 20 per cent because we are also operating buses, passengers are coming. At least 20 per cent they have to give," said the official.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
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Linkedin News Desk (Reuters) Rome, Italy  Fri, July 10, 2020 06:15 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406653a70b 2 News Italy,travel-ban,coronavirus,coronavirus-restrictions,COVID-19,COVID-19-travel-ban,COVID-19-travel-restriction,pandemic,SARS-CoV-2,virus-corona,novel-coronavirus Free

Italy on Thursday banned entry to people coming from 13 countries that it said presented an excessive rate of COVID-19 infections.

The list compiled by the health ministry comprises Armenia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brazil, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chile, Kuwait, North Macedonia, Moldova, Oman, Panama, Peru and Dominican Republic.

The ban affects anyone who has stayed in or travelled through these countries in the last 14 days, Health Minister Roberto Speranza said in a statement.

Travellers from all other countries outside the European Union and the Schengen free movement area can come to Italy but must observe 14 days of quarantine on arrival.

"Around the world the pandemic is in its most acute phase. We cannot waste the sacrifices the Italians have made in recent months," Speranza said.

Italy was the first European country to be hit hard by the coronavirus after its outbreak first emerged on Feb. 21.

It has recorded almost 35,000 deaths but the daily tally of fatalities and new infections have dwindled to a fraction of those seen at the peak of its epidemic in late March.

On Thursday the Civil Protection Agency reported 12 deaths over the last 24 hours, down from 15 the previous day, while new cases increased to 229 from 193.
The World Health Organization, which has faced criticism over its early handling of the coronavirus crisis, on Thursday launched an independent review into the global response to the pandemic.

Announcing the assessment, which will be presented next May, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it should help the world understand how to prevent such crises in the future.

The Independent panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response will be headed by former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark and former Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

"Through you, the world will understand the truth of what happened and also the solutions to build our future better as one humanity," Tedros said at the UN agency's headquarters in Geneva.

At their last assembly in May, WHO member states agreed to a resolution tabled by the European Union, which called for an "impartial, independent and comprehensive evaluation... to review experience gained and lessons learned from the WHO-coordinated international health response to COVID-19".

It said the investigation should probe "the actions of WHO and their time-lines pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic".

At the time, the WHO was coming under attack from US President Donald Trump, who threatened to withdraw Washington's membership, accusing the agency of botching its handling of the pandemic and of being a "puppet of China".

The United States on Tuesday formally started its withdrawal from the WHO, making good on Trump's threats to deprive the UN body of its top donor.

Public health advocates and Trump's political opponents voiced outrage at the move.

'This has to stop'

Tedros hit out at divisions in the international community, warning of the consequences.

"Make no mistake: the greatest threat we face now is not the virus itself -- rather, its the lack of leadership and solidarity at the global and national levels," he said.

"We cannot defeat this pandemic as a divided world. The virus thrives on division but is thwarted when we unite."

The new coronavirus pandemic has claimed more than 550,000 lives worldwide, with nearly 12.1 million people infected since the outbreak emerged in China last December, according to an AFP tally on Thursday.

"How is it difficult for humans to unite to fight a common enemy that's killing people indiscriminately? Tedros said.

"Together is the solution, unless we want to give the advantage the enemy, to the virus that has taken the world hostage -- and this has to stop."

Look in the mirror

Tedros said it was time for honest reflection, and stressed it was important to remain vigilant.

"All of us must look in the mirror: WHO, every member state, all involved in the response. Everyone," he said.

"We're in the midst of this battle. The battle of our lives, and we have to do better, not just now but for the future. Because these threats will never stop and, in all likelihood, they will get worse."

Clark and Sirleaf will pick their own panel members, and will have their own secretariat.

The panel will stage a monthly mission briefing to give updates on progress.

It will present an interim report to the next World Health Assembly gathering in November, with its full report to follow at the May 2021 WHA.

Nobel Peace Prize winner Sirleaf said: "I look forward to doing all we can to respond to these challenges that have prevented us from being united in moving forward, not only to address the effects of COVID-19 but to ensure a better health system for all nations."

Clark added: "This assignment could only be described as exceptionally challenging."
LISBON, Portugal, July 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Chef Tanka Sapkota, owner of four restaurants in Lisbon (Come Prima, Forno d'Oro, Il Mercato, and Casa Nepalesa), is undertaking his once in a lifetime solidarity programme, which, for many, is the most impactful food programme in the Portuguese capital. In recent weeks, on a daily basis, the chef has set-up an oven, specifically designed for this type of operation, in Lisbon's parishes, where he distributes hot pizzas, made on the spot, to families in need, most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, 10,000 meals have been delivered, with an estimated 15,000 pizzas having been offered. The programme includes more than 2,500 families, resulting in almost 7,000 people being fed.

From June 16 to July 16, in collaboration with Lisbon's City Council, the Nepalese chef's mobile oven travels through the capital. Set-up in a different parish on a daily, it makes pizzas to be distributed to people identified by the municipality, in each area. Every day, from 4pm, chef Tanka Sapkota and his team make hundreds of pizzas, which are transported hot and distributed to people's homes at dinnertime.

The work carried out in this programme, involving NGOs, Private Social Solidarity Institutions, residents' associations, and volunteers, brings together more than 500 people, to support the daily distribution of these meals. The Neapolitan pizzas donated in this programme - which can be found on chef Tanka Sapkota's restaurants' menus - were considered one of the 20 best pizzas in the world by the Verace Pizza Napoletana Association.

Tanka Sapkota: "I've always had these social concerns and I believe that it is time to get involved in the community so that we can overcome this moment together."

Town councillor, Carlos Castro, says that, "The pandemic situation we are experiencing is causing an economic and social crisis with profound impact on many families. Chef Tanka's food programme comes as a very important aid, reaching more than seven thousand people. The attitude and example of this successful entrepreneur in our community, shows how Lisbon has generous citizens who value their city and its people."

Images for download:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/9o131jzqgo5n6pk/AACNU90RUfJ93QLaKN_o0KMpa?dl=0

Information to the press:

Patricia Dias

+351-913-456-722

[email protected]

SOURCE Chef Tanka Sapkota
In the early stages of the pandemic, Brian Pallister had harsh words for COVID-19 rule-breakers, and the province encouraged citizens to report scofflaws by calling 311 or a provincial inquiry line.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/7/2020 (557 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In the early stages of the pandemic, Brian Pallister had harsh words for COVID-19 rule-breakers, and the province encouraged citizens to report scofflaws by calling 311 or a provincial inquiry line.

But on Thursday, after the premier was caught breaking the rules earlier this week by failing to wear a mask at the country's largest airport, the province's chief public health officer refused to call him out.

At a press conference, Dr. Brent Roussin wouldn't say whether he was disappointed when he saw photographs of Pallister and federal Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer flouting the rule mandating mask-wearing at Toronto's Pearson International Airport.

"I'm not going to comment in that way.... Shaming anyone, making judgment on people is not going to help us get through this pandemic," he said.

Roussin has consistently encouraged public education over punishment when public health orders are contravened, and made it clear Thursday that also goes for the head of the Manitoba government.

"I think everyone's learning over time, and we can all continue to learn lessons from these types of things," the doctor said.

"I think in Manitoba we've done well with the approach we've taken here. We've had examples of Manitobans who didn't follow our rules or advice, and our guidance is to not necessarily make judgment or shaming, but to learn for all of us."

Earlier in the pandemic, Pallister was not nearly as forgiving when talking about anyone who would ignore rules limiting group sizes and physical distancing.

"I have very little patience for those who are so thoughtless and stupid as to ignore the well-being of themselves and others," he told one news conference.

At another, he encouraged Manitobans to publicly shame people, groups or businesses that don't adhere to a public health order.

"If you come across a situation where people are not observing the social-distancing rules, I would like you to go on the internet and tell everyone not to shop there. Don't go there. Don't honour that kind of behaviour," the premier said.

Late Tuesday, after arriving back in Winnipeg from a nearly week-long trip to Ottawa, Pallister issued a statement, owning up to his mistake and pledging that it wouldn't happen again.

A spokeswoman for the premier also said Wednesday that he was spending time at home and would "provide a full briefing to media next week" about his trip.

As an elected official, the premier is exempt from mandatory self-isolation upon return from a trip from outside Manitoba and northwestern Ontario.

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Roussin said his advice to anyone who is exempt from travel orders to still "take extra caution" upon returning home. That includes avoiding unnecessary outings and to very closely self-monitor for symptoms of the coronavirus.

While Roussin once questioned the benefits of wearing masks, stressing other health precautions instead, he recently admitted that his views have evolved on the subject since the early days of the pandemic.

He said while he has no immediate plans to mandate mask use in Manitoba, that could change in the future. The use of masks could help prevent future shutdowns in the event of a new wave of infections, he said.

"It's probably going to be more and more of an approach we have here as we get closer to, say, respiratory virus season" in late fall, he said.

When the province starts seeing more respiratory viruses, "our messaging may be stronger on mask use at that time," Roussin said.

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca
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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 10, 2020) - Chakana Copper Corp. (TSXV: PERU) (OTCQB: CHKKF) (FSE: 1ZX) (the "Company" or "Chakana") announces that it has granted stock options to certain of its directors, officers and consultants to purchase up to 2,050,000 common shares. Each option is exercisable to acquire one common share of Chakana at a price of $0.40 until July 10, 2025. The grant of options was previously approved and agreed to by the board but were deferred pending permit success. The options will vest over an 18-month period and in accordance with the Company's stock option plan.

About Chakana Copper Corp.

Chakana Copper Corp is a Canadian based minerals exploration company that is currently advancing the expanded Soledad copper-gold-silver project in the Ancash region of the highly prolific Miocene mineral belt of Peru. The Soledad Project consists of high-grade copper-gold-silver mineralization hosted in tourmaline breccia pipes. A total of 30,273m of drilling has been completed to-date, testing seven of twenty-three confirmed breccia pipes. For more information on the Soledad project, please visit the website at www.chakanacopper.com.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

(signed) "David Kelley"

David Kelley

President and CEO

For further information contact:

Joanne Jobin, Investor Relations Officer

Phone: 647 964 0292

Email: jjobin@chakanacopper.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/59534
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TORONTO - The owner of the Toronto Star says it has received a potentially superior second purchase offer from a private investor group.

In response to a request from the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada, Torstar Corp. confirmed it received a non-binding, unsolicited offer for all of the companys Class A shares and Class B non-voting shares.

The new offer is conditional on the completion of due diligence, the negotiation of definitive agreement and the entering into of voting support agreements with trustees of the Torstar voting trust, Torstar directors holding shares and Hamblin Watsa Investment Counsel Ltd., an affiliate of Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd.

The Torstar board of directors is holding talks with the new bidder after determining that its offer may reasonably be expected to constitute or lead to a superior proposal  under the May 26 agreement with NordStar Capital LP.

The board has determined that the NordStar agreement is in the best interest of the company and continued to recommend that shareholders support the transaction at a special meeting scheduled on July 21.

NordStar has a right to match the new offer if the board determined that it is better than the original offer. The new company formed by Toronto businessmen Jordan Bitove and Paul Rivett, whose backgrounds are in corporate finance, says it has no plans to increase its bid.

Our bid for Torstar fully values the company given the significant expenses that will need to be incurred to ensure the growth and prosperity of the flagship Toronto Star and community newspaper, NordStar said in a statement.

___

Torstar holds an investment in The Canadian Press as part of a joint agreement with subsidiaries of the Globe and Mail and Montreals La Presse.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 9, 2020.

Companies in this story: (TSX:TS.B)
An investigation has confirmed that Robert Fuller, who was found hanging from a tree in a Southern California park on June 10, committed suicide, officials announced on Thursday.

The authorities ordered a further investigation into Mr. Fullers death following a public outcry after the initial ruling that it was a suicide. His hanging and that of another Black man in California, on May 31, drew scrutiny amid nationwide Black Lives Matter protests. The other hanging has also been ruled a suicide.

At a news conference on Thursday, Chris Marks, the department commander of the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, said that a further investigation and a more-detailed autopsy revealed that Mr. Fuller, 24, had a history of mental health issues and committed suicide.

Records indicated that Mr. Fuller had suffered from mental illness and had previously expressed suicidal thoughts, Commander Marks said.
Tim Fischer/Midland Reporter-Telegram

The number of Midland County residents to have tested positive for coronavirus and then recovered increased by 105 in one day.

The Midland Health Department reported the 40.8 percent increase on the same day that health officials were asked about what appeared to be a lack of updates in the number of people who have recovered from COVID-19. The statistics now show an increase from 257 to 362.
China says Australia's decision on Hong Kong meddling in internal affairs

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 09 July 2020 9:42 AM

China says Australia is meddling in its internal affairs by suspending an extradition treaty with the government of semi-autonomous Hong Kong and extending visas for those of the city's residents who are currently in Australia.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Thursday that his government was suspending its extradition agreement with Hong Kong and would be extending the visas of 10,000 residents of the Chinese city already settled in the country.

Morrison said the decision was made in response to Beijing's enactment last week of a new security law for Hong Kong, which he claimed "constitutes a fundamental change of circumstances" for the semi-autonomous city.

The Chinese Embassy in Australia denounced the decision as "a serious violation of international law and a gross interference in China's internal affairs."

The embassy said in a statement that Beijing "strongly deplores and opposes the measures" announced by Australia, and urged "the Australian side to immediately stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs under any pretext or in any way."

The new security law criminalizes sedition, secession, and subversion against mainland China. Its introduction was criticized by Western governments and prompted small protests in Hong Kong.

Critics view the legislation as a blow to the region's autonomy and civil liberties, while China says the legislation would leave political freedoms intact and return stability.

Hong Kong was rocked by violent protests over another bill that would have reformed its extradition law last year. Rioters vandalized the city, destroying public and private property and attacking individuals deemed to be pro-government. Hong Kong dropped that bill, but the acts of violence continued.

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 5)  ABS-CBN will stay off the air as a House of Representatives panel denied its application for a fresh 25-year franchise.

In an overwhelming 70-11 vote, the House Committee on Legislative Franchises adopted the report of its technical working group not to grant ABS-CBN a new franchise. Three other lawmakers inhibited during the panels meeting attended by 85 members physically and via teleconferencing amid the coronavirus crisis.

The TWG's report maintained that ABS-CBN does not deserve to resume broadcast operations due to various issues, including the dual citizenship of its chairman emeritus Eugenio Gabby Lopez III, alleged tax-avoidance schemes, failure to regularize its employees, and biased reporting, among others tbings.

ABS-CBN had refuted the allegations hurled against it. It has acknowledged that it is "not a perfect company," and appealed to lawmakers for a chance to be better.

"We remain committed to public service, and we hope to find other ways to achieve our mission," ABS-CBN president and CEO Carlo Katigbak said in a statement following the panel's vote.

"Together with our employees and our audiences all over the world, we share in your sadness over this setback," he said. "We look forward to the day when we can again reunite under our broadcast."

Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor said the panels decision effectively killed ABS-CBNs franchise bid at the House of Representatives, calling it a historic moment. He has criticized ABS-CBN for being owned by the Lopezes, whom he branded oligarchs.

With its continued shutdown, the Kapamilya network had said it may start laying off some of its 11,000 workers by August.

House Minority Leader Benny Abante told CNN Philippines that the media giant can file a motion for reconsideration. Lawmakers can also file a new bill seeking a new franchise for the network once Congress resumes session on July 27, he said.

READ: How lawmakers voted on ABS-CBN's franchise bid

Not a press freedom issue?

The legislative franchises committee, in the TWG report obtained by the media, stressed that the decision to deny ABS-CBN a franchise is in no way related to the freedom of the press." It said it was just a denial of a privilege granted by the State because the applicant was seen as undeserving of the grant of a legislative franchise.

READ: Senators believe ABS-CBN fate sets dangerous precedent on future media franchises

President Rodrigo Duterte had publicly threatened ABS-CBN over the network's refusal to carry his campaign commercials in 2016, but later accepted its apology.

Malacanang said it had no hand in the decision of the congressional panel, which is dominated by the Presidents allies

"The Palace has maintained a neutral stance on the issue as it respects the separation of powers between the two co-equal branches government. Much as we want to work with the aforesaid media network, we have to abide by the resolution of the House committee," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement.

House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano in a separate statement said the hearings were "fair, impartial, thorough, and comprehensive," and urged the public to read their findings.

Long fight for a franchise

The lower chamber in late May began tackling ABS-CBNs franchise application following online and on-ground appeals from netizens, employees, lawmakers, and rights groups.

The House leadership earlier refused to discuss network's application, citing more pressing matters, until the franchise expired and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) ordered the network to stop broadcast operations.

ABS-CBN has a pending petition before the Supreme Court against NTC's cease and desist order.

The digital TV transmissions of Lopez-owned Sky Direct as well as of TV Plus programs have also been halted in line with a June 30 NTC order.

READ: ABS-CBN, Sky Direct shutdown to further dampen investor sentiment towards PH  Fitch Solutions

The network's digital platforms including online news websites, video streaming services, and social media sites have continued to operate. It also has a pending petition at the Supreme Court against NTC's cease and desist order.

Ging Reyes, head of ABS-CBN Integrated News and Current Affairs, said they will continue to deliver news through the limited platforms available to them.

CNN Philippines' Xianne Arcangel contributed to this report.
A video recording of a lady government doctor, who was not discharged by a private hospital in the Old City of Hyderabad after she alleged that the bills were exorbitant, went viral, prompting the Telangana health department officials to rescue her.

The entire episode raises crucial questions over healthcare as an institution, an eco-system, a fundamental right, and over the yawning gap between want and availability, because with some variation, this story could have been of any Indian city or state.

Two stark realities face us  government hospitals are inefficient, corrupt and so unrealiable, so unworthy of trust, that most people including politicians, bureaucrats and even government doctors avoid it; even as private sector hospitals are seen as dishonest, commonly perceived as businesses which are compromised on ethics, where professionals use fear psychosis to force needless extensive testing and redundant expensive care.

Is it fair for people to expect the private sector to sell wares at prices fixed or overseen by the government? If the government was so efficient as to advise, would it not use its own wisdom to achieve better results in its own healthcare establishments? Should we be blind to a social faultline, where for so long we have accepted substandard public healthcare because only the very poor were using it? Has quality become an issue only after the private sector bills have become unaffordable even for middle classes?

Most customers in corporate hospitals complain of astronomical bills; common phraseology describes it as extorting and bleeding. Telangana Health Minister Etala Rajender gave a sermon on profit-seeking hospitals, never mind a transparent account of the public healthcare budgetary spends.

Do we risk killing the private sector medicine by stifling it with public control? Or should we indeed tame the beast. The answers will define our nations future. And we need them urgently.
SPRINGFIELD  A U.S. Supreme Court decision this week that could make it more difficult for women to access birth control will not impact Illinois law, state officials and advocacy groups say.

The nations highest court upheld a federal rule established in 2018 that allows employers with moral or religious objections to opt out of the Affordable Care Acts mandate that health insurance cover the cost of birth control. The act includes an automatic exemption only for houses of worship. Under the Trump administration rule upheld Wednesday, essentially all non-governmental employers now have the ability to opt out.

Those organizations were required to actively withdraw from coverage they disagreed with so their insurance companies could offer free alternatives to employees.

In a statement, the Illinois Department of Insurance said the states reproductive health care coverage requirements for women and men will continue to be enforced for plans subject to the departments oversight.

Those mandates were included in a sweeping overhaul of Illinois statute last year. The Reproductive Health Act, sponsored in the General Assembly by Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago, and Sen. Melinda Bush, D-Grayslake, declared access to contraception and other benefits as a fundamental right. That means no level of government in Illinois can infringe upon a persons access to those services.

The RHA also specified that private insurance companies regulated by the state must cover abortions if they also cover pregnancy-related benefits.

That monumental measure affirms women, not politicians or employers, can and should make their own decisions, Bush said in a statement.

This administration supports an individuals access to birth control and is disappointed by the Supreme Court ruling which further erodes the health care and insurance protections of the Affordable Care Act, the Insurance Department spokesperson wrote. ...Our administration will continue to uphold and enforce the right to reproductive care in Illinois.

A spokesperson for the Thomas More Society, a Chicago-based law firm that focuses on defending religious rights, said the firm agrees the Supreme Courts ruling does not affect Illinois regulations. Michael McHale, an attorney with the firm, said the decision is to be applauded.

Its lawsuit challenging the state insurance mandates, filed in Sangamon County court, is still pending.

Attorney General Kwame Raouls office is carefully reviewing the ruling, a spokesperson said in an email.

She added Raoul is committed to ensuring that women have the right to make their own reproductive health care decisions and to defending Illinois laws such as the Reproductive Health Act to ensure all Illinois residents can access safe health care.

Ameri Klafeta, director of the ACLU of Illinois Womens and Reproductive Rights Project, said that while Illinois has strong laws in place to protect access to reproductive health care, there are still groups of people who stand to lose birth control coverage in this state as a result of yesterdays decision.

While legally the Supreme Courts ruling does not impact the validity of Illinois insurance mandates, practically, women who have employer insurance through the Affordable Care Act may be charged higher costs for contraception.

The decision will leave many employees and students being forced to pay out of pocket for their birth control or scramble to find other ways to obtain it, she said. Unfortunately, it will disproportionately impact people who are already struggling to make ends meet, an extra burden in the difficult economic times our country faces. Birth control is important not just for womens health, but for their economic security and equality.

Southern Illinoisans hold demonstrations in response to George Floyd's death

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On May 20, two prison guards pushed a wheelchair carrying 79-year-old Alan Hurwitz into the airport here. Convicted of bank robberies a decade before, Hurwitz had been freed from a nearby federal prison by a judge who found him no threat to society  and at high risk of contracting COVID-19.

A week and a half later, Juan Ramon, 60, also boarded a plane at Raleigh-Durham International Airport, this time bound for Miami. He had been serving a two-year sentence for identity theft and had many health problems, which prompted his release by another federal judge.

Though officials at the Butner federal prison had opposed their release for weeks, the men were finally on their way home.

But they did not escape the virus. The prison did not test either man for COVID-19  and they carried it with them onto the planes. Within days, one was dead.

Their stories highlight systemic problems in the Bureau of Prisons botched response to the coronavirus pandemic. About 7,000 prisoners in the care of the U.S. government have contracted COVID-19; 94 have died. More than 700 infected correctional officers have carried the virus back and forth between their communities and their workplaces.

Nowhere in the federal system has the outbreak been as deadly as at the giant Butner complex about 15 miles northeast of Durham. Twenty-five prisoners there perished from COVID-19, the most of any federal lockup. Butner is also the only BOP prison to have a confirmed staff death.

Butner is emblematic in other ways. Prison officials were slow to test for the disease, enabling infected men to spread the virus to their neighbors in cramped dorms where social distancing is impossible. In sworn affidavits, prisoners reported they went untested for six weeks or more even as their dorm mates fell ill, were taken to hospital and died. Officials moved infected men among the complexs five units.

Correctional officers and prisoner workers shuttling between units became coronavirus vectors inside the prison  and outside its walls. Across the country, guards have been linked to outbreaks in their communities; releasing incarcerated people without testing them also exposed people on the outside.

Story continues

Despite an order from the U.S. Attorney General to send medically vulnerable prisoners home, Butner officials were slow to release them. Butner has a hospital and four prisons filled with thousands of chronically sick men. Yet over two months, officials released fewer than 50 out of 4,700 incarcerated people to home confinement. Thats less than 1%, while the average for BOP prisons is 2.5%, according to court records and agency statistics.

Prison officials have not been able to establish physical distancing, the top tool against the coronavirus, said Dr. Jody Rich, an infectious disease specialist at Brown University.

We shut down the whole economy to physically distance people, but you cant do it in this confined setting, so you have to reduce the census, Rich said. The number one thing you do on a cruise ship is to get everybody off the cruise ship.

Medical center at Butner

Butner officials have said little publicly about how they are handling the outbreak. McClatchy and The Marshall Project learned details of testing, housing patterns, prisoner movements and a staff death through leaks from workers, interviews with prisoners family members and reports from the men inside.

Just watching what they were doing around there, it was pretty clear it was going to be a disaster, said Dan Johnson, a former South Carolina prosecutor recently released from Butner after serving a year for misusing a government credit card.

If a local jail did the things they do at Butner, he added, federal officials would come and lock people up.

Butner officials did not respond to requests for comment. A Bureau of Prisons spokeswoman, Sue Allison, defended the response to the pandemic, noting that thousands of men were chronically ill and vulnerable to COVID-19 because of Butners status as a medical center.

Tests were in short supply early on and reserved for prisoners with symptoms, she said.

There was never a time we did not have enough tests to test inmates who needed to be tested, she wrote.

Butner Federal Correctional Complex is a sprawling compound of five prisons in North Carolina tobacco country built on a former Army base It has one of six federal medical centers for the chronically ill, treating men with cancer, kidney disease and respiratory issues.

Many of the men in the other four unitstwo medium security prisons, a low security unit with open dormitories and a minimum security campare assigned to Butner to receive outpatient care at the medical center. The complex has a capacity of 4,100 men; it housed 4,700 at the start of the pandemic.

Barr memo on prison releases

On March 26, as coronavirus spread across the country, Butner reported its first case, a staffer infected with COVID-19.

The same day, Attorney General William Barr wrote the memo urging the Bureau of Prisons to identify prisoners who could serve the rest of their sentences at home: medically at-risk people in low or minimum security lockups with records of good conduct behind bars.

Ramon, the inmate who left North Carolina for Miami, fit the criteria. His identity theft crime was non-violent, he had no disciplinary record and he was housed in the low security unit at Butner.

And he was medically vulnerable. Court records show that in 2018, as he awaited sentencing, he suffered a massive heart attack. He had a pacemaker installed and retained only a third of his heart function.

On April 1, Ramons son, J.C., filed a request with the warden for his father, who had no history of violence. I want to assure you this is not an attempt to avoid serving his sentence, J.C. Ramon wrote. It is a plea to allow a very ill man to be near his family for the remainder of his life.

The next day, a lawyer filed a similar request for Hurwitz, who had suffered six heart attacks and four separate bouts with cancer before leaving Butner in May. He was so frail he was assigned an inmate companion to help him with hygiene, laundry and getting around in his wheelchair.

A lifelong teacher, civil rights activist and former Peace Corps administrator, Hurwitz taught adult education classes in prison on the history of civil rights in America. He helped dozens of men research and write their court filings.

His poor health and clean disciplinary record made him a strong candidate for home confinement, but his criminal record was an obstacle. Hurwitz had been convicted of two strings of bank robberies, one in the early 1990s and another in 2009, which earned him the nickname Zombie Bandit because of his blank expression. Bank robbery is a violent crime; Hurwitz argued that he posed no danger to the community.

His family says mental illness and a late-in-life addiction to crack cocaine explained his contradictory soul. They say he used toy guns or a taped-up hand drill to rob banksinstitutions that he detestedbut never a convenience or liquor store.

He saw people working their asses off and corporate greed was winning, said a daughter, Laura Hurwitz. His depression got the better of him and he began to recklessly stab at the system, a terrible choice.

Alan Hurwitz, right, pictured in 2007 with his three children, left to right, Karen Hurwitz Hoene, Michael Hurwitz and Laura Hurwitz.

Federal prosecutors saw him differently, describing Hurwitz at sentencing as a career criminal who made bank tellers fear for their lives.

Reopened Hole used for quarantine

On April 3, the day after Hurwitz applied for release, Barr issued a second order that boosted the mens chances for freedom. IMMEDIATELY MAXIMIZE the transfer of people from prisons with COVID-19 outbreaks to home confinement, he wrote.

But the outbreak was already surging through Butner. The first prisoner died April 9. The next day officials reported 58 coronavirus cases among the incarcerated and 22 among staff. The cases began at a medium security unit and then moved to the minimum security camp.

Prison officials reopened a decommissioned building formerly used for disciplinary confinement, aka The Hole. Butner officials used its two-man cells to quarantine newly arrived prisoners and to house men who tested positive for COVID-19.

Sick prisoners doubled up in tiny cells, received reduced rations and were subjected to extreme heat and cold, according to interviews with 14 prisoners and some of their family members, as well as sworn affidavits. Some infected men tried to hide their symptoms to avoid the place, which increased the risks for other people, including correctional officers.

Allison, the BOP spokeswoman, said allegations of poor conditions were untrue.

Butner compounded the problem with what a federal judge labeled a so-called quarantine policy. Men granted home confinement first had to wait 14 days in group quarantine, all the while in close contact with others in lines for food and medicine and in bathrooms and showers. If one man became infected, all had to start their 14 day quarantine again from day zero. On April 20, U.S. District Court Judge Alison Nathan called this Kafkaesque.

As the virus spreads in the unit, the 14-day clock will repeatedly restart, perpetually prolonging incarceration, she wrote.

A constant complaint from prisoners was that officials moved men back and forth between the quarantine area and the four dorms of the low-security units, now home to 70% of the cases.

The very architecture of the place makes social distancing impossible: The open dorms are divided into 8 foot by 12 foot cubicles made of cinder block half walls, each sleeping two or three men. The bathrooms and showers are crowded and communal.

Guy Thompson described prisoners as old as 90 crammed into the cubicles; at age 66, he has heart disease, a pacemaker, hypertension and kidney problems.

In my unit, there are 15 men in wheelchairs, 19 men on walkers, and 14 men on breathing or oxygen machines, he wrote.

Butner officials compounded the lack of social distancing by shuffling prisoners between the dorms and The Hole. It was impossible to separate the infected from the uninfected because the prison didnt do much testing.

Butners first attempt at widespread testing occurred at the end of April at the minimum security camp, which held 248 men. Allison, the Bureaus spokeswoman, said 216 tested positive, 87%. Most showed no symptoms, she said.

Inmates go to court

A month after Ramon and Hurwitz asked to finish their sentences at home, Warden Tamara Lyn sent form letters denying their requests.

The BOP is taking extraordinary measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 and treat any infected inmates, Lyn wrote Hurwitz on April 30. Your concern about being potentially exposed to, or possibly contracting, COVID-19 does not currently warrant an early release from your sentence.

The warden told the men they could appeal this decision.

Instead, both men took their cases to federal court.

J.C. Ramon wrote to the judge who had sentenced his father to prison in 2019 asking for mercy: My father is a religious man who, throughout my life, has been known to everyone as a dependable source of strength for family and friends.

A federal public defender filed a request for Hurwitz in Oregon, where he was sentenced in 2010.

In the low-security dorms, Hurwitz continued helping others draft and file their own requests for compassionate release. One of the dozens of people he helped was Travis McGhee, who was serving a drug possession charge.

Hurwitz was doing it for nothing, McGhee said in an interview. He just wanted to see you get out.

McGhee, 37, has an incurable lung disease called pulmonary sarcoidosis. As with Ramon and Hurwitz, the warden had denied McGhee home confinement in April.

They dont look at your medical history or nothing, McGhee said of Butner officials. They just deny you because they want to deny you.

A judge agreed to McGhees release. In the days before his departure, McGhee said he noticed that Hurwitz looked pale and lethargic, and was coughing up mucus.

He kept telling us that he was OK, but I seen the look on his face, that he wasnt OK, McGhee said.

As McGhee was being released, a team of civil rights lawyers said Butner was in crisis and asked a federal judge to intervene. The lawyers asked for the immediate review of all medically vulnerable men, more prisoners to be sent to home confinement, increased testing and more social distancing. U.S. District Court Judge Louise Flanagan acknowledged that the men incarcerated at Butner faced irreparable harm if they got COVID-19, but declined to intervene because she found the Bureau of Prisons had taken reasonable steps to prevent sickness.

At the beginning of June, officials tested all the prisoners at the low-security unit. The number of positive cases shot up as test results arrived, quickly hitting 642  about 60% of the men held there.

Not tested before leaving Butner

Though Butners warden had released only 42 prisoners by this time, judges freed 57. One of them was Ramon, after the prosecutor who handled his criminal case didnt oppose his request. Ramon, who was not tested before boarding the plane, was running a fever when he arrived home in Miami on June 1, his son said. A test for COVID-19 came back positive.

Ramon tried to tough it out at home but became increasingly short of breath. He was admitted to the hospital the following Monday. Two days later, hooked up to oxygen yet still gasping for breath, Ramon told his son where he kept his burial insurance and will.

He thought he was dying, J.C. Ramon said.

The elder Ramon began to improve, and after two weeks in the hospital went home. His son says the hospitalization could have been avoided if the warden had granted his initial request and sent him home in April. The Bureau of Prisons said it did not include Ramon in its case count because he was tested elsewhere.

Hurwitz made it out of prison but never made it home.

The BOP bought Hurwitz a plane ticket for Medford, Oregon, and dropped him at the Raleigh-Durham airport on May 20. When Hurwitzs plane landed in Denver, his daughter said, he had chest pains and a 104-degree temperature. Airline officials put him in an ambulance rather than on the third leg of the flight.

Laura Hurwitz said her father was not tested for coronavirus at Butner. She worries about the health risks for the attendants who wheeled him around the airports.

Moving someone from a wheelchair into an airplane seat is very intimate and close, she said.

An American Airlines spokeswoman said the airline was not told a passenger had the virus. A Bureau of Prisons spokesman said that agency policy is to use transportation that will minimize exposure, with an emphasis on transportation by family and friends. At the time Hurwitz and Ramon were released, the agency did not require that all prisoners be tested before release. It changed that policy June 19.

A picture of Aurellia Rain, 9, granddaughter of Alan Hurwitz, taken while Hurwitz was in the hospital in Denver.

At the hospital in Denver, nurses arranged video chats between Hurwitz and his children and grandchildren. For five days they shared memories, told stories and sang until doctors induced a coma to put Hurwitz on a ventilator.

The nurses continued the video chats and the family sang the songs that their comatose father had taught them: Over the Rainbow, Joe Hill, anything by Pete Seeger.

Laura Hurwitz said they sang their last song, If I Had a Hammer, on June 6.

The nurse was holding his hand, she said. He passed and looked peaceful.

The Bureau of Prisons does not count Hurwitz as one of Butners dead.

This article was published in partnership with The Marshall Project, a nonprofit news organization covering the U.S. criminal justice system. Sign up for their newsletter, or follow The Marshall Project on Facebook or Twitter.
Indian shares ended lower on July 10, with the Nifty slipping below 10,800, tracking weak global cues. At close, the Sensex was down 143.36 points or 0.39 percent at 36,594.33 and the Nifty was down 45.50 points or 0.42 percent at 10,768. About 989 shares advanced, 1,646 declined and 159 shares remained unchanged.

Punjab National Bank | CMP: Rs 35.10 | The stock shed over 5 percent after the state-backed lender declared its Rs 3,600 crore exposure to Dewan Housing Finance as a fraudulent account. "A fraud of Rs 3,688.58 crore in the NPA account of Dewan Housing Finance (DHFL) at Large Corporate Branch at Mumbai, Zonal Office, Mumbai. A fraud of Rs 3688.58 crore is being reported by the bank to RBI in the accounts of the company (DHFL), it said in an exchange filing.

Reliance Industries | CMP: Rs 1,881 | The stock jumped over 3 percent, climbing to all-time high on July 10, hitting a market capitalisation of Rs 11,90,857.13 crore. The company announced the start of their fuel retailing joint venture under the brand 'Jio-bp'. BP had last year bought a 49 percent stake in the petrol pumps and aviation turbine fuel (ATF) stations owned by Reliance Industries for $1 billion. Disclosure: Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd.

Yes Bank | CMP: Rs 25.50 | The stock shed over 4 percent after the private lender approved the price band for its follow-on public offer (FPO). The Capital Raising Committee of the Board of Directors of the Yes Bank at its meeting on July 10 approved the floor price at Rs 12 per equity share and cap price at Rs 13 per equity share. A discount of Re 1 per equity share has been offered to the eligible bank staff bidding in the employee reservation portion. The minimum bid lot is of 1,000 equity shares and in the multiples of 1,000 equity shares thereafter.

Gujarat Ambuja Exports | CMP: Rs 150.40 | The share price rose 10 percent as the company board is to consider a proposal for sub-division of equity share. The board will consider the proposal for sub-division of the shares of the face value of Rs 2 each into 2 equity shares of the face value of Re 1 each. The board will consider a proposal for alteration in the capital clause of the memorandum of association for giving effect to the split of equity shares of the company and other businesses.

Firstsource Solutions | CMP: Rs 43.10 | The stock price jumped over 6 percent after Rakesh Jhujhnwala raised his stake in the company. As per a BSE filing by Firstsource Solutions, Jhunjhunwala bought an additional 57 lakh shares in the company during the quarter ended June 30, taking the total number of shares to 2 crore against 1.43 crore held at the end of March 31, 2020.

Astra Microwave Products | CMP: Rs 121.70 | The stock was up almost 4 percent after the owner of supermarkets chain D-Mart Radhakishan Damani bought 1.03 percent stake in the defence sector player in the June quarter of the financial year 2021. In a BSE release on July 10, Astra Microwave said Damani bought 8,96,387 shares of the company during the June quarter.

Karnataka Bank | CMP: Rs 46.95 | The share price gained over 3 percent after the bank posted a 12 percent YoY jump in its Q1 net profit at Rs 196.4 crore versus Rs 175.4 crore and NII was up 8.2% at Rs 535.1 crore versus Rs 494.6 crore. Its gross NPA was at 4.64% versus 4.82% and net NPA was at 3.01% versus 3.08% (QoQ), CNBC-TV18 reported.

Tejas Networks | CMP: Rs 54.35 | The stock jumped 5 percent, hitting upper circuit for the third consecutive day after Kedia Securities, owned by investor and trader Vijay Kedia, acquired a 0.81 percent stake in the company for Rs 3.7 crore through open market transactions.

Tata Power | The share was down over 4 percent after the Gujarat government decided to reverse its 2018 decision to amend the power purchase agreements (PPAs) it signed with three producers - Tata Power, Adani Power and Essar Power-to raise the tariffs in order to offset the rising cost of imported coal.
When the Chinese company Shandong Ruyi Technology Group announced in May 2017 that it would invest $410 million in a textile factory in the town of Forrest City, Arkansas, which would create 800 local jobs, Larry Bryant, then the mayor, said he "jumped with joy."

Three years later, however, "disappointment" is the refrain most commonly heard from locals.

Kay Brockwell, CEO of the local consulting firm Future Focus Development Solutions, is the key coordinator for the project. She told VOA that Ruyi had sent a team from China to Forrest City to plan the initial project after announcing the investment in 2017. The team left six months later, saying they were "going back for meetings" ... and never returned.

Brockwell said that there has been no construction or renovation at the $6 million site since 2018. There are also no jobs for the town of 14,000 located on the Mississippi River Delta.

"Everyone is tremendously disappointed. They were looking forward, we were looking forward to the boost it would be to the economy. We were certainly looking forward to the influx of 800 new jobs in the economy. And that just hasn't happened," Brockwell said.

She said she has communicated with Ruyi only once in the past two years  when the vacant plant was damaged by a storm.

When he met with Ruyi in November 2019, Arkansas' Secretary of Commerce, Mike Preston, said that he was told the project might be "resized," but that it would still move forward. Ruyi planned to send people to reevaluate the project in February 2020. But COVID-19 disrupted the plan.

Preston said there is no project timeline now.

But even prior to the pandemic, Ruyi was facing financial problems.

"They had a liquidity issue and their access to capital was not what it was when they started the project," Preston said.

With the ambition of transforming itself into the LVMH of China, the company has been acquiring foreign fashion brands since 2010. The frequency and size of these acquisitions significantly increased since 2016, leaving the company with a heavy debt burden. As of June 2019, Ruyi's debt load was RMB 34.1 billion ($4.7 billion), more than triple what it was in 2013, according to an article published by Vogue Business. The group has also suffered repeated downgrades by credit rating agencies and a sharp revenue decline in 2019.

VOA has tried repeatedly to contact Ruyi's headquarters in China via phone calls and emails, but hasn't received any comment regarding the company's future plan for the investment in Forrest City.

Trade war

The U.S.-China trade war officially started shortly after the announcement of the investment plan in Forrest City. The U.S. imposed a 10% tariff on textile machinery products imported from China, and later increased the rate to 25%, while China imposed a 25% tariff on textile products originating in the United States. These tariffs represent a significant increase in costs for an Arkansas textile mill that needs to import textile machinery and equipment from China and re-export some of its products to China.

The investment in Forrest City has become a microcosm of the trend of Chinese direct investment in the United States in recent years.

Since the start of the U.S.-China trade war, China's direct investment in the U.S. has plummeted from $29.72 billion in 2017 to $5.39 billion in 2018 and further to $4.78 billion in 2019, according to Rhodium Group.

In addition to the immediate impact of the trade war, the Chinese government has tightened its controls of Outward Foreign Direct Investment in recent years, and the liquidity in China's financial system has come under significant pressure. At the same time, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) has stepped up its scrutiny of Chinese funds.

Impact on community

Under the plan announced in 2017, the textile mill in Forrest City was due to go into production by mid-2018, processing 200,000 tons of cotton per year and hiring workers locally at an average hourly wage of $15.75, nearly double the minimum wage in Arkansas at the time. Preston said the delay in the project has had a big impact on the local community.

"There's a lot of folks who would be willing to go to work today at the facility if it were open," he said. "So it impacts those people that would be employed and working there, impacts the economy around there and the supply chain. Cotton growers would be selling the cotton into the facility and that whole community that would benefit from a facility like that up and running."

Nathan Reed is a local cotton farm owner. He had expected the textile mill to drive up the price of local cotton when it was completed and put into operation.

"Because you don't have the transportation cost through the mill. You know, maybe growing the speck of cotton that they need," said Reed. "So they can get all the cotton they need right within a 30 mile radius of their factory. That definitely would, you would think, lead to more premiums placed on your crop."

Reed had also hoped that the investment from China would help alleviate poverty in the region. But China's tariff increase has led to a sharp drop in demand for U.S. cotton, resulting in a 40% drop in prices. Cotton cultivation is different from other crops because of its long cycle and high degree of specialization. Cotton farmers who cannot plant other crops in their fields can only bite their teeth to endure losses, Reed said.

Preston remained optimistic that Ruyi will eventually meet its investment commitments. He said the raw materials, supply chain and market demand that had attracted companies to invest in Arkansas "still exist."


Yesterday a couple of leaked images gave us a very clear look at the OnePlus Nord that's coming on July 21 and today its full specs sheet surfaced, leaving little to the imagination.

This information comes from reliable leakster Evan Blass who posted an image of a virtual Nord training presentation on Twitter, that includes all the specs of OnePlus' 2020 mid-ranger and imagery of the phone which is just a placeholder.

OnePlus already confirmed that Nord will be powered by the Snapdragon 765G SoC, but now we know it will come with 8GB and 12GB RAM and have two storage options - 128GB and 256GB. The smartphone will run OxygenOS 10 out of the box which will be likely based on Android 10.



OnePlus Nord leaked images

The Chinese phone maker also confirmed that Nord will sport an AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate and the specs sheet now reveals that it will have a diagonal of 6.44" and a pixel density of 408 ppi. The screen will also have a fingerprint reader underneath for biometric authentication.

Previous leaks claimed that OnePlus Nord will come with a total of six cameras - two on the front and four at the back. The specs of the front-facing shooters match previous leaks but there's a minor mismatch with the rear cameras.

Previous leaks said that the quad camera setup on the OnePlus Nord will be a combination of a 48MP main, 8MP ultrawide, 5MP macro and 2MP depth sensor units, but the new leak reveals that 5MP unit will be a depth sensor and the 2MP module will have a macro lens.

The OnePlus Nord will pack a 4,115 mAh battery with 30W fast charging support, weigh 185 grams, and have three color options - Blue Marble, Gray Onyx and Gray Ash. For connectivity, it will have Bluetooth 5.1, NFC, and Wi-Fi 2x2 MIMO onboard.

Source
Australia will slash international flights into the country by half to stop the spread of coronavirus and ease the pressure on the hotel quarantine program.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the cap following a National Cabinet meeting on Friday.

'Flights will be cut by just over half across all the various ports that are taking those residents returning to Australia,' Mr Morrison said.

'Sorry, those residents returning to Australia.'

Mr Morrison also revealed state and territory leaders agreed returned travellers would need to foot the bill for their forced 14-day hotel quarantine.

Australia will slash international flights into the country by half to stop the spread of coronavirus. Pictured: Returned travellers arrive in Sydney for their 14-day mandatory quarantiine in May

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the cap following a National Cabinet meeting on Friday

'There is also a view across the National Cabinet that they are all effectively moving to a charging system for the hotel quarantine that is in place for those returning businesses,' he said.

'Some states already have it, other states are moving towards that, and I will leave that to them to make their announcements at the appropriate time and where possible.

'We will seek to have some sort of national uniformity across those pricings and we are sharing those information is with the states and territories.'

All returned travellers entering Australia are required to stay in 14-day hotel quarantine to stop the spread of coronavirus.

The Queensland government has been charging returned travellers for their two weeks in isolation since July 1.

The state's quarantine fee, which includes accommodation and daily meals, costs $2,800 for one adult, $3,710 for two adults, and $4,620 for two adults and two children.

Returning overseas travellers are seen as they are checked-in a hotel at the beginning of the pandemic in March

Mr Morrison was questioned as to whether cutting flights into Australia would be effectively barring Australian citizens from coming home.

The prime minister said Australians there will continue to be a 'capacity' for people to return Down Under, as there has been for 'many months'.

'There will be continuing access to Australia but the number of available positions on flights will be less and I don't think that is surprising or unreasonable in the circumstances that we find ourselves in,' he said.

'We have to put the national interest first and the health of Australia and Australians first and that is the basis of the decision we have taken.'

The reduction of flight arrivals from Monday will mean more than 4000 fewer people will return home every week.

Mr Morrison said the capacity could be expanded in the future but the government is currently more focused on testing and tracing to contain the outbreak.

The prime minister said the National Cabinet agreed the rest of Australia needed to avoid complacency during the global health crisis and must continue to practice social distancing. Pictured: Victorians in face masks shop in Melbourne on Wednesday before re-entering lockdown

Pictured: Passengers have their temperature checked at Sydney Airport on Tuesday

The National Cabinet agreed to a nationwide review of the hotel quarantine program, which will be undertaken by former Health Secretary Jay Holton.

Mr Morrison said the current situation in Victoria 'remains very concerning'.

The state reported 288 coronavirus cases on Friday, it's highest amount of daily infections since the pandemic began.

Residents in metropolitan Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire re-entered lockdown for six weeks on Thursday as the state desperately tries to control the second spike in cases.

The prime minister said the National Cabinet agreed the rest of Australia needed to avoid complacency during the global health crisis and must continue to practice social distancing.

Pictured: Health workers give a COVID-19 test in Melbourne. Mr Morrison said the current situation in Victoria 'remains very concerning'

'This is a lesson outside of the Victorian experience,' he said.

'When we're at home and there are people around, we still have to practise the social distancing.

'It is still not OK for hugs and handshakes stop it's important to maintain the discipline of the social distancing behind closed doors, not just out in the public space.'

Mr Morrison said the social distancing would remain the 'norm' for the foreseeable future.

'It is important to ensure social distancing is the norm, it is not the exception, it is the norm and it will be the norm for a very long time, until at least we have a vaccine that can be mass produced and made available across the population,' he said.

Pictured: A passenger wearing a protective suit and mask is seen collecting baggage after arriving on a flight from Melbourne at Sydney Airport

Mr Morrison will speak with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Friday afternoon about the trans-Tasman travel bubble.

But he urged patience and admitted there is no imminent starting date.

'There is still a lot more work to be done to get to a point of having a trans-Tasman safe travel zone,' he said.

'The fact that Australia cannot have international flights is damaging to our economy.'

Mr Morrison spoke with Japanese leader Shinzo Abe on Thursday night about some limited transport of scientists and other key personnel between countries in the future.

'It is pleasing to know that Japan, for example, would be seeing Australia as a potential place where there might be opportunities to reopen some very, very restricted and limited form of travel,' he said.
(Bloomberg) -- Oil tumbled to the lowest level in more than a week as a resurgence in coronavirus cases and impending U.S. layoffs darken the economic outlook.

Futures in New York slid 3.1% on Thursday, moving in sympathy with equities, after trading in a tight range this week. Wells Fargo & Co., the largest employer among U.S. banks, was among several corporations to announce massive layoffs after a gloomy jobs report. At the same time, the Messla oil field and Sarir refinery in eastern Libya resumed production, threatening to boost global supplies when demand remains weakened.

Theres an overall malaise in the market right now, which has come with the realization that we might be stuck in this for a lot longer than we anticipated, said Tariq Zahir, managing member of the global macro program at the New York-based Tyche Capital Advisors LLC. When you have negative economic news, along with more negative coronavirus news, everything will be down and youll see sell-offs like we saw today.

The U.S. benchmark crudes rebound from negative territory in April has been capped by a persistent U.S. supply glut and rising virus cases across America. California and Texas recorded some of their biggest daily increases in cases and deaths this week, while crude inventories sit at near record-high levels.

American fuel demand is also lagging other parts of the world, with seasonal gasoline consumption still at the lowest level in decades and diesel stockpiles at the highest level since 1983. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. recommended buying Brent futures over West Texas Intermediate as American inventories grow.

The job cuts by Wells Fargo and others, as well as warnings of downsizing by United Airlines Holdings Inc., arent just threatening the economys recovery. They could also further dampen fuel demand.

Theres tens of thousands of layoffs of folks who are going to be out of work and not driving, said John Kilduff, a partner at Again Capital LLC, a New York hedge fund focused on energy. All of a sudden theres a real focus on the potential for the bottom to drop out for oil demand here.

See also: Libya Port Guards Said to Allow Aframax Oil Tanker Into ES Slider

In the physical market, prices for low-sulfur WTI crude for export were at $1.30 per barrel above Nymex oil futures.

Further complicating market dynamics, tankers that had been storing much of the worlds oil as demand cratered due to the pandemic are beginning to offload cargoes. In key locations outside Asia, floating inventories have halved to about 35 million barrels since peaking in May, according to Vortexa Ltd., an analytics firm.

2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 19:46:00|Editor: huaxia

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TEHRAN, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has improved a 122mm homegrown rocket into a guided weapon by increasing its accuracy, an IRGC commander told Tasnim news agency on Friday.

Ali Koohestani, director of the Research and Self-Sufficiency Jihad Organization of the IRGC Ground Force, said his force has improved the performance of "Arash" rocket.

The rocket has hit the targets with the pinpoint accuracy in a series of recent tests, Koohestani said.

The weapon would be mass produced for delivery to the Defense Ministry, he added.

With the weight of 64 kilograms, Arash has a range of 22 kilometers and is equipped with a 19 kg warhead with great destructive power, said the report. Enditem
The Washington Post reported in May that Potomac Valley was struggling with shortages of protective equipment and staff and that infected patients were not being properly isolated. As of last week, there have been 92 coronavirus infections and 31 deaths among residents at the 175-bed facility, a spokesman for Hogan said.
Manila (CNN Philippines Life)  It seems that in June, most Filipinos are more concerned about the processing of their SSS calamity loan. According to Googles most searched trends in June, SSS calamity loan processing time increased to more than +5000 percent, as the government agency opened the Calamity Assistance Program (CLAP) for its members who are affected by COVID-19. There are around 1.74 million potential member-borrowers according to the SSS.

Filipinos search interest for coronavirus this 2020 from January to date. Graph courtesy of GOOGLE PHILIPPINES

Spike in search interest for track and trace from 2004 to present. Graph courtesy of GOOGLE PHILIPPINES

In COVID-19 related things, other trending searches include sore throat (up by 200%), signs of coronavirus, and track and trace, which is at an all time high in the Philippines. But as per Google, the interest in coronavirus related-searches halved in June compared with May volumes (see chart below), although the topic still remains in the minds of Filipinos as these are the most searched questions in June:

1. What is coronavirus?

2. Is coronavirus airborne?

3. When will coronavirus end?

4. Is there asymptomatic transmission of the coronavirus disease?

5. Is itchy throat a sign for coronavirus?

6. How to prevent coronavirus.

7. How coronavirus spread.

8. When did coronavirus start in PH?

9. How to cure coronavirus at home.

10. Can coronavirus survive in water?

Search interest in coronavirus are also high in places such as in (ranked order) Eastern Visayas, Central Visayas, Cordillera Administrative Region, Zamboanga Peninsula, and CARAGA. The NCR only ranks sixth in the coronavirus search interest.

Coronavirus still remains a huge topic of interest in the world, with questions such as Is coronavirus airborne? and What is coronavirus placing in the top five searched questions in the world. You can keep tabs on the search trends in the Philippines in real time here.
This Fourth of July weekend, the Portland restaurant industry only had eyes for one kind of fireworks: Those on the Instagram account of chef Maya Lovelace, who spent four days posting accusations of abuse, mismanagement and toxic behavior at some of the citys best-known restaurants.

Starting Wednesday, Lovelace, the chef-owner of two Northeast Portland restaurants, began soliciting accounts via direct message, taking screenshots and sending them out to her nearly 8,000 followers and anyone else who cared to check in. The accusations, which were posted to the Stories section of her account, where posts disappear automatically after 24 hours, ranged from human resources mistakes to allegations of serious crimes. People in the local restaurant industry spent hours either actively logging on to see the latest testimonial or reading screenshots sent by others.

COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement each contributed to these anonymous workers sharing their experiences, Lovelace said. Restaurants are often high-stress work environments that require long hours within a strict hierarchical culture. Workers seek jobs at popular and well-reviewed restaurants and are often loath to speak out about verbal or other abuse. The current conversations around social justice, and the time for reflection forced by the closure of restaurants during the pandemic, contributed to the desire to speak out.

The posts soon fractaled in all directions, with restaurant owners at Olympia Provisions, Farm Spirit and Ava Genes issuing public apologies and statements, some of which were criticized in turn for not going far enough. Eventually, Lovelace herself came under fire for her alleged treatment of employees, including sharp criticism from the sole Black employee at her Southern restaurant Yonder. And it all played out in public view on Instagram.

For Lovelace, 32, the posts offered a chance for a public airing of long-festering grievances.

We all whisper about these things, we all talk about our traumatic experience in past jobs, Lovelace said in a phone interview Tuesday. Why do we keep it secret from the people who should actually have the power to change it, myself included? Couldnt things be better if it was all out in the open?

With the Portland food industry absorbing the shocking downfall of chef John Gorham and his Toro Bravo restaurant group, Lovelace thought she might get three responses. Instead she got hundreds.

I was really overwhelmed really quick, Lovelace said. It just quickly built into this thing where it seemed like the only way to fix this is to get it all out in the open.

Lovelace said she had three reasons for beginning her posts: To offer a platform where people could speak publicly without a fear of getting blackballed in the tight-knit Portland restaurant community, to allow outsiders to have a glimpse into the abuse prevalent in the food industry, and to find a way forward for restaurants that is not cruel to the people who work in them.

According to Lovelace, the posts drew a positive reaction of at least 5-to-1, though the negative voices are just louder. She says she has been called evil, a Yelper and a little girl desperate for attention in messages from both other Portland restaurant owners and anonymous accounts. The posts briefly stopped on Friday after Lovelace says she received a nasty anonymous email from a secure Swiss email server from someone telling me I was about to be served with libel.

Over the weekend, several prominent Portland restaurants responded to the anonymous allegations.

Olympia Provisions, a nationally recognized charcuterie and sausage company with several Portland restaurants, apologized on Instagram Thursday for hosting a Mexican Fiesta-themed staff party in 2015, an event that included a donkey, a nacho cheese fountain and culturally inappropriate costumes. Aaron Adams messaged Lovelace on Friday expressing remorse for not listening to employee complaints at his vegan fine-dining restaurant, Farm Spirit.

And on Sunday, chef and James Beard Award-winning cookbook author Joshua McFadden of Submarine Hospitality responded to accusations of harboring hostile managers at both Ava Genes and the groups former restaurant at The Hoxton hotel. Several current and former employees quickly criticized the post for not including enough personal reflection and for being too vague, with Sam Smith, the chef at Submarines Middle Eastern restaurant Tusk, calling McFaddens lack of accountability disappointing.

Bar Norman sommelier Dana Frank, previously Ava Genes sommelier, wrote that people had suffered over many years under your leadership.

Put as much effort into apologizing and repairing as you do into hand lotions and vibes, Frank wrote.

In a text message Wednesday, McFadden said he takes full responsibility for Submarines culture.

Im grateful to the team members who have spoken up, and I am deeply sorry, he wrote. The past few months have been the hardest Ive ever faced as a restaurant owner. The past week has been Earth shattering. I am putting the work in with the team to start to chart a path forward.

On Saturday, Lovelaces posts turned to accusations that Departure, the rooftop restaurant at the Nines Hotel, had fostered its own toxic culture, that Top Chef finalist Gregory Gourdet had taken credit for dessert recipes that werent his, and that female servers were forced to wear sexy -- and pocket-less -- purple dresses that left no room for wine openers or notepads, and had servers feeling more vulnerable to harassment.

Those posts created a surprising juxtaposition: The white business owner of two Southern restaurants had just called out Portlands most prominent Black chef.

Gregory Gourdet.Beth Nakamura | The Oregonian/OregonLive

If everyone is supporting Black Lives Matter right now, this should have been done in a more constructive way, Gourdet said in a phone interview Wednesday. It was a one-sided airing of grievances, with lots of complicated intricacies and without a path for constructive results.

He declined to address the specific allegations, saying front-of-house issues were handled by The Nines human resources department and that he preferred to resolve any remaining issues with former employees at Departure privately. He said he had rejected an apology from Lovelace.

In a statement Thursday, Meaghan Goedde, the COO of Departure parent company Sage Restaurant Concepts, said that nothing is more important to us than the wellbeing of our associates, and we take allegations of harassment extremely seriously.

When these allegations were brought to our attention, HR was immediately notified, Goedde said. A timely, thorough investigation of each allegation was conducted both internally and by a third party, and appropriate corrective actions were taken as a result.

Lovelace said she had posted messages in the order she received them without cherry-picking sensational posts or excluding those calling out people she thought of as friends, including Gourdet.

When the things started coming in about Departure, I didnt even think about race, which if Im honest, might have been an issue, Lovelace said. But it felt like the weird thing for me to do was to not post those things just because hes Black.

On Sunday, Lovelace added a message to her timeline announcing that her Stories were going quiet. According to Lovelace, she has only posted a small fraction of the hundreds of messages she has received so far, with accounts touching on nearly every major restaurant group in Portland.

In the post, Lovelace wrote that over the past few days, Ive hurt people I care about deeply, Ive helped folks speak their truth for the first time, Ive received threats, and Ive felt useful in a way I didnt anticipate.

In comments on that post, Gourdet accused Lovelace of taking on a new savior role, acting as judge, jury, executioner and apology acceptor for the Portland restaurant industry.

Meanwhile, several of Lovelaces former employees began posting comments of their own, describing the toxic work environment they said Lovelace had herself fostered at Yonder, including allegations of bullying and microaggressions as well as mistreatment of the restaurants sole Black employee.

Its incredibly ironic for you @mayalovelace to be calling out other restaurants for toxic and hostile work environments when you need to take a hard, long look at your own, wrote former employee Berlin Clark.

Angelica Rustali, another former employee, wrote that her time at Yonder was the ultimate form of gaslighting -- working for an employer TELLING YOU theyre trying to change the industry while perpetuating it. Rustali also mentioned Lovelaces treatment of the restaurants Black employee, who she said was ignored, exploited and overworked.

In a phone interview with The Oregonian/OregonLive on Wednesday, that employee, Nick Charles, said he applied for a job at Yonder in March of 2019 after following Lovelace on social media and liking everything she was saying, building, preaching about opening a restaurant that was friendly to queer people and people of color.

I also enjoyed her cooking tremendously, and thought she was doing a favor to bring proper Southern food to the Northwest, said the 32-year-old Charles, who was born in Louisiana. It did remind me of home.

But after working at Yonder for a year, including several months as the restaurants front-of-house manager, he says the experience didnt match up with Lovelaces promises.

Nick Charles, 32, spoke out this week about alleged mistreatment at his former restaurant, Yonder, where he was the sole Black employee. Charles is pictured here on Thurs., July 9, 2020, in front of the downtown Portland Apple store, the boarded-up windows of which have become a canvas for artwork memorializing Black people killed by police. Dave Killen / Staff - Former Yonder restaurant employee Nick Charles Dave KillenDave Killen

During that time, Charles said he was underpaid, under-appreciated and eventually sidelined after returning from an illness brought on partly from working 60-hour weeks, in addition to a second job bartending that he kept because the pay was higher. His long days were necessary because Lovelace would often be in the back Instagramming while we were trying to run the front of the house, Charles said.

Seven former Yonder employees reached Thursday by The Oregonian/OregonLive backed Charles claims.

Charles said he lacked institutional support from Lovelace, including during an October incident when a group of young men who lingered past brunch service began using abusive language, including a racist slur, when he asked them to settle their tab.

They called me a servant, they said I was doing this for white owners, all this stuff, Charles said. I stood my ground, I backed up Maya, but they didnt back me up in return.

Charles checked into the hospital with an infected throat abscess later that month.

When Charles returned to work a week and a half later, he sensed that everything had changed. He was soon asked to share managerial duties, taken off salary, eventually demoted to server and given a pay cut that he wasnt aware of until obtaining a pay stub just before COVID-19-enforced layoffs in late March, he said.

Charles also felt singled out for his outgoing nature. According to Charles and other former employees, Lovelace asked him not to laugh at work several times, saying it prevented her from thinking.

Why wouldnt you want to promote people having fun in a restaurant? Charles asked. To stifle the only Black person working for you in that way just seems off-putting.

When Guy Fieri visited the restaurant for Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives in January, Charles says he was told that he would be highlighted on the Food Network show, but that he couldnt laugh during the shoot. Two hours before he was supposed to show up, Lovelace texted him and said without explanation that he was no longer needed.

I was hurt by that, Charles said. I like Guy Fieri. I watched his shows when I was in the hospital. That was something that was really big for me.

And Charles thinks Lovelace didnt do enough to highlight the Black influence on Southern food at her restaurants, particularly the fried chicken-focused Yonder, with little mention of the role enslaved Africans played in bringing ingredients and dishes to the New World. The restaurants fried-chicken sandwich, The Intimidator, is named in honor of the late Nascar driver Dale Earnhardt.

I dont think that Black culture was ever really celebrated in that restaurant, Charles said. If you claim to be a champion of this food, you should show the true history, not a white-washed version.

In a follow-up interview Thursday, Lovelace said she had built Yonder in part as a home to people who had experienced trauma in restaurants. Some of those employees, she said, felt anxiety around Charles, who was known for greeting customers with a bellowing Hello! Welcome! Lovelace called Charles the loudest person I have ever met. She said she may have asked him to be quieter on other employees behalf, but never ever asked him not to laugh.

Several former employees, including Charles, disputed Lovelaces account.

I understand the racial implication or the stereotype that Black people are loud, but that was not at play here, Lovelace said. Nick was a force of unbridled joy at Yonder. I remember telling him how happy I was that he was putting his joy out into the room. But were not welcoming people to Chilis, stop. That is not how we want to greet our customers.

Lovelace said she was mortified when she learned about the brunch groups verbal abuse of Charles. She said the reason she texted Charles on the day of the Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives shoot was because the production crew had told her there were already too many staffers in the shot.

Lovelace called the critiques of the way Yonders menu is presented fair, and said she has " struggled with my position as a white woman cooking Southern food. She said shes done her best to tell a fuller story at Mae, the back-room supper club, which was named for her Appalachian grandmother.

This is the food of my culture, too, the food that I was raised on, and that has brought me joy since I was a kid, Lovelace said. Its an amalgam of African, Native American, Irish, Scottish and German influences, all of this stuff mashed together.

The biggest lesson to learn in all of this is that we failed to make our staff comfortable enough to make these accusations to us, Lovelace said. So they needed to be able to say things publicly to force us to be in that conversation with them. I appreciate that, because it gives me a chance to learn and be better. I wish that the other folks who are receiving these kinds of allegations would view them in the same way.

According to Charles, Yonder employees have been talking in a private group text about their work experiences during the COVID-19 shutdown, but they wouldnt have gone public if Lovelace hadnt begun her series of Instagram posts last weekend. At first, he thought the posts might be a good thing, helping lead to a culture change in Portland restaurants similar to the one he and other Black Lives Matter protesters have been seeking from police. A Portland Monthly story Tuesday that didnt mention critical comments employees posted to Lovelaces timeline earlier that day tipped us over the boiling point.

It felt so hypocritical that she was accusing all these people anonymously, but she couldnt look in the mirror and see that shes caused a lot of hurt, Charles said. It felt like it was more of a play to boost her own status while taking others down. You cant do it one way and not expect it to come around the same way.

Youre not a savior, youre only trying to save your own ass, he said.

-- Michael Russell, mrussell@oregonian.com, @tdmrussell

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Have you ever come across a random image or video which leaves you with lots of feeling? If yes, then you know what were talking about. If you havent, then chances are that this random image of a broken chair would be your first.

Shared on Twitter, the image shows a single piece royal couch kept on the side of the road. The front legs of the chair, however, are broken and the entire thing may give one the feeling that its a character out of an animated movie  that too a sad one. Indicating the same, a Twitter user wrote, Me too chair, me too and shared the image.

Me too chair, me too pic.twitter.com/OUyYp140Zx  Alyzande Renard  (@alyzande) July 7, 2020

Since being shared just a few days ago, the image has gone viral with over 3.3 lakh views  and the numbers are only increasing. Additionally, the image has received over 80,000 retweets. As for comments, many could relate to the imaginary emotion displayed in the chair. Are you one of them too?

Heres a Twitter user who came up with a pigeon version:

Then there is this individual who in an attempt to determine the reason behind the chairs fall  and also to spread some cheer  shared this art:

He just laughs because he slipped



Reconciliation with life pic.twitter.com/GUzuII2hHc  saudi_man (@smartman_18) July 9, 2020

Thats a sad chair; hope you are not sad too, wrote a Twitter user. To which, the original poster, quite punnily, replied, A little tired and in need of upholstery.

This user of the micro-blogging site, in an attempt to console the chair, shared this image:

Never seen a chair sum up a year so perfectly, tweeted another and you wont be wrong if you agree with them.

This individual thought the tale of the chair would make up for a great movie and tweeted, Exclusively on Disney+ from 1 August - Pixars latest masterpiece, Chairs.

Many were reminded of the film The Beauty and the beast. Just like this Twitter user who expressed, Damn, that Beauty and the Beast reboot looks depressing. In case you havent seen the classic fairy tale film yet, the users are referring to the plot of the film where an enchantress transforms the servants of a prince into animated household objects.

Haha that is one of the most anthropomorphic chairs Ive ever seen! wrote a Twitter user and we do agree.

What do you feel when you look at the image?

Also Read | Images of old bottles of Dalda and Colgate tooth powder may send you down memory lane

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Ilene Wong, who uses the pen name I.W. Gregorio, is an author of Young Adult books committed to diversity in characters and subject matter. Read more

Jocelyn Wu, the main character in the new Young Adult novel This Is My Brain in Love, lets readers know up front that her story is going to be a mostly happy one about mental illness.

I say this to you because I want you to be reassured, she says. I want you to know so when the story ends with me staring at a pill bottle, wrestling with what to do with it, youre prepared.

Thats good, because readers can really get to like Jocelyn  shes smart, shes funny, and shes dealing with a lot of tough stuff. In addition to the mental health issues that pill bottle is all about, Jocelyn is also falling in love, her family is having money problems, and  because there arent many other Chinese American kids in her upstate New York community  most of her peers dont look like her, so she doesnt always feel like she fits in.

The adolescence of Ilene Wong, author of This Is My Brain in Love (written under the pen name I.W. Gregorio), was in some ways not unlike character Jocelyns. Wong grew up in Utica, N.Y., one of only a few Chinese American kids in her community, and dreamed of being a writer. Her new novel, Wong said, is the kind of book she wishes she had when she was younger  a book I would have read and been able to have said, Oh, thats me.

Books were always my best friends, she said. I didnt have very many people who looked like me, so I found a lot of friends in books.

Wong, 43, who lives in West Chester, has realized her childhood dream of being a successful novelist. Booklist called her first Young Adult book, None of the Above (Harper Collins 2015), about a teenage girl who discovers she was born intersex, [a] remarkable novel  eye-opening and important. And in a starred review of This Is My Brain in Love, Publishers Weekly wrote, Readers will come to this story for dynamic romantic and familial relationships, but theyll stay for its smart exploration of depression, anxiety, and self-care.

Not bad for an author who has a demanding day job: Wong, a physician, is a urologist who sees patients at Chester County Hospital, Paoli Hospital, and Brandywine Hospital. Shes also a mother of two children  a 10-year-old girl and a 6-year-old boy  in a racially diverse family: Her husband, Joseph Gregorio, director of choirs for Swarthmore College, is Italian American.

Like the protagonist of This Is My Brain in Love, Wong battled for years with how to deal with depression before finally accepting medication as a part of her life. She says her own children were among her main reasons for writing This Is My Brain in Love.

More than anything, I wanted to show my kids that if they ever have any of these struggles, they are not alone and theres nothing shameful about it, Wong said. Having mental illness does not mean you cant be successful and you cant ultimately be happy.

Wong learned that the hard way. She first sought help for depression when she was in college and then at several other times during her medical training. But she went in and out of therapy, and on and off medication, despite severe inner pain. At one point, her depression was deep enough that she felt it wouldnt be so bad if a car ran a red light and put her out of her misery.

But she felt uncomfortable talking about it. Two decades ago, mental illness wasnt discussed as openly as it is today, nor with much compassion.

I grew up in a house where crazy was a bad word, she said. I was raised to be strong and resilient.

In her own family, a cousin who died by suicide was spoken of only in hushed tones. For many first-generation offspring of immigrants Wong has spoken with since, they acknowledge that, in their families, too, depression is seen as an American disease.

The culture of the medical profession didnt make it any easier for Wong to accept that she needed medication and help.

Theres nothing you could say thats a bigger compliment to a surgery resident than that they are strong, or theyre a machine, she said.

It wasnt until she was a doctor herself that she realized that her emotional nature  and the empathy and sensitivity that went with it  was not a weakness but a strength that helped her to help her patients.

It was while she was a resident at Stanford University that her psychiatrist told her matter-of-factly that her brain just needed serotonin. It finally clicked with Wong, but what it took to convince her still has her shaking her head.

I was already a doctor, and I was denying myself medication, she said.

Something else important happened during Wongs Stanford residency: She met an intersex patient who would become the inspiration for the main character in None of the Above. The story dealt with issues like gender, bullying, and sexuality, as Wongs second book explores mental health, racial and ethnic identity, and relationships.

In the latter, Jocelyn, who is first-generation Chinese American teenager, is experiencing the awakenings of romance with a boy who is African American and Italian American. Both of them are dealing with mental health issues and other pressures. If that sounds a little complicated, you might also just call it adolescence, which is what it reads like.

What its also called is intersectional diversity, and for Wong, thats intentional.

When I first started writing, conventional wisdom was that you could have too much diversity in a book, she said. It would come out in reviews. Even today, sometimes youll see that.

Wong, a passionate advocate of diversity in books, is a founding member of We Need Diverse Books, a nonprofit started in 2014 and aimed at changing publishing by supporting authors of color, encouraging diverse writers to publish, and advocating for diversity in content.

One of her earliest experiences at trying to get her work published still makes her bristle. Before either of her books made print, she had written a novel about an Asian American girl much like herself and her later character, Jocelyn Wu. She got some positive responses from editors, but they passed on the novel because they said it was too much like other Asian American books they were publishing.

That was like a slap on the face, Wong said. All my Asian stories were just a quota to them.

Thanks to the self-empowerment of social media, We Need Diverse Books organized, built a community, and has grown to be a support network for diverse authors and diverse stories. Wong is proud of that. As time goes on, there may be more and more books for children who need the friendship of books like she did, or kids with diverse backgrounds who may enjoying reading about kids like themselves. Or any young people regardless of who they are, who read a book like This Is My Brain in Love and find something meant for them to hear.

I really hope this book is for everybody, Wong said. That it reveals things to them that helps them better navigate their own lives.
Opinion Article

10 July 2020

The hospitality industry is facing the greatest challenge in our lifetime as hotels around the world have been closed, international borders restricted, and flights cancelled in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic. There is no question that travel will return, but it won't be easy and the hospitality landscape is likely to be forever changed by current events.

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We are starting to see some signs of optimism in the countries that have made the most progress in terms of managing the virus. In China, for example, where the outbreak originated, hotels are operating again and occupancy is growing although it is still far below pre-covid levels. But we are seeing domestic travelers visit our hotels and the hotels continue to be an active hub of the community with busy restaurants, lobbies, etc.

In Hong Kong, we have recently reopened our spas, and have been delighted to see our local spa guests returning to our spas, a clear sign of the trust that they place in our brand to operate at the highest levels of safety and cleanliness.

These initial glimmers of hope are important because they give us a glimpse into the brighter future that lies ahead, but they don't ease the long road that we have ahead of us nor diminish the hard work that will be required to bring business back to the levels that they were previously.

In my role as the Group Director of Spa & Wellness for Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, I'm considering the following steps as our pathway to recovery:

1. Stay Connected with Guests

The entire world has turned to online platforms and communication channels to stay connected with their customers. If people can't visit our hotels, we still want to be here for them and communicate with them regularly. We have been sharing wellness tips, cooking classes, live streaming fitness and yoga classes, and more as ways to maintain contact with our guests and to try and support them through a difficult time.

2. Stay Relevant

While we are trying to communicate more with our guests, we need to be aware that everyone else is communicating more with them at the same time. We need to ensure that we are not just adding "noise" in an attempt to promote ourselves, but that we are providing them meaningful information that brings real value during the pandemic.

3. Upskill

We have been using the time of quarantine to help develop our colleagues. We have had colleagues from around the world taking language classes, participating in new aromatherapy training courses, and training in "wellness for cancer" so that we will have even more therapists trained on how to support guests having experiences with cancer therapies. We want our teams and our spas to come back stronger than ever and ready to serve our guests who will be in much need of our support.

4. Leverage Your Health and Wellness Offerings

Wellness was already a mega-trend before Coronavirus struck. Now it is through the roof. People are more attuned to wellness than ever before because:

The virus has most deeply impacted those whose health was already compromised. The pandemic reminds us of our mortality and has us focusing more on extracting more longevity and quality out of the years we have. People in quarantine and on furlough have had time (and infinite online resources) to focus on their own wellness.

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has always had Spa and Wellness as a core pillar of our brand and a big part of our focus has been on keeping our colleagues strong and healthy during this period of quarantine. The strength and authenticity behind our commitment to health and wellness will be a key aspect of our recovery and an important area of the hotel experience to leverage in bringing guests back to our hotels. We are working on new programs to help our guests and colleagues stay physically and mentally strong during these challenging times.

5. Launch New Products and Services

A lot of the things that hotels are doing to stay connected to their customers are being provided at no charge. But we are also considering new ways that we can generate revenue during periods of restricted travel. Some of our hotels have been offering home delivery services for food and/or beauty products, online retail offerings, virtual fitness training, virtual beauty consultations, etc. This is a chance to experiment with new revenue streams, some of which we may be able to continue with long after the pandemic is over.

6. Re-Open Safely

We want to reopen our spas as quickly as possible, but it is critical for the safety of our guests and colleagues that the reopening is feasible in the context of local government regulations, rates of transmission and mortality, and local sentiment towards such services. Our spas will reopen with extremely high levels of cleanliness and new sanitation procedures and training to ensure the safety of guests and colleagues. In most cases, spas will reopen with a phased approach, offering a limited menu with stringent sanitation measures in place and then gradually returning to a more complete spa offering as the pandemic subsides.

7. People Need Touch They Can Trust

Social distancing may be something that stays with us long after the Coronavirus has been eradicated. People may be reluctant to get too close to others if they don't feel safe. But this is not sustainable over the long term, because touch is an essential ingredient for human health and flourishing. So while it may be some time before we go back to shaking hands with everyone in a meeting room, or kissing everyone's cheeks at a cocktail party, people may return to spas if we can provide a sacred space where people can experience touch in a safe environment administered by a trained professional who is held to the highest standards of cleanliness and hygiene.

Our spas have always had the most stringent safety and cleanliness standards in the industry, and we are committed to ensuring that our spas provide a haven where our guests can experience nurturing touch that is delivered safely and professionally. As an industry, we need to uphold these high standards to help consumers feel safe in our facilities and advocate for governments to allow and even encourage the safe therapies that we have to offer.

8. Think Local

It is very likely that domestic travel is going to come back much more quickly than international travel as it may take some time for international borders to have enough trust to relax restrictions on foreign visitors. Spas and hotels need to focus on offering promotions and packages geared towards our local guests, guests arriving by car, and other national visitors. There will be pent up demand for travel, but much of the initial travel may occur close to home until consumer confidence returns and borders become more open again.

9. Mental Wellness is Essential

This has been an unprecedented time of stress and anxiety that has touched everyone on some level. We need to anticipate that our guests and our colleagues have had to confront some traumatic experiences driven by fear, health issues, or economic impacts. Now is the time to consider how our businesses can help people to build and maintain their psychological strengths and resilience. The Spas at Mandarin Oriental will be offering new programs around "Inner Strength - Outer Strength" designed to help our colleagues and guests come back to our hotels feeling physically and emotionally strong.

10. Find People You Can Help

Not everyone has been impacted equally by this virus. Some groups have had to bear a greater share of the burden and may need additional support. We can extract greater meaning out of a difficult situation if we find ways to give back to those who have been severely impacted. Mandarin Oriental has pledged to donate 10% of all gift card purchases to the United Nations Foundation's COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. Many of our hotels have already launched outreach initiatives to help health care workers, taxi drivers, or elderly residents in their communities.

The wellness industry can also help everyone reinforce their commitment to a healthier lifestyle with education, resources, inspiration, etc. Mandarin Oriental will be offering "24-hours of Wellness" on Saturday, June 13 for Global Wellness Day. Participants can find 24 hours of complimentary live-streamed wellness activities on our social media channels.

11. Collaborate

We are cooperating with the International Spa Association to help create new industry standards and guidelines to help spas reopen safely. We have also been working closely with our partners such as Grokker.com, Aromatherapy Associates, Wellness for Cancer, etc. to see how we can support each other and come out of this crisis as quickly and as strongly as possible. In all of our destinations there will be other businesses that are interested in joining forces creatively to reinvigorate travel, to promote wellness and to help us all get back to a more normal way of living.

12. Make Bets on the Future

We are navigating uncertain territory, but we can be sure that this experience will change consumer behavior in profound ways. The better we can do at predicting and anticipating how the world might change, the better we will be able to meet the future needs of our guests. We won't get it right 100% of the time, but now is a time to experiment on new ideas and services that might be more relevant to the post-Coronavirus world. We do not want to reopen our spas and go immediately back to what we did before. We will be launching new services and programs and taking advantage of this period of disruption to try new things.

I think the most important thing for our industry is that we take action proactively to create a better future for our colleagues, our guests, and our businesses. We cannot afford to waste time bemoaning the difficulties of the current situation or clinging to our memories of the world before Coronavirus. The work of creating the future starts now and our eyes need to be fixed on the horizon ahead.
Brazilian outfit Botafogo have wrapped up the free transfer of former Chelsea forward Salomon Kalou.

The 34-year-old winger was without a club after his contract with Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin expired this summer.

The terms of Kalou's deal with Botafogo remains unclear but he has become the second high-profile signing at the club following the arrival of Japanese midfielder Keisuke Honda in January.

Salomon Kalou has joined Brazilian side Botafogo on a free transfer after leaving Hertha Berlin

When Honda was unveiled at Botafogo, over 13,000 fans attended their stadium to see a first glimpse of their new signing.

Ivory Coast forward Kalou departed Hertha Berlin this summer after spending six years with the club, scoring 53 goals and creating 16 assists in 173 appearances.

Kalou's time in the German capital effectively came to an end after he broke distancing rules during the coronavirus lockdown - which led to his suspension from the club.

Kalou was seen shaking hands with team-mates and appearing to make light of the pandemic live on social media.

The terms of the former Chelsea forward's deal with Botafogo remains unclear

He also filmed himself interrupting a team-mate's coronavirus test while screening it live on Facebook in an act that was branded 'absolutely unacceptable' by the German league.

Kalou had spent six years at Chelsea between 2006-2012, where he netted 60 times and created 44 assists in 254 matches for the club.

During his time at Stamford Bridge, Kalou won one Premier League title, one Champions League, four FA Cups and one League Cup.
A COSY type of arrangement exists between gardai and the legal profession while criminals released on bail are running riot around the country, a judge has claimed.

Judge Patrick Durcan was presiding over a case at Limerick District Court where there was no State objection to bail for a man who was already on bail from two separate courts.

John Herbert, solicitor for the accused, said there was no cosy type of arrangement.

Garda John Cotter gave evidence of arresting and charging Martin McDonagh, aged 32, of Ballyart, Caherconlish with theft and criminal damage. The alleged offences are said to have occurred at Inch St Lawrence, Caherconlish on June 4, 2020.

Garda Cotter said Mr McDonagh made no replies to the charges after caution.

There is consent to bail subject to conditions, said Garda Cotter.

Judge Durcan asked if there were any existing bail orders on Mr McDonagh. The court heard there are two - one of which is from a court in Kilkenny.

Judge Durcan asked the garda about the strength of the evidence in his case?

Very strong, said Garda Cotter.

Judge Durcan said criminal damage and theft are indictable matters (serious charges which can be tried before a judge and jury in the Circuit Court).

Garda Cotter said the DPP had directed summary disposal (for them to be heard in a District Court).

Judge Durcan said: He (Mr McDonagh) allegedly committed serious offences while under two separate bail orders. I wont grant bail.

The judge went on to say, A cosy type of arrangement exists between gardai and the legal profession while criminals released on bail are running riot around the country.

Mr Herbert, who represented Mr McDonagh, said there was no cosy type of arrangement.

Judge Durcan said he was refusing bail and remanded Mr McDonagh in custody where he is to appear via video link at a later date.

Ill say no more about it, said the judge.

Earlier in the court sitting, Judge Durcan refused an application to vary a defendants bail conditions.

Darach McCarthy, the solicitor making the application, asked if his clients curfew could be extended for one night as the man was to be a godfather at a christening.

Is it a midnight christening? asked Judge Durcan.

Mr McCarthy said it would be during the day-time but that a celebration would follow after.

It is a spiritual and prayerful occasion, said Judge Durcan.

Mr McCarthy told the court that it would be spiritual in a different sense which was greeted with smiles in the courtroom.

Judge Durcan refused the application to vary the curfew.
Karl Rock, a vlogger from New Zealand who has been living in India for the past few years, donated plasma at plasma bank in Delhi's ILBS hospital and has won praise from Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. Rock recently recovered from Covid-19 after contracting the virus infection last month.

"Plasma therapy is the best treatment for Covid-19 that we have right now to help really sick people. So, the second I heard Delhi chief minister had opened a plasma bank, I called it up and registered myself to donate the plasma," he says in the beginning of the 8-minute-long video, adding that it is a privilege to help other people this way.

Rock is seen talking to the hospital staff in Hindi, much to their surprise, as he tells them he is from New Zealand and has been living in Delhi with his wife, who is an Indian.

He tweeted the video, after which Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal praised him and said, "Karl, you indeed rock."

During his interaction with the medical staff, Rock tells them that it was probably while picking up his sister-in-law from the airport that got infected. "I had a headache, I lost taste and I was really really tired. Just these three symptoms," he tells them and also poses for a selfie with another plasma donor.

Rock praises the facility for being, clean and patient-friendly. After the needles are removed and process, which takes less than an hour, is complete, the donors are given refreshment.

Rock is from New Zealand and has been living in India with his wife for the past three years. He has 900000 subscribers on his YouTube channel where he posts videos of exploring cities and towns of India.
By Mel Pearlman

As America wrestles with the issue of finding its way to racial equality, we must be careful not to destroy the constitutional foundation of our nation, which in reality is the only path to reach that much-desired goal.

The events of the past, highlighted by events of the last few months have laid naked the ugly reality of police brutality in many communities across the country, inflicted by law enforcement officers in their encounter with black men, women and teenagers.

There is justified anger in the black community in seeing too often the use of excessive and unreasonable force resulting in the death of black citizens. All Americans should be angered in what appears to be a culture in police circles that every citizen encounter is adversarial. The good guy police versus the bad guycitizen.

The problem here is that too many police officers increasingly see every arrest incident as a dangerous encounter, especially when the target of the encounter is a black person.

In a democratic society where freedom is cherished by all citizens of every race, creed, religion, sexual orientation or any other social differentiation, police officers as agents of the government have an absolute obligation to treat every citizen with respect and deference unless the factual circumstances require otherwise.

In many instances, that is not the case; and the problem is clearly magnified in the police/black citizen encounter. Members of the black community, as well as all other Americans have a right to expect police officers, as well as all public servants, to treat every citizen in all circumstances with professionalism worthy of the badge, flag patch and uniform they wear.

Unfortunately, whether it is poor training, poor education or incompatible personality traits, there are many police officers who are deficient in meeting the high standards required to be a law enforcement officer in a free society. The Constitution demands better and the American people should demand better as well.

The message is clear and unambiguous. The peaceful street protests and the support of all fair-minded Americans is the catalyst for bringing about meaningful action to end racial inequality in America in both the public and private sectors while at the same time respecting the pluralism also guaranteed by our Constitution.

We must also remember that we cannot build equality of any kind while hate permeates the very movements that espouse racial equality. Violence, looting and destruction of public and private property, which mingle with peaceful protests and oftentimes subvert the peaceful nature of the protests, are counter-productive to achieving the noble ends sought by the overwhelming majority of Americans.

Black Lives Matter was born to fight racial injustice and bring an end to racial discrimination, but in the short course of their existence, the organization has become radicalized and embraced the same form of hate and prejudice that they so vigorously oppose.

They have embraced anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism in their charter, have endorsed BDS, the movement that seeks to delegitimize and ultimately destroy the State of Israel. They have bought into the myths that the Jewish people, who were themselves enslaved, are now oppressors.

These are the same Jewish Americans who suffered prejudice and hatred in the same America that enslaved the black population.

They came to these shores after suffering the murderous pogroms of Czarist Russia and being imprisoned as prisoners of conscience by the Soviet Union. These are the children of the Holocaust survivors who marched with Martin Luther King, Jr. These are the people that gave inspiration and hope to the black slaves evidenced in black culture, music and the longing to be free.

Black Lives Matter has taken their noble cause and slogan of Black Lives Matter and subverted it into Back Lies Matter. If the Jewish people have taught the world any lesson it is this: A people who embrace victimhood and hatred will end up bitter, but they will never end up free.

If you wish to comment or respond you can reach me at melpearlman322@gmail.com. Please do so in a rational, thoughtful, respectful and civil manner.

Mel Pearlman holds B.S. & M.S. degrees in physics as well as a J.D. degree and initially came to Florida in 1966 to work on the Gemini and Apollo space programs. He has practiced law in Central Florida since 1972. He has served as president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando; was a charter board member, first vice president and pro-bono legal counsel of the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Central Florida, as well as holding many other community leadership positions.
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A day after Ujjain's Mahakal Temple Security Officer Ruby Yadav sent three security guards to nab notorious gangster Vikas Dubey, the temple administration on Friday removed her from the post, raising many questions about Dubey's arrest.

Dubey was killed in an encounter with police forces in the outskirts of Kanpur on Friday morning while a Special Task Force (STF) of UP Police was taking the gangster to Uttar Pradesh after his arrest in MP's Ujjain on Thursday morning. He was handed over to the Uttar Pradesh police late on Thursday evening.

However, Dubey's encounter has left many questions unanswered including his visit to Ujjain and the information about his aides.

Security in-charge at Mahakal Temple, Ruby Yadav, was instrumental in the 'arrest' of the gangster who identified Dubey and led her team to nab him while he was leaving the temple premises.

Speaking to News18, Yadav claimed that she had received information of a suspicious man in the temple and asked her men to keep a watch on him before finally nabbing him and handing him over to the police.

However, Ujjain police which narrated a raw story of Dubey's arrest did not provide any detailed information about the matter as to how Dubey, a wanted criminal, reached Ujjain despite a high alert against him in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and other states. It also did not answer on being asked why no case was lodged against Dubey before handing him over to UP police.

Besides breaching Mahakal temple security, Dubey could also have been booked for carrying a knife in his bag which was later recovered from the cloak room of the temple.

It was also unclear who shot the video inside Mahakal temple which was later found from the gangster's mobile phone. In the video, Dubey was seen roaming around at Nandi Hall while someone was shooting his video from behind. He was also clicked in a picture while entering the temple at a security barricade.

Dubey told police that he reached Ujjain after boarding a bus in New Delhi and travelled via Kota in Rajasthan. However, the information is quite surprising as inter-state buses are still non-operational due to the lockdown. The police also did not specify who were the local aides of Dubey after he reached Ujjain.

The police had nabbed four persons including two Lucknow-based lawyers on Friday but it said nothing about their links to Dubey or his visit to Ujjain.

A UP native named Anant Tiwari was also detained by the police on Thursday on suspicion of aiding Dubey in Ujjain. Tiwari, a manager with a local liquor company, is reportedly a relative of Dubey. However, during police interrogation, the gangster declined to identify Tiwari.

The role of a private security agency guard posted at Mahakal temple has also come to the spotlight. However, MP police specified that they will only probe into the matter further if their counterparts from UP request them to do so.

Apart from a communique issued by Ujjain police on Thursday evening, the top brass of MP Police has been silent on the entire incident. "We have fulfilled out duty by handing Vikas Dubey over to UP police at the border," affirmed Madhya Pradesh Home minister Dr Narottam Mishra.
Sarita Giri of the Samajwadi Party Nepal has been removed from her position of a member of the House of Representatives after she defied the party whip on Nepals Constitution Amendment Bill that altered the map of the Himalayan state. She was earlier expelled from the party and the party had written to the Federal Parliament Secretariat concerning the matter.

Sarita Giri had asserted that there was no clear evidence to claim that Lipmiyadhura, Lipu Lekh and Kalapani belong to Nepal. Consequently, contrary to the party line, she had floated an amendment seeking to retain the old map of Nepal on the countrys national emblem. She was asked to withdraw her amendment but Sarita Giri refused to do so.

Sarita Giri had held China responsible for the new map bill and questioned Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on the move. Increasing Chinese interference in the internal politics of Nepal is also suspected in the entire fracas. Some have also speculated that Oli was himself honey-trapped by the Chinese, which has led to his current capitulation.

Meanwhile, as per reports, India has also sent a diplomatic note registering its protest against Nepals revised map. India sent a letter to the Delegated Management and Government Assurance Committee of the National Assembly. India has objected to the issuance of the new map. It has rejected our claim in a diplomatic note, Chairman of the Comittee, Ram Narayan Bidari, said.

Nepal passed amendment bill including Indian areas of Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani in the updated map

Nepals lower house of parliament passed an amendment recently to update the countrys map including Indian areas of Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh, and Kalapani in the constitution of the country. The bill was supported by all the 258 lawmakers present and voting.

The move came on the heels of the endorsement extended by Nepals House of Representatives on June 10 to have a proposal seeking consideration of the constitution amendment bill for change of countrys map following a long discussion. India has consistently rejected these claims, terming it untenable.
The reverses of newly issued North Korean national ID cards for citizens living in Pyongyang (left) and outside the capital (right) are shown in this file photo.

North Korea has banished 30 Pyongyang families to rural mountainous areas because their immediate family members working overseas went missing and are suspected to have fled to South Korea or other countries, sources in the North told RFA.

The families who were sent into internal exile were mostly the families of workers North Korea sent to Russia to earn foreign currency for the government, large numbers of whom stayed in Russia despite U.N. nuclear sanctions that required them to return home at the end of 2019.

In June, 30 families from Pyongyang were sent into internal exile, a senior official from the capital told RFAs Korean Service.

Most are families of workers dispatched to Russia. The authorities just kicked them out of the city without informing them of whether or not their husbands or sons are even alive after the overseas workers went missing, the source said.

North Korea routinely punishes people for crimes committed by their family members as a way to keep people in line. Internal exile, however, is usually reserved for the families of serious criminals imprisoned within the country, but appears to be increasingly used to punish the families of defectors and refugees.

According to the Pyongyang source, the abrupt banishment goes against precedent in revoking the right to live in the capital, considered such a privilege that a Pyongyang residential permit is a symbol of elite status. Residents of the capital of 2.87 million people can enjoy modern conveniences unavailable in the countryside.

The expulsions come amid a government campaign to discredit North Korean exiles, after groups based in South Korea sent anti-Pyongyang leaflets on balloons. Authorities have recently started branding North Koreans who have overstayed their visas to work in China as traitorous "defectors" after long looking the other way because they send money back to the North.

In the past, when Pyongyang citizens were sent to internal exile, the authorities always notified them of the area [they would be sent to] and the date of exile in advance, but the families exiled in June left without knowing why they were being banished or where they would be sent, the source said, adding that they were moved to the mountains in North and South Hwanghae provinces.

Demotion to the undeveloped rural areas of the country is a disgrace, and the government sent the families of the missing overseas workers away even though it is unclear why they went missing.

The source said that in the past, disgraced citizens were internally exiled to areas north of Pyongyang, but these days they are sent south of the city.

If they are sent to the mountainous area north of Pyongyang, they are likely to try to escape North Korea through the Sino-Korean border to reconnect with their missing family members, the source said.

Whenever the situation either at home or abroad is difficult, the authorities try to tighten internal discipline by controlling and censoring residents. At the large meeting of the Political Bureau held on June 7, the Highest Dignity mentioned how Pyongyang citizens enjoy lives of convenience, said the source, using an honorific term to refer to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Another source, a resident of South Hwanghae province who requested anonymity to speak freely, told RFA Tuesday that four families had been banished to remote villages there.

[They] were moved down to Ryongwol village and Changgom village. All of them are families of workers sent abroad. They were sent into internal exile because the head of their family went missing overseas, the second source.

The two tiny villages are situated in rural Sinwon county, which had a total population of about 83,000 as of the 2008 North Korean census.

We know that there are several families who have been kicked out from Pyongyang who were placed in Chaeryong county here in South Hwanghae and Sinkye county, North Hwanghae, the second source said, adding that upon arrival the families had no place to live.

They are temporarily staying in the propaganda office of the work group they have been assigned to, the second source said.

Usually when people from the city voluntarily move to the rural areas, authorities are keen to try to help resolve any of their difficulties. The party committee of their villages conducts home visits and interviews, the second source said.

But those forcibly sent out into rural areas do not receive the same courtesy.

Local officials pay no attention to the people that were sent into internal exile. They just push them to show up for farm work starting the very next day after they are exiled, said the second source.

A North Korean refugee who asked to be identified only by his surname Lee, settled in South Korea after being sent to Russia to work as a lumberjack.

Lee told RFA, Dozens of North Korean workers who were selected to earn foreign currency in Russia leave their workplaces every year and go into hiding. Most of them are still in Russia, trying to find a way to go to South Korea or a third country.

Most of the workers North Korea sends abroad work long hours in the construction or hospitality industries in China and Russia. They typically keep only a small fraction of what they earn, forwarding about 90 percent of what they earn to the North Korean government, sources familiar with labor exports have told RFA.

Sanctions enacted by the U.S. and UN, intended to deprive Pyongyang of cash and resources that could be funneled into its nuclear and missile programs mandated that all North Korean workers were supposed to have returned home by the end of 2019.

Several RFA reports showed that Pyongyang was ignoring the sanctions by sending workers abroad after the deadline because the government desperately needs funds to keep the country afloat.

RFA was unable to independently confirm that the 30 families were officially exiled.

Reported by Sewon Kim for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Leejin Jun. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
Image: Wikipedia

Committed

Social and economic transition

Environmental legacy

At the same time, however, this announcement gave new vigour to the concerns about the fate of workers and communities whose livelihood was dependent on the coal economy. It was clear that a just transition would be the ideal route from a coal-intensive energy system to a low-carbon future. Such as transition would also have to be fair to energy users, offering them affordable prices and access to electricity.The key argument behind a just transition is that our move away from coal must be a process that is well managed, with a phased approach and clear guidelines that are followed in a planned manner. Importantly, this is an approach that the trade unions also support," said Andrew van Zyl, director and principal consultant at SRK Consulting.The number of workers directly involved is significant; coal mining employs about 82,000 workers, and Eskom employs about 12,000 in its power stations . Some regional and local economies are built on the coal industry, especially in the province of Mpumalanga. In the municipality of Emalahleni, for example, some 38% of gross value added (GVA) comes from coal mining . The impacts of mine closure on suppliers and industries such as retail and services are expected to be severe. Coal-powered generation will of course continue for decades to come, but is expected to include cleaner coal technologies.Eskoms current management has said it is committed to contributing to global efforts to address climate change, but it is equally keen not to desert employees and their communities.We cannot just leave them in the lurch, leaving ghost towns and communities behind as festering political, social and economic wounds, said Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter in a recent interview. Aware that South Africa is not very well prepared for the energy transition that is underway globally, De Ruyter is nonetheless confident that the company will yet beat our coal shovels into wind turbines and solar panels.That day is some way off, however, with coal generating 92% of South Africas electricity. SRK Consulting principal mining engineer Noddy McGeorge noted that, in addition to new power stations Medupi and Kusile, Eskom has at least two other power stations with life-spans of another 35 to 40 years. With coal reserves for another 100 years, the latter two face little chance of being shut down earlier than that.The remaining life of many of the other generating facilities really depends on their mechanical costs. If the investment is affordable, a number of facilities could still be run for another 20 years or more, taking us to 2040 or later for a final transition date away from coal ," he said.The process towards trying to understand the social impacts of this transition, though, is already underway.For the past couple of years, Eskom has been requesting technical input on what the likely socio-economic impact will be when power stations are closed. The closure process is likely to involve similar issues to the closure of the associated coal mines  such as re-skilling of employees, economic resilience of communities and diversification of local economies," said Jessica Edwards, senior social scientist at SRK Consulting.There are certainly many lessons that can be learnt from countries who are travelling this path ahead of us, in spite of their stark socio-economic differences with South Africa. In the coal regions of Germany, Australia and Canada, researchers have identified which policies have been most successful in halting the production of coal without placing the economic burden on coal workers and communities While workers in extractive industries like mining are often presented as the main opposition to decarbonisation policies, the research shows that they are actually quite supportive of environmentally-friendly policies if their immediate interests are not threatened. Active and genuine dialogue with communities is key, followed by effective action such as developing re-employment opportunities in clean industries. Investing in peoples future through training and business development, for example, is also vital.Experts in South Africa have considerable experience to offer the energy sector in terms of social engagement and facilitating economic resilience. Under currently constrained economic conditions  aggravated by the coronavirus lockdown  there is less certainty about the states capacity to invest where it is required.The environmental impact of coal mining has historically been severe, with real efforts to reverse the damage coming only in the past couple of decades. The cost of rehabilitation and responsible closure of coal mines may be underestimated  especially by new entrants through mergers and acquisitions, according to Lisl Fair, principal consultant (social sciences) at SRK Consulting.As many of the larger coal mining companies in South Africa withdraw from this commodity and sell to smaller firms, a concern arises over the financial resources available for closure, said Fair. It is a particular worry when mines change hands just five to 10 years before their end-of-life. This timeframe is often not sufficient to provision for the considerable social and environmental costs of closure.Whatever the hurdles, the country has a unique opportunity to transition to renewable energy, said SRK Consulting senior environmental scientist Ashleigh Maritz.With our ageing fleet of coal-fired power stations, we have no choice but to build more renewable generation capacity. The countrys Integrated Resource Plan commits us to a decarbonisation pathway hinging on the decommissioning of coal-fired power stations and the rapid uptake of renewable energy," said Maritz.Perhaps the coronavirus pandemic, ironically, could add momentum to this drive. As United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres has urged, governments should ensure that taxpayers money that is spent to rescue businesses should be directed at creating green jobs, as well as sustainable and inclusive growth. In South Africa, this could certainly contribute to a just transition from carbon-intensive industries towards a cleaner economic base.
A small Aboriginal community has been reconnected to essential services after being isolated by the closure of the border between Victoria and NSW.

Cummeragunja in NSW was cut off from its sister-town of Barmah in Victoria after unmanned barriers were put up across the bridge between the communities on Wednesday night.

The Barmah Bridge was closed on Wednesday night. Credit:Mat Gissing

Cummeragunja's population of about 60 people relies on Barmah for access to food, fuel and medical services.

The border is now staffed by authorities and local residents and emergency services will be able to cross the Barmah Bridge.
The U.K. government is set to invest 170,000 into a company that runs adult parties for the rich and famous around the world.

Founded in 2005 by Emma Sayle, Killing Kittens hosts exclusive events in cities like London, Manchester and Los Angeles. The Guardian referred to it as "a members-only sex club" and Business Insider called it a "sex party company."

"Our world-famous parties are designed to encourage, liberate, build confidence and allow experimentation all within a safe environment led by our Kittens," the company writes on its website. "Burlesque performances, ornate townhouses, countryside mansions. We guarantee it's like nothing you've ever experienced before."

Killing Kittens launched a crowdfunding campaign on the Seedrs platform in May to help it transition from being an events-based company to a "sex tech" company that runs some events. The campaign raised 170,000 from Seedrs investors, which the government is planning to match through its Future Fund scheme, bringing total investment to 340,000.

Killing Kittens launched its online "social network for sexual exploration" in 2017 and the web app is due to get an overhaul on Monday. In addition to the web app, there are two mobile chat apps in the pipeline too. The company hopes these digital offerings will bring in ad revenue and it is currently in the process of developing a third-party ads platform.

"We are still awaiting funds but the Future Fund conditionally approved our application today," Sayle told CNBC via email on Tuesday.

A spokesperson for Killing Kittens said the funds should be with the company in the next two weeks.

The company said 45% of the new funding will go towards product innovation, 45% will go to growth marketing, 5% will go to operations, and 5% will go to preparing a funding campaign.

The U.K. taxpayer will hold a 1.47% equity stake in Killing Kittens if the company does not repay the loan and the Future Fund investment converts to equity. The company is currently valued at 11.5 million.

It describes itself as a female empowerment brand, and makes money by charging its 140,000 social network users for tickets to its events. It had a turnover of 1 million for the year to April 2018.
Reopening of Taiwan office in Guam not military-related: MOFA

ROC Central News Agency

07/09/2020 07:26 PM

Taipei, July 9 (CNA) Taiwan's decision to reopen its representative office in Guam was not based on military considerations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Thursday, following analyses to the contrary by security experts.

The office will be reopened in late August or early September to facilitate Taiwan's trade and business exchanges with Guam and the rest of the Western Pacific region and to consolidate Taiwan's relations with Pacific island countries, MOFA spokesperson Joanne Ou () said at a press briefing.

Taiwan is also seeking to expand its maritime research in collaboration with the United States, to build on its medical cooperation with Guam, and to be better positioned to offer ready assistance to the 20,000 Taiwanese who visit Guam each year, on average, Ou said.

"Military cooperation is not one of our considerations in reopening our office in Guam," which was closed in August 2017 due to budget constraints and manpower issues, she said.

Since MOFA made the announcement on July 3, security analysts in Taiwan have said it was most likely driven by a desire for military cooperation with the U.S., in light of China's increasing military activities in the region.

Su Tzu-yun (), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, told CNA on July 4 that military cooperation may be one of the "core missions" of the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Guam when it reopens.

"Taiwan is likely to assign a military attache to Guam, where U.S. air force and naval bases are located, to work hand in hand with Taiwan's military attache in Hawaii," Su said.

Expressing similar views, Tung Li-wen (), a researcher at Taiwan Thinktank, said recently on a television program that the decision to reopen the TECO in Guam was based on military factors, as U.S.' largest naval base in the Pacific is located on the island.

Guam, described as "tip of the spear" of U.S. defense, is home to the American Andersen Air Force Base and Naval Base Guam.

(By Chen Yun-yu and Emerson Lim)

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Photograph: Lucas Jackson/Reuters

Ghislaine Maxwell should be released on bail while awaiting trial for her alleged involvement in Jeffrey Epsteins child sex trafficking ring because of the Covid-19 crisis and its impact on detained defendants, the British socialites lawyers argued in Manhattan federal court papers filed on Friday.

Maxwell, 58, was arrested on 2 July at her Bradford, New Hampshire, home. She faces up to 35 years in federal prison if convicted.

Her lawyers insisted that Maxwell is not a flight risk, and said she was trying to keep a low profile amid unrelenting carnival-like media scrutiny.

As this court has noted, the Covid-19 pandemic represents an unprecedented health risk to incarcerated individuals, and Covid-19-related restrictions on attorney communications with pre-trial detainees significantly impair a defendants ability to prepare her defense, Maxwells lawyers claimed in their bail argument.

Simply put, under these circumstances, if Ms Maxwell continues to be detained, her health will be at serious risk and she will not be able to receive a fair trial.

Maxwells legal team proposed several bail conditions, including a $5m personal recognizance bond co-signed by six financially responsible people, backed by property in the UK worth over $3.75m. They also proposed limiting her travel to the New York City area, turning in all her travel documents, imposing home confinement in New York City with GPS monitoring, and restricting visitors to her immediate family, close friends and lawyers.

Maxwell is due to appear in court Tuesday for bail arguments and her arraignment.

Law enforcement officials in Manhattan have accused Maxwell of slithering away into hiding following Epsteins arrest last July and repeatedly lying about her alleged involvement in his abuse of underage girls.

On Friday, Maxwells lawyers claimed that rather than hide, she contacted federal prosecutors through her lawyers shortly after Epsteins arrest, and they maintained regular contact with them. Maxwell would have also been willing to turn herself in authorities advised them of her impending arrest, they said.

Story continues

In arguing that Maxwell isnt a flight risk, her legal team insisted that she has never once attempted to hide; from the government or her accusers, and has never shown any intent to leave the country.

Prosecutors said Epstein, a convicted sex offender, and Maxwell had a personal and professional relationship, as well as an intimate relationship from about 1994 to 1997. Epstein killed himself in jail last August.

Maxwell played a critical role in helping Epstein to identify, befriend and groom minor victims for abuse, Audrey Strauss, acting US attorney for the southern district of New York, said at a press conference several hours after the arrest. In some cases, Maxwell participated in the abuse.

She set the trap. She pretended to be a woman they [alleged victims] could trust.

The 17-page Manhattan federal court indictment against Maxwell charges her with crimes such as conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, enticement of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and perjury.

Many women have alleged that Maxwell lured them into Epsteins orbit, recruiting them to give him massages, where they were then pressured into sexual activity. Until Maxwells indictment, she had never faced criminal charges for these allegations.

Maxwell has repeatedly denied wrongdoing in relation to Epstein or women linked to him.

Ever since Epsteins arrest, Ms Maxwell has been at the center of a crushing onslaught of press articles, television specials and social media posts painting her in the most damning light possible and prejudging her guilt. The sheer volume of media reporting mentioning Ms Maxwell is staggering, her lawyers argued in the court papers.

The open season declared on Ms Maxwell after Epsteins death has come with an even darker cost  she has been the target of alarming physical threats, even death threats, and has had to hire security guards to ensure her safety. The media feeding frenzy, which has only intensified in recent months, has also deeply affected her family and friends, they said.

They said later that Ms Maxwell will be at significant risk of contracting Covid-19 if she is detained, and she will not be able to meaningfully participate in the preparation of her defense due to the restrictions that have been placed on attorney visits and phone calls in light of the pandemic.

Maxwells legal team also contended that after Epstein died, the media focus quickly shifted to our client  wrongly.

But sometimes the simplest point is the most critical one: Ghislaine Maxwell is not Jeffrey Epstein, they wrote.
Guwahati/Agartala, July 10 : Assam on Friday reported eight more Covid-19 deaths, taking the state's death toll to 35, while the total number of positive cases stood at 14,600, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

Of the eight fresh deaths - six men and two women -- seven people died at the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital while a 53-year-old non-symptomatic patient died at a Covid care centre.

With the addition of hundreds of fresh cases on a regular basis, the number of Covid-19 cases in the state jumped to 14,600, of which 5,423 are active cases while 9,147 persons have recovered from the disease.

Sarma said in a tweet: "Kudos to our (health) team for having surged ahead aggressively with Covid-19 tests -- finest method tracking the infected people, so that eventually the pandemic can be brought under control. Today (Friday) the test figures reached 525,485. I request all to come forward for testing." "With a big rise in Covid-19 cases, Guwahati, Assam and northeast India's main commercial city, has entered the 'real pandemic phase' with community transmission being witnessed," the Health Minister said.

In just 11 days, coronavirus cases in the Kamrup (Metro) district jumped to around 3,000 from 63. Guwahati, headquarters of the Kamrup (Metro) district, is home to 11.20 lakh people. The state government has announced a 14-day "complete lockdown" in the district from June 28 midnight to check the virus spread.

The Minister said that after the withdrawal of public travel restrictions on May 4, over 3.12 lakh people returned to Assam by road, train and air from different parts of the country, causing the sharp rise the number of cases in the state.

In Agartala, Tripura's Law and Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath said that from Friday, rapid antigen tests are being conducted on all those who are coming into the state from other parts of the country.

"Tripura government has already decided to conduct rapid antigen tests in the state's 28 containment zones and at all the entry points, including Agartala Airport, following a spike in Covid-19 cases," Nath, who is the spokesman of the state government, told the media.

According to the Minister, 1,790 Covid-19 positive cases have been found in Tripura of which 402 are active cases. One person has died of the disease.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhi:

Reacting to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs order to Pakistan High Commission staffer to leave India in next 48 hours, Pakistans government has declared Surjeet Singh (official of Indian High Commission in Pakistan) as persona non-grata and asked him to leave Pakistan in next 48 hours.

Foreign Office said in a statement that the decision was conveyed to Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale who was summoned to foreign ministry.

"The Foreign Secretary (Aizaz Chaudhry) summoned the Indian High Commissioner today and conveyed the decision of the Government of Pakistan to declare Surjeet Singh, an official of the Indian High Commission, as persona non-grata," the statement said.

The Foreign Secretary expressed deep concern over the activities of the Indian official that were in violation of the Vienna Convention and the established diplomatic norms, it said.

The Indian High Commission has been asked to make urgent necessary arrangements for Singh and his family to leave Pakistan by October 29.

Pakistans has taken action just like the way India had acted against Pakistans high commission staffer Mehmood Akhtar. Akhtar was caught by Delhi Police with sensitive defence documents including deployment details of BSF along the Indo-Pak border.

Earlier, spokesperson of Ministry of External Affairs, Vikas Swarup has said that if today Pak is feeling isolated, it's because of its misguided policies; People of Pak should urge govt to adopt policies that favour peace. Denial that has come out from Pak (on Mehmood Akhtar), would say that this is something which has by now become quiet characteristic, said Vikas Swarup.

India declared a Pakistan High Commission staffer in New Delhi as persona non-grata for espionage activities after he was caught by Delhi Police with sensitive defence documents including deployment details of BSF along the Indo-Pak border.

oreign Office said in a statement that the decision was conveyed to Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale who was summoned to foreign ministry. "The Foreign Secretary (Aizaz Chaudhry) summoned the Indian High Commissioner today and conveyed the decision of the Government of Pakistan to declare Surjeet Singh, an official of the Indian High Commission, as persona non-grata," the statement said. The Foreign Secretary expressed deep concern over the activities of the Indian official that were in violation of the Vienna Convention and the established diplomatic norms, it said. The Indian High Commission has been asked to make urgent necessary arrangements for Singh and his family to leave Pakistan by October 29.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
A cellblock at San Quentin State Prison. As many as 8,000 prisoners from state facilities could be released by the end of August to fight the spread of the coronavirus. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

As many as 8,000 California prisoners could be released ahead of schedule in an unprecedented attempt to stop the spread of COVID-19 inside state prisons, with more than half of the releases expected by the end of the month.

The announcement on Friday by top advisors to Gov. Gavin Newsom offered stark evidence of the dire health conditions at several California prisons. The total number of prisoners at facilities for men and women has already been reduced by thousands since Newsom declared a statewide emergency in response to the coronavirus.

More than 2,300 prisoners have tested positive for the coronavirus, state officials said. Significant increases have been reported at the California Institution for Men in Chino and at San Quentin State Prison in Marin County. At least 31 prisoners have died from COVID-19 related illnesses.

The decision to expedite the release of prisoners comes on the heels of a growing chorus of complaints by state lawmakers, prisoner advocates and a federal judge that the state hasn't done enough to stem the rising tide of infection.

On Monday, the top medical officer for the state prison system was removed from his position following criticism of inmate transfers that are believed to have led to a much larger coronavirus problem in prisons than existed this spring. Newsom told reporters on Monday that prisoners from Chino should not have been transferred, the responsibility for which rested with the prison healthcare agency overseen by federal judges since 2005.

Officials at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said as many as 8,000 prisoners could be eligible for early release by the end of August.

These actions are taken to provide for the health and safety of the incarcerated population and staff, corrections Secretary Ralph Diaz said in a written statement. We aim to implement these decompression measures in a way that aligns both public health and public safety.

Story continues

Initial prisoner releases would come from those with 180 days or less left to serve on their sentence. No one serving time for a crime defined in state law as violent or involving domestic violence would be set free, officials said. Those required to register as sex offenders or who are assessed as being a high risk for violence would also be ineligible for early release.

The second group of prisoners who could be released would have no more than one year left to serve. The releases are aimed at reducing the populations at eight state prisons identified as higher risk for coronavirus transmissions. The same eligibility rules as the first group of released prisoners would apply in these releases.

In all cases, prison officials said, priority will be given to those who are 30 or older. Prisoners under the age of 30 will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

This is not the first effort by Newsom to address the spread of the virus in correctional facilities. In March, attorneys for the governor told federal judges that the state intended to expedite the release of as many as 3,500 prisoners who were within 60 days of their previously scheduled release date. In all, prison officials say their efforts at "decompression" of California's prison system during the pandemic have resulted in a prison population that has shrunk by approximately 10,000.

Newsom on Thursday said nearly 2,400 people in Californias 35 prisons have tested positive for the coronavirus, including 1,314 at San Quentin.

This is serious stuff and requires a seriousness of purpose. People are just saying just release thousands and thousands of people, Newsom said. Each and every one of these cases are sobering, challenging, and there's a deep responsibility that comes with this job, but a sense of deep urgency as well to decompress the system in a judicious and thoughtful way.

Sharon Dolovich, director of the Prison Law & Policy Program at the UCLA School of Law, said state officials were warned that the COVID-19 pandemic would be devastating within the confines of California prisons. The prison system has more than 17,000 inmates considered medically high risk and, when combined with the inability to socially distance in cell blocks, an outbreak was unavoidable.

As soon as COVID comes into a facility, it can spread rapidly, Dolovich said. What we are seeing in San Quentin was completely predictable and predicted by advocates at the start of the outbreak.

U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar told attorneys for Newsom earlier this week that the virus "would inevitably invade every institution" in California and that outbreaks threaten not just prisoners, but the communities surrounding state prisons. Since the onset of the pandemic in late winter, Tigar wrote, "the disease has spread out of control at more than one institution, and the risks to elderly and medically vulnerable inmates are markedly more clear."

Newsom's decision to release more prisoners was not universally applauded.

Vern Pierson, the district attorney in Northern Californias El Dorado County, called it concerning for public safety, and said the criteria the prison system will use to decide which inmates to release remains unclear. The Newsom administration also has not made clear whether crime victims and prosecutors will be given notice when an inmate is released or if they will be able to file objections, said Pierson, who serves as president of the California District Attorneys Assn.

We don't know what the actual impact of this is going to be. We do know that it's a high likelihood there will be significant increases in crime, Pierson said.

Pierson said that because of changes made to Californias criminal justice system in recent years  including the release of many offenders whose crimes weren't considered violent  those still in state prisons tend to be the most serious offenders.

Its inescapable that it's the most dangerous people that are the people that are left in prison, he said.

A new study conducted by researchers at UCLA and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, published in the Journal of the American Medical Assn., found that U.S. prison inmates tested positive for COVID-19 at a rate 5.5 times higher than that of the general public.

Nobody has suggested we open the door and let everybody out. I've never heard anybody say that, Dolovich said. The argument is we have to reduce a sufficient number of people so that the population density is low enough to allow social distancing for the people who remain.

While California is far from the only state struggling with a surge in COVID-19 cases in its prisons, the threat of additional legal action recalled an era in which state facilities were overcrowded and federal judges intervened to order sweeping and expensive changes to medical care. Those judges also forced Newsom's predecessors to take steps that would sharply shrink the state's total prison population, a mandate upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2011.

The action taken Friday could lead to as many as an additional 2,100 prisoners being released by September. State officials also offered new credits toward time served, largely to make up for prisoner programs suspended due to the pandemic. They said more reviews will be conducted for older and chronically ill prisoners and that efforts will be made to expedite the cases of those cleared for release by the state Board of Parole Hearings.
Bexar County voters have come out in what could be record numbers during an extended early-voting period for the party primary runoffs, despite an unrelenting surge in COVID-19 cases and fatalities that had officials fearing a low turnout.

The 10-day early voting period  double its normal length for a runoff by order of Gov. Greg Abbott to prevent crowding and lines at the polls  is on pace to end Friday night with about 48,000 ballots cast.

Today is the last day for early voting; polls close at 8 p.m. To find a location near you, go to bexar.org/elections

Combined with at least 23,000 mail-in ballots received to date by the Bexar County Elections Department, the vote totals of possibly more than 70,000 will have far exceeded the nearly 37,000 ballots reported, including 14,135 by mail, in the 2018 primary runoff, and similar elections in prior years.

Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff said the pandemic has not hurt early voting, but has forced the county to reduce the number of polling sites scheduled to be open on election day, which is Tuesday, from 225 to 217 due to a shortage of personnel.

As confirmed coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths have shot up since early voting began June 29, some election workers have withdrawn a previous commitment to work Tuesday, officials said.

On ExpressNews.com: Early voting under way in San Antonio with precautions

Wolff attributed their decision in part to election guidance from the Texas Secretary of States Office that prohibits poll workers from requiring voters to wear face coverings.

Although Abbott has issued an order requiring masks, bandannas or other face coverings in public in most Texas counties, its 11 exemptions include any person who is voting, assisting a voter, serving as a poll watcher, or actively administering an election.

A lot of the people that are running these elections, there is protection for them in terms of what they try to do. But anybody (voting) can walk in without a mask, Wolff said earlier this week. And so they dont want to work. I quite frankly dont blame them.

While there will be fewer polling sites, voters registered in Bexar County are allowed to cast a ballot at any site under the countys new ExpressVote system, just as they do during early voting.

So hopefully well still have a good vote turnout on Election Day, Wolff said. Lot of important runoffs are happening in both the Democratic primary and in the Republican primary.

The Democratic ballot includes a race between Mary MJ Hegar and state Sen. Royce West of Dallas to challenge longtime Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in November, as well as runoffs for state Senate District 19, state House District 119 and Precinct 1 Bexar County commissioner. The Republican runoffs include contests for U.S. House Districts 20 and 23, and Precinct 3 county commissioner.

Just over 55 percent of the ballots cast in Bexar County have been in the Democratic runoffs.

Susan Ives, an election judge at Lions Field, one of the busiest of the 31 early voting sites, reported having only had a handful of mask refusenik voters.

She added, however, that mask protocol has deteriorated, with face coverings getting droopy as elastic ear fasteners have become stretched and worn, exposing peoples nostrils.

On ExpressNews.com: Early voting in runoff will be different

My rough estimate is about 10 percent are wearing masks in such a way that they have no effect, Ives said Friday in a Facebook post.

Election workers in Bexar County are required to wear masks and gloves, and have provided pencils, gloves or finger cots to voters to allow for non-contact voting, to prevent exposure to the new coronavirus.

But Ives lamented that some voters at Lions Field had requested a curbside option for voting that is intended for people who are mobility-impaired.

For curbside, a poll worker has to virtually get into your car with you, right in your face, dragging the voting machine with them, for about 10-15 minutes. It is MUCH less safe with much higher exposure, she said in a post last week. If you can get into the polling place, you should be there, not in your car with me.

Scott Huddleston covers Bexar County government and the Alamo for the San Antonio Express-News. To read more from Scott, become a subscriber. shuddleston@express-news.net | Twitter: @shuddlestonSA
SHANGHAI, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- China Rapid Finance Limited (NYSE: XRF) (the "Company") today announced that the Company's ticker symbol on the New York Stock Exchange will change from "XRF" to "SOS," effective at the start of trading on July 20, 2020.

Mr. Yandai Wang, CEO of the Company, said, "We are excited to be able to align our NYSE ticker symbol with the 'SOS' brand in recognition of our ongoing transition out of the fin-tech business and into the emergency rescue services business. This change will provide for better alignment between the core business operations of the company and its stock symbol which we believe will lead to better investor understanding. It also makes it clearer what the business focus and its primary source of earnings will be going forward."

There is also a proposed change in the Company's name from "China Rapid Finance Limited" to "SOS Limited," which is pending approval at the Company's annual general meeting of shareholders to be held on July 17, 2020. If approved at the meeting, the effective date of the name change shall also be July 20, 2020. In conjunction with the name change, the Company's CUSIP will change from "16953Q204" to "83587W106."

Holders of existing American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") would be required to surrender their existing ADRs in exchange for new ADRs that reflect the new corporate name and CUSIP and should contact the Company's depositary bank, Citibank, N.A.

About China Rapid Finance Limited

China Rapid Finance Limited (NYSE: XRF) is a holding company operating primarily in the emergency rescue services business. The Company provides a wide range of emergency rescue services to its corporate and individual members in China through its operating subsidiary, SOS Information Technology Co., Ltd. ("SOS"). SOS also provides various types of membership cards to individual members in large corporations as part of employee benefits. Its products include SOS Medical Rescue Card, SOS Auto Rescue Card, SOS Financial Rescue Card, and SOS Life Rescue Card. SOS utilizes cloud and other cutting-edge technologies to provide emergency rescue services in a new fashion, including its app based mobile platform, cloud call centers and large data centers. SOS has contractual service agreements with major banks, insurance companies, internet companies, and telecom providers in China.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made herein are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "believe," "expect," "estimate," "plan," "outlook," and "project" and other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. Such forward-looking statements include timing of the proposed transaction; the business plans, objectives, expectations and intentions of the parties once the transaction is complete, and XRF's estimated and future results of operations, business strategies, competitive position, industry environment and potential growth opportunities. These forward-looking statements reflect the current analysis of existing information and are subject to various risks and uncertainties. As a result, caution must be exercised in relying on forward-looking statements. Due to known and unknown risks, our actual results may differ materially from our expectations or projections. All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Other than as required under the securities laws, the Company does not assume a duty to update these forward-looking statements.

Additional information concerning these and other factors that may impact our expectations and projections can be found in our periodic filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019. XRF's SEC filings are available publicly on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. XRF disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE China Rapid Finance

Related Links

www.crfchina.com


CALAIS, France (Reuters) - Police forces dismantled a makeshift shelter camp in the northern French port of Calais on Friday, removing hundreds of migrants in one of the biggest operations of its kind in the last several months.

Since the easing of the coronavirus lockdown and the reopening of the borders within the European Union, migrants have begun to flock to Calais again, hoping to reach Britain via the Channel Tunnel.

On Friday, some 519 people living in the camp were taken by bus to various reception centres. Another 20 people deemed to have irregular immigration status were arrested and taken to detention centres, local authorities said in a statement.

The dismantling started at around 5 a.m. and was over by noon. Authorities said it went calmly.

According to a charities helping refugees, there are about 1,200 migrants in Calais, mainly of Sudanese, Eritrean, Afghan and Iranian origin.

Since the dismantling of the huge "Calais Jungle" in 2016, where up to 9,000 people lived, migrants are now scattered in several camps, most on the outskirts of Calais.

(Reporting by Pascal Rossignol; Writing by Benoit Van Overstraeten; Editing by Frances Kerry)
WATERBURY - The Palace Theater held the drawing for its Annual Raffle June 30. The raffle, which kicked off last fall, was spearheaded by the theaters Board of Directors, Development Committee, and a cadre of volunteers. A record-breaking 1,382 tickets were sold raising $34,550 for the not-for-profit performing art centers annual fund campaign.

First Prize, Pasterant Hill, Waterbury: The first prize winner has the option of a $3500 Cash Prize or a 7 Day Vacation Getaway to Sandals Grande St. Lucia in Gros Islet, St. Lucia

Second Prize, Marcella Jackson, Woodbury: 4 Day Vacation Getaway to Westgate Resort in Myrtle Beach, SC, plus a $500 gift card

Third Prize, Charles Haddad, Berlin: Compliments of Onyx II Jewelers a Pave Diamond Necklace, 14K White Gold, 0.37 cttw Diamond

Fourth Prize-Carolyn Salafia, New Rochelle, NY: 3 Day Vacation Getaway to the Wilburton Inn in Manchester, VT (no expiration date)

Fifth Prize, Sharon Flowers,Waterbury: $500 Amazon Gift Card

Sixth Prize, James Lumia, Rocky Hill: $500 LaBonne's Markets Gift Certificate

Seventh Prize, Sandy Senich,Woodbury: $300 Home Depot Gift Card

Eighth Prize, David DeRosa, Naugatuck: $250 Adam Broderick Salon & Spa Gift Certificate

Chase Collegiate offers summer programs

WATERBURY  Chase Collegiate School is offering online summer studies and enrichment programs through Aug. 7.

Students have adapted and excelled while distance learning over these past few months, so it was an easy decision for the school to keep the momentum of engagement going over the summer and invite a broader audience, the school said in a statement. This extension of the college preparatory program will create a welcoming environment where students and faculty are surrounded by like-minded individuals who support a well-rounded experience. These online courses will be offered to both Chase and non-Chase students rising grades 8 through 12. Among the program offerings are Writing the College Application Essay, Songwriting, and The Emergence of Hope.

Director of the Upper School, Ernie Beaulieu, and Head of Lower/Middle School, Dierdre McGuire, are both very excited about Chase Collegiate offering these enrichment programs this summer.

These classes are designed to help students build skills and think critically, said Beaulieu. The goal of these courses ties in with Chase's mission to stretch students to reach their intellectual, ethical, creative and social potentials. As well as be strong members of their communities through active citizenship.

Our summer courses aim to inspire students with subjects they are passionate about. Chase offers the chance to prepare the mind while it carries on the tradition of educating students for a lifetime of learning, McGuire said.

Classes are taught by Chase Collegiate staff. All programs have morning, afternoon, and daily sessions available, and are guaranteed a small class size. Fees are required for non-Chase students, but there is no cost to current Chase students, family members of students, or those who have completed and submitted their application for the 2020-2021 school year. All programs are only available online. To register, visit explore.chasecollegiate.org/summer-enrichment.

AARP seeks nominations for Andrus Award

AARP is now accepting nominations for its 2020 Connecticut Andrus Award for Community Service, which honors an outstanding volunteer who is sharing their experience, talent, and skills to enrich the lives of their community members.

AARP Connecticut will donate $3,000 on behalf of the Andrus Award recipient to an eligible non-profit organization of their choosing. Nominations are due by Aug. 1.

AARP Connecticut Andrus Award for Community Service nominees must meet the following eligibility requirements:

Nominee must be 50 years or older. They do not have to be an AARP member.

The achievements, accomplishments, or service on which the nomination is based must have been performed on a volunteer basis, without pay. AmeriCorps VISTA and Senior Corps programs volunteers (Senior Companions, Foster Grandparents, RSVP, and Senior Demonstration Programs) are eligible.

The achievements, accomplishments, or service on which the nomination is based must reflect AARPs vision and purpose, and be replicable and provide inspiration for others to volunteer.

Couples or partners who perform service together are also eligible; however, teams are not eligible.

This is not a posthumous award.

Nominations will be evaluated by a selection committee based on how the volunteers work positively impacts the lives of people, improves the community, supports AARPs vision and mission, and inspires others to volunteer. The award recipient will be announced in early fall.

The AARP State Andrus Award for Community Service is an annual awards program developed to honor individuals whose service is a unique and valuable contribution to society. The award is named for AARP founder, Ethel Percy Andrus, whose motto to serve, not to be served continues to shape our work years after she founded this association to help older Americans age with dignity and purpose.

Nomination forms are online. For additional information, contact Elaine Werner at ewerner@aarp.org or call 860-548-3169.
In recent years, politically motivated investors have criticized BlackRock, the largest institutional fund manager in the world, for investments they consider unsavory, such as those in fossil-fuels and weapons companies. As BlackRock CEO, Larry Fink would be a powerful ally to any activist group whose agenda he could be persuaded to support. The pressure such activist-investors can apply to public companies comes in different forms, ranging from hard-power tactics such as divestment campaigns to softer techniques such as the clever use of the shareholder-proposal process.

Looking at the latter, a small group of activist-investors has done its best to fill the corporate ballot box with politically divisive agendas in recent decades. The shareholder-proposal process was created to give those who own stock in companies more of a say in corporate governance, but it has increasingly been hijacked by gadfly investors to press forward political agendas.

Items that properly belong in the realm of politics, from gun rights to environmental regulation, have been the subject of these shareholder proposals in order to drive changes in company policy. These proposals typically fail to obtain majority support, a record of failure that has now led to an apparently successful effort to bully BlackRock into supporting more ideologically driven proposals.

The empirical evidence and spreadsheets traditionally used in investment-portfolio analysis have given way to threats, protests, and sit-ins, but now we may be seeing something different. Ahead of this years BlackRock annual shareholder meeting, which was held last month, Mercy Investment Services proposed a resolution calling on BlackRock to evaluate climate change in its proxy votes.

In response, as was noted by the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), Fink sent a letter to companies and clients outlining their new position on climate change [this included steps such as reducing exposure to thermal coal production in BlackRocks active portfolio]. The letter described the climate risk companies and investors faced, noted the expectations they had for companies in which they invested and announced they would be voting against boards with unacceptable climate positions.

Story continues

The resolution was promptly withdrawn, due to BlackRocks willingness to discuss the concerns of shareholders regarding the companys proxy voting record and the proxy voting policies and guiding criteria related to climate change, Mercy explained. Additionally, ICCR noted that BlackRock had agreed to continue a dialogue including a summer discussion focusing on 2020 votes on climate and an opportunity to provide feedback to the company. Effectively, this functions as a commitment to vote for more climate-change proposals at companies in which BlackRock invests.

It is not exactly a brave stance to pressure other companies in exchange for being left alone, if only for a while, but it seems to have reduced the appetite for BlackRock as a political target (for now). Unfortunately for BlackRock, this strategy may arguably violate the fiduciary duty that it owes its shareholders under Delaware state law, as well as its duties to the beneficiaries of its investment funds under the Investment Advisers Act.

BlackRock faces two conflicts of interest in its decision to embrace the loud voices of these minority shareholders. First, it prioritizes the agenda of a small group of shareholder-activists ahead of the fiduciary interests of the vast majority of shareholders in BlackRock.

Most shareholders are not as vocal as Mercy Investment Services and are simply hoping for maximization of returns in their investment portfolios. I know, because I led a survey of over 5,000 retail investors and retirement-fund beneficiaries, and 91 percent responded that they would prefer fund managers focus on maximizing investment returns rather than pursuing social or political goals. Who can blame them for expecting that their money managers focus on managing their money, rather than using it to subsidize political initiatives?

Secondly, as an investment adviser registered with the SEC, BlackRock has a fiduciary duty of loyalty to the beneficiaries of the funds it administers. If it is instead motivated by pressure from these outside voices and succeeds in changing policy at companies in a way that reduces returns, or if it decides to divest from superior investment opportunities, it risks harming those beneficiaries.

Some argue this new policy on climate change will increase shareholder returns. If thats true, why did it take a politically charged campaign to encourage large institutional investors, whose managers pay is linked to return performance, to initiate this new policy?

Climate change is a serious issue that merits debate on the national stage. That debate should take place openly, so that voters and leaders can make decisions about the right approach to take, something that ought to include discussion of the real and serious trade-offs involved.

A small cadre of politically motivated investors has hit upon a strategy that sidesteps that process and avoids that necessary  and difficult  discussion. BlackRock should not reward its efforts.

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Bio-Based Chemicals Market  Competitive Analysis

Highly competitive, the Bio-Based Chemicals Market Forecast appears well established due to the presence of many notable players. To garner a larger competitive share in the market, these players incorporate strategic initiatives such as mergers & acquisitions, collaborations, expansion, and technology launch. Manufacturers try to deliver best quality products developed with innovative technologies and best practices. The market demonstrates high growth potential, which is expected to intensify the competition further, attracting many entrants to the market.

Major Players:

Players Leading the Global Bio-Based Chemicals Market include Toray Industries Inc. (Japan), BASF SE (Germany), Vertec BioSolvents (US), Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation (Japan), TOTAL (France), AGAE Technologies, LLC (US), Braskem SA (Brazil), BioAmber Inc. (US), Itaconix PLC (UK), Archer Daniels Midland Company (US), Evonik Industries (Germany), DowDuPont (US), GFBiochemicals Ltd (UK), Cargill, Incorporated (US), and Royal DSM NV (The Netherlands).

Industry/ Innovation /Related News:

March 12, 2020  Koninklijke DSM NV (Royal DSM - Netherlands), a global science-based product company active in health & nutrition materials, announced a partnership with SABIC and UPM Biofuels to create bio-based Dyneema. SABIC is a leading global petrochemical manufacturing company based in Saudi Arabia, and UPM Biofuels is a Finland-based raw material producer.

Partnership with these chemical industry players would help DSM to reduce the environmental footprint of the world's strongest fiber - Dyneema. The collaboration will see Dyneema's transition to bio-based feedstock using SABIC's ground-breaking TRUCIRCLE solutions for certified renewable products.

Bio-Based Chemicals Market  Regional Analysis

Europe dominates the Global Bio-Based Chemicals Market, heading with the rising demand for biofuels. Progressive policies concerning the reduction of carbon footprint, alongside constructive programs such as REACH in the region, are encouraging the market growth, creating a huge demand for Bio-Based Chemicals. European countries such as the UK and Germany account for prominent consumer markets due to the rising production of bio-fuels and bio-polymers, well-developed end-use industries, and rising expenditure on innovation & research.

In 2018, the region accounted for the largest as in 33.75% of the market share in the overall Bio-Based Chemicals Market. Driven by the stringent environmental regulatory policies, the Bio-Based Chemicals Market in Europe had touched a valuation of USD 19,950.8 MN in 2018, which would further appreciate at 10.85% CAGR during the assessment period. Germany, the largest market for bio-based chemicals in the region, is estimated to grow at 12.34% CAGR throughout the forecast period.

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The Asia Pacific region takes the second lead in the Global Bio-Based Chemicals Market. Rapid industrialization, alongside favorable regulatory policies in emerging economies in the region, drives the market growth, predominantly. Besides, the rising consumption of Bio-Based Chemicals in various applications such as biofuels, pharmaceuticals, personal care, and paints & coating, is influencing the market growth extensively.

The APAC Bio-Based Chemicals Market is projected to register 11.32% CAGR during the assessment period. China is the largest market for Bio-Based Chemicals in the region, which is expected to register12.60% CAGR during the review period. The Indian Bio-Based Chemicals Market is anticipated to grow at 11.40% CAGR, holding the second-largest position in the region.

Moreover, consistent population growth in the region is surging foreign crude imports, leading to encouraging the adoption of Bio-Based Chemicals in an effort to reduce dependency. The region attracts foreign investors with the ample availability of renewable raw materials required for the production of these chemicals and supportive government policies, which is a major driving force behind the regional market growth. The APAC Bio-Based Chemicals market would register over 13.79% CAGR during the review period.

Market Outlook:

Global Bio-Based Chemicals Market has been witnessing a constant uptick, mainly due to the growing environmental concerns that are prompting the dire need of these eco-friendly substrates. Bio-Based Chemicals offer an unparalleled combination of properties compared to conventional chemicals that emit good degrees of volatile organic compounds (VOC). Rapidly deteriorating impact on the environment is prompting the need for sustainable green solutions.

According to Market Research Future (MRFR), the Global Bio-Based Chemicals Market is predicted to touch a valuation of over USD 97.2 BN by 2023, continually growing at 10.47% CAGR over the assessment period (2018-2023). Biofuels and biopolymers are driving huge market demand, witnessing their rising applications in consumer goods, construction, and automotive vehicles, among others. Besides, a considerable amount of consumption of Bio-Based Chemicals in the manufacturing sector is boosting the market growth colossally.

Bio-Based Chemicals Market  Segmentation

The analysis has three layers.

By Type: Bio-Alcohols (Bio-ethanol, Sorbitol, Xylitol, Biobutanol, Bio-methanol, others), Bio-Based Acids (Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Succinic Acid, others), Bioplastics {Non-Biodegradable (Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), Polyamide (PA), Polyethylene (PE), others) and Biodegradable (Polybutyrate Adipate Terephthalate (PBAT), Polybutylene Succinate (PBS), Polylactic Acid (PLA), Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), Starch Blends, others)}, Bio-lubricants (Vegetable Oils and Animal Fats), Bio-surfactants (Glycolipids, Lipopeptides, others), Bio-solvents (Glycols, Ketones, Lactate Ester, others), and others.

By Application: Food & Beverages, Pharmaceuticals, Detergents & Cleaners, Personal Care, Agriculture, Packaging, Paints & Coating, Automotive, Adhesives & Sealants, Paint Dispersions, and others.

By Regions: Europe, Americas, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Rest-of-the-World.

COVID-19 Study in Detail:

COVID-19 Impact Analysis on Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Market @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/report/covid-19-impact-pvc-market

COVID-19 Impact on 3D Printing Materials Market @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/report/covid-19-impact-3d-printing-materials-market

COVID-19 Outbreak Impact on Carbon Black Market @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/report/covid-19-impact-carbon-black-market

NOTE: Our teams of researchers are studying COVID-19 and its impact on various industry verticals and wherever required we will be considering COVID-19 footprints for a better analysis of markets and industries. Cordially get in touch for more details.

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If every California student without an adequate internet connection got together and formed a state, it would contain more residents than Idaho or Hawaii.

A total of 1,529,000 K-12 students in California don't have the connectivity required for adequate distance learning.

Analysis from Common Sense Media also revealed that students lacking adequate connection commonly lack an adequate device as well. The homework gap that separates those with strong connections from those on the wrong side of the digital divide will become a homework chasm without drastic and immediate intervention.

To raise awareness of the enormity and immediacy of the digital divide, I started No One Left Offline (NOLO) in San Francisco. Its an all-volunteer nonprofit thats creating a coalition of Bay Area organizations focused on giving students, seniors and individuals with disabilities access to high-speed, affordable Internet.

During the week of July 27, the NOLO coalition will launch the Bridge the Divide campaign to raise $50,000 in funds that will be used to directly cover broadband bills for families on the edge of the digital divide.

At this point in our response to COVID-19, emergency measures have only stopped the homework gap from growing rather than actually shrinking it. Thats precisely why we need a new form of addressing students lack of adequate internet and devices. The digital haves should embrace directly covering the broadband bills and upgrades required by the have nots. This form of direct giving is both the most effective and efficient means of giving every student high-speed internet and a device to make the most of that connection.

But too few people are aware of just how dire life can be on the wrong side of the digital divide. Thats why Im hoping you -- as a fellow member of the digital haves -- will join me in taking a day off(line) on July 17. Im convinced that it will take a day (if not more) in the digital dark for more Americans to recognize just how difficult it is to thrive, let alone survive, without stable internet, a device and a sufficient level of digital literacy.

Story continues

The increased attention to the digital divide generated by this day off(line) will spur a more collective and significant response to stopping the formation of a homework chasm.

Current efforts to close the homework gap have at once been laudable and limited. For example, internet service providers (ISPs) deserve praise for taking a voluntary pledge to limit fees, forgive fines and remove data caps. But that pledge expired at the end of June, months before school starts and in the middle of an expanding economic calamity.

Its true that many ISPs are still going to extraordinary lengths to help those in need -- look no further than Verizon donating phones to Miracle Messages to help individuals experiencing homelessness connect with loved ones. However, even these extraordinary measures will not fully make up for the fact that hundreds of thousands of Californians are experiencing greater financial insecurity than ever before. They want and require a long-term solution to their digital needs -- not just voluntary pledges that end in the middle of a pandemic.

In the same way, many school districts in the Bay Area have rapidly loaned hotspots and devices to students and families in need. In fact, even before COVID-19, the Oakland Unified School District and the 1Million Project were providing hotspots to students in need. These sorts of interventions, though, do not afford students on the wrong side of the homework gap the same opportunity to fully develop their digital literacy as those that have devices to call their own and internet connections sufficient to do more than just homework.

Every student deserves a device to call their own and a connection that allows them to become experts in safely and smoothly navigating the internet.

Direct giving is the solution. Financially secure individuals across the Bay Area can and should "sponsor" internet plans and devices for families in need. By sponsoring a familys high-speed internet plan for a year or more, donors will provide students and parents alike with the security they need to focus on all of the other challenges associated with life in a pandemic. Whats more, sponsored devices would come without strings attached or "used" labels.

Students would have a fully equipped laptop to call their own as well as one that didnt lack key functionalities, which is common among donated devices.

Because access to the internet is a human right, the government should be solving the homework gap. So far, it hasnt been up to the task. So, in the interim, well need a private sector solution. The good news is that we collectively seem up for the task. According to Fidelity, most charitable donors plan to maintain or increase their giving this year.

Consider that even 46% of millennials plan to increase their philanthropy. Unfortunately, one inhibitor to giving is the fact that "many donors don't feel that they have the information they need to effectively support efforts" to address the ramifications of COVID-19.

Thats where NOLO and other digital inclusion coalitions step in. Were sounding the bell: The public sector isnt closing the homework gap; its on us to make sure kids have the connections and devices they need to thrive. NOLO is also providing the means to act on this information -- during its Bridge the Divide campaign, donors will have a chance to sponsor broadband bills for community members served by organizations across the Bay Area including the SF Tech Council, BMAGIC and the Mission Merchants Association.

Our collective assignment is making the homework gap a priority. Our due date is nearing. The first task is taking a day off(line) on July 17. The next is donating to the Bridge the Divide campaign during the week of the 27th.

Lets get to work.
Josh Owen has been named the new director of RITs Vignelli Center for Design Studies.

Josh Owen, an internationally renowned designer, author and faculty-researcher who has led Rochester Institute of Technologys industrial design program to national prominence since coming to the university a decade ago, has been named the new director of the Vignelli Center for Design Studies and the Massimo and Lella Vignelli Distinguished Professor of Design.

Owen succeeds R. Roger Remington, the founding director of the international resource for design that houses the archive of the late Massimo and Lella Vignelli, whose graphic and product designs are icons of modern design. Remington retired in June after 57 years at RIT.

The search was led by Todd Jokl, dean of the College of Art and Design, who is excited to work closely with Josh and the Vignelli Center on our ambitious agenda and to realize even greater appreciation and access to this remarkable resource in our region and globally.

Josh Owens career in the profession and in education exemplifies the power of design to better the world in many ways, Jokl said. Just as Roger Remington was the perfect champion to found and lead the Vignelli Center through its first decade, Josh comes into this position with a unique mix of leadership skills, ambition and networking to advance and expand the centers reach and programming in the decades ahead.

Owen said he is deeply honored and grateful that both my colleagues and RITs leadership felt that I was the right fit to lead the Vignelli Center.

I also recognize the substantial responsibility of ensuring that the Vignelli Center grows as a global beacon for good design, added Owen. Both the directorship and endowed distinguished professorship were made possible through generous support from the Helen Hamlyn Trust of Great Britain, in conjunction with the university. The sense of responsibility is balanced by my excitement and enthusiasm for the work to be done.

The Vignelli Center is marking a decade since its establishment in 2010the same year Owen arrived on the RIT campus. Since that time, Owen and Remington have built a close working relationship as both faculty colleagues and widely respected designers.

This years MetaprojectOwens brainchild pairing RIT student designers with a real-world client partner in what has become a seminal project for industrial design students who regularly get to exhibit their projects at Design Week in New York Citymarked a celebratory collaboration by honoring both the 10th anniversary of the course and the Vignelli Center.

Roger was one of the reasons I accepted the offer to join RIT in the first place a decade ago, Owen recalled. In the 10 years since our first meeting, Roger has become a colleague, mentor and friend. We have collaborated on countless projects galvanized by the Vignelli Center and he has been generous in sharing his process and passion with me. I am looking forward to his continued camaraderie as I transition into the role and onward.

Remington said he is delighted to pass the directorship baton of the Vignelli Centerthe crown jewel of his efforts to turn RIT into an international archival resource for designto Owen.

I am confident that the Vignelli Center for Design Studies will flourish in this next phase of its evolution, he said. Having worked closely with Josh on Vignelli Center programming for many years, I am delighted to pass the leadership torch to him. I look forward to being part of this growth and supporting our new director and Vignelli professor.

Owen noted that Massimo and Lella Vignellis children, Valentina and Luca, have been generous in helping us to accession additional items into the archives and we very much appreciate their continued support.

He added that the Vignelli archives were not only a great gift to RIT, but it is the legacy of the Vignellis design vision that is the true gift to a troubled world.

The Vignellis taught us that design is a systematic framework for solving the worlds most intractable problems, said Owen, named to RITs first class of Distinguished Faculty in 2019. My goal is to make the Vignelli Center even more accessible and applicable by bringing in exciting guest contributors from diverse and under-represented backgrounds who are using design in innovative ways.

If 2020 has taught us anything, he added, its that while we humans are adaptable, our societies and systems have major flaws. We are at a point when we need to have difficult discussions and work to create a new balance in the world. In this, design must play a critical role.

In addition to his role at RIT, Owen is president of his design studio, Josh Owen LLC. His professional projects are produced by major manufacturers and have won numerous industry awards. His works are included in the permanent design collections of the ADAM Brussels Design Museum, Centre Pompidou, Corning Museum of Glass, Denver Art Museum, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, The Chicago Athenaeum National Museum of American Jewish History and Taiwan Design Museum. He also is the author of the book Lenses for Design and the forthcoming Design for Study.

While Owen will continue to teach the Metaproject course, Bruce Leonard, a lecturer in the School of Design, will take over as director of the undergraduate industrial design BFA program. Alex Lobos will continue in his role as the graduate director of the MFA in industrial design.

For more information, contact Rich Kiley at 585-880-7227, rich.kiley@rit.edu, or on Twitter: @rakiley.
New Delhi: In view of the rising number of COVID-19 cases, a 10-day complete lockdown has been announced for Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, and some parts of rural Pune from Monday in two phases. The decision to this effect was taken in a meeting chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday (July 10).

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said that sometimes when people do not follow rules, some decisions like this (lockdown) have to be taken.

Pawar further said, "You take the example of England, they have also imposed lockdown again. Sometimes when people don`t follow rules, some decisions like this (lockdown) have to be taken. We implement lockdown in Thane as well. When cases increase in some places, such decisions are taken."

In phase one, from July 13 to July 18, nothing except medical and hospitals and milk provision services will be allowed, while in the second phase, from July 18 to July 23, milk, hospitals and essential services related shops will be allowed to remain open.

Pune district in Maharashtra on Thursday witnessed the highest single-day spike of 1,803 new COVID-19 cases, taking the overall count to 34,399, according to the latest health bulletin on Friday.

The death toll in the district reached 978 with 34 more people succumbing to the infection on Thursday. Of the 1,803 cases, as many as 1,032 were reported from the areas located in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) limits. The number of patients has reached 24,977 in the PMC limits.

With 573 new cases in Pimpri Chinchwad on Thursday, the COVID-19 count in the industrial township has reached 6,982.

The number of coronavirus positive cases reported from the district's rural parts, areas in the Pune Cantonment Board as well as the civil hospital rose to 3,138, a health official told ANI.

The state has so far reported 230,599 COVID-19 cases including 93,673 active cases, 127,259 recovered and 9,667 deaths, according to Union Health Ministry.
ALTON  Local leaders weighed in Friday on Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigans call to remove all artwork of Stephen A. Douglas from the Statehouse.

On Thursday, Madigan called for Stephens statue to be removed from the capitol grounds in Springfield and for his portrait to be replaced in the Statehouse with one of President Barack Obama. Historians have noted that Douglas owned slaves in Mississippi before moving to Illinois.

Memorializing people and a time that allowed slavery and fostered bigotry and oppression has no place in the Illinois House, where the work of all Illinoisans is conducted, Madigan told the Chicago Tribune. We can only move forward in creating a more just world when these symbols of hate are removed from our everyday lives.

Everyday lives in Alton include a bronze statue of Douglas standing next to Abraham Lincoln in a depiction of the Lincoln-Douglas Debates in 1858 as the two sought an Illinois senate seat. Douglas retained the seat, while the coverage of the debates raised Lincolns national profile.

Created by Jerry McKenna, the statues of the two men  located at 100 Market St.  are a frequent stop for tourists visiting Alton.

On Friday, Rosetta Brown of the Alton Branch of NAACP said that, with all of the racial tension going on, she wonders why people are so focused on a statue.

Lets focus on unity, Brown said. Our main priority should be to get along and work together.

Jon Parkin, superintendent of the Madison County Historical Society Museum, termed efforts throughout the country to remove statues as an attempt to sanitize the elements of our history.

If you dont have any perception of the past, youre kind of flying blind, he said.

Brett Stawar, President/CEO of the Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau, acknowledged Douglas was not a good guy, even known as an angry man. However, he noted the importance of Douglas existence, adding the 1858 debates gave Lincoln a national presence which led to him becoming president and the end of slavery.

It really changed the way we conduct debate, and it should be recognized. Stawar said.

Madison County Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler declined comment on the Douglas statue in Alton.
Julia Sawalha has hit out at Aardman Animation after being told her role in the anticipated Chicken Run sequel is being recast.

The British actress, 51, posting a lengthy statement on Twitter on Thursday, telling fans she had been 'unfairly dismissed' from the recently announced sequel to the 2000 film.

Julia voiced Ginger in the original movie, and with the plot synopsis for the follow-up confirming the character's return, the actress hoped she'd be back.

Dismissed: Julia Sawalha has hit out at Aardman Animation after being told her role in the anticipated Chicken Run sequel is being recast

Posting a statement on Twitter under the heading 'Chicken Run 2 announcement! I have officially been plucked, stuffed & roasted #ageism', Julia wrote that she was told 'out of the blue' that the film's creatives were planning on recasting.

'Last week I was informed out of the blue, via email, through my agent that I would not be cast as Ginger in the Chicken Run sequel. The reason they gave is that my voice now sounds 'too old' and they want a younger actress to reprise the role,' she wrote.

'Usually in these circumstances, an actress would be given the chance to do a voice test in order to determine the suitability of their pitch and tone, I however was not given this opportunity.'

Determined to prove her voice has not changed in 20 years, Julia explained that she recorded a voice test at home and sent it to producers, providing a link to the video.

Star:The actress, 51, posting a lengthy statement on Twitter, telling fans she had been 'unfairly dismissed' from the recently announced sequel to the 2000 film in which she voiced Ginger

But her efforts were wasted as she later received an email from producers saying they still planned to recast.

'I received my letter of dismissal the day before it was announced that the 'Lone Free Ranger' had been axed from the sequel and that the character of Rocky was to be re-voiced,' she continued, referring to the character voiced by Mel Gibson in the original.

'The reason given was that his voice is now too old. I feel I have been fobbed off with the same excuse.

'Ageism': Julia posted a statement on Twitter under the heading 'Chicken Run 2 announcement! I have officially been plucked, stuffed & roasted #ageism'

Speaking out: 'Last week I was informed out of the blue, via email, through my agent that I would not be cast as Ginger in the Chicken Run sequel' Julia wrote in an open letter

'I went to great lengths to prove to the production that my voice is nigh on the same as it was in the original film. If they will be using some of the original cast members let's be frank, I feel I have been unfairly dismissed.'

She continued: 'To say I am devastated and furious would be an understatement. I feel totally powerless, something in all of this doesn't quite ring true. I trust my instincts and they are waving red flags.

'I am saddened that I have lost the chance to work with Nick Park and Peter Lord from whom I learnt so much. The three of us, together, created Ginger.'

Julia ended her statement by saying she wished the production success, explaining: 'Today I responded by wishing the production the best of luck and the greatest success with the sequel,' she concluded.

'There is nothing more I can do, other than to thank all of you who loved and still love Chicken Run, as I do. I'm off for the chop now,' she added, before signing off as Ginger.

MailOnline has contacted Aardman for comment.

It was announced last month that Aardman's Chicken Run 2 has been picked up by Netflix on the 20th anniversary of the original film.

The sequel was given the green-light two years ago after fans set up a petition for its release, and the upcoming movie is now expected to go into full production in 2021.

Still Ginger: Determined to prove her voice has not changed in 20 years, Julia explained that she recorded a voice test at home and sent it to producers

Two decades after the blockbuster first dropped, Sam Fell's British hit still remains the highest-grossing stop-motion animated film of all time, and even scooped the Best Animated Feature prize at the 2001 Critics' Choice Awards.

Chicken Run 2 will follow Ginger and Rocky's new life in a 'peace island sanctuary', free of humans after escaping Tweedy's farm.

With the hen and rooster hatching a little girl called Molly, the couple's world seems complete, but they're later forced to turn their attention towards the dangers of the mainland.

The dynamic duo assemble their troops and put their freedom on the line in a bid to overcome threat.

New appraoch: 'The reason they gave is that my voice now sounds 'too old' and they want a younger actress to reprise the role,' Julia told her fans

The first installment tells the story of a group of chickens attempting to escape the dreaded slaughter house, going to military-esque lengths to thwart their owners who have gone into the chicken pot pie business.

It boasted a cast with British and Australian talent, including Sawalha, Oscar winner Mel Gibson, Damage star Miranda Richardson and Auf Wiedersehen, and Pet legend Timothy Spall.

So far no voice actors have been attached to the second edition, but Aardman staple Sam has returned to direct after winning over fans with his efforts ParaNorman and Flushed Away.

Worked hard: 'I went to great lengths to prove to the production that my voice is nigh on the same as it was in the original film,' continued Julia of her voice test

On teaming up with Netflix, Aardman co-founder Peter Lord said: 'Fans around the world have waited patiently for a sequel idea worthy of Chicken Run so were delighted to announce, on the 20th anniversary, that we've found the perfect story.

'Netflix feels like the ideal creative partner for this project too: they celebrate the film-maker, which means we can make the film we want to make  the one we really care about  and share it with a global audience.'

The exciting project will be released by the network in all countries but China.

Nick Park, the creator of Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep, will serve as a creative consultant.
Mumbai's civic body Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), responded to a tweet by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in which the UN health body acknowledged Dharavi's shining success at managing the COVID-19 crisis.

Earlier, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also cited Mumbai's example on how COVID-19 outbreaks can be brought under control, even when they occur in densely populated areas.

Read: Over 15 Lakh Quarantined In Mumbai Since Virus Outbreak: BMC

WHO acknowledges BMC's efforts

In its tweet, WHO recognised many countries and potential hotspot regions like Vietnam, South Korea, and Dharavi in Mumbai for using different methods like testing, contact tracing, isolation and timely treatment of the infected to break the chain of transmission,

In response, the Mumbai civil body thanked the WHO for acknowledging Mission Dharavi wherein the BMC collaborated with residents to 'chase the virus' from one of the most densely packed areas of the city. The tweet further added that the BMC would keep up the efforts and continue to weed out the virus from Mumbai one block at a time.

Read: Doctor's Prescription Won't Be Required For Covid Test In Mumbai; BMC Gives Testing Boost

Thank you @WHO for acknowledging #MissionDharavi where we partnered with citizens to #ChaseTheVirus from one of the most populous blocks of the city



With your guidelines & Mumbais community efforts, we will beat #COVID19 one block at a time by Tracing-Tracking-Testing-Treating https://t.co/UoGfACgxmQ   Mumbai,  BMC (@mybmc) July 10, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has infected over 12,3 million people worldwide and the global death toll stands at 557,279 according to the John Hopkins Coronavirus resource centre. India has reported 793,802 positive coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic, with 21,604 reported deaths.

Read: Fishing Community Seeks Help From BMC As Mumbai Witnesses Incessant Rainfall

Read: WHO Chief Says COVID-19 Outbreaks Can Be Brought Under Control, Cites India's Example

(Image Credit PTI)
Thiruvananthapuram, July 10 : Senior Congress leaders from Kerala on Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to order a NIA-CBI-RAW probe into the gold smuggling case in the state.

The party has already demanded that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan should resign.

Addressing a press conference, state Congress unit president Mullapally Ramachandran, Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, and former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said that all of them have signed the letter sent to Modi in this regard.

The decision was taken soon after the political affairs committee of the state Congress met.

Ramachandran said this is "rarest of the rare case". "Even though we welcome the NIA probe announced by the Centre since there is alleged involvement of Vijayan's office. His Principal Secretary M. Sivasankar has only been asked to go on leave and not even suspended, as he is the closest aide of Vijayan." "Another reason is that the present state police chief has worked in the National Investigation Agency in the past... one week has elapsed since the gold smuggling case came to light and the prime accused woman is still on the run. She is understood to have links with all (ruling party) bigwigs," said Ramachandran.

Chennithala pointed said that the NIA could look into only certain aspects of the probe, while the CBI has expertise in all sectors, including economic offenses. Research and Analysis Wing has to be there because this involves India and the UAE.

"Hence, a joint probe is a must. We are surprised that Vijayan is now running away from questions. His office has to be included in the probe... Sivasankar is Vijayan's agent and hence he is being protected. It's unfortunate that the lady (Swapna Suresh) is on the run while the Kerala Police is silent and not even trying to trace her. So all know how things are," said the Congress leader.

Chandy denied any role in giving Swapna a job in the government and said that Vijayan should seek a CBI probe.

"I am being targeted. One report says I gave a job to the lady; but I had no role. Then came another picture of mine standing with arrested accused Sarith (former PRO of UAE Consulate). When I saw the picture, I realised it was morphed... it was taken last week at the house of a Congress worker who got married recently. The probe should go in the right direction and for that the NIA, CBI and the RAW have to be there," said Chandy.

Customes officials had seized 30 kg gold from a diplomatic consignment at the Trivandrum International Airport on Sunday, in which prime suspect Swapna was said to be involved. She is said to be close to ruling Left Democratic Front government in the state.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday took a swipe at the UP government over the encounter killing of gangster Vikas Dubey, saying while the criminal has gone, what about those protecting him.

Dubey was killed by the cops after he was trying to escape soon after a police vehicle carrying him overturned on their way back to Kanpur.

Four policemen, including an inspector posted in Nawabganj, were injured in the accident, IG, Kanpur Range, Mohit Agarwal said.

In a tweet in Hindi, the Congress leader said, "The criminal has gone, but what about the crime and those protecting him.

Dubey, the prime accused in the Kanpur massacre of cops, was arrested from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday morning.

Gandhi had earlier demanded a CBI probe to ascertain the facts about the "grant of protection" to Dubey.

The Congress general secretary had also accused the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh of "complete failure" in handling the Kanpur ambush case in which eight policemen were killed.

She had alleged that the chain of events in the case exposed the chinks in security and hinted at collusion.
Zakir Naik and Ravish Kumar

The Indian Islamic preacher Dr Zakir Naik, who has been in hiding in Malaysia for the last few years, has said that non-Muslims, however noble their intent, shall never find a place in Jannah or Muslim heaven.

Specifically referring to the journalist Ravish Kumar, whose efforts of taking the side of Muslims and showing the ugly face of oppressors he lauded, Naik maintained that Kumar still wont be granted a place in heaven as he was a non-Muslim.

The video, titled Dr Zakir Naik on the fate of Ravish Kumar, was uploaded to YouTube on June 27 and has received over a hundred thousand views.

Naik was responding to a question from a viewer who asked him if well-intentioned non-Muslims like Ravish Kumar would be allowed to enter heaven.

Naik further explained that since people like Ravish Kumar had not converted to Islam, they will still go to hell because the crime of shirk (heresy, idol worship) is bigger than any other crime.

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(CNN) - German firm BioNTech is confident it will seek regulatory approval by the end of the year for a coronavirus vaccine, the company's CEO told The Wall Street Journal in an interview conducted Wednesday and published on Friday.

Dr. Ugur Sahin said that due to the spread of the virus, it could take about a decade for the world's population to achieve immunity, even if several vaccines become available at the same time. BioNTech has partnered with Pfizer in the US to develop the vaccine.

I assume that we will only be done with this virus when more than 90% of the global population will get immunity, either through infection or through a vaccine, Sahin told the Journal.

Sahin added the company could produce several hundred million doses before approval and more than 1 billion doses by the end of 2021.

Last week, BioNTech and Pfizer announced that the Covid-19 vaccine in development had yielded positive data in early tests.

The companies shared their preliminary findings on July 1 in a pre-print paper that shows participants in a Phase 1/2 study of the vaccine, called BNT162b1, responded to the immunization and it was found to be well tolerated. The Phase 1/2 study is ongoing and the data has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.

The preliminary data will help researchers determine a dose level for the vaccine, then select which of their multiple vaccine candidates to progress to a larger-scale global Phase 2/3 study, which could begin as early as this month, the companies said.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "BioNTech says its COVID-19 vaccine will be ready by end of 2020, but global immunity may take a decade"
Cebu Pacific (CEB), the Philippines largest national flag-carrier, will resume its flights from Manila to Dubai starting July 12.

The flight (5J 18) will depart every Sunday at 6:55pm (Philippine Standard Time) from Manila, and Dubai to Manila (5J 19) every Monday at 3:30am (UAE Standard Time), beginning July 12.

In line with the safety measures implemented by the Dubai government, passengers traveling to the emirate are required to obtain travel and health insurance coverage before arrival, as required by Dubai Civil Aviation Authority. Guests without valid health insurance may be denied check-in or boarding. They must also register on the Covid-19 DXB app beforehand.

UAE residence visa-holders, meanwhile, will also need return approvals from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in order to enter Dubai.

Upon arrival, all passengers need to undergo Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests at Dubai Airports.

Government quarantine and travel regulations will apply for all passengers flying between Manila and Dubai. Upon arrival in Manila, all passengers will be subjected to testing and mandatory 14-day quarantine.

Passengers on these flights are urged to follow Contact Flights guidelines, such as wearing of masks, online check-in, being at the airport 3 hours before the flight, being at the counter before it closes 1 hour before flight, bringing a maximum of one hand-carry per person, undertaking contactless boarding procedures, and observing physical distancing.

Guests on cancelled Manila-Dubai-Manila flights may avail of any flexible options including rebooking online through the Manage Booking portal in the Cebu Pacific website (http://bit.ly/CEBmanageflight).

Domestic flight schedules

Cebu Pacific and Cebgo are operating a limited number of domestic flights, as aligned with regulations issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) as well as limitations and restrictions set by the concerned local government agencies/units. An updated list is found in the Cebu Pacific website, https://bit.ly/CEBGradualRestartSchedule. All other previously scheduled domestic flights that are not in the updated list are cancelled. - TradeArabia News Service
In the U.S. Capitols National Statuary Hall, a full-length marble statue of Lewis Cass towers above visitors as one of Michigans two designated contributions honoring notable figures from each state.

Cass, who served as Michigans second territorial governor from 1813-1831 and was the Democratic nominee in the 1848 presidential election, has held that place of honor in the U.S. Capitol since 1889, according to the Architect of the Capitol website.
A week after Fullers death, his half-brother, Terron J. Boone, was fatally shot by Los Angeles County sheriffs deputies. Police say Boone opened fire on deputies as they were about to arrest him on charges that he beat his girlfriend and held her captive. Authorities said detectives do not believe Boones case is related to Fullers death.
Yes Bank Ltd. set a large discount in the price range for its $2 billion public offering scheduled for next week.

The Mumbai-based lender plans to sell the shares at 12 rupees to 13 rupees apiece, a filing showed Friday. Thats a discount of as much as 55% to Thursdays close. The stock fell 5.1% to 25.30 rupees at 12:14 p.m. local time.

Yes Bank, which was bailed out earlier this year, is the latest Indian lender to announce capital raising plans to boost buffers as the pandemic threatens to increase bad loans. Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. raised almost $1 billion in late May selling shares at a discount of just over 1%.

Read more on Yes Banks share sale plans

A minimum bid lot will be one thousand equity shares, Yes Bank said in the filing. The equity issue is due from July 15 to July 17.

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Kerala, Punjab, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are among the major agriculturally important states that have banned the use of glyphosate citing its adverse impact on human health.

In a sudden move, the Central government has issued a draft notification that seeks to restrict the use of controversial plant chemical glyphosate only through pest control operators.

This, according to some experts, also means that the widely used plant chemical might not be widely available for direct use by farmers, though the draft notification does not explicitly say so.

The draft notification said the decision to restrict the use of glyphosate only through pest control operators has been framed after receiving a report from the Kerala government that asked for prohibiting the distribution, sale and use of the chemical and its derivatives.

Kerala, Punjab, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are among the major agriculturally important states that have banned the use of glyphosate citing its adverse impact on human health.

The Central government, though, has not banned the substance so far.

Glyphosate and its adverse effects came into the limelight after the Word Health Organizations International Agency for Research on Cancer published a study in 2015 that said the chemical is probably carcinogenic to humans.

Thereafter, several countries moved to curtail its use. In India, the plant chemical has been in use in tea and rice for quite some time.

Trade sources said it is one of the most widely-used herbicides for weed management both, in agricultural and non-agricultural situations such as along the side of irrigation channels, railway rights-of-way and around buildings.

It is also used in farms, orchards, vineyards and agro-forestry for non-selective vegetation control to maintain bare ground on non-crop areas.

Though it has been in use for a long time, the demand for banning the plant chemical gathered pace in India after HTBt cotton started being planted in a big way across the country despite not having full approval.

When Glyphosate is sprayed on HTBt cotton, it apparently kills the weeds but does not affect the crop, which saves labour cost for the farmer.

Meanwhile, the draft notification also said that all those holding certificates of registration granted for glyphosate and its derivatives shall return the certificates to the Registration Committee.

This is to enable the incorporation of the advisory that the plant chemicals can be used only through pest control operators boldly in all labels and leaflets promoting its use.

It also proposes to penalise those who dont return their certificates within three months.

Comments and suggestions on the draft notification could be sent within 30 days.

The draft notification has rattled a section of the plant chemical industry, which says the sudden move is detrimental to the countrys food security.

The Agriculture Department could have discussed with industry bodies and other stakeholders before coming out with this draft notification.

"If this decision were to be implemented, it would adversely affect agriculture production, as the herbicidal use of glyphosate would drastically be reduced.

"We would suggest the Government rolls back the draft order, N K Aggarwal, president of Agro Chemicals Federation of India (ACFI) told Business Standard.

However, Kavitha Kuruganti of Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic agriculture termed the draft order 'pretty useless'.

"It does not address anything related to the sale of glyphosate.

"In the absence of regulatory oversight over who is selling, who is buying and who is using on the ground, what is the point of saying that use is restricted to only by Pest Control Operators?

"It appears that the government has not yet grasped the full set of repercussions with glyphosate.

"The government needs to go to the next logical step of banning the chemical," Kuruganti said.

Pointers Centre issues draft notification limiting the use of glyphosate only through pest control operators. All those holding certificates of registration of glyphosate must return them to the registration authority This is to enable them to incorporate the advisory that the herbicide can be used only through pest control operators in their labels. Penalties will be imposed on those who dont return their registration vertificates Comments on the draft notification can be sent within the next 30 days.

Photograph: Dipak Kumar/Reuters
Iraqi Chaldean man dies weeks after being deported by Trump administration

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An Iraqi Catholic man whom the Trump administration deported in June after having lived in the United States since he was six months old has died reportedly because of an inability to obtain insulin to treat his diabetes.

The death of Jimmy Aldaoud was confirmed by the American Civil Liberties Union and sources close with the man's family, Politico reported Thursday.

Aldaoud was born in Greece and came to the U.S. at six months old. He is among the hundreds of Chaldean Catholics in the Detroit area that the Trump administration has been trying to deport as part of a reported deal with the Iraqi government.

As reported, the Trump administration is looking to deport as many as 1,400 Iraqi nationals, most of whom are Chaldean Catholic, a community that was among the many religious minorities targeted by the Islamic State in Iraq and has faced increased discrimination and persecution since the U.S. invasion in 2003.

"Jimmy was found dead today in Iraq. The likely cause of death was not being able to get his insulin," immigration attorney Edward Bajoka wrote in a Facebook post. "He is a diabetic. He was forcefully deported to Iraq a couple of months ago. He was born in Greece and had never been to Iraq. He knew no one there. He did not speak Arabic. He was a member of the Chaldean minority group."

Bajoka noted that Aldaoud was also a "paranoid schizophrenic."

"His mental health was the primary reason for his legal issues that led to his deportation," Bajoka said.



As President Donald Trump has said that immigration raids will focus on criminals, Mindy Belz of World Magazine noted that Aldaoud was arrested in 2012 for stealing power tools from a garage and for possession of marijuana.

"Aldaoud appears to have served his time but was rounded up in one of the Detroit raids & held in Ohio when @DHSgov filed a deportation case in late 2018," Belz, an author and religious freedom advocate, tweeted. "Not everything adds up about the case but if reported circumstances of his death are true, US officials should answer why a diabetic with mental health issues was deported to a war-torn country with a Level 4 'do not travel' warning."

A video of Aldaoud sitting on an Iraqi street complaining about his situation following his deportation has circulated on social media.

"I've been in the United States since six months old. Just two-and-a-half weeks ago, immigration agents pulled me over and said I'm going to Iraq. I [told them] I have never been there. I have been in this country my whole life," Aldaoud said.

"They refused to listen to me. ... They wouldn't let me call my family. They said, 'You are going to Iraq and your best bet is to cooperate with us. That way we are not going to chain you up, we will put you on a commercial flight.'"



Aldaoud said he begged the immigration agents, telling them that he had never been to Iraq.

"They forced me and I am here now," he said. "I don't understand the language or anything. I am sleeping in the street. I am diabetic. I take insulin shots. I am throwing up, trying to find something to eat. I got nothing over here. I was kicked in the back a couple of days ago."

In his Facebook post, Bajoka declared that Aldaoud's blood "is on the hands of ICE and this administration."

Democrat Michigan Congressman Andy Levin said in a statement that Aldaoud "should have never been sent to Iraq."

"For many reasons, it was clear that deporting Jimmy to a country where he had never been, had no identification, had no family, had no knowledge of geography or customs, did not speak the language and ultimately, had no access to medical care, would put his life in extreme danger," Aldaoud stated, according to Michigan Radio.

"Jimmy died tragically yesterday of a diabetic crisis. His death could have and should have been prevented, as his deportation was essentially a death sentence."

In a Facebook post, Levin stated that the U.S. has a duty to protect Iraqi nationals who could face persecution if they are returned to Iraq.

"Numerous Iraqi nationals, including many Chaldean Christians, will face persecution for their religion, their ethnicity or their ties to America if they are forced back to Iraq against their will," Levin contended. "It is our duty to do everything we can to protect them."

On Twitter, Levin vowed to put his full effort into advancing the Deferred Removal for Iraqi Nationals Including Minorities Act, which he introduced in May to provide a legislative solution to defer deportation of certain Iraqi nationals for a 24-month period. The bill has both Republican and Democrat cosponsors.

"I had the privilege of meeting Jimmys family earlier this year to hear firsthand their concerns for his safety, and about their efforts to ensure his care. Today, I grieve with them and recommit to preventing any further injustices," Levin explained in a Twitter thread.

"That begins with making sure that Jimmy can be afforded a proper Catholic burial. At the moment, Iraqi authorities will not release Jimmys body to a Catholic priest without extensive documentation from his family members in the U.S. This seems to be a cruel irony, indeed."

The Iraqi Christian Foundation, a nonprofit that provides aid and advocacy for persecuted Iraqi and Syrian Christians, commented on Aldaoud's death on Twitter.

"In Iraq, he was homeless and didn't know the language. He just died on the streets of Iraq. This is complicity in genocide," the organization argued in a tweet.

When reports of the Trump administration's plan to deport Iraqi nationals surfaced in 2017, evangelical leaders with the Evangelical Immigration Table voiced concern in a letter that was sent to then-Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly.

The leaders warned that deportation of certain Iraqi nationals could lead to persecution or even death.

"We would ask that the Administration exercise the discretion available under law to defer the deportation of Chaldeans who pose no threat to U.S. public safety to Iraq until such time as the situation in Iraq stabilizes and its government proves willing and capable of protecting the rights of religious minorities," the letter read.

Among others, the letter was signed by Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission President Russell Moore and National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference President Samuel Rodriguez.
By Jason Lange and Simon Lewis

WASHINGTON, July 10 (Reuters) - A Michigan town wants machines to speed up counting of absentee ballots. In Ohio, officials want to equip polling places so voters and poll workers feel safe from the coronavirus. Georgia officials, rattled by a chaotic election last month, want to send voters forms so they can request absentee ballots more easily.

In all three cases, the money is not there to make it happen, say local officials responsible for running elections in the states - any one of which could determine who wins the Nov. 3 presidential election.

Presidential nominating contests held this year in states from Wisconsin to Georgia have exposed massive challenges in conducting elections during the worst public health crisis in a century. Closed or understaffed polling venues led to long lines, there were problems delivering absentee ballots, and the votes took days, even weeks, to count.

But instead of receiving more money for the all-important contest between Republican President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden, officials face budget cuts after tax revenues plunged in the virus-stricken economy, two dozen election officials across several battleground states told Reuters.

The consequences, they warn, go beyond practical headaches to the risk voters' faith in the process will be undermined.

"What kind of price tag are you going to put on the integrity of the election process and the safety of those who work it and those who vote?" said Tina Barton, the city clerk and chief elections official in Rochester Hills, Michigan, a state where Trump beat Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016 by fewer than 11,000 votes. "Those are the things at risk."

This year's nominating contests have shown that voting in the pandemic age costs more: Officials have to buy masks, face shields and other equipment to virus-proof polling places. They also must spend more to mail and count ballots.

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Many officials say they don't have the funding to do either job properly. Election experts say Americans are likely to vote in record numbers in November, when control of Congress will also be up for grabs along with state governorships and legislatures.

A funding shortfall could lead to "widespread disenfranchisement," said Myrna Perez, director of the elections program at New York University's Brennan Center for Justice, a non-partisan public policy institute. "We run the risk of people really questioning the legitimacy of the election."

Congress approved $400 million in federal funding to help states hold the elections as part of the CARES Act coronavirus aid package passed in March - that's just one-tenth of the $4 billion that experts at the Brennan Center have estimated will be needed this year to hold safe and fair elections during the pandemic.

Introducing a vote-by-mail system in new locales will require officials to pay for new paper ballots and thick security envelopes, and to buy expensive new machines to sort and tabulate them. Postage alone will cost nearly $600 million, the center estimated.

A fresh coronavirus aid bill passed in May in the Democratic-led House of Representatives includes $3.6 billion in new election funding for state and local governments. Some Republicans said they were open to considering more election funding, but opposed planned rules to make states boost mail-in voting, and the bill has no chance of passing the Republican-controlled Senate.

Trump and his Republican allies say mail voting is prone to fraud and favors Democrats, although independent studies have found little evidence of those claims. Democrats say efforts to discredit mail balloting, coupled with a possible fall in polling venues, could depress turnout.

Hans von Spakovsky, a former Republican member of the Federal Elections Commission who works at the conservative Heritage Foundation, said officials could cut costs by focusing on keeping polling places safe, rather than trying to ramp up voting by mail. https://tmsnrt.rs/2O3tMU3

"I'm not saying that this is easy but it is not going to be as difficult as all these people are predicting," von Spakovsky said. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell declined to comment. Amy Klobuchar, the senior Democrat on the Senate rules committee that oversees federal grants for elections, told Reuters money was so short that funds intended for election security, for instance, were being used to buy masks and cleaning supplies.

"That's not a one-or-the-other choice. We need voters to be safe and we need our elections to be secure," she said.

"EPIC FAILURE"

Some local governments are already squeezing election budgets, as cities across the country face a projected $360 billion revenue loss over the next three years due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Georgia sent absentee ballot requests to all voters ahead of its June 9 elections, which officials cited in local media estimated would cost at least $5 million. The program helped fuel record primary turnout in a state that has long been solidly Republican but which polls show could be competitive in November.

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, told state lawmakers late last month there was not enough money to do the same for November, and that the health crisis "has somewhat dissipated." He instead will ask voters to request their ballot through a website. Raffensperger's office declined to comment on the funding shortages, or on a rapid rise in COVID-19 cases in Georgia since then.

Most county governments in Georgia don't have the money to send out requests themselves, said Deidre Holden, co-president of the state's association of county election officials.

"If Congress doesn't act we are going to see epic failure once again," said Holden, an independent, who is also elections supervisor in Georgia's Paulding County, a Republican-dominated suburb of Atlanta.

In Philadelphia, falling revenues have left an election budget of $12.3 million, instead of $22.5 million that officials proposed in early March. The city's vote could be critical: Pennsylvania is a state where Trump won by less than a percentage point, and about a fifth of its registered Democrats live in Philadelphia.

The city expects about $750,000 in CARES Act grant money, but it already spent more than its expected grant holding its June 2 primary, its top election official, Commissioner Lisa Deeley, told Reuters.

LaVera Scott is director of elections for Ohio's Lucas County, a Democratic-leaning area including Toledo in the battleground state that elected Democrat Barack Obama twice, but voted for Trump in 2016. Local officials asked her to cut her budget by 20%, and she has ruled out buying some safety equipment such as Plexiglas sneeze guards for more than 300 polling stations that the county hopes to operate.

"Feasibly, that's not a cost that we can do here," she said.

Scott also worries about not having enough staffing. Elderly polling workers are sending her apologetic greeting cards to say they won't do the job this year for fear of catching the virus, she said.

RESULTS? "WHO KNOWS WHEN"

Voting rights advocates and election experts have been warning for months that a chaotic election could cause voters to question the results. Worse, if those results are delayed, a candidate could claim victory prematurely.

Without further federal funding, some election boards in Michigan won't be able to buy new machines to count ballots faster, or cover all the postage costs of mail-in ballots, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson told Reuters.

She told U.S. House lawmakers in June that the state needs $40 million from the federal government, far above the $11 million allocated to the state under CARES Act.

"This means ... that election results may not be available until long after election night," Benson, a Democrat, said in an emailed statement.

Michelle Anzaldi, the clerk for Michigan's Pittsfield Charter Township, a suburb of Detroit, said her current vote-counting machines take between three and five seconds to count each ballot. A newer model can process more than 100 a minute but could cost more than $100,000.

With a budget crunch looming, the count will just have to wait.

"Instead of being tabulated by 10 p.m. at night, it could be who knows when," she said.

(Reporting by Jason Lange and Simon Lewis, Additional reporting by Richard Cowan; Editing by Soyoung Kim and Sara Ledwith)
Kumparan, an online media based in Jakarta sacked almost 100 media workers on the basis of decreases revenue from the Covid-19 outbreak. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) Indonesia urge Kumparan to comply with the labour laws.

Kumparans chief executive officer emailed workers on June 21 indicating operational cuts and staff layoffs due to a reduction in revenue as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Soon after employees began receiving emails informing them they were laid off.

Nurul Nur Azizah, a member of AJI Jakarta was offered a letter to terminate her work on June 23, citing the economic impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. While Nurul refused the offer, the company stopped giving Nurul assignments and asked Nurul to return her office equipment, including mobile phone and notebook.

Management of Kumparan did not attend the meeting on June 29 scheduled by Nurul and her lawyer from the Legal Aid for Press Institute (LBH Pers) in the LBH Pers office. A follow-up meeting on July 7 did not result in an agreement and Nurul insisted on not accepting the termination offer.

The Indonesian Manpower Law stipulated that laying off employees for efficiency reason must only occur if the company will shut down its operation completely. The aim of management to reduce the number of workers is contradicted by the company opening up recruitment for new employees in early July.

AJI said: AJI calls Kumparan to allow Nurul to get back to work and urges the company to obey Indonesian labour laws. In addition to that, AJI also expects the Jakarta Manpower agency to oversee the layoff procedures and industrial disputes not only for Kumparan but also different media in Indonesia."

The IFJ said: Kumparans disregard for Indonesias Labour laws and workers rights is alarming. The IFJ urges Kumparans to comply with the law and allow Nurul and other employees to return to work.
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Goya Foods is facing a a swift backlash after its CEO Robert Unanue praised President Donald Trump at White House event on Thursday.

Almost immediately, Twitter exploded, with users both famous and not reminding Unanue of Trumps history of derogatory comments and harsh policies toward Hispanics, most notably the administrations policy of separating immigrant families at the U.S.-Mexico border.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on the White House Hispanic Prosperity Initiative on Thursday. It includes more taxpayer support for charter and private schools, and added tax benefits for development in urban neighborhoods.

According to NBC News, Trump hosted a group of Hispanic supporters at the event, including politicians and business magnates, a day after meeting with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

Goya Foods CEO Robert Unanue at the event announced a donation of 1 million cans of chickpeas and 1 million pounds of other food to food banks.

President Donald Trump, right, listens as Robert Unanue, of Goya Foods, speaks during a roundtable meeting with Hispanic leaders in the Cabinet Room, Thursday, July 9, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)AP

"We're all truly blessed at the same time to have a leader like President Trump, who is a builder," Unanue said at the White House.

The remark set off a wave primarily of criticism of New Jersey-based Goya, founded in 1936 by European immigrants.

Goya was founded in Manhattan in 1936 by Don Prudencio Unanue and his wife, Carolina, immigrants from Spain. The company calls itself the largest Hispanic-owned food company in the United States.

.@GoyaFoods has been a staple of so many Latino households for generations.



Now their CEO, Bob Unanue, is praising a president who villainizes and maliciously attacks Latinos for political gain. Americans should think twice before buying their products. #Goyaway https://t.co/lZDQlK6TcU  Julian Castro (@JulianCastro) July 9, 2020

How dare your CEO get rich off our Latino and immigrant families and then turn around and support the president terrorizing our Latino and immigrant families. I guess his tax cut was more important than his customers. Vayanse a la mierda! #BoycottGoya  Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (@CDRosa) July 10, 2020

Creepy cancel culture will find #BoycottGoya difficult & not supported by most Latinos-certainly not many over 21. Company is intertwined in Hispanic life. In urging Latino unity, my dad used to say the only real difference between we hispanics was the color of our (Goya) beans.  Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) July 10, 2020
Matt Hancock has rebuked claims that the government is not supplying adequate data on coronavirus testing to local authorities (David Nash/Barcroft Media via Getty Images)

Three Manchester MPs and the Salford city mayor have written to Matt Hancock accusing him of lying about coronavirus data.

Paul Dennett and co-signatories Rebecca Long Bailey, Barbara Keeley and Graham Stringer, wrote to the health secretary to demand more detail in the COVID-19 testing data that was sent to local councils.

The letter read: We are writing to raise our concerns about your statements on the Andrew Marr Show on Sunday 5 July on which you stated that Councils had access to the COVID-19 data they need.

This is simply not true.

We believe it is imperative that we are honest and transparent about the data on which we are relying to respond to the virus, whilst being accountable to and supporting our residents and local communities at this challenging and difficult time.

The signatories suggested the health secretary had lied when he said local councils had all the data they needed (Salford City Mayor's Office)

The group asked for more information on test results, and faster information, and went on to slam the data released so far.

Unfortunately this complex set of reports creates a complex labyrinth of information that is at best unhelpful and at worst dangerous, the letter continued.

The information falls far short of what we need to effectively prevent the spread of the virus and potential outbreaks... Unbelievably, information on ethnicity is not routinely provided, which is inexcusable given our understanding of the increased risk our Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Communities face during this pandemic.

Mayor Paul Dennett and three MPs claimed government processes were "at best unhelpful and at worst dangerous" (Salford City Mayor's Office/Manchester Evening News)

There is also up to a weeks time daily [sic] between the test result and information reaching us locally  acting against timely intervention and prevention actions locally.

Hancocks comments on the Andrew Marr show came after a complaint by Andy Burnham that sufficient data was not being provided to councils by central government.

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, has accused the government of hlding back inofrmation that could help stop the spread of coronavirus (Danny Lawson/PA Images via Getty Images)

The Manchester mayor said: "What we need is the real-time, patient-identifiable data that the Government receives rather than the limited, anonymised data we are currently getting.

He added: "We also need reliable data from the national contact tracing system.

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"One expert told me this week that the lack of patient-specific data was like local detectives being asked to solve crimes without being given the names of any of the victims or suspects.

"So my appeal to the Health Secretary is a simple one: give us everything you have got on Greater Manchester.

"Then we will be able to form a strong partnership between national and local government in beating this virus on the ground."

However, in a statement to Yahoo News UK, a spokesman for the department of health and social care rebutted many of the letters claims.

Manchester MPs have pleaded for more data from the government to help prevent a second wave of coronavirus (Anthony Devlin/Getty Images)

The spokesman addressesed the misleading or inaccurate claims.

He said: All councils in England can now access positive case testing data right down to an individual and postcode level.

Our priority is to ensure all local and public health bodies have the data they need and we will continue to support them so they can effectively deal with any outbreaks.

In response to the claim that public health directors are not receiving any information from the central NHS track-and-trace system other than where specific settings or complex cases have been identified as a problem, he said: This is not correct. Public Health England began providing anonymised positive test data for individuals, including postcodes, to Local Authorities (including Directors of Public Health) on the 24 June.

From 11 June, NHS Digital (with the support of the Department) made available an operational data dashboard  including counts of total tests, total positives and total voids per local authority - to Directors of Public Health. This was to support Directors of Public Health and Local Councils operational needs while more detailed data sharing was being put in place. As of this week, this contains an even lower granularity of data.

In response to claims that only limited ethnicity data was being reported back, he said: We began collecting data on ethnicity from 21 May... which includes a prefer not to say option as you would normally expect with this type of question.

Coronavirus: what happened today

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Official mourning period starts in Ivory Coast amid questions over governing partys candidate in October vote.

Moments before his sudden death, Ivory Coasts Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly appeared upbeat as he entered a cabinet meeting.

Chosen by the governing party as its candidate in a presidential election some four months away, he had just tweeted: To have a vision is not about short term political gains but careful planning for decades to come.

But the 61-year-old, who returned to Ivory Coast last week after an extended medical leave in France to treat heart issues, felt unwell and was taken to hospital, where he passed away.

His death on Wednesday has created a political vacuum, plunging the country into uncertainty.

Ivory Coast in a state of shock, headlined the daily LInter. Thunderclap, said Soir Info. Sledgehammer blow, said Fraternite Matin.





The country on Friday began an official period of national mourning that will culminate with Coulibalys burial next week in Korhogo, his hometown in the north.

Its a shock for all Ivorians. Africa has lost one of its best and its all of Africa that its mourning, said a man near a newspaper stand.

He was in good place for the upcoming presidential election. Now, the ruling party will be in turmoil, said another.

In March, President Alassane Ouattara had announced he would not run in Octobers election after two five-year terms in office and designated Gon Coulibaly, his closest political ally, as the RHDP partys candidate.

Now, the RHDP has been left scrambling to choose a replacement candidate.

All options are on the table, including a new candidacy for President Ouattara, Adama Bictogo, RHDP executive secretary, told journalists on Thursday as he arrived for a meeting of the partys political council.

Its clear we have to revisit the analysis he made at the time, Bictogo said. The context is new, he said.

Amadou Gon Coulibaly, left, was President Alassane Ouattaras, right, chosen candidate to succeed him [File: Thierry Gouegnon/Reuters]

The election is expected to be the most hotly contested since 2010, when Ouattara defeated incumbent Laurent Gbagbo, who refused to concede defeat. The months-long standoff claimed some 3,000 lives and left divisions that linger today.

Ouattara has previously said he would prefer to hand over power to a new generation, although he also says he has the right to run again under a new constitution adopted in 2016.

The opposition disputes that he can run again, and a decision for him to stand risks uniting opponents against him.

He has always been a unanimous choice within his own camp. But [running again] would be extremely dangerous, particularly vis-a-vis the opposition, which would find a common enemy, said Rinaldo Depagne, International Crisis Groups West Africa project director.

The president must listen to his base, but the final decision will be his, Bictogo said, adding that nothing should be announced before Coulibalys funeral.

The deadline to submit the candidates name is September 1.

Other options are the presidents spokesman Patrick Achi and Defence Minister Hamed Bakayoko, who stood in for Coulibaly while he was abroad for medical treatment.

Whoever is chosen will face former President Henri Konan Bedie, 86, who accuses Ouatarra of failing to address political grievances that led to the 2011 civil war.

Marie-Roger Biloa, chief executive director of the Africa International Media Group, said she expected a lot of tensions in the Ivory Coast ahead of Octobers election.

With this opening, all the political forces will feel that it is a signal to come up with their own ambitions, she told Al Jazeera. President Ouattara will say, well the constitution allows me to run again, and then we also have a former president who is 86 years old who is running.

There also has been uncertainty about the political ambitions of Gbagbo. He has been acquitted of crimes against humanity charges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) but has been unable to return home to Ivory Coast where he still has considerable support. Prosecutors at the ICC are appealing his acquittal.

Some observers also say there is a possibility the vote could be postponed on the grounds of the coronavirus pandemic.
By PTI

MUMBAI: Ahead of the July 15 hearing in the Supreme Court on the Maratha reservation issue, the Maharashtra cabinet subcommittee on the quota held a meeting on Friday with various leaders representing the community.

Maharashtra PWD Minister Ashok Chavan, who heads the subcommittee, said the government will take all sections of the community into confidence while keeping its side before the apex court.

According to a statement issued by his office, Chavan reiterated that the government will make all the efforts to ensure the quota holds its ground before the court.

State ministers Eknath Shinde, Balasaheb Thorat, Dilip Walse-Patil and Vijay Wadettiwar and community leaders MP Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje, Vinayak Mete and others attended the meeting held via video conferencing.

A plea was filed in the SC last year challenging the Bombay High Court order upholding constitutional validity of the quota for the Maratha community in education (12 per cent) and government jobs (13 per cent) in the state.

"Rumours are being spread about the (government's) preparedness in connection with the court cases relating to the quota.

The government, however, has prepared well to ensure reservation passed by the state legislature holds its ground before the court," the statement quoted Chavan as saying.

Shinde said the government will leave no stone unturned to see that reservation is intact, while Walse-Patil assured the government will take cooperation of all sections of the community for the purpose.

The legislation to provide the quota was enacted when the BJP was in power in the state.
Phoenix police on Friday identified the two officers who fatally shot a man seated in a parked car, a killing that has sparked protests across the city.

Officers Noel Trevino, 29, and Gregory Wilson, 31, are both on administrative leave following the deadly Fourth of July confrontation with 28-year-old James "Jay" Garcia, Phoenix police Sgt. Mercedes Fortune said in a statement to NBC News.

The Maricopa County Medical Examiner has formally ruled Garcia's death a homicide.

Earlier this week, police released body camera footage that showed officers appearing to pull a gun out of Garcia's car. It had been parked in the driveway of a home near 59th Avenue and Indian School Road, and officers were there to investigate a reported assault, authorities said.

That video was only a fraction of footage recorded of the deadly confrontation, Police Chief Jeri Williams said. But he added that the selective release was necessary.

"There was rumor or talk out there that the individual in the car was unarmed," Williams told NBC affiliate KPNX on Thursday. "We wanted to make sure people out there saw the actual information."

Bystanders captured cellphone video of officers surrounding Garcia's car in the Maryvale neighborhood and ordering him to come out before opening fire.

No video made public so far shows what was happening inside the car, which had its windows rolled up, before shots were fired.

Denice Garcia, mother of James Garcia, who was shot last week by Phoenix police, speaks during a news conference in front of police headquarters on July 8, 2020. (Ross D. Franklin / AP)

Chief Williams has asked the FBI to conduct an independent civil rights investigation into the shooting.

"That's why I called in the FBI to assist us and run a parallel investigation in the Garcia case," Williams told KPNX.

"I've always said I'm not afraid of an extra set of eyes and the FBI will provide that for us."

A vigil was held Monday night for Garcia at the home where he was shot, and on Sunday a group of protesters gathered at Phoenix police's Maryvale precinct to demand that the department release full videos of the incident.

And on Tuesday, about 40 protesters took to the streets of Paradise Valley, an affluent neighborhood where Gov. Doug Ducey lives.

Instances of lethal force by police, particularly when minorities are involved, have come under heightened scrutiny since late May when George Floyd died while in custody of Minneapolis officers. Floyd's death has sparked protests against police brutality and systemic racism across the world.
India and China need peace rather than confrontation and should work together to maintain peace and tranquillity along their disputed border until they find a reasonable solution to the complicated issue through negotiations, Chinese ambassador Sun Weidong said on Friday.

Sun said the two sides should be partners, rather than rivals and also addressed calls from some quarters for the decoupling of bilateral economic and trade relations and to exclude Made in China goods, saying non-tariff barriers and restrictive measures would be unfair to Chinese enterprises and Indian consumers.

The envoy further said India and China need to build trust through mutual respect and treating each other as equals. The two sides need to respect and accommodate mutual core interests and major concerns and adhere to the principle of non-interference in each others internal affairs, he said.

Sun conveyed Chinas position against the backdrop of partial disengagement by Indian and Chinese troops at key friction points in the Ladakh sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) after a two-month standoff.

The Indian side is proceeding with the disengagement process with extreme caution and on Thursday reiterated its rejection of Chinas claim on Galwan Valley, which was the scene of a violent clash on June 15 that left 20 Indian soldiers dead and resulted in unspecified Chinese casualties.

Sun made the remarks in a nearly 18-minute video posted on the Chinese embassys YouTube channel. The theme of his remarks was Implement consensus and handle differences properly to bring China-India relations back on the right track and the envoy made several references to the age-old ties between the two sides and the consensus achieved through the informal summits between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping since 2018.

The envoys remarks focused on five key points  India and China should be partners, rather than rivals, they need peace rather than confrontation, they should pursue win-win cooperation instead of a zero-sum game, they need to build trust rather than suspicion, and bilateral ties should move forward rather than backward.

We need to seek convergence while putting aside differences and not impose ones will on the other. We should honour our commitment, walk the talk, and ensure implementation of the leaders consensus in letter and in spirit, Sun said.

The two sides should conduct timely strategic communication, enhance mutual understanding and cooperation, manage differences through dialogue, and firmly grasp the direction of bilateral relations, he added.

Referring to the phone conversation on July 5 between the two Special Representatives on border issues  Indias National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinas foreign minister Wang Yi  Sun said the two had agreed to strengthen communication through the mechanism of the Special Representatives, hold Meetings of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on border affairs without interruption, consistently improve and strengthen confidence-building measures and prevent more incidents that undermine peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

The WMCC held its third virtual meeting since the beginning of the border standoff on Friday.

Sun acknowledged that China and India have a sensitive and complicated boundary issue left over from history and said: We need to find a fair and reasonable solution mutually acceptable through equal consultation and peaceful negotiation. Pending an ultimate settlement, we both agree to work together to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

He also referred to the violent clash of June 15 and described it as an incident causing casualties at the Galwan Valley. He added, It was a situation neither China nor India would like to see.

China has all along advocated that peace is of paramount importance. We are neither a warlike state nor an assertive country. The right and wrong of what recently happened at the Galwan Valley is very clear. China will firmly safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and ensure the peace and tranquillity in the border areas, Sun said.

The phone conversation between the Special Representatives resulted in positive consensus on easing the current border situation and frontline troops are disengaging on the ground in accordance with the consensus reached by the Military Corps Commanders, he said.

However, Sun said both sides can avoid any strategic miscalculation only by having a correct view of each others intentions with a positive, open and inclusive attitude.

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BOISE, Idaho - The U.S. Department of Justice has dropped a request asking a federal judge to prohibit an Idaho man from flying his helicopter near work crews building a public trail on an easement crossing private land.

The department said it accepted Michael Borens statements in court documents that he wont again fly near the work crew thats building a trail connecting the popular tourist destinations of Redfish Lake and Stanley.

The trail is at the centre of a federal lawsuit filed by Lynn Arnone and David Boren, Michael Borens brother, who want construction of the trail stopped.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating reports made by the work crew following their encounter with the helicopter on June 20. The crew reported the helicopter flew within 10 feet (3 metres) of the ground near them, kicking up debris and blowing off one persons hat.

The Justice Department, which is representing the U.S. Forest Service, said that it will seek emergency relief again if the Borens try to interfere with construction.

The high-elevation area is one of Idahos most scenic outdoor adventure draws, with rugged mountains, rivers and streams and several mountain lakes. It was traditionally used mostly for ranching, but wealthy home buyers in recent decades have moved to the area.

David Boren and Arnone own the property called Sawtooth Mountain Ranch LLC, where the trail is being built. Boren is a founder and a board member of Clearwater Analytics, a financial management company headquartered in Boise.

He and Arnone filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service in April 2019 seeking to halt work on the trail. But a federal judge denied their requests, so crews this summer are building the trail that could draw hundreds of hikers and bikers. Its expected to be finished this fall.

Michael Boren is also listed as a founder and a board member of Clearwater Analytics. Hes also a member of Republican Gov. Brad Littles coronavirus testing task force.

Michael Boren in court documents said he and his adult son, Jack Boren, decided to take a scenic flight to Challis, Idaho, on June 20 to buy fuel for his helicopter. Court documents say they left their ranch in the Sawtooth Valley near Stanley at about 9 a.m., and decided to investigate after seeing the trail work.

Court papers filed by Borens attorneys say he never intended to harass anyone or interfere with the work and operated the helicopter within a safe distance of the workers. He will refrain from flying near the construction activities in the future.

The U.S. Forest Service has a conservation easement deed dating to 2005 that allows a trail 30 feet (9 metres) wide to cross about 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometres) of the private property on Sawtooth Mountain Ranch. The Forest Service says David Boren and Arnone were aware of the easement when they purchased the property.
Rating Action: Moody's affirms the B3/NP deposit ratings of The Co-operative Bank plc

Global Credit Research - 10 Jul 2020

Outlook changed to stable from positive

London, 10 July 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") today affirmed all ratings and assessments of The Co-operative Bank plc (The Co-operative Bank) and its intermediate holding company The Co-operative Bank Finance p.l.c. (The Co-operative Bank Finance). The ultimate holding company, The Co-operative Bank Holdings Limited, is unrated.

The rating agency also changed the outlook on the long-term deposit rating of The Co-operative Bank, and on the long-term issuer rating of The Co-operative Bank Finance, to stable from positive.

A full list of ratings affected by this action is at the end of this press release.

RATINGS RATIONALE

The affirmation of the b3 Baseline Credit Assessment (BCA) of The Co-operative Bank and the stable outlook balance lower execution risk but weaker profitability prospects in the current operating environment.

In 2019, The Co-operative Bank made significant progress in achieving its planned restructuring. The bank concluded its 2018-2019 "fix the basics" plan, which included the separation of its IT systems from its previous shareholder, The Co-operative Group; Moody's had indicated that the execution risk related the separation of The Co-operative Bank's IT systems was a key risk for the bank.

At the same time, the economic shock deriving from the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in the UK and globally a social risk according to Moody's, will exacerbate the inability of The Co-operative Bank to be profitable due to higher credit provisions for expected losses and lower demand for credit.

In 2019, the bank reported a pre-tax loss of GBP152 million [1]. According to The Co-operative Bank, several costs are non-recurring; for example, IT investments and charges for payment protection insurance. However, also excluding the costs that the bank considers as extraordinary, The Co-operative Bank indicated that it would still have reported a pre-tax loss of GBP20 million [1].

Story continues

In the currently challenging UK operating environment, in which Moody's expects a 10.1% real GDP contraction and an 8% unemployment rate in 2020 [2], the rating agency expects The Co-operative Bank to remain loss-making for at least the next two years. As such, the rating agency believes that The Co-operative Bank lacks, at present, a sustainable business model; this is a key governance consideration that Moody's continues to incorporate in the ratings of The Co-operative Bank.

Moody's believes that operating costs will reduce as the bank progresses with the execution of its strategic plan. At the same time, the net interest income will be challenged by low margins, subdued growth, and the forthcoming issuance of debt to meet the minimum requirements for own funds and eligible liabilities (MREL); fees are unlikely to grow given the macroeconomic contraction, and loan loss charges are expected to increase. In 2019 The Co-operative Bank reported GBP2.5 million in loan loss reversals [1], which will not be repeated in the current environment.

As a partially mitigating factor, Moody's noted that The Co-operative Bank still has high risk-weighted capital ratios. As of March 2020, the bank's Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio was 18.3%, while the total capital ratio was 22.6%; these ratios are higher than most of the rated UK banks, however the bank has a high Pillar 2A requirement relative to peers and continues to not meet its PRA assessment buffer requirement. Moody's calculates that The Co-operative Bank has a circa GBP 270 million buffer over minimum capital requirements; this buffer is good in relation to the bank's size, but the risk of a material reduction of the buffer and a breach of the minimum requirement is high in a stressed environment for a loss-making bank such as The Co-operative Bank.

FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATINGS

The Co-operative Bank's BCA could be upgraded following a return to sustainable internal capital generation through earnings, and the issuance of sufficient debt to meet the bank's MREL requirements.

An upgrade of the BCA would lead to an upgrade of the long-term deposit ratings of The Co-operative Bank and the issuer rating for The Co-operative Bank Finance. Substantial issuance of bail-in-able subordinated or senior debt by The Co-operative Bank or The Co-operative Bank Finance, which would protect depositors from losses in a resolution scenario, could also lead to an upgrade of the long-term deposit ratings. The Co-operative Bank Finance's issuer rating could also be upgraded following a material increase in the stock of subordinated liabilities issued by The Co-operative Bank Finance or by The Co-operative Bank, or a material issuance of senior unsecured debt by The Co-operative Bank Finance.

The Co-operative Bank's BCA could be downgraded following evidence that the bank will not be able to return to a sustainable level of net profitability beyond 2021.

A downgrade of The Co-operative Bank's BCA would lead to a downgrade of all long-term ratings of The Co-operative Bank and The Co-operative Bank Finance.

LIST OF AFFECTED RATINGS

..Issuer: The Co-operative Bank plc

Affirmations:

.... Adjusted Baseline Credit Assessment, Affirmed b3

.... Baseline Credit Assessment, Affirmed b3

.... LT Counterparty Risk Assessment, Affirmed B1(cr)

.... LT Counterparty Risk Ratings, Affirmed B2

.... LT Deposit Ratings, Affirmed B3, outlook changed to Stable from Positive

.... ST Counterparty Risk Assessment, Affirmed NP(cr)

.... ST Counterparty Risk Ratings, Affirmed NP

.... ST Deposit Ratings, Affirmed NP

Outlook action:

....Outlook changed to Stable from Positive

..Issuer: The Co-operative Bank Finance p.l.c.

Affirmations:

....ST Issuer Ratings, Affirmed NP

....LT Issuer Ratings, Affirmed Caa1, outlook changed to Stable from Positive

Outlook action:

....Outlook changed to Stable from Positive

PRINCIPAL METHODOLOGY

The principal methodology used in these ratings was Banks Methodology published in November 2019 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1147865. Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.

REGULATORY DISCLOSURES

For further specification of Moody's key rating assumptions and sensitivity analysis, see the sections Methodology Assumptions and Sensitivity to Assumptions in the disclosure form. Moody's Rating Symbols and Definitions can be found at: https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_79004.

For ratings issued on a program, series, category/class of debt or security this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the same series, category/class of debt, security or pursuant to a program for which the ratings are derived exclusively from existing ratings in accordance with Moody's rating practices. For ratings issued on a support provider, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the credit rating action on the support provider and in relation to each particular credit rating action for securities that derive their credit ratings from the support provider's credit rating. For provisional ratings, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the provisional rating assigned, and in relation to a definitive rating that may be assigned subsequent to the final issuance of the debt, in each case where the transaction structure and terms have not changed prior to the assignment of the definitive rating in a manner that would have affected the rating. For further information please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page for the respective issuer on www.moodys.com.

For any affected securities or rated entities receiving direct credit support from the primary entity(ies) of this credit rating action, and whose ratings may change as a result of this credit rating action, the associated regulatory disclosures will be those of the guarantor entity. Exceptions to this approach exist for the following disclosures, if applicable to jurisdiction: Ancillary Services, Disclosure to rated entity, Disclosure from rated entity.

The ratings have been disclosed to the rated entity or its designated agent(s) and issued with no amendment resulting from that disclosure.

These ratings are solicited. Please refer to Moody's Policy for Designating and Assigning Unsolicited Credit Ratings available on its website www.moodys.com.

Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating review.

Moody's general principles for assessing environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks in our credit analysis can be found at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1133569.

At least one ESG consideration was material to the credit rating action(s) announced and described above.

REFERENCES/CITATIONS

[1] Source: The Co-operative Bank's financials and investor presentations.

[2] Source: Moody's Global Macro Outlook 2020-21: Global economy is limping back to life, but the recovery will be long and bumpy, published on 22 June 2020.

Please see www.moodys.com for any updates on changes to the lead rating analyst and to the Moody's legal entity that has issued the rating.

Please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for additional regulatory disclosures for each credit rating.

Edoardo Calandro Vice President - Senior Analyst Financial Institutions Group Moody's Investors Service Ltd. One Canada Square Canary Wharf London E14 5FA United Kingdom JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454 Laurie Mayers Associate Managing Director Financial Institutions Group JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454 Releasing Office: Moody's Investors Service Ltd. One Canada Square Canary Wharf London E14 5FA United Kingdom JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454

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New Delhi:

An encounter between militants and security forces is underway in Drugmulla, Kupwara (J&K). One-two terrorists are believed to be holed up in the area.

With respect to this encounter, there were reports coming earlier on Sunday that an encounter broke in Kandi village of the Kupwara, north Kashmir (J&K) where two to three terrorist were trapped in a residential house. J&K Police and the army plunged into action immediately in a joint operation to engage and combat the terrorist.

The cross border firing between the security forces of the two nations along the line of control (Loc) and international border in J&K has escalated to a higher level in the last couple of days with regular cease fire violations from the Pak Army and Rangers in the RS Pura, Hiranagar and Samba sector.

The Indian army has given the Pakistan forces a befitting reply by infliction huge damage to them in the Keran sector after an Indian army Sepoy Mandeep Singhs body was mutilated by terrorist in Machil sector of Kupwara sector, J&K. The Indian army carried out a massive onslaught by destroying four Pakistani posts in Keran along the LoC on.

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Housing Rights Advocates Call on Billionaire Landlord Geoffrey Palmer to Stop Putting Profits Above People

A coalition of tenants' rights advocates that include Housing Is A Human Right (HHR), the housing advocacy division of AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), will stage a socially-distant protest calling out the predatory housing practices of Geoffrey Palmer, a billionaire landlord. He owns and manages more than 11,000 apartments in Southern California.

Palmer has a notorious reputation within the housing space. He was named "Downtown L.A.'s Worst Developer" after winning a 2007 lawsuit that overturned L.A.'s zoning requirements for including affordable housing in new developments - known as "inclusionary housing." Housing activists hold up inclusionary housing as a critical tool to ensure that luxury-housing developers build affordable housing during California's housing affordability crisis. And in 2019, Palmer was hit with a class-action lawsuit that charged him with wrongly keeping millions of dollars in rental security deposits from thousands of tenants in Southern California.

Like many corporate landlords and developers, Palmer has spent millions of dollars to prevent efforts to protect renters in California.

The SOCIALLY-DISTANT PROTEST will start at 8:30 a.m. and run until 10:00 a.m. in Beverly Hills.







WHAT: HOUSING RIGHTS PROTEST: housing and health care advocates call on billionaire landlord Geoffrey Palmer to stop putting profits above people and fueling California's housing affordability and homeless crises. WHEN: Friday, July 10, 2020 - 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. WHERE: Beverly Hills, CA (News - Alert) B-ROLL: 10-foot puppet of Geoffrey Palmer, 5-foot eviction sign, 30+ advocates will hold a socially-distant protest, in which they will stand six feet apart and wear facemasks, in observance of COVID-19 protocols

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Ruthie Thomas, Communications Director, Housing Is A Human Right [email protected] (310) 663-4159 cell

Jacquie Burbank, Western Grassroots Director, Housing Is A Human Right (HHR) [email protected] (323) 208-1505 cell

"California's housing affordability and homeless crises have only been compounded by COVID-19, as millions of people face financial uncertainty," said Rene Moya, Housing Is A Human Right and Proposition 21 Campaign Director. "Now more than ever, we need people to come together to help solve the issues that burden our neighbors and communities. Let's call out predatory landlords like Palmer, who continue to fight against every effort to keep families in their homes."

AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the parent non-profit of Housing Is A Human Right and Healthy Housing Foundation, has long addressed public health emergencies -- from the AIDS epidemic to the Ebola crisis to California's homeless crisis. AHF will do everything it can to help the vulnerable during this difficult time.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200710005079/en/
After the 13-2 tally, the council immediately began closed-door consultations that extended into the night and appeared likely to continue early Saturday. Diplomats said that, despite the deadline, convoys that pass continuously across the Turkish border would likely continue for at least a day or two as negotiations were underway. But without a council mandate and a means to safely enter Syria, the many international aid agencies that operate there under the U.N. umbrella would have few if any options. The Friday vote came after three efforts to pass competing resolutions submitted by the West and Russia failed earlier in the week.
Then I work on roughs  the initial sketches I do before drawing the final version  for the cover of a new middle school book Im illustrating called The Day the Screens Went Blank, by the comedian Danny Wallace.

4 p.m. I go for a run. I am objectively bad at running and hate it because I feel like everybody is staring and/or laughing at me, so I try to make it bearable by listening to the John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch cast recording. I stretch after while my pugs lick the sweat off my legs. (Gross.)

Tuesday

8 a.m. Coffee date with Zander, then I spend the morning working on my biweekly comic for The Nib, an online comics site Ive been contributing to since 2014. Ive made quite a few Middle Ages-themed comics for them, and this one is about Black Death Truthers, playing on the coronavirus conspiracy theories Ive seen floating around social media and the Facebook pages of certain older relatives.

I go down an internet rabbit hole of ridiculous Covid-19 conspiracy theories, then I go through my old sketchbooks to find notes about medieval lives from books and articles. I often have several disparate ideas on one page, like a design for a cat-themed enamel pin, a list of pug yoga poses, a drawing of a T. rex for some reason, and a rough script for a comic about phone anxiety. Once I have the comic planned out in my sketchbook, I draw up a rough using my graphic tablet.

12.30 p.m. My friend Evie, also known as the tattoo artist Show Pigeon, brings Lebanese food from Byblos, and we walk around the Circle, the central shopping district of Orange, to look in the antique malls. Evie finds an awesome vintage Alice in Wonderland paint-by-numbers for her tattoo studio wall.

Wednesday

9 a.m. Our Wi-Fi is back, so I answer emails but make the mistake of checking Facebook and immediately regret it. My comics arent particularly political or controversial, but I still manage to upset people. Some commenters on my recent comic, 8 Ways Not to Wear Your Face Mask (examples: The Jaunty Chapeau, The Snacktime), have chosen to lecture me on the uselessness of face masks. I try not to engage too much. Maybe becoming a cartoonist wasnt the best choice for someone as conflict averse as I am.

11 a.m. I drive 30 minutes to Carson to see the new Los Angeles pug rescue facility, where Im painting a mural. Ive gotten to know a lot of the pug rescues through events like the Vegas Pug Party, where I usually have a booth. (The Vegas Pug Party is exactly what youd imagine, including a party bus full of pugs that goes down the Strip.)
The other day I mentioned to my son Cameron something I heard the great economist Thomas Sowell say.

Sowell had reminded the Black Lives Matter protesters who were indiscriminately toppling statues and defacing monuments around the country that a lot of white people were instrumental in ending slavery.

Not just Ulysses Grant, Abraham Lincoln and the hundreds of thousands of Northern soldiers who died in the Civil War, but also many abolitionists who were fighting to end slavery long before the shooting started.

Thats funny, Cameron said. Ive been doing research on Moms side of the family. You wouldnt believe how famous and influential they were.

Really? The Sterns?

Oh, my God, Dad, Cameron joked. Your father was just president of the United States. Moms family founded the United States.

Cameron, 42, is a stay-at-home dad with a lot of time on his hands.

He was discovering a lot of information we didnt know about my wife Colleens historic family, the Sterns, who trace their origins back to the English immigrant Isaac Stearns.

Isaac Stearns, who had an a in his last name, was not only among the original Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He and his two brothers came over in 1630 on John Winthrops boat, the Arabella.

Cameron told me Charles River in Boston was named after Isaacs brother, Charles Stearns, after he fell overboard into the unnamed channel.

Youre kidding, I said, not knowing that all of Americas Stearns/Sterns, poet T.S. Eliot and some guy named Richard Nixon are direct descendants of Isaac Stearns.

Cameron was only getting started, however.

Next he told me about Charles Luther Stearns, an American superstar who built a fortune as a merchant and industrialist in the Boston area and in the 1840s became a prominent leader in the Norths anti-slavery movement.

Stearns was no limousine abolitionist.

He financed the settlement of anti-slavery homesteaders in Kansas. He turned his estate into a stop on the Underground Railroad that helped escaped slaves get to Canada. Harriet Tubman was a regular visitor there.

Stearns also was a member of the Secret Six that supplied radical abolitionist John Brown with weapons for his failed attack on Harpers Ferry.

And during the Civil War he pushed for the enlistment of Black soldiers in the Union Army.

Working with his state, he recruited the Black infantrymen for the 54th and 55th Massachusetts regiments featured in the movie Glory. He also provided schools for the kids of the soldiers and jobs for their families. In his spare time founded several magazines including The Nation.

After emancipation, Stearns pushed hard to advance civil rights for Blacks until he died at age 58 in 1867.

Its no accident that his friends included Henry David Thoreau and Frederick Douglass, and Ralph Waldo Emerson delivered his eulogy.

Three decades later, Booker T. Washington honored Stearns by name at the dedication of the spectacular bronze sculpture created for the 54th Regiment Memorial in Boston Common.

As Cameron quipped, Ronald Reagan who?

Its been great to learn that my wifes ancestors played such an important part in the birth of the country, the history of Boston and the fight to abolish slavery and help the freed slaves.

But my story about the proud history of Colleens family has a sad ending.

On June 3, 2020, exactly 123 years after Booker T. Washington dedicated it, the 54th Regiment Memorial was painted with four-letter words and phrases like Black Lives Matter, No Justice, No Peace and Police are Pigs.

Like the statues of Ulysses Grant, Frederick Douglass and other forgotten abolitionists who fought for the freedom of Blacks, the 54th Regiment Memorial was desecrated by a mob of white and Black protesters and professional vandals.

It would have been nice if before those social justice warriors defaced the memorial and roughed up 15 other statues on Boston Common, they had studied a little history. Theyd learn its not as black-and-white as they think.

Michael Reagan is syndicated by Cagle Cartoons.
Foreign meddling in Libya at unprecedented levels: UN chief

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 09 July 2020 7:13 AM

The United Nations (UN) secretary-general warns that foreign interference in the conflict in Libya has reached "unprecedented" levels.

"The [Libyan] conflict has entered a new phase, with foreign interference reaching unprecedented levels, including in the delivery of sophisticated equipment and the number of mercenaries involved in the fighting," Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in an address to a high-level virtual meeting of the UN Security Council on Wednesday.

He said both the delivery of weapons and the dispatch of proxy forces were in violation of a UN arms embargo on Libya.

Since 2014, two rival seats of power have emerged in Libya, namely the internationally-recognized government, known as the Government of National Accord (GNA), and another group based in the eastern city of Tobruk.

The latter camp is supported militarily by an array of rebel militia under the command of a former general named Khalifa Haftar.

The rebels receive support from the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Russia, and Jordan. The GNA is backed by Turkey.

Foreign patrons on both sides are accused of sending in advanced weapons and proxies.

In the past couple of weeks, government forces have pushed the rebels as far back as the city of Sirte, on the Mediterranean coastline, where a major battle now looms. The government advances are believed to have come with crucial Turkish support.

Guterres said the "GNA units, with significant external support, continued their advance eastward, and are now 25 kilometers west of Sirte after two previous attempts to gain control of the city."

He expressed concern about the military buildup around Sirte.

Russia is accused of supporting Haftar in his bid to oust the GNA, but Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia rejected the allegation in the same UNSC session on Wednesday.

"But we know about other countries' military personnel, including from those countries that accuse us, to be present on Libyan soil, East and West," Nebenzia said, calling on all countries with influence on the Libyan parties to push for a permanent ceasefire.

The UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash also told the UNSC that there had been "roughly 10,000 Syrian mercenaries operating in Libya, approximately twice as many as there were six months ago."

Turkey is accused of sending those militants.

Guterres said that, between April and June this year, the UN mission in Libya had documented at least 102 civilians deaths and 254 civilians injuries, showing a 172 percent increase compared to the first quarter of the year.

He said there had also been at least 21 attacks on medical facilities, ambulances, and medical personnel in Libya.

International attempts to bring about peace between the warring sides in Libya have so far failed. The country first plunged into chaos in 2011, when a popular uprising and a NATO intervention led to the ouster of long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

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A worker irons face masks in a garment factory in Ho Chi Minh City on April 21, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Nguyet Nhi.

The number of job cuts in Vietnam could rise in the second half of the year as manufacturing companies see orders plummet amid the coronavirus pandemic.

July marks the fifth month that Hoang, a carpenter in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum, has been out of work due to the pandemic.

He was laid off in March when Vietnam started recording a surging number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases. His employer promised him that he will be recruited again when the situation improves.

When Hoang made a phone call earlier this month to ask about his job, the employer said the situation had not improved, with export orders not recovering to pre-pandemic levels.

"I applied for a job at a factory making bolts and screw in Ho Chi Minh City, but couldnt get it, so I returned to my hometown to work as a farmer."

Hoang is among 1.4 million Vietnamese who lost their jobs in the first half of this year. Most business associations anticipate further layoffs in the second half due to dwindling export orders.

Thang, owner of a wood processing firm in HCMC, said that he had shut down production for export since the Covid-19 outbreak because there is no demand overseas. Before the pandemic, exports accounted for 70 percent of the companys orders.

He has laid off 60 percent of his staff, and the remaining have been retained to serve domestic demand, which has also declined from pre-pandemic levels.

Most wood product manufacturers in HCMC have cut their staff by 20-30 percent, according to Nguyen Chanh Phuong, deputy chairman of the city's Handicraft and Wood Industry Association.

Since April, buyers from major export markets such as the U.S., Japan and the E.U. have been canceling or delaying their orders, and therefore, production of high-end furniture has mostly been suspended, he said.

Businesses are trying to survive by letting laborers work part time to avoid terminating contracts, he added.

A similar situation applies to textile and garment makers. With orders dropping 50 percent, companies have laid off 25-30 percent of their staff, and the ratio could rise to 40 percent by the end of the year, said Pham Xuan Hong, chairman of the HCMC Association of Garments, Textiles, Embroidery & Knitwear.

Some manufacturers have switched to making masks to increase revenue, but sales has not reached set targets as orders drop alongside increasing market supply, he added.

In the seafood industry, the layoff ratio is about 20 percent, and many companies are reporting low revenues, said Truong Dinh Hoe, general secretary of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).

Vietnams trade turnover in the first six months fell 2.1 percent year-on-year to $238.4 billion, with exports dropping 1.1 percent and imports by 3 percent. This ended over a decade of trade turnover growth.

Exports of textile and garment, footwear and seafood, which are among the top categories in terms of value, all declined year-on-year.

These figures explain why Sang, a manager at footwear maker Pouyuen in HCMC, was laid off recently after 10 years of working there.

He was among nearly 2,800 employees that the Taiwanese company, the largest employer in the city, has terminated contracts with because of pandemic-related plunge in orders.

Finding a new job is difficult for the man as most companies are also cutting down on staff. He has decided to work as a motorbike driver for a ride-hailing company to feed his family of four.

"I guess Ill have to wait for a long time before I can find a stable job."
By Bart Biesemans

PERUWELZ, Belgium (Reuters) - Residents of a Belgian retirement home are able to soothe the pain of social distancing measures imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic by embracing their loved ones through a 'hug curtain'.

Staff at the Jardins de Picardie nursing home near the French border installed the large plastic curtain on June 14 and it has proven very popular with the residents, who had not been allowed any visitors for 11 weeks.

Lili Hendrickx, an 86-year old resident of the home, said the curtain was "the most beautiful invention" she had ever seen.

"It's terribly emotional for me," she said, adding that she cried the first time she was able to hug her daughter again.

"The feeling you get when you are close to someone like that, I felt like the heat was passing through."

Visitors were equally enthusiastic.

"The fact that you can meet your loved ones again, it's a real pleasure, especially physically and emotionally, it feels good," said Amandine Josefiak, 35, who had come to visit her father at the home.

The curtain, decorated with flowers and bright colours, is made of a big plastic sheet with two pockets on each side where residents and visitors or staff insert their arms.

After each use, nurses carefully disinfect the plastic curtain.

"Due to the coronavirus and this social distancing we all suffered a lot from the lack of affection," Marie Christine Desoer, the director of the home, said.

"We know it will last for a while, we don't know where we're going with this virus..."

Belgium imposed its lockdown on March 18 to halt the spread of COVID-19 but has now started to relax the restrictions.

The disease has so far claimed 9,761 lives in Belgium, a country of 11 million, one of the highest fatality rates per capita in the world.

(This story corrects spelling of resident's surname in paragraph 3)

(Reporting by Bart Bisemans, writing by Marine Strauss; Editing by Gareth Jones)
LONDON, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Federation of St Kitts and Nevis has diversified its economy through the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme, established in 1984. The fund option that citizenship hopefuls contribute to provides the government with resources to implement socio-economic initiatives across the twin islands. This is according to Foreign Minister Mark Brantley, interviewed for a new documentary by Professional Wealth Management (PWM)  a publication from the Financial Times.

Mr Brantley, who is also the recently re-elected Premier of Nevis, says that CBI plays a very important role for the residents of the islands and the country's economy. Prime Minister Timothy Harris introduced the Sustainable Growth Fund (SGF) in 2018 as the fastest and most secure route to second citizenship. It is proving particularly appealing to investing families.

"That fund provides direct income to the government," Mr Brantley told PWM. "And when that happens, of course, the government then have resources to do a host of social projects and a host of development and infrastructural projects for the country. And we look around St Kitts and Nevis and you see the DNA of that all over. We've just launched, for example, a Poverty Alleviation Programme where poor households are given a supplemental check each month. So, it really has real, legitimate impact on the ordinary lives of our citizens, and I think that is what makes it so important to us."

He explained how bigger countries like the US, Canada and EU member states have replicated the islands' original investor immigration model. "We started it here, but it hasn't stayed here," Mr Brantley says. "In Europe, for example, you have places like Malta and Cyprus and Portugal  they're all offering some variant. The great Canada offered some variant which attracted, of course, a lot of Hong Kong Chinese to places like Vancouver. In the United States, you have the EB-5 visa programme that was put in place. All of these are variants of the same theme, but that theme started right here in St Kitts and Nevis."

Due diligence for St Kitts and Nevis is among the strictest, and that gives foreign investors reassurance. A limited-time offer now runs for families of up to four to obtain citizenship for US$150,000 via SGF.

Contact:

[email protected]

www.csglobalpartners.com

SOURCE CS Global Partners
Dozens of events followed: cocktails with the Dutch designer Bibi van der Velden, a private tour of the Cartier Mansion on Fifth Avenue, a screening of Breakfast at Tiffanys.

While direct contact with deluxe jewels and their makers is central to Gem Xs appeal, the clubs track record of facilitating friendships has proved to be an even bigger draw.

Christine Cheng, the gallery director for Simon Teakle, an estate jewelry dealer based in Greenwich, Conn., joined in 2017 after Ms. Jamison visited Mr. Teakles booth at the European Fine Art Fair in New York, or TEFAF.

This is going to sound very woo-woo, Ms. Cheng said. A lot of my friends were moving out of New York. Then Lin invited me to this thing that turned out to be legit. I was just excited to meet friends and then, of course, when you have a shared love of jewelry and art, that helps strengthens any bond you make.

Ms. Cheng and Mr. Higgs belong to the Gem X Core, a group of 10 people who help interview prospective members via phone and serve as something of a steering committee. Another Core member, Julie Chang, is spearheading a Los Angeles chapter. She plans to kick things off with a few L.A.-centric Gemflix events this summer and intends to announce the chapters first physical gathering when the time feels right.

The founders emphasize that Gem X is nowhere near as exclusive as the rarefied world it celebrates. The only requirement for membership, they say, is a genuine enthusiasm for jewelry. (They have, however, turned away people who want to use the club as their next marketing tool, Ms. Jamison said.)
United States Applauds Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons Condemnation of Syrian Regime Use of Chemical Weapons

Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson

July 9, 2020



The United States is applauding the Executive Council of the world's chemical weapons watchdog, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), for its adoption today of a decision that condemns Syria's use of chemical weapons. This decision brings us one step closer to holding the Syrian regime accountable for its use of chemical weapons.

Today's decision sets out clear measures for the Syrian government to take, among them: the declaration of facilities where chemical weapons used in the Ltamenah attacks were developed, produced, stockpiled, and stored for delivery; the declaration of its remaining chemical weapons stockpile and production facilities; and the resolution of the outstanding issues with its initial declaration. The Syrian regime's failure to fulfill these measures will result in a recommendation to the OPCW's full body, the Conference of States Parties, to take further action.

In April 2020, the OPCW Investigation and Identification Team (IIT) concluded that there were reasonable grounds to believe that Syrian authorities were responsible for three chemical weapons attacks on Ltamenah, Syria during March 2017. These attacks preceded the more deadly sarin attack in nearby Khan Shaykhun by less than two weeks, and were part of the same concerted campaign of terror perpetrated by the Assad regime. As Secretary Pompeo said in September 2019, the regime of Bashar al-Assad has waged a war against the Syrian people, resulting in the deaths of more than a half a million people and the displacement of 11 million more.

Following an exhaustive investigation examining all plausible alternatives, the OPCW IIT concluded that the Syrian government perpetrated the chemical weapons attacks. The OPCW has an established history of impartial, professional, and independent work in its role in implementing the Chemical Weapons Convention.

Through this decision, the Executive Council reaffirmed that those responsible for the use of chemical weapons must be held accountable and emphasized the importance of bringing the perpetrators to justice.

The decision fully aligns with the U.S. position that chemical weapons have no acceptable use anytime, anywhere, under any circumstances. This commendable action is the latest of a series of measures which international organizations have taken this year to hold the Assad regime and its collaborators accountable for crimes against the Syrian people, including UN determinations of lagging humanitarian assistance cross-line delivery and the UN Secretary General's Board of Inquiry and UN Commission of Inquiry reporting on war crimes in Idlib. Only a political resolution as outlined in UNSCR 2254 will lead to an enduring solution to the Syrian conflict.

For further information, please contact AVC-Press-DL@state.gov.

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In the past two weeks, COVID-19 case numbers in Florida have skyrocketed. While most days in early to mid-June saw between 2,000 to 4,000 new cases, those numbers shot up to the 8,000 range in late June, spurring Gov. Ron DeSantis to shut down bars. In the past 10 days, the states cases have continued to trend upward, with several days of case counts above 10,000.

DeSantis has continually played down Floridas high numbers, focusing on data showing that many 20- to 30-year-olds account for new cases. For the people that are testing positive at the highest rates in Florida, those 20-year-olds and the 30-year-olds, by and large, theyre presenting very mild or asymptomatically and thats obviously a good thing, DeSantis said at a public appearance in the retirement community the Villages this week, according to Click Orlando. In another public address on Monday, he said the state is working on increasing personnel and resources at hospitals. To give further context, he mentioned that 40 percent of patients visiting Jackson Health System in Miami-Dade County for non-COVID reasons are testing positive (a stat that Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida tweeted about Friday). DeSantis also said that while asymptomatic people, who are often young, dont need to be hospitalized for COVID, the ensuing protocol requires patients to be isolated and requires a lot of care and a lot of manpower. (I reached out to Jackson Health to ask about the stats DeSantis gave as well as its procedures for treating and isolating patients, and will update this piece with its response.)

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The next day, Fox News Steve Doocy spoke about DeSantis statement but with considerable editorializing. Doocy claimed that the governor called hospitalization numbers deceptiveDeSantis never used this word, and nothing in his talk implied thisand Doocy went on to explain that as asymptomatic patients test positive, they gotta keep em in the hospital  so thats why the numbers are going up. This is a spin on what DeSantis mentioned about COVID-19 patients requiring procedures and manpower; Doocy seems to have taken those details and reached the conclusion that patients are being forced to stay in the hospital as a result of their COVID-19 positive status, which inflates the states hospitalization numbers. (In any case, its unclear how much hospitalization numbers are going up, because Florida has still not released reports on COVID-19 hospitalizations, despite DeSantis promise last week that the state would begin reporting those numbers.)

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If Doocys claims are true, this would require a few protocols to be in place at hospitals. First, for non-COVID-19 patients to be declared virus-positive, theyd need to be tested upon entry, and two, to juice hospitalization numbers, patients would need to be admitted to the hospital and classified as COVID-19 patients, seemingly against their will. I dug into both these claims by contacting infection preventionists, doctors, and nurses across the U.S. to ask about their hospitals standard procedures.

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No Florida health care professionals responded to my requests for comment, but I asked several health workers elsewhere in the U.S. to get a sense for testing protocols and how a positive test might affect patients treatment. Are hospitals administering COVID-19 tests to people who come in for non-COVID-19 reasons? And if so, is it possible that theyre being forced to stay as a COVID-19 patient? Though none of the health care professionals I spoke with were authorized to speak on the record, what I learned was theres some variation in standards at different hospitals. But for the most part, patients coming in for non-COVID reasons are tested in advance; for instance, patients with non-urgent planned procedures are tested if they expect to be admitted in advance, and if they do test positive, their procedures are typically postponed. If patients coming in for non-COVID reasons come in for an emergency, theyre typically only tested if they show symptoms of COVID-19. For instance, someone whos been in a car crash and requires emergency surgery would likely be admitted and, therefore, would need to be tested so that health care workers know whether to send them to designated COVID and non-COVID spaces. Patients coming in for emergency outpatient procedures, like a scan of a broken bone, would not be kept overnight and would probably not get tested unless, in the course of receiving care, a physician observes COVID symptoms; for instance, if your lungs look suspect in a chest scan, a doctor might order a COVID-19 test.

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But unless those outpatients are somehow sick enough to suddenly require hospitalization, they do not count in hospitalization numbers unless they are actually admitted. Even then, some hospitals may not count them among COVID patients unless thats their primary reason for being admitted. And at hospitals that only report the number of overall COVID-19-positive patients, youd need a lot of people requiring emergency hospital admission testing positive to inflate the number of hospitalizations. For instance, if everyone who got into a car crash or accidentally cut off a finger happened to test positive for COVID-19, that could still be concerning because it would show significant community spread of the virus.

Perhaps most importantly, health care professionals cannot force patients into treatment. We do not tackle people at the door and drag them into the hospital, an ER physician in a major city told me with a laugh. If theres no reason to be admitted to the hospital, we absolutely do not admit them. There are plenty of people we see who test positive, who had mild-enough symptoms to not require hospitalization. An ER nurse in a hard-hit area said their staff has pleaded with some patients to stay, but they refuse out of concerns about cost or think they can receive adequate care at homeand in some cases, even patients who want to stay are turned away because the hospitals resources are limited: Every day, we discharge people who are COVID-positive, much to their anxiety and sometimes against their will, because they dont meet admission criteria. The ER physician says his colleagues in New York have been trying to keep people out of the hospital as much as possible, sometimes even sending patients home with tanks of oxygen. Given that dozens of Florida hospitals ICU beds are at capacity, it seems highly unlikely that any hospital would be forcing asymptomatic patients to stay in the hospitaland if patients were coming in for something minor, its even unlikely that theyd have detected the virus in asymptomatic patients at all.

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These incorrect claims about inflated hospitalization numbers are similar to other conspiracy theories about hospitals profiteering from COVID-19. For instance, one website claimed that hospitals were getting paid more to label cause of death as Coronavirus. When Scientific American dug into this claim, it discovered that doctors typically dont determine cause of death; coroners do, and they dont have any incentive to mark an incorrect cause of death. Another popular post claimed that hospitals were getting paid more to treat COVID-19 patients, implying that there was a financial incentive for hospitals to inflate COVID-19 cases. While it is true that the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act pays hospitals an extra 20 percent on top of its usual Medicare rates for COVID-19 patients, that doesnt necessarily offset hospitals additional costs for supplies and the construction of temporary facilities, according to an analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation. They definitely pay us more for these patients but we still lose money for every [Medicare] patient that we provide this care, Julie Lonborg, senior vice president of the Colorado Hospital Association, told the Denver Post in the newspapers investigation of this same claim back in May.

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I mentioned these profiteering claims to the ER physician I spoke with, who thought they were funny. His hospital has scaled back pay, hiring, and professional development, among other things; budgets have been slashed across the board. Health care workers risk their lives working in hospitals every day, and yet many still cant access proper PPE. Its laughable to accuse the overworked professionals on the front lines of the pandemic of making money off a virus theyve seen kill so many patients and health care workers.

The facts of the pandemic have not changed; in fact, they have only gotten worse in recent days. But pundits and politicians are digging deep to find ways to explain away the surge in cases driven by their premature reopenings. Though its certainly possible a few patients have been admitted to Florida hospitals for COVID-19 after showing up at the hospital for non-COVID reasons, thats not driving the surge in numbers. Illness is. And until politicians can soberly look at and accept the numbers, and take steps to mitigate themeven if that means closing things back uptheyll continue to climb.

For more of Slates coverage of the impact of COVID-19, subscribe to What Next on Apple Podcasts or listen below.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
(Natural News) A prayer rally held next to the iconic St. Louis Statue on Art Hill in St. Louis Citys Forest Park was violently disrupted by Black Lives Matter (BLM) and Antifa terrorists who reportedly beat at least three white men with sticks.

Christians, Catholics, Jews and others had met up to join in prayer next to the statue, which is one of the latest to be targeted by the far-left mob for removal because it supposedly exists as a symbol of racism.

After the prayer rally was announced, radical leftist activists from the area caught wind of it and decided to confront it with a protest, which quickly turned violent once the mob saw the ever-dreaded Christian white male  and lots of them  surrounding the statue in solidarity.

Numerous priests who attempted to join up with the prayer service say they were heckled and harassed for merely being present in the park. One who was trying to explain to the angry mob the true history of St. Louis of France was met with threats that the mob would destroy the St. Louis Cathedral next after abolishing the statue.

They smeared our gathering as a KKK rally, wrote The Gateway Pundits Jim Hoft, who was part of the prayer rally, about how local leftist activists needlessly stirred the pot and incited violence. Of course, their lies put our lives in danger.

Neither BLM nor Antifa are peaceful organizations simply wanting to protest. All of this and more is laid out in the following episode of The Health Ranger Report with Mike Adams, the Health Ranger:

Twitter refuses to censor tweets celebrating hateful violence against white Christian men

When the BLM and Antifa mob realized that shouting through bullhorns and flipping the bird at the Christian prayer rallygoers was not leading to their desired outcome, they proceeded to beat the prayer warriors with weapons.

This is how racists should be treated, tweeted one violent protester who bragged on Twitter about ganging up on the white men and beating them with makeshift weapons.

Im not even gonna worry about blurring dudes face cuz its already everywhere, this same Twitter user added, his tweet not being censored by the Twitter gods in the same way that President Trumps recent tweets have been targeted with censorship. Hes my hero, the tweet concluded, celebrating violence against white Christian men.

After The Gateway Pundit initially got the story wrong and reported only one white Christian man who was beaten, as opposed to three, the paper was mocked by that same Twitter account for getting the story wrong.

More fake news from @gatewaypundit, tweeted the Cop Watch STL (@CopWatchSTL) Twitter account, again incurring no censorship for violating any of Twitters terms of service against hate speech. It was 3 of em that got they ass beat, the tweet goes on to state, along with two laughing-face emojis.

Is open violence against innocent white Christian men part of the new normal we all keep hearing about? Is violence against white Christian men the only type of violence that is allowed and sanctioned by the Left, and by far-left social media platforms like Twitter?

We already know that Facebook has made an exception for hate speech when it comes to targeting white men. The platform specifically altered its internal policies during the LGBTQ pride month of June to allow far-leftists to promote hate, just so long as this hate is directed against white Christian men.

Just more proof that if you are Godless you become an animal, wrote one commenter at The Gateway Pundit. Spiritually, you have no resemblance to a human being. You are no longer in the image of God.'

More news stories about BLM and Antifa terrorism are available at CivilWar.news.

Sources for this article include:

TheGatewayPundit.com

NaturalNews.com

NaturalNews.com
- Benin has been trending on social media lately because of a story of an 87-member group that went for a ritual in the country but ended up in a scary situation

- A rising musician/rapper called Myk decided to tap into the trend, but his father who is a pastor, discovered the post and did not like what he found

- According to Myk, he was called, rebuked, counselled, corrected, and instructed by his father

Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

A Ghanaian gentleman who calls himself Myk_Milllah on Twitter has indicated that his father rebuked him without mercy for making a WhatsApp status update concerning Benin.

In the post sighted by YEN.com.gh on his personal handle on Twitter, Myk, who is an upcoming musician/rapper said he only posted "Benin soon" as his status and his dad got to view it.

From that moment, Myk was called, rebuked, counselled, corrected, and instructed by his father who is a pastor of a local church.

READ ALSO: KNUST SHS student who passed away died of stomach ulcer and not COVID-19 - Report

View post below:

Stories about people going to Benin have been trending on social media lately, with many people confused about what all the talk has been centred on.

Reports gathered by YEN.com.gh have shown there was actually a group of 87 people who went to Benin for a ritual from a traditional priest.

However, they were reportedly informed that seven of them would be randomly picked, not to return but to be used as a sacrifice for the rest.

READ ALSO: Lady starts all-girls car wash and painting business with employees before her graduation

A voice note from one of the members is reported to have surfaced, sparking the entire conversation about Benin on social media.

Source: UGC

Source: UGC

In a separate news report, Shamima Opoku Amankwah, a brilliant girl who grew up in Ghana, left Wesley Girls' SHS when she was in year one and ended up becoming the best graduating student at Our Lord Secondary School in Canada.

In an interview with YEN.com.gh, the small lady reveals that she is originally Canadian but spent most of her formative years in Ghana.

Shamima attended The Ridge School from inception to junior high school, after which she went to Wesley Girls' and then left Ghana the following year.

Enjoy reading our stories? Download YEN's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Ghana news!

Senior Minister, Osafo-Maafo, tests positive for COVID-19:

Got a national or human interest story you think we should should know about?

Get interactive via our Facebook page

Source: YEN.com.gh
Tourists are seen at Kuta beach, Bali, Indonesia on Thursday, July 9, 2020. (AP)

Denpasar: Indonesias resort island of Bali partially reopened after a three-month virus lockdown Thursday, allowing local people and stranded foreign tourists to resume public activities before overseas arrivals resume in September.

Normally bustling beaches and streets on the idyllic Southeast Asian island emptied in early April except for special patrols to ensure health protocols were observed. Authorities restricted public activities, closed the airport and shuttered all shops, bars, sit-down restaurants, public swimming pools and many other places on the island thats home to more than 4 million people.

The local government began lifting the limits Thursday, but tourists will face stringent rules in hotels, restaurants and on beaches, Bali Gov. I Wayan Koster said.

Koster told a news conference that the island will gradually reopen shuttered places to locals and stranded foreigners. Bali will open to Indonesians from other parts of the country on July 31 and new foreign arrivals on Sept. 11.

The government established guidelines for reopening tourist spots and may close certain areas again if infections spike, he said.

The pandemic has hit tourism sector so badly while there is no certainty when it will end, Koster said. We have to revive economic activity to prevent Bali from new social problems due to increasing economic pressures.

Tourism is the main source of income for the island that is mainly Hindu in the mostly Muslim archipelago nation.

The famed white-sand beaches and popular shopping areas on the island of the gods were deserted almost two decades ago when visitors were scared off by terrorism. The dark cloud of the suicide bombings that killed 202 mostly foreign tourists in 2002 lingered for years, but the island has worked to overcome that image.

More than 5 million foreigners arrived in Bali each year prior to the pandemic, which caused the numbers to dive.

Balis immigration office data showed the local government has granted automatic visa extensions to more than 7,000 stranded tourists in Bali. Nearly 16,000 others hold temporary residence permits and about 1,300 live as permanent residents.

The data show the occupancy rate at Balis starred hotels plunged to 2.07% in May from 62.5% in December.

Businessman Gede Wirata, who runs hotels, restaurants, clubs and a cruise ship with about 4,000 employees, said he managed to save his staff from layoffs despite having suffered a loss of 500 billion rupiah ($35 million) because of travel restrictions.

This outbreak has hammered the local economy, he said. We have to move on but be safe by observing health protocols to protect Bali from the second wave of coronavirus spread.

Bali has recorded more than 1,900 cases of COVID-19, including 25 deaths. Indonesia has confirmed more than 68,000 cases and 3,359 fatalities, the most in Southeast Asia.
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Linkedin Ghina Ghaliya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 10, 2020 19:55 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406657c0d4 1 National maria-pauline-lumowa,BNI-46,fugitive,tipikor,money-laundering Free

The National Police have brought multiple charges relating to corruption and money laundering against captured fugitive Maria Pauline Lumowa, who has been wanted for 17 years as a suspect in a major fraud case.

The National Polices Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) chief Comr. Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo said Maria had been charged under the 2001 Corruption Law and the 2003 Money Laundering Law.

We will make separate police reports for both charges, Listyo said in a broadcast press conference on Friday.

The money laundering charge was used to track down Marias assets as well as other parties that might be involved in the loan scam, he said, adding that investigators would question her and 11 witnesses to dig deeper into the case.

Read also: Marias extradition cover up for failure to arrest other fugitives, experts say

He explained that the National Police had so far confiscated and tracked down assets in the form of her unmovable and movable property as well as money and goods that had been confiscated and auctioned off, valued at a total of Rp 132 billion (US$9.14 million)

We will further trace her assets and also other parties that might be involved in the case, Listyo said.

Listyo added that Maria, who obtained Dutch citizenship in 1979 and was hiding in the Netherlands, had asked for an attorney and the police had requested the Dutch embassy to provide legal assistance for her.

Maria fled Indonesia just before she was named a suspect of a fraudulent loan scam by the National Police in 2003. She allegedly used a fictitious letter of credit to obtain US$136 million and 56 million euro ($118,846) in bank loans from BNI issued to her company PT Gramarindo Group between 2002 and 2003. The alleged scam was worth Rp 1.7 trillion, roughly equivalent to Rp 4.5 trillion (US$312.2 million) in todays money.
Should religious employers be allowed to discriminate?

When it comes to houses of worship selecting spiritual leaders, then the answer from lower courts has long been yes. Even if, say, a member of the clergy is dismissed on the grounds of their race, gender identity, age or disability. Thats because churches can claim a ministerial exception from complying with nondiscrimination laws.

The Supreme Court has just expanded that exemption to cover employees at religious schools. In so doing, they may have opened the doors to faith-based providers of services such as health care and social services, as well as education, to openly discriminate against staff who may perform some religious duties.

In 2012, the justices ruled that the legal doctrine protecting religious entities from being sued over discrimination  the ministerial exception  was enshrined in the Constitution, under the First Amendments free exercise clause.

Until then, the question over whether the government could enforce nondiscrimination laws on the selection of clergy remained open. But in an unanimous opinion, the Supreme Court ruled that places of worship can discriminate on any grounds  not just religion  when it came to their religious leaders.

Requiring a church to accept or retain an unwanted minister, noted the Supreme Court eight years ago, interferes with the internal governance of the church, depriving the church of control over the selection of those who will personify its beliefs.

This ministerial exception to nondiscrimination laws was at the heart of the Supreme Court ruling that came down Wednesday. The case centered around two Los Angeles area Catholic schools that invoked the ministerial exception to justify the dismissal of two staff members.

One of the teachers alleged she had been dismissed after requesting medical leave to undertake cancer treatment. If true, such a firing would violate the Americans with Disabilities Act. The second teacher alleged that she was dismissed after 20 years of service on account of her age  something that would go against age discrimination laws.

In neither case were the teachers religious beliefs or their willingness to follow the schools religious dictates at issue. One of the teachers was Catholic, though being a Catholic was not a requirement for teaching at either school.

The two schools responded by asserting that because the teachers engaged in some religious functions  such as providing 30 minutes of religious instruction most days  that the ministerial exception applied, relieving the schools of defending against the disability and age discrimination claims.

The Supreme Court agreed in a 7-2 opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito, which cited the 2012 case, which also involved a teacher, but one that held the title of Minister of Religion, Commissioned, and benefited from several tax exemptions and benefits limited to clergy.

In the latest case, neither of those factors applied to the dismissed teachers.

Nonetheless, the court ruled that because the teachers engaged in some religious activity with their students  religious instruction and engaging in worship  the ministerial exception applied.

As Justice Alito wrote, the relevant factor was their religious duties, not their titles, or even the bulk of their teaching responsibilities. Both teachers performed vital religious duties that reinforced the religious mission of the schools.

In her dissenting opinion, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, noted that neither teacher was considered clergy, nor did they identify as ministers or engage in a significant amount of religious duties.

She also expressed concern that the majority decision defers too greatly to religious entities and allows them to effectively reclassify an employee as performing vital religious duties: The Courts apparent deference here threatens to make anyone whom the schools might hire ministers unprotected from discrimination in the hiring process.

The case illustrates a complex legal dilemma. To ensure the free exercise of religion, religious bodies need independence to make the internal decisions that affect their faith. But an overly expansive definition of what employees may be covered by ministerial exceptions may allow the exception to swallow the rule.

Green is Professor of Law, Director of the Center for Religion, Law & Democracy, Willamette University. This piece was first published by The Conversation.
A mass protest in Mali against President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita descended into violence on Friday as protesters blocked main thoroughfares, attacked the parliament and stormed the premises of a state broadcaster.

One person was killed during the protest in the capital Bamako, officials said.

The protest, organised by a new opposition coalition, is the third such demonstration in two months  significantly escalating pressure on the embattled president.

Thousands initially gathered in a central square to demand the president resign over the country's long-running jihadist conflict and economic woes.

They then rallied outside the parliament and in the courtyard of a state broadcaster.

The anti-Keita protest has alarmed the international community, which is keen to avoid the fragile West African state sliding into chaos.

Led by influential imam Mahmoud Dicko, the so-called June 5 movement is channelling deep-seated frustrations, heaping pressure on Keita, who unsuccessfully floated political reforms this week in a bid to appease opponents.

Many protesters on Friday carried placards bearing anti-government slogans and blowing vuvuzela horns, AFP reporters saw.

"We don't want this regime any more," said one of the demonstrators, Sy Kadiatou Sow.

Protesters later erected barricades and set tyres alight on two of the main bridges across the river Niger that runs through Bamako, according to AFP journalists, and entered the courtyard of state broadcaster ORTM.

National guardsmen also fired tear gas at protesters hurling stones at the parliament building.

Mali has been struggling to contain an Islamist insurgency that first emerged in the north in 2012, before spreading to the centre of the country and to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.

Thousands of soldiers and civilians have been killed, and hundreds of thousands of people have been forced from their homes.

New judges

Friday's demonstration follows an attempt by Keita on Wednesday to appease growing opposition to his government by offering to appoint new judges to the constitutional court.

Story continues

The court has been at the centre of controversy in Mali since April 29, when it overturned the provisional results for March's parliamentary poll for about 30 seats.

That move saw several members of Keita's party elected to the parliament and triggered protests in several cities.

It is also widely seen as having ignited the country's latest political crisis.

Keita suggested on Wednesday that appointing new judges would mean that the constitutional court could revisit its earlier decision.

However, opposition leaders had been demanding that the 75-year-old dissolve the parliament and form a transition government.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
New Delhi: Students can avail concession on train tickets under various categories from the Indian Railways.

Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), the ticketing arm of the Indian Railways has provision for students on specific occassions during which they can avail concession on train tickets for upto 75 percent.

IRCTC has laid out specific guidelines under which students can get concession in ticket pricing of trains.

Check out the details of the IRCTC rules.

Students going to hometown and educational tours can avail discount from the Indian Railways. General Category students can avail 50 percent concession in 2nd and SL class and 50 percent in MST/QST while SC/ST Category can get 75 percent concession in 2nd and SL class and 75 percent in MST/QST. Girls upto graduation will get concession and boys upto 12th standard (including students of Madrasa) between home and school.

Students of government schools in rural areas - for study tour - once a year can avail 75 percent concession in 2nd class.

Entrance exam - Girls of government schools in rural areas  for national level for medical, engineering, etc. entrance exam can avail 75 percent concession in 2nd class.

Concession to students appearing in main written examination conducted by UPSC & Central Staff Selection Commissions is 50 percent in 2nd class.

Foreign students studying in India - travelling to attend camps/seminars organised by government of India and also visit to places of historical and other importance during vacations will get 50 percent concession in 2nd and SL class.

Research scholars upto the age of 35 years - for journeys in connection with research work can get 50 percent concession in 2nd and SL class.

Students and non-students participating in Work Camps can get 25 percent concession in 2nd and SL class.

Cadets and Marine Engineers apprentices undergoing Navigational/ Engineering training for Mercantile Marine - for travel between home and training ship can avail 50 percent concession in 2nd and SL class.
As expected, the show was rather diplomatic and cordial. It usually is when heads of state visit the White House.

My guess is that the "face to face" conversation was more blunt and frank. In other words, President Andres Lopez-Obrador of Mexico really needs a strong U.S. economic recovery and lots of help on the border.

Let's start with Topic #1 in Mexico  i.e., "el crimen" or the crime statistics.

No matter what source you rely on, crime in Mexico is out of control:

A record high of nearly 35,000 people were murdered in Mexico in 2019, according to official data, as President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador struggled to rein in violent crime in his first year in office. A report released by the Secretariat of Public Security on Monday showed there were a total 34,582 murders last year, a 2.5 percent increase from 2018, when 33,743 victims were recorded. It was the highest rate since 1997, the first year for which there is an official record. The 2019 rate equals an average of 95 murders per day in Mexico, a country that has been plagued with violence since 2006, when the government deployed the military to wage the so-called war on drugs.

Crime or "inseguridad" is what everybody in Mexico is talking about. It can impact anyone, as we saw recently with the assassination attempt on Mexico's chief of police.

As a Mexican friend told me on the phone, the police chief has more security than Trump, and they almost got him!

The Mexico economy has stopped growing. In fact, it could fall 9% in 2020. Also, the economic decline began before the coronavirus.

Last but not least, Mexico is getting hit hard by COVID. How bad has Mexico been hit? This is from Pulse News:

Given the mounting contagion of coronavirus in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon Health Secretary Manuel de la O Cavazos announced on Tuesday, July 7, that the city is running out of space to store the dead.

I should add that Monterrey is the third largest city in the country and an industrial center.

So President Lopez-Obrador needs "el amigo" Trump a lot. He needs help on the border to stop all of those guns and cash going south. He needs foreign investment to rebuild his economy.

On the other hand, President Trump has every incentive to help ailing Mexico.

We may be seeing the start of the most realistic U.S.-Mexico relationship in years.

PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.
On a frosty February morning in Kabul, Lima Aafshids face glows in the pale blue light of her smartphone. She is reciting the words of 13th century Afghan poet Jalaluddin Rumi. Speaking in Dari, her voice is soft, yet clear.

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For the past six years, Aafshid has been a member of Sher-e-daneshgah, the Kabul University Poetry Association. The group is mostly made up of students in their twenties, members of the citys rapidly growing middle class. Their meeting place is a hip, bustling cafe in Pole-e-surkh, Kabuls vibrant 3rd district. Cigarette smoke swirls around the dimly-lit room as young men and women huddle together and discuss their poetry around a small wood-burning stove.

You must have poetry inside of you, Aafshid says. Its not something that you can just learn with experience. I have been writing since I was a child, and when I started studying journalism at Kabul University I joined Shar-e-Daneshgah to receive critiques of my poetry from others. Aafshid says that the meetings have introduced her to a tight-knit cadre of like-minded young people. And during the global COVID-19 pandemic, technology has helped them continue to meet.

Afghanistan has 33,908 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and 957 fatalities as of July 10, yet the true number of cases is likely much higher due to a shortage of testing kits. Since March 28, when the Afghan government brought in lockdown measures in the capital in an attempt to prevent the spread of the virus, Sher-e-daneshgah has started hosting virtual poetry sessions, enabling its members to maintain a sense of community despite the health crisis. Aafshid says that the virtual groups have proven extremely popular. We started a group on Telegram which now has more than 200 members. In this group, we share our poems one day a week, just like we did in our face-to-face meetings.

Another informal poetry group called Saped-dar also holds a Virtual Poetry Night on Telegram, where members join via video to discuss poetry with different themes each week, from love and war to everyday life. The group was created because of it as a place for young people to socialize together and learn about poetry, says Aafshid.

Story continues

Since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, mobile technology and Internet access in Afghanistan has grown at a breakneck pace. A 2018 report found that more than 10% of the population are using social media apps, up from 0.1% in 2004. A 2019 study found that over 90% of Afghans have at least one member in their household who owns a mobile phone and 46.3% have an Internet connection.

Even before the pandemic, that was useful for young women like Aafshid, who want to share their perspectives without fearing their safety. Aafshid shares her poetry on social media under a pseudonym, having faced online threats in the past on Facebook. When people started to harass me, I made a Telegram channel, and now I publish my poems there. I can choose who can follow me and can view my poems and on Telegram people cant leave comments, Aafshid says. Now I am in control.

Afghanistan remains one of the most dangerous countries in the world for women and ranks 168 out of 189 countries in the U.N.s Gender Development Index. According to the Women and Children Legal Research Foundation, a Kabul-based research advocacy group, nine out of 10 women in urban communities face at least some form of physical or verbal harassment. Despite a peace deal signed in February between the U.S. and the Taliban, violence against women persists. On May 12, militants attacked a Kabul maternity ward, leaving 24 dead, including 16 young mothers and 2 newborns.

Amid the violence and the isolation of lockdown, Aafshid says that online poetry groups offer a vital means of maintaining mental health. All generations have been witness to war in Afghanistan, she says. Poetry offers a means for us to release our stress.

The first edition of 'Shariat', a monthly magazine published on March 22, 1998 by the Afghan Taliban. Inside, an article by a female writer praising the talent of Persian and Pashtun women poets. | Lynzy Billing

Long before the pandemic, poetry societies led by women had sprung up in underground spaces. Mirman Baheer, a nationwide womens literary society, was formed in 2010 by Sahira Sharif, an Afghan politician, author, and womens rights advocate.

Sharif recognized that anonymous communities were one of the few safe avenues for Afghan women to share firsthand accounts of their lives. Mirman Baheer meets in a different secret location each week, allowing women to share experiences that would otherwise remain hidden.

In rural areas many women still write in secret, using pen names. Mirman Baheer offers a space for rural women to share their deepest thoughts through a type of coded oral poetry called a landay. Originating thousands of years ago, landays are usually anonymous, and composed of two lines of 22 syllables. One notable example is by warrior war poet Malalai:

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Malalai, an Afghan heroine who famously fought during the second Anglo-Afghan war, called out this landay during the 1880 battle of Maiwand. Locals believe Malalais landay motivated the fighters to ultimately defeat the British invaders.

These days, Mirman Baheer hosts a few hundred members aged 13 to 55 in clubs across a handful of Afghan cities and provinces including Kandahar, Khost and Jalalabad. Younger poets are mentored by professors and poets. During the pandemic, physical gathering has become difficult, but the founding members have come up with a solution: live streaming on Facebook. Members can join from the safety of their homes, participating in conversation and literary criticism.

Pakiza Arezo, a former literature student who now works with the Ministry of Information and Culture in Kabul has been a member of Mirman Baheer since the groups founding. Our members are mostly Pashtun girls from the provinces whose families disapprove of them writing and reading poetry in front of men. Their society is more conservative, she says. So we formed a womens only group.

For these women from rural areas, who overwhelmingly lack access to the Internet or smartphones, participation is still possible. For women who arent able to join in the group discussions in person, because of the distance, issues around security or family permission, we will listen to and discuss their poetry by telephone, Arezo says.

Azero says that growing access to the Internet is helping to transform the prospects of female poets in rural areas and to offer opportunities for their work to be shared widely and, importantly, anonymously if the poet chooses. Social media has encouraged women to share their ideas, and opinions, and offered a space for women to be more open minded, she says.

Technology has enabled Afghan women to share their experiences in ways that were not available to them before, agrees Farzaneh Milani, an Iranian-American author and professor of Persian literature and Womens Studies at the University of Virginia. She says technology has played a key role in the movement for womens equality in the country. Although the ties between women and poetry have been deep and strong in Afghanistan, digital online poetry sharing is an ultimate act of unveiling for women in the borderless cyberspace, Milani says. Giving presence to the unseen and the voice to the unheard.

In Kabul, Aafshid is optimistic about the opportunity that poetry brings for Afghan womens rights. But she also recognizes that fundamental societal attitudes must shift to meet this change. Women have a right to shape the policies that determine the political and cultural landscape in their own country, says Afshid.

To get there, she says, Afghan womens perspectives needed to be recognized. Women need to feel safe to share their voices publicly. Until then, they will only find safety in anonymity online and among one another.
President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian today arrived in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) on a working visit and had a meeting with President of Artsakh Arayik Haroutyunyan in Stepanakert.

President Sarkissian congratulated Arayik Haroutyunyan once again, wished him success and expressed confidence that he will continue to serve the homeland successfully with his knowledge and experience. I would also like to congratulate the people of Artsakh because the presidential and parliamentary elections were held democratically. I would also like to thank the other presidential candidates. They should be proud because they contributed to the elections. I would like to wish all citizens of Artsakh health. I am certain that we will overcome this difficult situation and move forward to strengthen the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh, he added.

Expressing gratitude, the President of Artsakh stated that most of the presidential candidates form a part of the incumbent political authorities and are willing to ensure the countrys advancement and development and that those who arent part of the authorities still continue their efforts for Artsakh.

Arayik Haroutyunyan also expressed gratitude to the authorities of Armenia for supporting the practical programs targeted at Artsakhs development.
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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Paris  Fri, July 10, 2020 13:06 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406655ef4a 2 News Eiffel-Tower,Paris,France,travel,coronavirus,COVID-19 Free

The Eiffel Tower in Paris will reopen its top level on July 15 after months of being off-limits because of the coronavirus outbreak, its operator said on Thursday.

The first and second floors reopened on June 26 after the monument's longest closure since World War II, a symbolic restart as France emerged from lockdown.

"Who hasn't dreamed of having Paris at their feet, from a height of 276 meters?" the tower's operator, Societe d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel said in a statement on Thursday.

"This will be possible from July 15, the day of the reopening of the top floor."

All visitors are required to wear face masks and keep safe distances from each other, with the country still recovering from an epidemic that has claimed nearly 30,000 lives.

When it reopens, the top floor will accommodate no more than 250 people at a time.

Elevators, which were off-limits for the first days after the tower reopened -- meaning visitors had to climb hundreds of stairs -- have since been reopened.

The tower's 104-day closure cost the company 27 million euros ($30 million) in lost sales, with visitor numbers not expected to return to normal anytime soon.

The Eiffel Tower usually receives about seven million visitors a year, some three-quarters from abroad.

France is one of the world's most-visited countries but its tourism industry has taken a hard hit from the coronavirus lockdown, with hotels, restaurants, museums and theaters closed for three months.

France lifted restrictions at European borders on June 15, and the tourism industry hopes foreign visitors will start trickling in again as the summer season kicks off.

Europe is not yet allowing visitors from the hard-hit United States.

The operator said three-quarters of its visitors since reopening had been from France.
Social distancing measures will be in place (Kirsty OConnor/PA)

Cinemas, bingo halls and gyms in Northern Ireland have reopened as part of the latest relaxation of lockdown rules.

A quarantine period for those arriving in the region from more than 50 countries, including popular holiday destinations such as France and Spain, has also been stopped.

The Northern Ireland Executive agreed on Thursday to scrap the requirement that those arriving from countries categorised as low to medium-risk self-isolate for 14 days.

The region is the first part of the UK to see gyms reopen.

Gareth Kirk of Better Leisure, which operates 15 municipal leisure facilities on behalf of Belfast City Council, said the eyes of the gym industry will be on Northern Ireland.

He said the experience of visiting a gym has changed, with pre-booking via a smartphone app essential to manage numbers and support track-and-trace efforts.

GymCo owner David Conlon said he welcomed his first clients back through the doors at 6am on Friday.

He told the PA news agency: "We had our first class at 6.15am and there was a huge demand for it with both classes in the gym full.

"Everybody seems to be enjoying being back training in the 'new normal' environment."

He said capacity has been reduced to ensure two-metre social distancing, while extra sanitising stations and new mats have been installed.

Alliance MLA Paula Bradshaw was among those welcoming the reopenings, saying going to the gym was the thing she had "missed most" during lockdown.

Marriages and baptisms in places of worship and civil partnerships in local government offices have also been given the green light to resume.

From Friday, face coverings on public transport will be mandatory.

Masks have been mandatory on public transport in the Republic of Ireland since June 30.

Meanwhile, education minister Peter Weir has announced that around 50 schools will run activities across July and August.

Mr Weir described the summer months as an "important opportunity" to support children and young people who have missed several months of school due to the pandemic.

The Executive also agreed on Thursday that outdoor horse racing and equestrian competitions as well as outdoor competitive games and sporting events can resume from Saturday.

However, no spectators will be allowed.

On July 16, libraries can reopen, followed by skating rinks and leisure centres the next day.

No date has been proposed for the general reopening of swimming pools although arrangements have been made to allow elite athletes to return to training.

On Friday, it was announced that there had been no deaths from Covid-19 in Northern Ireland for the seventh day in a row, according to Department of Health figures.

The last death with coronavirus was reported by the department on Friday July 3.

Some 554 people have died with the virus to date.

However, another four positive cases have been confirmed since Thursday, bringing the total to 5,772.

The department announced on Thursday that the current estimate of the R rate in Northern Ireland is between 0.5 and 1.0.
The John McDonogh statue in front of Gallier Hall in New Orleans was found knocked off of its pedestal early Friday. This is the second time in about a month that a statue of McDonogh has been taken down in the city.

Update: 2 statues toppled overnight in New Orleans

McDonogh, a real estate and shipping magnate who left most of his fortune to build public schools in New Orleans, also was a slave owner, which has led to calls for the removal of his statues. No one immediately took responsibility Friday.

As of 7:30 a.m., the statue of McDonogh was laying flat in the shrubs next to the pedestal in Lafayette Park. A broken piece of the pedestal was on the ground as well. A rope, which looked like it was used to pull the statue down, remained in the shrubs too.

The statues of two children, which are part of the monument, were left standing.

New Orleans police officers were investigating around the pedestal Friday morning, but there was no was no immediate word from them about what happened.

In June, a group of protesters tore down the bust of McDonogh in Duncan Plaza and rolled it into the Mississippi River.

The bust was later dragged out of the river. Two people were booked into jail on charges related to theft, but were later released on their own recognizance.

+7 Watch: New Orleans protesters take down statue of John McDonogh, toss it in Mississippi River A group of protesters used a chisel, rope and a skateboard to tear down the bust of John McDonogh in Duncan Plaza, doused it in brightly color

Who was John McDonogh?

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McDonogh, who owned many slaves, has been among the historical figures in the spotlight for those who want statues and monuments taken down and buildings and streets renamed.

After his death in 1850, McDonogh left most of his money to the cities of New Orleans and his native Baltimore to build public schools. Many of those schools in the New Orleans area still bear his name.

He has two statues honoring him in New Orleans: a bust in Duncan Plaza and a statue in Lafayette Park in front of Gallier Hall. The activist group Take 'Em Down NOLA has called for them to be removed.

The Layette Square statue used to be the centerpiece for John McDonogh Day. Every year on May 7, the city's schoolchildren were told to line up, Black children behind White children, to place flowers to honor McDonogh.

In 1954, civil rights leaders asked Black parents to keep their children home instead of allowing them to participate.

In a 1992 Times-Picayune story, civil rights leader Revius Ortique shared his memories of John McDonogh Day.

"Black students were required to arrive early at Lafayette Square, then to wait in the sun until students from White public schools put their flowers around the statue, Ortique said. Only then could Black students place their flowers at the base of the statue.

+22 A New Orleans commission will review Confederate, white supremacist streets, City Council says The New Orleans City Council on Thursday kicked off the process of renaming streets that honor Confederates and white supremacists, voting to 

The city of New Orleans in 2017 took down large statues of three prominent Confederates  Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis and P.G.T. Beauregard  as well as an obelisk commemorating the 1874 Battle of Liberty Place, a White supremacist uprising led by the Crescent City White League that sought to overthrow the states Reconstruction government.

The mayor and a number of New Orleans City Council members are currently working to rename a slew of streets in the city named for Confederate figures, including Jefferson Davis Parkway.

Staff writers Chad Calder, Bryn Stole, John Simerman, Ramon Antonio Vargas and Orlando Flores Jr. contributed to this story, along with contributing writer Katy Reckdahl.
In Victoria debate among readers frequently referenced perceived failures of government, specifically the state's hotel quarantine program (now subject to a judicial inquiry), as the reason behind increasing case numbers. Loading Meanwhile further north readers grew anxious that the closure of the NSW-Victoria border - for the first time in 100 years - had come too late and would be a turning point. Bob: "Watch the number of community cases in NSW jump in coming days following 24 hours of people racing back from Melbourne before 11.59pm tonight ... just so they don't have to quarantine ... Might prove to be the biggest single moment of community transmission so far for NSW." Andy1: "For two weeks Ive been commenting that the NSW/Victoria border needs to be shut. Cant tell you how frustrated and annoyed I will be if weve done it too late."

beproactive added: "Same. I cant believe it has taken so long. See my comment below re the truck driver who was driving along the Hume this afternoon and rang ABC Sydney re numbers of Victorian cars headed north." Under a Public Health Order, passed this week, anyone who has travelled from Victoria is now required to self-isolate for 14 days from their date of arrival or they will be in breach of the order and can face penalties. However it won't be applied retrospectively for earlier arrivals. Readers, such as Cipster urged everyone to call out those - including friends, family and neighbours - they see not following any of the rules. Cipster wrote: "Its us, the people who stuffed this up. Take responsibility people and own your own mistakes. Collectively we can beat this but everyone has to do it."

Splash agreed: "Hey Melbourne, this time round... to help reduce the chance of a third rodeo... would anyone who sees non-compliance please call it out? If calling it out in person feels a bit awkward consider using the Police Assistance Line on 131 444. For all our sakes. Thanks!" After 100 consecutive days of live blogging on the pandemic, when case numbers significantly improved early last month the blog was put on ice. That decision was short-lived. "Despite the rise in cases only being in Victoria, digital editors in both Sydney and Melbourne felt the issue was again escalating and would be of large national significance," the Herald's digital editor Alex Rowe says. "We had to curate coverage for our national audience but focus on where the crisis was emerging. Victoria Police perform checks at a road block on the Princes Freeway just before Little River on Thursday. Credit:Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

"In the past couple of days, it became apparent our fears would be realised. Borders shut across the nation - now NSW and ACT also face the real prospect of a resurgence in case numbers." When the blog returned on June 21, with many reporters and editors from other sections of the newsroom also now trained to live blog, Rowe says, the mastheads were able to respond to a dynamic situation even more quickly. Reader input through comments and ''tipstars'' embedded in the blog have also proved invaluable to the news coverage. "They've been particularly useful in ascertaining information of emerging or known clusters and verifying information that lets us track down those impacted by coronavirus," Rowe says. "Reader contributions have helped us publish a number of case-study led stories to illustrate the impact of lockdowns on communities.''
Thiessen has been a committed steward of the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation's mission, overseeing budgeting, fundraising and administration. He has been instrumental in guiding the board and staff in setting strategy, taking action and leadership. Thiessen was instrumental in the complete build out for the National Flight Academy, the Foundation's aviation-themed educational program. Prior to joining the Foundation, Thiessen spent 38 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, including Commanding General of the U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific.

In recapping his years with the Foundation, Thiessen said, "It's been an honor to be a part of an organization so rich with heritage and pride, centered on Naval Aviation but dedicated to honoring the past and inspiring future generations. Will miss coming to the office and all the wonderful people we get to work with."

"Lt. Gen. Thiessen has been a superb leader of the Foundation for the last seven years. He deftly moved the mission of the National Naval Aviation Museum and the National Flight Academy through many challenges. One behalf of the Board, we thank him and wish him well in his next endeavors," said Vice Adm. Jim Zortman, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation.

"With Rear Adm. Kyle Cozad, we are extremely fortunate to welcome a dynamic leader as the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation President and CEO," added Zortman. "His vision and deep roots in every part of Naval Aviation will be key to ensuring our Museum continues to grow and be an internationally recognized institution telling the story of Naval Aviation."

Cozad becomes President and CEO of the Foundation after serving as the commander of the Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) at NAS Pensacola. Before taking command at NETC, Cozad commanded a squadron, wing and reconnaissance group. He also served as Senior Director of the White House Situation Room and led Joint Task Force Guantanamo.

"I am proud and humbled to be given the opportunity to succeed Thiessen as CEO of a truly special organization," said Cozad. "After my 35 years in the military, I look forward to continuing the legacy of Naval Aviation."

About the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation

The Naval Aviation Museum Foundation is the nonprofit, 501(c)(3), sole benefactor to the National Naval Aviation Museumand the fuel that allows the museum to take flight. The Foundation is responsible for funding all museum operation, expansion and activity. The Foundation works diligently to raise funding through gifts and memberships. All funding, aside from Foundation staffing and operational costs, goes to the operation, maintenance and enhancement of the museum, including museum expansion, aircraft preservation, conservation and maintenance, development of new exhibits and support of day to day functionsincluding custodial services, marketing, operation of the Museum's various attractions (such as our Naval Aviation Memorial Giant Screen Theater, flight simulators, Blue Angels 4D Experience and Flight Deck gift shop), as well as the production of major events at the Museum. The Foundation also supports the advancement of STEM education through the National Flight Academy, a cutting edge, aviation-themed learning experience.

Malerie Cates

Naval Aviation Museum Foundation

(850) 308-8937

[email protected]

SOURCE National Naval Aviation Museum
A man has been found guilty of killing a pregnant woman and her unborn son in south London.

Aaron McKenzie, 26, was convicted of the murder of Kelly-Mary Fauvrelle, the manslaughter of her son Riley and possession of an offensive weapon at the Old Bailey on Friday.

Police officers and ambulance workers were called to an address in Raymead Avenue, Thornton Heath, in the early hours of June 29 2019, where they found eight-month pregnant Ms Fauvrelle with 21 stab wounds.

Ms Fauvrelle died at the scene despite the efforts of emergency workers. Medics delivered her son Riley, but he also died in hospital days later.

Aaron McKenzie was found guilty of the murder of Kelly-Mary Fauvrelle and the manslaughter of her unborn son Riley / Met Police

Ms Fauvrelle was sleeping in a ground-floor bedroom, with a cot already set up for the new baby, while her family were upstairs. Her sister heard her screaming and came down to find her.

The family did not see the anyone come or go from the property and there was no sign of forced entry. But CCTV footage showed a man believed to be McKenzie walking towards the flat at about 3.15am and running away ten minutes later.

McKenzie and Ms Fauvrelle had previously been in a relationship. He originally "played the victim" after the murder and was initially treated as a witness rather than a suspect, police said.

He even visited Riley in hospital and joined the family as they mourned.

McKenzie was eventually arrested on July 11 2019. He was charged with murder, manslaughter and possession of an offensive weapon four days later. Police said he told them: No one else was involved in this. There was no reason for it other than my faults.

Despite the admission McKenzie pleaded not guilty at the trial, saying that he was "under pressure" when he admitted the crimes. He also provided the first name of another man who he said was responsible for murdering Ms Fauvrelle.

CCTV footage of Aaron McKenzie on the night of the killings / Met Police

Detective Chief Inspector Mick Norman of the Mets Specialist Crime Command said: This case has been nothing short of heart-breaking for Kellys family and for the officers who have become close to them.

The agonising loss of such a young woman and her child at a time when they were eagerly awaiting Rileys birth and looking forward to a happy future is beyond imagining.

Despite the evidence against him, McKenzie has subjected Kelly and Rileys family to the trauma of a trial.

The theft of Kelly and Rileys happy futures is something that will haunt those who loved her forever and I sincerely hope that Aaron McKenzie is similarly affected as he faces his future incarcerated.
By Tom Balmforth

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian security forces on Thursday detained a regional governor who staged an election upset against the country's ruling party in the Far East in 2018 and accused him of organising the murder of several entrepreneurs 15 years ago.

Masked agents in camouflage pulled Sergei Furgal, the governor of Khabarovsk region, out of his vehicle before putting him in a van, footage published by the Investigative Committee, which styles itself as a Russian version of the FBI, showed.

Furgal would be charged shortly, the agency said in a statement. He could face up to life in prison, if found guilty of the allegations dating from 2004-2005 that also included attempted murder.

The agency did not detail the alleged crimes, but said four members of an organised crime group had already been detained and that people involved in the murders had provided evidence against him.

It was not immediately possible to identify a lawyer for Furgal to seek comment.

Furgal, a member of the Liberal Democratic Party known as the LDPR and a former lawmaker, was popular in the Pacific region where he swept to power in 2018 after defeating a rival from the ruling United Russia party that backs President Vladimir Putin.

The LDPR is also supportive of Putin, but Furgal's victory was seen as a blow to the ruling party's grip on power in the regions.

The arrest is likely to fuel fears of a mounting wave of repression following last week's adoption of sweeping constitutional reforms that clear the way for Putin, if re-elected, to serve two more terms in the Kremlin until 2036.

Abbas Gallyamov, a political analyst, said the arrest also served as a warning shot to opposition forces planning to challenge the ruling party at regional elections this September.

Vladimir Zhirinovsky, the LDPR's head, threatened to have his party and allies in parliament resign their posts in protest.

"We gave you the constitution. And you're putting us in handcuffs!" he said.

(Additional reporting by Darya Korsunskaya and Maria Kiselyova; Editing by Frances Kerry)
Aid agencies have warned of the catastrophic consequences of an outbreak of illness in overcrowded camps

The United Nations Security Council is voting on the future of cross-border aid deliveries into northwest Syria.

The existing mandate expires on Friday.

Russia has pushed to limit the humanitarian supplies.

But aid agencies are warning of dire consequences for millions of displaced Syrians if an agreement is not reached.

Al Jazeeras Priyanka Gupta reports.
How Lashkar operatives planned on burning down the Secunderabad-Darbhanga Express

Why NIA arrested former Congress MLAs daughter-in-law in an Islamic State case

ISIS linked operatives charged by NIA for murder of TN cop, Wilson

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Juky 10: The National Investigation Agency has filed a chargesheet in connection with the SSI Wilson murder case.

The NIA filed charges against Abdul Shameem and five others.

The case was originally registered at Kaliyakkavilai Police station, Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu.

Terror funding a major possibility in Kerala Gold Smuggling case

Wilson, Special Sub-Inspector of Kaliyakkavilai Police station was shot and stabbed to death on January 1 by Shameem and Thowfek, while the officer was performing duty at Kaliyakkavilai Market Road check post.

After the arrest of the assailants on January 15 2020, it was revealed that they had committed the murder of the police officer with the intention to create terror in the minds of people, including Police, as part of waging violent jihad.

The case was re-registered by NIA on 1st February, 2020 and investigation was taken over from Tamil Nadu Police. During NIA investigation, the roles of other accused in the larger conspiracy was revealed.

It was revealed that Khaja Mohideen was a member of the proscribed terrorist organization Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)/Daish. Since May, 2019, he had radicalized Abdul Shameem and Thowfeek on the perverted jihadi (violent extremist) ideology and recruited them into his terrorist gang to carry out violent attacks against establishment especially Police, in Tamil Nadu, to bring Islamic Rule or Shariah.

In October, 2019, Khaja Mohideen had also instructed Mahboob Pasha and Ejas Pasha of Bengaluru and Jaffer Ali of Cuddalore to procure illegal fire arms and prohibited ammunition for carrying out attacks.

After mid-December, 2019, on instructions of Khaja Mohideen, the assailants Abdul Shameem and Thowfeek were sheltered in Karnataka and Maharashtra by Mahboob Pasha and they were subsequently provided illegal fire arms and prohibited ammunition.

In early January, 2020, when Tamil Nadu police arrested the associates of Mahboob Pasha at Bengaluru and started pursuing Khaja Mohideen, Mahboob Pasha, Jaffer Ali and others, Khaja Mohideen instructed Abdul Shameem and Thowfeek to attack Tamil Nadu Police at check posts along inter-state border in Kanyakumari district.

Covid-19 vaccine won't be possible before 2021, Parliament Panel told| Oneindia News

8. Consequently, the assailants had travelled to Kaliyakkavilai on 8th January, 2020 and knowingly attacked Special Sub-Inspector Wilson

After committing the terrorist act, they escaped towards Kerala and concealed the knife and illegal fire-arm used in the attack near Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) Bus Stand in Thriuvananthapuram and Ernakulam, respectively. The assailants further proceeded to Kozhikode, changed their appearance and then travelled to Maharashtra to live in disguise before returning to Udupi in Karnataka, where they were arrested.
(JNS)  It turns out The New York Times has lower standards when it comes to those who spread anti-Semitic canards than even Britains controversial Labour Party. Tweeting an anti-Semitic blood libel about Israel being responsible for teaching American cops the tactics that led to the killing of 46-year-old George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer led to the firing of a member of parliament from the opposition partys leadership. Yet tweeting a similar lie about Israel training American cops to commit human-rights abuses was no bar to a journalist being hired this month to be one of the American newspaper of records top editors.

The fate of the two figures in question  Labour MP Rebecca Long-Bailey and Charlotte Greensit, the Timess new managing editor of its Opinion section  does indicate that Britains opposition party may be serious about wanting to change course after becoming a home to Jew-hatred under its former leader, Jeremy Corbyn. But it also shows that the Times, which has a lamentable history when it comes to Jewish issues, is heading down a path in which it is being bullied into taking radical stands that are antithetical to liberal values.

Long-Bailey got into hot water this week when she retweeted an article about Maxine Peake, a British actress who is also a fervent opponent of Israel, as well as being one of Corbyns biggest fans. Peake is a respected actress, best known for roles in British films and television series like Silk. In her youth, she was a member of the Communist Party. In recent years, she has been a vocal public supporter of Corbyn, the leftist anti-Semite who led Labour to a catastrophic election defeat in December.

In an interview with Britains Independent newspaper, Peake, who says that she was in Palestine, liaising with activists before having to go home because of the coronavirus pandemic, claimed that the tactics used by the police in America, kneeling on George Floyds neck, that was learnt from seminars with Israeli secret services.

The notion that Israelis teach Americans tactics used to kill blacks is a big lie that has been championed in recent years by BDS supporters like Jewish Voice for Peace and other anti-Semites. American cops and first responders get training in Israel that teaches them better community policing tactics, as well as how best to deal with medical emergencies, natural disasters and terrorist attacksnot how to kill people.

The idea of blaming Jews for terrible things that have nothing to do with them is not new. Such blood libels have been a staple of anti-Semitic propaganda since the Middle Ages. Anti-Zionists like Peake are reviving the trope to help delegitimize the right of the one Jewish state on the planet to exist.

Long-Bailey retweeted the article with the lie about Israel and Floyds death with the comment, Maxine Peake is an absolute diamond.

Labours former leader might have joined her in that sentiment. But Corbyns successor, Keith Starmer, is trying to rid the party of the anti-Semitic extremists that had flocked to it under his predecessor. A spokesperson rightly denounced Peakes comment as an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory. The statement went on to say 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.

Starmer fired Long-Bailey as shadow education secretary, a post that would have ensured her membership in Britains cabinet if Labour were to win the next election. That was a message to Corbyns supporters that there would be no room in Labour for them or their inherent anti-Semitism in the future.

But while Labour was attempting to change course, the most important newspaper in the United States has been heading in a different direction.

Charlotte Greensit was hired as part of a changing of the guard at the Times after a staff revolt led to the resignation of James Bennet, the papers opinion-page editor. Bennet was committed to trying to promote ideological diversity at the paper, something he proved by hiring writers like Bret Stephens and Bari Weiss.

But Bennet got into trouble after he published an op-ed by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) that advocated the use of troops to quell riots after Floyds death if local authorities were unable to do so. This outraged woke Times staffers, who claimed that such an opinion endangered African-Americans. Publisher Arthur Sulzberger, who spoke of the papers obligation to publish views contrary to its own, initially supported his decision. But Sulzberger was intimidated by Black Lives Matter advocates into backing down. That led to Bennets forced resignation.

Sulzberger then vowed to change the way the opinion section operated, and to do that, he has hired Greensit. Her previous post was at The Intercept, the radical left-wing outlet that is known, among other things, for its promotion of conspiracy theories aimed at the Jewish state.

Greensit has personally tweeted defenses of the anti-Semitic statements by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and argued that Hamas was justified in seeking to invade Israel. But in 2017, she also specifically tweetedthat Israeli security forces are training American cops despite history of rights abuses, while promoting a conspiracy theory libel of Israel published by The Intercept.

After her hiring, Greensit deleted most of her past tweets, though enterprising reporters posted them before they disappeared. Yet there has been no hint from the Times that they have any second thoughts about bringing on someone who spreads anti-Semitic blood libels. To the contrary, the papers decision to tilt even farther left and to ensure that contrary opinions will be silenced appears to be popular with its readership and staff.

It says something that in an institution that had become as thoroughly infiltrated by anti-Semitism as Labour, theres now a new commitment to ridding the party of such hate. At the Times, however, left-wing anti-Semitism isnt merely tolerated; its the sort of thing that can help you to rise to the top.

Jonathan S. Tobin is editor in chief of JNSJewish News Syndicate. Follow him on Twitter at: @jonathans_tobin.
External Article

10 July 2020

July is an exciting month for international travel as more countries open their borders to foreign travelers. Airlines are offering more domestic and international flight options than in the last few months. However, there are still many countries that Americans cannot travel to this summer.

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As the global coronavirus health situation is continuously changing, countries may restrict American visitors with short notice. Before traveling, you should verify if the country requires a 14-day self-quarantine upon arrival. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a 14-day quarantine after returning from a foreign trip.

Mexico

Most Americans' travel plans will stay within the Western Hemisphere this summer. Mexico is one of the first countries welcoming American tourists. However, you must fly to Mexico as the land border is closed to unessential travel through July 21, 2020, and potentially longer. The border first closed on March 21, 2020.

The Mexican beaches at Quintana Roo (Cancun and Riveria Maya) began opening in June to American tourists and can have the most lenient travel restrictions. Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos are open again but in the early reopening phases.
School employees also will need to adhere to the indoor mask requirement. Students younger than 2 years old do not need to wear masks, the school system announced. Other students can only remove their masks during some activities, including lunch and recess, but must stay distant from one another.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 17:23:16|Editor: huaxia

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NAIROBI, July 10 (Xinhua) -- As many firms in Kenya increasingly sack their employees due to the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, more office workers are turning to side hustles to boost their income amid the growing job uncertainty.

Several companies in different sectors in the east African nation, from hospitality to media, manufacturing and health, have sent their workers home citing the difficult times.

Thousands of workers have lost their jobs or are put on indefinite unpaid leave since the pandemic started in March.

According to a survey by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics released in May, nine out of 10 Kenyan workers are unsure of keeping their jobs following the disruptions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The survey further shows nearly four percent of workers either expected to stay out of work for up to six months or lose their jobs altogether.

And as the COVID-19 infections spread in the east African nation, the number of Kenyan workers worried about keeping their jobs and thus losing income is rising.

To cushion themselves from the long-running uncertainty, many Kenyan office workers have started small businesses.

While some are selling fruits, others cereals, cooked food, hand-made items like sweaters, others are farming.

The food sector has attracted many office workers after successfully fending off the effects of the pandemic thanks to its classification as one of the essential services.

"One of the lessons I have picked during the COVID-19 pandemic is that you should never rely fully on your job for survival because it can end anytime," said media worker Caroline Achieng, who sells hand-knitted sweaters and scarves to her colleagues.

Before the outbreak of the pandemic, she had not thought of utilizing the embroidery skill she has had for years since her job looked assured.

"When I was sent on a 30 months compulsory leave, it dawned on me that I could soon find myself jobless. I used that time to knit several items and started to sell some to my neighbors and when I resumed work, my colleagues are now my clients," she said.

She has received many orders for both adult and children sweaters, scarves and leg warmers, among other hand-knitted items that go for between five U.S. dollars and 20 dollars, with Achieng keen on turning the passion into a long-term business.

For Martin Mwaniki, an insurance agent, a notice of redundancy issued by his employer a month ago due to the pandemic, has pushed him into greenhouse farming, which has become his fallback plan in case he is sacked.

"It cost me about 1,800 dollars to install the greenhouse and plant capsicums inside and they are doing well. I am looking forward to my harvest in about a month's time which I will sell to a company that bulks and distributes the produce among others in residential estates," he said.

Mwaniki has now taken agribusiness seriously even as his fingers remain crossed that he does not lose his job due to the pandemic.

"Of all the sectors in Kenya, the food business has remained resilient during the pandemic thus I believe one cannot go wrong if they invest in it. This is where I am putting my money to cushion myself," he said.

Ernest Manuyo, a lecturer at Pioneer Institute in Nairobi, noted that the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic could spur entrepreneurship as uncertainty over jobs looms.

"In the long-term, this may have a positive effect on creating jobs if these businesses survive and grow. These are a silver lining amid the gloom." Manuyo said. Enditem
In a bid to contribute her own tranche in the fight against coronavirus, the Society of Young Nigerian Writers which is a national umbrella of young writers in Nigeria, has unveiled a new classical anthology on COVID-19.

This was contained in a statement signed by Izunna Okafor who is the National Coordinator and Chairman of the Writers Against COVID-19 Movement, a broad project under which the anthology was birthed as well as the Editor-in-Chief of the anthology.

According to the statement, the journey to the anthology began in April, following their announcing of a 'Call for Submissions' to that effect, in response to which over 200 writers from different countries of the world submitted 'pretty' poems and essays.

The statement reads in parts, "The fight against the novel coronavirus has become a global affray that requires the collective effort of every creature writers inclusive and the application of every efficacious weapon at mans disposal pen inclusive. This is buttressed by Edward Bulwer-Lyttons age-long aphorism that pen is mightier than sword.

"Unarguably, this basically informed this journey to this classic anthology  the quest to employ the weapon of pen in the fight against coronavirus.

"In response to our Call for Submission which lasted for 30 days, a total of 249 beautiful poems and essays were received from writers from different countries of the world, jostling for space in the anthology. However, after a series of vetting, the editorial team found 97 entries worthy for the anthology, particularly with regard to adherence to the theme.

"These writers, employing the tool of creativity, and toeing the path of experience and art diversity, masterfully dissect the theme, unleash their ripostes and make headway towards defeating the worlds latest enemy  coronavirus. It was the conglomeration of these ninety-six classical works of these writers that gave birth to this masterpiece  Ripostes of Locked Down Voices, which is a must-read for everyone.

"Obviously, with this publication, another feat has indeed been recorded in this global fight against the monstrous virus christened COVID-19. And this will hauntingly stand as global writers common voice and punch in this universal fight, even for generations to come.

"My appreciation and congratulations to this troop of writers who identified with this noble cause, including those whose works could not make it to the anthology. As I always say, keep writing, for writing is part of life.

"I must also appreciate the indefatigable National President of the Society of Young Nigerian Writers (SYNW), and initiator of Writers Against COVID-19 Movement, Mr. Wole Adedoyin, for this wonderful initiative, which has indeed offered writers the opportunity to contribute their pencraft and creativity towards winning this battle; and also for giving us the wonderful opportunity to steer this worthy journey.

"My appreciation also goes to my highly-talented and hardworking editorial team members  Musa Sunusi Ahmad (National PRO, SYNW, and Sec. Gen., Writers Against COVID-19 Movement ), Luqman Alawole (SYNW Coordinator, Osun State), Angelica C. Uwaezuoke (SYNW Coordinator, University of Nigeria, Nsukka), Alabi Matthew (SYNW Coordinator, University of Lagos), and Abdulrazak Denja Balema (SYNW Coordinator, Federal University Lokoja)  and other Committee Members of the Writers Against COVID-19 Movement  Innocent David Chinaecherem (SYNW Coordinator, Federal University of Technology, Owerri), Henry Ndifreke Precious (SYNW Coordinator, University of Abuja), Sakinah Yusuf (SYNW Coordinator, Bayero University, Kano), Adebayo Iwalola (SYNW Coordinator Adekunle Ajasin University)  who all gave their best in every ramification towards the success of this project.

"It was nice working with you bards. May your pen never run dry. Thanks also to everyone else for being part of this.

To you all, I say, lets do it again next time."

The anthology can be (freely) downloaded via:

https://9jabooks.com/book-10117

https://riposteoflockeddownvoices.wordpress.com/2020/07/07/follow-the-below-link-to-download-your-copy
By Joan Faus and Nathan Allen

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Spain's Balearic Islands will make wearing face masks in public compulsory at all times, joining Catalonia in going further than a national directive that mandates their use only when in close proximity to others.

The Balearics' order will take effect on Monday while Catalonia's began on Thursday, just as tourists are starting to return after coronavirus lockdowns and travel restrictions lift.

The two are Spain's largest foreign tourist destinations but have fared differently in the coronavirus pandemic. Catalonia recorded the country's second-highest death toll, while the Balearic Islands have been largely spared.

The Balearics' regional chief Francina Armengol described the situation on the archipelago as "under control" but cautioned people should not let their guard down as the "virus continues to live among us."

Catalonia's directive entered into force on Thursday, to mixed reaction among residents and health experts.

Barcelona resident Leopoldo, 66, said the mask obligation was "logical" because it was hard to keep a safe distance in places like narrow streets.

But others like Diego, 40, disagreed. "I think it makes no sense," he said by the beach, wearing a mask covering his mouth but not his nose. Wearing a mask, he said, made him feel dizzy.

Spain has curbed one of Europe's worst coronavirus outbreaks - with more than 28,000 deaths - but several small clusters have been detected in recent days, prompting local lockdowns in Catalonia and the Galicia region.

In Catalonia, everyone aged six and over must wear a mask. In the Balearic Islands it is for all aged over six. Flouting the rules will result in a 100-euro fine.

There are exceptions, such as when exercising, swimming and sunbathing at the beach.

Joan Ramon Villalbi, former chairman of the Spanish Society of Public Health, said the mask obligation would have a limited effect and made more sense for urban than rural areas.

Story continues

"Despite having a modest value, it likely helps and sends the social message that it is important to strengthen preventive measures that some people seem to have forgotten about."

But the head of infectious diseases at Barcelona's Vall d'Hebron Hospital, Benito Almirante, told local channel TV3 Catalonia's mask obligation would likely not be that helpful because of a lack of scientific backing and that it could be refused by some citizens.

The World Health Organization has released new guidelines on the transmission of the novel coronavirus that acknowledge some reports of airborne transmission, but stopped short of confirming that the virus spreads through the air.

(Reporting by Joan Faus and Albert Gea in Barcelona and Nathan Allen in Madrid; Editing by Ingrid Melander and Janet Lawrence)
Bernhard Maier is shown onscreen as he speaks about the Porsche 911 Carrera GTS during the model's world debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show in Los Angeles

PRAGUE (Reuters) - Bernhard Maier, chairman of Czech carmaker Skoda Auto, part of the Volkswagen Group <VOWG_p.DE>, will leave his post at the end of July after nearly five years, the company said on Thursday.

Skoda, which did not give a reason for Maier's departure, said a successor would be elected by the board in August.

The car group is the Czech Republic's biggest exporter and a bellwether for the economy, which faces a steep drop in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Skoda sold 1.24 million cars in 2019.

The announcement of Maier's departure confirmed an earlier report in Handelsblatt.

Maier took the helm as chairman in November 2015, coming from Porsche. The carmaker has reported record profits and revenue since and he has overseen a massive rollout of new models under the Skoda brand, including multiple SUVs.

The change at Skoda comes amid a broader management reshuffle at the VW Group.

Volkswagen earlier this week announced that its trucks chief Andreas Renschler would retire and said in June that Chief Executive Herbert Diess would hand responsibility for managing the VW brand to Ralf Brandstaetter.

(Reporting by Jason Hovet, additional reporting by Ed Taylor in Frankfurt; Editing by Susan Fenton and Jane Merriman)
Chennai: The Centre on Friday informed the Kerala High Court that the bail application filed by Swapna Suresh, the main accused in the Kerala gold smuggling case is not maintainable. This was owing to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) having taken over the probe. The bench verbally agreed with the counsels submission and adjourned the hearing to July 14. The court has also agreed to provide the FIR copy, filed by the NIA, to Sureshs advocate.

The Central government counsel, Ravi Prakash maintained that, under Section 21 of the NIA Act, the High Court has no original jurisdiction to consider the anticipatory bail application, adding that it can only be considered by the Special Court. He further stated that the custodial interrogation of Suresh had to be conducted to establish her involvement and motive in the delivery of the diplomatic cargo.

The NIA informed the court of having filed an FIR and that their investigation is underway as per Sections 16, 17, and 18 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). The Central government lawyer informed the court that even if the bail was was to be considered, this case had serious implications and that the nature of crime affected the security, financial stability of the country.

Sureshs bail plea that was filed earlier this week stated that she was working with the UAE Consulate general office from 2016-19 and that she had completed many assignments there, successfully. Following her resignation from there in 2019, she worked as a contract staff in PWC, which dealt with the Space park projects that came under Kerala governments IT Department.

It added that the Consulate General of UAE in Thiruvananthapuram had again sought her assistance in administrative matters due to her experience in the same. The plea states that she worked with the Consulate under a Work on request basis, as a part of which she had checked with customs regarding the delay of the consignment.

The plea stated that she was innocent, had not committed any criminal offences as alleged and had no connection with respect to the smuggled gold.

How the case progressed over the week

On July 5, the customs at the Thiruvananthapuram airport seized 30 kg of gold, valued at nearly Rs 15 crore, in a diplomatic cargo addressed to the UAE Consulate in the capital city. The cardboard carton weighing 79kg had contained foodstuffs and what was said to be articles other than foodstuffs. On closer examination and dismantling, it was found that the articles other than foodstuffs had gold concealed in them.

As per the remand request filed before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, the Charge dAffairs of the UAE Consulate affirmed that his family had sent the list of nine items that were mentioned as foodstuffs. He also confirmed that he had no relation with the items that are mentioned as articles other than foodstuffs.

Customs Officials registered a case pertaining to the illegal import of gold and also arrested Sarith, a former PRO of the UAE Consulate.

Opposition leaders alleged that the Kerala Chief Ministers Office was connected to the case and that the CMs Principal Secretary was in touch with Swapna Suresh and also behind her appointment in the Space Park job. This led to the CMs Principal Secretary, Sivasankar being sent on one year leave.

According to reports, Sivasankar had been embroiled in another controversy recently, after he initiated an agreement with an American firm, Sprinklr to share details of COVID-19 patients and suspects, without the knowledge of CM and the cabinet. Following the political storm and serious allegations that rocked the state government, the Kerala Chief Minister wrote to the Prime Minister and Finance Minister seeking a probe by the concerned Central agencies.

On July 9, the Home Ministry permitted the NIA to take over the probe on the grounds that organized smuggling operation may have serious implications for national security.

In a statement issued on Friday, the NIA said that the smuggling of a large quantity of gold into India from offshore locations threatening the economic and stability and national security amounts to a Terrorist Act as stated in the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967. The NIA also registered an FIR in Kerala against 4 persons in connection with this case, they are--Sarith, Sandeep Nair, Swapna Prabha Suresh who are residents of Thiruvananthapuram and Fazil Fareed an Ernakulam resident.
American Airlines Boeing 777 at New York JFK airport before boarding passengers.

William Perugini/shutterstock

American Airlines and United are canceling flights to Hong Kong, after the city imposed stringent new COVID-19 testing requirements on arriving flight crews.

Both airlines were scheduled to resume service to the city this week for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began.

Flight crews have been exempted from the city's mandatory 14-day quarantine for incoming travelers.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

US airlines are canceling flights to and from Hong Kong following a new rule that would require all crew members to be tested for COVID-19 on arrival.

American had planned to resume flights from Dallas to Hong Kong this week, but pushed the start date back to August 5. United began flying between San Francisco and Hong Kong on Monday, but suspended flights scheduled through Friday while it looks into the new testing requirement.

Hong Kong had previously exempted flight crews from a stringent 14-day quarantine requirement for people entering the city. The city also limits who may enter from overseas, but cargo demand and transit passengers could help airlines make up for low passenger load factors.

Under the new testing requirement, pilots and flight attendants are required to submit to saliva testing on arrival at Hong Kong International Airport. If crewmembers tested positive or were quarantined, it could create logistical difficulties for airlines seeking to position crewmembers and aircraft.

In a statement, American said it was continuously assessing its network and destinations.

"We've been making regular adjustments to our schedule to match demand, and we consider a range of factors including travel restrictions or entry requirements in making network decisions."

As airlines seek to resume international travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, the new testing requirements come as just the latest challenge. The European Union's ban on American travelers, as well as strict entry restrictions in other countries, have led to most of the modest uptick in travel demand being for domestic itineraries.

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Linkedin Michael Holden (Reuters) London  Fri, July 10, 2020 12:00 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406655b71f 2 Entertainment johnny-depp,amber-heard Free

Hollywood star Johnny Depp wrote on a wall with blood from his severed finger tip during a long and violent confrontation with his ex-wife Amber Heard, London's High Court heard on Thursday at his libel case against a British tabloid.

Depp told the court he suffered "some species of nervous breakdown" during a row with actress Heard, but denied he had violently attacked her and accused her of cutting his finger by throwing a bottle at him.

The revelations came on the third day of Depp's appearance in the witness stand as he sues the publisher of Britain's Sun tabloid, News Group Newspapers, over an article in which it labelled the actor a "wife beater".

Throughout the case, Depp has rejected all accusations that he was violent towards his former wife, saying that they were part of hoax created by Heard as an insurance policy.

"She was building a wonderful dossier, an insurance policy for when we did break up," he said.

The court heard that Depp was in Australia in March 2015 to film "Pirates of the Caribbean" a month after the couple married. Heard had flown to join him from London, where she had been making a movie with co-star Billy Bob Thornton.

The Sun's lawyer Sasha Wass said Heard suffered a three-day ordeal at Depp's hands in the rented house where the actor was staying after she became angry at him because he had been drinking to excess and taking drugs.

Consumed with jealousy about Heard and Thornton, Depp attacked her, constantly swigging from a bottle, Wass said.

He slapped Heard across the face, smashed her head against a fridge, and she barricaded herself in her bedroom to escape him, the court was told. Wass said Depp spat in her face, grabbed her by the throat and told her it would be easy to crush her neck.

"Fabricated and vicious," Depp replied, rejecting all the accusations. "I vehemently deny it and go as far as to say it was pedestrian fiction."

He agreed the couple had a row on the final day that began because he wanted Heard to sign a post-nuptial agreement, and he had not been drinking until that point.

Read also: The Amber Heard-Johnny Depp domestic abuse case just got even messier

'Nervous breakdown'

Depp said Heard threw two vodka bottles at him, the second of which "severed my finger and crushed my bones".

"That is when I began what I feel was perhaps some species of a nervous breakdown," he told the court.

He said he began to write messages on the wall in blood with his severed finger, before then using paint. One message on a mirror said: "Starring Billy Bob, Easy Amber".

Wass said the house was a scene of "carnage" with paint everywhere, and windows and the television smashed. It caused $100,000-150,000 of damage, according to Depp's assistant, the lawyer said.

By December 2015, Depp was regularly using violence against Heard, according to Wass. He replied the problem was that he ran away from fights.

At their LA penthouse, Wass said when Heard stood up to Depp, he chased her, saying "you think you are a fucking tough guy?", slapped, then headbutted her in "an uncontrollable rage", pulled out clumps of her hair and said he was going to kill her.

"It's a lie," Depp said.

Shown pictures of Heard with two black eyes, Depp said he had tried to grab her eyes while defending himself and he could have headbutted her accidentally.

Earlier Depp denied attacking Heard while trying to ease himself off prescription drugs on his private island in the Bahamas in August 2014, the "lowest point of my life", he said.

He accused Heard of withholding medication that would ease the process, calling it "one of the cruelest things that she has ever done", the court was told.

However, Wass said Heard, 34, was following instructions from Depp's medical team which led Depp to push and hit her.

"I did not push Miss Heard or attack her in any way," Depp said. "I was not in a condition to do so in any case."
As job losses continue piling up in Bexar County and across Texas, local leaders are working to roll out a large-scale job training initiative to qualify workers for jobs in higher-wage industries.

Industries such as health care, cybersecurity and manufacturing most likely are to offer higher-paying job opportunities for many currently unemployed workers, says a report published Thursday by SA Works, an arm of the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation focused on job training.

Jobs in construction and remote administrative work also are likely to provide opportunities for workers who complete training, the report found.

SA Works produced the coronavirus jobs report so city leaders can look at which are still those target, in-demand occupations, and what are the skills and certifications businesses say, Hey, were hiring for, said Romanita Matta-Barrera, executive director of SA Works. Because, in the end, we want to help support San Antonians who are going to have to pivot through training that ultimately leads to employability.

More than 150,000 people in Bexar County have filed unemployment claims since the pandemic struck in mid-March. The unemployment rate in the San Antonio metro area in May was up to 12.7 percent after sitting near a record-low 3.1 percent in February.

Job losses locally have been heavily concentrated among low-wage workers in the food service and hospitality industries, as well as retail trade. Those workers, who make up about 14 percent of San Antonios workforce, earned a median wage below $25,000 in 2019.

Businesses also have been hard-hit by the economic slowdown spurred by government-imposed business closures and consumers own fear over the virus.

The city and Bexar County recently approved similar worker training plans funded by money from the federal CARES Act. For its part, SAEDF has sought to identify training programs for unemployed workers that build on skills they already might have.

The report found a hotel front-desk employee who was laid off, for example, could be well-suited to work as a clerk in accounting and auditing, or as an office manager.

A waiter or waitress, meanwhile, has the skills to transition into a job as a nursing assistant, according to the SA Works job report.

Still, the jobs report acknowledged most unemployed workers would likely have difficulty finding a job in cybersecurity, for example, with just a few weeks of training.

Others may enter a job that doesnt pay much more than their position prior to the pandemic.

But the goal is placing workers in better long-term jobs, even if their initial pay doesnt increase significantly, Matta Barrera said.

We do understand some industries, some occupations may be starting at where that person was prior to COVID, at a lower salary. But what were focused on is what are those occupations and sectors that also provide job mobility? Matta-Barrera said.

Whats really different about some of the occupations that are not coming back because of the pandemic is they were quite stagnant, she said. And there are other occupations, like in the health care sector, where you can start as a nursing aide, but the ability to move up is there.

The next step for SA Works will be talking with local employers about what shape job training partnerships should take.

Labor market data is not sufficient  we need primary data, she said. So we are leading that engagement process with employers to understand hiring needs today, and then really work with them to also have our employer community step in to assist in providing on-the-job training and work experience to dislocated individuals.

The city and county are crafting their programs with the goal of retraining 10,000 workers by September 2021.

The programs will provide a $450 weekly stipend to participants who attend training at an educational institution such as Alamo Colleges, or perform on-the-job training for a local employer.

Something were focused on is how do we meet people where theyre at, Matta-Barrera said, and how do we help them get to the next best level?
Kiwi dance icon Parris Goebel has officially become a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (NZOM).

Walking on stage is something she does for a living, but on Thursday it wasn't just any stage - it was Government House, greeted by Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy.

Goebel was honoured with a Member of the NZOM in the New Years Honours, in recognition of her services to dance.

An award-winning choreographer, Goebel has worked with some of the biggest names in the music industry.

She's come from starring in a Justin Bieber music video - which has now been viewed more than 3 billion times - to piecing together every move of Jennifer Lopez's Super Bowl performance earlier this year.

Goebel has been back in the country for three months, and says she's had a little more time then to celebrate her latest achievement closer to family and friends.

In a post to her Instagram account on Thursday, Goebel said receiving the recognition was "such an honour".
People wear masks as they walk around the recently reopened Universal City Walk. (Los Angeles Times)

To the editor: Columnist Nicholas Goldberg calls for immediate enforcement of the state's mask mandate, an action that some police feel would jeopardize public trust.

Here's the truth: Leaders must lead by example, and the message must be reinforced. This is part of change management using the ADKAR approach (which stands for awareness, desire, knowledge, ability and reinforcement).

Step one is that our leaders must wear masks and continue to restate and reinforce the message, and police officers must also wear masks. Step two is engendering trust, so police could hand out masks to people not wearing them to gently reinforce the importance.

Finally, step three is to start citing people in 15 days or so. Like reopening, it's a phased approach.

Wendy Winter, Altadena

..

To the editor: Other than potentially contracting COVID-19, I agree that there have not been enough consequences for people who refuse to wear a mask. I think that in light of the recent protests against police brutality, officers now tend to back off rather than confront anyone who is in public barefaced.

Some of the people so concerned about their personal freedoms being taken away probably don't know anything about the Constitution. But, they should know that other countries seem to be doing much better than we are. The people there appear to have a different mind-set and care more about the well-being of all.

Unless we do what it takes to enforce mask compliance, we will be dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic indefinitely.

Barbara Segal, Carlsbad

..

To the editor: For those patriots who truly believe mask wearing is too great an imposition to bear, I would suggest issuing a citation for $500 or requiring community service consisting of eight-hour shifts changing linens, emptying bedpans and empathetic hand-holding in a busy COVID-19 ward.

Dan Proctor, Northridge
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The man who started the chain of events that led to the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Stephen Oshawo, has finally opened up on why his Ward 10 in Etsako West Local Government area of Edo state suspended Oshiomhole.

Oshawo, who is the Ward 10 Chairman of the APC, Oshiomholes ward, gave the suspension order that eventually led to the removal of Oshiomhole as the partys chairman by the Court.

Speaking at event in Benin recently, Oshawo disclosed that among other things responsible for the suspension, Oshiomholes inability to pay his pension for eight months stood out.

He said: You know, this government believes in development and the masses. The truth is that, when the former government (Oshiomhole) was in power as the governor of the state, I was an insider, I was the chairman of Ward 10. I suffered many things and nobody knew me or recognized me.

As a chairman to the governor of the state, I couldnt receive my gratuity as a pensioner and as a chairman to Oshiomhole when he was still the governor of the state, I was not able to get my pension for eight months, but when Godwin Obaseki came in, it didnt take him up to a month, he paid my gratuity and not only me but all the pensioners in Edo State.

He however denied that the suspension was influenced by Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state who had since decamped to the Peoples Democratic Party.
EasyJet customers have accused the budget airline of a 'scam' today after many had single legs of their journeys cancelled at the last minute with one insider telling MailOnline it could be because they haven't sold enough tickets to make money.

Passengers have demanded answers from the carrier because dozens have had half of their trip cancelled meaning they are left with one flight they cannot use or cancel without paying fees.

One group were stranded in Ibiza because their return flight was axed at the last minute - while dozens have said they cannot speak to anyone in customer services - even after three hours on hold.

A senior source at easyJet has told MailOnline the airline may not be selling enough seats, adding: 'People on easyJet flights have found they are very empty on many routes. It could be these cancellations are because of low load factors so they are trying to mitigate the cash burn' of running them.

Many irate customers claim they are struggling to get answers from the airline - and insist their holidays are 'stuffed' because they have flights they cannot use.

Mark Heron tweeted: '@easyJet you have cancelled my outgoing flight. However the 'return' flight is still going ahead (I think) you have not informed me of anything, obviously I won't be able to access that flight! #disgrace'.

Daniela La Penna wrote: 'I have received an email notification of a flight cancellation to Naples EZY8531 due to depart on the 25th July. No reason given. Yet when I booked the flight the website claimed only 5 tickets were available. Shame on you. Disgusting service. Hard not sense a scam'.

One angry customer said: @easyJet - why can't I apply for a refund online. My outgoing flight was cancelled but my incoming flight wasn't. How can I fly back if I can't fly out? Currently waiting for over an hour now to speak to someone. This is ridiculous'.

A number of easyJet customers are complaining that only one leg of their journey has been cancelled, meaning they are unable to make the trip but still have active bookings that they cannot make (file image)

An easyJet customer speaks to a member of staff at check-in on a day that many were expected to try to leave the UK and take advantage of new air bridges

Dozens of easyJet customers are having one-leg of their holidays cancelled with no explanation

Another customer wrote: 'My holiday outward bound flight has been cancelled but not my return - the email says I have to phone - but I cannot get through - I need a refund'.

EasyJet has pledged to refund customers affected - but failed to say why they were cancelling so many flights.

A spokesman said: 'We want to fly as many of our customers as possible this summer and so are working to re-accommodate customers on flights that have been confirmed to operate to ensure we are getting as many customers to their destinations as possible. On occasion there may be some customers whose flight is operating on one leg of their journey. If this happens customers will be contacted with their options which includes moving to another flight or a refund for the entire booking.

'Passengers on cancelled flights are being offered alternative options 21 days before the flight departs so we are not aware of instances of passengers having their return flights cancelled whilst they are on holiday without being offered alternative options. Should for any isolated reason this be the case and we have to cancel a flight within 14 days we would honour our responsibilities in line with EU261 which includes offering passengers a full refund, compensation and alternative transport arrangements.

'We are informing customers as soon as we know a flight has been cancelled. Customers whose flights are cancelled will be notified and informed of their options which includes transferring to an alternative flight free of charge, receiving a voucher or applying for a refund via a webform on our dedicated Covid Help Hub at easyJet.com'.

Britons who booked holidays before the Government released details for international 'air bridges' are complaining of long waits for refunds - while others say partially cancelled flights have scuppered their holidays entirely.

Travellers are now able to visit 59 countries without the need to quarantine for two weeks once arriving back in Britain, it was announced on Friday.

But many would-be holidaymakers are now revealing they have had their recent trips scrapped - while others are still waiting for refunds from flights booked long ago.

A number of easyJet customers are complaining that only one leg of their journey has been cancelled, meaning they are unable to make the trip but still have active bookings.

Twitter user Joe Willett said: '@easyJet this is beyond a joke, nearly 2 and a half hours on hold and counting. Trying to sort the fact you've cancelled our flight to Ibiza but only rescheduled the return...which we obviously need to cancel and refund. What is going on?!'

EasyJet customers are complaining of long wait times for customer services after parts of their trips were cancelled

Julie Durney wrote: '@easyJet I appreciate it's a difficult time but you cancelled an outbound flight. Found alternative company, then today you cancelled inbound flight. So that's 2 flights you've lost. Any explanation????'

Laura Walsh said: 'I have had to arrange my own flight as my original one was cancelled by @easyJet please can someone contact me immediately for a refund for the difference in cost! I have spend an additional 373 on top of my holiday cost. My transfers need to be rearranged.'

One social media user wrote: '@easyJet you cancelled my flights in June and said it would take 28 days to get a refund. Still had nothing and can't get hold of anyone? What do we do?'

EasyJet have been contacted for comment.

On a section of the easyJet website dedicated to its coronavirus policy, a statement reads: 'If your flight has been cancelled as a result of this, we are sorry. You will be contacted by our customer service team outlining the options available to you in Manage Bookings.'

It continues: 'We know that this has been a difficult and frustrating time for many of you who have had your travel plans disrupted, for those who may have had to wait on calls, or for those who faced difficulties booking onto rescue flights.

'As soon as it is safe to do so, we will be flying again. Until then, we thank you for your support and understanding.'

Of the 59 countries now green-lit for travel - including popular destinations Spain, France and Italy - only 25 allow travel without any restrictions.

Remaining countries named as part of the Department for Transport's (DfT) 'travel corridors' have a range of conditions  from quarantine measures to outright bans on UK visitors.

Many would-be holidaymakers are now revealing they have had their recent flights cancelled - with some still waiting for refunds from flights booked months ago

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) published a separate list of 67 destinations which are exempt from its advisory against all non-essential travel.

But analysis by travel consultancy The PC Agency and consumer research agency AudienceNet found that just 25 locations included on the lists do not have border controls that stop English visitors entering.

Others are either closed to international flights or impossible to enter without quarantine or coronavirus testing, according to the analysis.

Among the countries included on the Government's lists which have restrictions in place are Austria, Japan, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway and Vietnam.

The PC Agency chief executive Paul Charles said: 'Consumers are confused by the two lists produced by Government, as it's just not clear which countries are actually accessible without having to quarantine on arrival.

'Our research shows that holidaymakers and business travellers from England can only enter 25 countries, out of 74 on the DfT list, without being quarantined.

'It's vital that the Government provides clarity to consumers who are booking, and provides just one list that is accurate and up to date in terms of where we can actually access.'

On a section of the easyJet website dedicated to its coronavirus policy, a statement reads: 'If your flight has been cancelled as a result of this, we are sorry. You will be contacted by our customer service team outlining the options available to you in Manage Bookings'

Emma Coulthurst, consumer advocate for price comparison site TravelSupermarket, said: 'The Government's latest information released late on Friday on where UK citizens can holiday this summer has the potential to confuse people and see them unwittingly book holidays which, due to restrictions imposed by the destination country, they might not be able to take.

'There are some countries on the UK Government FCO and DfT lists which are refusing UK citizens entry or imposing strict entry requirements, which either completely prevent holidays or make them extremely difficult or more costly.

'It is vitally important that holidaymakers check the individual country's entry requirements before booking and also book cancel-for-free or flexible rebooking options in case they unintentionally book a holiday which entry restrictions then prevent them from taking.

'The UK Government should be making it clearer what the actual situation is for travel from the UK to countries on their lists and providing a lot more clarity on where holidaymakers can actually go to from the UK without restriction.'

Downing Street said it expected more countries to announce an easing of restrictions on travellers from the UK.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman was asked during a briefing with journalists whether it was 'misleading' to have published a quarantine-free list when not all of the places featured were allowing UK visitors in without restrictions.

The No 10 spokesman said: 'No, I'll say a couple of things on that.

'Many countries already don't impose quarantine restrictions on travellers from the UK and we expect more to ease restrictions on UK travellers following our announcement.

'We are working closely with international partners around the world to discuss arrangements from travellers arriving from the UK.

'It is obviously a changing situation across the world and passengers should check the individual country pages that we make available on gov.uk for travel advice and any restrictions at their destination before they book their trip and before they travel.'
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 11:59:08|Editor: huaxia

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YAOUNDE, June 9 (Xinhua) -- A cholera outbreak has sickened at least 983 people and killed at least 45 in Cameroon since January, health authorities said Thursday.

The cases and deaths were recorded in four of the 10 Cameroonian regions, authorities said, warning that cases could increase in the rainy season from March through September.

According to the state-run newspaper Cameroon Tribune, the Littoral Region, where the country's commercial capital Douala is located, has reported 563 cases so far, the highest caseload among the regions, while the capital Yaounde is the least affected with just three cases.

The South Region has confirmed 344 cases over the past six months, followed by the Southwest Region with 73 cases.

The statistics do not include those from the country's northern regions, where cholera is a common occurrence as a result of floods during the rainy season.

Health officials have blamed the outbreak for difficulties to access portable water sources, non-compliance with hygiene measures and the absence of latrines especially in rural areas.

Authorities are working to launch a nationwide hygiene campaign and a mass vaccination campaign to help contain the spread of the disease. Enditem
Nevada governor Steve Sisolak on Thursday began to reverse the states reopening amid a surge in coronavirus cases, ordering bars in the Las Vegas and Reno areas to close again to prevent spreading the infection.

Bars that do not serve food in counties that are experiencing a spike in coronavirus cases, including Washoe and Clark counties, will be required to close indefinitely at 11:59 p.m. on Friday. Sisolak said he will release the full list of counties affected by the order on Friday.

We know that COVID-19 can easily spread when people are congregating for long periods of time, like inside a bar, Sisolak said. In states where we have seen significant spikes, such as Arizona, Texas, and Florida, they have all taken actions to roll back bars.

Sisolak also noted that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that fewer than half of bars properly observed social distancing and mask requirements.

The new requirements will not prohibit indoor dining, but the governor is strongly encouraging restaurants to promote outdoor dining as much as possible and has set a six-person limit on parties at restaurants. Restaurants must also close their indoor bars, although there is no ban on serving alcohol.

Sisolak said he made the decision to issue the mandate, which brings the counties back to Phase One of Nevadas reopening rules, after speaking with officials from the Department of Health and Human Services and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, who warned that Nevada was verging on a precarious condition where hospitals are overwhelmed with patients without swift policy action to stop the spread of the virus.

Since bars and other businesses reopened in Nevada a month ago, the state has seen an increase in coronavirus cases, with more than 25,000 confirmed coronavirus cases on Thursday. As of Wednesday, Nevada also has 935 hospitalizations from confirmed or suspected coronavirus, a higher number than the state experienced during the peak of the pandemic in April.

Story continues

Across the country, we have seen far too many instances where hospital capacity appeared fine one day and then were overwhelmed the next with increased COVID-19 patients, Sisolak said. We do not want this to happen here, so we will do what we must do make sure that our hospitals are able to provide the best positive care to all patients.

Several southern and western states also experienced a surge in virus cases after they reopened their economies, including Texas, where the governor ordered bars to close again last month and limited restaurant capacity.

More from National Review
Police in India have shot dead a crime boss less than 24 hours after he surrendered himself in a case which rights groups say shines a spotlight on the countrys high rate of extrajudicial killings.

Vikas Dubey became the most wanted man in the country after a botched police raid at his home in the northern city of Kanpur last week ended in the deaths of eight officers and another seven being wounded.

Dubey, in his forties, escaped the scene of the ambush and was on the run for a week before he handed himself in to the authorities after visiting a temple in central Madhya Pradesh on Thursday.

He was being transferred back to Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh state when, at around 0700 local time [0130 GMT], he was shot dead on an isolated stretch of road.

Kanpur police claim the patrol car in which Dubey was travelling overturned due to a road accident, and that the suspect tried to take advantage of the situation and flee.

Assistant superintendent of Kanpur Police Dr Anil Kumar said Dubey grabbed an officers handgun and opened fire before he was shot dead.

But opposition parties  Uttar Pradesh is, like the central government, run by the Hindu nationalist BJP  and rights groups have questioned the circumstances surrounding the death.

NDTV reported that media were ordered to stop following the convoy carrying Dubey around half an hour before the incident that led to his death.

Six of Dubeys alleged accomplices have also been killed by the police in the past four days, according to state government spokesman Avneesh Awasthi.

Dubey was accused of involvement in more than 60 crimes ranging from killings to robberies and kidnappings, and believed to have ties to both police and politicians.

Amarnath Aggarwal, an opposition Congress party leader, accused police of planning the killing of Dubey. It was committed with the motive that Dubey did not reveal the names of people who provided patronage and protection to him, he said.

Extrajudicial killings in police custody  dubbed encounters in India  are a relatively common occurrence, referenced in Bollywood thrillers and met with little public shock. Shortly before Dubeys arrest on Thursday, the India Today news anchor Rajdeep Sardesai quoted a retired police officer on Twitter saying: Its unlikely Vikas Dubey will be caught; he and associates will be mostly encountered, they know too many secrets about too many big people Watch this space.

The overturned vehicle that was carrying Vikas Dubey is towed away near Kanpur on Friday (AP)

A report last month by a New Delhi rights group, the National Campaign Against Torture, said at least 1,731 people died in custody during 2019, the equivalent of five custodial deaths a day.

The most recent case to gain such national attention was in December last year, when four men suspected in the rape and murder of a young female veterinarian in southern India were shot dead after investigators took them to the crime scene. Police said they had tried to flee.

Shabnam Hashmi, director of the Indian social justice charity Anhad which has previously challenged so called fake encounters in the Supreme Court, told The Independent that Dubeys case was another example of the breakdown in the rule of law in Uttar Pradesh, a state with one of Indias highest crime rates according to the National Crime Record Bureau.

In January 2019 the UNs Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) expressed alarm at the scores of extrajudicial killings in Uttar Pradesh police custody committed in the previous two years.

Ms Hasmi also drew attention to the fact that last Saturday, two days after the failed police raid on Dubeys home in Kanpur, officials razed his house to the ground.

We strongly condemn the fake encounter of Vikas Dubey and the way his house was demolished. This we assume was done to remove all traces of his connections with various political leaders, she said.

The politics of blatant fake encounters is a blot on Indian democracy.

Human Rights Watch said Dubeys killing raises serious questions about whether police in India are seeking to bypass a justice process.

The killing of Vikas Yadav is yet another example of police failure and rights violations in India, said the NGOs south Asia director Meenakshi Ganguly. The pictures from the site show that he was being transported by a large group of policemen. Even if a man who had surrendered decided that he would make a run for it, there are serious questions about how he ended up dead.

In a statement, Amnesty International India called for an independent, impartial, effective and thorough criminal investigation into the alleged extrajudicial execution of Vikas Dubey.

Extrajudicial executions have no place in a modern and rights-respecting society. They cannot be allowed under any circumstances, including a war on crime or other public emergencies, said executive director Avinash Kumar.

There are currently no plans to open up Dubeys killing to a federal probe by the Indian Criminal Bureau of Investigations (CBI).

Nor, according to the BJP home minister of Madhya Pradesh  where he was captured  should there be.

[The] law has taken its own course, Narottam Mishra told reporters on Friday. He claimed that if Dubey wanted to reveal any secret he could have done it, adding: He was in police custody for about 17 hours.
Community members and expert panelists discussed funding of local police and school resources during the first of the Helena City Commission's series of public hearings on the matter Thursday evening.

The commission heard from school administrators, Helena Police Department school resource officers, representatives of ACLU Montana, experts in racial equality and numerous members of the public during the meeting.

Commissioner Heather O'Loughlin moved to amended the city's fiscal year 2021 budget to withhold $292,000 from HPD's personnel budget "contingent upon future approval by the commission" during the June 29 meeting. The amendment passed on a 4-1 vote. Commissioner Sean Logan was the lone dissenting vote.

Numerous local protests in the wake of George Floyd's death at the hands of a former Minneapolis police officer called for a re-imagining of policing policies in Helena and Lewis and Clark County.

Advocates for partially defunding local law enforcement agencies have asked the city commission to consider reallocating funds spent on SROs to social services such as mental health professionals within the schools.

Helena Police Chief Steve Hagen outlined the role SROs within schools and the additional training officers receive, including courses on racial bias, verbal de-escalation and crisis response.

SROs are responsible for traffic control during pick-up and drop-off times. They are guest teachers for classes like driver's ed. They are the primary responders to calls of runaway juveniles.

They are also the only entity granted the authority to place an involuntarily emergency mental health hold on a student, although Hagen said that is about the extent of SROs ability to deal with mental health issues.

"Law enforcement shouldn't be the primary responders to (a) mental health crisis," Hagen said.

That sentiment was echoed by the Helena School District administrators, who lauded the SROs work on their campuses.

"It has been proposed as an 'either/or' proposition when we should be looking at the power of 'and,'" said Helena High Principal Steve Thennis.

Helena School District Superintendent Tyler Ream said pulling officers from schools on such short notice would leave the district scrambling to fill the security void left behind.

"I truly believe that a reduction (in police funding) would be a detriment to our students, to our educators, to our families, and to our schools," Ream said.

Helena resident Judith Heilman heads up the Montana Racial Equity Project and is a retired police officer.

She contended that the eight hours of racial bias training rookie police officers receive is not enough.

"I've sat in on that and thought it was extremely lacking," Heilman said.

Many opponents to the measure claim Helena does not have the problems larger, more diverse communities like Minneapolis have. ACLU of Montana's Director of Advocacy and Policy S.K. Rossi said that is not true.

"Montana is not immune to those problems," Rossi said. "The same issues that exist for inner-city Black kids in St. Louis also affect Black and Native American students in Montana."

Hagen reported during the meeting the number of cases SROs handled during 2019 that involved either criminal citations, runaways and protective custodies totaled 208.

That number was broken down by race and gender. More than 3% of those cases involved Black students when that demographic represents about 1% of the population, a figure Heilman said was out of line.

Montana Attorney General Tim Fox extended his office's support during public comment.

"We stand ready to provide whatever we can," Fox said.

No action was taken during Thursday's public hearing. The city commission said it intends to host another in the coming weeks. A date for that has not been set.

What the nearly $300,000 would be used for if not to retain HPD's four SROs has yet to be decided.

Commissioner Emily Dean expressed her desire during the commission's June 29 meeting, during which the decision to hold the funds was made, that the money if not returned to HPD should be specifically earmarked for expanding social services within the school district.

O'Loughlin pushed back on the idea.

"I've tried really hard not to make assumptions of what I think these funds should be earmarked for," O'Loughlin said.

Later in that meeting, she said that a lack of city revenue was a consideration in her amendment.

"We sit today in this next fiscal year with expenditures exceeding the projected revenue by $670,000," O'Loughlin said during that late-June meeting.

While Thursday's meeting took place, about 60 members of the community held a protest against defunding of law enforcement on the steps of the City-County Building.

Pro-law enforcement music played from a loud speaker across the street, while protesters held "Back the Blue" signs and a blue piece of surveyors tape along the sidewalk outside the building.

"I absolutely support law enforcement, I know how hard they work and what they go through," Charlotte Snyder said, who previously worked for the Las Vegas Police Department. "We could not live without them. I would be afraid to live without them."

Over the last few days, Bill Bahny has been demonstrating around Helena, holding pro-law enforcement signs and says he gets a few obscene gestures directed at him but more often gets car honks and indications of support.

"We are the silent majority," Bahny said. "There is a silent majority out here that supports law enforcement."

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CHICAGO, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "IoT Security Market by Type (Network Security & Cloud Security), Component, Solution (Identity and Access Management, Security Analytics, & Device Authentication & Management), Service, Application Area, and Region - Global Forecast to 2025", published by MarketsandMarkets, the global Internet of Things (IoT) Security Market size is expected to grow from USD 12.5 billion in 2020 to USD 36.6 billion by 2025, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 23.9% during the forecast period. Major factors driving the growth of the market are the increasing number of ransomware attacks on IoT devices across the globe, growing IoT security regulations, and rising security concerns over critical infrastructures.

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The solutions segment to account for a higher market share during the forecast period

Major trends contributing to the market are the increasing security breaches in critical infrastructures and personal data. IoT security solutions include identity and access management, data encryption and tokenization, intrusion detection system/intrusion prevention system, device authentication and management, secure software and firmware update, secure communications, Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) lifecycle management, Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) protection, security analytics, and others (virtual firewall and incidence response system). These solutions enable enterprises to meet their key requirements, which help in securing their IoT devices.

The smart home and consumer electronics segment to witness the highest growth during the forecast period

Smart home and consumer electronics consist of devices, such as wrist wear, eyewear, neckwear, and body wear, and smart home appliances. Consumer electronics and smart home appliances are vulnerable and susceptible to cyber-attacks. This vulnerability and susceptibility provide IoT security vendors a great opportunity to address the security needs of these consumer wearables. Increasing adoption of smart home devices such as smart glass and smart speakers are enhancing the vulnerability of smart homes. Rise in the number of attacks over smart homes is fueling the demand for integrated security solutions.

North America to account for the highest market share during the forecast period

North America is the dominant region for IoT deployment and progressive in terms of technology adoption. The region comprises the US and Canada. The US is expected to hold a higher market share in the IoT security market. The US and Canada are the early adopters of trending technologies, such as IoT, big data, and mobility, and would provide significant growth opportunities for IoT security vendors.

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The major vendors in the global IoT security market include Cisco (US), IBM (US), Infineon (Germany), Intel (US), Symantec (US), Allot (Israel), Mocana (US), SecuriThings (Israel), CENTRI (Germany), Armis (US), ForgeRock (US), and NewSky (US).

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IoT for Public Safety Market by Component (Platform, Solution, and Services), Application (Emergency Communication & Incident Management, Surveillance & Security, and Disaster Management), Vertical Market, and Region - Global Forecast to 2023

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IoT Middleware Market by Platform Type (Device, Application, and Connectivity Management), Organization Size (Large Enterprises and SMES), Vertical (Manufacturing, Government & Defense, Automotive & Transportation), and Region - Global Forecast to 2025

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/iot-middleware-market-84839232.html

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Killing of accused by police under the garb of encounter is a serious violation of the rule of law and amounts to Talibanisation of the country, a plea filed before the Supreme Court said on Friday, while seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the encounter killings of Uttar Pradesh gangster Vikas Dubeys aides.

The plea was filed by Mumbai-based advocate Ghanshyam Upadhyay hours before Dubey himself was killed after he allegedly tried to escape from police custody on Friday morning. The plea raised concerns that Dubey, too, would suffer the same fate.

...there is every possibility that even accused Vikas Dubey shall be killed by Uttar Pradesh Police like other co-accused once his custody is obtained by Uttar Pradesh Police, the petition stated.

Besides seeking a CBI probe into the killings of the co-accused, Upadhyay also prayed that adequate security should be provided for Dubey so that he can be dealt with as per law.

Apart from Dubey, five people from his gang been killed in separate encounters in Kanpur, Etawah and Hamirpur.

Upadhyay likened encounter killings to what is depicted in the cop movie Singham.

A new tendency is now gaining ground in the rank and file of police machinery of arresting the accused alleged to be involved in heinous crimes and then killing the accused under the guise of encounter and then becoming movie cop Singham. (It) needs to be nipped in the bud at the earliest to save the country from becoming Taliban, the plea said.

Dubey was killed near Kanpur on Friday morning. The gangster was being brought back by the UP Police from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, where he was arrested a day ago. Dubey had been on the run since the killing of eight policemen by his men in Bikru village near Kanpur city on July 3.

Though it cannot be denied the act of the accused of killing eight policemen is extremely heinous crime, yet the accused were required to be dealt with as per law and upon their guilt being proved after full-fledged trial, they could have been convicted even for death sentence, Upadhyays petition said.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 22:53:49|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- China has decided to take reciprocal measures against U.S. agencies and individuals with egregious practices on Xinjiang-related issues, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said Friday.

Zhao told a daily news briefing that the decision was made in response to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's statement that the United States has imposed sanctions on multiple Chinese officials in Xinjiang.

Zhao said the U.S. practice constitutes serious interference in China's internal affairs, severe violation of basic norms governing international relations, and grave harm to China-U.S. relations.

"China firmly opposes and strongly condemns that," he said.

Zhao said Xinjiang affairs are entirely China's internal affairs, and the United States has no right and is in no position to intervene. The Chinese government is determined to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, combat violent terrorism, separatism and religious extremism, and oppose foreign interference in Xinjiang affairs and China's other internal affairs.

"We urge the United States to immediately rescind its wrong decision and stop making any remarks or moves that interfere in China's internal affairs and undermine China's interests," Zhao said, adding that the Chinese side will firmly fight back if the United States obstinately pursues such agenda. Enditem
Burma Intl Passenger Flights Likely Banned Until October: Myanmar Vice-President

Yangon International Airport. / Htet Wai / The Irrawaddy

YANGONMyanmar Vice-President Henry Van Thio says the country is unlikely to open to international commercial passenger flights until October.

At a meeting of the National Tourism Development Central Committee on Tuesday, the vice-president said that airports are expected to resume operations for international commercial passenger flights only after the third quarter of this year.

The Myanmar government has said that when airports can resume operation, it will announce the reopening of its tourism sector to ASEAN and Asian countries. The government also plans to take part in travel bubbles with Thailand and Vietnam, including direct flights to and from Myanmar.

Travel bubbles are exclusive partnerships between countries that have demonstrated considerable success in containing and combating the COVID-19 pandemic within their respective borders. The program will allow people to travel within the zone without having to undergo quarantines on arrival.

The vice-president also said that, if the initial travel agreements are successful, the Myanmar government will establish travel bubbles with Japan, Korea, China, Hong Kong and Macao, as he said they have achieved considerable success in containing the coronavirus.

Myanmar has banned all international commercial passenger flights since March 31. The government has extended the ban a number of times since then, with the latest ban in effect until July 31. Relief, cargo, medical evacuation and special flights approved by the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) as well as domestic flights, however, are not affected by the ban.

Aviation industry insiders have expressed concerns about the impacts of another possible extension of the ban.

If the ban is extended until October, airlines, airport operators and all the tour operators would collapse, Myanmar Airways International General Manager U Tin Maung Than told The Irrawaddy.

He said that, as airlines operate at the international level, they have to follow international procedures and thus one country alone cannot shut down its airports while others have lifted their bans.

Our country alone cant shut down. [The airlines] have to work internationally, so I think the vice-presidents remark is a bit previous, said U Tin Maung Than.

Some countries in the region that have reopened to international tourism have adopted guidelines for foreigners arriving in-country, requiring them to present health certificates or purchase health insurance. Some countries have also set up labs at airports to run tests for COVID-19.

During the 36th ASEAN Summit, held online on June 27, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha urged ASEAN countries to reopen tourism in their countries.

Union of Myanmar Travel Association Chairman U Naung Naung Han expressed a similar view.

It appears that we can no longer wait for COVID-19 to be eliminated. By the time COVID-19 is eliminated, tour operators will no longer have a business. ASEAN countries like Thailand and Cambodia now only restrict foreign travelers when it is necessary, he said.

Though Myanmar has largely reopened to domestic tourism, local tour companies are still struggling and many will likely have to shut down if international passenger flights are not allowed until October.

The Irrawaddy was unable to obtain comments from officials at the Ministry of Transport and Communications about the resumption of international commercial passenger flights to Myanmar.

The Myanmar government has also operated repatriation flights, bringing Myanmar citizens back from Thailand, Singapore, India and Korea.

As of Friday morning, Myanmar has reported 321 confirmed cases of COVID-19, 250 of whom have recovered.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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Longtime Seven publicist Susan Wood has departed the network after 17 years.

From 2003  2020 she was Network Director of Publicity, overseeing artist management, program launches, upfronts -and even network crises- including for My Kitchen Rules, Home & Away, Seven News, Sunrise, The X Factor, Dancing with the Stars, Packed to the Rafters, The Chase, Olympics, Commonwealth Games, AFL, Australian Open, Good Friday Appeal and more.

This concludes her third term with Seven having first joined the network from regional TV and Crawford Productions.

For the past 17 years she has worked under 4 CEOs including David Leckie, Tim Worner and James Warburton.

Last year James Warburton restructured Seven management with Charlotte Valente as Chief Marketing Officer and from February Julia Lefort as Director of Corporate Affairs and Publicity, when Wood returned to Melbourne.

Susan Wood told TV Tonight, Its been a conscious uncoupling. The time is right with the team in such good shape, to draw a line under the last 17 years, which have been tremendous fun.

CEO James Warburton said in a statement, Susan Wood has left the business after 17 incredible years, during which time she significantly contributed to the brand reputation of Seven, its successful programs and artists.

Susan more recently moved into a part-time consulting role with Seven focused on a number of specific projects, for which she may provide periodic support in the future.
Due to the cooperation of the European Union, Germany and Armenia for support to Armenia, Germanys International Search and Rescue Center (ISAR) will soon send a group of medical workers to Armenia.

As reported the Embassy of Germany in Armenia to Armenian News-NEWS.am, the group will consist of doctors, nurses and experts in emergency situations and will join the fight against COVID-19 in Armenia. The Embassy also said it gladly awaits the groups arrival.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 18:19:26|Editor: huaxia

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BEIRUT, July 10 (Xinhua) -- A total of 560 hotels shut down in Lebanon due to the absence of tourists given the COVID-19 outbreak worldwide, Elnashra, online independent newspaper, reported on Friday.

Pierre Ashkar, president of the Syndicate of Hotel Owners in Lebanon, said that "we did not witness any reservations by Gulf tourists who constitute the most important component for the success of the tourism sector in Lebanon."

Ashkar added that the European Union closed its doors facing tourists from Lebanon due to COVID-19 outbreak, which means that European tourists will not visit Lebanon.

"We were capable of generating 8.5 billion U.S. dollars in 2009 and 9.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2010," he said.

Lebanon's hotel sector is suffering from an unprecedented crisis ever since the start of nationwide protests in Oct last year.

The spread of COVID-19 in Lebanon and worldwide has made things even worse.

Hotels in the country have witnessed zero percent occupancy, forcing several big hotels to shut down, including al-Habtoor, Monroe, and the renowned Le Bristol's Hotel.

Tourism institutions have previously asked the government for facilities including exemption from taxes, payment of loans and electricity bills to be able to continue their operations. Enditem
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 10) - After 12 sessions of hours-long deliberations on the issues surrounding ABS-CBN Corporation, the House Committee on Legislative Franchises denied the television giant to operate for another 25 years.

Eighty-five members of the House Committee on Legislative Franchises decided on the fate of the media giant. Of this number, 46 are regular members and 39 are ex-officio members.

The chamber on Thursday had a summation of all issues thrown at the network such as the citizenship of ABS-CBN chairman emeritus Gabby Lopez, the 50-year limit on franchises, issuance of Philippine Depositary Receipts to foreigners, alleged tax-avoidance schemes, political meddling, and unfair labor practices, among others.

Then a technical working group (TWG) was formed to discuss all the recommendations regarding the franchise application. The TWG decided later to disapprove the networks franchise renewal.

As the lawmakers were about to vote, committee chairperson Rep. Franz Alvarez explained that a yes vote would mean support to the adoption of the TWGs resolution to deny the renewal, and a no vote means being in favor of granting ABS-CBN a fresh legislative franchise.

In the end, 70 lawmakers agreed with the TWG to deny the franchise application, while 11 others voted against the recommendationn. At least three lawmakers inhibited.

However, Alvarez is not included in the tally as committee chairpersons are not required to vote unless there is a tie.

Deputy Speaker Rep. Pablo John Garcia said that not all members of TWG were consulted because of their stance on the issue based on their conduct during the hearing.

The consensus was determined by the TWG by consulting some of the members," Garcia said. "Not all members were consulted because the inclinations of some of the members can already be determined from their conduct during the hearings."

The TWG said in its report that the recommendation is not related to press freedom, but denial of a privilege granted by the State because the applicant was seen undeserving of the grant of legislative franchise.

Of all the issues raised on ABS-CBN, Anakalusugan Party-list Rep. Mike Defensor told CNN Philippines that the members of the TWG agreed that only the issue on the 50-year limit on franchises did not violate the Constitution.

As of this writing, the House has not yet released the names of the congressmen who voted against the franchise renewal.

But according to Kabataan Party-list Rep. Sarah Elago, the 11 lawmakers who favored granting a 25-year franchise to ABS-CBN were the following:

1. Sol Aragones

2. Toff De Venecia

3. Carlos Zarate

4. Gab Bordado

5. Vilma Santos

6. Lianda Bolilia

7. Ping Tejada

8. Benny Abante

9. Stella Quimbo

10. Mujiv Hataman

11. Edward Maceda

Quimbo lamented that denial of a new franchise to the network would mean job losses for the 11,000 employees.

Pangunahin po sa naging paninindigan natin ang pagsasaalang-alang sa kapakanan ng mga empleyadot manggagawa ng network na inaasahang mawawalan ng trabaho, gayong may napakalaking krisis pa naman sa COVID-19," said Quimbo in a statement. "Saan na sila pupunta?."

[Translation: I stood for the welfare of the workers of the network, who will lose their jobs, especially now that we are facing a huge crisis on COVID-19. Where will they go?]

Meanwhile, Sagip Party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta, one of the staunch critics of ABS-CBN, said the broadcasting network should have been humble.

Its too late now. Hinihintay ko lang sanang magpakababa sila eh (I was waiting for them humble down themselves), said Marcoleta in an interview with CNN Philippines. They had that sense of entitlement.

Abante told CNN Philippines that the media giant can file a motion for reconsideration and lawmakers can also file a new bill seeking a new franchise for the network once Congress resumes session on July 27.

For his part, Zarate said that it would be difficult for ABS-CBN to file again for franchise renewal during the 18th Congress given the overwhelming opposition from other lawmakers.

But for what purpose? What is the point of filing new franchise application given the intensity of the opposition? he told CNN Philippines.

Defensor recently explained that ABS-CBN could reapply for legislative franchise but under a new name.

ABS-CBN has been off air since May 5 after the National Telecommunications Commission issued a cease and desist order due to the expiration of its legislative franchise.

CNN Philippines correspondent Xianne Arcangel contributed to this report
"We're going to fight for the place," Mike says. "There's nowhere else to go." About half-an-hour away, along a dusty track that must be navigated with care to avoid the kangaroos and the red-necked wallabies, David Clarke, is also worried about what being located within a priority mining zone will to mean for his 1214 hectare Mt Brace property that's been in the family for five generations if he counts his farming sons. David Clarke at his Coxs Creek property which is in one of the areas designated for coal mine exploration. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Standing near a stretch leading up to Rabbit Mountain, he points out tracts that could one day become an open-cut coal pit where cattle grazing and cereal cropping now hold sway. "This district has had mining for over 100 years," the former treasurer of the NSW Farmers lobby group says. "I'm definitely not against mining at all but I'm very much in favour of farming."

Clarke says the choice of the Coxs Creek area for possible mining doesn't make much sense given the relatively high farming productivity of the district that stretches westwards towards Mudgee. Even though some 70 per cent of NSW is under freehold control "we don't have a lot with good soil and good rainfall". "Here we do have reasonably good rainfall." he says. "A mine might be here for 20-30 years," Clarke adds. "Hopefully, agriculture's going to be here forever." The view from the Pagoda Lookout at Ganguddy-Dunns Swamp on the western edge of the Wollemi National Park. Much of the region towards Rylstone could one day be mined. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Even areas that are not within the exploration zones might face big impacts if the coal miners arrive, such as the Ganguddy-Dunns Swamp national park area a short drive to the east of Clarke's farm.

Chris Pavich, a former NPWS officer, is concerned some areas will become "mining moonscapes". Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Described by the National Park and Wildlife Service as "a beautiful, serene waterway on the Cudgegong river", the park is a popular camping spot drawing as many as 400 people at a time. Chris Pavich is a former NPWS officer who helped set up many of the walks through the sandstone pagoda country. He says the new exploration zone placed the last third of the 29-kilometre drive from Rylstone to the park in jeopardy of becoming a mining moonscape. Apart from the noise and dust, there would likely be other permanent impacts, such as on the quality and quantity of water. "There'd be dramatic changes to the groundwater particularly because where once you had semi-permeable or permeable layers, that's all been fractured," Pavich says.

Exposing the carboniferous rocks, which typically contain "lots and lots of sulphurous material" would risk making the pristine water more acidic, while other materials would make it saltier too. Attempts to rehabilitate the soil after mining  as the mine plans would likely require  won't be easy, Pavich says. "It takes a long time, perhaps hundreds if not thousands of years for good soil profiles to develop on that disturbed land, which influences the species that do well on those lands," he says. "I feel sorry for those people in the future." On the other side of the mountains, the historic town of Wollombi has also found itself in the potential crosshairs of the coal miners  much to the surprise of local residents. Digging in: members of the Wollombi Valley Progress Association say they will fight against mining near their town. From left: Euan Wilcox, Simone Smith (president), Chris Davey and Daniela Riccio. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

Loading "Why Wollombi? That's our question," says Simone Smith, president of the Wollombi Valley Progress Association. "We've had fire, COVID-19 and now this ... it puts a lot of stress on our community." Well-known for historic buildings dating back to 1840 or earlier, Wollombi is popular with tourists, including those journeying up the convict-built Great Northern Road that was the first overland link between Sydney and Newcastle. Steve Patterson, who runs the Wollombi General Store built circa 1851, says he "just laughed" when he heard last week the region was earmarked for future mines. "It's quite ridiculous," he says. Mining would be "completely incompatible with the heritage [and] the amount of wildlife we have is just spectacular".

A spokesman for John Barilaro, the state's Resources Minister and Deputy Premier, said the "Wollombi resource" had been the subject of a government-held exploration licence since 1981, and should not have surprised locals. "The resource has always been on the list of possible sites for exploration," he says. "There are existing mines directly to the north and the east of the identified area." The Bengalla coal mine near Muswellbrook in the upper Hunter Valley. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer The spokesman did not detail to the Herald how the 13 regions were singled out for exploration, other than to say they "have been identified based on the quality of the coal resource and the potential economic viability of it". The government, in fact, was in the process of relinquishing a number of coal exploration licences. Once complete, the area under licences will have been cut from 18,635 square kilometres in 2015 to 2359.

Stephen Galilee, chief executive of NSW Minerals Council, says the government had issued to the list of targeted zones: "so it's really up to [them] to explain how they came up with those places". Rehabilitation at the edge of the Mount Pleasant coal mine in the Hunter Valley. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer He cautioned against communities becoming too anxious about the prospect that exploration will turn into new mines. The number of coal mines in the state had dropped from about 64 to 40 in the nine years he has headed the mining lobby, with few new mines being opened up from scratch. The contribution from coal mining to the Hunter's gross regional product had generally been on a downward tilt, dropping from about 30 per cent in 2012 to about 23-24 per cent now as the area diversified "organically", he says. "Over that period of time, the dependence of the Hunter economy on coal mining has slowly fallen as the economy of the Hunter economy itself has grown," Galilee says.
Can't allow every person who thinks of some solution to COVID-19 to file petition: SC

Faith vs safety in burials: COVID-19 remains in dead bodies for 9 days says Centre

SC rejects plea on claim about therapy to deal with COVID-19

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, July 10: The Supreme Court has refused to entertain a plea which claimed that Soap Aroma Aerosol Action Preventive Therapy (SAAPT) mask was useful and would help in saving the world from COVID-19 pandemic.

A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan said the apex court cannot investigate the genuineness of such claim and it was for the authorities, including Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), to consider any such proposal.

Odisha to start plasma therapy to treat COVID-19 patients

"We are of the view that it is for the authorities concerned including ICMR to consider any proposal or any scientific invention. This court under Article 32 of the Constitution can neither entertain such claim nor can investigate the genuineness of such claim," said the bench, also comprising Justices S K Kaul and M R Shah.

The bench passed the order while hearing the plea through video-conferencing.

"If so advised, the petitioner may approach the competent authorities," it said.

Vikas Dubey killed in an encounter, Akhilesh Yadav raises questions | Oneindia News

"In so far as other prayers are concerned, no such direction can be passed in this writ petition filed under Article 32 of the Constitution of India. With these observations, the writ petition is dismissed," the bench said in its order.
Delroy Fireman Hooper sustained non-threatening injuries and is said to be on a path to full recovery. (Facebook Photo)

Vincentian soca bard Delroy Fireman Hooper is expected to make a full recovery, following a vehicular accident in which he was the driver/sole passenger.





Reports are that on Friday July 3, as Fireman was en route, from Georgetown where he resided, to a much anticipated virtual showdown between himself and Skinny Fabulous, his car overturned at about 5:45 p.m. along the Windward Highway in the Gorse area.





He sustained injuries and was transported first to the smart hospital in Georgetown and then later to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, after it became apparent that specialist care would be needed to attend to his injuries.





Island Networks Herric Horne, Firemans manager of longstanding reported, "He was travelling to do an event for Flow but when he got to the Gorse area there was some debris in the road. You know that area have some banks that normally come down in the road, when he approached it was too soon for him to take away from it so thats what caused the car to flip.





Fireman won the Soca Monarch title for the 10th time in 2018, with his Amen rendition, and was awarded a new car valued at $40,000, compliments Coreas and Hazells Inc., according to THE VINCENTIAN NEWSPAPER.





This, according to Horne, was the same car that spiraled out of control last week Friday, a day before Fireman would have been expected to defend his Soca Monarch title if Vincymas 2020 was held as originally advertised.





Close family friend and publicist Jean Johnny-Findlay told the media that the veteran performer was hospitalized since the accident, with damages to his right hand.





"He never lost consciousness, Johnny-Findlay confirmed, adding that though he was being held for further observations, Fireman, as always, was in good spirits.





Johnny-Findlay addressed earlier reports which claimed that Fireman sustained extensive injuries saying that those reports were not quite accurate, though the vehicle was badly damaged.





Horne, in a separate interview, concurred and said that the vehicle had to be towed away from the accident site.





He also disclosed, "Three of his fingers on his right hand were broken so they transferred him to the Milton Cato Memorial because there is where they have the bone specialist.





So they looked at him this morning [July 4, 2020] and well, hes able to move the fingers that were broken so we?re taking that as a good sign. Theyre in a cast, hes doing alright now.





The prognosis is that no adverse developments are anticipated as Fireman Hooper begins his down the path to recovery.








WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected President Donald Trump's bold claims of immunity from local law enforcement and congressional investigators, delivering a nuanced and likely landmark lesson on the separation of powers and limits of presidential authority.

In one of two lopsided 7-to-2 rulings, Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. rejected Trump's argument that he did not have to comply with a subpoena from Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., and said Vance had authority to pursue the president's personal and business financial records.

In the other, the court said the restrictions the president proposed on congressional demands for private, nonprivileged information "risk seriously impeding Congress in carrying out its responsibilities."

Still, the court put a hold on the congressional subpoenas, suggesting overreach on the part of the lawmakers. The court sent the cases back to lower courts where, the justices said, Trump also could challenge the specifics of Vance's inquiry.

On the whole, the rulings were a disappointment for those who hoped to see the president's long-withheld financial records before November's election. But perhaps the court's more lasting message came in the first sentence of Trump v. Vance: "In our judicial system, 'the public has a right to every man's evidence,' " Roberts wrote, citing an ancient maxim. "Since the earliest days of the Republic, 'every man' has included the President of the United States."

Trump's nominees to the court, Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, joined Roberts and the court's four liberals in the outcome of both cases. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito Jr. dissented.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany called the decisions a victory for the president, but Trump did not seem to agree, saying he was the victim of a "political prosecution" and that he was being treated worse than other presidents.

"Courts in the past have given 'broad deference'. BUT NOT ME!" Trump tweeted after the rulings.

In fact, although the court's examination of presidential power is rare, Thursday's decisions referenced the rulings that forced President Richard M. Nixon to turn over White House recordings in a criminal investigation, and President Bill Clinton's unsuccessful attempts to put off responding to a civil suit.

As in those cases, the current president's nominees to the court ruled against him. But Kavanaugh, joined by Gorsuch, wrote a concurring opinion in the Vance case that said the president still had options.

"The court today unanimously concludes that a president does not possess absolute immunity from a state criminal subpoena," Kavanaugh wrote, "but also unanimously agrees that this case should be remanded to the district court, where the president may raise constitutional and legal objections to the subpoena as appropriate."

Vance is investigating whether the Trump Organization falsified business records to conceal hush payments to two women - including pornographic film actress Stormy Daniels - who alleged they had affairs with Trump years ago. Trump has denied those claims.

"This is a tremendous victory for our nation's system of justice and its founding principle that no one - not even a president - is above the law," Vance said in a statement. "Our investigation, which was delayed for almost a year by this lawsuit, will resume, guided as always by the grand jury's solemn obligation to follow the law and the facts, wherever they may lead."

The president's lawyer, Jay Sekulow, countered: "We are pleased that in the decisions issued today, the Supreme Court has temporarily blocked both Congress and New York prosecutors from obtaining the president's tax records. We will now proceed to raise additional constitutional and legal issues in the lower courts."

In the Vance case, Roberts's opinion was joined by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. They concluded the president "is neither absolutely immune from state criminal subpoenas seeking his private papers nor entitled to a heightened standard of need."

Trump's lawyers had argued in lower court that the president was so immune to local law enforcement that it could not investigate the president were he to shoot someone in the street.

At the Supreme Court, they argued that having to comply with a state criminal subpoena would be an intolerable distraction to doing important work for the nation, would undermine his leadership abilities and stature in the world and subject him to harassment.

Roberts said the court's precedents had made all three arguments unavailable to him, and the question was whether a state subpoena was different from a federal one, with which the court already has ruled a president must comply.

The majority found little difference.

Alito dissented on that. "Never before has a local prosecutor subpoenaed the records of a sitting president," he wrote. "The court's decision threatens to impair the functioning of the presidency and provides no real protection against the use of the subpoena power by the nation's 2,300+ local prosecutors."

Thomas would give the president more leeway to argue that the job deserves his "whole time" and the subpoena should not be enforced. (Roberts said there was "little daylight" between the majority opinion and Thomas's dissent.)

In the congressional case, the court tried to strike a balance between the chief executive and Congress, while lamenting that it had to get involved in the first place.

Roberts wrote that the court was wary because the case was "the first of its kind to reach this court; that disputes of this sort can raise important issues concerning relations between the branches; that related disputes involving congressional efforts to seek official Executive Branch information recur on a regular basis, including in the context of deeply partisan controversy; and that Congress and the Executive have nonetheless managed for over two centuries to resolve such disputes among themselves without the benefit of guidance from us."

While the House presented the issue as routine, Roberts wrote, the court would have to be "blind" not to see "the subpoenas do not represent a run-of-the-mill legislative effort but rather a clash between rival branches of government over records of intense political interest for all involved."

The court reinforced Congress's broad investigative power, but said such authority is not limitless and must be more targeted when it comes to subpoenas for a president's personal information.

Without limits, the court warned, "Congress could declare open season on the president's information held by schools, archives, internet service providers, e-mail clients, and financial institutions."

The majority devised a new four-part test for courts to analyze the validity of subpoenas aimed at the president.

The court said Congress cannot seek the president's information as part of a case study for general legislation if other sources are available. Lawmakers also must narrow their requests and detail how the president's information will advance possible legislation.

There might be other considerations courts should consider as well, Roberts wrote: "one case every two centuries does not afford enough experience for an exhaustive list."

But he said lower courts that found the House subpoenas were authorized did not pay enough attention to the "significant" separation-of-powers issues.

At the same time, the court rejected the administration's view of how limited Congress's inquiries may be.

"The standards proposed by the president and the solicitor general - if applied outside the context of privileged information - would risk seriously impeding Congress in carrying out its responsibilities," the court said.

In dissent, Thomas said congressional subpoenas of the executive should come only in service of impeachment proceedings. Alito said "legislative subpoenas for a president's personal documents are inherently suspicious," and the court majority did not go far enough in its requirements to lower courts evaluating them.

House Democrats called the decision a win, but one with a cost.

"While defeated on his claim that he's above the law, Trump is now beyond the law until after November," said Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, which requested Trump's tax returns. "He may not be able to outrun the law, but he's outrunning the clock."

The battle over the documents comes in part because Trump, unlike every president since Jimmy Carter, has not voluntarily turned over his tax returns.

Vance is seeking those, although with other records.

Separately, three House committees have sought to bypass the president to obtain his financial records from his longtime accounting firm, Mazars USA, and financial institutions. The committees, all controlled by Democrats, say they are needed to check Trump's financial disclosures and inform whether conflict-of-interest laws are tough enough.

Lawmakers' line of investigation is more expansive than the district attorney's. They have demanded information "about seven business entities, as well as the personal accounts of President Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Ivanka Trump," according to the brief filed by the president's private lawyers.

The congressional subpoenas followed testimony from Trump's former fixer, attorney Michael Cohen, who told lawmakers that Trump had exaggerated his wealth to seek loans. Two committees subpoenaed Capital One and Deutsche Bank as part of their investigation into Russian money laundering and potential foreign influence involving Trump.

Federal judges in New York and the District of Columbia repeatedly ruled against Trump and to uphold Congress's broad investigative powers.

- - -

The Washington Post's Ann E. Marimow and Rachael Bade contributed to this report.
Chas Moore watched in shock one night in 2017 as Austin City Council voted on the citys proposed police contract.

He and other criminal justice reformers had spent months observing contract negotiations and lobbying council members to reject a deal they said was too expensive and lacked crucial accountability measures.

The citys 10 council members and mayor raised their hands to vote the deal down.

I dont think anyone thought that would happen, said Moore, president of the Austin Justice Coalition. Historically people fight police unions  and they do not win.

The vote sent police back to the negotiating table, and the resulting contract included a slew of reforms  at half the cost of the previous version.

In Houston, that negotiating table is behind closed doors.

Activists here want to change that as the city and the police union negotiate a new contract this year. They are again seeking the right to observe deliberations and to try to change provisions they say protect officers accused of wrongdoing. But while other cities with similar bargaining rules allow residents to observe negotiations, Houston does not, aided by what critics say are gaps in the states government code that do not clearly require union contract negotiations to be open to the public.

Houstons police budget in 2020 tallied about $911 million  by far the largest allocation in the city budgets general fund. While other cities across the U.S. slashed police budgets, Houstons City Council unanimously in June passed a budget with a $20 million increase for the police department.

The pressure for reform rose around the country in the wake of the killing of former Houston resident George Floyd in police custody, and organizers say its overdue here.

Not long after that Austin contract rejection, community organizers in Houston sought to observe police contract deliberations here.

Local criminal justice advocate Tarsha Jackson said she approached City Hall in 2018 to try to share community concerns  but the criminal justice reformer with the Texas Organizing Project said she found an opaque process.

It was not public. It was like a guessing game, Jackson said.

The contract was settled behind closed doors without them getting a chance to see it or offer their input.

As were having these conversations around police accountability and reform, how can we have these conversations without the community? Moore asked regarding the efforts around the country to get a seat at the table during contract negotiations.

LABOR BATTLES: Houstons hard-charging fire union president has become mayors most ardent opponent

Calls for change answered with a task force

Mayor Sylvester Turner responded to calls for reform with a 45-person task force. Activists fear the group wont have time to make recommendations before Turner strikes a new deal with the union.

Earlier this month, the ACLU of Texas sent a letter to Turner asking him to make the negotiations public. On July 6, a coalition of criminal justice advocates issued a report urging the mayor to pass ordinances limiting discretionary arrests, making body camera videos public, expanding the use of nonpolice first responders and banning no-knock warrants.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Houston police officers elect union veteran new president

They also want reforms in the next union contract regarding protections officers receive when they are accused of misconduct, which they say are far stronger than those for employees in other professions or those that criminal suspects receive.

State law requires that departments give officers accused of misconduct 48 hours notice  and all witness statements or other evidence  before questioning them about allegations of impropriety.

They also take issue with contract rules that require the department to investigate  and punish  officers for serious offenses within 180 days of the date of the alleged misconduct.

HPD Chief Art Acevedo has also criticized those provisions but suggested changes need to be addressed at the Texas Legislature. Activists argue changes implemented in the contract would supersede state law.

Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Union officials contend that the protections are necessary because police can be fired if they refuse to answer questions during internal investigations and say that if activists want reform they should address the issue via legislation.

Community organizers say being at the bargaining table is necessary and have worked to get there in Chicago, Portland and Spokane, Wash., where city officials last month rejected a proposed contract with police officers over accountability concerns.

What were talking about is the process by which cities negotiate accountability structure of local police departments, said Samuel Sinyangwe, with Check the Police, a national criminal justice reform group.

Pushback from city, union

In Houston, organizers face significant barriers.

City officials declined to provide the Chronicle any information about the negotiations, including meeting dates, locations or agendas.

The contract negotiations will move forward at Mayor Turners direction and in the citys best interest, city spokeswoman Mary Benton said in an email. I have no additional information to provide at this time.

Bargaining rules across the state vary. Cities typically negotiate with unions under either meet-and-confer or collective bargaining.

In Houston, the citys firefighters use collective bargaining, which by law also is open to observers. But state law makes no such requirement for Houstons meet-and-confer negotiations with its police officers.

Other meet-and-confer cities have nevertheless made police contract negotiations public. A Fort Worth spokeswoman said officials made that decision in order to be consistent with its process with firefighters. Negotiations in Austin are also public. There does not appear to be any law preventing the city from opening its negotiations to observers.

HARDING STREET SCANDAL: Damning HPD narcotics audit reveals hundreds of errors

Douglas Griffith, vice president of the Houston Police Officers Union, argued that residents are already represented by the mayors negotiating team. Officers dont want someone uneducated with the process gumming up the system weve worked so hard for, he said. Thats why they elect the Mayor and city council. Either you trust them or you dont.

He accused critics of trying to change a discipline process they did not understand and said he was willing to meet with council members or community organizers who have concerns.

Ill meet with anybody and talk to anybody who wants to know about our discipline process, he said.

Only one elected official at the table

When the Chronicle polled City Council members about activists concerns, several called for greater reforms and transparency, or said council should have a more significant role in the process.

It is clear that the contract between COH and HPOU needs to incorporate a number of changes that we have heard from the community  real measures to increase transparency and accountability, council member Abbie Kamin said.

Council member Greg Travis said he believed council should have a broader say in the process but criticized the citys strong executive system, saying it prevents council members from participating more fully.

Those people who have been duly elected need to be involved. And right now, only one, the mayor, is involved.

Other council members said that any proposed contract would be accessible to the public before council votes on it. But community organizers said reviewing a document after negotiations have concluded allows little room for change.

In 2018, nobody got a chance to see (the final contract) before it was up to vote before City Council, said Brennan Griffin, deputy director of Texas Appleseed.

HPOU President Joe Gamaldi and his predecessor, Ray Hunt, were unavailable for comment.

RELATED: Houston Police Officers Union president Joe Gamaldi elected VP of the Fraternal Order of Police

Traditionally, the city and union negotiate contracts about every two to three years. The unions top leaders and their lawyers sit down with the citys negotiating team  which includes six to eight members of HPDs command staff, along with police and city lawyers, and members of the citys office of budget and finance.

The contract lays out rules on how the department investigates and punishes officers accused of misconduct, such as the 48-hour rule that troubles activists. And it outlines officer pay and benefits, such as patrol officer incentive pay, which rewards longtime patrol officers with a stipend of an additional $2,000 a year.

Community organizers say the process is outdated and fails to recognize residents desire for an open and transparent process.

We cannot have elected officials who think they are just doing whats best for us and we should sit down and be in the childs playpen and be OK with what they are doing, said Ashton Woods, president of Black Lives Matter Houston. We have every right to question or demand information. And the information should be public, it should be accessible easily, and it should be clear and concise.

Nor are the calls for greater transparency limited to activists. At a City Council meeting last week, DeAndre Hutchison, president of the Afro-American Police Officers League of Houston, said his organization should be present at the negotiations.

We believe we have a huge role and responsibility to law enforcement and to the community, said Hutchison, who said his organization represents about 40 percent of the departments officers of color.

Austin and a seat at the table

In Austin, when residents sat through one round of negotiations with police in 2017, they were allowed to only observe, and not speak, said Kathy Mitchell, an activist with Just Liberty, one organization involved in the effort. But they used the information they gathered to lobby City Council members about specific concerns.

Labor attorney Ron DeLord helped negotiate both contracts for the Austin Police Association.

My position was, You have a seat at table because you elect council and council picks the negotiating team, he said. But after the December 2017 vote, negotiators spent more time listening to activists, he said.

We made our point to try to hear what their concerns were and try to fix what we could to get the contract passed, DeLord said.

The second contract  which the Austin City Council approved a year later  cost the city $40 million less and included several reforms the Austin groups were seeking.

They didnt have a single activist testify against the contract the second time, DeLord said.

st.john.smith@chron.com

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Announcement of Periodic Review: Moody's announces completion of a periodic review of ratings of United Kingdom, Government of

Global Credit Research - 10 Jul 2020

Paris, July 10, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") reviews all of its ratings periodically in accordance with regulations -- either annually or, in the case of governments and certain EU-based supranational organisations, semi-annually. This periodic review is unrelated to the requirement to specify calendar dates on which EU and certain other sovereign and sub-sovereign rating actions may take place.

Moody's conducts these periodic reviews through portfolio reviews in which Moody's reassesses the appropriateness of each outstanding rating in the context of the relevant principal methodology(ies), recent developments, and a comparison of the financial and operating profile to similarly rated peers. Since 1st January 2019, Moody's issues a press release following each periodic review announcing its completion.

Moody's has now completed the periodic review of a group of issuers that includes United Kingdom and may include related ratings. The review did not involve a rating committee, and this publication does not announce a credit rating action and is not an indication of whether or not a credit rating action is likely in the near future; credit ratings and/or outlook status cannot be changed in a portfolio review and hence are not impacted by this announcement. For any credit ratings referenced in this publication, please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for the most updated credit rating action information and rating history.

The credit profile of the United Kingdom (issuer rating Aa2) is supported by the country's "a1" economic strength, reflecting the British economy's large size, diversification and competitiveness while still recognizing that structural growth is slowing, in part due to Brexit; the UK's "a1" institutions and governance strength balances the robust institutional setup against diminished policy capability and predictability and the strains that Brexit has clearly placed on some aspects of constitutional arrangements as well as the capacity of the government and civil service; its "a3" fiscal strength takes account of the modest interest burden of the debt and its long maturity structure, but also acknowledges that the pace of fiscal consolidation has slowed repeatedly over the years and the public finances will likely weaken going forward; and its "a" susceptibility to event risk is driven by domestic political risk and banking sector risk.

Story continues

This document summarizes Moody's view as of the publication date and will not be updated until the next periodic review announcement, which will incorporate material changes in credit circumstances (if any) during the intervening period.

The principal methodology used for this review was Sovereign Ratings Methodology published in November 2019. Please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.

This announcement applies only to EU rated and EU endorsed ratings. Non EU rated and non EU endorsed ratings may be referenced above to the extent necessary, if they are part of the same analytical unit.

This publication does not announce a credit rating action. For any credit ratings referenced in this publication, please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for the most updated credit rating action information and rating history.

Sarah Carlson, CFA Senior Vice President Sovereign Risk Group Moody's France SAS 96 Boulevard Haussmann Paris 75008 France JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454 Yves Lemay MD - Sovereign Risk Sovereign Risk Group JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454 Releasing Office: Moody's France SAS 96 Boulevard Haussmann Paris 75008 France JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454

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T he Happiest Place on Earth is set to reopen this weekend in Florida, despite the state seeing a record number of deaths from the coronavirus pandemic on Wednesday.

Disney World in Orlando, Florida, will open two of its parks this weekend - Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom - to guests with pre-booked tickets, despite the state seeing a surge in covid cases.

Florida has had over 200,000 confirmed cases of the virus and over 4,000 deaths - with a record high of 120 deaths recorded on Wednesday.

Disney World will also open Epcot and Hollywood Studios on July 15 after all of its parks and hotels have been closed since mid-March.

The first phase of the reopening will see 20,000 furloughed Disney World workers return to the parks, which will have strict new covid measures including social distancing, reduced capacity and vigorous cleaning measures.

Matt Hollis, head of the Service Trades Council Union coalition that represents 43,000 Disney World workers, told the Guardian: Theres absolutely people that are nervous, when you hear the reports of the virus, the statistics, but what they see every day is Disney taking the steps necessary to keep them and the guests safe.

Theres certainly going to be a learning curve as we learn the new normal, but the cast members will do everything they can to adapt with the new measures designed to keep everyone safe. Theyre Disney workers. They love what they do, they certainly want to be able to do it in a safe environment.

A petition posted on moveon.org reportedly from Disney employees has urged the states Republican governor, Ron DeSantis and other local officials to delay the parks opening until covid cases have dropped.

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The petition, which has been signed by over 20,000 people, reads: While theme parks are a great way to relax and enjoy free time, it is a non-essential business; it is not fair to the people who work there to risk their lives, especially if they are at risk or have family members who are at risk. People are more important than making a profit.

DeSantis said at a press conference this week: Disney, I have no doubt, is going to be a safe environment. I think that where you start to see the spread is just in social situations where people let their guard down. Usually like a private party or something like that.

In 2019, Disneys Parks, Experiences and Products bought in $26 billion (20 billion) and its revenue dropped by 90 per cent in the first quarter of 2020.

In June, Tui cancelled all flights to Florida from the UK until at least November due to the covid surge.
Highlights The Indian army has directed its personnel to remove and uninstall 89 apps by July 15.

Truecaller has said that it is disappointing to be included in the banned-app list since it is of Swedish origin.

Some of the apps that the army has banned include Tinder, Facebook, Truecaller, PubG, UC Browser, Zoom, Reddit, and Snapchat.

Truecaller has expressed its disappointment over the Indian Army's recent decision to include Truecaller in the list of 89 apps that it has banned for the army personnel.

A Truecaller spokesperson in a statement said that the app is of Swedish origin and considers India its home. "We also have immense respect for the Armed Forces and we stand in solidarity with them and the Indian government. We would like to reiterate that Truecaller remains safe to use, both for our citizens and for our esteemed armed forces personnel," the statement said.

The statement said that Truecaller sees no reason to be on the list and would like to investigate the matter further. This will be done by reaching out to the government to understand the issues behind the ban of the app, Gadgets 360 noted.

The Indian Army on Thursday directed its personnel to uninstall and delete 89 apps citing security considerations and leakage of sensitive data. Some of these apps include Tinder, Facebook, Truecaller, PubG, UC Browser, Zoom, Reddit, and SnapChat. The 89 banned apps are to be removed by July 15. The army has also said that those who do not follow orders will face strict actions.

This app ban was issued due to an "exponential increase in the number of military personnel being targetted online by intelligence agencies of Pakistan and China," an Indian army source told TOI.

Truecaller has over 17 crore users in India and has iterated that it does not sell the data to any third party. It also added that the inclusion in the list of 89 apps is unjust and unfair as it stores all user data in India, all the app features are permission-based and disabled by default, a majority of Truecaller employees are Indian and that it does not upload phonebooks or sell any user data.

The app identifies and blocks spam calls and SMS for its users.

Last month, the government of India banned 59 apps with Chinese origin after the Galwan valley clash between the Indian and Chinese armies. The government in a press release had stated that it has decided to block 59 apps "in view of information available they are engaged in activities which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order". It said that the move to ban these Chinese apps will "safeguard the interests of crores of Indian mobile and internet users".
GENEVA, July 9 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) chief announced on Thursday to launch an independent panel to review its handling of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the response by member states.

The panel will be co-chaired by former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark and former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who will choose the members, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in his virtual address to WHO member states.

The panel is supposed to present its interim report in November when the World Health Assembly resumes, and its substantive report in May next year.

"This is not a standard report that ticks a box and is then put on a shelf to gather dust. This is something we take seriously," Tedros said. Through the panel "the world will understand the truth of what happened and also the solutions to build our future better as one humanity."
But now, as the city braces for a possible second wave of the virus, some of those vulnerabilities may flip, with the affluent neighborhoods becoming most at risk of a surge. According to antibody test results from CityMD that were shared with The New York Times, some neighborhoods were so exposed to the virus during the peak of the epidemic in March and April that they might have some protection during a second wave.
A decayed body was found dumped in the Moshi garbage depot, Pimpri-Chinchwad, at around 10 pm, on Thursday. The body was noticed by the JCB driver who informed the ground segregation staff.

According to police, the sanitation staff loaded the decomposed body in a garbage van mistaking it for waste.

The Bhosari MIDC police station officials were informed about the incident who conducted an on the spot panchnama. The body was sent for post mortem at Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital (YCMH).

According to the PCMC officials, the dead body was of a male and was noticed by the JCB driver who informed the ground segregation staff. Amid the Covid-19 pandemic the staff refused to go near the body and informed the police.

Police inspector Rajendra Kunte said,  The body was found in a decomposed condition and its identity could not be ascertained. We are trying to find out from which dumper did it reach the Moshi garbage depot.

Dr K Anil Roy , PCMC health officer, said, An investigation is on to trace the dumper from which the body came to the depot.

According to PCMC officials currently, garbage trucks fetch garbage from eight wards of Pimpri-Chinchwad daily. Also, two private companies have been entrusted the responsibility of handling garbage processing that the mammoth unit.

The police will be questioning the local contractor and all the truck drivers in connection with the case.

Maruti Bhapkar, social activist, said, It is a serious lapse and strict action should be taken against those responsible for lackadaisical attitude. The administration cannot be callous during the times of Covid crisis.
Paleontologists have found and described the first nearly complete skeleton of Ankylorhiza tiedemani, an extinct large dolphin that lived about 24 million years ago (Oligocene epoch).

With a body length of 4.8 m (15.7 feet), Ankylorhiza tiedemani was the largest member of the group Odontoceti (toothed whales) during the Oligocene  a size not surpassed until the early Miocene by sperm whales.

The extinct animal was first described in the 1800s from a large fragmentary skull. Its first skeleton was discovered in the 1970s by then Charleston Museum Natural History curator Albert Sanders.

The nearly complete skeleton analyzed in the new study was found in the 1990s in South Carolina by commercial paleontologist Mark Havenstein. It was later acquired by private fossil collector Mace Brown and subsequently donated to the Mace Brown Museum of Natural History at the College of Charleston.

The specimen includes a well-preserved skull, most of the vertebral column, ribcage and one flipper.

The discovery is important because it is one of the first skeletons found of a very early member of the toothed whales (dolphins, porpoises, and sperm whales), shortly after they diverged around 35-36 million years ago from baleen whales, said Dr. Robert Boessenecker, a paleontologist in the Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences at the College of Charleston.

What makes that important is its evolutionary position as a very early branching dolphin.

Most early dolphins are known only from skulls, so having a skeleton with flippers and most of the vertebrae gives us an unprecedented look into the evolution of swimming adaptations.

That unprecedented window surprisingly told us that baleen whales and dolphins have many similarities owing to convergent evolution since their evolutionary split 35 million years ago.

The skeleton of Ankylorhiza tiedemani shows a few adaptations for faster swimming than other smaller dolphins, but also shows several primitive features.

These primitive features are surprising because paleontologists and biologists long assumed that many of the adaptations for rapid swimming in baleen whales and toothed whales were ancient adaptations shared thanks to their common heritage over the past 35 million years, Dr. Boessenecker said.

The degree to which baleen whales and dolphins independently arrive at the same overall swimming adaptations, rather than these traits evolving once in the common ancestor of both groups, surprised us, he added.

Some examples include the narrowing of the tail stock, increase in the number of tail vertebrae, and shortening of the humerus (upper arm bone) in the flipper.

This is not apparent in different lineages of seals and sea lions, for example, which evolved into different modes of swimming and have very different looking postcranial skeletons.

Its as if the addition of extra finger bones in the flipper and the locking of the elbow joint has forced both major groups of cetaceans down a similar evolutionary pathway in terms of locomotion.

Multiple lines of evidence show that Ankylorhiza tiedemani was a top predator in the community in which it lived.

The species was very clearly preying upon large-bodied prey like a killer whale, and is the first echolocating whale to become an apex predator.

When Ankylorhiza tiedemani became extinct by about 23 million years ago, killer sperm whales and the shark-toothed dolphin Squalodon evolved and reoccupied the niche within 5 million years.

After the last killer sperm whales died out about 5 million years ago, the niche was left open until the ice ages, with the evolution of killer whales about 1 or 2 million years ago.

Whales and dolphins have a complicated and long evolutionary history, and at a glance, you may not get that impression from modern species, Dr. Boessenecker said.

The fossil record has really cracked open this long, winding evolutionary path, and fossils like Ankylorhiza tiedemani help illuminate how this happened.

The findings were published in the journal Current Biology.

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Robert W. Boessenecker et al. Convergent Evolution of Swimming Adaptations in Modern Whales Revealed by a Large Macrophagous Dolphin from the Oligocene of South Carolina. Current Biology, published online July 9, 2020; doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.06.012
OneWeb's satellite operations center in McLean, Virginia on February 13, 2019. Sarah L. Voisin / The Washington Post / Getty Images

Satellite internet company OneWeb is back in the space broadband race against SpaceX's Starlink network, thanks to a late $1 billion bid that should rescue the former from bankruptcy. OneWeb's new owners, pending court approvals of the sale later this year, will be the U.K. government and Indian telecommunications conglomerate Bharti Global  which each have committed $500 million in capital to finance OneWeb's return from bankruptcy. It's an "improbable turn of events," according to Quilty Analytics founder Chris Quilty, who explained to CNBC how OneWeb's return after its "near-death experience" will change the competitive landscape for its biggest rival. "If OneWeb had vaporized into Chapter 7 [bankruptcy] and gone away forever, then SpaceX would have been number one, they would have had the 'priority rights,'" Quilty said. "They're no worse off than they were prior to OneWeb going bankrupt, but they lost an opportunity." Elon Musk's venture is the leading player among companies looking to use hundreds or thousands of small satellites in low Earth orbit, or LEO, to beam high-speed internet anywhere in the world. These capital-intensive projects have bankrupt ed companies in the past, with OneWeb the latest victim.

Quilty's boutique research and investment firm often focuses on the satellite communications sector, which he founded after leading Raymond James' coverage of the space industry for 20 years. OneWeb's return from bankruptcy means that it will retain the "priority rights" it has to the Ku-band of satellite spectrum, Quilty explained. Spectrum is managed by government regulators on a first-come-first-serve basis, Quilty said, so the company that "files first has priority rights" to that band of spectrum. While regulators expect companies to share use of the spectrum, he said the company with priority rights gets to essentially "set the rules" for how it uses the spectrum. "It's not crippling [to SpaceX] but it's a hindrance to the performance of their system," Quilty said. "Elon Musk is not only challenging OneWeb for a LEO broadband business, he's also challenging them for the exact same spectrum in the Ku-band  and he filed second. The fact that OneWeb has been revived means they're still stuck in this sort of junior position." OneWeb would have eventually lost its priority spectrum rights had the company dissolved, due to regulatory changes made by the United Nations' International Telecommunication Union in January. The new ITU rules essentially set deadlines by which companies must launch a certain number of satellites. Companies with spectrum licenses must launch 10% of their satellites within two years, 50% within five years and 100% within seven years, or risk losing the right to launch more satellites. "It was those rules that that prompted OneWeb to launch its last batch of satellites two days before they filed for bankruptcy, because they wanted to hit the 10% milestone and keep their options open," Quilty said. "But if OneWeb doesn't get up half their satellites by June of 2023, their license gets squashed." OneWeb currently has 74 of its planned 648 satellites in orbit. It's unclear how quickly OneWeb might be able to resume production, as Quilty noted that the company fired most of its employees, including the entire technical staff, down to a skeleton crew. Meanwhile, SpaceX continues to make progress launching its Starlink satellites, with more than 500 currently in orbit. SpaceX said last month that testing of the network will begin later this summer, with direct-to-consumer internet service planned to begin in the northern U.S. and Canada before the end of the year.

SoftBank's loss
By PTI

CHENNAI: The Centre on Friday advised the Tamil Nadu government to ramp up COVID-19 testing besides taking up other containment strategies.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, in a tweet, said the spurt in the number of COVID-19 positive cases in rural areas remains a point of concern.

The Minister, during his telephonic conversation with his Tamil Nadu counterpart C Vijaya Baskar, also assured any necessary support from the Central government.

"Had detailed telecon with Tamil Nadu health minister C Vijaya Baskar on COVID-19 situation," Vardhan said in a series of tweets.

While stating that Chennai was still a hotspot due to the number of positive cases, the Union Minister, in another tweet, he said, "The mortality rate low at 1.39 per cent. TN focus on lowering death rate through early diagnosis. Deployed 350 mobile fever clinics on wheels and screening of 35,000-40,000 people daily."

"Advised increased testing and other containment strategies. Rural areas with sudden spurt remains a point of concern," he said.

Vijaya Baskar said the Union Minister has appreciated the aggressive testing strategy and prevention measures taken up by the state government.

According to the state health department, the total number of those affected by the contagion stood at 1,30,261 as of Friday while the number of fatalities due to virus was at 1,829 till date.

The total number of recoveries as of Friday was at 82,234 so far. Chennai's tally of COVID-19 cases was at 74,969, the bulletin said.
A man who worked in German Chancellor Angela Merkel's press office is suspected of having spied for Egypt, a government report said Thursday. Police carried out "executive measures" against the man in December 2019 after he was found to have "worked for years for an Egyptian intelligence service", according to a report on the protection of the constitution. The investigation is ongoing. The man worked for the visitor service of the federal government press office (BPA), headed by Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert, according to the Bild daily. He was a mid-level employee, meaning he would have completed an exam and at least two years of vocational training. The premises of the visitor service were searched as part of the investigation, Bild reported. A spokesman for the BPA told AFP it would not comment on ongoing investigations or personnel matters. The main tasks of Egyptian secret service agents in Germany include gathering information about members of groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood, according to the government report. They are also interested in members of the Coptic Christian community and in recruiting Egyptian nationals as spies, it said. "There are indications that Egyptian services are trying to recruit Egyptians living in Germany for intelligence purposes through their visits to Egyptian diplomatic missions in Germany and their trips to Egypt," the report said. Aside from a brief interlude following the popular uprising that ousted President Hosni Mubarak in 2011, Egypt has been ruled by the military since 1952. The army is highly visible in Egypt's public life, with former top brass currently serving as ministers and heading governorates. Current President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi led the army's overthrow of elected president Mohamed Morsi in 2013 following mass protests against the Islamist leader's rule.
Supporters of the police and President Trump shout at protesters across the street Thursday as Vice President Mike Pence appears at the nearby Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 5 for a "Back the Blue" rally. Read more

Chanting blue lives matter and U-S-A, and at times hurling racist insults at a smaller group of Black Lives Matter protesters, hundreds of police supporters gathered Thursday outside a union hall where Vice President Mike Pence told officers that he and President Donald Trump have your back.

Tensions were palpable outside the nondescript FOP Lodge 5 headquarters, and at times the exchanges were as heated as the sultry summer evening. But no physical clashes were evident as a phalanx of on-duty police kept watch, and no arrests were reported.

One group chanted at the 40 or so protesters: Why do you kill each other? One man called out, Your life doesnt matter. Another one physically threatened the group, while still others shouted litanies of derogatory comments such as get a job and take a shower.

As Pence was concluding his speech, police supporters outside the building recited the Pledge of Allegiance and sang God Bless America. In response, protesters took a knee  which has become a universal symbol evoking the death of George Floyd, killed when a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck  and raised their fists.

God bless Black America? protester Melissa Robbins shouted back at the police supporters. When they take off the blue shirt, do you care about the Black officers then?

 READ MORE: Campaigning in Pennsylvania, Joe Biden and Mike Pence clashed over how to fix America

I really believe there is another civil war coming. The two sides are just farther apart, said Ray Wisniewski, of Port Richmond, who was wearing a shirt deriding Mayor Jim Kenney as real crumb bum.

Wisniewski, who said he has friends who are Philadelphia police officers, supports the Trump administration because he believes it will take a hard-line approach to civil unrest and oppose efforts to defund police departments.

Into the evening, protesters and police supporters exchanged angry words from across metal barricades and lines of bike cops on either side of the union halls driveway.

Meanwhile, about 10 men wearing black-and-yellow shirts that identified them as the Proud Boys, a far-right, self-described Western chauvinist group, arrived and shouted at the protesters, All lives matter!

A few of the Black men answered back, but no physical confrontations ensued.

 READ MORE: Group claiming to be Proud Boys show up outside Mike Pence event in Philly, attend police gathering after

Many of the pro-police group wore Bologna Strong T-shirts in support of Philadelphia Police Inspector Joseph Bologna, who was suspended from the force last month. He has been charged with assaulting a protester during demonstrations that swept the city and the country following Floyds death.

Bologna, who declined to discuss his dismissal or the charges against him, was among those who attended Pences speech.

Earlier in the day, Pence encountered protesters in Malvern, when he arrived for a roundtable discussion on reopening the economy at the Rajant Corp., a wireless-technology firm.

 READ MORE: Joe Biden and Mike Pence visited 4 key areas in Pennsylvania. Heres why theyre so important.

Dozens of Trump supporters and some opponents lined the driveway leading to the Rajant building, holding Make America Great Again signs.

Meanwhile, a group gathered outside the Red Lion building in Northeast Philadelphia to await Pences visit there. They wore shirts supporting Bologna and calling for the impeachment of District Attorney Larry Krasner.

 READ MORE: Philly police say Inspector Joseph Bologna is suspended with intent to dismiss, hours after a new accusation of excessive force

I think we all want racial justice right now, said Gloria Valentino, who was holding a Trump-Pence sign with two American flags. We need to stop looking at peoples color and look at their character.

She said her late brother, a Philadelphia police officer, was killed in the line of duty in 1989.

I support the police and law and order, Valentino said. Ninety-nine percent are good family people. Theyre not robots. Theyre fathers and mothers.

Inside the union hall, Erin Hellyer was sitting a few rows from the stage.

The last few weeks for my family personally, because my brother-in-law was in the front lines, was very stressful, Hellyer said. We were scared for him and all police.

The disrespect for law enforcement today is scary, she said. Theres Black cops, theres Asian cops, theres white cops, no matter your race, your religion, people of all backgrounds become police officers for a reason and to me thats what America stands for.

Around 7:30 p.m., most of the Trump and police supporters dissipated from the gathering near the street and many headed into the FOPs Back the Blue after-party. At the party, some police and supporters stood outside, while many gathered near the bar, drinking beer, eating, and talking, a few men wearing Proud Boys shirts and hats.

Inquirer staff writers Robert Moran and Julia Terruso contributed to this article.
FP Trending

Astronomers often chance upon interesting findings in space and the objects they come by in the universe. A team of astronomers has now noticed four strange circular objects in space using a radio telescope called the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder.

Three of the four circular objects are bright around the edges, reported The Independent. The scientists who observed them do not have any definitive explanation about the formation of such objects.

The findings of the researchers have been published on arXiv and it has been submitted for publication in Nature Astronomy.

The scientists speculate that the strange circular objects could be a spherical shock wave generated from the blast from powerful events such as fast radio bursts, gamma-ray bursts or neutron star mergers.

They say that the objects could be the result of looking at the jets of a radio galaxy down the end or might be a variety of different things, which have been spotted at the same time because of new observational capabilities.

"[The objects] may well point to a new phenomenon that we haven't really probed yet. It may also be that these are an extension of a previously known class of objects that we haven't been able to explore," Live Science quoted Kristine Spekkens, an astronomer at the Royal Military College of Canada and Queen's University, as saying. Spekkens was not involved with the new study.

The three objects were spotted while mapping the night sky in radio frequencies. The mapping was done as a part of a pilot survey for a new project called the Evolutionary Map of the Universe (EMU).

The astronomers found the fourth one in archival data collected by the Giant MetreWave Radio Telescope in India. The objects have been dubbed odd radio circles (ORCs) because of their shape and peculiarity.
MEXICO CITY, July 10 (Reuters) - The head of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Angel Gurria of Mexico, said on Friday he will not seek re-election, in a move apparently aimed at bolstering the chances of Mexico's candidate to lead the World Trade Organization.

Responding to the announcement, Mexico's Foreign Ministry said the country was committed to defending multilateralism as a policy priority.

"Angel Gurria has announced that he will not seek re-election in the OECD, but Mexico is promoting the candidacy of Dr. Jesus Seade to lead the WTO," a spokesman said. "He has the necessary profile, after the successful negotiation of the USMCA to advance with present and future challenges of the WTO."

Seade, who led his government's team to conclude negotiations of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) trade deal, is currently in Geneva and likely to present his candidacy to the body next week.

Eight candidates are vying for the top job. With three of the six previous director-generals coming from Europe and the others from Thailand, Brazil and New Zealand, pressure has been building to choose a leader from Africa.

Gurria said on Twitter that he would continue to work until June 2021. (Reporting by Frank Jack Daniel; Editing by Leslie Adler)
(Newser)  On Monday, budget fashion retailer Shein apologized for selling Muslim prayer mats as decorative carpets. On Thursday, it apologized for selling a "swastika pendant necklace" for $2.50. The advocacy group Stop Antisemitism called attention to the gold-colored necklace in a social media post. "It represents the mass murder of millions," it wrote, demanding the pendant's removal. But Shein, which removed the pendant within the hour, said this wasn't a Nazi swastika, which is pointed clockwise, per BuzzFeed. This symbol, pointed counter-clockwise, is "a Buddhist swastika," the company explained, "which has symbolized spirituality and good fortune for more than a thousand years." But it acknowledged it was easy to confuse the two, and as "one is highly offensive, we have removed the product from our site," a spokesperson said.

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The company, self-described as a "multicultural and global brand," also said it would form a product review committee made up of staffers from different cultures and religions "to ensure that we respect our diverse community." It said the same days earlier as it came under fire for selling Muslim prayer mats as "fringe trim carpets," some of which featured the Kaaba, the most sacred structure in Mecca. "It is NOT a carpet and must be treated with respect and you don't ever wear shoes on it," wrote activist Khadija Rizvi. "We understand this was a highly offensive oversight and are truly sorry," Shein responded, per People. It said it had removed the rugs and "asked our vendor to stop selling to others." Shein added that the product review committee would be formed "so a mistake like this doesn't happen again." (Read more swastikas stories.)
A West Australian government appointed wildlife conservationist who was pictured posing over dead endangered animals has been fired.

Jewell Crossberg was recently appointed acting district manager in Esperance at the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attraction.

Images surfaced on Mr Crossberg's Facebook page since his appointment showing himself posing with dead giraffes, zebras and elephants in 2010 posted in an album labelled 'business and pleasure'.

Director Mark Webb from the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attraction announced on Friday that Mr Crossberg was removed from his position.

'The images published in the media last week are not reflective of the department's values or the outstanding wildlife conservation work that our partners, staff and volunteers deliver across Western Australia every day,' he said in a statement.

Jewell Crossberg was recently appointed acting district manager in Esperance at the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attraction

Images surfaced on Mr Crossberg's Facebook page since his appointment showing himself posing with dead giraffes, zebras and elephants in 2010

'Future recruitment undertakings, particularly for leadership positions within the department, will prioritise strong values alignment with the department and any potential successful applicant.'

The images have since been deleted.

WA's Environment Minister Stephen Dawson had raised questions about the employment of Crossberg after Esperance residents wrote a letter outlining concerns about his past.

'The photos were taken in 2010 in a place where it was legal, unfortunately, to shoot these majestic animals,' he told 6PR radio.

'At this stage, I'm not aware of anything illegal that's been done. But we're a conservation agency and it just shocks me to think that any of our staff would do such a thing.

'Those pictures make me physically sick.'

Mr Dawson said the state's Public Sector Management Act precluded politicians from getting involved in the hiring and firing of staff.

'I certainly don't think it's a good look to have such a person in a senior leadership role ... so I've asked the director-general to consider what can be done in this regard,' he said.

In a statement, the DBCA said it was committed to wildlife conservation and ensuring world's best animal welfare practices.

'Jewell Crossberg went through a competitive recruitment process and demonstrated he had the appropriate skills for the acting district manager role,' a spokesperson said.

Premier Mark McGowan previously said he was appalled by the images and hated rare and endangered animals being deliberately killed.

'Obviously, we will have to investigate how he was appointed and why he was appointed,' he told reporters.

'I don't understand how you can have that mindset and still work in a conservation agency.'
HONG KONG  The Hong Kong police raided the office of an independent polling institute on Friday, on the eve of a primary vote for the citys pro-democracy camp, raising concerns of official interference in a campaign for the local legislature.

The police action followed Beijings imposition of a sweeping security law in the city, which has heightened fears that Hong Kong, a semiautonomous Chinese city, was at risk of losing many of its cherished freedoms and civil liberties.

The polling organization, the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute, planned to work with the pro-democracy camps primary on Saturday and Sunday, a vote that is intended to help determine candidates for a Legislative Council election in September.

The police said that officers belonging to the Cyber Security and Technology Crime unit searched an office in the Wong Chuk Hang neighborhood on Friday afternoon on the suspicion that computers at the institute had been hacked, leading to a leak of personal information.
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Linkedin Dzulfiqar Fathur Rahman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 10, 2020 09:17 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066548fab 1 Business digitalization,business,SMEs,apps,small-and-medium-enterprises,Gojek,TMP-Accounting,cotton-ink,Kopi-Kenangan,COVID-19,pandemic Free

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) stand to benefit from digital tools to manage their finances and operations, as well as make strategic business decisions as the pandemic accelerates the use of technology, experts have said.

Adhitya Satriadi, the managing director of TMP Accounting, said on Thursday that there were plenty of digital tools in the market to help SMEs optimize their businesses.

There are several tools that can make your life easier in order to better manage your finances, Adhitya said in a Jakpost Up Close webinar titled Digitizing SMEs, managing finances to weather crisis. MokaPos, Xero, Google Drive, OnlinePajak, Gadjian and Syft Analytics are some of the digital tools he mentioned.

Adhitya said the pandemic was giving SMEs the opportunity to digitize and better manage their finances throughout the pandemic, which has hit small businesses hard. Out of more than 60 million small businesses in Indonesia, only 13 percent have gone digital.

Micro, small and medium enterprises account for 60 percent of Indonesias GDP and 97 percent of the Indonesian workforce, according to official data. An estimated 5.5 million workers risk losing their jobs as a result of the pandemic, indicating the crucial role SMEs play in the Indonesian economy, The Jakarta Post deputy editor-in-chief M. Taufiqurrahman said in the webinar.

Gojek head of merchant platform business Novi Tandjung said a recent survey on its merchants in April indicated there was optimism over an economic recovery. Eight out of 10 businesses said they expected business conditions to improve in the next six months, according to the study.



Things are changing and they need to adapt. But they feel super optimistic, Novi said. They do have the survival mentality [and their] adaptability is high. That is encouraging for us.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit Indonesia in March, leaving brick-and-mortar stores with fewer customers, more than 100,000 small businesses have signed up for Gojeks digital tools, according to data collected by the firm between March and May.

Hoping to capitalize on the opportunities presented by this, Gojek is offering multiple tools SMEs can use to expand their access to consumers, business knowledge and infrastructure, with analytical tools and apps being used to manage supplies of raw materials.



Most SMEs that had partnered with Gojek used its point-of-sales platform, GoBiz, to manage their finances, Novi said.

Recognizing that the pandemic has forced small businesses to adapt, the government has partnered with tech-based companies to help 2 million small businesses establish an online presence.



Big businesses are also helping, using digital tools to support their growth. Gojeks analytical tools have helped coffee chain Kopi Kenangan identify locations that have a high demand for its products.



It is very important for us to understand consumer behavior, said Rahmat Budiardjo, Kopi Kenangan senior vice president. It will be very important in the future.



The coffee chain, after securing US$109 million in its latest round of funding in May, is planning to open 500 new stores this year. The firm currently operates 324 stores and delivers its beverages, including iced coffee, via its mobile app and GoFood.



Between March and May, Gojek booked a threefold increase in instant food and drink transactions on GoFood.



Local fashion brand Cotton Ink also uses digital tools, including social media, to communicate with its customers. The pandemic, for example, led them to double down on its strategy, according to Ria Sarwono, the firms founder and marketing director.



Cotton Ink tried to introduce new products like cloth masks and expand its customer base by opening a business-to-business partnership to offset the losses caused by pandemic restrictions.



However, like other firms, the pandemic-induced downturn forced the firm to keep revising its long-term business plan and consider taking a bank loan to stay afloat.



Before the pandemic, we had a three-year plan, five-year plan. But everything changed three months ago, Ria said.



We do not have an emergency fund. I think this will be the first time we consider a bank loan to support our operations.

Adhitya of TMP Accounting said businesses needed to build an emergency fund regardless of their size, one that could cover operational expenses for three to six months.



In the pandemic situation, the emergency fund is one of the most important things businesses should have because of the uncertainty, said Adhit.



In this pandemic, business owners also have to run through all expenses and cut unimportant expenses to make sure the business is running as efficient as possible and as long as possible.
Since January 2020 when WHO declared Covid-19 a World health emergency the outcomes seem never-ending to date. It is not just the worst health emergency the world has seen in nearly a century but also the economic impact it has made on major world economies is quite devastating. It is estimated that since its evolution it has affected the $90 trillion global economy. Not only are the developed countries fighting it hard to minimize the economic impact of Covid-19 but the economic mayhem the developing and underdeveloped countries are going through is unimaginable. It seems like Covid-19 has started a chain reaction of an economic downturn that has affected nearly 200 countries globally.

All of the world is looking at researchers to find a vaccine but it is nearly impossible to find it so early. Most countries are battling to not only contain the spread of Covid-19 but maintain the economy which is plunging at a rapid rate. Covid-19 has seriously put a threat to the global economy which at the moment doesn't seem to be recovering soon. Today we will be discussing the economic impact of Covid-19 as researched by JC Economics Tuition in Singapore:

Never Seen Before Contraction of Per Capita Income:

The severity of Covid-19 has contracted the per capita income globally. Developed economies around the world have expected to shrink 7 percent. The developing economies have also witnessed a relatively higher contraction of per capita income.

Tour and Travel Industries Is The Worst Hit: Covid-19 has been the worst nightmare for the travel and tourism industry. The decline in demand and supply because of the lockdown imposed by every country has resulted in massive cancellation of flight tickets, hotel bookings, conferences, events, etc. The travel and tourism industry is one of the largest contributors to the world economy for a long time. It is estimated that around 60 percent of the businesses are on the verge of closing down and almost 48 percent of people related to the industry are going to lose their job.

Oil Industry Seen Historic Low in Demand and Price: Another Industry which is a major contributor to the world economy has seen a never before low in revenue. Not only the oil industry but even mining, quarrying, and gas extraction seem to have hit hard by the lowering demand. The decline in oil prices has sent a wave of shock for the biggest oil-producing economies around the world. Not only the decline in Brent and WTI crude oil prices was a challenge for the oil-producing countries but because of the zero demand of the aviation turbine fuel (ATF) the oil-producing economies are shattered.

No Demand of Educational Services Impacted Other Sectors: Educational services are also a major contributor to the world economy because not just this sector plays a crucial role in securing economic and social progress but helps improve income distribution. Every year millions of graduates join different sectors and industries and thus boost the economies around the world. Beside this, universities, educational institutions, student visas, online education services, etc. contribute a lot to the economies of the world. Lockdown imposed due to Covid-19 has severely impacted the educational services. No country can achieve economic stability without considerable investment in human capital.

Overall if we look at other sectors like food services, transportation, and warehousing, manufacturing, wholesale trade, finance and insurance, construction, retail trade, information services, real estate, rental and leasing, healthcare and utilities, etc. all have been badly hit by COVID-19. It seems like unmatched planning and strategy have to be put forward to bring back the economy on track.

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Hong Kong students in Australia have welcomed Prime Minister Scott Morrisons announcement of visa extensions and a pathway to residency.

But they called for the haven to also be offered to persecuted protesters still in Hong Kong and for sanctions on China for human rights abuses.

Miles, 21, a Monash IT student, is on a student visa from Hong Kong. Credit:Joe Armao

On Thursday Mr Morrison announced that 8200 Hong Kong students, 570 temporary skilled migrants, and 900 graduate visa holders already in Australia will have their visas extended by five years and become eligible for permanent residency.

Thousands more Hong Kong residents who hold Australian visas who are outside the country, including 2300 students, will also be eligible for the extension.
The Friday refused to entertain a petition challenging the Bar Council of India's (BCI) notification directing the universities across the country to conduct final year law examinations through online mode.

The petition filed by two law students claimed that since the law colleges were not able to complete the syllabus and conduct classes due to the pandemic, they could not be permitted hold examinations.

A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad, which was conducting the hearing through video conferencing, said the concerns raised by the petitioners refer to the issues that are pan-India and it cannot go into it as one of the petitioner student is not studying in a university over which the Delhi High Hourt has jurisdiction.

When the court expressed its view that it was not inclined to entertain the petition in its present form, the petitioners' counsel sought permission to withdraw the plea.

The high court allowed the students to withdraw the petition and granted liberty to approach the Supreme Court.

The petition was filed by two law students, a final year student in the Delhi University's Campus Law Centre-I and a third year law student in Karnataka University's five-year LLB course.

Besides the BCI's notification, the plea also challenged the Delhi University's June 27 notification on conducting online examinations for final year students.

It claimed that only 25 per cent of the law students have smart phones, computers and internet connection and any direction hold examinations would be discriminatory and exclude the 75 per cent of the students population.

Advocate Gunjan Singh, appearing for the petitioners, contended that the BCI's notification has failed to consider the unavailability of laptops, computers, smartphones and Internet with many students.

The counsel claimed that classes could not be conducted due to the pandemic and as an alternative, sought to substitute final year examination with internal assessments or assignments.

Advocate Mohinder Rupal, representing the Delhi University, said online classes were conducted by the varsity after the lockdown and till April 20 and claimed that they have received better response in it as compared to physical classes.

BCI's counsel Preet Pal Singh submitted that as per its notification, apart from online examination, law colleges were free to adopt any other equivalent method to evaluate the students.

Advocate Apoorv Kurup, appearing for UGC, said while the examinations were compulsory for final year students, institutes had the power to determine the mode and manner of promotion of intermediate students.

(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.)
HAVANA - The COVID-19 pandemic is sweeping through the leadership of Latin America, with two more presidents and powerful officials testing positive this week for the new coronavirus, adding a destabilizing new element to the regions public health and economic crises.

In Brazil, President Jair Bolsonaro, 65, announced his illness Tuesday and is using it to publicly extol hydroxychloroquine, the unproven malaria drug that hes been promoting as a treatment for COVID-19, and now takes himself.

Bolivian interim President Jeanine Anez, 53, made her own diagnosis public Thursday, throwing her already troubled political propects into further doubt.

And in Venezuela, 57-year-old socialist party chief Diosdado Cabello said Thursday on Twitter that he, too, had tested positive, at least temporarily sidelining a larger-than-life figure considered the second-most-powerful person in the country.

Another powerful figure, Venezuelas Oil Minister Tarek El Aissami, announced Friday he has the bug.

An Associated Press review of official statements from public officials across Latin America found at least 42 confirmed cases of new coronavirus in leaders ranging from presidents to mayors of major cities, along with dozens, likely hundreds, of officials from smaller cities and towns. In most cases, high-ranking officials recovered and are back at work. But several are still struggling with the disease.

Many leaders have used their diagnoses to call on the public to heighten precautions like social distancing and mask wearing. But like Bolsonaro, some have drawn attention to unproven treatments with potentially harmful side effects.

El Salvadors Interior Minister, Mario Duran, was diagnosed on July 5, becoming the second Cabinet member there to fall ill.

I am asking you, now more than ever, to stay home and take all preventine measures, he said after his diagnosis. Protect your families.

Duran was receiving treatment at home on Friday.

Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernandez announced June 16 that he and his wife had tested positive, along with two other people who worked closely with the couple.

The following day the 51-year-old Hernandez was hospitalized after doctors determined he had pneumonia. The presidents illness came as the pandemic spread from an early epicenter in the northern city of San Pedro Sula to the capital of Tegucigalpa, where cases surged.

Hernandez said he had started what he called the MAIZ treatment, an experimental and unproven combination of microdacyn, azithromycin, ivermectin and zinc that his government is promoting as an affordable way of attacking the disease. He was released from the hospital July 2.

The revelation that Cabello  whose commanding voice resonates from Venezuelan airwaves every Wednesday on his weekly television show  has COVID-19 will likely have a sobering impact on the many people who thought their isolated country was relatively shielded from the virus, said Luis Vicente Leon, a Venezuelan political analyst.

Venezuela  already largely cut off to the outside world before COVID-19  has had far fewer registered cases than many other countries in Latin America, though in recent weeks the number of new confirmed infections has been steadily increasing.

Cabello said he was in isolation while getting treatment. A day earlier, hed cancelled his regular TV appearance, telling followers he was battling strong allergies.

No information has been released on whether Cabello is hospitalized or what type of medical care he is receiving. Venezuela is considered one of the least prepared countries in the world to confront the pandemic. Hospitals are routinely short on basic supplies like water, electricity and medicine.

I think this shows Venezuela is on the same route all the other countries, Leon said.

In the Caribbean, Luis Abinader, the newly elected president of the Dominican Republic, contracted and recovered from COVID-19 during his campaign.

Like Bolsonaro, many Latin leaders have kept up a schedule of public appearances even as the region has become one of the hardest-hit in the world.

That poses a growing risk to governance in the region, said Felicia Knaul, a professor of medicine who directs the Institute for Advanced Study of the Americas at the University of Miami.

Were trying to keep our health providers safe. Its the same for our government leaders. We dont want a Cabinet ill and in hospital. It would be tremendously destabilizing in a situation thats already extremely unstable, she said. Thats a reason why being out in public unless everyone around you has masks on is dangerous. They have to be responsible.

Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei placed his entire Cabinet and their staff in quarantine Thursday after one of his ministers tested positive.

In Bolivia, officials said the interim president Anez, had not been been displaying symptoms and was in good spirits in her official residence on Friday.

At least six other Bolivian ministers and vice ministers have been infected, and at least eight staff members.

COVID-19 is spreading rapidly in Bolivia, overwhelming the already weak medical system and funeral services to the point where families in the central city of Cochabamba have been holding funerals in the street.

With the country in crisis, some polls have shown Anez in last place in a three-way presidential race leading to September elections. Anez, who took office after President Evo Morales was ousted during national unrest last year, does not have a vice-president and, if she could no longer serve, the next in the line of succession is Senate President Eva Copa, a member of Morales party and a bitter opponent of Anez.

__________

Biller reported from Rio de Janeiro. Also contributing were Marcos Aleman in San Salvador, Christine Armario in Bogota, Christopher Sherman in Mexico City, Carlos Valdez in La Paz, Bolivia, and correspondents around the region.
Mujis US Business Seeks Bankruptcy Protection Over Coronavirus

Minimalist lifestyle brand Mujis U.S. subsidiary has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, its Japanese owner Ryohin Keikaku Co said on Friday, joining the list of casualties from the coronavirus pandemic.

Ryohin Keikaku said Muji aims to close unprofitable stores and renegotiate rents in the United States, where its 18 stores have been closed since mid-March due to the pandemic.

The outbreak has inflicted widespread financial pain on global retailers, leading many such as J. Crew Group and Brooks Brothers to file for bankruptcy protection.

Ryohin Keikaku said the U.S. filing will not affect its operations in other markets.

But the business has also been hit by store closures and weak consumer spending in its main market, Japan.

Separately on Friday, Ryohin Keikaku reported an operating loss of 2.9 billion yen ($27.2 million) for the quarter through May.

Fast Retailing Cuts Outlook

On Thursday, Japans Fast Retailing, owner of casual clothing brand Uniqlo, lowered its outlook for the year as the coronavirus pandemic wreaked havoc on its global fashion business.

But it also reported a strong rebound in Uniqlos domestic same-store sales for June and said business in China was recovering faster than previously expected, suggesting it may weather the crisis better than many global peers.

Store closures and weak consumer spending around the world has brought a halt to years of growth at the company, now Asias biggest fashion retailer and the worlds No. 3 after Zara-owner Inditex and H&M.

It forecast operating profit of 130 billion yen ($1.21 billion) for the year through August, down 50 percent from a year earlier rather than a previously expected 44 percent, following a surprise loss of 4 billion yen in the March-May quarter.

It also forecast annual sales to fall 13 percent to 1.99 trillion yen ($19 billion), ending 16 straight years of growth.

We have seen a large decline in both revenue and profit across the business, CFO Takeshi Okazaki told reporters.

The company said markets such as South Korea, the United States, and several others including Indonesia had been particularly hard-hit, while adding that its two key markets, Japan and China, were recovering faster than expected.

Uniqlos domestic same-store sales, including online purchases, rose 26 percent in June from a year earlier, after falling 57 percent in April and 18 percent in May.

Okazaki said items such as stretchy jogging pants and oversized t-shirts proved popular in the past quarter in Japan.

Analysts have said Uniqlos focus on practical, everyday wear rather than more trendy styles may work to its advantage as more consumers are spending time at home.
Striving to find a better way of doing things has been the mantra of brothers Jack and Nick Cotter for success on the family farm in Abbeyfeale, Co. Limerick.

"There is an experiment going on every day here," jokes Nick who, along with his older brother has developed a host of additional income streams to supplement their hill sheep farm.

Between helping their farther Nick Sr run a 200-ewe sheep flock, a firewood business, selling organic lamb and currently working to bring innovative sheep handling system to market, the Cotters are busy men.

Developing farm-scale businesses is a passion for the Cotters who are always seeking to improve and diversify their farm.

"It's all about finding better ways to do things," says Nick who points out that it was this mentality that was a critical factor in the development of their successful firewood business.

"In autumn 2011 Jack came up with the idea of selling firewood door-to-door in the wintertime. At the time I was 11 and in 5th class in Dromtrasna National School and Jack was 14 and in 1st year in Colaiste Ide agus Iosef (Abbeyfeale).

"We hashed out the idea and thought there could be money in it," he says.

The brothers started working on it after school, processing the timber and knocking door-to-door.

"Then it took off and hit a milestone when we started to find it wasn't us going to customers anymore, they were coming to us."

Despite this, Jack says it wasn't until 2013 that they really got serious about the business.

"At that point, we were tipping away selling net bags, but the problem was we were competing against everyone. The dilemma with firewood was that there were no quality standards," Nick explains.

Researching this challenge, which they felt was holding back their business, the Cotters came across the Wood Fuel Quality Assurance Scheme (WFQA).

"It's essentially like Bord Bia's food quality scheme, but for firewood," Nick explains, noting that there were only few core members at the time.

Among the key elements of the WFQA label is the quality guarantee to customers that the firewood is less than 25pc moisture content and is ready to burn.

Expand Close The Cotter brothers set up an organic lamb brand with assistance from their local Leader food group / Facebook

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"The challenge then was finding a way to meet this standard," says Jack.

The brothers (pictured below) invested significant time and effort in their product, particularly in finding the best way to dry the timber.

"We stacked timber every sort of direction to find the best way to do it and eventually cracked it, and now we can air-dry wood to a kiln-dried standard of under 20pc."

For Nick Jr, the primary benefit of the quality mark is its quality guarantee for the customer.

"Before this, a firewood customer's experience was akin to a motorist going into a filling station for fuel and not being able to see the price and buying a load of 20 litre drums filled to different levels with no idea of its quality," he says.

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The Cotters firewood now complies to an ISO standard and must be a defined length, defined moisture content, defined weight and defined volume.

This all means consistent quality to the customer, Jack says, adding that much like McDonalds, our product is the same every time and thats what keeps our customers coming back.

The quality mark has also allowed the Cotters to charge a premium for their product.

When we started, we were selling a bag of firewood for 45-50 for your standard bulk bag, now we are selling a slightly larger bag for 75. It takes a bit more work, but its better firewood, says Nick.

So after investing all this time, money and effort improving the quality of their product, how do the Cotters compete with the guy cutting trees with a chainsaw and bagging the wood directly to the market?

Emissions

For Nick, these operators are damaging the overall market.

The big threat to our industry is the air quality and emissions. Its a pivotal time in the firewood market.

Theres a move to pull away from burning coal and peat, and there are a lot of people who heat their houses with solid fuel. They are going to need a replacement fuel, he says.

Lack of regulation is a challenge. There is a lot of inferior, sub-standard wet firewood on the market. Its not good for the environment nor is it good for the consumer as wet firewood contains less heat and contributes to poor air quality, he says.

For him, market regulation via setting a maximum moisture content of 25pc is necessary to eliminate the wet firewood.

He believes that this move would then open the door to using dry firewood to replace fossil fuels like coal and turf,

Everyone getting better is good for everyone and its necessary. The more coal, turf and wet firewood you take off the market, the better our air quality will be and the less carbon emissions that will occur. Thats super important, he said.

Despite all their success in the business, the Cotters say they have no plans for vast expansion.

Were not interested in this being a firewood factory. Its just one aspect of what we do. I think weve found the perfect size and this has allowed us to explore creating other income streams. Jack says.





A crate idea that's attracting big interest from sheep farmers

Expand Close Their latest innovation is the 'Cotter Crate' lamb handling system. Photo: Liam Burke / Facebook

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Whatsapp Their latest innovation is the 'Cotter Crate' lamb handling system. Photo: Liam Burke

The Cotter brothers latest endeavour is an innovative lamb handling system expected to be ready for the market next year.

"Four years ago, we started looking at the problem of handling lambs. It was becoming a joke and was ridiculously difficult," Nick Jr explains.

The Cotters vaccinate their lambs against clostridial diseases and pasteurella pneumonia. Handling hundreds of four to six-week old lambs was incredibly difficult because the lambs were too small to put in the crush.

"It meant catching them in the sheep pen, trying to hold them between your legs while you tried to inject them with the vaccine, and then putting them in the other pen so they wouldn't get mixed up with the unvaccinated ones.

"It was a huge job which would take all day, was rarely done 100pc correctly. It was hugely stressful on both ourselves and the lambs. We thought there had to be an easier way," Nick says.

So in a bid to make life easier and reduce time spent working on sheep, brothers Jack and Nick Jr built a wooden lamb handling crate.

Some years later, Jack who was now in college in Limerick Institute of Technology, took on turning the crate into something they could potentially sell for his final year project. The Cotter Crate was born.

Safety

The innovation lies in how the crate safely and comfortably holds the lamb, allowing a farmer to administer multiple treatments at one time, which the brothers say will greatly reduce costs, increase efficiency.

It allows the farmer to administer multiple treatments at one time and the Cotters claim it provides 50pc faster handling compared to conventional methods, allowing the farmer to treat 350 lambs per hour with one dose.

Jack was encouraged to enter the product in the Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena at last years ploughing and according to Nick Jr "things went crazy from there".

"There was a huge interest in it. There was a huge interest in it. We received an overwhelming response, won the winning best Agri-Engineering Start-up and Best Overall Start-up.

"After this, we started to look seriously on where we could go with the product," Nick says.

With support from Enterprise Ireland, they have now developed 20 prototypes of the Cotter Crate which are out for testing with ag colleges and some well-known sheep farmers.

For Nick Jr, the Crate is more daunting than their other business ventures because up to now, most of their projects have been locally focused.

"The nature of this is that it's international. Buyers from all over the world are showing interest. We don't know where it is going to go, but we're mad excited about where it could go", Nick says. The brothers hope to have the Crate on the market in 2021.

'Success for us is selling our lambs 100pc locally'

It was on a long early morning journey back from having his lambs killed at the meat factory that Nick Cotter Sr decided the families sheep enterprise needed to change direction.

Having converted to organic sheep farming after previous ventures in dairy and beef, he found that most of his organic lambs were being sold as conventional sheep meat.

"Not alone was I driving hundreds of miles to get lambs killed I was getting crap money.," he says. "We said there has to be another way of doing this," he said.

Expand Close The Cotter brothers set up an organic lamb brand with assistance from their local Leader food group / Facebook

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Whatsapp The Cotter brothers set up an organic lamb brand with assistance from their local Leader food group

It was at this point Nick Jr, who was only in fifth year in school at the time, came up with the idea of selling organic lamb direct to the consumer.

"I felt that there might be a market for the lamb locally with the push to have more local food on menus," he says.

He turned first to their local Leader group for support.

"They were fantastic as we were able to join the local Leader Food Group which is brilliant because the producer and the hotel or restaurant are at the same level. Instead of us cold calling a restaurant we were inside in the same group working together.

Nick and his brother Jack then set up Cotter Organic Lamb to close what Nick describes as a 'virtuous circle'.

"We take the organic lamb produced on the farm in Abbeyfeale, and delivering it straight to the customer and local hotels such as Leens Hotel, Woodlands House Hotel and Tuscany in their native Limerick," he says.

Again for the Cotters, it's all about adding another income stream to their farm. "We won't buy lambs off someone else. 100pc success for us is to sell all of our 300 lambs locally when they are ready to be sold," Nick Jr said.
(Natural News) Now that the fireworks are over and President Trumps speech at Mount Rushmore has come to an end, it is as good a time as any to inform you that if you participated in watching any of this, then you are a white supremacist.

This is what the Democrats publicly announced just prior to Independence Day, and are still trying to drill into the American psyche, post-festivities.

Since America is now fractured into a zillion pieces, there was not even a semblance of national unity this past Fourth, which the Democrats made sure to emphasize in the lead-up to everyones celebrations.

Trump has disrespected Native communities time and again, a now-deleted tweet by the Democrats stated, creating even more division over what should have been a neutral celebration of American history.

Hes attempted to limit their voting rights and blocked critical pandemic relief. Now hes holding a rally glorifying white supremacy at Mount Rushmore  a region once sacred to tribal communities.

Interestingly, no mention was made by the Democrats of their cherished Bernie Sanders, who several years ago visited Mount Rushmore himself and declared it to be America at its best.

Many other Democrats, including Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, have likewise visited Mount Rushmore prior to the Trump presidency, and the media had nothing but positive things to say about it. So, were they, too, celebrating white supremacy?

To learn more about how the Left is also tampering with the English language and transforming the definitions of words into unintelligible nonsense, be sure to check out the following episode of The Health Ranger Report:

The real white supremacists are race-baiting Democrats

The hypocrisy of the Left, especially during the Trump era, is completely beyond the pale. Nothing Trump says or does is ever right, and always somehow becomes an act of white supremacy to Democrats, no matter what it is.

And this hypocrisy is now spilling over into our national holidays, all of which have become symbols of white supremacy now that Trump is in charge. In other words, if you celebrate them, no matter what they are, then you, too, are a white supremacist.

The Left has been working overtime as of late to make all black people, for instance, feel as though they no longer have a part in things like Fourth of July celebrations. Not only that, but the Left is attempting to brainwash all black people into believing that their white neighbors are racists for participating in these celebrations.

And the Fourth of July is just one prominent example, by the way. There is also Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and likely even Thanksgiving and Christmas. If it in any way reflects American history, then it is symbolic of racism and must be rejected.

WBUR recently published a series of short essays about the Fourth of July specifically, one of which claimed that patriotism for many black people, even black veterans, has always been complicated.

The sole purpose of this essay was to drive a wedge between black Americans and white Americans, rather than emphasize the unity that should exist among a people group that, last we checked, is supposed to comprise one nation under God.

Why does the Left hate unity so much? And why does it insist upon politicizing national holidays like the Fourth while constantly fueling racial animosity? The answer is that leftists are the real white supremacists in this country who only know how to project their own ingrained racism onto others, as well as push their communist agenda onto this once-free country.

There is no longer a Democratic Party, wrote one Gateway Pundit commenter about the reality of the new normal under far-left influence. That party was hijacked by communists and Marxists a long time ago.

Sources for this article include:

TheGatewayPundit.com

FoxNews.com

WBUR.org

NaturalNews.com
With much of the workforce conducting business from home to escape the pandemic, scammers have revved up their trickery to scare victims into falling for credential harvesting schemes.

Two new reports lay bare the new twists digital scammers are putting on old approaches to get you to unwittingly give up login credentials for your personal or company online banking and server portals. The two reports focus on how to avoid becoming a corporate or consumer victim.

One new twist detailed by Armorblox threatens to recycle inactive addresses unless the would-be victims immediately update and confirm their account details. This results in fearful recipients entering their legitimate email addresses and password information.

The second report, by email phishing protection firm INKY, reveals the intricate directives of a credential harvesting phishing email. These emails impersonate the United States Department of Justice by using a malicious link with real logos mimicking government websites.

A phishing email scam which gives the appearance that the sender is the U.S. Department of Justice.

Credential harvesting is largely considered the foundation of email phishing. It is the easiest way for anyone to get into your secure files. They simply use your password that you gave them, explained Dave Baggett, CEO and co-founder of INKY.

In terms of the overall rate of phishing generally, we have seen nearly a three-times increase in phishing emails since the pandemic started, Baggett told TechNewsWorld.

Banking on Phishing

Last week, Armorblox, a cloud office security platform that protects inbound and outbound enterprise communications, released its latest discovery of a new credential phishing attempt. The report details how cybercriminals use an email with a malicious link leading to a fake website. The landing page painstakingly resembles the Bank of America login page.

This credential phishing site is made to look like the Bank of America home page. Notice that the beginning of the URL in the browser address field is not for the bank. However the banks name is used elsewhere in the URL to try and fool visitors to the page.

Amorblox co-founder and architect Chetan Anand reported the latest credential harvesting ploy in the companys blog.

Adversaries are always mixing and matching existing phishing tricks, plus adding some new ones, to circumvent any organizational measures that increase security, Anand told TechNewsWorld.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

His report details some examples of security measures and explains how this attack sidesteps them. The newly discovered attack phished for Bank of America credentials to sidestep any Single Sign-On (SSO) or Two Factor Authentication (2FA) measures in place.

In this case, attackers also asked targets security-challenge questions to increase attack legitimacy and obtain even more personal information. To successfully pass email authentication checks, the attackers sent the email from a reputed domain and created a zero-day domain for the phishing site to escape detection by threat feeds, he explained.

This new packaging of credential harvesting attacks is increasingly prevalent today, Anand noted. This type of attack is being aimed at organizations of all sizes, but especially small and medium sized businesses (SMB) that may not have all their security processes in place yet.

If an attacker gets hold of email credentials of an employee from an SMB, this email account is then weaponized to launch attacks both within the SMB and on customers, partners, and vendors, Anand said.

Keep-It-Simple-Stupid Works

Unlike most other criminals, cybercriminals pursuing credential harvesting scams lead a relatively stress-free life of crime, according to Baggetts report on the INKY blog. Their biggest worry is whether or not you will type in your password.

The modern-day credential harvesting phishing attack is easy to pull off. It has six simple steps, he explained.

They are simple to carry out and even easier to be victimized. This is the process:

The hacker sends a phishing email. Youre encouraged to click on a link and perform a task. The link takes you to a PHONY web page. You are tricked into entering your email address and password. The hacker retrieves your password from his server. The hacker exploits your harvested credentials.

Remember, your speed in clicking that link is what the cybercriminal counts on.

The fundamental problem is that the tactics phishers now use generalize very well. Deceptive text tricks, for example, can take many forms, Baggett explained.

Why It Works

Sophisticated attackers know that Secure Email Gateways, or SEGs, and other filters look for known scam-indicative patterns, according to Aggett. The smart attacker knows this. They hide this deceptive text from the SEG and does it in a way that does not look funny to the user.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

For example, an SEG may have a rule where it looks for the text Office 365 Voicemail because emails with this text have been reported as phishing. One deceptive text tactic is to replace letters in scam-indicative text with other Unicode characters that look similar.

Security experts call these confusables because humans easily confuse them. The attacker can, for example, replace the letter O with any of these Unicode characters:

Any characters that show up as a box are just missing from your font software. While few of these look exactly like a normal letter O, they can all be quite easily confused with a normal letter O. The recipient might think that the font is a bit funny or there is dirt on the screen, noted Baggett.

To detect this tactic, the SEG has to look not just for Office 365 Voicemail, but all possible variants that an attacker could create using Unicode substitutions. That is an incredibly huge number  far too many to just list out in a ruleset  and there are many other similarly general tricks the attackers can use, too, explained Baggett.

Diverse Call to Action Gotchas

Bad actors lure users into responding by notifying them of a new document, voicemail, fax, or invoice. Another approach is the Helpdesk phishes that tell users they need to confirm or update their account, or it will be disabled.

With the coronavirus pandemic, were starting to see more government impersonations offering health tips, relief funds, or the ability to track new cases in their area, said Baggett.

No one-shot panacea exists to help consumers and business IT catch or prevent these phishing scams from working, according to Anand. So, organizations need to balance a variety of security measures and process changes to improve their response posture to phishing attacks.

Native and third-party security controls, employee awareness, enforcing policies like SSO and 2FA, and having rapid automated incident response all play a part in diffusing credential harvesting attacks.

In the case of this Bank of America attack, the biggest red flag is the context red flag that crops up the more you think about the email, i.e. Bank of America wont send an email to your work address with a request to update credentials. But busy employees often dont have the time or luxury to think about every email in their inbox and end up following through on the emails action, Anand said.

What Else to Do

Baggett recommends consumers and business IT do two things to catch or prevent these harvesting credential scams from working. First, put sophisticated software-based mail protection in place so the machines block the vast majority of these scams before delivery and users never interact with them.

Second, train users to be suspicious of email in general. While humans cant discern real emails from fake ones, it is still a good idea to use phishing awareness training to teach users not to trust their eyes when it comes to email. Above all, always verify any sensitive email through another, separate communication channel.

In other words, teach users to pick up the phone, send a Slack message, etc. to verify that the mail they are looking at really is from who it appears to be from, said Baggett.

As an example, INKY facilitates this preventative measure by putting yellow warning banners on emails with sensitive content such as wire requests, password reset requests, etc. INKY counters the Unicode confusable cloaking technique by rendering the mail, pixel-for-pixel so that INKYs software sees the mail as the human recipient will.

This allows INKY to match the text in the email in a fuzzy or approximate way based on visuals. For instance, it recognizes the general shape of the letterforms rather than the specific letter identities.

Human Brain Responses

Anand favors email recipients using some basic analysis to thwart credential harvesting scams. He agrees that busy employees cant look at every email with the rational, slower thinking part of their brain. But they can learn to be wary of identity, behavior, and language signals in the emails they read.

For example, under identity, users should confirm that the email is actually coming from the person/organization that it claims to come from, including domain, sender name, etc. Under behavior, users should question whether the email is consistent with previous behaviors exhibited by the email sender. Ask yourself if Bank of America usually sends emails to your work address. Under language, users should be wary of any email that attempts to trigger urgency, fear, and authority.

It is unfair to put all this onus on the end-users. Organizations should look to invest in native and third-party email security controls that analyze these signals and more, suggested Anand.
Tokyo skyline and Mt. Fuji

The easiest and cheapest way to reach Mt. Fuji from Tokyo is by bus  but you'll miss out on some of the stunning views along the way.

Tokyo (and greater Tokyo) has several bus stations, so it's important you head to the right one when planning a trip. Most visitors leave from the main Tokyo station just because it's easier to reach and less complicated to maneuver.

From here, you can catch a direct bus between 6:20am and 9:20pm to the Mt. Fuji area. Depending on traffic, the journey takes between 2 and 2.5 hours. Keep in mind that there are more buses in the morning than in the afternoon, so plan well.

These buses take you to the broader Fuji area and offer four main stops there: Kawaguchiko Station (well-known for its lakes and easy hiking trails), Fuji-Q Highland (where you'll find a world-famous thrill-ride amusement park), and Lake Yamanakako station. Where you get off depends on what you want to explore, but keep in mind none of these stops is exactly at Mount Fuji itself.

To get to the Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station  the lookout point and Mt. Fuji Basecamp, from where all the hikes that follow the Yoshida Trail up the mountain start  you'll need to take a second bus. Just get off at Kawaguchiko Station and grab a local bus for an additional 50-minute ride. Local buses run every hour and are usually marked, so you won't miss them.

If you're traveling to Mount Fuji during climbing season (July to mid-September), there's a direct bus from Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal (located in Greater Tokyo, outside the city center) to the 5th Station. The journey takes 2.5 hours, and the buses fill up quickly, so it's better to make a reservation in advance on the Highway-buses.jp website.
Canada joins Global Ocean Alliance, advocates for protecting 30 per cent of the worlds ocean by 2030

July 10,2020 | Source: Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Canada is an ocean nation with the longest coastline in the world. Canadians rely on healthy marine ecosystems to sustain our economy, our food supply, and our coastal communities. But the ocean is a shared resource that requires a global effort to ensure marine conservation. That is why the Government of Canada is joining other countries to advocate for international action to increase conservation and protection of our oceans by 2030.



Today, during the Protecting the Oceans Most Important Places webinar, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Bernadette Jordan, announced Canada has joined the United Kingdom and other countries in the Global Ocean Alliance. The Alliances goal is to advocate with international partners for ambitious ocean action to protect at least 30 per cent of the worlds oceans through the establishment of marine protected areas and other effective area-based marine conservation measures by 2030.



Since 2015, the Government of Canada has worked in partnership with provinces and territories, Indigenous peoples, and environmental and industry organizations to increase the protection of our oceans. Canada aimed to conserve 10 per cent of the countrys marine and coastal areas by 2020 and has already surpassed this goal, reaching nearly 14 per cent by August 2019. Canadas efforts, including the establishment of new marine protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, have also contributed to the international 10 per cent marine conservation target ahead of the 2020 timeline.



The Government of Canada continues to work toward its ambitious target of protecting 25 per cent of marine and coastal areas by 2025, working toward 30 per cent by 2030. Through the Global Ocean Alliance, we join a growing number of like-minded countries that will advocate internationally for 30 per cent conservation by 2030 around the world. We will work with other countries toward the adoption of new ambitious global biodiversity targets under the Convention on Biological Diversity at the 15th Conference of Parties in Kunming, China in 2021.



Canada is joining the Global Ocean Alliance to help galvanize international efforts towards a 30 per cent conservation goal that allows the marine environment and sustainable marine economies to thrive.

 Canada.ca

Theme(s): Others.
The operation began without warning: aid groups were barred from the Syrian displacement camp, internet connectivity disappeared and soldiers fanned out along the chain-link fences as a scorching sun rose high in the sky.

Inside, the women grew distressed. Some cried, some shouted abuse, and all were wary. They had once lived inside the Islamic States self-proclaimed caliphate. Now they were guarded by the force that defeated it, and tensions between the two were running high.

The operation this month to count and register the inhabitants of the al-Hol camp annexe was described by aid workers, officials, researchers and families in touch with the women affected.

On 10 June, the US-backed Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria said it had begun registering the foreign inhabitants of what it called the most dangerous camp in the world, almost a year and a half after they first arrived.

Recommended Syrian women still gravely suffering nine years on

The Islamic States once vast territory in Iraq and Syria is no more. But the question of what will happen to tens of thousands of foreigners who left for the caliphate and never returned home still lingers, with no clear answers.

Abandoned by their governments and under the care of a Kurdish-led force that does not want them, the women and children inside the annexe are among nearly 14,000 foreigners from more than 60 countries being held in northeastern Syria due to suspected Islamic State links. About 30,000 Iraqis live in a separate, larger, section of the camp. Inside the annexe, some women still fly the Islamic State flag and impose its disciplinary measures.

Their futures were initially seen as a test of how their home nations would balance human rights responsibilities with security concerns. But as the months have worn on, their cases have slipped from the global political agenda. This months registration attempt, analysts say, appeared to be in part an attempt to streamline the camps administration by creating a comprehensive accounting of who actually lives there.

It could also be used to increase pressure on home governments to act.

The Kurdish-led authority in northern Syria says it cannot manage the task alone, and it repeatedly has appealed for action from foreign governments, citing a rising tide of attacks from Islamic State sleeper cells across the region.

Some countries, including the United States, have begun the repatriation process. But much of Western Europe has delayed, as officials cite security concerns or domestic politics as obstacles.

Inside al-Hol, one of six displacement and refugee camps in northeastern Syria for families from Islamic State-controlled areas, the womens tents are pitched on cracked earth that turns to mud when it rains. Latrines overflow, sewage leaks into tents and wild dogs prowl the perimeter for food.

Dozens of women have disappeared from the camp, according to residents. Some leave with smugglers who can charge tens of thousands of dollars to take them away. Some, residents say, have ended up in makeshift detention facilities already holding thousands of foreign men in legal limbo.

Vera Mironova, a research fellow at Harvard University, maintains contact with scores of women inside the camp.

A lot of people escape, and when they escape we dont see any trace of them, she says. As long as governments dont take their citizens back, or actually track them, these women can disappear into thin air.

On the morning of 10 June, aid groups operating in the annexe were informed that they would not be able to enter for a two-week period during the registrations. The groups said they were also told the families would receive only bread and water during that time.

Women inside the camp have repeatedly accused the facilitys Kurdish-led authorities of withholding aid as a form of punishment. Humanitarian workers say they sometimes struggle to operate inside the annexe, and that some workers have been attacked by the women.

Family members and human rights groups say questions over the womens role with the Islamic State should be determined in court, not presumed

In a video filmed this month, shared by Mironova, a woman in a full black face and body covering addresses the camera as a water truck trundles away in the background.

Drove by, she says in Russian. Didnt stop. Didnt pour water. Still waiting.

As the camp was sealed off for the registration drive, guards led the women off in groups, according to family members of the women, humanitarian organisations and researchers. Australian and Canadian nationals were registered using biometric systems provided by the US-led coalition. Some Russian-speakers were recorded, too.

Some of these women are still active Isis members who need to be identified and removed from the civilian setting, says US Army Col Myles Caggins, a spokesman for the coalition. He says the information was to be added to an electronic database used by international law enforcement and intelligence officials.

The Kurdish-led administration did not respond to requests for comment. The coalition says 2,900 biometric tests and 8,000 DNA samples were collected. Their immediate usage was not clear.

Family members and human rights groups say questions over the womens role with the Islamic State should be determined in court, not presumed. They also say thousands of children across the camps have been traumatized from years of war, with scant access to education.

In al-Hol, children are everywhere. Many have lost fathers to the war or prison. Some sit alone in what shade they can find. Laughter is rare. Small boys play with homemade toy guys, appearing to replicate the body language of fighters they saw defending the Islamic State.

Countries need to accept responsibility for their own nationals present in these detention facilities in Syria, says Dareen Khalifa, an analyst at the International Crisis Group. They should urgently repatriate vulnerable children and investigate the possibility of returning whole family units.

In interviews with reporters visiting al-Hol last year, dozens of women described a hard-line contingent who were seeking to replicate the caliphates brutal rule.

They argued that their own stories were complex. Some say they have travelled to the caliphate in the belief that it would be a perfect Islamic government, but grew disillusioned by its brutality and were unable to escape. Some say they arrived as teenagers and were not able to understand the gravity of their decision. Others say they had been coerced to join by abusive partners.

It was not possible to independently verify their accounts.

The women worried about their childrens futures. Theres no life here, you know, says a Dutch woman who identified herself as Bint Fatma, a nickname. She says she had told her 5-year-old son that they probably would be separated by authorities upon return to Holland. I need to prepare him, she said.

The International Committee of the Red Cross on Friday urged countries to prioritise their child nationals. France last week announced the return of 10 children  officials say they were handed over to judicial authorities and were in the care of social services.

No matter the crimes their parents may have committed, Khalifa says, children who are in makeshift camps in northeastern Syria are innocent victims of the conflict.

 The Washington Post
A driver was sentenced to eight years in prison after admitting last year that he hit and killed a 22-year-old pedestrian in New Brunswick and left the scene, the Middlesex County Prosecutors Office announced Thursday.

Daquan White, 27, of North Brunswick, pleaded guilty on Dec. 3 to knowingly leaving the scene of a motor vehicle crash resulting in death and hindering his own apprehension for causing the death of Anthony Cruz-Medina, 22, of New Brunswick, prosecutors said.

White was driving a 2001 Acura CI Coupe on April 20, 2019 at 12:40 a.m. when he struck and killed Cruz-Medina on Livingston Avenue near Baldwin Street, according to a statement from the prosecutors office. Cruz-Medina was pronounced dead at the scene.

The New Brunswick Police and the prosecutors office began an investigation and arrested White in May last year and charged him with vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of a fatal crash, tampering with evidence and two counts of hindering apprehension, authorities said.

Under the plea deal, which also includes four years of parole ineligibility, several of those charges were dropped.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com.
Joe Biden laid out a populist economic vision to revive and reinvest in American manufacturing on Thursday (US time), calling for major new spending and stricter new rules to "Buy American" as part of an effort to more aggressively challenge President Donald Trump on two of his signature issues: the economy and nationalism.

In a speech in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, Biden slashed at Trump for a bungled response to the coronavirus pandemic that has deepened the economic crisis and a misplaced focus on the stockmarket, while framing his own economic agenda around a new campaign tagline, "Build Back Better."

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden adjusts his mask during a tour of McGregor Industries, a metal fabricating facility Credit:AP

Biden said his plans would leverage trade, tax and investment policy to spur domestic innovation, reduce the reliance on foreign manufacturing and create 5 million additional American manufacturing and innovation jobs.

"I do not buy for one second that the vitality of American manufacturing is a thing of the past," Biden said, speaking at a factory in Dunmore, not far from his childhood home of Scranton, a place where Biden often returns rhetorically to emphasise his blue-collar roots.
Crackdown Debated

Operation Legend receives mixed reaction in KC In the coming days, around 100 federal agents will arrive in Kansas City, Missouri, as part of Operation Legend, a program aimed at helping the Kansas City Police Department in fighting violent crime and solving homicides. Some anti-violence advocates are weary of the new program.

Crime Costs Local Biz

Kansas City businesses consider private security patrols after 'disappointing' police response KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Automotive business owners in south Kansas City say they're frustrated by thieves repeatedly targeting their properties. Mike Lane has operated the Auto Donation Center in Hickman Mills for nearly 20 years.Early Tuesday morning his surveillance cameras captured video of a would-be thief climbing over a barbed wire fence from within his secured lot to escape Kansas City police.

Kansas City Police Investigate Tragic Discovery On The Nicer Side Of The Bridge

KCPD: More human remains found along Shoal Creek; testing could take 3-6 months KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City, Missouri, police say it may take three to six months to receive test results from human remains found along the banks of Shoal Creek in the Northland. The remains were first discovered by a 10-year-old boy on Sunday.

High Flying KCPD Control

Kansas City police could soon have KCI under its jurisdiction KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- Kansas City police could soon have the Kansas City International Airport under its jurisdiction. The idea has been tossed around in City Hall for more than a decade. Now, some council members want the city manager develop a plan to make it happen.

More Local Backup

U.S. Marshals Service to support Operation Legend in KCMO KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The U.S. Marshals Service will deploy additional deputy marshals to assist with a new anti-violence initiative in Kansas City, Missouri, with an emphasis on arresting those on the city's most-wanted list. Mark James, U.S. Marshal of the Western District of Missouri, said Thursday that the U.S.

JoCo Creeper Charge

Months after stalking charge, man now accused of murdering Olathe woman during burglary OLATHE, Kan. - A 42-year-old man charged with stalking an Olathe woman just months ago has now been charged with her murder. Clyde J. Barnes Jr. has been charged Thursday with premeditated first-degree murder and several other charges in the death of 42-year-old Jessica Smith.

KC Creeper Wanted, Too

Wanted: James Young KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- James Young is wanted on a Missouri parole violation warrant for sex offender registration violation. He is also wanted on a Jackson County, Missouri, failure to appear in court warrant for burglary. His original sex offense occurred during 2009 in Independence and involved sexual misconduct with a 17-year-old girl.

Con Man Appeals EPIC Fine

Kansas City payday loan tycoon to argue his billion-dollar fine to U.S. Supreme Court The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear an appeal by Kansas City payday loan tycoon Scott Tucker that challenges the Federal Trade Commission's authority to demand restitution, as the agency did in his case when it obtained a $1.3 billion order against him.

Meth Town Cop Bravely Dodges Porch Pirate Attack

Independence Police Department officer nearly ran over by suspects wanted for stealing packages The Independence Police Department shared a video Thursday of a driver nearly running over an officer during a traffic stop in the parking lot of a QuikTrip.Police said the incident began when officers located a vehicle and occupants that matched the description of suspects wanted for stealing packages from front porches in Independence.Police said a pursuit of the vehicle occurred, but the officers discontinued for safety reasons and the suspects were not located.Police said the officer in the video was not injured.IPD is asking for anybody with information about the location of the vehicle to call 816-325-777 or email leads@indepmo.org.

The photo above features the old KCMO police HQ from more than 100 years ago.After the jump we document the continued impact of local court cases, police action and crime that has now reached an all-time high . . .Developing . . .
I immediately thought of Stephon Clark, who had been shot one year earlier in his grandmothers backyard. Four police officers were in the car  two in the front, two in the back. The driver reprimanded me from across the front passenger seat, assuming that I had known they were police officers and that I meant to disrespect them. They asked if I intended to make light of the New York Police Department and began to question why I was out driving at 2 a.m. They seemed to have spotted my license plate, because they told me that I wasnt in Georgia anymore and that the NYPD was everywhere and runs the city. They said they were looking for suspects in gang-related shootings in the area. But when they finally noticed I was wearing my surgical hat and scrubs, they dropped the whole line of questioning. My outfit seemed to ease their suspicions about a black man driving late at night. Without it, I wonder if that encounter would have ended differently.
The NSW government will be investigated by the Auditor-General over its handling of a community grants fund in which Premier Gladys Berejiklian approved more than $100 million for councils in Coalition seats months before last year's state election.

Following a request by Labor's local government spokesman Greg Warren, Auditor-General Margaret Crawford confirmed she was planning to review the administration of grants in selected state government agencies.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian approved of more than $100 million going to councils in Coalition seats under a community grants scheme. Credit:James Alcock

"This audit may include assessing whether selected grants programs are being effectively targeted, administered and delivered. At this stage I have determined the Stronger Communities Fund will be included in the selection of grants programs for this audit," Ms Crawford said on Friday.

Mr Warren said it was an initial concession that there was a serious matter to be investigated.
A Tibetan exile shouts slogan during a protest to support Hong Kong pro-democracy protestors, in New Delhi, India, August 30, 2019. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RC13DED98130

Brushing aside the popular sentiment against it and growing global outrage, on June 30 Chinese President Xi Jinping signed a controversial national security law that gave Beijing unprecedented powers to shape the future of Hong Kong. It dramatically reduces Hong Kongs autonomy and gives Beijing the ability to crackdown against dissent under the garb of tackling crimes of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.

For most Hong Kongers it is clear that it cuts at the very heart of their freedom of expression and organisation, effectively repudiating the one country, two systems principle on which the relationship between Hong Kong and mainland China has been premised since 1997.

Hong Kong has been rocked by anti-Beijing protests since June 2019 and the new law is effectively Xis revenge on Hong Kongers for making him withdraw the controversial extradition Bill last year. Since then a broader anti-China and pro-democracy movement has been gathering momentum in Hong Kong which Beijing is now determined to demolish with this new law.

What has been interesting this time is how New Delhi has reacted to these developments. The fact that India reacted at all is in itself a significant shift. New Delhi chose the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva to react where it argued that it has been keeping a close watch on recent developments in Hong Kong given the presence of a large Indian community there. Without naming China, Indias permanent representative to UN in Geneva Rajiv Chander expressed Indias hope that the relevant parties will take into account these views and address them properly, seriously and objectively.

New Delhi had in the past been reluctant to talk about the Hong Kong issue but recent deterioration in Sino-Indian ties on account of violent clashes in the Galwan Valley of Ladakh on June 15, perhaps, made it imperative for India to change its approach. In the past India has been reluctant to even give visas to pro-democracy activists of Hong Kong and along with Indonesia was the only other member state of the G-20 last year which refused to even meet pro-democracy activists to accept a petition so as to put pressure on China.

India also maintained a studied silence over Chinas ill-treatment of its Muslim minority in Xinjiang. However, Chinas behaviour vis-a-vis India has been quite explicit as it even tried to raise the issue of Kashmir in the United Nations Security Council after the Modi government revoked Article 370 in August.

The current border crisis has challenged the very foundations of Indias China policy and all aspects are being recalibrated by New Delhi  from trade and technological engagement to Chinas domestic political imperatives. There has also been a global pushback against China. Major powers such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Japan have all spoken out against the new Chinese law. At the UNHRC, 27 countries spoke in one voice asking China not only to reconsider its sweeping national security law on Hong Kong, but also to allow the UNHRC chief meaningful access to its western Xinjiang province.

India too added its voice to this growing chorus of opposition to Chinese moves as this is about something much bigger. What we are witnessing today is Xis China willing to shred all global norms and treaties to pieces in an effort to project its growing might. From its pacts with India to the maritime rules in the South China Sea, from its treaty with the UK on Hong Kong to its insistence on manipulating global organisations such as the World Health Organization (WHO)  all paint a disturbing picture of a revisionist power intent on casting the world in its own image.

Hong Kong is also important for India for economic reasons. For global investors, it has always been an attractive destination, leading to its emergence as one of Asias most powerful financial centres. With around $34 billion bilateral trade India was Hong Kongs third-largest export market in 2017. Beyond trade, India has also seen growing investment from Hong Kong and the presence of Indian professionals in key sectors such as IT and banking in Hong Kong is readily evident. Political stability and rule of law in Hong Kong is essential for preserving Indias long-term equities in the city.

As India recalibrates its China policy across sectors, Hong Kong has emerged as an important issue which New Delhi should not hesitate to leverage vis-a-vis China. India has vital stakes in Hong Kong both from a bilateral as well as a global perspective. If that emboldens China to rake up Indian domestic matters on global platforms, so be it. As a mature democracy, we should be able to articulate and defend our positions to our global stakeholders. It is what makes India different from China and a more reassuring global presence.

In any case, China has never hesitated to meddle in Indian domestic matters in the past. Indias past diffidence in challenging China on its internal matters has not really paid New Delhi any significant dividends. Indias Hong Kong move has been noticed the world over and Indian policy makers should use this moment in global politics to put China on notice.
MOSCOW -- As Russians cast ballots in a tightly managed vote on constitutional changes that would pave the way for President Vladimir Putin to extend his rule until 2036, some of his critics warned the changes would usher in a clampdown on dissent and strengthen the hand of Russia's powerful security services.



Now, in Russia's capital, calls for protest by anti-government activists have capped off a week of raids, arrests, and prosecutions that appear to confirm those fears that the political landscape has changed in a way that makes opposition an even more costly enterprise.



"What's happening now is different, because it's part of a formal state doctrine," Yulia Galyamina, an opposition politician who was targeted in one of the recent raids, told RFE/RL. "The regime is now officially positioning itself as a dictatorship."



Events unfolded in rapid succession. On July 6, journalist Svetlana Prokopyeva was convicted in Pskov of justifying terrorism, after more than a dozen fellow reporters were detained for picketing in her support.



The following morning, members of Russia's security services bundled former military reporter Ivan Safronov into a car in central Moscow and arrested him on treason charges that carry a maximum 20-year sentence. Another 27 people, many of them Safronov's former colleagues, were detained for picketing in his defense.



On July 8, authorities stormed the apartment of opposition activist Pyotr Verzilov and moved forward with a criminal case against him for allegedly failing to declare Canadian citizenship.



And on July 9, the homes of at least five other opposition activists were raided in Moscow. One thing connected them: All had campaigned against Putin's constitutional amendments, as part of a small but dogged drive to scupper the plan to extend his rule.

'Attacks On Freedom Of Expression'



"Russian authorities should immediately drop the charges against the protesters and other journalists and end attacks on freedom of expression," Human Rights Watch said in a statement condemning the arrests.



For some, it was an echo of another sweeping clampdown in Russia's capital last summer, when a series of protests against the conduct of local elections prompted a tough reaction from authorities and raids on the homes of opposition activists.

"This is yet another intimidation campaign," tweeted prominent Putin critic Aleksei Navalny, whose allies were among those swept up in this week's crackdown. "An effort to demoralize Putin's opponents and publicly punish anyone who protested his amendments."



But others suggested things are different this time.



For years, journalist Andrei Soldatov wrote in The Moscow Times, "it had been almost impossible to accuse journalists of treason or revealing state secrets." Now, he said, the agency was "applying its paranoid definition of espionage to journalists -- and is going out of its way to make sure everyone knows."

Ivan Pavlov, the lawyer representing Safronov, wrote in a Facebook post that the journalist's case is the first treason charge against a Russian reporter since the 1997-2001 prosecution of Grigory Pasko, whom Pavlov also defended. He implored fellow journalists to take a stand.



"A lot will depend on the way you react to this blow, including whether accusations of treason against journalists will become a trend in today's Russia," he wrote.

'Life Has Only Gotten Worse'

The reaction on social-media channels popular among the opposition has been loud and defiant. But on the streets -- where law enforcement actively polices public spaces and is quick to hustle away solo picketers, let alone rowdy crowds -- it has been muted.



Earlier this month, opposition activists petitioned the Moscow government for permission to hold a protest on July 15 against Putin's constitutional overhaul. But they were rebuffed on the grounds that certain anti-coronavirus lockdown measures continue, and large gatherings are still banned.



Galyamina, who sits on a Moscow district council, said this was merely an excuse. She cited the fact that the constitutional-changes vote dragged on for a week and involved millions of Russians visiting polling stations to cast ballots.



Instead of forging ahead with a banned rally, which could expose participants to a violent police crackdown, she has called on supporters to gather on the central Pushkin Square on July 15 and sign a petition demanding that the constitutional changes be reversed -- in particular, the clause allowing Putin to run again for two more six-year presidential terms.



"Putin's term limits have been reset," she wrote in a Facebook post on July 10.
NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Paralegal Kim M. Martel of Janet, Janet & Suggs, LLC has been named the 2020 winner of the American Association for Justice (AAJ) Paralegal of the Year Award Sponsored by Advocate Capital, Inc. Martel was nominated for this honor by Attorney Dov Apfel , Attorney Seth L. Cardeli, Attorney Michael W. Kessler and Attorney John Lancione.

She has been a paralegal at Janet, Janet & Suggs, LLC since September 2009. Martel holds several roles in the investigation and litigation of tragic medical malpractice cases involving brain damaged children and contributes in the legal community and the private sector.

Martel is fully qualified to do many functions routinely performed by law clerks and practicing lawyers. Nominating attorney, Dov Apfel, says she has demonstrated the ability to teach, tutor and mentor paralegals, legal assistants and even young lawyers. Her unique leadership qualities and high level of expertise helps her colleagues participate in complex medical malpractice cases.

Martel has spoken at seminars and conventions, such as the Maryland Association of Paralegals CLE Program in 2017 and the AAJ webinar for "Utilizing Critical Health Records to Make Your Case" in March 2020.

She is also a member in good standing with the Maryland Association of Paralegals (Administrative Vice President 2017 and 2018), and the National Federation of Paralegal Associations. She is a Paralegal Affiliate of the American Association for Justice and the Maryland Association for Justice.

In addition to her professional endeavors, Martel has participated in many other projects for those in need, including volunteer work at the Our Daily Bread soup kitchen and My Brother's Keeper soup kitchen.

Nominating attorney Dov Apfel says, "Kim has unselfishly demonstrated her value as a member of a legal services team, shown her dedication to the legal profession, and shown dedication to AAJ's mission."

In his nomination letter for Kim Martel, attorney John Lancione wrote, "I am honored to nominate Kim Martel..From the moment I met Kim, she impressed me with her breadth of knowledge of the cases she was working on and the level of passion with which she helped the attorneys pursue justice for the clients. She has always been extremely easy to work with..and her presence in a trial 'war room,' a mediation or courtroom creates a sense of calm for the lawyers, because we know Kim is on top of every issue and has our backs."

The AAJ Paralegal of the Year Award is given to an exceptional AAJ Paralegal Affiliate member who has made contributions to the paralegal profession, shown commitment to continuing legal education, and commitment to community volunteering. Advocate Capital, Inc. is proud to sponsor this award that recognizes the important, key role that paralegals play in our nation's civil justice system and in our communities.

Martel will receive the award virtually. As part of the award, Martel will receive complimentary registration to AAJ's virtual Amped Up conference, and airfare, hotel accommodations, and registration for AAJ's 2021 Annual Convention.

Advocate Capital, Inc. is the premier provider of strategic financial products and accounting services for successful trial law firms. It has served the plaintiff bar for 21 years from its headquarters in Nashville, TN and enjoys a client base that extends nationwide. For more information, visit www.advocatecapital.com or call 1.877.894.9724.

CONTACT:

Rachel Minyard

Director of Marketing

Advocate Capital, Inc.

advocatecapital.com/rachel-minyard.html

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Donald Trump Jr. told reporters Friday that he expects Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to block presidential campaign events under the guise of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Whitmer told the Associated Press last month she would think very seriously about trying to block the president from hosting a campaign rally in Michigan, where her executive orders require masks in all public spaces and limit the size of gatherings and events.

We know that congregating without masks, especially at an indoor facility, is the worst thing to do in the midst of a global pandemic, Whitmer reportedly said. I just know we have limitations on the number of people that can gather and that were taking this seriously.

The governors office provided a comment after this story initially published.

The governor is focused on saving the lives of Michiganders, and remains unbothered by partisan games and political attacks, Communications Director Zack Pohl said in a statement. If the Trump Administration was as concerned about protecting the publics health as it is about hosting dangerous rallies that can be breeding grounds for spreading COVID-19, perhaps there would be a national pandemic response plan or federal mask-up campaign to combat this virus that has already killed tens of thousands of Americans across the United States.

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The presidents son, who is in self-imposed quarantine after his girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle tested positive for COVID-19, said he thinks the cancellation of political events would happen for partisan reasons. He said there are ways to hold campaign events safely, by requiring masks and keeping people six feet apart from one another.

I have a feeling a lot of the governors in the swing states, the liberal governors are going to do whatever they can to quash events and quash rallies, Trump said. Given the sort of partisan manner in which Gretchen Whitmer has handled everything as it relates to Michigan, it would be little shock to me whatsoever that she would do whatever she can, under the guise of corona(virus) of course.

Whitmer issued an executive order on June 5 allowing indoor social gatherings and organized events of up to 50 people. Outdoor social gatherings and organized events of up to 250 people are also allowed.

President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence visited Michigan for events organized by the White House in May and June.

The president gave remarks at a Ford Motor Company facility in Ypsilanti Township, while Pence spoke at an outdoor venue in Sterling Heights where attendees were spaced six feet apart. The governors office said Trumps May visit opposed an executive order barring non-essential tours of manufacturing facilities.

Trump Jr.s remarks came on the same day Whitmer issued an executive order requiring Michigan residents to wear masks in public spaces, both indoors and outdoors, or face a misdemeanor charge. Whitmers order, which takes effect immediately, includes some exceptions for children and people who have a medical reason preventing the use of a face covering.

Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes said Whitmers new order isnt about politics in a Friday statement.

This is about saving lives, stopping the spread of COVID-19 and moving Michigan beyond this crisis, she said.

At a Friday press conference, Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khladun said Michigans fight against the infectious respiratory disease is nowhere near over.

There were 67,683 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Michigan and 6,024 deaths as of Thursday. A total of 52,841 people have recovered as of July 3.

Michigan is experiencing a spike in new confirmed cases in July after the number of new cases found each day gradually decreased during the last few months. Over the last month, Michigans daily increase in coronavirus cases has climbed from 150 to 444.

The presidents son argued any bans on political events would only serve to hurt the Trump campaign while benefitting presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden. Trump said Biden has been hiding from voters instead of hitting the campaign trail.

Michigan is an important state for the presidents reelection hopes. The president won Michigan by only 0.3% in 2016, becoming the first Republican to take the state in nearly three decades thanks to a narrow 10,704-vote margin.

It is an important state to us, but I imagine they will do whatever they can to create an obstacle for us, Trump said.

COVID-19 PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

READ MORE:

Michigan sees largest one-day coronavirus case increase in 7 weeks

Michigan at tipping point in fight against coronavirus

Michigan sees largest one-day coronavirus case increase in 7 weeks
India insisted on 'complete disengagement' in all its talks with China on eastern Ladakh row: Govt

Pull back by Chinese at Pangong Tso sets stage for military commander level talks

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, July 09: Its troops remain fully deployed in the depth areas of Xinjiang and Tibet. A build up across the Arunachal Pradesh Line of Actual Control has also been noticed.

Meanwhile, the disengagement between India and China has been completed at Patrolling Point 17, Hot Springs. The disengagement is complete at PP-14, PP-15 and PP-17, sources have confirmed to OneIndia. On the northern banks of Pangong Tso, the source said that there has been more thinning of the PLA troops at Finger 4. The Indian troops are restricted up to here at the moment. On the northern banks of the lake, the Indian troops used to patrol up to Finger 8, which is 8 kilometres east of Finger 4.

Untenable, exaggerated, says India on China's Galwan Valley claim

The military commanders will have another round of talks to complete the verification process.

Vikas Dubey killed in an encounter, Akhilesh Yadav raises questions | Oneindia News

While disengagement continues at various points, the Chinese remain in an aggressive posture at Depsang Plains. However the air activity by the Chinese has reduced considerably in the Ladakh sector.
"I got to know them each personally, which was great," she said. "I felt like I had made new friends. So I didn't feel alone at that time at all."

One of the nurses was one of Sillero's childhood friends, who she hadn't seen since they were in middle school.

Sillero was tested regularly in the hospital and on June 4, when she was in her 32nd week, she got her second negative result which indicated that she was free of the virus.

She didn't have much time to celebrate because her ultrasound that morning showed that one of her babies had her umbilical cord wrapped around her neck.

The three babies -- a girl and two boys -- were delivered by emergency Caesarean section that afternoon.

"Luckily, everything came out good," Sillero said. "The doctors were amazed at how well the babies were doing as soon as they were born."

Her mom was with her for the delivery because her husband had not yet gotten word that he was negative.

Isabella, the oldest, weighed 3.11 pounds, Nathaniel weighed 3.7 pounds and Adriel was 2.1 pounds, according to the hospital. They were all taken to the NICU, where Sillero visited them every day.
China on Friday rejected any prospect of joining in nuclear arms limitation talks with the US, calling reports from Washington that it would do so a distortion of its stated position.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters the US was "neither serious nor sincere" in the proposed negotiations and should instead respond to Russia's call for an extension to the existing New START treaty limiting the number of nuclear warheads.

"China's objection to the so-called trilateral arms control negotiations is very clear, and the US knows it very well. However, the U.S. is persistent on the issue and even distorted China's position," Zhao said at a daily news briefing.

China, with the world's biggest nuclear arsenal after the US and Russia, has maintained it will not join in talks with Washington and Moscow on reducing its number of warheads.

However, Zhao appeared to hold open the door to some form of discussions saying Washington needed to "create conditions for other nuclear-weapon states to participate in nuclear disarmament negotiations." The U.S. pointedly noted the Chinese absence at talks with Russia in Vienna two weeks ago on extending or replacing NEW Start, a 2010 arms reduction treaty that expires in February.

The pact is between the US and Russia, long the world's major nuclear powers. The Trump administration wants China, as a rising military power, to join.

Fu Cong, the director general of the Foreign Ministry's arms control department, on Wednesday called that demand unrealistic because China has a much smaller nuclear arsenal than the other two. By inviting China to join, the US is creating a pretext to walk away from the talks without replacing the treaty, he said.
Iran has experienced six mysterious explosions, fires and expensive equipment failures since June 25th at facilities related to Iranian nuclear and missile research and development. On July 2 nd there was a particularly violent explosion at a facility related to the Iranian nuclear weapons program. Officially, Iran considers these explosions accidents, unofficially it is believed the Israelis, perhaps with the Americans, are carrying out another major cyber-attack on Iranian nuclear weapons efforts. Iran believes this is the Israeli response to the growing number of unsuccessful Iranian hacker attacks on Israel since early 2019.

The Iranian threat has become more ominous as Iranian officials escalate their threatening gestures. This puts Iran in an embarrassing situation because the reality is that Iran does not really have the capability to launch an effective attack on Israel. They can carry out attacks that will likely fail and undermine Iranian credibility throughout the region as well as inside Iran. In addition to all the Iranian bases and facilities in Syria hit with airstrikes over the last few years, the Israeli military recently revealed that in 2017 Israel had detected and thwarted a major Iranian effort to hack into the Israeli domestic warning system. In the last year alone Israeli Cyber War defense efforts have thwarted 130 Iranian Internet based attacks on Israel. At the same time, similar Israeli attacks on Iran are succeeding. Details of these Cyber War operations are usually kept secret by attacker and defender alike so as not to give potential Cyber War foes a better idea of what worked and what didnt. Sometimes the defender will have traps prepared (honeypots) that will deceive the attacker into believing they are succeeding when in reality they are being closely observed and their techniques noted and analyzed. When you hack what you believe is a secret enemy facility it is especially difficult to assess your success or failure. Along those lines, the chatter coming from Iran is that their nuclear enrichment (turning uranium into weapons grade material) facilities are again suffering massive equipment failures, as in the new centrifuges were apparently hacked, as they were nearly a decade ago by stuxnet. In addition, there have been bombs going off in some of these facilities, indicating Israeli agents were able to gain access and plant explosives. This is particularly disturbing for Iranian leaders because it indicates that Israel is able to recruit agents inside Iran, Thats what happens when a lot of young Iranians are openly angry at their own government.

Sometimes Israel just sends a warning. In early May officials at the Iranian Shahid Rajaee container port near the Strait of Hormuz admitted that local government networks had been hit with an Internet based attack. The official insisted the attack did no lasting damage to port operations. But commercial satellite photos later showed trucks (delivering or going to pick up containers) backed up on roads to the port. An unusually large number of container ships were stuck waiting to get a berth. In a rare move, Israel took credit for the hack, which was meant to halt port operations for several days. Israel rarely takes credit for these attacks but did so, in this case, to warn Iran there would be a lot more of this if Iran did not halt its efforts to hack Israeli public utilities, as in a recent effort against a local water supply system. The latest of these Iranian efforts was in late April. Iran made more threats against Israel and now believes these six (so far) explosions and other accidents at nuclear weapons and missile research facilities are the latest Israeli response to continued Iranian threats.

Iranian officials also believe this latest offensive is connected to the early 2018 commando operation that the Israeli prime minister went on TV to reveal. The Israeli leader described how Mossad (Israeli intel) agents took over 110,000 documents from a warehouse in the Iran capital. Mossad used Iranian smugglers to get the documents across the border to Azerbaijan and then to Israel all in less than 24 hours. The Mossad operation, which involved moving half a ton of documents, took place at the end of January, and the Iranian effort to send a bomb laden UAV into Israel on February 10th was seen as a response. Since the documents arrived in Israel American, Israeli and other foreign experts (on intelligence, nuclear weapons and Iranian technical capabilities) translated and scrutinized the huge haul of information and concluded that the documents were authentic and proved that Iran does have a nuclear weapons program, something they have always denied. Opinion polls conducted in Israel after the prime ministers revelations showed that 58 percent of Israeli Jews support how the government is handling the Iranian threat.

Now the Iranian nuclear weapons are literally blowing up and the Iranian government appears as hapless as ever. Even the most loyal fans of the Iranian religious dictatorship are dismayed because if Allah is on the side of their leaders how can the Israelis manage to carry out attack after attack. Whose side is God on?

The Turkish Threat

Turkey does not seem to fear an Egyptian military response to the Turkish invasion of western Libya. The official Turkish view is that Egypt is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Saudis Arabia and the UAE who have been backing the anti-Islamic terrorist LNA in Libya for years.

The Turks and Iranians disagree on many things but both agree that the Saudis are unfit to be the guardians of Islams most holy places in Mecca and Medina. Turkey has it in for the Saudis and Egypt for the way the current Egyptian government, with financial support from Saudi Arabia, forcibly replaced the elected Egyptian Islamic Brotherhood government. Turkey does not like to discuss how similarly Egyptian and Turkish voters respond to efforts to force Islamic law on them.

In mid-2012 Egyptian election officials declared Islamic Brotherhood candidate Mohamed Mursi as the new president. A week earlier the military commission (temporarily running Egypt) took away many powers from the president and transferred them to the military. The Egyptian military did not want a true democracy. It appears that the military, which took over as a "caretaker government" after long time president-for-life Mubarak was tossed out in 2011, was trying to get Mubarak cronies back into power. The military has long been known as just another part of the corrupt Egyptian dictatorship, and many generals feared prosecution for that if a true democracy was established. The major rebel and reform groups have not decided what to do about this counter-revolution. The newly elected Moslem Brotherhood president solved the Mubarak cronies problem in an unexpected way. Before president Mursi could go after Mubarak allies, the Moslem Brotherhood radicals got violent in their demands that Egypt be ruled with Sharia (Islamic) law. That was what Saudi Arabia did but Sharia was very unpopular with most Egyptian voters. By 2014 angry voters had forced Mursi out and new elections put a former general (Sisi) into power. The Moslem Brotherhood once more became the enemy, except in Turkey, where a Moslem Brotherhood-like government had ruled Turkey since 2000 and had not had any problems with radicals. But Turkish voters were getting tired of their increasingly corrupt and inept Islamic government that seems to have declared just about everyone an enemy of Turkey.

July 8, 2020: Iran signed a deal with Syria to upgrade Syrian air defense capabilities. Iran has not got access to the latest air defense tech and this deal appears to be an effort to test new Iranian air defense gear in Syria and make improvements based on the results. Syria is desperate to obtain air defense capabilities that can stop Israeli airstrikes. Older Russian weapons (S-200 and S-300) are all that Syria has and not very effective at all. Russia refuses to use its S-400 system, used to defend Russian bases in western Syria, for fear of discovering that Israel can defeat the S-400 as well.

July 6, 2020: In southwest Syria, outside Damascus, an Israeli airstrike destroyed several trucks that were carrying Iranian rockets to Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Israel announced it had launched another recon satellite, Ofek 16, which was described an am upgrade of the Ofek 11 design, that first went up in 2016. At the time Ofek 11 was described as an upgraded Okek 10, which went up in April 2014. The first Ofek went up in 1988 and the last few have been incremental upgrades of the Ofek 9 which entered service in 2010. The Ofek 9 weighed about 300 kg (660 pounds) and used a new generation of sensors that were able to see objects as small as 55 cm (twenty inches). Ofek 10 was a little heavier with new electronics providing better resolution and Ofek 11 was more of the same. Ofek 16 has higher resolution cameras. All the Ofek spy sats are mainly for keeping tabs on Iran and what Iran is doing in Syria and Lebanon. The Ofek satellites are put into orbit using Israeli designed and built rockets. Israeli communications satellites are now being launched by SpaceX rockets.

July 5, 2020: In the south (Gaza) three rockets were fired into Israel. In retaliation, there were three airstrikes at Hamas targets, including a rocket building workshop.

Elsewhere in Gaza, earlier in the day, there was a rare event; people openly protesting against Hamas' mismanagement of the Gaza economy and Hamas' incompetence in general. The demonstrators are from the generation that grew up under Hamas rule, which began in 2005 and has remained dedicated to the destruction of Israel and little else. Gaza residents are supposed to accept their assigned role as Hamas supporters and occasionally as involuntary martyrs when some Hamas violence backfires and kills Gaza civilians. While there are some upscale neighborhoods in Gaza where Hamas leaders and key supporters live, most of Gaza has a dusty slum vibe. The kids do not accept that and are now protesting, trying to commit suicide and, if they are really lucky, get out of Gaza completely. No one wants Gaza refugees, not Moslem nations, the West or Israel. Hamas has convinced many young Gazans that the destruction of Israel is all that matters and drying for that cause is a glorious way to go. No wonder the kids are not alright and many dont believe Allah approves of all this Hamas lunacy.

In Libya there was a damaging series of airstrikes on a Turkish airbase, doing a lot of damage. The airstrikes were apparently arranged by Russia, which then suggested that Turkey allow the two Libyan factions, the Turk backed GNA and Russia-backed LNA/HoR, to work out a ceasefire and eventually a peace deal. Turley is under a lot of pressure from NATO (which threatens to expel Turkey) and the EU (which is angry at the Turks for a growing number of reasons). A further incentive for the Turks to leave is the Egyptian threat to send troops into Libya to help its old friend the LNA. Other North African nations are angry at Turkey for invading Libya. The huge expense of the Libya operations has already caused Turkey to send several thousand of its Syrian mercenaries back to Syria and lower-paying jobs.

July 1, 2020: Israel did not approve any annexations of West Bank areas already settled by Israelis. This is a contentious issue with Palestinians (who oppose it) and Israeli political parties that believe in Greater Israel and that the Palestinians will never agree to any peace deal that does not involve the elimination of Israel as a state. Since 2015 Hamas (which runs Gaza) and Fatah (which runs the West Bank) have been upset that Israeli police operations in the West Bank, as a response to Palestinian attacks, is getting more intense as are Israelis calling for outright annexation of the West Bank. This trend began in 2007 after the defeat of the Palestinian terror campaign against Israel that began in 2000, and is still, technically, underway. At that point, more Israelis were giving up on efforts to work out a peace deal with the Palestinians, who showed no sign of backing off from their "Israel must be destroyed" attitudes. This Palestinian attitude has been reinforced by decades of propaganda within the Palestinian community in particular, and the Arab community throughout the region in general. This led to Israeli extremists getting more violent and that trend has continued. This is most visible with the 400,000 Jewish settlers, who have established about a hundred communities in the West Bank since 1967 and are determined to drive the Arabs out of the area, which they believe to be part of "Greater Israel." This does not have popular support among a majority of Israelis, but the settlers and "Greater Israel" fans are carrying out more attacks on Palestinians and trying to terrorize the Arabs in the West Bank. This is becoming an embarrassment for Israel, although the settlers point out that, no matter what you do, the Palestinians will never accept Israel and continue to carry out and support attacks on Israelis. By 2020 the settlers had gained enough voter allies to make annexation of some parts of the West Bank a possibility.

June 30, 2020: In the south (Gaza) Hamas fired several rockets into the Mediterranean Sea and said this was a warning to Israel which was planning to annex part of the West Bank soon.

June 29, 2020: In Egypt (Gaza) police noticed and went after two men who appeared to be looking a police checkpoints and making notes. After a brief gun battle, the two suspects were killed and later identified as wanted Islamic terrorists, each with a record of planning attacks and, in this case, doing the reconnaissance themselves.

June 28, 2020: In eastern Syria (Deir Ezzor province) two airstrikes, apparently Israeli, hit Iranian targets near the Al Bukamal crossing into Iraq. Structures and vehicles were damaged or destroyed and about ten Iranians or Iranian mercenaries. In the aftermath of these two attacks, Iran ordered the remaining troops in the camps bombed to temporarily leave their camps and camp out in the countryside, dispersed into small groups.

June 26, 2020: In the south, two rockets were fired into Israel from Gaza. The rockets landed in uninhabited areas. Israeli warplanes retaliated by bombing several Hamas sites, one of them a workshop where rockets are built. This was the first attack from Gaza since mid-June.

June 24, 2020: In Libya, the last elected government (called the HoR or House of Representatives group) asked Egypt to intervene militarily if the UN and Turk backed GNA government tries to advance east and take the coastal city of Sirte.

June 23, 2020: In the West Bank a Palestinian man attempted to kill a border police officer by running her over with his vehicle. She jumped out of the way and the driver was shot dead by other officers. It was all captured on video, which was released to the media to disrupt Palestinian efforts to portray the incident as the murder of an innocent motorist.

June 20, 2020: Egypt threatened to send troops to Libya if Turkey did not get its forces out of Libya. Egyptian army units began arriving at the Libyan border two weeks ago and more keep arriving, for an unscheduled training exercise. The Turks said they are not leaving as long as the UN approved GNA needs help. Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain supported Egypt in its willingness to send in troops to get Turkish forces out of Libya. In Sirte, the next Libyan coastal city threatened by Turkish mercs, the local council supported the LNA. The Sirte population does not want a return to militia rule, which is still what passes for local government in Tripoli and Misrata.

Can Egyptian troops defeat Syrian Arab mercenaries working for Turkey? Despite greater numbers, M1 tanks and F-16 fighters, the Egyptian army has not been training regularly, most of the troops are conscripts and the most experienced Egyptian soldiers are fighting ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) in Sinai. Thats a small portion of the Egyptian army and most Egyptian army units are of questionable effectiveness in a fight.

Egypt is taking a chance sending troops into Libya. Despite that, this is something the Egyptian military has been studying for over fifty years. Occasionally military exercises were held near the Libyan border. Usually, the Egyptian Navy dominates the area and the Turks would have to move naval forces to Libya to prevent Egypt from controlling the Libyan coast. Egypt and Israel are not friends but they have learned how to get along since the 1980s peace deal and have cooperated to control Islamic terrorism in Sinai and Gaza. Israel and Turkey used to be close until the current Islamic government took over in 2000 and turned Turkey against Israel. The Islamic Turkish government has since developed a peaceful relationship with Israel but that wont stop Israel from blocking Turkish efforts to dominate the eastern Mediterranean and the Libyan coast. Russia and Turkey are allies in Syria against the Islamic terrorist and rebels but Russia and Israel are also on good terms and Russian officials have openly admitted that Russian and Israeli forces will not fight each other. Egypt has a good chance of setting up and enforcing a naval blockade against the Libyan ports (Tripoli and Misrata) the Turks use to supply and reinforce their mercenary units in Libya.

June 19, 2020: A 57E6 missile, fired from a Russian Pantsir air defense vehicle in Syria, landed largely intact in the Israeli Golan Heights. Syria has over two dozen Pantsir vehicles and says this missile had been fired at an incoming Israeli cruise missile. The 76 kg (167 pound) 57E6 missile is supposed to self-destruct, using its 20 kg warhead, if no target is found. The one that fell in Israel was seen being examined, apparently disarmed, for further examination. Pantsir has been an embarrassing failure in Syria and Libya although Russia revealed a new version of Pantsir at the end of June.
Coward assassination of Gen. Soleimani clear violation of UN charter, Iran says

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, July 9, IRNA -- Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Thursday that the assassination of anti-terror commander General Soleimani was a flagrant violation of the United Nations' charter.

"The coward assassination of Gen. Soleimani, the anti-terrorism hero of our region, was "an arbitrary killing" & a clear violation of the UN charter. The US is responsible for this criminal act, & can't whitewash this by chastising the UN. We'll never forget, we'll never forgive," Mousavi wrote on his Twitter account.

Mousavi released the tweet at a time when the 44th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Thursday condemned the arbitrary actions of governments, including the martyrdom of General Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC).

Lieutenant General Soleimani who was the IRGC Quds Force commander was assassinated by the US along with the acting Commander of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), known as Hashd al-Shaabi, Abu Mahdi Al-Mohandes, and eight other military forces with a record of fighting the Daesh (ISIS) in Iraq.

Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei had called for proportionate military action against the US interests in response to the heinous crime against the Iranian Commander who was on an official mission to Baghdad.

Iran's IRGC targeted the US airbase of Ain al-Assad in Al-Anbar province in western Iraq.

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Photo: Glacier Media Lyft vs Uber service areas in the Lower Mainland.

Metro Vancouver residents looking for more transportation options as the economy reopens can venture a little deeper into the region with Lyft.

The ride-hailing giant has launched services in Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, Belcarra, Langley, Lions Bay and Bowen Island effective July 9.

When Lyft initially entered the B.C. market, it originally only operated in what it described as a core area.

That included Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, the Pacific National Exhibition grounds near Burnaby and what it described as the core of the City of Vancouver.

The expansion of Lyfts service area comes after Uber announced June 25 it was moving deeper into the Fraser Valley with services in Abbotsford, Aldergrove and Langley Township.

Lyfts service area goes further north than Ubers, while Ubers service area stretches further east.

The pandemic, however, stymied the demand for ride-hailing services just a few weeks after Lyft and Uber began offering sanctioned services in B.C. for the first time.

What weve seen from drivers is theyre encouraged by the fact that people are getting out and moving around the region again, Lyfts general manager for B.C., Peter Lukomskyj said.

We saw drivers who wanted to work through the pandemic, and now were seeing not just those drivers but new drivers come onto the platform as well. And obviously were facilitating that, making it as easy as possible for people to drive.

The company has implemented enhanced cleaning and disinfection guidelines for vehicles, but Lukomskyj acknowledged there might still be psychological barriers for some passengers.
Sudbury, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - July 10, 2020) - Rockcliff Metals Corporation (CSE: RCLF) (FSE: RO0) (WKN: A2H60G) ("Rockcliff" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that a 1,400 metre, 4-6 hole drill program will begin in approximately two weeks on its recently discovered high-grade TGR Nickel-PGE (Platinum Group Elements) Prospect ("TGR") located on its 100% owned Tower Property. Additional PGE assay results for TGR were recently received and returned significant rhodium (Rh) as well as ruthenium (Ru), iridium (Ir) and osmium (Os) results. As a result, the NiEq grade acoss a downhole interval of 2.40 metes increased from 3.82% to 4.93% including 1.25 metres with a NiEq grade increase from 6.79% to 8.84%. Additionally, the Company provides an updated schedule for the Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") which is underway.

The TGR drill program will commence after surface and bore hole geophysical surveys are completed. The TGR mineralization was discovered in a previously unexplored area and is associated with ultramafic rocks of the Thompson Nickel Belt ("TNB"). The TNB is a world class + 300 kilometre long mining belt with over 60 years of production from high-grade nickel mines with associated copper and cobalt (see figure 1). TGR is strategically located only 600 metres south of the Company's high-grade, copper-rich Tower Deposit.

Discovery hole TSA20-002, which was press released on April 30, 2020, intersected significant Nickel-PGE mineralization at a down hole depth of 244.8 metres. With additional PGE analysis completed on those same TGR samples, the revised TGR discovery hole intersected high-grade nickel, palladium, platinum, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium and osmium mineralization over a downhole interval of:

2.40 m grading 2.53% Ni, 3.35g/t Pd, 1.04g/t Pt, 0.48g/t Rh, 1.53g/t Ru, 0.45g/t Ir, 0.696g/t Os (5.0% NiEq) including

1.25 m grading 4.46% Ni, 6.13g/t Pd, 2.28g/t Pt, 0.88g/t Rh, 2.84g/t Ru, 0.83g/t Ir, 1.29g/t Os (9.0% NiEq)

including

0.25 m grading 10.8% Ni, 14.50g/t Pd, 9.19g/t Pt, 2.51g/t Rh, 7.40g/t Ru, 1.85g/t Ir, 2.70g/t Os (22.8% NiEq)

Alistair Ross, President & CEO commented: "I want to acknowledge Cyr Drilling and Norway House Cree Nation for the smooth start-up of this summer drill program. We continue to ramp up the program with the imminent arrival of a second drill and crew that will allow us to continue to focus on increasing the size of the Tower deposit and further explore the recent TGR discovery. Further success at TGR would raise the importance of the Tower property in selecting our first mine project in the PEA currently underway."

TGR Drill Program

The TGR discovery hole was the last hole drilled in the Company's 2020 winter drill program at the Tower Property. Drill Hole TSA20-002 intersected up to 15% nickel bearing sulphides suggesting a high tenor, high-grade Nickel-PGE environment relative to the amount of sulphides observed. Time Domain Electromagnetic and borehole geophysical surveys have been initiated to assist in locating areas that could represent additional sulphides and higher grade Ni-PGE mineralization within the TGR. The purpose of the TGR drill program will be to test the potential dip and strike of the TGR as well as to identify and test potential areas of stronger conductivity proximal to the TGR discovery hole. Hole TSA20-002 intersected significant mineralization highlighted in the Table 1 below.





Table 1: Breakdown of TGR Ni-PGE assay results

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The nickel equivalent values calculated for the TGR used US$6.10/pound for nickel, US$1,450/ounce for palladium, US$865/ounce for platinum, US$6,000/ounce for rhodium, US$1675/ounce for Iridium, US$400/ounce for osmium and US$280/ounce for ruthenium. No process recoveries or smelter payables were included in the calculation. True thickness is not presently known at this time.

The location of the TGR is approximately 600 metres south of the high-grade, copper-rich Tower Deposit (see figure 2 and 3). The geological relationship between the Tower Deposit and TGR is unknown at this time. Preliminary observations do suggest that the Tower Property hosts rocks associated with the Flin Flon-Snow Lake Greenston Belt (Tower Deposit) and the TNB (TGR) under approximately 100 metres of limestone cover. The Tower Property is strategically located adjacent to an existing highway that leads to Rockcliff's leased mill and tailings facility.





Figure 1: Location map for the Tower Property and the TNB

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Figure 2: Plan view of Tower Property highlighting the location of the Tower deposit, TGR Nickel-PGE Prospect and additional geophysical targets (#1, #2, #3)



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Figure 3: Plan View of Tower Deposit projected to surface and TGR Nickel-PGE Prospect

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Tower Deposit Mineral Resource Estimate

A recent NI 43-101 Technical Report prepared by P&E Mining Consultants Inc. (P&E) with an effective date of March 2, 2020 and filed on SEDAR on April 16, 2020 is summarized below.

Tower Deposit Updated Mineral Resource Estimate at 1.5% CuEq cut-off(1-10)

Classification Tonnes

(k) Cu

(%) Zn

(%) Au

(g/t) Ag

(g/t) CuEq

(%) Cu

(Mlbs) Zn

(Mlbs) Au

(koz) Ag

(koz) CuEq

(Mlbs) Indicated 1,026 4.69 1.32 0.85 23.7 5.74 106.0 29.8 28.1 783 129.8 Inferred 367 3.53 1.05 0.57 18.0 4.29 28.6 8.5 6.8 212 34.7



1) Mineral Resources which are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, marketing, or other relevant issues.

2) Mineral Resources were estimated using the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM), CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves, Definitions and Guidelines prepared by the CIM Standing Committee on Reserve Definitions and adopted by CIM Council.

(3) The Inferred Mineral Resource in this estimate has a lower level of confidence than that applied to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of the Inferred Mineral Resource could be upgraded to an Indicated Mineral Resource with continued exploration.

(4) Approximate Jan 31/20 two year trailing average US$ metal prices used were $3/lb Cu, $1.10/lb Zn, $1,350/oz Au and $16.50/oz Ag. The US$: CDN$ exchange rate used was 0.77.

(5) Respective process recoveries for Cu, Zn, Au, Ag were 95%, 80%, 80%, 80%

(6) Respective smelter payables for Cu, Zn, Au, Ag were 96.5%, 85%, 90%, 90%.

(7) Respective USD Cu and Zn smelter treatment charges used were $80 and $250/tonne with concentrate freight of CDN$65/tonne.

(8) CuEq% was calculated as follows: Cu% + (Zn % x 0.220) + (Au g/t x 0.673) + (Ag g/t x 0.008).

(9) The 1.5% CuEq cut-off is approximately equivalent to a C$100/tonne project operating cost.

(10) Contained metal totals may differ due to rounding.

Neither Rockcliff's Qualified Person, Ken Lapierre, P.Geo., nor P&E's Qualified Person, Eugene Puritch, P.Eng., nor management of Rockcliff are aware of any known environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing or other relevant issues that may materially affect the estimate of the Mineral Resource.

PEA Update

On April 6, 2020 the Company announced the commencing of the preparation of the PEA of the Tower and Rail Projects. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and in order to make sure that the critical path activities are being done safely and cost effectively, the PEA overall schedule has been updated.

The PEA, has now resulted in a 4-week delay, with PEA economics now expected mid-August and full PEA publication now expected to be near the end of Q3.

The Company's key immediate corporate activities remain on schedule. Rockcliff have the necessary data and appropriate consultants to continue to advance the PEA. The Company is monitoring the impact of the pandemic as well as Governmental directives and will continue to communicate with all stakeholders accordingly.

Quality Control and Quality Assurance

Samples of exploration half core were packaged and shipped directly from Rockcliff's core facility in Snow Lake to TSL Laboratories (TSL) in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. TSL is a Canadian assay laboratory and is accredited under ISO/IEC 17025. Each bagged core sample was dried, crushed to 70% passing 10 mesh and a 250g pulp was pulverized to 95% passing 150 mesh for assaying. A 0.5g cut is taken from each pulp for base metal analyses and leached in a multi-acid (total) digestion and then analyzed for copper, nickel, lead, zinc and silver by atomic absorption. Gold, palladium and platinum concentrations were determined by fire assay using a 30g charge followed by an atomic absorption finish. Samples greater than the upper detection limit (3,000 ppb) were reanalyzed using fire assay gravimetric using a 1 Assay Ton charge. Rockcliff inserted certified blanks and standards in the sample stream to ensure lab integrity. Rockcliff has no relationship with TSL other than TSL being a service provider to the Company.

Additionally assaying was completed at ALS, a Canadian global leader in laboratory testing. Nickel Sulfide Fire Assay Collection Method Code PGM-MS25NS A 30g sample is fused with a mixture of soda ash, borax, silica, sulfur and nickel carbonate or nickel oxide at >1000C to produce a nickel sulfide button. The button is weighed then milled to a fine powder before dissolution in hydrochloric acid. The platinum group elements and gold are precipitated as tellurides on a cellulose nitrate membrane filter which is then digested in hydrochloric and nitric acids. The final solution is analyzed by inductively coupled plasma - mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).

Ken Lapierre P.Geo., VP Exploration of Rockcliff, a Qualified Person in accordance with Canadian regulatory requirements as set out in NI 43-101, has read and approved the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for the disclosure contained in this press release.

Visit Rockcliff's YouTube channel with a message from the President and CEO, Alistair Ross. To access the video, please visit: https://youtu.be/L4fxegPZUSQ





Cannot view this video? Visit:

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About Rockcliff Metals Corporation

Rockcliff is a well-funded Canadian resource development and exploration company, with a fully functional +1,000 tpd leased processing and tailings facility as well as several advance-staged, high-grade copper and zinc dominant VMS deposits in the Snow Lake area of central Manitoba. The Company is a major landholder in the Flin Flon-Snow Lake greenstone belt which is home to the largest Paleoproterozoic VMS district in the world, hosting mines and deposits containing copper, zinc, gold and silver. The Company's extensive portfolio of properties totals over 4,500 square kilometres and includes eight of the highest-grade, undeveloped VMS deposits in the belt.

For more information, please visit http://rockcliffmetals.com

Youtube: Rockcliff Metals Corporation

Twitter: @RockcliffMetals

Linkedin: Rockcliff Metals Corp

Instagram: Rockcliff_Metals

For further information, please contact:

Rockcliff Metals Corporation

Alistair Ross

President & CEO

Cell: (249) 805-9020

contact@rockcliffmetals.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This news release includes forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause the actual results of the Company to be materially different from the historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. All statements contained in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward-looking. Although Rockcliff believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not a guarantee of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements.

The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/59520
Zhou Yuan, a student of Wuhan University of Technology, is praised by participants in a international meeting for her volunteer work in Wuhan. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Zhou Yuan was hailed by participants for her volunteer experience in Wuhan, the city hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei province, during an international conference.

The 21-year-old woman delivered a six-minute speech to tell how she helped maintain social order through volunteer work in Wuhan amid the pandemic during the meeting "Adolescent and Youth Engagement in the Times of COVID-19".

Hosted by the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund on July 3, the meeting aimed to encourage youth all over the world to be positively engaged in the battle against COVID-19.

A student of Wuhan University of Technology, Zhou Yuan was the only representative of China at the meeting.

Zhou said 12,000 young students from her university served as volunteers in epidemic prevention and control. They played various roles in delivering materials and promoting information.

Zhou Yuan, a student of Wuhan University of Technology, is praised by participants in a international meeting for her volunteer work in Wuhan. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Zhou Yuan herself organized a group of students to offer help to the families of people on the front lines, such as providing company and help with assignments for their children.

"I have benefited a lot from my volunteer experience and come to know well the true spirit of dedication and friendship," said the woman.

According to the university, Zhou Yuan completed 150 hours of volunteer work, which includes helping seniors to use smartphones and assisting physically challenged people in mastering work skills.

Her generosity and kindness, which were praised in online comments, have won the respect of international participants and audiences.

(Source: chinadaily.com.cn)
New Delhi: The deputy commissioner (DC) Kohima has reportedly proposed a 7-day total lockdown for Kohima municipal area to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a proposal letter addressed to the, DC Kohima, Gregory Thejawalie, wrote a letter to the home commissioner proposing the lockdown.

He cited four reasons for proposing the extended lockdown that includes enhancing the ongoing active surveillance, early detection of suspected Covid-19 case, breaking the chain of transmission and preventing the spread of the Covid-19 virus to new areas.

Nagaland reported 19 new Covid-19 cases, taking the state's tally to 644, health minister S Pangnyu Phom said on Thursday (July 9).

News agency PTI said, in the state, Dimapur district has 213 Covid-19 cases followed by Peren (184), Kohima (125), Mon (72), Tuensang (35), Phek (9), Zunheboto (4) and Mokokchung (2) while other three districts Kiphire, Longleng and Wokha have not reported any any coronavirus case so far.

The Nagaland government on June 29 had extended the lockdown in the state till July 15.

The state cabinet after thorough deliberation and recommendations of the respective district taskforce on COVID-19, decided to maintain status quo on the current lockdown measures.

The state government through different notifications earlier had relaxed agricultural activities, movement of essential commodities, opening of religious places, or public and plying of local taxis and also rickshaws.
Author: Fatoumata Bah

10.07.2020 LISTEN

Many nations are announcing that the school lockdowns will continue into the upcoming school year due to COVID-19. These measures are allegedly being taken in order to contain the spread of the virus. Assuming the intentions are good, in the near future, the extended closures will be a disaster. The prolonged closures will lower the quality of education, increase mental health issues in students, and put undeserved stress on parents. In the minds of certain students, informing them that they are studying from home is equivalent to telling them that there is no school. The amount of effort put in is lacking and leads students to do the bare minimum. The technologically savvy generation that consists of millennials and Generation Z are easily distracted. Being on the computer for the majority of the time on a school day is a recipe for lackluster work. The attention span of people is naturally limited, it will come as no surprise when students are switching back and forth from Zoom

to Facebook. Attending online classes is for the self-disciplined and multi-taskers of the world, there is no teacher present physically that will hold one accountable. Teachers are bound to be more lenient in grading during this lockdown and this will diminish the rigour of the school work. Secondly, the continued isolation will have negative effects on the mental health of students everywhere. Human beings are communal by nature and to take this away from a growing teen or young adult is traumatic. The home life of some kids are so chaotic that they are only able to have peace when away at school. The lack of stability can weigh heavily on everyone. When the social interaction of students consists of their phones and tablets their worldview becomes minimized. Real and honest social interaction can never be substituted by technological advances. Last but not least, the parents of these students are now forced to play multiple roles under the already many hats they wear. If the kids are not going to school but the parents have work, they will have to find a sitter which is not cheap. The added financial and mental burden are much to bear for these struggling parents. The difference between traditional homeschooling and COVID homeschooling is the option of choice. Society is pushing parents to play the difficult role of teacher. The parent-teachers will be using their limited knowledge to teach a wide array of subjects they know little about. To conclude, the education of students should not be compromised due to speculation and doomsday predictions. One must not be taught a fear mentality but one of determination and overcoming. The prolonged school closures are sending the message that leaders have no control on matters and that everything is up in the air.
Hong Kong police on Friday raided the offices of a polling organization tasked with running primaries that will select pro-democracy candidates in September's Legislative Council (LegCo) elections.



The raid, shown in a video livestream by Hong Kong's StandNews, came as a high-ranking official warned that the primaries could breach a draconian security law imposed on the city by the ruling Chinese Communist Party on June 30.



Police were seen entering the offices of the Public Opinion Research Institute (PORI) office in Wong Chuk Hang district, the livestream showed.



Officers at the scene said they were investigating allegations of "dishonest use of a personal computer," and confiscated computers at the scene with a warrant, StandNews reported.



The 2020 Hong Kong pro-democracy primaries are scheduled for July 11-12 and will select candidates from several pro-democracy groups and parties in the hope of winning at least 35 LegCo seats, the minimum number needed to vote down government legislation including the city's annual budget.



A spokesman for PORI said the primaries would go ahead as planned, writer and activist Kong Tsung-gan said via his Twitter account, citing HK01.com.



Chung Kim-wah, assistant professor of social policy at Hong Kong's Polytechnic University who works with PORI, said the raid could be linked to a recent hacker attack on the institution's computers.



"PORI has received complaints that personal information has been leaked," Chung said, adding that the data and software needed to run the primaries wasn't stored on the computers seized in the police raid, and that the election shouldn't be affected.



"The police have taken dozens of our computers for their investigation, but this won't affect [the election] because that will take place on a different system," he said.



Asked if he thought the timing of the raid was suspicious, Chung replied: "I don't really want to speculate, but I have to say that it's a huge coincidence."

He said the data on the seized computers was related to PORI's most recent public opinion poll, and had been anonymized.



The primaries were set up as a way to maximize the chances of a majority for pro-democracy candidates, who swept the board in District Council elections in November 2019, in a ringing public endorsement for the city's months-long pro-democracy movement.



The election, organized by legal scholar and Occupy Central founder Benny Tai and former lawmaker Au Nok-hin, and coordinated by Power for Democracy, will use a voting system designed by PORI.



Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang warned that the election might violate the security law, because it was set up with the objective of blocking the passage of government legislation in LegCo.



Tsang said the elections could therefore be seen to breach provisions of the National Security Law for Hong Kong, which bans secession, subversion, and collusion with overseas powers.



But Tai said a pro-democracy victory wouldn't be "seriously interfering in, disrupting, or undermining the performance of duties and functions" of the government, as proscribed by the law, because chief executive Carrie Lam has the power to dissolve LegCo and call a by-election.



Everyone now at risk



Before the raid was reported, pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong said everyone in the pro-democracy camp, which has extensive outreach networks with democratic nations around the world, is now potentially at risk under the law.



"Right now, any Hong Kong politician who continues to work on international initiatives ... simply doesn't know if they will remain at liberty, should they return here," Wong told journalists.



"Local politicians face an even greater sense of fear, caution, and chilling effect, but ... we are hoping that people will be able to overcome these fears," he said.



Veteran rights activist and trade unionist Lee Cheuk-yan said his Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democracy Movement in China would go ahead with activities as normal, although many of his fellow activists are now being followed and their communications monitored.



"It's very hard to predict [how it will turn out] because everything is based on political considerations," Lee told RFA. "If they want to kill the chickens to frighten the monkeys, then they can enforce the law very strictly, but then they may face considerable pressure from the international community."



"So maybe they won't be in a hurry ... but they move fairly quickly when they do move," he said. "When or if this happens depends on [Beijing's] political concerns and the [ruling Chinese Communist Party's] red lines."



"We have no way of knowing what those will be," he said.



Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) politics lecturer Nelson Lee said the new law wasn't created by the common law legal system used in Hong Kong since the start of the British colonial era.



"Of course there will be a chilling effect and a deterrent, because nobody really knows right now how this law is going to be enforced," Lee said.



"But its functions are by no means limited to intimidation and deterrence; Beijing can and definitely will use it when it thinks it necessary," he said.



Reported by Man Hoi-tsan and Sing Ho for RFA's Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
The City of Dalton strongly encourages all residents to heed the guidance of public health officials and the State of Georgia by wearing a face mask when in public places to help to slow or prevent the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Because local governments are prohibited by Governor Kemps executive orders from enforcing any ordinance or rule regarding the pandemic, the City of Dalton is not considering enacting an ordinance ordering the use of face masks throughout Dalton.

City leaders have mandated that members of the public will be required to wear masks to enter any city buildings beginning on Monday. City employees will be also be required to wear face masks in city buildings when interacting with the public and also when they are unable to maintain social distance from each other while working.

Wearing a mask when in public (except for when eating, drinking, or exercising) has been encouraged for all Georgians by Governor Brian Kemp in his executive orders in response to the pandemic. The use of masks, along with practicing social distancing of at least six feet between people, avoiding large crowds, and frequently washing hands has been shown to mitigate the spread of the disease.

Some local governments in Georgia have enacted local rules mandating the use of face masks. However, Executive Order 04.02.20.01 suspended the authority of counties and cities to enforce any local ordinances adopted in response to the pandemic that differs from the states orders. That order, which has been extended several times and remains in effect through at least August 11th, also directs counties and municipalities to not enact further orders regarding the pandemic.

The City of Dalton is monitoring events in the region and city leaders have noted that neighboring Hamilton County in Tennessee has enacted an order mandating face mask use. Unlike in Georgia, the Governors Office of Tennessee granted 89 counties, including Hamilton, the right to enact local orders regarding the pandemic based on the local situation. The City of Dalton does not currently have that authority from the State of Georgia.
ALBANY, N.Y.  At first glance, theres a sense of normalcy. Certain parking lots which were empty for months, now filled with vehicles at Crossgates Mall. Yet, as the mall reopened Friday, there were stark reminders of the reality that the COVID-19 pandemic still exists.

Mall patrons milling about were greeted with signs requiring masks upon entry, along with where they could enter and exit.

Capital Region malls were given the go-ahead to reopen Wednesday by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, provided building air filtration systems reach at least a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) of 11 or higher. Malls that are more than 800,000 square feet will need at least MERV-13.

The maximum capacity is limited to 50% within stores and the main areas. Food court seating and other common seating areas are closed, but take-out and delivery will still be available. Health screenings are required for all employees but not customers.

Albany County Executive Dan McCoy applauded the move by the governor and spoke to what it means for the local economy.

The reopening of malls in the Capital Region is a huge victory for the hundreds of business owners and thousands of jobs that they represent here in Albany County. Crossgates Mall alone holds over 2,500 jobs, McCoy stated.

While I had called for malls to reopen in Phase 3 after they developed comprehensive social distancing and disinfecting plans to keep customers safe, this is still an important step in getting more people back to work and addressing our budget deficit, McCoy added.

In addition to the aforementioned requirements, Crossgates introduced its Healthy Shopper Guidelines with Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations everyone must follow prior to entry. Crossgates will operate under modified hours of operation, Monday  Saturday, 11 a.m.  7 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.  6 p.m. Additionally, some venues, including restaurants may have different operating hours.

Our preparations over the past three months have truly put the safety and well-being of our guests, tenants, and employees first, Aiden McGuire, director of corporate communications, Pyramid Management Group stated.

We are excited to welcome guests back safely and responsibly with enhancements to our safety and sanitizing policies and procedures, along with Healthy Shopper Guidelines all visitors must follow prior to visiting the property. Together, we can all do our part to put safety first, McGuire added.

The new policies and procedures include:

Face Mask Requirement: Everyone visiting Crossgates will be required to wear a face mask before entering, in accordance with New York State and CDC guidelines.

Social Distancing: All guests will be reminded to maintain social distancing and stay 6-feet apart with visual reminders placed throughout the center, along with new one-way directional signage to avoid contact with other guests.

Enhanced Cleaning and Sanitizing: Crossgates has enhanced its cleaning and sanitizing of the common areas and numerous touch points, restrooms, seating areas, and food court. This includes using CDC-recommended disinfectants designated as effective against SARS-CoV-2 virus in accordance with or exceeding CDC sanitation guidelines.

Enhancements to Air Circulation and Filtration: Enhancements have been made to increase air circulation, air filtration and fresh air intake to bolster the quality of air within the center  all meeting New York State standards.

Proactive Touchless Disinfecting: Crossgates cleaning team will be utilizing new electrostatic sprayers, leveraging the same technology used to clean hospital rooms to sanitize its center using an approved disinfectant recommended by the CDC.

Hand Sanitizer Stations: New hand sanitizer stations will be available at:

Digital directories throughout the property

Food court areas

Elevators and escalators

Throughout the common area

Curbside Pickup: Guests are encouraged to take advantage of our additional parking spaces at various center entrances designated for curbside pickup from your favorite brands, such as Best Buy and Dicks Sporting Goods.

Daily Health Screenings for Crossgates employees, security personnel, housekeeping employees and all contractors returning

In addition, Crossgates laid out its Healthy Shopper Guidelines with CDC recommendations that everyone must follow before entering the property.

Those guidelines include:

1. Stay home if you are sick.

2. Do not enter this building if you have COVID-19 symptoms or if you have been

in close contact with anyone diagnosed or displaying symptoms.

3. Report COVID-19 symptoms to your doctor and employer.

4. Everyone must cover their nose and mouth with a face covering.

5. Properly store and, when necessary, discard Personal Protection Equipment.

6. Follow appropriate respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette.

7. Refrain from touching your nose, mouth and eyes.

8. Follow hand hygiene and cleaning and disinfection guidelines.

9. Use hand sanitizer stations located throughout the property.

10. Keep a safe distance from other people, a minimum of 6 feet.

11. Stay to the right and follow the one-way traffic arrows throughout

the property.

12. Wash your hands with soap and warm water frequently and for at least

20 seconds.

13. Avoid touching products you do not intend to purchase.

The reopening comes as Albany County reported eight new positive COVID-19 cases Friday.

As of Friday, there have been 1,973 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in Albany County. Additionally, there are 298 people under mandatory quarantine. The five-day average for new daily positive cases is now 5.8, down from 6.6 Thursday. Presently there are 49 active cases of COVID-19. Thus far, 5,968 people have completed quarantine, with 1,924 of them having tested positive and recovered.

Currently, there are three people hospitalized and the hospitalization rate stands at 0.15%.
A Tesla employee demonstrates Autopilot.

Beck Diefenbach / Reuters

Elon Musk said Tesla's long-promised "full self-driving" capabilities may actually come true this year.

The CEO made the prediction in a recorded video message played at a conference in China.

"I remain confident that we will have the basic functionality for level five autonomy complete this year," Musk said, according to Bloomberg.

In 2016, Musk said a Tesla would soon drive itself across the US, which still hasn't happened.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Tesla vehicles will finally be truly autonomous this year, Elon Musk told an artificial intelligence conference in China, a move that would make true years of promises by the billionaire.

Musk made the prediction via a pre-recorded video at the World AI Conference in Shanghai.

"I remain confident that we will have the basic functionality for level five autonomy complete this year," Musk said. "I think there are no fundamental challenges remaining for level five autonomy. There are many small problems, and then there's the challenge of solving all those small problems and then putting the whole system together, and just keep addressing the long tail of problems."

Yicai Global  (@yicaichina) July 9, 2020

Since 2016, Tesla has hawked a "full self-driving" package that can be added on to its vehicles for an ever-increasing price (currently $8,000 online). Eventually, Musk has hinted, this could be a subscription offering.

But despite the name, and its counterpart called "autopilot," the software still requires full driver attention. If the car does not detect hands on the steering wheel after a certain amount of time, it will slow the car and come to a stop. Still, there have several high-profile accidents involving AutoPilot that Tesla has blamed on driver inattention.

Story continues

Most recently, law enforcement in Massachusetts blamed the software for careening into a state trooper's cruiser as he made a routine traffic stop. Critics and regulators have long said Musk's comments and Tesla's marketing language contribute to dangerous driver behavior, including sleeping and leaving the driver's seat.

If full-self driving does hit level 5  the industry standard for a software that requires no human intervention  this year, Musk could make good on his bold promise for an autonomous Tesla to drive coast-to-coast. In 2016, that goal was by the end of 2017.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Soplaya, an Udine, Italy-based startup operating a food marketplace, raised 3.5m in seed funding.

The round was led by P101 SGR (which invested 3m via P102 and ITALIA 500, launched by Azimut Libera Impresa sgr and managed by the firm) with participation from CDP Venture Capital SGR  Fondo Nazionale Innovazione.

The company intends to use the funds to expand the service in Italy, launch the mobile app for Android and iOS, develop algorithms to personalize the user experience, optimize purchase and sales data analysis for restaurant owners and suppliers, and grow the team.

Founded by Mauro Germani, Gian Carlo Cesarin, Ivan Litsvinenka and Davide Marchesi, Soplaya provides an online marketplace which allows restaurants to acquire food directly from producers. The platform offers a large line of products and grants the delivery in 12-24 hours and tools to reorder, compare prices and data to analyze food cost. In 2020, the company launched its B2C platform frescoelocale.it

FinSMEs

10/07/2020
(Natural News) Youve probably seen cilantro used as a garnish for various dishes. This often divisive herb, which some say tastes either refreshing and citrusy or like soap, offers many health benefits such as detoxifying your body.

Cilantro, an amazing superfood

Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) belongs to the mint family. An annual plant, cilantro was originally found in Southern Europe, particularly Italy, Greece and Spain. Cilantro can also be traced back to North Africa, specifically in Libya, Morocco and Tunisia.

A 3.5 oz (100 g) serving of cilantro contains the following vitamins and minerals:

Calcium

Iron

Magnesium

Potassium

Vitamin C

Zinc

In traditional medicine, cilantro is used to address minor complaints like diarrhea, excessive flatulence, nausea and toothache.

Cilantro tinctures are also used as a part of medical formulations together with other medicinal herbs to relieve conditions like bacterial infections, diabetes, heavy metal poisoning, indigestion, respiratory troubles and vitamin K deficiency.

Cilantro in modern research

In a study published in the Journal of Medical Microbiology, researchers from the University of Beira Interior in Portugal tested coriander oil against 12 bacterial strains.

Coriander oil is derived from coriander or cilantro seeds.

Out of all the tested strains, which included Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, Bacillus cereus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), all showed reduced growth. Findings also showed that most of the strains were killed by solutions with 1.6 percent coriander oil or less.

Additionally, cilantro helps flush out toxic metals like aluminum, arsenic, cadmium and mercury from your body.

Several studies suggest that coriander contains antioxidants that can prevent cellular damage from free radicals. Antioxidants from the herbs also help minimize inflammation in the body.

Animal studies and test-tube studies have found that compounds such as terpinene, quercetin and tocopherols may offer anticancer, immune-boosting and neuroprotective effects. (Related: Molecular mechanism explained: How cilantro helps delay seizures common in epilepsy and other neurological disorders.)

Fast facts about cilantro

Its best to consume fresh and uncooked cilantro because heat lowers its abilities and breaks it down.

Here are some interesting facts about this tasty herb:

The upper leaves of C. sativum are thin and blade-like. Meanwhile, the lower leaves are denser and have smaller incisions.

The leaves of the C. sativum plant are called cilantro while the seeds are called coriander.

Cilantro contains flavonoids that help naturally ease menstrual cramps and muscle spasms.

Egyptian tombs contained coriander seeds, which suggest their medicinal properties.

In Pakistan, Turkey and other Middle Eastern countries, cilantro is used as an active ingredient in herbal formulations.

Refreshing cilantro shallot green salad recipe

Try this recipe for a tasty salad to reap the many health benefits of cilantro!

Ingredients:

1 cup shallots, evenly sliced and sauteed (or crispy fried)

1 big bunch of fresh cilantro leaves and stems

1/2 cup peanuts, well-toasted

150 g asparagus spears, very thinly sliced

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

2 teaspoons olive oil or sunflower oil

1/2 teaspoon salt (e.g., sea salt)

1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Garlic pods, chopped or sliced in half (optional)

Preparation:

Boil the water in a medium saucepan, then add salt. Cook the asparagus for 15 seconds. Drain the asparagus, then quickly place them to a bowl of ice. Drain again, then set aside. Trim and wash the cilantro leaves and stems thoroughly. Dry the cilantro. In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, salt, sugar and oil. Whisk until well combined. Place the asparagus, cilantro, peanuts and sesame seeds in a large bowl. Drizzle the soy dressing over the salad, then gently and thoroughly toss the bowl to spread the dressing evenly. Add some sauteed cottage cheese cubes for a salad with a refined texture. Serve with fresh, warm bread on the side.

Cilantro is a nutritious herb that deserves to be used as more than a garnish. Serve cilantro in a refreshing salad or use it in savory dishes so you can reap its many health benefits!

Sources include:

ReadyNutrition.com

ScienceDaily.com

Healthline.com

StyleCraze.com
Despite Vietnams victory over novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), many shoppers throughout the country are choosing to stay home rather than venture into malls and shopping centers where close contact with others is inevitable.

Dwindling crowds have also turned 'for lease' signs into a common sight in Vietnams shopping districts while malls are struggling to find businesses to fill storefronts.

The General Statistics Office revealed in its socio-economic performance report that the COVID-19 pandemic caused the Southeast Asian nations economic growth to hit a decade-low of 1.81 percent in the first half of this year, far below last years figure of 6.73 percent.

The report also noted that around 30,000 businesses suspended their operations during the six-month period, a figure that is expected to continue rising.

A positive outlook

A Deloitte report titled Retail in Vietnam: Navigating the Digital Retail Landscape, released in February 2019, stated that online business-to-consumer (B2C) sales accounted for a modest 3.6 percent of total retail revenue nationwide in that year.

That figure, however, was expected to soar five percentage points higher in 2020, reaching US$10 billion in sales.

American management consultancy Bain & Company forecasts online shopping sales to continue their acceleration, even after life returns to normal post-COVID-19.

Deloittes Retail in Vietnam report said that consumer-to-consumer (C2C) sales, also known as social commerce, are booming in Vietnam.

Typically hosted on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram and Vietnamese chat app Zalo, C2C involves buyers and sellers sharing information, photos, reviews, and recommendations directly and in real time.

A deliveryman picks up goods at a warehouse in Nha Be District, Ho Chi Minh City in an undated file photo. Photo: T.T.D. / Tuoi Tre

Management and commercials solutions provider SAP released its own report that the number of online orders in Vietnam appears to be commensurate with the severity of the pandemic, with business booming at the peak of COVID-19 compared to the same period last year.

SAP also forecasted that this upward trend is here to stay, pointing to market indicators that suggest a shift in consumer behavior which began before the pandemic but kicked into overdrive once it hit.

Consumer spending on fast-moving consumer goods accelerated strongly in Q1 2020, hitting double-digit growth, according to a report sponsored by market service consultant Kantar Worldpanel

The spike, it said, was due in part to stock-up behavior amongst Vietnamese consumers over the eight-week period that the Vietnamese government progressively tightened social distancing measures.

An e-commerce expert from service consultant Ernst & Young (EY) said in a recent article that the sudden surge in consumer demand for digital shopping services could result from the implementation of social distancing to contain the pandemic.

This 'new normal' is finding increasing acceptance amongst consumers, thus leading to widespread adoption by traditional businesses, according to the expert.

A woman walks past a store offering space for rent on Hai Ba Trung Street in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, June 30, 2020. Photo: T.T.D. / Tuoi Tre

Emerging trends and life-or-death changes

The convenience of online transaction models, which includes a diverse selection of goods and easy ordering and payment systems, is evident in market numbers.

The question is which trends the e-commerce environment will follow and whether service providers can move fast enough to seize business opportunities.

Complex algorithms and AI are a major factor driving heightened consumer experience in the online marketplace.

Companies that can leverage these tools to offer customers products whenever they want are seeing the most success.

For example, a ride-hailing app might track the times customers are most likely to use their service to go home in the evening and begin offering dinner deals around that time.

A well-designed e-commerce system is able to personalize these experiences, adding a convenience factor not possible in bricks-and-mortar commerce.

A woman pays for her drinks using an e-wallet app in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City in an undated file photo. Photo: Tuyet Kieu / Tuoi Tre

Another benefit is the opportunity for businesses to prove that customers are not solely inanimate pieces of information in their database, by allowing them to personalize shopping carts, remembering their names, and sending them birthday wishes.

These are what traditional stores often do not have the capacity or the resources to do.

Chances are that the digital shopping environment will soon become so commonplace that distinguishing it from traditional shopping may be unnecessary.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 09:42:51|Editor: huaxia

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CARACAS, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Diosdado Cabello, president of Venezuela's National Constituent Assembly, said Thursday that he has tested positive for COVID-19 and quarantined himself.

"After taking corresponding tests, I have tested positive for COVID-19. Since then, I have isolated myself and I am complying with the recommended treatment," Cabello, also first-vice president of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, wrote on Twitter.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said that it was he who recommended Cabello test for the disease.

"With all the solidarity of my family, we are with you, with all the solidarity of the people of Venezuela," said the president.

Cabello is resting and stable, Maduro added. Enditem
Goya CEO Robert Unanue has been met with backlash and inspired a viral movement on Twitter with the hashtags #Goyaway, and#BoycottGoya, as critics seek to start an all-out war against the famed food company that is a staple among the Latino community.

It's the speech that has been heard around the world: While visiting the White House Unanue stated that the U.S. is "blessed" to have a leader like Donald Trump.

HOUSTON BLACK RESTAURANT WEEK IS BACK: Houston restaurants expect a big turnout for Black Restaurant Week

In an unprecedented turn of events, Unanue's speech has caused an uproar among thousands around the country, especially Hispanics who feel attacked by Trump's previous comments suggesting Mexican immigrants are criminals and rapists.

Ana Navarro-Cardenas said the following in a tweet regarding her thoughts on the matter-"When the vast majority of your customers are Latinos, you might expect a backlash from serving as a prop for a guy who puts brown children in cages."

Goya is the largest Hispanic-owned food brand in the country, known for products like Adobo All-Purpose Seasoning and Chick Peas Garbanzos, not to mention the beloved Sazon GOYA, which many households swear by.

NBC News reported that the meeting included the signing of an executive order on "Hispanic Prosperity Initiative," "an effort said to include more taxpayer support for charter and private schools, and added tax benefits for 'Opportunity Zone' development in urban neighborhoods."

Trump hosted a group of Hispanic supporters, which included Unanue and other politicians and business magnates, according to the article.

People across the Internet are expressing their feelings on Unanue's comment: "We're all truly blessed at the same time to have a leader like President Trump, who is a builder."

Julian Castro, former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and former Mayor of San Antonio, didn't hold back in his opinion of Unanue's remarks.

"En esta casa, compramos productos que ponen el interes y valores de sus clientes en lugar de apoyar un presidente que nos llama violadores y separa nuestras families! "In this house we buy products that put the value and interest of its clients ahead of supporting a president that calls us violators and separates our families," said HipLatina in a Facebook post.

Many Latinos already feel attacked by Trump throughout his presidency, and this is the latest in adding fuel to an already blazing fire, but in this case, it's coming from one of their own.

"It's shameful and appalling that the president of Goya Foods is praising the most anti-Latino president in the history of our country," Latino Victory Fund CEO Nathalie Rayes said by email to NBC News.

"We call for a boycott of Goya Foods products and anyone who stands with Donald Trump and against our community."

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the outspoken U.S. representative for New York's 14th Congressional District, was front and center with a comical tweet.

Lin-Manuel Miranda tweeted what many already were thinking about this scenario.

In what may seem like a response in their defense, Goya tweeted out the following today reminding people of their COVID-19 efforts:

"Goya continues to work for the prosperity & education of our country! #GOYAGIVES two million pounds of food to food banks across the nation who are in desperate need of food for families impacted by COVID19."

With phrases being used such as malagradecido (ungrateful), in response to Unanue's speech, you can be almost certain there won't be a shortage of Goya products flying off the shelves at grocery stores any time soon.

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Ex-FSB officer gets suspended sentence for official secrets leak

 RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov

10:27 10/07/2020

ST. PETERSBURG, July 10 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov)  A former employee of the Federal Security Services regional directorate Anna Solovyeva has received a 3-year suspended sentence for leaking official secrets, RAPSI has learnt from the United press service of St. Petersburg courts.

The First West District Military Court has heard the case behind closed doors.

Solovyeva has pleaded not guilty. However, the court has taken into account mitigating circumstances, absence of aggravating circumstances and personal characteristic. The woman has been also banned from holing authority posts in state and municipal bodies with access to classified materials.

According to court records, from August 2015 to August 2016, aptain Solovyeva made information collection requests to the FSB directorates operating technical service to receive mobile users information data, their connections and location and then transmitted this information to a civilian via Internet or during personal meetings.

A criminal case against the second accused has been severed from the other defendant.




Bandipora: Over a dozen saffron-colored flags and a tricolour are waving inimitably at a three-story structure in Bandipora, a town in the northern Kashmir valley, surrounded by the snow-peaked mountains of Harmukh. Uniquely garlanded, this was the home of Sheikh Wasim Bari, a Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) leader, who was killed along with his father and brother on Wednesday evening.

Lashkar-e-Taiba militants, J&K Police said, killed the trio in a pre-planned attack and fled from the spot. Wednesdays incident is being seen as part of a bloody cycle of attacks on pro-India political activists in the restive Kashmir region. But killing all male members of a political family has instilled fear and worry among activists and leaders of parties like BJP.

Who was Wasim Bari?

In 2014, a young and ambitious political activist, Bari, met a number of political parties seeking their ticket to contest the assembly elections, but only faced rejection. Eager to venture into the pro-India political circles, he contested as independent candidate. He couldnt secure much. But with 796 votes (1.2 per cent), he opened his political innings.

Soon after the elections, he joined BJP as an activist, said BJP leader from the region Er Aijaz. This was the time when BJP was trying to make inroads in the Muslims majority valley on back of 25 seats the party had bagged in Jammu.

Bari made an impression from the beginning, and within a year, was given the post of party general secretary of Bandipora district. In two years, he became the partys president in the district.

At the time of his death, the 33-year-old was one of the 40 executive members in Jammu and Kashmir for the party. He was pro-active in the party activities. In past five years, he has been able to arrange over two dozen party rallies in Bandipora district, said Abdul Rahman Thekri, the current Bandipora district president of the party.

Thekri is shaken by the attack. We have lost an asset. The loss is irreparable. He was a dedicated member of the party who stood for its ideology till the last breath, Thekri told News18, his hands shaking. In his tribute to his colleague, he branded Bari a fierce competitor. This is evident from the fact that Thekri is Baris senior in the party but the latter ascended the party ladder quickly.

The slain BJP member was holding the charge of managing the partys training department, where BJP inculcates in newcomers the partys policy on Kashmir. He was able to persuade thousands of people in his area to join the party, said J&K BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur. It is the reason, Thakur believes, militants targeted him.

Bari was seen among those faces of pro-India politics, who despite facing huge public criticism and militant threat, would not only openly talk about his affiliations but would also boldly invite other people to join the path.

Over the years, Baris association with the ruing BJP helped him become an influential person in his area. Locals say he had access to the bureaucratic and security circles and he would be frequently approached by people for help in government offices.

He was quite a powerful person. We would hardly afford to overlook him, said a local administrative officer wishing anonymity.

All the family members of Baris family, including his slain brother and father, were BJP workers. Baris younger brother, Umer Bashir, was part of the youth wing of the BJP and his father Bashir Ahmad had served as vice president of Bandipora unit of the party.

Sequence of events

Bari had returned in the evening from his in-laws house in a nearby village and was accompanied by security guards. Eight of the ten police security guards assigned to protect the family were present that day at the house. But, as per the police officers, they had gone for rest after Bari came back.

Bari then went out to fetch cold drinks from a grocery store managed by Baris father, in the first floor of their house, his sister Gousia Islam said. At the shop was his younger brother as well, who was waiting to get a haircut, from a saloon next to Bashirs shop.

A militant Over Ground Worker (OGW) was looking out for them, police said.

As soon as the three members were near each other, one of the attackers with pistol in hand came forward and shot Bari in the head, police officials said. Then the gunman pointed the gun at Basheer and his son Umer and shot them both in head too. The second militant served as a lookout while the executions were carried out.

The trio was taken to nearby hospital where doctors declared them brought dead.

The next day they were buried on a hillock in front of a modest gathering, that included some local party leaders.

Deja-vu

The attack has sent fear among known faces and even obscure workers of the saffron party. Conversations with them after the killing reflect that they feel they could be the next potential targets of militants.

Nazir Ahmad who hails from the frontier town of Kupwara is vice president of the party in North Kashmir. Speaking with News18, Ahmad complained that the government was not providing adequate security for their protection. The militants were able to conduct an attack on the party leader in such a high security zone, it shows that there is a need to do more to keep us safe.

Ahmads complaint over security triggers a deja-vu for the party: BJP leader Ghulam Mohammad Mir was killed by militants near his home two months after government removed his protection in May 2019.

Since November 2017, before Wednesdays attack, the party has lost at least three district level leaders to militants.

Gowhar Hussain Bhat, a 30-year-old youth president of Shopian district, was kidnapped from his home by militants on a November evening in 2017. Hours later, his body with his throat slit was found in an orchard a kilometre away from his house. In August 2018, Pulwama district president of the party Shabir Ahmad met the same fate.

Ahmad said that the killing of Bari, his father and brother will undercut the progress of the party in Kashmir, where it has to fight the socio-political resistance, if concrete steps are not taken to ensure the security of workers on the ground.

Our leaders at the top should show concern for us and not just use these killings to sell their narrative around militancy in Kashmir. He recounted incidents of vandalisation of his home by some unknown people some years ago. I have not been compensated for the damages despite promises by my leaders.
Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: Notorious and most wanted gangster Vikas Dubey, the main accused for killing eight police personnel in Kanpur last week, was killed in an encounter by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) while on way to Kanpur from Ujjain on Friday morning.

In a dramatic turn of events, Dubey was arrested near Mahakal temple in Ujjain on Thursday.

According to the police, he was killed while trying to escape after snatching a pistol from the investigating officer, Inspector Ramakant Pachauri, who was escorting Dubey back to the car which

had overturned around 2.5 km away from Kanpur.

He was rushed to the hospital where the doctors declared him 'dead' upon arrival.

Confirming Dubeys killing, Kanpur SP Dinesh Kumar P claimed that due to heavy downpour, one of the three vehicles of the convoy in which Dubey was being brought back to Kanpur, skid in Barra, a place 2.5 km away from the city of Kanpur.

The car overturned after hitting a divider. Taking advantage of the situation, the criminal snatched the pistol from an injured inspector and tried to escape while firing at the accompanying cops, said Kanpur SP Dinesh Kumar P.

ALSO READ | Kanpur encounter accused Vikas Dubey's wife, son arrested in Lucknow

Additional Director General of police Kanpur, Jai Narain Singh, claimed that the police asked him to surrender but he continued to fire at them.

Then the cops retaliated and Vikas Dubey along with four cops got injured in the crossfire.

The ADG further added that Dubey and all the four cops were rushed to Hallet Hospital in Kanpur.

The cops, who were injured in the firing included Nawabganj Inspector Ramakant Pachauri, the investigation officer, an assistant sub-inspector and two constables.

Just a day after his arrest, Uttar Pradesh gangster #VikasDubey was killed in an encounter after he attempted to flee from the vehicle which overturned on the way to Kanpur. #vikasDubeyEncounter @PrabhuChawla @gsvasu_TNIE @Namita_TNIE https://t.co/BOKnRVWayg  The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) July 10, 2020

The dreaded gangster Vikas Dubey was carrying a reward of Rs five lakh on information leading to his arrest

Eight police personnel in Kanpur's Bikru village were killed last Thursday and Dubey was on the run since then.



He had covered a distance of 1,200 km from Chaubeypur to Ujjain across five states in six days. After staying in Shivli in Kanpur for two days after the massacre, he went to Auraiyya, then to Delhi, to Faridabad in Haryana finally reaching Ujjain via Kota and Jhalawar in Rajasthan dodging the police force of five states despite high alert all across.

However, opposition parties raised fingers on the manner in which he was caught and whether it was an arrest or a surrender by the criminal at the time and place of his choice.

A large team of policemen who went to Dubey's Bikru village to arrest him were caught by surprise when there was indiscriminate firing from rooftops. Eight policemen were killed in the ambush.

Kanpur: According to police, 4 policemen were injured after a car from UP STF convoy bringing back #VikasDubey from Madhya Pradesh, overturned today morning. pic.twitter.com/rI0RMpWXwz  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 10, 2020

The UP administration tore down Dubey's house and launched a massive hunt for him. Over the last week, five of Dubey's accomplices were killed.

However, Dubey had allegedly admitted to his crime during an eight-hour interrogation by Ujjain police after his arrest on Thursday. He had reportedly confessed that he and his henchmen ambushed the police party on the night of July 2-3 fearing his own encounter.

During the custodial interrogation, gangster Dubey had allegedly revealed that he had stored gallons full of oil in his house in Bikru village before the arrival of police party on fateful night with the intention of burning the bodies of deceased cops to destroy evidence.

He claimed that after killing the cops, his aides had stacked all the bodies at one place and were about to burn them down but failed as more reinforcement had reached.

He had admitted to his personal rivalry with martyred CO Billhaur Devendra Mishra but denied killing him himself. He allegedly revealed that the CO was killed by a gunshot fired from point blank range by one of his aides Praveen Dubey who severed his legs of the Co after killing him.

Praveen Dubey was also killed in a police encounter in Etawah on July 9.
Companies with the biggest business exposure to China appear to have weathered the US-China trade war far better than those that have avoided the Chinese market, as the spat between the worlds two largest economies marks its second anniversary.

US chip makers, in particular, seemed to have thrived, leading the gains on an equity index tracking the biggest global companies that derive a big chunk of their revenue from China since the trade war first flared up in the opening week of July 2018.

Shares of Qualcomm, which supplies chips to Chinese smartphone makers, have surged almost 60 per cent in this time span, while those of Broadcom have advanced 26 per cent. Both of these companies as well as Texas Instruments are among the top four weightings on the MSCI World with China Exposure Index. Broadcom makes radio frequency chips for Apple products and Wi-fi components, and Texas Instruments makes chips for industrial and automotive products.

Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China.

The index, comprising 50 constituent stocks with a combined market capitalisation of US$1 trillion on June 30, has risen almost 14 per cent over the past two year, beating the 6.3 per cent gain on the MSCI World Index that tracks both developed and emerging markets.

This surprising outperformance underscores how deeply China and the United States are integrated in each others supply chains. Qualcomm, Broadcom and Texas Instruments count on China for at least 36 per cent of their revenues, according to Bloomberg data.

On the other hand, China relies on imported American technology from these companies, as well as others, to keep afloat its high-end manufacturing sector, which makes products ranging from smartphones to telecoms equipment that are sold all over the world.

China cannot design and produce its home-grown chips in a short period of time, so it has to buy them from the US, said Chen Hao, strategist at KGI Securities in Shanghai. That is why the valuations of these US chip makers are so high, and these have priced in an assumption that China will not be able to replace these American imports any time soon.

Story continues

Qualcomm now trades at 25.3 times its estimated earnings for this year, the highest for the multiple for at least a decade, Bloomberg data showed. It is the biggest constituent of the MSCI China exposure index with an 11 per cent weighting, and 48 per cent of its sales were derived from China last year.

Broadcom and Texas Instruments are the second and fourth-largest members on the index, with a representation of 10 per cent and 8.5 per cent, respectively.

The non-US companies among the top 10 constituents include BHP Group, Rio Tinto, Murata Manufacturing and Fortescue Metals Group.

More upside has been forecast for US companies with exposure to China businesses, after the Trump administration reassured markets that the phase one deal with China will remain intact, and with the unprecedented liquidity unleased by the Federal Reserve expected to hold up elevated valuations.

Analysts have set a 12-month price target of US$93.85 for Qualcomm, implying a 1.8 per cent gain from its latest close, while the share estimate of Broadcom suggests that the stock will rise 11.4 per cent to US$348.90 in the following year, according to Bloomberg data.

And as the war of words over the coronavirus pandemic escalates between China and the US, analysts said they expected Beijing will procure more hi-tech products from the US to fend off a further deterioration of ties.

China is actually buying more semiconductor products from the US to stockpile before any ban, said Hong Hao, managing director at Bocom International Holdings in Hong Kong. And these chips cannot be obtained from somewhere else.

With additional reporting by Yujing Liu

More from South China Morning Post:

This article It pays to have China exposure, even during two years of the trade war, MSCI index shows first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2020.
Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand and member of the Global Commission on Drug Policy, attends a meeting of the commission in Mexico City

By Praveen Menon

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand's former prime minister Helen Clark warned if the world remained "flat-footed" in its response to pandemics it faces future economic, social and political crisis, after she was appointed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to lead a review of the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

WHO announced late on Thursday that Clark and Liberia's former president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf will lead a panel scrutinising the global response.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called both women "strong-minded, independent leaders", aiming to underscore their freedom in assessing his agency's and governments' COVID-19 responses.

The COVID-19 outbreak originated in China in late 2019 and has infected a reported 12.16 million people globally and 550,242 have died, according to a Reuters tally.

The United States has accused China of not being open with the rest of the world in the early stages of the outbreak. Beijing has rejected the charge and has fiercely rejected calls for an inquiry, describing the efforts as U.S.-led propaganda against China.

After accepting the role, Clark said the job could only be described as "exceptionally challenging".

In an interview with local broadcaster TVNZ on Friday, Clark said this was the sixth time in 17 years that the WHO has declared a public health emergency.

"This is going to happen again. If the world is as flat-footed in response as it has been to this we are in serious ongoing economic, social, political crisis," Clark told TVNZ.

She said there would be a lot of consultation about appointing panel members.

"But there's also a very real job to do, which is to look at how the WHO has been able to lead. Does it have the right mechanisms? What actually happened here? And there's a lot of politics in that," she said.

She said she will be working from her home in Auckland for the foreseeable future while delivering the project.

Story continues

New Zealand is among only a handful of countries to virtually eliminate the virus, with no known cases of community transmission in the South Pacific island nation, and the economy back to pre-pandemic normalcy.

Clark has praised New Zealand's response to the virus.

Clark, New Zealand's leader from 1999 to 2008, lost out four years ago to Antonio Guterres to lead the United Nations. She previously led the U.N. Development Programme and serves on a WHO panel on childhood obesity.

(Reporting by Praveen Menon; Editing by Michael Perry)
Brenntag has signed an agreement to acquire Oils R Us Co., Ltd. headquartered in Thailand. The company has a diversified customer base as it distributes a wide range of lubricants for Automotive, Commercial Vehicle, Industrial and Marine applications.

Our acquisition in Thailand, which is the second largest economy in Southeast Asia, perfectly drives Brenntags lubricants expansion plan in the region forward. Not only regional, but also in terms of service offering, since Oils R Us offers us extensive possibilities to establish lubricant decanting and re-packaging capabilities in the future, says Henri Nejade, Member of the Management Board of Brenntag Group and CEO Brenntag Asia Pacific.

Brenntag already markets, sells, and distributes lubricants in Singapore, Hong Kong, the Central & South of Vietnam, and West Java including Jakarta in Indonesia. The acquisition of the business in Thailand will thus enlarge Brenntags footprint in Southeast Asia.

Anthony Gerace, Managing Director Mergers & Acquisitions at Brenntag Group, sums up: Our strategy is to build broad regional coverage of lubricant distribution in Southeast and Southern Asia. Adding a platform in the important market of Thailand is the next step for Brenntag Asia Pacific to complete its vison to become the leading distributor and provider of lubricants and value-added services in the region.

The target business generated sales of approximately EUR 22 million in the financial year 2019. Closing of the transaction is expected to occur in the second half of 2020.
A widely touted $23 million hit to downtown Portland businesses mostly attributed to nightly demonstrations was almost entirely tied to lost sale figures from Pioneer Place mall, survey data and independent analysis shows.

Portland police cited the figure during a news conference Wednesday to help illustrate the historic and damaging toll levied by six weeks of demonstrations over police brutality. National media repeated the estimate, which came from a Portland Business Alliance survey of 91 businesses from June 1 to June 18 about protest-related damages.

Almost 90% in reported damages and lost business came from one respondent, which reported $2.5 million in damages and $18 million in lost sales because of business closures for repairs from May 31 through June 18. The respondent said the business lost $1 million every day during that time period, according to the survey. The respondent wrote that the financial hit came after retail shops and restaurants had already been devastated by COVID-19.

Now, as these shops and restaurants were getting ready to open their doors, and bring thousands of employees back to work, the looting and vandalism happened, the respondent said.

The businesses arent named in the survey data released by the business alliance to The Oregonian/OregonLive. But Pioneer Place appears to be the only downtown entity that has shops, restaurants, thousands of employees and the ability to consistently generate $1 million in daily sales  if the mall was allowed to open.

Malls in Multnomah County werent approved to begin reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic until June 19, one day after the survey ended. The shopping center reopened June 23. And while mall food courts were allowed to remain open during Gov. Kate Browns stay-home order that began March 24, Pioneer Places food court remained closed.

The 90 businesses who responded to the survey other than Pioneer Place reported a combined $2.3 million in damages amid the first three weeks of demonstrations. Seven businesses reported $407,000 in lost revenue, but many respondents noted that they were already closed because of COVID-19 restrictions and attributed their lost sales due to the demonstrations as $0.

The Portland Business Alliance, greater Portlands chamber of commerce, would not confirm or deny the respondent that reported the largest loss was Pioneer Place. The group said the survey was conducted at the request of city officials, including from the mayors office, to help quantify damages caused to downtown businesses during the demonstrations.

This was a voluntary survey, said Amy Lewin, a Portland Business Alliance spokesperson. It is not scientific and not the most fully accurate account of losses. Its the floor or first check of estimates. We know more losses have occurred since.

Rachel Wille, a spokesperson from Brookfield Properties, which owns the downtown shopping center, wouldnt say if Pioneer Place participated in the business alliance survey and that the company doesnt publicly disclose its revenue.

Some Pioneer Place stores are still closed as of Friday, and only one restaurant, Yong Kang Street, in the mall food court is currently open. A handful of national retailers did advertise curbside pickup at the shopping mall. Wille said the shopping center plans to return some of the murals that have gone up outside the mall to the artists that created them. People used much of the plywood that boarded up windows as a canvas for tributes and other messages in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Pioneer Place was among the businesses heaviest hit on the first night of protests in downtown Portland amid the national outcry over the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota. Footage of people breaking into a Louis Vuitton store inside the mall and leaving with items on May 29 went viral.

During a news conference Wednesday detailing violent acts by some protesters toward police, Deputy Chief Chris Davis described the scene downtown: boarded up windows, extensive damage to public property and, really, an unfortunate scene in our city center.

Weve seen an estimate of $23 million in damage and lost business in downtown Portland, which means lost jobs and all of that on top of the COVID crisis, Davis said.

Davis attributed the downtown damage to a small group of agitators who were veering the nightly demonstrations more toward mayhem than protest. The police response to the crowd has also drawn criticism from residents and elected officials, and resulted in several lawsuits against the city.

In the six weeks since the nightly protests began, most demonstrations around the city have consisted of peaceful vigils and marches calling for police reform in response to the deaths of Black people killed by police in Portland and around the United States.

In downtown Portland, protests have centered around the Justice Center, which sits a few blocks away from several major retailers, including Pioneer Place, and other locally owned businesses. The most damage occurred to businesses overnight May 29, although some business owners have reported graffiti and broken windows since then.

The damage costs reported in the survey ranged from $35 to clean up tomatoes thrown at windows to $1 million to fix broken windows and apparent paintball splatters, and to replace merchandise stolen. Most damages were reported to be broken windows and graffiti. One business said some protesters used a blowtorch to set fire to garbage gathered under an awning, scorching part of the building until other people on the scene extinguished the flames. That owner reported $12,500 in damages, with $2,500 spent to board up the business the next day.

Six of the businesses reported being Black, Hispanic, Asian or Native American owned. Another 41 owners identified as white, 22 identified as other and the rest did not say.

No other surveys have been publicly released tallying the financial impact of downtown Portland protests on businesses.

Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell said June 23 that his bureau had spent at least $6.2 million related to the protests. Around the same time, city officials told The Oregonian/OregonLive that $30,000 had been spent installing plywood around Portland City Hall on June 9 -- only to take it down the next day after public outcry  and around $80,000 had been spent by the Portland Bureau of Transportation on damage and cleanup for Portland Streetcars and SmartPark garages.

The city also spent money related to the chain link fencing at the Justice Center as well as paint and supplies related to graffiti cleanup. City officials said they dont yet have a total tally of spending related to the protests.

-- Everton Bailey Jr; ebailey@oregonian.com | 503-221-8343 | @EvertonBailey

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
US President Donald Trump has taken another decision, after the suspension of the H1-B visa for the rest of the year, with an eye on the Presidential election later this year rather than on public interest. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is set to revoke the F1 visas of international students in the US if their institution goes fully online for the upcoming fall season.

These students face deportation if they dont shift to universities and colleges where in-person teaching exists or a blend of in-person and online course work is offered. The condition is almost impossible to satisfy because students cannot shift to other institutions half-way through the course, and even for some who can, it will involve huge financial costs. The move is clearly directed at foreign students and at universities whom Trump has been pressuring to reopen as part of his policy to reopen the economy.

It is a coercive action which will leave most students without any good option. They will be forced to quit or will be deported. There are over one million foreign students in the US who will be affected by the decision.

The arbitrary and insensitive move will further dent Americas image and do much harm to the education sector in the US, but Trump might have reckoned that it would boost his anti-immigrant credentials. He has been using even the pandemic to pander to xenophobia and strengthen his constituency before the elections, little realising the dangers of promoting hatred and divisiveness in politics and society.

With the Covid-19 crisis deepening in the US, most universities had no choice but to switch to the online mode, but Trump has used it as an opportunity to do political grandstanding to win applause from a section of people at the expense of the countrys interests.

About half of the foreign students in the US are either Chinese or Indian. About two lakh Indians may be affected by the order and may have to leave the country. Just as the US has benefitted from immigrants working in the country, its universities have benefitted from foreign students studying there. The students have contributed much to the high reputation of its educational institutions.

All these institutions are keen to attract foreign students in their own interest and have an inclusive policy of admission. The universities have stoutly opposed the decision of the administration, and indeed the worlds foremost universities such as Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have challenged it in a court. The Indian government should also take up the matter with the US administration.
If the CISCE official website is slow, students need not worry and log on to the following alternative websites to check their ISC class 12 and ICSE class 10 board exam results.

ICSE 10th, ISC 12th Board Results 2020 declared | The Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) declared the ICSE class 10 and ISC class 12 board exam results today (10 July, Friday) at 3 pm. The scores are available on the official websites  cisce.org or results.cisce.org.

However, as it has been seen in the past, the official websites are often slow and unresponsive due to the heavy traffic after the results are declared. In such a scenario, students need not worry and log on to the following alternative websites to check their ISC Class 12 and ICSE Class 10 board exam results.

Follow LIVE Updates on CISCE Results 2020 here

Here some of the alternative websites to check your score:

examresults.net

indiaresults.com

schools9.com

results.shiksha

How to check ISC Class 12 and ICSE Class 10 2020 result:

Step 1: After logging on to either of the two websites of the board: www.cisce.org or www.results.cisce.org, click on Results 2020.

Step 2: Select ICSE for Class 10, or ISC for Class 12 as applicable from the course option.

Step 3: Enter your unique ID, index number and the Captcha text shown on the screen. These details can be found on your admit card.

Step 4: Click on submit and download your results following instructions given on the website.

How to check ICSE class 10 and ISC class 12 result 2020 via SMS:

Students can also check their board exam results via SMS. To receive scores via SMS, students must follow the format:

Type ISC <seven digit unique ID> and send it to  09248082883.

Type ICSE <seven digit unique ID> and send it to  09248082883.

Click here for Latest News on Board Exam Results 2020
STAMFORD  The state Appellate Court has denied Michelle Troconis request for an emergency hearing to have her electronic monitoring device removed.

The Appellate Court has agreed with prosecutors that it has no jurisdiction over Troconis pending criminal cases in the death and disappearance of Jennifer Dulos and any motions regarding the proceedings are still before the state Superior Court.

The motions were denied as untimely and the Appellate Court can only step in if the motions were denied by a Superior Court judge  which has not happened, the order said.

Under the circumstances of this case, the motion to modify has not been denied, the order said.

Defense attorney Jon Schoenhorn, who began representing Troconis in February, said Friday he will discuss the next steps with his client.

Since the lower court orders were entered before I was involved, I was hoping the Appellate Court would suspend its rules and allow constitutional issues to be raised, he said. The fact that the state criminal courts remain closed for everything except new arrests is a source of endless frustration for the criminal defense bar. I will discuss the next step with Michelle. A federal petition is one option.

Schoenhorn filed the motion on June 17 with the Appellate Court, seeking to remove the stipulation that his client is required to wear electronic monitoring at all times as a condition of her release on $2.1 million bond while facing charges in the Jennifer Dulos case.

Schoenhorn has filed several motions in state Superior Court for the same request, but only priority matters have been heard since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his response to Schoenhorn, Senior States Attorney Ronald Weller, of the Appellate Unit of the Chief States Attorneys Office, said in a filing with the Appellate Court on Monday that Troconis is seeking preferential treatment while others who are incarcerated have not been able to get a bond hearing.

The petitioner minimizes the enormity of the disruption to our court system that this global pandemic has wrought, Weller said. She has already had her day, and in fact several days, in court on her bond conditions.

Schoenhorn is arguing the electronic monitoring device is interfering with his clients right to a fair trial because prosecutors can see her movements as she helps prepare her defense.

Troconis has been charged with conspiracy to commit murder, tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution in the case and is next scheduled to appear in state Superior Court in Stamford on Aug. 6.

During her last court appearance on Feb. 5, Superior Court Judge Gary White lifted some restrictions by expanding the conditions for Troconis to leave her house, Weller pointed out in his response.

However, White said Troconis must continue to wear the electronic monitoring device at all times. The Appellate Court agreed with Wellers contention that Schoenhorn should have filed an appeal with the Appellate Court within 10 days of Whites decision.

The Appellate Court also agreed with Wellers claim that the higher court has no jurisdiction over Schoenhorns request since the Superior Court has not yet heard his earlier motions on the same topic.

The Appellate Court can only modify or vacate an order by the trial court, Weller said.

The trial court, however, has not yet ruled on the March 17 motion to review bail conditions, and therefore, there is no trial court order for (the Appellate Court) to modify or vacate, Weller said in his response.

Many court operations, including bond hearings, have been conducted remotely in recent weeks, Judicial Branch officials told state legislators this week. It is unclear whether Troconis hearing in August will be held in person or by video and if the judge will consider Schoenhorns motions during that appearance.

Her former boyfriend, Fotis Dulos, died from an apparent suicide on Jan. 30 while facing murder and other charges in the death and disappearance of his estranged wife, Jennifer Dulos, who vanished May 24, 2019. The 50-year-old mother of five is presumed dead by police based on blood evidence found in the garage of her New Canaan home where they believe she was attacked, according to arrest warrants.

Kent Mawhinney, a former attorney and friend of Fotis Dulos, has also been charged with conspiracy to commit murder. Mawhinney is being held in lieu of $2 million bond and his court appearance this week in state Superior Court in Stamford was continued to Sept. 3.
"We dont want it to be thrown into the Niagara River or be defaced," Alessi said. "We don't want any of those things to happen because that would be an insult to our community, and we don't want to be insulted."

Mayor Byron W. Brown applauded the federation's decision at an announcement early Friday in Columbus Park.

"It is said that if we do not learn from our history, that we are bound to repeat it," the mayor said. "Columbus Day was first celebrated as a way to end racial discrimination against Italian Americans, and later, for some became a painful reminder of racial injustice.

"More important than the statue or the name of the park is that this space was dedicated to honor the contributions of the Italian American community to this city and to our nation. I thank the Federation of Italian-American Societies of Western New York for their courage in making this decision, and making this request to the city in the spirit of racial reconciliation and a desire to help bring our community together."

Alessi said commemorations of Columbus are symbolic of the contributions made by Italian Americans in the United States, and less about the explorer from Genoa who sailed from Spain.
Charity bosses made at least 547,000 by employing fake veterans to collect cash for disabled soldiers, a court heard.

Collectors wearing 'Save our Soldiers' tops and camouflage trousers were deployed at railway stations across the country in the two-year scam, Wood Green Crown Court heard.

David Papagavriel, 57, Terence Kelly, 73, Ian Ellis, 58, and Peter Ellis, 30, face jail after admitting fraud by abuse of position.

Former driving instructor Papagavriel and retired truck driver Kelly were trustees of Open Doors, which began as a charity shop in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, in 1991.

David Papagavriel (pictured), 57, Terence Kelly, 73, Ian Ellis, 58, and Peter Ellis, 30, face jail after admitting fraud by abuse of position

The charity shop raised funds to buy equipment and goods for local good causes.

It entered into a fundraising contract with Dove Promotions, run by Peter Ellis and his father Ian Ellis, the court heard.

The contract allowed Open Doors to collect money 'by way of skilled prize draw tickets, wristbands and any other promotional merchandise'.

Dove Promotions claimed to sell raffle tickets and merchandise in aid of 'disabled military personnel' charity Open Doors.

Financial investigators discovered Dove Promotions had deposited at least 547,000 into his bank accounts.

However, the true total paid into its bank accounts may never be known.

Peter Ellis paid himself 97,993 in cash and electronic transfers, 25,000 in 'cash credits', 16,730 'remuneration' and an undeclared dividend of 27,000.

His father Ian also received 54,388 in cash and electronic transfers.

Leila Chaker, prosecuting, said that 14 cheques totalling nearly 2,000 were paid directly into the account of Papagavriel's wife from the Open Doors account.

Papagavriel (pictured) and retired truck driver Kelly were trustees of Open Doors, which began as a charity shop in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, in 1991

Papagavriel was a driving instructor who made no more than 15,000 a year and he also had a job with Sainsburys in 2014 and 2015.

He told police he took 200-250 per month, possibly 2000 per year for expenses, despite having no receipts.

He had received 65,000 from the charity into his bank accounts, the court heard.

Dove Promotions employed collectors in breach of strict fundraising rules and permitted them to run prize draws and sell merchandise.

Its employees were spotted by an off-duty British Transport Police officer collecting cash at Cwmbran railway station in South Wales in August 2014 and Clapham Junction Station in September 2015.

Two men were seen wearing 'Save our Soldiers' black polo tops and camouflage trousers and standing by a table next to donation buckets.

Police were informed but no action was taken.

Ms Chaker said: 'The men were wearing black polo tops with Save our Soldiers written on the back of their tops and camouflage looking trousers.

Leila Chaker, prosecuting, said that 14 cheques totalling nearly 2,000 were paid directly into the account of Papagavriel's wife (pictured left) from the Open Doors account

The prosecution say this type of clothing would have given a clear impression of the fundraisers being associated with the military.

The two men were positioned on a stand that featured the silhouette of a soldier saluting, with two red charity buckets on the table.

Two men were also seen with 'Dove Promotions' ID cards at Clapham Junction station shouting 'raise money for the armed forces' and 'support our wounded soldiers' in September 2015.

A commuter raised the alarm about persistent 'army trouser wearing' men offering raffle tickets for 2.50 each at ExCel Centre in Docklands in May 2015.

She contacted the charity asking questions about the prize draw and how much money Open Doors raised for army veterans and was offered a refund of 5.

Papagavriel used cash from Open Doors to buy a caravan at a holiday park on Mersea Island, with the purchase agreement signed by Papagavriel and Kelly.

The caravan was then hired out to holidaymakers on Trip Advisor and the rent was paid to Papagavriel.

Only 14,770 had been paid to real charities until Papagavriel and Kelly were arrested in 2015, after which 39,530.80 was donated.

Kelly told police any money he received was for subsidising the Open Doors charity shop.

Before entering into an agreement with Dove, Open Doors had an annual income of 16,742 but this shot up to 83,588.93 in 2014, Wood Green Crown Court heard

The charitys stated objective is: To relieve physically disabled persons by providing equipment to enable such persons to develop their physical mental and spiritual capacities that they may realise their full potential as independent individuals and that their conditions of life may be improved.

As a trustee of Open Doors Papagavriel had a legal duty to act in the charitys best interest.

He was not permitted to pay himself a salary but could be reimbursed for travel or accommodation related to charity work.

Before entering into an agreement with Dove, Open Doors had an annual income of 16,742 but this shot up to 83,588.93 in 2014, the court heard.

The Royal British Legion said in a 2015 statement: Professional fundraiser Dove Promotions and linked charity Open Doors have been using without permission the names of three high-profile military charities to lend credibility to themselves and their fundraising activities.

The three are: The Royal British Legion; ABF The Soldiers Charity; and SSAFA. Open Doors in its fundraising and website misleadingly creates the impression that its a military charity, when it isnt one.

Papagavriel, of Picasso Way, Shoeburyness, Southend-on-Sea; Kelly, of Howard Place, Canvey Island, Essex along with Peter and Ian Ellis, both of Thornton Cleveleys, Lancashire, have admitted fraud by abuse of position.
Vallarasu

Vallarasu directed by N Maharajan, set an example of patriotism in the most unique way. The film shows Vijayakanth as an honest Deputy Commissioner of Police who arrests a terrorist from Pakistan. For the nation, Vallarasu fights a rich man, who tries to destabilise the country. The film turned out to be a blockbuster in the year 2000 and was also remade in Hindi as Indian starring Sunny Deol, Shilpa Shetty and Rahul Dev in key roles.

Arasangam

The 2008 superhit Tamil film, Arasangam starring Vijayakanth established desh bhakti in today's youth. The film deals with the conspiracy against the country's big companies' CEOs and Scientists, who get assassinated by a group of people in Chennai. Vijayakanth who played criminologist and IPS trainer in the film investigates and finds out who is the person behind the plot to destabilise India.

Narasimha

2001 Tamil action film, Narasimha is yet another patriotic film of Vijayakanth which proves that he is the Bharat Kumar of South India. The film tells the story of an undercover army officer who tries to foil terrorists' plan to kill the chief of defence services. The film also stars Isha Koppikar, Raghuvaran, Rahul Dev and others in pivotal roles.

Sethupathi IPS

Sethupathi IPS (1994) was one of the most entertaining patriotic films in Kollywood. Vijayakanth plays the titular role in the film and fights against a terrorist, who plans a terror strike on the Prime Minister of India during a meeting with chief ministers of other states in Chennai. The action-drama keeps you hooked and all thanks to Vijayakanth's acting. It also stars Meena in the female lead.

Ulavuthurai

Vijayakanth-starrer Ulavuthurai (1994) deals with the crime happening in International waters. Vijayakanth, who plays a navy officer in the film, is asked to solve the tricky murder case in which several people mysteriously die in the sea. In the end, he solves the mystery and saves the nation from the problem. The film also stars Meena and Sanghavi in pivotal roles.
PORT GIBSON, Miss., July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- When a West Nile virus case was announced in the middle of the already devastating COVID-19 pandemic, Mississippi activist James Hendry and his nonprofit organization WEEP (West Nile Education, Eradication, and Prevention) & Recover stepped up to provide mosquito protection to the local community. Hendry provided 600 families with free Spartan Mosquito products, along with educational West Nile virus prevention tools, to residents of Claiborne County and the surrounding area. The state of Mississippi officially announced its first case of West Nile virus in 2020, and, as mosquito season intensifies, WEEP aims to protect people from the deadly predators in their own backyards.

WEEP & Recover

WEEP & Recover is a nonprofit organization dedicated to virus awareness and mosquito control. In Claiborne County, WEEP distributed free units of Spartan Mosquito Pro Tech and Spartan GO!, a powerful combination of mosquito prevention products, at the Port Gibson Fairgrounds from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on July 9, 2020.

For Hendry, community outreach is personal. After he lost his son, Phillip, to a West Nile virus-related illness, Hendry made mosquito virus education his lifelong mission. "My son Phillip was 19 years old when his life was taken by a mosquito," Hendry said. "As a father, that broke me. Now, I'm doing everything I can to make sure nobody else dies from this mysterious and dangerous disease. This effort is how I honor Phillip's legacy."

Even in the midst of the COVID outbreak, Hendry hopes that members of the Mississippi community will take the West Nile virus seriously. "I wish things weren't this way. I wish that these two viruses weren't plaguing the state of Mississippi. But viruses don't discriminate; they only destroy," Hendry said. "I'm proud to safely gather with Claiborne County and fight against this West Nile virus."

A community that stands together builds a nation that will not fall. Hendry hopes that these small steps will create lasting impact for the residents of Claiborne County, the entire state of Mississippi, and the collective American family. Hendry believes that the only way a community can fight against this dangerous disease is by coming together. "If the past few months have taught us anything, it's that beautiful things can happen when we put faith over fear and community over the individual. Life is short. COVID-19 brought that undeniable truth into greater meaning. I think it's always the right time to do the right thing," Hendry said. "This is how I keep Phillip's memory alive."

About WEEP & Recover

WEEP & Recover is a registered 501-c3 organization dedicated to providing information about West Nile Virus prevention and eradication. They aim to educate everyone in the Southern United States and, eventually, all of North America.

Media Contact

James Hendry

601-433-6856

[email protected]

weep-recover.com

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Linkedin Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 10, 2020 14:38 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406656855a 1 Entertainment #entertainment,#films,#classical,#health,#COVID19,#fiction,#Goethe Free

Real life is stranger than fiction because people only expect the ordinary. And thats where the current global health crisis has hit the hardest.

In the past couple of months, people have had to adopt new lifestyles while struggling to get by after a drop in income or job loss. And then there were the frequent live-streaming of funerals for friends or relatives and the strange sight of clear Jakarta skies.

Works of fiction have become a needed distraction from reality. People turn to movies for a bit of laughter in dark times or to reclaim the luxury of not being emotionally invested in other people or situations, even if just for a while.

Some movies, however, are made to be an intriguing study of human nature, exploring the best and worst of people when facing difficult times.

Indonesian film programmer and archivist Lisabona Rahman and German documentary filmmaker Sebastian Winkels shared a list of movies that come to mind when dealing with the multidimensional consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this unfamiliar situation that affects our sense of security, I tend to go to both depressive fiction and cheerful fiction, Lisabona said in an Instagram live episode of Bingkis (Thursday Talk) on May 21.

And its always good to explore titles that are less-known as we can expect some elements of surprises.

The biweekly event was initiated by Goethe-Institut Indonesien to facilitate artists and thinkers to reflect on the challenges they were facing during the pandemic.

The discussions, titled The Fiction  The Prediction, was moderated by Jakarta-based visual artist Rizki Lazuardi, who studied film and time-based media art at the HFBK University of Fine Arts in Hamburg, Germany.

Below are some of the movies whose narratives, according to the three, reflect the current situation.

REAR WINDOW

One of Alfred Hitchcocks best movies, the suspense thriller Rear Window (1954) follows photojournalist L.B. Jeffries (James Stewart) who is confined to his tiny apartment as recovers from a broken leg and uses his free time watching his neighbors with a pair of binoculars.

According to Rizki, the movie resembles the self-isolation of today as people are stuck at home looking out the window and interpreting the life outside.

SAFE

Starring Julianne Moore, Todd Haynes psychological horror Safe (1995) shows the struggle of a suburban housewife in Los Angeles, the United States, as she becomes sick with a mysterious illness.

Set in 1987, Haynes visualizes the effects of pharmaceutical chemicals during recovery and what a burden they can be on patients.

The doctors said her problem was in her mind, while her community stayed aloof toward her. Without solutions, she becomes more and more isolated and finds consolation in herself, Lisabona said.

100 JAHRE ADOLF HITLER

Angry responses to the pandemic in Germany, subsequent street protests and the accusation made toward migrants as carriers of the disease prompted Winkels to revisit 100 Years Adolf Hitler: The Last Hour in Fuhrerbunker (1989) by the late Christoph Schlingensief.

You could see in the movie a closed community completely derailed and [going] mad, Winkels said.

Its not easy to watch, but I find it deliberating. In times like this, we all need a bit of punk attitude.

THE WAY BACK

Directed by Peter Weir, the 2010 film is inspired by The Long Walk: The True Story of A Trek to Freedom, a memoir of former Polish prisoner of war Slavomir Rawicz who escaped a Soviet labor camp with six other fellow prisoners.

They marched out of Siberia, through China, the Gobi Desert, Tibet and over the Himalayas to British India on foot.

While in isolation, endurance is crucial. This survival film is a cheesy, old-fashioned adventure film but somehow uplifting watching people managing to endure, Winkels said.

PHILADELPHIA

The condemning attitude toward those related to the first cases of COVID-19 in Indonesia and on the other side, the solidarity formed to help those impacted by the pandemic reminded Lisabona of the main messages delivered in this 1993 movie.

The legal drama was among the first of Hollywood movies to spotlight HIV/AIDS and homophobia.

It evokes a good feeling to see humanity and solidarity reflected in a movie where people can turn to be more aggressive in an unfamiliar situation, Lisabona said.

DARK

The first German language Netflix original series, Dark (2017-2020) is a critically acclaimed science fiction thriller, the third and final season for which was released in June.

Cocreated by Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese, the series is set in a fictitious German town in the present day where the disappearance of two children exposes the supernatural saga involving four families.

The story somehow relates to our current situation, in which people in an isolated town feel threatened by something they dont understand, Rizki said.

TWIN PEAKS

Winkels favorite watch during the pandemic, Twin Peaks (TV series 1990-1991, 2017) is a surreal American mystery-horror drama created by Mark Frost and David Lynch.

It follows an investigation headed by idiosyncratic FBI special agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) into the murder of a homecoming queen in the more idiosyncratic fictional town of Twin Peaks. Season three, which was released in 2017, picks up 25 years after the town is shaken by the murder.

We cant tell where the evil is coming from, we cant tell which is real and which is not real in the series, Winkels said. And it has everything in it; solidarity, prejudice, anxiety and fear are well told in the series.

DAS LEBEN DER ANDEREN

Titled The Lives of Others (2006) for international releases, the film by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck won an Oscar as Best Foreign Language Film in 2007.

The movie was the first drama about the East German socialist state, 17 years after it ended. It follows an agent of Stasi, East Germanys secret police, who is ordered to closely monitor a playwright and his girlfriend, an actress coveted by a minister.

The movie depicts the psychological and political tension we experience now, said Lisabona.

Its about government surveillance, which was later adopted by the common people out of terror and fear and turned them against each other. (ste)
UL Hospitals Group says it is gradually resuming services across its six sites and patients are being advised of precautionary measures to take in advance of and during their time in hospital in the context of the ongoing public health emergency.

In response to the Covid-19 crisis, a decision was taken on March 6 to defer almost all elective activity, including inpatient and day case surgery and outpatient appointments.

While virtual clinics will remain a significant feature for the duration of the pandemic, many patients require a face-to-face consultation or a physical examination or investigation. To that end outpatient clinics are now gradually increasing the number of patients attending in person across the Group.

Scheduled surgery as well as endoscopy and other diagnostic investigations have also recommenced in UHL, University Maternity Hospital Limerick, St Johns Hospital, Ennis Hospital, Nenagh Hospital and Croom Orthopaedic Hospital.

We are carefully scaling up these services in line with the national public health guidance and in a manner which optimises patient care while minimising risks to patients, staff and the wider healthcare system. In line with IP&C best practice and the new realities around physical distancing, this will mean fewer patients in waiting rooms and in clinical areas at any one time and fewer patients on theatre lists on any one day, said a spokesperson.

In advance of attending for an appointment or being admitted for a planned procedure, patients may be asked to cocoon or to self-isolate in advance.

Patients may also be asked to consent to a Covid-19 test in advance of a planned admission and patients will also be asked to wear face coverings.

In some instances, patients will be asked to attend at hospitals at less social hours and they may be required to wait in their car until closer to their appointment time

In all cases, patients will be contacted in advance by letter, by phone or by text and patients are asked not to attend unless they have recently heard directly from the hospital.

We ask that in the case of children attending for a procedure or appointment, they are accompanied by one adult only and that no siblings may attend. In the case of day surgery, persons accompanying the patient will not be permitted to wait in the hospital and will be asked to return once the patient has recovered, said a spokesperson.

The increase in activity coincides with Phase 3 in the Government roadmap on the reopening of society.

Read also: Limerick patients on the mend following treatment at UL field hospital

However, the visiting ban remains in place across our six hospitals.

We are very pleased that patients are again coming in for their appointments and for their procedures. Across society we have had to adapt to the challenges presented by Covid-19 and our staff are no different. During the pandemic, we have kept our emergency services open; we have re-imagined the physical environment; and we have adopted new ways of working so that by the second month of lockdown, we were back up to 50% of our usual outpatient activity, almost three in five of those appointments being completed virtually. Our theatre staff redeployed to support critical care and are now returning to their substantive posts as we scale up planned surgery, said Colette Cowan, CEO, UL Hospitals Group.

We are also asking our patients to do things differently. The buy-in from our citizens in terms of the public health advice has been the single biggest factor in containing and suppressing Covid-19 in the community. Vigilance remains the watchword as acute hospitals stand up services. For the foreseeable future, we will need to reduce footfall in our hospitals and see fewer patients physically in our clinics and in theatre. We are also asking patients to consider all their care options - Injury Units, GP and GP out-of hours - before presenting to the Emergency Department and to use the phone where possible., she added.

We are reminding our community that visiting is not permitted to our hospitals at this time



This is to ensure we #StaySafe & protect each other



We are facilitating video calls & can arrange for you to get belongings to your loved one



We thank you for your cooperation#COVID19 pic.twitter.com/bnVXvpD6c2  UL Hospitals (@ULHospitals) July 8, 2020

Prof Brian Lenehan, Chief Clinical Director, UL Hospitals Group, said: We are conscious that the unfortunate but necessary suspension of so much scheduled work as a result of the pandemic has been difficult on our patients. During the pandemic, we continued to operate emergency and trauma lists in theatre, including cancer patients. As we gradually scale up our services, we will be prioritising the sickest patients first in line with national guidelines and with the agreement of the clinical leads across the various specialties. It has been heartening in recent weeks to see more scheduled cancer and vascular cases in theatre, for example, and the increase in cardiology patients attending the cath lab.
Good morning,

Please find below the press release issued today.

Best regards,

Michele Moore Duhen

Global PR Manager | Group Marketing & Communications

Capgemini Group | London

Tel.: +44 3709 053408

Email: Michele.MooreDuhen@capgemini.com

_____________________________





Capgemini develops the mission center to monitor Global CO sources



Paris, July 9, 2020  The CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales) has commissioned Capgemini to develop, qualify, validate and maintain the MicroCarb Mission Center1. The purpose of the MicroCarb space mission, named after its satellite, is the continuous measurement of the atmospheric concentration of CO, the main greenhouse gas responsible for global warming. It will map the sources and sinks of CO on a global scale.

The MicroCarb mission is the first European mission resulting from a partnership between CNES, UKSA (United Kingdom Space Agency) and EUMETSAT (European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites located in Germany), through a contribution to the H2020 EU program2. It will provide a better understanding of carbon exchanges on the earth's surface, thanks to an innovative measuring instrument: an array spectrometer capable of measuring, with great precision, the atmospheric concentration of CO over the entire globe. The MicroCarb satellite, scheduled for launch before the end of 2021, will use sunlight for energy3.

Capgemini's Aerospace Industry teams mobilized

The mission requires flexibility in the definition of programming methods and data processing algorithms, but also responsiveness in terms of implementation. Capgemini proposed an innovative approach that optimizes existing tools used by EUMETSAT and CNES for cataloguing and data processing, while ensuring consistency in the overall architecture of the CNES IT system.

The integration and deployment of specific developments related to the programming of the satellite, the development of calculation models and the processing of spatial data, carried out by the project teams are all shared on a DevOps4 platform installed within the CNES IT environment. These activities will continue for one year during the flight acceptance5 phase after the satellite's launch. Capgemini's project team comprises fifteen experts with a deep understanding of the aerospace industry as well as the needs of the scientific community.

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MicroCarb, at the forefront of CO flow knowledge missions

This satellite is the first part of Europe's response to the creation of a system for monitoring the evolution of the concentration of CO on a global scale. To date, the quantities absorbed and emitted in certain regions of the world remain unknown. This information is therefore crucial for understanding the origins and impact of climate change. The expected benefits of the MicroCarb mission are first and foremost scientific: to enrich information on CO flows. It also aims to understand the way the carbon cycle works and the behavior of major ecosystems, such as that of the Amazon or the oceans, in the context of climate change.

Capgemini is already participating in the exploitation of data from the Biomass6 mission as part of the Living Planet program7 by developing a data analysis platform (MAAP8) for the international scientific community. Capgemini is committed to contributing to space and scientific missions in relation to the environment and climate.

Simon Baillarin, head of the department in charge of the development of Earth Observation mission centers at CNES states: "Capgemini is a recognized partner for our satellite and big data processing activities in numerous scientific and environmental projects such as Sentinel, THEIA and Taranis.

Jerome Ponton, CNES Account Manager at Capgemini in France, said: We are very pleased that the CNES has renewed its confidence in us for this mission, which is of fundamental importance in the light of current concerns about climate change. Our teams are applying more than thirty years of experience in the most innovative Earth Observation and Scientific space projects.

Under an agreement between the National Research Agency - Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR) - and the CNES, the MicroCarb project is funded by the Investment for the Future Program - Programme dinvestissements davenir - launched by the French government. The CNES is in charge of IT Project Management Support.

About Capgemini

Capgemini is a global leader in consulting, digital transformation, technology and engineering services. The Group is at the forefront of innovation to address the entire breadth of clients opportunities in the evolving world of cloud, digital and platforms. Building on its strong 50-year+ heritage and deep industry-specific expertise, Capgemini enables organizations to realize their business ambitions through an array of services from strategy to operations. Capgemini is driven by the conviction that the business value of technology comes from and through people. Today, it is a multicultural company of 270,000 team members in almost 50 countries. With Altran, the Group reported 2019 combined revenues of 17billion.

Visit us at www.capgemini.com . People matter, results count.

1 A set of systems dedicated to the control and planning of satellite instruments or payloads, as well as the processing of their data.

2 H2020 is the European Union's framework program for research and innovation. https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/

3 The measurement of CO will be carried out by an instrument on board a low-orbit satellite. This instrument is a spectrometer that analyzes the short infrared of sunlight reflected on the Earth's surface. Algorithms will then determine the amount of CO based on the proportion of reflected light. The less light is reflected, the more CO is charged in the atmosphere.

4 Contraction of the terms "development" and "operations" referring to an IT engineering concept and technical practice aiming at the unification of software development (dev) and IT infrastructure administration (ops), including system administration.

5 Once in orbit, the satellite undergoes a final phase, known as the in-flight acceptance phase, in order to validate its position and check the correct operation of the instruments before being put into service.

6 Biomass: European Space Agency (ESA) Earth Observation satellite scientific mission to determine the distribution and evolution of plant biomass on a global scale.

7 The Living Planet programme brings together all European Space Agency (ESA) space missions for Earth observation from space.

8 MAAP for "Multi Mission Algorithm and Analysis Platform" is a collaborative project between NASA and ESA.

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Michael Cohen, the former lawyer for U.S. President Donald Trump, arrives back at home after being released from prison during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in New York City, New York, U.S., May 21, 2020.

Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former lawyer and fixer, has been sent back to prison from which he was released in May, a day after balking at a requirement that he refrain from speaking to the media or publishing a book while under home confinement.

Cohen's lawyer Jeffrey Levine said in an interview that he is trying to speak with Bureau of Prisons officials to discuss what can be done to get him out of the federal prison in Otisville, New York.

The attorney said Cohen is at risk of catching the coronavirus there because of preexisting health issues. Cohen was released from Otisville in late May because of concerns he would become infected with the virus.

Records show eight inmates and one staff member at Otisville have Covid-19.

Levine accused the Bureau of Prisons of issuing a "false narrative" in justifying that Cohen be abruptly taken into custody Thursday. Cohen's lawyer also said he will ask a federal judge to get involved in the situation if he cannot resolve it with the agency.

As of Friday morning, Levine said, he has been unable to get a response from the bureau in his efforts to contact officials there.

The bureau has said Cohen, 53, was taken into custody after the Manhattan resident refused to sign an agreement that included multiple restrictions, including the media gag, which would bar him from speaking to journalists, posting on social media and publishing a book.

Such a gag would prevent Cohen from speaking out publicly against his former client Trump, as he has done repeatedly in the past, until his criminal sentence expires next year.

A copy of the order said the purpose of the gag, which also would require Cohen to tell family and friends not to post on social media on his behalf, "is to avoid glamorizing or bringing publicity to your status as a sentenced inmate serving a custodial term in the community."

Levine said Cohen, who planned to release a book in coming months about his work for Trump, never refused to sign the deal.

"That is absolutely not true," Levine said.
Kazakhstan's Ministry of Healthcare on July 10 officially dismissed a report of the Chinese Embassy about an 'unknown pneumonia' spreading in the Central Asian country as incorrect. "The Ministry of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan emphasizes that the reports of the Chinese media is not consistent with relity', said a press release by the health ministry of Kazakhstan on Friday.

Read: China Warns Citizens In Kazakhstan Of 'unknown Pneumonia' More Lethal Than COVID-19

"It is important to note that WHO introduced pneumonia codes into the International Classification of Diseases - ICD 10, in cases when COVID-19 is diagnosed clinically or epidemiologically, for example with the 'ground-glass' opacities in the affected lungs, but is not laboratory-confirmed. In this regard, Kazakhstan, like other countries of the world, keeps records and monitoring of this kind of pneumonia, in order to make timely managerial decisions aimed at stabilizing the incidence and prevalence of COVID-19," the release added further.

Read: COVID-19 Patients With Severe Pneumonia Should Be Considered For Shifting To ICUL: Protocol

Chinese embassy warns citizens

The Chinese Embassy in Kazakhstan posted a notice on July 9 warning its citizens in the country about a new 'unknown pneumonia', possibly more lethal than COVID-19. Chinese Embassy in its notice claimed that the death rate of the new disease was much higher than that of coronavirus. The embassy said that Kazakhstan's health ministry is yet to identify the virus that has reportedly claimed more than 1,700 lives in the central Asian country. It further added that the health ministry of the former Soviet-Union is conducting research on the virus.

Read: Nicaragua Reports More Pneumonia Deaths, Some Tied To COVID-19

The Chinese Embassy in Kazakhstan cited local media reports and claimed that the unknown pneumonia cases are being reported in the provinces of Atyrau and Aktobe and the city of Shymkent. The embassy notice claimed that the cases have seen a significant surge since mid-June and the three places have reported over 500 cases so far. The embassy in its notice further said that some Chinese nationals have also been infected and died by unknown pneumonia.

Read: Bolivia's Interim President Has COVID-19 But feels Strong


Amazon has requested that all of its employees delete the TikTok app from their phones citing security concerns. According to the New York Times, the company email stated that the app is now prohibited from all employee phones that can access Amazon email, and that employees need to remove the app by Friday in order for email access to continue. (Update: A company spokesperson now says that the email was sent in error.)

"Due to security risks, the TikTok app is no longer permitted on mobile devices that access Amazon email. If you have TikTok on your device, you must remove it by 10-Jul to retain mobile access to Amazon email."



Shots fired.  Scott Hickle  (@scotthickle) July 10, 2020

TikTok has been under increased scrutiny lately. The app, which is owned by Chinese tech company ByteDance, was banned in India last month. More recently, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said that the US could ban Chinese apps like TikTok due to the potential threat to national security.

TikTok itself also pulled out of the Hong Kong market on Monday, citing a new Chinese national security law that would make it impossible to use. Despite TikTok being based in China, the country itself does not have access to the app. The company has even decided to stop employing Chinese moderators and claimed that none of its data is stored in China. TikTok has also taken pains to say that a lot of its business and data decisions are made outside China, a move which the company hopes will alleviate any concern that its controlled by the Chinese government.

Amazon has reportedly said in the email that employees can still check TikTok on their laptop browsers.

Update (5 PM ET): In a statement to Engadget, an Amazon spokesperson said This mornings email to some of our employees was sent in error. There is no change to our policies right now with regard to TikTok. What was the error? Amazon did not specify, but for now at least, employees are not required to remove the app from their phones.
Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai - AP

As Hong Kong faces a potential exodus now the national security law is in place, several high-profile pro-democracy figures are remaining defiant.

One of them is Jimmy Lai, the millionaire media mogul and owner of pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, who insists he is staying put in the former British colony, just minutes after the national security law came into effect, on June 30th.

Beijing's national security law prohibits secession, subversion, terrorism and foreign collusion, with potential life sentences for those caught breaking it.

Its definitely the death now of Hong Kong. Whether we are now China or Xinjiang, we just have to see what happens, he told the Telegraph.

I think Beijings long-term plan has been to control and subdue Hong Kong, he added.

Jimmy Lai appears in a court in Hong Kong after a Chinese man was convicted in Hong Kong for allegedly planning to shoot two prominent pro-democracy figures - AP

Pro-democracy figures reacted quickly to the announcement, with the four leaders of activist group Demosisto resigning. One of those, Nathan Law, decided to leave Hong Kong altogether.

Mr Lai is also a British citizen and is a resident of Taiwan, but despite his multi-national citizenship, the tycoon admitted he isnt allowed to leave Hong Kong anyway, because hes facing six criminal charges within the city.

The charges include inciting others to participate in an unauthorised assembly from a protest in 2019.

But he insisted even if he were allowed to leave, he would not.

If I leave I would disgrace myself and undermine the democratic movement. I would be a fool to leave. I will be here in Hong Kong until the last day, he said in defiance.

But Mr Lai says that if "the situation gets worse" his wife and children will have to leave.

With the national security law strictly prohibiting foreign interference and subversion, Mr Lai said he could still face jail in Hong Kong, or even worse in mainland China.

The law can be interpreted that whoever has approached foreign politicians or governments, would be labelled as subversion."

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Mr Lai - who has met senior White House figures including Mike Pence and Mike Pompeo - fears he could be a target.

"People like me who have met so many politicians, like Pompeo, Pence - if the law is retroactive - I will be in hell,  he nervously laughed.

In May, Mr Lai publicly appealed to US President Donald Trump for help and even published a plea for Mr Trump to intervene on the front page of a Sunday edition of his Apple Daily newspaper.

The millionaire believes Mr Trump is the kind of person China really fears because he plays "hardball". He expects to see the "start of bigger sanctioning and decoupling against China".

Mr Lai came to Hong Kong as a 13-year-old refugee from Guangzhou, mainland China, in the 1960s. He has been a target for Beijing since the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, which inspired him to distribute pro-student t-shirts manufactured by his company, Giordano. He had to close the company after Beijing exerted pressure.

Even today, he says he is never left alone.

They send cars to follow me, intimidate me, they have people telling me its not just prison for life, I can be shot also, he says.

Copies of the Apple Daily - Shutterstock

But Mr Lai, 72, still works from his Apple Daily second-floor office in Hong Kongs New Territories. The newspaper also has an office in Taiwan, correspondents in the US and has recently launched an English-version online.

The situation is more dangerous now than Giordano. Apple Daily is opposition media for 30 years. But I have decided not to worry about it. Whatever happens, we will have to face it, Mr Lai said.

In light of the new security law, two British-based banks, HSBC and Standard Chartered have recently endorsed Beijings decision, despite the UK governments disagreement with the law.

Mr Lai explained that banks are in a "dilemma" because they make most of the money in Hong Kong, and if they do not comply with the law the banks will be "diminished".

Protesters and police recently clashed during street demonstrations on July 1st in the city, the day after the new law became active. The date also coincided with the handover anniversary from Britain, 23 years ago.

Whilst this was happening, in Westminster Boris Johnson confirmed that approximately three million Hong Kong residents would be offered the chance to settle in the UK by using their British National Overseas (BNO) status.

China has recently responded to the offer accusing the UK of "gross interference".

Currently, there are 350,000 BNOs in Hong Kong, with a further 2.6 million still eligible. BNOs are only available for residents who were born before 1997, when Hong Kong was handed back to the UK.

Jimmy Lai is arrested by police officers at his home in Hong Kong in April - AP

I think the BNO is the greatest sanction against China. It is something good for Hong Kong people, but the UK is doing something in necessity for itself. After Brexit, a lot of non-English professionals would have to leave, so for Hong Kong people to replace the vacuum it is perfect, Mr Lai said.

But Mr Lai stressed more should be done for the younger generation in Hong Kong, too.

Those are the kids at the frontier fighting, those are the kids who need it the most, he added.

Despite the UK offering an escape route for millions of Hong Kong citizens, Mr Lai says the national security law has greatly damaged the democratic movement.

A lot of people have left or are planning migration. We will become a much smaller group, we have to stand firm and be prepared to go to prison, he added.

But the pro-democracy leading figure shrugged off any worries about being extradited.

I dont think about this. I cannot back down. Ive had a wonderful life and its clear to me your life isnt about yourself."
By PTI

SINGAPORE: Wearing face masks and gloves, Singaporeans were voting on Friday in a general election that is expected to return the ruling party once again to power but the result could be a test for Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's handling of the economy during the COVID-19 crisis.

Voting began at 8 am and will end at 8 pm with the first count expected late at night.

Morning slots have been reserved for voters who are 65 years and older to minimise their interaction with younger voters and to allow them to vote ahead of others, the Elections Department (ELD) said on Thursday.

Singaporeans voters are facing "longer than usual queues" at some polling stations.

Long lines were seen at several polling centres across Singapore on Friday, the ELD said in an update this morning.

"This is partly due to the additional safety measures put in place to ensure safe voting," Channel News Asia reported.

At 10 am, 350,000 voters - 13 per cent of the registered voters - cast their vote at local polling stations, the ELD said.

A total of 2.65 million people will vote on Friday as voting is compulsory in Singapore and the government has declared Friday a holiday.

Eleven political parties, including the ruling People's Action Party (PAP), campaigned for nine days amid the unprecedented challenge of COVID-19 that has pushed the city-state's economy towards the worst-ever recession in nearly two decades.

It has been an election season like no other, as candidates and voters alike sought to navigate safety measures and provisions brought about by the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Voters heading to the polling stations are "strongly encouraged" to check the queue situation before setting off, the ELD said.

In a bid to enhance the safety of voting amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of polling stations has been increased from 880 to 1,100, The Straits Times reported.

This means each station will serve an average of 2,400 voters, down from 3,000.

"Family members voting at the same polling station may accompany the senior voter to voter.

However, only one accompanying family member will be accorded priority voting, along with the senior voter," it said.

Prime Minister Lee last month called for general elections 10 months ahead of the schedule to "clear the decks" and give the new government a fresh five-year mandate to focus on the national agenda.

Lee's People's Action Party has won every election since the late 1950s.

When the party's share of the vote dipped to about 60 per cent in 2011, which was considered an upset.

The ruling party is expected to win comfortably in the election but the 68-year-old Lee's handling of the coronavirus crisis could decide the vote share this election.

The main opposition Workers' Party is likely to pose the stiffest challenge.

A total of 192 candidates from 11 parties, including the PAP, will contest parliamentary seats through 17 Group Representation Constituencies which groups together candidates in four or five, and 14 Single Member Constituencies.

While the PAP has not fielded any Indian-origin candidate in this election, the opposition parties have fielded about a dozen of them.

The ruling PAP is the only party with candidates contesting on all 93 seats.

This is the second general election that the opposition has fielded candidates in all seats in Parliament.

In the last elections in September 2015, the PAP contested all 89 seats and won 83 seats, an absolute majority in the house.

The Workers' Party secured six seats.

Observers are watching if the Workers' Party can increase their seats this time in Parliament.

Prime Minister Lee's estranged brother Lee Hsien Yang recently joined the Progress Singapore Party, bolstering the opposition camp.

However, he is not fighting the elections.

The two brothers are involved in a legal tussle of their family house-property.

Overall, the opposition calls have been to limit the PAP's expected win to less than two-third of the seats in Parliament, calling it "blank cheque" or no absolute majority.

Lee, who is the country's third prime minister, has led the government since 2004.

His father Lee Kuan Yew was Singapore's first prime minister and he transformed the city-state into an affluent nation during his 31 years rule.

Most of the issues raised during the campaign were about jobs and future employment with the increasing presence of foreigners both professionals and labour class, gap in wages of workers and executives, the withdrawal of Central Provident Fund on retirement at the age of 55 and spending of national reserves.

Singapore has reported 45,423 confirmed coronavirus cases with 41,645 recoveries and 26 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University tracker.
This Fourth of July, the United States of America celebrated 244 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the document that led to the American Revolutionary War and the eventual forming of the United States as a country.

Early Americans were a Bible-loving bunch, often immigrating to the Americas in order to pursue freedom of religion. Interestingly, however, a full English-language version of the Bible wasnt printed in America until 1782.

Bibles Travel to America

The Geneva Bible was the first Bible brought to America, specifically to Plymouth, in 1620, and probably to Jamestown in 1607. This Bible, first published in 1560, was unique in that it had verse divisions, used smaller Roman type, was more compact, and had italicized words that were not in the original Greek or Hebrew, among other innovations.

The King James Version was first printed in 1611 in England, but it didnt overtake the Geneva Bible in popularity in America until around the 1640s. Also in 1640, the first book printed in America, the Bay Psalm Book, was printed by Stephen Daye of Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Bay Psalm Book was not only the first book to be printed in America, but also the first partial version of the Bible to be printed there.

Early American Bibles

The first complete Bible of any sort to be published in America didnt come along until 1663. John Eliots Algonquin-language translation of the Bible, the so-called Eliot Indian Bible, was the first Bible to be published in the Western Hemisphere.

Reverend John Eliot (1604-1690) arrived in Massachusetts Bay in 1631 and spent the rest of his life dedicated to serving as a missionary to the native people, earning him the title Apostle to the Indians. Eliot believed the indigenous population should be able to read the Bible in their own language. He began with a primer in 1654.

With the help of printers Marmaduke Johnson and Samuel Green and Native Americans John Nesutan, a Harvard-educated preacher, and James Printer, a man of the Nipmuc Tribe apprenticed to Samuel Green, Eliot produced the full Bible in the Massachusett language in 1663. The Bible was reprinted with corrections in 1685.

The first Bible in America to be published in a European language was printed in German by Christoph Saur in 1743. Twelve hundred copies of the first edition were produced, and Saur also published German New Testaments in 1745 and 1755. Saurs son, Christoph Saur Jr., published a second Saur Bible in 1763 in an edition of 2,000 copies. The younger Saurs printing business and his printing of Bibles and New Testaments were so successful that he became one of the wealthiest men in the colonies until he was accused of being a Loyalist in 1777 and was thus thrown in prison and his property was confiscated and auctioned off.

The Aitken Bible of 1782

Robert Aitken emigrated from Scotland to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1769. He opened a bookshop and began The Pennsylvania Magazine, to which Thomas Payne often contributed. Starting in 1776, Aitken became the official printer of the Journals of Congress.

Aitken printed the New Testament in English in 1771, 1778, 1779, 1780, and 1781. Under the trade embargoes Britain had placed against the rebelling American colonies during this time, Aitken began to worry about Americans being able to acquire Bibles, which were previously imported from England.

On January 21, 1781, Aitken wrote to Congress,

To the Honorable The Congress of the United States of America 

The Memorial of Robert Aitken of the City of Philadelphia, Printer

Humbly Sheweth

That in every well regulated Government in Christendom, The Sacred Books of the Old and New Testament, commonly called the Holy Bible, are printed and published under the Authority of the Sovereign Powers, in order to prevent the fatal confusion that would arise, and the alarming Injuries the Christian Faith might suffer from the spurious and erroneous editions of Divine Revelation ...

Under this persuasion your Memorialist begs leave to, inform your Honors that he both begun and made considerable progress in a neat edition of the Holy Scriptures for the use of schools, but being cautious of suffering his copy of the Bible to issue forth without the sanction of Congress, humbly prays that your Honors would take this important matter into serious consideration & would be pleased to appoint one Member or Members of your Honorable Body to inspect his work so that the same may be published under the Authority of Congress.

Though Congress did not fund Aitkens printing, it did authorize the project, and upon its completion, the two Chaplains of Congress approved Aitkens Bible. Thus, Congress officially declared its endorsement of the Aitken Bible, the first and only time Congress has ever endorsed a version of the Bible.

Though this may seem a strange request from Aitken, the reality of the times was that England had previously forbidden the printing of English-language Bibles in the Americas in order to give a monopoly to the British printers licensed by the Crown. Aitken recognized Congress as the new ruling body of the Americas, and thus addressed his request to them.

Thus, in 1782, the first English version of the Bible was printed in America.

Other Firsts for American Bibles

From then on, more and more Bibles were printed in America, without regulation by the government as there had previously been.

Matthew Carey and William Young produced the first Roman Catholic English American edition in 1790.

Charles Thomson studied the Septuagint and produced the first translation of the Septuagint into English, which was also the first new English translation of the Bible in the Western Hemisphere. He published it in association with Robert Aitkens daughter, Jane Aitken, in 1808, making her the first woman to ever print an edition of the Bible, and the first publisher of a new English translation of the Bible since the printing of the King James Version nearly two centuries before.

The first Hebrew Bible was printed in America in 1814, followed by the first French version in 1815, and the first Spanish version in 1824.

Today, there are hundreds of English translations of the Bible available in America. As the United States celebrates freedom from Britain this July, may we all celebrate our freedom in Christ.

Further Reading:

The Bibles of Colonial America from The Bible Museum, Inc.

Americas Early Bibles from The International Society of Bible Collectors

Photo Credit: iStock/Getty Images Plus/photovs

Alyssa Roat studied writing, theology, and the Bible at Taylor University. She is a literary agent at C.Y.L.E., the publicity manager at Mountain Brook Ink, and a freelance editor with Sherpa Editing Services. She is the co-author of Dear Hero and has 200+ bylines in publications ranging from The Christian Communicator to Keys for Kids. Find out more about her here and on social media @alyssawrote.
A woman who was accused of driving her car through a crowd of protesters in Bloomington, Ind., on Monday, injuring at least two people, has been arrested, the authorities said Thursday.

The Bloomington Police Department said in a statement that Christi J. Bennett, 66, of Scottsburg, Ind., was arrested on Wednesday night and charged with two counts of criminal recklessness, a felony, and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in serious bodily injury.

She was booked into the Monroe County Jail on Thursday morning, according to a jail official, and was released on a $2,000 surety and $500 cash bond.

Image Christi Bennett, 66, was charged with two counts of criminal recklessness. Credit... Monroe County Correctional Center, via Associated Press

Ms. Bennett is accused of driving her red Toyota into a demonstration in downtown Bloomington, where several hundred people gathered in front of government buildings on Monday to demand the arrest of a group of men who had pinned and threatened a Black civil rights activist, Vauhxx Booker, over the holiday weekend.
Today, the Supreme Court navigated its way through disputes about the disclosure of President Trumps financial records without doing much harm (in my view, at least). However, the Court issued a real stinker in a case that was under my radar  McGirt v. Oklahoma.

By a 5-4 vote, the Court decided that much of Oklahoma is Indian country for the purpose of prosecuting crimes committed by Indians. Justice Gorsuch joined the four left-liberals and wrote the opinion.

Gorsuchs idiosyncratic textualism has become the joker in Supreme Court litigation (Justice Scalias sound textualism wasnt). Today, the joker was wild.

The case involved Jimcy McGirt. He was convicted of molesting, raping, and forcibly sodomizing a four-year-old girl, his wifes granddaughter. The State of Oklahoma imposed what amounts to a life sentence on this pervert.

The Court majority didnt dispute the obvious justice of this sentence. However, it found that it contravenes federal law, as set forth in the Major Crimes Act. This Act provides that, within the Indian country, [a]ny Indian who commits certain enumerated offenses against the person or property of another Indian or any other person shall be subject to the same law and penalties as all other persons committing any of the above offenses, within the exclusive jurisdiction of the United States. Rape is not among the enumerated crimes.

The question, then, was whether McGirt, a Seminole Indian, committed his crimes in Indian country. The location where he committed them was once a Creek Indian reservation. However, it is no longer one. Congress disestablished any such reservation in a series of statutes leading up to Oklahoma statehood at the turn of the 19th century. Nonetheless, Judge Gorsuch and the four left-liberals concluded that McGirt committed his crimes in Indian country.

Chief Justice Roberts dissenting opinion heaps well-deserved ridicule on the majoritys ruling:

Today, the Court holds that Oklahoma lacked jurisdiction to prosecute McGirton the improbable ground that, unbeknownst to anyone for the past century, a huge swathe of Oklahoma is actually a Creek Indian reservation, on which the State may not prosecute serious crimes committed by Indians like McGirt. Not only does the Court discover a Creek reservation that spans three million acres and includes most of the city of Tulsa, but the Courts reasoning portends that there are four more such reservations in Oklahoma. The rediscovered reservations encompass the entire eastern half of the State19 million acres that are home to 1.8 million people, only 10%15% of whom are Indians. Across this vast area, the States ability to prosecute serious crimes will be hobbled and decades of past convictions could well be thrown out. On top of that, the Court has profoundly destabilized the governance of eastern Oklahoma. The decision today creates significant uncertainty for the States continuing authority over any area that touches Indian affairs, ranging from zoning and taxation to family and environmental law. None of this is warranted. What has gone unquestioned for a century remains true today: A huge portion of Oklahoma is not a Creek Indian reservation. Congress disestablished any reservation in a series of statutes leading up to Oklahoma statehood at the turn of the 19th century. The Court reaches the opposite conclusion only by disregarding the well settled approach required by our precedents. Nebraska v. Parker, 577 U. S. 481, ___ (2016) (slip op., at 5). Under those precedents, we determine whether Congress intended to disestablish a reservation by examining the relevant Acts of Congress and all the [surrounding] circumstances, including the contemporaneous and subsequent understanding of the status of the reservation. Id., at ___ (slip op., at 6) (internal quotation marks omitted). Yet the Court declines to consider such understandings here, preferring to examine only individual statutes in isolation. Applying the broader inquiry our precedents require, a reservation did not exist when McGirt committed his crimes, so Oklahoma had jurisdiction to prosecute him.

In reaching his radical ruling, Justice Gorsuch spends considerable time recounting the sad history of this countrys treatment of Indians, including the Creeks. As Kent Scheidegger says, there is no doubt that huge breaches of treaties with Indian tribes occurred in previous centuries. However, its not the Supreme Courts job to right these wrongs; nor are the wrongs in any way righted by tossing the conviction of a despicable rapist who happens to be an Indian (a Seminole, not a Creek).

I agree with Scheidegger that, while an argument can be made for separate legal systems for territories that remain Indian reservations, having a separate system for people who are otherwise assimilated into our general society solely on the basis of their ancestry is contrary to our most fundamental principles.

Nor, as the Chief Justices dissent shows, is this result required by a proper application of textualism. As he says, at the very least, the statutes [in question] leave some ambiguity, and thus extratextual sources ought to be consulted.

With this opinion and the one finding, contrary to decades of understanding, that gay, lesbians, and transgender individuals are protected from employment discrimination by the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Justice Gorsuch has given conservatives good reason for concern about how he will rule in the coming years.
New Delhi: Around 700 candidates, who have cleared their preliminary and main civil services examinations, are likely to get airfare reimbursements for their travel to Delhi for interviews and medical examinations to complete the annual selection process, officials familiar with the matter said. Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), which conducts the examinations, usually reimburses railway fares for shortlisted candidates. It is in consultations with the department of personnel and training (DoPT) for refunding airfares given the Covid-19 pandemic and a shortage of trains.

Shortlisted candidates travel to Delhi for their interviews and medical examinations before the selection process is concluded. The preliminary and main examinations were held in June and September last year. Some interviews, too, were conducted in Delhi in March when the process was suspended in view of the pandemic and the nationwide lockdown imposed to check its spread. In some cases, interviews have been held while medical examinations are pending.

We are still discussing the modalities..., a DoPT official said on condition of anonymity. The official added they were also considering hospitals that can conduct medical examinations in states for the candidates whose interviews have been done. The idea is to reduce the risk of transmission, especially in case of aspirants, who have appeared for their interviews... [they should not have] to travel to Delhi again just for their medical examinations.

The DoPT has in consultation with UPSC shortlisted six hospitals in Delhi for conducting the medical examinations scheduled from July 21 to August 4. Initially, nine hospitals were shortlisted. The number was reduced to six after some of the facilities were declared Covid-19 hospitals.

The DoPT official said around 50-60 candidates daily would undergo medical examinations.

The interviews are scheduled from July 20 to 30, according to UPSC.

Ten days have been slotted for the interviews... around 700 candidates will be appearing for them, a UPSC official said.

A 26-year-old who is among those who have cleared their main examination said coming to Delhi from Hyderabad will amount to risking contracting Covid-19. She added many like her will prefer to undergo medical examinations in their states.

Former Indian Administrative Services officer, BS Baswan, called the idea of airfare reimbursements a creditable one. This is an understandable decision. Although UPSC releases the reimbursement funds, the budget allocation is done by the DoPT. Baswan said DoPT can allocate funds under the All India Services Residuary Matters Rules, 1960. Exceptions can be made in case of an emergency, Baswan said.
R Sivakumar By

Express News Service

VELLORE: In a brave act, a fifteen year old school girl walked into a police station hours after she was forced into marriage with a 28 year old man, complaining about the injustice done to her. The girl, a native of Kalinjur in Vellore city, was studying Class IX at a private school in Katpadi. She was taken to her grandparents house in Vaniyambadi in Tirupathur district a week ago.

When the grandparents talked about getting her married off, she strongly objected to it. "However, on Thursday night, they took her to a hill top temple, and overpowered before egging on the groom to tie the knot. The girl tried to wrench out but in vain," said P Murugeswari, District Social Welfare Officer (DSWO),Vellore.

The groom was a relative of the girl. After spending a sleepless night, she slipped out of the house on Friday monring while her grandparents went away for work.

The girl rode on an autorikshaw to reach Virudampat where she walked into the police station narrating the grueling experience. An awareness programme held in her school on an earlier occasion guided her to knock the doors of the police station.

"She told us that once an awareness programme was held in her school and a police officer spoke about approaching with any complaint against injustice. So, she straightaway came into the station," said a police officer.

She was later handed over to the officials of the Social Welfare Department. They interrogated and recorded her statement. Meanwhile, volunteers of Childline and government departments including Social Welfare, Revenue and Police, thwarted the bid to marry of three school girls.

One was a 16 year old girl, studying Class XI, belonging to Karnampat in Katpadu while the other two were studying Class VIII staying in Sholingur and a dropout from Walaja, both belonged to Ranipet district.

All the four children were accommodated at a home run by Organisation for Rural Development at Ariyoor and would be subjected to COVID-19 test before being produced before the Child Welfare Committee.

As many as 35 child marriages were stopped between March 25 and July 4 during the lockdown in combined Vellore district. Taking advantage of the restrictions of lockdown, several parents arrange the marriage for the minor wards thinking to escape the eyes of the government authorities.




Nicox's partner Ocumension raised HK$1,423.97 (~US$183.76) million in an IPO in the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, valuing the company at approximately HK$8,430 (US$1,090) million on the first day of trading

Two of Ocumension's four key drug candidates in development are licensed from Nicox: NCX 470 and ZERVIATE



July 10, 2020 - release at 8:30 am CET

Sophia Antipolis, France



Nicox SA (Euronext Paris: FR0013018124, COX), an international ophthalmology company, today congratulated its partner Ocumension Therapeutics on its successful IPO on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and provided an update on the programs in the collaboration.



Ocumension Therapeutics (01477.HK) began trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on July 10, 2020 after an IPO raising HK$1,424 (~US$184) million at a valuation of approximately HK$8,430 (~US$1,090) million on the first day of trading. Nicox and Ocumension have collaborations on NCX 470 and ZERVIATETM (cetirizine ophthalmic solution), 0.24%, in the Chinese and certain Southeast Asian markets, and on NCX 4251 in the Chinese market. NCX 470 and ZERVIATE have been identified by Ocumension as key drug candidates, among four in total.



"Ocumension is a key partner for Nicox as we are convinced that the Chinese market offers significant future revenue potential for our partnered products. Ocumension's successful IPO demonstrates the strong interest by investors in the potential value of their pipeline, including Nicox's NCX 470 and ZERVIATE." said Michele Garufi, Chairman and CEO of Nicox. "We are working very closely with the outstanding Ocumension team on both of these programs, and in the future on NCX 4251, and we believe they are well positioned to maximize the value of our assets in the Chinese and Southeast Asian markets."



Update on Programs in the Nicox-Ocumension Collaboration



NCX 470, Nicox's lead product candidate, a novel, second-generation nitric oxide (NO)-donating bimatoprost analog: Mont Blanc, the first Phase 3 clinical trial of NCX 470 for lowering of intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension, was initiated on 1 June, 2020 (see Press Release (https://www.nicox.com/assets/files/EN_NCX-470_Mont-Blanc-FPFV_PR_F.pdf)). It is being conducted principally in clinical sites in the U.S. and will include a small number of Chinese clinical sites. A second Phase 3 trial, Denali, jointly managed and equally funded by Nicox and Ocumension, is expected to start in Q4 2020. It will include clinical sites in both the U.S. and China. The two trials together are expected to be sufficient for filing NDAs in both the U.S. and China.



ZERVIATE, the first and only eye drop formulation of cetirizine for the treatment of ocular itching associated with allergic conjunctivitis : A Phase 3 clinical trial for approval in China, to be conducted and financed by Ocumension, is expected to start by Q4 2020. ZERVIATE is the first novel, topical prescription-only treatment for allergic conjunctivitis in over 10 years and is being marketed in the U.S. by partner Eyevance. It is licensed to Samil in South Korea.

: A Phase 3 clinical trial for approval in China, to be conducted and financed by Ocumension, is expected to start by Q4 2020. ZERVIATE is the first novel, topical prescription-only treatment for allergic conjunctivitis in over 10 years and is being marketed in the U.S. by partner Eyevance. It is licensed to Samil in South Korea. NCX 4251, a novel, patented, ophthalmic suspension of fluticasone propionate nanocrystals: Following an FDA meeting earlier this year, Nicox is planning a Phase 2b clinical trial which will include both blepharitis and dry eye endpoints with the option of declaring either acute exacerbations of blepharitis or dry eye endpoints as the primary outcome. Ocumension expects to initiate a Chinese Phase 2 clinical trial in blepharitis in Q2 2021 and a Phase 3 clinical trial in Q4 2022. Nicox may potentially receive over $18 million in development and sales milestones for ZERVIATE and NCX 4251, and is eligible to receive tiered royalties on Ocumension's sales of NCX 470, ZERVIATE and NCX 4251. Nicox and Ocumension expanded their collaboration on NCX 470 in March 2020 when Ocumension paid Nicox 15 million upfront in place of the milestones in the original agreement, gained additional rights to NCX 470 for Korea and South East Asia and agreed to pay 50% of the costs of the second Phase 3 clinical trial of NCX 470 in glaucoma ('Denali').



Nicox continues to closely watch the spread of COVID-19 and its impact around the world. We do not currently anticipate delays to our clinical timelines and will provide updates in due course if there is an impact on our development projects and timelines.
New Delhi: With malwares and spywares constantly on the rise, an old malware Joker seems to have again cropped up on Google, attacking Android smartphone users.

Highlighted by Check Point, their researchers recently discovered a new variant of the Joker Dropper and Premium Dialer spyware in Google Play.

Hiding in seemingly legitimate applications, we found that this updated version of Joker was able to download additional malware to the device, which subscribes the user to premium services without their knowledge or consent, the research said.

The research said that Joker has been a type of malware for Android that has several time invaded Googles official application market. This is a result of small changes to its code, which enables it to get past the Play stores security and vetting barriers, it said.

This time, however, the malicious actor behind Joker adopted an old technique from the conventional PC threat landscape and used it in the mobile app world to avoid detection by Google. To realize the ability of subscribing app users to premium services without their knowledge or consent, the Joker utilized two main components  the Notification Listener service that is part of the original application, and a dynamic dex file loaded from the C&C server to perform the registration of the user to the services,.

Check Point highlights the following 11 IOCs

com.imagecompress.android

com.contact.withme.texts

com.hmvoice.friendsms

com.relax.relaxation.androidsms

com.cheery.message.sendsms

com.cheery.message.sendsms

com.peason.lovinglovemessage

com.file.recovefiles

com.LPlocker.lockapps

com.remindme.alram

com.training.memorygame

It may be recalled that the search engine giant Google was recently learned to have struck down 25 apps for phishing on the Facebook login credentials of users.

According to the French cyber-security firm, Evina the new malware steals Facebook logins and could effectively ruin your online and offline life.

New ways of perpetrating fraud are regularly brought to the attention of our cybersecurity experts and we recently discovered new malware that steals Facebook logins. This malware could effectively ruin your online and offline life by making off with the credentials of one of your most valued pieces of digital real estate. The malware was embedded in a large number of popular apps, Evina wrote in a blog post.
Should you really put butter on a burn? No way, says this California ER doctor.

In this recent video by WIRED, emergency medicine physician Dr. Italo Brown covers some common myths about our health and explains how true they actually are.

Can you die from a broken heart? Is a migraine just a bad headache? Is vaping safe?

See the full video here.
Vietnam brings over 600 people back home from US, Russia

Vietnamese citizens wait to check in at Dulles International Airport in Washington D.C. before boarding a repatriation flight, July 9, 2020. Photo courtesy of Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Special flights arranged by the government have brought home 626 Vietnamese stranded in Covid-19 hotspots the U.S. and Russia in the last two days.

A Vietnam Airlines flight from Washington D.C. landed at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on Friday morning with 346 people, mainly seniors, children and students whose visas had expired and having no accommodation due to school closures.

All underwent medical checks before boarding, wore face masks throughout the flight and submitted health declarations. They were quarantined on arrival and their samples have been sent for testing.

This was the fourth repatriation flight from the U.S. Earlier, around 1,000 Vietnamese nationals stuck in the U.S. were brought home.

The Vietnamese embassy in the U.S. said another 13,000 people are still waiting to be repatriated. There have been no plans announced for Vietnamese students affected by President Trump's new visa rule.

Vietnam Airlines said it plans to operate three to five repatriation flights in July-August.

The U.S. is the worlds biggest Covid-19 hotspot, with over 3.2 million infections and 135,822 deaths.

On Thursday another Vietnam Airlines flight had brought 280 Vietnamese from Russia to Can Tho City in the Mekong Delta.

The passengers and crew have been quarantined in neighboring Bac Lieu Province.

The passengers traveled from Vladivostok, Ekaterinburg, Saint Petersburg, and other places to Moscow to board the flight.

Russia has the world's fourth highest number of Covid-19 cases, over 707,000, and reported 10,843 deaths.

At a government meeting late last month Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc had instructed authorities to bring home around 14,000 Vietnamese citizens from other countries.

Since late March more than 11,000 people have been brought home from various parts of the world.
Turkey cut diplomatic ties with Cyprus after the island nation was cleaved along ethnic lines in 1974 when Turkey invaded in the wake of a coup aiming at union with Greece. Only Turkey recognizes a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence and deploys more than 35,000 troops in the breakaway north.
Arrests

JULY 6

 Michael Tamaine Ross, 37, of Eufaula was arrested and charged with aggravated assault/menacing.

JULY 7

 Christopher Lee Crumpton, 35, of Ashford was arrested and charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of methamphetamine, and public intoxication.

Incident/offense reports

JULY 6

 An animal bite was reported from Chewalla Circle.

 Auto theft first degree was filed from Dudley Quarters area. A 2001 Buick LeSabre ($600) was reported stolen.

 Larceny/theft of article from auto and criminal mischief third degree were filed from State Docks Road. A 2008 BMW ($500) was reported damaged. One cell phone ($200) was reported stolen.

 Larceny/theft of article from auto and two counts of larceny/theft of property third degree ($500-less than $1,500) were filed from Eufaula Avenue. $There was 700 in cash reported stolen.
In March, when colleges began to shutter as the coronavirus spread, most studentsmyself includedthought theyd be back on campus sooner rather than later. Worst case scenario, theyd reunite with friends and professors in the fall. After all, in April, the Chronicle of Higher Education projected that over 60 percent of schools were preparing for in-person instruction in September. But as states begin to shut down once again, that worst-case scenario now looks like a pipe dream.

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As fall semester nears, more and more schools are announcing their plans, and no two are the same. Some institutions are planning for a fully on-campus semester, while others are opting to stay remote for the foreseeable future. Below is a sampling of the different strategies that colleges across the country are piecing together for the start of the 202021 academic year. [Note: Many colleges are revising their plans as the number of cases rises, so plans may have changed after publication of this piece.]

Precautions

Most four-year colleges and universities have acknowledged the necessity of face coverings if and when their students return to campus. The Catholic University of America in D.C. plans on mandating face coverings where appropriate, and Boise State is asking that its students wear masks when physical distancing isnt possible. The 12 schools of the Florida State University System will also require students to wear masks. While Georgia Tech will encourage students to wear masks, doing so will be optional (and youd be correct to assume that people are not happy).

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Most schools have also confirmed their plans to integrate contact tracing and extensive COVID-19 testing into campus reopenings. UCSan Diego hopes to test around 70 to 75 percent of its 30,000 students on a monthly basis. This ambitious goal is possible thanks to UCSan Diegos own laboratory, hospital, and test procurement team. In Michigan, Calvin University is getting 5,000 tests from a commercial laboratory, Helix Diagnostics, in order to open its 3,500-person campus for the fall semester. And down south, the University of Kentucky will ask its staff and students to check and report any COVID-19 symptoms through a technology-based application on a daily basis.

And while the vast majority of colleges and universities are working to make social distancing possible in the fall, not everyone is following CDC guidelines. UNCChapel Hill originally planned on implementing a 3-feet-apart social distancing policy, though amid rising numbers in the state, the school is now encouraging people to remain at least 6 feet apart.

Entirely Remote Instruction

To the chagrin of Zoom haters, some schools have indicated that they plan on entirely remote instruction until the end of the 2021 school year. In May, California State University announced that its 23 campuses will remain closed due to its fear of a second COVID-19 wave. Harvard University will also be completely online in the fall. Several community colleges including Sierra College, San Mateo County Community College, and Northern Virginia Community College will continue to offer predominately remote courses as well.

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But plans are seldom set in stone. Due to the resurgence of coronavirus cases in California, the University of Southern California has gone back on its original reopening plan, which would have allowed students back on campus in August for a mixture of online and in-person classes. As of July 2, undergraduate students will mostly take remote classes this fall. Hampton University in Virginia backpedaled too, announcing that classes would remain online next semester despite initially indicating that it would reopen its campus for in-person instruction.

Entirely In-Person Instruction

A few schools, many of which are religious institutions, have chosen to return to in-person instruction as soon as late August. The Central Christian College of the Bible in Missouri reasoned that it has enough space on campus to allow us to accomplish social distancing and other safety precautions as needed. Boston College is likewise planning on welcoming people back for in-person classes this fall, though it promises to accommodate students and faculty who cannot return to campus with remote learning options.

Hybrid Learning

The overwhelming majority of four-year colleges and universities are opting for hybrid learningsome classes will remain online and others will be in-person this fall. These institutions range from large public universities to small private schools and community colleges, and everyone in between.

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The decision of what will be taught online often comes down to class size or the department. Since remote learning is difficult (or even impossible) for certain subjects, Washtenaw Community College in Michigan will hold lab and studio art courses on campus with in-person instruction, with most other classes staying online. Other schools are basing whether a class happens in person or online on size. At the University of Washington, classes with 50 students or more will be taught remotely, and small classes will meet in large rooms.

To reduce crowding and lines in hallways, UW will limit its number of back-to-back classes. At the risk of infringing upon students partying hours, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University will extend classroom hours past 5 p.m. on weekdays to reduce campus traffic during typically busy times. The Catholic University of America will offer classes on Saturdays for the same reason.

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Letting Students Decide

Some institutions are leaving the decision up to their students. At Arizona State University, students can choose between three different options: ASU Immersion, where classes will be in person and on campus; ASU Sync, which will allow students to learn remotely; and iCourses, where pre-recorded lectures will be available on-demand through an online database. Other schools, like Boston University, are giving students the option to attend class in person or online. Tuition will be the same, regardless of their choice.

Tweaking Schedules

Bracing for another wave of the coronavirus, a handful of colleges and universities are splitting their semesters into two parts. That way, if the school has to close partway through, it will only disrupt half of a students course load. Other schools will welcome students back to earlier than usual, ranging from a week early to two weeks or more.

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Several schools, including the University of Pennsylvania and Michigan State University, have canceled fall breaks for fear that students will contract the coronavirus while they travel. In addition to canceling its fall break, East Carolina University has already announced that there will be no spring break in 2021.

Almost universally, institutions plan on returning to remote instruction after Thanksgiving. Most schools are following a plan similar to that of the University of Texas at Austin, which will have students move out of dorms before they leave for Thanksgiving break and institute remote classes and finals after Thanksgiving.

Reduced Capacity and New Rules in Campus Dorms

Most colleges and universities seem to be on the same page when it comes to on-campus housing and are reducing dorm room capacities. The University of Maryland is reducing quads and triples to doubles, Colorado Mountain College will provide mostly singles in its residence halls, and students at Oregon State University will either live alone or have one roommate.

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Communal bathrooms are one of the many concerns about returning to dorms. At Florida A&M, students will take scheduled showers to enforce social distancing in bathrooms. At Boston University, only three or four people will be scheduled to use bathrooms in larger residential halls at a time.

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Not surprisingly, some schools are also banning visitors from dorms. Hamilton College in New York and the University of New Mexico are among the schools prohibiting guests from entering residence halls.

And all schools are worried about what to do if any of their students fall ill while in the dorms. CUBoulder will reserve some residence halls for quarantine so that sick students can self-isolate. Syracuse University plans on transporting students who test positive for COVID-19 to isolation housing, where they will have their own bathrooms.

New Off-Campus Housing Options

Wellesley College, where almost all students live in college-owned housing, is hoping to provide some upperclassmen housing in local hotels so that they can socialize with one another even while learning remotely. According to USA Today, Duke University is taking a similar approach, offering students with off-campus housing options like hotel rooms and apartments. Northwestern and the University of Pittsburgh are among the schools also reportedly looking at hotel options.

50-50 Approach

A few schools will only allow select class years to live on campus at a time, and most of these schools are giving preference to freshmen. In D.C., American University will only offer on-campus housing to 2,300 freshmen and select sophomores. At Bowdoin College, only some studentsmostly transfer students and first yearswill be allowed to live on campus in the fall. Dartmouth College will allow over half of students to return to campus per term through the summer of 2021.

Dining Halls

Changing the way students dine on campus will be a must this fall. Some schools are implementing contactless payment methods and extended dining hall hours and disposable paperware. Many are expanding grab-and-go options. Kansas State University is reducing the number of seats in its dining halls to encourage students to practice social distancing while eating. The University of Illinois will extend its dining hall hours and plans on serving similar menus at all dining locations to prevent students from gathering at one facility over another.

Effects on Tuition

The economic ramifications of the coronavirus pandemic have devastated families across the United States, and the Department of Education hasnt made it easy for either colleges or students to adjust. While universities are not exempt from financial hardship, some are recognizing new realities through reduced tuition and fees.

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Southern New Hampshire University is accelerating its plan to reduce tuition by 61 percent by 2021. SNHU is waiving tuition for all incoming freshmen next year, citing its new Innovation Scholarship. From that point onward, they will only pay $10,000 per year. New students at Franciscan University in Ohio wont have to pay a cent this fall either. Students at Davidson College in North Carolina will have the option to defer payment for the fall 2020 semester for up to a year. And although both William & Mary and Kansas City University had adopted 3 percent tuition increases for fall 2020, they have since rescinded these plans.*

Not everyone is choosing toor canfollow suit. Most schools are keeping fees the same, regardless of plans, and some are keeping the extra feesfor computer labs, rec centers, and the likein place. But at the University of the Pacific and Brown University, students enrolled in online or hybrid programs will be exempt from recreation fees. My colleague Jordan Weissmann noted earlier this week that Harvards move to charge full tuition in the fall might be a good move for all schoolsnot just the wealthy Ivy. Others are going ahead with raises as planned. In June, Oregons Klamath Community College announced that it will up tuition by 2 percent, starting this fall. Back in May, the Board of Visitors at Virginias George Mason University approved a tuition increase of $450.

Correction, July 10, 2020: This piece originally misspelled William & Mary.
Senior TMC leader and MP Mahua Moitra came down heavily on the Uttar Pradesh government on Friday over the killing of gangster Vikas Dubey, asserting that justice is the "only thing killed" in Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's "encounter raj".

Dubey was killed in an encounter earlier in the day, after a police vehicle carrying him from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh to Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh met with an accident in the Bhaunti area of Kanpur district and he tried to flee.

"It is the job of the courts to deliver justice. It is the job of the police to deliver the accused. Shocking that India under @BJP has confused the two," Moitra said in a tweet.

"Only thing killed in Yogiji's "encounter Raj" is justice!" she added.

Dubey had allegedly masterminded the ambush in Kanpur's Bikru village, in which eight policemen, who had gone to arrest him, was killed past midnight on July 2.
The Director-General of the West Africa Health Organization (WAHO), Prof Stanley Okolo, has pointed out that much as a lot has been achieved by way of efforts to help flatten the new coronavirus pandemic curve, the scale and nature of the pandemic has exposed the stark weaknesses in health systems within the sub-region.



On the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of the health institution of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on July 9, 2020, Prof Stanley Okolo believes very pragmatic steps must be taken to win the battle against the pandemic.



In an address for the occasion, he notes that the challenges have undermined response efforts, including weaknesses in infrastructure, human resources, diagnostic and therapeutic facilities, manufacturing capacity particularly of medicines and vaccines, and deficits in the level of community engagement required to effectively tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.



He however believes that the pandemic offers the sub-region not only an insight into the shortcomings, but also an opportunity to resolve to do better, saying both the leaders and the led have had to endure the same facilities and utilise the same health resources with the obvious challenges.



We can therefore commit ourselves to break the stranglehold of poor health funding, neglect of human resources for health, and weak health systems through innovative involvement of the private sector, civil society organisations and universal community health insurance schemes.



We must rebuild trust with our populations and engage community and religious leaders in strengthening public adherence to the social distancing and personal hygiene measures critical to defeating the current pandemic. It is within our power as individuals to protect ourselves and our loved ones and rapidly contain community transmission of the virus, he said.



Prof Okolo challenged every ECOWAS citizen to make a pact with 10 friends or family to practise scrupulous personal hygiene and responsible social distancing, to never be out in public without a face mask, and to encourage each other to keep the pact during this pandemic.



You will be amazed at how quickly this pandemic will go down in your community, he affirmed.



Read the full statement below or Click to download pdf



The West Africa Health Organization (WAHO), the Health Institution of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is 33 years old today, 9 July 2020.



Since the creation of WAHO in 1987 and the appointment of the first Director General in 2000, the organization has worked closely with the Ministries of Health of the 15 Member States of ECOWAS, and with all stakeholders - partners, the private sector, civil society organizations and our communities to advance the health agenda in the region. From the improvements in national immunization programs and investments in malaria prevention strategies, through the excellent initiatives in sexual and reproductive health and rights aimed at improving demographic transition in our region, to the herculean efforts that defeated Ebola in our region, these collaborations have been the foundation of all that has gone well over the years despite the recurrent health challenges in the region.



As we mark WAHO Day this year, our region has not been spared from the COVID-19 pandemic that is ravaging the world today. The lessons of the Ebola epidemic and the support of our partners through various health security strengthening programs meant that the disease surveillance and preparedness architecture in the ECOWAS region was in a much better shape going into the Covid-19 pandemic than was the case before. All countries had set up National Public Health Institutions for coordinating public health preparedness and response to epidemics, networked regionally through WAHO and its Agency, the ECOWAS Regional Centre for Surveillance and Disease Control (RCSDC). A regional reference laboratory network had been set up with WAHO support and formalised regular Communication policies and platforms ensured there was transparency, early warnings, peer support and mutual respect and trust among Member States.



Since the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the Covid-19 infection a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, WAHO has worked tirelessly to support the region and protect our populations, coordinating communication and collaboration between Member States, and between the region and partners, whilst supporting individual Member States with critical medical supplies, diagnostic test kits, online training to build capacity, public health advisory, and targeted funding for specific activities to help flatten the curve of this pandemic. However, the scale and nature of the pandemic has exposed weaknesses in our health systems that have undermined response efforts, including weaknesses in infrastructure, human resources, diagnostic and therapeutic facilities, manufacturing capacity particularly of medicines and vaccines, and deficits in the level of community engagement required to effectively tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.



The pandemic therefore offers us both an insight into our shortcomings, but also an opportunity to resolve to do better. Both the leaders and the led have had to endure the same facilities and utilise the same health resources with the obvious challenges. We can therefore commit ourselves to break the stranglehold of poor health funding, neglect of human resources for health, and weak health systems through innovative involvement of the private sector, civil society organisations and universal community health insurance schemes. We must rebuild trust with our populations and engage community and religious leaders in strengthening public adherence to the social distancing and personal hygiene measures critical to defeating the current pandemic. It is within our power as individuals to protect ourselves and our loved ones and rapidly contain community transmission of the virus. Today, on WAHO Day, I am challenging every citizen of West Africa to make a pact with 10 of your friends or family to practise scrupulous personal hygiene and responsible social distancing, to never be out in public without a face mask, and to encourage each other to keep the pact during this pandemic. You will be amazed at how quickly this pandemic will go down in your community.



WAHO encourages governments to continue to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on vulnerable populations, to safeguard the delivery of essential health services particularly to women, children, the elderly and marginalised populations, and to reward the selfless services of all those in the frontline of fighting this pandemic  the doctors, nurses, contact tracers, laboratory, volunteers, and their families. WAHO will continue to work with the Ministers and national experts of all ECOWAS Member States, Africa Centre for Disease Control, the WHO Afro Regional Office, and with all our partners to sustain the strong collaborative efforts within the region, to all of who we are grateful for their leadership.



Finally, I would like to thank the Authorities of all ECOWAS Member States for their total and continuous support to WAHO in the discharge of its mandate of regional integration through health, and the President and Government of Burkina Faso for the cordial present and future hospitality as the Host Government of WAHO Headquarters. We have a lot of work to do, but I believe that this special Institution of ECOWAS will continue to serve the region creditably as we march from a Community of States to a Community of Peoples.



Long live ECOWAS. Long live WAHO. Long live Regional Integration.



Prof Stanley OKOLO

Director General, WHO





Source: Daily Graphic









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NEW YORK (AP)  British socialite and longtime Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell was made a scapegoat for the disgraced financier since he killed himself last summer while he was facing sex abuse charges, her lawyers said in court papers filed Friday seeking her release from jail while she awaits trial.

After Epstein was found dead in his jail cell, the media focus quickly shifted to our client - wrongly trying to substitute her for Epstein - even though shed had no contact with Epstein for more than a decade, had never been charged with a crime or been found liable in any civil litigation and has always denied any allegations of claimed misconduct, the lawyers wrote in a preview of their defense.

Ghislaine Maxwell, they added, is not Jeffrey Epstein.

Maxwell, 58, was arrested last week at a New Hampshire estate before being moved to New York City to face federal charges accusing her of helping Epstein sexually exploit young women and girls. She has been detained at a lockup in Brooklyn without bail.

Prosecutors have claimed Maxwell went into hiding months before her arrest and have labeled her an extreme risk of flight, noting that she has French, British and U.S. passports.

Her lawyers are seeking her release on $5 million bond under strict conditions including home confinement in the New York City area and electronic monitoring. She would also surrender her travel documents

The U.S. Attorneys office in Manhattan declined comment on Friday.

A judge has set a hearing for Tuesday to hear bail arguments and to arraign Maxwell on multiple charges, including that she conspired to entice girls as young as 14 to engage in illegal sex acts with Epstein from 1994 through 1997 at his homes in New York City, Florida, and New Mexico and at Maxwells residence in London.

In the court papers, lawyers cited reports of coronavirus infections spreading through federal jails as one of the reasons to free Maxwell, arguing that if she continues to be detained, her health will be at serious risk and she will not be able to receive a fair trial.

Story continues

The case for bail is also strengthened by the fact that the governments case is based primarily on the testimony of three individuals about events that allegedly occurred roughly 25 years ago, the defense papers say. It is inherently more difficult to prosecute cases relating to decades-old conduct."

The Justice Department already has taken a series of steps to maintain Maxwells safety while shes locked up at the Brooklyn jail, including ensuring that she has a roommate in her cell, that she is monitored and that someone is always with her while shes behind bars, an official familiar with the matter told The Associated Press earlier this week.

After Maxwells arrest, federal officials were so worried she might take her own life that they took away her clothes and bedsheets and made her wear paper attire while in custody, according to the official, who could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Epstein killed himself in a Manhattan jail last August while he awaited trial on federal sex trafficking charges.

___

AP writer Michael Balsamo contributed to this report.
BANGALORE, INDIA, July 10, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - In an order worth INR 120 crore, Hitachi ABB Power Grids India (listed on the stock exchanges as "ABB Power Products and Systems India Limited") will be delivering its transformers to the Government of India's electric locomotive manufacturer, Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW), for the production of 400 passenger and freight locomotive engines. Through the project, Hitachi ABB Power Grids continues to contribute to the country's mission to be the world's first net-zero carbon emitter by the end of the decade."The order from CLW is a prestigious one for Hitachi ABB Power Grids. It strengthens a two decades-long partnership with the customer and enables us to contribute further to India's mission to advance the economy in a responsible manner," said N Venu, Managing Director, Hitachi ABB Power Grids India. "Railways are the backbone of environmentally-sustainable transport and our pioneering technology will help successfully balance energy expansion with the reduction of emissions."Hitachi ABB Power Grids India is supplying transformers, which are known for their endurance. They can withstand the harshest of climate conditions and yet maximize safety as well as energy and eco-efficiency.For railways, electric energy is supplied as high voltage to the catenary feeder substations. The transformers reduce the voltage to a suitable level before feeding it to the railway catenary conductors used by locomotives. Different railway electrification systems demand different kinds of transformers.For this project, Hitachi ABB Power Grids India is delivering transformers split between the 6,531 kilo-volt- ampere (kVA) for CLW's goods locomotive engines and the 7,775 kVA for passenger. These transformers feed power to essential train functions (e.g. traction, lighting, heating and ventilation, brakes, signaling and communication). They are a critical link in the traction chain, driving train performance and operator services.About Hitachi ABB Power Grids Ltd.Hitachi ABB Power Grids is global technology leader with a combined heritage of almost 250 years, employing around 36,000 people in 90 countries. Headquartered in Switzerland, the business serves utility, industry and infrastructure customers across the value chain, and emerging areas like sustainable mobility, smart cities, energy storage and data centers. With a proven track record, global footprint and unparalleled installed base, Hitachi ABB Power Grids balances social, environmental and economic values. It is committed to powering good for a sustainable energy future, with pioneering and digital technologies, as the partner of choice for enabling a stronger, smarter and greener grid. https://www.hitachiabb-powergrids.com.Hitachi ABB Power Grids in India operates under the legal entity name ABB Power Products and Systems India Limited and is listed on the National Stock Exchange of India Limited (NSE) and BSE Limited (BSE) as POWERINDIA, Scrip code 543187.Source: Hitachi, Ltd.Copyright 2020 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
Three hazmat scenes and a total of 14 crashes over the course of nearly 10 hours plagued two interstates in Lebanon County on Wednesday, leaving one person dead, according to police. No one has confirmed how many were injured.

State police began releasing details of some of the crashes on Thursday, which showed heavy rain was a factor in at least two of the crashes while a chain reaction led to the one fatality.

Although full details havent been released, police said all of the crashes occurred on interstates 81 and 78 between the hours of 1:30 and 11 p.m.

Three of the crashes required a hazmat response, two for fuel spills and one for ground fiberglass particles, police said.

Interstate 78 was shut down at Exit 8 and Interstate 81 was closed from Exit 90/95 to Exit 80 in the north and southbound lanes. During this time, all traffic was rerouted to Route 22. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) said 81 southbound was reopened around 1:30 a.m. Thursday.

The fatal crash occurred just after 2 p.m., in the area of mile marker 86.8 southbound on Interstate 81, East Hanover Township, police said.

Read: Investigation underway as crews clear several dozen tractor-trailers from multiple crashes in Lebanon County

Heavy rain had been in the area and caused a crash a few miles south, police said, causing stopped traffic in the area.

One driver did not notice traffic slowing or stopping, police said, for unknown reasons. The driver hit another vehicle at a high speed, causing heavy damage to the front of the vehicle, police said. The driver died as a result of the crash and has not been identified.

Although the driver hit one car specifically, police said a total of six vehicles were involved in the crash, including multiple tractor-trailers.

Three minutes later, less than half a mile away, two tractor-trailers crashed in the southbound lanes near mile marker 87, police said in a separate report.

In that case, a tractor-trailer in the left lane tried to pass another second tractor-trailer but hit its trailer. The first tractor-trailer was damaged on its passenger side, police said, with damage showing a shearing type motion took place as it passed the second vehicle.

The second tractor-trailer had a damaged trailer, with portions of the first vehicles trailer embedded into a welded portion of the vehicle, police said. Neither driver was identified, but the driver trying to pass was cited with speeding, according to the report. Police said heavy rain was in the area during the time of this crash.

The final two crashes that police so far have issued reports on took place two hours later, with the first occurring at 4:18 p.m. in the southbound lanes of I-81 at mile marker 86.5, police said.

Reader Tara Santiago provided photos of two of the crashes she saw on Interstate 81 in Lebanon County on Wednesday afternoon. On the left is a crash near mile marker 86, and the right is mile marker 84.

Police again mention that heavy rain was a factor in the crash which occurred when a tractor-trailer and Kia Soul came across stopped traffic caused by another crash.

The Kia Soul moved to the shoulder and came to a complete stop, police said in the report. The tractor-trailer then attempted to brake from the right lane but hit the rear corner of the Kia Soul. There were no injuries reported in the crash and neither driver was cited.

The final crash occurred around 4:50 p.m. in the southbound lanes of Interstate 81 near mile marker 82.5, police said.

A tractor-trailer was traveling south in the right lane when traffic began to abruptly slow directly in front of it, police said. The driver slammed on the brakes and ended up jack-knifing across the road, police said.

The tractor-trailer hit an embankment on the right side of the road, police said, and came to a stop.

The vehicle sustained damage to several points on the trailer and cab, police said. There were no injuries reported and the tractor-trailer had to be towed from the scene.

These are only a handful of the crashes believed to have occurred during the time period, and so far no information has been released about the crash on Interstate 78.

Read more on PennLive:
A statue of first lady Melania Trump, sculpted by conceptual artist Ales 'Maxi' Zupevc, after it was vandalized near the first lady's hometown of Sevnica, Slovenia, on July 5, 2019. (Jure Makovec/AFP via Getty Images)

Melania Trump Statue in Slovenia Set on Fire

Vandals set fire to a statue of First Lady Melania Trump in Sevnica, Slovenia, near her hometown, on July 5, Slovenian police confirmed to CNN.

Brad Downey, an American Berlin-based artist, said Slovenian police contacted him, telling him the statuewhich he commissioned for a short documentary film in 2019had been vandalized and asked what he planned to do with it, he told CNN on Thursday.

Downey said he decided to have it removed as soon as possible and asked the local residents not to distribute pictures of the statue to prevent it from becoming a meme. The statue has been placed in storage.

He filed a police report but said he doesnt want to press chargesthough he is interested in knowing whos responsible .

I would be curious to see who did it. Someone doesnt like what it represents or how it looks, Downey said, adding that he doesnt believe the timing of the attackwhich happened on Independence Day weekend in the United Statesis a coincidence.

Downey, 39, told Reuters he wants to interview the vandals to ask why they did it for a documentary hes making thats scheduled to be released in September.

The investigation in this case has not been completed yet so we cannot reveal details due to the interest of further procedures, Slovenian police spokeswoman Alenka Drenik told Reuters.

In Slovenia, damage to property is a criminal offense, and police are regarding the vandalism as such.

In the meantime, Downey is working on an art piece he will place in the same location, as well as a video that features the media response to the original statue as well.

He said locals liked the statue and looked after it when it was there.

Theyve been nothing but supportive, Downey told CNN. They were really proud of this thing.

Reuters reported that the statue was commissioned from a folk artist in the area named Ales Maxi Zupevc, who used a chainsaw to create the statue, which used to be the trunk of a linden tree. Zupevc was born in the same hospital and the same year as the first lady.

From NTD News
WASHINGTON, July 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador recognized the Mexican businessmen who accompanied him on his tour of the United States to celebrate the entry into force of the T-MEC.

The first president stressed that he attended the dinner of his friend Donald Trump accompanied by prominent Mexican businessmen, not only because they invest, produce, and generate jobs, but also because they have a social dimension.

They are outstanding entrepreneurs because they invest and have a social dimension; they are not only thinking about becoming richer but also helping others.

Among the businessmen present at the dinner were Olegario Vazquez Aldir, CEO of Grupo Empresarial Angeles; Bernardo Gomez, executive vice president of Televisa; Carlos Slim, Honorary President of Grupo Carso; Carlos Hank Gonzalez, president of Grupo Financiero Banorte; Ricardo Salinas Pliego, President of Grupo Salinas, among others.

On his visit to Washington, Vazquez Aldir said that it was a great honor to accompany President Lopez Obrador. Through his Twitter account, he wrote: "It is a great honor for me to accompany President @lopezobrador_ in his visit to President Trump @POTUS. "This meeting will serve to unite the two countries even more. Mexico and the United States together are stronger."

Steel business people from the United States expressed their optimism for expanding in Mexico. Sempra revealed the beginning of a gas factory project, expected to be built in Baja California.

SOURCE Olegario Vazquez Aldir
KALAMAZOO, MI -- Parents will have choice in their childrens education at Kalamazoo Public Schools this fall in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

KPS Superintendent Rita Raichoudhuri said the district plans to offer a completely virtual learning model and hopes to hold in-person classes in the fall, allowing parents to choose what they feel is best for their families.

Presenting to the school board Thursday, July 9, Raichoudhuri said the district is committed to safety, parental choice, an equitable approach and quality instruction.

There are still many unknowns, Raichoudhuri said. What we do know is that the upcoming school year will be like no other school year in history. We will need to be flexible, creative and responsive.

In preparing for fall, Raichoudhuri said the district will offer a new and improved online learning model for any family that feels safer keeping their children at home, regardless of whether they have any health conditions. Students who opt for online learning will not jeopardize their eligibility for The Kalamazoo Promise, Raichoudhuri said.

The district also plans to launch a new website that will be easier for families to navigate, she said.

Related: Kalamazoo schools seek parent input on reopening this fall

Also during Thursdays meeting, the board approved a $190,200 purchase for disposable masks to be used for in-person learning in the district. This will provide 500,000 disposable masks for both staff and students, which is enough for about two months, said Gary Start, deputy superintendent of business and finance.

The district will also need additional cleaning supplies and staff to accommodate in-person learning, he said.

Raichoudhuri said the district will continue surveying families on their preferred approach to school and encouraged parents to complete the surveys. She will launch another round of phone surveys Friday, July 10, to gather more input from families.

Were continuing to plan knowing that we may have to take a left turn here and a right turn here and step backwards here because not everything that we need to do thorough planning has been provided to us yet, Raichoudhuri said.

Administrators hope to finalize their reopening plan by Aug. 3 in preparation for school beginning on Aug. 31, though a resurgence of coronavirus could change those plans, the superintendent said. The board is expected to vote on this plan on Aug. 13, she said.

In 12 community sessions held to gather input from stakeholders on how to approach school this fall, Raichoudhuri heard from many parents with a variety of opinions and needs, she said.

Some parents said they need to return to work and cant keep their children at home while others said they wouldnt send their children back to school without a vaccine. But what parents could agree on was that the pandemic and closing of schools was difficult for every family.

Spring was hard for everyone, Raichoudhuri said. With social isolation, food scarcity and parental unemployment, the pandemic has destabilized many kids and families support systems and has been genuinely traumatic.

Board member Jermaine Jackson said he appreciated the districts approach to offer choice for parents and families. He said school this fall wont be one size fits all.

Jackson expressed concern about the rising number of cases in Michigan and the uncertainty of the future.

Raichoudhuri said another roadblock in the way of planning for the fall is the recent warning from the U.S. Department of Education about withholding federal funds for districts or entire states who do not reopen in-person school this fall.

The superintendent said she hoped this wouldnt apply to KPS because they do plan to offer in-person classes. Districts could be forced to decide between state and federal mandate if the coronavirus cases continue to increase and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer reissues restrictions on schools keeping their doors closed, she said.

Related: Michigan sues U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos over school coronavirus funds

The district knows both that students should be in school with their peers and teachers but that the threat of the virus is still very real, President Patti Sholler-Barber said.

This will be a very difficult decision, she said.

Sholler-Barber expressed frustration about the contradictory guidance from state and federal leaders.

This is dastardly that this has become political, she said. This is not right at all.

Also on MLive:

Kalamazoo school board approves $7.4M in budget cuts

Former Kalamazoo football player catches 3-year-old dropped from burning building

5 questions answered by Western Michigan about students return to campus in the fall

36 teachers face possible lay offs at Portage Public Schools

Parents want children back in class in Kent County, survey says
By Express News Service

KOCHI: A special squad of Railway Police Force (RPF), Ernakulam, on Thursday arrested five persons for stealing the railways property from its Kathrikadavu yard.Thammanam natives Razak, 48, Nazar K K, 48, Salam T K, 33, and Jamal, 42, besides Dhanesh, 46, of Paravoor, were arrested for stealing CST-9 plates, used to fix railway tracks.

While the others stole the CST-9 plates on different dates, Jamal, who runs a scrap shop near Palakkamugal Masjid at Kalamassery, and his friend Hassanaar bought the stolen items. Hassanaar, an accused in a similar case, is absconding. The goods vehicle they used to transport the stolen plates has been seized, said T S Gopakumar, assistant commissioner, RPF, Ernakulam.

He said based on the information provided by the accused during interrogation, RPF officials searched Jamals scrap shop and seized `1.98 lakh he earned by selling the plates. The accused were produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, Ernakulam, which remanded them in 14-day judicial custody, Gopakumar said. The probe had been launched based on a complaint lodged by a senior section engineer of the railways earlier this month saying 451 CST-9 plates were stolen from the yard.
Technavio has been monitoring the hypercar market and it is poised to grow by 2,690 units during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of almost 38% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200710005192/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Hypercar Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Latest Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact

The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings plc, Daimler AG, Ferrari NV, Koenigsegg Automotive AB, McLaren Group Ltd., Pagani Automobili Spa, Rimac Automobili, Toyota Motor Corp., Volkswagen AG, and Zenvo Automotive AS. are some of the major market participants. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

An increase in racing events has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market.

Hypercar Market 2020-2024: Segmentation

Hypercar Market is segmented as below:

Type Gasoline Hybrid/electric

Geographic Landscape APAC EMEA The Americas



To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR40811

Hypercar Market 2020-2024: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our hypercar market report covers the following areas:

Hypercar Market size

Hypercar Market trends

Hypercar Market industry analysis

This study identifies the adoption if of AI for the development of autonomous hypercars as one of the prime reasons driving the hypercar market growth during the next few years.

Hypercar Market 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the hypercar market, including some of the vendors such as Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings plc, Daimler AG, Ferrari NV, Koenigsegg Automotive AB, McLaren Group Ltd., Pagani Automobili Spa, Rimac Automobili, Toyota Motor Corp., Volkswagen AG, and Zenvo Automotive AS. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the hypercar market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

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Hypercar Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024

Detailed information on factors that will assist hypercar market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the hypercar market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the hypercar market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of hypercar market vendors

Table Of Contents :

PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT

2.1 Preface

2.2 Currency conversion rates for US$

PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE

Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

Value chain analysis

Market segmentation analysis

PART 04: MARKET SIZING

Market definition

Market sizing 2019

Market outlook

Market size and forecast 2019-2024

PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

PART 06: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE

PART 07: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

EMEA Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Americas Market size and forecast 2019-2024

APAC Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Key leading countries

Market opportunity

PART 08: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY POWERTRAIN TYPE

Market segmentation by powertrain type

Comparison by powertrain type

Gasoline Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Hybrid/electric Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by powertrain type

PART 09: DECISION FRAMEWORK

PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES

Market drivers

Market challenges

PART 11: MARKET TRENDS

Introduction of new hypercars

Use of AI for the development of autonomous hypercars

Emergence of electric hypercars

PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE

Overview

Landscape disruption

Competitive scenario

PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings plc

Daimler AG

Ferrari NV

Koenigsegg Automotive AB

McLaren Group Ltd.

Pagani Automobili Spa

Rimac Automobili

Toyota Motor Corp.

Volkswagen AG

Zenvo Automotive AS

PART 14: APPENDIX

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

Definition of market positioning of vendors

PART 15: EXPLORE TECHNAVIO

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200710005192/en/

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A joint team of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), State Task Force (STF), Bihar and Bihar Police personnel late at night on Thursday gunned down four members of the outlawed Communist Party of India (CPI) (Maoist) in an encounter under the jurisdiction of Laukariya police station in Bihars West Champaran district.

Two security personnel were also injured the exchange of fire.

Acting on a tip-off about the presence of the Maoist rebels in the dense forests of Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR), a team of the security personnel raided Charpaniya Done area, police officials said.

The Left-wing extremists were caught unawares and resorted to indiscriminate firing. The security personnel retaliated and four rebels were killed in the encounter, said a police official, requesting anonymity.

Lalan Mohan Prasad, deputy inspector-general of police (DIG), Champaran range, said the security personnel also recovered three self-loading rifles (SLRs) and an automatic Kalashnikov (AK)-56 from the encounter spot.

Efforts are on to establish the identity of the slain Maoist rebels, the DIG said.
WASHINGTON - A Canadian cabinet minister was among the guests waiting in the virtual wings of a recent Zoom panel when the moderator posed one last question to the chairman of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee, promising the discussion would move to Canada next.

Rep. Adam Schiff couldnt resist: We may all be moving to Canada soon, he deadpanned.

But as a resurgent COVID-19 ravages the U.S., fuelled by cavalier openings in states like Florida and Texas and a White House determined to resurrect the economy at all costs, the red-alert status spreading across the continents lower half has more Canadians than ever ignoring Americas increasingly persistent knock.

An online poll by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies released this week found a whopping 86 per cent of respondents in Canada opposed to letting U.S. tourists north of the border, compared with 11 per cent who supported it. An Abacus Data poll out Friday found much the same thing.

And when Rep. Brian Higgins, a New York Democrat, updated his bipartisan call for a plan to reopen the border, the ensuing Twitter barrage of sarcasm, satire and outright anger belied Canadas reputation as a bastion of civility, replete with memes of building walls, slamming doors and Bugs Bunny taking a handsaw to the 49th parallel.

Higgins took it all in stride.

I dont blame them for wanting us out of there, the congressman said Friday of the Canadian reaction.

I have an obligation to be honest, and I have an obligation to always keep trying. And if anything, what I hope will come from all of this is an appreciation for the tale of two neighbouring countries response to COVID-19: Americas has been deplorable, and the Canadian response has been fast, strong and united.

When the outbreak first took hold in North America in March, Canada and the U.S. agreed to close their shared border to discretionary travel while allowing the movement of goods and essential workers to continue. That initial 30-day agreement has been extended three times now, and will surely be extended again before its next July 21 expiry date.

Since March, the U.S. has seen more than 3 million cases and 133,000 deaths, and the crisis is accelerating in states across the union. Florida is breaking records daily for new COVID-19 cases and deaths. In Arizona and Texas, one in four tests is coming back positive. Further north, states like Wisconsin and Michigan are seeing fresh spikes in their active caseloads. Hospitals are again rapidly nearing capacity.

In their letter last week to acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf and Canadas Public Safety Minister Bill Blair, Higgins and 27 other members of Congress, Democrat and Republican alike, urged the two countries to stop kicking the can down the road and draft a detailed plan for the gradual reopening of the border.

The continual 30-day extensions without a plan for how restrictions will be modified prolongs uncertainty for both communities and creates unnecessary tension as we approach each new expiration, they wrote.

We are asking that the United States and Canada immediately craft a comprehensive framework for phased reopening of the border based on objective metrics and accounting for the varied circumstances across border regions.

That doesnt mean throwing open the border to Americans, Higgins said. But it could mean redefining essential travel to include foreign property owners and people with business interests or family members on the other side, provided they wear masks and practice physical distancing.

Never in our lifetime have we had a situation where the health of you and your family is dependent on your fellow citizens to do the right thing, he said.

A phased opening could expand the category of essential traveller, but (include) certifying some way that you are adhering to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions protocol as it relates to stopping the spread of COVID-19.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford, a pro-trade conservative and longtime champion of Canada-U.S. ties, has been among those urging zero tolerance at the border until the crisis in the U.S. has passed  a position spokeswoman Ivana Yelich reiterated Friday.

The premier has been clear: the border must remain closed to non-essential travel until the U.S. has made significant progress in containing COVID-19, Yelich said. The recent spike in the number of COVID cases in the U.S. is very concerning. As such, the premier will continue to support restrictions at the U.S. border beyond the July 21 deadline.

The worsening public health situation in the U.S. has not diminished the importance of cross-border business travel, including face-to-face meetings or technical on-site visits, to the health of Canadas economy, said Mark Agnew, director of international policy with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

Despite the best efforts of both countries, the current border measures have been confusing for some, causing stress and delays even for those who have work permits that allow them to cross, Agnew said.

It would be helpful for the government to set out the circumstances under which border measures will start to normalize, to enable companies to plan.

Despite the political challenges the U.S. outbreak now poses for the federal Liberal government in Canada, its past time to start thinking about how to ease the border restrictions, said Laurie Trautman, director of the Border Policy Research Institute at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Wash.

There is an immediate need to be more thoughtful and strategic about how our countries go about doing that, Trautman said, floating the idea of wider family exemptions and allowing homeowners to visit their foreign properties.

In northern Washington state, law enforcement is growing concerned about the challenge of protecting vacant homes owned by Canadians, she added.

Grandparents should be able to see their grandkids, Trautman said. Exempting these two groups from the restrictions would not open up the floodgates and seem reasonable and empathetic to me.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 10, 2020.

 Follow James McCarten on Twitter @CdnPressStyle
By PTI

KOLKATA: The West Bengal tourism department has reopened at least 10 of its facilities in different parts of the state, even as the travel industry reels under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, an official said on Friday.

Among those opened to the public are the Morgan House tourist lodge in Kalimpong in North Bengal and a property in the seaside resort town of Digha, the tourism department official said.

"Out of 34 tourist lodges spread across the state, at least 10 have been reopened," he said.

All care is being taken to ensure safety of tourists in the present pandemic situation with sanitisation of every room after check-out of guests, the official said.

"In order to maintain social distancing, food is served in rooms only and not at the in-house restaurants," he said.

Online bookings can be made from the West Bengal tourism website.

The other places where the tourist lodges have been reopened are Bishnupur, Maithon, Diamond Harbour, Tilabari, Rangabitan in Shantiniketan, Bakkhali, Jhargram and Malancha, the official said.

Raj Basu, Convenor of Association for Conservation and Tourism, said thousands of people related to the tourism business are suffering in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

"It is not only those in the hotel and resort business, but the drivers of tourist vehicles, guides and many others are out of work," he said.

Basu said that though some facilities have reopened in north Bengal, inflow of tourists is yet to pick up.

Lack of regular train services is also a hindrance to movement of tourists, he added.
Ben Affleck has been showering his girlfriend Ana de Armas with gifts, aside from the usual diamonds and fancy holidays.

To keep their relationship fun and interesting, the couple will soon have their new go-to destination.

According to Heat, the 47-year-old is buying a piece of land for their couple retreats.

"Ben's really taking his super generous streak to the next level," a source told the publication. "He wants to invest in an island paradise for him and Ana to escape to from time to time."

The tipster revealed that Affleck is planning to build a house there, and he intends to choose only the best interiors "that money can buy and everything she could ever want, including a private dock with a yacht."

The dad of three will reportedly involve the "Knives Out" actress in all of the planning stages.

The source added that Affleck's people have already reached out to realtors in different locations, and they're sending him the most expensive options.

"The coast of Hawaii, Canada, South, Central America, and the Bahamas. These places range in price from the high hundreds of thousands to tens of millions."

Luckily, the price doesn't bother the "Justice League" actor, as "There's nothing he wouldn't do for the woman he loves."

Ben Affleck's grand gesture is said to be inspired by the couple's love for traveling, since getting together early this year.

The couple loved Cuba, de Armas' native, Costa Rica, and Savanna, Georgia.

Though Affleck and de Armas' getaway may be far from civilization, the isolation won't face the 32-year-old star or the Oscar-winning actor.

"All their alone time together is what spurred Ben to do this," the source shared.

However, Gossip Cop looked into the rumor and confirmed that there's no truth to the story.

According to a representative of Ben Affleck, the story is not true and has laughed off the article.

The spokesperson added that there was no truth to the claim that Ben Affleck was buying Ana de Armas an island.

A few months into their relationship, the couple has been spotted numerous times where they look like they are in high spirits.

In June, de Armas, Affleck, and his kids jetted off on vacation together as spotted by Page Six.

The couple was first spotted making out on a romantic trip to Cuba, where fans spotted the pair packing on the PDA in the security line at Havana airport before boarding their private jet.

At that time, the media speculated that "they are definitely dating."

Though there has been no confirmation from either Ben Affleck or Ana de Armas, the couple has been photographed numerous times where they held hands, kissed, and just looked so in love with each other.

This has been the first relationship Ben Affleck has been ever since he and ex-wife Jennifer Garner divorced years ago.

Affleck also had some inner demons to fight while going through with their divorce, but these days, the actor seems to be doing okay.

Maybe it's all thanks to Ana de Armas.

READ MORE: Johnny Depp Exposed Himself? Actor Said Upbringing Made Him Want to 'Fix' Women
KENT COUNTY, MI -- With coronavirus cases already on the rise in Kent County, health leaders are concerned about a possible upcoming spike from Independence Day activities.

I think another week from now and we should know what the July 4th holiday is going to mean for our numbers, Kent County Health Director Adam London said.

Hes hopeful there will be little impact. The main concern is from people gathering socially in large numbers and not wearing masks.

Kent Countys coronavirus numbers already are trending in the wrong direction, as are other parts of the state to a lesser extent.

On Thursday, July 9, the countys daily new cases reached 106, marking the second time in a week the daily cases topped 100. The Thursday total was about one-fourth of the states cases for that day.

State health leaders decided the recent developments warranted placing the Grand Rapids region in a high risk category for coronavirus control. Other regions of the state, including the Detroit region, also saw their risk levels increase, according to the MI Safe Start Map.

The map is not directly connected to Gov. Gretchen Whitmers economic reopening plan and most of the Lower Peninsula remains at level four of that plan.

Kent County now has recorded 5,120 cases of COVID-19 and 134 deaths.

During the last week, Kent County had an average of 68.5 cases per day. Thats up from the previous weeks daily average of 43.4 cases per day.

Related: Michigan reports 446 new coronavirus cases, 9 new deaths

London said that, on average, more than 1,700 COVID-19 tests are being conducted each day in Kent County. Thats up from just a few hundred in the beginning weeks of the pandemic and even 800-1,000 cases in much of June.

The countys positivity rate has inched up slightly from 3.7 percent to 4.1 percent, he said.

London said its difficult to determine why cases are climbing again. In mid-June, the county had many days with daily totals in the teens and 20s.

I think, outside of Southeast Michigan, West Michigan has the second largest population in the state. Its possible our cases have just been spread out more instead of happening all at once, he said.

He believes some of the recent daily spikes in cases can be attributed to backups at labs. Labs have been overwhelmed by demand from southern U.S. states now seeing dramatic upward swings in cases and London thinks some daily results may have tests from other days lumped in.

Still, the recent trend is cause for concern. He urges people not to become careless about wearing masks and practicing social distancing.

Its clear were seeing an increase. We just dont really know how big of a deal its going to be yet, he said.

COVID-19 PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

Read more on MLive:

Seeing beefed up prices at Michigan grocery stores and restaurants? Heres why

Should high school spring and fall sports seasons flip? Coaches weigh in

Grand Rapids downgraded to high risk for coronavirus control, other regions also drop

Michigan sees largest one-day coronavirus case increase in 7 weeks
A crucial meeting of Nepal's ruling communist party to decide the political future of embattled Prime Minister was on Friday postponed once again, this time for a week, citing floods in the country, amidst calls for his resignation over his style of functioning and anti-India statements.

The meeting of the Communist Party's 45-member powerful Standing Committee was scheduled to be held on Friday.

The meeting was called off as the party is engaged in carrying out rescue and relief works, and minimising further loss due to landslides and floods across the country, My Republica newspaper quoted NCP spokesperson Narayan Kaji Shrestha as saying.

At least two people, including a child, were killed while 18 others went missing as several houses were swept away by floods triggered by incessant rain in Nepal's Sindhupalchowk district on Thursday.

It is the fifth time that the NCP meeting has been postponed. On Wednesday the meeting was postponed to Friday.

Top NCP leaders, including former prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', have demanded Prime Minister Oli's resignation, saying his recent anti-India remarks were "neither politically correct nor diplomatically appropriate."



The differences between the two factions of the NCP -- one led by Oli and the other led by party's executive chairman 'Prachanda' on the issue of power-sharing has recently intensified after the prime minister unilaterally decided to prorogue the budget session of Parliament.

(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.)
London, July 10 : "Significant divergences" remain between the European Union (EU) and the UK on a post-Brexit trade deal following three-days informal talks in London, the bloc's chief negotiator Michel Barnier has said.

Taking to Twitter on Thursday night, Barnier said: "This week's discussions confirm that significant divergences remain between the EU and UK. We will continue working with patience, respect and determination.

"Regardless of the outcome, there will be inevitable changes on 1/1/21." Both sides had agreed to "intensify" negotiations last month and held the first face-to-face talks since the coronavirus pandemic at the beginning of July, reports the BBC.

If they are unable to reach a deal by the end of the transition period at the end of the year, the UK will leave the EU's single market and the customs union without any agreement on future access.

The UK has ruled out extending the December deadline to reach a deal.

On Wednesday, Barnier said the discussions had been "useful" and the team was "negotiating in good faith".

He said they were "working hard for a fair agreement" with the UK, including on fisheries and the "level playing field" arrangements designed to prevent the UK undercutting the EU by lowering standards and increasing state subsidies.

The two sides have been deadlocked over the issue of fishing rights - an area where they had previously pledged to find agreement by last month, said the BBC report.

The EU wants to uphold its existing access to British waters for vessels from member states, to avoid economic disruption for their fishermen.

But the UK wants to hold annual talks with the bloc over access to its waters, as it currently does with nations such as Norway.

Meanwhile, European Commission spokesman Daniel Farrie told reporters they were "working hard to overcome the significant divergences that remain between us".

"Meetings will continue in Brussels next week and the next round of negotiations will take place in the week of 20 July in London," he said.

According to the Downing Street, the UK's Brexit negotiator David Frost will travel to Brussels for further discussions next week before formal negotiations resume in London in about a week's time.
CARACAS, Venezuela - Venezuelan socialist party chief Diosdado Cabello revealed Thursday that he has tested positive for COVID-19, making him the highest-ranking leader in the distressed South American nation thus far to come down with the virus.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/7/2020 (558 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FILE - In this Jan. 24, 2019 file photo, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, right, speaks with Constitutional Assembly President Diosdado Cabello at the Supreme Court during an annual ceremony that marks the start of the judicial year in Caracas, Venezuela. On Thursday, March 26, 2020, the U.S. Justice Department made public it has charged in several indictments against Maduro and his inner circle, including Cabello, that the leader has effectively converted Venezuela into a criminal enterprise at the service of drug traffickers and terrorist groups as he and his allies stole billions from the South American country. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos, File)

CARACAS, Venezuela - Venezuelan socialist party chief Diosdado Cabello revealed Thursday that he has tested positive for COVID-19, making him the highest-ranking leader in the distressed South American nation thus far to come down with the virus.

Cabello is considered the second-most powerful person in Venezuela after President Nicolas Maduro and made the announcement on Twitter, stating that he is isolated, getting treatment and will overcome the illness.

We will win! he wrote in conclusion.

Venezuela is considered one of the worlds least prepared countries to confront the pandemic. Hospitals are routinely short on basic supplies like water, electricity and medicine. The nation has registered considerably fewer COVID-19 cases than others in the region, though the number of infections has grown in recent weeks.

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As of Wednesday, officials had reported 8,010 confirmed cases and 75 deaths.

Cabello was last seen Tuesday, when he met with South Africas ambassador, Joseph Nkosi. Photographs released by the government showed him standing alongside and bumping fists with the envoy while wearing a black mask.

The 57-year-old politician is head of the National Constituent Assembly, an all-powerful legislative body created by Maduros government in 2017.

He had missed his weekly television program Wednesday, stating at the time that he was fighting against a strong allergy and resting.

Maduro said in a broadcast Thursday that Cabellos diagnosis was confirmed with a molecular exam  a test that is usually conducted with a nasal swab sample. Venezuela has done far fewer of these tests than neighbouring countries, instead largely deploying rapid blood antibody tests. Some experts fear that relying so heavily on the rapid tests, which dont detect signs of illness early in an infection, means cases are being missed.

Venezuela is with Diosdado, Maduro said. I am sure soon enough we will continue on in this fight.
New Delhi, July 10 : Indias auto component sectors revenues are estimated to decline by 14-18 per cent in FY2021, driven by weak demand across domestic OEMs, replacement market and exports, rating agency ICRA said on Friday.

Accordingly, the agency said the industry has been affected by the pandemic and continuing lockdowns which is directly impacting the economic environment and consumer sentiments.

"The exceptions are mission critical replacement components like batteries and tyres will be less impacted," the agency said in a research report.

Besides, it expects the recovery to be gradual and slow-paced, with the industry pinning hopes on revival in rural income to support growth in the festive season and thereafter.

According to the report, automobile volumes are expected to decline by 15-16 per cent in FY2021; within this passenger vehicle demand will decline by 22 to 25 per cent.

"The year will be tough for the commercial vehicles too, given the slowing economic growth, current overcapacity in the CV space and tight financing environment amidst price increases due to transition to BS-VI emission norms," the report said.

"However, two-wheeler sales could benefit as people prefer personal transport and are wary of public transport, easy retail credit availability; and expectations of better demand in rural and semi urban markets, which were relatively less impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and resulting restrictions," it said.

ICRA noted that the aftermarket performance during FY2020 was impacted due to continued credit crunch across the channel inventory, tight financing environment and overall economic slowdown leading to lower vehicle movement.

"Further, nearly 45 days of sales were lost in Q1FY2021 because of lockdown; the weakness was felt for the rest of Q1 FY2021," the report said.

"The liquidity in the market is tight and consolidation in the aftermarket space, with some smaller retailers facing insolvency is expected. Overall, FY2021 is expected to be sluggish for the aftermarket," it added.

As per the report, exports too will be affected due to fall in European PV sales in CY2020 as a result of demand squeeze caused by weakening macro-economic scenario; and partly due to the pandemic.

"The European HCV demand too will remain subdued in the near term due to the on-going global slowdown. Vehicle sales in the USA are also expected to decline in CY2020 due to pandemic, in addition to several incumbent factors," the report said.

"The sales of North American Class 8 truck orders plummeted in the last three months, hitting the lowest monthly order levels since 2010," it added.

On a positive note, the report cited the accommodative commodity prices will buffer the impact of negative operating leverage to an extent.

Commodity prices across all commodities are expected to remain soft in FY2021.

"The factors that will negatively impact commodity prices are domestic demand uncertainty, with weak auto and infrastructure outlook and pandemic effect," the report said.

Additionally, the rating agency said that given the steep pressure on profitability and cash flows, incremental capex has come to standstill with the focus being only on absolutely necessary capex for maintenance and confirmed order related investments.

"The industry is likely to witness an 40 per cent Y-o-Y decline in capex or investment during FY2021, with capex for auto ancillaries expected to fall below 5 per cent of revenues for the first time in last 10 years," the report said.
PHOENIX (AP)  International students worried about a new immigration policy that could potentially cost them their visas say they feel stuck between being unnecessarily exposed during the coronavirus pandemic and being able to finish their studies in America.

Students from countries as diverse as India, China and Brazil told The Associated Press they are scrambling to devise plans after federal immigration authorities notified colleges this week that international students must leave the U.S. or transfer to another college if their schools operate entirely online this fall.

Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology filed a lawsuit this week to block the decision, and now California has become the first state to seek an injunction against enforcing the new visa policy.

"Shame on the Trump Administration for risking not only the education opportunities for students who earned the chance to go to college, but now their health and well-being as well," California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said Thursday.

Some said they may return home, or move to nearby Canada.

"I'm generating research, I'm doing work in a great economy," said Batuhan Mekiker, a Ph.D. student from Turkey studying computer science at Montana State University in Bozeman. He's in the third year of a five-year program.

"If I go to Turkey, I would not have that," he said. "I would like to be somewhere where my talent is appreciated."

Mathias, a Seattle-based student who spoke on condition his last name not be used for fear of losing his immigration status, said he is set to sell his car, break his lease, and get his cat Louis permission to fly back to his home in Paris in the next two weeks.

"Everyone's very worried," he said. "We have our whole lives here."

Many American universities have come to depend on the revenue from more than 1 million international students, who typically pay higher tuition. President Donald Trump has insisted they return to in-person instruction as soon as possible, alleging that schools are being kept closed to harm the economy and make him look bad.

The guidance was released the same day Harvard announced it would keep all undergraduate classes online this fall. Harvard said the new Trump directive would prevent many of its 5,000 international students from remaining in the U.S.

FILE - In this Aug. 13, 2019, file photo, pedestrians walk through the gates of Harvard Yard at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday, July 8, 2020, challenging the Trump administration's decision to bar international students from staying in the U.S. if they take classes entirely online this fall. Some institutions, including Harvard, have announced that all instruction will be offered remotely in the fall during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)AP

The University of Southern California sent a letter to students and faculty, saying it is "deeply troubled" and that the "the policy could negatively impact countless international students."

Like other universities, USC said it was pushing back and working to ensure students' academic careers aren't harmed, while exploring ways for students to safely study in person if they wish.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said the directive could inflict "significant harm" on colleges, students, the business community and the economy.

A U.S. State Department press release said the policy "provides greater flexibility for non-immigrant students to continue their education in the United States, while also allowing for proper social distancing on open and operating campuses."

A day after Harvard sued, the university notified the court that immigration authorities appear to be already enforcing the policy. A lawyer for Harvard urged the judge to suspend the rule, saying that a first-year student from Belarus was turned away from his flight at a Minsk airport. There is another hearing Friday.

"This is very dangerous and cruel," said Jessie Peng, a Chinese graduate student in analytics at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology.

"We have nowhere to go," said Peng, 27. "Either risk our lives and go to school or we risk our lives flying back to China."

Jasdeep Mandia, a doctoral candidate from India studying economics at Arizona State University, said he has breathing problems that could worsen if he gets sick from COVID-19.

Mandia, 35, originally planned to conduct all his fall studies online. He says the Trump directive puts the shaky standing of international students on display.

"It has never been a level playing field," he said. "But this makes it more apparent."

Natalia Afonso, a Brooklyn College student from Brazil, said she hopes the school will adopt a hybrid model of remote and in-person classes  but she fears riding the subway to campus could increase her chances of catching the virus.

"I don't see myself moving back to Brazil at this point," said the 27-year-old, who is studying education and just finished her first semester. "It's very unfair."

By SUMAN NAISHADHAM, CHEYANNE MUMPHREY and HILARY POWELL, The Associated Press

More:

Mandatory face masks, online-only options: What schools could look like in the fall

School districts race against the clock, coronavirus and Trumps tweets to plan reopening

A new study shows who is most at risk of dying if they have the coronavirus: Report
Father and sons in Florida allegedly posed as church people in the state, sold 'drinking' bleach products as a 'miracle' cure for COVID-19. They gained a profit of over $100,000 in a month since March. But the business had gone too far when authorities charged them with fraud and handling of mislabeled drugs.

Fake Church people that sold 'miracle bleach' now arrested

On Thursday, July 9, CBS News reported a family of father and sons that sold an illegal drug that said to cure Coronavirus in the body.

Southern District of Florida charged Mark Grenon and his three sons - Jonathan, Jordon, and Joseph-- of cases such as conspiracy to defraud the United States and distributing mislabeled drugs. This was after the father and sons from Florida decided to sell a fake COVID-19 cure through a fake church they created.

"They sold this dangerous product under the guise of Genesis II Church of Health and Healing ("Genesis"), an entity they allegedly created in an attempt to avoid government regulation of MMS," according to a statement.

According to the filed case, the Grenons allegedly sold the bleach product called 'Miracle Mineral Solution' or MMS. This product is a dangerous substance that could kill anyone by taking or drinking it.

"Not only is this MMS product toxic, but its distribution and use may prevent those who are sick from receiving the legitimate healthcare they need. A United States District Court already has ordered the defendants to stop distributing this product; we will not sit idly by as individuals purposefully violate Court orders and put the public in danger," Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, said in the statement.

The Federal officials first warned the family to stop selling dangerous products. However, the Grenons allegedly still continued their business despite the first warnings.

The report says that the Grenons earned a profit of about $123,000 from selling the products. The family already earned nearly $500,000 from its past businesses of selling illegal potions.

Is it safe to take bleach as a COVID-19 cure?

No studies claim that bleach can cure COVID-19 or any diseases in a human body. Bleach taking, drinking, and such actions are not suggested by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

However, CDC, via Forbes, reported that there's an estimated 19% of Americans cleaning their food by spraying or putting bleach products to their meals. Worse, even 4% of people directly drink bleach and other cleaning products to clean themselves from viruses like SARS-CoV-2.

On a more serious note, don't drink bleach people!





 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
By Jan Wolfe

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The judge hearing the criminal prosecution against U.S. President Donald Trump's former adviser Michael Flynn on Thursday asked an appeals court to reconsider a recent decision dismissing the case.

U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan asked the entire U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to review the June 24 decision that directed him to drop the Flynn case.

The Justice Department sought to dismiss the case against Flynn, Trump's first national security adviser, following pressure from Trump and his allies, leading to criticism that Attorney General William Barr was using his office to help the president's friends.

Sullivan refused to immediately sign off on the dismissal, instead appointing a retired judge to argue in favor of denying the Justice Department's request.

Sullivan has said he cannot serve as a rubber stamp and must carefully review the dismissal request.

In a 2-1 decision issued last month, a three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit directed Sullivan to grant the department's motion to clear Flynn, who twice pleaded guilty.

This is plainly not the rare case where further judicial inquiry is warranted, Judge Neomi Rao, a Trump appointee, wrote for the court, adding that Sullivan had intruded on "the executive branchs exclusive prosecutorial power."

Sullivans attorneys told the appeals court the panel decision marked a dramatic break from precedent that threatens to turn ordinary judicial process upside down.

Flynn, a retired Army lieutenant general, was one of several former Trump aides charged under former Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation that detailed Moscows interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Flynn twice pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his conversations with Russias then-ambassador, Sergey Kislyak.

He then switched lawyers to pursue a new scorched-earth tactic that accused the FBI of entrapping him, and asked the judge to dismiss the charge.

(Reporting by Jan Wolfe; Editing by Leslie Adler, Richard Chang and Tom Brown)
Malaysia police summoned six Al Jazeera media workers for questioning relating to an investigation for defamation and violation of Malaysias Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA). The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its Australian affiliate the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) authorities to drop the case against Al Jazeera immediately.

The IFJ received reports six media workers were called to Malaysia Central Police Headquarter in Bukit Aman at around 8:50 am (GMT+8) on July 10. They include senior producer and correspondent Drew Ambrose, producer Jenni Henderson, and the networks bureau chief, executive producer, cameraman, and digital crew. According to MEAA, five of the six media workers are Australian. The investigation relates to allegations against Al Jazeera for sedition, defamation and violation of the countrys Communications and Multimedia Act after airing Al Jazeeras 101 East documentary Locked Up in Malaysias Lockdown that investigated why the Covid-19 pandemic has forced migrant workers into hiding.

In its statement, Al Jazeera strongly refutes the charges, which criticized the documentary as being inaccurate, misleading and unfair. The network stands by the professionalism, quality and impartiality of its journalism. Al Jazeera emphasised the episode does not contain the personal opinions of any its staff, stating the network repeatedly requested and was denied interviews with several senior government ministers and officials.

Malaysias CMA is routinely abused targetting journalists despite the Communication and Multimedia ministers commitment to review the acts restrictions on press freedom. Since March 2020, the IFJ has recovered 19 instances of authorities enforcing the CMA to intimidate media workers and freedom of expression advocates.

MEAA wrote to the High Commission of Malaysia in Australia noting: Malaysias obligations under UN General Assembly resolution 74/157 The Safety of journalist and the issue of impunity adopted on December 18 2019 that states Malaysia, as a UN member state, should do its utmost to prevent, violence, threats and attacks targeting journalists and media workers. MEAA calls on you to fulfil that obligation towards our colleagues.

The IFJ said: The IFJ deeply regrets Malaysian authorities abusing the Communications and Multimedia Act to silence and intimidate journalists. There has been a distinct pattern under the Covid-19 crisis of media workers targeted under Malaysias Communications and Multimedia Act and Penal Code for simply doing their job. It is urgent for Malaysia during the Covid-19 pandemic to prioritise the publics right to know and for the media to be able to report freely and fairly without the threat of persecution.

For media inquiries please contact:

IFJ Asia-Pacific Project and Communications Coordinator Simon Beck: ifj.coordinator@ifj-asia.org

IFJ Asia-Pacific South East Asia Coordinator Ratna Ariyanti: seasia@ifj-asia.org
Chinese human rights attorney Wang Quanzhang, who recently served a four-and-a-half-year jail term for "subversion," has filed an official complaint against his treatment at the hands of law enforcement officials, he told RFA.



Speaking on the anniversary of the , 2015 crackdown on human rights lawyers, law firms and related activists, Wang said he filed the complaint after recuperating for several months with his family in Beijing.



In a post to the social media platform WeChat on , Wang accused the Tianjin No. 2 Intermediate People's Court of violating procedure and denying the facts of his case, in what he described as an "extremely serious illegal operation" against him.



He said he had filed a legal complaint at Beijing's Chaoyang District People's Court against some of the officials involved in his case.



The post was later apparently deleted by WeChat censors.



In his complaint, Wang says China's legal profession just needs the basic rights and freedoms enshrined in China's constitution to thrive, rather than "the , the moon and the stars."



"I filed the legal complaint [on ], and the court accepted it," he told RFA's Mandarin Service.



"My lawsuit includes the time I was held under residential surveillance at a designated location, the torture the police meted out to me during interrogation to try to force me to confess, and insults and humiliation directed at me by state prosecutors during the trial period," he said, but declined to give further details.



Wang said he filed the complaint regardless of its chances of being upheld in a judicial system that is controlled by the ruling Chinese Communist Party.



"If a citizen believes that they have been unjustly treated and that the charges against them were unjust and trumped-up, then they should take measures to make that right," Wang said.



"Of course, there are huge limits to the power of an individual, but I still think I should do this, given the climate we live in ... regardless of whether or not I get the result I want," he said.



He called on citizens and fellow activists to keep working for a better society.



"Chinese people from all walks of life need to do everything in their power to work for a society that respects human rights and the rule of law, and they need to work together," Wang said.



"Freedom comes at a price ... but this is suffering that must be borne. Failure by no means indicates that the search and the struggle are over," he said.



"Even if I stop, other people will keep up the work against subversion charges and miscarriages of justice."



Wang said he took a few months off following his release from Linyi Prison in the eastern province of Shandong, having been finally allowed to return to his family home in Beijing in the face of official obstruction.



"When I had just gotten out of jail, I was in a bit of a daze, and lacked energy," Wang said. "But I am gradually starting to feel normal again after these past few months of recuperation."



"I now feel able to deal with certain things again, such as responding to questions from the public and from the media," he said.



Wang has previously alluded to torture allegations during his time in RSDL, and also to breaches of the criminal procedural code he said had robbed him of the chance of a fair trial.



According to Cheng Hai, who defended Wang from 2015 to 2018, the authorities refused to allow at least five lawyers appointed by Wang Quanzhang during his detention to meet with him.



A nationwide police operation under the administration of President Xi Jinping has targeted more than 300 lawyers, law firms, and related activists for questioning, detention, imprisonment, debarring, and travel bans since it launched in .



Reported by Han Jie for RFA's Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy agreed Friday to launch an independent review of the command culture at Fort Hood and the surrounding military community in the wake of the slaying of a 20-year-old Houston soldier at the post, according to a statement.

The announcement came shortly after McCarthy met Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston, Rep. Gil Cisneros, a California Democrat, and leaders from the League of United Latin American Citizens to discuss concerns raised by the investigation into Vanessa Guillens reported sexual harassment, as well as her murder while on duty at the post.

I want to express my condolences to the Guillen family. We are saddened and deeply troubled by the loss of one of our own, Specialist Vanessa Guillen, he said in a news release. I would like to thank the League of United Latin American Citizens for meeting with us today and their continued commitment to honor the memory of Specialist Guillen and in helping the Army identify and address challenges Hispanic service members face. Additionally, Id like to thank Rep. Sylvia Garcia and Rep. Gil Cisneros for their support for our troops and their special interest in ensuring justice for Vanessa.

McCarthy said he would appoint four civilian experts to a panel that will spend five to 10 days at Fort Hood reviewing historical data, command climate surveys, inspector general reports, crime reports, and data related to the militarys response to sexual harassment and sexual assault. The panel will conduct interviews with military personnel and others in the Fort Hood community.

The aim, he said, is to ensure that the post reflects Army values, including respect, inclusiveness and workplaces free from sexual harassment.

Garcia said she and LULAC officials would be involved in recommending experts for the panel.

This is a good step in the right direction, Garcia said. She said McCarthy told the group that all the panels findings would be available to Congress in full to make sure their investigation is thorough, transparent and can answer so many questions that not only the Guillen family has but so many soldiers across the country have.

Last week U.S. lawmakers Jackie Speier of California and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York asked the Pentagon to initiate an independent investigation of what happened to Guillen. Garcia said she specifically asked McCarthy to launch an independent investigation into the sexual harassment and slaying of Guillen while she was stationed at Fort Hood. A release issued before the meeting said they wanted the Army to support the call for the Defense Department Inspector Generals Office to conduct a full and independent investigation into Fort Hoods handling of Guillens case. In addition, other cases of Latino soldiers who have reported sexual harassment and/or been victims of still unresolved homicides and other abuses are being presented to the Army.

The remains of Guillen, a Houston native, were recovered months after she went missing. A suspect in her death, Aaron Robinson, died by suicide as police were preparing to arrest him. A second suspect, Robinsons girlfriend Cecily Aguilar, has been charged in federal court with conspiracy to tamper with evidence.

gabrielle.banks@chron.com
Kameleon007/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Jason's Deli, The Southeast Texas Food Bank, Parigi Property Management, the Diocese of Beaumont, and the employers of at least two Beaumont City Council members are among the dozens of Southeast Texas companies that received loans under the Paycheck Protection Program of the Small Business Administration.

Amounts range from $150,000 into the millions. Those that received less than $150,000 were not identified.
Old Saybrook Public Schools photo

OLD SAYBROOK  Old Saybrook High School graduate Jenna Palko has been named the 2020 Connecticut recipient of the Vicki Soto Memorial Scholarship.

This one-time $5,000 award is awarded to just one senior in Connecticut and one other senior in the nation in memory of Soto, a teacher who heroically lost her life while protecting her students during the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy in 2012, according to a press release.
Amid reports of second round of talks with Chinese authorities on disengagement at Line of Actual Control (LAC), former Union Minister P. Chidambaram said that people will watch the process and progress of the disengagement.

In a tweet on Friday Chidambaram said, "We are generally happy with the disengagement and de-escalation...People will keep a close watch on the Process and the Progress of disengagement...But let us remember, the declared goal is restoration of status quo ante as on May 5, 2020."

     (disengagement)  -   

 PROCESS  PROGRESS    

   ,   5 , 2020       P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) July 10, 2020

As per reports top Indian and Chinese military officials will hold talks in the second phase of disengagement at Pangong Lake and Depsang areas in eastern Ladakh, the government had said on Thursday.

The delegates of both countries will discuss about removing tanks, artillery and additional forces in forward positions.

"The next meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China border affairs (WMCC) is expected to take place soon," the External Affairs Ministry said.

The People's Liberation Army of China has called back troops from Galwan Valley, Patrolling Point 15 and Hot Springs, said reports

.
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that the conflict in Libya has entered a new phase with foreign interference reaching unprecedented levels.



Libya was plunged into chaos by the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed its longtime leader, Muammar Gaddafi.



Since 2014, the oil-rich country has been split, with an internationally-recognised government controlling the capital, Tripoli, and the northwest, while renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar in Benghazi controls the east.



Haftar is supported by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt and Russia, while the government is backed by Turkey.



The conflict has entered a new phase with foreign interference reaching unprecedented levels, including in the delivery of sophisticated equipment and the number of mercenaries involved in the fighting, Guterres said on Wednesday.



Russian private military contractor Wagner Group has up to 1,200 people deployed in Libya, strengthening Haftars forces, according to a confidential May report by independent sanctions monitors to the UNSC Libya sanctions committee.



The sanctions monitors identified more than two dozen flights between Russia and eastern Libya from August 2018 to August 2019 by civilian aircraft strongly linked to, or owned by the Wagner Group or its related companies.



The monitors also listed the details of 122 Wagner mercenaries of whom many are highly probably operational, or have been operational, within Libya.



Russias UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia rejected the accusations of Russian involvement in Libya.



But we know about other countries military personnel, including from those countries that accuse us, to be present on Libyan soil, East and West, he told the council, calling on all states with influence on the Libyan parties to push for a truce.



United Arab Emirates minister for foreign affairs, Anwar Gargash, told the council there were roughly 10,000 Syrian mercenaries operating in Libya, approximately twice as many as there were six months ago.



Guterres denounced the situation during a ministers-level UNSC video conference, expressing particular concern about the military forces massing around the city of Sirte, halfway between Tripoli in the west and Benghazi in the east.



Egypt has warned that any Turkish-backed effort to take Sirte could lead its army to intervene directly.

Source: The Ghanaian Times









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The Massachusetts Senates wide-ranging police reform bill is held up over criticisms that legislators didnt get enough time to review the bill and that the proposal hasnt been put to a public hearing.

The Senate plans to meet at 10 a.m. Friday to discuss the bill after Sen. Ryan Fattman, a Sutton Republican, tabled the bill over concerns about a lack of a public hearing and insufficient time to debate the bill.

The truth is this bill, as Ive outlined, had no hearing, it had little-to-no input from numerous stakeholders publicly and ... transparency is the absolute necessary in our political process because it encourages ideas, debates, facts, figures and, most importantly, good outcomes, Fattman said Thursday afternoon. The truth is when this process doesnt happen, we can create unintended consequences that severely negatively impact people in our society.

The sweeping reform bill, S.2800, came out of a racial justice working group Senate President Karen Spilka created in early June in response to the deaths of Breonna Taylor, a Black woman who was fatally shot during a police raid of her Louisville apartment, and George Floyd, a Black man whose neck was knelt on for nearly nine minutes by a Minneapolis police officer.

The bi-partisan working group was co-chaired by Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz, a Boston Democrat and member of the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus, and Senate President Pro Tempore William Brownsberger, a Belmont Democrat.

Spilka, Chang-Diaz and Brownsberger issued a joint statement Thursday night saying the Senate will stay focused on addressing systemic racism and violence.

We know that these conversations are difficult, and the actions were called to take will not be easy, but it is our responsibility to begin to respond to the voices who have called on us to make these changes, the statement reads. We welcome further discussion on the very important provisions of this bill  and the right way to do that is to proceed with debate on the bill and its amendments.

Massachusetts Senate President Karen Spilka introduces a bill to implement a $5 million police reform bill outside the Massachusetts State House Monday, July 6, 2020.Sam Doran/State House News Service

The move to table the bill drew criticism from Senate Ways and Means Chairman Michael Rodrigues, who said several components of the omnibus bill had public hearings when they were filed as stand-alone bills.

We took bits and pieces on many different ideas, and we did what we always do in the Senate: we tried to put together the best piece of legislation that we could, the Westport Democrat said. Its disappointing that were not going to do the business that we were elected to do today. We know its hard. We know its difficult. Its just going to be as difficult the next day.

Sen. Bruce Tarr, a Gloucester Republican who served on the racial justice working group, defended the move to table the legislation, adding not all of the components have undergone a public hearing. Nor were they assigned to a committee.

I would also suggest that when we put pieces of legislation together, we make the permutation that is in many ways often a new creation, and the interdependence of those pieces is often the subject of careful scrutiny and appropriate review, particularly through the process of a public hearing, Tarr said.

Tarr said he feared tabling a bill is perceived as a legislator opposing it. Tarr, who said he has tabled more matters than other members, said he has never done so to be counter-productive or an obstructionist but to provide additional time to resolve solutions.

The recent officer-involved deaths of Black people have sparked protests across the country calling for reforms and police budget cuts.

Amid protests over police conduct, George Floyd in Minneapolis and Rayshard Brooks in Atlanta, a police department in Massachusetts has come under scrutiny. The U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Massachusetts report says the officers within the Springfield Police Departments Narcotics Bureau unnecessarily punch suspects with closed fists and may have used excessive force in cases where people were not arrested, but that poor record-keeping made several allegations difficult to verify.

Lawmakers pledged action in the wake of recent officer-involved deaths of Black people, but the end of the two-year legislative session is approaching quickly. House and Senate members are looking at a July 20 deadline to pass a police reform bill, which would give the governor up to 10 days to review and sign the legislation into law. The Legislature, however, typically needs 10 business days to ensure they have time to override a potential veto, which would make the deadline July 17.

The omnibus bill released from the Senate Ways and Means Committee Sunday night would create a certification process for police officers, similar to Gov. Charlie Bakers policing bill, but it also bars officers from shooting at fleeing vehicles, makes school resources officers optional and temporarily bans government use of facial recognition.

While Bakers bill includes financial incentives for officers to conduct higher levels of training, the Senate bill proposes diverting funds from the Department of Correction as the prison population declines into a Justice Reinvestment Workforce Development Fund to disburse grants for employment opportunity programs.

The legislation spanned 72 pages and by the amendment deadline had racked up 145 amendments.

Chang-Diaz, a Boston Democrat, applauded the variety of provisions in the bill, saying they would allow schools to hire councilors instead of school resource officers and empower advocates to push for a re-allocation of funds from the Department of Corrections budget to programs in housing or economic development. Some parameters, she said, would ease the burden on officers who are dealing with calls on substance use disorder, mental health and other issues.

In our current system we ask far too much of police officers, asking them to be social workers and substance abuse experts, Chang-Diaz said. Its an unfair burden on our officers. This bill is about asking the best of law enforcement and that means knowing they cannot be responsible for everything placed on their shoulders.

Others in the BLLC, however, urge legislative leaders to prioritize on the caucus 10-point plan as the deadline to pass a reform bill in this session draws closer, according to a letter sent to Baker, Spilka and House Speaker Robert DeLeo.

Our caucus recognizes that we, you all included, are all receiving numerous requests to add additional provisions, states a letter signed by Rep. Carlos Gonzalez, a Springfield Democrat and chairman of the caucus. While we may be supportive of some or parts of these requests, we find it necessary to explicitly reiterate that we are principally focused on the points above and see those points as the foundation and necessary baseline for any such bill.

Chang-Diaz mentioned the names of Black people who have died in police encounters in recent years, Floyd and Taylor, Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, Sandra Bland in Hempstead, Texas, and 12-year-old Tamir Rice in Cleveland, Ohio.

So many more names we dont even know. I stand here with grief for their family, she said. We thank you today for not letting us turn away from your loss now. I also feel a tremendous amount of pride in this bill, in the work and collaboration and commitment to justice that brought us here.

When Fattman spoke, said he was sorry to anyone who had faced police brutality or discrimination and that the Senate wants a good policing reform bill that makes sense and is effective because your life matters.

He also said Massachusetts law enforcement officers, among the best-trained in the nation, have caught flak for misconduct that has made headlines in other states. Law enforcement officials, he said, have expressed concerns that they did not get input on the Senate bill and that it is moving forward without a public hearing.

We demand excellence from our men and women who were the badge, and it is unfair to say that Massachusetts law enforcement doesnt rise to that excellence. They do, Fattman said.

We know, even now, he added, law enforcement wants to be part of the solution.

Related Content:
Employee of Angela Merkel's Press Office Suspected of Spying for Egypt - Report

Sputnik News

21:41 GMT 09.07.2020(updated 21:58 GMT 09.07.2020)

An employee at German Chancellor Angela Merkel's press office is suspected of spying for Egypt's intelligence service, AFP reported Thursday, citing a police report.

According to the report, police conducted "executive measures" against the male suspect in December 2019 after they uncovered that he "worked for years for an Egyptian intelligence service," AFP reported.

The report, which noted that enlisted spies purposely seek out fellow Egyptian nationals, also stated that Egyptian secret service agents in Germany collect information on groups like the Muslim Brotherhood and the Coptic Christian community.

"There are indications that Egyptian services are trying to recruit Egyptians living in Germany for intelligence purposes through their visits to Egyptian diplomatic missions in Germany and their trips to Egypt," the report said, AFP reported.

According to German newspaper Bild Daily, the man worked at the visitor service of the Bundespresseamt federal government press office (BPA), which is led by Merkel's spokesperson Steffen Seibart. The employee was reportedly in a mid-level position and would have completed at least two years of vocational training. Part of the investigation involved searching the visitor service premises.

An investigation into the suspect is reportedly ongoing but a spokesperson for the BPA told AFP that the press office would not comment on the investigation.

According to German Federal Foreign Office, Germany and Egypt have "intensive" economic and trade relations, with Germany being Egypt's second-biggest trading partner following China. Egypt is also a popular tourist destination for Germans, with 1.8 million Germans having visited the Middle Eastern country in 2019.

A Sputnik

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She said the United States had not engaged with her as she drafted the drone report. But based on the evidence the U.S. provided, the targeting of Gen. Soleimani, and the deaths of those accompanying him, constitute an arbitrary killing for which, under (international human rights law), the U.S. is responsible, she said.
Every state park in Pennsylvania is packed with special natural and man-made features worth a visit, but here are 19 unique spots that make up a bucket list of must-see spots in parks across the state.

Big Pocono State Park. File photo.

The overlook at Big Pocono State Park in Monroe County, also known as Pocono Knob, is located on the east-west ridgeline of Camelback Mountain and is on the list of the 30 Outstanding Geologic Features in Pennsylvania. At 2,133 feet, it is the highest location in the area and is located on the edge of the Glaciated Pocono Plateau.

Bucktail State Park. File Photo.

Bucktail State Park offers a 75-mile scenic drive along Route 120 from Emporium, through Renovo, to Lock Haven, through a mountain valley known as the Bucktail Trail for the Civil War regiment of woodsmen, the Bucktails or Bucktail Rangers. Because of the steep mountains that create the towering forested walls along the West Branch of the Susquehanna River and Sinnemahoning Creek, its also known as Bucktail Canyon.

Overnight Astronomy Observation Field at Cherry Springs State Park near Coudersport.

Nearly as wild and remote as it was hundreds of years ago, and home to the darkest skies on the East Coast, Cherry Springs State Park, near Carter Camp in Potter County, was the second Dark Sky Park designated worldwide. The Overnight Astronomy Observation Field in the park offers a 360-degree view of the night sky that is nearly free of any light pollution.

Pennsylvania Grand Canyon. Pennsylvania State Parks Photo.

The Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, also known as the Pine Creek Gorge, stretches out below the commanding overlooks of Colton Point and Leonard Harrison state parks, near Ansonia in Tioga County.

The Forest Cathedral in Cook Forest State Park in Clarion County is a virgin white pine and hemlock area on the list of National Natural Landmarks. In 1927 it was the first state park acquired to protect a natural landmark.

Erie Bluffs State Park. File Photo.

The 587-acre Erie Bluffs State Park has one mile of Lake Erie shoreline; 90-foot-tall bluffs overlooking the lake; Elk Creek, a shallow stream steelhead fishery; several plant species of conservation concern; and a variety of habitats. The park is open for day-use only.

Hickory Run State Park. Pennsylvania State Parks Photo.

The Boulder Field in Hickory Run State Park, near White Haven in Carbon County, is the moraine of stacked boulders left at the southern reach of a glacier when it receded thousands of years ago. A National Natural Landmark and a state park natural area, the Boulder Field is literally a field - 400 feet wide by 1,800 feet long - of nothing but boulders, some as large as 26 feet in length.

Hyner View State Park. File Photo.

The view from Hyner View State Park in Clinton County is on the list of 30 Outstanding Geologic Features in Pennsylvania. The area contains deep, narrow, steep-sloped valleys that are separated by narrow to broad uplands.

The prairie at Jennings Environmental Education Center near Slippery Rock explodes with wildflower blossums. (Photo courtesy of Butler County Tourism)

Jennings Environmental Education Center in Butler County was the first reserve established in Pennsylvania to protect an individual plant species, a purple prairie flower called the blazing star. The park includes a 20-acre prairie ecosystem, the only prairie in Pennsylvania and home to distinctive prairie plants and the endangered massasauga rattlesnake.

Kinzua Bridge State Park. File Photo.

The Sky Walk at Kinzua Bridge State Park in McKean County opened in 2011 on the sight of the former Kinzua Viaduct, which when first constructed in May 1882 was the highest and longest viaduct in the world, measuring 301 feet high and 2,053 feet long. The bridge partially collapsed under the powerful winds of a tornado in 2003. Thee Sky Walk allows visitors to look down 300 feet to the ground through a glass-bottom observation area at the far end of the bridge. The site earned DCNR a Best Project Award from The Engineering News-Record.

Ohiopyle State Park. Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau Photo.

The Youghiogheny River courses over waterfalls and waterslides through a 14-miles gorge of the same name in Ohiopyle State Park. The Lower Yough below the scenic Ohiopyle Falls is considered some of the best whitewater paddling in the eastern U.S. The Ferncliff Peninsula, a national natural landmark and a state park natural area that lies in a bend of the river, holds wildflowers, old growth hemlocks, mixed oak forests and plant species of special concern in Pennsylvania.

Point State Park. Photo by Marcus Schneck.

Point State Park, with its flat riverine plain and towering fountain, at the confluence of the Monongahela, Allegheny and Ohio rivers in Pittsburgh marks the location of the Fort Pitt Blockhouse. Built in 1764, it is the oldest authenticated structure in western Pennsylvania. Fort Pitt was built by the British during the French and Indian War on the site of the former Fort Duquesne, which the French built in 1754 and then abandoned and burned after being defeated in the 1758 Battle of Fort Duquesne.

Presque Isle State Park. Photo courtesy of VisitErie and Ferralli Studios.

Presque Isle State Park in Erie County is the most visited Pennsylvania state park and home to the states only seashore. In 2017, there were more than 4 million visitors drawn to its award-winning beaches, bike trails, fishing ponds and other recreational amenities.

Promised Land State Park. Photo by Yinan Chen.

Many of the rustic log cabins and lodges, and campgrounds, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps from 1933-41 still stand in Promised Land State Park near Greentown in Pike County, giving the park a double-listing on the National Register of Historic Places. A seasonal museum has exhibits on the wildlife of the park and the CCC.

Raccoon Creek State Park. Pennsylvania State Parks Photo.

The 314-acre Wildflower Reserve at Raccoon Creek State Park at Frankfort Springs in Beaver County is home to more than 700 species of plants along a five-mile trail system. Originally purchased in 1962 by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, the reserve contains one of the most biodiverse and unique stands of wildflowers in Pennsylvania.

Ricketts Glen State Park. Photo by Rebecca Jones.

The Glens Natural Areas in Ricketts Glen State Park at Red Rock holds 22 named waterfalls and an often steep and slippery trail of 7.2 miles. The tallest is 94-foot Ganoga Falls. The Glens Natural Area is a National Natural Landmark and a state park natural area.

Shikellamy State Park. Photo by Marcus Schneck.

The overlook at Shikellamy State Park in Northumberland County provides a breathtaking view of the merging of the West and North branches of the Susquehanna River. The park is named for the Native American Chief Shikellamy, who played a prominent role in developing the Pennsylvania frontier in the early and mid-1800s.

Worlds End State Park. Photo by Ruhrfisch.

Worlds End State Park is situated in a narrow S-shaped valley of the Loyalsock Creek, just south of Forksville in Sullivan County. With boulder-strewn stream and steep, close-set mountains, its as though a mountain valley was transplanted from the western U.S. into northcentral Pennsylvania. In the park, the Loyalsock is dammed to create the most unique swimming hole in all of Pennsylvania, a curved pool along the base of the mountain lined with rock walls built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

If this kind of outdoor reporting is important to you, please consider supporting our work.

Contact Marcus Schneck at mschneck@pennlive.com.
The U.S. attorneys office and the police rushed to judgment based upon biased and factually incorrect information proffered by the perpetrators lawyer on Sept. 29. The very next day, police officials held a news conference that forever poisoned the investigation. They falsely claimed the trio had been interviewed and publicly declared that Pat was to blame for his own death. The police statements were contradicted by evidence in the police files or easily available, including a security video that, had it been properly and timely reviewed, would have illuminated critical events. Also, an eyewitness said that the three men were drunk and out of control and that they, not Pat, started the altercation and that one of them threw the ultimately fatal punch before the three immediately fled.
A boiler room outside of a southwest Arkansas chicken processing plant caught fire and exploded early on July 9, injuring two employees, an official said.

The explosion was reported at about 1:30 a.m. at a Tyson Foods plant in Nashville, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) southwest of Little Rock. Nashville Mayor Billy Ray Jones told the Texarkana Gazette that the two employees were able to walk out of the boiler room but had suffered burns.

The boiler room was destroyed in the blast, Jones said, but the fire was brought under control at about 4:30 a.m. Thursday.

The cause of the blast wasnt immediately known.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
President Donald Trump fired in all directions Thursday after the Supreme Court ruled to release his tax returns, claiming hes a victim of political prosecution and accusing Democrats, New York prosecutors and former FBI officials of spying on him.

The president made the unsubstantiated charges in a fusillade of frantic tweets after the high court gave the green light for Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance Jr., to subpoena eight years worth of the presidents personal and corporate tax returns as part of a criminal investigation.

This is all a political prosecution. I won the Mueller Witch Hunt, and others, and now I have to keep fighting in a politically corrupt New York. Not fair to this Presidency or Administration! Trump tweeted.

Listing off a usual cadre of his perceived enemies, Trump went on, We have a totally corrupt previous Administration, including a President and Vice President who spied on my campaign, AND GOT CAIGHT (sic) and nothing happens to them Major horror show REPORTS on Comey & McCabe, guilty as hell, nothing happens. Catch Obama & Biden cold, nothing.

Trump capped off the tweetstorm: We catch the other side SPYING on my campaign, the biggest political crime and scandal in U.S. history, and NOTHING HAPPENS. But despite this, I have done more than any President in history in first 3 1/2 years!

Despite Trumps claims, theres no information to suggest President Barack Obamas administration spied on his 2016 campaign. Rather, the FBI opened a counterintelligence investigation after coming across a string of peculiar contacts between Trump campaign officials and Russian government operatives, who were interfering in the election to help the president win against Hillary Clinton.

Trumps return to his old, unsubstantiated allegations contrasted reactions from Democrats, who were relieved that the Supreme Court affirmed that Vance can get his hands on the presidents long-sought financial records.

No one is above the law, tweeted House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y.

Mayor Bill de Blasio offered a similar sentiment.

Donald Trumps the only public servant in America who thinks he can get away with withholding his financial disclosure. Its outrageous, the mayor said at a news briefing from City Hall. Its been perverse and I applaud the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court gave Trump a partial victory in ruling in a separate case that three Democratic-led House committees cannot, at least for now, subpoena a similar set of tax returns and financial records from the president.

Instead, the justices said it would send that case back to a lower court to address outstanding and complex separation of powers issues, meaning Trumps tax returns likely wont be publicly released before Novembers election, since Vance is beholden to strict grand jury secrecy protocols.

But Trump appeared too upset to appreciate the second ruling.

The Supreme Court sends case back to Lower Court, arguments to continue, he wrote as part of his tweetstorm. Courts in the past have given broad deference. BUT NOT ME!



Chris Sommerfeldt of the New York Daily News wrote this story.

2020 New York Daily News

Visit New York Daily News at www.nydailynews.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 17:19:12|Editor: huaxia

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LAGOS, July 10 (Xinhua) -- An indigenous rapid testing kit for COVID-19 have been developed by Nigerian scientists for the identification of SARS-Cov-2, which causes COVID-19, Minister of Science and Technology Ogbonnaya Onu said.

The RNA Swift testing kits can accurately detect SARS-Cov-2 at a drastically lower cost, the minister told reporters in Abuja on Thursday.

In the coming months 5 million farmers will be tested with the RNA Swift kits; 10 million kits will be produced in the first batch, Onu said.

The indigenous RNA Swift test kit will significantly expand Nigeria's testing capacity, said Alex Akpa, head of the National Biotechnology Development Agency.

The kit is very accurate and sensitive and competes favorably with conventional and commercially available kits for the diagnosis of COVID-19, he said. Enditem
Joshua Paulsen grew up in institutions, boarding schools, mental wards, and hospitals. At age 13 and battling mental illness, Paulsen became entrenched in a system of programs and institutions.

During that time, "psychosis really took over heavily, said Paulsen, who uses they/them pronouns and has dealt with complex PTSD and schizophrenia for most of their adult life. I ended up getting sicker through my life, developing further mental health situations.

When Paulsen turned 18 at the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch in Billings, he walked out, catching a bus to California. Paulsens parents divorced when their child was 4, shuttling Paulsen between New York and California.

Now 32 and living back in Billings, Paulsen is candid about the experience and the drugs and mischief that initially landed them in the institutional circuit, which Paulsen said compounded the mental health issues. How my psychosis was progressing and how extreme it was going, they said they were going to take away my rights and commit me. I knew in my heart that was not the way I was going to be healed.

In institutions, Paulsen began drawing, which became a coping mechanism and eventually helped with healing. There is so much time on your hands, and so much chaos surrounding you in those places. I was just generating what I was feeling.

Known artistically as Icaruvs, Paulsen recently returned from an artist residency program in France, where many artistic forms were explored  from acrylics to paper collage, papier-mache, and clay, among other techniques. As a self-taught artist who works with pen and ink, the experience was immense for Paulsen, whose connection to art began within institutional walls.

In the details

The detailed drawings Paulsen creates can appear ghastly, with slim black lines and rugged edges that seem to tap into a deeper subconscious that could skew into a nightmare as easily as they could a clouded landscape.

There is so much emotion involved in it, said Paulsen. It comes from places that I dont even know sometimes and deals with trauma and past experiences that resurface in my mind and dealing with my psychosis and trying to process that. What does it mean? Damn, I dont even know.

Art has been a constant in Paulsens life since those youngest days, where their only outlet was pen and paper. Paulsen likes the permanence of ink. The things I was feeling seemed to be more prominent coming out when I used ballpoint pen, Paulsen said. Thats where I started. It was all I knew how to use.

When Paulsen came across the term outsider artist, there seemed to be an instant connection to the idea of being outside the bounds of traditional or commercial artwork that lines gallery walls.

People in my position in mental health institutions and the art that they build out of that, theres a place for that, Paulsen said. I remember getting out and trying to do this art thing, and everyone has their niche, their thing. All I could do is ballpoint; thats all I know.

The self-taught artist has only recently been displaying work  in part because few galleries existed in Billings to showcase more extreme forms of art until Kirks Grocery opened a little over a year ago. Ive never been to the point of wanting to sell things. That was never really my intention, said Paulsen. I felt comfortable in the place that they came from.

Paulsen has long focused on the healing process of the work, not its commercial potential. Yet, at Kirks Grocery, Paulsen was taken under the wing of Shane de Leon, who runs the small art gallery and performance space on Minnesota Avenue. De Leon helped Paulsen frame and price the art and begin the process of marketing and showing the work.

The only thing I could do to process that was the only skill I had, said Paulsen, who advocates for using artwork in mental health work. Im learning now what it means to utilize that stuff to share.

Paulsen had a piece featured in this years annual art auction at the Yellowstone Art Museum, launched a website showcasing the drawings, and applied to a residency program in France that fellow Billings artist Michelle Dyk had attended and recommended. Paulsen said it was a shock to be accepted.

I was expecting a really cool deny letter, said Paulsen. There was a lot of disbelief. I was checking to make sure my name was spelled correctly or if they mistyped something. There were lots of tears.

Chateau dOrquevaux

After the acceptance letter came an even bigger reality. Paulsen needed to come up with $2,500 to attend, as well as flight and travel expenses. Located about three hours from Paris in the French countryside of Champagne-Ardenne, the chateau offers residencies for artists from around the world, up to four weeks at a time.

Two fundraisers took place, one at Paulsens work, and the second at Kirks grocery. Im only here because of my community, said Paulsen, who was able to raise enough money to fund the entire trip. I would not have been able to make it if it werent for my community.

Paulsen left for France in late February, planning for a two-week residency at Chateau dOrquevaux and a week of sightseeing, but due to COVID-19, didnt return to the U.S. until May 19.

Those first two weeks of the residency, COVID-19 was very much in the background, Paulsen said. Yet the pandemic quickly ramped up in Europe as it made its way across the globe. At first, Paulsen figured it would be a week or so before things quieted down. Then the departure flight was canceled, and within a few days the trains all stopped running as well. Then, a shelter-in-place order was issued, and the country halted. Working with the programs director, they came up with an arrangement for Paulsen to stay at the chateau until travel was permitted.

What a cool place to be on lockdown, said Paulsen, who was stuck in France for nearly three months. ...It was cool, but it was also really stressful. On March 21, the day after Paulsen was due to return home, an officer from Billings called. Paulsens roommate had died by an apparent suicide.

I didnt know how to even respond. It seemed unbelievable. Paulsen felt trapped, unable to get home and having a difficult time getting a hold of family or support systems. Dealing with these thoughts myself, suicide has been a huge part of my life as far as my own personal experience and other peoples experience. That weight among the rest of the world that is also dealing with these larger ideas, it was that weight that I dont think Ill ever forget.

The shelter-in-place was reminiscent of being institutionalized, being in one place and unable to leave or move about.

This time, however, Paulsen had access to an immense collection of artistic supplies to utilize and sheltered in place with four other artists there on residency, as well as the chateau staff. They utilized clay for sculpture, painted with acrylics, made collages, discussed one anothers works, and reenacted Leonardo da Vincis The Last Summer in conical papier-mache masks with bird-like beaks, inspired by plague masks doctors of the 1800s would wear to protect themselves from the Black Death.

A crash course

Paulsen, one of the only artists at the residency that lacked formal training, described the experience as a crash course in art academia. It felt like going to school, said Paulsen. I am learning from all these other resident artists who have a much larger vocabulary that I do, as far as the arts go. They were all mentors to me, I had to ask really basic stuff that I didnt know about. They were all very helpful in teaching me and helping me work with those larger materials. I felt very needy at some points.

During the beginning of the residency, Paulsen stayed in the village and had a private studio to work from in the chateau where they focused on a large-scale pen and ink drawing of a marabou stork, known as the undertaker of the bird world. They are gnarly birds, said Paulsen. Ive always appreciated what they are about. The bird has a wild appetite, can eat metal and digest just about anything, Paulsen described. They hang around garbage and can eat anything. I felt that it could generate a really powerful image.

Bartender, a napkin, please

Before the pandemic hit France, Paulsen would visit coffee shops, buy art supplies, and found plenty of tasty wines.

Im a wino now, Paulsen said with a laugh, recalling the lack of sulfites in most French wines, so its much easier to drink than American bottled wine. I lived on cheap wine and croissants.

Paulsen spends a good deal of time in bars. A bartender at the Monte Carlo Casino in downtown Billings, Paulsen can often be found (when not on the clock) on the barstool, pen in hand drawing on a bar napkin. It does give me that same sense of drawing around lots of commotion, Paulsen said. The napkin drawings are always given away.

When I would draw something it was always around a specific crisis surrounding me and generated toward another person and that would go to that person, or I would leave it or give it away. The bar napkins remind me of that first experience I had with drawing, and leaving it.

That lack of attachment or possession to the work teaches Paulsen a certain flow. Its a good practice, and I get to interact with my surroundings. It goes where it needs to go, and it is letting go of something.

Paulsen has been back for a little over a month now, and said its been a process getting back into the swing of living in America with all that has been going on. Surprised by the trajectory of their artistic life, Paulsen said, I try to stay humble about this. Egos can destroy and get above you. I also need to recognize its OK to be happy about the success that youve had. I have a harder time with that.

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Hundreds of alleged drug dealers and other criminals are in custody today after police in Europe infiltrated an encrypted chat system reportedly used by thousands to discuss illegal operations. The total failure of this ostensibly secure method of communication will likely have a chilling effect on the shadowy industry of crime-focused tech.

"Operation Venetic" was reported by various police agencies, major local news outlets, and by Motherboard in especially vibrant form, quoting extensively people apparently from within the groups affected.

The operation involved hundreds of officers working across numerous agencies in France, the Netherlands, the U.K., and other countries. It began in 2017, and culminated two months ago when a service called EncroChat was hacked and the messages of tens of thousands of users exposed to police scrutiny.

EncroChat is a step up in some ways from encrypted chat apps like Signal and WhatsApp. Rather like Blackberry once did, EncroChat provided customized hardware, a dedicated OS, and its own servers to users, providing an expensive service costing thousands per year rather than a one-time purchase or download.

Messages on the service were supposedly very secure and had deniability built in by letting conversations be edited later  so theoretically a user could claim after the fact they never said something. Motherboard's Joseph Cox has been following the company for some time and has far more details on its claims and operations.

Image Credits: EncroChat /

Needless to say those claims were not entirely true, as at some point in early 2020 police managed to introduce malware into the EncroChat system that completely exposed the conversations and images of its users. Because of the trusted nature of the app, people would openly discuss drug deals, murders, and other crimes, making them sitting ducks for law enforcement.

Throughout the spring criminal operations were being cracked open with alarming (to them) regularity, but it wasn't until May that users and EncroChat managed to put the pieces together. The company attempted to warn its users and issue an update, but the cat was out of the bag. Seeing that its operation was now exposed, the Operation Venetic teams struck.

Arrests across the several countries involved (there were numerous sub-operations but France and the Netherlands were the primary investigators) total near a thousand, but exact numbers are not clear. Dozens of guns, tons (metric, naturally) of drugs and the equivalent of tens of millions of dollars in cash were seized. More importantly, the chat logs seem to have provided access to people higher up the food chain than ordinary busts would have.

That the reportedly most popular of encrypted chat companies focused on illegal activities could be so completely subverted by international authorities will likely put a damper on its competition. But like other, more domestic challenges to encryption, such as the perennial complaints by the FBI, this event is more likely to strengthen the tools in the long run.
PARSIPPANY, NJ  Riya Dadheech was only 12 the first time she heard heartbreaking stories about people suffering from various illnesses and who didnt have the means to properly seek the treatment they desperately needed. The more stories she heard, the more such stories resonated with a girl who considers herself fortunate to have everything she needs.

Determined to make a difference, Riya  who is now 14 and will begin high school this fall at Morris County School of Technology in Denville  launched her own organization, Purple Paint, to reach people in need. It began as a girls education initiative in 2018 to help raise money to build toilets for impoverished schools that dont have proper bathroom facilities; it now includes efforts to help local families who struggle with food insecurity during the coronavirus pandemic.

Riya and a small band of middle and high school volunteers from the Parsippany area launched Classes 4 A Cause in April to raise money to support local food pantries and soup kitchens. The group will introduce its first virtual summer camp Monday that will continue to raise funds to help the needy, both in Parsippany and beyond.

I really want to be able to give back to my community, even if its just a little bit, Riya told Patch in a telephone interview Friday. I just want to be able help out, especially during these times.

She added: I just wanted to be able to help other people  not just myself and my family but other people, even people I dont even know.

Riya Dadheech and her friends have helped donate more than 1,000 pounds of food to local families in need. (Riya Dadheech)





From just two sessions of online classes that Riya and her friends created as the pandemic was impacting the country, the group has already raised $2,500 for local food pantries and soup kitchens and has donated more than 1,000 pounds of food. Beginning Monday, the group will begin 45-minute virtual summer camp sessions that will run over six weeks. As part of the virtual camp, participants can take classes in art, foreign language, coding and other interests, with 100 percent of the profits going to help provide food for needy families.

Story continues

Students pay $100 per week to participate in two classes that will be held virtually. Each day begins with a 25-minute yoga session before classes launch and finish up by 2:30 p.m., with a time of trivia or a game played on the Kahoot! platform. The classes are designed to provide students with a way to spend their time when other recreational options are not available due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But the bigger mission is to help others: Every dollar received as part of the camp will be donated to local organizations providing food.





This week, the group made a donation to the food pantry at Parsippanys St. John The Apostle Church. It has also made donations to other area not-for-profits including the Interfaith Pantry in Morris Plains and the Parsippany food pantry.

Its just a really good feeling to know that were able to give back to our community, especially in these times when so many people are suffering, said Riya, whose Purple Paint initiative has raised $35,000 and helped to build 40 toilets for schools in India, Africa and Pakistan. Knowing that were able to help these people and give food to families and children is just a really good feeling  especially because its people we dont know  and to help people and just put a smile on their face.

Riyas Classes 4 A Cause initiative has expanded beyond New Jersey and has participants as far west as Colorado. While her efforts have been directed mainly at assisting local families, she hopes that one day she can continue to expand her assistance to a global audience. She has even considered the possibility of adjusting the camps time schedule to accommodate students in other parts of the country  or the world.

Ultimately, she said, the mission is to support our own world  a goal that impresses Riyas father, Anil, who has always wanted to make sure that his daughter grew up understanding the need that exists in so many places around the globe. He has regularly taken Riya to charity galas and balls to continually open her eyes to the need around her.

While Anil Dadheech jokes that he is always catching up to his daughter, he remains extremely proud of the initiative that his daughter has taken to impact her community.

I have no words really, Dadheech said Friday. Its an amazing thing to help someone in our community, especially. But we continue to encourage her  its more about supporting her and her goals rather than (about) being in the middle of it and stopping her. Were always there for her.

The sky is the limit  thats how I see it.

This article originally appeared on the Parsippany Patch
The Republican leader of the Alabama Senate said Thursday he was not overly concerned about Alabamas surge in COVID-19 cases because he said it would help build herd immunity.

Sen. Del Marsh, R-Anniston, said he wanted more people to get infected and recover to help advance the level of public immunity. Today, he walked back that part of his comment and tried to explain his point.

What I should have said is, I look forward to the day we reach herd immunity, Marsh said. Because if we dont have a vaccine, until we reach herd immunity, everybodys lives arent going to be the same.

State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris said its not yet known whether people who recover from COVID-19 are immune to a second infection.

We really just dont know and the reason is that no one is certain that herd immunity even exists for this disease, Harris said. Every infectious disease is a little bit different.

Related: Public health experts weigh in on herd immunity in Alabama; they are not optimistic.

Marshs comment Thursday came during an interview at the Alabama State House when he was asked about Alabamas surge in coronavirus cases.

He said he wasnt overly concerned about the rising caseload.

In fact, quite honestly, I want to see more people because we start reaching an immunity if more people have it and get through it, Marsh said. I dont want any deaths. As few as possible in the state. I get it. So, those people who are susceptible to the disease, especially more serious, those people with preexisting conditions, elderly populations, those folks, we need to do all we can to protect them. But Im not concerned. I want to make sure that everybody can receive care."

In explaining his point today, Marsh said until a vaccine is developed, an increase in infections that could lead to herd immunity is preferable to shutting down the economy.

Youve basically got three scenarios right now, Marsh said. Trying to develop a vaccine, which we all want to see happen. We tried closing down the economy and slowing things down and obviously people didnt like that idea. It didnt work. The government has realized it was unsustainable. So, that kind of came and went.

And then the third thing thats happening naturally, its the natural progression of a virus, is over time, if we dont develop a vaccine, over time what will happen is you will develop herd immunity. Thats just the way it will work.

Sen. Del Marsh (R) Anniston, says he wants to see more people get #coronavirus to build up an immunity. I asked was he concerned about Alabama's latest surge in cases. pic.twitter.com/omb2GVg9Ev  Reshad Hudson (@ReshadHudson) July 9, 2020

State Health Officer Harris said people become immune after infections with some diseases, such as chicken pox and measles.

But there are many diseases that you can get infected with and get well and even produce antibodies and yet youre still susceptible to infection over and over again, Harris said. One good example is whooping cough. No matter how many times you get infected you can still get it again even though you do make antibodies.

So, the fact that youre infected and get well and have antibodies in no way predicts that any kind of herd immunity actually exists. So, we just dont know with this disease yet.

Harris said he expects researchers to know more about the immunity of COVID-19 survivors soon because of the large volume of research taking place.

With other kinds of coronaviruses, like those that cause a common cold, people get a temporary immunity, Harris said. They may be immune for a few months. Then they can get reinfected. So, its possible thats true about this one as well. But we just dont know. But I think that question will be answered in the next few months."

Harris said Sweden is an example of a country that kept tried the approach of obtaining herd immunity with deadly results.

The New York Times reported this week that COVID-19 has caused 5,420 deaths in Sweden, a nation with a population of 10 million. Thats a far higher death rate per million people than other Scandinavian nations that imposed strict guidelines.

Swedens strategy was to build herd immunity even though we didnt know whether herd immunity existed yet for this disease, Harris said. They had to change the plan after their deaths went to such an unbelievably high number. What they tried to do there was to try to shut down nursing homes and advised seniors to stay at home but pretty much left all businesses open and pretty much left all schools open."

Marsh is opposed to new restrictions on the economy to control the pandemic. He supports reopening schools and has advocated the use of federal coronavirus relief funds to expand broadband access to try to give all households access to distance learning programs.

Weve got to get our kids back to school, Marsh said. Its worrisome, but at the same time, children are a population that are fairly resilient, thank goodness, fairly resilient to this disease. Theyll contract it, but if you look at the death rate among young people, its extremely low. I think right now its important we get our kids back in school and well see where that takes us.

Im not advocating everybody should go out there and try to catch the virus. Im advocating thats a normal progression of a virus. And if we dont get a vaccine, ultimately we create herd immunity, which at the end of the day is where you want to be if you dont have a vaccine.
The court will hear appeals by two companies accused of knowingly helping perpetuate slavery at Ivory Coast cocoa farms.

The United States Supreme Court will decide whether American corporations can be sued for alleged human rights abuses occurring abroad under a 1789 law, agreeing on Thursday to hear appeals by two companies  Cargill Inc and a Nestle SA subsidiary  accused of knowingly helping perpetuate slavery at Ivory Coast cocoa farms.

The two companies are asking the nine justices to reverse a lower court ruling that allowed the lawsuit, filed on behalf of former child slaves from Mali who worked on the farms, against the companies filed under the Alien Tort Statute to proceed.

The lawsuits targeted the US subsidiary of Swiss-based Nestle, the worlds biggest food producer, and commodities trader Cargill, the largest privately held US company.

The case concerns the 18th century US law called the Alien Tort Statute that lets non-US citizens seek damages in American courts in certain instances. The business community has long sought to limit corporate liability under the Alien Tort Statute.

Slave Labour

The plaintiffs accused the companies of aiding and abetting human rights violations through their active involvement in purchasing Ivory Coast cocoa and turning a blind eye to the use of slave labour on the farms despite being aware of the practice to keep cocoa prices low.

A federal district court in Los Angeles dismissed the lawsuit twice, most recently in 2017. That court found that the claims were barred by recent Supreme Court decisions that have made it harder for plaintiffs to sue corporations in US courts for alleged violations overseas.

The San Francisco-based 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals in 2018 revived the claims, citing the allegations that the companies provided personal spending money to local farmers to guarantee the cheapest source of cocoa. The 9th Circuit found that the payments were akin to kickbacks and that the low price of cocoa depended on the child slave labour.

The US Chamber of Commerce, the Coca-Cola Company and Chevron Corp all filed briefs asking the court to hear the Nestle and Cargill appeals.

The Supreme Court in 2013 and 2018 cases has curbed the ability of plaintiffs to sue corporations in US courts under the Alien Tort Statute for overseas human rights violations, but has not definitively ruled that US companies can never be sued under that law.
Concerns about the reopening of school in the fall and the fate of former superintendent Demond Means dominated the public comment portion of Thursdays Clarke County School District Board of Education meeting.

The livestreamed meeting lasted for over six hours, but the board didnt make a decision regarding Means. The former superintendent is still on the payroll after being placed on administrative leave in December.

A perceived lack of a virtual option for teachers was one of the most common complaints levied by community members.

That is something that were interested in doing, chief academic officer Brannon Gaskins said. But first we need to know the needs of our students to see if that is something that we can support.

With coronavirus cases trending up in Georgia and in Athens, CCSD has been grappling with decisions related to the reopening of the school. A letter to parents on Tuesday offered families an option between online distance learning and an altered in-person instruction model. School is tentatively scheduled to start on Aug. 3.

Concern in the community

Emails have been pouring into the Board of Educations inbox. Five board members took over three hours to read dozens of letters each from parents, staff and community members.

Some letters started by expressing sympathy for the board members difficult jobs during a pandemic, but almost everyone criticized the district for its reopening plan. Some complaints mentioned the lack of a plan should a teacher contract COVID-19.

What happens when teachers get sick and there are absolutely no substitutes to stand in for us? middle school teacher Hannah Parr wrote in her letter. Do we increase class sizes when the teacher count runs low? What happens when staff in the high-risk category are forced to return to work and get sick and possibly die?

A letter signed by over 100 CCSD educators asked for a long list of additional safety protocols. Over 600 other community members signed a Change.org petition asking for a delayed start to school.

District 2 member Antwon Stephens acknowledged the frustration, calling on his colleagues to hold a special session on delaying the start of school to after Labor Day.

I believe that the rush to go back to school has really disappointed a lot of people, Stephens said. I believe that theres a lot that needs to be discussed [at a later date].

Additional reopening information

CCSDs reopening task force relied on guidance from the Georgia Department of Education and Department of Public Health in constructing its fall plan, Gaskins said.

The task force consisted of four groups: operations, facilities, instruction, and health, safety and wellness. There are no teachers or students on the task force, whose members identities were unavailable to the public until Thursdays meeting.

Schools will need to identify an isolation waiting room or area for students or staff displaying COVID-19-like symptoms. Water fountains will be disabled and field trips eliminated. The Hilsman Health Center, which opened on Monday, could soon be hosting a mass testing day for CCSD staff and families, Gaskins said.

Class sizes will probably be limited to 12-15 students, Gaskins said.

The board voted 7-2 to adopt i-Ready, a digital learning program created by Curriculum Associates. CCSD will use it as a way to measure student proficiency and assign personalized work based on a diagnostic assessment for English and math, according to the meeting agenda. Stephens and District 8 member John Knox voted against the measure.

Alps Road Elementary School and Gaines Elementary School piloted the supplemental program last year.

i-Ready works with 400,000 educators across all 50 states and with 642 Georgia schools, according to the companys 612-page proposal to CCSD. The program hasnt been peer-reviewed, according to a 2018 article in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

The federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act, will fund the adoption of i-Ready. It will cost about $500,000 this year and around $400,000 for each following year, Gaskins said.

Chief financial officer Chris Griner said during the meeting that CCSD is in great financial shape. The district passed its budget on June 25.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Authorities planned Friday to renew the search for Glee star Naya Rivera, who is believed to have drowned in a Southern California lake while boating with her 4-year-old son.

Rivera, 33, disappeared after renting the pontoon boat for three hours Wednesday afternoon and taking it out on Lake Piru in Ventura County, the Sheriffs Office said Thursday.

The lake an hours drive from Los Angeles was searched by dozens of people, most of them divers, with help from helicopters, drones and all-terrain vehicles. The search to recover Riveras body continued into the night Thursday before ending for that day.

The area where the boat was found is about 30 feet deep. Murky waters heavy with plants made it difficult for divers to see more than about a foot ahead of them, sheriffs Sgt. Kevin Donoghue said Thursday.

If the body is entangled on something beneath the water, it may never come back up, Donoghue said.

Rivera played Santana Lopez, a singing cheerleader in 113 episodes of the musical-comedy Glee, which aired on Fox from 2009 until 2015. She also had recurring roles on The Bernie Mac Show and The Royal Family.

Rivera, a Los Angeles resident, had experience boating on the lake in Los Padres National Forest, Donoghue said.

Surveillance video taken at about 1 p.m. Wednesday shows Rivera and her son, Josey Hollis Dorsey, leaving on the rented boat.

When the boat failed to return, its vendor found the vessel drifting in the northern end of the lake late Wednesday afternoon with the boy asleep on board. He told investigators that he and his mother had been swimming and he got back into the boat but she didnt, according to a sheriffs office statement.

The boy was wearing a life vest and another life jacket was found in the boat along with Riveras purse and identification.

Rivera is believed to have drowned in what appears to be a tragic accident, the statement said.

The boy, Riveras son from her marriage to actor Ryan Dorsey, was safe and healthy and with family members, authorities said.
F ashion retailer Shein is facing backlash for the second time in as many days for selling a "swastika pendant".

In the latest incident, the e-commerce site was slammed on social media for promoting anti-Semitism by advertising a necklace with a "Nazi symbol" on Thursday, July 9.

The product was hastily removed, with Shein stating that the jewellery was in fact based on a Buddhist character which "symbolised spirituality and good fortune".

Shein has since issued an apology on Twitter, telling customers they have "recently established a committee to review products before they're sold and promise to work even harder in the coming days to improve our product selection process."

They also said they would "cease the sale of any religious items on our site".

One Instagram user said: "Shein, a company thats become popular for YouTube 'try on hauls', appears to be selling swastika necklaces?!!! I am disgusted."

Another added: "Oh my god someone in product development needs to be fired."

Replying to the post one user said: "You are kidding me! First the insensitive prayer rugs than this."

However, some users jumped to the company's defence and one said: "Swastika is also a holy Hindu symbol .. misinterpreted by nazis to propagate Aryan race. Swastika is used very commonly India its a symbol of good luck often found on doors of houses"

Another added: "To be fair the Nazis' turned this symbol into something bad as it was originally a sign of peace.

"It's still used today in other cultures as a symbol of peace."

The necklace, which was retailing for $4, was swiftly taken down from the website but a Shein spokesman said the Nazi swastika had a different design to the one advertised.

"For the record, Shein was not selling a Nazi swastika pendant, the necklace is a Buddhist swastika which has symbolised spirituality and good fortune for more than a thousand years," the representative told The New York Post.

"The Nazi swastika has a different design, it is pointed clockwise and tilted at an angle.

"However, because we understand the two symbols can be confused and one is highly offensive, we have removed the product from our site."

The retailer came under fire days earlier for listing an Islamic prayer mat as a home decor item, describing it as a "Greek carpet".

The Standard Online has reached out to Shein for comment.
Japan's government is pushing to solve a dispute over a super-fast transport link in the country. The conflict is threatening to delay the 84-billion-dollar magnetically levitated, or maglev, train project.

Vice Transport Minister Fujita Kozo on Friday met the president of Central Japan Railway, or JR Tokai, which is building the line. The maglev will zoom from Tokyo to Nagoya at up to 500 kilometers per hour.

JR Tokai plans to open the link in 2027. But a dispute between the firm and local authorities over the construction of a tunnel in Shizuoka Prefecture could derail that. The Shizuoka government is worried about the impact on water resources.

Fujita proposed pushing ahead with preparatory work for the tunnel, but holding off on construction until a panel of government experts gives environmental clearance. JR Tokai President Kaneko Shin said he would take firm action to resolve the situation.

Fujita later asked Shizuoka Prefecture to allow the preparatory work to begin as soon as possible this month. But governor Kawakatsu Heita refused to agree.

Passengers will be able to travel the nearly 300 kilometers from the capital to Nagoya in just 40 minutes on the trains.
Gardai who raided exiled gang boss Cornelius Prices compound as part of an investigation into the double murder of a couple searched what a senior source described last night as a glorified dump.

Four people who were questioned in relation to the disappearance and murder of Willie Maughan and Anastasija Varslavanne five years ago were released without charge last night.

They were questioned yesterday as senior sources revealed details of the depraved state of Prices compound at Prices property in Gormanston, Co Meath, which was searched yet again from top to bottom.

The place is in absolute s**t  it used to be kept relatively well but it seems that since Price and most of his immediate family left at the start of the year it has gone to the dogs, one source said.

Expand Close Willie Maughan and Ana Varslavane / Facebook

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You had a bizarre situation that Army personnel were drafted in for searches with metal detectors  literally every five seconds they were going off.

There was so much copper wire, bits of cars, even bits of washing machines in the ground.

The place is nothing but a glorified dump  it certainly is not an easy place to search.

For someone that is one of the main players in organised crime in Ireland, where he lived is an absolute kip.

The place is shocking  there are rusty caravans everywhere. Its a horrible place.

Price remains in his bolthole in England, as the massive investigation into his gangs involvement in the double murder continues.

Expand Close Gang boss Cornelius Price. Photo: Damien Eagers / Facebook

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Yesterday Independent.ie revealed that a male relative of a famous boxer, the sister of a notorious crimelord and a close associate of a gun murder victim were all being questioned about the double murder of Mr Maughan (34) and Latvian Ms Varslavane (21), whose bodies have never been found.

The couple are believed to have been abducted and murdered by the gang after they went missing on April 14, 2015, in Gormanston.

They were planning on moving back to Mr Maughans family home in Tallaght on the day they went missing and are understood to have been brutally murdered because they had key information about the gangs activities, including another murder.

Price left Ireland after the murder of Keane Mulready-Woods (17) in January, which happened as part of the Drogheda feud.

He is closely linked to the Maguire faction in that deadly dispute.
Donald Trumps biggest foray into African affairs has not turned out well.

The US presidents bid to resolve a long-running dispute over a Nile dam has failed to make a breakthrough, joining his unsuccessful efforts in crises from North Korea to Kosovo.

In the case of the Nile hes largely fallen afoul of the same intractable regional politics that have bedeviled African leaders for years in their own fruitless attempts to end the disagreement. Even so, it risks adding to the perception the US is struggling to influence other countries. It follows Trumps past denigration of African nations, while years of neglect of the continent by successive US administrations left the running to China.

Under Trump, the US has certainly lost its soft power in Africa, said Mohamed Diatta, a researcher for the Pretoria-based Institute for Security Studies. People on the continent dont want to have anything to do with him.

Trump accepted Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisis request in September to mediate the conflict with Ethiopia over a dam on the Nile, but his public praise for Sisi -- he once called him my favorite dictator -- signaled to African leaders that the US wasnt going to be a honest broker. After it ended up with the United Nations Security Council, African nations are moving to wrestle back control of the process.

The dispute is at a critical moment. Ethiopia has said it plans to start filling the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, the site of Africas biggest hydropower plant, within weeks. Egypt says the dam will deprive its citizens of the water they need to farm and survive unless theres a firm agreement on the pace of its filling.

Read more: Tussle for Nile Control Escalates as Dam Talks Falter

In a letter to the Security Council on June 29, Egypt vowed to uphold and protect the vital interests of its people. Survival is not a question of choice, but an imperative of nature, it said.

In a conversation with a small group of delegates at a conference last month, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa disparaged Trumps involvement.

Over refreshments, he said the US leader would need to visit Africa to sort things out in person but wouldnt, because it is a shithole -- a reference to Trumps 2018 comments about the continent. Ramaphosa also said that instead of allowing the African Union, which he currently chairs, to resolve the deadlock, Sisi went running to his master, a reference to America. Ramaphosas spokeswoman Khusela Diko said she had no knowledge of the conversation.

Trumps handing of the issue has raised eyebrows in the US itself. He bypassed the State Department and asked Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to spearhead the talks, simply because Mnuchin was at the meeting when Sisi made the request, people familiar with the situation said. Experts say the intervention has turned what was essentially a technical dispute into a national security issue for three nations that depend on the river -- Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt.

Colin Thomas-Jensen, a senior adviser with WestExec Advisors and former Africa policy adviser to one-time US Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power, said the US handling of the dispute had been clumsy but added it was unfair to blame the Trump administration for how bogged down the issue has become.

The crisis over the GERD has been building for nearly a decade, and yet theres been negligible international effort to construct a mediation process with multilateral support from countries with leverage over the parties, including China and the Gulf states, he said. Instead, the Egyptians have been forum shopping with the United States and others while the Ethiopians have dragged their feet.

Two people familiar with the discussions, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the US thought it was making headway through early February, when a proposal appeared to have tentative support from all sides. But the people said Ethiopian officials reversed themselves and declined to attend Feb. 28 talks in Washington, bringing the process to a halt.

The administration remains committed to helping reach a deal, the people said, rejecting claims the US has thrown its weight behind Egypt. Each of the parties has griped at various points about the situation, they said.

Both the African Union and Ethiopia have stressed to the UN that the AU needs to take the lead in resolving the dispute, despite years of failing itself to make progress. In the words of Ethiopia, the Nile and the GERD are African issues that must be given African solutions.

Ethiopia and Egypt are longtime rivals in a high-stakes battle for control over the Nile, Africas longest river. Ethiopia is seeking to break what it sees as centuries of domination by Cairo, codified in so-called colonial-era treaties of 1929 and 1959. As far back the 1970s, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat warned of war should the dam get built.

Egypt fears the dams 74 billion cubic-meter reservoir and associated 6,000-megawatt power plant would give control over its water supply to a regional and upstream rival. Over the years it has argued the dams design was unsafe, would put the downstream flow of water at significant risk, and had a needlessly large dam and reservoir.

A threat of potentially existential proportions has emerged that could encroach on the single source of livelihood of over 100 million Egyptians, Egypt said in its letter to the Security Council. Ethiopia rejects Egypts claims.

Egypts foreign ministry didnt respond to further requests for comment.

Meaningful Concessions

Egypts intention by taking the dispute to the UN Security Council is to lump international pressure onto Ethiopia and force it to make meaningful concessions, said Anthony Skinner, director for Middle East and North Africa at UK-based risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft.

Egyptian diplomats say Ethiopias claims of US bias are disingenuous and seek to distract from its refusal to cooperate with other Nile nations. They point to strong US backing for the current, reformist government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who won the Nobel Peace Prize last year for his efforts to end hostilities with neighboring Eritrea. Ethiopia received at least $881 million in financial assistance from the US in 2019, one of the highest levels worldwide.

Still, a year and a half after the US got involved in the dispute, little has changed. Its far cry from the pomp that greeted Trumps involvement, with the World Bank joining the first US-mediated talks in early 2019.

Another White House effort to wade into a thorny international dispute faced a setback last month. Kosovos leaders pulled out of US-brokered talks with Serbia scheduled for June 27 in Washington, after an international prosecutor in The Hague indicted President Hashim Thaci for war crimes in the former Serb provinces 1998-1999 war for independence.

In the Nile dispute, on June 17 the White House put the onus on Ethiopia, urging the country to strike a fair deal.

In response, Ethiopia took advantage of the fact that the AU chairmanship passed from Egypt to South Africa this year and asked Ramaphosa to get involved. The negotiations have now gone back to the AU, where several attempts years earlier to resolve the issue failed.

If the Security Council starts addressing developmental issues, outside of its mandate, it opens up a Pandora box and will be a stage for noise, Ahmed told parliament on July 7.

The latest moves have dimmed the chances of a US-brokered solution.

The US is no longer seen as an honest broker, said Edward Hobey-Hamsher, a senior Africa analyst at Verisk Maplecroft. Its role has come to an end.
The girlfriend of Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin paid tribute to his life in a moving dawn memorial at the beach where the snowboarding champion drowned while spearfishing.

His heartbroken partner Ellidy Vlug, 28, summoned the strength to lead an early Saturday morning service in tribute of the 32-year-old.

Supported by an army of surfing mates, Ms Vlug paddled into the waters at Palm Beach, just meters from where the Olympic snowboarder died.

Pullin had been alone in the water at Palm Beach, on the Gold Coast, when he suffered an underwater blackout on Wednesday morning.

Paramedics performed CPR for 45-mintues on Pullin but were unable to revive him.

The girlfriend of late Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin paid tribute to his life in a moving dawn memorial (pictured, Ellidy Vlug flanked by family and friends during the morning service on Saturday)

Ms Vlug and a handful of friends (pictured on Saturday morning) waded into the same waters that took her beloved boyfriend to share an emotional farewell

Family and friends comfort a tearful Ms Vlug (pictured) during the morning service on Saturday

Ms Vlug (pictured, centre) and Pullin's father (left) carry their boards out to the surf during the morning service

Friends, family and locals (pictured, left) turned out to the morning service to send their final farewell to Pullin, as Ms Vlug was comforted at the scene (right)

Ms Vlug and a handful of friends waded into the same waters that took her beloved boyfriend to share an emotional farewell.

The group of mourners donned wreaths of flowers around their heads and surf swimsuits - one of Pullin's passions was to surf during the summer.

Surfer Mick Fanning and Pullin's father joined the mourners in a paddle out while grieving locals who chose to remain on land planted bouquets of flowers in the sand.

The group of mourners donned wreaths of flowers around their heads and surf swimsuits (pictured on Saturday morning, Ms Vlug in a headdress and black wetsuit)

Grieving locals planted bouquets of flowers in the sand (pictured on Saturday morning) as Ms Vlug wept in the centre, surrounded by loved ones

Surfer Mick Fanning (pictured) joined the paddle out during the early morning service on Saturday

Pullin suffered a shallow water blackout on Wednesday morning while free diving and drowned.

On the morning of his death, the couple woke late before Pullin decided to go get some sun.

Ms Vlug told Daily Mail Australia she last saw her boyfriend alive moments before he'd decided to go for a dive, telling him: 'Love you, watch out for sharks'.

Bouquets have been steadily arriving since Wednesday afternoon, and are partially buried in the sand to keep them in place overnight.

The couple shared a Kelpie puppy named Rummi (pictured together) and were planning the rest of their lives together

Friends and family attended the morning service to pay tribute to Pullin, as Ms Vlug (pictured, centre) was comforted at the scene

Later on Friday morning, Ms Vlug shared a touching video to social media showing the flower arrangements sitting on the shore as the sun rose in the background.

'Chump my baby, rest in paradise,' she wrote.

'I can't bear to type these words.'

Ms Vlug was first warned something might be amiss by her neighbour, Belinda Anderson, on Wednesday morning.

Ms Anderson had spoken with Pullin on his way out of the house, so knew he was heading down to Palm Beach to go spearfishing.

Hours later, she saw a post in a local community Facebook page. It read that a man in his 30s had been pulled to the shore, unconscious.

Friends and family don swimsuits to wade into the water to pay tribute to late Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin (pictured)

Ms Vlug and the couple's dog Rummi (pictured) are seen at the beach during the morning service

The couple's kelpie Rummi (pictured) waits on the beach while the surfers paddle out to pay their respects

Pullin and Ms Vlug's dog Rummi (pictured) looks on as the morning service is carried out

Pullin (pictured with Ms Vlug, left and right) was a keen spearfisher but tragically blacked out underwater on Wednesday)

She immediately sought out Ms Vlug.

'I went over and showed his partner the message as I knew he was out there,' Ms Anderson explained.

Ms Vlug previously told Daily Mail Australia she returned from a walk to her neighbour at her door telling her there had been an accident.

She rushed down to the beach with her mother, where she was told by first responders that the victim was in fact her partner of eight years.

'The world lost an amazing human today,' Ms Anderson wrote in a touching tribute to her neighbour.

'He was loved and admired by so many. He passed away doing what he loved'.

Pullin's father (left) with Ms Vlug (centre) and the kelpie Rummi

Surfers paddle out in memory of Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin during the morning service

Mourners paddle out to pay their respects to Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin (pictured) at Palm Beach, where the sportsman died on Wednesday

Family and friends surround Ms Vlug in the water to pay tribute to late Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin (pictured)
She celebrated her daughter's birthday the day before with a special pasta dinner and a pool party for friends.

Kourtney Kardashian was still admiring her daughter Penelope, eight, on Thursday when she posted multiple photos of her to Instagram.

The 41-year-old Keeping Up With The Kardashians star caught Penelope looking glamorous in a furry coat as they dined together.

Loving display: Kourtney Kardashian, 41, posted multiple photos of her daughter Penelope on Thursday after a dinner to celebrate her eighth birthday from the day before

Penelope was swallowed up in a cheetah print coat while sitting across the table after finishing a meal.

She showed off a sweet smile, and Kourtney also snapped her as she gazed around the restaurant.

'This little lady...there really are no words to express,' Kourtney wrote, trying her best anyway.

'I am in awe of everything about her, her thoughtfulness, her heart, her beauty inside and out, the way she takes care of people. Feeling so thankful to God for blessing me with her.'

Fierce: Penelope was swallowed up in a cheetah print coat while sitting across the table after finishing a meal. She showed off a sweet smile, and Kourtney also snapped her as she gazed around the restaurant

Maternal love: 'I am in awe of everything about her, her thoughtfulness, her heart, her beauty inside and out, the way she takes care of people. Feeling so thankful to God for blessing me with her,' Kourtney wrote

'8 and feeling great': Dad Scott also shared an image of Penelope lounging by the pool

On Wednesday, Kourtney shared some photos and videos from Penelope's party, which they seemed to keep fairly low key.

The Poosh founder had her daughter on the mind when she posted a closeup of her gold Charlotte Tilbury lipstick tube in a Penelope Pink shade.

In honor of Penelope's birthday, she got out the special China 'birthday dishes,' which featured pale blue butterfly designs.

'Homemade pasta for my girl,' Kourtney captioned a short video of fresh pasta being rolled for the dinner.

While the dough was being flattened in the background, a delicious-looking pile of tagliatelle or fettuccine was already laid out.

Perfect shade: The Poosh founder had her daughter on the mind the day before when she posted a closeup of her gold Charlotte Tilbury lipstick tube in a Penelope Pink shade

Fancy: In honor of Penelope's birthday, she got out the special China 'birthday dishes,' which featured pale blue butterfly designs

Yum! 'Homemade pasta for my girl,' Kourtney captioned a short video of fresh pasta being rolled for the dinner

On Wednesday night, Penelope appeared to be one of the children having a blast in a pool under the stars, though none of them appeared to be social distancing.

The meet-up came as states across the country have reported massive coronavirus spikes, and Southern California has been particularly hard hit.

Though Kourtney didn't go wild on social media over Penelope's birthday, her extended family were quick to wish her a happy birthday.

Kim shared a bevy of photos of the young girl, many of them with her oldest daughter North West, who's only a year younger than Penelope.

Risky: On Wednesday night, Penelope appeared to be one of the children having a blast in a pool under the stars, though none of them appeared to be social distancing

Family values: Though Kourtney didn't go wild on social media over Penelope's birthday, her sister Kim shared a bevy of photos for the special day

Hanging out: One of her photos featured herself and Kourtney as they both posed with their oldest daughters

'Happy Birthday Penelope!!!!! I love you so much sweet silly girl!' she captioned the set.

'I really cant believe you are 8 years old! I couldnt have asked for a better bestie for North! You two together are so loving and I know you will always have each other! I love you so much!'

One of her photos featured herself and Kourtney as they both posed with their oldest daughters.

Sweet: Penelope's aunt Khloe got in on the birthday wishes by posting an adorable photo of her daughter True sitting on Penelope's lap

No fuss: Penelope's father Scott Disick was more taciturn in his post, which featured him holding Penelope while she wore a bathing suit

Penelope's aunt Khloe got in on the birthday wishes by posting an adorable photo of her daughter True sitting on Penelope's lap.

'Happy birthday my sweet P! You truly are a little angel! A gentle sweet wise soul! Koko loves you more than life itself!!! Where did the time go? ok omg crying!!' she wrote.

Penelope's father Scott Disick was more taciturn in his post, which featured him holding Penelope while she wore a bathing suit.

'Holly molly she's 8!' he wrote.

Scott and Kourtney were together from 20062015, though they never married in that time.

In addition to Penelope, the couple share two sons: Mason, 10, and Reign, five.
Not even the worst pandemic to hit Texas in a century was enough to stem the surge in voter registrations that has remade the states electorate over the past four years.

Just since March, Texas has added nearly 149,000 voters even as the political parties and voter registration groups face new obstacles in signing up people in a world of social distancing and stay-at-home orders.

The state now has a record 16.4 million voters, 2.1 million more than it had just over four years ago  a 15 percent increase in registrations that is nearly equivalent to the voter rolls of the entire state of Connecticut.

It is a totally different electorate than it was in 2016, said Luke Warford, voter expansion director for the Texas Democratic Party.

Harris and Bexar counties have led the way in the last three months with voter registration efforts. In Harris County, voter rolls have grown by 16,000, while in Bexar they are up almost 14,000. Combined, the two counties account for one-fifth of the increase in registrations statewide.

RUNOFF ELECTIONS: Houston Chronicle voter guide, San Antonio Express-News voter guide

Warford said for both parties and all candidates, those new voters have thrown a wild card into the 2020 elections as the parties try to get them to break their way. Texas just isnt accustomed to this sort of surge.

Texas voter registration rolls historically have grown slowly. From 2002 to 2012, the rolls grew by 800,000. But now, registration is in hyperdrive. Just since November 2018, Texas has added almost 600,000 voters.

Some of the change is coming from transplants moving from other states, while many others are coming from minority communities that voter registration advocacy groups have targeted over the last four years.

In short, Brandon Rottinghaus, a University of Houston political science professor, said 2020 is setting up as a real shootout in regions of the state that have become more competitive because of the diversification and growth of the electorate.

Its another step toward Texas being a true battleground, Rottinghaus said.

HEAT ON GOV. ABBOTT: Governor targeted by Democrats  and increasingly by fellow Republicans  over COVID response

Thats a big change from the last 25 years. Since 1994, Republicans have dominated Texas politics, winning every statewide office. Theyve had complete control of the Texas Legislature since 2003.

Republican Party of Texas Chairman James Dickey said his party knows the ground is changing and is making its own preparations to defend the state.

We are on alert and not taking anything for granted, Dickey told a group of eight party activists in May in rural Callahan County near Abilene, when he implored them to join the partys voter registration efforts.

Dickey said up to 2018, the GOP relied mostly on organic growth while Democrats and their affiliated groups hunted for new voters. Since then, the Republicans have become more intentional and targeted in their approach.

A key part of that has been a program they call 10K 4 10R, where 10,000 volunteers each make phone calls to a list of 10 potential Republican voters to ask them if they want to register to vote and have forms sent to them. Dickey said that has already produced 100,000 new Republican voters over the past year.

But for progressive and Democratic groups, optimism abounds over where the states big voter gains are happening.

Pandemic doesnt slow digital hunt for young voters

In Texas, voters dont register by party affiliation like many other states, making it unclear exactly how many Republican or Democratic voters are in the state.

But about one-third of the 1.3 million new voters since November 2018 come from three counties: Harris, Travis and Bexar  all deeply blue since 2016.

Harris and Bexar being at the top of the list doesnt surprise Antonio Arellano, who is the leader of Jolt, a voter advocacy group focused on registering young Latino voters and getting them involved in politics. He said his group has been on the ground in those two counties.

While the coronavirus made registration drives impossible in traditional locations such as libraries, county fairs and large events, younger voters can still be found with direct messages on social media, text messages and digital ads. The virus hasnt affected those efforts at all.

We harness culture, art and technology to get it done, Arellano said.

Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer

Each year in Texas, 200,000 Latinos turn 18  a population that is Jolts main focus.

In recent months, political unrest around the nation, particularly in minority communities since the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, has also helped Democratic registration pushes.

The social unrest over the last couple of months has really without a doubt mobilized people for the upcoming election, Arellano said. There is a growing consciousness of young people who are saying this is not right and looking for ways to change it.

Warford said that at many of the Black Lives Matter rallies, people were registering voters as they marched. And as the pandemic keeps people home, they have more time to watch the states rising COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths, creating even more political frustration with the states Republican leaders.

We are clearly in a moment that is charged emotionally and politically, Warford said.

Conservative suburbs see registration growth

In the last three months, the Texas voter rolls have been growing by almost 50,000 people per month. That is almost double what was happening between November 2018 and March, when Texas added about 26,000 people per month.

Its voter registration groups such as Jolt and Battleground Texas, which has been on the ground in places such as Houston since 2014, that have caught the GOPs attention. Gov. Greg Abbott holds regular organizing sessions with Republicans he calls Abbott University, where theyre warned that Democratic registration efforts even before 2018 were changing the states electorate.

The results in 2018 showed just how real that was. Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Beto ORourke came within 219,000 votes of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican, who six years earlier had won his seat with a 1.2 million vote margin. But it went beyond that. Democrats flipped two congressional seats that had been held by Republicans, two Texas Senate seats and 12 Texas House seats.

In a conference call with college Democrats in Texas in May, ORourke said voter registration gains, particularly with young voters, were essential to all of that.

Melissa Phillip, Staff photographer / Houston Chronicle

It was driven by young people, ORourke said. Young voter turnout in 2018 was up 500 percent in early voting.

While Democrats might feel good about Harris and Bexar counties being atop the growing voter registration roles, Dickey said GOP registrations are up in those places and other major metropolitan areas, too, thanks to the partys more aggressive approach.

Since last November, Bell, Williamson, Denton, Collin and Montgomery counties  suburban communities that President Donald Trump carried in 2016  saw their voter rolls grow by at least 4 percent each, beating the statewide growth, which was 2 percent.

Rottinghaus said Republicans have traditionally had a built-in advantage in suburbs, but thats changing as more Democratic voters relocate to those places for jobs, adding a new degree of uncertainty to their political makeup.

Rottinghaus said when the states population boomed in the 1980s and 1990s, the migration brought a major shift as Republicans knocked out Democrats all over the state. But now, the rush of new voters has the Democrats on the offensive.

More Information TEXAS VOTER REGISTRATION March 2014: 13,601,324 March 2016: 14,238,436 March 2018: 15,249,541 March 2020: 16,211,198 July 2020: 16,359,786 Source: Texas Secretary of State GET READY FOR NOVEMBER To vote in the November presidential election, new voters must register to vote by October 5. Voters who are not sure if they are registered can check online at https://www.votetexas.gov. Oct. 5 is also the deadline to change the address on a voter registration. Address changes made within the same county are effective 30 days afterward. Voters who move to a new county must submit a new voter registration application. People can also register to vote with the local county voting registrar. In Harris County, voters can apply with the Harris Tax Assessor-Collector & Voter Registrar Office by calling (713) 274-8200 or visiting online at www.hctax.net In Bexar County, voters can submit an application with the Bexar County Elections Department, call 210-335-8683 or visit online www.bexar.org. See More Collapse

It is changing Texas politics, he said.

jeremy.wallace@chron.com

twitter.com/jeremyswallace
TEHRAN, Iran, July 10

Trend:

The Head of Iran University of Medical Sciences Jalil Kouhpayeh-Zadeh said that first human trials of the coronavirus vaccine will be carried out in the next two months, Trend reports via Mehr News Agency.

A lot of research has been done on the coronavirus vaccine internationally, and more than 10 groups are doing research on coronavirus vaccine in Iran, Kouhpayeh-Zadeh said.

Vaccine compounds have several phases, and the types of vaccines are different," he added.

Iran will probably be able to obtain samples of the coronavirus vaccine by fall or early winter which can be used internationally, he noted.

Kouhpayeh-Zadeh went on to say that two research groups at Iran University of Medical Sciences are working on the vaccine production.

If the next steps are successful, the vaccine will be mass-produced", he added.

The country continues to apply strict measures to contain the 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 of Iran only announced its first infections and deaths from the coronavirus on Feb. 19.

The outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan - which is an international transport hub - began at a fish market in late December 2019.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11 declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019.
A rare animal has made its debut at the Zurich Zoo during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The zoo obtained a white rhino named Ushindi, who was born two months ago. Ushindis mother, Tanda, was imported from Israel during her pregnancy and Ushindi is her seventh calf.

It is a rare species as only 19,000 to 21,000 are left on reserves across the world, and it remains on the World Wildlife Funds near-threatened list.

The Zurich Zoo has obtained a rare white rhino. (Bernd Thissen/picture alliance via Getty Images)

With poachers often seeking to kill this animal, the zoo is protecting an endangered species.

Its definitely some good news for the Zurich Zoo, who have been under scrutiny lately. A zookeeper was killed earlier this month, mauled by a Siberian tiger in front of the public on July 4.

Swiss-German newspaper Tages-Anzeiger reported that Ushindi was facing some eye problems initially, but has overcome these issues and has since been allowed to roam through the large Lewa Sawanna exhibit as of June 8.

The exhibit is the largest site at the Zoo and is home to 15 species, including the Reticulated giraffe, White rhino, Grevys zebra, antelope, ostrich, spotted hyena, and other African savanna animals. Prior to the launch, the first newborn baby White rhino at the Zoo was welcomed, boding well for the success of the Lewa Savanna, the zoos official website reads.

Heres to a safe summer for Ushindi, Tanda and the rest of the Zurich Zoo staff.
Google bans more apps, reveals smart speaker launch details, Apple unveiled iOS 14 Public Beta and more.

Another exciting day in the world of tech as we see Google cleaning its Play Store by banning some more apps and confirming a new Next-branded smart speaker as well. On the other hand, Apple made its iOS 14 Public Beta available for, well, public. So, anyone can download the OS and get going. All this and some more important news in todays Tech Wrap. Check it out.

Facebook held responsible for crashing several iOS apps

Throughout the day, users have reported that several iOS apps like Spotify, Tinder and some others are crashing. This might be due to a bug in Facebooks SDK which many apps use to manage user logins.

Google bans more apps that were found injecting malware

A total of 11 apps have been removed by the search giant from its Play Store. These apps were said to be infected with the notorious Joker malware as per the Check Point researchers. These hackers found a way to get users to subscribe to premium services without their knowledge.

Microsoft Teams gets new features to improve work from home experience

Microsoft Teams today launched some new features to aimed at making the most out of video meetings. These include Together Mode, Dynamic View, Video Filters, Live reactions, speaker attributions, 1000 participants and Chat Bubbles.

Sony has made a pretty big investment in the gaming industry

The Japanese tech firm invested $250 million in Epic Games, which owns Unreal Engine but is known for Fortnite and Houseparty video calling app. The value of the deal has not been disclosed yet.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live have leaked in images ahead of the August 5 launch

It has been a day since Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Unpacked event date of August 5 and the Galaxy Buds Live have leaked in images in full glory. The images re-confirm the bean-shaped look and different colours.

Apple iOS 14 Public Beta goes live for all iPhone users around the globe

Yes, now anybody can enroll their iPhones for free on the Apple Beta website and download iOS 14. This will also give them a lead in experiencing new features. The final version of the iOS 14 may around in late September or October.

Google not only removed apps but also confirmed the existence of a Nest smart speaker

As per Googles official teasers, the device looks more of a bigger version of the Google Nest Mini. The smart speaker also has a unique oblong-like cylindrical design. Its entirely covered in fabric unlike the Google Home which only had the bottom half fabric-covered.
TORONTO  Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus mother and brother were paid more than $200,000 over four years by a charity recently awarded a no-bid contract to disburse hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to student volunteers, officials confirmed Thursday.

The revelation raised ethical questions anew for Mr. Trudeau, who has faced earlier conflict-of-interest complaints along with a high-profile ethics investigation that had once threatened to derail his tenure.

Last week, the countrys ethics commissioner opened an investigation into whether the prime minister had breached conflict-of-interest rules by awarding the aid contract to an organization, known as the WE Charity, with which he has close personal ties.

Facing an uproar, the government reconsidered and said it would run the aid program instead, known as the Canada Student Service Grant.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 11:34:53|Editor: Lu Hui

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BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- China's civil aviation industry has gradually recovered in June as key indicators reported narrowing declines from a month ago, data from the country's aviation regulator showed Friday.

Airlines flew a total of 30.74 million passengers last month, down 42.4 percent year on year. The decline narrowed 10.2 percentage points from May, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

In the first half of the year, air passenger numbers hit 150 million, equivalent to 45.8 percent of the volume during the same period last year.

Air cargo volume fell 5.8 percent year on year to 578,000 tonnes last month, compared with a 12-percent decrease registered in May. Enditem
The IVY Research Network has completed initial studies evaluating the epidemiology of COVID-19 in health care workers and patients.

Among 249 front-line health care workers who cared for COVID-19 patients during the first month of the pandemic in Tennessee, 8% tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies by serology testing, suggesting they had contracted COVID-19 in the first several weeks of taking care of COVID-19 patients. Among these health care workers with positive serology results, 42% reported no symptoms of a respiratory illness in the prior two months. This suggests that front-line health care workers are at high risk for COVID-19 and that many health care workers with the virus may not have typical symptoms of a respiratory infection. These results were published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases on July 6.

"Our results suggest that screening health care workers for COVID-19 even when they don't have any symptoms could be important to prevent the spread of the virus within hospitals," said Wesley Self, MD, associate professor of Emergency Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and lead investigator for the IVY Network.

Investigator Bo Stubblefield, MD, instructor of Emergency Medicine, added, "We are continuing to study COVID-19 in front-line health care workers across the country to better understand what may be done to decrease their risk of infection, such as using specific types of personal protective equipment."

In a separate study, the IVY investigators studied 350 patients across 11 medical centers in the U.S. who tested positive for COVID-19; 54% of these patients reported no close contact with another person known to have COVID-19 in the two weeks before getting sick.

"With over half of COVID-19 patients not identifying a clear source of their infection, this study reinforces the need for practical measures to reduce the spread of the virus, such as social distancing and the use of face coverings when out in public," Self said.

Additionally, 40% of COVID-19 patients in the study remained symptomatic two weeks after a positive COVID-19 test, showing that patients with COVID-19 tend to remain ill longer than with other respiratory infections, such as influenza. The results were published by the journal Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report on June 30.

The IVY Network is a collaborative research group of multiple medical centers in the U.S led by Vanderbilt University Medical Center. It is funded by Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to conduct research on severe respiratory infections, including COVID-19 and influenza.
NEW YORK and SYDNEY, Australia, July 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Beroni Group (OTCQX: BNIGF; NSX: BTG) (Beroni or the Company), an international diversified biopharmaceutical enterprise focused on the research, development, innovation and commercialization of therapies and products for treatment of global diseases, is pleased to announce that it is collaborating with Forsitech Inc. (Forsitech) and Standard Capital Co., Ltd (Standard Capital) to supply its SARS-CoV-2 total antibody detection kit for clinical testing in the Japanese market. Beroni will start with a supply of 100,000 test kits to be distributed by these two Japanese partners.



The ALLEX platform, a digital STO (security token offerings) exchange solution developed by Standard Capital will be used to ensure smooth and fast delivery of the test kits to the Japanese market. It will also provide necessary and timely information updates, and the system will incorporate a service that recommends retesting 14 days after the initial testing. Given the current global pandemic situation, asymptomatic patients pose a significant risk of infection and should be tested early for presence of antibodies to prevent hidden cluster outbreaks. As asymptomatic patients are not given much opportunity to undergo antibody testing, ALLEX will support those who wish to be tested for antibodies to prevent the spread of infection.

Jacky Zhang, Chairman and CEO of Beroni Group, said, We are very excited to be able to work with Forsitech and Standard Capital to provide antibody testing to the Japanese market on a broader scale. We believe that the antibody testing is an effective means to quickly detect the spread of the COVID-19 virus and prevent massive outbreaks.

About Beroni Group Limited

Beroni Group is an international biopharmaceutical enterprise dedicated to the innovation and commercialization of drugs and therapies to combat various global diseases such as cancer and infectious diseases. Its diversified portfolio is comprised of a US FDA approved virus diagnostic kit, an e-commerce platform for the sale of pharmaceutical products and a development pipeline targeting oncology and cell therapies. Beroni has operations in Australia, United States, China and Japan. It is listed on the National Stock Exchange of Australia and traded on the OTC markets in the USA.

To learn more about Beroni, please visit www.beronigroup.com .

About FORSiTECH Inc.

Forsitech Inc. is a Tokyo-based pharmaceutical trading company dealing in bulk pharmaceuticals, pharmaceutical intermediates, cosmetics and other products. It provides a smooth supply chain for pharmaceuticals and other related products, leveraging its specialized knowledge of pharmaceuticals and its experience in the field of import and marketing approval. The company also assists pharmaceutical manufacturers with registration of their products with PMDA and protection of the intellectual property rights of their products and technology. In addition, Forsitech is currently donating PPE items such as surgical masks and protective clothings to medical institutions.

The CEO of Forsitech Inc. is Hajime Funaki. To find out more about Forsitech, please visit https://forsitech.co.jp .

About Standard Capital Co., Ltd

Standard Capital Co., Ltd has developed an identity authentication system and aims to expand the security business in relation to it. Its ALLEX ID, which can manage personal information with robust security, can be applied to many fields. The company is also working on the provision of security enhancement service for the electronic contracting business. It will promote the popularity and technological development of electronic contracting services, as well as providing an online donation system for supporting medical technology projects.

ALLEX is also an STO exchange that can be funded by securities issued using blockchain and other electronic means. It can be used to revitalize the financial and capital markets and improve the efficiency of the financial system.

Standard Capital provided continuous consulting services such as security token issuance, management, settlement, and incidental operations, as well as compliance with laws and regulations aimed at protecting investors.

Its CEO is Taisei Yamaguchi. To find out more Standard Capital, please visit https://standardcapital.co.jp.

Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, within the meaning of applicable United States and Australian securities laws with respect to the Company. By their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results suggested by the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Generally forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as anticipate, will, expect, may, continue, could, estimate, forecast, plan, intend, believe, potential and similar expressions.

Forward-looking information contained in this press release is based on Company managements opinions, estimates and assumptions in light of its experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that management currently believes are appropriate and reasonable in the circumstances. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks, uncertainties and assumptions, and there can be no assurance that such statements, or its underlying risks, uncertainties and assumptions will prove to be accurate. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially include, without limitation, risks related to laws, rules and regulation applicable to the Company as well as the industry in which it operates (including in respect of taxes and other levies), economic or market conditions on both a national and global level, currency fluctuations, risks inherent to other entities at a similar stage of development and industry in which the Company currently is, competition from the Companys competitors, unsatisfactory development or marketing of the Company and/or its products or services, regulatory action or litigation (including product liability claims), and failure to enter into agreements or arrangements with other parties on fair or reasonable terms. Forward-looking information is made only as of the date on which it is provided and, except as may be required by applicable laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update such forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

For more information, please contact:

Phone: +61 2 8051 3055

Email: enquiry@beronigroup.com

Website: www.beronigroup.com
THE main contractors for the stalled National Children's Hospital (NCH) has said they are "anxious" to get back on site but claim they have been excluded from payments that the State has been making to builders on other public sites.

Work on the new 1.7bn NCH has stalled indefinitely amid a dispute over who should pay for the extra costs of reopening the site after the coronavirus lockdown as well as the cost of new safety measures needed due to the pandemic.

The National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (NPHDB) has told the main contractors, BAM, it expects workers back on site without further delay and for the issue of costs to be resolved through the agreed dispute management process while work on site continues.

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No work has been carried out on the site of the controversial project  which has been beset by delays and budget overruns  at St Jamess Hospital in Dublin since the Covid-19 lockdown at the end of March.

RTE is reporting today that the NPHDB is preparing to take legal action if work doesn't resume by next week.

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The main contractors, BAM issued a statement this afternoon.

The company said: "BAM together with its major subcontractors confirm that they are most anxious to proceed with the vital works at the National Childrens Hospital as expeditiously and economically as possible within the new mandatory Covid-19 requirements."

It says significant preparatory work has been undertaken at the site in recent weeks to meet these requirements and ensure it is ready to recommence.

The statement says the NCH is "by far the largest construction project in the State" and at peak it was anticipated to require more than 2,000 people on-site.

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"As a consequence of the Government restrictions which are required to keep workers, their families, the St Jamess Hospital community and the neighbourhood safe during Covid-19, and in particular to observe the requirements of social distancing, it is evident that no more than half of that number (1,000 staff) can be safely deployed on site."

It said that due to progress on the project a "significant proportion" of the current work is now indoors which may further reduce the number of workers that can be safely engaged.

"The consequences of these public health restrictions are significant delays which will continue until there is a vaccine widely available, as well as additional costs on a once-off and ongoing basis."

"The Government has recognised this by confirming it will make ex gratia payments to contractors on Public Works contracts throughout the country to meet these costs."

BAM said that the NPHDB "has confirmed that these payments will not be available to BAM on this project" and adds: "It is unclear why the National Childrens Hospital has been excluded from this compensation regime."

The statement says: "The Board has confirmed that its view is that the contract has no mechanism for dealing with this issue, and it makes BAM responsible for the entire Covid 19- impact.

"This means there would be no compensation for the extra costs incurred, or extensions of time allowed for the inevitable delays and resulting damages payable to the client (Liquidated Damages) on the project.

"This is unfair and must be addressed as a matter of urgency."

Earlier today, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly was accused of seeking to shift the blame for the stalling of construction work on the controversial project.

Labour Leader Alan Kelly made the claim as he urged Mr Donnelly to "take charge" of the situation.

This is likely to further delay the completion of the hospital, which was scheduled to open in 2023, with the dispute also adding to the spiralling costs of one of the most expensive healthcare facilities in the world.

Minister Donnelly said last night that the NPHDB has been engaging with the developers since the restrictions eased and has been clear it expects the main contractor to meet its obligations by returning to the site without further delay.

The health minister also said: "It is not possible at this stage to determine what impact the pandemic may have on the timeline or costs for construction of the hospital.

Mr Kelly hit out at Mr Donnelly's response today.

He said: "The new Minister for Health acknowledges the delay but he hasnt told us what he is going to do about it.

"As an experienced management consultant in the health area he should be on top of this?

"He tells us he doesnt know what impact this will have on timeline or costs, but thats not acceptable, he needs to take charge of this now."

Mr Kelly added: "Minister Donnelly is there two weeks but is already putting the blame onto the NPHDB rather than taking responsibility for the delays.

"He cant run away from the biggest capital project in the State.

The Labour leader also questioned why the former caretaker government led by Fine Gael didn't ensure work on the NCH restarted once restrictions were eased for the construction sector on May 18.

"This is a flagship project. Considering it was already over budget and behind schedule youd wonder why more attention wasnt paid to it," he said.

The delays have been described as extremely concerning by Fianna Fail TD James Lawless, who confirmed the hold-up through parliamentary questions.

The NPHDB argues that construction can continue while the dispute is being resolved, but this has not happened.

"There is no timeline for when it [construction] will be back up and running, discussions are ongoing," a source with knowledge of the dispute said.

It is understood that Bam has expressed concerns over the tight nature of the construction site and its proximity to St James's Hospital which has been dealing with the pandemic in recent months. It has outlined there are extra costs arising out of returning to work at the site while complying with social distancing and public health guidelines.

The Construction Industry Federation has previously said that, on a general basis for all construction sites, there would be extra costs and delays as a result of the Covid-19 public health measures.

Meanwhile, the NPHDB said in a statement: "Since the commencement of the easing of restrictions on May 18, the NPHDB has been engaging with BAM, the main contractor at the new children's hospital, to ensure the earliest possible reopening of the site.

"Some matters still remain unresolved at this time, relating primarily to the cost implications of the closure and reopening of the site and who should bear them.

"This should not prevent BAM from returning to the site, however, as these matters can be resolved through the agreed dispute management process while work on site continues, and for that reason the NPHDB has been clear on its expectation that the main contractor meets its obligation by returning to the site without further delay."

The new hospital is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2022 and handed over to the operator, Children's Health Ireland, to open in 2023. However, the project has been beset by delays and the NPHDB said Bam had failed to make up for time lost.

The hospital board said: "The NPHDB is continuing to engage with the contractor to obtain an updated programme of works.

"There will be delays associated with the requirement to cease works on the site due to Covid-19 restrictions and following reopening in respecting social distancing. However, it is too early to fully assess the time or cost impact of the pandemic."

Mr Lawless says he has now written to Health Minister Stephen Donnelly outlining his concerns and seeking further clarity on when work will restart on the site. Mr Donnelly confirmed the delay in response to a Dail question submitted by Mr Lawless last month.

"This project has already undergone numerous delays and expenses - neither it nor the State can afford more controversy and delay now," Mr Lawless said. "We require urgent clarity on what this latest wrangling consists of? What is so special about this site that sees tools still downed almost two months after every other builder is back at work? This does not bode well for the project."

The Department of Health initially referred queries on the project delays to the NPHDB. However, in a statement to the Irish Independent last night, Mr Donnelly said: "I know the board has undertaken significant engagement with the main contractor since restrictions eased.

"The board has been clear on its expectation that the main contractor meets its obligations by returning to the site without further delay."

Speaking on Newstalk this morning, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said that the government are aware of the "challenges and difficulties" the project faced.

"The boards who were responsible for the delivery of this project are now involved in a process with the developer in relation to the issue of costs and given that this is a legal matter, I think the least I say about that the better for now.

"But I just want to emphasise to you and to your listeners that what is paramount for us is getting the best possible outcome for the Irish taxpayer in relation to a project that I think will be so important in the future, but has already been a cause of much disappointment for many people. We're aware of that and the board is aware of that in the work they're doing."

Mr Donohoe added: "The key thing now is that these issues are resolved and of course it is really frustrating and disappointing to see a project of this scale, a project that can make such a difference to sick children in a difficulty like this.

"What is more important than my own personal feelings in relation to that is to support the board in their work. There's a legal process on the way. And the key thing now is a focus on the project on children and getting the best value for the taxpayer at a difficult moment."
Nag Panchami 2020 Date & time: How to worship, chant and praise Nag Devta on the auspicious day of Nagpanchami: Learn the significant and astrological importance of the day.

Nag Panchami 2020 Date & time: Nag Panchami falls on 25 July this year. On this auspicious day, snakes are worshipped throughout India and even in some parts of Indian subcontinent. Accordingly to the Hindu Calendar, it is celebrated on the fifth day of the lunar month of Shravana (July/August)

The festival is celebrated while paying deed to Nag Devta (Snake God). It is believed that the disciples of Nag Devta receive blessings while worshipping the snake on the neck of Lord Shiva. Many people choose to keep a fast that day to honour the snake deity.

Nag Panchami 2020 Shubh Mahurat Timing:

Panchami starts at : 02:33 pm (24/07/2020)

Panchami ends at : 12:01 am (25/07/2020)

Puja Mahurat : 05:38:42 pm  08:22:00 pm

Mantras to chant on Nag Panchami:

How to worship correctly on Nag Panchami :

-Wake up early and take a bath

-Eat enough to help retain the all-day fasting

-Offer flowers, rice, oil, kheel and turmeric to the serpent deity at your home or temple

-Offer milk mixed with ghee and sugar and kheer as well.

-Do aarti to worship Nag Devta

-Make a snake idol with cow dung and put it neat the entrance of your house and offer kheer.

-Try feeding a living snake to please the God

-Listen to Nag Katha with your friends and family.

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It is believed that worshipping and praising the Nag Devta helps remove all evil forces from life and brings Goddess Laxmi in the house. People that offer kheer and milk to the snake see no shortage of money in the future. One should fast all day on Nag Panchami to remove Kalsarp Dosh from their Kundli. Ophidiophobia (fear of snakes) can be helped by offering praises to the Nag Devta.
New Delhi: Gangster Vikas Dubey's encounter on Friday (July 10) morning by Uttar Pradesh police, which claimed he was killed while trying to flee after the car carrying him from Ujjain overturned on the outskirts of the city, brought cheers of the faces of many people and they justified the police action.

The DNA report today is an attempt to understand the psyche behind such thinking that criminals or outlawed persons should be awarded instant justice. The reason behind such thinking comes perhaps due to our cumbersome judicial process that prolongs for years.

Although Vikas Dubey was already scared of a police encounter, and this was the reason that he deliberately surrendered in front of cameras outside Mahakal temple in Ujjain, his plan, however, failed as the Special Task Force of Uttar Pradesh Police took merely 15 minutes to end his murky saga of almost 30 years.

In the 15 minutes, no one knows how the sequence of the event took place, but the police version said that the vehicle in which Vikas Dubey was sitting overturned due to an accident. He got a chance to snatch the pistol from a policeman and tried to escape. He was asked to surrender but he opened fire and was killed in the police retaliation.

Many people have termed the police story as a pre-written script, and have questioned this encounter. They are the same people who till yesterday were saying that Vikas Dubey is being saved, but now they blaming the police for killing him. They took merely a few hours to change their stand.

The day 8 policemen were killed by Dubey and his gang on July 2, the Uttar Pradesh police was alleged for providing Vikas Dubey a safe passage to escape. When he was arrested in Ujjain yesterday, these people only stated that it was not an arrest but a stage-managed surrender, and now the encounter has given further scope to question the police.

The encounter has always been considered a wrong tradition, but why this outlawed action gets people's support in our country is through provoking no. There are several example of it. Last year in Hyderabad, when the police encountered the gangrape and murder accused of a female doctor, people cheered for the police and showered flowers on them. This celebration was not limited to Hyderabad, but all over the country.

There has always been a debate in such cases of encounters, but a segment of people come out in favour of such encounters as they feel this will create fear among criminals. On the contrary, others opine that such action on part police raises question on our judicial system.

If we look at our judicial system, it takes an average of 9 and a half years to hear any case in our lower courts, while hearing of a case in High Courts lasts over 4 years on an average. In the given situation, criminals like Vikas Dubey often take advantage of their legal and political links.

India is included in the list of many countries of the world where the conviction rate under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) is merely 40 percent. If the case relates to sexual harassment, the punishment rate is further reduced to just 18 percent. Notably, the conviction rate is continuously decreasing in India.

In the year 2016, the conviction rate in cases of serious crime was 46 percent, but it now come down to about 5 to 6 percent. In 2016, 5 lakh 96 thousand people were convicted for serious crimes, while 6 lakh 78 thousand people were acquitted, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report.

There are more than 3.5 crore cases currently pending in Indian courts. As of November 2019, the number of pending cases in the Supreme Court is about 54,000, about 44,75000 cases in different High Courts and 3.14 crore cases in lower courts.

Perhaps this is the reason why people in our country cheer the police when a criminal is killed through an encounter as they are gradually losing hope in getting justice through slow judicial process.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 22:17:18|Editor: huaxia

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ACCRA, July 10 (Xinhua) -- About 90 percent of employees at the head office of Ghana's Ministry of Education had tested positive for COVID-19, the Minister for Education Matthew Opoku-Prempeh said.

The minister told a local radio station Peace FM that most of the affected workers had shown mild symptoms and were self-isolating at home.

He said some 45 out of every 50 employees at the education ministry were down with the infection.

The minister whose second test in late June had confirmed his infection.

"This is a deadly disease that I would not wish for it on anyone, not even my worst enemy," he added.

Opoku-Prempeh, who had just been discharged from the University of Ghana Medical Center after two weeks of intensive care, cautioned Ghanaians against taking the pandemic lightly because it still had no cure. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 14:50:24|Editor: huaxia

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by Wang Lili

SINGAPORE, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Twenty minutes prior to the opening of the polling station at the Dunearn Secondary School in northwestern part of Singapore, some 20 voters have already formed a queue all wearing face masks and staying one-meter distance.

This is one of the 1,100 polling stations island-wide to cater for 2.65 million eligible voters from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Friday. Conducted amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the general election is different from previous ones with precautionary measures taken and paramount issues to tackle.

Most of the voters in the line are elderly, as Singapore's Elections Department (ELD) has allotted the time slots from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. to the seniors aged 65 and above, some of whom came with walking sticks or on wheelchairs.

Sherwin Chong, 36, also turned up, for he is in the government service and needs to work at the recommended voting time band even though Friday is a public holiday, so that his colleagues may rotate and cast their votes.

After temperature checks, he was directed into the polling area, which is set up in the school canteen dining area. Besides red markings on the floor to remind voters of social distancing, there are also yellow stickers with numbers on to indicate the voting procedures.

Chong handed in his identity card and polling card to the polling officer to verify and operate the e-registration, pulling down his mask briefly to make his face visible. He then sanitized his hands with hand sanitizers and put on disposable gloves before receiving the ballot paper. He went to the polling booth afterwards to mark his ballot paper and dropped it in the ballot box.

At the polling booth, voters may use their own pen or a new self-inking pen, which allows them to easily mark an "X" for their choices.

"Quite a number of preventive measures are put in place and the voting is well-organized, taking me five or 10 minutes," said Chong, who has taken part in the general election for the third time.

Voters under 65 years of age are advised to head to the ballot box from 12:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The last hour from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. is set for voters on compulsory Stay-Home Notice or medical certificate for acute respiratory infection, or are having a fever. COVID-19 patients and voters who are on Quarantine Order for COVID-19 are not allowed to vote.

Besides, 6,570 overseas voters may vote in 10 overseas polling stations worldwide.

As of 12:00 noon, 840,000 voters, or 31 percent of the total, have already casted votes, ELD said.

According to ELD, cleaners are deployed at the polling station to clean items and areas such as the self-inking pens and polling booths. In addition, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., these polling equipment will be sanitized after each use by voters, and the election officials will enhance their gear of surgical masks and gloves to isolation gowns, N95 masks and surgical gloves.

Voters were also very careful, especially the elderly who were more vulnerable to the deadly virus. Some wore plastic face shields above their face masks, some wore their own gloves or brought their own pens.

As of Thursday noon, the total confirmed cases in the country stood at 45,423 since the first case recorded on Jan. 23.

Amid the spread of the virus, Singapore's President Halimah Yacob dissolved the parliament and issue the Writ of Election on June 23. For this year's election, the lion city is divided into 14 single-member constituencies and 17 group representation constituencies. A total of 191 representatives from 11 political parties and one independent candidate joined in the competition for 93 seats of the parliament on June 30. The polling day falls on a cloudy Friday after nine-day campaigning and a cooling day on July 9.

Singapore Prime Minister and Secretary-General of the People's Action Party Lee Hsien Loong told reporters earlier that this is a general election for the most important issues concerning the country at the moment of the crisis, which is the most serious for the city state since its independence in 1965.

For Chong, as some of his fellow Singaporeans lose jobs as companies hit by the coronavirus lay off employees, the most outstanding issue is to ensure Singaporeans maintain their jobs or be given new employment opportunities once jobless so as to tide over the crisis towards the future. Enditem
The former Playboy model wife of Australian gangster John Macris has told a Greek court she is certain his accused killers are the same men on CCTV footage of the shooting.

Viktoria Karida gave evidence at the trial of two Bulgarian brothers who stand accused of the October 2018 killing.

Yuliyanov J Raychev Serafim and Milen Raychev allegedly stalked Macris for 19 days before carrying out the alleged hit outside the couple's up-market home in the hillside Athens suburb of Voula.

Viktoria Karida (right) gave evidence in the trail of two men accused of the murder of husband John Macris (left)

Plain clothed policemen escort a Bulgarian man, centre, at a court in Athens, Friday, April 5, 2019. Greek authorities said Friday they have arrested and charged a Bulgarian man over the suspected contract killing of a Greek-Australian

CCTV footage of the incident played for the court shows a man running up to a small black hatchback parked in the driveway of the residence and firing a pistol through the driver's window before running away.

Ms Karida, who is also a former reality TV star and owns a fashion business, said she was able to identify the man in the CCTV footage reports News Corp.

'I'm sure he's the guy that I saw on the video of the murder,' she told the court on Thursday.

'He runs and walks in the same way. The car they rented has been recorded by the CCTV of the house.'

Ms Karida had two children with Macris and has previously said her children learned how their father died by watching the CCTV footage on YouTube.

The brothers were in Greece at the time of the shooting and had rented a car and used their own passports to check into a hotel.

CCTV footage of the October 2018 shooting in the up-market Athens suburb of Voula

Clothes similar to those in the CCTV footage were found in the hotel room.

Their high-profile defence lawyer Alexandros Lykourezos said professional killers would have known better than to use their own documents.

Serafim was arrested in April 2019 after returning to Greece from Sofia, Bulgaria.

'Thank god they got arrested and couldn't kill another one as they did with John,' Ms Karida claimed in court.

Ms Karida said her husband was increasingly worried about being followed in the lead up to his murder.

She said he had told a friend that two men had followed him into a cafeteria earlier on the day he was shot.

Mr Lykourezos said Serafim was not the man in the video because that man was shorter and had a different body shape than his client.

However, Ms Karida reiterated that she was sure he was the same man, saying they both had ponytails.

The case is currently continuing in the Athens court.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 21:07:30|Editor: huaxia

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BERLIN, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Germany's Federal Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration Annette Widmann-Mauz of the governing Christian Democratic Union (CDU) on Friday insisted on conducting a study on police racism in the country.

"I share the assessment of the police associations that a scientific debate is necessary and good for an objective discussion," Widmann-Mauz told the German Funke media group. "This is exactly what we need in order to encourage all those who do important work every day and tackle problems where they arise."

Last week, German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer cancelled a study on racial discrimination by police authorities which was previously announced by the government on the basis that there was no need for such a study.

According to the Ministry of the Interior, neither German police law nor the relevant regulations and decrees permitted unequal treatment of persons. Known incidents had only been "exceptions" and all individual cases of discrimination that become known had been "mercilessly investigated and promptly sanctioned."

On Wednesday, Seehofer reiterated that Germany had "no structural problem" with racism within the country's police forces. Instead, there were constant criticism and "defamation" of German police forces.

Denying to commission the study, Seehofer said that "we cannot play make a wish every week."

German police forces, however, have been in favor of such a study. Sebastian Fiedler, chairman of the Federation of German Police Officers (BDK), stressed on Wednesday that "even if negative results come out for us, we have to know that." Enditem
Nineties supermodel Cindy Crawford and her second husband - Casamigos Tequila co-founder Rande Gerber - enjoyed a romantic date night at sushi hotspot Nobu Malibu on Thursday.

The 54-year-old Meaningful Beauty founder and her 58-year-old hubbie protected themselves and others from the coronavirus pandemic by wearing masks.

California Governor Gavin Newsom made masks and face coverings mandatory for all public outings on June 18.

22 years strong! Nineties supermodel Cindy Crawford and her second husband - Casamigos Tequila co-founder Rande Gerber - enjoyed a romantic date night at sushi hotspot Nobu Malibu on Thursday

Mandatory: The 54-year-old Meaningful Beauty founder and her 58-year-old hubbie protected themselves and others from the coronavirus pandemic by wearing masks

As of Thursday, there have been over 124K confirmed COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles County, which has lead to 3,690 deaths - according to Johns Hopkins University.

Impressively, Cindy (born Cynthia) and Rande celebrated their 22nd wedding anniversary on May 29.

Crawford shared a Throwback Thursday post about her British gal pal - Little Joe Woman designer Gail Elliott - who's vacationing in Bali with her husband Joe Coffey.

The BoJack Horseman guest star - who boasts 9.6M social media followers - wrote: '#TBT Sepia-toned Summer with @gailelliottofficial Missing you!'

'Missing you!' Cindy shared a Throwback Thursday post about her British gal pal - Little Joe Woman designer Gail Elliott - who's vacationing in Bali with her husband Joe Coffey

Concealer, blush, and 'drugstore' mascara! Last month, Crawford revealed to British Vogue that her every day beauty routine 'never takes more than five minutes'

Cindy's street sighting came a month after revealing her every day beauty routine 'never takes more than five minutes.'

Crawford told British Vogue that all she needed was 'amazing concealer, a little Charlotte Tilbury "Cheek to Chic" blusher, and drugstore mascara.'

Missing from the couple's side on Thursday were their 18-year-old daughter Kaia and 21-year-old son Presley.

Growing up so fast! Missing from the couple's side on Thursday were their 18-year-old daughter Kaia and 21-year-old son Presley (posted July 2)

Thanks, Dad! Their heavily-tattooed son currently lives in their Malibu guesthouse and works in the kitchen of his father's Cuban and Mexican restaurant, Cafe Habana (pictured April 28)

Thanks, Mom! Kaia has been following in her mother's footsteps by scoring Vogue covers and storming the catwalks of Miu Miu, Chanel, Alexander McQueen, Givenchy, and Valentino this year (pictured June 26)

Their heavily-tattooed son currently lives in their Malibu guesthouse and works in the kitchen of his father's Cuban and Mexican restaurant, Cafe Habana.

Presley will be on probation through 2022 after pleading no contest to one misdemeanor DUI stemming from a January 1, 2019 arrest, according to TMZ.

Kaia has been following in her mother's footsteps by scoring Vogue covers and storming the catwalks of Miu Miu, Chanel, Alexander McQueen, Givenchy, and Valentino this year.
Construction and professional services sectors, such as engineers and architects, are the largest recipients of JobKeeper, the latest Treasury data shows.

The two industries make up three in 10 businesses covered by the wage subsidy, holding about a quarter of workers.

Treasury's data shows 140,138 construction companies with 348,077 workers were eligible for JobKeeper in early June.

There were 130,052 professional, technical and scientific services businesses, with 396,424 employees - the largest number of any sector - receiving the wage subsidy.

Construction and professional services sectors, such as engineers and architects, are the largest JobKeeper recipients and make up three in 10 businesses covered by the wage subsidy

There were 130,052 professional, technical and scientific services businesses, with 396,424 employees - the largest number of any sector - receiving the wage subsidy

Both sectors have lost about one in 20 jobs since March.

With Thursday's loan approvals figures showing a record drop in housing finance in May, there are fears housing construction will fall off a cliff once JobKeeper ends, and more jobs will be lost.

The arts and hospitality sectors, which have been the hardest hit by coronavirus shutdowns, made up just over 10 per cent of all businesses covered by the scheme.

About one in eight workers getting the wage subsidies work in these areas.

Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows the hospitality sector has shed about three in 10 jobs since the crisis began in March, and the arts sector almost a quarter.

Labor and others have criticised the JobKeeper scheme allowing many casual workers in these industries to fall through the gaps.

Shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers said the numbers, combined with the return to tough restrictions in Melbourne amid community outbreaks of coronavirus, made it vital for the government to clarify the future of JobKeeper beyond its scheduled end in September.

'The Morrison government could better target and taper it, but shouldn't just turn off the tap when businesses are struggling with new restrictions,' Dr Chalmers said.

Shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers (pictured) has called on the government to clarify the future of JobKeeper beyond its scheduled end in September

'Having introduced support for the economy too narrowly and too slowly, Australians need to know that the government has a more comprehensive plan to support long-term growth and job creation.'

Victorian Premier Dan Andrews said he understood from his talks with the federal government further assistance would be announced later this month.

'The prime minister and the treasurer ... confirmed 'hardship' will continue to drive the commonwealth government's response,' he said on Thursday.

Employment Minister Michaelia Cash will launch a new small business campaign on Friday encouraging Australians to shop local.
New Delhi, July 10 : Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday opposed holding of examinations in the country and demanded that the students be passed on the basis of past academic performances.

"It is extremely unfair to conduct exams during the Covid-19 pandemic. The UGC must hear the voice of the students and academics. Exams should be cancelled and students promoted on basis of past performances," he said while supporting his party's "Speak Up for Students' campaign in favour of cancellation of exams in veiw of the coronavirus situation in the country.

The Congress said that the pandemic had exposed the digital divide in the country wherein millions of students lacked facilities like Internet connections and devices to avail of online learning and sit in exams.

"Is it fair in such circumstances that students be made to sit for exams?" asked the opposition party.

The University Grants Commission wants examinations in offline mode (by pen and paper) or online by the end of September 2020 to protect the academic interests of terminal-semester and final-year students.

According to the UGC, the special examinations can be conducted whenever possible so that the students do not face any inconvenience or loss. This provision will only be applicable as a one-time measure for the academic session 2019-20.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday urged the United States to discard its Cold-War mentality and ideological bias, and work with China to move forward bilateral relations along the track of coordination, cooperation and stability.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the comment at a press briefing in response to remarks by U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, who said "China and Russia constitute our top strategic competitors," and that "we established a China Strategy Management Group and I directed the National Defense University to refocus its curriculum by dedicating 50 percent of the coursework to the PRC."

"This U.S. official's remarks and the 2018 National Defense Strategy he mentioned are fundamentally flawed and run counter to the trend of the times as they preach nothing but obsolete concepts of a Cold-War mentality, a zero-sum game mindset, and hyped-up strategic competition between major countries," Zhao said.

China's policy toward the U.S. is consistent and clear, he said. "We are committed to working with the U.S. side for non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation. At the same time, we are firmly committed to safeguarding China's sovereignty, security and development interests."

China urges the U.S. to discard its Cold-War mentality and ideological bias, view the world and China-U.S. relations in the 21st century in a correct way, and work with China to move forward the bilateral relations along the track of coordination, cooperation and stability, Zhao said.
The Russian Reconciliation Center claims that locals have said that Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham have 15 explosive devices equipped with an unknown toxic element writes Al-Masdar.

On Wednesday, the Russian Ministry of Defense said Hayat Tahrir al-Sham was planning provocations in Idleb to accuse the Syrian government of using chemical weapons.

The head of the Russian Reconciliation Center, affiliated with the Russian Ministry of Defense, Admiral Alexander Sherpetsky, said in a press statement on Wednesday, According to the information of the Reconciliation Center, provided by locals, gunmen from Tahrir al-Sham are planning to make provocations [in Idleb] and accuse the government forces of using chemical weapons.

He continued, The militants have already made 15 explosive devices equipped with an unknown toxic element.

This claim by the Russian Ministry of Defense comes at a time when the violence in Idleb Governorate has increased immensely since the ceasefire was established in early March in northwestern Syria.

This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
"Make America Great Again" was the slogan across baseball caps, buses and bumper stickers during US President Donald Trump's election campaign.

Now, it is being applied to four technology firms on a seemingly gravity-defying surge, despite fears of a second coronavirus wave.

Google's parent company Alphabet is the latest to join the $US1 trillion club. Credit:AP

The world's four biggest technology companies have gained more than $US1.3 trillion ($1.9 trillion) in combined value since the start of the year. That compares to the $US1.7 trillion combined market cap of all the FTSE 100 firms.

This has helped Wall Street to its best quarter since 1998, despite the US leading the COVID charts with more than 55,000 cases per day. The four tech giants - Microsoft, Apple, Google's parent company Alphabet and Amazon - are now all priced at more than $US1 trillion in total market cap. The buoyancy of these stocks has even gained them the acronym "Maga", bestowed by the share price-obsessed Trump.
Is the COVID-19 crisis a wake-up call for Gulf economies? Many traditional players were caught off guard" by the economic downturn, said Najla Al Midfa, CEO of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center, an entrepreneurship hub in the United Arab Emirates.

Tech entrepreneurs aim to turn the pandemic into a launching pad as Gulf economies are in dire need to hasten their digital transformation. Several obstacles stifle the digital revolution, however, including a shortage of digital skills and a lack of internet freedom, technology-oriented policy makers and research and development investments.

Startups will play an absolutely vital role in shaping a thriving economy post-COVID, Midfa told Al-Monitor, saying she believes the economic downturn is an opportunity for startups and tech-based solutions to integrate the supply chains of governments and corporates.

The regions heavy reliance on oil and gas revenues has long overshadowed the role played by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in diversifying Gulf economies beyond the hydrocarbon industry and providing employment to more than 17 million people.

In Jeddah, AutoSmart digitalizes the workflows of automotive companies. Systems they use date back to the 1990s, but now everyone acknowledges technology is the next thing! said Naseef Umar, an Indian citizen who co-founded the startup with a Saudi national.

The rise of online-based businesses would also open Arab economies beyond their traditional straightjacket. This crisis is an eye-opener for women, many have already started coming up with business ideas, Ayida Al Riyami, a Dubai-based brand strategist, told Al-Monitor.

Womens entrepreneurship is gaining momentum in the Gulf, enhanced by legal changes and a better acceptation at the society level. Still, there is a long road ahead: Only 1.4% of all business owners in Saudi Arabia are women, according to a 2018 Mastercard report.

"Gulf governments are not doing enough"

But beyond lofty hopes, short-term realities are less rosy. Fiscal stimulus packages worth over $100 billion aiming at shielding Gulf economies from the downturn might not trickle down to SMEs, experts say, but rather boost the balance sheet of banking institutions.

Therefore, entrepreneurs remain vulnerable and the Dubai Chamber of Commerce warned that nearly 70% of companies based in the Middle Easts business hub could file for bankruptcy within six months. The International Monetary Fund expects the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries to shrink by 7.6% this year.

I think that Gulf governments are not doing enough, said Christopher Dembik, head of macroeconomic research at Saxo Bank. Stimulus packages measured as a percentage of gross domestic product remain way too low, the analyst told Al-Monitor.

But can Gulf governments still afford to finance the very same state-driven economies they have tailored for decades? Since the 2014 oil bust, sovereign debts have soared, leaving governmental entities with limited firepower to rescue private companies.

Alternative measures to ease the coronavirus burden for SMEs include a rent-free period for commercial tenants in Dubai, loan postponements and the temporary payment of private sector salaries in Qatar and extra time to file taxes in Saudi Arabia, among others.

Bahraini economist Jasim Husain said he believes a public authority supporting the kingdoms private sector since 2006 proved helpful. Still, businesspeople are requesting the reopening of the King Fahd Causeway, a commercial corridor linking the island nation to Saudi Arabia. Its closure is a major stumbling block for revitalizing the local economy, Husain told Al-Monitor.

Yet economists believe the Gulfs initiatives are too timid given the extent of the downturn.

Unsupportive banks

Prior to the crisis, bank credit to SMEs in the Gulf region was already the lowest in the world, the IMF said in 2019 report. In the coming months, the appetite of banks for lending to struggling businesses is expected to dry up as risks of bankruptcies increase.

Dembik said the banking sector is "way too prudent" in supporting SMEs. Bankers often argue that poor financial reporting and the opacity of SMEs constrain lending. I think the best framework to implement would consist in state guarantees up to 100% for loans to SMEs, he said.

For example, Oman intends to offer interest-free emergency loans to more than 25,000 Omani entrepreneurs hit by the pandemic.

Midfa said she believes non-bank players can also play an active role in easing the access to financial support for SMEs. The Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center launched a $272,000 startup solidarity fund to "enable high-potential startups to extend their cash runways."

In recent years, non-bank lenders, private investors and local economy-centered sovereign wealth funds have gained ground; however, not every SME is eligible and technology-oriented activities receive the lion's share, leaving behind traditional business activities.

Government-led financial support would serve another strategic objective pursued by the Arab states of the Gulf: sending a positive signal to foreign investors. But a study released by the United Nations said short-term prospects for investments in West Asia are bleak.

We are still seeing demand for the region, but probably just more discerning about where, when and how rather than coming in more aggressively, said Joe Hepworth, Middle East director for the economic development advisory firm OCO Global.

Local workforce first

On the labor market, preference has been given to nationals and the transient workforce that shapes Gulf economies has been largely abandoned, causing an exodus of skilled professionals. In Oman, companies were told not to fire Omani workers, but rather to lay off foreigners.

By letting go of thousands of foreign professionals, the region risks losing human capital, digital skills and know-how central to achieve economic diversification. More than 3.5 million migrant workers in the Gulf may lose their jobs, Oxford Economics estimated.

Yet, despite the exit of migrant workers from the region and the flushing of weak businesses out of the market, Hepworth believes resilient SMEs will emerge stronger. Following the global financial crisis, the recovery took hold quicker than a lot of people thought, he said.

Never bet against the Gulf? Entrepreneurs want to believe so as the region is about to enter the post-oil era. On July 5, the UAE announced a more agile government for the federation. Old school is no more, the Middle East has to catch up, Umar concluded.
The supper room no longer doubles as a hot-rod venue. In the voluminous main hall above, the whistle has blown on basketball competitions. The squeak of sneakers is a distant echo.

Since it arose from thistle fields in 1964, Broadmeadows Town Hall has performed a crucial community role, staging everything from citizenship ceremonies to debutante balls; AC/DC concerts to school bands. Half a century later the main hall no longer stored cherished memories, but old council furniture.

"It was about bringing back that promise of suburban civic grandeur," says Kerstin Thompson of her award-winning Broadmeadows Town Hall renovation. Credit:John Gollings

The once grand-scale, modernist, pink-brick building designed by Forster and Walsh had grown tired, neglected, and lost amid competing development and a sea of car parking. The icon needed a revamp. The City of Hume commissioned Kerstin Thompson Architects to revitalise it.

"It was about bringing back that promise of suburban civic grandeur," says Thompson, whose $25 million refurbishment won both the heritage award category and the best overall competition prize, the Victoria Medal, at the Australian Institute of Architects' Victorian awards on July 10. The AIA jury called it an "outstanding" example of adaptive reuse and "a beacon for the community".
Inshorts Medialabs has appointed Archetype (formerly Text100) as their PR consultancy on record, following a competitive multi-agency pitch. Archetype will be responsible for providing strategic communications counsel, to bolster the reputation of both the apps  Inshorts and recently launched video-app, Public, in the Indian market.

We are pleased to partner with Archetype India for our communications program. In a world disrupted by fake news and online clutter, Inshorts and Public, new-age digital media start-ups, will be key to driving credible and authentic communication. Archetypes creative storytelling capabilities and insights-driven approach will help us create impactful campaigns for both our apps  Inshorts and Public across India. said Azhar Iqubal, Founder and CEO, Inshorts and Public.

Sunayna Malik, Managing Director, India and Senior Vice President, APAC at Archetype, said Were delighted to be working with Inshorts. Given the growing consumption of online content in todays digital ecosystem, both the apps  Inshorts and Public have seen huge uptake as more and more people start to rely on real-time, digital news bytes. At Archetype, were delighted to partner them in the exciting journey ahead and together with the team, strengthen the brands equity as the go-to platform for high quality, credible, timely and well-presented information.

Archetype is the erstwhile Text100 and was rebranded last year post the merger of Text100 and Bite, another Next Fifteen group agency with a strong play amongst new-age brands. Text100 commenced operations in India 23 years ago as Indias first MNC agency, with a single-minded focus on technology. Subsequently, the PR and communications consultancy has diversified into select new verticals  primarily those that leverage technology for their competitive advantage and today work with clients across a host of sectors including Consumer technology, Telecom, Education & Ed-tech, Automotive, Finance & Insurance, Pharma & Healthcare among others.
OTTAWACanadian troops have been forced to hitch a ride with the British military to get to and from Latvia due to a shortage of working planes.

Canada has 540 troops in Latvia, where they form the core of a 1,500-strong multinational battle group established by NATO three years ago. Similar battle groups led by Britain, Germany and the U.S. have been established in Estonia, Lithuania and Poland, respectively.

The current Canadian contingent arrived in January and is to be replaced this month. That planned rotation was to include having one of the militarys three CC-150 Polaris planes fly to Latvia Wednesday with around 120 soldiers before returning with a similar number later in the week.

But that was before a problem was found with the Polariss landing gear, according to Defence Department spokeswoman Jessica Lamirande. And while the other two would normally have filled the gap, Lamirande said they were unavailable, which is why the British were called in to help.

One Polaris is currently ferrying troops to and from the Middle East, where Canadian troops remain engaged in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

The third Polaris  which normally serves as the prime ministers plane  is out of commission until at least January after a hangar accident last October. Officials have estimated the cost of repairs at around $11 million.

The members originally set to depart from (Canadian Forces Base) Trenton for Latvia on 8 July departed instead on 9 July with the support of the British Royal Air Force, who had an A330 Voyager aircraft available to support the departure from Canada, Lamirande said in an email.

This aircraft will also bring the approximately 120 returning members home.

The mechanical breakdown is only the latest problem to plague not only the Polaris fleet but also plans to rotate the current contingent of Canadian troops in Latvia.

A Polaris carrying about 70 Canadian soldiers to Latvia was forced to turn around last week because of concerns those on board might have been exposed to COVID-19.

All military personnel deploying on overseas missions are required to undergo strict quarantine measures to ensure troops do not carry COVID-19 to another country or spread the respiratory illness among their unit.

Despite those precautions, the plane was forced to turn around in mid-air after the military received word that a civilian contractor at CFB Trenton who may have come in contact with the plane and passengers had tested positive for the illness.

Those who were on board are now in the middle of a second 14-day isolation period.

The NATO battle group in Latvia includes troops from eight other countries. It and similar battle groups in Estonia, Lithuania and Poland were created after Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and began to support separatist forces in Ukraines eastern regions.

The battle groups are designed to defend against a Russian invasion, but their small size means they would almost certainly be overwhelmed in a real war. Instead, their main utility is to deter Russian aggression, with the idea that an attack on one would draw in all of NATO.
Rome was the political hub of the Roman Empire and one of the largest Mediterranean cities in the ancient world with a population around 1 million. When you consider the history of the Christian church in Rome, its possible that its first converts were actually visitors from Rome who came to Jerusalem during Pentecost. It is likely they got converted during this time and went back to the capital city of the Roman Empire to start churches.

The Roman church was filled with both Jews and Gentiles as the early church began spreading the gospel outside of Jerusalem. It is to this church the Apostle Paul, who wrote Romans, writes this letter.

Who is the Author of Romans?

In the opening line of this letter the authorship is clearly defined:

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God (Romans 1:1).

Pauls journey to apostleship was quite different than all the other apostles. Born as Saul and originating from Tarsus he was a devout Jew. He was a well-educated man who, prior to his conversion, prided himself on his devotion to the law. In his own words,

If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless (Philippians 3:4-6).

Whats unique about Paul is that, prior to his conversion and in spite of his devotion to the Jewish religion, he was a ruthless persecutor of the church.

But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison (Acts 8:3).

This man was committed and devoted to destroying Christianity while it was in its infancy. Just the mention of his name struck fear in the hearts of the early believers. However, that all changed on the Damascus road. In Acts 9 we read the story of Sauls transformation:

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lords disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? (Acts 9:1-4).

It was this glorious encounter with Jesus himself that changed Sauls life. After his conversion, God appointed him to be an apostle, not to the Jews but to the Gentiles. It was this same Paul who once persecuted and destroyed the church who wrote Romans for the benefit of the Jewish and Gentile believers living in Rome. He would eventually write 13, possibly 14 of the books in the New Testament. Though he was a great apostle, he suffered greatly for the kingdom of God and the cause of Christ.

Photo credit: Sparrowstock
Republicans Invite Parlers CEO to Weigh in on Bipartisan Antitrust Probe of Big Tech

House Republicans have asked the head of a new non-biased free speech social media company to weigh in on the House Judiciary Committees bipartisan antitrust investigation into social media and tech giants Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, and Google.

Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and James Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc.) sent a letter on Wednesday afternoon to John Matze, the CEO of upcoming social media competitor Parler, asking him to share the companys values and competitive practices.

As the Committee continues to evaluate the size, competitiveness, and role of social media companies in our society, the perspective of Parler would significantly inform and advance the Committees work, the letter starts. At a time and in a medium that are mutually convenient, we ask that you arrange to provide the Committee with Parlers views on the value it offers to consumers, its competitive practices, and how it views the state of competition in social media.

Parler has marketed itself as an advocate of the first amendment, and an alternative to Twitter. A number of well-known conservatives have joined Parler, including Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.).

I will be on PARLER celebrating Independence Day with the rest of the patriots! Nunes wrote in a tweet on Independence Day.

Parler advertises itself as an alternative to social networks, such as Twitter, that aggressivelyand discriminatorilycensor their users speech, the letter states. While Parler does have rules and policies concerning the use of its platform by users, you have said that Parler is a public square that does not censor or editorialize and that only . . . weed[s] out . . . pornography, threats of violence against someone, and obscene material, the letter continues.

The two Congressman on Wednesday also sent a letter to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey asking for documents, including explanations of all content moderating decisions made in the United States over the last year and internal communications about how decisions are made to fact-check and apply warnings to President Donald Trumps tweets.

Republicans and other conservatives have long argued that Twitter censors their comments, which Twitter denies. The network has barred a number of conservative accounts for allegedly violating its terms of service.

Twitter, Inc., a market leader in online social networking, has increasingly exerted editorial control over the accounts of prominent conservative users, including President Donald Trump, the letter states. Twitter has manipulated user-generated information with so-called fact checks, censored user-generated information, and even blocked some user-generated information altogether.

On the other hand, conservatives argue, Twitter does not censor left-leaning users.

The GOP lawmakers letters to the heads of social media companies come ahead of the House Judiciary Committees antitrust hearing with the CEOs of Apple, Amazon, Facebook, and Google parent company Alphabet. The hearing could change the laws governing these giants.

There has been bipartisan support by the members of the Judiciary Committee to investigate and analyze the companies for anti-competitive practices, the findings of which are expected to be released in a report this summer.

But Democrats do not share Republicans concerns about partisan social media censorship.

According to the letter to Dorsey, Twitter has sought to silence conservative voices, including the President of the United States, on its platform, while allowing violent extremists to use its platform with apparent impunity. The letter highlights anti-Semitic tweets posted by Ali Khamenei, the Islamic leader of Iran.

Jordan sent a letter Tuesday to the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee raising related concerns about the hearing and Democrats handling of the tech probe. The letter accused Democrats of negotiating in bad faith with the tech companies and with Republicans.

Jordan asked the Chairman to convene the hearing with the full committee so all members could participate equally.

Although Republicans look forward to this hearing, we were surprised to learn it would not occur at the full Committeethe venue that makes the most sense given the scope of the Committees investigation, the broad interest from Members of both parties who do not serve on the Subcommittee, and the significance of the witnesses who will testify, Jordan wrote.

Therefore, on behalf of Republican Members who you propose to exclude from participating in this hearing, I respectfully request that you reconsider this matter and convene the hearing at the full Committee so that all Members may participate fully and equally, Jordan added.
Today is Friday, July 10. Here are some of the top stories we've been covering from across Massachusetts.

Wayfair, the Boston-based online furniture retailer, is the latest target of Internet conspiracy theorists.

The company started trending on Twitter Friday morning after users started speculating listings for $12,000 cabinets and $10,000 throw pillows were cover for Wayfair to sell "missing children." The theory was based on similarities between the product names and the names of missing children.

The problem was only compounded when Wayfair removed the listings conspiracy theorists were homing in on.

"There is, of course, no truth to these claims," Wayfair said in a statement.

Read the full story

Also Across Massachusetts

Dunkin' Is Dippin' Out Of All Speedway Gas Stations



Dunkin' is getting out of Speedway gas stations, closing hundreds of locations across the country and potentially dozens upon dozens in Massachusetts.

The closures will mean the end of 450 Dunkin' locations in the United States by the end of the year. It's unclear how many Speedways in Massachusetts have Dunkin', but the gas station has dozens of locations in the state.

Dunkin' has said the closures will help the coffee behemoth to focus on its standalone stores.

Mayor Target Of Online Abuse After Traffic Sign Apology

Melrose Mayor Paul Brodeur has become the target of a wave of online abuse and criticism in the wake of his apology and condemnation of the police traffic sign that included the slogan "All Lives Matter."

Brodeur received an outsized earful after far-right conspiracy theorist Dinesh D'Souza retweeted Brodeur's tweet about the sign Thursday afternoon.



Diamond and Silk, vocal Trump supporters who were recently cut by Fox News for promoting coronavirus conspiracies, then retweeted the tweet and told Melrose to vote Brodeur out of office

"It is a mark of our times that a benign sign like this provokes the mayoran obvious moronto display a combination of false indignation and insincere penitence," D'Souza said. "How has our society produced such embarrassing specimens, and how do they ascend to high office?"

Story continues

Also

Human Remains Found In Methuen ID'd As Missing NH Man

The remains found by the FBI in Methuen were identified Friday as Zakhia Charabati, 52, missing from Manchester since March.

Dangerousness Hearing Moved For Man Charged In Braintree Shooting



Prosecutors said Jose Rodriguez, 21, shot a 15-year-old girl after a fight broke out at the South Shore Plaza.

Fear Of Worcester 'Backward Slide' In Coronavirus Cases

Complaints are rolling in that various Worcester residents and businesses are shirking coronavirus safeguards.

This article originally appeared on the Boston Patch
BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is in good health after testing positive for the novel coronavirus earlier this week, his press office said on Thursday.

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is in good health after testing positive for the novel coronavirus earlier this week, his press office said on Thursday.

"President Jair Bolsonaro, diagnosed with COVID-19 on (July) 7, is getting on well, without complications," the statement said. "He is in good health and continues to be monitored routinely by the medical team of the Presidency of the Republic."

(Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu; Editing by Leslie Adler)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
(Newser)  The pandemic has hit Robert De Niro's finances so hard that he "is going to be lucky if he makes $7.5 million this year," a Manhattan court heard this week. Caroline Krauss, a lawyer for the 76-year-old actor, said De Niro's earnings had been decimated, with the restaurant chain Nobu, which he has a stake in, losing millions of dollars, Page Six reports. Grace Hightower, De Niro's estranged wife, was seeking an emergency order raising her American Express card limit from $50,000 a month back to $100,000. Her attorney, Kevin McDonough, said De Niro cut Hightower's allowance in March and banned her and their children, 8-year-old Helen and 21-year-old Elliot, from the upstate compound where he has been living with some of his other four children.

story continues below

Krauss told the court that De Niro's latest film project has been put on hold, Fox reports. She said the actor, who appeared at the hearing via Skype, had cut back spending "dramatically." McDonough accused the actor of using the pandemic to "stick it to his wife financially," but Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Matthew Cooper declined to order the actor to raise the credit card limit. "$50,000 seems to be certainly enough to avoid irreparable harm," he said, though he told De Niro to give Hightower $75,000 to find a summer home. Hightower and De Niro separated in Nov. 2018. They got married in 1997, divorced two years later, and reconciled in 2004. Krauss said that under a 2004 pre-nup, De Niro is supposed to give Hightower $1 million a year, but only if he earns more than $15 million. (Read more Robert De Niro stories.)
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An unidentified number of persons were kidnapped by unknown gunmen in Abaji in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja in the early hours of Thursday.

Kidnappings have been a frequent occurrence in Abaji area council located on the fringe of Abuja, along the Lokoja Road axis.

Residents of the area, who spoke with The Nation said they woke up to sporadic shooting.

There was so much noise and pandemonium and confusion and by the time we knew it some persons had been carried away. I cannot say for now the exact number of persons that were kidnapped but we hope security agents would bring them back safely, a resident of the community told our reporter.

Meanwhile the FCT Command of the Nigeria Police said it has launched an operation to rescue the abducted persons.

A statement by the Commands Public Relations Officer, DSP Anjuguri Manzah, on Thursday evening read, The FCT Police Command has launched an operation to rescue some persons who were kidnapped in the early hours of Thursday in Abaji.

The Command wishes to assure FCT residents of its commitment to rescue the victims unhurt and arrest the suspects.

Meanwhile, on Thursday 9th July, 2020 at about 1400hrs a detachment of police operatives from the Command Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad on another operation arrested two suspected kidnappers at Tungan Maje forest in Gwagwalada Area Council.

The suspects, Abdullahi Mohammed m 29 years and Adamu Musa m 26 years, were arrested in possession of one fabricated revolver pistol with the capacity to discharge AK47 ammunition, one Dane gun, eight rounds of 7.62mm live ammunitions and one Itel phone, which have been recovered as exhibits.

The investigation is on-going.

Meanwhile, the Rule of Law and Anti-corruption (ROLAC) programme has commended the FCT Command for submitting monthly reports on arrests and cooperating with magistrates.

Also a statement by Manzah said this was when ROLAC was on oversight visit to police formations, in compliance with sections 33 and 34 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.

Speaking on Wednesday at the handing over ceremony of the second Interview and Statement Taking Room donated to the Command by ROLAC, the Justice Component Manager for ROLAC, Dr. Badejogbin Oluwatoyin applauded the Nigeria Police Force, FCT Command for its partnership and availing the organisation with the opportunity to implement its programmes.

The Commissioner of Police FCT, CP Bala Ciroma, who was represented at the event by the Deputy Commissioner of Police Department of Investigation, DCP Abdul Yari-Lafia lauded ROLAC for partnering with Command in providing the Interview and Statement Taking facility which he noted will be useful in the interrogation of suspects and recording of their confessional statements.

He assured the organisation that the statement taking facility sited at the premises of the Command Special Anti-Robbery Squad and Wuse Police Division will be put to optimum use.

The facility was commissioned by the representative of the Chief Judge of FCT, Chief Magistrate Akanni Idayat. Also in attendance was the Secretary of the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee (ACJMC), Sulayman Dawodu, the statement read.

Source: Nation
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 10, 2020 09:31 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406654a272 1 Science & Tech Idul-Adha,Tokopedia,Islam,qurban Free

Approaching Idul Adha (Day of Sacrifice), which falls on July 31, e-marketplace Tokopedia is offering a special service for those who wish to participate in the qurban (animal sacrifice) ritual.

The Tokopedia Salam program allows users to buy live cattle and sheep online and have the meat delivered to orphans and the poor after the animals are slaughtered.

Through Tokopedia Salam, people can buy and distribute their sacrifice without going outside the house in easy and trusted ways according to Islamic values. Along with reducing direct interaction amid the pandemic, people can choose the kind of animals and the qurban committee according to their preference, head of Tokopedia Salam Garri Juanda said in a statement.

Read also: Muhammadiyah calls for Muslims to hold Idul Adha prayers with family, small congregations

Tokopedia Salam provides four packages of sacrifice for sheep and cattle: standard sheep (23-28 kilograms) and standard cattle (220-250 kg); medium sheep (29-34 kg) and medium cattle (250-300 kg); premium sheep (above 35 kg) and premium cattle (above 300 kg); and canned mutton or beef.

Buyers will receive reports at every step of the process, including order, qurban to distribution. Tokopedia will also send purchase certificates to buyers through notifications. (gis/wng)
E-commerce platforms have proven to be critical enablers of economic growth and social development for Nigeria in spite of the myriad challenges occasioned by the tough operating environment.

A key player, Jumia is fostering cashless and financial inclusion by encouraging Nigerians to move from brick-and-mortar malls to selling and shopping online and making payment for goods online thereby promoting the digital economy.

With Jumia online marketplace, usage of electronic transactions in Nigeria continues to increase, banks are becoming more innovative with electronic banking products and services while more fintech companies are investing in the economy.

Jumia is promoting the growth of MSMEs and large businesses by offering sellers its online marketplace, logistics, and last-mile platforms to increase their customer base, reach the target market faster and become more competitive, profitable, and sustainable.

Support for enterprises and the Jumia system are solving the critical high unemployment problem, especially among the youth by creating direct and indirect jobs. Jumias over 5,000 employees form a significant critical mass of employment.

National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported that SMEs in Nigeria contributed about 48% on average to the national GDP in the last five years and accounted for about 50% of industrial jobs and nearly 90% of activities in the manufacturing sector.

E-commerce is becoming a potent tool for government to optimise digitalisation as a key component of economic diversification, and also to meet the new compelling need of enforcing social distancing as a key measure in flattening community transmission of COVID-19.

The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 has issued several warnings of increasing number of unsuspected asymptomatic carriers of coronavirus with Nigeria now at active community transmission stage.

Thus, online shopping, digital payment/virtual transactions and online interactions hold the ace for the future to promote social distancing and avoidance of crowded places such as brick-and-mortar shopping malls, supermarkets, open markets and banking halls where the possibility of contracting the virus is high.

COVID-19 outbreak has significantly disrupted global supply chains among other activities. The Economist indicated that online retailers including Jumia boomed in the wake of the Ebola outbreak in Nigeria, in 2014, as more consumers shopped online for fear of contracting the deadly disease. Orders on Jumia reportedly tripled due to increased demand for hygiene products like hand-wash, bleach and other cleaning products.

The same trend also played out recently during the peak of lockdown in Nigeria. Scarcity of protective items like hand sanitisers, facemasks, gloves and reagents, and hoarding and price gouging of essentials like tissue paper and sanitary products was reported in some parts of Nigeria due to surge in demand amidst supply shortages.

Through its online marketplace and partnership with sellers such as Reckitt Benckiser, Procter & Gamble, Unilever, The Coca-Cola Company and other sellers, Jumia helped to mitigate supply crisis by facilitating movement of inventories from the factories to its warehouses and online marketplace and then to the consumers.

Jumia also ensured the sellers maintained fair pricing policy while it reported some sellers to the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission over price gouging.

Jumia defied constant harassment of its field workers transporting groceries and other agricultural produce from the hinterland to the cities, by security agents enforcing interstate border movement restriction, who ignored governments designation of e-commerce and logistics operators as essential service providers.

Jumia Food was on the move delivering food packages to millions of Nigerians observing lockdown, thanks to partnership with third parties like QSR outlets and kitchens.

With JumiaPay and Contactless Delivery platforms, social distancing and cashless transactions were significantly promoted, thereby limiting person-to-person contact and containing further spread of COVID-19.

Jumias Q1 2020 financials indicated that the e-commerce and e-payment system indeed increased demand for brands and caused uptake in delivery of essentials to more people. Sellers also sold faster while more brands and sellers were eager to join the Jumia marketplace and logistics/supply value chain to boost access to market.

There was also strong demand from offline convenience retailers to join the Jumia on-demand platform and increasing advertisers interest for online channels as a result of consumption shifting online.

Visa in a June 2020 survey affirmed that 71% of consumers interviewed among the banked population in Nigeria shopped online for the first time as a result of the pandemic.

However, despite showing high growth potential and occasional spikes in online shopping in crisis times, these cannot be interpreted as long-term sustainability for Nigeria's retail e-commerce.

E-commerce operators are faced with challenges that are inimical to their growth and the larger economy given the interplay between e-commerce and MSMEs.

Dearth of critical infrastructure like roads, inefficient transportation and insecurity inhibit movement of groceries from rural areas where food crops are planted to the cities and movement of goods across distant locations. Erratic electric power supply and multiplicity of tax also increase the cost of doing business in Nigeria.

PricewaterCoopers in its June MSME Survey 2020 with the theme, Building to Last: Navigating MSME Growth and Sustainability  A New Decade, noted that lack of infrastructure, inadequate skilled manpower, multiplicity of taxes, high cost of doing business among others still persist and hindering SMEs growth and development.

Barriers to obtaining bank loans is a major obstacle to small businesses including e-commerce operators thereby limiting their capacity to expand their infrastructure. In emerging markets and developing economies, 55% to 68% of formal SMEs are either unserved or underserved by financial institutions, leading to a total credit gap estimated to be USD5.1 trillion, PwC noted.

It estimated the financing gap for Nigerian MSMEs to be about N617.3 billion annually (pre-COVID-19 pandemic), adding that, based on analysis of data from the CBN annual statistical bulletin, small businesses accounted for less than 1% of total commercial banking credit in 2018. The NBS added that less than 5% of SMEs have been able to access adequate finance for working capital and funding business growth/expansion.

Low consumer trust about the quality of online goods and the activities of cyber fraudsters as well as low purchasing power of Nigerians as a result of loss of income or job due to COVID-19 inhibit new customer acquisition and retention. Many times, ROI for huge marketing and advertising spend on customer acquisition is nil.

E-commerce platforms fatality has been recorded within the last eight years. For example, Efritin.com, an online marketplace, shut down after barely 16 months in Nigeria. Its Swedish investor, Saltside, attributed that they didnt get desired returns on their investment.

Nevertheless, the time looks good to spur e-commerce growth in Nigeria. Forecasts show that online retail stores will grow due to expected influx of online shoppers due to post COVID-19 new normal.

But governments must promote an enabling environment for e-commerce and MSMES to thrive. Fix critical infrastructure such as roads, transportation, power and telecommunications. Ease of doing business initiatives including tax incentives for MSMEs, harmonisation of taxes, improved security and increased access to credits must be implemented.

Encourage adoption of online shopping and electronic payment among Nigerians, and digitisation of businesses to strengthen cashless and financial inclusion policy.

In light of the expected take-off of Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) regional trade market come January 2021, the growth of e-commerce directly impacts SMEs' capacity, competitiveness, and quality of services they render.

With Nigerias current online commerce estimated at $12 billion, and projection to reach $75 billion in revenues per annum by 2025, according to McKinsey, the economic outlook for the country looks good post-COVID-19 and beyond. But removing barriers in the way of e-commerce and SMEs is exigent.
By Ayya Lmahamad

A group of medical experts from China and Cuba are expected to arrive in Azerbaijan in a few weeks for exchange of experience over COVID-19, Presidential aide Hikmet Hajiyev said in an interview with local media.

Hajiyev stated that China, as one of the starting points of the coronavirus pandemic, has vast experience in this area and it will be very useful if they share with us their best practices.

"In addition, experts from Cuba are expected to arrive in our country. Because this country has an excellent health care system, known all over the world, as well as experts who coped perfectly with the outbreak of the Ebola pandemic," Hajiyev said.

There will be separate medical centers for their work, he said.

Earlier it was reported that, a group of foreign specialists on COVID-19 from Turkey and Russia arrived in Azerbaijan as part of measures to curb the spread of the pandemic in the country.

Members of the scientific staff of the Ministry of Health of Turkey on COVID-19, as well as highly qualified doctors from Russia and Turkey will visit special hospitals and work with local specialists in the field of treatment and prevention of the disease.

Azerbaijan registered its first COVID-19 case on February 28 and introduced the special quarantine regime on March 24. The number of COVID-19 sharply increased after easing of the lockdown on May 18 that allowed residents leave their homes without electronic permission.

It should be noted that, as of July 10, Azerbaijan, the nation of ten million has registered 22,464 COVID-19 cases and 284 coronavirus-related deaths. Over 13,591 people have recovered from the disease.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
The Berejiklian government has backed a philanthropist-led lifeline for Carriageworks in a move that promises to lift the multi-arts venue out of voluntary administration.

Arts Minister Don Harwin announced he would grant Carriageworks Pty Ltd an initial 10-year lease over the Eveleigh railyards and five years guaranteed funding two months after its stunning collapse.

Creditors have yet to see the proposal but a long term lease and a commitment to future annual funding of $2.5 million were two conditions that the KPMG administrator, Phil Quinlan, said needed to be met for the organisation to avoid liquidation.

Carriageworks looks set to be lifted out of voluntary administration. Credit:Rhett Wyman

Carriageworks entered voluntary administration on May 4, the board citing an irreparable loss of income caused by the coronavirus lockdowns.
[July 10, 2020] Students Commit to Pursuing STEM Careers During the First-Ever Virtual Chicago STEM Signing Day

This week, two Chicago companies hosted a special event focused on the next generation of tech talent. On Thursday, July 9, the Motorola Solutions Foundation (NYSE: MSI (News - Alert)) and Boeing (NYSE: BA) hosted the annual Chicago Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) "Signing Day" event to celebrate students from across the Chicagoland area as they made commitments to attend some of the country's top technical schools, colleges and universities. These students will apply their talents in pursuit of STEM careers in fields such as software development, engineering and user experience design, putting themselves on the fast track for success. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's event was hosted virtually, with students signing STEM "letters of intent" in advance. The event was attended by elected officials and included a keynote address by Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Forty-eight students from across the Chicagoland area were selected to participate after applying through the Chicago STEM Pathways Cooperative, a Project Exploration initiative aimed at addressing inequities in the STEM learning landscape from early childhood to career. "This is an exciting day for Chicago's students and a proud day for our entire city," said Mayor Lightfoot. "I want to personally congratulate every one of our brilliant and talented young people for their hard-earned accomplishments, and wish them every success as they take this next step in their education and future careers. Bold investments in STEM programming with partners like the Motorola Solutions Foundation and Boeing (News - Alert) empower our students to achieve the historic gains they are making, putting our communities on a stronger path towards a brighter future for us all." The Motorola (News - Alert) Solutions Foundation is a proud partner in Chicago's STEM Signing Day for the third year in a row and will award each student with a $1,000 educatonal scholarship.



"The Motorola Solutions Foundation is committed to supporting the next generation of innovators," said Cynthia Yazdi, chief of staff to the Motorola Solutions Chairman & CEO and senior vice president of Marketing, Communications and the Motorola Solutions Foundation. "We know these students will have a great impact on the tech community, and we are delighted to see them take this significant step forward toward their very bright futures." Boeing's support of STEM Signing Day events extends beyond the Chicagoland area and into many communities where the company operates. In 2020, Boeing will support more than 560 students across the United States through participation in similar STEM Signing Day events.

"We are proud to support the Chicago STEM Signing Day and all 560 students participating in events like this across the U.S.," said Greg Smith, executive vice president of Enterprise Operations and Communications (interim), and chief financial officer at Boeing. "Congratulations to each of you, and thank you for dedicating your bright future to these essential fields." Access a replay of the event here. About the Motorola Solutions Foundation The Motorola Solutions Foundation is the charitable and philanthropic arm of Motorola Solutions. With employees located around the globe, Motorola Solutions seeks to benefit the communities where it operates. The Foundation achieves this by making strategic grants, forging strong community partnerships and fostering innovation. The Motorola Solutions Foundation prioritizes its funding on public safety programming, technology & engineering education, disaster relief, and employee volunteerism. For more information on Motorola Solutions corporate and foundation giving, visit our website: www.motorolasolutions.com/foundation About The Boeing Company Boeing is the world's largest aerospace company and leading provider of commercial airplanes, defense, space and security systems, and global services. As the top U.S. exporter, the company supports commercial and government customers in more than 150 countries. Boeing employs more than 160,000 people worldwide and leverages the talents of a global supplier base. Building on a legacy of aerospace leadership, Boeing continues to lead in technology and innovation, deliver for its customers and invest in its people and future growth. MOTOROLA, MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS and the Stylized M Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Motorola Trademark Holdings, LLC and are used under license. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. 2020 Motorola Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200710005078/en/

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Coronavirus cases continue to rise in mid-Michigan, but there are no COVID-19 deaths for the second day in a row, according to the state website on Friday.

Midland County reported three new confirmed COVID-19 cases bringing its pandemic total to 138 cases and nine deaths. Bay County had no new cases or deaths, remaining at 373 cases and 31 deaths. Gladwin County reported no new cases, remaining steady at 27 cases and one death. Isabella County saw six new cases, totaling in 128 cases and eight deaths. Saginaw County also reported six cases with a cumulative 1,308 cases and 121 deaths.
The cemetery at Potocari is a place of peace now, apple blossoms float in the breeze among the rows of pale white gravestones. There are a few bereaved families with the memories of those they lost. Funerals are still taking place; last year one was held for the remains found of 33 men. Eight more will be buried on Saturday, on the 25th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre.

The deaths in July 1995 were in a bloody conflict of the type which it was thought Europe would not experience again after the Second World War: one of sectarian killings, mass rapes, deportations and concentration camps.

But even by those standards, what happened in the town in Drina Valley has become a dark symbol of murderous ethnic cleansing. In 2004 the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia ruled that the killings of 8,000 Bosnians constituted genocide, a crime under international law.
JACKSON, Mississippi -- Warren Kulo of The Mississippi Press/Gulflive.com was honored with four awards, including two first place honors, during the Mississippi Press Associations Better Newspaper Contest Friday afternoon.

The MPA typically hosts a joint convention with the Louisiana Press Association during which the awards banquet is held, but due to the COVID-19 outbreak the convention was cancelled and the awards were announced during a live stream Friday afternoon. Awards were presented for work published during 2019. The Alabama Press Association provided judges for the MPA contest.

Kulo earned 1st place honors in the Best Spot News category for his report on an active intruder drill at Ocean Springs High School which left many students and parents upset. He also earned first place for Best News Package for his story and photos on the Budweiser Clydesdales parade through downtown Ocean Springs.

Of the Clydesdales story, judges wrote: A well-executed bit of fun. The photo makes clear who the stars of this story are and the image is well-composed and presented. The storys lead grabs readers attention and set up the story that follows.

Second place awards were earned in Best General News for Kulos report on Ocean Springs student Levi Krystosek and his struggles to learn to read, and for Best News Package for his story and photos on Ingalls Shipbuilding delivering its 31st Aegis destroyer to the U.S. Navy.

Kulo is a veteran of more than 20 years in the news business and has been with The Mississippi Press/Gulflive.com since 2012. He has won more than 70 awards for writing/editing/photography in his career, which began in 1987 at the Columbus (Miss.) Commercial-Dispatch.

The Mississippi Press Association is now in its 154th year and is a trade association representing Mississippi newspaper members. This years contest saw 31 newspapers from across the state submit 1,768 entries.
"All these things are milling around in people's brains, mostly on a subconscious level because they have to get on with life," Byrne continued. "Who are the real aliens? Who are the real threats to civilisation? I doubt they are from another planet, because we have enough cranks at the moment on this planet." Byrne felt at home with Bill Ward, the neuroscientist he plays in War of the Worlds. Elizabeth McGovern and Gabriel Byrne in War of the Worlds. Credit: SBS "He's curious," the actor said. "He wants to find out the real reason the aliens have come to Earth. I suppose we are alike in that I don't believe in accepting what I'm told. I believe, like a scientist, that we should all be wondering why." Now 69, Byrne was a teacher before becoming an actor 40 years ago, and he has never lost his professorial bent. That's one reason he was attracted to War of the Worlds.

"I try to do the best of what I'm offered," he said. "I do have to make a living, but a lot of the stuff I don't agree with, so I won't do it. I believe life is more important than being on a movie set. As you get older you come to realise certain truths." Loading One of those truths came to him through Richard Burton, with whom Byrne became friends while making the European mini-series Wagner (1981-1983). "Richard was a man who, when he finished one project, wanted to know what his next one would be," Byrne said. "He found it very difficult to be not working. But he also said to me, I don't want to die in a hotel room.' "I didn't understand at the time, but then I realised he was missing his home life. That's more and more what he wanted to be doing as he got older."

Wagner broadened Byrne's world because legendary British actors John Gielgud, Laurence Olivier and Ralph Richardson also were on the set. "These were people I'd seen on a screen growing up as a teenager in Dublin," he said. "I thought they lived on a different planet. To be sitting at a table in Vienna with them, having dinner and listening to them talk, was fascinating. Richard asked me to pass the salt  that was my contribution. Richard Burton, here with Elizabeth Taylor, was "an amazing man, the most intelligent, most well-read actor Ive ever worked with'', says Byrne. Credit:Syndication International "He was an amazing man, the most intelligent, most well-read actor I've ever worked with," Byrne added. "He told me, Forget about acting. Read, read, read! Read poetry. Read non-fiction. Be involved in the world of imagination through books.' I wanted to emulate that kind of a life." The oldest of six children of a barrelmaker and a hospital worker, Byrne almost became a priest, spending five years at an English seminary before quitting.

"I suppose I just lost faith and wanted to explore the world," he said. Loading After returning to Dublin, he worked part-time, holding down such diverse summer jobs as a teddy-bear-eye installer and a short-order cook while he studied archaeology and linguistics at University College Dublin. "I've always been attracted to the world of academia," he said. "I'd have loved to have taught a particular subject, having learnt as much as I possibly could, and conveyed that to my students." Instead his students led him onto the stage.

"Acting never came into my head," Byrne said. "It was only when I was teaching that I began to get a glimpse of it. I used to take my class to see theatre and films, because I thought it was a great way of connecting with them. Then they asked me if they could have a drama class after school. I said yes. I thought maybe, instead of going to the pub at nighttime, I could join an amateur drama group." Byrne's earliest professional efforts came on stage at Dublin's Focus and Abbey theatres. He quickly moved into television, appearing in the Irish series The Riordans (1978-1979) and then its spin-off, Bracken (1980-1982). He made his movie debut in Excalibur (1981), playing Uther Pendragon, father of King Arthur. Byrne says In Treatment ''had an effect on a lot of people. There was an upsurge in therapy after that''. Credit:HBO After meeting American actor Ellen Barkin on their film Siesta (1987), Byrne married her in 1988 and moved to New York. They have two adult children, Jack and Romy, but divorced in 1999. In 2014 Byrne married producer/director Hannah Beth King, with whom he has a 2-year-old daughter. The Irish actor has appeared in more than 100 films and television shows. The one that made the most difference to his career was the Coen brothers' Miller's Crossing (1990).

"It opened the door for me," Byrne said. "I didn't have to audition any more." Another project with a huge impact was the HBO series In Treatment (2008-2010), in which he played a therapist. "It was a difficult project to do," he said, "but it had an effect on a lot of people. There was an upsurge in therapy after that. "Yesterday I was talking to a class of students at Columbia University," he continued. "Professors use that series as part of the curriculum. Students watch an episode, and the teacher asks them, What would you do in that situation?'"
Dr. Anthony Fauci, right, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, speaks while President Donald Trump (C) and Vice President Mike Pence, listen during a briefing on the CCP virus pandemic, in the press briefing room of the White House in Washington on March 24, 2020. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Trump: Fauci Made a Lot of Mistakes During Pandemic

President Donald Trump admitted that White House COVID-19 task force member Dr. Anthony Fauci made a lot of mistakes in how hes handled the messaging during the pandemic.

Trump was asked on Thursday night in an interview about how Texas and Florida are dealing with surges in the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, a novel coronavirus. In recent days, those states, along with other southeastern and southwestern states have reported significant increases in cases, prompting state officials to warn that their reopening efforts may be paused.

Dr. Fauci is a nice man, but hes made a lot of mistakes, Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity after he was asked about the states. A lot of them said dont wear a mask, dont wear a mask, the president added. Now they are saying wear a mask. A lot of mistakes were made, a lot of mistakes.

The president was possibly referring to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) advice that its not recommended for people to wear face protection early on in the pandemic. In April, the agency reversed course and issued guidance that people should wear non-medical masks in public.

When Trump visits Walter Reed hospital on Saturday to visit wounded troops, he will wear a mask, according to comments in the interview.

He added that overall, 45 million people in the United States have been tested for the CCP virus, and most people have recovered.

People wearing facemasks walk past a health and safety guideline board and an open restaurant on Santa Monica Pier which re-opened on June 25 after closure for over three months due to the coronavirus pandemic in Santa Monica, Calif., on June 26, 2020. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images)

We have cases all over the place. Most of the cases immediately get better, they are people, young people, they have sniffles and two days later they are fine and they are not sick to start, Trump said.

Throughout the pandemic, Fauci, the longtime head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has been quick to issue warnings about the spread of the virus and saying that lockdowns are necessary.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Fauci said that Trumps claims that 99 percent of CCP virus cases are harmless isnt correct.

Im trying to figure out where the president got that number, Fauci told The Financial Times. What I think happened is that someone told him that the general mortality is about 1 percent. And he interpreted, therefore, that 99 percent is not a problem, when thats obviously not the case.

The doctor added that he hasnt seen Trump since early June.

Trump announced Tuesday that the United States would officially begin the process of withdrawing from the World Health Organization (WHO) after the UN agency admitted several errors in its assessment of the virus, which originated in mainland China late last year.
There is a "large consensus" that the spire of the fire-damaged Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris should be rebuilt as it was, France's new culture minister Roselyne Bachelot has said. The massive 19th-century spire collapsed into the nave of the church as a blaze tore through the rafters of the cathedral in April last year.

Bachelot told French radio France Inter "there was a large consensus in public opinion and among those deciding" the issue for the spire to be rebuilt exactly as it was.

Her comments came hours before a commission that was set to rule on the question, the National Commission on Heritage and Architecture (CPNA) was due to meet.

But Bachelot said the final decision was in the hands of French President Emmanuel Macron, who up until now has supported a modern architectural "gesture" on the 13th-century monument which was partly destroyed by the fire.

Macron wants Notre-Dame to be restored to its former glory by 2024, in time for the Paris Olympics.

But reconstruction work has been plagued by delays due to the weather, sanitary concerns over lead pollution and most recently the coronavirus pandemic.

Stark disagreement

On Thursday, four Greenpeace activists climbed a crane carrying out work on the cathedral and unfurled a banner demanding the French government do more to tackle climate change.

Sharp disagreements about what to do with the spire also emerged after Macron said that "a contemporary architectural gesture might be envisaged" to replace the 96-metre spire "since it wasn't part of the original cathedral".

The spire was added in mid-1800s, replacing a medieval one that was removed in 1786.

Last week, the man put in charge of the reconstruction effort, General Jean-Louis Georgelin, said the delicate task of removing the twisted and molten scaffolding around the cathedral should be finished by the end of September.

The wooden roof of the cathedral caught fire during restoration works, sparking a vast outpouring of emotion  and donations for the rebuilding  from across the world.
Northern Ireland's Chief Medical Officer has refused to say if he believes the coronavirus regulations were broken at the funeral of senior republican Bobby Storey.

Despite repeated questioning, Dr Michael McBride told the BBC Radio Ulster Nolan Show he did not feel comfortable commenting while a police investigation was ongoing and it was not part of his role as chief medic to comment on who may have breached the guidelines.

Dr McBride said that he had not viewed the footage of the funeral, but acknowledged that families of other people who have died during the pandemic could have felt hurt if rules were broken.

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The day before Mr Storey's funeral the Executive approved increasing the number of people allowed to gather outside from 10 to 30. Dr McBride said he felt no pressure to recommend lifting the restrictions for funerals.

The large-scale alleged breaking of the rules by senior members of Sinn Fein, including deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill, has plunged Northern Ireland into political crisis in the middle of the pandemic.

Ms ONeill has repeatedly denied breaking the regulations. She apologised to grieving families for the hurt that may have been caused but has said she will never apologise for attending the funeral of her friend.

PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne has requested an external police officer investigate if there were breaches of the Covid-19 regulations at the funeral.

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Dr McBride told Stephen Nolan it would "entirely inappropriate" for him to comment while a police investigation is ongoing and other investigations could take place.

The Chief Medical Officer said that he "apologised unreservedly" for the fact that many family members were not able to say goodbye to their loved ones or grieve in the normal way.

While Dr McBride said it would be wrong for him to comment on specifics around the Storey funeral and the regulations he outlined the rules generally on the day in question.

He said that on June 30 it was a reasonable excuse for a person to leave their home to attend the funeral of a member of that person's household, a family member, or a friend - if no family member or member of their household could attend.

Dr McBride said he was still yet to see the media footage of the Storey funeral. Hundreds of people lined the streets of west Belfast as Mr Storey's funeral cortege made its way to Milltown Cemetery for graveside speeches. The funeral later moved to Roselawn for cremation.

"I have heard of the reports and obviously the coverage around this. Look, I think all these things are very, very difficult," he said.

The Chief Medical Officer noted there had been a number of high profile funerals and protests in recent months.

"I understand the emotion and I understand the need for families and friends and communities to wish to express support, but equally I absolutely appreciate the hurt and concern after some of those images I've described," Dr McBride said.

"I think any large gathering where people are not able to appropriately socially distance, and particularly if that's in a confined space, that is a cause for concern."

Asked about the increase in people allowed to gather outside the day before the Storey funeral Dr McBride said it had been a matter of "ongoing and continuous discussion" due to the sensitive nature of the issue.

Mr Nolan pressed the Chief Medical Officer if it was just a coincidence that the rule change came into affect the day before.

"No I did not feel under any pressure," Dr McBride replied.
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Linkedin John Miller (Reuters) Zurich, Switzerland  Fri, July 10, 2020 07:55 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a40665400ed 2 World WHO,coronavirus,COVID-19,response,global-crisis,health-crisis,pandemic,SARS-CoV-2,virus-corona,novel-coronavirus Free

Avowed multilateralists Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Helen Clark will lead a World Health Organization (WHO) panel scrutinizing the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic just as international institutions are under fire.

The work by Johnson Sirleaf, Liberia's former president and Clark, New Zealand's ex-prime minister, will come into the harsh spotlight trained on the WHO by US President Donald Trump, who has accused the agency of being in China's pocket while letting the pandemic spiral out of control.

Johnson Sirleaf, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Africa's first democratically elected female president, and Clark, who sought the top United Nations job in 2016, acknowledged that the study of how the world tackled this crisis, to prepare for the next one, will not be easy.

"Our world is challenged by what is happening, challenged in ways that none of us could have forecast," Clark, 70, said on Thursday.

Johnson Sirleaf, 81, a Liberian-born, US-educated economist, served 12 years as her West African country's leader, a period that included the 2014-16 Ebola outbreak that killed thousands.

She won the Nobel Prize in 2011 for promoting the peaceful struggle for women's rights as she oversaw Liberia's emergence from civil war. She has deep WHO ties, having been named a goodwill ambassador last year.

In a March BBC editorial, Johnson Sirleaf called for solidarity against COVID-19 while criticizing early lapses by states.

"Time was wasted. Information was hidden, minimized, and manipulated. Trust was broken," she wrote.

Clark, New Zealand's leader from 1999 to 2008, lost out four years ago to Antonio Guterres to lead the UN. She previously led the UN Development Program and serves on a WHO panel on childhood obesity.

In May, in an online forum, she criticized global leadership for failing to muster the "unity of purpose" that overcame challenges like eradicating smallpox.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called them "strong-minded, independent leaders", aiming to underscore their freedom in assessing his agency's and governments' COVID-19 responses.
Technavio has been monitoring the disaster recovery-as-a-service (DRaaS) market and it is poised to grow by USD 27.44 billion during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of over 43% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200709005477/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Disaster Recovery-as-a-Service (DRaaS) Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact

The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. Amazon.com Inc., Broadcom Inc., Cisco Systems Inc., Dell Technologies Inc., iland Internet Solutions, International Business Machines Corp., Microsoft Corp., NTT Communications Corp., Oracle Corp., and Sungard Availability Services LP are some of the major market participants. The improved manageability and protection will offer immense growth opportunities. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

Improved manageability and protection has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market.

Disaster Recovery-as-a-Service (DRaaS) Market 2020-2024: Segmentation

Disaster Recovery-as-a-Service (DRaaS) Market is segmented as below:

Deployment Public Cloud Private Cloud Hybrid Cloud

Geography North America Europe APAC South America MEA



To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR43407

Disaster Recovery-as-a-Service (DRaaS) Market 2020-2024: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our disaster recovery-as-a-service (DRaaS) market report covers the following areas:

Disaster Recovery-as-a-Service (DRaaS) Market Size

Disaster Recovery-as-a-Service (DRaaS) Market Trends

Disaster Recovery-as-a-Service (DRaaS) Market Industry Analysis

This study identifies the increasing adoption of cloud-based disaster recovery solutions as one of the prime reasons driving the disaster recovery-as-a-service (DRaaS) market growth during the next few years.

Disaster Recovery-as-a-Service (DRaaS) Market 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of vendors operating in the disaster recovery-as-a-service (DRaaS) market, including some of the vendors such as Amazon.com Inc., Broadcom Inc., Cisco Systems Inc., Dell Technologies Inc., iland Internet Solutions, International Business Machines Corp., Microsoft Corp., NTT Communications Corp., Oracle Corp., and Sungard Availability Services LP. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the disaster recovery-as-a-service (DRaaS) market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

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Disaster Recovery-as-a-Service (DRaaS) Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024

Detailed information on factors that will assist disaster recovery-as-a-service (DRaaS) market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the disaster recovery-as-a-service (DRaaS) market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the disaster recovery-as-a-service (DRaaS) market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of disaster recovery-as-a-service (DRaaS) market vendors

Table Of Contents:

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis

Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2019

Market outlook: Forecast for 2019 2024

Five Forces Analysis

Five Forces Summary

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

Market Segmentation by Deployment

Market segments

Comparison by Deployment

Public cloud Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Private cloud Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Hybrid cloud Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by Deployment

Customer Landscape

Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

North America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Europe Market size and forecast 2019-2024

APAC Market size and forecast 2019-2024

South America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

MEA Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography

Market Drivers

Market Challenges

Market Trends

Vendor Landscape

Vendor landscape

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

Amazon.com Inc.

Broadcom Inc.

Cisco Systems Inc.

Dell Technologies Inc.

iland Internet Solutions

International Business Machines Corp.

Microsoft Corp.

NTT Communications Corp.

Oracle Corp.

Sungard Availability Services LP

Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200709005477/en/

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Mark Francois was gently scolded by Mr Barnier. - PA

Michel Barnier has written to Mark Francois and told the Chair of the Eurosceptic European Research Group of Tory MPs that Brexit isn't worth it.

Mr Francois had sent the EU's chief negotiator an open letter, which he titled a "missive from a free country", on June 29.

"While nobody has been able to demonstrate to me the added value of leaving the most integrated economic and free trade area in the world, I have always respected the UK's decision to withdraw from the EU," Mr Barnier said in reply.

"In this same spirit we approach the ongoing negotiations with your great - and indeed free - country."

Mr Barnier warned Mr Francois that the EU would hold Boris Johnson to the joint Political Declaration and that Brussels was adamant that the European Court of Justice must have the final say on the interpretation of EU law.

The Political Declaration, which is a non-binding document setting out the broad outline of the free trade agreement, was "agreed by your prime minister and voted for by the House of Commons,including yourself," Mr Barnier added.

He said the level playing field guarantees the EU demands were necessary. Mr Barnier said that the EU would not agree a free trade deal without an agreement on fishing and described progress in negotiations as "disappointing".

"We will continue to work with determination to conclude the negotiations with success as we continue to believe that this can be done despite the short time available, which is the choice of your government." Mr Barnier said, referring to the UK's refusal to extend the transition period.

The French politician and commission official told Mr Francois it was a "pleasure" to hear from UK elected representatives.

"Having been an elected representative for many years myself I value the crucial role you play in scrutinising and holding your government to account," he said

Story continues

In response, Mr Francois told the Telegraph that he was grateful for the "charming billet doux". He said, "As he rightly acknowledged, we are now a free country - and indeed very happy to be so."

He added that the political declaration was "indicative and not legally binding - as Michel knows well. Nevertheless, Im delighted that further talks are now agreed. As he often reminds us, 'the clock is ticking.'

UK and EU officials met in London this week and will meet again in Brussels next week as the try to break the deadlock in the trade negotiations.

"This weeks discussions confirm that significant divergences remain between the EU and GB. We will continue working with patience, respect and determination," Mr Barnier tweeted on Thursday.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-11 05:45:57|Editor: huaxia

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Supporters of Singapore's Workers' Party are seen in Singapore, on July 11, 2020. Singapore's ruling People's Action Party (PAP) won 83 of the 93 parliamentary seats in Singapore's general election, Returning Officer Tan Meng Dui said on Saturday. The Workers' Party (WP), which got six seats in the 2015 election, won 10 seats this year. (Xinhua/Then Chih Wey)

SINGAPORE, July 11 (Xinhua) -- The ruling People's Action Party (PAP) won 83 of the 93 parliamentary seats in Singapore's general election, Returning Officer Tan Meng Dui said on Saturday.

The PAP won the election with 61.24 percent of votes, compared to 69.86 percent in last election in 2015.

The Workers' Party (WP), which got six seats in the 2015 election, won 10 seats this year.

A total of 191 candidates from 11 political parties and an independent candidate competed for 93 seats in the election, which is organized into 14 Single Member Constituencies (SMCs) and 17 Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs).

The PAP won the 83 seats from 13 SMCs and 15 GRCs, while WP retained the 10 seats from Hougang SMC, Aljunied GRC and Sengkang GRC.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his team won Ang Mo Kio GRC with 71.91 percent of the votes.

Lee told a press conference that the percentage of popular votes the PAP won in the election was not as high as he had hoped. Nevertheless, the result reflected broad-based supports for the PAP, he added.

The prime minister, also PAP's secretary-general, said he was honored and humbled by the faith Singaporeans had put in the ruling party and the heavy responsibility Singaporeans had entrusted with the party.

"I will use this mandate responsibly to deal with COVID-19 and economic downturn, and to take us safely through the crisis and beyond," he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, along with his East Coast GRC team members, won with 53.41 percent of the votes. Heng moved from Tampines GRC to East Coast GRC this year.

The PAP took 83 of the 89 seats in the 2015 election with 69.86 percent of the popular votes, which was higher than the 60.14-percent gain in 2011. Enditem
The restaurant industry is so bad that Antonio Bonetti, the owner of Bayonne pizzeria La Guardiola, is investing in a construction business.

Its a ... disaster, Bonetti said. The construction part is booming, but the food industry is tanking.

Last month, Gov. Phil Murphy allowed restaurants to reopen for outdoor dining for the first time since March. Municipal governments in Hoboken and Jersey City set up designated dining zones on streets and sidewalks, and patrons flocked to their favorite eateries.

But nearly one month after outdoor dining resumed, Hudson Countys restaurants are still struggling.

La Guardiola lost $170,000 in sales during the first three months of the shutdown. Bonetti was forced to lay off a big chunk of his workers; others took pay cuts. And the added expenses off sanitizer and protective gear have cut into what revenue remains, he said.

A federal loan allowed him to hire most of his workers back, and the resumption of outdoor dining provided a boost, he said. But La Guardiola is still barely surviving.

Making money for me to make a living is not my goal right now, he said. Making money to stay afloat is whats essential right now.

And Bonetti worried that, as the weeks of joblessness continued to take their toll on people, restaurants would be hurting more and more. Resuming outdoor dining, he said, was just putting a bigger Band-Aid on a wound that needs major stitches.

Julio Tambriz places condiments on the outdoor tables at La Guardiola Gourmet Pizzeria & Bistro on Broadway in Bayonne. Reena Rose Sibayan | The Jersey Journal

On March 17, Gov. Murphy, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, ordered a halt to dine-in restaurant service. For three months, eateries stayed shuttered, surviving on takeout and deliveries only. The industry got some relief last month, when Murphy announced that outdoor dining could resume June 15.

But for many, thats still not enough.

Tushar Mankar, the manager of Jersey City Indian restaurant Amiya, said business had dropped by more than 50% during the pandemic.

The restaurant, located two blocks from the Exchange Place waterfront, used to benefit from the proximity of office buildings and the PATH station.

We had office crowds coming for dinner, Mankar said. We would always go full from Wednesday to Sunday.

But now that many people are working remotely, the restaurant is suffering. During the shutdown, Amiyas deliveries ticked up just slightly, he said.

The restaurant currently has five tables set up for outdoor dining, with a seating capacity of 20 people. On Wednesday, the restaurant had seen 15 or 16 patrons. It was kind of a good day, Mankar said. But today, from the morning, I just had two guests.

Its a far cry from the crowds of 50-plus that used to fill Amiyas 172-person indoor seating area, Mankar said.

Were trying to manage, he said. Were trying to serve the community.

But others were more optimistic than Bonetti and Mankar. At Mexican restaurant Puerto Vallarta in North Bergen, manager Eloy Villa took a sunnier tone.

Were doing okay, because of the outdoor dining, he said. It would be fuller if it were indoor, but it helped out a lot.

On weekdays, the restaurant sets up eight tables on the street; on weekends there are 16. The restaurants indoor capacity was 16 tables.

Puerto Vallarta set up canopies to protect diners from the rain; they werent perfect, Villa said, but people are willing to sit around and wait for the rain to pass.

They had applied for a federal loan but were denied, he said, and the business had still been forced to lay off workers.

But most of those workers are back now, Villa said. The restaurant, which has been open for 25 years, had managed to save money by using their own delivery driver, rather than relying on delivery apps like Uber Eats or GrubHub.

You dont make the same amount of money, Villa said, but it evens out with outdoor dining and take-outs and deliveries.

Villa attributed the restaurants success to its regulars.

You got your Monday people, your Tuesday people, your Wednesday people, he said. They love being back here, so its something normal to them.
An amateur cook has shared her delicious beef samosa recipe online, which can be prepared in minutes using Kmart's $29 pie maker.

The Australian woman posted photos of the scrumptious dish on Facebook, with a step-by-step guide for how to make them yourself.

She started by cutting a sheet of pastry in half and then slicing each half into thirds again.

An amateur cook has shared her delicious beef samosa recipe online, which can be prepared in minutes in Kmart's $29 pie maker

The Australian woman posted photos of the scrumptious dish on Facebook, with a step-by-step guide on how to make them yourself (This is what the samosas look like in the pie maker)

The samosa mixture will be placed evenly into each third before they are rolled into a small ball, ready to be cooked in the appliance.

Her mixture is made of boiled potatoes, onions, garlic, ginger, frozen peas, mince and turmeric, curry powder and garam masala.

When these are all combined and cooked on the stove, a small spoonful can be placed inside the pastry, folded and placed inside the pie maker for 15 minutes each side.

'It can be a little bit fiddly but it's worth it,' the woman said.

When these are all combined a small spoonful can be placed inside the pastry, folded and placed inside the pie maker for 15 minutes each side

Try and fold the samosas into a ball before placing them into the pie maker

How do you make beef samosas in the pie maker? Ingredients: * 500g of beef mince * an onion, finely chopped * one cup of frozen peas * five to six small potatoes peeled and diced small * two tsp of garam masala * 1.5 tsp of curry powder * 1.5 tsp of turmeric * one tsp of chilli powder * one tsp of crushed garlic * one tsp of crushed ginger * four sheets of shortcut pastry Method: 1. Cut each pastry sheet in half, then cut each half into three equal pieces. 2. Peel and dice potatoes nice and small before boiling them and leaving them off to the side. 3. Put onions, garlic, ginger and all spices into a pot and fry for a few minutes. 4. Add the mince and cook until browned. Add the peas and cook for a few more minutes. Add the potatoes and mix well. 5. Fill each piece of pastry with a heaped tablespoon of the mix. 6. Fold points together and shape into a ball. Cook for 15 minutes each side. The samosa mixture will be placed evenly into each third before rolling them into a small ball, ready to be cooked in the appliance Advertisement

The mixture can be kept in the freezer if you don't wish to cook them right away.

Plenty of people on social media were excited to try the samosas themselves, with some saying they would leave out the mince for a vegetarian option.

'YUM dinner sorted for tonight, thanks heaps for sharing,' one woman said.

The mixture can be kept in the freezer if you don't want to cook them right away

'Also going to try them using roti instead of pastry. Aldi sell them in a pack of 10 if I remember correctly, around $3.50,' said another.

A third added: 'I just tried these with red kidney beans and they were delicious'.

Samosas can be served with a mint yoghurt sauce, to give the dish an added freshness.
The Ambassadors to Ukraine of Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia held a working session on July 9 with the host countrys Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba to discuss measures to boost cooperation between ASEAN with the Eastern European country.

Ambassadors to Ukraine of Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia hold working session with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba

Both host and guests agreed that ASEAN-Ukraine relations have yet to meet bilateral potential, with trade, investment, and tourism exchanges remaining limited.

Minister Kuleba reaffirmed his countrys stance of giving priority to the Asia-Pacific region, including ASEAN, in its foreign policy, so as to foster multi-faceted collaboration, especially in the economic field.

The ambassadors suggested stepping up exchanges of all-level delegations, establishing an ASEAN Committee in Ukraine, negotiating over the signing of a visa exemption agreement, opening a direct air route connecting Kiev with the capital of an ASEAN member state, and promoting cooperation in culture, education, and sports.

Kuleba agreed with the initiative to set up the ASEAN Committee in Ukraine and proposed setting up an ASEAN Centre at a major university in Kiev to disseminate information about ASEAN.

He will prioritise Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia in his ASEAN tour at the end of the year.

Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Anh Tuan suggested the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry help speed up the organisation of a political consultation between the two countries, the 15th meeting of the Inter-Governmental Committee on Economic-Trade and Scientific-Technological Cooperation, and the 17th meeting of the Inter-Governmental Committee on Military Technical Cooperation.

On July 8, Ambassador Tuan also worked with Malaysian Ambassador Raja Reza Raja Zaib Shah and Indonesian Ambassador H.Yuddy Chrisnandi to discuss a plan to organise ASEAN Day in Kiev on August 8 at the Malaysian Embassy.

On July 3, the Vietnamese Embassy also held an online discussion on Vietnams economic policies and the post-pandemic prospects for Vietnam-Ukraine economic relations./.
- President Kenyatta has in recent years shown great commitment to revive the ailing sugar sector

- He in 2018 set up a taskforce that came up with far-reaching recommendations on the revival of the sector

- The Government recently wrote off Ksh62 billion owed by sugar millers and farmers in a bid to revive sector

- Leaders from the sugar belt acknowledge that the successful interventions will boost the region economically

Leaders from Western Kenya and the Lake Region have lauded the successful interventions made by President Uhuru Kenyatta to revive the sugar industry.

Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya and his Kisumu counterpart Anyang Nyongo acknowledged that the concerted input by the state to resurrect the sector will leave smiles on the faces of the regions residents.

READ ALSO: Bungoma school principal asks parents to clear first term fees arrears

Mumias Sugar is set to commence milling in September. Photo: The Star.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: John Waluke's fierce opponent Moses Nandalwe meets Atwoli amid Sirisia by-election speculation

We would like to thank the President, H.E. Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, for his support and advice that enabled the Sugar Task Force to come up with far-reaching proposals to help put the industry on a fast path," they stated in a full-page advert published in the local dailies on Thursday, July 9.

They equally applauded ODM leader Raila Odinga for his counsel that helped the task force members prepare the report, recently adopted by the Cabinet as the basis for implementing the important policies in the sub-sector.

Oparanya spoke on behalf of the Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB), which he chairs, while Nyongo represented the Sugar Task Force members, updating stakeholders on measures and recommendations they believe will bring the sector back to its feet.

The leaders said the recent move by the government to write off KSh 62 billion owed by sugar millers and farmers would take a heavy load from the factories which had depressed productivity for a long time.

These factories are now attractive to fresh capital investments by the private sector. The banning of the importation has sounded a death knell to cartels which for long have been enemies to the industry, the stated.

The also lauded the move by the Ministry of Agriculture to invite bids from private firms for the lease of five state-owned factories, saying the leasing of sugar mills will attract fresh investments, boost productivity and create more jobs.

READ ALSO: Flash of genius: CBK boss Patrick Njoroge praises Usain Bolt for daughter's name choice

The pumping in of money in the sector was lauded by Western Kenya governors. Photo: Kenyan Digest.

Source: UGC

This will no doubt guarantee tremendous increase in sugar production for both local and export market, the Governors averred.

President Kenyatta has over the last few years expressed his desire to revive the sugar sector and in 2018 set up a taskforce that came up with far-reaching recommendations on the revival of the sector.

He on earlier this month held a meeting with Western leaders and discussed ongoing government efforts to revive the ailing sugar sector, not least Mumias and Nzoia sugar factories.

He reassured the leaders of the governments firm commitment to revive the sector by fast-tracking the implementation of the sugar taskforce report.

READ ALSO: Caroline Mutoko's grown daughter Nduku makes appearance on mum's IG and she's a delight

President Uhuru Kenyatta had pledged to complete all pending projects across the country before launching new ones. Photo: State House.

Source: Twitter

In their communique, Oparanya and Nyongo said the re-introduction of the Sugar Development Levy (SDL) will ensure farmers, the county governments and the factories get a ready source of financial flows which will support farm development and the building of appropriate infrastructure in sugar growing zones.

We now envisage a new dawn where millers will pay farmers within seven days of delivering their crop as stipulated in the policy statement, they stated.

Among the other key recommendations that are set to be effected is one stipulating that payments be based on sucrose content, rather than mere weight of cane, a positive development that is expected to enhance the industrys competitiveness.

A move to classify sugar as a food item at both the county and national government level will on its part trigger a review of the taxation regime to create a tax friendly environment for both farmers and millers.

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.

The graduate who chose rabbit farming over office job - Maureen Wanyaga | Tuko TV | Inspire Kenya.

Source: TUKO.co.ke
Samsung is expecting Galaxy Note 20 series sales to be as dismal as its Galaxy S20. Thats based on reports stemming from the tech giants home region citing industry insiders. The supply chain insiders claim that Samsung has become cautious about ordering components for its Galaxy Note 20. Specifically for the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 5G.

The move comes in response to concerns about the ongoing global pandemic and its impact on sales, sources indicate. But also in response to an overall downturn in the smartphone market. In February, Samsung also blamed those for shortcomings on sales of the Samsung Galaxy S20 series. The flagship series has widely been reported as selling only around half as well as its predecessor.

The Galaxy Note 20 is going to be expensive, and that could hurt sales too

Aside from the prospects of attempting a wildly successful product launch amid a global pandemic, price also likely factors in here. Flagship smartphones have consistently risen in cost over the past couple of years. The Samsung Galaxy S20, for instance, started out at the budget end at $999. The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 will undoubtedly be more expensive.

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Yet another factor in Samsungs decline could also be global market competition from Huawei and others. Huawei, for its part, rose to overtake Samsung in April and May on Smartphone shipments. Further competition and increasing sales for the likes of OPPO, OnePlus, Xiaomi, and others are eating into its market share as well.

But, even where those types of analyses are concerned, the cost of devices is often cited as a cause for that challenge. Samsung could potentially respond by taking a loss or a lower margin on Galaxy Note 20 devices. But that seems unlikely at this juncture.

So it may turn out that Samsung Galaxy Note 20 series sales really will be as dismal as its S-series counterpart.

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If true, this is likely the best move for Samsung to make

With reports implying a real problem with back-stocked inventory on the Galaxy S20 series, Samsung cutting back on orders for the Galaxy Note 20 is the business-savvy decision. If sales do perform better than expected, Samsung is only going to create more demand. Limiting the number of devices available is a well-known tactic for achieving that. And more orders for components can always be placed later to pick up the slack.

Conversely, if it sells poorly, it wont have an overabundance of extra stock. That means taking fewer losses on inventory and discounted sales.
WASHINGTON  The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that much of eastern Oklahoma falls within an Indian reservation, a decision that could reshape the criminal justice system by preventing state authorities from prosecuting offenses there that involve Native Americans.

The 5-4 decision, potentially one of the most consequential legal victories for Native Americans in decades, could have far-reaching implications for the people who live across what is now deemed Indian Country by the high court. The lands include much of Tulsa, Oklahomas second-biggest city.

The case was steeped in the U.S. governments long history of brutal removals and broken treaties with Indigenous tribes, and grappled with whether lands of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation had remained a reservation after Oklahoma became a state.

Justice Neil Gorsuch, a Westerner who has sided with tribes in previous cases and joined the courts more liberal members, said that Congress had granted the Creek a reservation, and that the United States needed to abide by its promises.

Today we are asked whether the land these treaties promised remains an Indian reservation for purposes of federal criminal law, Gorsuch wrote. Because Congress has not said otherwise, we hold the government to its word.

Muscogee leaders hailed the decision as a hard-fought victory that clarified the status of their lands. The tribe said it would work with state and federal law enforcement authorities to coordinate public safety within the reservation.

This is a historic day, Principal Chief David Hill said in an interview. This is amazing. Its never too late to make things right.

But Chief Justice John Roberts warned in a dissenting opinion that the Court had sown confusion in the states criminal justice system and profoundly destabilized the states powers in eastern Oklahoma.

The States ability to prosecute serious crimes will be hobbled and decades of past convictions could well be thrown out, Roberts wrote. The decision today creates significant uncertainty for the States continuing authority over any area that touches Indian affairs, ranging from zoning and taxation to family and environmental law.

In a statement, Mike Hunter, Oklahomas attorney general, said the state and the Muscogee (Creek), Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Seminole Nations were working on an agreement to present to Congress and the U.S. Department of Justice addressing jurisdictional issues raised by the decision.

We will continue our work, confident that we can accomplish more together than any of us could alone, he said.

The case concerned Jimcy McGirt, a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation who was convicted of sex crimes against a child by state authorities in the Nations historical boundaries. He said that only federal authorities were entitled to prosecute him.

McGirt argued that Congress had never clearly destroyed the sovereignty of the Creek Nation over the area. The solicitor general of Oklahoma took the opposite view, saying the area had never been reservation land.

McGirt v. Oklahoma, No. 18-9526, an appeal from a state courts decision, was the Supreme Courts second attempt to resolve the status of eastern Oklahoma.

In November 2018, the justices heard arguments in Sharp v. Murphy, No. 17-1107, which arose from the prosecution in state court of Patrick Murphy, a Creek Indian, for murdering George Jacobs in rural McIntosh County, east of Oklahoma City.

After he was sentenced to death, it emerged that the murder had taken place on what had once been Indian land. Murphy argued that only the federal government could prosecute him and that a federal law barred the imposition of the death penalty because he was an Indian.

Murphy convinced the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in Denver. But when the case was argued before an eight-member Supreme Court, the justices seemed divided and troubled. (Gorsuch, who had served on the 10th Circuit when it ruled on the case, recused himself.)

Instead of issuing a decision before the term ended in June 2019, the court announced it would hear another set of arguments in its current term, which started in October. That was a sign the court had deadlocked, 4-4.

But there was no new argument in the Murphy case, probably because it was not clear another hearing would break the deadlock. Instead, the court heard McGirts case, allowing the overarching issue to be settled by a nine-member court.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Park was found dead around midnight on Mt. Bukak near his official residence of apparent suicide amid burgeoning allegations of sexual misconduct.

The note, which was found on his desk and revealed by his chief secretary, read, "I'm sorry to everyone. I thank everyone who has been with me in my life. I will always remain sorry to my family, to whom I've given only pain. Please cremate me and scatter [the ashes] at my parent's grave. Goodbye everyone."

Lawmakers including Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun Friday expressed shock and sadness at Park's death and canceled most of their schedule for the day.
The Toronto District School Board voted unanimously Thursday night to support an emergency motion calling on the government to look at creative and ambitious alternatives to the hybrid model, which is the model expected to be in place in September.

We want to ensure that all students can return in September in the safest way possible, but we must also recognize that if the Ministry of Education does not permit them to return every day, it will put many of the families of 247,000 TDSB students in a very difficult position, not to mention the families of thousands of TDSB staff, said chair Robin Pilkey.

Boards are planning for three different scenarios for schooling this fall  but full-time, in-person learning for kids is still the provinces hope, says Education Minister Stephen Lecce.

The governments preference is every day, day-to-day delivery, five days a week in class, he said at Queens Park on Thursday.

And the obligation on us today, and we are doing this, is working closely with public health to get to a point that we can scale up that plan. But the reason why we have ... three different plans is because we need to be ready. We do not know what will happen in August. So, out of an abundance of caution to ensure  theres not a gap in learning .

The province has been feeling the heat from parents and trustees, who say, if kids are home full-time learning remotely because of the COVID-19 pandemic, or a hybrid model is put in place that would see students in school part-time, families, especially low income ones, will struggle.

Under the hybrid or mixed model, with classes capped at 15 to maintain physical distancing, only about half the students could be at school on any given day. Working parents would have to figure out a way to supervise their children when they arent in class, which could be two or three days a week.

The trustees who proposed the motion, Jennifer Story and Rachel Chernos Lin, say other jurisdictions are finding extra classroom space in unused buildings so that all kids can attend, every day. More teaching and educational assistants would have to be hired, they also say.

Lecce said school boards have received more funding for the next school year through the usual grants, plus extra money for staffing that was negotiated in the latest contract with teachers.

Unions have said that money is to replace workers who were let go after the last contract expired, and not enough to cover COVID-19 needs.

I understand fully that parents of this province want to know with clarity what September will look like, Lecce said.

Our governments plan is to have operational readiness in our school boards to respond to the local circumstance as it arises .... And (that), likewise, applies to child care as we look at efforts to improve and rather enhance the amount of capacity of children that could be within these centres. We know this is important to you. Were working around the clock to get this right when it comes to our kids.

New Democrat Leader Andrea Horwath has called the governments hybrid model disastrous ... (and it) will only make learning, teaching and parents return-to-work plans a nightmare.

She said instead of putting all the responsibility on parents to stay home with kids indefinitely, this government needs to get more teachers, more education workers and more classroom spaces lined up and ready to go, so that, if we continue to see infection rates drop over the summer, we can get all kids back in school full-time in September.

NDP education Critic Marit Stiles said, It looks like the government is bending over backwards to prevent having to hire more teachers, more custodians and unlock more classroom space.

And parents and kids are going to pay the price for that.

Parents, and especially mothers, wont be able to go back to work under this convoluted model. And this government seriously cant expect teachers to teach in the classroom at the same time as trying to teach the half of the class thats at home.

Chief medical officer Dr. David Williams is hopeful the COVID-19 outbreak will be better by late August, because we know theres the pressure and issues around working parents, both with schooling and with daycare.

We continue to have those discussions to look at that correct balance, knowing the need, the social aspects, the connectivity side, the work things, as you open up to Stage 3, allowing parents to go to work where they had structured that around children attending school and daycare.

Concerns have also been raised that, if students return part-time and remain with the same teacher all day to limit contact, that would clash with collective agreements and prep-time requirements.

The Ottawa Citizen reports that, in public schools in the capital, teachers must get 40 minutes for lunch and 240 minutes a week in prep time, which means they could not be at the front of the class for an entire school day.

In Toronto, trustees Story and Chernos Lin said in some places in the U.S., governments are thinking of ways to get everyone back to school and daycare.

Right now, we cant possibly accommodate all kids full-time and comply with public health guidelines around distancing and on top of that, child-care needs, Story told the Star.

It seems the provincial government is not up for thinking of funding much beyond a hybrid model, which is essentially a part-time model , (and) the impact on kids is negative. They need to be safe, and social, and learning, and this doesnt do that.

We need a creative and ambitious response to COVID in education, said Chernos Lin.

Otherwise, she added, working moms are going to suffer the brunt of this.

The two say experts have said kids need to be in school for the social contact, too, given the pandemic has taken its toll on their mental health and well-being.

Their motion includes sending a letter to Lecce and Ford about the need for creative thinking and extra funding for busing, personal protective equipment for staff and repair/maintenance, including, but not limited to, ventilation issues, touch-free sinks and soap dispensers for handwashing and water bottle refill stations.
Noam Chomsky speaking at the International Forum for Emancipation and Equality in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on March 12, 2015. The conference was organized by the Argentinian Ministry of Culture of the Nation through the Secretariat of Strategic Coordination for National Thought. (Photo | Wikimedia Commons - Augusto Starita)

New York: The role of technology in helping push back against the novel coronavirus has been hailed widely. But it also means that people are constantly being watched by entities that can set the tone for public behaviour without giving a shred of consideration to peoples privacy. One of the greatest contemporary thinkers, Noam Chomsky, warns of the consequences of technology being allowed to control our lives in the guise of making our lives easier.

In an interview with AFP, Chomsky talked about how the dystopian reality of digital surveillance is already here. There are now companies developing technology which make it possible for the employer ... to look at what's on your computer screen and to check your keystrokes and if you get up and walk away for a minute, they'll send you a warning.

That's being installed right now.... It's not the future.

The very things that are convenient are the ones that are invasive, he pointed out. The so-called Internet of Things is coming along. It's convenient. It means if you're driving home you can turn on the stove  but it also means that that information is going to Google and Facebook, to the government, the American government, the French government, it's an enormous amount of potential control, surveillance and invasion. But this has happened. It's not the future.

If we allow the huge tech companies, the state, to control our life that's what will happen. They'll turn it into something like China, where you have social credit systems and in some cities you get a certain amount of credits, there's face recognition technology all over the place and everything you do gets monitored.

If you cross the street in the wrong place, you can ... lose some credits, and so on.

It's not inevitable, just like global warming, that it's going to happen  unless people stop it.

When asked whether the use of surveillance was justified in combating COVID-19, said It might be  during the period of threat. There's controls needed during wartime, you have rationing. But it doesn't have to be permanent.... 'Yes, we'll let you have this authority now, but it can be revoked at any time.'"

Speaking about other major problems facing humankind, Chomsky said global warming was a greater threat than even the deadly pandemic. . As severe as this pandemic is, it's not the worst problem. There will be recovery from the pandemic at severe cost ... but there isn't going to be any recovery from the melting of the polar ice caps and the rising of sea levels and the other deleterious effects of global warming, he said.

However, it is evident that the public is either not aware or not bothered to see global warming as a serious enough problem.

That kind of a public in the US also voted for a leadership that has proven itself wholly unequal to the task of managing the pandemic in the country where more than 100,000 people have died of it . There's no coherent leadership. It's chaotic. The presidency, the White House, is in the hands of a sociopathic megalomaniac who's interested in nothing but his own power, electoral prospects  doesn't care what happens to the country, the world, Chomsky said, in scathing criticism of President Donald Trump.

Chomsky spelled out how the administration under Trump never even gave the US a chance against COVID-19. As soon as Trump came in, his first move was to dismantle the entire pandemic prevention machinery. At the start, defunding the Center for Disease Control, which would deal with this. And canceling programs that were working with Chinese scientists to identify potential viruses. So the US was singularly unprepared, Chomsky said.

He explained the economic model that led to the current situation. It's a privatised society, very wealthy, with enormous advantages  far more than any other country  but its in the stranglehold of private control.

It doesn't have a universal health care system.... It's the ultimate neoliberal system, actually.

He compared it to Europe, which in many ways is worse, because the austerity programs just amplify the danger, because of the severe attack on democracy in Europe, the shifting decisions to Brussels.... But he added, At least it has the residue of some kind of social democratic structure, which provides some support, which is what I think is lacking in the US.

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Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the worsening situation of COVID-19 in Kerala's Thiruvanthapuram's coastal area Poonthura is indicative of the fact that the state was inching closer to community spread.

The CM appealed to the people to follow social distancing norms and other guidelines as that is the best way to avoid spreading of cases through contacts.

"The need of the hour is to avoid all crowding. Things went out of control in a market here and that caused fresh lockdown. All should be cautious and venture out only if there is a major need," said Vijayan.

Of the 6,534 recorded cases in Kerala, 2,795 are presently active.

While Kerala is not in the top three worst-affected states in the country, it is the first to acknowledge community transmission of COVID.

The situation is much worse in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and New Delhi.

Representational Image

Maharashtra is the worst-affected state in the country with more than 2.24 lakh cases and close to 9,500 deaths so far.

Despite the grave scenario, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope ruled out community transmission of Covid-19 in the state saying the government has been able to trace most of the virus infected people and their source.

"I think there is no community spread of coronavirus in Maharashtra. The state government has been able to trace almost every Covid-19 patient and his or her source of infection. Hence, in my opinion, there is no community spread in the state," he said, according to a report by news agency PTI.

"The data shows that most of the coronavirus positive patients are those who were earlier placed under institutional quarantine, home quarantine or had some contact history. Therefore, there has been no community spread in Maharashtra so far," he added.

No sign of community spread: government

Amid the spurt in coronavirus cases, the government on June 9 reiterated its stance on community spread in the country. It said India has not yet reached the community transmission stage of COVID-19 and asserted that there have been localised outbreaks in some geographical areas.

The death toll climbed to 21,129 with 487 new fatalities, the updated data at 8 am showed.

BCCL

Asked if India has entered the community transmission phase, Rajesh Bhushan, Officer on Special Duty in the Union Health ministry said, "Even today, the health minister Harsh Vardhan clearly said after the GoM that India has not reached the stage of community transmission. In some geographical areas, there have been localised outbreaks."

We should not forget that in our country, 49 districts alone account for 80 per cent of Covid-19 cases. In a country of more than 733 districts, if 49 districts account for 80 per cent cases, then it is not justified to talk about community transmission," he said at the press briefing.

He said India's Covid-19 cases and deaths per million population are amongst the lowest in the world.
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* Despite Valley United Way not being able to hold its planned public Annual Meeting on April 30, its board recently elected new officers to serve until its next Annual Meeting and thanked a number of long-time directors whose terms ended April 30. Members whose terms have ended include Jimmy Tickey, who served as Board Vice Chair; Jennifer Bull, CPA, (PKF OConnor Davies, LLP); Peter Dagostine (First Group America); Michael Duncan (Edgewell Personal Care); Fred Ortoli (Ortoli Photography); Ramon Peralta (Peralta Design); and Janice Sheehy (Webster Bank). At its April 22 board meeting, directors elected the following officers for terms ending at the next annual meeting: Chairman, Michael Gnibus (Armstrong Teasdale); Vice Chair, Karen Stockla (Prudential Financial); Secretary, Dominick Thomas, Esq. (Cohen & Thomas); Treasurer, Gregory DeStefano, CPA (Cherubino & Company, PC).

* Frank B. Cochran and Stephanie Fitzgerald of New Haven recently provided a helping hand to Wallingford-based Capital for Change Inc., Connecticut's largest full-service community development financial institution. The nonprofit organization receives charitable contributions and allows people to invest in its mission. The couple stepped forward in response to a recent message Arcand shared with investors in Capital for Changes Social Impact Fund, describing efforts undertaken by the organization to ensure the nonprofit organization's long-term stability in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. Cochran and Fitzgerald, who have invested in the nonprofit's work since 2016, responded to Arcand's message that - to help alleviate the virus-imposed crisis - they would donate their earned interest for the current year, plus renew their investment for another year with no expectation of a return on the investment.
YEREVAN, JULY 10, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian arrived in the Republic of Artsakh on a working visit on July 10, the Armenian Presidents Office told Armenpress.

President Sarkissian met with President of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan in Stepanakert.

President Sarkissian once again congratulated and wished success to Arayik Harutyunyan, expressing confidence that he will successfully continue serving the homeland with his experience and knowledge. I also want to congratulate the entire people of Artsakh because the presidential and parliamentary elections were held in a democratic way, Armen Sarkissian said. Please convey my congratulations also to the other participants of the presidential election, who didnt win personally, but won together, showing to the world that Artsakh is not only a firm, strong, but also is a democratic country, as well as a free country where free elections are being held. They should be proud of as they had their contribution to this process. I want to first of all wish you and all citizens of Artsakh good health. I am confident that we will overcome this difficult situation and will move on, strengthening both Armenia and Artsakh.

In his turn the President of Artsakh thanked for these words and stated that most of the candidates who participated in the presidential election are part of the current political leadership, adding that he is ready to ensure the countrys progress and development, and those, who are not involved, also continue their activity for the sake of Artsakh. Arayik Harutyunyan thanked Armenias authorities for assisting the practical programs aimed at the development of Artsakh. I want to note that together we will manage not only to overcome the current situation, but also ensure progress in the development of our homeland, he said.

The meeting also touched upon a number of ongoing and prospective programs directed for the strengthening and development of Artsakh.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan






Kate Langbroek and her son Lewis flew to Melbourne from their adopted home town of Bologna, Italy, last month.

And on Friday, the radio presenter revealed the real reason for their trip was to visit her father, Jan, who is gravely ill.

The 54-year-old shared a touching photo to Instagram of Lewis, 16, comforting his grandfather in the hallway of a hospital.

Heartbreaking: Radio presenter Kate Langbroek (pictured) has revealed the reason why she and her 16-year-old son, Lewis, returned to Melbourne from Italy last month

'My son. My father. May we all have a kind hand at our back when we need it,' she captioned the post.

The poignant image showed Lewis placing a supportive hand on Jan's back as the old man leaned on a walker and made his way down a corridor.

Last month, Kate said on Fox FM's Hughesy & Ed that she had been granted special approval to visit Australia and return to Italy due to her father's condition.

This kind of international travel is usually not allowed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Touching: On Friday, she confirmed they had returned to spend time with Kate's father, Jan, who is gravely ill. Kate shared this touching photo to Instagram of Lewis comforting his grandfather in the hallway of a hospital

'We spoke to the embassy and we could come home on compassionate grounds,' she said.

Kate, who was required to spend two weeks in quarantine upon her return, added that she was always allowed back into Australia because of her citizenship, but the issue was leaving for Italy afterwards.

Because her husband, Peter Allen Lewis, and her other three children had stayed behind in Bologna, it was essential she secured a return flight.

'Compassionate grounds': Last month, Kate said on Fox FM's Hughesy and Ed that she had been granted special approval to visit Australia and return to Italy due to her father's condition. Pictured: Jan Langbroek with Kate's mother, Anne

She explained: 'I just said [to immigration officials], "Look, I have to be able to see my dad and I also have to rejoin my family. I can't be separated from them for the next six months or however long the lockout goes for."'

Kate, who had previously spent 10 weeks in lockdown in Bologna with her family, shared her joy with fans last month after she and Lewis were released from their mandatory 14-day quarantine in a Melbourne hotel.

On June 30, the media personality uploaded a photo to Instagram of herself and Lewis wearing face masks as they travelled from the hotel to their next destination.

Safety first! Kate, who had previously spent 10 weeks in lockdown in Bologna with her family, shared her joy with fans last month after she and Lewis were released from their mandatory 14-day quarantine in a Melbourne hotel

An excited Kate wrote in the caption: 'SO MUCH TO SEE!'

Days earlier, she and Lewis had passed a mandatory coronavirus test after arriving back in Australia from Italy.

At the time, she shared a photo to Instagram of herself enjoying a celebratory glass of Moet & Chandon Champagne, writing in the caption: 'We passed our Covid test! Thanks @pullmanmelbourne... you've been so lovely - now you can kick us out!'

'We passed our COVID test!' Days earlier, she and Lewis had passed a mandatory coronavirus test after arriving back in Australia from Italy

Kate and her husband of 17 years, Peter, relocated to Bologna with their four children, Lewis, Sunday, Artie and Jan, in January 2019.

It was supposed to be a 'family gap year', but they decided to extend the break for an additional 12 months before coronavirus was declared a pandemic.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Kate Langbroek for comment.
The problem was, in the two weeks since Id turned in the story, hundreds of thousands of protesters had taken to the streets; things had taken an unmistakable, turbulent turn. What I heard my editors saying, and what I tried to explain to Kaufman now on the phone, was something I had sensed myself: The world was furious and roiling, and the profound introspection and baroque interiority of the piece Id written (my editors words) felt out of sync. Didnt that dissonance need to be resolved, or at least acknowledged, in the story somehow? After receiving some (excuse me) slightly murky instructions about how that might be accomplished, I agreed to start by calling Kaufman back, to at least bring the chronology of our conversations up to date. In April, he had busied himself a little, taking a job adapting a short story for Ryan Goslings production company. Kaufmans college-age daughter came to stay with him, and they got in the habit of taking long walks around Manhattan and felting together, as they did when she was young. But mostly, as he once explained, I feel like Ive been spinning my wheels and wasting my time and looking at stuff online that I shouldnt be. Its making me very anxious. I feel like Ive got some kind of obligation that Im not meeting right now, an obligation to do something, to not waste time  to find the world and not have it delivered to me. Antkind had been finished for several months, as had a new film Kaufman wrote and directed, based on the novel by Iain Reid, Im Thinking of Ending Things, which will be out on Netflix in September  a phantasmagorical, tightly wound thriller about a young couple, played by Jesse Plemons and Irish actress Jessie Buckley, driving through a snowstorm in Oklahoma. Kaufman was proud of the film, but called it odd, small and a little complicated and felt certain it would not produce any significant upswing for his career. I honestly approached it as my last directing job. Kaufman is in the curious position of being admired in Hollywood but also constantly thwarted by its business model. Somewhere along the line, his actual stature and the perception of it had slipped awkwardly out of alignment. (When an interviewer from The Hollywood Reporter asked Kaufman in 2016, Would Charlie Kaufman ever consider doing television? Kaufman replied, Charlie Kaufman has tried.) After a trio of his earliest films, Being John Malkovich, Adaptation and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind earned him three Oscar nominations and one win, he accumulated enough clout to direct one of his own scripts for the first time: Synecdoche, New York, starring Philip Seymour Hoffman as a theater director whose warped ambition leads him to build (somehow) a full-scale replica of Manhattan inside a warehouse in Manhattan, which includes (somehow) a replica of the warehouse, which contains (somehow) another Manhattan inside it. From left, Emily Watson, Samantha Morton, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Tom Noonan in Synecdoche, New York. Credit:Sony Pictures

Synecdoche came out in 2008, when the economy was in free fall. Revered critic Roger Ebert called it the best film of the decade, but commercially, it was not a success. The film industry rapidly contracted and turned risk-averse. The big studios Kaufman had worked with no longer seemed interested in greenlighting the kind of mid-budget, idiosyncratic films he wanted to write and direct. I have a lot of things that could spark, but wont, he told me one of the first times we spoke. He spent nearly a decade seeking financing for a script he wrote called Frank or Francis, a musical about an internet trolls deranged feud with a film director that included 50 original songs. The only way a studio would let Kaufman direct it, he was told, was if he loaded it with movie stars. So he got Steve Carell and Jack Black attached. Also Cate Blanchett, Nicolas Cage, Emma Thompson, Kevin Kline, Elizabeth Banks and Catherine Keener. But still, it wasnt enough. A still from Charlie's Kaufman's acclaimed stop-animation film Anomalisa. He developed ideas for television, then watched them founder. He took jobs to pay his mortgage, including an uncredited rewrite on Kung Fu Panda 2. In 2015, he co-directed the critically exalted stop-animation film Anomalisa, with Duke Johnson, based on a script Kaufman wrote for a live radio play  but only after Johnsons company raised the initial chunk of the projects budget on Kickstarter. When a book editor first approached Kaufman, in 2011, asking if hed ever thought about writing a novel, he recognised how liberating that might be. Whatever he chose to write wouldnt have to be filmed or budgeted, or screened for a test audience, or tweaked to get a particular rating. If he wanted to write about an army of animatronic Donald Trumps, known as Trunks, or place a new mountain range in the middle of North America, he could. And if he wanted his protagonist to have sexual intercourse with that mountain range, he could do that, too. And more than that: He had to do it. Though he hadnt seriously written prose in 40 years, and kept imagining critics punishing him for his ineptitude, or just his audacity for trying something new, he took the same approach that he does with his screenplays. Ideas that came up that felt like Oh, you absolutely cant do that  those were the ideas that Kaufman forced himself towards. I have to put myself in a position to fail ridiculously, he says.

This was never clearer to me than when he talked about writing Adaptation. In short: Kaufman signed on to adapt The Orchid Thief, by Susan Orlean  a delicate, wide-ranging, meditative book about orchids, loosely centered on the story of an oddball Floridian plant poacher but without any hint of conventional plot  precisely because he had no idea how it could be done. After spending months in an overwhelming depression over the project, as he put it, he finally stepped back from the source material to consider what was preoccupying him at that moment in his own life, hoping to find something that felt alive, or sufficiently kinetic, to push him forward. And what was preoccupying him was obvious: This idea occurred to me, he says, and it opened things up. Nicholas Cage plays twins in Adaptation. Credit:Columbia Pictures In the end, Adaptation centred on the screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, struggling to adapt The Orchid Thief. In one of the first scenes, we see Nicolas Cage, as Kaufman, flop-sweating at lunch with a befuddled Hollywood executive, waving a copy of Orleans book in the air and ranting about how he doesnt want to cram in sex or guns or car chases, or characters learning profound life lessons ... or overcoming obstacles to succeed in the end. The book isnt like that, he says, and life isnt like that. It just isnt. It was precisely what the real Kaufman explained to a real Hollywood executive before taking the job. Discussing Kaufmans creative process in my first draft, I described him as essentially constructing tortuous escape rooms for himself, then writing his way out. This approach seemed to cause him so much suffering that I eventually asked him: ''Is there any part of you that feels afflicted by your convictions? Did he ever just wish he could write an action film or something? Theres no part of you that wishes it were easier?



I would like to have money that I dont have, he replied, and I tell myself that I could write a commercial blockbuster. But he also understood that he might be flattering himself; hed never actually tried. He was proud of his commitment to do original, meaningful work. Theres lots and lots of garbage out there that isnt honest and isnt trying to help clarify or explore the human condition in any way, he told me, and it sends people down the wrong road  skews our perceptions of our own lives, and each other  and its mind-numbing and its toxic, and I dont want to have that on my resume. I dont even mean my professional resume, but my resume as a human being. Spike Jonze, who directed both Adaptation and Being John Malkovich, compared Kaufman to Kanye West  albeit haltingly and with a number of disclaimers. This is a weird comparison, Jonze told me, and I hesitate to bring him up because everyone has an opinion about this person, but ... Jonze and West have been friends and collaborators for 15 years, he says, almost as long as Jonze has been a friend and collaborator of Kaufmans. And the thing about Kanye is, Jonze says, its not that Kanye doesnt care what people think about him. It hurts his feelings if hes misunderstood, like anybody. But he cant not be himself. He has no choice in the matter. And I think Charlies the same way. To be fair, almost everyone I interviewed for this article appeared to struggle to express what they admired about Kaufman. Actress Catherine Keener, a close friend of Kaufmans who has appeared in three of his films, actually took the step of signaling to me in advance, via text, how lousy she would be at talking about Kaufman and started crumpling under that difficulty within a few seconds of my getting her on the phone: If you could see my face, you would know how I feel when I talk about Charlie, she says, though it was, in fact, completely apparent to me  not only from the warmth of Keeners tone but in the vigorous determination with which she kept trying to describe Kaufman, how sincerely she wanted me to know what she knew. Catherine Keener and John Cusack in Being John Malkovich. Charlie is, you know, out of this world and kind of normal at the same time, she says. I feel like he can have a conversation with anybody and also ... he can not. Finally, having again failed to put some other elemental quality of Kaufmans into words, Keener just tells me, with defeat and delight, Charlie knows what he is!
Taiwan military stages live-fire drill ahead of annual war games

ROC Central News Agency

07/09/2020 06:31 PM

Taichung/Taipei, July 9 (CNA) A live-fire rehearsal, simulating a Chinese invasion by sea, was staged in Taichung on Thursday, in preparation for the start of the annual Han Kuang war games next week.

Troops from three branches of Taiwan's military participated in the anti-landing exercise at Jianan Beach at the mouth of the Dajia River in central Taiwan.

During the exercise, Indigenous Defense Fighters (IDFs) and F-16 fighter jets launched missiles at simulated targets at sea, while the Army's Thunderbolt-2000 artillery system fired rockets from the shore to deter the invading force.

Due to unstable weather conditions, however, some actions, such as the inclusion of the military AH-1W Cobra, AH-64E Apache and OH-58D helicopters, were canceled on Thursday.

According to military officer Chen Hung-yi (), the helicopters were ordered to stand down because of the rainy weather, which may have affected the precision of their weapon radars.

The drill in Jianan was a rehearsal for the annual live-fire Han Kuang exercises, which are scheduled for July 13-17 and will include an operation at the same beach.

Meanwhile, a military source told CNA Thursday that members of the Military Police Command's elite forces will join the special units of the police and coast guard for the first time in the annual war games next week.

The official, who asked not to be named, said the elite units will participate in an exercise that involves repelling invading forces trying to kidnap a head official.

The exercise will be held at several different locations, not just in the area of the Presidential Office, the official said.

(By Matt Yu, Su Mu-lan and Ko Lin)

Enditem/pc

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With almost close to 50 million views on YouTube, late Sushant Singh Rajput and Sanjana Sanghi's 'Dil Bechara' is one of the most awaited movies to release on the digital platform this year. To celebrate Sushant Singh Rajput's love for cinema, the makers decided to release the movie on July 24, on Disney+ Hotstar.

As everyone knows that Sushant Singh Rajput's dancing skills have been praised by one and all over the years. Talking about 'Dil Bechara's title track, choreographer-director Farah Khan in a conversation with a publication said that it was the first time she was working with the late actor. She also revealed that it is 'one shot song' as she believed Sushant would be able to ace it.

Going back to the past, Farah recalled how Sushant had danced better than the contestants of the reality dance show she was once judging and highlighted the fact that she rehearsed 'Dil Bechara's title track just for a day and finished shooting in half a day.

The choreographer also revealed that Sushant only wanted food from her home as a reward for nailing the song perfectly and she did send him.

"When I see the song, all I can see is how alive, how happy he looks in it... and this song is always going to be very special for me," Farah concluded.

University student writes to NHRC asking SSR's 'Dil Bechara' to be released in theatres

Mukesh Chhabra talks about 'Dil Bechara' title track

Chhabra also told the publication that it is the 'last song that Sushant shot for' and Farah Khan hasn't even charged him for the song. He revealed that 'song picturization is deceptively simple' and Sushant made the entire thing look 'effortless'.

'Lump in my throat': Hansal Mehta, Anubhav Sinha after watching 'Dil Bechara' trailer

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.
One recent study showed that masks can reduce the risk of coronavirus infection, especially in combination with physical distancing. Another study linked policies in 15 states and Washington, D.C., mandating community use of face coverings with a decline in the daily COVID-19 growth rate and estimated that as many as 450,000 cases had been prevented as of May 22.

But the use of masks has become politicized. Trumps inconsistency and nonchalance about them sowed doubt in the minds of millions who respect him, said Jordan, the Oakland nurse. That has led to very disheartening and really disrespectful rejection of masks.

They truly should have just made masks mandatory throughout the country, period, said Jordan, 47. Out of fear of infecting her family with the virus, she hasnt flown to see her mother or two adult children on the East Coast during the pandemic, Jordan said.

But a mandate doesnt necessarily mean authorities have the ability or will to enforce it. In California, where the governor left enforcement up to local governments, some sheriffs departments have said it would be inappropriate to penalize mask violations. This has prompted some health care workers to make personal appeals to the public.
New Delhi: The Saket court in Delhi on Friday (July 10, 2020) granted bail to 82 Bangladeshi nationals who have been chargesheeted for violating visa conditions while attending Tablighi Jamaat congregation at the Nizamuddin Markaz.

The Jamaat meet was alleged to be indulging in missionary activities illegally and violating guidelines issued by the government in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate granted the relief to the foreign nationals upon furnishing a personal bond of Rs 10,000 each.

Under the plea bargaining filed on Friday, the accused plead guilty to the offence praying for a lesser punishment.

Plea bargaining is allowed under Criminal Procedure of Code for cases where the maximum punishment is seven years of imprisonment, where offences don't affect the socio-economic conditions of the society and when the offences are not committed against a woman or a child below 14 years.

During the hearing, all the accused were produced before the court via video conferencing.
Bank Digital Signage at Government Housing Bank, Thailand

Government Housing Bank (GH Bank), a state-owned Thai bank, mainly provides housing finance services for people in Thailand through its 150 branches nationwide. To further improve communication with customers at the branches and adopt a display queuing system, GH Bank decided to deploy CAYIN's digital signage solution for providing better services to attract and retain a wide customer base.

To speed up the whole installation, DMaSStech (distributor of CAYINs solution in Thailand) uses the 4G network to connect the SMP digital signage player with CMS-SE hosted in a data center. Additionally, the queuing system integration through the flexibility of SMP digital signage player and CAYINs customized service enhances customer service of GH Bank.

The banking industry places a high priority on network security, data offloading, and non-stop service. GH Bank demonstrates a great installation of bank public information display over the 4G network with CAYIN digital signage solutions, providing better services and communication with its customers to build long-lasting customer relationships.

Learn more about the complete case study at CAYINs website:

Thailand Government Housing Bank case study: https://www.cayintech.com/digital-signage-case-studies/government/case-detail.html?f=government-housing-bank-thailand

CAYIN Technology in Brief

CAYIN Technology is a 16-year professional digital signage solution and software developer from Taiwan. By offering a complete portfolio of appliance-based digital signage solutions, CAYIN dedicates itself to being a reliable partner to clients worldwide and has successfully set up various applications globally. In order to best facilitate the deployment of its products, the company also provides tailored services to satisfy the ever-growing market demand for almost limitless applications.

Media Contact

CAYIN Technology Co., Ltd.

Tel: +886-2-2595-1005

Fax: +886-2-2595-1050

Email: press@cayintech.com

Website: http://www.cayintech.com

Address: 3F., No. 57, Sec. 3, Zhongshan N. Rd., Zhongshan Dist., Taipei City 104, Taiwan
Rossy (second from the left in the front row) with her then-boyfriend and current husband Ross (back row) and the women who make the handbags for Rose Artisan (far left, middle, second from the right and far right in the front row). (Courtesy/Sarah Hubbel).
Hanoi presents two tonnes of face masks to New York city (Photo: VNA)

Speaking at the hand-over ceremony, New York city's Commissioner for International Affairs Penny Abeywardena conveyed her sincere thanks of the New York administration and people to their Hanoi counterparts for the donation.

She said this is a very practical help in the context that New York city is still struggling to cope with the pandemic.

Head of the Vietnam Permanent Mission to the UN Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy said he expects the gift will contribute to helping people in New York city overcome difficulties caused by the disease.

He also expressed his hope that New York and Hanoi will have more opportunities to enhance ties in the future, especially cooperation between the two sides businesses in order to promote socio-economic development and overcome consequences of the health crisis.

New York city has so far reported over 220,000 COVID-19 cases, including 22,000 fatalities. Social distancing measures and regulations on wearing face masks in public places are still applied in the city.
A man on the sex offenders register, charged with not notifying gardai of a change of address, has had his case adjourned to July 17 for DPP directions.

James Gibson, with an address at Lisnanagh, Edgeworthstown, is currently serving eight months in prison for a breach of his obligations under the Sex Offenders Act 2001.

He was produced in Granard District Court on Friday, June 19, where he was charged with not notifying gardai of a change of address.

The prosecution initially had five garda witnesses who could give evidence of Mr Gibson being absent from his Lisnanagh address between April 7 and April 20, 2019, but not all five were present in court to give that evidence.

Sgt Paul Carney, who is responsible for the monitoring and supervision of subjects on the sex offenders act, explained to the court that, on November 11, 2014, Mr Gibson had pleaded guilty to the defilement of a female.

He was given three years in 2014 with the last year suspended, but Judge Keenan Johnson reactivated the final year of the sentence due to a breach.

On his release from prison, he was placed on the sex offenders register, Sgt Carney explained.

For that reason, Mr Gibson was obligated to provide gardai with the address at which he would be staying. He nominated the address at Lisnanagh and it was alleged that on a number of occasions, he was not present when gardai called to check he was there.

Gardai called at various times between April 7 and April 20, 2019, and he wasnt there, Sgt Carney explained.

Personally, on April 13, 2019, between 12:05am and 1:50am, I called to the address on numerous occasions and he wasnt present. On April 14, I called again and he wasnt present.

A number of other gardai called at various times and also found the house to be empty. A statement from Gda Yvonne Glackin was read out in court and revealed that, on April 10, while she was on patrol, she met the owner of the house at Lisnanagh, who said there was illegal dumping going on at the property.

Gda Glackin called to the house and saw there was a lot of rubbish, but no sign of life. She called again at 12.35am on April 10, and again at 3.50am and there were no signs of life, the statement read.

Mr Gibson was arrested at 7.10pm on April 20, 2019, at Tesco carpark in Longford for not notifying gardai of a change of address, Sgt Carney told the court.

He offered various excuses, but none explained his absence, he added.

A memorandum of interview from April 20, 2019, which was read out in court by Sgt Carney, revealed that Mr Gibson was not paying rent at the address because he was friends with the owner.

During that interview, Mr Gibson explained that there was illegal dumping done when he wasnt home and that hes not there during the day and often stays with a friend.

In a second interview, also read out by Sgt Carney, it was put to Mr Gibson that gardai believed he had been asked to leave the premises on April 4, 2019.

Mr Gibson replied that he had argued with his friend who owned the house but that it had been resolved and he had returned to the house that night. He also said that he thought it was three consecutive nights he wasnt allowed to be away.

When asked where he was on a specific date, at a specific time, he said I dont remember dates.

Weve given a lot of dates that you werent home, Sgt Carney put to him during the interview.

I dont spend much time at home. I get lonely, Mr Gibson replied.

When asked how many times he had stayed at the address in the past month, Mr Gibson said that he didnt know and that he hated being on his own because its depressing.

It became clear to me that he was in breach of his obligations and thats why he is before the court, Sgt Carney explained.

On cross examination, solicitor for the defence, Patricia Cronin established that Mr Gibson has no curfew and is free to come and go, so there are no restrictions regarding the actual times hes at home.

Evidence from two other gardai was deemed irrelevant as it did not fall within the dates on the charge sheets.

The state has not made their case because its not a breach unless it is seven days. There are four dates there, said Ms Cronin, referring to April 10, April 13, April 14 and April 19.

The prosecution are entitled to hear the defence, go away and reflect on it and then make a submission, said Judge Hughes, adjourning the case to the next sitting of Granard District Court on July 17.
The World Health Organisation is acknowledging the possibility that Covid-19 might be spread in the air under certain conditions after more than 200 scientists urged the agency to do so.

In an open letter published this week in a journal, two scientists from Australia and the US wrote that studies have shown beyond any reasonable doubt that viruses are released during exhalation, talking and coughing in microdroplets small enough to remain aloft in the air. The researchers, along with more than 200 others, appealed for national and international authorities, including WHO, to adopt ...
The Supreme Court on Friday decided to increase the use technology in judicial proceedings keeping in mind the prevailing coronavirus COVID-19 situation and directed that from now onwards court summons and notices can be served through emails, fax and instant messaging applications like WhatsApp and also Telegram

"Two blue ticks would convey that the receiver has seen the notice," said the apex court. When instant messenger service is used, care should be taken to email the records "simultaneously", it added. The top court also permitted the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to extend the validity of a cheque owing to the lockdown, it will be in the discretion of the RBI to issue suitable orders, altering the validity period of a cheque.

The top court had earlier taken suo motu (on its own) cognizance of the difficulties faced by lawyers and litigants during lockdown due to COVID-19 and had decided to extend the period of limitation prescribed under laws for initiating arbitral proceedings and the cheque bounce cases with effect from March 15 till further orders.

A bench comprising Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices R Subhash Reddy and A S Bopanna passed the order on the plea filed by Attorney General K K Venugopal in the case. "For services of notices and summons, pleadings it has been seen that it was not possible during lockdown to visits postal offices, we direct that such service (of notices and summons) may be done by email, fax, or through an instant messenger service," the bench said.

On the extension of the limitation period for filing of cheque dishonour cases under section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, the apex court Friday said that it will not intervene into this and the time period can be extended by the RBI only.

"Under Section 35A of the Banking Regulation Act, we don't consider it appropriate to interfere in the deadline prescribed by RBI. If RBI considers extending, then they can do it." The apex court then allowed the modification plea and said the 12 months-time under the law to complete arbitral proceedings be allowed to remain in force.
TORONTO, July 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FAIR Canada welcomes the announcement from the Ontario Capital Markets Modernization Taskforce of its recommendation for investment firms to comply with the Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI) recommendations for compensation.



The lack of binding decision-making authority on the part of OBSI tilts the playing field in favour of the investment firm, rather than harmed investors. Firms are free to offer the investor far less than what is fair in current circumstances, (referred to as low ball offers) since OBSI does not have the ability to render a binding decision.

FAIR Canada is of the view that action is long overdue to provide OBSI with the power to issue binding decisions as this is critical to the integrity of the Canadian financial services market and the protection of Canadian investors. The prospect of OBSI being able to make a binding decision would allow the investor to have confidence that they can reject a low-ball offer and still retain the ability to achieve a fair outcome. Firms will have a greater incentive to make fair settlement offers instead of low-ball ones.

In 2019 the total compensation awarded by OBSI for both bank and investment related complaints for all of Canada for an entire year was less than $2.7 million. The amounts are totally insignificant to the financial industry but of great importance to the victims of financial misconduct, said Ermanno Pascutto, Executive Director of FAIR Canada. We are pleased to see that the Taskforce is addressing the a long outstanding problem with access to justice for the ordinary person who cant afford to hire a lawyer and bring a lawsuit to recover compensation.

Such a reform would also further the goal to have a dispute system in Canada that complies with our international obligations to have a dispute resolution system that is accessible, affordable, independent, fair, accountable, timely and efficient. It is worth noting that the Financial Consumer Agency of Canadas recent review of OBSI recognized the ombudsmans strengths in meeting international best practices for financial ombudsmen, including its commitment to promoting accessibility. FAIR Canada continues to believe that OBSI is the best option for Canadian investors for when they have a dispute with their investment firm.

Story continues

About FAIR Canada: FAIR Canada is an independent national charitable organization. The mission of FAIR Canada is to be a catalyst for enhancing the rights of Canadian shareholders and individual investors including being a national voice for investors and financial consumers in securities regulation. FAIR Canada provides information and education to the public, governments and regulators about investors' and financial consumers' rights and protections in Canada's capital markets.

For further information contact:

Ermanno Pascutto

Executive Director, FAIR Canada

ermanno.pascutto@faircanada.ca
Mumbai:

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said the contribution of Rs 5 crore to the Army Welfare Fund by filmmakers was "never decided" at the meeting he had mediated between MNS chief Raj Thackeray and director Karan Johar to ensure smooth release of "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil".

Karan Johar's film "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil" had faced protests by MNS for casting Pakistani actor Fawad Khan.

The film's smooth release, scheduled to open on October 28, was ensured after a meeting among the Film Producers Guild, the producers, and Raj Thackeray, mediated by Fadnavis last week.

It was agreed upon at the meeting the film makers would contribute Rs 5 crore to the army welfare fund, which sparked strong reactions from Opposition and some army veterans.

Replying to a question whether he will monitor the filmmakers' contribution demanded by the MNS, now that the film has released, Fadnavis said, "Such a decision (filmmakers' contribution of Rs 5 crore) was never taken at the meeting. Even producers' guild chief Mukesh Bhat has said that I had told the producers that there was no compulsion to accept the MNS demand."

Under fire for "brokering" a deal between producers of "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil" and Raj Thackeray, Fadnavis had earlier said he had opposed the offer of Rs 5 crore contribution from the film makers to the Army Welfare Fund.

"When the issue of Rs 5 crore came up, I intervened and made it clear to the Film Producers' Guild that they need not have to agree to it. I also told them that the contribution has to be made voluntarily. However, it was the producers decision to accept it," Fadnavis had said explaining his stand.

"Ae Dil Hai Mushkil", a romantic drama, which stars Ranbir Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Anushka Sharma, got a smooth opening yesterday at theatres across the state.

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 10)  The Department of Agriculture (DA) said the countrys first agri-industrial business corridor or ABC, which aims to help small farmers, will be established at New Clark City in Tarlac.

The DA partnered with the Bases Conversion and Development Authority to build the ABC that will connect farmers to resources like technology, capital, and value-adding facilities. This will be situated in a 30-hectare site in the economic zone.

A national seed technology park will also be built in the area, the DA said.

Moreover, the facility will complement the planned Clark Fresh Market that will rise at the Clark Civil Aviation Complex, it added.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar said in a statement on Thursday that this will also help address employment in the new normal.

BCDA president and CEO Vince Dizon said that aside from jobs that will be generated, this will further boost economic activity in Tarlac and other provinces in Central and Northern Luzon.

He said that construction of the facilities is expected to start in 2021.

Dar said the DA is already crafting region-specific strategies for the setting up of more ABCs across the country.

He noted that there are plans to establish ABCs at 12 new economic zones identified by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority to invite more agricultural investments. These will be linked together for better logistics and faster distribution of technology, he added.
STAMFORD  IT research and consulting firm Information Services Group announced Thursday that it had acquired Neuralify, a Concord, Mass.-based company specializing in automation services.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

ISG officials said the acquisition expands the capabilities of the companys automation business, which offers consulting, implementation and software services. Neuralifys client base includes blue-chip companies, 40 of which had not been served by ISG Automation.

The addition of Neuralify gives ISG Automation important new subscription-based platform capabilities that enable clients to quickly build and scale their bot workforces and reap tremendous cost, quality and customer experience benefits, ISG CEO and Chairman Michael Connors said in a statement. With little overlap in our respective client bases, we see a tremendous opportunity to serve an expanded set of blue-chip clients in the fast-moving RPA/automation environment.

RPA refers to robotic process automation involving software bots. The technology automates functions such as extracting and sending out overdue invoices.

Founded in 2016, Neuralifys platform is designed for remote learning and bot-building. It teaches those running business processes to create software bots, allowing companies to more quickly grow their automation programs.

Neuralifys applied learning model teaches technical and non-technical users, what we call citizen developers, to build quality bots using real-world scenarios with instant grading and feedback, Neuralify co-founder and CEO John Mone, who joins ISG Automation as a partner, said in a statement. Our solution is proven to accelerate RPA adoption across our clients organizations. There is nothing like it on the market today.

A team of 16 Neuralify employees will work remotely with ISG clients.

In the first quarter of this year, ISGs revenues totaled about $64 million, down 2 percent from the same period in 2019. For the quarter, the company recorded a nearly $1.4 million loss, compared with a loss of $898,000 a year ago.

Founded in 2006, ISG employs more than 1,300 people across more than 20 countries, serving a client base of more than 700 firms.

ISG is headquartered in Stamfords South End, at 2187 Atlantic St., where about 30 employees work. It relocated there in 2018 from downtown offices at 281 Tresser Blvd.

pschott@stamfordadvocate.com; Twitter: @paulschott
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Package holiday prices have fallen to record lows, with seven-night summer breaks being sold for under 100.

Travel firms are slashing their prices in a bid to salvage what is left of the summer season as quarantine restrictions are lifted.

Last Minute is offering seven nights at Darius Firenze B&B in Florence in August for 98 and at the Black&Red Apartment in Sofia, Bulgaria, in July, the price is just 90.

It is even possible to get seven nights at a luxury five-star resort for under 200 per person.

Heavily discounted deals also include accommodation at three-star hotels and B&Bs and return flights.

As of yesterday, British tourists no longer have to self-isolate for 14 days after coming back from 58 countries including Spain, Italy and France.

As of yesterday, British tourists no longer have to self-isolate for 14 days after coming back from 58 countries including Spain, Italy and France. Pictured: Malaga on the Costa del Sol, in the south of Spain

From Antayla to Zante, the cut-price summer offers. Heavily discounted deals also include accommodation at three-star hotels and B&Bs and return flights

Holidaymakers will be able to travel to Greece quarantine-free on Wednesday when direct flights resume.

Emma Coulthurst, from Travelsupermarket, said the last time package holiday prices were so low was the early 1990s.

She added: For the first time, were seeing seven-night summer package deals being sold for 100pp  its simply unheard of.

The uncertainty over when we would be able to holiday again has meant many Brits who would normally book a summer holiday a few months before didnt.

This means tour operators and travel agents have lots of unsold holidays from the UK to the Med.

But Rory Boland, of consumer watchdog Which?, urged caution before booking, saying: Its important to look at how the company acted at the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak before booking  how did it respond to customers requesting refunds?

Future disruption is fairly likely so you want to know if theres a spike in the country youre visiting or a local lockdown, you can rebook or cancel and get a refund quickly.

Airlines are also heavily discounting flights this summer. Research by Skyscanner found return flights to Milan in August, usually costing 109, are being sold for just 18.

Return flights to Nice in September, usually costing 119, are being offered for 69.

Jack Sheldon, from Jacks Flight Club, said: Flights are around 20-30 per cent cheaper than they usually are and, in some cases, 50-70 per cent cheaper.

Flights to Corfu this summer are very cheap, as are prices to Barcelona and Prague for this time of year.

Operators warn up to 90,000 jobs are at risk

By Tom Payne and Harriet Sime

Official advice against taking a cruise is putting up to 90,000 jobs at risk and could cost the economy billions, operators warned last night.

They  and their customers  are furious at the Foreign Office for declaring an indefinite embargo on all holiday sailings.

The edict was announced as thousands of families poured into airports yesterday following the opening of quarantine-free travel corridors to 58 countries and 14 British territories.

The Arcadia cruise ship is anchored off of the Bournemouth Coast whilst cruises are put on hold due to the coronavirus crisis (pictured on June 23)

Since March, cruise operators have been working on stringent measures to safeguard the health of passengers.

These include introducing hospital-grade air filtration systems, temperature checks, pre-boarding Covid-19 swabs and social distancing in communal areas.

Some cruise lines had been expecting to welcome their first passengers in September.

Culture minister Caroline Dinenage said yesterday the advice against cruises might not be lifted until October.

TUI to cover Covid tourists' costs The countrys largest package holiday provider has said it will cover the cost of medical care for customers who contract coronavirus while on a break. TUI, which resumes its holidays today, has also pledged to cover the cost of tests, repatriation, extended hotel stays and new return flights if travellers are asked to self-isolate abroad. The cover, which will be used alongside normal travel insurance, will apply to every customer until December 31. Spokesman Andrew Flintham said: It means they can book with confidence, knowing extra costs associated with Covid-19 that wouldnt be covered by regular travel insurance will be taken care of. It comes after Cyprus vowed to cover the cost of accommodation, medicine and food for tourists who get coronavirus. A 100-bed hospital is being set aside for them, as well as quarantine hotels for families. Advertisement

Operators warned of significant consequences and accused the Government of singling them out.

Andy Harmer, of the Cruise Lines International Association, said: We are a 10billion UK industry, supporting 90,000 jobs.

Cruises can berth at around 50 ports in the UK, and our impact on those regional economies should not be understated.

We are stressing that health protocols on cruise ships go further than any other form of transport and hospitality.

Even before the pandemic, we had some of the most robust protocols and procedures in place out of anyone in terms of medical facilities and screening measures.

Richard Ballantyne, of the British Ports Association, said: The UK is the second-largest market for cruises worldwide, bringing tourists to ports across the country.

This is yet another blow to the travel industry and the economies of the regions. It is extremely unhelpful of the Foreign Office and there will be significant consequences.

There was further anger last night when it emerged that three of Germanys cruise lines will resume operations this month.

An industry source said: The resumption of sailings from Germany is an example of what can happen if you have a government that is prepared to help vital industries, rather than throwing up unnecessary roadblocks.

Whitehall sources say the advice was issued amid fears over the spread of coronavirus on cruise ships, which typically carry around 3,000 passengers.

There are also concerns over the cost of repatriating passengers.

The Foreign Office pledged to continue to review its position, saying it was determined by advice from Public Health England.
President Donald Trump on Friday returned to one of his favorite complaints - that mail-in ballots shouldn't be used in the election, claiming one in five will be frauds.

The president did not cite how he got that number and multiple studies have shown mail-in voting is safe with very little fraud.

Several states have expanded their absentee voting options because of the coronavirus, which Republicans are moving to stop. Republicans argue mail-in voting favors voter groups that tend to vote Democratic.

'Mail-In Ballot fraud found in many elections. People are just now seeing how bad, dishonest and slow it is. Election results could be delayed for months. No more big election night answers? 1% not even counted in 2016. Ridiculous! Just a formula for RIGGING an Election,' Trump tweeted.

But he defended his own decision to vote absentee, which he did earlier this year in Florida's presidential primary election.

'Absentee Ballots are fine because you have to go through a precise process to get your voting privilege. Not so with Mail-Ins. Rigged Election!!! 20% fraudulent ballots?,' he wrote.

President Donald Trump on Friday returned to one of his favorite complaints - that mail-in ballots shouldn't be used in the election

Vice President Mike Pence, press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, and other members of the administration have also voted absentee in several elections.

Polls have shown most Americans - including Republicans - favor absentee voting as the coronavirus pandemic continues.

In the event of extenuating circumstances, like traveling for work during the time of an election or being bed-ridden, voters in most states can apply for absentee ballots to cast their vote by mail ahead of the election date.

There are five states  Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah and Washington  that already hold their elections by mail-in voting.

Democrats have been pushing for a measure to allow voters the option to cast their ballots remotely, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asking Congress to allocate up to $4 billion to help states improve their capacity for mail-in voting.

Studies have also shown there is very little election fraud in the United States.

The conservative Heritage Foundation found only eight cases of voter fraud in Wisconsin in the past five years. The most recent case was in 2017.

In it, Troy Schiller pleaded guilty to voting twice in the 2016 primary election, once in his hometown of Dexter, and once in nearby Pittsville, because he 'got wrapped up in too much talk radio.'

Long lines have plagued several states during their primary elections the past few months. The number of polling places have been limited because of a shortage of workers due to the virus. Social distancing measures also mean the voting process takes longer.

In Georgia's June primary, voters waited in line for hours without being able to cast a ballot as a shortage of poll workers and social-distancing precautions caused by the coronavirus contributed to the problem. Some precincts were closed due to lack of election officials available to work and official limited the number of people allowed into the ones open to prevent the virus from spreading.

Voters took to Twitter to post photos of the long lines and point out the polling places that hadn't opened as scheduled at 7 a.m. Technical issues with the new voting system - which combines touchscreens with scanned paper ballots in races for president, Senate and dozens of other contests - brought voting to a stand still.

Voters wait in line in Fulton County in Georgia's primary election on Tuesday

Voters took to Twitter to point out voting problems in the state's election

Voters observe social distancing measures, which contributed to the long voting lines in Georgia

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms encouraged voters to remain in line and let their vote be counted

A voter reads a book while waiting in line to vote in a line stretched around the Metropolitan Library in Atlanta

Officials ran out of provisional ballots to give to voters. One polling place in Atlanta only had 20 provisional ballots to distribute.

Some voters waited in line over three hours and still hadn't been able to cast their vote. Others had to leave without voting or obtaining a provision ballot. Some voters said they joined the lines after requesting mail-in ballots that never arrived.

One state lawmaker, Rep. William Boddie of Atlanta, said there was 'a complete meltdown' in the state's biggest city.

The reports out of the state don't bode well for November, when the state will be in play during the presidential election.

Nikema Williams, the chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Georgia, told The New York Times she had 84 text messages reporting voting problems within 10 minutes of the polls opening at 7 a.m.

Georgia House Speaker David Ralston, a Republican, called for an investigation into the voting problems.

'The legislative branch of government has an obligation to go beyond the mutual finger-pointing and get to the truth and the real reasons underlying these frustrations and concerns,' he said.

Georgia's Secretary of State office blamed poorly trained poll workers on the delays.

'We have reports of poll workers not understanding setup or how to operate voting equipment. While these are unfortunate, they are not issues of the equipment but a function of counties engaging in poor planning, limited training and failure of leadership,' Statewide Voting Implementation Manager Gabriel Sterling said in a statement.

In May President Trump threatened to hold federal funds from states like Michigan, which was mailing absentee ballots to all registered voters.

Republicans have long complained about 'ballot harvesting' - their term for the process where someone (usually a party volunteer) collects absentee ballots from a group of people and mails them for them. Democrats call it ballot collecting.
When Arlene Foster was elected to the position of honorary secretary of the Ulster Unionist Council in 1996 (she was just 26), a veteran party officer told me: "Watch her, Alex, and mark my words, she is going to be the first woman leader of this party. She has learned a lot from the likes of Thatcher when it comes to dealing with men in politics."

The reason I remember it is that we had a bet, wrote it down and each kept a copy. We both lost when she left the UUP at the end of 2003.

When I asked her, in May 2015, if she would ever have become leader had she stayed in the party, she gave me a one-word answer: no.

Pushing her a little, she added: "Joining the DUP may have been perceived as a difficult move for a female Anglican to make, but it was actually made very easy for me by the warmth of the welcome I received. I found a vibrancy in the DUP that didn't exist in the UUP and a real and genuine support and interest in the individual. The DUP promotes on merit."

It is often forgotten that when Foster and Jeffrey Donaldson defected to the DUP, he was regarded as the bigger catch and certainly someone who had greater potential to rattle the UUP and open the floodgates for anti-Agreement UUP voters to switch to the DUP.

Expand Close DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds and DUP Leader Arlene Foster in Downing Street, London PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds and DUP Leader Arlene Foster in Downing Street, London

For many of her new colleagues in the DUP, Foster would have been a relatively unknown figure. "She came as part of the Donaldson package," is how one DUP MLA put it to me.

A former UUP MLA told me at the time: "She'll disappear in that party and be forgotten about within a year. Peter Robinson just wanted her to heap more embarrassment on (David) Trimble."

Yet, it is Foster who is now leader and First Minister.

Born on July 17, 1970, Foster's father, John, was a part-time farmer and full-time police officer, whom the IRA tried to kill when Foster was eight, forcing the family to move to the relatively safe area of Lisnaskea.

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Whatsapp John Kelly. Arlene Fosters father.

A few years later, she was on a school bus that was targeted by the IRA because the driver was a soldier in the Ulster Defence Regiment. A girl sitting near her was seriously injured in the attack.

Memories like that never leave you, so it seems reasonable to conclude that they still play a central part in her attitude to Sinn Fein and her sometimes fractious relationship with key Sinn Fein figures.

By her own admission, "I didn't grow up in a political household, but in one directly affected by the IRA along the border. I was recruited into the Queen's University Unionist Association by Peter Weir in 1989."

Weir remembers being on the stall and signing Foster up: "Some new members take some persuading and some are never seen again after joining. But Arlene was an enthusiastic and active member from day one, both in association meetings and becoming a member of the Student Council.

"As a minority political grouping, particularly at a time when the Troubles were still happening, there was a natural bonding for all of us, both politically and in terms of friendship."

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Whatsapp The bus Arlene foster was travelling on when an IRA bomb detonated. June 28th 1988

The friendships and common political bonds forged at that time included the nucleus of what became known as the "baby barrister" group (originally encouraged by Trimble when he became leader in 1995), which was to become one of the greatest thorns in his side during what is best described as the civil war which engulfed - and came very close to destroying - the UUP between 1998 and 2004.

It was a difficult time for Foster: "Tony Blair once told the group that it was easy to say no to the (Belfast) Agreement. But he was wrong. He showed no understanding of the people he was talking to. It was actually very, very difficult for us to say no to the Belfast Agreement, as up to then we had all been very strong UUP members."

Her other difficulty lay in the attitude of Trimble's core support group to the party's anti-agreement faction. There were a number of occasions when a common platform might have been constructed, but Trimble's camp (and not always with his knowledge, either) seemed determined not to pursue consensus.

All that mattered was winning each showdown with the Ulster Unionist Council, even when it meant Trimbles majority shrinking each time.

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Whatsapp Arlene Foster is hugged by her mother Georgina Kelly

Ironically, her own Fermanagh/South Tyrone Constituency Association  the partys largest  was the bedrock of Trimbles support base and was always able to deliver the key numbers he needed for each vote.

Being one of the leading lights of the partys anti-agreement lobby in such an overwhelmingly pro-Agreement/pro-Trimble association cant have been easy for Foster.

Denzil McDaniel, the former editor of the Impartial Reporter in Enniskillen, told me: Even in her early UUP days, Arlene Fosters people skills could see her work the room at party gatherings. Allied to her determination that she wasnt there to make the tea, the combination of the personality and ambition of a young woman didnt always sit well with the stiff, middle-aged male hierarchy. So, its fair to say there were already tensions when Arlene was outspoken about the direction of the party. And when she defected to the DUP, there was considerable animosity.

Much of that animosity was fuelled by the fact that Foster had been selected by the UUP as a candidate for the 2003 Assembly election (held in November), yet defected to the DUP a matter of weeks later.

And it was that animosity which made it impossible for the UUP and DUP to reach agreement on a joint candidate for the 2005 General Election.

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But as the DUPs Lord Morrow (a former MLA in Fermanagh/South Tyrone) told me: Locally, Arlene brought both new members and voters to the DUP. Having joined, she very quickly became an integral member of the party structures, both locally and province-wide. The enthusiasm and energy she brought were repaid in kind by the wider membership, who took her to their hearts immediately.

On January 11, 2010, when Peter Robinson announced he was standing aside as First Minister to devote time to deal with family matters, there was considerable surprise that he chose Foster to stand in for him, rather than Nigel Dodds, or even Sammy Wilson.

Some DUP MLAs and commentators wondered if he had chosen her because he trusted her not to take the opportunity to undermine him in what was likely to be a critical time in his political and personal life.

Whatever the real reason for his decision (and he will have been aware that a number of senior members, including some who still resented the brutal coup against Paisley a couple of years earlier, were briefing against him), it was a clear signal that he recognised her as a potential leader, which she became five years later.

To describe her time, so far, as leader as tumultuous would actually be an understatement: Brexit; RHI; the crocodile comments; the collapse of the Assembly for three years; the worst election result in unionisms history in March 2017, when it failed to win a majority in a local assembly/parliament; the Confidence and Supply arrangement with the Conservative Government; serial betrayals by Theresa May and Boris Johnson; the debacle over the Irish Language Act and the breakdown of the talks process in February 2018; the Ian Paisley free holiday saga; the loss of the kingmaker role, along with Nigel Dodds and Emma Pengelly, in December 2019; Covid-19; the rebooting of the Assembly and New Decade, New Approach agreement in January; the spectacular falling-out with Sinn Fein over the Storey funeral; and the seeming certainty of the border down the Irish Sea.

Thats an awful lot of drama in just five years; the sort of drama which might have brought other leaders to their knees. But she has hung on, taking blow after blow after blow.

At a couple of moments, there was evidence of internal dissatisfaction and even an attempt to organise a coup to remove her. On one occasion she got lucky: had the DUP not found itself in the kingmaker role in Westminster just weeks after the disastrous Assembly result, its likely that her weakness would have been mercilessly exposed.

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Whatsapp First Minister Arlene Foster speaking at Stormont in Belfast. (Northern Ireland Assembly/PA Wire)

On another occasion the findings of the RHI report  she was personally vindicated, although the findings were still embarrassing for others in the DUP.

With her 50th birthday just around the corner, she will be hoping for a present in the form of some lessening of the relentless pressure she has endured. That seems unlikely, though.

The economic consequences of Covid-19 and the likelihood of higher levels of infection during the longer, colder, wetter, darker days of autumn/winter will require a mixture of difficult  and probably unpopular  decisions.

And if the damage done to relationships between Sinn Fein and the other Executive parties isnt repaired fairly quickly, there remains the possibility of eventual collapse.

Brexit, of course, hasnt gone away, either; nor has the possibility of a no-deal exit.

The border down the Irish Sea dimension isnt, I think, an existential crisis for unionism (although it remains hugely embarrassing for the DUP), but leaving without a deal brings the prospect of economic chaos and a ramping up of the unity and border poll project by Sinn Fein.

The year 2021 marks the centenary of Northern Ireland and, just a few years ago, the DUP would have hoped to have been leading the celebrations, hosting visitors from across the world and organising broader UK events. That will all be much smaller scale stuff now.

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Whatsapp Boris Johnson meets DUP leader Arlene Foster at Stormont in Belfast (Niall Carson/PA)

But Foster will still be determined to demonstrate the value of the Union and the long-term success of Northern Ireland, albeit against a background where the independence lobby in Scotland is building traction.

Crucially, there doesnt even seem to be the whiff of opposition to her leadership within the party. And, given the assorted trials she has endured since she inherited the role (there was no contest), thats something shell be happy to celebrate.

Also, there is no hammer-blow challenge to her from the UUP or TUV at the moment  and thats likely to remain the case so, again, that takes some pressure off her.

One of her former UUP colleagues, whom I spoke to for this piece (he didnt want to be named) had this to say of her: Looking back, the biggest mistake the UUP made was to let Arlene and others like her go. We should have taken her arguments on board and found a way of accommodating them.

Sure, the DUP is doing what we would have done anyway had we stayed in top place. I was angry when she left and she has made some big mistakes since then. That said, I respect her and, since 2007, she has always got my first preference in this constituency.

I think Foster would be very happy to view and then bank that comment as an unexpected and early birthday present.
World Food Programme says it needs $737m to avert a famine in the war-torn country.

Nearly 10 million people are facing acute food shortages in Yemen and urgent action is needed to avert a famine, the United Nationss World Food Programme (WFP) has said.

The WFP said on Friday it needed $737m to the end of the year to keep its aid programme running in the war-torn country, which is gripped by what the UN calls the worlds worst humanitarian crisis.

The humanitarian situation is deteriorating at an alarming rate, pushing people to the edge, WFP spokeswoman Elisabeth Byrs told a virtual briefing in Geneva.

We must act now. If we wait for famine to be declared, it will already be too late as people will already be dying.

She said the famine warning signs were already present.

Yemen is facing a crisis on multiple fronts. Imports have declined, food prices are soaring, the riyal is in freefall, and foreign currency reserves are nearing total depletion, said Byrs.

The spokeswoman said more than 20 million people were food insecure in Yemen, of which 13 million receive humanitarian food assistance.

Meanwhile two million children, plus a million pregnant or breastfeeding women, require treatment for acute malnutrition.

Byrs said WFP distributions were down to once every other month in the north of the country and the UN agency hoped it would not have to do the same elsewhere.

Yemens war between Houthi rebels and pro-government troops escalated in March 2015, when a Saudi-led military coalition intervened against the rebels who control large parts of Yemen including the capital, Sanaa.

Tens of thousands have been killed, an estimated four million displaced and 80 percent of the countrys 29 million people are dependent on aid for survival.

The coronavirus pandemic is also raging unchecked in the country.

The UN raised only about half the required $2.41bn in aid for Yemen at a June donor conference co-hosted by Saudi Arabia.
WASHINGTON - White House trade adviser Peter Navarro is leading a Trump administration effort to demand the Food and Drug Administration reverse course and grant a second emergency authorization for the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine to treat covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Navarro, armed with a controversial new study that he says shows the drug's effectiveness, is being cheered on by President Donald Trump, who has long touted the drug as a "game changer" and even used himself as a possible preventive measure. Trump praised the study on Twitter earlier this week, urging the FDA to "Act Now." The campaign also has been promoted by Rudolph W. Giuliani, the president's lawyer, and Laura Ingraham's show on Fox News.

But Navarro, an economist known more for his aggressive approach to trade issues and China policy than for his medical credentials, faces serious challenges as he denounces what he calls "media-induced hydroxy hysteria." Scientists have widely criticized the new study, by Detroit's Henry Ford Health System, as flawed. In addition, just weeks ago the FDA revoked its emergency authorization for hydroxychloroquine after major studies found the medication wasn't effective for covid-19. And the unexpected revival of a politically fraught issue comes as FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn tries to shake off criticism he sometimes seems overly deferential to Trump.

"A reversal [on hydroxychloroquine] would be widely seen as bending to the political will of the White House and the hit to Dr. Hahn's credibility would be profound," said Steven Joffe, a medical ethicist at the University of Pennsylvania.

The FDA's response to this pressure will be closely watched, not only because the White House has already been criticized for pushing to influence the CDC's guidelines for the pandemic, but also because the agency will take the lead in approving a vaccine for the coronavirus, a decision that could potentially affect millions. Health experts say it is important for the agency, which was criticized for its initial decision to okay hydroxychloroquine in March, to guard its credibility as it prepares to make these landmark decisions for a public sometimes skeptical of vaccines.

The tug-of-war on hydroxychloroquine also is seen by many as a test for the FDA's Hahn. While sympathetic about his difficult position, some health experts say he appears too willing at times to placate Trump. Just last Sunday, Hahn declined repeated opportunities on two different television shows to dispute Trump's statement that 99 percent of covid-19cases are harmless. On CNN, he said he didn't want to "get into who is right and who is wrong."

Hahn did not want to get into a distracting debate about the president's statement, according to an administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

Navarro says his goal is simple: At a time when the virus is surging in many parts of the country, there are 60 million millions of doses of hydroxychloroquine in the Strategic National Stockpile that can't be distributed unless the FDA issues an emergency authorization. He asserted the Henry Ford study shows the drug works when used as an early treatment and said the FDA should take action "within days, not weeks or months" so he could send the shipments.

Trump has told aides that he sees the Detroit study as "vindication" of his position and wants the drug sent to hospitals across the country, in the words of another senior administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.A number of Trump political aides, along with the Republican National Committee and campaign officials, have also promoted the Detroit study.

Navarro said if the Detroit data is backed up by subsequent studies, "there is blood on the media's hands" for sowing doubts about the drug.

Navarro has loudly clashed with medical experts, including Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, over hydroxychloroquine and has become obsessed with promoting the drug, advisers say. While he is viewed by many colleagues as bombastic, sometimes uninformed and temperamental, he has maintained a close adviser spot in Trump's game-of-thrones White House by embracing and promoting issues like hydroxychloroquine and tariffs.

The FDA initially gave emergency use authorization to hydroxychloroquine in March based on scant evidence. The agency in April issued a safety warning about potential cardiac problems before withdrawing its approval last month.

The Henry Ford study, which involved more than 2,400 patients hospitalized between March and May, found death rates were 50 percent lower among the patients treated with hydroxychloroquine, the authors said. They also noted the drug posed no safety problems.

Henry Ford officials said the results were different from other studies that didn't show effects from the drug because they treated patients soon after they were hospitalized and used different dosages. They said they asked the FDA for emergency authorization for hydroxychloroquine "for a clearly defined list of clinical uses," including trials. The health system declined to make the authors available and the FDA said it would not comment on any pending submission.

"The FDA needs to very carefully and quickly consider the Detroit request - China virus cases are rising, Americans are dying, and hydroxychloroquine appears to be a very effective weapon when used in early treatment with virtually no downside risk," Navarro said. He said he had talked to someone at the FDA about the issue but declined to identify the person.

But the Henry Ford study has been sharply criticized by scientists who said it shouldn't be used to change policy. It was an observational study, considered much less rigorous than a randomized trial, in which patients are randomly assigned to receive a treatment or not. And its results fly in the face of three major randomized trials that have found hydroxycloroquine is not effective in treating or preventing covid-19.

Critics also noted that twice as many of the Henry Ford patients who received hydroxychloroquine also got a steroid - which has been shown to benefit covid-19 patients - compared to those who didn't get hydroxychloroquine. That made it hard to know which drug benefited the patients, they said. The authors made statistical adjustments to account for that, but other scientists said the methodology wasn't clear and that it is very hard to correct studies in that way.

"You want to look at the totality of the data," said Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute. "The totality is overwhelmingly in the opposite direction. You have to conclude with the Henry Ford study is an outlier and there's some kind of confounder that is skewing the data and not representing the truth."

Doctors can still prescribe the drug for covid-19 because it is approved for other illnesses. But Navarro said that the FDA's safety warning and withdrawal of the emergency authorization had effectively killed demand. "In my discussions with the FDA, they seemed unaware of the massive depressive effect their decisions have had on use of the medicine," he said.

Peter McCullough, an internist at Baylor University Medical Center, said he agreed with Navarro that the FDA should change its position. "This is the public health crisis of the century and doctors should not have barriers,"he said, noting that some state medical boards are making it hard for doctors to prescribe the drug.

In recent interviews, Giuliani, the president's lawyer, said the studies discounting hydroxychloroquine are bogus. "They've thrown cold water on it because they are academics," he said, adding he has taken the drug three times without side effects.

Test results so far have been "silly," he said, adding that a police officer friend and others in New York have succeeded after taking it. "They don't know what they're talking about," he said of doctors warning against it.,

Hahn, who declined to be interviewed for this story, has said repeatedly that the FDA makes its decisions based on science and data and that he has never felt political pressure to take any specific action. He has said the agency will continue to make decisions based on those factors, not political ones.

Any decision about reauthorizing hydroxychloroquine will be made by FDA career scientists, said an administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal processes.

Many scientists said they doubted the FDA would move to reauthorize hydroxychloroquine based on the Detroit study, considering the price the agency might pay in credibility.

"When future coronavirus vaccines come up for FDA approval, the public should have full confidence that the FDA will make the correct decision to protect the public health by ensuring that vaccines are safe and effective," said David Boulware, an infectious-disease specialist at the University of Minnesota Medical School who conducted one of the major clinical trials on hydroxychloroquine.

Peter Lurie, a former top FDA official during the Obama administration, agreed it was unlikely hydroxychloroquine would be reauthorized. "That would be an about face of an about face," he said. Referring to the Washington suburb where the agency is located, he added, "White Oak will be suffering from dizziness if that keeps happening."

- - -

The Washington Post's Ariana Eunjung Cha contributed to this story.
The Supreme Court Friday disposed of a plea seeking release of Noida's former chief engineer Yadav Singh from alleged illegal custody of the CBI in a corruption case after being informed that the Allahabad High Court has already granted him bail on Thursday.

A bench of Justices R F Nariman, Navin Sinha and B R Gavai recorded the statement of Singh's lawyers on the high court bail order and said the petition has now become infructuous and disposed of the matter.

A division bench of the high court had granted the bail while hearing a habeas corpus (produce the detained person before court) petition seeking Singh's release from the alleged illegal CBI custody.

The CBI counsel had told the high court Wednesday that the delay in filing of charge sheet was not intentional as courts were closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Rejecting the argument, the high court said the probe agency's claim was not justified, and directed that the petitioner be set free forthwith on fulfilling the conditions to be laid down by the special court.

The top court had on July 8 asked the high court to decide the plea seeking release of Singh and pass appropriate orders. Singh, former chief maintenance engineer in Noida, is in judicial custody since February 11, 2020 after the CBI arrested him in the third case of corruption registered against him on January 17, 2018.

His son, Sunny, had approached the Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court with a habeas corpus petition alleging that Yadav Singh has been wrongly incarcerated as only 60 days of judicial custody is permissible under Section 167 (2) of Code of Criminal Procedure and that the duration expired on April 10, 2020.

Sunny contended that the CBI failed to file charge sheet within the statutory period of 60 days but the trial court rejected the prayer for default bail.

On May 6, the Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court has "dismissed as withdrawn" the habeas corpus petition seeking Singh's release as the CBI raised objections on the court's territorial jurisdiction but granted liberty to the petitioner to move a fresh petition before its principal bench.

Besides the latest corruption case wherein Yadav Singh is accused of favouring companies of his friends and associates in doling out lucrative contracts in Noida, the CBI had booked him in two other corruption cases.

These cases pertain to misusing his official position to favour firms in awarding contracts worth over Rs 1,000 crore in Noida and amassing illegitimate assets worth over Rs 23 crore.

The agency had produced 62-year old Yadav Singh before the Ghaziabad Special court after his arrest which sent him to judicial custody. His bail petition was rejected by the special court on April 17, 2020.

Before the Lucknow bench of the High Court, the CBI had contended that the territorial jurisdiction over Ghaziabad Special court is of Allahabad High Court hence, the matter should be heard by it and not by its Lucknow Bench.

The agency had also argued that there was no question of illegal detention as the accused was produced before the special court which remanded him to judicial custody. It said the accused was not in CBI custody.

During the course of enquiry, the agency had found that he had allegedly favoured five companies belonging to his friends, associates and family members in awarding huge contracts in Noida.
Representatives of major political parties said this week that they have begun preparing to contest the Senate election which is due next month and will run in the polls either independently, or as part of a coalition of parties.



On 4 June the National Elections Authority (NEA) announced that the Senate polls will be held in Egypt on 11 and 12 August, and that Egyptian expats will vote on 9 and 10 August.



This is Egypts first election for a second chamber since the Shura Council was dissolved in 2013. The 2014 constitution did not envisage a second house, though constitutional amendments passed in 2019 returned the council. A law governing its work and formation was passed earlier this year.



NEA head Lasheen Ibrahim said candidates can register between 11 and 18 July from 9am to 5pm. Election committees will be set up in first instance courts to receive registration papers.



Election re-runs will be on 8 and 9 September, from 9am to 9pm in Egypt, and on 6 and 7 September for Egyptian expats. The final results will be announced on 16 September at the latest, said Ibrahim.



The Senate elections will be fully supervised by judges and the media, and Egyptian and foreign civil society organisations will be permitted to monitor the poll, said Ibrahim.

Face masks will be compulsory at polling stations and there will be strict measures for campaigning and voting to prevent over-crowdedness. According to Ibrahim, the number of polling stations will be increased to ensure there is no overcrowding and adequate social distancing and other precautionary measures are observed.



The NEA revealed on Monday that Senate hopefuls will require a coronavirus-free certificate in order to be eligible to register. Hopeful candidates can get these certificates from hospitals and labs affiliated with the Ministry of Health, said the NEA.



The army announced on Monday that military officers will not be allowed to contest general elections (presidential, parliamentary or municipal) unless they get prior approval from the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF).



Army officers, whether still in service or retired, cannot run in general elections unless they have prior permission from SCAF to do so, rules a new law drafted by the army.



Ibrahim said he hopes the first Senate election will be a democratic step forward and enhance respect of public freedoms and human rights.



Legislation regulating the Senate was approved by parliament on 17 June and ratified by President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi on 2 July. The law states that the Senate will include 300 seats, one-third of which will be elected via the individual candidacy system, a third by closed party lists and a third to be named by the president. The law stipulates that 10 per cent (30) of the Senates seats be reserved for female candidates.



Under the law, 100 independents will be elected in 27 districts, with the number of senators each returns depending on the size and population of the district. The most densely populated districts, such as Cairo, will elect 10 independent members.



There will be four party list districts, two of which will elect 15 representatives each, and two will elect 35 each. Under the closed party list system adopted a single party or coalition of parties that gains 51 per cent of the votes in a certain district will take all the seats.



Ashraf Rashad, secretary-general of the Future of the Homeland Party told Al-Ahram Weekly that the party is closely coordinating with other parties to contest the election on a unified list. We want an election coalition, and not a political alliance, that can contest the poll and win the party list seats, said Rashad. A number of political parties have already agreed to join the coalition.



Rashad said political parties which join the coalition with the Future of the Homeland Party should ensure their parties are of good reputation, enjoy a degree of popularity, a high level of education and adequate political background.



Osama Abul-Magd, the parliamentary spokesperson of the Guardians of the Nation Party, has said his party will join forces with the Future of the Homeland. This is the best strategy for us. It will be difficult for any party to stand alone and gain more than 50 per cent of the votes in the enormous Senate districts, said Haridi.



Tayseer Mattar, chairman of the Will of the Generation Party, has also indicated he is willing to coordinate with Future of the Homeland over the Senate elections.



Yasser Al-Hodeibi, deputy chairman of the Wafd Party, said in a press interview that his party will join the Future of the Homeland coalition for the Senate election.



A coordination committee has already been formed to prepare lists which will include candidates from different parties aiming to contest the Senate election in all districts, he said.



Moussa Mustafa Moussa, head of the Ghad Party, revealed that the Future of the Homeland coalition will include a minimum of 10 political parties though it could include more by the time registration opens next Saturday.



A number of political analysts expect the Senate election will attract a low turnout.



I think the coronavirus, coupled with the absence of popular interest, means the turnout will be very low, said Al-Ahram political analyst Amr Hashem Rabie. He recalled that the last Shura Council election, held in 2012, attracted just 10 per cent of eligible voters.



The NEA says the number of eligible voters in Egypt stands at 63 million. The Senate poll will be followed by House of Representatives elections in November.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 9 July, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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How confident can we be that schools can get back to normal? (stock photo)

When kids return to the classroom at the end of August after nearly five months away, lessons will have to be learnt in a changed environment.

Why are teachers, parents and pupils already feeling nervous about the start of the school year later next month?

Theres huge uncertainty over how  or even if  classrooms will be able to handle the ongoing threat from Covid-19.

Read More

Schools have been closed since March 12, with coursework moving online and this years Leaving Cert exams replaced by a system of calculated grades.

New Education Minister Norma Foley must find a way to get the system working again without putting public health at risk.

Has anything been decided so far?

On July 1, the HSEs Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) published some interim guidelines for reopening schools.

Theyre strongly based on the evidence that Covid-19 becomes more of a threat as children grow older.

In primary school, for example, the HPSC advises that junior infants, senior infants, and first and second classes do not need to enforce social distancing.

Between third and sixth classes, rooms would be classed as bubbles, with pupils divided into smaller groups of pods to minimise their interaction.

In secondary schools, at least one metre should be maintained between desks and between students and staff.

The HPSC guidelines also recommend staggering lunch breaks and arrival and departure times so that fewer people will gather at the school gates.

Isnt that at least a good start?

Not for some teachers. Tensions have been raised by what Kieran Christie, general secretary of the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI), told the Oireachtas Special Committee on Covid-19 last week.

Asked what classrooms might look like under the new regime, he replied: Theyll look empty, because our members wont be there without adequate safety measures.

He added that implementing the guidelines is not going to be cheap and theres no point in pretending otherwise.

This has sparked accusations that teachers are just looking for more money, and would return to work much sooner if they were gett-ing only the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployed Payment (PUP) of 350 a week.

Expand Close Kieran Christie, general secretary of ASTI / Facebook

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Whatsapp Kieran Christie, general secretary of ASTI

Could a teachers strike be on the cards?

Thats the nightmare scenario everyone wants to avoid.

Other teaching unions and representatives have been sounding a more conciliatory note, insisting that they want to work with the Department of Education and find practical solutions.

Last Tuesday, Alan Mongey, the president of the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD), urged parents not to take their children on foreign holidays this summer as that could jeopardise their chances of returning to school.

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At the same time, unions are warning that measures such as hand sanitisers, extra cleaners and more substitute teachers will all come with a price tag attached.

How do parents feel about all this?

In a survey carried out recently by the National Parents Council, 91pc said they believe it is important that the schools fully reopen on schedule this year.

Other findings are that 72pc believe children were not sufficiently motivated during lockdown and, on a scale of one to 10, 13pc think kids anxiety levels are eight or higher.

What is the blended learning model that some people are proposing as a solution?

Basically, it means asking pupils to spend fewer days in school and more studying at home, like theyve been doing.

However, according to an opinion poll from research company Amarach, blended learning has plenty of teething problems.

More than half of teachers feel uncomfortable with the technology and 62pc of parents think their children find it a difficult experience.

As many psychologists warn, there are other elements of education, such as team working and social skills, that simply cannot be learnt over Zoom.

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Who exactly is the new Education Minister and has she made any difference so far?

Norma Foley is the daughter of a former Fianna Fail TD and worked as a secondary school teacher before being elected to the Dail last February.

The 50-year-old Kerry woman is a close ally of Taoiseach Micheal Martin. Foley is currently taking a cautious app-roach, saying only that she wants schools to reopen as fully as possible.

Her predecessor, Fine Gaels Joe McHugh, found himself accused of dithering over the issue, with one union leader complaining that he was speaking out of two sides of his mouth.

Foley has only a few weeks to show she can do better.

Expand Close Minister Norma Foley. Photo: Frank McGrath / Facebook

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Whatsapp Minister Norma Foley. Photo: Frank McGrath

Can we learn anything from how other countries are tackling this dilemma?

Every government has adopted a different approach and the jury is still out on whos right or wrong.

China has forced pupils to have their temperatures taken three times a day, Denmark has introduced hourly hand-washing and France has gone back to business as usual, with its education minister declaring that children would be in greater danger at home.

The fundamental problem for Ireland is that compared to many other countries, classrooms here are overcrowded.

Many of our primary classrooms have more than 30 pupils, with our European neighbours enjoying an average of just 20, said John Boyle, the general secretary of the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO). This really matters when we look at applying social-distancing.

How confident can we be that schools can get back to normal?

The Department of Education reports that its negotiations with union leaders and school management bodies have been stepped up.

If they fail, some parents might consult their lawyers over the 1998 Education Act, which promises to provide all Irish citizens with a level and quality of education appropriate to meeting the needs and abilities of that person.

The minister who passed that legislation was Micheal Martin.
Hollywood superstar Johnny Depp testified Thursday that he was often so high or strung out on drugs that he was "in no condition" to hurt his ex-wife Amber Heard. The third day of Depp's libel trial against the British tabloid The Sun over its 2018 "wife beater" claim saw the 57-year-old admit that he had a bad temper and often blacked out. Depp also conceded calling himself a "savage" in a text and getting piques of jealousy over Heard's alleged extramarital affairs. But he explained that the 2014-2015 period covered on the third day of the three-week High Court trial was the low point of his life. "I remember that I was in a great deal of pain and uncontrollable spasms," he said of an August 2014 incident while he was detoxing with the help of Heard and his doctor on his private island in the Bahamas. "I did not push Ms Heard or attack in any way, and certainly I was in no condition to in any way," he said. "I was in no physical condition to push anyone." - 'Romanticises drug culture' - The blockbuster lawsuit against the publisher News Group Newspapers (NGN) and The Sun's executive editor Dan Wootton is designed to clear Depp's name. But it has so far seen Depp admit to using various drugs and smashing up nightclubs and hotel suites across the world while still trying to film and keep his marriage afloat. NGN said it has "overwhelming evidence" he repeatedly attacked Heard during three drug-fuelled years between 2013 and 2016. He met Heard on the set of the 2011 comedy drama "The Rum Diary". They married after he completed rehab in 2015 and officially divorced two years later. Depp sat still as the defence read a letter from his rehab doctor David Kipper that concluded the star "romanticises the drug culture" and has no intention to quit. "He is .... quite childlike," the doctor's conclusion said. Depp spoke haltingly throughout the hearing and appeared to often struggle to find the right words. He said he disagreed with the doctor's "personal" assessment and thought that Kipper was just getting to know him at the time. - 'Spat on her face' - Depp's defence is trying to portray the 34-year-old Heard as a manipulative and scheming publicity seeker who was collecting damaging evidence against her husband from the start. NGN lawyer Sasha Wass countered by going through each one his alleged offences in graphic detail. "You pulled her hair and slapped her face, spat on her face while holding onto a bottle of spirits while drinking from it," Wass told Depp at one point. "And all this time you were screaming at Ms Heard that you hated her, threw Ms Heard against the ping-pong table, which collapsed," she read. "You were smashing her head so that the back of her head hit against the fridge, and you were blaming her for doing this," she alleged. Depp said no and "not true" after each sentence and ran his hand through his shoulder-length hair with a sigh. But he recalled feeling unsettled about Heard's relationship with fellow actor Billy Bob Thornton on the set of the film "London Fields". - 'There were blackouts' - Depp tried to portray himself as a depressed superstar who was struggling with insomnia and a bad drug habit while trying to keep a turbulent marriage afloat. He admitted once punching a wall until his knuckles bled during a peak of rage at Heard. "I would rather express my anger at an inanimate object than at a person that I love," he said in his defence. He also said he was prone to blackouts but still remembered particularly episodes well enough to deny the various charges. "There were blackouts for sure and in any blackouts there are snippets of memory and in recalling that memory you see snippets of pictures but you don't see the whole memory," he said. Depp admitted he had a bad temper and often blacked out Amber Heard (L) and Johnny Depp met in 2011 The couple in happier times
PeopleImages/iStockBy ANASTASIA ELYSE WILLIAMS, KATIE KINDELAN and KATE HODGSON, ABC News

(NEW YORK) -- The death of a 26-year-old Black woman during an emergency C-section is putting a spotlight on the disparities women of color face during childbirth, and leading to calls for change.



Sha-asia Washington died earlier this month during an emergency C-section at NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull, a city-run hospital in Brooklyn, New York.



"If you know shaasia she wanted to be a mom and she was gonna be an amazing one," reads a GoFundMe page that has raised more than $67,000 for Washington's daughter, Khloe, and her partner, Juwan Lopez. "She left behind so many hurt people with this sudden tragic los[s]. No one was expecting this."



Washington's death led to a protest Thursday outside the hospital in Brooklyn, and is drawing the attention of celebrities like Amy Schumer, who posted about Washington's death on Instagram, writing, "We need to wake up and do better every day."



The hospital where Washington passed away is now conducting an internal review of the incident.



"NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull is committed to the maternal health and welfare of our patients," the hospital told ABC News in a statement. "We are saddened by this death and our condolences go out to the family of the deceased. The City's public health system recognizes the disproportionate increased burden that black and brown patients face during childbirth. We are devoted to understanding the causes, and are committed to addressing this unacceptable disparity."



About 700 women die each year in the U.S. as a result of pregnancy or its complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).



Black women, as well as American Indian and Alaska Native women, are two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women, according to data released last year by the CDC.



The inequities for women of color increase by age and are not affected by education levels or location, according to the CDC.



"It's not tied to income. It's not tied to education. . . . It's something about the lived experience of being African-American," Dr. Neel Shah, assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and an OB-GYN at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, told ABC News in 2018.



The majority of pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S., 60% or more, could have been prevented, CDC research shows.



Bruce McIntyre, who is raising his 2-month-old son Elias as a single dad, said that was the case with the death of his partner, Amber Rose Isaac.



Isaac, 26, also died following an emergency C-section in a New York City hospital. She passed away just days after posting on social media about her experience with what she called "incompetent doctors" during her pregnancy.



"She was ignored," McIntyre told Good Morning America of his son's late mother. "Time and time and time again, she's voiced her concerns."



The hospital where Isaac died, Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, told ABC News in a statement, "Ninety-four percent of our deliveries are minority mothers, and Montefiore's maternal mortality rate of 0.01 percent is lower than both New York City and national averages. Any maternal death is a tragedy."



The CDC points to several factors that lead to pregnancy-related deaths in America, including, "access to appropriate and high-quality care, missed or delayed diagnoses, and lack of knowledge among patients and providers around warning signs."



The agency calls the disparities in pregnancy-related deaths for women of color a "complex national problem."



Dr. Jennifer Lincoln, a Portland, Oregonbased OBGYN, is using the social media platform TikTok to draw attention to the issue.



"We have so many other studies that show that Black people are undertreated for pain," Dr. Lincoln told GMA. "They wait longer in the emergency room. They are less likely to be taken seriously."



Dr. Lincoln said she hopes other doctors follow her lead in checking their implicit bias when treating patients, particularly pregnant women.



"I still have to stop myself every time I'm caring for somebody who looks different than me," she said. "And I always check and I say, Am I delivering the same level of care here?"



Alreema Vining launched her own career in women's health after she felt her race impacted her treatment while pregnant.



"Not only was I a mother of color, I was also a mother of color and I had Medicaid so I didn't have the top, top-of-the-line insurance," said Vining, who said she was left temporarily paralyzed from an epidural while giving birth to her third child. "So right then and there, I have the two going against me."



Vining now works as a doula, hoping to create a comfortable and safe experience for future mothers.



"A part of me loves the fact that I went through it because if I hadnt gone through it, I wouldn't be following my passion," she said.



Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Hollywood actors do not limit themselves to just acting but get involved in high-risk stunts as well, just for that extra thrill and adrenaline rush. While some actors perform the tasks with body doubles or with special effects, there are a few who take it on themselves and do it on their own. Then be it jumping off from a burning building or getting involved in menacing fight scenes, the actors put everything at risk, just to keep the movie a bit more entertaining. Take a look at these Hollywood actors who didn't need any expert advice.

1. Jackie Chan

 Twitter/Jackie Chan



Kickstarting the list with our very own fight master, Jackie Chan. The Kung-fu legend has done his own fight scenes and not just that, the actor has also broken his bones for certain roles. Chan became a renowned face for his work in several action movies and the fact that he has done it all by himself shows how he likes to own his character.



2. Jason Statham

 Twitter/Jason Statham



Another name that shines in this list is of Jason Statham. The actor has been doing his own stunts ever since he ventured into Hollywood. During the shoot of Expendables 3, Statham had to drive a truck, give it a break and shoot. Even though this was dangerous, during the shoot, the truck did not stop, so Statham, instead jumped from the truck while it sank 60ft into the sea. The actor faced death while shooting this scene.



3. Tom Cruise

 Twitter/Tom Cruise



Tom Cruise's dedication for finesse in action movies is not uncommon. The actor, while shooting for Mission: Impossible, proved his prowess by running down the glass exterior of the skyscraper, Burj Khalifa in Dubai all by himself and without any help of stunt doubles. The entire high-risk task was performed by him. In the very first Misson Impossible, Cruise also had to be in an aquarium that had 16 tonnes of water, exploding together and even this was one of the most dangerous tasks.



4. Harrison Ford

 Twitter/Harrison Ford



Harrison Ford's journey as a stunt performer has also been fantastic. The actor is known to have performed dangerous tasks in the Indiana Jones series, where he was supposed to swing loosely from the helicopter and crash the cars and buses.



5. Arnold Schwarzenegger

 Twitter/ Arnold Schwarzenegger



Even though Arnold Schwarzenegger is 66, the actor still performs high-risk stunts on his own, without making much use of stunt doubles. Being one of the strongest personalities in Hollywood, it is clear that the actor would want to do everything by himself.



6. Kristen Stewart

 Twitter/Kristen Stewart



Kristen Stewart's name comes as a surprise but even she has left no stone unturned when it comes to doing her own stunts in movies. She did an impressive job in the Twilight series and others like Snow White and The Huntsman, that helped her overcome her fear of riding horses. Some other scenes include hanging upside down, which sounds easy but not if one has to do it in the scorching heat. She also did some fighting scenes on her own.



7. Daniel Craig

 Twitter/DanielCraig_fc



Daniel Craig, who is popular for his role as the British spy agent James Bond, also performed his own stunts and added more life to his character in Casino Royale. He said in one of the interviews that I wanted to be seen jumping from crane to crane, physically exerting myself. I didnt get fit just to take my shirt off.



During the opening scene, the actor did a life-threatening, dreadful task, which involved jumping from crane to crane.
China reiterates it will not join so-called China-U.S.-Russia arms control negotiations

PLA Daily

Source: CGTN.COM

Editor: Chen Zhuo



2020-07-09 08:52:45

China on Wednesday stressed that it has no plans to join the U.S. and Russia in their talks to renew a nuclear arms control treaty.

Recently, U.S. officials have been making a lot of noises about China joining the U.S.-Russia negotiation on nuclear arms. They even went so far as to tweet a staged photo.

Washington and Moscow began talks last month to try to extend the New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty), which they signed in 2010. It will expire next year.

Fu Cong, Director-General of the Department of Arms Control of the Chinese Foreign Ministry reiterated China's position during a press conference to share China's policy mainly on arms control issues, noting that China has no interest in joining Russia and the U.S. in their bilateral negotiations.

Given the huge gap between the nuclear arsenal of China and those of U.S. and Russia, it is unrealistic to expect China to join the two countries in a negotiation aimed at nuclear arms reduction, Fu said.

"We urge the US to respond positively to the call of the Russian Federation to extend the New START Treaty, and on that basis further reduce its huge nuclear arsenal, which stands at about 5800 nuclear warheads, and which is almost 20 times that of China's number of nuclear warheads, according to the figures given by the renowned international think tanks, such as the Federation of American Scientists and SIPRI," he added.

The director-general pointed out that the U.S. is bent on increasing this huge gap by investing about 494 billion U.S. dollars in next 10 years and 1.2 trillion U.S. dollars in next 30 years to upgrade their nuclear arsenal, both the warheads and their delivery systems.

"For them, hyping up the China factor is nothing but a ploy to divert world attention, and to create a pretext, under which they could walk away from the New START, as they have done on so many other arms control treaties," Fu said and added, "the real purpose is to get rid of all possible restrictions and have a free hand in seeking overwhelming military superiority over any."

He emphasized that China's refusal to join the so-called trilateral negotiation does not mean that China is shying away from international nuclear disarmament efforts, adding that "on the contrary, China is a strong advocate for nuclear disarmament in the UN and at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva."

China becomes 107th country to join UN Arms Trade Treaty

Fu also said China's accession to Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) is another testimony to China's determination to combat illicit arms trafficking and its commitment to multilateralism and the international arms control regime, and also constitutes another concrete step to implement the grand vision of President Xi to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

On Monday, Beijing submitted official documents to join the Arms Trade Treaty, which aims to keep conventional weapons away from human rights abusers. The ATT now has 107 states parties with China's accession.

"When talking about ATT, I cannot but draw your attention to the sharp contrast between the position of China and that of the US on this issue," Fu noted.

He added "last September, during the UN General Assembly, State Councilor Wang Yi made the announcement that China would start its internal legal procedure to accede to the Treaty. At the same podium, U.S. President Trump announced that the U.S. would un-sign the same treaty, making it another addition to the long list of international treaties that the US has withdrawn from."

This also exemplifies the different attitudes of the China and the U.S. towards multilateralism and to international law, the director-general said.

U.S. has no right to accuse Beijing of violating disarmament protocols

In terms of the U.S. State Department's Compliance Report on arms control agreements, Fu highlighted one treaty, the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), which has gained renewed prominence because of the pandemic.

Noting that in 2001, the U.S. was the only country that stood out in opposition to the conclusion of a verification protocol to BWC, Fu said over the past two decades, despite the almost unanimous appeals of the international community, the U.S. has single-handedly blocked the restart of the negotiation of such a protocol.

He also questioned if some of the U.S. domestic biological laboratories, including those at the Fort Detrick, and the vast number of biological laboratories the U.S. has set up across the world, including in China's neighborhood are in full compliance with the BWC.

"Are they in full compliance with the BWC? Because of the absence of a verification mechanism due to the US opposition, these questions remain unanswered."

"To use the words that the U.S. used in its report, we do 'not have sufficient information to determine whether' these activities are in compliance with the Treaty," Fu said and urged the U.S. to demonstrate more transparency and heed the appeals of the international community in not blocking any further the restart of the negotiation of the verification protocol.

The U.S. State Department has issued the Compliance Report on arms control agreements a couple of days ago. As usual, the report paints the U.S. in a perfect light, while making a lot of unsubstantiated allegations about other countries compliance with international arms control agreements and commitments, using very ambiguous language.

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New Yorks mayor joined activists on Thursday to paint Black Lives Matter in giant yellow letters on the citys Fifth Avenue in front of Trump Tower, once the crown jewel in US President Donald Trumps empire.

As doormen at the luxury apartment buildings shiny gold doorstep watched, Mayor Bill de Blasio and his wife, along with Reverend Al Sharpton, who eulogised George Floyd in Minneapolis in early June, joined dozens of people pushing paint rollers to create the block-long mural.

The Black Lives Matter movement gained momentum after George Floyd, an African-American man, died in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25 after Derek Chauvin, a white officer, knelt on his neck.

Last week, Trump had tweeted saying the mural was a symbol of hate.

Similar Black Lives Matter murals are planned in each of New York Citys five boroughs and have appeared across the United States.
Rename half of all Broadway theaters. Impose term limits for theater industry leaders. Require that at least half the members of casts and creative teams be made up of people of color.

A coalition of theater artists, known by the title of its first statement, We See You, White American Theater, has posted online a 29-page set of demands that, if adopted, would amount to a sweeping restructuring of the theater ecosystem in America.

The coalition, made up of Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) theatermakers, has declined to make anyone available to answer questions, and says on its website that it has no leadership or spokesperson. We understand the desire for individual interviews, but this is a collective movement and it would not be appropriate for any of us to speak on behalf of the all, the group said in response to an email inquiry.
London: Movie star Johnny Depp has told London's High Court that his ex-wife, Amber Heard, or her friend defecated in their bed in what he described as a "fitting end to the relationship".

Giving evidence over four days in his libel action against Britain's Sun newspaper, which labelled him a wife-beater, Depp has faced allegations that he physically attacked Heard on at least 14 occasions during a three-year period from 2013.

Johnny Depp, centre, leaves court in London on Friday. Credit:Getty Images

The court was told on Friday that one such incident followed a party to celebrate Heard's 30th birthday in April 2016.

The Sun's lawyer, Sasha Wass, said the Pirates of the Caribbean star was late because he had been at a meeting with his business manager, where he had received bad news about his finances. At their home, Depp was accused of attacking Heard when she criticised him for being late, throwing a magnum bottle of champagne at her, which missed, and grabbing her hair.
WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th July, 2020) A century after fueling Panama separatism, US economic interests still aggressively dominate the region, including Venezuela, analysts told Sputnik ahead of the 100-year anniversary of the dedication of the Panama canal.

The Panama Canal, opened in August 1914 but not dedicated until July 12, 1920, is an artificial 50-mile long waterway built by the United States that cuts through the isthmus that joins North and South America and connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The canal was under Washington's sole control until a US-Panamanian joint agency took over in 1979. The Panamanian government assumed complete control in 1999.

The canal is considered one of the most strategic shipping lanes in the world, with around 14,000 vessels crossing it every year, representing roughly 5 percent of world trade. It serves 144 maritime routes and connects 160 countries, according to the Panama Canal Authority (ACP).

The canal has a highly-controversial geopolitical history - its creation seen as the ultimate end product of the Monroe Doctrine (1823), wherein the US declared its intent to establish hegemony over the hemisphere. In 1903, Washington supported a rebellion that allowed Panama to gain independence from Columbia, which thereby allowed the United States to gain full possession of the canal zone via treaty.

Human rights lawyer, historian and Latin America analyst Dan Kovalik told Sputnik the US political machinations and orchestrated military coups to destabilize and maintain control of the region continue unabated to this day.

"As we know, the United States helped create and finance military forces in 1903 to rebel against the Colombian government and to sever Panama from Colombia in order to seize control of what would become the Panama Canal," Kovalik, who teaches International Human Rights at the University of Pittsburgh school of Law, said.

In addition to stealing a potential source of major revenue for Colombia, this action of supporting the paramilitaries would haunt that nation for many years to come, Kovalik said.

"Colombia has suffered internal civil strife ever since, including from paramilitary forces which have continued to rear their ugly head, many times with the support of the US, until the present day. Colombia continues to suffer from horrific human rights abuses carried out by such forces which now dominate much of the countryside," he said.

The United States also continues to destabilize and foment regime change in countries throughout Latin America in the pursuit of its economic and geopolitical interests, Kovalik continued.

"We can see that now with the United States's open and aggressive regime-change operations in Venezuela," he said.

These activities have included the United States seizing the US-based oil company Citgo and cutting Venezuela off from life-sustaining supplies such as food and medicines, Kovalik pointed out.

"The Monroe Doctrine is alive and well, quite sadly for the people of Latin America," he said.

Independent Institute Center on Peace and Liberty Director Ivan Eland agreed that the United States continued to ignore international law and still used the 1823 Monroe Doctrine to justify its repeated interventions in the internal affairs of Latin American nations.

The carving of Panama out of Colombia in order to build the canal "was an early case of the United States using the military to move toward hemispheric hegemony under the long-standing Monroe Doctrine. As US Senator [Samuel] Hayakawa said humorously but accurately much later, the United States stole it fair and square,'" Eland said.

The US economic interest in Latin America continued to impact on countries' sovereignty in the region to this day, Eland cautioned.

"Yes, the 'colossus of the North' - still the most potent country on earth, economically, politically, and militarily - still has great effect on the Western Hemisphere. Economics gets politicized and so a free market doesn't exist. Moreover, the economics of the drug war undermines the region's sovereignty too," he said.

Beijing and Washington in recent years have vied for influence in Panama, with China investing in development projects and attempting to strike a free trade agreement.

However, Panamanian President Laurentino Cortizo, who took over as president a year ago, has stalled initiatives with Beijing while the trade agreement remains unsigned.

Moreover, apparently due to US pressure, in 2018 Panama abandoned plans to allow China to build a new embassy on the canal, the Guardian reported.

Analysts warned that the US-China trade dispute could present a new threat to the future of the canal.

Kovalik said that for a number of years now, China has been the major partner with Panama in terms of financial and infrastructure investment.

China has invested in modernizing the canal and its locks, in the railroad services to and from the canal, and in potentially building the first land route between Panama and Colombia, he added.

"Now, the US appears to want to cut off such influence of China in the region, and may act in aggressive ways to halt it," Kovalik said.

Eland said the US-China trade dispute could significantly impact on the volume of trade passing through the Canal.

"In that protectionism is contagious and reduces trade volumes and general world prosperity, the trade war between the two largest economies could lessen trade through the canal. There has also been talk of an alternative route," he said.

However, the canal would probably survive, although it has less strategic importance than it used to, Eland concluded.
Postman D Sivan has been in the news for walking 15 Kms every day for 30 years to deliver letters in the remote areas of Tamil Nadu. Working with India Post, Sivan worked tirelessly every day and often against all odds to bring letters to the residents. This dedicated work of Sivan is Heartwork. Recognizing this unsung hero, LAYS paid a special tribute to Postman D Sivan as part of its on-going national campaign Heartwork. Through the post LAYS expressed a special gratitude and applauded him for his relentless Heartwork that has brought smiles on countless people's faces.

As part of the initiative LAYS has also collaborated with leading brands like ICICI Bank, Parachute, Dunzo, Big Basket, J K Type, Vistara, Grofers and together have thanked millions of these unsung heroes. LAYS has tied up with the NGO - Smile Foundation and has donated over 40,000 hygiene kits to many such heroes across the country. The campaign also pays tribute to unsung heroes like farmers, retailers, truck drivers and many more who are working relentlessly during the tough times to bring joy to millions of people across the country.

Also read: Team Pumpkin bags Digital marketing Mandate for Dixcy Scott
WASHINGTON - Two men have been arrested and two others are wanted in connection with the killing of an 11-year-old boy who was shot during a Fourth of July cookout in Washington, police said Friday.

The boy, Davon McNeal, was shot in the head during an exchange of gunfire between five armed suspects, police said. His killing came during a surge of violence in Washington and in other major cities across the U.S. and sparked widespread outrage from community members.

Two suspects  Christian Wingfield, 22, of Maryland, and Daryle Bond, 18, of Washington  were arrested on first-degree murder charges. It was not immediately clear whether either of the men had an attorney who could comment on the allegations.

Both of the men had prior arrests for violent crimes and Wingfield was on court-ordered supervision with a GPS monitor at the time of the crime, Metropolitan Police Department Chief Peter Newsham said. Wingfield cut off his GPS monitoring bracelet shortly after the shooting and investigators believe he may have tried to change his identity, Newsham said.

Police said arrest warrants have been issued for two other suspects, 19-year-old Carlo General and 25-year-old Marcel Gordon.

General and Wingfield were each arrested in the spring, charged with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and had both been released pending trial, Newsham said.

After McNeals death, Donald Trump Jr. shared a conservative-created meme of McNeal on Facebook that read: Davon was murdered after a string of BLM (Black Lives Matter) violence on the Fourth of July. But the shooting was not connected to Black Lives Matter, the movement behind many of the protests against police brutality.

Police have said the boy had been at a family-oriented anti-violence cookout, but he left to get a phone charger from his aunts house when he was struck by the gunfire.

We are heartbroken and outraged by Davons murder. It is just the worst thing that can happen in a community for a child to lose his life to violence, Mayor Muriel Bowser said.

The boys grandfather, John Ayala, said he was full of joy when police announced the arrest.

The police did a great job. The mayor did a great job. The community did a great job, he said. Of course, Im sad, because I lost my grandson.

Newsham said detectives worked tirelessly on the case and do not believe McNeal was targeted in the shooting. A fifth suspect is still being sought by police and officials have offered a $25,000 reward in the case.
The massive July 1 explosion in a thermal power plant which killed 13 workers at the government-owned Neyveli Lignite Corporation India Ltd (NLC) in Tamil Nadu was the second fatal blast at the company in just two months.

The latest tragic loss of life was not simply an accident, but an industrial catastrophe waiting to happen and the result of managements criminal refusal to take action following the death of eight workers in the previous explosion on May 7. As in previous accidents, this months blast further underscores how capitalist production places profit interests above the lives of workers, disregarding even the most basic safety requirements.

On July 1, six NLC contract workersRamanathan, Nagaraj, Venkatesa Permal, Silambarasan, Arun Kumar and Padmanabhandied on the spot and 17 employees, including permanent and contract workers, a junior engineer and two supervisors, were badly injured and hospitalised. Seven out of the 17 later succumbed to their injuries having been initially taken to an NLC-run hospital in Neyveli and then shifted to the private Appollo hospital, in Chennai, the Tamil Nadu state capital.

The NLC is a highly-profitable, central government-owned corporation, which mines lignite and generates electricity. It has four open cut mines with an annual capacity of about 30 million tonnes in Neyveli, and an open cut operation at Barsingsar in Rajasthan state. NLC also owns four thermal electric power stations in Neyveli and one at Barsingsar.

The May 7 explosion occurred after NLC resumed operations on April 8 at the plant without carrying out mandatory maintenance and safety procedures after the national government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ended lockdown measures. This callous disregard for workers safety and the Indian governments determination to reopen the economy has seen a rapid spread of the coronavirus in Tamil Nadu and across the country.

According to hotindiareport.com, the July 1 explosion was in Unit V of TPS II, an outdated boiler that had shut down late on June 30. Workers and engineering staff were attempting to revive the unit when a fire reportedly broke out in the boiler, resulting in the explosion at 10 oclock the next morning.

As the WSWS previously noted in its report on the May 7 explosion, NLC has a notorious record of ignoring basic safety measures.

The downtoearth.org website has stated that over the past five years NLC has had two major accidents and one minor one that have exposed serious maintenance and safety problems in the old units being used in the companys thermal power stations.

The efficient and safe-operating life of a thermal power plant is around 25 years. Despite calls by the Delhi-based non-profit Centre for Science and Environment, however, NLC has delayed commissioning new units. Its power stations have been running with units that should have been retired between 2011 and 2015. In fact, some of its units have been in operation for as long as fifty-seven years.

A report on this months explosion by newsclick.in included comments from NLC management, the trade unions and the Indian government.

In an attempt to diffuse widespread anger over the catastrophe, management has suspended a senior official and Indias coal ministry initiated a high-level inquiry and internal probe. An NLC official told the media that at least 3 million rupees ($US40,000) will be given to each family of the workers killed and 500,000 rupees ($6,770) to those injured. Regular employment will also be provided to an eligible member of the family of the deceased.

Additionally, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami has announced 300,000-rupee compensation for the families of workers killed, along with 100,000 rupees ($1,330) and 50,000 rupees ($665) to those who suffered serious and mild injuries respectively. Indias home minister, Amit Shah, offered condolences for those killed and said the victims and survivors will be given all possible help.

Shah and Palaniswamis crocodile tears and the pittance in compensation packages given by NLC and the state government are an attempt to dissipate the growing anger of workers and their families and to cover up company and government responsibility for the repeated industrial accidents.

The NLCs two recognised unions are affiliated to the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and the Labour Progressive Front (LPF)federations of the Stalinist Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPM and its ally the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the main state opposition party, respectively. These organisations are complicit in the tragedy, having refused to seriously demand mandatory safety measures at NLC plants.

While the last explosion forced leaders of these unions and affiliated parties to make some criticism of safety conditions at NLC plants, this rhetoric was so much hot air.

C. Amirthalingam, general secretary of the NLC General Workers and Employees Union, which is affiliated to the Stalinist CITU, told the media: The cleaning of boilers used to happen on each shift till a few years back. Now, with the decreasing workforce, daily maintenance has almost stopped. The privatisation of maintenance work and the consequent improper maintenance work have led to recurring accidents.

CPM state secretary K. Balakrishnan declared: The private contractors have failed in proper maintenance of the boilers leading to the accident. The details on the process of allocating contracts for maintenance works need immediate enquiry by a high-level committee and action on the culprits.

Amirthalingam and Balakrishnans comments are bogus and cynical. These union officials and the organisations they head have blocked any mobilisation of workers in strikes or other industrial action to demand the decommissioning of outdated and dangerous plants and the establishment of basic safety standards and modern procedures.
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA OR JAPAN

Basel, Switzerland, July 10, 2020

After publication of the Offer Notice on 25 June 2020 and the end of the cooling-off period, Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. (SIX: BSLN, the "Offeror") announces the start of the offer period of its partial repurchase offer for at least CHF 90 million and up to CHF 110 million in principal amount of its outstanding convertible bonds due 2022 (the "Repurchase Offer"). The Repurchase Offer price amounts to 100.50% of the principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest. The tender offer period starts today and is expected to expire at 4pm CEST on July 16, 2020 (custodian agents generally shorten this deadline for their clients). The settlement date is expected to occur on July 28, 2020. The bonds are listed and traded at SIX Swiss Exchange (ISIN: CH0305398148; SSN: 30'539'814) (the "Bonds").

The tender offer is submitted after the successful launch, provisional allocation and pricing of CHF 125 million senior unsecured convertible bonds due 2027 (the "New Bonds") on June 24, 2020. The New Bonds serve primarily to finance the Repurchase Offer. The final allocation of the New Bonds will depend on the successful repurchase under the Repurchase Offer. The Offeror may clawback the New Bonds in an amount of up to CHF 25 million subject to the principal amount of Bonds tendered in the Repurchase Offer. Moreover, the conversion price of the New Bonds will only be determined in a delta placement of existing shares of the Offeror after the end of the offer period under the Repurchase Offer. The Repurchase Offer is therefore subject to:

the delta placement resulting in a reference price, i.e. the price to which the conversion premium is added to obtain the conversion price; and

the conversion price of the New Bonds being at least CHF 46.9993; and

the placement of the New Bonds in the minimal amount of CHF 100,000,000 in principal amount and the valid tender of at least CHF 90,000,000 in principal amount of the Bonds.

The Company will only accept for purchase Bonds up to a maximum of aggregate principal amount being the lower of (i) CHF 110,000,000 and (ii) the aggregate principal amount of the New Bonds minus CHF 10,000,000.

Up to CHF 110 million of aggregate principal amount of the Bonds due 2022 shall be repurchased and up to CHF 125 million New Bonds due 2027 shall be issued to allow the Offeror to optimize the Offeror's debt maturity profile by shifting the maturity of approximately 50% of the total outstanding debt significantly beyond 2022.

This Press Release is not an offer for the repurchase of the Bonds, but only discloses the most important terms of the Repurchase Offer. The Repurchase Offer is only addressed to eligible holders of the Bonds by the Notice of Repurchase Offer published on the website of the Offeror.

About Basilea

Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company, focused on the development of products that address the medical challenges in the therapeutic areas of oncology and infectious diseases. With two commercialized drugs, the company is committed to discovering, developing and commercializing innovative pharmaceutical products to meet the medical needs of patients with serious and life-threatening conditions. Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland and listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX: BSLN). Additional information can be found at Basilea's website www.basilea.com.

Disclaimer

This Repurchase Offer does not constitute an offer or an invitation to participate in the Repurchase Offer in any jurisdiction in which, or to any person to or from which, it is unlawful to make such invitation or for there to be such participation under applicable securities laws. The distribution of this press release in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession this press release comes are required to inform themselves about, and to observe, any such restrictions.

No action has been or will be taken in any jurisdiction in relation to the Repurchase Offer that would permit a public offering of securities in any such jurisdiction.

United States

The Repurchase Offer is not being made, and will not be made, directly or indirectly, in or into, or by use of the mail of, or by any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce of or of any facilities of a national securities exchange of, the United States or to or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons as defined in Regulation S of the Securities Act (each a "U.S. person"). This includes, but is not limited to, facsimile transmission, electronic mail, telex, telephone and the internet and other forms of electronic communication. The Bonds may not be tendered for purchase pursuant to the Repurchase Offer by any such use, means, instrumentality or facility from or within the United States or by any persons located or resident in the United States as defined in Regulation S of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") or to U.S. persons. Accordingly, copies of the Repurchase Offer Notice and any other documents or materials relating to the Repurchase Offer are not being, and must not be, directly or indirectly, mailed or otherwise transmitted, distributed or forwarded (including, without limitation, by custodians, nominees or trustees) in or into the United States or to persons located or resident in the United States or to U.S. persons. Any purported offers to tender Bonds pursuant to the Repurchase Offer resulting, directly or indirectly, from a violation of these restrictions will be invalid, and any purported tender of Bonds made by a U.S. person, a person located or resident in the United States or from within the United States or from any agent, fiduciary or other intermediary acting on a non-discretionary basis for a principal giving instructions from within the United States or any U.S. person will not be accepted.

Each Bondholder participating in the Repurchase Offer will represent to the Offeror, the Joint Dealer Managers and the Tender Agent that it is not located or resident in the United States and is not a U.S. person and is not giving an order to participate in the Repurchase Offer from within the United States or on behalf of a U.S. person.

United Kingdom

The communication of the Repurchase Offer Notice and any other documents or materials relating to the Repurchase Offer is not being made and such documents and/or materials have not been approved by an authorised person for the purposes of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended. Accordingly, such documents and/or materials are not being distributed to, are not directed at and must not be passed on to, the general public in the United Kingdom. The communication of such documents and/or materials as a financial promotion is only being made to persons within the United Kingdom falling within the definition of investment professionals (as defined in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order")) or falling within Article 43(2) of the Order, or to other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated (together "relevant persons"). The investment activity to which this document relates will only be engaged in with relevant persons and persons who are not relevant persons should not rely on it.

European Economic Area

In any Member State of the European Economic Area (the "EEA") or in the United Kingdom (each, a "Relevant State"), the Repurchase Offer is only addressed to, and is only directed at, qualified investors in that Relevant State within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (the "Prospectus Regulation"). Each person in a Relevant State who receives any communication in respect of the Repurchase Offer contemplated in the Repurchase Offer Notice will be deemed to have represented, warranted and agreed to and with the Joint Dealer Managers, the Tender Agent and the Company that it is a qualified investor within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation. The Bonds have not been admitted to trading on a regulated market in the European Economic Area or in the United Kingdom.

Switzerland and General

This document and the Repurchase Offer Notice neither constitute a prospectus within the meaning of Articles 652a and 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations (as in effect immediately prior to the entry into force of the FinSA) nor a prospectus within the meaning of the listing rules of the SIX Swiss Exchange, a prospectus within the meaning of the FinSA or under any other applicable laws.

For further information, please contact:

Peer Nils Schroder, PhD



Head of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations Phone +41 61 606 1102 E-mail media_relations@basilea.com

investor_relations@basilea.com

This press release can be downloaded from www.basilea.com.

Attachment
10.07.2020 LISTEN

School belonging encompasses the degree to which learners feel personally accepted, respected, included and supported by others in the school social environment. It is what makes learners feel psychologically attached and makes them want to go to school everyday. This is influenced by many factors, Teacher-student relationships foremost. Positive and supportive teacher-student relationships ultimately increase sense of belonging and inspire learners to willingly take part in different activities in the school.

The relationship between teacher and student is, therefore, one of the most influential factors in a learning environment. It is a key facet in the trajectory of students' progress, social development and academic motivation. Educators have long known that the relationship with a teacher can be critically important to how well students learn.

Review of several educational research papers show that teacher-student relationships are linked with improvements on practically every parameter schools care about: higher academic participation, attendance, grades, fewer disruptive behaviours and suspensions, and lower school dropout rates. These effects still stood even after controlling the differences in students' individual, family, and school backgrounds.

In teaching, like many professions (Health, Banking, Sales etc.), relationship between people is key to getting the job done. It goes with the territory. This is even more so in teaching as the raw material and product in education are all people. Students spend more than 1000 hours with their teachers in a typical school year. Therefore the teacher-student relationship is almost inevitable.

As the teacher-student relationship is key in the school environment, it is imperative to separate the wheat from the chaff. It is critical that as we condemn and put measures in place to check the unfortunate behaviour of some teachers sleeping with their students, we dont also cloud the vast benefits of teacher-students relationship both academically and socially for the learner.

Being in an amorous relationship with students, however consenting, is illegal under the GES code of ethics for teachers and any sexual relationship between a student and a teacher can lead to the teachers instant dismissal. Im not and will never challenge the rightness of this at any moment. Teachers are in positions of trusted authority and, of course, theyll sometimes be the objects of student advances which may not be any fault of theirs.

When a teacher stands in front of a classroom, is intelligent, confident in their teaching, listens, communicates well and is passionate about their subject, it is very understandable that they would be admired and have occasional advances from students of opposite sex. This is heightened when teachers dress decently, have great command and understanding of subjects they teach that students see as difficult. However, teachers must never abuse the authority and power of their position or compromise their delicate role in the lives of young people, never.

This article is not in any way to defend or deny the presence of the negatives of teacher-student relationships and their dire consequences on students. Of course not. What I seek to do is to bring our minds to the fact that the teacher-student relationship is still key to student success and there are good, responsible teachers who are playing roles beneficial to students because of the good relationship they have with them. Below are some key benefits of teacher-students relationships.

Teachers are like second parents.

The general belief is that the teachers primary role is to direct students to knowledge and assist them to judge what is right and wrong. But on other hand, teachers play the role of second parents to students.

Students are from diverse backgrounds. Some of them are from broken homes, while others dont have parents and live with immediate relatives with no one close enough for them to share their issues with. This sometimes affects their learning, making them have difficulties in school. The teacher as a second parent can step in to somehow help solve their problems. There are students who feel comfortable to voluntarily share their problems with their teachers and are ready to listen and obey teachers than they would their parents at home.

Teachers as second parents support their students by giving proper guidance and are ready to discipline students so they dont go wayward. All dormitories are divided into houses with house parents (housemasters/mistresses) who oversee students welfare and development. Form masters also support in these roles. Once students feel that these teachers appreciate their developmental challenges, and are readily available to offer assistance, they will trust them more and open up to them.

Students spend more quality time in school than at home. Some parents do not have time to engage in deep conversation with their children to understand their educational, emotional, and social problems. Some students also stay in boarding houses from basic school to university. It is teachers who therefore have to take on these parental responsibilities neglected by actual parents.

It is important we dont make students see their teachers as predators ready to prey on their body at the least opportunity. This requires teachers also respecting themselves by treating students as children or younger siblings and acting responsibly in the confines of their professional code of conduct.

The teacher-student relationship is paramount in a students social maturation process.

Teacher-student relationships create an avenue for students to cultivate a positive rapport with a non-parental authority figure. By this, students are able to define themselves, boost their confidence and grow their emotional and social intelligence. It takes courage and determination for learners to address a teacher privately to let them know their emotional or social challenges and how much doing well in their academics matters to them and teachers value that boldness and display of maturity.

To some students, the only authority figure they can look up to, learn from and boldly talk about their sensitive issues with are teachers. And how they relate with teachers influence and shape their social development and moral orientation.

This fact is affirmed by Peter Riddle founder of Empowered Learning Transformation Centers (ELTC). He states that; Positive relationships with teachers become game-changers for students. In my 37-year experience, I have worked with thousands of youngsters and adults with learning and behaviour disorders. The common thread with all of these people is that emotional intelligence increases when individuals are challenged to perform and function at their very best in the midst of a safe, structured environment.

A good teacher-student relationship is critical to academic success.

There is a great deal of literature that provides substantial confirmation that strong relationships between teachers and students are key components to the healthy academic progress of students.

It is common to see students who struggle academically to have the most challenging relationships with their teachers, which compounds their issues with performance. When students are encouraged to work on building positive relationships with their teachers, and are also helped to engage teachers in specific subjects they are struggling with in a positive way, there is an increase in their scores. This is contributed by the good relationship with teachers of these subjects.

Other studies show that teachers who are engaged by students who proactively work at their relationships with them are likely to get higher scores than others. Students who have good relationships with teachers are more motivated to attend classes if they know their teacher cares about them and will help them succeed. It is an excellent way to fight chronic absenteeism.

It is unfortunate and condemnable for some teachers to have amorous relationships in any shape or form with their students. This cannot be denied as there have been several reports of such incidence by GES. However, not all teachers are in such relationship with their students. If the relationship between teacher and student is positive, it has several benefits at all levels of an educational establishment, inside the classroom and across the whole school environment.

Conclusion

If the impression is created that all teacher-student relationships, especially between male teachers and female students, are about sex, some educators and other teachers, as well as society, will be suspicious of every teacher who is close to his students. Hence the good, responsible teachers are also going to totally withdraw or be reluctant to assist students in other to protect their integrity. As a result, all these benefits from teacher-students relationships which are valuable to the student are going to be lost.
The getaway will gather pace over coming days as more holidays and flights come on stream. TUI U.K., the countrys biggest travel company, for example, is due to restart its summer program on Saturday, with flights to eight destinations in Greece, Spains Balearic Islands and the Canaries, from three airports. TUI has said it plans to add more flights and destinations by the end of July to offer a total of 19 destinations from five U.K. airports.
A continuing spike in coronavirus infections, centred in the Victorian state capital Melbourne, is exposing the criminally-negligent reopening of the economy by state and federal governments over the past six weeks and their refusal to even consider any strategy aimed at eliminating COVID-19 transmission.

This afternoon, 288 new cases were reported in Victoria, the highest daily total in any state since the pandemic began. Announcing the grim milestone, Victorias chief health officer, Professor Brett Sutton forecast high infection tolls over the coming fortnight.

We will see an increase in hospitalised and ICU [Intensive Care Unit] cases and in deaths in the coming days because of the spike that we have seen, Sutton declared.

He revealed that there were almost 5,000 people who had come into contact with affected individuals. The state, Sutton said, does not have a sufficient number of medical professionals to contact all of them, so where feasible, they will receive an automated message.

Chief health officer Sutton announcing today's record cases

Todays tally is the fifth straight day of triple-digit infections in Victoria. Active cases across the state stand at 1,172, the largest number since the coronavirus crisis began.

The spike is continuing as a city-wide lockdown, announced earlier in the week, goes into effect. The measure, while placing further restrictions on travel within Melbourne, visits to other peoples homes and outdoor gatherings, will not impede the operations of most businesses, especially the largest companies.

Yesterdays announcement of 165 Victorian infections revealed widespread community transmission. Some 30 of those infections were related to known clusters, while 130 were under investigation, meaning that their source is unknown. None of Thursdays cases were among returned travellers in hotel quarantines.

Unlike in the initial stages of the pandemic, when those affected were wealthier residents returning from overseas holidays in Europe and the US, the current spike is hitting the working class, the poor and the vulnerable the hardest.

More than 100 cases are among residents of nine public housing towers in the inner-city suburbs of Flemington and North Melbourne. When residents were forced into a police imposed hard lockdown on Saturday, that figure was below 50.

Victorian Labor Premier Daniel Andrews announced yesterday that the stay-at-home order would be lifted in all but one of the towers, after widespread public anger over the failure to provide tenants with basic essentials, including decent food.

At least 53 infections have been confirmed in the North Melbourne building that will remain under lockdown for another nine days. It remains unclear how many tenants in other buildings have tested positive. Andrews said that more than 100 would be given the offer of quarantining in hotels. Some media reports have stated that in all of the towers, including the North Melbourne building, 159 infections have been detected.

This likely indicates that the bureaucratically-imposed and punitive restrictions have failed to halt rampant transmission within at least some of the towers, or that testing prior to the hard lockdown was minimal.

Cases are again emerging in aged care facilities, where most deaths have occurred since the pandemic began. A resident at the Glendale Aged Care facility in Werribee tested positive this week, as have staff members at Uniting AgeWell in Preston, Baptcare Karana in Kew and Doutta Galla Lynchs Bridge in Kensington.

Workplaces continue to be centres of transmission, underscoring the reckless character of the pro-business drive to force all workers back to their places of employment. At least four workers have tested positive at a Footscray customer fulfillment centre operated by supermarket giant Woolworths, following multiple cases at a warehouse operated by its main rival Coles and confirmed infections in two abattoirs.

Some 113 cases have been among students and staff at the Al-Taqwa College in western Melbourne, the largest outbreak in the more than 30 schools forced to close after face-to-face teaching was prematurely resumed in late May.

Despite this, the Andrews government is forcing teachers to return to schools next week for the beginning of Term 3 with a reduced student cohort, and has still not ruled out a complete reopening over the following weeks.

As in the previous wave of infections in MarchApril, transmission is occurring within the health system itself. Cases have been reported in Royal Melbourne Hospital, the emergency department of Sunshine Hospital and Brunswick Private Hospital, while eleven infections have been confirmed at the worst cluster in Eppings Northern Hospital. At least four paramedics have tested positive. The total number of infected healthcare workers is almost two dozen.

Around 41 COVID-19 patients have been hospitalised. Twelve of them are in intensive care, up from the seven reported yesterday.

Despite the relatively low numbers at this stage, medical professionals have warned that Melbournes hospitals are already in danger of being overwhelmed. Senior doctors who spoke to the Guardian yesterday stated that a hard stop to elective surgeries was required to ensure capacity, differing with official instructions that 75 percent of such procedures should be carried out.

One doctor stated: There is no free, or surge bed capacity, at the moment, adding that their hospital only had three beds available for COVID or suspected COVID patients [this week]. Thats scary. The Australian hospital system is always at 100% capacity. There arent a lot of spare beds.

The situation had not improved over the previous six months, she said, with overcrowded waiting rooms threatening broad transmission.

When the pandemic began in March, there were just 2,200 intensive care unit (ICU) hospital beds across the country. From 1977, the number of all hospital beds per 1,000 people had halved from 8.1 to 3.9, bringing Australias ratio below countries such as Italy.

In justifying the lifting of coronavirus restrictions beginning in May, governments proclaimed that they had increased hospital capacity to cope with any surge in infections.

An article in the Age on Wednesday called into question those assertions. It revealed that in Victoria alone, an order of 3,000 intensive care monitors in April was significantly reduced, plans to buy hundreds of defibrillators from overseas never proceeded and a proposal for a 750-bed intensive care facility at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre was also quietly shelved.

While each one of those initiatives was announced with great fanfare, their cancellation was not even publicly-revealed prior to Wednesday.

The Australian has claimed that an assessment by the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee found that Victoria did not follow guidelines specifying that close contacts should be followed up daily for flu-like symptoms, a breakdown that led to surging transmission rates. It is also alleged that the Victorian health department has an insufficient number of specialists trained in contact-tracing.

Chief health officer Sutton appeared to confirm those claims during the announcement of todays record infections. In any event, the high proportion of cases of unknown origin each day clearly suggests that efforts to trace the spread of the virus are failing.

There are growing fears that the spike will extend across the country, intensified by the announcement of 14 new COVID-19 infections in New South Wales today (NSW). A closure of the border between Victoria and NSW, the countrys two most populous states, began this week.

The lack of any warning of the unprecedented move, which is being enforced by hundreds of police officers, has created a crisis for those living in border towns. Some have been cut off from their places of employment, their close relatives and even their nearest medical facility.

Thousands of people have already been granted exemptions, however, meaning that the dangers of transmission across state boundaries remain high.

Earlier this week, it was revealed that some passengers of a Jetstar flight from Melbourne to Sydney were waived through on arrival, despite medical checks supposedly being mandated. This has been compared to the disastrous handling of mass infections on the Ruby Princess cruise ship, which resulted in hundreds of cases across the country.

The primary concern of the ruling elite is to ensure that the current surge does not impact on their reckless back-to-work drive. Restrictions are continuing to be eased, with Queensland announcing the opening of its state border, except for Victorian residents.

Liberal-National Prime Minister Scott Morrison has backed Victorian Labor Premier Andrews, in line with the bipartisanship that has been on display throughout the crisis. Morrison has reportedly offered to deploy hundreds more army personnel to assist with Melbournes lockdown, in the latest warning of the increasingly militarised response to the pandemic.

The calculations in the political and financial establishment were spelled out in back-to-back editorials in the Australian.

This morning, the Murdoch-owned paper insisted that there was no need for panic or extreme measures that would prolong the economic fallout from COVID-19 unnecessarily.

It denounced calls for any attempt to eliminate transmission, a strategy already rejected by Morrison and the state leaders, on the grounds that this would do the nation no favours. The editorial callously noted that the majority of those who had died of COVID-19 were over 70. Given this, it was necessary for Australians to learn to live with the virus, as safely as possible, as they had done with the flu, in order to protect the economy.

Yesterdays editorial also downplayed the crisis, blithely stating: The infections setback aside, a more positive national policy is possible. This had been seen with the establishment of a bipartisan national cabinet, largely ruling through anti-democratic fiat, and the creation of government-led working groups, bringing together union officials and company executives to plan a sweeping pro-business overhaul of industrial relations and workplace conditions.
YEREVAN.  The youngest of the last eleven people who died of the coronavirus in Armenia was 51 years old, and the oldest was 93 years old, the Ministry of Health informed Armenian News-NEWS.am about this.

Regarding the cases of death, we inform that the patents were aged 69 (female), 72 (female), 64 (female), 86 (female), 93 (male), 51 (female), 90 (male), 60 (male), 62 (male), 72 (male) and 85 (male). All of them had pre-existing chronic diseases, the ministry noted, in particular.
HEFEI/CHANGSHA/WUHAN, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Suffering from rain-triggered mountain torrents twice in 24 hours, residents in Biyun Village in east China's Anhui Province said they had never experienced such downpours before. "It's getting bigger every time, and parts of the village were inundated by knee-deep floodwater," said 54-year-old Xia Minghua, Party secretary of Biyun, in the city of Xuancheng. The village was battered respectively by two torrential floods at 5 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Monday and a total of five bouts of heavy rains in Xuancheng since it entered the flood season this year had forced the evacuation of 22,107 people as of Tuesday. "Before the flash floods, local authorities had arranged for the relocation of a dozen villagers living in lowlands, riverbanks and other places vulnerable to floods," said Fang Guanghu, a resident of Biyun. "We are now temporarily living in a conference room in our village, provided with meals, television, mosquito-repellent incense and quilts, all free of charge," Fang added. While relocating residents, local authorities are racing against time in their rescue work, as "trees and debris washed down by mountain torrents blocked the river channel. We have to dredge it in time to prevent more severe damage in the upcoming floods," Xia said. Since June, continuous downpours have lashed parts of China and the waters of many rivers in the affected regions exceeded warning levels. China's State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters upgraded the emergency flood response from Grade IV to Grade III on Tuesday. The country has a four-tier flood control emergency response system, with Grade I representing the most severe. Although a few days have passed, 65-year-old Luo Yuehua still felt scared when recalling her experience on Monday night. "At around 10 p.m. Monday, local officials came to persuade us to evacuate as fast as possible, as my house was in great danger of collapse due to days of torrential downpours," Luo said. Hidden in a mountainous area, Qinglong Village, where Luo lives in Qiaoziwan Township, central China's Hunan Province, was hit by a rain-triggered landslide late Monday night, when local officials went into the village to relocate 62 residents to a small campus on the highland. With a high altitude and loosely distributed residents, Qinglong was hit hard by Monday's sudden rainfall, with many sections of the mountain roads to the village blocked by falling rocks and tree branches, making it urgent to conduct relocation, said Liu Furong, head of Qiaoziwan Township. Besides Qinglong Village, Hunan had evacuated a total of 6,427 people as of Tuesday as a result of the continuous heavy rain that affected more than 146,000 people in the province, according to the provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters. At Qinglong Village's relocation site on a small schoolyard, the classrooms have been converted into temporary dormitories. Children can play on the playground while villagers can sit and chat, according to Liu. Lashed by incessant downpours, central China's Hubei Province raised its emergency response for natural disaster relief from Grade IV to Grade III starting from Wednesday noon. The recent rounds of heavy rain since July 4 have claimed two lives and affected more than 2.55 million residents across Hubei as of Wednesday morning, said the provincial emergency management department, adding that about 65,000 people have been relocated. "With food, drinks and other daily necessities all offered free of charge, we don't need to worry about anything here," said Fang Yaorong, a resident living in Tianxingzhou Island in Wuhan, capital of Hubei, who was evacuated to a relocation site at a primary school in Wuhan's Wuchang District. Enditem


The opposition National Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Sammy Gyamfi has blamed President Akufo-Addo for the growing COVID-19 infections among health workers in the country.

According to Mr. Gyamfi, the Akufo-Addo-led administration has made certain insensitive decisions thus putting the lives of the health personnel at risk.

The high COVID-19 infections among Ghanaian health workers is a direct product of the insensitive decisions and poor leadership of Nana Akufo-Addo, he tweeted on Thursday, July 9, 2020.

My heart bleeds for our patriotic health workers who are sacrificing their lives to keep us safe. Let's remember them in our prayers, he added. Find Mr. Gyamfis tweet below

779 health workers infected, nine dead, many others in isolation

The NDC Communication Officer made the claim following reports that a total of 779 health workers have so far been infected with COVID-19 since the outbreak of the disease in Ghana.

The number translate translates into six health sector workers getting infected each day since Ghana recorded its first two cases on March 12, 2020.

A joint statement issued by Health Sector Unions and Professional Associations said at least nine of their members have died from COVID-19.

As at 30th June 2020, over seven hundred and seventy-nine (779) health workers had contracted the COVID- 19 virus in the line of duty with a total of nine (9) deaths have occurred so far. A large number of health workers are also currently in isolation awaiting their test results after having been exposed to the virus at their places of work.

The data gathered so far indicates that; 190 members of the GMA (Doctors) have contracted the virus with 4 unfortunate deaths. 410 members of the GRNMA and its Allied Associations (Nurses and Midwives) have contracted the virus with 1 unfortunate death. 156 members of the HSWU have contracted the virus with 3 unfortunate deaths. 23 members of the GHOSPA have contracted the virus with 1 unfortunate death, the statement noted.

Health workers call for increase testing

The health workers in their statement urged the government to expand its testing program throughout the country and make available test kits to prevent delays in obtaining test results.

They also said all health facilities must mandatorily create holding bays to detain all patients who are suspected to have contracted COVID-19 warning that Ghana would be treading on dangerous grounds if it fails to urgently act in this regard.

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A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) passenger plane arrives at the Benazir International airport in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Dec. 2, 2015. (Faisal Mahmood/File Photo/Reuters)

US Bans Pakistan International Airlines Flights Over Pilot Concerns

SYDNEYThe U.S. Department of Transportation said it has revoked permission for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to conduct charter flights to the United States, citing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) concerns over Pakistani pilot certifications.

The information is contained in a revocation of special authorization dated July 1 provided by the department to Reuters on Friday.

Pakistan last month grounded almost a third of its pilots after discovering they may have falsified their qualifications.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency suspended PIAs authorization to fly to the bloc for six months in a blow to the carriers operations.

It is a setback for us, the PIAs spokesman, Abdullah H. Khan told Reuters in an email. The airline was planning to expand the current special flights arrangements to re-initiate a regular schedule from Pakistan to the United States to provide direct flights, he said.

We are continuously engaged with them and sincerely hope that with the confidence building measures, the decision would be reviewed, Khan said.

Pakistans grounding of pilots with dubious credentials followed the crash of a PIA jet in May that killed 97 people.

By Jamie Freed and SAsif Shahzad
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Linkedin Sausan Atika (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 10, 2020 14:13 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066563e18 1 City urban-development,dki-jakarta,transit-line,Transportation,MRT-Jakarta,TOD-transit-oriented-development Free

As a capital city notorious worldwide for its traffic problems, Jakarta has sought to shift its development to a more sustainable urban mobility model.

After employing the odd-even license plate policy to prevent gridlock and expanding its inadequate sidewalks to increase footfall, authorities are focusing on improving more of the citys transit hubs.

City-owned mass transportation company MRT Jakarta, which was appointed the operator of the citys transit-oriented development (TOD), is expected to commence revitalization projects at a number of busy transit hubs following the issuance of long-awaited urban development guidelines.

Three TOD designated zones in South Jakarta are expected to begin development: the Blok M-ASEAN, Lebak Bulus and Fatmawati MRT stations. They are among the five TOD projects along the citys first MRT line, which also includes Dukuh Atas and Istora Senayan stations in Central Jakarta.

The development of three TOD projects will be carried out in the near future, MRT Jakarta spokesperson M. Kamaluddin told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday. He did not elaborate on any set date.

TOD has long been in MRT Jakartas pipeline but the recently signed urban development guidelines issued by Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan finally give it a legal basis.

To ensure the project runs smoothly, the company plans to establish a dedicated subsidiary, PT Integrasi Transit Jakarta. The new entity will be 90 percent owned by MRT Jakarta, while the other 10 percent goes to Transjakarta, another city-owned transportation company.

This subsidiary will become MRT Jakartas right-hand [man] when it comes to carrying out coordination and development activities, MRT Jakarta president director William Sabandar said in a recent media briefing.

A dedicated task force has also been formed to prepare for all necessary procedures to speed up the project, he added.

The TOD project will add mixed-use development, expand sidewalks and public spaces, install bike-sharing facilities and plant trees for the green belt. Mixed land use may offer development opportunities for residential, business and leisure purposes, the company says.

Space for parking lots will also be reduced [] With the TOD, we are hoping the number of private vehicle users will drop off, William said.

The number of daily trips in and out of Greater Jakarta has almost doubled from 47.5 million in 2015 to 88 million in 2018, according to data from the Greater Jakarta Transportation Agency. As Jakarta is still the main destination for commuters, there is an increasing sense of urgency to improve urban mobility in the agglomeration area.

Of the 3.2 million daily commuters in Greater Jakarta, some 72 percent still use private vehicles.

Jakartas MRT line is expected to persuade private vehicle users to shift to public transportation. The attempt seems to be on track as the company had seen increased demand and a revival of businesses located in the vicinity of its stations, after just one year of becoming operational, William claimed.

Before the COVID-19 outbreak, the company recorded an average of 100,000 passengers a day, increasing from nearly 80,000 during the first month of operation. The MRT line was launched on March 24 last year.

Even as the capital transitions out of a partial lockdown to curb the spread of the virus, MRT passenger numbers have slowly increased to 20,000 people a day as of Thursday since restrictions were eased in June.

The company previously recorded lower than 1,000 passengers a day on some days during the three-month period of restrictions.

Development at each of the three TOD locations, which covers a total area of 113 hectares, will employ different urban renewal concepts to account for their distinct characteristics.

The TOD concept for Fatmawati will be one of dynamic vertical space. The Blok M-ASEAN station will become a green creative hub as we want to turn the area back [into a green belt]. We also want to make Lebak Bulus a terminus, a gate to Jakartas south, William explained.

The project, restricted only by a limited infrastructure development budget, is likely to require a longer time to finish. As a result, the company will pursue business-to-business (B2B) schemes as the main funding option.

The results will probably be seen within 10 or 20 years, he said.

TOD is nothing new in Indonesia, as other state institutions have similar ongoing projects all around the countrys urban center, Greater Jakarta.

State-owned railway operator PT KAI has a partnership with state builder PT Perumnas to develop TOD zones near four commuter line stations, namely Tanjung Barat Station in South Jakarta, Pondok Cina Station in Depok, Rawabuntu Station in South Tangerang and Bogor Station in Bogor.

Under the scheme, the companies plan to build a total of 13 apartment towers  six near Bogor Station, three at Rawabuntu, two in Pondok Cina and two in Tanjung Barat  complete with public and commercial facilities.

In addition to Perumnas, KAI has also joined hands with state-owned PT Pembangunan Perumahan (PP) for a similar apartment development project around the Juanda railway station in Central Jakarta.

Mulya Amri, program director of the Jakarta Property Institute, said the TOD might become a more attractive concept after the COVID-19 outbreak subsides, as mixed land use offers reduced travel distances for retail, logistics and even work, if offices are also built near the area.

[People] can gain access to basic needs by walking or biking without necessarily taking public transportation. This may be safer in terms of COVID-19 prevention, he said.
MANILA, Philippines - Philippine lawmakers voted Friday to reject the license renewal of the countrys largest TV network, shutting down a major news provider that had been repeatedly threatened by the president over its critical coverage.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/7/2020 (557 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

An employee of the country's largest TV network ABS-CBN, holds a slogan during a rally outside the House of Representatives in Manila, Philippines, Thursday, July 9, 2020. ABS-CBN was shut down by the government's telecommunications regulator in May after its 25-year franchise expired. Congress has been hearing the network's request for a franchise renewal. The shutdown has been criticized as it cut off a major source of information on the COVID-19 pandemic in a Southeast Asian hot spot of the disease. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine lawmakers voted Friday to reject the license renewal of the countrys largest TV network, shutting down a major news provider that had been repeatedly threatened by the president over its critical coverage.

The House of Representatives Committee on Franchises voted 70-11 to reject a new 25-year license for ABS-CBN Corp. The National Telecommunications Commission had ordered the broadcaster to shut down in May after its old franchise expired. It halted broadcasting then, but the vote takes it off the air permanently.

Only the House of Representatives, which is dominated by President Rodrigo Dutertes allies, can grant such franchises and the chance of any reversal of Fridays vote is extremely low, lawmakers said.

Supporters calling for the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN wait outside the ABS-CBN compound in Quezon City, Philippines Friday, July 10, 2020. Philippine lawmakers have voted to reject the license renewal of the countrys largest TV network, ABS-CBN Corp. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

The network, which used to be viewed by millions of Filipinos on free TV, has been able to continue broadcasting some of its TV and radio news programs over paid cable channels, but with a small fraction of its former viewership.

We are deeply hurt, ABS-CBN President and CEO Carlo Katigbak said, but he suggested the company will try to find other ways to return to business.

Together with our employees and our audiences all over the world, we share in your sadness over this setback, Katigbak said. We look forward to the day when we can again reunite.

In the networks newsroom, journalists hugged each other and wept. We lost our voice, Irish Vidal, a news staffer, said in tears. Outside its headquarters, journalists and TV and movie celebrities lit candles and held protest placards.

Supporters calling for the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN wait outside the ABS-CBN compound in Quezon City, Philippines Friday, July 10, 2020. Philippine lawmakers have voted to reject the license renewal of the countrys largest TV network, ABS-CBN Corp. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Duterte and his allies had questioned the networks compliance with the law and the terms of its franchise, including its alleged use of a dummy corporation and large numbers of non-regular workers without employment security. The company denied any wrongdoing in a dozen televised House hearings.

International media watchdogs condemned the closure of ABS-CBN, which was founded in 1953, as a major blow to press freedom.

Human Rights Watch said the lawmakers vote was a grievous assault on press freedom in the country and the greatest blow to media freedom caused by any government act since late dictator Ferdinand Marcos shut the broadcasting giant and other media outlets after declaring martial law in 1972.

This move solidifies the tyranny of President Rodrigo Duterte, said Phil Robertson, the deputy Asia director of the U.S.-based rights group.

Supporters react after hearing the results of the voting at the House of Representative for the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN at the company headquarters of ABS-CBN in Quezon City, Philippines, Friday, July 10, 2020. Philippine lawmakers voted Friday to reject the license renewal of the country's largest TV network, shutting down a major news provider that had been repeatedly threatened by the president over its critical coverage. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Reflecting the extent of unease over the networks shutdown, both the opposition and several key Duterte allies questioned efforts to close it. Concerns have also been raised by a diverse range of groups, including top business executives, left-wing activists and Catholic Church officials.

ABS-CBN has more than 11,000 news and production personnel nationwide. Aside from reporting on the coronavirus, which has infected more than 50,000 people and killed 1,314 in the Philippines, it has provided food and medical aid to more than 2 million people, company officials said.

Watchdogs accuse Duterte and his government of muzzling independent media such as ABS-CBN that have reported critically on issues including his anti-drug crackdown, which has left thousands of mostly poor drug suspects dead. Duterte has accused the network of not airing his paid campaign ads and favouring a rival candidate in the 2016 election, allegations the company denied.

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Other critical media, including leading newspaper the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Rappler, an online news site, have also come under attack from the president.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Duterte took a neutral position on ABS-CBNs franchise renewal and left it to Congress to decide.

But ahead of the franchise expiration, the governments solicitor-general, Jose Calida, asked the Supreme Court in February to revoke the franchises of ABS-CBN and a subsidiary in a separate attempt to shut the company for allegedly abusing its franchises and violating a constitutional prohibition on foreign investment in Philippine media.

ABS-CBN denied the allegations. The high court eventually dismissed the petition.

___

Associated Press journalists Aaron Favila in Manila, Philippines, and Kiko Rosario in Bangkok contributed to this report.
MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Russian Orthodox Church on Friday said it regretted that a Turkish court did not take its concerns into account when ruling that Istanbul's Hagia Sophia being a museum was unlawful, the TASS news agency reported. It said the decision could lead to even greater divisions.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Russian Orthodox Church on Friday said it regretted that a Turkish court did not take its concerns into account when ruling that Istanbul's Hagia Sophia being a museum was unlawful, the TASS news agency reported.

It said the decision could lead to even greater divisions.

A Turkish court said on Friday it annulled a 1934 government decree turning Istanbuls Hagia Sophia into a museum, ruling it was unlawful, paving the way for the buildings conversion back into mosque despite international warnings against such a move.

(Reporting by Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber; Writing by Alexander Marrow; Editing by Toby Chopra)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
New Delhi:

Veer and Shaurya, the first twins in the Gills family, were born at a city hospital through an emergency cesarean surgery, 33 weeks after the pregnancy due to chances of intra-uterine growth retardation or poor growth of foetus inside the womb.

29-year-old Nidhi Gill was advised by many to abort one or both of her monoamniotic twins due to the high risk pregnancy, but her boys survived the medical condition and the odds as they turned one this Diwali.

Monoamniotic twins (sharing the same amniotic sac within the uterus) are rare occurring in approximately 1 in 35,000 to 1 in 60,000 pregnancies where serious complications could arise, especially for the foetus.Usually termed as Monoamniotic-Monochorionic or MoMo twins, they are always identical, monochorionic and share the placenta, but have separate umbilical cords.I had no idea about this kind of twins and many advised us to go for abortion of either one or both of the babies, saying their lives and mine, both would be endangered if I went ahead with the rare pregnancy. But I wanted to have them.

And, on the day of the delivery, I was awake and felt nervous when I could not hear any voice. But, after a moment, the first baby cried and few minutes later the second one also did. It was the most amazing feeling, says Nidhi, a working mother from Delhi.Senior Consultant, Obstetrics and Gynaecology at BLK Super Speciality Hospital, Poonam Khera, who monitored Nidhis pregnancy, said, I had to first counsel and mentally prepare her to undergo this.

I told her about the complications that could have occurred, but the idea was to calm her.The hospital said this was the first case of MoMo twins at BLK.Nidhi responded well and successfully delivered two male babies, weighing 1.2 kgs and 1.59 kgs, they said.Both the twins are healthy and doing extremely well.

After celebrating their first birthday on Friday, they are now looking forward to their first Diwali.But the entire pregnancy period was fraught with challenges, and in MoMo twins, Khera said, the birth was premature and through surgical intervention.It is a high-risk pregnancy and can lead to intra-uterine growth retardation or death of the twins, or one twin becoming big while other becoming very small, low weight of babies. For expectant mothers it can cause pregnancy-induced hypertension that leads to swelling of feet, Khera told PTI.

Doctors at Delhis Fortis Le Femme, where 70 normal twin births have taken place this year, said, the expectant mothers should go for regular check-ups for any complications.After birth, the babies are kept in a nursery for some time, so it is of paramount importance that women must only go to such facilities which have nursery. Besides, other precautions must be taken before the C-section, Senior Consultant, Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Le Femme, Madhu Goel said.

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The chancellor of New York City's public schools on Thursday defended the district's plans to partially reopen this fall due to the coronavirus, telling CNBC that "there are no perfect choices here."

"The perfect choice would be we have a vaccine and we're back to business, but we know that's not the case," Richard Carranza said on "Closing Bell." "What we're trying to do is pick the least onerous of a portfolio of onerous choices."

Carranza and Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Wednesday that the district intends for the vast majority of its 1.1 million students to in-person classes only two or three days per week. Students will participate in remote instruction on the other days.

The plan still must be approved by Albany. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday the state expects to reach its decision on whether its schools can reopen in the fall in early August, citing the rapidly changing dynamics of the nation's Covid-19 outbreak.

New York City's plans to partially send students back to school has been criticized by some who worry it jeopardizes educational development for children. They also worry about the burden it places on parents and guardians who would be confronted by additional challenges with child care and helping their kids learn while working jobs of their own.

President Donald Trump has in recent days been intensifying pressure on school districts across the U.S. to reopen in the fall, threatening to withhold federal funding from schools that do not hold in-person instruction. Trump and other administration officials argue sending students to school part-time presents a greater risk to health than the coronavirus.

"It's not a question of open their schools versus public health. My position is the public health of the students of this nation is best served by getting schools reopened," CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield said Thursday on ABC's "Good Morning America."

Central to the debate about the fate of schools this fall is the role of children play in transmitting the coronavirus and what health risks an infection presents to them.

Redfield on Wednesday said the agency does not have evidence that children "are driving the transmission cycle of this." But later in that same briefing, White House health advisor Dr. Deborah Birx said more data is needed to arrive at that conclusion, saying children are not tested widely enough to know for sure their role in facilitating the epidemic.

In explaining the rationale for New York City's reopening plan, Carranza pointed to outbreaks of the virus in child care facilities in Texas as the state grapples with its intensifying epidemic. According to the Texas Tribune, kids account for about one-third of the nearly 1,700 cases linked to child care centers in the state.

Children are at a lower risk of serious illness and death from Covid-19, data shows. However, Carranza emphasized that the health of teachers and staff must also be taken into consideration. "We have adults ... in schools with children, some of whom may have preexisting conditions or be taking care of someone with preexisting conditions," he said.

Carranza said New York City's plan of sending children to school two to three days a week is necessary to allow for social distancing inside classrooms because it creates smaller class sizes. Additionally, the nation's largest district also will have a strict policy on face coverings for students and staff alike.

"We keep learning every day, every week about how this transmits, how it presents itself in our population," Carranza said. "For us, as educators who love children, we are not going to put children or their adults that serve those children in a condition where they may get infected or be able to spread that virus to those that they love and care for."
Nathalia Bruno was making a food delivery on Monday night in Passaic, N.J., and it was raining heavily. Turning a corner, she was suddenly immersed in a flash flood far too deep to escape.

With water pouring into the Toyota Prius she was driving, she dialed the police, forced open the door and dived out of the car. The flooding knocked her phone out of her hand and pulled her under the car. She grabbed for the wheels and managed to struggle to the surface before being pulled down into a covered drainage pipe, or culvert.

The water tossed Ms. Bruno down the culvert, which is about three-quarters of a mile long, at 30 to 40 miles per hour, the authorities said. She grabbed at the tunnels walls unsuccessfully.

Despite being pulled under the water repeatedly, she was able to continue gasping for air until she tumbled out into the Passaic River and, eventually, climbed up on its bank.
[July 10, 2020] PoS Mobile Card Reader Market 2020-2024 | Lower Costs of Mobile Card Reader Devices to Boost Growth | Technavio

Technavio has been monitoring the PoS mobile card reader market and it is poised to grow by USD 2.08 billion during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of over 9% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200710005165/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global PoS Mobile Card Reader Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire) Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact The market is concentrated, and the degree of concentration will accelerate during the forecast period. Etsy Inc., Fiserv Inc., Ingenico Group SA, Intuit Inc., PayPal Holdings Inc., Shopify Inc., Square Inc., Thales (News - Alert) Group, Visa Inc., and Worldline SA are some of the major market participants. The lower costs of mobile card reader devices will offer immense growth opportunities. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments. Lower costs of mobile card reader devices have been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. PoS Mobile Card Reader Market 2020-2024: Segmentation PoS Mobile Card Reader Market is segmented as below: Technology Contact Contactless

Geography APAC North America Europe South America MEA

To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR43661



PoS Mobile Card Reader Market 2020-2024: Scope Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our PoS mobile card reader market report covers the following areas:

PoS Mobile Card Reader Market Size

PoS Mobile Card Reader Market Trends

PoS Mobile Card Reader Market Industry Analysis This study identifies lower transaction and switching costs as one of the prime reasons driving the PoS mobile card reader market growth during the next few years. PoS Mobile Card Reader Market 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis We provide a detailed analysis of vendors operating in the PoS mobile card reader market, including some of the vendors such as Etsy Inc., Fiserv Inc., Ingenico Group SA, Intuit (News - Alert) Inc., PayPal Holdings Inc., Shopify Inc., Square Inc., Thales Group, Visa Inc., and Worldline SA. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the PoS mobile card reader market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support. Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports. Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform PoS Mobile Card Reader Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024

Detailed information on factors that will assist PoS mobile card reader market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the PoS mobile card reader market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the PoS mobile card reader market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of PoS mobile card reader market vendors Table Of Contents: Executive Summary Market Landscape Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

Value chain analysis Market Sizing Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2019

Market outlook: Forecast for 2019 - 2024 Five Forces Analysis Five forces summary

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition Market Segmentation by Technology Market segments

Comparison by Technology

Contact - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Contactless - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by Technology Customer Landscape Geographic Landscape Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

APAC - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

North America - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Europe - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

South America - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

MEA - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography Market Drivers Market Challenges Market Trends Vendor Landscape Vendor landscape

Landscape disruption

Competitive scenario Vendor Analysis Vendors covered

Market PoSitioning of vendors

Etsy Inc.

Fiserv Inc.

Ingenico Group SA

Intuit Inc.

PayPal (News - Alert) Holdings Inc.

Shopify Inc.

Square Inc.

Thales Group

Visa Inc.

Worldline SA Appendix Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations About Us Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market PoSitions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive PoSitions within changing market scenarios. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200710005165/en/

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COVID-19 Pandemic in Africa Is Reaching Full Speed

JOHANNESBURGThe COVID-19 pandemic in Africa is reaching full speed, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention chief said on July 9, while a South African official said a single province is preparing 1.5 million graves.

Just a day after confirmed coronavirus cases across Africa surpassed the half-million milestone the total was over 522,000 and climbing, with more than 12,000 deaths. With testing levels low, the real numbers are unknown.

South Africa has the most confirmed cases with over 224,000, and for the first time Gauteng provincehome to Johannesburg and the capital, Pretoriahas the countrys most cases with over 75,000, or 33 percent.

Provincial official Bandile Masuku, a medical doctor, startled South Africans when he told reporters on July 8 that Gauteng is preparing more than 1.5 million graves.

Its a reality that we need to deal with, he said, and its the publics responsibility to make sure that we dont get there.

But the province in a statement on July 9 sought to calm fears, saying it does not have over a million already open dug graves and clarified that the official was saying the province has enough space for that many. It also said six members of Gautengs COVID-19 war room have tested positive for the virus.

Modeling has shown that South Africa will have nowhere close to that many deaths in the months ahead. Several models forecast between 40,000 and 80,000 by the end of the year.

Asked about the graves, Africa CDC chief John Nkengasong said, theres absolutely no harm to think ahead and prepare for the worst-case scenario.

Weve crossed a critical number here, he said of the half-million milestone. Our pandemic is getting to full speed.

He called for more mask-wearing, saying this battle will be won or lost at the community level. He also called for more testing, as just 5.7 million tests for the new virus have been conducted across the continent of 1.3 billion people.

With painful memories of many people dying in Africa while waiting for accessible HIV drugs years ago, the Africa CDC on July 9 created a consortium aimed at securing more than 10 late-stage COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials on the continent as early as possible.

We want to be sure we dont find ourselves in the 1996 scenario, where HIV drugs were available, but it took almost seven years for those drugs to be accessible on the continent, Nkengasong said.

With any COVID-19 vaccine, a delay in Africa of even one year would be catastrophic, he said.

He said the new consortium of African institutions will engage with the GAVI vaccine alliance and other entities outside the continent amid efforts to ensure that a vaccine is distributed equitably from the start.

Those efforts are challenged by the United States and others assertively making deals with vaccine makers to secure supplies in advance.

The African Union in June said governments around the world should remove all obstacles to swift and equitable distribution of any successful COVID-19 vaccine, including by making all intellectual property and technologies immediately available.

Africa in recent days has begun taking part in COVID-19 vaccine trials in the face of increasing misinformation on the continent. Trials have begun in South Africa and Egypt, but Nkengasong said a continent of 1.3 billion people deserves more than just two countries participating.

A vaccine is the only weapon to allow our lives to return to normal, he said.

Conducting clinical trials in Africa is crucial to see how a vaccine performs in a local contextextremely important, the World Health Organizations Africa chief, Matshidiso Moeti, told reporters on July 9.

Many life-saving vaccines have lagged between five and 20 years from the time they become available in high-income countries to when theyre available in low-income ones. Thats in part because local data is lacking, said Shabir Madhi, principal investigator of the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine trial in South Africa.

Africa has some 17 percent of the worlds population and less than 3 percent of its clinical trials, he said. If anything, the criticism right now shouldnt be about the possibility of using Africans as guinea pigs.

Africa sees few trials, because theres a very little financial incentive on the part of the industry, Madhi added. So, the entire conversation needs to be flipped on its head.

By Cara Anna
The Covid pandemic has disrupted the spectrum of cancer care in Odisha as the out patient department of the states only government-owned cancer care hospital at Cuttack remains shut for over a week following detection of 100-odd Covid cases there over last week.

Acharya Harihar Regional Cancer Centre (AHRCC) at Cuttack is eastern Indias biggest cancer hospital where at least 300-350 cancer patients come for treatment, surgery and palliative care everyday. As the only tertiary cancer hospital of Odisha, it is the lifeline for patients who cant travel to Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai or access the relatively expensive private hospitals in Bhubaneswar. Adding to the troubles, is the shutting down of OPD of AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, which is the second government health institution with an advanced cancer care facility in Odisha after AHRCC.

But with more than 100 patients and staff of the regional cancer centre getting infected by coronavirus over the week after a Covid-19 patients admission to the hospital, the administration first sealed the emergency ward a week ago and finally stopped the OPD services leaving hundreds of cancer patients in the lurch. The AIIMS shut down its OPD from today after 96 patients, doctors and other paramedical staff were found Covid positive in less than a fortnight dealing a blow to thousands of cancer patients.

As it is they are in the biggest risk category due to low immunity. Now due to lockdown and shutdown of cancer hospitals they are forced to delay their treatment. They are caught between the devil and the deep sea. Everyone knows cancer treatment is highly expensive and slight delay in treatment can worsen things. Since the lockdown started, we have been getting frantic calls from family members of cancer patients across the state to help them financially as well as for treatment, said Bhubaneswar-based cancer survivor Swagatika Acharya, who runs an NGO called AwAAKen for cancer patients in Odisha.

While the pandemic and the subsequent shutdown of hospitals have been distressing for cancer patients all over the state, it has been more distressing for people of Bargarh district, considered as cancer capital of Odisha. Last month, Subash Chouhan, senior BJD leader from Bargarh, passed away in Bhubaneswar after battling with cancer.

Basant Sahu, a 72-year-old mouth cancer patient of Bargarh district was planning to visit the cancer centre next week when he heard about the shutdown of the hospital. Sahu, who was earlier diagnosed with stomach cancer eight years ago, had just about managed to recover when the doctors at the cancer centre diagnosed him with mouth cancer. For me travelling to Mumbai is out of question as I cant afford the travel cost. I was planning to come to the cancer hospital at Cuttack when I heard about closure of its OPD service. This is a big setback for poor patients like me, said Sahu.

Like Sahu, Md Atik, a 46-year-old mouth cancer patient of Bargarh district, was diagnosed with cancer in his oral cavity in 2018. A BPL cardholder, Atik did not treat his cancer for almost one and half year till it worsened, impairing his speech. With help of friends like Aswini Darjee, Atik was planning to go for consultation early this week when the hospital was shut down. Its becoming painful for me. I thought I would somehow travel to Cuttack and consult the doctors at the cancer centre. I dont know if I can bear the pain till the hospital opens, said Atik.

Like him, 44-year-old Puspanjali Behera was planning to visit AHRCC for consultation. It has been a case of double blow for Behera who lost her husband to blood cancer and then was diagnosed with breast cancer six years ago. During lockdown, I was planning to go to Tata Memorial hospital at Mumbai when I was told that they are not allowing outside patients due to pandemic. My next option was AHRCC. But now that too is shut, said Behera.

There have been others like a 45-year-old oral cancer patient from Balasore district, who could not get palliative treatment at the cancer centre of Cuttack due to its closure. The man is in 4th stage and his chances of survival are very grim. He cant wait for the hospital to open. As the AHRCC was shut, we could somehow manage to get him consulted at the AIIMS Bhubaneswar after much persuasion. There are several patients who are on the verge of death due to shutting down of AHRCC, said Acharya.

Odisha on an average sees around 50,000 cases a year, a large portion of whom come to AHRCC and AIIMS Bhubaneswar. A few others get treated at private hospitals. But treatment of cancer at private hospitals is costly. The importance of a government hospital is felt more at the time of pandemic, said Aswini Kumar Darjee, who has started a group called Fighters Group of Cancer Survivors.

Soumya Surath Panda, an oncologist working in a city hospital, said pandemic has made it difficult for doctors like him. It has been an overwhelming situation. Despite the best precautions, doctors are at as much risk as the patients. Besides, we have to be doubly careful as all cancer patients have low immunity particularly those undergoing chemotherapy, said Panda.

Meanwhile, officials at the AHRCC said they are trying to sanitise the building before opening it for patients. The old building had been cleaned and sanitized. We are fumigating the OT fumigation. We plan to start Radiotherapy from July 14, said director of AHRCC, Lalatendu Sarangi.
Families can finally look forward to reunions with elderly relatives in the coming days after Matt Hancock suggested the care home visit ban will be lifted imminently.

Now the coronavirus crisis has fizzled out, the Health Secretary said the ban on visits is 'coming to an end very soon'.

The details on how care homes in England can operate safe Covid-secure visits will be rolled out soon, almost four months after doors were first shut to visitors.

But care home bosses have claimed to be 'left in the dark' about when and how they can re-open.

The social care sector has been devastated by coronavirus, after the infection swept through homes and killed almost 20,000 elderly residents in England and Wales.

Charities have said the restriction on family visits has had 'damaging consequences' on the health of residents with dementia.

The Health Secretary said the ban on care home visits could be lifted in the 'coming days'

He told ITV News last night: 'People are yearning to see their loved ones and the residents of care homes get so much from visitors.

'It's been a very, very long period and that period where there hasn't been any visiting to care homes, that's coming to an end very soon.

'I very much hope that in the next few days we'll be able to make this change. We've been very careful about it and we've got to get it right.

'We've got to make sure it works for each local area but I hope we can make that change very soon.'

CARE HOMES SAY THEY HAVE BEEN 'LEFT IN THE DARK' As England has cautiously moved out of lockdown since May 10, care homes say they have been left in the dark about when they can do the same. Care England, which represents most of the independent providers, says new guidance in England is essential - and it is 'not right to keep people with care and support needs locked down indefinitely'. Writing on Twitter, it said: 'We are at a loss to know why @DHSCgovuk [Department of Health] is incapable of making swift decisions at a time of crisis. 'As the country unlocks, care providers are in the dark as to what is permissible in terms of visitors to their residents, or indeed residents leaving their homes on visits.' 'Visitor guidance should have been a priority for @DHSCgovuk given that care homes are central to fighting this dreadful pandemic - says @ProfMartinGreen.' Professor Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, said the sector was told that guidance from the department for visiting older people in care homes was 'on its way' a month ago. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme in response the decision to loosen rules on care home shutdowns, he said: 'We need some clear guidance from the Department of Health and Social Care and in fact we've been waiting for that for over a month.' Advertisement

Mr Hancock suggested there wouldn't be reunions for all the 400,000 or so care home residents in England because assessing the risk would come down to local infection rates.

Care homes in Scotland that are virus-free are already allowing visits from relatives. Northern Ireland will follow similar rules from Monday, while Wales has allowed visits since June 1, providing they take place socially distanced and outside.

In response to the news, Professor Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, said a 'balance' needed to be struck between allowing family visits and protecting care home residents from further coronavirus outbreaks.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'Families are a really important part of care delivery but at the same time you have to be really, really cautious because, as people know, care homes have been really badly affected during this pandemic.

'People living in care homes are probably at the highest risk, so if there is an outbreak of Covid-19, it has serious and very tragic consequences so I think we have to balance the need for people to engage with their relatives and families but also we have a responsibility for the protection and safety of the people in care homes.

'I think treating people as key workers, making sure there is regular testing available - also with some new tests that might be available shortly which are going to be much quicker to get results, that may also help.'

It comes as charities have warned the limits on visits to care home residents with dementia has had 'damaging consequences'.

In a letter to the health secretary, they write that the care given by family members is 'essential' to residents' mental and physical health, and should be seen as a key worker in the sense of having access to care homes and regular Covid-19 testing, the BBC reports.

Bosses from Dementia UK, Alzheimer's Society and other leading charities called on the government to 'urgently' address what it calls the 'hidden catastrophe' happening in care homes.

Many care homes across the country stopped visits from friends and family a week or more before the lockdown came into place in an effort to stem the spread of coronavirus.

The elderly are most vulnerable to severe Covid-19 infection and death, and so the signs of potential devastation were clear from an early stage.

However, the coronavirus still battered the care sector due to a number of faults, the largest of which was discharge of hospital patients to care homes.

On 19 March, NHS guidance said that patients must not be in a hospital bed unless required in a move to free up beds for coronavirus patients.

Mr Hancock - and many other ministers before him - claim people were discharged on an individual assessment basis and often hospital is a risky place for a frail person to be.

But a negative coronavirus test was not needed to allow transfers or admissions into the care home, guidance on April 2 said.

This was prior to and during the peak of the coronavirus crisis in UK, when thousands of people were being diagnosed in the community and hospitals every day.

From 15 April, the government said that all patients discharged from hospitals would be tested for coronavirus after an uproar.

By this date, over 28,116 elderly patients had been moved from hospitals to care homes in England.

There are no official statistics to show how many cases of coronavirus were brought into care homes via this route, but Chris Hopson, head of hospital representative body NHS Providers, said claims 'a very small number of asymptomatic Covid-19 patients' were discharged to social care.

Asymptotic people, or 'silent carriers', are those who have the virus but are not showing symptoms.

They were unlikely to have had a test during the Covid crisis because tests were only offered to those with symptoms until the end of April.

It was also problematic that elderly people are more likely to show atypical symptoms, and therefore may not appear to have the virus.

The Government insists it and other leaders globally were unaware that the virus could spread asymptomatically.
TRENTON  The state high court rejected AG Gurbir Grewals plea to allow him to name state police troopers who have been disciplined over the last two decades.

The first list of staties was supposed to be produced July 15, until an appeals panel Wednesday halted Grewals directives giving the states most powerful police unions that sued to stop the release a chance to be heard.

The high courts decision likely swatted aside any chance of those officers names becoming public this year.

The applications for emergent relief in the form of a dissolution of the stays entered in the above-referenced matters by the Superior Court, Appellate Division on July 8, 2020 are denied, Chief Justice Stuart Rabner wrote in the order, without explaining the high courts reason for not intervening. The matters shall proceed on an expedited basis before the Appellate Division.

In a statement, Grewal said he believes his directives will be upheld in the long run.

Last month, we announced bold new steps to strengthen the culture of transparency and accountability in law enforcement, he said. Our efforts may have been delayed, but Im confident they wont be denied. The Major Discipline Directives are lawful, and they are necessary to maintain the publics trust and confidence at this important moment.

The Appellate Division scheduled arguments for Oct. 15.

Emily Bisnauth, one of Grewals deputies, had asked the high court to intervene and lift the stay arguing that delaying the release of disciplined cops names prevents Grewal from restoring trust between law enforcement and the public at a delicate time.

Grewals office said the status quo is not working and halting his directives prevents the State from taking steps it believes necessary to improve accountability and transparency in law enforcement potentially until 2021.

Experts still expect the case to end up before the Supreme Court as part of an appeal by whoever the Appellate Division rules against in the landmark case.

The showdown between Grewal and officers began after the State Troopers Fraternal Association last month filed suit to block release of cops names.

The suit, initially filed in Mercer County by attorneys Robert R. Cannan and James M. Mets, was transferred to the appellate court.

The unions have argued making the names public will irreparably harm officers who may be targeted for harassment. The unions have also suggested cops who were disciplined for menial infractions may be lumped in with rogue cops who abuse their powers.

Since the initial suit was filed, several powerful police unions joined the fight. On Tuesday, the ACLU-NJ and 23 other organizations filed a friend of the court brief supporting Grewals mandates.

National Coalition of Latino Officers and the Law Enforcement Action Partnership, two nonprofits represented by attorney C.J. Griffin, also support Grewals mandates.

Grewal unveiled the initiatives in the wake of the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died at the hands of Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin.

Directive No. 2020-5, issued by Grewal on June 15, required every law enforcement agency in New Jersey to annually publish the names of sworn officers who have been suspended for more than five days or who have been demoted or terminated, along with a description of the circumstances that led to the discipline.

The AG on June 19 later issued a follow-up directive requiring the New Jersey Division of State Police, Division of Criminal Justice, and the Juvenile Justice Commission to disclose the identities of their disciplined employees no later than July 15.

Grewal has also pushed to license officers and revisit the states decadesold use-of-force guidelines, all in an effort to reform and rebuild trust in New Jersey cops, many of whom he said serve honorably.

The Asbury Park Press reported that despite Grewals transparency initiatives, his staff is fighting to keep secret the internal affairs file of a Neptune officer who killed his ex-wife.
BEIJING - China said Friday it will retaliate against U.S. officials and institutions following Washingtons imposition of sanctions on three local officials of the ruling Communist Party over human rights abuses in the northwestern region of Xinjiang.

China will definitely fight back against actions it considers interference in its internal affairs and that which threaten its sovereignty, security and development interests, foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters at a daily briefing.

Zhao said China strongly opposes and condemns the Trump administrations decision to bar the three officials from entering the U.S., the latest in a series moves taken against China as relations deteriorate over the coronavirus pandemic, human rights, Hong Kong and trade.

In response to the wrong practice of the U.S., China decided to take reciprocal measures against the relevant U.S. institutions and individuals who performed badly on the Xinjiang-related issues, Zhao said.

The U.S. administrations Thursday announcement comes a day after it slapped visa bans on Chinese officials deemed responsible for barring foreigners access to Tibet. Thursdays step, however, hits a more senior level of leadership, targeting Chen Quanguo, Xinjiangs ranking leader and a member of the partys Politburo, along with regional security officials Zhu Hailun and Wang Mingshan.

They and their immediate family members are banned from entering the United States. The Associated Press profiled Zhu as part of a package of stories last year.

The sanctions were announced a week after an AP investigation showed forced population control of the Uighurs and other largely Muslim minorities, one of the reasons cited by the State Department for the sanctions

The United States will not stand idly by as the Chinese Communist Party carries out human rights abuses targeting Uighurs, ethnic Kazakhs and members of other minority groups in Xinjiang, to include forced labour, arbitrary mass detention, and forced population control, and attempts to erase their culture and Muslim faith, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.

China has detained an estimated 1 million or more members of its Muslim ethnic minority groups in internment camps, described by the government as vocational training facilities aimed at countering Muslim radicalism and separatist tendencies. It says those facilities have since been closed, a claim impossible to deny given the restrictions on visits and reporting about the region.

Camp veterans and family members say those held are forced, often with the threat of violence, to denounce their religion, culture and language and swear loyalty to party leader and head of state Xi Jinping.

China says vast, resource-rich Xinjiang has long been its territory and claims it is bringing stability and prosperity to the region. Many Uighurs and others among the regions native population say they are being denied economic options in favour of migrants from elsewhere in China and that the party wishes to eliminate their separate cultures.

In October 2019, the United States imposed visa restrictions on Chinese officials believed to be responsible for, or complicit in the detention of Muslims in Xinjiang. It also blacklisted more than two dozen Chinese companies and agencies linked to abuses in the region  including surveillance technology manufacturers and Xinjiangs public security bureau  effectively blocking them from buying U.S. products.
A garda has denied he told a brother of the late notorious criminal 'Dublin Jimmy' there was plenty of room at his premises "upon which to plant cocaine".

Truck and car dealer Fran McGuinness made the allegation about the garda in legal proceedings where he is seeking a temporary injunction restraining gardai from "watching" or "besetting" him.

Mr McGuinness (59) has claimed the comment was made to him at his premises near Swords, Co Dublin, on October 22 last year after he asked an officer, who wanted "a word" with him, to leave.

But in a responding affidavit, the officer involved, Garda Warren O'Sullivan of Swords garda station, said: "This very serious allegation against me is entirely unfounded."

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In the proceedings, Mr McGuinness denies being involved in criminality and claims he has been the target of garda attention because of his late brother Cyril McGuinness, who was also known as 'Dublin Jimmy'.

Cyril McGuinness died last year in Derbyshire, England, while being investigated for allegedly masterminding the kidnap and torture of Quinn Industrial Holdings executive Kevin Lunney. Prior to the death, Fran McGuinness told the Irish Independent they were estranged and had no dealings with each other.

He wants injunctions stopping gardai from blocking the entrance to his yard with marked or unmarked cars, from driving into it unless they have a warrant, and from "harassing" his customers.

In the High Court yesterday, Mr McGuinness's counsel, Alan Toal, sought an early hearing date for the injunction application. "This is a daily exercise being engaged in by the guards," he said.

Mr Toal also said affidavits filed by gardai responding to his client's allegations were "fundamentally flawed".

Frank Callanan SC, for the Garda Commissioner, told the court Mr McGuinness's allegations had been denied in affidavits filed by gardai.

"There is a very significant dispute on the facts," he said.

Mr McGuinness has accused gardai of unlawfully entering his premises on a number of occasions and of using "heavy-handed tactics and language".

He claims that on March 31 this year 19 gardai arrived with a warrant to search the premises when this could have been adequately done with just four.

And he said a comment by Gda O'Sullivan "to the effect that there was plenty of room on my premises upon which to plant cocaine" had "sent a chill down my spine".

In his affidavit, Gda O'Sullivan denied he said this.

He said Mr McGuinness was the subject of a criminal investigation and there was no basis to the harassment and besetting allegations. He claimed Mr McGuinness had been "uncooperative and abusive" to him in previous dealings.

The garda said he had called to the yard last October to lawfully demand the production of documents relating to a car, but was told: "I won't be producing anything for you. Now f*** off my land. You're trespassing."

He said 17 gardai, not 19, had been involved in the search in March and such numbers were necessary as searches can be "quite labour-intensive".

The search was part of an investigation relating to stolen property, he said.

The garda denied Mr McGuinness's office and premises had been upended, saying these were "left in a condition closely similar to how they were found".

Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds scheduled a September date for the injunction hearing.
The governors executive order closing gyms and other exercise facilities due to the coronavirus includes an exception for health care services and activities, according to a letter to Kitchen from Phillip A. Rubin, special deputy attorney general.

In a statement following Rubins letter, the state Department of Health and Human Services clarified that gyms can reopen indoor locations to accommodate people who are prescribed to use them from a medical professional.

DHHS said that those who use the indoor facilities must present a note or other written communication from the medical professional or health care professional to the facility operators to confirm that each individuals use of the facilities is indeed prescribed or directed.

Josiah Boling, co-owner of Hive Fitness in Charlotte, said his facility told members it is open because of the exception for medical use, but he wont ask patrons to show their medical documentation.

It is our understanding and belief that it is a clear violation of the ADA for us to ask about those medical conditions, Boling said.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 13:24:03|Editor: huaxia

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MANILA, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Friday said it has disbursed 20 million U.S. dollars, comprising a 10-million-dollar grant and a 10-million-dollar concessional loan, to help the Solomon Islands fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Manila-based bank said the loan and grant, which were handed out on Thursday, will be used to train nurses and doctors in the Solomon Islands to fight COVID-19 and obtain personal protective equipment for medical staff.

According to an ADB statement, the fund will also help finance the government's economic stimulus to support individuals and businesses.

On Friday, ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa and Solomon Islands Minister of Finance Harry Kuma discussed how ADB can continue to support the country as it addresses the health risks and economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Asakawa said ADB "is providing assistance to the Solomon Islands to prepare for any future health emergency and to support the implementation of the country's Economic Stimulus Package."

"Solomon Islands must be commended for their early, proactive efforts to stop COVID-19 from entering the country," Asakawa added. Enditem
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Friday questioned the Uttar Pradesh government after gangster Vikas Dubey, accused of murdering eight policemen on July 3, was killed in an alleged encounter by the police in Kanpur district.

Officials said Vikas Dubey was shot dead by the police after he tried to escape following an accident involving one of the vehicles in the Special Task Force (STF) cavalcade bringing him back to Uttar Pradesh from Madhya Pradeshs Ujjain city.

Akhilesh Yadav posted his comment on Twitter without directly referring to Dubey.

The car hasnt overturned but the government has been saved from being overturned because of secrets, he tweeted in Hindi.

Dubey, on the run since the attack on the policemen, was arrested near the Mahakal temple in Ujjain on Thursday.

STF officials said there was an encounter as Vikas Dubey tried to escape when the vehicle overturned early in the morning amid heavy rains.

They said Vikas Dubey snatched a weapon from one of the policemen after the accident. He then ran to a nearby field and was asked to surrender, which he refused to do, they added.

He was killed as the police team fired in self-defence, officials said.
Photograph: Ben Margot/AP

Plans for the fall semester at the University of California, Berkeley, are in question after 47 new Covid-19 cases tied to fraternity parties emerged in the past week. University officials warn the outbreak could jeopardize the ability to move forward with in-person classes in the months ahead.

We have seen the number of University Health Services positive cases increase from a running total of 23 since the start of the pandemic, to 47 new cases in just one week, university officials wrote in a letter.

At the rate we are seeing increases in cases, its becoming harder to imagine bringing our campus community back in the way we are envisioning, the letter adds.

Officials said the infections were related to social events where students failed to physically distance, wear face masks, limit event size and gather outside.

In recent weeks, as new coronavirus cases reached record highs across California, the governor, Gavin Newsom, has linked outbreaks to gatherings of friends and families, as well as to the young and invincible who havent taken safety precautions.

The state on Wednesday recorded its deadliest day of the pandemic as fatalities topped 150, surpassing the previous single-day record of 122 deaths, set on 19 May. Across the state, hospitalizations, admissions to ICUs and the rate of people testing positive have all seen a jump.

University officials said keeping Covid-19 cases low would allow them to move forward with plans for the fall semester, which include a combination of online lectures and small in-person classes.

Officials say they are exploring ways to isolate students living on campus in small bubbles of 10 to 12 students that could increase social interaction while keeping overall exposure dramatically reduced. It would also restrict class sizes and eliminate high-touch areas to the extent possible.

The university reminded the campus community to take basic safety measures such as wearing face masks, keeping 6ft apart and monitoring temperature daily.

The fall semester will look and be very different. Everyone  students, faculty and staff  will be wearing a mask unless they are completely alone in their room or office. There will be distancing measures in every conceivable area across campus, said the university.
Tucked into the cozy, peaceful, tree-lined streets of the Berkeley Hills, a lone garage is trying to start a conversation through art.

The first thing you notice as you approach the garage are the faces. Eyes gaze at you from sheets of paper tacked to a garage door, some with smiles shared with a photographer  and now, you, the viewer. The photos are graduation pictures, selfies, a moment captured at a party, maybe. The ages of the faces vary, from younger children to older generations, and everyone in between.

And every single person in these photos has been killed by police.

The conversation the art piece brings up is a difficult one, but timely, following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minnesota on May 25. Floyds death, and the death of others by police brutality, has sparked a protest movement across the country. Each photo on this Berkeley garage is a reminder of just a few of those killed by police, and includes a story of how each was killed and the circumstances, typed beneath each image.

Neeka Salmasi, 25, is the artist behind the piece, using a standalone garage located near the intersection of Oxford Street and Los Angeles Avenue as a gallery space. The imagery and stories are culled from various sources  such as MappingPoliceViolence.org and BlackPast.org  resulting in over 100 images of Black men and women killed by police in 2015. According to a 2019 research article in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 1 in every 1,000 black men can expect to be killed by police and that for young men of color, police use of force is among the leading causes of death. But even with those facts in mind, Salmasi is hoping viewers will see the people behind it.

I think we need to see these people's faces, Salmasi told SFGATE. Apart from all the statistics, these are human beings with families under those statistics, and I think that the stories and the faces of these people, that's what's important.

We can't just hide in the information. We have to recognize that these are human beings with families, that their deaths had a consequence and that the people in this neighborhood are not separate from that consequence.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

The photos, although taken at various points in each persons life, become a powerful, but sad tapestry, each with a story to tell. Salmasi, along with her partner Michael Anand Manoharan-Valerio and a group of their friends, worked on and installed the images. Seeing the photos and stories have had a profound effect on all of them.

It's completely heartbreaking, because I definitely see a best friend, a cousin, a father [in these images], Manoharan-Valerio said. I definitely could see sharing meals with all these people at one point in my life and it will never be done, because of systems that made it so these human beings are not treated as humans  and it just is heartbreaking.

I grew up in Puerto Rico, we have families of all cultures. I feel like I could definitely have seen a lot of these people at family get-togethers on Thanksgiving and Christmas. So it just breaks my heart that all these lives were taken rather than having the chance to actually live them to their fullest.

The altars location in the Berkeley Hills isnt accidental; it is a space that Salmasi is using with a purpose. Salmasi sought permission from the owner of the garage to use it as an art space, and the installation is meant to provoke emotion, from the photos to the banner proclaiming, Say their names.

"This altar is very specifically meant to [be here]; it's relevant to a very white, wealthy neighborhood," Salmasi said. "It's important that people understand and read the stories and see the people who have been impacted. These are human beings whose lives have been cut short because of racist violence. Recognize that there are children from the age of 7 to the age of 80-something on this board  and to make it impossible for us to have inaction in these times."

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

Raul Casanova, who helped install the art piece, said it helps keep the protest movement going, because past movements typically die after a while and then people stop hearing about it.

I feel like we really are exposing a lot of people that walk through here and reminding them each day, that this is happening, Casanova said. It's something that you need to have in your mind constantly, because if you forget, things would never change.

The altar is also meant to provoke action. The art piece has an interactive portion: A poster invites visitors and passersby to look into the eyes of each person then read their stories, bring flowers, donate to various organizations, read about the movement and to share their thoughts on a posterboard set out next to the photos. Its a way of bringing in the neighbors to see how they feel about the Black Lives Matter movement.

On the one hand, I was curious what people in this neighborhood thought;, I just wanted to see how people were reacting to something like this and gauge the politics of this neighborhood, Salmasi said. On the other hand, I just think people need to feel like they are a part of this movement. Theres this whole thing of, there's an invisible line between the hills, and Oakland and the neighborhoods down there. There's no line, the wealth of this neighborhood depends on the oppression of people in other neighborhoods. I think that part of the reason I wanted people to interact with it is to kind of degrade that invisible line that even exists within themselves. They're invited to interact with this, read those stories and, therefore, make themselves a part of these narratives.

One of Salmasis reasons behind bringing these photos to the Berkeley Hills was the citys history of redlining. Maps made by a government-created agency, Home Owners Loan Corporation, between 1935 and 1940 led to much of the housing discrimination seen today. These maps assigned grades to various neighborhoods according to lending risk, from best to hazardous, leading banks to discriminate against minority groups for home loans and money lending. In Berkeley, that meant Black residents largely moved to South Berkeley and were kept out of other parts of the city  including the Berkeley Hills, where Salmasi has planted these photos. (Berkeleyside has an article on the citys history of redlining here.)

I was noticing how much the whole life of my friends and me is about this movement, whereas up here [in the Berkeley Hills], its as if there was this invisible line between the movements for social justice and anti-racism and anti-police terror and [protests] happening down there  suddenly everything's comfortable when you get to the Hills, Salmasi said. And I really wanted to combat that in some way and put it in people's faces that there's no place that we are exempt from these movements, no matter how wealthy you are, no matter how beautiful and full of trees your neighborhood is, nobody is exempt and we all have a responsibility to really be involved.

Keeping the Berkeley Hills community involved in the conversation of systemic racism is part of what Salmasi wanted for the garage mural. She insists that the art piece itself is not a radical act, and that while she fears the residents of the Berkeley Hills would feel she is disturbing the peace, she felt it was important to speak up about injustice, no matter how unsafe or uncomfortable she feels while doing it.

No rights have been given to minority groups without people sacrificing their lives  it's taken people risking their own safety in order to create justice, and I'm really, really willing to do that, Salmasi said. This [mural] is not a radical act. What's radical is defunding the police, it's abolishing those systems that create this wealth gap, that create the conditions where people can be dying disproportionately, and it's normalized. And even that's not radical; that's just what should have happened 300 years ago.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

The garage is already gathering attention from the neighborhood, with many neighbors writing messages next to the photos, leaving flowers and pieces of fruit behind. According to Salmasi, the reactions have been mostly positive, and even caught the attention of Berkeley photographer Ian Wood, who documents the funky garages of Berkeley and the Bay Area on his Instagram account, @BerkeleyGarages.

What struck me the first time I saw this garage was how vibrant it was, completely standing out in the street with its two tones of black and white, Wood wrote to SFGATE in an email. The effect of the large patchwork of faces, in stark black-and-white contrast, stands out more than even the colorful murals you see on garages around the Bay Area. The fact that it demands to be noticed is fitting, as the message of this piece of art  ending police brutality against Black people, and ending white silence on the issue  must not be ignored.

Wood said that Berkeleys garages are akin to a home wearing its heart on its sleeve. And Berkeley's heart has always been for justice and progress. And that's why this altar is so special  while the art would be amazing on any garage, in any town, the unique personal experience this artist has offered the community is very Berkeley, especially with the art installation illuminated under a craftsman-style stained glass lantern.

One exception to the positive reactions the garage has received was one instance of three young neighbors attempting to leave behind messages around the pro-police countermovement, Blue Lives Matter. Salmasi, an Iranian American who works as a coordinator and educator at a social justice youth leadership program, West Oakland Legacy Project at Attitudinal Healing Connection, saw the young men and engaged them in a respectful hourlong conversation about their viewpoints, and offered to talk to them again in the future if they had questions. Manoharan-Valerio said the garage is not meant to attack people, but instead should be seen as an opportunity.

I really want people that are coming here with arguments of All Lives Matter [to understand] this is not an attack on you  nobody's attacking anybody here, said Manoharan-Valerio. This is just saying, hey, these lives require our attention right now, because they have been targeted for such a long time that people forget. So don't look at it as an attack, look at it as an opportunity to learn and be empathetic.

Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

Salmasis art piece and altar is just one of many murals that has sprung up during the protests in June. Although the art is not located in a highly trafficked area of Berkeley, its serving its own purpose and Salmasi is hoping viewers take something away with them when they see it.

I want people to humanize the numbers and the statistics that they see, Salmasi said. I want people to understand that no life matters until Black lives matter. I want people to really understand that, to feel that Aiyana Stanley-Jones was their cousin or was their daughter, to feel that Shereese Francis was their sister. To feel so invested in this movement, that they have no choice but to act.

Dianne de Guzman is a Digital Editor at SFGATE. Email: dianne.deguzman@sfgate.com
Every Friday, The Citizen features a pet available for adoption from the Finger Lakes SPCA of Central New York. This week, we spotlight Ella.

AGE: About 1 1/2 years old

BREED: Domestic shorthair, black and white

COMMENTS: Ella has been at the shelter for a short time. She was abandoned and was brought to the shelter by a good Samaritan. Luckily, it didn't take her long to recover from her experience on the mean streets. She settled into shelter life quite easily, but she really doesn't intend to make this a permanent thing. La Bella Ella has leaving on her mind  as in, moving on to a new and permanent family.

Ella has been brought up to date on all vaccinations (rabies, distemper, feline kennel cough). She is negative for FIV/FeLV and she was recently spayed. She is good to go as soon as her new family finds her. If interested in meeting Ella, please go to our website, fill out our adoption application and return it by email (flspca_cny@yahoo.com), fax ([315] 282-2387) or bringing it to the shelter for review. Once approved, we will set up an appointment for you to meet Ella. Don't let this cute little nugget get away!

Q. Who is your best friend?

A. I am proud to say that I do not have a single BFF  because I consider all of my condo mates my BFFs. I like to spread the love! I even love the squirrels that come to our bird feeders every day. I get a good dose of the chatter going on when they come around. Haha!

Q. What is your favorite treat?

A. I love a little taste of tuna every once in a while. There is a certain someone who comes into my room and slips a little into my food. It's heavenly, and I hope my new family will continue the tradition.

Q. If you could have a job, what would that be?

A. I would want to be a photographer! Why, you might ask? Well, look at my picture. My ears are partially cut off! This would be unacceptable in professional circles. However, I forgive the person who took my picture. She is rather inexperienced, unlike our good friend (won't mention any names) who takes our pictures and makes us all look like a million dollars! Where were you when I needed you?

Q. If you could visit any place in the world, where would that be?

A. I would like to visit London! Why? Well, I believe that it might be a tad cooler there right now. But the main reason is that I would like to visit Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium. It is a very well-known and highly rated cat cafe. They serve "high tea" and cakes, and the cats that live there are very well taken care of. It would be fun to see how the other half lives! And maybe I could get some ideas about opening a cat cafe right here in my hometown!

Q. How would you describe yourself?

A. I'm a cute little thing  everyone says so. I have a sweet personality and am very friendly. When I get to spend time out of my condo, I get along with the other gals in here. I have great diplomatic skills and can settle the little tiffs that sometimes happen among and between us felines. I am very people-friendly and am looking forward to again having people of my very own.

Q. Do you have an interesting fact to share today?

A. I do, and I hope you like this one. It was originally thought that the Egyptians domesticated the cat. But, in 2004, French archaeologists discovered a 9,500-year-old cat grave in Cyprus. This finding makes this the oldest known pet cat, and it predates Egyptian art by over 4,000 years. Please, please tell me you find that interesting! I had to do a lot of research to find that little tidbit.

Q. Do you have any advice for our Citizen readers?

A. Well, this is not really advice, but more of an update. Unfortunately, our March rabies clinic was canceled. My shelter people are working on holding a rabies clinic within the next month or so. The format will be a little bit different because of this corona thing, and we do want to keep everyone as safe as we possibly can. So please stay tuned for details that will be right here. Thank you and please stay safe and healthy! Much love and many licks and purrs, Ella and friends.

The Finger Lakes SPCA of Central New York is a New York state-registered shelter/rescue, registration No. RR-181. Pursuant to Article 26-A, Section 408 of the Agriculture and Markets Law, the registrant is authorized to operate as a registered pet rescue, in compliance with such law.

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For decades, the term "Black Friday" has conjured up distinct images: Turkey-stuffed consumers awake at insanely early hours of the morning, bursting into big-box stores to fight over flat screen TVs.

But in a muzzle flash, it seems, a new image may be replacing that stereotype. It involves a trigger and, possibly, a scope.

On Friday, the FBI received 203,086 requests for instant gun background checks, according to USA Today - nearly a 10 percent increase from the year before and a new record for background checks in a single day.

That's not an anomaly. According to the FBI, the previous two records for background checks were also set on the day after the federal holiday in which Americans give thanks for the year's blessings.

The FBI didn't provide any analysis behind the spike, but the biggest shopping day of the year may come at a moment of worry for people who fear someone from the government may knock on their door someday and confiscate their guns.

On Wednesday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions directed the FBI and ATF to look at potential problems in the National Instant Criminal Background Check system (NICS).

Sessions wants the agencies to fix problems with how the military and other federal entities report convictions that could keep someone from having a gun.

The database "is critically important to protecting the American public from firearms related violence," Sessions wrote in his memo. "It is, however, only as reliable and robust as the information that federal, state, local and tribal government entities make available to it."

The directive comes after the U.S. Air Force conceded it had never submitted the domestic-abuse conviction of Devin P. Kelley to the NICS database. Kelley purchased a Ruger AR-556 rifle with a 30-round magazine and used it to mow down a church full of parishioners in Sutherland Springs, Texas, earlier this month. It was the largest mass shooting in Texas history.

And a month before that, a man using a "bump stock" to make his rifles fire at a much faster rate killed 58 people and injured hundreds more in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas sheriff said Stephen Paddock fired more than 1,100 rounds, according to the Associated Press. Investigators found 4,000 unused rounds in his hotel suite.

Gun-safety advocates routinely push for greater restrictions on gun purchases after such shootings.

"As my colleagues go to sleep tonight, they need to think about whether the political support of the gun industry is worth the blood that flows endlessly onto the floors of American churches, elementary schools, movie theaters, and city streets," Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, said after the Texas shooting.

And gun-rights advocates routinely take equally strong stances on the other side of the issue.

After the Newtown, Connecticut, shooting that left six educators and 20 children dead, the National Rifle Association described then-President Barack Obama's gun-violence reduction proposals as an effort to ban millions of guns.

"The main goal of the gun banners in Congress is not to make schools safer, but to ban your guns and abolish every last sacred right you have under the Second Amendment ... until they reduce your freedom to ashes," the NRA said in an alert.

But consumers with strong opinions on guns don't have to wait for the debate to play out. They can just take their wallets to gun stores - and routinely after mass shootings, they do.

As The Washington Post's Sari Horwitz and Peter Finn reported, the U.S. experienced "a record run on military-style assault weapons" in 2013, especially in the months after the Newtown shootings.

But this year, one mass shooting was different. Even the NRA said there should be additional regulations on devices like Paddock's bump stocks. Investigators should "identify any additional measures that should be taken to prevent firearms from being obtained by prohibited persons" the association's memo says.

Meanwhile, it appears the FBI will have to figure out how to deal with the onslaught of background checks.

According to USA Today, the agency has "struggled to keep pace with the volume of firearm transactions and still properly maintain the databases of criminal and mental health records necessary to determine whether buyers are eligible to purchase guns."

Last year, when it processed some 27.5 million background checks, it had bring in personnel from other units.
Image: Moneycontrol

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Ajay Piramal, Chairman of Piramal Enterprises, on July 10 said the measures taken by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and banks have improved liquidity in system.

Speaking at 7th SBI Baking and Economic Conclave, he said it is only investment grade non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) under AAA and AA category that are getting funding, the other ones are still suffering.

"It's only the public sector banks that stood up to meet the funding requirements. Earlier mutual funds and private banks used to provide liquidity- now it is only public sector banks (PSBs)," he stated.

Piramal said more than solvency, it is liquidity that's critical at the moment.

Commenting on the real estate space, Piramal said the biggest challenge is generating demand. "Reducing prices are not going to make a difference. Demand has to be generated. People have to have confidence to invest. We have to ensure supportive measures like speeding up permissions for real estate projects and making liquidity available."

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

Piramal referred to China, where real estate sales rose post the lockdown.

In India, he sees some traction the affordable segment.

On an economic recovery, Piramal sees a 'U' shaped one, which is more gradual than a 'V' shaped recovery. "In every sector, strong companies will emerge even stronger and consolidation will intensify."

He added that the thrust should be given to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) who create most of the jobs in India, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Atmanirbhar initiative. "Around $5 billion worth of goods that we import from China can be easily made by our MSMEs."
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in a statement on Friday, said that no matter how intense an outbreak of COVID-19 a region experiences, there are always ways to bring the situation back under control. Ghebreyesus' statement comes as the virus has infected over 12.3 million people with over 556,383 deaths around the world.

COVID-19 can be defeated

According to reports, the WHO Director-General cited examples of countries like Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, New Zealand, Italy, Spain, South Korea, and India as a way to show that it is very much possible to get outbreaks under controls.

As per ANI report, Ghebreyesus cited Dharavi's example while noting that the best way to break the chains of transmission was through testing, tracing, isolating, and treating the sick alongside community engagement. He noted that creating awareness is also plays a big part in defeating the pandemic.

Read: Chinese President Xi Jinping To Deliver Speech At Opening Of World Health Assembly

In Vietnam,Cambodia,Thailand, New Zealand, Italy, Spain, South Korea&even in Dharavi, a densely packed area in Mumbai, strong focus on community engagement&basics of testing, tracing, isolating&treating the sick is key to breaking chains of transmission&suppressing the virus: WHO pic.twitter.com/CaliMES9w2  ANI (@ANI) July 10, 2020

There are many many examples from around the world that have shown that even if the #COVID19 outbreak is very intense, it can still be brought back under control: Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. https://t.co/k9rdIQ8pnU  ANI (@ANI) July 10, 2020

Read: 'Further Damages WHO's Credibility': US Condemns World Health Assembly's Taiwan Exclusion

US pulls out of WHO

In other news, after the months-long war of words, United States formally withdrew from the World Health Organisation (WHO) earlier this week. The move comes amid an overwhelming battle against COVID-19 pandemic which has now infected over 3.2 million across the 50 states with the death toll over 136,000.

Donald Trump has repeatedly accused the World Health Organisation of covering for China and its handling of the virus. According to reports, the US letter of withdrawal, effective July 6, 2021, has been submitted to UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres, triggering a one-year withdrawal timeline.

Read: Taiwan: Won't Press For World Health Assembly Participation

Read: Trump Admin Officially Withdraws US From World Health Organisation Amid COVID-19 Crisis

(Image Credit AP)
SAN FRANCISCO, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Impactio, Inc., a San Francisco-based data analytics company and remote talent solution provider, announces the launch of LeaseTalk, a commercial real estate review and intelligence platform and location-based forum committed to improving transparency of the commercial lease data and advancing tenants' interests. LeaseTalk offers renters a strategic advantage when it comes to finding and renting the ideal property, discussing related legal issues or connecting with other tenants in the same building.

"Renters have traditionally relied on the information provided by the landlord or property manager, which can be less than accurate at times," says Lawrence Shay, CEO and Co-Founder of Impactio. "LeaseTalk, a sort of Glassdoor for tenants, operates as an online location-based forum and leasing building's review platform where tenants can discuss the following topics: Lease Termination, Rent Reduction, Legal Discussions & Lease Disputes, Sublease Space, and General Discussions around Rental Spaces. All of these possibilities come under the unique package of an online service that operates in a similar fashion to what Glassdoor has done for job seekers to look for good employers."

While landlords and property managers enjoy various screening tools to protect their interests, such as background checks, applications, and credit checks, prospective tenants don't have a way to gauge the risks involved with renting a property. In fact, the only way a renter typically finds out that they've landed in a less than desirable situation is after they've already signed a lengthy lease contract.

With LeaseTalk, prospective tenants have a powerful lease intelligence tool on their side. This dynamic solution lets users leverage a seamless search feature for finding reviews, prior lessees' actual rent information, and related discussion on any property they're interested in. Once they view a property, they can read reviews left by previous tenants or leave reviews of their own on properties they've rented. They can also start a discussion thread to ask questions related to the lease or the rental property and wait for other tenants in the local neighborhood to reply. The consolidation of building reviews, actual rent data information, and local discussions makes heightened transparency possible and protects the interests of prospective tenants who look forward to finding their dream property.

Learn more about LeaseTalk at: https://www.leasetalk.com

About Impactio

Impactio Inc. is an American internet technology company organized in Delaware in 2017 and based in San Francisco, California, that operates several online data analytics aggregators in different application domains and owns a remote talent solution service including namesake and flagship Impactio.com, LeaseTalk and Impactian. Its flagship Impactio.com is America's leading platform of academic impact analytics and professional reputation management designed for PhDs, scientists, researchers, and engineers. Launched in early 2020, the platform offers its members visualized impact analytics reports, citation management tools, academic resume builder, and network capabilities.

Impactio catalyzes global scientific and technological advancement by developing various innovative online services within its flagship platform catering to technological professionals to make scientific communication more effective, ultimately helping scientists and researchers be more productive and successful. LeaseTalk is a commercial real estate (CRE) review and intelligence platform and location-based forum committed to improving transparency of the commercial lease data and advancing tenants' interests.

Impactio also owns Impactian, which offers Extraordinary Talent on Demand (EToD) service empowering companies to dynamically scale their remote developer teams on demand. Impactian is a premier elite talent network consisting of the world's top 2% of extraordinary developers and other talents who have been pre-vetted by Impactian and will be connected to well-established companies in the globe to offer remote and agile development services on demand.

Impactio is made with love and passion for technology and founded by alumni from the EECS Department at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Stanford University, and Rice University.

History of Impactio

As a PhD candidate and research fellow at the EECS department at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Lawrence Shay realized the needs and advantages of using visualized charts and quantitative metrics to demonstrate the academic impact of highly achieved individuals. However, there was no such tool available at the time. Shay later founded Impactio with his technology team in 2017 and launched its flagship website service in early 2020. The vision of Impactio is to integrate various innovative online services within its flagship platform catering to technological professionals to help them be more productive and succeed. Shay was admitted to patent bar and is an active patent practitioner licensed by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to practice in patent cases.

The ripples around the Impactio logo represent the research contributions that impact the scientific and academic community.

CONTACT:

Impactio, Inc.

Public Relations Department

1.415.287.0187

[email protected]

https://www.impactio.com

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A fourth meeting between top Indian and Chinese commanders scheduled next week along the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh is expected to focus on the critical Finger Area and the strategic Depsang plains, with a complex disengagement process that began after previous military talks on June 30 progressing smoothly in Galwan Valley, Hot Springs and Gogra, two officials familiar with the developments said on Thursday, speaking on the condition on anonymity.

While the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) pulled back 2km from Patrolling Point 14 (Galwan Valley) and PP-15 (Hot Springs) earlier this week, a similar retreat was completed at PP-17 (Gogra) on Thursday, said one of the officials cited above. The Indian Army, too, has pulled back proportionately in these friction areas.

The army has observed some thinning of PLA troops, vehicles and removal of structures from a key spur in the Finger Area near Pangong Tso over the last 48 hours, but it cant be seen as disengagement, he said.

Also read: After Galwan fightback, 16 Bihar moving to Col Babus home state

The Finger Area will be at the centre of the next round of military discussions between the corps commander-ranked officers, with Depsang also figuring prominently on the Indian agenda, said a second official.

Disengagement at Galwan Valley, Hot Springs and Gogra looked doable from the beginning. The Finger Area is where negotiations could drag out as Chinese troops have dug in their heels in Finger 4. Getting the PLA to retreat in the Depsang sector is equally critical from the Indian perspective, he said.

The Finger Area, which refers to a set of eight cliffs jutting out of the Sirijap range overlooking the Pangong lake, remains the biggest test and hardest part of the disengagement process, as reported by HT on Thursday.

Before the PLA grabbed positions on Finger 4 overlooking Indian deployments, the army would patrol right up to Finger 8 that New Delhi considers within Indian territory. The new positions held by the PLA have curtailed the scope of Indian patrols. Fingers 4 and 8 are 8km apart.The Indian claim line in this sector extends to Finger 8, while the Chinese claim is up to Finger 4 .

Also read| Make 1962 war report public: War veterans

The army is keeping a strict vigil along the contested border in the Depsang sector where the PLAs forward presence is a matter of serious concern and where a 2013 Chinese intrusion blocked the access of Indian soldiers to several patrolling routes, including the ones leading to PPs-10, 11, 11A, 12 and 13.

With disengagement successfully completed in Galwan Valley, Hot Springs and Gogra, the military commanders will now get down to the more challenging discussions around the Finger Area and Depsang plains, said former Northern Army commander Lieutenant General DS Hooda (retd).

The Indian focus should not be entirely on disengagement but on restoration of status quo ante (the situation as it existed in early April) in these two important areas, Hooda said.

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Reuters notes in its report from Dubai last night regarding an explosion in western Tehran today: There have been several explosions around Iranian military, nuclear and industrial facilities since late June. Jerusalem Post intelligence correspondent Yonah Jeremy Bob has filed the intensely interesting column How have Irans intelligence forces broken down in face of explosions? Subhead: What the world is witnessing right now is someone hitting Iranian nuclear and conventional weapons and IRGC facilities practically at will. Debkafile has more in its characteristically speculative July 5 report.

Thanks to President Trump, we are no longer in league with Iran. We have no obligation to protect the regimes nuclear program. We no longer refrain from calling out the Iranian regime for what it is. We are not blowing the whistle on Israel or whoever else might seek to retard Irans nuclear program. It is even conceivable that we might have a hand in it ourselves. You never know. And to think that Joe Biden cant wait to crank our one-sided love affair with these America-hating brutalitarians back up where Obama left it.
Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong and President of the Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) and PM Hun Sen discussed issues regarding the relations between the two nations during their phone talks on July 9.

Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong

The top Vietnamese leader lauded the Cambodian governments management, and the solidarity of the Cambodian people in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and in socio-economic development.

He thanked Cambodia for its close coordination with Vietnam within the bilateral framework as well as the ASEAN cooperation framework, and suggested the two countries tighten their cooperation in the pandemic combat, while maintaining border trade.

As for the issue relating to people of Vietnamese origin in Cambodia, the Party and State leader expressed his hope that Cambodia will continue to create favourable conditions for them to stabilise their lives in the country, thus contributing to the development of Cambodia and enhancing the bilateral ties.

For his part, Hun Sen congratulated Vietnam on successfully organising the 36th ASEAN Summit in the form of a teleconference, saying Cambodia will actively support Vietnams ASEAN and AIPA 41 Chairmanship in 2020 and non-permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council for 2020-2021.

The Cambodian leader said he believes that under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Vietnamese people will reap new, greater achievements in the renewal process, and successfully organise the 13th National Party Congress.

Praising Vietnams efforts and successes in the fight against COVID-19, he thanked Vietnam for sharing its experience with and supporting Cambodia in this sphere.

Cambodia will continue to create conditions for people of Vietnamese origin to settle in the country, he pledged.

Both leaders spoke highly of the intensive and extensive development of the cooperation between the two Parties and the two countries across areas, bringing practical interests to people of the countries.

They agreed to continue joining hands in implementing joint statements and agreements, along with preparing for the 18th meeting of the Vietnam-Cambodia Joint Committee, and the 11th meeting on cooperation and development between border provinces of Vietnam and Cambodia when possible.

The leaders also consented to take specific measures to remove difficulties to boost economic ties sustainably.

They shared the view on the historical significance of the signing of two documents recognising the achievements of land border demarcation and marker planting, and concurred to push ahead with necessary procedures to put the documents into place.

The two sides will also continue negotiations to deal with the remaining border work, thus building a common border line of peace, stability, cooperation and development.

They will closely and effectively coordinate and support each other in regional and international issues, especially within the ASEAN cooperation framework and ASEAN-led mechanisms, the UN, the WTO, the ASEM and Mekong Sub-region cooperation mechanisms./.VNA
Ghislaine Maxwell, a confidante of Jeffery Epstein who was arrested by the FBI last week, has reportedly been given paper clothes and denied bedsheets during her incarceration over fears she may try to kill herself.

The Justice Department claims it has implemented strict safety protocols to ensure that Ms Maxwell remains alive. Federal officials not associated with the Bureau of Prisons are enacting measures to ensure Ms Maxwell does not kill herself and that other prisoners do not kill her.

The intense security surrounding Ms Maxwell is a response to the criticism the Department of Justice, Bureau of Prisons and federal investigators took following the death of Epstein while incarcerated in New York City.

Epstein allegedly killed himself while incarcerated in a federal jail in Manhattan last year after being arrested on sex trafficking charges. Since then, conspiracy theories have spread regarding the disgraced financier's death. At the time of his apparent suicide, he was one of the highest profile prisoners on the planet.

Attorney General William Barr said Epstein's death was the result of a "perfect storm of screw ups" by the federal agencies.

Recommended Ghislaine Maxwell hires lawyer who helped prosecute gangster El Chapo

Ms Maxwell was arrested last week on six counts of sex trafficking charges involving minors that allege she lured girls in to be sexually abused by Epstein. In addition to her part in Epstein's sex trafficking ring, she was formerly his girlfriend and - like Epstein - has been a fixture among the US and British ruling class for at least two decades. Their friends included Donald Trump, Bill Clinton and Prince Andrew. The Duke of York has denied allegations by Virginia Giuffre that he had sex with her when she was 17.

Ms Maxwell has been described as Epstein's "chief enabler" by some of Epstein's victims.

According to the Associated Press, while she is in prison, she will not be allowed to be alone. A roommate has been placed in her cell and she is being monitored at all times.

Ed Gavin, a former New York City Department of Corrections deputy warden, appeared on Tucker Carlson's Fox News show and argued that Ms Maxwell should be moved to Rikers Island for her own safety.

"I don't think the feds can handle these prisoners, such high-profile prisoners like Maxwell or Epstein," Mr Gavin said. "If I were William Barr, what I would do is, I would seek to obtain a substitute jail order and I would try to have Ms Maxwell placed on Rikers Island with the New York City Department of Corrections."

Mr Gavin said the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where Ms Maxwell is currently being held, was "notorious for the sexual abuse of female inmates".

Ms Maxwell has not entered a plea, but has consistently maintained her innocence in the past.
Listed home builder Abbey saw its profit before tax fall to 33m in the 12 months to April 30 from 53m the prior year.

The 83-year-old building company said trading in the three months to April 30 was significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

In this context the overall results were satisfactory, Abbey said in its annual results.

Turnover from house-building operations was 162.7m, generating an operating profit of 31.3m.

In Ireland, where Abbey sold 57 homes during its financial year, the company ended the year with a strong forward sales position.

Sales completions will rise significantly here this year, with work well advanced on two projects in Navan and another in Portlaoise.

Elsewhere, Abbey said its substantial new project in Oranmore county Galway will be underway in the first half of its financial year.

Meanwhile, further projects are in the planning process.

In the UK, where the company completed 405 sales of homes over the 12 months, production and sales activity resumed at reduced levels in May following Covid-19 disruption.

Abbey said sales have held up well there, supported by the 'Help to Buy' programme. It added that all new projects which had been placed on hold are planned to start before the end of October.

However, it said budgeting this year is more difficult and the delayed start to new projects will result in lower than previously planned completions.

Abbey, which also has a plant hire division, warned its performance in the UK this year will critically depend on confidence and employment levels in the wider economy.

At the year end the group owned and controlled land allocated for housing development for the supply of 2,947 plots.

Abbey held 70.8m in cash at the end of the financial year.

The group said that in light of the current crisis it would not be recommending a dividend.
Vikas Dubey is dead. On Thursday, when he was arrested in Ujjain, this newspaper argued that his arrest must mark the beginning  not the end  of the story about the nexus between politics and crime in Uttar Pradesh (UP) and a broken administrative and police system. But there appear to have been forces which did not want that story told. On Friday morning, in highly mysterious circumstances, Dubey died, and so did the story he may have told.

It is important to reiterate first principles here. Dubey was a gang lord; his list of crimes was long; he allegedly led the attack and killing on eight policemen in Kanpur last week. Such a man deserved to be punished for his crimes. But India prides itself on the rule of law. When a crime is allegedly committed, a process kicks in. The perpetrator is arrested, contingent on judicial sanction. Suspects are questioned. Evidence is amassed. Interrogations are conducted. A case is built up. The court examines the evidence and testimonies; the defendant has a right to legal defence. On the merits of the case, based on the law, the judiciary hands down its decision, which can then be appealed against. In a civilised society, this process is undertaken, not just because the guilty is presumed to be innocent until convicted, but because this is the only way to sustain the legitimacy of the system and prevent arbitrary exercise of power. Even Ajmal Kasab, caught red-handed in the 26/11 attacks, got a trial.

In UP, there appears to be a pattern where this process is, often, not followed. There have been a spate of extrajudicial killings  encounters, in popular parlance  since the current government took office in 2017. This is attributed to a stern approach where patience for due process is limited. Even before Friday, this impatience with process, the desire to satiate the thirst for instant justice, as well as, more controversially, ensure Dubey did not speak about his political and bureaucratic linkages were being seen as factors that would cut short his life. The circumstances of his death  he was shifted into another vehicle before the shoot-out; journalists following the convoy were stopped before the encounter took place; the absence of evidence to show how his car overturned  will only add motive to mystery. If UP wants to set an example, it must institute an independent probe on the manner of Dubeys killing and his entire network. India may have one less criminal today, but it has also fallen short of its own principles.
New Jersey is the only state in the nation where top elected county officials are still called freeholders  a centuries-old term that many deride as being not only confusing but racist and offensive.

Now, after years of debate, a name change may finally be in the works.

Gov. Phil Murphy and New Jerseys two highest-ranking state lawmakers announced Thursday they support enacting bipartisan legislation that would require county governments in the state to switch the title of the officials from freeholders to commissioners  the term many other states use for county leaders.

While theres been talk about abolishing the term for years, its never come to pass. But the new push comes as the United States continues to re-evaluate how to address racism in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota and the deaths of other unarmed Black people who have died in police custody. That has included fiery debates over whether to remove statues and other symbols linked to slavery and segregation.

As our nation tears down symbols of injustice, we must also tear down words we use in New Jersey that were born from racism, Murphy, state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, and state Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin  all Democrats  said in a joint statement.

Its past time for New Jersey to phase out the term freeholder from our public discourse  a term coined when only white male landowners could hold public office, they continued. This is not a matter of political correctness; it is a corrective action to replace an outdated designation that is rooted in institutional prejudice.

As our nation tears down symbols of injustice, let us tear down words born from racism.



Proud to stand with @NJSenatePres and @SpeakerCoughlin to phase out the word "freeholder"  coined when only white male landowners could hold office. #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/ZxbP4yQHQB  Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) July 9, 2020

The bill (S855/A3594) must pass both the Senate and Assembly before Murphy could sign it into law.

Sweeney, D-Gloucester, said the state Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee will consider the measure at its next meeting July 16.

It is important that we erase the terminology that reflects racist attitudes in order to eliminate the vestiges of discriminatory practices, Sweeney said. Lets catch up with the rest of the world and call these officials who serve in public positions commissioners.

Each of New Jerseys 21 counties has a board of chosen freeholders elected by voters in those counties. The officials oversee taxpayer-funded county budgets, which pay for parks, jails, roads, and more.

The name stems from a 15th century English legal term referring to a person who owned land free of debts, mortgage, or lien.

That carried over to pre-Revolutionary America. New Jerseys first constitution, written in 1776, declared a county representative must be worth fifty pounds proclamation money, clear estate in the same and have resided in the county in which they claim a vote for twelve months immediately preceding the election.

Having a clear estate meant you were the owner  or freeholder  of property outright.

But proponents of dropping the name note that only landowners could hold office at the time, and because Black people and most women could not own property then, it helped ensure white men were in power. Plus, owning property during that period could have included owning slaves.

Union County Freeholder Angela Garretson, whom Murphy credited with helping push for the change, said the new bill is important as more women and people of color are elected to county boards.

Its such an outdated and outmoded word, Garretson, who is Black, told NJ Advance Media. This is about trying to reflect the diversity in our state so we can tear down a lot of systemic racism. ... This is about us moving into the 21st century.

Plus, Garretson said, many people have no clue what the term freeholder means anyway  including fellow county officials across the country.

When we travel to national conferences, we have to explain to our colleagues what we are, she said with a laugh.

State Sen. Joe Pennachio, R-Morris, a main sponsor, pushed a similar but failed measure in 2018. He agrees that many New Jersey residents are often confused by the term.

Changing the title to county commissioner, which is used virtually everywhere outside of New Jersey, is a simple way to increase transparency and reduce confusion about how government works, Pennachio said.

Pennachios previous bill passed the state Senate two years ago but stalled in the Assembly. At the time, the all-Republican freeholder board in Ocean County passed a resolution against the measure.

Then-Freeholder John Bartlett, who has since died, told the Philadelphia Inquirer at the time that supporters of the plan were just pandering to political correctness.

This idea of trashing history has gone very far in this country, Bartlett added.

There is already opposition to the new bill. John Donnadio, executive director of the New Jersey Association of Counties, said his group would prefer lawmakers to leave it up to individual counties whether they want to change the name.

There are county government bodies that dont support the name change, Donnadio told NJ Advance Media. If a county decides on its own to make the name change, so be it. The fact that its mandatory is an issue.

He also said the term commissioner may lead to some confusion because there are already appointed county commissioners of parks and other services. He said the name legislator or supervisor would be preferred.

We think the term commissioner dilutes it, Donnadio said.

The bill would also require counties to update their letterheads, stationery, websites, and other writings within one year. They would not have to replace signs or other writings if it would require them to spend county taxpayer money.

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

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com.
Photograph: Reuters

A handful of Republican senators have said they are not planning to attend the Republican national convention in Jacksonville, Florida, later this summer.

That group includes the Republican partys oldest senator, Chuck Grassley of Iowa. Grassley, 86, told the Des Moines Register that he did not plan to attend because of the virus situation.

Related: Trumps taxes may be released to grand jury, supreme court rules  live

It will be the first time in 40 years that Grassley will not attend the convention, where delegates are due to officially renominate Donald Trump as the Republican partys candidate for president ahead of the November election.

On Thursday the Kansas senator Pat Roberts, a Republican who is retiring, told reporters he is unlikely to attend as well. Roberts office did not respond to a request for comment by the Guardian.

The Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, the highest-ranking Republican in his chamber, was also asked about some of his colleagues not planning to go.

Well, its a challenging situation, McConnell said. A number of my colleagues have announced that theyre not going to attend and well have to wait and see how things look in late August to determine whether or not we can safely convene.

Trump himself has expressed eagerness to host a convention even amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. He wants to replicate the large roaring crowds hes enjoyed at past rallies, despite warnings from health officials.

Other senators who often clash with the president are not planning to attend. The Utah senator Mitt Romney and the Alaska senator Lisa Murkowski, both of whom have split with the president on multiple occasions, are not going either, according to the Washington Post. The Post also reported that the Maine senator Susan Collins was not going to go to the event either. An aide noted to the paper that Collins does not go to conventions in years when she is running for re-election.

The Tennessee senator Lamar Alexander also will not be attending.

Story continues

Senator Alexander is an honorary chair of the Tennessee Trump campaign, but he will not be attending the convention because he believes the delegate spots should be reserved for those who have not had that privilege before as he has had, Alexanders spokesperson Ashton Davies said.

Iowas other senator, Joni Ernst, said she was planning to attend but that could change.

It is unclear if more senators will opt to skip the convention. Some of the senators who are passing on the convention have been the source of ire from Trump and worked to maintain a more moderate position within the GOP.

But others who are not going, like Collins, also have to factor in tough re-election fights in states that do not vote reliably Republican. Ernst also is facing a serious re-election fight.

Democrats have taken a more cautious approach in organizing their convention in August, where the former vice-president Joe Biden will be formally nominated as the partys general election presidential candidate. Some of the convention will be held virtually and some of it will still be in person in Milwaukee. That move is meant to prevent the coronavirus from spreading.

On Thursday the Washington Post reported that Republican party officials are considering hosting the convention outdoors. Trump, the Post reported, has been presented with the possibility of hosting the convention outside and will probably make a decision in the coming days.
Queensland will not change its border policy in the face of two separate cases of apparent community transmission of COVID-19 in NSW.

NSW health authorities have confirmed two people who separately attended a pub in Sydneys south-west on the same night have tested positive for COVID-19.

A man in his 50s tested positive on Friday, after a woman in her 30s was confirmed positive earlier this week.

Contact tracing and testing is now ramping up for all patrons of the hotel on that night.
Tamilisai Soundararajan, a doctor herself, has taken it upon herself to 'monitor' the government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic

Hyderabad: Telangana governor Tamilisai Soundararajans proactive role in monitoring the measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 is making the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) uncomfortable.

In recent weeks, the governor, a doctor herself and a BJP leader in Tamil Nadu before her appointment, has conducted review meetings with senior health staff and hospital managements, and gave media interviews in which she openly called for more testing and tracing of COVID-19 patients. This has given an opportunity to critics of the TRS government's handling of the pandemic to find their voice.

When chief secretary Somesh Kumar and the principal secretary for health did not attend a review meeting called by the governor to discuss the coronavirus campaign it gave scope for more criticism by the opposition parties.

Since Sundararajan launched her proactive avatar, her Twitter account has become a complaint box for citizens who are dissatisfied with the TRS government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Soundararajan recently also engaged with citizens on Twitter.

The BJP has been enthusiastic about the governor's initiative. That party's state unit president, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, said it becomes the duty of the governor, as the constitutional head of the state, to take charge of the matter if the state government was not vigorous enough.

Sanjay did not lose the opportunity to take a dig at chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao who, he said, has become invisible in the past 12 days. The CM should have personally met the governor and explained the situation rather than create a situation where the governor had to take stock, Sanjay said.

Some senior Congress leaders have sought presidents rule in the case. In response, TRS leader and State Planning Commission vice-chairman B. Vinod Kumar advised them Congress leaders to read the rule books and Supreme Court judgements.

Congress working president A. Revanth Reddy demanded that Soundararajan should invoke Section 8 of the AP Reorganisation Act which gives the governor special responsibility to ensure the security of the life of the people by declaing health emergency.
Vijay Inder Singla

Chandigarh: Punjab Government has decided to cancel the pending examinations of various classes which were earlier announced to be conducted after July 15 by Punjab School Education Board (PSEB).

While divulging details, school education minister Vijay Inder Singla said that the state government has decided to cancel all the pending examinations of class XII, open school and several other categories including reappear and golden chance students.

He added that the decision has been taken in view of the hard times erupted due to Covid-19 pandemic.

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Vijay Inder SinglaThe cabinet minister informed that it would not be possible for the education department to conduct the examinations in the near future due to the challenges posed by the corona virus.

He added as per the guidance of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, now the result will be declared on the basis of best performing subjects as examinations of some subjects have already been taken by the PSEB before outbreak of corona virus.

He added that it was also need of the hour to declare results to enable the students to timely choose their desired courses in higher education.

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For example if any student have appeared in the examinations in only 3 subjects, the average of the marks obtained in best two performing subjects will be awarded in the subjects whose examinations have not been conducted, Vijay Inder Singla said while elaborating best performing subjects formula.

Punjab governmentHe added that the marks of practical subjects and on the job training, for vocational subjects will also be awarded on this basis.

Singla said that in case of Open school students, the board will declare the results on the basis of credit carry formula and will be awarded average marks on the basis of marks obtained by them in the subjects (credit carry formula) which were passed by them in earlier sessions.

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The cabinet minister said that the students, who were to appear under Golden/Final Chance category of the PSEB for reappear or compartment, will also be awarded average marks on the basis of subjects earlier passed by them.

He added that for students having pending chances for division improvement or reappear and submitted fees for only one paper which was not conducted, will be given additional chance to give exams in the future without paying extra fees and separate date sheet will be issued after the return of normalcy.
Ivan Cholakov/iStockBy LUIS MARTINEZ, ABC News



(WASHINGTON) -- Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Thursday that the intelligence on the Russian bounty program had not been corroborated by intelligence agencies and that they do not believe any attacks in Afghanistan that resulted in American casualties can be directly tied to it. The U.S. is still looking into the program and Milley warned that if it proves to have been real the U.S. "will take action."



"All the defense intelligence agencies have been unable to corroborate that report," Esper told the House Armed Services Committee.



"As of today, right now, we don't have cause and effect linkages to a Russian bounty program causing U.S. Military casualties," Milley said. "However, we are still looking. We're not done. We're going to run this thing to ground."



If proven true, Milley said "we will take action." Though he also indicated that there have probably been some contacts with Russia about this, on the strategic level, that have not been made public.



"If it is bounties, I am outraged, just like every one of us in uniform is," Milley said. "If these bounties are directed by the government of Russia to kill American soldiers, that is a big deal. We don't have that level of fidelity yet. We are still looking."



Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, the commander of U.S. Central Command, and Gen. Scott Miller, the top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan, became aware of the intelligence in January, according to Esper.



"Neither thought the reports were credible as they dug into them," said Esper, who noted that he became aware of the intelligence report in February.



Esper added that McKenzie and DOD intelligence agencies have not found any links to an April 2019 roadside bomb blast that killed three Marines that, according to some press reports, has been linked to the program.



Earlier this week, McKenzie said he found the intelligence report concerning, but did not believe it was tied to actual U.S. military deaths on the battlefield.



"I found it very worrisome, I just didn't find that there was a causative link there," McKenzie said in an interview with a small group of reporters.



"The intel case wasn't proved to me -- it wasn't proved enough that I'd take it to a court of law -- and you know that's often true in battlefield intelligence," McKenzie said. The general added that he told his intelligence staffers "to continue to dig on it" and that force protection levels for U.S. troops in Afghanistan are always high.



Based on his multiple tours of service in Afghanistan, Milley said he has been aware of Russian meddling in Afghanistan for years, including sending arms supplies to the Taliban. But, he said, "there is a distinction between arming and directing."



"We don't have -- in the case of the Russians -- we do not have concrete evidence intelligence to show directing. That is a big difference," Milley said. "If we did, it would be a different response. We are not done looking. We are going to get to the bottom of this bounty thing."

The reports of a Russian bounty program created a controversy for the Trump administration after it was disclosed that President Donald Trump had not been personally briefed on the information because it had not been "verified." The New York Times reported that the information was included in the written version of the president's daily intelligence brief in late February.



Democratic members of Congress have countered that he should have been briefed regardless of whether the intelligence was fully analyzed, given that it involved the safety of American troops.



Asked specifically at Thursday's hearing if he had received a briefing that included the word "bounty," Esper replied, "To the best of my recollection, I have not received a briefing that included the word 'bounty.'"



If "it was a credible report that used those words, certainly it would have been brought to my attention by the chain of command, by the chairman of the joint chiefs and others for action," Esper said.



"We would have taken upon that action in an interagency effort to make sure we addressed it," he added. "At all times, we take force protection seriously and we take all of his actions regardless of the credibility of a report. We take all that seriously."



Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(Newser)  President Trump held a roundtable at the White House Thursday, which included a signing of an executive order on his Hispanic Prosperity Initiative. Among the Latino supporters in attendance was Robert Unanue, CEO of Goya Foods, said to be the largest Hispanic/Latino-owned food company in the USand it's what Unanue said at the event that's making headlines. "We're all truly blessed at the same time to have a leader like President Trump, who is a builder," Unanue said, per NBC News. That statement set off an online firestorm within the Latino community, which has been miffed at Trump for going after immigrants from Latin America. The hashtags #BoycottGoya, #GoyaFoods, and #Goyaway began circulating soon after Unanue spoke.

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Among the prominent names criticizing Unanue, per USA Today: former Housing and Urban Development Secretary and presidential contender Julian Castro. "@GoyaFoods has been a staple of so many Latino households for generations," Castro tweeted Thursday evening. "Now their CEO, Bob Unanue, is praising a president who villainizes and maliciously attacks Latinos for political gain. Americans should think twice before buying their products." Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, meanwhile, posted, "Oh look, it's the sound of me Googling 'how to make your own Adobo.'" Despite Trump's past remarks about Mexicans and other Hispanic immigrants, a recent Noticias Telemundo poll predicts the president will draw between 25% and 30% of the Latino vote in November, per Newsweek. (Read more boycott stories.)
Donald Trump deflected blame onto Dr Anthony Fauci when quizzed about the rising number of coronavirus cases in several US states.

When asked to share his thoughts on newly-emerging Covid-19 'hotspots' - including Texas and Florida - the President said the nation's top infectious disease expert and leader of the White House coronavirus task force 'made a lot of mistakes'.

He told Fox News on Thursday: 'First of all, the mortality rate, and Dr Fauci is a nice man but hes made a lot of mistakes.

He cited his implementing travel bans on China - without Dr Fauci's advice - as one example.

Donald Trump deflected blame onto Dr Anthony Fauci when quizzed about the rising number of coronavirus cases in several US states

When asked to share his thoughts on newly-emerging Covid-19 'hotspots' - including Texas and Florida - the President said the nation's top infectious disease expert and leader of the White House coronavirus task force Fauci (pictured) 'made a lot of mistakes'

The President added: 'A lot of mistakes were made, a lot of mistakes.

'Let me just make one statement, we do testing like nobodys ever done testing. And when we test, the more you test, the more cases you find.'

On Thursday, Florida reported a record increase of 120 deaths and California had 136 new fatalities, not far from the record of 149 set the previous day.

Texas reported 105 new deaths - a new high in a single day - and Governor Greg Abbott says the numbers next week may be even worse.

Dr Fauci yesterday slammed the federal government's response to Covid-19.

During an interview with FiveThirtyEight, Fauci said of the country: 'I don't think you can say we're doing great.'

He then explained what he meant by that statement: 'Well, let me say there are parts of the United States, like where you live right now [in New York], that are doing really well, that you've been through something really bad and you have things under control

'And you have a governor and mayor in the city who understand what it means to go by the guidelines for the gateway: phase one, phase two, phase three. So you're doing well,' Fauci said, referring to Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov Andrew Cuomo.

'Other cities are doing well,' Fauci continued. 'But as a country, when you compare us to other countries, I don't think you can say we're doing great. I mean, we're just not.'

Fauci then went on to talk about the government's approach to suppress the deadly virus.

The US has reported more than 3.1 million cases total and over 133,000 deaths from the virus

'We live, I mean, you have to be having blindfolds on and covering your ears to think that we don't live in a very divisive society now, from a political standpoint,' Fauci admitted.

'So I think you'd have to make the assumption that if there wasn't such divisiveness, that we would have a more coordinated approach.'

On Monday, Fauci said in a Twitter livestream that 'the current state is really not good'.

'We are still knee-deep in the first wave of COVID-19 infections,' he said.

His statements came on a day that the US saw 60,565 new daily cases.

Thursday marked the second day in a row infections have risen by at least 60,000, according to a Reuters tally.

For a third day in a row, US deaths climbed by more than 800, the highest levels seen since early June, according to the tally.
Minister of Economy of Armenia Tigran Khachatryan today hosted an online discussion with the Support Armenia Fund's initiative group and expressed willingness to assist small and medium-sized enterprises through the fundraiser organized by the Fund.

Minister Khachatryan welcomed the initiative and assured that the Ministry of Economy is willing to support the Fund to organize their work effectively. The minister stated that nearly 900 companies received assistance within the scope of the Armenian governments third anti-crisis program targeted at small and medium-sized enterprises. The minister listed the sectors affected the most by the outbreak of the pandemic and the preventative measures and added that further cooperation will be coordinated by his deputy Naira Margaryan, who will provide necessary consulting.

Member of the initiative Olivia Zhamkochyan expressed gratitude to Minister Khachatryan for the willingness to support, presented the Funds activities and future plans and stated that the Fund intends to support small family businesses first, especially in the tourism sector.

The participants of the meeting expressed satisfaction with the fact that Kim Kardashian has also joined the campaign to raise awareness about the fundraiser.
A Co Antrim woman who lost both of her parents in less than a year will be graduating in a virtual ceremony from Queen's University today.

Robyn McCue (26), from Newtownabbey, will graduate with a PhD in Psychology after managing to continue her studies despite losing her mother and father.

Her mum Jane, sadly passed away in January 2015 - the day before her final undergraduate exam. Despite the devastating news, she summoned up all her strength and decided to go ahead with the exam, going on to complete her undergraduate degree. Nine months later she began her PhD but one month into her course, her dad, Alan sadly passed away.

"I think I just went into shock following that - I still hadn't really processed losing Mum in January of that year," she explained. With the support of the School of Psychology, Robyn said she wanted to keep going with her PhD, and this September she will start training to become a clinical psychologist in London.

"My brother graduated from Medicine at Queen's in 2014 - he's currently training to be a paediatrician - and this summer I'm graduating with my PhD. So there's now two Dr McCues in the family.

"I know Mum and Dad would be over the moon at the thought of that."

Two other students celebrating today include brothers, Mohammed Abdul Salam Shajahan Sait (21) and Sultan Abbas Shajahan Sait (19), who will graduate from Civil Engineering and Economics and Accounting respectively.

The pair had travelled from Belfast to their home of Chennai, India, just before the lockdown, and learning that many people were struggling to access food, they decided to take the issue into their own hands, and have now helped to distribute over 30,000 meal and food kits to families.

Also participating in the virtual ceremony with be Co Tyrone woman, Nicole Devlin, (33) from Edendork, who will be graduating with a Bachelor of Science Psychology degree (BSc).

During her studies, Nicole drew on her own personal experiences of self-harm, suicidal behaviours and mental ill-health.

Since completing her degree, Nicole continues to work with charity Mindwise and is planning to study for a Master's degree.
Meghan Markle has ditched her vibrant outfits in favour of all-white ensembles in recent days to show solidarity with anti-racist causes, according to a stylist, and is even influencing Prince Harry to do the same.

The Duchess of Sussex, 38, who is currently living with the Duke, 35, and their son Archie, one, in LA, wowed fans with her colourful wardrobe during her last few engagements in the UK before officially stepping back from royal duties in March.

But in recent appearances, the former actress and her husband, Harry have ditched vibrant ensembles and instead opted for white garments in a sign of unity, stylist Susie Hasler tells FEMAIL.

She says: 'Of course, Meghan is well aware of the symbolism of this colour. She is making a statement. She is showing she is unified with these causes, showing solidarity.'

Meghan Markle has ditched her vibrant outfits (pictured left, in March 2020) for white garments instead (pictured right, in June) in a show of solidarity with anti-racist causes because it's the colour of unity, purity and virtue, a stylist has claimed

Prince Harry and Meghan (pictured) both sported the shade during a video call with young leaders from the Queen's Commonwealth Trust last week, in which they discussed 'justice and equal rights

The couple both sported the shade during a video call with young leaders from the Queen's Commonwealth Trust last week, in which they discussed 'justice and equal rights'.

During the call, Harry said the Commonwealth needs to follow others who have 'acknowledged the past' and are 'trying to right their wrongs', and also admitted to having his own 'unconscious bias'.

Meanwhile, Meghan opted for a white vest and cardigan combo in June, when declaring that 'black lives matter' during her speech about the death of George Floyd, who died at the hands of police in Minnesota on May 25.

Susie Hasler, who runs Styled By Susie, said: 'Meghan Markle has long made a statement with her sartorial choices.

'We have seen her champion smaller brands, put her stamp on sustainable fashion, or make a nod to her late mother-in-law Princess Diana - and now she is using what she wears to convey a political message.

Prince Harry in a video call with Meghan Markle and young leaders from across the Commonwealth. Pictured, Chrisann Jarrett (UK) (top left), Mike Omoniyi (UK), (top right), Alicia Wallace (Bahamas) (bottom left) and Abdullahi Alim (Australia) (bottom right)

The Duchess of Sussex, 38, who is currently living with the Duke, 35, and their son Archie, one, in LA, wowed fans with her colourful wardrobe during her last few engagements in the UK. Pictured, Meghan and Harry at the Endeavour Fund Awards in London, in March

'The colours we wear can be incredibly significant. White in particular has poignant connotations - especially in women's political activism.'

She added: '"Suffragette white" is so-named because it was one of the three colours championed by the movement in the 20th century - it represented purity and virtue.

'It became something of a uniform, which meant any woman of any class or colour could wear it - it wasn't, say, an expensive garment, it was a colour of unity.

'Of course, Meghan is well aware of the symbolism of this colour. She is making a statement. She is showing she is unified with these causes, showing solidarity.

'It's the type of statement that doesn't require frills or fancy, because the choosing to wear all-white packs enough of a punch.'

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attend the London-based Commonwealth Day Service in March this year

It comes following reports that Meghan feels she was 'destined' to help fight systemic racism in US - and hasn't ruled out a career in politics.

Speaking DailyMail.com in June, a friend of the former actress' revealed Meghan said her instinct to leave the UK and move to California all makes sense to her now, because she believes she was 'destined' to help fight systemic racism in America.

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.'
A new study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology shows that a University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) community outreach initiative has helped adolescents in Rochester adopt long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) at a rate far higher than the U.S. overall.

The study, "Impact of the Rochester LARC Initiative on Adolescents' Utilization of Long-Acting Reversible Contraception," used Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System data from the years 2013, 2015, and 2017 for Rochester, New York City, New York State, and the U.S. overall. These years cover the time before and after the Initiative began in 2014.

The study found that usage of LARC among sexually active high school females in Rochester increased from 4 to 24 percent from 2013-2017, compared to an increase from 2.7 to 5.3 percent in New York City, 1.5 to 4.8 percent in New York State, and 1.8 to 5.3 percent in the U.S. overall.

The Greater Rochester LARC Initiative was started six years ago by the Hoekelman Center for Health Beyond Medicine, a unit of the URMC Department of Pediatrics that connects doctors with non-profits to benefit kids and adults by making communities healthier places to live. Primarily funded by the Greater Rochester Health Foundation, the Initiative aims to increase access to highly effective methods of birth control, including intrauterine devices and contraceptive implants (LARCs) for adolescents in Rochester.

Andrew Aligne, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Hoekelman Center, and his team have led the community effort to promote LARC by conducting outreach to local organizations that work with youth. They employ a simple "lunch-and-learn" approach to disseminate accurate information that forms the backbone of the Hoekelman Center's advocacy work.

An interesting aspect of the LARC project is that we talk to adults, not to teens. We work with our community partners to teach adults about birth control. This way, they can help teens to make well-informed choices about preventing unintended pregnancy." Jessica VanScott, M.P.H., the LARC Initiative's health project coordinator

Through their research with area teens, the LARC project team found that many were interested in learning about birth control, and that they often asked their most trusted peers and adults for advice.

"If teens are learning outside the medical setting from trusted youths and adults, then how do we increase the likelihood that anyone they talk to will share accurate information? We thought it could help if we gave resources with useful information to adults who work with teens in the community," said Aligne, associate professor of Pediatrics at URMC.

So far, the team has presented to more than 2,700 adults in health care settings, as well as those in community settings such as staff of after-school programs. The talks provide information about the safety, efficacy, and availability of LARC, with the goal of improving knowledge and access at the community level.

This approach is different from previous attempts to disseminate information about LARC. Typically, past outreach efforts have focused on targeting primary care providers or utilizing advertising resources to raise awareness. The Hoekelman Center's community-based approach achieved strong results because few of these community organizations had ground-level information available about LARC, according to Aligne.

"Almost nobody knew that the LARC program was free and covered by Medicaid," said Aligne. 26 states offer reimbursement for LARC under the Medicaid Family-Planning Benefit - included as part of the Medicaid expansion in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) - and Aligne believes these states could scale-up the Hoekelman Center's model to raise awareness as well.

Studies have shown that unintended teen pregnancy can lead to a number of critical health and social problems for young parents and their children: low birth weight, unemployment, school failure, and many other serious issues. Because of these risks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has declared teen pregnancy a national public health priority, and the CDC -- along with the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists -- recommends LARC as a safe and highly effective method of pregnancy prevention for adolescents seeking contraception.

"LARCs are more effective than pills, patches, and other contraceptives because they remain in place all the time," said Katherine Greenberg, M.D., an adolescent medicine specialist at UR Medicine's Golisano Children's Hospital. "Today's LARCs are safe, effective, invisible, and can be easily removed with no lingering effects when you decide to become pregnant." LARC methods protect against pregnancy for up to three to 12 years, can be removed at any time, and are 40 times more effective for teens than the traditional birth control pill.

The Hoekelman Center's efforts are bolstered by an extensive network of local agencies, including the Initiative's core partners: the Metro Council for Teen Potential, Healthy Baby Network, Highland Family Planning, and Planned Parenthood of Central and Western New York.

"As we strive to fulfill our mission to pursue and invest in solutions that build a healthier region where all people can thrive, we are proud to support the LARC Initiative at URMC, and celebrate its successes," said Matthew Kuhlenbeck, president and CEO of the Greater Rochester Health Foundation.

"The LARC project team takes a proactive, practical approach in its efforts to help reduce teen pregnancy by sharing information and increasing awareness of options, and we are especially grateful for the collaboration among URMC and community partners who are working together to address this challenge."

LARC services have continued during COVID-19, and access expanded at an increasing number of primary care practices serving teens and young adults throughout the Finger Lakes region during the last year, thanks to Accountable Health Partners (AHP), URMC's clinically integrated network of hospitals and physicians. In partnership with the Hoekelman Center team, and funded by a grant from the Finger Lakes Performing Provider System (FLPPS), AHP has promoted training in both reproductive counseling and LARC placement for primary care providers in order to further reduce access barriers for patients.

"The LARC Initiative demonstrates true collaboration between health care and community and is a significant population health success for our region," said Laura Jean Shipley, M.D., professor of clinical pediatrics, vice chair for Population and Behavioral Health at URMC and associate medical director at AHP.
A section of those who tuned out to show solidarity with Venezuela.

Some 209 years have elapsed since the founding of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, but the struggle against outside forces continue today.





In the assessment of Francisco Perez Santana, Head of the Venezuelan Mission here in St Vincent and the Grenadines, now was the time for countries of Latin America and the Caribbean to unite as one entity, in the fight against worldwide injustices and the violation of human rights.





Santana made the comment while addressing a ceremony to mark Venezuelas independence, held at the Venezuela Embassy, Kingstown, last Sunday, July 5.





The unification of Latin America and the Caribbean was the vision of Simon Bolivar, considered the father of Venezuela.





However, the integration process has been stalled by intervention from the United States, said Santana.

Yet, according to Santana, "Venezuela has been at the fore for the fight for independence and the upliftment of the welfare of its people, to overthrow colonialism and to set the country on a path of its own home-grown development.





According to Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, whose address on the occasion came via a recorded message, since the 21st Century, Venezuela has sought to ensure that its people live in a peaceful, democratic society, and have evolved a society of greater equality ensuring that the poor and hardworking people, said Gonsalves.





In its external policies, Gonsalves said that Venezuela has done well, in particular, its policies with regard to the region with the establishment of Petrocaribe and Alba.





But the country has suffered for its principles in resisting imperialism, Gonsalves declared.





Nevertheless, Venezuela remains a beacon of hope and remains as a guide and, according to Gonsalves, it was for this reason that the people and government of Venezuela deserved (their) solidarity from the people and government of St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The activity was also addressed by H.E Andreas Wickham, Ambassador for SVG in Venezuela, and Marlon Joseph representing VENVIFA.
Rates of depression and stress have increased among the general population since the COVID-19 pandemic began. However, we know little about the current state of mental health of older adults (65+), who are at a higher risk for illness and death due to infection, and account for more than 95% of COVID-19 deaths in Ontario. They are also vulnerable to the effects of social isolation, such as depression and worsening of medical conditions, that may result from physical distancing - one of the main defenses we have in the fight against COVID-19.

A new, joint study by Baycrest and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) aims to deepen our understanding of this problem and identify ways to support older adults during this time. Led by Dr. Linda Mah, clinician scientist at Baycrest's Rotman Research Institute (RRI), the study will examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and physical distancing on the mental health of older adults. In addition, it will look at resilience and coping among this group, both of which are known to support mental health. The study involves Sunnybrook, University Health Network and St. Michael's Hospital in addition to Baycrest and CAMH.

Co-leading the investigation is Dr. Benoit Mulsant, clinician scientist in the Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute at CAMH and Labatt Family Chair of the Department of Psychiatry in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto (U of T).

"Seniors' mental health is a highly relevant issue right now," says Dr. Mah, who is also a new Associate Professor of Psychiatry at U of T. "We know that during the SARS epidemic in 2003, there were increases in psychiatric problems among older adults in areas with large outbreaks of the virus. Today, one-third of people below 65 years of age are experiencing depression and high stress, even when they have not been infected or exposed to COVID-19. These numbers may be even higher in older adults, who are more vulnerable to COVID-19 and to social isolation."

In this study, Drs. Mah and Mulsant and their colleagues will monitor changes in mental health and the incidence of psychiatric illness during the pandemic amongst 475 older adults in Toronto. The study is scheduled to be completed within the year, with some initial findings expected in the coming four to six months.

"Mental health during COVID-19 should not be taken lightly," says Dr. Mulsant. "The results of this study will increase our knowledge of the impact of COVID-19 and of physical distancing as a public health measure on emotional well-being in older Canadians."

"Our findings will inform public health officials' decisions on how best to implement restrictions to mitigate the impact of COVID-19, while minimizing mental health risks in seniors," says Dr. Mah. "In addition, by examining factors that affect seniors' mental health during the pandemic, this study will provide information that can be used to develop interventions to support seniors during this and future pandemics."

Adds Dr. Mulsant, "Our study should have a direct and immediate impact on public health."

###

This research is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care through the Academic Health Science Centre Alternative Funding Plan (AHSC AFP) Innovation Fund.

About Baycrest

Baycrest is a global leader in geriatric residential living, healthcare, research, innovation and education, with a special focus on brain health and aging. Baycrest is home to a robust research and innovation network, including one of the world's top research institutes in cognitive neuroscience, the Rotman Research Institute; the scientific headquarters of the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging, Canada's largest national dementia research initiative; and the Baycrest-powered Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation, a solution accelerator focused on driving innovation in the aging and brain health sector. Fully affiliated with the University of Toronto, Baycrest provides excellent care for older adults combined with an extensive clinical training program for the next generation of healthcare professionals. Through these initiatives, Baycrest has remained at the forefront of the fight to defeat dementia as our organization works to create a world where every older adult enjoys a life of purpose, inspiration and fulfilment. Founded in 1918 as the Toronto Jewish Old Folks Home, Baycrest continues to embrace the long-standing tradition of all great Jewish healthcare institutions to improve the well-being of people in their local communities and around the globe. For more information please visit: http://www.baycrest.org

About Baycrest's Rotman Research Institute

The Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest is a premier international centre for the study of human brain function. Through generous support from private donors and funding agencies, the institute is helping to illuminate the causes of cognitive decline in seniors, identify promising approaches to treatment and lifestyle practices that will protect brain health longer in the lifespan.
NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP >> In the wake of several pedestrian fatalities, the Newtown Township Board of Supervisors is moving forward with a multi-pronged plan to improve safety along Sycamore Street, the townships downtown commercial corridor. At its Jan. 13 meeting, the board voted unanimously to follow the short term and long term recommendations of its traffic engineer, Derek Kennedy, who was...
The Nagaland government has asked government employees to furnish details of family members who are affiliated to various insurgent groups in the state.

According to an office memorandum issued on July 7 by chief secretary Temjen Toy, heads of departments have been asked to obtain information in self-declaration forms from all employees regarding family members and relatives in underground organizations.

The details are to be submitted by the department heads to the home department by August 7. Names of underground organizations are not mentioned in the memorandum.

The employees, who have family members in these organizations, have been asked to mention their names, the organization to which they are affiliated to, position in the organization and the nature of relationship with the government employee in the self-declaration form.

The memorandum mentions that the order has been issued as per instructions, but theres no clarity on who had issued the instructions for such a move.

A note in the order mentions that family member means spouse, sons/daughters, sibling and parents of the government employee while relative will consist of anyone who is directly related to any of the family members of the government employee.

Neither chief secretary Temjen Toy nor principal secretary (home) Abhijit Sinha could be reached for their comments on the governments move.

The order comes after Governor RN Ravi wrote a letter to chief minister Neiphiu Rio last month alleging that a few armed gangs were threatening authority of the elected government in the state.

Reacting to the letter, the Nagaland government issued a statement last week saying that Ravis assessment of law and order situation in the state is precarious and doesnt appear factual.

Nagaland has several insurgent groups, some of whom are in peace talks with the government. Though a framework agreement with NSCN-Isak Muivah was signed in August 2015 and peace talks with several other groups concluded in October last year, a final agreement on Naga peace talks is still due.
Following hours of panel-driven judging and technology demonstrations, SIA is thrilled to recognize the 2020 winners of the SIA New Product Showcase Awards for their innovative products, services and contributions representing the best new offerings in the market."  SIA CEO Don Erickson

The Security Industry Association (SIA) has announced the 2020 winners of the SIA New Product Showcase Awards, the flagship awards program in partnership with ISC West recognizing innovative security products, services and solutions. Top among the winners  who were recognized July 9 during a virtual awards show  was Leica Geosystems, part of Hexagon, receiving the 2020 Best New Product Award.

Since its inception in 1979, the SIA New Product Showcase has been the security industrys premier product awards program. New products are reviewed by a panel of judges with extensive industry experience, and in 2020, following significant deliberations, the 30 judges presented awards for technologies covering 23 product and service categories.

Leica Geosystems, part of Hexagon, received the Best New Product honor for its 3D Surveillance With Leica BLK247, submitted in the Emerging Technologies category.

The 3D Surveillance With Leica BLK247 is a first-of-its-kind reality capture sensor for building security and operations, said Leica Geosystems. It is the latest product in the companys BLK product line, a collection of reality capture, scanning and photogrammetry hardware and software. The BLK247 offers continuous, 24/7 LiDAR-based 3D monitoring and change detection within spaces. It does this using LiDAR, 3D digital fencing and continuous scanning to monitor buildings and spaces 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The prestigious Judges Choice Award was presented to Suprema Inc. for the Airfob Patch product, submitted in the Access Control Devices & Peripherals Hardware  Wireless category.

Airfob Patch is the worlds first mobile-to-RF-card signal translator, enabling mobile phones to communicate with the existing RF card readers, said Suprema Inc. Wire, batteries nor construction is required for installation. Airfob Patch charges itself by using the existing RF field signals transmitted from the RF reader. It transforms the RF fields into its own power source.

Additionally, John Spooner  executive vice president at Alarm Detection Systems and an active volunteer judge in the SIA New Product Showcase program  received the New Product Showcase Merit Award, which recognizes an individual or company who, through their support of the New Product Showcase, demonstrates a commitment to the vision and mission of the program, contributes to its success and promotes the advancement of SIA and the security industry overall.

SIA is proud to present John Spooner with the 2020 SIA New Product Showcase Merit Award; John has not missed a single SIA New Product Showcase event since he began as an active volunteer judge in the program 17 years ago, said Chris Grniet, chair of the SIA New Product Showcase Committee. He has always been a fair and honest participant and has never hesitated to jump in and help whenever we need him. He has been exemplary in his commitment, participation and ability to help the group reach consensus.

Following hours of panel-driven judging and technology demonstrations, SIA is thrilled to recognize the 2020 winners of the SIA New Product Showcase Awards for their innovative products, services and contributions representing the best new offerings in the market, said SIA CEO Don Erickson. SIA applauds all the honorees who received awards in 2020 and particularly Leica Geosystems and Suprema Inc. for standing out in this highly competitive field of entrants to earn the Best New Product and Judges Choice distinctions. Additionally, we congratulate John Spooner on receiving the 2020 New Product Showcase Merit Award in recognition of his many valuable contributions to this premier program.

The 2020 SIA New Product Showcase winners are:

Best New Product Award



Winner  Leica Geosystems, Part of Hexagon: 3D Surveillance With Leica BLK247

Judges Choice Award



Winner  Suprema Inc.: Airfob Patch

New Product Showcase Merit Award



Winner  John Spooner, executive vice president, Alarm Detection Systems

Category Awards

Access Control Devices & Peripherals Hardware  Wireless



Winner  dormakaba: BEST Switch Tech

Access Control Software, Hardware, Devices & Peripherals  Wired



Winner  Swiftlane: Swiftlane Access Control

Honorable Mention  Altronix Corporation: Tango

Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection



Winner  Gibraltar Perimeter Security: G-1441 Ultra-Shallow Bollard

Biometrics



Winner  IDEMIA: VisionPass

Commercial Monitoring Solutions



Winner  IronYun Inc.: AI NVR Edge Analytics

Communications and Networking Solutions



Winner  Axis Communications, Inc.: AXIS C8210 Network Audio Amplifier

Convergence and Integration Solutions



Winner  Blue Light: Blue Fusion

Design, Diagnostic and Installation



Winner  Alarm.com: On-Site Wrap Up

Emergency and Mass Communication Systems



Winner  Verint: NowForce

Emerging Technologies



Winner  BioConnect: BioConnects Unified Mobile Access Solution

Environmental Monitoring Systems



Winner  IPVideo Corporation: HALO IOT Smart Sensor 2.0

Fire/Life Safety



Winner  Kidde: Kidde Optica Smoke Detectors

Hosted Solutions/Managed Services



Winner  SiteOwl: SiteOwl

Intrusion Detection and Prevention Solutions (Physical)  Wireless



Winner  Alula: Slimline Touchpad

Honorable Mention  Cartell: CW-SYS Wireless Driveway System

Lock and Key Solutions



Winner Medeco: All Weather Padlock

Honorable Mention  Abloy Oy: ABLOY BEAT

Mobile Solutions (Connected)



Winner  CloudScann: Visual Intelligence Control Center (VICC) With VisualC3 Mobile

Honorable Mention: Rapid Response Monitoring: rapidSMS

Smart Home Solutions



Winner  Alarm.com/Building36: Smart Water Valve+Meter

Threat/Risk Management Software Applications



Winner  Splan Inc.: SIVI  Splan Intelligent Visitor Insights

Video Surveillance Advanced Imaging Technologies



Winner  Axis Communications, Inc.: AXIS Live Privacy Shield

Video Surveillance Cameras (HD/Megapixel)



Winner  Bosch Security and Safety Systems: MIC IP Ultra 7100i

Honorable Mention  Hanwha Techwin: PNM-9085RQZ

Video Surveillance Data Storage



Winner  Dragonfruit AI: Dragonfruit LiveArchive

Video Surveillance Hardware and Accessories



Winner  EIZO Inc.: FDF2711W-IP

Video Surveillance Management Systems



Winner  Airship Industries, Inc.: Airship EMS v5.4.5

During the 2020 SIA New Product Showcase virtual awards ceremony, in addition to the presentation of the overall and category-specific awards, attendees enjoyed hearing insights from New Product Showcase judges into innovations driving product advancements in the security industry. Learn more about the SIA New Product Showcase here.

About SIA

SIA is the leading trade association for global security solution providers, with over 1,000 innovative member companies representing thousands of security leaders and experts who shape the future of the security industry. SIA protects and advances its members interests by advocating pro-industry policies and legislation at the federal and state levels, creating open industry standards that enable integration, advancing industry professionalism through education and training, opening global market opportunities and collaborating with other like-minded organizations. As the premier sponsor of ISC Events expos and conferences, SIA ensures its members have access to top-level buyers and influencers, as well as unparalleled learning and network opportunities. SIA also enhances the position of its members in the security marketplace through SIA GovSummit, which brings together private industry with government decision makers, and Securing New Ground, the security industrys top executive conference for peer-to-peer networking.

About ISC West

ISC West (in partnership with premier sponsor SIA) is the largest converged security event of the year, constantly evolving to educate security professionals on the tools and skills needed to protect against todays emerging cyber-physical security threats and the anticipated ones of tomorrow. The 50+-year-old ISC Security Events brand is trusted to provide the assets and knowledge needed to fight emerging threats. International and domestic companies and brands across physical, IT and IoT security debut their new products at the trade show to thousands of security industry professionals. Through its partnership with SIA, ISC West offers accredited educational sessions on all types of industry topics through SIA Education@ISC.
Adani Australia chief executive Lucas Dow has stepped down from his role but will stay with the company in a non-executive role, the mining company has confirmed.

The move comes as the controversial Carmichael thermal coal mine project in Queensland's Galilee Basin continues development.

Adani Australia boss Lucas Dow has stepped down as chief executive. Credit:Attila Csaszar

A statement from Adani Australia said Mr Dow had decided to step down, but would remain with the company as director of the board for Adani Mining Pty Ltd.

Project director David Boshoff will take up Mr Dow's vacated position and will be based in Townsville, having joined the company in November.
The Intelligent Communication Systems India Ltd. (ICSIL), a public sector enterprise under Govt. of India and NCT of Delhi, has called for applications from eligible and interested Indian nationals for filling Fifteen (15) Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) posts through a 'Walk-In-Interview' process scheduled on July 14, 2020 at the ICSIL, Administrative Block, Okhla Industrial Estate in New Delhi between 10:30 am to 12:30 pm.

CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) Organisation Intelligent Communication Systems India Ltd. (ICSIL) Educational Qualification Class 8 or equivalent Experience One-year in a relevant domain Skills Required Desirable Job Location New Delhi Salary Scale Rs.14,842 per month Industry IT & Communications Application Start Date July 14, 2020 Application End Date July 14, 2020

Age Criteria And Fees

Candidates interested in applying for MTS posts through ICSIL Recruitment 2020 must completed 18 years of age as on July 14, 2020 with relaxation (upper age limit) for reserved categories as per the ICSIL norms.

Candidates must pay a prescribed amount of Rs. 1,000 (Gen/OBC) as one-time registration fees.

Andhra Pradesh HMFWD Recruitment 2020 For 311 Staff Nurses And Other Posts, Apply Before July 18

Educational Criteria And Experience

Desirous candidates applying for MTS posts through ICSIL Recruitment 2020 must have passed Class 8 or equivalent from a recognised Board/Institution with minimum one-year experience of rendering the services of MTS or equivalent in any Govt. Department/organization/autonomous bodies/PSUs/ any other reputed company.

Selection And Pay Scale

The selection of candidates to MTS posts through ICSIL Recruitment 2020 will be done through 'Walk-In-Interview' scheduled on July 14, 2020 at the ICSIL, Administrative Block, Okhla Industrial Estate in New Delhi between 10:30 am to 12:30 pm.

Candidates selected to MTS posts through ICSIL Recruitment 2020 will be paid an emolument of Rs.14,842 per month.

Rajya Sabha Secretariat Recruitment 2020 For Parliamentary Reporters Post, Apply Before September 4

How To Apply

Candidates applying for MTS posts through ICSIL Recruitment 2020 must appear for the 'Walk-In-Interview' scheduled on July 14, 2020 between 10:30 am to 12:30 pm at the "Intelligent Communication Systems India Ltd. (ICSIL), Administrative Block, 1st Floor, Okhla Industrial Estate, Phase-III, New Delhi -110020" along with their relevant supporting documents.

Read the detailed advertisement about ICSIL Recruitment 2020 for Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) posts here
Mutual fund schemes, which had segregated their Vodafone Idea Ltd exposure in side pockets, on Friday breathed a sigh of relief as they received both principal and interest payments from the debt ridden telecom firm.

Vodafone Idea cumulatively paid out 2850 crore to 7 bond holders including mutual funds and banks.

While the side pockets of Franklin Templeton India schemes have received 1252 crore, UTI Mutual Fund has received 166 crore and Nippon India Mutual Fund has received 121 crore.

These part payment will be credited in investors accounts in the coming week, said officials of these fund houses.

Side pocket or a segregated portfolio, ensures money invested in mutual fund debt schemes, linked to stressed assets, gets locked until the fund recovers the cash from the company.

We have now received the full value of the principal due, along with interest for the period 12 June to 9 July 2020," said a spokesperson for Franklin Templeton in a statement.

This amount will be distributed to unitholders of the segregated portfolio as detailed below. This is the full and final payment for this segregated portfolio and will be made by extinguishing all the outstanding units held by each unitholder therein," he added.

Nippon India in the statement said that they have received 100% of their outstanding from Vodafone which is 121 crore.

The payout shall be processed by extinguishing proportionate units in the plans of the segregated portfolio of respective schemes.

Earlier on 12 June the fund houses had received interest payments from Vodafone to the tune of 102.71 crore in case of Franklin, UTI Mutual Fund and Nippon India Mutual Fund have also cumulatively received 13.5 crore and 9.3 crore respectively.

Franklin Templeton had a total exposure of 2074 crore, UTI AMC is 551 crore, Nippon has 241. The remaining exposure is to longer maturity papers.

UTI and Nippon India Mutual Fund side pocketed their respective exposures to Vodafone Idea on 17 February. This was after downgrade by Care Ratings to BB- (which is below investment grade) from BBB-. A downgrade of debt below the investment grade allows mutual funds to side pocket their exposure.

Franklin had side pocketed exposure to Vodafone in 6 debt schemes on 24 January following downgrade by CRISIL. These 6 debt schemes are currently under winding up process following a decision by the fund house on 23 April.

The interest payment by Vodafone Idea to Franklin schemes segregated portfolio does not affect the refund process of these schemes.

The refund process of the six debt schemes, which were wound down by Franklin Templeton citing illiquidity, with assets under management (AUM) of 25,856 crore is currently stayed due to court rulings.

This comes as a shot in the arm for debt mutual funds, particularly the ones that had taken credit risks as many issuers struggled to make payments and pre-payments due to the coronavirus-induced slowdown. Nearly 4000 crore has been side-pocketed by mutual funds out of which 3000 crore have been segregated by Franklin alone. Asset managers have chosen to create more than 30 side pockets for their bond exposures to Yes Bank, Vodafone-Idea, Adilink Infra and Multitrading Pvt. Ltd, Altico Capital India, and Dewan Housing Finance Corp. Ltd.

Vodafone Idea has been impacted due to adverse rulings of the Supreme Court, which has mounted an adjusted gross revenue (AGR) liability of about 50,000 crores on the telco. The interest payment by Vodafone Idea is particularly significant as, the Supreme Court, on 11 June, had asked telecom operators to file affidavits on the roadmap and guarantee for payment of AGR- related dues to the department of telecommunications (DoT).

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Topics
By Trend

The international cargo transportation has not stopped in Azerbaijan during the pandemic, Assistant to Azerbaijans president, Head of Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Hikmat Hajiyev said during the briefing at the Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan, Trend reports on July 10.

The assistant to Azerbaijans president stressed that the North-South and East-West international transport corridors have been actively used.

There was no shortage of goods imported from abroad, Hajiyev added. All local and foreign drivers pass the coronavirus test at the western border checkpoint.

The transport arriving from the northern part has been accompanied by policemen since the beginning of quarantine regime, the assistant to Azerbaijans president said. If there are any problems in this sphere, we must find joint solutions.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Vietnams air cargo market is still being dominated by some giants, especially at the capitals Noi Bai International Airport, leaving no room for interested private players to join the race.

Essential air cargo services in Vietnam are dominated by only three players, leaving little room for competition, Photo: Le Toan

Noi Bai Cargo Terminal Services JSC (NCTS) at this years general shareholder meeting held on June 25 approved its business targets for 2020, including to reach a cargo volume of 350,000 tonnes, a revenue of VND700 billion ($30.5 million), and after-tax profit of VND191.3 billion ($8.3 million). All goals are set slightly lower than last year amid the serious impact of COVID-19 on the global market.

Being a subsidiary of Vietnam Airlines, NCTS, which has charter capital of nearly VND262 billion ($11.4 million), is dominating the air cargo service market in northern Vietnam, specifically at Noi Bai International Airport, with a market share of 61 per cent.

Currently, this northern service market has only three key players  NCTS, Air Cargo Services of Vietnam (ACSV), and ALS Cargo Terminal (ALSC). Meanwhile, other domestic and international service providers are finding it difficult to get a slot in the market.

Struggling newcomers

Nguyen Tuong, deputy secretary general of the Vietnam Logistics Business Association (VLA) told VIR, Many of our members have been struggling for years to enter this profitable business segment, but they still fail regardless of their strong capacity, and no legal ban from the state.

At present, prevailing rules allow companies to join the market if they are capable of meeting the requirements of Decree No.89/2019/ND-CP dated November 2019, amending and supplementing some articles of Decree No.92/2016/ND-CP issued in 2016 on conditional business sectors in the aviation industry. Article 15 of Decree 89 states that businesses are allowed to participate in aviation service business at airports, including cargo storage and cargo handling services, if they get a certificate for these at the airports. In order to get such a certificate, businesses must first meet the requirements of Article 65 of the Law on Civil Aviation of Vietnam, according to which the company has to have a capable apparatus and qualified staff.

Moreover, such businesses should also be appraised by the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) and must have minimum capital of VND30 billion ($1.3 million). Also, the foreign ownership in this industry is capped at 30 per cent of a business charter capital.

These conditions are met by many Vietnamese logistics firms. In addition, administrative procedures in this field are also further simplified under Decree 89.

Despite decrees 92 and 89, hundreds of capable companies are unable to get a foothold.

Meanwhile, NCTS is dominating the market with a wide range of customers, including 28 of the 60 airlines flying to Noi Bai International Airport such as AirAsia, China Airlines, and Singapore Airlines, among others.

Moreover, the company has more than 400 forwarding agents, including Nippon Express, Kuehne Nagel, Yusen Logistics, and Schenker, as well as a long list of freight operators like Asiana Airlines, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, and China Southern Airlines.

ACSV and ALSC both hold the rest of the market share that is not already occupied by NCTS, thanks to their powerful scopes of big-name customers.

A representative of NTCS explained that Noi Bai International Airport has very limited infrastructure in terms of space. Many forwarders are capable of building cargo terminals outside the airport. However, the problem is the risk of having no airlines to sign service contracts with, because of the inconvenience and the state regulation that air cargo cannot be shipped from a very far distance to the airport, the representative added.

Industry insiders said that security and safety are two other reasons why this business segment remains restricted to new players.

Room for the future

At present, many countries in the world feature an open-air cargo handling market, attracting the involvement of many players, thus creating a competitive market.

Vietnams aviation market  that the International Air Transport Association (IATA) forecast to be one of the worlds fastest-growing and the fastest in Southeast Asia with a projected average growth of nearly 14 per cent in the next five years, reaching 150 million passengers by 2035  seems likely to become a magnet to both domestic and international cargo handing service providers when more favourable conditions come.

In late June, the Ministry of Transport kicked off a project to upgrade the runway of Noi Bai International Airport with the total investment of VND2.03 trillion ($88.25 million). The upgrade is expected to be completed in 2022, thus enabling it to also handle Airbus A350s, Boeing 787-9s, or 787-10s, and many other long-range, wide-body airliners.

Another positive trend could unfold under Hanois transport development planning for 2030, with a vision towards 2050, approved by the prime minister. Accordingly, the airport could accommodate over 260,000 tonnes of cargo annually, and 500,000 tonnes of cargo and 50 million passengers a year after 2030.

But last year, total cargo volume via Noi Bai had already reached nearly 700,000 tonnes, also equal to the 2018 figure. The expansion of the airport and an increase in the number of air passengers could directly drive the demand for effective ground and cargo handlers, thus giving an opportunity for cargo forwarders to penetrate.

On the flip side, this development could bring about more opportunities for the already dominating three NCTS, ACSV, and ALSC to increase revenues. VIR

Bich Thuy

Vietnam's logistics firms see few opportunities in EVFTA Vietnamese logistics firms ability to access the EU market will not be easy because rivals in the EU are strong anf clients there require high-quality services.
Making it clear that discussion is on to give some exemption for expansion of non-coal mining block to some extent from public hearing and environmental clearance, Union Parliamentary Affairs, Coal & Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi on Friday stated that satellite cameras observe mining activities and identify violations, which would be conveyed to the State Government.

"Out of 204 coal blocks allotted, some are in dispute since 15 years, Without weakeing Coal India Limited, commercialisation of coal mining is allowed, to make India self-reliant in coal production by 2023-24, under 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' slogan. Coal India will not be privatised, and it is given the target of producing one billion tonne coal by 2023," he said.

75 per cent of electricity in India is generated by thermal sector, while more per capita electricity consumption, with sufficient and affordable price is essential. We have enough resources to produce substitute coal, Joshi noted.

Foreign companies would not be allowed in any tender upto Rs 200 crore, and priority would be given Indian companies in tenders above Rs 200 crore. Rs 50,000 crore would be invested for coal and mines infrastructure development, while priority would be for local players, he said.

On petrol price

Regarding petrol-diesel price hike, he said, "not only Union Government, but State Governments also collect tax, as revenue has dipped in Covid situation, and more welfare schemes have to be implemented. But, we are sympathetic about petrol-diesel price issue. Decontrolling of petroleum products price began in UPA period itself."

Under 'Make in India' programme, there is an opportunity for MSMEs to know what is needed in which country and that can be produced here. Challenges posed during Covid-19 situation should be converted into opportunities. In the package of Rs three lakh crore announced for MSMEs, Rs 3,391 crore loan is sanctioned to 66,785 entrepreneurs, and Rs 2,024 crore is already disbursed, while Rs 238 core is given in Dharwad district, Joshi said.

All departments are working on a war footing to implement Rs 20 lakh package announced by Prime minister NArendra Modi, and implementation has begun fast. Rs one lakh would be spent to build agricultural infrastructure like cold storage and supply chain, Joshi assured.

In reply to Congress leader Siddaramaiah's allegation about BJP government regarding a scandal in purchasing material related to Covid-19 management, Joshi said, "let him file a complaint. They do politics even in Covid-19 situation, and the allegation is baseless".
MBABANE  COVID-19 has claimed the life of the first healthcare worker in the country.

Veteran doctor, David Wasswa (75), a long-serving health practioner, succumbed to COVID-19-related complications while admitted to one of the countrys private hospitals yesterday morning.



His death was confirmed by the Minister of Health, Lizzie Nkosi, during a press briefing at the Cabinet Offices. The minister also confirmed two other deaths related to COVID-19.



This brings the number of deaths in the country to 17. Of the two other deaths, one is a 67-year-old female from the Hhohho Region who presented with symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 in one of the hospitals.



Admitted



She was admitted as a COVID-19 suspected case and diagnosed with the virus the next day. Her clinical condition rapidly deteriorated due to other existing illnesses and died within 24 hours of admission.



The other is a 68-year-old male from the Hhohho Region, who was admitted to one of the countrys hospitals as a suspected case. He also had other known underlying conditions which he was also being treated for. His condition worsened and he died while preparations to transfer him to Lubombo Referral Hospital centre were being done.



The minister, who was in a sombre mood, said it was disheartening that the country had lost Dr Wasswa to COVID-19-related complications. Nkosi said the doctor was a hard-working person who was dedicated to his work and was very humble.

Nkosi passed her condolences to his family, friends and colleagues. She further urged health workers not to lose hope, but have courage and continue to serve the nation as per their pledge in the health service.



The minister stated that the country was not yet out of danger regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

She stated that with such an increase in transmission of COVID-19 among the population, an increase in deaths was expected if efforts put towards reducing its spread did not yield any fruit.



The minister said this month would be most challenging as it was predicted that cases would continue to rise. As such, she said the ministry was working on deploying teams to find and test all symptomatic cases in the Manzini Region hot spots and priority areas in the Hhohho Region, through door-to-door visits.

Teams will be visiting households to screen and test those showing symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 disease and provide further education messages for COVID-19 prevention, she said.



Nkosi said additional teams for contact tracing would be added, especially in the areas of high transmission within the Manzini Region. She said the aim was to improve the efforts of finding more people who may be positive but were still not identified and isolated appropriately. According to Nkosi, in the recent health report on COVID-19, they noted that the number of confirmed cases in the country continued to rise exponentially, with Manzini Region alone accounting for more than half of the confirmed cases.

The minister added that in the Hhohho and Manzini Regions, the proportion of cases shot up to 80 per cent.

Nkosi said the ministry was monitoring the COVID-19 situation in the country on a day-to-day basis and had already seen community transmission in the Manzini and Hhohho regions.

Manzini Region has the highest number of cases, followed by Hhohho Region, while clusters of cases are seen in Lubombo and Shiselweni Regions, said Nkosi.



She reminded the nation to continue being vigilant with measures to prevent the spread of the virus in order to protect the frontline workers who were exposed to contracting the virus as assistance was sought from them.



Further, she emphasised the importance of self-isolating while still waiting for the results outcome in order to prevent spreading the virus and infecting others. She urged those who were being treated at home to adhere to the rules issued by health workers.
AKRON, Ohio, July 10, 2020 -- The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company will provide two additional fitments for the popular Porsche Taycan.

Goodyear was named the supplier for the first models of the Taycan in 2019 and the successful relationship led to additional work with the premium German car manufacturer and two new Goodyear fitments on its all-electric model.

"We are pleased to be able to meet the high-performance demands of a prestigious vehicle such as the Porsche Taycan," said Hans Vrijsen, Managing Director OE Consumer for Goodyear EMEA. "These additional fitments are the product of great, collaborative work with Porsche."

Goodyear will supply the Porsche Taycan with the following fitments, bearing the Porsche certification NF0:

Original fitments

Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3 in sizes 265/35ZR21 101Y XL

and 305/30ZR21 104Y XL

in sizes 265/35ZR21 101Y XL and 305/30ZR21 104Y XL Goodyear UltraGrip Performance Gen-1 in sizes 245/45R20 103V XL and 285/40R20 108V XL

in sizes 245/45R20 103V XL and 285/40R20 108V XL Goodyear Eagle Touring in sizes 225/55R19 103H XL

and 275/45R19 108H XL

Additional fitments

Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport in sizes 255/40R20 101 Y XL

and 295/35R20 105 Y XL

in sizes 255/40R20 101 Y XL and 295/35R20 105 Y XL Goodyear Eagle Touring in sizes 265/35R21 101 H XL

and 305/30R21 104 H XL

About the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

Goodyear is one of the world's largest tire companies. It employs about 63,000 people and manufactures its products in 46 facilities in 21 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio, and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg, strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com/corporate.

SOURCE The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

Related Links

http://www.goodyear.com


Cable television producers in Nepal have switched off signals for all Indian news channels, except Doordarshan, news agency ANI reported on Thursday.

However, no official order has been passed in connection with the ban.

"We have turned off the signals of the Indian channels from this evening," ANI quoted an operator, Dhruba Sharma of Mega Max TV, as saying.

The move came hours after former Deputy Prime Minister and spokesperson of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Narayan Kaji Shrestha said that "baseless propaganda by Indian media against the Nepal government and our PM" should stop.

"It has crossed all limits. This is getting too much. Stop with the nonsense," Nepalese media quoted him as saying.
(Natural News) The Los Angeles City Council approved a measure on July 1 to reduce the budget of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) by $150 million, starting in the citys 2020-2021 fiscal year.

The city council, composed of 14 Democrats and one independent, voted 12-2 to slash the police budget. This austerity measure reduces the number of officers by 231, down to a 12-year record low of 9,757 by the summer of 2021. Los Angeles already has one of the worst ratios of police officers to residents of any major city in the United States  the staffing cuts can only worsen the citys crime situation.

City officials say that, while their decision was partly influenced by the demands of demonstrators to reduce police spending, their main reason for slashing the LAPDs budget is because of falling tax revenue caused by the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The citys budget experts have warned that, without massive spending cuts across the board, the city could find itself short of anywhere between $45 million to $409 million.

The budget measure states that the unused police funds need to be reinvested back into disadvantaged communities and communities of color. Democratic Councilman Curren Price, Jr., who introduced the cut, said that around $100 million of the money taken from the police will be given back to the citys Black and Latino communities.

Mayor Eric Garcetti, another Democrat, further specified that the money would be spent on jobs, education and healing. (Related: Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan proposes SLASHING the Seattle Police Departments budget by $20 million  tells police to expect deeper cuts in the future.)

Listen to Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, in this episode of his podcast, the Health Ranger Report, as he talks about how, when faced by the threat of police defunding and abolition and violence from Antifa and Black Lives Matter, law-abiding citizens all across America are arming up and cleaning out gun stores.

LA chapter of Black Lives Matter not satisfied with budget cut

The Black Lives Matter chapter in Los Angeles says that the $150 million cut falls short of their demands. BLM and their allies have been pushing for a Peoples Budget that would defund no less than 90 percent of the LAPDs budget and redirect the money taken from them to social safety services such as housing and mental healthcare. Garcetti has made known his opposition to this massive budget cut.

Before the proposed budget cut, the LAPD was going to receive an operating budget of around $1.86 billion. Now, they will have to make do with a $1.71 billion budget.

This is literally pocket change, said Rebecca Kessler, a resident of the Van Nuys neighborhood in northern Los Angeles. Kessler called in to the councils meeting to express her discontent. Its a slap in the face. You need to defund the police, take away more money, put way more money into these programs.

While many activists were not satisfied with the cut, some believe that it can be a stepping stone for deeper cuts in the future.

Melina Abdullah, co-founder of Black Lives Matters Los Angeles chapter, said that the rollback in police functions brought about by the reduced spending might have a greater impact on their cause than the budget cut alone.

Learn more about the different ways California is inching its way closer and closer to collapsing at CaliforniaCollapse.news.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

LATimes.com

ABC7.com
Fringe is a new company pitching employers on a service offering lifestyle benefits for their employees in addition to, or instead of, more traditional benefits packages.

"We didn't think it made sense that employees need to be sick, disabled, dead or 65+ to benefit from their benefits," wrote Fringe chief executive Jordan Peace, in an email.

The Richmond, Virginia-based company was founded by five college friends from Virginia Tech rounded up by Peace and Jason Murray, who serves as the company's head of Strategy and Finance. The two men previously owned a financial planning firm called Greenhouse Money, which worked with small businesses to set up benefits packages and retirement accounts.

During that time, the two men had a revelation... employees at these small and medium-sized businesses didn't just want retirement or healthcare benefits, they wanted perks that were more applicable to their day-to-day lives. Because Murray and Peace couldn't find a company that offered a flexible benefits package on things like Netflix, Amazon or Hulu subscriptions, Uber rides, Grubhub orders or Instacart deliveries, they built one themselves.

As they grew their business they brought in college friends, including Isaiah Goodall as the vice president of partnerships, Chris Luhrman as the vice president of operations and Andrew Dunlap as the head of product.

Peace and Murray first launched the business in 2018 and now count over 100 delivery services, exercise apps, cleaning services and other apps of convenience among their offerings.

For their part, employers pay $5 per employee covered per month and set up a monthly stipend (that may or may not be subtracted from a total benefits package) of somewhere between $50 and $200 that employees can spend on subscription services.

It's a pitch to employers that Peace says is especially compelling as office culture changes in the wake of massive office closures and work-from-home orders from major U.S. companies as a response to the COVID-19 epidemic.

"In-office perks and even most 'off-site' perks (gyms, massage spas, etc.) are all null and void," wrote Peace. "Even post-COVID, its highly likely that many of these aspects of office culture will bear less significance with many CEOs vowing to allow 'WFH forever.' This means companies need a way to package their office culture and ship them home. Fringe is perfectly positioned for this and determined to be the first name that comes to mind to provide a solution."

Peace sees this as the next step in the evolution of benefits offerings for employees. He traces its legacy to the development of private health insurance and 401k retirement plans. "After another 40 years lifestyle benefits are the newest breakthrough -- and like its predecessors, will be almost universally adopted in the next 5 years," Peace wrote.
The coronavirus pandemic has made it even harder for senior-care centers in the United States to find or afford standard liability insurance, with rates soaring by as much as 300%, insurance brokers said.

Residential care communities like nursing homes and assisted-living facilities had already faced escalating prices and a dearth of insurance providers for years. Outbreaks of the novel coronavirus and a related respiratory disease called COVID-19 in such centers only exacerbated the problem.

It was already on an upward trajectory but COVID accelerated it, Deepa Desai, who heads insurance broker Aon Plcs healthcare practice, said about rates.

Senior care facilities need general and professional liability insurance, which protect against everything from slip-and-fall incidents to staff-member mistakes that harm patients. Senior-care providers with expiring policies have struggled to find insurers that will offer coverage in recent months, as some imposed moratoriums on new business deals and others jacked up prices to unaffordable levels, brokers said.

For instance, insurance company Chubb Ltd. imposed a moratorium on new senior-community clients in March, two sources familiar with the matter said. Chubb recently ended the moratorium but is being highly selective about terms and clients it accepts, they said. A Chubb spokesman declined to comment.

COVID-19 Hits Already-Troubled Nursing Home Insurance Market; Brokers Try to Help The insurance market was already strained before the current crisis. Increasing frequency and severity of professional and general liability claims resulted in substantial rate increases for 2020.

Senior-care communities who can renew policies are paying far more for less coverage, industry sources said. Some insurers are adding exclusions not just for the novel coronavirus, but for communicable diseases at large. Exclusions for costs related to class-action lawsuits are also cropping up.

On June 19, families of three patients who died from COVID-19 at Summit Manor sued the Columbia, Kentucky-based nursing home, saying it failed to protect residents. A spokeswoman for Signature HealthCare, which owns the facility, declined comment.

To mitigate those risks, insurers are requiring customers to answer COVID-19 questionnaires that ask about previous outbreaks, visitation procedures and preparations for a second wave, said Joanne Wankmiller, national senior care practice leader for Marsh, insurance brokerage unit of Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc.

Church Mutual Insurance Co.s five-page questionnaire asks about personal protective gear supplies. We have concerns about new shortages being able to emerge again, said Jim Ketterson, the companys senior living director.

It is not yet clear how higher insurance rates are impacting the U.S. senior care industry, but pandemic-related expenses have already pushed some entities into the red.

Hallworth House, a Providence, Rhode Island-based nursing home, said last month that it would close in August after losing more than $1.3 million during the past two years. The pandemic sickened more than half of its 51 residents and 20 staff members in recent months, and 12 residents died.

As Deaths Rise to 20,000, Care Homes Seek Immunity from Lawsuits At least 15 states have enacted laws or governors orders that explicitly or apparently provide nursing homes and long-term care facilities some protection from lawsuits arising from the crisis. In U.S., 1 in 4 COVID-19 Deaths Are Residents of Nursing Homes Nursing home residents account for nearly 1 in 10 of all the coronavirus cases in the United States and more than a quarter of the deaths, according to an Associated Press analysis.

The industry is also experiencing lower revenue, as the pandemic keeps prospective customers away. Nursing home occupancy fell nearly 6 percentage points to 79% in April from 85% in February, according to the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care. That is partly because of state and local lockdowns and fewer referrals for care by some insurance plans due to federal restrictions.

The senior-care industry is lobbying for broad federal immunity from lawsuits and also pinning its hopes on efforts in at least 21 states to grant various forms of immunity, including to nursing homes and health care providers.

In the meantime, some senior care companies are thinking about creating insurance cooperatives to offset surging rates, said Barbara Duffy, a Seattle-based lawyer who advises senior communities on insurance. These staggering bills could bring the profession to a breaking point, Duffy said.

(Reporting by Suzanne Barlyn; Editing by Lauren Tara LaCapra and Aurora Ellis)

Topics Carriers COVID-19 Agencies USA
After chiding Mayor Levar Stoneys handling of civil unrest, a Richmond judge barred his administration from taking down any more Confederate statues in the city for 60 days.

Richmond Circuit Court Judge Bradley B. Cavedo on Thursday granted an anonymous plaintiffs request for a temporary injunction in a suit brought against Stoney Tuesday. The mayor ordered Richmonds Confederate iconography removed beginning last week using his emergency powers. The statues, Stoney has said and his lawyers argued, were a threat to public safety.

Not so, Cavedo said from the bench. Rioters and the absence of law and order are threats, he said. Police had told him directly they were being told to stand down, he said.

Weve been through three police chiefs now, and I dont see much of a difference. And who is their boss?
In Becoming Soul: Seven Steps to Heaven El Alma sheds light on why we must endure hardship to grow, the souls journey before and after death, and how technology, materialism, and commercialism can distract us from what is most important during the souls time on Earth

QUEENSLAND, Australia, July 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Like a crack of lightning on a stormy night our souls spark life within us long before we, ourselves, arrive on Earth. In her debut book, Becoming Soul: Seven Steps to Heaven author El Alma sheds new light on the spiritual connection and inherent bond we have with our consciousness before it is ever paired with our bodies, and how our physical form only serves as a temporary vessel for our souls to ripen and grow; when our bodies have perished, our souls move gracefully forward and await to come back to Earth in a new body once again.

Before returning to Earth, our souls understand we must endure seven stages of development: silence, hope, suffering, loss, survival, belief, and heaven. El Alma visualized the stages as the steps Jesus chose to represent His story of love through His teachings, through His life and death on Earth and His resurrection to heaven. She was inspired to write this book to share the reality of the soul with others, help them navigate their souls journey, and grow their faith in God as she has through lifes challenges including doubt, misfortune, grief, and loss, to develop their souls.

I want readers to come to understand that their souls are not lost, that their souls are love, and that they have the courage to become their souls, El Alma said.

In todays climate, it is easy for us to be bogged down, depressed, and distracted by the hardships we face. El Alma and Becoming Soul both offer a sense of relief to readers in that the difficulties they are facing, both physically and emotionally, are set in place by God to help their souls grow and develop.

Becoming Soul Seven Steps to Heaven

By Author Name

ISBN: 9781504320863 (softcover); 9781504320887 (hardcover)

Available at the Balboa Press Online Bookstore , Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Story continues

About the author

For more than 30 years El Alma has worked tirelessly as a counselor in the areas of relationships, grief, disability, and spirituality to bring comfort to her clients as they face hardship. She has been a strong and deeply involved advocate for traumatized adults and children during her career- even traveling to remote regions at times to counsel families through the grief associated with disabilities. Semi-retired, today she writes within the calm surrounds of her farm where she lives with her husband and family.

Contact:

LAVIDGE  Phoenix

Kayla Rutledge

480-648-7540

krutledge@lavidge.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/dc4ba33b-3605-4e6c-97d8-cf5c9d819389




Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 05:29:49|Editor: huaxia

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A medical worker holds a sample for COVID-19 testing in Lod, Israel, on July 9, 2020. The Israeli health ministry reported 1,268 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, raising the total number in the country to 34,825. (Photo by Gil Cohen Magen/Xinhua)

JERUSALEM, July 9 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli health ministry reported 1,268 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, raising the total number in the country to 34,825.

The death toll increased from 346 to 348, while the number of patients in serious condition increased from 113 to 122, out of 434 patients currently hospitalized, according to the ministry.

The number of recoveries rose to 18,452, with 114 new ones, while the number of active cases rose to 16,025.

Earlier in the day, a special Israeli ministerial committee declared certain neighborhoods in the cities of Jerusalem, Ramla, Lod, Beit Shemesh and Kiryat Malachi "restricted areas."

The declaration came as a result of high morbidity rates in these neighborhoods.

Such measures limit entry and exit of the restricted areas, as well as traffic and business activity in order to maintain public health.

Residents of restricted areas may leave only for essential medical care, legal proceedings or a funeral of a first-degree family member.

Also on the day, an Israeli army spokesperson said Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi and other officers will enter quarantine for staying about a week ago next to a soldier confirmed to be infected with coronavirus.

Kochavi is in good health with no symptoms and will continue on a regular schedule as much as possible, the spokesman noted.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says he is "not particularly optimistic" about a possible extension of the New START nuclear arms-control treaty with the United States.

Lavrov said in Moscow on July 10 that the insistence by the United States that China join the treaty, a move that was quickly rejected by Beijing, suggests Washington has already decided not to prolong the pact once it expires in February next year.

"It seems that the U.S. has already decided not to prolong this treaty. Their vigor in focusing on the lack of an alternative to trilateral talks shows that this has been decided, Lavrov said, according to the Interfax news agency.

Last month, U.S. and Russian envoys held talks in Vienna to discuss a replacement for the pact, but Washington wants Beijing to be included in any future agreements on nuclear weapons.

China has repeatedly rejected trilateral talks on nuclear weapons, arguing that it has a much smaller nuclear arsenal than the United States and Russia.

The New START treaty limits the number of U.S.- and Russian-deployed strategic warheads to 1,550 each, .

The meeting in Austria -- the first such U.S.-Russian talks in more than a year -- ended with both sides expressing hope for a second round of talks.

The U.S. envoy for arms control, Marshall Billingslea, said that he and his Russian counterpart, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, agreed to set up "multiple" technical working groups and that a second meeting would ultimately depend on their progress.

Lavrov said on July 10 that three Russian-U.S. working groups will hold consultations in Vienna in late July on "space, transparency in nuclear weapons, and nuclear doctrines."

"Big day for strategic security diplomacy with Russia," the U.S. State Department Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN) tweeted earlier.

U.S. Assistant Secretary for International Security and Nonproliferation Chris Ford and the Russian ambassador to Washington, Anatoly Antonov, have "finalized planning for a Space Security Exchange at end of July," it said.

Ford also invited Ryabkov to a "new round of the Strategic Security Dialogue" that the two last held in January.

With reporting by Reuters, Interfax, and RIA Novosti
A staff member walks through Londons National Gallery on July 4, prior to its reopening on July 8, following Britains easing of COVID-19 quarantine restrictions. Photo: JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images

As the coronavirus quarantine continues through the summer months, Britain is pledging to keep the United Kingdoms arts and cultural organizations afloat to the tune of 1.57 billion, or around $1.96 billion. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the British government announced the relief package on Sunday evening, after months of lobbying from the industry and its unions.

At a glance, the package contains 880 million, or roughly $1 billion, in grants to be split between organizations like theaters, music venues, heritage sites, museums, galleries and independent cinemas, with a further 270 million, or $336 million, available in potential loans. Other funds will be set aside to support Englands national cultural institutions and English Heritage, construction projects and infrastructure.

According to the Guardian, many in the arts were pleasantly surprised by the package. Lets drill down into the detail but my first reaction is absolute relief and gratitude, Quiz writer and playwright James Graham, a vocal proponent of government relief for the industry, told them. I think it is a surprisingly ambitious package, especially when you compare it to some of our European neighbors.
The former CEO of Arts Academy Elementary Charter School has entered a plea to resolve criminal charges for allegedly stealing $42,000 from the Allentown schools corporate bank account.

Jason Jay Eitner, 41, of Mount Laurel, New Jersey, pleaded nolo contendere to theft by deception on July 2 in Lehigh County Court, according to court records. With his plea, Eitner accepts conviction as though a guilty plea had been entered but does not admit guilt.

Judge Maria Dantos sentenced him to a years probation, restitution and $1,702 in fines and costs, the records show. An entry in the records on Thursday indicates penalty satisfied.

Reached for comment, Eitner told lehighvalleylive.com he was unavailable to talk but intends to respond at a later date. His attorney did not immediately return a call for comment.

The charges filed last November marked the second time in recent years that Eitner faced accusations he abused his power as the top administrator of a school. Amid allegations of harassment, a South Jersey school severed ties with Eitner in March 2017, shortly before the Allentown charter school hired him.

Aldo Cavalli, Eitners successor in the CEO position at the Arts Academy Elementary Charter School, contacted police to report the alleged theft in December 2017. Cavalli had taken over as CEO in November 2017 after Eitners termination.

In the fall of 2017, Eitner sent a business called RMC $42,000 from the schools corporate accounts, according to police.

When his first try to send the company money was questioned, Eitner reportedly said the funds were for curriculum.

In a meeting after the $42,000 was deposited into the companys account, Eitner allegedly told the schools board treasurer, school staff and finance committee members that the RMC stood for Regional Management Curriculum.

Eitner reportedly told the meeting attendees that RMC was selling the school Chromebook laptops, and the school would be getting a $100,000 grant, so the $42,000 would be reimbursed later.

City police said the money actually went to the Bank of America account of Reputation Management Consultants, in Irvine, California.

Eitner attempted to justify the use of the funds in a letter to the New Jersey State Board of Examiners, after the board cited the missing money as one of several reasons it was considering revoking his license to be a teacher or administrator.

Eitners lawyer for the licensing matter, William Koy, told the board Eitner had permission from the schools founder, Thomas Lubben, and school board to use the funds for digital marketing and suppression of both their names during internet searches out of concern that articles about Eitner and the founder would negatively impact the marketing of the school.

Lubben denied this in emails to education officials.

Lubben also said that last September, nearly three years after the alleged theft, Eitners attorney contacted the school to return the money, which was deposited in the schools account that month.

Previously, Eitner was accused of harassment and abuse of power as the top administrator at Camden Countys Waterford Elementary School. After complaints from several teachers, Eitner separated from the school in 2017 after five months of paid leave.

After the Allentown theft allegations, in December 2019, Eitner agreed to relinquish his New Jersey teaching and principal licenses. Eitner had taught social studies in East Brunswick and later served as an administrator in several New Jersey districts.

Eitner as of this past March had begun offering to help New Jersey schools come up with remote learning plans as the coronavirus forced students and teachers home.

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

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com.
Lucknow:

Hitting out at BJP for claiming that the state has five chief ministers, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav asked the party on Saturday to find at least one acceptable leader who could be projected as its chief ministerial face in the upcoming assembly elections.

"These BJP people had been saying all along that there are five chief ministers in the Samajwadi Party government. I want to tell them to at least find out one (leader for the post) and bring him in front of the people," Yadav said at a programme of the power department in Lucknow.

Alleging that BJP does not have strength of its own, Yadav questioned what the party had done in over two years since it came to power at the Centre and claimed that even the AIIMS is coming up in the state because the land for it was made available by the state government.

Akhilesh termed the BJP members as "hoshiyar, chamatkari and chalu" and recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi raising the slogan of 'Jai Sree Ram' at the recent Dusherra funtion in Lucknow.

"What slogan was raised by the Prime Minister during the Dusherra function...earlier they used to chant 'Bharat mata ki jai' but now you have forgotten Bharat Mata...which path (do) they want the country to tread," he said.

"You (BJP) are discussing surgical strikes...even senior people had known what it was...I have studied in a military school my classmates are serving at the borders...I asked them and they told me that surgical strikes have been taking place earlier also...this very work is what army does...but (see) how BJP people are misleading the country", Yadav said.

Referring to the upcoming elections, Yadav said people have many options before them and charged the BSP government with wasting public money during its government.

"The BSP government installed elephants in this very city...in the past nine years they have remained static...all the funds were wasted and they claim they will form the government," he said.

Citing the various development works undertaken by his government, he said it had taken the state on the path of development and prosperity and claimed 'work speaks for itself'. No one can compete with the SP government as far as its works are concerned, he stressed.

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  The Santa Fe Opera, the Meow Wolf art collaborative and the non-profit organization that puts on the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta are among thousands of New Mexico businesses that received loans from the U.S. government as part of the massive effort to support the economy amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The Treasury Department on Monday identified a fraction of the borrowers, naming only those that got more than $150,000 each through the Paycheck Protection Program.

The list in New Mexico includes tribal casinos and hotels, an elite private school in Albuquerque, restaurants, breweries, oil companies, electric co-ops, law firms, churches, two of the states well-known newspapers, a few rural hospitals, dental and dermatology offices and a consulting company co-founded by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham more than a decade ago.

Also on the list are institutions that rely on tourists, such as the Georgia OKeeffe Museum in Santa Fe and the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque. Non-profit foundations that support New Mexico museums also received loans.

Across the country, the government handed out $521 billion through the Paycheck Protection Program, a crucial piece of its $2 trillion rescue package. The loans can be forgiven if the businesses mostly use the money to continue paying workers.

The program was recently extended to Aug. 8.

U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, a Democrat, said Monday the program has been a lifeline for businesses in the state. He urged New Mexicans to take advantage of the extension.

The states economy has taken a significant dive during the pandemic, hitting sectors  particularly oil and tourism  that New Mexico depends on. Municipal governments also are grappling with budget shortfalls, the city of Santa Fe among them.

The famed Santa Fe Opera in May announced it was cancelling its season because of the pandemic. More than $5 million in tickets had been sold.

In addition to a loan of more than $2 million through the Paycheck Protection Program, the opera has been asking patrons to donate the value of their tickets to help compensate the artists, musicians and staff who otherwise would have been working. A group of patrons also offered to match all donated tickets dollar-for-dollar up to $3 million.

Opera officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the financial assistance.

Balloon fiesta organizers also recently announced the cancellation of this years gathering, which was planned for October. The annual event attracts hundreds of thousands of spectators and pilots from around the world and infuses millions of dollars into the economy.

Meow Wolf, a New Mexico-based startup company, laid off about 200 employees and furloughed more than 50 more in April. The business had been awarded more than $1 million in state and city financial incentives aimed at creating jobs.

The company, which operates an immersive art installation in Santa Fe, said Monday that the pandemic is having an enormous impact on the business but it declined to say how much it has received through the Paycheck Protection Program. Federal data shows it was among those companies to receive anywhere from $5 million to $10 million.

Meow Wolf said like most other businesses, its constantly evaluating and reacting to the changing landscape. It currently has more than 200 employees on the payroll and the number is growing as it brings back furloughed employees in hopes of reopening the House of Eternal Return exhibition in Santa Fe.

With hundreds of people depending on us for employment, as well as our local economy since Meow Wolf is a top attraction in Santa Fe, we take our business very seriously and will do whatever we can to continue to provide for our employees and our community, the company said.

The consulting company founded in 2008 by Lujan Grisham and her campaign treasurer, state Rep. Deborah Armstrong, also received a loan. The company contracts with the state to run a high-risk insurance pool.

While Lujan Grisham divested herself from the company during her time in Congress, Armstrong is still an owner. Armstrong did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

Other New Mexico businesses and non-profits to get loans worth more than $1 million include Bosque Brewing Inc., Calvary megachurch in Albuquerque, the Defined Fitness chain, The Downs at Albuquerque and Ruidoso Downs racetracks, and the Navajo Nations agricultural enterprise in northwestern New Mexico.
More and more, face masks are becoming a regular part of life as the coronavirus pandemic continues.

New Jersey natives now are required to wear them outdoors when social distancing is not possible, meaning more time and places where people will only be showing half their face.

Unless they get a customizable mask from Mask Market.

The online retailer puts the face in face mask, customizing them to include the bottom half of a customers face. Send in a photo of your face and theyll make a mask that looks like youre not wearing a mask at all. Those interested can check it out here.

Each mask costs $20 and ships within three days. Shipping is free for purchases of at least $50.

Mask Market allows for other customized face masks, as well, including corporate logos and iconic photos.

Companies interested in getting masks for their employees can get save by buying in bulk  25 masks cuts the price to $12.95 each, 50 drops it to $10.95 each and 200 makes it $9.25 per mask.

Mask Market also sells its own line of masks for $14 each. Options include an American flag, sunflowers and tye dye. You can view the entire catalog here.

There are plenty of other online retailers selling face masks  Kohls, Macys, Fanatics and Amazon just to name a few  but you probably wont find a more unique style than at Mask Market.

RELATED RETAIL AND SHOPPING COVERAGE:

Adidas popular face mask sold out quickly in May. Heres how to buy a 3-pack for $16.

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With online shopping sales rising, Amazon updates lists of most popular products

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Brian Fonseca may be reached at bfonseca@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.
What lies beyond the pandemic? MassForward is MassLives series examining the journey of Massachusetts businesses through and beyond the coronavirus pandemic.

___________

Phase 3 of Massachusetts reopening plan began at Worcester Fitness at 6 a.m. Monday. Four members of the fitness club on Grove Street waited for the doors to open for the first time in 110 days amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Opening the door was literally taking a big breath, Director of Sales for Worcester Fitness Andy Sharry said. All the uncertainty and nerves of the last 110 days were relieved right there. Not completely because there are so many unknowns going forward, but certainly that was a huge step.

Sharry marked the moment by taking a picture of the four people - socially distanced, of course. Masks covered their faces, but Sharry envisioned them having big smiles.

It was emotional, Sharry said. There were huge smiles, I assume. It was an emotional powerful moment reopening the doors for the first time in 110 days.

Get a virtual tour of Worcester Fitness and see what protocols gyms in Massachusetts must follow in order to reopen. Posted by MassLive Worcester on Thursday, July 9, 2020

Sharry continued to emphasize the length of time, which spanned nearly four months, while speaking with MassLive. Its a length of time burned into his familys memory as an unfathomable duration to be closed.

We thought wed be closed for two weeks. Disinfect the entire facility, maybe make a couple changes, and then reopen, Sharry said. I never ever would have imagined that. That takes a toll on a small family-owned and operated business. It takes a huge financial toll on the business.

Worcester Fitness has 1,200 members. About 50 members have called to cancel but the fitness center allowed clients to freeze their accounts for three months. Their memberships will continue in October.

The remaining 1,150 accounts are still active, Sharry said.

Its been much better than we thought. The reception from our members and the public has been very, very positive, Sharry said. People have expressed how happy they are just to be back.

Sharry said about 15 of the 1,200 members came to the Grove Street facility, not to work out, but to examine the protocols taken by the gym to ensure the safety of staff and members. The 15 members, Sharry said, left satisfied.

Each member is greeted by multiple signs reminding visitors masks are required. Prior to signing in, there are at least three bottles of sanitizer.

Worcester Fitness located on Grove Street in Worcester reopened for the first time in 110 days on Monday.

The member check-in is contactless with the scanner on the counter. Staff ask each member how they feel. If members show any symptoms of coronavirus, they must leave.

Members can use cardio equipment upstairs any time, but use of the pool and strength equipment, such as weights, requires an appointment.

Cardio machines that cannot be used in order to keep members apart have signs attached to them to ensure members in the cardio area are at least 14 feet apart.

Members must disinfect the equipment before and after using. After use, members must place an orange cone on the machine to signify to Worcester Fitness staff that it was used. Staff then sprays the specific machine with an electrostatic disinfectant gun to ensure it is completely sanitized. The machine cant be used for 15 minutes afterwards.

Worcester Fitness located on Grove Street in Worcester reopened for the first time in 110 days on Monday.

Were using an electrostatic disinfectant gun, which isnt mandated but its the extra step were taking, Sharry said.

On the lower level, six rooms contain weights and other strength machines. Only one member can use the space at a time. The rooms require reservations through an online app called Mind Body. Reservations can also be made on the phone.

People have been fantastic about that, Sharry said. That has not been a source of complaint from anybody.

Sharry said about 75% of the rooms are booked at any given time.

Rooms can not be used for more than 45 minutes. Members must clean equipment before and after use. Then after session, staff spray the area with the electrostatic disinfectant gun.

Worcester Fitness located on Grove Street in Worcester reopened for the first time in 110 days on Monday.

Members using the pool dont have to wear masks, but reservations are required. Only four people can use the pool at a time.

Since Worcester Fitness has a pool, the locker rooms are open, but lockers are off limits. The showers can be used, though.

Weve kind of strayed away from the expression the new normal, Sharry said. Weve kind of thought of it as fitness reimagined. Yes, its going to be different. Yes, were going to have to make adjustments and sacrifices, but its still going to be a powerful experience here.

Unlike national gyms like Planet Fitness, Worcester Fitness doesnt have an open floor plan. When it opened in 1978, it catered to racquetball players. Its past is helping it survive in the future.

Its left us with these racquetball courts, these narrow spaces, but also it compartmentalizes those rooms naturally. So all we have to do is put up a couple barriers here and there, Sharry said. We dont have to put up those plastic [barriers]. Our layout naturally lends to that.

Worcester Fitness located on Grove Street in Worcester reopened for the first time in 110 days on Monday.

Massachusetts issued guidance for gyms last Thursday. For the next three days the staff at Worcester Fitness worked to arrange the equipment in a way that offered the best and safest experience for their members.

They left the facility late Sunday night, finally satisfied.

Hours later they opened their doors for the first time in 110 days.

We all gave each other a virtual hug, Sharry said. You could feel the warmth.

Related Content:
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) team along with Kanpur encounter accused Vikas Dubey, who was arrested in Ujjain after on Thursday reached Kanpur by road on Friday (July 10). He will be first taken to UP STF office and then will be produced before the court at 10 am today.

The UP STF team left for Kanpur from Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain at 6 pm on Thursday. The distance of 600 kilometres from Ujjain to Kanpur was travelled on the car. A convoy of 13 cars of the UP STF was seen crossing Kanpur toll plaza on Friday morning.

According to reports, the gangster may also be taken to the crime spot at Kanpur's Bikru village where the STF team will recreate the crime scene.

A notorious gangster and wanted in almost 60 cases, Dubey was arrested six days after his men murdered at least eight policemen who had gone to arrest him in his Bikru village near Kanpur. On Thursday morning, he was overpowered by guards of a private security agency on the premises of the Mahakaleshwar temple in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain. He was then taken to the police station, where his identity was established.

Later in the day, a team of the UP Police Special Task Force (STF) reached Ujjain, and was given the custody of Dubey.

Dubey had been on the run since the night of July 2-3 when police had tried to raid his village, Bikru, near Kanpur. Since then, UP Police have shot dead five of his close associates, including his personal bodyguard and an associate who had been with him for the first few days after the killing of the eight policemen.
All Rajasthan ministers in Ashok Gehlot's cabinet resign ahead of Cabinet reshuffle

Rajasthan Cabinet Reshuffle: 15 new ministers take oath; Pilot camp gets 5 berths

PM Modi does not respond to letters, alleges Gehlot

Man threatens to blow up Rajasthan chief minister, arrested

India

pti-PTI

Jaipur, July 10: A man, who had allegedly threatened to blow up Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot with a bomb, was arrested on Friday, police said.

The accused, identified as Lokesh Kumar Meena, was arrested soon after he made the threatening call to the police control room, they said.

"Special teams were formed and his location was traced to a village in the Jamwa Ramgarh area. Local police was alerted to take action," DCP (Jaipur South) Manoj Kumar said.

Rajasthan: Religious places in rural areas to reopen from July 1

Covid-19 vaccine won't be possible before 2021, Parliament Panel told| Oneindia News

The mobile phone from which the accused called the police saying he will blow up the chief minister has been seized, he said.

The man was brought to the police station and is being interrogated, a police officer said.

The accused is preparing for competitive exams and the reason behind making such a call is being probed, he said.
Chinese Fishing Trawlers Cleaning Out The Persian Gulf, Iran Daily Reports

Radio Farda July 09, 2020

Under the cover of night, Chinese vessels are illegally cleaning out fish resources in the Persian Gulf, a pro-reform Iranian daily, Sharq (Orient) disclosed on Wednesday, July 8.

Meanwhile, Iranian fishermen are forced to pay ten thousand dollars in bribes to Somalian pirates to let them fish on the African shores, Sharq reported.

Citing a farmers' representative, Khalilollah Derakhshan, the daily says, "Since the Chinese vessels are equipped with 'fish-detecting' machines, they identify schools of fish at night and catch them all."

The value of the fish caught in one single night by the Chinese in southern waters is sometimes equal to the price of their vessels, Derakhshan has lamented.

Fish trawling by Chinese vessels has been the subject of widespread protests in recent years, in Iran.

Trawling is a method of fishing that involves pulling a fishing net through the water behind one or more boats. The vessels used for trawling are also called trawlers or draggers.

Officials in the Islamic Republic have so far made contradictory statements about the presence of Chinese trawling vessels in Iranian territorial waters.

On August 18, 2019, the Deputy for Port Affairs of Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran (PMOI), Mohammad Ali Hassanzadeh, revealed that Chinese ships were operating under a "long-term lease" for fishing at a depth of 200 meters (roughly 656 feet) in Iranian waters.

However, a few hours later, the Deputy Director of Maritime Affairs at the PMOI, Hadi Haqshenas, claimed that Chinese vessels were "being leased by Iranian companies."

Meanwhile, the Islamic Republic authorities have announced that the Chinese fishing boats "licensed" by Tehran are only allowed to operate twelve miles beyond the Iranian territorial waters and catch fish at the depth of at least 200 meters (roughly 656 feet).

However, the farmers' representative Derakhshan, has dismissed this remark as "totally false."

Out of 91 Chinese ships, seventeen vessels remain in the Iranian territorial waters, Derakhshan told daily Sharq, adding, they are destroying Iranian resources in the country's southern waters.

"Fishing by trawling method sweeps out the seafloor in the south, and annihilates its resources," Derakhshan has regretfully noted, reiterating, "One of the Chinese vessels caught approximately $21.4 million of 'mish mahi' (salmon-bass or stone bass) overnight, which equals to the value of the trawler."

Furthermore, Derakhshan insists, "The activity of Chinese trawlers has wiped out 1,500 fish-related jobs in Iran, and Iranian fishermen are currently forced to negotiate with Somali pirates, paying them ten thousand dollars per fishing boat to fish in African waters for a limited period."

Earlier on June 30, the Somali government and the International Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) Network for Fisheries-related Activities announced the presence of dozens of Iranian ships for illegal fishing off the coast of Somalia.

In the winter of 2018, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) National News Agency reported that 85 percent of principal fish species in the Persian Gulf had become scarce.

The UAE government has called for an end to some fishing methods that harm sea resources.

Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/chinese- fishing-trawlers-cleaning-out-the-persian-gulf -iran-daily-reports/30715533.html

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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The NhRP expects to argue its appeal this fall.

New York, NY, July 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today the Nonhuman Rights Project (NhRP) filed its appeal in its habeas corpus case on behalf of Happy, a 49-year-old wild-born Asian elephant the NhRP maintains is unlawfully imprisoned in a Bronx Zoo exhibit.

The NhRP is asking the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department to recognize Happys common law right to bodily liberty, reverse the Bronx Supreme Courts dismissal of Happys habeas petition, and remand the case with instructions to order Happys release to The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee: This Court has the duty to safeguard and uphold the fundamental common law liberty interest of autonomous beings, writes the NhRP in its appellate brief. As Happy is an autonomous being, this Court must recognize her right to bodily liberty protected by habeas corpus and order her freed.

In February of 2020, Bronx Supreme Court Justice Alison Y. Tuitt issued a decision in Happys case after over 13 hours of oral argument, writing that the Court agrees [with the NhRP] that Happy is more than just a legal thing, or property. She is an intelligent, autonomous being who should be treated with respect and dignity, and who may be entitled to liberty  the arguments advanced by the NhRP are extremely persuasive for transferring Happy from her solitary, lonely one-acre exhibit at the Bronx Zoo to an elephant sanctuary.

However, Justice Tuitt dismissed Happys habeas petition because regrettably  this Court is bound by the legal precedent set by the Appellate Division when it held that animals are not persons entitled to rights and protections afforded by the writ of habeas corpus.

In 2018, as favorably cited to by Justice Tuitt, New York Court of Appeals Justice Eugene M. Fahey issued a concurring opinion in which he urged his fellow judges to treat the question of nonhuman animals rightlessness as a deep dilemma of ethics and policy that demands our attention  The issue whether a nonhuman animal has a fundamental right to liberty protected by the writ of habeas corpus is profound and far-reaching. It speaks to our relationship with all the life around us. Ultimately, we will not be able to ignore it. Justice Fahey also criticized the Appellate Division decisions in the NhRPs chimpanzee rights cases, making clear they were wrongly decided on the grounds that the NhRPs clients arent members of the human species and cannot bear legal duties.

Story continues

The First Department has the opportunity to do the right thing by correcting these serious errors of law and giving Happy a chance to experience the freedom, peace, and dignity of a sanctuary where formerly imprisoned elephants, including those traumatized by solitary confinement in zoos and circuses, have been able to heal and thrive, said Elizabeth Stein, an attorney with the NhRP and Happys local counsel.

In 2005, Happy made history as the first elephant to demonstrate self-awareness via the mirror test. In 2018, she made history again as the first elephant to have a habeas corpus hearing after the NhRP initiated her case, which draws on centuries of common law precedent and robust scientific evidence of elephants cognitive, emotional, and social complexity. Five of the worlds most respected elephant experts, including Dr. Joyce Poole and Dr. Cynthia Moss, have submitted unrebutted affidavits in support of Happys case.

In May of this year, the Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court in Pakistan described Happy as an inmate at the Bronx Zoo. Relying in part on Justice Tuitts decision and Justice Faheys opinion, Chief Justice Athar Minallah affirmed without any hesitation the rights of nonhuman animals and ordered the release of an elephant from a zoo to a sanctuary.

The Wildlife Conservation Society continues to claim Happy doesnt get along with other elephants despite abundant evidence to the contrary, including her relationship with an elephant named Grumpy who was euthanized after two other elephants held in the exhibit fatally attacked her.

Alongside the NhRPs litigation, its grassroots advocacy campaign on behalf of Happy has gained significant momentum and drawn the support of such influential public figures as Queen guitarist Brian May, New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, and animal advocates in New York and around the world. Meanwhile, a Change.org petition calling for Happys release from solitary confinement has over a million signatures and continues to grow.

The NhRP expects to argue its appeal this fall. The Wildlife Conservation Society has until August 12th to file its reply brief.

Download the NhRP's appellate brief here. For a detailed timeline of Happys case and court filings, visit this page. To download the above image of Happy, visit this page (credit: Gigi Glendinning).

CASE NO./NAME: THE NONHUMAN RIGHTS PROJECT, INC. on behalf of HAPPY, Petitioner, v. JAMES J. BREHENY, in his official capacity as Executive Vice President and General Director of Zoos and Aquariums of the Wildlife Conservation Society and Director of the Bronx Zoo, and WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY (Appellate Case No. 2020-02581)

###

About the Nonhuman Rights Project

The Nonhuman Rights Project is the only civil rights organization in the United States working through litigation, legislation, and education to secure fundamental rights for nonhuman animals.

Lauren Choplin

The Nonhuman Rights Project

8563819447

lchoplin@nonhumanrights.org


Southeast Texans like their guns, and their Second Amendment rights should always be respected. But there are some places that guns do not belong, and one of them is in an unlocked car.

Clearly, a thief could open that car door and take the gun, and this has happened all too often. In Nederland recently, an unlocked car yielded three firearms to a thief  a Ruger .380 pistol, a .40 caliber carbine rifle and an AK-47-style rifle. Worse, the guns were loaded. Another recent burglary of an unlocked car in Nederland put two more guns on the streets.

This is a preventable problem, and it can be stopped if every gun owner resolves to end it. Police urge car owners not to leave anything in their car that could tempt a thief, such as a purse or laptop. Guns should be at the top of that list. If someone is going to commit a crime to steal a gun, theyre more likely to use that gun to cause more problems. Even if a car is locked, a thief can break a window to get whats inside.

Even in your homes, guns should not be lying around unsecured. If you have children in your home, the reason for that should be obvious. But even if you dont, a visitor could enter with children, and you might forget that you have a pistol or long gun sitting on a table.

Related: Guns stolen from Mid-County vehicles

Experts recommend storing guns in homes in a locked container or safe  unloaded. Even if you keep a gun loaded, the cylinder under the hammer in a revolver should be empty, and a semi-automatic pistol or long gun should not have a round in the chamber. That way, if the weapon is dropped or nudged it wont fire accidentally.

Safeties should also be used, and they are generally effective. But they have been known to fail, and the best practice is not to take a chance with a mechanical device like that.

Owning a gun is the right of every law-abiding person, but it also needs some responsibility to ensure that the gun doesnt inadvertently harm the owner or someone else. Gun safety classes are an excellent way to learn basic facts about firearms use.

But again, one of the most important things you can is to never leave a gun in an unlocked car. Not once, not while you just run inside, not because you think your neighborhood is safe. If that gun is stolen, nothing good will come of it, and many bad things could. Lets all stop this particular problem at the source.
WASHINGTON - A Canadian cabinet minister was among the guests waiting in the virtual wings of a recent Zoom panel when the moderator posed one last question to the chairman of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee, promising the discussion would "move to Canada" next.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/7/2020 (557 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In this image from video, Rep. Brian Higgins, D-N.Y., speaks on the floor of the House of Representatives at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Thursday, April 23, 2020. Higgins, the U.S. congressman who wants a plan to ease travel restrictions at the Canada-U.S. border, is taking the ensuing backlash in stride. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-House Television via AP

WASHINGTON - A Canadian cabinet minister was among the guests waiting in the virtual wings of a recent Zoom panel when the moderator posed one last question to the chairman of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee, promising the discussion would "move to Canada" next.

Rep. Adam Schiff couldn't resist: "We may all be moving to Canada soon," he deadpanned.

But as a resurgent COVID-19 ravages the U.S., fuelled by cavalier openings in states like Florida and Texas and a White House determined to resurrect the economy at all costs, the red-alert status spreading across the continent's lower half has more Canadians than ever ignoring America's increasingly persistent knock.

An online poll by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies released this week found a whopping 86 per cent of respondents in Canada opposed to letting U.S. tourists north of the border, compared with 11 per cent who supported it. An Abacus Data poll out Friday found much the same thing.

And when Rep. Brian Higgins, a New York Democrat, updated his bipartisan call for a plan to reopen the border, the ensuing Twitter barrage of sarcasm, satire and outright anger belied Canada's reputation as a bastion of civility, replete with memes of building walls, slamming doors and Bugs Bunny taking a handsaw to the 49th parallel.

Higgins took it all in stride.

"I don't blame them for wanting us out of there," the congressman said Friday of the Canadian reaction.

"I have an obligation to be honest, and I have an obligation to always keep trying. And if anything, what I hope will come from all of this is an appreciation for the tale of two neighbouring countries' response to COVID-19: America's has been deplorable, and the Canadian response has been fast, strong and united."

When the outbreak first took hold in North America in March, Canada and the U.S. agreed to close their shared border to discretionary travel while allowing the movement of goods and essential workers to continue. That initial 30-day agreement has been extended three times now, and will surely be extended again before its next July 21 expiry date.

Since March, the U.S. has seen more than 3 million cases and 133,000 deaths, and the crisis is accelerating in states across the union. Florida is breaking records daily for new COVID-19 cases and deaths. In Arizona and Texas, one in four tests is coming back positive. Further north, states like Wisconsin and Michigan are seeing fresh spikes in their active caseloads. Hospitals are again rapidly nearing capacity.

In their letter last week to acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf and Canada's Public Safety Minister Bill Blair, Higgins and 27 other members of Congress, Democrat and Republican alike, urged the two countries to stop kicking the can down the road and draft a detailed plan for the gradual reopening of the border.

"The continual 30-day extensions without a plan for how restrictions will be modified prolongs uncertainty for both communities and creates unnecessary tension as we approach each new expiration," they wrote.

"We are asking that the United States and Canada immediately craft a comprehensive framework for phased reopening of the border based on objective metrics and accounting for the varied circumstances across border regions."

That doesn't mean throwing open the border to Americans, Higgins said. But it could mean redefining essential travel to include foreign property owners and people with business interests or family members on the other side, provided they wear masks and practice physical distancing.

"Never in our lifetime have we had a situation where the health of you and your family is dependent on your fellow citizens to do the right thing," he said.

"A phased opening could expand the category of 'essential traveller,' but (include) certifying some way that you are adhering to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's protocol as it relates to stopping the spread of COVID-19."

Ontario Premier Doug Ford, a pro-trade conservative and longtime champion of Canada-U.S. ties, has been among those urging zero tolerance at the border until the crisis in the U.S. has passed  a position spokeswoman Ivana Yelich reiterated Friday.

"The premier has been clear: the border must remain closed to non-essential travel until the U.S. has made significant progress in containing COVID-19," Yelich said. "The recent spike in the number of COVID cases in the U.S. is very concerning. As such, the premier will continue to support restrictions at the U.S. border beyond the July 21 deadline."

The worsening public health situation in the U.S. has not diminished the importance of cross-border business travel, including face-to-face meetings or technical on-site visits, to the health of Canada's economy, said Mark Agnew, director of international policy with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

Despite the best efforts of both countries, the current border measures have been confusing for some, causing stress and delays even for those who have work permits that allow them to cross, Agnew said.

"It would be helpful for the government to set out the circumstances under which border measures will start to normalize, to enable companies to plan."

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.

Despite the political challenges the U.S. outbreak now poses for the federal Liberal government in Canada, it's past time to start thinking about how to ease the border restrictions, said Laurie Trautman, director of the Border Policy Research Institute at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Wash.

"There is an immediate need to be more thoughtful and strategic about how our countries go about doing that," Trautman said, floating the idea of wider family exemptions and allowing homeowners to visit their foreign properties.

In northern Washington state, law enforcement is growing concerned about the challenge of protecting vacant homes owned by Canadians, she added.

"Grandparents should be able to see their grandkids," Trautman said. "Exempting these two groups from the restrictions would not open up the floodgates and seem reasonable and empathetic to me."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 10, 2020.

 Follow James McCarten on Twitter @CdnPressStyle




Haiti - FLASH : Fire at the Town Hall of Petit-Goave





During the night of July 8 to 9, 2020, unidentified individuals set fire to the tax and accounting department of the Town Hall of Petit-Goave.



Archives, furniture, paychecks of the Boards of the Communal Sections (CASEC) and of the Administrations of the Communal Sections (ASEC), 3 desktop computers, 2 printers, Administrative files, reports, accounting registers among others were destroyed by fire...



In addition, these individuals attempted to burn down two other premises housing the administration and the municipal engineering.



A quantity of fuel was noticed on the town hall's courtyard. According to many observers, this criminal act was planned and targeted.



Justice of the Peace, Me Jasmin Valembrun demands the opening of an investigation with a view to apprehending the culprits.



It should be noted that no municipal security officer was on the scene at the time of the incident.



HL/ HaitiLibre / Guyto Mathieu (Petit-Goave Correspondent)


















Amnesty said: "Everyone has a right to freedom of religion or belief, a right that is guaranteed in Pakistan's constitution and its international obligations. Halting the construction of a Hindu temple in Islamabad is an unconscionable act of bigotry that must be reversed immediately."

In a tweet on Tuesday, Amnesty International South Asia pulled up Pakistan over its decision to stop the construction of a temple in Islamabad -- the first temple for Hindus in Pakistan.

Amnesty was reinforcing a recurring Pakistani problem that the country and its government have to do more on securing rights for its minorities.

Just a fortnight back, the Pakistan government had announced with much fanfare the construction of a temple for Islamabad's Hindus. The Shri Krishna Mandir was allotted a plot, a ground breaking ceremony was organized and a boundary wall began coming up to secure the land. Prime Minister Imran Khan was himself involved in the process of approving the construction of the temple and releasing funds for it.

Within days, its walls were demolished, the Hindu organizations threatened against temple construction and the government was forced to stop work.

The reasons though are varied: a temple in Islamabad goes against the norms and teachings of Islam; a temple is against the Shariah; the temple violates the master plan; and lastly an Islamic country like Pakistan does not allow churches and temples.

The opposition to Islamabad's first temple is unrelenting. It is not just the clerics; even lawyers are united in their hatred against the temple.

Tanveer Akhtar, an advocate, filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court, saying: "The land allotted for the construction of the temple be withdrawn, along with the funds allocated for the project." Another organization has said that the construction of a temple in Islamabad will violate the capital's master plan.

Jamia Asharfia, an organization of Islamic religious leaders, has issued a fatwa against the temple and said that the construction of the temple is against the Shariah.

Yet other organizations have said that building a temple is against Pakistan's ideology. Maulvis have pointed out that no temple or church can be built in a Muslim country and there are precedents to such a move.

Faced with the wrath of the faithful, the Imran Khan government has placed the matter before the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), an organization that advises the government on religious matters. The government will also consult other religious organizations on the next steps.

Even as the government is in a huddle, Twitter is full of videos showing the desecration of the plot. That religious intolerance runs deep in the Pakistani society is evident. Videos show how the common people are breaking boundary walls while the clerics are issuing threats. No policemen or security guards are present to protect the land or the barely built structure.

This temple, dedicated to Lord Krishna, would have been the first in Islamabad for its handful of Hindus. It would have become a hub for the city's Hindus for celebrating festivals like Diwali and Holi and catering to basic needs like cremation which do not exist in Pakistan's capital city.

How this issue pans out will show whether Pakistan's hypocrisy -- advocating the rights of the minorities in other countries while oppressing them at home -- moves public intellectuals across the world and whether they will gather the moral courage to stand up to the shenanigans of an Islamic nation.

(This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)

--IANS

indianarrative/in




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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 10, 2020 08:11 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066541635 4 City Jakarta-administration,wedding,wedding-ceremony,association,COVID-19,PSBB,PSBB-Masa-Transisi,large-scale-social-restrictions Free

Wedding service business associations have requested that the Jakarta administration allow wedding receptions in the capital city during the period of transition to the so-called "new normal", offering health protocols to keep the business running amid the massive impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Indonesian Decoration Service Business Association (Aspedi), the Association of Indonesian Catering Service (PPJI) and the Association of Indonesian Documentation Business held a meeting with Jakarta Deputy Governor Ahmad Riza Patria and the Tourism and Creative Economy Agency on Wednesday to explain new wedding reception concepts for the new normal era.

In the meeting, the associations claimed they had prepared strict health protocols for wedding receptions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and asked the city to give permission to hold such events.

"We have prepared health protocols for wedding receptions in accordance with the health ministerial regulations, we will cooperate with wedding organizers to implement them," the head of Aspedi's Jakarta branch, Warsono, said as reported by tempo.co on Wednesday.

Read also: Semarang wedding party contributes to COVID-19 spike

Among the protocols prepared are limiting guest capacity, providing marks for physical distancing and separate routes to prevent crowding. Guests are also forbidden from shaking hands with the bride, groom or their families and they would take turns to arrive.

Warsono said his business had been greatly affected by the pandemic as many people cancelled reception events for their big day amid the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) imposed to curb the virus transmission. He expressed hope that his business would resume soon.

"We also felt the impact of the pandemic. Each decoration service business can usually hire up to 50 people, now their fates are unclear," he said.

Head of the Jakarta PPJI, Siti Djumiadini, said the catering business had also prepared new health protocols for wedding receptions during the transition period.

"One of the options we offered [to the Jakarta administration] was not providing a buffet for guests but giving them takeout meals instead," Siti said.

Read also: Pandemic paves way for small, intimate weddings

Head of the Jakarta Tourism and Creative Economy Agency, Cucu Ahmad Kurnia, said the city decided to limit wedding ceremonies and receptions as they were very likely to create new clusters of the virus.

"Learning from other regions, we think wedding receptions are very prone to COVID-19 transmission, especially in densely populated areas since usually there are no officials to make sure the guests follow the health protocols," Cucu said on Wednesday.

He said the health protocols proposed by the association were quite sufficient to lower the risk of COVID-19 transmission, however, the administrations would still need to further discuss the request with the Jakarta COVID-19 task force.

"We'll discuss it with the COVID-19 task force, they will decide [whether or not to give permission for wedding receptions] by considering [current] transmission rates of the coronavirus," Cucu said. (nal)
Tata Motors said that its subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover retail sales for the three-month period to 30 June 2020 were significantly impacted by Covid-19 in line with the unprecedented market conditions, but improved month-on-month through the quarter.

The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 9 July 2020. Shares of Tata Motors settled 1.47% higher at Rs 107 yesterday.

June retail sales were 35,334 vehicles, down 24.9% year-on-year, but represented an improving monthly trend within the overall quarter, with total sales of 74,067 which was down 42.4% year-on-year. Strict lockdowns and social distancing measures for Covid-19 resulted in temporary shutdowns of most retailers and the company's manufacturing plants in April and much of May.

Over 95% of Jaguar Land Rover's retailers worldwide are now open or partially open and all of the company's plants have resumed manufacturing, with the exception of the Castle Bromwich facility, which will gradually restart in August. All plants are operating on single shifts with social distancing measures in place and production ramping up as demand grows.

For the quarter, retail sales in China were down 2.5% year-on-year as lockdown measures were lifted earlier than in other regions and the solid recovery continues. Retails in North America were down 32.1%, the UK was down 69.5%, Overseas down 46.9%, and Europe down 59.1%.

JLR said that retail sales of all models were lower year-on-year, but against this background the best-selling vehicles were the Range Rover Sport, the new Range Rover Evoque and the Land Rover Discovery Sport. Customer response to the new Land Rover Defender has been overwhelmingly positive and, as retailers have come back on line, there has been a surge of interest in the toughest and most capable Land Rover ever, JLR said.

Tata Motors is a global automobile manufacturer of cars, utility vehicles, pick-ups, trucks and buses. Jaguar Land Rover is the UK's largest automotive manufacturer, built around two iconic British car brands - Jaguar and Land Rover.

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Leading health disparities experts hope health institutions will take advantage of a new cancer health equity research volume recently released that curates the latest developments in how researchers can best address health disparities so all patients receive good quality care.

"This volume is important because it uses a health equity approach to focus on factors associated with cancer disparities research, and it identifies potential solutions to those disparities," said Marvella Ford, Ph.D., professor of Public Health Sciences and associate director of population sciences and cancer disparities at the Hollings Cancer Center at the Medical University of South Carolina. "It brings together a spectrum of research from the basic sciences to the population sciences to address cancer health equity."

Ford also is the SmartState Endowed Chair of Cancer Health Equity Research at South Carolina State University. She coedited the volume with Nestor F. Esnaola, M.D., of Houston Methodist, and Judith D. Salley, Ph.D., of South Carolina State University. Two of Ford's studies were included in the recently released book, which is the edited journal volume, Cancer Health Equity Research (Volume 146 -Advances in Cancer Research).

Chapters three, four, six and seven of the volume represent Hollings' studies by Ford and other colleagues. She also wrote the preface in Health Equity Research. The journal includes research that highlights the importance of including diverse populations in cancer research and suggestions for effective recruitment strategies. These studies are what Ford hopes will lead to better health outcomes for cancer patients, especially those who are disproportionately affected by cancer.

"Researchers can take this information, and they can design and implement their own interventions to reduce cancer disparities and promote cancer health equity," Ford said.

Studies in the book reveal how better solutions can be found. One of the studies is part of Ford and Salley's National Cancer Institute U54 PACHE or Partnerships to Advance Cancer Health Equity program and ties to the South Carolina Cancer Disparities Center grant. This research shows the impact of lifestyle on breast cancer risk. The study, originally published in Advances in Cancer Research, found that known breast cancer risks such as a higher body mass index, lower rates of physical activity and a type of cancer called hormone receptor-negative breast cancer appear to be more prevalent in African Americans without Sea Island/Gullah ancestry than in Sea Islanders.

Her other study published in Advances in Cancer Research, led by Hollings Cancer Center researcher David P. Turner, Ph.D., showed that mammary gland development is linked to breast cancer disparity, perhaps mediated through socioeconomic status and childbearing patterns, such as the age at which a young woman starts menstruating.

Ford said the newly released volume is important because these studies help researchers to pinpoint areas where specific health interventions could be developed.

"Cancer disparities are a major public health problem in the United States. The goal of cancer disparities research is ultimately to reduce and eliminate these disparities," Ford said. "The synergy among the chapters is shown by their emphasis on the multiple factors that contribute to cancer disparities, ranging from social factors to biological factors."

###

About MUSC

Founded in 1824 in Charleston, MUSC is the oldest medical school in the South, as well as the state's only integrated, academic health sciences center with a unique charge to serve the state through education, research and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates and trains more than 3,000 students and 700 residents in six colleges: Dental Medicine, Graduate Studies, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy. The state's leader in obtaining biomedical research funds, in fiscal year 2018, MUSC set a new high, bringing in more than $276.5 million. For information on academic programs, visit http://musc.edu.

As the clinical health system of the Medical University of South Carolina, MUSC Health is dedicated to delivering the highest quality patient care available, while training generations of competent, compassionate health care providers to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond. Comprising some 1,600 beds, more than 100 outreach sites, the MUSC College of Medicine, the physicians' practice plan, and nearly 275 telehealth locations, MUSC Health owns and operates eight hospitals situated in Charleston, Chester, Florence, Lancaster and Marion counties. In 2019, for the fifth consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named MUSC Health the number one hospital in South Carolina. To learn more about clinical patient services, visit http://muschealth.org.

MUSC and its affiliates have collective annual budgets of $3 billion. The more than 17,000 MUSC team members include world-class faculty, physicians, specialty providers

About Hollings Cancer Center

The Hollings Cancer Center at the Medical University of South Carolina is a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center and the largest academic-based cancer research program in South Carolina. The cancer center comprises more than 100 faculty cancer scientists and 20 academic departments. It has an annual research funding portfolio of more than $44 million and a dedication to reducing the cancer burden in South Carolina. Hollings offers state-of-the-art diagnostic capabilities, therapies and surgical techniques within multidisciplinary clinics that include surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation therapists, radiologists, pathologists, psychologists and other specialists equipped for the full range of cancer care, including more than 200 clinical trials. For more information, visit http://www.hollingscancercenter.org
Former Vice President Joe Biden at McGregor Industries in Dunmore, Pa., on July 9, 2020. Read more

Three hundred sixty thousand Pennsylvanians fought on the side of the Union to defeat the flag, that Confederate flag, including more Black soldiers coming from Pennsylvania than any other state in the nation. Joe Biden, speaking in Dunmore, Pa. on July 9, 2020

Speaking to a group of ironworkers about his new $700 billion economic revival plan, Joe Biden on Thursday criticized President Donald Trump over his defense of the Confederate flag and touted the prominent role Pennsylvanians played in the Civil War.

Three hundred sixty thousand Pennsylvanians fought on the side of the Union to defeat the flag, that Confederate flag, including more Black soldiers coming from Pennsylvania than any other state in the nation, Biden, the former vice president and presumptive Democratic nominee, said in Dunmore, Pa.

We wondered whether Bidens telling of the states Civil War history was accurate.

Biden is correct that about 360,000 Pennsylvanians fought for the Union Army during the war, according to a Civil War tourism website maintained by Pennsylvania and several history websites dedicated to commemorating the recent 150th anniversary of the wars end.

Hes also right that more Black soldiers hailed from the Keystone State than any other free state in the Union.

During the war, roughly 185,000 Black men served in what was then known as the United States Colored Troops or the United States Colored Infantry, even though Black men couldnt serve at all when the war began in 1861. And 8,612 of those men called Pennsylvania home, army records maintained by the National Archives show.

According to those records, the first three Union regiments of Black soldiers formed in New Orleans in the fall of 1862, after the Second Confiscation and Militia Act was signed earlier that summer. But it was not until President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863, that the Union Army could use Black soldiers in combat.

Six months later, in June 1863, Camp William Penn in Cheltenham opened as a training facility for Black troops. More than 11,000 Black soldiers trained there. They fought at Fort Wagner, the Battle of Olustee, and the Battle of New Market Heights. Frederick Douglass occasionally visited troops stationed at the camp.

In the end, Pennsylvania had more Black Union soldiers than any other Northern free state, with 8,612.

Kentucky had more Black Union soldiers than any other Union state where slavery was legal, with 23,703. And Louisiana had the largest number of Black Union soldiers among the Confederate states, whose economies depended on the inhumane practice of slavery.

When the Civil War ended, the Union Army snubbed its Black soldiers and declined to invite them to march in a victory parade held in Washington. In fact, some Black soldiers were still standing guard in the South when the parade took place.

But six months later, Pennsylvania officials invited Black soldiers to march through Harrisburg, making Pennsylvania the only state to honor Black troops this way.

Our ruling

Biden said that 360,000 Pennsylvanians fought for the Union Army during the Civil War and that more of the armys Black soldiers hailed from Pennsylvania than any other state. Those statistics both check out. But Biden failed to explain the distinction between the number of Black Union soldiers who hailed from Union free states where slavery was illegal, the number who hailed from Union states where slavery was legal, and the number who hailed from Confederate states whose economies revolved around enslaving people.

We rate Bidens statement Mostly True.

Our sources

The Philadelphia Inquirer, Biden promised to build the economy of the future and criticized Trump as singularly focused on the stock market in a Pa. visit, July 9, 2020

The New York Times, Trump Adds to Playbook of Stoking White Fear and Resentment, July 6, 2020

Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, The Civil War and Pennsylvania, accessed on July 9, 2020

Pennsylvania Civil War 150, Fact and Figures, accessed on July 9, 2020

The New York Times, Organizing Black Soldiers, May 31, 2013

National Archives, Black Soldiers and the Civil War, 1997

Pennsylvania Grand Review, Camp William Penn, June 11, 2010

York Dispatch, Black Civil War soldiers honored only in Pennsylvania, Feb. 18, 2016

PolitiFact is a nonpartisan, fact-checking website operated by the nonprofit Poynter Institute for Media Studies.
Update: Gov. Whitmer in a new order has prescribed penalties for those who dont comply with the requirement to wear a mask. Read about it here.

After Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered people to wear masks in indoor spaces, manager Chris Faulkner experimented with ways to ask customers at Foods for Living in East Lansing to comply.
Mr. Erdogan defended the decision as Turkeys right and said it represented the will of many Turks. He added that the action of turning it from a mosque into a museum 80 years ago had been illegal, but pledged that the mosque would continue to be open to Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

Hagia Sophia, the common heritage of humanity, will go forward to embrace everyone with its new status in a much more sincere and much more unique way, he said in a live television address.

Entry to the monument would be free of charge, foregoing the ticket price from several million visitors a year, and the first prayers inside Hagia Sophia will take place on July 24. Just before he spoke, several hundred people gathered outside Hagia Sophia to celebrate a prayer of thanksgiving, recording the call of the muezzin on their phones, and then bent in unison for the evening prayer on the esplanade in front of the building.

Mr. Erdogan may choose to hold prayers only on ceremonial occasions, as he did to mark the anniversary of the Ottoman conquest of the city in May. But his supporters may demand freedom to enter the building for daily prayers.

Conservationists and art historians have raised concerns about what will happen to the medieval mosaics inside Hagia Sophia, which depict the Holy Family and portraits of imperial Christian emperors, which strict Muslims may demand be covered. Tour guides said that the building may be closed to tourists during prayer times, or even that parts of the building be sectioned off to non-Muslims.

A.K.P. party officials suggested holding the first Muslim prayers in Hagia Sophia, or Ayasofya by its Turkish name, on July 15 to mark the anniversary of a failed coup in 2016 against Mr. Erdogans government, during a discussion about the change of status in June, the Turkish daily, Hurriyet, reported.

The court decision came as the culmination of a four-year campaign by an obscure cultural association that made legal applications to restore a number of monuments, including several Byzantine churches, as mosques. Hagia Sophia will be the fourth Byzantine church museum to be restored as a mosque under Mr. Erdogan, but by far the most significant one. In November, the famous Chora monastery church in Istanbul had its status as a museum revoked.
Hard work and lots of patience eventually pays off.

In Jack Lutzs case, the Las Cruces-based actor had long wanted be in a film with Lance Henriksen, who is best known for his role as Bishop in the Alien franchise.

His wish came true with a role in the New Mexico filmed, The Dead of Night.

Henriksen plays Earl, while Lutz plays the Coyote Killer.

A few years ago, I posted a picture of Lance Henriksen about a dream I had, Lutz says. We were in a movie together and I played his son. He was very fatherly to me and gave me some good advice on the film. Putting it out there manifested it. It can happen for anybody.

The Dead of Night was recently selected to be part of the Cannes Film Festival.

The festival went online after the pandemic canceled the traditional in-person event.

The Dead of Night was filmed in New Mexico and tells the story of Tommy and June, played by Jake Etheridge and Colby Crain. The siblings are alone and isolated at the family ranch and find themselves being terrorized and hunted by a pair of nomadic killers.

Lutz plays the Coyote Killer.

Filming took place in Capitan and Albuquerque, and Lutz was on set for about a month.

The happy-go-lucky actor, who is also a radio DJ on 101 Gold in Las Cruces, had to take a devious turn for the role.

He was also dealing with some personal issues.

I was going through some heartbreak, and I was dealing with my mother having a stroke. I was very angry and very bitter towards things that I couldnt change or understand. Couple that with the loss of someone near and dear to me, he says. Getting this role became therapeutic. As soon as the camera stopped, and all was said and done, I left him up there in the mountains of Capitan.

Lutz has also been a lifelong fan of slasher horror films, such as The Prowler and My Bloody Valentine.

Masked killers were always intriguing to me, he says. When this opportunity came up, I was invited to see the script by Robert Dean. He asked me which killer I wanted to be. I read very intensely both characters. There was something about the Coyote Killer that struck a nerve with me. He does horrific things, and it was what I needed to break out of myself.

Lutz spent months preparing mentally and physically for the role.

For one, it was such a departure mentally from anything Lutz knows.

The biggest obstacle was putting on the weight and muscle, he says. I was about 210, and when filming started, I was about 230. I wanted the character to look believable, like he could toss people around. I lifted (weights) every day.

Lutz is hoping people enjoy the film as it makes its rounds at festivals, which have moved to online formats. He enjoyed working with writer-director Robert Dean, who was born in Capitan.

Robert Dean managed to write a love letter about his hometown, he says. Im hoping this is viewed as an old-school horror film. This film is a lot like a roller coaster. Youre in for a ride.

SEND ME YOUR TIPS: If you know of a movie filming in the state, or are curious about one, email film@ABQjournal.com. Follow me on Twitter @agomezART.
President Donald Trump may be on the verge of pardoning or commuting the sentence of Roger Stone, the longtime former Republican strategist who worked as an adviser on his presidential campaign.

In a pair of interviews Thursday, Trump mooted the idea of granting clemency to Stone, who is set to go to prison later this month.

When quizzed by Fox News Sean Hannity whether hes considering pardoning his friend and ally - who was, among other things, convicted of lying to Congress  Trump responded, I am always thinking.

You'll be watching like everyone else in this case, Trump coyly added.

President Donald Trump may be on the verge of pardoning or commuting the sentence of Roger Stone, the longtime former Republican strategist who worked as an adviser on his presidential campaign

A jury convicted the former strategist of seven felony counts in November, which included five counts of making false statements to the FBI and congressional investigators, one count of witness tampering, and one obstruction of justice count

In a separate interview with radio host Howie Carr, the president condemned Stone's horrible treatment at the hands of law enforcement, and once again added he may grant his clemency plea.

He was framed. He was treated horrible. He was treated so badly, Trump said.

Amid claims Stone was praying for a pardon before hes due to report to prison on July 14, Trump said a divine intervention of sorts may not be totally out of the realms of possibility.

If you say he's praying, his prayer may be answered, the president said during the phone interview. Let's see what happens.

Trump went on to credit Stone as a good persons, and billing him as a character.

A jury convicted the former strategist of seven felony counts in November, which included five counts of making false statements to the FBI and congressional investigators, one count of witness tampering, and one obstruction of justice count.

According to prosecutors, Stone lied during testimony and failed to turn over documents to Congress in 2017, showing he had attempted to make contact with the radical pro-transparency group WikiLeaks a year earlier.

He lied about five facts, obscuring his attempt to use intermediaries to get information that could help then-candidate Trump in the election against Hillary Clinton.

Prosecutors were initially seeking a prison term of seven to nine years, but Attorney General William Barr later retracted that recommendation shortly after Trump called it harsh and unfair on Twitter.

Amid claims Stone was praying for a pardon before hes due to report to prison on July 14, Trump said a divine intervention of sorts may not be totally out of the realms of possibility

Stone lied during testimony and failed to turn over documents to Congress in 2017, showing he had attempted to make contact with the radical pro-transparency group WikiLeaks a year earlier

Four prosecutors then withdrew from the case in response to Barrs decision. One of the prosecutors, Aaron Zelinsky, testified to Congress last month that DOJ leaders sought a weaker sentence for Stone at the direction of AG Barr because they were afraid of the president.

Stone was eventually sentenced by a judge to 40 months in prison for his crimes, in addition to a $20,000 fine, four years probation after his prison term, and 250 hours community service.

The developments in the case raised concerns regarding the DOJs independence from political pressure and prompted congressional Democrats to call for the Justice Department inspector general to investigate.

Barr, meanwhile, told ABC News that, regardless of Trumps tweet, Stone had already decided to request a lighter sentence for Stone. He added that the presidents constant public commentary made it impossible for him to do his job.

After US District Judge Amy Berman Jackson announced Stone's sentence, Trump hinted at the possibility of a pardon a few hours later.

I'm following this very closely and I want to see it play out to its fullest because Roger has a very good chance of exoneration in my opinion, the president said. I'd love to see it happen.

But Trump stopped short of committing himself to pardoning Stone, saying, I'm not going to do anything in terms of the great powers bestowed upon a president of the United States. I want the process to play out. I think that's the best thing to do.
President Moon Jae-in, center, asks SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, right, about how the group's chip-making arm SK hynix procures hydrogen fluoride from its local partners during Moon's visit to the company's headquarters in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. / Yonhap



By Baek Byung-yeul, Do Je-hae



Samsung and SK have renewed their promises to actively assist President Moon Jae-in's economic team in its ongoing efforts to cut Korean companies heavy reliance on Japan for industrial materials and equipment crucial to their finished products.



President Moon visited SK hynix's DRAM cluster in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday, to check on progress in the production of core industrial parts.



Japan formally removed South Korea from its so-called "white-list" of countries that benefit from limited export screening procedures in August 2019. This followed Tokyo placing restrictions on the export of key source materials to Korean firms manufacturing semiconductors and flat panels



The Japanese decision was denounced by Korea as a retaliatory trade measure against rulings by the Korean Supreme Court that ordered Japanese companies to compensate victims of forced wartime labor during Japan's occupation of the Korean Peninsula.



After the moves by Tokyo, Moon asked government agencies to actively work together to help smaller companies here develop the "core industrial parts and materials" that Korea's conglomerates relied upon. Samsung and SK were also quick to respond to Cheong Wa Dae's request by investing more in their local suppliers.



President Moon was initially confident that Japan's measures were politically-motivated and therefore negotiable. However, despite bilateral summits, no substantial progress was made with Tokyo standing fast on its export controls.



Chairman Chey Tae-won and chief executives of local parts suppliers showed Moon around the SK factory. Participants all agreed the government's policy "has worked well" as a lot of companies have successfully begun mass-producing the high-tech resource materials and equipment.



"As part of SK's effort to join the government's move to foster local parts companies, we came up with an idea to share our infrastructure with local firms so that they could accelerate their research and development activities using our facilities," Chey told Moon, according to Cheong Wa Dae press pool reports.



"By making our facilities more accessible to local companies, we will try to create a unified semiconductor ecosystem. Also we will try to share core technologies used in the manufacturing of secondary batteries," Chey added.



He stressed the staunch cooperation between large conglomerates and suppliers will become the driving force to overcome the problems faced because of Japan's export restrictions and the economic slump caused by the virus pandemic.



The President stressed Korea will walk a "different road from Japan," noting that Seoul has successfully overcome the export controls. "By turning the crisis into an opportunity, we will leap forward to become a powerful nation in the materials, parts and equipment sectors," he told the participants.



Additionally, Moon unveiled a plan to make the country a "global factory for high-tech industries" with the government providing tax benefits to companies in these areas, increasing funding for technology development, and attracting manufacturing and research centers from prominent international companies.



"Taking a step away from the defensive approach we took based on our accomplishments, we will now shift to a policy centering on advancement," Moon said.



On a related note, Samsung Electronics also recently initiated moves to improve competitiveness and self-sufficiency in the semiconductor industry by strengthening its collaboration with domestic chip-related companies and research institutions.


Much of the commentary surrounding the killing of gangster Vikas Dubey conflates two separate issues. The first is the whole business of encounters, in which policemen kill suspects in custody and then pretend that they were shot while being apprehended or while escaping.

The second is the killing of Dubey and what it tells us about the state of law and order in India, the brazen nature of custodial deaths in todays India and the nexus between politicians and gangsters.

Of the two issues, the problem of so-called encounter killings has already been much discussed. No person who believes in the principles of the Indian Constitution can support murder by policemen. The Constitution provides for due process and protects the right of the citizen to be regarded as innocent till proven guilty.

The problem is that the vast majority of middle class Indians, even if they dont actively support encounters, are willing to turn a blind eye. Among politicians, bureaucrats and policemen, the proportion of those who strongly support encounters is even higher.

The argument that used to be offered for the popularity of encounters focussed on the inadequacy of the legal system. Cases take years to come to trial. In the interim gangsters are given bail and resume their criminal activities. Even Dawood Ibrahim, it is often pointed out, was out on bail when he fled the country for Dubai.

Moreover, most cases rely on witnesses. In India, the police lack the resources to protect witnesses so by the time the case comes to trial, the witnesses have been intimidated into changing their testimony.

In many countries this would be seen as an argument for reforming the judicial system, or building more courts and speeding up trials. In India, however, this is seen as an argument for bypassing the judicial system entirely and letting policemen play judge, jury and executioner.

As far back as the late 1960s, encounters were used to finish off the Naxalite movement. In the 1980s they were used during the Punjab insurgency. And it is now taken for granted that if there is an insurgency against the Indian state, the judicial system will be replaced by a policemans gun.

The use of encounters in normal policing used to be controversial but it has gradually been accepted as a matter of course. In the 1980s the Mumbai police killed gangsters at will to free the city from the grip of the underworld. In many cities, police officers are earmarked for execution duties and even romanticised in popular media.

In recent years public support for these killings has grown, partly as a result of encouragement on social media and on news TV. Anyone who raises doubts about the execution of a gangster is attacked for being on the side of the bad guys or for failing to support our men in uniform.

The danger with this lets-just-kill-them-all hysteria is that the police now have carte blanche in many states to kill who they like, when they like and how they like.

If there is a case that arouses public anger, they dont really need to find the culprit. It is easy enough to round up some random suspect and then declare that he was killed while trying to escape.

Those of us who have questioned this pro-encounter frenzy have tried to point out that even those who regard encounters as pragmatic and expedient must worry about the effect they have on the police and therefore on law and order in general.

The killing of Vikas Dubey in police custody vindicates every doubt and every reservation that has been expressed about our willingness to turn the police into executioners.

From what the police themselves have told the media, Dubey was a gangster with political links and patronage and had ties to the police department. These ties allowed him to flourish for years and to ignore the many cases (for such offences as murder) that were registered against him.

In early July, a police party that went to arrest him was ambushed and eight policemen lost their lives. The UP police said then that Dubey had been tipped off by one of its men.

In the week that followed, the UP Police seemed strangely unable to apprehend him. Various Dubey associates were caught and killed (on grounds of trying to escape from custody etc.) Eventually, Dubey was arrested in Ujjain on Thursday. There is still some doubt about whether he was apprehended by the Madhya Pradesh police or whether he arranged to give himself up in a very public place to ensure that he was not shot while trying to evade capture.

During the arrest process, he was eager to establish his identity, shouting his name out so that every bystander (many of whom were filming the arrest on their mobile phones) knew that he had been taken alive.

Till that point, it had been widely speculated that the UP police would kill him because he knew far too much about the policemen he paid off and the politicians who had kept him in business.

But once he was captured alive and on camera, that became difficult to do.

Or did it?

Because the UP police killed him anyway.

They shot him while transporting him from Ujjain to Kanpur, offering the usual story that he had been shot while trying to escape.

Journalists have pointed out many holes in the police version. The police claimed that the car Dubey was in had overturned. In fact, video footage shows that Dubey was in another car. More tellingly, there were journalists following the police convoy. They were stopped before the encounter so that they could not see what actually happened. One group of journalists had to hand over their car keys to the police after they were stopped.

Besides, why would Dubey, who had gone to such lengths to ensure that he was taken alive in a public place, suddenly change his mind and attempt an escape thus providing the UP police with the perfect opportunity to kill him?

None of this makes much sense. But what makes the least sense is this: how brazen do the UP police have to be to go ahead and kill a man who everyone said they would bump off?

Their cock and bull story about the circumstances of the shooting is so weak that it suggests that they didnt even bother to make up a convincing explanation. They were going to shut him up and didnt care what anyone would say.

We have now reached the situation that the legitimisation of encounters inevitably leads us to. The police can kill anybody, even when it is obvious that they have a clear motive: the man could divulge information that would harm the political and law enforcement establishments. And they can do it in the most brazen manner possible when everyone has already warned that they will bump him off.

Excuses will be made. The usual questions will be asked: Who do you trust? A gangster or the police? Are you sorry that this loathsome character is no longer among us? And so on.

But the killing of Dubey marks a watershed in the history of encounters in India. Till now, the debate was about the ethicality of encounters .

Now, it has gone beyond that.

The issue that matters is: have we become a country where politicians can patronise gangsters and then, when things get awkward, ask the police to bump them off even as the whole country is watching?

The killing of Vikas Dubey suggests that the answer is a resounding yes.

(The views expressed are personal.)

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New Delhi: As Google Earth turns 15, the worlds biggest publicly accessible repository of geographic imagery is not only helping billions of people better understand their world bit also supporting students in rural classrooms in India.

Launched in 2005, Google Earth combines aerial photography, satellite imagery, 3D topography, geographic data, and Street View into a tapestry people can explore and take action to create positive change.

According to Rebecca Moore, Director, Google Earth, Earth Engine & Outreach, the India Literacy Project (ILP) is using the service to build interactive content for rural classrooms, helping improve literacy for 745,000 students across India.

"ILP has made history and geography come alive with new tools and media content that capture the imagination of young minds," said Padmaja Sathyamoorthy who works at the ILP.

"The project expands students' horizons. It's not just about learning a curriculum from a textbook. I believe it creates a curiosity and a love for learning that will last a lifetime," she said in a Google blog post on Thursday.

In February, Google Earth View is a collection of thousands of Earth's most stunning landscapes as seen from space, added over a 1,000 new images to its repository, which now has over 2,500 birds-eye view images of Earth's most beautiful places across the seven continents.

Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and over 35 different Indian landscapes from Gujarat, Maharashtra and other states were part of the new set of high-resolution satellite images.

Moore said that if Google Maps is about finding your way, Google Earth is about getting lost.

"With Google Earth, you can see our planet like an astronaut from space, then travel anywhere on it in seconds with a click or tap. Even after an entire afternoon exploring cities, landscapes and stories on Google Earth, you'll have barely scratched the surface," she added.

Google Earth VR, which was released in 2016, gave people the chance to see the Earth from a new perspective.

Journalists have long used the rich imagery in Google Earth to create more engaging stories.

"Vox Video used Google Earth Studio to tell the story of how the Event Horizon telescope collected 54-million-year-old photons to take the first ever picture of a black hole," said Moore.

As millions of people struggled during the Covid-19 pandemic, Google Earth helped humanity.

During Golden Week in Japan, most people visit their hometowns, but this year that wasn't possible due to COVID-19.

"To help homesick natives, a group from Morioka city developed a tour in Google Earth that let people virtually take the bullet train to Morioka station and visit beloved locations in the city," informed Moore.
(Natural News) Are you ready for the Mark of the Beast? If you live in Michigan, then your House of Representatives has already voted in favor of allowing employers to microchip their workers, fulfilling the dystopian nightmare outlined in the book of Revelation.

While the Microchip Protection Act reportedly contains voluntary provisions for chipping people, it is not hard to imagine a time in the future when this could quickly turn mandatory, especially now that the world has been brainwashed into pandemic hysteria.

Sponsored by Representative Bronna Kahle, a Republican, the bill was passed under the guise of protecting the privacy of workers throughout the state, allowing for expanded growth of the job market. But in reality, the bills provisions actually turn people into human cattle to be monitored 24/7 by the government.

With the way technology has increased over the years and as it continues to grow, its important Michigan job providers balance the interests of the company with their employees expectations of privacy, the bill states.

Microchipping has been brought up in many conversations as companies across the country are exploring cost-effective ways to increase workplace efficiency. While these miniature devices are on the rise, so are the calls of workers to have their privacy protected.

Contained in these microchips are RFID (radio-frequency identification) transponders, which have been determined to cause cancer. But since they represent a cutting-edge technology couched in progress, Michiganders are apparently primed and ready to have them injected into their bodies when that time comes.

If all of this makes you upset, as it should, you are not alone. Listen to The Health Ranger Report below for tips on how to stay sane in this totally insane world:

Kahle wants RFID chips to become standard business practice statewide in Michigan

Similar to what food scientists wanted to do by injecting food products with RFID tags to supposedly help better track the food supply chain, tech experts are busy devising ways to better track humans by marking them with permanent computer chips.

Even though these, too, have the potential to be hacked, implantable RFID chips are supposedly the wave of the future, and this is all that matters to people like Kahle who want to see the technology become the norm.

Despite this type of technology not quite making its way into our state yet, I wouldnt be surprised if it becomes a standard business practice statewide within the next few years, Kahle is quoted as saying. We should absolutely take every step possible to get ahead of these devices.

Kahle did not, however, address the fact that RFID transponders are linked to cancer, nor did she bring up the fact that upwards of 90 percent of Americans are opposed to the idea.

Back in May, Italian Parliament member Sara Cunial, as you may recall, called out Bill Gates and other globalists for trying to microchip the entire world with digital identification. She denounced Gates as a vaccine criminal and urged the Italian President to hand him over to the International Criminal Court to be tried for his many crimes against humanity.

Cunial also exposed the Gates agenda throughout India and Africa, which involves testing dangerous vaccines on innocent people and pushing microchips and other Orwellian technologies on them under the guise of humanitarian aid.

At first its voluntary, noted one Great Game India commenter about how quickly Kahles microchip bill could switch from voluntary to mandatory.

Then, going through an airport, those chipped go right through. No chip? Get in line and wait a couple of hours to get through. Hopefully you wont miss your connection flight. And then it gets worse from there.

More end times-related news is available at Prophecy.news.

Sources for this article include:

GreatGameIndia.com

NaturalNews.com
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Linkedin Budi Sutrisno (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 10, 2020 16:48 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066572461 1 National East-Nusa-Tenggara,NTT,atambua,Felix-Nesi,Catholic-church,sexual-abuse,vandalism,Priest Free

The Atambua Diocese in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) has responded to concerns raised by author Felix K. Nesi, confirming that a Catholic priest under its pastoral care who "caused trouble for a woman" had been moved to a vocational school to undergo "self-management" sessions.

Literary award winner Felix was detained in NTT on July 3 after allegedly vandalizing a Catholic parish clergy house in a fit of rage upon learning that the parish had retained a priest whom he accused of "mistreating a woman".

The diocese justice and peace commission head, Paulus Nahak I., and judicial vicar Mateus da Cruz said in a statement on Wednesday that the diocese had handled the matter concerning the priest in October last year in accordance with the 1983 Code of Canon Law as well as local customary law. The priest, who was identified as "Romo A" by Felix, was suspended from pastoral service.

The priest, who is undergoing a pastoral suspension, is temporarily assigned to the SMK Bitauni Catholic vocational school for self-management sessions, while waiting for the opportunity to attend a spiritual refreshment course that will determine our next decision regarding him," Paulus and Mateus said as quoted in the statement.

Read also: NTT author vows to keep fighting sexual abuse amid vandalism case

Felix previously condemned the decision to transfer the priest to the vocational school as it had a number of female students. The vocational school is located only 700 meters from the clergy house.

The writer raised his concerns with the school's principal, who reportedly told him that the accused priest would be transferred again shortly as his short tenure at the school was only for "refreshment". However, after nothing had changed months later, Felix damaged the school's property in anger over the dioceses inaction. The police detained him for vandalism.

Representatives of the Atambua Diocese confirmed that Felix had been apprehended on July 3 to make a statement to the police and was discharged a day later.

The representatives expressed dismay over "subjective reports, comments and analysis" of the case, arguing they had failed to comprehend the full background and information regarding the matter.

"The legal process against Felix as well as his concerns can be solved amicably, in line with the principle of openness, so that the truth can be revealed in order to achieve justice and peace," the diocese representatives said.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are starting their new lives in America but their drama with the royal family is far from over. The two are currently embroiled in a lawsuit with several British media outlets, and recent comments from Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, have only complicated their relationship with the other royals. With the drama heating up, one royal expert believes that Prince Philip is the only royal who could tell Meghan to butt out of things she knows nothing about.

Meghan Markle | Ben Birchall  WPA Pool / Getty Images

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle continue to distance themselves from the royal family

Prior to announcing their exit from the royal family, Harry and Meghan traveled to the United States and Canada with their son, Archie Harrison, for the holidays. Although they briefly returned to the United Kingdom last spring, the two have spent most of their time away from the royal family.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are now living in Los Angeles and sources claim that they planned on returning to the UK so that Archie could spend time with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.

Those plans, however, have been put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic. Between the current crisis and Meghans court battles with British newspapers, the rift between the Sussexes and the royal family is growing wider by the day.

According to Express, royal expert Camilla Tominey believes that Harry and Meghan are burning all their bridges with the royals and the public. Although Harrys bond with Queen Elizabeth is still strong, Tominey says that Her Majesty is worried that she may never see Archie again.

Some in royal circles have even started to wonder whether the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will ever see their one-year-old great-grandson Archie again amid the escalating row, Tominey explained.

The Duchess of Sussex defends herself against the British press

Meghan has been at odds with members of the British press ever since she started dating Harry. As royal watchers will recall, Harry blasted the press early in their relationship for attacking Meghans race and background.

Things didnt get any better for Meghan after she and Harry tied the knot in 2018. Last year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex filed a lawsuit against several British publications for sharing private letters she wrote to her estranged father, Thomas Markle.

RELATED: Kate Middleton Went Directly To Queen Elizabeth Over Her Concerns About Meghan Markle Claims New Book

In their court case, Meghan has already made some shocking claims against the royals. This includes revealing how she felt unprotected when she was pregnant with Archie. The Duchess also stated that she was undefended by the institution when the British tabloids openly attacked her.

Tominey believes that Meghans comments in the court case will not sit well with the British public or other members of the royal family. But there may be one royal who can put Harry and Meghan in their place.

Prince Philip is the only person who could tell Meghan Markle to butt out

With the Harry and Meghans rift with the royals growing ever wider, royal expert Dan Wootton believes that Philip is the only person who can make things right.

According to Express, Wootton says that Philip is probably the only royal who could fly to LA and shake them up.

If there was one person who I could put on a plane and send to that Hollywood mansion, it would be Prince Philip, he stated. He would get in and shake them up. He would tell Prince Harry to stop being so ridiculous and tell Meghan to butt out of things she knows nothing about.

Philip, of course, retired from his royal duties a few years ago and has not commented on Harry and Meghans exit from the royal family. Although Wootton may be right about Philip, royal aides have reportedly grown increasingly worried about upcoming books that threaten to shed light on the couples exit.

Royal aides prepare for another round of backlash

There are several books coming out this year that pertain to Harry and Meghans shocking exit from the royal family. While some of the projects are less credible than others, Express reports that royal aides are concerned about the upcoming book titled Finding Freedom.

The book in question allegedly explores Harrys feud with Prince William and does not paint the Duke of Cambridge in a good light.

RELATED: Prince Charles Foresaw Considerable Problems When It Came to Meghan Markle Joining The Firm

Its the unofficial biography of Harry and Meghan and royal aides are quite worried about what sort of light its going to paint Prince William in, royal expert Russell Myers shared. Hes been called unsympathetic and unfeeling in the book.

Myers added that royal aides are working to get ahead of the publication and are preparing for the worst.

Harry and Meghan have not commented on the rumors surrounding their exit from the royal family.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 21:25:35|Editor: huaxia

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BERLIN, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The German Armed Forces Association (DBwV) rejects the idea of reintroducing compulsory military service in the country, DBwV head Andre Wuestner told the Rheinische Post newspaper on Friday.

"The old conscription no longer fits the new demands on the troops," said Wuestner, adding that today's challenges could be met without compulsory military service, "in terms of professionalism, even better than with it."

The requisite registration procedures, training structures as well as the infrastructure required for new barracks would cost billions of euros, Wuestner added, stressing that Germany currently does not have the capacities, money or time to do so.

Every other German citizen is in favor of reintroducing conscription, according to a survey published by public broadcaster ZDF on Friday. An even larger share, 77 percent, supports a one-year civilian service instead.

In the wake of reports on far-right activities in the German armed forces (Bundeswehr), Social Democratic Party (SPD) politician Eva Hoegl has triggered a debate about reintroducing the compulsory military service in the country.

It was a "big mistake" to abolish mandatory military service in 2011, Hoegl told the Funke Media Group. She said that the reported far-right tendencies in the Bundeswehr were partly attributable to this decision.

Minister of Defense Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer has also rejected a return to conscription and announced a new voluntary service instead, which would be introduced in 2021 under the title "Your Year for Germany." Young people would undergo basic military training for six months, followed by reserve services for another six months close to their registered address, according to Kramp-Karrenbauer.

Today, voluntary military service lasts between seven and 23 months in Germany.

Wuestner commented that although Germany had imprudently abolished conscription, "today it would be just as imprudent to jump back in spontaneously." Enditem
Adani Australia's Chief Executive Officer Lucas Dow has stepped down from his post, the company said.

In a statement on its Facebook page on Thursday, it said that Dow will continue with the company in a non-executive role.

It said that Dow will step down from the role of the CEO and will take up the role of the director of the board of Adani Mining Pty Ltd.

Project director David Boshoff will replace Dow as the new CEO based in Townsville, it said.

The construction of Carmichael Project was well underway and as the business prepares for operation, the leadership of Adani Mining Pty Ltd was changing, the statement said.

Dow joined Adani Australia in April 2018.

The company last year won the approval to produce 60 million tonnes of thermal coal annually from the Carmichael mine.

Adani's USD16 billion Carmichael coal mine project in central Australia has been surrounded by controversies since its inception due to regulatory and environmental issues.
The Kwahu Traditional Council has banned the largest opposition National Democratic Congress(NDC) from conducting party activities in the area.



The decision comes after the party defied the Councils directive against invoking of curses within the Traditional Area.



Some executives of the NDC in the Eastern Region including the partys Regional Communications Officer Dallas Williams, Sidi Bello Deputy Regional Youth Organizer, Daniel Aboagye a former youth organizer and few others were recently seen by River Trado in Nkawkaw invoking a curse on persons alleged to have been imported in the region by the NPP to register in the ongoing voters registration exercise.



Announcing the ban, the Linguist of the Kwahu Traditional Area, Nana Akouko Boateng stated that the Council considers the action of the NDC party as an affront, hence the decision to crack the whip.



The Traditional Council further ordered the closure of two radio stations in the area sympathetic to the NDC and owned by the former Eastern Regional Secretary of the NDC, Mark Oliver Kervor.



We take a strong view of his conduct, you (Mark Oliver Kevor) were summoned before the Traditional Council but you refused to show up. You then go and sit on your radio stations which are located on Kwahu land and run us down. We order that the two stations belonging to Kevor  Okwahu FM and Afram FM be closed by 12:00pm today. If the stations continue to operate beyond the stipulated time, well advise ourselves.



Again, weve realized that the NDC party within the Kwahu land does not respect the traditional authority. Consequently, weve banned NDC from any party activities in this area. We dont want to see any NDC flag, poster in the territorial area of Kwahu.







Source: kasapafmonline.com









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South Korean conductor Kim Eun-sun, director-designate of the San Francisco Opera (SFO), will conduct this year's symphonic concert in Paris celebrating the national day of France.







Kim will conduct this year's Concert de Paris scheduled to be held on July 14 at the Champ de Mars, located in front of the Eiffel Tower, by the National Orchestra of France, and Radio France's choir and choir school, according to Radio France.







The free concert, held annually to celebrate the national day of France, also known as Bastille Day, will star Egyptian soprano Fatma Said and French baritone Ludovic Tezier.







Co-organized by the Radio France, France Televisions, the city of Paris and Electron Libre Productions, the concert will be broadcast live via radio and television. The show will also be aired live in eight other nations in Europe.







Last year's concert, conducted by Alain Altinoglu, broke an audience record for a classical music concert on French television, drawing over 3 million viewers.







Kim was named the first-ever female music director of SFO in December of last year.







Currently serving as SFO director-designate, her five-year term as director will begin in August 2021.







The position of SFO music director has been vacant since Kim's predecessor, Nicola Luisotti, resigned after the 2017-18 season.







She also is the second South Korean conductor to take the helm of a major opera house outside South Korea, following Chung Myung-whun, who has served as music director at a number of institutions, including the Paris Opera.







Kim, 40, rose to take the artistic leadership role in SFO, one of the biggest opera troupes in the United States, months after making an impressive San Francisco debut conducting Dvorak's "Rusalka" in June of last year.







Born in 1980 in Seoul, Kim began her musical life as a composition student and pianist.







She majored in composing at Yonsei University in Seoul and earned a master's degree in orchestral conducting at the same institution. (Yonhap)


While the issue of face masks is set to be debated by Niagara Falls city council Tuesday, Mayor Jim Diodati says the final decision whether to mandate them indoors where physical distancing isnt possible will likely rest with Niagara Region.

Theres nothing wrong with (city) council weighing in with their opinions, but this will, more than likely, be a regional decision, he said.

After five hours of debate Wednesday, regional council ended up split 15-15 on whether to make wearing face coverings mandatory.

The only time Region Chairman Jim Bradley votes is a tiebreaker, so the decision fell to him.

Bradley voted to refer the proposal for further study until the next full meeting of council July 23.

Niagara Falls city Coun. Carolynn Ioannoni said she still plans to bring a motion forward during Tuesdays meeting calling on her colleagues to support a mandatory measure.

It would have made it easier to make the argument here (at Niagara Falls city council), but because the Region didnt pass it doesnt change my mind. Councils first and foremost responsibility is to keep our residents safe and thats why Im bringing it forward.

Diodati, who doesnt support a mandatory measure, said Niagara has already crushed the curve when it comes to COVID-19.

We already unanimously endorsed an education and awareness campaign and that is the most important thing, he said.

Diodati said it would be too difficult to enforce such a mandate, and that many indoor businesses across Niagara already require customers to wear a mask.

Diodati said hes heard from a lot of people who ask why politicians now want to make face coverings mandatory when Niagara continues to see its daily COVID-19 case count going in the right direction.

Ioannoni, however, said now is precisely the time masks should be mandated, as people are visiting more indoor places that reopened during Stage 2 of the provinces reopening plan, and more out-of-town people are visiting Niagara communities.

Coun. Chris Dabrowski said he wanted to gather input from residents so he created a Facebook poll Wednesday morning asking if the city should make face masks mandatory.

In 24 hours, the poll garnered more than 7,000 votes and Dabrowski said the results so far show the community is clearly divided.

He said hes leaning towards not voting to make face coverings mandatory, and that he rarely finds himself in situations where hes not able to properly physically distance.
US president Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attend the NATO summit at the Grove Hotel on 4 December 2019: (Getty Images)

Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau has claimed that Canada handled the initial outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic better than the US.

Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday, the prime minister said that Canada has managed to control the virus better than other countries and is in a good position to successfully restart the economy.

We were able to control the virus better than many of our allies, particularly including our neighbour, he told reporters.

Canada is a tenth of the size of the US. It has so far recorded at least 106,167 Covid-19 cases and 8,711 deaths, while its neighbour has announced more than three 3 million cases and 131,336 fatalities, according to Reuters.

The US has seen a dramatic rise in coronavirus cases in the past month, following a period where they fell, and has recorded more than 50,000 positive results over multiple single days in the last week.

Mr Trudeau added that coronavirus outbreaks are stabilising in Canada because Canadians did their part and followed public health instructions, according to CNN.

But we still have to be very careful, he added. Things can change quickly ... we still have some hot spots in some parts of the country, including in long-term care facilities and agricultural work settings.

So as we continue to gradually reopen the economy, we have to remain vigilant.

Speaking at a separate briefing, Canadas deputy chief public health officer Howard Njoo echoed Mr Trudeaus comments and warned that social distancing measures will need to continue.

If we relax too much or too soon, the epidemic will most likely rebound, with explosive growth as a distinct possibility, he told reporters on Wednesday.

Later in his press briefing, the prime minister said that he speaks to president Donald Trump reasonably regularly and said he will congratulate him on an updated trade deal agreed between the two countries and Mexico.

The free trade agreement came into effect on 1 July, and President Trump welcomed Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to the White House on Wednesday to commemorate it.

Story continues

The Associated Press reported that Mr Trudeau declined an opportunity to join the two presidents, as Canadas coronavirus rules would have forced him to quarantine for 14 days once he returned.

Read more

US gives formal notice it is withdrawing from WHO
St. Laurentius Church was built in the 19th century as the first Polish Catholic church in Philadelphia. Read more

The Philadelphia Historical Commission said Friday that it needed more time to decide the fate of the crumbling, century-old St. Laurentius Roman Catholic Church in Fishtown after its owner  fearing that the building faces imminent collapse  had asked to demolish it.

After hearing from structural engineers who disagreed about how unstable the church actually is, the commission referred St. Laurentius demolition application to its architecture committee for review later this month. Members of the public also testified at the virtual hearing, which lasted about three hours.

David J. Perri, commissioner of the Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections, said he had considered the demolition application an urgent matter and hoped the commission would come to a decision Friday about the 19th-century church, which has been the subject of a years-long legal dispute between developers and residents of the Philadelphia neighborhood. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia closed and deconsecrated St. Laurentius in 2014 out of concern that the church would collapse.

We cannot emphasize enough that time is of the essence as this building continues to deteriorate and the latest engineering reports suggest that a failure beyond the loss of facade stone can be expected, Perri wrote in a letter to the commission on Thursday.

Since 2013, numerous engineers hired to assess the church have noted severe cracking in the plaster and obvious visible deterioration in the spires. Last year, 6,000 pounds of rock fell off the churchs facade and landed in an enclosed safety zone that had been constructed around the building as a precaution.

Humberto Fernandini, a New Jersey developer who bought St. Laurentius in January from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, hired two structural engineers to assess the stability of the church. The engineers  one with the King of Prussia-based Harman Group and the other from Thornton Tomasetti in Philadelphia  both concluded that St. Laurentius had decayed substantially.

Janis Vacca, an engineer with the Harman Group, predicted at least partial collapse of the northeastern or northwestern towers within the next 10 years and an 80% probability of partial collapse within three years, according to a June 14 report she submitted.

The Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia, which had fiercely advocated to protect St. Laurentius  a historically designated site  hired its own structural engineer, who provided competing observations Friday.

The structure clearly has reserved strength, said Justin M. Spivey of the Northbrook, Ill.-based firm Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, adding that the church had remained standing over seven years of various engineers recommending that the building needed dire attention.

The architectural committee is scheduled to meet July 28. The next historical commission meeting is planned for Aug. 14.
Tran Ngoc Chau, a Vietnamese soldier and politician who battled French colonial forces and later the communist Viet Cong, emerging as an influential American ally before being imprisoned in Saigon on treason charges, died June 17 at a hospital in the West Hills section of Los Angeles. He was 96.

His daughter Tamminh Tran Kapuscinska said the cause was complications from covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

Chau was part of a dwindling group of Vietnamese whose lives were dominated by three decades of conflict, including the resistance against Japanese occupation during World War II, the battle for independence against colonial France and the war that followed the country's 1954 partition, which pitted the communist North against the U.S.-backed South.

That conflict remained a vivid and sometimes painful memory for Chau, who spent more than two years at a communist "re-education" camp in the 1970s and later fled with his family to the United States, where he wrote a memoir, "Vietnam Labyrinth" (2012), and was featured in the PBS documentary "The Vietnam War" (2017) by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick.

Among American military advisers and intelligence officials, he was perhaps best known as the architect of a novel counterinsurgency strategy that aimed to win hearts and minds in the countryside as the war escalated in the 1960s, and that partly inspired the CIA's controversial Phoenix program.

While many commanders favored pummeling the enemy with artillery and airstrikes, or employed search-and-destroy tactics to drive the body count upward, Chau focused on mobilizing rural communities, identifying and resolving the grievances of the country's peasants and using deadly force only as a last resort.

"We should have been as capable as the Communists," he wrote in his memoir, "if we, and American leadership, had realized that at heart this war was less about battalions and more about the political cultural feeling of the people in hamlets who were the rural backbone of the nation."

His approach made him an ally of U.S. operatives such as Edward Lansdale and John Paul Vann, the subject of Neil Sheehan's Pulitzer Prize-winning biography "A Bright Shining Lie." Introducing Chau to Daniel Ellsberg, a military analyst who later became an antiwar activist, Vann called him "the most knowledgeable Vietnamese on the subject of defeating communist insurgency I've ever met."

Chau found success against insurgents in part because he had been one himself. A self-described "son of the mandarin aristocracy," he had trained to become a Buddhist monk before volunteering as an intelligence courier for the resistance during World War II. He later became a field commander for the Viet Minh, the anti-French coalition formed by Ho Chi Minh, and rose from squad leader to battalion commander.

But he resisted calls to join Ho's Communist Party - "They didn't respect our religion or traditions," he later told Ellsberg - and defected in 1949 to join French-backed forces loyal to Bao Dai, the last emperor of Vietnam. When the French retreated from the region, he served as an army officer in newly created South Vietnam, training local defense forces in the Mekong Delta and rising to become a lieutenant colonel.

Under President Ngo Dinh Diem and his American-backed successors, Chau served as chief of the troubled Kien Hoa province, mayor of Danang and head of South Vietnam's counterinsurgency training program. It was there that he aimed to expand the anti-guerrilla efforts he had started in Kien Hoa, a region known as "the cradle of revolution" for its long-standing struggles with communist fighters.

As province chief, Chau overhauled Kien Hoa's intelligence operation, creating a "census-grievance program" in which officials were dispatched from village to village, where they conducted one-on-one interviews designed to elicit information about the enemy and complaints about corrupt local officials, who were then disciplined.

With support from the CIA, he also created "counterterror" teams that conducted clandestine missions to capture or kill enemy operatives, with inspectors appointed to investigate allegations of abuse. Official statistics suggested that those efforts were a success, with the estimated number of civilians living in government-controlled areas rising from 80,000 to 220,000 during his first year as province chief.

Chau's initiatives "bore more than a passing resemblance" to the Phoenix program, a CIA-coordinated effort that carried out tens of thousands of "capture or kill" operations from 1968 to 1972, according to Dartmouth historian Edward Miller. Critics said that operatives with the program routinely tortured, murdered and assassinated South Vietnamese, accusations that American officials denied.

Chau later called the program a "perversion" of his original ideas, and he was not directly involved in Phoenix's creation. Frustrated by infighting within his counterinsurgency program, he turned to politics and was elected to the National Assembly's lower house in 1967. He rose to become its secretary general, as well as an increasingly outspoken critic of President Nguyen Van Thieu, a former army friend.

Chau accused Thieu of presiding over corruption in the assembly, and he broke with the president in calling for political negotiations with the North in the wake of the 1968 Tet Offensive. "Tet had convinced him that it was wrong to inflict on the Vietnamese people a war 'without any end in sight,' " Sheehan wrote in "A Bright Shining Lie," "and he thought that the Saigon side had a chance of surviving if it negotiated a peace in time."

In an especially risky maneuver, Chau decided to act as a go-between in unofficial peace talks, meeting in secret with his brother Tran Ngoc Hien, a senior intelligence officer in the North. After the South Vietnamese government found out about the meetings, Chau was arrested in 1970 for "activities helpful to the Communists."

Chau resisted efforts by Vann and others to smuggle him out of the country, deciding that his departure would bolster allegations that he was a Communist Party agent. In a case that made front-page news in the United States, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison at a military trial.

Supporters in South Vietnam and the United States insisted the charges were politically motivated, driven by Chau's criticisms of Thieu. And while the South Vietnamese Supreme Court ruled that the trial had been unconstitutional and annulled his sentence, Chau remained in prison for four years before being released to house arrest.

After North Vietnamese troops marched into Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) in 1975, Chau was put to work at a communist re-education camp.

"After two years they let us visit him, and we hardly recognized him," his daughter Kapuscinska said in a phone interview. "We saw an old man, just skin and bones. We had no idea it was him. It was a miracle he survived."

Chau was released in 1978 and fled the country with his wife and five children the next year, buying room on a refugee boat carrying members of the country's ethnic Chinese minority. They made their way to Malaysia and were marooned on an Indonesian island for months before reaching the United States.

Settling in Los Angeles, Chau studied computing at a community college and took low-paying jobs, working on an assembly line and in the kitchen at a Bob's Big Boy restaurant before starting a desktop publishing business. For about five years, he and his family pooled their incomes to repay a friend who had lent them the money they needed for their boat trip to America - a journey that was paid in sheets of gold bullion costing about $9,000 per person, according to a New York Times report.

"Sixty-three thousand dollars is a cheap price to pay for freedom," Chau said.

Tran Ngoc Chau was born in Hue, the former imperial capital, where his father was a judge. His daughter said that few birth records existed at the time, and "just for convenience" his family gave him the birth date Jan. 1, 1924.

Chau had at least a half-dozen half siblings, all of whom joined the anti-French resistance. When Vietnam split up, most went to the North, while Chau and two brothers stayed in the South. He entered a military academy and married Ho Thi Bich Nhan.

She survives him, as do seven children; many half siblings; 14 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

While at the military academy in Da Lat, the Chaus befriended Thieu, the future president, and his wife, who together settled in suburban Boston after the fall of Saigon. Despite their falling-out and Chau's arrest, the couples resumed their friendship in the 1990s.

"They were best friends again," Kapuscinska said, adding that their reconciliation was not unusual. "After the fall of Saigon, the North came to the South, brothers met sisters, and people became family again. It was just politics."

She recalled that while Thieu had initiated the meeting, her father quickly agreed.

"Past is past," he said.
The United Kingdom tax authority, Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC), accused General Electric (NYSE:GE) in a court filing of misleading the tax agency over a 2005 transaction the company made with an Australian subsidiary, according to a Bloomberg report.

HMRC says that GE intentionally obscured the purpose of the Australian investment during tax settlement talks in 2005, calling its actions "deliberate" and saying GE provided "simplified" and "misleading" information, the report says. A finding against GE could cost the company $1 billion, according to British authorities.

The investment in question was reportedly an internal GE Capital refinancing operation, where GE moved as much as $4.9 billion among subsidiaries in the U.K., Australia, Luxembourg, and the United States. According to the report, HMRC attorney Philip Jones said in court that "This whole thing was set up as a tax scheme, to gain a tax advantage."

GE denies any misrepresentation of the transactions. It said the HMRC has referred the dispute to fraud investigators twice before, and there was no basis for an investigation found.

In a note to its financial statements in GE's fourth-quarter 2018 quarterly filing, it said there was a potential impact of approximately $1 billion if tax authorities disallow deductions, but that it intended to contend any disallowance. "We comply with all applicable tax laws and judicial doctrines of the United Kingdom and believe that the entire benefit is more likely than not to be sustained on its technical merit," the company said.
[July 10, 2020] Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP, a Leading Securities Fraud Law Firm, Announces Investigation of NovaGold Resources Inc. (NG) on Behalf of Investors

Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP ("GPM"), a leading national shareholder rights law firm, today announced that it has commenced an investigation on behalf of NovaGold Resources Inc. ("NovaGold" or the "Company") (NYSE: NG) investors concerning the Company and its officers' possible violations of the federal securities laws. If you suffered a loss on your NovaGold investments or would like to inquire about potentially pursuing claims to recover your loss under the federal securities laws, you can submit your contact information at https://www.glancylaw.com/cases/novagold-resources-inc/. You can also contact Charles H. Linehan, of GPM at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, or via email at [email protected] to learn more about your rights. On May 28, 2020, J. Capital Research or ("J. Capital") published a report claiming that "NovaGold's management team has systematically misled investors" about the Company's Donlin gold-mining project, "a deposit so remote and technologically challenging that the mine will never be built." J. Capital criticized NovaGold for using "custom metrics designed to dceive," which included, among other representations, that "the deposit will require $6.7 bln in capital, [when] the feasibility study clearly shows this number is $8 bln." J. Capital also contended that "[t]he proposed natural gas pipeline central to powering the project is dead on arrival," quoting an engineer who worked on costing the pipeline as stating that he "doesn't know of any engineering company that has the experience to build such a complex pipeline."



On this news, the Company's share price fell $0.94 per share, or over 8%, to close at $9.71 per share on May 28, 2020, thereby injuring investors. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.

Whistleblower Notice: Persons with non-public information regarding NovaGold should consider their options to aid the investigation or take advantage of the SEC (News - Alert) Whistleblower Program. Under the program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Charles H. Linehan at 310-201-9150 or 888-773-9224 or email [email protected]. About GPM Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP is a premier law firm representing investors and consumers in securities litigation and other complex class action litigation. ISS Securities Class Action Services has consistently ranked GPM in its annual SCAS Top 50 Report. In 2018, GPM was ranked a top five law firm in number of securities class action settlements, and a top six law firm for total dollar size of settlements. With four offices across the country, GPM's nearly 40 attorneys have won groundbreaking rulings and recovered billions of dollars for investors and consumers in securities, antitrust, consumer, and employment class actions. GPM's lawyers have handled cases covering a wide spectrum of corporate misconduct including cases involving financial restatements, internal control weaknesses, earnings management, fraudulent earnings guidance and forward looking statements, auditor misconduct, insider trading, violations of FDA regulations, actions resulting in FDA and DOJ investigations, and many other forms of corporate misconduct. GPM's attorneys have worked on securities cases relating to nearly all industries and sectors in the financial markets, including, energy, consumer discretionary, consumer staples, real estate and REITs, financial, insurance, information technology, health care, biotech, cryptocurrency, medical devices, and many more. GPM's past successes have been widely covered by leading news and industry publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, Bloomberg (News - Alert) Businessweek, Reuters, the Associated Press, Barron's, Investor's Business Daily, Forbes, and Money. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200710005452/en/

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The contract also includes what the district refers to as cost of living protections for taxpayers. In the event that state property tax legislation results in a reduction of revenue to the school district for multiple years beyond 2022, the teachers have agreed to a freeze in cost of living raises, a statement from District 207 said.
A 28-year-old man is accused of breaking into a woman's apartment twice in one night to sexually assault her, according to an arrest affidavit.

Daniel West Rendon was charged with burglary of habitation with intent to commit felony force after his arrest on Wednesday.

Police said that the victim was sleeping in her apartment on July 4, when she awoke to find an unknown man, later identified as Rendon, with his pants down and sexually assaulting her, the affidavit said. Her two children, who were in the room with her, woke up when she started screaming.

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The woman got out of bed and was able to overpower Rendon and push him out of the apartment. According to the affidavit, she did not call the police because she did not have a phone inside the apartment and returned to sleep.

A short time later, she awoke to again find Rendon inside her apartment, the affidavit said. This time, he pinned her to the bed by her neck and told her he was going to sexually assault her, the affidavit continued.

The victim once again overpowered Rendon to get him out of the apartment. She told police she believes Rendon got into her apartment through a patio door she later discovered was wide open.

After the second incident, she used her laptop computer to video call her sister, who notified the police.

During the investigation, a traffic ticket belonging to Rendon was found inside the victim's apartment, allowing police to ID Rendon, who is a registered sex offender and lives 3 miles from the woman's residence.

Rendon is in the Bexar County Jail with a bail amount set at $100,000.

Taylor Pettaway is a breaking news and general assignment reporter for MySA.com | taylor.pettaway@express-news.net | @TaylorPettaway
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks at a media briefing in New York City on June 12, 2020. (Jeenah Moon/Getty Images)

Many Flaws in Cuomo Agency Report on Nursing Homes and COVID-19: Lawmaker

A New York state report that sought to clear officials, including Gov. Andrew Cuomo, was deeply flawed, a federal lawmaker said.

The New York State Department of Health report primarily blamed staff members who officials said were infected when they went to work, spreading the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes COVID-19, to residents at nursing homes.

An order from Cuomo, a Democrat, that nursing home operators could not refuse to accept residents solely based on a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of COVID-19, wasnt a factor, according to the report. The order was changed in May.

In a letter (pdf) to the governor late Thursday, Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), ranking member of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, outlined what he said were numerous flaws in the report.

Sufficient proof wasnt presented to support the thesis that staff, rather than the March 25 order, were to blame for New York states high nursing home mortality rate, the letter stated.

The report dismisses the nursing home order as a driving factor in patient deaths because the peak in nursing deaths did not align with peak hospital readmission, according to the letter.

This analysis, however, ignores the role that readmissions played in the rate of deaths, even if they were declining. Whether or not nursing home deaths would be less numerous and would decline far faster without your order is an important question this report fails to even address.

A patient is loaded into the back of an ambulance by emergency medical workers outside Cobble Hill Health Center in the Brooklyn borough of New York City on April 17, 2020. (John Minchillo/AP Photo)

Lawmakers asked the Cuomo administration for a number of documents and information, including the total number of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 positive patients returned to a nursing home or other long-term care facility between March 25 and present.

Rich Azzopardi, a Cuomo advisor, told The Epoch Times in a statement: These travel sized Trumps can write as many election-year partisan attacks on taxpayer-funded letterhead as they want, but the fact is are they have no authority to launch their own inquiry.

Azzopardi pointed to a 2017 opinion (pdf) from the Department of Justice, which stated in part that members of Congress dont have the authority to conduct oversight without the absence of a specific delegation by a full house, committee, or subcommittee.

Azzopardi said the report was peer-reviewed by medical experts and showed definitively that the spike in facility deaths was early, likely caused by asymptomatic staffers through no fault of their own and predated the March 25th directive.

Others disagree with the timeline.

The policy left nursing facilities in New York with little choice, regardless of whether they were prepared to safely isolate those patients or not, Rebecca Gould, president and CEO of Schuyler Hospital, told members of Congress at a hearing last month.

The Isabella Geriatric Center is shown in New York City, on May 1, 2020. (Frank Franklin II/AP Photo)

Thousands Dead

Over 6,000 nursing home residents died of COVID-19 in nursing homes in New York, according to state data.

New York is the only state to exclude deaths of nursing home residents who are transferred to hospitals and die there, according to research by the Committee to Unleash Prosperity, a nonprofit advocacy group.

Cuomo is one of only five governors to ignore federal guidance and force COVID-19 patients into nursing homes, House lawmakers said last month.

The others were also Democrats: Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania, Phil Murphy of New Jersey, and Gavin Newsom of California.

Besides asking Cuomos administration for information, the federal lawmakers called for New York Attorney General Letitia James to open an independent investigation into the administrations nursing home orders.

James, a Democrat, has not responded as of Thursday, Scalise said.

James did not respond to a request for comment from The Epoch Times.
A close associate of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, who is in jail on charges she helped him sexually abuse young women and girls, should be released to home arrest while she awaits trial, her lawyers say.

British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell was arrested last week at her New Hampshire estate before being moved to New York City to face the federal charges.

Maxwell, 58, has been detained at a lock-up in Brooklyn without bail. Prosecutors have labelled her an "extreme risk of flight" and said they want her jailed until trial.

In court papers, her lawyers cited the coronavirus risk in jail as reason to release her on five million US dollars (4 million) bond.

A judge has set a hearing for Tuesday to hear bail arguments and to arraign Maxwell on multiple charges, including that she conspired to entice girls as young as 14 to engage in illegal sex acts with Epstein from 1994 through 1997 at his homes in New York City, Florida, and New Mexico - and at Maxwell's residence in London.

She has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and called some claims against her "absolute rubbish".

Epstein took his life in a Manhattan jail last August while he awaited trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
Heres some good news for those frustrated by the lack of travel options in the Covid-19 era: The Maldives is reopening to international visitors on July 15.

And, yes, that includes U.S. citizens.

The picturesque chain of almost 1,200 islands in the Indian Ocean has a remote location that lends itself naturally to social distancing, with luxury accommodations focused on private overwater bungalows and much of the activity outdoors as wellall fortunate factors for the economy of the 400,000-person country thats heavily dependent on tourism.

International visitors will be allowed only on resort islands and live-aboard boats as of July 15; on August 1, guest houses and hotels on inhabited islands will be allowed to reopen. Of course, that comes with the big caveat that you still have to get there and then get back.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that anyone travelling on an airplane is at increased risk of contracting Covid-19 because of close contact with others at airports and on flights themselves. The CDC also advises anyone returning to America from another country to stay home for 14 days, avoid contact with others, and monitor for symptoms such as a fever or cough. Conversely, theres the increased risk of bringing the virus abroad, as cases trend upward in the U.S.

In other words: Visiting is no small affair. Nor is it cheap. Because almost every resort in the Maldives is its own private island, many luxury hotels charge upwards of $1,500 a night. (Spending twice that much is hardly unheard of.) And thats before seaplane or speed boat transfers, which can run a hundreds of dollars round trip.

Smoothing the Process

Still, the Maldives is trying to make it relatively easy, at least on its end.

Tourists are not required to pay an additional fee, produce a certificate or test result indicative of negative status for Covid-19 prior to entry into Maldives. For tourists without symptoms, there is no requirement for quarantine either, according to an announcement from the Maldives Marketing & PR Corp.

Any tourist who does show Covid-19 symptoms will have to pay for a test, the statement cautioned, adding that people with visible symptoms or those with a history of contact with a confirmed Covid-19 case are advised not to travel to Maldives.

The Maldives has been working toward the reopening for weeks. The impact of the pandemic on the tourism sector has ranked up there with the 2004 tsunami and the global financial crisis.

Those who do venture to the archipelago will have some choice. By the end of the month, more than 40 resorts out of a total of about 150 properties are expected to be operational, according to the Maldives Ministry of Tourism. The Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru and Soneva Fushi are already open, and the One & Only Reethi Rah will open on July 24, and Milaidhoo Island is slated for an August 1 opening, a list from the ministry showed.

Many resorts are waiting a bit longer, thoughand peak season is from around December to March, anyway. Thats when skies are clearest and tropical temperatures fall to more moderate levels. Almost 50 of the resorts on the countrys list are planning to open around Oct. 1. Como Maalifushi says it will get going again in mid-November.

Safety Protocols

The islands resorts and accommodations are taking all recommended precautions, a Maldives spokesperson says, and properties have implemented new cleanliness and hygiene protocols to ensure that guests will be safe.

Some of those protocols fall on the more basic side. The Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru says it has an arrival procedure that involves a temperature screening and questions about recent travel history.

At the Angsana Velavaru Maldives resort, all public areas and back-of-house areas are sanitized on an hourly basis, and rooms are deep-cleaned and disinfected with virus-specific protocols, the website says. Temperature checks are mandatory at the spa.

Soneva is taking a stricter approach at its two Maldives resorts, Soneva Jani and Soneva Fushi. Sanitizing luggage before passengers even arrive, requiring a real-time PCR Covid-19 test upon arrival (it has invested in a Roche Diagnostics Corp. testing machine), and taking temperatures every day are all part of the process now, according to the companys website. Theres another Covid-19 test on the fifth day of the stay. Soneva says its hosts, or staff, are tested every five days, and all materials and produce that are coming onto the islands will undergo cleaning and sanitation procedures first.

Although this could be considered as being slightly excessive or overcautious, both Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani are One Island, One Resort; it is our goal to make our private island homes Covid-19 free environments, so that all of our guests can truly relax and engage with our Hosts and fellow travelers and not feel any concern about a risk of infection, the site declares.

If you come up positive, the resorts will still take care of you, with attention from a medical team as you isolate in your villa, and Soneva waiving the daily room rate for the next 14 days. (The value of that stay, in one of Soneva Janis currently-discounted entry-level rooms: $37,723.)

If any guest needs to be hospitalized, the Maldives has built up sufficient hospital and medical capacity to treat Covid-19 effectively, the website says, noting that the hospital on a neighbouring island, only 10 minutes away by speedboat, has a new ICU unit with 20 beds.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)

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Linkedin Ian Graham (Reuters) Belfast, Northern Ireland  Fri, July 10, 2020 06:45 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406653b005 2 News Northern-Ireland,coronavirus,coronavirus-restrictions,COVID-19,COVID-19-quarantine,travelers,SARS-CoV-2,virus-corona,COVID-19-travel-restriction,novel-coronavirus,pandemic Free

Northern Ireland on Friday will drop quarantine requirements for people travelling to it from the same 50 countries that England has exempted, a spokesman for Northern Ireland's health department said on Thursday.

The British region currently requires people arriving from abroad to self-quarantine for 14 days, a rule that has angered airlines and travel companies.

The decision to align with England's approach sets it at odds with the neighboring Republic of Ireland, with which it shares an open border. The Irish government has delayed dropping its 14-day quarantine for any countries until July 20 and has indicated it is likely to produce a relatively short list.

England last week announced it would end coronavirus quarantines for people arriving from more than 50 countries, including Germany, France, Spain and Italy - but not the United States - from July 10.

Scotland on Thursday said it will use a similar list but retain quarantine for travel from Spain.

The move, effective in both England and Northern Ireland on July 10, clears the way for millions of British tourists to take summer holidays without worrying about being quarantined when they return.

The full list of countries exempt by England, which the health department spokesman said Northern Ireland would follow, was published here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-travel-corridors

Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster told BBC radio the list of allowed countries would remain under review, using a traffic-light system of green and amber countries where travel is allowed and red where a quarantine is required.
New Delhi: Assets, including flats in London and New York, with a market value of Rs 2,800 crore of Yes Bank co-founder Rana Kapoor and the Wadhawan brothers of DHFL company have been attached in connection with the Yes Bank money laundering case, the Enforcement Directorate said on Thursday.

The central probe agency said it has issued a provisional order, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), for attachment of properties worth Rs 2,203 crore but the "present market value of these assets is more than Rs 2,800 crore".

"The assets include immovable properties in India and abroad, bank accounts, investments, luxury vehicles, among others," it said.

"These assets belong to Rana Kapoor, Kapil Wadhawan and Dheeraj Wadhawan and the entities controlled by them," the ED added.

Kapoor, 62, and the Wadhawans were arrested by the agency in this case early this year and they are in judicial custody at present.

Kapoor's frozen assets include a bungalow (no 40) located at the upmarket Amrita Shergill Marg in Delhi that is worth Rs 685 crore, an independent residential building 'Khursidabad' at Cumbala Hill in south Mumbai, three duplex flats at Napean Sea Road in Mumbai, a residential flat in NCPA, Nariman Point and eight flats in India Bulls Blue in the Worli area of Maharashtra's capital city, the ED said.

"These attached assets relating to Rana Kapoor and linked entities have a total value of Rs 792 crore but their present market value is Rs 1,400 crore," the agency said.

In the case of Dewan Housing Finance Corporation (DHFL) promoter brothers Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan, the value of the attached properties is Rs 1,411.9 crore that includes a dozen flats in Khar (West) area of Mumbai, a flat in New York, two flats in London, two land parcels in Pune and nearby Mulshi, a commercial property in Australia, five luxury vehicles and 344 bank accounts, the ED said.

The agency had filed a PMLA case against the three men early this year and has accused Kapoor, his family members and others of laundering proceeds of crime worth Rs 4,300 crore by receiving alleged kickbacks in lieu of extending big loans through their bank that later turned into non-performing assets (NPA).

An alleged dubious link between Yes Bank and DHFL is under the ED's probe scanner.

"During April-June 2018, Yes Bank Limited had invested Rs 3,700 crore in short term debentures of DHFL, a company belonging to the Wadhawans, for which kickback of Rs 600 crore was paid to Rana Kapoor and his family members in the garb of loan," the ED alleged.

"In addition, Yes Bank had also sanctioned a loan of Rs 750 crore to a RKW Developers group company beneficially owned by the Wadhawans and their family members for their Bandra Reclamation Project in Mumbai but the whole amount was siphoned off by the brothers through their shell companies and was never used for the declared purpose," the probe agency has alleged.

The Amrita Shergill Marg property attachment stems from another money laundering FIR lodged by the ED, on the basis of a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) complaint, against Rana Kapoor and Avantha Group promoter Gautam Thapar.

"The (CBI) FIR alleges that Rana Kapoor, then MD and CEO of Yes Bank Ltd, obtained illegal gratification in the form of a property in a prime location in Delhi at much less than the realisable market value belonging to Avantha Reality Ltd for sanction of a loan to ARL and for extending concessions, relaxations and waivers in the already existing credit facilities provided to Avantha Group companies and for advancing new and additional loans to them by Yes Bank Ltd," the ED said.

The agency earlier had attached bank deposits to the tune of Rs 115 crore of various Rana Kapoor companies and had seized jewellery worth Rs 22.87 crore and seven expensive cars worth Rs 12.58 crore belonging to the Wadhawan family.

A total of 44 companies belonging to 10 large business groups, including the Anil Ambani Group, Essel Group, ILFS, Cox & Kings and Bharat Infra, reportedly accounted for bad loans of Rs 34,000 crore of Yes Bank.

Corporate bosses like Anil Ambani, Essel Group, Essel Group Chairman Subhash Chandra have been questioned by the agency in the past.

The ED also filed a charge sheet in this case in May and a supplementary complaint is soon expected to be filed before a special PMLA court in Mumbai.
Trumps team is attempting to reset after a scantly attended June rally in Oklahoma, the first amid the coronavirus.

United States President Donald Trump is postponing his planned rally on Saturday in New Hampshire, the White House has said, citing a tropical storm threatening parts of the mid-Atlantic and southern New England.

Press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters travelling to Florida with the president on Friday the event  slated to be held in an aircraft hangar in Portsmouth  would be delayed by a week or two. She cited the threat of Tropical Storm Fay, which is expected to bring rain to the region.

The rally scheduled for Saturday in Portsmouth, New Hampshire has been postponed for safety reasons because of Tropical Storm Fay, Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh said in a statement. It will be rescheduled and a new date will be announced soon.

The event was to mark Trumps first political rally after a multiweek hiatus caused by a nationwide surge in coronavirus cases and after his planned comeback in Oklahoma turned into a debacle.

The Tulsa fire marshal said 6,000 people attended President Donald Trumps rally in Oklahoma, despite the campaign saying a million ticket requests had been received [Evan Vucci/The Associated Press]

Trump, trailing in the polls, is eager to signal that normal life can resume despite a rampaging coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 130,000 Americans. He is to hold his first in-person fundraiser in a month on Friday in Florida.

The Portsmouth rally was scheduled after aides spent weeks studying what went wrong in Tulsa three weeks ago. The Tulsa event was billed as a massive, defiant return to the political stage but instead produced a humiliating sea of empty seats and questions about the campaigns ability to attract people to large events in a pandemic.

Trumps Friday fundraiser takes him to a terrain where COVID-19s surge threatens his hold on a must-win state and raises questions about Republican aims to hold their nominating convention in Jacksonville next month. Trump will also hold a small event supporting the people of Venezuela and visit US Southern Command in Miami to highlight a reduction in the flow of illegal drugs into the US, though much of the credit belongs to the pandemic, which has paralyzed economies, closed borders and severed supply chains.

Unlike the one in Tulsa, which was held indoors where the virus more easily circulates, the rally in Portsmouth was to be partially outdoors, held in an aeroplane hangar open on one side with the crowd spilling out onto the tarmac before Air Force One.

All of Donald Trumps rallies and all of his events are electric, said campaign spokesperson Hogan Gidley. The president wants to go in there and talk about all the accomplishments hes done in his first term and how hes made peoples lives better.





Despite the risks, the Trump campaign believes it needs to return to the road, both to animate the president, who draws energy from his crowds, and to inject life into a campaign that is facing a strong challenge from Democratic candidate Joe Biden.

The campaign feels he needs to be out there, but every time he speaks in front of crowds, there is a chance the virus spreads, said Julian Zelizer, a presidential historian at Princeton University. But its just as bad if he comes out to an empty crowd, which could be a sign that people are not enthused or they are scared.

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has been unapologetic about following coronavirus restrictions [File: Matt Slocum/The Associated Press]

On Friday, Biden pointed to Floridas rising coronavirus cases, saying: It is clear that Trumps response  ignore, blame others, and distract  has come at the expense of Florida families.

The Trump campaign has also been eager to return to the road to draw a contrast with Biden, whom it has painted as being marooned in the basement of his Delaware home. Biden has travelled by car around Delaware or nearby Pennsylvania for a handful of events, and, in a contrast to Trump, wears a mask and observes social distancing guidelines.

Biden has been unapologetic about following recommendations from public health officials amid the pandemic. He has conducted regular online fundraisers and campaign events from makeshift television studios at his house, while sitting for remote video interviews with national networks and local stations in battleground states. He holds regular telephone, video and some in-person meetings with advisers.
Failure to vaccinate everyone will give rise to new variants, says UN chief

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Season of two viruses? Scientists worried that dengue outbreak may aggravate COVID-19 crisis

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, July 10: As dengue season sets in across large parts of India with the onset of the monsoon, scientists warn that COVID-19 and the mosquito-borne disease have overlapping symptoms and worry the country's healthcare infrastructure won't be able to cope with this double whammy.

The impact of a 'dengue-COVID-19' season would entail two different diagnostic tests and extract a huge toll on patients too, each disease making the other more complicated to deal with and perhaps more fatal.

While the number of COVID-19 cases races towards the 8,00,000 mark with 7,93,802 cases on Friday and 21,604 fatalities, the incidence of dengue is also high.

Based on 2016-2019 data, virologist Shahid Jameel estimated that India gets about 100,000 to 200,000 confirmed cases of dengue each year.

According to the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), 1,36,422 dengue cases were diagnosed in 2019 and an estimated 132 people died.

"The virus is endemic and present around the year in southern India, and in monsoon and early winter in northern India," Jameel, CEO at DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance, a public charity that invests in building biomedical sciences and health research framework, told PTI.

Both COVID-19 and have symptoms such as high fever, headache and body pain.

Coronavirus Vaccine: Cipla's remdesivir Cipremi launched in India, lowest priced drug for COVID-19

The dengue season may aggravate the COVID-19 situation as both viruses may supplement each other, warned Dhrubjyoti Chattopadhyay, virologist and vice chancellor of the Amity University in Kolkata.

"This situation is not yet well studied. But the information available from South America is dangerous and found to create a major challenge to their medical infrastructure," he said.

"The effect will be very critical. As major symptoms are overlapping, simultaneous infection will be much more fatal. Weakened immune systems will help the other to be more fatal."

Covid-19 vaccine won't be possible before 2021, Parliament Panel told| Oneindia News

Once the dengue season starts, added virologist Upasana Ray, the infection spreads aggressively due to high prevalence of its mosquito vector, aedes aegypti.

"Each season, we experience heavy loads in the hospital wards due to dengue outbreak and those times it gets almost unmanageable. So, have we thought about what will happen when we have two menaces to handle together? Both of them have overlapping symptoms. Are we geared to distinguish if a person has dengue or COVID 19?" asked the senior scientist, CSIR-IICB, Kolkata.

The challenges are many.

Almost each patient with a three-day fever would need to undergo a test for dengue and another for the SARS-CoV-2 virus which causes COVID-19.

"Considering the current numbers of COVID-19 patients, will our hospitals have beds available for dengue patients? Or will only severe dengue cases be handled at hospitals?" she asked.

Explaining how the viruses manifest in the human body, Jameel said the dengue virus enters via a mosquito bite through the subcutaneous layer of the skin from where it reaches the lymph nodes that are rich in types of blood cells called monocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells.

The virus, he said, primarily reproduces in these cells and can severely alter cytokine production by these cells, a fundamental response to injury and infection in the body.

On the other hand, SARS-CoV-2 enters the cells primarily through mucosal membranes of the mouth and nasal cavity and initially replicates in the epithelial cells of the upper respiratory tract.

"In some cases, however, the infection moves down the trachea into the lungs, where it infects the air sacs that exchange oxygen with blood. This causes inflammation as the immune system tries to fight the virus and leads to fluid accumulation in the lungs, which results in respiratory distress and oxygen demand.

"So, you see, both viruses infect via different pathways and different cell types. There would of course be overlaps in physiological effects and immunological responses. They would most likely make each disease worse than either infection alone," Jameel noted.

The most likely effect, he said, would be on healthcare capacity.

"Since initial clinical presentation is similar -- high fever -- one would be ignored at the expense of the other. With hospitals mainly in COVID-19 mode, they may also refuse dengue patients," Jameel said.

He said this has been already seen in connection with pregnancy care and deliveries, dialysis and tuberculosis treatment.

"We need to be careful and deploy tests for dengue also for febrile illness. Thankfully, India makes some very good tests for dengue virus, e.g. NS1 antigen test that is positive on the first day of fever," said Jameel.

Ray pointed out that there is no vaccine available clinically for either and no specific antiviral to treat them.

"This infection may show low to severe forms of infection including simple dengue fever, severe dengue and the haemorrhagic fever," said Ray.

"We are already amidst the SARS-CoV2 pandemic and hospitals are running out of beds although the government is trying its level best. We are yet to attain enough facility to handle the increasing coronavirus cases every day in India," she said.

According to Ray, careful preparation is needed as the country has very little time before a full-blown dengue season starts.

"While many dengue patients don't end up in critical care units (CCUs), a good fraction do. Do we have enough ICUs and CCUs to tackle dengue and COVID 19 together? Do we have enough trained manpower?"

Healthcare and research, she said, need to gear up to fight this "upcoming very realistic situation".
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 18:45:31|Editor: huaxia

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NANNING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The 17th China-ASEAN Expo has been postponed until further notice due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a meeting of senior officials held Thursday.

The expo was to be held from September 18 to 21 in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Started in 2004, the expo is an important platform to promote trade and relations between China and ASEAN.

In the first five months of this year, the total volume of trade between China and ASEAN countries reached around 242.42 billion U.S. dollars, up 1 percent year on year, according to Peng Gang, head of the Department of Asian Affairs, Ministry of Commerce. Enditem
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Fresh off a Caribbean cruise in early March, John Campbell developed a cough and fever of 104 degrees. He went to his primary care physician and got a flu test, which came up negative.

Then things got strange. Campbell said the doctor then turned to him and said, "I've called the ER next door, and you need to go there. This is a matter of public health. They're expecting you."

It was March 3, and no one had an inkling yet of just how bad the COVID-19 pandemic would become in the U.S.

At the JFK Medical Center near his home in Boynton Beach, Florida, staffers met him in protective gear, then ran a battery of testsincluding bloodwork, a chest X-ray and an electrocardiogrambefore sending him home. But because he had not traveled to Chinaa leading criterion at the time for coronavirus testingCampbell was not swabbed for the virus.

A $2,777 bill for the emergency room visit came the next month.

Now Campbell, 52, is among those who say they were wrongly billed for the costs associated with seeking a COVID-19 diagnosis.

While most insurers have promised to cover the costs of testing and related servicesand Congress passed legislation in mid-March enshrining that requirementthere's a catch: The law requires the waiver of patient cost sharing only when a test is ordered or administered.

And therein lies the problem. In the early weeks of the pandemic and through mid-April in many places, testing was often limited to those with specific symptoms or situations, likely excluding thousands of people who had milder cases of the virus or had not traveled overseas.

"They do pay for the test, but I didn't have the test," said Campbell, who appealed the bill to his insurer, Florida Blue. More on how that turned out later.

"These loopholes exist," said Wendell Potter, a former insurance industry executive who is now an industry critic. "We're just relying on these companies to act in good faith."

Exacerbating the problem: Many of these patients were directed to go to hospital emergency departmentsthe most expensive place to get carewhich can result in huge bills for patients-deductible insurance.

Insurers say they fully cover costs when patients are tested for the coronavirus, but what happens with enrollees who sought a testbut were not given oneis less clear.

KHN asked nine national and regional insurers for specifics about how they are handling these situations.

Results were mixed. ThreeUnitedHealthcare, Kaiser Permanente and Anthemsaid they do some level of automatic review of potential COVID-related claims from earlier in the pandemic, while a fourth, Quartz, said it would investigate and waive cost sharing for suspected COVID patients if the member asks for a review. Humana said it is reviewing claims made in early March, but only those showing confirmed or suspected COVID. Florida Blue, similarly, said it is manually reviewing claims, but only those involving COVID tests or diagnoses. The remaining insurers pointed to other efforts, such as routine audits that look for all sorts of errors, along with efforts to train hospitals and doctors in the proper COVID billing codes to use to ensure patients aren't incorrectly hit with cost sharing. Those were Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, CIGNA and the Health Care Services Corp., which operates Blues plans in Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

All nine said patients should reach out to them or appeal a claim if they suspect an error.

To be sure, it would be a complex effort for insurers to go back over claims from March and April, looking for patients that might qualify for a more generous interpretation of the cost waiver because they were unable to get a coronavirus test. And there's nothing in the CARES Act passed by Congressor subsequent guidance from regulatory agenciesabout what to do in such situations.

Still, insurers could review claims, for example, by looking for patients who received chest X-rays, and diagnoses of pneumonia or high fever and cough, checking to see if any might qualify as suspected COVID cases, even if they were not given a diagnostic test, said Potter.

One thing was clear from the responses: Much of the burden falls on patients who think they've been wrongly billed to call that to the attention of the insurer and the hospital, urgent care center or doctor's office where they were treated.

Some states have broader mandates that could be read to require the waiver of cost sharing even if a COVID test was not ordered or administered, said Sabrina Corlette, a research professor and co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University.

But no matter where you live, she said, patients who get bills they think are incorrect should contest them. "I've heard a lot of comments that claims are not coded properly," said Corlette. "Insurers and providers are on a learning curve. If you get a bill, ask for a review."

In some places, including the state of Indiana, the city of Los Angeles and St. Louis County, Missouri, a test is now offered to anyone who seeks one. Until recently, tests were scarce and essentially rationed, even though more comprehensive testing could have helped health officials battle the epidemic.

But even in the early weeks, when Campbell and many others sought a diagnosis, insurers nationwide were promising to cover the cost of testing and related services. That was good PR and good public health: Removing cost barriers to testing means more people will seek care and thus could prevent others from being infected. Currently, the majority of insurers offering job-based or Affordable Care Act insurance say they are fully waiving copays, deductibles and other fees for testing, as long as the claims are coded correctly. (The law does not require short-term plans to waive cost sharing.) Some insurers have even promised to fully cover the cost of treatment for COVID, including hospital care.

But getting stuck with a sizable bill has become commonplace. "I only went in because I was really sick and I thought I had it," said Rayone Moyer, 63, of La Crosse, Wisconsin, who was extra concerned because she has diabetes. "I had a hard time breathing when I was doing stuff."

On March 27, she went to Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center, which is in her Quartz insurance network, complaining of body aches and shortness of breath. Those symptoms could be COVID-related, but could also signal other conditions. While there, she was given an array of tests, including bloodwork, a chest X-ray and a CT scan.

She was billed in May: $2,421 by the hospital and more than $350 in doctor bills.

"My insurance applied the whole thing to my deductible," she said. "Because they refused to test me, I've got to pay the bill. No one said, 'Hey, we'll give you $3,000 worth of tests instead of the $100 COVID test,'" she said.

Quartz spokesperson Christina Ott said patients with concerns like Moyer's should call the insurance company's customer service number and ask for an appeals specialist. The insurer, she wrote in response to KHN's survey of insurers, will waive cost sharing for some members who sought a diagnosis.

"During the public health emergency, if the member presented with similar symptoms as COVID, but didn't receive a COVID-19 test and received testing for other illnesses on an outpatient basis, then cost sharing would be waived," she wrote.

Moyer said she has filed an appeal and was notified by the insurer of a review expected in mid-July. Back in Florida, Campbell filed an appeal of his bill with Florida Blue on April 22, but didn't hear anything until the day after a KHN reporter called the insurer about his case in June.

Then, Campbell received phone calls from Florida Blue representatives. A supervisor apologized, saying the insurer should not have billed him and that 100% of his costs would be covered.

"Basically they said, 'We've changed our minds,'" said Campbell. "Because I was there so early on, and the bill was coded incorrectly."

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

2020 Kaiser Health News

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
On Thursday, Jack Dorsey, the billionaire CEO of Twitter, announced he is working with 14 American mayors to fund universal basic income (UBI) trials in their cities.

The pilot programs will be run city by city and have not yet launched.

Former presidential candidate Andrew Yang helped bring the idea of universal basic income into the mainstream and is funding his own UBI pilot program.

Proponents say guaranteed incomes could help close America's growing wealth gap, while others say they could compound America's financial crisis by encouraging people to stop working.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Billionaire Jack Dorsey, the cofounder of Twitter, is spending millions to experiment with universal basic income.

Dorsey's experiment is part of a larger initiative called Mayors for a Guaranteed Income. On Thursday, the group announced the program could impact as many as 7 million Americans across 14 different cities, including Los Angeles; Atlanta; Newark, New Jersey; and Jackson, Mississippi. The involved mayors say they plan to launch guaranteed income pilot programs in their cities at an unspecified future date and lobby federal lawyers to consider a national one, too.

The coalition behind the experiment says giving people a guaranteed income could lift people out of poverty and cushion the economic and career blows of the coronavirus crisis.

Dorsey, who has built up a net worth of $7.5 billion, will sink $3 million from his nonprofit into the program, according to the announcement. The UBI program comes shortly after Dorsey's widely publicized pledge to donate $1 billion to coronavirus relief efforts.

The group did not specify who will be eligible for payments and how much they will receive each month under their plan. In a statement, it said that it envisions the basic income as a flexible supplement to existing social programs. At least two cities  Jackson, Mississippi; and Stockton, California  represented in the mayors' coalition already have working guaranteed income pilot programs, while Chicago, Newark, and Atlanta have task forces exploring programs of their own, according to the group's website.

Story continues

Proponents and past research claim that a guaranteed income could be the best way to level the wealth divide between the richest and poorest Americans, a chasm that has grown even wider during the coronavirus pandemic. Critics of basic incomes say the economic effects of such proposals haven't been thoroughly researched and could stop recipients from working, Business Insider previously reported.

Still, Dorsey isn't the only wealthy American experimenting with universal basic income. Entrepreneur and former presidential candidate Andrew Yang announced in May that he will give $500 to 20 New Yorkers every month for the next five years through his nonprofit in an effort to test the effects of the policy.

Yang made his universal basic income proposal  a scheme, called the Freedom Dividend, that would pay every American adult $1,000 monthly  a central part of his presidential campaign. Once considered an unlikely policy proposal championed only by Silicon Valley titans like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, guaranteed income has since gained traction with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.

UBI proposals can be traced back as far as the 16th century, but have been floated throughout American history by a wide range of leaders including Thomas Payne and Martin Luther King, Jr. The one-time $1,200 stimulus checks Americans received earlier this year as a part of the CARES Act were essentially an interim universal basic income, Business Insider previously reported.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 08:51:46|Editor: huaxia

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A Singaporean casts a vote at a polling station for the country's general election in Singapore on July 10, 2020. Polling stations in Singapore opened at 8:00 a.m. local time on Friday for the country's general election. Some 2.65 million people are eligible to vote. Polling stations will be closed at 8:00 p.m. local time. (Xinhua/Then Chih Wey)

SINGAPORE, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Polling stations in Singapore opened at 8:00 a.m. local time on Friday for the country's general election.

Some 2.65 million people are eligible to vote. Polling stations will be closed at 8:00 p.m. local time.

The Elections Department (ELD) has asked voters to vote within the recommended time bands. Younger voters were encouraged not to vote between 8:00 a.m. and 12 at noon local time unless they have been allotted specific time bands within this window, as the morning voting hours have mostly been allotted to senior voters aged 65 years and above.

ELD has announced the approach for voting by certain groups of voters in view of the prevailing COVID-19 situation. Voters on Stay-Home Notice or medical certificates for acute respiratory infection, or are having a fever, are advised to vote between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. local time. The COVID-19 patients and voters who are on Quarantine Order for COVID-19 are not allowed to vote.

Besides, ELD has said that there are 6,570 overseas voters in the general election, and 10 overseas polling stations have been prepared for them in Beijing, Canberra, Dubai, Hong Kong, London, New York, San Francisco, Shanghai, Tokyo and Washington DC. Local media reported that some overseas voters had cast their votes before Friday.

ELD has also said temperature screening is conducted to detect those with fever or respiratory symptoms at the polling stations. It has asked the voters to take their temperature and check online the queue situation before going to vote, wear masks and comply with safe distancing measures at all times in the polling stations.

A total of 191 candidates from 11 political parties and an independent candidate are competing for 93 seats in the general election. Enditem
Brazil has been one of the most affected countries in the world by COVID-19. A group of researchers led by Prof. Marcelo Zuffo and Prof. Raul Lima from the Escola Politecnica da Universidade de Sao Paulo received US $ 199,943 for one year from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Global. The project is co-funded by ONRs Warfighter Performance Department.

While the project aims to study local lung tissue damage caused by driving pressure, the overall goal is to produce low-cost ventilators for use by hospitals in Sao Paulo. The initial batch of 40 ventilators will be supplied to local hospitals.

The high mortality rate of COVID-19 pandemic is associated with a secondary condition, ARDS [Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome], which demands precise protective pulmonary maneuvers promoted through lung ventilators. Particularly, in this proposal, we have designed an open-source, low-cost emergency lung ventilator named INSPIRE. INSPIRE is built from off-the-shelf components widely available, including high-end microcomputers based on the Single Board Computer (SBC) approach. Prof. Marcelo Zuffo, Researcher, Escola Politecnica da Universidade de Sao Paulo

The research grant awarded by ONR Global is titled, Relation of Driving Pressure in ARDS and Local Lung Tissue Damage under COVID-19 Pandemic through Cyber Physical Emergency Lung Ventilators. While it has immediate applicability, the comprehension of how to approach ARDS through mechanical ventilation is a relevant long-term research line.

There is a concern that simply connecting a patient to a ventilator without close monitoring is causing lung tissue damage, which may be the main cause of death. The proposed cyber-physical ventilator will also enable the doctor to monitor the patient remotely. In addition, the ventilator will be made as portable as possible to use in the operations theater for injured warfighters. Solar power is being considered for use in the field, where conventional electrical power may not be available. Paul Sundaram, ONR Global Brazil Science Director

He added, on the potential applicability for current needs in todays society, Ventilators are needed for the COVID-19 pandemic. Low-cost ventilators would lower hospital costs considerably and be easily accessible to public hospitals. Remote monitoring would enable the doctor to be more efficient in treating many patients at a time.

Furthermore, the design of cyber-physical, open-source ventilators offers a unique opportunity to collect data in real time. Such data properly analyzed can enhance the survival rate of ICU COVID-19 patients.

The applicability of such techniques is immediate, since COVID-19 is still spreading across the globe, and a significant number of humans can be benefited through such techniques, said Zuffo.

ONR Global sponsors scientific efforts outside of the U.S., working with scientists and partners worldwide to discover and advance naval capabilities.
Major players in the fashion e-commerce market are Amazon, Flipkart, Alibaba, Snapdeal, eBay, Myntra, ShopClues, AliExpress, and HomeShop18. The global fashion e-commerce market is expected to decline from $531.

New York, July 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Fashion E-Commerce Global Market Report 2020-30: Covid 19 Growth and Change" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05930662/?utm_source=GNW

25 billion in 2019 to $485.62 billion in 2020 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of -8.59%. The decline is mainly due to the COVID-19 outbreak that has led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing and remote working, and the closure of industries and other commercial activities. The entire supply chain from production to international trade has been impacted. The market is expected to recover and reach $672.71 billion in 2023 at a CAGR of 11.48%.



The fashion e-commerce market consists of sales of fashion goods and its related services through online channels. Fashion goods include fashion accessories, clothes, shoes, bags, jewelry, cosmetics, and other luxury goods. The fashion e-commerce market comprises of revenue generated by the establishments using several online platforms and tools for trading fashion products.



North America was the largest region in the fashion e-commerce market in 2019. Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period.



Technological innovations are a leading trend in the fashion e-commerce industry. The companies dealing in the market are adopting new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), barcode scanners, virtual reality outfits, and e-commerce automation tools that offer highly personalized and relevant consumer experience. Moreover, many fashion companies are launching new apps to sell their products online in order to reach a large consumer base. For instance, in June 2019, Amazon launched an AI-powered tool named StyleSnap, which uses machine learning to find similar styles and clothes. StyleSnap is an app wherein people can take a picture, upload, and search for similar clothes available on Amazon.com.



The fashion e-commerce market covered in this report is segmented by product into apparel/clothing; accessories; footwear; cosmetics; others and by end user into men; women; children.



Rules concerning website content and safety of consumer information are predicted to limit the growth of the market. The rules and regulations for companies about the content of the website make it difficult for players to manage their business. A major concern is to mandate the use of local languages on their website, as in countries with more than one local official language, it results in a higher cost for the companies dealing with online retailing. This scenario is projected to act as a restraint for the fashion e-commerce market.



Weakening brand trust and loyalty, and high return rates are other major concerns for the growth of the fashion e-commerce market. The decline in brand loyalty can be due to several factors including product quality, a lack of selection options, or better prices elsewhere. This, in turn, is a reason for the high return rates.



In June 2018, the online retailers Media24 and Takealot.com announced that they will merge their online fashion brands, Spree and Superbalist, creating an exciting online fashion platform for South African consumers. The merger of Superbalist and Spree provides an opportunity to accelerate the growth of online fashion retail in South Africa.



Increasing use of internet and smartphones is expected to contribute to the expansion of the fashion e-commerce industry. According to the Digital 2019 Global Overview Report, the total number of phone users including smart and feature phones reached 4.78 billion, which was 61.51% of worlds population in 2019. The smartphone users increased from 2.5 billion in 2016 constituting 33.58% of the years global population to 3.5 billion in 2019, which was 45.04% of the worlds population. This has also led to an increase in the number of online shoppers. This scenario is anticipated to boost the demand for fashion and other e-commerce markets, generating higher revenue for the online fashion industry over the coming years.







Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05930662/?utm_source=GNW



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[July 10, 2020] MedCrypt Joins BlackBerry QNX Partner Ecosystem to Deliver Safety-Critical and Secure Software for Healthcare

SAN DIEGO, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- MedCrypt Inc. , a leading provider of proactive security solutions for the healthcare space, today announced it has joined the BlackBerry QNX Partner ecosystem, a worldwide network of technology companies who specialize in development tools, middleware, and embedded software products (e.g., database, HMI, and more) that are compatible with and complementary to BlackBerry QNX's broad technology portfolio. The QNX OS for Medical is a safety-certified version of the trusted QNX Neutrino operating system used in critical embedded systems globally. "The healthcare industry has seen nearly twice as many breaches between February and May this year in comparison to last year's count, indicating a growing need for medical tech to be secured at the source, before it goes to market," said Mike Kijewski, CEO at MedCrypt. "We're happy to join the BlackBerry QNX Partner ecosystem as it will further help us bring new and necessary medical technology to market quicker with top notch security built right in." "We are excited to expand our BlackBerry QNX Partner network with the addition of MedCrypt," said Kaivan Karimi, SVP and Co-Head, BlackBerry Technology Solutions. "As the explosion of connected devics drives new applications and solutions in healthcare and around the world, it also increases the risk of cyberthreats and breaches, requiring data and infrastructure to be secured at every layer. Together with our partners, we are providing access to BlackBerry's trusted software and cryptography solutions and technological know-how to accelerate the design, development, integration, and testing of mission-critical systems in healthcare and other industries."



MedCrypt's medical device cybersecurity software tools and APIs make it more efficient, easier, and less expensive for medical device manufacturers (MDMs) to build safe and secure medical devices. Building upon QNX OS for Medical and providing integration services and design will enable MedCrypt's customers to develop safety-critical solutions for the medical device industry. MedCrypt's cybersecurity platform can be implemented in full or with a modular approach to proactively secure both legacy and new medical devices and maintain their security posture. MedCrypt solutions include:

Cryptography: encrypt/decrypt data and cryptographically sign/verify instructions with unique key pairs

Behavior Monitoring: capture device metadata, detect abnormalities, and send alerts

Vulnerability Monitoring: monitor specific software versions at the device level for known vulnerabilities; generate real-time software bill of materials (SBOM) The MedCrypt data security library cross-compiles for and runs on the QNX OS for Medical as a turnkey solution. BlackBerry QNX solutions are used extensively for life-critical medical devices including blood diagnostics, ultrasound imaging, infusion delivery, heart monitoring, resuscitation and surgical robotics. To learn about the BlackBerry QNX Channel Partner Program, visit https://blackberry.qnx.com/en/partners/qnx-partner-directory. About MedCrypt, Inc. MedCrypt is a San Diego-based company that provides proactive security for healthcare technology. MedCrypt's solution encrypts data traveling to and from medical devices with just a few lines of code, ensuring devices are secure by design. MedCrypt announced a $5.3 million Series A funding round in May of 2019, bringing the total funds raised to $8.4 million with participation from Eniac Ventures, Section 32, Y Combinator and more. The company is based in San Diego, California. For more, please visit www.medcrypt.com . Contact: Brenda Manea

BAM Communications

[email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/medcrypt-joins-blackberry-qnx-partner-ecosystem-to-deliver-safety-critical-and-secure-software-for-healthcare-301091302.html SOURCE MedCrypt

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By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Friday held there were good and justifiable grounds for extending the time to complete investigation against JNU student Sharjeel Imam in a case related to alleged inflammatory speeches during the protests against CAA and NRC.

The high court said after perusing the details of the investigation carried out till the application or report was filed by the prosecution in the trial court and the points still pending to be carried out by the investigating authority, the decision to extend the period for carrying out the probe cannot be faulted with.

Justice V Kameswar Rao dismissed the plea by Imam, challenging the trial courts June 25 order granting three more months to the Delhi Police, beyond the statutory 90 days, to complete the investigation in the case under the stringent UAPA.

The HC noted that the prosecutors report filed in the trial court stated, since March 24, 2020, due to global pandemic a lockdown has been imposed due to which the pace of investigation was seriously disrupted and said this clearly depicts the reasons for not completing investigation in 90 days.



Imam was arrested on January 28 from Bihars Jehanabad district in the case related to violent protests against the CAA.
As colleges began to roll out plans for fall 2020, Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced that it would prohibit international students from entering the United States, or remaining on U.S. soil, if colleges adopt online-only plans. Setting aside anti-immigrant animus - hard to do, in this case - the reasoning appears to be that if all instruction is taking place over the internet, there's no reason for these students to stay in the United States.

That judgment underestimates the disruption that will ensue for international students - and the fundamental unfairness of the policy. I'm now a fifth-year medical student at Yale, but in spring 2017 - at the end of my first year - I flew to Cameroon, where I grew up, for my father's wedding. It was my first trip home in three years. I planned carefully around my coursework: I left immediately after my last mandatory in-person class, knowing that I could watch recordings of the remaining lectures and take my last two exams from home.

Finishing up remotely sounds simple, but it was chaos. When I got to Yaounde, it's true that I was in a better situation than I'd experienced in high school. Back then, since we didn't have a computer or internet access at home, I had to leave my house for cybercafes to complete assignments. This time, there was a mobile hot spot at my father's house, but unlike the typical monthly plans of U.S. households, we purchased access by the gigabyte (or by the hour or day), depending on the need. Because of the slow download speeds, instead of watching lectures, like most of my classmates back in the United States, I worked through the corresponding textbook chapters and downloaded the exams. I took the first exam at home but couldn't focus as well as I might have in my New Haven apartment - my then-6-year-old sister was clamoring for my attention. So I took the second exam at my father's office, which was awkward but worked.

There is no way I could have done this long-term, as international students in online-only programs are now being ordered to do. In Cameroon, there's simply no sustainable infrastructure in place for distance learning that would allow students to keep up with the pace of classes in the United States.

Overall at Yale, counting undergraduates and graduate students, international students make up 22 percent of the student body - some 3,000 people in all. At Yale College this fall - the undergraduate part of the university - sophomores will be asked to stay home the first semester, working remotely, freshmen the second semester. Other students will live on campus and take a mix of in-person and online courses.

In the medical school, first- and second-year students will also take a mix of virtual and in-class courses - so international students can stay. Third-, fourth- and fifth-year medical students like myself spend most of our time in the hospital, learning at the bedside and some doing research.

The university's hybrid approach may offer protection, but Yale President Peter Salovey has written that "it is not yet clear how this policy will apply to every program or individual students." (Is a sophomore asked to stay home for the year part of an "online-only" college?) At universities that are going online-only, such as Harvard - where some students will nonetheless live on the campus - the entire academic year might be in jeopardy.

If a student is sent back home, how would they participate in (online) group projects and live lectures, with low-quality or costly Internet access? What about sleep disruptions? For students far from U.S. time zones - say, in Beijing - attending live-streamed lectures may be impossible, or at least unhealthy.

This new rule is exacerbating the baseline anxiety international students deal with; for this group, interruptions in education can be major setbacks. On the online Facebook group "Overheard at Yale," I saw a post that read: "Is it possible to sue a country? Asking for a friend." At universities where students are affected by this rule, students are wondering whether a requirement to be on campus for a single day in a semester would bypass the rule. Outsiders are asking this, too.

Universities want to protect their international students, but they are in a bind, forced to make the difficult choice between following important public health guidelines for students, faculty, staff and the surrounding communities - and holding in-person instruction so their international students won't be deported. For now, the Office of International Students & Scholars at Yale tells us it is "aggressively exploring all options to allow international student enrollment either in-person or online." MIT and Harvard have sued the Trump administration to stop the rule.

I am fortunate to be in a position where most of my medical school coursework will be in-person. But I am sick to my stomach thinking about all the students who will be affected by this policy. This plan does not seem well thought out. Alternatively, if the intricacies were considered and ICE still moved forward, then - as with other immigration restrictions put forward by this administration - the cruelty is truly the point.

- - -

Max Jordan Nguemeni Tiako is a fifth-year medical student at the Yale School of Medicine. He's also a health policy research fellow at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
The actors union representing 750 Walt Disney World performers has filed a grievance against the Orlando, Florida-based theme park alleging retaliation against its members over the unions demand that they be tested for the coronavirus.

Walt Disney Co plans to reopen Disney World on Saturday, with attendance limits, social distancing rules and new health and safety protocols. Florida has seen a spike in coronavirus cases in recent weeks. In June, Florida infections rose by 168% or over 95,000 new cases.

The Actors Equity Association, in a statement on Thursday, said Disney had announced plans on June 23 to recall members for rehearsals the following week.

On June 25 the union publicly stated that actors needed to be tested because they cannot practice social distancing, the statement said. But on June 26, Walt Disney World rescinded all of its recall notices for members of the union.

The union said it sent its grievance to Disney on Wednesday.

Seven unions signed agreements to have their employees return to work, the Actors Equity rejected our safety protocols and have not made themselves available to continue negotiations, which is unfortunate, a Disney spokeswoman said in a statement. We are exercising our right to open without Equity performers.

Over 19,000 people, including some workers, have signed a petition asking Disney to delay the parks reopening. Unions representing workers at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, also pushed back on that parks reopening, which was scheduled for July 17 but which the company has delayed indefinitely.

When Disney World reopens, guests and employees will be required to wear masks and undergo temperature checks. The resort will suspend parades, fireworks displays and other activities that create crowds.
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Linkedin Marchio Irfan Gorbiano and Budi Sutrisno (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 10, 2020 09:06 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406654682f 1 National TNI-AD,security,society,policy,governance,Religious-Affairs-Ministry,religious-harmony Free

Religious Affairs Minister Fachrul Razi appears to have backed off from a plan to tap into the Indonesian Militarys (TNI) resources to promote religious harmony in Papua and West Papua, following widespread criticism that its involvement could result in more grievances among the indigenous population.

Critics have slammed the minister for trying to involve the TNI in civilian affairs in the countrys easternmost provinces, which has revived fears of military repression and throws the security reform agenda into doubt.

But Fachrul played down the TNIs involvement on Tuesday during a meeting with the House of Representatives in Jakarta.

He insisted the ministry was only asking for help to map out logistics.

We want to seek out additional information in our efforts to improve religious activities in Papua, so we can better ease tensions. It is not our intention to involve the TNI  we only asked them for input, he said at the hearing with House Commission VIII overseeing social affairs.

We will focus our attention on houses of worship and religious schools.

The ministers comments sought to address concerns raised by a number of lawmakers.

National Awakening Party (PKB) lawmaker Maman Imanulhaq, for instance, took issue with the ministrys security approach in promoting religious harmony and suggested instead a dialogue-based approach.

You have working units in the regions such as the KUA [religious affairs offices] but also religious instructors, and they have functioned well, Maman said during the hearing.

He said that if the TNI took over the mandate of these local working units, it might lead to artificial harmony among worshippers.

Read also: Governor, chief of customary council pledge to keep peace in Papua

Maman echoed the sentiments of a coalition of civil society groups, which insisted that the TNI did not have the authority to meddle in religious activities.

There are no strong or logical arguments for the Religious Affairs Ministry to involve the TNI in a program on religious harmony, because it is a fact that improving religious harmony is more effectively achieved through dialogue than through a repressive approach, the coalition said in a joint statement last Friday.

The plan to involve the Indonesian Military in efforts to promote religious harmony in the regions in Indonesia goes against the principles of democracy, human rights and the security sector reform agenda, as well as Law No.34/2004 on the TNI.

The coalition includes rights watchdog Imparsial, the Legal Aid Institute for the Press (LBH Pers), the Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR) and the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras).

As the first retired TNI general to assume the role of religious affairs minister after the fall of the New Order regime, Fachrul met with Army officers in Jakarta on June 30 to discuss possible collaboration.

Read also: Rethinking infrastructure approach in Papua

Brig. Gen. Sugiyono, the deputy assistant to the Army chief of staff (Waaster Kasad) who attended the meeting, said that the ministry invited the Army to take part in its plan so it could mobilize resources in the countrys far-flung regions.

The ministry wanted to invite priests and dioceses in the region [to take part], but it doesnt have adequate resources. The TNI has personnel in the regions [who can] help disseminate the proper religious perspectives so that [Papuans] dont view the government as colonizers, Sugiyono said.

Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) researcher Cahyo Pamungkas, who specializes in Papua, said the plan would unlikely address the ongoing tensions in Papua, where local communities see the security forces as part of the problem.

The conflict [in Papua] is a vertical conflict between the government and the people, said Cahyo. The indigenous Papuans want a withdrawal of non-organic security forces because their presence reminds them of tales of past sufferings that are passed down from one generation to the next.

In a region mired in decades of armed conflict between the TNI and subversive groups, the governments approach in Papua has consistently stressed security, even though other alternatives have been sought since the onset of democratic reforms in 1998.

During the New Order era, then-president Soeharto rolled out a program known as ABRI Masuk Desa, which deployed military personnel into the regions and grassroots as a means of monitoring and discouraging dissent.

The program was terminated after Soeharto fell from power, but was revived afterward with modifications, invariably sparking criticism.

Military expert Khairul Fahmi from the Institute of Security and Strategic Studies (ISESS) said that getting the TNI involved was bound to have social and security repercussions.

Involving the TNI is like rolling back the past, where the state was dabbling on the one hand in secularization and religious-moderation propaganda, and on the other going deep into the private domain of faith, Khairul said. It could trigger resistance and potential conflict.

The Religious Affairs Ministrys plan is not the first of its kind.

In 2015, the TNI teamed up with the ministry for a joint campaign to stop radicalism and curb the influence of the Islamic State movement, by using the formers platform to spread moderate Islamic teachings.

Read also: TNI to play role in curbing radicalism

In 2017, the TNI collaborated with the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry to continue the legacy of ABRI Masuk Desa with its community service program, TNI Manunggal Membangun Desa (TMMD). Under the TMMD, military personnel are deployed to villages to help develop local infrastructure.

The most recent plan would be the first of its kind to focus specifically on a religious approach, Army general Sugiyono said.

But Minister Fachrul, with his military background, should not confuse the domain of religious affairs with that of security and defense, Khairul said.

In their operations in Papua, for instance, the military has also incorporated aspects of religious and mentality development, but that doesnt mean it should ink an agreement with the Religious Affairs Ministry, which certainly has budgetary implications, he said.
Since mid-April, the National Guard has been essential to the success of the Houston Food Bank, helping distribute over 89 million pounds of food and product after volunteer numbers dropped and demand skyrocketed during the pandemic.

Next week, that all comes to an end.

After a farewell ceremony on Friday, the more than 200 members of the National Guard will begin phasing out of their roles at the nations largest food bank. By next Wednesday, the last are expected to depart, and the hands that have helped the organization keep up with growing food insecurity will disappear, according to Brian Greene, Houston Food Bank president and CEO.

Weve just got a lot to make up for, said Greene of the guards departure. Greene is not expecting any additional deployments from the National Guard in the coming months.

Yet, demand for food is still tremendous as much as 150 percent higher than usual. Based on this number, the food bank estimates that about 2.75 million people are food insecure in their service area. In June, the organization saw a 171 percent increase in households served per week  reaching close to 160,000  from a year ago, with distribution often exceeding 1 million pounds per day, according to internal food bank data.

Sorting and distributing all that food requires significant manpower.

Labor was already a problem, said Greene. Labors an even bigger problem now.

HOW TO HELP: Volunteer at the Houston Food Bank

With social distancing mandates and COVID-19 spikes in Houston, the food bank and other partner organizations have struggled to meet the labor demand, relying on smaller shifts and the National Guard.

Normally able to handle up to 1,000 volunteers per shift, theyre now down to a maximum of 150 volunteers per shift, not including the National Guard. The overall number has been much lower during the pandemic, said Jermaine Harmon, director of volunteer services for Houston Food Bank. With fewer corporate groups coming in to serve and Houstonians wary of contagion, the organization doesnt always fill even these reduced shifts.

Recently, volunteer numbers are dropping again, and Harmon thinks its because of the COVID-19 spike.

Several administrators expressed that the National Guard has been essential during this time, and Harmon suggested they often tripled or quadrupled output of normal volunteers. These guys dont mess around, said Paula Murphy, publicist for the Houston Food Bank. Theres just no way we could have done this without their help.

Hadley Chittum, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Second Lieutenant Randy Trevino oversees 55 National Guard troops deployed here. I dont know how many times Ive been told God bless you, thank you for helping out, Trevino said. The troops, some of whom left families and jobs behind, were initially deployed through May, but Greene still needed their help and the deployment kept getting extended.

The Montgomery and Galveston County Food Banks have also benefitted from the National Guard. Faith Lane, director of programming at the Montgomery County Food Bank, said she feels very fortunate to have had the National Guards help for the past 11 weeks. But next week is their last, and Lane is working hard to secure volunteers.

Those numbers could be challenging with folks not wanting to come out too soon, Lane said.

In order to meet crushing demand and allow more volunteers to work, the Houston Food Bank recently opened another warehouse on Market Street, and will have a third warehouse ready for volunteers in early August. Each one can handle an extra 30 volunteers per shift.

Despite their fears, Houstonians still show up to lend a hand. Some are temporary workers hired through YMCA or Harris County programs, and others just want to want to be helpful.

Its better than staying home and worrying, said Marianne Hembree, 66, who is retired but started volunteering at the Houston Food Bank at the start of the pandemic. When you think about other people, it does get your mind off your own problems.

After he was laid off earlier this year, Lorenzo Snow, 47, got a job at the food bank through the YMCA. But he gets so much joy from helping those in need that even when hes not on the clock, Snow comes to serve.

Hadley Chittum, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

The lack of volunteers has also impacted other Houston aid organizations.

The Houston Parks and Recreation Departments Summer Food Service Program for school-age children has lost at least 120 food distribution sites since last summer, some due to staffing issues. The majority of these independent sites were apartment complexes and churches that relied on volunteers to function, according to Rummeka Allen, administrative coordinator for the Summer Food Service Program. Several church sites were staffed by senior citizens, now too vulnerable to volunteer, and many apartment staff offices are closed due to the pandemic.

When schools went virtual and after-school activities stopped in March, the city extended the Summer Food Program from its usual three months to nearly five-and-a-half. Allen said that after a drastic surge in March and April, theyve seen a slight decrease in demand, which she attributed to families having more time to plan for the summer. Occasionally, sites cant meet demand, and have to direct the children to other locations.

The uncertainty of the next few monthsschool schedules, hurricanes, and the economic recession leave these programs uncertain of the future. Allen isnt sure what to expect when school starts. Everything is so by-the-minute, Allen said. Were waiting to know how school is going to proceed and what thats going to look like.

At the Houston Food Bank, theyre already gearing up for hurricane season, and the National Guard has helped prepare special relief boxes before they leave.

The food bank knows how to deal with a Category 5 hurricane, Murphy, the organizations publicist, said. This is something that youve never seen.
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Linkedin News Desk (Reuters) Idlib, Syria  Fri, July 10, 2020 06:00 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066539f9e 2 World Syria,coronavirus,COVID-19,COVID-19-infection,pandemic,SARS-CoV-2,virus-corona Free

The first coronavirus case was confirmed in northwest Syria on Thursday, aid workers said, raising fears for a region where hospitals lie in ruins and camps overflow with people after nearly a decade of war.

Doctors have worried for months about the pandemic reaching the northwest, Syria's last big rebel bastion, where an army offensive uprooted around a million people earlier this year.

The person infected is a physician at Bab al-Hawa hospital near the Turkish border, said a report from the Assistance Coordination Unit (ACU), a group which delivers aid and belongs to the Syrian opposition.

He isolated himself as soon as he showed symptoms this week and anyone who came in contact with him will be tested, said the ACU, which has received Western and Turkish Backing.

Aid workers have warned that any outbreak in the crowded camps for the displaced would be lethal and fast. The tented makeshift settlements often do not have clean water, let alone space for social distancing.

Test kits have also been scarce.

The UOSSM medical charity, which operates in rebel territory and also reported the case, warned the virus could "spread through refugee camps like wildfire."

"The medical infrastructure cannot handle the existing population needs let alone a wide spread pandemic," it said in a statement
The strict lockdown has been announced a day after Pune recorded 1,803 new cases, it's highest single-day surge since the outbreak of coronavirus

A 10-day strict lockdown has been announced in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad in Maharashtra starting from 13 July. The announcement of the lockdown was made by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday, 10 July.

Pune Divisional Commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar told news agency ANI that along with Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, around 22 villages of rural parts of Pune will also be under complete lockdown from 13 to 23 July.

The strict lockdown has been announced to contain the rampant rise of COVID-19 cases in the district. A report by DNA mentions that the announcement of complete lockdown comes a day after Pune district reported the highest single-day spike of COVID-19 cases. Pune reported 1,803 new cases of coronavirus on Thursday.

News agency PTI quoted a health official as saying that with Thursday's spike in COVID-19 cases, the district now has a total of 34,399 infected patients. The death toll in the district reached 978 with 34 more people succumbing to the infection on Thursday, the official added.

"Of the 1,803 cases, as many as 1,032 were reported from the areas located in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) limits, where the number of patients has reached 24,977," the official said.

What will remain open in Pune during 10 day lockdown from 13 to 23 July

According to a report by NDTV, all the essential services will be allowed to operate during the time of the lockdown. Pune Divisional commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar said that dairy outlets, medical stores and hospitals will remain open in the Pune district.

What will remain closed in Pune during 10 day lockdown

The DNA report mentions that all the offices and other businesses in the Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad region and places where lockdown will be implemented will remain closed till 23 July.
Just a matter of time for 9 day encounter in Rajouri-Poonch jungles to end

Guided by ex-Pak army officials, operating in buddy pairs: Why the Poonch encounter has dragged so much

Tire, track eliminate: Why has the Poonch encounter dragged on for so long

How the encounter that killed Vikas Dubey took place

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, July 10: Dreaded gangster, Vikas Dubey, who was arrested in connection with the murder of 8 police men was shot dead in an encounter this morning near Kanpur.

Vikas Dubey killed in an encounter while being taken to Kanpur from Madhya Pradesh | Oneindia News

He was shot dead, when he was trying to escape, following an accident involving one of the vehicles of the Special Task Force (STF), which was bringing him back to UP from Madhya Pradesh, where he was arrested on Thursday.

After the accident, Dubey tried to escape. He snatched a police weapon and rain to a nearby field. The police say that they asked him to surrender, but he refused to do so.

Vikas Dubey, man behind killing of 8 cops shot dead in encounter

The Kanpur police in a statement said that after being chased by the police team, he was asked to surrender, but he did not do so. Instead he began firing, with an intention of killing the policemen. The police team fired in self-defence after which Dubey was injured.

He was taken to hospital, where he died during treatment, the police also said.

The encounter took place at the Sachendi border in Kanpur. It may be recalled that three of his accomplices were also shot dead, while trying to escape.

Dubey was arrested outside the Mahakal temple in Ujjain on Thursday morning after a six-day manhunt following the Kanpur ambush in which eight policemen were gunned down.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Friday met the military brass and reviewed the border developments in eastern Ladakh, where Indian and Chinese armies are implementing a complex disengagement plan, officials familiar with the matter said.

Singh held discussions with the chief of defence staff General Bipin Rawat and the three service chiefs ahead of the fourth meeting between delegations led by Lieutenant General Harinder Singh, commander of the Leh-based 14 Corps, and Major General Liu Lin, commander of the South Xinjiang military region, along the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The meeting between the corps commander-ranked officers is likely to take place in three to four days, said one of the officials cited above.

The meeting is expected to focus on the critical Finger Area and the strategic Depsang plains, with a complex disengagement process that began after previous military talks on June 30 progressing smoothly in the Galwan Valley, Hot Springs and Gogra, as reported by HT on Friday.

Tensions between the two countries escalated when 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a clash with Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley on June 15. An undisclosed number of Chinese soldiers died in the violent face-off.

The minister also spoke with US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper over the telephone and the conversation covered aspects related to bilateral military cooperation and the current border tensions with China, said a second official.

While the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) pulled back 2km from Patrolling Point 14 (Galwan Valley) and PP-15 (Hot Springs) earlier this week, a similar retreat was completed at PP-17 (Gogra) on Thursday. The Indian Army, too, has pulled back proportionately from these friction areas and is closely monitoring PLAs withdrawal.

The army has observed some thinning of PLA troops, vehicles and removal of structures from the base of Finger 4 during the last three days but the PLA continues to hold ridge-line positions on the spur near Pangong Tso, the second official said.

The Finger Area, which refers to a set of eight cliffs jutting out of the Sirijap range overlooking the Pangong lake, is expected to test the disengagement process.

Before the PLA grabbed positions on Finger 4 overlooking Indian deployments, the army would patrol right up to Finger 8 that New Delhi considers within Indian territory. The new positions held by the PLA have curtailed the scope of Indian patrols. Fingers 4 and 8 are 8km apart.

The army is keeping a strict vigil on the Depsang sector, where the PLAs forward presence is a matter of concern. A 2013 Chinese intrusion there blocked the access of Indian soldiers to several patrolling routes.

The defence minister also spoke with his South Korean counterpart, Jeong Kyeong-Doo, over the telephone and discussed regional security developments of mutual interest, a spokesperson said.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 10, 2020 / Mota Ventures Corp. (MOTA.CN)(1WZ1.F)(OTC PINK:PEMTF) (the "Company") is excited to announce that its US based Nature's Exclusive brand ("Nature's Exclusive" or the "brand") acquired 102,844 new customers during the six month period ending June 30, 2020. Total new customers acquired during the reported period represents an all-time high for new customers within any given six-month period for the brand.

This record number of customers acquired can be attributed to the Company's increased marketing efforts of its Nature's Exclusive brand, as well as a successful scaling of the Company's supply chain, and its ability to respond to market demand in the midst of a global pandemic through the introduction of new and relevant products.

Commenting on new records being set by the Company, Ryan Hoggan, CEO stated, "With 2020 presenting so many uncertainties, including on a global economic front, I am very pleased with the Company's 2020 performance to date. Mota, and its Nature's Exclusive brand are illustrating their resilience and relevance. In the first half of this year, not only have we reached a record number of new customers, at over 100,000, we also reached and released record sales revenues of $5.1 million, for the month of May, alone. With these reassuring indicators that Mota and Nature's Exclusive are establishing brand recognition and demand, we are increasingly confident that continued focus on growth in the US and expansion in Europe will prove successful and continue to create value for our shareholders and stakeholders, alike."

About Mota Ventures Corp.

Mota Ventures is an established natural health products and eCommerce technology company focusing on the CBD and psychedelic medicine sectors. The company has a strong presence in both North America and Europe. In the United States, Mota Ventures offers a CBD hemp-oil product line derived from hemp grown and formulated in the US through its Nature's Exclusive brand. Within Europe, the company's Verrian operations is currently conducting clinical studies utilizing proprietary products for the treatment of opiate addiction. The highly skilled Verrian team also manages Mota Ventures' 110,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Radebeul, Germany. In addition, Mota Ventures' Sativida brand of award winning 100% organic CBD oils and cosmetics are sold throughout Spain, Portugal, Austria, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. The company is also seeking to acquire additional revenue-producing natural health product brands and operations in both Europe and North America with the goal of establishing an international distribution network utilizing its eCommerce technology platform.

Story continues

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MOTA VENTURES CORP.

Ryan Hoggan

Chief Executive Officer

For further information, readers are encouraged to contact Joel Shacker, President at +604.423.4733 or by email at IR@motaventuresco.com or www.motaventuresco.com

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release, which has been prepared by management.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statement

All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including with respect to the Company's plans to acquire revenue-producing CBD brands and operations in Europe and North America, and establishing itself as an international distribution network for CBD products. The Company provides forward-looking statements for the purpose of conveying information about current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. By its nature, this information is subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that may be general or specific and which give rise to the possibility that expectations, forecasts, predictions, projections or conclusions will not prove to be accurate, that assumptions may not be correct and that objectives, strategic goals and priorities will not be achieved. These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited those identified and reported in the Company's public filings under the Company's SEDAR profile 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 information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise unless required by law.

SOURCE: Mota Ventures Corp.





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(Kitco News) - Antipa (ASX:AZY) announced today a A$30 million (US$20.87 million) exploration farm-in agreement signed with IGO, which covers 1,563km2 of Antipas 100%-owned tenements in the Paterson Province of Western Australia.

IGO commits to an initial A$4 million minimum exploration expenditure within 2.5 years. There will be a further A$26 million exploration expenditure within 6.5 years from commencement to earn a 70% joint venture interest. Upon joint venture formation, IGO shall free-carry Antipa to the completion of a feasibility study.

IGO will acquire a 4.9% interest in Antipa by subscribing for A$3.27 million in shares at a price of 2.75 cents per share.

Newcrest will maintain its 9.9% interest in Antipa by subscribing for A$358,909 in shares on the same terms as IGO.
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By CHUKS EKE

The General Overseer of Mount Zion Faith Liberation Ministries (a.k.a By Fire by fire), Nnewi, Anambra state, Bishop Abraham Chris Udeh has called for what he termed a round-table conference to discuss the best way to divide Nigeria and how many countries Nigeria will be divided into.

He said as for himself, he had already seen in a spiritual realm where Nigeria was divided into three countries, namely North East/North West, North Central/South West and South East/South South, adding that after seeing the countries, he heard a laud voice warning that failure to divide Nigeria, a serious war will break out from the norther part of the Nigeria.

Bishop Udeh who spoke at his Cathedral, Nnewi, shortly after his 21-day fasting and prayer session, contended that God is not happy with Nigerian politicians because of their corrupt tendencies and rigging patterns.

According to the cleric, I warned politicians not to rig the 2019 general elections or else God will visit such rigger or riggers with fire, thunder and fury and because they defiled my warnings and went ahead to rig the elections, God has visited them with COVID-19 fire as number one plague to be followed up soon with thunder and fury, unless they repent.

I also saw gunfire at Aso Rock and if they dont repent, the gunfire will manifest in the physical realm. The North has not seen war before and that is why any small thing, they will talk about war. A certain ethnic group that has been ruling Nigeria since 1976 succeeded in ruining this country because they are holding tenaciously to power which they cannot control. So, the best is to divide Nigeria now, possibly this year or else the looming war will escalate. These are the things I saw in the spiritual realm.

He queried; How can those who are not articulate and who dont have acumen be ruling Nigeria over the years? I am seeing the Nigerian leaders sitting on a hot and shaky seats and I suggest they should resign as I have been calling since 2016 because the more they keep occupying the seats of power, the more the country is sinking deeper.

However, I an seeing something good in Prof Ibrahim Gambari, the new Chief of Staff to the Presidency, even though he cant make magic or change the damning situation of the country. Therefore, the best for the one occupying the presidential seat is to throw in the towel now and vacate the seat to avoid escalation and bringing in more catastrophe to the country.

I advise that African mentality should seize to be in Nigeria. The only way to appease the wrath of God is for this administration to hand over power to the duly elected or give it to someone else who is qualified to bring back Nigerias lost glory but my general view is to divide Nigeria into three countries as I had earlier suggested and if we divide peacefully, any side that is not measuring up will be assisted by the other two since it was a peaceful division.

The need to divide this country cannot be over emphasized because an adage says that light and darkness cannot stay together.
Recently, the Navy upheld the firing of Capt. Brett Crozier. Recall that he was the captain of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, who had urged faster action by the Navy to protect the crew from a coronavirus outbreak on the carrier.

Also on board the carrier was Rear Adm. Stuart Baker. He too was blamed for the ships crisis. As a result, a promotion for the one-star admiral was delayed.

The firing of Crozier and the delayed promotion of Baker was done by Adm. Mike Gilday, the chief of naval operations. He concluded, after a deep investigation, that serious errors in judgment were made by both men. Gilday said that as the virus spread throughout the carrier, Crozier and Baker failed to tackle the problem head on and take charge, and their actions fell well short of what we expect of those in command. They did not do enough, soon enough, Gilday said.

Doesnt that sound familiar? He could have been talking about President Trumps handling of the virus as it spread, and continues to spread, across America. Trump failed to take charge and tackle the problem head on. His actions fell well short of what we expect of a president. He did not do enough, soon enough.

I dont recall Trump at any time showing empathy for all who have died from the coronavirus. Obviously, the chief of naval operations cannot fire the president. But we can. Come election day in November, Make America Great Again  Dump Trump!

Dave Prugar

Easton
Think of a typical frat house. Your mind conjures up images of peeling paint, Greek letters above the front door, loud music, parties, and people coming and going at all hours.

Now take a look at this gorgeous Los Angeles Craftsman homeno trace of a toga party or red Solo Cup in sight. However, it served as a cinematic fraternity house rife with debauchery in the 2014 comedy "Neighbors" and its 2016 sequel, "Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising."

The popular films starred Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne, who, as new parents with a baby, are shocked to learn that a fraternity has just moved in next door. Hilarity ensues, but the real home is no laughing matter.

Built in 1907 and tucked into the West Adams neighborhood, this Craftsman is large enough to host a party, just not of the fratty variety. It has 3,873 square feet with five bedrooms and 2.5 baths.

The listing agent, Andrea Dunlop of Sothebys International Realty, priced the property at $1,495,000a judicious choice, as it happens. Ten offers came in within the home's first two weeks on the market.

Were in escrow now, significantly over asking price, Dunlop says.

The current owners bought the place in 2012 for $690,000. They agreed not to live in the home during filming, and made a pretty penny doing so.

They actually had to move out for a few months, says Dunlop. With the money they made from the production, they used it to restore the house. They added landscaping, stripped all the trim, replaced the roof and central heat.

While it is not currently included, central air conditioning could easily be installed, Dunlop added.

The previous owner put in the pool, she says. Fans of the films will no doubt recall the (ahem!) raucous poolside parties.

Entryway realtor.com

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Its got a lot of light, which is unusual for a Craftsman, says Dunlop.

Attached to the modernized kitchen is an outdoor dining deck.

Wide doorways inside are matched with a wide front porch that offers space for plenty of furnishings and can be used as an outdoor living room. Original built-ins throughout the home have been lovingly restored.

On the second floor are four of the five bedrooms, and the remaining bedroom is on the third floor, which has a half-bathroom.

The top-floor bedroom could be repurposed as a lounge or home office, or used as a playroom for the kids.

Given the age of the home, it doesn't have a single living room. Instead, it has two sitting rooms that once served as formal parlors.

A wine/beer cellar in the basement looks like a fun spot to entertain guests.

The saltwater pool is also a huge selling featureparticularly because its long enough to swim laps and features an attached hot tub.

The fact that the home spans three stories is a rare amenity for West Adams, says Dunlop. Other perks outdoors include raised vegetable beds, a pergola, garage, and, yes, a taproom. Party!

What is living in this pocket of L.A. like? For one, its totally walkable. Most of the homes are historic and well-maintained.

Almost all of the houses are between early 1900s and 1920s, says Dunlop.

Its midblock on one of the most gorgeous blocks in the area, smack-dab in the center of Los Angeles and close to the 10 freeway. You can get anywhere in L.A. within 10 or 15 minutes."

She describes the West Adams area as just emerging."

Were getting very hip restaurants," she says. Because the location is close to the University of Southern California, "Weve always had food options, but it seems like there are more now. Art galleries are also popping up, and coffee shops, too.

Typically, homeowners in the area tend to remain in their homes for decades.

Its unusual to have a house that goes on the market, period, says Dunlop.

Although this property is move-in ready, the next owners may rest assured that financial incentives (in the form of reduced property taxes) will be available in future for the purposes of historical preservation.

The Mills Act, linked to the California Office of Historic Preservation, has already been secured for the property.

And as for the real neighbors, they needn't worry about the buyers' being inspired by the films.

I dont think the people who saw the house had even seen the movie, says Dunlop. She says she believes it was "the pool and the Mills Act" that caught buyers' attention.

The post Frat House From the Film 'Neighbors' Lands on Market in L.A. for $1.5M appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com.
At a digital factory of IKD Co., Ltd., in Ningbo, East Chinas Zhejiang Province, automatic guided vehicles are running smoothly and scanners are working efficiently. An invisible 5G network behind these smart devices are contributing to the factorys production data collection and logistics management.

As a provider of automotive aluminum alloy precision die-casting parts, we are required to ensure that our products stability shall reach 99.99 percent, said He Shenghua, deputy general manager of the joint-stock company.

By connecting smart equipment to the 5G network, the company has been able to guarantee sound signal transmission of 700 terminals with high-capacity, high-speed, and low-latency data flow, He introduced.

Our per capita output value grew by 17 percent last year. Meanwhile, our products competitiveness improved significantly. Our factory is expected to be fully covered by 5G networks by this month, He disclosed.

The combination of 5G networks and industrial Internet have added to the significance of digital technologies in smart factories, making them an important engine for national economic development.

The value-added of Chinas digital economy reached 35.8 trillion yuan ($5.12 trillion) last year, accounting for 36.2 percent of the countrys GDP, according to the White Paper on the Development of Chinas Digital Economy (2020), which was released by China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) on July 3.

The figure signaled continuous expansion of the countrys digital economy.

The foreign high-calcium foreign milk I bought during the June 18 online shopping festival just saved me hundreds of yuan, Li Fangfang, a local resident in Jinzhong, North Chinas Shanxi Province, told the Peoples Daily.

Benefiting from the rapid development of digital trade, shopping around the globe at home has become commonplace for Chinese consumers.

While playing a significant role in Chinas digital economy, digital trade is also the most important embodiment of the internationalization of digital economy.

In recent years, Chinas digital trade has been developing both intensively and extensively, with certain economic models such as e-commerce and sharing economy enjoying particularly rapid progress, constantly injecting impetus into the development of digital economy.

The 35.8-trillion-yuan figure also indicated the surging development of Chinas new industries and new businesses.

Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing recently launched autonomous taxi service on a 53.6-kilometer road section in Jiading district, Shanghai, and Chen Feng, a resident in Shanghai, experienced the service the second day after its launch.

The turning, obstacle avoidance, overtaking and braking were all completed automatically, and the service was both comfortable and safe, Chen said.

Over 400 innovative 5G projects of have started in China so far, covering multiple areas such as the industry, transportation and medical services.

In 2019, the value-added of Chinas digital industrialization hit 7.1 trillion yuan, marking a nominal growth of 11.1 percent year on year.

The 35.8-trillion-yuan figure is a witness to the ever-deepening integration of the countrys new technologies into the real economy.

In the past, cement manufacturers didnt have many intelligent equipment, and the quality of their products and energy consumption relied heavily on the experience of the workers.

In an effort to enhance productivity and reduce cost, Shandong Donghua Cement Co., Ltd., a cement manufacturer in East Chinas Shandong Province, introduced an industrial brain to its workshops, intending to reduce the energy consumption and improve the quality of products during the production of clinker through real time data monitoring and parameters adjustment.

As proven by the trial run, we managed to increase the grinding efficiency by nearly three percent and our economic benefits by more than 40 million yuan. In addition, we saw a four percent reduction in power consumption, said Xu Lu, deputy chief engineer of the company.

In fact, more and more traditional industries in the country are creating considerable economic benefits by carrying out comprehensive industrial transformation and upgrading with the help of digital technologies.

As indicated by official data, the size of the value-added generated by Chinas industrial digitalization in 2019 was around 28.8 trillion yuan, account for 29 percent of the countrys GDP. Back in 2005, the proportion was only 7 percent.

Chinas digital economy keeps growing rapidly and is becoming a new engine for high-quality economic development, remarked He Wei, deputy director of the institute of politics and economy of CAICT.
M ichel Barnier has written to Eurosceptic MP Mark Francois telling him he still cannot see the point in Brexit.

Mr Francois, chair of the European Research Group of Tory MPs, penned a letter to the EUs chief negotiator in June titled a "missive from a free country.

The letter complained about EU demands on level playing field rules and warned there was no way the European Court of Justice could have any role in the UKs national life post-Brexit.

The MP for Rayleigh and Wickford wrote: All I and my colleagues in the ERG have ever really wanted, is to live in a free country, which elects its own Government and makes its own laws and then lives under them in peace.

Michel Barnier says nobody has been able to demonstrate the value of leaving the EU / POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Mr Barnier has now replied questioning the point of Brexit but saying he respects the UKs decision.

He wrote: "While nobody has been able to demonstrate to me the added value of leaving the most integrated economic and free trade area in the world, I have always respected the UK's decision to withdraw from the EU.

"In this same spirit we approach the ongoing negotiations with your great - and indeed free - country."

He also pointed out that both the issues Mr Francois raised were written into the Political Declaration which was approved by Boris Johnson and voted for by Mr Francois.

He added: The outlines of such a comprehensive future partnership were negotiated with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and agreed between him and the EU27 in the Political Declaration in October 2019.

However, it comes as Brexit talks in London ended with "significant differences" between negotiators who remain deadlocked over the issue of fishing rights.

Mr Barnier said his team would "continue working with patience, respect and determination" following talks with his counterpart David Frost.

If they cannot reach a deal by the end of the transition period at the end of the year, the UK will leave the single market and customs union without an agreement on future access.

The UK has ruled out extending the December deadline to reach a deal. Mr Frost is set to travel to Brussels next week to continue discussions.
It is generally accepted by historians that Francois Benetsee Finlay, an employee of the Hudsons Bay Company, first discovered gold in Montana on an upper tributary of the Clark Fork sometime around 1850. Reportedly Finlay brought the gold in to trade at Fort Connah just south of Flathead Lake, where he was warned by the chief factor not to spread the word of his discovery.

Just a couple of years later a short entry in the Fort Owen Journals dated Feb. 15, 1852 recorded the following notation, Gold huntingfound some. Apparently Major Owen was away purchasing trade goods at the time and didnt make the entry himself. For the most part it remains unclear who wrote the entry or where the gold was discovered, but presumably it was somewhere in the proximity of the fort near Stevensville, in the Bitterroot Valley. That enticingly brief journal entry is believed to be the first documented reference to a gold discovery in what would eventually become the Treasure State.

The following year members of a railroad survey led by Isaac Stevens, the newly appointed Governor of the recently formed Territory of Washington, may have also managed to pan some colors on Benetsee Creek, or what would eventually be referred to as Gold Creek. These early discoveries represented the first real gold strikes in Montana, and like the more famous camps that were soon to follow, the opportunities unfolding at Gold Creek in the early 1860s attracted more than a few men of a somewhat questionable character. These men were lured here by the glint of gold, but being extremely allergic to shovel and pan, they preferred to obtain their riches through other less honorable means.

According to the journals of James Stuart, on Aug. 14 1862, three men arrived with six good horses, but very little in the shape of a traveling outfit. James and his brother Granville had been working the gravel bars in the area off and on since a prospecting venture in 1858 seemed to show some promise. The brothers were returning from the California gold fields when they somehow caught wind of the recent discoveries near Deer Lodge. Both men kept a regular journal of their adventures, and today those entries offer a priceless insight into the daily life of an early Montana gold camp.

Two of the men Stuart describes in his journal, showed that they were on the gamble, and one of them kept his belt and revolver on, and rather posed as being a bad man. By Aug. 24 Stuart claimed, our monte sharps are about to take the town, which would seem to indicate that they had an uncanny ability to win more often than not. The following day two men arrived from Elk City, Idaho, in pursuit of the card sharps, who had apparently stolen the horses they rode in on. One of the men was armed with a double barreled shot gun heavily loaded with buckshot, and a Colts Navy revolver. The two-man posse soon found their men at a game of monte in a nearby saloon, and ordered them to throw up their hands. One of the outlaws instantly reached for his revolver and received a full load of buckshot for his effort. The other ran into a corner yelling dont shoot, dont shoot, I give up!

The next morning the gambler was buried with the monte cards clenched so tightly in his left hand and his revolver in his right, that they could not be wrenched from his grasp. An ad hoc jury quickly sentenced the other gambler to be hung within half an hour, and the third man, who they had fallen in with along the trail, was given six hours to leave the country, needless to say, he left a little ahead of time. Before meeting his untimely demise, the condemned man was allowed to write a letter to his father detailing his fall into a life of crime, and begging for his forgiveness. The confessional was probably never delivered and Granville later noted, I have an indistinct impression that Brother James destroyed it, for of course, we would not send such a letter to anyones father.

The hanging at Gold Creek has the somewhat dubious honor of being the first on a long list of lynchings that took place during the chaotic days of the Montana gold rush. However, for some reason this first rendering of vigilante justice rarely appears on the deathly roll call written in the turbulent years to follow.

Just a couple of weeks later James Stuart took the oath of office as sheriff of Missoula County, Washington Territory, while his brother Granville had been elected county commissioner and Frank Woody had been chosen as auditor. Woody first came into the region in 1856, when he bullwhacked his way from Salt Lake City to the Flathead country with a wagon full of trade goods. Anyhow, after the elections, Frank Woody and Granville Stuart set out immediately for Hell Gate, to begin organizing their new county government.

The primitive little town of Hell Gate was an early trade center located at a junction of well-established Indian trails just a few miles west of where Missoula is today. Frank Woody had formerly been employed as a clerk for Warden and Higgins at their trading post in Hell Gate, and the crude hand-hewn log structure was doing double duty as the county seat. Granville Stuart picks up the story from there.

On our way to Hell Gate at Beaver Dam Hill we met two fine looking young men. One of them said his name was Henry Plummer, the other was Charles Reeves. Woody and I told them who we were. They were from Elk City on Clearwater, and enquired about the mines at Gold Creek and at Beaverhead. They rode two good horses and had another packed with their blankets and provisions. We liked their looks and told them that we were only going down to Hell Gate and would return to Gold Creek in a few days and asked them to return to Hell Gate with us and then we could all go up the canyon together. They accepted our invitation and in a few days we all went up to Gold Creek together.

While Plummer and Reeves stayed with the Stuarts at Gold Creek, Granville and their longtime traveling companion, Reece Anderson, went to work on fixing Plummers double barreled shot gun, which had been broken off at the grip, coming through the timber from Elk City. Or at least thats the story the infamous outlaw told at the time. According to the journal entry of James Stuart, Reece forged four strips of iron about five-eighths inch wide and three and one-half inch long and Granville set them into the gunstock on top and bottom of the grip, and screwed them down solid so that the gun stock was stronger than before it was broken.

The next day Frank Woody and another man headed out for some newly discovered placer mines on the Beaverhead River, and Plummer and Reeves went with them. Who knows how many men fell afterwards from the blast of that newly restored shotgun, or how much gold was promptly handed over while staring down those two deadly barrels? Both men were later implicated in a string of robberies and murders, but Reeves somehow managed to evade the hangmans noose by leaving the territory before the vigilantes could collar him. One report has him fleeing all the way to Mexico.

Henry Plummer was not so lucky, even though he ultimately managed to get himself elected as sheriff of both Bannack and Virginia City simultaneously. That fact alone would seem to prove that Granville Stuart wasnt the only early Montana pioneer who was guilty of a momentary lapse of good character judgment.

In the end however, less than two years after arriving in Montana, Plummer was found guilty of being the ringleader of a notorious band of road agents, and was sentenced to hang on the very gallows that he had built while serving as sheriff. His two deputies were cordially invited to share the gallows with him, and on Jan. 10 1864, all three of the ill-fated desperadoes danced their last fandango at a necktie party held at Bannack especially in their honor.

Meanwhile, things seemed to settle down considerably at Gold Creek after the departure of Plummer and Reeves. By the end of the year the Stuarts had also decided to go to the rich diggings on the Beaverhead, leaving Reece Anderson to mind the holdings at Gold Creek. Granville and his brother James planned on opening up a butcher shop, and Frank Woody would utilize his prior experience at Hell Gate and operate a grocery store.

The unbelievably rich placer mines on the Beaverhead were actually on a smaller tributary known as Grasshopper Creek, and the discovery of gold there was destined to become one of the biggest bonanzas the state has ever seen. The bustling little mining camp soon took on the name of Bannack, and would eventually become the site of Montanas first Territorial Capitol, but that of course, is a whole other story.

The Ravalli Republic is teaming up with Ravalli County Museum to bring you a series of local history and photo features. If you would like more information on todays subject please contact the Ravalli County Museum at www.ravallimuseum.org. You can also find them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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By Elmar Yusifli

The carpet, which is still deemed an essential textile product, has historically been of the utmost importance in all spheres of life of Turkic communities. The carpets dating back to the 5th and 6th centuries BC, discovered during the archaeological research carried out in the mid-20th century at the Pazyryk burials in the Altai Mountains, clearly attest to the aforementioned. Products of carpet weaving, sericulture, cotton and other similar fields were of special significance in the trade of these countries, located on the historical Silk Road. Today, the trade relations can again be reflected in the division of labor and the need for high-quality raw materials in accordance with modern requirements within the historical Silk Road. The textile industry, considered one of the most competitive industries in the world, currently figures prominently in the economies of the Turkic Council countries. The countries possessing the basic resources necessary for the development of this sector (high-quality raw materials and labor force, cheap energy resources, proximity to the targeted export markets, logistics infrastructure) promise a great potential for the future of the sector. With its multi-century culture in terms of export and production of cotton, the main raw material of the textile industry, Turkey (sixth[1] in the world with 988,000 tons), Uzbekistan (seventh[2] in the world with 640,000 tons) and Turkmenistan (tenth[3] in the world with 300,000 tons) are among the top ten exporters in the world.

General overview of the textile industry by country:

Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan, the historical cotton-growing region and the largest cotton producer in Soviet times, has reduced cotton exports in recent years, using it as a raw material for its own textile industry. The State intends to increase local production through various incentive programs for local and foreign entrepreneurs. Many textile enterprises have been established in the country with the participation of Turkic entrepreneurs. Uzbekistan, exporting about $1.2 billion[4] worth of textiles in 2018, aims to increase this figure to $7 billion[5] between 2019 and 2025 through a number of advertising projects.

Turkmenistan

The textile industry is the second most profitable sector in Turkmenistan after gas and oil exports. Since gaining independence until today, $2 billion has been invested[6] in the textile sector, and a significant part of the country's workforce has been involved in production. Turkmenistan is increasing its export potential not only at the expense of raw materials, but also at the expense of value added for raw materials.

The utmost importance is attached to the field of carpet weaving, which is considered a great heritage of the country, and the Turkmenkhali State Agency under the Ministry of Carpets of Turkmenistan has created a wide network for carpet weaving in all provinces of the country. The country has also developed karakul sheep breeding, which is famous for its leather and wool. Various garments made of this type are very popular. The largest foreign investments in the textile industry of Turkmenistan are of Turkish origin. The country has textile enterprises (factories producing yarn, fabric, etc.), producing 100% eco-friendly products in accordance with the latest technologies. The country's textile products (including cotton) are exported to more than 100 countries, including the USA, Canada, Russia and the UK. The opening in 2018 of the Lapis Lazuli route between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, as well as other transport infrastructures, played a vital role in the faster delivery of Turkmen products to the Turkish and European markets and created new opportunities for the country by shortening the time and route for transporting products that are considered highly competitive in the textile industry.

Azerbaijan

In recent years, special attention has been paid to the development of the textile industry in Azerbaijan. Sericulture, cotton and other textile industries with rich historical traditions are being restored and developed in the country. For this purpose, the country has been increasing exports every year, focusing on foreign markets. In 2019, with 124 million dollars[7], the cotton fiber ranks 4th in non-oil exports of the country. Azerbaijan, along with aforementioned countries, meets the needs of the domestic market both in cotton and other products of textile industry, as well as in exports to Europe, Russia and other regions, according to the latest technologies.

Turkey

The textile industry is more developed in the Republic of Turkey than in the aforementioned countries, and the said industry is deemed one of the locomotives of the country's economy. This sector accounts for 17% of the country's exports and ranks first in terms of employment. Although up to half of the main demand for raw material  cotton is met by domestic production, Turkey is the sixth largest importer of cotton in the world, with 700,000 tons per year (in 2019). Turkish cotton is mainly imported from the USA (50%), Brazil (12%), Greece (9%), Turkmenistan (5%) and Azerbaijan (5%)[8]. The country also depends on foreign (mainly European) supplies of equipment and dyes used in fabric manufacturing. Unlike China, which began exporting to the EU market without quotas in 2007, Turkey chose the path of branding and adding value to products, rather than competing on price by lowering quality[9].

Benefits of regional integration for countries

With the demand and dictation of the global trade system, which is gradually shifting from globalization to regionalization, regional integration between the economic sectors of countries has become mandatory and an indispensable choice for many industries, including the textile industry. Regional integration is an important strategy, especially to increase competitiveness. The main motives for regional integration are to diversify exports, increase sales and profits for producers, apply pricing policies appropriate to consumer groups, and increase the country's GDP and employment. The cotton plant, which is a strategic raw material for textiles, is a product of great economic importance in terms of added value and employment. In terms of processing, cotton is the raw material of the ginning industry, the textile industry with its fibers, food processing, oils and feed industry with its seeds, and the paper industry with its linters. The textile industry, in turn, interacts with agriculture and animal husbandry, petro chemistry, medicine, construction and automobile industry. Any development in the textile industry will also benefit these sectors in the short, medium and long term. If we look at the points that are important for the implementation of the regional integration between these countries, we will see the following:

Turkey, a very important player on the world market in this field, can also get some of the cotton it supplies from the United States and Brazil (62% of total imports) for domestic production from Uzbekistan or Turkmenistan. This could be an important step in building a cross-country supply chain. There is also a favorable transport infrastructure to provide the developed textile industry in Turkey with rich raw materials from Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The use of existing routes between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan in this regard has significantly increased the shipping speed. In case Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, important cotton producers of the Turkic Council, also pursue some kind of preferential policy aimed at the export of cotton to Turkey, this process may contribute to the promotion of regional integration.

Plants and factories in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan that have started functioning in recent years produce high-tech yarns and fabrics. These products, in turn, can serve as raw materials for Turkish brands.

Located at a strategic crossroads between Central Asia and Turkey, Azerbaijan can play a key role as a logistics depot. Baku International Sea Trade Port in Alat can be equipped with all necessary infrastructure (warehouse) networks for storage of raw materials and semi-finished textile products transported by sea from Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan to Turkey and Europe.

Another problem in this regard is that countries possessing rich raw material resources should pay attention to research aimed at textile technologies in order to withstand high competition for these products.

When we take a closer look at the experience of the advanced countries in the textile industry, which requires creativity in competition, we see that fashion events play a major role in the development of this sector. Taking this into account, Azerbaijan should pursue a policy of stimulating the development of fashion and design. The activities of fashion and design studios can also contribute to the acceleration of the sustainable role of youth in Turkic countries in the process of cultural integration. To this end, the annual fashion events, as well as exhibitions, conferences and forums in these countries, and the development of education in this field can play a significant role in terms of integration. This process will also contribute to the rapid integration of the region by enhancing the high level of cultural cooperation between these countries sharing historical and cultural ties.

When focusing on the main regional supply chains in the textile industry (Asia, the European Union and the American continent), it is noteworthy that there are no customs tariffs for industrial products. If the said countries regulate customs tariffs in this regard, they can be more successful in global competition by reducing the cost of production.

The textile industry, currently deemed one of the most competitive industries in the world, continues to figure prominently in the economies of the Turkic Council countries. The said countries possessing basic resources required for the development of this industry (high-quality raw materials and labor force, cheap energy resources, proximity to targeted export markets, logistics infrastructure) promise a great potential for the future of the sector. In case the aforementioned steps are taken in order to expand economic relations between the countries, this will inevitably lead to the acceleration of not only bilateral, but also interregional integration.
Former Ontario cabinet minister Michael Chan speaks at a rally held to condemn protests in Hong Kong on Aug. 11, 2019 in Markham. (Yi Ling/The Epoch Times)

Former Ontario Minister Michael Chan Praises Beijings National Security Law for Hong Kong

Former Ontario cabinet minister Michael Chan has told a Chinese state-owned publication that Beijings new Hong Kong national security law has many benefits and will bring stability to the city, the publication says. The law has drawn international condemnation for threatening Hong Kongs autonomy.

China News Service, the second largest state-owned news agency in China after Xinhua, reports that Chan said in an interview that all countries need national security laws, and that the new legislation will end unrest in Hong Kong.

Chan said there may be initial issues while society adopts the new law, but said he expects the people of Hong Kong will understand the purpose is to get the city out of the current predicament and get back on the right track, the publication reported.

The law, passed by the standing committee of Beijings rubber-stamp legislature on June 30 and enacted on July 1, stipulates punishment up to life in prison for acts of subversion, terrorism, and colluion with foreign forces. It also allows the creation of a security agency in Hong Kong under the direct control of Beijing. The agency is not under the control of the Hong Kong government and not subject to the authority of Hong Kong police.

In response to the new law, Ottawa restricted the export of sensitive goods to Hong Kong and suspended its extradition treaty.

We are extremely concerned about the situation in Hong Kong, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.

Reacting to the introduction of the law, the United States ended Hong Kongs special economic treatment, and U.S. lawmakers approved new sanctions on Chinese officials.

A police officer raises his pepper spray handgun as he detains a man during a march against the national security law at the anniversary of Hong Kongs handover to China from Britain in Hong Kong, on July 1, 2020. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters)

U.S. President Donald Trump called the law a tragedy for the world, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the laws passage signals the death of the one country, two systems principle, referring to the framework under which Beijing pledged to govern Hong Kong upon its handover.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also called the law a clear and serious breach of the one country, two systems agreement.

A coalition of over 900 parliamentarians from 443 countries or territories also denounced the new law, calling it a comprehensive assault on the citys autonomy, rule of law, and fundamental freedoms.

Chan was the subject of a warning to the Ontario government in 2010 by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service over fears that he was under the influence of China, according to a report by The Globe and Mail. The report said CSIS was concerned that Chan was too close with the Chinese Consulate in Toronto, and feared that he was susceptible to interference from Beijing. Chan launched a lawsuit against the Globe over its reporting.

Last year, Chan spoke at a rally organized by pro-Beijing groups to denounce the protesters in Hong Kong.

The protests in Hong Kong began as demonstrations against an extradition bill that would allow authorities to send those wanted by Beijing to the mainland, but evolved to demand more democratic rights and condemn police brutality against the protesters.

In an interview with the China News Service at the time, Chan said the protesters were very extreme, and contrary to media reports in the West about excessive violence used by Hong Kong police, the police have shown a lot of restraint. If it was in the West, he said, police would have fired live ammunition at the protesters in the same circumstances.

He also blamed outside forces for fuelling the protests, aligned with how Beijing characterizes the origin of the protests in Hong Kong.

If it wasnt for a deep-pocketed organization in here, or a deep-pocketed push from the outside, there wouldnt be such a massive unrest in Hong Kong, he said.

In the latest interview with the network, Chan said he has confidence that the one country, two systems is working well in Hong Kong.

With the support of mainland China to Hong Kong, and deepening development of Hong Kong, we should have full confidence in the prospects of the one country, two systems, Chan said.
BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's finance and foreign ministers declined an invitation to take part in a Washington gathering of ministers from the G7 group of large industrial countries, Der Spiegel magazine reported on Thursday.

According to the magazine, Germany told the U.S. government that it would send state secretaries to the mini-summit, planned for July 29, instead of Olaf Scholz and Heiko Maas. The magazine said other G7 countries had taken a similar decision.

Earlier, it was reported that Chancellor Angela Merkel had declined to take part in a national leaders' level meeting in Washington, in what was widely interpreted as a snub to the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

The Finance and Foreign Ministries declined to comment on the report.

(Reporting by Thomas Escritt, Andreas Rinke and Christian Kraemer; Editing by Caroline Copley and Maria Sheahan)
YEREVAN, JULY 10, ARMENPRESS. The National Center for Crisis Management of the Rescue Service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Armenia received a call today at 18:40 that a bomb has been installed at the head office of Adjarabet.am.

ARMENPRESS reports rescuers and operative groups have left for the scene.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Housing sales fell 67 per cent at 21,294 units across nine major cities during April-June due to the coronavirus pandemic and nationwide lockdown, according to data analytics firm PropEquity.

Recently, property consultant Anarock had released its data that showed an estimated 81 per cent fall in sales at 12,740 units across seven cities during April-June this year.

According to PropEquity, total housing sales during April-June 2020 stood at 21,294 units, down 67 per cent from 64,378 units in the year-ago period.

Barring Noida, all other eight cities witnessed a decline in sales.

Gurugram saw 79 per cent fall to 361 units for the period under review as compared to 1,707 units in same period last year.

Housing sales in Chennai and Hyderabad plunged 74 per cent at 996 units and 1,522 units, respectively.

Bengaluru witnessed 73 per cent dip to 2,818 units from 10,583 units, while Kolkata saw 75 per cent decline to 1,046 units from 4,152 units.

In Maharashtra, the sales of residential properties in Mumbai fell 63 per cent to 2,206 units.

The demand was down by 56 per cent and 70 per cent in Thane and Pune at 5,999 units and 5,169 units, respectively.

However, Noida in the national capital region market bucked the trend to register 5 per cent growth in sales volume to 1,177 units during April-June this year from 1,123 units in the corresponding period of the previous year.

New launches fell 78 per cent to 11,967 units, while unsold inventories were down 5 per cent to 6,07,665 units during the period under review.

"These are unprecedented times for the world economy and India is one of the hardest hit countries due to COVID-19.

Real estate sector which was slowly coming up by March was hit with a complete halt in construction and sales activities by March last week," PropEquity founder and MD Samir Jasuja said.

He said large developers with low debt leverage will ride out the storm and do reasonably well going forward within the context of the new normal.

"We may witness resizing of units, discounts, amenities and special payment schemes to be offered by developers to create demand, especially during the upcoming festive season, Jasuja said.

P E Analytics owns and operates PropEquity, which is an online real estate data and analytics platform covering over 1,18,010 projects of 34,217 developers across over 44 cities.
With the coronavirus continuing to spread across the world, the U.S. decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO) has been unanimously condemned by U.S. politicians and organizations as well as the international community.

World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Photo from WHOs official page on Weibo

The UN Secretary-General is in the process of verifying with the WHO whether all the conditions for the withdrawal are being met, according to the UN Secretary-General spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

U.S. politicians: decision will make Americans more vulnerable

Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said if elected president, his administration would reverse the decision. The Associated Press (AP) said that President Trump, who is lagging behind Biden in several opinion polls, has sought to avoid criticism of his government's failure to effectively fight the epidemic by fiercely attacking China and the WHO.

U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, a ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, also criticized the move. "This won't protect American lives or interests  it leaves Americans sick and America alone," he said.

"Cutting the United States out of the World Health Organization in the middle of the worst global pandemic in a century makes Americans more vulnerable," said Jeff Merkley, another U.S. Senator from the Committee, in a statement. By abandoning the efforts to control the virus abroad, were ensuring that far more Americans will get sick, either through foreign travelers coming to the U.S., or through Americans traveling abroad."

The U.S. withdrawal from the WHO is an act of true senselessness, said U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander, chairman of the Senate health committee, also sharply criticized Trump's decision to withdraw from the WHO. If the administration has specific recommendations for reforms of the WHO, it should submit those recommendations to Congress, and we can work together to make those happen, he said.

U.S. medical circle: decision will prolong pandemic

The number of coronavirus cases in the U.S. and around the world continues to rise, even as the U.S. formally announced its decision to withdraw from the WHO.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Physicians, and American Medical Association expressed strong opposition to this short-sighted decision.

"We call on Congress to reject the administrations withdrawal from the WHO and make every effort to preserve the United States relationship with this valued global institution. Now is the time to invest in global health, rather than turn back, said the organizations.

In a letter to Congress dated June 30, 750 experts in global health and international law stated that "withdrawal will likely cost lives, American and foreign" to COVID-19 by cutting crucial funds to WHO's health emergencies program for testing, contact tracing and vaccine development, and prolonging the pandemic.

As well as warning about the impact on efforts to control the pandemic, the letter also predicted that a U.S. withdrawal could roll back years of progress combating diseases such as polio and HIV/AIDS.

The withdrawal may also jeopardize U.S. access to lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines, says Lindsay Wiley, a law professor at American University. "Given that our vaccine manufacturing capabilities within the U.S. are limited, to withdraw from the organization at this stage in the crisis, when we're on the cusp of developing a safe and effective vaccine and thinking about how to distribute it, would be a dire mistake," she says.

Global organizations: decision will hamper global fight against epidemic

In the face of a global pandemic, the U.S.s move to withdraw from the WHO is short-sighted, unnecessary, and unequivocally dangerous, said Elizabeth Cousen, United Nations Foundation President, in a statement.

The statement pointed out: "WHO is the only body capable of leading and coordinating the global response to COVID-19. Terminating the U.S. relationship would undermine the global effort to beat this virus  putting all of us at risk."

"Thousands of people have spoken, from health experts to heads of state and heroes on the front lines: the world needs WHO. This move signals a dangerous gamble in the midst of a pandemic we have yet to conquer, and without a viable alternative to WHO," Loyce Pace, president and executive director of Global Health Council, said in an interview with CNN.
New Delhi:

Bhai Dooj, Bhaiya Dooj or Bhau Beej is celebrated on the fifth day of Diwali, on this day sisters pray for their brothers and apply tilak on their foreheads, and the siblings and cousins exchange gifts. This festival is one of the most loved festival which marks the end of the auspicious festival- Diwali. In 2016, Bhai Dooj falls on November 1.

Bhai Dooj signifies one of the strongest bonds between the siblings which are nurtured for the entire life. The relationship shared amongst them is one of the purest forms of love. After, Raksha Bandhan Bhai Dooj is the important festival which is celebrated with traditional rituals. This is the day, when sisters welcome their brothers at their place and put tilak on their forehead.

According to Hindu mythology, Bhai Dooj is celebrated because of the significance of the slaying of Narkasur demon. It is said that Lord Krishna visited his sister Subhadra who welcomed him and applied tilak on his forehead. People say from that time celebrating this festival came into existence. Another story goes that this day is celebrated for the legend Lord Yama. The God of Death visits his sister Yami and she puts tilak on his forehead. This mark signifies that her brother will always be there to protect her and his sister will always be there to pray for him.



Bhai Dooj Tika Muhurat

Bhai Dooj Tika Muhurat = 13:09 to 15:20Duration = 2 Hours 10 Mins



What does Bhai Dooj Tika signifies?

The red tika marks the start of happiness, well-being and prosperity for the rest of your brothers life. After everything is done brothers gift their sisters with sweets, chocolates and lot more.







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New Delhi, July 10 : Amid reports of second round of talks with Chinese authorities on disengagement at Line of Actual Control (LAC), former Union Minister P. Chidambaram said that people will watch the process and progress of the disengagement.

In a tweet on Friday Chidambaram said, "We are generally happy with the disengagement and de-escalation...People will keep a close watch on the Process and the Progress of disengagement...But let us remember, the declared goal is restoration of status quo ante as on May 5, 2020." As per reports top Indian and Chinese military officials will hold talks in the second phase of disengagement at Pangong Lake and Depsang areas in eastern Ladakh, the government had said on Thursday.

The delegates of both countries will discuss about removing tanks, artillery and additional forces in forward positions.

"The next meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China border affairs (WMCC) is expected to take place soon," the External Affairs Ministry said.

The People's Liberation Army of China has called back troops from Galwan Valley, Patrolling Point 15 and Hot Springs, said reports.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, July 10 : Foodtech unicorn Zomato expects its net loss in July to be under $1 million even as Covid-19 has set it back by about a year in terms of the size of the business, the company said in its annual report on Friday.

For June, it posted EBITDA loss of $1.5 million, while revenue hit $17 million.

Zomato said its revenue in FY20 grew by 105 per cent to reach $394 million as compared to $192 million in FY19 while the costs grew by only 47 per cent in the corresponding period.

For FY19, Zomato posted EBITDA loss of $277 million which increased to $293 million in FY 20.

In the first quarter of FY21, Zomato posted revenue of just $41 million, reflecting how Covid-19 impacted its business size. The company posted $12 million EBITDA loss for the same period.

"Covid-19 has positively impacted the health of our business -- we seem to have gained 2-3 years along this vector. In July 2020, we estimate our monthly burn rate to land under $1m, while our revenue should land at approximately 60 per cent of pre-Covid peaks ($23m per month)," said Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal.

However, he said that the pandemic impacted the size of the business.

"We expect to make complete recovery over the next 3-6 months while continuing to maintain tight control on costs/profitability," Goyal said.

In the wake of the Covid-19 crisis, 75 per cent of Zomato employees volunteered for partial salary cuts.

"As of today, all the original salaries have been re-instated, and our net losses of under $1m for July reflect the increased payroll cost already," the Zomato CEO said.

Zomato generally publishes its annual report in the first week of April. But this year it delayed the release of the report due to the uncertainties brought about by the pandemic.
After waiting hours for his turn to speak to the Montgomery City Council on June 16, pulmonologist Dr. William Saliski spoke slowly and in basic terms about what he had seen on the novel coronavirus front lines in his hospital in an area hit harder than any other in Alabama.

He described emergency units overrun with COVID-19 patients, roughly 90-percent of whom were Black, and warned that if the spread continued, we will be overrun.

He offered a simple partial solution: the council should pass the ordinance it was considering to require people to wear masks in public.

This mask slows that down, Saliski said while waving a piece of fabric. Ninety-five percent protection. Something as easy as this cloth.

But the doctor was met with skepticism, including from a councilman who suggested that to order Montgomery residents to wear masks would be to throw our constitutional rights out the window.

Saliski and other doctors stormed out of the meeting in disgust after the council members voted mostly along racial linesBlack members for the mandate and white members against itand the ordinance failed.

Such combative scenes have increasingly become the norm in parts of the United States, especially as the virus has taken hold in more conservative regions in the South and West. Face masks or coverings of the sort recommended by top health officials to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus have become an unlikely focus of partisanship and racial division, leading to mass refusals to wear them or mandate their use even as government leaders have pushed to reopen the economy.

Local officials voting to require face masks in public have faced lawsuits and have been shouted down by their constituents. Law enforcement leaders have refused to enforce face mask mandates. There have been mask burnings and protests, including one demonstration in which an Arizona council member mimicked victims of police abuse by declaring: I cant breathe.

Story continues

And as some right-leaning Americans have called masks a tool of oppression, Democratic conspiracy, and even sacrilege, a new genre of viral cell phone video has popped up, featuring verbal or physical scuffles centering on people refusing to cover their faces in Costco, Trader Joes, or other public places. Shoppers irate about masks have vandalized a store display and spat on a 7-11 counter upon being asked to put on one, and one man pulled a gun because a fellow shopper refused to wear one.

People wait in line outside of a Costco in Brooklyn on May 14, 2020 in New York City. With a limited number of stores open in New York and the new social distancing requirements, many supermarkets are still seeing long lines.

For public health experts, the fissure over masks is yet another unwelcome headache in a battle against the novel coronavirus. With more than 3 million confirmed cases of the virus and upwards of 134,000 deaths, the United States has been by far the worlds hardest-hit nation.

If were going to move on weve got to get everybody on the same page, said Dr. Glen Nowak, a University of Georgia professor who previously ran media relations and communications at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Because if we dont, were going to be dealing with this divisiveness for a long time.

According to Dr. Michael Baker, a professor of public health at the University of Otago in New Zealand, many western nations that do not have a history of mask-wearing during virus outbreaks have experienced some doubt about the practices efficacy.

But Baker said that no other countrys citizens have taken such a willful stance against masks, and that international health officials have been particularly stunned that American leaders at the highest levels have done relatively little to urge mask-wearing, and at times have even seemed to belittle it.

This idea that youre going to make a political statement by infecting people around you just seems absolutely outrageous to me and I think to most people who think about it, Baker said. Why would you do that? Why would you encourage that behavior?

Baker said the dissent against masks has coupled dangerously with the American rush to reopen businesses even as infection cases reach record levels.

Not endorsing mask use and also encouraging the country to get back to work just seems like a terrible contradiction because, actually, mass masking would be one of the best tools for helping a country get back to work and its cheap and effective, Baker said. Youre just creating this perfect storm for yourselves in the U.S. by doing that.

Nowak said that American distrust of masks was partly the fault of poor messaging by his former agency, the CDC. The agency initially discouraged healthy Americans from wearing masks, in part to prevent hoarding that couldve deprived medical professionals of personal protective equipment.

When further research prompted the CDC in April to recommend that nearly every American wear a face covering outside when around other people, Nowak said, the agency billed it as a way of keeping others safe.

That was the wrong message for a portion of the population, Nowak said. He said officials would have had more success with messages that resonated with other parts of the population, such as, If you wear a mask it gives you the freedom to do other things because were reducing the spread of COVID-19.

The CDC did not respond to a request for comment for this article.

The experts interviewed by USA TODAY said that despite early misgivings by the CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO) about the protection offered by wearing masks, there is now significant evidence that the practice slows the spread of the virus.

Though there has been speculation that mask-wearing during widespread police brutality protests prevented novel coronavirus numbers from spiking in those cities, Nowak cautioned that its probably impossible to take public events and draw inferences in terms of masks and the resulting infection numbers.

President Trump has been the countrys most visible waffler on the societal value of wearing a mask. Trump has said Im all for masks, and favorably compared his appearance in one to that of the Lone Ranger. But hes shown disdain for them at other times, mocking rival presidential candidate Joe Biden for appearing publicly in a mask and saying that he declined to wear one because he didnt want to give members of the media the pleasure of seeing it on him.

There were few masks worn among supporters packed closely together at Trumps recent large gatherings in Tulsa, Oklahomawhich was followed by a rise in novel coronavirus cases there that the citys health director said were more than likely a result of the rallyand in front of Mount Rushmore.

Trump also yanked his Republican convention speech from Charlotte, North Carolina, reportedly after officials there wouldnt budge on requiring masks and social distancing, choosing to accept his partys nomination in an arena in Jacksonville, Florida, instead.

Before Trumps upcoming rally in Portsmouth, New Hampshire-- which was planned for Saturday but has been postponed due to a tropical storm-- residents have called for Republican Gov. Chris Sununu or Mayor Rick Becksted to mandate mask-wearing, but both have resisted. In a statement, Becksted suggested that to mandate masks would be to politicize this important health issue.

Only a few months ago, it would have been difficult to conceive of a thin layer of protective fabric across ones nose and mouth as a partisan or racially-divided accessory. But in recent weeks there has been no stronger symbol of American in-fighting in the path of the novel coronavirus than the face mask.

When commissioners in Palm Beach County, Florida, mandated face masks in public, an irate crowd of constituentswho werent wearing masksjeered them for trampling the U.S. Constitution. Residents do not take it lightly when arbitrary and capricious rules are forced down their throats for the greater good, declared one constituent, who collected 900 signatures against the mandate.

In Wisconsin, a surge of novel coronavirus cases has prompted Gov. Tony Evers to reverse his previous position and consider implementing a statewide mask mandate. But Evers seemed to consider it a futile gesture, saying that he expected the mandate to be challenged, and defeated, in court.

Josh Guillory, the mayor of Lafayette, Louisiana, said that he found the high novel coronavirus numbers alarming but refused to join other major cities in the state by requiring masks. Im not a king, and Im definitely not a wizard where I can just press a button and say, Masks! And everybodys cured, Guillory said.

Other officials have taken an even more aggressive stance against protective face coverings. Ohio State Rep. Nino Vitale, who has declared that masks obscure the image and likeness of God, has attempted in vain to stymie Gov. Mike DeWines mask requirement in several counties in the state.

On Tuesday, DeWines mandate prompted Vitale to advise his constituents against an even more basic health measure, writing on Facebook: "Are you tired of living in a dictatorship yet? This is what happens when people go crazy and get tested. STOP GETTING TESTED!"

In the same state, Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones said that Ohioans were sick of the government telling them what to do and that he would not enforce DeWines mandate. Ive got a lot of important things to do and being the mask police is not one of them, Jones said.

Saliski, the pulmonologist who argued in favor of a mask ordinance in Montgomery last month, later said he had thought that his plea was a slam dunk and a no-brainer.

Among residents who spoke in favor of the Montgomery ordinance was William Boyd, who said he had lost six family members to COVID-19. Noting the viruss prevalence among the Black population, Boyd said: "The question on the table is whether Black lives matter,"

But successful opposition to the proposal was led by councilman Brantley Lyons, who called it a constitutional breach and said that to make somebody do something or require somebody to wear something is an overreach.

On Tuesday, Saliskiwearing his white lab coat and a facial expression of masked wrathtried again at another meeting. "You guys were voted in to protect your constituents," he told the Montgomery council members. "Damn it, protect them!"

This time, the council was apparently swayed, voting 7-0 to pass a mask mandate in the city.

Councilman Lyons, after parrying with Saliski over literature he said he read that called into question the efficacy of masks, abstained from voting.

Cincinnati Enquirer reporters Hannah K. Sparling and Jessie Balmert, Lafayette Daily Advertiser reporter Andrew Capps, and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporters Molly Beck and Mary Spicuzza contributed.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: As coronavirus surges in Republican territory, so does rage over masks
Indian video-sharing app Chingari has been in the news after becoming one of the most popular TikTok-alternative app, after Indian government banned 59 Chinese apps over data security concerns.

To assure Indians that the Indian TikTok alternative is safe to use, CEO Sumit Ghosh stated that the encrypted data is stored in servers in Mumbai and is secure from any kinds of breach.

All the user data is stored in secure AWS data centers in Mumbai. The AWS team, along with our team is on it 24x7 in terms of security," Sumit Ghosh, Co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Chingari, told Times Now.

Ghosh also stated that the company does not store any personal information of users like age, gender, etc, in the AWS data centres. "We only let users log in to our platform if they log in through Google. So, essentially you have given that data to Google, and the company gives us a handshake that this is an authenticated Google user and allow them on Chingari," he added.

However, Chingari may collect the said information for advertisers. When it does, the user data will be encrypted and stored in a secure manner and the company would again collaborate with AWS for the same.

Furthermore, Ghosh also stated that since the stored data is encrypted with a 256-bit SHA algorithm, even if someone tries to breach the servers, they will still get the encrypted data and therefore the user data will not be compromised.

Recently, the company behind Chingari - Globussofts website was compromised with malware. However, Ghosh cleared the air saying that Chingari app has a different security/ engineering team and user data is not compromised.

The app has got over 10 million downloads in a very short span, helping it reach the top charts of Apple and Google App Stores
[July 10, 2020] Workers Can Be Hired Back by Employers Using a Fully Automated AI Recruiter From Avrio

Avrio now provides recruiters the first fully automated end-to-end recruiting technology, leveraging AI to increase recruiter efficiency while eliminating non-strategic manual tasks. To Avrio Eftase! It means 'Tomorrow has Arrived!' in Greek, and with this version, the world of tomorrow is here today for employers. The whole process takes minutes and hours, not days and weeks to get top candidates. Now, employers have a fully-scalable AI recruiter that requires no upfront integrations, no messy data replication and no ATS tracking codes and source-of-hire reports to reconcile. You post a job on the system and get hires. You pay for hires, when you acquire a new employee. The AI engine can find candidates via job postings and across resume databases, contact them directly, confirm both job skills and fit criteria and find a time that works for them to connect with a human decision maker. Avrio is pre-integrated with Nexxt to publish jobs across 50 career sites with access to a diversified talent network of more than 75 million candidates from the Nexxt database. Machine learning and semantic matching is used to drive efficiency throughout the entire process for candidates and for employers. With Avrio, customers can take advantage of the HR Tech industry's first and only risk free business model to make their lives easier. Customers only pay for actual hires. There are no upfront user licenses, no lock-ins, no CPC (News - Alert), PPC, PPV or CPA to worry about. You pay to hire an employee. Alex Knowles, Talent Manager at Copenhagen Capacity, an early Avri customer said, "Avrio is a proven solution, not just for employers but also talent attraction agencies looking to create growth in their cities. As the official organisation for investment promotion and economic development in Greater Copenhagen, we are excited to use the new capabilities to further our mission to recruit top talent from all across the world to work in Denmark."



"Avrio has taken a very unique and innovative approach when it comes to AI for hiring," said Nikos Livadas, Vice President of Strategic Alliances at Nexxt. "We are very excited to be partnering with Avrio to help create a compelling recipe for talent acquisition leaders, enabling them to increase candidate engagement while also decreasing time to hire. With Nexxt's more than 27 million resumes and 75 million candidates fueling Avrio's conversational AI sourcing and ranking platform we can't wait to see how this new offering exceeds customer expectations in today's challenging environment." "Job applicants have long been stymied by the 'black hole' of hiring processes," said Javid Muhammedali, Head of Product at Avrio AI. "A responsive, scalable AI recruiter that can review resumes, ask personalized questions, have a full conversation and answer candidates' questions is a compelling solution given all the uncertainty in the hiring process. HR leaders can have peace of mind in being able to scale up when called upon, and yet have a consistent process."

"We're excited to bring to market a revolutionary solution that accelerates hiring," said Nachi Junankar, CEO. "Recruiters and managers face a massive increase in applicants with a smaller team. At the same time, applicants are looking for employers to be more responsive. Avrio ensures that the right candidate gets to the front of the line and that both recruiters and applicants get the speed and effectiveness they deserve." About Avrio AI Inc.

Avrio, a leader in AI for recruiting helps employers and staffing firms match, engage and hire top talent. To see how AI is making breakthrough changes in recruiting, visit https://www.goavrio.com or book a demo at https://www.goavrio.com/chatbot View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200710005068/en/

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ICSE Result 2020 Class 10 and ISC result 2020 class 12 have been declared by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE). Here are multiple ways to check the results apart from the Councils website and the Careers portal. The mark sheet can also be accessed via DigiLocker

ICSE Class 10 students and ISC Class 12 students can also get their board results via an SMS.

Where to check ICSE 10th result 2020

As mentioned above, students can visit the CISCE website to check their ISCE class 10 result 2020. They can visit the website (cisce.org) or click here for the direct link of ISCE class 10 result 2020.

Track our live blogs for ICSE 10th Result 2020 and ISC 12th Result 2020

How to check ICSE class 10 result 2020 on website:

 Visit the official CISCE website.

 On the homepage, select the course ICSE.

 Enter your 7-digit UID, Index number and the Captcha.

 Click on Show Result.

 The result will be displayed on the screen.

 Download the results and take its print out for future reference.

How to check via SMS:

Students can also get their ISCE class 10 results via an SMS. For that, they will need to send a message in the format ICSE<Space><Unique Id> to 09248082883.

This option is for schools. They can access the results by logging into the Career portal of the council using the principals login id and password.

Students will be able to get the passing certificate along with individual subject-wise marks of the ICSE 10th and ISC 12th exams through the DigiLocker facility. However, that will be accessible only 48 hours after the publication of result

The DigiLocker facility started a couple of years ago provides the comfort of downloading the mark sheet without having to scan image of the hard copy of mark sheet.

All that students need to do is visit digilocker.gov.in and give their mobile number and other details to open an account. After the DigiLocker account is successfully created, click on the icon to connect to the DigiLocker and transfer your required documents into your account. You can also directly download the electronic documents issued by the CISCE.

To apply for re-evaluation, students will have to deposit a fee of Rs 1,000 per exam and rechecking can be requested any time before July 16, 2020.
The president says all actions should proceed in accordance with law.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he is sure that Viktor Medvedchuk, the head of the Political Council of the Opposition Platform  For Life Party in Ukraine and a close ally of Vladimir Putin, is sponsored by Moscow.

"I am sure he is indeed funded by the Russian Federation. But these are law enforcement agencies that should address this in detail," Zelensky said amid his visit to Volyn region when a local activist from the National Corps asked the president about a probe into Medvedchuk's sources of funding.

Read alsoRepublicans propose sanctions against Medvedchuk (Document)

"I hear you and I share your opinion on this issue," he told the activist.

The president stressed that "we should live in accordance with law."

As UNIAN reported earlier, Zelensky, speaking in an interview for TV Channel 1+1 on the program "100 Days of the President of Ukraine" on August 31, 2019, announced that there was information on amounts and sources of funding of the Opposition Platform  For Life Party and the TV channels associated with its representatives. He promised it would become a "very high-profile story."

"As for Medvedchuk's party, there is still a big question: is this his party or is this a temporary association, and who are they? There is a big question as for where they got the money to finance the party, where the money came from to finance the channels. We have answers as to amounts of cash, its sources and the country they all get it from. And it will be a very high-profile story and it won't have a happy ending," Zelensky said then.
By Laman Ismayilova

Looking to brush up on your animation skills?

ANIMAFILM School invites you to join a one-month stop motion animation course.

The programme offers you a great chance to learn how to write a screenplay, prepare characters, make a stop motion film from professional animators, Azernews reported.

All eight classes will be held virtually twice a week through Zoom video conferencing. The lessons last (one hour).

The courses last for around an hour. The animation classes are open for anyone older than 12 years. The first lesson is schedulted for July 18.

At the end of the one-month course, students will be awarded with certificates. The programme is supported by the ANIMAFILM Festival to be held for the third year round.

The third ANIMAFILM Festival will be held in Baku on October 14-18.

This year's winner of the ANIMAFILM Festival has a chance to attend Annecy Festival 2020 in France and receive professional MIFA accreditation. Return flight to France and accommodation of the winner will be covered by IFA.

The festival is supported by the Azerbaijan Ministry of Culture, Azerbaijan Union of Film-makers, Embassy of the Czech Republic to Azerbaijan, Embassy of France in Azerbaijan, French Institute in Azerbaijan, Nizami Cinema Center, Mujru Publishing, Barat Abdullayev and other partners and sponsors.

---

Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Burglary: Jim Mansfield Jnr was allegedly attacked by brothers Martin (face covered) and Edward Wall (right) Photo: Collins

Two brothers are facing trial after businessman James Mansfield Jnr was allegedly attacked in a violent raid at his home by a gang of sword- and blade-wielding intruders.

Martin and Edward Wall have both had new charges brought against them for allegedly falsely imprisoning and assaulting Mr Mansfield Jnr in the incident last year.

The son of late billionaire hotelier Jim Mansfield Snr was punched in the face by Martin Wall, who then swung an ornamental sword around, it is alleged.

The cases were adjourned at Dublin District Court for the preparation of books of evidence.

Martin Wall (40) of Woodbine House, Pollardstown, Curragh, Co Kildare, and his brother Edward "Ned" Wall (48) from Fortunestown Crescent, Tallaght, were already charged with aggravated burglary with weapons.

Last year, on November 1, Martin Wall is alleged to have had a sword and Edward Wall a bladed weapon at Mr Mansfield Jnr's home at Tassaggart House, Garter Lane, Saggart.

At their latest court appearance, they were further charged with false imprisonment and assault causing harm.

The prosecuting garda said neither accused made any reply to the charges after caution and the DPP was directing trial on indictment.

Bail was extended from the original charges. Judge Bryan Smyth remanded them on continuing bail to appear in court again on a date in September.

The accused were not required to address the court and have not yet entered pleas.

The aggravated burglary charge first came before Blanchardstown District Court last November, when evidence was given during a bail hearing that a gang of five intruders, some armed with Stanley knife blades, entered Mr Mansfield Jnr's house.

At the time, Detective Sergeant Darragh Kenny said both accused were known to Mr Mansfield Jnr.

It was alleged Edward Wall arrived in a 4x4 SUV and was admitted by Mr Mansfield Jnr's ex-wife.

He was upset over "the issue of a horse, and where it was to be kept", and had a conversation in the living room with Mr Mansfield Jnr, the court heard.

The discussion became heated and it was alleged Edward Wall summoned others from the 4x4 by phone, telling Mr Mansfield he could "tell what he told Mr Wall to the rest of the gang", Det Sgt Kenny continued.

Martin Wall and others allegedly entered the house without permission. Some or all of the group had Stanley knife blades, Det Sgt Kenny said.

It was alleged Mr Mansfield Jnr was punched in the face twice by Martin Wall, who then picked up an ornamental sword and swung it, hitting a door.

It was alleged Edward Wall punched another man who was in the house and others threw furniture around the room.

Det Sgt Kenny said CCTV footage showed Edward Wall entering the house, and then Martin Wall leaving the house with the sword.
Amaravati, July 10 : Andhra Pradesh witnessed an all-time high of 1,608 new coronavirus cases in 24-hour cycle ended at 9 am on Friday, including 32 returnees from other states.

On Thursday too, the state had reported a high of 1,555 new cases, while the previous single-day high of 1,322 cases was recorded on Monday.

Andhra Pradesh's total corona cases breached the 25K-mark to touch 25,422 cases on Friday.

Continuing the trend, all 13 districts in Andhra Pradesh reported fresh cases on Friday, including the highest 208 in Chittoor district and followed by Anantapur (191), East Godavari (169), Kurnool and West Godavari (144 cases each), Guntur (136) and Prakasam (110), among others.

As many as 21,020 samples were tested compared with 16,882 samples a day earlier.

The recovery rate remains robust as 981 more patients were discharged from hospitals and Covid-19 treatment centres, taking the total cured persons to 13,194.

As of Friday, 11,936 persons are receiving treatment at hospitals and designated treatment centers in the state.

Friday also saw highest 15 deaths recorded in a day in Andhra Pradesh -- Anantapur, Chittoor, Kurnool, Krishna and Guntur two deaths each, and Nellore, Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, and West Godavari districts one death each.

Andhra Pradesh's total corona death toll now stands at 292.

Even as a decline was observed in the number of positive cases among returnees from other states, returnees from Telangana continued to dominate in this category.

Of the 32 new such cases reported on Friday, 22 were from among returnees from Telangana, 4 from Maharashtra, two each from Delhi and Odisha, and one each from Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu.

Till date, 2,351 state returnees have tested positive in Andhra Pradesh. The active cases in this category total 686, whereas 1,665 persons have been discharged till date.

On Friday, no new cases were reported from persons with foreign travel history. The total corona patients in this category stands at 424, with 298 of them cured and discharged. As of Friday, 126 persons in this category were undergoing treatment in hospitals.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Facing protests over an ordinance to facilitate MSME units, the Assam government on Thursday said that it will modify the rules and no exemption would be given for setting up industries on agricultural land. Addressing a press conference here, Assam Industries and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal held a special meeting on the backdrop of protests against the ordinance and decided to modify it.

"Earlier, there was a provision (in the ordinance) that after getting the Acknowledgement Certificate, agricultural land would be deemed converted for non- agriculture purposes to set up an industry. But now it is proposed that so far as land is concerned, no such exemption will be given," Patowary said.

The business enterprises will have to take all the permissions, clearances and approvals related to land before starting any unit, he said. Opposition parties had demonstrated against the MSME ordinance, claiming that it would alienate indigenous people from their agricultural land.

"After detailed discussion, it was unanimously decided that stringent measures and provisions should be made so that the right of the indigenous people over their land is protected and kept unaffected. "Accordingly, a provision has been proposed to be made in the draft MSME Ordinance that all the provisions of the Assam Agricultural Land (Regulation of Reclassification and Transfer for Non-Agricultural Purpose) Act, 2015 and other land laws will have to be followed and adhered to for setting up of any enterprise," he added.

No exemption will be given under the Act or any land related law for any business initiative or business enterprise, Patowary added. On June 29, the state government approved the 'Assam Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (Facilitation of Establishment and Operation) Ordinance, 2020', putting an end to the process of taking multiple permissions for MSMEs for three years.

Any person, who intends to start an enterprise, may furnish a self declaration with an undertaking to follow all Acts and rules, according to a provision of the ordinance. This led to widespread protests by the opposition Congress, All Assam Students' Union (AASU), Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) and general public also accusing the government of allowing rampant industrialisation compromising the environment.

Patowary said land falling in restricted categories like public grazing reserve, village grazing reserve, wetlands, eco-sensitive zones, heritage, historical, archaeological sites; religious institutions and tribal belts and blocks will not come under this ordinance, Patowary said.

The minister informed the media that over 3.50 lakh people have returned to Assam in the COVID-19 time and if they desire to establish MSMEs, they may require their own land for the purpose. "Keeping in mind the apprehensions of the people, the government has decided to make more stringent arrangements so that there should not be any ambiguity and there should be complete clarity that the rights of the local people are protected," he added.

Also read: Uttar Pradesh govt imposes coronavirus lockdown from July 10 to July 13
Matthew Prempeh, Ghanaian minister of education, says over 90 percent of the staff of the ministry have contracted coronavirus. Acco...

Matthew Prempeh, Ghanaian minister of education, says over 90 percent of the staff of the ministry have contracted coronavirus.





According to Ghana Web, Prempeh said mass testing conducted at the ministry revealed that he is among those positive for the disease.





The minister said the tests had to be conducted on the staff of the ministry after his result came back positive the second time.





He said results from the tests showed out of 50 persons, about 45 of the staff had contracted the disease with majority of them being asymptomatic.

After my second result came out as positive, testing was conducted on all staff at the ministry and the results showed that out of every 50 persons, about 45 had contracted the virus, Prempeh said.





Most of them are asymptomatic so they are isolating at home.





Recounting his experience before recovery, the minister, who was on admission for two weeks at the University of Ghana Medical Center, said it was harrowing.





He said: For all the 52 years of my life, Ive never been admitted to the hospital before and it was not a pleasant experience. The disease is very real and I dont wish it on even my foe.





With 548 new cases, Ghana has recorded 22,822 confirmed cases of COVID-19; 17,564 recoveries and 129 deaths.




SINGAPORE - Some 2.65 million Singaporeans will cast their ballot Friday with strict safety protocols to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loongs long-ruling party is expected to extend its unbroken rule, bolstered by the pandemic and fears of a severe economic recession. What you need to know about the vote:

________

SAFE ELECTIONS

Lees Peoples Action Party has been criticized for holding polls amid the pandemic, just weeks after Singapore emerged from two months of virus lockdown and daily virus cases still topping 100. The tiny nation of 5.8 million people has reported more than 45,000 cases, most of them foreign workers living in crowded dormitories that were overlooked in the early phase of its crisis management. The government has increased polling stations from 880 to 1,100 and implemented strict safety measures including the use of masks, hand sanitizer and gloves. Election workers are wearing full protection gear. All voters were assigned a two-hour window to cast their ballots to reduce crowding. Voters older than 65 have priority during the first four hours polls are open. COVID-19 patients and those who are on quarantine orders, numbering around 350, cannot vote to reduce the risk of community transmission. Another 360 Singaporeans who have been given stay-home notices and those with fever are allowed to vote only during the last hour, with extra precautions being taken. Those serving their stay-home notices at hotels can cast their vote without leaving their rooms, with mobile polling teams delivering ballots to them.

____

UNITED OPPOSITION

This is Singapores second general election where the opposition is contesting all parliamentary seats. The PAP faces a one-on-one contest in most of the 93 seats up for grabs. Ten small opposition parties contesting the polls have urged Singaporeans to reduce the PAPs overwhelming majority in parliament, and give them a louder voice to ensure more transparency and accountability. The Workers Party, the only opposition that won seats in 2015, and the new Progress Singapore Party led by a veteran former PAP stalwart are leading the challenge. Still, it will be a tall task. The PAP has been in power since 1959, and its popular vote has never slipped below 60%. In 2015, it won nearly 70% of total votes and 93% of parliamentary seats.

____

FAMILY FEUD

Lee, who is the countrys third prime minister since 2004, faced new pressure when his estranged younger brother joined an opposition party last month. Lee Hsien Yang, 62, is not contesting the polls but has actively campaigned against the PAP, co-founded by his father and first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew who turned the tiny island into one of the worlds wealthiest nations during his 31-year rule. The younger Lee said the PAP had turned into an elitist party with no checks and balances under his brother, and urged Singaporeans to vote fearlessly to deny the PAP a blank check. The Lee brothers have been engaged in a public spat in the last few years over the fate of their family home. Lee Hsien Loong says the election is not about his family dispute but the future of Singapore.

_____

WHATS AT STAKE

Concerns about the prolonged pandemic and an economic slump may push voters to stick to the tried and tested. The affluent city-state is expected to dip into its worst-ever recession this year, with its economy expected to shrink by up to 7%. Lees government has unveiled several economic assistance packages totalling nearly 100 billion Singapore dollars ($71.7 billion) but warned the economic impact hasnt been fully felt yet. Issues raised during campaigning focused on jobs and securing Singapores future in a post-COVID world. Lee plans to retire in two years at age 70, thought it may be delayed if the economy is not back on its feet. Some see the election as a vote of confidence in the new leadership led by his designated successor, deputy and finance minister Heng Swee Keat.
LOS ANGELES - Three Los Angeles police officers have been charged with falsifying records reporting that people they stopped were gang members or associates, prosecutors said Friday.

The members of the Police Departments Metropolitan Division were charged Thursday in a 59-count complaint alleging one count each of conspiracy to obstruct justice and multiple counts of filing a false police report and preparing false documentary evidence.

The officers were identified as Braxton Shaw, 37; Michael Coblentz, 42, and Nicolas Martinez, 36.

Directors of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union representing LAPD officers, said it expects the department to investigate this matter fully in a fair and objective manner to determine the facts, ensure that officers are accorded their due process rights and any proven mischaracterizations are corrected.

Shaw faces the most potential liability. Accused of falsifying 43 field interview cards, he could receive up to nearly 32 years in jail if convicted.

His attorney, Gregory G. Yacoubian, wrote in an email that he was confident his client will be cleared of wrongdoing, saying he always acted at the direction of police leadership.

Braxton has devoted his personal life and professional law enforcement career to enhancing the quality of life for everyone, Yacoubian said.

The case involves so-called field interview cards filled out by officers, in this case by officers from Metropolitan Division, which puts crimes-suppression units on the streets.

The department revealed in January that officers had been assigned to home duty or taken off patrol after a mother complained in 2019 that her son was wrongly identified as a gang member and a police supervisor began a review of documentation.

Prosecutors in the case of the three officers alleged the cards contained false information and misidentified dozens of people as gang members.

Some of the false information was used to enter individuals into a state gang database, prosecutors said.

The defendants are accused of writing in some instances that a person admitted to being a gang member but video from body cameras showed the individuals were not asked about gang membership.

Prosecutors said in some instances individuals denied gang affiliation but the defendants wrote that they admitted being gang members.

County prosecutors have been directed to corroborate any information from field interview cards with other evidence including officers body cameras.

The Police Department issued a statement that did not identify the charged officers but said one was relieved of duty and police powers at the end of January and has been referred to an administrative tribunal for the purpose of removal.

The other two officers have been assigned to their homes and their peace officer powers have been suspended.

The department said there were 21 additional officers under investigation involving use of the field identification cards.

Ten have been assigned to their homes, eight are assigned to administrative duties, five are still on field duty, and one has retired.

In addition, all Metropolitan officers are being retrained on use of the cards and the frequency of audits of body cameras has been increased, the department said.

The department said it was no longer using the California Gang Database for anything other than removing individuals from it.
A number of clubs in Cork GAAs Carbery division have been told to suspend all activities as a result of a potential Covid-19 case.

The precaution is being taken following players coming into contact with an individual last weekend who has since tested positive for the virus.

Argideen Rangers have confirmed they are one of the clubs and will not resume training or games until Saturday when they will update members again.

The shutdown was ordered as per the GAAs return to play protocols, which state all further activity must be stopped until public health contact tracers carry out full close contact assessment and testing.

Were asking teams to adhere to the GAA and HSE guidelines, Cork County Board PRO Joe Blake said.

Last weekend, Kilkenny city GAA club James Stephens confirmed one of their players tested positive for coronavirus. The player made a full recovery, those identified via contact tracing all returned negative results and club activity resumed following a precautionary suspension of one week.

The GAA are awaiting guidance from the Government departments about what defines close and casual contacts in a sporting context. In the interim, they have told their units that all team-mates and members of team management of a player who displays coronavirus symptoms in the 48-hour period after a training session or game should be considered close contacts until advised otherwise by public health authorities.

They also recommend that if positive symptoms reported by the player are within 48 hours of their last collective training session or game their team is instructed to defer all activity until test results are available.

Players who test positive should get medical assessment and clearance prior to returning to training and competitive activity.
The Rev. Rebecca Williams is the new pastor at Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church in Jacksonville.

Williams grew up in a town called Polo in Illinois. She went to Knox College and majored in elementary education.

Before becoming a pastor, Williams was a teacher. She taught first grade.

After her first job, Williams realized she didnt like teaching as much as she thought she would.

She did some soul searching after her position wasnt renewed and moved back home to Polo where she did some substitute teaching for a year.

Williams thought she would be better as a reading specialist working with small groups of kids. She started taking evening classes in the Quad Cities, even though it would take an hour to drive to them.

During those drives, she said, she spent time thinking about who was God calling her to be and what was she supposed to be doing.

Id always wanted to teach, but in those drives I was thinking, praying and reflecting, Williams said. I realized the thing I love teaching the most was teaching about God and teaching others about the Bible, and helping others find joy in their faith.

Williams was helping to lead a church youth group and helped put together an all church retreat for adults, but she was not loving the rest of her love, she said.

Her pastor sat down to talk to her and told her she believed God was calling her to go to seminary.

By that time, she became convinced that God was calling her to come to seminary. She ended up going to the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary.

Soon after it all came together, a desire to teach others about God, a desire to take more leadership in the church, and a desire to know more about my faith, Williams said.

She was appointed United Methodist church in OFallon, where she stayed for four years.

The bishop appointed Williams to Jacksonville after changes were made at the church in OFallon eliminating the pastor position.

Williams just moved to the area about a week and half ago and has appreciated how kind and welcoming everyone has been, she said.

Were really excited to be in Jacksonville. The church is beautiful. The area is lovely, she said. Its fun for me to be in a farming community again and surrounded by cornfields, thats how I grew up. Were definitely excited to be here.

The work she does as a pastor is fulfilling.

Its very fulfilling. Im so glad to be in this work and be doing this job, she said.

Its also been rewarding, she said. The big moments often happen at the church.

Its rewarding to know that you can help someone thats going through tough times, Williams said. You see the highs and lows in peoples lives, baptisms and funerals, graduations, and it all kind of melts together and you get to experience the big moments of peoples lives with them and its really an extraordinary thing to walk with people in the midst of their life journey.
By ANI

NEW DELHI: India and China on Friday reviewed the situation in the India-China border areas including the progress made in ongoing disengagement process along the LAC in the Western Sector and reaffirmed that both sides will ensure complete disengagement of the troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and de-escalation from border areas for full restoration of peace and tranquillity in accordance with bilateral agreements and protocols.

The two countries held the 16th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on India-China Border Affairs on Friday. The Indian delegation was led by Joint Secretary (East Asia) from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) while the Director-General of the Boundary and Oceanic Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs led the Chinese delegation.

ALSO READ| Amid boycott call, Uttarakhand prepares report of Chinese firms involved in power sector

An MEA release said that the two sides agreed that for the overall development of bilateral relations it was essential to maintain enduring peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

"The two sides recalled the agreement reached between the two Foreign Ministers on June 17, 2020 as well as the agreement between two Special Representatives (SRs) during their telephonic conversation on July 5, 2020, and reaffirmed that both sides will ensure complete disengagement of the troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and de-escalation from India-China border areas for full restoration of peace and tranquillity in the border areas in accordance with bilateral agreements and protocols," the release said.

It said that as agreed by the two SRs, the senior commanders will meet soon to discuss further steps so as to ensure complete disengagement and de-escalation in a timely manner.

"The two sides reviewed the situation in the India-China border areas including the progress made in ongoing disengagement process along the LAC in the Western Sector. They agreed that it was necessary for both sides to sincerely implement the understandings reached between Senior Commanders," the release said.

ALSO READ| Frame policies to drive away Chinese goods from market: Traders body

The two sides also agreed to maintain the ongoing communication both at the diplomatic and military level to ensure early resolution of the situation. They agreed to hold another meeting of the WMCC in the near future.
New Delhi:

A BSF jawan was on Saturday killed in ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops in Macchil sector along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.



28-year-old Constable Koli Nitin Subhash, hailing from Sangli in Maharashtra, was martyred on Saturday morning in firing by Pakistani security forces, a BSF official said.



Subhash had joined BSF in 2008 and is survived by his wife and two sons aged four years and two years.



The fresh casualty came hours after terrorists, aided by the cover fire by Pakistani Army, last night crossed the Line of Control in the sector.

They killed an Indian army jawan and mutilated his body prompting the Indian army to warn that "the incident will be responded to appropriately".

ALSO READ: (Watch: Terrorists aided by Pak Army kill Indian army jawan, mutilate body in Kupwara of Kashmir)

Four army and three BSF personnel have died in the latest escalation along the boundary with Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistan Rangers also violate ceasefire in RS Pura and Kathua sectors along International Border today.

In last night's attack, one attacker was killed in the incident.

"In an encounter close to the Line of Control this evening, one solider was martyred and one terrorist was killed. The terrorists mutilated the body of the jawan before fleeing back into Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir under the cover of firing by Pakistan Army," an army spokesman said.

He said the incident reflected the barbarism pervading in official and unofficial organisations in Pakistan.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
The Dutch government has decided to bring Russia before the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) for its role in the downing of Flight MH17, according to a posting on the website of the Dutch government on July 10.

"Today, the Dutch government decided to bring Russia before the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) for its role in the downing of Flight MH17. By submitting an inter-State application, the government is sharing all available and relevant information about the downing of Flight MH17 with the ECtHR," the government said.

"What is more, by submitting this inter-State application, the Netherlands stands by all 298 MH17 victims, of 17 different nationalities, and their next of kin. By taking this step today  bringing a case before the ECtHR and thus supporting the applications of the next of kin as much as we can  we are moving closer to this goal," the government said.

Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 en route from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, was downed in Donetsk region of Ukraine on July 17, 2014. None of the 298 people on board survived.
A protest leader acknowledged in an Internet post that she took down the Sheriff's Department flag from in front of the County Jail and burned it at Miller Park.

Marie Mott said she did so because "I got tired of seeing it flying knowing there are black, brown and poor white people in that jail while white people are allowed not to wear a mask when we have a virus that kills people."

Authorities said an American flag was also pulled down and was found in some bushes.

Cameron Williams, the other main protest leader, is shown in video igniting the fire.

Chattanooga Police said they were not looking into the case.

Ms. Mott is a candidate for the City Council seat held by Anthony Byrd.
T he police watchdog is launching an investigation into whether officers in England and Wales racially discriminate against ethnic minorities.

The review from the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) will focus on the use of force and stop and search amid tensions over the polices handling of recent cases that have been caught on camera.

It comes after Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick apologised this week to athlete Bianca Williams for the distress caused by a stop and search.

A video of the incident, which saw the Great Britain sprinter and her partner Ricardo dos Santos pulled from their car in a London street, was posted online by former Olympic 100m champion Linford Christie.

Ms Williams accused the Met Police of racial profiling and said she was considering legal action.

IOPC director general Michael Lockwood said a review will be launched in the coming months, with a race discrimination focus "to establish the trends and patterns which might help drive real change in policing practice".

He said: Evidence of disproportionality in the use of police powers has long been a concern which impacts on confidence in policing, particularly in the BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) communities.

"But even with the numbers and the statistics, particularly from stop and search data, we still need to better understand the causes and what can and should be done to address this.

"In the coming months, we will be launching race discrimination as a thematic area of focus to establish the trends and patterns which might help drive real change in policing practice.

"Thematic case selection involves independently investigating more cases where racial discrimination may be a factor in order to develop a body of evidence to identify systemic issues which should be addressed."

The Guardian reports that the Met receives more than 250 complaints alleging racism on average each year, and less than 1% are upheld.

GB sprinting star Bianca Williams was detained in front of her three-month-old baby / Getty/Twitter

Mr Lockwood said the review will identify if there is a "need to change policing policy or practice".

"This is about identifying where we are seeing good and bad practice, and where there are then opportunities to drive real learning and change," he said.

We know this is an issue of community concern. Our police forces can only police effectively with the trust and confidence of the community they serve.

Scotland Yard apologises to Bianca Williams over stop and search

Mr Lockwood noted the IOPC only sees a small number of cases where discrimination is alleged.

Initially we will focus on investigating more cases where there is an indication that disproportionality impacts the BAME community, including stop and search and use of force," he said.

We will also be investigating more cases where victims from BAME communities have felt unfairly treated by the police.

This could include whether the police are treating allegations of hate crime from BAME people seriously, and if there are cases where they are failing to treat them as victims of crime.

The police watchdog is also separately investigating Ms Williams' case after Scotland Yard referred itself voluntarily.

IOPC regional director for London Sal Naseem said the watchdog would "investigate if racial profiling or discrimination played a part" in the stop.
Governor of Russias Khabarovsk Region detained for two months on murder charges

 The Basmanny District Court's press service

14:36 10/07/2020

MOSCOW, July 10 (RAPSI)  Moscows Basmanny District Court on Friday placed governor of the Khabarovsk Region Sergey Furgal charged with killing and attempted murders of businessmen in detention until September 9, a RAPSI correspondent reported from the country.

The hearing was held behind closed doors. A judge took the decision granting a motion of investigators who said about threats against other defendants in the case.

Furgal denied his guilt and political nature of the case.

Governor of the Khabarovsk Region Sergey Furgal was arrested on July 9 on suspicion of killing and attempted murders of businessmen and transported to Moscow. Later, charges were brought against him.

According to investigators, crimes were committed by an organized criminal group allegedly led by Furgal in Russias Khabarovsk and Amur Regions in 2004-2005. Earlier, four alleged members of the gang were arrested and placed in detention.

Born in the Amur Region, Furgal worked as general physician at a hospital more than 6 years before the start of his political career. After being discharged from healthcare in 1999, he went in for business, according to his biography on the Khabarovsk Krai governments website. He was elected as the State Duma lawmaker three times.

In September 2018, he was elected as a Khabarovsk Region governor by popular vote.
Tourists walk around the forecourt of Australia's Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on Oct. 16, 2017. (REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo)

ASIO Seeks Powers to Question 14-Year-Olds to Investigate National Security Threats

Australias national spy agency is seeking new powers to question 14-year-olds in the presence of a lawyer to reflect the reality of Australias evolving national security threats, following at least three incidents of minors involved in thwarted terror plots.

The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) wrote in a submission to Parliament in May that its concerned that vulnerable and impressionable young people were at risk of being caught up in the streams of hate spread across the internet from extremists of every ideology.

The submission noted that the ISIS terrorist group set the standard among Islamist extremists for disseminating propaganda in Australia; and that right-wing extremists also continue to produce internet-savvy, sophisticated messaging.

According to ASIO, since 2015, one terrorist attack and three disrupted plots have involved teenagers under the age of 18.

Minors continue to be involved in attacks and attack planning, ASIO noted in its submission.

The submission also noted that Australias probable terror threat was unacceptably high.

When Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton brought the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Amendment Bill 2020 before Parliament on May 13, he said that the number of terrorism leads that ASIO is investigating has doubled since that time last year.

The director-general also noted that the threat to Australia from foreign interference and espionage is higher now than it was at the height of the Cold War, Dutton said.

He said the bill would improve ASIOs capacity to respond to the threats.

The threats posed today by espionage and foreign interference operate at a scale, breadth, and ambition that has not previously been seen in Australia, ASIOs submission (pdf) to Parliament states.

Espionage and foreign interference are affecting parts of the Australian community previously untouched by such threats, even during the Cold War, the intelligence agency said.

Response to the Bill

Child advocates have argued that the powers are inappropriate.

Save the Children Chief Executive Paul Ronalds says that theres little evidence to justify lowering the age of questioning, AAP reported on July 10.

If successful, it will undermine the democratic ideals and way of life that it purports to protect, putting at-risk childrens rights in the justice system, including the right to a fair trial.

In a statement on July 10, the Law Council of Australia President Pauline Wright said that its concerning that there would be inadequate safeguards for the questioning of 14-year-old children.

The Law Council is not denying that intelligence operatives work in a complex and dynamic security environment and need appropriate and adequate powers to keep the community safe, Wright said. But there needs to be greater precision in defining the limits and authorization thresholds for the proposed powers in the amendment.
Although restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic are being gradually lifted, rise in number of cases seems to be affecting operations of companies across several industries. One such company falling prey to the crisis is Flowers Foods, Inc. FLO. The company announced that it will temporarily cease production at its bakery located in Savannah, GA. Increase in coronavirus cases among the bakerys production employees as well as those who were in self quarantine compelled the company to make this decision.



Although Flowers Foods has temporarily furloughed 115 production staff amid this crisis, it will continue to provide them compensation for this period.



The said bakery, which provides fresh baked items like bun and bread in Georgia and South Carolina regions, is expected to resume production by Jul 17. The decision to pause production at the bakery is not likely to have a major impact on the companys ability to cater to the aforementioned markets. This is because Flowers Foods other bakeries are expected to compensate for the lost production for now. Moreover, the bakerys sales group as well as distribution channels still remains operational amid the temporary closure.





Notably, Flowers Foods has been implementing advanced deep cleaning and sanitizing at its facilities. The company is undertaking various practices like social distancing, wearing masks as well as temperature screening as precautionary measures in its bakeries. Moreover, management then notified that the infections in the companys bakeries will not likely impact food quality or safety, as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration believes that there is no proof linked to the transmission of coronavirus infection through food or its packaging.



On Apr 14, Flowers Foods had temporarily closed production at its bakery in Tucker, GA, which mainly produces frozen, non-retail specialty, and foodservice bun and bread items. Higher number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 at the bakery along with a decision to go under self-quarantine had led to this move.



Meanwhile, this Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock is witnessing solid demand due to the coronavirus-led stockpiling and higher at-home consumption. The trend was witnessed when the company reported robust first-quarter 2020 results, with the top and the bottom line increasing year over year and beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Notably, higher demand induced by the pandemic contributed to sales growth in the range of 6.5-7.5% in the quarter.



Other consumer staple companies like B&G Foods, Inc. BGS, General Mills, Inc. GIS and United Natural Foods, Inc. UNFI, to name a few, are also gaining from burgeoning demand, courtesy of higher at-home consumption trend amid the coronavirus outbreak.



Coming back to Flowers Foods, shares of the company have dipped 0.2% year to date compared with the industrys decline of 9.6%.



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Martha Rocha, whose second-place finish representing Brazil in the 1954 Miss Universe pageant made her a hero in her home country, in part because of a widely held belief there that she had unfairly lost the crown by a matter of inches  bodily inches  died on July 4 in Niteroi, Brazil, across the bay from Rio de Janeiro. She was 87.

Her son Alvaro Piano confirmed her death, in a nursing home, saying the cause was a heart attack following a long bout with emphysema.

Popular opinion in Brazil has long maintained that Ms. Rocha was runner-up because her figure  she was two inches wider around the hips and thighs than the winner, Miss USA  did not conform to a U.S. standard of beauty that prized a less curvy look. The pageant was held in Long Beach, Calif.

Those two inches  whether they were the real reason she lost (Ms. Rocha herself did not believe it) or just an urban legend  became a rallying cry and source of pride in Brazil, where beauty standards for women favored a so-called guitar shape, and where the North American fixation on thinness was frowned upon.
As this years general elections gradually come to a close, various political parties have been embarking on a number of measures to reinvigorate their party machinery to make it more active and vibrant, especially in the regions and the constituencies.

The Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) is one of the parties which are leaving no stone unturned to pull a surprise in this years elections, especially in the Bono region where the party hopes to annex at least one parliamentary seat.

This came to light at the Extra-ordinary Regional Congress of the party held in Sunyani to acclaim its regional executives who will steer the affairs of the party for the next four years.

The Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) is a break-away faction from the Convention Peoples Party (CPP).

During the 2016 general elections, the PPP led by its then Flagbearer, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom garnered one per cent of the total votes cast in the Presidential race, making it the second-biggest opposition party after the NDC.

Currently, the party is putting its house in order ahead of this years elections and hopes to improve upon its performance this year.

In the light of this, officials of the party drawn from the various constituencies in the Bono region have met in Sunyani to select the partys regional executive to co-ordinate and steer the affairs of the party, going forward.

The 17-member newly elected Regional Executives are under the chairmanship of Mr Sanfaa Lucious.

An official from the Bono Regional Office of the Electoral Commission, Mr Daniels Ankama Ofosu Kyeremeh, who supervised the acclamation of the executives, used the occasion to educate the PPP faithful about the on-going Voters Registration Exercise.

Mr. Sanfaa Lucious, the newly-acclaimed Bono Regional Chairman of the PPP said the party is poised to snatch at least one parliamentary seat in the Bono region come December 7, 2020, and called on the youth in the region to join the party to rescue the country from the NPP-NDC dominance in the running of the countrys affairs.

He expressed grave concern about the growing youth unemployment in the country and called on the youth to rally behind the PPP to turn around their fortunes.

He was not happy about how the National Health Insurance is being managed by the current government and called for more innovative and effective way of making the scheme meet the expectations of Ghanaians.

The Regional Executives acclaimed and sworn into office are Sanfaa Lucious, Chairman; Charles Boahen, First-Vice Chairman; Abubakar Fuseini, Second-Vice Chairman; Isaac Minta Twumasi, Third-Vice Chairman; Graham Billa, Secretary and Frank Ameyaw, Assistant Secretary.

The rest include George Amankwah, Treasurer; Alhaji Adam Outarrah, Organiser; Francis Kwabena Kusi, Assistant Organiser; Ataa Konadu, Womens Organiser; Ataa Konadu Juliet, Assistant Womens Organiser; Frank Alhassan, Youth Organiser; Moses Vidza, Assistant Youth Organiser and Nicholas Asudu as the Regional Director of Communications, with Solomon Amponsah as the Administrator at the partys regional office in Sunyani.
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Linkedin James Davey (Reuters) London, United Kingdom  Fri, July 10, 2020 10:57 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a40665532eb 2 Business UK,retail,trade-deal,EU,Brexit Free

Britains retail industry on Friday urged UK and European negotiators to reach a post-Brexit trade deal, warning that without tariff-free trade, consumers face higher prices from next year.

The sector has already announced thousands of job losses due the coronavirus pandemic as wary shoppers stay away from the high street, and the next stage of the Brexit process poses a further challenge.

Britain left the EU in January and is currently in a standstill transition period with the bloc to give the two sides time to fix a new relationship in everything from trade to security.

Last weeks round of talks was cut short, with both sides saying that, while they wanted an agreement, they had yet to overcome the gulf in positions that could see Britain leaving the transition period without a trade deal.

Four-fifths of UK food imports come from the EU and EU imports also play a major role in supply chains for fashion, homeware, and other retail sectors.

In May, the UK government published its new tariff schedule, which would apply from Jan. 1 2021 if a deal was not agreed.

Under the schedule, 85 percent of foods imported from the EU will face tariffs of more than 5 percent, including 48 percent on beef mince and 16 percent on cucumbers. The average tariff on food imported from the EU would be over 20 percent.

Given the highly competitive nature of retail, the industry could not absorb all these increased costs, meaning the public would face higher prices, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said.

Many UK shoppers experienced disruption in the run up to (coronavirus) lockdown; without a deal, the public may face an even bigger challenge at the end of the transition period, said Andrew Opie, the BRCs director of food and sustainability.

With the clock ticking down to 31st December, the government must put consumers first and agree a deal that avoids tariffs and minimises the impact of non-tariff barriers.

UK retailers, already struggling with high rents, business taxes, tight margins and online competition, were particularly hammered by the lockdown and data shows shoppers are reluctant to enter stores even as restrictions ease.
Published on 2020/07/09 | Source

With COVID-19, physical barriers between countries have been raised, but border barriers in the content market are being torn down.

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The popularity of Korean dramas is alarming at a time when various contents from different countries can be enjoyed through global streaming services. In addition to distributing to global streaming services, our dramas are constantly being distributed and consumed through various regions and channels. In particular, in addition to Asian countries known as the main consumers of K-drama, it is good news that demand for Korean dramas is gradually increasing in European and Middle Eastern countries such as Greece, the Middle East, and Israel.

According to Studio Dragon, tvN's 2016 show "The K2" (directed by Kwak Jeong-hwan, written by Jang Hyeok-rin), was recently sold to Greece through CJ ENM's global content distributor Eco Lights. It was first aired in early June on Star Channel, a private broadcasting station with nationwide coverage in Greece and led the K-drama boom with a 19% viewer rating for the first broadcast. It was the first time that a Korean drama was released across Greece, but it recieved explosive response and it is rumored that a flurry of inquiries are being made from neighboring European countries to purchase Korean dramas.

In addition, "Search: WWW" has been sold to the Middle East and "When My Love Blooms" has been sold to Israel's Viva channel. Israel's Viva channel has been showing steady interest in K-drama in the past by purchasing rights to air "Secret Forest", "Encounter" and "Familiar Wife" and recently by purchasing "When My Love Blooms".

"K-drama is gaining popularity among viewers in various countries around the world due to its unique material, attractive production and excellent actor casting", said an official at CJ ENM's overseas content business division, which is in charge of content sales in Europe and the Middle East. "We expect different elements of charm, such as the mournful and unfulfilled love story of "When My Love Blooms" and the popping story of "Search: WWW" to bring new fun to overseas viewers", he said. The official also added, "We are checking the power of well-made K-drama through sales in various regions and we will try to introduce K-drama to more diverse areas in the future".

Regarding the phenomenon that K-drama is widely loved in various regions, a Studio Dragon official said, "It is thanks to Studio Dragon's ability to produce content and CJ ENM's well-equipped distribution system", and added, "We will introduce K-drama to the world through various routes in addition to distribution through global streaming services".
A photo of George Washington's personal copy of the Acts of the first Congress (1789), containing the U.S. Constitution and the proposed Bill of Rights. (Alex Brandon / Associated Press)

Our cultural institutions are facing a moment of trial. Powerful protests for racial justice are leading to overdue demands for police reform, along with wider calls for greater equality across our society, not least in journalism.

But this needed reckoning has also intensified a new set of moral attitudes that weaken our norms of open debate in favor of ideological conformity. The forces of illiberalism are gaining strength throughout the world, culminating in one of the greatest infringements on civil liberty of our time: I, specifically, have only 724 Twitter followers.

This travesty self-evidently constricts the lifeblood of our society: the free exchange of information and ideas. When I send out a tweet calling Lana Del Rey the joan didion of danity kanes, for example, it reaches a mere 724 potential discourse partners in the marketplace of ideas, and therefore it garnered only five likes. Clearly, no one is willing to engage with dangerous or controversial ideas anymore.

Even worse, when I argue that Frank, the giant rabbit from "Donnie Darko," was actually hot, I have to preface such a statement by asking if Ill get canceled for expressing it. Truly, democracy dies in "Donnie Darko" discourse.

But this isnt just about me. Editors are fired for running controversial pieces (which they may or may not have read); books are withdrawn for alleged inauthenticity (is this about "American Dirt," which has sold half a million copies after earning a seven-figure advance? Im not sure, but I decline to investigate); professors are investigated for quoting works of literature in class (by which I obviously mean saying the n-word, but Im not saying that, because it sounds worse); and the heads of organizations are ousted for what are sometimes just clumsy mistakes (who among us hasnt accidentally dressed up as a racial stereotype for Halloween after also accidentally not paying our employees of color for their labor?).

Story continues

I can relate all too well to these trials. In seventh grade I submitted a short story to the New Yorker, and it was rejected. Once I made a clumsy mistake in my application for an internship at the Wall Street Journal  I forgot to apply  and I was passed over in spite of my evident qualifications. Worst of all: I am not, personally, the editor in chief of the Los Angeles Times. Instead, I am merely an intern, and I have to get my pieces approved and edited before theyre published. Will the assault on free speech never end?

But Mariah, you might argue, isnt free speech about freedom from state censorship, not freedom from criticism or an inalienable right to column inches in any particular newspaper? Doesnt freedom of association allow us to form institutions, and to decide, collectively, as members of those privately held institutions, which arguments are deserving of our limited space and resources? Isnt that why editors and editorial standards even exist? Obviously, doxxing and harassment are bad, but arent most of the weirdly vague or unnervingly specific examples you just cited actually a lot more complicated than your depiction of them? Isnt the real 'cancel culture' our repressive criminal justice system, which deprives millions of (disproportionately Black) Americans of not just a platform but their constitutional rights, even those as fundamental as voting? And really, if youre worried about workers being fired for expressing views their employers dont like, isnt expanding union membership and ending at-will employment the more urgent fight?

To which I say: No. Free speech is me getting to say whatever I want, in whatever outlet I want, with minimal editorial oversight, and compensation of at least 50 cents a word.

And when Im forced to retreat from public discourse by the intolerant left, with only my 724 Twitter followers and internship at The Times to comfort me, Ill think of the brave souls who sacrificed so much for my right to free speech: over 100 of the most famous and talked-about writers alive, buffeted by cruel mockery from grad students on social media, torn from everything but their tenured faculty positions at Ivy League schools, coveted jobs at legacy publications, $13,000 monthly Patreon incomes, $95 million to $300 million in book royalties, and ability to get Harpers to publish even the vaguest and most intellectually dishonest of open letters. I thank you, and I salute you.
TikTok has been such a big part of everyones quarantine and helping everyone get through this pandemic, he said.

Influencers who watched the fall of Vine, another popular short-form video app, in 2016 learned the importance of diversifying ones audience across platforms. But even for TikToks biggest stars, moving an audience from one platform to another is a huge undertaking.

I have 7 million followers on TikTok, but it doesnt translate to every platform, said Nick Austin, 20. I only have 3 million on Instagram and 500,000 on YouTube. No matter what its going to be hard to transfer all the people I have on TikTok.

Some of TikToks biggest stars have already successfully migrated to YouTube. Members of the Sway House, like Bryce Hall, have quickly become stars there. Other TikTok influencers, such as Charli DAmelio and Josh Richards are also already in the millions.

When Vine ended, all the Viners took over YouTube, Mr. Hurley said. If TikTok gets banned, TikTokers are taking over YouTube. TikTokers are the ones in the headlines right now. TikTokers are the talk right now. If TikTok gets taken away, these people arent just going to disappear.

Ellie Zeiler, 16, said that a glitch on Thursday afternoon where TikTok temporarily showed zero views on videos across the app led some users to believe that the ban could be imminent. She said she saw hundreds of users going live, saying goodbye to their followers and urging people to follow them elsewhere. I was like no, this cant be it, she said.
Dr Wave Kashweeka, Principal Veterinary Officer stands over the carcass of an elephant found near Seronga, in the Okavango Delta

GABORONE (Reuters) - Botswana said on Friday it had received test results from samples sent to Zimbabwe to determine the cause of death of hundreds of elephants but is waiting for more results from South Africa next week before sharing findings with the public.

Wildlife officials are trying to determine what is killing the elephants about two months after the first bodies were discovered. They have ruled out poaching and anthrax among possible causes.

Officials told reporters near the Okavango Delta on Thursday that they had now verified 281 elephant carcasses and that the deaths were concentrated in an area of 8,000 square km that is home to about 18,000 elephants.

"We have to wait for another set of results and reconcile the two to see if they are saying the same thing before we come to a definitive conclusion," Oduetse Kaboto, a senior official in the environment and tourism ministry, said in a televised briefing.

"We are hoping the second set of results will come in next week and that's when we should be able to communicate to the public the cause of deaths."

Although the number of deaths so far represents a fraction of the estimated 130,000 elephants in Botswana, there are fears more could die if authorities cannot establish the cause soon.

Chris Foggin, from Zimbabwe's Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust, which conducted the tests on elephant samples from Botswana, said only that country's government could share the findings.

The Botswana wildlife department has said the government contacted neighbours Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia and Zambia but they had not seen similar elephant deaths.

Africa's overall elephant population is declining due to poaching, but Botswana, home to almost a third of the continent's elephants, has seen numbers grow from 80,000 in the late 1990s.

(Reporting by Brian Benza, Writing by MacDonald Dzirutwe; Editing by Janet Lawrence)
Virus Outbreak Asia People gesture to each other as they walk outside public housing towers that are a hotspot for COVID-19 in Melbourne in Melbourne, Friday, July 10, 2020. Australia's Victoria state reported the new daily record of coronavirus cases. (Daniel Pockett/AAP Image via AP)

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP)  Australias coronavirus hot spot Victoria recorded 288 new cases on Friday, the largest number of any state since the pandemic began, and authorities warned the spread could worsen.

Victoria, Australias second-most populous state after neighboring New South Wales, has been cut off with border closures by other states. All states and territories but New South Wales had eradicated community transmission of the virus, but Victoria-linked infections are spreading.

Victoria hopes a second lockdown in Melbourne, the nations second most populous city with 5 million people, will curb the spread. It was imposed Wednesday and will last six weeks.

The Victoria tally reflected a new record of more than 37,500 tests in a day, state Premier Daniel Andrews said.

Certainly 288 new cases today is a pretty ugly number, Victorias Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said.

The previous high for a 24-hour period was 212 on March 28 at the peak of Australias first wave of infections and during a national lockdown.

The benefit of the lockdown will not be apparent in the infection numbers for more than a week, Sutton said. We may well get worse numbers to follow, before it gets better, he said.

But Sutton said Australia was still tracking comparatively well through the pandemic, referring to the United States which has a population 13-times larger than Australias 26 million people.

Our numbers are the numbers that the U.S. gets every 10 minutes, Sutton said. We are still in a fortunate position and we have gone to a lockdown at this juncture in order not to have those kind of pressures manifest in our system.

Australian states have banned people crossing their borders if they have been in Victoria in the past two weeks.

Victoria has banned international arrivals at Melbourne Airport after breaches of hotel quarantine in Melbourne were blamed for the countrys only widespread transmission of COVID-19.

Australia will more than halve the rate at which its citizens and permanent residents can return home on international flights to reduce numbers in hotel quarantine, the federal and state governments have agreed.

Story continues

The number allowed to return to Australia each week would be reduced by more than 4,000 from next week.

Sydney, Australias largest city, has been carrying a disproportionate burden of hotel quarantine that is currently paid for by the New South Wales government.

Queensland, to the north, charges travelers 2,800 Australian dollars ($1,900) for their two weeks in hotel quarantine, making Sydney are more attractive destination for Queenslanders to return from overseas.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison other states are moving to charge for hotel quarantine, given that Australia has been urging citizens for weeks to return as soon as possible. Outside Victoria, most of Australias COVID-19 cases are detected in overseas travelers quarantined in hotels.

Victoria on Friday became the first state to recommend its residents wear masks.

Residents are advised to wear masks if they cant maintain 1.5 meters (5 feet) social distancing such as when theyre on public transport or in supermarkets.

Australia has recorded more than 9,000 COVID-19 cases and 106 patients have died.
In the still-new socially distanced world, the connection between a person and a pet has never been more important.

Amanda Howland, co-founder of pet wellness company ElleVet Sciences, said she knew that the homeless population has even fewer resources than usual right now, and pets are in a very vulnerable position. Howland recently launched the Pets In Need Project, a mobile pet relief effort traveling to homeless areas throughout California to provide free veterinary services and food to street pets in need.

For the past few weeks, Howlands RV has been in San Francisco, helping the homeless population in the Tenderloin. She described the area as the most challenging place they had ever visited.

The Tenderloin district is very difficult for people who are living on the streets, Howland said. We really wanted to make sure that we went to a location where we could make the greatest impact.

Howland worked with St. Anthonys while in town, a nonprofit social services organization that helped with security and support. We met numerous wonderful, loving pet owners and well cared for animals, she said. While there were many Chihuahuas and pit bulls, the surprise of the day was meeting Ziggy, a bearded dragon.

Pets in Need Project

A bearded dragon isnt the type of pet they typically see, so she said they were quite excited to see it in line. His owner rescued him and was incredibly knowledgeable about him. He was a very handsome guy! she said. We had heard that we might see exotics in the Tenderloin, so we were delighted to meet one.

She said the team issued many vaccinations, allowing people to move into certain shelters with their dogs.

Howland and her team heard many uplifting stories while treating the animals, including one from a homeless man named Brian, who found his dog on the side of the road at only 2 weeks old. This poor puppy had been dumped and left to die. Amazingly, Brian was able to save his life, she said. Even while he is homeless, he volunteers at a San Francisco shelter to help animals. Their animal/human bond was overwhelmingly strong and touching to us all.

Pets in Need Project

Howland, her partner Christain Kjaer and their team of veterinarians will continue to travel throughout California in the RV, stopping in other hard-hit areas, including Stockton, Modesto and Los Angeles. Theyve already treated almost 1,000 pets, funded emergency surgeries, helped facilitate adoptions, and provided food and supplies and general checkups.

"We had an incredibly positive response from the San Francisco community, said Dr. Joseph Wakshl, a professor of nutrition and sport medicine at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, who is helping in the RV. Seeing the love and devotion these homeless pet owners have for their pets, is equivalent if not more, than any pet owners I have seen."

While the Pets in Need Project will conclude the Northern California initiative this month, Howland is already planning to come back to San Francisco for more mobile visits.

We plan on this being a long term relief mission and are working out the details for the next trip, she said. Our goal is to expand and have at least four RVs traveling throughout the United States helping more homeless people and their pets.

Find more information about ElleVet Sciences' work here.

Susan Hornik is a freelance writer.
Marshal Billingslea, U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy for arms control on talks with Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov on nuclear arms control, informs the press in Vienna, Austria, on June 23, 2020. (Ronald Zak/AP Photo)

China Should Meet With US on Arms Control: State Department

The U.S. State Department on Thursday said the United States welcomed Chinas commitment to arms control negotiations and that prudent next steps should include face-to-face meetings between U.S. and Chinese officials.

State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus issued the statement a day after a top Chinese diplomat said China would be happy to hold arms control talks with the United States and Russia, but only if Washington was willing to cut its nuclear arsenal to Chinas level, which is about 20 times smaller.

Fu Cong, director of the Chinese foreign ministrys Arms Control Department, speaks to the media at the Palais Coburg in Vienna, Austria, on July 28, 2019. (Alex Halada/AFP/Getty Images)

But actually, we know thats not going to happen, added Fu Cong, the head of the arms control department of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Still, Fus comments appeared to represent a slight shift after months of Beijing rejecting outright a proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump that it joins Washington and Moscow in negotiating a trilateral arms control treaty.

The United States welcomes Chinas commitment to engage in arms control negotiations, Ortagus said. As such, prudent next steps will need to include face-to-face meetings between the United States and China.

We will all bring different perspectives and objectives to the negotiating table and will surely have disagreements, Ortagus said. But it is time for dialogue and diplomacy between the three biggest nuclear weapons powers on how to prevent a new arms race, she added.

She said Marshall Billingslea, Trumps special envoy for arms control, would invite China to join good faith negotiations in Vienna, Austria.

Billingslea held talks there with a senior Russian official last month on the proposed trilateral treaty.

The United States says as a growing nuclear weapons power, China should join it and Russia in a new treaty.

Russia and the United States together possess more than 90 percent of the worlds total nuclear warheads in 2020, according to the Federation of American Scientists, which tallied 6,372 warheads for Russia and 5,800 for the United States. It counted China as having 320 nuclear warheads.

The United States also recommends that China meet with Russia at an early date to consider next steps for trilateral arms control negotiations, Ortagus said.

Military vehicles carrying DF-41 intercontinental ballistic missiles travel past Tiananmen Square during the military parade marking the 70th founding anniversary of Peoples Republic of China, on its National Day in Beijing, China, on Oct. 1, 2019. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

Why New Nuclear Arms Control Treaty Is Needed?

Major changes occurred in the international security environment since the New Start was negotiated and probably these changes could not have been foreseen a decade ago when the New Start treaty was negotiated, Billingslea said at the EU Defense Washington Forum, organized by the European Union and the Brookings Institution on Thursday.

Some of these changes were related to Russian activity in the international arena like the annexation of Crimea, Russian involvement in the conflict in Eastern Ukraine that occurred a few years after the New Start ratification, he said.

Among egregious Russian military intelligence operations around the globe are the illegal occupation of territory in the Republic of Georgia, propping up the illegitimate dictator in Venezuela, deployment of mercenary proxies into Libya, Billingslea said.

A report issued by the Department of State a few weeks ago shows that Russia stands in violation of nearly every agreement we have, Billingslea said.

It also lowered the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons, he added.

However Chinas activity is even more concerning and it certainly could not have been foreseen a decade ago, Billingslea said.

While [China] wants the world to believe that it maintains only a handful of weapons we know this is not what it is doing, he said.

China is building its nuclear power in a secretive and non-transparent way and the world needs and the world deserves to know what China is doing, Billingslea explained. China is in the middle of realizing its program to at least double the size of its nuclear stockpile, he added.

Although China appears less frequently in the annals of U.S. compliance reporting than does Russia. That infrequency, however, isnt exactly to Beijings credit, said Assistant State Secretary Dr. Christopher Ford in June. The reason is that the PRC refuses to engage in good faith arms control negotiations, so there is very little to assess compliance with, Ford said.

Moreover, a 2020 State Department Report shows that China conducts nuclear testing and does not adhere to its commitments not to assist others in developing nuclear-capable missiles, Ford said.

Russia and China have in fact an arms race and therefore a new arms control regime with Russia and China should be established to to prevent an unprecedented three-way arms race, and to address the threats and challenges of today, Billingslea said.

The new agreement must be verifiable and cannot be only based on trust, as Russia has a record of frequent often non-compliance and China keeps its activities secretive, he added.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Construction: How to turn 36 seconds into USD 5.4 billion

A team of researchers from Aarhus University have, for the first time ever, linked 40 years of productivity data from the construction industry with the actual work done. The results show that productivity in the construction industry has been declining since the 1970s. The results also explain the decline and how to achieve far more efficient construction in North America and Europe.

"This is a clear and cut business case and a helping hand for decision-makers in the construction industry: If the country's contractors are to make more money, they need to optimise processes."

This is how Hasse Neve, carpenter, MSc in Engineering, PhD and researcher in construction industry productivity at the Department of Engineering at Aarhus University, introduces the new study that, for the first time ever, links national productivity statistics in the construction industry with the efficiency of the actual work done on construction sites.

As it turns out, there is a statistically significant correlation between the two.

"Since 1972, we've continuously gotten less and less out of every hour of work. Construction sites have simply become less and less efficient because more time is spent on non-value adding work. Ultimately, this means that we spend more and more working hours on a single construction job. Therefore, our contractors do not earn as much money on construction as they could," says Hasse Neve.

The study has just been published in Construction Engineering and Management, one of the world's leading scientific journals for construction management.

Hasse Neve emphasises that it is primarily the construction management and not the builders who are responsible for and can influence how a building site operates, and thus how efficiently work is carried out. In general, everybody wants a good workflow and no waste:

"But to achieve this, the construction management team will need to use the right tools and competences and dedicate themselves to the task," he says and continues:

"The construction management team have the greatest influence on efficiency, and thereby on how much money is earned. And the way to increase efficiency is to use methods, tools and knowledge that already exist. Lean Construction tools are basically all about eliminating waste. It is therefore crucial that the construction management are trained in Lean Construction and that extra resources are added to both implementation and support throughout the project."

In the study, the research team used national productivity statistics from the construction industry and so-called work-sampling studies (observational studies of the work performed) from the US and Canada. The studies were carried out between 1972 and 2010. The reason that no Danish or European data were used is simply because not enough work-sampling studies have been completed in Denmark and Europe.

"Since the construction industry in North America isn't too different from its European or Danish counterparts, there's good reason to take these results seriously. If we're going to change the productivity development of the Danish construction industry, we need to focus on efficiency on construction sites," says Hasse Neve.

To illustrate the value that the construction industry could generate if more time was spent on value-adding work, Hasse has calculated what just 36 more seconds per hour (for builders) spent on generating value could mean for the construction industry's gross domestic product in the US and Canada: 5.4 billion dollars annually (approx. DKK 36 billion).

"Although there is a degree of uncertainty, this shows what a society could earn by simply spending one percentage point more time on value-adding work on construction sites. But the vast majority of sites can be optimised even more, thus the numbers could be huge," he says and continues:

"The results are of course based on North American data, but there is no doubt that the potential for the Danish construction industry is also significant. And that's a really fantastic thought. We have lots of tools and knowledge that can make construction processes far more efficient, so why not use them? Fundamentally, construction is about generating value. A good final product for the client and users, and an efficient process for contractors, so they can earn money.

And if you are unsure about how to get started?

"Then just call me," says the researcher with a smile.

###

CONTACT:

Hasse Neve, PhD

Email: hn@eng.au.dk

Tel.: +45 28 79 18 38

Professor Sren Wandahl

Email: swa@eng.au.dk

Tel.: +45 41 89 32 16

This story has been published on: 2020-07-10. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
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The global pandemic threw the world for a loop as businesses shut down, schools closed, and working from home became the new normal. Phrases like social distancing and self-quarantine became part of our everyday nomenclature, and safety measures such as temperature checks and mask wearing were integrated into daily life. Its now hard to imagine businesses and gathering places without these new standards in place.

From a business standpoint, reopening still poses many concerns and uncertainty. How can businesses keep employees safe, remain compliant with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and avoid liability while still maintaining a sustainable level of profitability?

From an employee standpoint, while many workers are eager to return to full-time hours and consistent paychecks, they are scared to return to an environment that increases their exposure to COVID-19. They may have questions about proper PPE, enforcement of social distancing and mask wearing, and many face new responsibilities that are not traditional to their position.

Artificial intelligence will play a major role as we try to move to a post-pandemic world, especially as it pertains to tracking peoples health and wellbeing in public areas. Employers will tap technology solutions to help them face challenges such as adhering to new rules and regulations, monitoring compliance, and ensuring employee confidence and morale remains positive.

Todays new reality will rely on technology more than ever, and this trend will only continue to grow as we settle into the new normal. From monitoring individuals to helping to ease customer flow, technology  specifically artificial intelligence  will be critical.

Why AI?

As society plans the reopening of offices, shared spaces and customer-facing businesses, how can we ensure the safety of workers and the community at large?

One option is to hire or assign employees to policing practices such as temperature taking, mask wearing, and social distancing enforcement. Depending on the size of the business, this could take a great number of people. It would most likely involve a two-pronged approach, with employees on the ground as well as employees monitoring the situation from screens.

Human error is a risk in these scenarios. Its difficult to monitor a large group of people to make sure they are adhering to the CDC guidelines. It also places a substantial mental burden on staff; the average human attention span is about 8.25 seconds, and many are distracted by emails, text messages and constant notifications on their phones.

A technology solution is the clear answer in this case. Artificial Intelligence is a powerful technology tool that allows for multiple tasks to take place at once, faster and more efficiently than humanly possible. Cognitive computing systems such as neural networks are a specific type of AI that simulates human thought. This type of AI is used in autonomous vehicles and is also a good structure to build post-pandemic monitoring systems.

Cognitive computing can learn to digest information in different contexts. For example, if people are simply passing each other, or a family walks into a store together, the system will learn that they do not need to physically distance within the group and therefore will not be violating the rules of social distancing.

Not only is AI more reliable than humans at tracking multiple data points at one time, this type of monitoring can reduce liability exposure for businesses and organizations. Amazon is being sued by workers for not enforcing social distancing measures and being careless with contact tracing efforts. At the time, had the company had AI monitoring in place, it could have helped to make sure that such measures were being properly enforced and provided proof that the company took measures to ensure the safety of its workers.

AI in the Workplace

Remote working was the instant solution for many businesses when the pandemic escalated. While some businesses are fully back in office and adhering to mandated expectations for employee safety, others remain remote or are utilizing strategic and flexible work schedules.

For those going into office settings, a host of safety measures need to be implemented, but can pose a myriad of difficulties to ensure compliance and create substantial liability issues. AI can help to monitor body temperatures, ensure employees are social distancing, and even confirm that masks are being worn consistently.

This use of AI technology can help reduce worker frustration and dissatisfaction with new rules of compliance, free up staff from the need to manually attempt a fraction of what todays computing power can achieve, and keep employees doing what they do best, rather than enforcing rules.

The post-pandemic workplace will be made of more controlled environments including more managed daily interactions, reserving time for specific activities, rotating people in and out of smaller spaces, and flexible workspaces where employees can come and go as needed as opposed to each having a dedicated space.

As the COVID-19 situation fluctuates, so will the guidelines that need monitoring. AI systems can quickly and easily be programed to shift with the loosening or tightening of guidelines, allowing for flexibility in the system.

AI in Customer Experience

For those working in retail, hospitality, healthcare and other customer-facing industries, additional unique challenges abound. Customers have been patient and understanding with the recent changes, but as the new normal sets in, this perseverance will surely revert to earlier expectations and customers may even begin to demand more.

Customers will tire of waiting in line and having their temperatures taken to enter a restaurant or shop. While they will still expect safety measures and want to feel safe in the environment, their expectations of a quicker delivery method should be anticipated.

With a situational awareness solution, companies can mitigate risks and still focus on delivering quality customer service. Businesses that rely on heavy foot traffic such as shopping centers, hospitals, casinos, recreational venues and theme parks, will need to evolve to remain safely in business. For such large spaces with big crowds, technology to monitor for social distancing, temperature checks and mask compliance will be critical.

Hospitals will be one of the many workplaces that will evolve and depend on technology to avoid cross-contamination, especially with patients at higher-risk. AI technology can be used to take vitals, heartrate, temperatures and more without the need to enter a patients room. This will help to provide better overall patient care while keeping patients and staff safe.

For retail and theme park settings, customer service can be faster and more efficient. There will no longer be the need to wait in a physical line. Customers will be able to check in, receive a notification when its their turn, and then be able to walk right up for service or to experience an attraction. AI will be more important than ever in these high-traffic situations.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

AI Monitoring and Privacy

With all of these technological implementations, employees and customers alike may be concerned about privacy. AI solutions have the ability to make people into avatars, where only behaviors and other rules are being monitored, which will help to ensure the privacy of individuals.

Unlike the extensive volumes of video surveillance data being collected, this type of monitoring does not entail identity information such as names or images. Moreover, data through this type of platform can be stored locally, not via a cloud system which might be breached more easily. This could reduce the risk of bad actors intruding in the system since access would need to be through the local database.

A Better Future With AI

AI-enabled technology solutions will help lead to a better future. The change has already begun, and the landscape will most likely continue to shift abruptly as we adapt to the post-pandemic world and learn more about how COVID-19 and other diseases are transmitted.

Customers, businesses and employees will all experience concern during phased reopening, but there are ways to safeguard individuals in minimally intrusive ways, thanks to AI, neural networks and other technological advancements.

AI technology solutions will allow us to advance and resume some semblance of normal activity, all while managing compliance, ensuring profitability and mitigating liability.
Iran's Human Rights Organization (IHR) announced on Thursday, July 9, that authorities have executed a prisoner in Mashhad Central Prison for "drinking alcohol."

Citing the prisoner's attorney, the Norway-based IHR confirmed that the man was hanged early Thursday, without giving his name. Some Iranian activities on social media said his name was Morteza Jamali and he had two children.

"My client was arrested and convicted of drinking alcohol for the sixth time. Of course, there was also the issue of driving without a license and having alcohol," Hossein Habibi Shahri told IHR.

The Islamic Republic official sources have not yet confirmed or denied the news. Drinking alcohol is a crime in the clergy-dominated Iran, but executions for use of alcohol are rare. Iran is notorious for hanging drug smugglers, murderers and some political prisoners.

The execution has led to a strong backlash on Iranian social media as many users say that large corruption cases and extrajudicial killings of protesters go unpunished or end in light sentences while drinking brings the death penalty.

IHR director, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, said, "With this execution, the Islamic Republic's judicial system has once again proven that its views are no different from those of ISIS."

Based on the Islamic Penal Code a defendant can face the death penalty after being arrested and punished three times for alcohol consumption. The initial punishment for drinking is usually flogging.

"This is one of the few recorded executions for drinking alcohol in Iran. Due to the lack of transparency in the Islamic Republic's judiciary, most executions in Iran are not declared officially by the authorities," IHR statement said on Thursday.
It is a Unesco World Heritage site.

A Turkish court has annulled the museum status of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, a world-famous cultural site, enabling it to be converted into a mosque.

It is a controversial move, as 1,500-year-old Hagia Sophia was founded as a cathedral, the BBC reported.

Read alsoReuters: Russia inaugurates cathedral without mosaics of Putin, Stalin (Video)

Later the Ottomans made it a mosque. In 1934 it became a museum.

It is a Unesco World Heritage site. Unesco earlier urged Turkey not to change its status without discussion.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for the change.

Islamists in Turkey have long called for it to be converted to a mosque, but secular opposition members have opposed the move. The proposal has prompted criticism, from religious and political leaders worldwide.

The head of the Eastern Orthodox Church has condemned the proposal, as has Greece  home to many millions of Orthodox followers.

Modern Turkey's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk approved Hagia Sophia's status as a museum in 1934, and since then it has been a symbol of secularism, open to all faiths.

But the Council of State, Turkey's top administrative court, said in its ruling on Friday: "It was concluded that the settlement deed allocated it as a mosque and its use outside this character is not possible legally".

"The cabinet decision in 1934 that ended its use as a mosque and defined it as a museum did not comply with laws," it said.

The Russian Orthodox Church immediately expressed regret that the Turkish court did not take its concerns into account when ruling on Hagia Sophia, Tass news agency reported.

It said the decision could lead to even greater divisions.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  Downtown businesses in Portland, Oregon, have sustained about $23 million in damages and lost customers because of violent nightly protests that have brought the city to its knees, authorities said Wednesday.

At a police briefing, Deputy Chief Chris Davis said the intensity of the violence by an agitator corps and the length of the protests that are now in their sixth week are unprecedented in Oregons largest city.

Davis made a sharp distinction between Black Lives Matter protesters, whom he said were not violent, and a smaller group of people he repeatedly called agitators.

Quite frankly, this is not sustainable, he said. Theres a very big difference between protests and the kind of mayhem that weve seen every night. ... The Black Lives Matter movement is not violent. The story that were going to talk about today is about a small group of agitators that is attempting to hijack that message and use it as a cover for criminal activity.

Protesters have demonstrated for 41 consecutive nights against racial injustice and police brutality following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, and they are increasingly focusing their actions on federal properties, including Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse in the heart of the downtown business district.

Authorities have declared riots several times and used tear gas to disperse demonstrators. A recently issued federal court order bans the police from using the tear gas unless a riot is declared, but critics have challenged the police on what constitutes a riot and who makes the decision to designate a protest as an unlawful event.

The police unleashed tear gas last week the day after Gov. Kate Brown signed a bill into law that banned the use of it unless a riot was declared. That prompted Brown and Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek to publicly call on Mayor Ted Wheeler, who is also the police commissioner, to rein in the department and de-escalate its interactions with protesters.

Davis defended the decision to use tear gas and said that the alternative was sending officers into a chaotic crowd, which would likely result in injuries to both officers and protesters.

I will be very happy if I can go the rest of my career without ever seeing us have to deploy C.S. gas, he said, using another term for the substance.

The reason why were seeing more and more C.S. gas has to do with really unprecedented levels of violence that were seeing and not that were trying to find excuses to use it. And that would be irresponsible of us to somehow ratchet down the definition of a riot so we can get to use C.S. gas quicker.

Earlier Wednesday, the president of the police union said he has no confidence that city leaders will move to stop the protests.

Our officers have endured weeks of rocks, bricks, bottles, mortars, and other objects hurled at them with hate, union President Daryl Turner said. Enough. The people who put on a badge and uniform every day are human beings.

On Tuesday the U.S. attorney in Oregon announced federal charges against seven protesters accused of defacing a federal courthouse and assaulting federal officers.

Police have also arrested two people on state charges of setting fire to a North Portland police precinct last week.

-- The Associated Press
Euronext wheat rose for a third day on Thursday to its highest in almost six weeks, driven by uncertainty over harvest prospects in Europe and other parts of the world.

Front-month September wheat on Paris-based Euronext was 1.00 euros, or 0.5pc, higher by 1612 GMT at 188.00 euros ($212.50) a tonne.

It earlier rose to 189.00 euros, its highest since May 29.

Chicago wheat added to a 4% surge from Wednesday as a reduced outlook for Argentinas wheat crop from the Rosario Grain Exchange stoked doubts over global supply following the latest forecasts in Europe.

Russian wheat futures rose further, supported by poor early harvest yields and a slow pace of fieldwork in the Black Sea region.

In France, a first official forecast of the 2020 soft wheat crop on Tuesday spurred the rally, with the farm ministry surprising the market with a low area estimate that underpinned its projection of a 21pc drop in production.

Were seeing everything and its opposite, one broker said of French harvest reports. Harvesting hasnt got going enough north of the Loire river to be able to say.

The price rise was capped by declining export competitiveness for French wheat, as well as uncertainty over demand because of the COVID-19 pandemic, traders said.

In Germany, harvest prospects were seen as more favourable.

Germanys wheat harvest is expected to start in late July or early August so wheat is not ripe yet. The rain we received all this week is not expected to damage the crop, one German trader said.

The weather needs to get dry and sunny for wheat soon, but we could probably take one more week of rain.

Standard bread wheat with 12pc protein for September delivery in Hamburg was offered for sale little changed at around 1.0 euro under the Paris December contract.
RENSSELAER COUNTY, N.Y.  A Pittstown man is facing charges following a joint investigation by the Rensselaer County Sheriffs Office, and the New York State Police Major Crimes Unit.

Duncan Maclean, 36, has been charged with first-degree attempted assault, second-degree assault, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon; all felonies, and the misdemeanor second-degree menacing.

During the investigation into the death of Megan Dyer-Maclean, it was found that Duncan Maclean had a confrontation with a male victim in 2017, whereby he struck the male victim several times with a hammer, according to police.

Maclean was recently arraigned in Schaghticoke Town Court in front of the Honorable Judge Arnold where he was remanded to the Rensselaer County Jail in lieu of $15,000 cash / $20,000 bond. A full stay-away order of protection was issued on behalf of the victim.

If you or someone you know has any information related to this incident, youre urged to contact the Rensselaer County Sheriffs Office at 518-270-0128.
Both as president and in business, Donald Trump is often accused of being overconfident and self-serving. And according to his niece Mary Trump's upcoming book, "Too Much and Never Enough," Donald learned that from his dad Fred's obsession with famous 1950s self help author, Norman Vincent Peale.

Peale, a minister who "preached self-confidence as a life philosophy," according to Politico, wrote best-selling self-help book "The Power of Positive Thinking" in 1952, which has since been translated into 15 languages and has sold more 7 million copies.

And while Donald Trump was only 6 when the book was released, Mary says Donald's father was immediately drawn to Peale's teachings. So much so that his family joined the author's church, Marble Collegiate, in midtown Manhattan. (Donald was later married to first wife, Ivana, there in 1977.)

"Fred wasn't a reader, but it was impossible not to know about Peale's wildly popular bestseller," Mary writes in "Too Much and Never Enough," which is set to be released on July 14. "The title alone was enough for Fred, and he decided to join Marble Collegiate although he and his family rarely attended."

Mary, 55, who holds a Ph.D. from Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies and has taught graduate courses in trauma and developmental psychology, writes that Fred was attracted to Peale's "shallow message of self-sufficiency."

"Peale's doctrine proclaimed that you need only self-confidence in order to prosper in the way God wants you to."

For example, Peale wrote in "The Power of Positive Thinking" that "[O]bstacles are simply not permitted to destroy your happiness and well-being. You need be defeated only if you are willing to be."

Mary writes that Peale's view confirmed what Fred Trump has always thought: "He was rich because he deserved to be." (Fred Trump was a real estate developer who had a net worth at around $250 million to $300 million at the time of his death in 1999, according to The New York Times.)

Peale's book touts mantras like "Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities!"
Hours before gangster Vikas Dubey was killed in an encounter near Kanpur on Friday, a petition was filed in the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Uttar Pradesh government and the police to safeguard his life and ensure that he is not killed by the cops.

The plea has also sought registration of an FIR and an apex court monitored probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the encounter of five co-accused, who were alleged to be associated with Dubey in the killing of eight policemen last week.

Eight policemen, including DSP Devendra Mishra, were ambushed in Bikru village in Chaubeypur area of Kanpur when they were going to arrest Dubey and fell to bullets fired from rooftops shortly after midnight on July 3.

Dubey was killed in an encounter on Friday when a police vehicle carrying him from Ujjain to Kanpur met with an accident and he tried to escape from the spot in Bhauti area, the police said.

Four policemen, including an inspector posted in Nawabganj, were injured in the accident, IG, Kanpur Range, Mohit Agarwal said.

He was rushed to the hospital where he was declared dead.

Dubey was the prime accused in the ambush in which the policemen were killed.

Prior to Dubey's encounter, five of his alleged associated were killed in separate encounters.

The plea, filed in the apex court by advocate Ghanshyam Upadhyay, has referred to media reports and claimed that encounter of these five co-accused by the police is "not only extremely illegal, inhuman, but also it is shocking to the conscience of the court and is nothing but Talibanisation of the country, which cannot be countenanced at all".

"I had done e-filing of the petition at 2 am and provisional number was also allotted," Upadhyay said.

It has sought direction to the Uttar Pradesh government and police to register FIR for demolition of residential building, vehicles and other properties of Dubey and also regarding encounters of the co-accused.

The plea said the investigation must be transferred to the CBI and the probe agency should be directed to submit its periodical reports before the top court.

"In view of the extremely high handed and illegal action of Uttar Pradesh Government/Police so carried out inasmuch as completely pulling down/demolishing the residential building, shopping mall of accused Vikas Dubey.there is every possibility of even accused Vikas Dubey being killed by Uttar Pradesh Police after his custody being obtained by them from MP police and then concoct a story of encounter.," the plea alleged.

It claimed that killing of accused by police and then "giving the same colour of encounter is extremely inhuman and against the very rule of law and orderly society" and the same cannot be countenanced under any circumstances.

"Though, it cannot be denied the act of the accused of killing eight policemen is extremely heinous crime, yet the accused were/are required to be dealt with in accordance of law and in the process, upon their guilt being proved after full-fledged trial, they could have been convicted even for death sentence.," it said.

It said that FIR should be registered against the concerned policemen and officials involved in demolition of residential building of Dubey and encounter of five co-accused.

The plea said that in India, even criminals like 2008 Mumbai attack case accused Ajmal Kasab and those involved in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts were given complete opportunity to defend themselves during the trial and appeal up to the apex court.

"Time has come when this court being ultimate custodian of law and Constitution, under which the country needs to be ruled/governed, needs to take serious view of the matter or else, a time will come when there will be only police raj in this country, which cannot be countenanced," it said.

It claimed that emergence of people like Dubey is a glaring example of "corruption in police department and law enforcing machineries".

Referring to media report, it alleged that Dubey had blessing of politicians of various political parties and had deep connection with police department.

While on July 3, two of his alleged associates, Prem Prakash Pandey and Atul Dubey, were killed by police in an encounter in Kanpur, on July 8 the police killed, Amar Dubey, who carried a reward of Rs 50,000, in Maudaha village in Hamirpur district.

On July 9, two more alleged aides -- Kartikeya alias Prabhat and Praveen alias Bauwa Dubey -- were killed in separate encounters in Kanpur and Etawah districts.
Geneva: A United Nations expert investigating summary executions says the United States' targeted killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani was unlawful and risked eroding international laws that govern the conduct of hostilities.

Agnes Callamard, the UN special rapporteur investigating extrajudicial and summary executions, said that the US drone strike that killed Soleimani as he arrived in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, in January could only be justified in international law as a response to an imminent threat. The US had provided no evidence to support that position, she said.

Iran has asked Interpol to help detain US President Donald Trump over a drone strike that killed general Qassem Soleimani. Credit:AP

"Absent an actual imminent threat to life, the course of action taken by the US was unlawful," Callamard wrote in a report that she presented on Thursday to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

The retaliatory missile attacks Iran launched against US bases in Iraq five days later were also "completely outside the scope of what is permissible" in international law, Callamard said.
Karl Stefanovic has apologised to Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk with flowers after slamming her decision to keep the borders shut during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Today host was interviewing Ms Palaszczuk on Friday morning, as Queensland prepared to open up to the rest of the country - except Victoria - at midday.

Melbourne is battling a second wave of COVID-19 cases and Victorians will remain locked out of Queensland for the foreseeable future.

Mr Stefanovic was concluding the interview when he told Ms Palaszczuk he was 'sorry' for criticising her cautious re-opening of the borders.

Karl Stefanovic apologised to Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Friday (pictured)

'Okay, just a few weeks ago [NSW Premier] Gladys Berejiklian, and yours truly, called your decision to keep the borders closed 'crazy' and 'illogical', among many other things,' he said.

Ms Palaszczuk interjected: 'That's right, I remember all that,' before Stefanovic continued with his grovelling apology.

'On behalf of Gladys and myself, I'm sorry,' he said.

'Are we ever going to talk again?'

Ms Palaszczuk said she accepted the apology and Today co-host Allison Langdon offered the premier a gift on behalf of Stevanovic.

'And can I just interrupt here and say that I predicted that there'd be a little bit of grovelling taking place this morning, so on Karl's behalf, Jessica Millward and I have organised an apology gift for the Queensland premier,' she said.

Mr Stefanovic was concluding the interview when he told Ms Palaszczuk he was 'sorry' for criticising her cautious re-opening of the borders

'Premier, this is from Karl.'

Ms Palaszczuk, who was live from the QLD-NSW border at Coolangatta, was then handed a bunch of flowers.

'Thank you. This means a lot. Thank you so much,' she said.

'On behalf of the people of Queensland, Karl, we accept your apology.'

Victorians will be locked out of Queensland until they get their transmission of coronavirus under control.

The NSW-Victoria border was this week shut for the first time in 101 years due to Victoria's second spike in infections.

Ms Palaszczuk said she accepted the apology and Today co-host Allison Langdon (left) offered the premier an apology gift on behalf of Stevanovic

In May, Stefanovic called the ban on interstate travel 'complete BS'.

'We have to get this country moving and back on its feet,' he said.

'The Berlin Walls along our state lines are staying up as our tourism industry goes down the toilet along with small businesses in their millions.

'It's complete BS from some of our premiers right now.'

The Today host redirected his attention the the Queensland premier during a similar rant in June. Stefanvoic said Ms Palaszczuk's decision to keep borders shut despite the pleas of local businesses 'defies belief'.

'This is about arrogance,' the presenter said.

'I've never seen this before from a public official. It defies belief to me, and more importantly reality.'

Ms Berejiklian and Ms Palaszczuk had an ongoing dispute over the borders, with the NSW premier declaring it 'ridiculous' Queensland would not open to their southern neighbours.

Ms Palaszczuk, who was live from the QLD-NSW border at Coolangatta, was then handed a bunch of flowers. 'Thank you. This means a lot. Thank you so much,' she said

Queensland's borders open at 12pm on Midday and almost 314,000 people have now downloaded border passes to enter the Sunshine State.

The premier has warned of long delays at border checkpoints, and urged people to delay their entry if they could.

'You could be sitting in traffic for hours,' she said.

'If you're thinking about coming today, maybe think about changing your plans.'

All arrivals into Queensland must hold a valid border pass, including residents returning to their home state.
A groundbreaking study using molecular genetic techniques and field studies brings together decades of research into the complex relationships among beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) that spans 10 locations across the Arctic from Alaska to Canada and Russia to Norway. The behavior of these highly gregarious whales, which include sophisticated vocal repertoires, suggest that this marine mammal lives in complex societies. Like killer whales (Orcinus orca) and African elephants (Loxodonta Africana), belugas were thought to form social bonds around females that primarily comprise closely related individuals from the same maternal lineage. However, this hypothesis had not been formally tested.

The study, led by Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, is the first to analyze the relationship between group behaviors, group type, group dynamics, and kinship in beluga whales. Findings, just published in Scientific Reports, reveal several unexpected results. Not only do beluga whales regularly interact with close kin, including close maternal kin, they also frequently associate with more distantly related and unrelated individuals.

Findings indicate that evolutionary explanations for group living and cooperation in beluga whales must expand beyond strict inclusive fitness arguments to include other evolutionary mechanisms. Belugas likely form multi-scale societies from mother-calf dyads to entire communities. From these perspectives, beluga communities have similarities to human societies where social networks, support structures, cooperation and cultures involve interactions between kin and non-kin. Given their long lifespan (approximately 70 years) and tendency to remain within their natal community, these findings reveal that beluga whales may form long-term affiliations with unrelated as well as related individuals.

"This research will improve our understanding of why some species are social, how individuals learn from group members and how animal cultures emerge," said Greg O'Corry-Crowe, Ph.D., lead author and a research professor at FAU's Harbor Branch. "It also has implications for traditional explanations based on matrilineal care for a very rare life-history trait in nature, menopause, which has only been documented in a handful of mammals, including beluga whales and humans."

Researchers found that belugas formed a limited number of group types, from mother-calf dyads to adult male groups, and from mixed-age groups to large herds. These same group types were consistently observed across population and habitats. Furthermore, certain behaviors were associated with group type, and group membership was found to often be dynamic.

"Unlike killer and pilot whales, and like some human societies, beluga whales don't solely or even primarily interact and associate with close kin. Across a wide variety of habitats and among both migratory and resident populations, they form communities of individuals of all ages and both sexes that regularly number in the hundreds and possibly the thousands," said O'Corry-Crowe. "It may be that their highly developed vocal communication enables them to remain in regular acoustic contact with close relatives even when not associating together."

Beluga whale groupings (beyond mother-calf dyads) were not usually organized around close maternal relatives. The smaller social groups, as well as the larger herds, routinely comprised multiple matrilines. Even where group members shared the same mtDNA lineage, microsatellite analysis often revealed that they were not closely related, and many genealogical links among group members involved paternal rather than maternal relatives. These results differ from earlier predictions that belugas have a matrilineal social system of closely associating female relatives. They also differ from the association behavior of the larger toothed whales that informed those predictions. In 'resident' killer whales, for example, both males and females form groups with close maternal kin where they remain for their entire lives.

"Beluga whales exhibit a wide range of grouping patterns from small groups of two to 10 individuals to large herds of 2,000 or more, from apparently single sex and age-class pods to mixed-age and sex groupings, and from brief associations to multi-year affiliations," said O'Corry-Crowe. "This variation suggests a fission-fusion society where group composition and size are context-specific, but it may also reflect a more rigid multi-level society comprised of stable social units that regularly coalesce and separate. The role kinship plays in these groupings has been largely unknown."

For the study, researchers used field observations, mtDNA profiling, and multi-locus genotyping of beluga whales to address fundamental questions about beluga group structure, and patterns of kinship and behavior, which provide new insights into the evolution and ecology of social structure in this Arctic whale.

The study was conducted at 10 locations, in different habitats, across the species' range, spanning from small, resident groups (Yakutat Bay) and populations (Cook Inlet) in subarctic Alaska to larger, migratory populations in the Alaskan (Kasegaluk Lagoon, Kotzebue Sound, Norton Sound), Canadian (Cunningham Inlet, Mackenzie Delta, Husky Lakes) and Russian (Gulf of Anadyr) Arctic to a small, insular population in the Norwegian High Arctic (Svalbard).

"This new understanding of why individuals may form social groups, even with non-relatives, will hopefully promote new research on what constitutes species resilience and how species like the beluga whale can respond to emerging threats including climate change," said O'Corry-Crowe.

###

Study co-authors are Robert Suydam, Ph.D., North Slope Bourough Department of Wildlife Management; Lori Quakenbush; Alaska Department of Fish and Game; Thomas G. Smith, Ph.D., Eco Marine Corporation; Christian Lydersen, Ph.D., Norweigen Polar Institute; Kit M. Kovacs, Ph.D., Norweigen Polar Institute; Jack Orr, Ph.D., Fisheries and Oceans Canada; Lois Harwood, M.Sc., Fisheries and Oceans Canada; Dennis Litovka, Ph.D., Office of the Governor and Government of the Chukotka Autnomous Region; and Tatiana Ferrer, coordinator of research programs, FAU's Harbor Branch.

All activities involving live whales were permitted (USMMPA #782-1719-06, NARA #2013/36156-2, GOS #2013/00050-42 a.512, NOAA782-1438) and approved by the relevant authorities in each country: the United States National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Protected Resources, the Russian Federation Marine Mammal Permits Office, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Canada scientific licenses, and the Norwegian Animal Care Board. All activities were performed in accordance with these guidelines and regulations.

About Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute:

Founded in 1971, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University is a research community of marine scientists, engineers, educators and other professionals focused on Ocean Science for a Better World. The institute drives innovation in ocean engineering, at-sea operations, drug discovery and biotechnology from the oceans, coastal ecology and conservation, marine mammal research and conservation, aquaculture, ocean observing systems and marine education. For more information, visit http://www.fau.edu/hboi.

About Florida Atlantic University:

Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University, with an annual economic impact of $6.3 billion, serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students at sites throughout its six-county service region in southeast Florida. FAU's world-class teaching and research faculty serves students through 10 colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, the College of Business, the College for Design and Social Inquiry, the College of Education, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the Graduate College, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. FAU is ranked as a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The University is placing special focus on the rapid development of critical areas that form the basis of its strategic plan: Healthy aging, biotech, coastal and marine issues, neuroscience, regenerative medicine, informatics, lifespan and the environment. These areas provide opportunities for faculty and students to build upon FAU's existing strengths in research and scholarship. For more information, visit fau.edu.
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Turkey's President Erdogan has formally converted the world-famous Hagia Sophia back into a mosque and reopened it for worship as he drums up support for his Islamic-rooted party - sparking fury from Christian groups and the US.

The move came hours after Turkey's highest administrative court issued a landmark ruling that unanimously annulled the 1934 cabinet decision to renovate the site into a museum.

Built 1,500 years ago the world-famous site was originally a cathedral before becoming a mosque in 1453. In 1934 it became a museum and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Within hours of the ruling Erdogan had declared the Hagia Sophia open for Muslim worship and signed a decree handing it over to Turkey's Religious Affairs Presidency.

This was despite widespread international criticism, including from the United States and Orthodox Christian leaders.

Erdogan, a devout Muslim, is scheduled to deliver an address to the nation later today and has frequently used the Hagia Sophia issue, which sits at the heart of Turkey's religious-secular divide, to garner support for his party.

The court's announcement today led to widespread international criticism, including from the US and Orthodox Christian leaders

Hagia Sophia is nearly 1,500 years old and served as one of the most exalted seats of Christian and then Muslim worship in the world

Many believe the UNESCO World Heritage site should remain a museum, as a symbol of Christian and Muslim solidarity

The cavernous dome of Istanbul's Hagia Sophia museum. Any change to its status will have a profound impact on religious followers

The group that brought the case to court had contested the legality of the 1934 decision by the modern Turkish republic's secular government ministers and argued that the building was the personal property of Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II, who conquered Istanbul in 1453. Above, a man waves a Turkish flag in front of the Hagia Sophia

A handout photo made available by the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry shows Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) holding a video conference call with Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy (L) and Imam Ferruh Mustuer (C) during recitation of the Koran at the Hagia Sophia on 29 May

'The decision was taken to hand over the management of the Ayasofya Mosque. ..to the Religious Affairs Directorate and open it for worship,' the decision signed by Erdogan said.

The landmark ruling will inflame tensions not just with the West and Turkey's historic foe Greece but also Russia, with which Erdogan has forged an increasingly close partnership in recent years.

Built 1,500 years ago as an Orthodox Christian cathedral, Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest in 1453.

In 1934 it became a museum and is now a Unesco World Heritage site.

Islamists in Turkey long called for it to be converted to a mosque but secular opposition members opposed the move. The proposal prompted criticism from religious and political leaders worldwide.

Yesterday hundreds of people who awaited the court's ruling outside the building chanted 'Allah is great!' and 'Chains broken, Hagia Sophia reopened!' when the news was announced.

People gather in front of the Hagia Sophia after a court decision that paves the way for it to be converted from a museum back into a mosque

Any change to its status will have a profound impact on followers of both faiths

The court's announcement today led to widespread international criticism, including from the US and Orthodox Christian leaders

People keeping a social distance apart visit the Hagia Sophia on July 2

A woman holds a Turkish flag as she celebrates Turkey's decision that the 1,500 year old Hagia Sophia can be converted back into a mosque

The court ruled that Hagia Sophia was the property of a foundation managing the Sultan's assets and was opened up to the public as a mosque

People wear the Turkish flag as they celebrate the court's decision that the 1,500 year old site can be converted into a mosque

Erdogan, a devout Muslim, has frequently used the Hagia Sophia issue, which sits at the heart of Turkey's religious-secular divide, to drum up support for his Islamic-rooted party

Four minarets were added to the terracotta-hued structure with cascading domes and the building was turned into an imperial mosque following the 1453 Ottoman conquest of Constantinople - the city that is now Istanbul

The court ruled that Hagia Sophia was the property of a foundation managing the Sultan's assets and was opened up to the public as a mosque

Five things to know about the Hagia Sophia What is the Hagia Sophia? The edifice was first built as an Orthodox Christian church between 532 and 537 AD under emperor Justinian I and is considered the most important Byzantine structure. After the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople (now Istanbul) in 1453, it was converted into a mosque before being opened as a museum in 1935 after the secular modern Turkish republic was established in 1923. It was added to the list of UNESCO world heritage sites in 1985. What is its official status now? Following Friday's decision, it reverts from being a museum to being a mosque. The Council of State, Turkey's highest administrative court, unanimously cancelled a 1934 cabinet decision and said Hagia Sophia was registered as a mosque in its property deeds. Until now it has been the principal tourist attraction in Turkey, hosting millions of tourists every year - 3.8 million visitors in 2019. There has been more religious activity inside the museum in recent years - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recited the first verse of the Koran in 2018. What would it change for visitors? Tourists could still visit the Hagia Sophia, just as they are able to see the Blue Mosque nearby. But the example of the Hagia Sophia of Trabzon in northern Turkey, opened to Muslim worship in 2013, may give pause for thought. 'The number of visitors dropped significantly following its transformation into a mosque, especially because visitors could no longer appreciate the church's famous frescoes,' said Tugba Tanyeri Erdemir, a research associate at the University of Pittsburgh, adding this had a negative impact on locals who depend on tourism revenues. Why did this become an issue now? There was a long legal process leading up to Friday's ruling. The Constitutional Court in September 2018 turned down a plea by an independent heritage association to open the building up for Muslim worshipping. The main opposition secular Republican People's Party (CHP) has accused the government of using the issue to distract voters from economic woes and other issues following the coronavirus pandemic. 'Erdogan appears to be responding to a drop in voter support, which is likely a fallout from Turkey's COVID-19-induced economic downturn,' said Erdemir. Erdogan's supporters praised him for getting involved with lavish celebrations for the anniversary this year of the 1453 conquest of Constantinople, encouraging him to be more proactive, said Erdemir. As early as 1994 when he was running for mayor of Istanbul, Erdogan promised to open the building to Muslim worshippers. What is the international community's position? The landmark ruling has already inflamed tensions not just with the West and Turkey's historic foe Greece, but also Russia, with which Erdogan has forged an increasingly close partnership in recent years. Turkey-Greece relations are already strained over migration and drilling in the eastern Mediterranean. Greece branded the move an 'open provocation to the civilised world', while the Russian Orthodox Church said Turkey had ignored 'millions of Christians' with its move. The United States had also urged against altering its status. The UN's cultural agency UNESCO earlier Friday warned Turkey against converting Hagia Sophia into a mosque, urging dialogue before any decision was taken. Advertisement

Greece slammed the decision as an 'open provocation to the entire civilised world.'

Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides, a Greek Cypriot, posted on his Twitter account that Cyprus 'strongly condemns Turkey's actions on Hagia Sophia in its effort to distract domestic opinion and calls on Turkey to respect its international obligations.'

Christodoulides said Turkey's 'escalating, flagrant violation of its international obligations is manifested in its decision to alter the designation of Hagia Sophia, a world heritage site that is a universal symbol of the Orthodox faith.'

Nationalist and conservative groups have long been yearning to hold prayers at Hagia Sophia, which they regard as part of the Muslim Ottoman legacy.

Others believe the UNESCO World Heritage site should remain a museum, as a symbol of Christian and Muslim solidarity.

The group that brought the case to court had contested the legality of the 1934 decision by the modern Turkish republic's secular government ministers and argued that the building was the personal property of Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II, who conquered Istanbul in 1453.

The court ruled that Hagia Sophia was the property of a foundation managing the Sultan's assets and was opened up to the public as a mosque.

The Istanbul-based Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, considered the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians, warned in late June that the building's conversion into a mosque 'will turn millions of Christians across the world against Islam.'

The Russian Orthodox Church also expressed scathing dismay at Turkey's decision to revoke the museum status of the iconic Hagia Sophia, accusing it of ignoring millions of Christians.

'The concern of millions of Christians were not heard,' Church spokesman Vladimir Legoida told Interfax news agency after a top court revoked the sixth-century Byzantine church building's status as a museum.

The decision 'shows that all pleas regarding the need to handle the situation extremely delicately were ignored,' said Legoida, who heads the Church department that liaises with media.

The Russian Orthodox Church previously urged caution over calls to alter the status of the historic former cathedral, and Russian Patriarch Kirill said he was 'deeply concerned' about such a potential move and called it a 'threat to the whole of Christian civilisation'.

US State Secretary Mike Pompeo said last month that the landmark should remain a museum to serve as bridge between faiths and cultures.

His comments sparked a rebuke from Turkey's Foreign Ministry, which said Hagia Sophia was a domestic issue of Turkish national sovereignty.

Erdogan has pledged to revert the structure's status to a mosque several times but said his government would await the court's decision before taking steps.

Some Islamic prayers have been held in the museum in recent years and in a major symbolic move, Erdogan recited the opening verse of the Quran in the Hagia Sophia in 2018.

Built under Byzantine Emperor Justinian, Hagia Sophia was the main seat of the Eastern Orthodox church for centuries, where emperors were crowned amidst ornate marble and mosaic decorations.

Four minarets were added to the terracotta-hued structure with cascading domes and the building was turned into an imperial mosque following the 1453 Ottoman conquest of Constantinople - the city that is now Istanbul.

The building opened its doors as a museum in 1935, a year after the Council of Ministers' decision.

Mosaics depicting Jesus, Mary and Christian saints that were plastered over in line with Islamic rules were uncovered through arduous restoration work for the museum.

Hagia Sophia was the most popular museum in Turkey last year, drawing more than 3.7 million visitors.

News reports have said the conversion could occur in time for prayers on July 15, when Turkey marks the quashing of a coup attempt in 2016.

A poll conducted in June by Istanbul Economy Research showed 46.9 percent of respondents favored Hagia Sophia being opened to Muslim worship while 38.8 percent said it should remain a museum.

Thirteen percent said it should be open to worship for all religions.

Built under Byzantine Emperor Justinian, Hagia Sophia was the main seat of the Eastern Orthodox church for centuries, where emperors were crowned amidst ornate marble and mosaic decorations

Mosaics depicting Jesus, Mary and Christian saints that were plastered over in line with Islamic rules were uncovered through arduous restoration work for the museum

Hagia Sophia was the most popular museum in Turkey last year, drawing more than 3.7 million visitors

Throughout its history the UNESCO World Heritage site has served as a Byzantine Cathedral, a mosque under Ottoman rule and museum, after a 1934 decision led by modern Turkey's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk

A poll conducted in June by Istanbul Economy Research showed 46.9 percent of respondents favored Hagia Sophia being opened to Muslim worship while 38.8 percent said it should remain a museum
The current COVID-19 lockdown has forced Mt Hotham and Falls Creek ski resorts to close amid fears Melbourne's tough restrictions will eviscerate the state's $800 million snow industry.

Mount Hotham and Falls Creek had opened less than a week before Melbourne re-entered lockdown, but by Thursday, ski operator Vail Resorts moved to shut down its lift operations until at least August 19.

'Mount Buller is Melbourne's mountain', said a concerned Anton Grimus from his hotel on Mount Buller. Credit:Jason South

"We did not make this decision lightly as we know our employees, guests and the communities where we operate have already endured so much hardship this year," Vail Resorts Australia chief executive Pete Brulisauer said.

"We recognise this is incredibly disappointing to our guests and pass holders, including those who have made reservations at Hotham and Falls Creek this season."
The administration has been backed up by the American Academy of Pediatrics, which recommends that all schools try to open fully, citing the academic and social-emotional damage done when children miss school. But on Friday, the AAP, in a joint statement with teachers unions and superintendents, said that schools in areas with high levels of covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, should not be compelled to reopen against the advice of local experts. A one-size-fits-all approach is not appropriate for return to school decisions, they said.
NEW YORK - President Donald Trumps former personal lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, was returned to federal prison Thursday, after balking at certain conditions of the home confinement he was granted because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Records obtained by The Associated Press said Cohen was ordered into custody after he failed to agree to the terms of Federal Location Monitoring in Manhattan.

But Cohens attorneys disputed that, saying Cohen took issue with a condition of his home confinement that forbid him from speaking with the media and publishing a tell-all book he began working on in federal prison. The rules also prohibited him from posting on social media, the records show.

The purpose is to avoid glamorizing or bringing publicity to your status as a sentenced inmate serving a custodial term in the community, the document says.

Cohen has written a tell-all book that he had been preparing to publish about his time working for the Trump Organization, his lawyers said.

Cohen was sure this was written just for him, his attorney, Jeffrey Levine, said of the home confinement conditions. Ive never seen anything like this.

A Justice Department official pushed back on that characterization and said Cohen had refused to accept the terms of home confinement, specifically that he submit to wearing an ankle monitor. The official could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.

Cohen legal adviser Lanny Davis called that completely false, adding that at no time did Michael ever object to the ankle bracelet.

Cohen later agreed to accept all of the requirements of home confinement but was taken into custody nevertheless, Davis said. He stands willing to sign the entire document if thats what it takes to be released.

Cohen was being held late Thursday at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan, Levine said. His legal team, meanwhile, was preparing an emergency appeal to spring him from custody.

Cohen, who pleaded guilty to tax evasion, campaign finance fraud and lying to Congress, had been released May 21 on furlough as part of an attempt to slow the spread of the virus in federal prisons. Cohen, 53, began serving his sentence in May 2019 and had been scheduled to remain in prison until November 2021 but was permitted to serve the remainder of this three-year term at home.

The conditions restricting the publication of his book would only extend through the end of his term.

Cohen was once one of Trumps closest advisers but became a loud critic after pleading guilty.

Cohens convictions were related to crimes including dodging taxes on $4 million in income from his taxi business, lying during congressional testimony about the timing of discussions around an abandoned plan to build a Trump Tower in Russia, and orchestrating payments to two women to keep them from talking publicly about alleged affairs with Trump. Prosecutors said the payments amounted to illegal campaign contributions. Trump, who denied the affairs, said any payments were a personal matter.

Roger Adler, one of Cohens attorneys, told the AP that the FBI had agreed to return to Cohen two smartphones it seized as part of its investigation, adding Cohen had planned to pick them up Thursday after an appointment at the federal courthouse in Manhattan concerning his home confinement.

Davis added the appointment with federal authorities was intended to finalize the conditions of Cohens home confinement. Cohen also had been expected to receive an ankle bracelet, he said.

It was nothing other than routine, Davis said, adding the appointment with his probation officers had nothing to do with him being photographed dining out. Days before Cohens return to prison, the New York Post had published photos of Cohen and his wife enjoying an outdoor meal with friends at a restaurant near his Manhattan home.

Its not a crime to eat out and support local businesses, Adler said, adding Cohen had been thrown back into a petri dish of coronavirus.

A federal judge had denied Cohens attempt for an early release to home confinement after serving 10 months in prison and said in a May ruling that it appears to be just another effort to inject himself into the news cycle. But the Bureau of Prisons can move prisoners to home confinement without a judicial order.

Prison advocates and congressional leaders had pressed the Justice Department to release at-risk inmates, arguing that the public health guidance to stay 6 feet (2 metres) away from other people is nearly impossible behind bars.

Attorney General William Barr ordered the Bureau of Prisons to increase the use of home confinement and expedite the release of eligible high-risk inmates, beginning at three prisons identified as coronavirus hot spots. Otisville, where Cohen was housed, was not one of those facilities.

___

Balsamo reported from Little Rock, Arkansas. AP investigative researcher Randy Herschaft contributed to this report.
Rick Terrien is the author of Ageless Startup: Start a Business at Any Age, via Entrepreneur Press. Buy it now from Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound.

The pandemic is dealing all of us, especially older workers, a hand that is full of danger and opportunity. Dont waste a crisis. If you have the ability to start your own small enterprise, you can change the world from your home office.

Most people view this as simply doing the same work from a different location, while others will view it as a new opportunity to work for themselves. Whatever your outlook, setting up a remote home office is the first step toward creating a network of like-minded professionals in similar circumstances.

Anyone can use this sea change in remote-work opportunities to launch new small enterprises that they control, whose values represent their interests in communities or markets they are passionate about. And it can create a particularly significant economic opportunity for people exploring entrepreneurship in the second half of life. In a post-pandemic world, no one cares about pretense. No one needs to be impressed by elaborate commercial settings. The world needs competence, problem-solving and sustainable solutions.

Small groups of independent entrepreneurs, working remotely from one another geographically, can come together to tackle significant societal and commercial issues quickly and effectively. But how do you make this collaborative model work while working from a home office?

Related: Laying the Groundwork for Your Ageless Startup

Create an LLC

First, you need to professionalize your service or product offering by creating a Limited Liability Company (LLC) to house your business life. While this is technically not required, it is for most other professionals you want to deal with. An LLC will cost a few hundred dollars to establish, but it is the best money you can spend when entering commerce.

LLCs also allow you to publish the public "rules" for your business. Anyone you want to sell to or collaborate with can look at your LLC structure to see what's behind your offer and how the entity will behave under varying circumstances. LLC status will allow you to establish separate banking and accounting channels to keep from muddying the waters between personal and business finances.

There are other, more complicated business entities available, such as S-Corporations, C-Corporations, partnerships, etc. If these seem worth researching given your personal circumstances, seek legal advice before taking action. While these can all work, the LLC is the minimum, and typically most appropriate, business-entity strategy for the majority of us to professionalize our work.

A New Collaborative Model

I've personally taken the initative to help found a new nonprofit with the aim of encouraging peer-to-peer collaboration among independent entrepreneurs working remotely from one another. The ultimate goal is to nurture common ground and new business opportunities. The effort, called The Center for Ageless Entrepreneurs (CAE), will be based online and launch this summer, offering free training information and paid networking services for those exploring entrepreneurship in the second half of life.

In the past, I often wished these kinds of forums existed. A case in point is the current startup I have been helping launch for the last couple years. Three small independent businesses  from three different locations  came together to address a problem one community was facing. A regional utility based in Pittsburgh convened the discussion, and our three small companies came together to address those issues. In short order, we formed a new organization (Food21), outlined its mission, values and goals and implemented the action steps that are now setting standards for how regional food systems can be rebuilt to become more resilient and sustainable.

In this case, the three entrepreneurs had worked together in the past and knew the ethics and character of the people we were combining with. The Center for Ageless Entrepreneurs will scale that vetting process with a goal of launching and networking thousands of new entrepreneurs in the second half of life.

The Food21 model is an excellent example of an intentional startup that centers like the CAE can facilitate launching. Problems are identified; a convener brings together professional small businesses with the requisite skills; proposals are made; and solutions are launched. Intentional startups are here to stay, and having a platform to certify the participants and enable these kinds of solutions to flourish will be critical to their success.

This is not for everyone. Many older entrepreneurs may want to tuck into their own niche and plant their flag there. However, many of us  especially those of us working remotely from home offices  can utilize this CAE model (and it is just that, a model, and anyone can and should incubate similar platforms for their industry) as a strategic advantage for growing their enterprises. Individuals wont have to have all the answers. As projects arise, they can search other like-minded entrepreneurs through these digital platforms to bid on projects they all care about, bringing to the table specific expertise needed to complement others in the group.

The Scaling Power of Peer-to-Peer Networks

You can utilize these kinds of professional networking services  however you access them  to meet and greet new peers, market to new customers and find advisors you may need to assist you and your work. As you grow your involvement in these networks, you become more economically resilient and sustainable. At minimum, you'll gain exposure to new ideas, new tools and, importantly, new and emerging work for your new enterprise.

Employers can utilize these centers to help their older workers transition to working independently. This could be an ideal way to retain key talent within industries, while offering workers good options for building more independence and control into their late-career options. In the post-pandemic world, where new models will be required, industries and communities can utilize these centers to preserve and grow vital markets that might otherwise be lost to layoffs, firings and forced retirements.

The world will still rely on global supply chains after the current crisis passes, but there is now a clear consensus that supply chains also need to be locally resilient. We need the skills, knowledge and networks that older workers represent, and we can create tools and platforms to help them succeed as independent entrepreneurs, working remotely and effectively to bring about the changes the world needs.

Related: Starting a Business That People Need

Offer your ideas and hard work to the world. Join with other professional entrepreneurs. Build resiliency and independence for yourself, your loved ones, communities you love and markets you are passionate about. Welcome!

Related:

Free Webinar: How to Find Mentors and Advisors

Older Entrepreneurs Should Embrace Working From Home

You Don't Need To Be In Silicon Valley To Make An Impact In The Tech World These Days



Copyright 2020 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
NEW DELHI, July 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its ongoing efforts to promote cross border trade through innovation, investments and technology partnerships, the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) today announced the Virtual Launch of NASSCOM Launchpad in New Jersey, with [email protected] and Choose New Jersey. This partnership aims to facilitate partnerships between New Jersey and India and will promote technology-based Foreign Direct Investment between the two regions as well as amplify global competitiveness between the companies operating in both geographies.

The prime focus of the NASSCOM Launchpad will be to provide a platform for member companies to use as a home base while exploring opportunities to do business in New Jersey and the greater New York area. Member companies will gain a hands-on understanding of market opportunities within the New Jersey tech ecosystem, assistance with site selection, government regulations, incentives, and tax planning to establish permanent operations in the region while operating out of their home location in India. This initiative would also support collaborative research and development in areas of common interest between the organizations of these regions.

The partnership will also facilitate business partner match making and assistance with introductions with prospective clients.

The initial companies participating in the Launchpad are Batoi Systems Pvt Ltd, Eminenture Pvt Ltd, Mucheo, NeenOpal Inc, ITSYS Solutions. It is expected that during the course of a year around 20 companies will utilize the platform.

Speaking about the partnership, Shivendra Singh, Vice President, NASSCOM, said, "This is yet another milestone program for NASSCOM that will act as a prominent catalyst for the global expansion of Indian IT companies. In the wake of the current pandemic, it is challenging to engage potential partners. While things normalise, it is imperative that business interactions continue in the new normal. Through this virtual platform, NASSCOM is enabling member companies to develop partnerships with U.S. based companies. I am confident that this program will boost opportunities available for Indian companies and we can play a role in their growth plans globally."

[email protected] provides a unique opportunity for member companies of NASSCOM to be part of New Jersey's largest startup incubator and co-working space. These companies gain access to expert guidance and mentoring, unique networking opportunities and the vast resources of a top polytechnic university," stated Simon Nynens, CEO of the New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII) which oversees [email protected] "And we in turn, are introduced to some of India's leading software and services companies."

"Choose New Jersey is excited to mark the virtual launch of NASSCOM Launchpad in partnership with [email protected]," said Jose Lozano, President & CEO, Choose New Jersey. "This collaboration will continue to strengthen New Jersey's relationship with India and further cultivate the innovation economy. We look forward to working together to support a pipeline of businesses that will call New Jersey home."

About NASSCOM

The National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) is the premier trade body and chamber of commerce of the Tech industry in India and comprises over 2800-member companies including both Indian and multinational organisations that have a presence in India. Our membership spans across the entire spectrum of the industry from start-ups to multinationals and from products to services, Global Service Centers to Engineering firms. Guided by India's vision to become a leading digital economy globally, NASSCOM focuses on accelerating the pace of transformation of the industry to emerge as the preferred enablers for global digital transformation. Our strategic imperatives are to reskill and upskill India's IT workforce to ensure that talent is future-ready in terms of new-age skills, strengthen the innovation quotient across industry verticals, create new market opportunities - both international and domestic, drive policy advocacy to advance innovation and ease of doing business, and build the Industry narrative with focus on Talent, Trust and Innovation. And, in everything we do, we will continue to champion the need for diversity and equal opportunity.

NASSCOM has played a key role in not just the growth of the Industry to become a $190+Billion industry today, but we have helped establish the Tech industry in India as one of the most trusted partners, globally. NASSCOM continues to make significant efforts in contributing towards India's GDP, exports, employment, infrastructure development and global visibility. Our membership base constitutes over 95% of the industry revenues in India and employs over 4 million professionals, and as technology blends into every aspect of the economy, we expect the industry to become key driver of growth, development and inclusion for the country. Our mission is to make India a global hub for Innovation and Talent so when the world thinks Digital, the world will think India.

About [email protected]

VentureLink is a community hub for technology companies at the New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark, NJ. They operate within the NJIT campus, providing in-residence start-up and established technology companies with weekly programming, workspace, and expert mentorship. To learn more visit www.venturelink.org.

About Choose New Jersey

Choose New Jersey is a privately funded 501(c)(3) nonprofit economic development organization. Our mission is to stimulate job creation and attract capital investment to New Jersey. We market New Jersey both domestically and internationally as the best place to grow your business in the United States. Our knowledgeable, experienced staff, supported by a network of State agencies and private partners, provide free, confidential assistance to guide companies in establishing operations here. By harnessing the power of business, labor, academic and government leaders, we enable growth across all sectors of our State's economy. We aspire to build a stronger and more prosperous New Jersey for all. For more information, visit www.choosenj.com.

Satyaki Maitra | Kritarth Srivastava NASSCOM Press Office  Genesis BCW +91 9958041503 | +91 7289870408 [email protected] | [email protected] Kavita Doshi NASSCOM +91 120 4990200 [email protected]

SOURCE NASSCOM
New Delhi, July 10 : Swedish audio streaming giant Spotify on Friday signed an exclusive deal with Archie Comics to produce podcast adaptations starring the comic book publisher's iconic characters.

Spotify users will get exclusive access to podcasts based on all archie characters including Archie, Betty, Jughead and Veronica.

"The creative team behind Archie Comics, who have sold over 2 billion comics worldwide, will be collaborating with Spotify Studios for a series that takes listeners through the crew's iconic crusades - from prankster Jughead getting out of hot water to Betty and Veronica vying for rivaled affection from Archie," the company said in a statement.

Earlier, Spotify announced an exclusive deal with Warner Bros for exclusive DC podcasts.

Spotify is working with Warner Bros on new podcast shows that will be based on the DC characters.

Spotify also signed an exclusive podcast deal with Joe Rogan. Starting September 1, "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast will be available exclusively on Spotify.

Spotify has over 286 million users globally, including 130 million paid subscribers and Archie Comics have sold over 2 billion copies worldwide since it was founded in 1939.
The assets include immovable properties in India and abroad, bank accounts, investments, luxury vehicles, among others

New Delhi: Assets, including flats in London and New York, with a market value of Rs 2,800 crore of Yes Bank co-founder Rana Kapoor and the Wadhawan brothers of DHFL company have been attached in connection with the Yes Bank money laundering case, the Enforcement Directorate said on Thursday.

The central probe agency said it has issued a provisional order, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), for attachment of properties worth Rs 2,203 crore but the "present market value of these assets is more than Rs 2,800 crore".

"The assets include immovable properties in India and abroad, bank accounts, investments, luxury vehicles, among others," it said.

"These assets belong to Rana Kapoor, Kapil Wadhawan and Dheeraj Wadhawan and the entities controlled by them," the ED added.

Kapoor, 62, and the Wadhawans were arrested by the agency in this case early this year and they are in judicial custody at present.

Kapoor's frozen assets include a bungalow (no 40) located at the upmarket Amrita Shergill Marg in Delhi that is worth Rs 685 crore, an independent residential building 'Khursidabad' at Cumbala Hill in south Mumbai, three duplex flats at Napean Sea Road in Mumbai, a residential flat in NCPA, Nariman Point and eight flats in India Bulls Blue in the Worli area of Maharashtra's capital city, the ED said.

"These attached assets relating to Rana Kapoor and linked entities have a total value of Rs 792 crore but their present market value is Rs 1,400 crore," the agency said.

In the case of Dewan Housing Finance Corporation (DHFL) promoter brothers Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan, the value of the attached properties is Rs 1,411.9 crore that includes a dozen flats in Khar (West) area of Mumbai, a flat in New York, two flats in London, two land parcels in Pune and nearby Mulshi, a commercial property in Australia, five luxury vehicles and 344 bank accounts, the ED said.

The agency had filed a PMLA case against the three men early this year and has accused Kapoor, his family members and others of laundering proceeds of crime worth Rs 4,300 crore by receiving alleged kickbacks in lieu of extending big loans through their bank that later turned into non-performing assets (NPA).

An alleged dubious link between Yes Bank and DHFL is under the ED's probe scanner.

"During April-June 2018, Yes Bank Limited had invested Rs 3,700 crore in short term debentures of DHFL, a company belonging to the Wadhawans, for which kickback of Rs 600 crore was paid to Rana Kapoor and his family members in the garb of loan," the ED alleged.

"In addition, Yes Bank had also sanctioned a loan of Rs 750 crore to a RKW Developers group company beneficially owned by the Wadhawans and their family members for their Bandra Reclamation Project in Mumbai but the whole amount was siphoned off by the brothers through their shell companies and was never used for the declared purpose," the probe agency has alleged.

The Amrita Shergill Marg property attachment stems from another money laundering FIR lodged by the ED, on the basis of a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) complaint, against Rana Kapoor and Avantha Group promoter Gautam Thapar.

"The (CBI) FIR alleges that Rana Kapoor, then MD and CEO of Yes Bank Ltd, obtained illegal gratification in the form of a property in a prime location in Delhi at much less than the realisable market value belonging to Avantha Reality Ltd for sanction of a loan to ARL and for extending concessions, relaxations and waivers in the already existing credit facilities provided to Avantha Group companies and for advancing new and additional loans to them by Yes Bank Ltd," the ED said.

The agency earlier had attached bank deposits to the tune of Rs 115 crore of various Rana Kapoor companies and had seized jewellery worth Rs 22.87 crore and seven expensive cars worth Rs 12.58 crore belonging to the Wadhawan family.

A total of 44 companies belonging to 10 large business groups, including the Anil Ambani Group, Essel Group, ILFS, Cox & Kings and Bharat Infra, reportedly accounted for bad loans of Rs 34,000 crore of Yes Bank.

Corporate bosses like Anil Ambani, Essel Group, Essel Group Chairman Subhash Chandra have been questioned by the agency in the past.

The ED also filed a charge sheet in this case in May and a supplementary complaint is soon expected to be filed before a special PMLA court in Mumbai.
Kenya has witnessed post-election violence in varying degrees since the return of multiparty politics in 1992 . The worst was in 2008. Since then the country has had two contested and deeply divisive elections (in 2013 and 2017).

In the 2007/2008 post election violence, journalists and the media were partly blamed for dividing the country along ethnic lines. The mainstream media, in particular, were accused of biased reporting and for framing issues with implicit or explicit ethnic overtones. Some vernacular radio stations were also accused of fanning the violence by airing hate speech.

But there's been little focus on an alternative role that community radio has played in the post-conflict period. In my paper I set out to examine whether community radio had played a constructive role.

A key point in my research was to find out if it could be used to facilitate peaceful social dialogue and build trust and resilience between  and among  different communities in Kenya.

Kenya has a vibrant radio sector made up of public, community, faith-based, international, pan-regional and private radio stations. With a population of about 47 million access to radio is very high for both urban and rural populations, with 95% of rural and 94% of urban respondents having access to a radio in the home. Over 50% of Kenyans get their news from the radio, especially in rural areas.

The first community-based radio station in Kenya was established in Homa Bay in 1982 as an initiative by the Kenyan government and UNESCO. The country now has 11 community-based radio stations . These include Mang'elete FM, Koch FM, Radio Maendeleo, Pamoja FM, Ghetto FM, and Shinyalu radio.

In my study, I found several ways through which community and faith-based media acted as platforms for building trust and resilience. I also discovered several cases in which community-based radio stations were used to promote peace. Their capacity to foster diversity, intercultural dialogue, and tolerance makes them important partners in peacebuilding.

Positive messages through the airwaves

During my research I identified a number of community and faith-based radio stations that used their platforms to cool tensions and lobby for peace during the post-election violence of 2007/2008. Examples included Pamoja FM in Nairobi's Kibera slum, Koch FM in Korogocho slum, and Radio Waumini (a national Catholic radio station).

Pamoja and Koch FM broadcast messages of peace, tolerance and reconciliation among members of the Luo and Kikuyu communities. Civil society organisations such as the International Rescue Committee, with the support of American donor agency, USAID, also successfully used radio to spread messages of peace.

The International Rescue Committee did this through a popular radio drama dubbed Gutuka (a Kiswahili word meaning awaken) which was broadcast throughout Kenya before and after the 2013 elections.

There was also Amani FM, which was established in Tana River County, Eastern Kenya, in the weeks prior to the 2017 general elections. The station regularly broadcast passing peace messages. Amani is a Swahili word for peace. The key objective of establishing the station was to promote peace and tolerance throughout the elections in a region historically known to have deeply divided political rivalry.

Destructive power

Most people at the grassroots in Kenya, especially during conflicts, still believe that if the radio said it, then it is true. This is why radio is repeatedly singled out as a catalyst of inter-ethnic and communal violence.

This was the case during the Rwanda genocide in 1994, and the 2007/8 post-election violence in Kenya.

In Kenya, KASS FM, which broadcasts in the Kalenjin language, was singled out as one of the vernacular radio stations that aired explicit hate messages during the 2007 election cycle. It was accused of propagating violence and one of its presenters, Joshua Sang, was among the suspects charged at the International Criminal Court.

But the same destructive power that radio wields as a popular medium at the grassroots can be harnessed to restore peace.

And since community radio stations are closer to people at the grassroots than the mainstream broadcast and print media, they provide an ideal avenue to create spaces where dialogue between people in conflict can safely take place.

Next steps

My research shows that community radio stations can promote dialogue and better understanding among conflicting communities. This is important because it's clear that the nature of post-election peace in Kenya remains fragile.

The political space is still highly contested with little or no trust between and among politicians across the political divide as well as Kenyans from diverse ethnic and political groups. Community media can be used as a bridge builder to help diffuse the tensions and mistrust that characterises Kenya today.

Jacinta Maweu does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

By Jacinta Maweu, Senior lecturer in Philosophy and Media studies, University of Nairobi
Chahid El Hafed (Dignity Camps), July 6, 2020 (SPS) - The Frente POLISARIO, through its Permanent Bureau, welcomed on Monday the position expressed by the European Union on Western Sahara.

At its meeting yesterday chaired by the President of the Republic, Secretary General of the Frente POLISARIO, Mr. Brahim Gali, the Permanent Bureau of the POLISARIO took note of the position expressed by the European Union, which states that the Kingdom of Morocco does not have sovereignty over Western Sahara.

In this sense, the Permanent Bureau underscored the need for EU practices to be consistent with this position, in accordance with the letter and the resolutions of the United Nations, considering Western Sahara and the Kingdom of Morocco as separate and distinct countries, and therefore the EU to refrain from signing any agreement with the Moroccan occupation that includes the Occupied Zones of Western Sahara, as it is a flagrant violation of international law.

The Frente POLISARIO expressed its satisfaction with the stability of the health situation in the Dignity Camps and in the Liberated Territories that have not yet recorded any case of COVID19.SPS

125/090/TRA
Virtual Beef Week 2020

The Teagasc Virtual Beef Week 2020 concludes this evening, Friday 10 July, with a live forum, moderated by Thia Hennessy, Professor of Agri-Food Economics at UCC, focussing on the grand challenges facing the Irish beef sector.

The participants include Barry Cowen, TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine; Tim Cullinan, Irish Farmers Association (IFA) President; Mairead McGuinness, MEP and Vice President of the European Parliament; and Director of Teagasc, Professor Gerry Boyle.

Minister of Agriculture, Food and Marine, Barry Cowen, TD, acknowledged the challenge facing the sector saying: Low family farm incomes is still the single biggest challenge facing the beef industry and will require a multi-faceted approach to address. Support programmes such as the BDGP and BEEP have been important in incentivising more efficient suckler system of production as well as supporting farmers income. I hope to finalise the 50 million COVID support scheme for beef finishers in the next week, or 10 days, with payments being made later in the year.

Mairead McGuinness, MEP said: The recently published European Commission Farm to Fork strategy reflects changed societal concerns with respect to the impact of agriculture on the environment, animal health and welfare and human health. Support of farm incomes through direct payments will continue, but policy makers will, reflecting changed citizen priorities, demand more in terms of environmental delivery in return for this income support.

Tim Cullinan, IFA President said: Key challenges facing the Irish beef industry currently include CAP reform; Brexit; the EU Mercosur trade deal and low beef prices. The recently published Teagasc National Farm Survey showed the large dependence of beef farmers on direct payments and subsidies to support incomes. It is vital that these supports are maintained into the future.

Director of Teagasc Professor Gerry Boyle said: Irish beef farmers will have to look at what they can control inside their farm gate in terms of improving their technical performance as outlined in the many contributions by my Teagasc colleagues during this weeks Teagasc Virtual Beef Week. Farm management practice changes and new technologies can consistently improve beef margins across all farm scales.

The Teagasc Virtual Beef Week, sponsored by FBD Trust, took place this week from Monday 6th to Friday 10th July with the main broadcasts coming from Teagasc Grange. The theme of the event was Building a Sustainable Beef Sector. Each day there was a Beef Talk webinar at 12 midday hosted by the Irish Farmers Journal and in the evening at 7 pm, Live@Grange was streamed live by AgriLand. There was also a continuous stream of content throughout each day on the Teagasc website and through the Teagasc social media platforms.

The entire content can be viewed at www.teagasc.ie/virtualbeefweek. The organisers of the Teagasc Virtual Beef Week would like to acknowledge FBD Trust as the overall sponsors of the event.
TARIK KIZILKAYA/iStockBy CATHERINE THORBECKE, ABC News



(NEW YORK) -- Derrick Johnson, the president of the NAACP and one of the leaders of the ongoing Facebook ad boycott, called the social media giant a "threat to democracy" and said that they won't back down until the platform is safe for everyone.



"Facebook is allowing their platform to be used as a gathering point to meet, recruit and plan out harm against communities," Johnson told ABC News. "They've also allowed their platform to be manipulated by a foreign nation and domestic actors to suppress and subvert our voting process and democracy."



"That is a clear and present danger to our democracy," Johnson said.



"The NAACP was started in 1909, in response to a race riot in Springfield, Illinois, and the founders of the organization have stated very clearly that we cannot have a true democracy if we allow for this type of mob violence," he added, accusing Facebook of allowing the same violence "to breed on the platform."



Moreover, Johnson said he believes Facebook has "absolutely failed to keep African Americans safe."



"When you have a white supremacist group meeting on the platform, plotting and planning on the platform, that's a threat to the African American community," Johnson said.



"The fact that they allow their platform to be manipulated by a foreign nation, Russia, to suppress Black votes and subvert democracy, that's an immediate threat to the Black community," he added, arguing that "the outcome of that election has caused the neglect of public policy that we're seeing now with the lack of response to deal with this health pandemic."



As the leader of one of the largest civil rights organizations in the U.S., he said the group was inspired to take action with the ad boycott to get Facebook to finally pay attention and enact changes after he says his research found there was very little oversight of the social media "behemoth."



Facebook made nearly $70 billion in advertising revenue alone last year, according to financial disclosures.



Facebook has no "regulatory oversight," Johnson said, adding "there are no board or stockholders who can hold the company in check because Mark Zuckerberg owns 60% of the stock."



Zuckerberg, Facebook's CEO and co-founder, controls 57.9% of the total voting shares of Facebook, according to a 2020 Securities and Exchange Commission filing.



"The only thing that can be done at this juncture is to get the broader corporate community to stand with our groups and the American people, to raise the question as forcefully as possible that we need a new standard and we need guardrails on this platform to keep people safe and to protect our democracy," Johnson said. "That's not too much to ask of any company."



The call for a pause on Facebook ads began on June 17, when a coalition of advocacy groups led by the NAACP, Colors of Change and the Anti-Defamation League launched the #StopHateforProfit campaign, calling on corporations to pause advertising on Facebook during the month of July.



Since then, organizers say nearly 1,000 companies have joined in the ad boycott -- including multinational conglomerate Unilever, telecom giant Verizon and coffee chain Starbucks.



While the ad boycott was only to last throughout the month of July, Johnson said they are planning on continuing the fight for a hate-free Facebook for as long as it takes.



"For the NAACP, we are 111 years old, we've got to continue to fight against discrimination," he said. "We're going to continue to push for people to stand with us, for accountability, so discrimination or racial hatred is not on this platform."



"There should not be a timeline on that," he added. "That should be a collective effort to make sure people are safe."



Since Facebook began to feel the pinch of advertisers pulling out, the social media giant has announced a series of updates in recent weeks, including labeling newsworthy posts, removing hundreds of extremist "boogaloo"-related accounts and updating its policy for hate in ads.



While these steps in the right direction are welcome, Johnson said the issue is "they as a platform are making changes after the fact, after there has been harm after there have been injuries."



"We want them to be more proactive to ensure people are not harmed before changes are made," he added.



He said Facebook already has "several roadmaps" of what needs to happen next, including making changes as a result of its recent civil rights audit, or listening to the boycott organizers' 10 demands.



"They can start at any place," he said. "They just simply need to get it done."



A Facebook spokesperson told ABC News that the company has invested "billions" to keep the platform hate-free and fight voter suppression.



"We agree that we must be front-footed and take aggressive action against hate and voter suppression. Thats why we have invested billions in people and technology to keep hate off of our platform," the spokesperson said in a statement. "We have created new policies to prohibit voter and census interference and have launched the largest voting information campaign in American history."



The statement added that they have banned more than 250 white supremacist organizations and are producing regular reports about content moderation efforts.



"We know we will be judged by our actions not by our words and are grateful to these groups and many others for their continued engagement," the spokesperson said.



Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
The lawmaker representing Kosofe Constituency 1 at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Tunde Braimoh, is dead, officials have said.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Kosofe Local Government Chairman, Taiwo Fadipe, confirmed the death to Punch newspaper. He said Buraimoh died after a brief illness.

Reliable sources at the assembly also confirmed the development to PREMIUM TIMES.

Until his death, Mr Braimoh was an active member of the states parliament and the chairman of its committee on information.

Mr Braimoh was from the same senatorial district as a late senator, Bayo Osinowo, who represented Lagos East Senatorial District until his death in June.

Mr Osinowo had represented Kosofe Constituency 2 at the Lagos assembly for more than three terms until his election into the Senate in 2019, replacing Gbenga Ashafa.

On June 16, Mr Braimoh had written a poem in honour of the late senator, whom he described as his leader and mentor.

According to one of his colleagues who does not want to be named since he has not been authorised to do so, Mr Braimoh was last seen in the chamber about two weeks ago, but he was, however, not officially reported sick.

Late lawmaker representing Kosofe Constituency 1 at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Tunde Braimoh. [PHOTO CREDIT: Official Twitter handle of Braimoh]

The source said the news of his colleagues death was broken to him at 2 a.m.

It is shocking. This honourable was one of the most intelligent among us. I did not see him throughout last week and also this week. But we didnt bother because unofficially members have been skipping sittings because of COVID-19 pandemic, the member said.

Also confirming the development, an official of the assembly, who also asked not to be named, told PREMIUM TIMES that the parliaments staff received the information officially at 4 a.m.
CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan oil minister Tareck El Aissami has tested positive for COVID-19, he said on Twitter on Friday, a day after the leader of the socialist party, Diosdado Cabello, tested positive for the virus as well.

El Aissami, named to the position this year, has been indicted in the United States on drug trafficking allegations that he denies. He said he was beginning self-isolation.

"A new battle that I will take on, clinging to God and to life," wrote El Aissami, who is also the country's economic vice president.

Omar Prieto, governor of western Zulia state, has also tested positive for the virus. Venezuela has reported 8,010 cases of the novel coronavirus so far, far fewer than other Latin American neighbors like Brazil, but its cases have risen at a brisker pace in recent weeks.

(Reporting by Luc Cohen; Editing by David Gregorio)
Yoo In-seok, the chief barista of Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas / Courtesy of Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas



By Jun Ji-hye



Yoo In-seok, the chief barista of Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas, has been striving to make coffee through which customers can feel happiness and contentment.



In his latest effort to offer coffee that will remain in customers' memory for a long time, he and his team launched the hotel's first private brand coffee bean blend, D'GOLD, in late April.



"It is hard to say which coffee beans are good and bad as tastes differ," Yoo said in an interview with The Korea Times. "My team, called Team B'irst, recently launched D'GOLD as we wanted to offer our customers more special and memorable coffee."



The barista team, consisting of four veteran baristas including Yoo, blended D'GOLD with premium beans from three regions  Brazil, Ethiopia and Costa Rica.



It is characteristically medium-bodied to heighten its fresh, invigorating acidity with the sweetness of berries and the fragrance of herbs and roses.



As the coffee has a distinct sour citrus flavor, the chief barista recommends that customers enjoy it as an iced Americano or iced latte.



"It took more than a year for Team B'irst to launch D'GOLD as we sampled coffee more than 20 times," Yoo said. "Since its launch, D'GOLD has been well-received by customers although it is a little bit more expansive than regular coffee. Some customers even asked us if they can buy D'GOLD beans separately."



Yoo noted his team is working to develop D'GOLD in the form of drip bags so customers can enjoy it at home.



He joined Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas in 2006 as a server of the five-star hotel's fine dining French restaurant, Table 34. He began his career as a barista in 2010 when he became more interested in coffee making.



"Coffee is a medium that helps me communicate with customers. I feel the greatest happiness when customers are curious about my coffee and ask me questions about it," he said. "I hope customers can feel satisfied and comfortable when drinking coffee I make."



Yoo added that his team is continuing to develop new coffee beans with an aim of offering special coffee blends that are well-matched with each restaurant of the hotel.


Accurate record keeping and relevant languages key lessons learnt during Wrexham outbreak says First Minister

This article is old - Published: Friday, Jul 10th, 2020

The First Minister has said we are probably past the most concerning time of the coronavirus outbreak in Wrexham.

The regular 2pm Public Health Wales update this afternoon noted no increases in cases on top of the previously reported 302 linked to the outbreak connected to the Rowan Foods factory in Wrexham that has been declared an outbreak.

Todays Public Health Wales dashboard stats say there are five new confirmed cases in Wrexham.

Today we asked the First Minister Mark Drakeford for the latest on the situation locally, and what has been learnt as a result of it in terms of the Track Trace Protect (TTP) process.

The First Minister told us, I have the latest advice about Wrexham outbreak in front of me, it does indeed suggest that we are probably past the most concerning time in the outbreak.

There is no longer anxiety about widespread community transmission. That is true in Llangefni in North West Wales as well. The outbreak control team will meet again today and therell be a further update from the control team later in the day.

We are hopeful that it will confirm that the measures that we were looking to the company to put in place have been put in place, and that it can continue to operate in that new way.

What we have learned I think most of all from a TTP point of view is that when you are working with a population which is often drawn from countries outside the United Kingdom is the need for accuracy in record keeping is really important. So some of the people who we have struggled the most to contact, are people whose names and addresses have not been properly recorded, where the spelling of peoples names is many and various, where telephone numbers have not been properly transcribed.

The importance of accurate record keeping is so that our TTP team can get straight on to the contact tracing. I think weve learned that, I think weve learned something about being prepared to communicate in languages other than Welsh and English because for some of the workers at Rowan Foods to be able to see information in their own language, their native language, is important.

We will be better prepared to do that more quickly if we face a similar outbreak in the future.

You can view the full briefing from lunchtime today below, along with the Q&A session:
Something strange is out there in deep space, and astronomers using massive radio telescopes have found four mysterious objects that appear to be significantly circular at radio wavelengths and have a sort of brightness around them.

These objects aren't like any astronomical objects that have been seen in the past.





The Mysterious Deep Space Objects

The mysterious objects, which look like faraway islands shaped like rings, have been assigned odd radio circles, or ORCs for short. These objects were dubbed with that name since they are peculiar circular objects that are mysterious. The distance from us to these objects aren't known by astronomers yet, but they might be connected to galaxies far away.

The objects weren't located in the Milky Way galactic plane, and they are about one arcminute across, which pales in comparison to the moon's diameter of 31 arcminutes.

In the astronomers' paper that thoroughly goes over the discovery, there are a few possible explanations, but none of them match every one of the four ORCs. The main theory is that the objects are remnants of shockwaves that were left over after an extragalactic event, or it may be stray activity from a radio galaxy.

An astronomer at the Royal Military College of Canada and Queen's University, Kristine Spekkens, said that the objects might branch from a phenomenon that hasn't been probed before. Spekkens wasn't involved with the discovery or study at all, but she states that the objects are an extension of a class of objects that are already known to us.

Spekkens mentioned that the objects might be the result of some other phenomena. The ORCs are bright when viewed via radio wavelengths, but it's not visible when viewed in visible, infrared, and x-ray light.

Half of the ORCs are formed around galaxies that you can see in visible wavelengths. It suggests that the galaxies are what formed these mysterious objects. Two of the ORCs are close to each other, which might suggest that they have linked origins.

Read More: Are You A Fan Of Elon Musk's Rocket Company? Check These SpaceX Launch Memorabilia Out!





How Were These Objects Found?

The astronomers who found the objects discovered three of the objects while mapping the night sky using radio frequencies, which was a part of a pilot survey for the project EMU. EMU stands for the Evolutionary Map of the Universe. The EMU's pilot survey used the ASKAP, which stands for the Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder, from July to November in 2019.

The ASKAP uses 36 dish antennas that work in tandem to watch the night sky with a wide-angle view. But this wasn't what found the fourth ORC.

The fourth ORC was found in archival data that was collected by India's Giant MetreWave Radio Telescope. The discovery helped the astronomers confirm that the ORCs were real and that it wasn't an issue with the telescope or the data analysis.

Only four ORCs have been discovered currently, and astronomers can't tell what the true nature of these mysterious objects are. The EMU survey has begun recently, which means that more unusual objects might show themselves.

Read More: Rocket Lab CEO's Apology Has Had Elon Musk and Other Competitors Supporting Him After Launch Failure




Some places are letting people linger, Roper said. Some are probably letting people order a few drinks before 11 so they can keep drinking for a while. We have found that our crowd dwindles early, so we stop serving food and drink at 9 and are clearing the house at 10. With our limited staff, it keeps the hours down and focuses our open hours on peak demand times.
(Source: Getty)

Contractors who charge by the hour may soon need to have a rethink of their business model, with the new normal of work ushering in new, more flexible work practices.

According to a major study by Adecco Group that surveyed 8,000 office-based workers around the world, the hours-based method of measuring work could be in its last days.

When asked whether the structure of employee contracts should be revisited to focus more on output, more than two thirds (69 per cent) of employees felt contracts should focus on meeting business needs, rather than hours, and 67 per cent felt the length of the working week should be revised.

And those in upper management at the c-suite level felt the same way, too; in fact, even more so, with 76 per cent of executive or c-suite level managers feeling the focus should be on business needs, not hours, and 74 per cent agreeing that the length of the working week should be revised.

The reason for this is because employees are fast becoming accustomed to adjusting their day around their personal schedule and family commitments.

As flexibility increases and employees gain greater control over working schedules, they will also look to gain greater autonomy over how to manage working time, the report said.

As the importance of knowledge-based work increases, the practice of compensating an employee based on a fixed set of horus during a certain time of the ay, rather than results delivered, will no longer stand as reference for a working relationship.

Work has traditionally been based on attendance rather than impact, but this could change.

Going forward, the concept of correlating output with hours will be outdated, the report said. Individuals work at different paces to one another, and workloads are often not always consistent all the time.

But redefining the way productivity is measured will be complex, according to the Adeco report.

An individualised approach must be considered going forward.

Story continues

In an era of work vastly different from the one based on an industrial 9-5 scheme, it is inevitable that the hours-based model of productivity measurement will be revisited.

The world will never go back to the way it was pre-pandemic, said Adecco Group Australia CEO Rafael Moyano.

The sudden and dramatic change in the workplace landscape has accelerated emerging trends such as flexible working, high-EQ leadership, and re-skilling, to the point where they are now fundamental to organisational success, he said.

As we step into the new era of work, now is the time to establish better norms that will enable a holistically healthy, productive and inclusive workforce into the future.

Speaking to Yahoo Finance, independent employment expert Conrad Liveris also said the hours-based model of measuring work would give way.

Presenteeism will die out and be replaced by outcomes, he said.

Basically, show the work you have done, not how long it took you. And with that outcomes-based pricing (as opposed to hourly charge-out rates) [will become part of our workplaces].

Make your money work with Yahoo Finances daily newsletter. Sign up here and stay on top of the latest money, property and economy news.

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Gangster Vikay Dubey, who was arrested in Ujjain, MP, on Thursday, was killed in a police encounter on Friday when the vehicle in which he was taken to Kanpur overturned and he tried to flee, police have said. Four cops were also injured in the encounter, police have confirmed.

Police said as the car overturned on the highway that was slick with rain, the gangster tried to flee after snatching a gun from one of the cops. During the escape, shots were fired and the accused was gunned down in an encounter, the cops said. "Gangster Vikas Dubey attempted to flee after the car overturned. He attempted to flee by snatching pistol of the injured policemen. Police tried to make him surrender, during which he fired at the policemen. He was injured in retaliatory firing by police. He was later rushed to the hospital", SP Kanpur West told news agency ANI.

#WATCH 4 policemen were injured in the accident today. Vikas Dubey has been killed in police encounter: Kanpur IG Mohit Agarwal pic.twitter.com/JM7ei1XY41 ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 10, 2020

After the encounter, he was taken to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him brought dead, the police said. Notably, before Vikas Dubey, three of his accomplices who were also absconding, were shot dead in different raids.

Dubey was identified by a security guard at the Mahakaleshwar shrine in Ujjain on Saturday. Police had placed Rs 5 lakh cash bounty on him. He was arrested after a high voltage drama that unfolded at the Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain, where he allegedly shouted "Main hoon Vikas Dubey, Kanpur Wala"(I am Vikas Dubey from Kanpur). Police were alerted and the murder accused was arrested. As the policemen escorted him towards the police vehicle, Dubey again shouted the same words, the video footage reveals.

Vikas Dubey was on the run from Friday last week after eight cops were murdered when they reached his house in Kanpur to arrest the gangster. Bullets was showered on the cops from building rooftops as they were about to reach the hideout of the gangster. JCBs were put in the way to obstruct the movement of police vehicles.

Vikas Dubey had trodden a long, bloody path from committing his first murder in 1992 to killing 8 police officers in the Kanpur ambush. The Kanpur gangster had as many as 60 criminal cases against him. Dubey resides in the Dikru village and reportedly also has his own private army.

He was the prime accused in the sensational murder of the principal of the Tara Chand Inter College, Sidheshwar Pandey in 2000. This murder was committed over a land dispute. Even before the heat of the matter could die down, Vikas committed another murder in 2001. He also allegedly murdered state minister Santosh Shukla inside the Shivli police station. The late BJP leader's family accused the police of being spectators. Dubey was acquitted of all charges due to lack of evidence by a sessions court.

Also read: Car carrying Vikas Dubey overturns; gangster killed in encounter, say police
MINNEAPOLIS  More than 150 Minneapolis police officers are filing work-related disability claims after the death of George Floyd and ensuing unrest, with about three-quarters citing post-traumatic stress disorder as the reason for their planned departures, according to an attorney representing the officers.

Their duty disability claims, which will take months to process, come as the city is seeing an increase in violent crime and while city leaders push a proposal to replace the Minneapolis Police Department with a new agency that they say would have a more holistic approach.

While Floyd's death in May and the unrest that followed are not the direct cause of many of the disability requests, attorney Ron Meuser said, those events and what Meuser called a lack of support from city leadership were a breaking point for many who had been struggling with PTSD from years on the job. Duty disability means the officer was disabled while engaged in inherently dangerous acts specific to the job.

"Following the George Floyd incident, unfortunately it became too much and as a result they were unable to, and are unable to, continue on and move forward," Meuser said. "They feel totally and utterly abandoned."

He said many officers he represents were at a precinct that police abandoned as people were breaking in during the unrest. Some officers feared they wouldn't make it home, he said, and wrote final notes to loved ones. People in the crowd ultimately set fire to the building.

Mayor Jacob Frey issued a statement saying that COVID-19 and unrest following Floyd's death tested the community and officers in profound ways. He said cities need resources to reflect the realities on the ground.

"In the meantime, I am committed to supporting those officers committed to carrying out their oath to serve and protect the people of Minneapolis during a challenging time for our city," he said.

Meuser said in recent weeks, 150 officers have retained his office for help in filing for duty disability benefits through the state's Public Employment Retirement Association, or PERA. So far, 75 of them have already left the job, he said.

Police spokesman John Elder questioned Meuser's figure of 150, though he does expect an increase in departures. The department currently has about 850 officers and will adjust staffing to ensure it can do its job, he said.

The city said it has received 17 PTSD workers compensation claims in the last month, but when it comes to PERA duty disability, officers are not obligated to notify the Police Department that an application was submitted. Meuser said the city isnt being transparent about departures, and the numbers it sees will lag as PERA benefits take months to process.

Doug Anderson, executive director for PERA, said 150 officers seeking duty disability from one department would be high. PERA approved 105 disability applications from both police and firefighters statewide in all of 2019, including 60 claims for duty-related PTSD and 20 for other work-related injuries.

PERA is primarily a retirement plan, in which members and employers contribute funds. Members who become disabled can receive a disability benefit until age 55, at which time retirement benefits kick in.

A high percentage of those on duty disability do not return to the job, Anderson said.

"It's a disability that as a general rule is a permanent designation entitling them for benefits for the rest of their life," Meuser said.

A high number of people taking PERA disability likely won't impact the city budget immediately, as the city's rate of contribution to the plan is fixed, though the Minnesota Legislature could increase contribution rates. The city can incur significant costs if the leave is classified as "duty disability," because the city would continue to pay for the officer's health insurance.

FILE - In this May 27, 2020, file photo, police gather en masse as protests continue at the Minneapolis 3rd Police Precinct in Minneapolis. More than 150 Minneapolis police officers have started the process of filing for disability claims since the death of George Floyd and the ensuing unrest in the city, with the majority citing post-traumatic stress disorder as the reason for their planned departure, according to an attorney representing the officers. (Carlos Gonzalez/Star Tribune via AP, File)AP

To apply, an officer needs supporting documents from two physicians. A third-party administrator ensures applications are complete. If there is a discrepancy, PERA can require an independent medical evaluation. The Police Department could also challenge an application, and there is a process for appeal. Denials and appeals are uncommon, Anderson said.

Meuser made his announcement amid an increase in violent crime. From Thursday night to Friday morning alone, nine people were shot in Minneapolis, including one fatally. Police data analyzed by the Star Tribune show that at least 243 people have been shot so far this year, compared with 269 in all of 2019.

Asked about his timing, Meuser said he believes Minneapolis officers are being unfairly tarnished, and it's time to call out "decades of failed leadership" in the city.

Meuser opposes calls to dismantle or defund the Police Department, and said he hopes the news that veteran officers are leaving will make the public reassess the city's current trajectory.

"The men and women in public safety who give their heart and soul to serve Minneapolis and keep it safe deserve to have Minneapolis leaders to step up and supporting them," he said. "Instead of spending time plotting the dismantling of the force, let's come together to improve community trust and work towards a safer city for all. "

___

Amy Forliti of The Associated Press wrote this story. Follow Amy Forliti on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/amyforliti
Japan - F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft

Media/Public Contact: pm-cpa@state.gov

Transmittal No: 20-18

WASHINGTON, July 9, 2020 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Japan of one hundred five (105) F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft and related equipment for an estimated cost of $23.11 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.

The Government of Japan has requested to buy sixty-three (63) F-35A Conventional TakeOff and Landing (CTOL) aircraft, forty-two (42) F-35B Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) aircraft, and one hundred ten (110) Pratt and Whitney F135 engines (includes 5 spares). Also included are Electronic Warfare Systems; Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence/Communications, Navigation and Identification; Autonomic Logistics Global Support System, Autonomic Logistics Information System; Flight Mission Trainer; Weapons Employment Capability, and other Subsystems, Features, and Capabilities; F-35 unique infrared flares; reprogramming center access and F-35 Performance Based Logistics; software development/integration; flight test instrumentation; aircraft ferry and tanker support; spare and repair parts; support equipment, tools and test equipment; technical data and publications; personnel training and training equipment; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistics support. The estimated total cost is $23.11 billion.

This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Asia-Pacific region. It is vital to U.S. national interest to assist Japan in developing and maintaining a strong and effective self-defense capability.

The proposed sale of aircraft and support will augment Japan's operational aircraft inventory and enhance its air-to-air and air-to-ground self-defense capability. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force's F-4 aircraft are being decommissioned as F-35s are added to the inventory. Japan will have no difficulty absorbing these aircraft into its armed forces.

The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

The prime contractors will be Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, Fort Worth, Texas; and Pratt and Whitney Military Engines, East Hartford, Connecticut. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.

Implementation of this proposed sale will require multiple trips to Japan involving U.S. Government and contractor representatives for technical reviews/support, programs management, and training over a period of 25 years. U.S. contractor representatives will be required in Japan to conduct Contractor Engineering Technical Services (CETS) and Autonomic Logistics and Global Support (ALGS) for after-aircraft delivery.

There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

This notice of a potential sale is required by law and does not mean the sale has been concluded.

All questions regarding this proposed Foreign Military Sale should be directed to the State Department's Bureau of Political Military Affairs, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, pm-cpa@state.gov.

-30-

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Maharashtra on Friday reported its highest single-day spike of 7,862 new cases taking the overall tally of Covid-19 patients in the state to 2,38,461, according to data released by the health department. The state also recorded 226 cases of deaths due to the deadly infection, taking the death toll in the state to 9,893, a touch shy of the 10,000 mark.

5,366 patients were declared to have been recovered in the last 24 hours taking the total number of recoveries in the state to 1,32,625, leaving 95,943 active cases in the state at present.

Mumbai recorded 1,337 new coronavirus cases taking the total past the 90,000 mark in the maximum city. At 90,461 cases, Mumbai has contributed the most number of infections to the state tally. Indias financial capital also recorded 73 new casualties in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of deaths attributed to the disease to 5,205.

The sharpest rise seen so far in daily cases recorded in Maharashtra came on a day the state government took some tough decisions including announcing a 10-day long lockdown in areas of Pune district beginning July 13 to stem the rise of infections.

Pune lockdown in two phases, here are the five important things to know

In a similar precautionary measure, the lockdown was extended in Thane district till July 19 from July 12, when the 10-day lockdown clamped on July 2 was supposed to end.

The government also announced the decision to buy antiviral drugs Remdesivir and Tocilizumab in bulk to meet the shortfall.

Minister Anil Deshmukh said the government will take strict action against black marketeers of the drugs used in treating coronavirus patients.

Maharashtras prisons witness surge in Covid-19 cases

In another significant decision, the administration decided to impose curfew in Nanded district from next week to check the rise of infections. 34 persons tested positive for the virus on Friday morning in the district, taking the total number of cases in the jurisdiction to 558.

The curfew will start on the midnight of July 12 and continue till the midnight of July 20, said an official release. Medical facilities and government offices will continue to operate normally during the curfew while essential services such as ration shops, vegetable vendors, milk shops and cooking gas vendors will be allowed to operate during prescribed hours, the official statement quoted by PTI said.
Australia has reaffirmed its commitment to signing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade agreement despite rising political tensions with China  a key supporter of the treaty  possibly paving the way for a new platform for trade-conflict resolution between the two countries.

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade also said on Wednesday that there was no change in Australias commitment to sign the RCEP.

At the 10th RCEP Ministerial Meeting two weeks ago, Australia and the other 14 RCEP countries  comprising the 10 members of Asean, plus Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and China  again pledged their commitment to sign the trade deal by the end of 2020.

Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China.

However, negotiations to finalise the free-trade deal have been ongoing since the 19th meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in November 2011  almost a decade ago. But India withdrew last year, significantly diminishing the size of the deal, which focuses mainly on tariff reduction rather than the meatier standards and non-tariff barrier removals in other modern trade accords such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

What is the difference between the RCEP and the CPTPP?

Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said on June 23 that the worsening diplomatic ties between China and Australia would not get in the way of the progress of the RCEP.

However, he declined to comment on the remaining sticking points in the negotiations, saying Australia would continue to advocate behind closed doors for a deal that is in its interests.

International trade experts agreed that sentiment among negotiating countries remained positive despite recent political spats between Beijing and Canberra.

I believe that RCEP will be signed as intended [at the RCEP Summit Meeting] in November, said Deborah Elms, executive director of the Asian Trade Centre and president of the Asia Business Trade Association in Singapore.

Story continues

This does not mean that getting the last details into order has been a simple matter. But the 15 members have invested significant time, attention and resources in making this happen, she said.

The RCEP had already shown its ability to withstand geopolitical conflicts, Elms said, referring to the resurfaced dispute between South Korea and Japan last year over the use of forced labour during the Japanese occupation of Korea in World War II.

They had a frosty relationship in the negotiating rooms. However, they managed to put aside broader differences to get the agreement drafted. Something similar is happening now, in spite of tensions between some members. The larger objective of concluding the agreement and getting it into force remains unchanged, Elms said.

In May and June, China slapped an anti-dumping tariff on Australian barley, banned beef exports from Australian abattoirs and discouraged tourists and students from going to Australia amid an increase in racial attacks on Asians down under. The moves came after Australia advocated an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus without first conducting discussions with China and other major countries.

Despite this turn in events, former chief economist of the Australian Trade Commission Tim Harcourt said Australia does not have aspirations to allow the world to drift into protectionism and will attempt to keep its political differences with China separate from trade negotiations.

Harcourt said Australia would use RCEP and the CPTPP as de facto mechanisms for multilateral arrangements, given that the World Trade Organisation (WTO) appellate isnt functional without member appointments.

Lauren Adams, a former Australian diplomat and the associate director for Indonesia and Southeast Asia at Asia Group Advisors, concurred on Australias intentions, saying the deteriorating trade relationship between China and the US would also add momentum to the RCEP closing.

It is very much in Australias interests to see RCEP get over the line this year, given the immense trade and investment benefits to Australia of deeper economic integration across Asia, Adams said. Its possible RCEP could provide a useful platform for Australia and China to discuss and manage trade tensions between them.

Heng Wang, co-director of University of New South Wales Law's China International Business and Economic Law (CIBEL) Centre, sees the RCEP as a likely way forward for the two countries, particularly given the WTO appellate crisis which has left no substantial or strong mechanism to address Australia and China issues.

Australia and China should seize the opportunity to sort out these issues through the RCEP, which will give them a third adjudicator to address these disputes, Wang said.

As the RCEP is the only large free-trade agreement body through which China is negotiating with other countries in the region, it is the sole option for China and Australia to speak objectively in the presence of more than 10 other parties, Wang added.

At best, RCEP would play a critical role in promoting and reinforcing regional production networks

Julien Chaisse, trade arbitrator

Like other experts, Wang sees a desire between the two countries to mend relations, particularly given this weeks joint ministerial commitment between Australia and other countries, including China, to maintain open and connected supply chains.

But the problem with the RCEP as a third-party adjudicator is that it has not developed advanced rules on trade remedies, he said.

Trade arbitrator Julien Chaisse, a professor at City University of Hong Kong, agreed that excessive optimism about RCEPs role to contain regional spats should be curbed, due to the partnerships underdeveloped architecture.

At best, RCEP would play a critical role in promoting and reinforcing regional production networks  and even by tackling behind-the-border issues relevant to supply chains and production networks, he said.

RCEP is an Asean-led treaty. In this project, both Australia and China are not at the centre. Instead, it is Asean that operates centre stage, and Asean has a long history of putting national sovereignty and self-interest first.

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Johnny Depp has claimed he decided to divorce Amber Heard after she defecated in their marital bed as a prank as he denied hitting her and said that she had abused him throughout their marriage.

The Hollywood legend, 57, is suing The Sun for labeling him a wife beater and today branded those accusations sick and completely untrue at a long-awaited blockbuster libel trial at the High Court in London.

But the most sensational revelation from Depp was that he decided to divorce Heard after faeces was left in their bed.

In a written statement, the actor said Heard or possibly one of her friends was responsible for the incident, but claimed she dismissed it as just a harmless prank, and he said it was the final straw in their deteriorating marriage.



Ms Heard confessed to our estate manager, Kevin Murphy, that leaving the faeces in the bed had been just a harmless prank, thereby effectively acknowledging that she had been responsible, whereas she had previously sought to blame our dogs, he said.

Today, he took to the stand to deny ever hitting Heard, as a series of newspaper stories alleged, and said it was inconceivable that he would ever hit a woman, citing his Southern upbringing and saying he considers chivalry very important.

He said: It is a strong and central part of my moral code that I would never strike a woman, under any circumstances, at any time. I find it simply inconceivable and it would never happen.

While denying attacking Heard he also launched a blistering attack on her, accusing her of being a calculating, narcissistic sociopath who married him to further her career.

His defence reeled off a string of incidents in which she had allegedly attacked him throughout their marriage including when she threw a vodka bottle at him, severing his finger, in Australia in 2015.

Depp also cited another incident in which she repeatedly punched him in the face on a private jet in 2014 and claimed that she punched him again as he fled to the toilet.

In contrast, the actress lawyers painted Depp as a domestic abuser who repeatedly attacked her when he was drunk or high on drugs.

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Workers attempt to restore a collapsed road as it was hit by heavy rains in Takayama, Gifu prefecture, southern Japan (Kyodo News/AP)

Parts of Japan still searching for missing people and evacuating those stranded by deadly floods and mudslides were bracing for more pounding rains through the weekend.

The death toll has risen to 66 as of Friday morning, with 16 others still missing, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said.

Most of them are in prefectures on Kyushu, Japans third-largest main island.

The damage has spread beyond Kyushu into central Japans scenic mountain villages known for hot springs and hiking.

Expand Close Police officers carry earth and sand by buckets as they search for the missing in Tsunagi town, Kumamoto prefecture, southern Japan (Kyodo News/AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Police officers carry earth and sand by buckets as they search for the missing in Tsunagi town, Kumamoto prefecture, southern Japan (Kyodo News/AP)

Search and rescue work continued in Kuma village, where nine people are missing and the effort has been delayed by deep floodwater and the risk of more mudslides. People isolated by the flooding are still being airlifted to safety.

In the famous hot springs town of Yufuin in Oita prefecture, an innkeeper was found dead, and rescuers were searching for three of her family members still missing.

Nearly 2,000 people were still stranded in 70 places, Japans chief cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said.

Rescue workers and the authorities have been in touch with most of those areas, though the extent of damage has not been fully known.

Expand Close Damaged furniture is piled outside a Japanese hotel as it was hit by heavy rains in Hita, Oita prefecture (Miyuki Saito/AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Damaged furniture is piled outside a Japanese hotel as it was hit by heavy rains in Hita, Oita prefecture (Miyuki Saito/AP)

The Meteorological Agency has issued evacuation advisories in Nagasaki and other areas on the Kyushu region due to continuing downpours.

In all, more than 1.2 million people have been urged to evacuate, though it is not compulsory.

The agency predicted up to 11 inches of rain on the southern island through Saturday.

Mr Suga urged residents in the affected regions to evacuate to designated facilities early and assured people that adequate virus safety measures are being used.
PALM SPRINGS (2020) Stream on Hulu. Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti star in this romantic comedy, which was a hit at this years Sundance Film Festival. The feature directorial debut of Max Barbakow, Palm Springs centers on two guests at a Southern California wedding: Nyles (Samberg), who is a charmer in a Hawaiian shirt, and Sarah (Milioti), the sister of the bride. Their story gets weird fast, mixing in several shots of sci-fi as it plays with romantic comedy conventions. You dont have to be a genre scientist to know where this will end up, A.O. Scott wrote in his review for The Times. But the long, crazy middle of this wildly funny, admirably inventive movie is where the surprises are lurking.

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THE NEW YORK TIMES PRESENTS 10 p.m. on FX. This new documentary series from the team behind The Weekly will present hourlong documentaries monthly. The first entry, which will debut on Friday night, follows medical workers in New York City during an extraordinary time: This year, as workers fight to keep the citys health care system running during the coronavirus crisis.
BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) -- China will launch a campaign in 2021 regarding its political and legal organs across the country to educate its personnel and rectify existing problems in these units, authorities said.

Demanded by the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, this campaign is a new measure to conduct strict governance over the Party and the police, said Chen Yixin, an official with the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee.

According to a decision made by the commission, a pilot campaign will be initiated from July to October this year, covering organs in five provinces.

The education and rectification of all political and legal organs across the country are scheduled to be completed by the first quarter of 2022.
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Linkedin Ghina Ghaliya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 10, 2020 13:13 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406655fe2e 1 Politics PDI-P,pancasila-ideology-bill,hip-bill Free

The ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has removed politician Rieke Diah Pitaloka from her post as House of Representatives Legislation Body (Baleg) deputy chair amid controversy surrounding the Pancasila Ideology Guidelines (HIP) bill proposed by the party.

According to PDI-P House faction chairman Utut Adianto, Rieke has been replaced by another PDI-P politician, M. Nurdin, a retired three-star police general. He added that the replacement had been necessary to ensure the smooth deliberation of the omnibus bill on job creation as well as the HIP bill.

"Soon, Baleg will be overwhelmed with major tasks. The deliberation of the job creation bill is approaching a crucial point. Theres also the HIP bill. Nurdin, with a police general background, is the right person to handle these issues.

Read also: Specter of communism polarizes PDI-P infighting: Sources

PDI-P House faction secretary Bambang Wuryanto echoed Utut, saying that replacing Rieke with Nurdin would improve the composition of PDI-P personnel in Baleg.

"We also have a retired military officer, Sturman Panjaitan, who leads the PDI-P team in Baleg," he said.

Both Utut and Bambang denied that replacing Rieke had anything to do with the controversy surrounding the HIP bill. As reported, the Houses plan to deliberate the bill sparked an outcry from scholars and various groups questioning its urgency during the current COVID-19 pandemic while raising concerns that the bill could lead to new interpretations of Pancasila.

Islamic organizations have also called on the House to drop the bill over fears it would trigger the reemergence of the banned communist ideology in the country.

Utut added that the party had nothing against Rieke, who was now a member of the House Commission VI overseeing trade, industry and state-owned enterprises.

She has fought hard to this point, but we should take another step..

When asked for details, Bambang emphasized that Rieke was a competent member of the party who had been involved in the establishment of the Healthcare and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) by endorsing the BPJS Law in 2011.

Actor-cum-politician Rieke started her political career in 2009 as a lawmaker from the PDI-P. In addition to serving as Baleg deputy chair, Rieke also led the HIP bills working committee. The bill was unanimously approved by the House as its initiative and listed as this years priority bill during a plenary session on May 12.

All factions agreed to discuss the bill, except the Democratic Party. Other factions, such as the National Mandate Party (PAN), the United Development Party (PPP), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the NasDem Party agreed on the deliberation but noted that the draft bill should refer to a 1966 Provisional Peoples Consultative Assembly (MPRS) decree that bans communism as a legal foundation.
Coronavirus looks set to hasten the demise of cash and force buskers to ask passing spectators for tap-and-go payments.

Even before the onset of COVID-19, banknotes comprised less than a third of in-person transactions.

The pandemic has seen the supermarket giants and many smaller stores ban cash, and buskers aren't immune from those trends, with some trialling new pay wave systems.

Sydney busker Gary Bradbury, a saxophonist, said he would have to set up an electronic payments system to replace coins and smaller banknote denominations being throw into a hat.

'I'm thinking of getting EFTPOS facilities myself,' he told the ABC's 7.30 program.

Coronavirus looks set to hasten the demise of cash and force buskers to ask passing spectators for tap-and-go payments. Pictured is Sydney busker Gary Bradbury

'I'm sure that's the next step, the next technological step for buskers because otherwise there will be no opportunity to make any cash.'

In November 2019, two months before the first case of coronavirus was confirmed in Australia, cash payments made up just 32 per cent of in-person transactions, down from 43 per cent in 2016, separate Reserve Bank data showed.

A decade ago, cash payments made up more than half Australia's over-the-counter transactions back when EFTPOS, or electronic funds transfer at the point of sale transactions, required customers to manually swipe their cards.

Information technology professor Kai Reimer, from the University of Sydney's Business School, said COVID-19 was likely to accelerate this decline in cash transactions.

'We can safely assume that it has dropped, much, much further during COVID-19,' he told the ABC.

'We'll approach low, double digits soon which then raises the question for the government at some point: "Is it still worth maintaining the whole cash system which is costly to run?".'

Even before the onset of COVID-19, banknotes comprised less than a third of in-person transactions. Pictured is a a pay wave system for buskers was trialled in Melbourne in 2018

The pandemic has seen the supermarket giants and many smaller stores ban cash, and buskers aren't immune from those trends, with some trialling new pay wave systems, like the one in Melbourne pictured

The Reserve Bank's Note Printing Australia subsidiary hasn't shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, with money production continuing at Craigieburn in Melbourne's north

In March, as the World Health Organisation declared a COVID-19 pandemic, the Commonwealth Bank's digital wallet payments soared past $1billion, up 17 per cent from February's $884million.

Customers at Australia's biggest bank spent an average of $28 on each transaction via an app that lets them make tap-and-go debit and credit card transactions on their smartphone.

Nonetheless, the death of cash might be exaggerated with demand for $50 and $100 banknotes growing at the fastest pace in 11 years, the Reserve Bank of Australia revealed last week. CommSec chief economist Craig James said consumers preferred to have cash on hand for emergencies during a crisis

Kate Crous, the Commonwealth Bank's general manager of digital banking, said merchants were concerned about money being contaminated with germs during the pandemic.

Nonetheless, the death of cash might be exaggerated with demand for $50 and $100 banknotes growing at the fastest pace in 11 years, the Reserve Bank of Australia revealed last week.

CommSec chief economist Craig James said consumers preferred to have cash on hand for emergencies during a crisis.
An Indian Army soldier was killed in a ceasefire violation by Pakistan in the Nowshera sector of Jammu & Kashmirs Rajouri district, officials said on Friday.

Havildar Sambur Gurung (36) was critically injured in the unprovoked ceasefire violation on the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowshera sector and later succumbed to his injuries, the army said in a statement.

Havildar Sambur Gurung was a brave, highly motivated, and sincere soldier. The nation will always remain indebted to him for his supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty, Lieutenant Colonel Devender Anand, defence spokesperson, said in the statement.

He added that Indian troops responded strongly to the enemy fire.

Gurung hailed from Manbu village in Nepals Gorkha district.

In a separate incident, a woman, Hakam Bi (58), of Lanjote village in Mendhar sector, died on Thursday after she had sustained injuries due to Pakistani shelling the previous day. Another woman, Resham Bi (60), was also killed on the same day.

In June, five Indian soldiers were killed on the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri sectors of Jammu division because of unprovoked Pakistani shelling amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak.
A recent outbreak of coronavirus cases at UC Berkeley, tied to summer fraternity parties, has highlighted a worrisome trend for colleges and universities: Young people are driving the virus recent rampage across the country.

The surge carries ominous implications for schools, including UC Berkeley and Stanford, planning to welcome students back to campus in August and September. That was already a daunting task, and now its complicated by this spike  which experts traced, in part, to many young people gathering indoors and not wearing face masks or socially distancing.

Their behavior  congregating, partying, defying authority  qualifies as perfectly appropriate for people their age in normal times. But it also underscores the challenge for college and public health officials in persuading them to follow guidelines to help control the virus.

Dr. George Lemp, a retired University of California epidemiologist now living in Sonoma County, has spent much of the past four months crunching numbers, trying to gain insight into the demographics of the pandemic. In the two weeks ending June 27, he saw counts skyrocket 76% among people age 18-34 in California, compared with the prior two weeks.

Previously, the epidemic had spread mostly among older people, especially ravaging nursing homes. So this new dynamic caused Lemp great concern.

To see a 76% increase among young people is quite startling, he said.

Colleges noticed, even before the UC Berkeley episode. Last weekend, the University of Washington disclosed an outbreak of 121 coronavirus cases among students, mostly in fraternities. Harvard announced Monday that all of its fall-semester classes will be taught remotely, and Princeton and Georgetown said they will hold most of theirs online.

USC backtracked last week on its plan for a mostly in-person semester, citing an alarming spike in coronavirus cases in the Los Angeles area. More than 80% of classes now will be held online, according to a letter sent to students.

UC Berkeley and Stanford previously announced similar hybrid models, tilting heavily toward remote instruction. Stanford will stagger attendance  freshmen and sophomores in the fall and summer quarters, juniors and seniors in the winter and spring  while UC Berkeley will forbid in-person classes of 25 or more students for the fall semester, which begins Aug. 26.

A UC Berkeley spokeswoman said the school doesnt yet know how many students will return to live in residence halls, and it doesnt have a way to track those who are living off-campus.

Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle

Dr. Art Reingold, a professor of epidemiology at UC Berkeleys School of Public Health, serves on several committees plotting next months start of the new academic year. He spoke of campus leaders sprawling efforts to curtail the student population on campus, limit the number of people in any room and reduce risk as much as possible.

Thats a work in progress, Reingold said. Given that things seem to be going in the wrong direction at the moment, I dont know what the university will decide to do. Its a very difficult set of problems. We need to keep people safe.

That quest becomes infinitely more challenging if young people  say, college students  ignore public health guidelines. Evidence emerging in the past two months illustrates the scope of the challenge.

As of May 13, according to state data analyzed by Lemp, the 18-34-age group accounted for 25.1% of all coronavirus cases in California, and an additional 3.8% of cases were among those under 18.

New cases over the next six weeks steadily skewed younger and younger, Lemp found. In the most recent two-week period he studied (June 14-27), people age 18-34 accounted for 36.5% of new cases and those under 18 represented 10.2% of cases.

Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle

Some of this can be explained by expanded testing, Lemp acknowledged, and the abundance of young people filling frontline jobs, such as grocery cashiers, that require frequent interaction with the public. But he said these factors alone probably did not cause the striking jump in cases among younger people.

This is not only a West Coast phenomenon, either. About half of the 614 people who tested positive in Dane County, Wis., from June 13-26 were age 18-25. According to University of Wisconsin officials, many reported attending gatherings with friends or going out to bars.

Or consider Saturdays viral video from Cass County, Mich. Hundreds of young, swimsuit-clad, maskless people bopped to music and drank beer, shoulder-to-shoulder.

This doesnt bode well for college officials counting on students to adhere to mask and social-distancing mandates. As Reingold put it, At a fraternity party with alcohol and everything else, that may not be a realistic expectation.

These are completely normal instincts for college students, of course. Just ask Hazel Markus, a Stanford professor of behavioral sciences who researches how people regulate their behavior.

Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle 2020

Markus pointed to data showing ages 18-24 as the time in life people are most likely to take risks. And the college experience extends well beyond the classroom, so students naturally pour ample energy into their social lives.

Their life tasks are becoming educated, learning more about themselves and developing relationships outside the nuclear family, Markus said. Its thickening your social network, finding friends, finding partners. Thats what colleges dont advertise as one of their main roles, but of course it is.

Samantha Laurey, a San Francisco State senior from Martinez, insisted most of her friends are careful about avoiding exposure to the virus, choosing to hang out in a small group at safe distances. Laurey also knows other friends cannot resist the temptation.

Kids just completely miss the social act of going out and doing things, she said. As our parents say, this is our time to enjoy our lives while were young. But were living through a pandemic with no cure.

COVID Resources Coronavirus Map Tracking COVID-19 cases across the Bay Area and California.

More Information New cases in California Age group New cases 5/31-6/13 New cases 6/14-6/27 Increase 0-17 years 3,930 6,362 61.9% 18-34 12,919 22,764 76.2% 35-49 9,691 15,811 63.2% 50-64 7,393 11,026 49.1% 65-79 2,875 4,031 40.2% 80-plus 1,432 1,540 7.5% Source: COVID19.ca.gov, compiled by Dr. George Lemp See More Collapse

Laurey, 23, acknowledged some of her friends figure they would recover quickly if they contracted the virus, given that older people are more likely to become severely ill.

Ryan Lund, who graduated from UC Berkeley this spring and will begin a fifth-year masters program next month, hears similar logic from his peers. Lund, who limits his social outings, agreed its difficult to stay isolated from friends for an extended stretch.

It is low risk for someone my age, and it can feel like youre giving up your college experience for a distant threat, Lund, 21, said. I dont see people potentially dying, so its like the bogeyman out there. It would be easy to be a little selfish. I know people who really struggle with that.

Stanford will test the ability of its students to balance their social instincts with academic work and virus precautions. The school invited freshmen, sophomores and transfer students to live on campus for the autumn quarter starting Sept. 14, even though the vast majority of classes will be taught online.

Those living arrangements present the biggest health challenges. Gregg Gonsalves, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health, fears that students returning to campus from around the world will bring the virus along with their clothes and books.

He compared dorms to cruise ships on land and prisons without bars, given the congregate living arrangements.

People are in close contact and not super hygienic, Gonsalves said. If anyone has been in a dorm bathroom, its not pretty. It wont surprise me in August and September if we see multiple outbreaks in colleges and universities across the country.

Just as troubling, he suggested, is the risk of college students spreading the virus to the surrounding campus community. Thats a particular concern at schools such as UC Berkeley, where about 70% of students live off campus, in a dense urban setting.

Even so, the pressure to resume in-person instruction mounts  given the precarious finances of many universities and the Trump administrations public demands for schools to reopen. Mondays announcement, requiring international students to leave the country if their school offers classes entirely online, increased the pressure even more.

Thats why Lemp recommended colleges provide students a not-so-subtle welcome packet  including at least two large face masks. He urged schools to dramatically reduce capacity in dormitories, require masks and install touchless hand sanitizers.

This is hardly the ideal way to restart higher education. But as the recent surge in cases among young people shows, its the reality colleges confront.

Speaking for myself, I underestimated the virus, said Reingold, the UC Berkeley professor, and overestimated the ability of the U.S. to get its act together.

Ron Kroichick is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rkroichick@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ronkroichick
Researchers at MIT and Brigham and Women's Hospital have designed a new face mask that they believe could stop viral particles as effectively as N95 masks. Unlike N95 masks, the new masks were designed to be easily sterilized and used many times.

As the number of new Covid-19 cases in the United States continues to rise, there is still an urgent need for N95 masks for health care workers and others. The new mask is made of durable silicone rubber and can be manufactured using injection molding, which is widely used in factories around the world. The mask also includes an N95 filter, but it requires much less N95 material than a traditional N95 mask.

One of the key things we recognized early on was that in order to help meet the demand, we needed to really restrict ourselves to methods that could scale. We also wanted to maximize the reusability of the system, and we wanted systems that could be sterilized in many different ways." Giovanni Traverso, MIT assistant professor of mechanical engineering and a gastroenterologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital

The team is now working on a second version of the mask, based on feedback from health care workers, and is working to establish a company to support scaled-up production and seek approval from the FDA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

Traverso is the senior author of a paper describing the new masks, which appears today in the British Medical Journal Open. The lead authors of the study are James Byrne, a radiation oncologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital and research affiliate at MIT's Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research; Adam Wentworth, a research engineer at Brigham and Women's Hospital and a research affiliate at the Koch Institute; Peter Chai, an emergency medicine physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital; and Hen-Wei Huang, a research fellow at Brigham and Women's Hospital and a postdoc at the Koch Institute.

Easy sterilization

The N95 masks that health care workers wear to protect against exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses are made from polypropylene fibers that are specially designed to filter out tiny viral particles. Ideally, a health care worker would switch to a new mask each time they see a different patient, but shortages of these masks have forced doctors and nurses to wear them for longer than they are meant to be worn.

In recent months, many hospitals have begun sterilizing N95 masks with hydrogen peroxide vapor, which can be used up to 20 times on a single mask. However, this process requires specialized equipment that is not available everywhere, and even with this process, one mask can be worn for only a single day.

The MIT/BWH team set out to design a mask that could be safely sterilized and reused many times. They decide on silicone rubber -- the material that goes into silicone baking sheets, among other products -- because it is so durable. Liquid silicone rubber can be easily molded into any shape using injection molding, a highly automated process that generates products rapidly.

The masks are based on the shape of the 3M 1860 style of N95 masks, the type normally used at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Most of the mask is made of silicone rubber, and there is also space for one or two N95 filters. Those filters are designed to be replaced after every use, while the rest of the mask can be sterilized and reused.

"With this design, the filters can be popped in and then thrown away after use, and you're throwing away a lot less material than an N95 mask," Wentworth says.

The researchers tested several different sterilization methods on the silicone masks, including running them through an autoclave (steam sterilizer), putting them in an oven, and soaking them in bleach and in isopropyl alcohol. They found that after sterilization, the silicone material was undamaged.

Fit test

To test the comfort and fit of the masks, the researchers recruited about 20 health care workers from the emergency department and an oncology clinic at Brigham and Women's Hospital. They had each of the subjects perform the standard fit test that is required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for N95 masks. During this test, the subject puts the mask on and then performs a series of movements to see if the mask stays in place. A nebulized sugar solution is sprayed in the room, and if the subject can taste or smell it, it means the mask is not properly fitted.

All 20 subjects passed the fit test, and they reported that they were able to successfully insert and remove the N95 filter. When asked their preference between the new mask, a typical N95 mask, and a standard surgical mask, most either said they had no preference or preferred the new silicone mask, Byrne says. They also gave the new mask high ratings for fit and breathability.

The researchers are now working on a second version of the mask, which they hope to make more comfortable and durable. They also plan to do additional lab tests measuring the masks' ability to filter viral particles.

As many regions of the United States have seen a surge in Covid-19 cases over the past month, hospitals in those areas face the possibility of mask shortages. There is also a need for more masks in parts of the world that don't have the equipment needed for hydrogen peroxide sterilization.

"We know that Covid is really not going away until a vaccine is prevalent," Byrne says. "I think there's always going to be a need for masks, whether it be in the health care setting or in the general public."
CARACAS, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Diosdado Cabello, president of Venezuela's National Constituent Assembly, said Thursday that he has tested positive for COVID-19 and quarantined himself.

"After taking corresponding tests, I have tested positive for COVID-19. Since then, I have isolated myself and I am complying with the recommended treatment," Cabello, also first-vice president of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, wrote on Twitter.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said that it was he who recommended Cabello test for the disease.

"With all the solidarity of my family, we are with you, with all the solidarity of the people of Venezuela," said the president.

Cabello is resting and stable, Maduro added.
Nine months after his wife died, Mr. Smith was perusing the web when he came across a dating site, Compatible Partners. He was soon staring at the profile of Robert Steinborn, now 67, a semiretired optician who learned the trade while serving in the Army during the Vietnam War.

He seemed like the nicest guy, Mr. Smith said.

Mr. Smith and Mr. Steinborn, whose partner, Michael James Phu, died in 2014 from a massive stroke, decided to meet for dinner in October 2017.

Mr. Smith drove from his Tucson home to Mr. Steinborns home in Chandler, Ariz.

We talked, went to dinner, returned to his place and talked some more, Mr. Smith said. We really had a great time and when that first get-together was over, I made my way back to my car, feeling pretty confident that Bob would call me back soon after to make plans to see each other again.

As it turned out, Mr. Steinborn called Mr. Smith back sooner than he expected. I was just getting into my car when Bob called out and waved me back over to the porch to ask if I would like to join him and two friends at his timeshare in Puerto Vallarta for Christmas, Mr. Smith said. He knew that this would be my first Christmas without my wife.

Mr. Smith accepted the invitation, and booked a ticket on Mr. Steinborns flight. The flight was largely booked, he said. But midway through the cabin, the middle seat next to Bobs was vacant on both outbound and return flights, and we took that as a sign of the universes blessing of our plan.
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Count fashion as collateral damage in the growing trade battle between the U.S. and France.

The administration of President Trump said late Friday that it would impose 25 percent duties on $1.3 billion worth of French fashion goods, the response to a digital services tax in France that impacts companies such as Amazon, Apple, Google and Facebook.

The office of U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said it would delay implementation of the action for up to 180 days if the Trade Representative determines that substantial progress is being made, or that a delay is necessary or desirable to obtain U.S. rights or satisfactory solution.

That gives the U.S. and France until Jan. 6 to hold bilateral and multilateral discussions that could lead to a satisfactory resolution of this matter, the USTR said.

When first proposed in December, the duties on French goods were set at 100 percent, so the result, while punishing for companies importing certain goods, was not as bad as it could have been.

Still, the measure hits a large swath of the fashion industry and could make it more expensive to import a variety of French-made beauty products and handbags  from eye makeup preparations and soap to handbags wrought in materials ranging from reptile leather or plastic.

The tariffs are tied to a trade fight that has nothing to do with fashion  and one that goes alongside the many other trade fights Trump has engaged in, mostly notably with China.

The heavyweight match between U.S. and China has reached a kind of standstill, likely until after the November elections, and now the same seems to be the case in Trumps tiff with France.

In December, the U.S. Trade Representatives office declared a digital services tax in France was unreasonable or discriminatory and burdens or restricts U.S. commerce. The fix was to impose duties of 100 percent on some imports from France, including handbags, cosmetics, wine and cheese.

Story continues

Fashion turned out to fight the proposed tariff increase at public hearings in January.

Nate Herman, senior vice president for policy at the American Apparel & Footwear Association, said: Our industry has absolutely nothing to do with the issue  a dispute between the U.S. and France over Frances digital services tax.

(This type of thing has happened before and going the other way across the Atlantic, for instance when Europe boosted tariffs on U.S.-made jeans in a spat over steel and aluminum.)

Herman noted that U.S. companies imported more than 1.4 million handbags from France in 2018  more than twice the number recorded the prior year.

And our American workers design, develop, market and sell these handbags to American consumers, Herman said. If a punitive tariff is imposed by the U.S. government, our members will be forced to source fewer handbags, which will obviously lead to lower sales, which impacts our workers  American workers.

The tariffs could impact some of the largest French luxury names, although business is down in the U.S. and just about everywhere else given the coronavirus pandemic.

Hermes produces all of its handbags in France, where it counts 42 production facilities.

Both LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton and Kering count America as a major market, although LVMH has set up production in the U.S. and Kering makes the bulk of its accessories in Italy.

Among the categories subject to a 25 percent boost in tariffs are:

* Eye makeup preparations

* Manicure or pedicure preparations

* Beauty or makeup powders, whether or not compressed

* Beauty or makeup preparations & preparations for the care of the skin, excl.

* Medicaments but incl. sunscreen or sun tan preparations, nesoi

* Castile soap in the form of bars, cakes or molded pieces or shapes

* Soap, nesoi; organic surface-active products used as soap, in bars, cakes, pieces, soap-impregnated paper, wadding, felt, for toilet use

* Soap; organic surface-active products used as soap, in bars, cakes, pieces; soap-impregnated paper, wadding, felt, not for toilet use

* Soap, not in the form of bars, cakes, molded pieces or shapes

* Organic surface-active products for wash skin, in liquid or cream, contain any

aromatic/mod aromatic surface-active agent, put up for retail

* Organic surface-active products and preparations for washing the skin, in liquid or

cream form, put up for retail sale, nesoi

* Handbags, with or without shoulder strap or without handle, with outer surface of

reptile leather

* Handbags, with or without shoulder strap or without handle, with outer surface of

leather, composition or patent leather, nesoi, n/o $20 ea.

* Handbags, with or without shoulder strap or without handle, with outer surface of

leather, composition or patent leather, nesoi, over $20 ea.

* Handbags, with or without shoulder straps or without handle, with outer surface of

sheeting of plastics

* Handbags with or without shoulder strap or without handle, with outer surface of

textile materials, wholly or in part of braid, nesoi

* Handbags with or without shoulder strap or without handle, with outer surface of

cotton, not of pile or tufted construction or braid

* Handbags with or w/o shoulder strap or w/o handle, outer surface of veg. fibers, exc.

cotton, not of pile or tufted construction or braid

* Handbags with or w/o shoulder strap or w/o handle, with outer surface containing

85 perent or more of silk, not braided

* Handbags with or without shoulder strap or without handle, with outer surface of

MMF materials

* Handbags with or without shoulder strap or without handle, with outer surface of

textile materials nesoi

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Planning permission has been granted for the Waterford North Quays Strategic Development Zone, the 500 million Ferrybank project which has been put forwards as a game-changer for the South-east region.

Waterford North Quays is a project of Falcon Real Estate Development Ireland, which says it will be central to unlocking the potential of the communities of Waterford and the South East and delivering a better quality of life for all. Falcon issued a statement this morning saying it had received planning from Waterford City and County Council.

We are delighted at the decision of Waterford City and County Council to grant full planning permission for the North Quays SDZ Project. This is the culmination of four years of hard work with a significant effort made by many but particularly, the community and stakeholders of Waterford and the South East itself. said Rob Cass, Director, Falcon Real Estate Development Limited.

North Quays is over eight hectares of urban regeneration on a stunning, south-facing 1km historic quayside waterfront in the centre of Waterford City. The site consists of a sustainable transport hub, will be the largest mixed-use real estate development in the South East of Irelands 18bn economy for the 603,000 people living in the South Easts 60-minute catchment.

The North Quays redefines a new and exciting vision for the city, supporting and enhances a vibrant public realm and kicks off a very exciting decade ahead for Waterford and the South East region as the delivery of North Quays sees the potential of the city-region start to be unlocked, as a destination for people across Ireland and beyond to come and experience," said Mr Cass.

Highlights

The project description is a mixed-use development, and according to Falcon Real Estate Development, is to include:

- Seven storey twin block comprising 15,000 square metres of prime office space to accommodate 1,100 jobs, immediately adjacent to the citys train & bus station, at prime rents 50% better value than Dublin.

- Five residential buildings ranging in height from 7 to 17 storeys, with 298 riverside apartments to accommodate 500 to 600 residents, with value of apartments 50% better value than Dublin prime apartments.

- A fifteen storey 200-room 4-star hotel and conference centre.

- 30,000 m2 of high quality open & green community public space designed to attract visitors from Waterford, the surrounding areas and international tourists & unlock access to the North Quays 24/7.

- The location of one of Irelands most modern and multi-nodal sustainable transport hubs, acting as new model for Ireland with a new train station, bus interchange & greenway hub for the 100km South East Greenway connecting nearby communities via dedicated bike routes, plus connecting to the South Quays & City Centre via a Sustainable Transport Bridge.

- Mixed use commercial building destination comprising tourism, retail, food & beverage marketplace, cinema & creche offering destination & digital retail for the region.

- Visitors will be able to enjoy quality waterfront restaurants and rooftop bars & cafes with over 30,000 square metres of green open space and a riverside promenade for full access to the quayside with unprecedented in Ireland quality of finishes.

- The development is built to BREEAM Gold standard and is 100% renewable energy, which in turn has been designed to be owned by Community Energy Co-op's.

- As a sign of confidence in the Development from Commercial Partners, the project has been commercially progressed that sees 50% of the apartments sold, 50% of the offices sold and the Hotel pre-sold.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 13:40:08|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, July 9 (Xinhua) -- The number of initial jobless claims in the United States continued to drop last week, as some states paused or partially reversed reopening efforts amid resurgence in COVID-19 cases.

In the week ending July 4, the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits decreased by 99,000 from the prior week to 1.3 million, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

The latest data marks the 13th weekly decline in a row but still a historic high. So far, a staggering 48 million initial jobless claims have been filed over the past 15 weeks, indicating the mounting economic fallout of COVID-19.

The new report also showed that the four-week moving average, a method to iron out data volatility, decreased by 63,000 to reach 1.4 million.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 12.4 percent for the week ending June 27, a decrease of 0.5 percentage points from the prior week's revised rate, according to the report.

Claims under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, a federal program, also totaled over 1 million, an increase of nearly 42,000 from the previous week, the report showed. The program provides benefits to independent contractors or the self-employed, who are not eligible for regular state programs.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending June 20 was 32.9 million, an increase of 1.4 million from the previous week, according to the report.

Several U.S. states, mostly in the South and the West, have recently seen an uptick in COVID-19 cases, and some of them have paused or partially reversed reopening efforts, raising uncertainty over the prospect of economic recovery.

Michael Hicks, director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at Ball State University in Indiana, told Xinhua via email that it is likely economic activity will slow in the short run, whether or not state or local governments take action.

"Large reductions in spending at restaurants, bars, retail outlets and amusement centers occurred prior to closings across most of the nation," Hicks said. "So, it is the presence of the disease rather than limited government shut downs that has slowed the economy deeply in second quarter."

Wells Fargo Securities on Thursday revised down 2020 U.S. real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth forecast "as a result of localized pauses/reversals in the re-opening process," noting that the recent acceleration in COVID-19 cases is a "serious downside risk" to the recovery.

In the Wells Fargo Economics Monthly Macro Manual, the company projects the U.S. economy to contract by 6.1 percent in 2020, 0.3 percentage points lower than the last forecast.

More than 60,000 new COVID-19 infections were reported across the United States on Wednesday, dwarfing the single-day tally of any other nation, according to a report from The New York Times.

A tally by Johns Hopkins University showed that as of Thursday evening, more than 3.1 million COVID-19 cases have been reported in the United States with the death toll surpassing 133,000.

The recent spike in cases is "already impeding the recovery, with states postponing re-openings or reversing recent re-openings, and with a significant increase in overall uncertainty and political polarization," said Jeffrey Sachs, an economics professor at Columbia University. Enditem
Well, thats pretty disastrous  and utterly right. Sadly, the 89-page report was not much of a surprise to most critics of the company, which has been slow-walking its responsibility over hate speech and a range of other toxic waste on its platform since, well, always.

Mr. Zuckerberg has tried for a while to wrap himself up in the First Amendment  getting the whole point of the words of that amendment wrong nearly every time  and he has insisted that he does not want to be an arbiter of truth. Yet he has set up the company in such a way  completely under his sway  that suggests he has to be, in fact, an arbiter of truth.

With Mr. Zuckerbergs overwhelming voting and corporate power, there is no reason to have a board  which is why board members with backbones, like Reed Hastings and Ken Chenault, have left  and every reason to put the responsibility for cleaning up the mess squarely at Mr. Zuckerbergs feet.

I keep trying to figure out a way to explain what is happening  actually, to explain why nothing is happening  with a fresh metaphor. Once, I compared Facebook to a city manager who treats the streets like The Purge. The Salesforce chief executive, Marc Benioff, likened Facebook to a cigarette company. And still others have likened it to a chemical company that carelessly spews noxious information into the river of society.

This week, I finally settled on a simpler comparison: Think about Facebook as a seller of meat products.

Most of the meat is produced by others, and some of the cuts are delicious and uncontaminated. But tainted meat  say, Trump steaks  also gets out the door in ever increasing amounts and without regulatory oversight.

The argument from the head butcher is this: People should be free to eat rotten hamburger, even if it wreaks havoc on their gastrointestinal tract, and the seller of the meat should not be the one to tell them which meat is good and which is bad (even though the butcher can tell in most cases).
Switzerland Unlikely To Need Tax Hikes In Response To COVID-19

by Ulrika Lomas, Tax-News.com, Brussels

10 July 2020

The Swiss Government is anticipating a shortfall in tax receipts of over CHF5bn (USD5.3bn) in 2020.

The Swiss Federal Council discussed fiscal policy and the 2021 Budget at meetings on June 24 and July 1, 2020, which took into account the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Council said that the Confederation is expecting a tax receipt shortfall of more than CHF5bn this year. In particular, the temporary suspension of interest on arrears will mean that some of the receipts due in 2020 will be shifted to subsequent years. Direct federal tax and VAT receipts of around CHF3m are likely to be collected later than originally planned.

The Council said that it is assuming that tax rises will not be necessary to reduce the debt associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it also said that it will be another few months before it can estimate more precisely how the pandemic will affect the federal budget, and will therefore wait until the end of the year to decide how the extraordinary debt is to be reduced.
The Uttar Pradesh police shot dead Vikas Dubey early on Friday during what they said was a botched escape attempt, capping a dramatic week-long saga that began with the killing of eight policemen in Kanpur, triggered a 5-day long manhunt through four states, and involved the killing of five accomplices of the gangster and the arrest of 20 others.

The manner of the accident, the attempt to flee, and the encounter, however, sparked accusations that the incident was staged, and politicians, former police officers and advocacy groups demanded a probe, contending that the police version of what happened did not add up.

Dubey was being driven from Ujjain, where he was taken into custody on Thursday, in an over 12-hour journey to his hometown in Kanpur, where he and his men killed eight of a police squad in the early hours of July 3.

Around 6:30am, as the convoy of three police SUVs reached the outskirts of Kanpur, police said that the vehicle -- a Mahindra TUV 300 -- Dubey was in lost control and crashed.

In the polices retelling of the incident, Dubey managed to climb out of the vehicle, and run down a kachha country road leading to open fields; he was chased by policemen who were part of the convoy, surrounded, and asked to surrender. The gangster, however, fired multiple rounds at the police team instead of giving himself up, leading to the police shooting him down.

After the car overturned, Vikas Dubey tried to snatch weapons from the police and he attempted to flee after which there was retaliatory fire by the police in which he was injured, said Prashant Kumar, the additional director general of police, law and order, told reporters. He was declared dead after being taken to hospital, he added.

Three policemen, including SHO Nawabgunj Ramakant Pachauri were injured in the firing by the criminal, police said.

Dubey was shot dead nearly a kilometre from the accident site, according to the Uttar Pradesh polices special task force. He was last spotted in videos taken at the Bara toll booth on the outskirts of Kanpur. He was in a Tata Safari at the time. Minutes before the accident that led to his killing, a group of mediapersons who were following the convoy were stopped at police check posts. Police later told reporters it was a routine check.

A former director general in the Kerala Police, NC Asthana, said he could point to glaring loopholes in the polices story about the sequence of events.

The car overturned but one cannot see any skid marks near the vehicle. The street was wet but there were no skid marks. It is impossible that Dubey was the first person to be able to come out of the car after it overturned. Were there police officers inside the car? Why did the police not handcuff him if he was a notorious gangster? Also, why would Dubey try to flee in a place where there were only open fields all around? And above all Dubeys mask was intact despite the accident, running and the shootout.

On the run since he engineered the massacre of eight policemen at his village Bikru on July 3, Dubey was first spotted in the National Capital Region on July 7 after his escape. On July 9, he was arrested from Mahakaal temple in Ujjain, where he is said to have been spotted by a street-side vendor, although some officials said he may have come forward on his own.

In a series of tweets, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati underlined the need for a high-level probe for justice. A probe under the Supreme Court should be done into the killing of the policemen and then overturning of the car in which the UP [Uttar Pradesh] police were bringing the heinous criminal Vikas Dubey... and Dubeys killing by the police, she said.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congresss general secretary and Uttar Pradesh in-charge, raised questions about Dubeys protectors. Fine, the criminal [Dubey] is dead but what about those who protected him and his crime? she tweeted.

Human rights lawyer and senior advocate Colin Gonsalves said as per the Code of Criminal Procedure section 176(1)(A), a judicial inquiry should be conducted to find out what led to Dubeys death. The law is clear. The inquiry must be held by a judicial magistrate and not an executive magistrate or special investigation team. Has a judicial magistrate been appointed to look into it? The facts point out towards an extra judicial killing.

Dubey, aged about 50, was accused in more than 60 murders, attempted murders and other cases. He was said to have shot dead an Uttar Pradesh state minister inside a police station in 2001. Despite those cases and his reputation for ruthlessness, Dubey has built considerable links within the police and among politicians.

Between July 3 and July 9, five people linked to Dubey were killed in police encounters, and around 20 others -- including Dubeys wife and family members of some of his other accomplices -- were arrested. Police also demolished Dubeys bungalow in Kanpur, which was the scene of the crime on July 3.

The shoot-out was facilitated by tip-offs from a vast source of informants Dubey had cultivated within the police, a fact that was alluded to in a letter by deputy superintendent of police Devender Mishra, who was leading the police team that night and was murdered by Dubey and his men.

The day of the murder, UP police shunted out dozens of police officials and constables, and later put two of them under arrest for alerting Dubey.
There are around 700,000 people on the autistic spectrum in the UK according to the National Autistic Society.

The number of those affected by autism is thought to be much higher, though, as it doesnt consider the difficulties that families of autistic children go through. Autism directly impacts around 2.8 million people in the UK.

Without understanding, those people are more at risk of developing mental health problems and feeling isolated.

Two mums have spoken out about the personal difficulties that accompany an autism diagnosis and the sense of grief they felt as a result.

Read more: The importance of keeping calm while administering first aid

It can be a challenging time for families. (Getty Images)

Nikki Saunders, author of My Awesome Autism, and educational psychologist, Claire Prosser, spoke openly about their sons autism diagnoses on Yahoo UKs The Baby Bump with Lauren Pope.

You think, is it a vaccine? Is it something I ate during pregnancy? Have I not been speaking to them enough? Have I been over-stimulating them? You do go through a period of self-blame and thats completely normal, Saunders admits.

Its nothing youve done, its just who they are. As soon as you learn to accept that and go at their pace, things get so much easier.

Saunders explained that the limbo waiting for a diagnosis was the hardest part for her journey. After parents and children have definitive answers, they then have more access to support at school when the parents arent around.

Its quite important if you can to get that diagnosis for them.

Read more: The best first aid kits for all the family

Thousands of families with autistic children also have other children, and its important to make your child with autism feel comfortable in the transition if theres a new baby on the way, Saunders believes.

Its the little things like letting them help decorate the nursery and putting things in place for me. He has been absolutely amazing and they have a wonderful bond.

Prosser shared that her first feeling upon finding out that her son had been diagnosed with autism was grief.

Story continues

Lots of parents experience those feelings of denial. I definitely went through that space of avoiding dealing with it because I didnt want my child to be different.

I wanted the typical experience that Id expected and I think expectations have a lot to answer for.

Prosser admitted that she bought into the narrative that people put on her. As a teacher and a nursery worker, people regularly told her shed be a wonderful mother.

When I couldnt engage my son in a typical way and he was anxious when we went to do the things that Id expected us to do, it didnt quite fit with my expectations. I definitely went through a process of grief.

Read more: Dealing with hemophobia as a parent

The educational psychologist says its absolutely possible to come out the other side but you have to allow yourself time to build resources and connect with other parents.

For me, finding a local group was really important. It allowed me the chance to go and do things like soft play, horse riding, whatever it may be, but in a context where everybodys child had some difficulties in managing the situation.

If you suspect autism in your child, speak to your GP, health visitor or any other health professional your child sees.
Parts of England risk running out of water within the next 20 years because the Government and regulators have 'taken their eye of the ball', MPs have warned.

In a damning report, the Commons Public Accounts Committee revealed today nearly three billion litres is lost due to leaking pipes every single day - a figure described as 'wholly unacceptable'.

MPs say there has been 'no progress' in reducing leakage over the past two decades, 'very little' has been achieved in reducing demand and a 'far too ponderous' approach has been taken to improving water infrastructure.

Data, illustrated in a map, shows Thames Water, the biggest company in the sector, responsible for serving 15 million people, lost 22,200 litres per kilometre of pipe each day between 2017-18 and 2019-20, more than double the rate of the next worst performer

In a damning report, the Commons Public Accounts Committee revealed today nearly three billion litres is lost due to leaking pipes every single day. Pictured: A cyclist rides his bike through flood water in north London on Monday after a water main burst

Data shows Thames Water, the biggest company in the sector, responsible for serving 15 million people, lost 22,200 litres per kilometre of pipe each day between 2017-18 and 2019-20, more than double the rate of the next worst performer.

Industry regulator Ofwat expects leakage to fall by 16 per cent between 2020 and 2025, saving 561 million litres of water daily, but MPs claim such targets rely on 'as yet unknown and untested approaches'.

Committee chairwoman Meg Hillier said: 'It is very hard to imagine, in this country, turning the tap and not having enough clean, drinkable water come out - but that is exactly what we now face.

'Continued inaction by the water industry means we continue to lose one fifth of our daily supply to leaks.

'Empty words on climate commitments and unfunded public information campaigns will get us where we've got the last 20 years - Nowhere.'

The committee was scathing in its assessment of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), saying it had shown a 'lack of leadership in getting to grips with these issues'.

Daily volume of water lost through leakage between 2017/18 and 2019/20 Company Litres lost per km of pipe Thames 22,200 Affinity 10,700 United Utilities 10,600 South Staffs (including Cambridge Water) 10,000 Portsmouth 9,600 Yorkshire 9,100 Severn Trent 8,800 Northumbrian (including Essex and Suffolk Water) 7,500 Southern 7,400 SES Water 6,900 South West (including Bournemouth Water) 6,500 Wessex 6,500 Bristol 6,000 South East 5,900 Anglian 4,700

Cars were abandoned on the North Circular road near Brent Cross, north London on Monday after a water main burst

The department must 'step up, make up for lost time and ensure all parties act with the urgency required', the MPs said.

The report said: 'There is a serious risk that some parts of the country will run out of water within the next 20 years.

'More immediately, some areas are facing shortages during the Covid-19 pandemic.'

The report drew upon work by the National Audit Office which warned parts of the south and south-east of England will run out of water within the next 20 years unless concerted action is taken.

The MPs said that due to rising demand and falling supply of water, the Environment Agency now estimates England will need an extra 3.6 billion litres per day by 2050 to avoid shortages.

But a fifth of the water currently used - more than three billion litres - is lost to leakage every day - a figure the committee said is 'wholly unacceptable'.

Parts of England risk running out of water within the next 20 years because the Government and regulators have 'taken their eye of the ball', MPs have warned

That figure had fallen from more than 4.5 billion in the early 1990s until the turn of the century, but the MPs said there has now been 'over a decade of complacency and inaction'.

Defra has 'belatedly' set targets to reduce leakage by a third by 2030 and half by 2050, they said.

The committee called for annual league tables to be published by the end of the year showing water companies' records in tackling leakage and reducing consumption.

The MPs also said the Government must be clear with water companies on how they should balance investment on improving infrastructure with keeping customers' bills affordable.
EDWARDSVILLE  Summer just got a little cooler as a local creamery has opened its second location.

A family-owned business, City Scoops Creamery, opened the doors to its Edwardsville location on Tuesday. According to owner and Glen Carbon resident Greg Stamer, the initial reception has been great.

This is the second day and we have had a good turn out already and looking forward to the future, Stamer said Wednesday.

City Scoops prides itself on making its ice cream in-house from locally-sourced dairy. The menu will mimic that of their original location in Troy and includes 30 different flavors. Stamer said that unlike others, we mainly make our ice cream with butterfat, about 16 percent. He explained this makes a thicker and creamier scoop.

The creamery is situated on Route 157 and is conjoined with Imos where another creamery, Omis, once stood. The location was perfect Stamer said, due to its close proximity to both the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville campus as well as Edwardsville High School. He said the move to the new location was relatively easy as it was already set up for the same purpose at Omis.

Patrons may order their scoop or shake either at the creamerys walk-up window or inside the establishment, and enjoy it either in a dining-room setting or on a concrete patio with decorations filling both areas. The interior space can seat approximately 20 patrons and the exterior patio can hold about 30.

Currently, City Scoops offers ice cream, sorbet and some other non-dairy products. Also, Stamer said gelato could make its way on the menu.

As far as expansion, Stamer said the Edwardsville location is not the beginning of a multi-location rollout but nothing is certain.

Right now we just have to master what we have, but who knows what the future has [in store], Stamer said.

The new location added six jobs but the creamery is still accepting applications.

City Scoops Creamery is open Monday through Thursday from 2 to 9 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 2 to 10 p.m. The Edwardsville location is situated at 1100 S. Route 157.
The price of cheddar cheese, which is imported in large quantities from Ireland, could climb by 57%. Photo: Getty

The cost of supermarket staple items, such as beef, cheese, and oranges, will surge if the UK leaves the Brexit transition period without inking a trade deal with the European Union, the countrys retail industry warned on Friday.

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has determined that the price of beef, which is heavily imported from Ireland, will climb by 48% once tariffs are applied in a post-Brexit scenario.

The price of cheddar cheese  another item imported in large quantities from Ireland  will climb by 57%.

About 80% of UK food imports come from the EU, and imports from the bloc are also crucial to supply chains in the fashion and homeware sectors, the BRC noted.

READ MORE: Intensified talks with EU fail to break Brexit deadlock

If a tariff-free trade deal with the bloc is not negotiated in time for the end of the Brexit transition period on 31 December, tariffs of over 5% will be applied to some 85% of foods imported from the EU.

The average tariff on EU food imports would be over 20%, which would push up prices significantly.

As a result, oranges from Spain will cost at least 12% more, while porcelain kitchenware will have a 12% tariff applied. Cucumbers will see a price jump of 16%.

With the clock ticking down to 31 December, the government must put consumers first and agree a deal that avoids tariffs and minimises the impact of non-tariff barriers, said Andrew Opie, the director of food and sustainability at the BRC.

Retailers, already struggling with the impact of the coronavirus crisis, will be dealt a further blow if consumers are faced with price hikes.

The BRCs warning comes after the second week of intensified negotiations with the EU failed to break the Brexit deadlock.

READ MORE: Digital bank for 'mass affluent' set to launch later this year

Michel Barnier, the blocs chief negotiator, said on Thursday that significant divergences remain between the UK and EU.

The scant progress comes in spite of the UK and EU agreeing to step up the pace of discussions in recent weeks, following five previous rounds of ill-fated trade negotiations.

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The failure of this weeks talks further raises the prospect of a crash-out exit from the current transition arrangements, which would result in the imposition of the tariffs that the BRC is warning of.

Both sides have until then to agree to a trade deal, a timetable experts say is almost unheard of.

The deadline for an agreement of an extension to the negotiating timetable passed last week, meaning that, unless a deal is agreed, the UK will leave the transition period without a trade accord.
(Newser)  Police in Newburg, Oregon, recovered two stolen vehicles at the same time thanks to a strange set of circumstances, reports the Oregonian. It seems police were chasing a Toyota Land Cruiser because it had just been reported stolen when the driver crashed into another vehicle. As it turns out, that second vehicle, a Buick Regal, had been stolen about three weeks previously, say Newberg-Dundee police in a statement.

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When the dust settled, Randy Lee Cooper, 27, was charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, attempting to elude police, and assault and reckless driving. He was driving the Land Cruiser, say police. And the Buick driver, Kristin Nicole Begue, 25, was charged with driving under the influence of intoxicants and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Newburg is about 20 miles southwest of Portland, notes Fox News. (Read more weird crimes stories.)
President Donald Trump said Friday that he isn't thinking about a possible next stage of the U.S. trade deal with China, adding that the relationship between the two nations has been "severely damaged" by the coronavirus pandemic.

"They could have stopped the plague. They could have stopped it. They didn't stop it," Trump said on Air Force One en route to Florida, according to reporters present on the plane.

Asked if that friction meant "phase two" of the U.S.-China trade deal would no longer happen, Trump said he wasn't even thinking about it and that he had many other things on his mind.

The status of the trade agreement between the two economic superpowers, the first phase of which was signed and went into effect earlier this year, has come under question amid the Covid-19 crisis.

The virus, which was first observed in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has spread around the world and taken a devastating toll on America's health and economy. More than 3 million cases and at least 133,291 deaths from Covid-19 have been reported in the U.S., according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Trump said in May that he was "very torn" about whether to scrap the first phase of the pact with Beijing, while officials in his administration have assured that both countries are still expected to honor the deal.

Phase one of the deal followed a protracted trade war with China that hung over much of Trump's first term in office. The agreement took initial steps toward addressing issues including intellectual property protections and forced technology transfers, while also saying that China will buy at least $200 billion worth of U.S. goods over two years.
A volunteer firefighter has been accused of starting a fire in south Louisiana.

The State Fire Marshals Office, in a news release, said Kentrelle Beasley Jr., 18, was arrested on a charge of simple arson for setting an abandoned house on fire in Iberia Parish shortly after midnight July 4.

Beasley reported the fire to the Jeanerette Fire Department, where he had worked for three months, the fire marshals office said. He also helped extinguish the blaze, authorities said.

An investigation found the blaze was intentionally set on the homes front porch, the fire marshals office said. When investigators learned the fire chief suspected Beasley may have been involved in starting it, they questioned Beasley and he confessed to starting it so he could help put out a fire, officials said.

No injuries were reported.

Beasley was arrested and relieved of his duty with the fire department, the fire marshals office said. Online jail records did not indicate whether Beasley was represented by an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Louisiana Arson
The Logo of the World Health Organization (WHO) at their headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, on Feb. 24, 2020. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images)

Time For Self-Reflection: WHO Forms Panel To Evaluate Global Response To Coronavirus Pandemic

The World Health Organization (WHO) on July 9 announced the initiation of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response (IPPR) to evaluate the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the response by governments worldwide.

The panel will be co-chaired by former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Helen Clark and former President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. While the panel will operate independently, they will choose other panel members as well as members of an independent secretariat to provide support.

Speaking at Thursdays virtual press conference, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesu said, This is a time for self-reflection, to look at the world we live in and to find ways to strengthen our collaboration as we work together to save lives and bring this pandemic under control.

The magnitude of this pandemic, which has touched virtually everyone in the world, clearly deserves a commensurate evaluation, he added.

The Director-General said the panel will present an interim report at the resumption of the World Health Assembly in November, and present a substantive report next May. He noted the report would not be a standard report that ticks a box and is then put on a shelf to gather dust.

This is something we take seriously. We learn honestly, and we follow through too, honest to the assessment, and honest to the follow through and implementation, he said.

The announcement on Thursday comes just two days after President Donald Trumps administration notified the United Nations (UN) and Congress that the United States is withdrawing from the WHO amid lingering doubts about how well the UN handled the emergence of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly referred to as novel Coronavirus.

The withdrawal goes into effect July 6, 2021, a WHO spokesman told The Epoch Times, and the Trump administration is working with Congress to get the money the United States owes to the WHO, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters.

Trump announced in May that the United States would formally terminate its relationship with WHO, claiming the agency had what he considered to be close ties with China.

The President has consistently said that Chinese officials failed to report the outbreak of the CCP virus to the WHO and pressured the WHO to mislead the world when the virus was first discovered by Chinese authorities.

Recording of internal meetings obtained by The Associated Press (AP) earlier this month show that the agency struggled to obtain critical information about the CCP virus from Beijing in the early stages of the outbreak, in contradiction to public statements it made praising the regimes response to the crisis.

In one such meeting, on Jan. 6, WHO officials complained that Beijing wasnt sharing data needed to assess how the virus spreads between people and its risk to the rest of the world.

Beijing did not confirm that the virus was contagious until Jan. 20, and prior to this confirmation, they had stated there was little to no risk of human-to-human transmission, promoting many countries to maintain open borders.

There have been more than 12.2 million reported cases of the coronavirus and 554,928 deaths worldwide since the pandemic began, according to Johns Hopkins University, which is tracking the disease. The United States currently leads the world in the number of infections with over 3.1 million cases and 133,291 deaths.

In a tweet on July 9, WHO Communications Director Gabby Stern said the WHOS announcement regarding the initiation of an independent panel to review the global response was not related to Trumps withdrawal.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 13:16:46|Editor: huaxia

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People mourn for the deceased Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon at the Seoul National University Hospital in Seoul, South Korea, July 10, 2020. The 64-year-old mayor was found dead in the woods of Mount Bugak near his residence around midnight Friday local time. No sign of foul play was found, but the police was investigating the exact cause of his death. (Seoul Metropolitan Government/Handout via Xinhua)

SEOUL, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The funeral for Park Won-soon, the longest-serving mayor of South Korea's capital, will be held for five days after he was found dead in a Seoul mountain, the city government said Friday.

Park's funeral will last for five days in the fashion of a mayoral funeral, unlike a three-day general funeral. A memorial altar will be set up in front of the City Hall in central Seoul Friday afternoon to allow citizens to mourn his death.

The 64-year-old mayor was found dead in the woods of Mount Bugak near his residence around midnight Friday local time. No sign of foul play was found, but the police was investigating the exact cause of his death.

Park's body was found hours after a massive search for him in the mountain, involving hundreds of policemen and rescuers. The body was placed in the morgue of Seoul National University Hospital.

His daughter filed a missing report to police Thursday afternoon, saying Park left home four to five hours ago after leaving "words like a will" and his mobile phone was turned off.

The short note, seen as his will unveiled by the city government, said, "I'm sorry to everyone. I thank everyone who has been with me in my life. I'm always sorry to my family, to whom I've given only pain. Please cremate (my body) and scatter (the ashes) at my parent's grave. Goodbye everyone."

Park, a member of the ruling Democratic Party, was first elected as Seoul mayor in a 2011 by-election and re-elected 2014 and 2018.

His term was originally scheduled to end in 2022. Seoul's first Vice Mayor for Administrative Affairs Seo Jeong-hyup will serve as an acting mayor until the by-election slated for April 2021.

Park, a former human rights lawyer and civic activist and the longest-serving Seoul mayor, had been regarded as one of the presidential hopefuls for the 2022 presidential election.
Guided by ex-Pak army officials, operating in buddy pairs: Why the Poonch encounter has dragged so much

Minutes before encounter, gangster Vikas Dubeys car changed

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, July 10: Several reports have now surfaced on various social media claiming that the wanted gangster Vikas Dubey was seen in a different car than the one which overturned before the Kanpur encounter.

Vikas Dubey killed in an encounter while being taken to Kanpur from Madhya Pradesh | Oneindia News

According to reports, Dubey was seen travelling in safari car earlier and the vehicle which turtled before the encounter was a TUV300 SUV.

So far, there have been no answers from the police so as to why was Dubey shifted to another vehicle.

Vikas Dubey, man behind killing of 8 cops shot dead in encounter

It was also reported that some of the media vehicles, who were following the convoy bringing back gangster Vikas Dubey from Madhya Pradesh, were stopped by police in Sachendi area of Kanpur before the encounter around 6.30 am.

Gangster Vikas Dubey was shot dead Friday by police, who claim he was trying to flee after the car carrying him from Ujjain overturned on the outskirts of Kanpur. The SUV met with an accident at Bhaunti in Kanpur district, overturning on an isolated stretch of the road which was slippery after the rains, police claimed.

They said the gangster snatched a pistol from one of the four policemen injured in the accident and was shot when he opened fire while trying to flee, an account of events being questioned by opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh. Dubey was the sixth man to die in a police encounter after the ambush he allegedly masterminded in Kanpur's Bikru village past midnight on July 2, killing eight policemen who had come to arrest him. Madhya Pradesh police arrested Vikas Dubey outside the Mahakal temple in Ujjain on Thursday morning. He was handed over to an Uttar Pradesh police late in the evening.

Former Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav took to Twitter and wrote, "Actually. his car has not overturned, but the government has been saved from turning over the secret."

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Friday, July 10, 2020, 13:41 [IST]
Relatives of two COVID-19 patients who died at the government hospital here on Friday, protested alleging their kin died due to medical negligence, a charge denied by the hospital.

Three COVID-19 patients had died at the Nizamabad Government General Hospital on Thursday night and relatives of two of the deceased held protests.

The relatives, who staged demonstrations outside the hospital alleged that the deceased patients were not provided with oxygen at the hospital while they were undergoing treatment for the virus, resulting in their deaths.

Refuting the allegations, Nizamabad Government General Hospital Superintendent Nageswara Rao said there was no negligence on the part of the doctors, para-medical staff or shortage of oxygen supply.

He said one of the deceaseda 75-year-old woman was severely ill and her oxygen level dropped to 67 per cent while the second patienta 50-year-old mans oxygen saturation level came down to 83 per cent.

Similarly, the third patient, a 50-year-old woman, who also was suffering from hypertension, had also lesser levels of oxygen saturation.

"All the three COVID-19 patients were admitted to the hospital in poor health condition last month.

There was neither medical negligence nor shortage of oxygen at the hospital," the Superintendent said.

He further said the government had supplied oxygen cylinders in bulk which were being used in case of oxygen supply coming down through the centralised system.

The bodies were subsequently sent for last rites as per COVID-19 guidelines.
Around 100 jobs at Northern Irelands Boots stores are at risk as the pharmacy chain said it expects to cut more than 4,000 posts UK-wide in a bid to mitigate the significant impact of Covid-19.

The move will affect around 7% of the companys workforce and will particularly affect staff in its Nottingham support office.

Boots has around 1,600 staff at 84 stores in Northern Ireland which means around 112 jobs here are at risk.

It will also affect some deputy and assistant manager, beauty adviser and customer adviser roles across its stores.

The restructuring will also result in the closure of 48 Boots Opticians stores.

However, it is not clear how many Boots Opticians in Northern Ireland will be affected.

It comes after retail sales tumbled by 48% over the past three months in the face of the pandemic, despite Boots keeping swathes of its stores open to customers.

Meanwhile, its optician business saw sales dive by 72% compared to the same quarter last year as people stayed at home.

Boots said that the cuts represent an acceleration of its transformation plans to improve profitably across the business.

The retailer said it has significantly invested in Boots.com during the lockdown as more customers moved online, with the company reporting a 78% increase in online sales over the quarter.

Sebastian James, managing director of Boots UK, said: The proposals announced today are decisive actions to accelerate our transformation plan, allow Boots to continue its vital role as part of the UK health system, and ensure profitable long-term growth.

I am so very grateful to all our colleagues for their dedication during the last few challenging months.

They have stepped forward to support their communities, our customers and the NHS during this time, and I am extremely proud to be serving alongside them.

In doing this, we are building a stronger and more modern Boots for our customers, patients and colleagues.

We recognise that todays proposals will be very difficult for the remarkable people who make up the heart of our business, and we will do everything in our power to provide the fullest support during this time.

The announcement came hours after fellow retailer John Lewis announced plans to shut eight stores, in a move which put around 1,300 jobs at risk.

Lucy Powell, shadow minister for business and consumers, commented: This is deeply worrying news for staff at John Lewis and Boots and the travel hubs and town centres these stores are in.
LEVIS, QUE.Police are continuing their search around a Quebec City suburb after they issued an Amber Alert Thursday for two young girls and their 44-year-old father who investigators believe disappeared following a highway crash.

Quebec provincial police spokeswoman Audrey-Anne Bilodeau said Friday police arent ruling out anything in their search for Norah and Romy Carpentier, and their father, Martin Carpentier.

All the hypotheses are on the table, and kidnapping is among them, Bilodeau said, but the priority for us is that we have missing people that could be injured.

She said the fathers motives remain unclear.

We dont know his motivations, she said. Are they good? Are they bad? Is he simply injured badly and not able to call anyone? Its really hard to say right now, but our main concern is really trying to locate him and his two daughters.

Police issued the Amber Alert Thursday afternoon for Norah, 11, and Romy, 6, from Levis, Que., south of Quebec City.

Investigators said they believe the girls and their father were involved in an accident Wednesday night in St-Apollinaire, Que., when the vehicle they were in skidded into the median, flipped over and landed on the shoulder of the opposite lanes of Highway 20.

But when emergency workers arrived at the scene, no one was in the car. Bilodeau said the search is being concentrated around the crash site.

Theres some other information that leads us to think that the people involved may be moving and still in this area, Bilodeau said.

In a short video posted on the provincial police Twitter account Friday afternoon, Carpentiers current partner, Cathy Gingras, pleaded for him to contact his family.

Martin, were worried. We havent heard from you since the accident. Were wondering if youre okay, the girls, Romy, Norah, said Gingras, who is in tears in the video.

Give us some news, give us a sign, call your parents, anything. Whats important is that youre OK, we dont care about anything else. We just want to know youre OK.

Quebec Premier Francois Legault said Friday afternoon that about 80 people were involved in the search, both on the ground and in the air, and that the province had put all of its resources into finding the girls.

All my thoughts are with the family, and we really hope that this ends well, that we find the two young girls safe and sound, Legault said.

A woman who says she is the mother of the two girls posted their photos on Facebook Thursday, saying we need to find my daughters and their father.

Bilodeau said police are asking residents in St-Apollinaire to check their properties, including sheds, barns and cottages. Canine units have been deployed, she added, and searches are also being carried out on foot and on ATVs.

The mayor of St-Apollinaire, Bernard Ouellet, said the crash took place in a rural area about four kilometres from the main exit off the highway into town.

There are many wooded areas  many, many wooden areas  but there are many rural roads, too. Its not completely isolated, said Ouellet about the territory around the crash site, which he added also contains several small cottages and shacks.

He said many residents have been searching their properties for any sign of the three. Its worrying everyone a little bit, Ouellet said in an interview.

Raphael Patry, a St-Apollinaire resident who lives on the street where police set up their command centre Friday, said in a phone interview that a police truck with an antenna was parked in front of his home.

He said he saw over a dozen police officers in the area, as well as a helicopter, police dogs and ATVs.

Police said the father was last seen wearing a grey T-shirt and jeans and could be wearing glasses. They asking anyone with information about the three peoples whereabouts to call 911.

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Its hard to come up with a solution when you dont know the size of the problem.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/7/2020 (557 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

Its hard to come up with a solution when you dont know the size of the problem.

Health Minister Cameron Friesen announced recently he was inviting private clinics to bid against public hospitals for the right to perform 2,500 day surgeries. Its to help alleviate a backlog of 5,500 people whose surgeries were cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On its own, its a mundane story. Provincial governments have long relied on private facilities for a wide range of health services, from X-rays to blood tests to some day surgeries. Other provinces, including Ontario and British Columbia, are looking to transfer larger numbers of day surgeries to private clinics.

Whats surprising is the size of the backlog as described by the minister.

The number Friesen used does not include the total number of people who are on wait lists for surgical procedures. Most provinces, when they describe their surgical backlogs, include both surgeries cancelled because of COVID-19 and those still waiting. Thats the only way to get a true picture of the size of the problem.

In Manitoba, however, we dont have the basic tools to track surgeries.

Shared Health, the provincial co-ordinating agency for health care, confirmed the actual number of people awaiting surgery is much higher. It could not identify an exact number because unlike many other provinces, Manitoba does not have a centralized electronic surgical waiting list.

Lanette Siragusa, chief nursing officer for Shared Health, said while the agency knows how many surgeries are completed, individual surgeons still maintain their own wait lists, which prevents the health care system from getting real-time information on the number of people waiting for surgery at any given time. She said a centralized surgical wait list is something the agency "clearly" wants to add to its array of management tools.

The inability to accurately calculate the number of Manitobans waiting for surgery raises questions about the ministers motivation for issuing a request-for-proposal at a time when many in the system are calling for more urgent action.

In an emailed statement, Doctors Manitoba called on Friesen to meet with physicians and work out a "comprehensive surgery and diagnostic recovery plan, as weve seen in other provinces." This plan, Doctors Manitoba said, should ensure operating-room time is added to keep up with scheduled surgeries as well as address cancelled procedures.

Implied in the Doctors Manitoba plea is an important reality: before the pandemic hit, Manitobans were already waiting longer, on average, for many surgeries than most Canadians.

The Canadian Institute for Health Information confirms Manitoba does well in areas such as hip fracture repair. But only slightly more than half of Manitobans who need hip replacement, and less than half of those who need knee replacements, get their surgery within CIHIs national standards for wait times. More importantly, since 2016, our performance on those two key areas has declined. Weve only been able to tread water in other areas like cataract surgeries, where only one-third of Manitobans get surgery within national guidelines.

In that context, it seems unlikely that contracting out 2,500 day surgeries will have much of an effect on a system that has fallen way behind. Even if Premier Brian Pallister could find the money to pay for additional surgeries, its not clear we have the people to perform them.

In a perfect world, Manitoba would have enough doctors, anesthetists and nurses to do a full slate of surgeries in public hospitals and additional surgeries in private facilities to help manage wait times. But most jurisdictions, including Manitoba, do not live in that perfect world.

Dan Lett | Not for Attribution A weekly look at politics close to home and around the world that is sent every Tuesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

A spokeswoman for Manitoba Health said the RFP will include requirements that prevent a private clinic from poaching health care staff and compromising care in hospitals. Thats easy enough to say, but tough to ensure at a time when were desperately short of some types of doctors and nurses.

The Pallister governments much-touted reorganization of Winnipeg hospitals, which led to a reduction in the number of fully staffed emergency rooms, has been hampered by a significant nursing shortage that has meant lengthy waits for treatment. As well, for much of the past two years, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority has had to cancel surgeries because of a shortage of anethetists and nurses.

This is not how Pallister envisioned health care in the 2019 election campaign, when he promised to increase health spending by at least $500 million in each of the next four years to address wait times. With COVID-19 likely to pose a threat for many months to come, it seems unlikely the premier will even try to keep his election pledge to fix both the problems in health care he inherited in 2016 and those he created in his first four years in office.

The day surgery RFP is designed, in part, to find efficiencies that will bring down the cost of individual procedures. Although that is a noble pursuit, it should not stop the province from devising and delivering a more urgent plan to deal with the backlog.

We desperately need a plan to bail out the surgical system in Manitoba, not a leisurely debate about who gets to wield the buckets.

dan.lett@freepress.mb.ca
Editor's note: The author is Prof. Engr. Zamir Ahmed Awan, Sinologist (ex-Diplomat), Editor, Analyst, Non-Resident Fellow of CCG (Center for China and Globalization), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan.

Like China, Arabs are also an old civilization and share many things in common. Both are Eastern civilizations and value their traditions. Both have suffered from Western Colonialization and victims of the Western brutalities. Both are still facing severe challenges, created by Western World for long.

Sino-Arab relations have extended historically back to the first Caliphate, with important trade routes, and excellent diplomatic relations. Chinese traders were vesting the Arab World touring Europe, and Arab Traders were visiting China frequently. There exists a long history of Friendship and cooperation between various Arab countries and China. Some of the Arab traders settled in China, and (Huizu) Chinese Muslims are mostly descendants of those traders. Chinese Muslims played a vital role in the development of the country throughout history.

For the last couple of decades, the US and its allies destroyed the Arab World. War on terror was aimed to crush Arabs; either it is Iraq, Libya, Syria, Egypt, Yemen, or Tunisia. Even the rich oil-exporting countries GCC are the victim too. On the one hand, the US provides protection to the GCC rulers at a very high cost, which includes financial cost as well as political price. On the other hand, threatening them with Iran's rivalry and forcing them to buy expensive weapons. President Bush announced the launch of the crusade against the Muslim World after the 9/11 engineered drama.

There exist strong anti-America sentiments throughout the Arab World, even some of the rulers support America on the surface but hate America from the core of the heart. The general public openly expresses dissatisfaction and anti-America sentiments.

That is why there exists a vast space for China. It is anti-America sentiments, which helps China to assert positively. Most of the Arab countries are looking toward China for their socio-economic development as well as for their security and defense needs. Belt and Road Initiatives (BRI) is a strong bond developing rapidly; more and more countries are joining and supporting BRI. China is a strong hope for a desperate Arab World.

On 6 July 2020, the ninth Ministerial Conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum (CASCF) was held via video link. The Conference was co-chaired by State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Hussein Abdullah Al-Safadi, and attended by foreign ministers or ministerial-level officials of all member states of the League of Arab States (LAS) and LAS Secretary-General Ahmed AboulGheit.

President Xi Jinping understands the importance of the Arab World and its political and economic potential. He sent a congratulatory letter to the meeting. State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Jordan's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi co-chaired the meeting and delivered keynote and concluding remarks. The meeting was addressed by the Arab League Secretary-General and foreign ministers of all the 21 Arab League member states.

It was no easy feat to hold this meeting. As COVID-19 wreaks havoc around the World, the future of all humankind and the destinies of all countries are unprecedentedly intertwined. The advent of this pandemic affected China and all Arab states and forced the cancellation or postponement of many institutional meetings between Arab states. Despite all these, both sides made joint efforts to overcome difficulties and hold this meeting as scheduled. This meeting bears far-reaching significance as it reflects the determination of China and Arab states to fight COVID-19 and advance China-Arab strategic partnership together.

After discussions, three outcome documents were reached, namely the joint statement of China and Arab states on solidarity against COVID-19, the Amman declaration of the ninth ministerial meeting of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, and the execution plan for 2020-2022 of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum.

Through the joint statement of China and Arab states on solidarity against COVID-19, China and Arab countries have gathered collective strength to fight the epidemics and tide over the difficulties together. Both sides stressed that solidarity and cooperation is the most potent weapon for the international community to defeat the outbreaks, and called for the building of a community with a shared future and a community of health between China and Arab states in the joint fight against COVID-19. Both sides underlined the importance of multilateralism, the need to strengthen further and improve the UN-centered global governance system, support the critical leading role of WHO, and call on the international community to enhance coordination and form synergy and stand against discrimination against any specific country, region, ethnic group or individual. China is ready to continue assisting Arab states in fighting the epidemics.

The adoption of the Amman declaration demonstrates the political will of China and Arab states to support each other and share weal and woe. At the previous ministerial meeting, President Xi Jinping put forward the initiative of "jointly building a China-Arab community with a shared future for a new era," which became a bilateral consensus. The two sides agreed to hold a China-Arab summit at an appropriate time and to include the topic of building a China-Arab community with a shared future into the agenda of the summit.

The Arab states emphasized that they support China's position on Hong Kong-related matters, support China's efforts to safeguard national security under the framework of "one country, two systems," and oppose foreign interference in China's internal affairs. They support China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, adhere to the one-China principle, and oppose "Taiwan independence" in all forms. They support China's preventive counter-terrorism measures and de-radicalization efforts. They oppose anti-China separatist activities carried out by religious extremists, separatists, and terrorist forces.

Through the execution plan for 2020-2022, China and Arab states have mapped out practical cooperation and joint development in the future. The two sides have reached 107 cooperation measures in 20 areas, including politics, economy, energy, production capacity, science, technology, and health.

Sino-Arabs jointly will reshape the geopolitics in the days to come. Currently, Arabs are not united and politically weak but possess significant potential to unite and play a crucial role in the future. Arabs may revive their glorious past and contribute to the rest of the World positively. The Conference has set-up a new height of Friendship and cooperation between the Arab World and China. It seems more collaboration in the various field will be visible in the days to come.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
Labor's foreign affairs spokeswoman, Penny Wong, has sounded the alarm about China's growing influence over global bodies and potential ambitions to remake them to suit the interests of authoritarian states.

With little evidence tensions between the United States and China will ease, Senator Wong says Australia needs to re-imagine its foreign policy by becoming more self-reliant in protecting and promoting its interests and taking a leadership role in reforming multilateral institutions.

Labor's foreign affairs spokeswoman, Penny Wong, has called for deeper engagement with global bodies. Credit:Janie Barrett

But she says we should reject the wave of economic protectionism and nationalism sweeping the world, as well as counter the escalation in anti-Chinese sentiment within Australia.

In an essay for the Australian Foreign Affairs journal, Senator Wong says as the US has pulled out of bodies such as the World Health Organisation, China has been growing its footprint over the global governance system.
The U.S. State Department, saying it was deeply concerned about alleged human rights violations by state security forces in West Africas Sahel region, warned Thursday that inaction by governments there could jeopardize Washingtons support.

The United States has made clear that our assistance to the region must not be used in any way that contributes to violations or abuses of human rights, and that without prompt and thorough action to address these allegations, U.S. security assistance may be at risk, spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.

The statement urged heads of state in the G5 Sahel  representing Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger  to follow through on public commitments made June 30 to investigate such allegations about security forces there. It also called for ensuring full and public accountability for anyone found guilty of such violations.

The State Department warning referenced a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report released Wednesday that suggested evidence of government security force involvement in mass extrajudicial executions in northern Burkina Faso.

The State Department also cited violations reported by the U.N. Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).

Bodies found

HRW reported at least 180 bodies had been found in recent months near the Burkina Faso town of Djibo. Residents told HRW of seeing bodies, in groups of up to 20, along major roadways, under bridges and in fields and vacant lots. All were men, many of whom had been blindfolded and their hands bound. Many had been shot. Almost all were found within 5 kilometers of central Djibo from last November through June.

The rights group said town residents reported burying most of the bodies in common graves in March and April.

HRW said in its report that it had written to the Burkinabe government on June 28 to share its findings. It summarized the Defense Ministrys July 3 response, which included a promise to investigate and to ensure that security troops would respect human rights.

None of the 23 residents interviewed by HRW witnessed the killings, which appear to have taken place at night, Corrine Dufka, HRWs Sahel director, told VOA in an interview Tuesday.

But, she said, a good number of the residents described hearing shots in the middle of the night and then hearing the sound of heavy vehicles moving back and forth, and then in the morning finding these groups of bodies all over Djibo.

Jihadi activity

The town is at the epicenter of activity by armed Islamists who, since 2016, have been attacking both military and civilian targets, Dufka said.

Jihadis have concentrated their recruitment on the Fulani or Peul, ethnic nomadic groups who are largely herders, she said. Witnesses said most of the dead were Peul, which is to say those that are collectively blamed, collectively identified by the authorities as supporting the jihadis.

Dufka said that residents who participated in or witnessed the burials in the spring were expressly told not to carry smartphones, not to take pictures. She said HRW nonetheless had received maps and drawings of where bodies were found and where they were buried.

HRW is analyzing satellite photos, Dufka said, but she acknowledged the need for on-the-ground investigations.

Tibor Nagy, the top U.S. diplomat to Africa, said in a Twitter post that he found the HRW report very troubling.  Burkinabe authorities must do more to prevent these abuses and hold perpetrators accountable."

VOA State Department correspondent Nike Ching contributed to this report, as did the Africa Divisions Jason Patinkin, Catherine Field and Carol Guensburg.
By Associated Press

PHOENIX: International students worried about a new immigration policy that could potentially cost them their visas say they feel stuck between being unnecessarily exposed during the coronavirus pandemic and being able to finish their studies in America.

The students from countries as diverse as India, China and Brazil say they are scrambling to devise plans after federal immigration authorities notified colleges this week that international students must leave the U.S. or transfer to another college if their schools operate entirely online this fall. Some say they are thinking about returning home or moving to nearby Canada.

Im generating research, Im doing work in a great economy, said Batuhan Mekiker, a Ph.D. student from Turkey studying computer science at Montana State University in Bozeman. He's in the third year of a five-year program.

If I go to Turkey, I would not have that," he said. I would like to be somewhere where my talent is appreciated.

Mathias, a Seattle-based student who spoke on condition his last name not be used for fear of losing his immigration status, said he is set to sell his car, break his lease, and get his cat Louis permission to fly back to his home in Paris in the next two weeks.

Everyones very worried, he said. We have our whole lives here.

Many American universities have come to depend on the revenue from more than 1 million international students, who typically pay higher tuition. President Donald Trump has insisted that schools and colleges return to in-person instruction as soon as possible  and some universities have accused the administration of issuing the guidelines to force the schools into reopening. Trump has alleged that schools are being kept closed for political reasons.

Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology filed a lawsuit this week to block the decision. The guidance was released the same day Harvard announced it would keep all undergraduate classes online this fall and several graduate schools have said they would as well. The university says the directive would prevent many of its 5,000 international students from remaining in the U.S.

The University of Southern California sent a letter to students and faculty, saying it is deeply troubled by the decision.

The policy could negatively impact countless international students," it said.

Like other universities, USC said it was pushing back and working to ensure students academic careers arent harmed, while exploring ways they can study in person safely if they wish.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said the directive could inflict significant harm on colleges, students, the business community and the economy.

The U.S. State Department said in a release that international students are welcome in the U.S., but the policy provides greater flexibility for non-immigrant students to continue their education in the United States, while also allowing for proper social distancing on open and operating campuses.

A day after Harvard sued to block the policy, the university notified the court that immigration authorities appear to be already enforcing the guidance. A lawyer for Harvard said at a preliminary conference Thursday that a first-year student from Belarus was turned away from his flight at a Minsk airport and urged the judge to suspend the rule. There is another hearing Friday.

This is very dangerous and cruel, said Jessie Peng, a Chinese graduate student in analytics at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology.

We have nowhere to go, said Peng, 27. "Either risk our lives and go to school or we risk our lives flying back to China.

Jasdeep Mandia, a doctoral candidate from India studying economics at Arizona State University, is also worried.

Mandia, 35, said he has breathing problems that could exacerbate his symptoms if he contracted COVID-19.

Mandia originally planned to conduct all his fall studies online.

While the university has showed concern for international students, Mandia said the directive underscores their shaky standing.

It has never been a level playing field," he said. But this makes it more apparent.

At Indiana University, American scholar Dakota Murray wrote in the school newspaper about his uncertainty over how the guidance would affect him and his wife, a fellow doctoral candidate who is from South Korea.

Murray, 27, said he and his wife had discussed the possibility of going to live in South Korea or maybe Canada, where she has relatives. He spoke on condition that his wife's name not be used because she is trying to obtain a green card that will let her work and reside in the U.S. after she finishes her studies.

Vanderbilt University student Safa Shahzad went home to Manchester, England, for a visit in March but got stuck there when the U.S. imposed travel restrictions to slow the spread of the virus.

Still in England, the 19-year-old, who is double majoring in politics and computer science, completed her freshman year from afar after the university transitioned online.

Although Vanderbilt has said courses will be a hybrid of online and in person this fall, Shahzad cannot travel to the U.S. until the Trump administration lifts the travel restrictions.

Im just kind of waiting," she said.

Computer science student Vivian Degasperi, 23, from Brazil, said the new guidelines are going to make my life harder at Erie Community College in Buffalo, New York.

Degasperi said the college has announced most all classes will be taught remotely, and is examining how to keep international students from losing their visa status.

Because she lives near the northern U.S. border, Degasperi said she would consider moving to Canada.

My family is worried," she said. "Everyone is calling me all the time.

Natalia Afonso, a Brooklyn College student, also from Brazil, said she hopes the school will adopt a hybrid model of remote and in-person classes  but she fears riding the subway to campus could increase her chances of catching the virus.

I dont see myself moving back to Brazil at this point, said the 27-year-old, who is studying education and just finished her first semester. Its very unfair."
Polarized is a weekly series featuring Americans from all 50 states sharing their views on the 2020 elections. Click here if you would like to be a part of this project

Ryan Rapier lives smack in the middle of Trump country  a quiet, rural community in the southeast corner of Thatcher, Arizona  and hes scared.

The father of five serves as an elected member of his town council and director of marketing for a large hospital in Safford. He says hes noticed a steady rise in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases impacting his community.

Though the rate of infections in his area seems far lower than the figures being reported nationwide  his countys largest one-day number of new cases was just 14 when we spoke, and the US was reporting nearly 50,000 new cases daily at the time  Rapier says theres absolutely going to be quite a big uptick for us.

Rapiers community was in some ways already isolated from much of the crisis, located nearly 150 miles from Phoenix and 120 miles from Tucson. The countys initial absence of infections, paired with president Donald Trumps insistence the novel virus was a hoax perpetrated by the Democratic Party, led many in Rapiers town to resist wearing masks and obeying social distancing measures.

To them, the whole thing became an attack on their civil rights  as well as a way to express their support for the president.

We werent being encouraged to wear masks until May really, and since we hadnt really seen anything happening to our communities  I think theres a lot of people who are really sceptical of the entire pandemic, which is very worrisome to me, he says in a recent interview with The Independent. The local and county health officials have been on top of this and sounding the alarm from the very beginning. Theyve done everything they can and should do. The leadership that has failed us is the leadership at the top, at the federal level.

Trump has become a menace to this country (Ryan Rapier) (Photo courtesy Ryan Rapier)

I have never been a Trump supporter, but from the time I became an adult I voted Republican in every presidential election, and was an ardent Republican up and down the line  up until the party nominated Trump, he says. I cant even tell you how shocked and disgusted [I was] and how absolutely unbelievable it was to me that a party I believed in could go that route.

Trump has lived all the way down to every single one of my lowest expectations for him, Rapier says.

I am every day amazed how people find ways to support his latest vile display, he adds. I know I use a lot of adjectives that are maybe a little extreme, but I genuinely find the man disgusting, and dangerous, and bordering on evil.

Rapier knew the candidate he voted for in 2016 had no shot of winning; however, he says he was never going to cast a ballot for Trump, and, as a lifelong conservative, couldnt bring himself to support Clinton.

For Rapier, party loyalty ends in 2020.

The one difference in this go-around is [Trump] has become such a menace to this country in my opinion, he says, while explaining his reasoning for the change of heart. Now, with the pandemic and racial tensions we have going on  when you think it cant get any worse, it does  Ive decided that I will be voting for a Democrat for the first time in a presidential election.

Rapier has every intention of voting for former vice president Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, in his bid to unseat the Republican incumbent come November. He says the Trump presidency has made him more than just an anti-Trump voter: hes now woken up to priorities and societal issues he never realised he was passionate about before the current president took office.

Click here to read more of The Independents series, Polarized: Voices From Across America

The funny thing is, these last three-and-a-half years have been very eye-opening to me, he explains. When you get out of the bubble youve been used to living in, you actually realise how many issues you dont agree with, but you simply support the position your party has taken.

The now-independent voter says he officially removed his affiliation with the Republican Party in 2018, shortly after Trump withdrew US troops supporting Syrian Kurdish allies. He still aligns with conservative positions in many cases, Rapier notes, but says hes had a reckoning when it comes to border control and immigration policy.

The issues that have become important to me are more issues based on compassion, he says. The way we treat people on our southern border  Im not open to simply opening the border and not having an immigration policy, but Im also not in support of separating families.

He adds: Were supposed to be, as Reagan said, a shining city on the hill. Shining cities on the hill dont treat people that way.

While the humane treatment of immigrants has become a new priority for Rapier, he says hes always been a big believer in financial responsibility, noting how his time serving on the town council shaped his views about budgets and taxes.

Republicans love to pass tax cuts, he says. And Im not opposed to tax cuts, but now that Ive served in a town government I recognise the need for revenue. And I recognise that, if youre going to cut taxes, you better cut spending. We did none of that after the Trump tax cuts.

Rapier says hed be lying if he didnt wonder whether his vocal opposition to the president impacts his re-election odds on the town council  but nothing is more important than unseating Trump.

Im not up for another two years, so I wont have to deal with any blowback for this until 2022, Rapier says. Who knows, maybe people will have forgotten about all this by then. I doubt it.
Tirath Pal, father of constable Jitendra Pal Singh

I am very proud of UP Police. Whatever they have done today has brought solace to my soul. I thank the administration & Yogi govt: Tirath Pal, father of constable Jitendra Pal Singh who lost his life in an encounter at Bikru village in Kanpur on July 3

Urmila Verma, wife of constable Sultan Singh

I'm satisfied. But now how will it come into fore as to who were backing him (Vikas Dubey)? It could have been unraveled by questioning him: Urmila Verma, wife of constable Sultan Singh who lost his life in an encounter at Kanpur's Bikru village on July 3

Constable Ajay Kashyap, who was injured on July 3

It has brought solace to my soul. It would restore public confidence in police and government: Constable Ajay Kashyap, who was injured in an encounter at Kanpur's Bikru village on July 3

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi has tweeted following the death of Vikas Dubey, prime accused in the Kanpur killings. "The criminal has gone, but what about the crime and those protecting him," she asked.

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has questioned the encounter, saying it was an attempt to save the government from the secrets Dubey could reveal.

Omar Abdullah

Dead men tell no tales, tweets Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also posted on the encounter.
(Photo : REUTERS/Denis Balibouse) Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus speaks during a news conference after a meeting of the Emergency Committee on the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Geneva, Switzerland January 30, 2020. (Photo : REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli) Customers sit in chairs at the tables arranged for maintaining social distance between guests at a dining room of a restaurant, as the city eases the restrictions imposed to control the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Sao Paulo, Brazil July 6, 2020.

The World Health Organization has issued a new brief summarizing the different ways coronavirus can be transmitted on Thursday, July 9.

In the 10-page brief, researchers listed all methods of spreading the coronavirus. Primarily, the virus can be transmitted through close contact. Droplets are expelled when an infected person sneezes, coughs, or talks spreading the virus over greater distances and through contaminated areas. Other possibilities of transmitting the virus include having contact with feces, blood, and urine as well as passing on from animals to humans and from mother to child.

According to an NPR report, based on evidence, the WHO maintains that the virus is mostly spread through close contact while the agency urges further research into the transmission by aerosolized particles.

The brief came after the publication of an open letter from 239 scientists asking the agency to reconsider its position on the aerosol transmission on Monday, July 6. This type of transmission refers to microdroplets that linger in the air and infect people who breathe these tiny particles.

The letter stated that most public health organizations, including the WHO, do not consider the airborne transmission. The scientists also acknowledge the importance of proper handwashing and social distancing. However, they thought these measures are insufficient to protect people from the virus floating on air through respiratory microdroplets emitted by infected people.

WHO's technical lead for infection prevention and control Dr. Benedetta Allegranzi said at a press conference on Tuesday, July 7, that while some evidence supporting this theory emerge, these are not yet definitive. Allegranzi also noted the possibility of airborne transmission in public cannot be ruled out, especially in a closed, crowded, and poorly-ventilated environment.

WHO's brief cites certain outbreak reports that are related to crowded indoor spaces that suggest that a combination of aerosol and droplet transmissions is possible. However, these may have resulted from droplets transmission and touching infected surfaces.

Scientists disappointed of the WHO brief

WHO upholds its position that special aerosol precautions are only required in hospital settings, particularly when attaching a ventilator into a patient.

However, scientists are somehow disappointed of the brief published by the WHO. University of Maryland aerobiologist Dr. Donald Milton said he has "mixed feelings" towards the latest WHO brief.





"I'm glad to see they've moved a little bit. I'm disappointed they didn't move further," Milton commented. Milton is a lead author on the open letter that urges WHO to put more attention to aerosol transmission.

He also maintained his belief that aerosols could be responsible for superspreading events like the choir practice in Washington state.

Although this statement is already included in WHO's first guidance on coronavirus prevention and control published on January 10, the new scientific brief emphasizes on additional instructions such as wearing facial masks when physical distancing is difficult as well as eluding enclosed, crowded, and poorly ventilated spaces.

How does the coronavirus disease spread?

For weeks, WHO officials have been working on a brief that summarizes evidence on the various modes of transmission. Here is what we know about the various ways COVID-19 can spread:

Droplet

A virus-filled breath particle of breath emitted from the nose or mouth of an infected individual when they cough, sneeze, breathe, or speak. These droplets float in the air and fall a few feet from the infected person. The virus can enter another individual's body through the eyes, nostrils, or mouth.

This mode of transmission is considered the most frequent mode of transmission by WHO and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Aerosol

Like a droplet, the aerosol is expelled from an infected person's mouth by breathing, speaking, coughing, or sneezing, although aerosol particles remain floating in the air. A person breathes in these tiny virus particles that may be traveling on air.

Although aerosols may have some contributions toward the spread, the amount it contributes to the spread is still subject to further research since it is also still unclear how long the virus lingers in the air, how far it travels, and how commonly it spreads this way.

Fomite

Fomite is an object covered with virus particles such as a countertop or a phone when an infected person who recently sneezed or coughed respiratory droplets onto it. The particles may last for several hours or days.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Editors Note: This is the final story in a six-part series on the 50th anniversary of the 1970 Kent State University shootings, the student protests at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, the riots at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and their connection to the civil unrest and social climate of 2020.

As a newspaper reporter covering a variety of topics, you get to know a little about a lot of things.

Doing a six-part series on the 50th anniversary of the student protests at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, though, turned out to be a history lesson.

I was 11 years old and in sixth grade on May 4, 1970, when four students were shot and killed, and nine others were wounded by the Ohio National Guard during an anti-war rally at Kent State University.

Other than knowing that something terrible had happened, Im ashamed to say that I dont remember much about my reaction at that time.

Maybe I was too young to understand the lasting impact the Kent State shootings would have. Or maybe being old enough to grow up watching the Vietnam War every night on the news, it was just one more tragedy piled on top of many others.

But for many people older than me, especially college students, the Kent State shootings galvanized them into action.

Students at more than 400 colleges went on strike, and by the end of the month, 4 million of the nations more than 7 million college students had participated in a demonstration.

Most protests were peaceful, including those at SIUE. But Southern Illinois University Carbondale was among the 5 percent of campuses where protests turned violent. After seven days of rioting and unrest from May 6-12, university officials closed the campus for the remainder of the semester.

Through high school and college history courses, I learned more about the Kent State shootings and the protests they sparked.

But in working on the series, talking to people who participated in the protests or did extensive research on them gave me a deeper understanding.

Thanks to them, I went beyond looking at photos of the SIUE protests or the SIUC riots and dived into racism and civil rights issues and the divisive political climate of the Richard Nixon era in May 1970.

If those topics sound familiar, they should.

Many of my interview subjects discussed the parallels between the Kent State protests or other incidents of civil unrest in the late 1960s and early 1970s with the protests of today, sparked by the deaths of George Floyd and other black people at the hands of the police.

The parallels between now and then are almost eerie, said Greg Mudge, who was a student at SIUE in May 1970 and took part in the protests. Our country is very divided and there is a lot of deception as far as the truth is concerned. People are drawing lines and if politics comes up in a conversation, people arent listening to each other.

Mudge was an invaluable resource for his thoughts on protests and politics, as was his friend Bob Gill, who was also a student protester at SIUE.

Other sources included:

 Mike Reinhardt, a Vietnam veteran who was back on the SIUE campus as a student in the spring of 1970.

 Steve Kerber, the University Archivist and Special Collections Librarian at Lovejoy Library at SIUE.

 Terry Hillig, a retired journalist who was a reporter for the Intelligencer at the time.

 Paul Gaston, who was a young professor at SIUE and moved to Kent State for the 1999-2000 school year, when Kent State was preparing to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the shootings.

 Rod Spaw, a retired journalist whose website, https://rodspaw.net/, documents a social history of student unrest at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in the wake of Kent State.

 Jason Stacy, a history professor at SIUE who wrote an article on the 1970 Carbondale riots for the winter 2006 edition of the Journal of Illinois History. It was based on work he did while completing his masters degree at SIU Carbondale in 1994.

 Herman Shaw, president of the Lincoln School Alumni Association and a longtime educator and administrator in the University School District.

 Edwardsville NAACP President John Cunningham, a longtime educator and administrator in the East St. Louis and Alton school districts.

My history lesson continued in long conversations with John Cunningham and Herman Shaw.

Cunningham was a senior at SIU Carbondale in the spring of 1970, and while he wasnt an active participant in the protests, he soon realized that it was hard to escape the unrest.

When (the protests) started getting more violent, myself as a black student along with many of my friends, we tried to ignore what was going on, but that doesnt work, Cunningham said. You would be walking on campus trying to go to class and there would be a surge of students fleeing from the National Guard and state troopers coming toward you.

You would think this is nothing Im involved in, but as the crowd sweeps upon you followed by the riot police and the National Guard, they cant distinguish you from the kids who are in the riot.

Cunningham, a native of East St. Louis, didnt have to go far from home to witness the social and political unrest that rocked the nation in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Fifty years later, he looks at his hometown and sees the same problems with poverty and violence.

They had riots in East St. Louis, and they burned up a lot of the slum homes on the south end of town, Cunningham said. A lot of those homes were built in the 1920s and they were roach-infested and rat-infested. They had done some crazy things in our country in the 1960s, building all those high-rise (housing projects) and your address is supposed to be your economic and racial label.

We havent done much to address poverty in our country and some of these ghettos are like living in a war-torn city. The infrastructure around you is poor, there is a lack of services and the plumbing isnt good and a lot of these houses are literally dry rotting.

If you go to the places where the fires were in East St. Louis, you might see some better homes there today. But if they hadnt burned down, those houses would still be standing, and people would be living in them.

Shaw, meanwhile, was well past his college days when the Kent State shootings occurred.

But like Cunningham, he has dealt with racism and social inequality for all his life.

He sees a nation embroiled once again by protests  this time after the deaths of George Floyd and other black people at the hands of the police  and he wonders what it will take to make things change for the better.

I judge people more on how they treat their neighbor, Shaw said. If you have some respect and treat me and your neighbor and other people well, then we can get along.

If you cant do that, Im going to try to help you look at yourself and see if you cant figure out a better way to do things. Thats what Ive tried to view things, and I think its helped me from being very angry with people even though sometimes Im disappointed.

For me, the history lesson is ongoing.

And as with the people I talked for the series, I see the potential for positive change.

I went to the demonstration at the courthouse in 1970 and I was impressed with how many people were there, Gill said. I went to two recent demonstrations (after the death of George Floyd) at the courthouse and those were the biggest crowds I had seen in the county since 1970. The second one was the biggest demonstration I have ever seen here.

Were still dealing with a lot of the same issues, but it was encouraging to see that it was a very diverse crowd with all age groups. To see so many Americans willing to take a stand for social justice is something that is really important.
Smail Khaniche is one of thousands of visitors turned away by Canada annually but he did something few would do.

Told to get the hell back to your country, the Algerian man instead challenged the border agent in court  and won.

What happened to me is inhumane and I ask that justice be served, said the 41-year-old railroad mechanic, who was sent straight back home from Montreals Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport on Nov. 2, 2018.

It was meant to be his second visit to see his Canadian brother in Montreal, with a multiple-entry visa thats issued a year beforehand and valid until 2025.

On paper, there was nothing atypical in the unnamed border agents official notes in refusing Khaniches entry into Canada.

The officer cited a long list of red flags, claiming: the subject requested to stay for 999 days, had not booked a hotel, bought his ticket only two days ago in cash, had little connection with his country, carried luggage that didnt reflect the duration of the trip.

In fact, Khaniche had a round-trip ticket with a return date in less than a month, was going to stay with his brother, paid the ticket in cash because that was the only way of making the transaction in Algeria, and had a wife and two young children to go back to after the visit.

Subject failed to satisfy the office that he was a bona fide traveller and would leave at the end of the authorized period, the officer concluded, adding that Khaniche was allowed to leave Canada voluntarily.

However, according to a recent federal court decision dissecting the officers decision, Khaniche was refused admission and forced to leave on the same plane he flew in on. In fact, he refused to sign the form that indicated he voluntarily withdrew his request to enter Canada.

The officer skirted the process of withdrawing the application in order to obscure a decision of inadmissibility to make a removal order that was in fact made unilaterally by the officer, Justice Peter Pamel wrote in his judgment.

The officers actions fall far below the standards of conduct applicable to Canadian government officials and constitute a clear breach of procedural fairness. No one deserves to be treated with such contempt at an immigration examination.

Khaniches lawyer, Annabel Busbridge, said the case is unique because few foreign visitors would challenge border admission decisions in court, let alone pay the legal fees that accompany such a challenge.

Typically, border agents must submit an admissibility report against a visitor, reviewed by a delegate of the public safety minister, before referring the case to a federal tribunal, where the rejected person has the chance to make his arguments.

However, in this case, Busbridge said, the officer tried to disguise his decision by painting her clients departure as voluntary when, in reality, he was being forcefully removed from Canada.

This is a good reminder to all Canada Border Services Agency officers who work at ports of entry that theres a duty of procedural fairness to respect. If you dont respect it, federal judges are able to review a decision you make, she noted.

The judge drove home the point that Canada is a country where procedures are fair and if youre going to remove somebody from the country, even though they are not a citizen or a permanent resident and have no right to enter, they do have a right to be treated fairly.

Khaniche told the court that the border officer confiscated his cellphone and compelled him to reveal the password before examining its contents. He claimed the agent then removed his passport, airline ticket and other identification.

The court also heard that he was escorted by the agent and police to the flight and allegedly told to get the hell back to your country.

Lawyers for the government, however, argued that the case should be dismissed because Khaniche volunteered to leave and was no longer in Canada.

The complainants brother Ali Khaniche, 52, said he was both ashamed and angry at how his adopted country treated his sibling.

I was upset by the way my brother was treated. They humiliated him and treated him like a criminal, as if he had done something wrong. We just wanted justice and an apology, said the older Khaniche, a longtime Canadian citizen who works in Fort McMurray.

Im in my country and cant even invite my family to visit? What happened was not pleasant. We understand the job of the border agents but they must do it properly and not discriminate.

The court ordered the border agents decision be quashed and the red flag in Khaniches case file be voided. It also awarded the complainant $500 in costs.

The older Khaniche said his brother did not get the apology that he deserved but the legal fight was still worth it.

With a file from Gilbert Ngabo

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The regime has conducted raids in northern Daraa, arresting a number of individuals, without revealing what crimes have been committed or what they are being charged with reports Baladi News.

The regimes intelligence carried out a raid and arrest campaign in the northern Daraa countryside on Wednesday, targeting a number of civilians. The reasons behind the campaign remain unknown.

Local sources said, Intelligence patrols raided a number of houses in the town of Qarfa, north of Daraa.

The sources added that the raids resulted in the arrest of a number of civilians, for no apparent reason.

On Jun. 27, 2020, intelligence forces arrested five young men as they passed through the al-Qaws checkpoint at the entrance to Daraa Governorate.

The regimes Military Security branch also carried out an arrest campaign on May 23, 2020, targeting more than six youths from Daraa, while the latter were in the airport neighborhood of Daraa al-Mahata.

The Ahrar Houran Gathering documented 23 arrests carried out by the regimes intelligence forces, last June, against the people of Daraa, five of whom were released during the same month, while 14 kidnappings were recorded, including three young women and a girl.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
A plan by New Jerseys attorney general to identify state troopers and other police officers accused of serious misconduct has been put on hold amid legal challenges from the states most powerful police unions.

Attorney General Gurbir Grewal last month directed police agencies to begin an annual accounting of police officers subject to major discipline as protests against police violence roiled New Jersey and the nation. The attorney general also ordered the New Jersey State Police to identify officers subject to such discipline going back two decades by July 15.

The directive met stiff opposition from the unions, including the state Policemens Benevolent Association, the State Troopers Fraternal Association and others, who argued the attorney generals directive would identify not only police officers fired over excessive force or racist behavior but also officers disciplined for routine infractions.

The troopers union filed suit, and an appeals court issued a stay until their arguments could be heard in court, originally scheduling the arguments for October. On Thursday, the state Supreme Court declined a request from Grewals office to intervene, but the appeals court on Friday agreed to hear arguments sooner, on Sept. 16.

The court rulings mean no disciplined cops will be publicly identified by the attorney generals original July deadline.

Our efforts may have been delayed, but Im confident they wont be denied, Grewal said in a statement provided to NJ Advance Media. He added that his directives on police misconduct are lawful, and they are necessary to maintain the publics trust and confidence at this important moment.

Patrick Colligan, the head of the state PBA, said union leaders were willing to negotiate with the attorney general to identify officers fired for serious misconduct but opposed naming officers subject to major discipline, a broad category that is treated differently from department to department.

In the absence of partnership that allows us all to root out bad actors without sacrificing individuals who will be unfairly ruined in the rush to secure a soundbite, we will continue to pursue any and all legal remedies, Colligan said.

Many states, including Florida, Arizona and Connecticut, treat a wide array of police disciplinary documents as public records, but they remain secret under New Jersey law.

Grewals directive was met with opposition from the unions and praise from some civil liberties advocates, though some, including the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, argued the directives did not go far enough because they still shielded the process of internal affairs investigations from public view.

One potential reform in the state Legislature (S2656) would take things further, requiring access to law enforcement disciplinary records under New Jerseys state records laws. Introduced last month, it has not yet gotten a hearing, though state lawmakers have scheduled a wide-ranging public hearing on police reform for July 15.

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S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
This morning, a listing for Far Cry 6 leaked on the Hong Kong version of the PlayStation Store, Polygon reports. Ubisoft hasnt officially announced the game, a sequel to Far Cry New Dawn, but following the leak, the company tweeted a teaser that confirms it.

Far Cry 6 page just show up on PS HK Store.  pic.twitter.com/LXZ1EhGykG  anjohn0422 (@anjohn0422) July 10, 2020

Screenshots from the leak show Giancarlo Esposito (aka Gus Fring of Breaking Bad) as the games lead. Ubisofts tweet reads, Anton would not be pleased, and it shows a seven-second clip of Esposito taking a deep drag of a cigar.

Anton would not be pleased. See you on Sunday at #UbiForward. pic.twitter.com/SCNvo0qB1R  Ubisoft_UK (@Ubisoft_UK) July 10, 2020

Based on the screenshots, it appears Espositos character, Anton Castillo, is the dictator of Yara, a tropical paradise frozen in time. Castillos ruthless oppression ignites a revolution, and players will assume the role of Dani Rojas, a guerilla fighter battling Castillos military.

Its not clear if Ubisoft originally planned to announce Far Cry 6 at its Ubisoft Forward showcase this Sunday, but thanks to this leak, we can expect more details from the digital event. The leaked screenshots list the release date as February 18th, 2021.
Last Friday, eight police personnel were gunned down in an ambush when they went to try and arrest Vikas Dubey. After a manhunt, he was found on Thursday in Ujjain, and Friday morning he was dead

When someone is arrested, lawfully, their well being becomes the responsibility of the state. This is because, a person is arrested as part of a broader judicial process. A process of investigation, trial, and conviction/acquittal. This duty of care exists only because the states powers to maintain order must not affect the ordinary liberties of citizens. Punishment is something that must be meted out only by the sanction of the law. It is very tempting to say that in some cases, the law may not provide sufficient justice, so the government must take matters into his own hands. But free societies ought to resist that temptation, for it creates a snowball effect. India, though, has often played into this temptation.

When the police meet out justice, outside the court system, these actions are often celebrated in popular culture in India. We call these encounters: when the police encounter an infamous criminal and are compelled to use deadly force to eliminate the criminal.

But encounters often answer fewer questions than they raise. On Friday morning, we learnt that notorious gangster, minor politician and history sheeter Vikas Dubey was "encountered" while trying to flee police custody. This happened, a day after he was caught in Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh and was being moved to Uttar Pradesh as part of an investigation into an encounter last Friday.

Last Friday, eight police personnel were gunned down in an ambush when they went to try and arrest Dubey. He then fled the scene and a manhunt was launched. The police found him Thursday in Ujjain and Friday morning he was dead.

The question though this raises, is what about justice to the lives of the eight personnel who were killed in the encounter last Friday? Dubey was the prime accused and would have known all the facts. Interrogating him, was of crucial evidentiary value to the probe behind the encounter. But now, the horses mouth, is permanently shut. Who knows how many people, his permanent silence would now provide a shield to? Will we ever know who all were involved in the conspiracy that led to the ambush last Friday? Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati has called for a Supreme Court monitored probe into both the encounter of this morning and the murders last Friday. Hopefully her pleas will be adhered to and there will be a probe.

The probe is needed because the Uttar Pradesh Police version of the events, on the face of it, does not make sense. The news was broken this morning in a series of tweets by ANI and as the story was developing, problems started emerging in the narrative of the police. If one proceeds, on the assumption, that the Uttar Pradesh Police is being 100 percent truthful, then the conclusion that this is gross incompetence on their part is not something that is far behind.

Let us look at the first issue with the story. Dubey was being transported in police vehicles from Ujjain to Madhya Pradesh. Because of the media interest surrounding this case, the police convoy was being shadowed by a media convoy.

Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) team along with history sheeter #VikasDubey who was arrested in Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh) yesterday, reaches Kanpur. pic.twitter.com/C405jxATZr  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 10, 2020

This media convoy was stopped by the police before the accident.

#WATCH Media persons, who were following the convoy bringing back gangster Vikas Dubey, were stopped by police in Sachendi area of Kanpur before the encounter around 6.30 am in which the criminal was killed. (Earlier visuals) pic.twitter.com/K1B56NGV5p  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 10, 2020

Further, the news was full of images of the accident site where one could actually see the police vehicles involved in this movement.

Kanpur: One of the vehicles of the convoy of Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) that was bringing back #VikasDubey from Madhya Pradesh to Kanpur overturns. Police at the spot. More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/ui58XBbd82  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 10, 2020

The Uttar Pradesh Police version of the events is that, after the accident, the car overturned. When this was happening, Dubey, stole a firearm from a constable and tried to escape. When the police tried to catch him, he opened fire on the police. Three police personnel were injured. Dubey died of injuries in retaliatory fire.

Except what does not make sense here is, why was Dubey not handcuffed while being transported? Further, why were ordinary civilian vehicles used instead of police vans, which has bars on the door to prevent escapes even in cases of accidents?

More importantly, one fact about this encounter raises the most critical question.

The condition of the 3 injured police personnel is stable; bullets brushed by two of them. #VikasDubey had 3 bullet injuries on the chest and one on his arm: Dr RB Kamal, Principal, LLR Hospital, Kanpur pic.twitter.com/sdvUqgO8TH  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 10, 2020

Dubey suffered three shots to the chest and died. The police men involved dont seem to have suffered injuries. The police clearly outnumbered Dubey in this encounter. If this was truly firing in self-defence, then why were the shots to the chest and not the legs or the arm?

The legal authorisation to use force in India is found in common law. The idea, to explain it simply, is that in India, you can only kill someone in self-defence, if it is absolutely necessary to do so. Especially with law enforcement, force escalation has to be a step by step process. Only when there is imminent threat of life, can force be used to the causing of death.

Dubey had one gun and was surrounded by police personnel. The fact that there was gunshots in his chest, raise very important questions of motive behind those that did the shooting.

It is unpopular to ask for the killing of notorious gangsters like Dubey to be investigated. A large amount of society is quite happy that he is dead and is no longer a source of trouble. But an encounter raises a very perverse question. If we are going to encounter violent criminals, why dont we do it before they do so much damage? If the Uttar Pradesh Police, could have encountered Dubey, how many lives would have been saved had they done so earlier? Maybe last Fridays casualties wouldnt have occurred at all.

Except, we all know the answer to this. Encounters in India are politically motivated. This is because, organised crime is the training ground for a class of ground level politicians who are grassroot workers of the party in power. If the Uttar Pradesh Police could have ended this at any time, by just murdering the man, then it means they allowed implicitly his atrocities to continue.

These perverse conclusions are perhaps why it is best that we stick to the rule of law and protecting the rights of arrestees. Because, the only thing worse than a crime-ridden state, is a state where the crime is sanctioned by the representatives of the people.

All views expressed in the article are personal
What you need to know today:

Politics

-- Vietnam's Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime Minister Hun Sen, who is also President of the Cambodian Peoples Party, discussed issues regarding their two nations' relations over the phone on Thursday, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

Society

-- Vietnam sent a plane to take 346 citizens from the U.S. back home on Wednesday and Thursday, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

-- About 4.7 million people aged two months or above in the Central Highlands region will be vaccinated against diphtheria, Nguyen Thanh Long, acting Minister of Health, said on Thursday.

-- Only 17 people still test positive for COVID-19 at the momment, the health ministry said on Thursday evening.

Business

-- Vietnam's economic expansion is seen decelerating to 3-4 percent this year from 7.02 percent last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, Reuters quoted government economic advisors as saying on Thursday.

-- Japan is the second-largest FDI investor in Vietnam, with a registered capital of over US$60 billion, the Vietnamese Ministry of Investment and Planning said during an investment promotion teleconference on Thursday.

-- Vietnam organized an online conference on Thursday to support local businesses in exporting consumer goods to China and looking for cooperation with their peers in the Chinese province of Zhejiang.

World News

-- Almost 12.4 million people have gone down with COVID-19 and more than 557,000 have lost their lives to the disease around the world, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Health's statistics.
A pharmacist and a drug abuser who met while playing online video games pleaded guilty Friday to federal charges after they plotted to firebomb a Nebraska pharmacy to benefit their own online black market drug dealing.

William Burgamy, 32, of Hanover, Maryland, ran a website called NeverPressedRX that sold oxycodone and other drugs over the darknet, a part of the Internet only accessible through encryption, prosecutors in U.S. District Court in Alexandria said.

His supplier was a real pharmacist, Hyrum Wilson, 41, of Auburn, Nebraska, who ran Hyrums Family Value Pharmacy.

William Burgamy, 32, left, of Maryland pleaded guilty to operating an illicit online drug dealing website and engaging in extensive plans to bomb and burn down a pharmacy in Nebraska that competed with his supplier, pharmacist Hyrum Wilson, 41, right

According to court papers, the two conspired to blow up a competing pharmacy in Wilson's town, Codys U-Save Pharmacy.

The two reasoned that Wilson's pharmacy would pick up more business and allow him to illegally funnel even more drugs to the darknet operation without attracting the suspicion of federal regulators.

'Mr. Burgamy and I came up with a plan in which he would light a competing pharmacy on fire to drive business to my pharmacy,' Wilson said Friday in court when asked to explain his crime in his own words.

Authorities say a search of Burgamy's home found eight loaded weapons in his residence.

Burgamy was arrested in April on charges of illegal drug distribution and money laundering for allegedly selling oxycodone, right, Vicodin, Percocet, Xanax, left, and other drugs on darknet

Text messages showed that he made a list of needed equipment for the firebombing that included body armor, weapons, bottles, lighter fluid and other materials.

Court records show that the NeverPressed website was operating since August 2019.

Earlier that year, Wilson and Burgamy were partners in a skin-care product called Scargenix.

In a 10-minute infomercial hosted by model Kathy Ireland, Wilson hawks a lotion for reducing scarring, featuring testimonials from Burgamy and Burgamys mother.

The FBI staked out Burgamy and photographed him as he made trips to local post offices, where he allegedly mailed prescription drugs to various darknet clients

Burgamy sold and shipped narcotics to undercover FBI agents pretending to be his darknet clients

Both Burgamy and Wilson pleaded guilty to a drug trafficking conspiracy, money laundering, and conspiracy to use explosives.

Burgamy, who said in court that he had a history of drug abuse and has been in and out of rehab facilities, pleaded guilty to a firearms charge, as well.

Each of the counts carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison when they are sentenced in November.

It is not totally clear how much money the two made during the eight or nine months their website was operating in 2019 and 2020.

An FBI affidavit states Burgamy, who is not a pharmacist by training, operated his business called NeverPressedRX (NPRX) on a major darknet market since at least August 2019

Burgamy agreed to forfeit at least $300,000 in proceeds, but prosecutor Raj Parekh said at Fridays hearing that a profit-and-loss statement drawn up by Burgamy showed him grossing nearly $1 million.

Parekh told Judge T.S. Ellis III that Burgamy and Wilson met online in 2018 playing the online video game War Dragons.

Within a year, the two had teamed up to appear on the Scargenix infomercial with Ireland.

The 32-year-old Burgamy, who has a young daughter, could be looking at up to 40 years in prison

The infomercial, described by Parekh as 'fraudulent,' shows before-and-after photos of people hideously scarred by accidents and burns who are completely healed after using the Scargenix cream for a few weeks.

By August 2019, the two had moved on to selling drugs illegally through the NeverPressed site.

The two admitted that they processed more than 2,500 illicit orders on the site, and they began facing supply issues because Wilson could not justify the volume of drugs he wanted from his wholesaler.

At one point, Wilson told Burgamy that he wouldn't supply any more drugs to Burgamys operation until the competing pharmacy was eliminated.

Wilson said his competitor did triple the volume in medications of his own pharmacy, so that if those customers were forced to transfer to Wilson's pharmacy, he could quadruple his business and quadruple the volume that could be diverted to the darknet operation.

The two agreed on what they called 'Operation Firewood,' and Burgamy assured Wilson he would carry out the firebombing after the coronavirus scare concluded. Wilson provided Burgamy with a getaway map and layout of the rival pharmacy.

Burgamy presented himself on mainstream social media platforms as a legitimate businessman operating a financial consulting firm

He urged Burgamy to make the firebombing look like it was conducted by a vengeful husband upset that his wife had engaged in a fictitious affair with a pharmacist at the competing operation, Parekh said.

FBI agents uncovered the firebombing plot only after arresting Burgamy for drug trafficking and searching his home.

Cody Kuszak, who owns the Cody's U-Save, said in an email interview that he only met Wilson professionally and that there was no rivalry or bad blood as far as he knew. The plot was so bizarre that his initial reaction was confusion as much as anything.

'Who would ever think of something this crazy?' said Kuszak, who thanked the FBI for uncovering the plot.
Dolphin Discovert Cancun - Isla Mujeres The Dolphin Company has always had strict safety and hygiene measures in all facilities. Currently, we have integrated new sanitary protocols to face COVID-19, framed in our comprehensive program 'Dolphin Cares', which focusses on prevention, protection, and communication with our guests, associates

The Dolphin Company, the largest park operator in Latin America, with 25 years of experience and more than 12 million guests, unveiled its new comprehensive plan of protocols and communication strategy: 'Dolphin Cares'. As its name implies, it promotes care and attention in all facets of the operation, safety, and health addressing COVID-19.

Experts developed this thorough program in safety, hygiene and communication, and it is being implemented by The Dolphin Company in compliance with the recommendations of authorities and official health organizations, at the local and federal level, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

International institutions and organizations such as the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums (AMMPA), the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the American Humane Association, the International Marine Animal Trainers' Association (IMATA) and the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA), have certified, over the years, that The Dolphin Company meets the highest standards of health, safety, and animal welfare. Also, and in recognition of the new measures implemented due to the pandemic the world is experiencing, The Dolphin Company received the "Safe Travels" badge, awarded by the World Tourism and Travel Council (WTTC). The 'Dolphin Cares' program includes a complete action plan. In addition to the authorities' hygiene regulations, the following protocols stand out:



Assisted buffets by F&B staff

Informational videos on new protocols

Infographics with safety recommendations

Press releases and special announcements with information related to 'Dolphin Cares' actions

Strategies that strengthen destinations and support the local economy

Packages and promotions to reactivate tourism

Continuity of welfare programs for the species under their care

Ongoing interactive programs that promote the connection between humans and marine mammals

Reinforcement of the message "We love what we know, and we protect what we love."

All of the 31 parks and habitats of The Dolphin Company around the world will apply the established measures in the 'Dolphin Cares' program as they reopen. The entire team is already trained to implement the mentioned procedures, and the facilities are ready to resume operations, according to the established calendar and considering the circumstances of each destination in which they operate.

The three attractions in the United States are already operating, and the three parks in Europe are fully operational as well. The habitats in Mexico will begin to open gradually.

For more information:

Public Relations

The Dolphin Company

Mobile: (998) 149-9735

Email: rpublicas@thedolphinco.com

About The Dolphin Company:

For more than 25 years, The Dolphin Company has contributed to the study and conservation of marine mammals, creating bonds of love and respect through the best interactive experience with these species. Millions of people have visited the 31 parks and habitats that are part of The Dolphin Company, in Mexico, the Caribbean, the United States of America, Argentina and Italy.
OPINION: Is America on the right track when Patrick Mahomes makes $500 million on his new contract, and teachers are struggling to get by? That's the question one of our letter writers asks in this edition of Letters to the Editor.
New York, July 10 : A massive, yellow "Black Lives Matter" mural was painted on New York City's Fifth Avenue right in front of the Trump Tower, a skyscraper that serves as the headquarters for the Trump Organization.

Mayor Bill de Blasio joined dozens of people in painting the three words with a roller on the ground on Thursday morning, attracting hundreds of onlookers, reports Xinhua news agency.

"Our city isn't just painting the words on Fifth Avenue. We're committed to the meaning of the message," he said on Twitter.

Last week, President Donald Trump lashed out at New York City's plan to paint the mural, calling it "a symbol of hate" on Twitter.

In response to Trump's tweet, de Blasio said the mural was to honour members of the African-American community who helped build Fifth Avenue and "so much of this nation".

The mural is one of five that will be created in each borough of the city following the police custody death of African-American George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, which sparked nationwide protests over racial injustice and police brutality.

"I ask all New Yorkers to recognize the power of this moment -- that the city of New York is saying loudly, clearly, consistently black lives matter and we will back up that belief with action after action after action," de Blasio had said last month while announcing the plan about the murals.
Capt. Jonathan Tippet, who oversees the Los Angeles Police Departments elite Robbery-Homicide Division, said three men and two teenage boys likely went to the home because they knew Pop Smoke was there from social media posts. They stole items from the home, though Tippet said he could not divulge what was taken. The teens were 15 and 17 years old.
Since words like pandemic and coronavirus became part of everyday parlance, Australians have sought solace in researching their family histories in increasing numbers.

Tapping into this desire to know more, the National Library of Australia announced a new series of Family History for Dummies online tutorials as the international and local shutdowns took effect.

They were booked out within minutes, says Alison Dellit, the librarys assistant director-general. Normally, we get around 100 people signing up for our online classes. In April, we had 356, and around a third of those lived in regional Australia.

Brad Argent is the international commercial development director for the genealogy site, Ancestry.com Credit:Joe Brown

Brad Argent, a senior executive at ancestry.com, says during April and May there was a 78 per cent increase in the use of the word "ancestry" across Facebook, Twitter and other social media.






BOSTON  A U.S. judge said on Friday two Massachusetts men pose too great of a risk of flight to be released on bail given "spectacular" allegations that they helped orchestrate former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn's escape from Japan.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Donald Cabell said U.S. Army Special Forces veteran Michael Taylor and his son, Peter Taylor, had also failed to show they would likely succeed in fighting the charges underlying Japan's recent request for their extradition.

Ghosn fled to Lebanon, his childhood home, after being charged with engaging in financial wrongdoing, including by understating his compensation in Nissan's financial statements. He denies wrongdoing.

Cabell cited allegations that the elder Taylor, a private security specialist, "used his skills and experience to plan and execute a most intricate, sophisticated, and deceptive scheme" to smuggle Ghosn out of Japan in a box on Dec. 29, 2019.

He said the Taylors also appeared to have "substantial resources" they could exploit to potentially flee, including about $860,000 that Ghosn appears to have wired to a company co-managed by Peter Taylor two months before the escape.

The Taylors had argued that the charges against them were fatally flawed, as Japanese penal code does not make it a criminal offense to help someone "bail jump" or escape unless that person is in custody.

But Cabell said that argument ignored other "unambiguous" language in the penal code that allows people to face charges if they enable someone's escape, "without regard to whether the criminal was or was not in confinement."

Paul Kelly, a lawyer for the Taylors, said in a statement they did not commit an extraditable offense and "should not be held in custody during a pandemic while these issues are being litigated."

A different judge will consider further bail arguments on June 28.
Finance Ministry requested states to ensure safety and security of bank officials and take stern action against perpetrators. (PTI Photo)

New Delhi: The Finance Ministry has requested states to ensure safety and security of bank officials and take stern action against perpetrators following incidences of attack on bankers in some parts of the country in the recent past.

The Department of Financial Services, in a letter to chief secretary of states, said that incidences of unruly behaviour of anti-social elements against the bankers needs to be responded with stern action taken against such elements, sources said.

Last month, a woman bank employee in Canara Bank (erstwhile Syndicate Bank) was attacked by a police constable at its Saroli branch in Surat, Gujarat. Following the incident, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had assured that the safety of all members of staff in banks is of importance.

"Amid challenges, banks are extending all services to our people. Nothing should threaten their safety and dignity," she had said.

Few incidents, including attack on Bank of India staff in Maharashtra, were reported after the Surat attack.

Citing recent news reports and social media coverage, the letter said it has highlighted instances of anti-social elements behaving in an unruly manner with bankers within bank premises.

"You would agree that such incidents need to be responded to proactively and with a firm hand, stern action taken against such elements with full force of law so that bankers are protected and the public assured of secured access to banking services," the letter dated July 7 said.

Securing the availability of banking services to the public at all times is essential for households to meet their expenses and access benefits through DBT and for traders, farmers industries etc to carry on economic activities.

Delivery of essentials services including banking is all the more important in the present context of the COVID-19 pandemic, it emphasised.

"...I request to appropriately sensitise and instruct district magistrates and the state police to take all necessary measures for prevention of timely and effective response and deterrent actions. Public communication of the state's resolve and actions to deal firmly with miscreants would also help in deterring and instilling confidence in the public and the banking community," it said.
By Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: Residents of Salia Sahi on Thursday expressed strong resentment accusing BMC of not taking adequate measures to check spread of the virus in the citys biggest slum.

They alleged that despite repeated requests to quarantine people coming from outside especially from Ganjam and other Covid-19 hotspot districts and states to the slum, no action has been taken by the civic body so far.

Around 150 people have entered the slum from Ganjam, Balasore and other parts of Odisha as well as Bihar in the last two weeks. However, BMC officials have taken less than 20 of them to institutional quarantine facilities, alleged Jayadeb Nayak, a resident of Ekamra Vihar slum in Salia Sahi.

Nayak, a local leader and a member of Covid committee, said Salia Sahi is spread over four wards and has 43 clusters with approximately 35,000 households.

As there is little scope for social distancing, we have been requesting the civic body to take neighbours of those testing positive to institutional quarantine facilities instead of asking them to be in home quarantine, but to no avail, he said.

With detection of a new case in the last 24 hours, the number of active cases in the slum has been increased to five.

A field level official of BMC said door-to-door surveillance is being carried out in all the slums to contain spread of the virus.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 10

Trend:

Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 69 times, Trend reports referring to Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding 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.
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Linkedin Devina Heriyanto (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 10, 2020 09:21 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406654980b 1 Opinion RUU-PKS,rape-culture,sexual-harassment,sexual-violence,sexual-violence-bill Free

A man groped my breast in broad daylight when I was walking with my coworkers after lunch near our office in Palmerah, just 10 minutes walk from the House of Representatives compound.

I froze when that happened. The next day, I went on Twitter to tell my story. Somehow it was easier to speak to a faceless mass than to tell my closest friends and families about the details. My tweets went viral, and some people from the Jakarta Police contacted me, urging me to make a report. They even came to the office, equipped with CCTV video of the incident, and promised that they would catch the perpetrator.

The attitude from the police emboldened me. With a legal official from the office, I went to the Jakarta Police headquarters to file my report. I was asked to retell my story and describe what happened.

Then came the question that surprised me: What articles would they use to charge the perpetrator? The police officers discussed this in front of me, consulting what I assumed to be a battered copy of the Criminal Code (KUHP). There was no article that regulated groping. Finally, they decided on Article 289, which regulates "pencabulan" (perversion) -- if it sounds vague to you, trust me, thats because it is.

Weeks after I reported my case, there were no updates from the police. After I asked them about my case, the officer from the Jakarta Police told me that they had transferred the case to the Women and Childrens Protection Unit in Central Jakarta. Through a text message, I was asked to come to their office to once again retell my story.

This happened in late August 2018. Almost two years have passed and I have not been fully able to put that chapter behind me, as the perpetrator was never found, let alone caught and brought to justice.

In a nation where rape culture reigns, I realize many people would dismiss what happened to me as an everyday occurrence that I should just accept as a consequence of being a woman, instead of a traumatizing experience or a crime.

On July 2, there came the news that added insult to the injury. The sexual violence eradication bill was officially dropped from this years National Legislation Program (Prolegnas) priority list.

Two days before, Marwan Dasopang, the deputy chairman of House Commission VIII overseeing social affairs, said that the proposal to withdraw the bill was caused by "difficulties" in scheduling.

The statement sparked public outcry, and not only because the poor choice of words, but because it reflected how little our lawmakers actually cared about sexual violence survivors.

By not prioritizing the bill, the lawmakers are perpetuating the rape culture in Indonesia. The sexual violence eradication bill first entered the national conversation in 2016, after a 14-year-old girl was raped and murdered by 14 men in Bengkulu. Besides regulating the punishment for perpetrators and aid for survivors, the bill would include other forms of sexual violence that had hitherto never been classified as crimes, and thus provide better protection for women.

Besides articles covering what is stipulated in the KUHP and Domestic Violence Eradication Law, the sexual violence eradication bill has more than that.

The inclusion of other forms of sexual violence is more important than just as a legal basis for criminal charges.

Making harassment and other forms of sexual violence crimes is an acknowledgement to the survivors who have been wronged. Making sexual violence a crime not only means that perpetrators can be punished, but also relieves victims of the blame that has been far too common in our society.

The passing of the bill could even lead to a profound change of mindset in the country.

Soon after the "difficulties" statement from Marwan, the lawmaker, dominated the online discourse, I took to Twitter to share the hardship I went through while reporting my case. To my surprise, two women sent me a private message. They thanked me for speaking out, and told me that they too had been victims of sexual assault.

One of them experienced the exact same thing as I did while she was still a minor. She said that she went home, startled by what had just happened. She told me how she cried silently, because she couldn't tell anyone, because she was so ashamed.

She knows now that she should not have felt ashamed. That in sexual violence, as with other crimes, the guilt and the shame should entirely lie with the perpetrator.

But this is not always clear because without acknowledgement of sexual violence as a crime, the thin line separating the victim and the perpetrator is blurred, hence the widespread victim blaming in our society. Victims are often judged, rather than helped.

Their gender alone becomes a basis of complicity, as if solely having a female body is an open invitation for sexual violence.

By not prioritizing the sexual violence eradication bill, Indonesian lawmakers have collectively decided that sexual violence is not an urgent matter, thus perpetuating the rape culture. They too have supported the entrenched patriarchy in this country, by treating women as second-class citizens who are not worthy of better protection and recognition of their personhood. Most horrendous of all is the message that they sent to the public: since many forms of sexual violence are not yet crimes, almost everything is still permissible.

By not calling sexual assault a crime, the lawmakers, who are only 10 minutes away from where the crime happened to me, have sided with those who put the blame and guilt on the victims.
People look at the swollen Hida river following heavy rain in Gero, Gifu prefecture, southern Japan (Yuya Shino/Kyodo News/AP)

Torrential rain that caused deadly floods in southern Japan was moving north-east on Wednesday, battering large areas of Japans main island, swelling more rivers, triggering mudslides and destroying houses and roads.

At least 58 people have died in several days of flooding.

By Wednesday morning, parts of Nagano and Gifu in central Japan were flooded after heavy downpours.

Expand Close The playground of a junior school in Gero, Gifu prefecture, southern Japan was flooded (Kyodo News/AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp The playground of a junior school in Gero, Gifu prefecture, southern Japan was flooded (Kyodo News/AP)

Footage on NHK television showed a swollen river gouging into the embankment, destroying a highway, while in the city of Gero, the rising river was flowing just below a bridge.

In the mountainous town of Takayama, several houses were hit by a mudslide, their residents all safely rescued.

In Kagoshima, a pick-up truck was hit by a mudslide and fell into the sea, but the driver was airlifted out with a head injury, according to Fuji Television.

In another town in Oita, two brothers in their 80s were dug out alive by rescuers after a mudslide smashed into their hillside house, NHK said.

Expand Close A man walks through a flooded road following heavy rain in Omuta, Fukuoka prefecture, southern Japan (Juntaro Yokoyama/Kyodo News/AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp A man walks through a flooded road following heavy rain in Omuta, Fukuoka prefecture, southern Japan (Juntaro Yokoyama/Kyodo News/AP)

As of Wednesday morning, the death toll from the heavy rain which started over the weekend had risen to 58, most of them from the hardest-hit Kumamoto prefecture.

Four others were found in Fukuoka, another prefecture on Kyushu, Japans third-largest island.

Across the country, about 3.6 million people were advised to evacuate, although evacuation is not mandatory and the number of people who actually took shelter was not provided.

Rain had subsided by Wednesday afternoon in many areas, where residents were busy cleaning up their homes and work places.

Expand Close A vehicle and a tree lie down following a heavy rain in Hita, Oita prefecture, southern Japan (Kyodo News/AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp A vehicle and a tree lie down following a heavy rain in Hita, Oita prefecture, southern Japan (Kyodo News/AP)

In Gero, a man washed down mud at the entrance of his riverside house despite the evacuation advice.

I was told to run away and my neighbours all went, but I stayed, he said. I didnt want my house to be washed away in my absence.

In Oita, teachers at a nursery school were wiping the floor and drying the wet furniture.

I hope we can return to normal life as soon as possible, Principal Yuko Kitaguchi told NHK.

Though the rain was causing fresh flooding threats in central Japan, floods were still affecting the southern region. And search and rescue operations continued in Kumamoto, where 14 people are still missing.

Tens of thousands of army troops, police and other rescue workers mobilised from around the country to assist, and the rescue operations have been hampered by the rains, flooding, mudslides and disrupted communications.

Expand Close The heavy rain damaged a road in Hita, Oita prefecture, southern Japan (Miyuki Saito/Kyodo News/AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp The heavy rain damaged a road in Hita, Oita prefecture, southern Japan (Miyuki Saito/Kyodo News/AP)

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga urged residents to use caution.

Disasters may happen even with little rain where grounds have loosened from previous rainfalls, he said.

Mr Suga pledged continuing search and rescue efforts, as well as the government:s emergency funds for the affected areas.

Japan is at high risk of heavy rain in early summer when wet and warm air from the East China Sea flows into a seasonal rain front above the country.

In July 2018, more than 200 people, about half of them in Hiroshima, died from heavy rain and flooding in south=western Japan.
Ukraine reports 1,016 recoveries of COVID-19 cases, 819 cases of disease, 18 deaths in past 24 hours

Ukraine registered a total of 819 new cases of new coronavirus (COVID-19) as of Friday morning, simultaneously with a record number of recoveries (1,016), 18 people died, Health Minister of Ukraine Maksym Stepanov told a press briefing.

Ukraine reported 810 new COVID-19 cases on July 9, 807 on July 8, 564 on July 7, 543 on July 6, and 823 of new infected on July 5.

According to the minister, 214 of ill people were hospitalized. The disease was confirmed for 67 children and 65 medical workers.

He also said that 1,016 of recovered people over 24 hours was a record indicator for Ukraine and said "it was a very good piece of news".

Over the past day, the largest number of active cases per 100,000 population were recorded in Zakarpattia, Lviv, Rivne regions and Kyiv.
The Republican members of Montana's congressional delegation said Thursday plans are still in flux when it comes to attending the Republican National Convention scheduled for Aug. 24-27 in Jacksonville, Florida.

"Plans arent set in stone, however, the senator hopes to attend and looks forward to supporting President Trump," said Republican U.S. Sen. Steve Daines' spokeswoman Katie Schoettler on Thursday. Daines is seeking re-election to his second term in the U.S. Senate and is running against Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock, who is termed out from that office.

Montana's lone U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte, a Republican, is also unsure if he'll attend.

"Details for Greg's August schedule have not been finalized, but with Congress out of session, he looks forward to getting on the road and sitting down with folks across Montana," campaign spokesman Travis Hall said in an email. Gianforte is running for the open governor seat against Democratic Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney.

Some Republican senators have said they will not attend the convention, citing concerns about the novel coronavirus. That includes Sen. Chuck Grassley, of Iowa, who is in his 80s and is not attending for the first time in four decades.

Others who will not attend include Sen. Mitt Romney, of Utah; Lisa Murkowski, of Alaska; and Lamar Alexander, of Tennessee. Sen. Susan Collins, of Maine, is not attending but typically doesn't when she's running for re-election, as she is this year.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, of Kentucky, said Thursday he would "wait and see how things look in late August," according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.

The convention was originally set for Charlotte, North Carolina, but President Donald Trump said in a June tweet he would move it after Republican Gov. Roy Cooper said there may be capacity limits because of COVID-19.

Some of the business of the convention will still occur in North Carolina, but larger keynote events, such as Trump's speech to accept the presidential nomination, will be in Florida. Coronavirus cases have spiked in Florida recently and the state exceeded 100 reported deaths in a single day for the first time Thursday.

The Democratic National Convention is set for Aug. 17-20 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, though that party has said much of their convention will be held virtually. The party has considered smaller regional gatherings, though Politico reported earlier this week that's now also up in the air as coronavirus cases are on the rise in much of the country.

Sarah Feldman, a spokeswoman for Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Tester said Thursday plans were unclear for the convention. Tester is not up for re-election this year.

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Trends exclusive interview with Murat LeCompte, Chief External Affairs Officer at SOCAR Turkey

Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP)

The Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline, which is the most important section of the Southern Gas Corridor, is a backbone of the natural gas transmission infrastructure needed by Turkey to become the east-west energy center.

TANAP, which started gas supplies to Turkey from June 2018, has been operating in line with our goals. The volume of gas supplies from Azerbaijan to Turkey via TANAP will reach a total of 6 billion cubic meters from June 30, 2020, after two years since the start of commercial operation.

The global economic and social crises do not cause any delays in TANAPs commercial operation, since under the 15-year gas transportation agreements with predetermined volume of transportation and tariffs, a constant transport income is guaranteed every year.

STAR Refinery

STAR Refinery with investment value of $6.3 billion, meets 25 percent of Turkeys demand for refined petroleum products alone. Its refining capacity is 10 million tons of crude oil per year.

STAR Refinery produced 3.6 million tons of diesel, 1.2 million tons of jet fuel, approximately 800,000 tons of naphtha, 200,000 tons of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), 600,000 tons of reformat and 400,000 tons of petrocoke as of the end of 2019. The volume of crude oil refined at STAR Refinery in 2019 reached 7.1 million tons. The start of domestic sales by STAR Refinery in 2019 contributed to around $2 billion worth of import cuts to Turkey.

STAR Refinery, which fully meets Petkims naphtha demand, started 2020 quite well. However, with the outbreak of COVID-19 worldwide, some changes in the production plans in this period came up. The demand for jet fuel went down rapidly, as the aviation and logistics industry was affected by the pandemic. Thanks to its advanced technology and operational flexibility, STAR Refinery continued production by converting 1.6 million tons of jet fuel production capacity to diesel. STAR Refinerys priority is to ensure naphtha production, which is the main raw material of Petkim and meet Turkeys domestic demand. Therefore, export has low preference for us. Meeting the domestic demand was a priority for us also during the period from January through May.

During the first years of STAR Refinerys operation, predominantly refined crude oil was imported from Russia. Afterwards, we started purchasing crude oil from various countries, especially, from the Middle East and Africa. STAR Refinery has a lot of options in this regard. STAR Refinery, which has the most modern technology and can refine 214,000 barrels of oil per day, is able to refine more than 100 types of oil. Naturally, it provides flexibility to the refinery. With special models developed, we are able to buy crude oil at the best price and quality under the market conditions.

The sources of import and volumes also change depending on the modeling. Of course, we always continue studying new import sources.

STAR Refinery, which performed successfully in 2019, indeed, made a good start to 2020 as well. However, after detecting the first COVID-19 case in Turkey on March 11 and the subsequent developments, STAR Refinery had to change its production plans. As a result of the rapid fall in jet fuel demand starting from April due to travel restrictions caused by COVID-19 pandemic, we converted our jet fuel capacity to diesel. With this operation, our refinery continued to operate at full capacity without disrupting its production. As a result, the total volume of crude oil refining at STAR Refinery stood at 4.3 million tons in the first five months of 2020.

We continue making additional investments to increase the operational flexibility and storage capacity of STAR Refinery. In order to increase operational flexibility and profitability, we implemented three projects that included additional storage and piping investments in 2019.

We opened the SOCAR Storage Terminal Tank Expansion Project, one of the two projects implemented in this context, in September 2019. We also laid the foundation of STAR Refinery Crude Oil and Oil Intermediates Tanks Project.

Product storage capacity of STAR Refinery will reach 2.5 million cubic meters with new investments.

Petkim Petrochemical Complex

Petkim Petrochemical Complex, which is the first and only integrated petrochemical plant of Turkey, is of strategic importance for Turkeys economy and industry with its 55-year history. Despite the contraction in the petrochemical industry in 2019, Petkim achieved a historical record in production with 3.4 million tons in 2019 and operated with a high production capacity of 97.2 percent throughout the year.

The first half of 2020 was a challenging period for many sectors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which impacted the whole world. However, as a result of the synergy with the STAR Refinery, which started operating in the last quarter of 2018, Petkim increased its production by 1.7 percent compared to the same period of the previous year, from 788,000 tons to 802,000 tons even at the peak of the pandemic.

Petkim played a crucial role in supplying of plastic, medical and raw materials for the packaging industry as part of the fight against COVID-19. It uninterruptedly supplied raw materials needed in this difficult period in Turkey. Petkim once again showed that it is the safe supplier of the Turkish industrialist. The total sales revenue of Petkim reached 2.8 billion Turkish liras in the first three months of 2020, which is similar to the amount recorded in the same period of 2019.

In order to turn Petkim into the most digitalized company of Turkey and Azerbaijan, we launched the digitalization period in 2018. The digitalization team at Petkim has up to now implemented more than 40 projects and financial implementation was ensured with 20 active projects within the digitalization program. All those projects were implemented with such technologies as machine learning, artificial intelligence, image recognition, robotic process automation.

Thanks to the digital projects implemented, Petkim was able to increase its efficiency under the current conditions, throughput, energy efficiency and product quality. These projects also ensured efficiency and improvement in the businesses of financial units and human resources units. These improvements are reflected in financial results as well. Thanks to the digitalization projects implemented so far, Petkim will get additional revenues in the amount of approximately $43 million in the coming years.

Since Petkim is a publicly traded company listed on the Istanbul Stock Exchange, it is not possible for us to provide information about production figures in the first five months of 2020 at the moment. However, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected the whole world, Petkim performed quite well in the first three months of 2020.

Petkim played a crucial role in supplying of plastic, medical and raw materials for the packaging industry as part of the fight against COVID-19. In order to meet the demand, Petkim operated 7/24 to produce raw materials of medical supplies and packaging demanded by Turkey.

On the other hand, as a result of the steps taken for normalization of the situation starting from June 1, the demand of other sectors for Petkims raw material also increased. This allows to expect positive results for the end of the year.

SOCAR-BP petrochemical complex project

Before the COVID-19 outbreak, in 2019, we announced about a project to construct a petrochemical plant in Aliaga, Izmir jointly with our partner. This plant will allow to reduce Turkeys Pure Terephthalic Acid (PTA) imports to zero and at the same time, to produce currently imported 800,000 tons of paraxylene (PX) domestically in Turkey.

This project is extremely important in terms of reducing the dependence of Turkeys plastic sector on raw materials import.

We were planning to make the final investment decision based to the results of field studies in 2020. However, due to the pandemic, we had to change the plans for field works to protect the health of our employees and postponed our work to 2021.

--

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RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP)  Israeli troops shot and killed a Palestinian in the occupied West Bank who they said was throwing firebombs at a guard post, but who Palestinian officials say was merely strolling through his village.

The army said troops fired at two Palestinians who were throwing Molotov cocktails at the guard post late Thursday near the village of Kifl Haris, in the Salfit governorate.

Salfit Gov. Abdallah Kmail said one of the men, 29-year-old Ibrahim Abu Yakoub, was killed and the other was wounded in the leg and taken to a hospital.

He said the two were walking through the village when the Israeli troops opened fire for no reason."

Tensions have been high in the West Bank in recent weeks as Israel has vowed to proceed with plans to annex up to 30% of the occupied territory in line with President Donald Trumps Middle East initiative, which was rejected by the Palestinians.

Elsewhere in the West Bank, Israeli security forces clashed with around 30 hard-line Jewish settlers overnight who were trying to rebuild an unauthorized outpost in a closed military zone. The Border Police said the settlers blocked roads and attacked its forces, lightly wounding two officers.

It said 20 people were detained for questioning. There were no reports of any serious injuries among the settlers.

Nearly 500,000 Jewish settlers live in the occupied West Bank, which Israel seized in the 1967 war and which the Palestinians view as the heartland of their future state. The territory is home to around 2.5 million Palestinians.

The Palestinians and most of the international community view the settlements as illegal and an obstacle to peace. The Trump administration has broken with decades of U.S. policy by saying it does not consider the settlements to be illegal, and the Trump plan would allow Israel to eventually annex all of them.
India recorded 26,506 new cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), in the highest jump so far, and 475 deaths in the last 24 hours pushing its infection tally to 793,802, according to the Union health ministry on Friday.

The country has recorded more than two lakh Covid-19 cases since July 1 and has witnessed over 20,000 infections every day since July 3.

There were 19,135 patients of the viral disease who were cured between Thursday and Friday morning taking the number of those sent home from hospitals to 495,512. With that, Indias recovery rate is now 62.42%.

On Thursday, the number of recovered cases had overshot the number of Covid-19 active cases by 206,588. The number of recovered is now almost twice the number of active cases.

Also read: Sero survey hints at a high Covid-19 infection rate in Delhi

This is a result of focussed attention on effective surveillance through house-to-house contact tracing, early detection, and isolation as well as timely and effective clinical management of COVID-19 cases, the Centre said in a release.

The countrys death toll stands at 21,604 after the new fatalities in the last 24 hours, according to the health ministrys dashboard.

The government has said that India has one of the lowest deaths in the world with deaths per million population at 15.31 which translates to a fatality rate of 2.75%the global deaths per million population stand at 68.7.

The Union health ministry said on Thursday patients over the age of 45 years, who form 25% of the countrys population, account for 85% of Indias Covid-19 deaths.

India also has one of the lowest cases per million population in the world at 538 while the global average is at 1497, the government has said.

It has also said 49 districts across India account for 80% of Covid-19 cases in the country.

Also read: China warns citizens of unknown pneumonia with higher fatality than Covid-19

Maharashtra continued to be the worst-hit state with more than 2.30 lakh cases and 9,667 deaths. Tamil Nadu has 126,581 Covid-19 cases and 1,765 deaths, while Delhi has reported 107,051 infections and 3,258 deaths till date.

Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal have announced lockdowns once again to contain the spread of the virus as there was a surge in Covid-19 cases.

The government in Uttar Pradesh, where the Covid-19 tally has crossed 32,000, announced a complete weekend shutdown from Friday 10pm till Monday 5am.

In West Bengal, another week of complete lockdown kicked in Thursday afternoon across containment zones. The Covid-19 tally in the eastern state has gone past 25,000.

Five districts, including Patna, in Bihar will go under lockdown from Saturday after more than a month as the states Covid-19 count neared 14,000.
The embattled chairman of the anti-graft agency, EFCC, spent his fourth night in detention on Thursday.

Mr Magu was arrested on Monday and has been detained since then.

He is facing a probe panel set up by President Muhammadu over allegations of corruption and insubordination. The panel, headed by a retired appeal court judge, Ayo Salami, also has representatives of the major security agencies, police and the SSS, as members.

The allegations against Mr Magu were made by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami. Both men have had a running battle since Mr Magus appointment in 2015.

While the panel has continued its daily sitting, it has been held behind closed doors in the absence of journalists.

Government officials including presidential spokespersons have also been reluctant to speak officially on the status of the investigation and of Mr Magu.

Apart from Mr Magu, other senior officials of the agency including its secretary, Olanipekun Olukoyede, are believed to have appeared before the panel.

Unlike Mr Magu, however, every other person who has appeared before the panel has been allowed to go home after the appearance.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt from sources close to Mr Magu that he is allowed to see his family at the Area 10 police building in Abuja where he is detained and sleeps at one of its waiting rooms.

He also has access to his lawyers and spends virtually all day answering questions at the panel since Monday.

He is taken away from the FCID to the villa around 9 a.m. and brought back around 11 p.m. every day, a security source told PREMIUM TIMES, saying Mr Magu is interrogated daily by the presidential panel.

Suspension

A day after Mr Magu was arrested, he was suspended from office, according to multiple sources briefed on the matter. Since the suspension, however, there has been no official announcement on it or on who would head the EFCC in the interim.

At the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, Mr Olukoyede and the commissions director of operations, Mohammed Umar, continue to supervise the agency, with neither of them being formally appointed as acting head of the agency yet.

EFCC Headquarters

However, based on Section 2(3) of the EFCC Act, the most-senior EFCC official next to Mr Magu with 15 years experience as a security operative is expected to take charge as the head of the commission. That would leave Mr Umar, a deputy commissioner of police, as interim head of the agency.

On the same day Mr Magu was suspended, a combined team of riot policemen and operatives of the State Security Services (SSS) searched his house in Karu, Abuja.

Nothing incriminating was found during the search, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.

Many Nigerians including civil society organisations and a member of the presidential advisory committee against corruption, Femi Odekunle, have described Mr Magus ordeal as a power play between him and Mr Malami.

Magu Rejected Twice

Mr Magu, who was appointed as acting chief of the anti-graft agency in 2015 by President Muhammad Buhari, was rejected twice by the 8th Assembly under the leadership of former Senate President Bukola Saraki, after the State Security Service said the nominee lacked the integrity to lead the countrys anti-corruption agency.

Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki

In the 9th Assembly, Mr Maguss name was never sent for screening, despite an endorsement by a presidential adviser and chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Itse Sagay.

Itse Sagay

This is not a turn-by-turn thing. It is a thing of merit. You must work for it and achieve it. In our view, the acting chairman deserves everything including his being given a substantive appointment. It is true one man cannot make a forest, but it takes a good man, a man of quality to bring out the best in any organisation, and that is what he represents  an uncompromising person.

As far as corruption is concerned, no one has the courage in this country to offer him a bribe, because he or she knows the result will be a disaster. We are solidly behind Magu and the EFCC. Mr Sagay said when he led his team on a solidarity visit to the EFCC boss at the commissions headquarters, in November 2019.

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[July 10, 2020] Mission to Mars: UAE Set to Become First Arab Nation to Explore Other Planets

WASHINGTON, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- On July 14, the Emirates Mars probe  "Hope" or "Al Amal" in Arabic  is scheduled to liftoff from Japan's Tanegashima Space Center and begin a seven-month journey to the Red Planet. The probe is expected to enter Mars' orbit in 2021, coinciding with the UAE's 50th anniversary. The mission will contribute vital knowledge to the global space community and prove that the UAE, a young nation with a newly formed space exploration program, can achieve this breakthrough by prioritizing an ambitious advanced sciences agenda. Days before this historic liftoff, two barrier-breaking leaders, UAE Minister of Advanced Technology and Deputy Project Manager of the Emirates Mars Mission Sarah Al Amiri and Dr. Ellen Stofan, Director of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum and former Chief Scientist of NASA, offered these views on A Reason for "Hope," the third episode of Podbridge , a new podcast series launched by the UAE Embassy and hosted by UAE Ambassador to the US Yousef Al Otaiba . First announced in 2014, the Emirates Mars Mission represents the culmination of an innovative knowledge transfer and development program between the UAE and international partners. Working closely with US educational institutions such as University of Colorado, University of California-Berkeley and Arizona State University, Emirati scientists completed the Arab world's first interplanetary space probe while laying the foundations for a sustainable and dynamic space exploration industry in the UAE. "In six short years, the Emirates Mars Mission program has created a brand-new industry that is transforming the UAE's science community," said UAE Minister o Advanced Technology Sarah Al Amiri. "With the support of countless international experts, we have taken an inspiration and turned that into reality by developing homegrown talent and expertise, while investing in state-of-the-art universities and laboratories. The Hope probe now sits atop a rocket ready for launch, fulfilling the UAE's journey to Mars promise."



"It is incredibly exciting that space exploration is not limited to simply a handful of countries with many years of experience in this field," said Dr. Ellen Stofan, Director of the National Air and Space Museum. "We need the collaboration of the worldwide scientific community and that requires nurturing a global pool of talent. Space does not belong to one country, but to all of us. As the former Chief Scientist at NASA, I witnessed firsthand the remarkable growth of the UAE program and the Emirates Mars Mission is a milestone event that supporters of space travel worldwide should applaud." During the podcast, Minister Al Amiri and Dr. Stofan spoke about their careers as female trailblazers in a male dominated profession and offered advice to young people who are passionate about science and space.

"To every young girl, never allow anybody to say you cannot achieve greatness. Sit at the table where decisions are made and don't allow anyone to say you do not belong. For young Emirati women, look to Sarah Al Amiri as a role model and inspiration," said Dr. Stofan. Added Minister Al Amiri, "For all the young women pursuing a career in science and technology, channel your inner power, seize the opportunities before you, and with that knowledge, you will create change that will transform the world." In 2019, Hazza Al Mansouri, the UAE's first astronaut, set out on a historic mission to the International Space Station. Aboard the ISS, he conducted various experiments on behalf of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, hosted a traditional Emirati dinner for his crewmates, and gave a broadcasted tour of the station for viewers back home. In this episode of Podbridge, UAE Ambassador to the US Yousef Al Otaiba also interviewed Hazza Al Mansouri, who described the immense sense of pride and accomplishment generated by the UAE National Space Program. "Nearly 60 years ago, President John Kennedy delivered his famous moon shot speech and captured the imagination of the world," Ambassador Al Otaiba said. "Today in the UAE, that same energy and wonderment exists as the Hope probe is set to launch. The Emirates Mars Mission is inspiring a new generation of Arab youth to explore careers in science and technology, and opening up new frontiers of possibility for our region." The UAE Embassy in Washington, DC will host a virtual watch party for the historic scheduled launch of the Emirates Mars Mission. Alongside a livestream of the launch pad, experts from the US and UAE space sectors will discuss the Mission's goals and the broader significance of the Arab world's first interplanetary spacecraft. Watch the event live at 3:30 pm EDT on July 14 via the UAE Embassy's YouTube page. Sarah Al Amiri was named as chairwoman of the UAE Space Agency and Minister for Advanced Technology, effective August 2020. Sarah Al Amiri was appointed as Minister of State for Advanced Sciences in October 2017. Her responsibilities include enhancing the contributions of advanced sciences to the development of UAE and its economy. Sarah is also Deputy Project Manager and Science Lead on the Emirates Mars Mission, where she leads the team developing and fulfilling the Mission's scientific objectives, goals, instrumentation and analysis programs. Dr. Ellen Stofan is the John and Adrienne Mars Director of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. Stofan started in April 2018 and is the first woman to hold this position. Stofan comes to the position with more than 25 years' experience in space-related organizations and a deep research background in planetary geology. She was chief scientist at NASA (2013-16), serving as the principal advisor to former Administration Charles Bolden on NASA's strategic planning and programs. Podbridge is available on all major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast services. For more information about Podbridge, visit www.podbridge.com and receive updates on Twitter @UAEUSAUNITED . Lamiyae Jbari

[email protected]

202 243 2464 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mission-to-mars-uae-set-to-become-first-arab-nation-to-explore-other-planets-301091632.html SOURCE Embassy of the United Arab Emirates

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Settling in Los Angeles, Mr. Chau studied computing at a community college and took low-paying jobs, working on an assembly line and in the kitchen at a Bobs Big Boy restaurant before starting a desktop publishing business. For about five years, he and his family pooled their incomes to repay a friend who had lent them the money they needed for their boat trip to the United States  a journey that was paid in sheets of gold bullion costing about $9,000 per person, according to a New York Times report.
A U.S. F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet lands on the flight deck of the USS Ronald Reagan as the USS Nimitz steams alongside during drills by the two aircraft carriers in the South China Sea, July 6, 2020.

The risk of the United States and China stumbling into conflict in the South China Sea is rising as their military exercises intensify and various nations adopt a more muscular presence in this key regional hotspot, experts say.

An increasingly assertive China has been sending survey ships in waters where other claimant states want to explore for oil, and has repeatedly deployed coastguard and paramilitary fishing vessels alongside them. On top of it all, in early July China held naval drills near the Paracel Islands that drew protests from Vietnam and the Philippines.

If Chinas show of force was intended to test Washingtons resolve, it appears to have backfired. The U.S. and its allies are pushing back. For the first time in years, the U.S. has in the past week sent two aircraft carriers into the South China Sea on an exercise that was within sight of Chinas own drill in the Paracels. Those carrier strike groups exercised with the navy of Japan, and both Japan and Australia have unveiled new defense strategies in recent weeks that highlight concerns over China.

The rival military maneuvers at sea are echoed on the diplomatic stage. This week, U.S, Japan and Australia defense officials denounced the continued militarization of disputed features, the coercive use of coast guard vessels and maritime militia, and the disruption of other countries right to resources. That drew a stiff response from China, which accused non-regional countries of threatening stability.

Notwithstanding the growing strains in the U.S.-China relationship  Hong Kong, the sanctioning of Chinese officials over atrocities in Xinjiang, or trade disputes -- RAND Corporation analyst Andrew Scobell said both the U.S. and China tend to presume the risk of conflict in the South China Sea is low -- and that presents a danger in itself.

It worries me because that gives both sides a sense that they can do things without worrying about the potential for escalation, said Scobell, who is also professor at Marine Corps University.

Olli Pekka Suorsa, a research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, shared concern over the growing potential for an unintended conflict breaking out.

With both China and the United States deploying significant numbers of ships and military aircraft in close proximity with one another, the risk of collision is an ever-present danger, Suorsa said. And with tensions running as high as they are today, an accident or miscalculation is never far away.

An accident is all it takes

All the experts interviewed for this article say the most likely spark for fighting in the South China Sea is an accident.

Scobell harked back to the EP-3 incident in 2001, when a U.S. intelligence-gathering plane collided with a Chinese fighter jet in mid-air over the Paracels, causing the death of a Chinese pilot and forcing the U.S. plane to land at Chinas Hainan province, where its crew was detained.

That incident was defused successfully, but Scobell thinks any situation now would be more volatile, and there would be more pressure on both the U.S. and China to act hastily.

As the U.S. patrols the skies and sea more frequently and China continues its paramilitary activity, the chance of ships colliding or trying to force one another to back down increases, multiple experts say. In the event of a crisis, there are hotlines between China and the United States, but Scobell said this direct line of communication is imperfect, slow, and frequently frozen.

"What gets U.S. officials frustrated is that we have this hotline or you have someone's phone number, you've exchanged business cards, you've built a relationship and then in a crisis the American decisionmaker picks up the phone to call his Chinese point of contact and nobody answers. Thats what often happens, Scobell said.

The reason for this, according to him, is a difference in culture. Chinese military officials do not want to be responsible for responding to Americans during a crisis.

From the perspective of a Chinese military commander, any initiative or modest deviation from one's orders is not rewarded, you're really worried about being slapped down for stepping out of line, he said.

That has big implications for how a Chinese naval officer would respond to an accident at sea involving a U.S. vessel. Whereas the U.S. Navy has a culture where officers and captains have significant flexibility in how they execute their orders, Chinas Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has far less.

When you have rigid orders, and circumstances change, and you feel like you cannot deviate from those orders, that is where the danger is," Scobell said.

A crewman from the Vietnamese coastguard ship looks out at sea as Chinese coastguard vessels give chase to Vietnamese ships near an oil rig in the South China Sea in a file photo from July 2014. Credit: Reuters Containing risk in Southeast Asia

The South China Sea is viewed as a hotspot for good reason. In addition to the plethora of tiny land features disputed by six governments, the waters are heavily fished and a potential source of undersea oil and gas. The region is crisscrossed by shipping routes crucial for world trade, hence the concern paid to it by outside countries.

If allowed to proceed unchecked, said Hunter Stires, a fellow at the U.S. Naval War College, China's maritime insurgency will lead to a closed, Sinocentric, and unfree sea, one where avaricious coastal states can fence off and lay claim to ocean areas nowhere near them to keep the ships and mariners of other countries out.

The last major shooting match in the South China Sea was in 1988 when China and Vietnam clashed over Johnson South Reef in the Spratlys, which left some 64 Vietnamese dead and China in control of the feature.

But, historically, nations have managed to contain the risk of conflict. In April, a Vietnamese fishing boat was rammed and sunk by the Chinese coastguard. In February, China was accused of training a radar gun on a Philippine Navy vessel, which prompted Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr., to file a diplomatic protest.

Neither incident escalated, and for good reason, according to Dr. Huong Le Thu, a senior analyst with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.

It is in no one's interests, neither China's nor anyone in Southeast Asia, to escalate incidents into military confrontation, she said.

But with no discernable progress in resolving the myriad territorial disputes in the South China Sea, few observers are optimistic about nations reaching a durable solution to protect against conflict.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has aspired for nearly two decades to negotiate with China a binding Code of Conduct, or CoC, that would mitigate the risk of accidents at sea. ASEAN members Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, and Indonesia all have claims to the South China Sea or borders that conflict with Chinas claims. Late last month, the bloc reiterated their desire to complete those negotiations.

But Dr. Le Thu said that it was wrong to hang on to the hope that the CoC would make the South China Sea more safe.

The same week when the Senior Ministers' Meeting between China and ASEAN reassured about each other's good intentions and cooperation towards the CoC, China also sent ships into Vietnam's exclusive economic zone and kept harassing other Southeast Asians, she noted.

Taking sides

Some Southeast Asian nations which lack the capacity to stand up to China believe stepping up cooperation with the United States is the best way to safeguard their interests, according to Mohamad Mizan Aslam, a geopolitical strategy expert at the Universiti Malaysia Perlis.

Scobell said one of the most remarkable regional developments this year has been the Philippines backtracking on plans to dial back its military ties with the U.S., its treaty ally. Beijing was starting to believe it had lured Manila away from Washington, he said.

Manila shelved its sudden abrogation of a visiting forces agreement with Washington on June 1, and is now taking a stronger line against Chinas actions in the South China Sea.

However, ASEAN countries remain wary about too much of a U.S. military presence in the South China Sea, where there is the potential for them to be dragged into a U.S.-China conflict.

Dr. Le Thu said countries in the region would be more comfortable with the U.S. that has a strategy and longer-term plan how to manage the tensions rather than fueling it for its own benefit. She was alluding to the idea that the U.S. is primarily motivated by its strategic contest with China.

ASEAN nations are traditionally loathe to pick sides. Suorsa said the more the Sino-U.S rivalry intensifies, the more pressure both Washington and Beijing are likely to exert over smaller powers to choose between them.

High-level officials insistence that the U.S. will not force smaller powers pick sides is also losing credibility, Suorsa warned.

The perception that the South China Sea has become a venue for that great power rivalry was echoed by a retired Vietnamese general this week. Senior Lt. Gen. Vo Tien Trung, a former member of the Communist Party Central Committee, warned that the recent military drills by China and the U.S. have created instability and a tense situation.

Such actions of the two countries militaries create the risk of a military clash leading to instability in the South China Sea region, he told state-run Dan Viet newspaper. So we ask both sides to exercise utmost restraint.

Additional reporting by Noah Lee in Kuala Lumpur for BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service.
EUCLID, Ohio -- A Euclid police officer is on paid administrative leave following a shooting at a bar Wednesday morning.

Euclid police tell cleveland.com they would not release the officers name. The department also has not provided an initial police report requested by a reporter.

The shooting happened shortly before 5 a.m. at Midway Bar & Grille on Lakeland Boulevard just west of East 222nd Street.

Captain Mitch Houser said the department would also not release body camera or dashboard camera footage at this time because the man shot by the officer was not charged with a crime as of Friday.

Police have not provided an update on the condition of the man shot by the unnamed police officer, nor have police said whether he is expected to recover from his injuries.

Houser said the department is currently redacting dispatch call logs and the incident reports in the days-old shooting before the department makes them public, Houser said.

Its been busy, so we are trying to catch up, Houser said.

The department did release a press release of what they say led to the unidentified officer shooting the unidentified man.

Police were investigating a hit-skip incident on Lakeland Boulevard when officers heard gunfire from Midway Bar & Grille, the statement says.

Police found a man standing in the back parking lot and ordered him to stop. Police did not disclose what exactly the man was doing at the time.

The man stopped but then got into a car shortly after and drove toward one of the police cruisers, the statement says.

He stopped the car then accelerated toward an officer standing outside the cruiser. The officer fired several shots before he jumped out of the way, police said.

The man drove the wrong way on Lakeland Boulevard and East 22nd Street before he drove westbound in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 90, the statement says.

After driving the wrong way on the highway, the mans car went over a median into the westbound lanes and crashed into a guardrail.

Officers rendered first aid until paramedics arrived and took the man to a local hospital for his injuries, including a gunshot wound, the statement says. His current condition was not immediately available.

The crash resulted in at least one other injured person taken to a hospital for treatment.

Read more crime stories on cleveland.com:

Ohio BCI investigating officer-involved shooting in Euclid, police wont release details

Video shows police shot downtown Cleveland resident in head, back with pepper balls as he tried to enter his apartment: they just lit me up

No suspicious circumstances surrounding death of Cuyahoga County Jail inmate, medical examiner says

Ohio teen who wrote of mass shootings gets probation for online threat against federal law enforcement officers

15-year-old girl killed in Sunday afternoon shooting in East Cleveland, police chief says
US tricks worn-out, futile: FM Spox

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, July 9, IRNA -- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi described US tricks as foreseeable but worn-out and useless and mocked the fact that a country with such a long history of piracy is boasting of seizing "a boat loaded with weapons".

In a twitter post on Thursday, he said exactly simultaneous with the desperate efforts by the unlawful US regime to get arms embargo on Iran extended, the country - with a long history of piracy - goes on to discover and seizes "a boat carrying weapons".

What a coincidence! Expected tricks, but worn-out and useless, he said.

Earlier, Mousavi had said that the US is telling lies, dismissing alleged violation of UN arms embargo.

He made the remarks in response to claims made by the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that the US has seized an Iranian vessel carrying weapons to Yemen.

Rejecting such a claim, Mousavi said that telling lies and spreading hatred are the main ingredients of the US foreign policy.

The American officials think in vain that they can prepare the ground for continuation of "maximum pressure" on Iran in a series of futile attempts to extend UN arms embargo against Iran due to expire in mid-October, the spokesman said.

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The U.S. Department of Transportation has revoked permission for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to conduct special direct flights to the United States because of concerns over Pakistani pilot certifications.



The permission was revoked "due to recent events identified by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority that are of serious concerns to aviation safety, specifically matters pertaining to the proper certification of certain Pakistani pilots," according to an e-mail sent to the airline from a law firm that Dawn said it had seen.



PIA spokesman Abdullah Khan confirmed that the airline had been notified of the decision in an e-mail, Dawn reported.



According to Reuters, the information is contained in a revocation of special authorization dated July 1 provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation.



Pakistan last month grounded almost a third of its pilots after discovering they may have falsified their qualifications.



The licenses of 262 Pakistani airline pilots, including a third of PIA pilots, were termed "dubious" by Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan.



Khan said during a June 24 parliamentary session that an inquiry had found that the 262 pilots had obtained their licenses by cheating and having others take exams for them.



More than half the pilots in question worked for PIA, but the airline said some had either retired or left their jobs.



The scandal emerged after a PIA Airbus A320 crashed in Karachi on May 22, killing 97 people, following a resumption of domestic operations that had been paused during the coronavirus pandemic. Investigators blamed the plane's two pilots and air-traffic controllers.



PIA spokesman Abdullah Hafeez said in a statement quoted by Dawn that the decision by the U.S. authorities was "a setback."



The U.S. Department of Transportation in April granted PIA permission to operate 12 direct flights to repatriate people stranded by the coronavirus pandemic. It was the first time that Pakistan's national flag carrier operated direct flights to the United States.



The airline is coordinating with the department, Hafeez said, adding that "we sincerely hope that with the reformative process already under way, they will review their decision to revoke the permissions of special flights operating from Pakistan directly to the U.S. and back."



The European Union Air Safety Agency (EASA) has already suspended the authorization for PIA to fly in Europe for six months.



The EASA said in a statement on June 30 it had suspended PIA and a smaller private Pakistani airline in view of the investigation reported on in the parliament.



The development comes as Pakistan's government has tried to assuage concerns about Pakistani pilots, stating that an inquiry into the issuance of "illegal" licenses to 236 pilots between 2012 and 2018 was in progress, according to Dawn.

With reporting by Dawn and Reuters
(Photo : Sikkema/Unsplash) The Broken Heart syndrome is getting epidemic than COVID19 pandemic. Heres why and how to avoid it.

Recent research was published on Thursday that found a significant increase in "broken heart syndrome" at two Ohio hospitals among patients who were not diagnosed with COVID19. Physicians suggest that the physical, social and economic stressors from the pandemic are taking a physical toll.

The stress-induced cardiomyopathy or also known as "broken heart syndrome" (Takotsubo syndrome), appears when the heart muscles weaken and lead to chest pain and shortness of breath. It presents as a heart attack but actually triggered by stressful situations that blockages in the bloodstream. The patients usually recover within days or weeks.

The Discovery

The Cleveland Clinic researchers examined patients at two different hospitals with heart trouble who were treated last spring and compared them to patients with related issues over the past two years. Patients during the pandemic were two times prone to have broken heart syndrome, according to the study, which was also published in the medical journal JAMA Network Open.

The research was observed at 1,914 patients from five distinct two-month periods, including a sample of over 250 patients hospitalized in March and April. It was concluded that the increase was likely connected to the "psychological, social, and economic stress" caused by the pandemic. The "imposed quarantine, lack of social interaction, strict physical distancing rules, and its economic consequences in people's lives."

According to Dr. Ankur Kalra, a cardiologist who leads the research, "The pandemic has created a parallel environment that is not healthy. Emotional distancing is not healthy."

On the other hand, the recent study didn't examine whether there was any connection between broken heart syndrome and the stress of having coronavirus or watching a relative suffer. They tested the patients who took part in the study for COVID19, and none of their tests came back positive.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, World Health Organization General Director, said last May, "The impact of the pandemic on people's mental health is already extremely concerning."

US Public health authorities and other countries have raised the alarm about the coronavirus's impact on mental health, paying particular attention to the isolation of socially distant living.

Research Limits

Researchers only studied the medical records from patients in Northeastern, Ohio. They noted that more work is needed to determine if these findings are valid in other parts of the country. They also added that it would be worthwhile to explore the direct relationship between COVID19 and broken heart syndrome, which wasn't part of this study.

One expert on the Broken Heart Syndrome raised questions about the recent study's methodology and pointed out several opportunities for potential bias.

Dr. John Horowitz, a retired cardiology professor at the University of Adelaide in Australia, pointed out, "They might be completely right. I don't object to the hypothesis. I object to the statistical methods."

Researchers only examined patients who received cardiac catheterization. This procedure is commonly done to search for blockages in the heart's arteries. Looking at only this slice of patients could lead to biases in the sample, according to Dr. Horowitz said. And this study might exclude older and sicker patients, as they are less likely to undergo catheterization.

"It's well-known that patients quite frequently get Takotsubo syndrome at times of extreme stress or during natural disasters. But there are problems with the way the study was designed. I don't believe all of these cases are Takotsubo. It's as simple as that." said Dr. Horowitz.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
New Delhi, July 10 : The National Rail and Transportation Institute (NRTI) situated in Gujarat's Vadodara on Friday announced admissions for the academic year 2020-21 in 10 course of which eight are new courses.

The Railway Ministry said in a statement that NRTI, a deemed to be University established under the Ministry, will be taking admission of students for the third year.

"The university will offer a total of 10 programmes, out of which eight have been newly added," it said, adding that the last date to apply for BBA, B.Sc and post-graduate programmes is July 31.

It said that only online applications will be accepted by the NRTI. It further said that for the programmes, the entrance test will take place on August 23 at multiple centres across the country.

The admissions of B.Tech courses will be based on JEE Mains score, for which the last date of application is September 14, it said.

The university will offer undergraduate programmes of BBA in Transportation Management, B.Sc in Transportation Technology, B.Tech in Rail Infrastructure Engineering and B.Tech in Rail Systems and Communication Engineering.

The NRTI will also offer postgraduate programmes of MBA in Transportation Management, MBA in Supply Chain Management, M.Sc in Transport Information Systems and Analytics, M.Sc in Transport Technology and Policy, M.Sc in Transport Economics and MS in Railway Systems Engineering and Integration (in collaboration with the University of Birmingham).

It further said that candidates can fill the application form, pay the application fee and register for the process by visiting the NRTI website. The fee for application is Rs 500 for general or economically weaker section or other backward class candidates, while the application fee is Rs 250 for SC/ST/PwD candidates.
Satanic Temple threatens to sue Mississippi if state adds 'In God We Trust' to new flag

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An atheist group that calls itself The Satanic Temple has threatened to sue Mississippi if it decides to add the national motto In God We Trust to its flag.

Recently, Republican Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves signed a law to change the state flag in order to remove the Confederate battle flag, which has long been on the banner.

According to the approved legislation, known as House Bill 1796, the new design for the state flag cannot include the Confederate banner, but it will require In God We Trust.

The Randazza Legal Group, which is representing the Satanic Temple, sent a letter to Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch, protesting the decision.

 removing one divisive symbol of exclusion only to replace it with a divisive phrase of exclusion does not eliminate exclusion, claimed the letter.

[W]e can imagine that there would be some Mississippians who would be a bit put off by the words In Satan we Trust on the state flag.

Temple spokesperson Lucien Greaves said in a statement released Tuesday that his group was fully dedicated to preserving Religious Liberty, and that includes the rights of non-believers and believers of alternative faiths to live free of government coercion or sanction related to their personal religious opinions.

We cannot allow opportunistic politicians to insist on collapsing the wall of separation between Church and State as a consolation for the removal of Confederate iconography, he stated. They are not being given a choice of whom they can marginalize next.

The statement In God We Trust became the official motto of the United States in 1956 when President Dwight Eisenhower signed a law that also put the motto on the currency.

In recent years, secularist groups have tried to have the phrase removed from public property and American currency, only to fail on multiple occasions in the court system.

In June of last year, the U.S. Supreme Court declined without comment to hear an appeal on one such legal challenge from atheist activist Michael Newdow.

Last July, a law in South Dakota took effect mandating the display of the motto at all public schools, in displays no smaller than 12 inches by 12 inches in size.

Wade Pogany, executive director of the Associated School Boards of South Dakota, told The Associated Press last year that schools have enacted the new law in various ways.

Some have plaques. Other have it painted on the wall, maybe in a mural setting, said Pogany. [In one school] it was within their freedom wall. They added that to a patriotic theme.
OSCE Coordinator in the economic working group at Trilateral Contact Group Ulrich Brandenburg confirmed the introduction of Russian currency in the occupied parts of Donbas.

OSCE Coordinator in the TCG Economic Working Group Ambassador Brandenburg confirmed during the informal briefing on 8 June the introduction of Russian currency in the occupied parts of Donbas, Yevhenii Tsymbaliuk, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the International Organizations in Vienna, said at the OSCE Permanent Council meeting on 9 July 2020.

He reminded that the OSCE SMM had confirmed in its reports the decision of the occupying power in Donetsk and Luhansk to establish Russian as the only official language, including discontinuation of the Ukrainian language component of the school regular curricula as of September 2020.

In the past couple of months, we have also witnessed a number of Russias steps aimed at further deepening divide between government-controlled and temporarily occupied parts of Donbas, which undermines future prospects of reintegration of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine. The ongoing so-called passportization and involvement of the owners of these illegal Russian passports to the voting for constitutional amendments in Russia became another major breach of Ukraines sovereignty, Tsymbaliuk said.

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Dull. Slow. Unchanging. Like watching paint dry.

But take a closer look at that paintall the way down to the nanoscaleand theres a lot more going on than you might think.

Researchers in the Gilchrist Laboratory in Lehigh Universitys P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science are observing the evolution of coatings as they dry with groundbreaking microscale precision. Their results were recently published in Scientific Reports.

Thin film coatings do much more than spruce up walls. For example, they can be used as pharmaceutical devices in edible films, similar to those to deliver drugs used to fight the opioid epidemic. How these coatings dry can change their properties, which is especially important for films used in drug delivery.

In their paper, Chemical vs. mechanical microstructure evolution in drying colloid and polymer coatings, the Lehigh researchers looked at how particles rearrange themselves during drying when their interactions are tuned. These particles behaved as a surrogate for the active pharmaceutical ingredient in a drug delivery film.
What is one to make of such insanity? Well, tracks, for starters. My moving van is almost packed. But a smart leader might recognize what these various in-denial groups share  a lust for freedom and distrust of government  and forge an appeal to those instincts. As Bike Week founder Sonny Copeland recently told the Daily Beast, We dont need the damn government to tell us what to do. . . . Were smart enough to know how to take care of ourselves, distance when we ride, and we have common sense. . . . Were not a bunch of teenagers who are going to hug and kiss on the beach. This is about riding motorcycles, being in the wind.
Malawis new President Lazarus Chakwera has responded to criticisms of nepotism by saying that he had good reasons to select the cabinet that he did.



He has included a husband and wife duo as well as people who are related to each other. There are also cabinet posts for some prominent business people which has raised questions of conflicts of interest.



The president's former running mate in the 2019 elections, Sidik Mia, has been appointed minister for transport and his wife Abida Mia is the deputy minister for lands.



Critics may have a point [but] both of them are accomplished politicians in their own right, Mr Chakwera told BBC Focus on Africa radio.



Kenny Kandodo is the new labour minister and his sister Khumbize Kandodo is the health minister.



The president has also appointed the son of one of his allies and predecessors, Joyce Banda.



But Mr Chakwera said the test will not be who the ministers are but whether they are delivering.



This is going to be reviewed because you have to deliver, you have to work so that you are contributing this process of rebuilding and if you dont you are out.This is going to be reviewed because you have to deliver, you have to work so that you are contributing this process of rebuilding and if you dont you are out.



And as to the question of whether its appropriate to have a media owner as information minister, as well as other business people in key posts he said:



If there is any inappropriate action... Then they are gone We will be on top of such and everything has to be declared right from the start.If there is any inappropriate action... Then they are gone We will be on top of such and everything has to be declared right from the start.

Source: BBC









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Schlatter expects lower net sales and loss in the first half of 2020

S c h l i e r e n , July 10, 2020. The effects of the corona pandemic have led to a significant decline in net sales and order intake. Due to the weakness of demand, the Group will therefore post a significant loss in the first half of the year. The market environment remains uncertain and volatile and is highly dependent on the further course of the pandemic.

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Werner Schmidli

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Agenda

18.08.2020 Publication of half-year results 2020 26.01.2021 Publication of key figures of financial year 2020 30.03.2021 Publication of detailed annual results 2020 (press release and publication of

annual report on the website of the company) 04.05.2021 Annual General Meeting

Schlatter Gruppe (www.schlattergroup.com)

The Schlatter Group is one of the leading specialists in plant engineering for resistance welding systems as well as weaving and finishing equipment for the production of paper machine clothing, wire fabrics and wire mesh. Thanks to its many years of experience in the field of plant technology, its innovative strength and its reliable service, the Schlatter Group - which is listed on the Swiss Reporting Standard of SIX Swiss Exchange - guarantees its customers a range of powerful and highquality production equipment.

This media information contains certain forward-looking statements, e.g. statements using the words "believes," "assumes," "anticipates," or formulations of a similar nature. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which could lead to substantial differences between the actual future results, the financial situation, the development or performance of the Company and those either expressed or implied by such statements. Such factors include, among other things: competition from other companies, the effects and risks of new technologies, the Company's continuing capital requirements, financing costs, delays in the integration of acquisitions, changes in the operating expenses, the Company's ability to recruit and retain qualified employees, unfavorable changes in the applicable tax laws, and other factors identified in this communication. In view of these uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The Company accepts no obligation to continue to report or update such forward-looking statements or adjust them to future events or developments.
HONG KONG and SHANGHAI, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. ("Ping An" or the "Group", HKEx: 2318; SSE: 601318) is pleased to announce that its subsidiary Ping An Bank Co., Ltd. ("Ping An Bank") is ranked 46th in The Banker's Top 1000 World Banks, up nine places from last year.

The Banker, owned by Financial Times, is the world's premier banking and finance resource, read in over 180 countries. It is the key source of data and analysis for the industry. The Top 1000 World Banks list is published annually, recognizing global leaders in the industry for their achievements. Banks are assessed by Tier 1 capital, assets, capital/asset ratio, real profit growth, profit on average capital and return on assets.

The Banker commented, "We can see that China has outperformed even more spectacularly in terms of absolute growth, compared to other Asian countries."

Other top banks on the 2020 list include: Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Bank of China, JP Morgan Chase & Co., Bank of America, Wells Fargo & Co., Citigroup and HSBC Holdings.

Maintaining stable and healthy business growth

In 2019, Ping An Bank realized a net profit of RMB28,195 million, up 13.6% year on year, and the growth rate was the highest for the past three years. Ping An Bank made significant progress in its strategic transformation to a retail banking focus. Retail banking's revenue and net profit recorded 29.2% and 13.8% growth year-on-year, accounting for 58.0% and 69.1% of Ping An Bank's revenue and net profit, respectively.

Leveraging technology advantages to combat COVID-19

Amid the COVID-19 epidemic, Ping An Bank quickly resumed business through online digital operations. In the first three months of 2020, revenue increased by 16.8% year-on-year to RMB37,926 million. Net profit rose 14.8% year on year to RMB8,548 million. The cost-to-income ratio declined by 1.68 percentage points year on year to 27.94%.

Benefiting from powerful big data credit investigation capabilities and a platform for a risk control model for digital finance, Ping An Bank enables 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week online service and processing via a variety of contactless service channels for mainstream financing products, such as credit, guarantee and mortgage products. Ping An Bank also carried out thorough research among enterprises to implement emergency credit approval procedures for the emergency funding requirements of medical institutions, pharmaceutical and equipment production and supply, construction, material production and supply and transportation enterprises related to epidemic prevention and control. It introduced a fast credit approval process, reserved a special credit scale and offered preferential loan pricing terms to protect the capital needs of enterprises that support coronavirus infection prevention and control.

Supporting sustainable development through green credit system

To support sustainable development, including green industries that drive the low-carbon economy and emission reduction, Ping An Bank has enhanced support for innovation of green financial products. As of the end of 2019, the total green credit line granted by Ping An Bank reached more than RMB57 billion and the loan balance totaled approximately RMB25 billion.

Ping An Bank has continually strengthened compliance inspections and post-loan management for environmental risk customers. It also incorporated the implementation of green credit in the scope of internal control compliance inspections and internal audits. It has also been improving Ping An Bank's own environmental management, conducting dynamic monitoring and regular analysis of the credit situation for energy savings, emission reduction and elimination of outdated production capacity across Ping An Bank. Ping An Bank also incorporates verification environmental protection information into the overall credit management process.

Mr. Xie Yonglin, President and Co-CEO of Ping An Group, Chairman of Ping An Bank said, "Founded in Shenzhen, Ping An Bank has benefited from the opportunities brought by China's economic reform. It has achieved rapid development and emerged into a commercial bank with unique retail characteristics and leading technological capabilities. Going forward, leveraging on the two advantages of Ping An Group in integrated finance and technology, we will continue to consolidate our position as a digital bank, an eco-bank and a platform bank, in order to achieve further advancement. We will employ more professional and more inclusive financial services to support the real economy and people's livelihoods, to remain true to our original aspiration and fulfill our responsibility as a financial institution."

About Ping An Group

Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. ("Ping An") is a world-leading technology-powered retail financial services group. With over 204 million retail customers and 534 million Internet users, Ping An is one of the largest financial services companies in the world.

Ping An has two over-arching strategies, "pan financial assets" and "pan health care", which focus on the provision of financial and healthcare services through our integrated financial services platform and our five ecosystems of financial services, health care, auto services, real estate services and smart city services. Our "finance + technology" and "finance + ecosystem" strategies aim to provide customers and internet users with innovative and simple products and services using technology. As China's first joint stock insurance company, Ping An Group is committed to upholding the highest standards of corporate reporting and corporate governance. The Company is listed on the stock exchanges in Hong Kong and Shanghai.

In 2020, Ping An ranked 7th in the Forbes Global 2000 list. In 2019, Ping An ranked 29th on the Fortune Global 500 list. Ping An also ranked 38th in the 2020 WPP Kantar Millward Brown BrandZTM Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands list. For more information, please visit www.pingan.cn.

SOURCE Ping An Insurance Group Ltd.

Related Links

http://www.pingan.cn


UNESCO, Greece, Cyprus and church leaders among others express concern about changing status of the sixth-century site.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared Istanbuls iconic Hagia Sophia open to Muslim worship on Friday after a top court ruled the buildings conversion to a museum by modern Turkeys founding statesman was illegal.

Erdogan made his announcement, just an hour after the court ruling was revealed, despite international warnings not to change the status of the nearly 1,500-year-old monument, revered by Christians and Muslims alike.

The decision was taken to hand over the management of the Ayasofya Mosque  to the Religious Affairs Directorate and open it for worship, the decision signed by Erdogan said.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site in Istanbul, a magnet for tourists worldwide, was first constructed as a cathedral in the Christian Byzantine Empire but was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453.

The Council of State, Turkeys highest administrative court, unanimously cancelled a 1934 cabinet decision and said Hagia Sophia was registered as a mosque in its property deeds.

The United States, Greece and church leaders were among those to express concern about changing the status of the huge sixth-century building, converted into a museum in the early days of the modern secular Turkish state under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

Below is a round-up of international reaction to Fridays decisions.

Church leaders

The Russian Orthodox Church expressed dismay at Turkeys decision to revoke the museum status of Hagia Sophia, accusing it of ignoring voices of millions of Christians.

The concern of millions of Christians has not been heard, Russian Orthodox Church spokesman Vladimir Legoida said in comments carried by the Russian news agency Interfax.

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Todays court ruling shows that all calls for the need for extreme delicacy in this matter were ignored, Legoida said.

The Russian Orthodox Church previously urged caution over calls to alter the status of the historic former cathedral, and Russian Patriarch Kirill said he was deeply concerned about such a potential move and called it a threat to the whole of Christian civilisation.

Previously, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual head of some 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide and based in Istanbul, said converting it into a mosque would disappoint Christians and would fracture East and West.

UNESCO

UNESCO said its World Heritage Committee would review Hagia Sophias status, saying it was regrettable that the Turkish decision was not the subject of dialog nor notification beforehand.

UNESCO calls on the Turkish authorities to open a dialog without delay in order to avoid a step back from the universal value of this exceptional heritage whose preservation will be reviewed by the World Heritage Committee in its next session, the United Nations cultural body said in a statement.

The European Union

The European Unions foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called the decision regrettable.

The ruling by the Turkish Council of State to overturn one of modern Turkeys landmark decisions and President Erdogans decision to place the monument under the management of the Religious Affairs Presidency is regrettable, he said in a statement.

Cyprus

Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides, a Greek Cypriot, posted on his official Twitter account that Cyprus strongly condemns Turkeys actions on Hagia Sophia in its effort to distract domestic opinion and calls on Turkey to respect its international obligations.

United States of America

We are disappointed by the decision by the government of Turkey to change the status of the Hagia Sophia, Morgan Ortagus, State Department spokesperson, said in a statement.

We understand the Turkish Government remains committed to maintaining access to the Hagia Sophia for all visitors, and look forward to hearing its plans for continued stewardship of the Hagia Sophia to ensure it remains accessible without impediment for all.

Greece

Greece branded Turkeys move an open provocation to the civilised world.

The nationalism displayed by Erdogan  takes his country back six centuries, Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said in a statement.

Mendoni further said the court ruling absolutely confirms that there is no independent justice in Turkey.

Russia

Vladimir Dzhabarov, deputy head of the foreign affairs committee in the Russian upper house of parliament, called the action a mistake.

Turning it into a mosque will not do anything for the Muslim world. It does not bring nations together, but on the contrary brings them into collision, he said.

Hamas

Palestinian group Hamas has welcomed the verdict allowing the opening of Hagia Sophia as a mosque.

Opening of Hagia Sophia to prayer is a proud moment for all Muslims, said Rafat Murra, head of international press office of Hamas, in a written statement, quoted by Turkeys Anadolu Agency.

Murra stressed that the decision fell under Turkeys sovereignty rights.

Northern Cyprus

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), recognised only by Turkey, is happy with the opening of Hagia Sophia as a mosque.

Hagia Sophia has been Turkish, a mosque and a world heritage since 1453. The decision to use it as a mosque, at the same time to be visited as a museum, is sound and it is pleasing, Prime Minister Ersin Tatar said.
The European Union made a fresh attempt to break the deadlock over its economic response to the coronavirus pandemic, offering sweeteners to critics of the plan while sticking to the overall size of the package.

Under the blueprint drafted by EU Council President Charles Michel, the EU still plans to distribute to governments 500 billion euros ($560 billion) in grants and 250 billion euros in loans. As a concession to fiscally conservative countries, Michel proposed earlier repayments and the continuation of the bloc's system of budget rebates.

EU leaders, who must agree unanimously, have been at odds over the balance between grants and loans, as well as the overall size of the stimulus.

"These are very complex negotiations," Michel told reporters in Brussels. "We hope we'll make clear and solid decisions in the coming days."

The EU is facing the biggest recession in its history, and the response has exposed deep divisions between its members. While German Chancellor Angela Merkel has lined up alongside French President Emmanuel Macron in pleading for an agreement this summer, a group of fiscally conservative nations led by Netherlands has raised huge objections.

In an effort to appease those governments, the proposal foresees an earlier repayment of the debt the commission will raise on the market, starting from January 2027.

The majority of grants will be committed in 2021 and 2022 while only 30% will be committed in 2023, in a move to address calls for the funds to be disbursed faster to deal with the impact of the coronavirus crisis. Meanwhile, the funds allocated for 2023 will be distributed taking into account slightly different criteria that focus more on the direct impact of the pandemic on economic growth, a change also aimed at addressing concerns by the northern bloc.

A key concession to sweeten the deal for the net payer states is the proposal to keep correction payment in the EU's long term budget, a key request by countries like Denmark. Many EU diplomats have seen the so-called rebates as a key piece in the negotiations.

Michel's draft, along with a revised version of the bloc's 1.074 trillion-euro budget plan for the next seven years, will feed into negotiations between leaders when they meet in Brussels on July 17-18. It's their first in-person summit since February, when they failed to reach agreement on their original spending plan.

Last week, an EU official with knowledge of the negotiations, said it wasn't a given that a deal would be reached this month. It's unclear whether the latest concessions go far enough to placate the governments that have been opposing the proposal.

The plan is controversial because it would represent a massive shift away from national governments having control over their finances. The European Commission, the bloc's central executive, would issue debt on behalf of all 27 members. At present, the EU's budget is only used for tightly controlled and specific reasons, such as agricultural subsidies and infrastructure projects in the bloc's poorest regions.

The previously proposed principle that the recovery funds will be available only for projects that are in sync with the EU climate objectives still stands.

Michel wants to make the recovery program and the next budget greener, introducing a goal of earmarking 30% of funds -- a total of 547 billion euros -- for projects that fight climate change. That would help Europe reach its 2050 climate-neutrality target and also could convince the frugal nations, which support stepping up efforts to reduce greenhouse gases, to endorse the deal.

Climate policies are also set to play an important role in financing the budget and the recovery fund, with the EU betting on revenues from a planned levy on imports of emissions-intensive products and an extension of the bloc's carbon market to shipping and aviation.

As talks intensify, leaders have engaged in shuttle diplomacy to help smooth a path to a deal before their summit. Merkel is scheduled to meet Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte next Monday and his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez on Tuesday. On Thursday evening she met Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte for a work dinner in Berlin and made clear before the meeting that she shares Rutte's belief that financial aid should be combined with reforms. A German government spokeswoman declined to comment on the outcome of the meeting.

Rutte is playing host to a string of leaders, too. Conte was due to hold talks in the Hague on Friday, with Portugal's Antonio Costa and Sanchez -- among those that would benefit most from the recovery plan -- scheduled for meetings on Monday.
Oil prices dipped on Friday after steep falls in the previous session and were set for a weekly decline on worries renewed lockdowns following a surge in coronavirus cases in the United States and elsewhere will suppress fuel demand.

Brent crude was down by 7 cents, or 0.2%, at $42.28 a barrel by 0114 GMT after falling more than 2% on Thursday. U.S. oil fell 13 cents, or 0.3%, at $39.49 a barrel after a drop of 3% in the previous session.

Brent is heading for a weekly decline of more than 1% and U.S. crude is on track for a fall of nearly 3%.

While many analysts are expecting economies and fuel demand to recover from the pandemic, record daily increases in coronavirus infections this week in the United States, the world's biggest oil consumer, raised concerns about the pace of any recovery.

"Renewed coronavirus outbreaks in some parts of the world have added to reasons to expect the recovery to slow in the months ahead," Capital Economics said in a note.

In Australia, the government on Friday will consider reducing the number of citizens allowed to return to the country from overseas, after authorities ordered a new lockdown of the country's second-most populous city, Melbourne.

The United States had around 56,000 COVID-19 cases on Thursday, the third consecutive day new infections have exceeded at least 55,000, according to a Reuters tally. On Wednesday, U.S. cases topped 60,000, the biggest daily increase in any country since the outbreak started.

Oil inventories also remain bloated due to the evaporation of demand for gasoline, diesel and other fuels during the initial outbreak.

U.S. crude oil inventories rose by nearly 6 million barrels last week after analysts had forecast a decline of just over half that figure.

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Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, said on Friday that another summit with the US was "unnecessary" and "useless" for Pyongyang as long as there was no change in Washington's negotiating position.

Kim Yo-jong made the remark in a statement carried by Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) after US President Donald Trump said earlier this week that he would hold another summit with the North's leader "if I thought it was going to be helpful", reports Yonhap News Agency

"This is my personal opinion but any summit between the US and will not take place this year," Kim Yo-jong was quoted as saying by the KCNA.

"As long as there is no decisive change in the US position, a summit between and the U. is unnecessary and useless this year and in the future at least for us."

That, however, does not mean that the North is not going to denuclearize, she added.

"We are not saying we are not going to denuclearize, but that we cannot denuclearize now," Kim Yo-jong, while calling on the US to take "major steps" and drop its "hostile policy" toward the North.

Nuclear talks between the US and the North have stalled since the no-deal summit, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Kim Yo-jong warned that it was "entirely up to the US whether or not they will fall into a messy situation and face trouble", adding: "The US will be worried they might receive a Christmas gift near the elections."

She added that the personal feelings that has towards Trump are "undoubtedly solid and excellent", but the North should not adjust its US strategies and nuclear plans based on relations with the American President.

Talk of another Trump-Kim summit gained traction after South Korean President Moon Jae-in told European leaders last month that he would work to make one happen before the US presidential election in November.

On Tuesday, Trump said he was open to a meeting with

--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.)
Anuja Susan Varghese By

Express News Service

KOCHI: As fears of community transmission are abound in Kochi with a spurt in local contact cases, the district administration is marshalling resources to tackle a potentially worse coronavirus situation.

Officials are taking stock of hospital beds, ICUs and ventilators which can be swung into action at short notice amid a growing worry that the facilities earmarked so far may prove insufficient if cases spike at the rate observed in metros like Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi. Health department sources said 3,700 hospital beds, 80 ICU beds and around 30 ventilators have so far been identified for use here. The district administration is set to increase the facilities in tune with the rise in cases.

The focus is on setting up Covid-19 First-Line Treatment Centres (FLTCs)  to admit asymptomatic patients or those with mild symptoms  so that only those in critical conditions are admitted to Covid hospitals.

FLTCs will be opened according to the rise in cases in the city. Now we are in the second stage, when active cases remain between 50 and 300. The facilities required for the third phase  when active cases range from 300 to 600  will be arranged when the cases near 250, a health official said. District Collector S Suhas said the administration is planning to open five more FLTCs at the block panchayat level.We have identified the buildings and arrangements are being made, he said.

While around 2,400 beds were identified earlier, sources said major hospitals in the city together could devote around 500 ICU beds and 50 ventilators for Covid care. Experts estimate that around 80 per cent of patients at each stage will have mild symptoms while just five percent will have severe illness requiring ICU care and ventilator support.

Without including private hospitals, the government will not be able to win the battle against Covid, said Dr Anup R Warrier, infectious diseases expert. But the strategy of roping in all hospitals together is not going to do any good because the major challenge will be not to mix up Covid and non-Covid patients. Ventilators in two or three major private hospitals would be set aside exclusively for Covid patients so that non-Covid patients can be referred to other hospitals in a worst-case scenario.

Minister V S Sunil Kumar, who is in charge of the Covid fight in the district, said steps were taken to keep community spread at bay.There is no community spread in the district so far, and as of now, there is no need for any lockdown, he said.
<! Magu down >

Suspended Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, has begged the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu to release him on bail.

Magu has not been released since he was arrested by the Department of State Services, DSS, on Monday.

He is being investigated over corruption allegations by a special presidential panel.

Magu is said to have requested to be granted bail through a letter sent on his behalf by one of his lawyers, Mr Oluwatosin Ojaomo, on Friday.

His lawyers letter dated July 10 with the IGP offices acknowledgement stamp bearing the same date, requested that Magu be granted bail on self-recognisance.

Finally, if our application for bail on self-recognisance is not acceptable, we are ready to provide a credible surety that will ensure the availability of our client anytime he is needed for the purpose of this investigation, the letter obtained by The Punch said.

The letter was copied to the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), and the Chairman of the Presidential Probe Panel on the activities of EFCC, Justice Ayo Salami (retd).

It was also copied the Chairman of Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti-Corruption, Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), and the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Investigation, Federal Criminal Investigation Department, Garki Area 10, Abuja, where Magu is said to be detained.

His lawyer stated in his letter to the IGP that all the allegations were bailable, implying that his client was statutorily entitled to released on bail even when he is formally charged with offences arising from the allegations.

He also reminded the IGP of his recent directives to all police formations in Nigeria not to detain any suspect for any offence which is bailable in nature due to the COVID-19 pandemic that is ravaging the world which Nigeria is not an exemption.

Related
The cast of Top Boy delighted fans on by reuniting on Thursday after filming for season four was postponed.

Star Michael Ward took to Instagram to share a snap alongside his co-stars after they all met up in London.

Series four of Top Boy was originally scheduled to resume filming this spring, but was postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

Back together! Top Boy stars Jasmine Jobson reunited with Michael, Araloyin Oshunremi, Hope Ikpoku Jnr, Kadeem Ramsay and Alexander Blake for a fun group snap on Thursday

Jasmine Jobson, who plays Jaq, shared a group snap alongside many of her co-stars in the series, including Michael, Araloyin Oshunremi, Hope Ikpoku Jnr, Kadeem Ramsay and Alexander Blake.

She penned the caption: 'Who Said You Can't Choose You're Family.'

Michael who received a Rising Star BAFTA for his work on the acclaimed Netflix series - also shared a snap alongside Araloyin and Hope, writing: 'Monday morning, let's geddit!'

Squad goals: Star Michael also shared a snap alongside Araloyin and Hope, after filming for series four was postponed due to COVID-19

Of course for many fans this sparked hope that a new series of Top Boy could be in the pipeline, after filming for series four - the second to air on Netflix - was delayed due to COVID-19.

Netflix revived the hit show late last year after Channel 4 decided to cancel the first two series, which originally aired in 2011 and 2013.

Just weeks after its release in September 2019, Toy Boy became one of Netflix's most-watched shows.

Taking to their social media account at the time, the platform announced the news: 'Top Boy is living up to its name  after years away from our screens its back, and its been the most-watched title on @NetflixUK this week.'

Praise: The drama follows the story of Dushane and Sully, who lead East London's underground drug scene (pictured Kane Robinson as Sully, left, and Ashley Walters as Dushane, right)

The drama follows the story of Dushane and Sully (Kano), who lead East London's underground drug scene.

Executive producer and chart-topping rapper Drake revealed he was inspired to work on the series after stumbling across the show in 2017.

The artist told the Hollywood Reporter at the time: 'That human element drew me in.

'I started just looking them up. Like, who are these people? Are these actors I should know? Are they just famous over there? I remember I hit Future, and I was just like, "This show is incredible."'
Stevens said he was trying to distract Shelton to keep him from endangering other officers because he could not see Sheltons hands.

The appeals court said in its ruling that Stevens alleged use of force was unreasonable under the Fourth Amendment. However, the court also said that Stevens action fell within a zone sometimes referred to as a hazy border between excessive and acceptable force.

The court said even though several officers were on top of Shelton, he continued to turtle up so that at least one hand was free and potentially available to access any weapon that might be concealed in his midsection.

Some use of force was reasonable, the court said, and constitutional distinctions among a choke-hold, a radio bang to the head and an unreasonable ankle-stomp  all designed to get Shelton to surrender his hands  are hazy enough to warrant qualified immunity for Stevens.

Juan Shelton pleaded guilty to a charge of willful injury causing serious injury in October of 2017. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison as a habitual offender, with a mandatory three years in prison. He was released from prison and placed on work release on March 16, 2020.
For anyone logging time on the far right corners of the internet, this coming Saturday is not just another autumn weekend but the potential start date of an apocalyptic showdown.

Infowars has warned "Antifa Plans 'Civil War' to Overthrow the Government." The John Birch Society put out two recent videos warning Americans to "stay home and tell your children to do likewise" on Saturday. YouTuber "A Glock Fanboy" notched more than 400,400 views for a clip raising the alarm about "the first day of the revolution or whatnot."

"Honestly, I'm happy," the YouTuber told his followers. "Dude, we've been on the verge of the great war for what seems like forever and I'm just ready to get it going."

While Nov. 4 has become a rallying point on the conservative landscape - complete with a hashtag "civilwar2017 - down on the other far end of the political spectrum, the reality is equally significant. The left-leaning group Refuse Fascism is planning rallies across the country on Saturday, the first step in a large-scale, long game demonstration organizers hope will achieve nothing less than the unseating of the Trump administration.

"We formed this organization around two main points," Andy Zee, one of the group's organizers, told The Washington Post. "One is that the nightmare must end, and second, in the name of humanity we must refuse to accept a fascist America."

Zee maintains that Refuse Fascism is committed to nonviolent protest, and scoffs at the ideas floating through the far right of antifa supersoldiers waging war on mainstream society. If anything, the jarring disconnect over Nov. 4 shows how easily facts are eaten alive by social media and regurgitated as conspiracy theory. The possible violence coloring that disconnect illustrates how truly ideologically isolated the two sides are from one another.

"It's absurd. Calling for a civil war?" Zee said. "Pick a date for a civil war? Honestly, what do you say to this?"

Zee's group does have big plans for the weekend - and beyond. He tells The Post the group is organizing demonstrations on Saturday in more than a dozen locations, including New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle, and San Francisco.

Tapping the same kind of energy unleashed in the Occupy Wall Street movement and Women's March, Refuse Fascism hopes to spark regular protests against the administration, daily actions that will snowball until "every day there are tens of thousands of people protesting, creating a political crisis in the country with international repercussions, and where you do get a reaction from those in power that they have to do something about it," Zee said.

The blueprint here, Zee told The Post, is the South Korean mass protest movement that began in October 2016 and eventually led to President Park Geun-hye's removal from office last March. "What we are trying to unleash is a process of continuous protest," Zee said. "We can't just wait for the other shoe to drop. We've been saying from the beginning, with fascism, it can be too late."

Zee is admittedly less clear on what that peaceful regime change would look like in the United States. "Impeachment, the 25th Amendment, they will determine the means and ways when it becomes clear there is a tremendous crisis of confidence," the organizer said. The key is sending the message.

That message, however, so far has largely been lost in translation online. Rumbles about planned Nov. 4 demonstrations began circulating on the internet this summer, according to Will Sommer, The Hill editor who pens Right Richter newsletter. In September, a small group of Refuse Fascism organizers made a splash when they blocked traffic on Highway 101 in Los Angeles and held up signs reading "NOV 4 IT BEGINS," LA Weekly reported.

Video clips of the demonstration accelerated the online panic over what could be planned for Nov. 4. More speculation was fueled by the involvement of the Revolutionary Communist Party, and many began to label the outing as an antifa event.

"On their website, they are calling for an open civil war that they will start here in the United States in November," a YouTuber named Jordan Peltz said in a clip that went viral. "They are fundraising for weapons, training, ammunition, suppliers. They are not hiding this. They are openly fundraising so they can attack."

"The end game here is martial law," one video warns, "is provoking Republicans, patriots, whatever, you and me, into this huge battle, whether it's just fighting or whether it's guns. What they will do is they will throw up their arms and say, 'I told you so, they're violent' . . . They want us out there, with our weapons so the government will commence with martial law. And then, I believe, serious gun control-slash-confiscation."

"Make sure you got enough ammo, make sure your guns are ready," another poster advised in a clip with more than 110,000 views. "You have to understand these are vicious, vicious people. Your life means nothing to them. In fact, if you're a white man, you don't deserve to live."

Infowars provocateur Alex Jones announced in a video that antifa was "going to lose on November 4 and every day after that, because they're a bunch of meth-head pieces of crap."

Refuse Fascism's Zee denies all that speculation.

The organization is engaged with a broad coalition of groups, including the Revolutionary Communist Party, but they have committed to Refuse Fascism's nonviolence stance.

On their website, Refuse Fascism also makes clear they see "NO moral 'equivalence' between those seeking to impose white supremacy and fascism, and those fighting against this nightmare."

Zee told The Post his group does "uphold the legal right to self-defense, but we don't initiate violence and we oppose violence." He added violence would only feed into the negative image of the group. "We are not looking to get involved in that kind of situation," he said. "We are in the fight for hears and minds of people to recognize the stakes."

Still, the online hysterics over Nov. 4 have put the demonstrations in the potential the crosshairs of extremists.

"Its utter lunacy on these sites. If you read their stuff, and people are believing it," the organizer added. "They are calling for people to bring their weapons to the demonstrations. We just have to outnumber them."
The Rose breast cancer diagnostic center has a message for those postponing being tested because of fear of the Harris County surge in COVID-19 cases.

Cancer doesnt stop for a pandemic, said Dorothy Gibbons, the groups CEO and its co-founder along with Pasadena resident Dr. Dixie Melillo.

The pandemic did lead to the facility closing its offices, which are at 12700 N. Featherwood, Suite 260 and at 6575 W. Loop South, Suite 275, Bellaire, for six weeks starting in March. But The Rose reopened in May and has since continued to provide all its essential services, such as screening, biopsies and evaluation.

The decision to close then was based on the nation-wide shortage of (personal protective equipment) supplies, said Gibbons.

Even then, we knew that diagnostic procedures, especially biopsies, were essential services, she said.

The Rose, founded in 1986, provides breast health care to women, regardless of their ability to pay. The organization accept patients with insurance coverage. Those without insurance can pay with cash at a reduced rate, or if they meet income qualifications (200 percent of the poverty level) can be sponsored by the group and receive services at no cost.

Group aims to stay open

As coronavirus cases spike in the area, Gibbons said The Rose will remain open as long as it can provide a safe environment for patients and staff and maintain a robust supply of PPEs.

More Information The Rose is open Following a temporary closure in March due to COVID-19, The Rose, a nonprofit agency that offers breast health services like mammograms and biopsies to both the insured and uninsured, reopened its two Houston area locations in May. The Rose Southeast 12700 N. Featherwood, Suite 260 Houston, TX 77034 281-484-4708 Directions: The Rose Southeast is located off 45 South using the Fuqua exit. The Rose Galleria 6575 W. Loop South, Suite 275 Bellaire, TX 77401 Contact: 281-484-4708 For more information, visit www.therose.org/appointments/ See More Collapse

No one has a crystal ball  and there are way too many uncertainties in our world to make any absolute declarations, she said. The current spike is more than alarming and the predictions of its continuation are sobering.

I absolutely understand why women are afraid to have testing, especially if testing means going into a hospital or a facility attached to a hospital. Our wellness environment, coupled with the safety precautions which are evident from the time a person walks through our doors, means there is no reason for any woman to postpone being tested.

The Roses strict adherence to Centers for Disease Control recommendations may alter how and when The Rose sees patients, but its services remain comprehensive.

Our patients understand that those recommendations have impacted scheduling and the number of patients we are able to serve each day, Gibbons said. Ensuring social distancing between patients combined with enhanced cleaning and sanitation of equipment takes additional time, and we will not compromise those steps in any way.

When diagnosing breast cancer, not unlike other health issues related to chronic and potentially life-threatening health issues, timing is key. The longer a patient waits or puts off getting that lump in her breast evaluated, the higher the risk of complications or spread.

The ultimate danger to delaying testing is that the cancer will go undiagnosed for too long and result in more advanced and serious stages of the disease, Gibbons said. Late-stage cancer reduces a patients options and increases the chance that she will die from the disease. At the very least, she will need more aggressive treatment, perhaps for a longer period, all of which will hopefully stop the growth of the cancer but will also take a huge toll on her immune system and threaten her ability to return to a productive and joyful life.

In May, less than two months after the initial shutdown, those in the healthcare industry were seeing the effects of not seeking treatment or testing for a variety of issues.

Avoidance of seeking health care because of COVID-19 fears was creating a health crisis within a crisis, according to Dr. Ambica Sandhir, emergency room physician at CHI St. Lukes Health Patients Medical Center in Pasadena.

Sandhir citing a distinct decrease in patients seeking treatment in the ER for health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart issues in the following weeks after the shutdown throughout the nation in March.

At St. Lukes (in Pasadena), the hospital has seen an increase in patients who are dead on arrival by ambulance over the last three months, which Sandhir attributes to pandemic-related anxieties.

Sandhir braced for the short and long-term effects of postponing or neglecting personal health because of COVID-19. Those fears are not proportionate to the reality of a healthcare facility environment like St. Lukes, Sandhir said.

Im probably safer in an ER room than at the grocery store, she said.

An invitation to death

The Rose staff, said Gibbons, is a close-knit group and has been able to control its environment, painstakingly social distancing itself from outside exposure to the virus. Half the staff is working remotely, with others working at the sites to do mammograms and biopsies.

We have a full staff of technologists and physicians providing care, and support staff has to be onsite to take temperatures, welcome patients and handle necessary paperwork, she said. Next to patient safety, I worry most about my employees. I know they are aware of all the steps weve put into place for enhanced safety.

They are the ones who are actually doing the cleaning, enforcing social distancing and assuring that everyone who enters the building for any reason is masked.

Postponing a visit is an unchecked concern about cancer, said Gibbons, and that can have devastating effects.

Put simply, delaying testing is an invitation to death, she said. Breast cancer isnt going to stop and no amount of wishful thinking will make it go away. Debating the risks of going out against the likelihood that a lump isnt cancer is dangerous. Waiting too long is fatal.

yorozco@hcnonline.com
Lucknow, July 9 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh's dreaded gangster Vikas Dubey, who has had a thing for Bollywood, on Thursday surrendered over a thousand kilometres away from what could be his swan song of a criminal life in the Mahakaal temple premises of Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain as he announced in Sanjay Dutt's "Khalnayak" style: "Mein huin Vikas Dubey, Kanpurwala".

Dubey has been on the run for almost a week, ever since the ambush and killing of eight police personnel in Kanpur. As police searched for him in Haryana, Delhi, and kept a close watch on Indo-Nepal border, the Kanpur boy who had launched himself into crime in the 1990s in the image of Sunny Deol's "Arjun Pandit" and loved the sound of being addressed to as "Pandit" in political and police circles, managed to dodge the bullet as he was nabbed in the safe grounds of the temple complex.

According to sources, Vikas reached the temple around 8.a.m and then informed the security men about his identity and asked them to inform the police.

In a photograph that has gone viral, shows Dubey sitting comfortably on a sofa inside the temple complex.

Uttar Pradesh Police officially confirmed the arrest of Vikas Dubey. Madhya Pradesh Home minister Narottam Mishra tried took credit for the gangster's arrest. Speaking to the media minutes after Dubey was whisked away to an unidentified location for medical examination and questioning, Mishra said: "Hamari police kisi ko nahin chhodti. Hamare jaanbaaz police jawanon ne usey dhar dabocha (Our police never lets any criminal go scott free. They have nabbed him)."

Mishra said the details of his arrest and related process would be made public by the police later. Mishra said Dubey has been known to be "cruel and crafty" from childhood. The police had to be extra cautious.

Mishra said the police was alerted by the intelligence agencies. Video clips released by various channels showed Vikas Dubey being held by the scruff of his collar by the police, shouting, "Haan main Vikas Dubey hoon Kanpur wala (Yes I am the Vikas Dubey from Kanpur)".

Everything points to Vikas having travelled all the way from Faridabad to the high security zone of Mahakaal to avoid a death in police encounter. In the secure premises of Mahakaal temple he could avoid extra judicial justice. Two of his alleged gang members were also said to have been arrested.

The Madhya Pradesh police has taken the gangster away to the Mahakaal police station and the UP police will now seek transit remand and bring him to Kanpur.

The police theory of the arrest, meanwhile, has several loopholes.

Temple officials admit on condition of anonymity, that Vikas Dubey disclosed his name at the counter where he was giving money for donation and then asked them to inform the police.

Dubey apparently di not use any disguise to evade the police and neither did he have any arms since weapons are prohibited in the temple complex.

"This is a pre-planned surrender because it seems too simple to be true. Vikas had successfully eluded the police in three states for one week and it is rather unusual that he would enter a temple without a mask and get arrested. He knew that he would be shot dead if he gave himself up to UP police," said a retired DGP.

Another senior police official admitted that the arrest/ surrender seems extremely well planned.

"The gangster wanted to surrender in a 'safe state'. He did not go to court because of police presence and, therefore, chose the temple. Unless the police decide to make another mistake, Vikas Dubey will not be harmed physically now," he said.

Dubey had been eluding the police since the past one week and though four dozen teams of Special Task Force and state police were chasing him, they could not nab him.

Five associates of Vikas Dubey have been shot dead in UP after the killing of eight policemen last week.

Two of his associates, Prem Prakash Pandey and Atul Dubey were shot dead on Friday, hours after the massacre. Amar Dubey was shot dead on Wednesday in Hamirpur and Prabhat and Bauan Dubey were shot dead in Kanpur and Etawah respectively on Thursday morning.

All of them were reportedly involved in the shootout.

Dubey's arrest is a major setback to the UP Special Task Force that failed to nail the gangster. The STF, which had been claiming till late on Wednesday that Dubey was hiding in Delhi-NCR, was blissfully unaware that he had moved across to Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh. There is a distance of 773 kilometres from Faridabad where Dubey was reportedly seen last on Tuesday and Ujjain where he finally 'surrendered'..

The STF which has killed five accomplices of Vikas Dubey in the past seven days, has put out a strikingly similar theory for all the encounters - "we tried to stop them, they opened fire and were killed in retaliatory firing".

--IANS

naidu-amita/in
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MT. JULIET, Tenn. (AP)  Country Music Hall of Fame musician Charlie Daniels received military honors at a memorial service in Tennessee on Wednesday night.

The country music icon, who penned the hit Devil Went Down to Georgia, died at the age of 83 on Monday after doctors said he suffered a stroke, according to a statement from his publicist.





. . .
Gangster Vikas Dubey, who met with a gory end in an encounter with the UP Special Task Force near Kanpur on Friday, conjured the image of a typical don who dabbled in real-estate, won a district-level election and rubbed shoulders with political figures.

Last Friday, Dubey, who was around 50-years-old, hogged the headlines after his henchmen allegedly shot dead eight police personnel in a botched raid that he had converted into an ambush.



An old photo on social media showed him at an event next to an Uttar Pradesh minister, who switched parties to join the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. The Congress claimed this showed his political patronage.

Another picture showed a poster of him appealing for votes for his wife, Richa Dubey, in a zila panchayat election which she won from Ghimau under which Bikru village falls. The poster also carried pictures of two leaders now in the opposition, implying that she had their support.



In 2000, Dubey himself won the Shivrajpur seat in a zila panchayat poll he fought from prison, where he was lodged after a murder charge, according to officials.



However, following his arrest on Thursday, Dubey's mother Sarla Devi said, "At this time, he is not in the BJP, he is with the Samajwadi Party."



But, a Samajwadi Party spokesman said Dubey was "not a member of the party" and strict action should be taken against him.

Moreover, his call record details should be made public as demanded by party president Akhilesh Yadav to expose his links, he said.



After being on the run for nearly a week, during which he was said to have taken refuge in a hotel in Faridabad on Delhi's outskirts, Dubey was picked up from the holy city of Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday.



MP Home Minister Narottam Mishra said on Thursday, "Dubey arrived at the (Mahakal) temple in his car. A police constable identified him first, after which three others (security personnel) were alerted and he was taken aside for questioning and later arrested."



However, temple sources gave a slightly different account. They said Dubey reached the temple gate in the morning and purchased a Rs 250 ticket from a counter near the police post. When he went to a nearby shop to buy prasad for the deity, the shop owner identified him and alerted police, they added.



When policemen asked him his name, he loudly said, "I am Vikas Dubey of Kanpur ", following which the cops and private security personnel deployed at the temple nabbed him.



The MP police then handed him over to the UP police. When he was being brought to the state, the police vehicle carrying him from Ujjain overturned at Bhauti area in Kanpur on Friday morning, police claimed.



Inspector General of Police (Kanpur) Mohit Agarwal said Dubey tried to flee from the spot after snatching the pistol of a inspector leading to an encounter.



"Dubey was injured in the encounter and he was declared dead in the hospital," ADG Kanpur range, JN Singh said.



Dubey shot into limelight last Friday when his henchmen ambushed UP policemen who had gone to Bikru village to arrest him in a new case of attempted murder.



Officials said the road was blocked by heavy earthmoving equipment and when policemen stepped out of their vehicles, they faced a hail of bullets, and eight of them were killed.



Since then, the UP police have shot dead five of Dubey's alleged accomplices.



Police claimed that Dubey was involved in about 60 cases. But details obtained from officials indicate that he was not convicted even in cases like murder.



He was the prime accused in the murder of BJP leader Santosh Shukla inside the Shivli police station here in 2001, according to an official.



"Dubey had instilled so much fear in everyone that even after being accused of murdering a BJP leader having the status of minister of state, not even a single police officer gave a statement against him," alleged the official who did not want to be named.



"No evidence was put before the court and he was acquitted for lack of evidence," the official said.



He claimed that Dubey used to plot and execute crimes, including murder, from inside the jail.



His clout among police can be gauged from the fact that all the 68 police personnel at Chaubeypur police station near Kanpur were shunted to the reserve police lines on Tuesday with the top brass saying they suspected their integrity after last week's ambush.



Even DIG Anant Deo, who till recently was the senior SP in Kanpur, was transferred from the state's Special task Force to the Provincial Armed Police unit in Moradabad.



Dubey was also an accused in the murder of Sidheshwar Pandey, a manager at Tarachand Inter College in Kanpur, in 2000.



He was accused of plotting the murder of one Ram Babu Yadav from the prison in the same year.



His name came up in the murder of Dinesh Dubey, a businessman, in 2004. He allegedly committed another murder in 2013. He was accused of ordering the killing of his cousin Anurag in 2018, while he was himself in jail.



The victim's wife had filed an FIR against four people, including him, according to his history sheet shared by officials.

A villager said Dubey and his brother Deepu Dubey dealt in real estate. Another younger brother Avinash was killed some time back, the local resident claimed.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-19 03:45:41|Editor: huaxia

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KUWAIT CITY, June 18 (Xinhua) -- Kuwait decided to ease the restrictions imposed to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, in next week, a Kuwaiti official said Thursday.

Tareq Al-Mezrem, the government spokesman, told a press conference that the new curfew will be imposed from 7:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m local time (1600 GMT to 0200 GMT), starting from June 21.

In addition, the government decided to lift a lockdown on areas of Hawally, Nuqra, Maidan Hawally and some blocks in Khaitan as of next Sunday, he said.

After starting the first out of five-phase plan to return to normal life on May 31, Kuwait will not move to the second phase due to the rise in infections among Kuwaitis, he noted, adding that the government will postpone resuming work until next week after reviewing the results.

Meanwhile, traveling on commercial flights will be limited to Kuwaiti citizens who are studying abroad, citizens with a foreign husband or wife abroad, or patients with health conditions, he said.

On May 31, Kuwait ended the full curfew and imposed a three-week partial curfew for a gradual return to normal life in the country.

Kuwait and China have been supporting each other and cooperating closely in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kuwait donated medical supplies worth 3 million U.S. dollars to China at the early stage of the COVID-19 outbreak, while China has been facilitating the procurement of medical supplies by Kuwait.

On April 27, a team of Chinese medical experts visited Kuwait to assist the Arab country's anti-coronavirus fight, through sharing with Kuwaiti counterparts their experience and expertise in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19. Enditem
Demonstrator Bill Christeson holds a sign reading "follow the money" as the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a prosecutor in New York City can obtain President Donald Trump's financial records including tax returns, moments before the ruling outside the court in Washington, DC, July 9, 2020.

Leah Millis/Reuters

The Supreme Court dealt a major blow Thursday to President Donald Trump's efforts to block investigators from obtaining his financial records.

The court ruled 7-2  in two separate cases  that the president cannot stop New York prosecutors from seeing his tax returns and that Congress has the right to subpoena the president's financial documents.

However, the rulings are also a partial victory for Trump because they mean the public likely won't see his closely held tax returns or financial records ahead of the November election.

Democratic lawmakers praised the decisions and said they proved "no one is above the law," while the president's defenders pointed out that no materials will be immediately turned over to investigators and that they can keep fighting against specific record requests.

Republicans also portrayed the efforts as inherently partisan, even though both Trump-appointed associate justices on the Supreme Court sided with the majority.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected President Donald Trump's efforts to block New York prosecutors from obtaining his financial records, in a blockbuster 7-2 ruling that Republicans downplayed and Democrats celebrated as a "major win" for the rule of law.

In a second case, the court also ruled 7-2 that Congress has the right to subpoena the president's financial records, but it kicked the case back to the lower courts to sort out "significant separation of powers concerns."

Democratic lawmakers celebrated the decisions as victories for the rule of law, while Republicans portrayed efforts to obtain Trump's financial documents as a partisan ploy. Their claims were somewhat tempered by the fact that Supreme Court justices Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch, both of whom are Trump appointees, sided with the majority in striking down the president's legal claims.

Story continues

In the first case, Trump v. Vance, the president sued the Manhattan district attorney's office to block prosecutors from accessing eight years of his tax returns as it investigates whether the Trump Organization violated state laws connected to hush money payments made to the adult-film star Stormy Daniels.

Trump's personal lawyer, Jay Sekulow, made the broad and unprecedented claim that the subpoena is invalid because Trump has "absolute immunity" from criminal prosecution or investigation while in office.

Chief Justice John Roberts, who wrote the majority opinion in the case, drove home how little traction Trump had in making the absolute immunity claim.

"Two hundred years ago, a great jurist of our Court established that no citizen, not even the President, is categorically above the common duty to produce evidence when called upon in a criminal proceeding," Robert wrote. "We reaffirm that principle today and hold that the President is neither absolutely immune from state criminal subpoenas seeking his private papers nor entitled to a heightened standard of need."

The 22-page majority opinion in Trump v. Vance also made it clear that Trump can still raise constitutional and legal objections to subpoenas in court, which Kavanaugh and Gorsuch emphasized in their concurring opinions.

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr. said in a statement following the ruling that it was a "tremendous victory for our nation's system of justice and its founding principle that no one  not even a president  is above the law."

"Our investigation, which was delayed for almost a year by this lawsuit, will resume, guided as always by the grand jury's solemn obligation to follow the law and the facts, wherever they may lead," Vance added.

In the second case, Trump v. Mazars USA, the president's lawyers argued that congressional subpoenas for his financial records from three House committees do not serve a legitimate legislative purpose and are instead intended to harass Trump.

Roberts' majority opinion rejected the idea Trump can avoid authorized demands for documents from lawmakers. But it also outlined several considerations that lower courts must consider before determining if such subpoenas are indeed valid.

Though both rulings are a major blow to the president's long-running efforts to shield his financial records from investigators, they do not necessarily mean the New York investigators, Congress, or the public will gain access to them any time soon, especially before the November election.

'President Trump is not king'

Thursday's ruling shows "President Trump is not king," even if he wishes it "to be true," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement.

"In a devastating blow to President Trump and his enablers in the Republican party, the Supreme Court today upheld a fundamental tenet of our democracy that no one is above the law," Schumer said.

"Sadly, today's rulings are a stark reminder that while President Trump is actively undermining our democracy, Senate Republicans and Attorney General Barr are not lifting a finger to stop himsomething that is not lost on the American people," Schumer added.

"A careful reading Supreme Court ruling related to the president's financial records is not good news for President Trump," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday. "The court has reaffirmed the Congress's authority to conduct oversight on behalf of the American people."

"No one is above the law," House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler tweeted.

"The Supreme Court reaffirmed today what everyone but Donald Trump already knew: nobody is above the law  not even the President of the United States," Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts said in a tweet.

"A major win. No one should be above the law  including the president of the United States," Sen. Kamala Harris of California said.

Meanwhile, former Vice President Joe Biden's campaign also signaled that it was ecstatic over the rulings.

Trump says the rulings are a 'political prosecution' and 'not fair'

Meanwhile, Sekulow pointed to the fact that no materials from the president will be immediately turned over to investigators, and that Trump's lawyers can keep fighting against specific record requests.

"We will now proceed to raise additional Constitutional and legal issues in the lower courts," he said in a statement.

"It seems much more political than anything else," House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said in response to the court's decisions regarding Trump's finances.

Similarly, Republican Rep. Patrick McHenry, ranking member on the House Financial Services Committee, said: "The Court recognized what Republicans have said all along: this was a partisan fishing expedition."

The president also sounded off on Twitter and characterized the rulings as proof of a political conspiracy against him.

"The Supreme Court sends case back to Lower Court, arguments to continue," Trump tweeted. "This is all a political prosecution. I won the Mueller Witch Hunt, and others, and now I have to keep fighting in a politically corrupt New York. Not fair to this Presidency or Administration!"

"Courts in the past have given 'broad deference'. BUT NOT ME!" Trump said in a separate tweet.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Former Minister of Health, Mr Alex Segbefia, had commended registration officials at the various centres in Tadzewu and the surrounding communities for the orderly manner in which they are going about their task.



He also praised eligible persons at the centres for their decent conduct at the centres.



He told the Ghanaian Times after going through the registration procedures in Tadzewu earlier this week that there was ample evidence of people wearing face masks and also observing social distancing.



You can see that the chairs are well spaced out, he added.



However, Mr Segbefia expressed misgivings over the use of benches at one of the centres, saying the benches did not allow adequate spacing between those waiting to register.



He said it would be more appropriate for chairs only to be used at the centres and not benches.



Mr Segbefia entreated eligible persons in the area to register and turn up at polling centres on December 7, to cast their votes.





Source: The Ghanaian Times









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

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 21:05:28|Editor: huaxia

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BERLIN, July 10 (Xinhua) -- A large majority of Germans, or 87 percent, supported making the wearing of face masks mandatory when shopping, according to a Politbarometer survey published by the German public broadcaster ZDF on Friday.

Seventy-three percent of Germans believed that compulsory face-mask wearing would help reduce the spread of COVID-19, according to the survey conducted among 1,226 voters in Germany.

At the beginning of the week, Chancellor Angela Merkel had rejected the abolishment of the mandatory wearing of masks in shops in Germany.

The announcement followed a debate about face masks that was triggered when some federal states signaled to consider abolishing compulsory mouth and nose protection in shops.

"Wherever the minimum distance cannot be guaranteed in public life, masks are an important and, from today's perspective, still indispensable means," said government spokesperson Steffen Seibert in Berlin on Monday. This was necessary "to keep the number of infections low and to protect other people and ourselves."

For most Germans, COVID-19 remained the most important political problem in Germany.

Asked about their own health, Germans were slightly less worried than two weeks ago, but 40 percent still saw their health endangered by COVID-19, the survey found.

Although the number of new infections remains relatively low, there are still local hotspots of COVID-19 outbreaks in Germany. According to the daily situation report by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for Thursday, outbreaks of COVID-19 were still recorded in meat processing plants and old people's homes in several federal states.

RKI, the federal government agency for disease control and prevention, confirmed COVID-19 infections in Germany increased by 395 within one day to 198,178 on Friday, while the number of deaths increased by six to 9,054.

Despite low infection numbers, 69 percent of Germans feared that increased traveling would lead to significantly higher infection rates in the country over the summer. The German government had removed travel warnings for most European countries in June. Enditem
Army man killed

Srinagar: An Army man was killed in a ceasefire violation by the Pakistan Army along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday.

Pakistan troops opened fire and shelled forward posts along the LoC in Nowshera sector in the early hours.

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Army man killedAn Army personnel suffered injuries and was taken to a hospital where he succumbed to injuries.

The deceased soldier has been identified as Havildar Sambur Gurung, a native of Nepal.
After a slew of pieties from the U.S. Army generals about the importance of the military being all non-partisan  remember the general who apologized for accompanying commander-in-chief President Trump to a looted, burned church last June?  what goes on on the inside is a heckuva different story.

According to Military.com:

The Army has pulled a handout meant to promote meetings on diversity in the ranks that lists President Donald Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan as a possible indicator of covert white supremacist sympathies. In a statement late Wednesday, the Army said that the flyer distributed to troops and contractors at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama was sent out in error, and an Article 15-6 fact-finding investigation had begun to determine how it happened.

...and...

The material was meant to promote meetings at Redstone Arsenal as part of the Army's "Project Inclusion," an effort by Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Joseph McConville "to improve diversity, equity and inclusion across the force and build cohesive teams." Project Inclusion involved listening sessions at bases worldwide for troops and civilians on issues such as racial disparities and the Army's move in August to remove photos from officers' promotion boards, according to the service. The promotional material, sent in emails, included an illustration of a pyramid of phrases labeled "Things To Think About."

Yeah, we're thinking. We're thinking about what a mess the U.S. military has become that it could be so disrespectful of its commander-in-chief and the 63 million Americans who voted for President Trump.

The chairman of the joint chiefs of staff made an abject apology for walking with President Trump to Lafayette Park and its burned church, with "I should not have been there. My presence in that moment, and in that environment, created the perception of the military involved in domestic politics."

What the heck does he call this?

We already know that the Pentagon's sanctimonious leadership is full of wokesters. President Obama purged officers deemed not politically woke enough to him and seeded the flag ranks with his loyalists. The rot now seems to extend through the ranks. Because, seriously, who would put out something like this without thinking about the potential for disrespecting one's co-workers, one's commander-in-chief, and decent people everywhere by labeling them "white supremacists" for disagreeing with socialism? Decent people don't do that. Decent people know how to keep politics out of whatever project they're doing in a professional setting. It's not that hard. But not for this crew, which must have been steeped in a groupthink culture of Trump-hate and decided it could take the power to project it. And yet still, anyone sane would have not done this even if for self-preservation's sake. What glee could be worth the little thrill some creep got from sneaking in President Trump's campaign slogan into the list of racist no-nos, despite the many black and brown people who are President Trump's supporters? Except that it wasn't just slipped in; multiple people would have seen it before it went to press, suggesting a full blown culture of corruption.

Rep. Al Brooks, an Alabama Republican, views the issue as a matter of violated law and thinks it should be prosecuted under the Hatch Act, which prohibits campaigning and making political statements on the government dime.

He might be right, but it could be more trouble than it's worth, because this wasn't just a little grunt doing this; it was a whole unit  one that now needs to be disbanded, or at least see its leadership replaced.

It highlights the dangerous wokesterism infiltrating the military, coupled with an amazingly brazen disrespect for the commander-in-chief. We're seeing lots of hints of it all around the perimeter  the military's resistance to ending transgender soldiers, who require significant medical care and are disruptive to military order, to the naval commander who took his COVID worries aboard a ship at sea to the press instead of up his chain of command, informing the enemy; the coddling of Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who committed quite a few irregularities at the National Security Council and then attempted to unseat President Trump with the help of the partisan Democrats; and the military's resistance to putting down civil unrest engulfing America's cities, raising questions about what it was good for if it couldn't bring itself to put a stop to a bona fide internal threat. Protecting Afghanis? Color us unimpressed.

It sounds as though the U.S. Army is becoming a Latin Americanstyle military now, where professionalism is secondary, political loyalty is primary, and gangsterism is the logical outcome. This happened in Venezuela, by the way, as Hugo Chavez was rising through the ranks. Eventually, a leftist culture ended up putting political loyalty first and foremost and looked the other way as the army morphed into a drug-dealing operation. And yes, as with the U.S. Army, it was all in a rabidly leftist direction. Leftists, see, like power.

As Brooks said, "heads need to roll." This needs to be done on the double.

Image credit: Jeremiah Schultz via Flickr, public domain.
Griezmann's meeting with Barcelona: He has been told he is completely trusted FC Barcelona - La Liga He is happier and calmer

Antoine Griezmann is a lot calmer than he was a week ago, and not just because he's regained his place in Barcelona's XI.

After previously being left out, Quique Setien started the Frenchman against Villarreal and Espanyol.

But the big news came this week when he met with the club and he was told that they have complete faith in him.

Griezmann and his representatives, led by his agent and sister, met with the club, as reported by L'Equipe.

The forward wanted to discuss the situation he faced after falling from favour since the restart.

Now, though, he's been reassured.

Setien had already spoken to the player, but he wanted to hear from the club.

Now that he has, he's happy and intends to stay put at the Camp Nou.
Convicted Dreamer: a thought-provoking spread of pieces that lay out the truths of life and words about living and faith. Convicted Dreamer is the creation of published author James G. McGill, a writer who loves to inspire others as he continues to deeply explore the physical and spiritual worlds.

McGill shares, I chose this title because I believe that holding fast to your dreams is of the utmost importance. Doing what we love in life satisfies us and this requires us to be convicted. I believe both love and dreams are rooted in the same source, love!

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, James G. McGills new book gives the readers a fascinating journey throughout words that will bring them knowledge, motivation, and enlightenment which will help them navigate life and move forward.

View a synopsis of Convicted Dreamer on YouTube.

Consumers can purchase Convicted Dreamer at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about Convicted Dreamer, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
Cable operators in Nepal have stopped airing all private Indian news channels. India's national news network Doordarshan has been exempted from this ban. The ban was implemented on Thursday after a final decision was taken by the foreign channel distributors Multi-System Operators (MSOs) following massive online criticism of the coverage of Nepal by Indian news channels. Netizens said that the news coverage portrayed the Nepalese leadership in a bad light.

Nepal's Information and Broadcasting Minister Yubaraj Khatiwada said in a press interaction, "Nepal may seek political and legal remedies and also mobilise diplomatic channels against reports of Indian media attacking Nepal's sovereignty and dignity."

Indian news channels received backlash after certain news channels indulged in character assassination of Nepalese leaders including Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli as well as the Chinese envoy to Nepal, Ambassador Hou Yanqi.

The Nepal government has not issued an official order in this regard. Tensions have escalated between India and Nepal after the Nepalese Parliament passed an amendment to include three disputed areas as part of their new map.

New Delhi reacted sharply to the inclusion of the disputed areas, following with dialogues with Kathmandu. Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli also accused India of trying to destabilise his government and oust him. He also alleged that some of his Nepalese leaders are also involved in attempts to remove him from his position. Some Nepalese leaders had demanded PM Oli's resignation amid tensions with India.

Also read: Nepal cable operators ban private Indian news channels; Doordarshan exempted

Also read: New map permanent but ready for dialogue with India, says Nepal foreign minister Pradeep Gyawali
Geneva (AFP) - African countries are pushing for the UN's top rights body to launch a high-level investigation into "systemic racism" and police violence in the United States and beyond, according to a draft resolution introduced Tuesday.

The text was the subject of heated discussions in Geneva ahead of a so-called "urgent debate" on the topic at the United Nations Human Rights Council on Wednesday.

The debate was called for following unrest in the United States and elsewhere over George Floyd's death in police custody.

The draft resolution, introduced by the African group, condemns "racial discriminatory and violent practices perpetrated by law enforcement agencies against Africans and people of African descent and structural racism endemic to the criminal justice system, in the United States of America and other parts of the world."

The text calls for the establishment of an independent international commission of inquiry (COI) -- one of the UN's highest-level probes, generally reserved for major crises like the Syrian conflict.

The commission, the text said, should probe "systemic racism, alleged violations of international human rights law and abuses against Africans and of people of African descent in the United States" and elsewhere by law enforcement agencies.

The aim, it said, should be "bringing perpetrators to justice".

- 'Excessive force' -

The investigators should also probe "government responses to peaceful protests, including the alleged use of excessive force against protesters, bystanders and journalists," it said.

A senior US diplomat in Geneva voiced outrage at the draft resolution.

"Our transparency, commitment to a free press, and insistence on the right to justice allow the world to see our problems and openly engage on our efforts at finding solutions," said the diplomat.

"It is countries that hide the truth, violently silence their critics, don't have democratic accountability, and refuse even to recognise fundamental freedoms that merit censure."

Story continues

Another senior US official, speaking to AFP in Washington, said the United States would take a "hard look" at whether to cooperate on a COI.

"I think it's a ridiculous idea," he said of the COI, saying the United States would want to "impose some ground rules" if it is approved.

The draft resolution urges the US government, as well as other relevant countries, to "cooperate fully" with the COI, which would present its findings to the council in a year's time.

The rights council's 47 members are due to vote on the resolution following the urgent debate, which is set to begin Wednesday and conclude Thursday morning.

George Floyd's brother is expected to address the council by video link.

Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who died in Minneapolis on May 25 after a white police officer, who has since been charged with murder, pressed his knee on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

While his death, which was caught on video, has sparked global outrage, it remains unclear which way Thursday's vote will go.

The United States itself withdrew from the council two years ago, but observers of the process said some of its allies were strongly opposed to the text.

A Western diplomat said a number of countries felt the resolution was "being pushed through to advance a political agenda."

- 'Tipping-point' -

Rights groups urged the council to take a stand.

"Systemic racism and police violence in the US have reached a tipping-point," said John Fisher, head of Human Rights Watch's Geneva office.

"When national processes consistently fail, international processes are needed."

Jamil Dakwar, head of the American Civil Liberties Union's human rights programme, agreed, warning that voting against a COI after "centuries of structural racism" in the United States would be a "missed historical opportunity".

"No country, no matter how powerful, should be above such scrutiny."

Wednesday will mark only the fifth time in the council's 14-year history that it has agreed to hold an "urgent debate", which is like a special session, but within a regular session of the council.

The debate was requested in a letter last week from Burkina Faso's ambassador to the UN on behalf of Africa's 54 countries, and was accepted Monday when the council resumed its 43rd session, which had been interrupted in March due to the coronavirus crisis.
Process and Industrial Development, (P&ID) has accused Nigerias Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami of lack of regards for the rule o...

Process and Industrial Development, (P&ID) has accused Nigerias Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami of lack of regards for the rule of law.





In a statement on Friday, the company which has been in a running battle with the Nigerian government, said the AGF will, no doubt, pay occasional lip service to the concept, but his recent actions speak far louder than any words.





It said, Over the past 6 weeks, AGF Malami has shamelessly misrepresented the true motives behind the fishing expedition it has asked the U.S. courts to endorse, through an application under a U.S. statute, 28 U.S.C.  1782 (or Section 1782).





In these applications, Nigerias chief law enforcement officer has suspiciously sidestepped the ordinary procedure for collecting criminal evidence in the United States  and, in doing so, ignored his obligation of candor before the U.S. court.





This should not be surprising. P&ID has known that Nigeria would embark on a desperate fishing expedition to find anything it could to unduly influence the court of public opinion and muddy the waters before the English Commercial Court. The English Commercial Court will soon have the opportunity to decide whether Nigerias time is up to bring its challenge, so Nigeria is pulling out all the stops to manufacture the evidence it requires to claim fraud.





As Nigeria seeks to nullify the P&ID Award on the grounds of a manufactured fraud investigation, it is important for all to know what AG Malami has done under oath before the U.S. courts , the group said, adding accusing the AGF of:





Abuse of established diplomatic protocols and the mutual legal assistance treaty





Countries have a well-established mechanism to pursue evidence for law enforcement investigations across national borders: mutual legal assistance treaties (MLAT).





Nigeria has just such a treaty with the United States, which allows Attorney General Malami to send requests to the United States Department of Justice. The Department of Justice can then evaluate the request and, if it accords with due process and the U.S. Constitution, a federal prosecutor may seek a subpoena to gather evidence. Nigeria has circumvented this established diplomatic process, and is instead directly pursuing evidence from U.S. citizens and companies on U.S. soil. Despite now making two separate requests to the U.S.





Courts to seek exactly the sort of evidence that it could pursue through the MLAT, Nigeria has neither explained why it could not pursue evidence through the MLAT, nor whether DOJ has in fact already rejected such a request.





Nigerias decision to do an end-run around establish diplomatic protocols using Section 1782 rather than asking DOJ for help has important implications. DOJ plays an essential gatekeeping role in reviewing applications for legal assistance, ensuring that foreign prosecutors arent engaged in a witch-hunt that tramples due process rights by carrying out domestic political vendettas with the imprimatur of U.S. courts for their political gain. Nigerias deviation from this system cuts out this protection entirely, leaving U.S. citizens and others vulnerable to such abuse at the hands of AG Malami and his collaborator, Ibrahim Magu at the EFCC, both well-known violators of human rights, according to the U.S. Department of State and numerous civil society organisations the world over.





It further accused Malami of misrepresentation to the U.S. Courts, adding, In addition to evading scrutiny by the DOJ of its sham investigation of P&ID, Nigerias Section 1782 application is itself a grossly misleading submission. Nigeria has stated that the application was necessary for criminal investigations and judicial proceedings pending in Nigeria, but that was not the case, at all.





That is because the true purpose of Nigerias fishing expedition in the U.S. was not to obtain evidence for use in Nigeria, but rather to obtain ammunition for attacking P&IDs arbitration award both in the English Commercial Court and in its broader publicity campaign against P&ID. Tellingly, Nigeria pretended that was not the case  telling the U.S. Court that this was rank speculation  but then immediately started using information it had gathered for precisely those purposes.





In an attempt to evade paying P&ID, AG Malami  despite the immense power already at his disposal  has willfully misled these respected legal institutions and subverted established diplomatic channels to escape oversight. Unfortunately, weve come to expect nothing less from Nigerias chief law enforcement officer.




If you want to know who really controls Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. (NYSE:ARI), then you'll have to look at the makeup of its share registry. Insiders often own a large chunk of younger, smaller, companies while huge companies tend to have institutions as shareholders. Companies that used to be publicly owned tend to have lower insider ownership.

Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance has a market capitalization of US$1.3b, so we would expect some institutional investors to have noticed the stock. Taking a look at our data on the ownership groups (below), it's seems that institutions are noticeable on the share registry. Let's delve deeper into each type of owner, to discover more about Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance.

Check out our latest analysis for Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance

NYSE:ARI Ownership Breakdown July 10th 2020

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance?

Many institutions measure their performance against an index that approximates the local market. So they usually pay more attention to companies that are included in major indices.

We can see that Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance does have institutional investors; and they hold a good portion of the company's stock. This implies the analysts working for those institutions have looked at the stock and they like it. But just like anyone else, they could be wrong. If multiple institutions change their view on a stock at the same time, you could see the share price drop fast. It's therefore worth looking at Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance's earnings history, below. Of course, the future is what really matters.

NYSE:ARI Earnings and Revenue Growth July 10th 2020

Investors should note that institutions actually own more than half the company, so they can collectively wield significant power. Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance is not owned by hedge funds. The company's largest shareholder is BlackRock, Inc., with ownership of 17%. For context, the second largest shareholder holds about 11% of the shares outstanding, followed by an ownership of 6.8% by the third-largest shareholder.

Story continues

We did some more digging and found that 9 of the top shareholders account for roughly 51% of the register, implying that along with larger shareholders, there are a few smaller shareholders, thereby balancing out each others interests somewhat.

While studying institutional ownership for a company can add value to your research, it is also a good practice to research analyst recommendations to get a deeper understand of a stock's expected performance. There are a reasonable number of analysts covering the stock, so it might be useful to find out their aggregate view on the future.

Insider Ownership Of Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance

The definition of company insiders can be subjective, and does vary between jurisdictions. Our data reflects individual insiders, capturing board members at the very least. Management ultimately answers to the board. However, it is not uncommon for managers to be executive board members, especially if they are a founder or the CEO.

Insider ownership is positive when it signals leadership are thinking like the true owners of the company. However, high insider ownership can also give immense power to a small group within the company. This can be negative in some circumstances.

Our most recent data indicates that insiders own less than 1% of Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc.. However, it's possible that insiders might have an indirect interest through a more complex structure. It is a pretty big company, so it would be possible for board members to own a meaningful interest in the company, without owning much of a proportional interest. In this case, they own around US$6.3m worth of shares (at current prices). It is always good to see at least some insider ownership, but it might be worth checking if those insiders have been selling.

General Public Ownership

The general public, with a 25% stake in the company, will not easily be ignored. This size of ownership, while considerable, may not be enough to change company policy if the decision is not in sync with other large shareholders.

Private Company Ownership

We can see that Private Companies own 6.8%, of the shares on issue. It might be worth looking deeper into this. If related parties, such as insiders, have an interest in one of these private companies, that should be disclosed in the annual report. Private companies may also have a strategic interest in the company.

Next Steps:

I find it very interesting to look at who exactly owns a company. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. For example, we've discovered 5 warning signs for Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance (2 make us uncomfortable!) that you should be aware of before investing here.

If you are like me, you may want to think about whether this company will grow or shrink. Luckily, you can check this free report showing analyst forecasts for its future.

NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.

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.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y., July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Casandra Properties, Inc. is pleased to announce that its team of professional agents and brokers have completed their NYSAR e-PRO certification courses. The 12-hour online course was designed to help REALTORS master advanced digital-marketing techniques of today, an investment that is going to help ensure they receive maximum exposure, as well as top dollar for their assets.

Casandra Properties Real Estate Agents are now ePro certified

The Casandra Properties team, in fact, has always had their finger on the pulse of emerging technologies, employing cutting-edge marketing techniques to ensure their listings receive maximum exposure across the web and social media over the last decade. "Technology is definitely at the forefront," said CEO James Prendamano in a Silive interview from March 2020, adding, "Many of the tools we are taking advantage of in the digital world -- from virtual tours to virtual open houses, and from chatbots to geo targeted lead sourcing -- will take center stage" during the pandemic. And while Prendamano and his team were grounded this spring due to 'shelter-in-place' orders (along with most of us), they wasted no time pushing forward digitally, further adding to their marketing arsenal through e-PRO certification. Moreover, at a time when agents and clients needed it most, Casandra Properties felt it was important to support their agents, electing to cover the costs of both the ePro course and exam. In addition, CEO James Prendamano brought on national speaker and instructor Jeremias "JMan" Maneiro for several sessions, who spoke not only to the value of e-PRO course for the real estate industry, but also imparted his digital-marketing insight and expertise to the Casandra Properties team.

Upon a realtor's completion of the e-PRO course, The NAR ensures the professional will be distinguished at Nar.Realtor and White Pages at realtor.com, receive customizable e-PRO marketing materials and additional networking opportunities with other tech-savvy Realtors. Once realtors have earned the certification, they may continue to use it, as long as they maintain their REALTOR memberships.

About Casandra Properties, Inc:

Casandra Properties is Staten Island's premier real estate brokerage firm providing clients with outstanding service in both the residential and commercial marketplace. We employ cutting edge marketing techniques to ensure that our listings receive maximum exposure and sell at the highest possible price. Our holistic approach to buying, selling, leasing and developing land has made us a leader in our trade area.

Casandra Properties is a New York State Certified Woman Owned Business that evolved from a boutique firm into a full service real estate brokerage representing more than $1 billion in real estate. Our intimate knowledge of our trade area combined with our financial and development experience gives us a distinct advantage over our competitors when representing our clients' assets.

Press Contact: Rebecca Matulonis, [email protected]

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SOURCE Casandra Properties, Inc.
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Linkedin Patrick Galey (Agence France-Presse) Paris, France  Fri, July 10, 2020 10:56 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a40665531f5 2 Health pregnant,Women,coronavirus,COVID-19,COVID-19-infection,infants,SARS-CoV-2,virus-corona,novel-coronavirus,pandemic Free

There is "strong evidence" that COVID-19- positive mothers can pass the virus on to their unborn infants, scientists said Thursday, in findings that could affect how pregnant women are shielded during the pandemic.

While there have been isolated cases of babies infected with the virus, the findings show the strongest link yet between mother and infant transmission.

Researchers in Italy studied 31 pregnant women hospitalized with COVID-19, and found the virus in an at-term placenta, umbilical cord, the vagina of one woman and in breast milk.

They also identified specific COVID-19 antibodies in the umbilical cords of several pregnant women as well as in milk specimens.

Claudio Fenizia, from the University of Milan and lead study author, said the findings "strongly suggest" that in-vitro transmission is possible.

"Given the number of infected people worldwide, the number of women that could be affected by this could be potentially very high," he told AFP.

Fenizia stressed that none of the infants born during the study period tested positive for COVID-19.

"Although in utero transmission seems to be possible, it is too early to clearly assess the risk and potential consequences," he said.

The World Health Organization said last month that new mothers infected with COVID-19 should continue breastfeeding.

"We know that children are at relatively low-risk of COVID-19, but are at high risk of numerous other diseases and conditions that breastfeeding prevents," said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Among other findings, the team identified a specific inflammatory response triggered by COVID-19 in the women's placenta and umbilical cord blood plasma.

Fenizia said that the women studied were all in their third trimester, given the timeframe of Italy's epidemic, adding that more research is currently under way among COVID-19-positive women in the early stages of pregnancy.

"Our study is aimed at raising awareness and inviting the scientific community to consider the pregnancy in positive women as an urgent topic to further characterize and dissect," he said.

"I believe that promoting prevention is the safer advice we could possibly give right now for these patients."

The study was released during a week-long International AIDS Conference, held online for the first time in its history due to the pandemic.
An ice rink featuring a frozen waterfall in Beijings Changping district has become a popular destination among climbing enthusiasts and newcomers to ice sports. Located in the Huyu Natural Scenic Area, the rink consists of a 40-meter-high climbing area. With the approach to the Beijing Winter Olympics, ice and snow activities are attracting fans across the country. The China Tourism Academy estimated that 305 million people will visit such venues nationwide this season

Jan 18, 2022 05:36 PM
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Its 8 p.m. and Hannah Pearson is about to start her overnight shift.

She carefully counts out the evenings medications for her client, Janet Haby, a frail 72-year-old with limited mobility and other health problems. Haby recently fractured several ribs; in the past, shes had multiple open-heart surgeries.

Through the night, Pearson will monitor her well-being, checking her heart rate and helping reposition her in bed, all in the comfort and safety of Habys home.

Here you go, she said, bending down to hand a white cup containing pills to Haby, a petite woman smiling in her recliner.

Pearson is an in-home personal caregiver, one of almost 2.3 million workers across the nation who provide care for six million people in their homes. Clients are usually elderly or those with health problems that make daily activities  bathing, dressing, using the toilet  difficult.

Personal caregivers may also prepare meals, do light housekeeping and remind clients to take their medications.

While doctors and nurses rightfully have been lauded as heroes for their front-line work during the virus pandemic, personal caregivers  also called home health aides  would seem to comprise a whole other legion of heroes, ones whove remained largely unsung.

On ExpressNews.com: Making A Difference: Master hornist seeks to play hope back in the world

After all, theyve toiled all but invisibly in the face of COVID-19, helping clients stay out of assisted living centers, places where the virus can spread more readily.

Pearson, 18, is not your typical personal caregiver, and not just because of her age  almost a third of such workers are in their 50s. Its how she came to be one in the first place.

An early interest in medicine

Kin Man Hui /Staff photographer

During her senior year at Brennan High School, Pearson had almost completed a program to become an emergency medical technician, or EMT. She was about to begin the phase when she rides along with an ambulance crew. After that, all she had to do was pass a state exam to get her EMT license.

Then the coronavirus hit, said Pearson, who is tall with long, dark hair, rosy cheeks and a calm bedside manner.

Her plan was to work as an EMT through college to help pay for expenses not covered by scholarships and loans. And the job would provide lots of hands-on experience to prepare her for her dream job as an emergency room physician.

In the fall, Pearson will attend Texas Tech in Lubbock, taking a combination of online and in-person classes.

How she came by that dream of being a doctor also is a bit unusual. Pearson is motivated in part by the desire to find a cure for an illness that has plagued her mother, Cori Pearson, for years.

Called complex regional pain syndrome, or CRPS, its a rare, debilitating nerve disease in which the brain sends pain signals even when there is no bodily injury or harm. While it can be treated, theres no cure. The illness is known to cluster in families. Hannah herself had the condition for several years, was in and out of hospitals, but is now in remission.

Theres not much research out there, she said.

Her other motivation is a love for the medical field. When she did her hospital rotation as part of her EMT program, she found herself drawn to the fast pace and adrenaline rush of the ER.

Youre making a huge difference in patients lives, and I realized thats where I want to be, she said.

On ExpressNews.com: Making A Difference: Dog foster mom helps out during virus

After COVID-19 shut down the EMT program and classes for the rest of school year, Hannahs mother reached out to her friend Sloane Wendell, who operates a home health franchise in San Antonio called Right at Home, part of a national company thats been in existence for 25 years.

Could she provide her daughter with a home health aide job? Wendell, seeing how medically advanced Pearson was from all her EMT training, hired her on the spot. Since then, shes been impressed with Pearsons performance on the job.

Shes very reliable and compassionate, Wendell said. Most 18-year-olds dont have that required level of compassion to do this work. I think her experience of caring for her mother, who has dealt with pain for many years, has molded her into that sort of person. She just has a huge heart.

Wendell said shes seen her agencys client roster grow by about 20 percent since the pandemic arrived. In the current fraught environment, families would prefer to have their elderly loved ones cared for at home.

Working nonstop

Kin Man Hui /Staff photographer

Pearson hit the ground running at Right at Home. She worked for two-and-a-half months without a break or even a free weekend, sometimes clocking 56 hours a week. She is paid $10.75 an hour, money that will go toward college expenses.

Her first client was a fairly independent older woman with severe hypertension and an underlying heart condition. Pearson went grocery shopping for her, so she wouldnt have to leave the house. She monitored her vital signs, gave her medication, helped her take showers.

Another client had dealt with Parkinsons disease for 11 years and was immobile. One day Pearson noticed a significant swelling in his lower legs and knew it could indicate something serious. She urged his wife to take to him to the hospital.

The woman did the next day, and the hospital staff told her that if she hadnt brought him in, he might have died, Pearson said.

Another time, she noticed a clients skin was blistering around a skin patch medication she was wearing to treat hypertension. At the doctors office, Pearson said she thought her client might be allergic to the patch. The cardiologist dismissed her diagnosis.

The client then went to a second cardiologist, who removed the patch and put the woman on a different medication. The blistering went away.

Even though shes not spending her summer as an EMT, Pearson said being a home health worker is proving equally invaluable.

Im just really thankful its still in the medical field, she said. I knew this would be a hard job, but Im learning a lot and its definitely teaching me to be humble. I feel Im gaining those communication skills Ill need as a doctor.

Margaret Haynes, chief operating officer of Right at Home, said that elderly people are often lonely in their homes, an issue the pandemic has only served to exacerbate. Home health aides, classified as essential workers, alleviate some of that loneliness, just by being there, she said.

Pearson has tried to help in that regard as well.

During the pandemic  when she has time  baking has served as a creative outlet for her. In June, she made 10 batches of cookies, Wendell gave her a list of some 25 clients, and Pearson delivered to all of them on her own time.

I knew they had no outside contact during the pandemic and none of their families could come see them, she said, adding that most clients are older women.

Cori, Pearsons mother, said shes proud of her daughter.

Her father and I arent surprised shes doing this and helping people, she said. To see that Hannah is in remission from CRPS and living life to the fullest is one of my biggest joys.

Kin Man Hui /Staff photographer

Pearson still has occasional back pain from her condition, and knows it could always come back. But she tries to stay positive.

Though she has to start at the beginning again with the EMT program, shell be able to fast-track through the classes and get her certification soon. She may decide to join the military to help pay for college. Military service also runs in her family.

On a recent evening at Habys home, Pearson showed the room where she takes mini-naps across the hall from her clients bedroom. She rises a couple times a night to help get Haby safely through it.

Its not full sleep, she said Its kind of like the way a mother sleeps with a new baby. Youre always close to consciousness, just in case youre needed.

Pearson said she doesnt think of herself as a hero. You can tell the very idea embarrasses her a little.

Im just helping people, and that is its own reward, she said.

Melissa Fletcher Stoeltje is a general assignment reporter covering breaking news, cultural trends and interesting people and goings-on around San Antonio and Bexar County, as well as all across South Texas. To read more from Melissa , become a subscriber. mstoeltje@express-news.net | Twitter: @mstoeltje
Pregnant due to rape, victim claims in Kerala High Court police not taking steps for DNA test of foetus

Kerala gold smuggling: HC adjourns hearing on Swapna Suresh's anticipatory bail plea

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Kochi, July 10: Kerala High Court on Friday adjourned hearing of anticipatory bail application of Swapna Suresh, the main accused in the high-profile Kerala gold smuggling case, till Tuesday.

Kerala gold smuggling case has rocked the Vijayan govt| Know the full story | Oneindia News

Centre's counsel Ravi Prakash told the court,''Since National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over probe, HC cannot entertain bail plea & matter has to be dealt with by special court."

The woman moved the bail application via online on Wednesday night. The gold, weighing over 30kg, was seized from a "diplomatic baggage" that had landed by air cargo at Thiruvananthapuram international Airport recently. The Customs department has said it suspected a smuggling syndicate had misused the name of a person who enjoys diplomatic immunity.

Kerala Gold Smuggling: Who is Swapna Suresh?

Earlier on Thursday, the Ministry of Home Affairs allowed the NIA to probe the gold smuggling case detected at the Thiruvananthapuram international airport in Kerala as the incident "may have serious implications for national security," officials said.

The decision came a day after Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his "intervention for an effective investigation" into the seizure of gold worth crores of rupees from a "diplomatic baggage" at the airport in the state capital.

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Story first published: Friday, July 10, 2020, 14:12 [IST]
Before being found dead in the hills of Seoul early Friday, the citys mayor, Park Won-soon, left a crumpled note saying sorry.

"I send my apologies to everyone. I thank everyone who shared my life. I am so sorry to my family to whom I only gave pain," read the apparent suicide note left on the desk of his official residence and released by the city government with the permission of his family.

"Bye everyone."

Park was 64. He is survived by his wife, son and daughter.

News that the former activist, women's rights advocate and lawyer had apparently taken his own life has rocked South Korea's capital, Seoul, home to more than 10 million people. As one of the country's most well-known elected officials, he had been tipped as a potential presidential candidate in 2022.

Park's death followed a criminal probe and media reports of alleged sexual misconduct.

On Wednesday, one of Park's former secretaries filed a complaint accusing him of sexual harassment, the South Korean Yonhap news agency reported.

Police also confirmed that a criminal complaint had been made Wednesday alleging "sexual molestation" against Park.

Late Thursday afternoon his daughter, Park Da-in, reported him missing to the police when she found out his phone was turned off about four to five hours after he left home after making comments said sounded like a will to her.

This prompted a massive police search, and Park's body was found just after midnight near the Bukak Mountain area of the Sungbuk district of Seoul, Choi Ik-su, the director of criminal litigation at Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, said at a press briefing Friday.

There was no sign of foul play, and police did not give a cause of death.

"Currently, we found no evidence to support murder, but we will nevertheless conduct a thorough investigation into his death," Choi said. "Considering the honor of the mayor and his bereaved family, we are not going to disclose the cause of the death."

Story continues

A representative for Park's family said it was time to let him go and urged people to avoid spreading "groundless statements."

"If acts of defaming him continue irrespective of the truth, we will sternly respond with legal action," Moon Mi-ran, who formerly served as deputy mayor under Park, said in a statement.

As a lawyer in the 1990s, Park won one of South Korea's earliest cases on sexual harassment. During his career, Park also strongly advocated for the cause of "comfort women" who were forced to work in Japan's wartime military brothels during World War II.

Image: Park Won-soon (Ed Jones / AFP - Getty Images file)

In addition, Park was an outspoken advocate of gender equality. Amid the #MeToo movement in 2018, he had praised South Korean women for their courage after a series of women accused powerful politicians of sexual wrongdoings.

Many residents of Seoul expressed shock over his death. Leading lawmakers of the ruling and opposition parties expressed condolences, as did the U.S. ambassador to South Korea, Harry Harris.

South Korea has one of the highest suicide rates in the world, according to the OECD.

If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide please call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text TALK to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.
Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man

By Mary L. Trump

Simon & Schuster. 225 pp. $30.

---

When the extended Trump family gathered in the White House in April 2017 to celebrate the birthdays of the president's two sisters, President Donald Trump pointed out a framed black-and-white photograph behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office - the image of a mustachioed man in a jacket and tie, with receding dark hair and a commanding air. "Isn't that a great picture of Dad?" Trump asked his sister Maryanne. She replied with a reprimand: "Maybe you should have a picture of Mom, too."

The president seemed never to have considered it. "That's a great idea," he said. "Somebody get me a picture of Mom."

We know that many presidents have had daddy issues: dreaming of their absent fathers, chafing at their judgments or struggling under their legacies. When discussing his father in his memoir "Trump: The Art of the Deal," Donald Trump stresses the business savvy he gleaned from the late Fred C. Trump. "I learned about toughness in a very tough business, I learned about motivating people, and I learned about competence and efficiency."

In "Too Much and Never Enough," Mary L. Trump, the president's niece, describes those lessons somewhat differently. In her telling, her wealthy grandfather was a suffocating and destructive influence: emotionally unavailable, cruel and controlling. Fred Trump both instilled and fortified his middle son's worst qualities - Donald's bullying, disrespect, lack of empathy, insecurity and relentless self-aggrandizement - while lavishing on him every opportunity and financing every mistake, to the point that both men came to believe the myths they had created.

In the wreckage of this relationship, Mary Trump writes, is a "malignantly dysfunctional family" that engages in "casual dehumanization" around the dinner table, a family in which privilege and anxiety go together, in which money is the only value, in which lies are just fine and apologies are just weak.

All happy families are alike; each unhappy family can at least give thanks that they're not the Trumps of Queens, N.Y.

"Too Much and Never Enough" is a deftly written account of cross-generational trauma, but it is also suffused by an almost desperate sadness - sadness in the stories it tells and sadness in the telling, too. Mary Trump brings to this account the insider perspective of a family member, the observational and analytical abilities of a clinical psychologist and the writing talent of a former graduate student in comparative literature.

But she also brings the grudges of estrangement. Mary Trump writes that her own father, Freddy, the oldest child of the Trump family, was robbed of his birthright and happiness for committing the unforgivable sin of failing to meet Fred's demands and expectations. Freddy was supposed to take over the family business, was supposed to be a "killer," which in the Trump family means being utterly invulnerable. But he preferred to become a commercial airline pilot, an ambition his father constantly mocked.

"Freddy simply wasn't who he wanted him to be," Mary Trump writes. "Fred dismantled his oldest son by devaluing and degrading every aspect of his personality and his natural abilities until all that was left was self-recrimination and a desperate need to please a man who had no use for him." Instead, Donald was elevated while Freddy, suffering from alcoholism and heart ailments, was cast aside, his entire family line "effectively erased," Mary explains, written out of wills, eulogies and simple kindnesses.

The Trump family, perhaps fearing shame or worse, tried hard to quash this book, based on the terms of a settlement in a long-ago lawsuit. (It was over money - what else.) They failed, and Mary Trump does offer some embarrassing, even silly, stories about growing up Trump: that Donald paid a friend to take the SATs for him; that, for all their riches, Trump and his wives skimped on Christmas presents, regifting old food baskets and used designer handbags; that Maryanne, a former appeals court judge, described her younger brother Donald as "a clown" with "no principles." Mary Trump also recalls an instance when, while visiting Mar-a-Lago, she joined Donald and his then-wife, Marla, for an outdoor lunch following a swim, wearing her bathing suit and a pair of shorts. As she approached, Donald gawked. "Holy s---, Mary. You're stacked." (Trump passing judgment aloud on the size of his then-29-year-old niece's breasts, in the presence of his wife, may rank as one of the least surprising reveals of 2020.)

More memorable than any such details are this book's insights and declarations. Mary describes her grandfather as a "high-functioning sociopath," a condition that can include abusiveness, ease with deceit and indifference to right and wrong. Couple that with a mother who was often absent because of health problems, and young Donald began to develop "powerful but primitive" coping mechanisms, Mary Trump writes, including hostility, aggression and indifference to the neglect he experienced. Unable to have his emotional needs met, "he became too adept at acting as though he didn't have any."

Books and essays have been written speculating on the mental health of the 45th president; to the frequent armchair diagnoses of "narcissistic personality disorder," Mary Trump might add "antisocial personality disorder" (chronic criminality, arrogance, disregard for others) and "dependent personality disorder" (inability to make decisions or take responsibility, discomfort with being alone). She even suggests that Trump suffers a "long undiagnosed learning disability" that hinders his processing of information. She provides little specific evidence or context for this assertion - a habit that recurs throughout the book, as the author makes definitive pronouncements about her uncle's state of mind.

"His ego is a fragile thing that must be bolstered every moment because he knows deep down that he is nothing of what he claims to be," she argues. "He knows he has never been loved." The president withdraws to comfort zones such as Twitter and Fox News because "he is and always will be a terrified little boy." And she contends that Trump has been "institutionalized" for most of his adult life, in that he has been shielded from his shortcomings - whether by his father bailing him out of terrible investments or by a federal government now deployed to protect his ego. "Donald's pathologies are so complex and his behaviors so often inexplicable that coming up with an accurate and comprehensive diagnosis would require a full battery of psychological and neuropsychological tests that he'll never sit for," Mary Trump concludes.

A lesson for the Trump family: Keep your friends close, but your nieces with doctorates in psychology closer.

Mary Trump's most convincing moments are those when she draws out behavioral parallels between Fred and Donald. Just like his son in the Oval Office, Fred Trump "always made his supplicants come to him, either at his Brooklyn office or his house in Queens, and he remained seated while they stood." Fred Trump often engaged in hyperbole while speaking; "everything was 'great,' 'fantastic,' and 'perfect,' " just like Trump's "perfect" phone call with the leader of Ukraine. Their professional habits seem similar, too: "Working the refs, lying, cheating - as far as Fred was concerned, those were all legitimate business tactics."

Most personally for the author, Donald also emulated his father when it came to his treatment of Freddy - ridiculing him, ostracizing him and, ultimately, ignoring him. Donald did not attend Freddy's wedding, and on the day Freddy was rushed to the hospital in the direst of conditions, his brother was too busy to stop by. "As my father lay dying alone," Mary Trump writes, "Donald went to the movies."

"Too Much and Never Enough" is a kind of revenge, perhaps. Mary Trump comes across as that oddity, a relatively normal Trump, but she is still a Trump, after all. When she becomes a secret source for the New York Times' Pulitzer-winning investigation of the Trump family's taxes - delivering 19 boxes of legal and financial documents to three overjoyed reporters - she privately ponders the need to "take Donald down," the sort of mob talk that does the family proud. It's her most "killer" moment.

But her ultimate sin against the family is not helping the Times or trashing her uncle in print. It's that her book is not really about Donald but about Fred - not the new patriarch but the old. All the chaos playing out on the national and world stage is a form of family dysfunction writ largest, she explains, with the president's incessant bragging and bluster directed at "his audience of one: his long-dead father."

Normally when we keep photographs of loved ones near our desks, it is so we can remember them, look upon their faces and think back on good times. But after reading this book, I wonder if the photograph hovering behind the president's shoulder in the Oval Office serves the opposite purpose - not so Donald can gaze upon Fred but so Fred can look upon that frightened little boy, now at the height of his power, and finally, truly, approve. As Mary Trump puts it, "Every one of Donald's transgressions became an audition for his father's favor, as if he were saying, 'See, Dad, I'm the tough one. I'm the killer.'"
Identity and access management in 2022 - what will the future look like?

As we enter into 2022, there is still a level of uncertainty in place. Its unclear what the future holds, as companies around the world still contend with the COVID-19 pandemic. Remote working has been encouraged by most organisations and the move to a hybrid working system has become business as usual, for the majority of businesses. Some have reduced their office space or done away with their locations altogether. Following best security practices With all this change in place, there are problems to deal with. According to research, 32.7% of IT admins say they are concerned about employees using unsecured networks to carry out that work. Alongside this, 74% of IT admins thought that remote work makes it harder for employees to follow best security practices. This need to manage security around remote work is no longer temporary. Instead, companies have to build permanent strategies around remote work and security. The coming year will also create a different landscape for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs). Here are some key predictions for next year and what to start preparing for in 2022: The reality of SMB spending around security will hit home SMBs had to undertake significant investments to adapt to remote working SMBs had to undertake significant investments to adapt to remote working, especially in comparison to their size. They had to undertake significant digital transformation projects that made it possible to deliver services remotely, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Weve seen a shift in mindset for these companies, which are now more tech-focused in their approach to problem solving. According to our research, 45% of SMBs plan to increase their spending towards IT services in 2022. Around half of all organisations think their IT budgets are adequate for their needs, while 14.5% of those surveyed believe they will need more, to cover all that needs to be done. Identity management spending to support remote work For others, the COVID-19 pandemic led to over-spending, just to get ahead of things and they will spend in 2022, looking at what they should keep and what they can reduce their spending on. Areas like identity management will stay in place, as companies struggle to support remote work and security, without this in place. However, on-premise IT spending will be reduced or cut, as those solutions are not relevant for the new work model. Services that rely on on-premise IT will be cut or replaced. The device will lead the way for security We rely on our phones to work and to communicate. In 2022, they will become central to how we manage access, to all our assets and locations, IT and physical. When employees can use company devices and their own phones for work, security is more difficult. IT teams have to ensure that theyre prepared for this, by making sure that these devices can be trusted. Wide use of digital certificates and strong MFA factors Rather than requiring a separate smart card or fingerprint reader, devices can be used for access using push authentication There are multiple ways that companies can achieve this, for example - By using digital certificates to identify company devices as trusted, an agent, or strong MFA factors, like a FIDO security key or mobile push authentication. Whichever approach you choose, this can prevent unauthorised access to IT assets and applications, and these same devices can be used for authentication into physical locations too. Rather than requiring a separate smart card or fingerprint reader, devices can be used for access using push authentication. Understanding human behaviour Alongside this, it is important to understand human behaviour. Anything that introduces an extra step for authentication can lead to employees taking workarounds. To stop this, it is important to put an employee education process in place, in order to emphasize on the importance of security. The next step is to think about adopting passwordless security, to further reduce friction and increase adoption. Lastly, as devices become the starting point for security and trust, remote device management will be needed too. More companies will need to manage devices remotely, from wiping an asset remotely if it gets lost or stolen, through to de-provisioning users easily and removing their access rights, when they leave the company. Identity will be a layer cake Zero Trust approaches to security Identity management relies on being able to trust that someone is who they say they are. Zero Trust approaches to security can support this effectively, particularly when aligned with least privilege access models. In order to turn theory into practical easy-to-deploy steps, companies need to use contextual access, as part of their identity management strategy. This involves looking at the context that employees will work in and putting together the right management approach for those circumstances. For typical employee behaviour, using two factor authentication might be enough to help them work, without security getting in the way. How enterprises manage, access and store identity data There will also be a shift in how enterprises manage, access, and store that identity data over time For areas where security is more important, additional security policies can be put over the top, to ensure that only the right people have access. A step-up in authentication can be added, based on the sensitivity of resources or risk-based adaptive authentication policies might be needed. There will also be a shift in how enterprises manage, access, and store that identity data over time, so that it aligns more closely with those use cases. Identity management critical to secure assets in 2022 There are bigger conversations taking place around digital identity for citizenship, as more services move online as well. Any moves that take place in this arena will affect how businesses think about their identity management processes too, encouraging them to look at their requirements in more detail. Overall, 2022 will be the year when identity will be critical to how companies keep their assets secure and their employees productive. With employees working remotely and businesses becoming decentralised, identity strategies will have to take the same approach. This will put the emphasis on strong identity management as the starting point for all security planning.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-09 23:51:24|Editor: huaxia

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JUBA, July 9 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan, the youngest nation in the world, marked nine years of independence on Thursday, without an official public event.

The country's independence in 2011 was met with fanfare and celebration, but the past nine years have not been easy for ordinary citizens.

Just two years after gaining sovereignty from Sudan, the oil-rich east African country descended into brutal civil war in December 2013.

The civil war killed tens of thousands and displaced millions of people while pushing others into abject poverty.

Even after the signing of a peace agreement in September 2018, South Sudan is still facing many challenges like inter-communal violence, food insecurity and the COVID-19 pandemic.

"In the past nine years, there is nothing much I realized from South Sudan being an independent state," said Susan Lodu, a restaurant owner in the capital Juba.

She told Xinhua Wednesday that she was upbeat when her motherland got independence in 2011, with the hope that life would get better.

"Next year, we want to see peace not violence in South Sudan," she added.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

Despite the numerous problems facing South Sudan, the country has made some achievements since 2011.

The establishment of a transitional unity government in February this year following six years of devastating violence was a major step towards peace in South Sudan.

Since the formation of the government, relative calm has returned to several parts of South Sudan, enabling thousands of displaced people and refugees to return home.

Government spokesperson Michael Makuei Lueth said the signing of the peace pact in 2018 was a major achievement in the history of South Sudan.

He said the main challenge hindering the government from providing services to its people was insecurity, adding that implementation of the revitalized peace agreement would help end the problems facing South Sudan.

"We were interrupted before we could do anything. The government has been trying its best to bring peace to South Sudan," Makuei said.

The process to unify the country's many armed groups also kicked off after the formation of the unity government. Though moving slowly, the unification of armed forces would be a key step towards achieving security sector reforms in the conflict-torn country.

Since independence, the country managed to build only one tarmac road that links South Sudan to its southern neighbor Uganda. And earlier this year, a major road project linking the capital Juba to the north was launched. Once completed, the China-aided road project will be one of the biggest infrastructure development projects in South Sudan.

ROAD OF PEACE

Augustino Ting Mayai, policy analyst and director of research at the Juba-based think-tank, Sudd Institute urged the central government to prioritize development and service delivery in order to restore peace and stability in the country.

"The first thing to do is to make sure that peace is restored in the country. And then if peace is restored, development must follow because peace without dividends means no peace at all," Mayai said.

"The government and international community helping South Sudan need to make sure that they invest in education, health, infrastructure and food security. That is what will bring peace to ordinary citizens," he added.

South Sudan President Salva Kiir said on July 8 the country would not hold public celebrations to mark the ninth independence anniversary due to the threat posed by COVID-19 pandemic.

Kiir appealed to citizens to desist from violence and instead support him to implement the 2018 peace deal.

He acknowledged that his administration had fallen short of expectation from citizens who yearned for peace, stability and prosperity.

"Let us all work tirelessly irrespective of our political leanings to restore trust among ourselves and to mend the social fabric that was torn apart by war that we are now putting behind us," Kiir said.

"Let us all desist from unnecessary propaganda and instead work together as South Sudanese to put our country permanently on the path of peace," he added. Enditem
Max Lucado, Pastor Emeritus of Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, has been my favorite Christian author for many, many years. Fifteen years ago, he was named as The Best Pastor in the United States and his incredible gift is best found in the comforting words that he has used in almost 100 books. The experts tell us that today there are more than 135 million copies of Lucados books in circulation all over the world, and, from a personal standpoint, I have read many of them.

Max has a soft, common sense approach to all things Godly. He is a masterful teacher, sound of principles and steeped in virtue. He answers most arguments by listening intently, smiling often, and using the words within his Bible as factual advice for any question or unsavory situation.

In my eyes as well as my heart, the Bible is the absolute.

Within the last week a collection of about 40 or 50 pastors demanded the resignation Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Hamond. Jim is a close friend of mine and not one in the crowd of alleged churchmen knows anything about law enforcement - both city and county - and none seems to grasp that our sheriffs deputies or city of Chattanooga police officers deal almost universally with our communitys worst-of-the-worse.

But what bothers me the most is that the Bible is clear on passing judgement: In the Bibles New Testament, the seventh chapter of Matthew urges:

* -- Verse 7: Judge not, that ye be not judged.

* -- Verse 2: For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure mete, it shall be measured to you again.

* -- Verse 4: Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

* -- Verse 5: Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

* * *

Who on earth gave an opportunistic group of pastors the right and the will to take on Sheriff Jim Hammond, to sit in false judgment, and to piously beg for photos from a laughing media in front of the Justice Building? Who authorized that? Most certainly their one-sided approach has been simmering for years. They have picketed the Sheriffs offices several times in the past years only to come up with a sweaty shirt collar.

Jim Hammond, in the eyes of at least 90 percent who elected him, is doing a wonderful job. Yet the Sheriff no longer has the time nor the patience to be subjected to this pettiness. Please, what of the great number of those in our area scoff at their hapless inattention to black-on-black shootings. I only hope the states detectives can reveal where we have the proof of a money train that is the real reason for the chaos we have seen 

* * *

WHAT IS THE ANSWER TO RACISM?

By Max Lucado

(NOTE: This opinion appeared on Fox News on May 31, 2020.)

Recent racially charged incidents including the tragic death of George Floyd have stirred ensuing riots and torn open the rawest of wounds  racism. Judging a person according to skin color is an ancient sin. For that reason, God gave this ancient solution.

In the earliest words of Scripture, God spoke: Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature so they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle, and, yes, Earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of Earth (Genesis 1:26).

Embedded in these words is the most wonderful of promises: God made us to reflect his image.

No one is a god except in his or her own delusion. But everyone carries some of the communicable attributes of God. Wisdom. Love. Grace. Kindness. A longing for eternity. We are made in his image.



Sin has distorted this image, but it has not destroyed it. Our moral purity has been tainted. Our intellect is polluted by foolish ideas. We have fallen prey to the elixir of self-promotion rather than God-promotion. The image of God is sometimes difficult to discern. But do not think for a moment that God has rescinded his promise or altered his plan. He still creates people in his image to bear his likeness and reflect his glory.



Pop psychology is wrong when it tells you to look inside yourself and find your value. The magazines are wrong when they suggest you are only as good as you are thin, muscular, pimple-free or perfumed. The movies mislead you when they imply that your value increases as your stamina, intelligence or net worth does. Religious leaders lie when they urge you to grade your significance according to your church attendance, self-discipline, or spirituality.



According to the Bible you are good simply because God made you in his image. Period. He cherishes you because you bear a semblance to him. And you will only be satisfied when you engage in your role as an image-bearer of God. Such was the view of King David. As for me, I will see your face in righteousness. I shall be satisfied when I awake in your likeness (Psalm 17:15).



How much sadness would evaporate if every person simply chose to believe this: I was made for Gods glory and am being made into his image.



Would you let this truth find its way into your heart? You were conceived by God before you were conceived by your parents. You were loved in heaven before you were known on earth. You are not an accident. You arent a random fluke of genetics or evolution. You arent defined by the number of pounds you weigh, followers you have, car you drive or clothes you wear.



You are made in Gods image. Print that on your resume. You are a diamond, a rose and a jewel, purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ. In the eyes of God, you are worth dying for. Would you let this truth define the way you see yourself?



Would you let this truth define the way you see other people? Every person you see was created by God to bear His image and deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. This means that all people deserve to be seen for who they are: image-bearers of God.



Imagine the impact this promise would have upon the society that embraced it. What civility it would engender! What kindness it would foster! Racism will not flourish when people believe their neighbor bears Gods image.



Why does God love you with an everlasting love? It has nothing to do with you. It has everything to do with whose you are.



The fire of feuds will have no fuel when people believe their adversaries are Gods idea.



Will a man abuse a woman? Not if he believes she bears the stamp of God.



Will a boss neglect an employee? Not if she believes the employee bears a divine spark.



Will society write off the indigent, the mentally ill, the inmate on death row or the refugee? Not if we believe, truly believe, that every human being is Gods idea. And he has no bad ideas.



Parents and grandparents understand the implications of this truth. I recall when my daughter Jenna was pregnant with our first grandchild. She was round as a ladybug. Long before Jenna gave birth to Rosie, I loved our granddaughter. Id never seen her, but I loved her. Shed done nothing to earn my love. But I loved her. Shed never brought me coffee or called me papa. Shed never sung me a song or danced for me a dance. Shed done nothing!



Yet I loved her already.



I would do anything for her. That is not hyperbole.



Why? Why did I love her so? Because she carries some of me. A small part for sure, but a part of me, nonetheless.



Why does God love you with an everlasting love? It has nothing to do with you. It has everything to do with whose you are. You are his.



How can we respect our neighbors? What is Gods solution to angry racism that gives birth to violence and bloodshed? Government programs might help. Lectures might enlighten. But, in the end, Gods plan is the only plan: see every person on the planet as Gods idea.



And He has no bad ideas.



* * *



Did you realize Jim Hammond, the sheriff, bears a likeness of our Jesus, just as each of our picketing pastors do?



royexum@aol.com









July 9, 2020














































































The Nigerian military says its Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji has neutralised some notable leaders and several members of the criminal group in airstrikes in the Zamfara State section of Kagara Forest.

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, John Enenche, a major-general, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

Mr Enenche said the feat was achieved on July 9, sequel to intelligence reports that armed bandits had moved with a large number of rustled livestock from Sokoto State side of the forest and set up camp in the Zamfara portion.

According to him, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions also later confirmed the exact location of the camp.

He explained that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets and helicopter gunships were dispatched to engage the location.

As the attack aircraft approached the camp, some of the bandits and their leaders were seen fleeing towards the surrounding bushes. Consequently, the attack aircraft struck the area of vegetation taking out several of the bandits.

Intelligence sources later confirmed that eight bandit leaders and no fewer than a dozen of their fighters were killed as a result of the strikes

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has commended the troops for their professionalism.

He also urged them to remain resolute in the conduct of air strikes whilst continuing to provide close air support for ongoing ground operations in order to eradicate all armed bandits, he said.

Mr Enenche also disclosed that troops of Operation Thunder Strike under the subsidiary Operation Accord, on Thursday, rescued three kidnapped victims from the bandits at Chikun in Kaduna State.

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He said the troops responded to credible intelligence on the kidnap of some people by armed bandits from their farm in Gwazunu village, Chikun Local Government Area of the state.

According to him, the bandits escaped in disarray with gunshot wounds thereby abandoning the kidnapped victims.

All the three victims were successfully rescued unhurt and have been reunited with their families.

The Military High Command congratulates the gallant troops for their dedication and unwavering commitment and urges them to remain committed and sustain the onslaught against the criminals, he added.

(NAN)
Read this weeks overview of culture and travel stories from Slovakia.

Slovak singer Dorota Nvotova performs at the 2020 Pohoda in the Air festival July 9 in Trencin. (Source: Facebook/Pohoda Festival)

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Your locality: Bratislava Weather forecast for today 01:00 -1  Risk of collision: 5% 04:00 -2  Risk of collision: 5%

The open-air International Exhibition of Political Cartoons presents works of well-respected cartoonists from the USA, central Europe, and Germany, including Daryl Cagle, Pavel Reisenauer, Martin Sutovec, Csaba Varga and Andrzej Mleczko. This year, the exhibition is visiting four capitals in central Europe and Berlin, starting in Bratislava. The exhibition on Hviezdoslav Square ends on July 13.

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TRAVEL

It was built on top of a volcanic rock, later becoming a part of a larger fortification system. Theres a lot to see in the town of Levice and its surroundings, including a water mill.

The castle was originally a wooden structure. The Palffy family transformed it into a Disneyland-like stone castle, but it was the Communists who helped save it.

The summer train, Zahoracik, kicked off another summer season on the first weekend of July. It takes tourists to great spots around the Zahorie region.

The palace is part of Stara Lubovna Castle in northeastern Slovakia. It will reopen in April 2021, however, due to COVID-19.

The only outdoor pool in Bratislavas Old Town borough, Ekoiuventa, or more commonly known as Micurin, is open all week long.

More information about travelling in Slovakia

Please see our Please see our Spectacular Slovakia travel guide

HISTORY CALENDAR

In early July 1818, Austrian composer Franz Schubert arrived in Slovakia to teach music to Maria and Caroline, the daughters of Count Esterhazy. Schubert spent several summers at their manor house situated in the town of Zeliezovce. Caroline, for whom he composed Fantasia in F minor D 940, is said to have been his muse. Click on the picture and have a listen.

video //www.youtube.com/embed/aO5fLLHj55k

VERBATIM

 Diversity used to be natural here and people, despite all their disputes, were able to get along.  Slovak writer Michal Hvorecky on the past of Liptovsky Mikulas

WEEKEND READS

A new exhibition in a Liptovsky Mikulas gallery, curated by Slovak writer Michal Hvorecky, tells the story of the Liptov region and its famous natives, including Samuel Fischer.

The festival will be streamed online, under the Pohoda in the Air brand. The festival starts on July 9 and will last until Sunday, July 12. Streaming will be available for free.

Bratislavas new temporary attraction reaches 30 metres in height, which is far less than the famous London Eye. Some think it should stand on the Petrzalka embankment, not on the side closer to Old Town.

Some of the Bratislavans are unhappy about the Ferris wheel, a new local attraction, being placed near Bratislava's Old Town. (Source: TASR)

The extraordinary steam engine, the first of its kind in Europe, has been uncovered in Nova Bana. It was built by Isaac Potter in the Althandel shaft in 1721-1722.

The next Spectacular Slovakia Weekly will be published on July 17, 2020.

Read last week's roundup.
Michigan Civil Service Commission Chair Janet McClelland plans to serve the remaining two years of her term after moving to Illinois, despite facing calls for her resignation.

Liberal advocacy group Progress Michigan issued a news release Thursday pointing to public records that show McClelland purchased a home in Illinois on Feb. 28, then sold her Lansing home on June 11.

Deputy State Personnel Director Matthew Fedorchuk confirmed that McClelland indicated that she recently sold her home in Lansing and has relocated to Illinois to be close to her family, but plans to serve the remainder of her term, which expires at the end of 2022.

There is no residency requirement for commissioners under the state constitution. Progress Michigan Executive Director Lonnie Scott said McClelland has no business making decisions on behalf of thousands of civil service employees in a state she no longer lives in. McClelland could not be reached for comment.

Im not sure which body oversees public employees in Illinois, but Janet McClelland should send her resume there because we need a Michiganian making decisions that affect Michigan workers, Scott said in a statement. Until she is no longer serving, any decisions made by the Commission should be considered irrelevant.

McClelland has worked in the states human resources department for more than three decades, serving as deputy director and chief deputy director for the Michigan Civil Service Commission from 1996 to 2014. She was appointed by former Gov. Rick Snyder and serves on the commission as an independent.

Michigan AFL-CIO President Ron Bieber also called for McClelland to step down in a Thursday statement.

Simple decency dictates that she should resign, and the remaining commissioners should applaud frontline workers as heroes, instead of attacking their very ability to take care of their families, Bieber said.

Bieber also highlighted a proposed rule change being considered by the commission, which would require unionized state workers to confirm their willingness to pay dues each year. The union leader called the proposed rule an unconstitutional attack on state workers.

Snyder appointed all four members of the commission. Commissioners James Barrett and Jase Bolger are Republicans. McClelland and Jeff Steffel are Independents.

READ MORE:

An attack on working people: State rep rips proposal to require union workers to sign up annually to pay dues

COVID-19 oversight chair questions $600 unemployment checks for state workers
Canara Bank on Friday (10 July) said its board approved raising equity share capital upto Rs 5,000 crore in FY21.

The equity capital raise will be by way of qualified institutional placements (QIP), rights issue/employee stock purchase scheme (ESPS)/private placement/preferential allotment or any other approved means during the Financial Year (FY) 2020-21, subject to market conditions and necessary approvals.

Further, the public sector bank's board also approved raising capital through Additional Tier I Basel III compliant bonds to the extent of Rs 3,000 crore during FY21.

Shares of Canara Bank fell 3.77% to close at Rs 104.55 on BSE in Friday's session (10 July).

Canara Bank reported net loss of Rs 3,259.33 crore in Q4 March 2020 as against net loss of Rs 551.53 crore in Q4 March 2019. Total income rose 1.6% to Rs 14,222.39 crore in Q4 March 2020 over Rs 14,000.43 crore in Q4 March 2019.

Provisions and contingencies slipped 2.68% to Rs 5,375.38 crore in Q4 March 2020 over Rs 5,523.50 crore in Q4 March 2019. The provision coverage ratio of the bank was at 75.86% as on 31 March 2020.

Canara Bank is a state-owned commercial bank with headquarters in Bangalore. The Government of India held 78.52% stake in the bank as of 31 March 2020.

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By Ron Bousso and Nidhi Verma LONDON/NEW DELHI (Reuters) - BP has paid Reliance Industries $1 billion to set up a joint network of thousands of petrol stations across India to tap the country's rapidly growing energy demand. BP will hold 49% and Reliance the remaining 51% in the new company called Jio-bp, which will expand Reliance's current 1,400 retail sites up to 5,500 over the next five years, the pair said in a statement on Thursday after announcing the venture last August

By Ron Bousso and Nidhi Verma

LONDON/NEW DELHI (Reuters) - BP has paid Reliance Industries $1 billion to set up a joint network of thousands of petrol stations across India to tap the country's rapidly growing energy demand.

BP will hold 49% and Reliance the remaining 51% in the new company called Jio-bp, which will expand Reliance's current 1,400 retail sites up to 5,500 over the next five years, the pair said in a statement on Thursday after announcing the venture last August.

Jio-bp will also expand from 30 to 45 airports and plans to increase its staff from 20,000 to 80,000 over five years.

The plan comes as billionaire Mukesh Ambani, the owner of Reliance, which operates the world's biggest refining complex in Jamnagar, is currently in talks with oil group Saudi Arabia's Aramco to sell a 20% stake in the oil to chemical conglomerate.

UK oil group BP, along with many industry peers are aiming to sharply increase their global customer base in the coming decades as part of their shift to low-carbon energy, aiming to supply fuels and power even as demand for oil is expected to decline.

Jio-bp aims to provide Indian consumers with advanced fuels with lower emissions, electric vehicle charging and other low carbon solutions over time, the statements said.

India "is a country that will require more energy for its economic growth and, as it prospers, its needs for mobility and convenience will accelerate," BP CEO Bernard Looney said in a statement.

Shell and Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (ADNOC) also both want to strengthen their presence in India.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants Asia's third largest economy to grow from $2.9 trillion gross domestic production in 2019 to $5 trillion by 2025, which is set to drive energy demand higher.

(Reporting by Ron Bousso; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Canadian Small Business Women will host a Virtual Summer Business Conference on July 11th, 2020, creating a platform for entrepreneurs and business enthusiasts to gain valuable experience from keynote speakers, subject-matter experts and a vendor exposition. As in-person events slowly make a comeback, virtual events continue to be the preferred alternative, making it easier to keep following health protocols and ensuring the safety of individuals. While businesses are slowly re-opening, changes in regulations and practices are being affected due to COVID-19. How to adapt to the current situation, what is efficient, what tools and approaches to use - this conference brings together experts to provide unique and useful information to help entrepreneurs and enthusiasts succeed in these uncertain times.

Sourcing an event platform that would be suitable to host full scale conferences at a reasonable rate was no easy task for the team at Canadian Small Business Women. The goal of recreating the feeling of walking into an event knowing that you will have full access to on-stage speakers, networking, vendors and breakout sessions became a reality by using a virtual platform called Hopin. With two full scale conferences via this platform under their belt, it was only natural that they would move forward with hosting yet another conference featuring award winning speakers spanning Canada and the USA.

This event will feature Keynote Speaker, Lori Pelzer; followed by breakout sessions with subject-matter experts, including Jennifer Cunningham, Candace Huntly, Jacqueline C. Roberts, Katia Rave, and Sharon Shannon; a vendor exposition, and one-on-one networking sessions, from 12:30PM to 5:00PM, EST.

Tickets to the Virtual Summer Business Conference are still available online, starting from $23 and more information about the event can be found on the Canadian Small Business Women website and social media channels.

More About Canadian Small Business Women:

Canadian Small Business Women was created to provide a central hub for aspiring Canadian business women to find the necessary resources to take their business from the planning stage to a reality. The organization also provides a business directory, event information, and advertising opportunities for existing Canadian Small Business Women. Through their blogs, social media pages and related articles, they connect experts to aspiring and current business women, and provide the information needed to take their businesses to the next level.


Many Americans are waking up to the fact that the struggle for racial justice is not over. Protests in recent weeks have focused on the injustices that American law enforcement has inflicted on Black people. These injustices are deeply rooted not just in policing, but also in our voting and health systems.

The hours-long lines to vote in Wisconsin and Georgia primaries were the direct effect of state actions to suppress the vote combined with a lack of time and resources to prepare for elections during the pandemic. This year marked the 55th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, when civil rights marchers mobilized for voting rights and were met with horse mounted police, beatings, and tear gas. A few months following the marches, the Voting Rights Act was passed.

Today, the work to ensure police accountability is intricately intertwined with breaking down barriers to voting. Local, state, and federal leaders decide how our police departments are structured and how much power is given to law enforcement. However, in electing our leaders, Black voices are not heard as loudly as other voices.

Barriers to voting disproportionately affect Black voters, especially after the U.S. Supreme Court's 2013 Shelby v. Holder ruling effectively gutted the protections to voters provided by the Voting Rights Act. And during the time of COVID-19 where our communities are disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.

In the age of COVID-19, our elections must be adapted to ensure voters have safe options that allow for social distancing, from expanded early voting to mail-in and drop off voting. Currently, coronavirus cases in Alabama are surging as people let their guard down while businesses are opening back up. The pandemic is a major threat to aging populations of all races; as well as black and brown people who are more likely to be frontline and essential workers, and who are more vulnerable to COVID-19 due to longstanding health care and healthy food access disparities.

But to protect voters health and their ability to vote, the states need more funding to ensure that every American can exercise their right to vote. This includes:

 Expanded vote-by-mail ballot printing, and postage

 Early voting (drop-off and polling locations)

 Implementation of online registration

 Additional staffing (poll workers, ballot processing)

 Cybersecurity, such as ballot tracking software and secure electronic absentee ballot request technology

 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for polling workers and locations

 Voter information initiatives on how to use the new systems

...and much more. This funding is long overdue, and Alabamians need the assurance of safe voting before the July 14th primary and in November.

Bernard Simelton is President of the Alabama State Conference of the NAACP
A man was arrested on Friday for allegedly threatening to blow up Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot with a bomb, police said.

The accused, identified as Lokesh Kumar Meena, was nabbed soon after he made the threatening call to the police control room, they said.

"Special teams were formed to nab the accused. His location was traced in Papad village of Jamwa Ramgarh area. Local police was alerted to take action," DCP (Jaipur South) Manoj Kumar said.

He said the mobile phone from which the accused called the police saying he will blow up the chief minister has been seized.

The man was brought to Vidhyakpuri police station and is being interrogated, a police officer said.

The accused is preparing for competitive exams and the reason behind making such a call is being probed, he said.
The American Association for Medicare Supplement Insurance has launched an online resource designed to help consumers find the best Medicare insurance prices.

"The price for Medicare Supplement insurance varies by where you live and the difference can be quite substantial, shares Jesse Slome, the national organization's director. "It's not simply a risk that you'll pay more than necessary, it's that you may be locking yourself into a policy that's hard or impossible to change."

To assist consumers, the organization unveiled a new online resource. The lowest as well as the highest price for Medicare Supplement insurance will be shown for 100-to-150 of the largest U.S. metro areas.

"We chose to show Medigap Plan G pricing for both a man and woman turning age 65," Slome explained. "That's when many individuals are first learning about their Medicare insurance options. It's also when companies spend hundreds of millions of dollars enticing consumers to call their toll free numbers."

Slome contends consumers making Medicare decisions for the first time are not aware of important facts. "They don't understand the difference between Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement insurance," Slome notes. "They are not aware of the huge price differential or the availability of discounts for Medigap insurance that can range from three to 14 percent."

The directory will be expanded between now and Medicare Annual Enrollment period. "Consumers make Medicare insurance decisions daily," Slome acknowledges. "We will keep adding to the resource so that it becomes as beneficial to as many seniors as possible."

The American Association for Medicare Supplement Insurance is an advocacy and informational organization that strives to create heightened awareness for the many Medicare insurance planning options and supports insurance professionals who market Medicare insurance. To find lowest and highest Medicare insurance prices go to www.medicaresupp.org/go/.
Will always be with you to fight injustice: Rahul Gandhi to media

Rahul Gandhi gives adjournment notice on giving unhindered access to pasture lands in Ladakh

'Do you work for govt?' Rahul Gandhi asks reporter; BJP calls him entitled brat

Word 'lynching' practically unheard of before 2014, 'Thank You Modi-Ji': Rahul Gandhi

Hindu and Hindutva are not different things: Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi

Even teleprompter could not take so many lies: Rahul's dig at PM Modis Davos speech

Allow independent review of chinese intrusion: Rahul Gandhi urges Centre

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, July 10: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday urged the government to allow an independent fact-finding mission to identify incursion, intrusion and encroachment by China.

"GOI (Government of India) must listen to the veterans and inform India of the steps taken to ensure no more Indian territory is taken by China. Allow an independent fact-finding mission to identify incursion, intrusion and encroachment by China," the former Congress chief said on Twitter.

The Congress leader targeted the government citing a news report by news website The Wire, headlined "India-China Standoff: 144 Armed Forces Veterans Appeal for Accountability, Reforms".

Gandhi has been attacking the government ever since the violent face-off between Indian and Chinese troops at Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on June 15 claimed the lives of 20 Indian soldiers.

Covid-19 vaccine won't be possible before 2021, Parliament Panel told| Oneindia News

Earlier in the day, Congress leader P Chidambaram tweeted, "We are generally happy with the disengagement and de-escalation. People will keep a close watch on the PROCESS and the PROGRESS (sic)."

China allows WHO to trace coronavirus origin, rebukes US exit move from UN body

"But let us remember, the declared goal is restoration of status quo ante as on May 5, 2020," he also said.

India and China on Friday decided to follow through with steps for "complete disengagement" of troops in eastern Ladakh for "full restoration" of peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control in a fresh round of diplomatic talks to scale down tensions along the de facto border.
It reflects the cynicism of the times that we live in that the encounter that killed Uttar Pradesh (UP) gangster Vikas Dubey has not come as the slightest shock to anyone.

It is almost like a death foretold. The criticism  as happened with the Hyderabad polices elimination of four rape accused last year  is likely to be dismissed as the fuzzy, needless hand-wringing of liberals. After all, Dubey, it will be argued, was the man responsible for the murderous assault on eight policemen. Why should anyone waste any angst on a man like him?

That is missing the point. The same lawlessness and absence of due process that makes it possible for the police to avenge the killings of their own men, permits the men in khaki in Tamil Nadu to push rods and sticks up the private parts of a father and son, Jayaraj and Bennicks. You cant outrage over one and see the other as morally permissible. Yes, in one case the victims were hapless citizens who did nothing but supposedly keep their shop open for a few minutes beyond the lockdown-stipulated curfew. And another case, the self-declared don of Kanpur, was a brutal, violent thug. But the principle that makes one extrajudicial killing possible cannot but spill over into the responses of the police force across the board.

Simply put, you cannot morally calibrate fake encounters. Theres also the sheer tackiness of the script. Even as stories go, this one has a weak plot and poorer direction.

We are actually being asked to believe that a man who dramatically surrendered after a five-day chase from Uttar Pradesh, through Haryana and Rajasthan before ending up in a temple in Ujjain suddenly turned on the police and attempted an escape after the car ferrying him overturned. This is the same man whom we have all seen on video, being slammed against a police car and whacked on the back of his head by an unarmed officer, as he shouts, Main Vikas Dubey hoon, Kanpurwala

Curiously, of course, the media, that was tailing the convoy taking Dubey back from Madhya Pradesh to UP, was stopped two kilometres ahead of the site where the alleged accident and subsequent encounter takes place. The police will also have to explain why Dubeys car is switched at the last moment. Video footage shows Dubey in two different cars at different points in the journey. And, of course, the most basic question of all: How was a dreaded gangster not cuffed? Even if his car did overturn-- and who is buying that  how was he able to make a run for it that he needed to be shot? And if he was shot, why was he not shot in the leg, so that he could be recaptured alive and be interrogated?

Or is that the exact point. Dubey who was implicated in 62 criminal cases, including five cases of murder and eight cases of attempted murder, could not have thrived for 30 years, without the patronage of the rich and powerful. A disturbing letter has done the rounds on social media, purportedly written by one of the eight policemen murdered by Dubey. It alleges that station officer Vinay Tiwari was in cahoots with Dubey. The letter, which was unmarked, was officially denied. But, since then Tiwari and another of his colleagues have been suspended on charges of tipping Dubey off about the police raid that was meant to arrest him.

Eerily, a public interest petition in the Supreme Court just a few days ago demanded the judiciarys intervention, predicting this is how Dubey would die. Instead of delivering justice for the eight policemen murdered by Dubey, the actions of the Uttar Pradesh police force have further sullied the reputation of the uniform. Not too many people will believe that the police encounter was motivated by collective rage at what the gangster had done to their own comrades.

The suspicion that Dubey had far too many secrets to out and that it was best to pack them off with him to his grave, will now never be shaken off. Even before his death, a widely-shared video allegedly showed Dubey claiming the backing of two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators (though in 2001 he was accused of chasing another BJP leader into a police station and shooting him in broad daylight).

His mother separately claimed that her son is now linked to the Samajwadi Party, which the party denied.

The demand for his call records to be placed in the public domain is legitimate. The country has a right to know which people of influence  whether in the police, government or Opposition  Dubey was in touch with.

The families of the eight policemen who lost their lives in the line of duty may mistakenly believe that justice has been served.

The very opposite has happened.

Yet, again, in a country that proudly gave even the terrorist involved in the 2008 Mumbai attack, Ajmal Kasab, due process, we have faltered on the fundamentals of law.

Barkha Dutt is an award-winning journalist and author

The views expressed are personal

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 19:43:58|Editor: huaxia

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DAMASCUS, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Over 10,000 Turkey-backed Syrian rebels are fighting in Libya alongside the UN-backed Libyan government to fight against the east-based army, a war monitor reported.

So far, 16,000 Syrian rebels reached Libya through Turkey, 5,600 of them returned to Syria after the contracts were expired while the rest are still in Libya, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Those who returned are waiting to renew their contracts to return to Libya, as they are being well-paid over there, said the Observatory.

Turkey offers a monthly salary of 2,000 U.S. dollars for those who agree to go to Libya on contracts between three and six months, said the Observatory.

Meanwhile, the Observatory said "Turkey's goal in Libya now is the battles for the oil fields and the city of Sirte." Enditem
Royal Mail has been fined 1.5 million by Ofcom after failing to deliver at least 93 per cent of first-class post across the UK within one working day of it being collected.

The communications regulator said Royal Mail missed its target in the financial year ending in 2019, with only 91.5 per cent of first-class post reaching its destination on time.

The company did, however, meet its obligations the following financial year.

The watchdog said it handed the hefty fine as the group did not provide a 'satisfactory explanation and it did not take sufficient steps to get back on track during the year'.

Royal Mail has been fined 1.5 million by Ofcom after failing to deliver at least 93 per cent of first-class post across the UK within one working day of it being collected

Ofcom is responsible for ensuring a universal postal service is provided under the Postal Services Act 2011.

In March 2012 it designated Royal Mail as the universal service provider in the UK and imposed a number of Designated universal service provider (DUSP) conditions.

Failure to meet these, which include performance targets, can result in fines.

Royal Mail said it is 'disappointed' with its first-class postal service for the 2018-19 year and 'accepts and understands' the decision by Ofcom.

In a statement, it added: 'We worked hard to restore our service quality in 2019-20 and, were it not for the pandemic and its impact on our business in the latter half of March, we were on course to deliver the requisite first-class regulated quality of service target of 93 per cent.

'Despite our best endeavours, some areas of the UK experienced a reduction in service levels during March.'

The regulator also fined Royal Mail 100,000 for overcharging customers for second-class stamps for seven days in March last year.

Royal Mail increased its price for second-class stamps to 61p on March 25 2019, overcharging customers for seven days until the cap increased from 60p on April 1.

The company said it predicts that the move saw customers overcharged by around 60,000, which it is unable to refund.

'We accept and note Ofcom's decision around the 2019 second-class price cap. We made a mistake,' Royal Mail said.

A Royal Mail postman empties a postbox in Glasgow during the coronavirus crisis on April 1

'At the time, we sought to put this error right by publicly acknowledging our mistake.'

Gaucho Rasmussen, Ofcom's director of investigations and enforcement, said: 'Many people depend on postal services, and our rules are there to ensure they get a good service, at an affordable price.

'Royal Mail let its customers down, and these fines should serve as a reminder that we'll take action when companies fall short.'

Royal Mail revealed last month it is cutting 2,000 jobs as it announced a management overhaul to help slash costs in the face of the coronavirus crisis.

The postal service said the restructuring plans will see it save 130million in staffing costs next year as it reported a 31 per cent fall in annual profits.

Royal Mail is also cutting 300million in spending over the next two years. It has 9,700 managers, with senior executive and non-operational roles to be hardest hit.

It came just weeks after the group's chief executive Rico Back quit following two years in charge and major battles with unions over a 1.8billion restructuring plan.
Australian Senator Pledges Support for Recognition of Armenian, Assyrian, Greek Genocide

Paul Scarr. Federal Senator for Queensland, Paul Scarr has added his support to the Joint Justice Initiative of the Armenian-Australian, Assyrian-Australian and Greek-Australian communities calling for Australian recognition of the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides.

The February 2020 launch of the Joint Justice Initiative at Australia's Parliament House featured the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU), Assyrian Universal Alliance (AUA) and Australian Hellenic Council (AHC), which declares Australia's recognition of the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides as a priority on behalf of their communities.

Sydney-born Scarr was a lawyer at top tier firms and recognised as a Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia, before being elected to the Senate at the 2019 Federal Election. He met a delegation from the Joint Justice Initiative in February 2020, before deciding to sign an Affirmation of Support backing national recognition of the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides.

"For many years, I have provided support to the Queensland Rwandan community in relation to its commemoration of the genocide in Rwanda against the Tutsis," Scarr stated. "I understand the importance of recognising historical truths."

Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU) Executive Director, Haig Kayserian said: "We welcome Senator Paul Scarr joining our growing coalition of supporters in the Federal Parliament, representing a broad cross-section of political parties. It is only a matter of time this support must translate in overdue Australian recognition of the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides."

The Joint Justice Initiative has so far announced the support of Scarr, Tony Zappia MP, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, Senator Hollie Hughes, Senator Rex Patrick, Mike Freelander MP, Senator Eric Abetz, Senator Larissa Waters, Senator Pat Dodson, Jason Falinski MP, Josh Burns MP, John Alexander MP, Senator Andrew Bragg and Bob Katter MP, with a promise of more announcements to come.

On 25th February 2020, over 100 Federal Australian parliamentarians, diplomats, departmental officials, political staffers, academics, media and community leaders were treated to cultural performances, food, wine and brandy, as well as the historic signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, which affirmed that the signatory public affairs representatives of the three communities were jointly committed to seeing Australia recognise the Turkish-committed Genocide against the Armenian, Greek and Assyrian citizens of the Ottoman Empire during World War I.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 07:38:31|Editor: huaxia

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LOS ANGELES, July 9 (Xinhua) -- The 10-campus University of Hawaii (UH) system released a public letter to its students, faculty, and staff on Thursday, pledging to support international students who could affected by the new order from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The ICE announced a new guidance for international students in the United States, saying it could imperil them if their universities switch to online-only courses in the fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The move prompted Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Wednesday to file a federal suit against the U.S. government to enforce the rule. Nationwide protests from universities followed.

The UH system, with nearly 2,400 undergraduate and graduate international students enrolled in fall 2019, called the order "unfair, harmful and inappropriate."

"The federal government's new guidance has created unnecessary fear and uncertainty for international students on our UH campuses and across the nation," the letter read.

The university said that after studying the new guidance and reviewing the rules, the authority believed that they can support international students to continue their studies under the current guidance, even if the campus needs to revert back online.

According to data from College Factual, there were about 200 Chinese students in the UH system in 2018.

"Over the last several years the total international population of students on (UH) campus has grown at an average rate of 3.0 percent. China is the largest contributor to this growth, with an estimated total of 192 students," the New York-based data website said. Enditem
A former Tesco employee is set to take legal action against the company after a series of alleged racial abuse incidents at an east London store.

Chontay Marie Nathan, who worked in the Gallions Reach branch of Tesco in Beckton, resigned on Monday after claiming that she had been "treated less favourably, and victimised" by managers at the shop after reporting incidents of alleged abuse of black colleagues.

She told the Standard: "It just wasn't a place I felt I could work at any more. How could I, when I could see people being treated like that? It's not okay."

In Ms Nathan's account of events, a black male night shift worker was called a "black c***t" by a white colleague, in front of several other employees including a line manager.

Tesco at Gallions Reach, where the incidents are alleged to have occurred / Google Maps

Earlier, in late May, the same line manager allegedly said that a group of black female employees "all look the same," according to Ms Nathan.

A group of black female employees were working together when the manager called one of them over, using the name of another black woman at the store, Ms Nathan said.

In her letter to Tesco she wrote: "[The line manager] continued to call out the wrong name until it prompted one of the girls to look up and say, 'sorry are you talking to me?'

"[The line manager] said yes. The girl said, sorry that is not my name'. [The line manager] said 'oh, I dont know, you all look the same'. The girls were in such a state of shock they just stayed silent."

Ms Nathan reported both incidents to Tesco. She said she was told after the first incident that she couldn't report it because it didn't happen to her. Tesco is investigating both incidents.

Tesco shoppers queue to get in / PA

Ms Nathan said she resigned after being accused by the line manager herself of racial abuse.

She had made a comment about the relative lack of ethnic diversity in the line manager's eastern European country of birth, as she tried to discuss with her the previous alleged incidents.

Ms Nathan started work at Tesco earlier this year after losing her job at an events company in Canary Wharf due to coronavirus lockdown. She now worries about finding work elsewhere during the pandemic.

She is now crowdfunding for her legal action, with law firm Rahman Lowe.

Partner Jahad Rahman said: Our client believes that Tesco breached its duties under the Equality Act 2010 to protect employees from being subjected to race discrimination, including discrimination by association, which is an important legal protection.

"Chontay is concerned that Tesco failed to take seriously several incidents of racism which black employees were subjected to. She blew the whistle about racial harassment and discrimination at work and as a result, she says she was ostracised.

Jeremy Selwyn

"She believes that there is a trend for people who complain about racism or discrimination to be victimised, and that investigations into their complaints are dismissed.

"She is shocked that the investigation into her grievance was flipped and she then became the subject of an investigation, rather than the people being complained about.

This is a matter which raises important public interest issues which go beyond the individuals affected. We have written to Tesco and are investigating the possibility of a group action on behalf of other vulnerable key workers who are afraid to speak up.

"Our client hopes that her challenging the discriminatory treatment will lead to these issues being dealt with the seriousness they deserve.

A Tesco spokesperson said: "We stand against racism or discrimination of any kind. We take these allegations extremely seriously and will conduct a detailed and thorough investigation of what has happened.
India and China on Friday once again reiterated that they will work to ensure complete disengagement of the troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Ladakh region, where 15 Indian soldiers were killed on June 15 in a violent face off with the Chinese army. The comments were made at the 16th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination (WMCC) on India-China Border Affairs.

The two sides maintained that peace and tranquillity in the border areas was essential for overall development of the bilateral relations.

On Tuesday, the Chinese foreign ministry had told HT that its troops had begun to disengage from the Galwan Valley, a day after New Delhi and Beijing simultaneously announced their decision to deescalate the two-month long tense situation in the area.

In all, the two sides have had three meetings between military corps commanders on June 6, 22 and 30 and two meetings of the WMCC on June 5 and 24.

At todays meeting, the Indian delegation was led by Joint Secretary (East Asia) from the Ministry of External Affairs, while the Director General of the Boundary & Oceanic Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs led the Chinese delegation.

The two sides drew on the agreement reached between two foreign ministers on June 17 as well as the agreement arrived at between the two Special Representatives on July 5.

The two countries reviewed the progress made in ongoing disengagement along the LAC in Ladakh and agreed that it was necessary for both sides to sincerely implement the understandings reached between them.

It was decided to keep the communication lines at the diplomatic and military level open between the two sides. They also agreed to hold another meeting, but stopped short of giving a date and time.

In another related development, Chinese envoy to India Sun Weidong underlined the need for India and China to be partners rather than rivals. He further emphasised that the two countries should pursue win-win cooperation instead of a zero-sum game. He called on the need to build trust rather than suspicion and made a push for bilateral ties to move forward rather than backward.
A VIP bus en route to Wulensi in the Northern Region on Thursday morning plunged into River Oti at Dambai in the Krachi East Municipality.



The bus with the registration number GT 5313-19 was travelling with passengers from Accra to Wulensi when it plunged into the river while maneuvering to get onto the pontoon to cross to the other side.



As at 8 AM when the Ghana News Agency (GNA) got to the scene, the personal effects of passengers and other items such as motorbikes and bicycles had been salvaged from the river.



Obed Kagbetor, a passenger onboard said that the driver instructed them to alight from the bus to enable him pack on the pontoon and the next thing was the pandemonium and struggle for safety.



He suspected brake failure.



There were no casualties but an excavator that was deployed to pull out the bus was unsuccessful until a Winch tractor successfully recovered the bus from the River.



The Motor Traffic and Transport Division (MTTD) refused to speak to the GNA as well as the driver and his mate.

Source: GNA









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New Delhi, July 10 : During 1989-1990, when the forced exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits (KPs) took place from Kashmir, a few thousands did not leave the valley. Not much was heard of them except for a few prominent political or business families as migrant KPs chose to ignore those who stayed back.

Many KPs who took shelter in Jammu did express sympathy for those left in the valley. It was common to hear from the migrant KPs that those who stayed back would probably convert to Islam under duress. While the KPs kept trickling out of the Kashmir valley after the initial deluge, no effort was made to comprehend the plight of those who stayed put. The Central government counted just about 18,000 KPs living in the valley around the time when the Governor's Rule ended in 2006.

A pall of gloom wrapped the minuscule community in March 1997 when seven KPs were killed in Sangrampura. In June 1997, a public transport bus was stopped on the Gool-Ramban road and three KP passengers were singled out and killed. In January 1998, 23 KPs were murdered in the hamlet of Wandhama. Another massacre took place in Naadimarg in March 2003 when 24 men, women and children fell to the guns of terrorists. The list is long and painful.

The KP community outside Kashmir denounced these killings and raised a hue and cry, but only a few visited the valley to check out the fate of those who were still there. After these gruesome acts, the government shifted the handful KP families from remote hamlets to district headquarters. Living in isolation and with fear, they became the victims of physical and mental strain. For the Kashmiri Hindus, not just the insecurity, but the loss of contact with relatives and friends, loss of income and jobs, the fear of losing revenue records and title to their lands added to their misery. In that dark period, nearly 150 families, including some in Srinagar, was living in impoverished conditions, eating their meals at the nearest Gurdwara langars.

The land mafia took advantage of the situation and started grabbing the neglected lands, including unattended temple properties. To make the matters worse, the temple trusts had become dysfunctional since 1990. The trustees had fled Kashmir and others sold off the trust lands under the belief that return to the valley was improbable, therefore, the deal being offered by the land mafia was too good to pass. In desperation, the valley KPs began to establish new temple boards in order to maintain the upkeep of some temples and sought legal intervention to block the transfer and sale of temple lands to third parties.

A community census was completed in June 2010 which showed the population of KPs at around 4,000, with 20 per cent living in the Srinagar district, 24 per cent living in the Anantnag district, 21 per cent living in the Pulwama district, with the rest scattered in the remaining seven districts in Kashmir. The census gave a picture of gender distribution, employment situation, marriages conducted, births and deaths recorded in the valley in the previous two decades (1990-2010).

The Prime Minister's employment package for KPs-called the 'Rules of 2009' to be implemented through SRO 412-was announced during the PM's visit to the state in April 2008 to provide employment to the KPs. Surprisingly, the state government ruled that the PM's employment package was only applicable to 'migrant KPs' and not to the unemployed KPs living in the valley. Efforts to request non-valley KP leaders to raise the demand of extending SRO 412 to valley-based KPs, who too were displaced and impoverished went unheard.

Finally, the state government extended the 'Rules of 2009' to the valley based KPs in 2017 by approving SRO 425 in October 2017, after an eight-year delay. But as soon as SRO 425 was issued, the valley-based Sikh community blocked its implementation in the state court. After another legal battle, the state High Court gave a judgement in favor of KPs in March 2019 which remains unimplemented till today. The effort of the valley-based KPs is to secure at least 500 jobs under 'Grade 4' recruitment drive by the now UT Government that will provide for 16,847 new hires in the UT during 2020-2021.

Little is known about the agony of the 800 odd KP families who call Kashmir valley their home today. They are the owners of small orchards, shopkeepers, teachers in public and private schools, various government departments, and a few of them are working as real estate agents. Some work for Dharmarth and Batra Trusts and yet others work at Yatri Niwas group of hotels catering to religious tourism. They were mostly unknown until one of them, a Sarpanch named Shri Ajay Pandita, was killed by terrorists on June 8, 2020.

The handful of 'non-migrant' KPs have survived in spite of being ignored by the rest and while their future looks bleak, they have shown persistence and resilience of the highest standards. Today, they are truly keeping the ancient culture, religion, and customs of Kashmir alive in an adverse environment.

(This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)
A Marrero man accused of murder in the shooting death of his stepson testified Wednesday that he acted in self-defense after his stepgrandson knocked him to the ground during a Father's Day argument over a parking spot.

Mark Jones, 58, told the court he "very much" felt his life was in danger when he fatally shot Tyrell Washington Sr. and critically wounded his 21-year-old stepgrandson with a gunshot wound to the neck on the night of June 22.

+3 Grieving family left divided after west bank man booked with killing stepson, shooting step-grandson A bitter divide has emerged among the members of a west bank family left grieving after authorities say the patriarch gunned down his 40-year-

The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office booked Jones with second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder in the case.

Jones came before Jefferson Parish Magistrate Commissioner Paul Schneider Wednesday to request a bail reduction. But Schneider ultimately decided not to decrease Jones' $750,000 bail after taking into consideration his criminal history, which includes domestic violence arrests and attachments for missing court hearings.

Jones is accused of killing Washington and injuring his stepgrandson following a Father's Day gathering at the home he shares near Westwego with Tracy Washington, his wife and Washington's mother.

During the hearing, Jones confirmed that the argument began because Tyrell Washington had parked in front of Jones' neighbor's home.

Tyrell Washington's mother and sister have accused Jones of wounding Washington and moments later finishing him off with a gunshot to the head after Washington was already on the ground.

The step-grandson, who fled when the first shots were fired, was shot and wounded when he turned to help his dad, Washington's sister, Bianca Jones, said. Bianca Jones and Mark Jones are not related.

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The stepgrandson remains hospitalized in critical condition and cannot talk, Assistant Jefferson Parish District Attorney Kellie Rish told the court during the hearing.

But Jones testified that Tyrell Washington and his stepgrandson jumped him during the argument.

"He (the stepgrandson) knocked me down pretty good, and he got on top of me, and the other one was kicking me, Jones said.

In arguing for a bail reduction, Jones' attorney, Tilton Hunter, said his client acted in self-defense.

"We believe there is a great likelihood that he will not be convicted," Hunter said.

Jones, who is a truck driver, is gainfully employed and could live with his son and continue to work if the bail was lowered, Hunter said.

Rish opposed the motion, listing Jones arrests over the years on domestic battery charges involving his wife and stepdaughter. She also argued that Jones doesn't follow the rules of the court.

"Despite the fact that those (domestic abuse) offenses are misdemeanors, theyre offenses of violence on family members," she said. "And were here in front of this court for the most horrendous offense against a family member."

Jones was remanded back to the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna. He returns to court July 14.
By Mike Bowen

Bowen worked for eight years in the Norfolk Southern locomotive shop until he was laid off in January.

It is sad to see Norfolk Southern abandoning a town it had such a huge role in building. While the change has been good for me in many ways, after spending eight years there, I feel a certain loss watching them close the shop.

The idea that the continued decline in coal traffic is the sole reason is a talking point regurgitated by NS figureheads as a way to rationalize their submission to corporate greed. The fact is that they looked at thousands of ways to trim the least little bit of fat that they could to lower their operating ratio even though they continued to post record profits year after year while I was there. Roanoke locomotive shop had nothing to do with coal in this era. We performed heavy repair on locomotives. We tore down wrecked units and completely rebuilt them, rebuilt engines, and did any number of small modifications to complete rebuilds like the DC to AC conversion project which basically gave NS a brand new locomotive that was more powerful and reliable than ever before. These processes could take days, weeks, or even a month. Once NS stopped originating as many trains at Shaffers Crossing, there were fewer broken locomotives that were towed here. We still had tons of work even though the traffic at Shaffers had declined.

NS made the decision to stop towing the locomotives to Roanoke and send them all the way north to Altoona. Now whats closer to the central area of their network? I assure you its not Pennsylvania. Locomotives can break anywhere at anytime and usually end up in a system shop for band-aid repair unless its deemed to need heavier work at which point they were sent to us or Altoona. The fact is that trains are still moving through Roanoke like they always have and will just with less coal on them. Corporate greed has led to them shrinking the size of their locomotive fleet thereby justifying the shrinkage of the workforce but to be clear, they will need those locomotives at some point.

NS kept a certain number of older, less reliable locomotives to back up their better stuff. They parked the old stuff and are running the heck out of their good stuff. This is only sustainable for so long before your equipment starts breaking at a higher rate. Their goal is to reduce the operating ratio and increase these short term profits for the current shareholders.

The railroad is not run by lifetime railroaders anymore. Its run by hatchetmen with one goal in mind. Line the pockets of the shareholders as much as they can, as quickly as they can, and move on to the next company. Dont be fooled by the garbage that NS spews to the media.

Did I mention how they closed the downtown headquarters and moved those jobs to Norfolk only to tell those people again that their job was moving to Atlanta? They are building a brand new, state of the art, multi-million dollar facility in Atlanta. Why? So they can be more centralized. Will this lead to higher profits? Probably not but it will be shiny.
A former public school teacher has given his final farewell on the 40th day of a hunger strike against a 20billion hotel chain.

John Shepherd, 62, is claiming Mariott Hotels owe him 3million after a car park was built next to his previous home in Thailand.

The former Harrow International School in Bangkok English language teacher is starving himself in east London after the ugly row with the company.

In one of his most recent posts online he said: The hunger strike focuses on the whistle-blower retaliation which has left me homeless and bankrupt at the age of 62. Others continue with the fight against corruption.

John Shepherd, 62, who is on day 40 of the hunger strike, has been fighting Mariott Hotels since 2008 after a car park was built next to his flat in Bangkok

Marriott is fully aware of my hunger strike. I have made contact every day. Friends have also been writing on a regular basis

If I do pass away, possibly the first ever hunger strike death in protest at corporate wrongdoing, Marriott will have knowingly and callously watched and allowed me to die without stepping in at any level, not even on a humanitarian basis.

Marriott knows it is the only entity able to stop this action.

At this moment I have very little, if any, body fat remaining and this is likely to be my final fond farewell. Good luck to all of you.

Mr Shepherd, who is back in the UK, had been so infuriated by the car park near his former home he began to write to local newspapers in 2012 to complain about it and sewage.

The 62-year-old, who previously worked for Harrow International School in Bangkok, was so outraged by the sewage and the unplanned parking area, he began to write to local newspapers in 2012 to complain

Pictured: The St Regis Hotel in Bangkok

After the articles were published, Thai police arrested the former teacher on charges of defamation. He was later released.

But while he was abroad he was told by a friend there was another warrant out for his arrest in the country.

Shepherd, who was educated in the Royal Academy of Music, lost his flat in Bangkok because he decided not to return, fearing the police would action the warrant, he claims.

The former teacher, who has taught music in the UK at Croydon's Trinity School and Canterbury's St Edmund's School, believes the law enforcement action was part of a targeted campaign of harassment against him.

Arne Sorenson, Marriott's chief executive (pictured in April last year), met with Shepherd during a previous strike, where he asked for a resolution 'fair to both sides'

Marriott hotels refute Shepherd's accusations, claiming that the hotel is run by the chain, but has different owners.

Minor International was the company who started construction of the St Regis Hotel in Bangkok in 2008.

Control of the operation was handed over to Starwood, a hotel operator that later merged with Marriott.

However, Shepherd firmly believes the fault lies with Mariott, and says they are targeting him in an alleged campaign of harassment.

Arne Sorenson, Marriott's chief executive, met with Shepherd during a previous strike, where he asked for a resolution 'fair to both sides'.

Shepgerd's case has caught the attention of the Bishop of London, the Right Rev Dame Sarah Mullally, who has urged compassion on the part of the hotel chain

Shepherd stopped starving himself during negotiations but Marriott decided the chain was not at fault so would not hand over the damages.

This morning in a further post at 8am he said he wanted Marriott to return to him everything he had lost.

He added: 'A paid for home and savings enough to last through my retirement, for a life in London rather than the Far East.

'I agreed wholeheartedly with CEO Sorenson that a resolution should be "fair to both sides.

'This spirit of compromise was later withdrawn during a meeting in London at which Marriott executives refused to review evidence.'

A Marriott spokesman told the Times and denied they had started a police investigation into him.

'We have given Mr Shepherd numerous opportunities to substantiate his claims against us  which he hasn't been able to do,' they said.

The spokesman stressed that Minor Hotels, not the Mariott, were responsible for the construction on the St Regis Hotel - and that all complaints should be addressed by them.

The case of Shepherd, who is on hunger strike at his home in East London, has also caught the attention of the Bishop of London, the Right Rev Dame Sarah Mullally, who has urged compassion on the part of the hotel chain.

Dame Sarah wrote: 'Given his current situation and fragility I'm writing to urge you to consider reaching out once again to John.

'It would surely be tragic if he ended his life because he saw no other solution.'
WINSTED  Helping Hands, a community-based resource for senior home care, was awarded $2,000 from the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation, COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund.

The grant supports the purchase of PPE for caregivers who bravely work on the front lines to help clients stay safe at home during this pandemic. The funding also includes hazard pay for workers.

Helping Hands is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) providing affordable, quality care to community seniors. To learn more about us, visit www.helpinghandschoreservice.org or call 860-379-4900. Helping Hands is partially funded by a grant from Western Connecticut Area Agency on Aging.

Larsen joins Torrington Savings Bank

TORRINGTON  Torrington Savings Bank is pleased to announce the appointment of Paul Larsen, Chief Lending Officer & Senior Vice President, to the executive team.

Larsen comes to Torrington Savings with more than 30 years of banking experience in the middle marketing and commercial lending space. Prior to TSB, he was managing director and head of various lending and business development initiatives, most recently at Bankwell as head of c&i commercial lending, and at Santander, as managing director, middle market lending, for the banks Southern New England region.

In his role at TSB, Larsen will be responsible for directing the Banks lending programs with direct responsibility for overseeing Commercial, Residential, and Consumer Lending departments.

Larsen is a graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration & Management.

Lesa A. Vanotti, President of Torrington Savings Bank stated, We are pleased to have Paul as part of our team. Pauls extensive lending and cash management experience will build on TSBs commitment to meeting the financial needs of consumers and businesses of all sizes in our community.

Klemm recognized as a best agent

WASHINGTON DEPOT - Peter Klemm is ranked as one of the best agents in America based on annual sales volume as published in the 2020 Real Trends/Wall Street Journal annual real estate survey. He sold in excess of $90,503,400 in real estate during 2019, ranking him #3 in Connecticut.

Year after year, Klemm Real Estate dominates luxury property listings and sales and sustains #1 market share throughout Litchfield County, according to a statement. Klemm has personally sold over a billion dollars in Litchfield County real estate.

Klemm Real Estate has offices located in Washington Depot, Woodbury, Litchfield, Roxbury, Lakeville/Salisbury and Sharon. Staffed by 40 local associates serving Litchfield County for about 30 years.

For more information about the REAL Trends/Wall Street Journal 2020 Survey, go to https://www1.realtrends.com/best-real-estate-agents-connecticut/agent-owned-volume or contact Peter Klemm, 917-864-4940, 860.868.7313 ext. 24, peterklemm@msn.com; or klemmrealestate.com.

Webster Bank introduces Frontline Heroes program

WATERBURY  Webster Bank today became one of the first financial services companies nationwide to introduce Frontline Heroes, a program for essential healthcare workers and first responders that enhances the financial well-being of those who are on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a thank you for their service, Webster's new Frontline Heroes program offers a range of financial benefits, including checking accounts free of a monthly maintenance fee and free checking withdrawals at any ATM through December 2021. The program provides new customers with the ability to earn a cash incentive, as well as additional discounts and benefits.

"Our Frontline Heroes deserve to receive financial benefits for all of the sacrifices they have made during this extraordinary time of need," said Nitin Mhatre, Webster Executive Vice President and Head of Community Banking. "This program is just one small way Webster is saying thank you. Our communities are forever indebted to these heroes and their families."

Frontline Heroes includes any full-time or part-time employee in essential healthcare, including hospitals, nursing homes, medical and dental practices, and home healthcare. The program is also available to first responders. For every new Frontline Heroes customer, Webster will also donate $250 to United Way COVID-19 Response Funds, making a minimum donation of $100,000.

The Frontline Heroes' commitment to the United Way COVID-19 Response Funds is Webster's second contribution to these important community resources, created to assist agencies and families facing financial challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In April, the bank donated $100,000 to support Funds in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York and Wisconsin, home to Webster's HSA Bank division.

For more information on Webster's Frontline Heroes program, including Terms & Conditions visit Websterbank.com/heroes

Northwest Community Bank opens Simsbury branch

WINSTED  Northwest Community Bank has expanded its presence in the Farmington Valley with a new branch in Simsbury at 741 Hopmeadow Street. Located between branches in Avon and Granby, the Simsbury branch strengthens the banks service area. The ATM in Simsbury opened July 2; office renovations are scheduled to be completed for opening in September.

Northwest Community Banks President and CEO Stephen Reilly said, Though we have not had a physical location in Simsbury, we have been serving Simsbury customers and community organizations for years. We saw the needand the opportunityto move in to provide local community bank advantages.

Lindsay West has been named Manager of the new Simsbury branch. West has been with Northwest Community Bank for 23 years, including the last five years as assistant manager in Granby.

Northwest Community Bank is a mutually owned state-chartered bank, headquartered in Winsted, Connecticut since 1860. The bank has branches in Avon, Granby, New Hartford, and Torrington. The main office and an academic branch at Northwestern Regional High School are in Winsted. Northwest Community Bank is a member of Connecticut Mutual Holding Company, along with two other community banks: Litchfield Bancorp and Collinsville Savings.
If two of the following policies clash with each other, which one should conservatives support? (a) high-tax, big-government, big-subsidy, anti-free market policies enacted at the state level, or (b) limited-government, conservative, low-tax, free-market policies enacted at the federal level?

The answer should be obvious: (b). Most conservatives recognize this.

Nevertheless, a coalition of allegedly free-market organizations is trying to lecture conservatives that supporting option (a) is a true litmus test for their conservative credentials. Give me a break.

Ostensibly, their version of a conservative argument goes like this: Conservatives say they support federalism, whereby local policymaking is generally more conducive than national policymaking. So, if leftists succeed in enacting freedom-destroying, anti-free-market policies at the local level, conservatives should oppose state-level policies correcting them. If leftists succeed in enacting freedom-destroying anti-free-market policies at the state level, conservatives should oppose federal government policies correcting them.

But theres a big problem with that argument: Leftists dont play by those rules.

The leftist tactical playbook is, first and foremost, to impose nationwide restrictions on freedom and free enterprise. If they fail or only partially succeed at the national level, they next go to the 50 states and attempt the same strategy. If they fail or only partially succeed at the state level, they go to local governments and attempt the same plan yet again. They dont believe in federalism, and they seek to circumvent federalism every chance they get. National restrictions are their preferred outcome. State and local restrictions are their fallback options.

An example of this approach is the leftist war on fracking. During the Obama administration, leftists frequently sought a nationwide ban on fracking, in contradiction to the desires of most states and localities. They failed, but instead of giving up, the anti-frackers moved on to the states and local governments, where they have since sought the same restrictions, with some success.

When conservative, free-market supporters advocate for statewide policies protecting the right to produce energy via fracking, Leftists hypocritically scream federalism! -- even after seeking to restrict fracking and economic freedom at the national and state levels.

The Left is now trying this same ploy regarding wind and solar power and net metering. The Left and the renewable power industry are looking to impose nationwide mandates requiring 100 percent wind and solar power. Having failed to date at the national level, they have pivoted to the states. As of this writing, they have imposed renewable power mandates in roughly 30 states. When they have failed at the state level, they have gone to local governments and attempted to impose the same mandates.

The Left also continues to seek taxpayer subsidies for the wind and solar power industries, despite having already succeeded in enacting federal subsidies that foot the bill for 30 percent of solar power equipment, plus additional subsidies for wind power. These massive federal subsidies have not been enough to quench their thirst for public funds at the state level.

These mandates and massive subsidies defy every principle of conservative, free-market policy. Yet, even here, the Left is not satisfied. It seeks and has achieved in getting passed laws forcing utilities to purchase excess power generated by individuals heavily subsidized wind and solar equipment.

But even this has not contented leftists, so they have also called for laws requiring utilities to purchase individuals excess wind and solar power at retail rates, rather than the wholesale rates that the utilities pay to all other generators, a contrivance they have succeeded in getting passed in some regions. This is yet another massive wind and solar subsidy that must be paid for by all other electricity customers.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has jurisdiction over electricity markets. A group of electricity consumers in New England, the New England Ratepayers Association (NERA), has petitioned FERC to exercise its jurisdiction to put some bounds on the wind and solar subsidy madness. NERA is asking FERC to exercise its authority to protect ratepayers against state laws that force utilities (and by extension, consumers) to pay above-market rates for excess wind and solar power.

It is the definition of free-market conservatism to protect consumers against state governments (a) tilting the playing field by picking winners and losers in the marketplace, (b) creating additional subsidies on top of existing subsidies, and (c) forcing consumers to pay above-market electricity prices.

The very same interest groups that are crying federalism! in response to the NERA petition are the leftist groups that have in the past gone to the federal government seeking mandates and subsidies on these very issues. They dont believe in federalism, and they frequently fight against federalism to accomplish their radical goals.

When conservatives have stood up against big-government, anti-free-market policies imposed at the state or local levels, these same hypocrites have shamefully lectured conservatives about the conservative principle of federalism. Why should we care what unprincipled opportunists such as these have to say about federalism?

Ultimately, federalism is a valuable means of preventing a large federal government from encroaching on freedom and individual rights. However, just as federalism should not restrict the federal government from protecting citizens First Amendment or Second Amendment rights in the states, neither should Leftists be able to turn the principle of federalism on its head by saying federalism should prevent FERC from protecting consumers from big-government, anti-free-market leftist mischief in the states.

So, while pretend-conservative groups lobby hard for additional subsidies for wind and solar power, it is entirely appropriate -- and indeed, necessary -- for true conservatives to ask FERC to exercise its jurisdiction in favor of free markets and affordable energy.

James Taylor (JTaylor@heartland.org) is president of The Heartland Institute.
Police Set To Prosecute Owners Of Uncompleted Buildings Used By Rapists In Kano

The Kano state police command said it will henceforth prosecute owners of uncompleted buildings used by rapists to perpetrate crimes in the state.

DSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, the Commands Public Relations Officer made the announcement in a popular Radio programme Inda Ranka.

He said that 33.3 percent of rape cases had been perpetrated at uncompleted buildings in the state. Kiyawa who stated that owners of uncompleted buildings used to perpetrate rape will be charged as accomplices, added that the tough stance was necessitated by a disturbing statistics that emanated from investigation conducted by the command in the wake of growing cases of rape, especially on minors across the state.

The police spokesperson said;

We are warning the general public that henceforth, any rape case perpetrated in an uncompleted building, the owner would be charged as accomplice.



Kiyawa further revealed that the police has expanded its patrol to uncompleted buildings in every nook and crannies of the Kano city and other places in the state.
Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: Gangster Vikas Dubey, who was carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh for information leading to his arrest, had built an empire of crime. The annual turnover of his syndicate was over Rs 10 crore which came from illegal trades such as land grabbing and money lending on interest.

The sources said the don of Shivli was spendthrift as well. He never shied away from splurging on those who would back him in his illegal trades. He also had his men in many departments who would help him win big contracts.

One of the main occupations of the gangster, who had an army of over 100 men, used to be land grabbing. He had even fixed rates for either grabbing a land or getting it vacated on request.

The sources claim that Dubey had fixed the protection money to the tune of Rs 50 lakh per month and used to extort it from a number of industrialists who had their manufacturing units in Chaubeypur industrial area. There are around 100 such units. The owners would pay him protection money every month.

Besides, he had huge property amassed illegally. Apart from an ancestral farm measuring 150 bighas in Bikru village, Dubey had two flats in Lucknow. In one of them, his wife and son used to live and the other was lying vacant. His elder son is believed to be based in the UK where he is pursuing a course in medical

science while the younger one studies in Millennium Public School in Lucknow.

Dubey had many plots in his name from Unnao to Kanpur grabbed from others.

Dubey was wanted in 60 criminal cases, including murders, robbery, loot, land grabbing, and extortion lodged against him. He was also accused of killing a BJP MLA in a police station 20 years ago but was exonerated for lack of evidence.
French investigating magistrates will probe claims that human corpses donated for science were left to rot and be eaten by rats at a university research facility, the Paris prosecutor's office said.

A probe into "violations of the integrity of a corpse" was handed over to the magistrates by prosecutors who handled the initial phase of the investigation after l'Express magazine reported the scandal last November.

The newspaper said the remains of thousands of people who donated them for research were discovered in abhorrent conditions at the Centre for Body Donations (CDC) of the Paris-Descartes University in the French capital.

Bodies were strewn around naked, dismembered, piled one on top of the other, with even a severed head lying on the floor, l'Express reported, describing the scene photographed in 2016 as resembling a mass grave.

Some body parts were decomposing, others lay there chewed by rats amid overflowing garbage bags containing pieces of flesh.

Serious ethical breaches

"This is very good news," Frederic Douchez, a lawyer for families who pressed charges, said of Thursday's announcement by the Paris prosecutor's office.

Investigating magistrates, he said, have much wider powers to get to the bottom of the affair.

Nearly 80 complaints have so far been lodged.

The revelations caused the French government to order the shuttering of the centre and an administrative inspection by a panel which said in June the university was guilty of "serious ethical breaches" in its management of the CDC.

The centre, opened in 1953, was the largest of its kind in Europe, and received, until its closure, hundreds of donated bodies every year.

(With agencies)
The stepmother of former Democratic presidential contender Julian Castro and his twin brother, Texas Rep Joaquin Castro, has died from coronavirus.

Joaquin Castro broke the news in a tweet on Thursday night, writing: 'My stepmom, Alice Guzman, passed away today from COVID-19.'

The Democrat congressman included a photo of Guzman with his young daughter, noting that she had been married to his father for 31 years.

'Alice was a warm, loving person and we'll miss her incredibly,' he wrote. 'My heart goes out to the families whove lost loved ones to this terrible illness.'

Julian Castro, the former mayor of San Antonio who served as secretary for Housing and Urban Development under President Barack Obama, replied to his brother's tweet writing: 'May she Rest in Peace.'

The stepmother of former Democratic presidential contender Julian Castro (left) and his twin brother, Texas Rep Joaquin Castro (right), died from coronavirus on Thursday

Joaquin Castro broke the news in a tweet on Thursday night (pictured)

Joaquin Castro's tweet included a photo of Alice Guzman with his young daughter, noting that she had been married to his father for 31 years

Julian Castro, the former mayor of San Antonio who served as secretary for Housing and Urban Development under President Barack Obama, replied to his brother's tweet writing: 'May she Rest in Peace'

The Castros' did not offer any additional details on how long their stepmother had struggled with coronavirus.

It's believed she died in their hometown of San Antonio, where infections have surged in recent weeks.

A number of fellow politicians, Hollywood actors and journalists expressed their condolences on Twitter.

Julian's former presidential rival Kamala Harris wrote: 'Sending you, your family, and the entire Castro team our love during this difficult time.'

Wendy Davis, a US House candidate in Texas, tweeted: 'I'm so sorry for the loss of such an important part of your family, my dear friend. Sending you and yours warm hugs and prayers of comfort.'

California Rep Nanette Barragan also reached out, writing: 'So so sorry for your loss. A terrible virus that is taking too many of our loved ones. Thanks for sharing the lovely photo of your daughter with her. My prayers to you and your family.'

Star Wars actor Mark Hamill replied with a broken heart emoji, while Roseanna Arquette tweeted: 'I'm so sorry for your loss. this is very sad.'

A number of fellow politicians, Hollywood actors and journalists expressed their condolences on Twitter - including Julian's former presidential rival Kamala Harris

The news of Guzman's death came as Bexar County, which includes San Antonio, reported 954 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, bringing its total to 17,679 cases and 165 deaths.

Texas broke its previous record for daily deaths on Thursday as 105 new ones were reported across the state, bringing the total to 3,006.

The state has continued to see back-to-back days with record-breaking case counts and now has the fourth-most in the country with more than 236,400.

Nationwide infections are on the rise in 41 states. As of Friday the US has recorded nearly 3.12 million cases and 133,291 deaths.

Joaquin Castro has been a vocal critic of President Donald Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic in the past.

In April he decried how people had 'needlessly suffered and died' as a result of the Trump administration's handling of the outbreak.

'Based on everything that I've seen, they should have known exactly what was going on, should have prepared better for it and should have established the infrastructure early on to deal with it,' the congressman told MSNBC.

'The president didn't do any of that and here we are now.'
PETERSBURGH  Soul Fire Farm, the Rensselaer County community farm focused on education, social justice and ending racism in the food system, said this week that it will undergo an extensive expansion, having outgrown the single-family farmhouse where it was founded a decade ago.

The farm is adding new facilities including a lodge and classroom, as well as commercial drinking and wastewater systems. Soul Fire, which is located on a 70-acre patch of land off Route 2, between Petersburgh and Grafton, was founded a decade ago by Leah Penniman and Jonah Vitale-Wolff. The farm provides boxes of fresh produce to dozens of families across the Capital Region who live in food deserts, where healthy and inexpensive fruits and vegetables are hard to come by. Prior to the pandemic, Soul Fire also hosted a series of educational workshops that provided training to more than 1,000 farmers.

The Afro-Indigenous training farm's mission is to end injustice in the food system, with focuses on training Black people and other groups that have been historically excluded from managerial roles in the American farming industry. The training sessions are part agriculture class, part anthropology lesson, with students learning about culturally relevant farming practices.

The farm's small size worked in its early years, Penniman said, but the water and septic systems and home have borne the impact of excessive use throughout the years.

"We built our own home out here out of straw bales and cob that we made from the clay on the land," Penniman said. "Things were pretty low-key. We started with 1,000 visitors a year, then it was 2,000, then 3,000. People are camping out and staying over, and everybody is sharing our familys living room and kitchen and one bathroom. We always knew that it would be needed at some point to build a proper gathering space for folks to learn."

A GoFundMe page set up by the farm to cover the cost of the renovation reached $54,000 Friday afternoon, more than half way to the farm's $100,000 goal.

"It's so affirming because I have to say, farming is not an easy life," Penniman said. "I think it's when you see what it means to a community, that's what keeps me going. Every time the community shows up for an event, or pitches in a few dollars, or writes up an email of thanks, that's the fuel that keeps me going, especially when things are overwhelming  like during a pandemic.

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

The classrooms are expected to be complete by the end of this summer, while the entire renovation is expected to go through next year.

Michael.Williams@timesunion.com
A 20-year-old Plainfield man who authorities say strangled a woman to death has been arrested and faces a first-degree murder charge, acting Union County Prosecutor Lyndsay Ruotolo announced Friday.

Bryan H. Gonzalez-Martines was arrested Tuesday, authorities said, one day after police found the unresponsive woman in a home on the 700 block of Kensington Avenue in Plainfield while conducting a requested welfare check. Authorities identified the victim as 19-year-old Brenda Montoya-Cruz, of Plainfield.

It was not immediately clear why Gonzalez-Martines arrest was announced three days later, but his detention hearing is scheduled for July 13.

The investigation and collaboration by the Homicide Task Force, the Union County Sheriffs Office Crime Scene Unit, the Plainfield Police Division, and the United States Marshals Service resulted in the successful arrest of Gonzalez-Martines on July 7, 2020, Ruotolo said in a statement. We are grateful to all of our partner agencies for their many contributions in this arrest.

Anyone with information on this matter is urged to contact Sgt. Scuorzo at 908-527-4152 or Detective Kirsch at 908-527-4201.

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

Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com.
United Valley Insurance Services Inc. in Fresno, Calif., has named Kathy Peart a marketing specialist.

Peart is focused on assisting members on marketing and placing workers compensation accounts with carriers.

She previously worked at the Leavitt Group, where she spent the last five-plus years helping clients and agencies with commercial lines accounts. Her background includes 15 years of property/casualty experience.

United Valley Insurance Services is a membership network of over 85 independently owned and operated insurance agencies with more than 110 locations throughout California and Arizona.

Topics California
What goes down must come up.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/7/2020 (557 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

What goes down must come up.

Thats the consensus among Winnipeg brokers citing an upward trajectory in the citys real estate market, which they describe as a "resilient force" amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

Data from WinnipegREALTORS released Thursday shows an increase just about across the board in the citys sales for June compared to the same month last year.

Residential home sales were up 25 per cent in June; condo sales up 13 per cent; and duplexes shot up 25 per cent, according to figures calculated using the Multiple Listing Service which represents over 2,000 realtors in the city.

'If you asked me how things were looking back in March or April, I'd never have predicted this outcome. I'd say we're definitely pleasantly surprised.'  Peter Squire, vice-president of market intelligence at WinnipegREALTORS.

"If you asked me how things were looking back in March or April, Id never have predicted this outcome," said Peter Squire, vice-president of market intelligence at WinnipegREALTORS. "Id say were definitely pleasantly surprised."

As fears of the pandemic loomed, real estate inventory began to dry up across the country, including in Manitoba.

RE/MAX realtor Jennifer Queen said she saw "a record low of market listings" in Winnipeg.

"In my nine years of working here, I never saw anything like that," she said. "People that would have put up homes on sale werent doing that just out of fear of what was to come."

"But its the demand which continued soon after that that saved our market," said Squire.

COVID-19 "took down our supply of listings, but people were still interested in buying homes," he said."In fact, fewer listings meant more showings and people paying above the asked prices."

Data suggests 29 per cent of residential detached houses in June were sales made above the listed price, compared to 23 per cent in June of last year.

"Resiliency is the word that comes to mind," said Catherine Schellenberg, president of WinnipegREALTORS. "Manitobans put great value in the importance of home ownership and are showing it by their actions this year."

Schellenbergs sentiment is backed by a Probe Research poll released Thursday that suggests the pandemic has no bearing on over 80 per cent Manitobans home-buying intentions.

Polling data also indicates only one in ten Manitobans say theyre now less likely to purchase a home because of COVID-19 and that four per cent of Manitobans say theyre more likely to buy a home now than they were before the pandemic.

Meantime, statistics released from Royal LePage say Winnipegs real estate market is performing much better than cities such as Edmonton and Calgary with comparisons being drawn to large urban centres such as the Greater Toronto Area.

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"The return of consumer confidence has helped the market to wake up," said Michael Froese, managing partner for Royal Lepage in Manitoba. "I certainly think that people are now looking for more home-buying options than ever before."

"Remote work started as a necessity this spring but its a growth in popularity and employer acceptance thats moving people away from the city centre to more affordable properties."

Fourth-quarter estimates from Royal Lepage suggest that the aggregate price of a home in Winnipeg will remain flat till the end of this year compared to the same quarter last year.

"It really is the best investment you can make right now," said Queen.

"Numbers or whatnot, Id urge everyone to look very strongly into it."

Temur.Durrani@freepress.mb.ca
TikToks parent company, ByteDance, has a similar app for mainland China called Douyin that does share users data with the Chinese government, and is available in Hong Kong. (Photo | AFP)

Hong Kong: Viral video platform TikToks withdrawal from Hong Kong is a savvy commercial move that sidesteps thorny privacy issues but it will not shield the app completely from accusations of collusion with China, experts say.

As Facebook, Twitter and other US tech giants risk angering China by refusing to share Hong Kong user data, Chinese-owned TikTok has also portrayed an image of principle by pulling out of the territory.

The moves were triggered by Chinas imposition of a security law on Hong Kong last week aimed at quashing a democracy movement, and gives police new powers to censor the internet.

TikToks exit from Hong Kong was partly an effort to shake off the label of it being a company that is controlled by China and shares data with the Chinese government, Zhu Zhiqun, a political science professor at Bucknell University in the United States, told AFP.

However TikToks parent company, ByteDance, has a similar app for mainland China called Douyin that does share users data with the Chinese government.

And while Douyin is not officially available for download in Hong Kong, ByteDance is happy for it to be used in the city of seven million people.

The company does not have plans to make Douyin available on the Hong Kong app store, but Douyin has local Hong Kong users who have downloaded it in mainland China, a ByteDance spokesman told AFP.

Win-win

Leaving Hong Kong allows TikTok to focus on building its increasingly lucrative American market, while ceding only a little bit of ground to its sister app, according to tech expert Elliott Zaagman.

(TikTok is) primarily concerned now with staying alive in the United States, said Zaagman, who writes for the Lowy Institute think tank in Australia and presents the China Tech Investor podcast.

TikTok will lose their Hong Kong users, but Douyin will gain their Hong Kong users... its kind of a win-win.

TikTok and Douyin are among the worlds most popular apps, with more than 2.2 billion downloads, according to US-based research agency SensorTower.

Their kaleidoscopic feeds of 15 to 60-second video clips are often fun and humorous, featuring everything from make-up tutorials to dance routines.

However, with its rising popularity in the United States, TikTok has also come under increasing scrutiny from the US government.

US President Donald Trump said this week he was considering banning it as a way to punish China over the coronavirus pandemic.

Other top American lawmakers have raised concerns over the potential for Tiktok to leak users data to the Chinese government.

TikTok is a potential counterintelligence threat we cannot ignore, two senior US senators wrote last year.

Indiawhere TikTok is also wildly popularrecently blocked the platform on national security grounds following a deadly border clash between its soldiers and Chinese forces.

TikTok staunchly denies snooping allegations.

We have never provided user data to the Chinese government, nor would we do so if asked, a spokesman said on Wednesday.

TikTok has also faced questions on whether it hides videos from Hong Kongs protests to appease the Chinese government.

Searches this week on TikTok for #democracy and #independence in Hong Kong came up with no videos, according to AFP research.

However some hashtags, including #nationalsecuritylaw and #HongKongindependence, did produce results.

A Tiktok spokesman denied any censorship.

To be clear, we have no restrictions on political content, unless it violates our community guidelines, such as hate speech, the spokesman told AFP on Wednesday.

We do not remove videos on the basis of content negative toward China, including Hong Kong protest content.

With TikToks future depending much more on factors outside Hong Kong and mainland China, its withdrawal from the territory could turn out to be a PR coup.

It seems that TikToks users were relatively few in Hong Kong, so commercially it also makes sense to avoid any reputation damage, and simply pull out of the market, Severine Arsene, from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, told AFP.

The effectiveness of the strategy depends, however, on many more factors which are not necessarily within the control of the company, in the context of the trade wars and geopolitical rivalries.

Pro-democracy lawmaker Charles Mok said TikTok wont be missed by young Hong Kongers, who have avoided the app anyway over spying fears and are now scrabbling around to delete their conversations on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram since the passing of the security law.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
At a time when the situation in eastern Ladakh is heading towards normalcy after two months of standoff between the Indian and Chinese armies, 144 military veterans have written an open letter to the President, Prime Minister, the Chief of Defence Staff and the three military chiefs requesting urgent attention on several points of concern in the military.

Among of the 144 signatories of the open letter are Admiral Laxminarayan Ramdas, Lt Gen Suresh Samarth and Lt Gen Narendra Aul.

Stating that none of the signatories belonged to any political party, the open letter read: "The loss of twenty Jawans, including the CO, Colonel Santosh Babu, on June 15/16 in the Galwan valley is deeply disturbing and raises many questions".

The open letter claimed that intelligence failure could have been the biggest reason for the Galwan Valley standoff that killed 20 Indian soldiers. "While we accept that failures can happen in any system, in the current instance either our intelligence system was found wanting, or the intelligence which it obtained did not reach the field units in time," the letter said while urging the government to revamp the intelligence system.

The open letter also stated that the Centre and the Indian Army should have issued a formal statement about the Galwan clash to rumours and speculations to rest. "We therefore urge that in the event of such future situations, only formal statements be issued so that the Indian public is not confused and the aggressor nation does not gain political advantage," it read.

The military veterans urged the Centre to constitute a fact-finding body to investigate the incursions and encroachments by the PLA in Aksai Chin, Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh and along the Tibet border, adding that the report should be tabled in the Lok Sabha in a time-bound manner.

The open letter urged the Centre to stop the overdependence on the Army for maintaining internal security, clearly hinting at the Army's active role in curbing militancy in Kashmir and the North East. Moreover, it also pointed out that CAPFs, that is the paramilitary, were deployed in border areas that needed to be under the Army's charge. The open letter, thus, demanded a rationalisation of the policy.

However, in a more significant statement, the military veterans urged the Union government to focus on finding a political solution for India's external and internal security matters. Indirctly, they meant that India should find a diplomatic solution to the Jammu and Kashmir and the LAC issue and resolve the insurgency in the North East and the jungles of Central India, i.e., Naxalism, by involving all political stakeholders.

"Political solutions have not been sought in the past, but now need to be arrived at, because continuous deployment of the military can never be a long-term solution," they said.

The open letter stated that India would need a national policy and strategy on dealing with the immediate neighbourhood as well as distant nations. It added that successive governments ignored the formulation of such a policy.

"Having an over-arching national policy and strategy will reduce casualties among our troops, which occur due to the heightened risk of being reactive to conflict situations created by China or Pakistan," the letter read.

Interestingly, the open letter mentioned the Henderson Brooks-Bhagat Report, which reportedly exposed the lacuane in the political-military leadership in the run up to and during the 1962 War with China. The report is still classified and the open letter urged the government to release it into the public domain.

"The military-bureaucratic-political system and the public can learn from the mistakes of the past. There can be no sensible reason for this Report remaining secret even after 57 years," the letter read.
Iran Threatens Retaliation For Cyber Attack At Nuclear Site

Iran say it will retaliate against any country that carries out cyber attacks on its nuclear sites, after there was a fire at its Natanz plant which Iranian officials say may have been caused by cyber sabotage. The Natanz uranium-enrichment site, much of which is underground, is one of several Iranian facilities monitored by inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN nuclear watchdog.

Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation initially reported an "incident" had occurred at Natanz, located in the desert in the central province of Isfahan.

Iranian government sources said the cause of the "incident" at the nuclear site had been determined, but "due to security considerations" it would be announced at a convenient time. It later published a photo of a one-storey brick building with its roof and walls partly burned. A door hanging off its hinges suggested there had been an explosion inside the building.

"Responding to cyber-attacks is part of the country's defence might. If it is proven that our country has been targeted by a cyber-attack, we will respond," civil defence chief Gholamreza Jalali told state TV. An article by state news agency IRNA addressed what it called the possibility of sabotage by enemies such as Israel and the United States, although it stopped short of accusing either directly.

Iranian officials have sought to downplay the fire, calling it only an incident that affected an industrial shed.

However, a released photo and video of the site broadcast by Iranian state television showed a two-story brick building with scorch marks and its roof apparently destroyed.

In 2010, the Stuxnet computer virus, which is widely believed to have been developed by the United States and Israel, was discovered after it was used to attack the Natanz facility. Iranian officials said Israel could have been behind the Natanz incident, but offered no evidence.

Asked about recent incidents reported at strategic Iranian sites, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters: "Clearly we can't get into that." The Israeli military and Netanyahu's office, which oversees Israel's foreign intelligence service Mossad, did not immediately respond to Reuters queries on Friday.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said the location of the fire did not contain nuclear materials, and that none of its inspectors was present at the time. "The Agency has been in contact with relevant Iranian authorities to confirm there will be no impact on its safeguards verification activities, which are expected to continue as before," an IAEA said in a statement.

Natanz is the centre-piece of Iran's enrichment program, which Tehran says is only for peaceful purposes. Western intelligence agencies and the IAEA believe it had a coordinated, clandestine nuclear arms program that it halted in 2003.

Iran cut back nuclear work in exchange for the removal of most global sanctions under an accord reached with six world powers in 2015, but has reduced compliance with the deal's restrictions since the United States withdrew in 2018.

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The troubled Connecting Devon and Somerset (CDS) project has signed two extension contracts with UK ISP Airband and telecoms giant BT (Openreach), which will see a further 8,200 premises gaining access to faster fibre broadband (mostly full fibre FTTP) connections by the end of 2021.

At present the existing CDS scheme has already helped 300,000 extra homes and businesses gain access to superfast broadband (24-30Mbps+) connectivity and take-up in those areas has reached 65%. The vast majority of this was delivered via BTs earlier state aid funded contracts using FTTC and a little FTTP technology, while a fixed wireless access network (FWA) from Airband has also provided access to around 16,000 premises.

NOTE: Total superfast coverage across the Devon and Somerset area, including a majority of commercial build, is around 90% (nearly 1 million premises).

The new Fibre Extension Programme being outlined today is a follow-on from the aforementioned contract(s) and mostly harnesses public investment that has been returned by the operators as a result of high take-up (gainshare / clawback). On top of that about 2.16m seems to be coming from a local growth deal.

Roughly 6m of the aforementioned gainshare will be used to help Openreach extend their gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network to 2,000 extra premises. Meanwhile Airband has also agreed to bring fibre broadband to a further 6,200 premises, although sadly they dont clarify if Airbands fibre is wireless fed FTTP (Rural Optic) or end-to-end FTTP.

Under this deal Airband will begin engineering work this month (July 2020) and roll-out to communities across northern, west and central Devon. At the same time Openreach have begun survey work in Oakford and this will continue across a broader cluster to the north of Tiverton and south of Dulverton, spanning the Devon and Somerset border and a second cluster to the east of Plymouth centred on Bickleigh, Wotter and Shaugh Prior.

Openreachs final roll-out plan wont be known until this survey work is complete. Weve listed more roll-out and survey locations at the bottom of this article.

Councillor Rufus Gilbert, CDS Board Member, said: This funding collaboration with Openreach is enabling us to provide more communities with access to reliable, superfast broadband. With unprecedented numbers of people now working from home and keeping in touch via the internet, were fully aware of the important role the local broadband network is playing  and this investment will be a great addition to that.

David Ralph, CEO of the Heart of the South West LEP, said: I am very pleased to see 2.16 million of our Growth Deal and Growing Places funding supporting enhanced connectivity at such a critical time for businesses and residents. This support is fundamental to enabling businesses in North Devon, Torridge and West Devon recover and grow from COVID-19 by providing ultrafast broadband where the commercial market has so far failed to reach. Were delighted to welcome this latest expansion of CDS fibre coverage.

We should add that CDS is also working closely with the Governments Rural Gigabit Voucher scheme to support rural communities who wish to contract with telecoms providers to design and shape bespoke broadband solutions for their communities. Where appropriate, CDS provides additional finance from its Community Challenge Fund to help communities with funding shortfalls, said the team.

Otherwise the two new extension contracts are ultimately intended to complement a much bigger Phase 2 roll-out programme, which is currently being planned by CDS and supported by 18.7m of Government funding (the new contract is due to be awarded by the end of 2020). But that future contract follows the failure of CDSs earlier Phase 2 contract with Gigaclear (here), which they scrapped last year over a failure to deliver (that in turn also followed an earlier failure to reach a Phase 2 agreement with BT some years ago).

We should point out that Gigaclear and CDS agreed, during February 2020, to continue with its roll-out of full fibre broadband in those communities where work started under the former contracts (here). Despite this we have since heard from a number of partially-complete communities that have now been told they will not benefit from this agreement with Gigaclear, which once again leaves them stuck in limbo.

Otherwise the roll-out plan for Airband and survey plan for Openreach can be found below.

Airbands Fibre Rollout Areas

 Ilfracombe

 Croyde and Georgeham

 Gunn

 Molland and East Anstey

 Bideford

 Abbotsham

 Hartland

 Putford

 Holsworthy

 Clawton

 Gulworthy and Morwellham Quay

 Lewtrenchard and Chillaton

 Yeoford

 Cheriton Bishop
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 20:12:39|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese health official on Friday called for continuous efforts to strengthen COVID-19 containment measures at border posts to minimize the risk of imported transmissions.

The daily increase of COVID-19 cases has remained in single digits on the Chinese mainland over the past 10 days, and 81.4 percent of new cases were imported from overseas, said Hu Qiangqiang, a spokesperson with the National Health Commission (NHC), at a press conference.

The pressure to prevent imported infections remained intense, Hu noted.

The NHC said on Friday that it received reports of four new confirmed COVID-19 cases on the mainland on Thursday, and all of them were imported.

By the end of Thursday, a total of 1,962 imported cases had been reported on the mainland. Of them, 1,891 had been discharged from hospitals after recovery, and 71 remained hospitalized. No deaths from the imported cases had been reported. Enditem
Perth could become Australia's new financial hub if Hong Kong companies fearing Communist China's oppressive rule relocate to the Swan River.

The federal government has declared it wants to attract Hong Kong's 'best and brightest' entrepreneurs - stirring more diplomatic tensions with Australia's biggest trading partner.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is offering five-year visas with a pathway to permanent residency for students and skilled migrants, after China imposed draconian national security laws on the former British colony.

Globility Group executive director Mark Wright, an expert on Asia-Pacific commerce, said Perth was becoming 'a very attractive destination' for Hong Kong companies looking for an alternative to Sydney and Melbourne.

Scroll down for audio

Perth (right) become Australia's next financial hub if entrepreneurs and businesses from Hong Kong (left) decide to relocate to the WA capital to escape Communist China's oppressive rule

'The West is very well-placed to attract its own fair share of talent that might be considering a move from Hong Kong,' Mr Wright told Perth radio 6PR's Gareth Parker on Friday.

Perth is in the time zone as Asian financial hubs Hong Kong, Shanghai, Taipei, Manila and Denpasar, which makes it more conducive to doing regional business than cities on Australia's east coast.

Western Australia, however, is a major exporter to China of iron ore, the key material used to make steel.

Perth billionaires, including Seven West Media chairman Kerry Stokes and mining magnate Andrew Forrest, have close business ties with China.

Acting Immigration Minister Alan Tudge was hopeful Hong Kong-based companies would see the advantages of moving their headquarters to a democracy like Australia.

'We really looking at some of the businesses which are based in Hong Kong, particularly some of the international businesses, who have their regional headquarters there, who have already publicly signaled that they wanted to relocate to somewhere which is more free and more democratic,' he told Sydney radio 2GB.

'We want to be in the position whereby they might consider Australia as their destination to bring their business.'

Should Mr Tudge's wish come true, the likes of airline Cathay Pacific could move their headquarters to Australia

Should Mr Tudge's wish come true, the likes of airline Cathay Pacific could move their headquarters to Australia.

Globility Group executive director Mark Wright (pictured) said Perth is becoming 'a very attractive destination' for Hong Kong companies on Friday

Mr Wright said WA's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic made it a more attractive destination for businesses.

'Another factor that weighs very heavily in Perth's favour is the fact that Western Australia has done amazingly well in managing the impact of COVID-19,' he said.

'Organisations consider very carefully the wellbeing of their people. The pandemic has really brought that to the forefront.

'A key factor in the foreseeable future for global talent will be "where is the best location for me to move to in terms of the health and safety", not only of the talent themselves, but their family as well.

'Perth has become a very attractive destination in that regard.'

Perth (Elizabeth Quay pictured) is in the time zone as Asian financial hubs Hong Kong, Shanghai, Taipei, Manila and Denpasar, which makes it more conducive to doing regional business than cities on the east coast of Australia

But Mr Wright said the West Australian government needed to do its bit to woo Hong Kong tycoons.

'If Perth played this one smart, the WA government has a tremendous window of opportunity to attract talent that otherwise may consider Sydney, Singapore, Melbourne,' he said.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted WA Treasurer Ben Wyatt for comment.

The Australian government wants to attract entrepreneurs and businesses through the Global Talent and Business Innovation and Investment programs.

Mr Morrison also announced 10,000 Hong Kongers who are already in Australia would now be able to apply for the extended visas - but there will be no humanitarian immigration program specifically for Hong Kong residents.

The Prime Minister also suspended Australia's extradition treaty with the former British colony, meaning Hong Kongers accused of a crime by their home government will not be automatically deported from Australia.

Canada and the UK have recently done the same.

The move has angered Beijing, prompting its state media to threaten retaliation for any 'provocations' regarding Hong Kong.

China's new national security law bans what Beijing views as secessionist, subversive or terrorist activities or as foreign intervention in Hong Kong.

Critics say it curtails freedom of speech and pro-democracy protesters have since been charged for holding flags, posters and pamphlets.
Ande Brown is the brains behind I-Co Globes, an 18-month-old enterprise that turns out eye-catching world globes made of wood, brass, cork or leather, each one in the shape of a 20-sided geometric figure called an icosahedron, hence the I-Co part of her business name.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/7/2020 (557 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Ande Brown is the brains behind I-Co Globes, an 18-month-old enterprise that turns out eye-catching world globes made of wood, brass, cork or leather, each one in the shape of a 20-sided geometric figure called an icosahedron, hence the I-Co part of her business name.

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS As a child, Ande Brown dreamed of a life as a globe-trotting traveller. Having achieved those aspirations, the artist is now turning her attention to something different  creating new worlds in the palm of her hand.

Around this time last year Brown was preparing a custom order for a friend when she observed the wood she was using had a tiny knothole precisely where the African continent was going to be. A bit of a fussbudget, she was about to start anew using an unblemished piece of lumber. At least that was the plan until the person for whom the globe was intended asked why she wanted to go to all that trouble. "After all, its not like the world is perfect," her friend pointed out.

"That was probably the best piece of advice I could have ever received because as soon as she said it I was like, Aint that the truth," Brown says, seated inside a coffee shop a few blocks from her home in Sage Creek. (Not sure whether a reporter would recognize her from a photo on her website Icoglobes.com, Brown, comfortably dressed in a T-shirt and khakis, arrived early, plunking herself down at a corner table with a cork globe positioned in such a manner no scribe worth their salt could have missed it.)

"Also, by her telling me that, it made me think back to how when you were a kid youd go to your grandparents place and there was always some feature about the house  maybe a small scratch on the dining-room table or dent in the drywall youd run your hand over  that stuck with you even years later," she goes on. "I decided those were the types of unique things I wanted for my globes. My friend was right. So what if theres a knothole? Thats what makes the globe one-of-a-kind. Thats what makes it hers."

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Admitting she has a love-hate relationship with social media, Brown says shes so far resisted the urge to market her globes in retail locations, preferring the one-on-one exchanges that come with individual orders.

Brown grew up in Phoenix. Drawn to maps and globes at an early age, she would spend hours in her bedroom studying exotic cities and countries, promising herself shed visit as many as possible someday. While that has since come to pass  most recently she spent parts of January and February on a solo motorcycle trip across New Zealand  she nods her head no when asked about any memorable family trips from her childhood. Her father died when she was young, she explains, so it was all her mother could do to make ends meet, never mind pile her and her sister into the backseat of the car and hit the road for a week or two.

"As a kid, my family never went anywhere unless you count one night in a hotel with a swimming pool, eight miles from home," she says, taking a sip of her coffee.

Brown met her Winnipeg-born partner, a registered nurse, in Arizona 21 years ago. At the time, the United States wasnt "too cool" with same-sex marriage, she says, so they eventually relocated to B.C., settling on the Sunshine Coast in 2005. Brown smiles as she recalls an incident that occurred not long after their move north, one that clued her into the fact she wasnt in Kansas, err, Arizona, anymore.

One afternoon while they were running errands, she spotted an elderly man in a wheelchair slowly making his way up a hill. Behind him was a fast-approaching, boisterous group of boys. Concerned for the fellows well-being, she pulled over and parked the car, trying to decide what she would do if, as she anticipated owing to events shed witnessed back home, the youths were up to no good.

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Brown grew up in Phoenix. Drawn to maps and globes at an early age, she would spend hours in her bedroom studying exotic cities and countries, promising herself shed visit as many as possible someday.

"When the boys caught up to him and surrounded his wheelchair, I turned to my partner and said, Omigod, here we go, theyre swarming him and now theyre going to rob him. Instead, they proceeded to take turns pushing him up the hill and down the other side. I almost started crying; I was so overcome with joy."

Skip ahead to 2016, by which time Brown and her partner had moved back to the States to be near her mom. Brown, who studied environmental science at Arizona State University, had landed a supervisors position with a civic engineering department but 12 months into her tenure she had a dilemma on her hands: retain her job or follow her dreams.

"Before I was hired, I let my bosses know I was planning a month-long trip in December 2017 to Antarctica, the last continent in the world I had yet to visit, followed by a motorcycle trip through Chile and Argentina," Brown says. "They were totally fine with it, they asked lots of questions about how I was getting there and where Id be staying, but as the date got closer and closer things... uh... changed." (Not wanting to go into too many details, Brown chalks it up to a toxic work environment where, after speaking up about what was taking place, her life "got miserable, lets put it that way," culminating with her previously approved vacation request being denied at the last minute.)

"That first winter  2018  was a bad one. Honestly, I never thought a car could freeze from the inside out."  Ande Brown

Undeterred  and freshly unemployed  Brown boarded a flight to South America two days after being told she wouldnt be allowed to go. A few days after that, she found herself on a boat in the Drake Passage approaching Antarcticas South Shetland Islands. Upon her return, she and her partner made the decision to move yet again, this time to Winnipeg.

"Id been here before to visit her family, but only in the summer," she says with a chuckle. "That first winter  2018  was a bad one. Honestly, I never thought a car could freeze from the inside out."

To occupy her time Brown, whod always had a crafty side, began making three-dimensional globes based on a decades-old design she once studied called the Dymaxion map, created by an American architect named Buckminster Fuller. Shed give the finished product away to friends and family only to hear time and time again, "Ande, these are so great. You really should be selling them."

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Brown, whod always had a crafty side, began making three-dimensional globes based on a decades-old design she once studied called the Dymaxion map, created by an American architect named Buckminster Fuller.

She initially pooh-poohed the idea. But after being invited to display her globes at a one-night pop-up art gallery in Charleswood where she proceeded to sell five of them in the space of a few hours, she switched gears, thinking maybe there was a market for her wares, after all.

A member of North Forge Technology Exchange, an innovation-based economic development agency in the Exchange District, Brown currently spends hours putting her creations together with the help of a laser cutter. She has developed a ritual. Before attaching the last of the 20 pieces with metal fasteners and her "secret sauce," she takes a moment to whisper a special message into each globe giving thanks to the wood or metal its fashioned from. Then she seals it up. Following that she names each globe with whatever positive word pops into her head at that precise moment, for example, "Courage," "Honesty" and "Resilience." (Browns globes come in two sizes, 10 cm and 20 cm in diameter, and range in price from $40 to $300, depending on dimensions and type of material.)

"So far, Ive heard of people doing everything from sticking pins in them to show where theyve traveled to a person who was considering using hers to place her dogs ashes in," Brown says, noting shes currently toying around with a gift-inside-a-gift idea, a bit like a Kinder surprise egg, by suggesting buyers tuck an engagement ring or plane tickets to a faraway destination in their globe before turning it over to a recipient. "Based on pictures Ive been sent most people seem to display theirs on a mantle  one of my friends keeps hers next to a wartime photo of her dad  but like I always say, once you buy it, you can do whatever you like with it."

Admitting she has a love-hate relationship with social media, Brown says shes so far resisted the urge to market her globes in retail locations, preferring the one-on-one exchanges that come with individual orders.

"When I was young and there wasnt a lot of money to go around, a good salary and sizable bank account spelled success to me. But thanks to my partner, whos always been super-supportive, money is probably the least of my worries right now," she says. "I can spend endless energy doing these, I love it so much. In my previous job I was forever looking at the clock, almost willing my day to be over. Now, not only do I hardly ever know what time it is, I usually cant remember what day it is, either, Im so lost in my work."

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS After success at a pop-up art gallery, Brown decided there might be a market for her worldly wares.

By the way, in case you think a person who makes globes for a living is predisposed to pronouncing place names correctly, think again. Brown, who joined the Prairie Pathfinders walking club in order to familiarize herself with Winnipeg and the rest of the province, laughs when asked if its been a chore wrapping her tongue around the likes of Lagimodiere Boulevard or St. Vital, what with the "Vital" part of the latter sounding nothing like a synonym for "necessary" or "important."

"There are a few tricky ones here, for sure," she says. "Theres a road right near where I live, Des-something or other (we think she means Des Hivernants Boulevard) I still have no idea how to say. Whenever somebody stops me for directions I just point and tell them to take a left over there."

david.sanderson@freepress.mb.ca
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley testifies during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on July 9, 2020. (Michael Reynolds/Pool via AP)

Top American Military Official: Confederates Committed Treason

Gen. Mark Milley supports review of Army bases named after Confederates

Americas top military official said Thursday that Confederate soldiers committed treason by trying to defeat the Union.

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley told members of Congress that the Civil War was an act of rebellion.

It was an act of treason at the time against the Union, against the Stars and Stripes, against the U.S. Constitutionand those officers turned their back on their oath, Milley said. Now, some have a different view of that. Some think its heritage. Others think its hate.

Milley was speaking during a House Armed Services Committee hearing in Washington.

The Civil War formally began on April 12, 1861, after southern states seceded from the Union and formed the Confederate States of America. The war ended in 1865 after a series of devastating defeats for the Confederacy.

Milley also took aim at the 10 military bases named after Confederate generals, including Fort Hood and Fort Bragg.

An entrance to Ford Hood in Fort Hood, Texas, in a 2016 file photograph. (Drew Anthony Smith/Getty Images)

Milley said the original decision to name the bases after the generals was political and that the decision now on whether or not to rename them would also be political.

The general expressed concern about the bases and Confederate symbols causing divisiveness in the armed forces, noting that 43 percent of U.S. military members are minorities.

For those young soldiers that go onto a base, a Fort Hood, or a Fort Bragg, or a fort wherever, named after a Confederate general, they can be reminded that that general fought for an institution of slavery that may have enslaved one of their ancestors, he said.

Weve got to take a hard look at the symbology, the symbols. Things like Confederate flags and statues and bases and all that kind of stuff.

Milley has recommended a commission to take that hard look.

Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, also speaking to lawmakers, said a review of Confederate flags at bases is underway.

I want to make sure that we have an approach that is enduring that could withstand legal challenge, but that unites us and most importantly, helps build cohesion and readiness, he said.

Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, and Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) arrive for a House Armed Services Committee hearing in Washington on July 9, 2020. (Greg Nash/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump

Milleys position contrasts with that of President Donald Trump, the commander-in-chief, who has spoken out vociferously against the proposed renaming of the bases.

The United States of America trained and deployed our HEROES on these Hallowed Grounds, and won two World Wars, Trump said in a statement on social media last month. Therefore, my Administration will not even consider the renaming of these Magnificent and Fabled Military Installations.

Trump said hed veto the defense spending bill if it includes an amendment from Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) that requires the renaming of the bases in question, which the Republican-led Senate Armed Services Committee approved in mid-June.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said the Senate would likely override a veto.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters in Washington that Trump fervently stands against the renaming of these great American fortresses.

To suggest that these forts were somehow inherently racist and their names need to be changed, is a complete disrespect to the men and women who, the last bit of American land that they saw before they went overseas and lost their lives, were these forts, she said.
President Donald Trump launched a new line of attack against Joe Biden during an event with Hispanic leaders in Florida on Friday.

He accused Biden of being a 'puppet' of the 'radical left' - specifically Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

'Biden is a puppet of Bernie Sanders, AOC and the radical left,' he said.

'Nobody will be safe in a Biden America but Biden doesn't know what a Biden America is. But other people do,' Trump noted.

President Donald Trump launched a new line of attack against Joe Biden

President Trump is trying to tie Joe Biden, seen during a factory visit in Pa. on Thursday, to the left wing of the party

President Donald Trump supporters wave flags as they participates in a boat rally to celebrate Donald Trump's birthday in Fort Lauderdale in June

An enormous fleet of watercraft joined Saturday's President Donald Trump boat parade in the Indian and Banana Rivers across Brevard County in June

The president has been trying to tie Biden - who has a long time record as a moderate - to the more progressive wing of the party.

He's thrown several attack lines at the presumptive Democratic nominee - including Biden wants to defund the police and supports protesters who want to tear down statues of Jesus.

Neither of those are true.

And he claimed a show of supporter by boaters in Florida is a good sign for his re-election bid.

'Great to see the boaters out there - thousands and thousands of boats every weekend and we appreciate it. But nobody's seen anything like it ever, and we have that in many other states with boaters and bikers and everybody is a spirit that nobody's ever see,' he noted.

Several boats decorated with Trump signs have been seen in waterways around Florida and other states as the summer season begins.

Trump returned to his home state where trails Biden by 5 points, according to a RealClearPolitics average of polls.

His events were focused on drug trafficking and a roundtable on 'Supporting the People of Venezuela.' He'll also attend a campaign fundraiser.

Not on the agenda was the coronavirus pandemic as cases have spiked in Florida. The governor has started to walk back the reopening process as cases have risen.

A Pew poll out last week found follows others in its findings that, if the election were held today, Joe Biden would win, with 54 per cent supporting the presumptive Democratic nominee to the 44 per cent saying they will vote for President Trump.

Biden leads by 8.8 points in the RealClearPolitics polling average on the November contest.

Trump's attack line came after Bernie Sanders said a new policy platform unveiled by Joe Biden will make the presumptive Democratic nominee the 'most progressive president' since Franklin Roosevelt.

Sanders was referring to a series of platform recommendations for the Democratic Party that were put together by the Biden-Sanders Unity Task Forces - a series of groups formed after the primary process to bring together the moderate and progressive wings of the party.

'These folks needless to say people represented the progressive movement have a different perspective on things than the Biden's people, but there was serious discussion. And I think a real honest effort to come up with a compromise. And I think the compromise that they came up with, if implemented will make Biden, the most progressive president since FDR,' Sanders said on MSNBC Wednesday night.

Bernie Sanders said a new policy platform unveiled by Joe Biden will make him the 'most progressive president' since Franklin Roosevelt

Joe Biden formed a series of working groups with Sanders to help address progressive concerns about his more moderate policy positions

President Roosevelt, who ran the country during the Great Depression, instituted a New Deal program whose series of public works proposals to put the country back to work expanded the scope and size of the federal government.

The new set of proposals from Biden and Sanders address all the major policy areas, recommending ways to combat climate change and institutional racism along with a proposal to expand health care coverage and rebuild the economy in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal program expanded the federal government

The two sides battled it out over key areas and liberals came up short in several of them. And while Sanders conceded the plan does not have the full progressive wish list, he noted that he expects his liberal base of support to come out for Biden in November.

'They did not have - needless to say - everything that I wanted. And did not have everything that Biden wanted,' Sanders said of the recommendations.

The recommendations are tweaks to the more moderate position Biden espoused and avoid some of the controversial measures that progressives have pushed but could turn away swing voters, such as 'Medicare for All,' the Green New Deal, and defunding police departments.

The 110-page document - which still has to be debated and adopted by the party - are the result of negotiations between six- and eight-person groups that were appointed by Biden and Sanders.

The groups were formed in part to appease progressives - who were upset that neither Sanders nor Elizabeth Warren captured the nomination - and assure the left wing of the party it will have a voice with the more moderate Biden. Warren is under consideration for Biden's running mate.

The climate task force was co chaired by liberal Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and former Secretary of State John Kerry. Ocasio-Cortez has been the driving force behind liberals' Green New Deal.

It took 15 years off Biden's original target date for 100 per cent clean energy, moving it up to 2035 from 2050.

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez co-chaired the climate portion of the group

It also recommends eliminating carbon pollution from power plants by 2035 and zeroing out net greenhouse gas emissions across the entire economy by 2050.

And it asks Biden to rejoin the Paris Climate Accord on day one of his presidency, something he has promised on the campaign trail.

There is no mention by name of Ocasio-Cortez's Green New Deal plan.

'Like in any collaborative effort, there are areas of negotiation and compromise,' Ocasio-Cortez wrote on Twitter. 'But I do believe that the Climate Task Force effort meaningfully & substantively improved Biden's positions.'There is also no mention of a national ban on fracking, which young climate activists have pushed for but is something Biden avoids as it could hurt him in key battleground states like Pennsylvania.
A general view from the Summit Quad Chairlift, looking down the mountain during the start of the Australian snow season at Mount Hotham in Mount Hotham, Australia, on June 18, 2005. (Mark Dadswell/Getty Images).

Victorian Ski Resorts Halt Snow Season Due to Melbourne CCP Virus Lockdown

Two of Victorias most popular ski resorts have shut down operation lifts in response to the second lockdown in Melbourne and the closure of state borders.

Northeast Victorias Mount Hotham and Falls Creek ski resorts will close for six weeks immediately, after only three days of starting the snow season.

Senior vice president and chief operating officer of Vail Resorts Australia, Pete Brulisauer, announced the shut down of the two ski resorts by media release on July 9.

We did not make this decision lightly as we know our employees, guests, and the communities where we operate have already endured so much hardship this year, Brulisauer said.

However, we are focused first and foremost on health and safety, following local health guidelines, and doing our part to support efforts across Victoria to address the recent rise in coronavirus cases.

We recognise this is incredibly disappointing to our guests and pass holders, including those who have made reservations at Hotham and Falls Creek this season, he said.

The Victorian government reinstated stage three restrictions across Greater Melbourne and Mitchell Shire on July 7 to combat the grim number of new cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as novel coronavirus.

The new and more stringent restrictions that will last at least six weeks disallow travelling out of Greater Melbourne to the regional areas for exerciseimpacting the ski resorts.

In a press conference on July 7, Victorias Premier Daniel Andrews said: The most important point to make about exercise is that you cant be going on a four hour bush walk, hundreds of kilometres away from Melbourne.

The restrictions apply to all leisure activities, as there are very few cases in regional Victoria.

Border Closures Limit Visitors

The borders between Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) were closed on July 8.

These combined measures reduce the number of people that have access to visit popular ski resorts at Mount Hotham and Falls Creek. Situated four hours out of Melbourne, and twice that from NSW, ski resorts Mount Hotham and Falls Creek attract around 300,000 people a year.

Victorian alpine resorts contribute over $700 million to the states Gross State Product, according to a report published in 2017 (pdf).

Mount Buller, also based in Victoria and owned by Vail Resorts, is currently reviewing whether it can stay open.

Government Support

Due to the possible economic fallout caused by the new restrictions, the Victoria government has introduced a $534 million (US$370 million) Business Support Package.

The new fund provides cash relief for tourism operators and struggling businesses who have been hit by the loss in foot-fall from Melbourne.

Supporting our businesses, tourism operators, and the night-time economy has never been more crucialthis targeted assistance will make a big difference to those doing it tough, said Minister for Industry Support and Recovery Martin Pakula.

The statement said that $30 million of the package is earmarked for the hardest-hit businesses in hospitality.

Mount Hotham and Falls Creek is home to around 50 restaurants and bars that will lose out due to closure of the operation lifts.
Chennai, July 10 : What would have been an insipid first half of the calendar year 2020 for the Indian space agency turned a bit interesting towards the end, with the government announcing its decision to open up the sector to private participation.

At the start of 2020, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman and Secretary Department of Space K. Sivan said that the space agency was planning to have 25 launches -- including Aditya-L1 satellite, Geo Imaging Satellite (GISAT-1), realisation of Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) or small rocket (carrying capacity 500 kg), navigation satellite with indigenous atomic clocks and Indian Data Relay Satellite System (IDRSS), and GSAT-20 satellite with electric propulsion.

Sivan also said India will embark on its third moon mission 'Chandrayaan-3' and attempt to land a lander on the lunar surface sometime in 2020-21.

All was going well for ISRO after the crashlanding of India's moon lander Vikram on the lunar surface in 2019.

The year began well ISRO with the launch of the 3,357 kg communication satellite GSAT-30 by the European space agency Arianespace rocket Ariane 5 on January 17.

The ISRO also showcased its robot/half-humanoid -- Vyommitra - which was part of its human space mission programme 'Gaganyaan'.

The first setback of the year for ISRO came on March 4, when it had to call off the launch of GISAT-1, a day before its actual launch, owing to technical reasons.

The ISRO did not share any detail about the technical reasons, or the glitch, and its rectification since then. It is also not known when the satellite with a very good camera would be launched.

Then came the Covid-19 lockdown within and outside India that had its cascading impact on ISRO's core plans like the realisation of SSLV, launch of GISAT-1, delay in the first test-flight of the rocket as part of Gaganyaan mission.

"During the lockdown, industries that were supplying components were not working. Our own officials were not able to attend office. Further travel to Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh for satellite launch by the officials were not possible due to the lockdown," Sivan told IANS.

It is also not known when ISRO will be able to restart its satellite launch operations.

With coronavirus infection spreading fast in the county, ISRO also started work on developing a low-cost ventilator and sanitiser.

Meanwhile, two positive developments happened for ISRO -- securing an Indian patent for its liquid cooling and heating garment (LCHG) suitable for space applications and for its method of manufacturing highland lunar soil simulant or simply lunar/moon soil.

On May 16, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that Indian private sector will be a co-traveller in India's space-sector journey and a level-playing field will be provided for them in satellites, launches, and space-based services.

She also said that a predictable policy and regulatory environment will be provided to private players.

The future projects for planetary exploration, outer space travel and others are to be opened up for the private sector, adding there will be a liberal geo-spatial data policy for providing remote-sensing data to tech-entrepreneurs subject to various checks.

Welcoming the announcement, sectoral experts suggested various models for restructuring of ISRO and also urged the government to set up an independent regulator and also enact necessary legislation.

On June 24, the Union Cabinet decided to set up Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), making ISRO to focus on research and development (R&D) of new technologies, exploration missions, and human spaceflight programme.

Singh said the Union Cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to set up IN-SPACe to provide a level playing field for private companies to use Indian space infrastructure.

He also said the New Space India Limited (NSIL) will endeavour to re-orient space activities from a 'supply driven' model to 'demand driven' model, thereby ensuring optimum utilisation of the country's space assets.

Former ISRO Chairman Madhavan Nair said there should be a national space law to define responsibilities and liabilities.

Pointing out the role envisaged for IN-SPACe and the demand for a sectoral regulator, when queried whether the proposed body could be converted into the space sector regulator, Sivan told IANS: "IN-SPACe could be turned into a regulatory body when the necessary laws and regulations are in place." "We are on the job of getting ready the Space Activities Bill. It will define the space activities, liabilities and other aspects," he added.

As part of the reform process, new navigation policy is also being proposed. Suitable changes in the remote sensing data policy as well as SATCOM policy are on the anvil to align them to an open and inclusive space sector, said Sivan.

"The best is to establish an independent regulator -- Space Regulatory Authority of India (SRAI) -- which will create a level-playing field for many of the emerging players," Narayan Prasad, Chief Operating Officer, satsearch, told IANS.

Establishing an independent regulator could allow a systematic review and reforms on a continuous basis rather than one-off announcements, Prasad said.

As per current scheme of things, IN-SPACe will have its own directorates for technical, legal, safety and security, monitoring as well as activities promotion for assessing the private sector's needs and coordination of the activities.

IN-SPACe would have a board and representatives from industry, academia and the government, Sivan said.

"Initially, IN-SPACe will be manned by people from the existing space setup. Later, people from outside will be taken in. It will have its funds from the budgetary allocations for the DoS. The new body may not need big financial allocations," Sivan remarked.

Stressing that the ISRO's importance will not diminish with the entry of IN-SPACe, Sivan said all the existing centres - manufacturing, services, rocket launch centres - would continue to be with the ISRO.

"The ISRO will be involved in research and development in advanced technologies, human space missions. It will also share its technological expertise with the private parties. The proposed new body will not disturb the existing ones. It will be another autonomous body," Sivan said.

Industry officials are hoping to see further steps being taken by the government regarding the space sector during the second half of 2020.

But as regards the satellite launches - domestic as well as foreign for a fee - by ISRO during the year depends on the spread or control of coronavirus and the resultant lockdown.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi: Minutes after the news of UP Gangster Vikas Dubey encounter broke the internet hashtags like #VikasDubey, #VikasDubeyEncounter, #VikasDubeyDiary started trending on microblogging site Twitter.

Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) killed notorious gangster Vikas Dubey in an encounter in Kanpur on Friday morning (July 10, 2020) after he tried to flee.

Also Read: Gangster Vikas Dubey killed in encounter by Uttar Pradesh STF in Kanpur: Timeline of event

As per reports, Vikas Dubey attempted to escape after the UP STF vehicle transporting him to Kanpur from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh overturned in heavy rain. A gunfight ensued at the spot in which gangster was killed on the spot. Dubey was taken to the hospital where he was declared brought dead by doctors.

An officer confirmed that the dead UP ganster 'sustained injuries' but did not confirm to what extent, saying it would be revealed in the postmortem report. Meanwhile, four police personnel were also injured in the encounter.
T he founder of Karen Millen today hit out at the state of the fashion industry in the wake of sweatshop allegations engulfing the brands current parent Boohoo.

The clothing entrepreneur set up her eponymous brand with ex-husband Kevin Stanford in 1981, sold it to Icelandic investors in 2004 and has not been involved since. It has changed hands several times since and Boohoo took ownership last year.

Millen told the Standard greed has forced its way to the forefront of the industry and consumers are ignorant in believing bargain basement clothes can be sold without a human cost.

Boohoo has this week faced fresh claims of malpractice in its supply chain after a Sunday Times investigation reported a Leicester supplier of its Nasty Gal label was not practising social distancing and paying workers 3.50. Boohoo denied some of the claims but hired a QC to probe its supply chain.

The online fast fashion group has grown rapidly and added a string of established fashion brands to its stable, including Oasis, Coast and Karen Millen. It bought the online divisions of the latter two last year for 18.2 million while all their 32 shops and 177 concessions closed.

Millen said of the brand bearing her name: Karen Millen was once a premium brand. A brand that prided itself on delivering high-end fashion with attention to detail. Using the best fabrics and trims but keeping our prices affordable.

It saddens me to see where it has been taken and how it has lost its way, but I have to accept that once you let go of something you have no control in where its future lies.

She lamented: On one hand our younger generation appear to be far more aware of our environment and the damage thats been caused over the years but then in the other hand there is a large percentage who seem to think that this disposable fashion is OK and in fact the norm. Are they so out of touch with reality and ignorant enough to think that clothes can be bought for a few pounds?

How on earth do they believe that what they are buying can ethically be made for such a price without some kind of sacrifice somewhere?

She said that the low-price fast fashion industry had forced established businesses to cut standards to compete.

Today she said: Shopping was an art to be enjoyed and now we seem to have lost that experience but I do believe now is a good time to reset our future and make amends to an industry that has sadly gotten out of control.

Concerned: Karen Millen (Dave Benett / Getty Images) / Dave Benett / Getty Images for S

Millen sold her business in 2004 to Icelandic investors and she was declared bankrupt in 2017 over an unpaid tax bill of 6 million. She has fought several legal battles with the estate of failed Icelandic bank Kaup-thing to try to recover millions lost in investments.

In 2016, she lost the right to trade under her own name after a ruling at the High Court.

Millen last year launched online homewares store Homemonger, which is on the hunt for its first physical store, likely to be in the south of England. The shop may include a cafe, farm shop and space for workshops and is likely to be in a rural location as Millen believes more people will move out of cities and increasingly work from home.

Boohoo, founded and built up in Manchester by the Kamani family and Carol Kane, has lost more than 1 billion from its value amid the fallout from the allegations. But support from investors and analysts has helped the stock recover some loses, and the shares rose 5% to 301p today.

Analysts at Peel Hunt this morning said in a Buy note on Boohoo that environment, social and governance issues remain a work in progress but there is "significant runway ahead for the business if they get this right.



The history of Karen Millen: the founder and her brand

1981  Millen and husband Kevin Stanford begin making and selling white shirts to friends

1983  Couple open their first store in Kent, followed by expansion across Europe, Asia and Australia

2001  Millen and Stanford divorce

2004  Company is sold to Icelandic investors for 95m

2008  Icelandic banking crash turns Millens investments sour, sparking string of legal cases

2009  The brand becomes part of Aurora Fashions and is later spun out

2016  Millen loses right to trader under her own name

2017  Millen declared bankrupt in 2017 over an unpaid tax bill

2019  Launches new retail venture Homemonger. Boohoo buys up the label


The large refrigerated trailer suddenly appeared one day near the loading dock at HCA Healthcare Northwest, taking some on staff by surprise. But soon its purpose became clear.

When a patient died last week in the hospitals intensive care unit  nearly full these days of critically ill COVID-19 patients  the body was packed in ice and moved into the trailer. The hospitals morgue was full. HCA officials confirmed the trailer was used as temporary storage until the body could be picked up by a funeral home.

As other hospitals prepare to follow suit or have already done so, there is a stark new reality in Houston.

In the early months of the pandemic, it seemed as if Texas as a whole, and Houston specifically, was mostly spared the worst of the crisis, especially compared with the Northeast. In a city and state so big, the number of cases remained relatively small. So, too, did the number of dead, with about 3,100 reported in Texas so far. Overrun hospitals and makeshift morgues happened elsewhere  not in a city with the largest medical center complex in the world.

But Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows Texas is one of 24 states that publicly reports only confirmed COVID-19 deaths, not probable ones. And with rampant testing shortages in Texas, many patients likely died without being screened for the disease, experts said.

Texas ranks 40th out of 50 states and the District of Columbia in deaths per 100,000 population on the CDC COVID-19 tracker. But that is potentially misleading since it compares Texas with 27 states that include probable cases. Nearly 1 in 5 deaths reported in New York City, the national epicenter for COVID-19, was reported as a probable.

The surge of cases has left doctors, nurses and first responders in Houston overwhelmed, and scores of patients wait for 12 hours or more for emergency room care or ICU beds. On Friday, Gov. Greg Abbott warned that the death toll will rise.

What were seeing now in states like Texas is comparable to what we saw in New York City, said Bob Anderson, chief of mortality statistics for the CDC. It remains to be seen what we will see with the rate of death. The numbers may be smaller, but the pattern is there.

Deaths are the ultimate lagging indicator, sometimes not occurring for many weeks after a person is first infected. And then it can take several more weeks until that death is recorded and shows up in the statistics, distorting public perception and the true scope of the crisis.

For instance, on Thursday, Mayor Sylvester Turner, announcing the citys latest toll during a news conference, included the death of a woman who died nearly seven weeks ago on May 24.

The steep rise in cases that started about mid-June in many states will likely be seen in rising deaths very soon, said Jen Kates, director of global health and HIV policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation. It is hard to see how they wont come.

Waiting on stretchers

The trajectory is now a nearly straight line heading north.

On Tuesday, a milestone was reached as the daily count of new cases in Texas topped 10,000. Two days later, the number of statewide cases reached 10,214  a tenfold increase from mid-May, when officials were alarmed that the number of cases was rising by 1,000 per day.

As of Saturday, there were 255,763 confirmed cases in the state, according to a Houston Chronicle analysis of state data. In the Houston region, the number of confirmed cases reached 62,268 on Saturday, up more than 2,400 from the day before, the analysis shows.

Houstons two safety net public hospitals are straining. On Friday, Ben Taub Hospitals ICU was at 66 percent capacity and Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital was at 113 percent.

The surge is showing up in other ways as well.

Sam Pena, Houstons fire chief, said in a recent interview with the Chronicle that his department is overwhelmed. In the past three weeks the calls for help have jumped 30 percent, the majority being respiratory distress.

When the state shut down in March, the fire chief said, his department was averaging about 800 calls per day. Now it is 1,100. And once at a hospital, if there is no bed immediately available, he said the patient waits on a stretcher in the emergency room hallway.

It will go up

Researchers recently reported that a mutated coronavirus strain, the main one circulating in the Houston area, is more contagious than the original virus in China. But they have not found it to be more deadly.

On Saturday, there were 3,156 confirmed deaths in Texas, translating into a fatality rate of about 1.23 percent.

In the Houston region the death count stands at 642, or slightly less than the statewide rate.

The current death rate in Texas has, in fact, gone down since April and May, when it was 2.4 percent and 2.8 percent, respectively.

That has fueled critics of mandated precautionary measures such as masks and social distancing. The White House, too, has pointed to a decline in overall death rates as proof that the recent spike in new cases is not a big deal and that the country is winning its war with the virus.

And it is true the demographic of the virus is now shifting to younger patients who may be better able to fight off the disease. Increased testing has also meant that the virus is caught earlier and treatment in hospitals is proving more successful as doctors better understand the coronavirus.

But health experts caution that the virus can be slow to develop. The CDC estimates it can be up to 14 days after exposure for symptoms to appear. Once sick, it can be another two weeks to a month or longer before a case results in death.

One of the big things that people who dont want to implement social distancing say is, Hey, so what if cases and ICU admission are going up, so long as mortality is not going up? said Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine and professor of pediatrics and molecular virology and microbiology at Houstons Baylor College of Medicine.

Well, No. 1, it will go up, he said. It may not go up as steeply as it did in New York because were better prepared to handle it  we know how to provide better ICU care now  but it will go up.

And in fact, Wednesday and Thursday had 218 new deaths statewide in just 48 hours, according to a Chronicle analysis of state data.

The growing deaths have now triggered emergency measures across Houstons hospitals.

HCA Houston Healthcare said the refrigerated trailer at Houston Healthcare Northwest was needed briefly last week because the hospital morgue is small. But the hospital system said it was likely the same preparedness measures will be used at its other hospitals. Similarly, Memorial Hermann Health System said it has used such makeshift morgues in the past and is deploying them as needed across its system, while Baylor St. Lukes Medical Center said it has a refrigerated trailer on site that has not been used yet. Other hospital systems said the potential use of the temporary morgues is part of an overall strategy should the situation worsen.

Even if the death rate remains steady or rises only slightly, Dr. David Persse, Houstons chief medical officer, said the math is not on the citys side amid such dramatic increases in cases. One percent of a big number is still a big number, he said. Its a lot of people dying.

It may never be counted

Health experts also worry that the true scope of the local crisis may never be measured accurately.

For instance, if an ambulance crew arrives and a person is already dead or dies on the way to the hospital they will not be tested for the virus. We have a team that weve deployed with the health department to conduct testing at nursing homes, but we dont do a test for patients in the field during emergency responses, Pena said.

And if a patient dies in the emergency room from a heart attack or organ failure but there is not clear indication that the death was caused directly or indirectly from the virus, they also may not be tested, health officials acknowledge. Admitted patients are now routinely tested, doctors said.

If they are not tested in the ER or a doctor does not write that it is COVID-presumed, it may never be counted, Persse said.

Anderson at the CDC said that unless COVID-19 is specifically listed as cause of death or as a contributing factor on the death certificate, it will not be included in that agencys data. It is absolutely possible we are missing some, he said.

In Texas, a death can be certified by medical professionals or government authorities, depending on jurisdiction.

In Harris County, if a body is turned over to the medical examiners office, it will be tested if there is suspicion of the virus, said Michele Arnold, public information manager at the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences. Of the 1,990 deaths certified by that agency since March 1, a little more than 10 percent, or 253, have been tested for COVID-19, she said. Of those, roughly half came back positive.

Still, not all who test positive will have COVID-19 listed as the cause of death if they died from something unrelated, she said.

Front-line doctors are skeptical that all of the deaths they see are being accurately counted. The death certificate I signed on June 30 with a confirmed lab test is still not being reported as a COVID death, said one HCA Healthcare Northwest physician on Thursday.

We see the death rate is rising every day. All day we are hearing code blue called overhead for a different bed in the intensive care unit, he said, describing the signal that a patients heart has stopped. We know those are COVID patients fighting for their lives. The numbers being reported are lagging behind what is happening on a daily basis.

Persse said he understands that reporting lags or gaps can be frustrating to the public and damaging to those trying to beat back a crisis. But what is truly distressing, he said, is that it could have been prevented.

What people do, how vigilant they remain, the precautions they take, are the true predictors of the virus toll on the city. Its hard to predict because it is totally up to us, he said. The death rate depends on us.

Lisa Gray and Matt Dempsey contributed to this report.

jenny.deam@chron.com

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zach.despart@chron.com

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M ovie star Johnny Depp is accused of throwing a magnum bottle of champagne at wife Amber Heard when she was annoyed that he missed her 30th birthday dinner, the High Court heard.

Depp had received bad news about the disastrous state of his finance on the night of the celebration, on April 22, 2016 and missed the sitdown dinner organised with Heard and friends due to an important business meeting.

The actor says he went to bed to read when he returned to the LA penthouse, hoping to avoid a confrontation with his wife as she was disappointed that he had missed the party.

However Sasha Wass QC told the court Heard claims Depp got out of bed to attack her, as he didnt like being criticised.

The argument picked up pace and you picked up a magnum bottle of champagne and you threw it at her, but it missed and the glass smashed, she said.

You grabbed Ms Heard by the hair and pushed her on to the bed. When she tried to leave you blocked the bedroom door and you tried to grab her hair.

Ms Wass acused Depp of pushing Heard to the ground, grabbing her by the hair, and bumping chests with her before leaving a note on his way out saying: Happy f***ing birthday.

Depp told the court he was in a very low state of mind after his business meeting and may have smoked marijuana, but he denied any violence and said he went to read in bed to avoid yet another confrontation.

She was rather angry and aggressive, so I tried to avoid the conversation or the fight, he said.

The couple got together after publicising their film The Rum Diary together and married in 2015, but by May 2016 Heard had filed for divorce and obtained a restraining order against her husband.

She claims to have been the victim of domestic abuse throughout most of their relationship, alleging at least 14 incidents of violence by Depp towards her.

Depp, who is suing News Group Newspapers for libel over a 2018 article which dubbed him a wife-beater, insists that Heard is lying, suggesting she compiled a dossier of false abuse claims during their relationship as insurance and is using them in a #MeToo hoax.

Yesterday, the court heard lurid allegations that Depp headbutted Heard in December 2015 in an uncontrollable rage, and a recording was played of the pair discussing the incident.

Depp is heard saying: I headbutted you in the f***ing  before Heard interrupts to say: I couldnt believe you did that. Depp then continues, saying:  forehead. That doesnt break a nose.

In the witness box, Depp said Heard was swinging wildly at him in the incident, and he says their heads clashed accidentally as he put his arms out to prevent her from flailing and punching me.

While filming Pirates of the Caribbean 5 in Australia, Depp is accused of subjecting Heard to violence over three days that culminated in him slicing his own fingertip off and using the wounded digit to write messages in blood and paint.

Depp insists Heard caused the injury by throwing a vodka bottle that exploded on his finger, saying he then suffered a nervous breakdown.

Depps evidence will be completed today. Heard is due to give her account from next Friday.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has condemned the recent arrests of two journalists in Afghanistan and the harassment to which the Pajhwok Afghan News agency is being subjected by the authorities.



In a statement on July 9, the Paris-based media freedom watchdog urged the Afghan authorities and security officials to respect the countrys press law when taking action against rumors and fake news.



It is vital that the media should be able to do their work without impediment, in order to inform the public what is being done to combat corruption and any shortcomings, said Reza Moini, the head of RSFs Afghanistan desk.



Journalist Mahboboalah Hakimi of Radio Bayan (Word) was arrested on July 1 by agents of the National Department of Security (NDS) for allegedly insulting President Ashraf Ghani by calling him an unbeliever in a Facebook post, RSF said.



Just before his arrest, Hakimi denied being the author of the post and said his Facebook account had been hacked.



But he later appeared in a video recorded by the NDS in which he confessed to being responsible for the post in question and apologized to the president.



After being released on July 8, he said he had been tortured and forced to make a confession.



The journalist was arrested again by the NDS the next day.



Another journalist, Farough jan Mangol, was detained by NDS agents for questioning after his home was searched, according to RSF.



Mangol, a correspondent for the Reuters news agency, was then released with NDS agents saying his arrest had been a mistake.



According to RSF, Afghanistans biggest news agency has been harassed since June 22, when it reported that 32 ventilators intended for coronavirus patients had been stolen and sold to Pakistan.



When Pajhwok Afghan Newss director, Danish Karokhel, was invited by a parliamentary commission for what was described as a consultation, he was subjected to a full-blown interrogation in which Health Ministry representatives took part and the news agency was accused of acting against national security.



In a tweet, Vice-President Amrullah Saleh accused Pajhwok of lying, saying said that NO ventilator is missing.



However, no formal action has been taken against the news agency, whose damning report was extensively documented, according to RSF.



Under the press law, complaints against the media and journalists must be handled by the Commission for the Verification of Press Offenses, which has to decide whether to transfer them to the courts.



Neither parliament, nor the vice-president nor the NDS has the right to directly summon, arrest, or threaten journalists, RSF said.



Afghanistan is ranked 122nd out of 180 countries in RSF's 2020 World Press Freedom Index.
In an unexpected decision with potential implications for education in Oklahoma, the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that a large swath of land in the state is still an American Indian reservation.

The land at issue involves the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, and the immediate outcome of the case will limit state prosecutions of native Americans within the tribes territory. But the courts reasoning may apply to four other Oklahoma tribesthe Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Seminole Nationswhich would make roughly half of the state Indian country for various purposes under federal law.

Today we are asked whether the land [various] treaties promised remains an Indian reservation for purposes of federal criminal law. Because Congress has not said otherwise, we hold the government to its word, Justice Neil M. Gorsuch wrote for a 5-4 majority in McGirt v. Oklahoma (Case No. 18-9526).

The decision threw out the state criminal conviction of Jimcy McGirt, an enrolled member of the Seminole tribe convicted of three serious sex offenses. He argued that because his crimes occurred on Creek tribal lands, a federal law known as the Major Crimes Act required that he be prosecuted by the federal government, not the state.

The key issue in the case was whether some 3 million acres in eastern Oklahomaincluding much of the city of Tulsaremain a Creek reservation based on an 1866 treaty and federal law.

The state , joined by President Donald Trumps administration , argued that the federal government disestablished the Creek Nations territory in the leadup to Oklahoma statehood in 1907. Federal statutes broke up the tribes lands, abolished its courts, circumscribed its governmental authority, applied federal and state law to Indians and non-Indians alike in its territory, and gave the U.S. Interior secretary authority over tribal schools until a state school system could be established.

Gorsuch, in an opinion joined by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen G. Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan, concluded that the territory remained a reservation.

The federal government promised the Creek a reservation in perpetuity, Gorsuch said, and Congress has never withdrawn the promised reservation.

As a result, many of the arguments before us today follow a sadly familiar pattern, he said. Yes, promises were made, but the price of keeping them has become too great, so now we should just cast a blind eye. We reject that thinking.

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., in a dissent joined by Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel A. Alito Jr., and Brett M. Kavanaugh, said the courts reasoning would apply to rediscovered reservations [that] encompass the entire eastern half of the State19 million acres that are home to 1.8 million people, only 10 percent-15 percent of whom are Indians.

Across this vast area, the states ability to prosecute serious crimes will be hobbled and decades of past convictions could well be thrown out, Roberts said. On top of that, the court has profoundly destabilized the governance of eastern Oklahoma.

The decision today creates significant uncertainty for the states continuing authority over any area that touches Indian affairs, including taxation and family law, Roberts said.

Although the chief justice did not mention education, there is at least one brief filed in the case that argued that a decision recognizing the continued existence of such a large reservation could have implications for education in the region.

Such a decision could have a detrimental impact on the Oklahoma public education system, says a friend-of-the-court brief filed by the International Municipal Lawyers Association. The two largest providers of K-12 educational funding, county and state governments, could suddenly be without a significant portion of their previous revenue.

The approximately 310,000 public school children currently attending schools in this region could face [harmful] circumstances if their school districts funding were to be cut even modestly, the brief said. If this territory were found to be a part of Indian country, these communities would lose the ability to collect the same level of revenue they do now and their children may suffer as a consequence.

The Creek Nation supported the finding of a continued reservation, arguing in a brief to the court that its tribal government makes numerous contributions to improving the reservation for Indians and non-Indians alike.

The Nation ... makes vital contributions to education on the reservation, ... partnering through its Department of Education with local school districts and the Oklahoma Department of Education to improve educational outcomes for all students, the Creek brief said.

Gorsuch, in the majority opinion, dismissed concerns by the state and the dissent that the decision will have broad or negative consequences outside of criminal law.

Oklahoma reports that recognizing the existence of the Creek Reservation for purposes of the [Major Crimes Act] might potentially trigger a variety of federal civil statutes and rules, including ones making the region eligible for federal aid in such areas as homeland security, education, and nutrition, Gorsuch said.

But what are we to make of this? he added. Some may find developments like these unwelcome, but from what we are told others may celebrate them.

Gorsuch said that in reaching our conclusion about what the law demands of us today, we do not pretend to foretell the future and we proceed well aware of the potential for cost and conflict around jurisdictional boundaries, especially ones that have gone unappreciated for so long. But it is unclear why pessimism should rule the day.

Shawn Hime, the executive director of the Oklahoma State School Boards Association, said in an interview that the decision was the talk of his state on Thursday. But he expressed doubt that the ruling would disrupt education in the state.

In Oklahoma, our tribes have a great relationships with our local school districts, Hime said. I dont anticipate anything changing with the relationships.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter released a joint statement from the state and the five tribes that said they have made substantial progress toward an agreement to present to Congress and the U.S. Department of Justice addressing and resolving any significant jurisdictional issues raised by the McGirt decision. They committed to seeking justice for the criminal offenders whose state cases were upset by the decision.

The Nations and the state are committed to implementing a framework of shared jurisdiction that will preserve sovereign interests and rights to self-government while affirming jurisdictional understandings, procedures, laws, and regulations that support public safety, our economy, and private property rights, the statement said.
Rivera's body was discovered five days after she disappeared on Lake Piru, where her son, Josey, was found July 8 alone on a boat the two had rented, the Ventura County Sheriffs Office said. The Sheriff's Office confirmed that the body was Rivera's. (Image: AP)
MASSY Holdings CEO, Gervase Warner, yesterday confirmed that the group is scheduled to cross-list its shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) on January 27, 2022.

Massy published an abridged statement on the website of the JSE last Friday in accordance with the listing requirements of the Jamaica Stock Exchange.

In the abridged statement Massy describes itself as an investment management/holding company engaged in three main industry portfolios; integrated retail, motors & machines and gas products in Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean region.
Syracuse, N.Y.  New York is allowing nursing homes to let visitors in again on a limited basis as long as their facilities have not had any coronavirus cases in 28 days.

The state announced nursing home residents will be allowed two visitors at a time, and the visitors must undergo temperature checks, wear face coverings and socially distance during the visit. At least one of the visitors must be 18.

Only 10% of residents can be allowed visitors at any time.

The state also is allowing ombudsmen back in the facilities beginning July 15. Ombudsmen are volunteers trained to advocate for residents and ensure that their complaints are resolved to support a higher quality of life. Ombudsmen will have to wear face masks and other personal protective equipment while in nursing homes. Ombudsmen will also be required to present a verified negative test result before they can enter a facility.

The state banned nursing home visitors March 13 to keep out the novel coronavirus known as Covid-19. The state allowed nursing homes to make exceptions and allow visitors in when residents are dying. Many families with loved ones in nursing homes complained about the ban.

Harry L. Dunbar, 85, of Baldwinsville, has not visited his wife, Marilyn, since March 5. She is a resident of the Syracuse Home nursing home in Baldwinsville. They will mark their 60th wedding anniversary July 16.

This is the best news Ive heard in a long time, Dunbar said today when he learned of the states decision. He recently wrote a letter to the editor published by syracuse.com asking Gov. Andrew Cuomo to lift the ban on visitors.

Dunbars wife has Alzheimers disease. He talks to her by phone once or twice a week. Its not much of a conversation given her condition, he said.

Nursing home residents are particularly vulnerable to the virus. The virus killed 6,287 New York nursing home residents as of July 6, or about 25% of the states total 24,924 Covid-19 deaths, according to the state Health Department. The actual number of deaths is much higher than that because the state does not report the number of nursing home residents who die in hospitals.

In Onondaga County the virus has killed 80 nursing home residents, who account for 43% of the countys 188 Covid-19 deaths.

A recent state Health Department report released early this week says most Covid-19 cases were brought into nursing homes unintentionally by asymptomatic nursing home workers and visitors.

We will continue to closely monitor the situation in each facility, and make adjustments based on the facts and data moving forward, Dr. Howard Zucker, the states health commissioner, said in a news release. I know how painful it has been for residents of these facilities to endure such a long period of time without seeing family and loved ones, and my hope is that this adjustment to the visitation policy will provide some comfort to everyone.

James T. Mulder covers health news. Have a news tip? Contact him at 315-470-2245 or jmulder@syracuse.com
New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday gave its approval to extend Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana for five more months till November 2020, to coincide with the Assembly elections in Bihar.

Briefing media persons after the Cabinet meeting, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said that under the scheme, five kilogram of wheat or rice will be given to every member of the beneficiary family and one kilogram of Chana will be given to each family for five more months.

The minister said that the scheme will benefit more than 80 crore people in the country. The Prime Minister had announced the extension of the scheme in his address to the nation on June 30.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced the first phase of the scheme just after the imposition of nationwide lockdown. Under the first phase, free food grains was provided for three months from April this year. The second phase, which will last for another five months, began from 1st of July and will continue till November 30.

Apart from this, the Cabinet also cleared the affordable rental housing complexes scheme for the migrants who had gone back to their homes after the sudden announcement of the lockdown in March this year. The Rs 600 crore scheme will cover around three lakh beneficiaries to begin with, official sources said.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Cable TV operators in Nepal on Thursday banned all Indian news channels except Doordarshan, accusing them of spreading misinformation and defaming their leaders. However, there has been no government order to this effect so far.

Nepals minister for information and broadcasting Yubaraj Khatiwada said the government would seek political and legal remedies against Indian media for disseminating news that jeopardises the nation, nationality, sovereignty and self-respect of Nepalis.

We also request not to disseminate news that infringes sovereignty and self-respect of Nepalis. This includes the media of neighboring countries. We might seek both political and legal remedies, he said.

Nepal-India relations have been on a downward spiral since the Himalayan nation passed a constitutional amendment to include territories of Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani in their new map claiming them under the Treaty of Sugauli.

India, however, maintains that the territories are theirs. Both countries are mandated by a 1988 treaty to resolve all boundary issues through diplomatic talks.

The latest move also comes after a media house claimed Nepal leaders were honey trapped by Chinese ambassador to Nepal after she met them.
The nonprofit Cy-Hope is leading another food distribution effort with the Houston Food Bank and Hope Disaster Recovery, this time with a focus on Cy-Fair residents.

Cy-Hope volunteers will distribute 1,500 meals to Cy-Fair community members at Lone Star College-CyFair on July 17, beginning at 11 a.m. and ending when the food, provided by Houston Food Bank, is gone.

Cy-Hope Executive Director Lynda Zelenka said the event at LSC-CyFair will have a smaller scope, focusing on feeding Cy-Fair residents. Previously Cy-Hope hosted multiple mega distribution events in the Houston area with Houston Food Bank serving up to 7,500 people.

Mega food distribution: Event feeds 3,000 more Houston area families in second week

It would probably be anywhere from 40 to 60 pounds of food (per vehicle), she said. It will be a box of nonperishable food, a box of produce, meat and then usually juice or milk.

Cy-Hope chose to host the distribution at Lone Star College-CyFair since many of the other locations, like the Berry Center, were no longer available. The Lone Star College Police Department will be monitoring traffic in the nearby area.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Social workers partner with Houston police for crisis calls

The Berry Center has (events) scheduled, businesses are starting to come back into operation, Zelenka said. We reached out to Lone Star College-CyFair and they said they dont have any students on the property on Fridays so thats why it worked out.

Cy-Fair residents looking to receive food from the distribution are encouraged to come prepared for a wait.

Show up early, be patient, and have plenty of gas and water, Zelenka said. Once we get it set up, we will start distribution. Right now our starting time is 11 a.m. but if cars are in line and were ready, we will start early. Recognize that there will be some people that dont understand whats going on and might live in the neighborhood. Be patient with them as well.

Cy-Hope plans to continue these smaller scale distributions every Friday until Aug. 14, though the distributions could continue afterward. Zelenka said Cy-Hope is in need of volunteers for these distribution events.

For more information on the distribution on July 17 and future dates, visit https://www.facebook.com/CyHopeTx/.

chevall.pryce@chron.com
Drew Rosenberg, ARS Cares Healthcare Heroes Program Winner in Palm Beach County Our community healthcare workers have been working tirelessly to ensure our safety and recognizing their efforts by installing a new HVAC system was an easy way we could ensure they have a comfortable and safe environment to return home to, said Bill Bennett, General Manager of Aspen AC.

Aspen Air Conditioning, a local HVAC provider and part of the American Residential Services (ARS) Network of Brands, is providing a new HVAC unit to Drew Rosenberg, a deserving Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Firefighter, as part of the ARS Cares Healthcare Heroes program. The program is an extension of the year-round, company-wide ARS Cares initiative, and is rewarding more than 50 free home services makeovers to healthcare professionals across the country during the current COVID-19 crisis.

Our community healthcare workers have been working tirelessly to ensure our safety and recognizing their efforts by installing a new HVAC system was an easy way we could ensure they have a comfortable and safe environment to return home to, said Bill Bennett, General Manager of Aspen Air Conditioning.

As physically and mentally hard as it is especially during COVID-19, on top of working his regular firefighter shifts, Rosenberg is also volunteering to take shifts working at COVID-19 testing facilities. Drew works tirelessly every time he leaves his house and he has been separated from everyone except his wife and 8 year old son during this time. The installation of Rosenbergs new HVAC unit was completed on June 20th.

Following the announcement of the ARS Cares Healthcare Heroes program on May 13, family, friends, and co-workers were invited to share stories of why a Palm Beach County area frontline worker was deserving of home improvements that would deliver relief and relaxation. ARS received more than 400 nominations.

The ARS Cares initiative was launched in 2016 to cultivate positive relationships with communities where we live, work, and play. Since that time, more than 90 home services makeovers have been completed, donating more than $500,000 of HVAC systems and water heaters to deserving recipients. To learn more about ARS Cares and view official Terms & Conditions, visit ars.com/ars-cares.

ABOUT AMERICAN RESIDENTIAL SERVICES

Based in Memphis, Tenn., privately-owned ARS operates a network of more than 70 locally-managed service centers in 24 states, with approximately 7,000 employees. The ARS Network features industry-leading brands including, 4 Eco Services, A.J. Perri, Aksarben ARS, Allgood, Andy's Statewide, ARS, Aspen Air Conditioning, Atlas Trillo, Beutler, Blue Apple Electric, Blue Dot, Blue Flame, Bob Hamilton, Brothers, Columbus Worthington Air, Comfort Heating & Air, Conway Services, DM Select, Florida Home Air Conditioning, Green Star Home Services, Hauser Heating & Air Conditioning, McCarthy Services, Rescue Rooter / Jack Howk, Rescue Rooter, RighTime Home Services, RS Andrews, TempRite Air Conditioning and Heating, Unique Services, "Will" Fix It, and Yes! Air Conditioning and Plumbing. As an Exceptional Service Provider, the ARS Network serves both residential and light commercial customers by providing heating, cooling, indoor air quality, plumbing, drain cleaning, sewer line, radiant barrier, insulation, and ventilation services. Each location has a knowledgeable team of trained specialists. ARS requires background checks and drug tests on all employees. We hire professionals with the highest level of integrity. Providing exceptional service and ensuring the highest standards of quality, ARS has the experience to do any job right  the first time, with all work fully guaranteed. ARS: "Making it work. Making it right."
The US sanctioned a top member of Chinas ruling Communist Party and three other officials over human rights abuses in the western region of Xinjiang, a major escalation in the Trump administrations increasingly tense rivalry with the country.

The sanctioned individuals include Chen Quanguo, the Xinjiang party secretary who sits on the 25-member Politburo, as well as Zhu Hailun, party secretary of the Xinjiang Political and Legal Committee, and the current and former directors of the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau, the Treasury Department said Thursday.

The US move is tied to the widespread detention of Muslim Uighurs in Xinjiang, a policy that has been sharply criticized by top American officials as well as human rights groups. It comes amid soaring tensions between Beijing and Washington over the origin of the coronavirus pandemic, Chinas moves to quell dissent in Hong Kong and a debate over the use of Chinese technology by the US and allies.

The United States is committed to using the full breadth of its financial powers to hold human rights abusers accountable in Xinjiang and across the world, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in the statement.

The decision also marks the first time the US has sanctioned a sitting Chinese official under the 2016 Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, which gives the US broad authority to impose human-rights sanctions on foreign officials. Senior administration officials had been pushing for the sanctions for months but had been stymied by President Donald Trump, who fretted that they would complicate his US-China trade deal.

Chen, seen as a rising star in the Communist Party, has become Chinas point man for subduing ethnic unrest. During his earlier stint in Tibet, Buddhist temples were told to display Chinese flags and images of party leaders. His implementation of a vast police state in Xinjiang and demonstrations of loyalty to Xi won him a promotion in 2017 to the Politburo, and he may be considered for a spot on its supreme Standing Committee, which now has just seven members, in 2022.

Given Chens rank in the party hierarchy, which is comparable to a member of the US cabinet, the move is also likely to infuriate President Xi Jinpings government. Even though the sanctions were weeks in the making, the timing may be seen as deliberate because Treasury announced the move hours after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivered a major speech that called for better ties.

Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday morning.

Were in uncharted territory right now, said Daniel Russel, former assistant secretary of state for East Asia and the Pacific, whos now vice president at the Asia Society Policy Institute. Theres never been an administration that thought the pursuit of top-level party officials would end well for either side.

New Pressures

The US has ramped up pressure on China across many fronts in recent months, accusing it of covering up the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic and reneging on promises to guarantee political autonomy to the former British colony of Hong Kong. The election campaigns for Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden have sought to taint each other as weak in confronting Beijings leaders.

This week Trump said the US was considering a ban of TikTok, the popular social media app owned by Chinas ByteDance Inc. The US is seeking to limit US companies ability to do business with Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies Co., while Secretary of State Michael Pompeo has pushed for US pension funds to cut ties with Chinese companies. Senior officials have even discussed ways to undermine the Hong Kong dollars peg to the US dollar, although that remains a remote possibility.

The Wang Yi speech is a game plan for restoring some stability in the relationship and its taken very seriously on the Chinese side, said Susan Shirk, chair of the 21st Century China Center at the University of California, San Diego. It would be nice if somebody could give some kind of response before we whacked them again.

Chen is the highest-ranking person to be hit with this kind of sanction in China, according to a senior administration official who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity. The latest sanctions shouldnt be construed as last word, the official said, when asked if further measures are under consideration for the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, or XPCC.

The US statement on Thursday cited the public security bureaus use of repressive tactics, including mass detentions and surveillance against the regions Uighur population.

Trump aides weigh proposals to undermine Hong Kongs dollar peg

The entity and officials are being designated for their connection to serious human rights abuse against ethnic minorities in Xinjiang, which reportedly include mass arbitrary detention and severe physical abuse, among other serious abuses targeting Uighurs, a Turkic Muslim population indigenous to Xinjiang, and other ethnic minorities in the region, according to the statement.

Although China is likely to object strongly to sanctions against a member of the Politburo, which oversees the running of the country, the sanctions likely wont impact those targeted in any significant way. Theres little likelihood that the officials named have financial connections with the US The sanctions block access to accounts or businesses owned, directly or indirectly, by the people or the bureau. It also prohibits US persons from doing business with the sanctioned officials or entities.

The move has more symbolic significance than real impact, said Zhou Qi, director of the Institute of American Studies at the state-run Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. If some of them were planning to send their sons and daughters to study in the US, there will likely to be some impact on them individually. But in the view of the general public in China, the sanctions may not be a big deal for China as a country.
In theory all migrants have access to healthcare in Mexico, the reality is they can rarely go to public hospitals.

Chiapas, Mexico  For 28-year-old Miguel living in the Mexico-Guatemala border town of Ciudad Hidalgo in the Mexican state of Chiapas, social distancing or quarantining during the coronavirus pandemic is nearly impossible.

Miguel, who fled persecution from the authorities in Nicaragua in September 2019 after he joined anti-government protests, was denied asylum in Mexico this year, and consequently lost his right to work, leaving him unemployed and homeless.

I was thinking about handing myself in to [the National Institute of Migration (INM)] he said. But the conditions inside INM detention centres are not much better, he added, citing reports of overcrowding, extended detentions and crackdowns on detainees who have demanded their release due to the pandemic. Since the beginning of 2020, there have been several riots inside the infamous Siglo XXI in Chiapas, the largest detention centre in Latin America, with detainees begging to be released.

Miguels dilemma comes as Mexicos total confirmed coronavirus cases swells to more than 282,200, and almost 34,000 deaths. In late March, the country implemented a lockdown, but has since started to reopen sections of the economy and announced plans to ease social distancing guidelines, despite the surge in cases  there are currently 5,086 confirmed cases in Chiapas.

Asylum seekers wait outside the COMAR offices in the centre of Tapachula. COMAR asks the different nationalities to form lines on the different streets that surround the building. These people are waiting in the Haitian area [Al Jazeera]

For undocumented migrants with no right to remain in Mexico, particularly those residing in the southern part of the country, the pandemic has exposed the harsh living conditions that put them at greater risk of contracting the disease.

There are no official estimates to quantify how many like Miguel there are in Mexico, but in 2019, more than 55,000 people were removed by immigration authorities, either by deportation or voluntary return, from the southern state of Chiapas. Month by month, these numbers have rapidly declined in 2020, from 4,749 in January to only 138 in May.

Ciria Villator of the Fray Matias Center for Human Rights, one of the few non-governmental organisations in Tapachula to have access to migrants who are detained by INM, attributed this reduction in number to the pandemic which caused the closure of the land border with Guatemala and the subsequent release of previously detained migrants who could no longer be returned to their countries overland via Guatemala.

Since May 2019, and in response to direct economic threats from Trump, Mexico has increased the policing of the southern border with Guatemala and has cracked down on transiting migrants aiming to reach the United States. As such, many have found themselves trapped in the southern state of Chiapas during the pandemic, where they must rely on a healthcare system that is already stretched beyond capacity and live in conditions that make it ripe for possible transmission, according to experts.

A delivery truck waits outside of the Siglo XXI, the biggest detention centre in Latin America [Lexie Harrison-Cripps/Al Jazeera]

Undocumented migrants do not have a right to work in Mexico and are forced into low-paid, manual jobs with no sick pay or option to work from home.

Miguel worked on a construction site in Ciudad Hidalgo, which paid 150 pesos ($6.60) for an 11-hour workday, with an option to earn 250 ($11) pesos for a 17-hour day.

Unable to afford adequate housing, migrants and asylum seekers often live in live in cramped housing, where isolation and social distancing is difficult if not impossible, said Daniel Taylor, remote paramedic and board member of Global Response Management, an international medical non-governmental organisation.

A room with a bathroom will start at around 800 or 900 pesos ($35 to $40) per month in Tapachula, and it is not unusual to find two families sharing that space. Its common to see 10 people sharing a room said Villator.

According to the World Health Organisation, inadequate shelter and overcrowding are major factors in the transmission of diseases with epidemic potential.

While there is no data on the number of migrants who have contracted the disease, experts fear many will not seek help if they have symptoms.

In theory, all migrants, independent of their migratory status have the right to healthcare in this country, said Alberto Cabezas, of the United Nations International Organisation for Migration, but undocumented migrants are afraid to go to hospital because they risk being detained.

For those who do seek help, experts said migrants often face discrimination at public hospitals.

Yamel Artier, a psychologist from the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), an NGO operating in Chiapas said some of her clients who went to hospital have had to wait a full day before seeing a health professional and were then told to come back months later, despite needing immediate attention.

We try to keep the migrant population away from the public healthcare system, said Artier. We regularly use private doctors, such as those attached to pharmacies, for minor complaints. Other local NGOs, including Medicos del Mundo (Doctors of the World), confirmed the inherent discrimination faced by migrants in Chiapas.

Women and children make their way up to the southern bank of the Suchiate River that separates Guatemala from Mexico by a sign that reads Welcome to the Coyote Step  coyote is a colloquial term for a smuggler [Lexie Harrison-Cripps/Al Jazeera]

The situation is compounded by the failing public health system, particularly in Tapachula.

Arturo Nepomuceno Lozano, assistant to the sub-director in Tapachula General Hospital, said, There is no medicine. [The patients] have to buy it themselves. There are no resources in general. Lozano confirmed that many of his colleagues had become sick from the virus and some had died.

Data from the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) corroborated Lozanos claims. Government spending on healthcare as a percentage of gross domestic product declined since 2015 from 3 percent to 2.8 percent in 2019. Although the Mexican governments own statistics place the number even lower, at 2.49 percent.

According to OECD data, the Mexican government is one of the lowest per capita spenders on health and around half of those costs are met by private sources, such as out of pocket expenses or private health insurance.

Since the pandemic began, the Institute for Health and Wellbeing (INSABI)  one of the government departments responsible for healthcare to the population who do not have insurance  has imported more than 900 ventilators, more than 16 million surgical masks and 1.2 million pairs of gloves. However, this is unlikely to be enough for a healthcare system that, according to a report by Fatima Masse, the project coordinator for IMCO, the Center for Investigation into Public Policy, has been in crisis for years.

In the context of a struggling system, undocumented migrants face even greater hardship. Ignoring the vulnerable and fringe members of society leads to unnecessary deaths, increased long term disability, and a greater demand on stressed healthcare infrastructure, said Taylor.

So far, Miguel has not been touched by the virus, but with no option of safely returning to his country and no ability to remain in Mexico or work legally, he is currently stuck in limbo, relying on food handouts in the street or friends to support him.
is to get a financial aid of Rs 1,500 crore from the Centre to expand its crop diversification scheme and rejuvenate ponds in the state.

The state will get Rs 500 crore from the Centre in recognition of the Manohar Lal Khattar-led government's bid for water conservation through 'Mera Pani Meri Virasat' scheme and another sum of Rs 1,000 crore for rejuvenation of ponds and treating water, a state government statement said here on Thursday.

The statement was issued after Chief Minister Khattar met Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in New Delhi.

During the meeting, the chief minister discussed the expansion and progress of various water conservation projects being carried out in Haryana, the statement said.

While interacting with reporters later at Bhawan in New Delhi, Khattar later said the central government has also appreciated various water conservation projects of and assured the state of adequate financial support for successful implementation of these schemes.

Khattar told reporters that Union Minister Shekhawat has also apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi of various water conservation projects initiated by Haryana.

He said under the 'Mera Pani Meri Virasat' scheme, farmers are being encouraged to grow alternative crops other than paddy.

Though the target area for the cultivation of alternative crops other than paddy was initially fixed to be one lakh hectares under the scheme, it is now being implemented in areas beyond the set target.

He said under this scheme, Haryana will get a financial aid of Rs 500 crore from the central government for expansion of crop diversification.

The Centre has also lauded Haryana's efforts aimed at swiftly achieving the target of providing drinking water to all rural households by 2022 under the ambitious 'Jal Jeevan Mission', the chief minister said.

Khattar said under the Jal Jeevan Mission too, the Centre would give an aid of Rs 1,000 crore as a matching grant to Haryana for the restoration of ponds and treatment of water.

Notably, a scheme for rejuvenation of 14,000 ponds is being implemented in the state in a phased manner.

He said under the Atal Bhujal Yojana, as many as 1,000 water recharge wells will be set up in Haryana to control the depleting groundwater table.

(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.)
Need an escape? The brasserie, introduced nine years ago, awaits the pleasure of your company. Take your pick of the cozy dining room, now just a dozen seats, or the outdoor patio, where some tables are arranged beneath a tented roof and others dot the lawn. Wherever you settle feels like going back in time, a sense aided and abetted by servers in red vests and a menu that embraces such antiques as lobster thermidor. The kitchen does right by the classic, featured as a Friday special. Its recipient tastes sweet poached lobster, cognac and cream more than the cheeses used to finish the dish. The entree is rich but not gloppy. The same description applies to oysters with bearnaise; the oysters dont surrender their flavor to a sauce.
The Indianapolis-based Youth Opportunity Foundation (YOF) is growing and expanding its programs, both geographically and in the types of services offered. YOF was incorporated in 2017 in Indiana as a regional organization focused on services for post-adjudicated juveniles in four states. Now, the organization is set to facilitate programs in ten (10) states and is broadening its scope to include prevention programs to help kids avoid involvement in the juvenile justice system.

YOF was founded to address the most pressing issues facing youth involved in the juvenile justice system. Currently the juvenile justice system, nationwide, processes 800,000+ arrests each year from which 60% of kids released from residential treatment programs recidivate within one year. This leads to post-adjudicated adults who are under-educated, unskilled and facing a lifetime of employment challenges. To assist in the community re-entry process, YOF has provided mentorship programs, vocational training leading to industry-approved work certificates, and post-secondary education scholarships.

To further compound an increasingly hostile environment confronting our kids, on any given day in the US, there are more than 20 million (one in every four!) abused, neglected, homeless, trafficked or otherwise traumatized children. With challenges like these, prevention programs to keep children and teens out of the justice system seem more important than ever.

To assist in addressing these issues, YOF is expanding its services to include preventive programming. To accomplish this goal, YOF has:

established an advisory council of recognized experts to direct YOF efforts to address issues and improve support for causes confronting vulnerable children, and

collaborated with like-minded organizations to provide programming and support within the community before a lack of options enables a poor choice.

We target vulnerable teens because without a fighting chance at success, they are doomed to a life of missed opportunity characterized by poverty, crime, and incarceration, said Denny Armington, President of the Youth Opportunity Foundation. By addressing causes, and not simply the effects, we are improving long-term outcomes for young people, their families, and our communities.

Story continues

About Youth Opportunity Foundation

YOF is a 501c3 nonprofit committed to attacking the issues confronting vulnerable kids through improved clinical treatment and strategies, access to post-secondary education, jobs, and mentored relationships. We focus on those in need of a second chance.

Contact Details

Denny Armington

+1 317-564-4881

denny.armington@yofoundation.org

Company Website

https://yofoundation.org/
YEREVAN.  I do not see any problem, and I can reassure them that there will be no mass dismissals; we need their potential. Hayk Yesayan, the founder of "team" LLC of Armenia, said this in a conversation with journalists Friday, regarding the employees of Beeline company.

"We are just saying that we need human resources, and we are sure that together we can develop () with better strength," Yesayan added, in particular..

To a reporters remark that the employees of Beeline are concerned about the matter of competence, Hayk Yesayan said. "In the conditions of COVID-19, team company has made the biggest stepby creating additional jobs. (...). We will only join the staff of the two companies, and we will have an even bigger staff than there is today at Beeline."

He noted that more jobs will be created in Armenia than there were before.

Asked how much the deal would cost, Yesayan said it was a secret.

And when asked what guarantees he will give to the employees of Beeline and whether he will meet with them, Yesayan said: "I presented the guarantee that we will not take any steps for at least six months. There will be a meeting with the employees; its just that I don't have such authority to communicate with those employees now because de jure, we have nothing to do with Beeline company."

As reported earlier, the State Commission for the Protection of Economic Competition of Armenia has decided to allow the centralization of VEON Armenia CJSC (Beeline trademark) and of team LLC by way of teams acquisition of 100% shares of "VEON Armenia."

It has also been specified that team shall be obligated not to carry out mass layoffs of employees (more than 10% of the total number of employees) for at least six months after putting the centralization into action.

To note, the founders of "team" LLC are the Yesayan brothers, who left Ucom mobile network operator and Internet service provider in Armenia after having problems with shareholders.

Earlier in the day, the employees of Beeline were protesting in front of the building of the Public Services Regulatory Commission of Armenia. The reason was the purchase of Beeline by "team" LLC.
Bosnia marks the 25th anniversary of a genocide committed by Serb forces in Srebrenica where thousands perished.

At 4:15pm on July 11, 1995, Bosnias Srebrenica  a United Nations-protected safe zone where about 50,000 Bosniaks had sought refuge  fell to advancing Serb forces, who claimed the town for a Greater Serbia.

Here we are  in Serb Srebrenica. On the eve of yet another Serb holiday, we give this town to the Serb people as a gift, Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mladic said at the time in front of the TV cameras.

Finally, after the rebellion against the dahis, the time has come to take revenge on the Turks in this region, he said, using the term dahis to refer to renegade janissary officers who ruled Serbia during the Ottoman Empire.

By Turks he meant Muslims and in the ensuing days, Bosnian Serb forces along with a Serbian paramilitary unit killed more than 8,000 Bosniak men and boys in a massacre that constituted a genocide, according to the UN judges.

The Serb forces used bulldozers to throw the bodies in numerous mass graves. Their remains are still being searched for.

About 30,000 Bosniak women and children were deported in just two days. Thousands of women and girls were raped.

In 2017, the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY) convicted Mladic on 10 charges, including genocide and crimes against humanity.

Two survivors of the genocide have shared with Al Jazeera their stories and their perspective on the future.

Nedzad Avdic, 42

Nedzad Avdic is seen at the Srebrenica-Potocari Memorial Centre, where the names of thousands of Bosniaks killed by Serb forces are listed [Courtesy of Nedzad Avdic]

On July 11, 1995, 17-year-old Nedzad Avdic attempted to escape the mass shooting planned for him and his fellow Bosniaks by trekking through the forest along with his father, uncle and cousins, aiming to reach the city of Tuzla, located more than 100km away from the besieged territory.

About 15,000 Bosniaks joined in the trek, forming a column, but the chances of making it out alive were slim.

The trek is known as the Death March, as the column of men and boys was regularly ambushed and shot at with heavy artillery by the Serb forces. Only 3,000 Bosniaks survived  less than a quarter.

Avdic lost his father in the crowd and never saw him again.

Two days later, he was at the end of the column when they were shot at by the Serb forces. Many were injured, including his classmates.

Through a megaphone, the Serb police and army told the survivors from the field below to come down, promising that they would not be killed and that they would be reunited with their family.

When a group of them walked down, the injured were shot and killed and the rest, including Avdic, his teacher and classmates were loaded onto a truck, where they spent the night.

Bosnian refugees, pictured on July 17, 1995, cry as their father and husband arrives at the UN airbase in Tuzla, Bosnia, after he survived the Death March of six days from Srebrenica [File: Michel Euler/AP Photo]

On July 14, in a row of trucks, Serb forces began transporting them and others they captured to an unknown location.

I remember as we were going through [the nearby town of] Bratunac, before they covered the truck with tarpaulin, many [Serb] residents were watching us [being taken away] from their balconies, so people cant say today that they didnt know or they didnt see anything, Avdic said.

They were driven to a school. Group by group, they were taken out of the classrooms to be executed in front of the school.

As he was in the last classroom, his turn came at about midnight. He was ordered to take off his clothes and had his hands tied.





Exiting the school, I saw piles of dead people to my left and right. My blood froze and in this moment, I realised that it was the end, Avdic said.

He and his group were taken to a dam 10 minutes away.

I went with my head down, aware that Ill be killed. When I reached my spot [and looked up], I saw rows and rows of dead people lying in front of us.

The group was told to lie down. The next thing Avdic remembers is that he was trembling, with the right half of his chest and stomach in pain as he had been shot thrice, and another bullet had hit his right hand.

Luckily, Avdic survived the massacre as none of the bullets hit his vital organs.

When the Serbs set the next row of five victims to be executed behind him, they were shooting everywhere and another bullet hit his foot.

It was the fiercest pain. I really wanted to die. I was in a state between life and death  I was praying to God for them to come and kill me, but I didnt dare call out to them.

Avdic could smell the gunpowder in the air. Those who were still alive were howling from the pain, which stopped once the soldier shot them again.

An illustration by Admir Delic/Al Jazeera

In that moment, I was waiting to die. I couldnt take it any more, Avdic said.

While the soldiers left to get more men and boys to kill, Avdic noticed someone moving in the rows in front of him.

Are you alive? Avdic asked. Im alive, come untie me! said the man.

The two headed over to a channel nearby  Avdic, crawling all the way  where they hid while the next truck arrived and continued with the mass killing.

Once the massacre was over, the two crossed into a village, where they were taken to a military hospital nearby.





Avdics father and uncle did not survive the genocide.

In 2007, Avdic returned to Srebrenica where he lives with his wife and three daughters. At first, it seemed the situation was headed in a positive direction, but this was short-lived.

A climate of genocide denial pervades among the Serb society and politicians, including the current Serb mayor of Srebrenica, Mladen Grujicic.

According to a 2018 poll, 66 percent of Serbs in Republika Srpska, Bosnias Serb-run entity, deny the genocide. Convicted war criminals are regularly celebrated.

With the Dayton peace agreement, the international community gave up Srebrenica to Republika Srpska and to those who deny the genocide. Im disappointed, Avdic said.

After 25 years, not much has changed. Its not that they just deny genocide, but the international verdicts as well. We cant speak about [what happened] in schools, he said.

But we wont give up. We didnt even give up in 1995 when they were killing almost all of us. I still have faith and I see there are a lot of younger generations who are fighting against this more and more.

Almasa Salihovic, 33

Salihovics two siblings were separated from the rest of the family in the crowd fleeing Potocari [Courtesy of Almasa Salihovic]

As the Serb forces entered Srebrenica on July 11, 1995, Almasa Salihovic, eight-year-old at the time, recalls her mother and siblings picking up what they could of their belongings from their uncles house where they had been staying and began running towards the UN base in the village of Potocari, about 22km (13.6 miles) away.

I cant hold you by the hand; just grab a piece of my clothing and whatever happens, dont let go, Salihovic remembers her mom telling her.

Salihovic was running alongside her four older siblings, but as a heavy stream of people were all headed in the same direction, her two eldest siblings Fatima, 19, and Abdulah, 17, got lost in the crowd.

Fatima and Abdulah managed to seek refuge inside the battery factory in Potocari, seen as a safe place.

As it was not possible for tens of thousands of people to stand inside, the UN soldiers closed the door so nobody could go in or out for three days.

The rest of the crowd stayed outside, including Salihovic, her mother and two other siblings.

Dutch UN peacekeepers sitting on top of an armoured personnel carrier as Bosniak refugees from Srebrenica gather in the nearby village of Potocari on July 13, 1995 [File: AP Photo]

She recalls the unbearable screams at night when Serb soldiers, dressed in UN uniforms, would walk among the people and pick out boys and men from the crowd and take them away, never to return them.

I remember women trying to sleep on top of their husbands and sons [to hide them], just so the Serb soldiers dont spot a young man or an older one, Salihovic said.

In the morning of July 13, a line of trucks and buses arrived and a Serb soldier announced: Youre going to Alijas [the first Bosnian presidents] territory. First women and children. The men will join you later.

As the genders were being separated, Salihovic saw UN troops standing by the road.

None of them reacted in any sort of way to even try to prevent [what was happening], Salihovic said.

None of them did anything to even bring attention to what was going on  they knew what was going to happen to the people inside [the factory].

190710112516344

Salihovic and her family got in one of the buses. Her mother pushed her 15-year-old brother Salih under the seat and threw some clothes on top of him to hide him, as she knew the Serb soldiers would search the bus again.

Driving through the nearby town of Bratunac, Salihovic recalls Serb children, women and boys spitting at the windows of their bus, cursing and throwing rocks or whatever they had at the bus.

Hours later, they reached the town of Kladanj, outside Serb control, and stopped at a meadow, which was full of people who were crying and waiting for news of their loved ones.

In the evening, Fatima arrived and found her family, but to their horror, she was alone.

When she said the Serbs did not let Abdulah with her on the bus, their mother fainted amid screams and cries.

About 13 years later, Salihovic received a phone call that 30 percent of Abdulahs remains had been found in a secondary grave called Cancari near the town of Zvornik.

According to the reconstruction, experts found that Abdulah was shot.

International forensic experts examine bodies in a mass grave in Pilice near Srebrenica in 1996 [File: Kevin Coombs/Reuters]

Salihovic and her sisters buried him that year on July 11, 2008, as experts told them it was possible they would never find the rest of his remains.

It took Fatima 25 years to speak about what happened when she detailed her memories in a letter to Salihovic earlier this year.

The letter said a Serb soldier entered the factory, asking all men and boys older than 15 to write their names on the paper signed by a Dutch military commander.

A Bosnian translator also entered the factory and told the Bosniaks a negotiation was going on for their release and that Serb soldiers had demanded from the UN to sign their names.

For two days, they were collecting names, but some people decided not to sign it.

Fatima had debated with Abdulah whether to add his name. In the end, they thought the paper served as proof of existence and could save his life, so Abdulah signed it.

But it proved to be the opposite. When they left the factory, the boys and men were separated from the others and had to stay.

An illustration of a UN peacekeeper in Bosnia [Admir Delic/Al Jazeera]

As they were leaving the factory, Fatima described walking with Abdulah and looking in his eyes, eyes of a boy who knew that he was going to die.

She said she didnt have the feeling that he was blaming her but she simply saw eyes that were saying the last goodbye, Salihovic said.

In February, Salihovic visited the old factory, now a museum as a translator with a group of students.

She found a file of documents on a table that had a list of names. Turning to the last page, she saw her brothers name written in his handwriting: Salihovic Abdulah  1977.

His name was the second-last name on the list, number 238.

Hidden attacks

On July 11, 25 years later, while some bury the remains of their loved ones, others celebrate.

Posters of Mladic have been put up around Srebrenica and Bratunac, reading: Thank you General for 11th of July, the day of liberation of Srebrenica.

Thats what scares me the most, Salihovic said. Even if we dont have incidents in Srebrenica like physical fights, we still have these hidden attacks which is far more worse.

You have people who pretend that theyre nice, they greet you, theyre good. And all of a sudden, you see that theyre part of this [celebration] and thats terrifying, she said.

You have people who would still do the same thing tomorrow if they have the chance and if we dont speak even more loudly than we do now, then Im really not sure where this is going.
She used to earn up to $10,000 per week as an Instagram influencer, but Married At First Sight's Jessika Power has decided to earn a proper living instead.

The 29-year-old has enrolled in beauty school, and was seen arriving bright and early for her first day of classes in Robina, on the Gold Coast, on Thursday.

Jessika couldn't wipe the smile off her face as she rocked up at the French Beauty Academy in her professional black uniform.

New beginnings! Married At First Sight star Jessika Power has enrolled in beauty school, and was seen arriving bright and early for her first day of classes on the Gold Coast on Thursday

The reality star wore minimal makeup, opting for a more natural look compared to how she usually presents herself on social media.

She styled her short blonde hair in a sensible bun, dragged along a small suitcase, and wrapped a white scarf around her neck.

Jessika carried a tray of take-away food and was listening to a pair of wireless AirPods as she arrived at the academy.

Looking good! Jessika couldn't wipe the smile off her face as she rocked up at the French Beauty Academy in her professional black uniform

Back to basics: The reality star wore minimal makeup, opting for a more natural look compared to how she usually presents herself on social media

It comes after Jessika spoke to Daily Mail Australia about her career change, saying that beauty was her passion.

'I was an executive assistant before the show. And now I am doing Instagram influencing, which I am making a buck from,' she said.

'But I sort of want a little bit more. I love skin, I love skincare. I want to specialise in that area. I also just love beauty.'

Jessika hopes to start her own business once she graduates.

Parisian chic: She styled her short blonde hair in a sensible bun, dragged along a small suitcase, and wrapped a white scarf around her neck

Super glam: Jessika is seen in one of her glam Instagram snaps from November last year

Dreams: Jessika hopes to start her own business once she graduates from beauty school

At the height of her fame in October last year, Jessika was earning between $8,000 and $10,000 a week through sponsored Instagram posts.

Since leaving MAFS, she has promoted everything from teeth whitening devices and sex toys to skincare products, restaurants and cosmetic clinics.

Meanwhile, Jessika is newly single following her recent split from landscaper James Brown, whom she dated for four months.
'Twerk queen' Megan Thee Stallion got wet and wild with two gal pals while having fun in her swimming pool on Thursday.

The 25-year-old Hot Girl Summer rapper and her friends 'clapped' their prominent posteriors against the water to create quite a splash on Instagram.

Megan's raunchy video drew the attention of Emmy-nominated actor Michael B. Jordan (Just Mercy, Raising Dion), who commented with a frozen-face emoji.

Dip it low: 'Twerk queen' Megan Thee Stallion got wet and wild with two gal pals while having fun in her swimming pool on Thursday

Megan was particularly intimate with her best friend, posting pics and video of each other playfully slapping each other's behinds.

The Savage hitmaker - sporting a translucent Louis Vuitton bucket hat - gushed to her 23M social media following: 'My Bestfriend is home b****esss!'

At one point, her friend jumped into the pool topless as Megan shot her with a water gun.

For her fun in the sun, Stallion repped her paid partnership with Fashion Nova by wearing the LA brand's $32.99 'Time For A Vacay Teeny Bikini.'

'Oh you getting flooded today bayyybeeee!' The 25-year-old Hot Girl Summer rapper and her friends 'clapped' their prominent posteriors against the water to create quite a splash

Into her: Megan's raunchy video drew the attention of Emmy-nominated actor Michael B. Jordan (Just Mercy, Raising Dion), who commented with a frozen-face emoji

Hands on: Stallion (born Pete) was particularly intimate with her best friend, posting pics and video of each other playfully slapping each other's behinds

The Savage hitmaker - sporting a translucent Louis Vuitton bucket hat - gushed to her 23M social media following: 'My Bestfriend is home b****esss!'

Weeeee! At one point, her pal jumped into the pool topless as Megan shot her with a water gun

The Black Lives Matter protester's neon-yellow string triangle top and neon-pink string thong could barely contain her curvaceous 5ft10in figure.

When she's not posting racy pics, Megan is also a part-time student pursuing a degree in health administration at Texas Southern University.

Stallion's bikini post received glowing comments from Chloe X Halle, La La Anthony, Tamar Braxton, and Slim Thug.

Stallion is still celebrating her new single Girls In The Hood, which 'became her fifth top 40 hit on the Hot 100 and highest debuting solo single' on Monday.

'I need ya number and that's that': For her fun in the sun, Stallion repped her paid partnership with Fashion Nova by wearing the LA brand's $32.99 'Time For A Vacay Teeny Bikini'

Busting out: The Black Lives Matter protester's neon-yellow string triangle top and neon-pink string thong could barely contain her curvaceous 5ft10in figure

'Hottttt!' Megan's bikini post received glowing comments from Chloe X Halle, La La Anthony, Tamar Braxton, and Slim Thug

'I'm one of the artists in this generation that you are gonna remember, and that you're going to be talking about to your kids,' the Houston hip-hop star told NME this month.

'[But] I don't want anybody to perceive me as perfect. Girl, I be waking up and I do not be feeling it sometimes. Sometimes I might bust out crying  I go through it too!'

Megan's posts came as HBO Max renewed her LGBT ballroom competition Legendary, on which she serves judging duties, for a second season.

Stallion has also used quarantine to focus on writing the rest of her debut studio album in her home recording studio.

Congrats! Stallion is still celebrating her new single Girls In The Hood, which 'became her fifth top 40 hit on the Hot 100 and highest debuting solo single' on Monday

The Houston hip-hop star told NME this month: 'I'm one of the artists in this generation that you are gonna remember, and that you're going to be talking about to your kids'

She added: '[But] I don't want anybody to perceive me as perfect. Girl, I be waking up and I do not be feeling it sometimes. Sometimes I might bust out crying  I go through it too!'

'I was already gonna lock myself up! I knew I had that goal and I was going to finish it,' the Savage x Fenty brand partner said.

'I feel like I had been through so much; I was just finally ready to commit to the process. When I'm by myself, that's when my creativity comes to me. The whole album was basically written in the living room, the shower, the backyard  just visualise it with me.'

Megan is next scheduled to perform in public on August 21 for Good Morning America's Summer Concert Series in Manhattan.

Streaming Thursdays! Megan's posts came as HBO Max renewed her LGBT ballroom competition Legendary, on which she serves judging duties, for a second season
Press Release

July 10, 2020 PH RED CROSS HELPS POOREST FAMILIES IN RIZAL PROVINCE THROUGH CASH GRANTS As part of its commitment to help uplift the lives of those who are in vulnerable situations, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) distributes cash grants to the most underprivileged families in the province of Rizal, led by its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Senator Richard J. Gordon. Each of the two hundred (200) families from Antipolo City and 130 families from the municipality of Cainta receives P3,500 from the PRC as part of its program that aims to support Filipino families that are affected by the national state of calamity for COVID-19 enhanced quarantine situation to meet their needs through the provision of multi-purpose cash grants. "Ang Philippine Red Cross (PRC) ay kaisa sa pagbangon ng ating mga kababayang lubhang naapektuhan ng iba't ibang trahedya at kalamidad. Ang munting tulong na ito ay hatid namin sa inyo upang kayo'y makapagsimulang muli at magkaroon ng hanapbuhay para sa inyong pamilya at mga mahal sa buhay. Kami ay nakikiisa sa inyong paghihirap at nais naming kayo'y matulungang makatindig muli," said Gordon. The PRC allotted a total of P2.8 million funding to reach out to 800 families from four municipalities in Rizal. Antipolo and Cainta are the fourth and fifth towns in the country receiving the cash donation, respectively. Aside from the multipurpose cash grant, the PRC also provides P3,500 to 200 beneficiaries in Rizal as part of its Cash for Work program, while a total of P5,500 assistance is given to 300 families in the province under the PRC's COVID-19 Patients/Families Support program. "Huwag kayong mawawalan ng pag-asa. Ang Philippine Red Cross ay inyong kaagapay sa bawat pagsubok ng buhay," Gordon said. Among the various assistance provided by the PRC to Rizal province are the deployment of measles care unit in Antipolo and Cainta in 2019; the provision of relief packs to Dumagat Tribe in Daraitan, Tanay Rizal in 2018; the provision of 3,000 food packs amounting to P900,00 when the province was placed under state of calamity after water hyacinths piled up in portions of Laguna de Bay in 2018; and the distribution of response and rescue team as part of its Readiness and Preparedness Project under Rotary Club of Tres Escalon in 2016.
When Dean Unglert and Caelynn Miller-Keyes left Bachelor in Paradise Season 6, the couple moved on to new adventures. The former reality stars traveled to different destinations across the globe. They also lived in a van before quarantining together amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Then more recently, the BIP alums have been bombarded with marriage rumors. And now, Unglert has revealed he might be taking another big step with Miller-Keyes if a certain someone is re-elected in November.

What happened to Dean Unglert and Caelynn Miller-Keyes after Bachelor in Paradise?

Caelynn Miller-Keyes and Dean Unglert | David Livingston/FilmMagic

RELATED: Caelynn Miller-Keyes Didnt Think Her Relationship With Dean Unglert Would Last After Bachelor in Paradise

A year after Unglert and Miller-Keyes ditched Bachelor in Paradise in 2019, the couple returned to the franchise to chat with host Chris Harrison for The Bachelor: The Greatest Seasons  Ever.

Its been great, Miller-Keys said of her relationship with Unglert after Paradise. We landed in San Diego, started driving the van, and we traveled the world. Weve climbed volcanos, weve hiked  weve done a lot.

Meanwhile, Unglert revealed they have been quarantining in Miller-Keyes cushy apartment in Santa Monica. Then when Harrison asked whether they were living together, Unglert called his situation with Miller-Keyes a domestic partnership.

The Bachelor Nation host then addressed the marriage rumors, noting the black ring on Unglerts finger. And while Miller-Keyes and Unglert arent legally married, they are committed. Unglert said:

In my opinion, I dont need the title of husband to show the world Im committed to one person. So the fact that Im wearing the ring is showing just that. Im committed to Caelynn and only Caelynn  Its not a traditional marriage or engagement ring. But its our little way of telling the world  or the people were around  that were committed to each other.

Miller-Keyes added, Its just nice to know were in this strong, committed relationship without having to get the government involved, as Dean likes to say.

Dean Unglert reveals he might move out of the country with Caelynn Miller-Keyes

RELATED: BIP: Caelynn Miller-Keyes Gets Candid About Her Struggles on Instagram

In the July 8 episode of the Help! I Suck at Dating podcast alongside co-host Jared Haibon and guest Gabrielle Stone, Unglert subtly shared his potential moving plans with Miller-Keyes.

Caelynn and I were just talking about moving to Bali, Unglert said. But well see if it comes down to it.

Later, Unglert further explained the decision, noting he made a pact with Miller-Keyes to move out of the U.S if Donald Trump is re-elected in 2020.

Caelynn and I  not to get all political, not going to share our stances or anything  but if a certain someone gets re-elected in November, we had a handshake agreement to move out of the country, Unglert said.

RELATED: How Dean Unglert and Caelynn Miller-Keyes Are Spending Quarantine

In response, Haibon brought up why leaving the country may not be the right solution if you want something to change. He said:

Heres the thing. Im not going to say my political affiliation either. But back in 2016, everyone was saying, If Trump gets elected, Im moving. I didnt like that because I thought, If you want Trump out, then you have to stay in the country so you can vote him out in 2020. So I dont know. Dont move. I mean, I guess if he wins then hes out in four years anyway because you can only serve two terms. So I guess it doesnt really matter.

Of course, most U.S citizens can still do their part and vote if they reside outside of the country. But regardless, Unglert shared he wanted to leave after the 2016 election. And although he wasnt able to move back then, he has the mean to now.

I was one of those people back in 2016 that said that exact same thing. I said I was going to move to South Africa, Unglert said, adding he didnt realize how expensive or difficult it would be to move to another country. But now that I have the means and Im able to do it, I think its a lot more realistic.

Haibon also pointed out Unglert has someone who would move with him. Then Unglert shared Miller-Keyes has been doing some research of her own. But even so, nothing is officially decided at this point.

Ill update again in November and Ill do my part, Unglert said. But if what happens is what we dont want to happen, I think were going to take extreme measures and get the hell out of here. But thats just a bit of an update on mine and Caelynns situation.

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The current minimum amount of positive figures or green shoots are swiftly removed by new depressing figures of crude oil stock volumes in USA or lower estimates of OECD and MENA region GDP figures for 2020. The total impact is still unclear, but one thing has become obvious, energy demand and supply is under pressure, but not yet balancing out the right way.

At present, the main focus when talking about energy demand destruction is on crude oil and its products. Clearly, oil is struggling, but its sister, natural gas is totally on life-support.

The Golden Age of Gas, as presented by the International Energy Agency at the beginning of the 21st Century, seems to be a very short Age, as we are now entering a possible Ice Age of Gas. Demand worldwide is fledgling, main consumer markets are showing no increased demand figures, while the future demand is in doubt.

With being promoted worldwide as the energy transition fuel, natural gas and LNG have been promoted exponentially. The worlds leading oil and gas companies, such as Shell, ENI, Total, in cooperation with national oils QP, ADNOC, Gazprom and others, all have made the rational choice to invest in the natural gas E&P sectors from the end of the 1990s onwards.

Success seemed inevitable, as natural gas or LNG was the preferred fuel of choice.

Nobody expected however a main competitor on the horizon, US shale gas. The latters revolutionary capture of the global market destabilized the projected gas market fundamentals and brought price levels down substantially. Demand still grew, as prices were very competitive, but supply continued to outpace it.

Still, investments in on- and offshore gas projects kept pouring in, as seen in East Med, offshore Nile Delta Egypt, Australia and Qatar. The global gas market shook on its fundamentals. The emergence of COVID-19 however could be a major shock to its total future. At present, a long list of gas producers is filing for bankruptcy, such as US company Chesapeake and more than 200 US shale producers, or are considering a total reassessment of ongoing and future investment projects.

Story continues

The Golden Age of Gas has become an Ice Age of Gas.

The latter is for sure the case for LNG projects worldwide, that are not only confronted by COVID-19 but a total out of touch with the market supply volume the coming years. Without COVID-19 the market already would have been hitting a major slump due to overproduction and sluggish demand growth.

New projected production volumes, especially in East Med, Mozambique, Brazil, Australia and even in the GCC (Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi), are going to be very hard to sell at commercial price levels. Some even expect that if no real measures are being taken, and production expansion continues, major LNG and gas producers could be facing the same dark scenarios as WTI in April. Negative prices are not out of reach, if the market refuses to go to a restructuring very soon.

Non-American gas producers should understand that with oil prices hovering around $40 per barrel Brent additional shale oil and gas production will come again online. Higher price settings for crude oil and NGLs will boost US shale gas production for sure. Without increased US domestic demand the only way is out, entering the global markets.

Future investment projects in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and East Med, are facing enormous challenges. Qatars LNG strategy has been working for decades, proponing the Peninsula into the Ivy League of gas producers, but now could become a boomerang full of pain. The end to the Qatari production moratorium, in principle a wise choice, however has come at the wrong time. Demand for these additional volumes doesnt exist.

The multibillion investments presented by Doha in E&P and additional LNG carriers could be a major blow to its commercial existence. The same is the case for the high-profile East Med gas adventures of Egypt, Israel and Cyprus. The continuing exploration success stories presented by Italys ENI, French major Total and others in Egypt or Cyprus have become a new version of a Pyrrhic victory. Giant reserves are being found, LNG production is available, but customers are hiding or retreating even. Domestic regional demand will not be enough to counter supply, while European customers can receive LNG volumes at lower prices.

This time success or a Golden Age scenario has turned into a major black hole. Investments are made, commitments are there, reserves proven but demand is down, due to a virus. Not even Asias gigantic markets are able to take advantage, as their own situation is also dire.

Some analysts warned already in the 1990s that the high profile transition from oil to gas producer, as stated by Shell, BP and others, could backfire. Current financials are not yet showing it in full, but profit margins of the main gas producing oil majors will be lower for a longer time. No option anymore to counter lower gas prices by higher oil margins, as they have lost a pivotal oil market position since years.

National oils, especially QP, ADNOC or its counterparts Gazprom and others, are in the same boat. Gazprom reported, as shown by Russias Federal Customs Service (FCS), that it being hit by lower export gas prices and volumes. FCS data show that the companys gas export revenues in the first five months of the year plunged 52.6% to $9.7 billion, while shipments declined 23% to 73 billion cubic meters (Bcm). Mays export revenues came to $1.1 billion  which is 15% lower than April. Physical exports were down 1.7% m-o-m to 11.9 Bcm. When compared to 2019 figures, Gazproms May 2020s export revenues were 61% lower and volumes were 24% down.

Going for the well-known transition fuel natural gas is currently putting these companies on a rowing boat and not anymore a speedboat. Profitability of the natural gas upstream and downstream sector has always been low, especially when looking at the crude oil hey-days. Investors now also will start to reassess their involvement.

Lower ROIs, a bleaker future than presented and a still continuing immense gas supply glut, is not something investors are happy about. Seems that IOCs and NOCs are now looking at a home-made Sword of Damocles. COVID-19 even can make it worse if major economic policies, such as the EUs Green Deal, are going to be implemented earlier. Without even the option of being the energy transitions fuel of choice, natural gas could be put on a slow burner for the next decade. The current bearish gas market, due to prices averaging under $2/MMBtu in 2020, no light is at the end of the tunnel.

LNGs overall situation is even worrying, as costs are higher than commercials are offering at present.

Worldwide LNG projects are also partly doomed, as LNG price settings are either putting projects on ice or major delays of FID is to expected. Global Energy Monitor reports in its Gas Bubble 2020 report that LNG projects that are still within the pre-construction phase have experienced a widespread pullback, including the quiet abandonment of a large number of projects. The same report reiterated that for the period between 2014 and 2020, the failure rate for proposed LNG export terminal projects is 61%.

It also identified 29 LNG export terminal projects that have since 2014 either been delayed, cancelled, abandoned or are facing substantial challenges. The report also states that in total, companies had announced plans to build $758 billion of projects that are as yet in the pre-construction phase. But with 20 projects now in jeopardy, including nine in the United States, that planned capital outlay could be reduced by $292 billion, or 38%, if the delays persist indefinitely.

This article was originally posted on FX Empire

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YEREVAN.  Irates daily writes: Apparently, the inquiry committee initiated by the Prosperous Armenia and Bright Armenia factions of the parliamentary opposition, which is to study the circumstances of the pandemic caused by the coronavirus, will not be formed.

In a conversation with Irates, the MPs of the [majority] My Step faction [in parliament] mentioned that the majority of the National Assembly [(NA)] is not ready to give meat and blood to the committee.

Let us note that according to the NA Rules of Procedure-Law, the inquiry committee can be formed during the regular session of the legislatureafter the voting of the MPs.

"Of course, we are not ready to form that committee. Otherwise, it will turn out that we are questioning the work of our government partners. Yes, no one denies that there were shortcomings in the work being against the pandemic, but we are not going to bring the issue to the field of public discussion," our interlocutor said.

According to him, the initiative of the PAP [Prosperous Armenia Party] and the BAP [Bright Armenia Party] will not actually resolve the issue of research, study and find out the circumstances, but is a form of political PR. "They will come and say, 'You see, you didn't listen to us, you didn't heed the steps we said, and everything went wrong. And it is very clear that we are not going to make either [health minister Arsen] Torosyan, or [deputy PM and commandant of the current state of emergency Tigran] Avinyan, or, moreover, [PM Nikol] Pashinyan a center.
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Parliament will on Thursday, July 16, kick-start discussions on whether the House should allow members to privately sponsor bills to the House.



Rt. Hon Speaker, a Motion is expected to be moved on Thursday, 16th July, 2020 for the adoption of a Proposal for the Enactment of Private Members Bill, Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, announced on Friday, in the Business Statement on the floor of Parliament.



The Business Statement, for the Week Ending 17th July 2020 for the House, read on behalf of the Majority Leader by Majority Chief Whip and MP for Sunyani East, Kwasi Ameyaw-Cheremeh, entreated members to avail themselves on the said date to contribute meaningfully to enrich the debate.



Bills have usually originated from the Executive Arm of Government, but a private member's bill in a parliamentary system of government is a bill (proposed law) introduced into a legislature by a legislator who is not acting on behalf of the executive branch.



Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, has been calling for critical look at lapses and gaps in the laws of the country, which could be filled with the Private Members Bills.



Private Members Bills cover areas that were limitless and a number of issues could be resolved though it provided opportunities for individuals and civil society organisations to help Parliament to promulgate laws.



Speaker Oquaye expressed the view that the media could expose the ills in society and lead to the re-enactment of laws no longer applicable.



Sources in Parliament told the Ghana News Agency that the House had, for the first time, set up a legal department and a research section to assist and investigate the veracity in re-enacting archaic laws, which were in the statute books and were serving no purpose for societal legal needs.



Some Private Members Bills that would be considered are the Public Order (Amendment) Bill, Electoral Offences and Related Malpractices Bill, Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill, Budget Bill and Reproductive Assisted Technologies Bill.



Countries including Australia, Canada, India, Norway, United Kingdom, South Africa, Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda all have a Private Members Bill as a good alternative to fill in the lapses in their national laws.

Source: GNA









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New Delhi:

Naraka Chaturdashi is also known as choti Diwali will be celebrated on 29th October, 2016. This is a Hindu festival which falls on the second day of Diwali. Narak Chaturdashi is celebrated with lot of zeal and enthusiasm. Naraka Chaturdashi has great significance people simply believe that who performs this ritual can avoid going to Narak (Hell). It falls on the next day of Dhanteras.

Devotees worship Mahakali or Goddess Shakti whole day long. According to mythology, Goddess Kali defeated and killed Narakasura. This is also considered as the victory of good over evil. Choti Diwali is an important day during the Diwali festival and for all Hindus.

Choti Diwali 2016: Here is the muhurat timings

Abhyang Snan Muhurta = 05:20 to 06:41 Duration = 1 Hour 20 Mins

Chaturdashi Tithi Begins = 18:20 on 28/Oct/2016

Chaturdashi Tithi Ends = 20:40 on 29/Oct/2016

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Twenty-eight Georgian soldiers from NATOs Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan have tested positive for COVID-19 and have been brought home with the help of the German Air Force, the Georgian Defence Ministry reported.

According to the agenda.de, the ministry said that Afghan personnel was the source of the infection.

"The soldiers have been transported to Georgia with a charter flight several weeks before the completion of the mission. Other Georgian soldiers who will return to the country after the completion of the mission will have to spend two weeks in quarantine," the ministry noted.
The text message conveyed urgency and alarm, even without all caps and exclamation points.

"There's a 6-foot snake in the Pavilion terrorizing guests."

It was June 4, the first day in nearly two months that Virginia wineries were allowed to welcome customers after being shut down as part of the commonwealth's efforts to stem the spread of the coronavirus. At Afton Mountain Vineyards west of Charlottesville, co-owner Elizabeth Smith was struggling to adapt her usual hospitality to the new conditions while still offering guests a welcoming and safe environment. That's a dilemma faced by wineries across the nation as business resumes - though mostly without snakes.

Reopening day at Afton Mountain, which Smith owns with her husband, Tony, went south from the beginning. Smith had advertised that the winery would not be receiving guests under age 21, but the first car to arrive spilled out three young children on their initial outing in weeks and two harried parents desperate for a drink. Smith decided to make an exception. Within minutes, she was herding the children away from the winery's goats and electrified deer fence. A staff member, Jill Schildkamp, began chasing them around the glass-walled pavilion, sanitizing everything they touched. Smith pleaded with them to sit still at one table.

She had just stepped away for a breather when the text came from retail manager Michelle Kimmel. Smith rushed back to the pavilion to find Michelle and Jill using a broom to sweep the reptile into an empty wine box. As they were wrangling the snake, the children ran up and demanded, "Do you have ice cream?" The weary mother followed and asked Smith, "Do you have any other activities the children can do?"

Smith and Kimmel took the snake in the box, walked far out into the vineyard and let it go. "Black rat snake," she wrote on Facebook, "a good kind."

Smith's story is a reminder, as we venture cautiously back into the "new normal," that wineries are not playgrounds or day-care centers, as much as we might need a respite from our children after months of self-isolation. Winery staff are taking extra measures to keep themselves and their customers safe; we should respect their efforts by wearing masks, practicing social distancing and following guidelines set by wineries or local governments.

At Afton Mountain, the tasting room is closed for now, but guests are welcome in the pavilion, which can be opened for extra ventilation in fair weather, and at socially distanced outdoor tables. "Self-guided" tastings are presented in flights with written information about the wines. Smith told me this feature will probably continue even after the tasting room reopens, for people who would rather enjoy their wines at their own pace and not crowd around a tasting room bar.

At Inman Family Wines in Sonoma County's Russian River Valley, precautions are quite elaborate. The winery reopened June 19, and is now open Thursday through Saturday, welcoming two groups or families at a time. "When they arrive, they are greeted by me, in mask, with a squirt of hand sanitizer for each guest," co-owner and winemaker Kathleen Inman says. "We take all their details down so we have a contact tracing record, and we ask them to verify they have no symptoms. They have to sign a waiver of responsibility." The winery's two restrooms are assigned, one to each group. Everything - tables, chairs, restrooms, glasses and dump buckets - must be sanitized immediately after each group leaves, according to county requirements.

"I have to question if (reopening) is worth it," Inman says, citing the health risk to herself and her new wine club manager, who has enabled her to expand to three days of tastings per week. She says she's been doing more online tastings for corporations looking to connect with clients and employees.

California's reopening seemed more upbeat for Alison Smith Story and her husband, Eric Story, when they began welcoming guests back to their Smith Story Wines tasting room in Philo, in Mendocino County's Anderson Valley. The valley is less than three hours' drive from San Francisco or Sacramento, making it a popular day-trip destination.

"I've never seen so many packed Suburus and RVs drive in," Smith Story says. Tastings are by appointment only, starting on the hour and lasting 45 minutes to leave a quarter-hour scramble to sanitize everything. Guests are limited to six per party from the same social circle, and they must wear masks when walking around the tasting room. Temperatures are taken upon arrival, and bottles of hand sanitizer are deployed throughout the room. Tastings are pre-poured, each guest using just one glass. And guests are not allowed to pet Lord Sandwich, the couple's adorable goldendoodle and winery mascot.

"It's bittersweet to work this way," she says. "We are grateful for a full schedule, but only allowing private reservations cuts our customer count to less than half of what we are used to in the summertime here."

Back in Virginia, Elizabeth Smith said snakes reappeared at Afton Mountain Vineyards a couple times those first days after reopening, but the "activity and vibrations" of business have kept them away since. And after that first day, "No more kids," she says. "No exceptions."
With an eye on November, the state Republican Party has taken its concern for potential voter fraud to a new level, creating its own citizen task force to record and investigate cases of potential fraud.

Party Chairman J.R. Romano, who has said hes not opposed to expanding mail-in balloting, rails against the states decision to mail absentee ballot applications to every active voter eligible to vote in the upcoming August primary  about 1.2 million people  claiming the practice will lead to widespread voter fraud.

If someone reported to us that they got an absentee ballot application for someone that has been dead for 12 years, were going to investigate to see if this person has actually cast a ballot to be listed as an active voter, Romano said.

The task force would ease reporting of possible abuses to party and elections officials.

But as Democrats see it, charges of fraud in elections are a Republican lie and a task force is not needed.

The last 30 years of voting statistics in Connecticut prove that voting by absentee ballot is not a problem, and has never been a problem, in Connecticut, said state Sen. Mae Flexer, who co-chairs the legislatures Government Administration & Elections Committee. The Connecticut Republican Party has got to stop parroting President Trumps lies about voter fraud, and it has to stand up for democracy and individual rights.

While mistakes do happen, actual cases of voter fraud are exceedingly rare. A 2014 study published in the Washington Post found 31 credible incidences out of 1 billion ballots cast. In Connecticut, it is estimated there have been just 20 convictions for absentee ballot fraud out of 1.5 million absentee ballots cast in the past 30 years, Flexer said  most of those involving elderly people who voted absentee without proper cause.

Connecticut is among the states that requires voters to be incapacitated or out of state in order to vote by absentee ballot. Initiatives to widen it have failed but because of coronavirus, Gov. Ned Lamont signed an executive order allowing any voter to claim fear of the illness as a reason to seek an absentee ballot.

Many lawmakers want to extend that rule to the November election, a change that would require a vote in the General Assembly.

State Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano, R-North Haven, said he had no problem with expanding absentee voting excuses to include COVID, but he was opposed to widespread mailing of the absentee ballot applications, saying he feels it opens up an easier opportunity for bad actors to engage in fraud.

My concern from the very beginning was the purging of the list, Fasano said. Im in favor of adding absentee ballots the normal way during COVID but [Secretary of the State] Denise Merrill took it to a new level, a different level. This isnt a Trump thing for crying out loud. This has to do with actual fraud that can be committed. People should be entitled to vote, with COVID as an excuse, but there is no reason why she has to mail out the ballot applications.

Nationally, about 15 percent of election mail is returned to sender as people move or die without updating their or their family members voter registrations. In Conncticut, about 8 percent of the mailed ballot applications have been returned, said Merrills spokesman, Gabe Rosenberg.

Five separate lawsuits have been filed against the state concerning the absentee ballot process  four opposed to the practice of expanding mail-in voting in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and seeking to require the change by court order.

Lamont, during his daily press briefing Thursday, quipped that he was, shocked to hear theres gambling in Casablanca.

I guess its a bit of a political game, he said. I dont want older folks in particular, folks who fear for their health, to have to go line up at the ballot box. August is going to be a forerunner to whats going to happen in November. November is going to be a very big election. So if they dont like our plan for absentee balloting, what are they saying? Line up and take your medicine?

kkrasselt@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2563; @kaitlynkrasselt
Zimbabwes central bank has announced that Zimswitch is now the designated national payment platform for all mobile money providers with immediate effect.

In a statement, Governor John Mangudya of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe said all money transmission agents should be connected to Zimswitch no later than August 15, 2020.

In accordance with the provisions of the National Payment Systems Act [Chapter 24:23] and the Banking (Money Transmission, Mobile Banking and Mobile Money Interoperability) Regulations, Statutory Instrument 80 of 2020 (the Regulations), the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (the Bank) wishes to advise the public that it has designated Zimswitch as a national payment switch with immediate effect.

All mobile money transmission providers and mobile banking providers are hereby directed to be connected to Zimswitch as provided for by section 4 of the Regulations. To ensure seamless integration, all money transmission providers and mobile money providers must complete the necessary installation or deployment or commissioning of infrastructure and connection protocols, credentials and documentation for connection to Zimswitch by no later than 15 August 2020.

The central bank did not elaborate on the move though economic commentators say it is designed to stop the trading of hard currencies in the black market, which has allegedly resulted in the devaluation of the local bond note.

The government recently restricted trading in some mobile money markets, saying they were fueling the illegal selling of United States dollars and other currencies.

In a statement, the Ministry of Information initially announced that all mobile money transactions were cancelled only for the central bank to issue a retraction, noting that they had, in fact, restricted EcoCash and others, which the bank believed was causing havoc in the money market.

The Ministry of Information said the measures were intended to deal with malpractices, criminality and economic sabotage.

The ministry said government is carrying out intrusive investigations that would lead to the arrest and prosecution of offenders. These measures include the suspension of all trading on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange.

Last week, the government noted that it is in possession of impeccable intelligence which constitutes a prima facie case whereby the phone-based mobile money systems of Zimbabwe are conspiring, with the help of the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange, either deliberately or inadvertently, in illicit activities that are sabotaging the economy.

The ministry said these included the illegal externalization of foreign currency through transfer mispricing  fraudulently creating and issuing non-attributable and non-auditable agent cellphone lines/accounts, hiding irreconcilable accounts in suspense accounts which hold huge credit balances for unjustifiably long periods.

It further noted that some activities include acting as banks outside the purpose for which they were originally licensed as non-banking financial institutions.

In the particular case of Ecocash, holding well in excess of ZWL8 billion distributed just over 501,000 agent/merchant lines as at 10 June 2020, which is not under the scrutiny of the Financial Intelligence Unit.

Ecocash was cited as the center pivot of galloping black market foreign exchange rate and hence fueling the incessant price hikes of goods and services that are bedeviling the economy and causing untold hardship to the people of Zimbabwe.

In this regard, it has been conspiring with big merchants to act as their conduit through which they transfer hundreds of millions of dollars per day to runners on the street who then buy US dollars on their behalf.

The ministry claimed that some money platforms were facilitating the illicit trade in notes and coins at contrived rates of between 30% and 50%, thus causing artificial shortages of the same within the banking system.

It claimed that some cited money platforms were engaging in rampant tax evasion, use of illegal or banned lines, facilitating use of bulk airtime sales at discounted prices, which are cross rated to phantom USD exchange rates, which further distort the Zimbabwe market and deliberately mop up US dollars from the black market, thus forcing up the rate of exchange in a manner that has hitherto been difficult to explain for the monetary authorities.

The ministry also claimed that Ecocash, OneMoney, Telecash and MyCash Mobile Money platforms are all complicit in these illicit activities in varying degrees. Ecocash, however, which controls nearly 94% of all mobile money transactions, is the center pivot of this problem and its resultant impact on Zimbabwes economy.

The impact is exacerbated by the existence of fake counters on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange, which are epitomized by the so-called Old Mutual Implied Exchange Rate (OMIR). This, in turn, results in four or more US:ZW parallel market exchange rates operating in the market. At any time, therefore, there is the official rate, an Ecocash rate, a OneMoney rate and the OMIR among others.
The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has alleged that the return of final year Senior High School students to school was part of an "illegal" scheme to assemble the students for voter registration.



The NDC's Director of Elections, Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah at a press briefing today in Accra contended that the decision also contravenes the law which mandates the Electoral Commission to gazette a designated polling centre for 21 days.



"We (the NDC) remind the EC that according to C.I. 91 they are required to gazette a designated polling centre for 21 days. In the absence of that, any so-called registration centre, be it in a school or elsewhere is illegal," Mr Afriyie Ankrah said.



"It is true that the EC was quick to refer to their mandate as prescribed by CI 91 but they conveniently left out portions of the same CI that compels them to gazette for a defined number of days.



"We refer you, ladies and gentlemen to Regulation 2, Paragraph 3 of the CI 91: "The Commission shall at least twenty-one days before the first day of the national registration of voters, inform political parties and the general public by publication in the Gazette of a place it designates as a registration centre".



EC deploy officials to SHS



The Electoral Commission (EC) has deployed registration officials to Senior High Schools (SHS) across the country.



The officials will today,Friday and Saturday go to register final year students as part of the ongoing voters ID registration exercise.



The ECs Acting Director of Public Affairs, Sylvia Annoh said the two-day exercise will be held in all SHSs that do not have polling stations within their schools.



All qualified Senior High School students who are 18 and above are therefore encouraged to present themselves at these registration centres within their schools with either a passport or Ghana Identification Card.



However, additional days will be announced when it becomes necessary to ensure that all eligible voters are registered, she said.



Source: Daily Graphic









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

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A man receives a shot in a clinical trial of a potential vaccine for COVID-19. (Ted S. Warren / Associated Press)

It might be the next best thing to a coronavirus vaccine.

Scientists have devised a way to use the antibody-rich blood plasma of COVID-19 survivors for an upper-arm injection that they say could inoculate people against the virus for months.

Using technology thats been proven effective in preventing other diseases such as hepatitis A, the injections would be administered to high-risk healthcare workers, nursing home patients, or even at public drive-through sites  potentially protecting millions of lives, the doctors and other experts say.

The two scientists who spearheaded the proposal  an 83-year-old shingles researcher and his counterpart, an HIV gene therapy expert  have garnered widespread support from leading blood and immunology specialists, including those at the center of the nations COVID-19 plasma research.

But the idea exists only on paper. Federal officials have twice rejected requests to discuss the proposal, and pharmaceutical companies  even acknowledging the likely efficacy of the plan  have declined to design or manufacture the shots, according to a Times investigation. The lack of interest in launching development of immunity shots comes amid heightened scrutiny of the federal governments sluggish pandemic response.

There is little disagreement that the idea holds promise; the dispute is over the timing. Federal health officials and industry groups say the development of plasma-based therapies should focus on treating people who are already sick, not on preventing infections in those who are still healthy.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, said an upper-arm injection that would function like a vaccine is a very attractive concept.

However, he said, scientists should first demonstrate that the coronavirus antibodies that are currently delivered to patients intravenously in hospital wards across the country actually work. Once you show the efficacy, then the obvious next step is to convert it into an intramuscular shot.

Story continues

But scientists who question the delay argue that the immunity shots are easy to scale up and should enter clinical trials immediately. They say that until theres a vaccine, the shots offer the only plausible method for preventing potentially millions of infections at a critical moment in the pandemic.

Beyond being a lost opportunity, this is a real head-scratcher, said Dr. Michael Joyner, a Mayo Clinic researcher who leads a program sponsored by the Food and Drug Administration to capitalize on coronavirus antibodies from COVID-19 survivors. It seems obvious.

::

The use of so-called convalescent plasma has already become widespread. More than 28,000 patients have already received the IV treatment, and preliminary data suggest that the method is safe. Researchers are also looking at whether the IV drip products would prevent new infections from taking root.

The antibodies in plasma can be concentrated and delivered to patients through a type of drug called immune globulin, or IG, which can be given through either an IV drip or a shot. IG shots have for decades been used to prevent an array of diseases; the IG shot that prevents hepatitis A was first licensed in 1944. They are available to treat patients who have recently been exposed to hepatitis B, tetanus, varicella and rabies.

Yet for the coronavirus, manufacturers are only developing an intravenous solution of IG.

Joyner told The Times that 600 COVID-19 survivors donating their plasma each day could, depending on donation volumes and concentrations, generate up to 5,000 IG shots. With millions of probable survivors in the United States, he said, capacity isnt a problem.

Plasma companies said theyve focused their efforts on an intervention for the sickest patients. Grifols, for example, said it has not developed a shot because it is pursuing a federally supported IV formula to treat patients already infected with a serious case of COVID-19, but the company acknowledged that an antibody injection would be a good choice for prevention.

Advocates for the immunity shots say businesses are reluctant to invest in a product that could soon be replaced by a vaccine, so the government should offer financial incentives to offset that risk. Billions of federal dollars are already being spent on vaccine research through Operation Warp Speed, and funding for an IG shot that could serve as a bridge to a vaccine would come with a relatively modest price tag, they say.

Antibodies are the most precious resource on the planet right now, next to air. We have the industry, the technology, and the know-how to produce a proven product, said Patrick Schmidt, the chief executive of FFF Enterprises, a major distributor of IG products in the United States.

The amount of money and resources going into a vaccine, with no guarantee it will work  this could have saved lives by now.

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The proposal for an injection approach to coronavirus prevention came from an immunization researcher who drew his inspiration from history.

Dr. Michael Oxman knew that, even during the 1918 flu pandemic, the blood of recovered patients appeared to help treat others. Since then, convalescent plasma has been used to fight measles and severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, among other diseases.

Like other doctors, Oxman surmised that, for a limited time, the blood coursing through the veins of coronavirus survivors probably contains immune-rich antibodies that could prevent  or help treat  an infection.

On March 27, he and Dr. John Zaia, the director of City of Hopes Center for Gene Therapy, submitted a proposal to the federal Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA, urging the rollout of IG shots for first responders and members of other high-risk groups.

The agency granted $12.5 million to Grifols and $14.5 million to Emergent BioSolutions to produce plasma-based COVID-19 medicines in IV form drips, among more than 50 different biomedical partnerships to fight the pandemic. But the immunity shot proposal was rejected.

The pair followed up with a detailed proposal to conduct a clinical trial at UC San Diego. They believed injectable 5-milliliter vials of IG could be given quickly by minimally trained healthcare workers, offering at least two months of immunity to doctors and nurses, as well as residents of nursing homes, college dormitories and military submarines.

The submission was backed by four other infectious disease researchers and statisticians, but it was also rejected, records show.

A spokeswoman for BARDA told The Times that the agency had received thousands of submissions, and that while we are interested in the potential of [IG] for treatment and prevention, we are focused intently on treatments for hospitalized patients to save lives.

The strategy baffled Oxman and Zaia, who said the IG shots are a far more efficient delivery system that can potentially reach many more people.

Whats more, prophylactic shots would probably require far fewer antibodies than IV treatments, Joyner said. With IG shots, plasma donations could possibly go twice  or even five times  as far, he said.

If a second wave of the virus were to arrive before an effective vaccine, that stockpile would be all the more essential.

Oxman started focusing his attention on the key players in the industry  the manufacturers who dominate the development of plasma drugs. He held weekly phone calls with Schmidt, the distributor; together, the two tried to persuade seven companies to produce the shots themselves and bring them to health agencies for testing. They were unsuccessful.

Takeda and CSL Behring, two large companies who co-lead the new CoVIg-19 Plasma Alliance to develop an IG product for IV drips, said their efforts are trained on the sickest. The IV formula represents the fastest path to reach patients, assuming the trial is successful, said Julie Kim, the head of the plasma-derived therapies business unit at Takeda.

Financial calculations may be another factor for companies. Intravenous plasma products are traditionally the main economic driver for the industry, supply experts said, in part because vaccines have replaced many short-term immunity shots over the years. The money-making antibodies are also far more diluted in intravenous drugs than in injectable ones, which boosts profit



margins.

They charge a fortune off of intravenous drugs in the hospital. They dont want to devote the manufacturing plant to something that wont make oodles of money, said one infectious disease expert, who has advocated for coronavirus IG shots but asked not to be publicly identified.

Researchers also said industry executives have little incentive to produce the immunity shots for the coronavirus, given the possibility that a longer-lasting vaccine could replace it within a year.

Representatives for CSL, Takeda and Grifols all challenged that assertion.

The choice of one delivery method or another has no connection with the potential financial or pricing implications, a Grifols spokesman told The Times.

Throughout May, researchers and doctors at Yale, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Duke and four University of California schools sent a barrage of letters to dozens of lawmakers. They held virtual meetings with health policy directors on Capitol Hill, but say they have heard no follow-up to date.

Dr. Arturo Casadevall, the chair of the National COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Project, said he spoke to FDA officials who told him they do not instruct companies on what to produce. Casadevall told The Times that the leaders of the national project were very supportive of the need to develop an IG shot rapidly and that he believed it would be very helpful in stemming the epidemic.

Joyner, of the Mayo Clinic, said there are probably 10 million to 20 million people in the U.S. carrying coronavirus antibodies  and the number keeps climbing. If just 2% of them were to donate a standard 800 milliliters of plasma on three separate occasions, their plasma alone could generate millions of IG shots for high-risk Americans.

At a hot-spot meatpacking plant, or at a mobile unit in the parking lot outside a mall  trust me, you can get the plasma, Joyner said. This is not a biological problem nor a technology problem. Its a back-of-the-envelope intelligence problem.

The antibody injections, for now, do not appear to be a high priority for the government or the industry.

Grifols, on April 28  the same day that the U.S. topped 1 million confirmed coronavirus cases  made a major product announcement that would expand its leadership in disease treatment with immunoglobulins.

The product was a new vial for IG shots  to treat rabies.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
JACKSON, MI  From a family of five starting over after losing everything they have in a house fire, to a woman with Jackson ties being arrested and charged for allegedly help hide the body of slain soldier at Fort Hood Texas, a lot has been going on in the Jackson area this week.

Here are some headlines you might have missed.

Theres nothing left, says family of 5 that lost home, dogs to house fire

Everything the Lovings family has ever owned is gone.

All their worldly possessions, their home, two dogs, their sense of safety and security destroyed in fire that burned their Leoni Township trailer to the ground on Saturday, June 27.

Theres nothing left, wept Chelsea Lovings, recalling the afternoon of the fire. We left the house to go see a friend and got a phone call saying our trailer was on fire. We were on our way back when we got another call to say we didnt need to hurry back because there was nothing left to save.

Woman accused of helping to hide body of Fort Hood soldier has Jackson ties

A woman arrested and charged for allegedly helping hide a body in Texas once lived in Jackson, Michigan, records show.

Cecily Aguilar, 22, is charged with a felony count of mutilating and destroying to impede an investigation, court records from July 6 in the United State District Court Western District of Texas show.

Aguilar is accused of helping hide the body of Spc. Vanessa Guillen, whose remains were found buried near U.S. Army post Fort Hood, in Killeen, Texas, a report from the Associated Press said.

Jackson County to close departments on Fridays to save money

Jackson County will close all or part of 17 departments on Fridays to save money during a budget shortage.

The closure is on Fridays through August, as part of Michigans Work Share Program. It is expected to save the county between $300,000 to $400,000, Director of Human Resources and Labor Relations Richard Martonchik said.

Appeals court affirms judgment against Jackson schools in teachers whistleblower lawsuit

A teacher at Jackson Public Schools suffered retaliation from the district after reporting an assault by a student to police, the Michigan Court of Appeals has ruled.

Pennie Davis, a longtime art teacher at Jackson High School, reported an assault by a student in October 2015. In a lawsuit against the district, she said JPS violated Michigans Whistleblowers Protection Act by reassigning her after she reported the assault to the Jackson Police and obtained a personal protection order.

New elementary school, pool complex projects behind schedule but on budget in Jackson

The location of the old Cascades Elementary School that was torn down in January 2019 now has a new school built on it: the new Cascades Elementary School in Jackson.

The elementary school is the first new building that has been built by Jackson Public Schools since 1969  when Northeast Elementary School on Fleming Avenue was built.

Despite delays that have put Jackson Public School construction projects about a month behind schedule, JPS is still on track with their budget for the more than $60 million dollar renovations and construction work.

Teenage girl injured with scissors during fight, Jackson police say

A 15-year-old girl was injured with scissors during a fight Tuesday night, police said.

Multiple minors were involved in a fight around 6:50 p.m., July 7, in the 300 block of W. Franklin Street.

A 15-year-old girl allegedly attacked another 15-year-old girl with scissors during the fight.

Jackson County health officials urge residents to take precautions against mosquito-borne illnesses

After last years outbreak of deadly mosquito-borne illness Eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE, Jackson County officials are reminding residents to be cautious as they head outside this summer and fall.

The Jackson County Health Department issued a warning Friday, July 3, ahead of what is usually one of Michigans busiest weekends for gatherings and outdoor activities, even as the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic remains.

Man arrested with 12 baggies of heroin is connected to Grass Lake overdose death, police say

A man was arrested Wednesday night in connection to a drug overdose death in May.

Jackson County Sheriffs deputies stopped a 44-year-old Waterloo Township man around 7:50 p.m., July 8, on Harr Road near the intersection of Waterloo Munith Road, after an investigation connected him to an overdose death in Grass Lake.

A 53-year-old Grass Lake man died of a drug overdose May 9.
A former school principal convicted of sexually abusing seven of his pupils has been jailed for three years.

After a trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court last March, Patrick Harte (78) was convicted of 11 counts of indecently assaulting seven pupils at the Sancta Maria Christian Brothers primary school on Synge Street, Dublin between September 1968 and September 1970.

The court heard that when gardai put the victims' allegations to Harte in 2015, the former teacher claimed they had a vendetta against him.

Anne Rowland SC, prosecuting, told the court that there was no evidence that any of the victims were ever in contact with each other since the offending took place. Detective Garda Garvan Ware said as far as I'm concerned, they are all independent.

Harte, of Glendown Park, Templeogue, Dublin had denied the charges and in a speech to the court he claimed that the State had validated his teaching at the time and could not now invalidate it.

He said I abhor all forms of child abuse, discrimination and social injustice and told Judge Martin Nolan that he would go to the High Court if his sentence reflected a sectarian motivated prosecution.

Passing sentencing today, Judge Nolan said that at the time of the offending Harte was the victims' teacher and that they found him cruel and too fond of punishment.

Judge Nolan said the evidence disclosed seems to indicate a pattern of misbehaviour. He said the victims were particularly courageous in coming forward to give their evidence and the court thanks them.

He sentenced Harte to two years imprisonment for the first count of indecent assault on the indictment and one year imprisonment for the second count on the indictment, which he ordered to run consecutive to the former sentence.

Judge Nolan sentenced Harte to one year imprisonment on each of the remaining nine counts of indecent assault, but ordered that they run concurrent to the other sentence, resulting in an effective sentence of three years imprisonment.

At an earlier sentencing hearing, the court heard that Harte repeatedly and continuously molested the children amidst an atmosphere in his class of severe corporal punishment and verbal abuse.

Victims testified at the trial that he would find reasons to call them up to his desk, sometimes for praise and other times for correction of minor misbehaviours. He would warn the rest of the class to look at their books and not raise their heads before proceeding to fondle the boys' genital areas.

Ms Rowland told the court that three of the victims wished to waive their anonymity. Asked about this, Dermot Hallion confirmed this was the case, saying Yes, I didn't commit any crime.

He told the court that that abuse continued to affect him into adulthood, causing him to feel worthless and low in confidence.

Fr Tony Conlon, now a Catholic priest, said the abuse had a paralysing effect on his life and prevented him from achieving so many things in life.

Throughout my life I always believed I was the only one, I had no idea there were others who suffered. I felt I had done something wrong and afraid I would be found out he said.

He said he was terrified someone would find out he was the victim of child abuse and that this might cause them to think he would be an abuser himself.

Ms Rowland outlined to the court evidence that Harte would regularly beat pupils with a leather strap which he constantly had to hand. She said victims described being afraid of him and being punished for the slightest thing.

Fr Conlon told gardai that Harte once smashed a pupils head up against a wall and other victims described constant beatings with the leather.

One victim's mother confronted Harte in the staff room and Harte denied he had done anything wrong.

Dt Gda Ware agreed with Patrick Gageby SC, defending, that the prosecution had not brought any charges of child cruelty or physical abuse against his client.

Harte was due to be sentenced on two occasions earlier this week. On Monday Judge Nolan denied a defence application to adjourn the case for two months because of Harte's risk of getting Covid-19.

On Tuesday Harte failed to show up again and his lawyers told the court he had gone into hospital with cardiac issues.

Harte had pleaded not guilty and gave evidence during the trial in which he strenuously denied the allegations.
PORTAGE, MI  IT Manager/Analyst Tom Graham is running against small business owner Bronwyn Haltom for the republican nomination in the 61st District of the Michigan House of Representatives.

Graham, 53, said he is self-taught and lists 15 programming languages, business operations, accounting, inventory, supply chain management, owned and operated multiple businesses. Graham said he has spent years debugging lines of code, and he has the experience of raising 5 children.

Haltom, 28, said she is a Kalamazoo native. She and her husband own a small marketing firm and she attended Kalamazoo Valley Community College and transferred to the University of Michigan to earn Bachelor of Arts, she said.

Graham and Haltom will face off during the primary election on Aug. 4. The 61st District contains the city of Portage, Oshtemo, Texas, Prairie Ronde and Schoolcraft townships and the villages of Schoolcraft and Vicksburg in Kalamazoo County.

Christine Morse is the lone Democrat running. Current GOP State Rep. Brandt Iden is term-limited.

MLive Media Group has again partnered with the League of Women Voters of Michigan Education Fund to provide candidate information and other voting resources to our readers. Each candidate was asked to answer a series of questions about their policy stances.

Information on all state and federal races and many of Michigans county and local races will be available at Vote411.org.

EDUCATION: 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?

Tom Graham

I am a proponent of CTE (Career Technical Education). I believe that in our meritocracy, one of the governments most important duties is to develop the talent of our young people. Not all young people are college bound but still deserve the State investment in their talent after high school. I would like to see stricter college grant requirements to ensure the State funds are actually being used to develop job skills. There are certain programs that, even though they are important to our culture, the State should not promote as it is not the States place to promote one culture over another.

Bronwyn Haltom

Public education is the most important investment the State of Michigan can make in our future, and I support robust education funding that prepares Michigan students for the jobs of tomorrow. The legislature must find long-term solutions to address Michigans third grade reading levels that bring together parents, teachers, administrators and students. I support measures to expand opportunities that empower parents and guardians to make decisions that best fit their students educational needs. We must also promote and invest in skilled trades and vocational learning as an additional path to career readiness.

ECONOMIC SECURITY: What policies do you support to increase jobs and help Michigan residents improve their economic positions, in general and given the pandemic?

Tom Graham

Michigan needs to continue supporting economic development though good infrastructure, developing highly skilled talent and low property, sales and income taxes. I support House Bill 4816 (2019) so Kalamazoo can build the Downtown Arena using hotel and motel visitor usage taxes and private donations. Michigan needs a comprehensive infrastructure plan that can be implemented over 10-20 years that a new governor cannot unilaterally override by issuing billions of dollars of bonds.

Bronwyn Haltom

Now more than ever, Michigan must have an economic climate that encourages growth and investment and brings families and good-paying jobs back to our state. I support policies that encourage companies to innovate, expand, and hire a Michigan workforce without burdensome regulations and high taxes. I believe the Governor should work with the legislature to produce a plan that allows our economy to re-open safely, while supporting small businesses that have been hit the hardest by this pandemic.

ELECTIONS: What state policies do you support regarding Michigan elections, voting and campaign funding? Do you support mailing ballots to all eligible voters?

Tom Graham

Although I agree with the spirit of the anti-gerrymandering law recently passed, I opposed it because the unintended consequence is going to be fewer minority majority districts, which means fewer minorities occupying seats in Congress. Also, redistricting so people living in cities have more control over people in the country creates its own social inequity concerns. I support mail in ballots being sent to all Michigan Registered voters. I support laws that ensure the integrity of the chain of custody of mail in ballots as well as the voter rolls.

Bronwyn Haltom

I support efforts to promote civic engagement and assist all who are eligible exercise their right to vote. Transparency is crucial in ensuring the integrity of Michigans campaign finance system, and giving voters access to timely and accurate funding sources holds elected officials accountable to those they represent.

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY: 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?

Tom Graham

I support the Clean Air and the Clean Water Acts as well as RCRA and all the regulations for the safe handling and transportation of waste and chemicals. Working at a hazardous waste disposal facility for 12 years makes you aware of the very real dangers most people never think about. To promote renewable energy I would support development of energy storage technologies, which is the largest technical challenge today for renewables.

Bronwyn Haltom

Protecting Michigans precious natural resources is essential - I support current state laws that protect our lands, air and Great Lakes from pollution, and policies that promote environmental stewardship and energy innovation. Modernizing Michigans energy infrastructure with sustainable solutions and allowing the renewable energy sector to thrive will create new jobs and reduce our environmental impact.

SOCIAL JUSTICE: How would you address the racial, economic, health, education, etc. inequities, including Michigans 20% of children and 17% of seniors living in poverty?

Tom Graham

I believe that racial prejudice has been decreasing with each generation since the civil war. Statistically, immigrants from all over the world flock to the United States because it is clearly, by ever measure, the least discriminatory nation in the world and the most inclusive and tolerant of all ways of life. We have established equality under the law for all. Of course there are pockets of unfair, avoidable differences arising from poor governance, corruption or cultural exclusion, but when they come to light, the free market of ideas and the law holds them accountable, so I support uncensored free speech.

Bronwyn Haltom

Addressing these will require meaningful bipartisan legislation specific to the issue at hand, though increased funding for early education, skilled trades programs and vocational learning will provide greater opportunity for communities impacted by generational poverty and institutional inequities. I would also oppose policies - such as a 45-cent gas tax - that disproportionately burden the poorest communities in our state.

GUNS: Do you believe that Michigan has a gun violence problem? If so, what measures would you support to alleviate this problem?

Tom Graham

I do not believe Michigan has a gun violence problem. Last year my son took his own life, he used a shotgun. I do not blame the gun for how my son used it.

Although there were 30,000 gun crimes in the US last year, there were over 300,000 crimes averted by the would be victim brandishing a firearm, not shooting it but just showing that they had one. Guns make 125lb women equal to 250lb men in a fight. It is illegal to purchase a machine gun manufactured after 1986, and machine guns made before that cost over $10,000 so very few people own them. Its important to make decisions based on factual data.

Bronwyn Haltom

Our community has felt the devastation of gun violence first-hand. I support common-sense measures to prevent criminals and those wishing to do us harm from acquiring deadly weapons. Increased funding for mental health programs and school security officers will help deter preventable tragedies and keep Kalamazoo safe.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that India is considered the most attractive market in the clean energy space because of its tremendous progress and added that solar energy would play a key role in achieving the targets of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) Abhiyan.

He made this comment while dedicating to the nation Asias biggest solar power plant, which has a capacity of 750 megawatts (MW), in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh (MP), via a video-conference link amid the raging coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak in the country.

Terming the solar energy as pure, sure and secure, he said, It was sure because other sources of energy might be depleted but not of Sun. It will always continue to shine in the world. Its pure because it helps the environment instead of polluting it and secure because it is a symbol of self-reliance.

The PM said, when policymakers in the world were at the horns of a dilemma whether to focus on the economy or environment and took decisions, either way, India had shown the way that there was no contradiction but both complemented each other.

Whether its the Swachh Bharat Mission campaign or campaign to provide LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) and PNG (piped natural gas) to every family or building the network of CNG-(compressed natural gas) based transport system across the country or efforts for electricity-based transport in the country several such measures are being undertaken for making the life of people better in an environment-friendly manner, the PM said.

This is the reason, he said, In all the government programmes environment protection and ease of living are being given preference. For us, the protection of the environment is not confined to a few projects but its a way of life. When we are launching big projects of renewable energy we are trying to ensure that our resolve towards clean energy is reflected in every aspect of our life and also our efforts are to see that its benefit goes to every citizen, every class, and every part of the country.

For instance, he said, In the past six years, 36 crore LED (light emitting diode) bulbs had been distributed across the country and more than 1 crore LED bulbs had been fitted in street lights.

The PM said there was a time, when the price of the LED bulb was beyond the reach of the common man. In the past six years, the price of a LED bulb had reduced 10 times and people were now using 9-10 watt bulbs instead of 100-200 watt bulbs, he said.

As a result, he said the consumption of power has been reduced by six billion units and on this count, people save Rs 24,000 crore every year in India. Besides, it prevented 40 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from entering the environment and thus pollution level came down, he said.

Modi said given the governments policy and strategy on solar power the price of solar energy what used to be Rs 7-8 per unit in 2014 had come down to Rs 2-2.50 per unit now and it benefitted industries, in employment generation and people.

The PM said, There is a discussion going on in the entire world as to how solar energy is so low-priced in India. When there is a discussion on renewable energy in the world India is being seen as a model.

He said solar power couldnt be utilised to its fullest potential until the country had better solar panels, battery, and storage capacity of better quality.

Work is going on in this direction. The countrys aim under Atmnirbhar Bharat Abhiyan is to do away with our dependence on imports for various hardware including solar panels. Necessary steps are being taken to enhance the manufacturing of solar PV (photovoltaic) modules, he added.

Making an appeal to entrepreneurs, youth, and start-ups to take advantage of the countrys potential in the field of solar energy, he said, It has been made mandatory to use solar photovoltaic cells and modules made in India in pumps under Kusum (Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan) scheme and rooftop panels on houses. This has been decided that the government departments and other government institutions will only buy made-in-India solar cell or module. At the same time, the government is encouraging the companies that are setting up power plants to manufacture solar PV modules.

Earlier, MP chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the solar project cost was about Rs 4,000 crore.

The foundation stone of the project was laid on December 22, 2017.

The CM said, The power produced from the project is Rs 2.97 per unit, which is the lowest in the country. From the environmental point of view, the emission of 15.7 lakh tonnes of carbon dioxide is being prevented from entering the environment, which is equivalent to planting 2.60 crore trees. Around 24% of the power produced from the project is earmarked for Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.

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Europe now needs to re-establish its relations with China as the world situation is changing fast and Chinas power and influence are increasing.

For one fourth of the last century, the China policy of European countries has been trapped in dilemma between realism and idealism. The COVID-19 pandemic is a profound reminder to Europe of all the contradictions in its disproportionate relationship with China.

Europes disproportionate relations in terms of political and strategic power

Although the global health crisis is driving the trends of the current international system (the crisis of multilateralism;severe tensions, especially in Asia, the Middle East and theMediterranean; a deep crisis of interdependence), in fact the European Union (EU) still exists in disproportionate relations in terms political and strategic power with the United States and China. Moreover, Beijing benefits from disagreements on views within the EU. China is the EU's second largest trading partner, after the US, while the EU is China's largest trading partner. Not only being a large market with considerable economic and trade power, the EU is also an indispensable partner of China, both in technology and trade. In 2018, bilateral trade between China and the EU reached nearly 700 billion USD. Specifically, China exported goods worth 410 billion USD and its imports valued at 275 billion USD. In almost all areas, the bilateral trade balance between the EU and China has been skewed. The volume of goods that EU member countries import from China is twice as much as that they export to that country.

China has always considered the EU a geopolitical and diplomatic trump card to counterbalance the US. Along with changing strategy and increasing power, Beijing has joined European mechanisms to strengthen its presence in Brussels as well as in Luxembourg, Frankfurt or Strasbourg. Established in 1975, relations between the EU and China have developed, especially in the economic field, even though Europe enacted a ban on arms sales to China. The strategic partnership was established in 1998 and the EU-China Summit is held annually. Beijing has also successfully participated in bilateral dialogue with the EU, and implemented a state-level policy to increase its influence and optimise the EUs weaknesses. The bilateral dialogue model is built on three pillars: political dialogue, economic dialogue and dialogue on people-to-people exchange. The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) was launched to strengthen such dialogues.

Although the two sides are increasingly interdependent, a number of important factors have made the relationship between China and the EU complicated. China has pursued a lobbying campaign to increase its strength in the context that the EU is facing political and trade issues such asits inability to lift arms embargoes,suffering serious trade deficit, troubles in human rights, and failing to become a political factor completely separate from the US. For its part, the EU, despite certain difficulties, maintains expectations for the Chinese Party and State around issues like protecting human rights, consolidating the rule of law, showing responsibility for the international community in global affairs, fulfilling the obligations in the World Trade Organization (WTO), opening the domestic market, and enhancing protection of intellectual property rights. All of these diplomatic issues are hardly mentioned in the power correlation between the EU and China due to the development of the Chinese economy and the economic interdependence between the two sides in the last two decades. Due to a lack of internal political and strategic cohesion and standing lower than China, Europe has not benefited much from its relationship with the Asian nation.

In an aspect, promoting elite training in all areas has helped China to strengthen its understanding of Europe rather than the other side. In a European policy report in the early 2010s, Beijing stated that the EU is an important strategic partner for China in its efforts to pursue the goal of promoting peace and world multipolarisation, and at the same time is a factor that China needs to successfully implement the process of industrialization, urbanization and modernization towards two important events - the celebration of the 100th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of China in 2021 and the celebration of the 100th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China in 2049.

In the context of growing Chinese power and disproportionate EU-China relations, we can observe two major turning points in the commercial and strategic relationship between the two sides. The first is the subprime mortgage crisis (2008-2009) marked by a change in foreign policy for China, especially in Europe. Considering China's influence at the United Nations, as well as its trade power and large-scale strategic investments, it can be said that China has become an indispensable factor in the international system. Secondly, China has stepped up the acquisition of government debts, while increasing investment in strategic infrastructure like ports and highways, and many other fields such as real estate, agriculture, cars and sports.

Moreover, over the past two decades, China has initiated the development of regional mechanisms and organizations, including the 16+1 Cooperation Mechanism. This mechanism brings together China and 16 other countries (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania and Macedonia). It has provided a solid foundation for the relationship between China and the countries in Central-Eastern Europe. In April 2019, at the annual summit held in Dubrovnik, the mechanism evolved into a 17+1 cooperation mechanism with the joining of Greece, a country of strategic importance in China's Europe policy. Beijing sees this cooperation mechanism as a trump card for it to establish its influence through the "Belt and Road" (BRI) initiative. This mechanism is related to all areas of traditional cooperation such as culture, agriculture, forestry, finance, diplomacy, banking, energy...

The 17+1 cooperation mechanism is a mainstay for the development of infrastructure projects in Central and Eastern Europe in order to bring geo-economic benefits to China. For more than a decade, Greece, an EU member which has been in a prolonged recession, has become a strategic priority for China. COSCO Group's participation in the operation of Piraeus Port, the development of transport infrastructure, the close proximity between the Greek Prime Minister and the Chinese President, the establishment of the "golden visa" system - all are signs showing that a bilateral relationship is strengthened in a multilateral space. Poland, Latvia and Hungary are perfect examples of political and economic challenges related to logistics, disagreements within the EU, the development of infrastructure, 5G networks and enrgy networks(especially via the State Grid Corporation of China). Besides, almost all the European members of this cooperation mechanism are also members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). This shows uncertainty in strategic matters, especially regarding intelligence, political support and the supply of military equipment originating in China.

With the 17+1 Cooperation Mechanism, European members are seeking to develop bilateral relations, especially in trade, but still face a number of challenges: significant deficits in bilateral trade activities, lack of investment capital, frequent customs problems and a lack of readiness in the opening of the Chinese market.

Fluctuations in China-Europe relations

Since 2016, there have been many views that Europe should re-establish relations with China. The COVID-19 crisis has accelerated this trend. At the end of 2018, the European Commission (EC) proposed 135 anti-dumping and countervailing measures. More than two-thirds of these measures target Chinese products. The mechanism to select foreign investment activities (not just targeting China) will allow the EU to better protect its industry, competitiveness and strategic independence. The EU opposes China being recognised as a market economy. However, they failed to turn Alsthom and Siemens into industrial giantsto confront China's groups. The rise of China has upset the strategy and security of the EU.

Josep Borell, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, reiterated that the pressure on countries to choose China or the US is increasing. Chinese experts on Europe are still optimistic about the relationship between the two sides. This is the result of an EU strategy to reassure one of the major trading and scientific partners in the face of American power.

In the context of stagnant economic growth and exponential increase in unemployment, Europe's efforts have brought an encouraging signal. In early June 2020, the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) was established under the control of parliamentarians from free democracies. This international network brings together more than 100 parliamentarians from most free democracies (including some European member states) with the motto of protecting an international order based on rules, protection of human rights, promoting fair trade, enhancing security and safeguarding national territorial integrity.

Europe is now seeking its voice in a strategic competition when the international system is being redefined and the multilateralism is obsolete. When the medical crisis leads to a severe economic recession, some Chinese funds have rushed to buy weakened corporations. Europe is facing its own destiny. Consolidating industries on a continental scale and increasing the strength of strategic safeguards will undoubtedly help Europe pursue its fundamental values.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
North Korea has established yet another specialized college for intelligence operations. The Mangyongdae Revolutionary Academy will now offer a three-year course for international IW (information warfare) specialists. Students in this course will also study the detection and monitoring of radio traffic, including location of radio signals. These tech elements are already taught at Mangyongdae but not as intensively as will be the case with the new IW major. Another important area of study is how to block certain types of wireless communications at the North Korean border. This will include unwanted cell phone signals.

Prime candidates for the new course are younger (under 30) officers who demonstrate technical skills on the entry exam. Those who get into the course and graduate will have much improved career and promotion prospects. This new specialty is the latest of several new programs at Mangyongdae that are only available to the most loyal and capable upper-class North Koreans.

This new IW course is part of a trend. During the last five years, North Korea has established a program for foreign agents that was only open to members of the elite North Korea families. The children of these families are eligible to attend the Mangyongdae Revolutionary Academy, but many courses of study are only open to applicants with special aptitudes. Graduates of Mangyongdae are likely to get the most senior government and military jobs and there are only about a hundred graduates a year. A growing number of those graduates have gained some very special skills. There is a computer science program for Mangyongdae students seeking to become foreign agents in enemy countries, especially South Korea. These agents are trained to hunt down high-level defectors in foreign countries and either arrange to kill the defector or at least find out how the defector is doing, how many secrets they have divulged and, if possible, persuade the defector to shut up or even return to North Korea.

To accomplish this defector remediation task the Mangyongdae students are taught the latest hacking techniques, what tools and mercenary hackers are available in the hacker underground and how to deal with the tools, and the mercs, to put together specialized efforts to track down defectors and monitor them. This means the Mangyongdae must be able to pass as a South Korean, as in speak with a South Korea accent, as well as use the customs and slang. This is to make it possible to assume a false identity convincingly and play the role of an Internet criminal. There are a lot of those in both Koreas.

As important as all these skills are, the most important item is loyalty to North Korea. The Mangyongdae agents go after the growing number of high-level North Koreans who are illegally leaving the country. The agents are trained to use social media to seek out known or suspected defectors, make contact and obtain more information about them.

Since 2005 North Korea has been increasingly concerned about key people defecting to South Korea or simply getting into China and making asylum deals with the Chinese government. The Chinese have always been receptive to such arrangements and there have been more of this as the hundreds of families at the top of the social pyramid in North Korea get out. This is a risky endeavor although there are more and more people smugglers who, for enough money, can get anyone out of the country. Worse, many senior officials became defectors while already outside North Korea on official business. There they can arrange to disappear and defect. Some of these defectors have been diplomats and some of them were senior enough to be noticed when they disappeared.

These high-caste North Koreans report that there is a sense in the ruling families that the system isnt working and is doomed. The top people in North Korea are easy to identify. When North Korea was founded in the late 1940s, a caste system was established to ensure that the most loyal and capable North Korean communists were recognized and rewarded for their efforts to maintain the new communist government for generations to come. The newly established secret police and communist party reported on everyone, making it possible to create an official list of every family assigned to one of 51 social classes. From the beginning, most (29) of these classes were composed of people considered either hostile to the government or leaning that way. These new lower classes are where most of the new (and often quite wealthy) donju (entrepreneurs) are coming from. Most of the population falls into these 29 social classes, and many of them are now getting increasingly hostile to a government that seems to do nothing but create one disaster after another.

Members of higher-caste families are catching on as well and younger members are increasingly abandoning promising careers to flee the country. All that bribe money making its way to the higher caste North Koreans doesnt just go to buy an easier life in North Korea because that is already assured if you are high caste. The bribe money often goes to buy an escape. To deal with this problem among the most trusted classes, another special program at the Mangyongdae Revolutionary Academy created elite counter-intelligence (spy catcher) agents who often operate in China and South Korea. Apparently, some of the Mangyongdae agents have been identified or even caught and this program is no longer as secret as it once was. Meanwhile, the Mangyongdae Revolutionary Academy and its ultra-loyal students get a lot more publicity inside (and outside) North Korea.

In addition to tracking down high-caste defectors, some Mangyongdae graduates are also assigned to monitor the loyalty of North Korea hackers working outside North Korea. North Korean defectors have revealed much about how North Korea has managed to establish and maintain hacking operations outside North Korea, an operation whose main purpose is to make a lot of money for the cash hungry North Korea government. This became a higher priority operation in the last few years because of the growing list of economic sanctions imposed, while at the same time there were more opportunities for Internet-based misbehavior. Some of these defectors were associated with the North Korean hackers who are, it turns out, mostly based outside North Korea because Internet access is better and operating outside North Korea makes it easier to deny that North Korean hackers are engaged in illegal activity. South Korea has obtained a lot of details about the North Korean hacker operations and even allowed some defectors familiar with those operations to speak openly about it. Obviously many of these North Korean hackers are not as loyal as they are supposed to be so North Korea became determined to identify and punish the ones that defect and expose how the hacker program works. Each time that happens North Korea has to revise the way its hackers operate. This is time-consuming and expensive.

The Mangyongdae agents are also trained in the usual methods of secretly contacting the center, usually via North Korea operatives based outside of North Korea and able to relay messages to and from North Korea itself. The skills North Korea hackers have developed are world-class and increasingly difficult to counter or even detect. But this edge in skills and techniques depends on having loyal operatives in key positions, thus the importance of the Mangyongdae agents.

Deceased (since 2011) North Korean leader Kim Jong Il had always been a big fan of PCs and electronic gadgets in general. Kim Jong Il founded Mirim College to train hackers and backed this new school consistently. The only instance of displeasure from Kim Jong Il was suspicions about those who graduated from Mirim between 1986 through the early 1990s. These Mirim graduates had been tainted by visits (until 1991) by Russian electronic warfare experts. Some Mirim students also went to Russia to study for a semester or two. All these students were suspected of having become spies for the Russians, and most, if not all, were purged from the Internet hacking program. Thus, it wasn't until the late 1990s that there were a sufficient number of trusted Internet experts that could be used to begin building a Cyber War organization.

South Korea has to be wary because South Korea had become more dependent on the Internet than any other on the planet, with the exception of the United States. As in the past, if the north is to start any new kind of Internet mischief, they try it out on South Korea first. While many of the first serious attacks in 2009 were more annoying than anything else, they revealed a new threat out there, and one that not only got worse but turned out to be from the usual suspects. Now the threat is very real and growing rapidly. North Korea is seeing its Internet-based capabilities damaged by the growing number of high-level defectors with valuable secrets to sell to China, South Korea or whoever will pay the most. Given the worldwide depredations of North Korean hackers, this provides defectors with a lot of potential hiding places. This led to the Mangyongdae Academy programs for specialized agents. Now some of the Mangyongdae grads are suspected of wavering loyalty and reliability. North Korea may lack food, electrical power, freedom and much more but there is no shortage of paranoia.
Kids begged to go to Mrs. Byrd's classroom to do art projects.

Every year, Mrs. Byrd taught folklorico dance to her first-grade students.

And though she had once retired, Mrs. Byrd loved teaching so much, she couldn't help but return to the classroom, her husband, Jesse Byrd, said.

Now she's gone. Kimberley Chavez Lopez Byrd died June 26 after testing positive for COVID-19.

She taught first grade in the Hayden-Winkelman Unified School District in a small eastern Arizona community. Before she tested positive, Byrd and two other teachers taught a summer school class virtually from the same classroom. All three teachers came down with the virus.

Byrd, 61, was admitted to a hospital and put on a ventilator for more than a dozen days, her condition slowly deteriorating, before she died. Now, the community is grieving for a teacher her colleagues say was ingrained in the fabric of their school system and a matriarch her family says was the center of their world.

"It just feels like a bad dream that I can't wake up from," Jesse Byrd said. "We've just felt so lost without her."

Kimberley Chavez Lopez Byrd and Jesse Byrd Sr. pictured in an undated photograph. Kimberley Byrd was an adored educator in Arizona.

The teachers who survived also say Byrd's death is a stark reminder of the risks teachers will face if school reopens too soon.

The news of Byrd's death comes as President Donald Trump wages a campaign to reopen schools on time, even suggesting federal funding from schools that don't open could be "cut off."

"Everything is safety, safety, safety," said Jena Martinez-Inzunza, a Hayden-Winkelman teacher. "What a contradiction to be threatened by the president. What a contradiction to be bullied: 'Do this, or I'm going to pull funding.' What a contradiction to say our kids lives matter  Why would you push to open schools?"

Three teachers in one classroom. They thought they were being 'very careful'

Byrd's district conducts summer school every year. Usually, teachers put together fun science-based lessons for students, said Angela Skillings, one of the three teachers who tested positive for COVID-19.

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This year proved to be different: As a pandemic raged, summer school was moved online.

Skillings, Martinez-Inzunza and Byrd taught their summer class together, the students a mix of kindergartners, first- and second-graders.

School reopening plans are now part of COVID-19 politics: Teachers fear for their safety.

The educators decided to teach virtually while together in the same classroom, but took what they thought were extensive measures: They wore masks, they disinfected equipment and kept distance between each other.

"We were very careful," Skillings said.

They still wanted to bring hands-on activities to the kids. They delivered small care packages to students containing beans, so the children could sprout them in a small plastic bag in the windows of their home.

They simulated pollination by touching hot Cheetos to paper bees. The lessons were a way to bring some of the usual fun of summer school home to kids. The teachers would take turns at the front of the classroom, and spend a few hours together every day planning lessons.

Kimberley Chavez Lopez Byrd with her family. Kimberley Byrd was an adored educator in Hayden-Winkelman, Arizona.

Byrd was the first to become sick, shortly after a camping trip, her husband said  it was just the two of them in a camper. They had been diligent in staying home and isolating during the pandemic, he said.

Byrd had asthma and several other health issues. Her doctor told her that she likely had a sinus infection, but her breathing continued to deteriorate, Jesse Byrd said. Her kids eventually convinced her to go to the hospital. He couldn't go in with his wife, who called and said she was being admitted for COVID-19.

'Scared' but needing a salary: Teachers weigh risks of COVID-19

"She called me, she could barely talk," he said. "And she told me that they wanted to intubate her and put her on a ventilator."

Byrd first improved on a ventilator, but then her condition started to slide downhill, her husband said. When doctors tried to take her off the ventilator, she appeared to have an anxiety attack and struggled. Her condition worsened. Then, she was gone.

"Her body just couldn't fight anymore," Jesse Byrd said.

Kimberley Chavez Lopez Byrd was 'exactly what you would want to be as a teacher'

Later, Jesse Byrd and other family members tested positive, too.

Skillings tested positive the same week, as did Martinez-Inzunza.

Skillings said she had a high fever and cough. Though weeks have passed, her tests are still coming back positive. Thursday was the first day she woke up without a cough, she said.

Martinez-Inzunza still has a cough, but is testing negative. In the thick of the virus, she said she was constantly fatigued  even showers were a challenge.

"It was a very dark, scary and very painful time because coronavirus hurts," she said. "It hurts your chest, it hurts your breathing. It's terrible."

Skillings remembers the last time she saw Byrd. At the end of the day teaching, they lingered, in conversation: It was the kind of conversation where they'd say, "OK now I'm leaving," and then would continue to talk.

Byrd loved teaching. Her classroom was always loud, always filled with laughter and the kids were always learning, Skillings said.

"She was exactly what you would want to be as a teacher because she had the patience, the kindness, the discipline," she said.

Kimberley Chavez Lopez Byrd loved to fish and hunt, her husband said.

Skillings said she will return to school if administrators decide to reopen, but she hopes they choose to stay closed until COVID-19 cases decline. She doesn't want anybody else to endure what she went through  or what Byrd went through.

"I think of our students and I know how many times a day they touch each other, how many times a day they're out of their seats, especially our younger kids and I can see germs spreading quicker than anything," she said.

She's trying to stay off social media, because posts that downplay the virus make her mad.

"I know people die from influenza and other things, but this is something that hit hard and it's hitting us fast. I mean, look at today: 4,000 more cases," she said.

Jeff Gregorich, the district's superintendent, said he does not believe schools can bring students back safely as cases rise.

"We're going to lose a lot of teachers if they bring the kids back again," he said.

Martinez-Inzunza said other colleagues are still waiting on results from tests they took weeks ago. If testing is taking so long for them, she wonders how schools will be able to trace employees and students with COVID-19 and keep them out of the classroom.

So much of the national conversation feels unfair, she said, when others haven't experienced what she has.

"It's so unfair to watch the tantrums being thrown on TV," she said. "I am brokenhearted. I lost one of my best friends."

Follow Lily Altavena on Twitter: @LilyAlta.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: These Arizona teachers shared a classroom. COVID-19 killed 1 of them.
The coronavirus crisis nationwide is not only deepening, it is growing more deadly. The country's three biggest states  California, Florida and Texas  are reporting their largest single-day death tolls since the pandemic began. There are now 41 states that are reporting increases in average new cases compared to two weeks ago.

In California, 149 deaths were reported on Wednesday, the highest single-day number since the pandemic began. "For those that just think, now people are getting it, no one's dying, that is very misleading," Governor Gavin Newsom said at his briefing Thursday.

The country's top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said he believes the country's hardest-hit states should consider pausing plans to reopen. More than 3 million cases of coronavirus have been infected by the virus across the country, and nearly 133,000 people have died nationwide.

In Florida, Walt Disney World reopened Thursday to guests who have season passes as the county where Disney is located has seen a 130% increase in coronavirus infections in the last 14 days.

Disney is opening up the park to the general public on Saturday. Loyal annual pass holders got first dibs, but the magic won't quite be the same. As visitors and employees enter, temperatures will be checked, and guests are required to wear masks and social distance.

Dr. Terry Adirim, a physician and dean at Florida Atlantic University, was concerned to see the theme park reopen. "I think it's like pouring gasoline on a fire," Adirim told CBS News. "I don't think it's going to help us drive down our case rates. I think it's going to do the opposite."

Governor Ron DeSantis said residents should take precautions. "There is no need to be panicked and there is no need to be fearful," he said.

In Arizona, where about 1 in every 4 tests now comes up positive, lines to get screened stretch for blocks and supplies are running out. Testing sites are overrun in Phoenix, with long lines begin before sunrise. The number of people getting tested is overwhelming the labs that process the tests, leading to delays in getting results.

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"If you're going to do contact tracing and the test comes back in five to seven days, you might as well not do contact tracing because it's already too late," Fauci said on Wednesday.

"I would think we need to get the states pausing in their opening process," he said. "Looking at what did not work well and try to mitigate that."

Texas also reported a new high with 98 deaths on Wednesday as new cases continue to soar throughout the state.

Strike force nurses who worked the virus surge in New York for months are now in Texas. Across the state, case numbers continue to climb at an alarming rate of nearly 10,000 cases a day and doctors are begging for help.

Texas has more than 220,000 reported cases, and the Latino community has been hit the hardest, accounting for nearly 29% of deaths in the state.

Emergency room nurses like Jessica Montemayor and Sandy Ramirez worry their community isn't taking this seriously. Everybody always wants to be together," Ramirez told CBS News. "They think, 'It's just my family, I'm not going to get anything from them."

The nation's effort to flatten the curve is an uphill battle. There is an upward climb of COVID-19 cases nationwide, a stark contrast to New York's downward trend and the gap continues to widen.

A look at the daily COVID-19 cases between New York,  once the pandemic epicenter  and the rest of the country. / Credit: CBS News

Still, officials in New York are not taking any chances. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on Thursday said he is banning all large gatherings through the end of September. The balance between reopening and health and public safety is delicate.

The misery caused by the virus is only being amplified by its economic impact. Another 1.3 million Americans filed for unemployment in the past week.

Meanwhile, Robert Redfield, the head of the Centers for Disease Control, backed off the idea that his agency would change its guidelines for reopening schools after Vice President Mike Pence suggested it would.

Mireya Villarreal and Justin Carissimo contributed reporting.

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American Airlines pilot Dennis Tajer has taken several flights during the coronavirus pandemic, both in the cockpit and as a union official, and has noticed something unsettling lately: passengers removing their masks for more than eating or drinking.

"Were starting to see people take creative ways on the aircraft of temporary relief from wearing the masks,'' he said in an interview Thursday on CNBC's "Squawk Box.''

"You see it drop down over the nose. Or you might see it used as more of a chin guard,'' he said.

Tajer, spokesman for the Allied Pilots Association, doesn't think the moves are malicious but "just natural human reactions.''

Fed up: Passenger walks off Allegiant flight due to lax mask usage

He said that while most passengers are complying with American's requirement to wear masks throughout the flight to thwart the spread of coronavirus, some are being lax. But without a federal mask mandate on planes it's hard for flight attendants to force compliance.

Though most passengers have respected American Airlines' mask policy, a pilot says some are removing theirs for more than eating or drinking. But absent a federal mandate requiring them, he says it's hard for flight crews to enforce the rule.

American and other airlines have toughened their stance in recent weeks, warning travelers they risk not being able to fly again during the pandemic if they don't comply, but Tajer said that only goes so far.

No flights for you: American temporarily bans passenger who refused to wear masks

The U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration have not heeded repeated calls from airline union officials, consumer advocates and others for a mask mandate on planes.

Last week, U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao announced a lineup of public health measures the DOT and federal Homeland Security and Health and Human Services departments want airlines and airports to implement to mitigate the risks of COVID-19. But the "Runway to Recovery'' plan said only that "passengers should wear face coverings everywhere in the air transportation environment.''

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Only guidance: FAA won't make face masks mandatory on planes

Tajer called it a strongly worded report but told CNBC it fell short because "it ended with nothing but recommendations.''

In a statement, a DOT spokesperson said Chao and the agency "have been clear that passengers should wear face coverings while traveling by air, for their own protection and the protection of those around them. Face coverings are especially important in situations where social distancing is not feasible."

FlyersRights, a passenger advocacy group, was more critical of the plan, calling it "too little, too late" in a statement Thursday.

"The U.S. federal government has abdicated its responsibility to help stop the spread of the coronavirus through domestic air travel,'' Paul Hudson, the group's president, said in a statement. "Regulation of air travel is solely a federal issue, but the DOT refuses to mandate rules on masks, social distancing, cleaning, and measures to discourage travelers from nonessential travel or travel when sick.

If mandates aren't put in place, the group says, "confusion and fear will reign as U.S. travelers are blackballed internationally, airlines go bankrupt, and thousands more are sickened.''

In his CNBC interview, Tajer invited Chao and FAA administrator Stephen Dickson to ride along with him to see what flying is like during the pandemic.

"Grab a middle seat. Grab a seat when the airplane is full,'' he said. "You'll start to see behavior that you're not going to be pleased with.''

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Airline passengers finding 'creative ways' to remove masks, pilot says
The union that represents teachers in Los Angeles, the second-largest school district in the country, said late Thursday that it wants school campuses to stay closed in August when the 2020-21 academic year is scheduled to begin.

The decision by the United Teachers of Los Angeles, the first big union to call for schools to stay closed, came at a time when novel coronavirus cases in California are soaring. It was a clear rebuke to President Donald Trump, who this week demanded that all schools reopen fully and threatened to cut their funding if they don't.

"It is time to take a stand against Trump's dangerous, anti-science agenda that puts the lives of our members, our students, and our families at risk," UTLA President Cecily Myart-Cruz said in a statement. "We all want to physically open schools and be back with our students, but lives hang in the balance. Safety has to be the priority. We need to get this right for our communities."

David Baca, chief of schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District, told a virtual meeting of parents on Thursday that district leaders still don't know how the school year will start - and he said, "We still do not have a date for when we will have a decision."

And, in a sign that district leaders are concerned that schools cannot safely open in August, the Los Angeles Times reported this week that L.A. County public health director Barbara Ferrer told school district superintendents that it is possible that schools will have to do remote learning in the fall because of surging coronavirus infections. The conversation was supposed to be secret but the Times obtained a copy of the audio.

After Trump said schools should open, some school superintendents and governors pushed back on Trump, saying the president doesn't decide when and how to reopen the nation's schools that were closed this past spring when the pandemic hit. New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo told reporters Wednesday that Trump has no authority over when schools open because that is "a state decision, period." Some superintendents said it was actually a local decision.

The UTLA is the second-largest local teachers' union in the country, with more than 33,000 members in the district of more than half a million students.

The union announced that its board of directors and bargaining team had decided to recommend to the union membership that school campuses stay closed on Aug. 18, when the new academic year is set to begin. It cited a new research paper, titled "Same Storm but Different Boats: The Safe and Equitable Conditions for Starting LAUSD in 2020-21," which details conditions that must be met for the district to safely reopen schools for students and teachers.

David Baca, chief of schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District, told a virtual meeting of parents on Thursday that district leaders still don't know how the school year will start - and he said, "We still do not have a date for when we will have a decision."

The Times reported that L.A. County public health director Barbara Ferrer told school district superintendents that it is possible that schools will have to do remote learning in the fall because of surging coronavirus infections. The conversation was supposed to be secret by the Times obtained a copy of the audio.

The union said it was taking a poll of members on Friday to see where they stand on the issue of reopening campuses.

The two big national teachers unions, the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers, have not called for schools to stay closed but have said important safety measures must be taken for schools to reopen. The American Federation of Teachers published an extensive plan for how schools and communities could reopen safely.
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Linkedin Ivany Atina Arbi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 10, 2020 15:55 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406656f054 1 City sexual-abuse,sexual-abuse-Catholic-church-Indonesia,Sexual-assault,Catholic-church,Depok,West-Java,child-abuse,pelecehan-seksual,#catholicsexabuse Free

Syahril Parlindungan, who allegedly sexual assaulted dozens of altar boys of St. Herkulanus Church in Depok, West Java, "systematically" molested kids for decades and abused his power as the boys' mentor to silence them, the victims' lawyer has said.

Lawyer Azas Tigor Nainggolan said Syahril had been molesting the altar boys since 2002.

"He would slowly seduce several potential victims at the same time by, for example, holding their hands, before eventually assaulting them. None of the victims dared to speak up because the perpetrator had manipulated them using his power as their mentor at the church," Tigor told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

The lawyer added that Syahril molested his victims not only in the church's library, but also in his house and car.

Read also: Depok case shines light on sexual abuse in Indonesian Catholic Church

The police detained Syahril after receiving reports from several parents of his "suspicious behavior" of kissing, hugging and putting the boys on his lap. Some parents also claimed that he verbally bullied the kids.

At least 21 boys spoke up during an internal investigation launched by the church administrators and parents to say the 42-year-old man had molested them. Two victims later reported the incidents to the police, who then detained and charged him under the 2014 Child Protection Law, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years' imprisonment.

The police investigation further revealed that Syahril had been abusing altar boys aged 11 to 15 since 2002.

The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) opened a complaint service to gather information from more alleged victims regarding the sexual assault carried out by Syahril.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size An unlikely conversation with a customs officer at Sydney International Airport gave Inaki Berroeta a first taste of his new Australian life in early 2014. With his wife and two daughters still in Romania, Berroeta had flown solo with his luggage and a mountain bike to start his new role as chief executive of Vodafone Hutchison Australia. To say Vodafones local operations were a mess before his arrival would be an understatement. The telco providers mobile phone signals cut out so frequently that the #vodafail tag was regularly trending. Customers were leaving in droves. When you arrive with a mountain bike they usually want to check that you dont have any mud on tyres, Berroeta recalls. This customs officer was looking to see if the bicycle was clean and then he asked me what I was going to be doing in Australia and I told him that I was going to be running Vodafone. The guy said good luck with that. Inaki Berroeta is about to take on his biggest challenge yet. Credit:Renee Nowytarger Berroeta knew he had a tough job back then. But next week things arguably get harder when TPG Telecoms $15 billion merger with Vodafone becomes official in the midst of a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic. For the first time there will be a third telco player with the scale to actually compete with Optus and Telstra. The stakes couldnt be higher.

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Im first day of school nervous, he says from the companys North Sydney office where he sits in front of a red please sit here social distancing sign. When you do something for the first time you get that kind of rush of excitement and nervousness. Smooth operator Berroeta did not expect that his attempt to combine Vodafone with TPG would lead him to the witness stand in Federal Court. He also did not expect that the merger would end up taking place during the coronavirus. But Berroeta's predecessor at Vodafone, Bill Morrow, says he couldnt think of anyone better to lead a new-look TPG Telecom. He stands on his own principles, hes got a nice balance of business acumen with people orientation, hes customer-focused and hes a fierce competitor, Morrow says. But the thing I enjoy the most is his no nonsense, non-emotional view on things in life. Born in Bilbao, Spain in 1967, Berroeta has always enjoyed living away from home. Since spending his senior year of high school in Idaho, he has lived in Malta where he ran Vodafone until 2010, Romania and other parts of the US. Its not about Inaki, its about what is the right thing to do to succeed. He has his ego in check. Bill Morrow, former CEO of Vodafone Hutchison Australia The reason why Ive worked in many countries over the years is not just professional. The thing that is also very attractive to me is the idea of living in a different place and understanding a different culture and visiting places, he says.

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One thing that is very important when you go to new places is how much you observe before you make your conclusions. Every country that you go has different unwritten protocols and ways of things, and companies are a bit the same. Berroeta was always fascinated with computers and technology. After finishing high school he attended the Bilbao Superior School of Telecommunications Engineering and received a master of science in telecommunications before receiving a master of business administration from Henley Management College. In his university years, the telco industry was in its infancy but as devices such as mobile phones became popular, Berroeta became fascinated by how technology could shape the way people live. His first personal phone, a Siemens S55, was a sign of the rapidly changing industry that he wanted to be a part of. A mechanic at heart As a child, Berroeta spent hours in the garage with his grandfather, who worked for Pirelli, fixing broken, old cars. I still tinker around in my garage, he says. It is relaxing and at the end of the day it is something that you do with your hands. I also like to learn so I don't have any formal training on mechanics. I did take a few courses but it's something that I also like to learn by myself. His long-held love of restoration of cars like a 1967 Alfa Giulia Super is reflected in his professional life. He likes fixing things, Morrow says. He doesnt want the [cars or motorbikes] that have a high resale value. He wants the ones that are written off that no one else cares about. Thats a little bit of his outlook on life - everything is worth saving and if you put the time and effort into it, anything can be restored.

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In the same way that he set out to transform Vodafone Romania, Berroeta arrived at Vodafone in the middle of a three -year plan to win back customers. More than 2 million had left the network between 2010 and 2013 in the period dubbed Vodafail due to a series of network meltdowns. Morrow had been parachuted in to fix the troubled local mobile operation, but after being appointed the new chief executive of the NBN Co, Morrow needed a successor. Inaki Berroeta arrived at Vodafone Hutchison Australia in 2014 when the telco provider was still recovering from a disastrous series of network failures. Credit:Bloomberg [Berroeta] impressed me right from the beginning because what you see is what you get, he says. Several people who were with Berroeta on the first day he stood in front of staff at a town hall meeting in early 2014 said his approach was candid. Vodafones human resources director Vanessa Hicks, who has been working with Berroeta since his first day, remembers when he took to the stage. He asked a lot of questions, she says. Hes a very good listener. He didnt come in and say this is how things are going to be. He wanted to understand the business, the people, the culture and the history. You could see the relaxing of the employees in the room - that this guy was not going to come in and impose some London learned Spanish-based way of life, Morrow adds. He was going to fit into the Australian life.

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Its not about Inaki, its about what is the right thing to do to succeed. He has his ego in check, he went through the program that we had started. He did it better than I couldve done it. He did it with limited resources in a challenger-type position. A merger that had to happen Berroeta saw the benefits of merging Vodafone with another telco operator before he had taken his new job in Australia. The moment I thought that Vodafone had to merge with a fixed operator was the moment I was given a lot of market information before I took the job, he says. TPG came when I met David [Teoh] at the end of 2014. We had lunch. Thats when I thought this is probably the best way to go. TPG boss David Teoh and Berroeta could see the benefits of combining the two businesses. Credit:Daniel Munoz The history of Australias third telco has been tortured. After the 2009 merger of Vodafone and 3, which saw Vodafone Australia and Hutchison Telecommunications Australia each own 50 per cent, the combined business suffered disastrous network failures that prompted millions of customers to walk away. Vodafone, which had 7.5 million customers in 2010, had 4.96 million subscribers in March 2014 when Berroeta arrived. By comparison, Telstra had risen to 15.8 million users while Optus was at 9.43 million. Berroetas arrival was part of the plan to bring back the mobile operator from the brink of financial ruin. "I think we were successful in recovering the customers, we were successful in bringing a good financial position and that led to being in a position to complete the merger."

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According to reports that emerged on July 9, Israel sent Hamas a new outline for a prisoner-exchange deal through an intermediary. The Palestinian sources cited argued that the Israeli proposal was meager, offering only the return of bodies of Palestinian assailants in exchange for the bodies of IDF soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin, or the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israel with no blood on their hands, meaning those who were not involved in the killing of Israeli nationals.

The Palestinian sources insisted that the new outline was not a serious offer but a test designed to manipulate, to lower expectations and lead to deeper negotiations.

Israel did not react officially to this news, but according to the Israeli press, Hamas has made it clear that it will not negotiate any prisoner-exchange deal without the release of all of those prisoners who were released in the 2011 Gilad Shalit deal and then rearrested again by Israel. Its preconditions also include the release of all elderly and sick prisoners.

Several of the Shalit deal prisoners were rearrested in 2014 after the kidnapping and murder of three youths in the West Bank Etzion settlement bloc. A few others were rearrested over the following years for involvement in terror attacks or other offenses.

Shaul and Goldin were killed in the summer of 2014 during Operation Protective Edge. Since then, Israel has not ceased its efforts to retrieve their bodies. Jerusalem was and still is hoping for a comprehensive deal that would also enable the return of two Israelis who crossed the border into Gaza separately in 2014 and 2015, Avram Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, both apparently held by Hamas and both apparently suffering from mental health issues.

On April 7, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office issued an unusual statement reading that Coordinator for Captives and Missing Persons Yaron Blum and his team are committed to acting constructively with the aim of bringing back the soldiers bodies and missing civilians and putting an end to the issue." The announcement then called for immediate dialogue between mediators to facilitate a deal with Hamas.

On July 2, Netanyahu again referred publicly to the issue. In a recorded message for the annual commemoration of those lost during Protective Edge, Netanyahu said that Israel is still working to retrieve the bodies of soldiers killed in the Gaza Strip six years ago and that his government would not miss a window of opportunity to bring them home.
Before being treated at the Omaha hospital, Schulz had traveled to surgeons in California and Nevada. He underwent nine surgeries and bought braces and belts to help with the pain.

This was a last resort, he said.

Schulzs first hernia surgery took place in his hometown of Bishop, California, in 2012. Doctors fixed that hernia, which was about the size of a walnut, when they performed gallbladder surgery on him.

Four months later, the hernia was back. This time, said Schulzs wife, Bonnie, it was about the size of an egg. As it got larger, Schulz was referred to a surgeon in Reno, Nevada.

That surgery proved to be another quick but short-lived fix. Again, a few months after surgery, the hernia reappeared.

The cycle continued. After one surgery, Schulz went into septic shock. He spent four days in the intensive care unit.

Schulzs niece learned of Fitzgibbons and his program at CUMC-Bergan through friends. She kept urging her aunt to make a call.

Bonnie Schulz said the choice was up to her husband.
Bolivia interim president Jeanine Anez revealed she tested positive for the coronavirus Thursday, the same day the United Nations announced that Latin America and Caribbean has been severely impacted by the ravaging virus.

At least three members of Anez's administration are also infected with COVID-19, including Health Minister Eidy Roca and Presidency Minister Yerko Nunez, who is hospitalized.

Anez said she will remain in isolation for 14 days when another test will be done, but she will continue to work remotely from the presidential residence.

'I feel good, I feel strong,' she wrote on her Twitter account.

Bolivia interim president Jeanine Anez said on Thursday that she tested positive for COVID-19 and that she is improving. One of her three cabinets members who also tested positive remains hospitalize

Diosdado Cabello, president of the National Constituent Assembly, is considered the second-most powerful person in Venezuela after President Nicolas Maduro. He announced Thursday that he was the latest among Latin America's elite to test positive for the coronavirus

Bolivia's Health Ministry says the Andean country has 42,984 confirmed coronavirus cases and 1,577 deaths, and is seeing a rebound in the number of new cases amid reports that hospitals are being overwhelmed in some regions. In the highland city of Cochabamba, scenes have emerged of bodies lying in the streets and coffins waiting for days in homes to be taken away.

Bolivia is scheduled to hold a presidential election September 6.

Anez is running third in opinion polls. Former Economy Minister Luis Arce, who represents the party of ousted President Evo Morales, is in front, with ex-President Carlos Mesa in second.

Anez is the latest member of Latin Americas political elite who have been impacted this week by the pandemic.

Venezuela socialist party chief Diosdado Cabello also revealed Thursday that he had tested positive for COVID-19, making him the highest-ranking leader in the distressed South American nation thus far to come down with the virus.

On Tuesday, Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro informed his nation that he, too, had contracted the virus. Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez tested positive in June and was briefly hospitalized. The Dominican Republic's president-elect Luis Abinader also tested positive in June.

Cabello, who is wanted by the United States on drug trafficking charges, is considered the second-most powerful person in Venezuela after President Nicolas Maduro .

'We will win!' he wrote in on Twitter, while adding that he is isolated, receiving treatment and that he will overcome the illness.

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro, who once compared the coronavirus to just a 'little flu,' said Tuesday that he tested positive for COVID-19. The South American nation ranks second behind the United States with 69,184 deaths and 1,755,779 confirmed cases

A homeless woman sits on a mattress on a sidewalk during a government-ordered lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Workers collect and stack the coffins of people that have been recently cremated amid the new coronavirus pandemic at La Recoleta cemetery in Santiago, Chile

Economically struggling Venezuela is considered one of the world's least prepared countries to confront the pandemic. Hospitals are routinely short on basic supplies like water, electricity and medicine.

The nation has registered considerably fewer COVID-19 cases than others in the region, but the number of infections has grown in recent weeks. As of Wednesday, the government had reported 8,010 confirmed cases and 75 deaths.

Nurses and patients gather at the emergency entrance of the private Ricardo Palma hospital amid the coronavirus pandemic in Lima, Peru

Girls wearing face shields as a preventive measure against the new coronavirus wait for their parents to enter the zoo on the outskirts of in Guayllabamba, a city outside Quito, Ecuador,

Cabello was last seen Tuesday, when he met with South Africa's ambassador, Joseph Nkosi. Photographs released by the government showed him standing alongside and bumping fists with the diplomat while wearing a black mask.

The 57-year-old politician is head of the National Constituent Assembly, an all-powerful legislative body created by Maduro's government in 2017. He had missed his weekly television program Wednesday, stating at the time that he was 'fighting against a strong allergy' and resting.

Maduro said in a broadcast Thursday that Cabello's diagnosis was confirmed with a molecular exam - a test that is usually conducted with a nasal swab sample. Venezuela has done far fewer of these tests than neighboring countries, instead largely deploying rapid blood antibody tests. Some experts fear that relying so heavily on the rapid tests, which don't detect signs of illness early in an infection, means cases are being missed.

'Venezuela is with Diosdado,' Maduro said. 'I am sure soon enough we will continue on in this fight.'

People eat lunch at a restaurant with plastic dividers between tables, as a preventative measure amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Bolsonaro appeared Thursday on an online broadcast from the presidential residence as defiant as on previous occasions. He coughed once, but did not show other symptoms of the disease that has killed more than 69,000 people in the South American nation.

Bolsonaro repeated his view that the economic crisis brought on by the pandemic is more dangerous than the coronavirus itself. He insisted that mayors and governors need to reopen the country for business.

'We need governors and mayors, within their responsibilities, to reopen commerce. Otherwise the consequences will be harmful for Brazil,' Bolsonaro said, wearing a gray shirt and sitting comfortably in front of two national flags.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Thursday that Latin America and the Caribbean have become 'a hot spot' for the pandemic. The U.N. chief said in a video and briefing report that a 9.1% contraction in GDP is expected this year in the region, which would be the 'largest in a century.'

'COVID-19 represents a massive health, social and economic shock with an immense human toll for the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean,' the report said. 'It is expected to result in the deepest recession in living memory.'

Unemployment in the region is expected to rise to 13.5 percent from 8.1 percent last year, affecting more than 44 million people, compared to over 18 million in 2019. The poverty rate is expected to rise to 37.2 percent from 30.2 percent, meaning 230 million people will be affected compared to 185 million last year.

The U.N. report warned about the dangers of virus contagion in Latin America urban areas where 80 percent of the region's population resides.

Below standard health systems in countries that the U.N. chief did not name 'are ill-prepared to handle a health and human crisis of this scale.'
CONCEPCION, Paraguay, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Frigorifico Concepcion S.A. (the "Company") announced today that it has commenced a solicitation of consents (the "Consent Solicitation") to holders of its 10.25% Senior Secured Notes due 2025 (the "Notes") for waivers of certain provisions of the Indenture governing the Notes, dated as of January 29, 2020 (the "Indenture"), among the Company, as Issuer, each of the Guarantors party thereto, Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee, Registrar, Paying Agent and Securities Intermediary (the "Trustee"), and GLAS Americas LLC, as collateral agent (the "Collateral Agent").

The Consent Solicitation is being made on the terms and subject to the conditions contained in the Consent Solicitation Statement dated July 10, 2020 (the "Consent Solicitation Statement") prepared by the Company in connection with the Consent Solicitation and is subject to the solicitation and distribution restrictions set out below and as more fully described in the Consent Solicitation Statement. Holders of the Notes are advised to read carefully the Consent Solicitation Statement for full details of, and information on the procedures for participating in, the Consent Solicitation.

The Notes were originally issued on January 29, 2020 in an aggregate principal amount of US$100,000,000. As of the date of the Consent Solicitation Statement, US$100,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of the Notes remains outstanding.

If approved, the waiver (the "Default Waiver") will give effect to the following:

(i) a waiver of any deemed or actual Default or Event of Default arising as a result of the court judgment rendered against the Company on January 25, 2018 by the Arbitrazh Court of Saint-Petersburg and Leningrad Region, Russia, for the payment of an amount of US$5,337,681 in respect of a claim against the Company by Limited Liability Company "General Food Corporation "Rubezh" (the "Rubezh Judgment");



(ii) a waiver of any Default or Event of Default related to the Rubezh Judgment including, but not limited to, any alleged, deemed or actual failure to comply with any related notification requirements under the Indenture whatsoever; and



(iii) rescission of any alleged, deemed or actual acceleration, if any, of the Notes, and any consequences thereof, as a result of, or in connection with, such deemed or actual Event of Default.

If the Default Waiver becomes effective, the amount of the Rubezh Judgment would not be taken into account in calculating the aggregate amount of undischarged judgments under Section 4.01(h) of the Indenture. For the avoidance of doubt, the proposed waiver of the Event of Default under Section 4.01(h) of the Indenture is limited to Rubezh Judgment.

Only those holders who are direct participants in DTC on July 9, 2020 (the "Record Date") at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, will be entitled to submit a consent. Holders who acquire Notes after the Record Date will not be able to submit a consent. The Consent Solicitation is being made on the terms and subject to the conditions set out in the Consent Solicitation Statement. The Company will pay a fee (the "Consent Payment") in an amount equal to US$2.50 for each US$1,000 of outstanding principal amount of Notes to holders of Notes whose validly delivered consent is accepted pursuant to the Consent Solicitation Statement on the date the Default Waiver becomes effective. Holders that do not deliver valid consents, or who revoke consents prior to the Expiration Time of the Consent Solicitation, will not receive the Consent Payment even if the Default Waiver is granted. Holders that deliver valid Consents which are accepted by the Company will not receive a Consent Payment if the Default Waiver is not made effective.

Identifiers for the Notes consist of CUSIP Numbers 358649 AA9 and P40568 BW9; ISIN Numbers USP40568BW95 and USP40568BW95, and Common Codes 211279079 and 211292440.

The Default Waiver will become effective only if valid consents from holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes have been validly delivered and accepted pursuant to the terms of the Consent Solicitation, the Consent Payment has been paid and the other conditions described in the Consent Solicitation Statement have been either satisfied or waived by the Company.

Holders representing a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Notes have expressed to the Company their intention to support the proposed Default Waiver on the terms and conditions detailed in the Consent Solicitation Statement.

Frigorifico Concepcion S.A. reserves the right in its sole discretion to reject any and all consents. The Company also reserves the right to waive or modify any term of, or terminate, the Consent Solicitation at any time and in its sole discretion.

The Expiration Time for the Consent Solicitation is 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on July 17, 2020 (as such time may be extended by Frigorifico Concepcion S.A. in its sole discretion, the "Expiration Time"). Frigorifico Concepcion S.A. may terminate the Consent Solicitation at any time in its sole discretion.

The Company will host a conference call for holders of the Notes on Tuesday, July 14, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. United States Eastern Time (ET). Holders of Notes that are interested in participating in the conference call should contact the Information and Tabulation Agent to obtain the dial-in details.

Capitalized terms used but not defined in this communication have the meanings specified in the Consent Solicitation Statement.

This announcement is for informational purposes only and is not a solicitation of consents of any holders Notes. The solicitation of consents of holders is only being made pursuant to the Consent Solicitation Statement. Holders of Notes should read the Consent Solicitation Statement carefully prior to making any decision with respect to providing its consent because it contains important information.

The Company will make (or cause to be made) all announcements regarding the Consent Solicitation by press release in accordance with applicable law.

Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. is the Solicitation Agent in connection with the Consent Solicitation. Global Bondholder Services Corporation is the Information and Tabulation Agent in connection with the Consent Solicitation.

NONE OF THE SOLICITATION AGENT, THE TRUSTEE, THE COLLATERAL AGENT, THE INFORMATION AND TABULATION AGENT NOR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AFFILIATES, AGENTS OR REPRESENTATIVES MAKES ANY RECOMMENDATION AS TO WHETHER HOLDERS SHOULD DELIVER CONSENTS TO THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS AND THE WAIVER PURSUANT TO THE CONSENT SOLICITATION, AND NO ONE HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED BY ANY OF THEM TO MAKE SUCH A RECOMMENDATION. EACH HOLDER MUST MAKE ITS OWN DECISION AS TO WHETHER TO GIVE A CONSENT.

The Consent Solicitation Statement will be available from the Information and Tabulation Agent. The Information and Tabulation Agent for the Consent Solicitation is:

Global Bondholder Services Corporation

65 Broadway  Suite 404

New York, New York 10006

Attn: Corporate Actions

Banks and Brokers call: +1 212 430-3774

Toll free: +1 866-470-4200

By facsimile:

(For Eligible Institutions only):

+1 212 430-3775/3779

Confirmation:

+1 212 430-3774

Email: [email protected]

Any questions regarding the terms of the Consent Solicitation should be directed to the Solicitation Agent or the Information and Tabulation Agent at their respective addresses and telephone numbers set forth on this communication. If you have any questions about how to deliver a consent in the Consent Solicitation, you should contact the Information and Tabulation Agent. Requests for additional copies of the Consent Solicitation Statement or any other related documents may also be directed to the Information and Tabulation Agent.

The Solicitation Agent for the Consent Solicitation is:

Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.

85 Broad Street

New York, New York 10004

Attention: Debt Capital Markets

+1 212 667-7424

*********

Frigorifico Concepcion S.A.

Ruta Cnel. Rafael Franco, Camino Aeropuerto Km. 6.5

Concepcion

Paraguay

SOURCE Frigorifico Concepcion S.A.
One key solution to the worlds climate woes? Canadas natural landscapes The Narwhale

Why Idaho Hasnt Stopped Shaking Since March 31 Popular Mechanics (Re Silc).

Wirecard executive Jan Marsalek touted Russian nerve gas documents FT (Richard Smith). Wirecard executive Jan Marsalek touted secret documents about the use of a Russian chemical weapon* in the UK, as he bragged of ties to intelligence services to ingratiate himself with London traders. * Novichok. Of course. Smith adds: Financial fraud, a marijuana marketplace, plus porn, gambling and dating.

In north Michigan woods, feds raid an alleged upscale art forgery factory Detroit News. Manufacturing renaissance in the heartland!

The leveraging of America: how companies became addicted to debt FT

#COVID

Readers, I apologize for the heaviness of this section. With science popping, the aerosol transmission controversy, and school reopenings, theres rather a lot going on. COVID-19 is sending its venomous tentacles into everything:

Four first hand reports from Real World, Covid19 edition. They do not fit any narrative very well. Daily Kos (AA). The (Other) Great Orange Satan still has something worthwhile on very rare occasions. The supply chain stuff is very interesting. Despite the source!

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Q&A: How is COVID-19 transmitted? WHO. Revised after the aerosol transmission letter to WHO from 230 signatories.

Airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2: The world should face the reality Environment International. Worth reading in full:

It is difficult to explain why public health authorities marginalize the significance of airborne transmission of influenza or coronaviruses, but a possible reason is that it is difficult to directly detect the viruses traveling in the air. The fact that there are no simple methods for detecting the virus in the air does not mean that the viruses do not travel in the air.  To summarize, based on the trend in the increase of infections, and understanding the basic science of viral infection spread, we strongly believe that the virus is likely to be spreading through the air. If this is the case, it will take at least several months for this to be confirmed by science. This is valuable time lost that could be used to properly control the epidemic by the measures outlined above and prevent more infections and loss of life.

Investigating SARS-CoV-2 surface and air contamination in an acute healthcare setting during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in London Clinical Infectious Diseases. From the abstract: Our findings of extensive viral RNA contamination of surfaces and air across a range of acute healthcare settings in the absence of cultured virus underlines the potential risk from environmental contamination in managing COVID-19, and the need for effective use of PPE, physical distancing, and hand/surface hygiene.

Exaggerated risk of transmission of COVID-19 by fomites The Lancet. A comment (i.e., not a study).

Covid-19 is 1,000 TIMES better at infecting humans than its closest relative found in bats because it evolved from several coronaviruses which merged together Daily Mail. Summarizing results from the Francis Crick Institute.

* * *

Pre-existing immunity to SARS-CoV-2: the knowns and unknowns Nature. From the abstract: T cell reactivity against SARS-CoV-2 was observed in unexposed people; however, the source and clinical relevance of the reactivity remains unknown.

* * *

Chronic treatment with hydroxychloroquine and SARSCoV2 infection Journal of Medical Virology. n= 26,815. From the Conclusion: Our data suggest that chronic treatment with HCQ [for autoimmune diseases] confer protection against SARSCoV2 infection.

Persistent Symptoms in Patients After Acute COVID-19 JAMA. Handy chart:

Just out: new study from @JAMA_current: of 143 patients discharged from hospital with #COVID19 (average age 56), only 13% were symptom-free an average of 2 months later. Fatigue, trouble breathing, joint pain, chest pain in >20%. https://t.co/KKwfpHnQHJ pic.twitter.com/QKRNBLeaGq  Dr. Tom Frieden (@DrTomFrieden) July 9, 2020

* * *

A hot mess: Americans face testing delays as virus surges AP

Its time to begin a national wastewater testing program for Covid-19 STAT

* * *

Shelter-In-Place Orders Reduced COVID-19 Mortality And Reduced The Rate Of Growth In Hospitalizations Health Affairs

Bjorns Corner: Do I get COVID in airline cabins? Part 10. Trans-Atlantic trip. Leeham News and Analysis. Those iPads at Newark I hope somebodys wiping them down.

We Tested 28 (Actually Kind of Stylish) Fabric Face Masks New York Magazine

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America Is Refusing to Learn How to Fight the Coronavirus David Wallace-Wells, The Atlantic

How Epidemics End Boston Review (nvl).
Coca-Cola India has partnered with United Way Mumbai to support 48 public hospitals across eight states in the country as part of its relief initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic. Apart from large-scale support to public hospitals and healthcare workers, the partnership has also committed to serving over 65,000 public service personnel such as sanitation workers, police staff and community health workers across the nation, the world's largest beverage manufacturer said in a press release.

"This initiative is a part of Coca-Cola's commitment of Rs 100 crore towards helping the healthcare system and communities to combat the crisis and contain the spread of the pandemic," the American soft drink manufacturer said.

As a part of the relief initiative, Coca-Cola and United Way Mumbai along with its partner NGO Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled started a distribution drive in Karnataka. The company distributed PPE and hygiene aid kits amongst frontline warriors in Karnataka to help them fight against the spread of coronavirus.

"Through this distribution, 1200 healthcare workers, 8000 sanitation workers, 2050 police personnel and 1100 community health workers will be benefited in Karnataka," the company said.

Commenting on the initiative, Ishteyaque Amjad, Vice-President, Public Affairs, Communications & Sustainability, Coca-Cola India and South West Asia said, "We are humbled to collaborate with our partner United Way Mumbai in providing support to the health and safety of the country's frontline warriors. We are hopeful that with collective efforts and resilience, we will be able to steer ourselves out of these testing times."

In a separate development, Coca-Cola India has entered into partnership with Common Services Centers(CSC), under the aegis of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, to list Coca Cola products on its Grameen eStore platform. The partnership will make available affordable essential hydration through CSC's Grameen eStore platform. In the pilot phase, Coca-Cola's portfolio of products will be listed on Grameen eStore across the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

By Chitranjan Kumar

Also Read: RIL Chairman Mukesh Ambani is now richer than Warren Buffett

Also Read: Boeing completes delivery of Apache, Chinook helicopters to Indian Air Force
Disney+ subscribers certainly did not throw away their shot to stream the new Hamilton movie. The film features the original cast of the show during one of its final stage performances of the Tony-winning Broadway musical. And many Hamilton fans are already wondering whether the movie could give Lin-Manuel Miranda another chance at an Oscar win.

Hamilton at Beacon Theatre | Getty Images

Hamilton became a cultural phenomenon after its 2015 debut

Following its Broadway debut in 2015, Hamilton became a cultural phenomenon the likes of which rarely comes from the theater scene nowadays. Ticket prices skyrocketed  particularly during Mirandas original run in the lead  and the soundtrack became a bestseller.

In the years since, Hamilton has continued to loom large in pop culture. Many of the cast members have gone on to become even bigger stars. And Miranda gained high-profile gigs on Disney movies like Moana, Mary Poppins Returns, and the upcoming live-action The Little Mermaid.

As such, Miranda has gotten very close to becoming an EGOT. That distinction describes an artist who has received the highest honors in television (Emmy), music (Grammy), film (Oscar), and theater (Tony). Miranda is only missing the Oscar. Could the Disney+ release of Hamilton change that?

RELATED: Why the Hamilton Stage Film Is Exactly What Fans Have Been Waiting For

Some speculated the movie could become an awards contender

After all, Hamiltons success on the stage certainly translates well to the filmed performance. Disney+ enjoyed more than 752,000 downloads during the movies first weekend.

Yet, streaming-only releases typically have a difficult time getting Oscar attention. Perhaps the extenuating circumstances of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic allow it to slip into the race.

Unfortunately, according to Variety, the Disney+ Hamilton still wont be in the room where it happens on Oscar night. In 1997, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences changed the eligibility rules, disqualifying recorded stage performances. Prior to that, Hamilton might have fallen under the documentary category.

Considering the shows growing legion of fans, thats definitely a blow. But all hope is not lost.

RELATED: Hamilton Creator Lin-Manuel Miranda Describes John M. Chus Big Vision for the In the Heights Movie (Bigger Than His Own)

Lin-Manuel Mirandas musical could still become an Oscar contender

When it comes to Hamiltons status as an Oscar-winning property, fans might just have to wait for it. The Disney+ movie is a great way for people who never got the chance to see the original cast perform to do so. But it definitely doesnt prevent Hollywood from making a true adaptation.

Mirandas other award-winning Broadway hit, In the Heights, is about to get a movie based on the stage production. And given the overwhelming support for Hamilton, its only a matter of time before the show becomes an Oscar-nominated movie. Sit tight, Hamilton. Oscar has its eyes on you.
One person was killed and seven injured Wednesday after an amusement ride malfunctioned on opening day of the Ohio State Fair, one of the largest state fairs in the country.

Battalion Chief Steve Martin, a spokesman for the Columbus Fire Division, said the victims were hurled from the Fire Ball ride at 7:20 p.m. local time. One man was killed on impact, the Columbus Dispatch reported.

Ohio Governor John Kasich said at a news conference Wednesday night that "This is the worst tragedy in the history of the fair." Kasich called for a full investigation and ordered all rides shut down until safety inspections could be made, he said.

"It's kind of hard to imagine you have family that goes to a state fair and those calls come, that there was a terrible accident, a terrible tragedy, and someone you love is involved," he said.

Three of the injured were taken to OhioHealth Grant Medical Center. Two were later released with one patient in critical condition, a hospital spokesman said.

Another four were brought to Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center, where Dr. David Evans told reporters that "multiple passengers were ejected at high speed, at high energy more than 20 feet or more."

He said four patients were in intensive care, one of whom was in surgery. The victims vary in ages from teenagers to at least one in their 60s.

"We will get to the bottom of this. There will be complete transparency," Kasich added.

Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, also issued a statement, saying he and his wife send their "deepest sympathies to all those who were impacted by the accident."

The swinging Fire Ball pivots and swirls as high as 40 feet at 13 revolutions a minute, according to specifications from Amusements of America, the carnival operator that deployed a fleet of rides to the fair.

Videos circulating online and on local news stations show a sense of chaos as the incident unraveled. In one video, the six gondolas with four seats each rocketed from the top of a parabolic arc. At least two of the gondolas appear to smash into a metal structural support beam, as one drops away. One person appears to have been launched into the air as the video ends in screams from onlookers.

Amusements of America did not return a call for comment. Organizers of the Ohio State Fair did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Travis and Mitch Taylor, 18-year-old cousins from a town outside Columbus, said they rode the Fire Ball Wednesday night just before the fatal incident. They contemplated climbing back on but instead opted for food, backpedaling away from the ride as they watched those who boarded behind them climb into the air.

"We just watched the people get scared," Travis Taylor told The Washington Post.

The ride swung high to the right and back to the left, then suddenly people were free-falling.

They soon realized that an entire row of fairgoers had detached from the Fire Ball and hit the ground. Each row is color-coordinated, the cousins said, and it was the orange row that fell - the same row that they had been seated in only moments before.

"It very well could have been us," Travis Taylor said.

Onlookers screamed and cried, the cousins said, and almost immediately police and EMS began blocking off the crowd from those who were injured.

"Everyone was just scared as heck," Mitch Taylor said. "We were shaking."

The cousins weren't sure how long the Fire Ball had been operating at the Ohio State Fair, but they said it had been there for the eight years they had been attending. It was one of their favorites, they said.

"You see those videos of a roller coaster malfunctioning," Travis Taylor said, "but you never think it can actually happen."

Last year, more than 900,000 people attended the fair, according to Cleveland.com.

The Ohio Highway Patrol will be the lead investigators.

Michael Vartorella, a ride inspector with the Ohio Department of Agriculture, said at the news conference his team oversees 4,300 pieces of equipment in the state, which are carefully inspected to ensure working condition of electrical systems, hydraulics and structural integrity. The Fire Ball was inspected three or four times before the fair began, he said.

Vartorella became emotional as he described the stakes of the safety of those rides.

"My grandchildren ride this equipment," he said. "We take this job very serious, and when we have an accident like this . . . it hits us really hard."

Kasich said he will be back at the fair Thursday morning, with plans to continue the fair as scheduled. At least four rides did not operate Wednesday out of safety concerns, and rides will reopen after they are reinspected, Ohio Department of Agriculture official David Daniels said at the conference.

The governor sought to downplay concerns of fair guests, some of whom have bought season passes, who may think twice before returning to the fair that runs until August 6.

"We'll move on but it doesn't mean we don't grieve for what happened," Kasich said.

"I'll be at the fair," he said.
Construction work on the new 1.7bn national children's hospital has stalled indefinitely amid a dispute over who should pay for the extra costs of reopening the site.

No work has been carried out on the controversial project, which has been beset by delays and budget overruns, at St James's Hospital in Dublin since the Covid-19 lockdown at the end of March.

Building work stopped on March 31 - but despite restrictions on the construction sector easing on May 18, work has yet to restart on the site.

The National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (NPHDB) confirmed there is a dispute with the developer Bam over who should bear the extra costs of the site being closed for over three months and reopening it while complying with social-distancing rules, which will mean fewer workers on site.

This is likely to further delay the completion of the hospital, which is due to open in 2023.

The NPHDB argues that construction can continue while the dispute is being resolved. Bam declined to comment.

"There is no timeline for when it will be back up and running. Discussions are ongoing," a source said.

The delays were described as "extremely concerning" by Fianna Fail TD James Lawless who confirmed the indefinite delay through a parliamentary question to Health Minister Stephen Donnelly.

The NPHDB said in a statement: "The NPHDB has been engaging with Bam to ensure the earliest possible reopening of the site.

Delay

"Some matters remain unresolved, relating primarily to the cost implications of the closure and reopening of the site and who should bear them.

"This should not prevent Bam from returning to the site, however, as these matters can be resolved through the agreed dispute management process while work on site continues, and for that reason the NPHDB has been clear on its expectation that the main contractor meets its obligation by returning to the site without further delay."

The new hospital is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2022 and handed over to Children's Health Ireland to open in 2023.

However, the project has been beset by delays and the NPHDB said Bam had failed to make up for time lost.

"There will be delays associated with the requirement to cease works on the site due to Covid-19 restrictions and following reopening in respecting social distancing," it said. "However it is too early to fully assess the time or cost impact of the pandemic."

Mr Lawless said he has now written to Mr Donnelly outlining his concerns and seeking further clarity on when work will restart on the site.

"This project has already undergone numerous delays and expenses. Neither it nor the State can afford more controversy and delay now," he told the Herald.

"What is so special about this particular site that sees tools still downed almost two months after every other builder is back at work?"
The Friday morning session of baby races at Woodbine Mohawk Park featured a number of impressive performances from two-year-olds whose connections were looking for some additional seasoning before making pari-mutuel debuts.

Trotting colt Father Corby (Chris Christoforou) forged first-up in the back half of his second qualifying appearance of the season, powering to the front in the stretch and holding off a late surge from On A Streak (Bob McClure) to win by a half-length in 1:59.3. Golden Compass (Blair Burgess) finished third.

Owned by trainer Dustin Jones along with Hebert Horses Inc. and SJLN Racing Inc. of Quebec, Father Corby (Father Patrick - Cartier Hall) was a $50,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase.

Pacing colt Aime Hanover make a miscue in his qualifying debut a week ago -- one of the few Casie Coleman Herlihy pupils that didn't win a qualifier last Saturday -- but he was on his best behaviour for his second outing. Driver Jonathan Drury settled the son of Betting Line - Allamerican Coed into third early, moved to the lead down the backstretch and reeled off a :56.1 back half to trip the timer in 1:55.1 -- the fastest pacing mile from the rookie set on Friday. Bottle Rocket was more than four lengths back in the leader in second with Moonshine Willy (Scott Wray) closing well for third by 11-1/2 lengths.

Aime Hanover was plucked from Harrisburg for $100,000 by West Wins Stable, Steve Heimbecker, Michael Cote Gagnon and Kevin McKinlay.

For the results from the Friday session of qualifiers, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park (Baby Races).
As the sector continues to walk on thin ice, travel insurance providers have, in some cases, refused to pay out to customers caught by the COVID-19 crisis  resulting in an influx of inquiries from policyholders.

The top 10 travel insurance providers in the USA, based on reviews and comparisons by Consumer Advocate and Trip Savvy, have released statements about policy changes and other pandemic-related information. These are outlined below.

Under the standard trip cancelation policy, Travel Insurance refuses to provide reimbursement to policyholders who canceled their trip due to fear of COVID-19.

A Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) upgrade provides protection but increases the base premium by 40%. Those who want to purchase the upgrade must take out the policy within a set number of days after making the first payment for the trip, insure the entire pre-paid and non-refundable cost of the trip, and cancel the trip more than 48 hours before the departure date.

Buying a plan with an optional CFAR upgrade is the best way to cover against canceling your trip due to worries, fears, and anything else not covered under standard trip cancelation coverage, Travel Insurance said.

The insurer also provides travel interruption coverage for policyholders who returned home early after contracting COVID-19 during their trip as well as those who became ill or injured before the departure date. Customers who want to file a claim must provide medical records from a doctor and receipts that prove any losses.

Sickness or injury to the policyholder, a family member, or other travel companion is the most common covered reason for trip interruption. In such cases, as much as 150% of unused pre-paid and non-refundable trip expenses can be reimbursed, including accommodation, flights, excursions, and tours, Travel Insurance said.

Trawick International treats COVID-19 like other illnesses as per the applicable policy terms. Therefore, it will provide coverage for medical conditions caused by COVID-19.

The insurers Trip Cancelation and Trip Interruption Travel Protection policies offer reimbursement for unused, non-refundable trips and additional transportation costs to return home or re-join the tour  provided that cancelations or illnesses prevented the policyholder from resuming their travel plans.

Additionally, our plans would provide coverage in the event of an emergency evacuation or if repatriation of remains were needed. Our plans also provide trip cancelation and trip interruption coverage for quarantine, bankruptcy of the travel supplier, or if you are terminated or laid-off, Trawick International said.

It also has CFAR for its Safe Travels First Class and Safe Travels Voyager plans, allowing policyholders to cancel their trip for any reason and receive reimbursements for up to 75% of the non-refundable trip cost. Meanwhile, its Travel Medical Protection plan offers short-term medical coverage for medical evacuation and repatriation of remains while the customer is traveling overseas.

If youre traveling outside the USA, you can be covered if you get sick from coronavirus as long as you are infected after the effective date of the policy. Threat level warnings or declaration of a pandemic by any or all countries does not affect medical coverage, Trawick International said.

Generali Travel Insurance considered COVID-19 as a known event on January 29, 2020. It provides coverage for those who purchased Trip Cancelation for Any Reason and those who contracted the virus. However, it refuses to cover for foreseeable events such as becoming quarantined due to the pandemic.

For plans that exclude losses due to a pandemic, there will be no coverage for this event for losses occurred on or after March 11, 2020  the date COVID-19 was formally declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization, Generali Travel Insurance said.

Its travel insurance plans also cover cancelations due to mechanical breakdown or adverse weather, but not COVID-19-related blunders. Moreover, customers can only use the insurers travel assistance services for coronavirus-related events.

For example, if you are diagnosed with COVID-19 during your trip, you can call our 24-Hour Emergency Assistance phone line for help finding the right medical provider near you and coordinating emergency medical transportation, Generali Travel Insurance explained.

Other services include help sending emergency messages, arranging travel back home, emergency cash transfer, and help to get the assistance of US embassies and consulates.

Policyholders who contracted COVID-19 or became quarantined while coverage is in effect are eligible for Trip Cancelation or Interruption coverage. They could also be eligible for Emergency Medical or Evacuation coverage if they contracted the virus while traveling.

However, Travelex does not cover for fear of travel or inaccessible destination due to travel advisories. It has also stopped the sales of its CFAR upgrade option.

Travel advisors or travelers should contact the airlines, cruise, and tour operators and other suppliers to consider your options to change travel arrangements with the ability to waive or reduce penalties, Travelex said.

World Nomads

World Nomads does not have an epidemic or pandemic exclusion for US policies. Therefore, policyholders can claim for COVID-19-related events such as unforeseen illnesses and emergency medical and trip interruption.

However, its policies do not cover fear of travel or events for which the policyholder is not directly affected by caused by the pandemic. It also does not offer a CFAR upgrade.

In no instances can you get reimbursed for canceling your trip because youre worried about how the COVID-19 outbreak may impact your travels. So, maybe youve already booked your trip months ahead, and the uncertainty of the current situation is making you nervous. Coverage for trip cancelation would not apply in this case, World Nomads said.

Policyholders who cannot take their trip due to COVID-19 can ask AXA to change the dates on their current travel protection plan to future travel dates  anytime 18 months from the initial start date of the booked trip.

Policyholders would not be eligible to make a claim if they canceled their trip due to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warnings, government travel bans, and other preventive measures.

However, AXA clarified that it could provide coverage for trip cancelation, trip interruption, or trip delay if the policy were purchased before January 21, 2020, and the policyholder was quarantined. It also offers a CFAR that allows customers to cancel their trip for any reason and receive a reimbursement for up to 75% of the pre-paid, forfeited, non-refundable payments or deposits paid for the trip.

Allianz Travel does not cover losses directly or indirectly related to known, foreseeable, or expected events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. It also does not cover canceled trips due to fear of travel, even under the Cancel Anytime plans.

Our Cancel Anytime plans provide up to 100% reimbursement of non-refundable, pre-paid trip costs when a trip is canceled for a covered reason and up to 80% of those costs for most other unforeseen reasons for cancelation. However, these plans do not provide Cancel for Any Reason coverage, and coverage under these plans is subject to terms, conditions, and exclusions, Allianz Travel said.

Specifically, Cancel Anytime plans generally exclude coverage for losses directly or indirectly resulting from any of the following: known, foreseeable, or expected events, epidemics, and government prohibitions, and certain other causes of loss.

It does temporarily accommodate claims for emergency medical care for customers who contracted COVID-19 before or during their trip.

Roam Right

Roam Right will not provide coverage for COVID-19-related events for policies purchased on January 21, 2020, as it already considered the virus a known event during that time.

It clarified that policyholders who became quarantined or detained during their trip due to COVID-19 are eligible to claim for trip cancelation, provided that they took out their policy before January 21.

Sick travelers may also be eligible for trip interruption coverage, which can reimburse for additional transportation expenses to take you home, as well as any unused, pre-paid, non-refundable travel expenses, Roam Right said.

Travelers with canceled flights as a result of the pandemic could also make a claim under most Arch RoamRight travel insurance plans if the cancelation occurred on or after the scheduled departure date and they cannot reach their destination before 50% of the trip has passed.

Tokio Marine HCC-MIS provides trip cancelation insurance in conjunction with Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. Its policies are available in three levels: Atlas Excursion, Atlas Expedition, and Atlas Enterprise.

Atlas Enterprise is Tokio Marine HCCs only trip cancelation plan that includes a CFAR benefit. The customer must purchase the product within 21 days of their initial trip payment date to be eligible for CFAR coverage.

Meanwhile, international travel health insurance policies in the Atlas Series exclude charges resulting from a disease outbreak in a country or location where the CDC had issued a level three travel warning  provided that the advice had been in effect six months before the policyholders date of arrival or the policyholder failed to depart the country within the 10 days following the date the warning was issued.

American Express

American Express deferred premium payments for a limited grace period, relaxed deadlines for providing information, and waivered late fees and similar charges. It also decided to delay cancelation for non-payment of premiums, defer non-renewal of policies at expiration, and extend coverage under expiring policies in response to COVID-19.

It implemented a one-time exception to the applicable free look periods stated in the American Express Travel Insurance (AETI) policy, which allows the customer to terminate their policy and receive a full refund of premiums. It will accommodate the application under the following conditions:

The common carrier for the trip canceled the trip after January 21, 2020 because of COVID-19; or

The policyholder canceled their trip planned to commence before 12:01am on June 01, 2020 because of COVID-19; and

American Express has not yet paid out any claims under the policy for any reason in consideration of the refund; and

The policyholder requested to terminate the policy after its free look period expired.

American Express also confirmed that it does not provide coverage for trip cancelations for fear of travel or any reason. Policyholders must check their certificate of insurance for a list of covered reasons.
Sarah Paulson is a die-hard fan of The Real Housewives franchises on Bravo. Theres not one edition that she doesnt know about and thats why shes always a treat of a guest on Watch What Happens Live. During the episode tonight she was reminded of the not-so-nice incident she talked about after a run-in with Lisa Vanderpump. Paulson didnt have a positive interaction with the former The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and received major backlash for revealing it.

Lisa Vanderpump and Sarah Paulson | Raymond Liu / ABC via Getty Images / Gregg DeGuire/WireImage

What happened between Sarah Paulson and Lisa Vanderpump?

In October 2019, Vanity Fair posted a video interview online with Paulson. The latter took a lie detector test while she answered important pop culture questions. One of the questions was about the New York-based Housewives survival chances after Bethenny Frankels exit.

I think the star of the Real Housewives is the franchise itself. So I think it will survive without her, yes. Although I, personally, will miss her. Id like them to bring back Jill Zarin, though, personally, the award-winning actress said in the interview.

As the questions shifted to Beverly Hills she was asked about Vanderpump leaving the franchise. Paulson was already hesitant talking about the restauranteur as she knows her fandom is intense.

You know, I dont want her coming after me on Twitter, but I wont miss her, she bravely said. I miss the dynamic she brings to the group, which is, you know, the fear of God she instills in everyone.

Paulson then added, I met her once at a party and she wasnt that nice to me. Am I going to get in trouble for that? She wasnt that nice.

A Vanderpump fan later replied on Twitter asking who Paulson was to which the Vanderpump Rules star said she wasnt sure.

Not sure lol.  Lisa Vanderpump (@LisaVanderpump) October 2, 2019

In a separate shady response, Vanderpump added: I am sorry, not sure I know her, and I dont believe or remember meeting her I try to be nice to everybody lol.

Sarah Paulson doesnt back down

Paulson was a guest on WWHL and host Andy Cohen asked her about the incident with Vanderpump. As an avid Housewives viewer, Paulson is fully invested in this world just like the rest of us.

Its that thing where Im a bit of an idiot in the sense that when I was having that lie detector test they truly strap everything around me. The guy was sitting there and I felt somehow that if I didnt answer the question properly that they were going to call me out anyway, she explained.

Bless the fans, bless the people who have their back, thats great, she continued. But theres a kind of vitriol that was like wow. I didnt say she was a terrible person, I simply said she wasnt that nice to me. She wasnt and thats ok, it wasnt a character assassination. She wasnt that friendly.

Paulson acknowledged that Vanderpump allowed her to hold her precious dog Jiggy, which is something LVP fans kept reminding her. The American Horror Story actress then proceeded to mock Vanderpumps fans whining on social media.

But you she the dog, Paulson said mockingly. She doesnt anybody touch Jiggy la la la

Paulson then adds, Yeah, I probably grabbed the dog out of her hand anyway. I was with other people that I think she liked, she didnt know who I was. I didnt expect her to know who I was but, she wasnt that nice.

Watch the hilarious reenactment below!

Watch What Happens Live airs weeknights on Bravo.

RELATED: RHOBH: Andy Cohen Gets Messy, Asks Kyle Richards If Shes Sold Stories to Radar
VIT said that this year the admission of students to various engineering programmes offered by it will be based on Class 12 or pre-university examination marks of the applicants.

Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) has cancelled its engineering entrance examination VITEEE 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. VIT said that this year the admission of students to various engineering programmes offered by it will be based on Class 12 or pre-university examination marks of the applicants.

The institute said that conducting VITEEE-2020 in various cities with rising coronavirus infections has become risky and dangerous". To keep the student and parent community safe it has decided to cancel the entrance exam.

The admission will be based on +2 or Pre-University marks in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics or Biology, VIT said in an official statement.

According to a report by The News Minute, VITEEE 2020 was scheduled to be conducted from 29 July to 2 August. Applicants who have appeared for the Joint Entrance Examinations (Mains), or JEE (Mains), will be given appropriate weightage during the admissions.

Forms for providing the marks and JEE (Mains) scores are already available on VIT website www.vit.ac.in. In case the results of the Board Examination taken are not declared, they may upload the marks as soon as the results are available," the notification stated.

For clarification, applicants can call at toll-free number 1800-102-0536 or email at ugadmission@vit.ac.in or WhatsApp on 9566656755, the notification said.

The News Minute report mentions that in 2019, around 1.62 lakh students had applied to take the VITEEE examination which was held in 163 centres across India and the Middle East.

According to a report by Careers 360, VITEEE is conducted for admission to various engineering programmes offered by VIT group of Institutions at Vellore, Chennai, Amravati (Andhra Pradesh) and Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh).
President Nana Akufo-Addo has formed a 5 member coronavirus sub-committee to monitor the enforcement of coronavirus safety protocols in schools nationwide.

The committee members comprise of Dr. Anothony Nsiah Asare  Presidential Advisor on Health, Dr. Okoe Boye- Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Da Costa Aboagye - Director Health Promotion Division, Ghana Health Service, Dr. Yaw Adu Twum - Deputy Minister of Education, Dr. Patrick Kuma- Aboagye, Director General Ghana Health Service. This was disclosed by the Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah at a press on Thursday in Accra.

He said the Committee will work to address gaps in the enforcement of the protocols on campuses nationwide.

According to him, government continues to monitor the safety protocols in schools.

He stated that a dedicated desk has been created at the Coronavirus Call Centres for parents to all and find out details about issues in their wards schools, particularly issues relating to suspected cases of coronavirus.

He said parents can call hotline 311 and will have dedicated staff at the centre responding to their queries.

It comes after news of Coronavirus outbreak at the Accra Girls Senior High School.

Some six students, a teacher, and a spouse tested positive at Accra Girls Senior High School.

A student at the KNUST SHS reportedly died after he complained of stomach ache but was allegedly abandoned by teachers and school staff due to coronavirus fears.

Meanwhile, the Minister says Government acknowledges efforts being made by the Electoral Commission and the Security Agencies to ensure the compliance of Coronavirus safety etiquettes.

However, he called on citizens have a role to play in helping to contain the spread of Coronavirus.

The Minister appealed to citizens and residents to ensure social distancing and compliance with other Covid-19 protocols. He said for the cumulative case count to reduce, residents and citizens have to adhere to the protocols.

We cannot eat our cake and have it, he said.
Glioblastomas are the most common malignant brain tumors in adults. Treatment options are extremely limited and usually not effective, leading to death for most patients within 12-18 months of diagnosis.

This is the type of cancer that claimed the lives of former U.S. Sens. John McCain and Ted Kennedy.

Now, a Purdue University cancer innovator and his team have developed a promising new approach to treating these tumors using a type of immune cell called the natural killer (NK) cell. The team genetically modifies the NK cells to more specifically target and kill cancer cells.

The V Foundation for Cancer Research and the Walther Cancer Foundation, in collaboration with Indiana University School of Medicine, funded part of this work.

Multifunctionally engineering these cells is a potentially transformative way to enable the improved treatment of this disease. Our solution is the first multifunctional, responsive immunotherapy for GBM (glioblastoma multiforme) based on engineered natural killer cells. By targeting multiple mechanisms at the same time, we severely limit the ability of GBM to avoid treatment." Sandro Matosevic, Assistant Professor in Purdue's College of Pharmacy

The challenge with developing therapies for GBM is that the disease is highly immunosuppressive. It uses multiple mechanisms to evade recognition by the immune system, and many therapies developed against it are unsuccessful because GBM is both resistant to treatment and highly heterogeneous.

GBM is the most aggressive brain tumor. Despite multiple intensive treatment options - surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy - very few patients with GBM survive beyond 15 months, and none are cured. This is because most drugs act on a single pathway, while GBM uses a highly complex network of immunosuppressive mechanisms to promote resistance to treatment and evade immune recognition.

"Not only is cell-based immunotherapy a highly unique and promising treatment approach, but natural killer cells have been shown to be able to kill GBM with high efficiency. They are also considered safer than other cell-based therapies such as T cells. In addition, it has been shown that clinically, patients benefit from a higher presence of NK cells in the tumor microenvironment," Matosevic said.

The innovators are working with the Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialization, which seeks to license this patent-pending technology. The office is now housed in the Convergence Center for Innovation and Collaboration in Discovery Park District, adjacent to the Purdue campus.

The researchers are looking for partners to continue developing their technology. For more information on licensing and other opportunities, contact Joseph Kasper of OTC at [email protected] and mention track code 2020-MATO-68833.

This technology involving GBM is the latest innovation to come out of the Matosevic Lab and is among several recent innovations from Purdue scientists and the Purdue University Center for Cancer Research.
Ken Buck is a United States representative from Colorado. He is a member of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee. @RepKenBuck
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Linkedin Rachel Savage (Thomson Reuters Foundation)  Fri, July 10, 2020 12:30 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406655ca5c 2 World Netherlands,passport,ID-card,gender-diversity,gender-identity,gender-neutral,gender-neutral-passport Free

As countries around the world debate the vexed issue of how to reflect gender in official documents, the Netherlands is looking at a more radical solution - doing away with it altogether.

The proposal to remove the category from Dutch identity cards by 2025 came in a letter to parliament this month and is part of a government plan to "limit unnecessary sex registration where possible".

It has been welcomed by advocates for LGBT+ rights, who say removing the sex category would make life easier for transgender, intersex and non-binary people, who do not identify as a man or woman.

"It is a good thing that the government is not registering that much what is in our underpants," said Brand Berghouwer, the chair of advocacy group Transgender Netwerk Nederland.

"It is a good way to give people a little bit more freedom to be who they are."

Berghouwer said not having a gender marker would have saved him anxiety when he was transitioning, but acknowledged that many trans people are "very proud of the new letter on their IDs and they don't want to lose that".

The Netherlands is seen as one of the most progressive countries globally for LGBT+ rights, having legalized same-sex marriage in 2001.

If it goes ahead it will be one of only a handful of countries with no gender on their identity cards, including Germany, Italy and Serbia, whose cards have never featured it.

Counting soldiers

The sex category on passports was only introduced in 1974 when the International Civil Aviation Organization said the rise "unisex attire and hairstyles" meant photographs had become a less reliable way of ascertaining a traveller's sex.

Since then, countries including the Netherlands, Germany, Pakistan and Nepal have introduced third gender options for identity documents, including "X" for passports.

Removing sex altogether from passports would be expensive and require countries worldwide to install new or additional software at borders, said Marjolein van den Brink, a law lecturer at Utrecht University.

Sex was introduced on birth certificates in civil law jurisdictions in the early 19th century because of Napoleon Bonaparte.

The French ruler "wanted to know how many soldiers he could count on in the future," van den Brink said, while it also enforced different rights for men and women.

"It's such a matter of course that we divide people into male or female," she said.

Between five and 10 people in the Netherlands now have "X" on their birth certificates and passports after going to court, said Bente Keulen, national policy officer at NNID, an intersex advocacy group.

The government is waiting for more court cases before it introduces legislation, according to the minister's letter to parliament.

"I think they should hurry up," Keulen said, adding that while the preference is for no sex on birth certificates either, "X" was a "good thing" for now.

While countries like the Netherlands are moving to less traditional models for identity documents, others are enforcing distinctions between men and women, as far-right and religious conservatives campaign against what they call "gender ideology".

Hungary banned people from legally changing gender in May, in a move LGBT+ advocates said created panic among trans people, while the US state of Idaho banned trans people from changing their birth certificates in March.

Recording gender could be important for tracking gender-based violence, for example, said Jabulani Pereira, the chair of the trans steering committee at global advocacy group ILGA.

But, he argued, it was mostly unnecessary.

"We're such a small minority, so why is there such a focus, why is there such a need to entrench what is considered to be one's birth sex?"
The Batman filmmaker Matt Reeves and Terence Winter are teaming up to create a TV spinoff set in the same universe as his upcoming film starring Robert Pattinson.

While the 59-year-old Boardwalk Empire creator is set to write the untitled police drama, Reeves, 54, will further his creative power over the Dark Knight's hometown for HBO Max, Deadline reported on Friday.

'This is an amazing opportunity, not only to expand the vision of the world I am creating in the film, but to explore it in the kind of depth and detail that only a longform format can afford,' the Cloverfield director said.

Expanding his vision: The Batman filmmaker Matt Reeves and Terence Winter are teaming up to create a TV spinoff set in the same universe as his upcoming film starring Robert Pattinson (seen in 2019)

According to the outlet, the series is 'set in the world Reeves is creating for The Batman feature and will build upon the film's examination of the anatomy of corruption in Gotham City.'

While the series will 'extend the world established in the movie and further explore the myriad of complex characters of Gotham,' it is unclear if Batman will be among the cast.

'Our collaboration with Warner Bros. and DC allows us to elaborate and grow fan connections across these powerful brands for years to come. This is Batman as most audiences have never seen before, and we know fans will want to spend more time in this new world inspired by the film,' said HBO Max exec Kevin Reilly.

Same city: While the 59-year-old Boardwalk Empire creator is set to write the untitled police drama, Reeves, 54, will further his creative power over the Dark Knight's hometown, Deadline reported; (Batman filming in February )

According to the outlet, the series is 'set in the world Reeves is creating for The Batman feature and will build upon the film's examination of the anatomy of corruption in Gotham City' (2020)

Warner Bros TV previously added to the Batman universe with Foxs Gotham, which aired for five seasons from 2014-2019.

Additionally, Warner Horizons Epix series Pennyworth was recently renewed after its first season last year in the same world.

Reeves forthcoming The Batman's release date was delayed until October 2021, after production was halted on March 14, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Details to come: While the series will 'extend the world established in the movie and further explore the myriad of complex characters of Gotham,' it is unclear if Batman will be among the cast (pictured Robert Pattinson in 2020)

Late last month director Matt Reeves confirmed production on The Batman was being put on hiatus for the foreseeable future.

The project halted production after completing nearly seven weeks of filming in London.

Warner Bros originally said it was taking a 'two-week hiatus' due to the coronavirus pandemic, and Matt confirmed that filming was paused for the time being.

'This is an amazing opportunity, not only to expand the vision of the world I am creating in the film, but to explore it in the kind of depth and detail that only a longform format can afford,' the Cloverfield director said

'Yes, we have shut down till it is safe for us all to resume,' he stated in a tweet, before the Hollywood blockbuster was bumped back.

The Batman is set to feature the superhero at a younger age and will be reboot on the tale told with Ben Affleck in the titular role.

Zoe Kravitz will appear as Catwoman, while Andy Serkis will play Bruce Wayne's butler Alfred Pennyworth.
Did anyone have this on their 2020 bingo card?

This week, iconic Texas fast-food chain Whataburger announced it is making updates to its restaurants' design, including getting rid of the roof's signature 'A' shape.

The renovation rollout started with a location in Whataburger's hometown of San Antonio. The orange and white color scheme remains, but the roof is as flat as a pancake. It is so generic in its flatness, in fact, that some commenters even went as far as to compare it to  a Wendy's. The horror!

Even by Whataburger's own admission, the reactions have been mixed. James Turcotte, the company's senior vice president of real estate, told CultureMap: "As in all things, some people seem to love it and some had some maybe less-favorable comments. But you know, thats just the internet, I guess."

Indeed, the internet had some thoughts. Let's start with who's to blame, a long-time favorite pastime on Twitter. The consensus among tweeters points to "Chicago" or the general "Midwest." In June 2019, a Chicago-based investment company bought a majority stake in the Texas-born Whataburger. Much ire ensued.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Whataburger sells majority ownership stake to Chicago investment firm

"Sorry but that ain't Texan... thats what happens when a Chicago company steps in," said one Twitter user about the new redesign.

Some critics lamented this news in a year already so filled with tragedy. "2020 just keeps on screwing us," said another tweeter.

One user called the new design "boring and bland" and advised Whataburger to "find a new architect." Another said it was "a complete slap in the face" and suggested the company was "appealing to non-Texans."

Thoughtful analysis of the issue was provided in another corner of Twitter: "@Whataburger is putting on a new face that doesn't compare to its iconic A-frame restaurants, which portray a uniqueness and differentiation from other burger joints. Maybe more modern, but it diminishes the appeal and brand equity the company commands from the curb."

The company announcement also mentioned Whataburger's expansion into new markets with the opening of restaurants in Tennessee and Kansas City. The chain currently has restaurants in 10 states. It will also begin franchising for the first time in nearly 20 years. To one tweeter, this last development is "the end of Whataburger as we know it."

Many other commenters said these changes are tolerable, as long as the food stays the same.

"Just don't mess with the honey BBQ chicken strip sandwich and we're good," warned one fan.
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Announcement of Periodic Review: Moody's announces completion of a periodic review of ratings of Albania, Government of

Global Credit Research - 10 Jul 2020

London, 10 July 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") reviews all of its ratings periodically in accordance with regulations -- either annually or, in the case of governments and certain EU-based supranational organisations, semi-annually. This periodic review is unrelated to the requirement to specify calendar dates on which EU and certain other sovereign and sub-sovereign rating actions may take place.

Moody's conducts these periodic reviews through portfolio reviews in which Moody's reassesses the appropriateness of each outstanding rating in the context of the relevant principal methodology(ies), recent developments, and a comparison of the financial and operating profile to similarly rated peers. Since 1st January 2019, Moody's issues a press release following each periodic review announcing its completion.

Moody's has now completed the periodic review of a group of issuers that includes Albania and may include related ratings. The review did not involve a rating committee, and this publication does not announce a credit rating action and is not an indication of whether or not a credit rating action is likely in the near future; credit ratings and/or outlook status cannot be changed in a portfolio review and hence are not impacted by this announcement. For any credit ratings referenced in this publication, please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for the most updated credit rating action information and rating history.

The credit profile of Albania (issuer rating B1) is constrained by the country's "ba3" economic strength reflecting a small economy exposed to environmental risk, with a relatively low degree of diversification compared to peers and a number of structural challenges; Albania's "ba2" institutions and governance strength, underlining the government's steps in pursuit of EU accession to address persistent weaknesses in the area of rule of law and control of corruption; its "b1" fiscal strength, taking into account the high public debt burden and contingent liabilities stemming from the energy sector and from an increased reliance on off-balance sheet financing in the form of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to scale-up investment; and its "ba" susceptibility to event risk, driven by banking sector risk due to the high degree of euroization and the sector's weak asset quality.

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This document summarizes Moody's view as of the publication date and will not be updated until the next periodic review announcement, which will incorporate material changes in credit circumstances (if any) during the intervening period.

The principal methodology used for this review was Sovereign Ratings Methodology published in November 2019. Please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.

This announcement applies only to EU rated and EU endorsed ratings. Non EU rated and non EU endorsed ratings may be referenced above to the extent necessary, if they are part of the same analytical unit.

This publication does not announce a credit rating action. For any credit ratings referenced in this publication, please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for the most updated credit rating action information and rating history.

Daniela Re Fraschini Asst Vice President - Analyst Sovereign Risk Group Moody's Investors Service Ltd. One Canada Square Canary Wharf London E14 5FA United Kingdom JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454 Yves Lemay MD - Sovereign Risk Sovereign Risk Group JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454 Releasing Office: Moody's Investors Service Ltd. One Canada Square Canary Wharf London E14 5FA United Kingdom JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454

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The Supreme Court Friday sought responses from the Centre and the Assam government on a plea which has questioned the exercise of delimitation of assembly and parliamentary constituencies in the state, saying it is proposed to be conducted on the basis of "stale figures" of Census 2001.

The plea, filed by All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), has sought the apex court's direction to defer the delimitation exercise until the ill-effect of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is over. It said that Census 2011 has already been conducted while Census 2021 is underway.

A bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde issued notices to the Centre and the state government on the petition which has sought quashing of this year's February 28 order which "rescinded" an earlier notification of February 8, 2008 that had deferred the process of delimitation for Assam.

The plea has alleged that decision to conduct the pending process of delimitation in Assam "is not only an arbitrary and hasty decision but stands contrary to the very idea behind conducting delimitation, having proposed to be conducted not on the basis of the population figures obtained from the most recent Census but rather on the basis of stale figures of 2001 Census."

The plea alleged that ever since introduction of Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 till the enactment of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, the state has seen widespread violent protests.

It said the situation in Assam had grown so out of control that the entire state was declared as a "disturbed area" for the purposes of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 with effect from August 28 last year for a period of six months.

It said subsequently, the Assam government had declared the entire state as "disturbed area" up to six months beyond February 28 this year, unless withdrawn earlier.

The plea has also sought a direction that delimitation in the state be deferred until the National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise is completed in the state and Assam is relived form "disturbed area" by the competent authority.

"The delimitation proposed to be carried will change the constituencies and will have an impact on the voting rights and preferences of large number of voters and candidates," the plea said.

It claimed that as the data relied upon for the proposed delimitation is outdated and atmosphere in the state at present is not conducive for the exercise, "it is feared that many citizens may loose their right to vote if the exercise is carried out in the present scenario".

"Unless the data is up-to-date, delimitation of constituencies and redrawing them will cause a large number of voters to be left out," it said.

The apex court tagged the petition of AIUDF with an earlier plea in which it had had issued notice to the Centre and the Assam government.

The earlier petition had sought that delimitation of assembly and parliamentary constituencies in the state be deferred until the completion of Census 2021.

The plea, filed by two Assam residents, had also sought quashing of this year's February 28 order which "rescinded" an earlier notification of February 2008 that had deferred the delimitation process in the state.
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Like the 500-cfm unit, the new OptiClean 1500-cfm unit plugs into a standard wall outlet and uses a greater than 99.97% efficient, long-life HEPA filter to significantly reduce the presence of coronavirus and other contaminants in the air. OptiClean units exceed the ASHRAE school reopening recommendation* that portable electric HEPA machines be introduced into each classroom and provide a minimum of two air changes per hour.

The Carrier OptiClean units are portable, taking only about three-square feet of floor space when oriented vertically, and can also be operated horizontally, allowing for convenient, unobstructed placement in classrooms, cafeterias, libraries or gymnasiums. One 500-cfm unit can adequately clean the air in an average-sized classroom; the new 1500-cfm unit is designed for larger spaces. In both cases, multiple units can be used for more expansive spaces.

OptiClean is one of a number of solutions offered through Carrier's Healthy Buildings Program that can aid school districts in enhancing indoor air quality. Other product features and upgrades include filters with high MERV ratings; UV lights; Agion anti-microbial coating, which can be applied to protect against bacterial growth; economizers; and a Humidi-MiZer dehumidification system.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-09 23:06:30|Editor: huaxia

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by Xinhua writer Yu Jiaxin

LONDON, July 9 (Xinhua) -- A quicker solution with international cooperation is needed to address the tax challenges arising from the digitalization of economies amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said after a recent meeting.

The Paris-based body is trying to harmonize tax rules for digital companies with an international efforts, shifting taxation to the place where users of a service are located.

Despite these ongoing multilateral negotiations, several countries have decided to move ahead with unilateral measures to tax the digital economy, which have largely taken the form of digital services taxes (DST).

European OECD countries including France, Italy and Britain have implemented a DST. However, debate about this tax has never stopped.

Take Britain for example, a digital service tax has come into effect on April 1, 2020. It takes a percentage of sales from companies operating search engines, social media websites and online marketplaces with revenues above 500 million pounds (632 million U.S. dollars).

Glyn Fullelove, president of the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT), told Xinhua that questions remain on the tax's scope and impact. "For example, will some online gambling and gaming platforms be in or out of this scope? There is continued uncertainty about this," he said.

Another major concern is about the base of the tax.

"It's hard for the company to make a reasonable assessment of how many UK users and the attributable amounts of revenue to the users, resulting in a lack of certainty either for the tax payer or the tax authority," he added.

John Vella, associate professor of Taxation in the Faculty of Law at Oxford University, told Xinhua that unilateral measures like DSTs raise a number of concerns.

"It's hard to predict their impact on the international scene. DSTs, or the threat of further DSTs, may put pressure on countries to reach a coordinated way forward but they may also sour relations between countries even further, potentially leading to trade wars," he said.

In Vella's eyes, there is need for fundamental reform of the international corporate tax system. Measures such as DSTs are not a long-term solution.

Although some countries claim that it's a temporary measure, there's no sunset clause in their DST laws. Fullelove pointed out that the DST should not be viewed as a long term solution but a temporary fix, and it should be repealed once a satisfactory agreement is reached internationally through the OECD.

One of the biggest challenges for the agreement lies in the United States, which has been at odds with countries that plan to impose the DST, arguing it unfairly target American tech companies such as Facebook and Google.

The good news is, according to the OECD, despite some previous media reports, the United States has not pulled out of the negotiations, signaling its ongoing engagement in the multilateral cooperation work.

Angel Gurria, secretary-general of the OECD, called for all participants to remain engaged, work together in a spirit of compromise and advance towards a solution on Pillar One, which aims to require businesses to pay more taxes where their consumers, and thus sales, are located.

Pillar Two will ensure that a minimum level of tax will be paid, no matter how much clever tax planning is undertaken by multinationals.

This is why an international agreement is needed to reach, whether partly in October and then later in 2021, or any other possible combination driven by the political agenda, according to the OECD.

Fullelove is optimistic about the achievement of international agreement. He said there might be a compromise from the talks since the last thing countries across the world want to see in the post-pandemic era is trade war.

According to some experts, although the coronavirus pandemic might be a hurdle for a global agreement, the prospect of tariffs and trade wars may ultimately help motivate governments to develop a consensual approach. Enditem
Editor's note: Chuck Searcy is an international advisor for Project RENEW, a joint effort by the administration of Quang Tri Province and international NGOs to mitigate the impact of wartime explosive ordnance in the north-central Vietnamese province.

Searcy is also the president of Chapter 160 of Veterans for Peace, an international organization made up of military veterans, military family members, and allies dedicated to building a culture of peace, exposing the true costs of war, and healing the wounds of war.

He sent this piece to Tuoi Tre News as Vietnam and the United States is heading toward the 25th anniversary of bilateral relations, observed on July 11 in the United States and on July 12 in Vietnam.

When President Bill Clinton announced on July 11, 1995 the normalization of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Vietnam, Americans in Vietnam joined with Vietnamese and international friends to celebrate a new chapter in the painful history of our two nations.

Clintons announcement opened new opportunities for understanding, accommodation, and reconciliation.

To be sure, many issues were far from settled, especially the war legacies of explosive ordnance (EO) and Agent Orange.

But normalization permitted people of goodwill in both countries  veterans, scholars, peace advocates, and government officials  to move forward in a spirit of forgiveness, harmony, and mutual respect to create real progress on these thorny issues.

Many Americans had long felt that Vietnam had been treated unjustly in bearing the brunt of death and destruction during the war.

Three million Vietnamese had been killed, more than eight million tons of bombs rained down on the country, and 20 million gallons (75.7 million liters) of Agent Orange were sprayed on rivers, forests, and crops.

More than 100,000 Vietnamese had been killed or maimed by bombs and mines; some three million were still affected by the toxic poisoning of Agent Orange and other chemicals used by the U.S.

Normalization moved the agenda beyond a palpable pressure point, an impediment of timing and silence embodied by the excuse when we have normalized relations  at which time, presumably, serious engagement could get underway.

In that same year of normalization, 1995, Vietnam agreed for the first time to accept assistance from a U.S. non-governmental organization (NGO) to begin the daunting task of cleaning up EO in one location, Quang Tri Province in north-central Vietnam, the former DMZ.

The author (left) is seen with members of Project RENEW to find and clear explosive ordnance in Quang Tri Province, Vietnam in this undated supplied photo.

That led to other efforts and more organizations coming in to help, and eventually funding from the U.S. government  something that had been pushed at every opportunity by U.S. veteran activists.

Visiting delegations from Washington, civic groups, students, and even tourists starting to come into Vietnam were confronted by the challenge of making Vietnam safe from the huge amount of dangerous ordnance still contaminating the entire country.

Americans were reminded that we bore much responsibility for the residual damage and the threat that remained. After all, it was mostly our ordnance.

Normalized relations permitted this robust discussion to become very public, and encouraged strong advocates to be vocal and insistent in demanding that the U.S. government be accountable, that we step up efforts to deal with this deadly threat.

More difficult was the issue of Agent Orange. This toxic chemical defoliant had been sprayed all over southern Vietnam, destroying not only vegetation but eventually affecting younger and older generations of Americans, veterans and their families, and Vietnamese.

A consensus had developed among the medical and scientific community that Agent Orange/dioxin was, indeed, a deadly substance and the long-term effects were frightening.

Yet the U.S. denied any connection between Agent Orange and human health. U.S. officials refused even to discuss the issue.

Normalization changed these dynamics, even though it took some time. Slowly a full and honest look at the truth, as best the medical and scientific community could discern it, permitted us also to consider the ethical and moral implications of the issue.

The result is that the U.S. has now completed one major dioxin cleanup project in cooperation with the Vietnamese government, at Da Nang International Airport, and another bigger mitigation effort is underway at the former U.S. airbase in Bien Hoa, near Ho Chi Minh City.

The U.S. has pledged more than US$60 million in assistance to families with severe disabilities, including those who may be affected by Agent Orange/dioxin.

This could never have happened prior to normalization of relations between our two countries.

The EO cleanup effort has expanded significantly and has achieved great progress. Some half million cluster bombs and artillery shells, grenades, and rockets have been disposed of or removed in the past 25 years.

The number of accidents, injuries, and deaths has gone down measurably. From an average of 70 or 80 casualties a year in Quang Tri Province over recent decades, in the past two years there has not been a single accident there caused by EO.

Twenty-five years after normalization of relations between the U.S. and Vietnam, we can look back with some satisfaction at the progress that has been made.

We have laid the foundation for another 25 years of cooperation, and we have increased the likelihood that 25 years from now, our children and grandchildren will look back over the years with some satisfaction and note that issues such as explosive ordnance and Agent Orange are no longer a threat to their lives and their livelihoods, or to their health and happiness.
Lawyers for British heiress Ghislaine Maxwell claim she is not a flight risk, as they appeal to court in New York to grant her bail - Reuters

Ghislaine Maxwells lawyers are appealing to a New York court to grant the British heiress bail, secured by properties in the UK worth millions of dollars, as they claimed she has been made a scapegoat.

Ms Maxwell is being held at the federal Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn on charges she helped lure at least three girls, one as young as 14, to be sexually abused by longtime associate Jeffrey Epstein. She denies the charges.

Lawyers offered a $5m bond assured by six trusted friends and family members and secured against property in Britain worth up to $3.75m, according to papers filed at the US District Court of the Southern District of New York on Friday.

Ms Maxwell's defence argues that "Ghislaine Maxwell is not Jeffrey Epstein" and does not pose any threat to the community, or suffer from any "compulsive sexual proclivities".

They claim she was made a scapegoat for the disgraced financier after he killed himself in a Manhattan jail last summer.

"The media focus quickly shifted to our client - wrongly trying to substitute her for Epstein - even though (she) had never been charged with a crime or been found liable in any civil litigation and has always denied any allegations of claimed misconduct," lawyers Mark Cohen and Jeffrey Pagliuca say.

Donald Trump and his girlfriend (and future wife), former model Melania Knauss, financier (and future convicted sex offender) Jeffrey Epstein, and British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell pose together at the Mar-a-Lago club, Palm Beach, Florida - Getty

They also claimed Ms Maxwell, 58, would be at serious risk of contracting Covid-19 if she remained in prison, claiming the coronavirus is an unprecedented and extraordinary dangerous threat that justifies release on bail.

Under the prison system's virus protocols, Ms Maxwell is currently undergoing a 14-day quarantine.

Five inmates and six staff members are currently reported to have the virus. A further eight inmates and 35 staff members previously diagnosed have recovered from the disease.

The daughter of British publishing magnate Robert Maxwell is due to appear remotely in court in Manhattan on Tuesday, where her application for bail will be heard.

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She will be arraigned by the judge on six charges, including that she conspired to entice girls to engage in illegal sex acts with Epstein from 1994 through 1997 at his homes in New York City, Florida and New Mexico, and at Ms Maxwells residence in London.

Prosecutors have asked that she be detained in custody and denied bail because she has "extensive international ties, three passports, citizenship in two other countries and absolutely no reason to stay in the US."

They said she was an "extreme" flight risk as she has travelled at least 15 times internationally in the last three years, including to the UK, Japan, and Qatar.

Ms Maxwells lawyers claimed in their defence motion on Friday that she has no desire to leave the US as she has very close ties with family members and friends in New York and has lived in the country for over 30 years.

They told of how she was a godmother and enjoyed relationships with her nieces and nephews.

Metropolitan Detention Center where Ghislaine Maxwell is being held in Brooklyn New York - Reuters

They argued that she has faced multiple civil lawsuits by Epsteins victims over the years and did not flee. They claimed that she has not once left the country since Epsteins arrest on sex trafficking charges last July.

They proposed she surrender all passports and submit to electronic tagging, restraining her travel to the southern and eastern districts of New York.

Prosecutors say that Ms Maxwell has more than a dozen bank accounts, with the largest one containing more than $20 million.

She had been living in a house in Bradford, New Hampshire, when she was arrested by FBI officers last week.

Property which is believed to be the home of Ghislaine Maxwell in Bradford, New Hampshire

A court filing stated that Ms Maxwell appears to have been living on a 156-acre property in the picturesque town that she bought last December in a cash purchase, using a limited liability company to shield her identity.

Ms Maxwell denied the prosecution's suggestion that she had been hiding from the law, claiming that she retreated from society due an "onslaught' of media attention that amounted to an "open season".

Epstein had made a similar plea for bail after his arrest last year, offering to remain at his $77 million New York mansion.

His application was denied.
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Mayor Bill de Blasio, third from left, participates in painting Black Lives Matter on Fifth Avenue in front of Trump Tower, in New York on July 9, 2020,. The mayor's wife, Chirlane McCray, is fourth from left and Rev. Al Sharpton is second from left. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

NYC Mayor Helps Paint Black Lives Matter Mural in Front of Trump Tower

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio joined a number of others to paint the words Black Lives Matter in yellow in front of Trump Tower on New Yorks Fifth Avenue between 56th and 57th streets.

The city shut down a section of Fifth Avenue early Thursday for the mural. The mayor, a Democrat, along with wife Chirlane McCray, Reverend Al Sharpton, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, and Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), helped paint the mural.

Volunteers and more than 20 local artists with the organization Street Corner Resources also joined in.

De Blasio announced his plans for the mural in late June. Several days later, President Donald Trump criticized the move, accusing the mayor of seeking to paint a big, expensive, yellow Black Lives Matter sign while the City Council was deciding to pass a measure that would cut $1 billion from the New York City Police Department (NYPD).

Trump added that the move would be denigrating this luxury Avenue and would further antagonize New Yorks Finest.

On Thursday, de Blasio said, Let me tell you, we are not denigrating anything. We are liberating Fifth Avenue.

So, when we say, Black Lives Matter, there is no more American statement, there is no more patriotic statement, because there is no America without black America, he said.

Black Lives Matter is painted on Fifth Avenue in front of Trump Tower, in New York, July 9, 2020. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

Trump supporter Juliet Germanotta called the paint job unfortunate, reported the New York Daily News.

The Black Lives Matter movement in general is a beautiful thing, but it has been taken over and held hostage by the far-left agenda who are trying to destroy our country, she told the outlet.

Similar Black Lives Matters murals have been painted on other New York City streets and in U.S. cities including Washington, Raleigh in North Carolina, and Oakland in California.

Washington was the first U.S. city to see the Black Lives Matter mural painted near the White House, a move allowed by Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser amid protests and riots that followed the death of George Floyd on May 25. Floyd died in police custody in Minneapolis.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Im admittedly a little late to Hamilton. Like millions of people across the globe, I dutifully logged into Disney+ over the weekend to watch the filmed version of the biggest play to hit Broadway since that musical about Mormons from the South Park guys.

The play was certainly entertaining. A number of songs and lyrics were catchy, and the idea of Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson engaging in a rap battle to determine the size and scope of a new national banking system is both bananas and brilliant.

But considering the diversity of the cast and the progressive blanket creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda wraps around its central character, Hamilton disappointingly falls into a trap that ensnares most movies and shows about the American Revolution  an avoidance of slavery.

Other than one or two lines (including one zinger at Jeffersons expense), the show largely avoids any discussion about the role slavery played in the formation of our county, despite three key characters  Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington  all being slaveholders.

Thats not to say these men didnt also do great things (in Jeffersons case, of course, that includes the writing of the Declaration of the Independence a block away from my pre-COVID-19 office in Center City). But that complexity of their characters and any serious acknowledgment that the founding of the country was as much a struggle over slavery as the Civil War was notably absent from Hamiltons woke musical flow.

Instead, the play is in many ways just a dressed-up version of the same story about our Founding Fathers weve been taught and told since we were kids. As historian Lyra Monteiro put it, Its still white history. And no amount of casting people of color disguises the fact that theyre erasing people of color from the actual narrative.

To his credit, Miranda is very welcoming to criticism of his award-winning play. All of the criticism are valid, he wrote on Twitter this week in response writer Tracy Clayton, who complained the play lacked more context about Hamilton and slavery.

Apparently, Miranda had written a third rap battle scene involving Jefferson and Hamilton about slavery that he cut due to time. Reading the scene, I can see why it was nixed  it basically goes nowhere, since it would take the Civil War to end slavery, and another 100 years to grant civil rights to Black people in the South. But thats also the point, and some acknowledgement of that complexity rather than ignoring it entirely would have lived up to Washingtons intimidating line to Hamilton in the musical: History has its eyes on you.

More cartoons from The Inquirer

Heres a roundup of recent cartoons from me and my colleague, Signe Wilkinson. For more editorial cartoons, visit inquirer.com/opinion/cartoons/:
Update (6:30 a.m. Friday): Missouri State Highway Patrol report that the two children who were subject of the Amber Alert on Thursday were located in Miami, Oklahoma, and were safe.

Two children who are missing from Missouri are believed to be in the Tulsa area and possibly are being taken to Mexico.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol issued an Amber Alert for Genesis Padron, 8, and Samuel Padron, 4, who reportedly were abducted in McDonald County, which is in southwestern Missouri.

The children reportedly were taken by a noncustodial parent, Hilda Melendez, 35. Melendez assaulted a woman who was watching the children when she took them, the Highway Patrol alleged.

Law enforcement officials have recovered two vehicles in connection with the abduction, including one vehicle that was found in Stroud along with the children's grandmother.

The children and Melendez are believed to be on foot in the Tulsa area. It is believed that they are en route to Mexico, according to a news release.

Melendez is described as white, 5 feet 3 inches tall, with brown hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information about the children and Melendez's whereabouts is asked to contact law enforcement.

Stetson Payne 918-732-8135 stetson.payne@tulsaworld.com Twitter: @stetson__payne
A solitary man runs along a waterway after lockdown restrictions were implemented in response to an outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in Melbourne, Australia, July 10 2020. Photo by Reuters.

With a lockdown imposed on Melbourne to prevent a second Covid-19 outbreak, Vietnamese in the metropolis worry about their future.

For Nam Bui, a Melbourne resident for over 10 years, the second lockdown "resembles a dream since everything got upturned."

Since Wednesday, Melbourne, Australia's second largest city, and capital of Victoria, will be locked down for six weeks as authorities try to prevent a second wave of coronavirus infection following a record rise in daily cases across the state.

Restaurants and cafes will only sell takeaway food, while gyms, beauty salons, and cinemas will be closed again. Nearly five million people will no longer be allowed to leave their homes unless it's for grocery shopping, caregiving, exercise or work.

The whole state of Victoria was placed under strict lockdown in early March, seriously affecting those working in the hospitality and restaurant industry like Nam as the number of customers fell sharply, leading to a decrease in his income.

In mid-May, Nam felt happy and relieved as the Australian government relaxed lockdown measures, allowing restaurants to reopen and his job started returning to normal.

However, Victoria has been facing a second Covid-19 outbreak, prompting the government to reimpose a lockdown on metropolitan Melbourne and some parts of the state to contain the flare-up of cases.

Australia has so far reported over 9,300 infections and 106 deaths.

"Luckily, I work different shifts at more than one restaurant. My income is still fine even though I'm struggling to survive the pandemic," Nam said.

Nhung Le Farrell, manager of a restaurant at Melbourne Airport, has not been able to return to work since April 23. Melbourne Airport was planning to resume flights on July 17 when the second lockdown order suddenly changed everything.

Victoria closed the border with neighboring New South Wales, isolating itself to curb the spread of the disease.

"I'm sad Melbourne is under lockdown again," said Nhung, a resident since 2012. "95 percent of flights were cut, the airport was empty and restaurants closed their doors because there were no customers."

"My income has reduced by 90 percent," Nhung said, adding as a permanent resident, she was fortunate to receive government support for those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Only permanent residents or Australian citizens are eligible for the government support package.

Nhung takes advantage of this opportunity to spend most of the time at home with her 3-year-old son. Her husband, a high school teacher, still goes to work because high school seniors must continue their learning program.

For many, the Covid-19 pandemic has taken a heavy toll on livelihoods.

Lan Huong Tierney, owner of a wedding dress shop in Melbourne, also lives amid worry and stress.

"My shop was closed for several months, reopening just as the new lockdown was imposed," Huong said.

"I certainly support the decision to place the city under lockdown since human life comes first. The unemployed, like me, are also supported by the government. However, I am still worried about the future as my income has been greatly reduced."

Huong's husband and children are now studying and working online from home. Prior to the renewed lockdown, her family restricted going out to avoid large crowds, with the Australian government yet to contain the pandemic.

"During the first lockdown, which lasted two months, people rushed to hoard necessities, but this time most only stock up for a week to limit going out," she said.

Like Huong, Nam now hardly stores any goods as supermarkets remain open. "It is really sad that Melbourne has to reimpose the lockdown, but it was necessary to completely stamp out the coronavirus outbreak," he maintained.

Nam blamed the recurrence of the second wave for slack anti-pandemic measures and poor public awareness.

Australia only encourages people to wear masks in public, though they scarce and very expensive, at up to $25-30 a box."

I worried about my health amid the Covid-19 outbreak. Hopefully, thanks to strict police inspection, residents will comply with anti-pandemic measures, and the crisis would soon pass," Nam added.

Huong also wishes the pandemic would end soon, though she accepts she will have to deal with its impacts until that time comes.
ANN ARBOR, MI  Gov. Gretchen Whitmers move to impose new mask requirements with penalty fines in Michigan is being applauded by Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor.

Without claiming causation, these are exactly the restrictions for which I advocated earlier this week in my letter to Gov. Whitmer, Taylor wrote in a Facebook post Friday, July 10.

Im delighted that she has taken this important step to keep Michigan safe. Thank you, Governor!!

Without claiming causation, these are exactly the restrictions for which I advocated earlier this week in my letter to... Posted by Christopher Taylor on Friday, July 10, 2020

I write to urge the state to issue simple and mandatory guidance that Michiganders are to wear masks at all times outside the home, other than when eating or drinking, Taylor wrote in his July 7 letter lobbying the governor.

The Stay Home, Stay Safe order was an essential and powerful tool in lowering the number of coronavirus infections in Michigan. The progress we experienced from your decisive leadership saved tens of thousands of lives. I am concerned, however that these gains are being undone by lax adherence to the current public health recommendations.

All Michiganders must wear masks in public indoor and crowded outdoor spaces or face a misdemeanor charge with up to a $500 fine under an executive order Whitmer issued Friday.

The heroes on the front lines of this crisis have gone hours without taking their masks off every day  doctors, nurses, child care workers, grocery store workers. We owe it to them to wear our masks when were on a trip to the grocery store or pharmacy, Whitmer said in a news release.

Masks can reduce the chance of spreading COVID-19 by about 70 percent. By wearing masks, we can save lives and protect our family, friends, and neighbors from the spread of COVID-19. And by wearing masks now, we can put our state in a stronger position so our kids can return to school safely in the fall. For the sake of your loved ones, lets all mask up, Michigan.

Read more about the order.

Taylor and other Ann Arbor officials have expressed concerns about people not wearing masks. Frustrated, Taylor recently released a video urging residents and visitors to wear masks, saying COVID-19 remains a very real threat to the community.

As of Friday, there were nearly 2,000 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19, including 110 deaths, among Washtenaw County residents since the coronavirus pandemic started, according to county health department figures, showing 37 new confirmed cases in the last 24 hours.

The daily numbers were down to single digits in June but have ticked back up as people have started socializing more.

COVID-19 cases in Washtenaw County.Washtenaw County Health Department

COVID-19 cases in Washtenaw County.Washtenaw County Health Department

In Ann Arbor, we have launched the Be Kind campaign, urging our residents to wear face masks, wash their hands, maintain social distancing, and undertake other important behaviors so they can Be Kind to their neighbors who need protection from the virus, Taylor wrote to the governor. But we are only one voice, and we have found that a matrix of recommendations impedes compliance. We need a unified message that directs healthy behavior from a source of moral and legal authority.

Therefore, I urge the state to issue mandatory guidance requiring masks to be worn at all times, unless one is at home, eating, or drinking. This clear, concise, and easy-to-follow message would simplify the job of local governments and health agencies as we try to reduce contagion in our communities.

Taylor said the bully pulpit and normative force of state policy makers is needed to promote such guidance forcefully and comprehensively. Without it, he said he was concerned we will continue to experience public confusion, lack of adherence, and increased rates of transmission of the disease.

Taylor told Whitmer her leadership during the COVID-19 crisis has been invaluable and Michigan is leading the nation in reopening communities and the economy.

The CARES Act funding that you and other state leaders have made available to local units of government is an essential, and deeply appreciated, life line to ensure the continuity of essential local services, he added.

I am writing purely because I do not want these important achievements, and the sustainable stasis point we have achieved in terms of the virus in Michigan, to be lost. Please consider strengthening state guidance on mask wearing. A strong, simple message will promote compliance and leave Michigan in a much stronger, healthier, and safer position as we continue to battle this disease.

Taylor also voiced concerns about local restrictions in a July 5 email to Interim City Administrator Tom Crawford.

Per our prior conversations, I continue to be very concerned about places of congregation in Ann Arbor, both in commerce and on private property, Taylor wrote. In addition to the issues we have discussed regarding crowds and practices downtown, this weekend I have seen, and residents have reported, large parties of mask-less, non-distancing young persons.

The trend is not good and the likelihood of substantial community tension and harm is high, Taylor said, telling the administrator we need to accelerate our advocacy and bringing up the idea of a letter to the governor.

MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS:

Second employee tests positive for coronavirus at Ann Arbor canoe livery

Washtenaw County health officials worried about complexities of coronavirus contact tracing

COVID-19 care costs, canceled procedures add up to $3M loss for Michigan Medicine

Ann Arbor council member breaks silence on concerns leading up to administrators firing

Mayor slams conservative council majority in 2020 election endorsements
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loongs long-governing party comfortably won Fridays general elections as expected amid the coronavirus pandemic, but faced a setback as the opposition made minor gains.

Lee said his Peoples Action Party secured 83 parliamentary seats, retaining its overwhelming majority with 89% of the total seats, but its popular vote dipped to 61%. The Workers Party, the only opposition with a presence in Parliament, increased its seats from six to 10  the biggest victory for the opposition since independence.

It marked a decline in the PAPs performance from 2015 polls when it took 93% of seats and nearly 70% of total vote. Several key PAP leaders also lost, including two former ministers.

Its not as strong a mandate as I hoped for but its a good mandate, Lee told a news conference. The results reflect the pain and uncertainty that Singaporeans feel in this crisis ... this was not a feel-good election but one where people are facing real problems and expect more rough weather to come.

The PAP has dominated politics since 1959, when Lees father, Lee Kuan Yew, became Singapores first prime minister and built the resource-poor city-state into one of the worlds richest nations during 31 years in office. But it has also been criticized for tight government control, media censorship and use of oppressive laws and civil lawsuits against dissidents.

The PAP is also one of the worlds longest serving parties  after those in China and North Korea.

Lee called the polls ahead of April 2021, when his governments mandate expires. Singapores vote follows recent elections in Serbia, Croatia and Mongolia and South Korea in April, when governing parties in all those countries scored resounding victories.

In the Singapore context, this is a defeat (for PAP), said Bridget Welsh, honorary research associate at Malaysias University of Nottingham. Worst seat performance and loss of popular vote in an election that they called early in a pandemic mistakenly thinking the crisis would help them.

The PAP has a mandate but one that puts the party on notice that Singaporeans, especially young Singaporeans, expect more, she said.

The outcome threw Lees plan to retire in two years at age 70 into uncertainty. His designated successor and deputy, Heng Swee Keat, won his seat with a slim majority.

Lee, who has ruled since 2004, vowed early Saturday to navigate Singapore through the virus crisis. Im determined to hand over Singapore intact, and in good working order to the next, he said.

He acknowledged that citizens, especially the younger generation, want more opposition voices in Parliament. He said Workers Party chief Pritam Singh will officially be named opposition leader, an unprecedented move in the city-state. Two more non-constituency seats will be offered to top opposition losers to bring the opposition block to 12 seats, as provided for under the law, he said.

Todays results are positive but we have to hit the ground running. We should not get over our head with the results, Singh said.

The opposition Progress Singapore Party, headed by a former PAP stalwart and supported by Lees estranged younger brother, failed to win any seats. Lee Hsien Yang joined the opposition party to campaign against the PAP, which he said had turned into an elitist party.

Just weeks ago, Singapore emerged from a two-month lockdown aimed at controlling one of Asias worst coronavirus outbreaks. The tiny nation of 5.8 million people has reported more than 45,000 cases, most of them foreign workers living in crowded dormitories that were overlooked in the early phase of its crisis management.

With the economy forecast to shrink this year by up to 7%, Lees government has unveiled several economic assistance packages totalling nearly 100 billion Singapore dollars ($71.7 billion) but warned the full economic impact hasnt been felt yet. While coronavirus cases have mostly declined, new daily cases still top 100.

Polling was extended Friday by two hours until 10 p.m. after strict safety measures in place for Southeast Asias first national election amid the pandemic delayed voting at some stations. The Election Department also dropped a requirement that disposable gloves be worn during voting to cut waiting time.

Apart from wearing masks and having their temperature checked, groups of voters were each allotted a two-hour slot to cast their ballots in order to spread out the process and reduce crowding, with senior citizens given priority in the first four hours.

Election officials wore full protective gear and polling booths were sanitized every half hour. People treated for COVID-19 or under quarantine at home were not allowed to vote.

Voting in Singapore is compulsory and turnout at Fridays election was 96%.

___

Ng reported from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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Johnny Depp threatened to 'slice off' Elon Musk's 'd***' because he believed the SpaceX founder had an affair with his wife Amber Heard, a court heard today.

The 57-year-old actor has accused Heard, 34, of having an 'extra-marital affair' with the SpaceX billionaire - which Musk vehemently denies and insists their relationship began only after she filed for divorce.

The High Court in London was shown an exchange between Depp and Lady Gaga's ex-fiance Christian Carino, in which the actor said: 'I'll show him things he's never seen before like the other side of his d**k when I slice it off.'

The Musk revelations are the latest salacious details to emerge from Depp's libel trial as he sues The Sun for calling him a 'wife beater' over claims he attacked Heard.

Other developments in court today included:

Depp threw a phone at Amber Heard and called her 'Amber Turd' after she allegedly defecated in their bed after a blazing row on her 30th birthday party;

He allegedly showed up two hours late to the Birthday bash after receiving some 'bad financial news' and retired to bed after her guests had gone instead of celebrating with her;

She accuses him of throwing a magnum of champagne at her and pulling her hair in the ensuing row;

The next day, Depp discovered someone - he believed Heard - had defecated in their marital bed;

Defecation made him settle on divorce before Heard accuses him of throwing a phone at her in a later row;

Trans activist iO Tillet Wright and Raquel Pennington were present during the alleged phone throwing.

Johnny Depp threatened to 'slice off' Elon Musk 's 'd***' because he believed he had an affair with his wife Amber Heard

The 57-year-old actor has accused Heard, 34, of having an 'extra-marital affair' with the SpaceX billionaire - which Musk vehemently denies and insists their relationship began only after she filed for divorce

He also said: 'She's begging for global humiliation. She's gonna get it. I'm gonna need your texts about San Francisco brother...I'm sorry to even ask.... But she sucked Mollusk's [ a reference to Elon Musk] crooked d*** and he gave her some sh***y lawyers."

The Hollywood legend said in another message: 'I want her off that WB film' - a reference to Ms Heard's role in Aquaman from which there was later a petition garnering 400,000 signatures to have her removed.

Asked about the texts and the petition by Ms Wass in the final round of cross-examination, Depp said: 'Mr Carino was someone who was very interested in being an agent of mine at the time.

'That petition I believe was made years later. I did not orchestrate [it.]'

Musk has strenuously denied starting a relationship with Heard before her divorce from Depp, while also slapping down accusations of a three-way love triangle with her and Cara Delevingne.

Amber Heard arriving at the High Court in London for a hearing in Depp's libel case against the publishers of The Sun

The Musk revelations are the latest salacious details to emerge from Depp's libel trial as he sues The Sun

THE 14 TIMES JOHNNY DEPP IS ACCUSED OF ATTACKING AMBER HEARD 1. Early 2013 Heard says Depp was completely sober until early 2013, and around that time he allegedly hit her for the first time when they were in Los Angeles. She claims Depp later cried and apologised, telling her that he sometimes turns into 'the monster' when he snaps. Depp has 'expressly denied' hitting Heard and said that, around early 2013, he had 'confined himself to drinking wine and using marijuana, having been sober from around December 2011 to August 2012'. 2. March 8, 2013 Heard claims Depp was angry she had hung up a painting by her ex-partner Tasya Van Ree by her bed in her LA home, then tried to set the painting on fire and hit her 'so hard that blood from her lip ended up on the wall'. Depp, however, says he simply asked Heard to move the painting from the bedroom 'as a courtesy' and that she had an 'extreme reaction'. He also says a text he later sent describing the evening as a 'disco bloodbath' was to 'placate Ms Heard' and not an apology for alleged violence. 3. June 2013 Heard and Depp were in Hicksville, US with a group of people including Heard's sister Whitney and Depp's assistant Nathan Holmes. Heard says Depp, who was 'taking drugs', became 'enraged' and 'jealous' when one of her friends touched her, and he then threw glasses at her, ripped her dress and damaged the cabin they were staying in. Depp says he drank and took magic mushrooms, as did Heard and her friends who also took MDMA. He claims Heard's friend touched Heard in an 'extremely sexual manner' and he spoke to her to ask her to stop. 4. May 24, 2014 The pair took a private plan from Boston to LA: Heard says that during the flight Depp, who had been drinking heavily, threw objects at her, pushed a chair at her, slapped her and kicked her in the back before passing out in the toilet. Depp says Heard 'began to harangue him' as he was sketching in a notebook, he then tried to 'playfully tap her on the bottom with his foot', at which Heard took 'great offence' and 'continued to verbally berate' him. 5. August 17, 2014 The couple went to the Bahamas, Depp says to 'cure his dependence on painkillers', although Heard claims he was trying to give up other drugs too. Heard says Depp had 'several manic episodes' and his private doctor had to be flown over to help. She alleges that he slapped, kicked and grabbed by the hair during an attack. Depp alleges Heard stopped a nurse from giving him treatment while he was going through withdrawal. 6. December 17, 2014 Heard says Depp was 'violent towards' her in LA, and later texted calling himself a 'f****** savage' and a 'lunatic'. Depp denies any allegation of violence and says NGN has 'failed to provide any particulars of the alleged violence'. 7. January 25, 2015 While the couple were in Tokyo, Japan, Heard claims Depp shoved and slapped her and grabbed her by the hair, before standing over her and shouting while she was on the floor - which Mr Depp denies. 8. Around March 3-5, 2015 Depp is said to have repeatedly assaulted Heard after an argument over his alleged use of MDMA during a three-day trip to Australia. She says he stayed up all night, taking pills and drinking, and then attacked her again the next morning. Heard says, the following night, Depp pushed her into a table tennis table, tore off her nightgown and attacked her, before smashing a telephone into a wall and severing the top of his middle finger. She also claims he had written messages to her around the house in a mixture of paint and blood from his finger, which Depp admits doing while 'in shock', as well as having 'urinated all over the house in an attempt to write messages', which he denies. Depp says Heard was in 'a prolonged and extreme rage' following an argument over a post-nuptial agreement. He says he then 'broke my sobriety' with several glass of vodka, before Heard threw a bottle at him, severing the top of his finger, and stubbed a cigarette out on his cheek. 9. March 2015 Heard says Depp became 'enraged' when they were in LA with her sister and began destroying things in the house before hitting her 'hard and repeatedly'. She also claims he tried to push her sister down the stairs before hitting Heard again. Depp, however, says Heard was 'berating him in a rage' as he tried to leave, threw a can of Red Bull at him and punched him in the face before he finally left. 10. August 2015 While they were on the Eastern and Oriental Express in south east Asia, Heard alleges Depp 'picked a fight' with her, hit her and pushed her against a wall by the throat, 'causing her to fear for her life' - which is denied by Depp. 11. November 26, 2015 In LA, Depp is alleged to have ripped Heard's shirt and 'threw her around the room', also throwing a wine glass and a 'heavy glass decanter' at her, as well as pushing her over a chair which caused her to bang her head against a wall. Depp says they were in LA for Thanksgiving, but denies any allegation of abuse. 12. December 15, 2015 Heard claims Depp threw a decanter at her in their penthouse in LA, then slapped her and dragged her through the apartment by her hair, allegedly pulling 'large chunks of hair' from Heard's scalp. She says he then followed her upstairs and pushed her to the floor while shouting 'you think you're a f****** tough guy' before headbutting her. Heard says that when she told Depp she wanted to leave him he grabbed her and screamed: 'I f****** will kill you - I'll f****** kill you, you hear me?' Depp, though, says 'Ms Heard fabricated the alleged violence', falsely claiming that 'blonde hair on the floor was her hair'. He also claims that 'the only violence committed on that date was by Ms Heard', who allegedly 'violently attacked' him. 13. April 21, 2016 Heard says Depp arrived at her birthday party at their LA home late, 'drunk and high on drugs' and they had an argument after the guests had left. She claims he threw a bottle of champagne at her and shoved her to the floor several times before leaving a note reading: 'Happy F****** Birthday.' Depp says he arrived at the party around two hours late following a meeting with his new business manager and accountants, and that he was not on drugs but 'shocked from what he had learnt at the meeting about his business affairs'. He claims Heard had been 'drinking heavily' and attacked him while he was reading in bed, punching him in the face four times before he grabbed her arms to stop her. Depp says the next day Heard or one of her friends 'defecated in Mr Depp's and Ms Heard's bed', and that Heard later told the building manager Kevin Murphy that it was 'just a harmless prank' - at which he point he 'then resolved to divorce Ms Heard'. 14. May 21, 2016 Depp arrived at their LA apartment, allegedly 'drunk and high' while Heard was there with friends. Heard said Depp became 'very angry', throwing her phone at her and hitting her in the eye before smashing 'everything he could' with a magnum of champagne. He says he went to the apartment with two security guards to collect his belongings after Heard and her sister 'repeatedly' tried to contact him. Depp claims his two security guards entered the room when they heard Heard shouting, and saw her 'repeatedly screaming, 'stop hitting me, Johnny'' while he was 20 feet away in the kitchen. He also says that two police officers who attended the apartment after the incident 'saw no injuries or bruising or swelling'. 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'Cara and I are friends but we've never been intimate. She would confirm this,' he said.

He added: 'Also, I wish to confirm again that Amber and I only started going out about a month after her divorce filing. I don't think I was ever even in the vicinity of Amber during their marriage.'

As well as Depp's legal action against The Sun in London, he is also suing Heard for $50million in Virginia after she wrote an article about being the victim of domestic abuse.

In a deposition from a friend and former neighbour in the Virginia case, it was claimed that Heard, Musk and Delevingne hooked up at Depp's LA penthouse in late 2016.

Josh Drew, who lived rent free in a neighbouring apartment owned by Depp, claimed that his ex-wife, the MMA fighter Raquel 'Rocky' Pennington, told him that Musk had spent the night at Depp's penthouse in 2016.

The Musk rant was just one revelation in Johnny Depp's blockbuster libel trial against The Sun for calling him a 'wife beater.'

The High Court in London also heard today that Johnny Depp threw a phone at Amber Heard and called her 'Amber Turd' after she allegedly defecated in their bed after a blazing row on her 30th birthday party in which he threw a champagne bottle at her.

The 57-year-old actor is being cross-examined by The Sun's lawyer on the fourth day of his libel trial at the High Court in London, where he is facing questions about alleged assault against his ex-wife in LA in 2016.

The court was shown a photograph of Heard's bruised face after she claims Depp hurled a phone at his face as they argued over the so-called 'defecation incident' a month after the Hollywood legend decided to divorce his wife over the soiling of their bed.

The actor told the court he believes that Heard, 34, was responsible for the defecation but under questioning admitted that it could have been her 'crass' trans activist friend iO Tillet Wright.

He arrived at Heard's birthday party on April 21, 2016 around two hours late after receiving some bad news about his financial affairs from his accountants and smoking cannabis to relieve his stress.

The Hollywood legend admitted that he went to bed to read a book after Heard's guests had gone and started arguing with her about his behaviour.

As the confrontation escalated, Heard claims that her ex-husband threw a magnum champagne bottle at her and shoved her to the floor several times before leaving a note reading 'Happy F***ing Birthday'.

Depp claims that Heard had been 'drinking heavily' and attacked him while he was reading in bed, punching him in the face four times before he grabbed her arms to stop her.

He says the next day Heard or one of her friends 'defecated' in their marital bed, and he believes Heard was responsible after she later told the building manager that it was 'just a harmless prank' - at which point Depp 'resolved' to divorce her.

He denied that their small dog could have been responsible for the faeces, but admitted that Wright could have been responsible and he could not be certain it was Heard. The actor also admitted laughing about the faeces the day after the incident and making 'Amber Turd' jokes.

A month later he came to collect his things from their LA apartment after deciding to divorce Heard over the defecation incident and another row began, during which Heard claims he threw the phone but Depp claims he did not touch her.

Depp is suing The Sun for libel after it labelled him a 'wife beater'. He called the accusation 'utter falsity' and 'fraudulent' and has claimed Heard abused him throughout their marriage.

Sasha Wass QC, representing The Sun's publisher News Group Newspapers, began today's hearing by asking Depp about Heard's 30th birthday party at the Eastern Columbia Building in LA in April 2016.

The barrister said Depp had arrived late at the party after being given some 'rather unfortunate news' about his financial affairs at a meeting.

She asked him: 'Did you ingest any recreational drugs to relieve your stress?'

He replied: 'Very likely that I would have smoked some marijuana to calm myself.'

Ms Wass then said Depp had arrived at about 10pm and the rest of the party had finished dinner and were drinking magnums of wine.

Depp said: 'I was in a low state in my mind, it wasn't a pleasant thing I had just been through.'

Ms Wass asked: 'Your account of this evening is that you went to bed after the guests had gone and you were reading... no conversation with Ms Heard?'

Depp replied: 'Ms Heard was venting how upset she was that I was so late for her birthday dinner and that I had made a fool of her and that I didn't care and everybody was talking about how awful it was of me to do such a thing and it ramped up and became aggressive... she was very, very angry.'

He added: 'I was lying in bed after the birthday dinner, I got in the bed and started reading, trying to avoid any confrontation with Ms Heard.'

Ms Wass asked Depp if he was really reading a book on his ex-wife's birthday when she had said she was upset he was late to her party.

He replied: 'I thought her behaviour regarding the subject of my tardiness to her birthday dinner, I though that it was too much... her anger, her rage... when I had been texting Ms Heard, telling her 'I am so sorry, I'm going to be late'.'

The actor then said he did not recall which book he was reading, or whether it was a book or one of his journals.

He added: 'But the reason that I went straight to bed to start to read was because I was trying to avoid yet another confrontation with Ms Heard about something that didn't go exactly as she had planned or expected.

'I didn't want to discuss it because she wasn't talking about her sadness in the sense that she was devastated by my hour and a half or whatever of lateness, she was rather angry and rather aggressive, therefore I tried to avoid a conversation or a fight.'

The barrister suggested that Heard 'did raise the issue of you being late to her 30th birthday party and she was upset', adding: 'And I suggest you took that as criticism.'

Depp said: 'It was indeed criticism.'

Ms Wass said: 'And you don't like being criticised.'

Depp replied: 'I don't mind being criticised at all, but that was beyond criticism. She was lighting me up.'

Ms Wass then suggested: 'This provoked you to become angry... and you were very near, at the time you became angry, a magnum of a bottle of champagne.'

She added: 'And you got out of bed in order to argue with Ms Heard.'

Depp said: 'No, ma'am.'

The barrister said Depp was 'very distressed about the news you had received and the last thing you wanted to be told was that you were a disappointment to your wife'.

Depp replied: 'I believe that's the last thing any husband would want to hear.'

THE 'DEFECATION INCIDENT'

Ms Wass then asked Depp about 'the defecation incident', when there were faeces in his and Heard's bed in their LA penthouse.

The barrister suggested that Boo, one of the couple's two Yorkshire terriers, 'had problems with her toilet habits'.

Depp said the dogs 'were very well trained', but that 'Boo was not as trained as Pistol', their other dog.

Ms Wass said to Depp that 'it came to your attention the following, that was the day of Amber's actual birthday, that the cleaner had found faeces in the bed'.

Ms Wass continued that Depp was later sent photographs of the faeces, which the actor found 'hilarious'.

He said in a text: 'Not sure I've laughed that hard for years. At least the photos are hilarious.'

Ms Wass added: 'There were jokes like 'Amber Turd', 'Amber in the dumps' going on.'

Depp replied: 'It was one of the most absurd, unexpected statements that I have ever witnessed in my life so, yes, initially I did laugh because it was so strange.'

He added that it was 'a mystery' who defecated in the bed 'and it was not left by a three or four-pound dog'.

Ms Wass asked him if he 'accused Ms Heard's friends of defecating in the bed'.

He replied: 'I was convinced that it was either Ms Heard herself or one of her cohort involved in leaving human faeces on the bed.'

Ms Wass said he had accused iO Tillet Wright, who was 'part of the conspiracy' to make allegations of domestic violence against Depp, of defecating in the bed.

The actor said: 'iO Tillet Wright seemed the only one that would be crass enough to commit such an act. I did not want anything to do with her anymore I thought that was a strangely oddly fitting end to the relationship.'

Amber Heard showing bruises she claims were inflicted by Johnny Depp as he allegedly smashed her iPhone in her face at her LA home in May 2016, a month after Heard allegedly 'defecated' in their marital bed on her 30th birthday

Johnny Depp arriving at the High Court in London today for the fourth day in the 57-year-old actor's blockbuster libel trial

The 34-year-old actress and her 'Team Heard' arriving at the High Court (far right, her lawyer Jennifer Robinson)

Depp told the court today that he did not believe Heard's tiny Yorkshire terrier Pistol (left with Heard in New York in 2012) could have defecated in the bed, and blamed Heard's trans activist friend iO Tillet Wright (right)

The actor said the incident was the denouement of the pair's turbulent marriage and he later filed for divorce despite still 'having strong feelings' for his former spouse.

'As difficult as it was as I had very strong feelings for Ms Heard at the time, it wasn't an easy decision to make but since we had gone back and forth back and forth I had to leave,' he said.

'I wasn't ready to go back there and get myself in the same situation I had been in all those years.'

Depp said in his witness statement that, since the April 2016 incident, Heard 'repeatedly tried to contact me either directly or through her sister'.

Ms Wass asked if Heard was 'pestering' him, to which the actor said: 'I didn't feel pestered. I wouldn't describe it as pestered at all, but there were attempts to get to me from Whitney Heard and from Amber.'

He added: 'I wasn't in a mindset - I didn't want anything to do with her any more.'

Depp said he thought the April 2016 'defecation incident' was 'a fitting end to the relationship'.

Ms Wass read a text from Depp to Heard's then agent Christian Carino on May 4, which said: 'Look, brother. If she needs me she knows exactly how to get me.

'I've had nothing from her. Is her ego and pride more durable and potent than her most legitimate and most deeply-felt emotions?'

Ms Wass said the text showed that Depp was 'upset that she hadn't contacted you'.

Depp said that he thought 'that was a valid question in terms of Ms Heard's attitude towards things'.

Ms Wass then took Depp to a text exchange between him and Heard on May 15, in which he said: 'Call when you get this.'

The barrister said: 'This wasn't Ms Heard asking her sister (to ask you) to try and get back in touch with Ms Heard. You were in touch with her.'

Depp replied: 'We were in touch, though it wasn't on the same level. Our relationship wasn't - it was virtually non-existent.'

Ms Wass read another text to Heard which said: 'All my love and regrets. I wish you nothing but good. Johnny.'

She added: 'So you were talking in a civilised way, it wasn't a question of her pestering you in any way.'

Depp said: 'I never used the word pester.'

He repeated the text he had sent to Heard before adding: 'That is what I felt... I didn't think there needed to be any poison at that time, because that part was over, which was the relationship and now we just had to finish it.'

Ms Wass then told the court that in May 2016 Depp's mother had lapsed into a coma and he sent Heard a message which read: 'I am with Betty Sue, this will be it... the end is nigh.

'I have spoken your words of love and respect to her... she is ready to split.'

Ms Wass said Heard had been very kind to Depp's mother, who died on May 20, 2016.

She asked the actor: 'Did you deal with the stress and sadness of losing your mother by numbing the pain with the usual methods?' Depp replied: 'No ma'am.'

Depp told the court: 'There was quite a lot going on aside from the fact I was in a very bad financial state as my business manager and lawyers had conspired to steal a lot of my money.

'My mom was in a coma, she then passed away, Amber and I were on the outs and it was looking like forever on the outs, but I tried to maintain a good relationship with Ms Heard, a friendly relationship.'

Ms Wass then suggested to Depp that he dealt with the stress of all that by hitting drink and controlled drugs.

He replied: 'My answer to that, is that is not the case. There was so much to deal with on such profoundly important and sensitive levels that I could not escape into any drug, liquor, pain-free setting.

'I did not inebriate myself to the point of numbness, I had too much to deal with and I had to be on the ball.'

THE 'PHONE THROWING' INCIDENT

Ms Wass asked Depp about an alleged incident on May 23, 2016 when he went to the LA penthouse where Heard was staying to collect some belongings with his private security guards Jerry Judge and Sean Betts.

Depp said he asked them to wait outside the front door and enter if they heard any commotion.

He added: 'I was worried that Ms Heard was going to start screaming and starting a fight and I asked them that the second they heard any screaming, any fight, that they came in.'

The actor said: 'I went there and I knew that I had to be cautious of what might occur under the circumstances.'

The Sun's lawyer said Heard was on the phone to iO Tillett Wright, who was laughing at Depp's suggestion that he was the friend of Heard who was responsible for defecating in the bed.

She said the actor picked the phone up at one stage and told Wright he had 'got what you want, you can have her, I don't care, it's over'.

The barrister then said he was 'screaming obscenities at Mr Tillett Wright', to which he responded: 'I had very little conversation with Mr Tillett Wright, as Mr Tillett Wright and I hadn't spoken in probably two years.'

Ms Wass said: 'Then you threw the phone on the sofa', to which Depp replied: 'Yes, I was walking away and I flipped it onto the couch.'

The Sun's lawyer said Heard then retrieved the phone and her friend Wright was telling her to get out of the flat.

Depp said: 'He may have been... I don't recall Mr Tillett Wright saying get out of the house.'

Depp told the court today that he did not believe Heard's tiny Yorkshire terrier Pistol (left) could have defecated in the bed, and blamed Heard's trans activist friend iO Tillet Wright (right)

Depp and Heard pictured leaving the Southport Magistrates' Court in Gold Coast, Australia in April 2016

Ms Wass said: 'You then grabbed the phone from her a second time and you threw it - not on the sofa this time - but you wound your arm, like someone throwing a baseball, and you threw it at Ms Heard.'

The barrister said the phone made contact with the side of Heard's face. Depp replied: 'No ma'am.'

The actor then denied a series of assertions made by Ms Wass, including that he asked Heard if she would like it if he pulled her hair back and that Wright told Heard to call 911 and also sent a text to another friend, Raquel Pennington, saying Depp was attacking Heard.

Ms Wass said: 'Your suggestion is that these texts are a carefully choreographed hoax?', to which he replied: 'A choreographed hoax, yes.'

The Sun's QC said another friend of Heard who lived nearby, Raquel Pennington, came into the apartment after receiving the text from Wright and 'physically put herself between you and Ms Heard'.

Depp said: 'Ms Heard was on the couch and I was about 20 feet away, so between us? No, she did not.'

Ms Wass then put to Depp that he pushed Pennington out of the way, Heard collapsed on the sofa and she was comforted by her friend, to which he responded: 'No ma'am.'

The barrister said to Depp that he was 'screaming at Ms Heard to get up' and then picked up a magnum of wine and started swinging it around, smashing things with it. He said: 'I disagree.'

Ms Wass said at that point his security guards Jerry Judge and Sean Betts entered and Ms Heard said: 'If he hits me one more time I will call the police.'

Depp replied: 'They ran into the flat when they heard Ms Heard screaming 'stop hitting me Johnny, stop hitting me Johnny'.

She was still screaming 'stop hitting me Johnny'

'When they ran in she was still screaming 'stop hitting me Johnny' and I was 20 feet away by the refrigerator... and she then changed it to past tense 'you will never hit me again' and Jerry Judge said 'Boss, let's get out of here'.'

Ms Wass showed Johnny Depp photos of Amber Heard, taken on May 27, 'showing a red mark on her cheek' and asked: 'Do you accept that there is a red mark on her cheek?'

Depp replied: 'I see a red mark, yes.'

Ms Wass then said: 'I suggest you caused that red mark when you threw the phone at her.'

The actor responded: 'No, ma'am, not true.'

Ms Wass said Depp left the penthouse at about 8.30pm and saw Heard's friend Pennington 'had been working there (in a neighbouring apartment Mr Depp owned) on some bead making that she was doing'.

She added: 'You were very angry at that stage.'

Depp said he was.

Ms Wass then played CCTV footage of Depp entering a lift as he was leaving the apartment and said: 'I am going to suggest that you were wired up and angry in that footage.'

She also said to Depp that he was 'clenching your fists'.

Depp replied: 'I can safely say I was very upset, yes, I was angry and upset.'

'I loved you more than anything... I did everything that I could. But, you never f*****' loved me... I was merely convenient for you'

Ms Wass then read an 'angry text' sent to Amber Heard, her friend Pennington and Pennington's fiance Josh Drew, which was 'sent in the early hours of the following morning'.

The message read: 'That was it. The last encounter forever. You were already ready to strike!!!

'Why did I even come there in the first place?? To be yelled at by you!!! I'm an idiot.'

It added: 'I tried to make it work and you just turned more and more into a spoiled brat. All you wanted was to make me f****** miserable.

'Well, I'm finally there. I'll never be able to understand how I fell in love with you... You're not her.

'I loved you more than anything... I did everything that I could. But, you never f*****' loved me... I was merely convenient for you...

'I hope our divorce goes as quickly as possible and that it is as painless as possible. So sorry you were as unhappy with me, as you were...

'Obviously, the purity of whatever was, has been gone for a long time. I will miss the moments of beauty and truth... goodbye, Amber...

'What the f*** was I thinking?? I wish you all you merit.'

Ms Wass then asked: 'Why were you placating her at this stage? There was no need to placate her, why did you apologise?'

Depp replied: 'That was a sincere apology... I wasn't placating her at that time, there was no need to.'

Ms Wass said: 'It was a sincere apology for hitting her in the face with a telephone.'

Depp said: 'No, ma'am.'

He added that he was 'apologising to Ms Heard essentially because the relationship was gone, dead, and that was why I said 'all my love'... I couldn't make it work'.

Ms Wass said that, by June 4, Depp 'had become very bitter to Ms Heard'.

Depp said: 'I was feeling quite bitter, yes.'

'I want Amber Heard replaced on that Warner Brothers Aquaman film'

Ms Wass then read a text from Depp to Heard's agent Christian Carino which said: 'I want her replaced on that WB (Warner Brothers) film.'

Ms Wass said: 'It's a message about the Warner Brothers film she did, Aquaman, and there was going to be a sequel Aquaman that was originally going to have Ms Heard in it.

'And after this... a petition was formed which attracted, I think, 400,000 signatures that she should be removed.'

She added: 'You orchestrated that, didn't you, you wanted to get your own back?'

Depp replied: 'No, I didn't orchestrate the petition by saying I wanted her replaced on the Aquaman film. I had been characterised globally, as some put it, as a wife beater.'

He added that he had gone from 'Cinderella to Quasimodo in 0.6 seconds and I was without a voice at that point'.

'Ms Heard had made sure that the news media had caught it so that was where I was in my life,' Mr Depp said. 'It was a very unpleasant place to be.'

DEPP'S LAWYER TAKES THE STAGE

Depp's barrister David Sherborne then began his re-examination of the Hollywood star after a short break in proceedings.

Mr Sherborne started by asking Depp about Ms Wass's suggestion that 'you surround yourself with a group of people who all say yes to you about everything and never say no or stop you'.

He asked: 'If you were being violent to a woman, would you expect your security team or your assistants to turn a blind eye or let you get away with it?'

Depp replied: 'Never.'

Mr Sherborne then referred to incidents in late 1980s and early 1990s which Ms Wass asked the actor about on Tuesday.

He asked Depp about 'a press report where it was suggested that you were arrested on suspicion of assaulting a male security guard in 1989', and if he was charged over the incident.

Depp said: 'In 1989, the security guard took me to court. I hired a QC - this was in Vancouver, Canada - and I hired a QC, we went to trial two or three months later and, when the security guard arrived with his representatives, he had a neck brace on.

'This was three months after the incident and, essentially, it was thrown out.'

Depp with Kate Moss: 'Some guys play golf, some guys smash hotel rooms'

Commenting on accusations of a 'spat' with former girlfriend Kate Moss in a trashed New York hotel room in 1994 that landed him with a 10,000 payout fee, Depp said it never happened.

'Ms Moss wasn't involved in any of it, there was no spat,' the 57-year-old said.

'How long did you go out with Kate Moss for?' Mr Sherborne asked.

'Three and a half years,' came the reply.

'Did you ever during those three and a half years hit Ms Moss? the lawyer said.

'No sir, no,' Depp said.

Mr Sherborne referred the actor to 'another article about this hotel room incident' which said Depp only did around 2,000 dollars' worth of damage, but paid more 'to make up for leaving the hotel before his reservation was up'.

He asked: 'Did you try to avoid paying damages for what you did? Did you refuse to accept responsibility for the damage?'

Depp said: 'No, sir. I actually told the security guard when he came to my room that I was more than willing to pay for everything I had broken.'

Mr Sherborne asked: 'Where was Ms Moss?'

The actor replied: 'She was in the bedroom sleeping.'

Sherborne then played to the court a clip of an ABC interview with Depp which referred to the New York hotel incident, in which the actor said 'some guys play golf, some guys smash hotel rooms'.

Ms Wass had asked Depp why he had not mentioned his explanation for why he 'trashed' the hotel room, that he was angry because a friend had 'screwed him over', in that interview and suggested the incident happened during an argument with Kate Moss.

Depp with Vanessa Paradis: 'Paparazzi I chased off with a plank of wood were snotty, quite aggressive and ravenous'

Depp said he was defending his heavily pregnant ex-wife Vanessa Paradis from 'ravenous' and 'snotty' paparazzi when he chased photographers with a plank in 1999.

Asked by Mr Sherborne about the incident in which he charged towards photographers at a restaurant in London, Depp said he refused to allow his wife's pregnancy turned into a 'circus.'

He said: 'What they wanted was the novelty photograph of my heavily pregnant fiancee and myself and I was not comfortable with it being turned into a circus.

'It was through the restaurant's kitchen and out the other side. They were outside on the sidewalk and I was inside.

'It was some of the usual aggressive paparazzi, the attempt to poke and prod and get you to do something out of character or, well they want an interesting photograph and what's more interesting than someone screaming or freaking out? So yeah.

'The obscenities (they shouted), I can't remember but they were quite aggressive and pretty snotty.

'They were ravenous and they were also quite upset that I had ruined their opportunity because I distracted them at the loading door as Ms Paradis and our friends that had come to dinner with us they were safely in the car and they were upset that they didn't get that photograph.'

He said there were 'about 15' photographers there who were shouting 'obscenities' at him.

Depp was then asked about an ongoing lawsuit against him in America for allegedly punching a crew member, Gregg 'Rocky' Brooks, on the set of his film, City Of Lies - which Mr Depp denies.

Mr Sherborne showed Depp a photo of him and Mr Brooks, which the Hollywood star said was taken on the evening of the alleged incident.

Depp said: 'At the end of the night, when I was wrapped from work, I had asked my assistants to grab a bottle of wine and to find out if Mr Brooks was still at the location.

'He was, I went to find Mr Brooks. I had two cups, plastic cups, and I wanted to apologise to him for having reprimanded him for his actions.

'I didn't want there to be any bad blood or continuing animosity so I went to speak with him and make sure that we were OK, and then we toasted one another with the wine and then he asked if I could have a selfie with him.'

Depp says 'Amber Heard is the only woman who has accused me of hitting them' as court hears about Heard's 'history of cocaine addiction'

Mr Sherborne asked Depp if, other than Heard, 'has any woman ever accused you of hitting them in your 57 years?' Depp replied: 'No, sir.'

The barrister then read out medical notes on Ms Heard, which referred to her 'history of substance abuse, including addiction to cocaine and liquor'.

The notes also referred to Heard having had 'severe outbursts of anger and rage' and having 'reported (an) increase in verbal disagreements resulting in... anxiety'.

It continued that Heard 'expressed she had difficulty dealing with feelings of insecurity and jealousy when not in the presence of her husband'.

Mr Sherborne asked: 'Does this accord with how you experienced Ms Heard or not?'

Depp replied: 'Yes.'

Mr Sherborne referred to a video clip played in court on Tuesday, recorded by Heard without Depp's knowledge, which showed Depp wearing a denim shirt and a large cowboy hat and appearing to be agitated as he paces around the room.

He shouts 'motherf*****' and kicks a cabinet a number of times, while Ms Heard can be heard asking 'What happened?'.

The actor also shouts: 'You wanna see crazy? I'll give you f****** crazy.'

Mr Sherborne said it had been suggested that the footage was from 2016, but Depp said he thought it was around 2013 when he was shooting The Lone Ranger in New Mexico.

Depp explained: 'I had a bad night and it was proving to be a very bad morning already.'

He added: 'I don't remember exactly but... I don't believe it had anything to do with Ms Heard at all.'

Mr Sherborne asked: 'Did you know you were being filmed?'

The actor replied: 'No, I didn't. That's clear from my reaction.'

Depp's co-star Ellen Barkin 'clearly held a grudge when I didn't want a relationship with her', court hears

Mr Sherborne then asked Depp about statements made by actress Ellen Barkin, who appeared with the actor in the film Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas, based on a novel by Hunter S Thompson.

He asked: 'Was there any so-called violence in your relationship with Ms Barkin?'

Depp said: 'No, not at all.'

The actor said on Tuesday that Barkin was 'clearly holding a grudge'.

Mr Sherborne asked what might have caused her to hold a grudge.

Depp said the pair 'had been friends for a number of years' and that, after she divorced her husband, actor Gabriel Byrne, 'a sexual element began' in their relationship.

He added: 'I was making Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas and her, I suppose her desires were she wanted a relationship, she wanted a proper relationship with me and I didn't want that.

'I didn't feel the same about her as she did me and, I suppose, from that moment on she became very, very angry and, since then, I have not spoken to Ms Barkin. Nor has Ms Barkin spoken to me.'

Other photos show bruising across the bridge of Heard's nose and beneath her eyes after Depp allegedly headbutted her in December 2015. The trial is hearing evidence about 14 such incidents

Photos of a cracked bed frame (left) and tufts of blonde hair (right) from the fight in December 2015 were submitted by Heard last year during defamation proceedings in the US

Johnny Depp (left) and Amber Heard leaving the High Court in London on Thursday. Depp is suing The Sun newspaper after it described him as a 'wife beater' following claims by Heard that he repeatedly attacked her during their relationship.

DAY THREE: Recording of Depp admitting 'accidentally' headbutting Heard is played in court with photos of her bruised face after 'assaulting her and pulling out her hair after she found out he was cheating on her with an ex-girlfriend

During cross-examination at the High Court in London yesterday, Depp said he accidentally headbutted his ex-wife during a heated argument, in which he is said to have been 'in an uncontrollable rage'.

The court heard a recording of a conversation between the couple shortly after the December 2015 incident, in which Depp appears to say he only headbutted her in the 'f***ing forehead' - which he said 'doesn't break a nose'.

Heard says in the recording: ' You can headbutt somebody who's screaming but don't scream'

Depp replies : 'I headbutted you in the f***ing... forehead. That doesn't break a nose'.

In his rampage at their home in 2015, Depp allegedly overturned rails of designer clothes, yanked a bedside light fitting from the wall and scrawled graffiti and slogans over a kitchen counter top with a gold pen.

The Sun's QC Sasha Wass, cross-examining Depp, told him: 'You lost your temper. You threw a decanter. You punched the walls, slapped Heard, grabbed her by the hair.' The actor replied: 'No.'

Ms Heard ran upstairs and Depp chased her, said Ms Wass, adding: 'You smacked the back of her head and shoved her. You completely lost your self-control. You headbutted Ms Heard using the top of your head to head hit her between the eyes. Miss Heard fell backwards and her nose began to bleed straight away.'

Depp said that was not true.

'And in the bedroom, you grabbed her by the throat and pushed her on the bed, slapped her across the face, saying you are going to kill her. You were in an uncontrollable rage, smothering her, screaming you were going to kill her, and hated her. The bed broke under the force of your weight. You pulled out clumps of her hair.'

Depp: 'No ma'am.' Ms Wass said the actress ran screaming to the bathroom saying he had broken her nose. The court was shown a photo of Ms Heard taken the next day, with 'the beginning of two black eyes'.

Depp claimed the allegation was 'another wonderful thing to put in the kaleidoscope of her dossier that she (Heard) is building'.

He added: 'This injury that she would've suffered is not consistent with the photographs that she has given to the court.

'She was swinging wildly at me, and I ... from behind, as I was walking away from the argument to my office, she was hitting me in the neck, ear, back, everything.

Photos after the December incident show bruising to Heard's face after Depp allegedly headbutted her. The trial is hearing evidence about 14 such incidents

Photos after the December incident show bruising to Heard's face after Depp allegedly headbutted her. The trial is hearing evidence about 14 altercations

'I turned to cover my head and she was swinging quite wildly so the only thing I could do in that situation was either to run or to try to get hold of her, to get my arms around her to stop her flailing and punching me, so I did so, as I did so it seems there was a collision.'

Depp demonstrated with his arms how he claims he took hold of Heard and said she was 'kicking and moving' so there was 'very close contact' between them.

He added: 'That is the only collision and the only potential injury that Ms Heard could have had, there is no way I did as she said and broke her nose.'

Depp told the court: 'She immediately said 'you headbutted me', and in that moment when I tried to grab her around her arms and her body to control the violence, she immediately said 'you headbutted me' and screamed and ran away.

The court was also shown photographs of the injuries Heard is said to have suffered, as well as pictures Depp said showed him with 'scratches and swelling around my face' he claimed his ex-wife had inflicted.

Ms Wass asked why he had not mentioned 'accidentally' headbutting Heard in his witness statements to the court.

He replied: 'Had I read the entire statement after the lawyers had drafted it, I would have found that missing piece. I didn't read all those things ... and I trusted my attorneys had taken my statement and put it on the record.'

Depp said he used the word 'headbutt' because that was the word Heard used, telling the court: 'I said 'I headbutted you in the forehead, that doesn't break a nose'.'

Ms Wass put it to the actor that he had changed his account of the incident after he became aware of an audio recording of himself and Heard discussing the incident 'very recently'.

But Depp said: 'I believe she took something and stretched it out as far as she possibly could.'

He added that Heard would tell her friends things so that they would 'hate' him, adding: 'Another piece for her collection. It is quite a collection.'

The recording was played in which the couple seemed to be discussing the headbutt, with Miss Heard saying: 'I couldn't believe you did that,' and her husband apparently saying: 'I headbutted you in the ****ing forehead. That doesn't break a nose.'

Ms Wass then asked the actor about text messages between Amber Heard and her mother, Paige Heard, and himself and his ex-wife's father, David Heard.

The barrister said that, after Ms Heard sent her mother photographs of the bruises on her face, her mother replied saying she loved her 'so damn much, I will do anything for you'.

The message from Mrs Heard to her daughter continued: 'Your dad sent Steve (Mr Depp) a scathing text message ... he compared you to Lily-Rose (Depp) and how JD would feel. Your dad's blood is boiling.'

Ms Wass then read out a message sent by David Heard to Mr Depp which read: 'I'm not mad, I understand, a man has got to be a man and I am not saying that you were completely justified, but I understand.

'I'm talking to Paige and I think I understand what is going on a little better.

'I would say no more hitting for anybody. I think you and Amber, Jack and Lily-Rose should go to the island for a few days and let me talk to Amber and tell her what she needs to stop doing.'

The message continued with Mr Heard saying that his daughter should never hit Mr Depp and that 'the same goes for you'.

Mr Heard's message concluded by saying: 'I know that Amber needs help with her temper the same way you need help with drugs and alcohol.'

He said his daughter was 'not blameless', adding: 'She is my kid and I love her unconditionally.'

Mr Depp said he explained to both Ms Heard's parents that there was a discussion which 'got out of control' and Ms Heard got violent.

Ms Wass asked if the actor had told his in-laws that he 'f***** up and went too far' in fights between the couple.

He replied: 'That is very possible as things got very heated and (we were) yelling verbal obscenities at each other and it was horrific, but I never once said to David and Paige 'I have hit your daughter and I'm sorry'.'

Ms Wass then asked Mr Depp about a message he sent to his father-in-law in reply, in which he said: 'Yes I f***** up and went too far in our fight.'

Mr Depp said: 'It expresses to Mr Heard that I was sorry for my part in the argument.

'I have sent many texts to Mr Heard and Mrs Heard but there is nowhere in there that I say 'I hit your daughter'.'

He added: 'When things go too far and they begin to escalate, you start screaming when you are being screamed at, you react and you scream back and these hideous exchanges did happen and they happened quite often.'

'One cannot fly with one wing, so in an argument there are two involved.

'One can escalate the situation or one can de-escalate the situation, it depends on the moment ... I was being as honest with Mr Heard as I could be.'

Ms Wass earlier said that Depp threw a decanter at Heard, punched the walls and pulled her up the stairs by her hair, removing 'clumps' from her scalp in the December 2015 fight.

She added that Depp also goaded Heard, saying 'you think you're a f****** tough guy?', before he 'grabbed her by the throat and pushed her onto the bed' then 'slapped her across the face saying you were going to kill her'.

In a written statement submitted by the defence about the alleged incident, it was said: 'Ms Heard and the Claimant were in their penthouse in Los Angeles.

'The Claimant threw another decanter at her, knocked items around the room and punched the wall. He slapped her hard, grabbed her by her hair, and dragged her through the apartment.

'In the process, the Claimant pulled large chunks of hair and scalp out of Ms Heard's head.

'Ms Heard tried to escape the violence by going upstairs. The Claimant followed Ms Heard, hit her in the back of her head, again grabbed her by her hair, then dragged her by her hair up the last few steps.

'At the top of the stairs, the Claimant shoved her twice, which made her fear that she would fall.

'Ms Heard told the Claimant that he had broken her wrist in an attempt to get him to stop.

'The Claimant repeatedly hit Ms Heard, knocking her to the floor. Each time Ms Heard was knocked down, she stood back up.

'The Claimant responded by veiling, 'Oh, you think you're a f**ing tough guy?' He then head-butted her in her face, bashing her nose, which immediately began bleeding and caused her searing pain.

'When Ms Heard said to the Claimant, 'You head-butted me', he responded, 'I just gave you a little knock with my head'.

'The Claimant then said what a 'f*** up' he was and left the room.

'Later, Ms Heard told the Claimant that she wanted to leave him, and that she would call the police if he ever touched her again.

'When she then began to walk away towards the guest apartment, the Claimant pushed her. He then grabbed her and pulled her from one room to the next, gripping her by her hair.

'By the time the Claimant had dragged Ms Heard into the upstairs office, she had told him she was leaving him as she could not put up with his behaviour any longer.

'The Claimant reacted by grabbing Ms Heard by her throat, pushing her down to the ground, and punching her in the back of her head.

'The Claimant grabbed Ms Heard by her hair, slapped her in the face, and screamed at her, 'I f***ing will kill you - I'll f***ing kill you, you hear me?

'The fight continued onto a bed. The Claimant got on top of Ms Heard and placed his knee on her back and the other foot on the bedframe while repeatedly punching her in her head.

'The Claimant screamed, 'I f***ing hate you' over and over again.

'The bedframe splintered under the weight of the pressure of the Claimant's boot. The Claimant hit Ms Heard with his closed fists, pushed her face into the mattress, and pulled out chunks of her hair.

'Ms Heard screamed and feared for her life. She suffered severe headaches and other pain for at least a week after this incident.

'During this incident, the Claimant also wrote a message on the kitchen countertop in gold pen that said, 'Why be a fraud? All is such bulls***'.'

Depp is alleged to have trashed a $3million penthouse in LA which Heard used as a colossal closet

Depp (left, leaving the High Court) is suing The Sun after it described him as a 'wife beater' following claims by ex-wife Heard (right, leaving the court with her girlfriend Bianca Butti) that he repeatedly attacked her during their relationship

Heard leaving the High Court in London with 'Team Heard', including her girlfriend Bianca Butti (front left)

Depp was on the stand at the High Court for a third day yesterday and was questioned about the incident after he previously claimed the injury was sustained when Heard threw a vodka bottle at him during the fight in Australia

Amber Heard arrived at the High Court yesterday with her sister Whitney (wearing a green covering) after going out on the town with her until the early hours on the third day of Johnny Depp's blockbuster libel trial in London

Ms Wass put it to Depp that, by December 2015, 'you were routinely using violence against Ms Heard when you were intoxicated and when you were angry'.

Depp said: 'I say that is incorrect. Most of the time I tried to get away.'

He added: 'Most of the time, Ms Heard's problem was that I would run away from fights and I was then called a coward and a pussy for trying to avoid an escalation.'

The December 2015 incident is one of 14 alleged incidents of domestic violence, all denied by Depp, relied on by NGN in their defence against the actor's libel claim.

Depp will continue to give evidence on Friday.

Depp 'assaulted Amber Heard and her sister in his LA penthouse after his ex-wife found out he was cheating on her with an ex-girlfriend'

Ms Wass then asked about an incident in March 2015 at the couple's LA penthouse, one of five Depp owned on the same floor, with Heard's sister Whitney Henriquez then living in an adjoining apartment.

Ms Wass said: 'In March 2015, after the Australia incident, the relationship between you and Ms Heard wasn't great but it was still going ahead. You didn't file for divorce, contrary to your feelings.'

Depp replied: 'I didn't file for divorce, but I didn't have much hope for our future.'

Ms Wass said the couple then 'had an argument because she found out you were having an affair with Rochelle (Hathaway)'.

Depp said: 'Well, she was quite jealous of Rochelle and several other people, so I don't know that she found out I was having an affair.'

Ms Wass continued: 'You had been drinking, you were extremely angry and you were very angry that Ms Heard had the temerity to suggest you had been having an affair.

'She was very cross that day, wasn't she?'

Depp said: 'She was very cross.'

He added: 'I didn't like being screamed at and demeaned and being treated like something less than the person in front of me.'

Ms Wass said Depp started 'smashing things' and destroying clothes in Heard's wardrobe.

Depp said: 'It's very easy for her to say that I did it.'

Ms Wass continued: 'So this must be another aspect of the hoax - she destroyed her own clothes in order to photograph them in order to store them up.'

Depp said: 'She was building a wonderful dossier, an insurance policy, for when we did break up.'

Ms Wass said Heard then 'ran over to her sister through the connecting door' to a next-door apartment.

The barrister said Heard was 'shouting that (Mr Depp) had cheated on her', and Depp followed her with 'an empty bottle of whisky'.

Ms Wass suggested to Depp that he was 'speaking rather incoherently ... and you were denying having an affair and then, on the other hand, you were saying that Ms Heard made you do so'.

Depp denied having an affair and said: 'I don't recall seeing Rochelle at the time.'

Ms Wass continued: 'She was shouting abuse at you saying 'f*** you' and you responded, didn't you?'

Depp said: 'She was out of control and she was looking for a physical fight.'

Ms Wass said: 'She's shouting at you and you were shouting back, calling her a 'whore' and 'an ugly old c***'.'

Depp said that exchange 'doesn't sound extraordinary whatsoever'.

Ms Wass continued: 'You were screaming 'f*** you bitches, you c****' to both Whitney and Ms Heard.'

She added: 'And you started coming to the staircase ... Whitney was standing at the edge of the staircase and you pushed Whitney out of the way so you could hit Ms Heard.'

Depp said that was 'untrue'.

Ms Wass suggested Heard said 'don't hit my sister' and then hit Depp, which he said was true.

The barrister added: 'And that was the first time that Ms Heard hit and caused injury to you.'

Depp replied: 'That's not true.'

Ms Wass said: 'You grabbed Amber Heard by the hair and then you hit her in the head ... and then Whitney took Ms Heard back to (her penthouse) and at that stage you were smashing things.'

She added that he was shouting 'f****** c****, f****** whores, I hate you'.

Depp said: 'I did nothing violent ... but possibly tried to protect myself, if that's considered violent.'

Johnny Depp wrote 'I love you' in blood after severing his finger while attacking ME, says Amber Heard: Actor 'pushed his wife into a ping pong table, tore off her night gown, and choked her against refrigerator while filming Pirates of The Caribbean'

Amber Heard also claimed in court on Thursday that Johnny Depp severed his finger while launching a savage attack on her in which she 'feared for her life' - before writing 'I love you' in blood on the wall of their rental home while filming Pirates of the Caribbean in 2015.

Depp was on the stand at the High Court for a third day and was questioned about the incident after he previously claimed the injury was sustained when Heard threw a vodka bottle at him during the fight in Australia.

The 34-year-old actress alleged in a written statement that she was subjected to 'a three-day ordeal of physical assault which left her with injuries including a broken lip, swollen nose, and cuts all over her body'.

Depp vehemently denied the accusation from the stand and branded it 'pedestrian fiction' in court. He claimed the ordeal occurred over one day, not three, and said the top of his finger was 'lopped' off when his ex-wife threw a vodka bottle at him after discovering he wanted her to sign a post-nuptial agreement.

He admitted using his blood to write the love message on a mirror inside their Queensland mansion by way of apology and the picture of the graffiti on the mirror was shown in court.

In a witness statement submitted by Heard, she says: 'The Claimant [Depp] shoved Ms Heard into a ping pong table, threw bottles through the window panels of a glass door, then grabbed Ms Heard and tore off her nightgown. The Claimant grabbed Ms Heard by her hair and choked her against the refrigerator in the kitchen.'

It says that Depp then 'grabbed Ms Heard by the neck and collarbone, slammed her against the countertop, and strangled her. Ms Heard's arms and feet were slashed by the broken glass on the kitchen countertop and floor. She was scared for her life and told the Claimant, 'You are hurting and cutting me''.'

'The Claimant ignored her, continued to hit her with the back of one closed hand, and slammed a hard plastic telephone against a wall with his other hand until it smashed. While he was smashing the telephone, the Claimant severely injured his finger, cutting off the tip. Once Ms Heard had managed to escape from the Claimant, she barricaded herself in a bedroom.'

Depp also admitted to doing graffiti on a bathroom mirror after the fight with Heard, which resulted in his finger being severed. He admitted that some of it was done with his blood and some with paint

Depp was on the stand at the High Court for a third day and was questioned about the incident after he previously claimed the injury was sustained when Heard threw a vodka bottle at him during the fight in Australia

When asked about the attack in Australia which Heard called a 'three-day hostage ordeal', Depp replied: 'The three-day period that Ms Heard speaks about or alleges was not a three-day ordeal at all. It happened in one day.'

He added: 'I think it was Sunday and that was the morning where she had started yelling at me because she had been forced to sign, asked to sign, a post-nup (post-nuptial agreement).'

Ms Wass responded that it was 'nothing to do with that', saying: 'She was upset and angry herself that you were drinking to excess and you were taking pills. There was a large bag of pills that you had been supplied with that you told her was MDMA.'

Depp denied having any MDMA or 'drinking from the bottle' while in Australia.

Ms Wass continued: 'And when she (Ms Heard) told you she was unhappy about this, you made a point of putting a handful of pulls straight into your mouth and you did this to make the point that you could do, as you said to Nathan Holmes, whatever you damn please.'

I think it was Sunday and that was the morning where she had started yelling at me because she had been forced to sign, asked to sign, a post-nup (post-nuptial agreement).

Depp said: 'No, ma'am.'

Ms Wass suggested that 'the more angry Ms Heard became to you, you turned' and used 'violence' against her.

The barrister said: 'You slapped her across the face.'

Depp replied: 'Not true.'

Ms Wass said: 'And on the Friday you had a cigarette in your right hand, as you do most of the time, and you threatened to put it out on your face.

'And you were completely off your head on drink and drugs.'

Depp said: 'It didn't happen.'

Ms Wass said Heard 'stormed off upstairs... and she stayed upstairs and barricaded herself in the bedroom so you couldn't get in, she pushed furniture against the bedroom door'.

The barrister suggested that Depp 'stayed up all night taking ecstasy' and when Ms Heard came down the following morning the actor was 'playing music very loudly'.

Ms Wass asked if Depp recalled 'lines of cocaine on the breakfast bar' and 'drinking Jack Daniels from the bottle'.

Depp said: 'No, ma'am. Didn't happen.'

'You turned on her, grabbed her by the throat and held her up against the fridge and you said to her 'it would be easy to crush your neck'

Ms Wass said Heard 'tried to take the bottle off you and said you shouldn't be drinking because of the medication'.

She added: 'And you turned on her, you told her that everything your friends had told you about her was right, your friends all hated her, you didn't love her and you grabbed her by the throat and held her up against the fridge and you said to her 'it would be easy to crush your neck'.'

Depp replied: 'Fabricated and vicious.'

Ms Wass said Heard then tried to go upstairs and Depp stopped her, before he 'pushed her around and you actually spat in her face... all this time holding a bottle of spirits and drinking from it'.

The barrister continued: 'At one stage you offered the bottle to Ms Heard, you were goading her, drinking from it, and Ms Heard took a bottle and she smashed it to the ground.'

Depp said: 'No, ma'am.'

Ms Wass said: 'And that just, Mr Depp, set you off and you picked up another bottle and threw it at the wall... bottle after bottle, like you enjoyed smashing things.'

Depp said: 'I don't enjoy smashing things. The accusations are untrue.'

When Ms Heard ran from the ping pong table to the kitchen you ran after her and again held her up against the fridge.

Ms Wass said Depp then 'broke the window of the house' and 'threw Ms Heard against a ping pong table which collapsed', which Depp denied.

The barrister said: 'When Ms Heard ran from the ping pong table to the kitchen you ran after her and again held her up against the fridge.'

She added: 'And you were smashing her head so the back of her head was hitting the fridge. And you were blaming her for your behaviour.'

Ms Wass said Depp said: 'You f****** do this to me every time. You f****** did this.'

Depp said: 'No, ma'am.'

Ms Wass said: 'And you accused her of having affairs with her leading man.'

Depp said: 'Possibly.'

Ms Wass said: 'At this time, you were particularly fixated with Billy Bob Thornton.'

Depp denied that, adding: 'After the incident where Ms Heard threw the vodka bottle, the second vodka bottle at me, which severed the top of my finger and crushed the bones, that's when I began what I feel was probably some species of a breakdown, a nervous breakdown or something.

'I hadn't realised that it had been cut off immediately until I felt the warmth... and then I began to write things'

Depp insisted that the only attack on the trip had been launched by Heard when she hurled a vodka bottle at him and caused the infamous injury which cut off the top of his finger

Heard leaving the High Court in London with 'Team Heard', including her girlfriend Bianca Butti (front left)

Depp (left, leaving the High Court) is suing The Sun after it described him as a 'wife beater' following claims by ex-wife Heard (right, leaving the court with her girlfriend Bianca Butti) that he repeatedly attacked her during their relationship

'I hadn't realised that it had been cut off immediately until I felt the warmth... and then I began to write things.'

Ms Wass said to Depp: 'At one stage when you were in the kitchen screaming at Ms Heard you picked up the wall-mounted telephone.'

She said Depp had the phone 'in your right hand and you were repeatedly smashing it against the wall'.

Depp replied: 'That's possible.'

He added: 'I remember ripping the phone off the wall.'

Ms Wass asked: 'By this stage, you were really, really angry, weren't you?'

Depp said: 'I had just lost the top of my finger and as a musician - as a human being and as a musician - it is upsetting.'

Ms Wass asked Depp about previously saying that he had been responsible for losing the top of his finger.

When I realised that the top of my finger was missing and pouring blood profusely and the bones was sticking out, I believe that I went into some kind of breakdown. I was at the end. I couldn't live, didn't want to live at that time.

Depp replied: 'I had to give the news to the production company that I would not be working the next day. They asked what happened and I lied to production and to anyone who had anything to do with production.

'I told them that I had slammed it in a very large accordion door ... to protect Ms Heard.'

Ms Wass said that, on the last day the couple were in Australia, Heard 'came downstairs in the morning ... and the house was completely destroyed'.

She said: 'Everything was broken and shattered, the television, the window, there was paint everywhere and it was clear at that stage that you had very seriously damaged your finger.'

Depp said his finger was 'bleeding profusely', prompting Ms Wass to ask why he waited 'hours and hours before you called for any help'.

The actor denied that was true.

Ms Wass continued: 'You had written on a mirror. You had written in paint but you had used your finger, your injured finger, in place of a paintbrush so you had dipped your injured finger in the paint and then used your finger to do the graffiti.'

Depp said: 'At first, I had used my blood.'

Depp was on the stand at the High Court for a third day and was questioned about the incident after he previously claimed the injury was sustained when Heard threw a vodka bottle at him during the fight in Australia

During their visits to Australia in 2015, the couple stayed in this mansion owned by former MotoGp champion Mick Doohan

Ms Wass said: 'This painting exercise of yours was going on all over the house.'

She added: 'Somebody who was sober and not under the influence of drugs would have realised or would have felt considerable pain.'

Depp said: 'Yes, ma'am, I did feel considerable pain.'

Ms Wass said: 'You didn't know what you were doing at this stage.'

Depp said: 'That's not true, I knew exactly what I was doing.'

He added: 'For me, at that time, it was the end.

'I was convinced it was never going to get any better, only worse, and worse was death. So this (the painting) is a message to her, 'good luck and be careful at the top', in reference to her ambition to be a big star.'

Ms Wass said to Depp: 'When Ms Heard came down and saw what I suggest was a state of complete carnage in the house, you showed her your right hand ... and said 'look what you made me do' and she was the one who told you to phone security.'

Depp replied: 'I'm afraid that's not true, it's incorrect.'

Ms Wass said the actor then told Ms Heard: 'Is this good enough for you? This is what a f****** idiot I am for loving you.'

Depp replied: 'Possibly. I could have said that, it was certainly what I was feeling but, as I stated earlier, when I realised that the top of my finger was missing and pouring blood profusely and the bones was sticking out, I believe that I went into some kind of breakdown.'

He added: 'I was at the end. I couldn't live, didn't want to live at that time.'

He smeared blood from the tip of his finger across the walls of the property and said: 'Look what you made me do' to his former spouse, the court heard.

Asked whether he had been angry, the Pirates of the Caribbean star said: 'As a human being and as a musician it's a little upsetting when you see your bone sticking out.'

I vehemently deny it and would go so far as to say it is pedestrian fiction.

Referring to photographs of the damage to the property shown to the court, Ms Wass said: 'You had written in paint but you had used your injured finger in place of a paintbrush.

'Yes ma'am at first I was using my blood which was coming out of my finger, that's what the heart you see at the bottom of that and the U.'

'There's another message in lipstick, 'Call Carly Simon she said it better babe.'

'Was that a message written on a different occasion?' Ms Wass asked.

'That's Ms Heard,' replied Depp.

Depp said the accusations of violence were part of a conspiracy to paint him as 'a wetbrain, a savage, an uncontrollable maniac, a monster etc etc, because they do keep going on.'

He added: 'I vehemently deny it and would go so far as to say it is pedestrian fiction.

'I was unhappy with the production of Pirates of the Caribbean, I was unhappy with my life, my relationship, I was far away from my kids. I was unhappy with my life and my relationship with Ms Heard.

'I was angry by the fact that we were working on the fifth production of Pirates of the Caribbeanand I had to rewrite everything for the character.'

The actor told the High Court he descended into a 'species of nervous breakdown' during the 2015 trip to Australia and broke his sobriety because of Heard's 'rage-filled rants.'

Heard's arms and feet were allegedly slashed by shattered glass strewn across the floor as she was chased round the room and slammed against a counter top by Depp, the court heard. She was allegedly forced to barricade herself in after he tore off her nightgown and shoved her onto a ping pong table.

Depp told Ms Wass that she seemed 'more familiar with MDMA than I am' when asked whether he had been confronted by his ex-wife about a bag of ecstasy pills during the trip.

The actor said he 'did not recall taking possession of controlled substances,' in contrast to claims that he spat in her face after chasing the drugs down with liquor.

He insisted that the only attack on the trip had been launched by Heard when she hurled a vodka bottle at him and caused the infamous injury which cut off the top of his finger.

He allegedly received concerned texts from Hollywood screenwriter and friend Stephen Deuters urging him to 'take a break' near the time of the incident.

The Texan allegedly came downstairs one morning in a burgundy negligee given to her as a gift by his private doctor David Kipper, who oversaw Depp's withdrawal from prescription drugs.

The Sun's lawyer Sasha Wass QC asked Depp: 'Mr Deuters was a yes man wasn't he? He knew how to placate you just like you knew how to placate Ms Heard?'

'I do not accept that description,' Depp replied.

Reading a text allegedly sent by Deuters, Ms Wass said: ''All anyone wants to see on the screen is the Johnny Depp they know and love. That said you deserve a break. Take some time off and we can discuss other stuff.'

'What he's saying is basically you are wonderful and secondly take a break.'

The message went on: 'To call it an honour to work for you doesn't do my feelings on the topic any justice whatsoever, you're the reason I'm in this business by f*** does this business need you.'

'On looking on it I would say it was a very very kind gesture and a wonderful attempt by a friend to pull me out of what felt like a constant tailspin of constantly being told 'you're wrong and your pardon the term a f***-up and many things like that.

'Those are things that I can very easily go onto, a state of depression. And so he was trying to take me out of it.'

'Is that a reference to Ms Heard? Because she would not flatter you?' Ms Wass asked.

Depp replied: 'She did flatter me when it was in her interests to do so but there was also a barrage of insults and accusations about things which never happened.'

'I was far away from my kids and I was unhappy with my life and my relationship with Ms Heard.

'I was angry that we were working on the third of the Pirates of the Caribbean films and on the others I'd been able to write some of (the script)... The dialogue.'

Amber Heard yesterday claimed that Johnny Depp severed his finger while launching a savage attack on her in which she 'feared for her life' while he filmed Pirates of the Caribbean in 2015

'I need to take a f***ing p***, it's my house': Depp 'drew a 'fake d***' on a painting of a woman and urinated on the floor' in rented Australian home

Depp drew a 'fake d***' on a painting of a woman and urinated on the floor in his rent home in Australia while filming Pirates of the Caribbean, the High Court also heard.

Transcripts of a conversation between members of his security team revealed his bodyguards' 'concern' about the impact the wreckage would have on his public image.

The Hollywood legend trashed the rented accommodation during a drug-fuelled binge while filming the third Pirates of the Caribbean film in Australia, it has been said.

Shocking pictures of graffiti-covered mirrors were shown as the court heard how a TV and windows were smashed and the floors were left covered in blood.

Depp maintains he does not recall the extent of the damage caused to the property as he was going through a 'breakdown' but his late security guard, Jerry Judge, estimated the figure to be around 150,000.

Mr Judge said in the transcript: 'The French settee at least two of them need to be recovered. I've got a lot of blood off the floor, I've scrubbed the paint off to bring it off and the s***... We see how bad it is.

'What I'm most concerned with now is if the owner sees the house he'll kick us out and go to the newspapers.'

Ms Wass said: 'Then there's a discussion: 'How can we keep all this quiet?' One of the functions of the people you employ is to manage your public image isn't it?'

'I would say yes they have a concern for my public image, yes,' Depp replied. 'I think they would rather not have bad things show up in the press. I've of course always been quite a private person.'

Ms Wass, reading another excerpt from the transcript, said: '[It's a] sexy, sexy picture... The same picture in a bikini with her hands on her breasts and what did he do? He painted he drew or painted a fake d*** on her p***y..'

I remember dipping my finger into paint when I ran out of blood to paint with and I could have defaced a painting.

'Do you remember that?'

Depp stifled laughter as he said: 'No, I don't remember that.'

'That would be quite a big thing, painting a penis on a picture?' Ms Wass said.

'Yes. I'm not 100 per cent sure I can say I did that. It is possible,' he replied. Depp added that he resorted to using paint to deface the homeowner's property once he had 'run out' of blood.

'I don't recall defacing a painting. As I said, my state of mind, I was in a kind of breakdown,' he said.

'You're not using the word breakdown to refer to a blackout are you?' Ms Wass asked.

'No ma'am I'm well aware of the difference,' Depp replied. 'I remember dipping my finger into paint when I ran out of blood to paint with and I could have defaced a painting.'

The actor allegedly stormed outside and yelled: 'I need to take a f***ing p***, it's my house,' and began relieving himself.

Ms Wass said: 'You shouted: 'I need to take a f***ing p***, it's my house' and you urinated outside the front door.'

'I don't believe that happened,' Depp said.

'And then you came into the house and did the same thing in the house,' Ms Wass said.

'I do not believe that happened, especially seeing as I had a severed finger,' came the reply.

Ms Wass continued cross examining Depp on the damage in the house, saying there were references to 'French settees' which needed re-covering, and she asked: 'You did the damage, how long did it take you?'

Depp said 'I was a party to the damage' and Ms Wass interrupted: 'Amber Heard broke one bottle.'

The actor replied: 'Well in fact she threw two bottles at me. The first bottle came whizzing past my head and the second smashed ... and cut my fingertip off, so she broke two bottles.'

Depp was then asked if he remembered a television and a window breaking, to which he said no, and if he recalled damage to the settees and floors, to which he replied: 'Yes I remember there was quite a lot of blood everywhere.'

He was then asked who out of himself and Ms Heard did he think did the most damage to the house, to which he answered: 'I would say Ms Heard.'

When Ms Wass retorted that was not true, he said: 'Thank you'.

Ms Wass told the court Mr Judge had told Heard that if he and Depp's other employees had not stepped in, 'either you or he would be dead'.

The barrister said: 'It appears Mr Judge is saying that if they hadn't come along when they did, either you would be dead or Ms Heard would be dead.

'That would be an odd thing to say if it was Ms Heard who was the only violent party - do you agree or not?'

Depp replied: 'There are several times when I have spoken to Ms Heard and said, 'listen, we are a crime scene waiting to happen'.'

Depp: 'Heard was unwilling to sign a pre-nup'

Ms Wass asked Mr Depp about the catalyst for the argument, which he says was a post-nuptial agreement Ms Heard did not want to sign.

The actor told the court: 'Ms Heard, in tears and quite riled up, said to me that the woman (an attorney) had kind of psychologically tortured her and said 'this is it, you have to sign this' and she said 'Johnny would never agree to me signing this' and she said the lawyer laughed and said 'oh he is well aware'.'

Ms Wass then said Mr Depp's employees were concerned about the property's owner seeing the damage and going to the press.

He responded: 'Well I think they would rather not have bad things show up in the press. I have always been quite a private person.'

Ms Wass said: 'This was something your people really wanted to underplay, isn't it?'

Mr Depp replied: 'Well yes, as did I, and I said I crushed my finger in a door.'

Depp has described his relationship with Heard as 'complicated' as the High Court was told there was 'a lot of anger' and a 'very deep love' between the couple.

Ms Wass asked the actor about a January 2015 trip to Tokyo he took with Heard and his two children, alleging he had been violent towards Ms Heard in their hotel room and had wrestled her to the floor.

Depp said this was 'incorrect'.

The barrister later said: 'It was a very complex relationship with Ms Heard, there was a lot of anger on one level ... but there was also a very close connection and a very deep love between the two of you.'

Depp replied: 'It felt so at the time, yes. It was complicated.'

Ms Wass asked the star about a pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreement, telling the court that according to Californian divorce laws a wife was entitled to 50 per cent of her husband's wealth.

Depp said: 'She (Heard) was unwilling to sign a pre-nup, my attorneys tried for Ms Heard to sign a post-nuptial agreement, which she said she was fine to do.

'She said she was fine to sign a pre-nup too but it never happened.'

Amber Heard arrived at the High Court yesterday with her sister Whitney (wearing a green covering) after going out on the town with her until the early hours on the third day of Johnny Depp's blockbuster libel trial in London

The 57-year-old actor was cross-examined on the stand by The Sun's lawyer and asked about the trip he took with his ex-wife Heard, 34, in August 2014 - while they were engaged to be married

'One of the cruelest things that she has ever done': Johnny Depp says Amber Heard withheld his rehab medicine as he lay 'sobbing like a child' and going through withdrawal on his private island in the Bahamas

Depp accused Heard of withholding his rehab medicine while he lay 'sobbing like a child' as he from suffered from withdrawal on a pre-wedding detox trip to his private island in 2014.

Depp discussed the 2014 trip to the 45-acre island Little Hall Pond's Cay under cross-examination by The Sun's QC Sasha Wass and denied kicking Heard, pushing her and grabbing her by the hair while she nursed him through an 'agonising' withdrawal from prescription painkiller Roxicodone.

He said he retired to the island - where he married Heard in 2015 and which he bought for $3.5million in 2004 - with Heard and a nurse while he tried to kick his addiction to the prescription drug known as 'Roxxies'.

In his witness statement, Depp claimed that Heard 'often intervened and withheld medicine from me' while the pair were on the island, which he described as 'one of the cruellest things that she has ever done'.

He told the court how Heard would deny him medicine, leaving him 'sobbing like a child' on the floor and having the 'heebie-jeebies' and start shaking and having stomach cramps.

Johnny Depp has accused Amber Heard of withholding his rehab medicine while they took a detox trip together to his private island in the Bahamas on the third day of his libel trial in London

Heard is pictured arriving at the High Court with her squad, including her girlfriend Bianca Butti (back left, in sunglasses)

Sasha Wass QC, representing The Sun, told the High Court yesterday how Depp and Heard were on one side of his private island while a nurse, Debbie Lloyd, was staying on the other side

'He's flipping, he's screaming, he's so mad he pushed me'

Texts exchanged between Heard and an onsite nurse standing by throughout the withdrawal showed her telling medics to come and help when Depp allegedly 'pushed' her.

Depp denied kicking Heard and pulling her hair, claiming that he was 'in no physical condition' to have assaulted her and calling the accusations her 'insurance policy'.

Depp told the court how Heard would deny him medicine, leaving him 'sobbing like a child' on the floor and having the 'heebie-jeebies' and start shaking and having stomach cramps.

Ms Wass told the High Court yesterday how Depp and Heard were on one side of his private island while a nurse, Debbie Lloyd, was staying on the other side.

Referring to a page of text messages in evidence sent by Heard to the nurse, the barrister said: ''Issue seems to have arisen again. All of a sudden he's flipping. He's screaming, he's so mad he pushed me and I asked him to get out. Don't want to keep you guys.' The nurse asked: 'Should we come over?' and she said yes.

'Are you aware of any reason that Ms Heard would ask the medics to come over if you were so mad that you pushed her. Can you think why she would write that if it wasn't the truth?'

Depp said: 'I can only say from my point of view I was in no physical condition to push anyone. I'm denying I pushed her. I'm going to suggest that the testimony is fabricated.'

'And this is part of the hoax is it?' the lawyer asked.

'I believe it's part of the dossier that was an insurance policy for her,' Depp said. 'I wouldn't know if she followed the instructions of the nurse to the letter.'

Ms Wass suggested to Depp that Heard was 'effectively acting as your nurse'.

Depp replied: 'She was in control of the meds, she was in control of when I was taking the meds, she would give me the time to take the meds.'

Ms Wass asked: 'She wasn't the one in detox, was she?' Depp said that Heard was not.

She added: 'I am going to suggest you lied about the extent of her drugs use and alcohol consumption in order to discredit her in this court hearing.' Depp said: 'No.'

The barrister continued: 'She was doing what she was being told to do by the experts.' Depp replied: 'I don't know that she explicitly followed the orders of the registered nurse to the letter.'

Ms Wass said: 'The idea of a detoxification process is you come off drugs.'

She added: 'She (Ms Heard) was withholding drugs that you were not supposed to have.' Depp asked: 'Why would she have drugs that I was not supposed to have?'

Ms Wass also read a text exchange between Depp and his former mother-in-law, Paige Heard, sent during the Bahamas detox trip.

The barrister said Heard wrote 'please hang in there my son out-law'. The text continued: 'I know that it doesn't feel like things will ever get better, but I promise you they will.

'You've gotten through the hardest part, it may be hard to see, but you will be so glad to have this gorilla off of your back. I've seen the hell this addiction brings and I wouldn't wish this on anyone.

'You are a big wonderful man to break the cycle. Please let me know if I can help in any way. All my love.'

Depp said the messages to his mother-in-law were him saying good things about a daughter to her mother.

The barrister said Depp's assertion that Heard had withheld his medication during the trip was 'not substantiated by any evidence'.

He replied that he couldn't say whether it was substantiated, adding: 'I can say that there were incidents where, for example, the time allotted for me to take my medication by the nurse or by Ms Heard was 4pm on that date.'

The actor said he would sometimes have the 'heebie-jeebies' by about 3.15pm and that he would start shaking and having stomach cramps.

He said he told Heard he needed his medication, but that she said 'no, four o'clock'.

Depp continued: 'My body clock was needing medication to stop the onslaught... I was not in good shape.

'For someone this low... it is the lowest point I believe I have ever been in my life... on the floor, sobbing like a child and had still not received the medicine.'

Amber Heard, 34, was seen leaving Oswald's private members club in the early hours of this morning

Depp: 'Shall we each swallow an E at around 8pm and go to dinner (at a) wonderful Peruvian spot?'

Depp was asked if he was taking MDMA around September 2014. The actor said: 'I don't recall it but it's possible.'

Ms Wass then read out a message sent by Depp on October 4, 2014, which said: 'I'm going to quite gracefully glide into a massage for my broken back and neck.

'I shall exit in one hour a monster. Shall we each swallow an E at around 8pm and go to dinner (at a) wonderful Peruvian spot?'

Ms Wass said: 'This is an email to somebody who has not been identified.'

She asked about the 'Peruvian spot' and whether it was 'a reference to cocaine'. Depp said: 'It's a mystery to me. It might have been a Peruvian restaurant, it might have been a reference to cocaine.'

Ms Wass suggested to Depp that 'you started lapsing again, didn't you, in September 2014?'.

Depp replied: 'I wasn't taking the 'Roxxies' (Roxicodone) that I went to the island that I went to detox from... any other substances would come from (Depp's private doctor, David) Kipper.'

The lawyer asked: 'Dr Kipper wasn't supplying you with ecstasy, was he?' Depp said: 'No.'

Ms Wass read from medical notes dated September 22, which recorded that Depp punched the wall during an argument with Heard and was found 'sitting in the kitchen with scraped and bloodied knuckles'.

The barrister said: 'It seems to be how you are expressing your anger yet again.'

Depp replied: 'I would rather express my anger by hitting an inanimate object than... the person I love.'

Ms Wass said: 'There are times when you don't even remember the conduct that you were responsible for, you blacked out on many, many occasions.'

Depp said: 'There were blackouts for sure, but in any blackout there are snippets of memory.'

Johnny Depp 'romanticises the entire drug culture and has no responsibility for his behaviour', says his doctor

Ms Wass read out medical notes written by Depp's private doctor, David Kipper.

The notes said that Depp 'romanticises the entire drug culture and has no accountability for his behaviour'.

The doctor also wrote that Depp paid 'lip service' to people like the actor's friend Sir Elton John 'more for their celebrity than their struggle with sobriety'.

Dr Kipper added: 'There is also an issue of patience. He is driven almost reflexively by his id. He has no patience for not getting his needs met. He has no understanding of delayed gratification and is quite childlike in his reaction when he doesn't get immediate satisfaction.'

Depp responded: 'We had all just met, Dr Kipper and myself and Ms Heard and Nurse Lloyd, so they were not versed in our lives, our life together, as yet.'

Amber Heard's movie with James Franco 'sparked a binge that put Johnny Depp in the hospital'

Ms Wass continued that Dr Kipper 'started treating Heard for anxiety and indeed referred Ms Heard to another medical person', Dr Connell Cowan.

She said Dr Cowan wrote in medical notes: 'JD is very threatened by career, particularly any kind of romantic scenes she has to do. Her movie with JF (James Franco) precipitated a binge that put JD in the hospital.

'Everyone around J seems to be intimidated by his power and money. No one stands up to him.'

Ms Wass asked: 'Can you think of any reason why Ms Heard would have said that to Dr Cowan unless it was true?'

Depp said: 'I believe it had a benefit to her motivation.'

Ms Wass asked if it was part of 'the hoax, the agenda, the insurance policy'.

The actor replied: 'I think she was telling porky pies with her psychiatrist.'

Heard has arrived at the High Court with her squad after going out on the town with her sister Whitney until the early hours of this morning on the third day of Johnny Depp's blockbuster libel trial in London

Who will be called to give evidence? Johnny Depp's exes Winona Ryder and Vanessa Paradis will make statements at High Court Vanessa Paradis is one of Depp's former partners. She insists he was never abusive towards her Vanessa Paradis Vanessa Paradis is a French singer, actress and model who shot to fame aged just 14 with the song Joe Le Taxi. She has been a spokesmodel for Chanel for many years and appeared in a number of films, alongside continuing her singing career. Ms Paradis, 47, was in a relationship with Depp for around 14 years from around 1998. The couple's daughter, Lily-Rose, is also now pursuing a career as an actress. Ms Paradis is due to give evidence at the trial. Winona Ryder is also due to give evidence at the High Court trial Winona Ryder Winona Ryder is also due to give evidence at the High Court trial as part of his case against News Group Newspapers (NGN). Ms Ryder was in a relationship with Depp during the early 1990s, and the pair appeared together in Edward Scissorhands. Depp famously tattooed Winona Forever on his arm. After the couple split, he reportedly changed it to Wino Forever. Dan Wootton has been The Sun's Executive Editor since March 2018 Dan Wootton New Zealand-born Dan Wootton has been The Sun's Executive Editor since March 2018. The article at the heart of Johnny Depp's libel claim was written by Mr Wootton for his weekly column in the newspaper. Mr Wootton also presents the weekday Drivetime show on talkRadio and has his own podcast - The Dan Wootton Interview. A showbiz reporter for many years, before joining The Sun, Mr Wootton had stints at a number of newspapers and magazines, including the Daily Mail, where he also worked as a columnist, and the now defunct News Of The World, where he was Showbiz Editor. He was also showbiz presenter for ITV's Lorraine show for 10 years. Advertisement

Depp 'flew into another rage when Heard told him she was meeting English novelist Clive Barker at his home while he recovered from illness'

The court heard how Depp claimed his jealousy was 'provoked' when asked about allegedly kicking Heard for visiting Hellraiser novelist Clive Barker at his home while he recovered from an illness.

The Hollywood star allegedly flew into 'another' rage when his ex-wife told him she was meeting the English playwright while he recovered from an illness on December 17, 2014.

He yesterday denied that apologetic texts sent to Heard after the alleged incident in which he described himself as a 'lunatic' and a 'f***ing savage' related to domestic abuse.

Ms Wass asked: 'In December 2014 Ms Heard had arranged to meet with the playwright and novelist Clive Barker.

'She had arranged to meet him at his home because in fact he had been very seriously ill and you were very uncomfortable about her going to his time and your jealousy came to the fore as it did with James Franco. It made you angry and you lost your self control. Do you agree or not?'

Depp replied: 'There were many instances. There was an episode involving her rendezvous with Mr Barker. There were many instances where jealousy did come from my side.

'There were many instances where it was provoked if you will.'

In a text sent to Heard after the alleged attack read to the court, he said: 'Slim I'm truly sorry I could not be more sorry for upsetting you to the degree I have.

'I do of course take your generosity and devotion to heart and I reciprocate. Please know my apology is sincere and solid. I hope your meeting with Clive Barker is excellent. Love you very f**ing much, Steve.'

He later wrote: 'I always regret it when I jump or when you jump therefore I put in heavy work with shrink. I'm sorry for being less your disappointment in me and my behaviour, I'm a f***ing savage.'

Ms Wass noted that Depp used the same language to describe himself in his texts as he had earlier used to refer to individuals who 'kicked' women.

The lawyer asked: 'Yesterday I asked you how you would describe a man who kicks his wife in the back and you immediately came up with the word savage.

'It's a word I use,' came the reply.

'And you were describing yourself as savage in that text because you had been violent towards a woman,' the lawyer said.

'No ma'am, I often describe myself in derogatory ways and would be the first to be unkind to myself,' Depp said.

'Not only did I not kick, or punch Ms Heard at any time. Calling myself savage is certainly not to the effect that you suggest. So I disagree with your dissection of this text.'

Depp described himself as 'sick' while infamous footage of him presenting an awards ceremony while under the influence of drugs was played to the court.

He denied being drunk in the viral clip of him onstage hosting the Hollywood Film Awards in 2014.

Asked about his slurred speech and shambolic appearance, Depp said he had been withdrawing from a 'very unpleasant medication.'

He said: 'I was not drinking.

'I don't feel ashamed of that moment because that's a sickly man, a drug addict who is coming off a very unpleasant medication and I was not prepared to go out and give that awards show however because they had asked me and it was my duty to do so I carried it through. It was a horrific mistake.

'I was under the influence of many many medications.'
I don't even understand her muscles.

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And how gravity doesn't apply to her.

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annie leibovitz has been on this planet for SEVENTY years and has not learned how to light and photograph black skin. rich, sumptuous browns turn to ash through her lens and she needs to stop getting covers  folu (@notfolu) July 9, 2020

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i came here to post this tweet. thank u!

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Facts. Vogue, August 2020 by Annie Leibovitz



Dana Scruggs  work on the right Michaela Coel Essence, April 2019 https://t.co/9l3RsRsPsD pic.twitter.com/XI4zp2iJuC  Joshua Kissi (@JoshuaKissi) July 9, 2020 Yep.

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truuuuue oh my god



Edited at 2020-07-10 01:21 am (UTC)

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AL's love of deadening grey-green color grading.....I don't get it.

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She's stuck in 2003 tbh

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honestly. Simone is gorgeous no matter what but I was looking at these photos and wondering where tf the lighting was.

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She does this to all skin tones tbh! Caitlyn Jenner looked incredibly corpse like on her vanity fair cover. Its so strange!

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I used to think I was the one that didn't get photography when I saw Anne's photos - particular her photos of black people.

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With anybody. New talent needs to be given a chance.

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queen! the digital cover should be the regular cover

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Agreed! It's gorgeous

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mte

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I'm still sad the olympics were canceled but it was the right decision. I can't wait for Simone to get another gold medal. She's like the sweetest person and still gets hate.

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her body is amazing! i hate that cover though.

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Simone Biles, the greatest gymnast of all time, is the August cover of VOGUE. https://t.co/HnWCeoeiCc pic.twitter.com/CMZOHMZgN0  philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) July 9, 2020 I loooove the one of her leaping through the air but damn it looks terrible regarding lighting :(

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wtf is this lighting? it looks like a bad tumblr gifset

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Did she only use natural lighting because its so bad. There is such a huge contrast between all of these pictures.

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It's so bad :( she needs to stop getting covers

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She looks beautiful regardless of the bad lighting....but it's still super disappointing. Like they didn't even try to light her.

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Those shoulders and back muscles. True Goddess.

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What is this lighting? Somehow black folks on instagram taking pictures of themselves without looking ashy as hell but Vogue cant manage? Simone deserves the best, and this aint it.



That aside her back is the stuff of envy and those legs! My god

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I was so looking forward to the Olympics this year :(

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she's incredible.



i assume they hadn't picked the 2020 gymnastics team, right? i wonder what that means for 2021.

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I have to imagine it really sucks for all the girls who have been training their bodies to peak at this time. I have no doubt Simone will make it, though, tbh

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Yeah, they haven't yet. I think Jade Carey is confirmed for an individual spot(and probably won't be on the team because of that), but everything else in still in the air and possibly will mean more people competing for spots due to the extra year to reach the age requirement

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No they haven't and I remember Laurie Hernandez, who was on the 2016 team but had taken time away from gymnastics to deal with abuse she suffered from her coach, was talking about how it was bittersweet. The reason behind the cancellation is awful but it gives athletes like her, who are trying to make the Olympics, more time to train.

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Girls who wouldn't have been eligible this year bc they turn senior in 2021 are suddenly eligible, which means the selection process got even more competitive (especially bc with Simone there's really only just four spots left). I think on one hand, for the longevity of their careers it's probably best to wait for the 2025 Olympics because that means they're going to have to suddenly cram new, more difficult skills earlier than they expected to, all in one year at the risk of injury. But on the other, Konnor McClain is suddenly available and I'm excited because she's amazing at beam, my fave event, and for some reason in this quad none of the US gymnasts are great at beam when it used to be their bread and butter.



My bet for the 2020 team is Sunisa Lee and she's injured right now (the injury happened recently, after the Olympics was canceled) :( hopefully it gives her time to rest. It will benefit girls like her, Laurie, Riley McCusker and Morgan Hurd, who all need the rest but it will depend on whose bodies will change the most in a year. If anyone gets a growth spurt and sudden boobs they're fucked (other than Laurie, who has already been training with a changing body).

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i really hope morgi can keep it together through 2021 and make the team. when shes on she is so good



anyway chellsie memmel 2021!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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What an icon.

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The Annes ain't shit. That cover is terrible, she looks tired and that lighting, oof. Vogue needs a serious overhaul, from top to bottom.

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I just watched Athlete A a few days ago and its so sad. Im glad that its shaken up USA gymnastics but there were sooo many people involved.



Ive always loved gymnastics so its going to be different watching them.

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Athlete A was very good and very disturbing. The number of adults who abused those girls and/or ignored the abuse is heartbreaking.



It also made me wonder about men's gymnastics and how the culture of coaching may or may not differ from the women.

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The one big difference with male gymnasts is that they are much older. Most of the male Olympic team is adult which probably gives them much more agency and ability to say no

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MARICOPA, Ariz.  A man has been arrested and accused of firing shots at construction workers near the city of Maricopa, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) south of Phoenix.

Pinal County Sheriffs officials said 66-year-old Ralph Rubin is jailed on suspicion of endangerment and aggravated assault.

They said a group of construction workers were working in the Hidden Valley area outside Maricopa when they were fired at Wednesday morning.

The workers called 911, saying a man was upset about the construction near his home.

But authorities said the motive for the shooting remains under investigation

When sheriffs deputies arrived on the scene, they found one worker with a gunshot wound to an arm. That man was taken to a hospital for treatment and then released.

Sheriffs officials said Rubin barricaded himself in his home, but was later arrested on a warrant.

It was unclear Thursday if he has a lawyer yet for his case.
Records show the five Indiana casinos involved in Eldorado's acquisition together generated nearly 60% of the $590.8 million in gaming taxes paid to the state during the 2019 budget year.

Sara Tait, executive director of the Gaming Commission, said its investigation determined Eldorado's prior purchase of the Evansville casino, and gaming facilities in other states, resulted in fewer jobs and reduced gaming revenue, which would adversely impact the state as a whole if the same were to happen at four additional Indiana casino properties.

Eldorado officials previously advised investors it expected the Gaming Commission would require it to sell two Indiana casinos as a condition of the Caesars purchase, likely Tropicana Evansville and Caesars Southern Indiana in Elizabeth.

But Svetanoff and Commissioner Mark Fine, of Evansville, said they considered Eldorado's estimated 40% post-divestment market share to still be too large, and recommended the commission require the company sell off a third casino, likely Horseshoe Hammond, as soon as possible.

"Forty percent to me is a concentration. It's too much," Fine said. "And the sooner we are able to move in the direction that we need to go for the benefit of the state, the sooner it needs to happen."
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has formally reconverted Istanbuls sixth-century Hagia Sophia into a mosque.

He declared it open to Muslim worship on Friday, hours after a high court annulled a 1934 decision that turned it into a museum.

The decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia  a former cathedral that was turned into a mosque after Istanbuls conquest by the Ottoman Empire and had served as a museum for 86 years  sparked deep dismay among Orthodox Christians.

People chant slogans outside Hagia Sophia (Emrah Gurel/AP)

But there was jubilation outside Hagia Sophia, where dozens of people who awaited the courts ruling outside chanted Allah is great! when the news came out.

Turkeys high administrative court threw its weight behind a petition brought by a religious group and annulled the 1934 Cabinet decision that turned the site into a museum.

Within hours, Mr Erdogan signed a decree handing over Hagia Sophia to Turkeys Religious Affairs Presidency.

The president has demanded the hugely symbolic world heritage site should be turned back into a mosque despite widespread international criticism, including from the US and Orthodox Christian leaders.

The move could also deepen tensions with neighbouring Greece.

Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides, a Greek Cypriot, posted on his official Twitter account that Cyprus strongly condemns Turkeys actions on Hagia Sophia in its effort to distract domestic opinion and calls on Turkey to respect its international obligations.

He said Turkeys escalating, flagrant violation of its international obligations is manifested in its decision to alter the designation of Hagia Sophia, a World Heritage Site that is a universal symbol of the Orthodox faith.

Some argued the World Heritage Site should remain a museum (Lefteris Pitarakis/AP)

Nationalist and conservative groups have long been yearning to hold prayers at Hagia Sophia, which they regard as part of the Muslim Ottoman legacy.

Others believe the Unesco World Heritage site should remain a museum as a symbol of Christian and Muslim solidarity.

Story continues

The group that brought the case to court had contested the legality of the 1934 decision by the modern Turkish republics secular government ministers and argued the building is the personal property of Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II, who conquered Istanbul in 1453.

The court ruled Hagia Sophia is the property of a foundation managing the Sultans assets and opened it up to the public as a mosque.

The Istanbul-based ecumenical patriarch Bartholomew I, considered the spiritual leader of the worlds Orthodox Christians, warned in late June that the buildings conversion into a mosque will turn millions of Christians across the world against Islam.

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, called for prudence and the preservation of the current neutral status for the Hagia Sophia, which he said was one of Christianitys devoutly venerated symbols.

US State Secretary Mike Pompeo said last month that the landmark should remain a museum to serve as bridge between faiths and cultures.

His comments sparked a rebuke from Turkeys Foreign Ministry, which said Hagia Sophia was a domestic issue of Turkish national sovereignty.

Mr Erdogan, a devout Muslim, has frequently used the Hagia Sophia issue, which sits at the heart of Turkeys religious-secular divide, to drum up support for his Islamic-rooted party.

Some Islamic prayers have been held in the museum in recent years and in a major symbolic move, Mr Erdogan recited the opening verse of the Quran in the Hagia Sophia in 2018.
An Oregon politician fessed up to sending himself a racist and homophobic letter, then claiming it was left anonymously in his mailbox on June 23, according to KOMO news.

Jonathan Lopez, 29, posted a photo of the typed letter on his Facebook page, which he has since taken down. It stated in part that Mexicans like Lopez were "not welcome here," and that "America is for the God fearing, pro gun, pro life humans who refuse to be controlled by the government."

"You and your communist liberal community can go fuck yourselves and rot in hell."

"From the onset, this alleged incident has been thoroughly investigated," said Hermiston Police Chief Jason Edmiston. "Our investigation has shown that Mr. Lopez wrote the letter himself and made false statements to the police and on social media. The end result is a verbal and written admission by Mr. Lopez that the letter was fabricated."

At first, Lopez tried to say it was a big misunderstanding, and that he had planned to discuss racism with Chief Edmiston - using the letter as an example of the type of racism experienced by minorities.

"I never meant to file a report, it just kind of spiraled out," he said, adding that he "never meant to mislead" the public, according to the East Oregonian.

Then, things got worse for Jonathan...

When questioned further about his statements on Facebook and the fact that he told an East Oregonian reporter on June 24 that he had found the letter in his mailbox when he got home, he confirmed that he had told a police officer the same story. Lopez ran for a seat on the Umatilla County Board of Commissioners during the May 2020 primary and placed fourth. He is also a member of the city of Hermistons Hispanic Advisory Committee. Edmiston said his department was also forwarding information to the district attorneys office about possibly fraudulent statements in Lopezs entry in the May 2020 voters guide about his background and education. Those claims were also reported in the East Oregonian leading up to the election. Edmiston also alleged that HPD has learned that Lopez never served in the U.S. Coast Guard as stated, which would be a violation of the 2013 Stolen Valor Act. Lopez has not provided documentation to the East Oregonian to confirm his claim of Coast Guard service when asked. -East Oregonian

"This investigation is particularly frustrating as we are in the midst of multiple major investigations while battling a resource shortage due to the current pandemic," said Edmiston. "The time spent on this fictitious claim means time lost on other matters, not to mention it needlessly adds to the incredible tension that exists in our nation today. As a lifelong resident of this diverse community, Im disgusted someone would try to carelessly advance their personal ambitions at the risk of others."
A 17-year-old boy pulled from the Raritan Bay in Perth Amboy Thursday afternoon has died, an official confirmed Friday.

Johnny Vasquez, of Perth Amboy, entered the choppy waters of the bay in an area where swimming is prohibited. First responders were called to the bay near Water Street and Raritan Yacht Club around 2:30 p.m. Thursday. When they arrived, they found a man back on land who had gone in to try to rescue Vasquez, but the boy was still missing.

Vasquez was found by NYPD divers after a two-and-a-half-hour search using boats, divers and helicopters. He was in cardiac arrest and given CPR before being transported to Hackensack Meridian Health Raritan Bay Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Its not uncommon for people to swim in the water there, its a bay area, said Perth Amboy Business Administrator Frederick Carr. But there is a sign that says dont swim there.

In a statement released to NBC and PIX 11, the family said: Johnny was a special boy. He was a young man with a heart of gold and whole world in front of him. He was also autistic and suffered from epilepsy. He is very much loved by all his family and especially his mother, father, siblings, grandparents aunts, uncles and cousins.

Perth Amboy Police and firefighters were assisted by the FDNY Marine Division, NYPD Air Sea Rescue, NYPD Harbor Units, NYPD SCUBA Unit, US Coast Guard, New Jersey State Police Marine and Aviation, Carteret Fire Department Marine Division, Bayonne Fire Department Marine Division and Hackensack Meridian Health Emergency Medical Services.

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

Allison Pries may be reached at apries@njadvancemedia.com.
Displayed on a noticeboard in the foyer of a clothes factory, in the heart of Leicesters notorious garment district, is a list of the countrys minimum wage requirements.

Staff are informed those aged 25 and over are entitled to 8.72 an hour. If youre between 21 and 24, you should get 8.20 while 6.45 is the rate for 18 to 20-year-olds. The irony is staggering.

Many of the 30 or so people who work at this establishment off St Saviours Road, we discover, are actually taking home as little as 4 an hour. The chasm between this world in the backstreets of the Midlands, and the label which appears on the clothes it churns out, is vast.

It has been discovered that workers in this Boohoo factor in Leicester earn 4 an hour. The company is owned by Kamani family and has offices in Manchester, London, Paris, Berlin, Los Angeles, Sydney too

The factory supplies Boohoo, the umbrella fashion company whose corporate stable includes Coast, Misspap, Nasty Gal, Karen Millen and Pretty Little Thing. On June 19, they also snapped up high street brands Warehouse and Oasis from administration.

While there is no evidence that all these labels use the same Leicester sweatshop factories at the centre of the furore over poverty pay, it is nevertheless alarming that its main brands do.

Owned by the Kamani dynasty, Boohoo was worth in excess of 5billion, more than Marks & Spencer and ASOS combined  before our revelations last week of sweatshop slavery helped contribute to a shares crash.

Group chairman Mahmud Kamani founded Boohoo.com with his colleague Carol Kane in 2006.

His sons Umar, 34, and Adam, 27, founded Pretty Little Thing in 2012. The online label employs reality stars as ambassadors and their target audience is teenage girls.

The fact Umar Kamani, who counts Jennifer Lopez and rapper P Diddy as friends, has been defending the reputation of the brand in the exclusive tax haven of Monaco has also raised eyebrows in the City.

Umbrella fashion company Boohoo's corporate stable includes Pretty Little Thing which is influenced by Jennifer Lopez (pictured)'s look

The question raging all week since my last investigation into these Dickensian practices has been: How do we really know that factories like the one visited by the Mail are breaking the law and not paying their employers the minimum wage? Because the boss, a portly man in his fifties, unashamedly admits it.

Anyone saying they are paying all their employees the minimum wage in the garment industry is a fraud, he declared. Its a lie because its not possible.

Its an astonishing admission. He is breaking the law but doesnt see it that way.

People who come from India or Bulgaria dont have money, they dont speak English but they need money to put food in their bellies, he said. The starting point is 4 or 5, then we train them and they get more.

We pay the minimum wage but not to everybody. Unless youre a big company its not realistic in this industry where the margins keep getting squeezed.

Boohoo is the company that gives us our bread and butter. They are a blessing because without them everyone would go to China and get them made cheaper.

The businessman, who started as a machinist when he arrived here from India 30 years ago, did not wish to give his name but was happy to show us round.

About 100 boxes, ready to go, are piled high in one corner bearing the label of one of Boohoos companies, Nasty Gal, so there can be no doubt about the destination.

The Kamani empire has offices in Manchester, London, Paris, Berlin, Los Angeles, Sydney  and Leicester. The company has been coy about disclosing the extent of its operation in Leicester, saying only that it sources 40 per cent of its clothing from the UK.

The sweatshops scandal has resulted in a National Crime Agency investigation in Leicester  where crowded garment workshops are feared to have contributed to a spike in coronavirus in the city, which was put back into lockdown last week.

The Mail told last Saturday how workers dared not go home if they had signs of Covid, fearing they would lose their jobs.

Public bodies and Government officials have also missed repeated warnings about poor conditions.

In 2017, the joint Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights, chaired by Harriet Harman, found between a third and three-quarters of clothes factory workers in Leicester were paid below the minimum wage, worked in unsafe conditions or without employment contracts.

The difficulty in obtaining evidence is that it is common practice for employers to hand out wage slips which understate the number of hours.

Harbhajan Kaur, a mother of three in her fifties, works as a machinist in the vicinity of St Saviours Road. She said she is paid 5 an hour but her payslip says she gets 8.72.

She is also listed as a part-time worker but works full-time, allowing her boss to pay her below the minimum wage.

She said: We are treated like donkeys because there are a lot of orders to fill. People are buying more online, which means we have to make more clothes.

We are put under a lot of pressure to come to work, even if we are not feeling well. The bosses even threaten us with the sack.

Group chairman Mahmut Kamani (pictured) founded Boohoo.com with his colleague Carol Kane in 2006

Even if things are really bad with coronavirus, people will do all they can to come in.

It is a harrowing picture of life at the coalface of the fast fashion world. While adverts feature pouty models in skyscraper heels, 5 party dresses or 3 bikini tops can be found on every high street.

In this pariah city, rock-bottom prices equals slave-labour wages.

They just want to make an issue out of Leicester, insisted the boss who admitted to the Mail that he was paying staff 4 an hour. We are getting the police here, media. What is that all about?

People are desperate and we are providing employment. Im being asked to produce a garment for 90p. From that I have to pay rates, taxes. Its just not possible to pay everyone 8.72.

Boohoo has now said it has launched an independent review into its supply chain, led by Alison Levitt, QC.

The firm said that it was shocked and appalled by the allegations and is doing everything in our power to rebuild the reputation of the textile manufacturing industry in Leicester.

But isnt that impossible when you are selling dresses for 5?
Black pastors decry Jacksonville's hosting of RNC convention amid COVID-19

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More than 70 black pastors have signed a letter urging Jacksonville, Florida, city officials to reconsider hosting parts of the Republican National Convention in late August amid rising cases of coronavirus and fears of ethnic tensions.

As clergy and community leaders, we urge our city officials to reconsider hosting the Republican National Convention, the letter made public on Monday reads.

Recent times have found municipalities across our country wrangling with lifes most unimaginable phobias. Fears such as ethnic tension, economic uncertainty coupled with the first pandemic in a century have exponentially amplified the level of anxiety in our society. These occurrences affect Jacksonville.

Titled For the Safety of Our Community, the pastors' correspondence was sent to Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Currys office and expressed grave concern that the citys agreement to host the convention signifies that our city is placing profits over people.

The 2020 Republican National Convention will be hosted in Jacksonville as well as Charlotte, North Carolina. The events in Jacksonville will take place on Aug. 25-27 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.

Curry had touted the estimated $100 million in economic impact the convention could have on the city. But the letter, led by Pastor Arthur Jones Sr. and Ardel Jones of All People International Church, argues that it is disingenuous to estimate that any convention would bring $100 million to Jacksonville when the city is burgeoning more diseased each day.

Over a month ago, Governor Ron DeSantis ordered quarantines for the residents of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut upon entering Florida, the letter reads.  New York and the surrounding states represented the epicenter of the Coronavirus two months ago. Six weeks later, these tri-states have returned the favor. Upon entering their states, Floridians must be quarantined upon entry due to our ascending numbers of those testing positive for COVID-19.

The pastors argue that their concern is not hyperbole or embellishment. They cite a letter recently sent to Currys office by hundreds of doctors calling the decision to host parts of the convention medically disrespectful to the citizens of this city.

Florida has become one of the hotspots for the coronavirus in recent weeks as it recorded another 7,300-plus coronavirus cases on Tuesday, days after setting single-day highs in confirmed cases over the weekend.

With the alarming, escalating numbers of COVID cases, more businesses are sure to close, be it temporarily or permanently, the pastors letter reads. At this critical juncture of where we are as a city and a nation, dialogue, healing, and decency are essential to reconciliation. Incendiary rhetoric and bellicose speech are toxins that continue to rip away at the fabric of our democracy.

In a statement provided to The Christian Post, RNC spokesperson Mike Reed said that the RNC is committed to holding a safe convention that fully complies with local health regulations in place at the time.

The event is still almost two months away, and we are planning to offer health precautions including but not limited to temperature checks, available PPE, aggressive sanitizing protocols, and available COVID-19 testing, Reed explained. We have a great working relationship with local leadership in Jacksonville and the state of Florida, and we will continue to coordinate with them in the months ahead.

The pastors also voiced concern with the fact that President Donald Trump is slated to accept the Republican Partys 2020 presidential nomination in Jacksonville on Aug. 27, the anniversary of what is known as Ax Handle Saturday.

Ax Handle Saturday was a racially motivated attack in Jacksonville in 1960. The pastors say Ax Handle Saturday was one of the bloodiest days in our citys history. The pastors feel that having the president accept the Republican nomination on the anniversary of the tragic day is unthinkable!

This will set our city back decades, the pastors argued. As leaders of African American congregations along with the entire African American community, we urge our city officials to reconsider our city as the host city of the RNC for the safety of our city.

Critics have accused Trump of stoking racial division. Most recently, Trump seemed to have criticized NASCARs decision to ban the confederate flag. Although he has been accused by some of appealing to a white nationalist base, Trump has in the past condemned white supremacists and neo-Nazis.

RNC Senior Communications Advisor for Black Media Affairs Paris Dennard told CP in a statement that Trump has been a champion for the Black community.

[W]e applaud the achievements his administration has made in the areas of economic development, education, and criminal justice reform, Dennard said. While we cannot erase some of the darkest moments of our nations past, we can denounce them, learn from them, fight for justice and a more perfect union for every American. That is exactly what President Trump has done.

Dennard added that the RNC is excited to showcase the best of Jacksonville and provide a multi-million-dollar boost to their local diverse economy as we nominate Donald J. Trump for the next four years.

Currys office has vowed to respond to the pastors letter similarly to how the office treats others who contact his administration. In a statement to local news outlet WJXT, a spokesperson for the mayors office said that the office could not offer any further comment.

In a memo Monday night, a spokesperson for the Jacksonville host committee, Erin Isaac, explained that everyone attending the convention within the perimeter will be tested and temperature checked each day.

Isaac clarified to CNN that attendees of the convention will be tested for COVID-19. More information about testing and other health measures will be made available closer to the convention, according to a party official.
The stepfather of British backpacker Joanne Lees says he now believes Australian killer Bradley John Murdoch is innocent of murdering her boyfriend Peter Falconio in 2001 - after watching a controversial documentary on TV.

Mechanic Bradley John Murdoch, from Broome in north-west Australia, was convicted of murdering Mr Falconio, 28, and assaulting his partner Joanne Lees, then 27, on a remote stretch of highway near Barrow Creek in the Northern Territory in 2001.

He pleaded not guilty to the infamous outback murder and has maintained his innocence despite a court sentencing him to life in jail following a DNA match found on Ms Lees' T-shirt.

Murdoch, now 62, is believed to have hidden Mr Falconio's body, which has never been found despite extensive searches.

Ms Lees hid in bushland for five hours while Murdoch hunted her with his dog, before she managed to flag down a truck driver.

Speaking from the town of Huddersfield, where the couple grew up, her stepfather Vincent James said his opinion on the case has been swayed by a British documentary series which aired last month.

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Pictured: Peter Falconio with his girlfriend Joanne Lees. Bradley John Murdoch was convicted of murdering Mr Falconio, 28, and assaulting Ms Lees, then 27, on a remote stretch of highway in outback Northern Territory in 2001

'I'm convinced Bradley Murdoch is innocent, I didn't at the time but I do now,' Mr James told News Corp.

'I watched the program and [from] all the forensic evidence it would appear that he's not guilty,' the stepfather said.

'At the time when I was there I thought he was guilty but now I don't.'

Though the conviction was largely based on Ms Lees' DNA being found on Murdoch's shirt, Mr James said the new evidence in the documentary swayed him.

The series entitled Murder in the Outback - broadcast on the UK's Channel 4 - is geared towards exploring alternative evidence, not provided at court during Murdoch's trial and point to other parties having been involved.

Roger Maynard, one of the first journalists on the scene, discussed the most convincing piece of new evidence with 7news.com.au.

Vince Miller, the truck-driver who picked up Joanne on the night after her assault, said that while on the same stretch of road just a few miles before he picked her up, he saw a red car at the roadside.

Three men were by the car, two of them holding up a third.

According to Maynard, the men didn't want to be interrupted by the trucker when he asked if they needed help. They bundled the third man 'like jelly' into the back seat and drove away.

The truck driver said he now believes the man being held up could have been Mr Falconio.

Ms Lees reportedly still owns property in Huddersfield but is rarely seen in the town - in West Yorkshire, 14 miles outside of Leeds.

Mr Falconio's parents also still live there and have spent much of the past two decades dedicated to finding his body.

L-R: Mr Falconio's father Luciano, his brother Paul Falconio and Ms Lees' stepfather Vincent James attend a press conference in 2001. Mr James has said he believes the man convicted of killing the 28-year-old backpacker is innocent

In June's episode of Murder in the Outback, a former defence lawyer made a shocking claim from one of Peter's friends who said the backpacker was 'capable of faking his own death and committing life insurance fraud'.

Police in Australia have discounted suggestions Mr Falconio faked his own death.

The lawyer, Andrew Fraser, said a person claiming to be a friend of Mr Falconio's suggested he had committed life insurance fraud.

He told the cameras: 'One such theory that came to our attention is that Peter Falconio may have faked his own disappearance.

Australia's infamous 'backpacker killer' Bradley John Murdoch, 62, is surrounded by police as he arrives at Darwin airport following his arrest in 2003

'It's a statement that comes from somebody who describes himself as a mate of Peter's. And that statement paints a picture of Peter Falconio that many people may find surprising.'

The anonymous friend - who was working three nights a week for an insurance company - told Australian authorities that the backpacker was known as 'dodgy Pete' because he was always known for scamming.

He explained he'd chatted to Peter about how people were taking out life insurance policy cover for a couple of months before going to a foreign country and putting in a false claim.

In a statement, the unnamed friend said: 'There is no doubt in my mind that Peter Falconio is capable of carrying out the scam.

'I would not be in the least bit surprised if he attempted to defraud a life insurance policy just for the money. Before he went away he told me he had taken out a policy.'

Last year, Murdoch was diagnosed with cancer, triggering a last-ditch attempt from police to elicit a confession in exchange for moving him to a prison closer to his family.

Mr Falconio and Ms Lees in happier times. Despite claims made on a British documentary series in June, Australian police have discounted suggestions Mr Falconio faked his own death

Murdoch (pictured) was found guilty in 2005 of the murder of the British backpacker and the assault of his girlfriend

The murderer is being held in the Darwin Correctional Centre where he spends his days in the kitchen as a pastry chef and has become known for his desserts.

He was diagnosed with cancer in 2019, according to the NT News.

Police hope the 'backpacker killer' will reveal where he buried the body in exchange for being transferred from his Northern Territory jail to a Western Australian prison to be closer to his family as he battles cancer.

Murdoch can apply for parole from 2033 but unless he reveals the location of Mr Falconio's body, the application will be denied.

Murder In The Outback: The Falconio & Lees Mystery premieres Sunday at 7pm on 7 and 7plus
The Government is threatening to ban the BBC from taking viewers who don't pay the licence fee to court as the row over controversial plans to charge millions of pensioners for the right to watch television continues.

The corporation yesterday announced the end of free TV licences for everyone over the age of 75 from next month, meaning more than three million households have to find a way to pay 157.50 for the service, or risk criminal prosecution.

Only those who receive pension credit - estimated to be around 1.5 million people - will still be able to access live television and the BBC's iPlayer for free - services which have been an invaluable lifeline for the elderly during lockdown.

Boris Johnson's spokesman said it was 'the wrong decision' last night while Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said he feels 'let down' and that the decision will 'have an impact' on proposals to decriminalise the licence fee.

Julian Knight, chairman of the Commons' digital culture, media and sport committee, told the Telegraph: 'It will be an own goal of epic proportions to start hauling people over 75 in front of the courts. There needs to be common sense here.'

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden, pictured at Downing Street last night, said he feels 'let down' and that the decision will 'have an impact' on proposals to decriminalise the licence fee

The free TV licence for over-75s will be means-tested from August 1, meaning more than three million households will be asked to start paying the 157.50 fee

The BBC, based at Portland Place, London, made the announcement yesterday but has faced a fierce backlash

Anyone who watches or records TV, or uses the BBC's streaming service, without a licence could be prosecuted and even jailed, but ministers have spent months consulting on changing the law to eliminate prison sentences.

The number of people prosecuted for not having a licence was down on previous years to just under 129,000 in 2018.

The row comes as Dame Esther Rantzen said this morning the BBC should have waited to means-test the TV licence for over-75s and that the timing is 'insensitive'.

But the broadcaster and Silver Line founder, 80, claimed politicians were trying to 'scapegoat' the BBC and doing so was a 'slap in the face to older people'.

'The BBC probably feel that their reputation is very high at the moment,' she said.

'They've been a fantastic source of news, they're offering educational programmes for children who can't go to school.

'So they're taking advantage of this moment but I think that they should have left it until September, when life would have eased up a bit for all of us, particularly for older people.

'I think if the BBC had waited until the autumn it would have been kinder.

'But my main criticism at the moment is for the politicians. I do think that (Culture Secretary) Oliver Dowden, who said he felt let down by the BBC was shifting blame...

The row comes as Dame Esther Rantzen, pictured, said this morning the BBC should have waited to means-test the TV licence for over-75s and that the timing is 'insensitive'

'It was Gordon Brown who decided to make this gift of free television licences, and it was George Osborne (then chancellor) who took it away and said the government would no longer fund it.

'And that's what feels like a slap in the face to older people.'

The BBC's plan was launched into chaos last night as it emerged the system used by 4.5million pensioners to pay their levy before August 1 is already unable to meet demand due to coronavirus staff cuts.

Over-75s will receive letters to advise them of the decision and the next step they need to take, namely phoning the TV Licensing call centre.

But a message on its website earlier said they are 'prioritising customers in most urgent needs' due to reduced staffing levels, adding this could lead to them being 'unable to answer all your calls' and a delay in responding to emails and letters.

The message now reads: 'Covid-19 and your emails: Our team are working hard to respond to a large backlog of emails. There may be a long delay in responding to you.'

The move has sparked criticism, including from the Prime Minister, whose official spokesperson said last night: 'This is the wrong decision. We recognise the value of free TV licences for over-75s and believe that they should be funded by the BBC.'

A spokesman for Boris Johnson yesterday described the announcement as 'the wrong decision'

What over-75s will need to do to secure a TV licence from August 1 I've not paid the TV licence before, how much is it? A TV Licence costs 157.50 (53 for black and white TV sets) for a year. Do I need to act now? TV Licensing said it will write directly to over-75s customers with guidance 'highlighting that no-one will need to take immediate action'. No-one will be expected to pay for a new licence until they have been contacted by letter from TV Licensing, it says. People 'will be given plenty of time to set up their new licence', they say. Will I need to leave my home to sort out my free TV licence or pay for one? TV Licensing says that no-one will need to leave their home, to claim a free TV Licence or to pay for one. How do I start paying for my TV licence? Information on payment options will be sent next month. They will include the launch of the 75+ Plan, that will allow over 75s switching from a free licence to a licence they pay for, to spread the cost in weekly, fortnightly or monthly payments. How else do you pay? People will have the option to able to pay in one go by cheque, debit/credit card or annual direct debit, set up a monthly direct debit or pay through the 75+ Plan which allows them to make smaller more regular payments including weekly, fortnightly or monthly. What if I am not online? Customers who would prefer not to pay online will have the option to use a different method including mailing a cheque, paying by card on the phone or by cash/card at their nearest PayPoint. How do I claim a free TV licence? Pensioners must be in receipt of Pension Credit to apply for a free licence. Information on how to claim will be sent to customers from next month. TV Licensing says it is operating a 'self-verification system' for people to 'simply' demonstrate that they receive Pension Credit. Pension Credit can be in the name of the licence holder, or in their partner's name if they are a couple and TV Licensing say it is writing to all over 75s to explain how they can demonstrate they receive the benefit. It says 450,000 have already applied for a free licence under this scheme. How many people will be eligible for a free TV licence? The BBC says around 1.5 million households with residents aged over 75 will be eligible for a free TV Licence funded by the BBC if they receive Pension Credit. What if I need extra support? TV Licensing says it has increased the size of its customer call centre and launched a free telephone information line with recorded information on the new policy and advice to customers (0800 232 1382). Information and frequently asked questions can also be found on the TV Licensing website, tvlicensing.co.uk/age. TV Licensing says it worked with the Alzheimer's Society and other groups working with older people to ensure that needs of vulnerable older people have been taken into consideration. Advertisement

Asked if the government would intervene, the PM's spokesperson added: 'It is the BBC which is responsible for the administration of the over-75s concession but we are clear that this is the wrong decision and that we believe the value of free TV licences for over-75s should be funded by the BBC.'

Culture minister Matt Warman also challenged the corporation in the Commons yesterday, arguing it has had 'a generous licence fee settlement', that it was 'deeply disappointing' to see the change being made, and adding: 'I would hope that there is yet time to reconsider.'

However leading age charities and Labour's shadow culture secretary have rounded on the Government, accusing ministers of 'passing the buck' and calling a refusal to fund the service a 'betrayal'.

The free TV licence was introduced in 2000, but the BBC took on responsibility for funding the scheme as part of the charter agreement hammered out with the Government in 2015.

Corporation bosses argue it was the Government which took the decision to stop funding for free licences five years ago and that Parliament - through legislation - gave the responsibility to the BBC Board to make the decision on the future of the concession.

Britain's elderly population has seen free access to live television and the BBC iPlayer service as an invaluable lifeline during lockdown but many are now facing another bill to deal with.

An estimated 1.5 million households could still be exempt from paying to watch live television or use the BBC iPlayer service, however, if someone over the age of 75 receives pension credits.

Age UK, which inspired more than 630,000 people to sign a petition against the proposals when they were first announced last year, described the announcement as 'a kick in the teeth for millions of over 75s who have had a torrid time during this crisis'.

The change was originally due to be made on June 1, but the move was put on hold back in March, with bosses claiming the coronavirus pandemic had created 'exceptional circumstances' and that 'now is not the right time'.

Delaying the move has cost the corporation some 35million a month, and, with an ageing population, the total cost to the BBC could have reached 1bn a year, bosses insist.

There have previously been warnings that allowing the licence to continue being free for all over 75 would lead to 'unprecedented closures' of services.

The broadcaster, which faces increased competition from streaming giants, has said it cannot afford to take on the financial burden from the Government.

Continuing with the Government scheme would have cost the corporation 745 million, the BBC said, meaning the closures of BBC Two, BBC Four, the BBC News Channel, the BBC Scotland channel, Radio 5 Live, and a number of local radio stations, as well as other cuts and reductions.

But the move provoked a swathe of criticism, with the likes of Dame Helen Mirren calling the end of the universal entitlement 'heartbreaking', and former prime minister Gordon Brown saying 'costs should be covered by the Government'.

The decision comes as the Government is set to announce its response to a consultation on decriminalising licence fee evasion.

The Government launched an eight-week consultation in February which received more than 100,00 responses.

A report in May suggested that hundreds of people had opted to cancel their TV licence each day over the past five months.

Meanwhile, the broadcaster has launched a programme of voluntary redundancy as it attempts to make 125 million in savings this year - on top of the previous 800 million savings target - due to the pandemic.

It has also announced job cuts in TV news and local radio in England and said it was axing more than 150 roles in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

It also plans to cut around 450 jobs in BBC News, to take place at a later date.

The broadcaster said safety would be at the 'heart' of the scheme', as 'no-one needs to take any immediate action, or leave their home, to claim for a free TV licence or pay for one'.

BBC Chairman, Sir David Clementi, said: 'The decision to commence the new scheme in August has not been easy, but implementation of the new scheme will be Covid-19 safe.

'The BBC could not continue delaying the scheme without impacting on programmes and services.

'Around 1.5 million households could get free TV licences if someone is over 75 and receives Pension Credit, and 450,000 of them have already applied.

The proposals sparked outrage when they were announced last year, with more than 630,000 people signing a petition set up by the charity Age UK, calling for action to be taken

The move provoked a swathe of criticism, with the likes of Dame Helen Mirren calling the end of the universal entitlement 'heartbreaking'

Culture minister Matt Warman, pictured in the House of Commons, said the move was 'deeply frustrating'

The government has provided free TV licences for the over-75s since 2000, but responsibility for the provision now rests with the BBC.

A look at the history of the TV licence In the 1920s, the Government took the decision not to allow the fledgling BBC to fund itself using commercial advertising and instead required people to buy a licence in order to receive their broadcasts. The first wireless licence was issued in November 1923 for 10 shillings (50p), and by the end of that year 200,000 had been issued. The number of active licences continued to rise dramatically, with 2.5 million issued in 1928. The first combined radio and television licence was issued in 1946 for 2. A supplementary licence for colour TVs was introduced in 1968. Black and white TV licences still remain available, and as of the end of September 2019, 6,586 were being used. In 1971, radio-only licences were abolished, along with the requirement to have a licence for car radios. The BBC was made responsible for administration of the licence fee as a result of the Broadcasting Act 1990, and the corporation now sub-contracts the work. In 2015, the Government and BBC reached a settlement which meant the broadcaster had to find savings of 800 million by 2021/22. It also saw the corporation commit to taking on responsibility for the funding of free licences for the over-75s. The corporation subsequently announced that the free licence benefit would be restricted to those in the age bracket who claim pension credit, because the financial burden of providing it to all those eligible was too great. The policy change was due to being in June, but was delayed because of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, with many over-75s forced to stay at home and shield. Anyone who watches or records programmes on a TV, computer or other device must buy a TV licence - along with those who watch or downloads shows on BBC iPlayer. There were 25,752,560 TV licences in force in the UK in 2018/19, according to TV Licensing, a decrease on the 25,836,495 in 2017/2018. In April, a Government consultation on decriminalising licence fee evasion closed after receiving more than 100,000 responses. Advertisement

'And critically it is not the BBC making that judgement about poverty. It is the Government who sets and controls that measure.

'Like most organisations the BBC is under severe financial pressure due to the pandemic, yet we have continued to put the public first in all our decisions.

'I believe continuing to fund some free TV licences is the fairest decision for the public, as we will be supporting the poorest oldest pensioners without impacting the programmes and services that all audiences love.'

Mr Knight described the decision as a 'body blow to millions of British pensioners', saying he had hoped the Government and the BBC would thrash out 'a fresh deal'.

The Conservative MP said: 'This mess is a result of a poor decision struck by the outgoing director-general and now Britain's pensioners are having to pick up the cost.'

Fellow Tory Andrew Rosindell, MP for Romford, tweeted: 'Considering the substantial salaries of some BBC presenters, the scrapping of the over-75s free TV license is absolutely unacceptable!

'This decision rubs salt in the wounds of the generation hardest hit by the coronavirus! Maybe it's time to scrap the license fee altogether!'

Caroline Abrahams, Age UK charity director, added: 'We're bitterly disappointed by this decision on behalf of the millions of over 75s who have had a torrid time over the last few months and for whom this must feel like another kick in the teeth, during a terrible year.

'Many older people on low incomes have told us that if they have to find 150 plus a year to pay for a licence then they will have to forego some other essential, or try to survive without TV at all.

'We genuinely worry about the mental health of older people living on their own in this situation if they have to give up their cherished TV - for some it really is all they have and their main way of alleviating their chronic loneliness.

'Everyone needs to understand that under the BBC's scheme many hundreds of thousands of the poorest pensioners will be facing a bill they will simply be unable to afford to pay.

'That's due to its flawed design - you only get a free licence if you are receiving Pension Credit but as many as two in five of all the pensioners on the lowest incomes do not receive this benefit, even though they are entitled to it.

'We know from talking to older people that many are feeling anxious and depressed, and frightened about the future - they are being told to be cautious because we are not yet 'out of the woods'.

'Everyone in this age group has more than enough to worry about already , particularly those who are alone, for whom their TV is more of a lifeline than ever.

'We regularly hear from older people who are still too afraid to go out much, if at all, and so the TV really is their window on the world.

'The BBC has taken this decision today but in reality the principal responsibility lies with the Government.

'Until a previous administration transferred these free licences to the corporation under a tapering funding arrangement they had taken the form of a welfare benefit for a generation, and to have done that without any consultation left a really bad taste in the mouth.

Caroline Abrahams, chief executive of Age UK, described the announcement as 'a kick in the teeth for millions of over 75s who have had a torrid time during this crisis'

'The Government cannot absolve itself of responsibility for the upset and distress being caused to many of our over-75s today, the poorest and most isolated above all. And the sadness is that these older people have already endured so much over the last few months.

'The Government needs to sit down with the BBC urgently to keep these TV licences for over-75s free.'

Broadcasting union Bectu also argued that the Government should pay for the entitlement.

Its head Philippa Childs said: 'This BBC has been put in an impossible position by the Government on free licences... It should never have had to choose between charging over-75s and losing essential revenue.

'The BBC's role is to inform educate and entertain the nation, not make welfare or benefit decisions. That is the role of government and it is the Government who should be administering and funding this benefit.'

Jo Stevens, Labour's Shadow Culture Secretary, said: 'The refusal of the Government to fund this vital service after promising to do so is nothing short of betrayal.

'Many over-75s have spent months at home with TV providing an invaluable source of company during the pandemic.

'For the Government to blame the BBC who are having to contend with huge cuts is simply passing the buck.'

Before the announcement was made, shadow minister Christian Matheson told the Commons this morning that the proposals meant many pensioners could be 'forced to choose between eating and watching TV'.

He added: 'The BBC is cutting jobs and content to pay for the cost of the licence dumped on them by the government.'

Culture minister Matt Warman replied: 'The fact is that the BBC has had a generous licence fee settlement and it is deeply disappointing that they have chosen to go down the path that they apparently are going down.

'I would hope that there is time to reconsider that because [Mr Matheson] is right to say that television has been a vital comfort for many people in the last few months and it's a vital part of our national economy as well.'

TV Licensing, which runs its collection activities, will write to those affected and give them 'clear guidance'. Telephone contact centres have also been set up to assist.
Jonathan Sanchez lugged a 2-8 record and a 5.30 ERA into his start against San Diego at Third and King on July 10, 2009. He left the mound that night on a most joyous note after throwing the Giants first no-hitter in 33 years.

The left-hander dominated the Padres with 11 strikeouts and no walks in an 8-0 romp. Chase Headley was the only San Diego hitter to reach base; third baseman Juan Uribe made an error on Headleys bouncer with one out in the eighth inning. Sanchez rang up Everth Cabrera to wrap up the no-no, the Giants first since John Montefuscos at Atlanta in 1976.
GENEVA: The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday it was setting up an independent panel to review its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the response by governments.

The announcement follows strong criticism by U.S. President Donald Trumps administration of the global agencys role in the crisis - though the WHO said the review was not linked to the United States.

Former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark and former Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf have agreed to head the panel, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

The magnitude of this pandemic, which has touched virtually everyone in the world, clearly deserves a commensurate evaluation, an honest evaluation, Tedros told a virtual meeting with diplomats.

The panel will provide an interim report to an annual meeting of health ministers in November and present a substantive report next May, he said.

Trump has accused the WHO of being too close to China and not doing enough to question Beijings actions at the start of the crisis. Tedros has dismissed the suggestions and said his agency kept the world informed.

EXPERTS

In May, Trump said the United States, the agencys biggest donor, would pull out of the organisation unless there were real reforms, a threat he followed up on this week by giving a one-year notice of withdrawal.

The President has been clear that the WHO needs to get its act together. That starts with demonstrating significant progress and the ability to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks with transparency and accountability, a senior U.S. official in Washington told Reuters on Thursday.

The WHO issued a statement saying the review was not linked to the United States and that its 194 member countries had asked in May for an evaluation of the global response.

More than 12 million people are reported to have been infected by the novel coronavirus worldwide and 548,429 have died since the virus emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, according to a Reuters tally.

Lawrence Gostin, a professor at Georgetown Law in Washington, D.C., said the panel should not be an inside job driven by states close to the WHO, nor should it pander to what he called Trumps conspiracy theories.

What is really vital is we have truly independent experts from a variety of disciplines that will honestly and frankly review the situation with COVID, Gostin told Reuters.

Are they going to review Chinas action, are they going to review WHOs initial response to China, look at things like ... WHOs power to independently verify states reports?, he added.
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Authorities searching for Glee star Naya Rivera have released CCTV footage of the actress and her four-year-old son Josey arriving at Lake Piru and boarding their pontoon boat hours before she disappeared.

In a video released by the Ventura County Sheriff's Office on Thursday, Rivera is seen pulling up to the dock in her Mercedes-Benz SUV around 1pm on Wednesday, before hopping on a rental boat with the boy and heading out into the lake.

She was declared missing three hours later, and is now presumed dead, after Josey was found sleeping alone on the vessel with her life vest on board. The boy told authorities he and his mother had been swimming and he got back onto the boat but she did not.

Footage from the scene also shows a jetski cruising by Rivera's boat at the time which some have suggested could hold clues to her disappearance. Members of the public are now urging police to find the jetskiiers in hopes they may have any information on the star's final moments.

The search for Rivera was suspended for a second night running after darkness fell on Thursday night, with no sign of a body so far. The search resumed on Friday morning as a 'recovery operation' now that investigators believe Rivera drowned in 'what appears to be a tragic accident'.

Divers say the waters are murky and full of plants and debris, limiting their visibility to less than one foot and forcing them to use their hands in what crew member Max O'Brien described as a 'braille search'.

The diver said they've had to break through sticks and overgrowth as they search through 'a heavy brush bottom'. Cops warn that Rivera's body 'may never come back up' if it is 'entangled on something beneath the water'.

The Ventura County Sheriff's Office released CCTV footage showing Naya Rivera and her four-year-old son arriving at the dock on Lake Piru on Wednesday

The pair climbed onto their pontoon boat rental before heading out into the lake at around 1pm

Eagle-eyed viewers spotted a jetski cruising by Rivera's boat that they believe could have information on the star's final moments before she disappeared

The heartbroken ex-husband of missing Naya Rivera is seen for the first time comforting his young son just a day after the Glee actress vanished from a California lake where she'd been boating with the four-year-old

Actress Naya Rivera is presumed dead after her four-year-old son, Josey Hollis, was found alone in a boat on Lake Piru in California on Wednesday afternoon

Four-year-old Josey has meanwhile been returned to his family and was yesterday pictured in the arms of his father, Rivera's ex-husband Ryan Dorsey, 36.

Along with the surveillance footage, cops have also shared the 911 call from the boat rental facility at 4.37pm when Rivera was first reported missing.

The caller had apparently been sent to check on Rivera and her son after the actress failed to return the rental boat at the expected time.

Mistaking four-year-old Josey for a girl, the caller said they had 'found a little girl in one of the boats by the south end' and added that 'the mom is nowhere to be found'.

The dispatcher asked for the child's age and ethnicity, but the caller had yet to see the toddler close up and was told to gather more information before calling back.

Rivera and her son had rented the boat around 1pm before sailing into the lake, located about 60 miles from the actress's Los Angeles home.

Swimming is allowed in some parts of the lake and authorities say there are 'really no strong undercurrents like you would have in the ocean', but warn that the cold water could cause hypothermia.

The lake's policy states that those who choose to go swimming do so at their own risk as it's regarded as a 'hazardous recreational activity' because there are not many lifeguards on the ground.

It is not clear exactly where the boat was discovered or where Rivera and her son were when she jumped in, but the search is focusing on the northern part of the lake in an area where the water is about 30ft deep.

The clip shows the pair walk over to get assistance with the boat rental, being led to their eventual vessel

Footage shows Rivera and her son take off on the pontoon boat

The boat can be seen heading north in the reservoir and would not be seen for several hours

Later, after retrieving the toddler, investigators learned that Naya and Josey had both gone in the water for a swim, but that only Josey had climbed back on board.

How this happened is not clear and cops admitted on Wednesday night that it was 'somewhat challenging' to interview a four-year-old.

Max O'Brien, told reporters that the operation had become a 'braille search' with divers forced to uncover their surroundings 'by feel'

'He gave enough information to investigators to conclude that his mother never made it out of the water,' Sgt Kevin Donoghue said.

Captain Eric Buschow told ABC that it remained a mystery how Naya had disappeared, speculating that she 'could have suffered a medical episode' while 'playing innocently' in the water. He added that investigators questioning the boy wanted to 'limit the amount of trauma' that Josey is facing.

Divers and helicopters scoured the lake until night fell on Wednesday and continued their search for all of Thursday with rescuers using sonar equipment.

Two German Shepherds from the California Rescue Dog Association have also been added to the expanding search party for Rivera, the Ventura County Star reports.

They are trained to detect gasses that are released by human cadavers, performing a search along a grid of the lake and assisting divers in potentially locating Rivera's body.

The search for the Glee star resumed at first light on Thursday, but a statement from the sheriff's office said it had 'turned into a recovery mission' with authorities no longer holding out hope that Rivera is alive.

'Investigators believe Rivera drowned in what appears to be a tragic accident,' the sheriff's office said after the four-year-old told them that his mother had not returned to the shore. There is no suspicion of foul play.

Sgt Bill Hutton described the the search as being 'very technical,' adding that GPS data from the search would be analyzed overnight while conditions are too difficult to dive.

Authorities say they plan to release footage to show just how difficult some of the conditions have been in the search.

The Glee star and her son Josey rented a pontoon boat on Lake Piru on Wednesday afternoon, but three hours later another boater raised the alarm

Sgt Kevin Donoghue from the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, speaking at Lake Piru, said more than 100 police and first responders are now searching for Naya's body.

Donoghue told reporters that the rescuers were focusing on the northern half of the lake 'hoping to find any clues or evidence of her disappearance'.

'Our thoughts and prayers are with her family at this terrible time and we hope to bring closure for them,' he said.

Donoghue warned it could be weeks before the body is found, if it is recovered at all. He said: 'If the body is entangled on something beneath the water, it may never come back up.'

He added: 'There's no way to really say. We're putting our best foot forward to try and locate her, we're using all the assets that are available to us, we're using technology like Sonar.'

Donoghue said experts involved in the search know the lake 'inside and out,' adding: 'We're relying on their expertise to help us in that endeavour. We're going to do everything that we can to find her.'

Into the darkness: The search for Naya Rivera continued until nightfall on Lake Piru until it was suspended for a second day running with no trace of the Glee star being found so far

This diagram shows where Naya Rivera and her son rented a boat on Lake Piru before the four-year-old was seen alone. The map in the top left shows the location of the lake in relation to Los Angeles where Rivera lives

Rescuers sail on the lake as the light faded last night, with authorities now saying they are engaged in a 'recovery operation' and believing that Naya Rivera died in a 'tragic accident'

A patrol boat on the shore of Lake Piru on the second day of the search for Naya Rivera, who was last seen on Wednesday renting a pontoon boat with her four-year-old son Josey

The so-called recovery mission has involved helicopters from the Sheriff's Office and US Coast Guard as well as multiple dive teams operating from six boats.

The depth of the lake differs greatly, officer Chris Dyer said, saying it can go from between 50-60ft to 4ft over a short distance.

Visibility in the lake during the daytime is about eight to 10 inches, while sizeable debris including trees flow beneath the surface, police said.

'The difficult conditions have made the recovery operation a very slow process', the sheriff's office said, saying that conditions were too dangerous to continue the search overnight after some had criticized the pause.

More than 100 rescuers are at the lake and involved in the effort to find Rivera, with 'multiple dive teams' searching the murky depths while two helicopters continue to scour the waves from above.

The task has been complicated by rising winds, with the surface becoming choppier.

One diver, Max O'Brien, told reporters that the operation had become a 'braille search' with divers forced to uncover their surroundings 'by feel' because of the limited visibility'.

'There's a lot of tree branches and overgrowth from when the lake was lower so we're breaking through sticks and searching a heavy brush bottom,' he said.

Two German Shepherds from the California Rescue Dog Association have also been added to the expanding search party for Rivera, the Ventura County Star reports

A rescuer wearing a life vest stands on the edge of a boat on Lake Piru as the search continued without success on Thursday

A helicopter from the Ventura County sheriff's department takes part in the search yesterday. Additional aircraft have also been supplied by the US Coast Guard

The small vessel Naya was using is moored at the dock, marked off with yellow police tape. Sgt Donoghue said her purse and ID was found alongside her son.

There was also a life jacket onboard and her son was wearing a second life jacket.

'We know she has been to this lake before and is familiar with it but we aren't sure whether her son has been here,' he added.

He said officers are in constant contact with the actress' family. 'As far as we understand, her son is physically okay,' he said. 'From what I understand, he has told investigators his mother never made it out of the water.'

At least eight people have drowned in the lake since 1994, including a father who died in 2008 after saving his daughter who had fallen into the water.

Naftoli Smolyanksy, 39, leaped into the water to save her and was able to put her back on the boat but then drowned in the water as it sped away from him.

Rivera's presumed death has sparked anger from locals who have demanded that warning signs be installed around the lake in a petition which has gathered more than 18,000 signatures.

'Naya Rivera is not the first, nor the last to go missing at Lake Piru. Lake Piru is a very deep lake with very bad whirlpools, people have been asking for years for the city to put up warning signs for swimmers,' it reads.

'Locals of Ventura County dont go to Lake Piru for this reason! Tourist have no idea what theyre getting into. Lake Piru needs signs. Were tired of waiting. We need justice for all those who got lost at Lake Piru. Put up the signs.'

Lake Piru re-opened on July 1 after a number of campsites and recreational facilities in the Los Padres National were closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The lake, technically a reservoir, is owned by the United Water Conservation District which says it offers 'an array of boat rentals from small V-hull fishing boats to a party pontoon boat for the family'.

A policy document warns that swimmers are 'engaging in a hazardous recreational activity and do so at their own risk'. Young children are required to wear life vests, while adults are encouraged to wear them but not required.

Lake Piru is closed while the search continues and its owners say that 'our thoughts are with the family and friends of Naya Rivera at this difficult time'.

Search and rescue personnel exit the pier at Lake Piru in Los Padres National Forest during the second day of the search

An emergency vehicle on the shore of Lake Piru during the second day of the search for missing actress Naya Rivera yesterday

The dogs are trained to detect gasses that are released by human cadavers, performing a search along a grid of the lake and assisting divers in potentially locating the Rivera's body

An emergency response vehicle near the pear at Lake Piru yesterday, behind a sign warning visitors of the dangers of swimming or wading in the water. Police say it is permitted to swim from a boat

The 911 call the boat rental facility made, incorrectly calling Naya Rivera's son a girl when reporting the actress missing The Ventura Sheriff's Department has released audio of the 911 call made on Wednesday by the boat rental facility at Lake Piru after an employee noted that Naya Rivera and her son had not returned. In the call, the employee initially notes that a girl was left alone in the boat, adding that she was not actually down at the scene to see. Employee: 'Lake Piru, the emergency is we have a missing person. We found a little girl in one of the boats by the south end the mom is nowhere to be found.' Dispatcher: 'Okay, Lake Piru... Okay and is she white, black, Asian or Hispanic?' Employee: 'I have no idea, I'm headed down there right now to go check. My husband was one of the people who were first there and I am going to get more information. He just told me to call it in.' Dispatcher: 'Okay... Do you know if it is a boy or a girl?' Employee: 'I believe it is a little girl.' Dispatcher: 'Approximate age?' Employee: 'Like I said, I have no idea. I'm heading down there right now. Do you want me to call it back when I get there?' Dispatcher: 'I'll put the little bit of information that I have but yeah when you get there, can you give us a call back.' Advertisement

Josey's father Ryan Dorsey was spotted holding the boy in his arms as they left the home of Naya's sister, model Nickayla Rivera in Valencia, California on Thursday.

Dorsey, who has joint custody of his son after he divorced Glee star Naya in June 2018, was visibly upset earlier in the day as he woke up to the reality of what had happened.

Dorsey's housemate in Los Angeles told DailyMail.com that Dorsey immediately headed to the popular tourist spot as soon as he was notified that their son was found alone on a pontoon boat.

The housemate, who asked not to be named, said: 'Ryan headed up there as soon as their son was found to look after him. He was gone by the time I got home Wednesday. '

It is not clear whether Rivera had driven from her LA home or was staying somewhere closer to the lake.

Rivera had last posted on social media on July 7, sharing a touching photo of her with her so Josey. 'Just the two of us,' she wrote as a caption.

A source close to the star told PEOPLE Magazine on Thursday that Rivera had seemed 'happy,' 'busy' and 'just kind of living life' in the weeks before her disappearance.

'Everybody is in a wait-and-see pattern and trying to figure out exactly what happened,' the source said.

'Her son comes first. That's apparent in everything she's posted and done. Everything is about her son,' the source told the outlet, adding: 'Everybody is in disbelief.'

The actress starred in Glee from 2009 to 2015, playing high school cheerleader Santana Lopez for all six seasons of the popular series.

Naya welcomed son Josey with then-husband Dorsey in 2015. She called her young son 'my greatest success, and I will never do any better than him' in her 2016 memoir 'Sorry Not Sorry.'

Rivera's former Glee co-star Demi Lovato was among those to hold out hope last night, saying on Twitter that she still hoped Naya would be found alive.

'I don't tweet often but sometimes my tweets come true so, together let's manifest on twitter that Naya will be found safe and sound!! Come on y'all! Let's put this energy out there: they will find her healthy and alive,' she said.

Heather Morris, another former Glee co-star, last night praised the California authorities for 'working tirelessly right now in the search and recovery of our Naya'.

Morris had previously said after learning of Rivera's disappearance: 'We need all the prayers we can get to bring our Naya back to us... we need your love and light.'

Members of Ventura County Sheriff's Office Underwater Search and Rescue Team search for the actress. More than 100 personnel are currently looking for Rivera

A helicopter joins members of Ventura County Sheriff's Office Underwater Search and Rescue Team in search for Rivera

Police have cornered off the pontoon boat believed to have been the one used by Rivera and her son

Members of the Ventura County Sheriff's Office in a boat on Thursday

Members of Ventura County Sheriff's Office Underwater Search and Rescue Team search for former 'Glee' actress Naya Rivera

'Wing it and try to stay as healthy as I can:' How Naya Rivera beamed with pride in 2019 DailyMailTV interview as she boasted about raising her son while being a working single mother in Hollywood

Glee actress and singer Naya Rivera beamed with pride as she boasted about raising her son as a working single mother in Hollywood in a 2019 interview with DailyMailTV.

Rivera smiled about the enjoyment of mixing her career with parenting son Josey Hollis Dorsey, despite recognizing that 'being a working woman' brings 'challenges'.

The 33-year-old reflected on her pride of starring in the global TV hit Glee for six series, even teasing her hopes for a reboot.

Rivera, who enjoyed a three-decade career in Hollywood, is still missing and presumed dead after her unaccompanied four-year-old son was found floating on a boat on Lake Piru in Ventura County Wednesday, sheriff's officials said.

'This is considered to be a horrible accident.' Ventura County Sheriff's Department officials said, expressing that no foul play was suspected.

Naya Rivera beamed at the the annual Women's Guild Cedars-Sinai gala in May 2019 in an interview with DailyMailTV

The department said it responded to a report of a boy alone on a boat around 4.48pm. Officers on scene found the child, but no information was immediately released about the child's condition.

That night Rivera wowed on the carpet in a daring plunging dark grey satin gown

Our unseen exclusive interview from Rivera came as she spoke at the annual Women's Guild Cedars-Sinai gala to support the Women's Guild and Cedars-Sinai hospital in May 2019.

That night she wowed on the red carpet in a daring plunging dark grey satin gown, posing with host Kevin Nealon and Shelley Cooper - the Women's Guild President.

Rivera, who had just then finalized her divorce to Ryan Dorsey and agreed joint custody over Josey, reflected on being a Hollywood working mother.

'Oh how do I do it? Oh gosh, I dunno, wing it? Wing it and try to stay as healthy as I can. I recently upped my workouts,' Rivera said.

'Gotta wake up earlier because I'm a mom, gotta get to school drop off, but it's so good. I feel like being a working woman and a working mother is always going to have its challenges.

'I've been blessed and fortunate enough to work on shows and productions where that's not really an issue, mostly because they're female ran.'

Rivera, who has starred in Step Up: High Water created by Holly Sorensen since 2018, added: 'The show I work on now, Step Up: High Water for YouTube, Holly runs it and so she's our show runner and every one at YouTube has been great and so I've been able to have my son there and really prioritize both.'

Rivera was best known to audiences as Santana Lopez, a high school cheerleader, on Fox's musical comedy series Glee, about a high school glee club. She appeared in 113 episodes of the Emmy winning series from its start in 2009 to end six years later.

Rivera was best known to audiences as Santana Lopez, a high school cheerleader, on Fox's musical comedy series Glee, about a high school glee club

Smiling about the 'So many, too many (great memories) to count', she revealed: 'It was like six seasons so that's a lot, a lot of special moments.

'I feel like it's different for everyone, it was all good. I think that Glee is still awesome and everybody still loves it and especially with it being on Netflix now, everyone gets to go and watch it.

'I feel like the fans get younger and younger. I'm like how do you know, and they're like Netflix.'

She teased that reports of a rebooted Glee would excite her as 'Yeah, I feel like anything is possible.'

For more than 60 years, Women's Guild has supported world-class healthcare through research and innovation.

Rivera felt it was an important cause for her to provide support.

'Well all of the work that the Woman's Guild does at Cedars Sinai is amazing obviously so I am happy to lend my support to anything like this.

'I mean my son was born at Cedars, I love Cedars, I'm from LA so you know, I love it.

'I'm really proud of all the work that they've done. Well, I think hospitals anywhere are special, you know what I mean? I mean it's a really, really great hospital. They have fantastic healthcare, fantastic doctors, and they really go above and beyond to help, especially in research and innovation. I guess that's what makes it super special.'

She boasted about raising her son as a working single mother in Hollywood during the interview

Rivera is presumed dead a day after posting a tragic final Instagram with her son which she captioned 'just the two of us'

Women's Guild members have raised nearly $50 million in support of Cedars-Sinai's most critical work, including the Women's Guild Chair in Gastroenterology, Women's Guild Simulation Center for Advanced Clinical Skills, Women's Guild Lung Institute, Saul and Joyce Brandman Breast CenterA Project of Women's Guild at Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, and the soon-to-be announced Women's Guild Neurology Transformation Project.

The project will support innovative research and education for the understanding and treatment of complex neurological disorders, including stroke, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, ALS, dementias, epilepsy and migraines.

Cedars-Sinai is a national leader in providing high-quality, patient-centered healthcare encompassing primary care as well as specialized medicine and conducting research that leads to lifesaving discoveries and innovations.

Today, Cedars-Sinai is widely known for its national leadership in transforming healthcare to the benefit of patients.
(Newser)  To boost mail-in voting amid the pandemic for the June 9 primary in West Virginia, absentee ballot applications were sent to all registered voters. At least eight of those ballot requests ended up with unwelcome changes, all at the hands of a mail carrier who now says he was just goofing around. USA Today reports that 47-year-old Thomas Cooper, who contracted with the US Postal Service to deliver mail in three towns in Pendleton County, pleaded guilty Thursday to charges of attempted election fraud and injury to the mail after he was accused of changing the party affiliation from Democrat to Republican on five ballot applications, as well as making unspecified alterations to three other requests. Per a May 26 criminal complaint cited by BuzzFeed, the county clerk became suspicious when she spotted the fudged ballot applications, knowing some of the voters weren't Republicans.

story continues below

The clerk called those voters, who confirmed they were still Democrats and that they'd used blue pens to fill out the applications; the alterations on their ballots had been made in black ink. When confronted by investigators in late April, Cooper admitted to changing the ballots and said he didn't know any of the affected voters. "[I did it] as a joke," he said, per the complaint. The New York Times notes that in the case of the five Democratic voters whose political affiliations were changed, they would've received ballots with Republican primary candidates. Cooper's attorney tells BuzzFeed the whole thing was a "silly lark" and that his client is "deeply sorry," adding, "It should be remembered ... the mail he altered were requests for ballots, not ballots themselves." Cooper could see up to eight years in prison, though prosecutors have said they'll ask for a reduced sentence as part of his plea deal. (Read more election fraud stories.)
Massachusetts health officials on Friday announced 152 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, as well as 28 more deaths from illness related to the virus.

Additionally, officials announced 61 newly reported probable cases of coronavirus, which include patients who had a positive antibody test, indicating they had been exposed to the virus.

So far, Massachusetts has seen 105,290 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 8,081 deaths related to confirmed cases of the illness, according to the Department of Public Health.

As of Friday, there are 632 people hospitalized with COVID-19, according to DPH data.

The states seven-day weighted average of positive molecular tests is now at 1.6%, which is just lower than rates of 1.8% and 1.9% in recent days. Through the pandemic, 1,187,832 molecular tests and 79,073 antibody tests have been administered in the state.

Massachusetts remains in a positive trend, with a smaller number of cases and deaths in recent weeks, though other parts of the country have been seeing record numbers of cases and deaths. Texas, Arizona, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, South Dakota and Tennessee have this week all seen single-day death toll records, according to the New York Times.

Meanwhile, Massachusetts is in Phase 3 of its four-phase reopening plan, which has allowed gyms and casinos to reopen. MGM Springfield is slated to reopen on Sunday and Encore Boston Harbor on Monday.

The state has started offering free testing in some cities that have seen higher coronavirus test rates.

The initiative, called Stop the Spread offers free tests starting Friday in Chelsea, Everett, Fall River, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, Marlborough and New Bedford. While the statewide positive test rate remains at roughly 2%, positive test rates have been at 8% in these cities. Residents of the communities do not need to have symptoms to be tested.

Coronavirus in Mass.: Cases, maps, charts and resources

Here are the coronavirus cases listed by county:

Barnstable County: 1,570

Berkshire County: 610

Bristol County: 8,426

Dukes County: 56

Essex County: 16,414

Franklin County: 383

Hampden County: 6,943

Hampshire County: 995

Middlesex County: 24,377

Nantucket County: 22

Norfolk County: 9,403

Plymouth County: 8,786

Suffolk County: 20,228

Worcester County: 12,603

Unknown location: 294

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Lucknow: As the news of death of Vikas Dubey flashed on new channels, neighbours and residents of Bikru village celebrated and expressed their happiness over the end of an era of terror. The gangster was no less than a nightmare for the locals of his village  the same place where eight policemen were killed when they had arrived to arrest him.

Speaking to News18, Dubey's neighbour, who did not wish to be named said, We were all victims of his terror; we had complained to police many times before and even wrote to the then Chief Minister in 2013 but nothing was done. We never saw Vikas Dubeys clout getting weak. All the politicians supported him and a former MLA used to tie rakhi to Dubey and claimed that he was her brother.

Our fathers and uncles were beaten up mercilessly on petty issues. Whenever the gangster and his men passed through our lane, we were not allowed to raise our head and greeting him with namaste was mandatory. If someone failed to do so, he was brutally beaten up. We were forced to live with Dubey's terror. Today is not less than any festival for us. Finally the reign of terror is over, God has answered our prayers, said the neighbour, showing copies of the applications that they had given to police and ministers against the history-sheeter.

Dubey was killed in an encounter on Friday morning after a police vehicle carrying him from Ujjain to Kanpur met with an accident and he tried to escape from the spot in Bhauti area. Four policemen, including an inspector posted in Nawabganj, were injured in the accident, IG, Kanpur Range, Mohit Agarwal said.

"The vehicle carrying Vikas Dubey met with an accident after he tried to escape after snatching a weapon from cop. Combing operation was done, Vikas was asked to surrender but he opened fire and was shot dead in crossfire. Some cops were also injured," SP West Kanpur Anil Kumar told News18.

The history-sheeter, accused of masterminding a deadly ambush on a police party outside his Bikru village home, was arrested outside Mahakal temple in the pilgrimage city of Ujjain on Thursday after purchasing prasad and an entry ticket to the shrine, ending a six-day manhunt.

Carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh for information leading to his arrest, the gangster had been on the run since last Friday night when a police party, which had gone to arrest him from his house in Bikru village in the Chaubeypur area of Kanpur, was ambushed. The group was caught in a hail of gunfire from rooftops, which left eight policemen, including a deputy superintendent, dead. Police say he has been a prime accused in some 60 criminal cases in his lifetime, including murders. He was accused of killing a BJP MLA in a police station 20 years ago but was acquitted for lack of evidence.
Have you been touched by this issue? Is one of your friends or family members among the vanished? Do you think law enforcement has done enough to solve these cases? Share your thoughts here.
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed an order on Friday allowing the Hagia Sophia to be used as a mosque.

Built in 537 A.D., the Hagia Sophia originally served as a Greek Orthodox cathedral for the Byzantine Empire. When Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II conquered Istanbul in 1453, he converted the Hagia Sophia to a mosque. The building was finally transformed into a museum in 1935 by Kemal Ataturk, founder of the modern Turkish republic.

After signing the Friday decree reverting the structure to a mosque once more, Erdogan wrote on Twitter, Congratulations. It is not yet clear if Friday prayers will be open to crowds of people at the site.

In part, the order appeared designed to shore up support for Erdogan among his political base. The leader of Turkey for the past 18 years, he currently faces continued economic turmoil brought by the coronavirus pandemic, and his ruling AKP Party lost control of the city of Istanbul in 2019 after 25 years in power.

Bartholomew, the ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople and leader of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, decried the attempt to turn the Hagia Sophia into a mosque in a sermon last week.

We consider it as detrimental for Hagia Sophia, which, due to its dedication to the Wisdom of God is a point of encounter and a source of fascination for the faithful of both religions, to become, in the 21st century, a cause of confrontation and conflict, Bartholomew said. The Turkish people have the great responsibility and the highest honor to give prominence to the universality of this exquisite monument.

Erdogans order has also caused consternation in Russia.

Todays court decision shows that all calls for the need for extreme delicacy in this matter have been ignored, the spokesman of the Russian Orthodox Church said in a statement. We have to admit that the concern of millions of Christians was not heard.

Earlier this month, U.S. secretary of state Mike Pompeo had also urged Erdogan not to convert the building into a mosque.

Story continues

We urge the Government of Turkey to continue to maintain the Hagia Sophia as a museum, as an exemplar of its commitment to respect the faith traditions and diverse history that contributed to the Republic of Turkey, and to ensure it remains accessible to all, Pompeo said in a statement.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 16:58:20|Editor: huaxia

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KIEV, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the United Nations (UN) have sent around 75 tons of humanitarian aid to the non-government-controlled areas of Donbass in eastern Ukraine, the State Border Service of Ukraine said Thursday.

It said the UN sent 35 tons of food, bedding and COVID-19 test kits from Kiev to Donetsk.

Assistance from the ICRC -- 40 tons of building materials -- followed along the same route.

The armed conflict in eastern Ukraine has been going on for more than six years. According to UN data, 3.4 million people there have been in need of humanitarian aid so far this year. Enditem
A Metairie man arrested in March and accused of raping a young girl now faces additional charges in the case.

Tony Baughman Jr., 35, was re-booked Wednesday with two counts of first-degree rape and sexual battery by the Kenner Police Department.

+2 West Bank man testifies he fatally shot stepson after step-grandson knocked him down during argument A Marrero man accused of murder in the shooting death of his stepson testified Wednesday that he acted in self-defense after his stepgrandson 

Baughman has been in jail since March 17 when investigators with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office booked him with two counts of first-degree rape and sexual battery, according to court records.

Both cases involve the same victim, Kenner Police Department spokesman Lt. Michael Cunningham said. The Sheriff's Office initially handled the investigation and notified Kenner authorities that some of the alleged abuse occurred within their jurisdiction, according to Cunningham.

The now-12-year-old victim revealed the assaults to a doctor, according to authorities. She accused Baughman of raping and inappropriately touching her between 2010 and 2015, Cunningham said.

Baughman is known to the victim's family, according to authorities.

He was being held Thursday in lieu of a $1.3 million bond.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted substantial voting rights of 26 per cent to the country's largest bank State Bank of India (SBI) for the public sector bank's Rs 6,050 crore investment in the private sector lender YES Bank. The idea of higher voting rights is probably to protect the interest of the bank which has taken the biggest exposure with 48.21 per cent stake in the weak bank.

SBI is however classified as an 'investor' and not promoter of the bank. But the listed private bank, now known as professionally managed bank after the exit of founder Rana Kapoor, already appears as an 'associate' of the SBI in its balance sheet.

As per the initial agreement, the SBI is required to hold at least 26 per cent stake in the bank for a period of three years. But the bank has to continue with a higher stake for a longer period so as to protect its interest and generate reasonable returns on its investments.

The higher voting rights in the private bank may come as a dampener for attracting new investors into the bank. The investors may feel that the SBI would call the shots in deciding the future strategy. Former SBI MD Prashant Kumar is already heading the bank as its new MD & CEO, while two more directors are on the board nominated by the SBI.

The concerns of potential new investors appear justified as one had seen in the case of UTI AMC where a reputed global investor T Rowe Price acquired a substantial 26 per cent stake in 2010. But despite higher shareholding, the other group of Indian investors led by SBI, LIC, Bank of Baroda and PNB had a major say in the strategy. Each of the four shareholders having 18 per cent in the UTI AMC wielded more power than T Rowe Price.

In a banking business, a new investor does not get more than 5-10 per cent voting rights because of RBI 's restrictions. The other private sector shareholders are also expected to exit the bank once the lock-in period of three years ends. This would make the field wide open for the SBI with 26 per cent voting rights to run the bank.

Promoter voting rights capped at 15% in private banks

Currently, SBI classified as an 'investor ' is actually the defecto promoter of the bank in terms of higher voting rights, management control and directors on the board of the private bank.

The shareholding in the private banks is tightly regulated by the RBI as promoters are advised to reduce their holding to 15 per cent within 15 years. YES Bank has already completed 15-year period. Ideally, the shareholding of the SBI should be capped at 15 per cent.

The entire Kotak Bank controversy was about reducing the promoter stake. The bank was expected to bring down the promoters' stake to 15 per cent by March 2020. Under the new agreement, the promoter Kotak was asked to bring down the stake to 26 per cent by August this year which the bank has already complied with. The voting rights of Kotak family are already restricted to 15 per cent in the bank.

Voting rights of other YES Bank investors capped at 15%

Along with the SBI, seven other institutional investors classified as 'public shareholders' have been roped in by the government and the RBI to rescue the bank. These investors -- HDFC Ltd, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, Kotak Bank , Federal Bank , Bandhan Bank and IDFC First Bank -- have a combined equity stake of 30.15 per cent. The voting rights of these investors are capped at 9 per cent individually or together. However, the RBI has the power to grant voting rights up to 15 per cent. It is not known whether the RBI has allowed a higher 15 per cent voting rights to these public investors.

YES Bank is currently in the market to raise Rs 15,000 crore for meeting the capital requirement. The bank needs capital to support growth, expansion, meeting regulatory ratios like capital adequacy and provisioning for bad loans. In the last capital infusion that happened in March this year, the SBI and other banks had pumped in Rs 10,000 crore to rescue the bank from failing.

Also Read: How Uday Kotak believes businesses, economy can overcome COVID-19 impact

Also Read: 'China doesn't play by rules': PolicyBazaar CEO offers to buy back Tencent's stake in parent firm

Also Read: Yes Bank share price falls over 9% on lender's board approving FPO price band
Air pollution in Bengaluru is linked to the loss of an estimated 6,300 lives in the first half of 2020 and 3.7 per cent decline in the citys annual GDP despite strictly enforcing COVID-19 related lockdown, a study has revealed.

According to a new online tool by IQAir AirVisual and Greenpeace-Southeast Asia, research shows that long-term air pollution exposure increases the risk of severe COVID-19 infections and death.

Air pollution in Bengaluru is linked to the loss of an estimated 6,300 lives in the first half of 2020 despite a strict COVID-related lockdown, the two organisations claimed in a statement.

It is also revealed that air pollution took a major toll on the citys economy at a cost of approximately Rs 6,973 crore over the last six months, an equivalent of 3.7% of Bengalurus total annual GDP, the statement said.

The study claimed that the health damage from air pollution is expected to cost 1-5.8% of cities GDP in the major metropolitan cities of the world in the first half of this year.

Of all the 28 cities studied, Delhi bears the highest economic cost of air pollution as a percentage of GDP due to the impacts of PM2.5 and NO2 pollution.

While some cities have seen a temporary return of blue skies as a result of COVID-19 related restrictions, these gains were reversed as soon as lockdowns ended, the organisations observed.

... Chronic air pollution exposure is associated with diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and chronic lung disease. Patients with these conditions are at a greater risk of hospitalisation with COVID-19, they claimed.

The study observed that it is more important than ever that investments are directed towards green, just and sustainable sectors of society.

Now is the time for a rapid shift away from polluting fossil fuels for our health, community, and for our economies, Greenpeace Indias Avinash Chanchal was quoted as saying. PTI GMS NVG NVG
(Bloomberg) -- Tencent Holdings Ltd. is in advanced talks to take Chinese gaming firm Leyou Technologies Holdings Ltd. private, edging out other potential suitors including Sony Corp. in a battle for the Hong Kong-listed company.

Tencent Mobility Ltd., a wholly-owned unit of the Chinese tech giant, has entered into an exclusive agreement with Leyou for a potential privatization, Leyou said in an exchange filing on Friday. That confirmed an earlier Bloomberg News report.

Leyou didnt provide any financial details in the statement and said theres no certainty an agreement will be reached. The exclusive agreement is valid for three months, it said.

Trading in Leyou, which has a market value of about $1.1 billion, will resume on July 13.

Leyous controlling shareholder Charles Yuk had been in talks with Tencent-backed iDreamSky Technology Holdings Ltd. for a majority stake sale since late last year. In May, Leyou confirmed it received another non-binding offer from Zhejiang Century Huatong Group Co., a Shenzhen-listed gaming firm that also counts Tencent as a shareholder.

Tencents offer could resolve what had been an escalating contest for Leyou, with Sony considering joining the bidding, Bloomberg News reported earlier this month.

Century Huatong said on Friday, before Leyous announcement, that it had ended the takeover talks with the gaming firm.

(Updates throughout with Leyous statement)

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 10) -- An infectious disease specialist warned Friday against complacency after the Department of Health recorded no death related to COVID-19 a day earlier.

Dr. Edsel Salvana said the DOH report on Thursday that showed no COVID-19 death for the first time since March 19 could just be "a belated reflection" of the lockdown imposed in most parts of the country for two months and not a manifestation of what is happening now.

It means the lockdown did its job to prevent massive deaths, which is why we did it, he said in a post on his Facebook account, noting that deaths in COVID-19 occur on average about six to eight weeks from the time of infection.

Nevertheless, the specialist still welcomed the development, saying that's about as positive as news has gotten in a long time.

The DOH explained no new mortality was announced Thursday because the latest fatality reports submitted to the agency still need validation, including the date and cause of death.

The countrys death toll is at 1,314. Deaths for the past seven days have not exceeded 10.

At least 51,754 COVID-19 infections have been recorded since the disease emerged in Metro Manila five months ago, with 12,813 recoveries.

For a week now, the DOH has been logging over 1,000 cases, with the number of infections hitting a record high of 2,539 on Wednesday.

The agency has said the increase is mainly due to community transmission brought about by increased contact among the population and failure to impose protocols aimed at reducing COVID-19 transmission.

Salvana said the current surge isn't surprising as the government continues to loosen movement restrictions to revive the ailing economy.

He added that more cases will translate to more deaths - they are coming, its just a matter of time. How many will die depends on how well we protect our healthcare system.

He urged everyone to wear face masks correctly and consistently, keep physical distance, and to disinfect.
The National Organiser of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Sammi Awuku accompanied by some Greater Accra Regional Executives of the Party has storm Odododiodio to educate and sensitize people on the need to observe all the safety protocols related to COVID-19.



Sammi Awuku who was joined by the Odododiodio NPP Parliamentary candidate for the 2020 elections, Nii Bannerman engaged with various groups including traders, artisans, residents among others on the need to keep safe during the registration process.



According to Mr. Awuku, the movie has become necessary due to the serious nature of the pandemic and coupled with the ongoing voter registration exercise.



The crux of the message that was delivered by Mr. Awuku and the team was the fact that people need to take safety precautionary measures at all times, not letting down their guard, in order to protect themselves, their families and their loved ones.



Mr. Awuku said in as much as the government was doing everything possible to contain the situation and to insulate the generality of the Ghanaian people from the virus, the onus lies on the individuals to complement these efforts by adhering to the stipulated protocols.



He said the NPP deemed it necessary to embark on these educational and sensitization programmes to ensure that while Ghanaians go about the voter registration exercise and attend their respective businesses in general, they keep safe.



Other members of the team who accompanied Mr. Awuku and the Odododiodio Parliamentary candidate on the mission included Constituency executives.

Source: peacefmonline.com









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

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Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Friday said there was no need to shed tears over the killing of gangster Vikas Dubey in an encounter and wondered why the police action was being questioned.

IMAGE: An overturned vehicle at the encounter site where gangster Vikas Dubey was killed while he tried to escape from the spot following an accident near Kanpur. Photograph: ANI

Dubey was shot dead by the Uttar Pradesh police on the outskirts of Kanpur city on Friday morning.

The police claimed that he was trying to flee after the car carrying him from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh overturned at Bhaunti in Kanpur district.

Raut said, "Dubey had killed eight policemen. Attack on the uniform means there is no law and order. Taking strict action is the need of that states police be it in Maharashtra or Uttar Pradesh."

"There is no need to shed tears over the killing of Dubey in an encounter. Why is the police action being questioned?" the Rajya Sabha MP asked.

Madhya Pradesh police had arrested Vikas Dubey outside the Mahakal temple in Ujjain on Thursday morning and he was handed over to an Uttar Pradesh police late in the evening.

The UP police said that the car carrying him overturned and the gangster snatched a pistol from one of the policemen, but was shot dead when he opened fire while trying to flee.

Opposition parties, however, targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Uttar Pradesh over the encounter.

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the encounter as well as the ambush in which eight policemen died last week.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the criminal is now gone and asked what about those who had "protected" him.
Danielle Campbell Steans teased the ballet dancers in a recent class that they were giving away some of the magic.

Youre showing them how hard you work, she said, mimicking their noisy leaps and landing with a loud thump. Dont do that. Its easy, right?

The masked dancers adjusted accordingly, making substantially less noise on their next pass across the roomy studio, home to Campbell Steans San Antonio Ballet School.

Campbell Steans, 37, who started dancing as a child and spent two decades as a ballerina with companies across the country, has had her own studio for four years. The storefront space in a Castle Hills strip mall has a childrens program, as well as a slate of recreational dance classes for all ages. It also is home to the San Antonio Youth Ballet, a pre-professional training program. The company follows the American Ballet Theatres national training curriculum.

One of the schools missions is to contribute to efforts across the country to make ballet more diverse, an important issue for Campbell Steans, who is Black.

In general, dance in the United States is overwhelmingly white, according to census data. Numbers from 2018 found that 62 percent of dancers and choreographers fall into that category. Hispanic dancers make up 18.6 percent of the profession, and Black dancers make up 11.7 percent.

On ExpressNews.com: Carver launches virtual story time featuring Black childrens books

Oftentimes, I think theres this stigma that ballet is maybe one way and for one group of people, and I think its just very important to show how really diverse it can be, and not a lot of people realize that, Campbell Steans said. I get that a lot: Youre a ballet dancer? Well, yeah.

She grew up working with and watching dancers of various backgrounds, she said, and wants to offer that opportunity to the youngsters she works with, too.

Because cost is sometimes a barrier to dance training, she partners with school districts and other organizations to offer scholarships.

What I love is that we are able to go into these schools or different organizations and find these kids who are talented and have a passion for it, Campbell Steans said. I think thats whats really special, and its changing their lives.

Reaching out to potential dancers who might otherwise feel shut out of ballet has been a big part of her career. She received training in developing outreach programs when she was with the Nashville Ballet, and during her time with Ballet San Antonio, she initiated a partnership with American Ballet Theatres Project Plie, which brings dance training to youngsters in Boys & Girls Clubs across the country.

Campbell Steans love of dance was fostered by her family. Her grandparents are arts patrons, she said, and her father grew up watching the New York City Ballet.

My parents worked for the airlines, and we moved to Kansas City when I was very young, and, luckily, the assistant director of the Kansas City Ballet was one of the first principal dancers of New York City Ballet, so we had access to wonderful training, she said.

Lisa Dillinger was one of her first dance teachers. Dillinger, who now teaches at the Miller Marley School of Dance & Voice in Overland Park, Kan., remembers that even when Campbell Steans was 9, it was clear she had the talent and drive to forge a career in dance.

She always had something special, Dillinger said. Some kids do it because its fun. She was willing to do what it took to make that happen.

Youve got to really want it. It looks pretty onstage, but its a tough, brutal world otherwise.

Campbell Steans danced with the National Youth Ballet and with companies in Atlanta, Nashville and Chicago before landing a position with Ballet San Antonio in 2007.

She danced and taught with the company for about 10 years, including three as manager.

During my last season there, there was a transition, and so, the director at the time decided that he had a new vision, and so unfortunately, I along with the ballet mistress and several other dancers were out of a job, Campbell Steans said.

She spent about six weeks as a stay-at-home mom, tending to son William. She was trying to figure out her next career move  she was leaning toward becoming a flight attendant while teaching dance on the side  when she heard from Sandra Bravo. Bravo was closing her Castle Hills dance studio and suggested that Campbell Steans teach in the space.

After talking it over with her husband, Drew, she decided to go for it. She started with three dancers  one of whom was her niece  and the school grew swiftly to about 80 students by the end of her first year.

When that number topped 100, she and her husband decided the time had come for a bigger space, and they moved across the street in January.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio artists respond to Black Lives Matter protests

As Campbell Steans was building her business, Ballet San Antonio founder Mayra Worthen got in touch. Worthen had hired her to dance with the company, and they had kept in touch. Worthen was preparing to retire and was looking for someone to take over San Antonio Youth Ballet, the pre-professional group she had created.

Danielles got what it takes to be able to not only take what she was given, but to nurture it and take it to a much higher level, said Worthen. Shes very focused and dedicated.

Work ethic and dedication is so important  you have to have it if you want success in this type of business. So I was very fortunate that she was here and wanting to take over that group with those kids that were so important to me.

Worthen said she is impressed with what Campbell Steans has done with the company, and so is Dillinger.

Theyre very nicely trained, and theyre at a level where they can go do the Youth America Grand Prix, which is like an Olympic event for dancers, Dillinger said. Im very proud of what shes doing.

Samantha Maas, 18, has trained with Campbell Steans off and on since she was 4; she also is part of the San Antonio Youth Ballet.

Shes definitely very tough, said Maas, who intends to pursue a career in dance. The difference between a normal class and a Miss Danielle class is that she really wants us to be pushed and wants us to show our full potential to everyone.

Maas plans to move to London this fall to study contemporary dance at a conservatory. She credits her acceptance into the program partly to her studies with Campbell Steans.

When I was auditioning for other colleges this past year, during my interviews, a lot of the teachers would say they could tell I had very good training, she said.

San Antonio Ballet Schools studio was closed for about two months following shutdown orders put in place to try to stem the spread of COVID-19. During that time, Maas and the other students took class over Zoom to keep their skills sharp.

When it reopened, a slew of new safety measures were in place. Everyone who comes in has their temperature screened, and masks are required. The dancers wear them in class, too, where they also are reminded to disinfect the portable barres after working with them.

Some students have opted to continue their studies virtually for the time being.

Thats totally OK, Campbell Steans said. Everyones comfort level is different, so I think its important to be respectful of that.

Before the pandemic, we had close to 200 (students). Its changing a little bit now. A lot of families say Were going to come back when things go back to normal.

Campbell Steans is making some plans with the idea that back to normal may not happen soon. Shes started laying the groundwork for a drive-in staging of The Nutcracker over the holidays. She hopes to collaborate with several other organizations to make it happen.

The New York City Ballet canceled The Nutcracker, and so did the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago, she said. I cant imagine not having it.

I think that the world relies on us to be creative and to do something like that. I think they need that.

Deborah Martin is an arts writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Deborah, become a subscriber. dlmartin@express-news.net | Twitter: @DeborahMartinEN
The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) has received 40,800 complaints from consumers of Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal corporations and Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) related to integrated bills it issued for the three-month lockdown period.

Consumers have complained of receiving exorbitant power bills for the three-month period. The power utility authorities said that it has resolved nearly all the complaints by sending officials to the residential societies and explaining to them the billing method. It also conducted webinars to address the issues faced by consumers.

MSEDCL public relations officer Nishikant Raut said, We have resolved all the grievances of consumers and made them understand the billing calculation process. Most of the complaints were related to excess billing lodged across the Pune metropolitan region covering PMC and PCMC including the PMRDA area.

MSEDCL authorities claimed that most of the complaints when investigated revealed that consumers had faulty meters and meter readings could not be taken as houses were locked for long period.

Residents allege that the power utility is overcharging and giving technical explanation that could not be understood by the common man.

RTI activist Vihar Durve said, The contractual system of meter reading is based on assumption and presumption. We want a foolproof system where the exact meter reading is done by taking picture and should not be assumption based. We need a system where consumers get the benefits of actual billing.

State energy minister Nitin Raut had recently directed MSEDCL to address monthly power bill related grievances of consumers on top priority. The minister asked the officials to arrange billing grievance driven talks. The minister asked the power utility authorities to get in touch with public representatives for speedy redressing of grievances. Consumers can login https://billcal.mahadiscom.in/consumerbill for billing related issues.

Consumers plight

20,500 complaints from Pune region

11,200 complaints from PCMC region

9,100 complaints from PMRDA region

749 webinars conducted
Sony has announced it has invested $250 million in Epic Games, the developer and distributor of the popular game Fortnite, which is also the creator of Unreal Engine. In a statement, the Japanese company has revealed it now owns a 1.4% stake of Epic, and the deal will lead to building a more open and accessible digital ecosystem for all consumers and content creators.

Epic Games has remained impartial to cross-platform technology, but analysts predict that Sony might get an edge in the upcoming battle of PS5 vs Xbox Series X. Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida said Epics technology keeps it at the forefront of game development and that is best seen in the features of Fortnite.

Unreal Engine is also a key part of the gaming industry, being a fundamental toolset for building many popular games.

Epic CEO Tim Sweeney also said that both companies have created businesses at the intersection of creativity and technology and they share a vision of real-time 3D social experiences. This is obviously a nod to the Fortnite live concerts that took place earlier this year and Sony might be able to bring some of its know-how and users to the universe of the popular game.

Source
(Natural News) This week, the Trump administration released a list of businesses that were given more than $150,000 in federal loans that were intended to address the financial hardship of coronavirus, and it shows how tax dollars were given to several abortion facilities.

The disclosure by the Small Business Administration came in response to inquiries by lawmakers about where the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans that were created by this springs CARES Act were distributed.

Although we have been hearing for a while that Planned Parenthood locations benefited from the loans, the full list reveals that 43 Planned Parenthood affiliates throughout the nation got loans of $150,000 or more  and some were a lot higher than that. For example, 16 affiliates got loans in the range of $1 to $2 million, another 16 got loans ranging from $2 to $5 million, three got loans in the range of $5 to $10 million, and eight were awarded loans of between $350,000 to $1 million. This brings the total amount received by Planned Parenthood affiliates to between $65.8 and $135 million of taxpayer dollars; its hard to know the exact amount because the list only specified loan ranges.

As if that werent bad enough on its own, other pro-abortion organizations also collected loans, including the National Abortion Federation, NARAL Pro-Choice America Foundation, and the National Network of Abortion Funds, all of whom got loans from $350,000 to $1 million. Meanwhile, several independent abortion centers in states like Texas, Maine, Illinois, Virginia and Michigan got loans of between $150,000 and $1 million.

Calls for Planned Parenthood to return the money

When it was revealed in May that Planned Parenthood affiliates had obtained $80 million in federal PPP loans, the Small Business Administration notified the 37 affiliates involved that organizations that have more than 500 employees are not eligible for such loans and must return the money. In addition, they were said to be facing more severe penalties beyond mere repayment should they be found to have knowingly made false statements on their loan applications, such as civil or criminal punishment.

One of the requests came from a Planned Parenthood affiliate in Metropolitan Washington, who self-certified they were eligible for a PPP loan of $1.328 million. The request came just months after affiliate president Laura Meyers vowed to turn down federal funds.

One of the voices calling for the situation to be corrected was Florida Senator Marco Rubio, who said that Planned Parenthoods parent organization has nearly half a billion dollars worth of assets, making them ineligible. He called for the funds to be immediately returned and an investigation to be launched.

Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska, meanwhile, accused the company of trying to defraud taxpayers during the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.

Last year, Planned Parenthood killed more than 345,000 preborn children, which is the most they have ever reported in a year, while getting $616 million from the federal government, $591 million in charitable contributions, and $430 million in private revenue.

The abortion providers were among more than 600,000 loan recipients who appeared on the list. Because the list only counted those who got at least $150,000, 86.5 percent of the total borrowers were left unnamed.

The loans were designed to help small businesses that were struggling to meet their payroll obligations during the COVID-19 crisis. The low-interest loans become taxpayer-funded grants as long as the recipients continue to keep their workers employed  in other words, they turn into a cash giveaway.

Of course, every dollar this group took in its quest to kill babies was a dollar that small businesses in legitimate need did not get.

Georgia Senator Kelly Loeffler said: The Paycheck Protection Program was created to keep American small businesses afloat and keep their workers on payroll amid the coronavirus pandemic, not to provide government funding for abortions.

Sources for this article include:

LifeSiteNews.com

FoxNews.com

NBCNews.com
LEVERAGING CLOSE TIES to Twitter, controversial artificial intelligence startup Dataminr helped law enforcement digitally monitor the protests that swept the country following the killing of George Floyd, tipping off police to social media posts with the latest whereabouts and actions of demonstrators, according to documents reviewed by The Intercept and a source with direct knowledge of the matter. The monitoring seems at odds with claims from both Twitter and Dataminr that neither company would engage in or facilitate domestic surveillance following a string of 2016 controversies. Twitter, up until recently a longtime investor in Dataminr alongside the CIA, provides the company with full access to a content stream known as the firehose  a rare privilege among tech firms and one that lets Dataminr, recently valued at over $1.8 billion, scan every public tweet as soon as its author hits send. Both companies denied that the protest monitoring meets the definition of surveillance. A History of Police Work Dataminr helps newsrooms, corporations, and governments around the world track crises with superhuman speed as they unfold across social media and the wider web. Through a combination of people and software, the company alerts organizations to chatter around global crises  wars, shootings, riots, disasters, and so forth  so that theyll have a competitive edge as news is breaking. But the meaning of that competitive edge, the supercharged ability to filter out important events from the noise of hundreds of millions of tweets and posts across social media, will vary drastically based on the customer; the agenda of a newspaper using Dataminr to inform its breaking news coverage wont be the same as the agendas of a bank or the FBI. Its this latter category of Dataminrs business, lucrative government work, thats had the firm on the defensive in recent years. In 2016, Twitter was forced to reckon with multiple reports that its platform was being used to enable domestic surveillance, including a Wall Street Journal report on Dataminrs collaboration with American spy agencies in May; an American Civil Liberties Union report on Geofeedia, a Dataminr competitor, in October; and another ACLU investigation into Dataminrs federal police surveillance work in December. The company sought to assure the public that attempts to monitor its users for purposes of surveillance were strictly forbidden under its rules, and that any violators would be kicked off the platform. For example, then-VP Chris Moody wrote in a company blog post that using Twitters Public APIs or data products to track or profile protesters and activists is absolutely unacceptable and prohibited. In a letter to the ACLU, Twitter public policy chief Colin Crowell similarly wrote that the use of Twitter data for surveillance is strictly prohibited and that Datatminrs product does not provide any government customers with  any form of surveillance. Twitter also said that Dataminr, one of its official partners, would no longer support direct access by fusion centers to information such as tweet locations; fusion centers are controversial facilities dedicated to sharing intelligence between the federal government and local police. Dataminr at the same time announced it would no longer provide a product for conducting geospatial analysis to those supporting first reponse and added that such clients did not have direct firehose access. But based on interviews, public records requests, and company documents reviewed by The Intercept, Dataminr continues to enable what is essentially surveillance by U.S. law enforcement entities, contradicting its earlier assurances to the contrary, even if it remains within some of the narrow technical boundaries it outlined four years ago, like not providing direct firehose access, tweet geolocations, or certain access to fusion centers. Dataminr relayed tweets and other social media content about the George Floyd and Black Lives Matter protests directly to police, apparently across the country. In so doing, it used to great effect its privileged access to Twitter data  despite current terms of service that explicitly bar software developers from tracking, alerting, or monitoring sensitive events (such as protests, rallies, or community organizing meetings) via Twitter.

And despite Dataminrs claims that its law enforcement service merely delivers breaking news alerts on emergency events, such as natural disasters, fires, explosions and shootings, as a company spokesperson told The Intercept for a previous report, the company has facilitated the surveillance of recent protests, including nonviolent activity, siphoning vast amounts of social media data from across the web and converting it into tidy police intelligence packages. Keeping an Eye on Peaceful Protests Dataminrs Black Lives Matter protest surveillance included persistent monitoring of social media to tip off police to the locations and activities of protests, developments within specific rallies, as well as instances of alleged looting and other property damage. According to the source with direct knowledge of Dataminrs protest monitoring, the company and Twitters past claims that they dont condone or enable surveillance are bullshit, relying on a deliberately narrowed definition. Its true Dataminr doesnt specifically track protesters and activists individually, but at the request of the police they are tracking protests, and therefore protesters, this source explained.

At the request of the police they are tracking protests, and therefore protesters.

According to internal materials reviewed by The Intercept, Dataminr meticulously tracked not only ongoing protests, but kept comprehensive records of upcoming anti-police violence rallies in cities across the country to help its staff organize their monitoring efforts, including events expected time and starting location within those cities. A protest schedule seen by The Intercept shows Dataminr was explicitly surveilling dozens of protests big and small, from Detroit and Brooklyn to York, Pennsylvania, and Hampton Roads, Virginia. Company documents also show the firm instructed members of its staff to look for instances of lethal force used against protesters by police or vice-versa, property damage, widespread arson or looting against government or commercial infrastructure, new instances of officer-involved shootings or death with potential interpretation of racial bias, and occasions when a violent protests spreads to new major American city. Staff were also specifically monitoring social media for posts about Officers involved in Floyds death  all of which would be forwarded to Dataminrs governmental customers through a service named First Alert. The Dataminr documents on protest monitoring seen by The Intercept do not specify if they are used for news clients, police clients, or both. But a Dataminr document from October 2019 listed within the companys law enforcement footprint the New York Police Department, Los Angeles Police Department, Chicago Police Department, and Louisiana State Police. The LAPD told The Intercept it conducted a trial of Dataminr but chose not to enter a contract and did not use the system in connection with BLM protests. The Louisiana State Police declined to comment, citing a state secrecy law. NYPD did not comment and CPD could not be reached for comment. In January 2019, a New York court ordered the NYPD to turn over records about its use of Dataminr resulting from a New York Civil Liberties Union lawsuit over alleged surveillance of Black Lives Matter activists. Dataminr is providing information for local police, including [many] metropolitan police departments in cities facing protests, the source said. They are some of Dataminrs biggest clients and they set the agenda. Dataminr spokesperson Kerry McGee declined to comment on the companys clientele. And Dataminr alert emails sent to the Minneapolis Police Department, obtained via a public records request, show the company collected, bundled, and captioned Twitter content relevant to the anti-police brutality protests and forwarded it directly to police as these events unfolded, including information on apparently nonviolent protests. The emails show Dataminr relaying the locations and images of Black Lives Matter protesters in the city where George Floyd lived and was killed, and where the nationwide wave of outrage against police abuse was launched, a fact difficult to square with the companys claim that it doesnt provide its governmental customers with any form of surveillance. The location information in the alerts underline that while Dataminr may not technically have direct access to the geolocational data attached to many tweets by Twitter, the texts and images of the tweets relayed to the police often contain overt geographical references, or have such references added manually by Dataminr staff. While some of the alerts are sourced from the tweets of local and national news reporters, many are attributed to the accounts of ordinary bystanders  what the system calls eyewitnesses  who were either watching or attending the rallies and tweeting in a completely personal capacity. In one First Alert message relayed to the MPD on May 31, six days after Floyds murder, Dataminr alerted police to a tweet reading peaceful protest outside US Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis. End racism. End police brutality. End inequality and inequities. #JusticeForFloyd #Minneapolisprotest #BlackLivesMatters, along with a photo snapped by the tweeter. The accompanying caption, provided by Dataminrs human staff, specified that this group of protesters had been seen at US Bank Stadium on 400 block of Chicago Avenue. Another First Alert notification sent to the MPD three days prior tipped off police to this supposed public safety threat: Protesters seen sitting on street in front of security officers in Oakdale, MN. Another monitored tweet and accompanying photo relayed to MPD by Dataminr reads, simply, Peaceful protest at Lake & Lyndale.

A tweet and photo relayed to Minneapolis police reads, simply, Peaceful protest at Lake & Lyndale.

First Alert also scans other popular platforms like Snapchat and Facebook, the latter being particularly useful for protest organizers trying to rapidly mobilize their communities. On at least one occasion, according to MPD records, Dataminr was able to point police to a protests Facebook event page before it had begun. Some of Dataminrs alerts passed along dubious information. For example, on May 28, the company passed along a discredited claim about billionaire philanthropist George Soros, informing the MPD that Commentator Candace Owens claims Minneapolis, MN chief of police says many protesters are not from the city and claims investor George Soros is funding protesters through Open Society Foundation. Surveillance as a Public Service This apparently glaring contradiction by Dataminr, still publicly claiming it would never engage in surveillance while simultaneously facilitating the surveillance of protests, hasnt been lost on the companys staff. At a virtual staff meeting in June, a recording of which was obtained by The Intercept, a Dataminr manager attempted to explain why the companys persistent monitoring of First Amendment activity on behalf of the police was not, in fact, surveillance. The manager, identified by the source as executive vice president Jason Wilcox, granted that there were likely Dataminr staff pondering some difficult questions: How does our technology, how does our company, how does our platform, play in these types of unfolding events that are out there?  an allusion to the nationwide protests that were by then in their heady first week. We sell to law enforcement. What does that mean? Wilcoxs defense of Dataminr was based mostly on a sort of linguistic distinction: that relaying data to the police isnt a form of surveillance, but a form of ideologically neutral newsgathering. In an alternate euphemism, Wilcox described the surveillance alerts forwarded to police as situational awareness through real time events, [in] many of which peoples lives are at stake, and they can respond more quickly and save lives. This is generally the same reason Twitter and Dataminrs PR teams describe this governmental product as a source of news alerts, not intelligence  a rationale that largely obscures the major differences between what, say, a newspaper might do with rapidly updated information about a protest against policing versus what the police might want to do with that same data.

Do you have a story about social media monitoring youd like to share? Contact the author on Signal at +1 978 261 7389, via email at sam.biddle@theintercept.com , or through one of these secure channels

Wilcox added that Dataminrs protest surveillance, far from presenting any chilling effect on political expression or free assembly, was a force of progressivism and reform: We alert on events where members of law enforcement overstep their bounds, Wilcox claimed. We found abuse of power.  Ultimately what were doing is were providing a check and balance for [police].  Those alerts provide context to the world keeping people safe, and enabling people to do so in a way that isnt about trying to invade user privacy, but quite the opposite. It helps magnify their voice. Asked about the comments, Dataminrs McGee wrote, Dataminr does not comment on internal company meetings. Wilcox did not respond to a request for comment. Wilcox also defended Dataminrs work with police by emphasizing the firms close ties to Twitter, the great firehose benefactor, which, according to Wilcox, is often one of the first social media platforms to reach out and protect privacy, they seem to be most attuned to it, theyre very concerned with ensuring that their platform is not misused.

Those alerts provide context to the world, keeping people safe.

Dataminrs internal justification of its work for police also rested in part on the argument that its not as nefarious as it could be: We look at lots of different companies leveraging social media, and they have often, not everyone, but often, a very different set of goals, Wilcox explained. Their goal is to help with surveillance. They build users graphs, they track users as they go across different social media platforms, they follow what a person says over time. And we do not do that. Wilcox named a few other mechanisms he said showed how hed worked hard to ensure that our technology cannot be casually misused here, namely built-in limits on what keywords police can use to tailor their news alerts. But according to the source with direct knowledge of Dataminrs protest monitoring, this is misleading: Theres nothing built into First Alert that would prevent police from filtering or manually searching the intelligence they receive from Dataminr for specific terms, such as #BLM or antifa. Once a protest tweet is run through Dataminrs system and spit out the other end into a police departments inboxes, in other words, Dataminr loses control over how the information is used. This image of technological restraint also differs considerably from the pitch Dataminr gives police. An apparent 2019 Dataminr slide deck from a company presentation to the FBI, included in a recent online data dump known as BlueLeaks, stated that Dataminrs mission is to integrate all publicly available data signals to create the dominant information discovery platform, and touted a clients ability to customize user-defined criteria for alerts like topic selection and geographic filters. The end goal: Reduce the time between an event and client action. Surveillance or News Alerts? When asked about Dataminrs work with law enforcement as outlined above, both Twitter and Dataminr adopted a similar defense: This isnt surveillance because we have a policy against surveillance, which therefore means we dont engage in surveillance. Neither firm would comment or discuss how exactly the above does not meet the definition of surveillance, nor would they provide the institutional definitions of such as defined by either company. We see a societal benefit in public Twitter data being used for news alerting, first responder support, and disaster relief, said Twitter spokesperson Lindsay McCallum, who added that Dataminrs First Alert tool is in compliance with our developer policy banning surveillance. First Alert is not permitted to be used for surveillance of any kind by First Alert users, Dataminrs McGee told The Intercept. In response to a screenshot copy of the tweet Dataminr forwarded to Minneapolis police regarding the exact location of a group of protesters, McGee claimed that this was flagged for the department because it showed traffic problems, not protesters. Alerts on an intersection being blocked are news alerts, not monitoring protests or surveillance, said McGee. A local news organization would also cover major intersections being blocked as a news story  this is not surveillance. But to some surveillance scholars, legal experts, and activists, theres little doubt about what Dataminr is up to, and what Twitter is enabling, no matter what careful terminology they use. According to Brandi Collins-Dexter, a campaign director with the civil rights group Color of Change, Dataminrs practices are an example of if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, with regards to surveillance. We know that law enforcement agencies spend a breathtaking amount of money to aggressively track, target, and surveil Black communities, said Collins-Dexter. Twitter cant have it both ways, courting Black activists and marketing themselves as the pre-eminent tool for organizing against injustice, while turning a blind eye to the number of companies that are contracting with them for the clear intent of surveillance.

Twitter cant have it both ways, courting Black activists and marketing themselves as the pre-eminent tool for organizing against injustice, while turning a blind eye to companies that are contracting with them for the clear intent of surveillance.
Around 100 teenagers broke into a new $1.1million Arizona home to have a July 4 party, leaving a staggering $10,000 worth of damage in their wake.

The luxury property was trashed, with alcohol thrown up the walls, staging furniture destroyed and the hallway flooded when one culprit allegedly organized a keg party over Snapchat and swarms of young revellers descended on the place.

Shocking footage shows the partygoers chucking back drinks and smoking inside the home in the highly aspirational area of North Peoria, after they smashed a window to make their way inside.

Realtor Jim Conway slammed the 'entitled' partygoers who he caught dancing on the kitchen island and spraying beer over the walls of the for-sale house.

'It's aggravating. I mean, I wasn't scared, I was mad. I'm just sick of this entitlement. This is not their house,' Conway said.

Around 100 teenagers broke into a new $1.1million Arizona home to have a July 4 party, leaving a staggering $10,000 worth of damage in their wake (pictured)

The partygoers are seen outside the property in in the highly aspirational area of North Peoria

Shocking footage shows the partygoers chucking back drinks and smoking inside the home in the highly aspirational area of North Peoria, after they smashed a window to make their way inside

The sprawling five-bed home (above) was trashed by the teenagers during the July 4 party

The realtor, who also built the sprawling five-bed home, told AZfamily.com he received a phone call at around 1:30 a.m. from a friend asking if he was having a party at the home.

Conway said he drove to the property and was immediately faced with chaotic scenes, with around 10 teens and several cars outside the front.

'There was (sic) maybe 10 people in the front yard and cars kept coming in. There were cars in front of me pulling in, cars behind me pulling in,' he said.

Conway said he confronted one of the young men in the front yard and asked him what was happening.

'At first I just looked right at him, I'm like, "hey what's going on?" And they were like, "It's a party!" I had my phone, I picked my phone up and I said, "right on, smile!" And he turned and ran,' Conway told AZfamily.com.

The carnage escalated when Conway went inside and found around 100 people dancing on tables, smoking cigarettes and marijuana, and throwing drinks everywhere.

The luxury property was trashed, with alcohol thrown up the walls, staging furniture destroyed and the hallway flooded

Furniture was damaged and turned over, water was running down the hallway from the toilet and the floor and walls were covered in alcohol, Conway said.

'It was total chaos. All the furniture was turned over. They had overflowed the toilet so there was water running down the hallway.

'There were girls dancing on the kitchen island. There was a keg on the island they were dragging around,' he said.

'They were throwing all the staging furniture around. Just damage everywhere. A lot of beer and liquid all over the walls.

'The entire house, the floor was just thick with sticky, syrupy beer and alcohol or whatever that was. There were a lot of limes for some reason.'

Conway shouted for everyone to leave and the swarm of teens ran to the door, allegedly knocking him over in their flight.

Things turned dangerous when some revellers then began firing bullets into the air outside.

Realtor Jim Conway slammed the 'entitled' partygoers who he caught dancing on the kitchen island and spraying beer over the walls of the for-sale house

According to the property listing, the luxury home boasts five bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms and a large island kitchen

It also features a master retreat complete with a freestanding soaking tub (pictured), his and her sinks, and a custom walk-in closet

The luxury kitchen before the revellers broke in. Maricopa County Sheriff's Office has launched an investigation into the incident

'I witnessed and watched four or five guns come out of car windows and just start firing in the air,' Conway said.

'It's a little bit beyond breaking in and having a party.'

Once the partygoers dispersed, Conway said he was then faced with a massive clean-up operation, which took more than two days.

Staging furniture used to help sell the property was destroyed or stolen and the place was trashed.

In total, the damage has set Conway back around $10,000.

'Once you get the initial cleanup, then you're like - oh this is chipped, oh that's broke, oh this has got a big scratch on it,' Conway said.

Conway shared the shocking pictures of the party and the aftermath on his Facebook page and filed a complaint with the Maricopa County Sheriff.

According to the property listing, the luxury home boasts five bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms and a large island kitchen.

It also features a master retreat complete with a freestanding soaking tub, his and her sinks, and a custom walk-in closet.

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office has launched an investigation into the incident.

No arrests have been made.
Narita Airport near Tokyo and other Japanese flight hubs aim to nearly double coronavirus testing capacity by August. Photo: Nikkei

(Nikkei Asian Review)  Japan intends to begin talks in mid-July on resuming business flights with 10 more economies including the Chinese mainland, South Korea and Taiwan, a move that will be backed by a sharp increase in coronavirus testing capacity.

Tokyo also seeks travel talks with Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Mongolia.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expected to unveil plans for the negotiations soon. The move comes as agreements between destinations where the pandemic is under control  known as travel bubble or air bridges  proliferate in Asia.

Japan already has opened similar discussions with Vietnam, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand. Vietnam welcomed about 440 Japanese business flyers in late June.

Tokyos plans for reopening travel target economies that hold deep ties with Japan and have controlled the spread of the novel coronavirus. Taiwan is expected to be among the first to agree to the arrangement.

Though Tokyo will enter talks with Beijing and Seoul at the same time as Taiwan, concerns exist that the number of Chinese and South Korean travelers would overwhelm Japans testing capacity.

Japanese airports are currently capable of testing up to 2,300 people a day. The expansion of diagnostic testing centers and the introduction of antibody tests will raise daily capacity to 4,000 people by August.

Contact editor Yang Ge (geyang@caixin.com)
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, signs a pipe during the ceremony marking the construction of gas pipeline " Power of Siberia" connecting Russia and China near the village of Us Khatyn in Yakutsk region, Russia, Monday, Sept. 1, 2014.

Russia's natural gas prices for China have started to drop amid signs that the contract for supplies from the Power of Siberia pipeline will prove costly for both countries.

Last month, Interfax reported that the price of gas from Russia's giant pipeline project fell 10 percent in April to U.S. $182.70 (1,290 yuan) per thousand cubic meters (tcm) from over U.S. $200 per tcm (1,413 yuan) in the first quarter, based on Russian and Chinese customs data.



The first deliveries from the newly-opened 3,000-kilometer (1,864-mile) pipeline began last November at a price of U.S. $212.20 per tcm, the Russian news agency said.

Price changes take place under an agreement between Russia's Gazprom and state-owned China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) that tracks the cost of competing products including fuel oil with a nine-month lag for adjustments, according to Interfax.



While the trend has been down along with all energy prices during the pandemic crisis, the Power of Siberia gas is still far more expensive than supplies of liquefied natural gas (LNG), which have hit record lows on the Asian spot market.

Pricing disparity

But a separate Interfax report indicated that Gazprom's prices for China are also far higher than those for its other customers.



In April, the average price for European markets fell 13 percent from a month earlier to U.S. $109 per tcm, over 67 percent cheaper than the charge for China's supplies.

The reports suggest that China's price for Russian pipeline gas is the highest by far and is likely to remain so in the near term barring renegotiation, although Gazprom has been talking up the possibility of increasing supplies.



The pricing disparity has come to light at a time when Gazprom's exports to Europe have fallen sharply with reduced demand due to the pandemic.

In April, the volume of gas exported to 26 European customers plunged 29 percent from a year earlier, while revenue slipped 25 percent from a month before.

In May, exports slid 28 percent while Gazprom's average export prices fell further to U.S. $94 per tcm, Interfax said.

But Edward Chow, senior associate in the Energy Security and Climate Change Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said the price premium for China would have to be even higher to compensate for the huge U.S. $55-billion cost of field development and pipeline construction in remote East Siberia.

"Under current market conditions, the Power of Siberia deal does not look commercially attractive to either Gazprom or CNPC," said Chow. "CNPC is locked into a 30-year supply contract for gas that may be too expensive."

In a subsequent report this week, Interfax said that Power of Siberia gas was cheaper for China than alternative pipeline supplies from Central Asia or Myanmar, based on calculations from Chinese customs figures.

Prices in April from the other pipelines ranged from U.S. $194 to $365 per tcm, according Interfax.

"These figures are consistent with comments made by Gazprom earlier. However, the company presented them in terms of competitiveness rather than in terms of profitability," the report said.

Gazprom officials have previously declined to disclose specific prices of Power of Siberia supplies.

"Now every housewife wants to know the price of the gas, but this is inappropriate," Gazprom deputy CEO Alexander Medvedev said after the contract was signed in 2014.

In February, CNPC's PetroChina subsidiary tried to suspend gas imports during the COVID-19 lockdown by declaring force majeure, a legal exemption from contracts due to circumstances beyond a party's control.

Gazprom denied receiving a force majeure notice but responded in mid-March by closing the newly-opened pipeline for two weeks of maintenance. In April, the company announced that two more maintenance shutdowns would interrupt service this year.

While CNPC's costs are high in the current market, it may be unable to simply refuse the Russian gas under the "take-or-pay" terms of its contract with Gazprom. The agreement calls for payment of 85 percent of scheduled deliveries in case of import shortfalls, according to previous reports.

The Power of Siberia pipeline is expected to deliver 5 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas this year, reaching capacity of 38 bcm (1.3 trillion cubic feet) per year by 2025.

Commercial viability

But the rough start for the project has raised questions about the commercial viability of the agreement between the two countries, which took years to negotiate, and the ability of the two companies to sustain losses.



"Given that these are majority state-owned and controlled companies, it is difficult to assess what political premium their governments are willing to pay or what else Presidents Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping traded at the time that deal was signed in 2014," Chow said.

But the price pressures may be only part of the troubles for the deal between Gazprom and CNPC.



In a lengthy investigative report, the Russian website lenta.ru raised doubts about Gazprom's ability to meet supply commitments for the pipeline from its main resource, the Chayanda gas field.

The publication in May, citing Gazprom internal documents and tapes, charged the company and a key subsidiary with overestimating the recoverable reserves of the field and "intentional suppression of the scale of problems with the development."

Similar problems have been found at the Kovykta gas field, the second major source of supply for the Power of Siberia project, lenta.ru said.

The setbacks threaten to cost Gazprom 1.5 trillion rubles (U.S. $21 billion, 148 billion yuan), according to the

report.

Gazprom and CNPC have not commented, but development at Chayanda has also been slowed by the evacuation of some 8,000 workers after a COVID-19 outbreak at the field.

A quarantine imposed on April 17 was lifted on June 1, according to separate reports.

Expansion

But instead of addressing the development and supply problems, Gazprom has focused on its ambitious expansion plans.

In an online interview last month, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller glossed over the near-term setbacks in supplies for China, highlighting previously reported talks to increase peak flows of the Power of Siberia pipeline from 38 bcm to 44 bcm per year. Miller gave no date for the capacity boost.

Miller also said talks are taking place on supplies from the Russian Far East, a "Power of Siberia 2" pipeline passing through Mongolia and a "western route" through the Altai Mountains to Xinjiang, which Gazprom has been promoting without success for years.

"Taken together, this makes it possible to speak of pipeline gas exports to China in the foreseeable future in the amount of over 130 bcm, which is comparable to our current supplies to traditional markets," Miller said.

At that level, Russia's supplies would more than double the current capacity of China's gas pipeline system from Central Asia and would exceed China's imports from Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan last year by 171 percent.

While the projected volume would fall short of the 199 bcm that Gazprom exported to Europe last year, it could create competition for Russia's resources, in keeping with Miller's long-held strategy for developing markets in the East.

But after years of negotiations, Beijing is well aware of Russian strategies and likely to be wary of new megaprojects aimed at dominating its import market, particularly because its own energy security relies on diversity of supply.

China is also likely to be cautious about financing Russian expansion plans after resisting Moscow's appeals to underwrite the Power of Siberia pipeline for years.

Given the glut of gas on world markets, China is seen as having the upper hand in dealing with Gazprom for some time, despite the high prices it is now paying for Power of Siberia gas.

"When new supply contracts are negotiated, it would not surprise me if the Chinese side tries to obtain concessions on pricing terms before China buys more Russian gas since it will be a buyer's market for gas in the next few years," said Chow.

"Any new gas deals between Russia and China will contain large financial risks for both sides, as did the deal in 2014 which took 10 years to negotiate," he said.
Architectural columns and Jesse Hall on the campus of University of Missouri. University of Missouri campus at sunset.Mizzou and KU are standing in solidarity with their international students in opposition to new federal guidelines that require international students to leave the country if they have to take all of their classes online.
Senior TMC leader and MP Mahua Moitra came down heavily on the Uttar Pradesh government on Friday over the killing of gangster Vikas Dubey, asserting that justice is the only thing killed in Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths encounter raj.

Dubey was killed in an encounter earlier in the day, after a police vehicle carrying him from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh to Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh met with an accident in the Bhaunti area of Kanpur district and he tried to flee.

It is the job of the courts to deliver justice. It is the job of the police to deliver the accused. Shocking that India under @BJP has confused the two, Moitra said in a tweet.

Only thing killed in Yogijis encounter Raj is justice! she added.

Dubey had allegedly masterminded the ambush in Kanpurs Bikru village, in which eight policemen, who had gone to arrest him, was killed past midnight on July 2.
The cities of Malaga and Granada could be connected by AVE high-speed train by the end of this year, or early 2021 at the latest. The key part of the works which will enable the service to begin is the new Antequera-Ciudad station, which is now around 80 per cent complete. The contract with the previous constructor was cancelled (which led to a three-year delay) and reassigned in April 2019. The works were expected to take about 12 months to complete.

The Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias (Adif) organisation, which is behind this project, has confirmed that the main elements are now at an advanced stage: the station building, platforms, access roads and parking areas. The structure, roof, panelling, lifts and escalators in the passenger building are finished, and the curtain wall of the front and granite flooring will be completed soon. All the installations are progressing well and some, like the heating and air conditioning, are already finished.

The structures and cement paving of the platforms are ready, and the finishes and outside painting is almost done. The plate tracks have also been installed for each platform,

In terms of urbanisation, all the earth movement and digging works are complete, and so are the roads and car parking area. The structures of the ventilation shafts have been built, as have the stairways, and the pedestrian access is very advanced. An underpass has also been built so passengers can cross from one platform to another beneath the tracks.

Renfe says the station will open and the Avant, the medium-distance service between Malaga and Granada, will start running very soon, once all the necessary safety permits have been granted. The rail operator has decided to wait for those before selling tickets, although officially it could do so now, with a model similar to that for the Malaga-Seville connection, which calls at Cordoba and Santa Ana station in Antequera on the way. This makes the journey time uncompetitive when compared with the time it takes to do the same trip by car or bus.

When this new Antequera-Ciudad station is ready, however, the trains will be able to run directly along the Gobantes bypass and that will shorten the journey time between the two provincial capital cities to one hour and 20 minutes.

The service will be using series S-114 (Alstom) trains and there are expected to be three a day in each direction.
The encounter killing of gangsters even in controversial circumstances has not been a new phenomenon in the badlands of Uttar Pradesh but the heat and dust Dubeys encounter has generated is different.

And it is partly due to his persona, partly due to his political associations of past and partly due to politics of future.

Dubey was closely associated with BSP before he grew close to SP with his wife, having joined it and he spoke fondly of the support some BJP leaders offered him in the past.

Dubey episode has brought to fore crime- cops-political nexus is back in debate, which has always been an inseparable part of political discourse in UP, which saw the rise and fall of dons like Shri Prakash Shukla, Brajesh Singh, Munna Bajrangi, Mukhtar Ansari, Atique Ahmed and the list just goes on.

READ: UP gangster Vikas Dubey, accused in the killing of 8 cops, shot dead while attempting to flee

Congress, which has been out of power for 31 years in UP, has sensed an opportunity and pressed on with jungle raj charge against Yogi Adityanath government in UP, a campaign latching on to which BJP had brought down the Akhilesh Yadav-led government in the state in 2017.

Congress stands at a vantage point in raising the issue of political patronage to criminals, not because it has had no role in the past but mainly because it has been out of power in the state for 31 years and hence has not been in a position to directly patronise such goons in the last three decades. Hence for Congress raising the charge is less risky than the Samajwadi Party, which finds many of its own skeletons tumbling down if it goes too offensive on the campaign about crime in the tenure of Yogi Adityanath rule.

As soon as Akhilesh Yadav tweeted in fact this car has not turned turtle but the government has been saved from turning turtle, a twitterati posted a screenshot of Samajwadi party membership receipt of Dubeys wife Richa Dubey and posters Richa and her husband with Mualyam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadavs pictures.

Moreover with Priyanka Gandhi, who is now leading the Congress charge in the state, already having brought a lot of new leadership, the past linkages of some old leaders with such elements in distant past, may not have much of a consequence when the political blame game begins.

The Poorvanachal, which is electorally very important for all parties, also had this faultline of Thakur-Brahmin rivalry not only in politics but also in gangwars. Apparently seeking to accentuate it further, former MP and dalit leader from Congress Udit Raj tweeted Had Vikas Dubey been meted out the same behaviour had he been a Thakur. In the complex caste dynamics of the stateThakurs and Dalits have traditionally not been on the very best of the terms in their social relations.

In past many Congress leaders had attempted to highlight the Thakur community identity of UP Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath, an attempt trashed BJP which has said being a monk Yogi Adityanath belongs to all and has no particular caste identity.

The state has been ruled in the last three decades by BJP, SP and BSP and during the tenure of each of them this charge of patronage to criminals was raised. Even Dubey flourished during the regime of all these parties. Though Maywati also demanded a probe by a retired Supreme Court judge into the encounter, the fact also remains Dubey was very close to a BSP leader in the nineties while he was rising in the rank of UP crime world.

Here lies the comfort of Congress, which may not find itself at the wrong end of the campaign at least on this count in the state.

However, BJP supporters are hailing the encounter and feel the image of a strong governance model and a muscular policy of zero tolerance towards crime is deepened with this incident and could pay them well in 2022.
People pay their respects to the late Mayor of Seoul, Park Won-soon, at a memorial in the South Korean capital on July 10, 2020. / Credit: Handout/Seoul city government

Seoul  The three-term mayor of South Korea's sprawling capital city was found dead early Friday morning in mountains north of Seoul. City officials said he left a short "will-like" message apologizing to his family and the Korean people just days after reportedly being accused of sexual misconduct by a former secretary.

Police launched a search for Mayor Park Won-soon early Thursday evening after his daughter reported him missing. Hundreds of police officers used sniffer dogs and drones in the seven-hour search for Park, focusing on the mountains north of Seoul where his cell phone signal was last detected. His body was found late Thursday night on Mount Bugak. Police have not commented on the cause of his death.

"I'm sorry to everyone. I want to thank all those people who have been there throughout my life. I'm sorry to my family because I've only brought you pain," Park said in the written note found on his desk. He asked for his body to be cremated and the ashes scattered at a family burial plot, concluding simply, "Goodbye, everyone."

A photo provided by the government of Seoul shows a note left by Mayor Park Won-soon at his official residence hours before his body was found on a mountain outside the South Korean capital, on July 9, 2020. / Credit: Handout/Seoul Government

South Korean network SBS said a former secretary who worked with Park starting in 2017 had filed a lawsuit alleging sexual abuse on July 8. She reportedly accused him of sending lewd phone messages.

Police officials said the nascent case against the late mayor had been closed, as there was now effectively nothing to indict.

Some South Koreans voiced frustration online at the decision not to investigate the allegations, saying there appeared to be reluctance among law enforcement officials to pursue sexual harassment cases.

Before Park Won-soon was elected mayor in 2011, he was a human rights lawyer. He rose to national political prominence in the years since, becoming a popular progressive and even being discussed as a possible presidential candidate.

Last year, he claimed to be a feminist and said he had teared-up reading an international best-selling book that details the struggles women can face in South Korea's conservative, often sexist society.

Story continues

City officials announced that a five-day funeral ceremony would be held at a local university hospital, where flowers surrounded a photo of the late mayor and people came to pay their respects on Friday.

A public memorial was also to be held Friday in Seoul City Hall Square.

Police in several Texas counties refuse to enforce governor's mask mandate

Transcripts of police bodycam video released in George Floyd's arrest

USC to allow international students to take in-person class to keep visa
Presidents releasing their tax returns to the nation had become a 40-year-old bipartisan tradition by the time Trump entered the Oval Office in January 2017. The practice served several functions. It assured Americans that taxes were not only for the little people  we knew that when we paid up, our leaders did, too. It allowed us to assess whether presidents pursued tax policies that were in the national interest or their own, and it gave us insight on possible financial conflicts that might cloud their judgment. It also served as a check on the Internal Revenue Service, which is in the uncomfortable position of auditing its own boss. When President Richard Nixon was in office, the IRS overlooked improper deductions that allowed Nixon to reduce his tax bill by hundreds of thousands of dollars. In making their returns available for public inspection, later presidents reduced the risk that they might receive favorable treatment from the agency.
A nurse applies eye drops to a patient infected with COVID-19 at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the CES Clinic in Medellin, Colombia on July 8, 2020.(JOAQUIN SARMIENTO / AFP)

"In a context of already gaping inequalities, high levels of informal labor and fragmented health services, the most vulnerable populations and individuals are once again being hit the hardest," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement.

The hard-hit region has registered more than three million cases of the novel coronavirus, more than half of them in Brazil, according to an AFP tally based on official sources.

Mexico, Peru and Chile have also been hard-hit.

Guterres said the region could see a stunning 9.1 percent drop in GDP, the worst in a century.

The devastating impact is being magnified, the UN said, because it follows seven years of weak growth and hits countries where millions lack adequate healthcare or easy access to potable water.

The world organization foresees a seven percent rise in the poverty rate this year, adding 45 million to the ranks of the poor, for a regionwide total of 230 million, more than one-third the total population there.

The UN also predicted a 4.5 percent rise in extreme poverty, those threatened with hunger.

The UN urged countries to provide an emergency basic income -- averaging $140 a month per person -- plus food subsidies for those in need.

Guterres also called on the international community to provide financial aid, help ensure the region's liquidity and provide debt relief.
G renfell Tower fire engineers gave no thought to evacuating disabled residents because it was not required by law, the inquiry into the blaze has heard.

One told the hearing earlier this week: If they did have mobility issues then maybe Grenfell Tower wasnt the best place for them to live.

At least 22 disabled people lived above the 10th floor of the 24-storey west London block before it went up in flames in June 2017, killing 72 people, the inquiry heard on Thursday.

They included the partially sighted and physically disabled grandmother Sakineh Afrasiabi, 65, who was housed on the 18th floor of the building and died in the blaze.

It was alleged the local authority said a disabled woman should not be placed above the 10th floor / PA

Her daughter Nazanin Aghlani has alleged that the local authority agreed in 2003 that she should not be placed in a flat that was above the fourth floor.

The inquiry is not sitting on Friday, but during proceedings this week fire engineers from Exova suggested responsibility for plans to evacuate disabled residents lay with the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO).

Senior consultant Terry Ashton told the inquiry there were more safety provisions for disabled people in commercial buildings than in residential ones.

He said: There are no recommendations in the documentation issued by Government departments or others as to what you do about means of escape for disabled persons in residential buildings.

You might say, Well, there should be. But the fact is there are not.

Im not saying thats right. But thats what it is at the moment.

He added: Under means of escape for disabled persons, there are no requirements, you are not required to provide facilities for them to escape.

Inquiry lawyer Kate Grange QC asked: Does that mean, then, you just dont think about it any more?

At least 22 disabled people lived above the 10th floor of the 24-storey west London block (Reuters) / REUTERS

Mr Ashton said: Well, exactly.

Mr Ashton produced three outline fire safety strategies for the blocks refurbishment between September 2012 and November 2013 despite never visiting the site itself.

His colleague Clare Barker, who signed off a fire safety report for the building pre-refurbishment in 2012, said the TMO should have considered that a high-rise residential building might not be an appropriate place to house disabled people.

Asked about a lack of detail in the report for evacuating people with mobility issues, Dr Barker said: I did not consider that.

Because again if they did have mobility issues then maybe Grenfell Tower wasnt the best place for them to live.

Inquiry lawyer Richard Millett QC displayed passages of Approved Document B  widely used for building guidance in England  which displayed at the very least a consciousness that fire safety systems should take account of people with mobility issues.

He asked Dr Barker of the report: Can you explain  why there was no advice given to the TMO in it about how their fire safety strategy was going to keep people with mobility issues safe in the event of an evacuation?

She replied: No, I cant explain.

Dr Barker 'did not consider' evacuation of people with mobility issues (Reuters) / REUTERS

The draft fire safety strategy stated: Due to an assumed high degree of compartmentation and therefore a low probability of fire spread beyond the dwelling of fire origin, simultaneous evacuation of the building is unlikely to be considered necessary.

Mr Ashton was asked what investigations he made to confirm what the compartmentation would be after the refurbishment given that those were the evacuation assumptions.

He replied: I didnt make any assumptions, and it wasnt part of our agreed scope of works to visit the building after the works to see that a satisfactory degree of compartmentation had been provided.

Had it been asked for, that would have been in our fee proposal.

The building suffered a rapid loss of compartmentation after a number of key fire protection measures inside the tower failed, the inquiry found in its first phase.

It caused the stay-put policy to become untenable.
President Donald Trump arrives to board Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on July 10, 2020. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump Accuses Biden of Plagiarizing Buy American Plan

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden stole his new Buy American plan, President Donald Trump said.

He plagiarized from me, Trump told reporters before leaving for Florida on Friday.

Its a plan that, its very radical left, but he says the right things because hes copying what Ive done. But the difference is he cant do it, and he knows hes not doing that, cant be the same, because hes raising taxes way too much. Hes also putting tremendous amounts of regulations back on, the Republican president said.

And those two things are two primary reasons that I created the greatest economy weve ever hadand now were creating it again.

In a separate area outside the White House, counselor Kellyanne Conway, a top Trump adviser, also accused Biden of plagiarism.

First, Biden plagiarized Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), she said, referencing how portions of Sanders agenda was included word-for-word in new policy recommendations for Democratic party unity.

And then yesterday, for all to see, he was plagiarizing Donald Trumpbuy American, Conway added. Easy to do when President Trump is in charge of bringing back manufacturing, bringing back wealth and jobs that were parked overseas because of the Obama-Biden policies, and the policies of the other presidents, frankly.

People should focus on Bidens word, which includes support for non-reciprocal, imbalanced trade deals that screwed the American worker, screwed American industries, screwed America, she told reporters.

Bidens campaign didnt respond to a request for comment.

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden speaks at McGregor Industries in Dunmore, Penn. on July 9, 2020. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

The former vice president on Thursday unveiled an economic recovery plan at McGregor Industries in Pennsylvania.

The plan is about how to create millions of good paying union jobs, building promising technologies that we need now and well need in the future, Biden said.

And it starts with a pretty basic idea, when we spend taxpayers money, when the federal government spends taxpayers money, we should use it to buy American products and support American jobs.

Trump promised to bring jobs back to the United States but hasnt delivered, Biden charged.

Im going to change that. Were going to double the tax on foreign profits so we dont encourage people to leave and build abroad, he said. Biden also pledged to raise the corporate tax to 28 percent, which he said would provide hundreds of billions of dollars to invest in the countrys growth.

Trump has issued a number of executive orders meant to up the purchasing of American-made goods.

In one order issued in April 2017, Trump said the policy of the executive branch would be to buy American and hire American.

In order to promote economic and national security and to help stimulate economic growth, create good jobs at decent wages, strengthen our middle class, and support the American manufacturing and defense industrial bases, it shall be the policy of the executive branch to maximize, consistent with law, through terms and conditions of Federal financial assistance awards and Federal procurements, the use of goods, products, and materials produced in the United States, the order states.
Catherine Deneuves varied film career from sweet ingenue (The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, The Young Girls of Rochefort) to tormented bourgeoise (Repulsion, Belle de Jour, Tristana), femme fatale (Mississippi Mermaid) to refined lady (her American sojourn in The April Fools, Hustle, her Oscar nomination for Indochine), and then, in her richest stage, a figurehead of contemporary moral crisis (especially those extraordinary Andre Techine films Hotel dAmerique, Scene of the Crime, My Favorite Season, and Les Voleurs) is all prelude to her commanding presence in the new French import The Truth (La Verite). Deneuve plays legendary actress Fabienne Dangeville, who, as the privilege of beauty and age, lords her mystique over everyone. The payoff comes when she makes this casually devastating declaration:

When actresses start getting lost in charity and politics, they lose vis-a-vis the profession. Theyve lost the battle on screen, so they dive into reality. They pretend to fight against reality, its not the contrary. Ive always won that battle. Thats why I can withstand solitude.

Were unlikely to witness such brutal honesty about the clash of art and politics in any other movie this year. Bette Daviss lovelorn French Provincial furniture speech in All About Eve (without that, youre not a woman) wasnt nearly so tough. Fabienne/Deneuve (who boasts Ive never apologized to a man) swans her way through the pretenses and shallow principles displayed by todays crusading actresses.

That lost the battle speech particularly applies to the circumstances of Halle Berrys caving in to the social-justice mobs this week with her obsequious apology for being a cisgender female. She prostrated herself for merely considering the role of a trans woman for an unmade film project. Critic Gregory Solman quipped, Berry apologized for being an actress but not for her acting. Berrys career shift from bimbo to serious thespian happened with her degrading characterization in Monsters Ball. I recall an early 2002 screening of that film and the stunned consensus among black media folk: What was she thinking? (After winning a congratulatory Oscar for debasing herself, everyone suddenly decided that the movie and performance were just dandy.)

Story continues

Berrys capitulation to political fashion is yet another example of artists losing the battle to phony principles. In a period of mindless opportunism and craven self-justification, performers cowed by media tyranny refuse to defend personal integrity, if they even know what that means. Its a weakness Fabienne/Deneuve abhors, which makes The Truth a confrontation with individual honesty  the missing element in current politics and the lost art of the millennium.

Honesty sets The Truth in motion. Fabiennes newly published memoir, titled The Truth, takes liberties that offend her daughter Lumir (played by Juliette Binoche). Im an actress, Fabienne insists. I wont tell the naked truth. Its far from interesting. That defense stymies Lumir, who is also a writer  her name is a catty irony (based on the word lumiere/light) that mocks living in her famous mothers shadow.

The Truth was written and directed by Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda, whose family films dramatize contemporary social tensions (such as Shoplifters, from 2018). This cross-cultural project pays homage to French cinema to explore the facades and maneuvers of intimate relations. Fabiennes current role is in a semi-autobiographical film about shifting life stages that revives past career regrets with another actress and provokes tension with Lumir. She soldiers on: I prefer to have been a bad mother and a bad friend and a good actress. The public forgives me.

Its almost a sneaky pleasure to watch Deneuve playing a fantasy of herself, her own legend. Now thick-waisted and stiff-necked, she wears Fabiennes steely-eyed vanity well  its a roman a clef performance all the more interesting for possibly being true, being a little bit true, or not true at all. Shes a sacred monster yet praises her alliterative colleagues Michele Morgan, Danielle Darrieux, Anouk Aimee  and even gives Brigitte Bardot begrudging approval.

Deneuve and Binoche enact the beauty-vs.-frump dynamic that Ingmar Bergman used with Ingrid Bergman and Liv Ullmann in Autumn Sonata, and the merge of acting styles  different forms of personal integrity  brings the films meta concept back to reality. Kore-eda isnt a playful director; he reveals the tedium that filmmaking is for actors and rarely places emphasis on emotion. Having no taste for camp, he avoids cheap sentiment, which Bette Daviss Margo Channing, in All About Eve, also detested.

Who needs magical powers. We get each other is Fabienne and Lumirs final rapprochement. Its empathy, the ennobling aspect of acting that is now threatened by the extremes of political correctness. Actresses such as Halle Berry and her many woke Hollywood colleagues lack the necessary pride and courage that The Truth presents with awe and ambivalence. But Kore-eda knows: A scared artist is a contradiction in terms; it betrays their vocation.

More from National Review


Remembering the victims of Srebrenica genocide Remembering the victims of Srebrenica genocide

Norfolk County Council Chaplain Rev Dr Liviu Barbu offers a reflection for Srebrenica genocide commemoration week (July 5-12).

This week we remember the victims of the Srebrenica genocide. The UN estimated that about 8,000 Muslims from Bosnia were murdered by the Bosnian Serbian military. It was a horrific moment, which took place in a not so far distant time, in 1995, when former Yugoslavia was breaking up.



The Srebrenica episode, although it is the subject of history, it holds relevance for us today, lessons for both the present and the future. We are reminded of the memory and legacy of those who were denied the human universal right to live. We are also asked to not forget the pleas of those affected who survived the ordeal and to pass on the lessons for the benefit of the whole of humanity.



At 7pm on Saturday July 11, there will be a broadcasting of the UK National Srebrenica Memorial Day Commemoration online on the Remembering Srebrenica Facebook , Twitter and YouTube Accounts. The programme of speakers will include HRH Prince Charles, Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the UN Special Envoy, Angelina Jolie.



On Friday July 10, the flag will be flown at half-mast at County Hall in Norwich.



For this year, Remembering Srebrenica, a UK charitable organisation, proposed the theme: every action matters. The words of Selina Stone, Tutor and Lecturer in Political Theology at St Mellitus College in London, though not written specifically about the Srebrenica commemoration event, are nonetheless quite fitting for the occasion:



We live in a world filled with narratives, agendas, and objectives that undermine the good intentions of God for his creation. The task of resistance lies with all of us, whether we are the ones to stand in the place of power, the ones who have a role to play in someone elses organisation, or in the simple relationships of family and friends. At our particular time in history, there are groups of people who [] are vulnerable and threatened with violence and oppression. In our own contexts there are people whose futures are at stake because of the choices and agendas of those more powerful than them. May we, in our small choices and larger decisions, act with the courage [] to resist and protect those unable to defend themselves.



Srebenica is unfortunately one of the many other atrocities, genocides and mass murders of the 20th century which shocked the world. There cannot possibly be an excuse for it on any ground and it ought to be condemned outright by all people with the least sense of humanity.



At the same time, we must constantly remember that crimes of all kinds still happen all the time and right now at macro and micro level, ranging from physically killing innocent people, unable to defend themselves, to other more subtle human rights abuses such as marginalizing others and silently killing their dreams, their rightful expectations of justice and of a content life.



Whilst remembering victims of extreme atrocity, it is also the responsibility of each individual to search oneself deeply to see whether he or she has ever denied other persons right to life, to justice, to equal opportunity, to freedom of speech, of opinion, of faith and belief, of anything that we, now in the 21st century, hold very dearly as an inalienable human right.



We see more and more that elusive injustices still manage to survive and thrive in our societies, and these are sometimes down to all sorts of ideologies (political, religious and so forth) fuelled not only by a vicious public divisive rhetoric, but also often by our own personal views, prejudices and at times mean interests. An ideology is creepy and dangerous when it alures human consciences into thinking that it is ok to trample over human lives and ideals for a greater societal or personal good. And sometimes that is very difficult to spot in its infancy.



A great mind, Dostoyevsky, said the following some time ago, about the dark overtones asleep in human nature: The characteristics of the torturer exist in embryo in almost every man of today. But the brutal qualities do not develop equally. If they develop so as to overpower all the mans other qualities, he becomes, of course, a hideous and terrible figure. (The House of the Dead) Although that may not seem to be as poignant today as it was in the past, we have nonetheless to watch carefully, speak out and take action against any such manifestations in their early stages of development.



In this sense, the internationally acclaimed author Alexandr Solzhenitsyn, a Soviet Russian dissident also said the following, in his book The Gulag Archipelago 1918-1956:



If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?



Finally let us be on our watchful guard, also in our own minds and hearts so as to spot the small things which need to be put right and which would enable us to deal more effectively with the monsters springing up in fertile ground elsewhere in the world; and thus, be able to heal the many divisions and wounds of our world as it stands today looking ahead to a more just future.



People are naturally good, but could become bad or evil through circumstance, choice or indeed indifference.



To finish on a more positive note, faith and spirituality make an appeal to our own good nature. Our collective efforts as a democratic society, with fair and just institutions, is there to guard and to create laws and policies which will never allow evil to exceed its normal limits, which fall under the remit of the law and social covenants agreed by most of us.



The more we educate ourselves, spiritually and civily, in the best of human ethos and practices, the less opportunity is there for some individuals to assert over others in harmful ways. The example we give to the world today globally is the foundation of our tomorrow's better world.



www.srebrenica.org.uk
He went on to say that Mr. Biden should also take the test.

And he should take the same exact test, a very standard test. I took it at Walter Reed Medical Center in front of doctors, Mr. Trump said. And they were very surprised. They said, thats an unbelievable thing. Rarely does anybody do what you just did. But he should take that same test.

Mr. Trump described taking the test after Mr. Hannity mentioned that Mr. Biden had said he had taken several cognitive tests. The president insisted that Mr. Biden must have meant tests he took for the coronavirus and that his rival couldnt pass a cognitive test.

Aides to Mr. Trump did not respond to questions about what test he took, when he took it or whether they would make the results public. Over more than three years, the president has repeatedly faced questions about his own health, including why he made a mysterious visit to Walter Reed in November 2019 that White House officials later claimed was to get a jump on his annual physical.

After Mr. Trumps most recent examination, Dr. Sean Conley, the White House physician, who examined him, said that the data indicates the president remains healthy.

But Dr. Conleys summary was not the customary report Mr. Trump and other presidents have released immediately after an annual physical exam. Rather than one examination, the summary was based on an unknown number of medical appointments that included the visit to Walter Reed in November, and another from a checkup conducted in April at the White House.
Have you noticed a flurry of activity in your backyard or in the trees around your home or maybe in the bushes along your fence? Yes, its that time of year when baby wildlife are making their appearance in the world, and we can help them to make the transition from nest to new normal.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, animal shelters, wildlife agencies, veterinarians, and even police stations across the country receive thousands of calls from people who have picked up what they assume to be orphaned and abandoned wild animals.

A Flurry of fledglings

Although some calls are for animals that are obviously in immediate danger, the vast majority of the calls are for young birds that have come out of nests as they normally fledge or are pushed out by high winds or nestmates. The wildlife agency suggests that if the young birds can hop and flutter about on their own, leave them alone. They are learning to fly and need some time and practice to figure it out.

This principle applies to other animals including deer fawns, baby rabbits, raccoons, and opossums. Return the young one near to where it was found and where it wont be threatened by predators. The exception to this would be birds of prey such as hawks, owls, eagles, and falcons.

Because their nests are so high in trees, buildings, and other tall structures, it would be best to contact an agency that specializes in raptors. One such option in this area would be Raptor Recovery Nebraska located in Elmwood. The team specializes in raptors and nurses the birds back to health with the goal of releasing them back into their natural environment.

You have probably heard the myth that you should not touch a baby bird or the parents will smell your scent and not return. The Wildlife agency claims that the idea is completely false. However, if you must handle a bird or animal, use gloves, towels, a blanket, sheet, or tarp to protect you and the animal. Place in a padded box or crate that can be closed securely, keep it in a warm, quiet place until you can get it to help.

To the rescue

Once you have secured the baby critter, what do you do? Staff at the Beatrice Animal Shelter might refer you to the Wildlife Rescue Team, Inc. in Lincoln. WRT is a non-profit all volunteer-based organization that was created in 1979.

It is dedicated to the raising and rehabilitating of orphaned and injured wildlife from the state of Nebraska with the goal being to release them back into the wild.

The organization offers these tips on when to rescue an animal:

*When there is a lone baby/raccoon in the open or out during the day

*When a wild animal is presented to you by your pet

*When there is bleeding

*When you see an apparent or obvious broken limb

*If you find a featherless or nearly featherless bird on the ground

*When you see obvious shivering

*When you find evidence of a dead parent nearby

When you determine that your resident wildlife needs special attention, call Wildlife Rescue Team as quickly as possible at (402) 473-1951. Team members emphasize that the most important thing you can do for the animal is to keep it in a warm, dark, quiet place and transport it as quickly as possible via communication with WRT.

Speaking of backyard furry and feathered friends, dont forget to fill your bird baths with fresh water on a regular basisespecially during these streaks of hot, muggy weather. And if you want to provide a special treat for your birds, get an oriole feeder and fill it with grape jelly. The orioles love it as do a number of other birds.

Miss Lucy

The Beatrice Animal Shelter is continuing to see a plethora of kittens and cats. Many of these feline friends have been transported to the two PetSmart stores in Lincoln and are ready for adoption. Many are in area foster care where they are growing and becoming socialized.

Recently, a caring mama cat found her way to the shelterand she was determined to find a safe environment for her impending delivery. The long-haired tortoise-shell beauty kept trying to get into peoples homes where she could be out of the elements and away from predators. Shes one smart cookie!

Eventually, she was brought into the shelter as a strayjust in time. About 36 hours after her arrival, Miss Lucy gave birth to five healthy kittens. Mama and babies are doing well but would love to be in a foster home for these important first weeks. Lucy takes care of feeding the wee ones, and the shelter provides food and supplies and medical care for mama.

If you would like more information on fostering this feline family, call the shelter at 402-228-9100 during regular business hours. What a purr-fect idea!

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Dalia Zamaityte may have seemed cool, calm and collected when she was greeted by a surprise birthday parade last week, but that doesnt mean she wasnt inwardly surging with emotion.

My friends and colleagues and family usually say its hard to surprise me, but with this I absolutely was, said the 90-year-old after the party kicked off outside of her Richmond Heights apartment.

Its so beautiful and Im so humbled by this gesture and the people behind it, she said. I can hardly describe this outpouring of emotion in words. I am truly touched.

My birthday may be July 3, but I intend to celebrate all year, she added, smiling.

Unable to go to the hospital because of the novel coronavirus pandemic, University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Childrens staff decided to take the gala to Zamaityte, a registered nurse who served the health care system in multiple roles for 60 years, including chief nursing officer.

Most proud of her work to launch the hospitals first Patient and Family Advisory Council in 1991, Zamaityte, described by her colleagues as the heart of Rainbow, retired in 2012, and has been an active volunteer ever since.

In fact, Zamaityte began volunteering the day after she called it a career.

You cant just retire after all those years and touched lives, she said, laughing. You dont just stop caring about people. You always wish to continue making a difference.

I came to America from Lithuania in 1948 and graduated from Frances Bolton Payne School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University in 1960. My entire life has been in service to others.

Receiving the royal treatment, complete with crown and scepter, Zamaityte expressed gratitude to her friends and longtime colleagues while also downplaying her milestone birthday.

I dont feel 90, I dont know what its like to feel 90, she said. Its just a number. Age is just a number. What you do with your age, thats what makes a difference.and Ive been so blessed throughout my career and my life to be able to give back and help families from all over.

I really do feel privileged, Zamaityte added. Ive worked with great teams of people and always felt I was giving back by being there, by caring for people. I miss my people, but I touch base with them at the hospital regularly. It would have been nice to go to the hospital, but I of all people know that safety and health come first.
Chandrajit Banerjee By

In the wake of Covid-19, the Central and state governments have accorded an unprecedented priority to improving the business environment in the country by driving reforms to facilitate ease of doing business.

The country has jumped up to rank 63 from 142 in the World Bank Doing Business report, indicating the success of this effort. Under the Atmanirbhar Bharat package, various schemes have been announced by the finance ministry that focus on reforms for ease of doing business in India.

To further enhance the competitiveness of the Indian industry, this reform momentum must be sustained with regular monitoring.

Equally, it is important that Central and state governments ensure the reforms reach the grassroots industry effectively with short-term measures and long-term strategies.

First, the online Single Window System (SWS) is an effective way to rationalise procedures, time and cost of operations for businesses. While a majority of the states have adopted it, the SWS should be set up by all states and Union Territories within the next 12 months.

The effectiveness of the SWS can be strengthened across India by the implementation of certain measures such as setting up a Central Monitoring Mechanism headed by the chief secretary for reviewing the SWS of various states at regular intervals; ensuring timely technological updates of the online portal; improving effectiveness of the Right to Services Act and encouraging self and third-party certifications, etc.

The second critical issue for domestic businesses is property registration and land acquisition, which is a cumbersome and costly process.

Simplifying property registration and acquisition of land by introducing reforms can help companies set up or expand in India faster.

This can be achieved by introducing reforms such as allowing industries to buy land directly from farmers; rationalising stamp duty across states; digitising and integrating land records at various levels; and setting up a single window in each state for all land-related information, transactions, digitised records and land titles.

Three, despite significant reforms by the government, labour laws compliance necessitates high costs. The government should consider introducing reforms that reduce the regulatory burden of labour compliances, including exempting industry from select labour laws for a period of three years. Increasing the threshold limit for certain labour laws such as Industrial Disputes Act and Factories Act can encourage scale in manufacturing.

Notifying and implementing the Fixed Term Employment Workman rules across states should be carried out at the earliest to raise flexibility of employment. A single labour authority in each state and decriminalising labour laws, among others, would further add to ease of doing business.

Four, trade facilitation has seen extensive reforms in the last few years, helping India record a massive improvement in the Trading Across Borders ranking from the 146th position in 2018 to the 68th spot.

There is scope to improve it further to help India come at par with the best performing economies. The areas to be strengthened are promoting the Authorised Economic Operator programme and the Risk Management System. Encouraging Direct Port Delivery, developing a Common Customs Portal for critical information and strengthening the Port Community System would streamline movement across borders.

Five, while the government has been working assiduously for improving the business environment in the country, contract enforcement continues to remain weak.

The government can improve the dispute resolution mechanism in the country through multiple initiatives, such as strengthening the ADR mechanism and developing model contract templates for a few key sectors in consultation with industry participants. Adding infrastructure and judges as well as commercial courts would help in this effort.

Six, there is a need to reform the inspection procedures that are currently being used by different agencies.

A rationalised inspection mechanism can be fostered through synchronised joint inspections across states, categorising industries based on risk-based profiles and ensuring that all states develop an effective online Central Inspection System for labour, fire, lift, electricity, boilers, etc.

Seven, the high logistics cost has been a challenge in the country for a long time. The infrastructure to GDP expenditure must be raised to ensure better transportation facilities.

The share of railways and waterways in the overall transport system can be stepped up. It is also important to lower costs of logistics by averting cross subsidies for freight movement.

Eight, the MSME sector is the engine of growth for the economy and can benefit greatly from lower costs due to a facilitative operating environment.

Enterprises with a successful track record of compliances can be permitted to undertake self-certification with easier inspection procedures.

For a self-reliant, globally competitive India, the combination of facilitative reforms for ease of doing business and effective monitoring mechanisms for already-implemented schemes and programmes is the need of the hour.

With this dual strategy, India has the potential to attract more overseas investment and become the factory of the world.

Chandrajit Banerjee

Director General, Confederation of Indian Industry

(cb@cii.in)
Announcement of Periodic Review: Moody's announces completion of a periodic review of ratings of Iceland, Government of

Global Credit Research - 10 Jul 2020

London, 10 July 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") reviews all of its ratings periodically in accordance with regulations -- either annually or, in the case of governments and certain EU-based supranational organisations, semi-annually. This periodic review is unrelated to the requirement to specify calendar dates on which EU and certain other sovereign and sub-sovereign rating actions may take place.

Moody's conducts these periodic reviews through portfolio reviews in which Moody's reassesses the appropriateness of each outstanding rating in the context of the relevant principal methodology(ies), recent developments, and a comparison of the financial and operating profile to similarly rated peers. Since 1st January 2019, Moody's issues a press release following each periodic review announcing its completion.

Moody's has now completed the periodic review of a group of issuers that includes Iceland and may include related ratings. The review did not involve a rating committee, and this publication does not announce a credit rating action and is not an indication of whether or not a credit rating action is likely in the near future; credit ratings and/or outlook status cannot be changed in a portfolio review and hence are not impacted by this announcement. For any credit ratings referenced in this publication, please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for the most updated credit rating action information and rating history.

The credit profile of Iceland (issuer rating A2) is supported by the country's "baa2" economic strength, reflecting its very high competitiveness and wealth levels, balanced against the country's small size and limited diversification which results in large swings in economic growth. Iceland's "aa3" institutions and governance strength reflects its effective macroeconomic management in restoring financial stability and strengthening the regulatory framework following its banking crisis. Iceland's "a2" fiscal strength takes account of the sharp decline in the government's debt burden in recent years which is also now markedly less exposed to exchange rate risks, albeit still facing large contingent liability risks from state owned entities. Finally, its "baa" susceptibility to event risk reflects risks posed by the banking sector, which, despite demonstrating strong capitalisation and liquidity, remains highly concentrated and its interconnection with the three main economic sectors limits the degree to which banks are able to diversify.

Story continues

This document summarizes Moody's view as of the publication date and will not be updated until the next periodic review announcement, which will incorporate material changes in credit circumstances (if any) during the intervening period.

The principal methodology used for this review was Sovereign Ratings Methodology published in November 2019. Please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.

This announcement applies only to EU rated and EU endorsed ratings. Non EU rated and non EU endorsed ratings may be referenced above to the extent necessary, if they are part of the same analytical unit.

This publication does not announce a credit rating action. For any credit ratings referenced in this publication, please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for the most updated credit rating action information and rating history.

Evan Wohlmann VP - Senior Credit Officer Sovereign Risk Group Moody's Investors Service Ltd. One Canada Square Canary Wharf London E14 5FA United Kingdom JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454 Yves Lemay MD - Sovereign Risk Sovereign Risk Group JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454 Releasing Office: Moody's Investors Service Ltd. One Canada Square Canary Wharf London E14 5FA United Kingdom JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454

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The United States produced, consumed, and exported record volumes of natural gas last year, following years of rising output due to fracking and horizontal drilling, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Friday.

According to EIAs estimates, domestic production of dry natural gas rose to nearly 34 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) while consumption increased to 31 Tcf in 2019, setting records.

Exports also rose to record levels last year, thanks to growing production and more liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminals coming online.

In 2019, the United States exported a record level of nearly 5 Tcf of natural gas, predominantly by pipeline to Mexico and Canada or shipped overseas as LNG, the EIA said. Natural gas imports, on the other hand, dropped to their lowest levels since 2015.

U.S. natural gas exports surpassed imports in 2017 for the first time since 1957.

This year, however, higher stocks, the demand collapse from the pandemic, and the low natural gas prices are set to result in declines in American natural gas production. The supply of natural gas in the U.S. has been dropping this year as gas producers lower production amid low prices while oil producers scale back oil output and with it  associated natural gas production from oil-directed wells.

Natural gas prices plunged to a 25-year-low at the end of last month, due to continued weakness in demand.

In its latest Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) from this week, the EIA predicts that U.S. consumption will decrease by 3.1 percent in 2020 before decreasing by an additional 4.5 percent in 2021. Consumption of natural gas by the industrial sector is set to drop by 6.2 percent this year, due to the measures to contain the epidemic.

Production is expected to drop by 3.2 percent year on year in 2020, due to a sharp drop in drilling activity because of low natural gas prices and production curtailments.

The EIA expects the low point in natural gas production to occur in the second quarter of 2021 at an average of 83.3 Bcf/d, which would be down by 13.2 percent from the Q4 2019 peak. Toward the end of 2021, production should start rising due to higher prices and more favorable economic conditions, the EIA says.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Chinese electric-car maker Nio Inc. said it had secured credit lines worth 10.4 billion yuan ($1.48 billion) from six domestic banks, just months after inking a cooperation deal with a city government, as the company hunts for funding amid concerns of tightening liquidity.

The lenders are all branches of national state-owned commercial banks based in East Chinas Anhui province, including China Construction Bank Corp., Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd., and Bank of China Ltd. Nio signed an agreement with them on Friday and will receive the credit line via its subsidiary Nio China, the company said in a statement.

Nios announcement of new access to funds may allay shareholders worries about its liquidity. The New York-listed Chinese company lost about $1.6 billion in 2019 and had $151.7 million in cash, equivalents and short-term investments left at the end of the year. It said in March it may not have liquidity to survive another 12 months.

In February, Shanghai-based Nio was offered a lifeline by Hefei, Anhuis provincial capital, after authorities there agreed to financially support the carmaker if it set up a new China headquarters in the city.

In late April, Nio announced that it had struck a deal for a 7 billion yuan investment from entities led by the Hefei government. As part of the deal, Nio would transfer its core assets and businesses in China to a new Hefei-based company, of which the new investors would take a 24.1% stake. Nio would own the rest of the company, called Nio China, and would inject 4.26 billion yuan of cash into it.

The new investors were Hefei Construction Investment Holding (Group) Co., CMG-SDIC Capital Management Co., and Anhui High and New Technology Industrial Investment Co., according to a previous statement provided by Nio.

Founded in 2014, Nio produces vehicles in Hefei in partnership with the state-owned Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group Holdings Ltd. Nio Chairman William Li on Friday thanked the Hefei government for its support and its efforts to develop the new-energy vehicle industry, making it possible for the company to reach deals with local bank branches.

Earlier this month, Nio got another lift after the company announced it had delivered a record 10,331 vehicles in the three months from April to June  a quarterly record for the firm. Spurred by that news, its shares in New York rose by nearly 20%.

Bloomberg contributed to the report

Contact reporter Mo Yelin (yelinmo@caixin.com) and editor Joshua Dummer (joshuadummer@caixin.com)
Sephoras nine standalone Houston-area stores are slated to reopen Friday, according to a company statement.

After reopening stores in Texas on May 22, the national retailer again shuttered its Houston stores on June 26, as Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo urged Houston-area residents to resume stay-at-home practices.

To protect the health and safety of our employees and clients, our Houston area stores have been closed since June 26th, a Sephora representative told the Chronicle. We plan to reopen these stores on Friday, July 10th, however the well-being of our entire Sephora community is our top priority and we will continue to assess our plans, as needed, based on local conditions.

On HoustonChronicle.com: As support for Black-owned business grows, some are left behind

Coronavirus conditions have not improved since Hidalgo raised countywide threat levels late last month. Texas reported its deadliest day from the coronavirus on Tuesday, with 75 deaths and a record-shattering 10,400 new infections statewide.

Standalone Houston-area locations include stores at Galleria Mall, Highland Village and The Village Arcade. Sephora hasnt shut down stores elsewhere in Texas, the representative said.

At this time, we have not closed other stores across the state, but as it is quickly evolving, we are monitoring the situation in Texas closely and following all local health guidance.

amanda.drane@chron.com
Competition Commission to hold public consultation on Ohorongo Cement sale

10 July 2020

The Namibia Competition Commission has advised that members of the public can contribute their views on the proposed sale of Ohorongo to West China Cement.



Members of the public will be invited to a conference on the matter as the acquisition is likely to create a monopoly in the cement industry in Namibia, as West China Cement also has a majority stake ion Cheetah Cement which is the sole competitor to Ohorongho Cement.



The commissions is also concerned that Namibian employees at Ohorongo Cement could be replaced by foreign employees and that foreign companies might win future contracts for services if the cement plant is takeover by West China Cement.

Published under
A train running past the gurgling Dudhsagar waterfall as it roars down from 320 metres of steep Western Ghats ridges is one of the most enchanting and breathtaking sites to behold in tourist-friendly coastal Goa.

But, that iconic railway track is at the centre of a raging controversy and battlelines have been drawn between environmentalists, local villagers, and the South Western rail authorities over the latters bid to expand it into a double-track owing to saturated traffic movement.

Earlier this week, hundreds of local residents braved a torrential downpour, accompanying inclement weather and the fear of contracting SARS-CoV-2, which causes coronavirus disease (Covid-19), to attend a public gathering at Cansaulim, a sleepy Goan hamlet.

The locals gathered there because the South Western Railway authorities were scheduled to conduct an on-the-spot assessment survey, but retreated because of the vociferous public mood.

The track expansion plan will add to our daily woes manifold. Six coal-laden goods train pass every day and cover our houses with dust. Senior citizens shudder at the daily travails. God forbid, if the track expansion comes through, well have hell to pay, said Paccelli Pereira, who lives close to the railway tracks.

The track expansion project needs to be scrapped at the earliest. We wont part with our land to a few industrialists, who want to trample us in a bid to accumulate more wealth for them, he said.

Pereira said old houses, churches, and chapels would have to be demolished for the proposed track expansion.

Pereira lives along a stretch where South Western Railway and Konkan Railway tracks run parallel to each other.

Now, there is fear that the expanded South Western Railway track would spell a death knell to Cansaulim and adjoining villages.

In 2010, the Union Ministry of Railways had sanctioned the doubling of the existing Hospet-Tinaighat-Vasco railway line in neighbouring Karnataka and Goa.

The first phase between Hospet and Tinaighat involved easier terrain atop the largely flat Deccan plateau and has already been completed.

Its the second phase between Tinaighat and Vasco da Gama that involves crossing the steep slopes, raging rivers and the dense forests of the Western Ghats and the thickly populated parts of coastal Goa, which is in the eye of an infrastructure development vs. environment protection storm.

Commissioned in 1882 following the Anglo-Portuguese treaty in 1878, the 83-kilometre (km)-long railway line called the West of India Portuguese Guaranteed Railway was built by British engineers in 1888 to connect Goas Mormugao Port with the countrys hinterland in a bid to make the Arabian Sea port more profitable and, in turn, make Goa a trade hub.

The railway project is one of three projects that will slice through the ecologically-fragile Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve in Karnataka and the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary, Goas oldest protected area since 1967.

Earlier, the project was approved during the 57th meeting of the standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) under the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) on April 20.

The meeting was held via video-conference amid the nationwide lockdown restrictions, which were enforced from March 25 to contain the spread of the Covid-19 outbreak.

The railway line is the biggest of the three projects, which include the expansion of National Highway (NH) 4-A and new power transmission line, and is likely to lead to loss of an estimated 113.857 hectares (ha) of forest cover from the protected area in the sanctuary and felling of 18,451 trees.

The second project -- the four-laning of the existing two-lane highway (NH-4A) -- that was constructed by the Portuguese colonial government between Panaji in Goa and Belgavi in Karnataka will cost another 31.015 ha of forest cover and the felling of 12,097 trees.

A 400 kilo-volt (KV) power transmission line, whose 3.5 km will pass through the protected forest, is the third project that is likely to cause an adverse ecological impact in the region. It seeks to augment the power supply between Goa and Karnataka.

These ministerial clearances have been challenged before the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) on grounds that the approval was given in haste and not enough thought was given to protect the regions rich biodiversity.

Though the railway authorities have submitted an undertaking and have made provisions for eight underpasses for the crossing of wild animals in consultation with the state forest department, these concessions have failed to impress the environmentalists.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who heads the Goa State Wildlife Board (SBWL) that recommended the projects last December, said they were only granted a NOC (no objection certificate) by the Board looking at the development of the state.

It is a project by the earlier government. All measures like underpasses (for wildlife), wherever required have been taken, Sawant said.

A clearance from the SBWL is one of the many permissions that a project within wildlife sanctuaries requires.

The projects have been opposed by environmentalists and civil society groups, as the approvals are being seen to largely facilitate the transport of imported coal for steel plants in North Karnataka for which Goa is the closest port.

Three separate representations have been sent to the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar, urging him to reconsider the clearances because of the environmental concerns and also the move could damage Goas immense hinterland tourism potential.

At present, the steel plants in north Karnataka are handling 12 million tonnes per annum, but plans are afoot to ramp it up to 50 million tonnes. Imagine what will happen to Goa, if these steel plant owners are allowed to go ahead. But, we will oppose the move tooth and nail, said Antonio DSilva, a local protester.

They are using the lockdown to approve these projects that have no benefit for the public. Only big corporate entities stand to gain, he added.

Thousands of Goans would join the movement, if these projects are allowed to go ahead, the protesters warned.
Avon police remove disciplinary reports from personnel files after a few years. Easton police cant use anonymous complaints to punish an officer.

Bridgeports police chief is unable to suspend an officer without pay unless the employee is charged with a felony.

Those are a few examples of provisions tucked within police union contracts that the ACLU of Connecticut says shields officers from accountability when they harm people, violate civil rights or commit misdeeds.

Contract provisions that allow police to avoid meaningful discipline, transparency and accountability have got to go, said Dan Barrett, legal director for the ACLU.

An analysis by the group of local and state police contracts found that some union pacts establish when misconduct investigations must be shut down and limit a police chiefs ability to dole out discipline.

Union officials took issue with the ACLU report, saying it paints an inaccurate picture.

I think its sad to see the Connecticut ACLU joining the ranks of corporations and billionaires that are trying to knee-cap the unions, said Larry Dorman, a spokesman for AFSCME Council 4, which represents over 2,000 Connecticut police officers, including those in Bridgeport, Norwalk, Wilton and Westport.

Blaming police unions for systematic racism and inequality is unfair and places an unfair burden on officers, Dorman said. They deserve better than to be painted with a broad brush.

The report comes on the heels of demonstrations in Connecticut and across the county following the deaths of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Rayshard Brooks in Atlanta while being arrested. It also comes at a time when cities across the nation, including Hartford, are talking about disbanding, dismantling or defunding their police department.

At least five people in Connecticut have died this year while in the hands of police, the ACLU said.

State Rep. Steven Stafstrom, D-Bridgeport and co-chairman of the judiciary committee, said union contracts are on the mind of lawmakers as they prepare for a special session over police reforms, an effort that will likely extend into next year.

The issue of how union contracts are used is not a new topic to us, Stafstrom said. This report flushed out some of the specifics. We are aware of this issue and the concerns.

Overplaying your hand

Entitled Bargained Away, the ACLU report offers examples of how police contracts are rife with ways to protect officers from discipline.

The report notes there are clauses that require investigators to turn over evidence to accused officers, establish rules for questioning, allow suspended officers to trade vacation days for pay, disregard past misconduct when considering promotions and require closed door hearings over allegations.

A review of every police union contract in Connecticut reveals that many include language that shields police misconduct and weakens accountability and oversight, the ACLU said.

In Seymour, action on a complaint against an officer has to be taken within three months or it goes away, while the North Haven contract gives just 30 days, the report states.

Changes to contracts alone will not end police harm, but they are a critical tool for dismantling the current system of policing, Barrett said.

The ACLU noted the Avon police contract requires supervisors to remove from personnel files reprimands that are more than two years old, and disciplinary actions that are five years old, if the officer does not receive additional disciplinary action.

The Windsor police contract specifies that verbal reprimands be removed after six months, written reprimands after two years and suspensions of 10 days or less after three years.

Hartford agreed to allow certain police employee disciplinary records to play no role in future discipline, and, by extension, future promotions and assignments, the ACLU said.

Even unsustained complaints should be documented and analyzed, as part of an early-warning process that can identify problem employees, the ACLU said.

In Easton and Middlebury, anonymous complaints can be accepted but they cannot result in discipline. At least 19 police contracts prohibit or limit anonymous complaints, the ACLU said.

Mike Lawlor, a criminal justice professor at the University of New Haven and a former state undersecretary for criminal justice, said he is not surprised at what the ACLU found.

Over the past decade or so, the unions have focused on getting those kind of protections written into contracts and it limits the ability to hold police accountable, Lawlor said.

Troy Raccuia, director of collective bargaining for AFSCME Council 4, said the provisions cited by the ACLU are not unusual.

They cite that police have protections that other unions dont have, Raccuia said. The discipline and grievance procedures are very similar; they all have a just cause standard, they all have a procedure. There is no special protection.

Phantom discipline

The ACLU highlighted the case of former Bridgeport officer Steven Figueroa as an example of how union contracts protect officers.

Despite being charged with numerous misdemeanors related to domestic abuse violence, Figueroa remained on Bridgeports payroll  sparking demands to fire him and outrage in the community.

The reason: Bridgeports police contract prohibits suspensions without pay unless the officer is charged with a felony.

After Figueroas charges reached the felony level, he was suspended without pay. The city last year fired him following an investigation of six domestic violence related charges.

Whats the point in having any kind of policies and procedures if you can draw a salary for poor behavior? said Takina Shafer, a member of the Bridgeport Generation Now Action Council, referring to the citys police contract.

The ACLU noted Hartford officers can only be suspended without pay if they are arrested for a felony, a sexual offense or larceny, or if they assault another officer.

Hartfords contract offers the option of continuing to work and get paid during suspension by giving up an equivalent number of vacation days, the ACLU noted.

Ricardo Torres, a former member of Hartfords Civilian Police Review Board, called the provisions phantom discipline and pointed out that some officers disciplined for misconduct were later promoted.

Its not punishment because they know that nothing is real, Torres said.

Raccuia said police contracts outline the process for termination and suspension following arrests.

Other municipal contracts dont contain that, Raccuia said.

And removing old information from personnel files is also not unusual, Raccuia said.

If you look at police and other public sector employees, those provisions are in their contracts, Raccuia said. There are retention policies that have to be followed and we deal the state Board of Mediation. For public employees, discipline is overturned at times.

The state Board of Mediation and Arbitration resolves conflicts between municipalities and their union employees, ranging from sick days to termination.

A Hearst Connecticut Media review last year found that seven police officers fired by Connecticut municipalities  including one in Danbury and one in East Haven  over the last two years were reinstated by the mediation board, primarily because the police departments violated their union contracts.

Stamford Police Chief Tim Shaw said his departments contract offers sufficient checks and balances for both sides.

We have our internal affairs division and I dont think [the union contract] restricts that, Shaw said. An officer does need to get a letter if being investigated. Our division takes every complaint and goes with it.

Shaw said Stamford investigates anonymous complaints and those can lead to discipline.

The union just protects the officers and makes sure all the boxes are checked off, Shaw said. It doesnt hinder us or slow us down.

Finding fixes

Stafstrom pointed out that many of the provisions cited by the ACLU are the result of local decisions. He hoped municipalities will become more aware of what they allow in labor pacts.

Its not uncommon when a municipality negotiates a contract that they are looking at bottom line, budgetary figures, Stafstrom said.

Some of these underling provisions may not be what they are most focused on, Stafstrom noted. A lot of this falls back on the municipalities and hopefully is raising their awareness to consider these provisions carefully.

Raccuia denied trading pay raises for protections.

I never negotiated a protection for monetary gains, Raccuia said. Our big things are pay, pension and health care. Thats a ridiculous statement as far as Im concerned.

Lawlor said he expects lawmakers are going to enact specific police reforms, including steps to rein in future police union contracts.

My sense is this is an example of what you might call overplaying your hand, Lawlor said, referring to the police unions.

The reaction is going to be extreme, Lawlor said. Whatever change is going to take place will be substantial and wont be tinkering.

Dorman said unions are closely watching the reform process.

We want to have a voice and make sure legislators hear our concerns, Dorman said. No union contract, whether police or for anyone else, should be viewed as a shield for misconduct or criminal behavior.

The ACLU said it is time for lawmakers to block the more onerous contract provisions from future contracts.

Municipal and state-level policymakers have a responsibility to stop bargaining away the peoples rights to hold police accountable, stop agreeing to contracts that increase police funding, and start seeking changes to stop police violence, the ACLU said.

bcummings@ctpost.com
Prime Minister Scott Morrison says only 4,000 Australians will be allowed in each week and they must pay for quarantine.

Australia will halve the number of citizens allowed to return home from overseas each week, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday, as authorities struggle to contain a COVID-19 outbreak in the countrys second-biggest city.

Australia has allowed only citizens and permanent residents to enter the country for nearly four months, requiring them to complete a 14-day quarantine in hotels paid for by state governments.

Morrison said that from Monday only 4,000 people would be allowed to return each week and they would also have to pay for their quarantine.

The decision that we took  was to ensure that we could put our focus on the resources needed to do the testing and tracing and not have to have resources diverted to other tasks, Morrison told reporters in Canberra after a meeting of the national cabinet.

The restrictions follow the imposition of a new lockdown in Melbourne  the capital city of the state of Victoria  after a surge in coronavirus cases linked to social distancing breaches in quarantine hotels.





Some five million residents will have to stay at home over the next six weeks except for essential activities, and other states have closed their borders with Victoria.

On Friday, state premier Daniel Andrews said 288 cases had been confirmed in the previous 24 hours, the highest since the start of the pandemic. There was also a surge in testing with 37,588 tests performed.

Andrews described the new cases as concerning and the state was facing a significant challenge to address the outbreak. As a result, he said the state would no longer be accepting any international arrivals for the foreseeable future.

Traumatic time

The authorities sealed off some 3,000 people living in nine public-housing towers in Melbourne at the beginning of the latest outbreak, but after a testing blitz has now relaxed the lockdown in all but one of the towers leaving residents under the same restrictions as elsewhere in the city.

Testing showed 158 residents had the virus. About one-third of those were in one tower, where everyone is being forced to self-isolate for nine more days.

"It was always going to get worse before it got better."  Daniel Andrews says he understands there'll be "concern" about today's figure. 37,588 tests were conducted in the past 24 hours. https://t.co/v4e0vjafcE  3AW Melbourne (@3AW693) July 10, 2020

To ease the pain of a further lockdown for businesses and the economy, the Victorian government said it would provide a further 534 million Australian dollars ($371m), on top of 6 billion Australian dollars ($4bn) already provided.

This is us saying: Were here with you all the way through what will be a very traumatic, a very distressing and a very difficult time for all Victorians,' state Treasurer Tim Pallas said in a televised media conference.

Even with the latest outbreak, Australia has done relatively well in controlling the novel coronavirus so far, with about 9,000 cases and 106 deaths.
Pedestrians wearing masks cross Main Street along 4th Street this week in downtown Santa Ana. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

The number of patients hospitalized with confirmed coronavirus infections reached new heights Thursday in Orange County  jumping 97% over the past three weeks  an indicator that health experts say makes it clear the virus is spreading more rapidly in the region.

County health officials on Thursday reported that 691 patients were being hospitalized with confirmed coronavirus infections. Seven days earlier, 556 people were hospitalized. A week prior there were 437 people in hospitals, and a week before that there were 351.

The spike has prompted hospitals countywide to begin to prepare for a surge of sick patients, said Orange County Health Care Agency Director Dr. Clayton Chau.

"These trends are very concerning and we can expect the impact on our healthcare system to get worse in the coming days and weeks," Chau said. "If the surge goes up to or beyond their capacity to mobilize resources, that will cause a real strain. A strain on the hospital systems means a strain on the ability to care for all patients, both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 folks."

As of Wednesday, hospitals reported that 27 patients were from out of the county, including 18 patients from Imperial County whose hospital system has been overwhelmed amid the pandemic.

The increase in hospitalizations comes as the number of new infections continues to rise in Orange County. On Thursday, health officials reported 1,292 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of infections to 21,517. Officials also reported 26 fatalities, pushing the county's death toll past 400.

While those numbers help paint an overall picture of the virus' toll on the region, Dr. Shruti Gohil, associate medical director of epidemiology and infection prevention at UC Irvine, has kept her eye trained specifically on hospitalization numbers, which experts say is a better indicator of severe cases in the community.

"If you look at the number of people who are requiring hospitalization, it gives you a better sense of the tip of the iceberg," Gohil said. "There's a larger portion of the population under that tip that indicates widespread community transmission."

Story continues

The number of people in intensive care units has also continued to climb steadily countywide, though not as quickly as overall hospitalizations. As of Thursday, 234 patients were being treated in intensive care units. Three weeks earlier there were 149 patients, according to county data.

This is probably the result of an increase in infections among younger people who are less likely to end up severely ill and a sign that doctors have become better equipped to identify COVID-19 patients earlier and start caring for them more promptly, officials say.

Gohil noted that Orange County's increasing hospitalization numbers correlates directly with the loosening of stay-at-home restrictions that allowed indoor dining at restaurants to resume and bars to reopen last month.

"If you look carefully, it's right within that incubation period," Gohil said. "In my mind, the restaurants and bars reopening really sent this psychological message that things were OK. People started going out more and it provided a more level playing field for this virus to infect people."

Last week, the county was forced to close bars, indoor dining at restaurants and a swath of other business sectors amid the uptick in infections and hospitalizations. The new rules, which were mandated by the state, will remain in place for at least two more weeks, officials have said.

The surge in new cases and the recent rollback of business reopenings has prompted Supervisor Michelle Steel to repeatedly appeal to residents to wear a face covering when in public. Steel, along with other members of the county's Board of Supervisors, had previously questioned the necessity of the county's mask requirement.

The debate became so vitriolic that Orange Countys public health officer resigned in early June after weeks of verbal attacks from the public, including a death threat, over the mandatory mask rules. Chau, her replacement, rescinded the rules amid intense pressure from the Board of Supervisors, instead strongly recommending that residents wear face coverings when in public.

"Stopping the spread of the virus will require following hygiene and social distancing guidance," Steel said Thursday. "The pandemic has impacted our daily lives in ways we couldn't have imagined a few months ago. The responsibility to protect public health is on each of us, so our friends and neighbors can responsibly go to work. We all need to do our part during these uncertain times."

County Chief Executive Frank Kim defended the county's messaging about masks, saying officials have always encouraged the use of face coverings and that the "county has been very consistent" in that regard.

Other counties in Southern California are also seeing a sharp uptick in hospitalizations.

In Los Angeles County, the number of patients with confirmed coronavirus infections jumped from 1,429 to 2,037 in the last three weeks, marking an increase of about 42%.

"Our three-day average of people being hospitalized is now over 1,900 patients," Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Wednesday. "This is more people hospitalized each day for COVID-19 than really at any other point in the pandemic."

Riverside County's hospitalization numbers grew from 285 three weeks ago to 506 this week  an increase of about 77%. San Bernardino County saw an even sharper increase  roughly 119%  over the same time period.

In the past two weeks, the state overall has seen a 44% increase in the number of COVID-19 patients who need hospital care.

In response, hospitals are making adjustments to their operation plans by building up an inventory of personal protective equipment, testing supplies and cross-training staff members in preparation to care for more COVID positive patients, said Carmela Coyle, president of the California Hospital Assn.

"We're going to surge differently this time," she said Wednesday. "We've learned a lot in the past four months. We know that we have different tools available to care for COVID-positive patients. We've got therapeutics like remdesivir and others that are actually shortening the stay of those patients. We are putting fewer of those patients on ventilators."

Despite the increased hospitalization numbers, officials have not suggested that hospitals put off elective procedures as they did at the onset of the pandemic.

"The surge is about finding a balance between caring for COVID-positive patients and continuing to care for everyone in the state of California," Coyle said.
Yves here. I suppose I should not be surprised to see that Biden is such a heartless pol that he could stare down someone who was dying and has had to spend too much of his precious remaining time fighting with insurance companies to defend private health insurance. And the bought and paid for loyalty of people like Biden means that if we ever get an expansion of public healthcare, every effort will be made to crapify it so as to make private coverage look not so terrible by comparison.

By Jon Queally, staff writer at Common Dreams. Originally published at Common Dreams

Medicare for All advocate Ady Barkan along with his wife, Rachael, and his two young children Carl and Willow, as they speak via conference with presumptive Democratic Party presidential nominee Joe Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden. (Photo: Screengrab/BeAHeroFund/NotThisNews)

After studiously avoiding a face-to-face interview during the Democratic presidential primary, presumptive nominee Joe Biden finally agreed to answer questions from Medicare for All advocate Ady Barkan, a progressive activist who suffers from the terminal and degenerative disease known as ALS.

In a video of their exchange posted online Wednesday, the former vice president defends his commitment to the nations private insurance industry and says that while he fully gets why so many people are fed up with for-profit insurance companies and the employer-based coverageand even amid a raging pandemic that many argue has further exposed the systems cruelty and inefficiencieshe still remains steadfastly opposed to Medicare for All as a viable alternative.

Its no secret that I support Medicare for All, says Barkan about mid-way through their exchange to which Biden interjects: I dont.

During the primary, Barkan was able to interview most of the top Democratic contendersincluding Medicare for All champion Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who Barkan later endorsedbut Biden refused to accept repeated invitations.

Finally given a chance to challenge the former vice president with pointed questions on the subject of healthcare, Barkan asks Biden: Do you see a future where health insurance is no longer tied to employment? Will America ever have a single payer system where health care is guaranteed as a human right?

Health care guaranteed as a human right, Biden responds, but taking away the right to have a private plan if you want a private plan, I disagree with.

Surprise! Joe Biden and I disagree about #MedicareForAll. But I know that we will win our struggle to guarantee health care as a human right someday very soon. pic.twitter.com/QJxC1FlqgU  Ady Barkan (@AdyBarkan) July 8, 2020



Healthy California Now, which advocates for both Medicare for All and a state-based single-payer solution, lamented that Bidenrunning for president during a global pandemic and economic collapsehad the ability to look Barkan in the eye and tell him flippantly he opposes Medicare for All, the only compassionate and efficient solution to the national crisis.

While Biden repeats that he believes healthcare is a right, not a privilege several times, Barkan presses him on specific features of the private insurance industry and the frustrations of navigating it as a terminally-ill person in the United States.

Vice President, I hope you understand this issue is personal for me, Barkan says. This isnt abstract or theoretical. When I say Im Medicare for All advocate, I hope you understand its because Ive spent hours on hold with insurance companies when they wont cover the cost of my care. Its because Ive had to sue insurance companies when they tell me I need to pay thousands of dollars out of my own pocket for the cost of full-time care. And I have a great private insurance plan.

I understand what you are saying about keeping private plans, Barkan continues, but I guess my question is, what does preserving private insurance really do for people?

It depends on the plan, Biden responds. Look, you know what my bills were for my hospitalization? They were $280,000. I get it, man. Im not new to this. Im not where you are, but I get it. I fully get it.

Progressives and human rights advocates, however, continue to ask if Biden really does get it.

The fact that Joe Biden isn't out in front embracing Medicare for All while a lethal pandemic is reaching new record highs every day and claiming thousands of lives every week is both very puzzling and extremely disappointing  Carl Gibson (@crgibs) July 7, 2020

If you truly believed health care is a right & not a privilege, @JoeBiden, you would support guaranteeing coverage to everyone regardless of their ability to pay. No premiums. No deductibles. No co-pays. Will you start supporting Medicare for All? Or are your words empty?  Ben Spielberg (@BenSpielberg) July 8, 2020

Instead of Medicare for All, Biden has pushed for expanding the Affordable Care Act (ACA), passed under the Obama administration, by adding a public option, further subsidizing Gold Plans on the private market, and adding home care costs to benefits that could be covered.

Experts and economists have long argued that simply adding a public option or other tweaks to the private system will never achieve the kind of efficiencies, universal coverage, and cost-savings that a Medicare for All system would achieve.

Watch the full interview below:

Barkan said in a tweet that while he and Biden have meaningfully different perspectives on the world, he was glad to hear the Democratic nominee out and also issued an official endorsement for his candidacy. During the interview, Barkan told Biden he was fully committed to seeing President Donald Trump defeated in November.

Despite Bidens refusal to embrace Medicare for All, said Barkan, I left the conversation knowing that putting him in the White House is a critical step in our struggles for justice.
Authorities in Hanoi are pushing for the resumption of plans to develop several locations along the Hong (Red) River, including the building of a dike road system and developing ecological urban projects.

Addressing a working session with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on Wednesday, Hanois Party chief Vuong Dinh Hue asked for the ministrys collaboration on drawing up the plans before submitting them to the prime minister for approval.

According to Hue, Hanoi has wasted resources along the Red Rivers banks for years due to a lack of planning, resulting in an absence of investor enthusiasm for the projects.

Vast areas along the riverbank in Dan Phuong and Hoai Duc [Districts] have been left unused, all waiting for planning, said Hue.

In response to Hue, Hanoi chairman Nguyen Duc Chung said that the citys authorities had collaborated with the Institute of Water Resources Planning in 2018 on developing a flood diversion system along the Red River and reached a consensus on building a dike road system in the area.

The dike road was planned to run from Long Bien Bridge to Vinh Tuy Bridge and include overpasses at narrow and high sections, Chung said.

Local authorities had hoped the plan, once approved, would help to move forward a series of ecological urban projects that would have created jobs for about 900,000 residents along the river.

The flood diversion project, however, was withdrawn from the agenda of the municipal Peoples Council meeting at the end of 2018.

Tran Quang Hoai, general director of the rural development ministrys General Department of Disaster Prevention and Control, stated that the ministry wants to make improvements to rural areas along the Red River, but in order to do so a flood prevention plan that is compatible to the citys development planning must be created and assessed.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong elaborated on Hoais statement, saying that the ministry will ask a team of experts to collaborate with Hanoi regarding this issue.

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It's a measure of how tumultuous 2017 has been that Texans are not completely preoccupied with President Donald Trump. This year, the state has endured a mass shooting, a bathroom-bill debate, wildfires and historic floods. Recovery from Hurricane Harvey, in particular, will take years. And with the fifth round of North American Free Trade Agreement talks off to an inauspicious start in Mexico City, there's no need to belabor this point: Uncertainty abounds. While the United States is focused on many other issues as well, it's worth paying attention to what's happening in Texas, because the events that have sent the state reeling may have momentous consequences for everyone. Here are several misconceptions worth extinguishing.

- - -

Myth No. 1: Texans love guns

In 2014, Texas led the nation in background-check requests to purchase firearms, with more than 1 million requests filed. "It goes with our history of Texas being a state where people love their guns," Nicole Strong, a spokeswoman for the Houston office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said at the time. Anyone who follows the state's politics can confirm this reputation: Republicans have been in power here for a generation, and they have never been accused of pandering to the gun-control crowd. Gov. Greg Abbott, who was elected in 2014, campaigned on expanding gun rights and pursued open-carry and campus-carry laws the following year. His predecessor, Rick Perry, once shot a coyote while out for a jog.

But Texans, collectively, have the same views on guns as other Americans do: Most think the government has a rightful role in restricting access to them under certain circumstances. According to a June survey from the Pew Research Center, 52 percentof Americans believe that gun laws should be more strict; an October survey from the University of Texas/Texas Tribune found that 52 percentof Texans do, too. And although data on gun ownership is notoriously imprecise, there's no evidence that Texans are armed at a wildly disproportionate rate. In 2012, the General Social Survey reported that 34 percentof Americans have a gun in their home. In Texas, the figure is about 36 percent,according to a 2015study.

- - -

Myth No. 2: Texas is part of the Bible Belt

As Princeton's Robert Wuthnow put it in a 2014book about the state's historical religious landscape, Texas is "America's most powerful Bible-Belt state." A recent history of Texas prohibitionists was called "Making the Bible Belt." Some 31 percent of Texans are evangelical Protestants (across a range of denominations), according to the Pew Research Center, compared with25 percent of Americans as a whole. Evangelicals' strength here explains the suspicions raised by a 2015 joke from a state Supreme Court justice, who tweeted, amid a national debate over same-sex marriage, that "I could support recognizing a constitutional right to marry bacon."

Yes, large-scale migration from the United States to the territory in the early 1800s coincided with the Second Great Awakening, so Baptists and Methodists have always played an outsize role in civic life, as Wuthnow's book explains. (Texas is home to one of Trump's favorite evangelicals, Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Dallas; the church's musical tribute to Trump, "Make America Great Again," will alarm you - and get stuck in your head.)

But Texas is not the beating heart of evangelical America. The largest single religious group here is Catholics; 23 percent of Texans identify as such - and since more than 70 percentof Texas Catholics are Latino, that share will continue to rise as this group grows. Beyond that, the state's faith communities are as heterogeneous as the population itself. Joe Straus, the speaker of the House, is Jewish. Some 422,000 Texans are Muslim, the largest population in any state, according to the 2010 U.S. Religious Census.

- - -

Myth No. 3: Texas needs to crack down on illegal immigration

Trump began his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination by assailing Mexican immigrants. His signature policy proposal is a border wall, and he insists that a porous border enables illegal immigrants to wreak havoc on the United States, and Texas in particular. His supporters have, needless to say, been happy to vouch for such claims. "Fifty percent of murders in Texas have been linked to illegal aliens," Vice Media co-founder Gavin McInnessaid in 2015, a statement debunked by PolitiFact.

It's all ridiculous, and Texas Republicans knew it - until quite recently. Republican governors such as Perry and George W. Bush were comparatively temperate on the issues of illegal immigration and border security. Their successors, Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, have been more hawkish; this year's legislative session produced a draconian crackdown on "sanctuary city" policies that protect undocumented immigrants, a group that is roughly 1.65 million strong in Texas, according to the Pew Research Center.

Unauthorized immigration to Texas is primarily a labor force phenomenon. The "criminals" and "rapists" Trump warns about are, for the most part, workers from a culturally familiar country, living in a state with a skeletal safety net and ongoing economic growth. That's not really a problem from a public safety perspective. In fact, Texas's biggest problem with unauthorized immigration is that it has plateaued: In the wake of Harvey, Houston is facing a labor shortfall as it tries to rebuild, since many of the construction jobs have historically been filled by workers from neighboring Mexico.

- - -

Myth No. 4: Shiftin demographics are turning Texas blue

"Texas has emerged as a prime target for partisan realignment," Thomas B. Edsall wrote in 2013. This is a plausible myth, given the state's rapidly changing demographics - the state demographer's office projects that Latinos, a traditionally Democratic constituency, will outnumber Anglos by 2020 and will be a majority of the population by 2042. And George Will warned last year that Republican vote totals are shrinking. "With its size and diversity, our state should be a place where all elections - from local elections all the way up to the President of United States - are hotly contested,"Battleground Texas says on its website.

But this hoped-for transition is nowhere close to reality. Putting too much faith in this trend enticed the state's Democrats, and their national cheerleaders, to doom in 2014. Battleground Texas, established in 2013, helped contest the 2014 midterms so hotly that Democratic candidates for statewide office, led by gubernatorial hopeful Wendy Davis, lost by at least 20 points. It's true that Texas is a "majority-minority" state, a young state and an urbanized state. But all those things were true 10 years ago, too, and Democrats have not won statewide since 1994.

- - -

Myth No. 5: Texas depends on oil

In December 2014 Michael Feroli, the chief U.S. economist for JPMorgan Chase, issued a warning: "We think Texas will, at least, have a rough 2015 ahead, and is at risk of slipping into a regional recession." His premise, that low oil prices would drag down the entire state, was widely shared. Paul Krugman argued in 2011 that the Great Recession was slow to hit Texas "mainly because the state's still energy-heavy economy was buoyed by high oil prices through the first half of 2008." And it's true that the Texas economy has done surprisingly well this year in part because the energy industry is rebounding.

But Texas no longer rises and falls on the strength of oil, as it did in the 1980s. The economy has diversified (into manufacturing, services, trade, tech), and it now depends on the globalized economic order that Trump campaigned against. In 2015, Michael Plante, an economist with the Dallas Fed, offered the following not-particularly-terrifying assessment of how the collapse in oil prices over the previous six months would affect the state: "The effects by themselves are not expected to halt job creation in Texas in 2015, but will, nonetheless, be felt in areas heavily dependent on oil production and employment related to the sector." In 2017, we can say that he, rather than Feroli, was right.

- - -

Grieder is a metro columnist at the Houston Chronicle, is the author of "Big, Hot, Cheap and Right: What America Can Learn From the Strange Genius of Texas."

Five myths is a weekly feature challenging everything you think you know. You can check out previous myths, read more from Outlook or follow our updates on Facebook and Twitter.
She regularly spends her summers travelling around Europe.

And as travel restrictions beging to ease, Victoria's Secret model Lily Donaldson was back to her summer fun on Friday.

The Victoria's Secret model, 33, joined a group of friends for an al fresco lunch in Portofino, before setting sail back to her pal's luxury yacht.

This is the life! She regularly spends her summers travelling. And as travel restrictions beging to ease, Victoria's Secret model Lily Donaldson was back to her summer fun on Friday

Lily dressed for the Italian Riveria heat in all-white, perfecting a summer chic ensemble.

The fashion fan and British beauty teamed a crisp short-sleeved top with loose trousers for her fun day in the sun.

She accessorised with flat sandals, perfect for negotiating the pebbled streets of Portofino and for hopping on and off the boat.

Summer chic: The Victoria's Secret model, 33, joined a group of friends for an al fresco lunch in Portofino, before setting sail back to her pal's luxury yacht

Tucking in: Lily kept cool in the sunshine with an elegant, wide-brimmed sun hat

Lily slung a large raffeta bag over her shoulder and kept cool in the sunshine with an elegant, wide-brimmed sun hat.

A precautionary mask was the final touch. Italian authorities have made the use of face masks mandatory on public transport and in stores while stating they should be worn on the street in cases when it is hard to maintain a safedistance from others

Lily enjoyed a lunch outside with a group of friends before heading back to a waiting boat to take her back to her yacht.

Always elegant: One of the model's companions was her long-time friend, shipping magnate and billionaire Alshair Fiyaz (left)

Boat life: She accessorised with flat sandals, perfect for negotiating the pebbled streets of Portofino and hopping on and off the boat

Setting sail: Lily enjoyed a lunch outside with a group of friends before heading back to a waiting boat to take her back to her yacht

One of the model's companions was her long-time friend, shipping magnate and philanthropist Alshair Fiyaz.

Lily has been a regular guest on Fiyaz's luxury yacht ECSTASEA over the years, along with her other model pals.

Fiyaz bought the vessel in 2014 from Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi for a total of 58 million
In an emotional interview, the family of Army Spc. Vanessa Guillen, the Fort Hood, Texas, soldier who was allegedly murdered by a fellow male soldier, said Friday that they are determined to make sure that other soldiers never face a similar fate.

"She was taken away from me in the most horrible way, yet they take it as if it was a joke. My sister is no joke. My sister is a human being," Vanessa's sister, Lupe, said during an interview on ABC13.com.

Read Next: US Military Searching for Missing Osan Airman in South Korea

Fort Hood leaders announced Monday that they had briefed the family Sunday that human remains found in Bell County had been identified as Guillen's through DNA analysis.

The 20-year-old 3rd Cavalry Regiment soldier who disappeared April 22 was allegedly murdered by Spc. Aaron Robinson, according to a July 2 criminal complaint filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas.

Police attempted to apprehend Robinson on June 30, but he produced a firearm and took his own life, Army investigators have said.

"Speak about it because we cannot let this happen again; we cannot just say, 'Oh, the man killed himself,'" Lupe said. "My sister was taken away. It could have been your sister, your friend."

Federal authorities filed a criminal complaint charging 22-year-old Cecily Aguilar, a civilian and the estranged wife of a former Fort Hood soldier, with conspiracy to tamper with evidence in Guillen's disappearance, according to the complaint.

Robinson told Aguilar that he killed Guillen "by striking her in the head with a hammer" while on base April 22 and smuggled her body to a remote site in Bell County, according to the complaint. Aguilar allegedly then helped Robinson mutilate and dispose of Guillen's body.

Speaking in Spanish, Vanessa's mother, Gloria, told ABC13 that Fort Hood officials were "clowns in a circus" who had lied to her.

Military.com contacted Fort Hood for comment on the interview but did not receive an immediate response.

ABC13 reported that Gloria wants Congress to investigate the post's handling of the case.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, and Rep. Jackie Speier, D-California, recently signed a letter calling on Pentagon Acting Inspector General Sean O'Donnell to conduct "a full investigation of the circumstances surrounding SPC Guillen's disappearance."

Fort Hood officials have said that they are open to independent review. Maj. Gen. Scott Efflandt, deputy commander of III Corps and Fort Hood, in late June requested that Army Forces Command send a seven-member inspector general team to the post to determine whether its Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Program, or SHARP, was working effectively and properly offering support to soldiers.

This is not enough for Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, who recently requested that the Government Accountability Office conduct an immediate review of the Army's implementation of SHARP.

"Unfortunately, recent high-profile incidents raise troubling questions about whether SHARP is achieving its objectives, let alone preventing sexual harassment and assault," Duckworth said in a news release.

"To best inform congressional oversight of the Army's SHARP program activities, the Senate and House Armed Services Committees, and individual Members of Congress, would benefit from GAO -- a congressional support agency that is independent of DoD -- conducting a comprehensive review into the SHARP program's effectiveness that includes surveys of soldiers addressing individual experiences with, and perceptions of, the SHARP program."

Vanessa's sister, Mayra, said the family is still in shock over her death.

"I still can't accept it, to be honest," she told ABC13. "It's been really ... like I am dreaming, and I just don't accept it. It's been really hard."

-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.

Related: Female Vets Call for Closure of Fort Hood Amid Reports of Vanessa Guillen's Murder
Einsteins Shoelaces: an exquisite opus about Hunter, a boy frustrated by his shoelaces, and how this incident allowed resounding teachings about Albert Einstein and his ingenious mind to encourage him to succeed. Einsteins Shoelaces is the creation of published author Jennifer Menon-Parker, a human sciences teacher and Life Science chairperson at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kansas.

Menon-Parker shares, Have you ever felt like everyone around you has their life completely figured out and you are the only one that doesnt? You are not alone. Many famous individuals have faced challenges that they have had to either work through or overcome to become the people that many of us admire and aspire to become today. Einsteins Shoelaces examines such a challenge that allegedly plagued one of the most brilliant scientific minds of our lifetime. As seen through the eyes of a small boy, this book focuses on how this incredible individual dealt with a challenge and kept it from defining his success.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Jennifer Menon-Parkers new book shows that even the most intelligent people, at one time, have met hurdles in life but never let them get to their senses and used them as stepping stones toward triumph in life.

Children will surely be enriched with exemplary values of patience and understanding in dealing with everyday problems and solving them like the geniuses they are meant to be.

View the synopsis of Einsteins Shoelaces on YouTube.

Consumers can purchase Einsteins Shoelaces at traditional brick-and-mortar bookstores or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about Einsteins Shoelaces, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
Brussels, 08 July 2020 (SPS)- EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said Tuesday the European Union does not recognize Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara territory.

The new statement by the chief of EU's foreign policy, which leaves no room for "sneaky" interpretation of the occupying force, came in a written response to a question from German MEP Guido Reil, on the labelling of products from Western Sahara.

EUs position of non-recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara comes a few hours only after the publication, by Moroccan media, of misleading information about EUs position on Western Sahara conflict, according to the statement reported by the media.

Borrell said "EUs position on Western Sahara is guided by UN Security Council resolutions and considers that Western Sahara is a non-self-governing territory, whose final status will be determined by the results of the ongoing UN-led process."

"The EU recalls its support to the UN secretary-general's efforts to achieve a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution, which will ensure self-determination to Western Sahara people through arrangements in line with the principles and objectives of the United Nations Charter."SPS

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The seafood, dairy and wine industries could be in the firing line after Australia angered China by offering sanctuary to Hong Kong residents, experts have told Daily Mail Australia.

Beijing has threatened 'further action' after Canberra cancelled its extradition treaty with Hong Kong and extended visas for its residents who fear they could be unfairly arrested under China's new national security law.

Experts fear there is a 'high likelihood' of more tariffs after China slapped an 80 per cent tax on Aussie barley and banned some beef imports following Canberra's call for an inquiry into the coronavirus outbreak.

The seafood, dairy and wine industries could be targeted by China. Pictured: A Tasmania dairy farm

Dr Pichamon Yeophantong, a senior lecturer in international relations at UNSW, said: 'It's hard to anticipate what Beijing's next move will be but there is a high likelihood of further tariffs, perhaps on seafood, dairy and wine.

'The other option would be coal which has been targeted before and would be an easier target than iron ore because there are more alternative suppliers.'

Dr Yeophantong warned China may continue telling students and tourists not to travel Down Under in an apparent attempt to damage the Australian economy.

Last month state media claimed Australia was 'racist' and warned citizens they could be victimised if they travelled here.

'China could also increase messaging to its citizens telling them not to come to Australia,' Dr Yeophantong said.

'Given what is happening with coronavirus spreading here at the moment, they may find a more willing audience.'

Australian fishermen unloading seafood in Sydney Fish Market wharf. Seafood is a huge export to China

Australian PM Scott Morrison said the country was under attack from a 'sophisticated state-based actor' targeting companies, hospitals, schools and government officials (pictured, Morrison meeting Chinese leader Xi Jinping)

However, Dr Yeophantong said there were good reasons why Beijing's response might be limited.

'Even though tariffs will hurt Australia, they also harm Chinese business interests so Beijing will have to take that into account,' she said.

'Also, China has to be careful because any moves could trigger a chain reaction in other countries and Beijing can't afford to jeopardise its global reputation.'

'Thirdly, the China-Australia free trade agreement means Beijing cannot go "completely crazy" because it is limited in how it can respond'.

Under the 2015 agreement, China cannot impose any tariffs except on wool, beef and milk powder under a special clause.

All the consequences further action brings should be shouldered by the Australian side Chinese Foreign Ministry

But Dr Yeophantong warned Beijing may be prepared to temporarily break the deal. 'If one side walks away there is not much the other can do about it,' she said.

'Trade disputes are settled by a lengthy and costly international legal process so countries sometimes resort to diplomatic pressure instead.'

Or, instead of tariffs, China could make imports more difficult with extra customs checks.

Dr Weihuan Zhou, also a senior lecturer at UNSW, said he believes China will retaliate because the government 'has a strong view that this is an intervention into domestic affairs and national sovereignty.'

He said agricultural products such as milk power were most likely to be targeted.

The 'Special Safeguard Mechanism' in the free-trade agreement allows China to slap tariffs on wool, beef and milk power once a threshold level of each is imported in a calendar year.

Chinese President Xi Jinping after inspecting the troops during a parade to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China at Tiananmen Square

'China has already done so on beef, leaving milk powder the only option,' Dr Zhou said.

'But there needs to be a factual finding that Australia's milk powder exports to China in 2020 has exceeded the trigger for this year before China can increase the tariff.'

Dr Yeophantong said that the threshold level after which milk powder imports can be taxed will likely be reached this year.

'In light of this, dairy might be the more viable target for Beijing to impose higher tariffs once the export threshold is met and the preferential tariffs assured under ChAFTA are withdrawn,' she said.

'But as previously mentioned, Beijing will still need to be cautious with how it wields its economic levers, especially considering how Chinese businesses also have an increasing stake in Australia's dairy and other key export sectors.'

Scott Morrison is granting five-year visas with a pathway to permanent residency for students and skilled migrants from Hong Kong after China imposed draconian new laws on the territory.

China's new national security law prohibits what Beijing views as secessionist, subversive or terrorist activities or as foreign intervention in Hong Kong.

Critics say it curtails freedom of speech and pro-democracy protesters have since been charged for holding flags, posters and pamphlets.

Police officers detain protesters during a rally against a new national security law on the 23rd anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on July 1

New visas for Hong Kong residents  Temporary graduate and skilled workers will be offered an additional five years of work rights in Australia on top of the time they've already been in Australia, with a pathway to permanent residency at the end of that period.  Students will be eligible for a five year graduate visa from the conclusion of their studies  Future Hong Kong applicants for temporary skilled visas will be provided with a five year visa, based on meeting the updated skills lists and Labour Market Testing requirements.  Existing arrangement will continue to apply for those applicants who study and work in regional areas to help address skills shortages in those areas, with pathways to permanent residency after 3 years. Also in train are new incentives and arrangements to attract Hong Kong-based businesses to relocate to Australia. The government will particularly target businesses that presently operate their regional headquarters out of Hong Kong who may be looking to relocate to a democratic country. Advertisement

In a strong warning last night, China's foreign minister said it sees Australia's move regarding Hong Kong as foreign interference in its internal affairs.

'We would reserve the right to take further action. All the consequences further action brings should be shouldered by the Australian side,' the ministry said.

'Any conspiracy to exert pressure on China will not succeed.'

The Chinese Embassy in Canberra added: 'The Australian side has been clanking that they oppose foreign interference.

'However, they have blatantly interfered in China's internal affairs by making irresponsible remarks on Hong Kong related issues. Its hypocrisy and double standard is exposed in full.

'We urge the Australian side to immediately stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs under any pretext or in any way.

'Otherwise it will lead to nothing but lifting a rock only to hit its own feet.'

Australia has launched six warships into the Indo-Pacific for training operations ahead of huge show of force in the region with the US Navy. Pictured: HMA Ships Stuart (foreground), Hobart and Canberra (background) depart Fleet Base East in Sydney

China is Australia's largest trading partner, buying about a third of all exports worth $135 billion a year.

Beijing and Canberra have been at loggerheads in recent weeks after Australia led global calls for an inquiry into the origins of Covid-19, which first surfaced in China late last year.

China retaliated by slapping an 80 per cent tariff on Australian barley, suspending beef imports and telling students and tourists not to travel Down Under in an apparent attempt to damage the Australian economy.

Last month Scott Morrison said cyber-attacks by a state-based actor have increased dramatically in recent weeks and targeted 'all levels of government' as well as 'critical infrastructure'.

Security chiefs say the hackers are using the so-called 'spear-phishing' method to steal sensitive login details by sending scam emails, and carrying out regular 'reconnaissance' to find weak points in Australia's defences.
South Africa: DPE notes SAAPA's endorsement of severance packages

The Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) says it has noted that the South African Airways Pilots Association (SAAPA) has endorsed the Voluntary Severance Packages (VSPs) which are being offered to individual employees of the South African Airways (SAA).

While the DPE appreciates the level of commitment and cooperation from the pilots, the DPE is concerned that pilots are seeking benefits, which are far more costly, more lucrative and financially rewarding for the pilots than any other class of employees at SAA.

For example, in the latest Voluntary Severance Packages (VSPs), the 600 SAA pilots make up 13% of SAA staff, and they consume 45% of the wage bill. The lowest of SAAs 170 senior pilots earns R3.6-million a year, excluding benefits and incentives. Of the R2.2 billion proposed budget for the VSPs, pilots will get more than R1 billion, DPE said in a statement.

DPE wishes to put on record that SAAPA has proposed the following:

 Retrenching 1 548 employees and retaining 3 099 employees, 2 000 for the start-up of the new airline, 435 on a temporary layoff scheme, and 664 on furlough (furloughed employees are retrenched but can be called in as required).

 Reducing the number of retrenched employees from 3 647 to 1 548, excluding the 664 on furlough. This means the total cost of SAAPAs proposal would be R1.986 billion against the budget of R2.2 billion that DPE had proposed to fund its proposal.

 Retained workers be kept on a part time basis of 75% and be paid accordingly.

 Further cut in salaries of the pilots (20%) and employees 10%.

 Improved VSP to incentivise senior pilots.

 Provide opportunities to the younger and in particular, formerly disadvantaged pilots to advance their careers.

The DPE does not believe that the SAAPA proposal is in the best interest of SAA, its employees, creditors and other stakeholders and has informed SAAPA that its proposal would exacerbate a prolonged economic recovery in a post COVID-19 era.

SAAPAs proposals seek to retain a much larger number of employees  in particular more pilots - in a new, restructured, viable and competitive airline that must emerge from a business rescue process for SAA.

These purport to be affordable now, when in fact they would cause the base costs of starting a new airline to be substantially higher, unaffordable and unsustainable, the department said.

According to DPE, SAAPA fails to recognise and accept is that the terms and conditions of employment of the pilots is still based on the premise that SAA is an internationally competitive and profitable company.

The DPE has welcomed the endorsement of the voluntary severance packages by the National Transport Movement, South African Transport and Allied Workers Union, Aviation Union of Southern Africa, Solidarity, National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa, South African Airways Cabin Crew Association and representatives of SAA non-unionised managers and ground staff, the department said.

The SAA Business Rescue Practitioners have scheduled a creditors meeting for Tuesday, July 14th to vote on the business rescue plan. A vote in favour of the plan by 75% of the voting interests would be required to carry the vote. A vote against the plan would result in the protracted and costly liquidation of the airline.

The DPE believes that the VSPs and a positive vote to finalise the business rescue process would be the most expeditious option for the national carrier to restructure its affairs, its business, debts and other liabilities, resulting in the emergence of a new viable, sustainable, competitive airline that aprovides integrated domestic, regional and international flight services.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-07-10. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
(Newser)  The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Friday she doesnt expect her brother to meet President Trump this year, saying theres no reason for the North to gift Trump high-profile meetings when its not being substantially rewarded in return. "But also, you never know, Kim Yo Jong said in a statement released through Pyongyangs official Korean Central News Agency, where she called for major concessions from Washington to keep alive the nuclear diplomacy. Thats because a surprise thing may still happen, depending upon the judgement and decision between the two top leaders," Kim Yo Jong said. She added that if there is a need for summit talks, it is a US need, while for North Korea, it is unpractical and does not serve us at all.

story continues below

Trump and Kim Jong Un have met three times since embarking on high-stakes nuclear diplomacy in 2018. But negotiations have faltered since their second summit in February 2019, when the Americans rejected North Korean demands for major sanctions relief in exchange for a partial surrender of its nuclear capability. Kim Yo Jong said that the diplomacy could be salvaged only by a reciprocal exchange of "irreversible simultaneous major steps," the AP reports. "We would like to make it clear that it does not necessarily mean the denuclearization is not possible. But what we mean is that it is not possible at this point of time," she said. Some analysts believe North Korea will avoid serious talks for now and seek to return to negotiations after the US election in November.

(Read more North Korea stories.)
Wanted gangster Vikas Dubey was killed in a controversial police encounter early on Friday morning, allegedly while trying to escape.

Vikas Dubey, who was arrested in Madhya Pradesh a day before after killing eight UP Police officers in Bikru village near Kanpur last week, was being transported to Kanpur in a Special Task Forces (STF) convoy consisting of three cars.

One of them, the Scorpio in which Dubey was present, allegedly overturned, injuring a policeman inside.

As per UP Police's statement, Dubey tried to stage an escape and managed to grasp a gun from an injured cop. As per some reports, Dubey fired shots at the police as well. He was gunned down by police while trying to escape.

The incident has raised several eyebrows, especially since it came in the wake of a midnight petition in the Supreme Court on Thursday seeking protection for Dubey. While opposition leaders including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Congress's Priyanka Gandhi Vadra raised questions against the suspicious killing, several users on social media platforms such as Twitter resorted to nothing better than memes and whataboutery.

As debates regarding Dubey's sudden encounter peaked, many on social media found no better way to express their disgust and distrust with UP Police than by sharing Rohit Shetty memes.

For those unfamiliar with Bollyverse, filmmaker Rohit Shetty is known for incorporating fantastic auto stunts in his films which include the Golmaal and Singham franchise. Shetty is often the subject of memes, thanks to these CGI scenes that are fake to the point of almost laughable.

But Shetty's filmmaking tropes aside, the fact that a frustrated populace has to resort to nonsensical memes instead of asking tough questions from the government and those in charge of law and order is itself an admission of the eroding paradigm of constructive debate and discussion in India. Once known for being argumentative to the point of being garrulous, Indians today have managed to reduce an ancient tradition of learned discourse to a few memes and trends on social media.

When Rohit Shetty heard fake encounter aur gaadi palat gayi#FakeEncounter pic.twitter.com/qYWXY5JONX  Wash Your Hands (@joshiiharshit) July 10, 2020

Rohit Shetty joined Up Police : confirmed source #FakeEncounter pic.twitter.com/iwadW7h3B9  Chandan Tamsoy (@Pro8cyborg) July 10, 2020

#FakeEncounter #VikasDubey *People to Rohit after watching his movies* Ese encounters nahi hote, kuch bhi dikhata hai ye movie me!! *Le Rohit Shetty now pic.twitter.com/0byHMiNSYX  Mihir (@who_mihir) July 10, 2020

Vikas Dubey's encounter is not the first such incident in Uttar Pradesh, a state that is plagued with persistently high numbers of encounter cases and custodial deaths. As per a Business Standard report in July 2019, as many as 76 criminals had been gunned down by UP Police since March 2017 after the Yogi Adityanath government came to power. UP Police has itself admitted to over "5,178 police engagements in the last more than 2 years" in a boastful tweet shared to respond to Mayawati's accusation that women were unsafe in UP.

The figures speak for themselves. Jungle Raj is a thing of the past. No longer now. 103 criminals killed and 1859 injured in 5178 police engagements in the last more than 2 years. 17745 criminals surrendered or cancelled their own bails to go to jail. Hardly state guests. https://t.co/3Tk8qFLtK3  UP POLICE (@Uppolice) December 6, 2019

In September 2017, a senior police officer in UP has claimed in a statement that the encounters were "the desires of the Government, expectations of the public and according to the constitutional and legal power accorded to the police".

Just like UP Police, many on social media also felt elated over the police encounter, resulting in Dubey's death. Not just UP Police, Indians have increasingly been showing a preference for flouting of proper police procedure when it comes to the arrest and punishment of criminals.

The celebratory mood on social media today is reminiscent of the jubilation and ecstasy many expressed last year when four men accused of raping a Hyderabad woman and burning her body were gunned down by cops during an encounter. Many celebrated the extrajudicial killing as a victory for the police.

Many of the same Indians can be seen sharing Rohit Shetty memes today instead of questioning the police, or how the killing took place despite a petition just the previous night raised by advocate Ghanshyam Upadhyay who claimed that the UP Police was likely to "concoct the same story of encounter" for Dubey in a similar fashion as it did when four of his associates were killed after the 2 July incident.

In 2012, the Supreme Court of India ruling which specifically states that "It is not the duty of the police officers to kill the accused merely because he is a dreaded criminal. Undoubtedly, the police have to arrest the accused and put them up for trial. This Court has repeatedly admonished trigger-happy police personnel, who liquidate criminals and project the incident as an encounter. Such killings must be deprecated. They are not recognized as legal by our criminal justice administration system. They amount to State-sponsored terrorism,".

But meme-making netizens care not two hoots about SC rulings or human rights norms and violations. They are happy making Rohit Shetty memes. After all, it's just another day on Twitter and just another custodial death in a long list of names who were killed in extra-judicial action in UP. Perhaps some gallantry awards will now be underway, maybe Shetty himself would be inspired to make a film out of it, memorializing some cop who played a great role in the capturing of the dreaded criminal.

READ: Vikas Dubey's Encounter Could Be Made Into a Bollywood Film Starring Manoj Bajpayee

The incident also begs to raise the question about the kind of films Bollywood is producing which glorify the so-called bravery of "rogue cops". Can such films be the ones to blame for the lack of collective consciousness shown by Indians when dealing with acts of violence? Or is it the lack of accountability shown by police forces in India?
China installs new modular container-based accommodations for its troops near LAC in eastern Ladakh

India hits out at China; rejects fresh allegations against it over eastern Ladakh standoff

Rahul Gandhi gives adjournment notice on giving unhindered access to pasture lands in Ladakh

No signs of talks on LAC, but Chinese psy ops in full swing

Ladakh row figures in Rajnath's telephonic talks with US Defence Secretary

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, July 10: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday held a telephonic conversation with his US counterpart Mark T Esper during which India's border row with China in eastern Ladakh and the overall security scenario in the region figured prominently, people familiar with the development said.

Singh and Esper also deliberated on ways to further boost bilateral defence and security cooperation, they said, adding the telephonic conversation took place at the request of the US side.

China's aggressive posturing along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh was discussed, and Singh apprised the US defence secretary about India's position on the row, they said.

"The two ministers have been in regular touch with each other. They have spoken several times on bilateral defence cooperation and issues of mutual interest. Today's conversation was in continuation of this exchange," said a source.

China allows WHO to trace coronavirus origin, rebukes US exit move from UN body

Covid-19 vaccine won't be possible before 2021, Parliament Panel told| Oneindia News

The Indian and Chinese armies were locked in a bitter standoff in multiple locations in eastern Ladakh for the last eight weeks. The tension escalated manifold after a violent clash in Galwan Valley in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed.

In the last five days, Chinese military has withdrawn troops from three friction points in line with a disengagement understanding with Indian Army.

Both sides have held several rounds of diplomatic and military talks in the last few weeks to ease tension in the region.
PARIS - Chanting Impunity is Over! or dancing against sexual violence, womens rights activists protested Friday in multiple cities in France and abroad against President Emmanuel Macrons appointment of a new interior minister who is accused of rape and a justice minister who has minimized the #MeToo movement.

The actions started Friday morning in Dijon, where new Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin and Prime Minister Jean Castex were meeting with police. A dozen feminists held out banners and signs condemning Darmanin and rape culture.

Later Friday, in front of Paris City Hall, women staged a flash mob and performed the song and dance  A Rapist in Your Path  started by feminists in Chile, which has become an international rallying cry against sexual violence and victim shaming.

The young, diverse crowd  most in masks  demanded Darmanins resignation and exuded anger at Macron, who had promised to make fighting sexual violence a grand cause of his term. Signs read Darmanin named, Victims disdained or Victims, We See You.

One of the speakers, who identified herself only as Margaux, said: Without questioning the fundamental right to the presumption of innocence, the nomination of a man accused of rape reminds us how sexual and sexist violence is normalized and minimized, including at the highest levels of the state.

The message sent is very clear: Aggressors, dont be afraid, she told the crowd of about 1,000 people.

Feminist group Nous Toutes and others announced other actions Friday in other French cities as well as at French embassies or consulates in London, Sydney, Montreal, Berlin, Brussels, Barcelona and Tel Aviv.

The French government said it remains committed to gender equality and defended the new ministers, stressing the presumption of innocence.

Darmanin firmly denies the rape accusation, and an investigation is underway. New Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti is a lawyer who has defended a government member accused of rape and sexual assault, and has ridiculed women speaking out as a result of the #MeToo movement.

Activists also expressed concern about LGBTQ rights with Darmanin in charge of French police, because he opposed gay marriage before France legalized it in 2013.

We have the impression were being treated like idiots, said Paris protester Alix Joly, a 25-year-old graduate student. When she heard about the latest government nominations, she said, I laughed, but bitterly.

The protest came amid a growing investigation into accusations by at least 26 women that a Paris street artist well known in the historic Montmartre neighbourhood raped or sexually assaulted them. The artist-photographer says he never raped anyone. Lawyers for the accusers say he systematically preyed upon teen girls or young women, plied them with alcohol or drugs and took compromising photos so they would be too ashamed to report what happened.

___

Angela Charlton contributed to this report.
T urkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has formally reconverted Istanbuls sixth-century Hagia Sophia into a mosque.

He declared it open to Muslim worship on Friday, hours after a high court annulled a 1934 decision that turned it into a museum.

The decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia  a former cathedral that was turned into a mosque after Istanbuls conquest by the Ottoman Empire and had served as a museum for 86 years  sparked deep dismay among Orthodox Christians.

But there was jubilation outside Hagia Sophia, where dozens of people who awaited the courts ruling outside chanted Allah is great! when the news came out.

Muslims gather for evening prayers in front of the Hagia Sophia or Ayasofya / REUTERS

Turkeys high administrative court threw its weight behind a petition brought by a religious group and annulled the 1934 Cabinet decision that turned the site into a museum.

Within hours, Mr Erdogan signed a decree handing over Hagia Sophia to Turkeys Religious Affairs Presidency.

The president has demanded the hugely symbolic world heritage site should be turned back into a mosque despite widespread international criticism, including from the US and Orthodox Christian leaders.

The move could also deepen tensions with neighbouring Greece.

The controversial ruling opens the way for the structure to be converted back into a mosque after 85 years / Getty Images

Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides, a Greek Cypriot, posted on his official Twitter account that Cyprus strongly condemns Turkeys actions on Hagia Sophia in its effort to distract domestic opinion and calls on Turkey to respect its international obligations.

He said Turkeys escalating, flagrant violation of its international obligations is manifested in its decision to alter the designation of Hagia Sophia, a World Heritage Site that is a universal symbol of the Orthodox faith.

Nationalist and conservative groups have long been yearning to hold prayers at Hagia Sophia, which they regard as part of the Muslim Ottoman legacy.
Gov. Phil Murphy will hold a press conference Friday at 1 p.m. to discuss the coronavirus.

He will be joined at the Trenton War Memorial by Department of Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli, State Epidemiologist Dr. Christina Tan and State Police Superintendent Colonel Patrick Callahan.

The briefing will be live streamed on the governors official YouTube channel.

Murphy has been criticized this week after mandating that residents wear masks outside when social distancing isnt possible.

And he paused the states reopening because the rate of transmission surpassed 1, which is a key indicator for the states control over the virus.

Officials said Thursday that New Jersey has 15,448 known deaths and 174,270 confirmed cases of the coronavirus.

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

Allison Pries may be reached at apries@njadvancemedia.com.
Two days after the rock fall in a gorge in Austria, a third death has been salvaged victims. Rescue workers had found in the night of Friday, the body of a 30-year-old man from Slovakia, said a police spokesman. He had obviously been of chunks of rock taken in a 30-Meter-high waterfall plunged into a five-Meter-deep pool has been flushed. "The body was very hard to find," said the spokesman. Friends of the man had alerted the police after he had returned from the hike in the bear-contactor gorge in Styria.

In the immediate vicinity of the falls were killed on Wednesday two women from Austria and Hungary from falling rock. A total of nine hikers were injured. The very popular with tourists gorge is closed until further notice. Annually, 40,000 visitors came to master the spectacular, multi-hour hike through more than 150 bridges and several hundred meters in altitude.

Updated Date: 10 July 2020, 05:20
Here's a look at the top stocks that may remain in focus today - TCS: TCS reported profit before tax (PBT) of Rs 9,504 crore, which was 9.6 per cent lower than in the previous quarter and 10.65 per cent lower than the same period of the previous financial year. Net profit declined 13.81 per cent year-on-year (YoY) to Rs 7,008 crore for this period while sequentially it went down by 12.9 per cent. ...

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COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Harris County and the Cy-Fair area. Texans saw another record day of new cases in the state on July 7, with a 10,414 case increase and 75 new deaths, bringing the death toll to 2,758.

Along with the pandemic itself, COVID-19 has caused a downturn in the United States economy. The Texas unemployment rate has continued to increase, hitting 13.5 percent as workers are laid off and apply for benefits.

Local nonprofit and community organizations have worked to provide food, financial assistance and mental health services for Cy-Fair as residents realize a new normal.

Food Assistance

Cy-Fair ISD is serving curbside meals for low-income students until August 14, according to Assistant Superintendent for Communication and Community Relations Leslie Francis, provided that the parent receiving the food presents valid student ID or other proof of enrollment. Breakfast and lunch can be picked up from 10 a.m to 1 p.m. at select high schools, middle schools and elementary schools.

As of June 30, CFISD has served more than 1 million meals to students during the pandemic since March 16. The district uses a drive-thru model to supply the meals and practices social distancing while nutritional services staff wear masks.

For more information, visit https://www.cfisd.net/

Cy-Hope volunteers will distribute 1,500 meals to Cy-Fair community members at Lone Star College-CyFair on July 17, beginning at 11 a.m. and ending when the food, provided by Houston Food Bank, is gone.

Cy-Hope Executive Director Lynda Zelenka said the event at LSC-CF will have a smaller scope, focusing on feeding Cy-Fair residents. Previously Cy-Hope hosted multiple mega distribution events in the Houston area with Houston Food Bank serving up to 7,500 people.

It would probably be anywhere from 40 to 60 pounds of food (per vehicle), she said. It will be a box of nonperishable food, a box of produce, meat and then usually juice or milk.

For more information on the distribution on July 17 and future dates, visit https://www.facebook.com/CyHopeTx/.

Cypress Assistance Ministries , a nonprofit for the low-income families in need of assistance, has provided more than 11,000 meals to families in the local area through their own food distribution through a food pantry since March 20.

Local companies pitch in during the pandemic: Donation from Reliant helps Klein area food pantry Restoring Hope nearly triple their food distribution

Families in the 77065, 77095, 77429, 77433 and 77084 ZIP codes can receive free food with an ID and proof of residence at the food pantry from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday-Friday. The CAM food pantry is located at 11265 Huffmeister, Cypress.

Cy-Fair Helping Hands , a nonprofit dedicated to homeless and low-income communities, is also providing food for Cy-Fair area families. On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and the first and third Saturdays of the month Cy-Fair Helping Hands provides perishable and non-perishable foods from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with a drive-thru model.

Cy-Fair Helping Hands is located at 7520 Cherry Park Dr., Ste. B, Houston. For more information, including how to donate, visit https://www.facebook.com/CYFAIRHELPINGHANDS/.

Northwest Assistance Ministries , or NAM, serves hundreds of in-need families a week through their onsite food pantry with both nonperishable and perishable foods and shopping model similar to a grocery store.

NAM also has a Meals on Wheels program that delivers directly to senior and disabled Houston residents.

For more information, visit https://www.namonline.org/.

Financial services

NAM also provides financial aid for clients needing help with bills or other expenses after losing their job due to COVID-19. Chief Advancement Office Brian Carr said the financial focus of NAM is aiding residents with rent.

Because of the way our funding is structured, our advice to our clients is to use to use the unemployment (payments) for your utilities, for your prescriptions, for some groceries and allow us to subsidize the rent because we can make that one payment to the landlord and get that caught up, Carr said.

Rental assistance in your area: Northwest Assistance Ministries focusing on rental assistance as COVID-19 pandemic continues affecting Houston families

NAM is located at 15555 Kuykendahl Road. in northwest Houston, where new clients can walk in to begin the process of financial and nutritional aid. For more information, visit www.namonline.org.

The Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce has a community resources page, https://cyfairchamber.com/wearecyfair/, where small businesses can apply for SBA loans, catch up on the most recent mandates on COVID-19 from the state government and individual instruction for navigating loan and benefits application.

The chamber of commerce also hosts community luncheons, committee meetings and seminars over Zoom, open to the public per an RSVP. For more information, visit https://cyfairchamber.com/.

Mental health assistance

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stress, depression and anxiety can increase during times of crisis. Multiple nonprofit organizations in the area are providing both virtual counseling and in-person counseling.

Mental health online: Northwest Houston area counseling, mental health providers reach clients through telehealth

Shield Bearer CEO Thad Cardine encourages the northwest Houston community to begin counseling sessions through telehealth, declaring that the nonprofit is willing to work with different financial situations. All Shield Bearer counselors are certified to use telehealth.

After the fact Ive heard nothing but positive feedback as people get more comfortable with the technology and utilizing the technology and getting everything set up in their home, Cardine said. Individuals who dont have access to public transportation or their own vehicle to receive services, this allows people, no matter where theyre located, to receive services.

Shield Bearer can be contacted for appointments through their website https://www.shieldbearer.org/.

Cy-Hope also offers affordable counseling and speech therapy both in-person and through telehealth. In-person appointments require clients to have masks, practice social distancing and wait in their car until the beginning of the appointment. For more information, visit http://www.cy-hopecounseling.org/. To schedule an appointment, call 713-466-1360.

chevall.pryce@chron.com
New Delhi, July 10 : Fossil has announced Disha Patani as its newest celebrity brand ambassador in India. Patani's effortlessly chic style is popular amongst millennials, Generation Z and brands which are youth centric.

The youth icon successfully drives her large fan base with her authenticity and sense of fashion that is creative, fresh and modern, said the brand on Friday.

"Fossil is delighted to partner with Disha Patani who truly represents millennial India. Her confidence and passion for all that she takes on is remarkable, she has a dynamic sense of style, and she embodies Fossil's intrinsic optimism and authenticity," Johnson Verghese, Managing Director, Fossil Group, India said in a statement.

Commenting on this association Disha Patani said, "I'm thrilled to be associating with Fossil, a brand that brings together the best of design and innovation to create beautifully crafted watches. Celebrating individuality and uniqueness while advocating effortless style, is everything that defines Fossil's style as well as mine."

As per the brand, Disha's collaboration with it will aim to reach out to her fan base who is equally inspired by her authentic style. The 'Malang' and 'Baaghi 2' star will be seen in the upcoming brand campaign alongside Varun Dhawan, who has been Fossil's brand ambassador since 2018.

The campaign will feature much-awaited watches from this year's spring-summer collection - traditional and automatic watches, Hybrid HR smartwatches and new platforms for the Gen5smartwatch.

(IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife.in)

-- Syndicated from IANS
South Africa authorities sought Thursday to calm fears over coronavirus deaths after health officials in the country's most-populated province said they were ready to bury more than a million people.

Excavators have this week sprung into action to dig long rows of graves in cemeteries throughout Gauteng, which includes the cities of Johannesburg and the capital Pretoria, for possible mass burials.

After performing inspections of burial sites in Pretoria, the provincial head of health, Bandile Masuku, said Wednesday that Gauteng was preparing over 1.5 million graves.

"All our municipalities have been putting up capacity and acquiring more in terms of the land that they'll need for burial," Masuku said.

His announcement triggered a wave of anxiety in the province, which has so far recorded 75,015 coronavirus cases and 478 deaths, overtaking the Western Cape province as the epicentre of the virus in South Africa.

Nationally, 3,602 deaths have been recorded to date.

Authorities have since been scrambling to ease public fears that the province could see such an explosion in coronavirus-related deaths.

"The province does not have over a million already open, dug graves," the provincial health department said in a statement released on Thursday.

"The (figure of) over a million graves refers to the collective capacity municipalities can take," it said.

'Storm' brewing

The health department said the government was working to improve and increase both the health system's infrastructure and human resource capacity to deal with increasing pressure from the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Government's response to COVID-19 is informed by the imperative to prevent infections and SAVE lives," the minister of cooperative governance, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, tweeted.

"We are NOT therefore expecting and preparing for 1 million COVID-19 related deaths in the country. #StaySafe".

The health department said the government was working to improve and increase both the health system's infrastructure and human resource capacity. By Phill Magakoe (AFP/File)

Long contained by the strict lockdown imposed in late March on South Africa's 57 million citizens, the tally of coronavirus contaminations and deaths has begun to rocket.

More than 8,800 cases and 100 deaths were recorded on Wednesday. With more than 220,000 total infections and 3,600 deaths, South Africa is the most-affected country on the continent.

Despite the confinement, the hospital system in Africa's most-industrialised country is showing signs of buckling under the strain.

The much-feared "peak" of the health crisis seems to be approaching, and with it increases the concern of the authorities.

"The storm that we have consistently warned South Africans about is now arriving," Health Minister Zweli Mkhize told parliament on Wednesday.

"We are now at a point where it's our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, close friends and comrades that are infected," he said.

Despite field hospitals deployed by the military or NGOs, "bed capacity is still expected to be breached or overwhelmed in all the provinces," Mkhize warned.
People gather with balloons for a vigil in memory of Breonna Taylor on June 6, 2020 in Louisville, Kentucky.

Brett Carlsen/Getty Images

New audio of police interviews uncovers the moments leading up to the shooting of 26-year-old EMT, Breonna Taylor, after police entered her home back in March.

CNN reported that Kenneth Walker, Taylor's boyfriend told police he "was scared to death" when officers rammed into their Kentucky home.

The audio timestamps show that Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly, who led the raid, was interviewed two weeks after the incident, while Walker was interviewed just hours later.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

New audio from police interviews, first obtained by NBC News, provides new information about the moments leading up to the shooting of Breonna Taylor.

Taylor, an emergency medical technician, was killed by Louisville police officers in her own home during a "no-knock" warrant search on March 13. The officers entered her home and shot Taylor eight times. Police said they starting shooting after Taylor's boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, shot one of the entering officers.

The audio reveals Walker's account of that night during an interview with the Louisville Metro Police Department hours after his girlfriend's death. He said he and Taylor shouted "who is it?" after hearing multiple knocks at their door.

When they heard no response, the door "came off its hinges," and he was "scared to death," he said, according to CNN. Walker fired a shot at Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly, the officer who led the raid, in his leg. He also said he was licensed to carry a gun.

"I'm licensed to carry, everything," he said. "I've never even fired my gun outside of a range. I'm scared to death."

Walker said the one shot he fired was meant to be a warning shot. "I'm trying to protect her," he said.

In his own interview with police investigators, Mattingly said police knocked on the door and identified who they were, according to NBC News. The warrant didn't require police to knock, but Mattingly said his team was "not going to go that route."

Story continues

"I probably banged on the door six or seven different time periods," Mattingly told investigators, according to CNN. "Seems like an eternity when you're up at a doorway. It probably lasted between 45 seconds and a minute.

The timestamps on the audio files also show that Mattingly was questioned by investigators two weeks after the incident, with a lawyer present, according to NBC News, while Walker was interviewed just hours later and without a lawyer.

It's not clear why the Louisville Metro Police Department's Public Integrity Unit took two weeks to speak to Mattingly, who was released from the hospital more than a week before the interview. The investigator, Jason Vance, also appeared to endorse Mattingly's approach, calling his raid with seven officers "the most passive way to serve the warrant," according to CNN.

Prosecutors have dropped the charges against Walker. One officer involved in the raid, Brett Hankison, has been fired. Kentucky state prosecutors say they are examining the case.

Expanded Coverage Module: black-lives-matter-module

Read the original article on Business Insider
Traveling nurse and surgical technician Courtney Jackson began working at Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa on March 9. Shortly thereafter, according to Jackson, the hospital began rationing PPE, with nurses only allotted one mask a day. Five days into his new job, he began experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, eventually requiring hospitalization. Then two days after returning to work, he says he was terminated from his position on March 28.

In a lawsuit seeking over a million dollars in damages filed July 9 in Alameda County, Jackson asserted that his 13-week contract was terminated prematurely not only due to disability discrimination and whistleblowing on the lack of PPE, but also racial discrimination, as he was the only Black traveling nurse on staff. Along with Kaiser, Alliant Staffing is also included in the lawsuit.

I experienced racism and discrimination unlike anytime Ive ever experienced it in my life," Jackson told SFGATE in an exclusive interview. In the midst of a pandemic that couldve taken my life, theres no price you can put on how I feel. How deserted and how a health care system can treat the people who stand up for it, who fight for it and who work for it.

Jackson asserted that his concerns over initial symptoms of the virus were ignored by his superiors, and he claims he was repeatedly refused a test as well as requests for additional PPE, with one doctor allegedly joking about the potential he may have contracted the illness. When he showed signs of fatigue, Jackson said his manager implied that he was sleeping on the job out of laziness. Following three 12-hour shifts, he took four days off.

Those four days were the worst four days ever, says Jackson. COVID took over my body to the point that I could barely breathe. But I told myself, I'm gonna fight, Ive gotta go to work, this is my income so Ive gotta go. I pushed myself to get to that hospital, I could barely walk down the hallway.

He returned to work with extreme difficulty breathing and dizziness, then was sent to the emergency room for treatment where he tested positive for COVID-19. Around this time, he reportedly was told he would be terminated based on a decreasing need for nurses, which he contests. Jackson also alleges that he was the only employee terminated at the time, which he attributes to both health and racial discrimination. He claims to have filed several complaints with Kaiser, but did not receive a response.

When reached for comment, Kaiser supplied the following statement:

This allegation is not true. This individual was not a Kaiser Permanente employee. He is employed by an organization contracted by Kaiser Permanente to provide temporary staff. We cannot provide details regarding any personnel matter.

Alliant Staffing provided the following comment:

"Courtney Jackson is still employed by Alliant Staffing. Kaiser is the one who ended his contract."

Jackson is represented by Mosley and Associates, who stated that joint employers cannot be shielded by staffing agencies.

"Mr. Jackson performed all his 'traveling nurse' duties for Kaiser, who controlled his schedule, set the unsafe N95 mask policy, and, clearly, both hired him and fired him," attorney Walter Mosley wrote via email. "However, Alliant is not off the hook. The courts will hold both of these parties responsible and between the two of them, they will decide who will have to compensate Mr. Jackson for Kaisers unlawful behavior."

Its very unfortunate the way that Courtney was treated, being someone who raised concerns about health," added co-council Nathalie Meza Contreras. "Thats a violation of Californias labor code section 63-10, which is if an employee blows a whistle on health and safety concerns they should not be retaliated against. Its a violation of his rights as someone with a disability, a medical condition. And it is also ultimately as well, racial discrimination.

Jackson worked in hospitals in the Bay Area previously, including a Kaiser facility in Redwood City. After months of recuperation, he is now without symptoms and accepted a new contract in Chicago.

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:

Sign up for 'The Daily' newsletter for the latest on coronavirus here.

 San Francisco releases guidelines for schools

 Coronavirus cases increasing at UC Berkeley due to frat parties

 Bay Area coronavirus hospitalizations continue to rise - but there's a catch

 America is running short on masks, gowns and gloves. Again.

Health official: Trump rally 'likely' source of virus surge

Dan Gentile is a digital editor at SFGate. Email: Dan.Gentile@sfgate.com | Twitter: @Dannosphere
Memetrusul Hesen an ethnic Uyghur from Kashgar (in Chinese, Kashi) prefecture, in northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) who is currently living in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, has not had any form of contact with 35 members of his family, all of whom live back in Kashgars Kargilik (Yecheng) county, for more than four years. Hesen, who is now a Kyrgyz citizen along with his mother, 92-year-old Halimihan Ahun, left Kargilik for Kyrgyzstan with Ahun to arrange for immigration papers for many of their family members in March 2016. They have not been able to return to Kargilik since then and have learned what little they know about the disappearance of their family memberswho include Ahuns five other children and more than 20 grandchildren and great-grandchildrenfrom friends and acquaintances. Hesen and his mother have made repeated trips to the Chinese Embassy in Bishkek to make formal requests for information about their family members, as well as to the offices of Kyrgyz authorities to advocate on their behalf but have obtained little information.

Hesen believes that his wife, Nurimangul, was imprisoned in Kargilik in 2017, but is unsure of the fates of their teenaged daughter and twin boys. Hesens eldest sister, Patemhan Hesen, and her daughter are both thought to have been sent to the same prison that year as well. It is unclear what has become of the rest of the family. Hesen recently spoke with RFAs Uyghur Service after he and his mother learned that U.S. President Donald Trump last month enacted the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020 (UHRPA), which passed nearly unanimously through both houses of Congress at the end of May. The legislation highlights arbitrary incarceration, forced labor, and other abuses in the XUAR and provides for sanctions against Chinese officials deemed responsible for them under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. Hesen told RFA that he heard his family members had been found guilty of maintaining contact with people living abroad. He said that he wants nothing more than to know that his relatives are safe and for he and his mother to one day be reunited with them.

Hesen: Since [2016], my mom and I have been living here as Kyrgyz citizens. My wife, children, and siblings, my sisters, are all back there [in Kargilik].

RFA: Have you been in touch with them since then?

Hesen: In 2016, three months after leaving, we were able to talk to one another [for the last time]. My wife told me I needed to go back home immediately. I told her I couldnt leave my mom alone because shed broken her foot and I needed to help her get treatment. But [my wife] told me to leave her and go back [to Kargilik]. If you dont come back, itll be bad, she said. Apparently, they took my wife, oldest sister, and my oldest sisters daughter in 2017. Theres a prison called Qucha. Apparently, they took them there. Its been years, but theres been no news.

Weve gone to the [Chinese] embassy to file complaints at least 40 or 50 times. The police forced us out and we didnt get any answers. Theres been no answer, no telephone calls from them  When I started asking around [about my wife and children], I heard that there was no one left at home. But I dont know any details about where they are.

RFA: How old are your children?

Hesen: My daughter is 17 this year. My two sons were born in 2005, on Oct. 12. Theyre twins. I dont have any news about them. I have been unable to find out anything about them for the past three years  [My mother] has five [other] children: Patem Hesen, Halis Hesen, Melike Hesen, Meryem Hesen, and Memetnurulla Hesen. Along with their children and grandchildren, as well as their children-in-law, thats 35 people who are missing. Her sons-in-law, the daughters husbands, have been locked up. Qucha prison in Kargilik, we heard that they took them there  My mom cries every day. She sits and cries.

RFA: Are you hoping that the new Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act will be a big driving force [for change]?

Hesen: Yes, were really hoping for that, that something big will come from this. I want to say a big thanks to [America] for thinking about a people enduring such suffering.

Reported by Gulchechre Hoja for RFAs Uyghur Service. Translated by Elise Anderson. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
It's the same Russiagate playbook that's sadly been the norm for years: breathless headlines are issued, the "walls are closing in", then officials and media begin slowly walking back key aspects, and said walk-backs are buried in back sections of the Times, the substance of the story is memory-holed, while the vague imprint of the headline remains on the American consciousness.

A who's who of top intelligence and military officials have now denied the the Russian bounties to kill American troops in Afghanistan story which originated in The New York Times weeks ago. The outlets behind the initial reporting themselves have been slowly forced to qualify the story into oblivion.

And yet a new Reuters/Ipsos polls finds that 60% of Americans view that allegation as believable.

Appears in print on June 27, 2020, Section A, Page 1

Reuters describes of the poll:

A majority of Americans believe that Russia paid the Taliban to kill U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan last year amid negotiations to end the war, and more than half want to respond with new economic sanctions against Moscow, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Wednesday.

As an example of how some of the very outlets which pushed the story hard have since walked back many of the central claims, consider the following line from The Washington Post last week, which was certainly awkward for them and the Times:

The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that White House officials were first informed in early 2019 of intelligence reports that Russia was offering the bounties to kill U.S. and coalition military personnel, but the information was deemed sketchy and in need of additional confirmation, according to people familiar with the matter.

"Sketchy" and yet the avalanche of headlines are still out there. The Pentagon has flatly denied its accuracy many times over to boot.

Yes, this is how propaganda is supposed to work. When the 'Russia boogeyman' is invoked, especially related to Trump, the threshhold for evidence is low to non-existent.

Hey, remember that whole Russian Bounty thing about Putin paying for the scalps of US soldiers? This Friday night news dump from NYT suggests it's -- shockingly -- the latest Russiagate BOMBSHELL to fizzle out. One hint is where NYT placed it: page A19. https://t.co/LWX3Bq6MH0 pic.twitter.com/Yo8BqT2Fgr  Aaron Mate (@aaronjmate) July 6, 2020

Reuters continues:

Overall, 60% of Americans said they found reports of Russian bounties on American soldiers to be very or somewhat believable, while 21% said they were not credible and the rest were unsure. Thirty-nine percent said they thought Trump did know about Russias targeting of the U.S. military before reports surfaced in the news media last month, while 26% said the president did nsot know.

As AntiWar.com points out, such fake stories and the American public's gullibility has real-world and potentially very dangerous consequences: "The poll shows that they view Russian President Vladimir Putin as a 'threat,' and support a new round of US sanctions against Russia. Alarmingly, 9% even supported attacking Russia outright."



"This is undercut by the strong evidence that this plot isnt true, and never was. The danger is, the US could escalate hostilities and the majority of the public is fine with it," AntiWar aptly concludes.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Union Shipping Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday exhorted domestic companies to step up manufacturing of critical products like cranes for cargo handling at ports.

He also stressed on enhancing local production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), used in formulations of medicines, to cut dependency on imports and align with the government's self-reliance call.

Minister of State for Shipping, and Chemicals and Fertilisers Mandaviya said this while interacting with select CEOs from northern region organised by industry body CII over virtual platform.

"To push the Prime Minister's 'Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan' we have decided to procure 'Made in India' cranes for cargo handling at ports.

"So far, India imports cranes worth abut Rs 1,000 crore annually. Indian industry should come forward in this area and can build it in joint venture. This will not only create employment but would also result in self-sufficiency," Mandaviya said.

Likewise, he urged industry players and MSMEs to come forward with a plan for short-term production of APIs for the pharmaceutical sector.

"Send a proposal for short-term production of APIs," Manadaviya said and added that India has successfully supplied hydroxychloroquine and paracetamol to over 120 countries while ensuring the domestic supply.

"Aatmanirbhar Bharat, foreign policy and corona diplomacy, under which Indian government helped other nations in supply of life saving drugs and equipment, greatly boosted India's image globally and this will certainly help the Indian economy in the longer run and benefit Indians and Indian industry," he said.

"Aatmanirbhar Bharat is the need of the hour, if India has to become an economic giant," he said.

The minister stressed that Aatmanirbhar Bharat is not merely Swadeshi.

Swadeshi is one of its pillars.

Aatmanirbhar Bharat definitely implies reducing dependence on others, but it does not necessarily mean shutting the window to the rest of the world.

We should aim to produce or manufacture critical products in India.

Mandaviya said that safeguarding is not the solution and the Indian industry has to become competitive to stay in the global market.

Outlining his vision to make the Indian industry competitive, he said there is a need to reduce the logistics cost, which is quite high in India at 14 per cent as compared to 9 per cent in other countries.

He said the Centre is building a network of Inland waterways in India, which will reduce the logistics cost for the industry.

"Varanasi to Haldia 1,400 km of inland waterways has been made functional. More than 700 vessels ply on this route now," he said and added that about 4,000 km of waterways is ready, including other waterways.

Nikhil Sawhney, Chairman, CII Northern Region, said COVID-19 has hit the Indian economy hard.

CII appreciates government's initiatives to support the citizens and the industry through these trying times, he said.

The interaction was joined by around 100 CEOs from north India.
Ricki Lake was in good spirits as she stepped out with a mystery man in Los Angeles to grab some tea and walk their dogs during lockdown on Thursday.

The Emmy-winning actress, 51, showcased her natural grey tresses as she headed out with her beloved pet pooch Mama.

Ricki displayed her growing locks after revealing in January she'd chosen to shave her head following decades of battling 'traumatising' hair loss.

Mystery man: Ricki Lake was in good spirits as she stepped out with a mystery man in Los Angeles to grab some tea and walk their dogs during lockdown on Thursday

The 51-year-old donned a long-sleeve navy blue t-shirt with a pair of white trousers and some brown flip flops.

She used a grey bandana as a face mask, while carrying a beige backpack over her shoulders and walking Mama on a leash.

In January Ricki revealed she'd decided to shave her head after decades of battling hair loss, admitting it feels like 'she's been set free.'

Speaking on Good Morning America she said: 'I feel like I have been set free. I truly, truly feel like I'm ready to take on anything after this.

'Seeing the hair in the drain was so traumatizing. I was afraid to take a shower. I actually don't think I look that bad! I like my head,' she said, adding that she has been colouring her hair and in a couple weeks it will probably be silver and gray.

'This, in some ways, is the bravest thing I've ever done in my life. And I've gone through a lot.'

Summer chic: The Emmy-winning actress showcased her natural grey locks along with a navy blue t-shirt with a pair of white trousers and some brown flip flops

Incredible: In January Ricki revealed she'd decided to shave her head after decades of battling hair loss, admitting it feels like 'she's been set free'

Lake was last romantically linked to One Golden Thread founder Jeff Scult, going public with their relationship last February.

According to People, she said at the TCA Winter Press Tour: 'I found love again... My husband, who passed from mental illness and suicide, itll be two years on February 11, and I just recently found a brilliant new love.'

The Hairspray star gushed: 'Hes making me really happy. Weve been together for three-and-a-half months. We met through a mutual friend.'

She later told People in April: 'I really felt like meeting Christian was like lightning striking. I didnt think it would strike twice, and I was okay with it.'

Romantic history: Lake was last romantically linked to One Golden Thread founder Jeff Scult, going public with their relationship last February

Finding love again: She said at the time: 'I found love again... My husband, who passed from mental illness and suicide, itll be two years on February 11, and I just recently found a brilliant new love.'

Lake was married to jewelry designer Christian Evans from 2012 to 2015, before he died by suicide in February of 2017 at age 45, amid his battle with bipolar disorder.

She told Dan Wootton last October: 'I was never happier than when I was with him... And he was my favorite person, if I go there I can really get teary-eyed, but he was literally the best thing to ever happen to me.'

The John Waters muse was previously married from 1994 to 2005 to illustrator Rob Sussman, with whom she shares sons Milo Sebastian, 22, and Owen Tyler, 19.
Pittsburgh Police in riot gear intervene between a group of Black Lives Matter protestors confronting a group of Trump supporters while they wait along the Allegheny River North Shore for a flotilla of boats taking part in a boat parade for the re-election of President Donald Trump to pass by on July 4, 2020 in Pittsburgh, Penn. (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)

Pennsylvania Police Officer Who Kicked Seated Protester Wont Face Criminal Charges

District Attorney said protesters could have been charged with failure to disperse

A Pennsylvania police officer who was seen on video kicking a protestor in Erie sitting on the street during clashes on May 30 will not face criminal charges, Erie County District Attorney Jack Daneri announced on Thursday.

Speaking at a news conference, Daneri said the officers actions did not warrant prosecution. He added that the officer, who has not been identified by city officials, had the right to use that kind of force under the circumstances.

The protestor, 21-year-old Hannah Silbaugh, will also not face charges from the incident.

The altercation occurred shortly before midnight on May 30 amid nationwide demonstrations following the killing of George Floyd, an African-American man who died in police custody on May 25.

Pennsylvania police said several hundred people descended on City Hall at night and began spray painting the building, breaking windows, pulling parking meters out of the ground, vandalizing shops and restaurants, and throwing objects at local police. Officers used tear gas as they tried to disperse the crowd.

Video footage shared on Twitter shows the officer approaching Silbaugh as she sat on the ground in the middle of the street with her hands held against her face.

The officer then aggressively kicked her in the chest and she falls over. Silbaugh filed an internal affairs complaint alleging that the officer assaulted her by kicking her.

Daneri said that at the time Silbaugh was kicked, police and a law enforcement vehicle needed to get past a line of protesters to attend to more serious violence in the area.

In a June 15 press conference, Erie Mayor Joe Schember said an investigation into the matter concluded that the officer followed approved procedures and his use of force was technically justified.

Schember called the officer a veteran of the force who has no prior complaints and has never exhibited any kind of behavior that warranted disciplinary action.

However, the mayor said the officers actions on this occasion did warrant action, and announced that he would be suspended for three days without pay and placed on desk duty until completing sensitivity training.

The mayor also noted that similar training would be required for the entire police department.

Daneri said the protesters could have been charged with failure to disperse, but his office declined to file those charges because of the facts and in the interest of moving forward.

Silbaughs lawyer, Timothy McNair, has taken legal steps toward filing a lawsuit.

With reporting from The Associated Press.
Captain America actor Chris Evans was spotted at a date in the park with Cinderella star Lily James this week. As paparazzi photos made their way online, the actors fans gave their unanimous approval to this budding relationship.

They were seen at a park in London, enjoying ice creams while chatting with each other. They took a stroll and sat in the grass, and Chris was seen breaking into big laughs at regular intervals. Lily was seen in a grey sweater, dark jeans a blue scarf tied like a mask. Chris was in a blue and white T-shirt, black pants, dark sunglasses and a cap.

This wasnt the first time the stars had been spotted together this month. Evans and the Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again star were also photographed hanging out on July 4. According to an eyewitness, the two spent some time at Mark's Club in Mayfair and then headed back to the Corinthia London hotel.

While these sightings have sparked romance rumours, neither star has commented on the speculation. However, that hasn't stopped fans from shipping them together. Ever since the pictures surfaced online, fans have also shared fan art showing Captain America with Cinderella. I ship it! they look happy, wrote one. Finally!!! A gorgeous looking couple, wrote another.

While the Wrath Of The Titans star lives in North London, Evans had been isolating stateside before heading to London, where several film and television projects have resumed production.

 | New

Chris Evans and Lily James walking through a park in London.July 7,2020pic.twitter.com/jryRz4yUfW  Chris Evans Content / ASP (@CevansContents) July 8, 2020

Also read: Breathe Into the Shadows review: Lazily written and laughably inept, Amazons weirdest show lets Abhishek Bachchan, Amit Sadh down

James was last linked to The Crown actor Matt Smith, who she reportedly split from in December. They first started dating in 2014.The Fantastic Four actor was last linked to actress Jenny Slate, who he met during the making of 2017 film Gifted.

"I'm a pretty romantic guy," Evans had told People magazine at the premiere of his directorial debut, 'Before We Go.' "I don't necessarily limit the notion of romance to people, though. I think I have a romantic relationship to art, to music, to nature," added Evans.

(With ANI inputs)

Follow @htshowbiz for more

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Most human infectious illnesses are initially transmitted from animals, such as H1N1 influenza, Ebola virus, the SARS, MERS, and now the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Viruses are parasitic fragments that await host cells to survive. Since they were first described, these pathogens have caused many outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics in the past. One of the significant risk factors is human interaction with animals, and now, scientists want to determine if animals can contract these viruses from humans.

Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 Colorized scanning electron micrograph of an apoptotic cell (green) heavily infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus particles (purple), isolated from a patient sample. Image at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Maryland. Credit: NIAID

Zoonosis of SARS-CoV-2

A team of researchers in Germany aimed to investigate the susceptibility of potential animal hosts and the risk of zoonosis spill-over infections, which are illnesses transmitted to humans from animals. On the other hand, reverse zoonosis pertains to infections in humans that jump to animals.

Published in the journal The Lancet, the study underlines if certain animals can be hosts of the novel coronavirus or if they are susceptible to infection.

The team has found that pigs and chickens cannot be infected by SARS-CoV-2, while fruit bats and ferrets are susceptible to a SARS-CoV-2 infection. In particular, the susceptibility of ferrets is a valuable finding, since they could be utilized as a model animal for human infection to test treatments or vaccines.

The study

The researchers, from the Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI), started infection studies in pigs, chickens, fruit bats, and ferrets by inoculating them nasally with the SARS-CoV-2 pathogen, mimicking the natural route of infection in humans.

The SARS-CoV-2 are found in the respiratory droplets when people cough, sneeze, or talk. The virus enters the body through the nose, mouth, and eyes. Once it enters, it triggers an infection that may cause symptoms such as cough, fever, and difficulty of breathing.

Egyptian fruit bats, a megabat species, were tested to determine if they are potential reservoirs for the virus. The team found that the bats became infected but did not manifest any symptoms of the disease. Further, they did not infect their fellow animals. Meanwhile, ferrets are a good model for humans in terms of respiratory infections as they can be efficiently infected with SARS-CoV-2. The virus replicates in ferrets, and they can transmit it to fellow animals.

More efficient virus replication but no clinical signs were observed in ferrets, with transmission to all three direct contact animals. Mild rhinitis was associated with viral antigen detection in the respiratory and olfactory epithelium, the researchers wrote in the paper.

The researchers concluded that farmed animals, such as pigs and chickens were resistant against intranasal SARS-CoV-2 inoculation under experimental conditions.

Sine ferrets resembled a mild infection in humans, they may be a useful animal model for testing vaccines and drugs against SARS-CoV-2.

To date, there is still no vaccine and treatment for COVID-19. However. there are currently 21 candidate vaccines in clinical evaluation, and 139 candidate vaccines in preclinical evaluation across the world.

Global toll

Since late December 2019, when SARS-CoV-2 first emerged in Wuhan City, China, the virus has since spread to most countries across the globe, infecting more than 12.2 million people worldwide. The novel zoonotic illness has killed more than 554,000 people.

The United States is still the country with the highest number of confirmed cases, surpassing 3 million infections, and a death toll of more than 133,000.

South America is now one of the epicenters of the pandemic, with Brazil reporting a staggering 1.75 million cases and more than 69,000 deaths. Peru and Chile are also impacted by the outbreak, reporting more than 316,000 and 306,000 confirmed cases, respectively.

India and Russia also report high numbers of cases, with more than 767,000 and 706,000 cases, respectively.

Health officials still recommend observing proper preventive measures to avert infection. These include social distancing, hand washing, and regular disinfection. As many countries are easing lockdown measures, the number of cases is expected to skyrocket in the coming months. Until a vaccine is developed and administered, the novel coronavirus may still spread actively worldwide.
Westerly, RI (02891)

Today

A few passing clouds. Low 17F. WNW winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph..

Tonight

A few passing clouds. Low 17F. WNW winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph.
China said on Friday it will impose reciprocal measures in response to U.S. sanctions on Chinese officials over alleged human rights abuses against the Uighur Muslim minority.

"The U.S. actions seriously interfere in China's internal affairs, seriously violate the basic norms of international relations, and seriously damage China-US relations," foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said in a briefing.

"In response to the wrong actions of the U.S., China has decided to impose reciprocal measures against the relevant US institutions and individuals who behave badly on Xinjiang-related issues," NDTV cited Zhao as saying.
Michael Schulson was thrown a lifeline by the federal governments bailout for small businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. It helped him get almost half of his 178 employees back to work serving takeout customers and outdoor diners at his popular Sampan and Double Knot restaurants in Center City.

So he didnt know what to think when he saw his company listed in records released this week by the Trump administration as having received millions more than his actual award from the Paycheck Protection Program  while retaining no jobs at all.

I was a bit surprised to see the numbers listed, Schulson said. All restaurateurs are in survival mode now and are doing the best we can.

The faulty data on Schulsons loan are among a mounting number of purported errors, mischaracterizations, and omissions within records released Monday on PPP awards, amid calls for greater transparency around the administrations handling of the $659 billion program.

In one glitch that affected Philadelphia-area loans with far greater frequency than those in the nation as a whole, the data dump from the Trump administration asserted that thousands of loan recipients didnt use the money to save a single job. Thats because the release, again and again, had blank spaces where numbers of retained jobs are supposed to be or had a zero in those fields.

In another error, the administration listed firms that say they never even applied as getting millions of dollars.

In this region, a loan for as much as $10 million was erroneously listed as supporting the retention of 500 jobs at a Wynnewood restaurant that has been closed for more than seven years.

In scrutinizing the release, The Inquirer discovered a clue as to why so many firms were wrongly listed as having taken money but saved no jobs. Certain banks were dominant regional conduits for the federal money and those banks often elected not to report job retention figures. The Trump administration had left providing that information optional, bankers said.

 READ MORE: Philly-area law firms received at least $228 million in PPP funds, the most of any industry. Search to see how much firms got.

Some of the blame for the poor data quality also falls on the rushed and chaotic way in which the program was stitched together. The U.S. Small Business Administration drafted banks into serving as impromptu conduits between borrowers and the government in a frenzied scramble to inject money into a faltering economy at the start of the health crisis.

Philadelphia entrepreneur Alex Hillman, founder of the Indy Hall coworking space in Old City, helped small-business people apply for PPP loans. He describes the application process as operational chaos: websites crashed, government rules kept changing, and every bank seemed to have its own intake process.

But the data problems are also symptomatic of the administrations reluctance to open the program to outside tracking and vetting, leading it to jettison existing systems for collecting and maintaining records for the publics use, said Sean Moulton, senior policy analyst with the nonprofit Project on Government Oversight.

And as more problems with the data emerge, it may become harder to accept assertions by the government about the programs success, Moulton said. Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin, for example, said when releasing the data that it shows the program had supported more than 51 million jobs, with more than a quarter of the funds reaching low- and moderate-income communities.

In light of the data glitches, you have to take that broader narrative with a grain of salt, Moulton said.

The records were released nearly four months after federal lawmakers devised the $659 billion program of loans that become grants for businesses when they use the money to get at least 60% of their staff back to work. The program was open only to firms employing fewer than 500 workers.

But until this week, Mnuchin had resisted calls from advocacy groups and lawmakers to disclose who was getting money, even though such information had been routinely shared about similar loans in the past.

When the data were finally disclosed, the administration broke with past practice by not fully identifying awardees and specifying all loan amounts.

For awards of less than $150,000, the records include precise loan sums, but dont identify recipients. For those above $150,000, recipients are identified, but loan amounts were presented as falling within one of five ranges, spanning from $150,000-$350,000 to $5 million-$10 million.

Now, some purported loan recipients are contesting some of the disclosures, while other records have been found to be demonstrably misleading.

Scooter-rental company Bird, and venture-capital firms Index Ventures and Foundation Capital, have all posted on Twitter that they had not received a dime from the program, let alone the $8 million or more they were said in Mondays release to have borrowed.

 READ MORE: Philly-area companies reaped millions from PPP funds for small businesses. Search the list to see who got how much.

Left-of-center watchdog group Accountable.US cited those examples in a letter to the SBA this week, saying the data raises more questions than answers on how the program was administered and raises damning questions on the integrity of the program as a whole.

In Wynnewood, meanwhile, Italian restaurant chain Buca di Beppo was listed as receiving a loan of $5 million to $10 million to save jobs at a store on Lancaster Avenue that has been closed since the first weeks of 2013.

Amy Sadowsky, a spokeswoman for the Florida-based chain, said she did not know why the loan had been ascribed to the long-shuttered Wynnewood store. Funds from the award, and from another similarly sized loan listed for an operating restaurant in Columbus, Ohio, will be used to pay salaries across its roughly 75 locations nationwide, she said.

The mess that has been made of the PPP program  is exactly why we called for transparency and oversight of this program from the beginning, said U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, a Democrat whose district includes the site of the shuttered restaurant, which is now a pediatric clinic. We need leadership and aggressive oversight.

Labor officials, too, have also noticed inconsistencies between accounts of jobs saved in the data and what union leaders say was the actual workforce.

For example, OTG, a New York-based company that operates restaurants at Philadelphia International Airport, was said to have received two loans worth at least $1.4 million, which saved 335 jobs.

But when the city went into lock down, the company laid off all but about 20 workers at the airport and, as of this week, has recalled only about 80, said Dermot Delude-Dix, an analyst with the union Unite Here.

For many of the workplaces we represent, the number of jobs retained [in the data] doesnt bear any relationship with reality, Delude-Dix said.

OTG did not respond to a request for comment.

Back in Center City, the award granted to Schulsons 76 West LLC, under which Double Knot and Sampan operate, is listed as having been in the $2 million to $5 million range.

In fact, Schulson said, we didnt receive close to $2 million.

 READ MORE: Philly-area charter, private schools receive millions in federal PPP loans

Seemingly more common than misstated loan amounts, though, is the error that led to Schulson being listed as creating no jobs with his loan.

Philadelphia law firm Zarwin Baum was also listed as having retained no jobs while receiving a loan of $1 million to $2 million, even though it kept nearly all of its staffers employed through the crisis, a spokesperson said.

Housing developer Pennrose, headquartered in Philadelphia, found itself in a similar situation. The SBA release said it had not used its loan  $5.2 million, according to a company official  to hold on to a single job. In fact, the company says it retained all of its 430 employees.

Among U.S. counties receiving at least 10,000 loans, Philadelphia, Montgomery, Chester, and Bucks have the top four highest percentages of awards that are recorded with blank jobs fields or zeros for those entries.

Across the city and suburbs in Pennsylvania and South Jersey, about 6,000 of the areas 16,000 loans  almost 40%  were recorded with blank job retention fields, or as having retained no jobs, according to an Inquirer analysis. Nationally, the equivalent rate was only 18%.

Precisely what drove these data issues was unclear.

Some banks appear as having processed particularly large portions of loans that are recorded with blank jobs fields or zeros for their entries. Those banks happen to be the biggest sources of loans in the Philadelphia region, which helps explain the regional prevalence of those glitches.

 ASK US: Do you have a question about the coronavirus and how it affects your health, work and life? Ask our reporters.

Specifically, more than 91% of the awards processed nationally by Citizens Bank had blank job retention fields, and almost 71% of loans awarded through TD Bank were presented as having retained no jobs. Citizens Bank and TD Bank are also the biggest and second-biggest PPP award lenders in the Philadelphia area.

Contrary to the data, Citizens Bank spokesperson Steve Brownell said his bank estimates that its loans have supported the retention of about 530,000 jobs nationwide. Shari Rosen, a TD Bank spokesperson, said in a statement her banks PPP loans have helped retain about 917,000.

The actual form that PPP borrowers fill out is essentially a one-page questionnaire that asks for basic information, such as average monthly payroll and employee headcount, but has no place to enter job retention numbers. Banks use those forms to submit formal loan requests over the SBAs online application system, known as E-Tran.

While bankers had the option of supplying job retention estimates over E-Tran, doing so was not required for PPP applications. So some bankers opted not to, especially since loan-seekers hadnt been asked to supply that information as part of their printed applications.

Citizens Brownell said his bank made the choice not to put down a figure for saved jobs.

Some banks did, and some banks didnt, he said. It was strictly optional.

Rosen did not address how TD Bank handled those entries but said that as a consequence of banks not requiring an entry for job retention, some data is not accurately captured.

The SBA did not respond to questions, and the Treasury Department did not return emails and phone messages seeking comment.

Despite the confusion, having the records out in public is vastly preferable to keeping it under wraps, as the administration originally aimed to do, said Moulton, of the Project on Government Oversight.

The agency would be a lot less inclined to try to fix these things on their own if there werent hundreds of people looking at this data now and trying to figure out what it says.

Correction, 7/14/20: A previous version of this story misstated the amount of the loan received by Pennrose.
NEW YORK - A Canadian fashion mogul is asking a U.S. court to dismiss a class-action lawsuit alleging he sexually assaulted dozens of women.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/7/2020 (557 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Nygard store in Winnipeg is shown on Wednesday, February 26, 2020. A Canadian fashion mogul is asking an American court to dismiss a class-action lawsuit alleging he sexually assaulted dozens of women. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods

NEW YORK - A Canadian fashion mogul is asking a U.S. court to dismiss a class-action lawsuit alleging he sexually assaulted dozens of women.

Peter Nygard's motion filed Wednesday in a New York court argues it does not have jurisdiction to hear the lawsuit.

Fifty-seven women, including 18 Canadians, have joined the lawsuit, which alleges that Nygard used violence, intimidation, bribery and company employees to lure victims and avoid accountability for decades.

The women are asking for a trial by jury and are seeking yet-to-be determined damages.

Nygard, who is 78, has denied all allegations and blames a conspiracy caused by a feud with his billionaire neighbour in the Bahamas.

He stepped down as chairman of his company after the FBI and police in New York City raided his offices in February soon after the lawsuit was filed.

The original lawsuit against Nygard included allegations from 10 women accusing him of enticing them to his estate in the Bahamas. Women continued to add their names to the lawsuit.

Some of the allegations date back 40 years.

In court documents, the women share stories about being brought to Nygard's offices and properties with promises of modelling and other career opportunities. Some of the women allege they were given alcohol spiked with drugs before they were sexually assaulted.

The lawsuit contains allegations that have not been proven in court.

Nygard was once one of the richest people in Canada. The lawsuit said Nygard has an estimated net worth of about $900 million.

He started his company in Winnipeg more than 50 years ago.

Nygard says Manitoba has been his primary residence since the start of 2019. He considered Nassau in the Bahamas, where he has permanent residency, his main home from 1970 until that time.

Court documents say he is not a citizen or permanent resident in the United States and doesn't pay taxes in New York.

Nygard also says that while New York City was described as the Nygard "world" or "corporate" headquarters, it was only done for promotional and marketing purposes.

The motion argues that the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York does not have jurisdiction for those reasons.

The documents also say the women's claims are not eligible for a class-action suit.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 9, 2020

 By Kelly Geraldine Malone in Winnipeg

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. Previous version had the wrong age. Para 5.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 05:37:45|Editor: huaxia

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ALGIERS, July 9 (Xinhua) -- A member of Algeria's Scientific Committee monitoring the spread of COVID-19 said on Thursday that about 1,700 medical staff in the country have been infected with the coronavirus.

Professor Abdelkrim Soukhal, a member of the committee, was quoted by local media as saying that "we have identified about 1,700 infections among the medical staff in the whole country."

He said that about 40 of the 1,700 infected people have died from the deadly infectious respiratory disease.

Soukhal said the medical staff entered the fight against the pandemic without "enough weapons."

At the same time, he assured that the situation was "under control" in Algeria and the committee is closely monitoring its developments.

As of July 9, Algeria has reported a total of 17,804 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 988 deaths.

The country reported the first COVID-19 case on Feb. 25, an Italian national who was subsequently sent back home.

Algeria has resumed economic and commercial activities since June 7 as part of the efforts to return to normal life.

China and Algeria have offered mutual help in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Chinese medical expert team arrived in Algeria on May 14 for a 15-day mission to help fight the coronavirus, through sharing China's experiences in controlling its spread. Enditem
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 10

By Ilkin Seyfaddini - Trend:

The fifth round of negotiations between Uzbekistan and EU on the draft partnership and cooperation agreements (PCA) was held via videoconference in July 10, 2020, Trend reports with reference to the Uzbek Foreign Ministry.

Uzbekistans delegation were headed by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan Sherzod Asadov, while European side was represented by Deputy Managing Director of the European External Action Service for Europe and Central Asia Luc Devigne.

During the talks, the sides noted a significant intensification of contacts at the highest levels between Uzbekistan and the EU, as well as the EU member states, the message said.

During negotiations, the sides considered the schedule of upcoming events at various levels scheduled for the second half of 2020.

The two sides noted the progress made in the negotiations process and expressed willingness to accelerate the agreement on PCA, the signing of which will expand political, trade-economic and investment interaction between Uzbekistan and EU member nations, the message said.

---

Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 23:44:34|Editor: huaxia

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BANGKOK, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The Thai Immigration Bureau said on Friday that it had dispatched hundreds of officers to patrol the porous areas bordering Myanmar for fear of illegal migrants crossing to Thailand and spreading COVID-19.

Thai army troops, police and administrative officers of the border town of Mae Sot, in the northern province of Tak province, were conducting inspections along jungles and the Mekong River, the two main areas dividing Thailand and Myanmar.

The Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said that despite the border seal-off during the COVID-19 lockdown, there have been reports of illegal entries of Myanmar workers.

"We are about to reach 50 days of free local COVID-19 transmission, and since the ban of inbound flights still prevail, the second wave of infection would likely come from those who illegally crossed the border to Thailand," said CCSA spokesman Taweesin Visanuyothin.

Taweesin said that as Thailand had already entered into its Fifth Phase of easing of business lockdown, illegal migrants are searching for ways to enter Thailand to meet the soaring demand for cheap labor.

"It is a challenging job for border taskforce to intercept the flow of illegal migrants," said Taweesin. "Our borders are intricate and porous." Enditem
The war and instability which followed in Iraq led to the emergence of a huge number of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs). Iraq's prime minister has prioritized helping the displaced, but efforts to restore them to their homes are still hindered by political disagreements, a lack of funds and the absence of infrastructure and services, Al-Monitor writes in the article Despite promises, displaced Iraqis linger in limbo.

Iraqi Minister of Immigration and Displacement Evan Faek Jabro announced on July 8 that her ministry will resume returning displaced people from Turkey's Akda camp to Iraq. The returning operation had been stopped after the COVID-19 lockdown. However, it is unlikely that they return in the near future due to the ongoing pandemic challenges and economic crisis, not to mention the security decline.

The ministry is also addressing the issue of internally displaced people (IDPs). Faek announced on Jun 24 the closure of 20 camps for internally displaced people (IDPs) in Anbar province. Most of these refugees had returned to their home districts after spending nearly six years in camps. Jabro said 1,706 IDP families remain in the province.

The next day, during an inspection tour of the camps in Karbala province in central Iraq, Jabro noted, "Many families refuse to return to their home districts and wish to settle in the areas to which they were displaced.

In the Kurdistan region, Mohammed al-Bebawati, the representative of the Ministry of Immigration and Displacement in Duhok, told Al-Monitor that "some families have returned to Sinjar district. He noted, however, that some Kurdish families refuse to return to Sinjar as members of the Kurdistan Workers Party [PKK] and other Iraqi armed factions are present there and the conflict scares the residents.

The director of the Immigration Department at Babylon province, Hafez al-Shujairy, told Al-Monitor, One of the reasons why the displaced Iraqis are not returning home is the destruction of their homes and their inability to pay the rent once they return to their home districts, not to mention the lack of job opportunities. Back in the camps, their lives are easier, as water and electricity services and food were provided.

Shujairi pointed to IDPs in Babylon province who refuse to return to their home districts because of the health crisis caused by the spread of the novel coronavirus. The displaced Iraqis prefer to stay in the camps, which are being sterilized and sanitized by the ministry. He added that in other areas, security reasons are a key factor in the displaced residents decision to return. In Jurf Sakhar in Babylon, fierce fighting erupted between Iraqi security forces and Islamic State members, displacing hundreds of residents. Their return today is mainly subject to security considerations.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi vowed June 10 to end the suffering of the displaced people while visiting the camps in the northern province of Nineveh.

The head of the Ministry of Immigration's information office, Saif Sabah, told Al-Monitor that the ministry is keen to ensure the voluntary return of displaced Iraqis to their home districts. He expects a massive return when the coronavirus crisis ends and when public services and job opportunities are provided. The ministry has no plans to settle the displaced in the areas to which they have been displaced, he said. Its policy is to encourage local governments in the liberated areas to quickly provide an environment that offers services and security to persuade the displaced to return home.

Abed al-Zahra al-Hindawi, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Planning, told Al-Monitor, The displacement issue is still putting pressure on the government, especially in light of the health and financial crisis. He revealed that the ministry plans to begin with unifying national and international efforts to speed reconstruction and ensure stability in the liberated areas, allowing the displaced people to return to their home districts, especially those who have been living in camps. Efforts to achieve social peace will involve broad reconciliation programs between societal groups and health and services will resume for the displaced populations.

Hindawi continued, Care and attention should be accorded to the camps in light of the refugees inability to return home under the current circumstance. This consists of providing basic life requirements and health and public services. He said, The ministry is communicating with the international community and United Nations organizations with a view to obtaining more support for reconstruction plans and providing financial assistance to secure a better life for the displaced.

Hindai pointed to the decision by Minister of Planning Khaled Batal Al-Najem to allocate a portion of the Social Fund for Development to support the IDP camps.

Other factors weighing in on the return decisions of the displaced include fear of tribally based violence against the displaced from among the families or relatives of IS members.

Al-Monitor talked to lawmaker Alia Nassif, who said, Political forces are using the issue of the displaced as a political and electoral trump card." She note that the return of the displaced is linked to the electoral objectives of Iraqi parties, especially the Sunni forces that have exploited the issues in the previous elections. All promises made by the parties to facilitate the return of the displaced and prepare their home districts for their return by offering services and infrastructure are mere slogans," Nassif said.

Raad al-Dahlaki, the head of the parliamentary committee on immigration and displacement, seems hopeful. He discussed with Al-Monitor his meeting with the prime minister on the matter. Kadhimi expressed the governments willingness to provide the means for the return of the displaced to their home districts and settle the issue of the displaced as soon as possible.

But Dahlaki warned against "forcing the displaced to return," saying he expects the issue to be settled within a year if the government succeeds in rebuilding the war zones from which the people fled.

Meanwhile, the financial crisis that prevented the delivery of financial aid to the displaced, the exploitation of the issue by political parties in their power struggles and the money siphoned from the funds allocated to the displaced through corruption still hinder the return of Iraqs IDPs.
The Zacks Textile-Home Furnishing industry comprises manufacturers, designers, distributors and marketers of flooring, carpet and upholstery products. The products include carpets, rugs, ceramic tile, laminate, wood, stone and vinyl flooring. The industry participants sell their products through a network of independently commissioned sales representatives, including distributors, retailers, wholesalers, specialty stores and home centers, in the United States and worldwide.



One of the prominent stocks in this industry is Mohawk Industries, Inc. (MHK).



Lets take a look at the industrys three major themes:

The industry players have been bearing the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic in the form of weak demand and supply chains disruptions. The scope and severity of this pandemic is quite different to the housing recession of 2008-2009, which is making it difficult for manufacturers to cope with.



Also, rising cost of raw material and transportation, a stronger dollar, and a tight labor market are eating into profit margins. Significant investments in new products, distribution network and manufacturing facilities in a highly competitive landscape raise concerns. Moreover, the introduction of tariffs on Chinese imports by the Trump administration and retaliatory tariffs on exports spell trouble for the industry. This is because higher tariffs make sourcing difficult for home furnishing manufacturers, pushing up costs.



On the positive side, the housing market rebound, on lower mortgage rates and reduced coronavirus-induced restrictions, is expected to provide a major boost to the industry participants in the near term. The recent decline in mortgage rates has been driving new home sales, which in turn would provide a modest spike in repair and remodeling activity in the near term. Additionally, the industry participants have been drumming up sales with product innovation and expanded distribution in a highly competitive market. The companies are trying hard to offset higher costs by raising prices, expanding in growing channels and foraying into new product categories and geographies. Moreover, the players are pursuing acquisitions to broaden their product portfolio and expand geographic footprint as well as market share.

Story continues

Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Bleak Prospects



The Zacks Textile-Home Furnishing industry is a five-stock group within the broader Zacks Consumer Discretionary sector. The industry currently carries a Zacks Industry Rank #237, which places it in the bottom 6% of more than 250 Zacks industries.



The groups Zacks Industry Rank, which is basically the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates dull near-term prospects. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperforms the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.



The industrys positioning in the bottom 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries is a result of negative earnings outlook for the constituent companies in aggregate. Looking at the aggregate earnings estimate revisions, it appears that analysts are gradually losing confidence in this groups earnings growth potential. Since April 2020, the industrys earnings estimates for 2020 and 2021 have gone down 37.1% and 17.1%, respectively.



Despite the industrys dull near-term prospects, we will present a few stocks that one can buy or hold on to. But its worth taking a look at the industrys shareholder returns and current valuation first.



Industry Lags Sector & S&P 500



The Zacks Textile-Home Furnishing industry has underperformed the broader Zacks Consumer Discretionary sector and the Zacks S&P 500 composite over the past year.



Over this period, the industry has lost 39.9% compared the broader sectors 7.7% fall. Meanwhile, the Zacks S&P 500 composite has risen 6.1% during the period.



One-Year Price Performance









Industrys Current Valuation



On the basis of forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio, which is a commonly used multiple for valuing these stocks, the industry is currently trading at 13.3X versus the S&P 500s 22.6X and the sectors 33.8X.



Over the past five years, the industry has traded as high as 19.41X, as low as 6.86X and at the median of 14.78X, as the chart below shows.



Industrys P/E Ratio (Forward 12-Month) Versus S&P 500











Bottom Line



Although improving housing market fundamentals, efficient cost management and continued focus on product innovation bring hope, weak demand stemming from COVID-19-led uncertainties along with supply chain disruptions will hinder industry players growth in the near term. Also, increased costs of raw material, transportation and labor continue to build pressure on margins.



Currently, there is no top-ranked stock in the Zacks universe of textile home furnishing sector that can stand tall amid the weak industry prospects. Nonetheless, investors may also hold on to the following stocks, which currently carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) and have solid earnings prospects. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.



Culp, Inc. (CULP): Headquartered in High Point, NC, the company manufactures, sources, markets and sells mattress fabrics and upholstery fabrics. The companys current year and next-year earnings are expected to grow 66.7% and 79.1%, respectively.



Price and Consensus: CULP



Interface, Inc. (TILE): Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, Interface is the world's largest manufacturer of modular carpet. The stock has return on equity (ROE) of 31.5%, higher than the industrys 5.6%.



Price and Consensus: TILE



Mohawk Industries: This Calhoun, GA-based company is a leading supplier of flooring for both residential and commercial applications. The company has a three-five year expected EPS growth rate of 10%.



Price and Consensus: MHK









Below is one stock with a bearish Zacks Rank that we would recommend investors to steer clear of for the time being.



Select Interior Concepts, Inc. (SIC): Headquartered in Anaheim, CA, this company installs and distributes interior building products for residential interior design services markets. The companys earnings for 2020 are expected to decline 166.7%.



Price and Consensus: SIC







These Stocks Are Poised to Soar Past the Pandemic



The COVID-19 outbreak has shifted consumer behavior dramatically, and a handful of high-tech companies have stepped up to keep America running. Right now, investors in these companies have a shot at serious profits. For example, Zoom jumped 108.5% in less than 4 months while most other stocks were sinking.



Our research shows that 5 cutting-edge stocks could skyrocket from the exponential increase in demand for stay at home technologies. This could be one of the biggest buying opportunities of this decade, especially for those who get in early.



See the 5 high-tech stocks now>>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



Interface, Inc. (TILE) : Free Stock Analysis Report



SELECT INT CONC (SIC) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Mohawk Industries, Inc. (MHK) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Culp, Inc. (CULP) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
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"Masking is challenging for everyone, but it is especially difficult for people with hearing loss," noted Blustein.Chodosh, a geriatrician, said that hearing loss is especially prevalent among older people."Two-thirds of people age 70 and older have hearing loss," he said. "Whenever we talk to an older patient, we need to be mindful that they may be having difficulty understanding speech. In the masked era, this is even more important."The researchers recommended several ways for clinicians to overcome the barriers of masked communication, including simple strategies, such as facing the patient and getting their attention while speaking. Visual aids, such as whiteboards, can facilitate communication, and some tech-savvy patients may use speech-to-text translation apps on their cell phones. Simple, inexpensive personal amplifiers can provide needed amplification. Finally, face masks with clear windows are emerging as favored solutions for people with hearing loss and those who are Deaf. These masks are in short supply, and some do not satisfy current regulatory requirements for health care settings. "However, this is an area for product innovation and practice change in the future," according to Blustein."Masks also pose enormous barriers beyond health care settings for those who have hearing loss or are Deaf and use sign language," noted Blustein. "This is the focus of growing activism and advocacy. We need to protect ourselves and others, but we also must communicate. Finding ways to satisfy both is a challenge needing urgent attention."Source: Newswise
Google may be able to stave off a full-scale EU antitrust investigation into its planned $2.1 billion bid for Fitbit by pledging not to use Fitbit's health data to help it target ads, people familiar with the matter said. The deal announced in November last year allows Google, a unit of Alphabet, to take on Apple and Samsung in the fitness tracking and smart watch market, alongside others including Huawei and Xiaomi. Apple is the leader in the global wearables market with a 29.3% market share in the first quarter of 2020, followed by Xiaomi, Samsung and Huawei, according to ...
[July 10, 2020] Generex Biotechnology Announces Corporate Update and Investor Conference Call: NuGenerex Immuno-Oncology Today Friday July 10, 2020 at 4:15 PM

MIRAMAR, Fla., July 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Generex Biotechnology Corporation (www.generex.com) (OTCQB:GNBT) today announced call-in details for todays investor conference call on Friday July 10th 2020 at 4:15 PM Eastern time.

The access information for the investor conference call is as follows:

Domestic US/Canada  1-(877) 830-2586

Direct Toll / International - 1-(785) 424-1734 Program Title: NuGenerex Immuno-Oncology - Investor Conference Call

Conference ID  66974 Agenda SEC filings and corporate update for NuGenerex Immuno-Oncology as a separate public company

NuGenerex Immuno-Oncology Listing Plans

Status of COVID-19 Vaccine initiatives

Published study results from AE37 Phase II breast cancer trial with 10-year follow-up

Update on the Phase II trial of AE37 with Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) for the Treatment of Triple Negative Breast Cancer

New opportunity to revitalize development of Ii-Key-Hemagglutinin peptide vaccine originally developed for avian influenza and 2009 swine flu for emerging swine flu virus On the call, Generex President & Chief Executive Officer, Joseph Moscato and his team will provide an overview of how NuGenerex Immuno-Oncologys Ii-Key technology is clinically proven to activate the immune system against numerous viruses including H5N1 avian influenza virus and a review of work with development partners & government agencies to implement Ii-Key peptide vaccine technology to implement a rapid response vaccination strategy for the SARS-CoV-2 and emerging swine influenza (Swine Flu) viruses. Mr. Moscato said, I look forward to speaking with ur shareholders to discuss the listing of NuGenerex Immuno-Oncology on a national exchange and our plans to expand the Ii-Key technology platform to generate new immunotherapies and vaccines. We have a number of exciting initiatives that I am eager to present, and as always, we welcome questions from shareholders during the call.



About NuGenerex Immuno-Oncology

NuGenerex Immuno-Oncology, a subsidiary of Generex Biotechnology, is a clinical stage oncology company developing immunotherapeutic peptide vaccines based on the CD4 T-Cell activation platform, Ii-Key. NuGenerex Immuno-Oncology (NGIO) has been spun out of Generex as a separate, independent public company to advance the platform Ii-Key technology, particularly in combination with the immune checkpoint inhibitors. NGIO is currently engaged in a Phase II clinical trial of its lead cancer immunotherapeutic vaccine AE37 in combination with pembrolizumab (Mercks Keytruda) for the treatment of triple negative breast cancer. About Generex Biotechnology Corp.

Generex Biotechnology is an integrated healthcare holding company with end-to-end solutions for patient centric care from rapid diagnosis through delivery of personalized therapies. Generex is building a new kind of healthcare company that extends beyond traditional models providing support to physicians in an MSO network, and ongoing relationships with patients to improve the patient experience and access to optimal care.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This release and oral statements made from time to time by Generex representatives in respect of the same subject matter may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements can be identified by introductory words such as "expects," "plan," "believes," "will," "achieve," "anticipate," "would," "should," "subject to" or words of similar meaning, and by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. Forward-looking statements frequently are used in discussing potential product applications, potential collaborations, product development activities, clinical studies, regulatory submissions and approvals, and similar operating matters. Many factors may cause actual results to differ from forward-looking statements, including inaccurate assumptions and a broad variety of risks and uncertainties, some of which are known and others of which are not. Known risks and uncertainties include those identified from time to time in the reports filed by Generex with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which should be considered together with any forward-looking statement. No forward-looking statement is a guarantee of future results or events, and one should avoid placing undue reliance on such statements. Generex undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Generex claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements that is contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. Generex Contact: Generex Biotechnology Corporation Joseph Moscato

646-599-6222 Todd Falls

1-800-391-6755 Extension 222

[email protected]

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Two-layer bento from Nan Yimcharoen's takeout operation Kinkan. (Mariah Tauger/Los Angeles Times)

At the end of May, it looked for a moment as if Los Angeles dining was slowly inching back to what passes for normal in 2020  restaurants and bars with spaced tables, customers required to wear masks until their food and drinks arrived.

Then COVID-19 cases spiked in record numbers, and hospitalizations rose, and on July 1, Gov. Gavin Newsom again ordered bars and indoor dining closed for at least three weeks. It will likely be longer.

In Los Angeles County, outdoor dining at restaurants remains viable. Many of us arent quite there yet, and we are doubling down once again on takeout.

Some of L.A.s finest takeout options arent coming from established restaurants. A growing and compelling takeout subculture has emerged during quarantine, led by chefs and other industry professionals who have been laid off from their kitchen jobs or whose catering gigs have dried up. Theyre cooking restaurant-quality food, posting menus on their social media feeds, receiving orders through direct messages and accepting payment through mobile services. Some offer curbside pickup; others deliver.

Its a way for these self-starters to sustain themselves, to continue nourishing their communities and to find some semblance of footing as the ground keeps shifting.

When youre in the restaurant business, you have to be almost insane in your passion for it, said Phert Em, who recently transformed her Cambodian pop-up Khemla into a delivery service. Starting something like this right now is a way to reinvent yourself, to express how you want to live your life and to answer the question, Whats the next step?

Em echoes what I heard from the other chefs behind these seven takeout upstarts: Their stories of survival and ingenuity are key ingredients for the uplifting food theyre making in an uncertain world.





BRANDONI PEPPERONI

Brandon Gray of Brandoni Pepperoni, a new takeout pizza business in West Hollywood. (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

Brandon Gray  whose resume includes Providence, Trois Mec, Cape Seafood & Provisions and Best Girl in the Ace Hotel  currently runs the kitchen for Royce Burkes Secret Lasagna, a takeout restaurant in the West Hollywood Gateway complex that opened shortly after the shutdown. A few months ago, Burke asked Gray if he could concoct an off-the-cuff pizza to bring to a friend, who turned out to be chef, author and radio host Evan Kleiman. On her KCRW-FM (89.9) show Good Food, Kleiman mentioned how much she had enjoyed Grays pizza, which hed crowned with arugula pesto, smoked cheese, Spanish ham, snap peas and summer squash. Gray asked himself, Am I about to start making pizzas for a living?

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He has a gift for it. He stretches the tangy dough to crackery thinness and covers it with sweet, dense sauce made from Bianco DiNapoli tomatoes and produce from the Santa Monica Farmers Market. An early standout among his dozen-plus options: Straight Up Menace, with lamb sausage, pickled peppers and arugula evenly distributed for sharp, punchy bites.

Windsor Hills pizza from West Hollywood's Brandoni Pepperoni. (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

His pizzas have grown so popular that Gray can see himself eventually opening a takeout business in a small storefront. For now, he bakes pies, after his shifts at Secret Lasagna, from Fridays to Tuesdays. Over-ordering is a wise strategy: Brandoni Pepperoni pizzas reheat beautifully.

Pickup only. (323) 306-4968, brandoni-pepperoni.com





BRIDGETOWN ROTI

After years on the line in restaurants such as Botanica, the Exchange at the Freehand L.A. and Rustic Canyon, Rashida Holmes had been recently catering and holding pop-ups serving the dishes of her Bajan heritage; her specialty is flaky rotis paired with chicken curry topped with lemony slaw.

In May, to rebound after the shutdown, she wondered what the response might be if she made savory patties for customers to pick up from her home in Boyle Heights. She made three variations: peas and potatoes, oxtail with peppers, and callaloo greens with crab and pork belly. The first batches sold out on Instagram in an hour.

Holmes will soon be moving her operations to Crafted Kitchen, a shared-use space in the Arts District, where shell offer rotis and patties for curbside pickup.

Shes grateful, she says, that she didnt end up committing to a permanent location earlier this year.

With the rush of support for Black-owned businesses and LGBTQ-run businesses, the takeout model has worked for me. Im walking the silver lining of it, she says.

Pickup only. instagram.com/bridgetown_roti

DE PORRES

Aji de gallina (Peruvian chicken stew, right), Grace's caramel poundcake, ganache tart and other dishes from de Porres, a takeout and delivery business run by Danielle Bell and Pablo Osorio. (Mariah Tauger/Los Angeles Times)

For the last seven years, Danielle Bell and Pablo Osorio hosted a regular dinner series, first in New York and then in Los Angeles; their menus combined the specialties of Osorios native Peru with desserts from Bells Kentucky upbringing. Her biscuits and gravy and his creamy, gently spicy aji de gallina were hits at the Hollywood and Altadena farmers markets.

Theyve now centered their energies on delivery. Decadence is a word the couple often use to frame their cooking; the word particularly applies to a rich, sherry-laced she-crab soup I ordered last month, and to the thick wedge of caramel-glazed pound cake that followed. Comfort pertains equally: black cod in an herby stew with yucca and tomatoes, arroz con pollo, mixed berry pie, strawberry-goat cheese ice cream that always sells out fast.

A recent New York Times article on Juneteenth featured Bells annual celebration meal (smothered quail was this years main course); Bell reminds me that Osorio is planning his own feast to commemorate Perus Independence Day on July 28.

Menus change weekly; order by Wednesday morning for deliveries on Fridays and Saturdays. Delivery only. (646) 391-4529, de-porres.com.





FARM DIRECT

Achiote pork, grilled squash and baby corn with cotija and other dishes from Farm Direct, a delivery and takeout service. (Bill Addison / Los Angeles Times)

Scott Chacon and Tad Weyland, both freelance chefs, met on a job last year and realized they lived in the same Los Feliz apartment complex. Theyre partnering on eclectic, weekly-changing five-course dinners heavy on seasonal bounty.

They kickstarted their menu ideas by brainstorming one dish and then riffing on the theme. A few weeks back, for example, Chacon was flipping through David Lebovitzs The Perfect Scoop and noticed a recipe for saffron ice cream, which Lebovitz suggested sprinkling with pine nuts. Chacon and Weyland grilled peaches as a pairing, and a motif of summer vegetables with flavors inspired by the Middle East coalesced around the dessert: beef-stuffed summer squash with muhammara and zaatar yogurt, a grilled vegetable tian and acid-sparked salads of mixed beans and cucumber, tomato, avocado, pickled onion and mint.

Dinner for two costs $95. Chacon and Weyland deliver to homes every Tuesday; order by direct-messaging Chacon on Instagram. instagram.com/marlonchando/





KHEMLA

Khemla began as a pre-COVID-19 pop-up collaboration between two of Josef Centenos staff: Phert Em, who was general manager of Bar Ama and who drew from her Cambodian heritage to create Khemlas menus, and Mikey David, a sommelier at Orsa & Winston.

As Cambodian New Year approached in mid-April, Em decided to put forth a quarantine edition of Khemla; she made salaw machu, a sour soup with fish, shrimp, tamarind, pineapple and basil; baked chicken wings scented with lemongrass, garlic and ginger; and baked durian-banana bread with chunks of dark chocolate for dessert.

She offered delivery. People responded. Em continued to broaden Khemlas repertoire with variations on mushroom larb, extra-crisp banh xeo and seafood lort cha (stir-fried rice noodles).

Shes pushing herself to present weekly, affordable menus (typically, three dishes for $30), in part to introduce more Angelenos to Cambodian cuisine, which is under-represented locally.

Its scary but also exciting to be able to keep serving people and nurturing, Em says. I want to be part of the community thats transforming how we dine.

Delivery only. instagram.com/khemla_





KINKAN

Nan Yimcharoen of Kinkan prepares ribeye chirashi . (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

For more than a year, Nan Yimcharoen had been slowly building a career making omakase dinners for guests in her Silver Lake home. She grew up in Bangkok, and culinary entrepreneurship runs in her family; her grandmother had a dinner cruise business and prepared meals for Thai royals. What Yimcharoen really aimed to master, though, were sushi and other fundamentals of Japanese cuisine.

When the pandemic derailed her momentum, she responded by crafting jeweled sushi dishes for takeout and wound up creating a far larger audience for her talents. She began offering takeout via menus she posted on Instagram. She included simple bentos and panang curries early in the mix, but attention rocketed as she started concentrating on elaborate chirashi bentos: salmon, scallop, king crab, uni and dashi-marinated ikura (among many variations) arrayed with pickles and other vegetables over rice.

On social media and in person, the colors glow like stained-glass window panes catching sunlight. KinKans gilded creations are splurges: Most dishes cost $35 to $75. Yimcharoen will prepare them in lacquered bentos or ceramic bowls for an additional $5; she says 85% of her clientele chooses that option for the specialness it engenders.

I try to put myself in peoples shoes, she says. Im trying to think of dishes and presentations that no one else is quite doing. I figure thats what customers want right now.

Pickup only. instagram.com/kinkanla/





ORSO PASTA

Tagliatelle tossed in Bolognese from Orso, a pasta-focused takeout service. (Bill Addison / Los Angeles Times)

Josh Buckwald had spent years honing his pasta skills, most recently as Steve Samsons sous chef at Rossoblu. He was preparing to sign the lease for his first restaurant when everything changed in March.

Buckwald rechanneled his efforts into a delivery service for pasta and sauce; Roni Davis, a fellow Rossoblu alum, joined him when demand grew feverishly.

Orsos website lists the options, which lean to reassuring classics: gnocchi, cavatelli, tagliatelle, Bolognese (especially good; start here), cacio e pepe, arrabbiata. This month, the team also introduced meal kits with gently experimental efforts like mint pici (thick, hand-rolled spaghetti) in mushroom ragu.

Buckwald handles the delivery runs. Even behind a mask  and from a safe social distance  you feel the sincerity of his smile as he sets down your order and dashes off to his next stop.

Delivery only. orsopasta.com
The study published in Chem is fundamental to develop pharmacological drugs for the treatment of core symptoms in Down syndrome, autism and other brain disorders. Researchers aim to create a start-up company with the support of interested investors

Genova (Italy), 10th July 2020 - Researchers at IIT-Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (Italian Institute of Technology) discovered a novel chemical compound, which has the potential to became a new drug for the treatment of core symptoms of brain disorders like Down syndrome and autism. These results are obtained in preclinical models where the new compound ameliorated difficulties in cognitive tasks, as well as social interactions and repetitive behaviors, which are present in neurodevelopmental and possibly neurological disorders. Researchers now aim to create a dedicated start-up company with the support of interested investors in order to further develop this compound and make it a treatment for patients. The study has been published in the scientific journal Chem: https://www.cell.com/chem/fulltext/S2451-9294(20)30298-9

These breakthrough findings are the result of a joint effort of two Italian research teams guided by Laura Cancedda and Marco De Vivo, at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia in Genova (Italy). Laura Cancedda is head of the IIT's Brain Development and Disease Laboratory and also an assistant scientist at the Dulbecco Telethon Institute. Marco De Vivo is the head of the IIT's Molecular Modeling and Drug Discovery Laboratory. The research study has been funded by Fondazione Telethon and partially benefited of a grant of the European Research Council (ERC).

The two groups worked on complementary aspects of the research study: the De Vivo's group designed the new molecules with the aid of computational methods, and synthetize them whereas the Cancedda's lab focused on extensive biological tests of such compounds. The final result represents the development of a promising chemical compound, which is usually referred in pharmaceutical industry to as 'drug candidate' because of its potential to become a clinical drug in the forthcoming years.

Co-first authors of the research article are Annalisa Savardi (Cancedda's Lab) and Marco Borgogno (De Vivo's lab) who worked synergistically to identify the novel chemical compounds and investigate their biological consequences in the brain of preclinical models of neurodevelopmental disorders. Such models are the first experimental steps to verify the benefits and safety of the new drug.

In particular, researchers focused on the effect of the molecules on the protein NKCC1, a very promising target for drugs to treat brain disorders. NKCC1 is a transporter of chorine (and other) ions in the brain, and the correct concentration of such ions is crucial for brain function. In several brain disorders like Down syndrome, autism and epilepsy, the concentration of such ions in the brain is dysregulated due to NKCC1 abnormal function. These newly discovered compounds can potently and selectively block NKCC1, without undesired side effects (excessive diuresis) caused in fact by other existing drugs which are non-selective NKCC1 inhibitors.

"This study and exciting results come at a time where neuroscience drug discovery in industry struggles to deliver novel breakthrough classes of effective molecules. As a matter of fact, therapeutic options for most of neurodevelopmental disorders have remained scant, or not highly effective over the last decades. This is mainly due to a poor understanding of the mechanisms underlying these challenging pathological conditions. This discovery follows several years of work on NKCC1 function and inhibition at IIT and will possibly bring us closer to the development of sustainable therapeutics for the treatment of a number of brain disorders" - comments Laura Cancedda.

"At this point, our most promising compound could enter into clinical tests in hospitals in less than two years from now. This additional step toward making of this compound an approved drug, however, requires further work and more funds. For this reason, we plan to launch a new start-up company dedicated to this project. It would be wonderful to see our discovery impacting on those in needs" - adds Marco De Vivo.

The newly discovered and promising drug candidate is now undergoing advanced preclinical studies to move it forward and hopefully reach soon clinical studies. Additional studies will allow defining the overall safety profile of the molecule and other key parameters, such as pharmacokinetics, formulation and dosing, necessary to fulfill the regulatory requirements to access clinical studies.

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The Supreme Court recently blocked President Donald Trumps attempt to remove DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) protections for nearly 650,000 undocumented immigrants. This ruling has major implications for towns like Kennett Square, where almost 30 percent of the community is made up of non-U.S. citizens.

After hearing of the decision, a local DACA recipient who preferred to remain anonymous said, I was honestly relieved because having (DACA) Im always on edge. This decision offers DACA recipients  or Dreamers  a greater degree of security in the United States, even as undocumented immigrants.

The DACA program was introduced by President Barack Obama in 2012, and it allows undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children to apply for a two-year renewable deferral period during which they cannot be deported. This program also allows Dreamers to apply for work permits and have Social Security numbers.

In 2017, the Trump Administration announced its plans to phase out DACA, kicking off a lengthy legal battle. The case Department of Homeland Security v. Regents of the University of California was argued on Nov. 12, 2019, and on June 18, 2020, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to block this attempt to roll back DACA.

It was an unexpected landmark decision, said Mayra Zavala, a Kennett Square Borough Councilwoman. Considering the presidents history of anti-immigration policies and the Supreme Courts more conservative makeup, this decision came as a surprise to many.

We are so pleased to hear about the Supreme Court ruling. Many families in our community  families that play such an essential role in the economic and cultural vibrancy of our region  will continue to have protection through the DACA program, said Dr. Mariana Izraelson, the CEO of La Comunidad Hispana, a local health care provider.

The importance of DACA recipients is especially evident during the current pandemic. A lot of DACA recipients are essential workers, said Zavala, There are many locally who are giving back in the health care industry. They are working in our supermarkets and working in many areas that are deemed essential right now.

One of these essential workers is Anel Medina, a 29-year-old nurse at Chester County Hospital and a DACA recipient. She has also actively lobbied to protect DACA against challenges from the current administration. Immigrants are the labor force of our basic necessities, such as health care, food, (and) restaurants, she said.

Paloma is a 22-year-old college senior and Dreamer who works as a Certified Nursing Assistant. Though not from Chester County, her story is similar. DACA has allowed me to work under my own name, drive, and not have to worry about being caught trying to work or trying to go to school, she said. Without DACA, Paloma would always be at risk of being deported.

This threat of deportation raises the question of her identity as an immigrant who has been living in the United States since age five. I wasnt welcome here (in the United States), and I didnt feel like my country  where I was born  was home, she said, reflecting on the challenges she faced growing up as a Dreamer.

Such is the case for many childhood arrivals. Many of the Dreamers that I know have come to this country at a young age and have no recollection of what living in that country means, Zavala said, For many, finding themselves without the protection of DACA would mean having to face the fear of being returned to a country they no longer know.

Both Paloma and the anonymous Dreamer have younger sisters who are not eligible for DACA, which adds a layer of uncertainty for their families. With this new ruling, though, the anonymous Dreamer said her family is hopeful that maybe (they) can get her (sister) started and get it rolling for her. That way, shes able to work and figure out a plan for herself.

If the Supreme Court had ruled against DACA, the anonymous Dreamer said, I think it would (have been) very hard. I dont think Id know what to do  It would be like there was a wall in front of me, and I cant do anything about it.

As a health care provider, as a daughter, as a member of the community who really works and advocates for minorities and members of my community  it wouldve definitely been just another battle to face, Medina said.

Luis Tovar, the head of the Advisory Committee on Latinos in Kennett Square, said that there is still a long way to go before Dreamers feel fully secure and welcome here, and the fight to protect this legislation is not yet over. This victory allows us to breathe a little lighter, but we do have to recognize that Trump will question the legality of the program again, Zavala added.

The DACA recipients and Zavala agreed that DACA is not the final solution. They hope for a more permanent path forward and a pathway to citizenship. Despite this ruling in favor of DACA, were still left in the limbo of when we can gain a path to citizenship, said Medina. She added that she feels as if she is up for grabs in a political debate.

The DACA recipients hope that the United States will become more accepting of immigrants and Dreamers in the future. Above all, said the anonymous DACA recipient, I just want people to know that Im human.
Researchers in northern Botswana have come up with a novel way to protect farmers crops from elephants: disco lights have proven to be effective in redirecting the great beasts from their path as they trample their way through to floodplains near the Chobe National Park.

Lines of flashing multi-coloured lights set up around farmers fields in the wildlife-rich Chobe Enclave have been shown to be highly effective at scaring off elephants.

The district lies close to the Chobe National Park and is home to 7,500 elephants. It's the site of a floodplain whose nutrient-rich soils are a draw to farmers. But their maize and sorghum fields are frequently destroyed by elephants on their way to the floodplain to graze and drink.

For two agricultural seasons between 2016 and 2018 the researchers, led by Australian scientist Tempe Adams, set up their lights at four villages. Half of the 18 study sites  the control fields  were unlit.

The lights were found to be effective at repelling elephants in 75 percent of 104 recorded elephant incursions, the researchers wrote in their study, published early this month in the journal Oryx.

'Very dramatic'

The likelihood of an elephant entering a crop field was significantly lower when lights were present compared to control fields, the study says.

The lights, set up at 10-metre intervals on poles up to 1.7 metres high, constantly flash a different colour: red, green, amber, white, blue or yellow. During the study, the colour pattern was changed weekly to prevent elephants getting used to it.

Adams, who is research coordinator for Botswana-based NGO Elephants Without Borders, said her team hit upon the idea of testing strobe light barriers after discussions with farmers who had reported scaring off elephants at night with simple flashing torches.

The idea of flashing is what we wanted to explore further, Adams tells RFI. It might be the association with people that makes the elephants fearful, or that it appears foreign or unfamiliar to them.

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The strobe effect for each light is random and looks very dramatic especially on a moonless night, she adds.

Shrinking habitat

Adams says the solar-powered disco lights are inexpensive and easy to use, and dont even need to be turned on or off. They are the latest among several non-lethal elephant deterrents (dubbed EleSenses) that EWB promotes among communities.

These include solar-powered strands of electric rope, sensor alarms and an organic oil repellent, which elephants hate the taste and smell of.

Shrinking habitat for elephants throughout their range, and growing human populations, mean harmful interactions are increasing in Botswana and beyond.

Crop destruction and human deaths caused by elephants are used by the authorities in neighbouring Zimbabwe to justify calls to reduce its own elephant numbers.

Zimbabwe has an estimated 80,000 elephants compared to Botswanas 125,000.

Flashing LED lights have been used to stop lions and other predators raiding cattle kraals in Kenya, Zambia and Zimbabwe. But this is thought to be the first time light barriers have been effectively used against elephants.

Pride in elephants

The light barriers have since been set up elsewhere in Chobe, and in Botswana's north-west Ngamiland district, Adams says. She hopes they can be used on the continent wherever there are negative interactions between elephants and people.

Botswanas elephants are in the spotlight after around 400 were found dead from unknown causes between March and June, mostly near the Okavango Delta, another wildlife-rich area in the north of the country.

Tests have been done on samples taken from the carcasses but the results are still unknown. It's suspected the animals died from a viral or bacterial infection.

Adams said a countrywide survey carried out by EWB several years ago revealed that most people regarded elephants with pride, and "associated them with the natural heritage of the country".

She added: "Many farmers do not hate elephants, but rather they want to find successful ways that they can continue farming in wildlife areas."
Video may have killed the radio star, but on the reaction to the first ever digital Paris fashion week, the queens of the catwalk can breathe easy. Forced online for the first time in its history by the coronavirus pandemic, brands both in haute couture and the Paris men's fashion week presented videos of their collections instead. Whle some had seen this as the advent of a long overdue opening up the cliquish salons of the fashion elite to the masses, the digital revolution has somewhat fallen flat. "The runway can't reopen for business soon enough," quipped Bridget Foley of the industry bible Women's Wear Daily, who like many felt the online shows -- which end Monday -- lack the buzz and razzamatazz of the real thing. "Oh Lord, how pretentious are some of these film shorts," she wrote. "This digital fashion week is making the live show model feel plenty relevant, and even essential." Front row fixture Diane Pernet was not impressed by the early offerings either. "I am sorry, I think they can do more," the Paris-based American critic and curator told AFP. "I am all into digital, but it is not doing it for me," she added. But Laurent Coulier, head men's buyer for top French department stores Galeries Lafayette and BHV Marais, could see upsides. "The great advantage for us compared to a normal fashion week is the time we save," he told AFP. - No more mad rush - Rather than the mad race across the French capital from one show to the next "we can see them all every half hour online. Sometimes in a normal fashion week with the transport and meetings, it is difficult to get a global view of what is going on." He also liked how some labels, like Y/Project and the young Paris brand Egon Lab had used their films creatively to show the uniqueness of their clothes. Coulier said the films were very useful calling cards "giving us a good view of brands that we have not been working with already... so we can go and see them in their showrooms." Still even he admitted digital lacked the magic of a live show. On the vexed question whether he would buy a collection on the back of an online show alone, Coulier was more careful. "You can see how the garments hang and fall, but with digital you cannot touch or feel the material... that's what it lacks." Pernet cannot see fashion shows being rendered obsolete, "and I am not one of those people who cry at shows," she said. The the digital revolution has already happened to some degree, she argued. "We have had live streaming of shows for five years now at least there is lots of digital showrooms." - Digital: 'Light years to go' - As for the designers themselves, Berluti's Kris Van Assche told AFP that you can't beat the drama and adrenaline of the runway. "I really love the emotion of the show, the history you can tell with the place you hold it in, the music and the people" who come. "But there is one thing in a fashion show you can't do, and that is to press pause and explain where things come from." Van Assche said this was "a once in a lifetime opportunity" to give people the background of how he worked on his collection with the American ceramicist Brian Rochefort. Even so, Foley said that early signs "indicate that digital has a long way to go -- light years -- before it can replace the live fashion event." While she admitted that with the extraordinary circumstances labels did not have long to prepare themselves, she still found the digital experience lacking. And that included acclaimed Italian director Matteo Garrone's lavish film for Dior haute couture -- which clocked up nearly 3.5 million Instagram views even as it was criticised for its lack of diversity in casting. "Exquisite" as it was, Foley said, "the film veered toward fashion satire". While others noted that the quality of the digital shows improved in the men's collections -- with heavyweights Louis Vuitton, Dries Van Noten and Rick Owens debuting their offerings Friday -- Foley said that for her, the digital experience did not have the "enjoyable intimacy of actually 'being there'." There was one thing, however, that Coulier, Pernet and New York Times critic Vanessa Friedman all agree on -- digital has cracked fashion show's eternal tardiness problem. "I'll say one thing... you don't have to sit there for the usual 20-30 minutes twiddling your thumbs and waiting for them to start," Friedman tweeted. A model presents a creation by French designer Stephane Rolland during the shooting of a film designed to replace Haute Couture fashion shows in Paris on July 3, 2020 after France eased lockdown measures taken to curb the spread of the COVID-19 disease caused by the novel coronavirus.With no catwalk fashion shows on offer for the first time in its history, the artistic ambitions of fashion designers has gone virtual: the week of virtual fashion shows starts on July 6, 2020 in the French capital Paris, following the post-Covid-19 (novel coronavirus) pandemic. An employee sews a miniature dress for the recording of Dior Haute Couture collection's presentation movie, in Dior's sewing workshop in Paris, on July 4 Designer Xuan-Thu Nguyen (R) prepares a model ahead of the filming of the presentation of a creation for fashion house Xuan as part of the Women's Fall-Winter 2020/2021 Haute Couture Fashion Week - released online on July 6 due to the coronavirus.
New Delhi/Berne: Switzerland government has issued public notices for sharing of details with India about Swiss bank accounts and other financial assets of Congress leader Kuldeep Bishnoi and his wife Renuka following receipt of an administrative assistancerequest from the Indian authorities.

The Bishnois have been asked to reply within 10 days to exercise their right to appeal against sharing of information as per the Swiss laws, according to two notices published in Switzerlands latest federal gazette, dated July 7, in Berne.

Similar notices have also been issued for Grande Maison Ltd and Hollyport Ltd -- two British Virgin Islands-based companies suspected to have links with the Bishnoi family.

Both the companies were incorporated on the same day on July 19, 1996, and also figured in the Panama Papers, a leaked list of entities based in tax havens. According to official records, both the companies were struck off from the registry of companies in April 2016 after remaining inactive since August 2014.

Repeated queries sent by PTI to Bishnoi, a sitting MLA in the Haryana assembly, and his office remained unanswered.

In the notices, Bishnoi, his wife and the two firms were asked to appoint a representative within 10 days to assert their right to be heard against the administrative assistance proposed by Switzerlands Federal Tax Administration.

Such assistance includes sharing of banking and other details of the individual or the company having accounts with banks or other financial institutions in Switzerland.

While the notices did not disclose any details about the probe, such notices are typically issued by the Swiss Federal Tax Administration after receipt of a request by a foreign jurisdiction along with prima facie evidence of suspected tax evasion or other financial wrongdoings.

If the person or company fails to provide a valid reason against the administrative assistance, the details are subsequently shared by the tax department with the requesting authority.

While an automatic exchange of information framework is in place between India and Switzerland since last year, sharing of details for older cases also takes place under the mutual administrative assistance pact between the two countries on submission of a request along with satisfactory prima-facie evidence of financial wrongdoings.

FACING PROBE BY IT DEPARTMENT

Bishnoi has been facing probe by multiple agencies including the income tax department, which had conducted raids at various places linked to him in July last year.

The tax department had also attached a five-star hotel in a prime business area of Gurugram, while designating that as a benami or unaccounted property of the Bishnoi family. It was alleged at that time that the shareholding in the hotel was routed through a front entity registered in British Virgin Islands.

The tax department had also said in August 2019 that foreign assets worth over Rs 200 crore allegedly linked to Bishnoi and his family were detected and being probed.

At that time, the Congress had alleged that the tax departments move was politically motivated ahead of assembly elections in the state.

Bishnoi, the son of former Haryana chief minister Bhajan Lal, eventually won the election from the states Adampur assembly seat in October 2019.

The tax department had also said that foreign holdings of Bishnoi and his family had remained hidden for decades under complex multi-layered structures through companies located in countries such as the British Virgin Islands, Panama, the UK and the UAE.

These structures have involved various front men and corporations across continents, it had said, while alleging that the black money generated in India was stashed abroad in the form of lavish properties in the names of foreign trusts and companies located in tax havens.
With the motto Always ready, always there, members of the Guard are used to being called up when disaster strikes at home or overseas. But never in its history has it been put to the test more than this year, Neely said, as members responded to the high-risk coronavirus pandemic and walked a fine line assisting police at protests without overstepping their role.
Tourists to the southern province of Ca Mau now can conveniently travel to nearby Kien Giang Provinces Nam Du Archipelago and Phu Quoc Island by using an express boat service that will be operated in the province from tomorrow.

Vietnams largest and most advanced high-speed boats will be operated on the tourism sea route connecting Ca Mau Province with Kien Giang Provinces Nam Du Archipelago and Phu Quoc Island.  VNA/VNS Photo Huynh Anh

Addressing the launch ceremony, Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial Peoples Committee Tran Hong Quan said that the launch of the sea route, which is the first of its kind, is expected to facilitate economic and tourism development in the locality.

The service is also designed as a new tourist product of Ca Mau in order to provide visitors with interesting experiences, create more jobs for locals and increase tourism revenue.

The route is plied by two high-speed boats of the Phu Quoc Express Joint Stock Company.

According to the chairman of the company, Vu Van Khuong, the tourists can enjoy European standard five-star services on Vietnams largest and most advanced high-speed boats.

Each boat is 46.85-metres long and 12.2-metres wide with a capacity of 600 passengers at a maximum speed of 35 nautical miles per hour. The trip takes about an hour and a half per leg, departing from Ong Doc Harbour in Song Doc Town, Tran Van Thoi District in Ca Mau.

The round-trip tickets are priced at VND590,000 (US$25) for adults, VND470,000 ($20) for the elderly and children, and VND980,000 ($43) for VIP tickets.

Phu Quoc Express Joint Stock Company should utilise their experience to recruit professional staff and crew, in addition to preparing effective operation plans for their business, Quan said.

He also requested relevant provincial departments to continue to pay and support local tourism enterprises, particularly in terms of promotions, improving services, diversifying local tourism products and ensuring security and order, which would create a stable number of tourists and offer conditions for the tourism sea route to be exploited with the highest efficiency. VNS

Ca Mau to open sea route to Nam Du Archipelago, Phu Quoc Island Authorities in Ca Mau have been given the green light to open a sea route connecting it with Nam Du archipelago and Phu Quoc island district - two popular tourist destinations belonging to nearby Kien Giang province.
The banner says "Welcome to Clifton, where Black Lives Matter."

It was posted over the tiny northern Virginia town's Main Street, in a space mostly used to advertise community events, after residents proposed staging a protest like the ones that have swept the country since the death of George Floyd at the knee of a Minneapolis police officer.

The gesture - which Mayor William Hollaway called "a first step" to beginning discussions of racial equity - drew mostly positive responses, according to the town clerk. But it prompted outrage from some residents of Fairfax County and nearby towns. Hollaway called the banner "the biggest controversy we've seen in many years."

One critical email, which was shared with The Washington Post, appears to be from Ginni Thomas, an outspoken conservative whose consulting company is based in Burke, and who is married to Clarence Thomas, the only black justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.

"BLM is a bit of a dangerous Trojan Horse and they are catching well-meaning people into dangerous posturing that can invite mob rule and property looting," Ginni Thomas, who is white, wrote on June 24. "Let's not be tricked into joining cause with radical extremists seeking to foment a cultural revolution because they hate America."

The email echoes remarks by President Donald Trump and conservative commentators, who have denounced protesters for racial justice as radical, violent and un-American.

Thomas did not respond to a request for comment Thursday. Her Facebook page is full of similar sentiments, quoting the same sources as in the email.

An email from Lin-Dai Kendall, a tea party Republican who once ran for Fairfax County School Board, said the sign appears to welcome "rioters who have vandalized entire zones in multiple American cities across the United States for the past three weeks."

"You are affirming a misnomer that threatens to send us all into a cultural revolution pitting Marxists against freedom-loving Americans," Kendall's email said.

Critics also posted comments on Clifton's Facebook page and anonymously mailed fliers to residents that try to tie the Black Lives Matter movement to international conspiracies.

In response to the uproar, the town council set aside half of its regular meeting Tuesday night to hear feedback on the banner.

Nearly all of the 16 people who spoke at the meeting said they supported it. Several described their relief and thankfulness that the overwhelmingly white town of about 300 residents had taken an anti-racist stance.

"As an African American, I never would have guessed that this community would come together . . . to make such a clear message of welcome and openness," said Mark Cherry.

Another speaker, Tony DiBari, posed a challenge to the assembled council members. "You guys already made the right decision, you put up the banner," he said. "Now do you have the willingness, the wherewithal, the fight to stand behind the people of this community?"

Hollaway - who works as a lawyer in downtown Washington in addition to serving as mayor - said the council called an emergency session June 11 to discuss possible responses to the national reckoning on race that has been amplified by Floyd's death.

He was acutely aware of the sizable protests sweeping downtown Washington. While generally peaceful, the protests early on included some property damage and looting, and Hollaway's legal office "had all of its windows smashed out of it," he said.

"We couldn't go to work there. It was a volatile time," Hollaway said. He believed the town council needed to make a statement right away.

While some residents wanted to organize a demonstration in solidarity with those seeking racial justice, council members suggested the banner as an alternative, noting that Black Lives Matter is a movement that goes far beyond the advocacy organization with that name. The council said June 11 that it did not support the advocacy group's goals of defunding police, decriminalizing prostitution and other "radical" aims.

"We took action because we believed it was urgent, and we had a crisis before us," Hollaway said.

After the banner was stretched across Main Street, someone complained to the Virginia Department of Transportation. Town council members said the state agency has never expressed concern about banners erected in that space for the past three or four decades, advertising pancake breakfasts and the like.

The council decided Tuesday night that it would not remove the welcome sign until another organization requests the space to advertise a civic event, most of which have been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"We knew we had a 60-day maximum," said vice mayor Steve Effros. "What happens after that is, we may finally have a pancake breakfast."
All presidents must deal with things they did not expect  FDR had the Great Depression and World War II. Kennedy had the Cuban Missile Crisis. George H.W. Bush had Saddam Hussein.

And Donald Trump has had COVID-19.

Despite what critics say, Trump has responded well to the coronavirus pandemic. He mobilized the federal government and private industry in ways not seen in decades. Its likely the interventions he sparked led to faster testing on a broader scale, helped keep the spread of COVID-19 under control, and resulted in fewer deaths than might otherwise have been the case.

Well never know for sure. The experts models were way off, even when early-stage interventions are factored in. Concerns about the current spike in the number of people testing positive for COVID-19 should be tempered by relief that considerably fewer people are dying from it.

Meanwhile, as the result of actions taken by many of the nations governors (mostly in blue states), the U.S. economy hit the skids. A record number of jobs have been lost, and Congress tried to make up for it with a flood of new spending it will take at least a decade of above-average economic growth to get it back.

It would be good for the country if Trump focused on measures going forward to get the economy off its back. Businesses must reopen, governors must lift lockdowns and, if they are needed again if the hypothetical second wave hits, they need to be localized, specific, and well thought out.

Several steps can be taken to help bring about the V-shaped recovery everyone is hoping for. There are lots of positive indicators in the economy that its possible. Every policy decision from now until at least the end of summer ought to be taken specifically to enhance the possibility that will occur.

Just as the president was right to postpone tax filings and payments from April 15 to July at the height of the crisis, he would be right to have Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin tell the U.S. Internal Revenue Service to postpone the payment of those taxes until sometime in 2021.

The economy has just started showing signs of life. Taking $1 trillion in the form of taxes would almost assured plunge us back into a recession, and push the recovery back by months.

The National Bureau of Economic Research said the recession caused by the lockdowns resulting from the coronavirus panic started in February. They also called it steep but short-lived. July 2020 should be a month of recovery because of strong, perhaps stronger than normal economic activity. But that only happens if people are engaged in productive activity, buying and selling goods and services in the marketplace.

Several prominent economists have endorsed this idea. Influential political groups including the National Taxpayers Union and Americans for Tax Reform have also signed on. Trump and Mnuchin have it within their power to make this happen. They should order it be done with all dispatch. File in July but pay next year.

Certainty is important as businesses plan what to do next, whether to hire or fire, whether to stay open or close, and whether to expand. Knowing that the taxes due would not have to be paid until sometime early next year gives them that much more time to use their available cash to put people back to work rather than send it to Uncle Sam.

Peter Roff is a senior fellow at Frontiers of Freedom and a former U.S. News and World Report contributing editor who appears regularly as a commentator on the One America News network. He is distributed by Cagle Cartoons newspaper syndicate.
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Mobile crane is a lifting device used primarily in construction. The cable-controlled crane is mounted on a rubber-tired carrier and it comprises a telescopic boom. The report about the global mobile crane market released by Market Research Future (MRFR) envisions expansion for this market at 4% CAGR between 2017 and 2023.

By monitoring the market structure, this report mensurates the future growth potential of the market. It chalks the strategies of major market players and aids the competitive developments like new product developments, research & development (R&D), mergers & acquisitions, and joint ventures in the market.

The greatest factor driving the global mobile crane market growth is increasing focus on infrastructural developments. The second factor helping the market growth include power distribution as construction, as well as, maintenance activities require the use of power. Other factors ensuring profitability for global mobile crane market include the adoption of a global positioning system (GPS) technology by the equipment holders, subsequent operational efficiency, and adoption of telematics.

Market Segmentation

The global mobile crane market segmentation covers alloy application and product. MRFR is exploring the features of these segments to understand market trends.

The application-based segmentation of this market covers building cars, construction, industries, shipbuilding, and others.

Based on product, the market has been segmented into crawled cranes, wheeled mobile cranes, and others.

Regional Segmentation

The regional segmentation of the global mobile crane market covers Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, and Rest of the World (RoW).

During the forecast period, the Asia Pacific region can appear as the fastest growing regional market due to the rising demand for infrastructure-related innovations by the commercial construction industry and residential construction industry. Other factors driving the market growth include the booming construction industry, increasing urbanization, the introduction of smart cities, and political stability in the region. Most important economies in this region that can be major markets are China and India as both countries have a high density of population and growing industries. Japan can be another important country-specific market due to technological advancement. Key market players operating in this region are based in China and Japan.

North America is another important market due to the presence of many key market players in the USA. In this region, the market is growing slowly but steadily as most cities in this region have advanced infrastructure. After USA, Canada is the most important country-specific market in this region.

In Europe, the market is growing primarily due to reasons that are same as North America. However, Europe has more population than North America, and all countries in Europe are not as advanced as the USA. Country-specific markets of substance in this region are France, Germany, and the UK.

In the RoW segment, there are countries in South America, Africa, and the Middle East that have poor infrastructure. Therefore, in these regions, there can be many countries where demand for construction equipment and necessary maintenance can be high.

Key Players

Major players in the global mobile crane market include Hitachi Sumitomo Heavy Industries Construction Crane Co. Ltd (Japan), Kato-works Co. Ltd. (Japan), Liebherr Group (Switzerland), LiuGong Machinery Co., Ltd. (China), Manitowoc Company Inc. (USA), Palfinger AG (Austria), Sany Group Co. Ltd (China), Tadano Ltd. (Japan), Terex Corporation (USA), XCMG Group (China), and Zoomlion Co. Ltd. (China).

Note: The COVID-19 pandemic disruption is estimated to transform the XX market in the years to come drastically, and its after-effects will be persistently seen in the years ahead. The MRFR report on the XX market meticulously tracks the COVID-19 pandemic effect for the years ahead. Moreover, the precise analysis of drivers and restraints in a post-COVID-19 market offers a coherent understanding of future growth cues.

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The University of Texas at San Antonio will reopen next month with limited options for face-to-face classes and the promise that students who want to take all their courses remotely can do so  except for more than 700 international students who risk losing their visas without in-person instruction under a Trump administration directive.

Those holding F-1 international student visas would be required to leave the country if they take fully online course loads, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said this week

Harvard University, which will teach entirely online this fall, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have sued the federal government to try to overturn the new rules.

The University of Texas at San Antonio enrolls more than 30,000 students, including 739 with F-1 visas.

In new guidelines announced this week, UTSA leaders repeated their vow to reopen campus buildings in the fall and teach classes using the hybrid model, a mix of online and in-person experiences, with most instruction online and asynchronous, meaning not conducted in real time.

Many international students already have schedules with face-to-face activities, such as dissertation or thesis work, labs or studio classes, school spokesman Joe Izbrand said.

The university will arrange for all others to take at least one class, aligned to their majors, that has in-person components that keep them in compliance with the new rules for F-1 visas, he said.

No international student will have all online courses, Izbrand said.

An estimated 1 million students hold F-1 visas. Citing the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the government in March suspended its rule that they had to attend most classes in person.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Boston, argues the emergency is not over and seeks a temporary restraining order to stop the new rule.

Many universities have shifted completely online or are considering that move, and the rules for international students have drawn widespread condemnation from higher education leaders.

In a statement posted Friday to Trinity Universitys website, its president, Danny Anderson, called for the policys immediate reversal. The university has signed an amicus brief in support of Harvard and MITs lawsuit and a letter from the American Council of Education that will be submitted next week to congressional leaders.

Trinity has 110 international students on F-1 visas, nearly 5 percent of the small universitys enrollment.

We will continue to stand with our international students and their families as they seek a reasonable and speedy resolution to this unnecessary disruption in their academic careers, Anderson said.

The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, which counts the University of Texas System among its members, also slammed the new policy. In a statement, the organizations president, Peter McPherson, called it incredibly unfair, harmful, and unworkable.

Blocking and possibly expelling international students in the middle of their studies serves no ones interests and would set back the United States ability to attract the worlds brightest minds to study here, McPherson said.

On ExpressNews.com: UT San Antonio layoffs number more than 300 employees, including a tenth of non-tenured faculty

UTSA plans to open Aug. 24 as scheduled, though after Thanksgiving, classes will be fully online and final exams will be given online. The course catalog, including modes of instruction for each class, will be finalized by July 31.

Students still have the option of living in residence halls, though in this weeks updated guidelines, President Taylor Eighmy, Provost Kimberly Espy and Chief Financial Officer Veronica Mendez noted students also could live elsewhere in San Antonio  or in other cities.

Parallel online content will be available as an alternative to all in-person instruction, they said. There will be flexible workplace policies for faculty and staff.

Options are being explored so that those who can effectively conduct their work from home can do so, said the letter to students and employees. We are designing the semester for maximum adaptability in the event we need to move all instructional and operational activities online.

Face masks are required in classrooms, community spaces and other common areas on campus, which will be cleaned and disinfected daily.

While offering virtual services, campus libraries will reopen in phases, with social distancing protocols and occupancy limits. Dining halls and food courts will open with contact-free options such as mobile ordering and self-checkout. Student health and mental health clinics will limit in-person visits and offer phone and video appointments.

Laboratories will be open, with social distancing and cleaning protocols.

On ExpressNews.com: UT San Antonio has reopened its labs, but only for research

The university promised updates July 28 regarding campus transportation services, parking and the recreation center, student union and child care center. Fees for those services might be adjusted if they remain closed.

Tuition rates will remain unchanged. International students pay a higher out-of-state rate, but the average in-state full-time undergraduate, with 15 credit hours per semester, will pay about $10,000 tuition for the academic year at UTSA.

Alia Malik covers several school districts and the University of Texas at San Antonio. To read more from Alia, become a subscriber. amalik@express-news.net | Twitter: @AliaAtSAEN
NEWBERG, Oregon  A man trying to escape from officers in a stolen car ended up crashing into another vehicle ... which also was stolen, according to police.

Now two people, Randy Lee Cooper, 27, of Portland, and Kristin Nicole Begue, 25, of Newberg, Ore., are both facing criminal charges.

A news release from the Newberg-Dundee Police Department says the incident occurred on Sunday when officers were notified that a Toyota Land Cruiser had been stolen. Officers spotted the stolen vehicle driving through town, reportedly by Cooper.

Officers gave chase and the Land Cruiser crashed into a Buick Regal driven by Begue. Officers then discovered the Regal had been reported stolen about three weeks earlier.

Cooper is facing several charges, police say, including unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, attempting to elude police, assault-3, and reckless driving. Begue is charged with driving under the influence of intoxicants and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

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Protesters who have clashed with authorities in the Pacific Northwest are not just confronting local police. Some are also facing off against federal officers whose presence reflects President Donald Trumps decision to make cracking down on violent mayhem a federal priority.

The Department of Homeland Security has deployed officers in tactical gear from around the country, and from more than a half-dozen federal law enforcement agencies and departments, to Portland, Oregon, as part of a surge aimed at what a senior official said were people taking advantage of demonstrations over the police killing of George Floyd to commit violence and vandalism.

Once we surged federal law enforcement officers to Portland, the agitators quickly got the message, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing operation.

The deployment represents somewhat of a departure for DHS, which was created after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and is primarily focused on threats from abroad and border security. During the Trump presidency, its focus has been largely on carrying out the presidents tough immigration agenda. Now it is in the role of supporting Trumps law-and-order campaign, raising questions about overstepping the duties of local law enforcement.

Portland Deputy Police Chief Chris Davis said his department did not request the assistance and did not coordinate efforts with the federal government amid often chaotic clashes that have ranged across several downtown blocks after midnight for weeks.

I dont have authority to order federal officers to do things, Davis said. It does complicate things for us.

The DHS officers presence comes at an incredibly tense moment for Portland. After Floyds death, the city for days saw marches and rallies that attracted more than 10,000 generally peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters to the downtown area. The police took a mostly hands-off approach to those events because they were orderly, Davis said.

Civil liberties advocates and activists have accused federal authorities of overstepping their jurisdiction and excessive use of crowd-control measures, including using tear gas and patrolling beyond the boundaries of federal property. Portland police are prohibited from using tear gas under a recent temporary court order unless they declare a riot.

DHS should go back to investigating the rise of white supremacist activity and actors who are seeking to cause violence against these peaceful protests, that is under the purview of the agencys mission, said Andrea Flores, the deputy director of immigration policy at the American Civil Liberties Union who was a DHS official during the Obama administration.

Trump issued an executive order on June 26 to protect monuments after protesters tried to remove or destroy statues of people considered racist, including a failed attempt to pull down one of Andrew Jackson near the White House.

The president has denounced the Black Lives Matter movement and protests calling for the removal of statues honoring racist figures, associating peaceful protests with the sporadic outbursts of vandalism and looting at some demonstrations. He referred to the violent mayhem we have seen in the streets of cities that are run by liberal Democrats, as well as the merciless campaign to wipe out our history, in his July 3 Mount Rushmore speech.

Following the executive order, DHS created the Protecting American Communities Task Force and sent officers from Customs and Border Protection and other agencies to Washington, D.C., Seattle and Portland. Others were ready to deploy elsewhere if needed.

Improving coordination among law enforcement agencies is part of DHSs mission. It also oversees the Federal Protective Service, which guards federal government buildings around the nation.

But the FPS doesnt have the resources to respond to the kind of sustained attacks that have taken place in Portland and elsewhere on the margins of protests over the May 25 killing of Floyd in Minneapolis.

Federal Protective Service Officer David Underwood was shot and killed outside a federal building in Oakland during a protest in May. Authorities charged an Air Force staff sergeant affiliated with the far-right, anti-government boogaloo movement with his murder.

As local governments in Washington, D.C., and Portland have stepped back to allow space for peaceful demonstrations, the Trump administration has stepped up its effort against what the senior official called opportunistic criminals.

Attorney General William Barr says there have been more than 150 arrests on federal charges around the country, with about 500 investigations pending related to recent protests. There were at least seven in Portland in recent days.

Portland police officials say the cycle of nightly attacks, which have shut down much of the downtown, has been unprecedented. Early Thursday, a man in a SUV fired several times into the air as he drove away from protesters who had surrounded his car. Weve never seen this intensity of violence and focused criminal activity over this long period of time, Davis said.

Among the federal forces deployed in Portland are members of an elite Border Patrol tactical team, a special operations unit that is based on the U.S.-Mexico border and has been deployed overseas, including to Iraq and Afghanistan.

BORTAC members, identifiable by patches on their camouflage sleeves, are mixed in with Federal Protective Service outside the courthouse. Others in the unit, which includes snipers, have been stationed in overlook positions on the courthouses ninth floor, where a protester in a black hoodie shined a green laser into the eyes of one of the officers on Monday, according to court documents.

The night before, a BORTAC agent tackled and arrested a demonstrator suspected of pointing a laser at him and others from a park across the street from the courthouse.

A former DHS official said BORTAC agents were viewed as highly trained, valuable, scarce resources and would typically be used for domestic law enforcement in extraordinary circumstances. These units dont normally sit around idle, said the official, who spoke on condition anonymity because he no longer works at the agency, after serving under Trump and President Barack Obama, and is not authorized to discuss operations.

What did they get pulled off of in order to watch over statues?
In particular, major domestic rebar producers ArcelorMittal Warszawa and CMC Zawiercie were said to have no tonnages available for July deliveries, according to several sources.ArcelorMittal Warszawa and CMC Zawiercie both sold out for July rebar. They will announce August prices on the 25th of July at the soonest. At this moment, only Celsa Huta Ostrowiec has available material for July deliveries, one trader said.

Demand from...
The Toms River Police put a curfew into place Thursday afternoon following over a month of rising complaints of unruly minors in the North Beach section of town.

Under the rules of the curfew, anyone 17 and under is prohibited to be on a public street, walkway, alley, park, or any public area or unimproved private property in the North Beach area between 9 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, according to a statement from the Toms River Police.

The North Beach area includes the barrier island area of town north of the border of Lavallette and south of the border of Brick starting at Fifth Avenue, police said.

Between early June and early July, the department had a nearly sevenfold increase in juvenile complaints over the same period in 2019, a proclamation signed by the towns emergency management coordinator stated.

In approximately a square mile of town, the department received over 150 calls for service in the last month, a police spokeswoman told NJ Advance Media.

Police said the minors were were congregating nightly in violation of social distancing and face mask restrictions and committing acts of vandalism and criminal mischief.

Some of the offenses are (but not limited to) destruction of property, loud obscenities, and trespassing, the spokeswoman said. While some live in the area, many are from neighboring towns and are being dropped off.

The proclamation stated that the acts threaten the public health, safety and welfare of the affected communities and, if uncontrolled, can exacerbate the spread of COVID-19.

We understand the frustrations of the community during the pandemic and the lack of available activities, however, along with the destruction of property and unruly behavior, and due to the large groups congregating, it has become a health risk and is in direct defiance of the governors social distancing orders, the spokeswoman said.

The department said in a Facebook post last month that the problem was getting worse and asked parents not to drop children off in the North Beach area due to ongoing issues and said more officers would deployed to that section of town to help address the issues.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com.
Within this framework, the Cabinet chief commented that it was difficult and complex for the Executive Branch to establish the emergency rule argumentatively speaking, since the expression "quarantine" was only found in the General Health Law, but without further explanation or regulation, and even less antecedents for its implementation.

Zeballos said that the quarantine has exposed the serious weaknesses that the State has. In this sense, he referred that at the beginning Peru only had 100 Intensive Care Units (ICU). However, the country currently relies on 1,200, and the objective is to reach 2,000 in the coming months.
Once mighty and sitting atop the exclusive S&P 500 index, heavily leveraged corporations that were previously cash-rich and debt-poor are now the reverse, and have only a raging pandemic to look forward to. Will the mighty S&P giants balance sheets survive their massive debt and dim prospects?

A decade ago, the companies that make up the S&P 500 indexthe 500 largest publicly traded companies in the United Stateswere enjoying favorable credit ratings, with most holding 20 cents of net debt per dollar of annual revenue, according to researchers at Forbes. Today, those companies hold nearly 38 cents per dollar of annual revenue as they took on a staggering $2.5 trillion in debt.

And now those companies, weighed down by substantial debt, are staring the coronavirus pandemic in the face. They include oil giants such as Exxon, GM, AT&T, FedEx, and airline giants like American Airlines, the latter of which took on $25 billion in debt over the last six years, using it in part for what many analysts in the industry deem to be reckless buybacks and dividend payments.

As of the end of 2019, according to the St. Louis Federal Reserve, nonfinancial business debt reached $10 trilliona 64% increase in just one short decade.

But the scramble to take on more debt didnt stop in the last decade.

Over the last couple of months, 392 companies, according to the Forbes investigation, issued another $617 billion in bonds and notes as they took on even more debt, all the while languishing in coronavirus purgatory.

Exxon, one of the top 30 in the S&P 500, saw its debt to equity ratio climb from 0.06 at the beginning of the decade to 0.17 now.

Related: COVID-19 Is A Hackers Paradise

And after the oil price crash and demand destruction for crude oil and its refined products, Exxon is looking at tough times ahead, as evidenced by rumors of thousands of layoffs.

Johnson & Johnson, in the S&P 500 Top 10, has seen its debt to equity ratio climb from 0.07 at the beginning of the decade to 0.41 now.

The result? Many in the S&P 500 have seen their rating drop. While Exxon saw its credit rating slip from AAA to just AA, and Johnson and Johnson held onto its AAA rating despite carrying over $30 billion in debt.

Others werent so lucky.

According to S&Ps ratings, American Airlines fell to B. For AT&Twho is sitting on a $150 billion mountain of debt, it saw its rating fall to BBBdangerously close to junk status.

And while were talking about debt, wed be remiss not to mention oil giant Occidentals catastrophic purchase of Anadarko that cost the company $55 billion in money it didnt haveright before oil prices crashed.

As for a recovery, that will only come for somelike the airlineswhen the coronavirus pandemic is behind us, which may not come fully until after we have a vaccineif we have a vaccine.

What this means for some on the S&P 500 list is that they will need to borrow more to stay afloat. American Airlines, for one, just received a huge bailout from the government as part of the coronavirus rescue package.

By Julianne Geiger for Safehaven.com

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In January, Kathryn Licata and her fiance Martin were preparing for a wedding with more than 100 guests. Then COVID-19 arrived, and the couple had to do what so many others planning to marry this year were forced to: cut their guest list to the bare bones, or postpone to next year.

After COVID hit in March, we initially had to go down to five people, and then lifted it to 20 once the restrictions eased, Ms Licata says.

Kathryn and fiance Martin are due to get married on August 29 in Melbourne. Credit:Wayne Taylor

But as of Tuesday, were again looking at five people, which means having to choose between having my sister as a witness, being walked down the aisle by my dad, or having a photographer during the ceremony.

Despite their wedding not being until August 29, the couple is erring on the side of caution after being caught in the crosshairs of an ever-changing state of laws.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 17:40:04|Editor: huaxia

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WINDHOEK, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Namibia on Friday received here a batch of anti-pandemic medical supplies from the Chinese government through the Organization of African First ladies for Development to help mothers and children combat COVID-19.

The Chinese embassy entrusted by China's first lady, Peng Liyuan, handed over 18,000 medical masks and 120 infrared thermometers, while the Chinese embassy in Namibia donated 30 sewing machines to Namibia's first lady, Monica Geingos' One Economy Foundation.

Speaking at the handover, Namibia's first lady, Geingos said the donations highlight the importance of ensuring that children and women are safe and their health is protected.

Furthermore, the donation makes an important point about entrepreneurship, as women will be able to make reusable masks with the donated sewing machines, she added.

"We will ensure that all the donated material reaches every single shelter for women and children in this country and we will also ensure that sewing machines will be utilized for sustainability," she said, thanking Peng Liyuan and the embassy.

Geingos said as we focus on COVID-19, we may not take the eyes off other epidemics in the country like HIV to which young women and children are often the most vulnerable.

"This donation is a recognition that epidemics attack the vulnerable the most and acknowledges that we have to all play our part to ensure that the fight is sustainable," she added.

Chinese Ambassador to Namibia, Zhang Yiming at the event said the assistance not only reflects Peng Liyuan's care about rights of health and development of African women and children during the pandemic but also a vivid portrayal of the friendship between Namibia and China.

"The donation of the sewing machines to One Economy Foundation will help address the issues of women and youth employment and development," he said, adding that China is willing to cooperate with Namibia in combating COVID-19, eliminating poverty and promoting the development of women and youth.

So far the Chinese government and enterprises in Namibia have donated medical supplies with a total value of more than 40 million Namibian dollars (about 2.35 million U.S. dollars) to support the country combat COVID-19. Enditem
NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Exploring Deep-sea Habitats off Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands

As summer draws more crowds to South Texas beaches, Padre Island National Seashore posted a warning Thursday on Facebook about the influx of jellyfish.

Charles Lassiter, public information officer for PINS, said it's not uncommon to see an increase in jellyfish, but more of the sea creature means a greater chance to get stung. Making matters worse, the first aid center for PINS is closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"Every year in the summer, we have people coming in with jellyfish stings every day," Lassiter said. "This year, the center is not available so we want our visitors to know how to care for it and what to bring."

READ ALSO: 15 state parks worth the day trip from San Antonio

PINS said guests should pack vinegar before heading to the beach as it can ease and deactivate the pain of a jellyfish sting, which will typically last between 20 to 30 minutes, Lassiter said.

Lassiter is also warning visitors to watch out for Portuguese man-of-war, which is a colony of organisms that looks like a jellyfish and stings like one too. The sting is more intense but can also be treated with vinegar, he said.

Visitors should also be aware of stingrays and should shuffle their feet while in the ocean. Lassiter said stingrays will only sting humans if they are stepped on or threatened.

If you are stung by a stingray, Lassiter says to leave the stinger in the wound and seek medical assistance outside the park immediately. There are two medical facilities north of the park and several more in Corpus Christi.

The beach was closed for Fourth of July weekend but reopened on Tuesday and is open 24 hours a day.

"We want people to come out and have a great time, but just be mindful and aware of your surroundings," Lassiter said. "Also, please follow the guidelines from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and practice social distancing as we are in some difficult times right now."

Priscilla Aguirre is a general assignment reporter for MySA.com | priscilla.aguirre@express-news.net | @CillaAguirre
The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberia's former president, and Helen Clark, New Zealand's former prime minister, are to head a panel to review the global response to the Covid-19 pandemic.



Mrs Sirleaf led Liberia during the Ebola epidemic that began in 2014, killing more than 11,000 people in West Africa. New Zealand has been lauded as a success story for its handling of the coronavirus pandemic.



WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it was time to reflect and to strengthen collaboration in order to contain the pandemic.



"Through you, the world will understand the truth of what happened and also the solutions to build our future better as one humanity," the AFP news agency quoted Dr Tedros as saying.



The WHO has been under pressure for some time to review its handling of the pandemic, reports the BBC's Imogen Foulkes from Geneva, where the organisation is based.



It has faced criticism, most notably from the United States, that it was slow to respond to the initial outbreak in China, and that it was too close to the Chinese government, she says.



The evaluation announced by the WHO will look not just at the WHOs response, but at the response of individual countries as well, our correspondent says.



Dr Tedros said: Together, we now have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to prove to each other that we can be greater than the sum of our parts."Together, we now have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to prove to each other that we can be greater than the sum of our parts."



He also warned that most countries did not yet have the virus under control, adding that the greatest threat was not in fact the virus itself, but lack of leadership in dealing with it.



Earlier this week, the US formally notified the UN of its intention to leave the WHO.



According to Johns Hopkins University, more than three million people in the US have now tested positive for Covid-19 - far more than in any other country.



More than 131,000 deaths have been reported in the country - and on Tuesday the US broke its record for most new cases reported in one day.

Source: BBC









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

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 9)  Over 90 lawmakers are expected to decide on the fate of the embattled broadcast network ABS-CBN Corp. on Friday after wrapping up deliberations on its franchise application.

Anakalusugan Party-list Rep. Mike Defensor told CNN Philippines that the voting could happen between 1pm to 1:30pm and results could be out by 2pm.

House legislative franchises committee chair Franz Alvarez of Palawan 1st District told CNN Philippines on Thursday said that the 46 members of his committee, along with at least 45 other House leaders or ex-officio panel members, will cast their vote after summarizing the arguments on various issues hounding the network's franchise.

Ex-officio members include House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, Minority Leader Bienvenido Abante, and deputy speakers of other committees. With their authority, they may or may not cast their vote and instead deputize another lawmaker who is not on the list to vote on their behalf.

A total of 12 hearings which covered at least 11 pending House bills were tackled in consideration of the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN. Since May, the legislative franchises committee has been spearheading the deliberations, along with the committee on good governance and public accountability.

ABS-CBN chairman emeritus Gabby Lopez and chief executive officer Carlo Katigbak were among the network's top officials who answered queries of lawmakers on supposed violations in franchise, ownership, and labor practices, among others. The twelfth hearing was held on Monday, raising issues on supposed biases in the network's reporting.

READ: TIMELINE: ABS-CBN franchise

Majority of the members must be present before granting the franchise renewal. Should they vote in favor of ABS-CBN, its application, through the consolidated bills, will then be forwarded to the plenary for sponsorship of further debates.

The network's bid may also end at the committee level, if panel members deny them the new 25-year franchise.

However, Section 40 of the House Rules says a committee member may still move for the reconsideration of the measure during the same meeting or on the succeeding day after the meeting, that is, if ABS-CBN files a motion for reconsideration.

In case the committee voted no on the renewal of franchise, Defensor explained that ABS-CBN could reapply for legislative franchise but under a new name.

If it is voted down, meaning there is a violation, then it is not wise to reapply as ABS-CBN," Defensor said. "They can reapply as a different corporation."

Once the application is voted down, the frequencies are back to the government, he added. "It is up to the government if they will pull it out or wait until they will be able to resolve the issue on how ABS-CBN or another company may reapply for this franchise.

ABS-CBN has been off the air since May 5, after the National Telecommunications Commission ordered it to stop operations due to the expiry of its legislative franchise.

CNN Philippines' Glee Jalea, Vince Ferreras, and Xianne Arcangel contributed to this report.
Leh, July 10 : One of India's most iconic educationists, Sonam Wangchuk, has come out in support of Tibet's freedom from China, which he believes is yet another reason to use 'wallet power' against Chinese products.

In an interview to IANS in Leh, 53-year-old Wangchuk, whose campaign 'boycott Chinese products' received overwhelming support from Indian citizens following the violent face-off between Indian and Chinese troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in May this year, asserted that his call against Beijing has ethical reasons.

The engineer-turned-educationist, who inspires millions of students across the country for having chosen a modest and simple life in a village in Leh over a career in a big city or abroad, argues that China is a violator of human rights of six million Tibetans.

"Any source that is a violator of rights of others should be given up. For example, people gave up the products which were made by child labour and involved violation of child rights, even if the products were cheaper," he said.

The Ramon Magsaysay award winner, who founded the Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh over three decades ago, asked, "If you care about child rights and animals rights, how about the human rights of the six million Tibetans and 11 million Uighurs (under China)?" The conscience keeper of India, reiterated that the "whole world needs to use the same wallets that made China so powerful, to bring it down so that countries like Tibet who have been unlawfully occupied by China are given freedom. Not only Tibetans and Uighurs, but I would say that 1.4 billion Chinese people are also bonded labourers there. So definitely Tibet, by all means Tibet, but also the Chinese people deserve freedom." Responding to the criticism that the boycott of Chinese goods can result in loss of jobs and recession in Indian economy, the educationist scoffed, "It is ridiculous that we say we find employment in selling Chinese goods when a decade or two ago, there was ten times more employment by making those products in India." He referred to the products like toys, bicycles, shoes, shirts that Indians used to manufacture. "All their employment went to China but we are not worried about that. We are worried about the few jobs generated by trading somebody else's products," the social reformist said.

Describing it as a warped view, Wangchuk added, "We are suffering from amnesia. We think that we have always had imported Chinese goods and never made anything." Making a strong pitch for his campaign, the activist said that it is an attempt to bring back "all that we have had -- making things ourselves and for ourselves. Perhaps, we can do this for the world also." Out of the seven billion people in the world, he pointed out, India and China make 2.5 billion or so. "The rest of the five billion people are there for us to take our products outwards if we wish," he argued.

"If we want to go global, the whole world is looking for alternative manufacturing. Unlike in the past, today, people around the world are wary of China and apprehensive about its expansionist actions. People around the world, particularly the most advanced countries, are looking up to countries like India to provide alternatives," he said.

But for the sake of ecology and environment, Wangchuk is happy if India made things just for itself and so did each country for itself, locally. An admirer of Indian philosophical thought, the educationist said that actually the world should emulate India.

"The world should also be somewhat like how India is. Not very greedy and not very materialistic. I would rather like everybody to be content and happy with what they have. The whole world needs to slow down, relax a bit and stay happy with little," he argued passionately.

Though he agreed that India has to reach a certain level of economic growth and prosperity where people should be free from hunger and sickness, he insisted that beyond that, money and material do not work. The law of diminishing returns kicks in, he warned, after the initial happiness and satisfaction drawn from accumulating assets and wealth.
Greyhound is not the movie to expect an Oscar-worthy Tom Hanks performance or an unflinching World War II portrait.

Language: English

Tom Hanks and transportation have a troubled history, like two incompatible forces trying to one-up each other. In Cast Away, his plane crashes into the ocean leaving him stranded on an island. In Sully, birds cripple his plane's engines, forcing him to land it over the Hudson River. Captain Phillips sees his ship hijacked by Somali pirates, and Apollo 13 proves trouble follows him even in outer space. Putting Hanks in any mode of transport is almost as bad an idea as putting Liam Neeson in it. So when I heard his new film was called Greyhound, my immediate thought was poor Hanks must contend with the inter-city bus now. I was wrong: he is back on a ship, a World War II destroyer  and he must steer it to the limits of its functional possibility to survive the battle against Nazi submarines.

On his first wartime mission as commander of the USS Keeling (call sign: Greyhound), Captain Ernest Krause (Hanks) must lead a convoy of 37 Allied ships carrying soldiers and supplies across the Atlantic. For five days, the ships must make it past a treacherous stretch of water (ominously named the Black Pit) on their own, as it is beyond the range of air support. Hiding beneath the waters are German submarines waiting to torpedo this supply line between the United States and Europe. Hanks is shit out of luck on a ship out of luck.

As a dramatic prologue to the invasion of Normandy, the mission's significance is undeniable. There is also an added element of pressure with a first-time captain pitted against these seemingly insurmountable odds. Krause's struggles with self-doubt is there for everyone to see: he constantly prays for guidance; he second-guesses every decision; he is tired but cannot sleep, hungry but cannot eat. His self-doubt is also reflected in the eyes of his crew. But this is not The Caine Mutiny; they still follow orders, shouting and repeating them to exhaustion.

When Krause's unconventional tactics sink a German sub on their very first confrontation, his second-in-command Charlie Cole (Stephen Graham) tries to cheer him up: What you did yesterday got us to today? The crew knows it had as much to do with beginner's luck as a natural talent, but it gives them all belief. But as a crew member celebrates the deaths of "50 Krauts," Krause quietly laments the loss of "50 souls." For he is a man torn between his faith and duty, between dedication and exhaustion, between a showcase of outer confidence and inner self-doubt. In a key test of his mettle, we see him forced into a corner, forced to decide whether to rescue a handful of men from a sinking ship or ward off the next attack on the convoy.

Hanks wrote the screenplay based on CS Forester's 1955 novel The Good Shepherd. Designed as a narrative entirely dedicated to naval tactics, Greyhound often feels like the Battleship board-game come to life, as Krause and his crew try to track down and destroy enemy submarines. Moreover, director Aaron Schneider reduces war to a PG-friendly experience. Greyhound is a movie without too much blood or violence, and at the same time, without any sense of tragedy. When the flag-wrapped bodies of the dead are lowered into the waters, one of them gets stuck at the edge. The human cost of war is reflected in that single second of reluctance.

Considering Hanks adapted the story himself, you would think he would write more interesting dialogue for himself than mere naval-speak. The entire film becomes a repetitive cycle: a submarine appears on the radar, Hanks prays and gazes through different windows for direction, the crew echoes his instructions before a CGI battle ensues.

The set built on a decommissioned WWII-era destroyer gives a sense of authenticity to the claustrophobic drama that unfolds on the Greyhound. There is as much heart-stopping tension in listening to sonar pulses inside the ship as watching the torpedoes head towards it. The live-action aboard the ship however doesn't always blend with the CGI battle sequences with seamless precision, taking away some of their hair-trigger intensity.

The submarines go deep but the characters stay flat afloat  and Greyhound does not quite serve the Dunkirk-like immersive war experience to not be bothered by it. An out-of-nowhere flashback sequence reveals his girlfriend (Elisabeth Shue in a cameo appearance) rebuffed his marriage proposal but awaits his safe return. Graham and Rob Morgan (as messmate Cleveland) pop in and out, but their minuscule roles do not allow their talents to truly shine through. If the crew members other than Krause feel voiceless, the Nazis are faceless, embodied only by the taunting voice of "Grey Wolf," the leader of the U-boat wolf pack. You cannot help but imagine a Nazi with an eye-patch, the caricaturish antagonist for our hero to outwit.

With a 90-minute runtime, there is not of course a lot of room for multiple characters to have internal and external conflicts. So Schneider sticks to the shallows of the spectacle of war, rather than plumb any real dramatic depths. Once you understand that Greyhound is not the movie to expect an Oscar-worthy Tom Hanks performance or an unflinching WWII portrait, and accept it as just another digitised combat movie, it should be easier for that big tub of homemade popcorn to go down.

Greyhound is streaming on Apple TV+.

Rating: **
A cutting-edge study from the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) has given hope to families of children born with a fatal heart muscle disease caused by faulty cell machinery.

The research, published in Med, a new journal from Cell Press, has found disruptions in the ATAD3 gene cluster caused fatal heart failure soon after birth. But because the gene cluster disruptions arose spontaneously, parents have a low risk of having further children with the same disease.

Mistakes in any one of around 350 genes can cause mitochondria, the powerplants inside our cells, to fail. This results in what are collectively called mitochondrial diseases, severely affecting at least one in 5000 people.

Often fatal, mitochondrial diseases can affect single organs or whole-body systems resulting in a spectrum of symptoms and syndromes. Because these diseases are caused by genetic errors, there is no cure. Existing treatments do not delay disease progression and most children with mitochondrial disease die before adulthood.

By carefully re-examining genomic data from 17 babies from families in Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the Netherlands, the new research, led by Professor David Thorburn and other senior MCRI genetics researchers, has confirmed ATAD3 as the most common cause of lethal mitochondrial disease soon after birth.

Professor Thorburn said, "The ATAD3 gene cluster lies within a genetic region where repeating DNA letters complicate even the latest genomic diagnosis methods. This explains why standard genetic screens have missed ATAD3 mutations in the past."

"Using a combination of advanced gene and protein technologies, our team has shown that ATAD3 genes can be mistakenly copied and pasted next to themselves. These duplications create a faulty protein that disrupts normal ATAD3 function, sadly resulting in fatal heart failure around the time of birth."

"What's exciting for families involved in this study is that we have given them the confidence to plan for another baby, knowing that yes, they may have experienced some awful luck, but that it has an extremely low chance of happening again" said Professor Thorburn.

The team from MCRI and the Victorian Clinical Genetics Services (VCGS; which validated the diagnostic test) plans to re-analyse previously collected genetic data from families whose children died with similar unexplained symptoms. One of the "cold cases" described in the current study was of a family whose child died over 20 years ago.

MCRI Professor John Christodoulou who co-led the study, said, "Crucially, the study provides insight into the still unknown role of ATAD3 in the fatal disease, and highlights the importance of continual improvement in our screening capabilities."

"It also shows the importance of collecting and storing these samples. We might not have the technology or the insights to diagnose every genetic disease yet, but we are constantly making these incremental advances and providing answers to our families, even years or decades later. Their invaluable contribution means another family may be spared the same pain."
Scott County reporting its first positive case of COVID-19 after months of reporting no positive cases felt inevitable to residents, but theyre still disappointed that their track record as the states only virus-free county has been broken.

The county reported its first positive test  that of a 66-year-old woman who is recovering at home  on July 2, according to Scott County Health Department. Scott had been the last Illinois county with no reported cases of COVID-19 since Edgar County reported its first case in May.

Winchester Mayor Rex McIntire said he and other Scott County residents knew a case eventually would be reported, but the news still wasnt great to hear.

Were disappointed because we liked being the only county with no problems with the virus, McIntire said. But we expected it and were going to deal with it.

McIntire said residents and officials should work on keeping the spread of the virus contained and people should keep observing social distancing. He said he is proud of the diligence residents have shown that allowed the county not to report a case for so long.

McIntire said that as with most communities, some Scott County residents have been more concerned about the virus than others. Except for the positive test providing concrete evidence that Scott County residents can, indeed, get the virus, residents general outlook about the pandemic hasnt changed drastically since the first case was announced, he said.

Scott County stood out as case numbers in adjacent counties grew. In Morgan County, 135 cases of COVID-19 have been reported with five of them resulting in death. Cass County has reported 138 cases and eight deaths. Pike County, which for weeks had reported only a single case, has recorded three positive tests in the past few days, leaving the county with a total of six cases.

Scott Countys small population  roughly 5,000 people  and distance from urban areas is believed to have contributed to the lack of positive cases earlier.
Bulgari has long been known for its hallmark Serpenti designs, colorful cabochons and love of its hometown, Rome. Last month, it added vaccine development to that list with the creation of the Virus Free Fund, a multimillion-euro initiative to support academic research institutions working on vaccines.

When the coronavirus spread in Europe this spring, the LVMH-owned jewelry house, like many other luxury brands, began supporting efforts to combat it: buying equipment for Lazzaro Spallanzani Hospital, an infectious disease specialist in Rome, and converting its fragrance factory to produce medical-grade hand sanitizer that it gave to hospitals in Italy, Switzerland and Britain.

The fund, however, is a more sweeping commitment  and initially it will benefit the Jenner Institute at Oxford University, an organization that Jean-Christophe Babin, Bulgaris chief executive, described as being at the front line of virus research, and probably the institute most likely to first come with an efficient vaccination. That is an assessment voiced by many scientific experts since the institute began trials for a coronavirus vaccine in April.

While Bulgari would not disclose the size of the fund, Mr. Babin said it would be in the millions and likened it to the companys continuing support for Save the Children, which Bulgari said had received nearly $100 million from the company over the last 10 years.
Google Home app makes the process of managing Google Home, Chromecast, and numerous consumer electronics and smart devices that are compatible with Google Home a breeze.

Exclusively, available for Android and iOS the application can also be installed on a PC.

Even though theres no native Google Home app for Windows 10, you can still download Google Home on PC by employing an Android Emulator.

In this article, I have shared three different methods following which you will be able to use the Google Home app for Windows, connect Google Home to PC, and pair Google Home Mini to a laptop via Bluetooth.

How to Use The Google Home App On PC?

As mentioned earlier, theres no Google Home PC application for Windows 10,8,7 in existence.

Thankfully, feature-packed Android Emulators do exist that can help you to access Google home on PC.

For the sake of this tutorial, I will be using the prominent BlueStacks Android Emulator.

So heres how you can install the Google Home app on Windows 10 PC.

Download the Bluestacks emulator and install the .exe file on your computer by following the on-screen instructions.

Once installed sign-in with your Google account on BlueStacks.

Lastly, directly download and install Google Home from Google Play Store.

Apart from BlueStacks, you can even use Android emulators such as MEmu Play, KO Player, lDplayer, and Nox App Player to download Google Home for laptops and PC.

Additionally, you can use the Bluetooth connectivity of your PC to pair the Google Home app running on your emulator.

Once connected, any sort of audio playback on your emulator will now be casted to the Google Home speaker.

Update: There are a few issues with Bluetooth on BlueStacks in the recent update, so can you use other Android emulators to connect Google Home to Windows 10 PC.

How To Connect Google Home With Windows PC Using Chrome browser?

If Google Chrome is your primary web browser then you are in luck. Googles Chrome browser helps users to cast music from PC to Google Home.

Additionally, Chrome can even stream content to Chromecast devices. Chrome can even help you manage Google Home from PC.

Now, if you want to connect Google Home to Computer via Chrome browser then ensure that both devices are connected to the same WiFi network.

Next, click on the three vertical dots in the top-right corner of Chrome and select Cast.

Based on your personal preference, you can now Cast Tab, Cast Desktop, and Cast File. A few websites like Soundcloud offer a built-in cast button that comes in handy for establishing google home mini-computer setup.

It is worth noting that, Google Chrome doesnt function as the full-fledged Google Home application and its limited in many ways.

For instance, you cant even set up Google Home Mini from the computer utilizing Chrome.

How To Pair Google Home Mini To Laptop via Bluetooth?

To use Google Home as a computer speaker or to transform Google Home into a Bluetooth speaker without compromising its existing functionality you can shoot the command, Ok Google, Pair Bluetooth.

Once the pairing process starts, open the Bluetooth settings on your Windows PC and connect to the Google Home speaker. If you are pairing Google Home Mini to PC for the first time then click on the Add Bluetooth or other devices button.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I use Google Home as a speaker for my PC?

Your PC needs to have Bluetooth-compatible hardware that can connect to devices using the tech. Once that is out of the way, we put the Google Home in pairing mode by saying OK Google, Bluetooth pairing, which should do the job.

The other way is by manually going to the settings: Google Home > Paired Bluetooth Devices > Enable Pairing Mode. Once this is done, enable Bluetooth on Windows 10 and pair it with your Google Home speaker.

Your PC needs to have Bluetooth-compatible hardware that can connect to devices using the tech. Once that is out of the way, we put the Google Home in pairing mode by saying OK Google, Bluetooth pairing, which should do the job. The other way is by manually going to the settings: Google Home > Paired Bluetooth Devices > Enable Pairing Mode. Will there be a Google Home App for Windows 10?

That remains to be seen as the Google Home app is available only for Android and iOS powered devices. The voice-controlled smart speaker is aimed at portable devices around the house. Releasing an app for PC for the untargeted demographic would be a waste of time and resources for the Big G.

CONCLUSION

So this was all about How you can use Google Home Windows 10.

If you face any trouble, with the Google Home app for PC then do let us know in the comments section below.

The aforementioned methods of connecting Google Home to a PC can be used on Google Home Max, Google Home, or Google Home Mini.
Indonesian authorities have arrested a French man for alleged sexual abuse of minors after finding videos on his laptop computer showing him molesting over 300 children, police said Friday.

Jakarta police spokesman Yusri Yunus said Francois Camille Abello was arrested late last month in a hotel room where he was found with two naked girls.

He said police had received a tip-off from nearby residents who suspected a foreigner at the hotel was exploiting children.

Abello could face death by firing squad if found guilty under child protection laws, Yunus said.

Abello, a 65-year-old retiree, was paraded in handcuffs at a news conference on Thursday where Jakarta Police Chief Nana Sudjana said the videos on the computer showed him engaging in illegal sex acts with 305 children aged 10 to 17. Abello remained silent at the news conference.

Sudjana said Abello had not cooperated with investigators and refused to provide passwords for programs on his computer.

He said most of the victims were street children whom Abello had approached and offered work as models. Abello paid them between 250,000 and 1 million rupiah ($17 and $70) for engaging in sex with him and beat those who refused, Sudjana said.

We are still investigating whether he has also exploited his victims economically through social media or other internet platforms, Sudjana said.

There are reports that foreign pedophiles are increasingly targeting children in Indonesia, but there have been few arrests of foreigners and little research on the topic.

In mid-June, police said they arrested an American fugitive, Russ Albert Medlin, for alleged sexual assault of children. He was apprehended at his residence in southern Jakarta after police questioned three minors.

Medlin had been charged with sexual violence against a minor twice by a district court in Nevada between 2006 and 2008 and served two years in prison prior to his arrest in Jakarta, Yunus said.
Bikes at rest outside of Aspens Ute City Cycles are pictured earlier this week. Last Sunday at around 1:45 a.m., two bicycles with a combined value of more than $10,000 were stolen and loaded into a parked vehicle in an alley on East Hopkins Avenue.
Credit: German Chavez

The eastern slopes of the Andes Mountains in central Peru are among the most remote places in the world.

At elevations of 12,000 feet, some patches of cloud forest linger, blanketing the rocky ground and grasslands. Scattered across those grasslands are stones, surrounded by moss and lichens.

And hidden beneath those stones are small, brownish-grey frogs with short limbs and stout bodies. They don't live near water, so they never begin life as tadpoles. Instead, they hatch directly out of the eggs as froglets.

These unique frogs may have existed under those stones for centuries. But they were unknown to scienceuntil now. Alessandro Catenazzi, a Florida International University (FIU) biologist in the Institute of Environment, and a collaborative team in Peru have successfully identified the never-before-documented frog species in the Peruvian highlands and named it Phrynopus remotum.

"You can't do anything for a species if you don't know it exists," Catenazzi said. "As scientists, describing and naming a species is the first step in helping to save it."

German Chavez and Luis Alberto Garcia Ayachi were conducting field work when they came across some of the frogs. At first glance, they didn't necessarily stand out. The frogs look much like other frogs that live at high elevations where temperatures and oxygen levels are lower.

Because of a phenomenon called convergent evolution, different species will adapt in similar ways to a particular environment. Frogs that live at lower elevationswhere there are treeshave disks on their fingers and toes to help them climb and move around. At higher elevations frogs don't usually have those disks. They don't have slim bodies. They don't have eyes that are as big. Living in mosses or under stones, they don't need those particular genetic adaptations.

Every frog living under those stones, though, is not the same.

Catenazzi knows this better than most. Throughout his career, he's spent time in museums studying the world's frogs and in the field searching for places where a deadly fungal disease has not yet hit amphibian populations. Including this latest find, he's helped discover and name 33 new species.

In the lab, Catenazzi extracted and sequenced the DNA of the frog in question and confirmed it was, in fact, a completely unique and new species. He then constructed an evolutionary tree. Like a family tree that traces different relativesgrandparents, aunts, uncles, cousinsthe tree Catenazzi created looked at relatedness that spans hundreds of thousands to millions of years. It shows how closely the newly named species is related to other species in the same genus, Phrynopus.

Phrynopus remotum refers to the remote place the frogs are found, which can only be reached after days of traveling over roads, on horseback, along hiking trails and up the steep slopes of the mountain side.

As Catenazzi points out, though, just because this place is remote today doesn't mean it will always remain that way. The highlands and nearby areas are threatened by the rapid expansion of human activities. Even hiding under a stone won't save the little frog if a road is built or the land is used for agriculture.

But, now that scientists know these frogs exist, conservation can begin.

"With the knowledge of this species, we can convince people of the value of this area. We can say 'Here is a species and it's found nowhere else on earth,'" Catenazzi said. "That can convince people that this specific area has value and should be protected so this frog can persist."

The findings were recently published in PeerJ.

Explore further Search for vanishing frogs leads to discovery of new species

More information: German Chavez et al. A new species of frog (Terrarana, Strabomantidae, Phrynopus) from the Peruvian Andean grasslands, PeerJ (2020). Journal information: PeerJ German Chavez et al. A new species of frog (Terrarana, Strabomantidae, Phrynopus) from the Peruvian Andean grasslands,(2020). DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9433
SPRINGFIELD  Another Springfield public safety employee is under fire for what is described as an insensitive Facebook post that is being investigated to determine if it violates the social media policy for city employees.

Mayor Domenic Sarno announced Friday that he has directed Fire Commissioner Bernard J. Calvi and the Personnel Office to investigate a city firefighter for an inappropriate social media post.

The incident is the latest example of city employees finding themselves in trouble for comments made on a private social media account. Within the last month, two city employees, a firefighter and a police detective, have either resigned or been fired as a direct result of social media posts that did not go over well.

The name of the firefighter is not being disclosed at this point, and neither are the comments of the post at the center of the storm.

William J. Baker, communications director for Sarno, said the matter is at its earliest stages, and at this point some information, including the name of the firefighter, needs to be confidential.

It was just brought to our attention two hours ago, Baker said Friday afternoon.

The name of the firefighter could be released later after a finding, he said.

Baker repeatedly said that Sarno was livid when he learned of the post Friday morning and immediately contacted Calvi.

He was livid and disappointed, Baker said.

In a statement, Sarno said, My administration will stay consistent in dealing with these types of posts under our Citys Social Media Policy. These types of posts advocate for violence and whether its against peaceful protestors, police officers, public safety and/or elected officials, it is wrong and cannot be tolerated, nor condoned.

Capt. Drew Piemonte, communications director for Calvi, said the commissioner has started an investigation, and at this point has no comment.

Baker would not say what the post in question said. He would only say it was insensitive, and directed hostility toward the many people taking part in demonstrations across the county in recent weeks. Baker said it was not directed specifically at the recent Black Lives Matter protests, but at protesters in general.

Bakers wording recalled a similar controversy three years ago involving then-Springfield police officer Conrad Lariviere under his personal Facebook account.

In August 2017, Lariviere appeared to belittle people who were injured when someone intentionally drove a car through a crowd of counter-protesters at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Several people were injured and one woman was killed.

Lariviere was fired in November 2017 when then-Police Commissioner John Barbieri determined notoriety from Larivieres comments would interfere with his ability to do his job.

Weeks after Lavriviers original post, Sarno enacted a social media policy for city employees that warns against any off-hours social media conduct that would reflect badly on the city, the employee and the ability of the employee to function.

Penalties for violating the policy include corrective counseling or disciplinary action up to and including termination, subject to protections under existing collective bargaining agreements.

Weeks ago, a newly hired firefighter resigned after it came to light he made inappropriate comments on social media. The firefighter, 11 months on the job, was still a probationary employee and about one month from being tenured.

Last month, Police Commissioner Cheryl C. Clapprood fired Florissa Fuentes, a detective with the Special Victims Unit, when it was revealed that weeks earlier Fuentes had shared on her private Instagram account a post in support of Black Lives Matter. The post was a photo of Fuentes niece at a protest in Atlanta, holding a sign that encouraged people to shoot back at police.

Fuentes was hired less than a year earlier, and was still considered a probationary employee.

Baker said the firefighter at the center of the latest controversy is not a probationary employee and is tenured with the department.

Officials with the city firefighters union, International Association of Fire Fighters Local 648, could not be reached for comment.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

The World Health Organization said Friday that it is still possible to bring coronavirus outbreaks under control, even though case numbers have more than doubled in the past six weeks.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the examples of Italy, Spain, South Korea and India's biggest slum showed that however bad an outbreak was, the virus could still be reined in through aggressive action.

"In the last six weeks, cases have more than doubled," Tedros told a virtual press conference in Geneva.

However, "there are many examples from around the world that have shown that, even if the outbreak is very intense, it can still be brought back under control," said Tedros.

"And some of these examples are Italy, Spain and South Korea, and even in Dharavia densely-packed area in the megacity of Mumbaia strong focus on community engagement and the basics of testing, tracing, isolating and treating all those that are sick is key to breaking the chains of transmission and suppressing the virus."

The novel coronavirus has killed at least 555,000 people worldwide since the outbreak emerged in China last December, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP on Friday.

Nearly 12.3 million cases have been registered in 196 countries and territories.

"Across all walks of life, we are all being tested to the limit," Tedros said, "from countries where there is exponential growth, to places that are loosening restrictions and now starting to see cases rise.

"Only aggressive action combined with national unity and global solidarity can turn this pandemic around."

Put out the fire

WHO emergencies director Mike Ryan stressed the importance of being vigilant for small outbreaks, which can "very quickly mushroom".

He compared them to a forest fire, saying a small one was hard to see but easy to put out, while a large one was easy to spot, but very difficult to extinguish.

The Irish epidemiologist said that "blind reopening" from lockdowns while community-level transmission of the virus was still going on, would inevitably lead to retrograde steps.

He said that once lockdowns were lifted, "there was always the risk that the disease could bounce back".

But by stamping out small outbreaks, "we can potentially avoid the worst of having second peaks and having to have to move backwards in terms of lockdown".

Ryan nonetheless added: "Accept the fact that in our current situation, it is very unlikely that we can eradicate or eliminate this virus."

Changing tack, Tedros sounded another warning, saying that the COVID-19 crisis had raised questions about humanity's vulnerability to other threats.

"The crisis of growing anti-microbial resistance is a slow motion tsunami, where despite the rise in resistant infections, the research and development of new antibiotics has not caught up," he said.

"Unless we take quick and sustained action, we risk a doomsday global scenario where common injuries and illnesses return to become major killers."

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

 2020 AFP
LOS ANGELES, July 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- On the morning of Thursday, July 9, elected leaders including Los Angeles City Councilmember Kevin DeLeon, California Assemblymember Miguel Santiago, California State Senator Maria Elena Durazo, and Congressmember Jimmy Gomez joined community members in a caravan to the Los Angeles Wholesale Produce Market in support of striking essential workers at Valley Produce . This company is the largest and most profitable distributor at the Los Angeles Wholesale Produce Market, yet it is denying its workers dignity, respect, and a voice on the job. At the beginning of the press conference on the picket line, Teamsters Local 630 Secretary Treasurer Lou Villalvazo stated, "It's a shame that Valley Produce is using government loans to harass and intimidate their workers. Today we want to show Valley Produce, that our elected officials and community members have their eyes on them and that their disrespect of working people must end."

Los Angeles City Councilmember, Kevin DeLeon who was recently elected to represent the district that includes the Los Angeles Wholesale Produce Market stated, "This facility represents an economic engine for our communities during the current pandemic. We need to ensure that these workers are treated fairly. I support these workers on strike because they are members of our community who depend on good union jobs to provide for their families." Assemblymember Miguel Santiago stated, "It's a shame that Valley Produce is choosing to violate the law and refuse to bargain in good faith with its employees. We demand that this employer be a good steward of its resources and obey our country's laws which say that workers have a legal right to bargain for better working conditions."

State Senator Maria Elena Durazo stated, "Teamster Essential workers like those employed at Valley Produce have served bravely on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic, putting their lives on the line to ensure that thousands of restaurants, grocery stores, and schools are stocked, helping to feed millions of families throughout Southern California. These workers need our support to ensure that they win this fight for justice."

Congressmember Jimmy Gomez followed up by stating, "It's obscene for profitable companies like Valley Produce to receive taxpayer-backed Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans as part of the Federal Government's COVID-19 small business relief efforts while ripping off workers and their families," said Rep. Jimmy Gomez. "If you are willing to take public money, that means to me that you should have to share it with workers. And that means higher wages and benefits. That's what this is all about."

While standing next to striking Valley Produce workers, Ron Herrera, President of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor stated, "Valley Produce employees have enjoyed the benefits of a Teamster Union Contract for more than 40 years. Unfortunately, during current contract negotiations, Valley Produce CEO Carrie La Londe and Co- CEO Dough La Londe offered its workers no wage raises and decided to hire an expensive Union Buster to intimidate and discourage workers from exercising their rights to collectively bargain for better wages and benefits. This is wrong and that's why we are here today standing shoulder to shoulder with our Brothers to tell them that the LA Labor Movement will be here with them until they win this strike."

Contact: Adan Alvarez - (323) 404-5939 - [email protected]

SOURCE Teamsters Local Union 630
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  New Mexico reported 301 new coronavirus cases Friday, pushing the states daily average of infections to its highest point this year, according to a Journal analysis of state data.

State officials also said Friday that six more residents had died of COVID-19, pushing the statewide death toll to 539 people.

Fridays 301 infections are the second highest in a day since the pandemic arrived in March, behind June 5, when an outbreak at the Otero County prison contributed to 330 new cases.

But a rolling average of cases  examining the case totals over a five-day period to smooth out daily fluctuations  shows that New Mexico is now reporting more cases than ever.

The latest five-day moving average is 259 cases a day, or more than twice what it was a month ago.

Fridays state report also showed a jump in cases in Lea County in the southeastern part of the state  an area state officials have flagged as a particular concern because of the rapid growth. Testing detected 32 cases in the county on Friday, up from seven the day before.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has responded to the surge by tightening New Mexicos public health restrictions. Starting Monday, indoor dining will be prohibited, out-of-state visitors will be barred from state parks and new mask requirements will go into effect.

Were at war with COVID-19, the governor said Thursday in a press briefing.

The state will require people to wear a mask or facial covering while exercising, eliminating an exemption in the states current mandate.

Restaurants and breweries say the indoor-dining restrictions will make it harder to survive the pandemic.

Arizona and Texas, meanwhile, are seeing infections grow at an even faster rate than New Mexico. They are also reimposing business and health restrictions.

Among the six virus deaths reported in New Mexico on Friday was a state inmate in his 70s at the Otero County prison.
During the body scanning, Williams would not remain still, preventing Dustin from obtaining a clear image. Williams claimed she wouldn't sit still because she had to use the restroom, records state.

After a body and pat search, Williams used the restroom and a search of her personal property began.

A change purse contained cellphone accessories, and a side pocket contained two cellphones concealed with overtime slips, records state.

Four romantic letters, which appeared to have been written by different inmates, were also discovered. She also allegedly had $209 in her wallet/cellphone case, a violation of the prison policy that staff cannot bring in more than $40 at one time.

"She denied being in any type of relationship with any offender. She acknowledged receiving the letters and taking them but denied ever writing back or having further contact," the affidavit stated.

Williams was confronted about the cellphones during a recorded police interview, to which she admitted bringing them in with the intent to sell them. She allegedly denied having it prearranged and claimed she did not have a specific person she planned to provide with cellphones.
Vodafone Idea share price jumped 4.06 percent to settle at Rs 9.75 on BSE on July 10 amid reports that the company was experiencing capital constraints.

A CNBC-TV18 report said capital constraints at Vodafone Idea was restricting payment to some vendors. Vodafone Idea's teams were in talks with tower companies to explain the backlog and issues.

The delay in payment was on account of liabilities and was expected to be temporary, CNBC-TV18 reported.

Payment for July and June may be done together by August 3, the report said.

As per SBICAP Securities, any default will make Vodafone Idea's case weak in the Supreme Court as the top court has been worried about the company's ability to pay AGR dues.

The company reported Rs 73,878 crore of net loss in fiscal ended March 2020, the highest ever by an Indian firm, after it provisioned for Supreme Court mandated statutory dues.

The firm, which has to pay Rs 51,400 crore dues after the court ordered the non-telecom revenues to be included in calculating statutory dues, said the liability had "cast significant doubt on the company's ability to continue as a going concern".

Read more: Vodafone Idea posts highest-ever loss by an Indian firm at Rs 73,878 crore in FY20

According to a report by Emkay Global, wireless revenues of telecom companies Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea are expected to fall during the first quarter of the current fiscal on account of the nationwide lockdown.
The central board of State Bank of India (SBI) will meet on 15 July to consider raising capital via Basel III compliant debt instrument in USD and/or INR during FY21.

Shares of SBI fell 1.68% to Rs 195.75 amid profit taking. The stock rose 7.77% in four sessions to end at Rs 199.10 yesterday, from its recent closing low of Rs 184.75 recorded on 3 July 2020.

In an exchange filing made during market hours today, SBI informed that the meeting of the board of directors of the company is scheduled on 15 July 2020 to consider raising Additional Tier 1 (AT 1) and Tier 2 capital by way of issuance of Basel III compliant debt instrument in USD and/or INR during FY21.

On a standalone basis, SBI's net profit surged 327.1% to Rs 3,580.81 crore on a 4.1% rise in total income to Rs 78,758.85 crore in Q4 March 2020 over Q4 March 2020.

SBI is an Indian multinational, public sector banking and financial services statutory body. As of 31 March 2020, the Government of India holds 57.03% stake in the bank.

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
TikTok collects data when you make an account, including your username, age, email, phone number, photo or any other biographical information you provide. If you log in with Google, Facebook or another service TikTok will receive profile information from them too. It uses cookies and beacons, planted on your smartphone or tablet, to receive data on the other apps you use, websites you visit or purchases you make, as well as periodically collecting location data via GPS once you've given it that permission. Loading By crunching all the data together, TikTok can infer a lot of information you haven't volunteered, and could potentially track you across devices and multiple accounts, as well as when you're not using the app. The collected data, as is the case with other social media platforms, is key to TikTok's operation. "When you think about an organisation the size of TikTok, you're not talking about a benevolent company who is generating an app for the good of the world," says Haskell-Dowland.

"They're obviously a business, and they're there to make money, and yet they're not charging for the app and they're not charging a subscription fee. So clearly there has to be a business model behind it, and the only other thing they've got is that data, in significant volumes." The China connection The app began in China as an app called Douyin in 2016, and was replicated elsewhere as TikTok the year after. In 2017 the owner of both apps acquired Musical.ly, a Chinese app with a sizeable western following, and in 2018 merged TikTok and Musical.ly together for an instant foothold in western markets. Today the owner, ByteDance, operates both Douyin and TikTok but has appeared to take great care in keeping the operations separate. Researchers posting their findings online have claimed TikTok collects an excessive amount of user data, while some politicians in the US and Australia have claimed that TikTok is sending user data to the Chinese government and should be banned, a charge that TikTok has repeatedly denied. Last week India included TikTok in a wide-ranging ban of Chinese apps and services.

Loading The accusations and scrutiny come amid a notable rise in general anti-Chinese sentiment, including as part of the US-China trade war, from the Australian government's recent cyber-security announcements and the sanctioning of telecommunications company Huawei. A TikTok spokesperson says the app does not operate in China and has not received any requests from the Chinese government for user information, while the companys newly-minted head of Australian operations Lee Hunter says the company would refuse such a request. "TikTok does not share information of our users in Australia with any foreign government", he says, adding that local data is stored in Singapore and protected from any external intrusion. "Similar to industry peers, we will continue to drive our goal of limiting the number of employees who have access to user data and the scenarios where data access is enabled," he says.

The app was recently pulled out of Hong Kong, following new national security laws imposed by Beijing. TikTok has been asked to appear before an Australian Senate inquiry into foreign interference on social media sites, which Hunter indicated was welcomed by the company. Loading Security expert Troy Hunt says that TikTok was amassing quite an extensive collection of information that would be a real cause for concern in the event of a data breach, but no worse than other social media companies. "Let's face it, there's concern [about TikTok] because it's Chinese. Look at how invasive Facebook is. No one's talking about banning that from app stores in the western parts of the world," he says. Hunt, who monitors data breaches through his website Have I Been Pwned, says that as of now the manipulation of video data was less of a threat.

"The concern is less about the usage of the video content itself, and more about the amount of other personal information and tracking related data ... which is implicitly collected," he says. Time to come clean In addition to profile and tracking information, TikTok gleans data about you by processing the content you share  not just photos and videos but comments, challenge and survey entries too  and takes note of what you read and watch. A "preload" service begins uploading your video and audio as you're making it, though TikTok says it deletes this data if you end up not posting the content. Haskell-Dowland says the app is "capturing video footage of people's homes, in many cases, that may well be workplaces", and that could be a concern for some if TikTok was analysing the visual and audio data combined with tracking and location. He says going forward the company needed to spell out what it does with user data in the simplest possible terms. "What do they actually do with it? Who owns it? How is it used or sold? Clearly, they're making money, and whilst advertising may be a part of that there's probably more to it, related to the sale of information, or marketing, or intelligence purposes," he says.
Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong (Photo: VNA)



The top Vietnamese leader lauded the Cambodian governments management, and the solidarity of the Cambodian people in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and in socio-economic development.

He thanked Cambodia for its close coordination with Vietnam within the bilateral framework as well as the ASEAN cooperation framework, and suggested the two countries tighten their cooperation in the pandemic combat, while maintaining border trade.

As for the issue relating to people of Vietnamese origin in Cambodia, the Party and State leader expressed his hope that Cambodia will continue to create favourable conditions for them to stabilise their lives in the country, thus contributing to the development of Cambodia and enhancing the bilateral ties.

For his part, Hun Sen congratulated Vietnam on successfully organising the 36th ASEAN Summit in the form of a teleconference, saying Cambodia will actively support Vietnams ASEAN and AIPA 41 Chairmanship in 2020 and non-permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council for 2020 - 2021.

The Cambodian leader said he believes that under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Vietnamese people will reap new, greater achievements in the renewal process, and successfully organise the 13th National Party Congress.

Praising Vietnams efforts and successes in the fight against COVID-19, he thanked Vietnam for sharing its experience with and supporting Cambodia in this sphere.

Cambodia will continue to create conditions for people of Vietnamese origin to settle in the country, he pledged.

Both leaders spoke highly of the intensive and extensive development of the cooperation between the two Parties and the two countries across areas, bringing practical interests to people of the countries.

They agreed to continue joining hands in implementing joint statements and agreements, along with preparing for the 18th meeting of the Vietnam-Cambodia Joint Committee, and the 11th meeting on cooperation and development between border provinces of Vietnam and Cambodia when possible.

The leaders also consented to take specific measures to remove difficulties to boost economic ties sustainably.

They shared the view on the historical significance of the signing of two documents recognising the achievements of land border demarcation and marker planting, and concurred to push ahead with necessary procedures to put the documents into place.

The two sides will also continue negotiations to deal with the remaining border work, thus building a common border line of peace, stability, cooperation and development.They will closely and effectively coordinate and support each other in regional and international issues, especially within the ASEAN cooperation framework and ASEAN-led mechanisms, the UN, the WTO, the ASEM and Mekong Sub-region cooperation mechanisms./.
The California Horse Racing Board has voted to put Los Alamitos Race Course on probation for 10 days. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune)

The California Horse Racing Board, in an emergency meeting Friday, has given Los Alamitos Race Course 10 days to come up with plan to address an increase in equine fatalities at the track. There have been 20 racing and training deaths at Los Alamitos since Dec. 27, including eight since May 26.

The two-hour teleconference was punctuated by appeals from trainers, such as Bob Baffert, and the Thoroughbred Owners of California to continue racing. However, most of the public comment period was dominated by animal rights activists  13 of the 18 speakers  who wanted to close the track.

Perhaps the most persuasive to speak on the tracks behalf, was Dr. Rick Arthur, equine medical director, who did not join Scott Chaney, executive director of the CHRB, in calling for the emergency meeting.

Arthur said that fatalities can cluster together and then a track might not have any for a while.

I see no evidence there is a problem with the Los Alamitos track, Arthur said. Its the same problems everywhere  with questionable training and horse management and questionable veterinary practices. For whatever reasons, those have been especially problematic at Los Alamitos this year. This is not a Los Alamitos problem.

The vote to put Los Alamitos on probation for 10 days was 5 to 1, with Wendy Mitchell dissenting.

In making the motion to give the track more time, Chairman Greg Ferraro said a closure is one step too far without giving them a chance to come up with a plan. Fridays meeting was called Thursday, although the track knew about the possibility of a meeting earlier in the week.

Ferraro made it clear that Los Alamitos has to submit a plan before the next scheduled meeting on this topic on July 20. There is also a CHRB meeting on July 16, but the agenda for that meeting already has been set.

This is Los Alamitos problem to solve, not the commissions to solve, Ferraro said, stressing that if the plan is not acceptable, the tracks license will be suspended.

Los Alamitos will continue to race on its current Friday through Sunday nighttime schedule.
Each time it was tried, they were rushed. Revolutionary leadership may be many things, but one thing they havent been historically is patient. Theres a whole lot of seizing to go along with radicals; the day, the opportunity, the situation. Whether or not any of those are truly ripe becomes an afterthought; tear everything down first and then sort out its mess in the aftermath.

Bolshevik or Menshevik? Modern historys great irony is that the Bolshevik name is derived from the Russian word for majority (). The truth is they never had one nor were ever close to achieving one. And while the term Menshevik meant minority (), what separated the two factions wasnt the goal of imposing socialism, or which side had more supporters, it was over how to do it in a place that wasnt anywhere close to being ready for the revolution.

Menshevik and Bolshevik, what united the two, besides their common socialist purpose, was in realizing that Karl Marx wouldve been apoplectic at their attempt. True communism is a transition not a competition; the next phase, not a rival state.

The great consistency of historical Communism is that it had sprung up in all the wrong places. Wrong by the determination of history, yes, but more so damned by Marxist dogma itself. What Comrade Karl and his partner Friedrich Engels foresaw was a worker revolt sweeping across the capitalist West first; definitely not kicking off in Russia nor any similarly economic backwater.

It couldnt work that way. Marx envisioned that his enlightened world could only begin from a place of sufficient affluence. Industrialization was simultaneously a godsend and a plague upon humanity; a regrettable but necessary development to move society from feudal subsistence agriculture under which class struggle could never be anything more than perpetual.

The Industrial Revolution, therefore, was at once the transition phase opening the door to the possibility of human utopia  if done right. The capitalists would have their day, exploiting workers in service to capital and profit, raising the tide of living standards while they did, until one day the workers would rise up and take it all back.

Two things about that: there had to be enough wealth to take back in order to sustain the utopia on the other side of the revolution, but it also had to be the workers doing the taking back. In 1879, Marx and Engels would write, The emancipation of the working class must be the work of the working class itself.

Neither of those conditions were met by Russia in 1917. On that, both Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, Bolshevik leader better known as Lenin, and Julius Martov, afront the Mensheviks, actually agreed. The Russian situation hadnt changed much despite almost constant reforms in economy and politics throughout the latter half of the 19th century. While places like the United States had quickly been transformed in the manner Marx wished, Russia had resisted.

Some said it was a natural condition of that place. Writing around 1905, near the dawn of the first (unsuccessful) socialist takeover in Russia, the Tsarist Minister of Finance Sergei Witte lamented:

In spite of the vast successes achieved during the last twenty years [1880-1900] in our metallurgical and manufacturing industry, the natural resources of the country are still underdeveloped and the masses of the people remain in enforced idleness... To the present epoch has fallen the difficult task of making up for what has been neglected in an economic slumber lasting two centuries.

But World War I had given Lenin, Martov, and Irakli Tsereteli, another influential Menshevik leader, a rare opportunity to seize. Weakness in St. Petersburg was further amplified by the incredible destruction and death industrial war had visited upon the poor, more fanatically disaffected Russian people.

They instead reasoned upon what today they call the Chinese model (they being the Chinese Communists). The revolutionaries would take power anyway and while waiting for worldwide revolution to overthrow the wealthy, capitalist West like Marx demanded, theyd attempt a hybrid.

The Bolsheviks called for a totalitarian small elite to govern with absolute authority over a transitioning economy; to shepherd the reluctant bourgeois until the workers were ready. The Mensheviks instead favored a less violent, less outright dictatorial means to achieve the same thing by appealing to workers unions, social democrats, and the existing infrastructure (where amenable to this end state) to more slowly evolve in the direction of true communism.

Lenins Bolshevism won out; not by inspiring the majority but by governing through another Reign of Terror (after winning a bloody civil war). He rationalized it purely by expedience; they had to take over long before Russia was ready, therefore to get it ready and bridge such a huge economic divide there was only left to them the most extreme means.

In a pre-industrialized society, Marx said the workers cannot see the benefits theyll get from true communism; it would sound to them like science fiction, or some pie-in-the-sky scheme divorced from reality. No peasant farmer toiling day and night in the dirt just to scratch out a primitive living is going to seriously consider the socialist rhetoric about the day when work itself is almost unnecessary and every person living shares equally in societys magisterial bounty.

You need that bounty first.

Thats the job of capitalism - as even the Marxist viewpoint agrees. Since Russia hadnt truly undergone its industrial transformation, Lenin decided that he would force one upon the nation. Beginning in 1921, he formulated the National Economic Plan (NEP) that to many of his contemporary revolutionaries sounded and felt like a betrayal of everything they had fought over. A return to capitalism.

In his own words, Lenin took what he believed was the pragmatic approach. Hed later say the NEP was, one step backward in order to take two steps forward. Victor Lvovich Kibalchich, better known as Victor Serge, a Petrograd revolutionary contemporary of Lenin, he was more emotional about it:

Cafes opened; factories went back into private hands. It was capitalism - in my eyes it was the very thing I had been fighting againstWe felt ourselves sinking into the bog, paralysed, corrupted...Classes were reborn in front of our very eyes.

As the child of anti-tsarist exiles living in Belgium among the burgeoning socialist movement, youd have thought Serge wouldve known better. After all, in the preface to the German version of Kapital, Marx wrote, The country that is more developed industrially only shows, to the less developed, the image of its own future. In Chapter 15:

Capitalist production, therefore, develops technology, and the combining together of various processes into a social whole, only by sapping the original sources of all wealth-the soil and the labourer.

Its only at that point socialism is meant to spur all workers to take everything back; thank you Mr. & Mrs. Capitalist for creating this massive pile of wealth, now hand over all your shit!

To the committed Marxist, the failings of every socialist state during the 20th century is easily explained  they never followed the plan. Like Soviet Russia, the revolutions fomented prematurely, dangerously before each society was ready to undergo the conversion. Utopia was doomed by, get this, not enough capitalism!

Suddenly, both Maoist and post-Maoist China makes a whole lot of sense  in the sense of how Communism with Chinese Characteristics has been implemented and changed over the decades. Like the Russians, Maos was a totalitarian revolution of a small elite taking the reins far too soon. Forcing his pre-industrialized economy into the socialist direction, he had set them up for failure (the Great Leap forward, meant to be something like Lenins NEP, was a genocidal step backward thought up by someone who was not just economically illiterate but probably to some degree insane).

But what to do after his death? The Cultural Revolution that followed the Great Leap Forward had meant China would be stuck two steps removed from the majority. Thats what all these socialists are expecting; once eachs economy reaches its terminal wealth stage, it triggers the frenzy of redistribution from capital owner to worker which the worker then realizes was in his own benefit all along.

Suddenly, the totalitarian elite guiding the transformation often using the most brutal of means (which are justified by these ends) is no longer so isolated. The workers instead begin to celebrate their efforts and join with them in solidarity of the socialist paradise. The totalitarian government itself, by this theory, should then dissolve leaving society with a flat structure without class or hierarchy of any kind.

The perfect commune.

In post-Mao China, that was, and remains, Jiang Zemins Three Represents (derived from Deng Xiaopings criticism of Mao) all balled into a single coherent (if questionable) dogma. China must embrace a little more capitalism (the first Represent) because, especially after Mao, the country isnt anywhere close to Marxs key inflection point. And the only thing Mao - like Lenin, Stalin, and the Soviets - really proved was that socialists on their own have no idea how to create a wealthy society (other than to steal technology from the capitalists).

While the Chinese allow limited capitalism to move them slowly closer to terminal wealth, they will maintain strictly to Chinas cultural hegemony (the second Represent); a nod to both Maos lingering legacy as well as one key means of maintaining control while all this takes place.

Once partial capitalism improves China as far as it can, utopia will beckon; the authoritarian elite will come down from their positions of absolute power and join the throngs of grateful Chinese workers in singing kumbaya while rose petals fall from the skies.

Communism isnt supposed to compete directly with capitalism; Marx wanted to use it and then replace it. They demanded the worldwide revolution must begin in the wealthier economies first. Once that happened, the globalizing socialist workers paradise would stand as an example for everyone to follow in all countries eventually  rather than pre-industrial societies who attempt it prematurely and inevitably fail, becoming an example instead of the opposite.

Thats ultimately what socialists today understand  and majority of the critiques of socialism dont seem to. As I wrote a couple years ago (for the record, Ive been warning of this trend toward socialism for a very long time now):

This massive income inequality becomes paramount, on both sides. For the socialist, it is the animating feature of worker unrest and dissatisfaction. For the capitalist, it is an inherent flaw that inevitably, as Marx forecast, leads to the systems destruction. Too much wealth concentrates at the top, can only concentrate at the top, torches and pitchforks not long after.

Thats ultimately what Marxists have been waiting for  the worldwide revolution and total overthrow of the old order. Whenever you hear one denying the empirical proof of socialisms destructive traits, economic as well as in its human toll, they will uniformly claim that it whatever it was wasnt true socialism.

Most people simply scoff and laugh at the notion; dont these spoiled crybabies preaching communism know that history has shown it doesnt work? True socialism has never been tried. Bah.

To the committed Marxist, it is their opponent who is ignorant of history. Unfortunately, they are right (in this regard) and they are winning the argument especially among todays youth because of it.

It's easy to yell back: hey, dont you know just how good you have it, that capitalism has created far more wealth than any other method or system in human history? To the socialist, this is nothing more than further confirmation: yes, we know it and thats exactly what Marx was counting on and even preparing us for.

The trigger for the true socialist revolution, not China nor Russia, was always when capitalism had gone as far as it could; that when the capitalist would finally run out of workers to exploit, this would send the signal to the revolutionaries to begin the true revolution obviating therefore any need for Bolsheviks vs. Mensheviks, or Mao vs. Deng.

The transition would be similarly violent and brutal, but ultimately short-lived since the working class on the other side quickly realizes the promise of utopia, quickly forming the majority freed from want and privation (from each according to his abilities, to each according to their need.) The flat structure of the commune arises speedily where capitalism has been allowed to reach its final stage.

Rather than being spoiled crybabies who march and chant for free stuff, these socialists are observing all these prerequisites in our current day with no legitimate evidence to set them back to the drawing board. To them, the economic boom since 2009  the boom that actually wasnt - only confirms their suspicions, their diagnosis; one that is aided to an enormous degree by the stock markets perpetual detachment from on-the-ground reality.

To these people, Jay Powell and all the boom-ists who blindly follow him are not just nuts, they are the ones who are committed to an ahistorical and falsified framework. How capitalism has clearly gone as far as it can, so man the barricades, nows the time to set about erasing all prior capitalist (or imperialist, if you like) history and starting over at Year Zero! You dont get to resist the transition to utopia, the one facet all socialist revolutions have had in common.

The current generation now in 2020 absolutely believes theyve gotten the timing as well as the place right for once. This time, the revolution will finally take place right where Marx said it shouldve, in the wealthy, end-stage capitalism West. The Chinese can take notes.

Yes, this capitalist society is the best anyones ever had it, and now its gone far enough.

Now hand over all that shit!

Communism and socialism are the most abhorrent, deeply misanthropic ideals ever conceived by human evil. And we are losing to these people!

The reason is very simple. Very few who are against it seem to understand it; really understand it. If they did, theyd be far less flippant about what is being preached (indoctrination) in schools. As I wrote a few weeks ago, to the young person encountering all these Marxists they, not Jay Powell, sound realistic and downright prescient since 2008.

In other words, saying that communism has failed everywhere it has been tried only plays into the rhetoric of indoctrination. Pointing out that capitalism has made the world insanely wealthy, a standard of living today that for the vast majority would have made the last Tsars of Russia blush with envy, is in fact agreeing with the Marxist.

The whole thing hinges instead upon defining our future, not relitigating all the past. I for one dont believe that there is such a thing as end-stage wealth or anything like terminal capitalism; for as cynical as I have become, I still have boundless faith in humanity over time. The human imagination will not be limited forever.

If your definition of whats left of capitalism is Jay Powells boom, along with the current deep contraction, therell only be more Year Zero and mainstream politicians joining its ranks. Which one do you honestly think sounds more pie-in-the-sky today? Powells boom, or socialists promising economic equality that for the first time in history might reasonably sound like it is within reach?

Unlike the Russian peasant in 1917, the (former) American worker (or student stuck being a career student) in 2017 could more readily imagine Marxs vision as realistic, if not more realistic than what they say in the financial and mainstream media. Three years later, what meaningfully changed? The unemployment rate fell even further, without generating any wage acceleration, than anyone thought possible.

Not only did that prove the rate was fake, it was yet another feather in the Marxist cap.

And now even more widespread misery, with jobless claims entering July still double the pre-2020 record.

Dispelling the myths of any socialist utopia is easily accomplished with actual rather than imaginary economic growth  on-the-ground proof that capitalism isnt done and wont be corralled for more than temporary periods. Opportunity is the antidote.

The consequences of a dozen years without economic growth around the world were always going to cost dearly and in more than in economic terms. Here we are, finally arriving at that future. Whose will it be?

Jeffrey Snider is the Head of Global Research at Alhambra Partners.
CAIRO - Sudans ruling body ratified a law banning the widespread practice of female genital mutilation, the justice ministry announced Friday, handing the movement for womens rights in the African country a long-sought victory.

The Sovereign Council passed a set of sweeping amendments to the countrys criminal code late Thursday, including one that criminalized the deep-rooted practice. The draft law had been approved by the transitional government that came to power last year following the ouster of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir.

A U.N.-backed survey in 2014 estimated 87% of Sudanese women and girls between the ages of 15 and 49 have been subjected to the procedure. Most undergo an extreme form known as infibulation, which involves the removal and repositioning of the labia to narrow the vaginal opening.

Anyone found guilty of performing the procedure will be sentenced to up to three years in prison, according to a copy of the new law obtained by The Associated Press.

Female genital mutilation degrades the dignity of women, the justice ministry declared in its statement.

Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok hailed the decision as an important step in reforming the justice system.

The ratification achieved a decades-long goal of womens rights advocates and represented a win for the countrys technocratic leaders, who have been struggling to push democratic changes and roll back al-Bashirs legacy despite the persistent power of army generals in Sudan.

Under Hamdok, women have been appointed to four government ministries. Last fall, authorities overturned unpopular Islamist laws passed under al-Bashir that dictated womens dress and criminalized drinking alcohol. Another amendment adopted Thursday allows Sudanese mothers to travel with their children outside the country without permission from their spouses.

During al-Bashirs rule some Sudanese clerics said forms of female genital mutilation, or FGM, were religiously allowed, arguing that the only debate was over whether it was required or not.

While many were elated by the the laws long-awaited passing, rights groups warned that the practice remains deeply entrenched in the regions conservative society and that enforcement poses a steep challenge. In neighbouring Egypt, for example, where genital cutting was banned in 2008 and elevated to a felony in 2016, a government survey still found that nearly nine of every 10 Egyptian women had undergone the procedure.

Other veteran activists questioned the timing of the ratification, saying the coronavirus pandemic puts them at a disadvantage since they cannot mobilize awareness campaigns or police training in a country under lockdown.

Currently there are fuel shortages and long daily power cuts as well as rising infections of COVID-19, said Nahid Toubia, a leading Sudanese womens health rights activist specializing in FGM. Communication and peoples mobility are severely hampered. These are not the conditions where advocacy for legislating against FGM is a priority or even possible.

Still the move, both symbolic and consequential, stirred hopes for stronger protection of personal liberties as Sudan moves toward democratic elections scheduled for 2022.

Legal reviews and amendments will continue, Hamdok pledged, until we address all distortions in the legal systems in Sudan.
The 2020 Community Fellows come to IJC with extensive experience in immigration-related internships, jobs, volunteerism, and their own unique personal backgrounds. All of the new Fellows are bilingual, spanning fluency in Spanish, Arabic, Haitian Creole, French, and Mandarin. Community Fellows become Department of Justice Accredited Representatives, which allows them to represent clients before USCIS.

"This seventh class of Community Fellows is truly exceptional in their dedication and passion for ensuring justice for immigrant communities. With IJC's support and training they will bring much-need quality counsel to the communities they serve," said IJC's founder, Robert A. Katzmann, Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Since 2014, IJC Community Fellows have filed more than 6,062 fee waiver applications and saved low-income clients nearly $4 million dollars in fees and have won 95% of cases closed.

Immigrant Justice Corps' Executive Director Jojo Annobil said, "At a time when immigrants are under attack, IJC is extremely fortunate to welcome another cohort of talented Community Fellows who bring lived experiences, cultural and linguistic competence, and resiliency to the fight for immigrant rights."

For the first time, three Community Fellows will join the Capital Area Immigrants' Rights Coalition (CAIR) as part of a joint-partnership Access to Counsel Initiative , a project dedicated to substantially closing the representation gap for detained immigrants in Prince George's County, Maryland.

This new class will join the 2019 class of 14 Community Fellows already in the field.

The full list of 2020 Community Fellows is as follows:

Fellow Name University Host Organization Alyiah Al-Bonijim University of Michigan Arab American Association of New York (AAANY) Matilde Arellano University of California, Davis Project Hospitality Withney Barthelemy Wellesley College Brooklyn Public Library Yi Chen Wellesley College Chinese-American Planning Association Susan Lucas Baca University of California, Berkeley CAIR Coalition Carla Mendoza Columbia University CAIR Coalition Lorena Ortega Guerrero Yale University CAIR Coalition Moises Rodriguez Cruz The University of Chicago Project Hospitality Diana Saavedra Yale University Part of the Solution (POTS) Lia Tavarez Franklin and Marshall College New York Public Library Rene J. Valenzuela Pomona College Queens Public Library Steven Vivas John Jay College of Criminal Justice Long Island Project

About IJC

Founded in 2014, Immigrant Justice Corps (IJC) identifies promising lawyers and advocates passionate about immigration, places them with organizations where they can make the greatest difference and supports them with training and expert insights as they directly assist immigrants in need.

To date, more than 200 IJC Fellows have provided representation in over 33,300 legal matters and assisted more than 75,000 low-income immigrants and their families with a success rate of 92 percent on cases completed. There are currently 82 Fellows serving in 11 states and 33 cities.

SOURCE Immigrant Justice Corps

Related Links

http://justicecorps.org/


By PTI

JAIPUR: Taking a cue from the CBSE, the Rajasthan government is planning to cut short the syllabus for the current academic session on the basis of number of working days of schools.

The state government has directed the Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education (RBSE) and the Rajasthan State Council of Educational Research and Training (RSCERT) to form a committee and review the syllabus.

"Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the number of working days of schools has reduced so the Directorate of Secondary Education, Bikaner has directed the Board of Secondary Education Ajmer and RSCERT, Udaipur in this regard to take a decision to cut the syllabus in education and students' interest. Soon, a final decision will be taken," School Education Minister Govind Singh Dotasara said.

He said the Directorate of School Education releases a working days calendar every year but it is yet to be released for this academic session.

Instructions have been given to the Rajasthan board for reviewing the syllabus of classes 9 to 12 and the RSCERT to review the syllabus for classes 1 to 8.

They will form a committee and review the course, he said.

According to the School Education Department, the number of working days from July 2019 to March 2020 was 207, including 27 workdays in July.

If the schools remain closed after July, then workdays will further reduce.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has rationalised the syllabus for classes 9 to 12 for the academic year 2020-21 by up to 30 per cent to make up for academic loss caused due to COVID-19.

"Looking at the extraordinary situation prevailing in the country and the world, CBSE was advised to revise the curriculum and reduce course load for the students of classes 9 to 12," Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ''Nishank'' had tweeted on July 7.

"Considering the importance of learning achievement, it has been decided to rationalize syllabus up to 30 per cent by retaining the core concepts," he added.
BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) -- "The Bad Kids," a suspense drama that has been an internet sensation in China following its release about three weeks ago, remains the most popular Chinese-language TV series on review platform Douban.

Available on online streaming platform iQiyi from June 16, the show has topped the Douban weekly popularity ranking for Chinese-language TV series for the fourth consecutive week, according to the latest results unveiled Wednesday evening.

Adapted from a popular novel, the 12-episode drama stars Qin Hao as a math teacher who hatches an elaborate murder plot to kill the parents of his unfaithful wife after she demands a divorce. However, his actions are recorded by three children playing nearby.

On Thursday, "The Bad Kids" scored 8.9 points out of 10 based on more than 600,000 reviews on Douban.
Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, speaks at Norman Rockwell Museum on Friday morning. Rep. Richard Neal visits the Norman Rockwell Museum galleries with CEO Laurie Norton Moffat on Friday, the first day of the museum's reopening from the COVID-19 pandemic. PreviousNext

Neal Announces CARES Act Grants for Cultural Organizations



Norman Rockwell Museum CEO Laurie Norton Moffat, Rep. Richard Neal and Mass Humanities Executive Director Brian Boyles pose beneath a banner with Rockwell's depiction of Rosie the Riveter.

STOCKBRIDGE, Mass.  Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, visited the Norman Rockwell Museum on Friday to announce $72,500 in grants to benefit cultural institutions throughout Berkshire County.

The funds are part of $75 million in grants distributed by the National Endowment for the Humanities from the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act.

Neal told his audience about the expedited process that got the CARES Act enacted and predicted success for the next round of federal stimulus, the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions, or HEROES, Act.

Neal, who is facing his own primary battle on Sept. 1, dismissed the idea that time was running out to reach a compromise on a new stimulus in an election year.

[The Republicans] were all in on the CARES Act; they were not all in on the HEROES Act, said Neal, who is the chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, which drafted both CARES and HEROES. [Senate Majority Leader Mitch] McConnell, as you know, described it as a 'wish list.' Well, that's what legislation is. Its architecture.

I think that  he has said 'No' every time, only to have the Senate pass these issues unanimously. So when reporters would say to me, 'How are you going to get past [McConnell],' I'd say, 'He always says no to start. Then he says yes to the legislation.' "

Neal said that the country cannot afford to get complacent about the COVID-19 pandemic or to stop finding ways to stimulate the economy. And he said that recent spikes in the novel coronavirus around the country will make it hard for his colleagues on the other side of the aisle to vote against stimulus packages when Congress returns from its July 4 recess.

"I don't know if you're a senator from Texas how you could vote against the next round," he said. "I dont know if you're a senator from Florida how you can vote against the next round, period.

"My hunch is we're going to find another piece of bipartisan legislation. Everyone is going to agree in the end on unemployment insurance. We're going to agree on more hospital assistance. Were going to agree on state and local government [assistance]."

The NEH grants were just 2.5 percent of the total CARES package. Locally, the 14 grants range from $10,000 at the Rockwell Museum and Hancock Shaker Village to $2,500 to the Berkshire County Historical Society and Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum. But the funding is important, Neal said.

The arts and humanities play a vital role in our lives every single day, he said. I caught the article in the New York Times on Monday about Barrington State [reaching a deal with Actors Equity], and I thought, 'Isn't this great?' Theyre sticking with it."

Mass Humanities Executive Director Brian Boyles said that grants from the NEH help the arts and those employed by the institutions.

"We prioritized small grassroots organizations," said Boyles, whose agency determined the grant recipients. We believe that the Berkshire County Historical Society is as vital as major institutions like the one we're in today.

"We also noted that in the Berkshires, culture is immensely important to your economy. This economy depends on tourism and people coming here to embrace this cultural heritage. It means jobs. It's paychecks for families. And we treated it as such.

And Boyles said that the arts have a role to play in the larger national conversation going on about equity and human rights.

"Massachusetts has been a leader since the beginning of this nation in ideas when it comes to equality  whether thats the revolution, abolition, civil rights, womens suffrage, the right to gay marriage  all those things, Boyes said. This has been the capital of intellect and thought in humanities for quite a long time.

And if we are going to have a recovery and rebuilding that really looks to reimagine what America is, it will depend on ideas that come out of Massachusetts. Thats why I made a commitment that this money was spread as widely around as we think it needs to be. Because when people do re-emerge from their houses  we want people to come out and say, I want to imagine a better world.

And that has to start with the humanities.

The following are recipients of the Berkshire County recipients of Mass Humanities CARES Act Grants:

 Barrington Stage Company, Pittsfield, $10,000

 Berkshire Community Radio Alliance, Great Barrington, $2,500

 Berkshire County Historical Society, Pittsfield, $2,500

 Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield, $10,000

 Clinton Church Restoration, Great Barrington, $2,500

 Hancock Shaker Village, Pittsfield, $10,000

 Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge, $10,000

 Stockbridge Library Association, Stockbridge, $5,000

 Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum, Adams, $2,500

 Tamarack Hollow Nature and Cultural Center, Windsor, $2,500

 The Artist Book Foundation, North Adams, $2,500

 Ventfort Hall Association, Lenox, $5,000

 WAM Theatre, Lee, $5,000

 West Stockbridge Historical Society, West Stockbridge, $2,500
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 10

By Tamilla Mammadova  Trend:

Norway has pledged a multi-annual contribution of approximately 3.75 million euros to the Council of Europes new Action Plan for Georgia 2020-2023, Trend reports referring to the Council of Europe Office in Georgia.

The CE Action Plan for Georgia 2020-2023 aims to bring Georgias legislation, institutions and practice further in line with European standards in the areas of human rights, rule of law and democracy.

It is also intended to support the countrys efforts to fulfill its obligations as a Council of Europe's member state.

Under this action plan, the Council of Europe and the Georgian authorities have agreed to:

Implement reforms aiming to enhance the implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) case-law at national level;

Align national legislation and practice of anti-discrimination with European standards;

Promote gender equality;

Enhance the independence and accountability of the judicial system;

Improve the electoral legislation and practice;

Reform the penitentiary system;

Enhance information security;

Advance the compliance of national practices with European standards in the field of media and internet;

Improve the quality of local democracy;

Enhance the protection of economic and social rights;

Develop capacity of law enforcement and other agencies to respond to juvenile crimes, further develop youth policies;

Effectively prevent and counter trafficking in human beings, facilitate transition of young legal professions to work;

Facilitate civil society participation in decision making at all levels;

Increase dialogue and confidence building between divided communities.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Mila61979356
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Several major police oversight reform proposals have emerged in Portland in the wake of the May 25 death of George Floyd, a Black man killed after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes.

Here are three ideas currently circulating:

-- Portland Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty wants voters to support a ballot measure in November that would eliminate the police oversight systems now in place and create an independent Community Police Oversight Board that would investigate complaints against police, impose discipline and make recommendations for police policies and procedures.

Hardesty told community members Thursday night that the current city oversight system doesnt have the publics trust .

Its long past the time to just tinker around the edges'' with incremental fixes, she said.

We need to absolutely blow up the system we have and create one thats responsive to the community,' she said.

Hardesty has circulated a draft of a proposed change to the City Charter and expects full details of a future board will be fleshed out over the next year, once a ballot measure gains support.

Under the draft, the new board would be appointed by the council to investigate complaints against officers, determine and impose discipline, and make community-centered recommendations regarding police practices, policies and directives.

It would act independent of the city with a budget thats no less than 5% of the Police Bureaus annual operating budget, and have professional staff, including a director, professional investigators and administrative staff.

-- Paul Snell, a government and politics assistant professor at Pacific University, has his own idea of how to shake up the current system.

Hes proposing a nine-member Portland Board of Police Commissioners that would provide civilian governance'' of the Police Bureau.

The citys current Independent Police Review, the intake center for complaints against police, would be folded under the control of the commission and serve as an inspector generals office able to run parallel investigations into alleged police misconduct. Those investigations as well as the internal affairs investigations would be submitted to the commission for review.

Modeled after similar commissions in Los Angeles, Honolulu and Oakland, Snell said it would control the police budget, hire or fire police chiefs and either be responsible for disciplining officers or make discipline recommendations to the police chief.

Strong police-civilian governance is whats missing,' Snell said.

Heres Snells proposed charter change, executive summary.

Paul Snell is an assistant professor of government and politics at Pacific University. He's proposed creating a nine-member Portland Board of Police Commissioners.

The police commission would function as a board of directors and the police chief would serve as the chief executive officer. The commission wouldnt micromanage'' the police but set general guidelines, he said.

The citys long-standing history of having the mayor or any City Council member serve as police commissioner would end.

Community organizations would recommend people to be appointed to the commission and they would have to be approved by the mayor and confirmed by the City Council. The members would each be paid full-time wages and an executive director would be hired for the commission.

-- City Auditor Mary Hull Caballero has cautioned against rushing too quickly'' to throw out the expertise of current Independent Police Review investigators under her office and urged thoughtful community discussions on necessary changes.

The police review investigators need more power and transparency, she said.

For example, state law and the police unions contract now shield investigative files on alleged police misconduct from public scrutiny. A clause in the Portland Police Associations contract requires that the city not unduly embarrass officers who are disciplined.

Both the law and contract must change, Hull Caballero said, to allow sharing investigative files and outcomes.

By not being allowed in most cases to show its work after a case has concluded, the Independent Police Review office hasnt earned the publics trust, she said.

Further, the police union contract should be amended to allow interviews by Independent Police Review investigators of officers in misconduct cases to occur in City Hall or the Portland Building without police internal affairs investigators present to allow for greater independence, she said.

The investigators also need access to police records, which they now dont have. They currently must submit public records requests to obtain them, she said.

The auditor gave a presentation Thursday night on the current powers of the Independent Police Review and ideas on changes that could strengthen it.

-- 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.
Maharashtra cabinet minister Aaditya Thackeray has criticised the Centres decision to hold final-year exams amid the increasing number of Covid-19 cases across the country. Aaditya, who also heads the Shiv Senas youth wing, Yuva Sena, called the decision absolutely absurd and urged the University Grants Commission (UGC) not to make it a silly ego issue.

Yuva Sena had opposed the decision earlier in the week and asked the Union minister of Human Resource Development (HRD) Ramesh Pokhriyal to reconsider. Aadityas attack on the Centre occurred the same day Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the move and said it would be unfair to hold exams during a pandemic.

In a series of tweets, Thackeray took on the Union government asked if the Centre realises that Covid-19 cases in the country are still on the rise. He said that the students would experience mental stress and face the highest risk of contracting the disease.

The decision of the HRD Ministry of Union Govt, and the UGC is absolutely absurd and probably from an alternate universe. I urge UGC to not make this a silly issue of egos and realise that lakhs of lives of students, teachers, non teaching staff are at stake. Unless the HRD Ministry and UGC take responsibility for the health of each student appearing for exams, one wonders what is the guarantee apart from just that the ministry and UGC dont realise the growing number of cases in India It seems that while the entire country- Union Govt, State Govts, ULBs and Panchayats are trying to manage covid, reduce new cases and save lives, the HRD Ministry and UGC wants to just do the opposite, Thackeray tweeted.

Maharashtra chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray has already decided to cancel final-year exams while giving students the option of voluntary exams for better grades. Students who choose not to answer the exams will be graded based on their performance in the previous academic year and internal assessment.

Earlier this week, Yuva Sena secretary Varun Sardesai wrote to the HRD minister on the issue. When exams were originally scheduled, Covid cases were far lesser, and it [the pandemic] had not reached all parts of our country. The cases have been steadily rising, and we cannot be sure they will decline by September, Sardesai said in his letter. Lakhs of final-year students have secured jobs through campus placements or enrolled in private Indian universities or foreign universities. Exams in September would mean they effectively lose all these opportunities, he added.
Delighted women across Britain and further afield have shared their post-lockdown hair makeovers as salons open their doors for the first time in three months.

Posting their before and after locks to Twitter and Instagram, many shared their excitement at being able to visit their hairdressers after a long beauty hiatus.

While some simply went for the chop, others went the full hog, getting a full colour or highlight, and even a perm.

Many were seen wearing masks to the salon, as precautions remain in place while quarantine is slowly loosened.

Here, FEMAIL has rounded up some of the best hair makeovers across social media.

Delighted women across Britain and further afield have shared their post-lockdown hair makeovers as salons open their doors for the first time in three months. Grace Daisy, 22, from Plymouth, shared her before (Left) and after (right) pictures

Jessica, from California, shared her hair transformation as she visited the salon for the first time in months, and had a trim and cool blond highlights put through her hair (seen left before and right afterwards)

Laura, from Colombia, was sporting dark brown hair during the lockdown before going for golden highlights and a trim - wearing a chic red mask (before, left, after right)

Nail artist Amy, from Bedworth, revealed she hadn't cut her hair for five months during the lockdown, and was delighted with her pixie cut (seen before left and after right)

One woman from Turkey shared her impressive before (left) and after (right) transformation, revealing how she turned her frazzled hair into sleek blonde curls

Sandra, 47, from Hamburg, was delighted with her makeover after she went from 'blondie to brunette' and admitted it was the perfect post-lockdown makeover (before, left, and after, right)

Samantha Linning, 26, from London, shared her lockdown roots (left) before glowing with joy at her stunning post-quarantine colour transformation (right)

Hairdresser Daniel, from California, shared one of his clients stunning highlights and admitted it brightened up her face post-quarantine (before, left, and after, right)

Aarti Rajput, from Mumbai, revealed she had a Brazilian keratin treatment to revive her dull and damaged lockdown hair, and was delighted with the results (before, left, after, right)

British teen Liv, 19, admitted she was 'not immune to the lockdown haircut', and shared her longer locks (before left) and her sharp cut (right, after)

These best friends from Austria were seen with longer lockdown locks (left), before having sharp cut and blow dries (right), and coming out feeling more glamorous than ever

In Sydney one lady decided to go for a perm to give her lacklustre hair a bit of volume, and emerged looking refreshed (before, left, and after, right)

Fion Wong, from Singapore, shared the results of one of her clients post-quarantine hair makeover, revealing her grown-out hair colour (left) before, and transformed black locks with a blonde fringe, right

Paul Milton joked that he his post-lockdown haircut brought him back from the eighties boy band look he was sporting during quarantine

Sharing his before and after on Twitter, Chris joked: 'Like a butterfly emerging, the transformation is complete! From boho to handsome?' (seen before, left, and after, right)

Eli Foster showed off her remarkable before (left) and after (right) transformation, going from frazzled and dull to blonde and sleek

Alan Dixon showed off his before (left) and after (right) picture, writing: 'Before and after lockdown haircut, felt like a milestone!'

Steve Wren wrote: 'Post-lockdown haircut achievement unlocked!',seen left, before and right, after

Tina Hollis shared her client's hair transformation and revealed she redid her roots and gave her a bob, (left before, right after) resulting in an icy blonde style

Will Britton looked delighted with his 'lockdown haircut', seen left, before, and right, after

One man admitted he was 'so happy' with his 'amazing 'lockdown haircut', seen left, before, and right, afterwards

British hairdresser Amy posted a picture of her client's hair, before, left, and after, right

'I feel like me again!', Chris Lloyd exclaimed after having his post-quarantine trim

One hairdresser admitted she had 'cut enough hair to make a rug' as she shared a great picture of the before (left) and after (right)

One man admitted that he had to wait five months before 'finally' getting a haircut, showing off the results (left, before, and right, after)
Chinese officials have warned that parts of the country could be ravaged by a locust plague between now and September after armies of the insects already 'invaded' the country.

Swarms of yellow-spined bamboo locusts have destroyed about 26 square miles of fields in Pu'er after raiding the city from China's border with Laos, the local government said.

The Pu'er forestry authority yesterday issued an early warning, predicting a potential locust 'disaster' in China's southern border regions after the spread of the pests 'accelerated'.

Chinese officials have warned about a looming locust plague in the country after a type of grasshoppers invaded Pu'er, a city in south-western Chinese province Yunnan since June 28

The forestry authority of Pu'er city in Yunnan province of south-western China issued a disaster control warning Thursday after the insects started attacking crops in local farmland

The authorities identified the insect to be yellow-spined bamboo locust that inhabits in south-eastern Asia.

The locust is the main pest of China's bamboo-producing regions as it devours all the bamboo leaves in its paths while killing off the commercially valuable stalks.

Pu'er government said in a notice on Thursday: 'The invasion of the yellow-spined bamboo locusts from abroad is accelerating. We can detect new clusters invading every day.'

The large infestation of the pests is also possibly spreading to nearby counties and pose a risk of damaging agricultural crops, the officials warned.

Footage released by Pear Video shows swarms of the insects flying across the sky in the city's Jiangcheng county, which borders with Laos.

The neighbouring country of China has been ravaged by the yellow-spined bamboo locusts since late March, according to local media.

The authorities identified the insect to be yellow-spined bamboo locust, a species of grasshoppers that inhabits in southeastern Asia. The picture shows the bamboo-feeding insect

The locusts are the main pests of China's bamboo-producing regions as they devour all the bamboo leaves in their paths while killing off the commercially valuable stalks. The picture shows damaged bamboo shoots in Pu'er after the city was invaded by the grasshoppers

The Pu'er authorities said that they first detected the pest invasion along the border between Pu'er and Laos on June 28.

Since then, the city has continued to spot new clusters every, said the forestry officials in a notice yesterday.

The statement also said that the speed of the pest invasion is accelerating and it's possible to spread to nearby counties and attack farmland.

A major outbreak of the pests is likely to erupt the Chinese border regions between now to September, the local government in the city of Pu'er, Yunnan province have alerted Thursday

'Based on initial research and judgement, there is a high possibility of a disaster of yellow-spined bamboo locust escalating in border regions between July to September,' the authorities warned.

An estimated total of 6,593 hectares of land has been ravaged by the grasshoppers, the Pu'er government said.

The officials have conducted over 500 drone flights to carry out pest control efforts over nearly 3,000 hectares of land.
Members of the Boko Haram terror group have clashed with Nigerian Army troops in a recent ambush attack.

By Vatican News

Alleged Boko Haram insurgents ambushed soldiers of the Nigerian Army Special Forces, killing many, and leaving others wounded.

The attack, which took place along the Maiduguri-Damboa highway occurred around 7 p.m. on Tuesday, when troops of a task force brigade were on clearance operations. The team came in contact with an unconfirmed number of Boko Haram insurgents who were lying in ambush and a gunfight ensued.

Several media reports indicate the attack left at least 35 soldiers dead and 30 others missing.

However, the Nigerian Army, confirming Tuesdays attack in a statement, said that only two soldiers died and four others were injured. It also claimed to have killed 17 Boko Haram members during the gunfire exchange.

The Nigerian Army encouraged the residents of the area to remain calm, law-abiding and continue with their routine activities, as all necessary measures have been put in place to ensure that all the routes in the area are safe for commuting."

Long-running attacks

This latest ambush is one of many in the ongoing string of violent attacks by the Boko Haram terror group, especially in Northern Nigeria.

In January 2020, a regional leader of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) was kidnapped and later killed by the terror group. Also, in February 2018, over 100 schoolgirls were kidnapped in Dapchi.

Boko Haram has killed more than 27,000 people in Nigeria and displaced approximately 2.3 million others. Many have left Nigeria and fled into Cameroon, Chad or Niger.
As many as 10 members of the MS-13 street gang lured a man into a park in Wheaton, Maryland, spoke with one another over walkie-talkies as he arrived, stabbed him more than 100 times, decapitated him and then cut out his heart, according to police documents made public Wednesday in Montgomery County District Court.

The first alleged attacker to be arrested, Miguel "Timido" Angel Lopez-Abrego, 19, was charged with first-degree murder and held in jail after a brief hearing Wednesday.

"He is noted as being the first individual to thrust a knife in the chest of the decedent," Assistant State's Attorney Kelly McGann said in court. Police continue to search for other suspects.

Police found the body buried in a grave, deep in the woods of Wheaton Regional Park, that the attackers dug before the slaying, according to court records. Authorities have not been able to identify the victim, who they believe may have been from Annapolis. He was wearing a sweatshirt, and those who knew him would have noticed he was missing a lower tooth near the front of his mouth, police said.

The investigation began in early September, when detectives spoke to an informant who said he knew of an MS-13 murder that occurred in the spring of this year in the park. The informant led detectives to the gravesite, according to court records. The remains were exhumed and examined by the Maryland Medical Examiner's Office.

"The victim had been stabbed over one-hundred times, decapitated, dismembered, and his heart had been excised from his chest and thrown into the grave," detectives wrote in court papers.

Although the victim's identity was unknown, Montgomery detectives developed Lopez-Abrego as a suspect.

On Sept. 29, patrol officers stopped a car driven by another MS-13 member in which Lopez-Abrego was a passenger. Detectives interviewed Lopez-Abrego, but he denied any involvement in the park murder, the court records state.

Montgomery police tried to find Lopez-Abrego after that interview but couldn't find him.

Law enforcement, looking for a different MS-13 suspect from Maryland - Milton Portillo-Rodriguez, accused of a murder in Anne Arundel County - tracked that man to Avery County, North Carolina.

On Nov. 4, a group of about 10 agents from the U.S. Marshals Service and the local sheriff's office arrived at a condominium, Avery County Sheriff Kevin Frye said in a telephone interview Wednesday.

A person - but not the suspect - answered the door. The deputies and agents found Portillo-Rodriguez, Lopez-Abrego and a third MS-13 member attempting to hide inside, Frye said.

The third suspect is accused in a different attack at the same Wheaton park.

In that incident, as many as 15 assailants surrounded two victims, punching them, kicking them and striking them with large tree limbs, according to arrest records.

The victims were hospitalized but survived.

Police identified the suspect in that assault as Edwin Ruiz-Urrutia, 19. He is being held on no-bond status in Montgomery County on charges including attempted second-degree murder and first-degree assault.

Frye, the Avery County sheriff, said the three alleged gang members found in the apartment hadn't made much of an impact. "They were new arrivals, and no one really knew who they were," he said.

Lopez-Abrego is a citizen of El Salvador, is in the United States illegally and is currently in immigration proceedings, officials from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Wednesday.

The charging documents do not cite a motive in the slaying in the park, but investigators believe that the suspects had planned to carry it out for about two weeks.

They also alleged that Lopez-Abrego helped dig the grave and "waited near the edge of the wood line with a handheld walkie-talkie radio to alert the other suspects of the victim's arrival." He also used a 15-inch knife in the attack, according to police.

Investigators said the victim was a Hispanic man, about 5-foot-2 and weighing 126 pounds. He had short, dark brown hair.

At the time of the killing, the victim was wearing a gray sweatshirt with "First United Methodist Church Laurel" written on the upper left side.

A rosary or necklace was also found on his body, said police, who had previously distributed photos of the victim's sweatshirt and muddied blue shorts in an effort to identify his remains.

The brutal slaying at the Wheaton park is part of a resurgence of killings in the Washington region that police and prosecutors attribute to MS-13.

In one case, assailants armed with knives lured a 34-year-old to his already-dug grave. A 22-year-old also was taken to a wooded area and ordered to his knees before he was shot in the face. And in another case, an 18-year-old was ambushed near a stream, stabbed and stoned before he died under a bridge of the Capital Beltway.

- - -

The Washington Post's Dana Hedgpeth contributed to this report.
During a Fox News town hall in Wisconsin late last month, President Trump was asked by host Sean Hannity to name his top priority items for a second term. Trump gave a meandering reply about now having the experience of being president and living in Washington, D.C. (Now I know everybody, he said), then quickly pivoted to the tell-all book by his former national security adviser John Bolton  all without laying out a single policy idea or plan.

The answer frustrated Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, who criticized Hannity for not making Trump focus.

I would blame Fox more than I blame the president, because the president, its easy for him to digress here and there, but Hannity  you assume Fox wants him to get reelected, Grassley said. Hannity should have got him back on the subject.

President Trump waves to members of the media on the South Lawn of the White House on Friday. (Andrew Harnik/AP)

In an interview with Sinclair Broadcasting the following day, former Fox News host Eric Bolling gave Trump an opportunity for a do-over, asking what would be the main focus of his second term.

Trump replied with the slogan of his 2016 presidential campaign.

Its very simple: Were gonna make America great again, he said, before ticking off accomplishments such as his trade deals with China, Canada and Mexico, and a push to manufacture products in America.

Were doing it  whether its trade, whether its military  all made in the USA. Its so important. Made in the USA, Trump said. Weve got to bring back our manufacturing, and Ive brought it back very big. But we have to make our own pharmaceutical products, our own drugs, prescription drugs, we have to make our own things. Were doing it now with steel, were doing it now with a lot of different products. Ive done that. But we can do it with a lot more. We want to build our own ships. We dont want to send out to other countries to build ships. So we have a lot of things we can do. Weve done a lot, but we have a lot of things we can do.

On Thursday, Hannity gave Trump yet another chance to lay out his agenda.

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I asked you a question in Wisconsin and you got criticized for the answer, Hannity told Trump. I want to ask you again. You are now asking America in 117 days to give you a second term as president of the United States. Lets  what is your second-term agenda?

This was Trumps reply:

First of all, I didnt know it was criticized for that answer because its a simple question. First of all, were going to defeat the invisible enemy, and we are well on our way. And again, I told you, the mortality rate is tenfold down. Were going to rebuild the economy, were going to bring back jobs from all of these foreign lands that have stolen our jobs on horrible trade deals. We are going to continue to make great trade deals.

Were going to finish rebuilding our wall. Were going to finish, were going to have that  its going to be almost complete by the end of this year, shortly thereafter its finished. Its made a tremendous difference. You see, were doing record numbers on the border. Very few people are able to get through. Were rebuilding with our military. Weve rebuilt the military. $2.5 trillion. We are fixing up the VA for our vets. The job weve done there, between choice and accountability.

We have choice, where they go out and get a doctor. If they are sick, they dont have to wait for five weeks, six weeks, two weeks. So we are doing great with the vets, and the vets are loving Trump. We are protecting our Second Amendment, so. We need more judges and more justices. You see that now with the Supreme Court more than ever. And the next president, Ive had two, the next president is going to be able to pick two or three or one or whatever, but a lot of justices. And that means everything, whether its for life or other things, I mean it means so much.

But protecting the Second Amendment, getting more judges. All of the things that weve done, nobodys done what this administration has done in the first three and a half years. Nobodys even come close. When you look at everything that were doing. Now what were doing is working on lowering drug prices and knocking out special interests, because its not easy. Were fighting for choice. We did it for the veterans and now we are doing it for school too. One choice in school so a parent can take their child to a school of their choice, and thats happening  very good, very, very well.

And we have many things we are doing and many things that we have already completed, and you cant do more than what weve done. I think weve set records. We actually set a record on judges. We are going to be, by the time of the end of this year, we will be up to almost 300 federal judges, and thats a record.

President Trump at the White House on Thursday. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

Trumps struggle to deliver a concise argument for his reelection has alarmed Republicans, particularly because he has fallen behind former Vice President Joe Biden in the polls, as voters have panned his handling of both the coronavirus pandemic and protests in the wake of George Floyds killing.

After the presidents rally in Tulsa, Okla., last month, the Wall Street Journals editorial board warned that Trump still has no second term message beyond his own grievances  and without one, he could be heading for an historic repudiation in November.

An agenda to revive the economy after the pandemic, and restore the gains for workers of his first three years, would appeal to millions, the paper said. Perhaps Mr. Trump lacks the self-awareness and discipline to make this case. He may be so thrown off by his falling polls that he simply cant do it.

___

Read more from Yahoo News:
A newlywed whose wedding ring fell into a lake has been reunited with it, thanks to the help of some underwater metal detectorists.

Steven Elonich, who married in March, lost his ring in Lake Manawa in the US while he was playing with his dog.

He said the loss was particularly devastating because it had originally belonged to his father, Steve, who has stage four cancer.

Steven, from Iowa, had married his wife, Alexa, in a double wedding alongside his sister Jordan and brother-in-law Darin just days before the coronavirus pandemic lockdown came into force in his state.

Expand Close He has now been reunited with the ring, which he said is never going near water again. (Steven Elonich) / Facebook

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Whatsapp He has now been reunited with the ring, which he said is never going near water again. (Steven Elonich)

The group planned the wedding in less than a month so they could ensure their father, Steve, would be at the wedding.

Mr Elonich told the PA news agency it was a needle-in-a-haystack situation when he lost the ring in the lake.

He said: Me, my sister and my wife were treading water with cups, diving down, scooping up mud off the bottom, and then going through it to try to find the ring.

THREAD: I lost my wedding ring, which originally belonged to my ailing father.  Steven Elonich (@ThanksSteven) June 23, 2020

The lake is pitch black at the bottom, so we were just blindly scooping. After a few hours, we decided that it just wasnt going to happen.

He put out a plea for help on Facebook, and a high school friend shared it with her father, Tony Reese, a member of Ring Finders.

He had been preparing for a job to find a lost Rolex in Nebraska, and alongside diver Matthew Ryle used the dive as a practice run.

Mr Elonich said he was ecstatic when the diver emerged from the water 90 minutes later with the ring.

I was beating myself up for wearing the ring around water in the first place, so it was such a relief to have something like that happen Steven Elonich

He came up with it on his finger, and when I saw it, I definitely could have cried, he said.

I was beating myself up for wearing the ring around water in the first place, so it was such a relief to have something like that happen  especially when the previous year had been filled with such gruesome news.

Dad, along with about everyone else, was pretty dang surprised any of us saw that ring again.

He is having his good days and his bad days. Hes extraordinarily tough and resilient. I know I couldnt handle what hes going through. We were able to celebrate July 4th weekend together and have a good time.
Vincymas is more than about the music but there is no denying that it is a fundamental component of the overall carnival package.

The Carnival Development Corporation (CDC) will enjoy the benefit of having the Vincymas brand prominently highlighted at the Baltimore / Maryland One Caribbean Carnival.





This Virtual showcase of Caribbean culture features recordings of (virtual) concerts of the carnivals from across the Caribbean.





A one-hour segment is accorded St. Vincent and the Grenadines and is scheduled for airing on Sunday 12th July at 4:00 pm. This can be viewed on the Baltimore One Caribbean Carnival Instagram and Facebook pages.





The local recording, which was done on Saturday 04th July, featured Saeed Bowman on pan, Reigning Calypso Monarch Shaunelle Mc Kenzie, 2019 Soca Monarch winner Magikal, Ragga Soca Monarch Hance John, Parang and Road March King Luta, and LPank, Sita and Fyah Empress. Costumes displayed were provided by Oxygen Mas Band. The MC was Candyman and the introduction to the event was done by CDCs Marketing and Development Officer Esworth Ezzie Roberts. Videos promoting St. Vincent & The Grenadines were also included in the final product.





Ten Times Soca Monarch winner Fireman Hooper was scheduled to appear at the event, but he was involved in vehicular accident on Friday 03rd July.





The Baltimore / Washington One Virtual Carnival is scheduled for July 11th and 12th 2020, starting at 12:00 pm and ending at 6:00 pm.





Baltimore celebrates 39 years showcasing the Caribbean Culture of Carnival. Mayor of Baltimore City Bernard Jack Young is expected to deliver an address at the opening session along with Dr. Elaine Simon, President Baltimore / Washington One Carnival, and Loughton Sargeant Executive Director DC Caribbean Carnival.





Elaine Simon, president of the Baltimore / Maryland One Caribbean Carnival, said in an interview, "We thank St. Vincent and the Grenadines for partnering with us for this momentous experience to showcase our Carnival Virtually. On behalf of our executive members, Band Leaders, Masqueraders, DJs, Shortmus Productions and the Community, we express gratitude and we welcome you.





In response, Esworth Ezzie Roberts said, "We have embraced this opportunity to market Vincymas 2021 via this means which allows for the viewing by persons not just in Baltimore but by people around the world.





He continued, "We will like to express much thanks to Vincentian Mr. Kenly "Shortmus John of Shortmus Productions and President of the Baltimore / Washington One Caribbean Carnival, Dr. Elaine Smith for giving us this opportunity to showcase Vincymas in this way.
Ukraine is studying other countries experience, including that of Spain, in responding to new challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Health Minister Maksym Stepanov has said.

He said this in Kyiv on Friday, July 10, at a traditional conference call chaired by President Volodymyr Zelensky, the press service of the President's Office reported.

"The health minister noted that [Ukraine] is studying foreign countries experience, including Spain's experience, in responding to the new challenges of reality related to the coronavirus pandemic. He added that there is centralized monitoring of lockdown measures in most countries and stressed the dangers of using political leverage during manipulations with lockdown on the ground," the report said.

The president was also informed that there was currently a positive trend in the dynamics of those who recovered from COVID-19, with 1,016 recoveries and 819 new cases recorded on July 9.

National Police representatives, in turn, said they had drawn up 194 reports of violations of lockdown in public institutions.

According to the press service, the president was also informed about fires being extinguished in the Luhansk region and about support for people being affected by floods in Ukraine's western regions.

Some 52,043 cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) were recorded in Ukraine as of July 10.

op
Frank Sinatra's two-year romance with the much younger actress Irene Tsu has been laid bare in her new memoirs.

The 77-year-old got candid about the 'passionate and adventurous' affair while plugging her book A Water Color Dream: The Many Lives Of Irene Tsu to Fox News.

Irene - who 29 years his junior when they were together - dished that Sinatra spontaneously summoned her to an impromptu first date in the California desert in 1968 amid the collapse of his marriage to Mia Farrow.

Memories: Frank Sinatra's two-year romance with Irene Tsu had been laid bare in her new memoirs; they are both pictured in 1967, the year before their relationship began

'It was hard not to be captivated by Frank. And when you were with him, you were going to have a good time,' she gushed of the Chairman Of The Board.

Mia, who was married to Frank from 1966 until 1968, was a full 30 years his junior.

When Irene first met Frank he was in Miami shooting Tony Rome and she was in town to film one of her famous 'wiki wiki girl' ads for Chevron.

Her manager sent her to a networking lunch at a hotel with 'eight or nine people,' but when Frank arrived 'you heard the voice. You didnt even have to look up to know it was Sinatras. The voice just commanded the room. And I didnt want to look for him. I felt like I wasnt allowed and I didnt want him to catch me staring!'

Throwback to 1967: The 77-year-old got candid about the 'passionate and adventurous' affair while plugging her book A Water Color Dream: The Many Lives Of Irene Tsu to Fox News

The way they were: Frank got together with Irene amid the collapse of his marriage to Mia Farrow; he and Mia are pictured at their wedding in Las Vegas in 1966

When he caught sight of her again at a Beverly Hills private club a month later, she was enraptured by his legendary eyes.

'He had the most incredible blue eyes Ive ever seen. You just got lost in them. He was so relaxed and charismatic. You just became captivated by him.'

A restaurateur rang her up ordering her to join Frank for dinner at 7:30pm and 'Be on time,' so she 'went shopping like crazy' for the perfect outfit.

While she braced herself for the date, Frank himself called and said: 'Baby, I dont know if you heard, but my divorce has been announced and theres paparazzi all over my property. Im heading out to the desert. I want you to come with me.'

Stars align: When Irene first met Frank he was in Miami shooting Tony Rome (left) and she was in town to film one of her famous 'wiki wiki girl' ads for Chevron (right)

They spent 'a magical weekend' in the desert and then she stayed at his home 'in the Pink Room, which was Mias. He told me: "If you dont like the color we can change it. Pick any color you want." So I did  a buttercup yellow.'

The Shanghai-born actress made her her movie debut in 1961 in the dance ensemble of Flower Drum Song, and by the late 1960s she was recognizable for her Chevron ads, but her stardom was still eclipsed by Frank's.

'We would go to the most expensive restaurants and here I was ordering a carrot. And if you were Frank Sinatra, no one would dare come near you. He was very political and I was not at all savvy about that. So we didnt really have a lot of deep discussions. He lived with a lot of tension and had insomnia,' she remembered.

Frank started off a liberal Democrat but drifted slowly rightward after a falling-out with his old pal John F. Kennedy in the early 1960s.

Differences: Irene, pictured with John Wayne in the 1968 film The Green Berets, said Frank 'didn't really like his women to work' but noted their relationship ended amicably

By the early 1970s he switched over to the Republican Party and he ultimately produced both of Ronald Reagan's inaugural galas in the 1980s.

Irene revealed that Frank 'didnt really like his women to work. He would say: "I could give you anything. You want a car? A house? Jewelry? Just tell me what you want." But that wasnt really me. I was perfectly content with my bicycle and working. It was too restrictive for me.'

Frank purportedly left Mia because he demanded that she quit her starring role in the Roman Polanski film Rosemary's Baby and she declined. She is said to have been served with the divorce papers on set.

Mia was Frank's third wife overall and his second movie star spouse, after his tempestuous marriage to Ava Gardner.

Breaking point: Frank purportedly left Mia because he demanded that she quit Rosemary's Baby and she declined; she is pictured in the film

In 1976 he married his fourth wife Barbara Marx, a twice-divorced socialite 12 years his junior who stayed with him until his death in 1998.

Frank's biographer Kitty Kelley claimed on TV in the 1980s that Barbara was 'a woman who is on call at all times. He vowed that he would never, ever marry another actress again and he will not tolerate any woman who has her own career at all.'

However Irene says her own relationship with Frank ended amicably, and that he sent her a gift in 1971 when she tied the knot with Hungarian director Ivan Nagy.

'I got a call from Frank one day and he said: "If you dont tell me what you want as a wedding present youre going to get a Ming vase." I said. "No Ming vase! But I could use a washer/dryer actually." He laughed so much. He said: "What are you going to do, open a Chinese laundry? But I got it,' she shared.

Side by side: In 1976 he married his fourth wife Barbara Marx, a devoted homemaker who was 12 years his junior and who stayed with him until his death; the couple are pictured in 1990

'I remember the washer/dryer came with a note that said: "All the happiness to you and no starch." It was a good washer/dryer actually. I kept it for a long time.'

Irene divorced Ivan in 1980, after which he dated the notorious 'Hollywood Madam' Heidi Fleiss and eventually died aged 77 in 2015.

In addition to his marriages and Irene, Frank is rumored to have had affairs with multiple actresses ranging from Judy Garland to Elizabeth Taylor.
Coronavirus could be spread through airborne transmissions, the World Health Organization has admitted (Getty)

The World Health Organization has changed its stance on whether coronavirus can be spread through the air.

In updated guidance on the role of airborne droplets in transmission of COVID-19, the WHO said that airborne transmission of COVID-19 in crowded, indoor locations with poor ventilation "cannot be ruled out."

Airborne transmission means that the virus could spread through particles known as aerosols, which can hover in the air after a person has left the area.

The organisation previously said that airborne transmission was a concern only in hospital settings during certain medical procedures, such as when patients are first put on breathing machines.

However, reports of outbreaks occurring in restaurants and fitness classes have suggested the possibility of airborne transmission, the WHO conceded.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has changed its stance on whether coronavirus can be contracted through air droplets in confined spaces (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images)

But it said that other forms of transmission, such as through larger droplets released in coughs and sneezes and via contaminated surfaces, could still explain these clusters.

The change in guidance comes after more than 200 scientists called for WHO to acknowledge the coronavirus can spread in the air earlier in the week.

In a letter published in the Clinical Infectious Diseases journal, the collection of scientists wrote that studies have shown "beyond any reasonable doubt that viruses are released during exhalation, talking and coughing in microdroplets small enough to remain aloft in the air".

The findings mean that people in certain indoor conditions could be at greater risk of being infected than was previously thought.

As workers return to offices following the COVID-19 pandemic they are urged to wear face masks to protect themselves and others (Getty)

Read More: I certainly wouldnt be going to the gym: Public health experts warning over lockdown easing

The experts referred to a Washington state choir practise and unpublished research about a poorly-ventilated restaurant in Guangzhou, China - each of which raised the possibility of infections from airborne droplets.

"We are concerned that the lack of recognition of the risk of airborne transmission of COVID-19 and the lack of clear recommendations on the control measures against the airborne virus will have significant consequences," they wrote. "People may think they are fully protected by adhering to the current recommendations, but in fact additional airborne interventions are needed."

Story continues

The WHO has insisted that COVID-19 is spread via larger respiratory droplets, most frequently when people cough or sneeze, that fall to the ground.

Controversy has surrounded WHO guidance since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Initially the body refused to recommend the use of face masks.

The UK government followed this advice but has now made face masks compulsory on public transport. In Scotland masks are mandatory in shops too.

And on Friday experts forecasted that if 95% of the population wear face masks in public the predicted coronavirus death toll in the UK could be reduced by up to 20,000 by the end of October.

Coronavirus: what happened today

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Overnight reports from Jacksonville police:

 Justin M. Ramsey, 29, of Petersburg was booked into the Morgan County jail at 11:09 p.m. Thursday on charges of assault, reckless driving and having an expired registration.
Yamo, a self-described "foodtech" startup that produces and sells healthier food for babies and young children, has raised 10.1 million in Series A funding.

Backing comes from European food and agriculture tech investor Five Seasons Ventures, Swiss Entrepreneurs Fund, Ringier Digital Ventures, Muller Ventures, btov Partners, Polytech Ventures, BackBone Ventures, Investiere Venture Capital and Fundament. It brings total funding to 12 million.

Founded in 2016 by CEO Tobias Gunzenhauser, COO Jose Amado-Blanco and CMO Luca Michas, yamo is on a mission to give parents healthier and easy food choices for their young children. Its products are available online via direct-to-consumer subscription model and through grocery stores. The latter includes Coop in Switzerland, and trials in select Edeka and Rewe stores in Germany. With the new funding, yamo is expanding to France and will launch new food products for children.

"In October 2015 Luca and I were co-workers in the same company, and we decided to eat vegan for a month," says Gunzenhauser, when asked about the startup's inception. "After starting our vegan challenge we had to scan food labels for hidden animal products. That was when we realised how many products in the supermarket contain unnecessary sugar and unhealthy ingredients. Out of curiosity, we checked the baby food aisle, naively assuming they would be the cleanest and healthiest food products available. We were quite wrong."

Gunzenhauser and Michas observed that baby food products typically contained added sugar and salt, artificial vitamins and had a "scarily long shelf life, [which] seemed rather odd."

"Everyone was talking about fresh, healthy, sustainable food for grown-ups, but the world was still feeding the youngest members of our families products that were older than the babies who ate them. Something was very wrong and we didnt understand it."

That was when Amado-Blanco, an old friend of Gunzenhauser's and a food scientist, explained that those products are heat-sterilised, a process that also affects the products vitamin content, colour and taste. The trio decided there had to be a better way and yamo was born.

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"We talked to many young parents about how they perceived the current supermarket offering, how they feed their kids and what is necessary for them. We saw a clear gap in the market and set ourselves the goal of creating the freshest, tastiest baby purees the world had ever seen," explains Gunzenhauser.

Image Credits: yamo

Instead of traditional heat-sterilisation, yamo uses high-pressure pasteurisation (HPP), which kills bacteria in minutes and retains the food's natural nutrients, taste, colour and smell. Its products last between eight to 12 weeks refrigerated. It also recently launched what it claims is the first non-dairy yoghurt in Europe for kids, using oat-milk.

Gunzenhauser cites yamo's main competitor as homemade baby food, since the vast majority of baby food is still produced at home by parents. "This might be a result of distrust from parents in todays offering they would find in retail. Our challenge is to show parents how yamo can support them raising their children healthily without any compromises," he says.

Of course, the young company is also up against baby food incumbents, and the yamo CEO concedes that the big challenge is that its products are refrigerated. "Normal baby food isnt," he says. "That is why we had to convince retailers to change the way they sell baby food. Coop changed its shelves for us, integrating a fridge in the regular baby food aisle."

There are other startups entering the space, too. For example, in the U.K., there's Little Tummy and Mia & Ben, and in the U.S. there's Yumi, among others.


By Dr. Jojin V. John





This month South Korea will honor Lt. Col. C. Rangarajan, who led the Indian medical mission during the 1950-53 Korean War as the Korean War hero of the month.



This gesture on the 70th anniversary of the war by the Korean government not only salutes the contribution of Lt. Col. Ragarajan and his 60th Parachute Field Ambulance Platoon (PFA), a mobile army surgical hospital (MASH), but also is an acknowledgement of India's humanitarian role during the war.



The 60th PFA had earned the name "The Maroon Angels" for their exemplary service in Korea. Numerous citations, including the Meritorious Service Citation from the ROK Army, the U.S. Army Citation, and the Meritorious Unit Citation of the United National Commander vouch for their significant work. It is estimated that the unit in their over three years of service in Korea performed 2,234 surgical operations.



While honoring the humanitarian contribution of India during the Korean War, what is often forgotten is the peacemaking role New Delhi played in diffusing the Korean crisis. There is no better moment to revisit the overlooked aspects of India's engagement as a peacemaker in the Korean crisis than the 70th anniversary of the Korean War.



Indian involvement in the Korean question began even before the outbreak of the Korean War. India was a member of the United Nations Temporary Commission on Korea (UNTCOK) in 1947, which was tasked to conduct a general election in Korea.



Indian diplomat KPS Menon served as the chairman of UNTCOK. It is important to note that India declined to recognize either the government of South Korea or North Korea that were formed in 1948 on the belief that the division was artificial and recognition would solidify the division further.



Following the outbreak of the Korean War, Indian efforts focused on breaking the deadlock between the two superpowers in the U.N. to find a mediated solution through proactive diplomacy. Events that followed the outbreak were the first test of Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's foreign policy of non-alignment and his efforts to champion the cause of peace in Asia.



Mindful of the emergence of the Cold War in Asia, four postulates drove Nehru's Korea approach  resist North Korean aggression, prevent the escalation of the conflict beyond Korea, not tie other questions to the Korean struggle and most importantly, the future of Korea should be determined by the people of Korea.



India supported the U.N. resolution to assist South Korea to repel the North Korean aggression, however, refrained from sending a military force to Korea under the U.N. Command. Instead, India sent a medical mission to support the U.N. Command's liberation efforts.



Indian efforts to find truce through mediation, though receiving appreciation, appeared naive and frustrating to the hard-nosed apologists of Cold War politics in the West and the East, as both sides were determined to achieve a full military victory.



Despite all efforts, India could not prevent the U.N. forces from crossing the 38th parallel or the Chinese intervention in the war. However, such efforts of India proved to be useful in hindsight.



After two years into fighting when the two sides reached a stalemate, India's deft diplomacy in the U.N. offered a solution to the prisoners of war (POW) issue that was hindering the conclusion of the armistice agreement.



Continuing its efforts to the cause of peace in Korea, India assumed the chairmanship of the Neutral Nations Repatriation Commission (NNRC). It also offered the service of the Custodian Force of India to oversee the repatriation of the POWs.



India's experience with the NNRC was not all that good as it had to take a beating from both sides  proving the point Ben Franklin once made, peacemaking is a dangerous and thankless job.



Having already thrown itself into the Korean crisis, India was keen to play a mediating role in the Political Conference, mandated by the armistice agreement.



In April 1954, when the Political Conference on Korea convened in Geneva, India was not invited as a delegate, owing to the strong opposition from the Syngman Rhee administration and intensification of Cold War rivalry. Not only the Geneva Conference failed, but no political conference on Korea was to convene after that.



Seven decades is a long time to forget, but there are two other reasons for overlooking India's peacemaking role. First, the Cold War historiography, which presents the narrative of the Korean War with its domineering emphasis on the role of superpowers and bipolarity, obfuscates the role played by non-aligned countries like India for the cause of peace.



The second factor is the ideological prism through which the image of India was cast in South Korea during the early Cold War period. It was no secret that President Syngman Rhee didn't trust India and openly called Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru an agent of the communist bloc.



Of course much has changed since, so too has the nature of the problem on the Korean Peninsula. However, the shadow of war still looms large.



In a context where the international environment around the Korean Peninsula is undergoing a significant transition, the quest for peace demands new thinking, perhaps even the involvement of new actors. However, to think afresh, it is essential to reflect on past attempts at peacemaking on the Korean Peninsula, including those by India.





The author (johnjojin@gmail.com) is a research fellow at the Indian Council of World Affairs, New Delhi.


Bir-Lahlou, 05 July 2020 (SPS) - President of the Republic, Secretary General of the Polisario Front, Mr. Brahim Ghali, has sent a message of felicitation to President of Rwanda, H.E Mr. Paul Kagame, on the celebration of the 58th anniversary of Independence and the 26th anniversary of Liberation.



On behalf of the Sahrawi people and Government, I have the pleasure to congratulate you as you celebrate 58 years of independence on July 1 and the 26th anniversary of Liberation Day on July 4, as well as my best wishes for further progress for your country and wellbeing of all its citizens, said the President of the Republic.



We follow with pride the great leap forward in the economic, social and peaceful development of Rwanda under your wise leadership.



Let me also express my appreciation and praise for your consistent efforts undertaken for freedom, development and peace in the entire African continent.



On congratulating your Excellency on this occasion, I am convinced that the traditional friendship between Rwanda and the Sahrawi Republic will be strengthened further, added the President of the Republic in his message to the Rwandan President. (SPS)



062/SPS
Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: The wife and son of gangster Vikas Dubey were arrested by a team of the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (UP STF) from Krishnanagar locality of Lucknow on Thursday evening.

Richa Dubey, the wife of Vikas Dubey, and the couple's younger son were arrested in Lucknow on the charge of harbouring the gangster and acting in connivance with him, a senior police officer said. The officer added that they were taken to the Krishnanagar police station in the state capital.

Both mother and son were arrested from a vacant plot near Narainpuri area of Krishnanagar. Moreover, their servant Mahesh was also nabbed while he was trying to run away. The police team is mulling to take Richa, her son and servant to Kanpur.

As per the sources, Richa alias Sona was staying with one of her relatives in Krishna Nagar itself since July 2. Police had been hunting for her and her son since the July 3.
A formation of Dongfeng-41 intercontinental strategic nuclear missiles takes part in a military parade celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in Beijing, capital of China, October 1, 2019. Photo: Xinhua

US officials have been making a lot of noises about China joining the US-Russia negotiation on nuclear arms reduction, but China has no interest in joining, given the huge gap between the nuclear arsenal of China and those of the US and Russia, and China has the need to improve its military capabilities, a senior Chinese diplomat said on Wednesday.

People have reason to be concerned about the gap when the US is not only expanding, improving and upgrading its nuclear arsenal, but at the same time also building all the missile defense systems and deploying them in China's neighborhood, Fu Cong, head of the Department of Arms Control of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, told a press briefing in Beijing in which the Global Times participated.

The US is developing weapons in space, has withdrawn from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, and has made it explicitly clear that it is planning to deploy land-based intermediate-range missiles in China's neighborhood and on its doorstep, Fu pointed out, noting that all these pose strategic threats to China's security, and people should not be surprised that China sees the need to improve its military capabilities.

At the same time, the Chinese policy of maintaining the minimum deterrent capability and no-first-use policy will not change, but that does not mean China should not modernize its nuclear weapons to defend its national security, Fu said.

The US has a huge nuclear arsenal, with about 5,800 warheads, about 20 times that of China's number, according to international think tanks such as the Federation of American Scientists and SIPRI.

It is also planning on increasing this huge gap by investing about $494 billion in the next 10 years and $1.2 trillion in the next 30 years to upgrade its nuclear arsenal, both the warheads and their delivery systems.

The US is fully aware of the huge gap between the Chinese and US nuclear arsenals, both in terms of quantity and sophistication, Fu said.

"For them, hyping up the China factor is nothing but a ploy to divert world attention, and to create a pretext under which they can walk away from the New START [Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty], as they have done with so many other arms control treaties. The real purpose is to get rid of all possible restrictions and have a free hand in seeking overwhelming military superiority over any adversary, real or imagined," he said.

If the US says it is ready to come down to the Chinese level in terms of its nuclear arsenal, China will be happy to participate, according to Fu.

China's refusal to join the so-called trilateral negotiation does not mean that it is shying away from international nuclear disarmament efforts, and on the contrary, China is a strong advocate of nuclear disarmament in the UN and at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva. China initiated the dialogue on nuclear doctrines among the UN Security Council's five permanent members (P5), and stands ready to discuss all issues related to strategic stability and nuclear risk reduction in the framework of P5, Fu stressed.

Fu also outlined China's accession to the Arms Trade Treaty. On Monday, the instrument of accession was deposited with the UN Secretary General by the Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations.

Fu said China's accession to this important arms control treaty is another testimony to China's determination to combat illicit arms trafficking and its commitment to multilateralism and the international arms control regime, and also constitutes another concrete step in implementing the grand vision of building a community of shared future for all mankind.
Vodafone Idea Ltd on Friday paid 2,850 crore in principal and interest to seven of its bondholders, including Franklin Templeton India, which had shuttered six of its debt schemes and side-pocketed its entire loan exposure to the telecom operator over doubts about the companys ability to repay.

The payments came as a major relief to Franklin Templeton and the 300,000 investors in the six funds that were wound up on April 23 because of exposure to low-quality debt.

Among mutual funds, Franklin Templeton had the biggest exposure to Vodafone Idea, which continues to grapple with stretched finances. The repayment was part of the 3,500 crore non-convertible debentures sold by Vodafone Idea in 2015 and matured on July 10.

Apart from Franklin Templeton India, which received 1,252 crore, UTI Mutual Fund received 166 crore and Nippon India Mutual Fund received 121 crore. Mutual funds said these part payments will be credited to investors accounts in the coming week. A side pocket allows a mutual fund to segregate investments in stressed assets and prevent unit holders from withdrawing their money until the asset manager recovers the funds linked to the stressed assets.

We have now received the full value of the principal due, along with interest for the period June 12 to July 9, 2020, a spokesperson for Franklin Templeton said in a statement. This amount will be distributed to unit holders of the segregated portfolio.... This is the full and final payment for this segregated portfolio and will be made by extinguishing all outstanding units held by each unit holder therein, he added.

Nippon India said in a statement it has received full payment of dues from Vodafone. The payout will be processed by extinguishing proportionate units in the plans of the segregated portfolio of the respective schemes, it said.

On June 12, Franklin received 102.71 crore in interest payments from Vodafone Idea. UTI Mutual Fund and Nippon India Mutual Fund received 13.5 crore and 9.3 crore, respectively. Franklin Templeton had a total exposure of 2,400 crore to Vodafone as of December 31; UTI AMC 551 crore, and Nippon 241 crore. Franklins remaining exposure is to longer maturity papers.

The repayment comes as a shot in the arm for debt mutual funds, particularly the ones that had taken higher credit risks.
The FBI has joined the ongoing search for a missing Amish teenager from Pennsylvania, offering a $10,000 reward for information on the whereabouts of the 18-year-old who disappeared three weeks ago after leaving church.

Linda Stoltzfoos, 18, never returned home after the church service in East Lampeter Township, Lancaster County, on June 21.

The federal agency is now offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information that would lead law enforcement to Stoltzfoos and the person or people responsible for her disappearance.

Linda Stoltzfoos, 18 (left), never returned home on June 21 after church in East Lampeter Township, Pennsylvania. The FBI has released a composite of Stoltzfoos as she might appear without her traditional Amish garb (right)

The FBI is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to Stolzfoos and the person responsible for her disappearance

The FBI also has released a visual composite of Stoltzfoos as she might appear without her traditional Amish bonnet on and with her hair down, and wearing street clothes instead of a dress and apron.

'Our focus is on finding Linda,' FBI spokesperson Carrie Adamowski told Daily Local News.

Lancaster County is the oldest Amish community in North America and one of the nation's two largest Amish settlements.

Stoltzfoos was last seen at around 12.30pm on June 21 on a farm on Stumptown Road, in the community known as Bird-In-Hand, wearing a tan dress with a white apron, a white cape and a black head covering.

Members of the Amish community in Lancaster County searched for the missing woman last month

A day after her disappearance, teams of volunteers with dogs and horses set out to try and find her

'There's no reason to believe that she wanted to leave,' Lt Matt Hess, of the East Lampeter Township Police Department, said after her disappearance.

'She didn't indicate to anyone that she wanted to go take a trip, so it's very out of character for Linda to do this.

'So, it changed the circumstances in the sense that there was no pre-planned events or reasons for her to not come back home.'

Hess noted in an interview with NBC10 that while it is not unheard of that Amish teenagers would want to run away to 'see the world,' there is no indication that Stoltzfoos had ever expressed interest in leaving the community.

'We want Linda to know that if she is watching or listening to this, she is not in any trouble,' Hess said. 'We are only concerned for her welfare.'

Members of the community began searching for Stoltzfoos the following Monday morning and continued into the evening.

Hundreds of volunteers showed up to search for the missing young woman, according to a Facebook page that details search efforts and includes photos and videos from the scene.

For hours, volunteers scoured fields and streams for Stoltzfoos. In the evening, 15 horses with riders were dispatched to help search for Stoltzfoos.

Members of the tight-knight religious community held a vigil on Wednesday to pray for Stoltzfoos' return.

Bird-in-Hand is known for its large Amish population, and tourists come to visit the Amish Village heritage museum.

Pennsylvania and Ohio have the highest concentration of Amish communities, with 50 Amish groups in each state.

Fields, hedgerows and bushes were searched by volunteers trying to locate Linda Stoltzfoos

The Pennsylvania Amish are known to be private people who believe that God has called them to a simple life of faith, discipline, dedication and humility.

Shunning technology, they believe that the Amish religion should be practiced, not displayed, and translated into daily living rather than focused on tangible symbols or complicated religious rituals.

Stoltzfoos' disappearance came a month after a 21-year-old US Air Force airman was arrested for allegedly killing Mennonite Sunday school teacher Sasha Krause, 27, in Arizona.

Both the Amish and Mennonites belong to the Anabaptist denomination of Christianity and dress in similar garb, but unlike the Amish, the Mennonites allow the use of some modern technological advances in their daily lives.

Stoltzfoos is described as a white female with blue eyes and brown hair, standing at 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing 125lbs.

Anyone with information on her whereabouts, or the circumstances of her disappearance is being asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI.
A 26-year-old man has been rushed to hospital after a brazen daylight shooting outside Scarborough Town Centre on Friday afternoon, Toronto police say.

Police tweeted that there were reports of multiple shots heard in the area at around 2:20 p.m. and found a man with gunshot wounds outside the mall. Police told reporters that he was shot in the abdomen.

Paramedics say the man was rushed to hospital in serious but non-life-threatening condition.

One of the malls entrances was closed as police investigated.

Police say the suspects fled in a dark coloured SUV and are asking anyone with information to come forward.
Frankie Randazzo, of Beaumont, continuously has been adapting his bars and restaurants over the past few weeks, ordering masks for those that can stay open and shifting staff from those were left to close under Gov. Greg Abbotts June 26 executive order.

But on Thursday, as he was forced to close Madisons in-person dining and transition to take-out once again, Randazzo asked the governors office to make a few changes, too.

Under Abbotts executive order, bars or restaurants that have a 51% alcohol license  meaning more than half of its revenues come from alcohol sales  were shuttered, including Madisons. Even though the restaurant sells more food than alcohol, Randazzo and his partners chose to voluntarily take the 51% license 16 years ago to avoid any issues with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.

In a Facebook live video Wednesday night, Randazzo explained he was working to transition to a food and beverage license. But without the ability to secure a waiver, his and other businesses in the same situation will stay closed due to the narrow definition of a bar.

They rushed to the decision pretty quickly, only giving us three hours notice, he said Thursday in an interview with the Enterprise. If they could make a decision so quickly, they can move just as quickly to come up with a solution.

TABC does have temporary waivers that allow bar and grills to transition to another license if they meet the requirements, but the agencys protocols currently only allows it to base those qualifications on sales data from last year.

Like Randazzo, advocates for regulatory breaks during the pandemic argue that officials making decisions about the industry based on current circumstances also should allow those businesses to use their current revenues and business model to meet the license requirements.

Along with concerns about reduced revenue during the closure, Randazzo said the broad executive order has created a race against time for businesses like his as they rush to reopen before breaking their obligations under the Paycheck Protection Program.

The aid package distributed through the Small Business Association and partnering lenders was supposed to preserve jobs during the peak of the spring economic meltdown by offering forgivable loans to businesses in exchange for retaining positions for a certain period of time.

With PPP money mostly gone and some businesses looking at another prolonged shutdown, Randazzo said small business owners are facing one of the toughest times since the pandemic began.

The situation now is more dire for businesses than when this whole thing broke out, he said. If you deferred rent since March, those payments are coming due soon and most people dont have any PPP left.

Randazzo said he hopes to get more attention to the issue from legislators and has contacted State Rep. Brandon Creighton and U.S. Rep. Randy Weber, but another advocate for the restaurant industry believes solutions could come directly from Abbott.

The Texas Restaurant Association has been lobbying for new defining guidelines for bars and restaurants that deal with the operation of the business instead of an alcohol-sales basis.

Kelsey Erickson Streufert, vice president of government relations and advocacy for the association, said it was clear the 51% license standard didnt meet the intent of Abbotts order, making this the time to reform the overly-complicated system.

We think the situation could be fixed by (Abbott) clarifying the order and making it clear to TABC of his intent, she said. Many legislators are concerned about this as well. Its a worst case storm right now.

The TRA has suggested using a three-pronged test to define a business as a restaurant if it has certain kitchen equipment required by most health and safety agencies, serves food as long as the establishment is open and service is given at dining tables instead of only at a bar or stand.

As consumer tastes have changed and more restaurants have relied on premium cocktails and drink service to make their profits, Streufert said the 51% license model has become an outdated measure for defining a bar.

TRA also is asking Congress for a second round of PPP loans and tax credits that specifically target businesses with proven impact from the pandemic.

Other hospitality industry advocates in the state have side-stepped the battle for clarification of the order to question its constitutionality in state and federal court.

The Texas Bar and Nightclub Alliance personally named the governor in its suit filed on June 30, claiming the executive order closing bars was discriminatory and shameful.

Michael Klein, president of TBNA, said the bars and clubs throughout the state couldnt just rely on lobbying legislators to end a policy that is crippling their industry. Setting a precedent that addresses the pandemic still had to be constitutional and fair, he added.

Dire isnt even the right word to describe what is happening right now, he said. Some of our members are people that grew up in this industry, scrimped and saved to have a place of their own, and they didnt expect this to come along and ruin their business.

jacob.dick@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/jdickjournalism
10.07.2020 LISTEN

.Alleges that Chairmen, NASS Committees on Niger Delta have bastardized the Budget

.Says IMC has not awarded any Project since it came on board

..N281 billion released to NDDC from 2016 to May, says Accountant General of the Federation

THE Acting Executive Director, Projects, Interim Management Committee, IMC of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh has said that no single Kobo has been misapplied by the Committee since it came on board.

Speaking in Abuja Thursday when he appeared before the Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi ( APC, Ekiti North) led Ad-hoc Committee probing into alleged financial recklessness to the tune of N40 billion by the IMC, Ojougboh said that since the interim management came on board, it has not awarded any contract, except the recent one of the Coronavirus, COVID-19 Pandemic where Palliatives were given to people.

Ojougboh who is presently addressing the Committee has accused both the Chairman, Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi and his House of Representatives counterpart as the problem of the interventionist agency.

According to him, if they remain as chairmen of the Committees, Niger Delta region will never develop.

Meanwhile, the Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris has told the Ad- hoc Committee that a total of N281 billion has so far been released to the NDDC from 2016 to May this year.

Giving a breakdown, he said that in 2016, N41billion was released; in 2017, N64 billion was released; in 2018, a total of N71 billion was released; in 2019, N71 billion was released and from January to May this year, N34 billion was released.

Recall that the Senate is probing alleged financial recklessness to the tune of N40 billion by the Interim Management Committee, IMC, of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.

Against this backdrop, the Senate had set up six-man Ad-hoc Committee to carry out a holistic investigation into all issues relating to but not limited to the alleged misapplication and misappropriation of the sum of N40billion by the commission.

The Committee, which had four weeks to report back at plenary, was asked to look into all procurement and financial transactions of the commission in this fiscal year (2020) and any other matter that is not in accordance with the provision of the NDDC Establishment Act, 2000 or any other extant law.

In a related development, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio has assured the National Assembly of his utmost cooperation in the ongoing probe of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Recall once again that the Senate is probing alleged financial recklessness to the tune of N40 billion by the Interim Management Committee, IMC, of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.

Against this backdrop, the Senate had set up a six-man Ad-hoc Committee to carry out a holistic investigation into all issues relating to but not limited to the alleged misapplication and misappropriation of the sum of N40billion by the commission.

Appearing before the Senate ad-hoc Committee on Thursday, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Olusade Adesola who stood in for the Minister regretted the absence of the Minister due to circumstances beyond his control.

Mr Adesola assured the Committee that the Minister held the Panel in high repute and would appear on any other date that the Committee would extend an invitation to him.
A petition started by Ivy Prosper, a Ghanaian-Canadian TV host and lifestyle blogger copied to the Ministry of Communications, National Communications Authority and Ghana Psychology Council to ban George Lutterodt from TV and radio stations in Ghana is gathering huge cloud on social media.



The controversial counsellor in an interview on Adom FM on Wednesday, July 8, claimed that victims of rape always enjoy the act at a point.



The petition which was first signed by Miss Ivy has so far seen 10,648 people signing it as at the time of this report.



Miss Ivy and the over 10,000 people who have signed the petition states that "George Lutterodt is a 'rape apologist' who justifies the aggression of rape and sees no consequences in the act."



The petition to the Gender Ministry and the other institutions is to direct media houses in Ghana to stop "giving George Lutterodt a platform to spread his damaging message to the masses."



Meanwhile, Ghanaian celebrities such as Lydia Forson, Sister Deborah, Ama K. Abebrese, Juliet Ibrahim, Nana Aba Anamoah, rapper E.L, Joey B among others have all taken to their social media pages to condemn his comment.



Last year, the Ghana Psychological Council (GPC) warned the controversial counsellor to stop parading himself as a counsellor because hes not certified as such.



According to GPC, Rev Cyril George Carstensen Lutterodt is not a registered member of the Council and by law he has no right to provide counselling services in any form in Ghana, adding that his continuous rendering of counselling service is in breach of ACT 857 of 2013 which is punishable by law.



The statement was released when Counsellor Lutterodt said any woman seen in natural hair is depressed.









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

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California has launched its investigation into Google over possible antitrust violations, according to Politico. The source claims that this information has been shared by three people with knowledge of the inquiry.

This new investigation comes right in the middle of investigations by the Justice Department, and a number of other states. Google is being investigated over antitrust violations from multiple sides, California is just the latest addition.

Google has come under increased scrutiny from the Congress and foreign regulators. This has happened as a result of Googles market conduct, and acquisitions which have even further singled out Google as the worlds top search engine. On top of that, Google is also the most profitable online advertising company, reports Politico.

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Back in September, attorneys general from 48 states announced an antitrust investigation into Google. In the last 10 months, that investigation expanded quite a bit.

The investigation has been lead by Texas, and it expanded into other aspects of Googles business, including its conduct in the search market. It started as an investigation focused on the companys dominance of the advertising technology market.

California was holding out for quite a long time, but that is now over. This investigation, however, is separated from all the others. That is at least the information that Politico received from two of its sources.

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With California launching an antitrust probe into Google, Alabama is the only US state that hasnt done it

At the moment, out of all the US countries, Alabama is the only one that is not investigating Google. It is still not official as to what California is investigating, exactly. California Attorney General, Xavier Becerra, declined to comment.

The spokesperson, Sarah Lovenheim, on the other hand, said that its the office policy not to confirm or deny such investigations.

As far as the Justice Department goes, it launched its investigation back in August last year. It has been working closely with the US states that are also investigating Google, though.

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The Justice Department is actually expected to file a suit against Google. That could happen as early as next month, actually. Its still not clear whether other states will join the Justice Department, though.

On top of all that, Google is facing accusations of abusing its dominance in Congress. Googles CEO, Sundar Pichai, has agreed to testify in front of a House Judiciary panel. It is willing to do that alongside other CEO, including Apples, Amazons, and Facebooks.

Politico reports that Googles spokesperson has declined to comment. Things seem to be progressing in this antitrust investigation, or should I say investigations. Well see if the Justice Departments suit will follow in August.
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - A Dutch court on Wednesday said it wanted to question the Dutch bank ING <INGA.AS> and its former chief executive Ralph Hamers, now heading for UBS, to determine whether to reopen a case that led to ING being fined for lax prevention of money laundering.

ING, the largest bank in the Netherlands, paid 775 million euro ($876 million) in a settlement with Dutch prosecutors in 2018, after failing for years to spot money laundering and other criminal activities happening through its accounts.

The settlement ended an investigation into ING and kept the bank and its board free of any criminal charges.

But a group of disgruntled investors felt justice had not been served and the court in The Hague had said it would take their demands into consideration.

The court said on Wednesday that it needed to question Hamers, set to become chief executive of the Swiss bank UBS <UBSG.S> in November, and ING to determine whether further investigation was called for.

If the case is reopened, the existing settlement will become invalid.

A spokesman for ING said it was standard procedure to hear the parties involved at this stage of an investigation. Hamers could not immediately be contacted for comment.

(Reporting by Bart Meijer; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
In particular, the ground grouping consists of 11,500 people.

Commander of the Ukrainian Joint Forces Operation (JFO) Serhiy Nayev has elaborated on Russia's army grouping deployed in occupied Crimea.

In particular, 200 armored vehicles, 31 tanks, 100 artillery systems, 34 helicopters, 63 aircraft, 684 units of military equipment, and 32,500 servicemen are deployed in Russian-occupied Crimea, according to the exchange information with the Russian Federation provided by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry.

"Yes, this information is true. I'd like to add the ground grouping consists of 11,500 people. This is about the entire composition of [Russian troops] deployed in the temporarily occupied territory, which includes the Russian Navy, as well as air defense forces and means. The ground grouping consists of two brigades and one battalion," he said during the Pravo Na Vladu ("Right to Power") TV panel show on TV Channel 1+1 on July 9, as reported by the Ukrainian TSN TV news service.

As UNIAN reported earlier, the Ukrainian military was considering several possible scenarios of the Russian invasion of Ukraine along different parts of the border.
Born and raised on the east side of the Berlin Wall, Professor Kerstin Mey will have a particularly keen understanding of what means to witness the tearing down of tradition.

In 1592, Trinity College Dublin became the first higher education institution on this island. It has taken another 428 years for an Irish university to put a woman in charge.

Prof Mey, a 56-year-old professor of visual culture, makes history as not only the first female president of the University of Limerick (UL), but the first for any university in Ireland. Not only a witness, but an actor and not pulling down a wall but breaking through a glass ceiling.

Prof Mey is taking over the top job only two years after arriving in UL, having been appointed vice-president in April 2018. She said she was "proud and really humbled to lead the University of Limerick over the next period".

Albeit an interim appointment for 18 months, pending the outcome of an international recruitment process, it has set a new standard for gender equality in academia.

Prof Mey will replace Dr Des Fitzgerald (66), who is stepping down early for personal reasons related to the challenges associated with running a university in the context of the Covid-19 threat.

After the UL Governing Authority ratified Prof Mey's appointment yesterday, Chancellor Mary Harney said she would be a "great appointee and one in whom we have every faith in to lead the university at a challenging time. She has already demonstrated her capacity for leadership in her role as vice-president".

Ms Harney noted the significant gender imbalance at the senior leadership level in Irish universities, adding: "It is fitting that UL now has the first female president given our consistent leading position on gender equality in higher education in Ireland."

Dr Fitzgerald said UL was "very fortunate to have someone of this calibre lead the university. Kerstin has tackled the difficult task of the return to UL post-Covid and is well positioned to bring UL through this challenging period".

"She is an outstanding academic with a strong empathy for students and the academic mission of UL. She has a vision for UL that will place it in a leading position nationally and globally," he said.

Prof Mey's previous roles include pro-vice chancellor and dean of the Westminster School of Media, Arts and Design and professor of contemporary art and theory at the University of Westminster, London.

Her CV also includes director of UK's Consortium for Research Excellence, Support and Training, GuildHE (CREST); vice-chair of the UK's Council for Higher Education in Art and Design (CHEAD); membership of the Austrian Science Board; and membership of the Supervisory Board of the European Foundation for Press and Media Freedom.

Prof Mey is on the board of the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning and the Irish Universities Association Campus Engage Steering Group.

Other affiliations include membership of the International Symposium of Electronic Arts International Advisory Committee, the board of the Irish Chamber Orchestra and the board of the Irish Aerial Creation Centre. She acts as reviewer for international funding bodies, academic institutions and publishers and her own publications include 'Art and Obscenity' (2007).

While a number of institutes of technology have appointed female presidents, women have been severely under-represented in the upper echolons of Irish academia: no female university presidents until yesterday and a gender gap across all senior roles.

Prof Mey's appointment follows a period of intense scrutiny of the divide. A 2018 Higher Education Authority (HEA) report showed that 51pc of university lecturers were female, but when it came to the senior role of professor, only 24pc were women; in institutes of technology, women held 45pc of lecturer jobs, but only 36pc of senior lecturer positions.

While much of the focus of the gender equality debate in higher education has been on academics, the imbalance is found across all areas.

Significant under-representation of women has persisted despite a call to action in a 2016 report from an expert group chaired by Maire Geoghegan-Quinn, who has served as both a cabinet minister and EU commissioner.

That group was established by the HEA as a first step in a strategic approach to redressing the balance and the HEA has been keeping tabs on developments.

Former higher education minister Mary Mitchell O'Connor prioritised the issue with a Gender Equality Taskforce aimed at speeding things up.

A 2018 analysis found that it could take up to 20 years to achieve an average of 40pc females at professor level in universities.

In an intervention that attracted criticism for being anti-male, Ms Mitchell O'Connor subsequently announced 45 new women-only senior professorships under the Senior Academic Leadership Initiative (SALI). The first 20 SALI posts are in the process of being filled and now Prof Mey has broken further new ground.
South Sudan National Day

Washington, DC - Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo: "On behalf of the Government of the United States of America, I congratulate the people of South Sudan as you mark nine years of independence.

"The United States continues to support the people of South Sudan in your pursuit of peace and stability. This year we are also proud to support your response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. We are committed to working with the transitional government, a free civil society, and regional and international partners to build a lasting peace and greater prosperity in South Sudan."
President Donald Trump listens during a "National Dialogue on Safely Reopening America's Schools," event in the East Room of the White House, in Washington on July 7, 2020. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo)

Trump Considers Pardoning Roger Stone as Prison Date Approaches

President Donald Trump said on Friday he was considering a pardon for Roger Stone, who is set to report to prison next week, saying that his longtime associate and former adviser had been treated unfairly.

Ill be looking at it, Trump told reporters before departing the White House when asked whether he would pardon Stone. I think Roger Stone was very unfairly treated, as were many people.

And in the meantime, [former FBI Director James] Comey and all these guys are walking around, including Biden and Obama, because we caught them spying on my campaign. Who would have believed that one? he added.

Trump had on a number of occasions fueled speculation that he may pardon or commute the sentence for his longtime associate. He had previously shared a tweet posted by social and political commentator Lori Hendry saying, ITS TIME TO #PardonRogerStone.

The U.S. Constitution grants the president power of executive clemency which allows him to pardon sentences for federal criminal convictions or grant clemency in the form of a commutation of sentence, remission of a fine or restitution, and a reprieve. A presidential pardon sets aside the punishment for a federal conviction, while a commutation of a sentence could reduce a sentence either totally or partially.

Interest over whether the president would pardon Stone grew in recent weeks after a district court judge ordered Stone to report to prison on July 14. Stone has been exhausting his legal options to delay his sentence amid the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic, saying that starting the sentence at a time when the pandemic hasnt fully abated would be a risk to his health due to his age and undisclosed existing medical condition.

Roger Stone with his wife, Nydia Stone, leaves federal court in Washington on Nov. 15, 2019. (Julio Cortez/AP Photo)

Stone filed an emergency request on Tuesday asking an appeals court to block the district court ruling and allow him to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons custody on Sept. 3.

In a court filing on Thursday, the Justice Department (DOJ) said that although they did not oppose Stones request to push back the date of his self-surrender, it supported a district courts decision to require Stone to report to prison next week.

[T]he district courts independent decision to extend appellants self-surrender date for 14 days is a reasonable exercise of that courts discretion based on the totality of the factual and legal circumstances, particularly given appellants failure to satisfy the statutory requirements for his continued release pending appeal, DOJ lawyers wrote in their filing.

Attorney General William Barr said on Wednesday that he thought the judges sentencing of Stone was appropriate.

I think the prosecution was righteous and I think the sentence the judge ultimately gave was fair, Barr told ABC News in an interview.

Barr also weighed in on the speculation that Trump might intervene in the case, saying that it was the the presidents prerogative.

Its a unique power that the president has. And its certainly something that is committed to his judgment. But as I say, I felt it was an appropriate prosecution and I thought the sentence was fair, he said.

Stone was sentenced on Feb. 20 to three years and four months in prison. He was convicted in November 2019 on all seven counts he was charged with, including obstruction, witness tampering, and making false statements to Congress.
Hong Kong's victory over the coronavirus was glorious -- and, it turns out, brief.

After a six-week return to pre-covid activity that included the reopening of schools, gyms, restaurants and bars, the city of 7 million is taking a big step back. Dozens of new infections have surfaced in the past week, and on Thursday, the government reactivated social distancing restrictions at restaurants, pubs and bars. Friday it announced an "early summer holiday" for local schools, which are still in session.

By midday, shoppers were lining up at drugstores and supermarkets to stock up on masks and toilet paper, evoking scenes from when the virus first flared in the Asian financial hub in March.

"It's terrible when you wake up, read the news, and realize you are back to the nightmare you've been through several months ago," said Karen Cheung, who works as a project manager at a Hong Kong construction company. "That's how I feel this week -- we have to avoid all the fun things again, stay home and continue to live in the horror."

The city reported 32 locally transmitted cases on Friday, after posting 34 on Thursday, the most in a single day since the pandemic began. That the virus is taking hold again in the community -- and at unprecedented levels -- is troubling, public health experts say. Until Sunday, Hong Kong had reported zero new local cases for the past three weeks. Incoming travel is restricted to the city's residents, with everyone screened at the airport for the virus. Even those whose results are negative are required to self-quarantine for two weeks.

But even with some of the new locally transmitted cases, authorities have yet to pinpoint their origins. That suggests hidden chains of asymptomatic transmission have been circulating in the city for some time.

No one should be surprised by the virus's reemergence, said Nicholas Thomas, an associate professor of public health at the City University of Hong Kong. "The painful reality is that until the rest of the world can suppress the levels of the virus to what we have seen in Hong Kong or New Zealand, there are going to be repeated outbreaks.

"The parallel issue is to what extent the economy and society can withstand continuing and unexpected disruptions," he said. "It is a post-normal reality that is going to have repercussions for a generation."

Other cities in the region that have seen previous success in containing the virus are also experiencing new outbreaks of infection. Flare-ups in Melbourne, Beijing and Tokyo -- which is reporting record new cases daily, albeit at a much lower rate than in the U.S. -- are a reminder that the pandemic is far from over.

Without an effective and widely distributed vaccine, cities the world over are likely to continue in a state of limbo where the easing of social distancing measures or lax implementation will lead to a spike in infections. The virus's return is rattling markets, with the benchmark Hang Seng Index falling as much as 2.4% Friday. The Hang Seng China Enterprises gauge slipped as much as 2.9%, its biggest intraday drop since May 22.

"If you ask a businessman in Hong Kong how he feels now about the virus resurgence, the answer is 'I'm numb'," said Felix Chung, a Hong Kong lawmaker who represents the textile industry in the city's legislature. "They're now busy doing the math: how long they can still hang in there with the cash in hand? No one knows how long this virus will still be with us."

Meanwhile, weary Hong Kongers are bracing for further restrictions. For now, restaurants and bars are still open, though for fewer customers. Restaurants will be limited to 60% capacity, and bars will be restricted to four per table.

Hong Kong entrepreneur Ben Chu worries that gaps in the city's virus strategy may have contributed to the resurgence. Some people returning from overseas are allowed to self-quarantine with family members, and are free to catch taxis from the airport, he said.

"This just makes me feel even more uncertain, I'm not able to plan anything in advance," Chu said.

The school closures, though, are a particular blow to families and working parents in particular. Students had only just got back into the classroom in late May after months of learning at home.

"I feel the virus outbreak will continue to affect our life for quite a long time," said Lucy Zhou, whose 6-year-old daughter goes to an international school. The government should consider school closures on a case-by-case basis, she said, so some schools might be able to stay open.

"I'm worried about my kid's mental health and her social skills if she continues to stay home and just have conversations with adults," she said. "It's terrible for kids her age to live in such an abnormal situation for a long time."
ALBANY  Affordable housing advocates say tenant protections passed in New York do not go far enough, and are calling on state lawmakers to approve a slate of bills they say will prevent a looming eviction crisis.

Democratic legislators joined affordable housing advocates on Friday to unveil three bills that would protect all tenants from eviction, cancel rent and mortgage debt for unemployed tenants and homeowners, and provide immediate relief to re-house homeless New Yorkers.

Emma Rehac, an organizer with Integrate NYC and Community Voices Heard, pointed to an unstable housing environment that also impacts children.

While young people may not be the head of the households or paying the bills, the (proposed) recovery package will influence our well-being, our health and our future, she said. We can and must invest in people and dignified living conditions.

Legislators are expected to reconvene later this month to pass additional bills on police reform and pandemic-related measures on housing and other issues. They could also take up locally focused bills that were not handled during the condensed budget process that played out in the early weeks of New York's struggle with COVID-19.

While the Legislature approved $100 million in housing vouchers to cover rent for New Yorkers financially impacted by the pandemic and a bill that prevents evictions throughout the duration of business restrictions due to the health crisis, lawmakers and advocates stressed those measures would need to be augmented.

The latest bills would extend eviction protections as well as foreclosure proceedings for tenants and homeowners for a period of one year after the end of the state of emergency; cancel rent and mortgage payments during the crisis; and provide resources for homeless families and individuals to get into permanent, quality housing.

Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris, D-Queens, said without pursuing stronger protections, a housing crisis will smack lawmakers  and New Yorkers in general  in the face.

We are at an incredible moment in history right now and, sadly, as it relates to housing the state has not risen to the occasion, he said. We just keep pretending there is not a problem. What we did was incredibly modest, and doesnt scratch the surface in solving the problem.

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

Roughly 2 million New Yorkers lost their jobs during the height of the states shutdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and housing advocates have consistently emphasized the need to provide financial relief to avoid mass evictions and a surge in homelessness.

And even though the Legislature two months ago allotted $100 million to assist New Yorkers struggling to pay rent, state lawmakers said the state Division of Homes and Community Renewal has yet to release guidance  which means no one has benefited from the program yet.

HCR still does not have the vouchers in place to give people the ability to pay and stay in their homes, said Sen. Gustavo Rivera, D-Bronx. What are we waiting for here?

Sources said the program is expected to launch soon.
For more than 20 years Noel Kiernan, has been the last line of defence for the native Roscommon Sheep.

With a small flock safe on his Longford farm, possibly the last flock in existence, he has scoured the country looking for traces of Roscommons in older flocks. But this 20-year search has yielded no positive results.

Three years ago, Noel reached a crossroads: it was time to either give up on the Roscommon Sheep forever or try a completely new approach.

"I got my flock from the Dolan brothers - Pepper and Salt as they were known - a pair of cattle dealers from Roscommon around 20 years ago," he says.

"Since them I've been doing it on my own. I was very close to giving up, I couldn't get any traction on it.

"Over the years I've talked to old guys all over the country who said they might have a few Roscommons in their flock. But after a day of chasing sheep all over the place, I've always ended up with something that wasn't exactly what I was after.

"I plough a lone furrow anyway, it's who I am, so I didn't want to give up.

"I am involved in Curlew conservation, Corncrake conservation, the list gets bigger and bigger.

"There are very few people doing this. If you were over in England, there would be groups of people helping, but over here we seem to let these things go until they're almost gone. Until it's almost too late.

"It costs so much more - both in effort and money - to bring something back when it's on its knees, compared to when it's in a reasonable state."

Three years ago, Noel divided his flock and managed to recruit a handful of younger farmers across the country to help him save the Roscommon Sheep.

One of these made its way to the farm of Sandra Coote in Virginia in Cavan. She acquired five ewes from Noel and has steadily built her numbers since then.

"I saw a message online from the Irish Rare Breeds Society who were looking for people to take on a few Roscommon Sheep to improve the chances that the breed would survive," she says.

"I had thought that the breed was extinct. When I was learning how to spin wool, I remember reading books which made reference to the Roscommon Sheep and they all said it was extinct.

"So when I saw there was Roscommon Sheep available, I was very surprised.

"We are hopeful that the sheep we have are fairly pure bred, but we haven't been able to get gene testing for them yet.

"In appearance they are very true to type. We brought the sheep to the Roscommon Lamb Festival, which was probably the first time in years that they'd had Roscommon Sheep, and we got an amazing response from all the older farmers there."

With the numbers at critically low levels, careful breeding will be required to keep the breed alive.

Last year, Noel found a number of rams among flocks of Galway Sheep which have strong characteristics of Roscommon Sheep, and he is hoping to use these rams over the coming year.

No significant DNA testing has yet been carried out on the Roscommon Sheep and this will be a key next step in efforts to revive the breed.

"There is still hope. If you cross two half-breeds, their progeny is more than half-bred.

"That could be the saving grace for the Roscommons - over time you could build them back up, even from a very low base," says Mr Kiernan.

"I met with some Galway breeders last year and I think there are traces of Roscommon Sheep in some of their flocks. Some of the Galway sheep are very good, very close. The hope is that we will have enough in that to get the Roscommon back off the ground.

"I wrote to the Department of Agriculture before and at that time they had little interest.

"I would like to hand this over to more youthful people."

Roscommon Sheep are generally larger than other breeds and their size may have played a part in them falling out of fashion with farmers.

"The size is a big part of it, they are big animals, and the wool on their head is slightly different, they have more of a gap on their heads than the Galway or other breeds," says Sandra.

"Their size was probably their downfall. They were slow to finish.

"They would have been sold for mutton, and mutton became less popular over in England, so the farmers in Ireland turned away from them."

Noel Kiernan is hoping that some younger farmers will carry on his work in preserving the genetic heritage of the hardy Roscommon breed
'In 1951, friendless and isolated at college, Sylvia Plath described her loneliness as a "contagion", "like a disease of the blood". Almost 70 years on, a different type of contagion has for months separated us all from each other; as restrictions slowly lift and we tentatively begin to re-engage, we have had to confront our own sense of loneliness in lockdown. Even the most robustly self-contained have been feeling it.

While under less extraordinary circumstances we often crave and seek solitude to restore our equilibrium, few of us like to admit to its shameful shadow, loneliness. Yet the pandemic has made many of us feel lonely. Can we learn from the experience? Could this moment of universal lockdown-induced loneliness be useful longer term, if it awakens in us empathy for and awareness of those who suffer from the more chronic kind? The kind that has been killing people prematurely long before Covid? And meanwhile, is it possible to convert negative feelings of loneliness into a positive state of solitude?

Unlike solitude, loneliness is a relatively modern idea, an emotion rather than a factual state of being. Its impact on our health, both physical and mental, is alarming - chronically lonely people are, says the UK's National Health Service, 30pc more likely to die prematurely than the non-lonely. Pre pandemic, loneliness had already been deemed "an epidemic", by the US Surgeon in 2017, and "the leprosy of the 21st century" by The Economist in 2018, the same year Britain appointed a Minister for Loneliness. It is not what we want to be, yet millions of us are.

So what is it? Cultural historian Fay Bound Alberti, in her 2019 book A Biography of Loneliness, defines it as "a conscious, cognitive feeling of estrangement or social separation; an emotional lack that concerns a person's place in the world." It is "an emotion cluster, a blend of different emotions that might range from anger, resentment, and sorrow to jealousy, shame, and self-pity."

And it's physical. The late US neuroscientist John Cacioppo, known as Dr Loneliness, argued that as primates, we are designed to live together. Over millennia, we evolved a fight-or-flight survival response when separated from our social group, which manifests in modern loneliness as hypervigilance: anxiety, stress, insomnia, increased blood pressure, sometimes emotional eating to self-soothe (there is a connection between chronic loneliness and obesity). Illnesses linked to long-term loneliness include depression, anxiety, heart attacks, strokes, cancers, and decreased immunity.

Dr Bound Alberti suggests that like obesity, loneliness is a "disease of civilisation", "chronic, pathological and associated with the way we live in the modern, industrial West". It's a side effect of "the all encompassing ideology of the individual" , rather than an emotional state integral to the human condition. It's modern and man-made, emerging as a term and an concept around 1800; before that, loneliness was known as 'oneliness', and wasn't perceived as problematic because it was so rare.

When Daniel Defoe published Robinson Crusoe in 1719, his shipwrecked hero does not experience loneliness on the desert island. Aloneness yes, but not loneliness. Historian David Vincent, in his new book A History of Solitude, writes how Defoe "argued the healthiest form of solitude is embedded in the busiest of lives." Creative endeavour, for instance, requires solitude, where the individual is so engaged in the flow of what they are doing that time flies by, unnoticed. Not that solitude was always considered healthy - in 1667, diarist John Evelyn wrote: "Solitude produces ignorance, renders us barbarous, feeds revenge, disposes to envy, creates witches, dispeoples the world, renders it a desert, and would soon dissolve it."

Crikey. And yet today, the gulf between solitude as an idealised state (far from the madding crowd at, say, a boutique wellness retreat seeking greater self awareness and/or spiritual clarity), and loneliness as a coruscating 21st century killer, has never been wider.

We are all susceptible - the old, the young, the bereaved, the isolated care givers, the unhappily partnered, the atomised, the permanently online. And most of all, the poorest.

We forget about the acute loneliness of those whom Bound Alberti calls the "roofless and rootless" - homeless people and refugees. The only thing worse than being lonely inside your four walls is being lonely without the comfort of your four walls: "Loneliness is not merely a mental, but also a physical state... our experience and engagement in the world is always mediated through our bodies as well as the things that define us: from clothes and crockery to cars and carpets, objects give rise to individual and social meanings." Or as Joni Mitchell put it, "You don't know what you've got till it's gone."

Much of modern loneliness has to do with how we live: in the 20th century, extended families became nuclear families, and one person households have increased alongside Western economic prosperity. Pre 20th century, one person households numbered around 5pc; by 1950, it was 9pc. Today in cities like London and Stockholm, it's more than 60pc (Irish one-person households make up 23.5pc of the demographic).

Obviously, living alone does not automatically result in loneliness (remember Sartre's warning that hell is other people, while Virginia Woolf advocated a room of one's own) - solitude has long been a luxury, once associated with privileged white men, the Romantic poets being the only ones who could realistically afford to wander lonely as a cloud. But for every 21st century urban professional living their best life in a converted loft space, how many impoverished isolated individuals are there, longing for more human contact? For every Greta Garbo, there is an Eleanor Rigby.

It's cultural - 'lonely' in Arabic translates as 'single' in English. "Loneliness in collectivist cultures has been associated with a lack of family support," writes Bound Alberti. "Whereas loneliness in individualistic cultures speaks to a lack of extra-familiar connection." Billy No Mates, as it were. Ireland, long a collectivist culture, has been transformed through prosperity to a more individualistic one; in 2018, 400,000 Irish people reported suffering from loneliness. During lockdown, this figure rose to include 41pc of the entire population.

So how do we deal with it? Can loneliness be reframed? Short term, the answer is yes. Psychoanalyst Noel Hess, in a 2004 essay on loneliness, writes: "The pain of being alone is fundamentally related to the pain of being alone with oneself, and what we feel to be inside us, be it predominantly persecutory, critical and aggressive, or loving, supportive and forgiving."

In other words, self-compassion and feeling comfortable in our own company is key in navigating episodic loneliness, or enforced solitude. And if your feelings of loneliness are raging out of control, you can use DIY cognitive behavioural therapy techniques to damp them down. All you need is pen and paper.

Clinical psychologist Eva Doherty reminds us that solitude is a fact, and loneliness is a feeling. "Loneliness may reflect a mixture of several co-existing feelings - sadness, fear, anger, frustration, perhaps even disgust," she says. "The critical difference between loneliness and solitude is most likely observed in the thought processes underpinning both.

"The most helpful way to approach your feelings of loneliness is to introspect, and write them down, to counteract the feeling of being overwhelmed by them: 'How am I experiencing loneliness'? If you're feeling frustration, for example, there may be a mixture of fear ('This is never going to end') and anger ('Why is this so hard?'), or sadness ('I miss hugs').

"Explore this on a deeper level, and dig through the layers of feelings."

This is not, says Dr Doherty, about supressing your feelings of loneliness via unrealistic positive thinking - it's about pinning down runaway thoughts and feelings and shining a light on them, until they are neutralised by your own logical investigation. You are not going to die alone and be eaten by your cat - that is your imagination running away with you, because you are feeling fearful.

"It's about keeping your thinking close to what you know, rather than filling the gaps with terrible unknowns," she says. "It's essential to write it all down. And then write an alternative: 'This is going to end.'"

For many of us, as we slowly reconnect, this loneliness is already ending. But as lockdown eases, what about all those people who remain chronically lonely for all kinds of different reasons? "How do we reframe loneliness in the neoliberal age?" asks Dr Bound Alberti.

David Vincent writes how the invention of the internet in 1991 and the smartphone in 2007 has driven "the conscious experience of solitude from a privilege of the educated male to the practice of all but the poorest in the late modern era."

Solitude, no longer a deviation or novelty, has become normalised - in the midst of crowds, we are hunched over our devices in our noise cancelling headphones - and loneliness more widespread.

Perhaps now that we all know acutely what loneliness feels like - from small children missing their playmates to older people missing their grandkids - we will remember the feeling, and reach out more. We won't forget our own experiences of loneliness, and it may make us kinder.
Chennai, July 10 : A total of about 41,000 Covid-19 insurance claims have been lodged with the non-life insurers in the country with an estimated claim amount of about Rs 700 crore, said an industry official.

"About 41,000 Covid-19 claims have been lodged with the non-life insurers across the country. The total amount claimed is about Rs 700 crore," the official told IANS preferring anonymity.

The average amount claimed is about Rs 1,70,731.

The total number of claims settled by the insurers till date stands at 27,500 and the claim amount paid is about Rs 230 crore.

The average payment is about Rs 84,000 per claim.

A standalone health insurer told IANS that the company's average claim payout per Covid-19 claim is about Rs 1,08,000.

"The initial estimates and the actual claims settled will always vary," an industry official said.

Meanwhile the industry body General Insurance Council recently published a schedule of rates for Covid-19 claims after discussions with medical professionals employed by member insurance companies.

The General Insurance Council had said insurers shall be guided by the treatment protocols prescribed by the Indian Council of Medical Research.

The Council said the rates are broadly based on the schedule of rates suggested for Covid-19 treatment by a Niti Ayog panel.

According to an industry official, smaller hospitals are agreeable to the rates suggested by the General Insurance Council whereas big corporate hospital chains are not.

Meanwhile the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India has set up a working group to look at the possibility of creating a 'Pandemic Risk Pool' as a solution for various issues that emerge due to a pandemic.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
"Steve's strong background in the title insurance industry combined with his extensive experience in business development make him a perfect fit for Tryon Title at this stage of our growth as we look to expand our commercial footprint."

Tryon Title, a leading independent provider of residential and commercial title insurance, announced today that Stephen W. Francis has joined the company as Vice President of National Commercial Services. With over 27 years experience in the title insurance business, Mr. Francis has a proven track record of developing relationships and growing new business. In his role as Vice President, he is charged with growing the companys commercial title business in Virginia and throughout the U.S.

Mark West, Tryon Title Owner, commented: We are very excited to welcome Steve to Tryon. His strong background in the title insurance industry combined with his extensive experience in business development make him a perfect fit for us at this stage of our growth as we look to expand our commercial footprint.

Prior to joining Tryon Title, Mr. Francis served as a director for a national commercial title insurance agency attracting and servicing commercial real estate transactions across the United States. He served as a national division manager for two national title insurance underwriters, LandAmerica and Old Republic Title, and grew market share in a five-state region. In addition, he served as the CFO for a Virginia title insurance agency, was the CFO and partner in a regional surveying and engineering firm, and served as president of a Richmond, Va., multi-family real estate investment group.

Mr. Francis commented: With its reputation for providing best-in-class service and its strong management team, the company has established a leading position in the title insurance business. I look forward to joining Tryon and leveraging my proven experience in the industry to grow its commercial title business opportunities.

Mr. Francis is a founding director of the Greater Richmond Association of Commercial Real Estate (GRACRE)

About Tryon Title

Tryon Title Agency, LLC., headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina and founded by Chris Corchiani and Mark West, is a leading independent provider of residential and commercial title insurance. With more than 100 years of combined experience, its fully staffed, in-house team of title attorneys and underwriters are dedicated to delivering the best customer service and fastest turnaround times with incredible accuracy.

More information is available at tryontitle.com

Contact:

Brian Tanner, SVP Operations

brian@tryontitle.com
As the number of new coronavirus cases in the United States hits 50,000 a day, a few states in the south, particularly those that opened up their businesses too early and too recklessly, have had to close down again.



Bars and gyms were required to close again in Florida and Texas. Arizona shut down bars, gyms, movie theaters, and water parks. It's astonishing, really, to think that water parks, a purely recreational endeavor, were even allowed to open in the first place, as if bars weren't enough of a step too far.

Gyms, too, are pretty dangerous for coronavirus, as those who work out are breathing hard, which expels a large number of droplets that could contain the virus, and sweating while on benches that may not be properly sterilized after each use.

And if some Americans are having a hard time wearing masks in the local grocery store, don't expect everyone to wear a mask while on the treadmill.

Just like those who refuse to wear masks, there are also business owners who refuse to close in the interests of public safety. Arizona newspapers report a number of gyms that said they would not close.

Aaron Robertson, CEO of a "boot camp," was quoted as saying he doesn't think his "boutique" establishment is a traditional gym, because he does classes for only 15 affluent clients at a time. But that's 15 strangers in close proximity all huffing and puffing at the same time.

In Texas, members of the public who can't resist drinking in public joined in supporting bar owners and held a "Bar Lives Matter" protest.

The Six Springs Tavern in Richardson, Texas is even hosting music concerts! A post on the tavern's Facebook page declared: "We are not a random bar, we are a music venue and a private club on top. We will not just roll over and shut down at noon today.  we are all grown-ass humans and do not need government hand-holding to make decisions for us."

The adoption of the language of the Black Lives Matter movement against police brutality to support the "lives" of brick and mortal drinking establishments is eyebrow-raising to say the very least. There are people getting shot in the back, having police officers press their weight into their neck for eight minutes until they die, and marchers getting hit with tear gas to protest the injustices, and here is a white woman without a face mask who thinks her right to drink a beer is just as important.

I don't want to dwell on the racial overtones too long. People are entitled to their views, and BLM is not a sacred cause beyond criticism, either. Indeed, coronavirus might well be spreading at those protests.

Businesses and individuals convicted of misdemeanors for staying open are being fined  $2,500 in Arizona and $1,000 in Texas. And the state alcohol commission has suspended licenses for 30 days of nine bars.

However, it seems a more sterile administrative approach is taken to business owners who are putting tens or hundreds of lives at risk compared to how the full force of the officer of the law sometimes comes down on black men accused of a $20 crime.



How would anti-mask people who go on a rampage at a Whole Foods grocery store be treated if they were black men who ran from an officer stopping them on the street on mere suspicions?

Even if some of those businesses are getting fined, why should the government and the police have allowed them to illegally open their doors in the first place? There should be cop cars heading for the establishments that blatantly announce their intention to violate the law and squads patrolling the streets to make sure no other businesses are in violation.

Police are not so much as requesting people to put their masks on when they are hanging below their chins on pedestrian streets, let alone issuing citations, arresting people, and then throwing them into the ground when they resist arrest.

Think about it. What kills more people and deprives the government of more revenue: the loose cigarettes Eric Gardner was selling in New York City before an officer put him in a chokehold, leading to his death, when he resisted arrest; or the virus that has already killed 130,000 Americans and cost the economy $1 trillion?

For owners of such businesses that must close, along with their employees, it is a tragedy. Forty million Americans are out of work, and more still will lose their jobs or be unable to return to work as businesses have to close for a second time. But the shutdowns will keep continuing if the virus isn't beat.

It is the government's job to address the economic consequences and make sure these businesses have the resources to stay open in the meantime. The government, at both the federal and state levels, so far have not done a good job.

They should pay part of the salaries of waiters who are kept on when the bars open at the end of the crisis, for example. In the long run, it's cheaper than having the rubble of permanently closed businesses lining the economy for years, with no place for the long-term unemployed to find a job.

Mitchell Blatt is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/MitchellBlatt.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.

If you would like to contribute, please contact us at opinion@china.org.cn.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has criticized an independent U.N. human rights expert's report insisting a American drone strike that killed a top Iranian general in January was a watershed'' event in the use of drones and amounted to a violation of international law.

The report presented by Agnes Callamard to the U.N.-backed Human Rights Council on Thursday chronicled events around the death of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and the legal implications of his killing as part of a broader look on the use of drone strikes.

Callamard, the special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions who has been commissioned by the council, called the January strike in Iraq the first known incident in which a state invokes self-defense as justification for an attack against a government official outside a declared armed conflict.

Pompeo said in a statement late Thursday that the U.S. rejected her report and opinions.''

Ms. Callamard's conclusions are spurious,'' he said. The strike that killed Gen. Soleimani was in response to an escalating series of armed attacks in preceding months by the Islamic Republic of Iran and militias it supports on U.S. forces and interests in the Middle East region.''

Pompeo said the strike on Baghdad International Airport was carried out ``to deter Iran from launching or supporting further attacks against the United States or U.S. interests, and to degrade the capabilities of the Qods Force.'' He said Callamard gives more cause to distrust U.N. human rights mechanisms.''

The Trump administration pulled the United States out of the rights council two years ago, accusing it of an anti-Israel bias and alleging that it is too accepting of autocratic regimes that regularly abuse human rights.

Callamard is perhaps best known for leading an investigation into the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi national, and issuing a scathing report on the actions of Saudi officials.

In her new report, Callamard acknowledged in her report that international humanitarian and human rights law can provide diverging answers'' on the legal validity of some drone strikes, and the one against Soleimani raised genuine uncertainty as to how to interpret its lawfulness.

She said the United States had not engaged with'' her as she drafted the drone report. But based on the evidence the U.S. provided, the targeting of Gen. Soleimani, and the deaths of those accompanying him, constitute an arbitrary killing for which, under (international human rights law), the U.S. is responsible,'' she said.

Callamard wrote that the strike targeting Soleimani was qualitatively different'' from other drone strikes that targeted non-state actors.

This is the primary reason the Soleimani strike is considered a watershed change in the conduct of extra-territorially targeted strikes and killings,'' she stated in the report.

It is hard to imagine that a similar strike against a Western military leader would not be considered as an act of war, potentially leading to intense action, political, military and otherwise, against the state launching the strike,'' she added.

Among other recommendations, the report calls on the United Nations to examine the legal framework on the use of drones and for the U.N. Security Council - which Callamard called missing in action'' on the subject of drone strikes - to take up the issues.

The report's release came as the United States mounts an increasingly intense diplomatic offensive to try to depict Iran's Islamic Republic as the world's most rogue regime.

Tehran has countered by issuing an international arrest warrant and asking Interpol for help in detaining President Donald Trump and dozens of others it believes carried out the drone strike on Soleimani. Trump faces no danger of arrest, and Interpol said it would not consider Iran's request.

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July 10, 2020 Bong Go appeals to local authorities to designate more bike lanes to fill up transportation gaps, ensure road safety and health protocols compliance Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go appealed to local authorities to install more bike lanes to encourage more Filipinos to use bicycles given the current limited transportation options due to existing quarantine measures. In a statement, Go acknowledged that "despite the gradual relaxation of quarantine measures, public transportation remains a challenge for many Filipinos in many areas in the country due to social distancing measures." He then asked local government units, in coordination with concerned government agencies, to designate more bicycle lanes with proper lane markings, road safety signs and lighting, among other safety measures, when feasible. "This is both to encourage more people to use bicycles as an active mode of transportation and to ensure their safety, particularly those plying busy streets in big cities," Go said. The Senator also encouraged the public to consider the use of bicycles as an active mode of transportation. "Basta siguraduhin po dapat na ligtas ito para sa mga nagbibisikleta at pati rin sa ibang nasa kalsada," Go advised, particularly after some sectors called for the installation of sufficient lighting along bicycle lanes. "Siguraduhin rin lang po natin na physically fit rin tayo kung magbibisikleta kayo para makaiwas sa disgrasya," he added. Go also reminded the public to comply with traffic guidelines when using bicycles. "At dapat palaging sinusunod ang lahat ng batas trapiko, kasama na ang pagsuot ng helmet, hindi lang para sa inyong kaligtasan kundi para na rin sa ibang gumagamit ng ating mga kalsada," he said. Go cited Davao City as an example for LGUs that wish to install their bike lanes to provide transportation options to their constituents. "Very recently, Davao City has already started demarcating bicycle lanes along its major thoroughfares. This is in recognition of the need to promote safe alternative modes of transportation while ensuring the safety of the public," said Go. "We encourage other LGUs to follow suit soon," he added. Whilst he is amenable to the use of bicycles as an active form of transportation, Go emphasized that the safety of Filipinos should be guaranteed and prioritized when proposing policies that help the country cope with the current pandemic. "Kagaya ng sinabi ko noon, lalong lalo na habang nasa gitna pa tayo ng pandemyang ito, palaging isaalang-alang at unahin ang buhay, kaligtasan, at kapakanan ng bawat Pilipino pagdating sa mga polisiya at patakaran na ating ipinapatupad," he said. Earlier, Go appealed to the Metro Manila Development Authority to ensure the safety of individuals who are traveling using their bicycles. The designation of bike lanes in Metro Manila is a joint project of MMDA and Department of Transportation. "Siguraduhin po natin sa MMDA na safe po ang pagdadaanan (ng mga nagbibisikleta), talagang secured ang bicycle lanes na ibibigay ninyo. At siguraduhin ninyo na rin po na ang mga nagba-bike are physically fit," he said. The Senator also encouraged the public to consider the use of bicycles as an active mode of non- motorized transport which is environmentally friendly as these are zero-emission modes with health benefits to bikers. Meanwhile, Go has also earlier expressed his openness to suggestions of allowing motorcycle backriding, subject to strict adherence to health protocols, given the limited transportation options for Filipinos. "Malaking tulong sa ating mga kababayan na papayagan ang 'backriding' sa motorsiklo lalo na dahil limitado pa ang public transportation. Huwag lang po natin madaliin. Siguraduhin dapat na magagawa ito sa ligtas na paraan," said Go. "Pag-aralan dapat ng mabuti, konsultahin ang mga eksperto, at alalahanin natin palagi 'yung health protocols na dapat sundin," he added. Proposed guidelines on motorcycle backriding specifically allowing family members have been submitted by the Technical Working Group to the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases and will also be reviewed further by the National Task Force COVID-19 with its own recommendations.
THURSDAY, July 9, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Doctors at one Ohio hospital system have discovered yet another possible consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic: More cases of "broken heart syndrome."

The condition -- which doctors call stress cardiomyopathy -- appears similar to a heart attack, with symptoms such as chest pain and breathlessness. But its cause is different: Experts believe it reflects a temporary weakness in the heart muscle owing to a surge in stress hormones.

And at two Cleveland Clinic hospitals, diagnoses of stress cardiomyopathy shot up in the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During March and April, the new study found, stress cardiomyopathy was diagnosed in nearly 8% of patients who arrived in the emergency department with chest pain and other possible heart symptoms.

That was four to five times higher than rates seen in pre-pandemic periods, which hovered between 1.5% and 1.8%.

And while COVID-19 can lead to heart complications, none of the patients with stress cardiomyopathy tested positive for the infection, said Dr. Ankur Kalra, a cardiologist who worked on the study.

"That suggests this is not a reflection of the virus, but the stress of the pandemic," he said.

Stress cardiomyopathy is a relatively new diagnosis, and doctors are still trying to understand it fully, Kalra said. But it got its nickname because it may arise after an emotionally difficult event, like a divorce or death of a loved one.

But other stressful situations -- from a traffic accident to surgery -- can also be triggers, Kalra said.

The condition may not arise immediately after the trigger, however, said Dr. David Kass, a professor of cardiology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.

Kass said a person could, for example, develop stress cardiomyopathy after living through an earthquake then dealing with the fear of another one.

The condition is thought to occur when the heart muscle is overwhelmed by a flood of catecholamines -- better known as stress hormones, according to Kass. That temporarily reduces the heart's pumping ability.

The condition is quite distinct from a heart attack, he explained. There are no blockages in the arteries, and while heart muscle cells may be temporarily stunned, they do not die off.

The symptoms do mimic a heart attack, said Dr. James Januzzi, a trustee with the American College of Cardiology and a cardiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

But as tests are done, he said, the true cause grows clearer.

For one, Januzzi explained, stress cardiomyopathy looks different from a heart attack on electrocardiogram, which measures the heart's electrical activity. And when doctors do an angiogram to peer inside the heart arteries, they'll find no blockages in a patient with stress cardiomyopathy.

The good news, Januzzi said, is that people with the condition typically recover quickly, with no long-term heart damage.

Kass said that given all the stresses of the pandemic -- from fear of the virus to job losses to social isolation -- it's not hard to imagine why stress cardiomyopathy would increase.

But he also sounded a note of caution on the findings: From the start of the pandemic, many U.S. hospitals saw a significant drop in heart attack patients -- possibly because people feared a trip to the ER and were not calling 911.

And that, Kass said, could be one reason why the percentage of stress cardiomyopathy diagnoses rose.

"The denominator has changed," he said. "So it's hard to know whether this is actually happening a lot."

Januzzi agreed that could be a factor.

What's interesting, he said, is that none of the patients tested positive for COVID-19. Cases of "COVID-associated" stress cardiomyopathy have been reported in patients with the infection, Januzzi noted, but cases associated with the pandemic itself would be new.

And it's "very plausible," he said, that these stressful times could be leading to a true increase in the condition.

For the general public, Januzzi said, it's critical to act on symptoms of chest pain and difficulty breathing: Get to the ER and let doctors diagnose it.

Kalra agreed. He also urged people to do their best to manage stress -- getting regular exercise, for example, or using meditation to quiet the mind.

The findings were published online July 9 in JAMA Network Open.

More information

Johns Hopkins Medicine has more on stress cardiomyopathy.
New Delhi:

The mutilated remains of the soldier killed in a terrorist attack aided by the cover fire from Pakistan Army shook the nation on Friday with the government strongly condemned the act of aggression.

1) Soldier's body mutilated by Pak terrorist, Indian Army vows revenge: Here is what happened in last 24 hours

The mutilated remains of the soldier killed in a terrorist attack aided by the cover fire from Pakistan Army shook the nation on Friday with the government strongly condemned the act of aggression.

2) Pak espionage racket: Samajwadi Party MP Munawwar Salim's close aide Farhat detained by Delhi Police

The Delhi Police on Saturday detained one more person, Farhat, in connection with the expionage racket in which Pakistan High Commission staffer Mehmood Akhtar was allegedly involved.

3) Video: Pakistan violates ceasefire again in RS Pura of Kathua in J&K, one BSF jawan martyred

A BSF jawan was on Saturday killed in ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops in Macchil sector along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

4) Hyderabad records fall in sales of Chinses crackers by up to 50 per cent

Growing awareness on detrimental impact of firecrackers on environment and the call to cast-off Chinese brands seem to have affected the sale of crackers in Hyderabad, with the overall sales falling by up to 50 per cent compared to last two years.

5) Ailing producer Ravi Shrivastava, whom Akshay Kumar offered help, dies in Mumbai

Ailing producer Ravi Shrivastava, whom Aksay Kumar had offered help, died at Seven Hill hospital, Mumbai on Saturday morning.





















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Kanpur: Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) killed notorious gangster Vikas Dubey in an encounter in Kanpur on Friday (July 10, 2020) after he tried to flee. Vikas Dubey attempted to escape after the UP STF vehicle transporting him to Kanpur from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh overturned in heavy rain.

The UP STF personnel chased Vikas Dubey after the accident as he snatched the service revolver of one of them. A gunfight ensued at the spot in which gangster was killed on the spot. Dubey was taken to the hospital where he was declared brought dead by doctors.

"Gangster Vikas Dubey killed in an encounter when he tried to flee after a road accident," said IG, Kanpur Mohit Agarwal. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is likely to address a press briefing on the incident today.

Four police personnel, including two Inspectors, were injured in the encounter. They were immediately rushed to the hospital and given medical treatment. All four police personnel are said to be out of danger.

Here's a sequence of events that led to the incident :

A UP STF convoy arrived in Kanpur from Ujjain.

At 7 am, a car carrying gangster Dubey overturned near Barra in Kanpur.

Gangster tried to snatch arms from police personnel.

He tried to flee from the spot and fired from the police pistol.

The STF tried to make him surrender.

The STF fired on him in self-defence.

Dubey was shot at by STF multiple times and was killed in the gunfight.

A convoy of 12 cars of Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) was bringing back Dubey to Kanpur from Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain on Friday morning. The convoy met with an accident after one of its car overturned near Barra in Kanpur. The incident happened at 7 am on Friday.

Sources told Zee News that Dubey, who was inside the car, snatched weapons from UP STF officials, during which the car, which was speeding to the STF office, lost its control and turned turtle. The gangster tried to flee from the spot during which the STF chased and fired shots on him.

Carrying a bounty of Rs 5 lakh on him, gangster Dubey had been on the run since July 3 when a police team, which had gone to arrest him from his house in Bikru village in the Chaubeypur area of Kanpur, was ambushed. The group was caught in a hail of gunfire from rooftops, which left eight policemen dead and several injured.

Dubey was a prime accused in almost 60 cases, including murdered. In 2001, he was accused of killing a BJP leader in a police station but was acquitted due to lack of evidence.
Gong Yoo is an iconic figure in the Korean drama industry.

Some probably may have seen him in his hit drama "Goblin," looking for his one true love that can save him from his curse, or some may have seen him fighting off zombies in the thrilling film "Train to Busan."

But wherever you may have discovered this superstar, you certainly fell in love with his to-die-for looks and his acting skills instantly.

Today is the perfect day to talk about the iconic figure because genuine fans know how important today, the 10th of July, is - Gong Yoo's birthday!

To celebrate his 41st, here are facts defining his career moments and his roles throughout his career.

Facts

Even though Gong Yoo has seemingly a private personality and is not active on any social media sites, we have gathered a few facts about Gong Yoo just for you!

Gong Yoo fans know that "Gong Yoo" is not his real name. His real name is Gong Ji Cheol. He has two cats that he loves dearly, and he is the actual representation of the "Coffee Prince," which his fans call him because besides his hit drama, "Coffee Prince," because he loves drinking coffee.

Gong Yoo also really loves music and books. He says that he dreams of owning a book cafe.

Starting His Career

Gong Yoo's acting career started unintentionally when he went to Kyung Hee University, a university that ranked 8th in South Korea, where he graduated with a Theatre Arts degree. He began as a model and had no intention of becoming an actor.

During his college years, he met many friends who made him realize his love for acting and bringing life to the characters that he plays. He started his acting career by becoming a VJ and a host for Mnet and MBC from 2000-2004. He then played small roles in several Korean dramas, including "School 4," "Hard Love," and "Screen."

Then, he climbed his way to the top on the career ladder and got his big break in his role in the hit drama "Coffee Prince" in 2005. This breakthrough became an opportunity for him to land new roles.

Iconic Roles

Starting his career by playing the rich, playboy, Choi Han Kyul in his breakthrough drama "Coffee Prince," he gained recognition by millions of people.

After his military enlistment, he came back with a new film called "Finding Mr. Destiny," where he plays a man with OCD. However, the film that marked his comeback was "Dogani" (Silenced), which is a film adaptation of the novel "The Crucible," which tells real-life events about hearing-impaired children in Gwangju, South Korea. The role that he played was able to give light to real human rights issues and made him realize how important his responsibility as an actor is.

Huge roles in other projects, such as "Big" and "The Suspect," poured in that allowed him to gain more recognition and several awards, such as Top Excellence Award by an Actor in Film during the 2014 Korea Culture Awards.

Three years later, he came back with majestic roles in films, "A Man and a Woman," "Train to Busan," and "The Age of Shadows." He then portrayed a role in today's one of the most top rated tvN drama called "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God," commonly known as "Goblin."

Gong Yoo is one of the most loved and popular South Korean Actors today and age, and we absolutely love him. Sadly, we cannot greet him a happy birthday because he doesn't have any social media account, but we do hope the very best for him throughout his life and career!

Happy 41st Birthday to our Coffee Prince, Gong Yoo!
LINCOLN PARK, MI  A gym in Wayne County and some of its members were ticketed this week after police were made aware that it was open in violation of executive orders related to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Raise the Bar Gym in Lincoln Park was warned this week that the business would be cited if it continued to violate orders from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer aimed to slow the spread of the coronavirus, FOX 2 Detroit reports.

Lincoln Park Police Department officers returned to the gym on Wednesday, found it was still open, and issued citations to the gym and patrons who were on site at the time, the report said.

An attorney for the gym said they believe gyms are essential businesses that should remain open, the report said.

The gym is in Wayne County, which has had the most coronavirus cases and related deaths in Michigan. As of Thursday, July 9, the county has 22,646 confirmed cases and 2,623 related deaths, according to state health officials.

RELATED: MLives coronavirus data dashboard

A panel of four Michigan health experts rated gyms as a level eight risk activity for spreading the virus because people emit more respiratory secretions when working out and breathing heavily. Wearing a mask and social distancing could also be difficult in gym situations, experts said.

RELATED: From hair salons to gyms, experts rank 36 activities by coronavirus risk level

As of July 10, gyms are allowed to be open in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula (Regions 6 and 8), but the remainder of the state has not received approval to reopen.

RELATED: Whats allowed to reopen in Michigan and what isnt?

Gyms had been expected to reopen throughout the state on June 25 after a judge ruled against Whitmers order to keep them closed. However, a late night ruling by an appeals judge kept them closed just hours before the expected reopening.

RELATED: Patience wears thin as Michigan gyms blocked from reopening in final hours

CORONAVIRUS 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:

Overly aggressive Michigan mask mandate leaves retailers concerned about enforcement

Whitmer orders mask use in Michigan, violators could be fined up to $500

Michigan at tipping point in fight against coronavirus
When AJ was born, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services took the infant into custody because his mother had heroin in her body. The couple regained custody of him when he was 20 months old. DCFS repeatedly investigated incidents after that but left AJ at the mercy of his abusive parents.
As she works with Latino immigrants, Sue Smith has come to understand their view of COVID-19many believe theres not much they can do about the virus, and that God is ultimately in control.

They understand the risks, but get on with life because theres really no choice, said Smith, director of LUCHA Ministries, which helps Latinos with food, housing and other necessities. Very different from people who choose to believe this isnt real, or isnt serious, and who assert their right to get on with life, wear a mask or not, eat out or not.

Her comments are in response to the second virus-related death in a week of a Latino resident. On Thursday, the Rappahannock Area Health District reported that a man in his 60s who lived in Stafford County had died from the novel coronavirus. On July 2, the district reported the death of a Spotsylvania County woman in her 80s, also Latino.

Their deaths are among 45 fatalities in the local health district from COVID-19. Of the total, 29 were white, nine were black, six were Latinos and one was Asian or Pacific Islander.
Washington, July 10 : NASA engineers have attached its Mars rover to the top of the rocket that will send it toward the Red Planet as the US space agency now targets July 30 for its launch.

Encased in the nose cone that will protect it during launch, the "Perseverance" rover and the rest of the Mars 2020 spacecraft -- the aeroshell, cruise stage, and descent stage -- were affixed to a United Launch Alliance Atlas V booster on July 7, NASA said on Thursday.

"I have seen my fair share of spacecraft being lifted onto rockets," said John McNamee, Project Manager for the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.

"But this one is special because there are so many people who contributed to this moment. To each one of them I want to say, we got here together, and we'll make it to Mars the same way." With the mating of spacecraft and booster complete, the final testing of the two -- separately and as one unit-- will be underway, NASA said.

The targeted launch date of the mission has been pushed back three times so far - first to July 20, then to July 22 and now to July 30.

NASA and United Launch Alliance recently also updated the mission's launch period - the range of days the rocket can launch in order to reach Mars.

It now spans from July 30 to August 15.

The launch period opening changed from July 17 to 30 due to launch vehicle processing delays in preparation for spacecraft mate operations.

Four days were also added to the previously designated August 11 end of the launch period.

NASA and United Launch Alliance Flight Teams were able to provide those extra days after final weights of both the spacecraft and launch vehicle became available, allowing them to more accurately calculate the propellant available to get Perseverance on its way.

No matter what day Perseverance lifts off during its July 30 to August 15 launch period, it will land in Mars' Jezero Crater on February 18, 2021. NASA said.
Beijing is erecting a new 'Berlin Wall' between Hong Kong and the free world using its new national security law, a political scientist has warned.

Wu Jieh-min, a fellow researcher at Taiwan's Academia Sinica, said the legislation was a clear sign that China wanted to cut the communications between Hong Kong and Western democracies, according to media reports.

He claimed that Beijing was isolating Hong Kong with an invisible barrier just like how West Berlin was physically cut off from democratic West Germany by the 97-mile-long concrete fortification.

Wu Jieh-min (pictured), a political scientist and fellow researcher at Taiwan's Academia Sinica, said on Thursday that China's new national security law was a clear sign that Beijing wanted to cut the communications between Hong Kong and the rest of the world like a new 'Berlin Wall'

At a forum in Taipei on Thursday, Wu called on Western democracies to send 'strong and clear' signals to China to force the Communist Party to ease its crackdown on the financial hub 'to some degree', according to US-based Radio Free Asia and Voice of America.

Wu, who has a Ph.D. degree in political science from Columbia University, criticised Beijing's legislation by saying that 'it is not a law, but a closed political oppression system and a national security apparatus.'

He went on to suggest that Beijing could use Hong Kong as an example to 'expand into' and 'invade' Taiwan 'like the Nazis'.

'We must pay urgent attention to it because it is critical to the fate of a free and democratic Taiwan,' Wu urged.

The imposition of the sweeping national security law has sent chills through Taiwan, deepening fears that Beijing will focus next on seizing the democratic self-ruled island. Pictured, riot police officers pinning down a protester during a protest in Hong Kong on July 1

Wu suggested that Beijing was isolating Hong Kong with an invisible barrier just like how West Berlin was physically cut off from democratic West Germany by the Berlin Wall (seen in 1986)

China to station hundreds of armed police in Hong Kong, a report says China will send 200 to 300 paramilitary police to Hong Kong to enforce the national security law, according to a report. Sources claimed that the armed mainland officers would remain in the financial hub as 'observers' on a long-term basis, reported Japanese outlet Kyodo News. The People's Armed Police Force (PAPF) is under the dual leadership of the Chinese State Council and Central Military Commission, according to public government information. The force consists of the internal security force, various police forces, border public security, firefighting and security guard forces. A Hong Kong government spokesman declined to comment on speculative reports, local media The Standard said while reporting the news. Last August, China mobilised hundreds of armoured vehicles and paramilitary forces to Shenzhen, a city that borders Hong Kong. Chinese military also declared it would take them just 10 minutes to reach Hong Kong to warn anti-government protesters. Advertisement

The national security law is the most radical shift in how Hong Kong is run since the city was handed back to China by Britain in 1997.

The content was kept secret from Hong Kongers until the moment it was imposed one week ago, bypassing the city's legislature.

It targets crimes under four categories: subversion, secession, terrorism and colluding with foreign forces and gives China jurisdiction in some, especially serious cases.

Hong Kong police have made at least 10 official arrests under the controversial new security law since it kicked in at 23:00 local time on 30 June.

Police collected DNA samples from them and searched their homes, according to Janet Pang, a lawyer for several of the protesters, who called officers' practice 'unnecessary, intrusive and disproportionate'.

Legal analysts, critics and many western nations warn the broadly-worded categories could criminalise many peaceful dissenting opinions.

Hong Kongers have scrubbed social media accounts, businesses have taken down protest displays while libraries and schools have removed certain books from their shelves.

Police have also been granted permission to carry out warrantless home searches, ban suspects from leaving the city, confiscate their assets, conduct secret surveillance and intercept communications.

The imposition of the sweeping national security law has sent chills through Taiwan, deepening fears that Beijing will focus next on seizing the democratic self-ruled island.

China and Taiwan split in 1949 after nationalist forces lost a civil war to Mao Zedong's communists, fleeing to the island which Beijing has since vowed to seize one day, by force if necessary.

'The law makes me dislike China even more,' 18-year-old student Sylvia Chang told AFP, walking through National Taiwan University in Taipei.

'They had promised 50 years unchanged for Hong Kong, but they are getting all the more heavy-handed... I am worried Hong Kong today could be Taiwan tomorrow.'

Over the years China has used a mixture of threats and inducements, including a promise Taiwan could have the 'One Country, Two Systems' model that governs Hong Kong, supposedly guaranteeing key civil liberties and a degree of autonomy for 50 years after the city's 1997 handover.

Both Taiwan's two largest political parties long ago rejected the offer, and the new security law has incinerated what little remaining faith many Taiwanese may have had in Beijing's outreach.

Some now fear even transiting through Hong Kong, worried that their social media profiles could see them open to prosecution under the legislation.

The law 'makes China look so bad, distancing themselves even further from Hong Kongers, not to mention people across the strait in Taiwan', Alexander Huang, a political analyst at Tamkang University in Taipei, told AFP.

A woman in Taipei walks past a billboard promoting democracy for Hong Kong. Beijing has taken an especially hard line towards Taiwan since the 2016 election of President Tsai Ing-wen

Beijing has taken an especially hard line towards Taiwan since the 2016 election of President Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), ramping up military, economic and diplomatic pressure.

Tsai views Taiwan as a de facto independent nation and not part of 'one China'.

But the pressure campaign has done little to endear China to Taiwan's 23 million people.

In January, Tsai won a second term with a historic landslide and polls consistently show a growing distrust of China.

A record 67 percent now self-identify as 'Taiwanese' instead of either Taiwanese-Chinese or Chinese -- a ten percent increase on the year before -- according to a routine poll conducted by the National Chengchi University.

In 1992, that figure was just 18 percent.

A woman walks past a painting at an exhibition about Hong Kong's protests in Taipei. Taiwan has morphed from a brutal autocracy into one of Asia's most progressive democracies

In recent decades Taiwan has morphed from a brutal autocracy into one of Asia's most progressive democracies.

TikTok to leave Hong Kong as security law raises questions TikTok said Tuesday it would stop operations in Hong Kong, joining other social media companies in warily eyeing ramifications of a sweeping national security law that took effect last week. The short-form video app's planned departure from Hong Kong comes as various social media platforms and messaging apps including Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, Google and Twitter balk at the possibility of providing user data to Hong Kong authorities. The social media companies say they are assessing implications of the security law, which prohibits what Beijing views as secessionist, subversive or terrorist activities or as foreign intervention in the city's internal affairs. In the communist-ruled mainland, the foreign social media platforms are blocked by China's 'Great Firewall'. Critics see the law as Beijing's boldest step yet to erase the legal divide between the former British colony and the mainlands authoritarian Communist Party system. TikTok said in a statement that it had decided to halt operations 'in light of recent events'. The company would not comment on the size of its operations in Hong Kong or any other matters. Operated by Chinese internet giant Bytedance, TikTok has sought to distance itself from its Chinese roots while striving for global appeal. It recently hired former Walt Disney executive Kevin Mayer to be its CEO. Advertisement

Younger Taiwanese tend to be especially wary of its huge authoritarian neighbour.

Social media is filled with messages of support for Hong Kong's democracy movement. Some back Taiwanese independence, or highlight China's rights abuses in regions such as Tibet and Xinjiang.

Wendy Peng, a 26-year-old magazine editor who said she often shared pro-Hong Kong democracy messages on social media, said she would now avoid visiting the city.

'The national security law makes me wonder how far would China go. Right now I don't see a bottom line and there's probably none. I think it's possible they will target Taiwan next,' she said.

Peng's fears are not unfounded.

As well as allowing China's security apparatus to set up shop openly in Hong Kong for the first time, Beijing's security law claims universal jurisdiction.

Article 38 says security crimes can be committed anywhere in the world by people of any nationality.

Hong Kong police have made clear that support for Hong Kong, Taiwan, Tibet or Xinjiang independence is now illegal.

University employee Patrick Wu, 31, said he would now avoid even transiting through Hong Kong.

'It's like a blanket law, whatever China wants to define and interpret,' he told AFP. 'I don't know if the 'Likes' or messages I have left on social media will be prosecutable.'

Last week Chen Ming-tong, the minister for Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, accused Beijing of aiming to become a supremely powerful 'heavenly empire' by ordering 'subjects all over the world' to obey its law.

Lin Fei-fan, deputy secretary-general of the ruling DPP, warned that 'regular Taiwanese people' might now face arrest in 'manufactured cases' if they went to Hong Kong.

He cited China's jailing of Taiwanese NGO worker Lee Ming-che under the mainland's own subversion laws.

Lee was arrested in 2017 during a trip to the mainland and held incommunicado for months before his eventual fate was made public.

Sung Chen-en, a political commentator and columnist in Taipei, said Beijing's new security law 'creates a great uncertainty about what can be said' far beyond Hong Kong's borders.

'If everyone is watching his own expression of opinions, it creates a chilling effect on democracy,' he told AFP.

'If everybody is exercising constraint, there is no freedom at all.'
By Kirsty Needham

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia said on Thursday it was suspending its extradition treaty with Hong Kong in response to a new security law imposed there and announced measures to attract businesses from the Asian financial hub, provoking an angry response from Beijing.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the law introduced last week in Hong Kong was a fundamental change of circumstances and Australia would suspend the extradition agreement.

"There will be citizens of Hong Kong who may be looking to move elsewhere, to start a new life somewhere else, to take their skills, their businesses," Morrison said, outlining changes to visa programmes.

Morrison said Hong Kong students, graduates and workers in Australia on temporary visas will have the opportunity to stay and work for an extra five years and apply for permanent residency after that time.

Future student visas would also be offered for five years, however Morrison said they were "not expecting large numbers of applicants any time soon".

Speaking in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Morrison's government should change course and stop interfering in Chinese affairs, warning that China, the biggest customer for Australian exports, reserved the right to take retaliatory action.

Two-way trade between the countries was worth A$235 billion last year. And the Chinese embassy in Canberra warned earlier that unless Australia stopped meddling "it will lead to nothing but lifting a rock only to hit its own feet".

WELCOMING TALENT

There are 10,000 Hong Kong citizens in Australia on student visas or temporary work visas, with a further 2,500 outside Australia and 1,250 applications on hand, according to the government. Hong Kong applicants would be prioritised under Australia's Global Talent Scheme and business visa programme.

"There is so much talent in Hong Kong," said Acting Immigration Minister Alan Tudge. "There are great businesses in Hong Kong. And we know that many individuals now might be looking elsewhere, because they do want to be in a freer country, they want to be in a democratic country."

Story continues

Australia offered asylum to some 42,000 Chinese students who were in Australia after a violent crackdown on pro-democracy protests Tiananmen Square in 1989.

Imposed after months of mass protests that sometimes resulted in violent clashes between police and pro-democracy supporters, Hong Kong's new security law punishes acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces with up to life in prison.

BUSINESS PITCH

Morrison also made a pitch for international financial services, consulting and media businesses with regional headquarters in Hong Kong to relocate to Australia, saying his government would proactively encourage that.

He said measures would be accommodated within Australia's existing caps on permanent resident visas, and Hong Kong citizens could also apply to the humanitarian and refugee visa programme.

Hong Kong student Dennis Chan, who attends university in New South Wales and is a spokesman for community group Australia-Hong Kong Link, welcomed the stance taken by Australia.

But, he said some graduates were worried they weren't covered, as many had returned to Hong Kong and were on bridging visas, unable to return to Australia because of COVID-19.

"People who protested in Hong Kong are facing difficulties leaving Hong Kong to come to Australia," he told Reuters.

Australia changed its travel advisory for Hong Kong, where around 100,000 Australians live and work, to say "reconsider your need to remain in Hong Kong" if they are concerned about the new law.

Canada last week announced it would suspend its extradition treaty with Hong Kong in the wake of the legislation and could boost immigration from the former British colony.

New Zealand said it was also reviewing its relations with Hong Kong, and would review extradition arrangements, controls on exports of strategic goods and travel advice.

(Reporting by Kirsty Needham; Editing by Christian Schmollinger, Lincoln Feast and Simon Cameron-Moore)
A Pakistani military court had on April 10, 2017, sentenced Mr.Jadhav to death on charges of"espionage and sabotage".

New Delhi: India is examining various legal options to protect former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav who is currently imprisoned in Pakistan, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday without elaborating on what these options could be. The comment by the MEA was made in response to several media queries including one on whether India would approach the International Court of Justice (ICJ) again.

India had on Wednesday accused Pakistan of both coercing Mr. Jadhav not to file a review petition against the verdict of a Pakistani military Court and of refusing to implement last years ICJ verdict in letter and spirit, adding that New Delhi would do its utmost to protect Mr. Jadhav and ensure his return and would consider all appropriate options for this. New Delhi had reacted, after Islamabad issued a statement inviting India to file the review and reconsideration petition on behalf of Mr. Jadhav to give effect to the ICJ Judgment.

A Pakistani military court had on April 10, 2017, sentenced Mr.Jadhav to death on charges of"espionage and sabotage". Islamabad has been claiming that Mr. Jadhav was "apprehended by Pakistan law enforcement agencies on March 3, 2016 after he illegally crossed over into Pakistan" and that he had been engaging in "espionage, terrorist and sabotage activities aimed at destabilising and waging war against Pakistan". But New Delhi has consistently rubbished these claims as false and baseless. India had argued that Mr. Jadhav was 'kidnapped from Iran, where he was carrying on business after retiring from the Indian Navy, and was then shown to have been arrested in Balochistan" on 3 March 2016 ...".

But in a major victory for India, the ICJ at The Hague in the Netherlands on July 17 last year had held Pakistan guilty of violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations for its failure to give India consular access to Jadhav while directing Pakistan to provide "effective review and reconsideration of the conviction and sentence" (of death penalty) awarded earlier by a Pakistani military court to Jadhav. The ICJ had also held that the "continued stay of execution constitutes an indispensable condition for the effective review and reconsideration of the conviction and sentence" of Jadhav.

On Wednesday, the MEA had said, The media statement made by Pakistan today in the case seeks to mask its continuing reticence to implement ICJ judgment in letter and spirit. Pakistans claim that Mr. Jadhav, who is incarcerated in Pakistans custody, has refused to initiate review petition is a continuation of the farce that has been in play for the last four years. Mr. Jadhav has been sentenced to execution through a farcical trial. He remains under custody of Pakistans military. He has clearly been coerced to refuse to file a review in his case.

The MEA had added, The Government will do its utmost to protect Shri Jadhav and ensure his safe return to India. To that end, it would consider all appropriate options. Since 2017, when Military Court carried out a farcical trial, Pakistan has refused to hand over any relevant document, including FIR, evidence, court order, etc in the case to India. Clearly, Pakistan is attempting to create a mirage of compliance with the ICJ judgment.

In its statement on Wednesday, Islamabad had said, Pakistan invited India to file review and reconsideration petition in ... Kulbushan Jadhav Case. ... the (Pakistani foreign ministry) Spokesperson said that Pakistan has invited India to file review and reconsideration petition after refusal by Jadhav to do so ... While Jadhavs mercy petition is still pending, India is invited to file review and reconsideration petition to give effect to the Judgment of the ICJ.
This article by Amanda Dolasinski originally appeared on the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) website.

Army 1st Lt. Benjamin Keating knew the armored supply vehicle was too heavy for the road in Kamdesh, a remote town in eastern Afghanistan, so he went against regulation that day in 2006 took the wheel.

The road collapsed, tossing Keating from the truck as the Landay-Sin River sucked him under, according to reports. His death had a profound effect on his platoon, while demonstrating the tremendous care he had for his soldiers.

Lt. Ben Keating was an example of a good leader who took responsibility and lived among his men and for this men and not above them or looking down on them, said acclaimed actor Orlando Bloom, who portrays Keating in the new military thriller "The Outpost."

Bloom spoke to Military Officer about his role as Keating and how he trained with the Army. The performance comes nearly 20 years after one of his first film roles as a professional actor  a brief appearance as an Army private first class in "Black Hawk Down."

"The Outpost," based on the namesake book by CNN correspondent Jake Tapper, is available for rent or purchase on several streaming platforms, including iTunes, Prime Video, and most cable providers. Heres more from the actor:

Q. How did you prepare for this role? Did you talk to soldiers or observe Army training?

A. I was fortunate to have had very extensive boot camp training at Fort Benning in preparation for my role in "Black Hawk Down." Whilst that was some years ago, all of the training came back quickly. We had military advisers on set, some of whom actually portrayed characters in our film.

Q. What were the challenging and surprising parts of playing a military officer, versus some of your other film roles?

A. There is of course a code of conduct, a code of honor if you like, a sense of responsibility for their fellow officers that exist in the service. There is a sense of teamwork and building relationships and a bond that may ultimately save your life. It's hard to articulate, but its a quality I admire greatly. And if you are someone who works in the service, I think you know what I'm talking about. That quality isnt always present in other characters. Lt. Ben Keating was an example of a good leader who took responsibility and lived among his men and for his men and not above them or looking down on them.

Q. How did this role shape or change your understanding of the military?

A. It's very apparent in the script, and I hope for those of you who watched the film, that the sensitivity with which we approached the story showed a deep respect for our men and women who serve their country. It's hard not to respect the remarkable work and the insane circumstances that these men and women find themselves in. ... The Battle of Kamdesh, after all, was one of the bloodiest battles in this ongoing 19-year war. These are everyday heroes putting their lives on the line, taking orders from the top to serve their country, believing and trusting what they are doing is part of their commitment to their country, work and families.

Q. How do you hope this film shines a light on military service?

A. I hope that "The Outpost" shows the human side of war and combat, which often is impossible for civilians to understand.

Q. Almost 20 years ago, you played a role as a soldier in "Black Hawk Down." Was there any experience from your time in that role that you pulled from and applied in your role as 1st Lt. Keating?

A. The boot camp training I had at Fort Benning was something Ill never forget as an experience in discipline, pushing the boundaries, and working as a team. That obviously parlayed very well.

This article, Orlando Bloom on Portraying Army 1st Lt. Benjamin Keating in The Outpost," originally appeared on the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) website. MOAA is the nation's largest and most influential association of military officers.

Amanda Dolasinski is MOAAs staff writer and covers issues important to veterans and their families, including health care, pay, and benefits. She can be reached at amandad@moaa.org. Follow her on Twitter: @AmandaMOAA

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Delhis second plasma bank will open at northeast Delhis Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) hospital in the coming week, senior officials in chief minister Arvind Kejriwals office said on Friday.

We are in the process of opening up Delhis second plasma bank. Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has been monitoring the setting up of a plasma bank in GTB. Plasma therapy has proved to be life-saving in many corona cases. With this plasma bank, a number of patents will benefit, said RS Rautela, medical director, GTB hospital.

The first one at Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) in Vasant Kunj was launched on July 2.

A dedicated Covid-19 facility, of the 1,500 beds in the hospital, 206 were occupied on Friday evening.

Dilip Pandey, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Timarpur, who is charge of setting up Delhis second plasma bank, said it will be smaller than the one at ILBS.

Today a plasma extraction machine was installed at GTB. The only thing we are waiting for is getting approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). We applied and we are expecting to start the plasma bank from Monday or Tuesday if approval from DCGI comes by this weekend, Pandey said.

The AAP leader said the GTB bank will be able to extract plasma from 7-8 Covid recovered persons in 10 hours. The set-up is relatively smaller than the one at ILBS, which has three plasma extraction machines compared to one in GTB, though we can increase it any day if demand increases, he said.

The reason for opening a plasma bank at GTB is accessibility, an official in the chief ministers office said. By opening the facility in GTB hospital, interested donors from northeast, east, and north Delhi wont have to travel all the way to South Delhi to donate their plasma, the official said.

The scheme of providing a cab or reimbursing the donors transportation cost to and from the hospital will continue, the official added.

The first plasma bank in Delhi, also Indias first, opened in ILBS on July 2. Since then, only about 100 persons have come forward to donate their plasma, creating a huge demand and supply gap.

Kejriwal on Friday spoke to several plasma donors telephonically and thanked them for their contribution in saving lives. Taking to Twitter, he shared the audio of his conversation with plasma donors.

To bridge the gap and to stock the bank with adequate plasma, the government issued several orders this week. It has made it mandatory for donors to replace plasma taken for therapy with equivalent units of plasma of any blood group.

It asked all Covid hospitals to ensure all recovered patients fill up a feedback form to assess the willingness to donate plasma at the time of discharge.

In another order, the government directed all hospitals to display flex boards outside their premises to encourage plasma donation.

Therapy through transfusion of plasma  a component of the blood  has been on Delhi since April 22, weeks after global studies showed the technique improved chances of recovery among people with severe Covid-19 illness.

Blood and plasma donations require specific matching of blood groups, which often makes the sourcing of plasma difficult, especially at short notice.

According to government reports till June, plasma therapy trials in Delhi helped improve the health condition of 34 out of 35 Covid-19 patients in government hospitals and 46 out of 49 patients in private hospitals.

To register for plasma donation, one has to call on 1031 or send a message on the WhatsApp number 8800007722. One can also register through the governments delhifightscorona.in website.

To donate plasma, a donor should be a person who was tested positive for Covid-19 through a test. Secondly, s/he must have fully recovered and must be free of any Covid-19 symptoms for 14 days. Only such persons between the age group of 18 and 60 years will be eligible.

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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 information below has been supplied by dairy marketers and other industry organizations. It has not been edited, verified or endorsed by Hoards Dairyman.

MADISON, Wis.  Nothing says summer quite like the sound of beef sizzling on the grill  and that is exactly what the Wisconsin Beef Council and Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center have teamed up to celebrate on August 8. From 10am  2pm, the event will welcome adults and children to the Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center in Manitowoc, Wisconsin.

Educational sessions about purchasing local beef and cutting steaks will highlight the event. Local beef farmer James Downey and beef processor and retailer, Newton Meats, Inc., will together discuss the ins and outs of buying quarters or halves of beef from your farmer, working with the beef processor to place your order and together answer any questions attendees have along the way. Dave Tredinnick, retail meat cutter at Metcalfes Market in Madison, Wisconsin, will provide a hands-on beef cutting demonstration, breaking down primal beef cuts into popular cuts typically found in the supermarket.





Now, more than ever, consumers are interested in knowing where their food comes from. This spring we have seen increased interest in buying beef directly from local farmers, said Rosie Lisowe, dairy farmer from Chilton, Wisconsin, and President-Elect of the Wisconsin Beef Council Board of Directors. This event is intended to showcase Wisconsins beef industry, all the way from pasture to plate, and provide a direct connection between consumers and their beef farmers.





While parents attend the live presentations, kids can stay busy with rides on the cow train, a coloring station, photo booth, beef up their muscles with a farm workout and more.





The beef industry is the third largest agricultural industry in Wisconsin, said Katie Wade, Program Director at the Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center. The Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center is excited to partner with the Wisconsin Beef Council and showcase this $2.1 billion industry to our visitors.





Event attendance is included with the purchase of admission to the Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center for the day. Admission prices are as follows: Adults - $16, Seniors (62+) - $12, Youth (4-18) - $8, and ages 3 and under are free. Attendees can enjoy the Butcher Block Party and explore the many activities and exhibits found within the Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center, including interactive exhibits, gift shop, and the popular Land OLakes Birthing Barn.





More information about the Wisconsin Beef Council can be found at https://www.beeftips.com/, and more information about the Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center can be found at https://farmwisconsin.org/. Attendees can keep up-to-date with event information on the events Facebook page at https://bit.ly/38yih0p.





The Wisconsin Beef Council is a producer-directed not-for-profit organization funded by the $1.00 per head assessment on all cattle sold in the state of Wisconsin per the Federal Beef Promotion and Research Act & Order. Half of one dollar remains in Wisconsin for local beef promotion, while the other half is forwarded to the Cattlemens Beef Board. The purpose of the Council is to fund beef promotion, research and consumer education activities supporting Wisconsins $2.1 billion beef industry. The WBC operates under the guidance of its Board of Directors. The Board is comprised of representatives from cattle-related organizations around the state of Wisconsin.





The Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center is a state-of-the-art, interactive agricultural education center located in Manitowoc County. Farm Wisconsin connects visitors curiosity to the wonder of Wisconsin farming and provides guests with a better understanding of their food sources and their importance. The center features 10,000 square feet of hands-on learning opportunities, a birthing barn where visitors may watch calves being born daily, and an opportunity to tour a local farm to learn about Wisconsins rich farm history. The center was named to Time for Kids Worlds 50 Coolest Places of 2019.
A respected Chinese virologist has claimed that the Chinese government covered up the coronavirus outbreak and says she has been forced to flee Honk Kong because she 'knows how they treat whistleblowers'.

Dr. Li-Meng Yan, who specialised in virology and immunology at the Hong Kong School of Public Health, has claimed that Beijing knew about the novel coronavirus well before it claims.

Speaking during an interview with Fox News, she also said that her supervisors - many renowned as some of the top experts in their field - ignored research she began undertaking from the onset of the outbreak, which ultimately led to the global Covid-19 pandemic.

She believes her research into the coronavirus could have saved lives, and has risked her own by fleeing to the U.S. to share her story, knowing it is likely that she can never return to Hong Kong.

As a World Health Organization reference laboratory specialising in influenza viruses and pandemics, she also believes that she and her colleagues had an obligation to tell the world about her research - but no action was taken.

In an interview with Fox News (pictured above) Dr. Li-Meng Yan who specialised in virology and immunology at the Hong Kong School of Public Health has claimed that Beijing authorities covered up the coronavirus in the early stages of the outbreak

Yan says she was one of the first scientists to study the coronavirus that would become known as Covid-19, and claims at the end of December 2019 she was asked by her supervisor at the University - Dr. Leo Poon - to look into an odd cluster of SARS-like cases in mainland China.

'The China government refused to let overseas experts, including ones in Hong Kong, do research in China,' she said to Fox News. 'So I turned to my friends to get more information.'

One friend she contacted was a scientist at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in China who she said had first-hand knowledge of the cases coming out of Wuhan.

Her friend told Yan on December 31 about human-to-human transmissions, some time before China or the WHO admitted that this was possible with Covid-19, and on the same day a cluster of 27 pneumonia cases were reported in Wuhan where it is believed the virus originated.

When she told her supervisor what her friend had reported 'he just nodded', Yan recalls, and told her to keep working on her research.

On January 9, the WHO released a statement that said: 'According to Chinese authorities, the virus in question can cause severe illness in some patients and does not transmit readily between people.

'There is limited information to determine the overall risk of this reported cluster.'

Following this, she says that her contacts who had previously been talking openly went quiet - particularly in Wuhan - while others warned Yan not to ask about details.

Scientists believe the virus may have originated in bats, then was transmitted through another mammal such such as a civet cat or an armadillo-like pangolin before being passed on to people at a fresh food market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year

However, some of her sources did tell her that the number of human-to-human transmissions were rising exponentially, but when she reported further findings to her supervisor, she says she was told 'to keep silent, and be careful.'

'As he warned me before, "Don't touch the red line,"' Yan said to Fox News, referring to the government. 'We will get in trouble and we'll be disappeared.'

Yan also claims that Professor Malik Peiris - the co-director of a WHO-affiliated lab - knew about the spreading disease but did not act.

While Yan says she was frustrated, she was not surprised. 'I already know that would happen because I know the corruption among this kind of international organization like the WHO to China government, and to China Communist Party,' she said.

'So basically... I accept it but I don't want this misleading information to spread to the world.'

WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, pictured above speaking during this year's World Health Assembly in Geneva, has been hammered by the U.S. for praising China's transparency in the early stages of the outbreak, while others have criticised the country for not sharing enough data to assess how effectively the virus spread between people

Both China and the WHO have strongly denied the claims of a cover-up, while the WHO has denied ever working with Yan, her supervisor Poon or Professor Peiris, claiming in a statement that while Peiris is an expert who has been on missions and expert groups, he is not a staff member and does not represent the WHO.

Yan is now in hiding after travelling to the U.S., and fears that her life is in danger. She also claims that back at home the Chinese government is working to sabotage her reputation, intimidate her family and carry out cyber-attacks against her.

The University of Hong Kong removed her page on their website, and in a statement to Fox News, said that 'Dr Li-Meng Yan is no longer a staff member of the University.'

Meanwhile, the Chinese embassy in the United States told the news station that they have no knowledge of Yan, and maintain that China handled the pandemic well.
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trumps last political rally in Oklahoma showed the risks of campaigning in the age of coronavirus.

His planned rally in New Hampshire could be a test run for how those type of big campaign events will go forward in the future  if they go on at all.

This rally is really a make-or-break moment for Trump, said Dan Eberhart, an energy company executive and GOP fund-raiser. This needs to be a success to prove out the strategy that in this kind of COVID environment, these kinds of rallies still have legs, still have purpose and that this type of campaigning can continue.

So far the latest push isn't going according to plan: The White House and Trump campaign announced Friday that the New Hampshire rally expected on Saturday would be postponed. Trump officials cited Tropical Storm Fay in postponing the event and vowed to reschedule soon.

More: Trump postpones New Hampshire campaign rally, citing Tropical Storm Fay

Trumps New Hampshire rally, which was expected to be at an airport hangar at the Portsmouth International Airport at Pease, was planned as the president is trying to recharge his struggling campaign amid a recent spike in coronavirus cases and as polls show him trailing the presumptive Democratic nominee, former Vice President Joe Biden, in November.

The event was shadowed by questions over what went wrong at his rally last month in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Even amid lingering concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, campaign officials hyped up that event and boasted that they had received requests for 1 million tickets. Turnout was far smaller than expected, with just 6,200 people showing up and leaving Trump addressing a lot of empty seats in a 19,000-capacity arena.

Whats more, eight campaign staffers on the advance team and two Secret Service agents who worked in Tulsa ahead of that event tested positive for coronavirus. Tulsas top health official said Wednesday that the rally and the protests that accompanied it likely contributed to the citys recent surge in coronavirus cases.

Story continues

COVID-19 concerns: Doctors worry about coronavirus risks at Trump's New Hampshire rally

The event that had been set for Saturday would have been Trumps second in-person rally since much of the country went into lockdown over coronavirus. The number of coronavirus cases in the U.S. have topped 3 million, more than 133,000 Americans have died from the disease and as the U.S. continues to set a daily record of new cases.

The Trump campaign said it intended to distribute face masks at the event and will encourage attendees to wear them, even though Trump himself has resisted wearing a mask in public.

In New Hampshire, the rally has raised red flags for many local officials concerned about the potential spread of coronavirus from the event. A handful of Portsmouth officials want to mandate that face masks be worn by people attending the event, but Mayor Rick Becksted doesnt favor such a mandatory policy and says the city has no jurisdiction over the federally owned land where the event will be held.

Republican Gov. Chris Sununu has said it is imperative attendees at the rally wear masks but that he wont mandate them. Sununu has said he plans to meet Trump at the airport when he arrives, but that he wont attend the rally.

Holding political rallies while much of the nation is concerned about coronavirus poses real risks for Trump, said David McLennan, a political science professor at Meredith College in Raleigh, North Carolina.

He is a visual reminder of the coronavirus as he speaks, McLennan said. Hes speaking in front of big, often unmasked crowds  and sometimes not-so-big crowds  at a time when everybody is paying attention to these (coronavirus) numbers to some degree.

That being said, Im not sure the president has any other tools for his campaign. Hes kind of between a rock and a hard place in that thats what he did in 2016 to great effect.

Off to Texas: Donald Trump plans to travel to West Texas for campaign fundraiser despite COVID spike

Supporters listen as US President Donald Trump speaks during a Students for Trump event at the Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona.

Trump is trying to replicate the campaign formula that worked well for him in 2016, said Dante Scala, a political science professor at the University of New Hampshire.

The old saying is campaigns are ultimately reflections of the candidate, Scala said. I think for the candidates own morale, he feels the need to be out and about and doing these sorts of things that served him well the last time he ran for office.

Trump lost New Hampshire to Democrat Hillary Clinton by just 2,736 votes. A poll last month by St. Anselm Colleges New Hampshire Institute of Politics showed him trailing Biden in the Granite State by 7 points.

But while a campaign rally will help fire up Trumps base and provide him with a made-for-television moment, it is unlikely to move other voters into his camp and might even turn off suburban voters, Scala said.

In New Hampshire, his real dilemma right now is in the prosperous suburbs, where you find a lot of college-educated voters who are well off, Scala said. They likely still have their jobs and so forth, but they are anxious about whats happening and what will come.

What some fear will come along with the rally is a spike in coronavirus in a state that has fewer than 6,000 reported cases.

Living in New Hampshire feels a bit like living in a bubble because in the state the numbers of cases is very low and the number of hospitalizations is low, Scala said. All of the metrics point in the right direction. But for a New Hampshire voter looking around the country, we feel very much like an island.

So for the president to come in does feel a bit like its impinging on that bubble. There are all of those concerns of what he brings with him. People come in from out of state. Will it cause a spike in cases? It will raise the anxiety level at a time when a lot of people are understandably very anxious.

Tax decision: Trump, Democrats both hoped for big political wins in Supreme Court decision on taxes. Neither got one

Regardless, Trump needs a robust turnout on Saturday to reboot his campaign and move on from what happened in Tulsa, Eberhart said.

The rallies are a barometer of voter sentiment, the living embodiment of Trumps slumping popularity, he said. If the New Hampshire crowd is anemic, it sends the signal to donors that public support for the president is subpar and that they may be throwing good money after bad. He needs a full house and a raucous crowd to recharge his re-elect campaign.

If he doesnt get that, he needs to find another way to reach voters, Eberhart said.

The Tulsa rally was widely panned by the media, he said. If the same happens in New Hampshire, he cant hold a third and a fourth (rally) and just have it continue to pull down the campaign. Its just not going to work. (The campaign) has to rebound or he has to completely shift to some other way of campaigning.

Michael Collins covers the White House. Follow him on Twitter @mcollinsNEWS.

Contributing: Hadley Barndollar of seacoastonline.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2020 campaign: Trump planned a New Hampshire rally amid sagging polls
Capsicum Mediaworks has bagged the much-coveted mandate for the Internationally-renowned Danish watch & jewellery brand  BERING.

The brand is exclusively distributed by Bhrands Forever (I) Pvt. Ltd in India. With a strong offline distribution network of over 100+ dealer network, the company has successfully established the brand in its segment. Bhrands Forever (I) Pvt. Ltd. have planned to aggressively venture into the digital space for BERING in India to make the brand more accessible and to provide the best of quality at the most economical price for which, Capsicum Mediaworks will be working on not only designing & developing an E-Commerce website for the brand but also managing other digital duties including Website Maintenance, Search Engine Optimization amongst other services.

Also read: Universal Music Group Announces a Global Partnership with Desi Melodies

Driven by the vision of 'Building Brands, Digitally', Capsicum Mediaworks is an independent creative digital agency working with both India and International clients offering a wide range of services including UI/UX Design, E-Commerce Services, Graphic Design, SEO, Social Media, Explainer Videos and Content strategy.

Speaking on this alliance, Karan Thakurani, Director of Bhrands Forever India Pvt. Ltd. Mentioned We are delighted to welcome Capsicum Mediaworks into BERING family, we strongly believe that they are our perfect digital partners not only because of the creative aesthetics they bring to the table but also because of the technical expertise and strategic thinking they showcased.

Commenting on being awarded this mandate, Nirav Dave, Co-Founder at Capsicum stated We are elated to partner with BERING as a brand and add it to the international list of clients we serve. Our focus over the next 12 months will be to help BERING watches become a sought after name in the category of luxury watches both for men & women in the digital space

Shailendra Dave (Co-Founder) at Capsicum said, BERING has already created a name for itself in the international markets in the luxury watches and jewellery segment. The clear vision of the management team is a testimony to the fact that the brand is on the right path to achieve the same success it did internationally and we are excited to be a part of this vision.
Michael J. Morell, a former acting C.I.A. director, portrayed that as scapegoating in testimony to the Foreign Affairs Committee. He pointed out that the briefer is the lowest-ranking person in the room during the presidents regular intelligence briefings, and said the national security adviser, the C.I.A. director, the director of national intelligence or the White House chief of staff could also have brought the suspicions about Russian bounties to the presidents attention. He also noted that Mr. Esper receives a copy of the written Presidents Daily Brief.

Mr. Morell also disputed the White Houses suggestion that an intelligence assessment had to be unanimously backed by intelligence agencies to be taken seriously. In previous administrations, he said, if the intelligence community assessed such information at any level of confidence, officials would have told both the president and congressional leaders immediately about that judgment and any dissent. If the confidence level were low, he said, an administration would seek more information before acting, while a medium- or high-level assessment would most likely result in a response.

You never have certainty in intelligence, Mr. Morell added.

John W. Nicholson Jr., a retired general who led coalition forces in Afghanistan from 2016 to the middle of 2018, testified before the Foreign Affairs Committee that Russia grew bolder over his tenure. Afghan governors, he said, brought him weapons and other military equipment and said Russians had provided them to the Taliban.

General Nicholson talked about Russian support for the Taliban publicly while still in that role, and he said on Thursday that it was important to respond to such findings  including by going public with accusations to elicit a response from Russia.

It may just be denial, but youve got it on their radar screen, he said. They know theyre being watched. They know youre pushing back. So these kinds of actions are extremely important. And of course, the higher up you go, the more powerful the response is.

Later, pressed by a Republican lawmaker, Representative Lee Zeldin of New York, to comment on leaks of classified intelligence, General Nicholson noted that they were unhelpful  his comments were garbled in the live video of the hearing that was conducted remotely because of the pandemic  but then praised the hearing itself. He said that drawing attention to the American suspicions of the bounty plot could cause the Russians to dial down what they are doing.

The ranking Republican on the Foreign Affairs Committee, Representative Michael McCaul of Texas, said the government needed to take the intelligence seriously given Russias track record. He criticized Mr. Trumps idea of inviting Russia to rejoin the economic alliance known as the Group of 7, and noted that the administration already had legal authority to impose new sanctions.
A huge rodent has been surrounded by hundreds of residents of an Argentine neighbourhood to stop police taking it away from the eight-year-old girl who keeps it as a pet.

Pancho the capybara, who is reportedly the worlds largest rodent, has lived with eight-year-old owner Jorgelina and her family in the San Martin neighbourhood of the city of Santa Fe for five years.

Jorgelinas father Juan told a local radio station he had been given the rodent when it was little and neighbours say it is normal to see the little girl lying on the ground sunbathing with Pancho or strolling down the street with it, according to news outlet Infobae.

Pancho the capybara has lived with 8-year-old Jorgelina and her family in the San Martin neighbourhood of the city of Santa Fe for five years. Source: Aire Digital/Australscope

But police went to the family home on July 3 after an anonymous complaint.

After the complaint was made, Juan had made an appeal for help on local radio stations and neighbours then went to his house, with about 100 residents trying to persuade the officers to allow the animal to stay with the family.

The residents surrounded the animals cage and prevented the cops from taking it, with the officers having to settle for simply taking the familys details and leaving without the rodent, Infobae reported.

Pancho has remained with its family.

Everyone in the neighbourhood wants it here, everyone takes care of it. I understand that it cannot be had, but they gave it to me when it was little and I raised it. What are they are going to take it for? So that he dies on the farm? Juan told a local radio station, according to Infobae.

Jorgelina (left) and her family cried as she thought her beloved Pancho was being taken away to a farm after an anonymous complaint to police. Source: Aire Digital Australscope

The father had reportedly given the capybara to Jorgelina as a pet.

In statements to the same local radio station, Manuel Jaramillo, executive director of the Fundacion Vida Silvestre wildlife foundation, clarified "capybaras can coexist with humans, but in reality, they are wild species that should not be domesticated and subjected to becoming pets."

Story continues

 Australscope

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President Donald Trump.

Associated Press

President Donald Trump is widely expected to pardon the longtime former Republican strategist Roger Stone, CNN reported.

In an interview with the talk radio host Howie Carr this week, Trump complained about Stone's alleged mistreatment by prosecutors, saying he was "framed" and "treated horrible."

When Carr told Trump that Stone was "praying" for a pardon before having to report to prison on July 14, Trump answered, "If you say he's praying, his prayer may be answered. Let's see what happens."

Stone acted as an informal adviser to the Trump 2016 campaign and was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison in February after being convicted of seven counts of obstruction of justice, false statements, and witness tampering.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

President Donald Trump may be on the brink of pardoning or commuting the sentence of Roger Stone, the longtime former Republican strategist who worked as an informal adviser on the Trump campaign, CNN reported on Thursday.

Citing half a dozen sources close to the president, the outlet reported that Trump is widely expected to grant clemency to Stone.

A jury convicted the former strategist of seven felony counts in November: five counts of making false statements to the FBI and congressional investigators, one count of witness tampering, and one count of obstruction of justice.

Earlier this year, a federal judge sentenced Stone to 40 months in prison for his crimes, as well as a $20,000 fine, four years of probation after his prison term, and 250 hours of community service.

In an interview with the talk radio host Howie Carr this week, Trump complained about Stone's alleged mistreatment by prosecutors, saying he was "framed" and "treated horrible." He also praised Stone's character, saying the former strategist and self-described dirty trickster was a "good person."

Story continues

"He was treated so badly," the president added. When Carr told Trump that Stone was "praying" for a pardon before having to report to prison on July 14, Trump answered, "If you say he's praying, his prayer may be answered. Let's see what happens."

The charges against Stone were linked to his contacts with the radical pro-transparency group WikiLeaks and subsequent efforts to suppress witness testimony.

Stone's indictment from the former special counsel Robert Mueller's office contained a slew of details about his false statements to Congress about interactions involving WikiLeaks; his extensive communications with the far-right commentator Jerome Corsi and the radio host Randy Credico about WikiLeaks' document dumps in summer 2016; and his prolonged efforts to prevent Credico from testifying to Congress or turning over information to the FBI.

Trump frequently excoriates the Justice Department and prosecutors working on Stone's case for treating him too harshly.

The four career prosecutors involved in Stone's case initially recommended a sentence of seven to nine years based on federal sentencing guidelines.

But after Trump publicly complained on Twitter in February, calling the recommendation "horrible" and "unfair," senior DOJ leadership announced that they would reverse the initial recommendation, which they called "excessive and unwarranted," and request a lighter sentence for Stone.

The highly unusual intervention prompted all the prosecutors on Stone's case to either withdraw from the case or resign from the DOJ altogether. One of the prosecutors, Aaron Zelinsky, testified to Congress last month that DOJ leaders sought a weaker sentence for Stone at the direction of Attorney General William Barr because they were "afraid of the president."

Barr, meanwhile, told ABC News after senior officials overrode the prosecutors that he had already decided to request a lighter sentence for Stone before Trump tweeted, but he said the president's constant public comments made it "impossible" for him to do his job.

Still, the timing of the DOJ's announcement raised questions and rankled former officials who accused the attorney general of catering to the president's public demands and allowing Trump to weaponize the DOJ for political purposes.

After US District Judge Amy Berman Jackson announced Stone's sentence, Trump hinted at the possibility of a pardon a few hours later.

"I'm following this very closely and I want to see it play out to its fullest because Roger has a very good chance of exoneration in my opinion," the president said at the "Hope for Prisoners" graduation ceremony in Las Vegas.

"I'd love to see it happen," he added, and went on to baselessly accuse a juror in Stone's case of being "totally tainted" and an "anti-Trump activist."

But Trump stopped short of promising a pardon, saying, "I'm not going to do anything in terms of the great powers bestowed upon a president of the United States. I want the process to play out. I think that's the best thing to do."

Read the original article on Business Insider
By Ayya Lmahamad

Police checkpoints set for monitoring residents compliance with quarantine rules have resumed their work in Baku, local media reported on July 10.

Control over the movement of cars on some roads of the capital has been strengthened since morning.

Traffic police officers are checking permits of drivers and passengers at the quarantine posts to ensure that those not allowed leave their place of residence, do not pass through the post.

Moreover, the control in city parkings, supermarkets and streets has also been reinforced.

Furthermore, head of the Public Relations Department of the State Road Police, Colonel Kamran Aliyev said that quarantine posts will be restored if necessary on Saturdays and Sundays in areas where strict quarantine has been introduced.

It should be noted that special police posts established in the streets and avenues of Baku in connection with special quarantine regime will be removed as of July 2. The Interior Ministry said that the reason for this was to ensure traffic intensity on inner-city roads, to attract more personnel to control the strict quarantine regime.

Azerbaijan first introduced quarantine regime on March 24, and on June 18 decision was taken to extend special quarantine regime until August 1.

On July 2, Cabinet of Ministers announced decision to prolong a strict quarantine regime till July 20.

The new lockdown imposed on July 5-20 in capital Baku, as well as in Jalilabad, Ganja, Lankaran, Masalli, Sumgayit, Yevlakh cities and Absheron district, and Goranboy, Goygol, Mingachevir, Barda, Khachmaz, Samukh, Siyazan and Sheki regions.

Under the lockdown rule, citizens are allowed to leave their place of residence only after obtaining SMS permissions.

Baku metro will be suspended from July 4 midnight till July 20, and the entire public transport will not operate on weekends in cities and districts in which the special quarantine regime has been toughened

Moreover, operation of shopping centers, restaurants, cafes, beauty salons, as well as museums, exhibition halls, sport and beaches was also suspended until July 20. Azerbaijan mandated wearing face masks on May 31.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 23:18:36|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- China is ready to join Mongolia to continue deepening the construction of a community with a shared future for the two countries, said Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday.

During a phone conversation, Wang congratulated Nyamtseren Enkhtaivan on becoming Mongolia's foreign minister, and said that China and Mongolia are eternal neighbors linked by mountains and rivers.

Wang said that long-term good-neighborliness and friendship is the correct strategic choice for both sides and fully conforms to the fundamental interests of the two peoples, adding that the leaders of the two countries exchanged messages a few days ago following Mongolia's parliamentary election, stressing the need to guide the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two sides for greater development so as to inject new and strong impetus into the bilateral relationship.

"We are willing to work with Mongolia to fully implement the important consensus of the two leaders, and push forward the construction of a community with a shared future for China and Mongolia," Wang said.

Wang noted that since the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak, China and Mongolia have helped and supported each other, joined hands to overcome difficulties, and deepened their traditional friendship.

He pledged to further push for anti-epidemic cooperation with Mongolia, continue to provide medical supplies to the Mongolian side, share China's anti-epidemic experience, and build a community of health for both countries.

China is ready to speed up cooperation on the resumption of work and production, make good use of and expand "green channels," so as to ensure smoother exchanges of goods and necessary personnel, he said.

Wang added that China is also willing to synergize the Belt and Road Initiative with the Development Road Initiative, advance the construction of the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor and the central railway corridor.

Wang stressed that the Chinese side is willing to continue working with the Mongolian side to firmly support one another on issues concerning each other's core interests, step up cooperation in international and regional affairs, and further consolidate the political foundation of bilateral ties.

He said the Chinese side respects Mongolia's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, respects the development path independently chosen by the Mongolian people, and appreciates the firm support the Mongolian side has shown regarding such affairs as Hong Kong, Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang.

Noting that viruses are the common enemy of all human beings, Wang said certain countries use the epidemic to discredit and smear other countries, shift their responsibility, and ignore international obligations, which goes beyond the bottom line of human conscience and is harmful to the common interests of all countries, especially developing countries.

Wang said he believes that the Mongolian side, together with other nations, will adhere to an objective and fair position, and support the key role of the World Health Organization in the pandemic fight.

During their phone talks, Enkhtaivan said Mongolia's newly-elected government will place the development of friendly relations with China a priority in its foreign policy, which will not be changed.

Noting that in the battle against COVID-19, the peoples of Mongolia and China have sincerely supported each other and worked together, Enkhtaivan said the Mongolian side is grateful to China for its selfless help, and is ready to maintain close high-level exchanges as well as communication at all levels with China, strengthen cooperation in a wide range of fields such as economy, trade and energy, and advance major cooperation projects in a bid to make positive progress at an early date, so as to boost economic recovery in the two countries.

He also said that China is playing an increasingly important role in international and regional affairs, adding that Mongolia stands ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China, and add more substance to the Mongolia-China comprehensive strategic partnership. Enditem
Photo: The Canadian Press

The WE organization has paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in speaking fees to members of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's family, it acknowledged Thursday, as organizations that need volunteers awaited word of the future of a $900-million program WE was to run.

The government says it is working on what to do with the Canada Student Services Grant after its agreement with WE was cancelled amid controversy over the Trudeau family's connections to the Toronto-based charity and its for-profit arm, ME to WE Social Enterprise.

The WE organization said Thursday that it had paid Trudeau's mother Margaret about $250,000 for 28 speaking appearances at WE-related events between 2016 and 2020.

His brother Alexandre has been paid $32,000 for eight events, according to WE. The organization that represents them as speakers was paid additional commissions, WE said.

And Trudeau's wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau received $1,400 in 2012 for a single appearance that year.

Most of the payments went from the for-profit component of the organization, which sponsors the charitable component, WE Charity said in a statement, though about $64,000 went from WE Charity to Margaret Trudeau's speaker's bureau because of "an error in billing / payment."

"Justin Trudeau has never been paid by WE Charity or ME to WE Social Enterprise for any speeches or any other matters," WE Charity said.

Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet said late Thursday that Trudeau should step aside until the matter is fully probed, turning power over to Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland.

Trudeau is now under investigation by the ethics commissioner over allegations of a potential conflict of interest when the government awarded the sole-source contract to WE. Trudeau has acknowledged he did not recuse himself when cabinet approved the deal.

Trudeau has maintained the non-partisan public service recommended WE to administer the deal, while his spokesman Alex Wellstead on Thursday said "the prime minister's relatives engage with a variety of organizations and support many personal causes on their own accord."

"What is important to remember here is that this is about a charity supporting students. The Canada Student Service Grant program is about giving young people opportunities to contribute to their communities, not about benefits to anyone else."

WE's sudden departure from the volunteering program has created confusion as the days tick past for young people to put in hours for which the government promises to pay them up to $5,000 toward schooling.

Several non-profits say they and their volunteers are anxiously waiting for answers from the government, including whether the program is going to go ahead and the students they have already taken on will be compensated for their work.

"I have three or four students talk to me and they're anxious, and I get why they're anxious," said Emily Fern, mission co-ordinator for the Saint Andrew's Community Outreach and Support Program in Whitby, Ont. "And I've had a mom call me and she's anxious.

"I've got a few people who are volunteering in good faith right now and we are keeping track of their hours. And some of the families that use our program have been asking (to volunteer) and I can't tell them anything right now."

The grant program promises to pay students up to $5,000 for their post-secondary educations if they volunteer the maximum 500 hours. WE said last week that around 35,000 applications had been received for the program.
The High Criminal Court of the Gulf country requested five years in prison for five official a local bank suspected for involvement in a money laundry case in connection with three Iranian other banks, reports say.

The official from Future Bank are also fined a million Bahraini dinars ($2.65 million) each. The court also ordered the confiscation of funds transferred that were made by the banks involved and were the subject of the money laundering case.

Future Bank reportedly carried out thousands of international financial transactions for Iranian entities that are allegedly implicated in funding terrorism or which are under international sanctions, allowing these entities to avoid organizational auditing.

The financial institution operates under the supervision of two Iranian banks.
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(Kitco News) - After a brief dip below $1,800 an ounce Thursday, the gold market has once again bounced back and is now looking to end the week near its recent nine-year highs. In a report Friday, commodity analysts at Commerzbank said that they dont expect to see any major correction in gold in the near-term.

We regard the decline in gold and silver prices to be a healthy correction following their previous steep rise, they said. We do not expect any prolonged correction, as the general situation is clearly favorable for gold and silver.

The German bank remains bullish on gold as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to devastate the global economy. They added that the U.S. remains particularly vulnerable as the number of cases continue to rise at record levels.

With all the economic uncertainty caused by the coronavirus, Commerzbank said that it expects the U.S. government and the Federal Reserve to maintain significant stimulus measures.

US Democrats are already calling for additional corona rescue packages. It remains to be seen whether the Republicans will block such additional aid ahead of the congressional elections in November, the analysts said. The deficits in the US national budget, which had already increased massively, are thus likely to get even bigger. The US Federal Reserve is also likely to remain in demand to tackle the crisis.
Washington:

Hillary Clinton is the best bet for the Indian community in the US, India-born American entrepreneur Frank Islam said on Sunday, claiming that the recent outreach by her Republican rival Donald Trump will do very little to impress the influential Indian-Americans."I believe she (Clinton) is the only safe bet for Indian Americans, Americans and the world. Her opponent is a risky bet in that he has no real track record of experience or expertise in public policy, government and international relations," Islam, a philanthropist and top Indian-American fund raiser for the Clinton Campaign, told PTI.

Among one of the top bundler's for Clinton, Islam said a number of Indian-Americans are playing key roles in her campaign in different capacities. "Many of us are raising money for the campaign. I believe nearly a dozen Indian-Americans have raised significant dollars for the secretary's historic campaign," said Islam, who is also a member of Clinton's finance committee and has himself donated one million dollars to the campaign.

He is also participating on a South Asian work group and is providing input to the campaign on issues and areas such as small business and economic development where he has experience and expertise.

"The overriding issue out of the box must be what to do to address the populist outcry in both parties to ensure that the US is a fair place for individuals on all rungs of the socio-economic ladder," he said.Responding to a question on US-India relations, Islam said most Indian-Americans expect the next president to take the ties between the two nations to the next level.

"They want the US to build on the commitments that Clinton made to India when she was Secretary of State and President Barack Obama's vision of India and the US being 'indispensable partners' in the future," he said.

When asked about the impact of Trump's recent address to an Indian-American charity event in New Jersey and his daughter-in-law attending a Diwali event in a Virginia Hindu temple, he said this is unlikely to have much of an impact.

"I believe his recent outreach will do very little to move the needle among Indian-American voters," Islam said."Trump has participated in an event hosted by the Republican Hindu Coalition and he is now running ads speaking in Hindi. But, I think that is too little too late," he said.

A recent survey showed that 67 per cent of Indian- Americans would vote for Clinton, whereas a mere seven per cent supported Trump. In comparison, 16 per cent Indian-Americans had supported Romney in 2012, he noted.

"The bottom line for me personally is that none of my Indian-American acquaintances (Muslim or Hindu) have expressed a willingness to vote for Trump. He has very high 79 per cent unfavorable rating among Indian-Americans," he said."I firmly believe that Trump's anti-Muslim rhetoric may be attracting some Indian-Americans, but it is also repelling most Indian-Americans," Islam said.

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A few days ago, a colleague shared comments he and his wife get when people find out they have seven kids: Are they all yours? Were they all planned? What are you, Mormon? And, most awkward of all: You know what causes that, right?

This kind of reaction to large families, which Ive gotten with only four kids, reveals the assumptions about children that largely go unquestioned in our culture, even in the Church.

It is widely assumed, for example, that children are a choice. This was not always so. The introduction of reliable contraception, especially the pill, made it possible to divorce the inherent connection between sex, marriage, and procreation.

The cultural journey through the sexual revolution went something like this: First, we wanted sex outside of marriage. That required having sex without the threat of babies. Then we wanted babies outside of marriage, and today, even babies without sex. Somewhere along the way, the idea of marriage without children, intentionally I mean, became common too. Even among Christian couples, the idea of not only delaying children but choosing to not have them at all is, in many circles, non-controversial.

In previous generations, an intentionally childless marriage would have been unthinkable. Infertility, as so many couples are painfully aware, is tragic. Intentional infertility is considered a choice today.

Another assumption that controls our cultural thinking is that we have children in order to fulfill adult longings. This shift goes hand in hand with seeing marriage as fundamentally an institution of adult happiness, rather than as an institution to protect and enable the next generation.

When kids are thought of in terms of personal fulfillments, how we go about obtaining them becomes less important. Or not at all. And so, the sexual revolution is punctuated by ethically problematic reproductive technologies and intentionally single-parent households, not to mention same-sex households who want children even after entering an intrinsically sterile sexual union.

In short, after seeking the moral acceptance of sex without marriage or sex without children for so long, we now seek moral acceptance of having children without marriage or even without sex. Left out of our moral calculations is what happens to children who primarily exist to fulfill adult longings.

We will soon know. According to a new report from the U.S. Census Bureau, America has gotten older faster over the last ten years than at any other time in history. Since 2010, Americans over 65 have become the fastest-growing segment of the population. Meanwhile, the number of those under 18 actually shrank between 2010 and 2019. If this continues, by 2035, senior citizens will outnumber minors in America in an unprecedented top-heavy arrangement with all sorts of social, economic, and political instability.

This news comes at a moment many Christians are already wondering what America their children will inherit. No matter what we do or how we vote or even who is appointed to the Supreme Court, it seems, our culture and country continue to drift in an anti-Christian direction.

In response to a recent disappointing opinion from the Supreme Court, Pastor Kevin DeYoung proposed a new culture war strategy. Writing at The Gospel Coalition, DeYoung urged Christians to have more children and disciple them like crazy. As my Tennessee friend might say, its not rocket-surgery.

The heated reactions to DeYoungs blog post, especially from other Christians, shows just how counter-cultural it has become to embrace the inherent created connection between sex, marriage, and children, even within the Church.

Of course, the reason Christians of all people should welcome children into our lives and even into our troubled times is not ultimately to win a culture war. As DeYoung acknowledged, children are a blessing from the Lord. Full stop. They arent means. They are ends: They are signs of living hope, votes of confidence in Gods sovereignty, and the most basic and constant opportunity to love others as Christ loves us.

Jesus told his disciples: Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. Ours is a culture that hinders children, instead of welcoming them. That we look at Gods blessings as mere lifestyle choices, even as punchlines for wisecracks and mockery, marks that we are a dying culture. And maybe a dying Church.

Christians of all people should have no hesitation challenging our cultures bad assumptions about children and welcoming them as blessings. But to do so, tragically, well have to start with the household of God.

Originally posted at breakpoint.org
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 02:52:12|Editor: huaxia

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MUSCAT, July 9 (Xinhua) -- The Central Bank of Oman launched on Thursday a new 50-riyal banknote to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of modern Oman.

This new banknote comes also "to commemorate Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the founder of modern Oman," said a statement of the bank.

"The bank will offer a new banknote for all other Omani cash categories, which includes 20 riyals, 10 riyals, five riyals, one riyal, half riyal and 100 baisas," the statement added.

Qaboos bin Said had ruled Oman for half a century, and was the longest-serving leader in the Middle East and Arab world at the time of his death on Jan. 10, 2020. Enditem
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 10

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On July 9th took place a meeting, in video conference format, between the legislative bodies of Mexico and Azerbaijan. By the initiative of the President of the Working Group for inter-parliamentary ties Azerbaijan-Mexico of the Milli Majlis, Jala Aliyeva, the meeting was held with the President of the Mexico-Azerbaijan Friendship Group of the Chamber of Deputies of the Congress of the Union of Mexico, Agustin Garcia Rubio. The meeting was also attended by the Ambassador of Mexico in Azerbaijan, Rodrigo Labardini, and the Ambassador of Azerbaijan in Mexico, Mammad Talibov, as well as officials from both Embassies.

The meeting presented ample opportunities to analyze the current state of the bilateral relationship and development prospects in multiple areas, including politics, economy, technical-scientific cooperation and the humanitarian sector. The representatives of the legislative bodies of Mexico and Azerbaijan expressed their interest in promoting the strengthening of inter-parliamentary ties. In this context, they agreed to hold meetings of both inter-parliamentary groups in a broader format, in order to have the participation of all members of both groups. Participants highlighted the role of parliamentary diplomacy in consolidating bilateral relations.

For his part, the Ambassador of Mexico, Rodrigo Labardini, presented the panorama of bilateral relations, in particular economic-commercial ties, considering them as one of the pillars of fruitful cooperation. The diplomat reported that the annual average of bilateral trade 1995-2014 was USD $ 2.2 million, but it grew more than 12 times in just five years to go to USD $ 28.2 million (2015-2019). He highlighted that in 2019 was reached the annual record figure - USD $ 52.4 million.

Participants also highlighted Mexico's support for the initiative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, related to hosting in a virtual format of an extraordinary session of the UN General Assembly, dedicated to solidarity and global cooperation in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Presidents of both Inter-Parliamentary Groups, Dip. Jala Aliyeva and Dip. Agustin Garcia Rubio, congratulated themselves for initiating cooperation efforts between both parliaments and pointed out the importance of continuing the efforts to achieve a greater rapprochement between both nations.
Paris, 10 JulyUNESCO and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) are convening an online round table on Monday 13 July from 4 to 5.30 pm (2.003.30 pm, UTC) to examine ways to optimize schooling and learning for young refugees in the future post-epidemic context.

The discussion will be moderated by UN Special Envoy and actor Angelina Jolie, a refugee advocate of longstanding. The meeting is co-sponsored by Canada, the United Kingdom and the global fund Education Cannot Wait , which has earmarked its second Covid emergency allocation for refugees. Exchanges will take place in English with simultaneous translation into French.

The meeting will be opened by UNESCO Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, the High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, and Canada's Minister of International Development, Karina Gould. The round table will then bring together young refugee students and graduates, as well as the ministers of education of Cameroon, Kenya and Pakistan, and representatives of the UNESCOs Global Coalition for Education. In conclusion, the Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the United Kingdom, Baroness Sugg, will summarize the debate.

The conversation will build on the observation of contradictory developments in education for refugees: While the trend to reopen schools appears to be gathering momentum, more than a billion learners worldwide are still excluded from compulsory education. Lockdowns are harshest for vulnerable groups, especially refugees. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, their children were twice as likely to be excluded from school, despite relative progress. A mere 63% of refugee children attend primary school and only 24% continue their secondary education.

The pandemic is likely to set back the modest progress made in recent years, especially for girls, at least 20 % of whom, are unlikely to resume their education after their schools reopen, according to a UNHCR estimates.

But there are some positive developments. A number of governments are including refugees in post-pandemic responses such as distance education, in line with their commitments under the Global Compact on Refugees . Participants in the debate will reflect on how to further strengthen such efforts.
(Reuters) - More than 60,500 new COVID-19 infections were reported across the United States on Thursday, according to a Reuters tally, setting a one-day record as weary Americans were told to take new precautions and the pandemic becomes increasingly politicized.

The total represents a slight rise from Wednesday, when there were 60,000 new cases, and marks the largest one-day increase by any country since the pandemic emerged in China last year.

As infections rose in 41 of the 50 states over the last two weeks, Americans have become increasingly divided on issues such as the reopening of schools and businesses. Orders by governors and local leaders mandating face masks have become particularly divisive.

Its just disheartening because the selfishness of (not wearing a mask) versus the selflessness of my staff and the people in this hospital who are putting themselves at risk, and I got COVID from this, said Dr. Andrew Pastewski, ICU medical director at Jackson South Medical Center in Miami.

You know, were putting ourselves at risk and other people arent willing to do anything and in fact go the other way and be aggressive to promote the disease. Its really, its really hard, he said.

Stephanie Porta, 41, a lifelong Orlando, Florida, resident, said only about half the shoppers at her grocery store wore masks, though that was more than she saw two weeks ago.

Theyre trying to make everything seem normal, when its not. People are dying, people are getting sick. Its insane, she said.

Florida on Thursday announced nearly 9,000 new cases and 120 new coronavirus deaths, a record daily increase in lives lost. Governor Ron DeSantis called the rising cases a blip and urged residents not to be afraid.

I know weve had a lot of different blips, DeSantis said. Were now at a higher blip than where we were in May and the beginning of June.

Florida is one of the few states that does not disclose the number of hospitalized COVID patients. But more than four dozen Florida hospitals reported their intensive care units reached full capacity earlier this week.

In Texas a group of bar owners sued Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, saying his June 26 order closing them down violates the state constitution, the Dallas Morning News reported.

Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Thursday that keeping schools closed would be a greater risk to childrens health than reopening them.

California and Texas, the two most populous states, announced record increases in COVID deaths on Wednesday.

California has seen cases and hospitalizations surge, even though it imposed one of the strictest lockdowns. After several lawmakers and staffers at the state Capitol in Sacramento were infected, lawmakers said the legislature would not return from summer break until July 27.

Riverside University Health System, east of Los Angeles, expanded its 44-bed intensive care unit after it filled up with patients.

Its been very consistent every day in the last couple of weeks. Every day has been like a full moon, Riverside emergency room physician Stephanie Loe said, referring to doctors beliefs that a full moon brings more patients to the emergency room.

Governors in California, Florida and Texas have either ruled out forced business closures and quarantines or called them a last resort. But Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti warned he would impose a new stay-at-home order in two weeks if the latest surge did not ease.

The rise in infections also weighed on the stock market Thursday on fears of new lockdowns, which would take a toll on the economic recovery. The Dow .DJI and the S&P 500 .SPX ended down about 1%.
Researchers are developing an A.I.-powered tool to find trends in courtroom data

Data insights will enable others to evaluate the justice system and ask if it is fair

Legal scholar: 'Our ability to understand and improve the law depends critically on our ability to access legal data'

Journalism researcher: 'The interface will allow reporters, both with and without data analytics skills, to quickly and easily access judicial information and court records'

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Although U.S. court documents are publicly available online, they sit behind expensive paywalls inside a difficult-to-navigate database.

A Northwestern University-led team says these barriers prevent the transparency needed to establish a fair and equal justice system. Making all court records open and available will allow researchers to systematically study and evaluate the U.S. justice system, yielding information with potential to direct policy.

"In principle, litigation is supposed to be open to the public," said Northwestern data scientist Luis A. Nunes Amaral. "In reality, the lack of access to court records seemingly undercuts any claim that the courts are truly 'open.'"

The new insights will be published on Friday, July 10 in the journal Science. Amaral is the corresponding author of the paper. His co-authors include computer and data scientists, legal scholars, journalists and policy experts.

Northwestern artificial intelligence (A.I) researcher Kristian Hammond and the C3 Lab are developing an A.I. platform that provides users with access to the information and insights hidden inside federal court records, regardless of their data and analytic skills.

"The problem with court data is the same problem with a lot of datasets," Hammond said. "The data cost money, and the technical skills to use them cost money. That means very few people have access -- not just to the data -- but the information that we all need that's hidden inside of it."

With this tool, the researchers can link courtroom data to other public data to explore questions such as: How do different judges affect the outcomes of similar cases? Does it make a difference to be defended by a big law firm compared to a smaller one? And how many cases settle?

"We really can ask the broadest questions," Amaral said. "The ultimate goal is to ask if the court system is acting fairly."

Amaral is the Erastus Otis Haven Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering in Northwestern's McCormick School of Engineering and the director of the Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems. Hammond is the Bill and Cathy Osborn Professor of Computer Science at McCormick and the director of Northwestern's Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence program.

Northwestern co-authors include data scientist Adam Pah from the Kellogg School of Management; legal scholars David Schwartz, Sarath Sanga, Zachary Clopton and Peter DiCola from the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law and journalism researcher Rachel Davis Mersey from the Medill School of Journalism.

Evaluating access to justice

To help quantify and evaluate citizens' access to justice, the researchers examined judicial waiver decisions. Anyone who files a lawsuit in a federal court must pay a $400 filing fee, which is unaffordable for many Americans. To waive these fees, litigants can file an application. Because there is no uniform standard to reviewing these requests, the Northwestern team found judges' decisions varied widely. In one federal district alone, judges approved waivers anywhere from less than 20% to more than 80% of the time.

"If all judges reviewed fee waiver applications under the same standard, then grant rates should not systematically differ within districts," the authors wrote. "We find, however, that they do."

The research team believes these types of variations can be fixed if the public can access and analyze court records, in order to give the justice system quantitative feedback. To do this, the researchers recommend a three-pronged approach:

1. Make court records free to dismantle the barrier to access;

2. Link courtroom data to external data -- such as information on judges, litigants and lawyers -- to build a collaborative knowledge network;

3. Empower the public by providing access to the information that flows from the analysis of the federal court data.

Transforming study and journalistic coverage

To help with this approach, the researchers are developing SCALES-OKN (Systematic Content Analysis of Litigation Events Open Knowledge Network), an A.I.-powered platform that makes the federal courtroom data and insights available to the public. The team believes the tool has potential to transform the ways academics, scientists and researchers approach legal study, as well as how journalists cover the justice system.

"Our ability to understand and improve the law -- everything from employment discrimination to intellectual property to securities regulation -- depends critically on our ability to access legal data," said Sanga, an associate professor at Northwestern Law. "By opening up court records, SCALES will finally enable researchers to systematically examine the court system and the practice of law. Social scientists will use this resource in much the same way that they use the U.S. Census. It will provide both a detailed and big picture view of the process by which litigants navigate the justice system, as well as the process by which judges administer justice."

"SCALES will transform the way journalists are able to cover the American justice system," said Mersey, associate dean of research at Medill. "The interface will allow reporters, both with and without data analytics skills, to quickly and easily access judicial information and court records to cover uses of social justice, equity and due process. At a time when media organizations have trimmed newsroom staffs and decreased the amount of money that can be spent gathering information, SCALES will prove to be a powerful partner in ensuring the justice systems operates in an open and accessible way."

###

The paper, "How to build a more open justice system," was supported by a gift from John and Leslie McQuown and by the National Science Foundation (award number 1937123).

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WEST HAVEN  State Rep. Dorinda Borer asked the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Friday to review the steps taken to notify the public after 2.1 million gallons of sewage spilled into the Mill River earlier this week, saying she hoped the analysis could be used to refine existing law.

Borer, D-West Haven, a member of the state legislatures Environmental Committee, and Rep. Geraldo Reyes, D-Waterbury, wrote to DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes about the issue of alerts.

In addition to my concern as an Environment Committee member, I represent the District of West Haven which includes miles of recreational shoreline and am extremely concerned with the importance of prompt notification to protect the health of not only West Havens residents, but the residents of all of our surrounding shoreline towns, Borer said in the letter.

As the oversight body, please provide an evaluation of the actions that transpired from inception to notification and follow up; protocols followed and communication gaps, Borer said in the letter.

In the letter, Borer notes that she co-sponsored Public Act 18-97, which was passed into law to set current requirements for telling the public about sewage spills. This law was enacted after 5 million gallons of sewage flowed into the Naugatuck River in October 2017.

While the existing law dictates notification, we will consider the results of your review for future enhancements to this important environmental law, said Borer.

Will Healey, a spokesman for DEEP, said the agency appreciates the lawmakers interest in the issue and officials there certainly understand the importance of timely notification.

DEEP is in the process of reviewing the actions taken in response to the sewage spill, Healey said. One aspect of that review will be focused on if required notifications were made and if so, in a timely manner.

New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker also raised concerns about the notification process in the wake of the spill, saying the city was not promptly informed about the extent of the problem by the Greater New Haven Water Pollution Control Authority, which delayed the citys ability to provide information to residents.

WPCA Director of Operations Gary Zrelak said this week that the WPCA would work on its notification skills and protocols for future incidents.

He said the WPCA had notified the state and Hamden officials of the issue within two hours, as required, as the spill occurred over the line in that community.

The river has been closed until further notice in New Haven, according to Health Director Maritza Bond. Beaches in Branford, East Haven and West Haven also were closed Wednesday in the wake of the spill.

Michael Pascucilla, director of the East Shore District Health Department, said he got lab results back Friday and East Havens Town Beach also returned satisfactory results and was back open. Water quality testing in Branford also indicated that the water is now safe for swimming and fishing, according to the town. All Branford beaches and shellfishing areas are now open, the town said.

West Haven Health Director Maureen B. Lillis allowed that citys 3 miles of public beaches to reopen Friday , after water quality samples there were within acceptable limits following the sewage spill.

The samples were collected along the West Haven shoreline July 8 and tested by the state Department of Public Health in Rocky Hill.

More than 2 million gallons of raw sewage spilled into New Havens Mill River and Long Island Sound on July 7, forcing West Haven officials to close beaches until water quality tests were deemed safe by the DPH.

New Haven has established a place to share results of water quality testing from the Mill River on the city website at https://bit.ly/3iPJpwy. City spokesman Gage Frank said Thursday officials were developing a dashboard to provide the information to the public. Bond said water samples drawn from various beaches had come back clean.

Healey said the water at Hammonasset Beach State Park and Silver Sands State Park was retested Thursday out of an abundance of caution.

Results from today were low so the swimming areas at both state parks will remain open, Healey said in an email.

william.lambert@hearstmediact.com
By Express News Service

KOCHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday registered a First Information Report (FIR) in the gold smuggling case a day after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) directed it to conduct a probe.

The FIR was registered against Sarith Kumar, Swapna Suresh and Sandeep Nair, the three persons allegedly involved in the case.

The case involved the smuggling of 30 kg of gold addressed to an attache of the UAE consulate in Thiruvananthapuram via the Trivandrum airport.

Police lathi charging the Yuvamorcha workers protesting and demanding the resignation of CM #PinarayiVijayan, for alleged connection of gold smugglers with the CM's office.#GoldSmugglingCase @xpresskerala @MSKiranPrakash



Express Photos | @manu_TNIE pic.twitter.com/8m5dkFpJWe  The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) July 10, 2020

The NIA has charged them with offenses under various sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. The sections deal with raising funds for terrorist acts and conspiracy for terrorist activities. The NIA will probe whether the gold smuggling was linked to activities detrimental to national security.

According to the NIA, the money from the smuggled gold may be meant for terrorist activities. It will be one of the first cases in the NIA's history in which the agency is entrusted to probe gold smuggling activities.

Meanwhile, the Customs which made the seizure has started the interrogation of Sarith at their office in Kochi. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (Economic Offences) on Thursday granted custody of him till July 15. The NIA will produce him at the NIA court after July 15.
Cruz Velazquez Acevedo began convulsing shortly after he drank the liquid methamphetamine he'd brought with him from Tijuana, Mexico.

The 16-year-old had just crossed the U.S.-Mexico border to San Diego and was going through the San Ysidro Port of Entry. He was carrying two bottles of liquid that he claimed was apple juice. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers told him to drink it to prove he wasn't lying, court records say.

A surveillance video published by ABC Friday, about 3 1/2 years after Acevedo's death, shows the teen taking a sip of the liquid after one of the two officers, Valerie Baird, motioned for him to drink. He took another sip after the other officer, Adrian Perallon, made a gesture with his hand, appearing to tell him to drink more.

The teen took four sips.

Then, he began sweating profusely. He screamed and clenched his fists.

In a matter of minutes, his temperature soared to 105 degrees, his family's attorney said. His pulse reached an alarming rate of 220 beats per minute - more than twice the normal rate for adults.

"Mi corazon! Mi corazon!" Acevedo screamed, according to court records - "My heart! My heart!"

He was dead about two hours later.

The United States has since agreed to pay Acevedo's family $1 million in a wrongful-death lawsuit brought against two border officers and the U.S. government.

The family's attorney, Eugene Iredale, acknowledged that the teen did something wrong when he tried to bring drugs into the United States on Nov. 18, 2013.

"But he's a 16-year-old boy with all the immaturity and bad judgment that might be characteristic of any 16-year-old kid," Iredale told The Washington Post. "He was basically a good boy, he had no record, but he did something stupid. In any event, the worst that would've happened to him is that he would've been arrested and put in a juvenile facility for some period of time. . . .

"It wasn't a death penalty case. To cause him to die in a horrible way that he did is something that is execrable."

Iredale said he does not know where or how Acevedo got the drugs, or why he brought them into the United States.

"It's typical for people who are drug smugglers to approach kids and offer them $150 to smuggle drugs across the border," he said. "We're never going to know in this case because Cruz died. He knows it's something he shouldn't be bringing."

Acevedo crossed the border through the pedestrian entrance at the San Ysidro Port of Entry at about 6:40 p.m. on that November night. Iredale said the teen was carrying his passport and his border crossing card, which allows Mexican citizens to enter the United States and travel within a certain distance for tourism purposes. In California and Texas, the distance is up to 25 miles from the border; New Mexico and Arizona allow noncitizens to travel for up to 55 miles and 75 miles, respectively.

The two Border Protection officers believed the teen was carrying a deadly controlled substance, but they "coerced and intimidated" him into drinking the liquid, according to a complaint. The boy was taken to a hospital almost an hour after he had sipped the methamphetamine.

He was pronounced dead just before 9 p.m.

Iredale called the officers' treatment of Acevedo "the most inhuman kind of cruelty."

"I'm not prepared to say they knew for certain that it was going to kill him. . . . It's obvious that they suspected from the beginning that it's meth," Iredale said. "Playing a cruel joke on a child is not something that's justifiable in any way. They have test kits available that would've given results in two to three minutes."

Iredale said the officers did test the liquid for drugs, but only after the teen started overdosing.

He also cited testimony by another border officer who said Baird confessed minutes after the incident.

"I asked him what it was, he said it was juice," Baird told the other border officer, according to Iredale. "I said to him then, 'prove it.' "

Perallon and Baird are still employed by the Customs and Border Protection in San Diego, the agency said in a statement.

"Although we are not able to speak about this specific case, training and the evaluation of CBP policies and procedures are consistently reviewed as needed," the statement said.

Iredale said Acevedo's death prompted an internal affairs investigation, but neither officer was disciplined. When asked about the internal affairs investigation, a Customs and Border Protection spokeswoman said the agency had no further comment.

Richard Tolles, an attorney for Baird, said his client and Perallon had sought a summary judgment on the case and were waiting for a hearing on their requests when the government decided to settle.

Perallon's attorney did not return a call from The Washington Post.

The U.S. attorney's office for the Southern District of California declined to comment.

The complaint alleged violations of constitutional rights, including the right to not be subjected to punishment without due process. It also accused government officials of not adequately training border officers. Tolles said there was no misconduct on his client's part "that would've risen to the level of denial of due process."

"There is no violation of any clearly established constitutional right," he said.

In a motion to dismiss filed on behalf of Baird in 2015, her attorneys said Acevedo wasn't a U.S. citizen and had no connections with the United States that entitled him to any constitutional rights.

"Nonresident aliens are entitled to constitutional protections only if they have substantial voluntary connections with the United States," the attorneys argued.

Iredale said the settlement was the result of several conversations between the parties. The money has been paid to Acevedo's parents, Iredale said.
Husband Shoots Wifes Lover After Catching Them In Bed Hours After Their Marriage Ended Unofficially

An Indiana man has been charged with shooting and critically injuring his newly-estranged wifes lover after finding the amorous pair in bed together.

Last week, officers with the Marion Police Department responded to a home in the 500 block of East Highland Avenue, where they were met by 34-year-old Robert Beck.

According to police, Beck informed the officers that he had shot someone and was the one who called 911 to report the shooting.

Upon entering the house, police found the victim, identified as 51-year-old Brian Eccles, suffering from gunshot wounds to his chest and left arm.

Becks wife, Jodi Beck, 35, and the couples two children, ages 7 and 11, were also present inside the home at the time of the incident.

Responding officers administered first aid to Eccles until paramedics arrived and transported him to Marion General Hospital. He was later airlifted to a hospital in Fort Wayne in critical condition.

During the investigation, police learned that Robert and Jodi Beck had separated earlier in the day.

The jilted husband had left the couples home, then returned later to find Eccles in the bedroom with his estranged wife.

A confrontation occurred and Beck shot Eccles with a 380 caliber handgun, according to a press release from the police.

Officers on the scene recovered the weapon and arrested Beck on a charge of felony aggravated battery. His bond was set at $30,005.
Do you recall the anti-George W. Bush petition that generated scads of mock signatories such as Hugh G. Reckshun? James Taranto delighted in chronicling the signatures daily in his online Best of the Web column for the Wall Street Journal. More recently, The Open Letter from Yale Law Students, Alumni, and Educators Regarding Brett Kavanaugh attracted one such signatory: Charles U Farley, YLS 04. Now, Charles Glasser observed, thats a lawyers lawyer.

This week Paul Mirengoff spotted at least one such signatory to the Stalinist letter by Princeton faculty righteously demanding an end to academic freedom. Perhaps Professor Reckshun is available to add his name to the list.

One Princeton professor who has declined to join that disgraceful lineup is Joshua Katz, Cotsen Professor in the Humanities and Professor of Classics. Professor Katz dissents from his colleagues running with the Stalinist herd. At Quillette Katz has posted A declaration of independence by a Princeton professor. In attaching his name to the declaration like American heroes of old, Professor Katz has risked his life, his fortune, and his sacred honor. Let us tip our hat to him.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) announced last week that the end of the third shift at its Windsor, Ontario auto assembly plant is irrevocably slated for next Monday, July 13. The announcement finalizes earlier plans to eliminate the shift and the 1,375 jobs assigned to it.

About 700 senior workers have accepted a buyout retirement package. Lower seniority workers will simply be laid off and placed on a list for possible rehire as Temporary Part Time workers (TPTs) when such openings occur and at significantly reduced pay and benefits.

When the initial announcement was made in 2019, Unifor officials claimed to have been blindsided by the planned layoffs. The union then did nothing to organize opposition to FCAs aggressive corporate downsizing, which is driven by its determination to boost profitability. Instead, it parroted the companys justification for the move so as to reinforce the sense of inevitability about the process. This no doubt played a role in encouraging many workers to accept buyouts.

Shift change at the FCA Windsor plant

Talking like a corporate executive, Unifor Local 444 President Dave Cassidy said the cuts were strictly a business decision based on the Pacifica. He rejected any comparison to the then impending shutdown of the Oshawa GM plant.

Right-wing Ontario Progressive Conservative Premier Doug Ford then issued a demagogic statement claiming his government stood behind Fiat Chrysler workers. He went on to boast that his government was dedicated to boosting corporate profits. Our government is lowering taxes, lowering electricity rates and slashing red tape. There has never been a better time for auto manufacturers to invest in the province of Ontario, declared Ford.

The New Democratic Party issued similar hollow statements of solidarity with Windsor autoworkers, while Canadian Prime Minister Trudeaus Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, Navdeep Bains, simply expressed his disappointment with FCAs decision.

The Windsor plant, which builds the Chrysler Pacifica minivan, Pacifica Hybrid, Grand Caravan, and Chrysler Voyager, has operated on a three-shift schedule since 1993. The plant is the largest employer in Windsor, which has been devastated by a steady reduction of auto production in the city, once called the automotive capital of Canada. There are about 5,900 workers currently employed at the facility, which underwent retooling in 2015 to build the Pacifica. The plant can build up to 1,500 vehicles per day.

The job cuts will have an immediate knock-on effect in the citys auto parts sector. It is expected that local FCA suppliers Flex-N-Gate and Syncreon will shed at least 200 jobs due to the Chrysler retrenchment.

The announcement of a final layoff date had been expected by autoworkers at the plant for some time. FCA has revised the shifts end date five times since the initial announcement was made last year. In the ensuing months the company delayed issuing a conclusive end date as it calibrated production volumes with the plummeting sales figures of its Grand Caravan and Pacifica models and then, more recently, recalibrated once again to adjust for lost production during the COVID-19 shutdown.

Sales numbers for the facilitys main product, the Chrysler Pacifica, have steadily declined in recent years. Last year, purchases of the model dropped by 17 percent in the vital US market and by 38 percent in Canada. Sales of the Grand Caravan were down by 19 percent in the US and by 15 percent in Canada.

In mid-March, North American automakers temporarily closed their plants for two months after autoworkers in Canada, the United States and Mexico began to refuse unsafe work and carry out other job actions that included walkouts and wildcat strikes to protest the lack of protections against the spread of the coronavirus in their plants. In fact, it was a day and a half work refusal at the FCA operation in Windsor that began the cascade of job actions across the continent.

Windsor-Essex County, which includes the City of Windsor, remains one of Ontarios COVID-19 hotspots with infection rates skyrocketing amongst migrant farm worker populations.

Work refusals have once again gathered steam in plants located across the river in Detroit, where virus infections are spiking. In recent days, autoworkers at FCA Jefferson North and FCA Sterling Heights have staged work stoppages over recurring infections. In both plants workers formed their own rank-and-file safety factory committees in opposition to the joint United Auto Workers (UAW) and FCA drive to force workers to continue production regardless of the deadly virus threat (see: Fiat Chrysler threatens to fire workers who stop production over COVID-19 concerns).

There was one other contributing factor to the previous delays in finalizing the third shift closure date in Windsorthe upcoming contract negotiations at the Canadian operations of the Detroit Three automakers.

It is no coincidence that the Windsor layoffs will take effect only two months before contracts expire at FCA, Ford, and General Motors facilities in Canada for about 16,000 autoworkers. It is expected that vehicle production in Canada on the part of the Detroit Three automakers will fall another 27 percent over the life of the next contract. The latest layoffs will be used as a threat by FCA to bully and intimidate autoworkers into accepting sweeping concessions, including wage and job cuts.

The future of 160 jobs at FCAs Etobicoke casting plant is already in doubt. At the companys Brampton assembly operation, which employs 3,400 workers, production capacity is currently significantly underutilized, as the future of the Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 sedans remain in limbo.

This strategy is not limited to FCA. Just weeks before the Canada Detroit Three contract negotiations are set to begin, analysts are reporting that Ford may be planning to phase out its Oakville assembly plant by 2023 due to the cancellation of its Edge cross-over program. Ford has axed more than 1,000 jobs in Oakville over the past year. For its part, General Motors laid down the gauntlet last year with the shuttering of its keystone assembly plant in Oshawa, Ontario that saw 2,300 assembly jobs slashed and thousands more auto parts jobs destroyed.

Unifor President Jerry Dias has already signalled that he will once again do everything in his power to suppress worker job action and to prove to the Detroit Three automakers that Unifor can be relied on to ensure that their Canadian plants are among their most profitable anywhere in the world.

In a May interview with Automotive News Canada previewing the contract negotiations, Dias went out of his way to proclaim his opposition to a strike. If after months and months and months of reduced volume based on the pandemic things are starting to get back to a resemblance of where they were pre-crisis, no one is going to want a disruption, said Dias. And I mean nobody; both the workers and the automakers.

With workers having been driven back into the plants in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is an urgent need for workers to build rank-and-file safety committees independent of and in opposition to the union. These committees must ensure that health and safety precautions are enforced and production is immediately shut down when infections occur. In opposition to the automakers demands for layoffs to boost investor payouts and corporate profitability, they should also take up the fight to defend all jobs.

These committees must be the springboard to seize the conduct of the fight for a new contract out of the hands of the Unifor bureaucrats, forge unity with autoworkers in the US and Mexico , and organize a counteroffensive against all concessions, two-tier wages, and job cuts.
Danit Naomi Aronson and Taro Kimura were college sweethearts after they met at Tufts at the end of 1998. Two decades later they got together again when she reached out after seeing him as a recommended connection on the professional networking website LinkedIn.

She was creative-looking, wore bright colors and had a lot of energy, said Mr. Kimura, 41, who was a year ahead of her, and first noticed her in the cafeteria in the uphill part of campus, and then they met at a party and began dating.

She spent her junior year studying in Paris while he was a senior. After each graduated from Tufts, she cum laude, he moved to San Francisco, where he received a masters degree in electrical engineering from Santa Clara University, and she returned to Paris for another year and a half before settling in New York.

He was definitely my first love, said Ms. Aronson, 40, but they eventually lost touch. Each of us had our full complete lives. We traveled the world and dated, but neither of us found the right person.
Myriam Borzee/iStockBy WILLIAM MANSELL and EMILY SHAPIRO, ABC News



(NEW YORK) -- A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now killed more than 556,000 people worldwide.



Over 12.3 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 3.1 million diagnosed cases and at least 133,542 deaths.

Here is how the news is developing Friday. All times Eastern:

6:23 p.m.: Atlanta mayor announces rollback, governor refutes plan



Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who has risen to the national stage in recent months and is a candidate for vice president on Joe Biden's ticket, said she is rolling back the city's reopening plans, according to Atlanta ABC affiliate WSB.



The rollback to phase 1 would require people to shelter-in-place at their homes and only leave for essential tasks. The city had moved to phase 2 in late May, at the behest of Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, which allowed for businesses to reopen with restrictions.



Kemp's office quickly released a statement saying the mayor had no authority to return to phase 1.



"Mayor Bottoms' action today is merely guidance -- both non-binding and legally unenforceable. As clearly stated in the Governor's executive order, no local action can be more or less restrictive, and that rule applies statewide," the governor's statement said. "Once again, if the Mayor actually wants to flatten the curve in Atlanta, she should start enforcing state restrictions, which she has failed to do."



"We ask citizens and businesses alike to comply with the terms of the Governor's order, which was crafted in conjunction with state public health officials," the statement added. "These common-sense measures will help protect the lives and livelihoods of all Georgians."



Bottoms herself tested positive for the virus earlier this week, but has shown few symptoms, she said.



5:42 p.m.: Texas still setting records for hospitalizations



Texas, one of the virus's current hotspots, continues to struggle with overcrowding in hospitals as cases surge.



There are currently 10,002 patients hospitalized statewide, with Houston's Texas Medical Center at 105% capacity.



Texas reported 95 new fatalities on Friday -- down slightly from Thursday's one-day record of 105 -- bringing the state's total to 3,013 deaths.



Among the deaths is a 6-month-old baby in Corpus Christi. The positivity rate for testing in Bexar County, which includes San Antonio, is 22%.



Also, a 30-year-old man in San Antonio died after attending a party, according to the chief medical officer at Methodist Hospital.



"One of the things that was heart wrenching that he said to his nurse was, you know, I think I made a mistake. And this young man went to a COVID party," Dr. Jane Appleby told San Antonio ABC affiliate KSAT. "He didnt really believe. He thought the disease was a hoax. He thought he was young and he was invincible and wouldnt get affected by the disease."



A bipartisan group of Texas lawmakers, led by Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, are asking Health and Human Services for a new field hospital, along with personnel, oxygen, ventilators, personal protective equipment and dialysis machines to help battle the coronavirus in the Rio Grande Valley.



"To quote a local hospital administrator, 'We cannot wait 30 days,'" they wrote in a letter to Secretary Alex Azar.



Cases in Texas now total 240,111 with 9,765 new cases since yesterday.

4:30 p.m.: California to release 8,000 inmates



The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said Friday it will release more inmates to help protect the prisons from COVID-19.



The department said it estimates 8,000 inmates could be eligible for release by the end of August, in addition to the about 10,000 people released since the pandemic began.



Everyone will be tested for COVID-19 within seven days of release, the department said.



"These actions are taken to provide for the health and safety of the incarcerated population and staff," California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Secretary Ralph Diaz said in a statement. "We aim to implement these decompression measures in a way that aligns both public health and public safety."



Over 1,000 have been infected and several inmates have died at California's San Quentin prison, reported ABC San Francisco station KGO. COVID-19 also broke out at California Institution for Men in Chino, where an inmate told KGO that the virus "spread like wildfire."

4 p.m.: Georgia reports new daily record of coronavirus cases



Coronavirus is on the rise on Georgia, and on Friday, the state reported its highest daily increase of cases so far, according to ABC Atlanta affiliate WSB.



Georgia state reported 4,484 new cases and 35 new fatalities on Friday.



Until now, the highest single-day case increase in Georgia was last Thursday when the state recorded nearly 3,500 new cases, WSB reported.



3:35 p.m.: California's hospitalizations jump by 40%



California's number of coronavirus hospitalizations reached a new high on Friday, jumping 40% in two weeks, to 6,171 patients.



The number of people in ICUs increased by 28% in the last two weeks.



California reported 140 additional deaths on Friday, bringing the state's death toll to 6,851.



California had reported 149 new deaths on Thursday -- the state's highest daily number of fatalities so far.



3 p.m.: NY nursing homes can resume visits



New York nursing homes -- which have been severely impacted by the pandemic -- can resume limited visits, with strict rules applying, State Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker announced Friday.



Visits can resume at nursing homes that have been without COVID-19 for at least 28 days.



Two people can visit at a time and the visitors must get their temperature checked, wear face coverings and stay socially distant. Only 10% of nursing home residents can have visitors at once.



"We will continue to closely monitor the situation in each facility, and make adjustments based on the facts and data moving forward," Zucker said in a statement. "I know how painful it has been for residents of these facilities to endure such a long period of time without seeing family and loved ones, and my hope is that this adjustment to the visitation policy will provide some comfort to everyone."



More than 6,400 residents have died in New York state nursing homes and longterm care facilities, The New York Times reported Wednesday.



2:20 p.m.: Connecticut reports another day of no COVID-19 deaths



For the second time this week, Connecticut reported a day of no COVID-19 fatalities on Friday.



No deaths were reported on Tuesday, while the state reported five fatalities on Wednesday and another five on Thursday.



Gov. Ned Lamont said Friday that the state has reached a .6% positivity rate, down from 1% on Thursday.



Connecticut has 77 people in hospitals on Friday, a decrease of 13 since Thursday.

1:30 p.m.: Michigan businesses must refuse service to those not wearing masks

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has signed a new executive order requiring face coverings in indoor spaces and in crowded outdoor spaces. The order also requires businesses to refuse entry or service to people who won't wear a face covering.



"Those who are exempt from wearing a mask in Michigan businesses include people younger than five years old, those who cannot medically tolerate a face covering, and those who are eating or drinking while seated at a food service establishment," a statement from the governor said.



Every region in Michigan has seen an uptick in COVID-19 cases in the last week, Whitmer said



The executive order takes effect on Monday. Those who violate the order could face a $500 criminal penalty.

1 p.m.: Arizona's ICUs are 89% full



In hard-hit Arizona, intensive care units are 89% full on Friday.



This comes as the state reports 4,221 new cases, reaching a total of 116,892 cases.



At least 2,082 people in Arizona have died from the virus.



12:30 p.m.: Texas county shuts down testing centers due to heat



Harris County, Texas, which includes the city of Houston, said Friday it was shutting down all of its COVID-19 testing centers due to the extreme heat.



The National Weather Service warned the heat index values would reach between 105 and 110 degrees during the day.



Houston reported 412 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, bringing the city's total to 26,012, the mayor said.



Texas hit a record number of daily coronavirus fatalities on Thursday, with 105 new deaths recorded.



The state's positivity rate stood at 15% Thursday.

12 p.m.: Mexico looking to extend border closing with US



Mexico's Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said Friday that Mexico's border closure with the U.S. should be extended to August or until there is a "decline" in U.S. cases.



"Our perspective and the one from the Secretary of Health is that it would not be prudent to reopen because what we are going to cause is an impact towards a new outbreak." Ebrard said at a news conference. "So what we are looking with the local authorities is to prolong the nonessential travel restrictions."



11:30 a.m.: South Carolina order restricts alcohol sales



In South Carolina, where COVID-19 is surging, Gov. Henry McMaster said he is issuing an executive order prohibiting the sale of alcohol at bars and restaurants after 11 p.m. each night.



The order begins Saturday and lasts until further notice, he said Friday.



Restaurants and bars that violate the order may be fined or have their alcohol permits suspended or revoked, the governor warned.



Alcohol can still be purchased at wine and liquor stores.



South Carolina's positivity rate stood at 20.6% on Thursday. Three-quarters of the state's hospital beds were in use as of Thursday.

11 a.m.: Florida reports over 11,000 new cases, 11-year-old girl among fatalities



Florida reported 11,433 new cases on Friday, bringing the state's total cases to 244,151.



Florida's positivity rate is down to 12.7%, a 5.5% drop from Thursday.



Among the state's 4,203 fatalities is an 11-year-old Fort Lauderdale girl, reported ABC Miami affiliate WPLG, citing the local medical examiner. The young girl suffered from underlying conditions including cerebral palsy, epilepsy and asthma, WPLG said.



Miami-Dade County, which includes Miami, and Broward County, which includes Fort Lauderdale, are especially hard-hit, but both counties showed improvement on Friday.



Miami-Dade reported 2,360 new cases and a positivity rate of 20.2%, down from 26.2% on Thursday.



Broward County reported 1,627 new cases and a positivity rate of 15%, a drop from 22.7% one day earlier.

9:40 a.m.: Dog in Texas confirmed to have COVID-19



A dog in Tarrant County, Texas, was confirmed to have SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans, according to federal officials and the Texas Animal Health Commission.



The dog was tested after its owners were confirmed to have the coronavirus, the animal health commission said.



The 2-year-old dog is considered healthy, officials said.



"Based on current knowledge, there is no evidence that pets play a significant role in spreading SARS-CoV-2 to people, Texas' state veterinarian, Dr. Andy Schwartz, said in a statement. "Its always important to restrict contact with your pets and other animals, just like you would other people, if you are infected with COVID-19 in order to protect them from infection."

8:45 a.m.: Boston's moratorium on evictions extended through end of year



As the pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the economy, Boston is extending its moratorium on nonessential evictions through the end of the year, Mayor Marty Walsh said Friday.



This moratorium, which began in March, applies to Boston Housing Authority's public housing residents.



"These are extraordinary times, and right now, we all need to come together to ensure that our city's most vulnerable residents are able to continue to live and work in the city they call home," the mayor said in a statement.

8:03 a.m.: Judge rules against Texas GOP



A Harris County District Court judges has ruled against the Republican Party in Texas, after it sued the city of Houston and Mayor Sylvester Turner after the mayor canceled the state's GOP convention in the city.



Turner, citing the surge in coronavirus cases in the state and city, canceled the Texas Republican Party's in-person state convention, which was scheduled to start on July 16 in Houston.



"Look, these are some very serious times, and the safety of people attending the convention, the employees, their family members, the people in the city of Houston, have their public health concerns," Turner said in a statement. "First responders and municipal workers will all be in contact or in proximity to the indoor gathering. Public health concerns outweigh anything else."



The Texas GOP, said it was expecting the "liberal" court's ruling and said it would appeal to the Texas Supreme Court.



It didnt matter in which court this case landed, we expected a denial from the liberal Harris County courts, Texas Republican Party Chairman James Dickey, said in a statement Thursday. We thank them for a speedy denial so we can move forward with the appeal we had prepared.



Turner canceled the convention, which was to be held at the George R. Brown Convention Center, after the city's Local Health Authority, Dr. David Persse called the GOP convention "a clear and present danger."

5:13 a.m.: US COVID-19 deaths begin to climb again



National coronavirus case counts, hospitalizations and deaths continue to climb, according to the COVID Tracking Project. At least 867 people died of COVID-19 Thursday in the U.S.



Nationally, the seven-day average has begun to climb after an extended decline, the COVID Tracking Project said.



The last three days were the highest numbers the organization has reported since early June. This rise in deaths is concentrated in states with large outbreaks. Texas, California and Florida all reported their single highest day of deaths for the entire pandemic on Thursday.



This news comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its COVID-19 death toll forecast Thursday to say it expects between 140,000 to 160,000 deaths by Aug. 1



The CDC forecasts suggest that the number of new deaths over the next four weeks in Arizona, Alabama, Florida, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Nevada, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, the U.S. Virgin Islands and West Virginia, will likely exceed the number reported over the last four weeks. For other states, the number of new deaths is expected to be similar to the number seen in the previous four weeks or to decrease slightly.



Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
In May 2017, a staffer in the National Security Councils strategic planning office called Rich Higgins began showing round a strategy memo hed written to his colleagues.

Not long after that, the seven-page document landed on a certain 140-year-old desk made from the timbers of HMS Resolute, behind which sits the President of the United States.

Such an occurrence is not in itself unusual. As a sort of internal think tank meant to synthesize vast amounts of intelligence and national defence information into policy options for protecting the country, the National Security Councils output often takes the form of memoranda, position papers, reports, and studies.

But Higgins, a former Defence Department official who had been brought to the NSC by Donald Trumps first national security adviser, Lt Gen Michael Flynn, had authored a document unlike any other produced under the auspices of the NSC.

Instead of advocating tactics or strategies for defending the country from its enemies abroad, his seven-page memo  entitled POTUS and Political Warfare  was a xenophobic screed alleging that opposition to the Trump administration and its policies was part of a plan to implement cultural Marxism by a cabal of deep state actors, globalists, bankers, lslamists, and establishment Republicans using attack narratives which operate in social media, television, the 24-hour news cycle in all media, and are entrenched at the upper levels of the bureaucracies and within the foreign policy establishment.

According to The Atlantic, then-national security adviser H R McMaster  Flynns replacement  ordered Higgins dismissal in late July 2017, after it became known that hed circulated the memo alleging that the hard left had aligned against Trump with Islamic organizations such as the Muslim Brotherhood, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the American Civil Liberties Union and Black Lives Matter, as well as the United Nations, to people inside and outside the White House.

One year after Higgins defenestration, Lt Col Alexander Vindman arrived at the NSC for a two-year detail. A Purple Heart recipient who still carried shrapnel in his body from an Iraqi IED, Vindman  an immigrant from the former Soviet Union who speaks fluent Russian and Ukrainian  was assigned to work on Ukraine policy, and in late 2019 became both a household name and a Trumpist bete noire when he testified during the hearings that led to Trumps impeachment.

Like Higgins, Vindman  along with his twin brother Evgeny  would be escorted out of the National Security Councils office suite after being summarily dismissed by another of Flynns successors, Robert OBrien. Both Alexander Vindman and his brother  also a Lieutenant Colonel in the army  were fired on the orders of President Trump as part of a concerted effort to rid the government of anyone whod crossed him during the Houses impeachment inquiry.

Vindman, who was slated to attend the storied Army War College and receive a promotion to full Colonel, instead announced on Wednesday that hed officially asked to retire from the Army after a 21-year career. According to his attorney, he chose to retire rather than risk delaying promotion of his fellow soldiers due to the White Houses desire to block his advancement.

But even as Vindman is being forced out of government service for following the law by testifying to Congress, Higgins  who was forced out of government for his authorship of a racist memo which cast the presidents critics as domestic enemies  is on his way back in.

According to two sources familiar with the matter, the White House has pushed Pentagon officials to return Higgins to the Defense Department in one of the departments most powerful roles, Chief of Staff to the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy.

First reported by Foreign Policy, the decision to bring Higgins back into the administration is part of an effort to ensure that the Pentagon is staffed by those whose loyalty to Trump is assured, including many with connections to Michael Flynn.

The push to install loyal Trumpists and Flynn acolytes in top Pentagon roles at the same time that officers like Vindman are being drummed out of the military has alarmed current and former NSC and Defence Department officials, who say the situation is emblematic of an administration that encourages unhinged conspiracy theorists at the expense of those loyal to the Constitution.

This president has created an alternate universe in which speaking truth to power is an occupational hazard, and I think no one better illustrates that than Alex Vindman and what happens to him, said Ned Price, a former CIA analyst and Obama-era NSC spokesperson.

Price, who quit the CIA rather than serve under Trump, said Vindman, who did nothing more than follow the law and fulfill his obligation to the American people and honor his oath to the Constitution, is the polar opposite of Higgins, the latter of whom is loyal not to the Constitution, not to the American people, but to a president.

You see that loyalty [to Trump] come out in that absolutely bonkers memo, he continued. It has essentially escaped public consciousness that a senior NSC staffer in the Trump administration wrote a memo that outlines the president's domestic political opposition in terms of Islamists, globalists, the deep state and the press.

Another former NSC official who served under the Trump administration said Higgins memo was consistent with the ideology of the administration and the composition of NSC leadership under Flynn, but added that it was still surprising how straight-up appalling and bizarre it was when they actually read it.

It's like these individuals are living in a complete alternate reality, they said, adding that the idea of such people still serving in government was terrifying and the fact that Higgins ideas made it into a formal memo that reached Trumps desk shows how dangerous somebody like that can be.

Price posited that the harm from having someone like Higgins  who he called a wackadoodle  embedded within Pentagon leadership would come from his corroding the institution from the inside and eroding the Defence Departments good order, discipline, and respect for the Constitution.

It sends a signal throughout the ranks that this kind of behavior, that these values, this craven loyalty to a president over the American people, is rewarded In this administration, he said.

But the former NSC official  who overlapped with Higgins at the NSC  said the threat posed by people like Higgins could turn into a physical threat to the nations security.

His racist views, delusions, and conspiracies, coupled with the fact that he could have the countrys defence forces and military capabilities at his fingertips, is a serious national security threat, they said. In my perspective, it's the same cocktail that results in violent, racist groups like the KKK, and its really worrisome that Trump is trying to push someone like him.

Another national security expert within the Pentagons top ranks as a consultant to Defence Department leadership slammed the administration for bringing in a slew of unqualified appointees such as Higgins and Undersecretary of Defence for Policy nominee Anthony Tata, at the same time a decorated veteran like Vindman is being forced into retirement.

The army is dealing with a catastrophic sexual assault problem that we have been fighting, which is all about rank and authority and abuse of young women and grooming, and here's a guy who's a general who's literally busted for that, cashiered and retired and now we're going to ask this guy to come back to be the number-three guy in the Pentagon? And on top of it, then we're going to give this other nutjob [Higgins] the Chief of Staff job as his gatekeeper? he asked, incredulously.

I know it's six months before the election and we always kind of just fill the seats with the C team because that's what we do, but we're really scraping the bottom here, he said.

It's bringing in these hacks, who on any other planet, in any other universe would never have careers at this high a level, while guys who should have naturally matriculated and been promoted and had successful careers in national security are getting pushed out. Its glaringly obvious that anyone who is professional but not 100 percent personally loyal [to Trump] are getting crushed.

The veteran defence expert, who requested anonymity to speak candidly, said Higgins infamous memorandum was lunacy that showed complete disrespect for professionals whove dedicated their lives to this country and a total lack of understanding about the professionalization of the US civil service.

It's just remarkable how these guys who've done nothing in their lives want to come in and do loyalty checks on the professionals. I read his memo, and it's nothing but a screed of enemies here and enemies there and Islamism and Marxists, and you're going to put this guy as the Chief of Staff to the number three at the Pentagon, the gatekeeper to the undersecretary for policy in the Department of Defense? Its just lunacy. I dont know how else to put it, he said.
Police chiefs in Canada have proposed to decriminalize the possession of street drugs, arguing not laying criminal charges for personal drug use can benefit public health and public safety.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/7/2020 (557 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Police chiefs in Canada have proposed to decriminalize the possession of street drugs, arguing not laying criminal charges for personal drug use can benefit public health and public safety.

The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police issued a report Thursday that recommends a national task force of police, justice and health officials be set up to look at drug policy reform. They say police should stop charging individuals for simple possession, but continue to target drug traffickers and organized crime. Decriminalization of drug possession, the association says, would mean people could be fined or face other non-criminal penalties.

The recommendations are included in the findings of the association's committee on decriminalization of illicit drugs. The findings were approved by provincial police chiefs associations from September 2019 to March 2020, the report states.

"We must adopt new and innovative approaches if we are going to disrupt the current trend of drug overdoses impacting communities across Canada. Merely arresting individuals for simple possession of illicit drugs has proven to be ineffective. Research from other countries who have boldly chosen to take a health, rather than an enforcement-based approach, to problematic drug use have demonstrated positive results," the report states.

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The findings specifically mention decriminalizing methamphetamine and opioids. Police chiefs in Manitoba have yet to comment on the recommendations. In the past, Winnipeg police Chief Danny Smyth has supported the consideration of opening a supervised safe consumption site in Manitoba. The report notes there are 49 such sites across Canada.

National police association president Chief Const. Adam Palmer of Vancouver said in a statement Thursday that police officers are often the first point of contact for people dealing with addiction or mental-health issues, and that the police chiefs are recommending a health-focused approach.

"We recommend that enforcement for possession give way to an integrated health-focused approach that requires partnerships between police, health care and all levels of government," Palmer said.

 with files from The Canadian Press

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @thatkatiemay
New Texas Education Agency (TEA) guidelines for re-opening schools next year received a less-than-warm welcome from by many Texas school district officials, including Fort Bend ISD superintendent Charles Dupre who called the new rules disappointing in a district statement released Wednesday, July 8. The TEAs guidelines require districts to provide full-time in-classroom learning to all students who opt to enroll in in-person classes, which could prove difficult if not impossible depending on how many students return to their classroom next year. Not meeting TEA guidelines would negatively affect next years revenues, Dupre said.

In fact, the guidelines, as written, provide for a reduction in funding for school districts that might not be able to provide on-campus instruction every day or if students must be on a part-time schedule to limit the number students in a classroom at one time, Dupre said Wednesday (July 10) in a statement.

Considering more than half of Fort Bend ISDs campuses were near or above 100 percent capacity last year with schools approximately 87.28 percent full on average, maintaining smaller class sizes could prove challenging depending on enrollment. Dupre also voiced concern the guidelines dont allow districts to consider teacher input and health concerns into consideration during the planning process. One potential hurdle could be teacher shortages if a significant number of teachers dont feel safe to return to the classroom and decide to retire or resign.

While it is our intent to provide daily face-to-face classroom learning for any student selecting that option, we cannot commit to such a plan until we survey teachers to determine their willingness and ability to return to face-to-face instruction, Dupre said.

The new guidelines were introduced Tuesday, and allow districts an optional three-week optional transition period for online classes to provide more time for planning. But, a hybrid schedule Fort Bend ISD was considering that would combine online learning with part-time in-classroom instruction for part of each week or on alternating days is not allowed. TEA rules mandate districts must offer daily on-campus learning to all parents who want their children to attend school every day. For students, there are two options: full-time online learning or returning to the classroom five days-a-week, with the option of switching between the two at the end of each grading period. New health and safety protocols will require teachers and staff to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms, including taking their temperature, before going to work each day. Additionally, teachers and staffers must tell their districts if they have been in close contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 and cannot return to their campus for 14 days. Masks will also be required for all students over 10 years-old, assuming Governor Abbotts mask order is still in place, with exceptions made for special circumstances.

Related: Fort Bend ISD trustees sideline plans for employee raises next year

TEA officials say the guidelines were developed with input from Governor Abbotts Coronavirus Medical Advisory Tea,; the Governors Strike Force to Reopen Texas, input from various school system leaders, ongoing global analysis of school operational practices, ongoing global research on viral spread in schools and current medical studies among other factors. Due to the nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, TEA officials said changes are to be expected next year as districts and state lawmakers evaluate and adapt to current health risk factors and new scientific developments. The road head for districts next year is expected to be challenging.

We have a public health crisis, and it continues, and we cannot allow that to become an education crisis, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said while announcing the new guidelines. Its going to be a lot of hard work for educators across the state of Texas.

Related: Protesters demand Fort Bend constable resign after details of 2016 use-of-force incident emerges

For Ford Bend ISD and other districts, little time remains to develop plans that meet TEA guidelines.

Fort Bend ISD is considering many safeguards and precautions to mitigate the spread of illness within our schools. We remain committed to following TEA guidance and the strategic plan set forth by our local Board of Trustees to provide an educational system that allows all students to reach their full potential - in any circumstance, Dupre said. Our teachers and campus staff are at the heart of everything we do, and we will not ask them to bear the risk and weight of any re-opening plan.

knix@hcnonline.com
Sensex, Nifty Updates: Benchmark Sensex and Nifty ended the week on a bearish note on Friday, tracking weak global cues amid concerns of fresh set of lockdowns amid rise in coronavirus cases worldwide. Sensex closed 143 points lower at 36,594 and Nifty closed 45 points lower at 10,768. Globally indices turned red as investors turned cautious concerns over the rising number of COVID-19 cases across the world and its impact on economic recovery. Yesterday, Sensex ended 408 points higher at 36,737 and Nifty gained 107 points to 10,813.

Here's a look at the updates of the market action on BSE and NSE today

3. 55 PM: Closing bell

Benchmark Sensex and Nifty ended the week on a bearish note on Friday, tracking weak global cues amid concerns of fresh set of lockdowns amid rise in coronavirus cases worldwide. Sensex closed 143 points lower at 36,594 and Nifty closed 45 points lower at 10,768.

3. 13 PM: Gold prices steady today

Gold price saw some profit booking after touching $1800 yesterday as dollar strengthened slightly.

2. 57 PM: Oil prices decline over 3% today

Oil price dropped more than 3% as concerns of fresh lockdown in various U.S. states due to rising coronavirus cases weighed on demand recovery hopes.

2.44 PM: Global markets today

Asian markets were trading slightly lower on the last working day of the week taking cues from overnight U.S. markets. Wall Street closed lower yesterday as investors grew cautious amid rising coronavirus cases in various U.S. states. European markets reversed trend as investros shrugged off worries of rising coronavirus cases in US.

2. 38 PM: Shares of YES Bank fall over 9%

Shares of YES Bank fell over 9% on Friday's session after the board of the company approved cleared a further public offer (FPO) to raise around Rs 15,000 crore to boost its capital adequacy.

As per lender's red herring prospectus dated (RHP), the shares can be bid in lots of 1,000 equity shares. FPO will open on July 15, 2020, and close on July 17, 2020.

Following the news, YES Bank shares fell 9.19% to the intraday low of Rs 24.3 on BSE. The stock opened at Rs 26.80, it's intraday high on BSE.

Yes Bank share price falls over 9% on lender's board approving FPO price band

2. 13 PM: Arvind Fashions erases early gains over poor Q3 results

Shares of Arvind Fashions were trading 3% higher on Friday's opening session after the retailer announced that Flipkart will pick up 27% stake in its subsidiary Arvind Youth Brands for Rs 260 crore. The recently-formed subsidiary, of the company, will own the Flying Machine brand. The shares, however, erased early gains to trade 2.5% lower as the company posted its March quarter earnings that were poor than street estimates. Arvind Fashions reported a consolidated net loss of Rs 208 crore for the quarter ended March 31, compared to a net profit of Rs 21.30 crore a year earlier, impacted by COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent disruptions in the market.

Arvind Fashions share price rises 3% as Flipkart to buy 27% stake

1.57 PM: This stock gained 10% after Rakesh Jhunjhunwala raised stake in Q1

Firstsource Solutions share price gained over 10% today after ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala raised his stake in the BPO firm in the June quarter. Share price of Firstsource Solutions rose 10.15% to Rs 44.5 against previous close of Rs 40.40 on BSE.. The stock hit a 52-week high of Rs 55.30 on September 16, 2019 and 52 week low of Rs 20.65 on March 24, 2020.

This stock gained 10% after Rakesh Jhunjhunwala raised stake in Q1

1. 20 PM: YES Bank's Rs 15,000 crore FPO to open on July 15

YES Bank on Thursday announced that lender's board of directors cleared a further public offer (FPO) to raise around Rs 15,000 crore to boost its capital adequacy.The private sector lender said it has filed a red herring prospectus after receiving approval from the capital-raising committee (CRC) of the board. The lender at its meeting held earlier today approved the floor price of its FPO at Rs 12 per equity share and a cap of Rs 13 per equity."The bank has filed a red herring prospectus (RHP) dated July 7, 2020, in connection with the offer, with the Registrar of Companies, Maharashtra at Mumbai," YES Bank said in a regulatory filing.

YES Bank's Rs 15,000 crore FPO to open on July 15

1.00 PM: Market falls further

Benchmark Sensex and Nifty fell further by the afternoon session of Friday, tracking weak global cues amid concerns of fresh set of lockdowns due to rise in coronavirus cases. Sensex fell 304 points lower to 36,433 and Nifty traded 95 points lower at 10,717.

12. 22 PM: Tata Motors share price slips 1.26%

Tata Motors share price slipped in early trade today after the automaker said retail sales of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) for the quarter ended June were affected by Covid-19 due to the unprecedented market conditions, but improved month-on-month through the quarter.

Share price of Tata Motors slipped 1.26% to Rs 105.65 against previous close of Rs 107 on BSE. Tata Motors share has lost 29.66% in one year and lost 42.46% since the beginning of this year. Total 20.95 lakh shares changed hands amounting to turnover of Rs 22.51 crore.

12. 12 PM: Oil price head for weekly loss

Oil prices were trading lower on Friday after a steep fall in the previous session and were set for a weekly decline. This was on back of worries due to renewed lockdowns following a surge in coronavirus cases in the United States and elsewhere, that will suppress demand for the commodity.

Brent crude was down by 7 cents, or 0.2%, at $42.28 a barrel after falling more than 2% on Thursday. U.S. oil fell 13 cents, or 0.3%, at $39.49 a barrel after a drop of 3% in the previous session. Brent is heading for a weekly decline of more than 1% and U.S. crude is on track for a fall of nearly 3%.

Oil prices head for weekly loss as coronavirus cases rise worldwide

11. 54 AM: TCS result expert outlook

Commenting on 1QFY21 results of TCS, Jyoti Roy, DVP Equity Strategist, Angel Broking said,"TCS reported a 7.0% qoq degrowth in revenues to USD 5.06bn as compared to market expectations of 5-6% degrowth. In rupee terms revenue contracted by 4.1% qoq to Rs.38,322 crore while gross profits degrew by 9.9% qoq to Rs.15,108 crore. Gross margins contracted by 258bps qoq to 39.4% though cost control in the form of reduced SG&A expenses limited contraction in EBIT margins to 149bps qoq to 23.6% while EBIT registered a degrowth of 9.7% qoq to Rs.9,048 crore. Net profit for the quarter contracted by 12.7% qoq to Rs.7,008 crore. While the Q1FY21 numbers were below street expectations on all counts, new deal wins remained strong at USD 6.9bn for the quarter which was a key positive. Markets will also look forward to management commentary and their outlook for the rest of the year."

11.37 AM: Nifty support and resisitance

In technical & derivatives report by Angel Broking, Sameet Chavan (Chief Analyst-Technical and Derivatives said,"For the near term, support for Nifty is placed around 10670 whereas resistances are seen around 10900 and 11000. A move beyond the above mentioned boundaries would then lead to the next leg of trended move and till then, traders are advised to continue to trade with a stock specific approach."

11. 34 AM: TCS share price trades flat

Share price of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) was trading flat after the IT firm reported a 13.8 per cent year-on-year decline in its consolidated net profit for quarter ended June 31, 2020. TCS share price was trading 0.56% lower at Rs 2,192 against previous close of Rs 2204 on BSE. It hit an intra day high of Rs 2,222, gaining 0.81% and intra day low of Rs 2178 during early session. The large cap stock has gained after 2 days of consecutive fall.

TCS share price trades flat post Q1 earnings; here's what brokerages say

11.12 AM: Reliance Industries shares trade 1% higher

Reliance Industries shares traded 1% higher at Rs 1,849 per shre, in an otherwise weak market today. Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries and UK's energy major BP plc on Thursday announced the launch of Reliance BP Mobility Limited (RBML), a fuel and mobility joint venture. Operating under the "Jio-bp" brand, the joint venture aims to become a leading player in India's fuels and mobility markets, RIL said in a regulatory filing.

RIL-BP launch fuel and mobility joint venture under 'Jio-bp' brand

11.07 AM: Silver rates today

Precious metals traded on a steady note amid resurging virus cases and further stimulus action from central banks. Tracking firm global rates, silver futures were up by Rs 190 at Rs 51,285 per kg after closing at Rs 51,091 yesterday. Overseas, silver quoted at $18.94 per ounce on the international commodity market.

10. 44 AM: Coronavirus Toll

Traders said domestic benchmarks followed weak global markets as concerns over fresh spike in the number of COVID-19 cases and its impact on economic recovery weighed on investor sentiment. Worldwide, the number of cases linked the Covid-19 disease has crossed 1.22 crore and the death toll has topped 5.54 lakh.

In India, the number of infections spiked to 7.93 lakh and the death toll rose to 21,604.

10. 35 PM: Gold prices steady today

Gold prices in India struggled to extend gains on Friday, after hitting a record high on Thursday. Gold and silver prices in the commodity market have been hitting new highs recently, as traders shunned risk and sought safe havens during pandemic times.

Gold prices had surged to a lifetime high of Rs 49,348 per 10 gram on Thursday, amid a surge in overseas prices of the bullion metal. Today, Gold Futures on MCX touched the day's high at Rs 48,948 per 10 gm, rising Rs 70 as against the previous closing of 48,878. Gold August Futures opened at 48,919 and also touched an intraday low at Rs 48,842 per 10 gm.

Gold price today: Yellow metal eases after hitting record high, silver climbs

10. 15 AM: Top losers and gainers

IndusInd Bank, Tech Mahindra, HDFC, Titan, Axis Bank, M&M, HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank were among the top losers.On the other hand, Sun Pharma, Bharti Airtel, SBI, Reliance Industries, HUL, Bajaj Auto and Infosys were among the gainers.

10.01 AM: Rupee weakens today

Indian rupee, the local currency dropped 17 paise to trade at 75.16 against the dollar on Friday's opening bell, amid the emergence of demand for US dollar from importers and banks and weak opening in domestic equity market.

The local unit has earlier closed at 74.99 a dollar on Thursday.

Rupee slips 17 paise to 75.16 amid demand for US dollar, weak domestic equities

9. 39 AM: Global cues today

Asian shares and U.S. stock futures fell on Friday after the United States reported 60,500 new COVID-19 infections on Thursday, the largest single-day tally of cases by any country. Investors remained cautious over heightened concerns that renewed lockdowns could hurt the economic recovery.

Asian equities, US Futures decline on Covid-19 virus fears

9. 27 AM: Nifty near term outlook

Reliance Smart Money in its daily note said," NSE-NIFTY resumed its trend and regained 10,800 mark. Yesterday, buying across the board supported the up-move. Due to turnaround in the index, its major technical indicators remained above their averages. This could lead the index towards 11,100 level, provide it manages to surpass the long-term moving average 200-day SMA (10,885 mark), convincingly. On the lower side, the index will initially find support at around 10,600 mark and then at around 10,440 level. As for the day, support is placed at around 10,690 and then at 10,630 levels, while resistance is observed at 10,890 and then at 11,035 levels."

9. 14 AM: Opening bell

Benchmark Sensex and Nifty opened on a negative note on Friday, backed by weak global cues. Sensex fell 143 points lower to 36, 648 and Nifty fell 27 points to 10,278.

9. 05 AM: Stocks to watch today on July 10

TCS, RIL, PNB, Tata Motors, Dr Reddy among others are the top stocks to watch out for in Friday's trading session

Stocks in news: TCS, RIL, PNB, Tata Motors, Dr Reddy

8.40 AM: Nifty outlook

As for Nifty technical outlook, the index managed to close above a known resistance of 10,800 level. Ruchit Jain, Senior Analyst - Technical and Derivatives, Angel Broking said," For the near term, support for Nifty is placed around 10670 whereas resistances are seen around 10900 and 11000. A move beyond the above mentioned boundaries would then lead to the next leg of trended move and till then, traders are advised to continue to trade with a stock specific approach."

8. 30 AM: Rupee Closing

On the currency front, the Indian rupee closed stronger at 74.99 per dollar as against the earlier closing of 75.01 per dollar.

8. 20 AM:Last Closing

Sensex and Nifty closed on a bullish note on Thursday, tracking gains in financial stocks amid positive cues from global markets. Traders said domestic markets followed optimistic sentiments from global equities, shrugging off concerns over rising number of COVID-19 cases and its impact on economic recovery. Sensex ended 408 points higher at 36,737 and Nifty gained 107 points to 10,813.

Sensex ends 408 points higher, Nifty at 10,813; metal, financial stocks outperform
His protege Fernando Alonso may be returning to Formula 1, but Flavio Briatore insists he definitely is not.

"If Fernando needs it, I am ready to help him," the former Renault boss told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"But I personally have no desire to return to a Formula 1 team. In 2021 Alonso returns, Briatore does not," the Italian smiled.

Briatore does insist, however, that at the age of almost 39, Alonso is fully motivated to deliver what he is promising for his third stint at Renault.

"Compared to when he was at McLaren, Fernando has lost five kilos," he said. "The cars are easier to drive than three or four years ago and he is highly motivated and fit.

"Two years out of Formula 1 has detoxified him," said Briatore.

"At McLaren he let himself go to a joke, but he is human and in the end we were the ones who wanted to get away and McLaren wanted to offer us two more years of contract."

Briatore said Racing Point - to be Aston Martin next year - was another option for Alonso.

"They have a great car this year and will be able to fight against Ferrari," he said. "We also have a great relationship with Stroll, but Renault is Fernando's house."

Briatore also said Renault's new CEO Luca de Meo fully supports the project.

"Luca will help a lot, I have faith in him," he said. "He will motivate everyone and contribute enormously to the entire team. We will win again."

(GMM)
The B.C. Liberal party is putting pressure on the provincial government to secure $20 million from the federal government for B.C.'s tourism industry which has been struggling since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March.

Last month, the federal government announced $30 million for the tourism industry in Quebec and $16 million for tourism in Atlantic Canada. So far, there is no word on whether B.C. will have access to similar funding.

"This has been a summer like no other," B.C. Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson said during question period on Tuesday.

"When is the premier going to ask for British Columbia's fair share of $20 million from the federal government to give some faint glimmer of hope to the B.C. tourism industry?"

In response, B.C. Premier John Horgan said there is something "in the works."

"I stand ready to work with the federal government when they're prepared to bring their package to British Columbia," Horgan said.

But Columbia River Revelstoke MLA, and co-critic for tourism, arts and culture Doug Clovechok, says that's not enough.

"The government of British Columbia should've been working on this for the last four months," he told Daybreak South host Chris Walker.

Clovechok said he's spoken with tourism operators throughout the province who are on the verge of bankruptcy, and if a second wave of COVID-19 hits in the fall, it could be the end of those businesses.

He said the province needs to ask the federal government for help, rather than wait for it to offer.

Aside from funding, Clovechok is concerned about unclear messaging coming from officials about tourism and COVID-19. Some say local tourism only, others say out-of-province tourists are welcome.

On June 24, the B.C. government started Phase 3 of its reopening plan which included allowing British Columbians to travel within the province 'respectfully and safely."

On Monday, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry issued a reminder to visitors from out of province who may be travelling to B.C. this summer, advising them that British Columbians are keeping their social circles small, keeping a physical distance from others, wearing masks when that isn't possible and staying home when feeling unwell.

Story continues

"We're hearing from some folks, 'Are we safe to come to B.C.'?" Clovechok said. "Well, that's because of the messaging. Again, it goes back to this government does not have a clear and distinct plan for reopening the tourism industry and it's disastrous."

Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Lisa Beare said she knows there is more work to be done to help the tourism industry and government is responding to those needs.

"There's no question that B.C.'s tourism industry has been hit hard by the pandemic," Beare said in a statement to CBC.

"It's been a difficult four months but from day one we've worked in close partnership with the sector. Our government has taken significant actions to support people working in the tourism industry, for which we have received positive feedback from tourism stakeholders."
The U.S. Supreme Court agreed on Thursday to decide whether the Federal Trade Commission can continue to require scam artists and firms that engaged in deceptive business practices to return money improperly obtained from consumers.

The justices will hear the FTCs appeal of a lower courts 2019 ruling that the agency could demand that alleged scam artists stop their behavior using a preliminary injunction but could not clawback any ill-gotten gains in a case involving a company called Credit Bureau Center LLC.

The court also took up a companion case involving a company called AMG Capital Management that appealed a ruling by the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that endorsed the FTCs authority to recoup ill-gotten gains.

Supreme Court Upholds But Curbs SECs Power to Force Ill-Gotten Gains in Fraud Cases The court reaffirmed the agencys authority to seek disgorgement but the 8-1 ruling limited the scope of what can be sought via disgorgement to no more than the net profits of the conduct at issue. The court also decided that disgorgement generally must go to investors.

In appealing a ruling by the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in the Credit Bureau Center case, the FTC in court papers described the challenge to its practice of demanding return of ill-gotten gains as potentially eliminating one of its most important and effective enforcement tools.

In the case at issue, consumers responded to ads for apartments on the advertising website Craigslist, only to find the homes did not exist or were not for rent. But in the process they were required to click a link for a free credit score from company, which also used the names MyScore and eFreeScore. This turned out to be a credit monitoring service costing $29.94 per month.

A federal judge ordered the credit monitoring website owner to pay $5.2 million in restitution.

The Supreme Courts consideration of the legal disputes comes at a time when the United States is awash in scams, with some taking advantage of fears about the spread of the coronavirus to bilk unsuspecting consumers. Robocalls inundate landlines touting phony medical devices and other deceptive offers. Since they often originate overseas, U.S. law enforcement has difficulty in combating the scam artists.

The cases will be heard together in the courts next term, which starts in October.

(Reporting by Diane Bartz and Lawrence Hurley; Editing by Will Dunham)

Topics USA
Vietnamese Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and Canadas First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Marta Morgan on Thursday co-chaired the 2nd Vietnam-Canada political consultation

at the deputy foreign ministerial level, which was held via video conference.

Vietnamese Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and Canadas First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Marta Morgan on Thursdayco-chaired the online 2nd Vietnam-Canada political consultation at the deputy foreign ministerial level.



The two sides highlighted the fruitful development of bilateral relations, especially after they established a Comprehensive Partnership in 2017 and began implementing the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).



They agreed to continue maintaining the exchange of delegations at all levels in flexible forms, in which the Canadian side affirmed that it will attend the 53rd ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting and relevant meetings scheduled for July 31 to August 5.



The two sides agreed to further promote their economic, trade, and investment ties and to fully tap opportunities from the trend towards trade diversification and differing supply chains after COVID-19, and in the context of Viet Nam being Canadas largest trade partner in ASEAN and Canada being Viet Nams third-largest trade partner in North America.



The two officials affirmed the continued promotion of cooperation in security and defence, health, education and training, climate change response, clean energy development, and relations between localities in the two countries.



In the context of COVID-19 continuing to be complex and unpredictable, the two sides agreed to enhance the sharing of information and to create favourable conditions for the citizens of each country to return home safely if stranded in the other.



Morgan thanked Viet Nam for arranging a flight to bring stranded Canadians home, saying her country also supported Viet Nam in organising three flights taking Vietnamese citizens home.



For his part, Son proposed Canada continue licensing flights bringing Vietnamese citizens home and to provide support to citizens, especially students, who remain in the country.



Regarding multilateral cooperation, Morgan highly valued the role of Viet Nam as ASEAN Chair 2020, expressing the desire to participate more deeply in regional institutions, including the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus (ADMM+) and the East Asia Summit (EAS).



The two sides pledged to work closely at international and regional forums this year, as Viet Nam assumes both the ASEAN Chairmanship and non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 term.

They also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual concern, including those related to the East Sea.  VNS
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As hospitals everywhere have been using every health care provider available to them in response to COVID-19, the specialty of hospital medicine has shown itself to be uniquely suited for coordinating the effort, to be the front of the frontline responders. I suspect that many people dont understand what hospital medicine is, even though its larger than almost any other specialty other than primary-care internal medicine and family practice.

As a hospitalist, a specialist in the field of hospital medicine, Ive been directly caring for patients with COVID-19 as theyve been hospitalized. My colleagues and I have also been helping onboard our subspecialist colleagues as they transition from the clinics, catheterization labs, and endoscopy suites and onto the general medical wards. Hospitalists are different than most specialists because what we do is defined by our location of practice, rather than by expertise in a specific organ, a specific kind of disease, or a particular age range of patients.

Hospital medicine is essential in our health care system, especially right now, and its likely in danger of being cut back as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The term hospitalist was first used in 1996, at a time when hospital care was transitioning in recognition of the changing nature of health care. Managed care systems had made it challenging for primary care providers to continue to see their patients in the hospital setting, especially with the growingly complicated logistics of hospital care, with the involvement of multiple services.

The science of managing health problems in the hospital was itself growing more complicated, with patients often needing to be seen multiple times per day by an available in-house medical provider who is comfortable with inpatient diseases processes. Thus, a new specialty was born, dedicated exclusively to the care of patients in the hospital, with a particular focus on general medical conditions.

Today, there are more than 50,000 hospitalist physicians in America. In addition, about two-thirds of hospitaist groups include nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Studies have shown that patients cared for by hospitalists stay in the hospital an average of up to 0.69 days less than those cared for by non-hospitalists. This might not sound like much, but given that the average length of stay in American hospitals across the board is 4.6 days, this is a significant improvement. Studies have also shown that patients cared by hospitalists have higher quality of care and higher patient satisfaction when compared to those cared for by non-hospitalists.

Disaster response plans in hospitals have traditionally focused on mass traumas  terrorist attacks, mass shootings, natural disasters, etc.  and thus have focused heavily on emergency medicine, critical care, and surgical services. Although hospitals have also prepared for pandemics in light of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic and the Ebola outbreak of the mid-2010s, the unprecedented scale of COVID-19 has shown how invaluable hospitalists are for disaster responses.

We triage and care for patients with complex medical problems. We work closely with nursing units to build inpatient care teams. We work with case management to help arrange comprehensive support services and post-hospital care for our patients. We focus much of our research on improving the quality of the care we provide.

In spite of all of this, hospital medicine is not generally considered as prestigious a specialty as many others. There are several reasons for this.

First, our traditionally fee-for-service model of health care has historically rewarded doing procedures: surgeries, cardiac catheterizations, endoscopies, and so forth. Hospitalists often do bedside procedures, but not with the same volume as to generate the kind of revenue hospitals get from full-time proceduralists.

The more revenue a specialty generates for a hospital, the more prominent its role often is for the hospital. In fact, in order to make hospital medicine as profitable as possible, hospitalists often have to carry a large volume of patients and can have a particularly high burden of paperwork.

Second, hospital medicine is still a field dominated by early-career physicians (less than 5 years in practice), many of whom are using it as a transitional period between ending residency and starting subspecialty training. Its also a newer specialty, less than a quarter-century old. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid did not even recognize hospital medicine as a unique specialty for billing purposes until 2017.

Finally, and perhaps most of all, as a primarily clinical specialty, hospital medicine has far less academic support and academic mentorship compared to subspecialties that are flush with research grants and well-established faculty with decades of mentoring experience. As a result, medical education still largely maintains a subspecialty focus, especially at the larger and more prestigious institutions.

Medical training often requires those choosing subspecialties to decide early in their residency, so they can build up the research experience, make professional connections, and then apply to fellowship programs midway through their residency. Only 3 percent of internal medicine residents plan on pursuing a career as a hospitalist during their first year of training. Ultimately, 10 percent do decide to become hospitalists, but two-thirds make that decision during their final year of training.

When the emphasis on COVID-19 subsides  and it will  hospital medicine will be at risk of withering.

COVID-19 has been transforming how we care for patients in the hospital. As hospitals recover from this pandemic, start to take care of patients again who have been missing the care of their chronic conditions, and plan for the next pandemic, they will need hospitalists more than ever.

Unfortunately, as a result of COVID-19, hospitals everywhere are facing severe financial strain. This is going to create more pressure on them to heavily support high-revenue areas of health care, such as surgeries and other procedures, and cut back those areas that do not generate the same kind of revenue, like hospital medicine.

Already, one of the major hospitals in Boston is cutting back pay for their frontline medical staff due to the crisis.

In addition to forced financial cutbacks, theres a high risk of hospitalists leaving the profession on their own. More than half of hospitalists were experiencing burnout even prior to the COVID crisis. Studies have shown that health care providers taking care of patients with COVID-19 are at especially high risk of burnout, so this problem will only get worse when the crisis abates. Hospital medicine already faces a shortage of providers and has one of the highest rates of turnover among specialties. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis, we are potentially facing very high levels of attrition from hospital medicine, right when we need hospitalists the most.

Hemal Sampat is an internal medicine-pediatrics physician.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Finance Minister Paschal Donohue says his top priority as Eurogroup president is to strike a deal on the European recovery fund.

The 750 billion bailout plan aims to ease the economic pain of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It is the worst recession Europe's faced since the Second World War.

But European leaders are split on how much of that fund should be offered as grants rather than loans and which nations should get it.

"We are in the midst of a profound economic challenge. As we sit tonight there are so many citizens here in Ireland and across Europe unsure if they will have a job, unsure of what their income is going to be tomorrow.

"So many employers are worried that they might not be around next year.

"The number one fiscal priority has to be reaching an agreement in relation to the recovery fund and then implementing it."

Minister Donohoe says Ireland's low corporate tax rate will remain a national priority during his time as Eurogroup president.

He was voted in by a secret ballot of national finance ministers last night and will serve a two-and-a-half year term as the EU faces into the worst recession since its foundation.

Some of the bloc's most influential nations, including France and Germany, had pushed for changes to the 13.5% rate in recent years.

But Minister Donohoe says his colleagues in Europe understand the importance of the issue to Ireland.

"During the campaign when I was asking for the votes of colleagues, they understood what our national position on these matters were.

"But every colleague that I engaged with had a national position on an issue that really mattered to them and that's the way the European project works.

"We have issues that are really vital for Ireland and other colleagues have similar issues.

"What I will do is continue to find a balance."

Speaking last night, Taoiseach Micheal Martin said this is a "critical time" for Europe's economy.

He said Minister Donohoe's appointment is good news for the country.

"It's particularly important for Ireland and it is a great win for Ireland.

"It is very welcome for this country that at such a challenging time, we are in a key position now within the European framework and institutions we have our Minister for Finance at the helm, chairing a very influential and important group."

1010329
Islamabad:

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday sacked his information minister Pervaiz Rashid over the recent "leaked" media report about a rift between the civilian and military leaderships on support to militancy.

The prime minister's spokesman Musadiq Malik confirmed that "initial evidence" was against Rashid in the leak of sensitive information of a high profile national security meeting.

"Investigation into controversial story is in the final stage and it will be shared with media in a couple of days. Who was responsible for the leakage of sensitive information to the Dawn reporter will be known soon," Malik said adding "investigation is still underway".

Rashid is a close aide of Sharif and reports suggest that the anti-army information could not have been leaked to the media without his consent.

PTI leader Imran Khan welcomed the ouster of Rashid saying a "darbari" (courtier) of Sharif had gone and others would go soon as well.

In another development, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif left for Dubai along with his family at a time when Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has said it will lock down Islamabad on November 2 to protest against Sharif over corruption allegations.

A rift between the civilian and military leaderships on the powerful ISI's covert support to terror groups in the country was the subject of a news report in The Dawn newspaper.

The widely read daily stood by the story issued on October 6, saying it was "verified, cross-checked and fact-checked".

A travel ban on Cyril Almeida, the journalist who wrote the story, had sparked massive criticism of the government and the military from media houses, journalist associations and civil society.

Almeida's name was put on the Exit Control List but the ban was later lifted after the backlash against the government.

Later the government constituted a committee to investigate the matter.

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Soon after gangster was killed in an encounter by the Uttar Pradesh Police on Friday, Congress General Secretary Vadra asked "what about those who aided the criminal".

"The criminal is dead, but what about those who aided the criminal?" the Congress leader tweeted (translated from Hindi).

Kanpur encounter main accused was killed in an encounter with the police on Friday.

Dubey, the main accused in the Kanpur encounter case was arrested by the police in Ujjain on Thursday morning. He was on the run for the last several days and had come to Ujjain to offer prayers at Temple, where he was identified by a security guard at the shrine.

The gangster is the main accused in the encounter that took place in Bikru village in Chaubeypur area of Kanpur last week, in which a group of assailants allegedly opened fire on a police team, which had gone to arrest Dubey. Eight police personnel were killed in the encounter.

Dubey managed to escape and the Uttar Pradesh police launched a hunt and raised the bounty on him to Rs 5 lakh.

(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.)
Written by Diana Bocco

Jul 9, 2020

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Mount Titlis is home to Europe's highest elevation suspension bridge (the Titlis Cliff Walk), the world's first rotating cable car, and a turquoise-blue glacier cave  and that's in addition to some of the most breathtaking views in Switzerland.

Whether you're visiting the mountain for some active snow fun or for the amazing Alpine views, Mount Titlis is one of the best high-altitude destinations in the country all year long.

The easiest way to get from Zurich to Mount Titles a get the most of the trip is to join a guided tour, as these usually combine all the major activities in the area into a full day  tickets and equipment rental included  where you also get to skip the lines and get right into the action.

For independent travelers, the train offers great views and a chance to experience a different side of Switzerland.

To help you plan your trip  no matter how you choose to reach your destination  here are the best ways to travel from Zurich to Mount Titlis.

Note: Some businesses may be temporarily closed due to recent global health and safety issues.
When Phi Sandy was accepted into QPAC and Playlab Theatre's Sparks program, organisers had no idea she would throw a curveball their way.

Ms Sandy is one of six First Nations playwrights to join the program this year  and the first ever to want to create a musical.

Brisbane woman Phi Sandy hopes to create a musical after being accepted into QPAC and Playlab Theatre's Sparks program.

"I'm looking forward to expressing myself through a musical, and I told them. They said they've never had someone in the program who has wanted to do that," she said.

The Mununjali woman, whose mother is of Greek and English extraction, said the organisers of Sparks, which is now in its second year, were trying to find other playwrights in the program who could share their skills with her.
Highlights:



The planned program of 2,300 meters in three holes is well underway.

Hole 20AU003 has been completed and tested gently northwest-dipping structures detected by CSAMT geophysical surveys in a low magnetic area.

Hole 20AU004 is in progress and is being drilled to 950 meters to test a CSAMT conductor in the vicinity of the Half-Ounce Gulch gold prospect.

Assay results from the current program are anticipated in late August/early September.

An airborne magnetic ZTEM  MAG survey has been completed over the Aurora and Echo Targets, as well as the neighbouring Goodpaster gold deposit.

Detailed airborne magnetic surveys are being flown in a collaborative effort with the State of Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys.

Plans are being made to test the Echo target, which is located in the down-dip direction from the adjacent Pogo Mine and Goodpaster prospect on the adjacent property owned by Northern Star Resources Limited.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Millrock Resources Inc. (TSX-V: MRO, OTCQB: MLRKF) ("Millrock" or the Company) is pleased to provide an update on drilling and other exploration at its 64North Gold project. Exploration work is being funded and managed by Resolution Minerals (Resolution ASX: RML) in a collaborative arrangement with Millrock as the project operator. The 64North Gold Project is a very large tract of claims in Alaskas emerging Goodpaster Gold District. Drilling has been ongoing since early June and continues at present. The drilling program is focused on the Aurora Target, with approximate hole locations shown in Figure 1.

The target being drilled at Aurora is adjacent and immediately west of the Pogo Mine property, which is owned and operated by Northern Star Resources Ltd. (Northern Star). Northern Star has previously reported a gold resource of 5.95 million ounces of gold in a series of veins grading 9.6 grams per tonne gold (Source: Northern Star website). More than four million ounces of gold has already been mined at Pogo, and Northern Star has recently announced a new gold discovery called the Goodpaster deposit a short distance away from the mutual claim boundary. Millrock cautions that mineralization on the nearby Northern Star property is not necessarily indicative of gold mineralization hosted on the Companys property. Presently, hole 20AU004 is testing a CSAMT conductive zone on-trend and below the Half-Ounce Gulch prospect (HOG on Figure 1). High-grade gold grab samples have been reported from prior workers at this site, and two historic drill holes intersected high-angle veins beneath the prospect. The earlier workers did not have the benefit of the CSAMT data shown in Figure 2, and those earlier holes (MR12-01 and MR12-02) were not drilled deep enough to intersect the shallow-dipping conductive zone that Millrock postulates to represent low-angle fault structures with quartz veining, sulfides, and gold mineralization. The hole is presently at 900 meters depth below surface.

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Millrock President & CEO commented: Hole 20AU004 is an exciting hole to drill. We believe the gold mineralization at surface is a good indicator for gold below surface in flat-lying structures. We are drilling through the target zone now. The ZTEM survey, if successful in detecting the conductive zones initially indicated by the CSAMT ground-based method, could result in great efficiencies in future exploration of other prospects across our expansive, district-scale land holdings.

Figure 1 is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2f03d874-92fd-4180-9180-e10bc8bcec95

Figure 2 is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f6fd9da0-af6e-454f-9149-d8d6a8aaaa35

The Aurora target is a two-kilometer by five-kilometer zone of low-magnetic rocks adjacent to a late diorite intrusion. The setting is very similar to that observed at the nearby Pogo Mine. Millrock postulates that the late diorite body intruded along a westerly extension of the Liese Creek fault, which is known to have played a key role in the genesis of the Pogo gold deposits. Highly anomalous gold-bismuth-arsenic in soil is documented. High-angle gold-bearing quartz veins have been intersected by prior drilling. However, the few holes drilled by earlier workers did not go deep enough to intersect the low-angle, regional shear zone that is known to host gold at Pogo and the Goodpaster Deposit. Millrock believes this structure exists at the Aurora target.



Numerous zones of mafic rocks, fault zones, and quartz veins intercepted in drill hole 20AU001 fit with the exploration model. The low-angle, regional shear preferentially ruptured the mafic lithological layers. The Aurora Target is located in this regional shear and the current drill hole program will test the shear for gold mineralization in a variety of places. The regional shear at Aurora was detected by CSAMT and ELF ground-based geophysical surveys in 2019. The ZTEM airborne survey that was completed on July 8 and 9, 2020, has been executed in the same area (see dark blue outline on Figure 1), along with detailed airborne magnetic surveys. If the airborne methods are able to detect the regional shear effectively, the method may be applied elsewhere on the project in a very cost-effective manner.

Millrock has developed a comprehensive COVID-19 safety plan with clear protocols that will help keep the operating team safe. The plan has been submitted to the relevant agencies and approved by the State of Alaska. So far, the exploration team has remained in good health.

Resolution can earn up to a 60% interest in the 64North Gold Project through exploration expenditures of US$20 million, payment of US$200,000 cash, and issuance of 38 million Resolution shares. The minimum commitment for 2020 is US$5.0 million. Other details of the agreement between Millrock and Resolution are documented in Millrocks announcement made on December 16, 2019.

Quality Control and Quality Assurance

Millrock adheres to stringent Quality AssuranceQuality Control (QA/QC) standards. Drill core samples are kept in a secure location at all times. For this program, representative half-core samples will undergo sample preparation at ALS Chemex prep laboratory in Fairbanks, Alaska USA. Samples will be subsequently analyzed at ALS Chemex laboratories in Vancouver, Canada. Gold will be analyzed by Fire Assay (specifically ALS code Au-AA25 - Au by fire assay and AAS using a 30 gram nominal sample weight). Other elements (48 in total) will be analyzed using ALS method code ME-MS61 which involves a four-acid "near total" digestion and an ICP-MS + ICP-AES finish. The following QA/QC protocols have been adopted for this program: 1) Duplicates will be created as coarse crush duplicates on every 50th sample (2% insertion) in the sample preparation process at the laboratory, and 2) Blank material is to be inserted at a rate of 2 blanks per 100 samples (2% insertion) and 3) StandardsCertified Reference Material (CRMs) every 20th sample (5% insertion) plus additional random insertions at the supervising geologists discretion. All results from duplicates, blan ks, and standards will be reviewed and if found to be accurate and within acceptable tolerances the results will be published.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information disclosed within this document has been prepared, reviewed and approved by Gregory A. Beischer, President, CEO and a director of Millrock Resources. Mr. Beischer is a qualified person as defined in NI 43-101. Historic drill results for hole MR-01 and MR-02were verified by Millrock personnel working under the supervision of Mr. Beischer. Drill core was resampled and reassayed and similar results were obtained by the company responsible for the historic work, Alix Resources.

About Millrock Resources Inc.

Millrock Resources Inc. is a premier project generator to the mining industry. Millrock identifies, packages, and operates large-scale projects for joint venture, thereby exposing its shareholders to the benefits of mineral discovery without the usual financial risk taken on by most exploration companies. The company is recognized as the premier generative explorer in Alaska, holds royalty interests in British Columbia, Canada and Sonora State, Mexico and is a significant shareholder of junior explorer ArcWest Exploration Inc. and has a shareholding in Resolution Minerals Limited. Funding for drilling at Millrocks exploration projects is primarily provided by its joint venture partners. Business partners of Millrock have included some of the leading names in the mining industry: EMX Royalty, Centerra Gold, First Quantum, Teck, Kinross, Vale, Inmet and, Altius as well as junior explorers Resolution, Riverside and PolarX.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Gregory Beischer

Gregory Beischer, President & CEO

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Melanee Henderson, Investor Relations

(604) 638-3164

(877) 217-8978 (toll-free)

Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information (within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation) including, without limitation, managements expectation that the planned drilling program will successfully be carried out. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Such factors include, without limitation, Millrocks ability to mobilize the drill rig and camp and complete the drilling work and other customary risks of the resource industry.
WHO experts tell Al Jazeera coronavirus may spread through the air in crowded indoor spaces with poor ventilation.

The new coronavirus can possibly be transmitted through the air in crowded indoor settings with poor ventilation such as restaurants, gyms, night clubs and offices, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said, as lockdown restrictions are being eased globally.

The health agency on Thursday published an updated scientific brief on the different modes of transmission of COVID-19, the highly contagious respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus, identifying the different locations and circumstances of virus spread.

According to the WHO, the coronavirus is primarily transmitted by droplets through direct or close contact with an infected person and indirect contact through contaminated surfaces, also known as fomite transmission.

But the possibility of airborne transmission, combined with droplet transmission, cannot be ruled out in specific settings and more research is needed, it said.

In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera, the WHOs technical lead on COVID-19, Maria Van Kerkhove, and the agencys chief scientist, Soumya Swaminathan, talked about the possible ways of COVID-19 transmission, the risks and the preventive measures.

Al Jazeera: Can you explain how airborne transmission takes place exactly and under what circumstances and environments does it pose a higher risk?

Maria Van Kerkhove: Airborne transmission has to do with the size of the droplets that are expelled from people, how long they can be suspended in the air and the distance they can potentially travel. Because they are lighter than respiratory droplets, they can travel through the air further than heavier droplets that tend to fall to the floor much quicker.

We know there can be aerosol transmission in healthcare settings where specific medical procedures, called aerosol generating procedures, are conducted on sick patients.

Theres also the possibility that there could be these smaller particles that come out of peoples mouths when they talk, sing and engage in fitness activities.

Soumya Swaminathan: This is not a virus thats just floating around in the air and is going to come and infect you  it does require prolonged contact with infected people.

We sometimes refer to these so-called airborne transmission events as super-spreading events, because in these closed environments there have been situations where people get infected  at the meat-packing plants, the choir practice, the night club, the dormitories.

These are spaces where people spend a lot of time together, in poorly ventilated settings and in close proximity. In that situation, if you have someone who is quite infectious and who is either coughing or even just singing and talking loudly, droplet, contact and fomite transmission can occur, but small particles could be around in that air for some period of time  its being together in that environment that is risky.

THREAD  We answer some questions about the transmission of COVID-19 through the air https://t.co/nSQ4SECqoe pic.twitter.com/gCBbVbkcH3  Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) July 8, 2020

Al Jazeera: From your research and the evidence collected, how much has the aerosol mode of transmission contributed to the pandemic so far and how do the risks of airborne spread compare with droplet transmission?

Van Kerkhove: From all the available data in all the observational and epidemiologic studies, and the experiences of member states that report to us, the predominant mode of transmission is through droplets and contact. There may be airborne transmission happening in specific closed settings but the extent of that seems to be small. However, theres a lot of research ongoing in this area, and evidence supports that transmission is predominantly through the droplets and prolonged contact.

Al Jazeera: Is the possibility of airborne transmission a cause for additional concern for the public?

Swaminathan: Its one more mode of [transmission]. Weve been laying out the precautions that people need to take and also what the public health authorities need to do. With offices, workplaces and recreational places opening up, people need to remember that these are all the different modes of transmission that you need to be careful about and take precautions against.

While I think many people appreciate the importance of handwashing and respiratory etiquette, perhaps what they forget is that when they gather together in these closed and crowded settings that they can still transmit if they are not maintaining the appropriate physical distance.

This is not a virus that's just floating around in the air and is going to come and infect you - it does require prolonged contact with infected people. Soumya Swaminathan, WHO's chief scientist

The first thing is to improve ventilation in closed settings like offices, shops and workplace settings. A simple way of doing this is by opening doors and windows and ensuring good air circulation.

If ventilation cannot be improved, then people should avoid such places or wear face masks when they are in close proximity to people  whether its public transport or in shops.

Al Jazeera: Are you reviewing your guidelines?

Van Kerkhove: Yes, constantly. As more information becomes available, we always look at the guidance and we aim to update all of our guidance regularly.

Swaminathan: In fact, we are working on the clinical treatment guidelines now and our guidelines development group is meeting almost every day to provide an update on the use of steroids, on the use of hydroxychloroquine and other drugs.

Thanks to the huge volume of research on COVID-19, it is our endeavour to constantly keep up with emerging data, to analyse and synthesise the evidence and use that to update our guidance.

WHO Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan attends a news conference amid the COVID-19 outbreak [File: Fabrice Coffrini/Reuters]

Al Jazeera: Specifically for airborne transmission, what potential measures are recommended to protect yourself?

Van Kerkhove: Where we know that there could be aerosol transmission, like in medical procedures, we recommend airborne precautions. These are specific types of Personal Protective Equipment that people who are actually performing the procedure and are working in that setting have to wear.

In other situations outside of healthcare facilities, there is a comprehensive package of measures that need to be adhered to in all countries. This starts with identifying cases  symptomatic and asymptomatic  so they could be isolated and cared for quickly.

It also includes identifying the close contacts of infected people so that they could be quarantined in appropriate facilities or safely at home. It includes the use of fabric masks in specific settings where you cannot do physical distancing, where you could have crowding and poor ventilation. We also recommend the usual hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette always  and trying to avoid crowded situations, to begin with.

This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Follow Saba Aziz on Twitter: @saba_aziz
President Donald Trump shone a bright spotlight on Americas K-12 schools this week with a threat that he may cut off funding for any schools that dont reopen in the fall.

The presidents comments are problematic (more on that later) but hes using his bully pulpit at a pivotal moment for an issue the public should be paying attention to: the nations school districts  including 500 in Pennsylvania  are actively deliberating how students will be instructed in the fall. Most will announce their plans in the weeks ahead.

Schools have three basic options: full online instruction, full in-person instruction or a hybrid model that combines some of both. And, while a cadre of government agencies and politicians are weighing in with guidance, the ultimate decision and its consequences rests entirely with district administrators and elected school boards.

Its an excruciatingly heavy lift, said Mark DiRocco, director of the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators. Administrators and school boards are making potentially life-or-death decisions and theyre doing the best they can with the information they have.

And the choices dont stop at the classroom door.

District officials must decide what to do about food service, transportation, extracurricular activities, sports, special education, career and college planning, payroll and even contract negotiations. And each decision ripples out since schools are often the first line of defense against child abuse, hunger and neglect for at-risk students. And there are still many unanswered questions about how coronavirus spreads among children, their status as vectors spreading the disease to others and the long-term effects of COVID-19, even if the child is asymptomatic.

Most districts started planning for the fall many months ago, organizing their own task forces in the absence of clear advice from federal or state officials. More recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the state Department of Education unveiled guidance of their own.

Its not like theyve been procrastinating, said Annette Stevenson, spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, which organized the various stakeholders and put out its own 150-page report on the subject last month.

At this stage in coronavirus spread, most authorities are calling for a tentative reopening with an assortment of caveats and exceptions.

READ MORE: Getting tested for coronavirus in Pa. is becoming more difficult amid wave of new infections

Gov. Tom Wolf, for his part, emphasized reopening although he noted that some districts may need to use a mix of online an in-class teaching.

As far as the state is concerned, all schools are going to be open, he said Thursday. Were going to lose a lot in our economy, our society, our political system, if we deprive our kids of an education.

Theres a great deal of uncertainty baked in to the process.

Pennsylvania has, for the most part, tamped down the epidemic within its borders but most public health experts still anticipate a resurgence in the fall. And local areas  most recently, Pittsburgh and its suburbs  have seen the spread ebb and flow.

Lets face it: Theres a lot thats unpredictable and unknown, Stevenson said. Its not like the update today is the final one.

And schools are having to feel their way toward reopening amid contradictory messages from leaders.

The CDCs guidelines recommended schools keep student desks six feet apart and for children to wear masks. They also advised closing playgrounds and cafeterias, thus having children eat in their classrooms, and installing sneeze guards where necessary.

But on Wednesday, Trump contradicted the agency, calling the CDCs recommendations very tough and expensive. On Thursday, CDC Director Robert Redfield said the agency had no plans to revise the guidelines, although it would release more detailed ones.

Meanwhile, Anthony Fauci, the nations leading infectious disease expert, said Wednesday that the country has to regain control of the pandemics spread to get students back to school.

All of this uncertainty, some of it inherent to a pandemic and some of it due to political brinksmanship, is playing havoc within school districts.

Every time we think we know what the guidance is, something gets updated or we find out something new about the virus, DiRocco said. This thing could be fluid right up until the start of school.

If theres one certainty, its this: The lived experience will vary a great deal from one district to the next.

Across the state and the country, districts are mulling some fairly innovative solutions, including staggering instruction days so students divide their time between home and school or transforming high schools into elementary schools to accommodate social distancing while having the older pupils continue to learn from home. Others have considered reopening old, mothballed facilities.

Stevenson said the schools themselves will probably adopt many of the solutions seen at grocery stores in recent months: directional hallways, sneeze guards and strict occupancy limits.

The ability for a school to social distance, she said, is tied to its resources and physical floor space. Smaller, well-heeled districts may be able to reopen to full in-person instruction with minimal adaptation. Districts that are already grappling with large class sizes or limited space will have a lot more trouble doing that. Likewise, the virus has had a disproportionate impact  at least so far  on urban versus rural areas.

Even within the hybrid version, there are all sorts of different solutions based on the number of buildings, number of students, staff sizes and what resources there are to send students home with equipment, Stevenson said. Its quite the complicated equation.

And, of course, there are wildcards like the presidents Twitter account.

Despite his claims, Trump cannot unilaterally cut federal funding for schools. For one, federal funding accounts for roughly 10 percent of school funding and that money is generally the domain of Congress. But Trump may be able to restrict emergency pandemic funds he approved via the CARES Act  a move that would undoubtedly be challenged in court  or refuse to sign future emergency funding bills Congress sends to his desk.

Wolf, when asked about the possibility on Thursday, was fairly dismissive of the idea that Trump would cut funding.

I find it hard to believe that at a point when were all recognizing . . . how important education is that anyones going to do anything in a partisan way to attack education, he said. I dont really know what to make of it.

For most school officials, the presidents running commentary is seen as an unnecessary distraction.

Lets help local school leaders to make the decisions, Stevenson said. Any other behavior thats unsupportive or threatening  thats just not productive. At the receiving end of all this are our students.

The most important thing parents and guardians can do now is to be patient and stay engaged.

Stevenson said most districts have designated emails or sections of their websites to convey information about reopening and to gather feedback. Whenever a district sends home information, she said, parents should take the time to read it and to ask questions.

Its tough to be patient when the topic of discussion is your children, she said, but its important to have good communication.

Wallace McKelvey may be reached at wmckelvey@pennlive.com. Follow him on Twitter @wjmckelvey. Find PennLive on Facebook.

Read the The hunt for Ray Gricar.

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Emily and Peter Andre have been spending lockdown at their Surrey home with their two young children and the teenagers he shares with ex-wife Katie Price.

Yet on Thursday, the Mysterious Girl hitmaker, 47, and his wife Emily, 30, took a break from lockdown as they headed to IKEA and pick up some homeware.

The loved-up pair was spotted at the furniture superstore with two trolleys fully loaded with goodies, including cocktail glasses.

Shopping trip! Peter Andre and his wife Emily were spotted on a couple's trip to IKEA on Thursday afternoon

Emily was a vision in yellow as she dressed in a matching tracksuit for the trip while Peter kept things casual in a grey pair of jogging bottoms and a navy hoodie.

She wore her long hair in straight lengths while shielding her eyes with a pair of oversized sunglasses and going make-up free.

Peter later took to his Instagram to poke fun at his wife for dressing like an IKEA shopping bag due to the bright yellow shade of her ensemble.

They seemed in very high spirits as they loaded up their car with all the homeware items they bought on their trip seemingly having loved their day out.

Mellow yellow: Emily, 30, was a vision in yellow as she wore a matching tracksuit for the trip

Big trip: The loved-up pair was spotted at the furniture superstore with two trolleys fully loaded with goodies

Happy: The pair seemed in high spirits during their trip and worked as a team to load up their car

Peter and Emily were seen beaming to the camera while hauling their new purchases across the car park.

The pair seem to be more in love than ever as Peter flooded his Instagram feed with pictures of Emily recently.

On Friday morning he posted an adorable snap of them huddling in close and smiling to the camera while Emily raised her hand up in a wave.

Good mood: They seemed in very high spirits as they loaded up their car with all the homeware items they bought on their trip

Heavy lifting? Peter was spotted lifting what looked to be a heavy box of furniture

What's in the box? The pair loaded up on quite a few bits of homeware from the Swedish furniture shop

Loved up: On Friday morning, Peter posted an adorable snap of them huddling in close and smiling to the camera while Emily raised her hand up in a wave

Earlier on Thursday Peter took to his social media to poke fun at Emily's bright yellow ensemble as she accidentally dressed like an IKEA shopping bag for their outing.

The TV personality couldn't contain his amusement after realising his wife's two-piece tracksuit bared a striking resemblance to the carrier bag she was holding.

Peter shared a selection of snaps of Emily in the store wearing the Nike tracksuit, which was yellow with a blue trim - just like the bag.

Cocktails anyone? Emily was spotted with a Ljuskraftig box in her trolley - which is a type of cocktail glass that IKEA sells

Ha! Peter poked fun at his wife Emily as she accidentally dressed like an IKEA bag during their trip

Emily appeared to be equally amused by the mishap as she held up the bag while giving a thumbs up and flashing a smile for the camera.

He captioned the funny snap: 'I think Emily got the dress memo for IKEA :)'

Peter proceeded to share another five images of Emily while she explored the shop, alongside the captions 'what are the chances' and 'oops'.

Strike a pose! The TV personality couldn't contain his amusement after realising his wife's two-piece tracksuit bared a striking resemblance to the carrier bag she was holding

Emily coordinated her look with a series of yellow items in the store, including an armchair, a selection of porcelain bananas and a wall.

Their outing comes after Emily hit out at Courtney Green and her TOWIE co-stars for their blatant disregard of social distancing while celebrating her 25th birthday.

The doctor, who has been working tirelessly on the frontline, wrote in her column with OK! Magazine people in the public eye have a moral responsibility to look like they are following the rules.

Blending in: Emily coordinated her look with a series of yellow items in the store, including an armchair, a selection of porcelain bananas and a wall

Oops! Peter shared a selection of snaps of Emily in the store wearing the Nike tracksuit, which was yellow with a blue trim - just like the bag

At the end of last month, Courtney and many of her co-stars sparked outrage when they posted a slew of snaps from birthday celebrations and mocked the 2m rule.

Emily wrote: 'It seems unfair because lots of people are breaking the rules, but unfortunately when you have so many social media followers it's a bit more tricky.

'Whether on not you agree with the rules, when you're in the public eye I think you have a duty to try and at least look like you're social distancing.

What are the chances: Peter proceeded to share another five images of Emily while she explored the shop, alongside the captions 'what are the chances' and 'oops

Opinion: Their outing comes after Emily hit out at Courtney Green and her TOWIE co-stars for their blatant disregard of social distancing while celebrating her 25th birthday

'It's probably not the best idea to post it all over social media for their young followers to see.'

In a series of brazen Instagram videos shared during Courtney's party, guests including Yazmin Oukhellou, Chloe Meadows, Chloe Lewis and Amber Turner displayed their blatant disregard for the rules surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

After Chloe L, 29, shared a picture from the party, a follower queried why she was not acknowledging the rules, to which she responded: 'not a party & we have had tests done. So we are safe ', while Courtney shared a post mocking the 2 metre rule.

Outrageous: At the end of last month, Courtney and many of her co-stars sparked outrage when they posted a slew of snaps from the birthday celebrations and mocked the 2m rule
A masked driver with a vintage Volkswagen in Old Towne Orange. In Orange County, where many have refused to wear masks, COVID infections have jumped. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

The surge of the coronavirus in California over the last month started with an explosion of new cases, then moved into hospitals that rapidly filled with patients and is now beginning to bring an increase in COVID-19 deaths.

The question now is how big the wave will get before it crests.

June turned out to be a grim month in the COVID-19 battle, with people beginning to socialize again in ways that allowed the virus to spread rapidly across communities. Hospitals are being hit hard as patients who were infected weeks ago are now getting sick enough to require medical care. Officials are hoping public behavior changed toward the end of June and early July, but they wont know how that plays out for several more weeks.

California this week hit another troubling milestone Wednesday, recording the highest single-day COVID-19 death toll so far in the pandemic, with 149 fatalities reported, according to The Times California coronavirus tracker. An additional 137 deaths were reported Thursday, which would be the second-highest daily death toll in the pandemic.

Experts say deaths are a lagging indicator of coronavirus spread and probably reflect exposures to the virus that occurred four or five weeks earlier. Los Angeles County reported 48 deaths on Thursday, 61 on Wednesday, 45 on Tuesday and 50 on Monday. Thats substantially higher than the average of about 34 deaths per day reported in June.

Yet there are also a few signs of hope on the horizon.

Even as coronavirus-related hospitalizations reached all-time highs this week in L.A. County, theyve been increasing at a slower rate in recent days, said Dr. Christine Ghaly, the countys director of health services. Hospitalizations in the county topped out at a high of 2,037 on Tuesday before dropping to 1,995 Wednesday  a decline of 2%.

L.A. County officials began sounding the alarm last month, when the effective transmission rate of the coronavirus rose above 1, which means that, on average, each person infected with the virus transmitted it to more than one other person  setting the stage for a dramatic worsening of the pandemic.

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The transmission rate has now fallen back to around 1. Thats good news, and if that rate remains steady, its likely that Los Angeles County will have an adequate supply of hospital beds through early August.

Los Angeles County's coronavirus transmission rate increased in early June, setting the stage for a surge in hospitalizations in late June. (Los Angeles County Department of Health Services)

The hope is that actions taken by state and local governments over the last few weeks  closing down indoor dining and bars in most parts of California, requiring masks in public settings and shutting the beaches during the Fourth of July weekend  have slowed the outbreak.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti warned this week that if the trend isnt reversed soon, he would consider imposing stay-at-home rules once again. Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer struck a more hopeful note.

Nothing can be off the table in the pandemic, she said. But, she added, I hope we never have to go back to safer at home.

She said there are sensible strategies that can be effective but offer far fewer negative impacts than reverting back to the strictest version of the stay-at-home order.

We dont have to be in crowds. We dont have to have a party. We dont have to get in a congested area. We dont have to have close contact with people who arent in our household, unless its something thats related to our work, Ferrer said. And I think if we can try to take those steps, it allows us to slow the spread.

With the transmission rate of the coronavirus stabilizing, it's now more likely that L.A. County will have an adequate supply of hospital beds through early August. (Los Angeles County Department of Health Services)

But for the short term, L.A. County should expect more bad news. Ferrer said its likely that daily coronavirus deaths will continue to go back up  a reflection of the worsened hospitalization numbers seen in recent weeks.

While hospitalizations of confirmed coronavirus patients have risen by 35% in L.A. County  and 28% in San Diego County  since Memorial Day, theyve more than doubled in the suburban counties of Orange, Riverside and Ventura, and more than tripled in San Bernardino County.

The deteriorating conditions in Orange County have officials and health experts increasingly alarmed. On Wednesday, 691 people with confirmed coronavirus infections were hospitalized there; there were 300 on Memorial Day.

The spike has prompted hospitals countywide to begin to prepare for a surge of sick patients, said Orange County Health Care Agency Director Dr. Clayton Chau.

These trends are very concerning, and we can expect the impact on our healthcare system to get worse in the coming days and weeks, Chau said. If the surge goes up to  or beyond  their capacity to mobilize resources, that will cause a real strain. A strain on the hospital systems means a strain on the ability to care for all patients, both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 folks.

The increase in hospitalizations comes as the number of new infections continues to rise in Orange County. On Thursday, health officials reported 1,292 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of infections to 21,517. Officials also reported 26 fatalities, pushing the countys death toll past 400.

While those numbers help paint an overall picture of the virus toll on the region, Dr. Shruti Gohil, associate medical director of epidemiology and infection prevention at UC Irvine, has kept her eye trained specifically on hospitalization numbers, which experts say is a better indicator of severe cases in the community.

If you look at the number of people who are requiring hospitalization, it gives you a better sense of the tip of the iceberg, Gohil said. Theres a larger portion of the population under that tip that indicates widespread community transmission.

The number of people in intensive care units has also continued to climb steadily countywide, though not as quickly as overall hospitalizations. As of Wednesday, 234 patients were being treated in intensive care units. On Memorial Day, there were 119 patients in Orange Countys ICUs.

Gohil noted that Orange Countys increasing hospitalization numbers correlate directly with the loosening of stay-at-home restrictions that allowed indoor dining at restaurants to resume and bars to reopen last month.

If you look carefully, its right within that incubation period, Gohil said. In my mind, the restaurants and bars reopening really sent this psychological message that things were OK. People started going out more, and it provided a more level playing field for this virus to infect people.

Orange County reopened in-restaurant dining on May 23 and bars on June 12; Los Angeles County allowed indoor dining on May 29 and let bars reopen on June 19. Both counties were ordered by Gov. Gavin Newsom to close bars and indoor dining last week.

Hospitalizations noticeably worsened statewide starting in mid-June.

Orange County has been a hotbed of resistance to wearing masks, which might have also played a role. Local officials rescinded a mandatory mask-wearing rule on June 11; a week later, Newsom issued a statewide order to wear masks in public.

One big unanswered question is how much deaths will spike in the state. In L.A. County, the number of coronavirus-related deaths out of nursing homes has declined, thanks to better infection control practices and testing.

A greater percentage of infected people are younger adults, who are less likely to need hospitalization. But they could also end up spreading the infection to people highly susceptible to severe illness.

Garcetti said Wednesday that more than 50% of the people who are testing positive in Los Angeles County are between 18 and 40 years of age.

While most young people are doing the right thing, he said, its clear that a lot of them are not.

This isnt complicated: Do not get together with someone whos not in your household, he said. These weeks are absolutely critical  critical to whether schools open, whether our economy and our economic recovery path continues. These weeks are critical for saving lives.

Times staff writer Ryan Murphy contributed to this report.




Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

Fabric Stain Remover Market: Global Industry Analysis 2015-2019 & Opportunity Assessment 2020-2030

A recent market study published by Future Market Insights on the fabric stain remover market offers global industry analysis for 2015-2019 & opportunity assessment for 2020-2030. The study offers a comprehensive assessment of the most important market dynamics. After conducting a thorough research on the historical, as well as current growth parameters, the growth prospects of the market are obtained with maximum precision.

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Market Segmentation

The global fabric stain remover market is segmented in detail to cover every aspect of the market and present complete market intelligence to readers.

Product Type

 Powder

 Bars/Blocks

 Pacs & Tablets

 Liquid

 Others (Sprays, Gels, etc.)

End-user

 Households

 Commercial

 Hotel & Restaurants

 Hospitals

 Long Term Care Centers

 Others

Region

 North America

 Latin America

 Europe

 South Asia

 East Asia

 Oceania

 MEA

Chapter 01 - Executive Summary

The executive summary of the fabric stain remover market includes the market country analysis, proprietary wheel of fortune, demand-side and supply-side trends, opportunity assessment, and recommendations on the global fabric stain remover market.

Chapter 02  Market Introduction

Readers can find the detailed segmentation and definition of the fabric stain remover market in this chapter, which will help them understand basic information about the fabric stain remover market. This section also highlights the inclusions and exclusions, which help the reader understand the scope of the fabric stain remover market report.

Chapter 03  The Massive Impact of the Crisis

This section provides an in-depth analysis on the impact of COVID-19 outbreak on global economy and its related effect across various countries. Readers can also find information on the impact of the pandemic on various sectors such as manufacturing and supply chain across the globe.

Chapter 04  The 2020 Market Size of Fabric Stain Remover

This section provides an in-depth analysis on the quarter by quarter forecast, 2020 of fabric stain remover market. Readers can also find information on the change in market size by countries, product type, price, end-user, and sales channel.

Chapter 05  Key Market Trends

The report provides key market trends that are expected to impact market growth significantly during the forecast period. Detailed industry trends are provided in this section, along with key market developments or product innovations.

Chapter 06  Brand Mapping Analysis

This section provides an in-depth brand mapping analysis, i.e. the new product launches by the top players of fabric stain remover, brand loyalty mapping, and top of mind fabric stain remover brands, positioning the key sales differentiator and many others.

Chapter 07  Key Regulations

The report provides the regulations followed by the fabric stain remover companies across the globe, along with the packaging & labelling regulations, certifications (organic) achieved by the companies and claims by the companys.

Chapter 08  Global Fabric Stain Remover Market Demand Analysis 2015-2019 and Forecast, 2020-2030

This section provides detailed analysis of the historical fabric stain remover market volume, along with an opportunity analysis of the future. Readers can also find the incremental opportunity for the current year (2020  2021) and an absolute opportunity for the forecast period (20202030).

Chapter 09  Global Fabric Stain Remover Market Pricing Analysis

This chapter highlights the pricing analysis based on product type for base year 2019 and forecast year 2030. In addition, profit margins at each level of the fabric stain remover market are analyzed and readers can find detailed information on top importers and exporters as well as the value chain of the market.

Chapter 10  Global Fabric Stain Remover Market Demand (in Value or Size in US$ Mn) Analysis and Forecast 2015-2030

This chapter includes detailed analysis of the historical fabric stain remover market (2015-2019), along with an opportunity analysis for the forecast period (2020-2030). Readers can also find the incremental opportunity for the current year (2020  2021) and absolute $ opportunity for the forecast period (20202030).This chapter provides details about the global fabric stain remover market on the basis of product type, nature, price range, end-user, sales channel & region. In this chapter, readers can understand market attractive analysis for all segments. This chapter explains how the fabric stain remover market is anticipated to grow across North America, Latin America, Europe, East Asia, South Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East and Africa.

Chapter 11  Market Background

The associated industry assessment of the global fabric stain remover market is carried out in this section. In addition, this chapter explains key macroeconomic factors that are expected to influence the growth of the global fabric stain remover market over the forecast period. Along with macroeconomic factors, this section also highlights the opportunity analysis for the market. It offers provides key market dynamics of the fabric stain remover market, which include drivers, restraints, and trends. Moreover, it will help readers understand key trends followed by leading manufacturers in the fabric stain remover market.

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Chapter 12  Consumer Sentiment Analysis

This chapter highlights the consumer sentiment analysis specific to brand preferred by the consumers, factor influencing market behavior, which mode of advertisement is more preferred by the vendors, key challenges associated with the market suppliers, and many others consumer sentiment analysis.

Chapter 13  Social Media Sentiment Analysis

This section of the report highlights the consumer perception for target products on social media platforms, trending brands, trending #hashtags, trending subject titles and many others social media sentiment analysis.

Chapter 14  Global Fabric Stain Remover Market Analysis 2015-2019 and Forecast 2020-2030, by Nature

This chapter provides details about the fabric stain remover market on the basis of nature such as conventional and organic along with market attractiveness analysis.

Chapter 15  Global Fabric Stain Remover Market Analysis 2015-2019 and Forecast 2020-2030, by Price Range

Based on price range, the fabric stain remover market is segmented into economy/ mid-range and premium. In this chapter, readers can find market attractiveness analysis, based on price range.

Chapter 16  Global Fabric Stain Remover Market Analysis 2015-2019 and Forecast 2020-2030, by Product Type

Based on product type, the fabric stain remover market is segmented into powder, bars/ blocks, pacs & tablets, liquid, and others (sprays, gels, etc.). In this chapter, readers can find market attractiveness analysis, based on product types.

Chapter 17  Global Fabric Stain Remover Market Analysis 2015-2019 and Forecast 2020-2030, by End-user

Based on end-user, the fabric stain remover market is segmented into households, commercial. Commercial segment is further sub-segmented into hotels & restaurants, hospitals, long-term care centers, and others. In this chapter, readers can find market attractiveness analysis, based on end-user.

Chapter 18  Global Fabric Stain Remover Market Analysis 2015-2019 and Forecast 2020-2030, by Sales Channel

Based on sales channel, the fabric stain remover market is segmented into direct, indirect. Indirect segment is further sub-segmented into supermarkets/ hypermarkets, convenience stores, independent small stores, discounted stores, online sales channel, and others. In this chapter, readers can find market attractiveness analysis, based on sales channel.

Chapter 19  Global Fabric Stain Remover Market Analysis 20152019 and Opportunity Assessment 2020-2030 by Region

This chapter explains how the fabric stain remover market will grow across various geographic regions, such as North America, Latin America, Europe, East Asia, South Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East and Africa (MEA).

Chapter 20  North America Fabric Stain Remover Market Analysis 2015-2019 & Forecast 2020-2030

This chapter includes a detailed analysis of the growth of the fabric stain remover market in the North America region, along with a country-wise assessment that includes the U.S. and Canada. Readers can also find regional trends, opportunities, and market growth based on product type, nature, price range, end user, sales channel, and countries in the North America region.

Chapter 21  Latin America Fabric Stain Remover Market Analysis 2015-2019 & Forecast 2020-2030

Readers can find detailed information about several factors, such as the pricing analysis and regional trends, which are impacting growth of the fabric stain remover market in the Latin America region. This chapter also includes growth prospects of the fabric stain remover market in leading LATAM countries such as Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Rest of Latin America.

Chapter 22  Europe Fabric Stain Remover Market Analysis 2015-2019 & Forecast 2020-2030

Important growth prospects of the fabric stain remover market based on its end user in several countries such as Germany, Spain, France, United Kingdom, Italy, and rest of Europe are included in this chapter.

Chapter 23  East Asia Fabric Stain Remover Market Analysis 2015-2019 & Forecast 2020-2030

This chapter includes a detailed analysis of the growth of the fabric stain remover market in East Asia region including the important growth prospects of the fabric stain remover in several countries such as China, Japan, and South Korea are included in this chapter.

Chapter 24  South Asia Fabric Stain Remover Market Analysis 2015-2019 & Forecast 2020-2030

This chapter includes a detailed analysis of the growth of the fabric stain remover market in the South Asia region, along with a country-wise assessment that includes, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Rest of South Asia. Readers can also find regional trends, restraints, and market growth of countries in the South Asia region.

Chapter 25  Oceania Fabric Stain Remover Market Analysis 2015-2019 & Forecast 2020-2030

This chapter includes a detailed analysis of the growth of the fabric stain remover market in East Asia region including the important growth prospects of the fabric stain remover in several countries such as Australia and New Zealand are included in this chapter.

Chapter 26  Middle East and Africa Fabric Stain Remover Market Analysis 2015-2019 & Forecast 2020-2030

This chapter offers insights into how the fabric stain remover market is expected to grow in major countries in the MEA region such as GCC Countries, South Africa, Northern Africa, and the Rest of MEA, during the forecast period 2020-2030.

Chapter 27  Key Emerging Countries Fabric Stain Remover Market Analysis

In this chapter, readers can find detailed information about key emerging countries such as U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Germany, Italy, France, China, India, South Korea, and others in fabric stain remover market analysis.

Chapter 28  Market Structure Analysis

In this chapter, readers can find detailed information about tier analysis and market concentration of the key players in the fabric stain remover market along with their market presence analysis by region and product portfolio.

Chapter 29  Competition Deep-Dive Analysis

In this chapter, readers can find a comprehensive list of e-retailers in the fabric stain remover market, along with detailed information about each company, which includes company overview, revenue shares, strategic overview, and recent company developments. Some of the market players featured in the report are Procter & Gamble Co., Unilever PLC, Colgate-Palmolive Company, Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC, Amway Corporation, Kao Corporation, S.C. Johnson & Son Inc., LG Household & Health Care Ltd., Lion Corporation, Church & Dwight Co., Inc., Oxychem Corporation, Wings Corporation, Blissful Industrial Corporation, Alen USA LLC, Caldera Inc., and among others.

Chapter 30  Assumptions and Acronyms

This chapter includes a list of acronyms and assumptions that provide a based to the information and statistics included in the fabric stain remover market report.

Chapter 31  Research Methodology

This chapter helps readers understand the research methodology followed to obtain various conclusions, as well as important qualitative and quantitative information, on the fabric stain remover market.
A Human Rights Watch report published yesterday provides evidence that Burkina Faso troops are carrying out mass extrajudicial executions of civilians as part of operations in the French-led war in the Sahel.

The report is another exposure of the Franco-German-led war in Mali and the Sahel as a neo-colonial intervention whose aim is the subjugation of the resource-rich and geo-strategically critical region and its population. It follows a series of reports documenting similar atrocities by troops in Niger and Mali, which along with Burkina Faso, Chad and Mauritania make up the G5 force fighting alongside the European-led intervention. It also comes as the European powers are escalating their occupation, which is being cynically waged under the banner of combating terrorism and protecting human rights.

The report is based on interviews with 23 people from the northern town of Djibo, 45 kilometers from the border with Mali, including farmers, traders, civil servants and aid workers. All spoke anonymously for fear of government reprisals. In recent months, common graves have been uncovered in Djibo containing the bodies of at least 180 people, all men, killed in that town alone. All the witnesses said they believed the murders were committed by security forces, after the victims had been arrested.

Soldiers from Burkina Faso before deployment to an exercise in Mali (Credit: Wikimedia Commons)

The executions reportedly spanned from November 2019 to June 2020. The victims bodies were left under roadways and bridges, fields and vacant lots. Most were found with their hands bound tightly behind their back and blindfolded, shot in the head. One farmer told HRW, At night, so many times Id hear the sound of vehicles and then, bam! bam! bam! And the next morning wed see or hear of bodies found in this place or that.

The residents reported that in most cases the bodies were left out in the open for days or weeks. Anyone accused of harboring sympathy for the Islamist ISIS forces fighting against the government could be killed. People are just too terrified that if they claim the body of a man accused of being a terrorist, they too will be taken and end up dead, one resident said.

The report includes specific details of mass executions. One man said: I discovered the bodies of nine people some meters off the road, one of whom was my 23-year-old nephew. Theyd been arrested the day before. A friend called around 11:00 a.m. saying there was trouble in the market, that my boy had been arrested. I went to the market immediately and saw all nine, tied up and face down on the ground. Four gendarmes led them into their vehicle and took them away. That night around 8:00 p.m. I heard shots near the Djibo dam, and in the morning saw them in the bush, hands tied, riddled with bullets We were too afraid to even bury them  we had to watch my nephew turn into a skeleton. He was not laid to rest until the mass burial in March, with dozens of others, but it was hardly a funeral and my boy was not a jihadist.

In March and April, the residents received permission to bury the bodies, and were strictly forbidden from taking photographs of the mass graves. No one would dare do that because the FDS [Defense and Security Forces] was watching, a resident said.

I didnt recognize any of them, one resident said, but several of those watching the burial later told me theyd recognized their father, brother, or son  that hed been missing since being arrested by the soldiers in Djibo or in their villageweeks or months earlier. They didnt say anything during the burial though  out of fear that they too would be arrested.

Most of those killed by state forces belong to the ethnic Peuhl, or Fullani, community, which are predominately Muslim. Because of this, they are accused of being more sympathetic to recruiters for ISIS.

It is increasingly clear that the strategy of the European powers is based on the stoking of ethnic conflict between the Fulani and Dogons. The different ethnicities have long existed peacefully side by side in the same towns throughout the region. Since the launching of the war in Mali by France in August, 2014, however, a series of increasingly horrific ethnic massacres have taken place. Local security forces are widely reported to have armed and supported Dogon militia as part of the war against ISIS, and turned a blind eye to sectarian massacres.

In central Mali alone, HRW claims that it has documented the killing of 800 civilians in dozens of large-scale massacres of Peuhl citizens, and numerous killings of civilians by armed Peuhl groups and Islamists.

On February 14, 2020, a Dogon militia killed 35 villagers in the town of Ogossagou, the same location of a massacre of more than 150 people a year before, on March 23, 2019. It occurred within hours of a Malian security detail departing that had been stationed there since the previous years massacre.

The government has inexplicably claimed that the decision to stop protection of the village was a tactical error. According to a report in May by HRW, they withdrew without providing any explanation to the towns inhabitants. Within hours villagers began to see a build-up of armed men in the Dogon neighborhood. They made calls to high-level Malian authorities, including government ministers, and to the UN peacekeeping mission, requesting protection.

Among those they said they contacted were security force personnelincluding gendarme and army personnelbased in Bankass, just 15 kilometers away, the report stated. In addition, a witness who had attended a meeting of high-level government and MINUSMA officials said  three ministers, including the defense and security ministers, had been contacted in the early evening of February 13 to raise the alarm about the likelihood of an attack. The massacre was allowed to occur.

For European imperialism, such sectarian killings serve not only to terrorize the local population, but to provide a human rights rationale for maintaining a permanent occupation of the region. The Sahel contains not only contain uranium deposits that supply France for its energy production. The region is situated in a geographically important area of western Africa where European imperialism is seeking to hold back growing economic and diplomatic activity influence of China.

With criminal recklessness, French and German imperialism are following the strategy pursued by United States in its occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan, which destroyed entire societies and led to the deaths of over one million people and the forced emigration of tens of millions.

In a war-mongering July 6 column published in Le Monde, the German Social Democratic Party deputy Nils Schmid declared that contrary to the anti-jihadist operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, led by the United States, France and Germany carry the principal responsibility for what is happening in the Sahel. We therefore cannot abdicate responsibility to the Americans or pull out our troops free of charge!

Indeed, France and Germany are using the occupation of the Sahel as a testing ground for the methods developed by the United States in its decades-long war on terror in the Middle East. France is already operating armed drones from Niger for targeted assassinations. Germany is planning to deploy drones to the region. French President Emmanuel Macron travelled to Mauritania on June 30 to an international summit with the G5 leaders to announce a further intensification of the intervention and even closer collaboration with the G5.

The latest HRW report has received scant coverage in the French-language media and no comment from the French government. One can only imagine the wall-to-wall media editorials, government denunciations, and threats of sanctions that would follow if such documented atrocities were committed by militaries working with the armies of Iran, China or Russia.
VICTORIA - A former judge investigating allegations of racism towards Indigenous people in British Columbia's health-care system is calling on patients, families, doctors and nurses to come forward with their stories.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/7/2020 (558 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

B.C. Representative for Children and Youth Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond speaks to a reporter in Vancouver, B.C., on Friday November 13, 2015. A former judge investigating allegations of racism towards Indigenous people in British Columbia's health-care system is calling on patients, families, doctors and nurses to come forward with their stories. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

VICTORIA - A former judge investigating allegations of racism towards Indigenous people in British Columbia's health-care system is calling on patients, families, doctors and nurses to come forward with their stories.

Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond said Thursday the allegations involving emergency room staff playing a game to guess patients' blood-alcohol level are disturbing but health professionals who provide information will be protected.

The professional bodies for doctors and nurses are supporting her investigation and they should not fear losing their jobs, despite the fact that British Columbia's whistle-blower legislation does not apply to health authorities, she said.

Turpel-Lafond said compelling physicians to give evidence can be difficult so she is hoping for voluntary compliance and disclosure from those who won't be "shamed" as Indigenous people themselves have been through racism.

"I can say, though, if I do find that there have been violations of the Criminal Code or the standards of health professional bodies as I look into these investigations, I will report that to the appropriate authorities," Turpel-Lafond said.

She said an investigation, not an inquiry as some Indigenous groups have suggested, is the quickest route to addressing ongoing racism that has not been dealt with because of a broken complaint system.

Racism exists across the health-care system with Indigenous people seeking care often asked irrelevant questions about whether they are intoxicated or addicted to substances, Turpel-Lafond said.

Her investigative team includes former provincial health officer Dr. Perry Kendall as well as Indigenous professionals with clinical experience and those who will analyze data about the number of Indigenous people using the health-care system.

Turpel-Lafond expects to provide an initial report in a few months to Health Minister Adrian Dix, who appointed her to conduct an investigation on June 18.

However, Turpel-Lafond said CEOs of health authorities should immediately address allegations of racism and she'll ask those who didn't to explain themselves.

She is urging Indigenous people to complete a confidential survey of their experiences and says anyone with experience or knowledge of racism could provide information through email or a 1-800 number.

Daniel Fontaine, CEO of Metis Nation British Columbia, one of the groups assisting with the investigation, said he learned last month about a "Price is Right" game played in an emergency room by staff guessing the blood-alcohol level of Indigenous patients.

He said the allegations were outlined in a report by the Provincial Health Services Authority and a second report included "story after story of racism" reported by health-care workers around the province.

Both reports were brought to him by his staff, who work in the Health Ministry, and were stamped March 2019, Fontaine said, adding he contacted the deputy health minister the night before Dix made the allegations public.

"I said we were going to have to speak out because these reports had been produced 15 months ago," he said.

Fontaine said the organization planned a news conference the following morning but backed off when Dix announced Turpel-Lafond's appointment.

Fontaine said he's hoping she will recommend all health-care workers be provided with standardized cultural training that has been endorsed by Indigenous groups.

"Are people being held accountable for participating in racist activities? Those are the kinds of things we're hoping this investigation will look into as well."

 By Camille Bains in Vancouver

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 9, 2020.
Health officials are calling on almost 80 people to be retested for COVID-19 after their swabs were lost as pathology centres were inundated with tests.

Thousands of locals in Sydney's inner-west swarmed to testing facilities last week after a Balmain Woolworths employee tested positive to coronavirus.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard revealed on Friday that 77 of those tests had been 'misplaced in the system'.

'On behalf of New South Wales pathology, they regret very much that those 77 have been misplaced in the rush to get so many tests done so quickly,' Mr Hazzard told reporters.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard has announced 77 COVID-19 tests have been 'misplaced' after NSW pathology was inundated with tests last week

'But they also ask for you to come back and get retested, and I would obviously ask for that as well.

'There is a lot happening every day, a lot of people are under massive pressure.

'I won't point the finger at anybody, I just ask that New South Wales pathology give me a report at some stage.'

Mr Hazzard said the incident coincided with NSW meeting the milestone of conducting more than one million tests to date.

Balmain residents were urged to be alert for COVID-19 symptoms on July 2 after the Woolworths employee attended work on two days while infectious.

The man had spent two weeks in hotel quarantine in Melbourne after arriving from Bangladesh.

A Balmain Woolworths employee tested positive for coronavirus earlier this month. A cleaning contractor is seen cleaning the store on July 2 following the incident

Long queues are pictured at the Rozelle drive-through clinic two days after locals were urged to get tested if they developed symptoms

He developed symptoms on June 14 and tested positive for the virus on day seven of quarantine, on June 18.

Victorian officials released him eight days later and he boarded a flight the same day to Sydney.

He then worked at the Woolworths store at 276 Darling St on June 27 and June 28.

After presenting with COVID-19 symptoms again, he was tested and was assessed as positive.

NSW Health contacted the people who sat in the immediate rows near the man during the Jetstar flight, and 50 staff members at the supermarket were immediately placed into self-isolation.

The bungles comes as fears mount over Victoria's horror second wave of COVID-19 crossing the border after three people returning from Melbourne tested positive to the virus in NSW this week.

A health worker prepares a patient for COVID-19 test at the Rozelle drive-through clinic, near Balmain, on July 4

The NSW-Victoria border was shut at 11.59pm on Tuesday for the first time since the Spanish Influenza outbreak in 1918, in a bid to prevent the contagion spilling into NSW.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Thursday ordered anyone currently in NSW who has visited Melbourne since June 24 to enter immediate 14-day self isolation.

On Friday, Victoria recorded 288 new cases hitting the highest daily count any Australian state has seen since the pandemic began.

Meanwhile, a Sydney pub was forced to close after two patrons- who are not known to eachother- returned positive results.

A 30-year-old woman and a man in his 50s were found to have contracted COVID-19 after visiting the Crossroads Hotel in Casula, the city's south-west, on Saturday.

NSW Health are currently conducting contact tracing and a pop-up testing clinic has been set up at the venue.
Amazon plans to create at least $100 million in stock awards to retain the 900-plus employees of Zoox, the self-driving car startup it offered to buy last month, and can walk away from the deal if large numbers of them turn down job offers from the technology giant.

Amazon, which is aggressively expanding into self-driving technology, announced June 26 it had agreed to acquire the Silicon Valley company, which was founded on an ambitious effort to design a fully autonomous vehicle from scratch rather than retrofitting existing cars for self-driving.

Amazon will pay $1.3 billion in cash for the takeover, which the parties hope to close by September, according to deal documents seen by Reuters.

Zoox had been valued at $3.2 billion in 2018, according to data from PitchBook. The Amazon deal documents show Zoox was burning more than $30 million each month in early 2020 and projected it would run out of cash by July. Amazon had the option to lend Zoox $30 million on signing the agreement in June, with the option for further loans before the deal closes.

Amazon and Zoox did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
They have both been working hard on their fitness during lockdown.

Yet Sam Faiers and her boyfriend Paul Knightley enjoyed a night off their health overhaul on Thursday evening to celebrate lightened lockdown by heading to London's swanky eatery Zuma.

The TOWIE star, 29, admitted she was delighted to be heading out to a restaurant so naturally dressed up to the nines for the outing as she sizzled in a tiny white mini while her slimmed-down beau, 32, looked dashing.

Strutting her stuff: Sam Faiers and her boyfriend Paul Knightley enjoyed a night off their health overhaul on Thursday evening to celebrate lightened lockdown by heading to London's swanky eatery Zuma

Sam looked sensational in her sexy white mini which clung to her svelte frame as she headed to the eatery with her stunning figure on display.

She boosted her height with a pair of strappy black heels and held a black handbag, with the accessories contrasting against the white dress perfectly.

Paul meanwhile donned a tight camel coloured top and dark trousers after proudly showcasing the gruelling results of his fitness regime.

Sam and Paul enjoyed date night following 109 days of lockdon their beloved two children Paul Jr, four, and Rosie, two, at their Surrey home.

Wow! The TOWIE star, 29, admitted she was delighted to be heading out to a restaurant so naturally dressed up to the nines for the outing as she sizzled in a tiny white mini while her slimmed-down beau, 32, looked dashing

A vision: Sam looked sensational in her sexy white mini which clung to her svelte frame as she headed to the eatery with her stunning figure on display

Before heading out, the duo took a stunning snap before sharing another which Rosie had opted to make her way into.

She shared a caption reading: 'Ok not gonna lie.. Im extremely excited to be dressed up and going out to a restaurant for dinner with my man #datenight'.

Last month, Paul unveiled his staggering weight loss transformation after overhauling his lifestyle, as he took to Instagram on Friday to share the shirtless before and after snaps, showcasing his ripped physique.

Stunner: Before heading out, the duo took a stunning snap

Wow! She was also sharing another which Rosie had opted to make her way into

Paul has clearly put his extra time spent at home to good use as he told followers he achieved his new six pack in just 'eight weeks.'

He penned: 'Today is exactly 8 weeks when I started my fitness journey with @kc_life_change_fitnesspt. Hard work and dedication has paid off. I couldnt have done it without my girl for prepping all my meals & encouragement.

'This is just the start and not my end goal yet.'

Pals! They lived it up with friends
Lately, weve heard a lot about the notion of lawlessness and the need to restore law and order within the United States. For Indigenous nations, law and order has a particularly loaded past. Tribes have watched the United States, a country that prides itself on the rule of law, systematically disregard its own laws, unilaterally abrogate its own treaties, and, at times, disregard the decisions of its own Supreme Court.

The Five Tribes in eastern OklahomaMuscogee (Creek) Nation, Cherokee Nation, Choctaw Nation, Chickasaw Nation, and Seminole Nationshare a common history where external narratives and scare tactics of lawlessness inside tribal jurisdictions have been invented and recycled to justify incursions on tribal sovereignty and limit Indigenous autonomy. It is necessary, so the story goes, to bring in non-native police powers and non-native legal institutions for the sake of bringing law and order to Indian Country.

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Yesterdays long-awaited United States Supreme Court decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma pulled no punches in recognizing and reaffirming the political and territorial boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. The court held that the treaty-guaranteed geographic borders of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation survived Oklahoma statehood and that these reservation boundaries remain legally valid jurisdictional markers for criminal jurisdiction over tribal citizens.

The court noted that Oklahoma repeatedly overstepped and stretched its governmental powers beyond what federal law provides. In short, Oklahoma has no legal authority to prosecute Native Americans for crimes committed within an Indian reservation. Oklahoma spent a century actively creating a law on the ground that was contrary to the law on the books.

The Supreme Courts rebuke is powerful: Unlawful acts, performed long enough and with sufficient vigor, are never enough to amend the law.

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If ever there were a statement to capture the collective experience of Indigenous peoples and other marginalized communities across the United States, that was it. Might does not make right.

So now what? Will Oklahoma fall into chaos, as attorneys for the state warned?

The one-sided false narrative of lawlessness is tired. Undoubtedly, the horrendous crimes that gave rise to this legal dispute are taken deeply to heart. Justice must be served, and all parties in Oklahoma share in the seriousness of this moment. No population has a higher stake in ending violence within Indian Country than do Indigenous people and Indigenous governments. Indigenous populations have fought and died for the right to maintain their own legal institutions. As a former special district court judge for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and former Supreme Court justice for the Cherokee Nation, I know this right is not taken lightly.

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Before McGirt, Oklahoma tried the overwhelming majority of criminal cases involving Native American defendants before Oklahoma judges and Oklahoma juries. The only exercise of tribal criminal jurisdiction Oklahoma seemed comfortable with was a small piece of the pie: Tribes could arrest tribal citizens on the few parcels of land that unquestionably remained under federal/tribal ownership and control. Under this scenario, tribes policed Native Americans on Native-owned land, but not inside Native territory.

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After McGirt, most felony cases with Native American defendants will be prosecuted by either the U.S. attorney or the tribal prosecutor, or both. Tribal courts will retain exclusive jurisdiction over lower level crimes. This means tribal judges and juries, as prescribed by tribal law, will be the ones to decide what happens to their citizens.

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Criminal prosecutions will not cease. Criminal defendants will not walk free. Future perpetrators will not escape accountability. If anything, concerns of overpolicing Indigenous people outweigh any concerns of lawlessness. There are no jurisdictional gaps.

When practical law enforcement issues arise, the tribes and state and federal officials will partner to work out the details. With or without McGirt, Oklahoma is home to 38 federally recognized tribes, most with tribal courts and law enforcement of their own. Hundreds of tribal-state cross-deputization agreements are already in place that address arrest powers, extradition, and 911 emergency response. Oklahomas criminal docket will decline to some extent. The Native American population in Oklahoma is just over 9 percent. Conversely, federal and tribal criminal dockets will increase and a ramp up in capacity will be required over time.

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The Supreme Court case has attracted mainstream attention, but the Indigenous nations involved in this case are not dealing with an unprecedented moment.

The Muscogee (Creek) Nation and its companion tribes have strong histories of rebuilding, expanding, and improving their legal institutions after incidents of state encroachment that included near annihilation. After removal, the nations completely rebuilt their homes and all their government institutions. This time is different in only one regard: Tribal courts and law enforcement are at a stronger starting point, and therefore the acceleration will be easier than ever.

On the eve of the forced federal Indian removal, Alabama and Georgia put laws in place purporting to strip Muscogee (Creek) Nation officials of authority over tribal citizens by threatening them with dire punishment for attempting to enforce Creek laws. Other states followed suit. The Cherokee Nation successfully fought this state incursion in the United States Supreme Court in Cherokee Nation v. Georgia and Worcester v. Georgia. When the Supreme Court ruled that the laws of Georgia had no force and effect inside the Cherokee Nation, President Andrew Jackson purportedly said, [Chief Justice] John Marshall has made his decision. Now let him enforce it. By 1839, the Five Tribes were all physically relocated to their current locales in what would become Oklahoma, with the same political and territorial boundaries the U.S. Supreme Court upheld in McGirt.

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The post-removal period was an Indigenous awakening. Like the other nations, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation adopted a new constitution, deputized its own Lighthorse police force, and self-funded a comprehensive judicial system that exceeded the standards of its frontier counterparts. The Indigenous nations exercised full criminal jurisdiction over tribal citizens and those who consented to their jurisdiction. The U.S. marshals were legally bound by treaty to remove and prosecute non-Indian intruders. This was the only non-native law enforcement presence agreed to by the tribes. Other treaty guarantees preserved tribal authority over tribal citizens, at least until the next threat to tribal sovereignty materialized.

On the eve of Oklahoma statehood, federal authorities once again tried to strip Muscogee (Creek) Nation officials of their authority over tribal citizens. They threatened to federally abolish the Creek judiciary unless the tribe agreed to divide and individually allot its lands as a precursor to impending statehood. During this time, federal courts were first placed inside Indian Territory, again for the purpose of imposing criminal jurisdiction over tribal citizens when it was not needed. After the federal land run on Indigenous institutions, Oklahoma eagerly picked up the torch.

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History is replete with attempts to overstep and stamp out Indigenous self-governance, especially when it comes to Indigenous policing and tribal courts. These efforts have been met with sustained Indigenous resistance and steadfast commitment to protecting tribal courts and tribal police. Law enforcement is where the rubber meets the road, and therefore it is the most visible manifestation of Indigenous authority.

The sun came up just fine in Tulsa today. Oklahoma state court judges will do their jobs and exercise jurisdiction over most crimes that take place in Oklahoma for the rest of their careers.

Thirty-six miles to the south, Muscogee (Creek) Nation judges will do their jobs today, but for the first time in over a century, they will exercise jurisdiction over all of their citizens who commit crimes within their nation. Its not a radical notion. Its a basic right of governance exercised all over the globe.
A Woolworths in Melbournes southwest has been closed after a worker tested positive for coronavirus.

The Werribee Plaza store was shut at 8pm AEST on Thursday as an extra precautionary measure for an additional deep clean.

The Woolworths staff member last worked at the supermarket on July 4 and did not have any symptoms at the time.

A Woolworths in Melbourne's southwest has been closed after a worker tests positive to coronavirus. Source: Google Maps, file

They are now in self-isolation after Woolworths was made aware of the case on Thursday.

In-store customer notifications have been put up in multiple parts of the store.

While the risk of transmission to customers and team members is low, the safety and wellbeing of the local community is our priority, a Woolworths spokesperson said in a statement to Yahoo News Australia.

Customers and team members should be assured they can continue to safely shop and work at our Werribee Plaza supermarket.

Any customers who shopped in our Werribee Plaza store on Saturday 4 July and feel unwell in the next two weeks should make contact with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

The store reopened at 7am on Friday.

The spokesperson said they were making contact with staff at that store and would be providing our full support to those required to self-isolate.

Woolworths is also ensuring no employees will be financially disadvantaged during the pandemic if they contract the virus and are required to self-isolate by having special leave top-up provisions.

It comes after four people who worked at a Woolworths Customer Fulfilment Centre in Footscray, in Melbournes inner west, were confirmed to have COVID-19.

Victoria has been at the centre of a new surge in outbreaks, with 165 new coronavirus cases confirmed on Thursday.

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.
Lucknow, July 10 : The Uttar Pradesh government which has announced fresh restrictions for a 55-hour period beginning Friday night, directed officials to take extra precautions in government offices, where Covid-19 cases are on the rise.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to take additional care to avoid contracting the virus.

Chief Secretary R.K. Tiwari has also issued an order, saying that 50 per cent of employees of Groups C and D should be allowed to work from home on any given day.

All officials of Groups A and B, however, are required to attend office.

Tiwari said that those employees who are working from home should remain connected to office via their phones or other electronic devices. If required, they can be asked to come to office.

The rule will not be applicable to those employees connected to emergency and necessary services and those who are playing a role in corona management. They will be required to work as per their existing schedules or that which will be set by their department heads.

The Chief Secretary said that a similar protocol can be followed by subordinate offices, local bodies and corporations.

He said that the corona infection is spreading partly due to carelessness and all those officials who have to travel as part of their duties, whether within the city or outside, should take special care.

Employees coming to work will undergo thermal scanning while sanitizers will be made available in offices. All offices will be sanitized and if a positive case is identified in any particular office, then it will be shut for 24 hours for sanitization.

Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Avanish Awasthi, said "The Chief Minister has directed that all officials should follow the necessary protocols of wearing masks, social distancing, sanitization. They should take special care while travelling to protect themselves from the infection." Teams of medical experts are being sent to Kanpur, Jhansi and Varanasi to check the spread of the virus in these districts.

Yogi has said that beds in all Covid hospitals should be increased, especially in districts where the spread of the virus was higher.

In recent weeks, corona cases have been reported from the 112-emergency helpline centre, state information department and some other government offices, leading to their partial closure.
OTTAWAFinance Minister Bill Morneau took part in the Liberal cabinets decision to award a multimillion-dollar contract to WE Charity despite his daughter working for the organization.

Grace Acan has been employed by WE Charity and its for-profit corporation, ME to WE, since August 2019.

Despite his daughters employment with the organization, Morneau participated in the cabinet discussion and decision to pay WE Charity $19.5 million to run a $900-million student volunteer grant program.

That decision is at the centre of a widening ethics scandal for the Liberal government, which has so far forced the government to reverse course on the program, revealed a financial relationship between WE and Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus family, and spawned a third ethics investigation into the prime ministers actions.

WE Charity confirmed Acan is an employee. The connection was first revealed by Canadaland and the CBC on Friday.

(Acan) is a contractual employee of WE in an administrative role in the travel department since 2019, following her internship there as part of her undergraduate education in community development, said Maeva Proteau, a spokesperson for Morneau, in a statement.

She got this position on her own merits. There is absolutely no link between her employment and any work that WE does with the Government of Canada.

Federal conflict of interest rules require public office holders such as cabinet ministers to recuse themselves from any discussion, decision, debate or vote on any matter that could put them in a conflict of interest.

The rules define a conflict of interest as a public office holder using an official power, duty or function that provides an opportunity to further his or her private interests or those of his or her relatives or friends.

Friday afternoon, the NDPs Charlie Angus asked the federal ethics watchdog to open an investigation into Morneau  in addition to the probe already underway into Trudeaus actions.

It would seem apparent that Minister Morneau would recognize that the fact that his family member was an employee of this organization necessitated him to recuse himself regarding this extraordinary decision to outsource nearly a billion-dollar commitment of public funds in a single-source contract, Angus wrote in a letter to conflict of interest and ethics commissioner Mario Dion.

But the Opposition Conservatives attempted to escalate the scandal from an ethics investigation to a criminal investigation.

Michael Barrett, the Conservative shadow minister for ethics, said the party would write to the RCMP to encourage the national police force to open an investigation into a potential breach of trust.

The prime minister of Canada awarded a  contract for a program that was tailor-made for this organization, which the prime minister says could only be delivered by this organization, while the government is already delivering a very similar program, the Canada Summer Job program, Barrett said in an interview with the Star.

Thats incredibly unusual. And we have members of the prime ministers family, his mother and his brother specifically, receiving between them hundreds of thousands of dollars from this organization who has been awarded this sole-sourced contract. The prime minister has an ongoing relationship with this organization, as does his wife.

Barrett dismissed Trudeaus explanation that he didnt recuse himself from the discussion because hes passionate about youth issues.

This isnt altruism. Its capitalism. And its capitalism at the expense of the Canadian taxpayer, Barrett said.

The WE organization confirmed Thursday that it had paid a total of $284,000 to Margaret Trudeau and Alexandre Trudeau, the prime ministers mother and brother, for a series of speaking engagements at WE-hosted events between 2016 and 2020.

Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, the prime ministers wife, also received a $1,400 honorarium for speaking at a WE-hosted youth event in 2012.

Trudeau is now facing his third ethics investigation in the five years hes been prime minister. Dion, the ethics commissioner, confirmed last Friday that Trudeau was being investigated for three possible violations: whether he was in a conflict of interest in awarding the contract to WE, whether he gave preference to WE, and whether he should have recused himself from cabinets decision to award the contract.

Both Trudeau and Morneaus office have repeatedly said that the idea to have WE administer the volunteer grant program came from the public service.

Trudeau originally said WE was the only organization that could connect students to paid volunteer positions across the country, before his government reversed the decision and gave the program to the public service to administer.
Eric Gay, STF / Associated Press

Texas Republicans clashed with the Democratic Mayor of Houston, Sylvester Turner, as his administration moved abruptly to shut down the party's massive convention that health experts had warned would be a "super spreader event" during a pandemic.

Plus Gov. Greg Abbott faces more criticism from fellow Republicans over his pandemic response and he's starting to blame local officials for failing to enforce his executive orders. Trouble is, it's Republican local officials declaring they won't enforce his mask orders.
[July 10, 2020] Business Reporter: In Today's World of Stripped-down Shopping, Retailers Need to Start Focusing on the Essentials

LONDON, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Ever since high-street shopping fell victim to the onslaught of online retail  about ten years ago and counting  brick-and-mortar outlets have convinced themselves that, if only they could make physical shopping more interesting or fun  anything  they would somehow return to their rightful position at the top of the pile. It was inevitable that something would come along to put paid to this wishful thinking, writes <intent> CEO Richard Harris, in a new article for Business Reporter. And the Covid-19 pandemic has not, he says, so much hurt retail as taught retailers how seamlessly consumers could move online. "It turns out that although buying is essential," Harris writes, "Shopping isn't." With the concept of "experiential retail" now rapidly fading into a past that isn't coming back, retailers need to focus on how to best approach the new post-experiental era. Harris outlines two key concepts that businesses need to master if they're to prosper  "understanding intention" and "clearing the path". Machine learning will have a big part to play in the "new normal" of online retail, and the ability to predict consumer behaviour, and respond to it in real time, could mean the difference between a completed transaction and an abandoned cart. "When you visit a retailer's website, the site knows what you're likely to do and behaves accordingly," Harris explains. "The site 'clears the path' and offers a clean interface to someone ready to buy. By contrast, it shows ads and landing page varietie to someone who is unlikely to convert."



<intent> is already leading the way, building thousands of models for companies using its Predictive Intelligence Platform, that boost revenue and reduce inefficient ad spending. Rather than getting people to linger in stores where they'll eventually buy something, in the post-experiential era, it's all about making shopping as fast, seamless and simple as possible. To find out more, you can read the original article here.

Notes for editors This press release has been provided by Business Reporter (www.business-reporter.co.uk). About Business Reporter Business Reporter is distributed with The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Telegraph and City AM, with each publication reaching an average of 1.5 million people. Content is also published through the Business Reporter and teiss websites, which include video debates, online articles and digital magazines, delivering news and analysis on the issues affecting businesses to a global audience. Business Reporter also hosts conferences, breakfast meetings and exclusive summits, events which bring together some of the most influential decision makers and innovators in modern business. These exclusive events for business leaders give Business Reporter direct contact with readers and help to inform the content and direction of its editorial projects. Business Reporter is committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and was the first UK member of the UN SDG Media Compact. We have launched a website dedicated to showcasing the work of companies towards these goals at 17globalgoals.com. Business Reporter is committed to providing meaningful analysis to everyone in business. Whether you're running a small business, the head of a local company or an executive in a multinational corporation, there's something for you at Business Reporter. www.business-reporter.co.uk About <intent> <intent> is the machine-learning company that empowers marketing and media teams with real-time predictions from first-party data. We predict the behaviour of every website user, faster than anyone else, enabling our customers to activate immediately against this insight. <intent> makes more than 4 billion predictions every month to help thousands of performance marketers intelligently serve consumers at every stage of the shopping process. www.intent.com

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Robert Fuller, 24, was found hanging from a tree in Palmdale last month. L.A. County sheriff's investigators said he had a documented history of self-harm and had talked of suicide.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department investigators have concluded that Robert Fuller, a Black man whose body was found hanging from a tree in Palmdale last month, died by suicide, saying a thorough investigation found no signs of foul play and showed the 24-year-old had previously exhibited suicidal behavior.

The findings, announced Thursday, upheld the preliminary determination of suicide that Fuller's family and many residents of the Antelope Valley had called into question. Pointing to the region's history of racism toward Black people; the backdrop of unrest prompted by George Floyd's death; the hanging death a week earlier of another Black man, Malcolm Harsch, in nearby Victorville; and the setting where Fuller's body was found  hanging in a public square outside Palmdale's City Hall  they voiced a suspicion that Fuller had been lynched and demanded a more thorough investigation, monitored by outside agencies.

Sheriff Alex Villanueva complied, and on Thursday, Cmdr. Chris Marks laid out his detectives findings, culled from medical records and interviews with family and social workers. Fuller, Marks said, had a documented history of mental illness and self-harm, having been admitted to hospitals in California, Arizona and Nevada after expressing a desire  and on at least one occasion attempting  to hurt himself.

The Los Angeles County medical examiner-coroner ruled Fuller's death a suicide, with Matthew J. Miller, a deputy medical examiner, writing in a report that a lack of significant trauma to Fullers neck and limbs, coupled with the existence of evidence of prior suicidal ideation and a history of mental health issues, supported that conclusion.

Jamon Hicks, an attorney representing Fuller's family, said he would respond to the sheriff's and coroner's findings Friday. Hicks has commissioned an independent autopsy of Fuller's body, the results of which have yet to be released. A private investigator is also attempting to retrace Fuller's last steps.

Story continues

Marks said Fuller's family was very cooperative, providing detectives with medical records and other "much-needed information." Detectives obtained other records by serving hospitals with search warrants.

In January 2017, Fuller was hospitalized in Arizona and diagnosed with auditory hallucinations after saying he wanted "to put a gun to his head," Marks said. In February 2019, he checked himself into a hospital in California and reported hearing voices telling him to kill himself. And in November of that year he was hospitalized in Nevada after saying he planned to harm himself, Marks said.

In February, Fuller tried to light himself on fire, Las Vegas police told sheriff's detectives. Fuller, who grew up on the west side of Palmdale, lived at various times in Nevada and Arizona; Marks said a coordinator at a Las Vegas shelter for homeless youths told detectives that Fuller was a "periodic resident" there from February 2019 to February of this year.

On May 14, someone using an EBT card registered to Fuller purchased a red rope from a Dollar Tree  a rope consistent with the one found at the scene of Fuller's death, Marks said. Because the purchase was made more than one month before detectives inquired about it, they could not recover video from the store showing Fuller buying the rope, Marks said, although he noted that investigators have found video from subsequent weeks showing Fuller using the same EBT card at various stores.

In the early morning hours of June 10, a homeless person walking through Poncitlan Square, near Palmdale's City Hall, found Fuller's body hanging from a tree, a coroner's report said. Judging by how and where the rope was tied to the tree limb, detectives determined Fuller "was not hoisted into that position," Marks said. His body showed no signs of a struggle or defensive wounds, although detectives noted scarring on his left wrist that indicated self-harm, Marks said. Investigators have found no video footage that shows the tree itself, he said.

It remained to be seen whether those who greeted the initial finding of suicide with skepticism would accept the Sheriff's Department's conclusion. When Robert Fuller's half-brother, Terron Boone, died in a shootout with sheriff's deputies one week after Fuller's body was found, rumors and speculation about a cover-up ricocheted through social media.

Villanueva praised his detectives' work and declared that "people should not translate a lack of information to a conspiracy," but he said the finding of suicide does not change the tragedy that is a young man's death.

"There are no winners or losers in this," he said.

Sheriff's officials declined Thursday to discuss the investigation of Boone's death. On June 17 plainclothes detectives trailed Boone to an apartment complex in Rosamond, a small Kern County community north of Palmdale. Los Angeles County prosecutors had charged Boone, 31, with assaulting, threatening and holding a former girlfriend against her will for six days, according to a complaint filed in Los Angeles Superior Court's Antelope Valley courthouse. The detectives were tasked with taking him into custody.

Outside the apartment complex, the detectives, whose cars weren't identified as police vehicles, tried to pull over a blue Jeep carrying Boone in the passenger seat, sheriff's officials have said. In their account, Boone came out of the car shooting, firing at least five rounds at the detectives and striking their car. They shot Boone in the chest, killing him.

A woman in the driver's seat was grazed by a bullet and struck with shrapnel, according to her attorney; the woman's 7-year-old daughter, sitting in the back seat, wasn't harmed.

Sheriff's Lt. Brandon Dean, who oversaw the Fuller death investigation, said there was no apparent connection between the deaths of Fuller and Boone, beyond the two being brothers.
Protest Over Forced Demolition Escalates in Beijing

In the Changping District of Beijing, property owners at Wayao Villa prepared bricks and fire extinguishers, and gathered at the villas entrance at 1 a.m. on June 29. They were trying to defend their homes against the armed police and the demolition team, who usually assault the villa in early morning hours to forcibly tear down their homes.
Russias Yugra resident faces fake COVID-19 news distribution trial

 pixabay.com

15:50 10/07/2020

MOSCOW, July 10 (RAPSI)  A resident of Russias Yugra, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area, will stand trial on charges of distribution of fake news about coronavirus , the press service of the Prosecutor Generals Office reports.

According to the investigation, on May 22, the man published a post reading that the infection does not exist and called not to wear protective means and violate sanitary rules on a social network. This information was a fake, the statement reads.

Moreover, since June 2018, he has been registered in a public employment center and has received unemployment benefits. However, since February 2019, the man has officially begun business activities leaving this fact unrelated and continuing to receive unemployment benefits. Thus, he is also charged with fraud.
His unique experiences in both the Military Special Operations community and the private sector make him a perfect fit for the team. He brings a clear vision to the company and possesses a unique ability to build relationships and alliances across all public safety disciplines.

Critical Response Group, Inc. announced that Michael Rodgers, a 2008 graduate of the United States Military Academy and former officer from the United States Armys Special Operations Command (USSAOC), 75th Ranger Regiment has been named CEO of the company. Following his 9 years of service in the military, Rodgers worked at BAE Systems, Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of BAE Systems plc, an international defense, aerospace and security company based in San Diego, CA.

After graduating from West Point, Rodgers was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division and later selected for service within the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. After completing five deployments, his final military assignment was to serve as the Assistant Professor of Military Science at Princeton University.

We are excited to welcome Mike to our team and look forward to the future as we continue our expansion across the United States, said Phil Coyne, president of CRG. His unique experiences in both the Military Special Operations community and the private sector make him a perfect fit for the team. He brings a clear vision to the company and possesses a unique ability to build relationships and alliances across all public safety disciplines.

I am grateful for the opportunity to work with this team of dedicated professionals who are so clearly committed to enhancing emergency preparedness across our country. I look forward to collaborating with our public safety partners to improve the critical situational awareness of our first responder community which will save lives, said Rodgers.

Critical Response Group, Inc. is a group of retired United States Military Special Operations personnel, public safety professionals and technical experts who are committed to introducing validated, simple to use and practical tools to first responders which enhance their planning for, and ultimately their coordination when responding to, any critical incident.

For more information about Critical Response Group, Inc. visit: https://www.crgplans.com

Additional information can be found here: https://youtu.be/10aghbY3AKI


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Last month, a South Carolina circuit court judge ruled that 36 Anglican churches in that state dont have to turn over their property to the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina.

It was the latest decision in the long legal struggle between the Episcopal Church in South Carolina and the more conservative Anglican congregations, which officially broke away in 2012.

Im encouraged but not elated, said Mark Lawrence, the bishop of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina. The mill of the legal system grinds slowly, so I try not to be overly discouraged when it seems to have gone against us, nor elated when it goes for us.

Lawrence said hes cautiously optimistic about the latest ruling but expects an appeal.

The chancellor of the Episcopal Church in South Carolina, Thomas S. Tisdale Jr., has said the ruling was not a final decision, but yet another step on a long journey to full reconciliation within our diocese.

Molly Hamilton, the dioceses communications director, said Tisdale hopes that the breakaway congregations will come back. Our vision is for every returning congregation to live into its future as a vital, mission-minded Episcopal congregation, she said.

In the Anglicans view, thats not likely. I think if that was going to happen, it would have happened a long time ago, Lawrence said.

Lawrences Anglican diocese began its legal dispute in 2013, a few months after leaving the Episcopal Church over doctrinal disagreements, including whether belief in Jesus is the only way to salvation and whether homosexual behavior is sinful.

The theologically conservative breakaway churches started the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina a few months later and joined the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) in 2017.

Lawrence was at the center of the controversy leading to the split after the Episcopal Church tried to remove him for opposing the ordination of LGBT clergy. Lawrence said if the Episcopal Church re-absorbed the congregations now under the Anglican umbrella, theyd surely kick out existing clergy, including him.

Even though the ruling doesnt put an end to disputes between the denominations, dozens of Anglican congregations are celebrating that, for now, their church buildings are theirs. Some of the South Carolina churches are among the oldest in the country.

Old St. Andrews Parish Church in Charleston, South Carolina, deserves its qualifier. The unassuming white stucco building, which forms the shape of a cross, was first built in 1706, then rebuilt in the 1760s after a fire. Deep green shutters hug its windows. Arched window panes and sloped ceilings bathe the altar in natural light.

Like many historic Southern churches, Old St. Andrews has a dark past. Its pre-Civil War ministers supported slavery and deliberately omitted the names of churchgoing slaves from membership rolls. The church endured through another fire, an earthquake, and a hurricane over the years, and is now the oldest church building south of Virginia that still holds weekly meetings.

The churchs most recent trial has unfolded inside a courtroom. Lawrence said his diocese has spent millions now on the lawsuits, with most of that coming directly from congregations or the diocese itself.

In addition to the current case at the state level, theres also a federal case pending. He also worries the public nature of the dispute could be harmful to the larger churchs witness.

Clearly I believe it is harmful, Lawrence said. But it would be worse to walk away from the buildings hes meant to protect, he said.

The fracture in South Carolina follows similar breaks in other states where conservative congregations have left the Episcopal Church. Episcopalians have fought for years to retain legal rights to the church buildings and intellectual property associated with those breakaway churches, and state courts in most cases have sided with the denomination.

The Episcopal Church in California, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Virginia have won the rights to most of the church properties in those states, even if the congregations inside had left.

In 2017, the South Carolina case looked like it might go the same way. A state Supreme Court rulingwhich consisted of an unprecedented five wholly separate opinionspaved the way for the Episcopal Church in that state to reclaim dozens of church buildings that were currently home to Anglican congregations. The South Carolina Anglicans appealed to the US Supreme Court, which declined to hear the case a year later.

So the issue fell once again to the South Carolina Circuit Court, where the Anglicans filed a motion for clarification on the five separate Supreme Court opinions. This most recent ruling was the courts response to that request.

Judge Edgar Dickson wrote that the breakaway Anglicans, including Old St. Andrews, are the rightful legal owners of their various parish buildings.

The myriad South Carolina court decisions that paved the way for this one are convoluted. Each new ruling represents a switch from a previous one, and even a single ruling, such as in the case at the South Carolina Supreme Court in 2017, can include multiple opinions.

Still, judges in South Carolina and in other states have tried to clarify that their decisions fall into the legal realm, rather than interfering in theological or ecclesiastical disagreements. The court was not tasked with deciding who is interpreting the Bible correctly or which faction is the rightful diocese.

Instead, as Dickson wrote in June, the judges viewed their job as to interpret church documents as they would any other legal document and to hold the parties accountable to their legal agreements.

In this latest ruling, the church document in question was the Dennis Canon, an Episcopal Church agreement from 1979. The Episcopal Church claims the Dennis Canon grants it legal rights to all church properties belonging to its parishes. Judge Dickson, however, found that the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina was not legally bound by the Dennis Canon.

A similar ruling was filed in Texas earlier this year. The state supreme court there said roughly 60 parishes that split from the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth several years ago can keep their own property.

Still, the legal disputes in Texas and South Carolina arent over. Both groups in Fort Worth, for example, persist in calling themselves the Episcopal Diocese of Forth Worth, and there is a trademark case pending over that name.

In South Carolina, the Episcopal diocese filed a motion June 30 asking for judges to reconsider and calling the recent ruling arbitrary and capricious. If the circuit court judge wont change his ruling, the diocese is expected to appeal to the State Supreme Court.

Theres no way [the Episcopal Church] would fill the 50-some parish churches that we have, not even close, Lawrence said.

If the Anglican Diocese were to lose ownership of its now 55 churches in South Carolina (excluding those that have been planted since the split), many buildings would be either sold or stand empty, Lawrence said.

He pointed to a similar situation in the Diocese of San Juaquin, California, where the courts granted the Episcopal Church legal ownership of several church buildings that are now either empty or home to much smaller congregations.

According to the General Convention of the Episcopal Church, active membership in the church in the US decreased by nearly 20 percent from 2008 to 2018. Today, there are an estimated 6,900 open Episcopal parishes and roughly 560,000 regular weekly attendees.

But the 2012 split in South Carolina gutted the Episcopal diocese there. Before the parishes broke away, there were 73 open Episcopal parishes or missions and an average of 12,000 weekly attendees. In 2018, there were just 31 Episcopal parishes and roughly 3,000 average weekly attendees.

Hamilton at the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina said the data starting in 2014 shows theyre actually the fastest-growing diocese in the US. The number of baptized members has grown by nearly 19 percent since then.

Since the breakaway group disassociated from our diocese, we have seen continued and steady growth in the churches, congregations, and members that remain with the historic diocese and the Episcopal Church, Hamilton said.

Meanwhile, the Anglican Church in North America remains much smaller. According to 2019 data, there are 972 open congregations and an average of roughly 128,000 weekly attendees. In South Carolina, Anglican Bishop Lawrence said some of his congregations are growing and some are not. That was the case before the lawsuit, that will be the case after the lawsuit, he said. Still, he believes its likely the legal dispute has hindered the churchs growth.

In Fort Worth, the Episcopal diocese has seen little change since 2013. Attendance at the 16 parishes has stayed roughly the same or decreased only slightly since 2013. The breakaway diocese, on the other hand, now has 56 congregations.

Back at Old St. Andrews Parish Church in Charleston, face masks are required in the sanctuary and church hallways as Father Marshall Huey works to keep his flock safe from the coronavirus. After last months ruling, though, he penned an open letter to his congregation threatening hugs all around.

Thanks be to God for this decision and for all it will mean for our future, Huey wrote. He invited church members to join that afternoon for a prayer of thanks. I hope to see you at noon we will try to maintain social distancing, but I might not be able to restrain myself from hugging each one of you.
Citing threat from Chinese investments in Sri Lanka, Senior Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader and Lok Sabha MP, TR Baalu, on Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to revive the 'Sethu Samudram Project'.

In the letter, Baalu wrote, "In the wake of the current conflict with China, we need to appreciate that besides our long borders in the northwest and northeast from Punjab to Arunachal Pradesh, the southern coastal borders, in particular the sea between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, has assumed critical importance from the security point of view." He added, "The way in which China is moving closer to Sri Lanka will never be in our national interest."

He noted that Sri Lanka has moved closer to China in recent years as Beijing has invested nearly USD 7 billion in infrastructure development and vital sectors "so much so that it will endanger the sovereignty of the island neighbour, situated hardly 30 km from Tamil Nadu".

READ | DMK Defector V P Duraisamy Appointed Vice-president Of BJP Tamil Nadu Unit

Not turning Lanka another Nepal

He said these investments have made people in Lanka perceive China as a friend and an ally and India should not rule out that the island nation will become "another Nepal very soon". Baalu was referring to the recent tensions between India and Nepal that have brewed after Prime Minister KP Oli introduced a new map that incorporated Indian territories as part of Nepal, a move presumably pushed by Beijing to create frictions in South Asia.

The DMK leader said Tamil Nadu coast, especially the Adam's Bridge and Sethu Samudram areas have immense geo-strategic value as it is part of India's maritime strategic lifeline and the "world's most important global sea lane".

READ | SC Issues Notice TN, Others On DMK Plea For Disqualification Of 11 AIADMAK MLAs

Strategic objective

TR Baalu said the Rs 2,400 crore Sethu Samudram project was inaugurated in 2005 but later "certain elements inimical to the national security and economic prosperity of India, schemed and misled the judiciary by invoking irrelevant and religious beliefs and succeeded in their designs to stall the prestigious Ship Channel Project activities."

The Project envisages dredging of a channel across the Palk Strait between India and Sri Lanka to allow ships to sail between the east and west coasts of India, instead of circumventing the island nation. China has built the Hambantota Port in the southern tip of Lanka and was handed over to it for a 99-year lease by Colombo after it failed to pay back its debt. India fears the port can be used by China to station its naval assets and pose a serious security threat to New Delhi's interests in the Indian Ocean.

There was opposition to the Sethu Samudram project on the economic/religious/ecological fronts. The Hindus believe the Adam''s Bridge or the Ram Sethu was built by Lord Rama to reach Sri Lanka to rescue his wife Sita from the clutches of demon king Ravana. The Tamil Nadu government under late J Jayalalithaa had demanded the Ram Sethu/Adam''s Bridge be called a national monument and contended that its demolition would impact marine ecology in that region.

Letter by TR Baalu:

READ | 'Key Futuristic Project': Amit Shah Lauds Rewa Solar Project, Thanks PM Modi For Launch

READ | COVID-19: Tamil Nadu Secretariat To Be Shut For 2 Days For disinfectant Work
YEREVAN.  On June 20, a 53-year-old resident of Yerevan reported to police that during a financial dispute on the same day at a financial company, the latter's director had punched in the body, and shot him in the left eye with a pistol in front of the company entrance, causing bodily injuries, according to the Information and Public Relations Department of the Investigative Committee of Armenia.

During the preparation of the respective, the director of this company came to a police station and handed over the gas pistol that was used in the aforesaid incident.

According to the conclusion of the forensic medical examination, the health of the 53-year-old man was severely damaged, as he had suffered the loss of an organ function.

Police filed a criminal case under the Criminal Code article on intentionally causing severe damage to health.

The 53-year-old man was recognized as the injured party and testified.

A signature bond on not leaving the country has been selected as the pretrial measure against the director of the aforementioned company.

The investigation is still in progress.
It happened quickly. As cities started shutting down, entire workforces had to shift online and go remote. Citizen services that required paper and signatures now had to be offered digitally. Local governments couldnt stop working, but they had to pivot -- sometimes in a matter of days.

So, whats the secret to success? How can we learn from this experience and fortify our local governments to be more responsive and resilient in times of crisis?

We talked with IT managers, CIOs and IT project leads across the U.S. and looked at hundreds of local government projects that responded to the pandemic. Heres what we recommend all IT leads should consider -- and avoid -- when using technology to address an emergency situation.

Look to the tools you have: Many agencies already have technology in place that just isnt being widely used, or that could serve another purpose. Rather than onboarding an entirely new product, start by doing a quick assessment of the existing stack and see how it could be more broadly applied. For example, in Naperville, Ill., Microsoft Teams wasnt used by all departments before the pandemic hit. Now, its being applied broadly, and not just for meetings, IT project manager Russell Rogers said. People are using it to eliminate email, reduce the noise, and for file sharing.

Talk to existing partners before shopping for new tech: Existing relationships are a critical resource for IT managers during uncertain times. Rather than starting from scratch to solve a problem, they should look to current partners who already know the agencys unique needs, players and security requirements; plus, theres usually an established level of trust between both teams. Sometimes, the vendor already has a product available that can be implemented. Peachtree Corners, Ga., for example, turned to an Israeli-based partner to beef up their cybersecurity. The virus hit Israel sooner than the U.S., so they were ahead of us with finding a cybersecurity solution, Assistant City Manager/CTO Brandon Branham said.

Use freemium strategically: Over these past few months, localities have been able to take advantage of new technologies being offered for free, which may enable governments to move faster and more efficiently through this crisis and beyond. Feelings on the freemium model are mixed, however. Some view them as a marketing ploy; others see an opportunity to address issues quickly. Agencies considering free use of a new software, should be sure to look beyond todays challenge and consider how theyll use the technology on an ongoing basis -- and what that will mean for the budget in a year or two when its time to renew.

Always focus on security: No matter how secure an on-site network is, the moment workers start connecting remotely, it introduces new risks. Some IT leaders, such as Corona, Calif., CIO Chris McMasters, use virtual desktop infrastructure because it allows the city to control the connection when workers log in on their own devices. (McMasters noted that most of Coronas operations had already shifted to the cloud due to California earthquake preparation.) Agencies exploring new products should make sure they understand how data is being stored and what the vendor or products security protocols are. If the details on the solution are insufficient, its best to avoid.

Whatever your approach, its also a good idea to diversify your security. I dont depend on one vendor to do everything for me, McMasters said. We have layers of security for everything we push out.

Remember technology is only part of the picture: Many IT leaders note that the shift to remote work has been just as much a management challenge as it was a technology issue. These times require better leadership, compassion and flexibility. Agencies have employees who are used to the comradery and routine of an office. For some, this shift to remote work involves homeschooling children or caring for family. Having an understanding of each individual's circumstances and flexibility around things like hours of operation or how you conduct meetings is important, said Bill Edwards, IT and program manager for Fairfax County, Va. There has really been a sense of unity throughout this that has brought our team together.

Learn from others: The biggest lesson is that the IT teams cant do this alone. Its rare that one city is facing a challenge that no other city has faced. Whether its a global outbreak, a local weather incident or a growing threat like a cyberattack, more often than not, theres another local government that has faced (or is facing) a similar situation. The more these governments communicate and share what worked and didn't work, the less effort is wasted finding a solution.

Embrace change: Governments large and small have the reputation of being impossibly slow to adapt. This shift to more dynamic and responsive applications that enable departments to operate with flexibility is necessary to upend the reputation of stagnation and help local governments better connect with and meet the needs of citizens they aim to serve. Moving at a glacial pace is not an option when faced with a global crisis -- something we now know far too well. The question is, what will we do about it?
Russian Police Raid Homes Of Opposition Group Coordinators, Independent Lawmakers

By Current Time July 09, 2020

MOSCOW -- Police in Russia have searched the homes of coordinators of the Open Russia opposition group, the editor in chief of the independent MBKh Media online publication, and independent municipal candidates.

Tatyana Usmanova, an Open Russia coordinator, wrote on Twitter on July 9 that Moscow police were searching her apartment and the apartments of municipal lawmaker Yulia Galyamina and Olga Gorelik, who is the wife of another independent municipal lawmaker, Konstantin Yanauskas.

"Going to break the door. They don't want to wait for lawyers," Usmanova wrote in a post on Telegram.

Galyamina wrote on Twitter that she was not home and that her lawyer Mikhail Biryukov was unable to enter the apartment block to reach the residence, where her son who has a medical condition was waiting alone.

MBKh Media reported that police in Moscow also came to the home of its editor in chief, Sergei Prostakov. It added that his lawyer, Gennady Fyodorov, was not allowed to enter his client's apartment to be present during the search.

Police in the Siberian city of Tomsk searched the residence of Aleksei Pryanishnikov, Open Russia's lawyer in the region, his wife Nadezhda told MBKh Media.

Open Russia representatives also told the online news portal Mediazona that they have been unable to contact their colleagues, Andrei Pivovarov and Alina Danilina.

Officials did not comment on why the searches were being conducted.

Open Russia lawyer Sergei Badamshin said the search of Olga Gorelik's home is linked to the 2003 case of the Yukos oil giant, while the group's press secretary, Konstantin Fomin, told Mediazona that the Yukos case is just a pretext for conducting the searches.

According to Fomin, the real reason for the searches might be a request by opposition activists to hold a rally in Moscow's Pushkin Square on July 15 to protest against recently introduced constitutional amendments that, among other things, allow for the possibility that President Vladimir Putin could run for two more terms once his current six-year term ends in 2024.

The controversial amendments took effect on July 4 following a national vote that critics say was marred by unprecedented levels of fraud.

With reporting by MBKh Media and Mediazona

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russian- police-raid-homes-of-opposition-group-coordinators- independent-lawmakers/30715631.html

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Thursday that the nation was imposing sanctions and visa restrictions on CCP officials for conducting human right violations against Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang. Officials along with immediate family members will face the brunt as allegations on brutality against minorities level-up.

US on Thursday (local time) imposed sanctions and visa restrictions against some senior officials of Chinese Communist Party in response to the human rights violations in Xinjiang.

I am designating three senior CCP officials under Section 7031(c) of the FY 2020 Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, for their involvement in gross violations of human rights: Chen Quanguo, the Party Secretary of the XUAR; Zhu Hailun, Party Secretary of the Xinjiang Political and Legal Committee (XPLC); and Wang Mingshan, the current Party Secretary of the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau (XPSB). As a result, they and their immediate family members are ineligible for entry into the United States, US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo said in a statement.

The Uighurs are a majority in the Xinjiang province, situated in western part of China.

Many international human rights organisations have accused China of cracking down on the Uighurs by sending them to mass detention camps, interfering in their religious activities and sending members of the community to undergo some form of forceful re-education or indoctrination.

Also read: Uyghur activists urge UN to strip China off its UNHRC participatory status

Also read: Mike Pompeo lauds Indias response to Chinese aggression in Galwan Valley

I am also placing additional visa restrictions on other CCP officials believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, the unjust detention or abuse of Uyghurs, ethnic Kazakhs, and members of other minority groups in Xinjiang pursuant to the policy announced in October 2019 under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Their family members may also be subject to these restrictions, said Pompeo.

The US Secretary of State underlined that these designations and visa restrictions complement the U.S. Department of the Treasurys announcement today that it is designating the XPSB, as well as four current or former officials of the Peoples Republic of China  Chen Quanguo; Zhu Hailun; Wang Mingshan; and Huo Liujun  for their roles in serious human rights abuse.

These designations are pursuant to Executive Order 13818, Blocking the Property of Persons Involved in Serious Human Rights Abuse or Corruption, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. Before ramping up the CCPs campaign of repression in Xinjiang, Chen oversaw extensive abuses in Tibetan areas, using many of the same horrific practices and policies CCP officials currently employ in Xinjiang, said Pompeo.

Pompeo stated that US will not sit idly by as the CCP carries out human rights abuses targeting Uyghurs, ethnic Kazakhs, and members of other minority groups in Xinjiang, to include forced labor, arbitrary mass detention, and forced population control, and attempts to erase their culture and Muslim faith.

The United States is taking action today against the horrific and systematic abuses in Xinjiang and calls on all nations who share our concerns about the CCPs attacks on human rights and fundamental freedoms to join us in condemning this behaviour, he said.

The development comes days after Pompeo announced visa restrictions on some Chinese officials under the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act, 2018.

Also read: US imposes visa restrictions on Chinese officials over Tibet

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A firm is flying coronavirus antibody testing kits to remote Scottish islands by drone thanks to a 1.1 million funding agreement from the UK Space Agency.

Skyports started a two-week trial of their autonomous delivery scheme in May with support from NHS Highland to serve islands off the west coast of Scotland.

They found that their technology cut the time it takes to get the kits between Oban and the Isle of Mull from about 45 minutes by ferry to just 15 minutes by drone.

The funding arrangement is part of a wider 2.6 million funding scheme from the UK and European Space Agencies designed to find ways to help space-tech firms support the NHS in its fight against COVID-19.

Skyports started a two-week trial of their autonomous delivery scheme in May with support from NHS Highland to serve islands off the west coast of Scotland

Skyports will also work to use drones to deliver other medical supplies and samples from a hospital on the Argyll and Bute mainland to the islands.

Drones use mobile connectivity, satellite communications and navigation, and Earth observation data, to chart a course to others areas of the mainland and across the sea to nearby islands to reach medical practices in need.

Skyports along with two other initiatives have been awarded a share of 1.1 million in funding, while the rest is open to bids until the end of September.

Nick Appleyard, from the European Space Agency Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications, based in Oxfordshire, said companies stepped up quickly.

'So many people have been so deeply affected by the coronavirus pandemic, in UK and around the world,' he said.

They found that their technology cut the time it takes to get the kits between Oban and the Isle of Mull from about 45 minutes by ferry to just 15 minutes by drone

'We are grateful to these companies for quickly stepping forwards with their ideas to relieve pressure at some key points in the NHS' extraordinary moment of challenge. '

It isn't just drones delivering medical supplies. A number of other projects shared in the 2.6 million of UK Space Agency and ESA funding.

Stevenson Astrosat, based in Musselburgh, Scotland, is developing Isolation +, which uses advanced space data analytics combined with relevant ground information, to identify 'hidden' vulnerable communities.

This will allow voluntary organisations and local authorities to target support to those who are exposed to the impacts of Covid-19 through poverty and age.

Skyports along with two other initiatives have been awarded a share of 1.1 million in funding, while the rest is open to bids until the end of September

The funding arrangement is part of a wider 2.6 million funding scheme from the UK and European Space Agencies designed to find ways to help space-tech firms support the NHS in its fight against COVID-19

Stay, another of the projects to be given funding, is an app being developed to help charities supporting young people's mental health and wellbeing.

It uses satellite communications and Earth observation satellites to reward young people with 'badges'.

These badges will be linked to rewards, discounts or other incentives  for acting positively, according to the space agency.

Science minister Amanda Solloway said the UK now has a world leading space sector and it is stepping up to provide innovative solutions to support the NHS.

'The projects we are backing today show UK ingenuity at its finest, and will make a real difference to how we use this latest innovative technology to deliver critical healthcare now and long into the future,' Solloway said.

Skyports will also work to use drones to deliver other medical supplies and samples from a hospital on the Argyll and Bute mainland to the islands

The drones use mobile connectivity, satellite communications and navigation, and Earth observation data, to chart a course to others areas of the mainland and across the sea to nearby islands to reach medical practices in need

Space is already playing an important part in healthcare. Last year the UK Space Agency provided 5 million for new health technologies inspired by working in space to support NHS England.

These included providing real-time diagnosis of bowel cancer, developing more compact 3D X-ray machines and a mobile app that provided exercise plans free from air pollution for those with medical conditions such as asthma.

Meanwhile the UK Space Agency's International Partnership Programme uses UK expertise to support healthcare projects all over the world.

These include forecasting and providing early warning of dengue fever outbreaks in Vietnam through Earth observation satellites and using telecommunications to extend the reach of basic medical healthcare into remote areas in Nigeria.

They found that their technology cut the time it takes to get the kits between Oban and the Isle of Mull from about 45 minutes by ferry to just 15 minutes by drone

The UK space sector employs 42,000 people and generates an income of 14.8 billion each year, according to the space agency.

Professor Tony Young, the NHS national clinical lead for innovation, said the NHS Long Term Plan is bringing new technologies into the NHS to improve patient care.

'As we deal with the greatest challenge in the NHS's history, innovation in medicine and convenient, faster technology are helping frontline staff to give people world-leading treatment for Covid-19 alongside care for killer conditions including cancer.'

Appleyard said: 'We hope that these projects will now inspire even more innovators to make a difference, and we look forwards to receiving their proposals too.

'Finally, we would like to thank the staff and workers of the NHS for their service.'
The Supreme Court of Austria has invalidated an extradition order for Tajik opposition activist Hizbullo Shovalizoda, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison on extremism charges his supporters reject after his arrival to Dushanbe from Vienna earlier this year.



Shovalizoda's lawyer in Vienna, Gregor Klammer, told RFE/RL that the court ruled that a decision by Austrian authorities to reject Shovalizodas request for asylum and extradite him to Tajikistan was illegal.



According to the courts ruling, Austria failed to secure the Tajik national's right to freely leave the country. It added that the decision on his extradition was based on outdated information about the current situation in the former Soviet republic in Central Asia.



Klammer added that the Supreme Court obliged Austria to bring his client back to Vienna.



The 29-year-old Shovalizoda, who was extradited to Tajikistan in March, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on June 10 after a court in Dushanbe found him guilty on charges that included participating in the activities of an extremist organization and high treason.

Shovalizoda is currently being held in a Tajik prison and authorities have not commented on the Austrian court decision.



Tajik authorities said last month that Shovalizoda was suspected of being a member of the banned Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT) and participating in an attempt to overthrow the government by force.



The IRPT, long an influential party with representatives in the government and parliament, was labeled a terrorist group and banned in 2015.



Dozens of IRPT officials and supporters have been prosecuted and many of them imprisoned, drawing criticism from human rights groups.



Shovalizoda arrived in Austria in early 2019 and asked for asylum, but instead was placed under arrest in January.



Exiled Tajik opposition activists told RFE/RL that they had urged Austrian authorities not to extradite Shovalizoda, as he was not a member of any political opposition group or party.



The IRPT said at the time that Shovalizoda had never been one of its members.



"Shovalizoda is most likely to be subjected to torture, ill-treatment, and unfair trial. He, as in previous similar situations, may be forced to testify against himself and other people under torture," the party said in a statement at the time.



Tajik authorities have been criticized for cracking down on dissent for years.



In 2014, the opposition movement Group 24 was labeled as terrorist and extremist and banned. In March 2015, the movement's founder, Umarali Quvatov, was assassinated in Istanbul, Turkey.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin told Fianna Fail TD Joe Flaherty to "learn" from the controversy surrounding his decision to write a letter on behalf of three brothers whose homes were raided by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB).

Mr Martin has not spoken publicly about the letter Mr Flaherty wrote to court during a violent disorder trial involving the three men.

However, ahead of a parliamentary party meeting on Wednesday evening, Mr Martin approached the Longford-Westmeath TD to discuss the issue. A source at the meeting said Mr Martin told Mr Flaherty he had had a "tough week" after it emerged the three brothers he described as "extremely capable" and "very sharp" were the subject of a major CAB investigation.

Onlookers said Mr Martin appeared to be "sympathising" with the new TD over the coverage surrounding the letter he wrote on behalf of Thomas (40), Denis (39) and Willie Hannafin (35).

However, the Taoiseach's spokesperson said Mr Martin told Mr Flaherty to "learn" form the incident.

"Joe apologised to the Taoiseach and the Taoiseach said you should 'learn from it, Joe,'" the spokesperson said.

"The Taoiseach said to Joe that as a TD you will have people coming to you with various issues that they want you to address and sometimes you have to say no," she added.

Mr Martin told Mr Flaherty that, as a "general rule", he should not write to the courts on behalf of people.

The spokesperson said Mr Martin was not sympathising with his colleague over the incident.

On Monday, the homes of all three men were among 12 residential properties, three commercial premises and one business raided by gardai.

CAB seized 110,000 and stg14,000 (15,570) in cash along with three caravans and 11 vehicles including a Mercedes, Skoda Kodiaq, Isuzu D-Max, Ford Ranger and a Toyota Land Cruiser.

In June, it emerged Mr Flaherty submitted a letter to Longford Circuit Court during a trial involving the three Hannafins.

The three brothers received a suspended sentences for an attack on an 18-year-old that resulted in the young man needing treatment for knife wounds. The TD insisted the letter was not a character reference on behalf of the accused men.

Former justice minister Charlie Flanagan said it was "dangerous" for TDs to try to "influence judicial decisions" as it "blurs the clear constitutional lines" which separate the legislature and the judiciary.

Subsequently, Mr Flaherty said he deeply regretted sending the letter and described it as an "error of judgment". He had been seeking to highlight the "blight" of an ongoing feud in his constituency.
Of the 16,109 people tested for Covid-19 in the city, through rapid antigen testing, a total of 475 people have been tested positive for the SARS-CoV2 so far. The antigen detection tests, which began in the city on June 24, have seen a positivity rate of 2.94%, said senior district administration officials on Friday.

Health officials and experts said that the tests have been helpful in identifying individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus in certain parts of the city, including large outbreak regions (LORs) and neighbouring zones, where cases of Covid-19 have been gradually increasing. Rather than the conventional RT-PCR tests, the health officials have been using the rapid antigen testing kits in these areas to identify infected patients in a much faster way. At the same time, the government has also ramped up its overall testing numbers in the last three weeks. While in June, for instance, 1,500-2,000 daily tests were being conducted, the number has increased to 3,000 daily tests by the end of the first week of July.

Over 10,000 antigen detection tests have been conducted in large outbreak regions (LOR) in the last two weeks, while the remaining tests have been conducted in other Covid-19 affected areas of the city. On an average, 1,500 antigen detection tests are being carried out every day at the camps organised in the Covid-19-affected areas of the city. Since the test results are available within 30 minutes, we are able to identify and isolate positive cases in such areas to prevent further transmission of the infectious disease, said Dr Virender Yadav, chief medical officer (CMO), Gurugram.

The antigen test looks for specific protein associated with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the pathogen that causes Covid-19. Since the test is highly specific (99.3% to 100%), Yadav said that the positive result on the test is a true positive and does not need any confirmatory test. Results have shown the sensitivity of the test is 50.6% to 84% depending on the viral load. Therefore, those who test negative might still have the infection and are advised to go for a repeat test through the more reliable RT-PCR method if they show symptoms of the disease, said health department officials.

As per health department officials, the rapid antigen testing has helped them to identify emerging Covid-19 clusters, where number of cases are gradually surging, apart from the already notified LORs in the city. The district administration has so far notified eight LORs in the city.

By using these kits, we are noting the prevalence of the infection in areas where the positivity rate is climbing up. In Sohna, out of 1,000 antigen tests, at least 10% people tested positive for Covid-19. Almost a similar trend is being seen in Patel Nagar, said Yadav, during a weekly press meet on Friday. Senior district administration officials present during the conference hinted at notifying these areas as LORs after July 14.

Experts, however, said that definitive conclusions cannot be derived by simply going by the total number of antigen tests done in the city. Lalit Kant, former epidemiology and communicable diseases head at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), said, Weekly data has to be studied to see the emerging pattern of the infection. It is important to figure out who all are being tested. If contacts of already confirmed cases or front-line health workers are being tested, then the number would be higher. If the general population is being tested, then the numbers will never be that high.

In order to ramp up antigen testing, the health department procured additional 8,000 antigen detection kits on Wednesday. The state government in June placed an order of almost 100,000 testing kits with a South Korean company manufacturing these kits in Manesar. Gurugram has received 8,000 kits in the last week of June and another stock 10,000 kits on July 4. Till now, the city has got 26,000 kits from the state government.
6 Smart Promotion, Marketing Strategies For Emerging Artists

In this piece we look at six music marketing strategies for up and coming artists to consider as they map out the strategy and timeline for their next release.

Guest post by Rutger Ansley Rosenborg of Chartmetric

Six Ways to Pursue Success in Music Marketing and Promotion

Theres no exact science in music promotion and music marketing, but in the 21st century, there is some data science.

Streaming, playlists, and social media have all made it possible for emerging artists and music industry professionals to use data to prove the ROI [Return on Investment] of marketing, as Billboard charting rapper Call Me Ace puts it.

But not all music marketing strategies are unique to the digital era. In fact, many are tried and true in the music industry, thanks to 100+ years of A/B testing and expertise. As such, the question of how to promote your music today involves old principles, new techniques, and a whole lot of creativity.

By now, youre probably well aware of some practical steps to take when it comes to getting your music heard  from electronic press kits to independent playlist curator lists and social media marketing  but how do you approach music marketing from a strategic standpoint? Here are six music marketing strategies and expert music marketing tips to consider when planning out the music promotion and music marketing timeline for your next release.

Put Your Music First

Understand Your Market Place

Recognize Your Strengths

Set Goals For Yourself

Use Your Creativity

Engage Your Audience

Keep in mind that many of these marketing strategies can happen concurrently or totally out of order, so dont feel bound by linearity. This is the music industry, after all, so rulebooks arent really our thing.

Put Your Music First

Successful music marketing starts with music you believe in.

When it comes to music marketing and music promotion in the digital era, its easy to put the cart before the horse  to get so caught up in music marketing strategies that you forget about what really matters: your music.

But if Fyre Festival taught us anything, its that marketing is only successful if you have something genuine to communicate with an audience, whether its a legitimate music festival lineup or, in this case, your meaningful new track.

Granted, you might not find success right out of the gate, but if you do have something organic to communicate with a receptive audience, your chances of long-term success are that much better.

In other words, hone your craft, commit to your craft, and then start thinking about how to get your music heard.

Music making tips from the experts  to help you put your music first.

Quincy Jones: You make your mistakes to learn how to get to the good stuff.

You make your mistakes to learn how to get to the good stuff. Nile Rodgers: I think the hardest thing to overcome is judging yourself and being your own worst critic.

I think the hardest thing to overcome is judging yourself and being your own worst critic. Matt McGreevey, General Manager at Epitaph Records/ANTI-: Anytime I see an artist worried about how their music will be received, [I say] they should continue to create  and not let any success or failure trip you up.

Understand Your Market Place

Learn from other artists in your market.

While we cant stress enough how important it is to put your music first, once youre ready to get your music heard, developing market intelligence, or an understanding of your market  and your place in it  is absolutely essential.

So, how exactly do you do that? Fortunately, in todays digital music industry, data analytics has opened up a world of market intelligence for everyone. From platform-owned dashboards like Spotify for Artists to our own music data analytics tool, data is arguably the great leveler in the music business today  especially when it comes to music marketing.

And thats largely because music data analytics can help you see not only who and where your audiences might be but also how you stack up against similar sounding artists who might already be two steps ahead of you. Knowing these key points can help you think about how to model your music marketing strategies after your successful neighboring artists  not to mention what markets will and wont be particularly important for your music.

Music marketing tips from the experts  to help you understand your market place.

Ariel Chichotky, Director of Laurias Dale Play Records : I find that data is fundamental in order to make marketing useful and make it matter.

I find that data is fundamental in order to make marketing useful and make it matter. Jackson Bull, former Program Director at SiriusXM : How do I know that this song is really sticking? From the moment I put this song into rotation to now, how fast did it grow? Velocity metrics, or how quickly it [the song] grew, that KPI [Key Performance Indicator] is so much more important than total streams. Eventually, if youre an artist and you release a song, it will get to a million streams. It might take you a million years, but eventually, it will get there. But if you can get to a million streams from zero faster than Artist B, then obviously Artist A is much more influential.

How do I know that this song is really sticking? From the moment I put this song into rotation to now, how fast did it grow? Velocity metrics, or how quickly it [the song] grew, that KPI [Key Performance Indicator] is so much more important than total streams. Eventually, if youre an artist and you release a song, it will get to a million streams. It might take you a million years, but eventually, it will get there. But if you can get to a million streams from zero faster than Artist B, then obviously Artist A is much more influential. Josh Hayes, former Data Scientist at Chartmetric: Of course, there are many ways to slice and dice artist performance, but there is near universal consensus on some general, undeniably good indicators for artists success. Using those indicators to identify a best case scenario, we can then compare all artists on a scale of how close they got to the best artist according to todays stats. We concluded that a hypothetical best case scenario for performer success is exemplified by. Broadest exposure to audiences. Healthy fan engagement. Success across multiple platforms. Having longevity with audiences, rather than just being a flash in the pan: While we want to catch viral sensations as theyre happening, the best artists dont just have a lucky hit and then fade into obscurity. They leverage that hits momentum to keep producing, keep engaging, and keep growing.

Recognize Your Strengths

Know where to take off and where to back off.

Once you have an idea of the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that tend to be most relevant to similar sounding artists, its time for some deeper self-reflection. Understanding your own strengths  and, by extension, your potential weaknesses  can show you both where to invest more of your music marketing energy and also where to put on the brakes.

Its totally okay if youre not everything to everyone. Because niches win in todays music industry, you can be successful by just being something to some people. Maybe youre heavily influenced by gaming culture and your music reflects that. When it comes to marketing your music on social media, you might consider doubling down on YouTube and Twitch instead of trying to split your resources across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Just like artists, every social media platform has its strengths, so its best to start with the platforms that complement yours and grow from there.

By the same token, you can take a look at your historical demographic data through your Spotify analytics, Instagram analytics, or YouTube analytics. Are your followers and subscribers mostly in the 18-24 age range or the 35-44 age range? In what cities do you tend to generate most of your followers, streams, and views? Which of your posts tend to get the most engagement?

Consider how you might be able to use these strengths to reach the listeners who are most likely to connect with you and your music.

Music marketing tips from the experts  to help you recognize your strengths.

Ross Nicol, Founder of Off Season Creative :  On the management side of my work, its [data] largely considered with touring, looking at markets where a specific song, sometimes, or an artist as a whole, really resonates. Ive mostly used that data to map out tours, to route tours to cities that make the most sense based on listeners. Also with age groups, deciding whether or not to set your show as all ages, 18+, or 21+. That affects the deals that you have to strike with buyers in each market.

On the management side of my work, its [data] largely considered with touring, looking at markets where a specific song, sometimes, or an artist as a whole, really resonates. Ive mostly used that data to map out tours, to route tours to cities that make the most sense based on listeners. Also with age groups, deciding whether or not to set your show as all ages, 18+, or 21+. That affects the deals that you have to strike with buyers in each market. Call Me Ace, Billboard Charting Rapper and Global Program Manager at YouTube : Seeing how people are discovering my music from different [Pandora] stations. If its the Eminem radio or whatever, that should be a metric that I use in my YouTube videos or IG [Instagram] targeting.

Seeing how people are discovering my music from different [Pandora] stations. If its the Eminem radio or whatever, that should be a metric that I use in my YouTube videos or IG [Instagram] targeting. Mike Warner, Artist and Label Relations at Chartmetric: Know your value. Whether its an engaged audience on TikTok, lots of active listeners on Apple Music, or a synch on a popular TV series. Know where your value lies and use it to your advantage. Its possible to share this as information, instead of bragging. If a DSP sees you being supported, they are more likely to listen and consider adding you to their programming as well.

Set Goals for Yourself

Make reasonable, concrete objectives that you can measure and ultimately reach.

So, you have your music, you understand your place in the market, and you have a pretty good idea of what individual strengths you can leverage. What now?

If you dont set some measurable benchmarks that take your music, market intelligence, and strengths into account, you wont really know what youre actually trying to achieve and whether or not youre succeeding in getting there.

The odds of achieving Lil Nas X-like virality are astronomical, so the smarter strategy is to focus on hard won incremental gains. This month, that might mean growing your follower base by 5 percent and landing three new non-editorial playlists. Next month, that might translate to one editorial playlist and 20K more streams than the month before. Next year, that might mean selling out a 250-cap room in your hometown.

If youre not hitting your objectives, then its back to the drawing board. Maybe you need to focus more on your strengths or consider how you might improve some of your weaknesses. It also couldnt hurt to get some inspiration from other artists in your market who have managed to hit those objectives. Or, maybe some new music is the answer.

Dont be afraid of iteration. If you commit to meeting incremental music marketing objectives like these and make the necessary adjustments along the way, youll likely increase your chances of sustainable success.

Music marketing tips from the experts  to help you set goals for yourself.

Christine Osazuwa, Director of Data and Insights at Warner Music Group :  What is your actual goal? Do you just want more streams? Do you want to sell out your local arena? Do you want to blow up in Tokyo? Once you know your goals, then you can start to let data enter the picture and drive your strategic decision-making  especially when it comes to global music marketing.

What is your actual goal? Do you just want more streams? Do you want to sell out your local arena? Do you want to blow up in Tokyo? Once you know your goals, then you can start to let data enter the picture and drive your strategic decision-making  especially when it comes to global music marketing. Diana Gremore, Business Intelligence Analyst at Paradigm Talent Agency : Start small, and dont skip steps. Its happened a lot where an artist is streaming super super well, but nobody wants to go see them at a show  which goes a lot more into the touring strategy than it says about the artist. It speaks a lot to the agents and the strategy that theyve developed through intuition and trial and error. When you have an artist like that, its really important to start small: Dont skip steps. There are important venues that you dont want to skip, because if you play there and its small, first of all, you get touring experience  and you get to really hone your live performance and figure out what you and an audience look like together. And then if that sells well, you can kind of graduate to the next sized room. So, its important to not skip those steps, and in those ways, you can kind of not have the experience of being a wildly successful streaming artist and then not being able to sell a ticket.

Start small, and dont skip steps. Its happened a lot where an artist is streaming super super well, but nobody wants to go see them at a show  which goes a lot more into the touring strategy than it says about the artist. It speaks a lot to the agents and the strategy that theyve developed through intuition and trial and error. When you have an artist like that, its really important to start small: Dont skip steps. There are important venues that you dont want to skip, because if you play there and its small, first of all, you get touring experience  and you get to really hone your live performance and figure out what you and an audience look like together. And then if that sells well, you can kind of graduate to the next sized room. So, its important to not skip those steps, and in those ways, you can kind of not have the experience of being a wildly successful streaming artist and then not being able to sell a ticket. Call Me Ace, Billboard Charting Rapper and Global Program Manager at YouTube: I studied the Billboard methodology for how songs chart  all the different data points that they put in there. [Pandoras] Next Big Sound [has] a key metric thats used in the computing process. Fam, Im not even on Pandora! I should get on Pandora. I should get the metrics on Pandora to grow, cause that will help this stuff. They use Twitter mentions. Oh hey, I should use Twitter more. Oh wow, they look at Wikipedia. Thankfully, now I have a Wikipedia page. Now, Im a Promising Artist [in terms of Next Big Sounds artist stages].'

Use Your Creativity

Make your marketing work for your music and not the other way around.

At the end of the day, the music industry is a creative industry, so harnessing that creativity is absolutely essential when youre thinking about how to promote your music.

While data can help guide your decision making, resource allocation, and strategic execution, the essence of your marketing should ideally be an extension of the narrative youre trying to communicate with your music. In other words, there is no one-size-fits-all formula to follow, and thats because not every artists story is the same.

Think about what your music is trying to say and use your social media messaging, curator outreach, and press releases to reinforce that. It doesnt have to be personal or political or any explicit message per se; it just has to be true to your music and your story as an artist.

And that individualism doesnt mean, by the way, that you cant learn from the creative ways in which other artists have told their own stories.

Music marketing tips from the experts  to help you use your creativity.

Elliott Althoff, Associate Manager of Digital Strategy at Republic Records and former Digital Marketing Coordinator at Mom + Pop Music: Right when I got to Mom + Pop, we were diving into the Courtney Barnett campaign, the Tell Me How You Really Feel campaign. That was probably one of the coolest uses of data and email captures. She basically started out her campaign with a splash page on her website that was just like, Tell me how you really feel. Some people would write, I feel sad today, or I feel happy  but then some people would go super in-depth and write paragraphs. Afterwards, we took all of that data, we took all of those emails and all of the responses and built our campaign around those responses.

Engage Your Audience

Connect with the people who love your music.

Generally speaking, the more you make your music marketing about organic communication and the less you make it about self promotion, the better.

Sure, generating more streams matters, but stream counts arent everything. Whats really important is the ears behind those streams. And having millions of ears on you will only benefit you if the fingertips  and heart and minds  are there to follow.

In marketing, we call this engagement. The more engaged your audience is, the more enduring success youll find with your music. Its one thing to be able to reach American audiences in music industry hubs like New York City and Los Angeles, but if listeners there arent taking the time to follow you or share your music, then that momentary success will ultimately fizzle.

However, if listeners in Mexico City or Jakarta are all about your music, then figure out whats resonating with them. Open a dialogue and foster a relationship with your audience first, and then start thinking about how to find similar audiences in other places.

Music marketing tips from the experts  to help you engage your audience.

Christine Osazuwa, Director of Data and Insights at Warner Music Group :  If you think about it from the Trigger Cities perspective, because of the listening behavior of people in these cities, they are influencing the way DSPs tend to prioritize music, which might help trigger placement on playlists.

If you think about it from the Trigger Cities perspective, because of the listening behavior of people in these cities, they are influencing the way DSPs tend to prioritize music, which might help trigger placement on playlists. Call Me Ace, Billboard Charting Rapper and Global Program Manager at YouTube: If you have a bunch of fake followers that dont interact with your content, then you obliterate your engagement rate, and your engagement rate is probably the most valuable asset you have on your social media platforms. [My engagement rate] goes from 7 percent on an average day to 20-25 percent if Im doing something super dope. For a male social media account thats not half-naked all the time, thats a big deal to me. I dont want to look poppin. I want to be poppin!

If at First You Dont Succeed 

Thats okay! Music marketing is equal parts talent, strategy, and luck. (But a big ad spend budget doesnt hurt either.) Sometimes the timing is right, and sometimes, it just isnt. Dont let it get you down about your music or about what it is youre trying to communicate.

Instead, think about what successes you did have and how you can improve on the few hiccups you might have encountered. For all of the cards stacked against independent artists today, were lucky enough to be in a moment in the music industry where data and music data analytics can act as the great levelers, breaking down walls between artists and their audiences and empowering artists to take control of their own careers.

Its important, however, not to rely only on one source of information for all of the answers. Data can be dumb and marketing strategies are malleable, so they require creativity and flexibility to both interpret and also apply them to each particular circumstance. If a music career is something youre committed to pursuing, learning as much as you can from a number of different resources is absolutely essential.



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London, July 10 : Travellers arriving in the UK from dozens of countries will no longer have to self-isolate for two weeks starting from Friday onwards.

The rules were being relaxed for arrivals from 75 countries and British overseas territories, reports the BBC.

From Friday morning, people arriving in the UK from France, Italy, Belgium, Germany and dozens of other countries will no longer have to spend 14 days in quarantine.

But people who arrived from those countries at an earlier point in the last two weeks will still be expected to complete their period of isolation, the government said.

On Friday, the UK government changed its advice for Serbia, no longer allowing travellers to return without quarantining.

But Scotland, which from Friday has also made face coverings mandatory in shops, has said it will continue to quarantine passengers from countries with a higher prevalence of COVID-19 than its own.

It means people arriving in Scotland from Spain will still face quarantine rules.

The Scottish government said data from the UK government showed the prevalence of the virus in Spain is 330 people per 100,000, compared with 28 people per 100,000 in Scotland.

The quarantine rules were introduced in June, with travellers asked to nominate an address where they would self-isolate, with fines of up to 1,000 pounds for those in England who failed to comply, the BBC report said.

However, the Foreign Office's advice against taking a cruise holiday remained in place.

A spokesman said the decision not to change the advice against cruises is based on "medical advice from Public Health England", but it would "continue to review" the position.
Healthcare workers move a patient in the Covid-19 Unit at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston, Texas Thursday, July 2, 2020.

MARK FELIX/AFP via Getty Images

Coronavirus cases and deaths are skyrocketing across Texas, and Houston has become one of the worst-hit cities.

Hospitalizations have more than doubled throughout the state in the past two weeks, with nearly 80% of beds in use. Authorities predict Houston hospitals and ICUs will become overwhelmed in the coming days.

On Thursday, Texas reported the second day in a row of more than 100 coronavirus deaths, and the second time it surpassed a record of 10,0000 new daily cases.

These photos show the harrowing reality of what it looks like inside a Houston hospital right now.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Coronavirus cases and hospitalizations have skyrocketed throughout the Lone Star state in the past two weeks, and Houston has become one of the hardest hit areas.

On Thursday, Texas recorded its second day in a row of 100 coronavirus deaths, and the second time is surpassed a sweeping record of 10,000 new daily cases. In Houston, more than 40,000 cases have been confirmed and at least 603 people have died, according to local media.

The situation is so grim that leaders throughout Houston's Harris County predict that hospitals and intensive care units could become overwhelmed in the coming days.

These photos show what life looks like inside a Houston hospital right now, as healthcare workers fight to save lives and hospitals face the burden of limited space.

At United Memorial Medical Center in northern Houston, hospital beds are increasingly being dedicated to coronavirus patients.

Healthcare workers lift a patient from one bed to another as they move him into a less intensive unit from the Covid-19 Unit at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston, Texas Thursday, July 2, 2020.

MARK FELIX/AFP via Getty Images

Source: AP

As of Tuesday, 88 of 117 beds are being used to treat COVID-19 patients, and the hospital is considering transforming itself into a coronavirus-only facility, AP reported.

Healthcare workers move a patient in the Covid-19 Unit at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston, Texas Thursday, July 2, 2020.

MARK FELIX/AFP via Getty Images

Source: AP

The number of severe COVID-19 patients has surged in recent weeks, leaving healthcare workers to face a harrowing level of death.

Dr. Joseph Varon, top with JV on shield, leads a team as they tried without success to save the life of a patient inside the Coronavirus Unit at United Memorial Medical Center, Monday, July 6, 2020, in Houston.

AP Photo/David J. Phillip

Story continues

In extreme cases, patients are being put on ventilators and moved into Intensive Care Units. One doctor told local media, "Seeing these patients that can't come off of the ventilator. The pneumonia has affected their lungs. They feel they can't breathe and never leaving that hospital until you're in a body bag."

Putting a patient on a ventilator is a last resort. Dr. Joseph Varon, center, does emergency treatment on Terry Hill, age 65, after putting him on a ventilator assisted by his team of nurses and medical students.

Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Source: Click 2 Houston

Over the past two weeks, hospitalizations have soared throughout Texas, and Houston has become one of the hardest-hit areas.

Members of the medical staff transfer a patient to another room outside of the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the United Memorial Medical Center on July 2, 2020 in Houston, Texas.

Go Nakamura/Getty Images

Source: AP, Insider

Nearly 80% of beds are in use statewide, according to the AP, and Texas is reporting more than four times as many cases every day as it was in June.

A healthcare worker tends to a patient in the Covid-19 Unit at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston, Texas, July 2, 2020.

MARK FELIX/AFP via Getty Images

Source: AP

So far, Houston has recorded more than 40,000 cases at least 603 deaths.

Medical staff wearing full PPE wrap a deceased patient with bed sheets and a body bag in the Covid-19 intensive care unit at the United Memorial Medical Center on June 30, 2020 in Houston, Texas.

Go Nakamura/Getty Images

Source: Houston Chronicle

But those numbers might not be fully accurate. As coronavirus cases surge, an increasing number of Houston residents are dying in their homes, and those numbers aren't always accounted for, ProPublica reported.

Medical staff wearing full PPE push a stretcher with a deceased patient to a car outside of the Covid-19 intensive care unit at the United Memorial Medical Center on June 30, 2020 in Houston, Texas.

Go Nakamura/Getty Images

Source: ProPublica

With more and more patients dying, healthcare workers have expressed frustration over a lack of ability to help people. "Every effort that you can imagine, everything that has been written, we did, and yet we were unsuccessful," one doctor told AP of a patient who died.

A patient is connected to a ventilator and other medical devices in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the United Memorial Medical Center on July 2, 2020 in Houston, Texas.

Go Nakamura/Getty Images

Source: AP

The situation is becoming so grim that authorities predict Houston hospitals and ICUs could be overwhelmed in a matter of days.

Healthcare workers push a patient into a less intensive unit from the Covid-19 Unit at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston, Texas on July 2, 2020.

MARK FELIX/AFP via Getty Images

Source: AP

In some cases, hospital beds are so limited that patients are being held in urgent care before transferring to the next available unit.

Healthcare workers push a patient into a less intensive unit from the Covid-19 Unit at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston, Texas on July 2, 2020.

MARK FELIX/AFP via Getty Images

Source: AP

Though Texas leaders say there are still 12,000 beds left throughout the state, because the Lone Star state is so sprawling, those vacancies may not be able to accommodate people in areas where the virus is skyrocketing.

Healthcare workers push a patient into a less intensive unit from the Covid-19 Unit at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston, Texas on July 2, 2020.

MARK FELIX/AFP via Getty Images

Source: AP

In order to help free up space, Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott banned elective surgeries in more than 100 counties across the state.

A healthcare worker tends to a patient in the Covid-19 Unit at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston, Texas on July 2, 2020.

MARK FELIX/AFP via Getty Images

Source: Texas Tribune

Healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients have reported a lack of sleep and an exhausting emotional toll.

Members of the medical staff rest on a stretcher in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the United Memorial Medical Center on July 2, 2020 in Houston, Texas.

Go Nakamura/Getty Images

Source: Click 2 Houston

Here, a tired healthcare worker is seen resting against a colleague outside of the coronavirus unit.

A healthcare worker closes her eyes and leans on her colleague to rest outside of the Covid-19 Unit at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston, Texas on July 2, 2020.

MARK FELIX/AFP via Getty Images

And this photo shows healthcare workers lending each other support and back rubs before going back to treating patients.

A healthcare worker gives another a shoulder rub before they go back into the the Covid-19 Unit at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston, Texas, July 2, 2020.

MARK FELIX/AFP via Getty Images

For safety, United Memorial Medical Center has sectioned off three wings of the hospital to treat COVID-19 patients.

A healthcare worker zips up a protective barrier in the Covid-19 Unit at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston, Texas on July 2, 2020.

MARK FELIX/AFP via Getty Images

Source: AP

Each wing is tapered off with large tarps.

A healthcare worker talks to another worker in the Covid-19 Unit at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston, Texas, July 2, 2020. -

MARK FELIX/AFP via Getty Images

Source: AP

Healthcare workers treating coronavirus patients are required to wear two sets of protective equipment (PPE). The AP's Nomaan Merchant wrote that includes "two sets of masks, gowns, gloves, shoe and head coverings, and a face shield."

Registered Nurse Candace Trammeor grabs shoe coverings inside the Coronavirus Unit at United Memorial Medical Center, Monday, July 6, 2020, in Houston.

AP Photo/David J. Phillip

Source: AP

Dr. Joseph Varon of United Memorial Medical Center told the AP he has worked more than 100 days with only a few hours of sleep a night, and spends his spare time checking in on families and giving media interviews to spread word about the virus.

Dr. Joseph Varon leans on a medical cart inside the Coronavirus Unit at United Memorial Medical Center, Monday, July 6, 2020, in Houston.

AP Photo/David J. Phillip

Source: AP

"People need to see this so they can understand and won't do stupid things," he told AP from the hospital. "Every day, we have stuff like this. Every single day."

Dr. Joseph Varon, center, visits with Dorothy Webb, left, and her daughter, Tammie, while making his rounds inside the Coronavirus Unit at United Memorial Medical Center, Monday, July 6, 2020, in Houston.

AP Photo/David J. Phillip

Source: AP

On Thursday, Texas reported its second straight day of more than 100 deaths, and the second time it surpassed 10,000 new cases.

A healthcare worker high-fives a patient in the Covid-19 Unit at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston, Texas, July 2, 2020.

MARK FELIX/AFP via Getty Images

Source: Houston Chronicle

Read the original article on Insider
The trial of a popular Lagos cosmetic surgeon, Anuoluwapo Adepoju, could not continue on Thursday due to the absence of the trial judge, Mohammed Liman.

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), on July 4, arraigned Ms Adepoju, for alleged failure to comply with its requirements to appear and provide information relevant to an ongoing investigation into a failed plastic surgery.

Ms Adepoju, alongside her hospital, Med Contour Services Limited, was arraigned for allegedly obstructing the investigation by FCCPC into the case.

She is standing trial before Justice Liman.

The FCCPC had in April, sealed the second defendant (Med Contour), a plastic surgery hospital, over suspicion of illegal activities.

In the same month, FCCPC also revealed on its official Twitter handle that it has commenced an investigation into a case of failed plastic surgery performed by the cosmetic surgeon.

The case was adjourned to today July 9 for the commencement of trial. However, due to the absence of the judge, the courts registrar said the case had been adjourned till a date to be fixed.

Trial

In a five-count charge brought against the defendants on Friday, the prosecution alleged that without sufficient cause, the first defendant failed to appear before the FCCPC in compliance with the commissions summons dated April 15.

The prosecution alleged that without sufficient cause, the first defendant refused and failed to produce a document which she was required to produce in compliance with the commissions notice of investigation dated April 14.

The defendant was also alleged to have prevented and obstructed the commission from carrying out its investigation into the said issue.

The offences were said to have contravened the provisions of sections 11(1)(a), 33(1)(a), 110, 113(1)(a) and 159(4) of the FCCPC Act, 2018.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to all counts.

After her plea, defence counsel, Maria Jonnes, informed the court of a preliminary objection challenging the charge.

She had argued that the law setting up the FCCPC does not empower the court to entertain the case filed by the commission, adding that the defence had already filed a pending suit before another judge, C. Aneke, challenging the act of the commission.

In response, the prosecutor, who is the Director-General of the FCCPC, Babatunde Irukera, argued that there was no legal basis for the preliminary objection of the defense.

According to him, the subject before the court is not on the issue of a violation, and so, there is nothing in the preliminary objection that can stand.

He also submitted that the objection that the court lacks jurisdiction to hear the case is misinformed.

LUTH too

Meanwhile, the management of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, has urged the Medical and Dental Practitioners Investigation Panel to investigate the alleged professional misconduct of Ms Adepoju.

The hospital, in a petition dated June 11, 2020, and signed by its Director of Legal Services, O. O. Olajide, accused Ms Adepoju of professional misconduct during a surgery she performed on one Nneka Onwuzuligbo at her facility.

READ ALSO:

FCCPC revealed this on its official Twitter handle with the caption, CCPC Vindicated as LUTH Takes on Dr. Anu Adepoju Over Failed Cosmetic Surgery.

According to LUTH, Ms Adepoju had continued to perform surgeries despite the fact that her facility was sealed off by the Lagos State Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency.

In an affidavit attached to the petition, the hospital alleged that Ms Adepoju referred the late Nneka from her facility to LUTH on January 3, 2019, on the pretext that she was being referred from the General Hospital, Odan, Lagos Island.

The victim, according to the affidavit deposed to by a consultant surgeon, Andrew Ugburo, was presented to LUTH with severe respiratory distress and septicemia with infected surgical wounds.

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Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH]). [PHOTO CREDIT: The Guardian Nigeria]

The hospital added that upon admission into LUTH, the first surgical debridement performed on the deceased on January 10, 2019, revealed extensive sloughing, with foul-smelling discharge from the deceased debrided hips and purulent discharges from puncture wounds on the anterior abdominal wall.

It added that after the surgery, there was no improvement in the patients clinical state, hence the need to perform a second surgery on her, adding that after the second surgery, the clinical state of the victim improved till the 28th day of admission, when her vital signs deteriorated.

Mr Ugburo further deposed that the victim developed multiple organ failure of cardiac, respiratory (Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome) and renal failures and had a cardiac arrest on the 31st day of admission, adding that after cardio-pulmonary resuscitation was unsuccessful, the victim was certified dead around 9 a.m. on February 3, 2019.

However, LUTH alleged that Ms Adepoju blamed the hospital for the death of the victim.

While urging the panel to investigate the activities of Ms Adepoju, LUTH stated that she obtained full registration as a medical practitioner on April 4, 2019, while she performed surgery on the deceased in December 2018.

It also added that she claimed to be a cosmetic surgeon without undergoing a residency training programme or being registered by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.
Editor's note: The expanded version of this article originally appeared in The Rest is Noise. The views expressed in this essay are the authors'.

Manila (CNN Philippines Life)  As cultural workers, musicians play a vital role in community-building and critical conversation, both online and offline. RJ Mabilin of independent music platform Alternatrip stresses the importance of art and music in shaping society and unifying its people.

He says, It may be overly romantic to state that art and music give us hope and a sense of togetherness during these times, but it has been true for centuries. We want to emphasize that the old adage Everything is political still rings true. We should no longer remain silent as this government continues to inject fear in us in its bid to further silence [us] and curtail our freedoms.:

Several artists have expressed their discontent against the Anti-Terror Law and its questionable provisions which demonize dissent and infringe on privacy. In an interview with Alternatrip, members of the said music collective speak up about the laws serious risks, and how it could possibly endanger cultural stakeholders once it takes effect. It is important to highlight that some of the countrys most influential artists have histories that are closely linked to protest culture, and many of these artists and musicians have been censored in the past because of this.

The group also expresses a grave concern over what would be a scarlet sign hung on artists necks. National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. said it best [when he said] Kung tahimik ka, wag mabahala. The government is openly admitting its intention to go after its critics. Silencing us goes directly against the ideals of democracy and is an affront to our rights as artists, Alternatrips lead figures say.

Ngayon ang Panahon succeeds in its crusade to bring the music community together in calling out social injustices. Screenshot from ALTERNATRIP/FACEBOOK

Ngayon ang Panahon: a modern protest anthem

In a massive effort to helm a protest song that echoes the collective sentiments of independent Filipino musicians against the Anti-Terror Law, Alternatrip gathered 33 artists from various indie and underground bands to record from their respective homes during the quarantine.

As disclosed in an email conversation with the songs writers and producers  RJ Mabilin (The Axel Pinpin Propaganda Machine), Jam Lorenzo (The Geeks, Mirror Masks), and Ean Aguila (Ang Bandang Shirley, Stomachine)  the collaboration was a product of the artist communitys growing dissatisfaction with the government and its failure to address the crisis.

After a few days of back-and-forth discussions, we decided to write a song partly because we felt that this would better encapsulate what we wanted to say, shares Alternatrips main creative forces. Contrary to the governments assertion that their critics are limited to leftist organizations, a lot of us are just fed up with the blatant [disrespect] of our rights. This statement in no way serves to undermine the efforts of these organizations, but we believe that this highlights how widespread the discontentment is in our society.

The project in the end yielded Ngayon ang Panahon, a fuzzy, alt-rock anthem that continues in the long-standing tradition of music as a potent expression of resistance. With soaring verses and hypnotic instrumentation, the protest tune was written with accessibility in mind, making sure that it transcends social classes and generational divides while still maintaining an adventurous edge in terms of the arrangement.

They share, RJ initially came up with the verse melody, and [he] asked Ean and Jam to write additional parts. The pre-chorus, chorus, the bridge, and the songs overall structure were finalized the next day. Lyrics-wise, we wanted the song to serve as a call to action and a reminder that, collectively, we can still make a difference. A lot of the songs themes may be borderline cliche, but these calls are true now more than ever.

According to the main writers and producers of Ngayon ang Panahon, the most daunting part of the creative process was figuring out how to fit the participating musicians in the song. The trio says, We had to figure out how each musician could contribute substantially and not just be relegated to having glorified cameos. Thankfully, everyone did a great job of coming up with their own parts and making the song even better.

Taking the songs lyrical value into consideration, Ngayon ang Panahon succeeds in its crusade to bring the music community together in calling out social injustices. The chorus powers through honeyed distortion and compelling riffage, and also encourages listeners to explore meaningful ways of expressing dissent.

While other songs written during the pandemic have embraced resiliency in the face of powerlessness, Ngayon ang Panahon courageously empowers the disenchanted while challenging the present conditions we live in. The artists participating in the track are using the platform to educate people within and outside their spheres, and to underline the importance of collective resistance during these trying times.

Mabini, Aguila, and Lorenzo, the writers and producers behind the collaborative song, are encouraging other bigger artists to follow suit. In the U.S., celebrities have been speaking up in support of the BLM [Black Lives Matter] movement, and this has played a critical role in encouraging people to participate in public protests and air out their grievances. We need people of influence to take part in the movement, especially with all the major incidents and blunders weve witnessed under the current administration. We shouldnt wait for things to personally affect usand they will  before we start fighting back. The time to act is now.

***

Friends of Alternatrips Ngayon ang Panahon is a solidarity effort that feature performances by Ahmad Tanji (We Are Imaginary, Washington Drama Club), Ana Ruiz (Capacities), Billie de la Paz (Oh, Flamingo!), Debb Acebu (Ang Bandang Shirley, Honeydrop), Enzo Zulueta (Beast Jesus), Greys Enayo (Cat Puke, The Shocking Details), Iego Tan (Shirebound and Busking), Janine Samaniego, Jon Tomayo (The Strange Creatures, Cinema Lumiere), Kaloy Olavides (Pastilan Dong, Grows, Kapitan Kulam), Marc Inting (Slow Hello, Eggboy, Twin Lobster), MC Sacay (The General Strike), Mikey Amistoso (Ciudad, Hannah + Gabi), Pat Sarabia (Oh, Flamingo!, Apartel), Tamia Reodica (Grrl Cloud), Aldus Santos (The Purplechickens, Pamphleteer), Beejay Esber (Identikit), Christer de Guia (Deggs and Gabba), Diego Mapa (Eggboy, Pedicab, Tarsius), Evee Kae Simon (July XIV, Megumi Acorda), Howard Luistro (Oh, Flamingo!), Iggy San Pablo (Rusty Machines), Jerros Dolino (Megumi Acorda, TAPPM), Josh Balagopo (Stomachine), Lucas Ferrer (Wish Sticks, With Fingers Crossed), Mariah Reodica (The Buildings), Megumi Acorda (The Strange Creatures, TAPPM), Nigel Cristobal (The Geeks, TAPPM), Sandy James (Identikit), and Zig Rabara (Ang Bandang Shirley, The Purplechickens, Pamphleteer). The song was written and produced by RJ Mabilin (The Axel Pinpin Propaganda Machine), Jam Lorenzo (The Geeks, Mirror Masks), and Ean Aguila (Ang Bandang Shirley, Stomachine).

Redverb Studio, where Ngayon ang Panahon was mixed and mastered, is launching a series of livestream shows in collaboration with Alternatrip to raise funds. Support the event by purchasing tickets to the online show here. Featured artists include Alyana Cabral (Ourselves the Elves, Teenage Granny) and Cinema Lumiere (7/12), Shirebound & Busking (7/18), Megumi Acorda (7/25), The Geeks (7/26), and The Axel Pinpin Propaganda Machine (8/2).
The Great Kansas City Eat Out Continues With Corona

Pandemic Prompts Renaissance in Outdoor Dining Paris is famed for its charming sidewalk cafes. The "Paris of the Plains" is more famous for having the most miles of highways per capita - and 40,000 downtown parking spaces - than its walkability or vibrant street life.

Legal Moves To Free Kylr

Kansas City police officer accused of sexual relationship with witness in murder case A Kansas City police officer is accused of having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a witness in two high-profile metro area murders. Kylr Yust is charged with murdering Kara Kopetsky and Jessica Runions. Investigators found the remains of both victims in a rural Cass County field in 2018.

Park Protects International Students From La Migra

Park University offers 'hybrid' courses to keep international students in U.S. KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The pandemic has put higher education institutions in a tough spot. Moving to online-only classes would mean all international students would be required to leave the country, according to Immigration Customs Enforcement.

Fight For Narrative Continues Betwixt MSM & Prez

Mainstream media 'crossed the Rubicon' with flagrant lies about Trump's Mount Rushmore speech, WSJ columnist says The mainstream media "crossed the Rubicon" with flagrant lies about President Trump's Mount Rushmore Independence Day address, Wall Street Journal (WSJ) columnist Holman W. Jenkins Jr. wrote Tuesday. In his op-ed, Jenkins argued that liberal members of the press distorted the president's July 3 speech, inserting their own narrative about an "unyielding push to preserve Confederate symbols and the legacy of White domination."

Veep Shares Slogan

Biden sets out 'Buy American' economic plan Democratic presidential contender Joe Biden has laid out his rescue plan for the coronavirus-crippled US economy, while berating President Donald Trump as incompetent. Mr Biden said his $700bn (560bn) plan would be the biggest investment in the US economy since World War Two.

Prez Trump Tactics Decried

The US is diving into a dark Covid hole -- and there's no plan to get out There is no plan.

Canada On Top Of Corona

Justin Trudeau says Canada managed coronavirus better than allies - 'particularly' U.S. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau didn't sugarcoat it. In a news conference on Wednesday, the 48-year-old Canadian leader said his country has controlled coronavirus "better than many of our allies, particularly including our neighbor," Reuters quoted the man whose country borders just one other nation.

Corona Lesson Plan Confused

When It Comes To Reopening Schools, 'The Devil's In The Details,' Educators Say Jeanne Norris is a teacher, the wife of a teacher and the mother of an 8-year-old in St. Louis. She'd love to send her son back to school in August. But, she says, "I feel like my government and my fellow citizens have put me in a position where it's not really in the best interests of our family."

Brookside Comeback

Brookside's annual sidewalk sale is back Brookside's annual sidewalk sale is back. Business owners hope it's enough to keep them afloat during the pandemic.Shoppers are back in Brookside but you can hardly say things have been a breeze lately. "We face new challenges every day," said Jan Buerge, of World's Window.

Sharing Kansas City Weekend Hipster Plans

J. Rieger & Co.'s Parking Lot Provisions and other reasonable food and drink events this week Them virus numbers aren't great, folks, so despite that we're all over it and maybe even bored of the relentlessly bad news, the virus isn't going away. The sorta bright side: There are a few ways to get out and enjoy some food and drink in Kansas City in the general proximity of others without making this whole problem worse.

Local Storm Close Call

Giant tree crashes through Kansas City home, landing next to sleeping man's head KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A man is lucky to be alive today after a giant tree crashed through his ceiling and landed in his bed as he slept. "Right through the roof, into my bedroom and onto my bed," John, the owner of the home, said.

Sunny KC Summer Day Ahead

Friday hot, won't feel as humid -- storms possible overnight Hide Transcript Show Transcript MOKAN.AFAPARENTS.ORG. 5:49. IF YOU ARE A RUNNER OR WALKER OR OUTSIDER, TODAY MIGHT BE YOUR DAY. NICK: IT FEELS ON THE COOLER SIDE. DOES NOT FEEL HUMID. I DID FIND A LITTLE FOG I WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER NEAR THE DOWNTOWN AIRPORT. BUCK O'NEIL BRIDGE. 65 DEGREES.

Our daily peek at pop culture, community news and info from across the nation and around the world . . .is the song of the day and this is the OPEN THREAD for right now . . .
In order to avoid going back to the kinds of restrictions in place earlier this year, Colorado residents need to be more vigilant about preventing the spread of COVID-19, Gov. Jared Polis said Thursday, after three weeks of rising numbers of new coronavirus cases in the state.
Lara Dutta in a recent post shared the reason behind her being absolutely calm during the 2000 Miss Universe Competition. The actor posted a reply to a Twitter post in which she attributed her calm demeanour to the questions that were asked to her. Not too long ago, Miss Universes official Twitter account shared a video of Lara Dutta answering a bunch of questions during the rounds of competition. Fans and several others observed that Lara was extremely calm and composed throughout the entire session and that was something which amazed them.

Also Read | Salman Khan's Chemistry With Sonakshi Sinha Or Lara Dutta, Which Impressed Fans More?

Lara Dutta speaks on her being calm during Miss Universe competition

Also Read | 'Bell Bottom' Sees The Addition Of Lara Dutta To Its Cast; Actor Shares Her Excitement

Speaking specifically about that moment, Lara Dutta replied that she had a lot of things going on in her head at the time. She recalled the moment and said that each time she looks at that particular video, she thinks that she reached some zen level. Thus Lara hinted at being in a completely zen mode while answering those questions. She, later on, went on to thank God for the amazing grace. Fans in the comments too added that it was her calm behaviour that won their hearts as well. In the video as well the man can be heard saying that Lara Dutta is absolutely breath-taking and that she exudes calmness. He then went on to add that he would call her as grace under pressure as she has that element in her.

For all that calm I was a bundle of nerves!!! . Every time I look at this, I keep thinking I must have tapped into some zen zone!! . Grace from above!  https://t.co/jxp3SmIS3W  Lara Dutta Bhupathi (@LaraDutta) July 8, 2020

Also Read | Before Priyanka Chopra, Lara Dutta Was Offered A Part In 'The Matrix' Trilogy

On May 12, Lara Dutta celebrated 20 years since she was crowned as Miss Universe. Sharing a series of pictures from that event, Lara Dutta wrote a heartfelt caption. The actor shared that on that day she received a wonderful gift and that she is eternally grateful for it ever since. The Miss Universe competition was held in Nicosia, Cyprus on May 12, 2000, when Lara Dutta got crowned with the prestigious title of Miss Universe. The country rejoiced on that day as India had won the pageant after a long time. Lara Dutta was the second Indian to win the title after Sushmita Sen in 1994, according to a news portal.

Also Read | Salman Khan With Katrina Kaif Or Lara Dutta: Which Duo Had An Impressive Chemistry?
Former Trump fixer Michael Cohen is surprisingly back in prison after an apparent disagreement Thursday over the terms of his continued home confinement. The 53-year-old was released from federal custody six weeks ago on a medical furlough due to the coronavirus and had returned to the courthouse Thursday for what was expected to be a perfunctory extension of his house arrest for the remainder of his prison term, which runs until November 2021. Cohen had been serving a three-year sentence at a minimum security prison in upstate New York and was expected to be allowed to remain at home under a set of strict rules. The former personal attorney for Donald Trump, however, balked at some of the requirements of his confinement at homeincluding electronic monitoring and a provision that he was not to work on a book or speak to the media while serving out his termand refused to sign the release document, which ultimately led federal marshals to take Cohen back into custody.

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Cohen indicated he has a book ready for publication this September about his time working with Trump, which would obviously run counter to the terms of his supervised release. There were eight conditions laid out by the release document, including a prohibition on engaging with social media in order to avoid glamorizing or bringing publicity to your status as a sentenced inmate serving a custodial term in the community. No engagement of any kind with the media, including print, tv, film, books, or any other form of media/news. Prohibition from all social media platforms. No posting on social media and a requirement that you communicate with friends and family to exercise discretion in not posting on your behalf or posting any information about you, the document read.

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Cohens legal adviser Lanny Davis said the former Trump fixer initially refused to sign the document, pointing out that Cohen spoke to reporters while in prison, causing a standoff at the courthouse. From the New York Times:

After Mr. Cohen refused to sign the agreement, the probation officers said they would try to work out a resolution, Mr. Davis said. Mr. Cohen and another of his lawyers, Jeffrey Levine, waited about 90 minutes, Mr. Davis said. Three federal marshals then arrived and, without warning, began to take Mr. Cohen into custody. At that point, Mr. Davis said, Mr. Cohen relented and agreed to sign the document to avoid returning to jail. The marshals continued to take him into custody anyway, Mr. Davis said, with one of them saying, Its out of our hands.

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A memo from a residential reentry manager in New York to the U.S. Marshals alleged that Cohen failed to agree to the terms of Federal Location Monitoring, though it did not specify which terms, and asked that he be taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, the Washington Post reports. In statements, the Bureau of Prisons similarly alleged Cohen had refused the conditions of his home confinement but did not specify which ones.

Cohen is serving a prison sentence for two criminal cases: campaign finance violations related to the hush money paid to Stormy Daniels and for lying to Congress about the Trump Tower project in Moscow.

For more of Slates political coverage, subscribe to the Political Gabfest on Apple Podcasts or listen below.
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Congress chief Mullappally Ramachandran on Thursday welcomed the Central government`s decision for National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe in the Thiruvananthapuram gold smuggling case. However, he said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Central government should also rope in CBI and RAW, in addition to the NIA, for the investigation in the case.

"I welcome the NIA probe in the gold smuggling case. I had written to the Prime Minister demanding an NIA probe. But the Prime Minister and the Central government should also announce a CBI and RAW investigations in addition to the NIA investigation," he said.

He said that there is a huge racket behind the gold smuggling."Some of the officials, including those in customs, are associated with this racket. It is a matter of national security and friendly relations with the UAE which requires high priority," he said.

The state Congress chief said that a parallel economy that was destroying India`s economy could not be allowed to grow under the shadow of the gold smuggling gang. On July 5, around 30 kg gold worth Rs 15 crore, concealed in diplomatic consignment, was seized at the Thiruvananthapuram international airport by the Customs Department.

Sarith Kumar, an accused in the case who had previously worked as a public relations officer (PRO) in UAE Consulate-General`s office in Thiruvananthapuram, was arrested on July 6 and remanded to 14 days.

Swapna Suresh, another accused in the case, is on the run after the gold was seized from the airport. Suresh was employed in Space Park and Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Limited (KSITL), which comes under the IT department, a portfolio held by Kerala Chief Minister.

Swapna was ousted after being named an accused in the case.M Sivasankar, who was Chief Minister`s Principal Secretary and served as IT secretary, was removed from both the posts.

The authorities in the United Arab Emirates have also launched an investigation in the case to find out who sent the cargo containing gold to the address of UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram.

The Embassy said that the culprits have not only committed a major crime but also "sought to tarnish the reputation of the UAE mission in India" and they will not be spared.
Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette has a message for thousands of U.S. oil and gas workers laid off during the recent oil bust: Remain strong.

This is an industry that will come back, and it will come back very, very strong, Brouillette said Friday in Houston. These are difficult times for all Americans, but this industry will return.

Brouillette was in town Friday to meet with energy executives and hear from them how the industry was weathering the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic and a glut of cheap crude, which sent oil prices to historic lows.

The energy secretary, who took the helm of the federal agency in December after serving as the deputy secretary of energy for two years, met with several CEOs of independent energy companies, including Occidental Petroleum, Talos Energy and Houston Energy. He said he came away from the conversations, which were closed to the media, feeling optimistic about the industrys future.

Brouillette pointed to the declining unemployment rate and growing consumer and travel activity as signs of a burgeoning economic recovery. While he said he was concerned about a second wave of coronavirus cases, Brouillette said it was in Americans nature to get back to work. His departments Energy Information Administration forecasts oil and gas demand to recover toward the end of this year and in the first half of 2021.

Energy underpins everything we do in the U.S. economy, Brouillette said. Its one of the backbones of the strength of the economy and the nation itself, so its very important that we see this industry survive this pandemic and hopefully come out the other side even stronger.

Brouillette said its up to Congress to decide whether to include energy companies, from oil and gas to renewables, in a new round of economic stimulus packages. But he said the Energy Department is looking to help the industry in other ways, including continuing to fund research and development of new technologies to make the industry more efficient and environmentally sustainable.

The department also wants to provide regulatory certainty to encourage capital markets to invest in the energy sector, Brouillette said. Wall Street in recent years has soured on the oil and gas industry after lagging financial performance.

We hope (investors) will look at this industry as one they can count on for future growth, Brouillette said. In order to do that, we have to provide a regulatory structure that is certain, transparent and predictable.

The Energy Department is looking at speeding up approval of offshore drilling permits and reconsidering regulatory structures that have allowed environmental groups to successfully block oil and gas pipeline projects, such as the Keystone XL, Dakota Access and Atlantic Coast Pipeline, all of which faced setbacks, and in the latter case, a cancellation this week.

Brouillette said that oil and gas pipelines and export terminals are critical, not only for the economy but also for the national security as the federal government can use liquid natural gas exports as leverage in foreign policy matters. He also said LNG exports can help countries transition away from high-carbon fuels such as coal to meet environmental goals.

If we dont have (energy) infrastructure in America, if we dont have pipelines or export facilities, thats a lost economic opportunity but also a lost environmental opportunity, Brouillette said. Its very important to allow these infrastructure projects to move forward.
Egyptian women and girls who for decades have endured sexual harassment and abuse in silence are now raising their voices en masse to demand justice and reform of Egypt's sexual harassment laws.

Defying the stigma associated with sexual violence, thousands of Egyptian women and girls are joining a rising call for harassers and rapists to be held accountable for their misdeeds. The Arabic hashtags "Listen to the voice of Egyptian women" and "Where is justice for Egyptian women" have gone viral on Egyptian social media platforms after multiple allegations of sexual harassment, assault and rape surfaced against a purported serial harasser named Ahmed Bassam Zaki.

In a message directed at Zaki and other harassers, one activist tweeted July 6, No means no! No does not mean convince me. No does not mean maybe. No does not mean yes." Other activists expressed solidarity and support for the brave survivors who shared online accounts of their traumatic experiences of sexual assault at Zaki's hands.

The social media campaign against Zaki, a business student in his mid-20s studying in Spain, was started July 1 by an Instagram account created by an activist who chose not to disclose her identity along with a group of survivors who claimed they had been harassed or sexually assaulted by Zaki at some point in the last five years. Using the Instagram handle @assaultpolice, the women urged other survivors to share evidence of sexual abuse by Zaki.

Dozens of women took screenshots of abusive online messages he had allegedly sent them and published them anonymously for fear of reprisal. One woman posted voice messages from Zaki making lewd comments and threatening to send nude photographs of her to her family if she continued to reject him. Among the others was a girl who said she had been raped by Zaki and who has since sought treatment for trauma at a psychiatric clinic. I'm not the only one he raped, anally as well, she complained to a childhood friend who published her testimony in Empower Magazine.

Zaki has been accused of harassing girls at his high school, the American International School in Cairo, before joining an online group of American University in Cairo students and harassing its female members. The daughter of a family friend has also come out about an incident of sexual assault involving Zaki. Young women at the EU Business School in Barcelona, at which he enrolled in 2018, have also spoken out about unwanted sexual advances by him. The online testimonials, shared over various social media networks, sent shockwaves across the conservative society, provoking outrage among women's rights advocates. The unprecedented outpouring of support for the survivors has led some Twitter users to describe it as a revolution.

Some users jumped to Zaki's defense, saying that girls who dress provocatively deserve to be raped. Others made excuses for him, arguing he is mentally ill and needs treatment.

Celebrities weighed in with advice for apologists who blame the victims: A girl's clothes  no matter how revealing  are no justification for assaulting her, tweeted director and screenwriter Amr Salama.

The National Council of Women said in a July 2 statement that the body was following the case closely. It called on the authorities to investigate the matter and prosecute as appropriate. The NCW also called on survivors to file lawsuits against the accused so that he may get the legal punishment he deserves and to deter potential harassers.

Though the NCW assured the survivors that their privacy and confidentiality would be protected if they decided to pursue the matter legally, some of the victims are reluctant to file legal complaints against Zaki for fear of sullying their reputations, rights lawyer Nehad Abul Komsan told TV host Amr Adeeb.

On July 8, the cabinet approved a bill that would guarantee the confidentiality of survivors of sexual assault and harassment. Under the draft law, complainants' information would no longer be kept in the case files, but rather in a separate file to be shared only upon request by the court and defense lawyers.

Soon after the NCW statement was published, complaints started trickling in. Within days, more than 100 complaints had been submitted via the NCW 's hotline, including one from a minor who claimed she had been sexually assaulted by Zaki when she was just 14. Several written complaints have since been referred to the prosecutor's office.

Zaki was arrested July 4 and ordered detained for four days pending investigation. But as more legal complaints came pouring in, prosecutors extended his detention to 15 days to allow for further investigation. Al-Azhar and Dar al-Iftaa also issued statements denouncing sexual harassment and calling for Egyptians to support survivors.

The EU Business School in Barcelona, where Zaki had been studying, was notified of the online allegations and immediately took action, announcing his suspension pending investigation. But as complaints against him came flooding in and after Zaki admitted to blackmailing several of the complainants, the university announced its decision to dismiss him.

Speaking to TV host Amr Adeeb off-camera, Zaki's father said his son had admitted to making mistakes but had denied the allegations of rape and sexual assault, which he claimed were made via fake accounts.

What started on July 1 as a social media campaign against Zaki has developed into a full-fledged movement against sexual harassment and assault reminiscent of the "me too" movement.

Some activists turned their wrath on radical clerics who accuse women of bringing harassment onto themselves by dressing immodestly. Others vented their frustration toward the authorities for failing to stem the tide of sexual harassment in the country they described as an epidemic.

More than 99% of Egyptian women have experienced some form of sexual harassment, according to a 2013 United Nations report. In 2014, an anti-sexual harassment law was passed as an amendment to the Penal Code following a surge in reported sexual assault incidents in the country, many of which were committed by security forces.

Under the law, offenders face jail terms of between six months and five years and fines of up to 5,000 Egyptian pounds (approximately $312). The lengthier jail sentences are reserved for offenses involving multiple perpetrators, offenders who are in a position of authority over the complainant and those carrying weapons. But while the law has been commended by the United Nations as encouraging, it has also been criticized by some women's rights campaigners and groups such as Nazra for Feminist Studies as falling short of international rights standards.

To date, Egypt has no comprehensive law criminalizing sexual violence, lamented Fatemah Khafagy, a prominent women's rights advocate. Rights advocates have been calling for a holistic approach to the problem rather than scattered provisions within the Penal Code stipulating penalties for offenders. A comprehensive law would spell out preventative and protective measures such as training of prosecutors and judges, sexual education being incorporated in the school curriculum and services provided to survivors such as shelters, she told Al-Monitor.

Mozn Hassan, a women's rights campaigner and Founder of Nazra, echoed Khafagy's call for a comprehensive law, adding that political will is needed for such a law to pass. Women who come forward to report sexual assault or rape need a law that guarantees their protection from the offenders," she said, citing the case of a survivor who was assaulted outside a Cairo shopping mall by her harasser in a revenge attack after she had reported him to the police.

Hassan highlighted the shortcomings in the current law: It takes into account neither domestic violence nor the sexual harassment of men. The definition of rape is also problematic as it defines rape as nonconsensual penile penetration by a man of a woman's vagina, which means that anal penetration or rapists using their hand or a sharp instrument would not be considered rape.

Parliament member Anissa Hassouna, meanwhile, described Zaki's case as a societal issue. She hailed the authorities quick response and the massive online support for the survivors, saying it represents a cultural shift in how the state deals with sexual harassment cases.

The case sends a strong message that there needs to be a change in society. People need to rethink their attitudes toward sexual assault, which is often taken lightly with some even defending such shameful actions and making excuses for the harasser. Most men fail to see the harm they are inflicting on women by hurting their dignity, Hassouna told Al-Monitor.

She continued, Even one case is one too many. We are confident that justice will be served. If the defendant is convicted, his punishment should be made public to deter others from such disgraceful behavior.
Each year Camp For All helps roughly 11,000 campers that have challenging illnesses or special needs, but this year they are serving those communities and others virtually.

Based in Burton, the camp has brought out activities like wheelchair Quidditch, slime making, animal videos and cooking segments to help participants gain some of the camp experience from home.

Top hits: Get Houston Chronicle stories sent directly to your inbox

Were doing virtual camps and virtual activities, said Camp Director Kurt Podeszwa. Were working with our partners to make sure that campers are engaged in things. Were setting out for our fall and what thats going to look like and how were going to move forward with a new kind of, the new set of criteria of everything thats going on.

The camp that runs January through November is a nonprofit that partners with other nonprofits like the Epilepsy Foundation. Those organizations pay half of the fee for campers while Camp For All covers the rest. That way, campers and their families dont have to pay anything. It is also supported through generous donations from the public. Right now, the camp has a shortfall in its annual budget of around $1.2 million because of having to close its grounds for COVID-19 since March. Podeszwa said the camps partners have been wonderful, raising money and donating.

Art gallery: Archway Gallery takes juried art show online amid pandemic

Although he knows virtual camp wont ever fully replace in-person camp, he and has staff are working hard to do what they can.

When we work really hard at putting together the schedule that gets you into doing things that you havent done before  maybe you havent done it at camp before because, you know, this wasnt available  and so youve got to do it. Youve got to feel good about it. You get to the end of the day, and youre like, Wow, that was a good camp day that I had.

Rylee Loria is 15 and lives in Spring. She joined the online activities after several years of going to camp for children with epilepsy, Spike n Wave. She said of course virtual camp wasnt the same as a being at a physical camp. She couldnt do some confidence-boosting activities like rope courses, but she had the opportunity to build relationships other campers that have epilepsy and with counselors.

Even though [epilepsy] might not be a good experience, its still a thing you can bond with people about and really get to know other people who have to go through the same thing as you do, Loria said.

Pen pals: Pen pal exchange forms bonds between Houston-area groups amid pandemic

Some of the activities she enjoyed included I Spy, arts and crafts and energizers, which are songs with dances that get campers rolling and ready to go in the morning. Camp For All and Spike n Wave have been doing a lot of the same energizers for years, so Podeszwa said they help some experienced campers forget they are at home and maybe together with others like them in Burton, if only for a few minutes.

Since she is homeschooled, Loria also appreciated getting to meet new people during camp. Camp has really allowed me to be able to learn how to interact with people Ive never met before in that short period of a week. So its really building my team and people meeting skills, she said.

Podeszwa said for everyone going through the pandemic, there are feelings of disappointment and loss about some things, but Camp For All tries to bring some light into that. They have created a virtual library of experiences filmed at the camp, including scenes with barnyard animals and hiking in nature.

Walk for water: Katy residents walk raises funds for clean water in East Asian community

Beyond the virtual camps, the general population can visit Camp For Alls social media pages on Facebook and Instagram for some fun summer activities and energizers.

Those with difficult illnesses or special needs can find out what camp they might fit into by visiting www.campforall.org with areas such as autism, blindness or cardiac disease. If you are uncertain where you fit in, send them a message on Facebook or email kpodeszwa@campforall.org. To donate, visit www.campforall.org/donate.

tracy.maness@hcnonline.com
JERSEY CITY, N.J., July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Jersey City Rapid Maker Response Group (JCRMRG) is hosting a nationwide virtual health hackathon from July 10-13, to tackle supply chain, sustainability, and wearability challenges related to personal protective equipment (PPE). JCRMRG is an all-volunteer group with the mission of using 3D printing technology to create face shields to protect healthcare workers. Judging will take place July 13 - July 15, and winners will be announced July 16th.

Faceshield Donation to Hoboken CERT Faceshield Donation to Doctors

"This hackathon represents the next phase in our mission to use technology for humanitarian causes," said Justin Handsman, founder of JCRMRG. "Our hackathon brings together the brightest minds and leaders in technology, business, and additive manufacturing to help participating teams develop solutions to address the ongoing needs surrounding supply chain disruptions in healthcare and emergent situations."

Hackathon Judges Include:

Alda Leu Dennis - General Partner @ Intialized Capital

- General Partner @ Intialized Capital Nora Toure - Founder of Women in 3D Printing

- Founder of Women in 3D Printing Tali Rosman - General Manager & Vice President of 3D Printing at Xerox

- General Manager & Vice President of 3D Printing at Xerox Thomas Murphy - Sr. Product Manager at Shapeways

- Sr. Product Manager at Shapeways Chr i stopher Frangione - COO of TechUnited:NJ

- COO of TechUnited:NJ Dr. David Zimmerman - Director of Technology Commercialization, Stevens Venture Center

- Director of Technology Commercialization, Stevens Venture Center Michael Burghoffer - Founder/CEO of PicoSolutions

- Founder/CEO of PicoSolutions Rob Rinderman - Founder/Investor

- Founder/Investor Justin Handsman - Founder of JCRMRG/Entrepreneur

Advisor:

Ben Yurcisin - Founder, Jersey City Tech Meetup

"The Jersey City Rapid Maker Response Group is making a huge impact on a local and national level. First by providing PPE to frontline medical workers, and second by engaging people to think about how we can empower the maker movement to continue to address both COVID and future crisis related challenges," said Ben Yurcisin, Founder of the Jersey City Tech Meetup.

The hackathon is supported by Dassault Systemes, PSE&G, 3D Print.com, Asimov Ventures, PrusaPrinters, Devpost, Women in 3D Printing, TechUnited:NJ, Stevens Venture Center, and DesignPoint.

"We are proud to support JCRMRG's hackathon event. Justin Handsman, and his team of dedicated volunteers embody the commitment and passion that are reflected in Dassault Systemes' corporate culture," said Al Bunshaft, Senior Vice President, Dassault Systemes. "This event also embodies the values we seek to foster as a corporate partner. We are proud to support the hackathon and ignite innovation via our sponsorship as well as enable the teams to leverage SolidWorks as a platform for bringing their ideas to life."

About JCRMRG

JCRMRG is an all-volunteer group that started as a discussion in Reddit for 3D printer hobbyists and enthusiasts to organize to make face shields for first responders and medical workers in the New York and New Jersey area who were faced with significant shortages. To date, JCRMRG has engaged more than 50 volunteers, and has delivered more than 75,000 face shields to healthcare workers across the United States. Learn more or donate at jcrmrg.org

Contact:

PR: Laura Sankowich | 484-354-3918 | [email protected]

PR: Ashley Strang | 914-282-8476 | [email protected]

SOURCE Jersey City Rapid Maker Response Group (United Way)

Related Links

https://jcrmrg.org


NEW YORK  British socialite and longtime Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell was made a scapegoat for the disgraced financier since he killed himself last summer while he was facing sex abuse charges, her lawyers said in court papers filed Friday seeking her release from jail while she awaits trial.

After Epstein was found dead in his jail cell, the media focus quickly shifted to our client  wrongly trying to substitute her for Epstein  even though shed had no contact with Epstein for more than a decade, had never been charged with a crime or been found liable in any civil litigation and has always denied any allegations of claimed misconduct, the lawyers wrote in a preview of their defense.

Ghislaine Maxwell, they added, is not Jeffrey Epstein.

Maxwell, 58, was arrested last week at a New Hampshire estate before being moved to New York City to face federal charges accusing her of helping Epstein sexually exploit young women and girls. She has been detained at a lockup in Brooklyn without bail.

Prosecutors have claimed Maxwell went into hiding months before her arrest and have labeled her an extreme risk of flight, noting that she has French, British and U.S. passports.

Her lawyers are seeking her release on $5 million bond under strict conditions including home confinement in the New York City area and electronic monitoring. She would also surrender her travel documents

The U.S. Attorneys office in Manhattan declined comment on Friday.

A judge has set a hearing for Tuesday to hear bail arguments and to arraign Maxwell on multiple charges, including that she conspired to entice girls as young as 14 to engage in illegal sex acts with Epstein from 1994 through 1997 at his homes in New York City, Florida, and New Mexico and at Maxwells residence in London.

In the court papers, lawyers cited reports of coronavirus infections spreading through federal jails as one of the reasons to free Maxwell, arguing that if she continues to be detained, her health will be at serious risk and she will not be able to receive a fair trial.

The case for bail is also strengthened by the fact that the governments case is based primarily on the testimony of three individuals about events that allegedly occurred roughly 25 years ago, the defense papers say. It is inherently more difficult to prosecute cases relating to decades-old conduct.

The Justice Department already has taken a series of steps to maintain Maxwells safety while shes locked up at the Brooklyn jail, including ensuring that she has a roommate in her cell, that she is monitored and that someone is always with her while shes behind bars, an official familiar with the matter told The Associated Press earlier this week.

After Maxwells arrest, federal officials were so worried she might take her own life that they took away her clothes and bedsheets and made her wear paper attire while in custody, according to the official, who could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Epstein killed himself in a Manhattan jail last August while he awaited trial on federal sex trafficking charges.

___

AP writer Michael Balsamo contributed to this report.
New Delhi: Dreaded gangster Vikas Dubey, who was wanted in at least 60 cases and was on the run after Kanpur massacre, was on Friday (July 10) killed during an encounter with Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF).

According to reports, Dubey was brought back from Ujjain to Kanpur on Friday morning and was to be produced before the Kanpur Mati court at 10 am. While on the way to the STF office, Dubey reportedly snatched arms of a police personnel. During this, the STF car carrying the gangster lost its control and overturned near Barra in Kanpur.

Sources said that the gangster, while attempting to flee from the spot, fired at the personnel, resulting in the STF firing on him in self-defence. The STF had reportedly tried to make him surrender before opening fire on him.

Dubey was shot at in the retaliatory fire during the encounter and was killed. He was immediately rushed to the hospital where he was declared brought dead by doctors. "Gangster Vikas Dubey killed in an encounter when he tried to flee after a road accident," said IG, Kanpur Mohit Agarwal. Four police personnel, including two Inspectors, were also injured in the encounter. Their conditions are said to be out of danger.

We take a look at the journey of Vikas Dubey as a criminal over the years:

A dreaded Kanpur gangster, Vikas Dubey was an infamous history-sheeter in Uttar Pradesh and had over 60 cases in his name. He was known to have murdered a minister in the former Rajnath Singh government in UP. In 2001, Vikas Dubey barged into a police station and gunned down Santosh Shukla, who was then a minister in the Rajnath Singh-led UP government. He was, however, acquitted in the case due to lack of enough evidence against him.



Vikas Dubey's journey into the world of crime began in 1990s. Over the years, he gained notreity as a dreaded gangster and was named in several cases of attempt to murder, kidnapping, extortion and rioting.

In 2002, Vikas Dubey grabbed huge tracts of land by illegal means and amassed massive properties in Kanpur and surrounding areas. During this time, Vikas Dubey fully dominated the Kanpur city along with Bilhaur, Shivrajpur, Rinyan and Choubepur areas.

In 2000, he was named in the murder of Siddheshwar Pandey, an Assistant Manager of Tarachand Inter College in Shivali police station area of Kanpur. He is also said to have plotted the murder of Rambabu Yadav from within the jail in the same year.

In 2004, Dubey was accused of the murdering cable businessman Dinesh Dubey.

In 2018, he carried out a deadly attack on his cousin Anurag and had plotted the entire plan from within the premises of Mati jail. Anurag's wife had named four people, including Vikas Dubey, in the attack.

Vikas Dubey had also won the election of Nagar panchayat in Shivrajpur while being lodged in jail.

Earlier this year, Dubey was booked for two criminal cases. The cases were filed on charges of kidnapping, attempt to murder, and extortion.

He also has businesses in the real estate sector and has several considerable assets in the village.

The gangster is also accused of extorting money from big businessmen. Police investigation has revealed that he used to earn a hefty amount in the name of getting contracts for his close aides and vacating the properties.

At least eight policemen including senior police officer of the rank of deputy superintendent of police and four constables were shot dead in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur during a police raid to nab noted history-sheeter Vikas Dubey's house on July 2 late night.

Teams from three police stations had gone to Bithoor's Dikru village in Chaubepur police station area in search of Vikas Dubey, who has 60 cases registered against him. A raid was planned at his village after he was accused in a fresh attempt to murder case.
Castro, Duboce Triangle

The safe sleeping site at Everett Middle School closes next week. | Photo: Steven Bracco/Hoodline

The Castro's tent village for homeless people is set to close next week  after just five weeks of operation.

The "safe sleeping site" at Everett Middle School, which opened on June 8, is set to close this coming Tuesday, July 14, according to Department of Emergency Management (DEM) spokesperson Kristen Hogan.

Hogan says the site must be broken down because the San Francisco Unified School District is set to reopen Everett. Staff will return on August 11, with students following on August 17.

The SFUSD said this week that it won't make a decision on whether to resume in-person classes until the end of July. A report in the Chronicle suggests that few, if any, students will return to in-person classes in the coming months.

There are currently no plans for another safe sleeping site in the Castro area. "It's hard to think of a suitable site," said District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, who represents the Castro.

Outside the safe sleeping site along 17th Street. | Photo: Steven Bracco/Hoodline

People sleeping in Castro-area homeless encampments were given priority access to the safe sleeping site, which opened with an estimated capacity of 50-60 safely distanced people.

That was ultimately reduced to 40 residents in order to maintain a required SFFD fire lane, Hogan said. At its peak, the site only drew 36 people.

"The highest occupancy was 36 because the site was always a short-term solution," Hogan said. "Whenever plausible, occupants were offered longer-term shelter options."

Hogan confirmed that only two site residents, both considered highly vulnerable to COVID-19, were placed in hotel rooms. The rest were encouraged to use the city's Homeward Bound program for a bus ticket to stay with family.

The 28 people that remain at the Everett site have been offered beds in congregate shelters, some of which have begun to reopen in recent weeks.

"Some have accepted; others declined and self-exited," Hogan said, using a term referring to those who've returned to the streets.

Story continues

Early in the pandemic, the congregate shelters  which house tens or hundreds of people in a large open space  drew criticism for their facilitation of COVID-19 spread. SoMa's MSC South shelter had a COVID-19 outbreak in mid-April that saw 93 people test positive.

Hogan said the congregate shelters are abiding by all public health guidelines, including social distancing and regular testing and screening of clients.

Hand-washing stations and portable toilets at the Everett Middle School site. | Photo: Steven Bracco/Hoodline

Both homeless residents and neighborhood advocates told Hoodline they were pleased with the site.

"The area around the site was clean, quiet and integrated into the neighborhood," said Carolyn Thomas, captain of the nearby Ford Street Neighborhood Watch. Before the site opened, neighbors were concerned about noise and trash, but none have complained to her.

Robert Lee, a homeless resident at the Everett site, says he's sad to see it go  his three weeks living there have been a positive experience.

"People are respectful of each other's space, there's a noticeable lack of conflicts, and the staff members have good attitudes," said Lee, who's been homeless for six years. But the site's temporary nature was frustrating from the start.

"It would be cool as a transition from street to hotel room  however, it seems more like '40 spaces until mid-July,'" he said. "Then it's back to square one, because we're on a school lot."

Lee's still in talks with site staff about his options. He's hopeful that he can get connected with a hotel room; a spot in a congregate shelter would be his second choice.

Should neither option pan out, "it will be back to hiding in blankets, and sleeping on sidewalks," he said. "My chances of finding employment slim down a little, too."

Inside the safe sleeping site. | Photo: courtesy of Robert Lee

Sup. Mandelman said that the site has produced mixed results. There's been a small reduction in encampments and street trash, and "a number of pretty vulnerable people got help and got connected to services."

But it didn't make a dent in the Castro's most entrenched encampments, especially the one at 16th and Market streets where a homeless person nearly burned to death in late June.

"It's really dug in over the last six to eight months," Mandelman said. "Clearly, the safe sleeping village was not the answer for that encampment."

Encampment at 16th and Market streets. | Photo: Steven Bracco/Hoodline

Mandelman said there's also been an increase in encampments at 16th and Dolores streets, along the Dolores Street median and around Duboce Triangle.

"Over the last three months, the street conditions have gotten decidedly worse," said Mandelman. "What drives neighbors up the wall is the activity the encampment begets  like noise, disruptive behavior, drug use, drug dealing."

Thomas, of the Ford Street Neighborhood Watch, says she thinks the site could have done better outreach to Castro encampment residents.

"I think the outreach to the unsheltered left something to be desired," she said. "I interact with several homeless people who hadnt heard of the program or been approached, which is a shame."

Thomas also noted that because of its temporary nature, the site stopped accepting new residents on June 22  just two weeks after it first opened.

Encampment along the Dolores Street median. | Photo: Steven Bracco/Hoodline

Last month, the city identified 42 locations for potential safe sleeping sites, but has yet to open a single new one. More than half of the proposed locations  26 in all  are on SFUSD land, meaning they'll likely be unusable as the school year approaches.

DEM's Hogan did not say whether any further safe sleeping sites are in the works, beyond the remaining three in Civic Center, the Tenderloin and the Upper Haight. "Sites throughout the city continue to be evaluated for viability and community need," she said.

Mandelman said he'd like to see more emphasis on homeless people being connected with hotel rooms and shelters. (Despite unanimous passage of legislation by the Board of Supervisors, Mayor London Breed has effectively frozen efforts to shelter most unhoused San Franciscans in city-leased hotel rooms to prevent the spread of COVID-19.)

He'd also like to see an increase in police enforcement and citations.

"We're not doing a great job of enforcing the law," said Mandelman. "We need to use all our tools, and sometimes it doesn't feel like we are."

Encampment at 16th and Prosper streets. | Photo: Steven Bracco/Hoodline

For her part, Thomas would like to see more efforts made to integrate neighbors into getting people sheltered.

She notes that many encampment residents are "pretty entrenched"  either they don't trust the city's offers, or they're holding out for a hotel room. Having a neighbor make the case might help.

"Im very happy for the 40-plus people who got, and will continue to get, some stability in their lives over the last several weeks," she said. "They weren't shuffled from one block to another, and they also had a modicum of security knowing they didnt need to bring all their belongings if they left for a few hours."
As the beginning of the school year approaches, many Pennsylvania school districts are working to prepare for fall instruction. New health and safety protocols for students and staff could make masks mandatory on campus, require health screenings before coming to school and shake up recess schedules to promote social distancing.

The decision between in-person instruction in the classroom, online asynchronous instruction  or a mix of the two  is a tough one for administrators. While in-person classes are preferred, social distancing enforcement in spaces like school buses and hallways is difficult. On the other hand, online-only instruction could leave parents scrambling for childcare while they are at work.

While Central Dauphin and Elizabethtown Area school districts have already announced plans to head back to school with in-person, five-days-a-week instruction, most districts are still working on them, and preparing to announce their preliminary plans within the next few weeks.

Pennsylvania schools are required by the Department of Education to create and publish a Health and Safety Plan that outlines its social distancing enforcement and sanitation protocol before they are authorized to offer in-person classes.

I think the one thing all school leaders are struggling with is the fluidity of the situation, David Hatfield, superintendent of Halifax School District, said. So every few days we get new parameters, so were constantly trying to update, formulate new plans given the tentative recommendations and mandates were under from different agencies.

To add more uncertainty to the situation, President Trump threatened to withhold federal funding for school districts that dont host in-person classes.

Hatfield said the threat of lost funding will not sway Halifax School Districts decision of how to best return to school in the fall.

Were not going to participate in the politicization of public schools, Hatfield said. Were going to do everything in our power to make sure that the kids have a safe learning environment.

Hatfield said because Halifax is a smaller district, with about 1,000 students total, enforcing social distancing protocols will be easier than it would be for a larger school.

We want to make sure were doing everything thats in our power to have a safe learning environment for our kids to return to and that the parents feel safe with, he said.

Cumberland Valley School District Superintendent Dr. David Christopher said in a video update last month that part of his districts planning process is to develop a strong platform for online instruction. Even if the school chooses to resume in-person instruction, it would have the resources of the online platform to fall back on if schools were ordered closed.

I think its really important that we have that flexibility in our planning process, Christopher said.

West Shore School District Superintendent Todd Stoltz said the district hopes to go back to in-person instruction on Aug. 25 and will share the working draft of its Health and Safety Plan at its school board meeting July 16.

In developing the plan, we have relied on guidance released by various agencies, such as the CDC, DOH, American Academy of Pediatrics, PDE, etc., Stoltz said, as well as recently collected survey feedback from students, staff, and parents.

Susquehanna Township School District is set to announce its return plans Monday, July 13, at its school board meeting.

To date, we have sent two surveys to gauge the needs and preferences of our parents, and I have provided video updates for both parents and members of our community, Superintendent Tamara Willis said in an email. We continue to develop our state required Health & Safety Plan and will present the plan to our school board for approval at our meeting on July 13th.

Susquehanna is not the only school district seeking input from its community. Susquenita School District is asking its students and parents to fill out a back to school survey and Big Spring School District crowdsourced opinions and ideas from its community.

Our last exchange focused on concerns and questions regarding the opening of school in 20-21, Superintendent Richard Fry said in an email.

Several districts are creating an online-only option for its students whose parents do not want them returning to the classrooms.

Hannah Pollock contributed reporting to this story.
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klikalbarkah.com is very popular in Facebook. It is liked by 118 people on Facebook, it has 5 twitter shares and it has 2 google+ shares.

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PAGE TITLE BMT Albarkah - Menjaga Semua Transaksi Keuangan Anda Sesuai Syariah, Amanah, Halal dan Menguntungkan DESCRIPTION BMT Albarkah - Menjaga Semua Transaksi Keuangan Anda Sesuai Syariah, Amanah, Halal dan Menguntungkan - Simpan Pinjam, Simpanan Syariah, Jual Beli Emas, Investasi Emas, Gadai Emas, Kredit Kendaraan KEYWORDS BMT Albarkah, Emas, Simpanan Syariah, Simpan Pinjam, Jual Beli Emas, Investasi Emas, Gadai Emas, Kredit Kendaraan, Talangan, Haji OTHER KEYWORDS albarkah, bmt albarkah, syariah, dengan, paket, simpanan, berita



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Threats to oil shipping routes are nothing new to the oil market. It has endured Iran seizing tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, and it has endured Iran's repeated threats to close this most important chokepoint in the world.

But what the oil market is perhaps not prepared to shrug off are similar threats made by one of the world's largest oil consumers--India--to choke off the oil that is making its way to China.

China's oil imports continue to give support to the muted oil rally.

Now, the recent hostility that erupted between two of the world's biggest oil importers  the two largest in Asia, China and India  could increase security threats along the second most important oil chokepoint in the world, the Strait of Malacca.

This vital strait connects the Indian Ocean with the Pacific Ocean through the South China Sea and is the shortest oil shipping route from oil suppliers in the Middle East to the Asian markets such as China, Japan, and South Korea. The Strait of Malacca is the primary chokepoint in Asia, and in recent years, between 85 percent and 90 percent of annual total petroleum flows of more than 16 million barrels per day (bpd) through this chokepoint were crude oil, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The relationship between India and China has always been shaky, but a recent flare-up of tensions on the border between the two became the most violent in 50 years, since China and India fought a war to establish where precisely this border would pass. Both countries are nuclear powers, which has worried the UN, who has called on Beijing and New Delhi to "exercise maximum restraint."

Over the past few days, the two counties seem to move toward de-escalation, but the tension remains.

Could India Cut Off Shipments Through The Strait of Malacca?

India's position in the Indian Ocean and its Navy strengthening the presence in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which are very close to the Strait of Malacca, could theoretically allow India to cut off the narrow strait between Indonesia and Malaysia, H I Sutton, an expert on navies, writes in Forbes. A potential closure of the Strait of Malacca in case of an escalation of tension, a crisis, or a war, could allow India to choke oil shipments to China, the world's largest oil importer, which imports a lot of oil from the Middle East going through that route.

Related: Former Oil Execs To Launch New Hydrogen Investment Fund



The India-China standoff has already reverberated to other trade areas, with Chinese imports suddenly held up at Indian ports for scrutiny without warning, trade organizations told CNN Business at the end of last month.

But a blockade of the Strait of Malacca is, as of now, a distant possibility. If it were to cut off shipments, India would choke the oil flows to north Asian powers allies of the United States, such as South Korea. It would also severely damage trade in all of Asia, including its own trade flows at a time when the coronavirus crisis is ravaging economies around the world.

China's Plans To Bypass The Strait Of Malacca

China does have two projects to reduce its dependence on the Strait of Malacca in trade, including oil trade. One is the Gwadar port in India's neighbor Pakistan under the 'Belt and Road Initiative' with plans to transport oil from the port to inland China. The other is the Northern Sea Route in the Arctic. China aims to build a ""Polar Silk Road", and facilitate connectivity and sustainable economic and social development of the Arctic," according to China's Arctic Policy plan from 2018.

These plans will take years to complete, and even when complete, they would not eliminate China's dependence on the Strait of Malacca for its oil trade.

China's Oil Imports Continue To Soar

Meanwhile, crude oil imports have been a key support factor for oil prices during the COVID-19 pandemic. Chinese imports held relatively steady in March and April, helping the otherwise crumbling global oil demand when other countries went on lockdown. Then in May, China imported a record-high 11.34 million bpd of crude oil. While part of the record imports was driven by economic activity picking up, the other driver was April's ultra-low oil prices, which incentivized Chinese crude oil stockpiling in strategic and commercial inventories.

A disruption to the flow of oil to China could translate into a disruption in oil's recovery.

In June, China's crude oil imports hit a record high of 11.93 million bpdan increase of 820,000 bpd from May levels, which were also at record levels, a market analysis by OilX Research showed. OilX attributed this increase in June to the restart of China's economy, along with favorable crude oil prices and spreads.

With oil storage capacity in China reportedly running thin, it's not clear how much oil the world's largest oil importer will be purchasing for delivery in the coming months, especially now that prices are double the lows seen in April.

A potential disruption to oil flows through Malacca could send oil prices soaring, and distorting  once again  the fundamentals behind oil prices and delaying the recovery in global oil demand after the COVID-19 crisis.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Twitter and Square CEO Jack Dorsey, who is worth more than $7 billion, is pledging $3 million to support experiments in free cash payments to Americans, he announced Thursday.

Dorsey is giving the money to Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, a coalition of mayors who advocate for universal basic income, as well as invest in pilot programs around the United States. Universal basic income, or guaranteed income, is a policy by which people receive cash payments from the government, irrespective of employment status.

"This is one tool to close the wealth and income gap, level systemic race and gender inequalities, and create economic security for families," Dorsey tweeted on Thursday.

In April, Dorsey said he moved $1 billion worth of his Square stock into a philanthropic organization called "Start Small LLC" to fund Covid-19 relief organizations, universal basic income projects and girls' health and education initiatives.

At the time, the stock represented 28% of Dorsey's wealth, and it is currently worth more than $2 billion. The value and disbursements are viewable on a public Google Sheet.

Mayors for a Guaranteed Income includes Stockton, California Mayor Michael D. Tubbs; Jackson, Mississippi Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba; St. Paul, Minnesota Mayor Melvin Carter; Newark, New Jersey Mayor Ras J. Baraka; Compton, California Mayor Aja Brown; Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti; Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins; Oakland, California Mayor Libby Schaaf; Columbia, South Carolina Mayor Stephen Benjamin; Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms; and Tacoma, Washington Mayor Victoria R. Woodards.

"Direct, unconditional cash gives people the freedom to spend money on their most immediate needs  be it food for their household, repairing a car to get to work, medicine to treat a loved one or simply rent," the mayors wrote in a Time op-ed in June.

Many of the mayors have launched some form of free cash payment experiment in segments of their respective communities.

Tubbs, for example, piloted the Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration (SEED): In 2019, 125 randomly selected individuals began receiving $500 a month for 24 months.

According to the Time op-ed, "early data" from the program show recipients are "spending the money like you and we would: on basic needs like food, transportation, utilities and rent."

For his part, Dorsey said he never expected to be so wealthy and hopes to give away all his money in his lifetime.

"I'm in a situation that I never imagined when I was a kid or [even] when I was 25," Dorsey told former Democratic presidential hopeful and universal basic income advocate Andrew Yang on a May episode of the "Yang Speaks" podcast. "I didn't have any aspect of what money would mean until I was, probably 35." (Dorsey's first appearance on the Forbes billionaires list was in 2012.)

"I'm so grateful, but part of gratitude is not just saying I'm grateful, it's doing," Dorsey told Yang.

"I want to give out all my money in my lifetime. I want to see the impacts, selfishly, in my lifetime," Dorsey told Yang. "I want to make sure that we're helping people."

See also:

Twitter billionaire Jack Dorsey on giving away his money: 'If someone is in pain, I am in pain'

Pope Francis: 'This may be the time to consider a universal basic wage'

What it was like to tell my kids I lost my job: 'Aren't you important' Mom?
U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama Jay E. Town is stepping down after three years.

Town was appointed to the federal position by President Trump on June 12, 2017. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Aug. 3 and sworn in eight days later.

The 46-year-old Town made the announcement Friday and said his resignation will be effective July 15.

I have been humbled and honored to lead the dedicated men and women of this office that work tirelessly each day. I have also been so very fortunate to admire the brave men and women of law enforcement - local, state, and federal  who serve this district so honorably and truly are the very best among us,' he said. I believe our collective efforts have made the Northern District of Alabama safer.

This difficult and personal decision to move on is one that I have been wrangling with for many months. With that being said, I have accepted an incredible opportunity to work for a privately held defense contractor and cybersecurity solutions company located in Huntsville operating in both the government and commercial sectors,' he said. My role, which will begin later this year, will be significant but also has the virtue of allowing me to remain much closer to home. There will be an announcement by the company in a few weeks further explaining my position.

Jay Town changed the culture for law enforcement (in the Northern District of Alabama),' said Calera Police Chief Dave Hyche, who formerly worked alongside Town as an ATF supervisor. Aggressive prosecution of violent offenders has to continue.

There is no doubt that the violent crime rates would be exponentially higher without aggressive federal prosecution,' Hyche said. His shoes will be hard to fill.

Oxford Police Chief Bill Partridge said Town has been instrumental in assisting the region and the East Metro Area Crime Center in bringing alfa criminals to justice, helping to reduce violent crime rates by double digits. In my 31 years in law enforcement, Ive never seen that type of cooperation by our federal partners,' he said. He will be missed in that position.

Its been my honor to serve under the leadership of Jay Town,' said U.S. Marshal Marty Keely. He is a role model for anyone in public service.

The cohesive law enforcement partnerships former during his tenure will continue to serve the citizens of the Northern District of Alabama,' Keely said. His inspirational leadership will be missed.

Under Towns leadership, the Northern District played a major role in carrying out the priorities of the Department of Justice to reduce violent crime and aggressively address the opioid crisis. In 2019, the number of defendants charged with federal crimes in the Northern District and the percentage of those defendants sentenced to prison was the highest ever recorded.

In response to the Department of Justices renewal of Project Safe Neighborhood initiative, Town developed the Prosecutor-to Prosecutor Program (P3) which designates the combined efforts of state and federal prosecutors to collaborate on the prosecution of the worst offenders when federal sanction is significantly higher than the analogue state sanction. The P3 Program is now a nationally recognized best practice.

Town, a U.S. Marine and former Madison County prosecutor, also worked closely with federal, state and local law enforcement in Huntsville, Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Anniston, Oxford and other cities, to establish violent crime reduction programs. Town created the Birmingham Public Safety Task Force and the Huntsville Public Safety Task Force, a strategic partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement to use enhanced crime intelligence to aggressively pursue the worst offenders in those communities. The Northern District had three cities  Birmingham, Anniston and Oxford  selected to join the National Public Safety Partnership (PSP) initiative. Through the creation of the task forces and participation in the PSP initiative there has been a reduction in violent crime in the Northern District.

During his tenure as U.S. Attorney, Town served as the chair of the Attorney Generals Service members and Veterans Rights Subcommittee and also served on the Cyber, Law Enforcement Relations, and Manpower, Performance, & Personnel Subcommittees for the Department. He was one of five United States Attorneys selected to serve on the Attorney Generals China Initiative Steering Committee. Town was one of three U.S. Attorneys to serve on the ATFs National Crime Gun Intelligence Governance Board. He was also the lone U.S. Attorney member of the Attorney Generals Violent Crime Reduction Coordinating Committee. Town recently completed his primary duties as a Working Group Chair on President Trumps Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice.

Town submitted his resignation to U.S. Attorney William Barr. General Barr expressed his gratitude for my service to the Department of Justice and to the Northern District and, despite having hoped I would continue in my role, understood and respected my decision,' Town said. I am extremely grateful to President Trump, to whom I also tendered a letter, for his special trust and confidence in me to serve as the U.S. Attorney. It was an honor to be a part of this Administration with an unrivaled class of United States Attorneys from around the nation. I will forever remain thankful to those who supported my nomination and my tenure as the U.S. Attorney.

I offer my gratitude to Jay Town for his three years of service as United States Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama. Jays leadership in his district has been immense,' Barr said. " His contributions to the Department of Justice have been extensive, especially his work on the China Initiative and most recently as a Working Group Chair on the Presidents Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice. I appreciate his service to our nation and to the Justice Department, and I wish him the very best.

Barr will announce Towns replacement in the coming weeks.

Town said serving as U.S. Attorney has been the highest honor of his legal career. I am saddened to depart,' he said. but it is undeniable that I leave behind an incredibly competent and talented team that will always fight for justice here in the great state of Alabama.
They took trips to Disney parks during work hours, stayed in hotels together and flew to Orlando 31 times, all at the taxpayers expense. But the Department of Justice says it was all part of an elaborate scheme between a civilian contractor and his girlfriend to defraud the federal government of thousands of dollars over a four-year period.

Thomas Bouchard, 57, of Uxbridge, was arrested Thursday and charged with one count of conspiracy and 10 counts of theft of government funds. Chantelle Boyd, 50, of Woodsboro, Maryland, has also been arrested and faces the same charges as well as being charged with making false declarations before the grand jury.

The government alleges Bouchard created a no-show job for his girlfriend and that together the two stole thousands of dollars from taxpayers to fuel their Florida getaways.

The two met in 2007, while Boyd was working as a bartender at the Courtyard Marriot in Fredrick, Maryland, where Bouchard stayed frequently on business trips.

The two became friendly, the Department of Justice said.

At the time, Bouchard, an Army civilian employee, was the deputy chief of the Natick Contracting Division, headquartered at the U.S. Army Natick Soldiers System Center where hed worked his way up through the ranks since joining in 1998. He became chief of the NCD in 2016.

But in 2014, Bouchard was approached by the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical and Biological Defense about concerns over his responsiveness to contracts. The program funded two employees to support the Natick Contracting Division.

According to the indictment, Bouchard recommended Boyd be hired as an assistant to increase his responsiveness. Bouchard said he had worked with Boyd, although the Department of Justice alleges that was never the case. The minimum qualifications for the job were to have government contracting experience and a college degree. Boyd had neither, the DOJ alleges.

The government alleges Bouchard then edited a copy of Boyds resume to enhance her application for the job of program acquisition specialist for Evolution Enterprises in San Diego, California, a company contracted by Natick to provide services and specialists to assist Natick Contracting.

Without a formal interview, Boyd was hired as Bouchards personal assistant with a starting salary of $65,000 a year, funded by the Department of Defense.

During her tenure at EEI, Boyd conducted very little in the way of documented work product, the DOJ alleges in the indictment. Boyd completed nine online courses in the basics of government contracting offered through the Defense Acquisition University.

Despite being required to submit weekly reports of work completed, in four years of employment, the government alleges Boyd only submitted 9 weekly updates.

Instead, the government alleges Bouchard and Boyd took 31 trips to Orlando in which little to no work was performed. In the indictment, the two are accused of visiting Disney parks during work hours, spending time at the pool and waterslide at the resort hotel. Despite the numerous trips, the Department of Justice says no one else at the Natick Contracting Division of which Bouchard would become chief of ever met Boyd or even recognized her name.

The government alleges the two falsified hotel receipts to make it look like they had two separate rooms, but in fact, had both stayed in the same room. Boyd is accused of lying about this to a Grand Jury.

Bouchard approved all the travel vouchers and the costs of the trips were reimbursed to them, the DOJ said.

The trips continued over a four-year period, the government alleges, ending in 2018. Bouchards position with Natick Contracting Division ended in April 2018.

Boyds position cost the Department of Defense more than $490,000 during her time at Evolution from 2014 to 2018.

In all, Boyd submitted at least 42 travel expense reports in her time with EEI totaling $62,116.49

The conspiracy charge provides a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of 250,000. Each charge of theft of government funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of lying to a grand jury provides a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of 250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
As President Donald Trump has vowed to punish those who destroy monuments in the U.S., a wooden sculpture of American First Lady Melania Trump, near her hometown in Slovenia, was torched on July 4.

Authorities don't know who torched the life-size statue, carved by local folk artist Ales "Maxi" Zupevc, or why it was burned.

The damaged sculpture is of a rough-hewn Melania Trump, dressed in the pale-blue Ralph Lauren cashmere coat she wore at her husband's inauguration in January 2017.

Brad Downey, 40, a Kentucky-born artist based in Europe who commissioned the project in 2017, admits it sent mixed messages from the start, honoring the First Lady. "This anti-immigration narrative coming from Donald Trump, it is a blatant contradiction," he told ABC News. "To have a president, who is married to a legal immigrant, makes stopping immigration a cornerstone of his presidency.

MORE: Slovenians debate chainsaw-carved statue of Melania Trump in her hometown

Officials are still looking for the alleged arsonist.

Police are investigating the circumstances of the arson incident in the village of Rozno, Robert Perc, police spokesman in Novo Mesto, told ABC News. The owner of the statue filed criminal charges against unknown arsonists.

I did file a police report, because I was told it is the only way forward for an investigation to be launched, Downey said. "I am only interested in finding the attackers, and talking to them, not pressing charges against them."

What he really wants, he says, is answers to two questions: "I would want to know who are they and why they did it?

FILE PHOTO: Life-size wooden sculpture of U.S. first lady Melania Trump is officially unveiled in Rozno, near her hometown of Sevnica, Slovenia, July 5, 2019. (Borut Zivulovic/Reuters)

The statue's creator, Zupevc, calls himself an amateur chainsaw sculptor and a professional pipe layer. Downey says he was inspired by the fact that Zupevc was born the same month of the same year as the first lady, in the same hospital in the same nearby town.

The statue has drawn publicity and has attracted quite a few visitors, according to a local tourist organization. But the local audience gave the work mixed reviews. "Why did he have to make her look like an evil stepmother of Pinocchio? asked in one resident of nearby Sevnica, Melania's hometown. "What a disgrace! she added.

Story continues

But another Sevnica resident told ABC News back in 2019, she liked the sculpture and its subject. "She is our beauty, no matter what, even here. She looks like she just walked out of a beautiful naive painting."

The fact that it was set on fire on the night between the 4 and 5 of July, makes Downey think that it was not just a random drunk act or just some kids playing, he said.

I really dont know, but It could have been vandals on both sides: The left-leaning people due to monument destruction buzz or right-leaning people who think it is disrespectful, Downey said.

The whole thing is very heavily damaged, Downey says. The blue part of the statue is more-less intact but the head has been blackened, the face is deeply burned and the back of the head is burned out like a huge hole. Luckily, he says, it was not structurally destroyed, making it possible to be removed.

It looks like whoever had set the statue afire had put something like a tire around the head and then dumped gasoline, Downey noted.

The statue was part of a project that also includes a short documentary film, and it sounds like Downey, a well-known contextual public artist in Europe, is thinking about a post-arson sequel. When "the heavily damaged statue was removed on July 5 by the same lumberjacks that cut the linden tree from which the statue was made, Downey told ABC News, I also asked local villagers and firefighters, who put the statue down, not to give away their photos of the blackened and disfigured statue, so it would not become a vulgar meme.

The deeply burned original statue is now wrapped in plastic and stored in Downeys studio, waiting to be shown at an exhibition in the salt factory in Koper, a port city in Slovenia in September.

Later, Downey himself posted a video of the statue being removed on his Instagram account. Those images are likely to turn up in his documentary and it sounds like there could be a second statue in the picture.

Last year, out of precaution, I made a silicon mold of the statue, Downey said. I will have to come back with a conceptual, artistic reply to the arson to keep the conversation going  maybe make a proper bronze statue in that same location.

Melania Trump statue in Slovenia torched, artist wants to speak with arsonists originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Covid-19 patients are being treated with oxygen at the Tshwane District Hospital in Pretoria, South Africa, Friday July 10, 2020. Health Minister Zweli Mkhize this week said South Africa could run out of available hospital beds within the month. "The storm that we have consistently warned South Africans about is now arriving," he told lawmakers. The African continent overall has over 523,000 confirmed virus cases after passing the half-million milestone on Wednesday. But shortages in testing materials mean the true number is unknown.(AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

The coronavirus storm has arrived in South Africa, but in the overflowing COVID-19 wards the sound is less of a roar than a rasp.

Oxygen is already low in hospitals at the new epicenter of the country's outbreak, Gauteng province, home to the power centers of Johannesburg and the capital, Pretoria.

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, visiting a hospital Friday, said authorities are working with industry to address the strained oxygen supply and divert more to health facilities.

Some of the hospital's patients spilled into heated tents in the parking lot. They lay under thick blankets in the middle of winter in the Southern Hemisphere, with a cold front arriving this weekend and temperatures expected to dip below freezing.

South Africa overnight posted another record daily high of confirmed cases, 13,674, as Africa's most developed country is a new global hot spot with 238,339 cases overall. More than a third are in Gauteng.

"The storm that we have consistently warned South Africans about is now arriving," Mkhize said this week.

A nurse at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospitalthe third largest hospital in the world with more than 3,000 bedspainted a bleak picture, saying new patients with the virus are now being admitted into ordinary wards as the COVID-19 ones are full.

Covid-19 patients are being treated at the Tshwane District Hospital in Pretoria, South Africa, Friday July 10, 2020. Health Minister Zweli Mkhize this week said South Africa could run out of available hospital beds within the month. "The storm that we have consistently warned South Africans about is now arriving," he told lawmakers. The African continent overall has over 523,000 confirmed virus cases after passing the half-million milestone on Wednesday. But shortages in testing materials mean the true number is unknown.(AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

"Our hospital is overloaded already. There has been an influx of patients over the last two weeks," the nurse said, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to give interviews.

More and more colleagues at the hospital are testing positive daily for the virus, the nurse said, "even people who are not working in COVID wards."

Already more than 8,000 health workers across Africa have been infectedhalf of them in South Africa.

Any struggles in how the country manages the pandemic will be amplified in other nations across Africa, which has the world's lowest levels of health funding and health staffing.

The continent as of Friday had 541,381 confirmed cases, but shortages in testing materials means the real number is unknown.

South Africa's surge in cases comes as the country loosens what had been one of the world's strictest lockdowns, with even alcohol sales banned until June 1. Now restaurants have sit-down service and religious gatherings have resumed. The economy was hurting and needed reopening, authorities said.

Medical staff cleans a tent where Covid-19 patients are being treated at the Tshwane District Hospital in Pretoria, South Africa, Friday July 10, 2020. Health Minister Zweli Mkhize this week said South Africa could run out of available hospital beds within the month. "The storm that we have consistently warned South Africans about is now arriving," he told lawmakers. The African continent overall has over 523,000 confirmed virus cases after passing the half-million milestone on Wednesday. But shortages in testing materials mean the true number is unknown.(AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

But nervous officials in Gauteng province have called for stricter lockdown measures to return. On Friday, Gauteng Premier David Makhura announced he had tested positive with mild symptoms.

"We must double our efforts," he said in a statement, urging people to wear face masks, wash their hands and distance themselves.

Warning signs keep flashing. Hospital beds in all provinces could be full within the month, the health minister said this week. On Friday he said a team is looking at 2,000 additional beds for field hospitals in Gauteng.

In addition to the shortage of beds, many hospitals are grappling with limited oxygen supplies to treat patients with the respiratory disease.

Guy Richards, director of clinical care at Charlotte Maxeke Hospital in Johannesburg, told the AP they are extremely worried about potential shortages.

PPE equipment hangs outside tents where Covid-19 patients are being treated at the Tshwane District Hospital in Pretoria, South Africa, Friday July 10, 2020. Health Minister Zweli Mkhize this week said South Africa could run out of available hospital beds within the month. "The storm that we have consistently warned South Africans about is now arriving," he told lawmakers. The African continent overall has over 523,000 confirmed virus cases after passing the half-million milestone on Wednesday. But shortages in testing materials mean the true number is unknown.(AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

"Even a big hospital like ours has difficulty supplying sufficient amounts of oxygenation for our patients. The same thing is happening at Helen Joseph (Hospital), and this is a major problem," he said.

Tshwane District Hospital, which the health minister visited Friday, has been devoted completely to COVID-19 patients, said Veronica Ueckermann, head of the COVID-19 response team at Steve Biko Academic Hospital, which includes Tshwane District Hospital.

"Currently we are stretched but we are still coping in terms of our wards, our sisters and doctors are working extremely hard," she said.

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
New Delhi, July 10 : Yoga is an ancient method of relaxation, exercise, and healing that has gained a wide following across the world. It rejuvenates the mind, body and soul. It may come as no surprise, then, that yoga may also serve to enhance sexual function.

According to a study published online in The Journal of Sexual Medicine (Nov 12, 2009), regular yoga practice improves several aspects of sexual function in women, including desire, arousal, orgasm, and overall satisfaction, points out Dr Arockia Virgin Fernando, Fertility Specialist, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Cloudnine Group of Hospitals. The expert shares some benefits of yoga on sex life and during pregnancy.

Benefits of Yoga on your Sex

life More and more people are discovering the benefits of practicing yoga, from building strength to relieving stress. 40 percent of women with fertility-related issues have anxiety, stress, or both. Yoga and mindfulness exercises like deep breathing help in reducing the cortisol levels in our blood which is a marker for stress. High levels of cortisol damage the fine balance between the hormones which control the brain, heart, and reproductive system. Many fertility groups who conduct support group meetings to help the anxious couples trying to conceive- have included yoga in their program. It can improve your sex life.

Here's how:

Yoga can target your sexual zones. Many forms of yoga refer to the root lock "Mula Bandha," which is the root of the spine, the pelvic floor, the perineum. Bringing awareness to these areas in a yoga class will help you be more in touch with them overall and can help you enjoy having sex more. In the challenging physical postures such as downward dog, chatarunga, supta konasana, and plow pose, engaging Mula Bandha actually helps lift the pelvic floor muscles, which increases core strength, which then functions to support and protect the spine. Engaging Mula Bandha can help with balance in postures such as warrior 3 and crow pose.

You'll feel better in your skin:

Yoga is a series of physical exercises and postures that are geared toward improving one's flexibility, strength and balance. A regular practice helps to strengthen, and tone your body, and all of these will make you feel better about yourself. Improved self-thoughts about your appearance will boost your body confidence and self-esteem. All of these will help you boost your personal life.

Yoga helps reduce stress and anxiety:

By transferring focus and attention to breathing and the body, yoga can help to lower anxiety and release physical tension. Lower stress levels at the end of the day can lead to feeling better about being with your partner. If you are not worried about other things and feel mentally balanced, you are more likely to want and be able to give to your significant other. It will allow you to relax and enjoy sex, which makes it even better. The calming, toning practice can be a wonderful escape from the stressors of daily life, while increasing your flexibility and strength to boot. This will also bring increased relationship satisfaction along with improvements in sex life and intimacy levels. It brings overall satisfaction, better communication, and trust among couples along with the overall reduction in stress and anxiety.

Yoga can increase the beta-endorphin hormone release from the brain which gives a sense of well-being, improve immunity, and prevents infections in turn increasing our reproductive health. With better hormone balance, there is increased sexual desire and reproductive function, also an increase in sperm production.

Regular yoga practice may improve the interaction between the brain and the reproductive system in both men and women. There are many positive and negative feedback systems in our reproductive endocrinology and even a subtle imbalance disrupts the whole system.

With better hormone balance, there is increased sexual desire and reproductive function, also an increase in sperm production.

Yoga indirectly improves the reproductive health by improving immunity and thereby decreasing infections which damages the vaginal, tubal and uterine bacterial flora and thus preventing pregnancy.

It increases the success rates of Assisted Reproductive Technologies like In-vitro Fertilisation and Intrauterine Insemination by reducing the stress levels; thereby improving ovulation and sperm production.

Women with high levels of stress biomarkers like cortisol have less chance of conceiving during ovulation and also an increased risk of miscarriage. Therefore Yoga can play a major role in these people.

Breathing, meditation, asanas can reduce pain levels in people suffering from painful periods and pain during sexual intercourse, thus in turn increasing the odds of conception. The beginners should focus on breathing and poses which are comfortable. Above all it is safe. The key is to start slow.

Benefits of Yoga during pregnancy

Yoga helps you in dealing with the symptoms of pregnancy like morning sickness and mood swings, ensuring smoother and easier delivery, and faster recovery after childbirth. So, if you want to make your pregnancy and childbirth a peaceful and easy journey, you must go for a prenatal yoga class during and after your pregnancy. Look for a prenatal yoga programme where you are comfortable with the activities, style, and the yoga class environment. Always remember doing "Lamaze" which is a simple breathing yoga techniques, it always encourages you to be active throughout your pregnancy and increases your sense of wellbeing.

All the exercises should be started pre pregnancy so as to have the best result during pregnancy. Do not start exercise for the first time in the first trimester except the breathing exercises under the supervision and consultation of your gynaecologist/ fertility expert.

(Puja Gupta can be contacted at puja.g@ians.in)

-- Syndicated from IANS
ATHENS (Reuters) - Greeces parliament approved a bill on Thursday regulating street demonstrations as thousands marched through central Athens to denounce the new law.

The law was introduced by Greece's conservative government in an attempt to regulate demonstrations which it says cause frequent disruptions to the public and affect commerce.

About 10,000 demonstrators rallied outside parliament holding banners reading "hands off demonstrations". A group of protesters who peeled off from the main group threw petrol bombs at police, who responded with teargas.

The bill mandates the appointment of a liaison officer, restrictions on demonstrations or outright bans if authorities deem they threaten public safety. It also holds organisers accountable for harm or damage caused by protesters.

The new legislation was approved by 187 lawmakers in the 300-seat parliament.

Street protests occur frequently in Greece, which is still recovering from a deep socioeconomic crisis that erupted in late 2009 and led to three international bailouts on tough austerity terms.

During the crisis, Syntagma Square in front of parliament was the scene of large anti-austerity protests, some of which turned violent. Demonstrations have continued during the economic recovery but turnout has fallen.[L8N2E95BO]

"One's freedom to protest is as valuable as another person's freedom to reach the hospital, his work, his home," said Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in a parliamentary address supporting the bill.

The new rules aim to replace a 1971 junta decree restricting rallies. Unionists and opposition parties accuse the government of acting preemptively to quash any opposition to possible fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.

"The government ... dares boldly with a junta-inspired bill to promote new restrictions to quash and destroy a main democratic right, which our people conquered through bloody battles," unionist Dimitris Karagiannis said before the vote.

(Reporting by Alkis Konstantinidis and Lefteris Papadimas, Editing by William Maclean and Sonya Hepinstall)


CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The Australian and NZ dollars lost ground against their major counterparts in the Asian session on Friday, as a surge in U.S. coronavirus cases triggered concerns about fresh lockdowns that could harm the economic recovery.



The United States recorded at least 60,565 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday, the largest single-day tally of cases by any country since the pandemic began.



The country's three biggest states - California, Florida and Texas - are reporting their largest single-day death tolls since the pandemic began, raising uncertainty about a recovery from the pandemic.



While some states are rolling back their reopenings, others are ordering people arriving from hotspots to quarantine.



Greek authorities said they are ready to re-impose public and travel restrictions next week. Italy has banned entry to people coming from 13 countries.



The World Health Organization said it is keeping an 'open mind' on whether airborne transmission plays a major role in spreading the virus.



The aussie dropped to a 9-day low of 74.02 against the yen and a 3-day low of 0.6924 against the greenback, from its early highs of 74.68 and 0.6966, respectively. The aussie is seen finding support around 70.00 against the yen and 0.64 against the greenback.



Reversing from its early highs of 1.6192 against the euro and 0.9461 versus the loonie, the aussie edged lower to 1.6265 and 0.9432, respectively. The currency is likely to target support around 1.65 against the euro and 0.92 versus the loonie.



The aussie fell to 1.0569 versus the kiwi, its lowest level since April 22. If the aussie falls further, 1.02 is likely seen as its next possible support level.



The kiwi weakened to a 1-week low of 70.01 against the yen and a 2-day low of 0.6546 against the greenback, off its early highs of 70.47 and 0.6572, respectively. The kiwi is poised to face support around 67.00 against the yen and 0.62 against the greenback.



The kiwi reversed from its early 4-1/2-month high of 1.7162 against the euro and declined to 1.7217. On the downside, 1.75 is possibly seen as its next support level.



Demand for safe havens such as the yen and the greenback rose amid COVID-19 concerns.



The yen climbed to a 2-week high of 106.83 against the greenback, 9-day highs of 120.30 against the euro and 113.39 against the franc, after falling to 107.26, 121.07 and 114.05, respectively in early deals. The yen may face resistance around 104 against the greenback, 116.00 against the euro and 108.00 against the franc, should it rallies again.



The yen appreciated to a 3-day high of 134.39 against the pound and an 11-day high of 78.42 versus the loonie, up from its early lows of 135.20 and 78.97, respectively. Further uptrend may take the yen to a resistance around 129.00 against the pound and 76.00 versus the loonie.



The greenback strengthened to a 4-day high of 1.1258 against the euro, 2-day highs of 0.9424 against the franc and 1.2572 against the pound, following a decline to 1.1290, 0.9398 and 1.2611, respectively in early deals. Next key resistance for the greenback is seen around 1.10 against the euro, 0.96 against the franc and 1.20 against the pound.



Looking ahead, Canada jobs data and U.S. producer prices for June are due in the New York session.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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DECATUR  A 10-month-old baby in Shelby County has tested positive for COVID-19, health officials said Thursday, as new cases statewide topped 1,100 for the first time since June 2.

The Shelby County Health Department said the baby boy is the 20th resident who has been found to have coronavirus disease. He is "a close relative" of the 19th positive case and has mild symptoms.

Federal rules limit patient information that can be released.

Also Thursday, a newly confirmed case was reported in Macon County, which now has had 242 cases. In Moultrie County, a teenaged female became that county's 20th case. She is recovering in isolation at home, health officials said.

The 1,100 cases statewide coincided with the states highest recorded single-day testing output. The 36,180 test results reported yielded 1,018 positive results for a one-day positivity rate of 2.8 percent  well within the range of the past month. The seven-day rolling average remained at 2.6 percent.

The Illinois Department of Public Health also reported another 20 COVID-19 related deaths, bringing the total since the pandemic began in Illinois to 7,119 among 150,450 confirmed cases. There have been 1.87 million tests completed in the state.

At the end of Wednesday, there were 1,507 people in Illinois reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. That was 11 below the previous day and the second-straight day with more than 1,500 hospitalized with the virus after five straight days of fewer than 1,400.

The coronavirus also has been confirmed in every Illinois county, after Scott County reported its first case, months after the outbreak began. A 66-year-old woman tested positive.

Well everybody was disappointed because we kind of liked being the only county that didnt have a case, a confirmed case, said Rex McIntire, mayor of Winchester, the county seat. But we kind of also knew it was just a matter of time, so no shock or anything.

Out of 102 counties in the state, Scott County was the only one left that did not have any cases after Edgar County had its first reported case in May.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

How much do superintendents in Macon County get paid?
Students across India expressed mixed feelings ahead of the ICSE and ISC board examination results which will be declared at 3pm on Friday. While students in Lucknow said they were nervous, in Prayagraj students expressed confidence and were waiting eagerly for their marks. A student in Chandigarh said that he was slightly nervous but was expecting good marks. Here is what students in different regions of the country said ahead of results:

Nervousness gripped among students of ICSE, ISC board in Lucknow ahead of the results to be declared on Friday. Due to pandemic COVID-19, the examinations were cancelled mid way on March 19 and thereafter remaining exams could not be held.

Manan Gupta, who appeared in class 12 with Commerce stream from La Martiniere College, Lucknow was feeling a touch nervous. Not thinking too much about the result as it unnecessarily increases anxiety level, he said.

Follow ICSE, ISC Results 2020 LIVE Updates

Manan said he will be happy to figure in 80% bracket. He wants to do BBA after which he plans to start his own business.

Anmol Goel, who appeared in ISC examination with Commerce stream from St Teresas Day School and College, Model House has also opted for Mathematics. He said, Yes, I am little nervous and concerned about the results. Anmol wants to pursue Bachelors in Business Administration (BBA) from National PG College.

The result of class 10 (ICSE) and class 12 (ISC) 2020 will be announced on Friday at 3 pm, said Gerry Arathoon, chief executive and secretary, Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE), in a press statement on Thursday.

Individual candidates can access the results by logging into the councils website (www.cisce.org) or (www.results.cisce.org). The students can also access the results through SMS.

The ISC (class 12) Board exam was scheduled between February 3 and March 31, while ICSE (class 10) exam began on February 27 and was scheduled to end on March 30.

However in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic, the remaining exams were cancelled on March 19 and rescheduled in July but were cancelled again due to the surge in corona cases.

PRAYAGRAJ

Twin brothers Khushagra and Yashagra Tripathi, residents of Daraganj locality of Prayagraj are both awaiting their intermediate examination results eagerly. Students of St Josephs College, both have appeared in the exam with arts stream subjects.

Kushagra, who scored 85% in his high school exams, says, All my exams went very well and I am hopeful of scoring in the 90s. I am little worried for the English language paper as marking in it is usually strict, but I am confident that I would do well, says the confident teen.

So, any attempt to ensure a little divine push before the exam. I offered my prayers to the Almighty before and during the exams. I believe now is the time to accept the results of the karma, he says.

His brother Yashagra Tripathi, who scored 87% in his high school, is also sure to score in 90s. Geography exam did not take place due to lockdown. I am sure still that I would bag a score in 90s, he says.

As for any competition between brothers, both say: None. It will be celebration time irrespective of who score more than the other, they say.

CHANDIGARH

Sachin Rawat, a Chandigarh based ISC student whose results will be announced on Friday, said, I am a little nervous about my results today but I am expecting good percentage. I have worked hard for the examination and my parents keep motivating me.

Another ISC student from Chandigarh, Tanya Rana, said, I am not keeping my expectations very high. I have worked hard and Ill get good numbers. Im keeping myself busy today to keep myself calm.

AGARTALA

Adrita Bhattacharjee, ICSE student from Holy Cross School, Agartala, said,  I am expecting above 90% marks. My mathematics and English paper went better than other papers and I am hopeful to score good marks in these two papers.

(with inputs from Lucknow, Prayagraj, Chandigarh, Agartala)
Thursdays Supreme Court decisions regarding efforts by the president to block access to his financial records had something to disappoint everyone. Voters eager to find out whats in Donald Trumps tax returns may get their way, but almost certainly not before November. The president got a reprieve from the House subpoenas, but a Manhattan grand jury likely will gain access to business and tax documents that could lead to criminal charges against him.
UW Trustees Education Initiative Brings Change to College of Education

Student teachers work with elementary school students at the UW Literacy Research Center and Clinic. Under the new UW-E4 teacher preparation framework, site-based practice has been expanded and aligned with coursework, so students hone their skills through every phase of the program. (UW Photo)

This fall will see entering elementary education students begin their journey toward becoming career-ready teachers under the new UW-E4 educator preparation model that is reshaping University of Wyoming College of Education programs.

UW-E4, the centerpiece of the UW Trustees Education Initiative (TEI), is designed to attract more educators into the field; ensure they are better prepared; enhance opportunities for student teaching and other clinical field placements; and offer early-career professional support.

The initial implementation of the four Es of the UW-E4 model and other TEI innovations in 2020 will bring changes for UW -- and high school -- students and partners throughout the state.

(E1) Career Exploration

Seven Wyoming high schools will be the first to participate in the Teacher Cadet pilot program, which combines coursework and co-curricular activities to give students a jump-start on careers in education. The initial cadre of high school and community college faculty and advisers were trained and certified in June.

UW-E4 Director Curtis Biggs applauds the career and technical education team at the Wyoming Department of Education saying, They were instrumental in launching the pilot and have been fabulous partners.

(E2) Experiential Learning

Whether its observing experienced teachers in a school setting or using the Mursion augmented reality program to teach avatar students, UW elementary teacher candidates will get more field experiences under UW-E4 starting earlier and with an early grounding in professional ethics.

(E3) Embedded Practice

Three years ago, student teaching was limited to nine Wyoming districts in the spring semester. Students now have more options, and more schools are getting the student teachers they want.

UW student teachers started last spring in 27 Wyoming districts, and there were 11 out-of-state and six international placements. A yearlong internship in Albany County School District 1 is planned for 2020-21, culminating in opportunities for mentor-supported, fully paid teaching.

TEI also is supporting classroom teachers who supervise, assess and mentor UW student teachers. New online training modules will be introduced in fall 2020 to guide K-12 mentor teachers in best practices for supervising and co-teaching.

Seven UW faculty and staff members this year became certified trainers in the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), a research-based tool that helps observers provide consistent, uniform scoring of observations of student teachers. CLASS is one of four tools in the Common Indicators System (CIS) compiled by the national organization Deans for Impact.

(E4) Entry into the Profession

Are new teachers from UW effective? The CIS survey tools were launched this year to collect UW College of Education baseline data. Students will complete surveys to gather their perceptions early in the teacher preparation program, before student teaching and at the end of their first year of teaching. Another survey collects feedback from principals who employ recent UW graduates.

The primary purpose of these CIS tools is to determine the readiness of UW early-program students to enter K-12 classrooms and to measure the effectiveness of the UW teacher preparation program in preparing classroom teachers, says TEI Managing Director Colby Gull.

Administrators and faculty leaders will use the newly acquired data to seek insights into teacher candidate development and guide program improvement.

From Change to Impact

Another College of Education initiative under TEI is the Wyoming Early Childhood Outreach Network. Launched in 2019, it brings evidence-based professional learning to early childhood educators.

Former UW College of Education Dean and TEI Executive Director Ray Reutzel says the progress of the initiative over the last year has made TEI an asset to the entire PK-20 educational landscape in Wyoming.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 10

Trend:

The initiative of Azerbaijans President of Ilham Aliyev to convene a special session of the UN General Assembly in the format of a video conference on the fight against the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic was supported by more states than required by the UN General Assembly's procedural rules, Trend reports on July 10 referring to Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry.

The UN Secretary General on June 30, 2020 sent a note to all the member countries, pointing out that the initiative was supported by most of the UN member countries and the 31st special session of the General Assembly will be convened on July 10 this year.

At the beginning of the special session, it is planned to consider procedural issues, then speeches will be heard and common discussions held.

The head of the Nigerian delegation, representing the chairperson of the General Assemblys 74th session, will act as interim chairperson of the special session.
Reveue generated from taxes on goods imported from other countries yielded only GH829.71 million in the first quarter of this year, 34 per cent short of the target.



This is against a target of GH1.26 billion, a shortfall of GH427.55 million which represents 34.01 per cent, according to a provisional fiscal data released by the Ministry of Finance (MoF) last week.



The amount collected also declined by 42.47 per cent against the GH1.44 billion recorded for the same period in 2019. While suffering revenue shortfall, the country also granted import exemptions of GH43.08 million to foreign companies and other institutions in the first quarter of 2020.



This development threatens the governments annual revenue target of GH5.81 million from import duties.



Negative impact



A Fiscal Policy Specialist at Oxfam Ghana, Dr Alex Ampaabeng, explained in an interview on July 6 in Accra that trade taxes contributed significantly to the countrys receipts and such a sharp dip in import duties collection coupled with the exemptions granted would have a negative impact on the countrys budget.



From all indications, Ghana will experience a significant shortfall in revenue for the 2020 fiscal year, and not only for import duties but other sources of revenue collections as well.



As we all know, the restrictions have affected every economic activity, with the tourism industry being worse off, he said.



Blaming the shortage in revenue on the coronavirus pandemic, Dr Ampaabeng stated that the reduction in economic activities as a result of the virus meant that governments revenue generation would reduce significantly.



This is mainly due to the slow economic activities as a result of the pandemic and also people becoming more conscious of their spending. Most people have less disposable income due to reduced income or loss of jobs and will as a result postpone non-essential purchases, he said.



Policy reforms



He, therefore, called for comprehensive fiscal policy reforms with technological backing under the current circumstances to help make up for the fall in government revenue.



Failure to do that, he said, might have a devastating impact on the governments annual revenue target.



Taxation remains the main source of domestic revenue mobilisation for the government. Unless the state adopts creative and innovative approaches towards mobilising domestic revenue, the impact of the pandemic could plunge into decades of unsustainable debt situations.



This is not to say the government must start introducing new taxes, but rather should maximise the potential in the current available system including improving on efficiency and curbing corruption.



The government needs to look at alternative options. There are substantial revenue leakages talked about each year, but little is done about this.



Leakages as a result of corruption, underreporting and under collection due to lack of information about taxpayers cost Ghana substantial revenue annually, he said.



Technology-based solutions



The tax specialist indicated that going forward, the government must deploy technology-based solutions to help promote tax compliance and block the loopholes amid the pandemic.



He explained that the success of reducing the revenue gap to a large extent depended on the ability of the tax collection agency to plug the loopholes, adopt a customer centred approach in dealing with taxpayer issues, effective tax education, and undertaking broader taxpayer engagement.



Although strict implementation of tax laws are essential, he stated that effective communication between taxpayers and tax collectors were necessary for promoting confidence in the system.



Effective communications will reduce compliance cost and subsequently improve revenue collection. Communication materials must be provided in different formats and in different dialects to enhance tax knowledge of targeted audience.



Dr Ampaabeng urged the government to prioritise less performing tax segments such as property taxation in order to bridge the revenue shortfall gap.



A digitised property tax system with a national standard valuation and efficient billing initiative should be seen as a priority for the rest of the year.



Exemptions



Dr Ampaabeng stated that the current environment was not conducive to support blanket exemptions to foreign companies and other institutions.



He said exemptions must be given on a strict cost-benefit basis with special consideration for sectors which will help drive the country out of a possible recession.



The exemptions must be reviewed to ensure that key sectors likely to drive the economy are supported and not powerful corporations.



The tax exemptions bill has been in Parliament since April 2019, but there seems to be no interest in passing it.



The pandemic clearly presents an opportunity and should evoke a strong political will to reform the tax exemption regime, he added.

Source: Daily Graphic









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BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 10

By Ilkin Seyfaddini - Trend:

Uzavtosanoat will create new automotive manufacturing companies that will have the right to use the UzAuto brand, Trend reports with reference to the Ministry of Justice of Uzbekistan.

This is stated in the governmental resolution on measures to improve the effectiveness of agricultural engineering organizations from July 8, 2020.

In addition, under the resolution, the term for calculating and paying dividends on UzAuto shares in the amount of 30 percent of net profit from the beginning of 2019 through the end of 2020, excluding fines and penalties, has been determined.

Uzavtosanoat is the Uzbek holding company controlling automotive manufacturing enterprises of the large-unit assembly (SKD), UzAuto Motors, Samarkand Automobile Plant and MAN Auto-Uzbekistan. GM Uzbekistan changed its name to UzAutoMotors in July 2019.

In the period from January through April 2020, Uzbekistan produced 96,727 cars, which is 17,113 more than in the same period of 2019.

---

Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini




Haiti - News : Zapping...





The Chief of Police, an executor

"The Chief of Police is a technician, not a decision maker. If Normil Rameau were allowed to do his job, all the bandits would change jobs. But unfortunately, he is in a corset," said Himmler Rebu, ex-colonel of the Haitian Armed Forces on a radio station in the capital.



5,898 Haitians return from DR in 7 days

According to a report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), 5,898 Haitians, who lived in the Dominican Republic, returned voluntarily to Haiti between June 29 and July 5. Ouanaminthe was the main crossing point with 3,546 migrants.



Communal Commissions...

Accompanied by the Minister of the Interior and of Local Authorities, President Moise met at the National Palace, with the Commissions of the metropolitan area, as part of a dynamic of exchanges on the main issues facing municipalities. See also : https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-31233-icihaiti-politic-a-presidential-decree-converted-141-municipal-cartels-into-municipal-commissions.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-31160-haiti-politic-the-mayor-of-port-au-prince-and-his-advisers-no-longer-have-a-mandate.html



Return of the former Minister of Tourism

By order published in the official newspaper Le Moniteur #113 dated July 8, 2020, the former Minister of Tourism, Colombe Emile Jessy Menos is appointed Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister, in charge of human rights and the fight against extreme poverty.



President Moise met with the SG of the UN

Wednesday Jovenel Moise had a virtual meeting with Antonio Guterres Secretary General (SG) of the UN on the issue of human rights and security, post-Covid-19 management, ongoing reforms and the electoral process. The two men renewed their commitment to improve the general climate in Haiti.



Inauguration Phase I of the SAEP de Mirebalais

The National Directorate for Drinking Water and Sanitation (DINEPA) recently inaugurated Phase I of the Mirebalais Drinking Water Supply System (SAEP) rehabilitation and extension project. This project, which is funded by the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for Development (AECID), is expected to improve the distribution of drinking water in several localities in this municipality.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















10.07.2020 LISTEN

Dr. Leticia Adelaide Appiah, the Executive Director of National Population Council (NPC), has revealed that the Covid-19 pandemic is on the threat to hinder some paramount goals of the SDG across the world.

Zero maternal deaths, zero unmet needs for family planning, and zero sexual and gender-based violence, as well as harmful practices, are goals of the SDG and Ghana beyond aid.

The Executive Director reiterated that she will ensure that sexual reproductive health rights and services stay on the local agenda to enlist societal and political wills to maintain the willpower towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.

According to Dr. Appiah Investing in reproductive health safeguards the lives of women and children, improve family and community wellbeing and boosts economic gains. But yet as a country, we are far from achieving the benefits of reproductive health.

Speaking at a Pre-launch of World Population Day on the theme: Putting the brake on Covid-19: How to safeguard the health and rights of women and girls now, Dr. Appiah noted that in this pandemic, population issues are also influencing the outcome of our livelihoods and thus should no longer be ignored, where she averted that said it was important for the country to remain committed to safeguarding hard-fought gains in promoting Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) of women and girls and keep the issues on the local agenda during the pandemic.

Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service said the service by way of controlling population had mainstreamed family planning services and also extended its scope by using Community Health planning services and also extended its scope by using community health Nurses to reach out to the vulnerable.

Dr. Agnes Ntibanyurwa, the UNFPA Deputy Country Director called on the Government to put in place measures to ensure the achievement of the formative goals, which were necessary in meeting the SDG goals.

Ms. Patricia Antwi-Bosiako, the Deputy Director of Operations and Advocacy Marie Stopes Ghana, also pledged to support the NPC and called for the need to prioritize and invest in the health of women and girls.

Our ability to achieve the SDGs in ten years to safeguard the future of our girls and sustainability depends largely on the investments we make today as a country, she stated.

World Population Day, established by Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme in 1989, which aims at increasing awareness on various population issues such as the importance of family planning, gender equality, poverty, maternal health, and human rights, is celebrated in Ghana by National Population Council with support from the United Nations Population Fund and other development partners.
The head of the House Rules Committee believes the appetite for cannabis reform remains strong and is closer than weve been to getting this done.

The decisions being made by some states during this pandemic I hope will add urgency to reforms we clearly need to make on the federal level, especially surrounding policies toward medical cannabis, said Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, who will be a keynote speaker at Advance 360 and NJ Cannabis Insiders upcoming webinar  Cannabis Reform 2020: Americas Growing Pains and Possibilities on Monday, July 13 from 1-2:30 p.m. EST. (10 a.m. PST)

In his role as chairman, McGovern, a supporter of decriminalization and expanding access to medical cannabis, has ended the longstanding practice of blocking amendments examining our nations marijuana policies from being debated on the House Floor.

McGovern who co-sponsored Congressman Ed Perlmutters cannabis banking reform said he was proud to see it pass the floor of the House earlier this year.

It was a landmark moment, he said. I hope it spurs more leaders on the other side of the Capitol to also take action on this, which at the end of the day is also a matter of public safety. It may take another year and different leadership in the Senate, but we are closer than weve been to getting this done.

Along with the congressman, several industry power players will take part in the 90-minute panel discussions, they are:

Toi Hutchinson is the Illinois cannabis czar. In her role as the Illinois Regulation Oversight Officer, shes overseen the roll out of statewide legalization of adult-use cannabis, which has seen nearly $240 million in sales since the beginning of the year.

David Clapper is the chief financial officer of Ethos Cannabis. Earlier this year, Ethos, which is one of the licensees in the Keystone State, announced a clinical research partnership with Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Pennsylvania.

Roz McCarthy is the founder and CEO of Minorities for Medical Marijuana. McCarthy, who was named on High Times 100 Most Influential People in the Cannabis Industry in 2018, is responsible for the day-to-day operations and is the chief strategist involved in developing advocacy, education, and marketing campaigns to promote awareness, information, and education about the efficacy of medical marijuana.

Leo Bridgewater was an Army specialist who served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and the national outreach director for veteran affairs at Minorities for Medical Marijuana. Bridgewater, an advisory board member at the CWCBExpo, has many roles in the cannabis space but hes known primarily for his advocacy for veterans and cannabis reform including his work to pass legislation for additional recognition and coverage of medical treatment options.

Karen OKeefe is the director of state policies for Marijuana Policy Project. OKeefe manages MPPs grassroots and direct lobbying efforts in many state legislatures. She has played a significant role in passing more than a dozen major cannabis policy reforms, including managing MPPs state legislative department during the legalization campaigns in Vermont and Illinois.

Justin Zaremba, an NJ Cannabis Insider editor and a longtime news reporter for NJ.com, will moderate the discussion.

Audience members will be able to post questions in advance (here) of the July 13 webinar, which starts 1 p.m. EST (10 a.m. PST). After the live event, attendees will have an opportunity to continue the discussion and network in a closed forum, moderated by journalists covering marijuana and hemp industries.

To reserve tickets, go to advance360.com/cannabis-insider-live.

NJ Cannabis Insider, a local sponsor, is a weekly subscriber-based trade journal produced by NJ Advance Media, which has also produced several live events.

As with its May event, featuring Rep. Earl Blumenauer, Cannabis Insider has has partnered with Advance Local sister media groups across the country, including Staten Island Advance, Advance Media New York, PennLive, LehighValleyLive, MassLive, MLive, Advance Ohio and Oregonian Media Group.

For more information, you may reach us via email here.
T he UK will not join an EU initiative to buy a coronavirus vaccine if one is developed, Matt Hancock has said.

The health secretary said the Government had taken the decision after the EU told the UK it would have to abandon its own more advanced procurement efforts in order to join the European scheme.

Mr Hancock added that joining the EU vaccine purchase scheme would mean the UK had no control over which vaccine was procured.

He told Times Radio: We have chosen not to join the EU scheme on vaccine purchase. The reason is that it wouldnt have allowed us to have a say in the vaccines that were procured, the price, the quantity, or the delivery schedule.

A researcher works in a lab at the Yisheng Biopharma company in Shenyang, in Chinas northeast Liaoning province / AFP via Getty Images

We are further ahead than the EU schemes are. We would have joined the EU scheme if they had allowed us also to continue with our own negotiations, but one of the conditions of the scheme was that we would have had to stop our own negotiations and only do them through the European Commission and we werent prepared to do that.

We think we will go faster this way.

Mr Hancock added that the UK was already in talks with the ten leading vaccine development projects, including those at Oxford University and Imperial College London.

He said: We think that, because we are further ahead, actually the risk would have been to stop the UK procurements and instead be required to buy only through the European Commission route.

In this file picture taken on April 29, 2020, an engineer works at the Quality Control Laboratory on an experimental vaccine for the COVID-19 coronavirus at the Sinovac Biotech facilities in Beijing / AFP via Getty Images

I think it is actually better to continue with the work that we have been doing, not least, because we have got two of the top candidates here domestically, countries around the world are keen to engage.

Sir Tim Barrow, the UK's ambassador to the EU, confirmed the decision in a letter to the European Commission, but added that the Government wanted to strengthen collaboration with the EU in other areas related to the vaccine.

He said: This could include sharing of information on promising vaccine candidates; negotiations with vaccine manufacturers; vaccine trials; manufacturing investment and capacity building; mitigations to supply chain bottlenecks and other delivery risks such as global trade disruptions.
New Delhi, July 10 : On a day that Kanpur gangster Vikas Dubey was killed in a police encounter, a majority of people surveyed in the IANS-CVoter Snap Poll was of the view that if he had undergone a trial, the slain policeman would have got some justice.

India woke up on Friday to the news of Dubey being killed in an encounter with the Uttar Pradesh Police while he was being brought back to Kanpur from Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain.

The snap poll posed a question on if Dubey had undergone a court trial instead of being killed, would the slain policemen and victims have gotten justice.

Among the 1,500 respondents in the poll, 29.6 per cent answered that they trust to a great extent that they could get justice through courts while 24.9 per cent respondents said they could trust to some extent that they could get justice through courts. In aggregate, the number of respondents who feel that justice was possible is around 54.5 per cent, which forms the majority in the poll.

On the other hand, a substantial chunk or 45.5 per cent respondents said that they have no trust that they could get justice through courts.

Dubey was gunned down by UP STF early morning on Friday in Kanpur. The police said that Dubey tried to run away after the vehicle in which he was travelling with the police party overturned. A day before Prabhat, another close aide of Dubey was gunned down by UP Police after he was arrested from Haryana's Faridabad. UP Police said that Prabhat tried to flee after the tyre of the vehicle burst. However, questions are being raised on back to back encounters.

Many believe that Dubey would have been instrumental in unearthing the network between gangsters, politicians and policemen. His encounter death also abruptly brought a full stop to the possibility of exposing the nexus.

An IANS-CVoter Snap Poll done on Thursday had a clear view that Dubey's arrest was a surrender and also highlighted the "inefficiency" of the Uttar Pradesh Police.

On a question in the survey as to what does the arrest of Vikas Dubey in Ujjain prove, almost two thirds, or 66.7 per cent, of the respondents said that this shows UP Police's inefficiency.

The remaining 33 per cent said this does not show the inefficiency of the UP Police.

Respondents also believed overwhelmingly that Dubey surrendered. To a question whether it was the Madhya Pradesh Police which was on alert and nabbed gangster Vikas Dubey or you think he himself went for a surrender because he was afraid of an encounter, 84.8 per cent of the respondents said that Dubey surrendered himself because he was afraid of an encounter. Only 15.2 per cent said that Madhya Pradesh Police was on alert and duly nabbed him.
NUR-SULTAN -- Kazakhstan has labelled a Chinese claim that it is being ravaged by a pneumonia outbreak that is deadlier than the coronavirus as "fake news."

The Kazakh Health Ministry said in a statement on July 10 that a spike in cases was due to its including the classification of pneumonia cases where COVID-19 symptoms were present but the patients tested negative, which is in line within World Health Organization guidelines.

"The information published by some Chinese media regarding a new kind of pneumonia in Kazakhstan is incorrect," the ministry said.

The statement came after the Chinese Embassy in Nur-Sultan posted a message on its website warning of a "significant increase" in pneumonia cases in the Kazakh cities of Atyrau, Aqtobe, and Shymkent since mid-June that has "a mortality rate far higher than COVID-19."

It added that pneumonia in Kazakhstan killed 1,772 people in the first half of 2020, with 628 deaths in June, including Chinese citizens.

Hours later the embassy appeared to edit its message, dropping the words "new pneumonia" and "unknown."

However, the South China Morning Post, among other media outlets, had already issued an article about "an unknown deadly pneumonia in Kazakhstan," citing the embassy's statement.

Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries have been accused in recent weeks of underplaying the scale of their second wave of cases by classifying many as pneumonia.

The pro-government website Tengrinews quoted a doctor as saying the surge in pneumonia cases was "a manifestation of the coronavirus."

The oil-rich country, which borders China and Russia, has seen a spike in coronavirus cases since lifting lockdown measures in May.

Kazakhstan imposed a second lockdown this week to curb the outbreak. The total number of cases -- including a daily record of 1,962 on July 9 alone -- has almost reached 55,000, with 264 deaths.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 15:56:07|Editor: huaxia

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SOFIA, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The Bulgarian Health Ministry on Friday morning reported a record high of 330 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the national tally to 6,672.

The previous daily record of new cases, 240, was reported on Thursday.

The nationwide death toll now stands at 262 after three more patients died in the last 24 hours, the ministry said.

It added that 525 patients are currently hospitalized, with 28 in intensive care, while the number of infected medical workers has reached 490.

Meanwhile, another 63 people have recovered, raising the total number of recoveries to 3,229, the ministry said.

In a bid to stop the upward trend of COVID-19 cases, Bulgarian Health Minister Kiril Ananiev announced on Thursday the resumption of certain anti-epidemic measures, including closing indoor discos, piano bars, and nightclubs. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-11 06:02:29|Editor: huaxia

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CAIRO, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Egypt rejected on Friday an Ethiopian proposal to postpone tackling controversial points on the rules of filling and operating the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) until after an agreement is reached.

Ethiopia demanded to refer these issues to a technical committee that will be formed to follow up the implementation of the terms of the agreement, the Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation said in a statement.

However, the ministry said it has totally rejected the proposal, noting that such major technical issues cannot be referred to the technical committee to be decided later after signing an agreement.

For the eighth day in a row, Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia have been engaged in talks which are sponsored by the African Union. The talks, which are meant to bridge the gaps between the three countries, are also attended by experts from the United States and the European Union.

The ministry said Egypt has put forward some alternative formulations in an attempt to bring views closer regarding times of drought or extended drought, in addition to the annual filling and operation rules.

The ministry said that it has been agreed that Ethiopia would study the alternatives proposed by Egypt, adding that the Egyptian proposals would be tackled during a tripartite ministerial meeting that will be held on July 12.

It added that discussions of the legal committee made no progress on controversial points.

Over the past few years, tripartite talks on the rules of filling and operating Ethiopia's grand hydropower dam have been fruitless, including those hosted by Washington, amid Egyptian concerns that the GERD would affect Egypt's annual share of the Nile water.

Ethiopia has recently said that it would soon start filling the reservoir, while Egypt has repeatedly warned against any unilateral action without a prior tripartite agreement.

The 4-billion-dollar GERD is expected to produce over 6,000 megawatts of electricity and become Africa's largest hydropower dam upon completion.

Filling the reservoir, whose total capacity is 74 billion cubic meters, may take several years. Egypt seeks to prolong the period of filling process to avoid the possible impacts of water shortage, which is a main point of their talks. Enditem
KITCHENER  A 26-year-old man who barricaded himself in his home for more than five hours Thursday afternoon was taken to hospital by police.

Waterloo Regional Police received reports of a man in distress in his home in the area of Laurentian Drive and DArcy Place in Kitchener just after 5 p.m.

Along with police, workers with the Integrated Mobile Police and Crisis Team, who are trained to respond to mental health calls, were at the home.

After five hours of negotiation, the man was taken to hospital for treatment.
OTTAWA - Calls for independent review of the Liberal government giving a sole-source contract to the WE organization intensified Friday with the Conservatives demanding police step in and the NDP asking the ethics commissioner to add the finance minister to the list of those he's investigating.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/7/2020 (557 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Margaret Trudeau speaks to the audience at fans at a We Day event in Toronto, on Thursday, September 20, 2018. The Conservatives say they want a criminal investigation into the Liberal government's decision to award a $900-million contract to the WE organization. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

OTTAWA - Calls for independent review of the Liberal government giving a sole-source contract to the WE organization intensified Friday with the Conservatives demanding police step in and the NDP asking the ethics commissioner to add the finance minister to the list of those he's investigating.

The Conservatives said they want a criminal investigation into the government's decision to have WE run a $900-million program for student volunteers.

Though an ethics investigation into Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is already underway, new facts add to the seriousness of the issue, Conservative ethics critic Michael Barrett said.

"The revelation that $350,000 in cash was paid by this organization to immediate members of Justin Trudeau's family, that organization that he awarded a sole-sourced $1-billion contract to, that revelation raises the need for the police to take a look at it," he said.

Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion had announced a week before he'd probe whether Trudeau broke conflict of interest law.

The Conflict of Interest Act calls on a holder of a public office, including a minister, to "recuse himself or herself from any discussion, debate or vote on any matter in respect of which he or she would be in a conflict of interest."

And it describes a conflict of interest as a situation where an office holder "exercises an official power, duty or function that provides an opportunity to advance his or her private interests or those of his or her relatives or friends or to improperly further another person's private interests."

There are long-standing ties between the WE organization and the Trudeau family. Trudeau, his mother Margaret, brother Alexandre and wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, have all appeared at the group's many events.

Margaret Trudeau has a profile as a mental health advocate and has been in the public eye for decades.

On Thursday, the WE organization said she had been paid about $250,000 for 28 speaking appearances between 2016 and 2020.

Alexandre, who is a filmmaker, has been paid $32,000 for eight events, according to WE.

The organization that represents them as speakers was paid additional commissions, WE said.

And Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, who had a career in television, received $1,400 in 2012 for a single appearance that year.

Most of the payments were from the organization's for-profit component, ME to WE Social Enterprise, which sponsors the charitable component, WE Charity said in a statement.

Justin Trudeau was never paid for anything, said WE Charity.

Trudeau's office has said "the prime minister's relatives engage with a variety of organizations and support many personal causes on their own accord."

He also maintained the non-partisan public service recommended WE be paid $19.5 million to administer the $900 million Canada Student Services Grant program.

Announced in June, the program will pay students $1,000 toward their education costs for every 100 hours of volunteering done through approved charities and non-profits.

At the time, Trudeau said WE was the only organization in Canada with the reach and expertise needed to execute the plan.

Placements are uncertain now that WE has withdrawn and the government has taken over.

The ethics commissioner had announced his investigation also prior to Trudeau's admission that he did not recuse himself from cabinet approval of the deal.

The NDP said Friday that the commissioner should now also investigate Finance Minister Bill Morneau for failing to do the same.

One of Morneau's daughters has spoken at WE events in the past, though was not paid, and the other is currently working in the organization's travel department on a contract, Morneau's office confirmed.

"It would seem apparent that Minister Morneau would recognize that the fact that his family member was an employee of this organization necessitated him to recuse himself regarding this extraordinary decision to outsource nearly billion-dollar commitment of public funds in a single source contract," NDP ethics critic Charlie Angus wrote in a letter to the commissioner asking for an investigation.

Morneau's spokesperson said there was no connection.

"There is absolutely no link between her employment and any work that WE does with the Government of Canada," said Morneau's spokesperson Maeva Proteau in an email.

Liberal Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains and Public Services and Procurement Minister Anita Anand were asked Friday, at an event in Oshawa, Ont., whether they knew about the payments from WE to the Trudeau family and whether the prime minister should have recused himself from the decision to award WE the contract.

They ducked direct answers.

"We work very closely with the public servants who are non-partisan and they provided us with a clear set of recommendations and we followed those recommendations," Bains said.

The section of the Criminal Code the Conservatives are suggesting could apply is the same one once used to charge former Conservative senator Mike Duffy in the Senate expenses scandal.

It deals with frauds on the government, and creates offences related to government officials, or their families, benefiting from government contracts.

Duffy was charged under section 121 of the Criminal Code for taking a $90,000 cheque from then-chief of staff to the prime minister, Nigel Wright, to repay his housing expenses.

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Duffy was also charged under section 122, for breach of trust. Advocacy group Democracy Watch called Friday for that section to applied to the WE matter and is filing its own complaint with the RCMP.

Duffy was later acquitted on all charges. Though that verdict came after the Conservatives lost power, the scandal was a major distraction for the Conservatives in the waning days of their majority government.

None of the three opposition parties have said they would consider trying to bring down the Liberal minority government over the WE scandal.

"We're looking to get the truth and accountability," the Conservatives' Barrett said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 10, 2020.

With files from Mia Rabson
Nairobi, Kenya (PANA)  African countries and Central Banks should direct funds from inactive financial assets held in local bank accounts to the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) at risk of business failure due to coronavirus pandemic, a United Kingdom-based financial expert told PANA
A view of the campus of Massachusetts Institute of Technology on July 08, 2020 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.(AFP)

Washington: Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have filed a lawsuit against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) latest rule that bars international students from staying in the United States unless they attend at least one in-person course.

In the lawsuit filed in the District Court of Boston on Wednesday, Harvard and MIT sought a temporary order and preliminary and permanent injunctive relief to bar the Department of Homeland Security and ICE from enforcing federal guidelines barring international students attending colleges and universities offering only online courses from staying in the country.

"In the lawsuit, we ask the court to prevent ICE and DHS from enforcing the new guidance and to declare it unlawful," MIT President Rafael Reif said.

"The announcement disrupts our international students' lives and jeopardises their academic and research pursuits. ICE is unable to offer the most basic answers about how its policy will be interpreted or implemented," he said.

"The guidance comes after many US colleges and universities either released or are readying their final decisions for the fall semester," Reif said.

"Their (international students) choices are either to transfer to another institution that provides in-person or hybrid (both in-person and online) instruction or to depart the country and risk not being able to return. Those students who fail to comply with this guidance may face deportation," said Harvard president Lawrence S Bacow.

"The order came without notice and its cruelty is only surpassed by its recklessness," he said.

"It appears that it was designed purposefully to place pressure on colleges and universities to open their on-campus classrooms for in-person instruction this fall, without regard to concerns for the health and safety of students, instructors, and others, he alleged.

"Harvard and MIT will pursue this case vigorously so that their international students continue their studies without the threat of deportation," Bacow said.

The lawsuit comes amidst a growing chorus from major universities, lawmakers and rights bodies, seeking reversal of the decision.

"Right now, America proudly hosts roughly 1.15 million international students who contribute approximately USD 41 billion to the US economy and add value to our communities," Congressman Vicente Gonzalez said.

There are more than 200,000 Indian students in the US contributing over USD7 billion to the American economy per annum.

"Denying visas and deporting students who are not attending class in-person, when there may not be any in-person classes to attend, is cruel, unwarranted, and un-American," Gonzalez said, urging the Trump Administration to reverse its order on international students.

Advocacy coalition National Alliance for Humanities also issued an action alert calling on the ICE to reverse this decision and urging Members of Congress to pressure the ICE.

Under the new decision, international students enrolled in programs that have shifted online for the Fall in order to protect the health of campus communities during the COVID-19 crisis may face immigration consequences including, but not limited to, the initiation of removal proceedings.

This is to the detriment of not just international students, but to everyone who benefits from their presence on campus, said the alliance.

Senator Angus King has written a letter to Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf to reverse the ICE order and allow international students to remain in America to learn.

With this decision, the ICE is forcing the hand of schools to resume in-person learning as a blanket policy, rather than understanding that each school faces different challenges and must respond accordingly, he said.

The decision by the ICE adds yet another challenge to schools across the country who are already seeking the best path forward while considering the continued spread of the coronavirus across the nation, to now worrying about students who may face deportation, he said.

Congressman Adam Smith said that international students contribute to the US and its economy and many can't go home due to COVID19.

The federal guidance from the ICE to force these students to leave the country, risking their health, hard work and education, runs counter to American values, he said.
Hamilton resident John Mills says he waits all year long for the summertime heat, but this week admits its a bit over the top.

I love the heat, he said. But, even this is a little bit oppressive.

Mills is one of thousands of residents living without an air conditioner amid a drawn out heat wave that doesnt appear to be letting up any time soon.

Temperatures were set to spike Thursday, potentially breaking Hamiltons heat records as the daily high was expected to feel like 42 C with the humidex.

According to Environment Canada, the highest temperature recorded for July 9 was in 1988 when it reached 36.4 C.

The City of Hamilton declared an extended heat warning on July 4 and residents can expect to feel daytime temperatures hover around the 30 C mark until at least the middle of next week, according to Environment Canada.

For many, extended heat warnings means flocking to public libraries, malls and cooling centres to catch a break from the stifling humidity.

The city has opened up five community centres, as well as Hamiltons Central Library, to act as cooling sites. A number of city pools and splash pads have also reopened.

But in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the idea of cooling off comes with a risk assessment for the citys most vulnerable.

People who are immunocompromised might not want to take that risk of gathering where there are others, said Tom Cooper, director of the Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction.

Thats what a cooling centre does, but with air conditioning, he said.

Cooper said the pandemic has also restricted some of the more practical spaces where residents frequently head to cool off.

If open, malls have limited capacity and seating, groceries stores are physically-distanced and library branches are typically open as cooling centres, but theyve been mostly shuttered to the public.

The capacity of the centres that are open have also been reduced to allow for physical distancing and contact information could be requested.

Users will also be screened for symptoms of the virus and people are encouraged to wear a face covering or mask if they have one.

Its a very tough situation right now, said Cooper. Its extremely challenging and extremely dangerous for vulnerable people.

Bake like ovens

Cooper said residents living on the citys skyline in highrises are some of the most at-risk through the heat wave.

Tenants like Mills are at risk of heatstroke, even while remaining inside as the buildings can bake like ovens, he added.

Mills, 68, said even with neighbouring towers blocking most of the direct sun from getting into his Jackson Street West apartment, his unit still heats up to about the same temperature as outside.

It gets to the point where you cant go to bed until 3 oclock in the morning because it hasnt cooled down enough yet, he said. Then what does that do to your schedule? It gets pretty screwed up.

For CityHousing tenant Alana Baltzer, shes depending on a consistent fan with the occasional ice bucket propped in front of it to get by.

The window of her Hess Street apartment wont open wide enough to fit an air conditioner and she cant afford a portable unit that would work in the space.

If my fan is off, Im dripping in sweat, said Baltzer. Sometimes its cooler outside than it is inside.

Like Mills, Baltzer is normally all about the heat. During the summer she loves to hike, visit friends and go for walks.

But this heat wave is one of the worst shes experienced, despite growing up without air conditioning.

Summertime heat was something the 31-year-old had grown used to.

Baltzer has now had to seek refuge with friends most days to avoid the heatstroke territory temperatures her apartment reaches most days.

There is a limit and weve passed it, she said. I have no energy, its just lying down with the fan until it gets to the point where Ive gotta get out of here.

Cooper said the heat wave compounded by COVID-19 has shone a light on the importance of people being able to safely cool off in their own homes.

Its making it all the more difficult for a population that has suffered a lot over the last several months, said Cooper. The challenges of a warming planet combined with income inequality make for an untenable situation.

Where can I cool off?

Hamiltons Central Library at 55 York Blvd.

Hours: Monday to Thursday, noon to 7 p.m.; Friday to Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Library materials and services are not available at this time. Social-distancing measures are in place.

Community centres

The community centre-based cooling sites will be open from noon to 7 p.m. daily.

They are as follows: Huntington Park Recreation Centre at 87 Brentwood Dr.; Norman Pinky Lewis Recreation Centre at 192 Wentworth St. N.; Ryerson Recreation Centre at 251 Duke St.; Stoney Creek Recreation Centre at 45 King St. E.; and Westmount Recreation Centre at 35 Lynbrook Dr.

Free drinking water will be provided at the cooling sites throughout the heat event.
The state government fears another 138,000 Victorians might lose their jobs in the coming months as a result of Melbourne's second surge of COVID-19 cases and the economically crippling lockdown of the city.

Treasurer Tim Pallas launched a $500 million jobs survival package on Friday, saying the Treasury department's worst fears for the economy  of unemployment peaking at 11 per cent by the end of the year  were in renewed danger of being realised.

Mr Pallas said he and his colleagues were most worried about the period between September and December after federal government support packages, most importantly JobKeeper, come to their scheduled end.

The Treasurer said he was worried that the present 6.9 per cent jobless rate might increase to 11 per cent at the end of the year  a jump of about 138,000, based on the most recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Residents of a historic village in the Hunter Valley have vowed to resist plans for mining in their region after a new government map designated the Wollombi region for coal exploration.

Wollombi, which means the "meeting place of the waters" in the local Indigenous language, is a popular destination for Sydneysiders coming up the convict-built Great North Road through the Wollemi National Park.

Members of the Wollombi Valley Progress Association are among those who say they will fight coal mining near the town. From left to right: Daniela Riccio, Chris Davey, Euan Wilcox and Simone Smith, the association's president. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

The release last month of the Berejiklian government's Future of Coal statement identified a region just to the north of the village as one of NSW's 13 exploration zones for the fossil fuel.

In launching the report, Deputy Premier John Barilaro said coal mining directly employed 28,600 people and in the wake of drought, bushfires and the coronavirus pandemic, coal's role "has never been more important".
President-elect Donald Trump and Kanye West stand together in the lobby at Trump Tower in New York City on Dec. 13, 2016. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Trump Praises Kanye West, Says He Is Always Going to Be for Us

West said he's running for president, against Trump

Republican President Donald Trump praised Kanye West and said he believes the rapper still supports him, two days after West said he does not support the president any longer.

He is always going to be for us, and his wife is going to be for us, Trump said during a phone interview broadcast on Fox News Hannity on Thursday.

West has been an open supporter of Trump for years and his wife, Kim Kardashian West, lobbied the Republican to sign the First Step Act and enact other criminal justice reforms.

West, 44, said in an interview published Wednesday that he is running for president and asked Trump and presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden to drop out.

Rapper Kanye West attends the WSJ Magazine 2019 Innovator Awards at MOMA in New York City on Nov. 6, 2019. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

West made comments about Trump during the interview.

The Trump administration looks like one big mess to me, West said. I dont like that I caught wind that he hid in the bunker. He also said the interview marked him taking off the red hat, a reference to the Make America Great Again hats that some Trump supporters don.

Trump on Thursday called West a very good guy and someone with whom he gets along with.

At the end I think he would support us over anyone else, we have to stop the radical left from taking over our country, the president said. But, you know, if he does or notlook, we have to stop the radical left from taking over our country.

President Donald Trump listens during a National Dialogue on Safely Reopening Americas Schools, event in the East Room of the White House, on July 7, 2020. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo)

Trumps campaign responded to a request for a response to West but didnt ultimately send a statement. Bidens campaign didnt respond to a request for a response.

The president noted that West missed the filing deadline for some states but West told Forbes that he has lawyers exploring whether he can join the race despite missing deadlines due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Trump also said his second-term agenda includes defeating the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, rebuilding the economy, bringing back jobs from overseas, making more trade deals, and finishing the rebuilding of the wall along Americas southern border.
Its mighty fine being under something.

I get a kick out of driving through the Lehigh Tunnel on the turnpike and taking the Market/Frankfort Line beneath the Schuylkill River.

I so enjoy imagining all that water or rock between me and the surface.

And I like looking around  especially in caves. Mother Nature performs some of her finest handiwork beneath the surface.

Water slowly changes the underground topography. One drop at a time, soft rock, like limestone, is separated from hard stone, such as quartz.

The colors are often spectacular and all that is needed to enjoy them is a little bit of light.

Almost every organized cave tour features that minute or so when the lights are completely turned off.

Pitch black. Total darkness. Eyes vainly trying to focus.

For a bit of time its nice to completely lose a sense. The sudden shock quickly leads to calmness and serenity.

What follows are five national park caves where you can take a walk. Just watch your head!

My first cave trip was to Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota.

In 1976, my mother sent my father on the organized tour to protect us, while she waited above ground. The Old Man doesnt enjoy being squeezed in and said hed take the tour only if he could be to the front or rear of the group, with a clear escape route.

I appreciate his doing something for us that he really didnt want to. He told me yesterday that he hasnt entered a cave since.

At most caves, the guides tell you that stalactites drop from a caves ceiling and stalagmites rise from the floor, while both are formed by one drop at a time.

In 1903, Wind Cave was the first cave designated as a national park in the world.

Caves breathe.

Air has few, small places to enter and exit at Wind Cave. The air pressure drops rapidly before a storm. When it was discovered, a storm was brewing at Wind Cave, hence the moniker.

Just hope that a power failure doesnt stop the 754-foot deep elevator midway at Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. Two thirds of the cave is designated wilderness and the limestone chambers Big Room is the largest in the world at almost 4,000 feet long by 625 feet wide and 255 feet at its tallest.

Hundreds of thousands of bats leave the Carlsbad Cave entrance at dusk in search of insects. Stay comfortable in your stone amphitheater seat. The ranger will tell you not to stand up too quickly. Bat/human interactions are few. The bats mean no harm; they are just hungry.

At Lehman Cave in Great Basin National Park, Nevada you can see where tourists burned their initials into the ceiling. An early owner loaned hammers and let visitors chisel off pieces of the cave. Yes, its as disgusting as it seems. But its all protected now.

To get to Great Basin, I took U.S. Route 50, the Loneliest Road in America. I passed one car every 15 minutes and theres a sign notifying motorists that its 83 miles between gas stations.

You ride down through a series of valleys and then every few miles over a pass. This trip is like motoring on a huge waffle.

Quickly moving fog drifted across the valley floor. It was surreal. I felt like I was cruising through dry ice at a rock concert. It was fitting that I was cranking up Pink Floyd on the car stereo.

At Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky you are warned to bring a jacket or sweater. Like most caves, the temperature is constant and cool. Below, at Mammoth, its always 54 degrees F.

At more than 400 miles long, Mammoth is the longest cave in the world. Caves are some of the last explored places on earth. A couple more miles a year are discovered annually at this limestone and sandstone cave.

Its called Mammoth Cave due to the large width and length of its passages, with the entrance named the Rotunda.

Pinnacles National Park in California is one of our newest national parks. The area is composed of the eroded leftovers from an extinct volcano that moved 200 miles from the San Andreas Fault.

Thirteen species of bats and the huge California condor call Pinnacles home. Once bat guano is smelled underground, youll never forget the distinct odor.

Large chunks from deep narrow gorges fractured from above, creating the caves open areas below. A creek runs through the cave.

I was able to walk the Bear Gulch Cave without a guide. The gift shop does a brisk business selling flashlights. Mine cost $9.

Its a thrill to go underground at our national parks. Its easy to forget where you are. Just dont stray from the group and get lost.

Bill Rettew writes a weekly column and is a Chester County native. He watches closely, but often still bumps his head. You may contact him at brettew@dailylocal.com.
(Kitco News) - Of all the forces of the market today, none are still as strong as actions taken by the Federal Reserve, whose purchasing activity could be likened to that of a day traders, said Ryan Giannotto, director of research at GraniteShares.

"I would even go as far to say as Powell is 99% of explaining returns in this market," he said.

Assets purchased by the Fed has expanded in scope, from traditionally-held assets like real estate, which have been acquired since Quantitative Easing (QE) 3, to now commercial paper and corporate debt, Giannotto noted.

"I'd like to say that the Fed has now turned into basically just an army of Robinhood traders. It's a very, very humorous image to see the Federal Reserve board sitting around on their smartphones, buying and selling LQD [iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF] on their Robinhood accounts, but that's exactly what the Fed has turned into," he said.

Gold, however, remains one asset that the Fed has yet to "bail out," Giannotto noted.

"What will be the next asset Powell buys? That's the question that's driving the markets higher," he said.

The Fed's purchasing decisions have even more sway on investors than the ongoing COVID pandemic, which is seeing a resurgence of new cases in the U.S. in what is referred to as a second wave.

"In terms of COVID it's a very interesting situation because what matters less is not the facts on the ground but more so the public perception, and that's really hard to game out here as we proceed into school and go into fall," he said. "It's not hard, cold data that make the decision, it's public perception."

Giannotto noted that another government mandated shutdown of the economy is highly unlikely at this time, even as COVID cases are rising in the U.S.

"At this point, the economic policy of top-down lockdown is not feasible, it's no longer possible, unless governments are willing to force it with the police or the military, it's not going to happen," he said. "If we did see top-down policy of mass quarantine again, the leading economic activity of New York City, in the financial district, would be hunting for deer. We would be back to the stone age."

Additionally, the economic data that is being reported is not accurately depicting the true gravity of the pandemic-induced fallout.

"I am very skeptical of the official job numbers put out. I just think the magnitude of what's going on, in terms of the velocity of job gains and losses, is orders of magnitude beyond what they are prepared to calculate," he said. "We've seen a whole market cycle in a couple of weeks."

A gloomy economic outlook may be good news for risk assets, however, as equities strength and economic weakness are now negatively correlated, Giannotto said.

"The gloomier the long-term prospects, the higher asset prices will go, because it just means [Fed Chair Jerome] Powell will have to dig in deeper," he said.

Giannotto said that the pandemic has amplified the need for investors to buy gold, an asset whose three main characteristics make it an attractive investment: use as a safe haven asset, ability to diversify portfolio, and ability to hedge against the U.S. dollar.

The pandemic has exposed weaknesses in industries that are vulnerable to a negative demand shock, Giannotto added, and investors should avoid such sectors that are set for "long-term impairment."

"The energy sector, in particular, is really ground zero from this movement. Really, as you said, subject to a critical demand shock. It's really difficult to see how the energy sector will ever regain its prominence," he said. "Exxon [was] the largest company by market cap, and actually in the last nine months, it's been the single largest destructor of shareholder wealth."
Basic Income Manitoba partnered with the Winnipeg Free Press for its essay contest that challenged entrants to write about what it would mean to have a society in which every individual had sufficient income for their basic needs.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 11/7/2020 (556 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

Basic Income Manitoba partnered with the Winnipeg Free Press for its essay contest that challenged entrants to write about what it would mean to have a society in which every individual had sufficient income for their basic needs.

As part of that partnership, the Free Press is publishing the winning entries from the high school and post-secondary categories.

High school winner: Heidi Jean, Maples Met School

Bertrand Russell, 3rd Earl Russell, once wrote, "In the daily lives of most men and women, fear plays a greater part than hope: they are more filled with the thought of the possessions that others may take from them, than of the joy that they might create in their own lives and in the lives with which they come in contact."

We live the majority of our lives with an underlying sense of fear or anxiety. This fear or anxiety dictates how we make decisions, and impacts our own well-being along with societys as a whole. However, it is the marginalized population that feels this fear most.

In relation to COVID-19, there is an overwhelming fear of running out of resources, specifically money. With companies laying off workers, more and more people are in a state of uneasiness in regard to their financial well-being. Many of these problems and fears could be solved with basic income in place.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently announced an $82-billion response package to help people and businesses survive these tumultuous times. A basic income of $30,000 a year, which is estimated to cost $43 billion, would ensure that fewer individuals are left living below the poverty line. However, had a basic income plan been in place, Canada would have saved a vast amount of money. Each year, poverty costs billions of dollars, from strain placed on health care, justice, social services, productivity and lost opportunity. A basic income for all Canadians would help everyone be prepared for disasters, today and in the future.

Poverty is the largest issue basic income can address in Manitoba, with the highest child and family poverty rate in Canada. The marginalized population is the most at risk to poverty. For example, 21 per cent of single mothers live in poverty, and so do their children. These children who live in poverty are less successful in school, a disadvantage they arent responsible for. Basic income provides equity for disadvantaged students, who have up to a 50 per cent chance of dropping out of high school, and therefore limiting their potential for the rest of their life. As a student, being unsuccessful is at the forefront of my fears. If we cannot be successful, how can we be healthy and happy?

With my last year of high school coming to a close, the responsibility of earning my own income is fast approaching. With it comes a new sense of anxiety. My hope is to make a living off my creativity, whether that be writing, illustrating or creating handmade goods. However, as someone who has grown up in a lower-income household, the dream of supporting myself with my passions seems far-fetched. On average, illustrators make $44,000, yet Canadas average income was $61,400 in 2018. While this is a livable income, it makes it difficult to have a car, a home, and raise a family, while trying to save for the future. Basic income can benefit us all, by eliminating poverty and fear, and changing our relationship with our work and communities.

Time is money, and when there is enough money, there is more freedom. Marginalized groups would benefit most from a basic income, enabling them to have more control over their time, and help strengthen their communities. I see this as a result of COVID-19. People have found more meaningful ways to spend their time, and acts of generosity and kindness have increased. Deep down, we all want to create change. This is my dream, to live in such a way where we can support each other, and build up our communities.

We live in a world where we must work to earn a living, and are defined by our professions. Yet there are many who dont have the opportunity to work in a place that satisfies them or provides for their needs. According to Gallup, only 13 per cent of people worldwide are engaged with their jobs. They also found that poor engagement can lead to a reluctance to donate money, volunteer, or help others. Growing up, I found this to be true. I was always aware of not having enough, and I found it harder to share what I did have. The fear and reality of not having enough money overtakes the desire to have a fulfilling career, leaving people in jobs that do nothing for them but pay the rent. To me this is a scary thought, that I may one day end up in the same position.

Being a woman in our society places me at a greater risk of inequality and poverty, both in the workplace and out of it. It is even more difficult to obtain one of those unfulfilling jobs as a part of the marginalized population. Women are still making less than men, at 74 cents to their dollar, and are expected to do the majority of caregiving duties. On average, women complete 254 minutes of unpaid work per day, whereas men only complete 160. If this caring labour were valued at minimum wage, it would account for 40 per cent of world production. While basic income cannot fix this inequality, it can help people live a more comfortable life, and allow them to become more engaged and satisfied.

Basic income can improve all of our lives, but it will have a significant impact on the most marginalized members of our communities. It can minimize fear and poverty, improve our well-being, help us build up our communities and minimize government spending. Our lives revolve around money, and for many a basic income is the tipping point between surviving and having the freedom to flourish. We can replace fear with hope, and create joy in each others lives. Imagine how vibrant and healthy our society could be. How would your life be different, with a basic income for all?

Post-secondary winner: Maria Sytnick, Universite de Saint-Boniface

As Canadians, we spend our lives paying into our national social safety net with the expectation that help will be there when we need it. That is our agreed-upon system. Unfortunately, as governments tighten the criteria for programs such as Employment Insurance (EI) and Employment and Income Assistance (EIA), many individuals are finding they arent eligible for the programs they paid towards. Canadians need a universal monthly benefit that will offer financial freedom as we fight for economic equality. A universal basic income (UBI) would be a reliable stream of support for many Canadians to tackle difficult problems such as poverty and debt.

An issue with the current system of social security is that the eligibility criteria is often hard to decipher and complex, especially for someone who is facing difficulties in their life. This brings in a top-heavy system of administration to regulate and enforce rules, including investigating when rules have been broken. This culture of fear around accessing social security has contributed to a significant stigmatization of its users. However, Canadas social safety net is paid for by its population, and it is thus the right of its population to utilize services in a time of need. Our national ideology has shifted to judgment and requiring individuals to prove their need rather than supporting them in solidarity through difficulty. Poverty should not be seen as the failure of the individual, but rather as a failure of our society as a whole. The increasing difference between the poorest of Manitoba and the richest shows that our social programs are failing and a radical reconstruction is necessary. The current culture punishes those who seek help, while ideally, Canadians should feel relief from financial support. A UBI would reduce this barrier and destigmatize accessing the social safety net, as all Canadians regardless of personal circumstance would receive the benefit. Individuals should not feel shame for needing help, as helping your neighbour is an essential part of our national identity.

The rise of means-testing for social programs like EI and EIA means that not everyone who needs help will get it. It also means that those who need immediate assistance cannot rely on said help to be timely. A universal benefit bestows less judgment and less hoops to jump through for Canadians to thrive. As a social-work student, I have accompanied clients who have applied for EIA. For low-income Canadians, it is incredibly difficult to make continuous visits to the local welfare office, especially for parents with a young child in tow. For those with a limited income, just getting to appointments is a financial and emotional strain that makes a tough situation harder because of the cost of transportation. However, a no-strings-attached UBI that will be there, regardless of how many hours were spent searching for jobs or how many visits were made to their social worker, would be a welcome relief. A UBI would provide true freedom, where there is no constraint on how many job-search sessions one needs to attend to qualify for assistance in the first place. Canadians would have more time and income to invest towards refining skills and shopping from local businesses, which all come back to benefit our economy.

A universal basic income is not a new concept. In the 1970s, it was tested in Dauphin. The cases that came out of this project show an increase in quality of life for the participants. Journalists and researchers found that some residents chose to invest in an education. In particular, women were able to enter the workforce and pursue post-secondary studies as income was no longer holding them back. This contributed not only to self-reported happiness, but to the economic success of the family and the community. Most importantly, a UBI gives marginalized groups the financial freedom to traverse barriers, such as reducing the gender barrier to paid work.

A UBI has never seemed more urgent than now, given the coronavirus pandemic and economic shutdown facing the nation. Justin Trudeaus federal government introduced the CERB, which is a payment of $2,000 per month for up to four months. While this is a welcome relief for some individuals, the criteria to qualify leaves up to a third of Canadians ineligible according to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Among the criteria is a minimum income of $5,000 dollars in 2019, which leaves out low-income Canadians who would benefit the most from an income supplement. At the same time, the NDP has been calling for the Liberals to make the CERB truly universal. Those who are still ineligible have been waiting over a month for financial relief that has been slowed by bureaucratic gatekeeping and red tape. At the time of writing, Justin Trudeau has announced that university students will be eligible for $1,250 monthly from May to August. Although this will surely alleviate some stress, the lower amount shows students that their plight is less important than that of the average working Canadian. All Canadians are struggling during this pandemic, and it is not the time to make decisions on whose financial need is more desperate.

Only a universal benefit will show solidarity and equality between all members of our society, no matter their struggles. As well, a universal benefit would provide Canadians with money that can go back into the economy, through making purchases at local businesses and helping them stay afloat in this crisis.

A UBI would benefit Canadians as individuals and as a society. It would provide an important investment in our economy and serve as extra help for those trying to save, secure housing, reduce their debt or upgrade their education. It makes sense for the needs of every Canadian. As we pay into our social safety net, it is important that we advocate to make it work for us. A UBI is the fuel our economy needs to keep going during this pandemic while reducing economic inequality.

High school - second place: Aiyanna St. Cyr, Kelvin High School

In the time of COVID-19, questions about basic income being implemented have come to be discussed again as the Canadian government is providing Canadian Emergency Relief Benefit and other supports for some citizens. In general, basic income would benefit everyone, and during a crisis like this, just how beneficial it would be is hard to deny. Basic income would give a guaranteed support, as well as eliminate poverty, and would personally support me with my post-graduation plans and career. It could allow me to break the cycle of my familys poverty.

Basic income would change everyones lives. Research has shown it could eliminate poverty and reduce all of its subsequent side effects, like health problems and lack of education  a possible barrier in getting a job  allowing them to live a full, accomplished life, something that should be a human right. In fact, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms states that every person has the right to life, liberty and security of the person, and to equality, but the existence of poverty and the lack of action to eliminate it contradicts this and makes it impossible to be true. I want to live in a country that follows its own laws. I want to live in a more just society, knowing that no ones life is any less than it should be due to a lack of money. One of these disadvantaged people could discover the cure to cancer, but their contribution to the world can never play out because they dont have enough money, something people in poverty generally cant control. Many people disagree with this idea, however, saying poor people are lazy and asking, "why dont they just get a job?" Alas, it is not that simple. Poverty makes it much harder to get a job, because of stereotypes, health conditions and lack of education, and many other factors that are hard to combat without a job. Having money could provide the things people in this situation would need in order to get a job; though, how will they get money without a job? Its a cycle: you must have a job in order to get out of poverty and increase your health, but you cant get a job unless you first get rid of these barriers. Basic income would benefit my family, as my mother and relatives have been in this cycle. Basic income would give people guaranteed stability, not leave them unsure of their living conditions and future. Basic income could allow parents to save money for their children for university, something I wish my dad had been able to do for me.

My family has been living in poverty for generations, and it would mean a lot to me if basic income were to be implemented. Id know that the way my family and others like ours have been living would be greatly improved, giving many of them the stability theyve always wanted. Even though I was less impacted by poverty than others in my family, all I ever wished for growing up was to not experience the "of course" feeling when my mom said she didnt think we could afford our once-a-month treat  a Tall Grass Prairie cinnamon bun Id asked for  after going a while without anything but the basic necessities. I wanted to not have to consider the barrier of poverty every time we made a decision. It ran our lives, having to evaluate how buying one thing would drastically affect the rest of the months money. Yet, I know many had it worse than we did; we were still very lucky to have a roof over our heads and the basics, as well as the odd luxury. After my mom had to drop out of nursing school due to burn-out, she hasnt been well enough to get a job since. My parents have been separated since I was a baby, and my mom has since been a single mother of two. We had support, but not guarantee, and it was scary to be unstable. Although he put what he could towards university for me, my dad also struggled to get by, going through bankruptcy and many economic issues. With basic income, my dad could have put the money he spent on basic needs towards helping support his children for university.

Aside from in my youth, basic income would make a drastic change in my life now. I am a student in my last year of high school, and have ambitious plans for after graduation. However, I wasnt able to have a job until late January, and when I finally got one, it got cut off due to COVID-19. Not having the option to work couldnt have come at a worse time. After graduation, Id like to participate abroad in a work-away program and practise blogging, and then come back to take some university courses on writing and journalism. Using this experience and knowledge, I want to become a travelling photo journalist. However, how am I to make that happen when the costs of these preparations are high and my plans to save up for them have been put on hold? I dont even know how Im going to cover the basics. Basic income would make achieving my goals and my dreams of breaking the cycle of poverty within my family so much more possible. It would knock down the monetary barrier keeping me from doing this, and take such a load off my chest.

Basic income would change the lives of many. It would mean happiness, stability, the chance to reach ones full potential, and a new beginning in breaking the chain of poverty for myself and others, which would mean so much to me. It is an important social justice goal to live in a more equalitarian society with economic stability for the citizens; working together to help make this happen will take dedication and time, but the outcomes will be worth it.

High school - third place: Jascha Petersen, River East Collegiate

The first time I heard about universal basic income was through the campaigning of then-Democratic presidential nomination candidate Andrew Yang. Many of my classmates first heard of it the same way, and it quickly became a pre-eminent topic of our daily political discussions during physics class. Prior to the Yang campaign, universal basic income was not a subject that had seen much discussion in mainstream politics. Amongst my peers, virtually all of whom are fellow students in our final years of high school, the general opinion on a universal basic income is unsurprisingly quite positive. The concept of a no-strings-attached monthly cheque to aid through the looming university years is appealing.

Three years ago, the province removed limits on tuition fees that educational institutions may charge. Fifty-four per cent of Canadian undergraduates exit university with student debt averaging $28,000. That number is up nearly $8,000 since 2000. Being a student is expensive and is only getting costlier. The benefits are obvious: a monthly cheque given regardless of employment status could be what allows someone to make rent, or pay for next years tuition, or pay for bus passes no longer offered by the city of Winnipeg. In these times of global economic uncertainty, income security is no longer a given, especially for young people beginning their careers. A universal income would be useful for bridging the times between employment opportunities in todays job market rapidly shifting towards a gig economy.

There are, of course, those who oppose a basic income. Many worry that a basic income would only serve to widen the already large divide between two increasingly defined upper and lower classes. Basic income could be seen not as a way to improve the quality of life and financial stability of the general population, but as a way for the upper class to pacify the commoners. Many worry that providing unconditional income may not motivate people to develop their skills and seek out employment opportunities. The glaring issue, however, is cost. It would be expensive. Federal budgets would need to be recalculated; the economic strategy of an entire nation reevaluated. There is no easy way to implement financial backing for an entire nation.

One needs to look no further than current events to see the benefits of a basic income. The spread of COVID-19 threatens the job security and income of millions of Canadians. In response, the government is expanding the employment insurance program by removing wait times and giving $2,000 per month to people unable to work due to the virus. More to families with children. The United States is using a similar approach, handing out $1,200 per person to almost every taxpayer in the country in an "economic stimulus package." It is obvious that boosting the economy by providing financial aid to the workforce is the approach of choice for most western governments. One simply needs to apply this philosophy in times of economic stability to see the potential advantages, not only for the economy as whole, but also for the individual Canadians that help support it.

Manitoba isnt entirely new to the concept; it has seen a universal basic income program before. From 1974 to 1979 one of the most ambitious experiments ever conducted took place in communities around Manitoba, particularly in Dauphin. Dubbed "Mincome," the experiment sought to not only analyze the financial and administrative effects of basic income, but also the effect that giving what essentially amounted to free money to select low-income households would have on a relatively small community like Dauphin. While it wasnt a "true" basic income since money received was scaled based on preexisting income, it was arguably the most ambitious experiment of its kind, for the time.

One thing that set the Mincome experiment apart from similar attempts elsewhere in the world was its focus on the effects that the minimum income had on the social aspect of the community. The experiment showed that in interactions with banks and landlords, which can be unnecessarily complex for low-income families, people on Mincome reported significantly less difficulty. They also reported spending more time engaging with the community, visiting neighbours and friends, and becoming community leaders. The program also reduced social stigma surrounding a basic income: participants reported feeling less embarrassed being on a basic income program than being on traditional welfare. Today, particularly in Canada, we have become almost obsessed with improving the cultural and communal aspects of our society. Perhaps this is one way to start.

We live in a world in which the top one per cent controls half of the wealth in the global economy. Universal basic income does not come from nowhere, it is a direct response to this fact. It would not be easy to implement. It would be difficult for the economy. But if the world were different, it wouldnt be necessary.

Post-secondary - second place: Delaney Coelho, University of Manitoba

Much of society has been struggling to meet their basic needs within the existing landscape. The current COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted that our society and the current systems in which it functions are not stable and that we can and must do more to support each other. A guaranteed basic income would ensure that all people have access to the minimum finances required to have their basic needs met and to participate in society with dignity and respect.

My partner and I left university with a combined student debt of over $60,000 for two bachelors degrees and a masters degree. Despite finding well-paying employment shortly after graduation, the debt we incurred has delayed our ability to buy a home, to start a family, and to take chances or risks in our employment that might have led to further opportunities. We worked in the summers and I had a part-time job throughout my studies, but we both came from rural Manitoba, which required moving away from our homes and paying for living expenses in the city in order to pursue post-secondary education and it was not enough to avoid taking on debt. I know we are not alone in this. Fifty-four per cent of Canadians with a bachelors degree graduate with debt while 45 per cent graduate with more than $25,000 of debt. If there had been a basic income guarantee while we were studying we would have graduated with less debt and been more ready to check off milestones such as buying a house and starting a family that our boomer parents told us would only be obtainable if we got an education. It is not just students who have large levels of debt. The average Canadian owes $23,800 in non-mortgage debt. What happens when there is a disruption to our economic system or when unemployment spikes?

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated already existing inequalities and exposed gaps in Canadas social safety net. Within a few weeks, the system many felt was secure proved more vulnerable and precarious than once thought. Businesses have laid people off, daycares and schools have shut down, people cannot afford to pay their rent or mortgage, and families are in crisis. Governments have responded by providing support through cobbled together stopgap measures that cannot come quickly enough. This has led to people falling between the cracks and desperate situations. Statistics Canada reported one million job losses in March 2020 and an unemployment rate that grew to 7.8 per cent. This has undoubtedly affected the 50 per cent of Canadians who live $200 away from being unable to pay their bills. My partner and I both come from privileged backgrounds raised by university-educated parents who are still together and own their own homes. Despite this, and the fact that my partner and I make more than the average wage for Canadians of $52,600 per year we are close to living paycheque to paycheque with a limited capacity for savings. We know that it is the most vulnerable groups who are disproportionally impacted by change resulting from COVID-19 and who are more likely to be excluded from stopgap benefits put in place by both federal and provincial governments. This includes those who are unemployed or underemployed in low-paying precarious jobs that lack benefits, people experiencing poverty or homelessness, people with disabilities, women and children experiencing domestic violence, as well as Indigenous and racialized people.

Our lives look markedly different than they did three months ago. There is uncertainty and unease about what the "new normal" will look like after the dust settles and we move beyond responding to the public health crisis in front of us. The new normal will not and cannot look like it did in the past. It was not working for the majority of people and it has not prepared us for the next social and economic disruption. In addition to being a student, I have and continue to spend my personal and professional time working towards creating an equitable society that I am proud to be a part of. For me, all human beings have the right to be treated with dignity and respect, which should not be dependent on whether or where someone is employed. Manitobas 1970s pilot of an income guarantee showed that an income guarantee improved participants health and community life. High school completion rates increased, hospitalization rates fell, accidents and injury rates decreased, and new mothers spent more time at home with their children. People are happier and healthier when they do not have to worry about struggling to have their basic needs met.

People do not want to be called "heroes" for caring for each other during a crisis; we want job security and livable wages so that we can support a basic standard of life for our families, our communities and ourselves. This is simply not a reality for an increasing proportion of society. A basic income guarantee would allow all people to have their basic needs met despite social or economic disruption.

The COVID-19 pandemic has provided us with a window of opportunity where problems (poverty and social inequality), policy (a guaranteed basic income), and politics have aligned to demand an urgent and unprecedented response. With a vision rooted in the belief that everyone has a fundamental right to dignity and respect, we can provide a guarantee that has the ability to reach all Canadians, support healthy communities and ensure bright futures for all of us.

Post-secondary - third place: Ava Glendinning, Brandon University

In a wealthy country like Canada, there is no reason for any citizen to be without access to food and shelter. It has been argued that Universal Basic Income (UBI) could help provide essential needs to those living in poverty as well as minorities that are at a disadvantage. While these issues are incredibly important, in my argument for UBI Im going to focus on the areas in which I have more personal experience: the ways in which UBI could support the arts, build community, and contribute to the well-being of children.

As a guitarist who has been performing and teaching in Winnipeg since I moved here from Brandon in 2012, Ive met many talented artists and musicians who have worked to build a cultural scene that is impressive for a city of our size. Many of these people struggle to balance art or music with other jobs and are able to dedicate only a small amount of time to their craft; others devote their lives to an arts career despite facing financial instability.

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The gig economy is unpredictable; Ive seen artists achieve a modest income for months, then experience periods of time without work. The sacrifice these artists face is especially apparent as they gain more responsibilities, have greater need of stability, or consider supporting a family. Many are forced to choose between these responsibilities and their art. UBI could help these artists and musicians grow in their practice, producing more mature, meaningful art as they get older, and advancing our cultural imagination, rather than facing poverty or having to abandon their craft as they accrue more responsibilities.

The long history of the arts is proof of their intrinsic value as ways of teaching and building community. UBI would nurture these meaningful areas of life. This act of investing in the arts also has an economic return many times the amount put in.

UBI would also benefit people suffering from illness and chronic injuries. At age 20, while studying jazz guitar in university, I acquired injuries that caused me to abandon my music degree. Chronic pain made it difficult to work more than a few hours a week at low-paying and repetitive jobs that were the only employment I could find as a young person without a degree. For those who work in such jobs, UBI is an important top-up. Not qualifying for EI, I spent a number of years living on barely enough to cover basic needs, often reinjuring myself. I am fortunate; I have family with enough means that I wouldnt have starved, and after some years I recovered and returned to my degree. Many others are not so lucky, and would be forced to work jobs that continuously reinjure them, resulting in lives of chronic pain, poverty, depression and anxiety. Having first-hand experience with these struggles while injured has given me great compassion for those who face them as ongoing obstacles. I believe UBI would help alleviate these hardships and improve the physical and mental health of those suffering.

Perhaps most importantly, UBI would affect the areas of the arts that intersect with the education and well-being of children. I have taught private guitar lessons for years, and am involved in the volunteer-run organization Girls Rock Winnipeg as a board member and teacher. I have the joy of seeing girls at our summer music camp flourish. Many of them are underprivileged and can attend only because of scholarships fundraised by volunteers (some of whom put in long hours outside of other jobs). The girls have opportunities to gain new skills and feel a sense of empowerment and community. Many of them dont have access to instruments or lessons beyond the week of camp, and UBI could help parents afford the kinds of activities that enrich the lives and stimulate the minds of their kids. We know the positive impact music has on brain development and mental health, and UBI would extend these benefits to more children, allowing them the joy and sense of achievement through music that currently only some enjoy. Studies have also suggested that UBI decreases childhood illness, as well as helping kids stay in school longer, which could have positive impacts on the work force.

I am able to live on little money; if I received even a modest sum from UBI, I would be able to dedicate more time to rehearsing, performing, composing, and community-building through volunteer work with Girls Rock Winnipeg, while still working as a guitar teacher. I believe some artists would live similarly, while many would prefer greater financial stability, and would continue in full-time jobs. I realize UBI opponents fear that people would leave the work force; however, studies conducted in Manitoba and elsewhere have suggested that negative economic effects are minimal: people far more often seize opportunities to better themselves and their families.

This spring, I will graduate with a music degree and re-enter an economy that has, as of this writing, almost entirely shut down. I am unable to resume the respite work or guitar teaching I expected to return to until the COVID-19 crisis has passed. For me, this means indefinite time at home, accruing a small amount of debt over rent and food. For others, including many artists whose performances have been cancelled and who have lost jobs and students, it has more serious implications. Our government has shown, during this crisis, that it is capable of providing financial assistance to many Canadians in a time of great need; with some reorganization of funds UBI could provide assistance to help the economy recover  and to sustain it thereafter. I believe that Canadians would celebrate a government that nurtures those working to create a vibrant, flourishing arts and cultural scene, provide security to the injured and unwell, and foster empowerment, joy, and confidence in the lives of the children, who are the future of this country.
Before the coronavirus pandemic upended daily life, Min Son Yi tried to live waste-free  and mostly succeeded.

She found secondhand home furniture and baby supplies through a Buy Nothing group in the Bay Area. She made her own cleaning products. She used reusable containers and bags. But her daughter is so young that she worries about her immune system, so when COVID-19 hit, she had to make sacrifices.

When going out, she often wears gloves and a mask. As much as I care about the planet and saving it, I cant really compromise the safety of my child, Yi said.

To avoid leaving the house, she also switched to online orders for food and supplies  a lot of waste, Yi notes, because of the wrapping and boxes.

Yis worries will sound familiar in the eco-conscious Bay Area, where people are struggling to balance health needs with traditional environmental priorities. Consumption of single-use plastics like takeout containers, bags and gloves has escalated with the pandemic.

A little part of my heart dies every time I have to get a plastic bag to keep myself and workers in a grocery store safe, said Katie Koche, who works at a coffee shop in the Sunset District known for its reusable mugs. And since I work in the food service industry and we had to switch to all orders in carry-out containers, Im rather sad all the time.

The results of the Bay Areas new waste-heavy lifestyle can be seen at San Franciscos Baker Beach. Plastic bags had started to disappear from litter there after San Francisco mostly banned stores from offering them in 2007, according to Eva Holman, who cleans up trash from the beach most mornings.

Now, the birds are pecking at the plastic bags, and thats really frustrating to see, she said.

In May, waste tonnage for residential routes has risen about 6% in San Francisco year over year, thanks partly to more takeout containers, plastic bags and shipping boxes, said Robert Reed, public relations manager for Bay Area waste management company Recology. Residential compostable materials are up about 12% year over year. But commercial trash is down about 20% since January because of the closure of offices and other spaces, causing the tonnage of waste collected by Recology to fall.

Masks are sometimes discarded on sidewalks. Disposable wipes, too, are showing up where they shouldnt. Ive never seen so many wipes on the beach, Holman said. Because I feel the need to clean up the beach, Im having to touch someone elses contaminated wipes. ... It feels unsafe.

Cleaning supplies are another point of tension. Plenty of people, including Yi, have switched from green cleaners for more traditional choices, in at least some instances.

I dont know if its safe enough to wipe things with these natural ingredients, she said. She bought Lysol and hand sanitizer in plastic containers for the first time, though she tries to limit use.

Oakland firm Cloroxs sales jumped 32% in the first three months of 2020.

Jen Jackson, manager of the Toxics Reduction and Healthy Ecosystems program at the San Francisco Department of the Environment, said some products billed as eco-friendly can work well. Some people may think that Oh, its a safe or eco-looking type of product, but its not going to work. And thats totally not true. There are numerous products that contain safer disinfectant ingredients and do the job, Jackson said.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

For eco-conscious consumers, there are some hopeful developments. San Francisco, which had overridden its anti-plastic leanings and banned reusable bags from grocery stores in April, will allow shoppers to resume using their reusable bags on Monday.

Once released, stores should remove signs prohibiting reusable bags and post signs welcoming customers to bring their own reusable bags according to specified measures. At that time, stores also should resume charging for bags provided at checkout now at the new rate ($0.25), which went into effect on July 1, 2020, the Department of the Environment said in a statement on its website.

Many will welcome the return of their beloved reusable bags. Kate ONeill, a professor in the department of environmental science, policy and management at UC Berkeley, takes her groceries unbagged out of the store and packs them in reusable totes outside. You have to go to a lot of effort to avoid plastic bags, she said, adding that it doesnt feel terribly sanitary.

Eco-friendly cleaning products San Francisco's Department of the Environment has posted a fact sheet (available at https://bit.ly/sfdisinfecttips) for people who want to find safe, environmentally friendly cleaning supplies and disinfectants in the coronavirus era. Consumers should clean surfaces first, then use a disinfectant on high-touch surfaces where the coronavirus could be transmitted, according to Jen Jackson and Chris Geiger, who work for the department. To choose safe and eco-friendly cleaning supplies, Jackson and Geiger recommend looking for products labeled Safer Choice, Green Seal Certified, Ecologo or Cradle to Cradle . Those products include, but are not limited to, all Seventh Generation brand products, Midlab's Nattura Oxy Orange and All-Purpose Cleaner and Clorox's Greenworks. Some disinfectant products the department recommends include Midla b's Bright Solutions HP202 and Oxivir TB One-Step. See More Collapse

Cynthia Wu, a Mission District resident who tries to live a zero-waste existence, said her grocery store closed the bulk food section she had formerly used to avoid plastic packaging for food. So she signed up for a community-supported agriculture subscription with her local farms as a substitute.

But she still cant get away from plastic gloves at the store. Thats waste. ... Its just hard to avoid this plastic waste thats trying to keep you clean, she said.

There are two threats to us, Wu added. Theres the pandemic, which is the short-term threat, but theres also the long-term threat that our world will not be habitable.

Anna Kramer is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: anna.kramer@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @anna_c_kramer
The L'Ermitage hotel in Beverly Hills in September 2014. (FG/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)

Bidding has commenced in an auction of the Viceroy L'Ermitage Beverly Hills, a legendary hotel last owned by a highflying Malaysian investor now on the lam after being accused of embezzling billions of dollars from his country's government.

The low-key boutique hotel has been known as a celebrity haunt for decades, where the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and Laurence Olivier have bunked for the night and dined in its fancy French restaurant.

It will sell for at least $100 million, federal representatives said Thursday, or perhaps more at an auction set for Aug. 19.

Since it opened in 1975, the L'Ermitage has had a series of owners  most recently the U.S. government, which moved to seized it in 2016 from Malaysian financier Jho Low. Federal investigators said Low bought the hotel and other properties, including a Hollywood Hills mansion, with money embezzled from a Malaysian government-owned fund intended to spur economic development in the Southeast Asian country.

In 2012, Low turned heads when he dropped a whopping $38.98 million on his Hollywood Hills estate, redefining what a home could sell for in the celebrity-filled Bird Streets neighborhood. Federal authorities seized the property and sold it for $18.5 million in March.

Low is accused of being the mastermind of a scheme to plunder $4.5 billion from the fund known as 1Malaysia Development Berhad, money that was supposed to be used to invest in real estate, Middle East oil and other sectors. Low has denied any wrongdoing but is a fugitive from Malaysian and U.S. authorities.

In Los Angeles, Low was known as a high roller who partied with Paris Hilton and poured $100 million into Martin Scorsese's film "The Wolf of Wall Street."

The L'Ermitage stands eight stories in a residential neighborhood on Burton Way and is unassuming on the outside but over-the-top plush on the inside.

A $37-million renovation completed in 2016 helped it keep the coveted five-star rating from Forbes Travel Guide it has held since 2000. Its 116 rooms are all suites, including the 3,328-square-foot presidential suite that includes five balconies, a Steinway grand piano, a formal dining room, dens and a kitchen.

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The hotel has a rooftop swimming pool with views of the Hollywood Hills, a spa and a restaurant and bar called Avec Nous. The marble bathrooms have televisions inset in the mirrors. Nightly rates start around $500.

The L'Ermitage is operated by luxury hotelier Viceroy Hotels & Resorts, and the new owner will need to decide whether to continue that relationship.

Interest from potential buyers has been "extraordinary," said Matthew Bordwin of Keen-Summit Capital Partners, who is conducting the sale on behalf of a special master appointed by the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

"This is a unique, special property," Bordwin said. "We've had a significant number of qualified offers."

Bordwin announced Thursday that Special Master Michael M. Eidelman had accepted a "stalking horse" bidder  an entity selected to make an initial bid  who set the floor for future bidders at $100 million. Bordwin declined to identify the bidder beyond saying it is "a savvy real estate investor with hospitality experience."

The stalking horse bidder will purchase the hotel for $100 million if no bids come in higher at the auction next month. Higher bids must start at $104 million, said Bordwin, who will spend the next few weeks putting other potential buyers through a qualification process to prove they are able to pay what they offer.

Typically bidders would compete in a room eye-to-eye for such an auction, he said, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic the sale will be conducted by an online video chat limited to the participants.

Low bought the hotel for $46 million in 2010, when the market was still depressed after the Great Recession. The previous owner paid $68 million in 2000.

The hotel market is depressed now, hobbled by the pandemic, which has damped travel around the world, industry analyst Alan Reay said. Sales of hotels in California were down 90% from April 1 to the middle of June compared with the same period last year, he said, "so for all intents and purposes the sales market has come to a grinding halt."

One of the last big luxury hotel sales in the region was the $415-million purchase in December of the Montage Beverly Hills by Maybourne Group, a London company that renamed the property the Maybourne Beverly Hills. At more than $2 million a room, the price was a California hotel sale record, Reay said.

At a similar price, the L'Ermitage would sell for more than $230 million, but with the hotel market on its knees during the pandemic it may sell for less and to someone who doesn't even want to run a hotel, Reay said.

Many hotel buyers these days plan to convert their properties to other uses such as housing, he said. "I wouldn't be surprised if the ultimate buyer was looking at a condo play."
The candidate must also thread a narrow diplomatic needle that displeases neither the U.S. nor China, whose bitter conflict over the pandemic is testing their fragile economic truce. The Trump administration has actively sought to undermine the WTOs ability to function, saying it has infringed on American sovereignty and enabled China to become a big economic player globally at the expense of U.S. jobs and manufacturing. Adding to the unpredictability factor, President Donald Trump -- who has called the WTO the worst trade deal the U.S. has ever signed -- is up for re-election in November, so Americas tolerance for a candidate who looks too favorably on China might be tested. Meanwhile, China has engaged in a multi-year campaign to expand its diplomatic influence by installing key personnel at the top levels of international decision making bodies.
A triumphant gesture, a newborn holds the spiral that was supposed to protect his mother from pregnancy. Nevertheless, the baby was born.

This photo from a hospital in Vietnam is now an internet hit, they show a newborn holding the spiral of his 34-year-old mother firmly in his hand. It looks like the contraceptive is a reminder of the time in the womb.

When the little boy was born at Hai Phong International Hospital in Hai Phong, the spiral also came out of the mother's uterus, according to the nurses. The copper T-shaped contraceptive was supposed to prevent pregnancy. But sometimes something goes wrong, for example when the spiral slips.

The Midwife put spiral in the baby's hand after birth

The snapshot was taken by the midwife Tran Viet Phuong, as journalists in Vietnam reported. After giving birth, she put the spiral in the baby's hand and then decided to take a picture of this unusual moment. Later the picture ended up on Facebook, but details about the mother were not given.

The newborn child is said to have two brothers. As the obstetrician, Phuong suspected, the spiral may have detached from its original position. If this happens, she can no longer prevent conception. That is why medical-doctors in Germany advise their patients to have regular ultrasound checks.

Francis Tawiah (Duisburg - Germany)
At least eight soldiers in western Chad were killed and many others wounded when their vehicle struck a landmine laid by suspected jihadists, security sources and a local official said Thursday.

The blast occurred on Wednesday at Kalam in the Lake Chad region, which has been battered by attacks from jihadists crossing from neighbouring Nigeria.

The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, put the toll at eight or nine dead and between 11 and 21 wounded.

A security source in Nigeria also gave the figure of nine dead and said the device had apparently been laid by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a splinter group of Nigeria's Boko Haram.

Kalam lies just five kilometres (three miles) from the Nigerian border.

One of the fatalities was a commander in the gendarmerie, the Chadian military source said, adding that exchanges of gunfire broke out later Wednesday between troops and jihadists in Bakaram, in the same region.

Boko Haram's insurgency, launched in northeast Nigeria in 2009, has killed more than 36,000 people and displaced more than two million from their homes.

Flarepoint region

The violence has spread to neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, prompting the formation of a four-nation anti-jihad coalition, the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), of which the Chadian army is a key component.

In March, Chad's armed forces suffered their biggest single-day loss, when 98 soldiers were massacred in their base at Bohoma, on the banks of Lake Chad.

The Lake Chad region, shared by Niger, Cameroon, Nigeria and Chad, has become a battleground in an 11-year-old jihadist insurgency. By SIA KAMBOU (AFP)

In response, President Idriss Deby launched an offensive from March 31 to April 3, declaring at its end that there was "not a single jihadist left" in the Lake Chad region.

N'Djamena claimed a thousand "terrorists" had been killed in the crackdown.

The following month, a video released by ISWAP, authenticated by Chadian officials, showed the execution-style killing of a uniformed Chadian soldier who had been seized in an ambush on April 18.

A Chadian officer, speaking on Thursday, said, "despite the victory inflicted on Boko Haram after Bohoma, we know that Boko Haram can always bounce back quickly, and we already had intelligence that they were present in the area."

Jean Bosco Manga, founder of a Chadian grassroots group called the Citizens' Movement for the Preservation of Freedoms (MCPL), said the latest strike bore out the need for stronger cross-border cooperation.

"This upturn in violence stems from the fact that you cannot claim to defeat an organised sect whose tentacles are in neighbouring countries," he said.

Chad says it has 8,000 troops in the troubled Lake Chad region and has complained that it is shouldering the lion's share of the security burden.

The MNJTF's "offensives have won victories and helped instil an esprit de corps among participating troops," the International Crisis Group (ICG) think tank said in a report on Tuesday.

"But nimble militant factions have regrouped fast, and the MNJTF's effectiveness has suffered from confusion over priorities, the four states' reluctance to cede command to the force itself, and funding and procurement delays."

Jihadist offensives

The Lake Chad basin. By Jean-Michel CORNU (AFP)

The insurgency that began in northeast Nigeria is one of two jihadist offensives that have rocked the fragile Sahel.

The other began in northern Mali in 2012, then spread to the country's volatile centre, and into Burkina Faso and Niger.

Thousands of lives have been lost and hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes, and the three countries, among the poorest in the world, have suffered massive economic damage.

The UN has deployed a 13,000-man peacekeeping force in Mali, while France has 5,100 troops stationed in the Sahel in its "Barkhane" anti-jihadist mission.
Semi driver Corey Withrow, 31, has been charged with reckless homicide and operating while intoxicated causing death for allegedly causing a fiery crash that killed four children and severely injured a man

Four siblings were killed in a fiery crash when a semi-trailer operated by an allegedly intoxicated driver slammed into their car that had slowed down for a construction zone in eastern Indiana.

The car carrying the children, aged between six and 15, was pushed into another semitrailer on Interstate 70 and burst into flames Thursday evening.

A passerby was able to pull the driver from the vehicle and he was taken to an Indianapolis hospital with severe injuries, state police spokesman Sgt. John Bowling said.

According to a statement from the Indiana State Police, just after 5pm on Thursday, a 2004 Kenworth Tractor pulling a loaded box trailer failed to slow down for traffic that was approaching the construction zone near Cambridge City about 15 miles west of the Indiana-Ohio state line.

The Kenworth hit a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu in the rear and pushed it forward into the left rear corner of another semi-trailer, which was directly in front of it.

The first semi continued pushing the car carrying a father and four children into the left lane and eventually off onto the berm, where both vehicles burst into flames.

The Good Samaritan who managed to pull the Chevy driver to safety was unable to save any of the children from the burning car.

The deceased were identified as siblings Anesa Noel Acosta, 15; Quintin Michael McGowan, 13; Brekkin Riley Bruce, 8; and Trentin Beau Bruce, 6. The car's driver, Aaron Bruce, 34, of Kansas City, Missouri, is the father of the two younger children, Bowling said.

A photo taken by the Indiana State Police on Thursday evening along I-70 shows the scene of a deadly multi-vehicle crash that killed four children, aged between 6 and 15

The sergeant described the crash scene as 'very tough' on the first responders, reported the Pal Item.

Aaron Bruce was airlifted to Eskenazi Hospital in Indianapolis, where he was listed in critical condition in the burn unit.

The driver of the Kenworth truck, 33-year-old Corey Withrow, of Camden, Ohio, escaped his burning vehicle with non-life-threatening injuries.

He was treated at Reid Health Hospital in Richmond and later booked into the Wayne County Jail on four counts of reckless homicide, four counts of operating while intoxicated causing death and one count of operating while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury.

An investigation by the Wayne County Sheriffs Department has found that drugs were a contributing factor in the crash.

Preliminary toxicology reports indicated that Withrow had multiple drugs in his system.

The driver of the second semi-trailer that was involved in the accident, Thomas Flaherty, age 57, of Springfield, Ohio, was uninjured.

Online court records show that Withrow has a history of drug convictions.
Prosecutors have refused to explain why they dropped terror charges against three men accused of supporting Kurdish fighters in Syria, amid allegations of diplomatic pressure from Turkey.

Ex-paratrooper Daniel Burke originally fought against Isis with the Peoples Protection Units (YPG) between late 2017 and June 2018.

No action was taken at the time, but he was prosecuted for preparing acts of terrorism after allegedly attempting to return to support the YPG against an invasion by Turkish-led forces last year.

Paul and Sam Newey  the father and brother of YPG fighter Daniel Newey  were charged with terror offences for sending him money and assisting him in December.

A trial was due to start in October but all charges against the three men were dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) last week.

It is the responsibility of the prosecution to review matters continuously and as the case has developed, the prosecution has concluded that there is now insufficient evidence to sustain a reasonable prospect of conviction, prosecutor Simon Davis told the Old Bailey.

Defence lawyers demanded a further explanation, but none was given when a judge summoned all parties back to court on Friday.

Mr Burkes legal team said he believed the change was directly linked to their application for the prosecution to disclose information relating to diplomatic pressure placed on the UK government by Turkey to treat the Kurdish YPG as terrorists.

A statement said threats about future trade links, and the unwillingness of the authorities to risk the embarrassment of revealing communications may have played a part in the CPS decision.

The YPG is not banned in the UK and was backed by the US-led coalition to drive Isis out of northern Syria.

Several former volunteers have suggested that political pressure from Turkey, which considers the YPG a terrorist group, could be driving prosecutions.

Turkey launches offensive into Syria Show all 25 1 /25 Turkey launches offensive into Syria Turkey launches offensive into Syria Turkish soldiers with armored vehicles EPA Turkey launches offensive into Syria A woman flees with her children during Turkish bombardment on Syria's northeastern town of Ras al-Ain AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria The first group of Turkish infantry prepare to enter Syria on the border Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Civilians flee AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Smoke billows from targets inside Syria AP Turkey launches offensive into Syria Turkish armoured vehicles enter Syria in Akcakale Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Civilians leave as smoke rises from Ras al-Ain AFP Turkey launches offensive into Syria A multi-rocket launcher fires in an unknown location Turkish Defence Ministry via Reuters Turkey launches offensive into Syria People wave as Turkish soldiers prepare to cross the border Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Girls stand together in Ras al Ain town Reuters Turkey launches offensive into Syria A woman walks as smoke billows following Turkish bombardment in Syria's northeastern town of Ras al-Ain AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria A Turkish army's tank drives down from a truck towards the border with Syria AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Turkish jet taxis on tarmac after returning to a military base in southeast Diyarbakir Reuters Turkey launches offensive into Syria A Turkish armored vehicle drives down a road during a military operation in Kurdish areas of northern Syria EPA Turkey launches offensive into Syria People sit on belongings at a back of a truck as they flee Ras al Ain town Reuters Turkey launches offensive into Syria Turkey-backed Syrian opposition fighters enter Tel Abyad AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Civilians flee AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria People flee Tal Abyad North Press Agency/Reuters TV Turkey launches offensive into Syria People wave as Turkish soldiers prepare to cross the border into Syria Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Civilians flee with their belongings AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, speaks with Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, left, as they watch the operation by Turkish forces in Kurdish areas EPA Turkey launches offensive into Syria Smoke rises from the Syrian town of Tal Abyad AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Turkey-backed members of Syrian National Army prepare for moving to Turkey with heavy armed vehicles EPA

But the CPS and police have insisted they are acting independently according to the law, and the government has repeatedly said anyone returning from Syria would be investigated.

When questioned at Fridays hearing, Mr Davis said he could not add anything to the previous succinct and blunt response by the CPS, adding: This is all that is going to be said.

Mr Justice Sweeney said the decision came after defence lawyers lodged an abuse of process argument and called for all charges to be dismissed.

Recommended UK YPG volunteers prepare to fight Turkey in new front in Syrian war

Rather than opposing the applications, the prosecution instead elected to offer no evidence against these three defendants, he added.

The prosecution declined to go further by way of explanation than stating that until 29 June, they had proceeded on basis that there was a reasonable prospect of conviction for all three defendants, but on 29 June it concluded after a disclosure exercise on the abuse of process application that there was no such prospect.

Justice Sweeney said prosecutors had rejected all defence proposals on how they could be compelled to provide more information.

The prosecution submit that none of those bases provide a court with any power to require them to say more than they already have, which is that they have complied with the code for crown prosecutors at all stages and the circumstances have changed, the judge added.

There is no basis upon which I can require the prosecution to say more by way of explanation for their decision to offer no evidence.

 Pro-Kurdish protesters march in London against Turkish military campaign in Northern Syria

Andrew Hall QC, representing Mr Burke, told the court that even if there was no legal power, the prosecution really ought to do the right thing.

He said the former British Army soldier, from Wythenshawe, had been kept in prison on remand for seven months and had his custody recently extended despite the coronavirus outbreak.

Writing on Facebook after the hearing, Mr Burke accused the CPS of wasting public money, adding: They f**ked all my s**t up and got away with it scot free. No reason, no compensation, no law to stop them from doing it again.

Mr Burke is now considering suing authorities over his treatment, and his lawyers said the case showed the need to review the definition of terrorism in British law.

Its use in recent cases to prosecute British volunteers fighting against the genocidal activities of proscribed terrorist groups in Syria arguably goes far beyond the intention of Parliament in passing the legislation, and potentially brings the law into disrepute, a spokesperson added.

Paul Newey, 49, was accused of funding terrorism by sending 150 to his son, while his 19-year-old son was accused of assisting his brother.

Daniel Newey travelled to Syria in 2017 and again in 2019, and although his father made several financial transfers during that time he was only charged over the 150 sum.

The prosecutions were the first YPG-linked terror charges brought after Turkeys 2019 invasion (Anadolu Agency/Getty)

Richard Thomas, representing Paul Newey, said he had been vilified as a terrorist here and abroad, and that the case had had a catastrophic effect on his personal and professional life.

Its not the first time it has happened and the court and the public may be calling for an explanation, he added. Plainly, members of the public need to know what is and what is not criminal.

It was the latest in a string of failed or abandoned terror prosecutions of people who fought with the YPG, amid persistent questions over how supporting a group that was backed by the British government against Isis could be terrorism.

Eight British volunteers  seven men and one woman  were killed in action and the UK government has repeatedly praised the YPGs important contribution to counter-Daesh efforts.

The CPS declined to comment on the allegations made over diplomatic pressure from Turkey.

A spokesperson said: The CPSs function is not to decide whether a person is guilty but to make fair and independent decisions.

These are made on a case by case basis in line with our legal test. Cases are then kept under continuous review.

As part of that responsibility, we have concluded our legal test for a prosecution is no longer met.
A pub owned by Sir Ian McKellen is embroiled in a row after allegedly threatening to sack staff too scared to work due to Covid-19.

Lord of the Rings actor Sir Ian co-owns The Grapes boozer, along with businessman Evgeny Lebedev and director Sean Mathias.

The 500-year-old East End pub apparently told furloughed staff they had to return to work on Saturday July 4, when bars across Britain reopened post-lockdown.

But Daniel Richardson said he wouldn't be safe in the "tiny" pub on such a busy day, due to his diabetes making him vulnerable to the killer virus.

The Grapes pub at the centre of the row is owned Lord of the Rings star Sir Ian McKellen

The message staff said had been sent by managers at the pub as they reopened again

Pub worker Daniel Richardson cried after receiving the message from his boss after he said he felt he was unable to work during coronavirus because of his diabetes

After raising his concerns with managers, he received a text that made him cry.

The message, which caused a huge backlash after it was posted on Twitter, allegedly said: "It's come to my attention that some of you don't want to return or unavailable for up to a month!

"I'm actually really disappointed by your attitudes.

"I will be making changes and letting some of you go.

"The needs of the business comes first."

Danny said: " I think firing people willy nilly is pretty terrible.

"It's ethically troublesome that a collection of millionaires should think someone should risk their health when they have pre-existing conditions on minimum wage."

Sir Ian McKellen is best known for his role as Gandalf in the Lord Of The Rings films

There is no evidence Sir Ian, Mr Lebedev or Mr Mathias knew about the threat to fire Danny, or that he had diabetes.

The text message went viral after it was shared on social media, with one man tweeting: "The f*** is this Gandalf? Sort it out."

Cassie Smyth added: "If it was a small family business fine, but it's just a hobby for three incredibly rich people."

Danny says he got a call on Friday last week and was told the threat didn't apply to him due to his diabetes.

Lord of the Rings actor Sir Ian co-owns The Grapes boozer, along with businessman Evgeny Lebedev and director Sean Mathias

But he suspects he would have been fired if it weren't for the mass outrage online at his treatment.

NHS research released in May linked two thirds of coronavirus deaths in the UK to diabetes.

Danny, of Poplar, east London, added: "To be blunt I took it really hard. I was honestly in a position where there was not too much I could do.

The pub's actions attracted Twitter users' ire, one of which who joked 'Gandalf must condemn'

"I was like, I've lost my job for a serious health condition - how am i going to pay rent?

"I was actually in tears because what the hell am I meant to do about finances, amid everything else."

But he also criticised the government for putting pressure on pubs to reopen while coronavirus is still present in communities.

On being paid the minimum wage, Danny added: "I think that's ethically very questionable.

"When I took a job originally I was disappointed in the wage for sure, it was much less than I'd earned in previous, much quieter places, family-run businesses."

The Grapes was approached for comment but has not returned our calls.
The day of the shooting, police did not release information about the attack. Bolden and the 29-year-old woman were among at least 69 people who were shot May 31, 20 of them fatally, according to Tribune data. In all, at least 112 people were shot between 3 p.m. May 29 and 6 a.m. June 1, with 30 of them dying, according to revised Tribune data accounting for shootings that police did not disclose at the time but which are recorded in police data released a week after crimes are reported and other information.
Vietnamese Nail Industry Leader Speaks of Grit, Love Amid Hard Times

IRVINE, Calif.Tam Nguyen was a toddler when his parents fled Vietnam in 1975. They lived in a refugee camp in Sacramento, California, run by actress Tippi Hedren.

It was the birthplace of the Vietnamese nail industryand today, 80 percent of Californias 11,000 nail salons are Vietnamese-owned.

Hedren, who is known for starring in Alfred Hitchcocks The Birds, helped the refugees learn a vocation and start a new life. The refugees loved her nails, so she had her personal manicurist as well as a local beauty school train them.

Nguyen has told Hedren shes the godmother of the Vietnamese nail industry. She helped his parents become pioneers in that industry.

They went on to found the largest beauty school in the United States, Advanced Beauty College in Orange County, a legacy that Nguyen and his sister, Linh, have inherited. 

Tam Nguyen is president of Americas largest beauty school, Advanced Beauty College, in Orange County, Calif. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Actress and humanitarian Tippi Hedren (R) joins actress Kieu-Chinh (L) at the Tet Parade, a Vietnamese cultural event, in Westminster, Calif., on Feb. 13, 2016. (Rachel Murray/Getty Images for CND)

Alfred Hitchcock and actress Tippi Hedren explore Cannes together after the premiere of his latest thriller, The Birds, in which she plays the title role, on May 9, 1963. (Keystone/Getty Images)

The lessons of Nguyens childhood included kindness and helping others, taught by Hedrens example. They included strength in trying circumstances, taught by his parents example.

His parents came from a war-torn country with nothing but the shirts on their backs, he told The Epoch Times. They had grit, they had determination, and that kind of positive thinking is needed now amid the pandemic, he said.

Theres many factors we cant control beyond us, but one thing we can control is mindset, he said. Having a positive mindset while being honest with the reality is very powerful.

Tough times dont last, but tough people do.

Nail Salons Hit Hard

California was the first state to issue a stay-at-home order, on March 19. Nail salons were closed from that point until June 19; the industry remained closed longer than many other industries in the state.

Nail salons were placed in phase three of Californias reopening, among other businesses that include close contact between people.

Its unfortunate though that the [reopening of the] nail salon industry came after hair salons, after gyms, after movie theaters, after barbershops, and after so many other industries, Nguyen said. It was just very challenging waiting.

Hair salons were given the green light on May 26, but nail salons didnt reopen in California until almost a month later.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom had said during a May press conference, This whole thing started in the state of California, the first community spread, in a nail salon. Newsom later said he didnt intend to create negative publicity for nail salons and he supports the industry.

Nguyen said an estimated 20 to 40 percent of nail salons will not be able to reopen because of the economic impacts of the pandemic. With the cost of putting up table shields and other safety implementations, that alone will put some out of business.

A file photo of women receiving manicures at JT Nails in San Francisco, Calif., on March 3, 2006. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Assembly Bill 5 (AB 5) had already hit the nail industry hard when it went into effect in January, Nguyen said. AB 5 prohibits contract work in most cases, mandating that independent contractors instead be hired as employees. Many of the workers in the nail industry were independent contractors.

English is the second language for many salon owners, making it difficult for them to navigate regulations as well as avenues for aid. Also, some stimulus funds are only available to businesses with W-2 employees. In an industry where its not 100 percent W-2 employees, again were falling through the cracks, Nguyen said.

Nguyen watched his parents struggle through similar challenges. He saw how hard it was for immigrants to start a business, even before COVID-19.

Due to language barriers and not understanding how things work in the United States, his parents didnt know where to get a loan; they didnt know the regulations around business; they didnt know you could negotiate a lease. They had fear of the government, fear of the police, coming from where they came, he said.

Nguyen is grateful for the tools he has that his parents didnt: He has grown up with a stable home, education, the English language, and the business foundation his parents laid.

With these tools, I knew that I should be able to do more than my parents, he said.

Nailing It For America

Despite the challenges and difficulties [amid the pandemic], Nguyen said, a group of five Orange County professionals that are Vietnamese American came together  to help those who were most vulnerable.

Nguyen is part of that group, called Nailing It For America. Health care workers who couldnt get personal protective equipment were most vulnerable, he said.

Nailing It has provided more than $30 million in supplies to health care workers. Because nail salons have always used masks, gloves, and sanitizer, they had these supplies on-hand to give. In addition to what they had already available, many salons turned into make-shift mask factories while closed for business.

What motivated our core group of friends in the nails industry to share during a time of our own loss  was something more powerfuland that was love, Nguyen said.

Many in the nail industry were watching their sons, daughters, nieces, and nephews who are health care workers go into hospitals unprotected, he said.

A nurse cleans personal protective equipment (PPE) after being part of a team that performed a procedure on a COVID-19 patient at Regional Medical Center in San Jose, Calif., on May 21, 2020. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

The fear of losing a loved one was very powerful.

Though the salons were struggling economically, they put all they could into protecting health care workers. Nguyen said, You can always build money, but loss of a lifethat doesnt come back.
EDMONTON, Alberta, July 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Restaurants Canada commends the Government of Alberta for introducing new labour legislation this week that will help restaurants continue contributing to the provinces economic recovery.

The proposed changes in the Restoring Balance in Albertas Workplaces Act will provide foodservice businesses with more simple, fair and flexible labour policies, which will help them remain operational and bring more Albertans back to work, said Mark von Schellwitz, Restaurants Canada Vice President, Western Canada. Our members tell us operating under ongoing restrictions is a challenge and reducing red tape wherever possible can make these extraordinary times much easier to navigate.

This is only the beginning of what will be a long and difficult road to recovery for our industry, he added. We appreciate the Alberta government listening to the concerns of small businesses like restaurants as they continue to do their part to rebuild the economy and revive neighbourhoods.

About Restaurants Canada

Restaurants Canada is a national, not-for-profit association advancing the potential of Canadas diverse and dynamic foodservice industry through member programs, research, advocacy, resources and events. Before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Albertas foodservice sector was a $12 billion industry, directly employing 150,000 people, providing the provinces number one source of first jobs and serving 2.8 million customers every day. Albertas foodservice industry has since lost at least 70,000 jobs and is on track to lose between $2.9 billion to $5.8 billion in annual sales compared to 2019, due to the impacts of COVID-19.
An AIIMS probe into the alleged suicide by a COVID-19 positive journalist did not find any mala fide intent behind his death or any lapses in the treatment protocol, Union Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Friday, even as he ordered immediate replacement of the hospital's Trauma Centre's medical superintendent.

He also directed forming an expert committee to suggest suitable changes in the administration of AIIMS as well as the Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre.

The committee will submit its recommendation by July 27, he said in a tweet.

A 37-year-old journalist ,Tarun Sisodia, undergoing treatment at the AIIMS Trauma Centre here for COVID-19 died after allegedly jumping off the fourth floor of the hospital building on July 6, following which the health minister had ordered an inquiry.

In a series of tweets on Friday, Vardhan said the four-member inquiry committee submitted a report on Friday.

"The committee did not find any malafide intent in the death of Mr Sisodiya. It also did not find any lapses in the treatment protocol of COVID-19," he tweeted.

"Ordered immediate replacement of Medical Superintendent of AIIMS Trauma Centre. On July 6th, a COVID-19 positive journalist patient Shri Tarun Sisodiya had jumped from the 4th floor and died," he tweeted.

"Directed that an expert committee be constituted to suggest suitable changes in administration, for AIIMS as well as JPNATC. The report, along with its recommendations, shall be submitted before me by July 27," he said in the tweet.

A statement issued by the AIIMS had said that Sisodia was admitted to the AIIMS Trauma Centre on June 24 with COVID-19.

He was making significant recovery from COVID symptoms. He was stable on room air on Monday and was planned for shifting to a general ward from the ICU, it said.

He earlier had a surgery for frontal lobe meningioma (a type of brain tumour) at the G B Pant hospital, New Delhi, in March 2020.

"While he was at the Trauma Centre for treatment of COVID-19 he was having bouts of disorientation for which he was seen by a neurologist and psychiatrist and put on medication," the statement said.

"The family members were regularly counselled regarding his condition. At around 1.55 pm today, he ran out of TC-1 where he was admitted. Hospital attendants ran after him and tried to stop him. He ran to fourth floor where he broke a window pane and jumped out," the hospital had said in the statement on the day of the incident.

The reporter was immediately moved to the ICU in Trauma Centre in an ambulance. He was intubated and resuscitation was tried but unfortunately, he succumbed to injuries at 3.35 pm, it added.

On Friday, a junior resident doctor from the department of Psychiatry of AIIMS hospital died after he allegedly jumped off the 10th floor of the hostel.
We all have seen the kind of havoc COVID-19 wreaks on our body, especially on our lungs.

Not just restricted to the lungs, early research has shown that COVID-19 may also result in potentially fatal brain damage, along with several neurological problems.

Reuters

This is as per a study published in the journal Brain: Researchers discovered that some COVID-19 patients have suffered swelling in the brain along with episodes of delirium. Some COVID-19 patients have also reported nervous-system disorders like Guillain Barre syndrome, causing paralysis, with some experiencing strokes.



Whats worse is that researchers have seen these traits in patients whore not just experiencing a severe case of COVID-19 (requiring a ventilator to breathe) but also mild ones.

COVID-19 linked to brain damage

Study researchers looked at 43 patients suffering from COVID-19 between the ages of 16 and 85 years at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London, between April 9 and May 15.

Reuters

Ten patients reported the aforementioned swelling with the episodes of delirium. A 55-year old woman who had no psychiatric history whatsoever started behaving oddly, three days after being discharged from the hospital. She would reportedly take her coat on and off, and also started experiencing hallucinations.

A dozen more patients were observed to have swelling in their central nervous system with one patient in the study group dying. Nine of the 12 patients were diagnosed for ADEM (acute disseminated encephalomyelitis) -- a rare kind of inflammation known to attack nerves in children brain and spinal cord after mumps or measles.

COVID-19 not just respiratory disease?

The frequency of cases with ADEM also rose, with two to three cases being reported every week in the months of April and May. Seven other patients who were a part of the study were diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome with some developing symptoms as late as three weeks after COVID-19 symptoms started showing.

Reuters

Researchers concluded stating that COVID-19 is not just linked to severe respiratory symptoms among patients, it is also indicative of the fact that COVID-19 can not only severely impact the lungs, but also the brain.

Study authors urge doctors to follow up with recovered patients to keep track of their mental health, along with their cardiac health.
Dr. Lee is well equipped to provide the quality hair transplant techniques and results synonymous with the Natural Transplants name.

Natural Transplants, Hair Restoration Clinic, is delighted to announce that Dr. Reynaldo Lee-Llacer II, also known as Dr. Lee, has been appointed Physician at the Washington, D.C. / Bethesda, Maryland Hair Transplant Surgery Facility.

We are extremely excited to have Dr. Reynaldo Lee-Llacer join our team here at Natural Transplants. He completed extensive hair restoration training at our clinics and is well equipped to provide the quality hair transplant techniques and results synonymous with the Natural Transplants name, said Dr. Matt Huebner, Chief Medical Director. "His personality and character alongside with his elite surgical skills will make him a leader in the field of hair transplants and I am looking forward to seeing his impact," continued Dr. Huebner.

Dr. Reynaldo Lee-Llacer II is a specialist in Aesthetic Medicine and Hair Transplant Surgery. Dr. Lee graduated from the University of Maryland Baltimore County with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. He earned his doctorate in medicine at De La Salle University in the Philippines.

After completing his Internal Medicine training at University of Washington Spokane Internal Medicine, Dr. Lee returned to Maryland with his family. He worked in primary care and as a Hospitalist. In 2006, he and his wife opened an Aesthetic Medicine practice to help provide patients with natural looking rejuvenated results based on their unique facial characteristics.

"Given my background in Aesthetic Medicine I was always searching for a way to make an even bigger impact on patient lives," said Dr. Lee. "After discovering the life changing results Natural Transplants provided to hair loss patients using the High-Yield Unit Extraction Method I knew this this was the perfect clinic to apply my artistic vision and aesthetic experience."

To schedule a free hair restoration consultation with Dr. Lee call 844-327-4247 or visit https://naturaltransplants.com/.

About Natural Transplants Hair Restoration Clinic:

Here at Natural Transplants, youll find the reason we have such happy patients is because of our patient-focused philosophy. Not only do we believe in building honest relationships, we approach hair transplantation by focusing on three specific factors: our hair implant techniques, patient care during hair loss treatment and competitive hair transplant costs. We believe that the process of hair loss treatment should be simple and easy-to-conceptualize while yielding world-class results with our High-Yield Unit Extraction Method.

Let us show you why we are different and the ONLY choice for your hair transplant surgery. We will ensure that your day is easy, relaxing and enjoyable. But dont just take it from ustalk with our many happy hair transplant patients. Let us show you our Natural Solutions and Proven Results. Call us now at 844-327-4247 to schedule your free consultation with an expert hair doctor!
Turkeys president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has declared Istanbuls Hagia Sophia open to Muslim worship after a top court ruled that the buildings conversion to a museum by modern Turkeys founding statesman was illegal.

Erdogan made the announcement on Friday an hour after the court ruling was revealed, despite international warnings not to change the status of the nearly 1,500-year-old monument, revered by Christians and Muslims alike.

The decision was taken to hand over the management of the Ayasofya Mosque  to the Religious Affairs Directorate and open it for worship, the decision signed by Erdogan said.

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Erdogan had previously proposed restoring the mosque status of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, a focal point of both the Christian Byzantine and Muslim Ottoman empires and now one of the most visited monuments in Turkey.

Earlier, a top Turkish court revoked the Byzantine-era Hagia Sophias status as a museum. The Council of State, which was debating a case brought by a Turkish religious organisation, cancelled a 1934 cabinet decision that defined the sixth-century building as a museum.

It was concluded that the settlement deed allocated it as a mosque and its use outside this character is not possible legally, Turkeys top administrative court said in the ruling.

The cabinet decision in 1934 that ended its use as a mosque and defined it as a museum did not comply with laws, it said.

Erdogan shared on his Twitter feed a copy of the decree he had signed which said the decision had been taken to hand control of the Ayasofya Mosque, as it is known in Turkish, to the countrys religious directorate and reopen it for worship.

Reporting from Istanbul, Al Jazeeras Sinem Koseoglu said the decree was not a surprise as Erdogan had previously stated that he would like to see Hagia Sophia open for Muslim prayers on July 15, the anniversary of a failed coup attempt.

Koseoglu said that in four hours Erdogan was expected to make a speech on the importance of the Hagia Sophia, and its status being altered to a mosque again.

There are dozens of people in front of Hagia Sophia museum. As soon as the court decision was announced  they have been here chanting, they have been celebrating since then, and we spoke to them, they are very impatient to be able to pray inside Hagia Sophia, Koseoglu said.

International concerns

Hagia Sophia was first constructed as a cathedral in the Christian Byzantine Empire but was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453.

In 1935, in the early days of the modern secular Turkish state under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, it became a museum.

The organisation which brought the court case, the latest in a 16-year legal battle, said the Hagia Sophia was the property of the Ottoman leader who captured the city in 1453 and turned the already 900-year-old Byzantine church into a mosque.

Erdogan threw his weight behind the campaign to convert the building before local elections last year. He is due to speak shortly before 9pm (1800 GMT), his head of communications said.

In response to the ruling, the Russian Orthodox Church on Friday said the decision could lead to even greater divisions.

The United States, Russia and Greece, along with UNESCO, had expressed concerns ahead of the ruling.

UNESCO said its World Heritage Committee would review Hagia Sophias status, saying it was regrettable that the Turkish decision was not the subject of dialog nor notification beforehand.

UNESCO calls on the Turkish authorities to open a dialog without delay in order to avoid a step back from the universal value of this exceptional heritage whose preservation will be reviewed by the World Heritage Committee in its next session, the United Nations cultural body said in a statement.

Erdogan earlier this month rejected international criticism as an attack on Turkeys sovereignty.
Its a pretty good year to pursue time in the great outdoors as a way to get away from it all -- including other people.

To help you find some sweet spots for summertime social distancing, we asked the Michigan DNR to share some of its most under-visited, under-appreciated state parks and recreation areas. What follows is a list of nine spots considered to be hidden gems based on day-use visitation numbers.

Some of these have busier campgrounds, but these are great places to begin searches for availability, said Maia Turek, resource development specialist for the DNR.

Whether youre searching for a last-minute campsite or just a spot to go play for a day, read on to discover these lesser-known destinations around the state:

Tubing Ocqueoc Falls, near Onaway State Park. | Photo by David Kenyon, courtesy Michigan DNR

Onaway State Park: This 158-acre state park, one of Michigans oldest state parks, sits on Black Lake and is a short drive from Ocqueoc Falls, the largest waterfall in the Lower Peninsula. Modern campground and camper cabin available. Park website here

An aerial view of the Menominee River and Menominee River State Recreation Area. | Photo courtesy Michigan DNR

Menominee River State Recreation Area: This nearly 10,000-acre swath of land sits so far west in the U.P. that it crosses over into Wisconsin -- as such, the park is managed by both states. The land straddles a 17-mile stretch of undeveloped river, making it an excellent destination for whitewater rafting and kayaking. Park website here

F.J. McLain State Park: A 443-acre park on the Keweenaw Peninsula, with two miles of sandy Lake Superior shoreline and great sunset views. Modern campground, rustic cabins, and four miles of trails. Park website here

Baraga State Park: This park overlooks Lake Superiors Keweenaw Bay, where it offers lots of options for recreation: paddling, hiking, ORV trails and more. Overnight options include a modern campground, cabin and a tepee. Park info here

Otsego Lake State Park has a sandy beach and is along the 2,000-mile Iron Belle Trail. | Courtesy Michigan DNR

Otsego Lake State Park: This spot has a sandy beach on Otsego Lake and is conveniently situated along the Iron Belle Trail -- a 2,000-mile corridor that stretches from the western U.P. to Detroits Belle Isle. Modern campground available. Park website here

Harrisville State Park: Walking distance to the town of Harrisville, this 107-acre park along Lake Huron is close to Sturgeon Point Lighthouse and Negwegon State Park. Modern campground and rustic cabins on site. Park website here

Twin Lakes State Park: Located in the heart of Copper Country, Twin Lakes is praised as a great basecamp for Keweenaw-area adventures. Modern campground and a lodge are available for overnights. Park website here

Port Crescent State Park sits at the tip of Michigan's Thumb. | Courtesy Michigan DNR

Port Crescent State Park: Situated at the tip of the Thumb, this Port Austin park offers three miles of sand beach along Lake Huron, plus a dark-sky preserve and proximity to Turnip Rock, a geological wonder that makes a great paddling destination. Overnight options include a modern campground, cabins, cottage-cabins, and, later this summer, geodesic domes. Park website here

RELATED: Port Austin is quiet beauty in Michigans Thumb

Wilson State Park: This wooded, lakeside park, once the location of the Wilson Brothers Sawmill and Company Store, now offers a mid-Michigan spot to swim, fish, paddle, picnic, or camp out in the modern campground or lodge. Park website here

RELATED:

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Egypt has invited Yemeni Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik for talks and consultations on boosting bilateral relations, according to a Thursday statement by the Egyptian foreign ministry.

Ahmed Farouk, Egypts ambassador to Saudi Arabia and non-resident ambassador to Yemen, delivered a letter from Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly to the Yemeni premier, reiterating Egypts interest in supporting Yemen and inviting officials for talks on the best means to bolster ties.

Abdulmalik expressed his appreciation for Egypts supportive stance on Yemen, and his aspiration to conduct the visit in order to boost ties.

Farouk also met with the Yemeni parliament speaker, Sultan Al-Burkani, and the pair mulled ongoing efforts to implement the Riyadh Agreement between the Saudi-backed government and southern separatist forces as the political and legal umbrella to resolve the crisis.

The Egyptian ambassador also held a meeting with the Saudi ambassador to Yemen, Mohammed Al-Jaber, in which they exchanged viewpoints on developments in Yemen.

The meeting saw consensus between the two countries on the means to resolve the crisis and an end to regional and foreign intervention in Yemen, and the centrality of the Riyadh Agreement to resolve the crisis and to preserve the unity and territorial integrity of Yemen.

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Press Release

Nicox Strengthens Cash Position With Divestment of its VISUfarma Shareholding





July 10, 2020 - release at 7:30 am CET

Sophia Antipolis, France



Nicox SA (Euronext Paris: FR0013018124, COX), an international ophthalmology company, today announced that it has sold its remaining stake in VISUfarma, a pan-European ophthalmic specialty pharmaceutical company, to a subsidiary of the main shareholder, GHO Capital, for 5 million. The stake consisted of shares in the UK holding company of VISUfarma and loan notes granted by VISUfarma B.V.



"Realizing immediate value from our stake in VISUfarma through the divestment to its main shareholder, GHO Capital, is a logical step in our strategy focused on the rapid advancement of our R&D pipeline to NDA submissions for our two lead product candidates, NCX 470 and NCX 4251. This agreement, in addition to the expansion of our collaboration with Ocumension in March, is a further proof of our ability to secure the right financial resources for our Company through the leverage of our multiple assets." said Gavin Spencer, Chief Business Officer of Nicox.



Nicox transferred its European and International commercial entities and certain assets and rights to VISUfarma in August 2016. The transaction is subject to certain approvals and is expected to close on or before July 23, 2020.

About Nicox

Nicox S.A. is an ophthalmology company developing innovative solutions to help maintain vision and improve ocular health. Nicox's lead program in clinical development is NCX 470, a novel, second-generation nitric oxide-donating bimatoprost analog, for lowering intraocular pressure in patients with glaucoma. The company is also developing NCX 4251, a proprietary formulation of fluticasone, for acute exacerbations of blepharitis. Nicox generates revenue from VYZULTA in glaucoma, licensed exclusively worldwide to Bausch & Lomb, and ZERVIATE in allergic conjunctivitis, licensed in multiple geographies, including to Eyevance Pharmaceuticals in the U.S. and Ocumension Therapeutics in the Chinese and Southeast Asian markets.



Nicox is headquartered in Sophia Antipolis, France, is listed on Euronext Paris (Compartment B: Mid Caps; Ticker symbol: COX) and is part of the CAC Healthcare, CAC Pharma & Bio and Next 150 indexes.



For more information on Nicox, its products or pipeline, please visit: www.nicox.com (http://www.nicox.com) .

Analyst coverage





Bryan, Garnier & Co Victor Floc'h Paris, France

Cantor Fitzgerald Louise Chen New York, U.S.

H.C. Wainwright & Co Yi Chen New York, U.S.

Oppenheimer & Co Hartaj Singh New York, U.S.

The views expressed by analysts in their coverage of Nicox are those of the author and do not reflect the views of Nicox. Additionally, the information contained in their reports may not be correct or current. Nicox disavows any obligation to correct or to update the information contained in analyst reports.

Contacts

Nicox

Gavin Spencer

Executive Vice President, Chief Business Officer

& Head of Corporate Development

T +33 (0)4 97 24 53 00

communications@nicox.com (mailto:communications@nicox.com)

Investors & Media

United States & Europe

LifeSci Advisors, LLC

Hans Herklots

T +41 79 598 71 49

hherklots@lifesciadvisors.com (mailto:hherklots@lifesciadvisors.com) Media

France

LifeSci Advisors, LLC

Sophie Baumont

M +33 (0)6 27 74 74 49

sophie@lifesciadvisors.com (mailto:sophie@lifesciadvisors.com)

Forward-Looking Statements

The information contained in this document may be modified without prior notice. This information includes forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. These statements are based on current expectations or beliefs of the management of Nicox S.A. and are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Nicox S.A. and its affiliates, directors, officers, employees, advisers or agents, do not undertake, nor do they have any obligation, to provide updates or to revise any forward-looking statements.



Risks factors which are likely to have a material effect on Nicox's business are presented in the 3rd chapter of the 'Document d'enregistrement universel, rapport financier annuel et rapport de gestion 2019' filed with the French Autorite des Marches Financiers (AMF) on March 6, 2020 which are available on Nicox's website ( www.nicox.com (http://www.nicox.com)).
Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie's production company, Play/Action Pictures, announced the completion of its first documentary on Thursday. Read more

Days after Eagles star DeSean Jacksons anti-Semitic posts prompted a national controversy, team owner Jeffrey Luries film company on Thursday announced the completion of its first documentary: The Meaning of Hitler.

The film, produced by Cinetic Media and Play/Action Pictures, is a provocative interrogation of our cultures fascination with Hitler and Nazism set against the backdrop of the current rise of white supremacy, the normalization of antisemitism, and the weaponization of history itself, according to the companys news release.

The film took three years to complete and was shot in nine countries.

It literally was completed today and hasnt been seen by a soul, and the next step is looking for a distributor, publicist Susan Norget of Susan Norget Film Promotion said.

Lurie declined to comment about the film but said in the release:

We couldnt be prouder that The Meaning of Hitler is the first completed film made by our new documentary production company... . I envisioned Play/Action to be a leading creative force for films that engage with the most crucial and challenging issues of our time. The rise of white supremacy and neo-fascism in the United States and the world over are among the most important and serious threats we face today.

Finding a distributor could be a lengthy process, and Norget said the release of the film is not imminent.

News of the documentary follows Jacksons inflammatory Instagram posts that praised Louis Farrakhan and shared a text that included a fake Adolf Hitler quote.

The Eagles said the posts have no place in our society and are not condoned or supported in any way by the organization. And Lurie and Eagles general manager Howie Roseman, who are both Jewish, spoke to Jackson about his comments.

Jackson has twice apologized. On Friday evening the Eagles released on their twitter account that they have penalized Jackson for conduct detrimental to the team but they didnt mention what the penalty was.

On Thursday, New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman, who adopted Judiasm later in life, expressed hope that the controversy could become a learning experience for Jackson.

I know he said some ugly things, but I do see an opportunity to have a conversation, Edelman said in an Instagram video.

Edelman made an offer to Jackson: How about we go to DC and I take you to the Holocaust Museum and you take me to the museum of African American History and Culture and afterwards we grab some burgers and we have those uncomfortable conversations. This world needs a little more love, compassion and empathy.
Bernie Ecclestone has angered This Morning viewers by saying that he won't be changing his newborn son's nappies because that was what 'wives are for.'

The former F1 boss, 89, was live from Bern, Switzerland, with his wife Fabiana Flosi, 44, and opened up about welcoming his son Ace, born on July 1, with Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby.

After Phil asked him whether he would be changing nappies and feeding his son, the former F1 CEO said he would do what was 'necessary,' but that at the moment, he doesn't need to step in because 'that's what wives are for'.

And he admitted that while he was at the hospital when Ace was born, he stayed out of the delivery room because he preferred to watch a video of the birth afterwards.

Viewers of the show were outraged by the billionaire's comments, and said the interview was 'toe curling.'

Bernie Ecclestone, 89, said he would not change nappies or help with nighttime feeds because that's 'what wives are for' on this Morning, and provoked the anger of viewers. The formula one billionaire welcomed son Ace last week on Switzerland with third wife Fabiana Flosi, 44

First-time-mother Fabiana, who said she was 'super happy,' said Bernie 'helps and looks after' Ace.

However, Bernie said he drew the line at nappies and nighttime feeds.

'I do whatever's necessary when it's necessary. At the moment, it's not necessary, that's what wives are for,' he said.

'That's going to be controversial,' Phil quipped.

The former F1 boss said he would step in when necessary but drew the line at nappies, after his third wife, Fabiana

Viewers said Bernie's interview was toe 'curling,' as some added they felt bad for his wife Fabiana

Speaking of his newborn son, Bernie said his home was 'peaceful,' while Fabiana added she had felt very safe giving birth to her first child, in spite of the coronavirus pandemic.

Bernie was not present for Ace's birth, but seemingly has no regrets about missing out by staying away from the delivery room.

'I didn't know what there was to see, I'd rather watch a video,' he said.

Speaking of becoming a father at his age, the former F1 boss said the situation suited him and Fabiana because they both had wanted to be parents

Bernie and Fabiana said they did not care about their 45 years age difference. Bernie said he never thought about age and still felt like a 30-year-old man

It was arranged, I wanted to be a father, and Fabiana wanted to be a mum as well. I didn't realise being a father how good an intro it is into your life, or my life anyway.

Talking about raising Ace compared to his three daughters Tamara, Deborah and Petra, he admitted he would be more hands-on with the newborn.

'Now I have a lot more time, I can spend a lot more time with him,' he said.

The couple said they do not mind their age difference of 45 years.

Viewers were 'gobsmacked' by Bernie's comments and said the former Formula 1 boss was 'cancelled'

'I think you are as old as you want to be or how old you think you are. For years I've always thought I'm 30, I've never thought about age,' Bernie said.

Meanwhile, Fabiana said: 'I think these things you don't have to think about. I think in life many things can happen, we don't plan, we're here today, he has spent years with us. We will see what happens in the next 20 years or so when it happens.

Viewers of the show were shocked by Bernie's comments on wives and nappies.

One commented: 'Well, that's Bernie Ecclestone cancelled, though I suppose this was a long time coming. Thing is, I doubt Bernie will even care about this latest controversy.'

'Bernie Ecclestone saying Thats what women are for to changing a nappy is so wrong! Like dont tell me that hes older generation thats a load of rubbish and he knows exactly what hes saying! Outrageous man,' one said.

'Ooh toe curling stuff from #BernieEcclestone on#thismorning! Feel sorry for his wife (if I didnt before),' said another.

'"That's what wives are for" silly old s**,' another wrote.

'That's what wives are for?! Bernie Ecclestone on changing nappies. I'm gobsmacked by his attitude. His wife is a saint but then again Money talks,' one wrote.
Newsfrom Japan

Tokyo, July 10 (Jiji Press)--Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology signed a joint declaration with NASA on Friday to cooperate in the U.S.-led Artemis manned lunar probe project.

In the statement, the two sides confirmed their intention to "develop arrangements" to give Japan opportunities to put its crew on the moon under the project, in which Tokyo declared its participation last year.

"We've taken a big step toward the first-ever landing of Japanese on the moon," minister Koichi Hagiuda told a news conference after a cabinet meeting.

Prior to that, a signing ceremony was held over a videoconferencing system at the ministry.

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine expressed excitement at Japan's participation in the multinational project, noting the country's technological competence.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
Etchings of fighting camels found on 13,000-year-old mammoth tusks in Siberia are the earliest known drawings of the animal ever found in Asia, researchers claim.

A team from the Khakassian Research Institute for Language, Literature and History in Russia examined the tusk found in the lower Tom river in western Siberia.

The 5ft long tusk also included an etching of an anthropomorphic image that could show a human wearing a camel disguise, according to study author Yury Esin.

This may have been a way to show how hunters dressed as a camel in order to get closer to the beasts and kill or capture them, the team explained.

Among the etchings were depictions of camels locked in a fight that may represent the start of a mating season and a vital stage in the cycle of the human community.

Etchings of fighting camels found on 13,000-year-old mammoth tusks in Siberia are the earliest known drawings of the animal ever found in Asia, researchers claim

The tusk is about 5ft long and was first discovered in 1988 but left to crumble by researchers who didn't understand its significance until this study

The camels shown on the tusk are consistent with images of camels painted in caves from around the same time - the oldest known painting was from the Kapova cave in the Ural mountains dating to about 19,000 years.

The difference to those is that this shows camels 'fighting' neck to neck and one pair have arrows and wounds suggesting they were hunted by humans.

'The comparative analysis of the stylistic features of the camel figures shows that they correspond to the age of the tusk itself, making them, at present, the oldest camel images in Asia,' the authors wrote.

'The discovery of the engravings in this region is consistent with the theory of mobile population groups moving to western Siberia in the Late Upper Paleolithic.'

Etchings could be designed to show just how important camel fights and hunting were to the culture of the community that created the artworks.

Etchings could be designed to show just how important camel fights and hunting were to the culture of the community that created the artworks

Among the etchings were depictions of camels locked in fights that may represent the start of a mating season and a vital stage in the cycle of the human community

This hunting may have been seasonal and the fights likely happened at the start of the mating season, according to Esin.

He speculated that the fights may have marked a vital point in the annual cycle for the human community living around the camels.

Not many camel bones have been found in the Tom river - the ones that have been uncovered date to between 30,000 and 55,000 years ago, Esin said.

There are some that date to the time of the tusk, about 13,000 years ago, but they were found much further down - hundreds of miles away from the river.

According to Esin this means the community were likely nomadic.

The 'human disguised as a camel' was likely an example of a way for hunters to 'sneak up' on the beasts and make it easier to kill them.

A team from the Khakassian Research Institute for Language, Literature, and History in Russia examined the tusk found in the lower Tom river in western Siberia

This tusk was first discovered in 1988 during a construction project but had remained unstudied until Esin and colleagues started their investigation.

He said very little is known about the ancient humans living in this area of Siberia but there is evidence they hunted mammoths - and now that they hunted camels.

It wasn't an easy task for Esin and colleagues as by the time they started studying the tusk it had already started to break and crack due to 'inappropriate storage'.

The actual engravings themselves are also different to others discovered.

'The engravings on the tusk from the Tom River have special features, which make them difficult to document,' said Esin.

The 5ft long tusk also included an etching of an anthropomorphic image that could show a human wearing a camel disguise, according to study author Yury Esin

'They have very thin and shallow lines, making them barely visible and tedious to trace and the engravings are on the surface of a round, long, curved and heavy object,' he explained.

This means that the tusk has to be rotated to recognise what has been drawn - but its poor condition made this difficult as it was already crumbling in parts.

They took a series of images, including close up macro photographs of the engravings to identify ways they may have been created.

'The engravings were created with a very sharp cutting tool, which, depending on the amount of pressure applied, could produce a line about 0.10.15 mm thin, or even less,' said Esin.

On the surface of the tusk they found four images of two-humped camels depicted in the same style and using similar techniques and tools.

'All camels are depicted with only two legs. The lower ends of the foot contours, in most cases, are not connected,' they said.

'The engravings were created with a very sharp cutting tool, which, depending on the amount of pressure applied, could produce a line about 0.10.15 mm thin, or even less,' said Esin

'The camels have patches of thick fur sticking out from the upper parts of their forelegs, bellies, under their necks, at the base of the humps (between the front hump and the neck, the back hump and the croup) and on their foreheads.'

'All in all, the figures of the animals are quite realistic and demonstrate a good knowledge of the subject.'

They said they could also detect signs of arrows and wounds on the camel bodies including parallel lines close to the front of each other that could show bleeding.

'Similar images of camels facing each other are quite common in the art of different cultures of the Bronze Age, Early Iron Age and Medieval period in southern Siberia and Central Asia,' said Esin.

'The camels have patches of thick fur sticking out from the upper parts of their forelegs, bellies, under their necks, at the base of the humps (between the front hump and the neck, the back hump and the croup) and on their foreheads'

This suggests that this composition conveys a memorable and important natural characteristic of camel behaviour - including two male rivers fighting.

'The resemblance of some stylistic features and content seen in the images on the Tom River tusk and in Upper Paleolithic European art is highly significant,' he said.

'This suggests that the reason for the similarities are not only epochal features of human culture, but also that some traditions were inherited through space and time.'

He said the Tom River tusk itself demonstrates that engraving different materials was an important part of cultural tradition in the Upper Paleolithic.

'In this case, stylistic techniques could be consolidated and passed down through generations, as a particular part of labour skills,' Esin explained.

The findings were published in the journal Archaeological Research in Asia.
It's happening with restaurants, offices, bakeries, and retails stores, businesses everywhere are trying to discover a way to get back to how things used to be now that the first wave of the coronavirus is starting to fade away around the world.

The FamilyMart convenience store chain in Japan has begun a new approach that may seem odd at first. This chain is replacing several of its employees in the store with robots meant to stock the shelves.

Are Shelf Stocking Robots Taking Over Japan?





The Japanese robotics company Telexistence is responsible for these social distancing robots. That's right; the robots are to help with social distancing. The company first unveiled the robots in 2018.

According to the Telexistence website, the Model H humanoid robots are equipped with binaural microphones, stereo cameras, and haptic sensors. The robots' design seems like a combination of the classic depiction of aliens where they look like little green men with a Cyberman from Doctor Who. However, the robot has a wheeled lower half so that it can move around quicker.

It isn't another instance of advanced robots replacing humans and taking their jobs. Humans operate these robots from Telexistence by using a virtual reality headset and haptic gloves, which lets the human operator move the robot around.

Thanks to the human operator, the robot can carry out its tasks more efficiently, while it also has the added benefit of letting the employees keep their jobs of stacking shelves. But this time, they're controlling a robot to stack the shelves instead of doing it in person. These employees will have to report to work at VR terminals at a separate place from the store.

On the website of Telexistence, it states that telexistence is a concept where a human is released from their space-time constraints by using a remote-controlled robot to extend their being. Professor Emeritus Professor of the University of Tokyo, Dr. Susumu Tachi, first proposed this concept in 1980. It is an evolved form a robot system where the human operator of the robot receives the information of the robot's sensors, and the operator controls the robot to do different tasks remotely.

Read More: Is This Photo of a 'White Obama' A Product of AI's Racial Bias?





Telepresence Isn't Something New

Japan has been innovative in the past, and this isn't the first time they've done something involving telepresence. A few years ago, a restaurant was staffed by remote-controlled robots controlled by people with disabilities ranging from ALS to spinal cord injuries. The project's purpose was to help these individuals have independence where they would otherwise not be able to have the chance to do the work due to their disabilities.

With how the situation with the global COVID-19 pandemic is going, the initiative of FamilyMart has a goal that seems to be focused on socially distancing people instead of connecting. However, the convenience store chain is an impressive look at a possible use for telepresence robots.

Time Out Tokyo has reported that the Telexistence robots are being deployed around a select few FamilyMart branches in Tokyo this summer. They hope to have the robots installed in 20 stores within two years.

Read More: Artificial Intelligence Will Be Making More Ethical Decisions Thanks To New Model




The nation's domestic spy chief says he is offended by a Law Council of Australia comparison between aspects of a bill giving his organisation expanded questioning powers and China's national security law imposed on Hong Kong.

Australian Security Intelligence Organisation boss Mike Burgess also revealed his agency had active counter-terrorism investigations under way involving children as young as 14 as he argued the case for expanded powers to compulsorily question foreign spies and minors.

ASIO boss Mike Burgess has said the laws are needed to counter foreign interference. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Under the bill, ASIO's compulsory questioning powers would be expanded from just terrorism-related threats to cover espionage, foreign interference and politically motivated violence. The age at which ASIO could compulsorily question a minor would be reduced from 16 to 14 if they were suspected of planning a politically motivated attack.

Appearing before the parliamentary inquiry scrutinising the proposed laws on Friday, the Law Council's David Neal suggested the power to compulsorily question people suspected of planning politically motivated violence could be broader in scope than China's law.
As COVID-19 becomes the most intensely covered virus in history, there are important lessons to be drawn from the media's reporting of another global pandemic: HIV/AIDS.

Whose lives the world deems worthy of saving depends, at least partly, on the stories that journalists tell. This was one of the findings of my research into British media coverage of Africa's AIDS pandemic, in which I analysed 1,281 news reports between 1987 and 2008.

At the height of that pandemic, journalists helped to expose how intellectual property laws and the business models of big pharmaceutical companies disregarded the health needs of those living in poorer countries. Such reporting played an important role in creating the political momentum for the mass roll-out of life-saving treatment across the global south.

But AIDS also provides a darker lesson about the capacity of the media to normalise millions of deaths taking place around us.

Burying the storyand the dead

Until the late 1990s, millions of people dying of AIDS-related causes across sub-Saharan Africa were a non-issue for the British media, much like the initial wave of coronavirus deaths in China barely registered on the international media radar. My analysis showed that BBC News reported only 14 times about AIDS in Africa between 1987 and 1995, mostly in passing. The Financial Times carried a mere 18 stories in the same period.

Little changed following the discovery of life-saving antiretroviral therapy in 1996, which remained out of reach for the majority of people living with HIV/AIDS. In 1999, there were more than 24 million HIV-positive people in sub-Saharan Africa. Some countries saw prevalence rates rise above 20%. Yet, by then the pandemic had merited just one front-page story in the British press.

As late as 2001, The Economist concluded that: "The world is not going to rescue Africa from AIDS. Only Africans can do that, by changing their behaviour." The spectacular concentration of the pandemic in Africa, Economist readers were told, was driven by Africans' presumed hyper-sexuality, cultural "myths" and the incompetence of the continent's leaders. Poverty was also to blame, since, as the magazine wrote in 1998, "those who cannot afford television find other ways of passing the evening."

Rooted in thinly-veiled racist assumptions, these assertions steered attention away from the ways that the rules of the global economic order undermined the public health capacities of developing countries.

The global AIDS pandemic has been shaped by the complex interplay of epidemiological, behavioural and cultural factors. But its unequal distribution is also linked to the punishing legacy of external debt and conditions for governmental reforms imposed on the continent by the IMF and World Bank. Stephen Lewis, the UN's former Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, denounced this as "a form of capitalist Stalinism" that decimated Africa's health care infrastructure during the 1980s and 1990s.

Yet, in more than two decades, I found only one instance that explicitly linked the AIDS crisis to Africa's encounter with neoliberalism. Published in The Guardian in July 2000, it was a letter to the editor by a medical aid worker entitled "Our guilt in the land of the dying".

It is this capacity of media reporting to mask the way that pandemics are shaped by the world's grotesque inequalities that is perhaps the most disquieting finding of my research as COVID-19 spreads to countries with fragile health care systems.

Of profits, patents and power

The struggle over access to life-saving HIV medicines that took place at the turn of the millennium showed that this need not be the case. Pitting the world's powerful pharmaceutical companies against a coalition of activists and NGOs, the international media became a central arena in which this battle unfolded.

In the early 2000s, AIDS suddenly became the subject of front-page news, op-eds and investigative reports as journalists shone the spotlight on the murky world of international trade politics, exposing how western governments were colluding with drug companies in protecting their patents.

The story of profits, patents and power became enveloped in deeply empathetic accounts of human suffering. AIDS sufferers were no longer mere objects of our pity or moral judgement. They now had names, families, friends, and tangible places of origin, as in The Guardian's "Saving Grace" series from Malawi. This period was exceptional in the history of the media's treatment of HIV/AIDSthough since the mid-2000s coverage has declined sharply.

Coronavirus warnings

As the search for COVID-19 vaccines intensifies, journalists must aggressively question whether governments and pharmaceutical companies are enacting all measures to ensure universal access.

It's deja vu for those who led the campaign for access to affordable AIDS drugs. Alarmed by the prospect of profiteering by big pharmaceutical companies, they are concerned that coronavirus treatments may again remain out of reach of the less privileged.

There are some hopeful signs that big pharmaceutical firms will not seek to aggressively assert their monopoly rights. Perhaps they are fearful of another monumental public relations debacle, as occurred when a number of pharmaceutical firms sued the South African government over AIDS drugs in 2001. Still, some experts are less sanguine about COVID-19, and fear it will be pharmaceutical companies who ultimately decide who lives and who dies.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
When the boat failed to return, its vendor found the vessel drifting in the northern end of the lake late Wednesday afternoon with the boy asleep on board. He told investigators that he and his mother had been swimming and he got back into the boat but she didnt, according to a sheriffs office statement.
MEXICO CITY - President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador returned to Mexico on Thursday buoyed by a cordial first encounter with President Donald Trump that successfully distracted from multiple crises at home but produced few tangible results.

As they have done since Lopez Obrador took office in December 2018, the two leaders refrained from the heated rhetoric both regularly employ against other targets, instead asserting their friendship and mutual respect.

Absent from the carefully scripted White House meeting Wednesday were any of the slurs against Mexico that Trump used during his campaign, such as when he referred to migrants to the U.S. as rapists  or any mention of how he has taken repeated steps as president to seal off the U.S. to all migration, both legal and illegal.

Nor was there any sign of the fiery Lopez Obrador who defended migrants from the U.S. presidents attacks during his own campaign in a book titled, Hey, Trump.

During their appearances at the White House, neither president indicated that they had had discussions about immigration or security.

They needed this trip for both to distract attention from the coronavirus, from whats going on with the economy and from the security crisis in Mexico, said Gladys McCormick, an associate professor in history at Syracuse Universitys Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. And certainly Trump is going into a very, very tough electoral campaign.

Two years into his six-year term, Lopez Obradors ambitious domestic agenda  getting control of Mexicos runaway violence, battling corruption and raising millions out of poverty  is in jeopardy.

Mexico saw more homicides last year than have ever been recorded before. Earlier this month, Mexico Citys police chief was nearly assassinated in a brazen attack on a major city thoroughfare, and last week 27 people were killed by gunmen in a drug rehabilitation centre.

Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund has projected Mexicos economy will contract 10.5% this year. If that werent enough, on Wednesday, the government announced nearly 7,000 new confirmed COVID-19 infections, the highest single day total yet.

The stated purpose of Lopez Obradors visit to Washington was to celebrate the United States-Mexico-Canada-Agreement, the new free trade accord that is replacing NAFTA and which went into effect on July 1. Yet Democratic U.S. legislators, who played a large role in passing the law, were not included in the visit. The other central topic of the meeting was the pandemic, according to Mexico Ambassador Martha Barcena.

A year ago, Trump threatened crippling tariffs on Mexican imports unless Mexico did more to slow the flow of migrants over the border. Mexico responded by deploying the newly created National Guard to stop them from advancing to the U.S. border and accepted the U.S. expansion of its Remain in Mexico policy, which forced asylum seekers to wait out the process in Mexico.

Yet on Wednesday, Lopez Obrador stood smiling beside Trump and thanked him for respecting Mexicans and not trying to impose U.S. will on his country.

The words of both presidents yesterday were not representative of their actions and Lopez Obradors comments show the absolute subordination of Mexicos foreign policy to the designs of President Trump, said Silvia Nunez Garcia, a researcher at the Research Center on North America at the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

Ultimately, the visit that drew global attention turned out to be trivial for the rest of the world, Nunez Garcia said. The two were speaking exclusively to their audiences.

The reaction from the Mexican presidents political rivals was also swift.

I had the hope that he would act with dignity, that he would put Trump in his place for all of the offences against our country and our people, Silvano Aureoles, governor of Michoacan state, from the leftist opposition Democratic Revolutionary Party, wrote on Twitter. Mexico has dignity, Mexico has memory, even though you have forgotten it crossing the border.

Barcena and her U.S. counterpart, Ambassador Christopher Landau, said Thursday that the goals of the visit were always very limited and thus its accomplishments modest.

Landau said the most important outcome was that the two leaders met face to face and spent time together. Both countries worked to make sure there were no surprises and as a result there was not a lot of drama, he said during a forum hosted by the Atlantic Council in Washington.

Asked about Lopez Obrador praising Trump for respecting Mexico, Barcena cited Trumps remarks about Mexicans being important contributors to the U.S.

This change of words, its very important, Barcena said. I think this shows progress on how the perception of each other has changed.

There is value for Mexico in having good relations with Trump. As Lopez Obrador noted, Trump helped Mexico obtain 600 ventilators when they were needed to confront the pandemic and offered to make up the difference when oil-producing nations were looking for a deeper production cut from Mexico than Lopez Obrador was willing to make.

So far, I would say that Lopez Obrador can count this visit as a win, said Maria Fernanda Perez Arguello, associate director at the Atlantic Councils Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center. He appeared next to President Trump and they didnt talk about domestic issues in Mexico and thats something that President Lopez Obrador wanted to avoid at all costs.
ALTON  CNB has announced its top spot on ICBAs agricultural lenders list for a bank size of $1 billion or more, awarded by ICBA for an exceptional performance last year.

CNB is the top ranked Ag Bank in Illinois and the No. 6 ranked bank in the nation. A core focus of CNB is a dedication to agricultural lending.
Under pressure from Jair Bolsonaro, mayors and governors are loosening restrictions even as confirmed infections spike.

When an 80-year-old woman collapsed last week in the streets of the Brazilian capitals poorest and most populous suburb, she was rushed to hospital and put on a ventilator, neighbours told local media.

But this was not just any suspected COVID-19 case.

Maria Aparecida Ferreira is the grandmother of Brazilian first lady Michelle Bolsonaro, who grew up in Ceilandia, a sprawling, dusty satellite city that has become a hot spot for coronavirus contagion around Brasilia.

The modernistic capital was the first big Brazilian city to adopt social distancing measures to curb the spread of the pandemic in March and was weathering the crisis well, until the lifting of quarantine rules triggered a surge in cases, health experts say.

Among the citys spate of high-profile patients is President Jair Bolsonaro himself, who said on Tuesday he tested positive for the novel coronavirus after running a fever. In an online video on Thursday, Bolsonaro, who said he was working from home, again reiterated his position that economic crisis from the pandemic would be more dangerous than the virus itself.





Under pressure from Bolsonaro, mayors and governors across Brazil are loosening isolation orders even as confirmed infections spike, with 1.75 million cases in the country, with nearly 70,000 deaths  the worlds worst outbreak outside the United States.

Brasilia is a case study in the risks of reopening. The capital now has more infections per capita than any other major city in Brazil, with 2,133 confirmed cases per 100,000 people. That is more than two times higher than metropolitan Sao Paulo or Rio de Janeiro, according to health ministry statistics.

Some of that may come down to more testing in Brasilia, which has the countrys highest income per capita. But specialists say the recent explosion in cases has clearly been driven by a premature reopening.

Gyms and beauty parlours reopened on Tuesday. Bars and restaurants will resume business next week under a decree by Federal District Governor Ibaneis Rocha.





This measure will condemn to death thousands of Brasilia inhabitants, said public health expert Rubens Bias, a member of the citys health council.

With rising deaths and its hospital system approaching collapse due to a lack of intensive care units, Brasilia should be in total lockdown, Bias said. He blamed the governor for ceding to Bolsonaros pressure to reopen for economic reasons. The president has said the economic effect of lockdowns is worse than the health risks of the disease itself.





On Wednesday, a judge suspended the decree reopening Brasilia and the city appealed the ruling. The governor then declared a lockdown for all but essential activities in Ceilandia and Sol Nascente, an adjacent shantytown hot spot.

The governors office declined to comment.

But the citys development agency said the Federal District has done more testing in proportion to its population than the United States, Switzerland or Austria.

It reported that coronavirus is still spreading in the city, though transmission has slowed to 1.2 people getting COVID-19 for every confirmed case, down from 2.1 in early April.

Living hell

Brazils third-largest city, with three million inhabitants, Brasilia reported its first case of COVID-19 on March 5  a 52-year-old woman who had returned from Britain and Switzerland.

In the two months after its first death, on March 24, Brasilias death toll climbed slowly to 100. But in the month after shopping malls reopened, on May 27, confirmed cases and deaths accelerated five-fold.

On Monday, the death toll passed 726 and the city reported a record of 2,529 additional cases in 24 hours.

Its chaos, a living hell. The cases dont stop increasing, said a nurse working in the emergency wing at Ceilandias main hospital, exhausted from 12-hour shifts.





The nurse, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisal by local government officials, said the hospital was short of doctors, nurses and ambulances to bring critical patients to the few beds available in intensive care units.

The pandemic has moved from affluent Brasilia to the teeming outer suburbs where workers often spend an hour on crowded public transport to get to their jobs in the centre, said the health councils Bias.

It is really tragic here. The number of cases has grown a lot in the last few days, said Cilede Nogueira, a Sol Nascente resident.

Nogueira, who works as a housekeeper in central Brasilia, said bars in her neighbourhood were packed with people not wearing masks, and neighbours were heedlessly partying on weekends.

She said lines at banks were jammed with people collecting emergency payments from the government to supplement their incomes in the pandemic.

There are electoral and economic interests that are more concerned with making money than saving lives, said Bias
Indian Army Asks Soldiers to Delete Tinder, Facebook and 87 Other Apps to Plug Information Leak

Sputnik News

07:20 GMT 09.07.2020

New Delhi (Sputnik): India has been tightening its noose on foreign mobile apps, citing a threat to national security. There have been incidents where soldiers have been honey trapped by foreign intelligence agencies and coaxed into divulging information. The country recently banned 59 Chinese apps following the border standoff in Ladakh.

The Indian army's 1.3 million troops have been asked to distance themselves from social media platforms to avoid being honey-trapped or accidentally leaking strategically crucial data.

These army personal have to delete at least 89 applications identified by the Indian defence ministry from their smartphones within the next five days, Indian Army sources say. These mobile applications include not only those of Chinese origin, as was the case of last week's retaliatory ban on 59 mobile applicationsbut also American platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

The one-page list of the application includes Snapchat, a number of dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, Cupid, Truly Madly, and several others like Zoom, Wechat, and True caller.

"The directive has been issued because there has been an exponential increase in the number of military personnel being targeted online by the intelligence agencies of Pakistan and China," said Army sources, who warned that stern action would be taken against the violators.

The decision to ban the use of listed applications in the army, taken to safeguard privacy and classified information, comes after the Indian Navy banned the use of Facebook by personnel and prohibited the carrying of mobile phones in dockyard as well as naval ships.

In March this year, India's Junior Minister for Defence Shripad Naik revealed that adversaries are using agents, posing as women, to virtually honey-trap officials of the Indian Armed Forces.

"Service personnel in the Indian Armed Forces are regularly being educated on the modus-operandi of foreign intelligence operatives. Reported cases are investigated and dealt with in accordance with existing instructions/policy," Naik stated on 11 March in the lower house of parliament while admitting that several personnel had been honey-trapped over the last few years.

In 2019, dozens of army and air force personnel were arrested after military intelligence caught them sharing confidential information with Pakistani handlers. Amid the exponential rise in spy cases against armed forces, the government set up a Cyber Monitoring Cell in the army to monitor the use of social media by its personnel, especially on non-encrypted sites. Sources in the Army, with knowledge of the decision, told Sputnik that the Army keeps tabs on its personnel's mobile numbers without infringing on their privacy.

A Sputnik

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Greece is on the verge of another lockdown after a spike in coronavirus cases caused by tourists.

Public health officials in Greece today reported another rise in the rate COVID-19 infections, most of them tourism-related.

The Health Ministry said 60 new confirmed cases had been recorded in the latest 24-hour reporting period, 40 from incoming travelers.

It was the highest daily total since late April and brought the overall number of confirmed infections to 3,732. No new deaths were reported and the pandemic death toll in Greece remained at 193.

The news comes shortly after British tourists were advised to wear face masks at all times while abroad by a group of the world's leading travel agencies.

A public health worker collects a swab sample from a boy to test for the COVID-19, the novel coronavirus, at the Greek-Bulgarian border crossing in Promachonas on July 10, 2020

Cars wait in line as they queue at the Greek-Bulgarian border crossing in Promachonas on July 10, 2020. - Greek authorities on July 9, 2020 expressed concern over the increase in Covid-19 cases in the neighboring Balkans, highlighting the risk of 'imported cases' due to the arrival in Greece of tourists over land borders

Tourists, arrive at Nikos Kazatzakis International Airport in Heraklion, Crete island, Greece, on Wednesday, July 1, 2020

The rise in cases prompted Greek authorities Friday to announce tougher border checks for tourists as well as more frequent inspections at businesses where crowds are likely to gather.

Greece on Friday said it would require travellers crossing its land border with Bulgaria to provide proof they have tested negative for coronavirus as cases surged elsewhere in the Balkans.

Greece's sole border crossing currently open to tourists is with Bulgaria, and is crossed by thousands of mainly Balkan travellers every day.

'All those entering for non-essential reasons from July 14... are obliged to show a negative (nasal swab) test result up to 72 hours prior to entry,' government spokesman Stelios Petsas told reporters.

The move came after Bulgaria registered a daily record of 240 new infections on Thursday.

Romania on Thursday also reported its biggest daily increase since the pandemic started at 614 cases.

In Serbia, where there are have been violent protests against the government's handling of the pandemic, infections have also increased in the past few weeks.

Greek authorities are already handling several confirmed virus cases in holiday areas after reopening regional airports to international flights on July 1.

In the spa town of Edipsos on the island of Evia, nearly 90 Serbian tourists were tested this week after a pair vacationing in the area were found to be infected.

The news comes shortly after British tourists were advised to wear face masks at all times while abroad by a group of the world's leading travel agencies. Pictured: A woman wearing a face mask stands in front of the Acropolis in Athens

'Relaxing (lockdown) measures has caused a rebound in the first wave,' Athanassios Tsakris, head of the department of microbiology at the University of Athens medical school told Skai TV.

'It's possible that we will see a further increase (in cases),' he said.

Meanwhile, British holidaymakers were urged to wear masks while travelling, in hotels and even on beaches, by a coalition of the world's biggest travel companies.

As part of a 'new normal' for holidays, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) is urging tourists to wear masks at virtually all times, wherever they are, to prevent a second wave of coronavirus.

Tourists should even have face coverings on by the pool and on beaches where they cannot keep a two-metre gap between their fellow sunbathers, the council says.

Airports, hotels, nightclubs, museums, gyms and all other 'indoor venues', including public areas on cruise ships, should also have mandatory mask-wearing rules in force until a vaccine is found, it recommends.

The stark new guidelines come as thousands of Britons jet off today  the first day of the Government's travel corridor scheme.

The WTTC is concerned that varying coronavirus rules around the world could lead to confusion among holidaymakers, while putting travel and tourism workers at risk of infection.

Its advice is significant because the WTTC includes some of the biggest names in travel, including Hilton, Marriott, Tui, Expedia, Carnival Cruises, Silversea Cruises, Amex Global Travel and Google.

The organisation said its recommendations had been informed by medical experts from Harvard University.

As of today, English holidaymakers are allowed to visit 59 countries and 14 British territories without having to enter a two-week quarantine on their return.
Its summertime and many of us may be planning a trip. With the coronavirus pandemic growing in the United States and places around the world, below is some information to consider before you go, based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines.

According to the CDC, travel increases your chances of exposure to the COVID-19 virus, and staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others from getting sick. But if your travel plans are still on, consider these factors:

Is COVID-19 spreading where youre going? You can get infected while traveling .

Will you or those you are traveling with be within 6 feet of others during or after your trip?

Being within 6 feet of others increases your chances of getting infected and infecting others .

Being within 6 feet of others increases your chances of getting infected and infecting others Are you or those you are traveling with more likely to get very ill from COVID-19?

Do you live with someone who is more likely to get very ill from COVID-19?

Does the state or local government where you live or at your destination require you to stay home for 14 days after traveling?





IF YOU TRAVEL

Dont go if you are sick or have been around someone with the coronavirus.

Clean your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub your hands together until they feel dry.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

Avoid close contact with others. Keep 6 feet away from others.

Wear a cloth face covering in public.

Cover coughs and sneezes.

Pick up food at drive-throughs, curbside restaurant service or stores.

TYPES OF TRAVEL

Air, bus or train travel: Social distancing is difficult, and you may have to sit near others (within 6 feet), sometimes for hours, wearing cloth face coverings.

Social distancing is difficult, and you may have to sit near others (within 6 feet), sometimes for hours, wearing cloth face coverings. Car travel: Making stops along the way for gas, food, or bathroom breaks can put you and your traveling companions in close contact with other people and surfaces.

Making stops along the way for gas, food, or bathroom breaks can put you and your traveling companions in close contact with other people and surfaces. RV travel: RV travel typically means staying at RV parks overnight and getting gas and supplies at other public places. These stops may put you and those with you in the RV in close contact with others.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

Bring enough of your medicine to last the entire trip.

Pack enough hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol) and keep it within easy to reach.

Bring cloth face coverings to wear in public places.

Prepare food and water for your trip. Pack non-perishable food in case restaurants and stores are closed.

If you are considering cleaning your travel lodgings, see CDCs guidance on how to clean and disinfect.

TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS While you are traveling, it is possible a state or local government may put into place travel restrictions, such as stay-at-home or shelter-in-place orders, mandated quarantines upon arrival, or even state border closures. For up-to-date information and travel guidance, check the state or local health department where you are, along your route and at your planned destination. Continue checking for updates as you travel.

INTERNATIONAL RESTRICTIONS Because the coronavirus pandemic is a worldwide disaster, the CDC recommends that travelers avoid all nonessential travel to all global destinations.

Travelers are especially urged to avoid all nonessential travel to Brazil, China, Iran, most of Europe, the United Kingdom and Ireland. Foreign nationals who have been in one of these countries over the past 14 days will not be allowed to enter the United States.
An Australian woman who flew home from the United States to be with her dying mother has been forced into hotel quarantine after having her request for an exemption denied by authorities.

Nicole Sadilek and her daughter Paige, 17, had applied for the exemption before making the journey from their home near San Francisco last week.

The mother and daughter arrived in Sydney on Sunday - hoping to spend two or three days confined to a CBD hotel before being granted permission to isolate at Mrs Sadilek's sister's home in Ipswich, south-west of Brisbane.

That way, Mrs Sadilek could see her mother Nicolette Hammond, 76, through the window in what might be her final days battling lung cancer.

Nicole Sadilek was denied permission to be with her dying mother Nicolette Hammond (pictured together) by the Queensland government

Mrs Hammond's (pictured) cancer has metastasised to her liver and in a further complication she had broken her hip in a fall on June 15 - leading to her family in the US to try and get an exemption to see her in in her final days

Mrs Hammond's cancer - first diagnosed last year - has since metastasised to her liver and in a further complication she had broken her hip in a fall on June 15.

But in a heartbreaking twist the mother and daughter were told on Wednesday night by Queensland Health their request had been denied as it did not constitute 'exceptional circumstances' and they had to withstand 14 full days in quarantine.

'I was just numb,' Mrs Sadilek told Daily Mail Australia. 'I couldn't believe her imminent passing was not a circumstance that would warrant quarantine.'

Mrs Sadilek, 46, said she had submitted a letter from both her mother's social worker and a doctor - with the latter saying it would be beneficial for Mrs Hammond to have her daughter by her side.

While the sudden rejection had left her mother numb, Paige said the news she may never see her grandmother's final moments reduced her to tears.

'When we got the denial my mum was the strong one - she was just in shock,' she said.

Mrs Sadilek and her daughter Paige are pictured confined to quarantine in Sydney - where they have been forced to remain for two weeks despite their pleas to be with their dying relative

Paige is pictured with her grandmother. 'When we got the denial my mum was the strong one,' the teenager said as she revealed she broke into tears when she got the news

'For me, that was the moment I broke down - I was so taken back that they could refuse us.'

To add to their despair, the pair missed a connecting flight from Sydney to Brisbane owing to delays - which would have allowed them to quarantine closer to their dying relative.

'I do understand that a lot of people will take advantage and not isolate like they say they will,' the mother said.

'The cases here are admirable and how you've kept them so low is astounding. I understand the government wanting to be cautious.

'But when you have been given proof about someone's demise it's cruel and inhumane for them to do this.'

She said one woman she knew was on day 12 of her quarantine when she found out the relative she had travelled to Australia to visit in their final moments had passed away.

Passengers off the Melbourne to Sydney train service have their temperature checked by NSW Health officials at Central Station on July 2

Queensland Health said it was unable to comment on Mrs Sadilek's individual case, but said every rejection or approval was made with the applicant's 'safety in mind'.

'Currently only Australian citizens, residents and immediate family members can travel to Australia,' the department said in a statement.

'All travellers from overseas are required to quarantine for 14 days when they arrive in Australia. This is a federal government decision.

'We want to assure Queenslanders that every exemption application is considered with their safety in mind.

'These are difficult decisions and we understand being separated from loved ones, especially those who are unwell, is an extremely difficult circumstance to be in.

'The compulsory quarantine period being used in Queensland, consistent with that of our state and international peers, is there to protect our community from the ongoing international COVID-19 pandemic.'
Lessons from personal experience -- Shaune Jordaan, Hoorah Digital

As the trend towards decentralised production and the in-sourcing of digital and creative work gathers force globally in the marketing and advertising sectors, Hoorah is ahead of the curve having positioned itself firmly in the consultancy space from the get-go.Anticipating the switch from traditional outsourcing, the company made the call early on to leverage our collective skills and capabilities to create a model for other businesses that effectively facilitates their transition back to in-house advertising and marketing.The role of a digital transformation consultant to brands, such as Nestle in our case, is to offer critical support to businesses seeking to transform their creative elements into a model that is more nimble, more agile, and ultimately, is better prepared to meet the demands of the digital world. The key is to ensure this transition takes place without sacrificing the quality or creativity of the final product.Our approach first identifies the issues, after which we work with the client to develop the core competencies and strategies that the business needs to not only function, but to flourish in a digital reality.Data intelligence has always been central to Hoorah Digitals philosophy, and is core to the consultancy work we do with brands to build their in-house capability. The backbone of this capability is a data-based studio that can use data effectively. So when we build an in-house studio for a brand, much of the focus is on helping their team understand dashboard reporting and how to deep dive to identify trends and provide insights into what matters most to their customers. Social listening is a key part of understanding what clients want and need, before taking that information and crafting it into a creative product.While data is the foundation on which the in-house agency is built, the creative execution  how that data is turned into something meaningful and relatable  is where the real value lies. Whether the tool for doing this is animation, AR, VR and something more traditional and lo-tech, is of secondary importance. The secret to helping brands build in-house capability is ensuring they appreciate that a data-led approach is what ultimately makes the work more effective. This is because it will be relevant to customers needs and preferences, with creative delivery just the cherry on top.Working collaboratively is the only way we know how to work. Its how we achieve the best results for clients. Each client is unique, so the objective is to always ensure the highest level of understanding of their business requirements, while demonstrating agility in order to drive measurable cost benefits.Importantly, brands cant assume that by simply hiring a digital person theyre getting the necessary skill-set to build in-house capability. It takes a team of digital veterans  people who are at the top of their respective games  to guide and advise businesses on how to bring these capabilities back home. At Hoorah, were proud of the fact that weve managed to attract some of the industrys top talent, people who have built agencies and brands and who know what it takes to be real, to be relevant and to ensure this happens in a way that drives revenue.Digital transformation is about solutions, and any sector that fails to make the change risks falling far behind. Remember that digital transformation is not limited to the tools and the technology either, but also references an approach to business leadership that values innovation, solutions and a future-forward ethos.When we work with brands, we are committed to helping them understandit makes the most business sense to bring their media technology in-house, andit benefits the business.The move towards in-housing is unlikely to go away any time soon, and has the potential to be severely disruptive for agencies. In short, it's forcing the industry to rethink what is increasingly becoming an outdated, resource-intensive business model.
The coronavirus has been found on packages and the inner wall of a container of frozen shrimps imported from Ecuador on July 3, said Bi Kexin, head of the import and export food safety bureau of the General Administration of Customs (GAC) at a press conference on Friday.

He noted that the nucleic acid tests on the shrimp bodies and inner packages showed negative results.

On the same day, the GAC announced the suspension of imports from three Ecuadorian companies due to the risk of the novel coronavirus.

Three companies include "Industrial Pesquera Santa Priscila S.A., Empacreci S.A., and Empacadora Del Pacifico Sociedad Anonima Edpacif S.A.", GAC said in a statement on its official website, adding that the coronavirus was found on the outer packaging of their goods.

Meanwhile, the shrimps produced by these companies after March 12 to be recalled or destroyed.

According to the statistics from China's Aquatic Products Processing and Marketing Alliance, nearly 30,000 tons of shrimp were exported from Ecuador to China during March this year.

To prevent the risk of the COVID-19 epidemic through imported cold chain foods into the country, the Chinese customs conducted the coronavirus detection works on the imports of cold chain products.

So far, the GAC has suspended imports of products from 23 overseas meat companies. Many countries and companies are actively cooperating with China. The customs authority said that 10 of them had suspended their exports to China spontaneously according to Chinese requirements.

(CGTN)
Exhibits on the African savanna and comic book heroes, as well as a celebration of real-life heroes in the medical community are being readied as the staff at the Springfield Museums prepare for the impending return of visitors to the Quadrangle on Monday.

With pandemic protocols in place after a nearly four-month closing, the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss, Springfield Science, and George Walter Vincent Smith Art museums, as well as the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History and Michele and Donald DAmour Museum of Fine Arts, are about to reopen their doors to the general public.

Its a wonderful time. Weve been waiting for this moment for a long time and I believe the entire staff is absolutely looking forward to having visitors back at our museums, said Kay Simpson, president and CEO of the Springfield Museums.

But when the doors open on Monday, the first two hours every Monday from 10 a.m. to noon will be for seniors only.

Simpson noted the museums will be opening only at 25% of their full capacity.

Because a of the limited number of people allowed in the Museums at one time, we will be selling tickets which will be timed by the hour, allowing us to spread visitors out over the course of the day. We are asking those planning a visit to purchase their tickets ahead of time on our website, but we will also honor those who come to the museum without advance tickets, she said.

Even though we have been closed, staff have been hard at work planning for our reopening and ensuring that when visitors do come back it will be a safe and healthy environment for everyone, Simpson said.

Similar to safeguards in place at many other facilities that have already reopened, the Springfield Museums have added Plexiglas shields and no-touch credit card machines at the Welcome Center desk, Museum Store, and Blake House Cafe. They have also stepped up cleaning protocols, especially on high-touch surfaces. But visitors are expected to do their part, too, by wearing masks that cover their nose and mouth (for those older than two) and social distancing from people not in their party. Staff also are required to wear masks. There will also be hand-sanitizing stations throughout the buildings, social-distancing markers, and one-way walking traffic.

The biggest difference in your experience at the Museums is where we have family-friendly exhibitions and programs that will be less interactive for some, but that doesnt mean to say we have eliminated interactivity altogether. Of course, we are encouraging visitors who want to engage with an interactive exhibit to sanitize their hands before and after using it, Simpson said.

For those comfortable with hands-on experiences, the museums do have all their interactive exhibits in place, and have added more hand sanitizing stations and more frequent cleaning by the staff to enhance their safe use.

And for those who arent so sure about a hands-on experience, they have enhanced interactivity in a different way for visitors, Simpson said.

We will be allowing people to still enjoy their interactive experience through their cell phones which can be used as a virtual guide by texting 256512. There will be virtual gallery tours and maps and fun scavenger hunts, said Simpson about the virtual guide which is named after a character in the Dr. Seuss book, One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.

There will also be paper handouts, single use packets, which can be taken home, she added.

The Museums have also enhanced their cell phone audio tours, adding more stations to the Science Museum, DAmour Museum of Fine Arts, and Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum. The Seuss Museum audio tour is available in English, Spanish, and Chinese.

When kids step foot into the Springfield Science Museum, they will be greeted with a new exhibit to enjoy  Disneys The Lion Guard.

The exhibit, which was supposed to open in May when we were closed, will be open through the beginning of September, Simpson said.

As part of the exhibit, young and old adventurers alike will travel through the Pride Lands where they will be inspired to protect the Circle of Life. Children will have the opportunity to train in the Lion Guards secret lair, explore the power of teamwork by utilizing each of the Lion Guards unique traits to go on special missions, and discover and learn about the African savanna and the animals that live there.

In addition to welcoming visitors back, the Wood Museum of Springfield History will welcome on July 19 a number of superheroes to Springfield  including Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man and more  as part of the traveling Hall of Heroes exhibit.

It will be fun for kids to see their favorite superheroes, and no matter your age to pose for selfies with many of these larger-than-life statues, Simpson said.

The exhibit also features a full scale half replica of the 1960s Barris Kustoms Batmobile and various other movie props, replicas and rare artifacts from past and present major motion pictures and television shows.

Simpson noted they are extending the Voices of Resilience: The Intersection of Women on the Move exhibit to January 3, 2021, which opened a month before stay-at-home orders.

Its a great exhibit, an important one that everyone should see, she said.

Voices of Resilience celebrates the intersecting lives of women in Massachusetts and beyond who have changed the course of history. Through highlights of diverse hidden figures and narratives, the exhibition explores the collaborative and interconnected stories of social, educational, and cultural change as defined by women, women of color, and others on the move to a more inclusive and just world.

Also, LUSTER: Realism and Hyperrealism in Automobiles and Motorcycle Painting, which was supposed to open in June, is now open to the public.

For over a century, automobiles and motorcycles have captured Americas popular imagination, making their way into movies, television, music, and fine art. The exhibition includes over 50 photorealist and hyperrealist paintings inspired by cars and bikes. Depictions of shimmering engines and glistening tanks will be featured alongside paintings of vintage automobiles, each rendered with exacting virtuosity.

Also, particularly important for the times, noted Simpson, is a new exhibit set to open on Aug. 1 called Heroes in Healthcare: Celebrating Springfields Medical Community.

Not only is this an important exhibit as we face the global pandemic of COVID-19, but it complements our other new Hall of Heroes exhibit. In addition to celebrating some of Springfields many healthcare heroes over the years, the exhibit will feature information on the great pandemic of 1918, Simpson said about the exhibit that features Baystate Medical Center and Mercy Medical Center.

For those who want to do a little shopping, the Museum Store will be open, but allowing only eight visitors at a time. You can also opt to reserve time by calling ahead for reservations at 413-263-6800, ext. 362. Also, the Blake House Cafe will offer outside service only, with separate order and pickup window.

Looking forward to the months ahead, Simpson said they are still hoping to hold their Annual Gingerbread Competition and Exhibit in November and December.

While we are opening now at limited capacity, the hope is that as Governor Baker moves ahead with the states reopening, the number of people who can access the exhibit will be increased, she said.

Simpson said she is aware of the fact that some visitors may feel a little hesitation coming back to the Museums.

We are doing everything possible to keep them safe and believe that their comfort level of visiting the museum will build over time. And, of course, everyone is hoping that once there is a vaccine for COVID-19 or an effective treatment, that it will have a beneficial impact on the museum and our lives, she said.

Museum hours are Monday from 10 a.m. to noon for seniors 60 years and older, then noon to 5 p.m. for others; Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information on the Museums and the new safety procedures in effect, visit springfieldmuseums.org.

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Pastors 30-y-o son dies of coronavirus, becomes youngest victim in Nashville

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As far as his family knows, Darius Settles had no health problems. But five days after he tested positive for COVID-19, the son of Pastor David Settles of The Worship Center in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, died at the age of 30 on July 4.

"The virus is real," Pastor Settles, who is now getting ready to bury his son on Saturday, told The Daily News Journal. "Its not a hoax, and its not a joke. Its real. Even with his age, I was convinced hell be fine. Hes young. He can fight it off. But that was not the case."

Darius sister, Deja Settles, told NBC affiliate News4 that when she learned her brother was diagnosed with the virus, she thought he would recover quickly too.

I wasnt prepared for this. It wasnt a possibility in my mind. I thought, he [was] going to be fine, she said.

Darius Settles lived in Nashville's Antioch community, the newspaper reported. He is among the 685 people to have died in the state after contracting coronavirus as of Tuesday afternoon, according to the Tennessee Department of Health.

The state has reported 55,986 total cases of coronavirus with 32,736 recovered cases and 3,023 patients hospitalized.

Darius Settles, who was married and the father of a young son, is the youngest person to die of COVID-19 in Nashville so far, according to News4.

Pastor Settles, who spent Tuesday choosing suits for his sons funeral, recalled how scared his son was when his condition worsened during his quarantine period. Settles said that his son begged him and his wife for prayer.

He was scared, David Settles remembered. He told my wife he was scared. He asked, Please mama, pray for me.

The pastor told The Daily News Journal that one of the things that complicated his sons medical care was that he didnt have health insurance. The pastor said that the lack of health insurance is why his son delayed seeing a doctor even though he encouraged him to do so.

"He didn't have health insurance," David Settles said. "He put it off."

The pastor explained that last Wednesday, his son went to TriStar Southern Hills Medical Center and came home with an inhaler and antibiotics to treat pneumonia.

When his son called him last Friday, the pastor said, he was desperate.

He said, Dad, I need you to pray for me, the pastor explained. His breath was very shallow. I said, I always pray for you. And he said No, I need you to get the oil and come pray for me.

He got anointed oil from his church and when he arrived at his sons home, his son had heavy congestion. When Darius Settles stopped breathing at home on Saturday, he was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

David Settles said that his son told him before he died that he didnt know how he contracted the virus. The pastor is now urging people to wear a mask to protect others and themselves.

I keep hearing people say, I dont need a mask, I dont need a mask. But you dont know who youre affecting, Settles said. Somebody passed it to my son. Somebody gave it to my son. And he could have been alive today if someone had just worn their mask.

A GoFundMe online fundraiser has been established to help the family raise money for a memorial service. As of Wednesday afternoon, nearly $16,000 has been raised.

According to the fundraiser, Darius Settles began his own business at the age of 25 selling luxury, custom-fit suits.

He really knew how to make people feel and look good, the fundraising webpage reads. We would love to give Darius the proper send-off and need your help to do so.
A murder investigation has been launched after a man was stabbed to death in east London, the Metropolitan police have said.

Police officers were called to Alexia Square, close to Crossharbour DLR station in Poplar, after 6pm on Friday and found a man, believed to be in his late teens or early 20s, with stab wounds.

Despite emergency services providing first aid to the victim, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

A murder investigation is under way after a man, believed to be in his late teens or early 20s, was stabbed to death in east London. Pictured: Police forces arrive to the scene

Forensic teams sweep the area after police were called to Alexia Square, close to Crossharbour DLR station in Poplar, after 6pm on Friday

A second man, who is believed to be in his late teens, was also taken by the London Ambulance Service to an east London hospital and police are yet to give an update on his condition.

Today a crime scene remained in place at the scene and Crossharbour Station was closed.

The police force also confirmed that no arrests had yet been made and enquires continue.

A statement released by the force read: 'A murder investigation is underway following a stabbing in Poplar.

'Police were called shortly after 18:00hrs on Friday, 10 July to reports of two males injured at Alexia Square, E14 close to Crossharbour DLR station.

Police officers carry out investigations after the man was pronounced dead at the scene

An officer stands at the scene where a man, believed to be in his late teens or early 20s, was found with stab injuries

'Officers attended and found a man, believed aged in his late teens or early 20s, suffering stab injuries.

'Emergency services provided first aid but despite their efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

'Next of kin are yet to be informed.

'At this early stage anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or tweet @MetCC and quote CAD6215/10July. Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.'
Day 4 of the secret investigation of EFCCs ex-chairman Ibrahim Magu has shed more light on the allegation of shady deals hes answering for before the Justice Ayo Salami-led panel operating inside Aso Rock since Monday.

According to initial reports, AGF/Justice Minister Abubakar Malami petitioned gathered that the Justice Ayo Salami-led panel was interested in establishing if indeed Magu bought properties abroad, particularly in Dubai, where he was said to have travelled to several times on official and private visits.

Allegations that N39bn had been diverted from the recovered loot.

Allegation that he sold off or mysteriously released about 157 oil tankers without following due process.

Allegation by the Auditor-General of the Federation last year also noted that about N13.96bn reported as salaries and wages in the consolidated financial statement of the EFCC were not in the anti-graft agencys trial balance submitted for reconciliation.

Allegation that EFCC had doubtful cash balance of over N315m.

Allegation that he had properties in Dubai.

For some of the allegations, Magu, according to reports, was not able to explain while for some, he offered explanations.
A Californian army veteran diagnosed with PTSD has said he flies a Nazi swastika flag on his SUV to demonstrate his disdain for the Black Lives Matter movement and gay people.

Jesus Seineke, who served in the Army Infantry, displays the racist symbol in the back window of his SUV when he goes out for a drive in San Diego.

Seineke, a community service worker, told his local television news channel: 'I am in total opposition of Black Lives Matter or supporting anything to do with gays.'

Jesus Seineke with his son, pictured earlier this year. Seineke is driving his car with a swastika flag in what he describes as a protest against Black Lives Matter and 'gays'

Seineke's red SUV with the swastika flag flying out the back of the vehicle, in California

Seineke was in the Iraqi city of Mosul in August 2004 when his Stryker vehicle was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade during an ambush.

He told PBS that he suffered from back injuries, while the soldier sitting next to him was shot in the face.

Around 11 hours later, Seineke fired at a rapidly-approaching vehicle, only to find it contained an old man, a young woman and two young children.

During a gunfight, he suffered a traumatic brain injury, he told ABC in 2013.

On his return to the U.S. he was diagnosed with PTSD, and lost custody of his children.

Seineke attempted suicide, but turned his life around and won back custody. He also now has a daughter.

Seineke fought in Iraq in 2004, engaging in intense combat that left him with PTSD

Seineke speaking to NBC's local affiliate about his flag on the SUV around town

But his provocative flag resulted in a confrontation on June 28, when a man and a woman attacked him and the flag in a Rite Aid parking lot.

Seineke told NBC7: They said F*** your Nazi shit.

Seineke's neighbor in Alpine, San Diego County, Jerry Bulinski, was among those appalled by Seinekes display.

'It just represents the wrong ideals,' he said.

'Its a horrible part of history and it shouldnt be celebrated.'

Another neighbor, Nycki Koch, told the TV station it was deeply disturbing.

'Sometimes when I see it I think, Oh my God, what is happening here,' she said.

Seineke claims to keep the swastika out of sight when he is at home to avoid angering his neighbors.

Locals in San Diego claim to have seen a man waving a Nazi flag while standing on the hood of his SUV two days before Heineke was attacked in the parking lot.

It is unclear whether that man was Heineke, as he was gone by the time deputies from San Diego County Sheriffs Office arrived.
Head of United States Central Command Gen. Frank McKenzie, after meeting with Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi in Baghdad, told reporters he is confident the Iraqi government will request that some US forces remain in the country.

The government of Iraq recognizes the true value that the coalition brings to the fight against Daesh (another name for ISIS) in Iraq, and I believe that going forward, they're going to want us to be with them, McKenzie said.

The statement comes as the US and Iraq prepare for another round of dialogue on the future of US troop presence in Iraq, where they have been leading the international coalition against Islamic State since 2014.

McKenzie described an enduring yet perhaps smaller US footprint, adding that the United States may reduce its forces over time "as the Iraqis get better at what they do" and the United States continues to hand off more responsibility.

The US-led coalition is also bringing new international military advisors into Iraq as part of a restructuring as the US consolidates its operations in the country.

Thirteen coalition countries have responded to a request by the coalitions American commander to contribute advisers, some of whom have already replaced international military trainers who departed Iraq earlier this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, coalition spokesman Col. Myles Caggins told Al-Monitor by phone.

The arrivals come as the coalition shifts the focus of its mission in the country to mentoring senior Iraqi commanders via a central location in Baghdad at the Joint Operations Command Center, which is being retrofitted and dubbed the Enhanced Joint Operations Center.

Instead of doing the work in Kirkuk, Mosul, al-Qaim, Taqaddum, all of that advisory work is done now in Baghdad, Caggins said.

The coalition withdrew from six bases in those and other areas earlier this year, handing them over to Iraqi military commanders in the provinces while pulling international troops back to larger garrisons such as Camp Taji, Erbil and Ain al-Asad airbase.

The decision to consolidate was made last year as Iraqs military increasingly showed its ability to manage IS' battered insurgency. The move was hastened by the coronavirus pandemic and continued rocket fire, which the United States has blamed on Iran-linked militias.

With fewer bases to manage, protect and supply, officials decided to centralize the Iraq branch of the counter-IS mission in Baghdad while transitioning to advising the higher levels of the Iraqi military, Caggins explained.

At a change-of-command ceremony in Baghdad last week, the coalitions Task Force-Iraq handed off its mission to the incoming Military Advisory Group, led by US Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Ryan Rideout. Like his predecessor, Rideout will answer to the coalitions commander, US Army Lt. Gen. Pat White.

Until it was relieved last week, Task Force-Iraq was built around a US Army Brigade Combat Team. The Military Advisory Group will be smaller than Task Force-Iraq, freeing up the brigade commander, Col. Phillip Kiniery of the US Armys 82nd Airborne, to focus on other tasks.

This is operational advising. This is a bunch of officers sitting around a map planning the next wide-scale counter-ISIS operation, Caggins said.

For the first time since the US-led coalition intervened against IS in Iraq in 2014, Iraqi liaison officers from the provinces will be assigned dedicated advisers in Baghdad. Teams will be made up of about a dozen coalition military advisers each, Caggins said.

White hinted at the transition in a call with reporters last month. So far, 13 out of the roughly 30 coalition countries that contribute militarily have agreed to send advisers, Caggins said. Some are here, some are on the way, he said. It wasnt really a hard sell.

The transition is not without risks. The base consolidation raised concerns earlier this year of a possible IS resurgence in Iraq, as pulling out of the provinces reduced the coalitions intelligence gathering capabilities and available artillery support for the countrys security forces.

Bringing Iraqi provincial officers to Baghdad will help compensate for that, Caggins said. They can then leverage all the support, logistics, joint intel from there, he said.

Air and intelligence support continues, but the coalition has already largely stopped tactical training and accompanying Iraqs security forces on ground missions, with the exception of special operations.

But some experts say centralization will come at a cost. Youre not going to know what you dont know, because youre not there anymore, said Michael Knights, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

You wont know the command climate in the [provincial] headquarters, you wont know how accurate their statistics are, Knights told Al-Monitor by phone.

Yet Knights said the model appears to be working so far. What weve got right now is probably fit for purpose. I think theyre being quite economical and innovative.

No decision has yet been announced on the future of the roughly 5,200 American troops in Iraq as part of the coalition. Caggins told Al-Monitor that number is likely to be reduced in the weeks and months ahead. Officials have also said NATOs separate advising mission in Iraq could potentially be increased to help offset any changes.

US and Iraqi officials are scheduled to hold another round of dialogue on the matter late this month. If Iraqs government allows US forces to stay, the number of troops that remain is largely up to Washington.

McKenzie said Tuesday in Baghdad that he does not think the Iraqi government will not request a full US withdrawal. I don't sense there's a mood right now for us to depart precipitously, McKenzie told reporters after meeting with Kadhimi in Baghdad. Theyre going to want us to stay.

In May, White pointed to IS failed Ramadan offensive to argue that the group is no longer capable of controlling towns and villages. We just need to finish the insurgency, McKenzie said Tuesday.
The past week saw a marked acceleration of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States. There were more than 375,000 coronavirus cases reported in the United States during the last seven days, more than the number of cases reported in February, March and the first week of April combined. The daily official number of deaths, which had been decreasing in the country to an average of just above 500 each day, shot up to more than 800 for the past three days.

As a result, there are now 3.2 million people that have been infected by the pandemic virus and more than 135,000 that have died. While 1.4 million have recovered, another 1.8 million people currently have active cases of COVID-19, half a million more than a month ago. Worldwide, there are more than 12.3 million total confirmed coronavirus cases and at least 556,000 deaths.

There were also another 1.3 million people who filed for unemployment for the first time last week, the 15th week in a row that new unemployment claims have been above 1 million and more than six times the number who newly filed this week last year. In addition, 18.1 million people placed continuing claims, more than 10 times those of a year ago.

Diane Higgins, of Chelsea, Mass., right, unloads boxes of donated food at a Salvation Army while people impacted by the coronavirus wait in line for food, Tuesday, June 30, 2020, in Chelsea, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

The unemployment figures, moreover, only capture about half of those threatened with economic destitution in the wake of the shutdowns and layoffs in March and April in response to the pandemic. More than 1 million people filed claims last week under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, which provides benefits to those who are self-employed, and thus cant get normal unemployment benefits, or who are unable to work for COVID-19 related reasons.

The total number of people receiving this second type of assistance is 14.4 million, bringing the total number of people currently getting aid during the pandemic to 32.5 million. If the number of people receiving state and federal aid were a state, that state would be more populous than Texas.

Alongside the historically high unemployment figures, the National Bureau of Economic Research issued a paper noting that two-thirds of the workers currently receiving benefits are getting more money than they would be on the job. A fifth of them are currently getting double their salary. While the paper argues for a reduction of benefits or their elimination, it ignores the fact that its findings ultimately underscore the social crisis that had existed in the United States even before the pandemic.

Amid the ongoing public health and economic crises, there are increasing calls from medical professionals to again shut down states with growing outbreaks. Infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci noted yesterday in an interview on FiveThirtyEight that four statesArizona, California, Florida and Texascurrently account for about half of the new infections in the country. He advocated at least pausing the reopenings in those states, as well as closing enclosed areas where large numbers of people gather, such as bars.

Dr. Ali Khan, a former health official at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was more direct in his comments. He told CNN, If youre not doing the  things weve talked about in the past to get this outbreak under control, starting with test and trace  your only option is to shut down.

These warnings echo those that have been issued by the World Health Organization since countries around the world began to emerge from lockdown in late April. They noted then that lockdowns are only a temporary measure, one designed to allow public health systems to recover from the shock of a surge of infections, as well as set up mass testing and contact tracing capabilities.

While some states have been able to recover from their record highs of daily infections and deaths, such as New York, others have continued to see a steady rise in cases. California, for example, had a stay-at-home order in effect since March 19, but allowed many types of businesses to partially reopen in May. This included retail stores, restaurants and recreational facilities, as well as factories and other manufacturing plants.

The states new case numbers, however, have shot up in the past month. Unlike New York, which has had a sharp decline in daily cases, Californias trend has been only flat or upward. It has seen a 275 percent increase in its number of new cases since May 25 and now reports more new cases each day than any state except Texas and Florida. California also leads the nation in daily deaths. Wednesday it reported 150 fatalities and yesterday at least 135.

In the aftermath of Wednesdays death count, Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer warned, Our cases are rising. The rate of infection is increasing. And the number of hospitalizations are up. And today, were even seeing a small increase in the number of deaths. She was also forced to admit, Tragically, we do expect that more of our loved ones and neighbors may die of COVID-19 in the coming weeks with all of the increases were seeing with hospitalizations.

The city has again begun to limit testing. While testing had become more widespread in May and parts of June, the growth in cases has forced Los Angeles to allow coronavirus testing only for those showing symptoms or working in an enclosed and crowded area, and for those who have come in contact with another person confirmed to have the virus. At the same time, local officials have estimated that 1 in 140 people living in LA County are unknowingly infected with the virus and are now far less likely to be tested.

Houston, Texas faces a similar situation. There are more than 40,000 cases just in Harris County, which includes Houston. As cases spiral upward, Houston also faces inundated hospitals and testing shortages. Staffing and bed shortages at the Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital last Sunday meant that at least 10 coronavirus patients who needed intensive care were forced to wait in the hospitals emergency room pending transfer to other area hospitals. The growing crisis forced Mayor Sylvester Turner to cancel the upcoming in-person convention of the Texas Republican Party.

At the same time, paramedics for the city are reporting an increasing number of people dying at home before they can receive hospital care. While many of the fatalities are no doubt from the coronavirus, it is also likely that many have died of a heart attack, stroke or other sudden and dangerous medical condition that was not treated as a result of the overflowing hospitals during the pandemic.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 06:52:28|Editor: huaxia

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SAO PAULO, July 9 (Xinhua) -- The Brazilian city of Sao Paulo announced on Thursday that the return to the "new normal" will include the reopening, starting next Monday, of 70 parks, squares and gyms that have been closed since March.

Sao Paulo Mayor Bruno Covas was authorized by the city government to reopen the public areas with restrictions as the occupancy of intensive care beds in the city's hospitals has dropped below 65 percent.

"We will do everything with the necessary care so that there are no crowds," Covas said at a press conference.

The reopening of parks and squares is part of an array of measures, including the opening of street shops and shopping malls for a limited time per day, as well as bars and restaurants, which are now authorized to operate until 5:00 p.m. local time.

Visitors in parks will be monitored for compliance in performing permitted activities, such as running, walking, or biking and group activities in parks will still be prohibited.

"The drinking fountains will be out of operation and it will be mandatory to wear a mask," said Covas.

Gyms and fitness centers are also beginning to adopt the necessary biosecurity protocols for their reopening next week.

The state of Sao Paulo has registered 16,788 deaths from COVID-19 and is the area that has been the most heavily affected by the disease in the country. Enditem
On Dec. 28, 2013, Godfred Addai-Nyamekye was the designated driver taking his friends home from a house party in Calgary, Alta. and got stuck in the snow. When a police vehicle pulled up, the officers handcuffed Addai-Nyamekye, put him in the back of their car and drove him to an area he wasnt familiar with. Eventually, they let Addai-Nyamekye out of the vehicle, leaving him alone in -28 C weather wearing just a track suit.

Freezing and scared, he called the police for assistance and eventually Const. Trevor Lindsay arrived. Thats when Addai-Nyamekyes became a victim of assault by a Calgary police officer.

Addai-Nyamekye is now being featured in the documentary Above the Law, produced by Lost Time Media and Big Cedar Films, which highlights three cases of excessive use of force by police in Calgary.

In an interview with Yahoo Canada, Addai-Nyamekye said what happened that night more than six years ago is still hard to talk about because of the trauma he still suffers from.

PTSD is not a joke, its not easy, he said. Sometimes I get mood changes, Im still going through the healing process...it takes time to go through this process.

Addai-Nyamekye was initially charged with assaulting a police officer after the incident with Const. Lindsay. Following a trial, Addai-Nyamekye was acquitted and he has since filed a lawsuit against Const. Lindsay, the other officers involved and the Crown prosecutors.

Less than 18 months after Addai-Nyamekyes attack, Const. Lindsay assaulted Daniel Haworth when police were called to investigate reports that a man had broken into his ex-girlfriends home.

Haworth suffered traumatic brain injury and memory loss from the attack and died in 2016, after being kicked out of a drug and rehab facility for missing meetings, overdosing on fentanyl that same day.

The third case featured in the documentary is from 2015. Calgary police were called to do a wellness check on 27-year-old Anthony Heffernan. He was in a hotel room, unarmed, and was tasered and shot multiple times by police, ending Heffernans life.

Story continues

A photograph of Irene and Patrick Heffernan with their son Anthony. (Lost Time Media)

It just gets worse and worse

Directors Marc Serpa Francoeur and Robiner Uppal told Yahoo Canada the film began with Addai-Nyamekye as the focus but as they continued to dig deeper into the case over the course of five years, they realized this was a much broader issue.

It wasnt our intention to originally do an expose on the Calgary Police Service, Serpa Francoeur said. It did sort of spiral into this bigger picture and we started to see those implications of broader systemic issues coming out in case after case.

He added that one of the very disturbing aspects of working on this film is how expansive these systemic issues within the Calgary Police Service turned out to be.

The metaphor that sticks is this notion of a rotten onion where you peel back the layers and it just gets worse and worse, Serpa Francoeur said.

The thorough and frank look at the Calgary Police Service also reveals a number of issues with the process by which these cases were handled, with little resolution to date.

In 2019, Const. Lindsay was convicted of aggravated assault in Haworths case. After more than two years of paid leave he is no longer receiving a salary while suspended from service and awaits sentencing.

Addai-Nyamekye is still waiting for any resolution for his lawsuit and complaints against Calgary police officers and the Crown prosecutors.

They just keep dragging it on, Addai-Nyamekye said. Im out here suffering, going through all this pain...I thought they were going to take the complaint seriously and do something about it.

Its very disappointing...its very stressful.

Serpa Francoeur identifies transparency as just one of the core issues addressed in the film. He explained that when someone files a complaint with the Calgary Police Service, they get a letter back indicating it is being investigated but there isnt any information shared about how the complaint is being interpreted.

If youre not telling people how youre interpreting the complaints, and they come back and say you looked at A but you forgot about B, C and D, thats just bound to cause problems, Serpa Francoeur said.

That lack of transparency has now resulted in even more complaints from Addai-Nyamekye that are being processed, including complaints about the mishandling of complaints.

For Addai-Nyamekye, he said it was a battle to even begin to navigate the justice system, and even trying to find the right lawyer to take on his case.

There were so many resources out there that I didnt know and nobody would tell me, he said. Its been a very long battle but Im not going to stop fighting.

Godfred Addai-Nyamekye (Lost Time Media)

These things happen to Canadians

With the release of the film following movements around the world demanding more transparency in policing, more action to stop police brutality and excessive use of force, and calls to defund police services, Above the Law is a stark reminder that these incidents certainly occur in Canada.

When we talk about this project or when we tell people that this is set in Calgary its the same reaction, it was just total shock that this is happening in a place that we dont really think of as being a place with a high crime rate or an unsafe place, Uppal said. Its a safe place and to see some of these statistics, like in 2018 the fact that Calgary police officers shot and killed more people...than either the New York or the Chicago police department, this is shocking.

Addai-Nyamekye wants people who watch Above the Law to understand that police brutality happens in Canada.

A lot of times people dont see police brutality and all these issues in Canada but it happens it just never comes out, he said. Weve got some issues out here and weve got to address that...its about time we address all that stuff.

We need to get past this racism and police brutality, we need to address that before...we can move forward.

Uppal added that the breadth and size of the recent anti-racism demonstrations in Canada show that Canadians are aware of these issues and want to see change.

These things happen to Canadians and they happen with more regularity than we would like to believe, and people are really waking up to that fact across the country, Uppal said.

When people see these incidents and they see them again, and again, and again across the country, where people are being harmed, sometimes killed by the police and these responses, I think its really fair to question whether an armed police response is the right response.

Addai-Nyamekye wants to see a significant reform in the police force and the justice system so others do not suffer the same way he has since 2013.

We have to hold every individual to the same standards and everyone has to be accountable before the law, Uppal said. The film shows the ramifications of not taking these issues seriously, of not taking complaints like Godfreds seriously, and the rippling damaging effects that come out of these incidents when we dont give them the attention that they deserve.

Above the Law airs Jul. 11 at 8:00 p.m. on CBC and online through CBC Gem.

Do you have trust in your regions law enforcement? Vote in the poll above and leave a comment below.
They recently returned to work after filming of the soap opera was restarted in June.

And the stars from Coronation Street were spotted taking a well-deserved break on Friday afternoon as they went for a relaxing pint now that pubs have reopened.

Melanie Hill, 58, who plays Cathy Matthews, was spotted jogging in a full Lycra outfit near the studios in Manchester after wrapping a day of filming.

Keeping fit: Coronation Street's Melanie Hill, 58, who plays Cathy Matthews, was spotted jogging in a full Lycra outfit near the studios in Manchester on Friday

Meanwhile Rob Mallard, 28, who plays Daniel Osbourne, and Kimberley Hart Simpson, who plays newcomer Nicky Wheatley, 33, were spotted indulging in a post-work pint in Manchester after wrapping another day of filming.

Joe Duttine, 50, who plays Tim Metcalfe, spent his time off taking his adorable black fluffy dog for a walk in the blustery weather.

Sam Robertson, 34, who plays Adam Barlow, was spotted wearing tiny black shorts while on a calming walk nearby the Manchester studios next to the river.

The ITV soap recently resumed filming after production was halted for nearly three months due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Chilling out: Meanwhile Rob Mallard and Kimberley Hart Simpson went for a relaxing pint now that pubs have reopened

Toned: Melanie sported tight black and pink sportswear as she headed out for a jog after a day's filming

Back to business: The cast recently returned to filming with strict social distancing measures following the COVID-19 pandemic

The new safety measures are in accordance with the recently issued TV production guidelines which will be observed whilst filming the top ITV soap.

Crew have also begun preparations to ensure filming will resume in full on Tuesday at the studios, with recording initially producing three episodes a week.

The new episodes will be scheduled following the instalments recorded earlier this year before the coronavirus pandemic halted production in March.

Down time: Rob, 28, who plays Daniel Osbourne, and Kimberley, who plays newcomer Nicky Wheatley, 33, were spotted indulging in a post-work pint in Manchester

Time off: Sam Robertson, 34, who plays Adam Barlow, was spotted wearing tiny black shorts while on a calming walk nearby the Manchester studios next to the river

Time for a walk: Joe Duttine, 50, who plays Tim Metcalfe, spent his time off taking his adorable black fluffy dog for a walk in the blustery weather

Cast and crew over the age of 70, or with an underlying health condition, will be kept at home during the early stages.

As the actors return to filming, the plan is to make enough shows to continue airing three episodes a week to ensure the soap remains on-screen in July.

ITV bosses previously confirmed that older cast members will be kept at home during the first few weeks of filming.

Andy Whyment (Kirk) also revealed that kissing scenes will be banned in accordance with new social distancing measures.

The star also shared a picture of new soap scripts to his Instagram, he penned: 'New scripts EXCITED' with smiley faces and a thumbs up emoji.

This may be sad news for soap fans, as cast members who fall into that age bracket include William Roache (who plays Ken Barlow), Barbara Knox (Rita Tanner), Sue Nicholls (Audrey Roberts) and Maureen Lipman (Evelyn Plummer).

It has been reported that older stars may still appear via video calls, with a source telling Talk TV according to The Sun: 'Bosses know just how important these characters are to their millions of fans.

'And who wouldn't love to see the likes of Ken, Evelyn and Roy taking part in a Zoom quiz night?

'Or Tracy calling her dad and telling him how much she misses him. There are good ways to do it and that's what they're looking into at the moment.'
The emergence of COVID-19 is a powerful reminder of how unchecked wildlife trade can lead to the spillover spread of viruses between wildlife and humans. Understanding that wholesale bans on trade can affect community livelihoods and food security, the pandemic underscores the need for widespread pathogen screening and monitoring to better understand, predict and contain outbreaks in wildlife and humans.

To date, global biosurveillance has consisted of centralized efforts led by governmental and specialized health agencies. A group of authors--including eight researchers from San Diego Zoo Global--writing in the journal Science this week offer an efficient approach that may be more resilient to fluctuations in government support and could be utilized even in remote areas.

Given the importance for the health of a global population, the team of scientists recommend a "decentralized" disease surveillance system, enabled by modern pathogen-detection methods, which builds in-country capacity for addressing challenges. Utilizing portable molecular screening that is both cost-effective and relatively easy to use, this network would take a more fundamentally proactive approach to wildlife screening, they write.

The COVID-19 crisis has shown that the international wildlife trade is a global system in need of greater oversight. However, ill-conceived measures such as 'blanket bans' could affect millions of people and drive these activities deeper underground, further impeding our efforts to understand and reduce demand for wildlife." Elizabeth Oneita Davis, Ph.D., Conservation Social Scientist in Community Engagement at San Diego Zoo Global

The network should expand monitoring beyond human disease outbreaks to encompass a broader understanding of pathogens and evaluate their spillover risk (of spreading from wildlife to humans or vice versa), they write. To this end, surveillance focal points should include wildlife markets and farms, as well as free-ranging populations of "high-risk" wildlife.

"Since the H1N1 outbreak of 2009, which spurred governmental responses such as PREDICT to begin active virus hunting in zoonotic hotspots, genomic technologies have transformed radically," said Mrinalini Erkenswick Watsa, Ph.D., lead author and conservation geneticist on San Diego Zoo Global's Population Sustainability team. "Sequencing the genome of a virus is now feasible on miniature sequencers, directly at the point of sample collection. Today, we can more directly and powerfully survey wildlife health, identify areas of high spillover potential and contribute to minimizing those behaviors, to keep human and wildlife populations safe," she said.

Key to this approach is the creation of a pathogen database to provide early warnings of spillover potential, and assist in containment and development of therapeutic treatments.

"A decentralized approach to biosurveillance would more readily address wildlife and ecosystem health, and therefore conservation as a whole," said Steven V. Kubiski, DVM, Ph.D., a veterinary pathologist on San Diego Zoo Global's Disease Investigations team, who co-authored the perspective piece. "The ability to test multiple populations is just the beginning--a centralized location for deposition, analysis and reporting would add even more value, and could serve as an open-access resource."

The authors note that beyond endangering human health, emerging infectious diseases can imperil wildlife populations that have not evolved resistance to unfamiliar pathogens.

Additionally, the authors call for an internationally recognized standard for wildlife trade, the risks of which they call the "largest unmet challenge" for infectious disease surveillance. Despite the known risks, little monitoring takes place in wildlife markets like the one believed to be the original vector of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

"Decentralized pathogen screening in wildlife lends itself not only to early detection of pathogen spillover into humans, but helps conservation veterinarians and disease experts understand the natural host-pathogen relationship, allowing us to better conserve wildlife populations and save species," said Caroline Moore, DVM, Ph.D., Steel Endowed Pathology Fellow and veterinary toxicologist on San Diego Zoo Global's Disease Investigations team, who was among the co-authors.

"The proposed disease surveillance model will help us inventory naturally occurring pathogens in different taxa across the globe, enabling us to track future changes in viruses and ecosystem health that are relevant to both humans and wildlife populations," added Carmel Witte, Ph.D., wildlife epidemiologist on San Diego Zoo Global's Disease Investigations team.

The authors point out the value of biobanking efforts, including those of San Diego Zoo Global's Frozen Zoo, in assisting the worldwide surveillance effort.

This decentralized system is consistent with the collaborative, holistic disease mitigation strategy of the One Health approach, used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This approach seeks to decrease the threat of disease through the conservation of nature and ecosystem function, accounting for domestic animals and all other human-related factors.
Rumble

Flossey is living a wonderful life on a beautiful farm in Millbrook, Ontario. It's what is knows an "ethical farm" where cows have space to roam and graze instead of being kept indoors for most of their lives. Flossey's farm has vast expanses of lush, green grass, rolling hills, ponds full of fresh water, and forested areas for shade. This is life as it should be for these gentle creatures. Dave is a farm hand who often helps out with some of the chores and animal care. He decided to take a break on this warm, summer day and he took a seat on the hill overlooking the pasture.
The deadly Novel Coronavirus which continues to hold the world to ransom has also affected and delayed the construction works on the Pokuase Interchange in the Ga West Municipality here in Accra.

It has been revealed that the Pokuase interchange will not meet the earlier deadline announced. This is as a result of the myriad challenges the COVID-19 pandemic has brought

in the Ga West Municipality will not be completed on schedule because of challenges associated with COVID 19 pandemic.

According to contractors working on the interchange, most of the materials needed to execute the project delayed in arriving because of the strict lockdown in China in the early days of the pandemic.

A consultant on the project, Kwabena Bimpong, told Citi News he expects the completion date to be pushed past 2020 into 2021.

The contractor on the project says the current situation delaying the project is beyond his control.

The imported equipment from China was delayed by some two months.

He [the contractor] has requested an extension of time. They had imported [from China] some parts for the bridge; like the scaffolding and the formwork and the piling equipment,Mr. Bimpong said.

The pandemic has also affected the human resources as workers expected from China were unable to make the trip to Ghana.

In addition, some workers have contracted COVID-19.

When we tested some of our new entrants, as of yesterday we had gotten about 10 [persons contracting the virus]. Once they come in they are not allowed to work.

At the last count, we had lost about 100 of them because they had disobeyed the orders of their employers, Mr. Bimpong also noted.

The Pokuase Interchange project comprises a four-tier interchange at Pokuase, a five-kilometre Awoshie-Pokuase road, two-kilometre Accra-Nsawam road, two-kilometre Kwabenya road and 10 kilometres of local roads to improve traffic flow in parts of Accra.

---CitinewsRoom
Opinion Article

10 July 2020

Consumer confidence is slowly returning, with two main trends: short-term booking windows and long-term reservations towards the end of 2021, reports the latest edition of the Duetto Pulse Report, which tracked data from June 15-28 across three key hotel metrics - bookings, cancellations and web traffic.

In North America, new bookings for July, August, and September saw double-digit growth in the current Pulse Report, when compared to data from the previous edition, which tracked data from June 1-14.

Overall, pick up for the North American market is still pacing 42% behind same time last year (STLY), although some markets are faring better than others. Nashville and Florida, for example, both saw positive growth in the second half of June, while Chicago, Los Angeles and New York stagnated or even saw declines.

Looking at on the books business for further out, the latter half of 2021 is pacing well ahead of STLY, possibly due to pushback on group blocks, but still a positive sign that 2021 could prove a year of recovery.

Latin America is unfortunately reporting a different story, with declines in on the books business, as the region is hit by new Coronavirus cases. According to the Pulse Report data, LATAM's pace is not only behind last year, but it is worse week-on-week. For example, looking at on the books for July 2020, the progression over the past four weeks leaves on the books at 1% less for the week of June 22-28 than it was for the week of June 1-7. In other words, LATAM has less on the books for July 2020 now than four weeks ago, which suggests the region is losing more bookings than it is gaining.

UK Hotels Reopen

Data for EMEA was buoyed by the announcement that hotels in England could reopen on July 4 and in Scotland by mid-July.

New bookings in the UK saw strong acceleration, with July recording a 479% increase, August 280% and September 88% compared to the last Pulse Report edition.

In comparison, the DACH and Iberia regions showed figures plateauing with slight increases of 30% for August and September compared to the last Pulse Report.

Similar trends were seen in web traffic for EMEA, the main driver being the UK, which saw a 361% increase in traffic for July, 286% for August and even 188% for September. Additionally, the UK is seeing percentage increases in the mid 100s through the end of the year.

Steady Growth For APAC

The latest edition of the Pulse Report showed a 95% increase for net pick up for stays in the month of July for hotels and resorts in Asia Pacific.

Business in the region continues to be very short-term, with 65% of the net pick up volume for the next 13 months converted for stay dates in July.

Short-term travel interest is again highlighted in web traffic data for APAC hotels, with a 110% increase in web traffic for stay dates in July since the last Pulse Report. There appears to be no major shift in consumer behavior for mid- to long-term travel dates.

Discover more about the metrics that matter to you and your region. Subscribe to the Pulse Report and receive bi-weekly data updates to help you plan ahead: https://www.duettocloud.com/pulse-signup
WASHINGTON  The Gunn Historical Museum presents the Shepaug River Lectures, given by Edwin Matthews, president of the Shepaug River Association.

Both lectures are on Zoom, and will include a slideshow with photos from the collection at Gunn Historical Museum, followed by discussion with the audience.

For 20 years, Matthews has been active in the defense of the Shepaug River. As current President of the Shepaug River Association, he was responsible for litigation that resulted in an agreement to limit diversions of water from the river by Waterbury. Edwin Matthews affection for the natural world began growing up in the woods of Northern Idaho. He went on to study History and Science at Harvard and to Law School at Yale. For many years he practiced law in New York, Paris and San Francisco. He was a founder of Friends of the Earth International., a worldwide environmental organization now in seventy-five countries. For many years he has served as a trustee of the Steep Rock Association and Earthjustice, a not-for-profit law firm for the environment. Matthews lives on a farm in Washington. He has published a book of essays on wildness around us entitled Litchfield Country Journal that is available at the Hickory Stick in Washington, Depot.

Lecture 1: 6:30 p.m., July 20, The Story of a River: Contrasting History of the Shepaug. The Shepaug River has been flowing since the ice left Connecticut perhaps 30,000 years ago. Its storied history incudes the Native Americans, who occupied the valley for many thousands of years, followed by opportunistic European colonists, and then by all manner of industry and finally a steam railroad along its banks. At the turn of the last century, its natural beauty drew city folks to enjoy and later to preserve the river landscape. In 1955 a dramatic flood destroyed the Washington Depot river front, which with remarkable commitment to community was restored.

Lecture 2: 6:30 p.m., Aug. 3, The Story of a River: Rallies to Save the Shepaug. In our time, the Shepaug has been threatened by diversions of its water to Waterbury: in summer months, the river went dry. In the 1920s valley citizens had been caught off-guard when the headwaters were sold to the Waterbury Water Company. In 1921 a contract was signed that was hoped would protect the river but did not. In the 1990s river advocates mobilized to save their river. Their battle led to complex litigation and in 2005 to a settlement agreement with Waterbury which has restored river flows for future generations.

Everyone is invited to attend this free program. Registration is required. To register, go to the Gunn Museums registration page at www.gunnmuseum.org. Once you have registered, a link to the Zoom meeting will be sent.
Farmers have warned that Wales' environmentally-focused post-Brexit farming scheme could 'risk severe impacts' for Welsh rural prosperity.

The Welsh government has confirmed that sustainable farming will remain at the heart of future agriculture support for Wales.

An official response has been published to last years 'Sustainable Farming and our Land consultation', which received over 3,300 responses from farmers.

The consultation proposed that future funding should support farmers who operate sustainable farming systems and protect the environment.

It would comprise two elements: business support with a focus on advice, capital investment and skills development; and the Sustainable Farming Payment which would reward farmers for mainly environmental outcomes.

But Welsh farming groups fear the move to an environmentally-focused model could disregard other important factors for rural Wales, such as jobs, communities and food production.

The Farmers Union of Wales (FUW) said the proposal to adopt the United Nations sustainable land management (SLM) principle as the framework for future policy 'failed to encompass wider Welsh goals'.

The UN defines SLM as the use of land resources, including soils, water, animals and plants, for the production of goods to meet changing human needs, while simultaneously ensuring the long-term productive potential of these resources and the maintenance of their environmental functions.

But FUW president Glyn Roberts said the Welsh government's consultation proposal 'fell short' of being a 'holistic policy' for Wales.

We remain convinced that families, jobs and communities should be at the heart of planning a new policy - alongside sustainable food production and the SLM principles, he siad.

Mr Roberts added that a scheme focusing only on the provision of 'public goods' and environmental outcomes would 'fail to take proper account of prosperity, jobs and culture'.

The Welsh government has, however, made a commitment to undertake analysis to understand the impact of moving from an entitlement-based income support scheme to one which rewards the production of outcomes.

But Mr Roberts said this analysis needed to be 'thorough' by looking at the scheme's impacts for businesses, sectors and regions, as well as the implications for businesses which rely on agriculture.

He concluded: Above all else, it is concerning that the recent food shortages, delays and difficulties in administering our current environmental scheme - Glastir - and consultation responses highlighting concerns about the overall direction of travel has not given the Welsh government more pause for thought.
BEIRUT - Hospitals in Syrias overcrowded opposition-held enclave are suspending non-emergency procedures and outpatient services following the detection of the first case of coronavirus, a leading doctor in the area said Friday.

The regional education department also announced it was closing all schools.

The first case of COVID-19, a doctor in the area, was reported on Thursday in Idlib province, the last opposition-held part of Syria in a sliver of land bordering Turkey. The doctor was isolated and the hospital he worked in was shut down. The patients and medical staff he came in contact with have been quarantined.

There have been major concerns of an outbreak in northwestern Syria, an area packed with more than 3 million people, many of them living in tents and encampments, and where health facilities have been devastated by Syrias long civil war.

The first virus case in Idlib comes as moves by Russia, a major ally of the Syrian government, are threatening to shut down border crossing between the rebel-held enclave and Turkey.

A vote on a resolution that would determine the fate of two border crossings with the enclave, and how long they remain open, is expected later Friday in the U.N. Security Council. Aid groups and residents of the enclave have warned of dire consequences of limiting or reducing U.N. cross-border aid to the area, already devastated by displacement and destruction from frequent government attacks.

Russia, which argues that aid should come through Damascus, wants to shut down one of two crossings with Turkey. Western nations are pushing to keep the two existing ones open.

On Friday, hours before the initial Security Council resolution on the aid was to expire, 31 trucks carrying medicine and other supplies crossed into northwestern Syria from Turkey through the crossing Russia wants to shut down. U.N. agencies have been stocking up aid and relief supplies in the enclave in recent few weeks, a sign of nervousness over continued access.

As the trucks were crossing into Syria, U.N. Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator Mark Cutts said 5,000 trucks had crossed the border in the last six years, monitored by the United Nations, and expressed hope the aid flow would continue.

It is crucial that we keep this aid operation going, he said in a video message. He later told reporters that the first case of COVID-19 in the opposition enclave is a very big worry for us.

This has been a vital lifeline that has kept thousands and thousands of civilians alive for the last few years. This is not the time for us to be reducing the aid operations. We have to increase the access not reduce it, Cutts said. He said 11 of the trucks were carrying medical aid.

Munzer Khalil, the head of the Idlib health directorate, said the measures to suspend non-emergency procedures and reduce services in Idlib were taken to raise the medical staffs level of readiness and show the public how serious the matter is. The measures will last at least a week.

The doctor diagnosed with the virus is a 39-year old who works in both Idlib and rural areas in neighbouring Aleppo province. He had seen several patients, so contact tracing and testing is underway, Khalil said.

Fadi Hakim, of the Syrian American Medical Society, said the infected doctor is in isolation in Bab al-Hawa hospital but his symptoms remain mild.

Schools in the area will close as of Saturday until further notice, suggesting a return to remote learning, which had been in place until earlier this month.

Testing has been a major issue in the aid-dependent region, where one lab is in charge of carrying out virus tests. Some testing has been also done through Turkey, which has troops inside the enclave.

In government-held areas in Syria, authorities have recorded 394 cases, including 16 virus-related deaths. In Kurdish-held areas in Syrias northeast, where testing facilities are limited, about half a dozen cases have been reported.

People have been lax when it comes to taking precautions, Khalil said of the areas residents. We want to use this period to raise awareness and to show how serious it is and to finish the preparedness of hospitals.
WHO official cites AIDS as guide to addressing coronavirus pandemic

Healthcare systems worldwide need to upgrade to control disease transmission and cope with large numbers of sick people during the coronavirus pandemic as well as future outbreaks, the head of the World Health Organization's emergencies program warned on Friday.

Dr. Michael Ryan of WHO, speaking during a video panel session organized by the International AIDS Society, said world leaders grappling with the current pandemic 'need to take a leaf out of the HIV/AIDS activist book' and make sure access to healthcare is equitable and evidence-based. The coronavirus pandemic, which has not yet peaked in many parts of the world, has exposed weaknesses and left billions of people without reliable and affordable access to essential health services, he said.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS, was often a fatal infection when it emerged in the 1980s, but today is considered manageable with antiretroviral drugs. There is no vaccine to protect against HIV, which is highly variable and cannot be eliminated by the body's own immune response. But researchers do expect to eventually have vaccines effective against the novel coronavirus, which people can recover from on their own.

The WHO official said the two viruses are 'different in scope and nature, but are comparable in so many other ways,' exposing the same inequities and generating similar injustices and denial. 'We cannot become distracted with retrospection and finger-pointing. ... We need to look ahead,' Ryan said.
'People are afraid to leave the house': Chicago pastor decries city's gun violence

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A Chicago pastor is decrying the violence in the Midwestern city following the shooting death of a 7-year-old girl and the deaths of 14 others who were killed over the holiday weekend.

Corey Brooks, who founded New Beginnings Church on South King Drive in Chicago, said in a Monday Fox & Friends interview that the violence has to be stopped and something must be done immediately as dozens of people are being shot at every weekend in Chicago.

We cannot continue to go down this road, said Brooks, who also serves as the executive director of Project HOOD (Helping Others Obtain Destiny), a nonprofit that seeks to end violence and build communities.

Brooks explained in the interview that the city is beset by many young men who are illegal gun owners.

Not only are they illegal gun owners, but they are shooting at each other, he continued. Theyre causing havoc in our community and they are causing a lot of destruction. And, unfortunately, as a result of their destruction, children are being shot. Innocent bystanders are being shot.

Seventy-nine people were shot and 15 were killed over the July 4th weekend in the Windy City, according to Chicago Sun-Times Sunday.

Among the 15 killed is 7-year-old Natalia Wallace, who succumbed to her injuries after she was reportedly shot while playing outside her grandmothers home in the South Austin neighborhood on Saturday.

A suspect, 33-year-old Reginald Merrill, was charged late Monday with the one count of first-degree murder and one count of felony aggravated battery involving the discharge of a firearm, according to CBS Chicago.

It hurts me that my youngest daughter is no longer here, that I would not be able to talk to her, hold her, tell her anything, bedtime stories, anything, Nathan Wallace, Natalias father, said during a news conference on Sunday.

Wallace is one of 11 minors who were shot over the weekend in Chicago and one of two who were killed.

Vernado Jones Jr., 14, died on Saturday night after he was among eight people shot in Englewood on Chicagos South Side. In addition to Vernado, three others were killed in the South Side shooting and two other minors were shot but are not in life-threatening conditions, The Sun-Times reports.

Since June 20, at least 10 children under the age of 18 have died as a result of gun violence in Chicago, according to Chicago Sun-Times records.

Brooks started Project HOOD after sleeping on the roof of an abandoned motel for 94 days in order to draw attention to gun violence on the south side of Chicago, the organization's website explains.

People are afraid to leave the house, Brooks told Fox News of the current atmosphere in the third-most-populous U.S. city.

The holiday weekend deaths are being added to an already violent year in Chicago.

According to the local ABC affiliate, 329 people have been killed in the Midwestern city in the first six months of 2020, an approximately 34% uptick from the 246 homicides committed during the first six months of 2019.

I think sometimes we have to get beyond our pride of feeling inadequate and just come to an understanding that [we have to do] whatever it takes to save the lives of individuals in our city, Brooks told Fox News when asked what he thought of President Donald Trump's tweet saying the federal authorities could intervene to lessen crime if asked.

So if bringing in the feds, bringing in the military or whoever to help us to make sure that we can get rid of this violence, Im all for it, whatever it takes.

The pastor believes some families will move out of Chicago because the risk of their children being killed in the streets is too great.

Its just too much to deal with, he said.
Authorities planned Friday to renew the search for Glee star Naya Rivera, who is believed to have drowned in a Southern California lake while boating with her 4-year-old son.

Rivera, 33, disappeared after renting the pontoon boat for three hours Wednesday afternoon and taking it out on Lake Piru in Ventura County, the Sheriff's Office said Thursday.

The lake an hour's drive from Los Angeles was searched by dozens of people, most of them divers, with help from helicopters, drones and all-terrain vehicles. The search to recover Rivera's body continued into the night Thursday before ending for that day.

The area where the boat was found is about 30 feet deep. Murky waters heavy with plants made it difficult for divers to see more than about a foot ahead of them, sheriffs Sgt. Kevin Donoghue said Thursday.

"If the body is entangled on something beneath the water, it may never come back up," Donoghue said.

A helicopter helps in the search for former "Glee" star Naya Rivera on Thursday, July 9, 2020, at Lake Piru in Los Padres National Forest, northwest of Los Angeles.AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu

Rivera played Santana Lopez, a singing cheerleader, in 113 episodes of the musical-comedy Glee, which aired on Fox from 2009 until 2015. She also had recurring roles on The Bernie Mac Show and The Royal Family.

Rivera, a Los Angeles resident, had experience boating on the lake in Los Padres National Forest, Donoghue said.

Surveillance video taken at about 1 p.m. Wednesday shows Rivera and her son, Josey Hollis Dorsey, leaving on the rented boat.

When the boat failed to return, its vendor found the vessel drifting in the northern end of the lake late Wednesday afternoon with the boy asleep on board. He told investigators that he and his mother had been swimming and he got back into the boat but she didn't, according to a Sheriff's Office statement.

The boy was wearing a life vest, and another life jacket was found in the boat along with Riveras purse and identification.

Rivera is believed to have drowned "in what appears to be a tragic accident," the statement said.

The boy, Rivera's son from her marriage to actor Ryan Dorsey, was safe and healthy and with family members, authorities said. The couple finalized their divorce in June 2018 after nearly four years of marriage.

She called the boy, her only child, "my greatest success, and I will never do any better than him" in her 2016 memoir "Sorry Not Sorry."

The most recent tweet on Riveras account, from Tuesday, read just the two of us along with a photo of her and her son.

Former 'Glee' cast members Naya Rivera, Mark Salling and Cory Monteith. (AP)

It appeared increasingly likely she would become the third major cast member from the show to die in their 30s.

Co-star Mark Salling, whom Rivera dated at one point, killed himself in 2018 at age 35 after pleading guilty to child pornography charges.

Cory Monteith, one of the shows leads, died at 31 in 2013 from a toxic mix of alcohol and heroin.

By ANDREW DALTON, AP Entertainment Writer

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Bank of Maharashtra on Friday (10 July 2020) said that its board has approved raising upto Rs 2,000 crore through equity share issue or additional tier-1 (AT1) bonds.

The bank's board also approved raising Rs 1000 crore through issue of Basel III compliant Tier I/II bonds, subject to regulatory approvals.

Further, the board approved raising Rs 831 crore by issuing equity shares to the Government of India on preferential basis.

The government-owned lender's net profit declined 20.5% to Rs 57.57 crore on 1.2% increase in total income to Rs 3,198.30 crore in Q4 March 2020 over Q4 March 2019.

The Government of India holds 92.49% stake in Bank of Maharashtra (as on 31 March 2020).

The stock was currently down 0.34% to Rs 11.63. It has risen 2.92% from the day's low of Rs 11.30 in mid-morning trade.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
(Reuters) - Moderna Inc said on Thursday it has signed an agreement with Spain's Laboratorios Farmaceuticos Rovi SA to scale up the manufacturing and production of its potential COVID-19 vaccine to supply markets outside the United States.

ROVI will procure a new production line and equipment for vial filling and packaging, automatic visual inspection and labeling, and hire more staff to support the production of millions of doses of Moderna's vaccine candidate, the companies said.

Moderna's vaccine was among the first to be tested in humans in the United States and was found to produce protective antibodies in a small group of healthy volunteers in May. The company expects to begin late-stage trials this month.

The biotech firm had previously struck deals with the U.S. government for funds to ramp up manufacturing and a 10-year collaboration with Swiss contract drugmaker Lonza Group AG with the aim of making 500 million doses a year and 1 billion doses beginning 2021.

In June, Moderna said it was partnering with contract drugmaker Catalent Inc to make an initial 100 million doses of its coronavirus vaccine for the U.S, starting in the third quarter of this year.

(Reporting by Ankur Banerjee and Vishwadha Chander in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli and Amy Caren Daniel)
A man has been jailed for 12 years for two separate horrific attacks on citizens in Greater Manchester.

Jamie Forster, 21, slashed one man with a large machete and stamped on the head of a man in his 50s around 10 times, with both incidents taking place last year.

Claiming to be a 'paedo-hunter', Forster believed that both men were paedophiles, though his victims turned out to be innocent of any sexual assault crimes.

21-year-old Jamie Forster (pictured), who claims to be a 'paedo-hunter' has been jailed for 12 years after attacking two innocent men in Greater Manchester

The 21-year-old, who has previous convictions in battery and sexual assault, was handed a 12-year sentence at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.

He was also given a four-year extended licence period after pleading guilty to wounding with intent possession of an offensive weapon and causing grievous bodily harm.

The first attack took place on July 13 last year, when Forster slashed one man with a machete around '30 to 40 inches long' after the defendant shouted at two men outside a takeaway shop in Sale, Greater Manchester.

When his victim fell to the floor following the knife attack, Forster and a friend continued the attack by stamping on the man's face.

Forster (middle) slashed one man with a '30 to 40 inch' machete in July 2019, which left the victim with a fractured and and bruises and cuts to his face, arm and mouth

The victim's hand was fractured and needed surgery, while he also suffered bruising and cuts to his face, arm and mouth.

A statement from the victim said: 'Since the incident I have moved out of the area for fear of a future attack, which means I am limited in seeing friends and family from the area.

'I struggle with panic attacks every time I go out and I had to stay off work.'

The second attack took place two months later in September, when Forster tripped up a man in his 50s and stamped on his face while accusing him of being a paedophile.

During the attack down a canal towpath in Sale, Forster stamped on the man's head around 10 times while screaming , 'you f****** nonce', according to a witness.

The second victim suffered a sunken eye socket, swelling to the right side of his face and head and acute bleeding on the brain. He may require corrective surgery as a result of the attack.

The victim's statement read: 'I am concerned I will not be able to work again as a financial advisor. I've lost my confidence and forever feel like I am looking over my shoulder.

Forster attacked an innocent man in September 2019 by stamping on his victim's head 10 times and calling him 'a f****** nonce'. The attack left the man in his 50s with a sunken eye socket which may need corrective surgery

'It's had a negative impact on my family who have to look after me at home and I feel the attack has changed me.'

Defence lawyer Paul Hodgkinson claimed that Forster had a traumatic childhood, suffers from speech and memory difficulties along with suspected ADHD, while he also grieving for his late grandmother and a miscarriage his partner suffered in the lead-up to the attacks.

Mr Hodgkinson added that these were not excuses for his action.

Judge John Potter, who confirmed that the two victims were not threats and were not involved in sexual assault crimes, said: 'These two unprovoked attacks were mindless and sickening towards others.

'It's clear you are a violent and dangerous offender with a willingness to resort to extreme violence without provocation.'
Just before markets turned in response to the spread of Covid-19, Lloydss stock price was roughly unchanged from its level when Horta-Osorio started in 2011, while Barclayss shares were down nearly 25% under Staley. Both stocks have fallen sharply in the crisis this year, with the less diversified Lloyds the worst hit. They languish close to lows last seen during the financial and euro-zone debt crises, and trade at discounts to peers.
The Uttar Pradesh Police on Friday said that 12 criminals, who attacked a police team in Kanpurs Bikru village on July 3, are still on the run. Eight policemen were killed in the gunfight.

In this case, so far, three people have been arrested, six accused killed and seven people sent to jail (under section 120B IPC). Twelve wanted criminals are still absconding, Prashant Kumar, ADG (Law and Order), said at a press briefing.

The man who planned the killing, gangster Vikas Dubey, was eliminated in an encounter on Friday morning. Dubey was arrested in Madhya Pradeshs Ujjain on Thursday after being on the run since the shootout.

The police had been aggressively pursuing Dubey and a massive manhunt was launched which spanned across three states. Many of those connected to Dubey, including his relatives, were taken into custody and questioned. Many of his aides were killed in police encounters in different cities.

Along with the chase, the police had also launched an investigation about how Dubey got the information about the raid on July 3. It revealed a nexus between the gangster and the local cops, who alerted him about every movement of the police.

The Station Officer of Chaubeypur, Vinay Tiwari, emerged as the biggest link and he along with other sub-inspectors was suspended and arrested. The investigators also found out about the caste factor at play.

Dubey was a dreaded criminal, who had more than 60 cases against him. Eleven of those were of murder.

Among his long list of criminal charges was the murder of BJP leader and UP minister inside a police station in 2001.
Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Ha Kim Ngoc advised Vietnamese students studying in the US to stay calm and consult with their schools or universities regarding the USs new foreign student visa policy.

Earlier this week, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Student and Exchange Visitor Programme (SEVP) announced that the US Department of State will neither issue visas to students nor permit them to enter the US if their universities switch to online-only courses, as a measure to stem the spread of COVID-19.

Ngoc recommended Vietnamese students in the US directly contact their schools or universities centres for international students to seek support and advice for the best option.

Students were also advised to stay in touch with the Vietnamese Embassy, Consulates General, and the association of Vietnamese youth and students in the US, for updates on the new policy.

Ngoc also voiced his concern over the policy, saying that the embassy and other Vietnamese representative offices in the US have contacted local authorities about the matter and relating procedures.

Ngoc said his embassy had asked local authorities to adopt measures to protect the legitimate rights and interests of Vietnamese students in the US and has lobbied other ASEAN member states to together take action.

It had proposed the Vietnamese Government increase flights repatriating Vietnamese citizens, he added, operated by Vietnam Airlines or foreign carriers.

There will be more opportunities for Vietnamese people hoping to come home to do so, as the government is considering the pilot reopening of a limited number of air routes connecting Vietnam with destinations in Northeast Asia such as Seoul, Tokyo, Taipei and Guangzhou, he noted.

Those who are taking in-person classes and have a place to stay and a valid visa should carefully weigh flying home at this time, he suggested./.VNA

'Downright unfair': Vietnamese students slam new US visa policy A new visa policy in the US has put thousands of Vietnamese students at risk of deportation and left their academic and professional dreams in tatters.
China's customs authority said on Friday it was suspending imports from three shrimp producers in Ecuador after detecting the new coronavirus in recent shipments. It said samples taken from shipments from Industrial Pesquera Santa Priscila SA, Empacreci SA and Empacadora Del Pacifico Sociedad Anonima Edpacif had produced six positive results. However, tests on the frozen shrimp and inner packaging were negative. The companies did not respond to requests for comment. The findings are the first positive results announced by Beijing since it began testing imported frozen foods ...
The United States plans to hit France with punitive tariffs over taxes that target American tech giants, but then will suspend them, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said.

President Donald Trump's administration has complained about the digital services tax that France approved last summer discriminates against Facebook, Amazon, Apple and Google. The companies are accused of moving their profits offshore to evade taxes.

France in January suspended collection of the tax.

Lighthizer said Thursday that the US "won't tolerate" the unfair treatment, although he acknowledged that there is a problem with multinational corporations that move to other countries to avoid paying taxes.

"We're going to announce that we're going to take certain sanctions against France, suspending them like they're suspending collection of taxes right now," Lighthizer said in a virtual event with Chatham House in London.

A USTR investigation in January ruled the tax was "unreasonable" and threatened 100 percent duties on French goods, with a potential list of $2.4 billion in products including cheeses, beauty products and handbags.

France has sought a diplomatic resolution, including by negotiating a broader international tax framework to deal with digital commerce, under the auspices of the OECD.

But those discussions have so far failed -- Lighthizer told Congress last month there had been no progress, and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin called for a pause in talks.

Vitor Gaspar, head of the IMF's fiscal affairs department, told AFP that there is "a perception that firms that are extremely profitable, that act in the global sphere, are not paying their fair share of taxation," and he called for an international agreement.

"It's very important to avoid trade wars, it's very important to avoid tax wars," Gaspar said in an interview.

A "cooperative approach is in the best interest of everybody," he said, noting it would be "a signal of the capacity of the global community to work together if a deal on international corporate taxation would be struck."

Lighthizer said the solution to the issue of offshoring profits used by France and being considered by other nations "is a very unfair and discriminatory system and the United States won't tolerate it."

"These Digital Services Taxes, the way they were designed, they didn't even do a clever job of veiling the fact that they were just trying to get into the pocket of US companies," Lighthizer said.
New Delhi: Markets ended in green on Thursday led by rally in banking, financial stocks.

The Sensex rallied 408.68 points or 1.12 percent to end at 36,737.69 while the NSE Nifty jumped 107.70 points or 1.01 percent to finish at 10,813.45.

Here are Stocks in focus on July 10, 2020

SBI

The countrys largest lender, State Bank of India has reduced its marginal cost-based lending rate (MCLR) by 5-10 bps (0.05% to 0.10%) for shorter tenor loans (i.e., up to three months). The new rates will be effective from July 10, 2020.

TCS

The country's largest software services firm TCS on Thursday reported a 13.8 per cent decline in June quarter consolidated net profit at Rs 7,008 crore on revenues being impacted by the coronavirus crisis. It expects revenues to touch pre-COVID-19 levels only by the January-March quarter of this fiscal.

Punjab National Bank

State-owned Punjab National Bank (PNB) on Thursday said its board has approved a proposal to raise Rs 10,000 crore through a mix of both equity and debt. Besides, the board has cleared opening balance sheet of the amalgamated bank as on April 1, which is post amalgamation of Oriental Bank of Commerce and United Bank of India into PNB, the bank said in a regulatory filing.

YES Bank

Private sector lender Yes Bank on Thursday said it has filed a red herring prospectus to raise up to Rs 15,000 crore through issuance of fresh equity shares in its further public offering (FPO). The offer will open on July 15, 2020 and close on July 17, 2020. Earlier this week Yes Bank had received approval from the capital-raising committee (CRC) of its board of directors to raise funds through the offering.
OnePlus is gearing up for the launch of its affordable mid-ranger, the OnePlus Nord, on July 21. The company has been teasing and confirming some of the key OnePlus Nord specifications before the smartphone makes it debut in India and other international markets. Amid the hype, complete specifications of the OnePlus Nord have been leaked online.

OnePlus Nord specifications (confirmed)

OnePlus has already confirmed that the OnePlus Nord will feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor for 5G. Alongside this, the relatively-affordable OnePlus Nord smartphone will feature a dual punch-hole camera on the front and a quad-camera stack on the back. We also know that the device will feature optical image stabilisation (OIS) on at least one of the four rear cameras.

Another detail confirmed by OnePlus is that the Nord will feature an AMOLED panel. While it is unclear if OnePlus will maintain a high refresh rate display on the Nord, the teaser page on Amazon certainly suggests it will be 90Hz.

OnePlus Nord specifications (rumoured)

Noted tipster Evan Blass has leaked the full specifications list of the OnePlus Nord on Twitter. According to the leaked image, OnePlus Nord will have a 6.44-inch Fluid AMOLED 90Hz screen with a 20:9 aspect ratio and a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels.

The smartphone is likely to be launched in two variants with 8GB and 12GB LPDDR4x RAM and 128GB/ 256GB internal storage. OnePlus Nord is also likely to pack a 4115 mAh battery with support for Warp Charge 30T.

At the back, the four camera lenses will include a 48MP Sony IMX 586 f/1.75 sensor with OIS and EIS, an 8MP 119-degree ultra-wide sensor, a 5MP f/2.4 depth lens, and a 2MP f/2.4 macro sensor.

For selfies, the Nord front camera will house a 32MP f/2.45 primary lens and an 8MP f/2.45 105-degree ultra-wide lens, according to Blass.

OnePlus Nord will also feature facial recognition and an in-display fingerprint scanner.

The smartphone will be available in three colour options  Blue Marble, Gray Onyx and Gray Ash.

You can expect the company to confirm more details about the OnePlus Nord in the coming days, leading up to its July 21 launch.
Here are some of todays leading headlines from select sources around the world.

Trump now in open dispute with health officials as virus rages Five months into a still-raging pandemic that has killed more than 130,000 Americans, the long-simmering tensions between President Donald Trump and the health experts who staff his government have escalated from private griping to shrugging disagreement to now open dispute.

US admirals in South China Sea: Everyone wears a mask Two US Navy admirals in charge of a rare South China Sea exercise say extraordinary coronavirus measures taken by the service, including requiring all sailors to wear face masks, have left their aircraft carrier strike groups in a high state of readiness in one of the most tense maritime environments in the world.

Ivory Coast PM Amadou Gon Coulibaly dies at 61 Ivory Coasts Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly has died, the countrys President announced.

Brazilian press group will sue Bolsonaro for taking off his mask The Brazilian Press Association has said it will file a lawsuit in Brazils Supreme Court against President Jair Bolsonaro over possibly exposing members of the media to Covid-19, according to a statement from the association on Tuesday.

Harvard and MIT sue Trump administration over online-only instruction for foreign students in the US Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Wednesday sued the Trump administration over its guidance not allowing foreign students to take online-only courses in the US this fall semester.

Teens discover bodies in bags while filming TikTok videos in Seattle Seattle authorities have identified the remains of two people who were discovered by teens shooting TikTok videos last month.

Kanye West says he had coronavirus and no longer supports Trump Kanye West is taking off his MAGA hat.

Louisiana governor says progress against coronavirus has been wiped out in past three weeks The gains the people of Louisiana made against Covid-19 in June have been wiped out over the past three weeks, Gov. John Bel Edwards said Wednesday.

China closes tourist spots in Inner Mongolia after bubonic plague case (CNN)  Authorities in the Chinese region of Inner Mongolia have closed several tourist spots after a case of bubonic plague was confirmed this week. The case was discovered in Bayannur, located northwest of the capital Beijing.

Google launches balloon-powered internet service in Kenya A fleet of balloons has begun providing internet service to remote areas of Kenya, Googles Project Loon and Telkom Kenya announced.

Stop yelling, officer told gasping George Floyd The US police officer accused of George Floyds murder told him to stop talking as he repeatedly gasped under the mans knee, according to court documents. The unarmed black man cried out for his late mother and children as he said the Minneapolis policeman would kill him, transcripts from body-cam footage show.

The jailed media mogul taking on Ethiopias leader Having previously warned that Ethiopias Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed risked turning into an illegitimate ruler, Jawar Mohammed, 34, has now become the most high-profile opposition politician to be detained since the Nobel Peace laureate took office in April 2018.

Flashy Nigerian Instagrammers caught with $40m in cash The day after his 29th birthday in May, Olalekan Jacob Ponle posted a picture on his Instagram standing next to a bright yellow Lamborghini in Dubai. Stop letting people make you feel guilty for the wealth youve acquired, he admonished, wearing designer jewellery and Gucci clothes from head to toe.

Glee star Rivera missing after boat trip with son Glee star Naya Rivera is missing after her four-year-old son was found alone in a boat on a lake in Southern California, officials say. The 33-year-old rented the boat on Wednesday afternoon at Lake Piru, north-west of Los Angeles, the Ventura County Sheriffs office says. A search operation is under way.

Chancellor gives diners 50% off on eating out Chancellors Summer Statement Diners will get a 50% discount off their restaurant bill during August under government plans to bolster the embattled sector. Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled the eat out to help out discount as part of a series of measures to restart the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Samsung to stop bundling chargers with phones next year, report says Samsung will stop bundling chargers with its smartphones, starting in 2021. This is according to an ETnews report (source in Korean), which cites industry sources. The reasoning behind the move is the fact that most users already have a USB-C charger lying around.

Twitter is building a subscription platform, and paying for tweets might be a thing This site is free is a common refrain on Twitter. Meant to be read in the tone of sarcastic disbelief, its often brought out to highlight the absurdity of a situation that someone has, typically, stumbled ass-first into online  on full display for all Twitter users to witness in real time, free of charge.

Facebook criticized for toothless PR exercise following ad boycott In the face of mounting advertiser pressure over its handling of hate speech, Mark Zuckerberg today met with the leaders of the NAACP, the Anti-Defamation League, the Free Press, and the Color Of Change. It did not go well.
Huawei could be preparing to launch two new affordable Android tablets soon  the MatePad T10 and the MatePad T10s. Detailed spec sheets and first-look images of the two tablets have leaked online ahead of their release.

The two new Huawei tablets sport identical designs and also share a lot of specs. However, there are still enough differences in their internal components for potential buyers to separate them easily.

Huawei MatePad T10 and MatePad T10s specs leak

Both the Huawei MatePad T10 and T10s are powered by the companys in-house Kirin 710A chipset. It is a rather old octa-core processor from HiSilicon, featuring four Cortex-A73 cores operating at 2.0Ghz and four Cortex-A53 cores operating at 1.7GHz.

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The two tablets run Android 10-based EMUI 10.1 and come with Huaweis AppGallery. The US government-imposed ban means the Chinese giant no longer have access to Google Mobile Services, which includes the Play Store, Google Maps, and more.

Huawei is equipping both MatePad T10 and T10s with a single 5-megapixel rear camera with autofocus and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera.

Neither of the two is getting an LED flash. The two tablets also both get a 5,100 mAh battery and a USB Type-C port. Theres no sign of fast charging support on the two tablets.

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GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, and AGPS navigation systems, Bluetooth 5.1, dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 3.5mm headphone jack, and FM Radio and USB OTG support are also common across the two tablets. Both the tablets will be available in LTE variants as well.

So where do they differ? Well, while the MatePad T10s features a 10.1-inch 1920 x 1200 display, the vanilla MatePad T10 settles for a 9.7-inch 1280 x 800 panel.

Interestingly enough, despite the two featuring different display sizes, their overall dimension remains the same. As per the leaked spec sheet, both the tablets measure 240.2 x 159 x 7.85 mm and weigh 450 grams. This means the MatePad T10 will have bigger bezels all around.

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The MatePad T10 also gets only 2GB of RAM and 16GB/32GB of storage capacity. The MatePad T10s, on the other hand, comes in 2GB+32GB and 3GB+64GB memory configurations.

Both the tablets support MicroSD cards of up to 512GB capacity. Huawei has also equipped both the tablets with dual speakers but only the MatePad T10s comes with Harmon Kardon sound.

Theres no word yet on when Huawei plans to launch the new tablets. Pricing details of the two affordable Android tablets are also still a mystery. However, this leak comes from a pretty reliable source and the spec sheets look to be intended for official press releases for the Huawei MatePad T10 and MatePad T10s. So expect the company to make an announcement soon.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-11 06:27:50|Editor: huaxia

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RIO DE JANEIRO, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon hit a monthly record of 1,034.4 square kilometers in June, the government reported on Friday.

The National Institute for Space Research (INPE) at the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation revealed in a report that deforestation in June was 10.6 percent higher than in the same month of 2019, and 24.31 percent higher than May this year.

According to the report, in June, the world's largest rainforest witnessed 2,248 fires, the highest level for the month of June in 13 years.

Additionally, areas totaling 3,069.57 square kilometers were deforested in the first half of the year, an increase of 25 percent compared to the same period in 2019.

The figures came at a time when the Brazilian government is receiving harsh criticism from the international community for its alleged lack of commitment in combatting the destruction of the Amazon.

On Thursday, Brazilian Vice President Hamilton Mourao led a meeting with a group of international investors, who publicly expressed their disagreement with the country's environmental policy.

The official stated that investors had demanded environmental policies that produced results, and he promised a stronger effort from the government in reducing high rates of deforestation. Enditem
Nepals cable and satellite television providers have stopped airing Indian news channels, with one operator saying on Friday that the move was in response to public complaints against objectionable content broadcast about Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

The two South Asian countries have been wrangling since India opened a new road in the disputed Lipulekh pass on their border in May.

The Indian channels went blank late on Thursday, days after one report on Zee News suggested Oli had close ties with the Chinese ambassador to Nepal, who has been meeting several leaders of Olis Nepal Communist Party.

We felt a moral responsibility to block the channels after they aired objectionable content about our country, Max Digital TV vice chairman Dhurba Sharma told AFP news agency.

Dish Media Network managing director Sudeep Acharya said his company pulled the channels after complaints from viewers.

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Nepals Finance Minister Yubaraj Khatiwada earlier condemned the broadcast for character assassination.

We request all media, including those of our neighbouring country, to not broadcast news that damages our countrys image, he told a press briefing.

The Kathmandu Post in a strongly-worded editorial on Friday accused Indian news channels of coming up with a new  and invariably false  propaganda against Oli.

Sitting in their [New] Delhi or Mumbai studios, they do not hesitate to announce the date and time of Olis resignation, some of them even asking him to step down. Oli, it seems, is the new enemy they must fight each day to garner higher television rating points for themselves, the editorial said.

Indian TV channels have also been accused of pushing Islamophobic and anti-Muslim views in Nepal, a country with 4 percent Muslims, using the coronavirus pandemic to cause unrest and backlash against the minority community.

Worsening relations

Oli has been a target of the Indian leadership and media since his government brought out a new map of the country that includes territories claimed by both India and Nepal.

The new map has strained relations between two South Asian nations with exchanges of strong statements.

Kathmandus relations with New Delhi worsened after Oli said last week in an internal party meeting that India was attempting to overthrow him from office with help from some of the members of his party.

India, which has traditionally wielded influence in Nepal for decades, sees Chinas increasing involvement in the tiny Himalayan nation with suspicion.

Besides Chinas investment in the building of airports, highways and hydropower projects in Nepal, Chinese diplomats have worked to increase ties with Nepali political leaders.

Beijing views Kathmandu as key to its massive transcontinental infrastructure Belt and Road Initiative that builds on old Silk Road route that once connected China to the West, analysts say.

India has been wary of Nepal since a communist government was elected in 2017, but Nepalese officials deny Chinas involvement in its internal matters.
Two more top officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan have been detained following a district courts decision to select detention as a pre-trial measure against Faikq Bagirov and Ilhar Aliyev.

Faiq Bagirov was head of the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ilhar Aliyev was one of the employees of the Department.

Earlier, the State Security Service had conducted a special operation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan and detained employees Farhad Mollazadeh, Salim Alizadeh and Nurupash Abdulayev.

It is reported that Faiq Bagirov and Ilhar Aliyev were detained based on the testimonies given by previously detained officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
After teasing petrolheads around the world for a long time, Lamborghini has finally unveiled their latest hybrid hypercar in the form of the Sian Roadster Hybrid. Lamborghini, up until last year, was the only exotic carmakers who didnt have a hybrid car, or a car with an electric motor powering the wheels in their lineup. Now, they have two.

 Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A

But before that, can we just say that, Lamborghini, over the last couple of years have gone back to their quirky designing that we had loved? Ever since the Aventador, Lamborghinis cars, as great as they were, did not have the same visual impact that it used to. They were not bad looking cars, but they were just too sedate. Not anymore though.

 Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A

Saying that the Sian Roadster is a beast of a machine would be an understatement. The figures and specifications that Lamborghini put out for the Sian Roadster are astonishing, to say the least. There is no point mincing words here, but the Sian Roadster is in fact the fastest convertible/roadster, in the world as of now.

 Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A

Here are 5 key figures that make Lamborghinis Sian Roadster the beast of a machine that has hyped up petrolheads across the world.

1. The Powertrain

 Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A

The Sian Roadster, as well as the Sian, use the same 6.5L V12 that Lamborghini developed on their own for the Aventador. However, the Sian Roadster has played with the configuration of the engine and tweaked the power up. Consequently, you get about 785 bhp from the engine. Add to that, the refreshed 35 bhp electric motor, and you get a combined power output of 820 bhp, about 30 bhp more than the Ferrari 812 GTS, the erstwhile fastest roadster.

2. Performance

 Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A

All that power means that the Sian Roadster is properly fast. In spite of the added weight now that Lamborghini has removed the roof and strengthened the chassis and the car using weighted strengthening components, the Sian Roadster is just 0.1-second slower to hit 100 kmph from a standstill. The regular Sian would do it in 2.8, whereas the Sian Roadster does it in 2.9.

3. Top Speed

 Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A

The top speed of the car is about 218 mph or 350 kmph. It is right there with the heavyweights of the supercar world. Now, given that the Ferrari LaFerrari hits 375 kmph, it does seem a little slow, but one has to consider that this Sian is a Roadster, which means it is heavier than the LaFerrari. Going 350 kmph in something that has no roof would be an uncanny experience anyway.

4. Limited Production Run

 Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A

Lamborghini has stated that the Sian Roadster will have a very limited production, and will only be making 19 of this car. However, each of these 19 cars will be special as it will be customised for each individual buyer of the car by Lamborghinis Ad Personam personalisation arm. That means should you choose(and are able) to buy one, you can get every tiny aspect of the car customised to your hearts content. That means you can have the air vents spell out your initials, or have it coloured in any way you fancy.

5. Buttery Smooth Acceleration

 Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A

If youve ever driven a properly fast car, you must have noticed that the acceleration in those cars is brutal. You are pinned to your seats when you accelerate, and when you change gears, there is a sudden jerk, especially when youre going at high speeds. The electric motor in the Roadster Sian completely eliminates this and flattens the acceleration curve, thanks to the supercapacitors that it has, similar to the Terzo. That means you can just pin your foot and the pedal to the floor and let the car do its thing.

6. The Price In India

 Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A

Although Lamborghini hasnt disclosed a price for the Sian Roadster yet, you can expect it to be tear-inducingly expensive. There is a rumour doing the rounds that it would cost over Rs 29-30 Crores, plus, import duties and taxes if anyone thinks of buying one in India. Even though that figure is an estimated rumour, we can see why such a figure holds up. The regular Sian retails for around $3.6 Million, which roughly translates to Rs 27 Crores, before taxes and duties.
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Linkedin Johnny Cotton (Reuters) Paris, France  Fri, July 10, 2020 12:30 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406655d445 2 News Paris,France,Disneyland,Disneyland-Paris,coronavirus,COVID-19,face-mask Free

With masks mandatory and advance booking required, Disneyland Paris will gradually reopen from July 15 after a four-month closure due to the coronavirus crisis.

Like other major Paris attractions such as the Versailles palace and the Louvre museum, Europe's most visited theme park will limit capacity and impose a minimum distance of one meter between visitors to prevent infection risk.

Disney declined to say by how much capacity will be reduced but said that in order to have control over the number of visitors, no tickets will be sold at the entrance and rides where social distancing is difficult will not yet reopen.

Playgrounds and make-up workshops will remain closed for now and in order to make sure that people are not seated next to strangers, Disney has suspended its "single rider" system under which individuals can jump often long queues by taking available seats next to people other than in their own party.

Read also: Disneyland Paris plans phased reopening from July 15

Disney staff and visitors over 11 will have to wear a face mask, but unlike in one theme park in Japan, visitors can scream their hearts out on roller coasters.

"If the client wants to scream we're not going to tell them not to ... it's still a theme park, people come to enjoy themselves. In complete safety, of course," said head of park operations Marco Bernini.

During a press visit, the park's main street was eerily empty as staff stood by rides ahead of reopening next Wednesday.

Disneyland declined to release last year's visitor numbers or to provide a forecast for this year. In 2016, it reported 13.4 million visitors.
A new poll out Friday had bad news for President Donald Trump as a majority of Americans disapproved of his handling of the coronavirus.

The ABC News/Ipsos poll found 67 percent disapprove and 33 percent approve of the president's response to the pandemic.

It's the highest level of dissatisfaction with Trump's response to the pandemic. Additionally his presidential approval rating hit a low 33 per cent.

New poll shows majority of Americans disapprove of President Donald Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic

The numbers come as more than 3 million Americans have been infected and several states are walking back their reopening process as numbers spike.

One of those states if Florida, where Trump is traveling to on Friday. Florida has become the new epicenter for the virus in the United States.

But Trump's trip will focus on the drug crisis - he will be briefed at U.S. Southern Command - and then he'll hold a fundraiser for his re-election campaign.

The president has said the virus will 'disappear' and a vaccine will be available soon.

Trump has garnered low numbers for his handling of the pandemic and for his handling of race relations.

The poll also found the same percentage of respondents, 67 percent, say they disapprove of 'the way Donald Trump is handling race relations' amid protests against police brutality and racial injustice in the wake of the killing of George Floyd. Just 32 percent of respondents say they approve of Trump's handling of race relations.

A new Pew Research Poll released last week majority of Americans are dissatisfied with how the country is being run and think that he is a 'poor' or 'terrible' president.

The poll was conducted June 16-22 as coronavirus cases spiked in several states that began the reopening process and the economy is still recovering from the hit it took during the pandemic. Additionally, racial tensions remain on the rise amid demonstrations against about police violence and support for the Black Live Matters movement.

The Pew poll found that the number of Americans satisfied with how the country is going has dropped 19 points, from 31 per cent in April to a mere 12 per cent in June. And 87 per cent are dissatisfied, the 4,708 adults, including 3,577 registered voters, said in the survey. Also only 46 per cent feel hopeful about American while 53 per cent do not.

The Pew poll was one of three polls out last week - and among a spat of recent polls - that show Americans are deeply unhappy with the state of the nation.

A new Pew Research Poll released on Wednesday has bad news for Donald Trump - a majority of Americans are dissatisfied with how the country is being run and think that he is a 'poor' or 'terrible' president

The Pew poll also follows others in its findings that, if the election were held today, Joe Biden would win, with 54 per cent supporting the presumptive Democratic nominee to the 44 per cent saying they will vote for President Trump.

Biden leads by 9.5 points in the RealClearPolitics polling average on the November contest.

Trump, who brags about his high approval rating among Republican Party members, does not get high marks for his job performance in the White House in the Pew poll.

In it, 42 per cent call him a 'terrible' president with 11 per cent describing him as 'poor.' Only 37 per cent call him a good or great commander in chief.

Fewer voters - 28 per cent - say Biden would be a good or great president. But only 28 per cent say he would be terrible while 15 per cent think he would do a poor job.

While President Trump has not commented on recent polls, he has called past polls he doesn't like 'fake' polls.

And, in early June, when a Wall Street Journal poll showed him losing to Biden by 8 points, Trump called the numbers 'very unfair' and blamed the impeachment process.

'If I wasn't constantly harassed for three years by fake and illegal investigations, Russia, Russia, Russia, and the Impeachment Hoax, I'd be up by 25 points on Sleepy Joe and the Do Nothing Democrats. Very unfair, but it is what it is!!!,' he tweeted on June 7.

There is good news for the president among the economic numbers in the Pew poll: 51 per cent express confidence in Trump's ability to handle the economy while only 48 per cent say the same of Biden.

Again, polling trends stay on track here. While Trump garners high ratings for his economic prowess, he is hurt by his handling of the coronavirus and race relations.

The Pew poll found that 35 per cent of voters said they believed President Trump could effectively handle race relations while 48 per cent said Biden could.

Americans on COVID Only 37% confident America will get coronavirus pandemic under control 59% say the public has done a bad job of dealing with the disease 28% said public did good job 41% are worried about a family member contracting the disease 36% say someone in their household was laid off due to pandemic 31% say their state has not gone far enough in responding to COVID-19 16% say their state has gone too far Source: Monmouth University Poll Advertisement

Only 41 per cent said they were confident in the president's ability to handle the public health impact of the coronavirus pandemic, which has infected 2.69 million Americans and killed more than 129,000.

But 52 per cent of those polled expressed confidence in Biden's ability to cope with the coronavirus.

The pandemic is the top topic on voters' minds, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll found, and could be the biggest factor in who they vote for in November.

The poll found that 81 per cent of Americans said they are 'very' or 'somewhat' concerned about the pandemic, including 7 out of ten Republicans.

And when asked the 'most important factor' in determining their vote, 27 per cent cited the candidate's plan to help the nation recover from the coronavirus while 21 per cent said it was the contender's economic plan.

Additionally, a new poll from Monmouth University out Wednesday found that 64 per cent of Americans are worried states are starting the reopening process too quickly compared to the 27 per cent who describe it as happening too slowly.

And the Monmouth poll showed Americans are starting to judge one another's behavior during the pandemic.

The survey found just 28 per cent said the public has done a good job dealing with the outbreak while 59 per cent described a bad job.

And confidence that the pandemic is under control has dropped by 25 points since March. That month, 62 per cent of Americans thought the country would be able to limit the COVID-19 outbreak. That number dropped to 37 per cent in June.

The Monmouth poll also found voters gave Trump poor marks for his handling of the disease: 54 per cent said he did a bad job to 40 per cent who praised him. Meanwhile, 65 per cent thought state's governors have handled the pandemic well.

Voters expressed confidence in Joe Biden's ability to handle the coronavirus pandemic with 52 per cent of those polled by Pew saying he would do a good job; a Reuters/Ipsos poll found a contender's handling of the disease could be a factor when voters go to the polls in November

And, in another troubling sign for the president, most of the respondents described the country as moving on the wrong track.

The Monmouth poll found 74 per cent said American is on the wrong track while only 18 per cent described it on the right track.

In the past that question has proven an accurate predictor of the country's willingness to give an incumbent a second term.
Nueces County officials announced the coronavirus-related death of an infant on Friday.

The infant was a male under six months of age, officials said.

"Our deepest condolences go out to his parents and family," the county said in a statement. "Further information is not being released for privacy and confidentiality reasons."

On Thursday, the Nueces County Public Health District reported two new deaths and 343 new cases of the coronavirus, bringing the county's total to 37 deaths and 5,260 cases.

READ ALSO: Texas hits new record for virus deaths as hospitals scramble

Area hospitals are currently treating 332 patients who have contracted the virus.

Officials said residents must follow several public health strategies to reduce the spread of the virus, including staying home if you are sick and wearing a mask when in public.

County Judge Barbara Canales issued a content warning during a daily briefing Thursday.

"If you dont want to hear this, I need you to walk away right now because what Im about to talk about are things that are unpleasant," she said.

Canales told residents that she had forwarded to the state a request from the Nueces County Medical Examiner for a FEMA mobile morgue unit. She described the unit as a refrigerated trailer which can house the dead when the county reaches capacity at their own morgue.

"This is where we are right now," Canales said. "The sudden spike in deaths has created this need."

The county judge, emphasizing that she did not intend to sensationalize, said that the county has also requested body bags.

"If you dont want a summer thats full of this kind of bad news, then we must do everything we can to take this seriously," Canales said.

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:
South Africa: Procuring more field hospital beds a top priority

As the number of COVID-19 patients continues to soar in Gauteng, Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize says his department is working around the clock to procure more field hospital beds.

Speaking in Pretoria on Friday, the Minister said in addition to the close to 2 000 procured beds for field hospitals, the department is adding a further 250 beds in all the health facilities to match up the daily admissions in Gauteng.

The department is also working to supply about 1 000 oxygen points at Nasrec field hospital.

The Minister, along with Gauteng Health MEC Dr Bandile Masuku, visited the Tshwane District Hospital earlier on Friday to monitor the level of preparedness at the facility as the province has become the countrys COVID-19 epicentre.

Mkhize said other measures included government receiving 20 000 ventilators from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) that will be distributed in various hospitals this month.

Also, local doctors have already started using dexamethasone to treat some patients, which the Minister says is readily available and easy to administer.

The Minister said a worrying trend was that hospital causality rooms have been overloaded since alcohol restrictions were relaxed under lockdown level 3. Research suggests that there has been a 200% increase in trauma patients in Intensive Care Units (ICUs).

People come in with stab wounds, gunshots, some of those involved in accidents. We found that a good percentage of them have a higher level of alcohol content in their system. Its not theory, but facts for us, said the Minister.

South Africa reported a record of 13 674 new cases on Thursday, bringing the total to 238 339 infections. Meanwhile, Gauteng hit new highs in daily cases, with 6 531 additional infections in the last 24 hours, with a tally of 81 546 cases.

The numbers are increasing; we are right in the storm, he warned. He said the worst is far from over and predicted that KwaZulu-Natal will soon experience a surge in COVID-19 cases.

During the lockdown, we reduced a huge number of infections. On its own the lockdown could not stop person-to-person transmission, and therefore, we saw the numbers continue to increase.

However, as more economic activities open up, the infections will go up.

That number of increase, were going to see it more in the number of a couple of weeks because more activity now means more people are going to be exposed.

However, he has assured the public that government is working on the containment of the spread of the virus.

We have to co-exist with the virus and we need to learn new ways on how to cope. We take lessons from various countries and we need to ensure that everyone puts on a mask and everyone sanitises or wash their hands, implement cough etiquette as well as social distancing.

Meanwhile, he has called for screening to continue in public spaces such as taxi ranks.

Mkhize said these are the fundamentals to fight the pandemic.

We can reduce the spread if we keep the behaviour that way and this is how were going to live our lives.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-07-10. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 9)  A research group that just recently released COVID-19 numbers issued a new study in light of the recent spike in infections.

"Sixty thousand (cases) is for sure a done deal. It looks like it is going to go over 70,000 (by end of July). Were looking at a possibly higher number sa projection namin [in our projection] because we are clarifying this based on the trends," University of the Philippines OCTA Research Fellow professor Guido David said.

David said the new numbers reflect current changes in the environment.

"Late June, ang trends nun mas mababa pa, yun ang sinunod namin. Pero ngayon bumilis ang trend, yun ang susundan namin sa latest projection," said David.

[Translation: The trends we followed in June were lower. But the trend is faster now, and that's what we followed in the latest projection.]

The group will release a new projection this week.

On June 29, UP OCTA Research said coronavirus infections in the country may surge to at least 60,000, including 1,300 deaths, by July 31.

It said the government needs to reexamine and recalibrate strategies against the pandemic.

In our view, the aforementioned national and local projections represent a significant increase in transmissions and is a serious cause for concern that needs to be examined and given appropriate and immediate response by the government, the report read.

It cited the need for clear targets to measure if strategies are working, such as keeping the positivity rates (below seven percent) and active cases trending down and an urgent need to scale up health care system capacity.

Citing a Harvard University study, researchers said there should be at least 20,000 tests per day nationwide, and 10,000 in Metro Manila alone.

CNN Philippines' Carolyn Bonquin contributed to this report.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 07:15:25|Editor: huaxia

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Video: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on July 9, 2020 calls for efforts to tackle the health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). (Xinhua)

"As COVID-19 continues to spread throughout the world, Latin America and the Caribbean have become a hotspot of the pandemic," says United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

UNITED NATIONS, July 9 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday called for efforts to tackle the health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).

"We must do everything possible to limit the spread of the virus and tackle the health effects of the pandemic," the secretary-general said in his video message to launch the Policy Brief on the Impact of COVID-19 on Latin America and the Caribbean.

"As COVID-19 continues to spread throughout the world, Latin America and the Caribbean have become a hotspot of the pandemic," said the secretary-general.

"In a context of already gaping inequalities, high levels of informal labor and fragmented health services, the most vulnerable populations and individuals are once again being hit the hardest," he said.

A medical worker takes a swab sample from a senior resident for COVID-19 test in San Miguel of Santiago, Chile, July 7, 2020. (Chilean Health Ministry/Handout via Xinhua)



"Women, who make up the majority of the workforce in economic sectors being most affected, now must also bear the brunt of additional caregiving. Older persons and persons with disabilities are at much higher risk of death from the virus," Guterres said. "Indigenous peoples and people of African descent, as well as migrants and refugees, are also suffering disproportionately, as vulnerability multiplies."

Talking about the policy brief, the UN chief said that it "underlines an array of urgent and longer-term steps to recover better."

"It calls on governments to do more to reduce poverty, food insecurity and malnutrition. This could include the provision of a basic emergency income and anti-hunger grants," he said.

"Education has been interrupted across the region. It is critical to prioritize distance learning and the continuity of child-centered services in general," the secretary-general added.

A worker wearing a face mask sterilizes a bus to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Havana, Cuba, June 4, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhu Wanjun)

"Greater international support is urgently needed," said the UN chief.

Noting that he has called for a rescue and recovery package equivalent to more than 10 percent of the global economy, Guterres said that "for Latin America and the Caribbean, the international community must provide liquidity, financial assistance and debt relief."

"We must also tackle the broader structural challenges," said the UN chief. "Building back better requires transforming the development model of Latin America and the Caribbean."

The UN chief expressed his full solidarity with the people of LAC as they face challenges.

"Solidarity and compassion should be their guide," he noted. 
STAMFORD  In hopes of helping to jump start the local economy following the coronavirus downturn, Mayor David Martin announced that for the rest of the month the citys downtown parking garages will be free for three-hour stays.

The businesses in the downtown and the rest the city have been very constructive and helpful following the health guidelines from the state, and so we are in the process of reopening the city of Stamford very carefully, Martin said Thursday while Standing in what has been dubbed the Bedford Piazza, where six restaurants are serving food in the large parking lot behind the west-facing buildings of Bedford Street.

People visiting the piazza, or any downtown businesses, can park in the Bell Street, Bedford Street or Summer Street garages and not have to pay for the first three hours of their stay. They can access the benefit through the ParkMobile app, by entering the code WearAMask.

Its programs like this that will help the businesses as well as attract people downtown that are so important, said Stamford Downtown Special Services District President David Kooris. His organization has been working on initiatives including creating the Bedford Piazza to boost restaurants and other businesses during the pandemic.

We want to thank the city for what they have done here and forgoing significant amounts of revenue, inviting people into the parking garages, he said.

U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, D-4th, who attended a noontime announcement of the parking benefit, said like others he he has been spending time at home a lot lately. But he said it makes sense to provide ways for people to get out and dine and shop safely.

Connecticut was the best state of all the 50 states in terms of bringing down our (Covid-19) numbers. And Stamford, which three months ago had a very serious issue, now is showing a near elimination of Covid-19, Himes said.

The message here today is city of Stamford is doing its part, he said. You can come in and park for free.

He pointed out three electric vehicle chargers that in the lot nearby.

So, you can bring down the Chevy Volt and charge it while you are sitting outside safely having a good time, he said.

Martin said the city might extend the free parking in the garages through August, but the decision has not been made yet. Street parking must still be paid for.

jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.com
In fall 1926, San Francisco was rocked by one of the most terrifying crime sprees in its history. On two October nights, a 22-year-old former boxer and taxi driver named Clarence Kelly and two different accomplices, one just 17-years-old, drove around town, killing four people in cold blood and robbing and pistol-whipping more than two dozen others. The press dubbed Kelly and his accomplices the Terror Bandits.

Clarence Buck Kelly was one of 13 children born to John and Kate Kelly. The Kellys grew up in the working-class South of the Slot neighborhood, living on Clara Street before renting an apartment at 47 South Park. Kelly went to the Lincoln Grammar School (where one of his classmates was future mayor George Christopher). He fought 15 bouts as a prizefighter and worked for a while as a cabdriver. At age 18, he was arrested for grand larceny. He had a common-law wife and a 3-month-old baby.

Kelly met a laborer named Lawrence Weeks at a speakeasy on Waller Street. A few days before the crime spree, the two men got together at a poolroom at 22nd and Mission.

We talked about getting easy money, Weeks told The Chronicle later. The wife was coming back from Sacramento, and I didnt have the room rent or eating money for us. ... We talked about pulling some stickups and made an appointment for Saturday.

At 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 9, Kelly and Weeks met at the poolroom, then took the 22-Fillmore bus to Fillmore and Broadway and began walking around in search of a car to hijack. With a gun they had obtained from an acquaintance, they commandeered a Buick at Octavia and Vallejo, drove to a poolroom at 1968 Lombard and held it up. When the proprietor resisted, they pistol-whipped him and shot him in the hand and elbow.

They then headed south to 17th and Missouri, at the base of Potrero Hill. They stuck up two men walking on the street, but let them go when one turned out to be an accused robber who said, Hey, Kelly, dont you recognize me?

After robbing several more people in the Mission and on Brannan Street, they kidnapped one of their victims. But when she began crying and told them she was a mother of 10, Kelly stopped the car and said, Ah, get the hell out of here. We dont want you anyway, we want a chicken.

After robbing two more men, they returned to the area where they had strong-armed the car. They robbed a man at Pine and Webster, then a taxi driver who solicited them, then another taxi driver on Jackson Street. When a pedestrian they were about to rob entered his house on Webster Street, they knocked on his door and robbed him when he opened it.

The pair committed their first murder on Nob Hill. They robbed two couples at Clay and Taylor before heading down Washington to Powell, where Kelly drew a gun on a man named Mario Pagano. When Pagano threw his umbrella at them and tried to run, they both opened fire. Pagano fell dead.

More Information Trivia time The previous trivia question: In 1854, the clipper ship "Flying Cloud" sailed from New York to San Francisco in a record 89 days, 8 hours. When was this record broken? Answer: 1989. This week's trivia question: Who were known as "Crocker's pets"? Editor's note Every corner in San Francisco has an astonishing story to tell. Gary Kamiya's Portals of the Past tells those lost stories, using a specific location to illuminate San Francisco's extraordinary history - from the days when giant mammoths wandered through what is now North Beach to the Gold Rush delirium, the dot-com madness and beyond. His column appears every other Saturday. See More Collapse

They were barreling south on Powell when Police Chief Daniel OBrien, who had been visiting friends and heard the shots, and his chauffeur tried to stop them. Exchanging fire with the pair, the murderers got away.

Two nights later, Kelly embarked on an even more savage crime spree. Weeks had vanished, but Kelly enlisted a new accomplice, 17-year-old Michael Papadaches, who lived in the same building as Kelly and had just been released from reform school, where he had been sent after rolling a drunk.

On Monday, Oct. 11, after drinking at a bootleg joint, they hailed a taxi. The driver, Walter Swanson, took them to a pool parlor at Third and Athens where, Papadaches later said, We had plenty of drinks.

Swanson drove the pair down Third Street to 16th Street, then began driving over the Third Street Bridge. In the middle of the bridge, Kelly asked Swanson to stop and join them in a drink of moonshine rum. When Swanson stopped the car, Kelly held him up with a gun while Papadaches went through his pockets. Then Kelly shot him dead.

The terrified Papadaches tried to run away, but Kelly caught up with him, pointed the gun at him and said, Are you going to stick with me on this and be on the up and up, or shall I croak you, too? Papadaches decided to stay.

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.

Donning Swansons taxi cap and leggings, Kelly drove the taxi to San Bruno and Mariposa, where he asked a man named Nicholas Petrovich for the time. As Petrovich was putting his watch back in his pocket, Kelly shot and killed him.

After robbing two more men near 100 Mississippi St., they shot another man at a restaurant near Seventh and Brannan. Then, around 6:30 p.m., they went across the street to a gas station. They ordered the owner, Carl Johnson, and two other men to line up and put their hands in the air. Johnson was dumbfounded when Kelly raised his gun, aimed at his head and fired at a distance of less than 3 feet.

The bullet went through his neck, narrowly missing his spine. As Johnson fell, he saw Kelly shoot his friend, a night watchman named John Duane. Duane fell, mortally wounded, blood spurting out of his mouth. Then Kelly shot the other man, who also survived.

Kelly and Papadaches drove back down to Second and Brannan and robbed someone else. Then they went to Second and Townsend, near Pier 36, where Kelly beat a seaman with his pistol butt and robbed him. They robbed their final victim at Third and Mariposa.

After a policeman on the scene opened fire, they careened away, wrecking the cab at the foot of Seventh Street. Both Kelly and Papadaches got away and returned to their homes.

The city was traumatized. The entire San Francisco police force, plus volunteers from the Fire Department  2,000 men in all  were mobilized, with orders to shoot to kill. The tale of the capture and trial of the Terror Bandits, and the bizarre fate visited upon Kelly, will be the subject of the next Portals.

Gary Kamiya is the author of the best-selling book Cool Gray City of Love: 49 Views of San Francisco, awarded the Northern California Book Award in creative nonfiction. All the material in Portals of the Past is original for The San Francisco Chronicle. To read earlier Portals of the Past, go to sfchronicle.com/portals. For more features from 150 years of The Chronicles archives, go to sfchronicle.com/vault. Email: metro@sfchronicle.com
While everyone has been fretting over the disruption caused by the COVID pandemic on lives, the way we work and businesses, one of the success stories emerging from this trying time is the gaming industry. Online gaming and esports have seen massive traction in the past few months. A Google-KPMG report suggests that the Indian online gaming industry will be worth as much as $1.1 billion by the year 2021. Gamers are very active, and more and more casual gamers are becoming regular gamers as they look to stay sane while staying home. And it is that exact space which HP wants to make its presence felt in. It is expected that later this month, HP will launch new gaming laptops, which will be a part of the companys flagship Omen as well as the Pavilion gaming laptop series. It is expected that the new Omen laptops will be priced around Rs 80,000 onwards, which puts them in a great position to compete with the gaming laptop options from the likes of Lenovo and Asus.

It is expected that HP will add the new Omen 15 laptop range that will offer the latest 10th generation Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processor options. The other specs could include the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 graphics, up to 16GB RAM and up to 1TB SSD. The 15.6-inch display will be offered in up to 4K resolutions and with the AMOLED display type option, depending on which variant you select. HP is expected to have a refreshed design language as well for the new HP Omen 15 gaming laptop range. Globally, the AMD Ryzen options are also available, but those are not likely to be launched at this time.

HP will add the new Omen 15 laptop range that will offer the latest 10th generation Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processor options

The current HP Omen gaming laptop line-up is priced at Rs 1,24,990 onwards and includes the HP Omen 15 laptops powered by the 9th generation Intel Core processors as well as the worlds first dual-screen gaming laptop, the Omen X 2S. The new Omen 15 laptops are expected to be added to this line-up, though one would expect HP to be more aggressive with the pricing this time around as well. Could we see some variants of the new HP Omen 15 priced well under the Rs 1,00,000 point?

HP will also add new models to the more affordable Pavilion Gaming laptop range. The current HP Pavilion gaming laptop range, with the 15.6-inch screen size options, are priced around Rs 65,000 onwards, depending on which variant you select. These are offered with the 9th generation Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors, at this time. The new models will be powered by the newer 10th generation Intel Core processor options and updated Nvidia graphics.

It is expected that HP will also add a host of new accessories for gamers to its product line-up in India. HP entered the gaming computing device battles in 2017 and now has a third of the market share, competing with the likes of Dells Alienware, Lenovo and Asus, to name a few.
This article was produced in partnership with ProPublica, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive ProPublica's biggest stories as soon as theyre published.

HOUSTON  Houston hospitals have been forced to treat hundreds of COVID-19 patients in their emergency rooms  sometimes for several hours or multiple days  as they scramble to open additional intensive care beds for the wave of seriously ill people streaming through their doors, according to internal numbers shared with NBC News and ProPublica.

At the same time, the regions 12 busiest hospitals are increasingly telling emergency responders that they cannot safely accept new patients, at a rate nearly three times that of a year ago, according to data reviewed by reporters.

The increase in ambulance diversions, coupled with the spike in patients being held indefinitely in emergency rooms, are the latest indicators that Houston hospitals are straining to keep up with a surge of new coronavirus patients. ProPublica and NBC News have previously reported that a public hospital in Houston ran out of a medication to treat COVID-19 patients and that a spike in at-home deaths from cardiac arrest suggests that the death toll from the coronavirus may be higher than official statistics show.

On Thursday, 3,812 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in the region, including more than 1,000 in intensive care units, a record since the pandemic began. At the same time, since Texas officials have not issued another stay-at-home order to slow the viruss spread, hospitals are also still seeing a steady flow of patients in need of care as a result of car accidents, violent crime and heat-related medical emergencies.

Officials in Houston are warning that the situation could become a replay of what happened in New York City in March and April, when thousands of people died as hospitals struggled to keep up with the surge of patients, but without the same level of government intervention to stem the tide.

Story continues

Typically when people arrive at a hospital emergency department, theyre evaluated and treated by the medical staff. Those sick or injured enough to require hospitalization are then moved to other areas of the hospital for specialized care. But increasingly in Houston, particularly for patients suffering from COVID-19, theres nowhere for them to go.

Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

Normally that patient would just go to an ICU bed, but because there are no beds available, they continue to board in the emergency room, said Harris Health System president and CEO Esmaeil Porsa, who oversees the citys two public safety-net hospitals. It is not an optimal level of care. This is not something we would choose to do. The only reason this is happening is because we are being forced to do it.

Although hospital leaders say they are working to provide high-quality care for patients being held in emergency rooms  in part by bringing specialized medical staff and equipment to patients being treated there  studies done before the coronavirus pandemic show that the longer patients stay in ERs, the worse their outcomes.

Image: Residents wait in their cars at a COVID-19 testing site in Houston on July 9, 2020. (Adrees Latif / Reuters)

ICUs and other hospital units are staffed with doctors, nurses and other support personnel who have specialized training and experience caring for critically ill patients in need of specific medical interventions, whereas the mission of emergency department medical workers is to quickly assess patients, stabilize them and get them to where they need to be.

The problem is you cant get them to where they need to be, and now it puts the ER doc in the position of having to function like the hospitalist or the intensive care doctor, and thats not a role that were really supposed to be in, said Dr. Cedric Dark, an emergency physician at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. The bad thing about having any patient boarded in the emergency department, regardless of the situation, is that it slows down the beginning of care for somebody who needs hospitalization, and the beginning of care for any medical condition is the most crucial period of time.

The same scenario is playing out at hospitals across the Houston region.

A daily status report prepared Wednesday by the SouthEast Texas Regional Advisory Council, which coordinates the Houston regions emergency medical response, showed multiple hospitals running out of immediately available nonsurgical ICU beds, including both of the citys top-tier trauma centers, Ben Taub Hospital and Memorial Hermanns flagship hospital in the Texas Medical Center.

Do you have a story to share about your experience at Texas hospitals during the coronavirus outbreak? Contact us

As of Wednesday afternoon, about 145 patients were being held in emergency departments throughout the Memorial Hermann Health System, according to internal numbers provided separately by a Memorial Hermann physician and confirmed by a hospital executive. Several other Houston area hospitals have reported holding multiple patients in their ERs, including four with more than a dozen.

Dr. Jamie McCarthy, an executive vice president at Memorial Hermann Health System and an emergency room physician, acknowledged that the coronavirus crisis has forced his teams to hold more patients in ERs.

All the hospitals are full, McCarthy said. All the hospitals in the city are boarding patients. We are expanding capacity, but we cant turn those on immediately. It requires staffing. It requires nurses and doctors to come in. And so, as weve continued to expand our inpatient capacity, were just keeping up with the volume thats coming in.

Its not unusual for a small number of patients to be held in ERs on busy days, especially during flu season, but three Houston ER physicians said they have never seen so many patients receiving prolonged care in emergency departments, or for such long periods of time.

Although treating patients in the ER for more than a few hours is not ideal, McCarthy said, Memorial Hermann has worked to mitigate the impact on patients by sending intensive care doctors and other specialists to emergency departments, to ensure patients are receiving quality care regardless of where theyre located.

Image: Medical workers treat a patient at the United Memorial Medical Center's COVID-19 intensive care unit in Houston (Callaghan O'Hare / Reuters file)

But he warned that theres a limit to what Houston hospitals can do to respond to the crisis.

We are adding more capacity, but we are absolutely stretched now, and if it keeps going this way, were going to run out of room. Were going to look like New York, McCarthy said, emphasizing the need for Houston residents to stay home and avoid crowds to slow the viruss spread.

One of Houstons largest hospital systems, HCA Healthcare, also has been caring for dozens of COVID-19 patients in its emergency departments. In a statement, HCA spokeswoman Debra Burbridge said hospital officials have taken steps to reduce the impact on patients, including sending staff members who would normally be performing or assisting with elective surgeries  which have been suspended under an order by the governor  to treat patients with COVID-19.

Dr. Kusum Mathews, an assistant professor of critical care and emergency medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, said hospitals can take steps to reduce the risks of overcrowded ERs, including some of those described by Memorial Hermann and HCA officials.

Treating patients sickened by the virus has outstripped every stretch of our imagination, Mathews said. We have had to put beds in hallways, double up patient rooms  just to allow for offloading the emergency department to get more patients in.

While Houstons top hospital executives have repeatedly said they can add hundreds of new intensive care beds to meet the demand, at least for the next couple of weeks, the number of patients being treated in emergency rooms demonstrates the difficulty of executing those plans in the midst of a rapidly growing crisis, officials say.

Those things are not like a switch-key type of activity, said Porsa, the Harris Health System CEO, noting that his hospitals have had to send patients to hospitals outside of Houston to make room. The bottleneck to do that is really staffing. As you can imagine, ICU nurses are not a dime a dozen. They are very hard to come by, and it takes time to actually be able to do that.

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The logjam of patients being treated in ERs has also led to delayed emergency response times across the city, according to Houston Fire Department officials.

When hospitals get overloaded, they ask regional authorities to divert ambulances elsewhere. For example, Memorial Hermanns northeast hospital was on diversion status just 2 percent of the time during an eight-day period in late June and early July last year; it was on diversion status 58 percent of the time during the same time period this year. At Houstons busiest public hospital, Ben Taub, the number jumped to 81 percent from 58 percent.

The problem, said Houston Fire Department Assistant Chief Matt White, is that when every hospital is maxed out, ambulance crews have no choice but to take patients to emergency departments that are too busy to quickly receive them. And by law, hospitals must screen and stabilize any patient who arrives.

When everyone is on diversion, White said, nobody is on diversion.

Earlier coronavirus outbreaks inundated emergency rooms in New York City and Detroit, but lockdown orders in those cities led to fewer car accidents and a reduction in violent crime, freeing more space in ERs for COVID patients.

Image: A healthcare worker helps a patient eat at the COVID-19 unit inside United Memorial Medical Center in Houston on July 2, 2020. (Mark Felix / AFP - Getty Images file)

With most Texas businesses still open and no mandatory stay-at-home order, hospitals in Houston and other COVID-19 hot spots face the added challenge of making room for COVID patients while still dealing with a steady flow of patients seeking care for other medical emergencies.

And across the country, people with chronic health problems who delayed seeking care earlier in the pandemic are now showing up for treatment, taking up beds, said Dr. Marc Eckstein, medical director of the Los Angeles Fire Department and a professor of emergency medicine at Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California.

Despite these challenges, McCarthy, the Memorial Hermann executive, said its essential that people continue to come to the hospital for medical emergencies. He pointed to an NBC News and ProPublica report this week that showed a growing number of people are dying suddenly at home, before emergency responders can reach them.

If a patient believes they have a serious medical issue, they still need to come to the emergency department, McCarthy said. We will make the capacity to take care of them. Delaying care for time-sensitive emergencies is time we dont get back. If they wait to call for help when they are having a heart attack, it will be worse than if they come in early."
When I served on the Board of Supervisors in 2016, I worked side by side with the community to enact Proposition G, establishing the Department of Police Accountability. The recent unrest across the country is a sign that accountability is needed to ensure police are empowered to protect and serve.

In order for communities to hold real accountability power, police-accountability bodies must have:

 An independent budget

 Authority to investigate all police shootings and officer discipline

 The ability to provide an open window into police accountability

In response to the community call in 2016, the U.S. Department of Justice outlined 272 reform tasks for the SFPD in the wake of a number of shootings, including the deaths of Mario Woods in 2015 and Jessica Williams in 2016. The Trump Department of Justice withdrew from the process of aiding cities in implementing such reforms, leaving municipalities with strapped budgets to fend for themselves on this critical work. We cannot let this administration stop our progress, which is one reason why I have accepted the call to serve on the commission.

There are over 200 recommendations to continue to work through and codify. Living up to this promise will require hard work, constant vigilance, painful dialogue and an engaged community. It will require an open mind and an open heart among all involved, regardless of background and experience. The Department of Police Accountability is nothing without community members engaged in the process as the eyes and ears to let us know how we are really doing. This body is the power of the people, it is your power and your resource to ensure that bad cops are called out and held accountable.

The past several weeks have seen communities across the world grapple with issues that have been ignored for far too long. Many are awakening to the painful realities that too many Black people face each day. Too many names of innocent victims have become etched in our national conscience. Think of the countless other names weve never heard of  those whose fates werent recorded on cell phones.

During this time, now more than ever, when one is called to serve, the answer must be, Yes.

The Department of Police Accountability has worked to implement a range of recommendations proposed by the Obama administrations Task Force on 21st Century Policing.

These recommendations included a strong focus on reducing biased policing. Here on the local level, the Department of Police Accountability not only allows residents to issue complaints against police officers, but also actively invites input and encourages residents to make policy recommendations concerning police conduct. Thanks to the work of the coalitions of community leaders I have helped bring together in recent years, it is a new day in San Francisco  we are watching the police closely and holding them accountable when the public trust is abused.

This continual transparent disclosure is crucial in building a culture of trust between the police and the community  and I will continue to push for greater transparency and accountability. In recent years, SFPD has adopted long overdue reforms that are now being demanded nationally in the 8cantwaitmovement:

 Banning chokeholds and strangleholds

 Requiring de-escalation

 Requiring a warning before shooting

 Requiring officers to exhaust all alternatives before shooting

 Implementing a duty to intervene

 Banning shooting at moving vehicles

 Maintaining use-of-force continuum

 Requiring comprehensive reporting

In keeping with this commitment to reform, Mayor London Breed recently announced a Roadmap for New Police Reforms to change fundamentally the nature of policing in San Francisco, and to issue policies to address structural racism. These reforms include: demilitarizing the police; addressing police bias to strengthen accountability; and, redirecting funding for racial equity. These reforms put San Francisco in the position of leading the nation in the transformation of policing.

I can think of no greater obligation or calling in this moment. I am heartened by the activism and commitment to change that we have seen, particularly from a rising generation that is not willing to settle for the failed status quo. The young generations spirit of inclusion and hope will show us the way through this moment to a brighter day.

As a nominated member to the San Francisco Police Commission, I welcome the opportunity to collaborate with all communities, the mayor, the Board of Supervisors, and Police Chief Bill Scott and the women and men in his department to build a 21st century SFPD  one modeled on reform and honorable service. One that builds bridges between police and communities. One that presents our nation with a model of what fairness and justice looks like for all.

Malia M. Cohen is the first African American woman to serve on the State Board of Equalization (BOE), and served as chair in 2019. She previously served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, including a stint as president.
The development comes after some Indian channels aired reports critical of Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli and his government

Kathmandu: Nepal on Thursday stopped the transmission of all Indian private news channels except Doordarshan, accusing them of airing reports hurting the country's national sentiment.

There was no immediate reaction from India on the issue. People familiar with the development said the Nepalese embassy in New Delhi apprised its views to the Indian government over coverage of Nepal's political developments by the Indian channels.

"We have stopped the distribution of all Indian news channels except Doordarshan," Dinesh Subedi, the chairman of Multi-System Operator (MSO), foreign channel distributor, told reporters here.

"We have halted distribution of India's private news channels as they have aired news reports hurting Nepal's national sentiment," he added.

The development comes after some Indian channels aired reports critical of Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli and his government.

However, the Nepal government did not officially announce halting the telecast of the Indian news channels.

Minister for Finance, Information and Communication Yuvraj Khatiwada also condemned some of the reports aired by the Indian news channels.

"Nepal government condemns such acts," Khatiwada said while responding to a question on the issue during a press meet on Thursday. The government will seek political and legal ways against such an objectionable act," he added.

Earlier in the day, former deputy prime minister and spokesperson of the ruling Nepal Communist party Narayan Kaji Shrestha said that the Indian media must stop the baseless propaganda against Prime Minister Oli and his government.

"The baseless propaganda by the Indian media against the Nepal government and our Prime Minister has crossed all limits. This is getting too much. Stop with the nonsense, Shrestha said in a tweet.

The India-Nepal bilateral ties came under strain after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a 80-km-long strategically crucial road connecting the Lipulekh pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand on May 8.

Nepal reacted sharply to the inauguration of the road claiming that it passed through Nepalese territory. India rejected the claim asserting that the road lies completely within its territory.

Later, Nepal updates the country's political map through a Constitutional amendment, incorporating three strategically important Indian areas.

India termed as "untenable" the "artificial enlargement" of the territorial claims by Nepal. India has handed over a diplomatic note to Nepal over the map issue, Nepalese media reports said.
Confederate Army symbols within the military, including prominent Army bases named for rebel generals, are divisive and can be offensive to black people in uniform, the nation's top officer said Thursday.

'The American Civil War was fought and it was an act of rebellion, it was an act of treason at the time, against the Union, against the Stars and Stripes, against the US Constitution, and those officers turned their backs on their oaths,' Army Gen Mark Milley told a House Armed Services Committee hearing.

Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, noted that some see it differently: 'Some think it's heritage. Others think it's hate.'

Confederate Army symbols within the military, including prominent Army bases named for rebel generals, are divisive and can be offensive to black people in uniform, Army Gen Mark Milley (pictured Thursday) told a House Armed Services Committee hearing

Milley did not explicitly say the base names should be changed, but he noted that the Army is now about 20 per cent black (black soldiers pictured at Fort Lee in Virginia on March 31)

'I've recommended a commission of folks to take a hard look at the bases, the statues, the names, all of this stuff, to see if we can have a rational, mature discussion,' Milley told a congressional hearing.

'There is no place in our armed forces for manifestations or symbols of racism, bias or discrimination,' he said.

The House and Senate versions of the National Defense Authorization Act for the budget year starting October 1 include provisions for changing the names of 10 Army bases named for Confederate generals.

Despite Americans' raised consciousness about race issues following the death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody, President Donald Trump has favored keeping the names of 10 military bases from Virginia to Texas that are named for Confederate military leaders.

Trump has said that he would veto the defense bill if the version that reaches his desk includes a requirement to change the names.

'These Monumental and very Powerful Bases have become part of a Great American Heritage, and a. history of Winning, Victory, and Freedom,' Trump wrote on Twitter last month.

'For those young soldiers that go onto a base - a Fort Hood, a Fort Bragg (file image) or a fort wherever named after a Confederate general - they can be reminded that that general fought for the institution of slavery that may have enslaved one of their ancestors,' Milley said

'The United States of America trained and deployed our HEROES on these Hallowed Grounds, and won two World Wars. Therefore, my Administration will not even consider the renaming of these Magnificent and Fabled Military Installations.'

Milley did not explicitly say the base names should be changed, but he noted that the Army is now about 20 per cent black.

'For those young soldiers that go onto a base - a Fort Hood, a Fort Bragg or a fort wherever named after a Confederate general - they can be reminded that that general fought for the institution of slavery that may have enslaved one of their ancestors,' Milley said.

He recalled an enlisted soldier told him, early in Milley's career while serving at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, that 'he went to work every day on a base that represented a guy who had enslaved his grandparents'.

Fort Bragg was named after Braxton Bragg, a US Army officer who served in the Second Seminole War and Mexican-American War before becoming a Confederate Army general.

Milley's remarks come during a time when advocates across the country are demanding that statues erected decades after the Civil War, during an era when Southern states were crushing attempts to achieve equality for black people, be torn down.

After years of little change, a growing number of these Confederate symbols are being removed, prompted by nationwide protests against police brutality and racism that appear to have inspired a profound shift in American thinking.
Lusaka, Zambia (PANA)  Member of Parliament from the main opposition United Party for National Development (UPND), Cornelius Mweetwa, on Friday refused to apologise to the Vice President, Inonge Wina, for describing her as shallow following the statement she made over the gassing incidents which affected the country early this year
Photo credit: kieferpix - Getty Images

From Prevention

For some people with depression or anxiety, treatment with antidepressants can be a literal lifesaver. But others, depending on any number of reasonslike insurance coverage, unpleasant side effects, or personal preferencemay decide to stop taking the drugs.

Teri Biebel, 48, decided to stop venlafaxine (Effexor) with the help of her doctor when she felt like she didnt need it anymore. I had severe anxiety, trouble catching my breath, and felt really overwhelmed when I went on Effexor, and it seemed to do the trick, she says. But 10 years later, I didnt feel anxious, I didnt have depression, I didnt feel like I needed it.



But, she says, no one could have prepared her for what it would feel like to stop taking the meds. It felt like the worlds worst hangover, she says. It was painful to lift my head. I would curl up into a ball and stay in bed. I dont remember feeling that bad before I was on an antidepressant.

Rather unbelievably, we still dont entirely understand how antidepressants work, but they do work. They can be incredibly effective, depending on how severe the depression is, says Renee Binder, M.D., past president of the American Psychiatric Association. Sometimes well see symptoms go away entirely.

But, like with any medication, when you feel better, its natural to wonder if you still need it. If you and your doctor decide youre a good candidate for stopping antidepressants, heres what to expect.

Youll want to work closely with your doctor to make the decision.

This is not an undertaking to do alone, experts stress. Discontinuing antidepressants should never be done by anyone by themselves, Dr Binder says. Its always important to work with a psychiatrist or whoever is prescribing the medication.

That doc will dutifully reduce your medication dose and keep a careful eye on whether your depression or anxiety symptoms are coming back. People think, Im feeling better, and I want to get off these, but you may start feeling worse again, she says, and youll benefit from your physicians support if you do

Story continues

Youll cut back slowly on the meds.

To help you avoid as many unpleasant side effects as possible, your doctor will carefully taper you off of the medication. The weaning protocol for each drug is different, Dr. Binder says, but typically adjustments will be made two to three weeks apart to give your doctor a good sense of how your symptoms change as you taper.

Stopping suddenly can be very difficult to tolerate, Dr. Binder says. Never stop cold turkey.

Doctors usually accomplish this by either cutting your dose or cutting back on how frequently you take it. Either way, its like landing a plane, says Robert Valuck, Ph.D., a professor in the department of clinical pharmacy at the University of Colorado. You dont want to drop from 35,000 feet to the runway; you want a nice, slow glide path. Some people can handle a steeper glide path, says Valuck, but both approaches gradually reduce the dose in your system so that your body can adjust in baby steps.

It can take more time than you think.

We werent kidding about the slowly part. Many people expect to feel back to normal in a couple of days after quitting medsmuch like people expect starting antidepressants to make them feel better in a flashwhen really it can take several weeks. Typically, the drug is out of your system two weeks after stopping, but effects can linger for two months. It depends on how long you were on the meds to begin with, Valuck says



Your brain might feel... strange.

Stopping too quickly or even cold turkey has been anecdotally linked with what many people (especially in online forums) refer to as brain zaps. I had a patient who stopped Paxil [paroxetine] without tapering and described electricity going through her, Dr. Binder says. The phenomenon really isnt understood by experts, Valuck explains, and theres not enough evidence to prove discontinuing antidepressants can cause these zaps, but its still something to be aware of.

Tammy Mohney, 31, was on escitalopram (Lexapro) for about six months for anxiety before she had to stop taking it due to a change in her insurance. She tried to wean herself off by cutting her pills in half before stopping entirely, but she only had enough for about a week and wasnt able to continue working with her doctor.

For about a month, I would blink my eyes and get super-dizzy, almost like an electric shock went through my brain, she says. Id have to sit down or Id almost fall over. It made even the simplest daily tasks nearly impossible, she says, as it happened all day long. I might have weaned off of it a little too fast, she says now. I would definitely tell someone to consult a doctor or a pharmacist.



Your mood will probably change, but maybe only temporarily.

The most common antidepressants are a class called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which block the reabsorption of the brain chemical serotonin, leaving it free-floating, Valuck explains. Take the drugs away and that serotonin gets absorbed again, which can result in minor or rather pronounced mood changes, he says. Some research suggests that when people stop antidepressants, they might face an increased risk of suicidal thoughts, although theres been no link to actually acting on those ideas, he says.

This is particularly alarming, obviously, because we dont really know when those thoughts are depression coming back and when theyre a fleeting side effect of stopping treatment.

Biebel says she would cry at the drop of a hat while coming off of Effexor. Her friends started to worry it was not a good time for her to try to transition off meds after all, she says. Maybe I should have stayed on it a bit longer, but I just didnt want to be on it anymore.

You might feel it in your gut.



Believe it or not, weve got the same neurotransmitters that send around chemical messages in our brains in our guts, too. Other serotonin-mediated processes throughout the body can temporarily feel out of whack as your body readjusts, Valuck says. Many people discontinuing SSRIs report GI symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and changes in appetite.



You should have some other coping mechanisms in place already.



We know some of the most straightforward healthy habits can alleviate some of the pain of depression, like getting adequate exercise and sleep and taking up a relaxing, centering practice like meditation. But dont assume this safety net is there for you if you havent strung it up yourself. I would hope someone would already be trying these, if theyre stopping medication, Dr. Binder says.

Im a runner, and I think that helped clear my head a little bit, Biebel says. In the few months it took to come off the antidepressants, I never really felt 100% when I would run, but it was a distraction from the intense lethargy and overwhelming hangover feeling.

Friends and family can also provide support while youre tapering off of meds. They can notice symptoms maybe you dont notice yourself, Dr. Binder says. Depending on the patients relationship with those people, maybe they can say theyve noticed you might be getting a little irritable again or youre not sleeping as well. You can get help from your support system if you trust them.

Support from readers like you helps us do our best work. Go here to subscribe to Prevention and get 12 FREE gifts. And sign up for our FREE newsletter here for daily health, nutrition, and fitness advice.

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Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl leaves his office in southern Seoul after accepting Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae's recent order regarding an ongoing investigation. / Yonhap



By Kim Se-jeong



Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl "gave into" Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae, Thursday, as he accepted the minister's order to recuse himself from a controversial case involving a now fired journalist and one of his close aides.



Releasing a statement early in the morning, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office said, "The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office will carry out the investigation, and the district office has been notified of the decision..



But, at the end of the statement, it said: "In the 2013 investigation into the National Intelligence Service, Yoon, who was then the investigation team leader, was removed from the team," indicating the source of Yoon's displeasure.



Choo immediately welcomed Yoon's announcement, stating, "Yoon answered citizens' calls for a fair investigation."



By accepting the order, Yoon avoided a head-on clash with Choo and put an end to a conflict between the two which began early this month.



The prosecutor general viewed the district office's investigation into his aide as a deliberate, politically-motivated one with the goal of damaging him and pushed to stop it by asking the Supreme Prosecutors' Office to convene an expert panel to review the validity of the probe.



Choo, conversely, saw Yoon as attempting to stop the investigation as a favor to his aide.



On July 2, Choo ordered Yoon to stop seeking the review and to give the investigators full freedom.



Yoon immediately withdrew the request for the review, but protested quietly about the call to give full freedom.



The next day, he called a meeting with senior prosecutors from across the country during which the majority voiced opposition to Choo's moves.



On Monday, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office released an official statement containing the conclusions drawn at the meeting.



Wednesday marked the climax of the tension between the two.



Choo sent Yoon an ultimatum in the morning demanding an official response. Yoon's answer came later that day with him promising to remove himself from the case and to appoint a senior prosecutor to oversee the investigation. The minister immediately rejected this proposed compromise.



In Korea, the Prosecutor General reports to the Justice Minister about ongoing investigations. The Justice Minister has the right to offer directions to investigations. However, many experts and prosecutors view Choo as having abused her power in her dealing with Yoon.



Choo and Yoon have not been on good terms from the minister's first day in office.



Yoon, who was inaugurated last year, was President Moon's pick for the role of prosecutor general, however, he quickly became a headache for Moon as he ordered investigations into the President's close aides.



He ordered an investigation into Cho Kuk, the former justice minister and a confidante of Moon, who spearheaded prosecutorial reform, over corruption allegations involving his family members. Cho resigned from the post late last year and he and his wife are currently on trial.



Choo who was also appointed by President Moon took office in January and immediately started to pressure Yoon. The minister, against Yoon's wishes, restructured the prosecutor's office and reassigned people  putting prosecutors who supported her in higher positions.



The ongoing tension poses a challenge to Moon's long drive for prosecutorial reform. In Korea prosecutors have long been considered privileged and have frequently been embroiled in claims of corruption that also involved politicians.


Thiruvananthapuram, July 10 : Local residents on Friday protested against the restrictions put in place as part of the triple lockdown in Poonthura region, a coastal area in Thiruvananthapuram which has been designated a super-spreader of covid-19 by the state government.

Scores of people including women and children took to the streets alleging that the authorities were not allowing them to step outside their homes to even buy essentials.

Several reports quoted the local residents as saying that the police did not allow even grocery shops to open in the Poonthura area. People who stepped out to buy essential items from the grocery shops in the nearby wards were beaten up by the cops, they said.

Most of the residents were seen protesting without even wearing masks or maintaining social distancing in violation of the covid-19 regulations.

News portal The News Minute quoted Fr. Bebinson, the local priest, as saying that the residents of Poonthura who tested positive had called home complaining about the dismal conditions of the hospital they have been put up in. They reportedly cautioned their family members against taking the covid tests as they would be whisked away to the covid centres where they would not receive adequate care.

A few reports suggested that the local residents visited their ire on health authorities who showed up in the area to carry out covid-19 testing. The residents reportedly complained that covid-positive cases being reported in the neighbouring wards such as Puthenpally and Manikyavilakam were being put in the account of Poonthura, creating prejudice against the residents of Poonthura.

The protestors also reportedly expressed displeasure with the antigen tests being administered to them to detect the sars-cov-2 virus. The residents reportedly harboured the view that antigen testing showed many false positives and this accounted for the huge spike in covid cases being reported from the region.

Health minister K K Shailaja told reporters that the concerns expressed by the Poonthura residents would be addressed. She dismissed fears expressed by the residents about the antigen tests being unreliable. She clarified that the state government preferred antigen tests to RT PCR tests as the former gave the results in 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, the protests at Poonthura took a political turn with the CPI(M)-led LDF government accusing the opposition congress-led UDF of disseminating provocative falsehoods to instigate the local residents to take to the streets.

Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan in his daily press briefing accused a youth congress activist of spreading misinformation about antigen tests among the Poonthura residents through WhatsApp.

The state government had clamped triple lockdown in the Poonthura region after a fish vendor from the area turned out to be a super-spreader with over a hundred people contracting the infection from him through contact.
Three unidentified man snatched a new tractor from an Uttar Pradesh man near Saneta village on Thursday night.

The victim, Mahipal, a native of Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh, told the police that he was on his way to Jagadhri in Haryana to deliver the new Swaraj 855 tractor.

When he reached the Landran-Banur road, three men on a motorcycle intercepted him and threatened to handover the vehicle to them. One of the accused then took his tractor and the trio sped away.

We have started the investigation. CCTV footage from near the crime spot is being scrutinised to track the snatchers, said Mohali DSP (City 2) Deep Kamal.

A case under Section 379-B (snatching after preparation made for causing death, hurt or restraint in order to the committing of snatching) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against the unidentified accused at the Sohana police station.
An eight-year-old Russian girl who ran away from home following an argument with her parents was raped and killed after being picked up by a married couple in their car, Russian police have said.

More than 500 people volunteered to search for missing Vika Teplyakova after she was seen for a final time in CCTV footage walking alone along a road.

Wearing a T-shirt and blue shorts, the girl was trying to reach her friends in the town where the family used to live.

Eight-year-old Vika Teplyakova, pictured with a dog, ran away from home after an argument with her parents, but was picked up by a married couple in their car

Vika was spotted on CCTV walking along a road before she was picked up by the married couple who are alleged to have raped and strangled her with a plastic bag

She was missing three days before a 32-year-old woman told police she and her husband had given the child a lift.

The couple were identified as Igor and Kristina Dvornikov, and officers today released pictures of the detained husband and wife suspected of carrying out the horrific crimes.

The man told his wife he would 'attack' the girl and 'the woman did nothing to stop it because she was too scared of him', according to a police source.

Igor Dvornikov, pictured left, told his wife Kristina, pictured right, he would 'attack' the girl and 'the woman did nothing to stop it because she was too scared of him'

The girl was raped and strangled with a plastic bag. She died on Monday, the day she disappeared, said police.

The woman showed police where her body was hidden near a lake, said law enforcement.

Igor Dvornikov initially denied abducting, abusing and killing the girl, but later confessed, according to law enforcement.

More than 500 people joined the search for the eight-year-old on Sakhalin island in Russia after she ran away following an argument with her parents

When she ran away from home, Vika, pictured above, was reportedly trying to reach her friends in the town where the family used to live before she was picked up by the couple

Both the man and the woman have been detained as detectives launch a murder probe.

The girl had run away from her parents in Novoaleksandrovsk on Sakhalin island, a pacific island north of Japan.

One report said a man had given her a sum of money- 1.70 - and taken her to a supermarket before she was attacked.
Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite charged with facilitating Jeffrey Epstein's sexual abuse of underage girls, on Friday asked for bail of $5 million, and argued that her criminal case is barred by a nonprosecution deal that the now-dead Epstein signed with federal authorities years ago.

Maxwell, who has been held without bail since being arrested last week in New Hampshire, also proposes in a new court filing that she be released into home confinement with electronic monitoring in New York as her criminal case proceeds.

A bail hearing for her is scheduled for Tuesday in federal court in Manhattan.

"Ms. Maxwell vigorously denies the charges, intends to fight them, and is entitled to the presumption of innocence," her lawyers, Mark Cohen and Jeffrey Pagliuca, wrote in their filing.

The attorneys urged a judge to set a personal recognizance bond for Maxwell in the amount of $5 million. That bond would be secured by six co-signers, as well as by property in Britain worth $3.75 million.

The attorneys said that the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on prisoners, warrants Maxwell's release on bail, not only for health reasons but also to allow her to assist with her legal defense.

The lawyers noted that they have already had difficulty communicating with Maxwell, 58, since she has been locked up in a federal jail in Brooklyn, New York.

The also argued for bail on the grounds that she "has strong ties to the community," holds American citizenship, has resided in the U.S. for decades and has no criminal record

Maxwell, if granted bail, would agree to get visits at home from no one other than family, close friends and lawyers, according to her attorneys' filing.

They also said Maxwell would have a security staff who could report to authorities, and that she would also agree to limit any travel to New York City, Long Island and several counties north of the city.

The filing said that Maxwell had not had contact with Epstein, a former boyfriend, for more than a decade before he died in August in a federal jail in Manhattan from what has been officially ruled a suicide by hanging.

Prosecutors previously have said they want Maxwell detained without bail, calling her an extreme flight risk. They noted she holds several passports, citizenship in three countries, including Britain and France, and is wealthy.

But her lawyers in their filing wrote that she "has not left the country even once since Epstein's arrest a year ago, even though she was aware of the pending, and highly publicized, criminal investigation."

Maxwell, who is a daughter of the dead crooked media baron Robert Maxwell, was arrested at a 156-acre property in Bradford, New Hampshire, on July 2 on a six-count indictment that was issued by a federal grand jury in Manhattan. T

The $1 million property was purchased months ago by a legal entity set up to disguise the actual purchaser's real identity.

She is accused of conspiring with Epstein to sexually abuse children as young as 14 in the mid-1990s, and for lying under oath in civil litigation about her alleged conduct as his procurer.

Epstein, 66, died while awaiting trial on child sex trafficking charges that related to alleged conduct from 2002 through 2005 involving dozens of underage girls. His death came after a judge denied him bail.

A wealthy investor, Epstein was a former friend of Presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, as well as of Britain's Prince Andrew.
Sana Shakil By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: At a time when multiple cities in the country in states like Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Telangana are shutting down due to an exponential rise in the number of novel coronavirus infections, there are some places that have managed to contain the spread of virus to a large extent, data analysed by this newspaper for the duration of Unlock 1 has revealed.

The biggest example of the turnaround is Meghalaya, where cumulative active cases dropped to 10 by June 30, which stood at 15 on June 1 when the government rolled out Unlock-1.

Manipur, Nagaland, Sikkim, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Mizoram are the six states/Union Territories that did not have any Covid-19 death by the end of June.

The states which recorded their first death during the Unlock-1 period were Tripura with a fatality rate of 0.07%, Ladakh with a fatality rate of 0.10%, Arunachal Pradesh with a fatality rate of 0.52% and Meghalaya with a fatality rate of 1.88%.

To take the example of a state with a fairly large population that has been able to bring the numbers down, one could look at Gujarat. It had 5,374 active cases in the beginning of June but was able to curb the growth of the virus and restrict the cases to just over 7,000 by the end of the month.

Compared to this, Maharashtra reported 37,543 active cases on June 1 and over twice as many cases by the end of Unlock 1  75,979. Gujarat, however, registered the worst fatality rate in the country at 5.66%, but that too was an improvement compared to its fatality rate of 6.17% on June 1.

Kerala, of course, has been one of the celebrated success stories across the world in the handling of Covid-19. When the fatality rate of most other states increased in June, Keralas fatality rate came down to 0.56% on June 30 compared to 1.88% in the beginning of the month.

West Bengal is another populous state whose entire health machinery was looking to be overwhelmed by the explosion of Covid-19 cases in the first few days of Unlock-1. But it was around June 14 when the upward trend of active cases was checked and the curve of recoveries rose sharply.

From having the fifth highest active cases in the country on June 1, West Bengal slipped to the ninth position in the all-India tally. The state also managed to bring down its fatality rate from 5.63% on June 1 to 3.59% on June 30.

Rajasthan, which became famous for its Bhilwara model, was another large state which was able to bring the spread of the virus under control.

From having seventh highest active cases of Covid-19 on June 1, Rajasthan slid down to the eleventh position by the end of June. The state had 2,688 active cases in the beginning of the month.

However, by June 30, it had a total of 3,375 cases, whereas most other states with a higher number of Covid-19 cases registered at least a two to three-fold increase in their number of active cases.

Consequently, Rajasthan registered a significant drop in the tally of its cumulative cases. From having fifth highest cases in the country  9,100 cases on June 1  the western state slid to the seventh position with 18,008 cases by the end of the month.

The sharp improvement in the situation could have probably come from its extensive testing and isolating strategy. When even the worst affected states like Delhi were conducting only 8,000 tests in the beginning of June, Rajasthan was conducting around 12,000-15,000 tests daily.
Russia on Thursday arrested and charged the popular governor of a far eastern region on suspicion of ordering the murder of several businessmen 15 years ago, sparking a furious reaction from his party. The arrest and indictment of Khabarovsk governor Sergei Furgal came after President Vladimir Putin, who has been in power for two decades, this month, oversaw a constitutional vote that allows him to extend his hold on power until 2036. Furgal is charged with organising "the murders and the attempted murder of a number of entrepreneurs" in 2004 and 2005, said the Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes. Furgal stood for office representing the LDPR nationalist party and his arrest sparked a furious reaction from its leader. In televised comments in parliament, LDPR's firebrand leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky said the party's MPs could resign en masse in protest. "Let the whole world know about the mess happening in the country," he said. "You are beginning to use Stalin-era methods," he said in a tirade apparently aimed at the ruling party. "If we take to the streets, the Russian Guard will not save you, and the army will be on our side." He said that Furgal, who was elected Khabarovsk's regional governor in 2018, had been vetted prior to the vote, where, in an embarrassing result for the ruling party United Russia which backs Putin, Furgal secured 70 percent of the ballot. - 'Driving Moscow mad' - Furgal, who has nearly 240,000 followers on Instagram, was also a State Duma lawmaker in 2007-1018. More than 30,000 people signed a petition supporting him after his arrest. "It's obvious that Khabarovsk region is driving Moscow mad because we do not support United Russia!" one supporter, Yekaterina Vognerubova, said online. While ostensibly an opposition party, the LDPR usually backs Kremlin initiatives. Its MPs include Andrei Lugovoy, Britain's chief suspect in the polonium poisoning of former security agent Alexander Litvinenko. Furgal's detention comes ahead of regional elections in September and some analysts suggested it was a warning to opposition forces. Two Khabarovsk lawmakers, both members of LDPR, were also detained, Russian media said. The party could not immediately confirm this. Khabarovsk region had among the highest rates of opposition votes in the nationwide plebiscite, the results of which the Kremlin has called a "triumph." - Flown to Moscow - State news broadcasts showed a group of masked law enforcement officials in camouflage pulling Furgal from the backseat of an SUV in a driveway. The governor's office said Furgal had been detained near his home as he prepared to leave for work. He later flew into Moscow under escort where he would be questioned by investigators, Russian news agencies reported. Moscow's Basmanny district court would consider whether to detain him on Friday, a court spokeswoman told AFP. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he would "abstain from any comment" on Furgal's performance as governor of the region, which borders China. According to his official biography, Furgal, a former doctor, was a businessman from 1999 until he took office as a local lawmaker in 2005. The investigation concerns two murders and one attempted murder, state news agency TASS reported, citing a source. One of those killed was Furgal's former business partner Oleg Bulatov, who was shot dead in the city of Khabarovsk in 2005. The other victim, Yevgeny Zorya, was shot dead in the same city in 2004. Both crimes resembled contract killings. The attempted killing was in the neighbouring Amur region. Investigators said they had arrested four others over the same case. Russia has a statute of limitation of 15 years for serious crimes, making it hard to see how the case will proceed, wrote RAPSI legal news agency. Also on Thursday, investigators searched the homes of several Kremlin critics who prepared to stage a rally next week. On Tuesday, a high-profile former journalist was arrested on charges of treason.
They should know, though, that attacks from self-serving, insecure men who cant tell the difference between true patriotism and hateful nationalism will never diminish my love for this country  or my willingness to sacrifice for it so they dont have to, Duckworth wrote. These titanium legs dont buckle.
NEW MILFORD  A judge has dismissed all charges for two men who spent decades in prison for a murder they say they didnt commit.

The Connecticut Superior Courts ruling on Friday comes about a year after the state Supreme Court overtured the felony murder convictions of Ralph Ricky Birch and Shawn Henning in the Dec. 1, 1985, slaying of 65-year-old Everett Carr in his New Milford home.

Incorrect testimony from Henry Lee, the states top criminologist at the time and world famous forensic expert, was the main reason for last years decision for a new case.

In dismissing the charges, Judge Dan Shaban ruled there is no need for any further investigation of Birch and Henning, who wore T-shirts Friday reading I didnt do it, and I am innocent, according to the Associated Press.

/ Associated Press

Birch and Henning, who were 18 and 17 at the time of the incident, were taken in as suspects. While they confessed to stealing a car and committing four other area burglaries, they steadfastly insisted they were not involved with the Carr murder.

Andrew OShea, Birchs attorney, said that despite an extremely bloody crime scene, no DNA evidence was ever found linking the pair to Carr, who had been stabbed 27 times, had his throat cut and suffered seven blows to the head. Despite being identified as suspects shortly after the crime, no blood was found on Birch or Hennings clothes or in their car.

During their trials, prosecutors presented evidence from forensic expert Henry Lee, who would later gain fame as a witness in the O.J. Simpson murder case, that it was possible for the assailants to avoid getting much blood on them.

The biggest piece of evidence that came under fire in the new hearings were towels hanging in the bathroom that Lee said were tested and shown to contain blood. However, that ended up being incorrect.

/ Associated Press

The state proffered two theories, one of which the respondent now concedes was predicated on Lees incorrect testimony, the Supreme Court ruled last year. If the jury had known that Lees testimony about finding blood on the bathroom towel was incorrect, that knowledge might well have caused it to question the reliability of his other testimony. If that had occurred, the states entire case against the petitioner could very well have collapsed.

After the state Supreme Court ruling for new trials, Lee said the testimony was not false.

Birch served more than 30 years of a 55-year sentence for felony murder. Henning was granted probation in 2018 under new rules for teenage offenders.

I feel good, its about time, Birch said when he was released last year. Its been a long time coming. It seems like it took a lot longer than it should. But Ive got a lot of good people on my side, in my corner, and they fought for me.

Hennings attorneys applauded the decision for the new case last year, saying the court affirmed the points they made.

Shawn Henning was wrongly imprisoned for nearly 30 years on the false and misleading testimony of Henry Lee, one of Hennings attorneys, Craig Raabe, had said . It has taken 30 years to correct this injustice and we are very pleased with the courts thoughtful decision.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Long before the age of the Internet and the fleeting spasms of mass hysteria that came with it (Remember Jade Helm? Pizzagate?), and going back to the late 20th century, when irrational fears moved slower and lasted longer, there was Satan.

The "satanic panic," some call it now. It began some time in the 1980s, when newscasters and fundamentalist Christian cartoons warned of the evils of the role-playing game "Dungeons & Dragons," and stretched into the 1990s, when police and psychiatrists saw thousands of unfounded accusations of ritualistic sex abuse and children were seized from British parents accused of devil worship.

One case still stands out.

"This country hasn't seen anything like it since the Salem witch trials," Texas Monthly wrote in 1994, in a profile of Austin, Texas, day-care operators Dan and Fran Keller, who had been thrown in prison two years earlier.

The Kellers had been convicted of sexual assault in 1992. Children from their day-care center accused them - variously - of serving blood-laced Kool Aid; wearing white robes; cutting the heart out of a baby; flying children to Mexico to be raped by soldiers; using Satan's arm as a paintbrush; burying children alive with animals; throwing them in a swimming pool with sharks; shooting them; and resurrecting them after they had been shot.

They were hardly the only people to be accused by children during the panic. Many were exonerated long ago - like the 20 people wrongly convicted in the infamous Kern County sex abuse cases. Some now blame the phenomenon on "a quack cadre of psychotherapists who were convinced that they could dig up buried memories through hypnosis," as Radley Balko wrote in a column for The Washington Post.

But the Kellers suffered for decades.

They served nearly 22 years in prison before a court released them in 2013, after years of work by journalists and lawyers to expose what proved to be a baseless case against them.

And only now - when Fran Keller is 67 and Dan is 75 - has the couple been fully exonerated. Their 1992 case was finally dismissed in June after a district attorney declared them innocent.

This week, the Austin American-Statesman reported, they were awarded $3.4 million from a state fund - a belated attempt to refund a quarter-century that they lost to the delusions of other people.

"We can start living," Fran Keller told the newspaper after learning of the award Tuesday. "No more nightmares."

- - -

"Terror at the day care," blared the Vancouver Sun in 1992, in prose typical of early coverage of the Kellers. "It didn't look like a haunted house. But the kids knew better."

Fran's Day Care Center actually looked entirely charming, as described by Texas Monthly in one of the few measured stories from that era.

Opened in 1989, it had cages of rabbits and a pony named Dancer, a playground and swimming pool, tucked into a leafy Austin neighborhood "as tidy and pastoral as a cottage in a fairy tale," Texas Monthly wrote.

The couple lived at the same house - Fran in her 40s and Dan in his 50s - and cared for about 15 children each day, including some who had histories of emotional problems and abuse.

One day in 1991, Fran recalled in an interview with KXAN, only two children were dropped off. Then police knocked on the door and sat with her in the kitchen.

"They told me Dan was accused of hurting a child," she said. "And I knew that couldn't be true."

What began as a single accusation from a 3-year-old girl with known behavioral problems, Texas Monthly wrote, "escalated to monstrous proportions" after authorities closed the day care.

Worried parents sent their children to therapists, where they came back with tales pulled straight from horror movies.

At one point in the investigation, the Statesman wrote, police had a suspect list of "26 ritual abusers, including many of the Kellers' neighbors and a respected Austin police captain."

As an appeals court judges recounted decades later, one girl claimed that Dan Keller "had come to her house and had cut her dog's vagina with a chainsaw until it bled, that she was taken to a cemetery, where, after a person dressed like a policeman threw a person in a hole, Daniel Keller shot the person who had been thrown into the hole and cut up the body with a chainsaw while all the children helped."

And parents began to reinterpret day-to-day activities at the day care as sinister omens.

The Kellers had once sent children home with American flags, one parent told the Vancouver Sun. The flag "reminds them, 'Don't tell,' " the parent said.

The panic was already beginning to subside in other parts of the world. A three-year inquiry by the British government in the early 1990s concluded that "there was no foundation to the plethora of satanic child abuse claims," according to the BBC.

"These tales are usually just that - figments of imagination," the New York Times wrote in 1994, citing a study by the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect that found not a single substantiated case of cult sex abuse among more than 11,000 reported to psychiatric and police workers.

Nevertheless, the Kellers were convicted after a six-day trial in 1992.

Not of chainsawing a dog's vagina, of course - but of aggravated sexual assault based on the word of children and police, and a single piece of physical evidence: an apparent wound on a girl's vagina.

That, too, would turn out to be wrong - but not before the Kellers stood in a Travis County courthouse and heard their sentences read aloud: 48 years each.

- - -

"You prayed a lot," Fran Keller told KXAN, remembering when the whole world seemed to believe she and her husband were monsters.

"And you sat there. And you was like a zombie."

She was sent to a women's prison near Marlin, where she became a target because of the allegations that she had abused children. She spent her time dodging boiling water and learning about shanks, she told the station.

Dan served his time near Amarillo, Texas Monthly wrote, where he wrote poems and tried "to figure out what happened to the life he once knew."

They lived like that for years, never seeing each other, fading from the headlines as the 20th century passed away and the satanic panic went with it.

But some remembered.

Then, in 2009, the Austin Chronicle wrote an article called "Believing the Children" - 10,000 words that tore apart what aspects of the Keller's case had not sounded wholly fantastical to begin with.

An emergency room doctor who had testified of wounds on a little girl's vagina had since reconsidered after learning more about female anatomy. He told the Chronicle reporter, "I'll be straight-up honest with you, I could've been wrong."

State troopers had once flown over a cemetery, investigating claims that the Kellers took children there to dig up a grave. Evidence at the trial showed the earth had indeed been disturbed.

But a cemetery worker told the Chronicle that the coffin in that particular grave kept sinking, and the occupant's son regularly came by and threw more dirt on it. Thus the disturbance. Moreover, the Chronicle reported, police had known this but it had not been mentioned in the trial.

The article has many such examples of evidence that didn't hold up to scrutiny.

Austin lawyer Keith Hampton read the Chronicle's story and thought, "Oh, dear God," he later recalled to Texas Monthly.

Thereafter, Hampton began working for free to overturn the Kellers' conviction.

They appealed the case in 2013, according to the Statesman. The doctor's testimony proved crucial. Hampton put him under oath, and he said in no uncertain terms: "I was mistaken."

That November, around Dan Keller's 72nd birthday, both he and his wife walked free on bond while an appeals court considered a permanent reversal.

The couple had not seen each other in more than two decades.

"My heart lit up," Dan Keller told KXAN a few months later.

But officially, they were still sex predators - always looking over their shoulders, accused by many people of horrible things.

"All I can say is I hope one day you change you mind," Fran Keller said.

- - -

The next year, an appeals court unanimously overturned the Kellers' convictions based on false testimony.

"This was a witch hunt from the beginning," one judge wrote, comparing the case to the Salem witch trials of the 17th century, in which 22 women were hanged before Massachusetts reversed the convictions.

But without explaining why, the appeals court declined one of the Kellers' central requests: refusing to declare them innocent in 2015. Several children who originally accused the couple still oppose their release, the Statesman reported.

The Kellers kept pushing for public redemption. They were finally declared "actually innocent" by the Travis County district attorney in June, the newspaper wrote. That made them eligible for a state program that pays wrongfully convicted people $80,000 for each year they spent in prison - a very large cumulative sum, in the Kellers' extraordinary case.

The couple had been getting by on Social Security checks and the help of friends, they told the Statesman.

"It's been really, really rough," Fran Keller said. "You can't get a job as a 'child molester.' "

Nevertheless, they used their freedom to involve themselves in the cases of others they believe to be wrongfully imprisoned.

They were standing outside a Texas jail in support of one such man Tuesday, when their lawyer called with the news that they were millionaires.

"They are now compensated and no longer must fear homelessness or lack of health insurance," the lawyer, Hampton, wrote to KXAN. "They are buying a home and can live out their lives in peace and quiet."

The Kellers were expected to pick up a check for $3.4 million this week - though maybe millions isn't so much when stretched across two decades and the darkest fantasies of children.

Fran Keller put it this way to the Statesman:

"It means we will actually be free."

- - -

Video: Wrongfully convicted couple awarded $3.4 million after more than 21 years in prison

Dan and Fran Keller were wrongfully accused of child sexual assault and accused of practicing satanism in 1992.

Short URL: http://wapo.st/2g9UvAM

Embed code:
A Divided City

Sharing More Wealth

Staying on Task

Theres an old expression out of Lewis Carroll: If you dont know where youre going, any road will take you there. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot insists on being more deliberate about where her city will be heading in the wake of the pandemic, recession and protests calling for racial justice.On Thursday, Lightfoots Recovery Task Force released a 104-page set of recommendations for the citys future. Lightfoot described it as a once in a generation opportunity not only to rebuild the economy but achieve greater equity.This is the beginning of a longer journey, says Samir Mayekar, Chicagos deputy mayor for economic and neighborhood development. Now we have to roll up our sleeves and implement this.It wont be easy. The task forces five committees  made up of local heavy hitters in corporate, academic, philanthropic and other realms, with community input  have come up with a total of 17 recommendations. Lightfoot co-chaired the task force with Samuel Skinner, a former White House chief of staff.Many of the recommendations are ambitious, pursuing goals around equity and increased minority business ownership that have eluded Chicago and other cities for decades. Even the simplest ideas  such as creating and staffing a multilingual 211 service to help residents access social service programs  pose a challenge for a city thats facing a $700 million budget shortfall.But Lightfoots desire was to think big  and to look beyond the citys current problems. While responding to the health emergency and getting the economy reopened have consumed energy and attention, the task forces job was to think about where the city might be 18 months from now.Other cities and states are pursuing similar exercises, trying not only to navigate the current challenges but plan for the post-pandemic future.Were taking some body blows out here, says David Frockt, who chairs the Washington Senates special committee on economic recovery. We have to focus in particular on how we make sure theres demand out there that will drive the small business recovery that will bring people back to work.Most visioning exercises take months or years to complete. Lightfoot launched her task force in April at the Water Tower  a symbolically important spot as one of the few structures that survived the Great Fire of 1871.While looking for ways for Chicago to rise again from the figurative ashes, the report doesnt sugarcoat the citys problems. Hours worked by hourly workers plummeted by more than 60 percent in March. A third of the jobs in the entire Chicago region are still considered vulnerable. Unemployment among Black Chicagoans is double the rate of any other racial or ethnic group.Weve known theres been disinvestment, especially on our South and West sides and in our Black and brown communities, Mayekar says. COVID really compounded those disparities.The share of census tracts in the city that were considered very low-income rose from 17 percent in 1970 to 46 percent in 2010, while the share of high-income tracts grew from 3 percent to 15 percent. Those trends have continued, with disparities growing as Chicagos middle class has been hollowed out.During Rahm Emanuels time as mayor, the narrative around Chicago was that it presented an emblematic tale of two cities, with the Loop and surrounding areas attracting corporate headquarters and tourists, while the citys South and West sides slid deeper into post-industrial recession, losing population and shuttering schools.While the strengths of our city have shown through in ways large and small, our vulnerabilities borne of generational inequality and systemic racism have also flashed like a neon signand flashed even brighter following the murder of George Floyd, the report notes.During her campaign last year, Lightfoot ran as an outsider, taking on the remnants of Chicagos vaunted political machine and promising to address corruption at City Hall. She launched a program last fall called INVEST South/West, which seeks to attract and align $750 million worth of investments to the citys neglected neighborhoods by 2022. The task force report calls for a new program to address inequities throughout the city, along with the expansion of existing anti-poverty and safety net programs.It also calls for creation and support of more minority-owned businesses, recommending that the city streamline red tape and regulations and offer financial assistance. We are hearing from so many companies in Chicago, asking how can we change our procurement processes to make sure were contracting with Black and brown-owned businesses, Mayekar says.At the same time, Chicago wants to maintain its position as a magnet for outside capital. The task force calls for the city to continue its successful push attracting corporate headquarters, while also suggesting it position itself as the HQ2 location of choice. With more companies likely to spread out their workforces and seek redundancies, Chicago certainly offers more affordable land than rivals such as Los Angeles and New York.The task force report is replete with consultant speak. There is a lot of talk about leveraging, convening and engaging communities in partnership with stakeholders. In places, it essentially punts, calling for the city to create pitches that will appeal variously to corporate investors, film producers and tourists.Just as Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden released a Buy American economic plan on Thursday, the report calls for a Buy Chicago campaign to encourage residents to spend their dollars locally. It also seeks a new master brand to replace old mottoes such as Second City and Windy City, but so far none has made it off the whiteboard and into brochures, let alone peoples imaginations.The report is clearly an outline, setting down priorities and offering ideas for pursuing economic growth, achieving greater equity and tending to the needs of residents. The task force committees will continue to meet on a quarterly basis, checking on the citys progress and inputs from the private sector. The report anticipates that its recommendations will be implemented in phases through 2023.No doubt, as with other such exercises, Chicago will fall short in many ways. Its impossible to predict how the urban landscape around the nation as a whole will be reshaped by the pandemic and all the economic and social problems its unleashed.Still, Chicago has put its collective head together and now has a sense at least of where it intends to go.
After another weekend of violence in Atlanta -- where nearly three dozen were shot and five were killed, including an eight-year-old girl -- Mayor Keisha Bottoms said enough is enough. However, because her worldview is corrupted by modern liberalism -- which is the case with the leadership in virtually every major U.S. city -- she offered no real solutions for the recent epidemic of violence that plagues Atlanta.

Georgias Republican Governor Brian Kemp stepped in and ordered the activation of 1,000 National Guard troops in order to protect state property and patrol the streets of Atlanta. In his statement, Kemp declared:

Peaceful protests were hijacked by criminals with a dangerous, destructive agenda. Now, innocent Georgians are being targeted, shot, and left for dead. This lawlessness must be stopped and order restored in our capital city. I have declared a State of Emergency and called up the Georgia Guard because the safety of our citizens comes first. This measure will allow troops to protect state property and dispatch state law enforcement officers to patrol our streets. Enough with the tough talk. We must protect the lives and livelihoods of all Georgians.

Part of the problem in Atlanta -- again, like we now see in so many large, Democrat-led U.S. cities -- is plummeting police morale. After the murder of George Floyd, and the unjust and incorrect accusations of systemic racism throughout America, police all over the U.S. were made into scapegoats for what really plagues the urban areas of America. As a result, police officers have been targeted for violence and mayhem simply for wearing their uniforms and doing their jobs.

In addition, police officers have been targeted -- and unjustly fired -- by their superiors. This has been the case in Atlanta. As a result, a recent wave of blue flu has swept through the Atlanta Police Department. Almost certainly, this means dangerous areas of Atlanta are not seeing the usual police presence. Thus the need for the Georgia National Guard.

And thus we see again the sad, sorry results of the Ferguson Effect, a phrase coined by Heather MacDonald that says when police stop, or reduce, policing -- because of political pressure, community pressure, department policies, and the like -- criminals are emboldened and crime increases.

Because of the Democrats relentless and dishonest campaign against law enforcement, the Ferguson Effect has led to numerous U.S. cities becoming significantly more dangerous. As John Nolte put it several years ago, The obvious and predictable result is a rise in violent crime that only hurts predominantly poor, black, inner-city neighborhoods. Of course, the magnificently foolish calls to defund the police or abolish the police (as some school districts are now doing) will only ensure that the Ferguson Effect will continue and will result in even more death and destruction in Americas urban areas.

Whatever ones politics on these matters, one question that often is ignored when it comes to policing and Americas cities is, why do the urban areas of America require more policing in the first place? Why is it that certain parts of America -- whether cities, towns, or schools -- require very little policing and see almost no crime (certainly little to no violent crime)? I believe the answer is quite simple: Wherever one sees intact, God-fearing families -- families with a married mother and father who regularly attend religious services -- crime is virtually nonexistent.

Of course, sound morality has long revealed this to be the case, but, if you require it, multiple studies have also shown that children raised by a married mother and father are better citizens; e.g., less likely to commit crimes, more likely to perform well in school, and so on. Additionally, multiple studies have shown that religious Americans are more involved with their families, less likely to divorce, do better financially, are more likely to donate their time and other resources to their communities, and are happier and healthier than their non-religious counterparts.

Modern liberalisms war on the family and faith has been particularly devastating to fathers, and this has been particularly devastating to Americas youth and the communities that must deal with the consequences of fatherless children. Among many other sad outcomes, fatherlessness is one of the leading predictors of future criminal activity. Children from single-parent homes (almost always without a father) are

more likely to engage in questionable behavior, struggle academically, and become delinquent. Problems with children from fatherless families can continue into adulthood. These children are three times more likely to end up in jail by the time they reach age 30 than are children raised in intact families, and have the highest rates of incarceration in the United States.

Additionally, fatherlessness is the single greatest cause of poverty in the U.S. As Robert Rector pointed out years ago, Being raised in a married family reduced a childs probability of living in poverty by about 80 percent. In order to further their big-government agenda, modern liberals often point to education as the answer to poverty in America. However, marriage is a far better weapon against poverty than is education. Again, as Rector points out, being married has the same effect in reducing poverty that adding five to six years to a parents level of education has. In addition, a child living in a single-parent home in which the parent is a college graduate is nearly twice as likely to live in poverty as a child living with their married parents whose highest level of education is completing high school.

Marriage provides the safest environment for children. In addition to being much more likely to live in crime-ridden communities, children born to single moms face much more danger inside the home than do children living with their married parents. As Marripedia points out:

The rate of physical abuse is 3 times higher in the single parent family.

The rate of physical abuse is 4 times higher if the mother is cohabiting with the childs biological father (unmarried).

The rate of physical abuse is 5 times higher if the child is living in a married step family.

The rate of physical abuse is 10 times higher if the mother is cohabiting with a boyfriend.

The rates for sexual abuse are even worse than physical abuse:

The rate of sexual abuse is 5 times higher in the single parent family and when both biological parents are cohabiting (i.e., unmarried).

The rate of sexual abuse is 8.6 times higher if the child is living in a married step family.

The rate of sexual abuse is 20 times higher if the mother is cohabiting with a boyfriend.

As tragic as the outcomes of the Ferguson Effect are, the Fatherless Effect is much more wide-ranging, common, and deadly in American society. Of course, systemic liberalism is responsible for both. If todays liberals have accomplished anything, they have given us the destruction of the biblical family model and the removal of God from virtually every public institution in America. No amount of policing, no number of soldiers can make up for either. And neither can the racist, Marxist Black Lives Matter organization -- or any of their like-minded ilk.

If America wants our city streets to be safe, if we want our communities and schools to function properly, we must abandon the principles of modern liberalism and fix our homes and our hearts. To do that, we must look to the One who made us and what His Word says in all of these matters.

Trevor Grant Thomas

At the Intersection of Politics, Science, Faith, and Reason.

www.trevorgrantthomas.com

Trevor is the author of the The Miracle and Magnificence of America

tthomas@trevorgrantthomas.com
Friday, July 10, 2020

Shortly after this crisis began, small business owners started calling me asking how they can better manage their cash. The three- (3) best practices I recommended -- after seeking SBA grants & loans, cutting unnecessary expenses, and reaching out to creditors -- were: (i) creating a 12-week cash flow forecast to better track cash inflows and outflows, (ii) doing a better job conditioning customers about paying at the time of sale, and (iii) proactively managing their accounts receivable collections process.

Most small business cash management systems can be summed up as looking at what's in the bank, what the business has to pay, estimating what cash the business will receive later in the week and then sending out the checks for the week. It shocks me how many small businesses incur "avoidable" bad check fees because they sent out payments without knowing for sure if there will be enough cash in the bank to cover the payment when it's cashed.

Creating a 12-week cash flow forecast allows business owners to see what their cash inflows and outflows will look like several weeks out, so they can proactively manage their cash by either accelerating receivables or deferring payables. Every business owner should be looking at this forecast a few times a week and taking actions to adjust their plan as needed. Business owners unfamiliar with how to create a 12-week cash flow forecast, can e-mail me at jjtalericojr@GPBusinessSolutions.com, and I will send out a complementary cash flow forecast spreadsheet along with instructions to help them better manage their business' cash flows.

Cash flow planning involves ensuring sufficient time between the time you collect from your customers and when you have to pay your vendors and employees. Conditioning the customer about payment begins during the sales process. The best time to discuss payment terms is right after the sale, because that's when the customer is the most open. Smart business owners cement the customer's commitment to pay in a timely manner at this time.

Other ideas successful business owners use to manage their cash flows include the below strategies:

Managing Cash Inflows:

Getting customers to give you an upfront payment, periodic progress payments, and then payment of the balance at the end job;

Offering discounts to select customers for early payment;

Managing inventory levels, and periodically discounting older, outdated inventory to generate cash;

E-mailing invoices daily to ensure the invoice gets to the customer ASAP;

Performing credit checks on customers and instituting a "Cash on Delivery" (COD) alternative to slow paying customers;

Pivoting their sales to their most profitable products & services; and

Using a 3rd party financing company  so the business gets paid upfront, while also allowing the customer to make payments over time.

Managing Cash Outflows:

Taking full advantage of payment terms, and using electronic transfers to make the payment on the last day payment is due;

Communicating with creditors and vendors when you need to defer payment;

Asking vendors about discounts for paying early or more flexible payment terms. Most business owners don't realize that a 1% cash discount actually works out to be an annual return of 18%;

Signing all checks, so you make sure you are reviewing every payment sent to vendors; and

Continually looking for ways to reduce unnecessary expenses.

Making A/R collection calls each week to proactively manage your cash is critical, because "the squeaky wheel gets the grease". The statistics speak for themselves: an invoice that is over 60 days has only a 70% chance of being collected in full, an invoice older than 90 days 45%, and after 120 days the chances of collecting the entire invoice drops to just 20%.

Suppose you have to write off $10,000 in bad debt, well, if your profit margin is 10%, that means you have to generate $100,000 in additional business just to make up for that loss.

The good news is that there are only a handful of excuses customers give for not paying on time, and these objections are fairly easy to overcome. Here are the common objections and responses:

1. I didn't get the invoice -

Resend the invoice, make sure they received it, ask for payment, and follow up, as needed.

2. The invoice isn't correct -

Fix it, resend it, make sure they received it, then follow up by requesting payment.

3. I don't have the money -

Ask when they will have the money, or consider breaking up the payment and follow up until you are paid in full.

4. There is problem with the finished product or service -

Fix the problem, ask for payment, and follow up until you are paid.

Be courteous, but firm, when asking for payment. Remember, you have provided a product or service, and have a right to be paid as agreed.

Establishing a relationship with a local banker and getting a line of credit can give a business owner a cushion, but that is easier said than done for many businesses. The report "Cash and Liquidity Management" surveyed 325 mid-sized business owners and found that 58% of business owners stated that cash from operations was their main source of capital for growth, and 8% pointed to equity investors as a source for financing, leaving less than 25% relying on debt financing.

Making smart moves to manage your cash flow is more important than ever in today's economic environment. These three recommendations will allow you to take stock of cash position, think about your current cash conversion situation, and ensure that you are doing you best to collect your cash. If you need additional help, contact your business advisors, who may be also able to suggest ideas you might have overlooked. Hang in there  you can do it !

Looking for more ideas to successfully emerge from the current Covid-19 crisis ? Check out our Small Business Owner's Covid-19 Survival Kit available through our on-line store on our Square web site https://greater-prairie-business-consulting.square.site/.

It contains over two dozen files filled with a plethora of financial, tax, HR, safety, leadership, sales, marketing, and government information to help business owners survive the Covid-19 Coronavirus Crisis.

We offer a 100% Money Back Guarantee if you are not completely satisfied, and free, periodic updates !
Travel restrictions across Europe brought the tourism industry to a standstill. Photo: Joan Mateu/AP

Package holiday firms should promptly issue refunds to customers whose holidays have been cancelled, even in spite of the extraordinary pressures they are facing during the coronavirus pandemic, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) warned on Friday.

The regulator noted that consumers have a statutory right to a full cash refund within 14 days of the termination of their package holiday, even if the reasons for the cancellation are unavoidable and extraordinary.

We expect businesses to comply with these requirements where package holiday contracts are terminated due to the COVID-19 pandemic, said Cecilia Parker Aranha of the CMA in an open letter to package travel sector.

We are aware that many consumers have been promised full cash refunds, but these have yet to be paid, she said.

READ MORE: Intensified talks with EU fail to break Brexit deadlock

Since launching its coronavirus task force, which was set up to monitor market developments in the wake of the pandemic, the CMA has received more than 17,500 complaints from consumers about firms in the sector.

The CMA said that it was now particularly concerned about the harm being suffered by consumers who have purchased package holidays, noting that companies seemed to be engaging in practices contrary to consumer law.

The regulator noted that it had the power to bring enforcement actions against firms in relation to such breaches.

The CMA recognises that the pandemic has created extraordinary pressures on package holiday businesses, said Parker Aranha.

Although we were sympathetic to the challenges faced in the early days of the pandemic, it is nonetheless important that businesses comply with consumer law.

READ MORE: Cost of beef, cheese, and oranges to surge in UK without trade deal

The travel industry is confronting an unprecedented crisis in coronavirus, as airlines, travel firms, and manufacturers face a collapse in demand from travellers.

Coronavirus lockdowns and travel restrictions across Europe brought the tourism industry across the continent to a standstill, and many firms believe it will be 2023 until travel returns to pre-crisis levels.

Todays warning to more than 100 package travel firms should act as a clear reminder that, even as lockdown eases, the CMA will work to protect consumers from unfair businesses practices, said George Lusty of the CMA.

Were already looking at package holidays as part of our investigation into companies cancellation policies, and well continue to take direct action wherever we can.
As the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took up the probe in Thiruvananthapuram airport gold smuggling case with the opposition stepping up its protests seeking chief minister Pinarayi Vijayans resignation, the customs intelligence on Friday made another major seizure of the precious metal.

Customs said 3.50 kg of gold were seized from three passengers at Kozhikkode international airport, who had arrived in chartered flights from West Asian countries. The market value of the seized gold is more than Rs 1.60 crore, it said, adding this was the 14th major seizure made at Kozhikkode airport since January this year.

National Investigation Agency files case against 4 in Kerala gold smuggling scandal

This shows the brazen act of the smuggling syndicates. They are threatening our system. In most cases they are using poor people who lost their jobs by promising them good returns. It is sad that some of these people are quite unaware of dangers attached to such acts, said a senior officer who did not want to be identified.

Last Sunday, the Customs had seized 30 kg of gold from an air cargo consignment from the United Arab Emirates to the countrys consulate in Thiruvananthapuram. Swapna Suresh, who was working as the IT and space consultant with the state IT ministry, had gone underground after the seizure. Later, CM Pinarayi Vijayan had transferred his principal secretary M Sivasankar who was reportedly close to Suresh. The Union Government had later handed over the case to the NIA.

Watch: Kerala gold smuggling case updates: NIA registers FIR; protests against Vijayan

According to the India Gold Council data, the country imported 831 tonne of gold in 2019, but customs officials and jewellers says that more than half of this quantity floods the market through illegal ways. At least 550 kg of gold was seized from the state last year. After gold prices skyrocketed, there is a big spike in smuggling also.

Imported metal attracts 10 per cent import duty and 3 per cent GST. Jewellers say one kg of smuggled gold fetches a profit between Rs 8 and 10 lakh. Often smuggling syndicates think that frisking norms would be at a minimum during the covid days and tickets wont be checked in case of chartered flights and therefore take poor returnees for a ride, the official said.

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Entering July, an increasing number of Connecticut workers filed new claims for unemployment assistance, a setback as Gov. Ned Lamont delayed indefinitely a third phase of commercial reopenings after spring business closures to contain COVID-19.

The U.S. Department of Labor reported advance figures on Thursday showing that 12,400 Connecticut residents filed initial jobless claims last week, an increase of more than 2,200 people from the last week of June.

As of July 4, about 253,000 people were receiving jobless benefits, putting the states insured unemployment rate at 15 percent, eighth highest in the nation and in the Northeast topped only by New York at 17.1 percent and Massachusetts at 15.6 percent.

Initial claims in New Jersey shot up by more than 18,700 in early July, with New York seeing an increase of about 4,000 initial claims from the week before. The United States total dipped to just under 1.4 million claims, a drop of about 31,650.

Lamont opened a Thursday afternoon press briefing by highlighting Connecticuts comparatively mild decline in economic output in the first three months of the year, with the Bureau of Economic Analysis estimating a 4.6 percent reduction in gross domestic product. Lamont shut down many businesses in March to ward off a wider spread of coronavirus, but allowed manufacturers, builders, real estate and many other key sectors to continue operating as essential businesses with safety precautions.

We were cautious when it came to opening up, and so far the strategy appears to be working, Lamont said Thursday. I think some states got out ahead of the curve and opened too early.

In Connecticut, more than 60,000 companies took $6.7 billion in loans under the federal Paycheck Protection Program that will be forgiven if they do not lay off employees during the terms of those deals. That has helped keep unemployment in check, though the Connecticut Department of Labor has paid out nearly $3.3 billion in benefits to people placed on furlough during the pandemic.

New online job ads have yet to come anywhere near to matching the number of people on unemployment. While the Indeed.com jobs board has listed more than 7,500 job opportunities in Connecticut in the past few weeks, about five of every six are for low-paying, entry-level work, including at AutoZone, which had more than 200 listings, primarily for drivers to deliver to commercial customers across the state.

Consumers are going to adjust parts of their behavior and well have to adapt accordingly, said AutoZone CEO Bill Rhodes, in a review in late May of his companys early experience during the pandemic. A lot of it has to do with being easier to do business with our commercial customers  getting more inventory closer to our commercial customers [and] improving the time in which we can deliver that product ... and thats going to benefit both new customers and existing customers.

Includes prior reporting by Ken Dixon and Kaitlyn Krasselt.

Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman
A Melbourne Chemist Warehouse distribution centre has shut down after a worker tested positive for COVID-19.

The employee went to work at the Chemist Warehouse distribution centre in Somerton in Melbourne on Tuesday night.

The facility was made aware of the positive coronavirus case on Thursday night and immediately shut down.

A worker at a Melbourne Chemist Warehouse distribution centre tested positive for coronavirus

The employee went to work at the Chemist Warehouse distribution centre in Somerton in Melbourne on Tuesday night

The confirmed case and five colleagues have since gone into isolation but there are fears up to 100 staff members came in contact with the infected person.

According to the United Workers Union, the distribution centre underwent a deep clean and was open again on Friday.

However, up to 80 per cent of workers refused to work after hearing about the positive COVID-19 case.

Workers were required to use their leave to have the day off as the union calls for paid pandemic leave for workers.

The Director of CW Retail, Director of CW Retail, encouraged employees to wear face masks as the state grapples with an increase in coronavirus cases.

He also said that all employees are temperature checked upon arrival.

Victoria recorded a staggering 288 positive coronavirus cases on Friday - the highest total since the beginning of the pandemic.

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

Only 26 of those were linked to known outbreaks with the 262 under investigation.

There are currently 1,172 active cases in the state.

Melbourne and Mitchell Shire, in the state's north, have since gone back into stage 3 lockdown and as the state battles through a second wave.

Residents are only allowed to leave their homes for four reasons which include: exercise, work, to buy essential items and for medical attention.

People in lockdown are also encouraged to wear face masks if the safe 1.5metre distance cannot be maintained.

'Through an abundance of caution, through the fact it is relatively easy, we should request of all Victorians when they are out of their home, and this relates principally to metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire ... it is our request of you (to wear a mask),' Premier Daniel Andrews said.

'It's not compulsory, we are simply asking that if you can wear a mask where you can't distance, that is exactly what we would like you to do.

'That's a relatively small contribution but one that could make a really big difference.'

The state government has already ordered two million reusable masks and one million single use masks for the communities to slow the spread of the deadly virus.
"It was always going to get worse before it got better," Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said, warning the daily tallies could continue to rise despite greater Melbourne entering a six-week lockdown. Mr Andrews urged all Melburnians to wear face masks in public spaces where physical distancing could not be guaranteed. "We are simply asking that if you can wear a mask where you can't distance, that is exactly what we would like you to do," he said. Earlier on Friday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the number of international arrivals would be cut by more than half, resulting in 4000 fewer arrivals per week.

"The decision that we took to reduce the number of returned travellers to Australia at this time was to ensure that we could put our focus on the resources needed to do the testing and tracing and not have to have resources diverted to other tasks, Mr Morrison said. Loading Mr Morrison also announced a nationwide review of hotel quarantine and said all states and territories would start charging returning travellers for their 14-day accommodation. In Sydney, NSW Health authorities established a pop-up testing clinic in the car park of the Crossroads Hotel on Friday afternoon. Mr Hazzard urged anyone who had visited the hotel since Saturday night and had symptoms to get tested. "We want you to get tested  and it is crucial you do  because otherwise you will be the instrument of seeding or one of the possible instruments of seeding here in NSW," he said.

Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said the hotel had a 'COVID Safe' plan in place. Loading Local resident Michelle Smith said she was"shocked and annoyed" by the news that she was potentially exposed to the coronavirus after having lunch with friends at the pub on Thursday and would consider getting tested. The 55-year-old said staff had worn gloves and had taken basic hygiene measures. Mr Hazzard described the "troubling case of a man in his 20s who tested positive in the Sutherland area after driving a caravan for 14 hours from Melbourne on July 7. Dr Chant said the man had "minimal exposure" to other people. His partner has tested negative and three close contacts have been quarantined.

Mr Hazzard thanked the man for coming forward for testing, but urged any other Victorians who had travelled to NSW from Victoria to return home. "I would ask you at this point to consider packing up your caravan, packing up your tent or what else you have, and head home to Victoria, Mr Hazzard said. "Your government has put in place very strict guidelines and rules, it is not helpful to be out of that environment if you were in that environment. The Health Minister also confirmed a batch of 77 swabs had gone missing from the Rozelle and Balmain area, following the positive test of a Woolworths employee who worked two shifts at the popular Darling street store. "Those 77 have been misplaced in the rush to get so many tests done so quickly, but they also ask for you to come back and get retested, Mr Hazzard said.

A spokesperson for Sydney Local Health District and NSW Health Pathology said the samples were delivered to the laboratory at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital but were not processed. The owners of Double Bay venue The Golden Sheaf were also fined $5500 for breaking social distancing guidelines, after images of long queues outside the venue were shared online. The line outside The Golden Sheaf in Double Bay on Wednesday night. Credit:Reddit NSW recorded 14 new COVID-19 cases in the 24-hours to 8pm on Thursday from 18,524 tests conducted. The state's case total is 3,278. with Matt Bungard and Esther Han
Six months ago, a US airstrike hit Baghdad which prompted Iraqis to demand that all US troops be sent home. A US general responsible for the Middle East is suggesting keeping the troops smaller, although still having a significant US presence in the area.

According to AP News, Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, the commander of U.S. Central Command, had a meeting with Iraq's prime minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi. In the meeting, he expressed that Iraqis are okay with a continued US presence with coalition troops in Iraq. One of the reasons behind this is to keep the Islamic State militants from causing trouble and seizing territory from the Iraqis again.

McKenzie also added that Iraqies are open in moving ahead and solving all military concerns with the US. He stressed that he is confident with his assessment, and it would be too premature for the US to leave now.

Last January, a US drone strike close to the Baghdad airport was responsible for the death of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. This initiated a series of demands by Iraqi lawmakers with impetus by Shiite factions to pass a nonbinding resolution to request all the coalition forces to leave the country, according to New York Times,

The killing of the Iraqi General was followed by a retaliatory strike by Iran on January 8. The Iraqi missile attack on the al-Asad air base in Iraq resulted in severe shell shock that cause brain injuries on a large number of America soldiers.

Later, the US let loose a series of airstrikes as payback for the missile strike last January. Target of the US fighters were five sites with association to Iranian-backed Shiite militia members, who are suspected to have fired the rockets striking al-Asad air base.

Also read: Trump Orders Navy to Destroy Iranian Vessels Which Threatens US, Iran Says They'll Crush Them

President Donald Trump has made it clear that he vowed to bring all American's fighting endless wars home. Trump made a veiled threat directed at Iran that it will get hammered by a strong US response should any American get hurt in Iraq. Most of the Iranian-backed militias are targeting coalition and US soldiers in Iraq.

In 2003, the US invasion of Iraq began but eventually ceased in 2011. When the Islamic State was attacking areas of Iraq and taking over as cited in Business Insider, US troops returned.

McKenzie's last visit in Iraq was in early February to meet with Iraqi leaders and discuss their next movements. Among their concerns are the protests that are getting worse, with rockets hitting the American embassy in the region.

Since al-Kadhimi took the position in May, there have improvements in the tense political atmosphere. But the Al-Fatah bloc is calling for the US to leave while talks between Iraq and the US is ongoing, according to VOA News.

For the meantime, Iraqi prime minister promise to safeguard American troops and US installations from assault. McKenzie added that it will be hard not to support the Iraqi prime minister with the problems now.

For now, about 5000 to 6000 US troops are in Iraq but that number will change. The number of the troops who will be left are yet to be determined.

Related article: US Navy Warns Foreign Ships in Persian Gulf to Keep Distance or Face the Consequences



@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
So now, Karens got a gun.

To be clear, her name wasnt actually Karen  it was Jillian Wuestenberg. But Wuestenbergs behavior  while with her husband, Eric Wuestenberg, she drew a gun on a Black woman and her daughter in a parking lot near Detroit last week after she and the girl inadvertently collided  is certainly Karen-like. As in the social-media meme of white women weaponizing their entitlement and privilege against people of color.

Karens call police on Black people for barbecuing in a public park, swimming in a public pool, selling bottled water on a public street. Amy Cooper, a New York City Karen, notoriously called 911 claiming she was being attacked in a public park by an African American man after he asked her to put her dog on a leash. Karens have become ubiquitous.

But they arent usually armed.

One is wary of falling into the journalistic trope of labeling any three similar incidents a trend. Yet, this sort of thing does seem to be happening a lot lately. Days before the Michigan confrontation, one Patricia McCloskey came out of her home in St. Louis awkwardly holding a handgun as a group of Black Lives Matter protesters marched down the street toward the mayors house. Her husband had a long gun.

Two weeks before that, Joseph Max Fucheck, a male Karen  a Kevin?  in Miami-Dade County pulled a gun on a Black man, Dwayne Wynn. Wynn had been standing across the street from his house talking to a neighbor when Fucheck drove by and left a business card in his mailbox. When Wynn retrieved it, Fucheck circled back, produced a handgun and, in a tirade punctuated by racial slurs and other profanity, accused Wynn of stealing my property. This, he said, is why you have people like you getting shot.

Taken together, these incidents, all caught on video, paint a grim picture of how many white Americans are responding in this summer of racial justice uprising. Namely, with the desperate panic of people who think the race war has come to their doorsteps. Theyre breaking out guns and circling the wagons in defense of privilege and prerogative.

Its a dangerous, combustible mindset, egged on by the arsonist in the White House. Which makes one all the more thankful for those white people who have not lost their damn minds.

If the police murder of George Floyd was, for many African Americans, superfluous confirmation of things we already knew, it was, for many white Americans, a jolting revelation of things they never guessed.

Such a discovery can upend ones understanding of ones country and oneself. So Karen got a gun. But well be a better country when Karen gets a book, when she emulates morally courageous white people seeking to know things that have been withheld. Theyre the ones now reading Ta-Nehisi Coates, Robin DiAngelo, Michelle Alexander and Douglas A. Blackmon, the ones now watching 13th, I Am Not Your Negro, Do The Right Thing and Eyes on the Prize, the ones chanting Black lives matter!  even in lily-white places where no Black lives are lived.

In so doing, they bring hope to a difficult crossroads of our national existence. Hard truths are being told at last and so many white people are running away from them.

We are redeemed by the ones rushing toward them instead.

Pitts is a columnist for The Miami Herald.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un looks back at South Korean President Moon Jae-in, right, and U.S. President Donald Trump on his way back to the North across the Military Demarcation Line on June 30 after their meeting at Panmunjeom. Korea Times file



By Do Je-hae



The next big question regarding the Korean Peninsula is whether U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will get together for a third summit before the U.S. presidential election in November.



Despite the rising tension on the peninsula due to North Korea's recent hostile actions and rhetoric, Seoul and Washington are not letting up on the possibility of an "October surprise." This is because a third U.S.-North Korea summit is seen as a crucial and timely political achievement for the leaders of South Korea and the U.S.



For President Moon Jae-in, the next few months are the only time he has to mediate, in cooperation with the Trump administration, any meaningful breakthrough for his "peace process" on the peninsula. Moon will remain in office until early 2022, but he will not be able to carry on a similar level of policy momentum after this year in the twilight of his presidency.



So President Moon has made it clear that he will continue to do all he can, during the time he has left, to mediate the talks between North Korea and the U.S. In a recent reshuffle, he filled his national security and diplomacy team with the nation's foremost experts and negotiators in dealing with North Korea. During the June 30 video conference with EU leaders, Moon also highlighted the need for a North Korea-U.S. summit.



"I am resolutely resolved not to backtrack on the hard-won advancement and achievement in inter-Korean relations. I will proceed with patience to maintain the momentum for talks among South Korea, North Korea and the U.S.," Moon said during the conference. "It is South Korea's hope that North Korea and the U.S. may resume their talks before the U.S. presidential election. We will do our utmost for North Korea and the U.S. to sit face to face before the U.S. presidential race." According to a senior presidential aide, the phrase "sit face to face" used in Moon's speech is meant specifically for Trump and Kim.



'Win-win summit'



Experts contacted by The Korea Times underlined that a third summit between Trump and Kim is not completely out of the picture yet, and that Moon's recent appointments on the national security and diplomacy team makes it clear that he will remain committed to actively mediating North Korea-U.S. talks and simultaneously seek improvement in inter-Korean relations.



"Clearly President Moon wants to strengthen his efforts at dialog with North Korea," said Donald Kirk, a veteran author and correspondent on the peninsula issue. "The appointment of Park Jie-won as director of National Intelligence Agency (NIS) makes that clear. Park has a long background in dealings with North Korea notably during Kim Dae-jung's presidency when Park had much to do with arranging the June 2000 summit. Other appointments also fall into the same pattern, including that of the new unification minister, who was once an activist student leader. The timing of these appointments is extremely interesting."



The appointments were announced only a few days ahead of U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun's July 7-10 visit to Seoul and Tokyo. "Why send Undersecretary Biegun all the way to Korea and Japan during a pandemic  clearly raising expectations on North Korea  if the Trump administration didn't have something up its diplomatic sleeve?" said Harry J. Kazianis, senior director of Korean Studies at the Center for the National Interest.



Speculations are rising that a surprise summit in October ahead of the election could be arranged because resuming talks would be conducive to both Trump and Kim.



"Trump would be able to change the media narrative away from bad poll numbers and focus on China, his real enemy in Asia," Kazianis said. "Kim would get a chance to take North Korea's economy back from what has to be the near the brink thanks to sanctions, coronavirus and tough agricultural setbacks. It seems like a win-win for both sides and makes a lot of sense. The only question is can both sides give enough and forge a compromise?" Kazianis said.



Although foreign policy is not a core issue in the U.S. presidential election, another showdown between Trump and Kim is seen as useful for Trump, whose bid for reelection is increasingly looking like an uphill battle amid the COVID-19 pandemic.



Push for 'small deal'



The most critical condition for a third summit would be for the U.S. and North Korea to negotiate mutually acceptable terms. The absence of a careful coordination was one of the key reasons behind the collapse of the second Trump-Kim summit in Hanoi in February 2019, which ended without any deal on North Korea's denuclearization.





President Moon Jae-in underlined the need for the U.S.-North Korea summit during a video conference with EU leaders at Cheong Wa Dae, June 30. Courtesy of Cheong Wa Dae



In this regard, there has been media speculation here and in the U.S. about the possibility of the so-called "small deal" for exchanging a partial sanctions lift for some steps toward denuclearization to break the long deadlock in Pyongyang-Washington dialogue.



"North Korea getting rid of the Yongbyon nuclear facility and more and the U.S. allowing the removal of some of the sanctions and economic aid  this is the only way for a win-win solution both for Trump and Kim," the NIS chief nominee Park said in a recent media interview before his nomination on July 3. "It will be good for Moon as well to contribute to this effort."



But there are also warnings against Moon' strong push for trying to resuscitate talks with the North ahead of the U.S. election because he will ultimately be the one blamed if another North Korea-U.S. summit fails to result in any kind of a meaningful deal.





Kim Yo-jong, Moon Jae-in, Kim Jong-un during the September 2018 summit in Pyongyang/Korea Times file
On Friday, half of the Italian Cabinet, under the leadership of Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte from Rome to Venice. On the occasion of the first full test run of the so-called Moses project, a controversial flood barrier for the lagoon city. For the first time, all of the 78 mobile flood gates up should be done and the three Connections between the lagoon and the open sea is entirely closed. The Test began with a very unspectacular process  the press of a button on a Laptop, which was connected with the control of the system.

Matthias Rub

Political correspondent for Italy, the Vatican, Albania and Malta, based in Rome.

F. A. Z.

the First plans for the construction of an artificial barrier in the three rounds of the Adriatic sea in the lagoon there were already a half-century after, on 4.November 1966, the Acqua Alta (high water), the record of 194 centimeters, and the heaviest damage in the old city, is reached. Feasibility studies were published only in 1984 in order. At the time of the socialist Bettino Craxi ruled in Rome. Four years later, Craxis was then Deputy Gianni De Michelis, the Venetians, by and by, the first model for the high-water barrier, and baptized it on the common name, Modulo Sperimentale elettro meccanico (Electromechanical experimental module), abbreviated to Moses. De Michelis announced the completion of the historic project to 1995.

Craxi and De Michelis, should be sentenced to later be accused of taking a bribe to prison. Their crimes are not related with the Moses project, but like a bad Omen for the largest infrastructure of Italy projects since the end of the Second world war. The first ground-breaking ceremony for the major project the then Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi began in March 2003. With a completion date of 2016 was aiming for.

infographic of The high water protection programme "Mose" in Venice Enlarge

Meanwhile, around six billion euros installed. The political dispute, disputes before the court, and a monumental corruption scandal in which almost the entire political leadership of the city of Venice and of the Veneto Region was mixed up, delayed construction again and again. For five years the Work stood still.

protection in the coming high-water season

The test run on Friday head of the government, Conte promised that construction work would be completed by the autumn. Already this year, when the "high water season" in November and December, the streets of the old town re flooded threaten to Moses to offer protection. The full functionality of the project will then be achieved by the end of 2021.

the system will serve its purpose, ever, completely, doubt, however, many. The-ton flood gates made of steel are embedded in concrete boxes on the bottom of the sea, 20 meters wide and between 20 and 30 meters high. To lift to be pumped up to 3000 cubic meters of air in the hollow steel elements, after about 30 minutes they showed up fully. The elements are not perpendicular to the surface of the water, but in an inclination of 45 degrees. You should keep a level difference of up to two metres. After the decline of the flood the barrier will disappear back under the surface of the sea.

channels for larger cruise ships

In the years submerged steel elements, as well as to the brackets made of reinforced concrete, there are now some damage. Environmentalists are convinced, moreover, that because of the rise in sea level due to climate change, the investment is already too low. In addition, the dredging of channels for larger cruise ships have led to a sea-water encroaching, even with light flooding in the city.

Updated Date: 10 July 2020, 16:19
The minister also met with a number of European tourists, who said they would recommend Egypt to their friends at home

Egypt's Tourism and Antiquities Minister Khaled El-Enany visited Sharm El-Sheikh on Thursday and toured a number of hotels, meeting tourists and viewing the preventative measures in place in light of the coronavirus.

New hygiene and safety measures have been implemented in hotels to prevent the spread of the viral disease, including reducing the occupation rates and ensuring regular sterilisation.

The tourists spoke positive about their trips and the hygiene standards at the hotels, and told the minister that they would definitely recommend a visit to Egypt to their friends.

A number of Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Swiss tourists who had come to Egypt this month, immediately after the suspension on international flights was lifted on 1 July, are now starting to return home.

According to Tamer Makram, the president of the South Sinai Investors Association, none of the members of the tour groups that have begun to return home, nor those who are still in the country, have reported falling ill.

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(Photo : Drew Angerer/Getty Images) CEO Twitter Jack Dorsey promises to Donate $3 Million to help the mayors who are currently battling the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

(Photo : Twitter) CEO Twitter Jack Dorsey promises to Donate $3 Million to help the mayors who are currently battling the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

On Thursday, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey pledged to donate $3 million to a group of mayors who are advocating for a federal guaranteed income. CEO's donation will support a circle of mayors in 15 different cities who are currently struggling with the economic effects of the COVID19 pandemic.

Dorsey twitted, "This is one tool to close the wealth and income gap, level systemic race and gender inequalities, and create economic security for families,"

Tech companies, including the Giants, have taken a huge leap in the coronavirus relief efforts.

Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, has reportedly doubled their donations to China's battle against the outbreak. Samsung is also providing funds and medical supplies, donating their phones to quarantined patients, and among other several efforts.

Dorsey informed in April that he'll transfer $1 billion of his Square wealth equity to finance relief for COVID-19 pandemic. After these rough challenges pass, Dorsey added, the money will fund girls' health and education, and universal basic income.

Twitter's CEO has also committed $1 million to Masks For The People. An organization that efforts to deliver face masks, testing kits, and hand sanitizer to the "incarcerated, formerly incarcerated, violence interrupters, elderly in our community, and most vulnerable black and brown loved ones in urban and rural communities."

Other Tech Giants helping this Pandemic

Tech giants like Google, Apple, Twitter, and Amazon are stepping to play a part in the COVID19 pandemic response. Their strategic movement is through tapping into their wide-ranging resources to help experts get a handle on the spread of the virus and to fill in gaps in the government's response. Though it may not be clear yet to what extent their efforts could help in this crisis, what has mattered now is they have put their efforts into doing something about it.

Apple and Google have announced last mid-April their plans to create the COVID-19 Exposure Notifications API or application programming interface. This API allows contact tracing apps developed by health care agencies to track where an infected person has been and who they have been in close proximity. And currently, the Contact tracing app is now available on the app store for the users to download whether android or iOs.

"It is more critical than ever for decision-makers to design their reopening in a data-driven way to minimize COVID and non-COVID related risks," said Cory Siskind, the Chief Executive of Base Operations.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
SREBRENICA, Bosnia-Herzegovina  Its been 25 years since the slaughter of men and boys in the eastern Bosnian town of Srebrenica, but every year more bodies are found and reburied, and every year the survivors  mostly women  return to commemorate their fathers and brothers, husbands and sons.

At least 8,000 mostly Muslim men and boys were chased through woods in and around Srebrenica by Serb troops in what is considered the worst carnage of civilians in Europe since World War II. The slaughter has been confirmed as an act of genocide.

On Saturday, nine newly identified victims of the 1995 massacre will be laid to rest in the memorial cemetery at Potocari, just outside Srebrenica. Among them will be Bajro Salihovic, whose partial remains were unearthed from a mass grave discovered last November and identified through DNA testing.

They found just a few of his bones, but my mother and I decided to bury him this year so we will know where his grave is, where to go to say a prayer, to find some peace, said his son Bahrudin, who himself survived the massacre by fleeing through the woods.

The Bosnian war pitted the countrys three main ethnic factions  Serbs, Croats and Bosnian Muslims  against each other after the break-up of Yugoslavia. More than 100,000 people were killed in the conflict before a peace deal was brokered in 1995.

What took place in Srebrenica was a mark of shame for the international community as the town had been declared a U.N. safe haven for civilians in 1993.

When Bosnian Serb forces broke through two years later, about 15,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys fled into the woods. And twice as many terrified residents rushed to the U.N. compound in what was formerly an industrial zone at the entrance to town, in the hope that Dutch U.N. peacekeepers would protect them.

However, the outgunned peacekeepers watched helplessly as Serb troops took around 2,000 men and boys from the compound for execution while bussing the women and girls to Bosnian government-held territory. Meanwhile, in the woods around Srebrenica, Serb soldiers hunted the fleeing Bosniaks, as Bosnian Muslims are otherwise known, killing them one by one.

The killers sought to hide evidence of the genocide, piling most of the bodies into hastily made mass graves, which they subsequently dug up with bulldozers and scattered the bodies across numerous burial sites.

In the years since, bodies have been unearthed and the victims identified through DNA testing. About 1,000 victims remain to be found.

A special U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague and courts in the Balkans have sentenced close to 50 Bosnian Serbs, including their top civilian war-time leader, Radovan Karadzic, and his military commander, Ratko Mladic, to more than 700 years in prison for Srebrenica crimes.

And every year, the women return to mourn their dead.
India and China need peace rather than confrontation: Chinese envoy Sun Weidong

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, July 10: Amid growing tensions, Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong called for mutual cooperation between Indian and Beijing saying that the two countries should be partners rather than rivals.

In a video message posted on the Chinese embassy's YouTube channel, Weidong said "We provide each other with development opportunities instead of posing threats. Only by viewing each other with positive, open and inclusive attitude, we can ensure stable and long-term ties and avoid strategic miscalculation," he said.

"We need to find a fair and reasonable solution mutually acceptable through equal consultation and peaceful negotiation," he added.

China allows WHO to trace coronavirus origin, rebukes US exit move from UN body

He also urged two countries to "make efforts in an objective, rational and responsible manner, avoid inciting antagonism in an effort to contribute positive energy to the steady and sound development of China-India relations."

India and China on Friday held a fresh round of diplomatic talks on the border row in eastern Ladakh and reaffirmed to ensure "complete disengagement" of the troops in the region for "full restoration" of peace and tranquillity along Line of Actual Control.

The Ministry of External Affairs said the talks were held under the framework of Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC).

The Indian and Chinese armies were locked in a bitter standoff in multiple locations in eastern Ladakh for the last eight weeks. The tension escalated manifold after a violent clash in Galwan Valley in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed.

Covid-19 vaccine won't be possible before 2021, Parliament Panel told| Oneindia News

In the last five days, Chinese military has withdrawn troops from three friction points in line with a disengagement understanding with Indian Army.

Both sides have held several rounds of diplomatic and military talks in the last few weeks to ease tension in the region.
Thailands cabinet has approved a civil partnership bill that would grant same-sex unions legal status similar to that of heterosexual marriages.

The draft Civil Partnership Act and amendments of the Civil and Commercial Code was passed on Wednesday and will be sent to Parliament for approval, said deputy government spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek.

But activists have criticised the bill, describing it as fake equality as it does not go far enough to ensure marriage equality among all citizens.

The hashtag No Same Sex Union Bill became a trending topic on Twitter in the country with netizens calling for a same-sex marriage law.

Two MPs from the Move Forward political party, which pushed for a marriage equality bill, said in a statement on Wednesday that the civil partnership bill still does not equate to marriage equality and warned citizens not to be misguided.

According to Thai newspaper Prachatai, Tannawin Sukkhaphisit and Tunyawaj Kamolwongwat explained that the use of the terminology civil partner has not been used in Thai legislation before, and the bill therefore does not grant civil partners the same rights and protections as spouses.

Ms Sukkhaphisit also questioned why there was a need for separate legislation, and raised concern that the bill may worsen stigma against the LGBTQ+ community in the country.

Under the bill, same-sex couples will be able to register their partnership as long as they are both at least 17 years old and at least one partner is a Thai citizen.

It grants a number of legal rights that are the same as those held by married heterosexual couples, but stops short of defining the union as a marriage. These rights include the ability to adopt a child and have the same inheritance rights as conventional married couples.

But it is unclear if one partner in the civil partnership will be allowed to make medical decisions on behalf of the other, if they can take their partners last name, receive benefits from their partners social security fund, or if foreign nationals in a civil partnership will be eligible for a marriage visa.

The Civil and Commercial Code amendments specify further regulations for civil unions, such as barring involvement in more than one partnership at a time and declaring that the right to alimony for a partner in a disbanded union is lost when they form a new one.

Kittinun Daramadhaj, president of LGBTQ+ rights organisation Rainbow Sky of Thailand, who helped write the bill, said the draft was an improvement on earlier versions, but that some members of the community believe it does not go far enough to ensure equal rights.

Additional reporting by agencies
An attorney for Ghislaine Maxwell, the former companion of sex-offender Jeffrey Epstein, has issued the first on-the-record response to the criminal indictment against Maxwell for perjury and sex crimes against minors, calling the federal charges meritless.

The United States Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York on June 29, 2020, caused a meritless indictment to be issued against Ms. Maxwell, wrote Laura Menninger, a Colorado-based lawyer who represents Maxwell in both the criminal case and multiple civil lawsuits.

The court filing comes in Maxwells answer to a separate civil lawsuit brought against Maxwell and Epsteins estate in January by an anonymous accuser, Jane Doe, who alleges that she was first approached by the pair in 1994 at a summer music camp in Michigan, when Doe was 13 years old.

MORE: Former Jeffrey Epstein companion Ghislaine Maxwell arrested

Jane Doe was their first known victim and was subsequently abused by Epstein and Maxwell for years as a young girl, suffering unimaginable physical and psychological trauma and distress, her complaint alleges. Maxwell also regularly facilitated Epsteins abuse of Doe and was frequently present when it occurred.

Maxwell was arrested by federal authorities last week in New Hampshire and is facing a six-count federal indictment alleging that she conspired with Epstein in a multi-state sex trafficking scheme involving three unnamed minor victims between 1994 and 1997. Prosecutors contend Maxwell not only befriended and later enticed and groomed multiple minor girls to engage in sex acts with Epstein, through a variety of means and methods, but was also, at times, present for and involved in the abuse herself.

MORE: As feds continue to seek interview with Prince Andrew, Attorney General William Barr says Jeffrey Epstein probe marches on

The details in Does lawsuit are substantially similar to the allegations pertaining to one of the three minor victims that are detailed in the federal indictment of Maxwell.

Story continues

Maxwell's attorney noted in the Thursday filing that Maxwell was answering Does' complaint "to the extent that she can without waiving the right against self-incrimination under the United States and New York constitutions and otherwise will invoke that right."

"Ms. Maxwells denials of factual allegations [in Doe's lawsuit] shall be interpreted the same as pleading not guilty to the various counts in any criminal indictment," Menninger wrote.

PHOTO: Ghislaine Maxwell at Spring Studios in New York City, Oct. 18, 2016. (Patrick McMullan via Getty Images, File)

According to Does civil complaint, Epsteins system of abuse was facilitated in large part by his co-conspirator and accomplice, Maxwell, who helped supply him with a steady stream of young and vulnerable girls - many of whom were fatherless, like Jane Doe, and came from struggling families.

In the Thursday night court filing, Maxwell issued broad denials to nearly every allegation in Does complaint and argued that whatever damages may have been suffered by Doe, they were not caused by Maxwell.

[Doess] damages, if any, were the result of her own conduct, her attorney wrote, contending that Doe had voluntarily or negligently assumed a known risk and had consented to the alleged conduct.

Maxwells attorney contends that the case should be dismissed and is barred by statutes of limitations.

MORE: Ghislaine Maxwell given paper clothes at correctional center to avoid suicide attempt: Sources

Does attorney Robert Glassman told ABC News Thursday that Ms. Maxwell is once again deflecting blame on the victims themselves for the significant role she played in causing the victims irreparable damage. We are disappointed that she is taking this position, but look forward to holding her responsible for what she did.

Maxwell has not yet entered a plea to the criminal charges. She is currently being held at a federal jail in Brooklyn. Federal prosecutors argue that she is an extreme flight risk and should be held in custody until trial. A bail hearing is scheduled for July 14.

Ghislaine Maxwell attorneys call federal indictment against her 'meritless' originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- Rebekah Charney, a postdoctoral researcher in the School of Medicine at the University of California, Riverside, has received a five-year "Pathway to Independence" grant from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research of the National Institutes of Health, or NIH.

The career development grant will support Charney's research on the role of critical genes in human neural crest cell development and craniofacial pathologies while facilitating her transition to an independent faculty position. The award provides approximately $200,000 for a two-year mentored phase, followed by three years of support for Charney to establish her own independent research group.

Charney, who joined UC Riverside in 2016 after receiving her doctoral degree at UC Irvine, explained that neural crest cells are an embryonic cell population that migrate extensively throughout the developing embryo. Among other derivatives, they contribute to most of the bone and connective tissue in the face. Improper development of the neural crest can lead to craniofacial birth defects. These craniofacial anomalies can occur on their own or as part of a broader syndrome.

One such disorder, Mowat-Wilson syndrome, affects facial structures, the central nervous system, and the heart, among other tissues and organs. While considered rare, this disorder is being increasingly diagnosed as more awareness is drawn to the different manifestations of the syndrome. Charney's research aims to shed light on the mechanisms underlying Mowat-Wilson syndrome.

"Mutations in critical genes involved in neural crest cell formation and differentiation are the cause of numerous birth defects," Charney said. "However, precisely how these mutations cause birth defects remain unknown."

Using human pluripotent stem cells, Charney has been able to examine how the loss of these genes affects the earliest stages of human neural crest cell formation. With this grant, she will be able to establish translational models addressing neural crest-related disorders.

Charney noted that the outcomes of this research will not only address key questions of human neural crest cell formation but can help lead to the identification of novel diagnostic and therapeutic targets.

At UCR, Charney works in the laboratory of Martin Garcia-Castro, an associate professor of biomedical sciences. She is joined in this award by a team of advisors and collaborators at multiple institutions across the country who specialize in dental and craniofacial development and Mowat-Wilson syndrome.

Charney is the recipient of a Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship from the NIH and a K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders Award from the Association of American Colleges and Universities. At UCI, she received a U.S. Department of Education Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need fellowship and an Edward Steinhaus Teaching Award; and was an NSF IGERT LifeChips trainee.

###

The University of California, Riverside is a doctoral research university, a living laboratory for groundbreaking exploration of issues critical to Inland Southern California, the state and communities around the world. Reflecting California's diverse culture, UCR's enrollment is more than 24,000 students. The campus opened a medical school in 2013 and has reached the heart of the Coachella Valley by way of the UCR Palm Desert Center. The campus has an annual statewide economic impact of almost $2 billion. To learn more, email news@ucr.edu.
By Ayya Lmahamad

The State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) will invest $50 million in a real estate in the U.S., the Fund announced in its report for 2019.

According to the report, SOFAZ jointly with the Gaw Us Fund III, managed by Gaw Capital Partner, has signed an agreement on joint investment in a commercial real estate in Los Angeles.

The share of the capital investments of the State Oil Fund in joint investment amounted to $50 million. The report has not specified the terms of the deal.

According to the report, SOFAZ property portfolio consists of five assets in London, Paris, Moscow, Seoul and Tokyo.

SOFAZs net profit at the end of 2019 amounted to AZN 4.3 billion ($2.5bn). While, SOFAZs assets increased by 12.5 percent, up to AZN 74.3 billion (43.7bn), its capital increased by 12.6 percent, up to AZN 73.2 billion ($43.1bn).

SOFAZ was established in December 1999 by the Presidential Decree and is a sovereign wealth fund of Azerbaijan, which accumulates and preserves the nation's oil and gas revenues for future generations. The fundamental mission of SOFAZ is to ensure intergenerational equality with regard to the country's oil wealth and to accumulate and safeguard the oil revenues for generations to come.

The Fund accumulates income from the sale of oil contracts, and in 2003, it started to make transfers to the state budget of Azerbaijan. As for now, SOFAZ contribution to the countrys GDP is over 80 percent.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
[July 10, 2020]

Canada Invests in Newfoundland and Labrador's Electric Vehicle Network

ST. JOHN'S, NL, July 10, 2020 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is committed to innovation and building a clean energy future to strengthen the economy, create good jobs and support the natural resource sectors. This will be more important than ever as we begin to reopen the economy and plan our recovery.

The Honourable Seamus O'Regan, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, today announced a $770,000 investment to help Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro build 28 electric vehicle (EV) chargers across the province that will create good, middle-class jobs and support Canada's transition to a clean energy future by reducing pollution.

The federal funding, which builds on the $1,289,400 the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is investing in the project, is provided through the Electric Vehicle and Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Deployment Initiative (EVAFIDI) and the Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program.

It will help Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro to build an EV network along the Trans-Canada Highway, connecting the province's capital, St. John's, to Port aux Basques. Fourteen sites will feature both a fast charger and a Level 2 charger. Construction of the first site is scheduled to start this summer. These chargers represent an important milestone, as Newfoundland and Labrador becomes the tenth and final province/territory to join the national EV network that stretches across Canada.

This investment builds on commitments from both the federal and provincial governments to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. It also supports the Government of Canada's goal to reach its ambitious target of 100 percent of passenger zero-emission vehicle sales by 2040.

To reach this target, the Government of Canada has provided over $300 million to support the establishment of a coast-to-coast national network of fast chargers for electric vehicles, including charging stations at apartment buildings, public places nd workplaces and establishing natural gas refuelling stations along key freight corridors and hydrogen stations in metropolitan centres. The infrastructure resulting from these investments will ensure that people can drive and charge their vehicles across Canada, as well as where they live, work and play. Support is also given for the demonstration of next-generation charging technologies as well as the development of enabling codes and standards.







Quotes

"Zero-emissions vehicles are part of Canada's net-zero future. Our government is working to give people in our province greener options to get where they need to go."

The Honourable Seamus O'Regan

Canada's Minister of Natural Resources

"Electrification of Newfoundland and Labrador's economy is a key energy priority given that 98 per cent of the province's electricity will come from renewable energy by 2021. The development of the province's first electric vehicle fast-charging network will enable electric vehicle owners to travel long distances and will remove one of the largest barriers to domestic electric vehicle ownership."

The Honourable Siobhan Coady

Minister of Natural Resources

"Hydro is focused on meeting customer needs today, while also planning ahead for future electricity needs in Newfoundland and Labrador. As the electric vehicle market continues to expand, we have listened to customers, and we're excited to advance this initiative now, supporting a greener future for our province and providing clean, renewable, road-tripready energy for years to come."



Jennifer Williams

President, Newfoundland Labrador Hydro

Related Links

Follow us on Twitter: @NRCan (http://twitter.com/nrcan)

NRCan's news releases and backgrounders are available at www.news.gc.ca.

SOURCE Natural Resources Canada
Police in Odisha arrested a 59-year-old senior state government official on Thursday over allegations of sexually harassing a 25-year-old junior.

Mahila police station inspector Banita Maharana said director of AYUSH Mission Bibhu Prasad Sarangi was arrested following prima facie evidence of sending obscene messages to the woman employee.

We have arrested Sarangi under Section 354 of the IPC (Indian Penal Code) and Section 67 of the IT act, said the inspector.

The officer, who is due to retire next year, was interrogated for more than hours after his arrest.

On Monday, the contractual woman employee had lodged a police complaint against Sarangi alleging that the officer was forcing her to have a physical relationship with him.

He used to ask me to do a video call while bathing. At other times, he asked me to go out with him and have fun without clothes, the victim said in her first information report (FIR).

Sarangi also allegedly threatened to dismiss her when she objected to him sending obscene videos and messages to her on WhatsApp.

Refuting the allegations, Sarangi filed a counter FIR against the woman claiming, saying he had not sent any videos or messages containing obscene content to her.
CARBONDALE  Thursdays virtual town hall on policing in Carbondale was the start of a much longer discussion.

The event featured a host of panelists, some from Carbondale, including Nancy Maxwell and Linda Flowers from the Carbondale Branch NAACP, as well as Carbondale Police Chief Jeff Grubbs and Fire and Police Commission member Randy Burnside. Also in attendance were several police leaders from around the state, as well as Teresa Haley, the states NAACP president.

The discussion comes in the wake of weeks of marches, protests and demonstrations calling for action to disrupt the national cycle of police killing unarmed Black people.

Protests erupted nationally after the Memorial Day killing of unarmed Black man George Floyd in Minneapolis in Minneapolis police custody. A video of the incident catches Floyds last moments as he utters I cant breathe as a White officer presses his knee into Floyds neck.

Demonstrators in Carbondale and around the country have demanded wholesale changes to policing in the U.S. as outrage boils over after decades of police mistreatment of people of color. Louisville, Kentuckys Breonna Taylor and Aurora, Colorados Elijah McClain have also become faces of this movement.

Flowers opened the town hall with a moment of silence and words of optimism that change could be accomplished. She also reiterated part of the NAACPs mission.

We are anti-police brutality. We are also for a more equal and equitable Carbondale community, she said.

The discussion began with an overview of the 10 Pillars of Community Policing, a document signed in 2018 by both the Illinois NAACP and the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police. Carbondale has also signed on to the document in conjunction with the local NAACP.

Among the 10 principles are the beliefs that every life has value and every person should be treated with dignity and respect. It also calls for de-escalation training to be mandated for all departments in the state.

The document also supports diversity within law enforcement and rejects discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, color, nationality, immigrant status, sexual orientation, gender, disability or familial status. The principles also say the development of relationships "between law enforcement and communities of color at the leadership level and street level will be the keys to diminishing and eliminating racial tension."

After the principles were reviewed, the panel took questions, some of which were sent in beforehand, others which came in during the discussion.

Among the first questions was about a requirement that Carbondale Police officers live in town. Burnside said while this would be ideal, it also can be limiting to the applicant pool for jobs. An easement was suggested that would give buffer time for officers new to the area to find a place in town. Haley later in the evening stressed how important it is that officers live in the communities they serve.

To the question of whether Carbondale has found more efficient models for handling nonviolent 911 calls than having officers respond, Carbondale City Manager Gary Williams and Chief Grubbs said that having a mental health response team to respond with officers would be great. But limits in resources to hire them are an issue, as are the number of beds for mental health patients  Williams pointed out that Illinois has been a leader in defunding mental health in recent decades.

Weve got to have state and federal assistance, Grubbs said of the need to fund mental health services.

When asked about citizen oversight of the department, city officials said there was nothing official outside of complaint forms and the citys Human Relations Commission. However, Williams said he would be open to creating a board that had subpoenaing powers if thats what the community wants.

There were multiple questions about police vehicle dash cameras and the use of body cameras by Carbondale officers. Grubbs said the department has been using dash cams since the mid 1990s. Both he and Williams expressed interest in using body cams, but said that, again, resources were an issue. This has less to do with the cost of the cameras themselves, but with the need to hire another employee to handle file management and the processing of Freedom of Information Act requests.

The panel was asked what kind of police reforms CPD is going to put in place in light of the current national climate. There were little concrete changes or reforms discussed here. However, Grubbs pointed to reviews of policies, including the departments use of force policy.

The panel lasted two hours, and it was announced that because there were so many community questions submitted there would be a second, and possibly a third, town hall scheduled in order to address them.

In his closing, Burnside said he was encouraged by the discussion, but said there must be a middle ground between those that want to eliminate policing entirely and those who think everything is fine. However, he also called for a change in the way police problems are discussed. He said calling violent cops bad apples was a ridiculous analogy.

You have to address whats happening in the structure of police in these communities, Burnside said.

We need to deal with the issue of trees, not apples.

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US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive for a roundtable discussion on the Safe Reopening of Americas Schools during the coronavirus pandemic, in the East Room of the White House. (AFP)

Rozno: A wooden sculpture of U.S. first lady Melania Trump was torched near her hometown of Sevnica, Slovenia, on the night of July Fourth, as Americans celebrated U.S. Independence Day, said the artist who commissioned the sculpture.

Brad Downey, a Berlin-based American artist, told Reuters he had the life-sized blackened, disfigured sculpture removed as soon as police informed him on July 5th of the incident.

I want to know why they did it, said Downey, who had hoped the statue would foster a dialogue about the political situation in the United States, highlighting Melania Trumps status as an immigrant married to a president sworn to reduce immigration.

In Washington, the office of Melania Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In recent weeks, President Donald Trump has pledged to take a hard line on anyone destroying or vandalizing U.S. historical monuments, as political activism against racial injustice has swept across the country.

Downey, 39, said he had filed a police report and would like to interview the culprits, if found, for a film he is preparing ahead of his exhibition due to open in Slovenia in September.

The investigation in this case has not been completed yet so we cannot reveal details due to the interest of further procedures, police spokeswoman Alenka Drenik told Reuters.

Although the statues face was rough-hewn and unrecognizable prior to the fire, the figure was painted with a pale blue wraparound coat resembling the one Melania Trump wore at the swearing in of her husband U.S. President Donald Trump.

The figure was carved with a chainsaw by local folk artist Ales Zupevc from the trunk of a living linden tree.

In January, a large wooden statue resembling Donald Trump, designed by a local artist last year, was burnt in Slovenias city of Moravce, east of the capital Ljubljana.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 10

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

The export of steel from Turkey to Azerbaijan dropped by 7.7 percent from January through June 2020 compared to the same period of 2019 and amounted to $46.05 million, Turkeys Ministry of Trade told Trend.

The export of steel from Turkey to Azerbaijan increased by 2.36 percent in June 2020 compared to June 2019, having stood at $9.2 million.

The export of steel from Turkey to the world markets dropped by 16.6 percent from January through June 2020 compared to the same period of 2019 and amounted to $5.9 billion.

According to the ministry, the export of steel from Turkey made up 8 percent of the country's total export volume over the reporting period.

"Turkey exported steel worth $1.1 billion abroad in June 2020, which is 28.6 percent more compared to the same month of 2019," the ministry noted.

Turkeys steel export in June 2020 amounted to 8.4 percent of the country's total export volume.

During the last 12 months (from June 2019 through June 2020), Turkey exported steel worth $12.6 billion.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Footage has emerged of a convicted sex offender getting punched in the head, as vigilantes track the paedophile's every move.

Shannon Norgate was convicted of sexually abusing two boys in a school toilet block at Gladstone, in Queensland's north-west in 2019. He impersonated a security guard to lure them inside.

The 22-year-old is on probation after serving 406 days in jail, and was staying at a property near Brisbane until Wednesday, when he was told to move along by police.

Since this moment, every move he makes is being tracked by vigilantes online, eager to ensure his relocation doesn't pose a risk to nearby children.

Footage shows the man walk up to Norgate, throw a cup at his face and then punch him in the head

One of those people decided to take justice into their own hands on Friday, punching Norgate as he waited at a Brisbane transit centre.

Footage shows the man walk up to Norgate, throw a cup at his face and then punch him in the head.

The woman recording can be heard giggling as the 22-year-old shields himself from the blow.

A series of photographs have also been published online of Norgate travelling on public transport around the city.

Police asked the sex offender to relocate from his premises on Wednesday because of its close proximity to the Yeronga State School.

Members of the public reported seeing him near the police headquarters at Roma Street in Brisbane earlier this morning.
Pune:

Nitin Subhash Koli, the BSF jawan who was killed in ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops in the Macchil sector along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir, was planning to visit his family in his native village in Maharashtra after Diwali.

28-year-old constable Koli, hailing from Dudhgaon village in Sangli, was martyred this morning in firing by Pakistani security forces.

He was supposed to come home after Diwali and even wished his family 'Happy Diwali' over phone yesterday, a close relative of the jawan, said.

"On Saturday morning, the news came in about his martyrdom and the entire family as well as the village received a rude shock," he said.

After the news broke out, the villagers decided not to celebrate Diwali, even as a pall of gloom descended on the village.

The villagers decided to not burst fire crackers during the festival and also brought down the lanterns, hung atop their homes.

Koli had joined BSF in 2008 and is survived by his wife and two sons aged four years and two years.

His mortal remains are likely to reach the village on Sunday.

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Linkedin Chris Lefkow and Charlotte Plantive (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States  Fri, July 10, 2020 10:36 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406655153a 2 World US,Donald-Trump,financial-record,immunity,criminal-investigation Free

The US Supreme Court delivered a blow to President Donald Trump on Thursday, rejecting his claim of immunity from criminal investigation and ruling that his financial records must be handed over to New York prosecutors.

But the nation's highest court, in a decision in a separate case, temporarily blocked Trump's Democratic opponents in Congress from accessing his tax returns and business files.

The rulings prompted a string of furious tweets from Trump but they may actually allow the New York real estate tycoon to keep his tax returns and other financial documents hidden until after the November election.

The court ruled 7-2 against Trump in a case brought by Manhattan district attorney Cyrus Vance, a Democrat who is seeking the president's financial records in connection with a "hush money" payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels that may have violated campaign finance laws.

While the court ruled that Trump's accountants must turn over the records, it did leave room for his lawyers to challenge the scope of the district attorney's subpoena in a lower court.

Both of the conservative justices appointed by Trump -- Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh -- joined Chief Justice John Roberts and the four liberal justices in rejecting the claim by Trump's lawyers that a president enjoyed absolute immunity.

"Two hundred years ago, a great jurist of our Court established that no citizen, not even the President, is categorically above the common duty to produce evidence when called upon in a criminal proceeding," Roberts said. "We reaffirm that principle today."

'Tremendous victory'

The other case concerned a request by three Democratic-led House committees for Trump's tax returns and other records and the Republican president received a temporary reprieve there.

In another 7-2 ruling, the court sent the congressional case back to a lower court, saying it needs to further examine the question of separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches of government.

Vance called the ruling "a tremendous victory for our nation's system of justice and its founding principle that no one - not even a president - is above the law."

"Our investigation, which was delayed for almost a year by this lawsuit, will resume, guided as always by the grand jury's solemn obligation to follow the law and the facts, wherever they may lead," Vance said.

Even if Trump's financial records are eventually turned over to the New York prosecutors they may remain hidden from public view because of grand jury secrecy.

Jay Sekulow, Trump's attorney, sought to portray the rulings as a win for Trump but the president reacted angrily.

"This is about PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT," Trump tweeted.

"This is all a political prosecution," Trump added. "Now I have to keep fighting in a politically corrupt New York. Not fair to this Presidency or Administration!"

The president had a more measured response several hours later. "From a certain point I'm satisfied, from another point I'm not satisfied," Trump told reporters.

Sekulow said he was "pleased" by the decisions.

"The Supreme Court has temporarily blocked both Congress and New York prosecutors from obtaining the President's financial records," Sekulow said. "We will now proceed to raise additional Constitutional and legal issues in the lower courts."

'Continue to press our case'

Nancy Pelosi, Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives, said she would continue to press for Trump's records to be handed over to Congress.

"The Congress will continue to conduct oversight For The People, upholding the separation of powers that is the genius of our Constitution," Pelosi said. "We will continue to press our case in the lower courts."

The Democratic-led committees are looking into the president's finances and those of the Trump Organization and his family in what started as a probe into foreign influence in the 2016 election.

Trump's secrecy over his tax returns and personal finances has prompted speculation about his true worth and possible financial entanglements.

Trump promised to release his tax returns during his 2016 campaign for the White House but has declined to do so.

US presidents are not required by law to release details of their personal finances but every US leader since Richard Nixon has done so.

The politically sensitive cases were being closely watched because of their potentially far-reaching implications on the limits of presidential power and congressional authority.

In both the New York and congressional cases, subpoenas were issued to Mazars, Trump's longtime accounting firm, as well as to Deutsche Bank and Capital One bank demanding his financial records.
Phuket Immigration clarifies minimum income requirement for permit to stay for foreigners with multiple employers

PHUKET: Phuket Immigration Deputy Chief Col Nareuwat Putthawiro today clarified that foreigners with multiple employers listed on their work permits need to satisfy the minimum income from the major employer only in order to qualify for a one-year extension to a permit to stay.

immigration

By The Phuket News

Friday 10 July 2020, 04:31PM

A foreigner waits at the information desk at the Phuket Immigration Office in Phuket Town. Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot

The confirmation follows questions sent to The Phuket News from readers after Phuket Immigration Chief Col Narong Chanaphaikul on Tuesday invited foreigners who are concerned about their visa status ahead of the July 31 amnesty expiring to visit his office and have their extensions to stay renewed, or even have their 90 day reports filed.

The minimum income requirement [for a one-year permit to stay]] needs to be met only from one workplace, that of the major employer, not by every employer listed on the work permit, Deputy Chief Col Nareuwat told The Phuket News today (July 10).

Col Nareuwat explained that the minimum income required in order to be approved a one-year permit to stay varied, depending on the nationality of the applicant.

The minimum income required for foreigners from any western European countries, Australia, Canada, Japan, and the United States of America is B50,000 per month, he said.

For applicants from South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the income required is B45,000 per month, he added.

"For foreigners from any other countries in Asia [except Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam  see below], as well as foreigners from Eastern Europe, Russia, South Africa, any country in South America or Central America, or Mexico, the income required is B35,000 per month, Col Nareuwat said.

The minimum income required for nationals from any country in Africa (other than South Africa), or from Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam, the minimum income required to be issued a one-year permit to stay is B25,000 per month, he added.
BERLIN - German authorities are investigating suspicions that an employee of the governments press office worked for years for an Egyptian intelligence service, according to Germanys domestic intelligence agency.

The BfV agency said in its annual report, released Thursday, that executive measures were conducted against the man in December on the orders of federal prosecutors. It didnt give further details, and said that the investigation is ongoing.

Deputy government spokeswoman Martina Fietz declined to give details on Friday, and also wouldnt say whether the man is still in Germany or in custody.

We dont comment on ongoing investigations or on personnel matters, Fietz told reporters at a regular government news conference.

The Bild daily, without citing sources, reported that the man worked for the press offices visitor service, which organizes visits to political institutions in Berlin for German lawmakers constituents. Fietz declined to confirm that, but said that people who work at the visitor service have no access to the other databases at the office, including those that contain reporters accreditation details.

The German intelligence agency said that Egypts foreign and domestic intelligence services are active in Germany, principally in attempts to secure information on opponents of the government living there.

The federal prosecutors office didnt immediately reply to a request for comment.

The government press and information office is headed by Chancellor Angela Merkels chief spokesman, Steffen Seibert. It is located not at the chancellery but at a separate headquarters about a kilometre (half a mile) away.

As of last year, it had some 476 employees  418 of them in Berlin and the rest in the former German capital, Bonn.
Norton said the country needs to be careful that it doesnt erase history for its own sake. She said a commission is needed to study the lives of the Founding Fathers, and suggested additional markers could be added to existing monuments that reflect the complexity of their lives. Although Washington owned slaves, she pointed out, he struggled with the morality of the practice and, at the end of his life, ended up freeing them.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 05:24:04|Editor: huaxia

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People watch a concert at an open-air theater at Cairo Opera House in Cairo, Egypt, on July 9, 2020. The Cairo Opera House reopened on Thursday for about 400 visitors who attended a concert performed in an open-air theater amid strict anti-COVID-19 measures. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

CAIRO, July 9 (Xinhua) -- The Cairo Opera House reopened on Thursday for about 400 visitors who attended a concert performed in an open-air theatre amid strict anti-COVID-19 measures.

"The organization has been a success and all anti-coronavirus precautionary measures have been strictly implemented," Egyptian Culture Ministry spokesman Mohamed Mounir told Xinhua, adding that the concert was attended by Culture Minister Inas Abdel-Dayem.

Mounir emphasized that Egypt is the first Arab and African country to resume the opera house activities since the outbreak of the pandemic.

Thursday's concert included performance of famous traditional Egyptian songs and music, with most of band members having medical face masks on.

The activities of Cairo Opera House have been suspended over the past four months as part of the country's efforts to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The country has recently lifted a partial nighttime curfew imposed over the past three months, and reopened restaurants, cafes, theaters and cinemas, as well as hotels, museums and archeological sites for tourists, all with limited capacity.

Egypt has so far confirmed 79,254 COVID-19 cases, including 3,617 deaths and 22,753 recoveries.

Egypt and China have been cooperating closely in fighting the pandemic through exchanging medical aid and expertise.

As for cultural cooperation, Egyptian and Chinese orchestras held in June a joint online concert to mark the 64th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Enditem
ALBANY  A Queens man who trafficked heroin and painkillers in the Capital Region was sentenced to five years and 10 months in prison on Thursday.

Eric Soto, 38, who in June 2019 was arrested in Crossgates Mall possessing 583 grams, or 1.3 pounds, of heroin and 99 Oxycodone pills, all of which he planned to sell, pleaded guilty in December to distributing the drugs, federal authorities said Thursday.
Cui Fachen works on a violin at his home in Xingtai, North China's Hebei province on July 1, 2020. The 61-year-old farmer has been making violins for 36 years. [Photo/Xinhua]

Zhang Tingting, a 32-year-old music teacher in Queshan county, central China's Henan province, has been imparting violin lessons to children for free on weekends for three years. The classes take place in a local violin-manufacturing industrial park which provides all the instruments free of cost.

"Don't hold the strings too tightly with your fingers. Gently drive your wrist with your forearm," Zhang explained to the beginners while beating time with her hands.

Born in a farmer family in Queshan, Zhang envisaged a musical dream since childhood, when the only musical instrument in the local primary school was a pedal piano. Now, Queshan hosts a cluster of subcontract manufacturers for almost all world-renowned violin brands.

With an annual output of about 400,000 violins, Queshan produces more than 80 percent of made-in-China medium and high-quality violins, violas, cellos, bass and violin accessories. About 90 percent of violin-related products from Queshan are made for exports to Italy, the United States, Germany and Hungary, generating an annual revenue of more than $10 million.

Queshan's violin manufacturing business began in 2015, when the Queshan Violin Industrial Park was set up with the help of several skilled violin artisans who had returned home after their employer in Beijing closed business.

Wang Jintang, one of the founders, said he joined a violin factory in the Tongzhou District of Beijing as an apprentice after working as a young migrant worker in the Chinese capital.

As he honed the instrument making craft, he introduced many of his fellow villagers to the factory. With the rapid urbanization in Beijing, factories were forced away. Queshan county timely encouraged the craftsmen to return and set up violin manufacturing workshops in 2015, assimilating redundant local laborers.

"The production of the musical instrument has strict requirements. An error of 0.1 mm would scrap expensive woods dried for several years before they are used for making violins. It takes years of training for an apprentice to become an instrument maker," said Wang.
ORANGE, Ohio

Violation of temporary protection order, car crash (private property), damage to private property, assist fire department: Orange Place Drive

Police responded around 11 a.m. on July 3 to the Extended Stay North for a report of a Chrysler 200 being kicked and then driven over a 10-foot retaining wall landing in the back lot of LJI Collision.

An infant secured in a child restraint seat escaped injury in the plunge, as did the mother, 20, from Euclid, who said that the child's father, a Cleveland man, 25, had started kicking off her rear-view mirrors as she was trying to leave. Startled, she stomped on the gas pedal and lost control, sending the car through a fence and over the wall.

Officers also learned that the father had an active temporary protection order lodged against him, and briefly handcuffed a Euclid man, 24, who arrived on the scene and was wearing a yellow shirt, as was the suspect. Initially less than cooperative, he soon explained that the father had called him at work asking the roommate to check on his family for him after the car went over the embankment.

The mother did not want to press charges, but the police did so on the violation of the TPO.

Personal welfare, departmental information: Miles and Harper roads

The assistant fire chief came to the police station on the afternoon of July 2 to report that while he was wearing his uniform and stopped at a traffic light in a fully-marked village fire vehicle, he noticed a man at the end of his driveway yelling at him and extending the middle finger in his direction.

Concerned that he may need medical assistance, he asked if the man was OK, at which point he cursed at the fire official and told him to stop following his wife. Police were already familiar with the man, 58, from previous disturbances at local bars and restaurants.

At least some of those prior incidents were racial in nature. Most recently, a Black village resident, 67, reported that he was out taking a walk with his wife when they were approached in an aggressive manner by the suspect, who informed them he did not want them walking past his house again.

Police had already compiled four other incident reports from this year, possibly to pursue a public nuisance action.

Disturbance, threats, warrant served: Orange Place

Police responded to the Beachwood Inn on the evening of July 5 regarding a disturbance and a Cleveland man, 23, making threats with a firearm, reportedly driving a 2007 Volkswagen with two women in bathing suits, one from Arizona.

No weapon was found and the man explained that his car had been sideswiped by another guest at the former Super 8 motel, with the two agreeing to mend the situation without a police report.

However, he was not content with the $160 cash offered by the other driver, a Bedford man, 31, who said that the Cleveland man pretended to be getting a gun out of his Volkswagen while telling him he didn't want to have to hunt him down.

No one wanted to press charges, and all had warrants, with only the Cleveland man being taken into custody and turned over to Maple Heights police on a felony warrant for the alleged discharge of a firearm in connection with a shooting.

Police counted the $160 in his presence before turning it over to Maple Heights, along with two cell phones also found in the Volkswagen.

Disorderly conduct, non-criminal damage, departmental information: Orange Place

Officers were dispatched to the Beachwood Inn for a disturbance in progress on the afternoon of July 6, arriving to find a woman who had become upset over a custody issue with her baby's father, who is currently in Florida.

Her companion, a Cleveland man, 37, tried to calm her down, but this upset her more, to the point of breaking out the right side window of her 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser.

Officers found an unloaded .380-caliber Taurus Spectrum pistol in a cardboard box in the woman's room at the former Super 8, as well as a warrant for the man out of University Heights for failure to appear on charges of OVI and no headlights or driver's license, but police there were unable to pick him up.

The pistol was removed for safekeeping, and the woman was told that any further fights or disturbances would result in a citation.

Miscellaneous: Lander Road

A resident arrived at the police station on the morning of June 30 to report an incident that occurred two days earlier that disturbed her.

See more Chagrin Solon Sun news here.
Donald Trump claimed on Friday, without providing supporting evidence, that the United States would have been "inundated" with coronavirus had his administration not erected over 200 miles of barrier along the US-Mexcio border  ignoring surging cases, hospitalisations and deaths in several border states.

But the United States has seen 133,000 of the 556,000 global deaths from the virus. It also has recorded 3.1m of the 12.3m  or one-fourth  of all confirmed cases worldwide.

The president called what is being erected along the country's southern border "real wall" that one cannot get over. He again said over 200 miles have been constructed since he took office, saying 400 miles should be done soon.

He and his aides have said the barrier is "new," but Democrats contend it merely is replacement barrier for fencing that had been installed years ago.

Mr Trump has tried injecting the border wall issue into his re-election campaign as he continues revamping what so far has been a vapid message to voters about why he deserves a second term.

Asked Thursday night during a telephone interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity to try again articulating his second-term agenda, the president mentioned the border barrier. He also said his second term would be focused on defeating coronavirus as Sun Belt and other states report record-highs for confirmed cases, hospitalisations and deaths.

"First of all, we're going to defeat the invisible enemy, and we are well on our way. And again, I told you, the mortality rate is tenfold down. We're going to rebuild the economy, we're going to bring back jobs from all of these foreign lands that have stolen our jobs on horrible trade deals. We are going to continue to make great trade deals," the president said.

"We're going to finish rebuilding our wall. We're going to finish, we're going to have that  it's going to be almost complete by the end of this year, shortly thereafter it's finished. It's made a tremendous difference," he said. "You see, we're doing record numbers on the border. Very few people are able to get through."
It was just one of many coronavirus moments that Mr. Brandt has been chronicling. The parades outside Pottstown Hospital to show support for health care workers. The impact of isolation on people struggling with substance abuse. The shortage of laptop computers for disadvantaged homebound students  that is, until someone read his article and donated $60,000.

Mr. Brandt finished his interviews, including the one with that Tyrannosaurus-costumed counselor, and headed toward his car. He passed a teacher he knew who was holding an I Miss You sign for her students.

Living the dream? he asked.

Not my dream, she answered.

The quick exchange underscored how this was no dream: These are the new realities. Life has been transformed, and local newspapers, once central to that life, are diminished or gone.

The vacant Mercury building was sold, as is, to a local engineer last year for $440,000. The plan is to convert it into a boutique hotel.

Former Mercury employees and a few others were invited to take what they wanted before dumpsters received the accrued memories of a once-proud newspaper. Among the remnants were confidential personnel files that should have been destroyed years ago.

In the basement, where the ghost of an editor was said to reside, were bound volumes of old editions, and on the third floor, cabinets packed with clipped articles filed and arranged for quick research. What in newspaper parlance is called the morgue.

Bits of Mercury history went this way and that. The public library retrieved a few items of interest. The historical society stored some old editions in a garage. Fire buffs left with files related to  fires.
By Aisha Jabbarova

Azerbaijans Defence Minister Zakir Hasanov has extended his condolences to his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar over the deadly explosion in Turkeys northwestern Sakarya province.

I am deeply saddened by the news about the death and wounding of military servicemen of fraternal Turkey's Armed Forces during the disposal of pyrotechnics  I wish speedy recovery for the wounded soldiers. Your grief is our grief, too, Hasanov said in a statement published in the ministrys official website on July 10.

Three Turkish soldiers lost their lives and six others were wounded during the explosion in a truck carrying explosives retrieved from the fireworks factory on July 9. The explosion took place as the explosives were being unloaded

__

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNews
Are discipline policies linked to school shootings? Does instituting alternative practices to suspension and expulsion, like restorative justice, make it more likely that a school could be targeted by an assailant or an angry student?

Such questions, its safe to say, have dominated the school safety field following two horrific mass school shootings in 2018 in Parkland, Fla. and Santa Fe, Texas.

In Parkland, some outspoken families and advocates blamed an alternative program in Broward County for obfuscating the shooters pattern of disturbing behavior before the attack. They had a receptive ear at the U.S. Department of Education, which in late 2018 moved to rescind Obama-era guidance on school discipline aimed at curbing disproportionate disciplinary outcomes for Black students.

Advocates for those students have long argued that harsh discipline policies and zero tolerance regimes feed the school to prison pipeline.

In response to a Congressional query about the link between discipline and shootings, the federal governments watchdog agency, the Goverment Accountability Office, set out to study the characteristics of a decade of shootings. Its answer is likely to please just about nobody: It could find no empirical research over that time period that directly linked discipline politices to school shootings.

Collecting the Data

Because there is no agreed-upon national definition of what constitutes a school shooting, the GAO had to create its own. It looked at any incident in which a gun was fired at school, on school grounds, events, or activities, or before or after those activities. This included accidents and suicides.

(Education Weeks own school shooting tracker, on the other hand, does not include suicides; heres where to find our criteria so you can compare and contrast methods. )

The GAO ultimately examined 318 schootings over the 2009-10 to 2018-19 school years, using other federal data sets to incorporate information on the characteristics of those schools.

Here are some of the GAOs findings. They generally match up with the patterns seen in other analyses of school shootings.



Echoing a recent U.S. Secret Service report , the GAO found that nearly a third of shootings, or 31 percent, were motivated by grievances. The next largest category was accidental shootings, at 16 percent; school-targeted attacks made up 14 percent. Only 5 percent of shootings had a target victim.

, the GAO found that nearly a third of shootings, or 31 percent, were motivated by grievances. The next largest category was accidental shootings, at 16 percent; school-targeted attacks made up 14 percent. Only 5 percent of shootings had a target victim. In total, nearly half of the shootings were carried out by students or other students; in nearly 20 percent of cases, the assailants relationship with the school was unknown and in 12 percent of cases, the shooter had no relationship to the school.

Shootings that occured outside of schools were more likely to be related to a dispute or grievances than those inside schools, which were more likely to be accidents or directly aimed at that school. (See graphic.)

A Debate Unresolved

But perhaps the most critical finding is that, despite the roiling debate over the connection betweend discipline policies and shootings, GAO was unable to locate even one study that addressed it empirically.

This, the report notes, is partly because school violence typically has multiple, overlapping factors (like prior abuse, peer conflict, mental-health issues, and so on). But its also because, depite news headlines, school shootings are statistically still so rare that its hard to design a study with a cause-and-effect design to examine the link between a discipline policy and school shootings.

Instead, the GAO collected studies that looked at specific disciplinary approachesincluding social-emotional learning, threat assessment, exclusionary discipline, and restorative practiceson other school safety outcomes, typically broader measures of violent behavior or perceptions of student safety. Of those studies, not all were random-assignment studiesthe gold standard for answering cause-and-effect questionswhich meant that the agency couldnt draw any bottom-line conclusions from them.

And the results didnt tilt strongly in one way or another; one study, for example, found less violent behavior among elementary students who participated in a social-emotional program, while another linked upticks in violence in an urban school system to the removal of its zero-tolerance approach.

School shootings are rare. But theyre also terrifying, and there is still much we need to learn to understand about how to prevent them, while ensuring students attend safe and supportive learning environments.
Wang and her students pose for a group photo at the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture High School. [Xiao Xiong, Wang Cong/Nanfang Daily]

Teacher Sent to Remote High School Wins Students' Love And Respect

Next month, Wang Jin will end her one-year teaching stint at the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture High School in Kangding, Sichuan Province.

The teacher will return to her home in Dongguan, Guangdong Province, and resume her work at Dongguan Middle School.

In the 12 months she has been at the prefecture school, the chemistry teacher has become popular with the students she teaches.

To connect with her students and improve their academic performances, she sets aside one hour after work to give remedial classes to pupils who need extra tuition.

Wang's devotion to her work has won her the students' affection and trust. During the harsh winter, she struggled to cope with the cold weather, so the students raised money to buy her a heater.

Wang talks with Shakya Lhabu during the home visit. [Xiao Xiong, Wang Cong/Nanfang Daily]

As the end of her time in Ganzi approaches, Wang has taken it upon herself to visit her students in their homes, many of which are scattered across the prefecture, to talk with their parents.

In 2014, under the State's poverty alleviation project, Guangdong was designated to offer assistance to Ganzi prefecture. Over the years, the province has spent 890 million yuan ($127 million) building and renovating schools in Ganzi. A total of 238 kindergartens have been built and more than 150 teachers sent to the prefecture's schools to improve teaching levels and train more than 9,000 educators.

Last year, 14 teachers classified as excellent, including Wang, were sent to Ganzi under a one-year education aid project.

Wang checks Shakya Lhabu's homework during a home visit. [Xiao Xiong, Wang Cong/Nanfang Daily]

Wang is welcomed at student Shakya Lhabu's home in Danba, which is a four-hour bus ride from Kangding. [Xiao Xiong, Wang Cong/Nanfang Daily]

Shakya Lhabu helps his father collect forage for their goats during the summer vacation. [Xiao Xiong, Wang Cong/Nanfang Daily]

The teacher helps Shakya Lhabu do chores during her stay with his family. [Xiao Xiong, Wang Cong/Nanfang Daily]

Wang teaches a chemistry class to students in the high school. [Xiao Xiong, Wang Cong/Nanfang Daily]

Wang gives remedial lessons to a group of students in the evening. [Xiao Xiong, Wang Cong/Nanfang Daily]

Teacher Wang Jin sleeps on the bus from Kangding in Ganzi Tibetan autonomous prefecture, Sichuan Province, to the prefecture's Danba county, to visit a student's home. [Xiao Xiong, Wang Cong/Nanfang Daily]

(Source: China Daily)
Mumbai, July 10 : "Dil Bechara" actress Sanjana Sanghi has recalled her experience of being spotted by casting director Mukesh Chhabra only at the age of 13. The actress also opened up on acting in Ranbir Kapoor starrer 2011 film "Rockstar".

Sanjana took to Instagram on Friday to talk about the same. She also called A.R. Rahman's music magical. Rahman had composed the music of "Rockstar". The noted composer has also created music for Sanjana's forthcoming film "Dil Bechara" which marks her debut as a lead actress in Bollywood.

"At age 13, Mukesh found me performing on stage in my school in Delhi, asked me to 'audition' then and there itself, and went on to cast me as 'Mandy' in Rockstar. Many magical things happened during Rockstar, but one of the biggest was AR Rahman Sir's music." "If you'd have told me 10 years later he'd bless my debut film as a lead actor Dil Bechara, would be based on my favourite novel 'The Fault in Our Stars' - with his music on our album and background score with Mukesh directing me? That would not even be a dream I'd have ever dared to dream." "Thank you @arrahman sir, for this eternal blessing, this is an absolute honor. I've pinched myself a million times since I first performed to your tunes almost two years ago, yet it just doesn't sink in," Sanjana shared on Instagram.

On Thursday, Sanjana had shared a post recalling how the shoot for "Dil Bechara" had begun on July 9 in Jamshedpur.

Directed by Mukesh Chhabra, "Dil Bechara" is the official remake of 2014 Hollywood romantic drama "The Fault in our Stars", based on John Green's popular novel of the same name.

The film will be remembered as the last one of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, who passed away just a month before its release.

The film is slated to release on an OTT platform on July 24.

Latest updates on Sushant Singh Rajput Death Mystery

-- Syndicated from IANS
CT of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) versus CT of influenza virus pneumonia

Leesburg, VA, July 9, 2020--An open-access American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR) article investigating the differences in CT findings between coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pneumonia and influenza virus pneumonia found that most lesions from COVID-19 were located in the peripheral zone and close to the pleura, whereas influenza virus was more prone to show mucoid impaction and pleural effusion.

"However," lead author Liaoyi Lin of China's First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University cautioned, "differentiating between COVID-19 pneumonia and influenza virus pneumonia in clinical practice remains difficult."

A total of 97 patients (49 women, 48 men) were enrolled in this study. Of them, 52 patients (29 men, 23 women; age range, 21-73 years) had COVID-19 pneumonia; 45 patients (26 women, 19 men; age range, 15-76 years) had influenza virus pneumonia (28, influenza A; 17, influenza B). All patients had positive nucleic acid testing results for the respective viruses, as well as complete clinical data and CT images.

According to Lin and colleagues: "Between the group of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia and the group of patients with influenza virus pneumonia, the largest lesion close to the pleura (i.e., no pulmonary parenchyma between the lesion and the pleura), mucoid impaction, presence of pleural effusion, and axial distribution showed statistical difference (p

Meanwhile, Lin et al. noted that the properties of the largest lesion, presence of ground-glass opacities, consolidation, mosaic attenuation, bronchial wall thickening, centrilobular nodules, interlobular septal thickening, crazy paving pattern, air bronchogram, unilateral or bilateral distribution, and longitudinal distribution did not show significant differences (p > 0.05).

Additionally, the authors observed no significant difference (p > 0.05) in CT score, length of the largest lesion, mean density, volume, or mass of the lesions between the two groups.

Because the CT manifestations of COVID-19 and influenza virus so often overlap, "even with the characteristics evaluated using AI software," Lin et al. wrote, "no significant differences were detected."

Thus, the authors of this AJR article concluded that the more important role of CT during the present pandemic is in finding lesions and evaluating the effects of treatment.

###

Founded in 1900, the American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS) is the first and oldest radiological society in North America, dedicated to the advancement of medicine through the profession of radiology and its allied sciences. An international forum for progress in medical imaging since the discovery of the x-ray, ARRS maintains its mission of improving health through a community committed to advancing knowledge and skills with an annual scientific meeting, monthly publication of the peer-reviewed American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR), quarterly issues of InPractice magazine, AJR Live Webinars and Podcasts, topical symposia, print and online educational materials, as well as awarding scholarships via The Roentgen Fund.

This story has been published on: 2020-07-10. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
It lacks the drama of a shape-shifting alien creature, but another threat looms over the prospect of generations-long, interstellar space travel: Explorers arriving on Xanadu could face problems communicating with previous and subsequent arrivals, their spoken language having changed in isolation along the way.

Therefore, a new paper co-authored by a University of Kansas professor of linguistics and published in a journal affiliated with the European Space Agency recommends that such crews include, if not a linguist, members with knowledge of what is likely to occur and how to adapt.

Associate Professor Andrew McKenzie of KU and Jeffrey Punske, assistant professor of linguistics at Southern Illinois University, co-authored the article "Language Development During Interstellar Travel" in the April edition of Acta Futura, the journal of the European Space Agency's Advanced Concepts Team.

In it, they discuss the concept of language change over time, citing such earthbound examples of long-distance voyages as the Polynesian island explorers and extrapolating from there.

It might seem far-fetched, but the authors cite language change even during their own lifetimes with the rise - no pun intended - of uptalk.

They write that "it is increasingly common for speakers to end statements with a rising intonation. This phenomenon, called uptalk (or sometimes High Rising Terminal), is often mistaken for a question tone by those without it in their grammars, but it actually sounds quite distinct and indicates politeness or inclusion. Uptalk has only been observed occurring within the last 40 years, but has spread from small groups of young Americans and Australians to most of the English-speaking world, even to many Baby Boomers who had not used it themselves as youth."

"Given more time, new grammatical forms can completely replace current ones."

Imagine trying to chat with Chaucer today. Even improvements in translation technology might not be enough.

In a recent interview, McKenzie gamed it out.

"If you're on this vessel for 10 generations, new concepts will emerge, new social issues will come up, and people will create ways of talking about them," McKenzie said, "and these will become the vocabulary particular to the ship. People on Earth might never know about these words, unless there's a reason to tell them. And the further away you get, the less you're going to talk to people back home. Generations pass, and there's no one really back home to talk to. And there's not much you want to tell them, because they'll only find out years later, and then you'll hear back from them years after that.

"The connection to Earth dwindles over time. And eventually, perhaps, we'll get to the point where there's no real contact with Earth, except to send the occasional update.

"And as long as the language changes on the vessel, and then at an eventual colony, the question becomes 'Do we still bother learning how to communicate with people on Earth?' Yes. So if we have Earth English and vessel English, and they diverge over the years, you have to learn a little Earth English to send messages back, or to read the instruction manuals and information that came with the ship.

"Also, keep in mind that the language back on Earth is going to change, too, during that time. So they may well be communicating like we'd be using Latin -- communicating with this version of the language nobody uses."

The authors also point out that an adaptation in the form of sign language will be needed for use with and among crew members who, genetics tell us, are sure to be born deaf.

In any case, they write, "every new vessel will essentially offload linguistic immigrants to a foreign land. Will they be discriminated against until their children and grandchildren learn the local language? Can they establish communication with the colony ahead of time to learn the local language before arrival?

"Given the certainty that these issues will arise in scenarios such as these, and the uncertainty of exactly how they will progress, we strongly suggest that any crew exhibit strong levels of metalinguistic training in addition to simply knowing the required languages. There will be need for an informed linguistic policy on board that can be maintained without referring back to Earth-based regulations."

If a study of the linguistic changes aboard ship could be performed, it would only "add to its scientific value," McKenzie and Punske conclude.

Language Development During Interstellar Travel



Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.
President Donald Trump was forced Friday to scrap an election rally, further darkening his mood as he lashed out at China over the coronavirus pandemic while visiting one of the worst-hit US states. Trump jetted into Florida for a high-dollar campaign fundraiser and other events, ignoring health advice about the dangers of large gatherings to focus on boosting his increasingly shaky re-election prospects in a must-win battleground state. With polls showing him trailing Democrat Joe Biden, his rival in November's presidential election, Trump has intensified his schedule of public events in order to juice his base. Eager to get back on the campaign trail after a weeks-long hiatus during which coronavirus cases and hospitalizations spiked in several states, Trump had scheduled a Saturday rally in New Hampshire. But the White House announced Friday that the it was being postponed by "a week or two" due to approaching Tropical Storm Fay. The storm provided a way out of another roiling controversy over health concerns surrounding the event, and the possibility of low interest in tickets. But the postponement is a blow to Trump's efforts to return to his comfort zone -- center stage on the campaign trail -- and signal that life and business can begin getting back to normal after four months of crisis. His last rally, in June in Tulsa, Oklahoma, proved deeply controversial, with most attendees flouting Trump administration guidelines by refusing to wear masks or engage in social distancing despite being indoors. Coronavirus cases jumped in Tulsa in the weeks after the June 20 rally, and local health officials said it was "more than likely" that major events were a contributing factor. As he flew to Florida, Trump vented over the origins of the virus and warned of frayed ties with China, where the COVID-19 emerged late last year. "(The) relationship with China has been severely damaged," he told reporters on Air Force One. "They could have stopped the plague.... They didn't stop it." - Coronavirus 'tsunami' - The United States is by far the country hardest hit by the virus, with more than 3.1 million confirmed infections and 133,000 dead. COVID-19 has claimed more than 4,100 lives in Florida, where Republican Governor Ron DeSantis downplayed the outbreak early on but has since been forced to pause reopening. The Sunshine State was among at least seven that set single-day case records Thursday, alongside Texas, Alabama, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, and Oregon. Florida and Texas also registered their highest daily death counts -- 120 and 105 respectively. "The tsunami is here," said Richard Cortez, chief executive of Hidalgo County in south Texas, after 1,274 cases were confirmed in the past 24 hours in the jurisdiction of fewer than 900,000 people. By way of comparison, Melbourne in Australia, a city of five million, reimposed a lockdown after 191 tested positive in a day. "As a country, when you compare us to other countries I don't think you can say we're doing great," Anthony Fauci, the country's top infectious disease official, told political analysis website FiveThirtyEight on Thursday. Trump hit out at the respected scientist, telling Fox News: "Dr Fauci is a nice man, but he's made a lot of mistakes." Trump's remarks appeared to deepen his public feud with Fauci, who told the Financial Times that despite being a member of Trump's coronavirus task force he has not spoken with the president in more than a month. - Political strategy - Biden, for his part, has repeatedly attacked Trump for incompetently handling the crisis, and he blasted the president's Florida visit. "With over 232,000 cases in the state and over 4,000 deaths in Florida, it is clear that Trump's response -- ignore, blame others, and distract -- has come at the expense of Florida families," Biden said. Despite the pandemic raging in Florida, where Trump is planning to hold the Republican National Convention in August, he did not wear a mask, even when greeting supporters at Miami's airport. Trump was essentially silent on the surge in infections, preferring to meet military and anti-narcotic officials and hold a roundtable with Venezuelan opposition leaders. "Before (the virus) hit, we were doing really well, and we're still doing very well, but now we're getting back on track," Trump told officials at US Southern Command. Trump's Florida visit comes as a new ABC News-Ipsos poll found that 67 percent of Americans disapprove of his handling of the coronavirus crisis. Unlike countries in Europe and Asia, the US never emerged from its first wave of COVID-19, and since mid-June has experienced a fresh surge.
Syracuse, N.Y.  Teen-age socializing is starting to become a real problem in spreading Covid-19, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said today.

County officials plan to work with school districts next week to set up coronavirus test sites aimed at young people, and McMahon urged parents of all older teens to have them tested.

We have a problem with 17-, 18- and 19-year-olds,' McMahon said today. We have a problem with younger people socializing.'

Health investigators have identified at least one cluster of 14 Covid-19 cases among high school seniors who attended parties together earlier this month, McMahon said. At least 40 teens were likely exposed, he said.

The number of Covid-19 infections among people under 20 rose 57% during the past month, compared with a 24% increase among all age groups, county data shows. Infections among people in their 20s and 30s also have risen faster than average.

McMahon said many of those cases are unforced errors'' that result from people failing to wear masks in groups or socializing when they have illness symptoms.

This is almost like where we were at the beginning of this process, where we were saying if youre sick you need to stay home,' McMahon said. Weve made so much progress, and we have unforced errors.'

A small number of the infected teenagers called by county contact tracers have been reluctant to help identify people they associated with, McMahon said. If any are found to intentionally withhold information, the county will follow the example of Rockland County by issuing subpoenas to their parents with the threat of steep fines for individuals who dont cooperate, McMahon said.

Were concerned that we might not be getting all the information from a couple different contact tracing efforts,' McMahon said.

In addition to the mobile test sites targeting teens next week, the county will host a test site Friday at Tucker Missionary Baptist Church, 515 Oakwood Ave. The site will be open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Testing also continues daily at the Syracuse Community Health Center.

The county also saw a cluster of cases among older residents this week. A memory care facility transferred 25 patients to hospitals after they came down with Covid-19, McMahon said. He did not identify the facility and said he did not have details about what caused the cluster.

No one in Onondaga County has died since July 1, McMahon said. A total of 188 county residents have died from coronavirus as of today.

There are 51 coronavirus patients in hospitals, up two from Wednesday. Four are in intensive care, up one.

The county had a total of 31 new Covid-19 cases since Wednesday. There have been a total of 2,894 cases of Covid-19 since March.

Of the new cases, 14 were attributed to community spread; seven occurred in senior living facilities (among residents or staff); five were blamed on travel from outside the area (from Florida, South Carolina, Maryland and Downstate NY); three cases occurred in households with a previous infection; and two remained under investigation.

There are 301 active cases in Onondaga County, down 28 since Wednesday. The last time there were fewer active cases was April 29, county records show. One month ago, the county had 941 active cases, McMahon said.

Staff writer Glenn Coin contributed to this report.

Tim Knauss is a public affairs reporter for syracuse.com/The Post-Standard. Contact him anytime: email | twitter | | 315-470-3023

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In early January, Charles Dane checked into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

He felt exhausted. He looked swollen. His kidney function rate was 13%, which meant symptoms of kidney failure had set in. And without dialysis or a new kidney, he wouldn't live.

As he talked to his doctors, he learned an organ transplant would likely go better if he avoided dialysis.

But after finding a donor, going through all of the checks required for the surgery, arranging travel, and getting approval from his donor's command, Dane, 43, checked out of Walter Reed without a kidney.

As the Defense Health Agency begins to take over management of the Army, Navy, and Air Force medical commands, and at the same time the Army works to flip management of its doctors to front-line units rather than Army Medical Command, Dane's doctor received orders to deploy.

"My nurse said that had never happened before," Dane said. But the day of his surgery, he was told 10 families were affected by the doctor's deployment.

Last October, the Defense Health Agency, a combat support organization that provides medical support staff across all branches, began to take over management of all the military hospitals and clinics. The change would mean the Army, Navy, and Air Force no longer managed their own health care systems. At the same time, the Army shifted some of its medical systems so they fell outside Army Medical Command.

In the past, doctors were assigned to military hospitals and clinics but had outside assignments to nonmedical units for training and deployments. This system, known as the professional filler system, or PROFIS, still allowed the hospitals some leeway when it came to deployments: If a doctor had a full schedule or was so specialized that no one else could fill in for him or her, the hospital had 20 working days to find a replacement to fill the deploying unit's position.

But now, if a doctor receives deployment orders, a reservist fills his slot at the medical facility. The new system, "reverse-PROFIS" or modified table of organization and equipment assigned personnel (MAP), is meant to ensure military doctors are trained and ready to deploy, with their time at the medical facilities primarily serving to keep their medical skills honed for deploying. So, they pull duty at the medical facilities, but they are assigned to deployable units.

Doctors in the new program are expected to cross-train with their assigned units 15 days a year, as well as to deploy if their assigned units go overseas, according to an Army public affairs story.

But Walter Reed is the only military hospital that performs kidney transplants, and Dane's doctor had a full caseload. Over the surgeon's two-month deployment, six living-donor kidney surgeries for veterans were delayed, said Mary Constantino, a spokesperson for the hospital, in an email. When the doctor returned from deployment, two patients received kidneys from living donors and 10 received cadaver kidneys, she said. "Elective surgeries" were then delayed because of Covid, so she said four of the living-donor surgeries were postponed until after the hospital lifts restrictions.

Dane medically retired from the Marine Corps in 2018, after 19 years in service, including two deployments to Iraq and two to Afghanistan, because of his polycystic kidney disease. But if he could find someone willing to donate a kidney -- a living, healthy donor -- it would almost immediately add years to his life.

While Dane was at the Wounded Warrior Battalion -- West program at Camp Pendleton, he said he got to know Jennifer Tullis, who used to work at the Marine Corps' Warrior Care program. When she found out he needed a kidney, Tullis created a Facebook page looking for a donor, Dane said. His donor, who asked not to be named because she remains on active duty, reached out to the regional transplant coordinator. She and Dane began talking on Facebook.

"We met for the first time the other day when I picked her up from the airport," Dane said in January. "Her personality was familiar: She's a Marine."

Both of them were excited, he said. She, because she had the chance to save a life. He, because he had an opportunity for a new beginning. He had been dealing with polycystic kidney disease since being diagnosed in 2008.

"It affected my quality of life as things went on," he said. "I was hoping that, after this, I could start something new."

After months of planning, his donor traveled -- with permission and time off from the Marine Corps -- to Bethesda from Michigan, and Dane drove up from Louisiana with his dog. Both donor and recipient checked into the hospital. They laughed and talked and hoped. But just before the operation, Dane was told his surgeon had orders to deploy with a unit out of Fort Bragg.

The hospital discharged Dane and his donor, without offering further information. Would the orders be rescinded? Would someone else take the surgeon's place?

Dane knew little about the new reorganization. The DHA takeover was meant to improve healthcare efficiency and reduce costs with the following changes: transfer expensive military care to civilian doctors near military bases; improve military medical readiness by making sure the different branches worked and trained together; and make sure that medical personnel were deployable.

But the process of passing overarching control from the services to the Defense Health Agency hasn't gone smoothly -- and no one expected it to, because the three different services want, as usual, to do things three different ways, said a Congressional House aide who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The House aide said the services are still in the process of figuring out who's working where and who's supposed to be in a deployable unit, adding that Dane's case isn't the first time a problem has arisen.

A second House aide, who also requested that his name be withheld, said that a year ago, an Army unit recalled a doctor without checking to see what his caseload looked like.

"Nobody knows who's supposed to be assigned where," the aide said, adding that the schedule needs to be worked out ahead of time. But he said the switch to the Defense Health Agency is supposed to ensure that everyone's on the same page and doctors with caseloads don't suddenly receive deployment orders.

Both aides agreed that the switch to Defense Health Agency oversight is important, but also said that the military is about "three years behind" where they should be in the process.

The aides also acknowledged the difficulties the military health system faces right now. A series of studies and reviews have been ordered, including a Defense-wide review pushed by the Secretary of Defense, a Military Modernization Study requested by Congress on military treatment facilities, and internal studies to determine the best course of action for the Defense Health Agency moving forward.

"I think, in this case, you had the perfect storm of events," one of the aides said about the surgeon who had to deploy, putting Dane's organ transplant on hold. It was inevitable.

In October, DHA assumed control of the military medical commands, resulting in several changes to the Army's medical departments and commands, including flipping its doctors from being assigned to military treatment facilities to being assigned to deployable units.

Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy also questioned, in a December memo to the Deputy Secretary of Defense, DHA's readiness to manage all of the Defense Health System, including consolidating 57 hospitals and more than 400 clinics, and including overseas facilities by the end of fiscal year 2021 -- and running combatant command health care. McCarthy recommended halting the transition of military treatment facilities to the Defense Health Agency until it provided a clear plan. And he asked Congress to repeal the portion of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act that handed Army Public Health Command, as well as Medical Research and Materiel Command, to the DHA.

The Army did not respond to questions about the memo, but provided a comment by email:

"The Army is committed to ensuring medical readiness and providing the highest quality care to our Soldiers and their families," said Army spokeswoman Heather Hogan, who added, "The Army does not comment on internal communications between or among service secretaries."

Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Thomas McCaffery said, during a media roundtable in February, that manpower issues would be addressed in a June report to Congress, possibly presenting a plan that addresses McCarthy's concerns about the restructuring. But as priorities shifted, McCaffery told a group of defense reporters that he now spends between 80 and 90% of his time responding to the coronavirus.

For days, still in Bethesda, staying at the Navy Lodge, Dane received no word of when -- or whether -- the organ transplant would take place.

"I need a kidney," Dane said in January, as he waited for news of whether his surgery would happen. "I'm not going to die tomorrow. I'm not at 5%, but I'm not at 20%, either." Eventually, his donor flew back to Michigan. "I don't harbor a lot of ill will toward Bethesda," Dane said. "It's shitty what happened, but he's an active-duty soldier who's on orders."

The first week of January, MAP doctors deployed with units out of Fort Bragg as part of the new system, and they had between 24 and 48 hours' notice, according to an Army consultant report from the Uniformed Services Academy of Family Physicians.

When asked how the new changes affect medical staffing at Walter Reed, and how the process works when Walter Reed doctors on the roster are deployed, a spokesperson at the hospital referred the question to the Army.

The Army referred the questions back to Walter Reed and did not respond to questions about the reverse-PROFIS program.

In terms of a delayed surgery like Dane's, lawmakers in the House Armed Services Committee will continue to provide oversight and "when necessary, will use legislation to address critical gaps" in military care, said Monica Matoush, House Committee on Armed Services Communication Director, by email. She added that Dane's experience was "not indicative of a widespread problem across the military health care system."

Dane's experience also comes just as the services have asked for a decrease of more than 17,000 military medical positions in the Defense Department's fiscal year 2020 budget. Those spots would instead go to combat or combat-support troops.

But a recent GAO report states that the military did not adequately assess whether there would be enough providers close to bases to provide care -- or whether it would actually save the military money to outsource care. It also found there's no process in place to monitor progress or challenges.

"DOD's plan identified actions needed to facilitate MTF restructuring, but the department is not well positioned to execute the transitions," the report states.

The second aide said Congress has not been told what the reasoning is behind the cut -- including how that might change with the pandemic.

For now, the DHA transition has been put on hold, which means DHA will not take over management of five treatment facilities until after a 90-day pause.

Then the DHA plans to reassess whether to begin again, or recommend another pause to continue focusing their resources on the pandemic response.

Despite the pause -- and the issues cited in the GAO report -- McCaffery told reporters in June that they plan to begin to transfer some stateside medical facilities by the end of 2020, according to Military.com. He also said he expects the plan due to Congress to be completed in the next several weeks, with the aftermath of the virus taken into consideration as the military plans for future pandemics.

But the changes raise another question: Does it make sense for the military to employ an active duty, highly specialized medical professional who performs expensive surgeries almost entirely on civilian dependents and retirees?

The Institute for Defense Analyses, a nonprofit that provides expertise in national security issues, found that medical specialists used almost exclusively for dependent and veteran health care, particularly if they are not ready to deploy, "can have large impacts on DoD cost."

At Walter Reed, between 50 and 60 people receive kidney donor transplants a year, Constantino said. And the hospital recently put out a call for more living donors, citing an approximate 380 veterans on the national kidney transplant list. For those patients, the benefits of Walter Reed's surgeries are clear.

Constantino said Dane and five others scheduled for surgery were offered outside care during their surgeon's two-month deployment through the United Network for Organ Sharing, a nonprofit that manages the national organ transplantation system. Dane said he was offered that option, but the process was long and involved, so he decided to wait.

When his surgeon returned from deployment, and his donor flew back to Bethesda from Michigan, Dane received his kidney -- on April 1. His donor was "practically walking on her own the next day," he said.

By the end of April, Dane was on his way home to Louisiana and ready to get started on life.

This article first appeared on The War Horse, an award-winning nonprofit news organization educating the public on military service, war, and its impact.

-- The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com. If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration.
WASHINGTON  Donald Trump isnt just changing the presidency during his first term in office. Hes also changing Congress.

More than perhaps any president in modern history, Trump has been willing to ignore, defy and toy with the legislative branch, asserting power and breaking norms in ways his predecessors would hardly dare.

Republicans shrug it off as Trump being Trump, leaving Democrats almost alone to object. While the Democratic-run House took the extraordinary step of impeaching the president, the GOP-controlled Senate acquitted. Over time, theres been a noticeable imbalance of power, a president with few restraints drifting toward what the founders warned against.

Think of it as the incredible shrinkage of Congress, said historian Douglas Brinkley.

Its created this massive void in our democracy, Brinkley told The Associated Press.

As Trump seeks reelection with the country facing crises unseen in a lifetime, Congress is confronting questions about its ability to shape the direction and future of the nation.

This week, the Supreme Court weighed in, acknowledging the clash between rival branches of government over Trumps financial records. Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority to return the case to lower courts, said that while the subpoenas for the documents were broad, the president went too far in claiming virtual immunity from congressional oversight.

What was at stake is, is the president above the law? said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., taking the ruling as a win for her end of Pennsylvania Avenue.

The erosion has taken place in ways large and small.

First, Trump took money for his promised border wall with Mexico without lawmaker approval, circumventing Congresss bedrock power over spending. Then he began to fill top posts with officials who did not have the support of senators, negating their role to advise and consent on nominees.

And when the House launched investigations that led to impeachment  the ultimate check on the executive  Trump refused to comply with subpoenas, declaring them invalid. The courts are now left to decide.

Presidents have almost always reached to grab power. Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation to free enslaved people. Barack Obama issued executive actions on immigration when Congress wouldnt comply.

But typically presidents only go so far, knowing Congress is eyeing their every move, ready and willing to intervene. The executive knows they may soon need votes from lawmakers on other matters, creating a need for cooperation.

Trump rejects that model outright, treating the Congress as support staff to his presidency and relying on sheer force of personality to shape the government to his will. A simple Trump tweet can cower critics and reward loyalists all the same. His power only grows as lawmakers, particularly Senate Republicans, stay silent.

The result is a an exhaustive, head-spinning era thats turning Capitol Hill into a spectator stand of those watching, reacting and shaking a fist as their institutional prerogative is slipping away.

Theres a deeper institutional question, said Sen. Angus King, the independent from Maine. The Congress is abdicating its responsibilities to the executive.

The singular challenge to Trump comes from Pelosi, a seasoned legislator who captured the Democratic majority after Trumps first two years in large part because voters longed for a check on his power. In the Senate, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has taken a different tack, working with the Republican president or at times around him as GOP senators avoid direct confrontations.

Congress is evolving, said Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., once a Trump rival for the White House.

Rubio acknowledges the Congress is a different place than when he arrived a decade ago on the tea party wave. He wishes, at times, that Congress would be more assertive.

America is going through a transformational moment, as we have many times in our history, he said. He notes that lawmakers still join forces, including on his legislation on human rights in Hong Kong. Its easy to watch what is happening here today and think these are the worst times in congressional history. Thats not accurate.

But day in and day out, Congress is mostly unwilling to pull together, Republicans declining to join Democrats to rebuke the president when he overreaches or confront him with bipartisan legislation to force his hand.

There isnt even a whimper out of the Republican side, said Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the assistant Democratic leader.

Every president does that  they will push their authority as far as they can, Durbin said. For Trump, it has been nonstop.

The forces diminishing the Congress have been at work for some time, as relentless partisanship leave lawmakers unable to meet the moment and produce solutions for a splintered nation.

Polling shows Americans overwhelmingly support a legislative response to many top issues. They back changes to policing tactics in the aftermath of mass demonstrations over the deaths of Black Americans at the hands of law enforcement. They support background checks on firearm purchases to stem violence and mass shootings. And they want immigration law changes, particularly to protect young immigrants from deportation.

Over and over, Congress failed to deliver. In the void and buoyed by it, Trump extends his reach.

Sarah Binder, a professor at George Washington University, said the Constitutions separation of powers can only take the country so far. Parchment doesnt stop these battles, she said.

When people ask incredulously if the president can do something he has just done, she said, Presidents can get away with this if theres no broader public or his own party reining him in.

Brinkley warns that unless Congress exerts itself, with Pelosis House and McConnells Senate pulling together to bring the nation to common ground, Trump will press on, emerging as the nations first authoritarian executive.

Those are the peoples houses. Thats where the peoples voices are heard, he said. They need to show the American people that Capitol Hill is working.
STORY LINK Pound to South African Rand (GBP/ZAR) Exchange Rate Rises as South African Coronavirus Cases Increase

GBP/ZAR Exchange Rate Edges Higher as South Africas Economic Outlook Darkens

Pound (GBP) Edges Higher as the UK Economy Continues to Reopen

GBP/ZAR Forecast: Could Rising South African Covid-19 Cases Drag Down the South African Rand?

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The Pound to South African Rand (GBP/ZAR) exchange rate rose by 0.7% today, with the pairing currently trading around R21.37.The South African Rand (ZAR) has continued to struggle today after yesterday saw the latest South African Manufacturing Output figures for June fall by -49.4% in April.StatsSA, the South African statistics agency, commented:The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown regulations since 27 March 2020 have had an extensive impact on economic activity.Meanwhile, South Africa is facing a coronavirus storm as outbreaks of the virus spread across the continent. New Covid-19 cases in Africa are up by 24%, leaving many investors concerned for South Africas economy as lockdowns intensify.South Africas Health Minister, Zweli Mkhize, warned that there could be a shortage of hospital beads to treat Covid-19 in a matter of weeks.Mr Mkhize added:Its no longer a matter of announcing numbers of confirmed cases. We are now at a point where its our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, close friend and comrades that are infected.The Pound (GBP) rose against the South African Rand (ZAR) today as hopes grow for the UKs economic recovery as gyms, pools, and nail bars are set to reopen throughout England. As a result, GBP investors are becoming more hopeful about the UKs economic progress in the months ahead.Today also saw the British Retail Consortium (BRC) show that shoppers remain thin on the ground even after the reopening of retail shops in June.Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the BRC, commented:With lockdown measures easing, consumers are slowly re-emerging onto their high streets, shopping centres and retail parks. Footfall levels are still well below pre-coronavirus levels; however, the decline was softer than it was in May thanks to the reopening of non-essential stores on 15 June.However, concerns for the British economy are also growing after the ratings agency Moodys said that the UK faces the fastest peak-to-trough in GDP within the G20.Moodys also said that the UK could be looking at a contraction in its GDP by 10.1% in 2020. Consequently, GBP investors are becoming increasingly jittery as the UK economy looks set for a severe slump this year.Sterling investors will be looking ahead to Mondays speech by the Governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey. Any dovish comments about the British economy, however, would prove GBP-negative.Monday will also see the release of the latest BRC retail sales figures for June. If the UKs retail sector improvement last month would buoy the GPB/ZAR exchange rate.The GBP/ZAR exchange rate will remain sensitive to risk-sentiment next week. Any signs of South Africa suffering from a second wave of coronavirus infections would weigh on the South African Rand.

International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements.

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A Jewish blogger has won the first stage of his legal battle against Jeremy Corbyn after suing the ex Labour leader for claiming he lacked 'English irony'.

Richard Millett complained about comments made by Mr Corbyn in a BBC television interview with broadcaster Andrew Marr nearly two years ago.

He says Mr Corbyn defamed him by accusing him of being 'disruptive and abusive' at a 2013 meeting featuring a Palestinian speaker.

Mr Corbyn disputes Mr Millett's claims and denies defaming him.

Lawyers representing Mr Millett argued that the allegations were 'factual', lawyers representing Mr Corbyn argued that the 'words conveyed a statement of opinion'.

Mr Justice Saini, who oversaw a preliminary hearing in June, ruled on Friday that Mr Corbyn was making 'factual' allegations 'as to Mr Millett's behaviour', rather than a statement of opinion.

Richard Millett complained about comments made by Jeremy Corbyn, where he said Zionists did not

Mr Justice Saini had heard that, shortly after a meeting involving the Palestinian speaker, Mr Corbyn, who was then not the Labour leader, had addressed a conference, organised by the Palestinian Return Centre.

Mr Corbyn had said 'the Zionists' who had attended the meeting had 'berated' the Palestinian speaker.

He had said these 'Zionists' did not want to study history and did not understand English irony.

The judge concluded that the 'words complained of' referred to Mr Millett and 'bore a meaning defamatory of Mr Millett'.

He said what had been said suggested 'conduct falling below the standards expected of citizens in modern British society'.

Mr Millett's lawyers argued that to accuse someone of being 'disruptive and abusive to the degree in issue' must have 'caused him to have been defamed'.

Mr Millett's lawyers argued that to accuse someone of being 'disruptive and abusive to the degree in issue' must have 'caused him to have been defamed'

Lawyers representing Mr Corbyn disagreed and argued what had been said did not lower Mr Millett in the 'estimation of right thinking people'.

In August 2018, when Mr Corbyn had become leader of the Labour Party, a video of that 'irony speech' was made public.

William Bennett QC, who led Mr Millett's legal team, said there had subsequently been 'huge publicity' about 'the fact that' Mr Corbyn's 'statements during the irony speech' had been directed at Mr Millett.

Marr had then asked Mr Corbyn about the 'irony speech', during an interview on The Andrew Marr Show, in September 2018.

The judge heard how Mr Corbyn had told Marr that he had not been 'anti-Semitic'.

He said 'the two people' had been 'incredibly disruptive' and he had accused them of not understanding English irony, because he wanted to defend the Palestinian speaker.

Mr Millett says people who had read media articles saying statements Mr Corbyn made during the 'irony speech' were directed at him, would have realised that the Labour leader was referring to him when telling Marr about 'two people' who had been 'incredibly disruptive'.
Mississippi's five largest hospitals have run out of ICU beds and four others have 5 percent or less available as coronavirus cases continue to soar across the state and Governor Tate Reeves backpedals on reopening plans.

State health officials warned Thursday that the healthcare system is buckling under the weight of the pandemic, with the five largest facilities reaching their capacity for ICU patients by midweek.

Another four hospitals have 5 percent or less ICU beds available and an additional three less than 10 percent, as the state announced a new daily record for COVID-19 hospitalizations for the second day in a row Friday.

Infections have surged to 34,622 and the state governor is finally issuing a mask mandate for residents in the hardest-hit counties.

This comes after an outbreak at the state Capitol infected around one in seven Mississippi legislators and threatens to derail the seat of the state government.

Mississippi's five largest hospitals have run out of ICU beds and four others have 5 percent or less available as coronavirus cases continue to soar across the state and Governor Tate Reeves backpedals on reopening plans

Mississippi's state health officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs gave a grave warning Thursday that patient care is at risk as ravaged hospitals can no longer keep up with the influx of patients pouring in.

'Yesterday, five of our biggest hospitals in the state had zero ICU beds. Zero,' he said.

'Our biggest medical institutions, who take care of our sickest patients, have no room to take care of additional folks.'

Dr. Alan Jones, assistant vice chancellor for clinical affairs of the University of Mississippi Medical Center, said Thursday he was woken with the dire news.

'I was woken up by a phone call yesterday morning at 4 a.m. because we had so many patients at our hospital, we didn't know where to put them,' he said.

State health officials warned Thursday that the healthcare system is buckling under the weight of the pandemic, with the five largest facilities reaching their capacity for ICU patients by midweek

Another four hospitals have 5 percent or less ICU beds available and an additional three less than 10 percent, as the state announced a new daily record for COVID-19 hospitalizations for the second day in a row Friday

The state health department told DailyMail.com it is not naming the hospitals with ICU capacity issues at this time.

Mississippi has one of the fastest-growing rates of new coronavirus cases across the entire US, with another 1,031 new cases announced Friday.

This takes total infections to 34,622 while the death toll has climbed to 1,215 and counting after another 11 people were killed by the virus.

Hospitalizations continue to soar to record levels, with 711 patients reported Friday, surpassing the state's previous dismal high of 686 the previous day.

Fears are growing for the state, given Mississippi is known to already have some of the sparsest health care resources in the country.

Mississippi's state health officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs gave a grave warning Thursday that patient care is at risk as ravaged hospitals can no longer keep up with the influx of patients pouring in

Hospitals are being urged to activate their 'surge plans' to increase their capacity in preparation for the outbreak spreading further in the coming weeks.

The sudden surge in cases centers around 13 counties including Grenada, which has seen a 22 percent spike in cases this week compared to last week.

Cases in Simpson County have surged 18 percent in the same timeframe.

A staggering 109 outbreaks have been linked to long-term care facilities, where 586 have died and 2,927 have been infected.

The Mississippi Capitol has also not been immune to the virus, with officials Wednesday revealing that at least 26 legislators and 10 others who work at the statehouse have tested positive for the virus.

The Mississippi Capitol (pictured) has also not been immune to the virus, with officials Wednesday revealing that at least 26 legislators and 10 others who work at the statehouse have tested positive for the virus

The outbreak, which has struck around one in seven Mississippi legislators, comes after lawmakers flocked to the building for the historic vote to remove the Confederate emblem from the state flag on June 27 (pictured)

The outbreak, which has struck around one in seven Mississippi legislators, comes after lawmakers flocked to the building back in June for the historic vote to remove the Confederate emblem from the state flag.

Among those testing positive in the heavily Republican body are GOP presiding officers House Speaker Philip Gunn and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann.

None of the lawmakers have been hospitalized, according to state officials.

Fears that the worse is yet to come for the state have led the governor to backtrack on the state's reopening plans across the 13 hardest-hit counties.

Reeves announced Thursday a reduction to the limit on indoor gatherings from 50 to 10 people and outdoor from 100 to 20 in desperate efforts to slow the spread of the virus.

He also announced a new order mandating all residents to wear masks in public places.

Business owners in those counties will also be required to screen workers for the virus.

The governor has also hinted he could backpedal on the reopening of bars and other places if people don't stop congregating in large groups.
China condemns Aussie's HK-related moves as interference in internal affairs

Global Times

By Xu Keyue Source: Global Times Published: 2020/7/9 18:28:40

China deplores and opposes the groundless accusations made by the Australian government on Hong Kong issue, calling it a violation of international law and basic norms governing international relations and gross interference in China's internal affairs.

Following Canada, Australia has suspended its extradition agreement with China's Hong Kong Special Administration Region (HKSAR) and will offer visa extensions and a pathway to permanent residence to Hongkongers in Australia.

China strongly deplores and opposes the groundless accusations and measures announced by the Australian government with regard to Hong Kong, which is a serious violation of international law and basic norms governing international relations, and gross interference in China's internal affairs, the Chinese Embassy in Australia said on its official website.

Hong Kong affairs are China's internal affairs, the embassy said, accusing Australia's hypocrisy and double standards. "The Australian side has been clanking that they oppose 'foreign interference.' However, they have blatantly interfered in China's internal affairs by making irresponsible remarks on Hong Kong related issues," said the embassy.

The embassy urged the Australian side to immediately stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs under any pretext or in any way, as this would be "lifting a rock only to hit its own feet."

"The Chinese side does not buy such tricks. We strongly condemn it and reserve the right to make a further response. All the consequences arising there from will be borne entirely by the Australian side," China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Thursday at a press conference.

Zhao stressed that any attempt to pressure China will never succeed and urged the Australian side to stop the moves so as to avoid further damage to China-Australia relations.

The Chinese Embassy in Australia said the national security law for Hong Kong "will strengthen Hong Kong's legal framework, ensure social order, improve the business environment, contribute to Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability and the steady implementation of the 'one country, two systems' principle."

"It [the law] will not affect the legitimate rights and interests enjoyed by Hong Kong residents and foreign institutions and personnel in the HKSAR," said the embassy.

Australia also issued a travel advisory on Thursday, saying "Do not travel to Hong Kong" in response to China's newly-passed national security law for the HKSAR, according to the official website of Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Under the law [China's national security law for Hong Kong], you could be deported or face possible transfer to Chinese mainland for prosecution under mainland lawYou may be at increased risk of detention on vaguely defined national security grounds, said the travel alert.

The statement asserted that the full extent of the national security law for Hong Kong and how it will be applied is not yet clear, a claim that Chinese experts said is groundless.

The Morrison administration's recklessness in handling issues related to Hong Kong indicates Canberra's increasingly erratic China policy, said Chen Hong, director of the Australian Studies Center at the East China Normal University in Shanghai, told the Global Times on Thursday

"Time and again, the Liberal-National Coalition government has been provocative in wreaking more damage on the bilateral relationship, which could further deteriorate beyond repair," said Chen.

Morrison flagrantly tore up the extradition treaty with Hong Kong, and he tried to coax Hong Kong businesses to relocate to Australia, Chen said, noting that such shameless bait and enticement to alienate the residents in Hong Kong from the Chinese mainland are "serious challenges to China's sovereignty."

Morrison and his government must bear the responsibility for such outrages, Chen said.

Two days before the new travel alert to Hong Kong, the Australian government issued a new travel warning for the Chinese mainland, saying that Australians could face "arbitrary detention" if they go there.

Observers said the China-Australia relationship is currently at its lowest point in the past two decades.

Chen said it is no coincidence that Canberra also recently issued the unwarranted warnings for Australian travelers to China.

"This concerted malicious fear and smear campaign aims to stoke up hostility toward China among the general public, not only in Australia, but in Hong Kong as well," Chen said.

Since the law was enacted last week, Canada has suspended its extradition treaty, while the UK has offered citizenship options to Hong Kong residents, foreign media reported.

The countries are all members of the Five Eyes alliance, which also includes New Zealand and the US. "A series of concerted maneuvers of blatant interference have been conducted by the five countries in China's domestic affairs. It is a worrying sign that the intelligence communities of these countries have turned out to have enhanced power over their governments," Chen noted.

Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Chinese government authorities have detained foreigners because they were allegedly "endangering national security."

In June, the Chinese government issued a study warning and travel alert to Australia, as the country has seen a significant rising trend of racial discrimination and violence against Chinese and other Asian people due to the COVID-19 pandemic.



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The Ohio Democratic Party applied for and received $334,000 in coronavirus-relief funds slated to buoy businesses that are struggling during the pandemic despite criticizing the Trump administration program as inadequate.

A campaign-finance report disclosed the $333,867 loan, which was approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration on April 30, the Columbus Dispatch reported.

Nearly three weeks after the loan was approved, the Ohio Democratic Party criticized the Paycheck Protection Program for granting an outsized amount of aid to larger companies while leaving smaller companies behind.

With so many small businesses shut out from receiving PPP loans  while nearly 300 publicly traded companies received more than $1 billion from the program  local governments across Ohio are stepping up to help small businesses, which are often the center of their communities, the state party wrote in a May 19 tweet.

The Ohio Republican Party eviscerated their counterpart in a statement, saying Ohio Democratic Chairman David Pepper is a hypocrite and should pay back these loans immediately.

The Ohio Democratic Party took these funds to use for campaigning which could have gone to small businesses, but at the same time publicly lamented against the program, Ohio GOP spokesman Evan Machan said.

The Ohio GOP did not need to apply for these funds, because our financial situation is strong, and we were never at risk of not making payroll, Machan said.

The Ohio Democratic Party defended itself from criticism over the loan, saying the money was used as it was intended, making sure the party could make payroll, and saved 20 jobs.

The purpose of the Paycheck Protection Program is to help organizations cover payroll and benefits, and thats precisely what it has been used for  to ensure our entire team continued to work and earn a paycheck and retain their health coverage during an unprecedented public-health crisis, Ohio Democratic Party spokeswoman Kirstin Alvanitakis said in a statement.

Story continues

On Thursday, the Florida Democratic Party said it will return $780,000 it received through the PPP after it received bipartisan criticism for accepting the loan.

Like many employers during the shutdown, FDP was concerned about meeting payroll and keeping our staff employed, so we applied, Florida Democratic Party spokesperson Luisana Perez Fernandez said, adding that the Small Business Association made a mistake in approving the funding, so we are volunteering to return it.

In late March, Congress approved $659 billion for the PPP in the CARES Act, which included more than $2 trillion in coronavirus-relief funds. Loan recipients who maintain payroll levels are able to have the loans forgiven.

More from National Review
A group of researchers in Japan say their clinical study of the anti-flu drug Avigan, a candidate for treating COVID-19, could not confirm statistical significance regarding its effectiveness.

Researchers at institutes including Fujita Health University in Aichi Prefecture conducted the study from March to check the drug's effectiveness and safety.

Professor Doi Yohei at the university published the results of the study in an online news conference on Friday.

The researchers used Avigan on 88 patients infected with the virus and having mild or no symptoms.

The patients were divided into two groups. One was given Avigan from the first day for up to 10 days. The other was given the drug from the sixth day.

The researchers say the results show that as of the sixth day, the virus was not detected in 66.7 percent of the patients in the group given Avigan from the start.

The figure was 56.1 percent for the group on which the drug was not used in the first five days.

The study also shows that it took an average of 2.1 days for the temperatures of those in the first group to return to normal. For those in the second group, it took 3.2 days.

The researchers say they found that patients given the drug from the first day showed no sign of the virus and returned to normal temperature sooner than those who were not.

Although the researchers could not confirm statistical significance regarding the drug's effectiveness, Doi said the results show the drug caused improvement sooner. They also said they found no serious side effects.

Doi said he will offer the data to the government if requested.
WARSAW, Poland (AP)  Polands conservative president, Andrzej Duda, was the frontrunner in Sunday's 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.

Story continues

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 Poland's 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.

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.

Poland hasn't 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.

As of Sunday, Poland had nearly 34,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among its 38 million people, with over 1,400 deaths.

Duda's 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 party's harnessing of public media to promote the government's 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 party's popular social welfare spending programs while vowing to restore constitutional norms and Poland's relationship with the EU.

___

Follow all of APs pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
BOULDER, CO  Students who are moving into University of Colorado Boulder residence halls will need to get tested for the coronavirus, officials announced Friday. The rule is part of the university's latest coronavirus guidelines, which include other measures for ensuring the safety of staff and students.

In a letter to the campus community, CU Boulder officials said that students living on campus will be required to undergo a COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) RT-PCR test within five days of moving into the residence halls.



"Recognizing that it may not be possible for some students to get a test in advance, the campus is preparing to provide a limited number of RT-PCR and rapid-response tests on campus for residence hall students prior to their check-in," the letter read. "More information on this process will be forthcoming."



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The move-in period for residences has been extended this year to allow for greater social distancing and scheduled check-in options for families, officials said.



"The campus has not yet made a decision regarding testing requirements in advance of the fall semester for off-campus students, but we expect to make a decision soon," the letter read.

"We are continuing to monitor public health requirements from the state that may include testing of students living off campus and state guidance on students arriving from certain geographical areas who may need to be quarantined."



Other plans that are underway at CU Boulder:

As part of ongoing campus monitoring and contact tracing, employees will be able to be tested on campus

CU Boulder is working on plans to conduct surveillance testing to monitor up to 9,000 students, staff and faculty at higher risk for infection

University officials are preparing to implement daily wastewater monitoring at 20 locations on the campus, with a focus on residence halls and select high-use buildings

The university is developing contact tracing capabilities that will serve in conjunction with Boulder County Public Health's tracing system

The university has facilities designated for isolation and quarantine for students living on campus





This article originally appeared on the Boulder Patch
Stratford Districts community shielding hub has now closed, having delivered 1,300 food parcels to vulnerable residents since the end of March.

The closure follows the relaxation of Government guidance to vulnerable residents, which has brought to an end the shielding period when residents considered to be clinically extremely vulnerable during the coronavirus pandemic were instructed to remain in isolation at home.

The District Councils food distribution responsibility started on the 30 March 2020, when the service was established at the leisure centre in Stratford.

A number of council staff were redeployed to run the hub, packing and distributing food parcels.

In total 1,300 parcels were delivered with the service running five days per week and Bank Holidays until mid-June when it was reduced to one day a week.

In addition to delivering essential supplies, the hub team also carried out welfare telephone calls to shielding residents who had not registered via the NHS helpline, offering support and advice and were on call at weekends to arrange emergency deliveries.

Since Monday, Government guidance means shielding residents can now socialise outside with a group of up to six people and form a 'support bubble' with another household.

Details of the updated guidance, together with information about the support available now the shielding hub has closed, have been included in a letter from the Government delivered with the last supply packages.

Cllr Jo Barker, People Portfolio said: The districts shielding hub supported our most vulnerable residents during the height of the pandemic, but I would like to reassure those residents we're still here to help now the Government has started to relax the lockdown restrictions. The team at the hub have done a tremendous job supporting our most vulnerable in the community and I am extremely proud of the work theyve done during this time.

Residents on the NHS shielding list who have concerns about food deliveries or other support can contact the District Council on 01789 260980.
Today we will run through one way of estimating the intrinsic value of The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) by estimating the company's future cash flows and discounting them to their present value. This will be done using the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. Models like these may appear beyond the comprehension of a lay person, but they're fairly easy to follow.

We generally believe that a company's value is the present value of all of the cash it will generate in the future. However, a DCF is just one valuation metric among many, and it is not without flaws. If you still have some burning questions about this type of valuation, take a look at the Simply Wall St analysis model.

See our latest analysis for Coca-Cola

Step by step through the calculation

We're using the 2-stage growth model, which simply means we take in account two stages of company's growth. In the initial period the company may have a higher growth rate and the second stage is usually assumed to have a stable growth rate. In the first stage we need to estimate the cash flows to the business over the next ten years. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years.

A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, so we need to discount the sum of these future cash flows to arrive at a present value estimate:

10-year free cash flow (FCF) forecast

2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Levered FCF ($, Millions) US$8.57b US$9.55b US$10.1b US$10.6b US$11.1b US$11.5b US$11.8b US$12.2b US$12.5b US$12.8b Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x5 Analyst x3 Est @ 6.11% Est @ 4.95% Est @ 4.13% Est @ 3.56% Est @ 3.16% Est @ 2.87% Est @ 2.68% Est @ 2.54% Present Value ($, Millions) Discounted @ 7.0% US$8.0k US$8.3k US$8.3k US$8.1k US$7.9k US$7.6k US$7.4k US$7.1k US$6.8k US$6.5k

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = US$76b

Story continues

The second stage is also known as Terminal Value, this is the business's cash flow after the first stage. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 2.2%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 7.0%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2030  (1 + g)  (r  g) = US$13b (1 + 2.2%)  (7.0% 2.2%) = US$272b

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= US$272b ( 1 + 7.0%)10= US$138b

The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is US$214b. The last step is to then divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Relative to the current share price of US$43.9, the company appears about fair value at a 12% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Valuations are imprecise instruments though, rather like a telescope - move a few degrees and end up in a different galaxy. Do keep this in mind.

NYSE:KO Discounted Cash Flow July 10th 2020

Important assumptions

Now the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate, and of course, the actual cash flows. You don't have to agree with these inputs, I recommend redoing the calculations yourself and playing with them. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Coca-Cola as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 7.0%, which is based on a levered beta of 0.800. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business.

Looking Ahead:

Valuation is only one side of the coin in terms of building your investment thesis, and it is only one of many factors that you need to assess for a company. It's not possible to obtain a foolproof valuation with a DCF model. Instead the best use for a DCF model is to test certain assumptions and theories to see if they would lead to the company being undervalued or overvalued. For instance, if the terminal value growth rate is adjusted slightly, it can dramatically alter the overall result. For Coca-Cola, there are three fundamental aspects you should further research:

Risks: Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 3 warning signs with Coca-Cola (at least 1 which is potentially serious) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process. Future Earnings: How does KO's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other High Quality Alternatives: Do you like a good all-rounder? Explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing!

PS. The Simply Wall St app conducts a discounted cash flow valuation for every stock on the NYSE every day. If you want to find the calculation for other stocks just search 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.
While experts have occasionally said that the coronavirus affects everyone equally, a breakdown of the available case data shows that not to be true  at least when it comes to race.

A recent study by the New York Times of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concerning 1.45 million reported U.S. cases of COVID-19 through May 28 showed stark racial an ethnic disparities in who is being affected by the virus, including here in New Jersey.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Businesses that are open | Homepage

In all 21 counties here, the Black and Hispanic populations were disproportionately affected by the spread of the coronavirus. In 12 counties, Black residents had the most cases per 10,000 residents, while nine others showed Hispanic residents have the most.

In seven counties, the rate of cases among Black residents was more than double that of the white population. The same was true for the Hispanic residents in eight counties.

The Black population was hit the hardest in Passaic (171 cases per 10,000 residents), Bergen (159), and Essex (155) counties. Meanwhile, the Hispanic communities in Passaic (221), Salem (202), and Cumberland (156) Counties saw particularly strong spread.

Is the above table not displaying? Click here.

By contrast, the top numbers for white residents occurred in Hudson (105), Passaic (102), and Bergen (84) Counties. See the table above for the full rundown.

The numbers are calculated on a rate basis to show the number of cases that would be present for every 10,000 residents of a given race. This allows quick comparisons to be made between racial groups, even in cases where the number of residents in that group varies greatly in a given county.

The data only became available after the New York Times filed a Freedom of Information Act suit against the CDC. Of the 1.45 million case records eventually provided covering the period from the beginning of the U.S. outbreak in early March up through May 28, the Times says about 640,000 contained information on the race.

New Jersey thus far has not released county-level data on race. Each day, it provides a birds-eye view of the racial and ethnic breakdown of cases in the state as a whole, making it difficult to see which communities have been hit in uneven ways. A spokeswoman for the state Health Department said they are working to publish more information, but she would not say exactly when or in what format it would be released.

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Nick Devlin is a reporter on the data & investigations team. He can be reached at ndevlin@njadvancemedia.com.
DUBAI (Reuters) - The Saudi-led military coalition fighting the Iran-aligned Houthi group in Yemen destroyed two explosive-laden boats in the Red Sea on Thursday, its spokesman said.

The two remotely controlled boats belonged to Houthi forces and were threatening navigation, his statement carried on Saudi state news agency SPA said.

They were destroyed 6 km (3.7 miles) south of the Yemeni port of Salif in the early hours of Thursday morning, he said.

Yahya Sarea, a Houthi armed forces a spokesman, said on Twitter the boats were civilian vessels and called the coalition attack a 'major aggression' which violated the Stockholm peace deal, a U.N.-brokered agreement reached in December 2018.

The coalition has previously accused the Houthi movement of trying to attack vessels off the coast of Yemen with unmanned boats laden with explosives.

Merchant ships have been attacked in recent years in the Gulf of Aden and the Bab al-Mandab waterway by armed gangs as well as militant groups such as Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

The coalition intervened in Yemen in March 2015 after the Houthis ousted the Saudi-backed internationally-recognised government from the capital, Sanaa, in late 2014. The Houthis, who control most large urban centres, say they are fighting a corrupt system.

(Reporting by Maher Chmaytelli; Writing by Lisa Barrington; Editing by Alison Williams, William Maclean)
Adorable Wild Seals Visible Around S. Oregon Coast Now

Published 07/10/020 at 12:44 AM PDT

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff





(Coos Bay, Oregon)  Officials at Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) say harbor seals will be in plain sight these days along some areas of the Oregon coast, especially on the southern end, along with other types of wildlife. (Above: baby harbor seal photo courtesy Seaside Aquarium).

Its already fairly well known that this is pupping season for harbor seals, and thus anywhere along the coastline you may run into a baby seal lounging on the beach. Stay clear of them  see Baby Seals on Beaches.

However, even into early summer seals can be seen with their young in places like Shore Acres State Park. ODFW said that area offers several trails that skirt the bluffs along the shoreline, thus giving you opportunities to see them as well as other wildlife.

Be careful not to get too close to the bluffs when looking for wildlife - falling can be dangerous and deadly, ODFW said.

Rocky areas like this on the south Oregon coast are excellent for checking out nesting seabirds, harbor seals, and sea lions. ODFW suggested to keep a watch from Cape Arago State Park, where many seals and sea lions use Simpsons Reef and the Shell Island area, seen from the park.

Now is a great time to visit the lookout at Simpsons Reef, which offers a great view of these animals, ODFW said.

Cape Arago photo courtesy Oregon's Adventure Coast

Mothers are teaching their little ones to hunt for themselves.

The larger elephant seals also use the area in abundance. During spring and summer, mother elephant seals nurse their little ones for a few weeks and then they head back out to sea to feed in deeper waters. At that point, the young elephant seals are on their own.

ODFW said they often get calls about dead elephant seals on the beaches, but theres a surprise in store.

Upon investigation, we find these are live animals that dont know any better than to lie on beaches, even the ones frequented by people, ODFW said. Young seals will do this until they get large and strong enough to follow the rest of the elephant seal population off shore. Some adult elephant seals can reach 5000 lbs. When you are a baby of one of these behemoths you not only weigh several hundred pounds, but you can also lie anywhere you like.

Baby elephant seals are not found up north as frequently. More photos below:

Oregon Coast Hotels for this - Where to eat - Map - Virtual Tour









Cape Arago photo courtesy Oregon's Adventure Coast

Baby sea lion photo courtesy Seaside Aquarium

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Ohios unemployment compensation system was ripe for reform before the COVID-19 pandemic struck. For years, workers and employers -- and politicians trying to mediate between the two -- have gridlocked over who will sacrifice what to avoid a repeat of the state funds costly 2008 insolvency.

But the coronavirus -- which has again made the system insolvent and forced Ohio to borrow from the federal government -- has exposed other unacceptable weaknesses.
Its legal once again to go to a tattoo parlour in New York and get inked just about anywhere on your body - except under the face mask still required as the city reopens after once being the epicenter of the U.S. coronavirus outbreak.

Tattoo aficionados this week rushed to body art parlours across New York which opened on Monday after being shuttered for more than three months, including InkStained Tattoo Studio on Staten Island. A limited number of customers could be inside at once and each of the five artists had about 30 people on their waiting lists.

Oh man, its awesome - I had been thinking about it for months, said customer Analia Acevedo of Staten Island, who was getting the underside of her forearm tattooed with an elaborate blue and purple rose design.

They got a lot of great things here to make you feel safe, said Acevedo, gazing at newly installed curtains between tattoo chairs to create a barrier against COVID-19.

A customer gets a tattoo as restrictions put in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are eased at InkStained Tattoo Studio in the Staten Island borough of New York City, New York, U.S. July 6, 2020. (REUTERS)

Even with this weeks reopening of self-care businesses, state regulations require customers to wear face masks and prohibit removing them, keeping that section of the body canvas off-limits for tattoos - for now.

InkStained tattoo artist Tramaine Miles said the shutdown initially provided some welcome time off but it stretched far too long.

It feels really good to be back in the chair, Miles said.

InkStained studio owner Michael Herbert said the closure left him worried about paying bills.

Mike Herbert, owner of InkStained Tattoo Studio, stands at the reception counter as restrictions put in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are eased in the Staten Island borough of New York City, New York, U.S. July 6, 2020. (REUTERS)

This is all we have, Herbert said. Its a very hard industry to be in to begin with and be forced to shut down for four months. Its very difficult.

It was the citys second tattoo parlour reopening, after a 1961 ban during a Hepatitis B outbreak was lifted in 1997. Some historians speculate that the shutdown actually had less to do with controlling disease spread and more to do with city efforts to clean up its image ahead of the 1964 Worlds Fair, according to Smithsonian.com.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)

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Two people have been arrested in Arizona after police say they refused to wear face masks inside a Walmart and intentionally coughed on store workers when asked to do so.

Officers from the Yuma Police Department were dispatched to the Walmart on South Avenue B just before 11am on Wednesday after getting a 911 call reporting disorderly conduct.

Employees at the store told responding officers that customers Frank Montoya, 38, and Victoria Parra Carranza, 23, ignored requests to wear face coverings and deliberately coughed on staff.

Frank Montoya, 38 (left), and Victoria Parra Carranza, 23 (right), have been charged with aggravated assault and disorderly conduct. They are accused of refusing to wear masks inside a Yuma, Arizona, Walmart and deliberately coughing on workers

Police were called to this Walmart on South Avenue B in Yuma on Wednesday morning after getting a 911 call reporting disorderly conduct

Store officials summoned police in light of the coronavirus pandemic that has made Arizona a national hot spot for cases.

It was unclear if either Montoya or Parra Carranza have been tested for COVID-19.

When police arrived, they said the couple allegedly refused to cooperate and became confrontational.

They said Montoya eventually fled on foot and was later arrested after fighting with officers.

Parra Carranza tried to interfere with Montoyas arrest and also was taken into custody, according to police.

Montoya and Parra Carranza have been booked into the Yuma County jail on suspicion of aggravated assault, disorderly conduct and other charges.

Arizona continued to report record numbers for coronavirus-related hospitalizations

In mid-June, Yuma County enacted a mandatory face mask requirement, which calls for anyone over the age of two to wear a mask or a face covering in public places.

Arizona continued to report record numbers for coronavirus-related hospitalizations and use of ventilators this week.

After a drop in the number of new cases in the early part of the week, they shot back above 4,000 on Thursday.

The state reported 116,892 cases and 2,082 deaths as of Friday afternoon.




NEWS PROVIDED BY

Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights

July 9, 2020

NEW YORK, July 9, 2020 /Standard Newswire/ -- Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on how much the mayors of New York City and Chicago have in common:

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot share a similar record on their handling of violence, public health and religious liberty. Both are a disgrace.

Over the 4th of July weekend, 19 persons died of COVID-19 in New York City. During that same period, 64 people were shot and 10 were killed. In Chicago, 9 persons died of the virus over those three days; 64 were wounded and 15 were murdered.

It is hard to know where the blame lies in deaths due to coronavirus, but it is not hard to know who bears responsibility for the violence. Both de Blasio and Lightfoot have made the police the enemy, and everyone knows it, especially the shooters.

When it comes to religious liberty, however, these two mayors sing a different tune. To be exact, they have gone out of their way to punish church-goers for not complying with their public health edicts. Worse, they have done nothing about the public health threat posed by protesters, many of whom were violent.

De Blasio not only endorsed the mobs that took to the streets, he gave them immunity from his contact-tracing mandate. New York employees charged with coronavirus contact-tracing were told that they could not ask anyone if he attended a protest. But they sure could ask if he went to church.

In other words, the mayor decided it was more important to guard the anonymity of someone who picked up COVID-19 while demonstrating side-by-side with thousands of othersin illegal marchesthan it was to protect an innocent person from being infected by them.

Religious New Yorkers, however, were told to stay out of church, synagogue, mosque and other houses of worship. They were told they were a threat to public health. Then a federal district judge stepped in and put a temporary stop to de Blasio's game: He accused the mayor (and Gov. Andrew Cuomo) of sending "a clear message that mass protests are deserving of preferential treatment."

Like de Blasio, Lightfoot threw public health concerns to the wind by doing nothing to enforce social distancing among protesters. Church-goers, however, are another story. In May, she threw down the gauntlet. She pledged to fine any church that was open. "This is not playing Russian Roulette. This is playing with a gun that is fully loaded and cocked."

Sadly, real guns go off every weekend in her city, and she has done nothing about it. Blacks kill blacks by the dozens, turning Chicago streets into a bloodbath. Yet Lightfoot will not condemn the killers with the kind of incendiary language she uses against innocent church-goers.

De Blasio and Lightfoot are a threat to public health, public safety, and religious liberty. How much more must they do to their cities before their residents finally rise up and demand justice?
The Punjab government on Friday challenged the state high court's verdict allowing private schools to collect all type of fees from students irrespective of the online or offline classed held by them.

The Amarinder Singh government moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking a stay on the June 30 order of a single-judge bench of the court "in the interest of justice and fair play".

Chief Minister Singh had earlier expressed concern over the private schools charging fees from students even when no online or offline classes were held amid the COVID lockdown, an official release said here.

The matter had come up for discussion at Wednesday's Cabinet meeting and Advocate General Atul Nanda had been asked to move the high court to challenge the single-judge bench order.

The state government plea pointed out that the private schools, despite pleading financial hardship and incapacity to meet their expenditures, had not placed on record any evidence or material to prove the same.

It was also contended in the government's petition that the single judge, in his ruling, had completely ignored the fact that the state government had been constrained to issue orders directing private schools to charge only "tuition fee" (in respect of the online education provided by them), to mitigate the emergent hardship faced by parents due to the COVID-19 crisis.

The impugned order and judgement, according to the government's plea, provides no mechanism to check and verify the "actual expenditure" while allowing the schools to charge it.

Thus, there are practical difficulties in the enforceability and implementation of the impugned order and judgment, it said.

"In a similar matter involving a challenge to an identical order issued by the Government of Haryana, a coordinate bench has merely adjourned the case to September without granting any interim relief or otherwise to the private schools of Haryana as of now," the state government said in its petition.
A former Catholic priest who served in Delaware County parishes was sentenced to 18 to 36 months in a state prison Wednesday after pleading guilty to two counts of indecent assault of a person under 13.

Francis Trauger, 74, of Brooklyn, N.Y., was charged last year in Bucks County, though he had been named years earlier in grand jury reports and civil lawsuits filed by victims. The charges on which Trauger was ultimately convicted involved two altar boys he had molested in the mid-1990s and early 2000s at St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Tullytown.

The victims, now both in their 30s, were each 12 years old when they said Trauger assaulted them as they changed into their vestments before mass.

Trauger, who was defrocked in 2005, had also served as the assistant pastor at Holy Cross Church in Springfield from November 1976 to June 1980 and as parochial vicar of St. Joseph Church in Aston from June 1989 to June 1993.

He was among five priests with Delaware County ties named in a series of civil suits brought by alleged victims of abuse in 2012, who claimed the church covered up and ignored claims of abuse. Trauger was accused in one of those cases of sexually abusing an altar boy who worked at the rectory at St. Titus Church in Norristown.

Traugers attorney, Brian McVann, said at Wednesdays hearing that his clients conduct cannot be defended, and that he felt compelled to plead guilty and take responsibility for his actions, according to a Philadelphia Inquirer report on the hearing.

He has done great good in his life, McVann was quoted saying. Unfortunately, it has been lost in this case.

Bucks County Court of Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey L. Finley told Trauger that any good he had done had been torn down by his criminal actions, the Inquirer reported.

In addition to prison time, Trauger was ordered to serve two years of consecutive probation, according to court records. He is not to have any contact with the victim or people under the age of 18 years old and must register for 10 years as a sexual offender under Megans Law. He will also be evaluated by the Sexual Offenders Assessment Board and undergo sexual offender treatment programs while in prison.
Actor Johnny Depp scrawled graffiti on a mirror in blood from his severed finger while subjecting his wife to three days of physical abuse, a court has been told.

The Hollywood star allegedly smashed Amber Heard's head against a fridge, slapped her and threatened to stub a cigarette on his own face during a sustained period of violence in 2015.

The actor's rage, allegedly fuelled by drink and drugs, was such that he used his cut finger to write in blood, and trashed his rented house, London's High Court heard.

Depp said that his relationship with Amber Heard was "a crime scene waiting to happen", but denied assaulting her during a drug-fuelled rampage in Australia while filming a 'Pirates of the Caribbean' movie.

The actor (57) was giving evidence for a third day in his libel case in London against Britain's 'Sun' newspaper for calling him a "wife-beater."

Depp is suing News Group Newspapers and the 'Sun's' executive editor, Dan Wootton, over an April 2018 article that said he had physically abused Heard.

The 'Sun's' defence relies on a total of 14 allegations by Heard of Depp's violence between 2013 and 2016. He strongly denies all of them.

Sasha Wass QC, NGN's barrister, told the court Heard was upset to discover that Depp, who was supposed to be abstaining from drugs and alcohol but was angry at the film's progress, had been drinking and taking drugs.

Ms Wass said Depp swallowed a handful of pills to show Heard he could do "whatever you damn well pleased".

Addressing Depp, she said: "You turned your anger into violence against her. You smashed her into the side of the fridge door and slapped her across the face. And on the Friday you had a cigarette in your right hand, as you do most of the time, and you threatened to put it out on your face."

Depp replied: "No, ma'am."

He recalled telling Heard several times: "Listen, we are a crime scene waiting to happen." But he denied being violent.

Depp vehemently rejected Heard's claim that he subjected her to a "three-day ordeal of assaults".

Depp and Ms Wass sparred over disputed details of the Australia episode, which ended up with the couple's rented house being trashed and Depp's fingertip being severed to the bone.

Depp accuses Heard of cutting off his fingertip by throwing a vodka bottle at him. She denies being in the room when the finger was severed.

According to Heard, Depp snorted cocaine, swigged Jack Daniels from the bottle, broke bottles, screamed at her, smashed her head against a refrigerator, threw her against a pingpong table and broke a window. "These are fabrications," he said.

He denied taking drugs but agreed that the couple had argued and he "decided to break my sobriety because I didn't care any more. I needed to numb myself."

The court was shown photographs of graffiti-covered mirrors, which Depp acknowledged he'd written on by dipping his bloody fingertip in paint.

But he insisted Heard was responsible for most of the damage to the house.

Ms Wass also alleged that Depp had lashed out at Heard during an attempt to break an opioid addiction on his private island in the Bahamas in 2014.

Ms Wass said that at the time Depp praised Heard's efforts to help him get clean. She read from a message Depp sent to Heard's mother, saying "your daughter has risen far above the nightmarish task of taking care of this poor old junkie" and speaking of her "heroism".

He denied physical violence, but said Heard's claim that he was "flipping" and "screaming" might be accurate.

"I wasn't in good shape. It was the lowest point I believe I've ever been in in my life," he said.

Depp accused Heard of telling "porky pies" about his behaviour. He acknowledged striking out at objects, saying it was better than "taking it out on the person that I love".

Depp has admitted in court that he may have done things he can't remember while he was under the influence. But he denied he could have been physically abusive and not remember it.

"There were blackouts, sure, but in any blackout there are snippets of memory," Depp said.

The case is shining a light on the tempestuous relationship between Depp and Heard (34) who married in Los Angeles in February 2015.

Heard filed for divorce the following year and obtained a restraining order against Depp on the grounds of domestic abuse. The divorce was finalised in 2017.

The former spouses now accuse each other of being controlling, violent and deceitful during their marriage.

In a text message to his doctor after the Australia altercation, Depp called Heard "malicious, evil and vindictive" and said she was "desperate" for fame, adding "that is probably why I was acquired".

Heard has claimed Depp felt threatened by her career and was jealous of her male co-stars.

On Wednesday Ms Wass read the court an email to Depp that Heard had composed in 2013 but never sent, saying he was "like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Half of you I love madly, and the other half scares me."

Depp accused Heard of compiling a dossier of "hoax" abuse claims.

Heard is attending the three-week trial and is expected to give evidence later.
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Crocodiles are well-known for their fearsome ability to catch and kill their prey.

And this huge creature was no exception as it flipped an unfortunate zebra into the air with the force of its powerful jaws - before sending a fountain of blood into the air as it bit into it.

The shocking scene was pictured in Kenya by financial consultant Dennis Stogsdill, 50, from Chappaqua, New York, during a trip to the Mara Triangle, part of the Maasai Mara National Reserve in the south of the country.

Mr Stogsdill photographed the lead-up to the zebra's death. The animal was part of a herd which was cautiously crossing a river. Unbeknown to them, the 16-foot long crocodile was lurking beneath the water.

It was seen springing from underneath the unfortunate zebra, forcing it into the air. It then clamped its powerful jaws around its midriff.

The zebra was then seen upside down with its rear hooves sticking out of the water. As the crocodile took a bite, blood sprayed into the air and was vividly caught on camera.

A final image showed the crocodile with just a single one of the zebra's hooves hanging from its mouth.

A crocodile in the Mara Triangle, Kenya, was photographed biting into an unfortunate zebra, sending a fountain of blood spraying into the air

The shocking scene was pictured by financial consultant Dennis Stogsdill, 50, from Chappaqua, New York. The crocodile was first seen springing from underneath the unfortunate zebra, forcing it into the air

The crocodile then clamped its powerful jaws around the terrified zebra's midriff, sending it flipping into the air

A final image showed the crocodile with just a single one of the zebra's hooves hanging from its mouth

The crocodile which killed the unfortunate zebra was just one of several which were photographed by Mr Stogsdill

Safety in numbers: The zebra had been part of a huge herd which were cautiously crossing a river

The zebras did their best to dodge the hungry crocodile but one of the animals was not able to get away
The news from the United States is not good. The tribal brawl over the very soul of a nation is like watching a giant snake devour its own tail.

Ive been to probably 30 of the 50 states in the U.S. For the most part, I have found Americans to be friendly people and marvellous hosts. And I believe the U.S. is indeed a very entrepreneurial, innovative nation.

But today, it is a nation boiling with conflicting beliefs and conflicting ideological silos.

A huge cultural border wall exists between red and blue worlds. The crises of Civil War redux and Black Lives Matter rage.

Even as the U.S. battles a killer super-virus that has claimed more than 135,000 lives, Americans are fighting over the historic symbols of statues, flags, even sports-team names.

Canadians cannot ignore the national trauma south of the 49th Parallel. It affects our very economy. America is Canadas largest trading partner. Last year, cross-border trade amounted to more than $600 billion (U.S.). Last year, Canadians made about 38 million trips to the U.S.

But in this upper half of North America, we Canadians like to think we are different. We are moderate in our actions and our thinking.

Canada, said the late comic Robin Williams, was a really nice apartment over a meth lab. Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau said in 1969 that living with the U.S. is like sleeping with an elephant.

The America-first club does not include Canadians. President Donald Trump brought in protective tariff walls that included Canadian steel and aluminum early in his administration. That threat was again on the table even last month.

Wars and personal freedom have shaped Americas self-image and national mythology over the centuries. Born in revolution, the country lost more than 600,000 lives in a bloody Civil War.

Americans revel in their rights to personal liberty, to individual responsibility, to bear arms.

But the freedoms are not universal: America is riven with class-based and race-based differences. The richest one per cent of Americans now account for more than half the value of equities owned by U.S. households, according to global investment banker Goldman Sachs. About half the respondents to a 2015 federal survey on home-wealth said they could not cover an emergency expense of $400 without selling something or borrowing money. The American health-care system does not offer quality care to all.

And the U.S. melting pot is changing. It is becoming far more multiracial and less white-dominated. That challenges the present, will redefine the future.

Of course, angry protests predate Mr. Trump. He just mobilized them.

Its true that his camp has included some strange bedfellows. Evangelical Christians come to mind. And, despite Mr. Trump junking the Republican darling of laissez-faire global trade, the financial community has largely hopped on his bandwagon. They like lower personal and corporate taxes, chopped regulations, even new trade tariffs.

Despite multicultural successes on this side of the border, Canadians cannot point an accusatory finger at the U.S. for its long history of racism. We have our own racism stories, whether they relate to discrimination of any Canadian whose skin is not white or to Canadas first citizens, those of Indigenous descent.

And we too have a right and a left in Canada. There are hate groups here. There are white supremacists and so-called anti-fascists here. There is hate speech on social media platforms.

Which brings us to the rabbit holes of deep conspiracy theories.

Some Canadians believe that COVID-19 is being spread to cover up harmful health effects associated with exposure to 5G wireless technology.

But the mad conspiracies in the U.S. far outstrip those in the nice apartment of Canada.

One long-standing tale relates to government concentration camps being set up in the U.S. In 2009, television commentator Glenn Beck pondered aloud whether the Federal Emergency Management Agency might be setting up such camps. He said he didnt believe such camps existed. But he warned on the show, Fox and Friends, that the U.S. is headed toward socialism, totalitarianism, beyond your wildest imagination.

The Pizzagate theory  big on Gen Z hangout TikTok  holds that Hillary Clinton is supposedly among the Democrats involved in a child sex dungeon in a Washington pizzeria.

And, then of course, theres the fake news mainstream media, as opposed to the Fox propaganda network.

For Mr. Trump, the viral killer is really a Democrat hoax. And on July 4  Americas Independence Day  he said that 99 per cent of tested coronavirus cases are totally harmless.

Perhaps Americas national trauma after the November election will lead ultimately to the Rebirth of a Nation. That seems unlikely, however, with all the home fires of hate burning and millions of Americans jobless.

And, oh yes. In this month when we celebrate our own national birthday, Im glad I am Canadian.

Mike Pettapiece is a former reporter and editor with The Hamilton Spectator.

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AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of "a-" of SIAT-Societa Italiana Assicurazioni e Riassicurazioni p.A. (SIAT) (Italy), a subsidiary of UnipolSai Assicurazioni S.p.A. (UnipolSai). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable.

The ratings reflect SIAT's balance sheet strength, which AM Best categorises as strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM).

The ratings also consider, in the form of rating lift, AM Best's expectation that UnipolSai will provide financial support to SIAT should it need it. SIAT did not pay a dividend to UnipolSai for the fiscal years of 2018 and 2019.

SIAT's risk-adjusted capitalisation, as measured by Best's Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), was very strong at year-end 2019, with credit risk associated with a high reinsurance recoverables balance representing a substantial part of the capital requirement. Risk-adjusted capitalisation is expected to improve in 2020 due to the settlement of a large claim in the first quarter, and the consequent decrease in reinsurance recoverables, as well as modest internal capital generation.

The company maintains a strong liquidity profile, with liquid investments accounting for approximately 124% of its year-end 2019 net technical liabilities. Offsetting factors in the balance sheet strength assessment include the company's investment concentration in Italian government bonds and its dependence on reinsurance to write high-value risks.

SIAT has a track record of adequate underwriting performance with volatility contained by an effective reinsurance programme. In 2019, pre-tax profits increased to EUR 1.1 million from EUR 0.5 million in 2018 (adjusted by AM Best for extraordinary income and expenses), due to higher non-technical income. AM Best expects SIAT to achieve a modest return on equity in 2020, supported by selective underwriting and pricing improvements for marine insurance lines.

SIAT has an established reputation as a niche insurer in the marine hull and cargo segments, in which it ranks among the leading players in Italy. In addition, the company's business profile is strengthened by its reciprocal outsourcing agreements with UnipolSai, a large Italian insurer. SIAT benefits from a developed ERM framework, with the risk function centralised at the group level.

This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best's website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best's Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best's Credit Ratings. For information on the proper media use of Best's Credit Ratings and AM Best press releases, please view Guide for Media Proper Use of Best's Credit Ratings and AM Best Rating Action Press Releases.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in New York, London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright 2020 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200710005380/en/

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Former Vice President Joe Biden is explicitly crediting Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) with helping develop his new plan for rebuilding the U.S. economy, a sign that Warren has been able to influence the policy positions of the presumptive Democratic nominee as his campaign continues to vet potential vice presidential picks.

I am grateful to so many  including my friend Elizabeth Warren, labor unions, and other progressive partners for their help in putting together this bold new set of policies aimed at healing our economy and ensuring good, dignified jobs for American workers, Biden wrote in an email to members of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, a Warren-allied progressive group, that is scheduled to go out later Friday. In the face of Donald Trumps egregious mismanagement of the public health and economic crises, there has never been a more important moment to reinvest in good-paying jobs for workers across our country.

Bidens plan, which he began to roll out Thursday during a speech near his hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania, includes $400 billion of federal procurement spending on products manufactured in the United States and a $300 billion investment in government research on electric vehicles and other advanced technologies. The Biden campaign says the spending will help create more than 5 million new jobs.

Elements of the plan are similar to proposals Warren released during the primary, including pushes to increase government procurement of American-made products. But while Warren aimed to spend $150 billion a year on clean energy technology, Biden plans to spend $300 billion on a wider variety of products.

This money will be used purposefully to ensure all of America is in on the deal, including communities that have historically been left out  Black, brown and Native American entrepreneurs, cities and towns in every region of the country, Biden said in the speech. This will be a mobilization of R&D and procurement investments in ways not seen since World War II.

Story continues

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D) helped former Vice President Joe Biden develop a plan for empowering American manufacturing and research. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images)

Since becoming his partys presumptive nominee earlier this year, Biden has made halting but significant steps toward more populist economic positions without adopting the full-scale progressivism of Warren or Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). That tone continued on Thursday, when Biden declared it was time to end shareholder capitalism.

Allies of Warren have praised many of these steps, and have argued they show Warrens ability to influence Biden and his campaign.

Biden clearly takes the enormity of this crisis seriously, recognizes that bold progressive solutions are needed in this moment, and smartly is collaborating with Elizabeth Warren and other progressive thinkers and organizations as he develops solutions, said Adam Green, the co-founder of the PCCC. When it comes to this ambitious plan to create millions of good-paying union jobs, and his engagement with progressives in developing it, credit is definitely due.

Warren is still seen as a top contender to become Bidens running mate, though the former vice president is under intense pressure to select a Black woman for the job. Biden is unlikely to announce his vice presidential pick until later in July or early August.

Warren acknowledged she had talked to Bidens team but gave full credit to the former vice president.

Im glad to talk to anyone about it, and Bidens team is a smart economic team, weve had a lot of back-and-forth, she said Thursday during an appearance on CNN. But understand, these are the plans that the vice president has embraced because its his vision. He doesnt just want to build the old economy, he wants to build the next economy.

"Joe Biden wants to build the economy back better than before," says Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren.



"Instead of just patching over the cracks, he wants to make this economy work for the whole country." https://t.co/u1Y5mvR7pK pic.twitter.com/VaqLvqh1hc  Cuomo Prime Time (@CuomoPrimeTime) July 10, 2020

Republicans are likely to attack Biden, who has a healthy lead over President Donald Trump in polling, for acknowledging Warrens influence. The GOP has argued that Bidens election would empower radical elements of the Democratic Party despite his center-left stances on most policy issues.

Bidens speech on Thursday was seen as the beginning of an effort to limit Trumps advantage on the economy. Biden plans to roll out additional policies on clean energy, aiding family caregivers and advancing racial equity in the coming weeks.

Related...

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.
Saakashvili earlier called the incumbent power in Georgia "illegitimate."

The Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned Ukrainian Ambassador to Georgia Ihor Dolhov over recent statements made by ex-President of Georgia and ex-Governor of Ukraine's Odesa region Mikheil Saakashvili, who now chairs Ukraine's Executive Reforms Committee.

This was announced by the ministry on its website on Thursday, July 9, the Ukrainian-registered European Pravda news outlet reported.

Read alsoSaakashvili outlines main tasks in new position in Ukraine

Saakashvili earlier called the incumbent power in Georgia "illegitimate."

"At the meeting, the Georgian side once again emphasized the strategic and friendly character of Georgian-Ukrainian relations and expressed concern over the unacceptable statements by the Ukrainian official about the Georgian authorities," the statement said.

Georgia's Foreign Ministry says that Saakashvili's actions are in violation of Georgian law and "do significant harm to the relations between the two countries."

"The Georgian side expressed hope that the Ukrainian side would properly assess this fact and that both sides will make efforts to further develop the relations," the ministry said.

According to the statement, the Georgian Foreign Minister had a conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, on this subject. Kuleba, according to the Georgian Foreign Ministry, "expressed concern about the incident and promised to clarify the situation."

Yesterday, July 9, Saakashvili, the third president of Georgia and the current chairman of the Executive Reforms Committee under the President of Ukraine, called the Georgian government "illegitimate."

"I believe that the Georgian government is completely illegitimate. I will never recognize its legitimacy and I will never recognize the legitimacy of the situation that has now developed in Georgia," Saakashvili said in a video address.

These are not the first Ukraine-Georgia tensions over Saakashvili's statements.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 07:06:07|Editor: huaxia

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ABUJA, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Ten people were confirmed killed when a bus and a truck had a head-on collision on a busy road in south Nigeria, the police said Thursday.

Three others sustained injuries in the incident along Tombia-Amassoma road in the southern state of Bayelsa late Wednesday, said the police.

Robert Ogom, commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps in Bayelsa, said the bus had a total of 13 passengers on board. Eight of them were burned beyond recognition on the spot, as the bus immediately went aflame due to the impact of the head-on collision.

Two others who were among the rescued victims later died at a local hospital, Ogom said.

The driver of the truck fled the scene to avoid being arrested by the police or lynched by a mob at the location, the official said.

The police said they suspected poor visibility and overspeeding on the part of the two drivers as the cause of the accident. Further investigation into the incident has been launched, the police added.

Deadly road accidents are frequently reported in Nigeria, often caused by overloading, bad condition of roads, and reckless driving. Enditem
As Christians feared and many expected, the Hagia Sophia is nowagaina mosque.

The Turkish Council of State ruled today that the original 1934 decision to convert the sixth-century Byzantine basilica into a museum was illegal.

When Ottoman sultan Mehmet II conquered then-Constantinople, he placed the iconic church in a waqfan Islamic endowment administering personal property, usually designated for religious purpose. The original stipulations opened the building for Islamic prayers, and sharia law keeps waqf designations in perpetuity.

Shortly after the decision, President Recep Erdogan signedand tweeteda decree handing the building to Turkeys Religious Affairs Directorate.

In a televised address to the nation, Erdogan said the first prayers inside the Hagia Sophia would be held on July 24, and he urged respect for the decision.

I underline that we will open Hagia Sophia to worship as a mosque by preserving its character of humanitys common cultural heritage, he said, adding: It is Turkeys sovereign right to decide for which purpose Hagia Sophia will be used.

Istanbul-based Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, considered the spiritual leader of the worlds Orthodox Christians, warned in late June that the buildings conversion into a mosque will turn millions of Christians across the world against Islam.

Greek Orthodox Archbishop Ieronymos II earlier stated that Erdogan would not dare.

And UNESCO reminded Turkey of its international obligations, as the Hagia Sophia is registered as a World Heritage site.

A state must make sure that no modification undermines the outstanding universal value of a site listed on its territory, the UN body stated.

In response to the Turkish decision, the Russian Orthodox Church expressed regret, stating it could lead to greater divisions.

The foreign minister of Cyprus called it a flagrant violation against a universal symbol of the Orthodox faith.

And in Greeces second-largest city, Thessaloniki, protesters gathered outside a church that is modeled on the Hagia Sophia and bears the same name. They chanted, Well light candles in Hagia Sophia! and held Greek flags and Byzantine banners.

The official conversion could take place as early as July 15, as Erdogan marked that day for prayers in commemoration of a failed coup against him in 2016.

And during his address, he rejected the idea that the decision ends the Hagia Sophias status as a structure that brings faiths together.

Like all of our other mosques, the doors of Hagia Sophia will be open to all, locals or foreigners, Muslims and non-Muslims, Erdogan said.

Dozens stood outside the Hagia Sophia, cheering in celebration.

A poll conducted in June showed a divided population: 47 percent favored Hagia Sophia being opened to Muslim worship, while 39 percent said it should remain a museum.

And similar to the desire of Armenian Patriarch Sahak II, resident in Istanbul, 13 percent said it should be open for all religions to worship.

However, an ethnic Armenian member of Turkeys parliament tweeted that it was a sad day for Christians [and] for all who believe in a pluralist Turkey.

The decision to convert Hagia Sophia into a mosque will make life more difficult for Christians here, and for Muslims in Europe, wrote Garo Paylan. Hagia Sophia was a symbol of our rich history. Its dome was big enough for all.

CTs previous report is below:
'Caste-based power politics made him think that he can get away with murder.'

IMAGE: Vikas Dubey, the main accused in the Kanpur encounter case, at the Mahakal temple, in Ujjain, July 9, 2020 after he was arrested. Photograph: ANI Photo

Was Vikas Dubey arrested by the Madhya Pradesh police or was it a staged surrender made to look out like an arrest?

Why was Vikas Dubey's close associate Amar Dubey killed in an encounter?

How did Dubey's alleged financier Jay Vajpayee escape being slain in an encounter?

What explains Dubey's audacity to kill eight policemen on duty?

How will the UP government now act against organised crime in the state?

Can Chief Minister Ajay Singh Bisht -- aka Yogi Adityanath -- cleanse UP's badlands of its bahubalis?

To understand the criminal-police-bureaucrat-politician nexus and the rise of Vikas Dubey, Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com spoke with Dr Surya Pratap Singh, who after his retirement from the IAS in 2015 has become a social activist.

The UP government recently filed a case against Dr Singh for posting content that was 'inaccurate and insulting'.

This interview was recorded hours before Dubey perished after an alleged road accident on Friday morning. The first of a multi-part interview:

How do you look at Vikas Dubey's arrest from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh?

There are two ways of looking at this arrest.

One, the way things are going on in UP, I think it looks like a totally planned surrender.

The chief minister of MP (Shivraj Singh Chouhan) spoke with his counterpart in UP (Yogi Adityanath) and told him that Vikas Dubey has been arrested and this is being widely reported by all news channels; it doesn't happen normally.

If you deep dive into caste and bahubali-based politics of states like UP and Bihar, he (Dubey) being a Brahmin, was considered a big vote catcher in several constituencies in that area (Kanpur).

According to me, the common people like a Robinhood kind of image of their leader and he is one of those Brahmins with that image.

He was absconding for several days (after the murder of eight policemen on July 2 allegedly at his behest), watching everything from close quarters: Demolition of his house, encounters and arrests of his close aides all the while travelling for eight hours from Shivli (in rural Kanpur, UP) to Faridabad (in Haryana, a neighbouring state, ruled by the BJP), crossing the UP border without being noticed by the cops in both the states, which one assumes, must have been in a state of high alert looking out for Dubey.

Most state borders were sealed and still no one noticed him crossing the borders of not just one state but two states. So if he went to Faridabad first, which some hotel's CCTV cameras showed, there must have been plans for his arrest in Haryana.

That plan might have leaked out and so another plan was made to get him arrested in MP, another BJP-ruled state.

The other narrative could be Dubey chose to surrender at a crowded place, in full public view, for fear of getting killed in an encounter.

He, or his henchmen or informers in the police department, might have tipped the police that he would be going to the Mahakaal temple to seek blessings.

There was a large queue for darshan and he shouted out that he was Vikas Dubey.

He must have planned it in a way to surrender at a crowded place because he knows the temple is always crowded and there is always some police bandobast, for the security of the temple.

That was his best insurance against an encounter.

He knew that the MP police would not encounter him because they would not get as much credit for the kill. Also, it is not a prestige issue for them unlike for the cops in UP.

He was sure the MP police will not kill him.

Being a hardened criminal produced in UP's caste factory, someone who has gained astuteness playing the Brahmin card in UP politics, he knew for sure that even the UP police will not kill him because that could lead to a huge sympathy wave among the Brahmins -- and they are quite influential in many constituencies in UP which could harm the BJP's poll prospects in the next assembly (2022) and general elections (]2024).

He is already being praised on social media by the so-called nationalist Hindus as 'Brahmano ka sher (a tiger among Brahmins)' and he knew his encounter, fake or real, would send a wrong signal to Brahmins.

Now that he has been arrested and the popular mood in the state is in support of coming down heavily on organsied crime, what are the chances that he will be convicted for the murder of eight UP cops?

I have some serious doubt about his conviction.

Why?

Reason being, there will be no witnesses against him and police witnesses will not be counted as unbiased witnesses.

Then the residents of the (Bikru) village where the eight cops were murdered will not come forward as witnesses.

They have the darkness, and the fact that there was no electricity and it was pitch dark when the killings happened, as their alibis.

History will repeat itself for Vikas Dubey.

What happpened in 2001 could happen again.

In 2001, he chased Santosh Shukla, a minister, no less, in the Rajnath Singh government at that time, and shot him dead in front of a two dozen policemen.

He was not convicted in that murder case as none of the cops stood witness; those who did, later turned hostile.

History will repeat itself in 2020 as well.

The people (of Bikru village) will say it was dark and they have no idea what happened during the crossfire that night (July 2); the cops who survived the brutal attack are already antagonised because many among them have been punished by transfers or suspensions. They are already penalised so they may not come forward as witnesses.

The possibility is the government will drag it on; they have already been doing that for three-and-a-half years (since the BJP came to power in March 2017); they will drag it on for over two more years, until the next assembly election because of the Brahmin votes, of course.

But, the question is who will suffer?

The surviving cops and families of those cops who died in the ambush. They will not get justice.

This has happened before and this will happen again.

This is a high-profile case and will remain in the limelight for some time to come. We will discuss it threadbare; but there are several such cases happening in UP everyday.

Do you know what is the conviction rate in the state? Just 3 per cent! Can you believe that?

97 per cent criminals walk out free because of lack of evidence.

How could Vikas Dubey murder eight cops without fearing about the consequences? What emboldened him so much?

He has been running his rackets rampantly using political patronage from all the ruling parties in the state since the last 20 years.

By doing this, he was slowly and slowly moving forward into the arena, gaining stature, to effect the killing of eight policemen.

Gradually, he started realising that the ruling party, the MLAs, the MPs, and local politicians, will support him because they really want him for the next election.

A couple of days before these murders, the SHO (station officer of the local police station in charge Vinay Tiwari, who is now under suspension) and the SSP (senior superintendent of police) could have taken action against him (the slain DSP Devendra Mishra had brought Vivek Dubey's criminal activities and his police connections to the notice of superiors).

Either the SHO did not inform his seniors or the seniors took their eyes off from what was happening, and he got the realisation that nothing is going to happen.

Again, he thought that the powerful lobby of one side of the police is with him and even if he kills them or defies the SSP or the DSP, nothing is going to happen to him.

The police are going to protect him. He still (after his arrest) might be thinking and he still might even get that protection.

What makes this bahubali assume that he is so untouchable?

He is a vote bank. He is a vote catcher.

You know the caste-based vote bank politics.

Anyone who has a chunk of the vote is powerful.

People don't get influenced by innocent people; they get influenced by Robin Hoods; people who have money, muscle power, have like 10 to 20 cars or, like 50 people traveling with him influence the voters. That's the unfortunate part of it.

And he (Dubey) was one of those; he was increasing his area of influence from Kanpur to Auraiya to Kanpur Dehat.

In politics, politicians like to harbour the image of a gentleman, but at the same time, they know they will need a bahubali, a vote-getter like Dubey, and that is what has happened in this case. He kept enhancing his influence in that area.

If you see one of the videos which are going viral on social media, that goes like 'Brahmano ka sher, pandit Dubey, Vikas Dubey zindabad'; the assertion is on his pandit/Brahmin identity just to send a message to his political mentors and supporters that he is a leader of the Brahmins.

He knows every politician in Kanpur would like to gain his favour. And if he favours a politician, in return, he would seek their protection and patronage.

This caste-based power politics got into his mind and made him think that he can get away with murder; and many times he actually did.

He has been out of jail on parole despite many murder charges.

All these factors made him realise that he can beat the system even if he kills eight of them.

Who have been Vikas Dubey's political masters?

He himself claims that his political guru was Harikrishna Srivastava, who is no more.

Wasn't Harikrishna Srivastava in the BSP in 2001 when Vikas Dubey allegedly killed Santosh Shukla, the BJP minister?

He was with the BSP and he was with the BJP also.

Vikas Dubey gained his stature under Harikrishna Srivastava for six-seven years when the latter was in the BSP.

While the BJP claims that he changed his allegiance to the Samajwadi Party, there is no evidence of that except a few posters.

But since the new government came into power, he belonged to the BJP.

The UP government could have taken action against him, but why did they not act against him for almost four years?
As a teenager, Paulina Castle struggled for years with suicidal thoughts. When her mental health was at its most fragile, she would isolate herself, spending days in her room alone.

"That's the exact thing that makes you feel significantly worse," the 26-year-old Denver woman said. "It creates a cycle where you're constantly getting dug into a deeper hole."

Part of her recovery involved forcing herself to leave her room to socialize or to exercise outside. But the COVID-19 pandemic has made all of that much harder. Instead of interacting with people on the street in her job as a political canvasser, she is working at home on the phone. And with social distancing rules in place, she has fewer opportunities to meet with friends.

"Since the virus started," she said, "it's been a lot easier to fall back into that cycle."

Between the challenges of the pandemic, the social unrest and the economic crisis, mental health providers are warning that the need for behavioral health services is growing. Yet faced with budgetary shortfalls, Colorado is cutting spending on a number of mental health and substance use treatment programs.

Across the country, the recession has cut state revenues at the same time the pandemic has increased costs, forcing lawmakers into painful decisions about how to balance their budgets. State legislatures have been forced to consider health care cuts and delay new health programs even in the midst of a health care crisis. But many lawmakers and health experts are concerned the cuts needed to balance state budgets now could exacerbate the pandemic and the recession down the line.

"Health care cuts tend to be on the table, and of course, it's counterproductive," said Edwin Park, a health policy professor at Georgetown University. When there's a recession, people lose their jobs and health insurance, he noted, the very moment when people need those health programs the most.

'Everything has to be on the table'

In Colorado, for example, lawmakers had to fill a $3.3 billion hole in the budget for fiscal year 2020, which started July 1. That included cuts to a handful of mental health programs, with small overall savings but potentially significant impact on those who relied on them.

They cut $1 million from a program designed to keep people with mental illness out of the hospital and another million from mental health services for juvenile and adult offenders. Lawmakers reduced funding for substance abuse treatment in county jails by $735,000 and eliminated $5 million earmarked for addiction treatment programs in underserved communities. And that's all on top of a 1% cut to Medicaid community providers who offer health care to the state's poorest residents.

Some of those cuts were offset by $15.2 million in federal CARES Act funding allocated to behavioral health care programs. But some programs were completely defunded. Cuts were targeted primarily at programs that hadn't started yet or hadn't been fully implemented. The rationale: Those cuts wouldn't have as deep an impact.

Doyle Forrestal, CEO of the Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council, which represents 23 behavioral health care providers, worries that resources won't be there for an emerging wave of people who have developed mental health or addiction issues during the pandemic.

"People who are isolated at home are drinking a lot more, maybe having other problems  isolation, economic despair," she said. "There's going to be a whole new influx once all of this takes hold."

State legislators said they tried to avoid cutting programs that would hamper the response to the pandemic or the economic recovery.

"There was a desire on both sides to do everything we could to protect health care spending in Colorado," said Democratic Rep. Dylan Roberts. "But when you're looking at across-the-board cuts, everything has to be on the table."

Every state is facing a similar conundrum. With tax filing deadlines pushed back to July 15, states are unsure how much income tax revenue they will collect.

So in addition to cutting back where possible, states are raiding discretionary funds  Colorado repurposed money from the tobacco settlement and marijuana taxes  to shore up their budgets. States are also tapping rainy day funds, which, according to the National Association of State Budget Officers, grew to record levels after the 2008 recession.

New policies delayed

Overall, at least 43 states have made some changes to facilitate access to Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program as many people have lost their job-based health insurance in the COVID crisis. And in late June, voters in Oklahoma approved expanding Medicaid to more residents. But since the start of the pandemic, states including Kansas and California have put off plans to expand eligibility for Medicaid, which provides health care to low-income people.

"These are symptoms of states that can't deficit-spend, despite this great need for more coverage," said Sara Collins, vice president for health care coverage and access at the Commonwealth Fund, an independent health policy research foundation based in New York. "If they spend more in one area, that means cuts in another."

Paulina Castle uses weekly routines to manage her mental health  made worse from isolation during the coronavirus pandemic. "We need to start treating mental health the same as we do physical health," she says. "This is an issue we need to stop keeping in the dark."(Courtesy of Paulina Castle)

Colorado has had an aggressive health agenda in recent years but had to defer plans for a public health insurance option that could have provided a more affordable plan for people buying insurance on their own.

The legislature killed a proposal to create an annual mental health checkup. The measure would have cost the state only $13,000, but Democratic Gov. Jared Polis signaled he wouldn't sign any bills that included new mandates for insurance companies.

Democratic Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, who sponsored the checkup measure, was disappointed.

"Not every one of us is going to catch COVID, but every single one of us will have a mental health impact," she said.

Long-term implications

Once the economic crisis eases, Roberts said, lawmakers will look to restore funding to some of the programs they cut.

But cuts are often easier to make than to restore  as illustrated by cutbacks made during the 2008 recession, according to Georgetown's Park.

"Many cuts were never fully restored, even though we were in one of the longer economic expansion periods in our country's history," Park said.

He also worries many of the smaller primary care and behavioral health providers, who saw fewer patients come through their doors because of stay-at-home orders during the pandemic, might not survive.

"That means less access to care, including routine care like vaccinations," he said. "If kids aren't vaccinated, they may be more vulnerable to flu and measles, making them more vulnerable to COVID-19. That makes it more difficult for a stressed health care system to try to deal with a potential second wave of infections."

The longer-term mental health toll may be harder to catalog.

Castle, for one, has focused on establishing routines to help her manage her mental health during the pandemic. Every Wednesday night, she plays games online with her friends. And every Friday night, she and her boyfriend build a fire in the backyard.

"If I know people are expecting me to be somewhere at 6 o'clock, that obligation encourages me to go out," she explained. "There are days it's a struggle. I have to focus on baby steps."

Still, Castle worries about others who may be struggling during the pandemic. She has signed on to work with the Colorado chapter of Young Invincibles, which lobbies for health care, higher education and workforce policies to help young adults. Even as states and the federal government have found the money to help hospitals and doctors treat the physical effects of the COVID pandemic, she doesn't see the same commitment to treating its mental health toll.

"We need to start treating mental health the same as we do physical health," she said. This is an issue we need to stop keeping in the dark."

If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, or use the online Lifeline Chat, both available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
India on Thursday said it was concerned over the possibility of the return of a large number of Indian students studying in the USin the context of uncertainty over the continuation of the F-1 student visasand said New Delhi had taken up the matter with Washington during the recent foreign office consultations.

New Delhi said the US had noted the Indian concerns. India also said that it had taken up with Kuwait the matter regarding the Gulf nations proposed Expat Quota Bill. According to media reports, the proposed Bill seeks to limit the number of Indians working there and therefore the Kuwaiti move could result in the return of lakhs of Indians working there.

On the students visa issue in the US, it may be recalled that as per reports, a raging controversy has broken out in the US on the uncertainty over continuation of the F-1 student visas in case students take online classes.

On the issue of the student visas, the MEA said Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla had taken up the matter with the US during the foreign office consultations on Tuesday and had reminded the US side about the importance of educational exchanges and people to people contacts. The MEA said the US had noted the Indian concerns.

On Kuwaits proposed expat quota bill, New Delhi said it was closely following developments in Kuwaitand that this matter was recently discussed between foreign ministers of both sides. The MEA referred to the contributions of the Indian community in Kuwait and the entire Gulf region and said India had shared its expectation with the Kuwaiti side that their decision would reflect this aspect.
Every OnePlus phone launch creates a massive buzz. But not every new handset offers significant upgrades over its predecessors. To be brutally honest, going by the companys track record, every third release seems to hit the bullseye, while the other two are just evolutionary upgrades that OnePlus churns out every six months. The OnePlus 7T was one phone that seemed like a major upgrade over the OnePlus 7 and the 6T and was always going to be a tough act to follow in just two quarters. So, does the OnePlus 8 end up being an also-ran or does it have some tricks up its sleeve to create a distinct identity for itself? Lets find out.

OnePlus 8 vs OnePlus 8 Pro: Whats missing?

Before we proceed with the review, lets get one thing out of the way  whats missing on the OnePlus 8 as compared to its Pro variant. At the time of its launch, the OnePlus 7T was such a well-rounded device that there wasnt any compelling reason for many to buy the more expensive 7T Pro. This time around, the company seems to have a clear mandate  to make the Pro variant look significantly better, even if that happens at the cost of the non-Pro model.

The OnePlus 8 Pro has a handful of new features that have been excluded from the OnePlus 8. Some of the key ones include a 10-bit display with support for over a billion colours and 120 Hz refresh rate, faster DDR5 RAM, wireless charging and IP68 certified dust and water resistance. The Pro variant also gets a far superior camera setup with a newer 48MP Sony sensor, 3X Optical zoom, and a higher resolution ultra-wide camera with PDAF (phase-detect autofocus). All this comes at a premium of Rs 10,000 over the OnePlus 8, with similar RAM and storage.

The reason I wanted to get this out of the way early is because from here on, for the better part of the review, I want to analyse the OnePlus 8 for what it brings to the table and not whats missing compared to the 8 Pro. So, lets see what we get.

OnePlus 8 Design: Theres something very nice about it

Though the OnePlus 8 design doesnt feel striking or unique at first glance, the phone feels very good in hand, though a touch slippery. There are a few subtle changes from previous generations, and they are very effective. The curved glass design looks very elegant, and the phone feels surprisingly compact despite its big 6.55-inch display. Though the OnePlus 7T has a similar sized screen, the company has managed to shave off a few millimetres on each side, making the phone look noticeably smaller than it actually is. It weighs 10 grams less than the 7T too, at 180 grams, despite its Aluminium frame and glass back.

The phone feels great to hold, but it's hard to reach the top of the screen with your thumb unless you have huge hands. This is down to its tall design. To compensate, the in-display fingerprint scanner is placed a little higher than usual, making it easier to access. The scanner is highly responsive too and worked perfectly. Like most of its competitors, OnePlus has done away with the notch and opted for a punch-hole selfie camera near the top left corner of the screen. While I have no issues with punch-hole cameras, I do have a problem with its placement for practical purposes. The screen space on the left of the camera is wasted, and the notifications start from the right of the camera, a good centimetre away from the left edge. Thus, you lose more screen real estate over a centrally located selfie camera with a punch-hole, or even a drop notch.

The display as well as the back of the phone are protected by 3D Corning Gorilla Glass, making the OnePlus 8 scratch resistant. However, the Onyx Black variant that we got for review does attract a fair share of smudges and fingerprints, especially at the back. This may not be as conspicuous a problem in other colour variants of this phone. Speaking of the back, OnePlus has done away with the Motorola-inspired circular disc for cameras that was present in the 7T and gone back to the vertically aligned camera module at the top centre. It is quite similar to that of the OnePlus 7, with one extra camera.

The SIM tray is present along the bottom edge of the phone and it can accommodate up to two nano-SIMs. The OnePlus 8 is a 5G phone, for whenever the service is available in India. Till then, you can have two 4G SIMs in there. Giving the SIM tray company are a USB Type-C port and the phone speaker. The volume rocker is placed along the left edge, while the power button can be found on the right edge along with the alert slider. Reaching the volume up button is a bit of a stretch (literally), and I wish they had placed it a little lower. No issues with the placement of the power button though.

OnePlus 8 Key specifications

Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC: 1 x 2.84 GHz Kryo 585 core + 3 x 2.42 GHz Kryo 585 cores + 4 x 1.8 GHz Kryo 585 cores

Adreno 650 GPU

6 GB or 8 GB RAM options

128 GB or 256 GB UFS 3.0 internal storage

6.55-inch Full HD+ (2400 x 1080) Fluid AMOLED display with 90 Hz refresh rate and 3D Corning Gorilla Glass

Cameras: 48MP with PDAF and OIS (main) + 16MP (ultra-wide) + 2MP (macro); 16MP (wide) selfie camera

4300 mAh battery with bundled 30W fast charger

Android 10 with OxygenOS 10

5G compliant; Bluetooth 5.1; Dual band WiFi a/b/g/n/ac/ax

OnePlus 8 Price in India

Rs 41,999 for 6 GB Ram with 128 GB internal storage

Rs 44,999 for 8 GB Ram with 128 GB internal storage

Rs 49,999 for 12 GB Ram with 256 GB internal storage

OnePlus 8 Display: A sharp screen that looks even better in reality than on paper

The OnePlus 8 has a 6.55-inch Fluid AMOLED display with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels and 90 Hz refresh rate. On paper, the specs look similar to that of the 7T, but in reality, it looks even sharper. Despite not supporting a billion colours or 120 Hz refresh rate like the 8 Pro screen, you dont feel like youre missing anything. The display is extremely vibrant and smooth.

The black levels and contrast are excellent  as it should be with an AMOLED screen  and colours pop in Vivid mode without going over the top. If you dont like your colours boosted and want them to be more accurate, theres a Natural mode too. The phone also offers you a few manual calibration options in case youre interested. The screen supports HDR10+ and compatible HDR content from OTT platforms looks noticeably better on this device.

The 90 Hz refresh rate makes things flicker-free while scrolling in compatible apps. You get an option to switch to 60 Hz to save some battery, but personally I preferred to leave it at 90. This isnt an always-on display, but one can see basic information like time, date, battery status and a few notifications by simply lifting the phone or tapping the screen. As I mentioned earlier, the screen is protected by a layer of 3D Corning Gorilla Glass. The curved edges of the display add a bit of style without hindering any functionality.

OnePlus 8 Performance: As powerful as they come

The OnePlus 8 is powered by Qualcomms current flagship Snapdragon 865 SoC and our test unit had 12 GB RAM to go with it. The performance of this device is top notch. With that kind of processing muscle at its disposal, there was absolutely no lag in day-to-day operations, or in any of the popular apps, or even when switching between multiple apps. In performance benchmarks, it posted some unprecedented scores.

In Geekbench 5, it recorded a Single-core score of 919 which was at par with the iQOO 3 (920 points) and 3% higher than Xiaomis Mi 10 (893 points)  both with Snapdragon 865 chips. The Multi-core score stood at 3356, the highest we have seen in Android phones. The iQOO 3 and Mi 10 managed 3315 and 3173 in the same test. In PC Mark Work 2.0, the three phones scored 10847 (OnePlus 8), 10497 (iQOO 3) and 10838 (Mi 10). The Xiaomi handset finally manages to close the performance gap in this benchmark.

In the 3DMark Sling Shot Extreme - Vulkan benchmark, the Adreno 650 GPU used in the OnePlus 8 scored a record-breaking 6719, as opposed to 6632 and 6103 on the iQOO 3 and Mi 10 respectively. The iQOO benchmark scores are close to that of the OnePlus 8, but the Xiaomi noticeably falls behind in this race. To check the performance boost with respect to its predecessor, we compared the OnePlus 8s scores to the results of the OnePlus 7T (powered by a Snapdragon 855+) in the above benchmarks and found that there was a noticeable jump in most benchmarks. While theres just a meagre 3 percent increase in PC Mark score, theres a good 17 to 20 percent jump in Geekbench performance, and upwards of 23 percent in 3D Mark. We must give Qualcomm its due here for adding some significant muscle to the 865 over the 855+.

These are all synthetic benchmarks, and despite who gets bragging rights courtesy of the numbers above, all the phones in the comparison are extremely powerful, and among the fastest in the market today. The gaming performance of this phone was excellent too; no surprises here. PUBG Mobile as well as Asphalt 9 worked flawlessly at the highest graphics settings. The phone didnt heat up much either, after 30 minutes of gaming. The dual stereo speakers (earpiece and the speakers at the bottom) manage to produce surprisingly good quality output with a decent stereo effect.

Speaking of audio, the OnePlus 8 also supports Dolby Atmos, and while the surround sound effect isnt that obvious on the phone speakers, it does provide virtual surround and other sound enhancements for most earphones. The phone also supports AptX, AptX HD and LDAC for better throughput over Bluetooth on earphones that support those codecs. The call quality is also good enough, and there is nothing to complain about in that department.

OnePlus 8 Battery performance: Good battery life, improved fast charging

OnePlus has finally gone past the 4000 mAh mark on its non-Pro models. The OnePlus 8 has a large 4300 mAh battery, despite its 8 mm thickness. It easily manages to last 30 hours, up to a day and a half of normal usage, that includes generous use of messaging and social media apps, browsing, a decent amount of calling and clicking a few photos, an hour of watching videos and a half hour of gaming. That is quite an impressive battery life, given the powerful Snapdragon 865 processor and 90 Hz display (which I didnt drop to 60 Hz at any time).

OnePlus has been at the forefront of fast charging and the case is no different here. The company bundles a 30W Warp charger that charges the phone from 0 to 50 percent in under 25 minutes, and fully in about 65 minutes. Those are impressive numbers again.

OnePlus 8 Camera performance: A step back as compared to the OnePlus 7T

Before we move on to the performance, I would like to shed light on something I touched upon in my initial impressions too  the choice of rear cameras on the OnePlus 8. OnePlus got their rear camera combination right in the 7T, offering users the flexibility of a 48MP primary camera with PDAF and OIS (optical image stabilisation), 16MP ultra-wide camera with autofocus, and a 12MP telephoto camera for 2X optical zoom. All that the company had to do was not tinker with the combination. Unfortunately, they did.

The OnePlus 8 has a similar 48MP primary camera with OIS and PDAF, but the 16MP ultrawide camera lacks autofocus. Even worse, the 12MP telephoto camera has been replaced by a paltry 2MP macro camera. So, not only does the phone lose optical zoom functionality, but the 2MP camera sticks out like a sore thumb on a flagship phone. The OnePlus 7T has a macro mode despite not having a dedicated macro camera, and that does a much better job than the specialist here.

Tap here to look at the OnePlus 8 camera samples:



Moving on to the performance, the primary camera captures some crisp shots in bright to average lighting with good dynamic range, especially with auto HDR (UltraShot HDR) on. Colours feel slightly saturated  as is the case with most OnePlus phones  but not many would complain. Captured images look sharp, with a good amount of detail. The ultrawide camera provides you a 116-degree field of view and gives you more than decent output. The images feel a little less sharp, but the colours look almost as good as that of the main camera. Its overall performance in good lighting is a lot better than the ultrawide cameras you get on most phones around Rs 30,000. But then, this is a much more expensive phone, and one expects it to be a lot better.

The Portrait mode works very well on the OnePlus 8, with good foreground and background separation. I dont remember seeing an option to manually adjust the level of blur, but the camera does a fair job on its own and I didnt miss that option. The images come out pretty good, be it human subjects or other objects. Occasionally, I noticed that the camera tends to struggle a bit when focusing on light coloured objects, especially white. The focusing issues werent limited to portrait mode, and kept cropping up on and off in almost every mode and type of lighting. At times, it felt like the camera had a mind of its own when trying to focus on an object. I figure its a software issue and an update should be able to fix it.

All is generally well with the camera department when the light is good, but as soon as it starts to drop, so does the quality of captured images. Low-light photography isnt a strong point of the OnePlus 8. The main camera still does a decent job in low light conditions, as compared to the ultrawide camera. It tends to gain a lot and makes images brighter even when not using the Nightscape mode. Occasionally, normal shots appear even brighter than those captured in Nightscape, but there is too much noise and loss of detail. With Nightscape mode on, the images look sharper and display a lot less noise, but they tend to go soft near the edges. Your hands need to stay steady and give it a couple of seconds to capture and process the image. Mind you, the images look perfectly usable for sharing on social media, but it is only fair to expect better from a phone priced between 45K to 50K.

There is no optical zoom on the OnePlus 8. You do get a 2X zoom toggle, but thats digital zoom. Again, the images come out more than decent, but not as good as the ones the 7Ts 2X optical zoom can manage. The 2MP macro camera does what a 2MP camera can. The captured images are average at best, and at par with the 2MP macro cameras on phones priced around 15K. I still dont know what they were thinking, including this camera on such a premium phone.

Like the rear cameras, the 16MP front camera is quite good when your face is well-lit. The captured selfies are sharp, and skin tone looks natural. However, avoid taking portrait shots with it; they can be hit-or-miss. There is one simple, but really cool thing about the selfie camera, and I wonder why other brands havent thought of it yet. When you switch to the selfie camera, you get a white glow around it so that you know exactly where the camera is. Otherwise, it is hard to spot in the dark borders of the camera app. Thanks to the white ring, people in the selfie will know where to look.

The rear cameras on the OnePlus 8 can record videos in 1080p and 4K resolution at 30 and 60 fps, and slow motion 1080p and 720p videos at 240 and 480 fps respectively. Captured 4K footage looks sharp and stabilised, courtesy of EIS (electronic image stabilisation). 1080p videos shot on the main camera look quite sharp too, with good colours. Theres also a 4K Cine mode, which basically lets you shoot 4K videos with 21:9 aspect ratio.

OxygenOS and user interface: Arguably the best in Android universe

The OnePlus 8 runs Android 10 out of the box, with OxygenOS 10 on top; OxygenOS 10.5.8 to be exact, with May 2020 security patch at the time of testing. I have said this in the past and I have no qualms saying it again, that this is the best Android UI around, and probably the best feature of OnePlus phones. It is clean, stutter-free, free of ads and bloatware, and adds a handful of useful features without deviating too far from stock Android UI.

If you have used a OnePlus device in the past, you know what I am talking about. If not, you need to experience it yourself. I can go on and on about it but its best I leave it for a separate article. Here, it would suffice to say that OxygenOS includes most of the stuff you would need, without burdening you with unnecessary apps and addons. And given the companys impressive track record when it comes to software updates, expect a few newer versions of Android on the OnePlus 8 in the future

Final words: A good smartphone with a not-so-smart pricing

The OnePlus 8 sells in India at Rs 41,999 for the 6 GB RAM/128GB storage variant and Rs 44,999 for its 8 GB RAM variant. You also have a 12 GB RAM variant with 256 GB internal storage- the one that we reviewed here, that will set you back by a Rupee short of 50K. So, should you buy the OnePlus 8? Is it worth the hefty premium over the OnePlus 7T (review)?

Let me answer the second question first. No, and absolutely not, if photography is the most important aspect of a smartphone to you. The 7T scores better in that department and costs you a lot less. If we were to compare the 8 GB RAM/128 GB storage variants of both phones, there is a massive Rs 10,000 price difference between the two. The OnePlus 8 does do better than the 7T when it comes to design, processing power, battery life and 5G compatibility. The display is also marginally better. But still, 10K is too high a premium to pay for those enhancements. The inexplicably weaker camera department in the OnePlus 8, tilts the scales in favour of the OnePlus 7T.

Coming back to the first question  and if we were to assume that OnePlus 7T is unavailable for good  is the OnePlus 8 a good buy? Yes, it is. OnePlus did get a lot of things right with this new phone, if not all, and theres plenty of goodness on offer here. The design and feel are truly awesome, and so is the display quality. The performance of the device is almost as good as it gets currently, and it doesnt negatively impact the battery life either. On the contrary, the battery lasts longer here. And lets not forget OxygenOS. Considering all these factors, the OnePlus 8 certainly wont disappoint you.

Ideally, they should have priced the OnePlus 8 a shade under Rs 40,000, given the competition in the budget flagship segment here. If you speak of Snapdragon 865, the iQOO 3 (review) has it too and it is priced at Rs 34,990. The camera department there is more versatile as well. 5G may not be available in India for some time yet, and not everybody needs the processing power of the 865. It is prudent, then, to mention a bunch of smartphones with Snapdragon 855 and 855+ chips and comparable cameras that sell under the 35K mark. Some sell under 30K too  Realme X2 Pro (review), Redmi K20 Pro (review), Lenovo Z6 Pro, OnePlus 7T (again) are all worthy contenders. Theres a Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite lurking around the 40K mark too. The presence of these may make potential buyers feel reluctant to shell out the kind of money that the OnePlus 8 demands.

It wouldnt be a bad idea for the brand to rethink the OnePlus 8s pricing here, though it's supposed to be cheaper in India already, compared to other markets. That is unless they want to drive potential buyers towards the OnePlus 8 Pro, which actually offers more premium features in the 50K+ budget. To sum it up, the OnePlus 8 is undoubtedly a good phone, but not necessarily the best value for money option at its current selling price.

Read our OnePlus 8 Pro review here.

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Pompeo leaves door open to possible U.S.-North Korea summit despite tensions A directional sign bearing North Korean and U.S. flags is seen near the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas in Paju

By Matt Spetalnick and Hyonhee Shin

WASHINGTON/SEOUL (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Thursday he was "very hopeful" about resuming talks with North Korea and appeared to leave open the possibility of another summit between the countries' leaders, despite Pyongyang saying it has no intention of returning to negotiations.

Winding up three days of talks in Seoul, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun earlier rejected speculation he was seeking to meet North Korean officials during his visit, but said the United States was open to talks.

Amid long-stalled U.S. efforts to get North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons, Pompeo said the United States was continuing its efforts to re-establish dialogue with Pyongyang but declined to provide specifics.

"We're very hopeful that we can continue to have this conversation, whether that's at levels beneath the summit, or if it's appropriate and there is a useful activity to take place, to have senior leaders get back together as well," Pompeo told reporters in Washington when asked whether another summit is possible before the U.S. presidential election in November.

"As for who and how, timing, I just don't want to talk about that today," Pompeo added.

U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met for the first time in 2018 in Singapore, raising hopes for a negotiated end to North Korea's nuclear program. But their second summit, in 2019 in Vietnam, and later working-level talks, fell apart.

Trump said on Tuesday he was open to another meeting with Kim and thought it might be helpful, Voice of America said, citing a transcript of Trump's interview with Gray Television, due to be aired on Sunday.

But North Korea, apparently frustrated that there has been no sign of any easing of punishing sanctions against it, has said in recent weeks it had no intention of sitting down again with the United States.

Story continues

Biegun, the top U.S. envoy on North Korea, met South Korea's national security adviser, Suh Hoon, on Thursday and reaffirmed "continued U.S. readiness to engage in dialogue" with North Korea, the State Department said in a statement.

South Korea has been trying to promote peace efforts and Suh was instrumental in arranging summits between Trump and Kim.

Tensions flared last month when North Korea blew up a joint North-South liaison office on its side of the border, before dropping a threat of military action against the South.

(Reporting by Josh Smith, Hyonhee Shin and Matt Spetalnick; Additional reporting by Sangmi Cha in Seoul, Daphne Psaledakis, Jonathan Landay, Makini Brice and Susan Heavey in Washington; Editing by Robert Birsel and Alistair Bell)
Revathy Krishna Kumar By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Leaving behind months of waiting and memories of some dreadful lockdown days, Biswajit Manna reached the Central Station on Thursday to board a Shramik special train to West Bengal. His son had recently met with a road accident back home. Thousands like him thronged the station, three days after the intensified lockdown was withdrawn, hoping to catch a train back to native States.

While many revelled in the hopes of reaching home at last, others struggled to check their eyes from welling up thinking of troubles and responsibilities back home. For a lot them, the pandemic crisis did not hold a candle to their families penury. Lines of these labourers on the station premises waited for railway staff or NGO volunteers to shout out trains ready to leave for their States.

One man is jubilant while speaking to his family via a video call. Wanting Express to report his story too, he brings the phone down and introduces himself as Shubham Topwar, a garment company employee. Since the lockdown began, I have not had three meals a day. My company manager refuses to pay what he owes me saying that anyway I am leaving the job and going back to my native, Shubham forces a smile and goes back to the call. Seems he has not recounted his plight here to the family back home.

After a train left for Bihar, it was the turn of West Bengal natives to line up with the identity cards held high. Biswajit was elated. Days of running from pillar to post requesting a ticket back home was over for them. It was the Save Sakti Foundation that helped these labourers with the travel procedures.

Varalakshmi Sarathkumar, the Save Shakti Foundations founder, says it is saddening to see so many people without jobs, homes or food struggling to travel back to their home State. Varalaskhmis mother Chaya Devi, who is also an activist and a philanthropist, says a lot of people were involved in helping these labourers return home.

Biswajit said he was very grateful to the foundation members. "My son recently met with an accident. I was feeling helpless here. But this foundation members made arrangements for my return and I will never forget them," he added, before leaving for his home.
Eric Thayer/The New York Times

Twitter and Square CEO Jack Dorsey is placing $3 million behind a coalition of mayors looking at the the viability of universal basic income for its residents in the cities of Oakland, Los Angeles, and Compton, among others, Forbes reported.

Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs has been exploring the idea of a universal basic income through a pilot program he's been running in his town since the winter of 2018. This June, he formed the group Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, which is comprised of 15 mayors of cities across the United States, all interested in exploring a pilot program for their own areas. The participants include the aforementioned cities, plus Atlanta, Long Beach, Newark, Pittsburgh, Seattle and others.




In his book, The Room Where It Happened, former US National Security Advisor John Bolton has portrayed the White House as chaotic and peculiar as far as policymaking is concerned. Contrary to the widely perceived image of the current US president's highhanded stance against China, Bolton has presented him as being soft on China for domestic political gains.

Given Bolton's position as the national security adviser to the US president till he was fired last September, his personal observation of top-level US foreign and security policymaking have made the book a hit. Interestingly, however, Bolton's conservative perspectives won him the US president's favor and earned him a key administrative post. It is also interesting that Bolton quickly developed sharp disputes with the president due to his extreme approach to US foreign policy.

More interestingly, the US president formulated his turbulent China policy through Bolton's prism. And as Bolton has said, the US leader could be awkward-"soft" without "principle"in dealing with China.

So it is likely that, in order to refute Bolton's charge, the US president might act more "forcefully" against China in the coming months.

As for the Democrats, many among them consider Bolton's book to be the best weapon to get the upper hand against the president in the November presidential election. In all this, however, China has become the unfortunate victim of US domestic politics.

China-US relations have always been complex, as competition has coexisted with cooperation since the two countries normalized diplomatic relations in 1979.

Beijing and Washington have joined hands to fight terrorism and boost nuclear security irrespective of whether a Republican or Democrat was US president. They have also worked together to fight climate change and contain epidemics such as the SARS and Ebola outbreaks. The US has often sought China's collaboration because it benefited Americans and Chinese, as well as people in rest of the world. And China has often offered its hand out of its own and global public interests, rather than as a favor to any foreign individual or country.

But China's collaboration with other countries has been commensurate with its capacity. Although fighting climate change is in the interest of all the people in the world, China had to adopt an incremental approach to global cooperation as demonstrated in its national plan. Beijing does not think that its pragmatic approach was a rebuttal to the initial, more or less radical vision of former US president Barack Obama or then vice-president Joe Biden. In a similar vein, by joining the Paris climate accord, China did not interfere in US domestic politics.

Yet China would defend its sovereign interests in its relations with the USindeed with any country. On the Taiwan question and Hong Kong issue, China will, under no circumstances, yield to US pressure. So trying to associate China's approach with some US politicians' policies is an exercise in futility.

For instance, China and the US took two years to reach the first phase of a bilateral agreement on economy and trade. The painstaking process suggests that both parties made maximum efforts to reach a "good deal". China has followed the policy of first defending its legitimate interests, and then expanding the common interests of both countries, not individuals. It is with this principle that the two countries signed the "first phase" of the trade agreement on Jan 15.

It is unclear whether Bolton's description of the US president's China policy is genuine, but it is clear that China's US policy is based on its national interests, not on any individual American politician. This was true for China-US ties in the past, and it is true for the present, too. In short, no matter who occupies the White House, China will never involve itself in US domestic politics.

So both Republicans and Democrats would do better to realize that playing the "China card" in US domestic politics will benefit neither party. Instead, whichever party the next US president belongs to has to abide by the basics of China-US tiesworking together whenever possible, and using diplomacy to manage the differences.
FP Trending

Days after a delay to the launch timeline of its Perseverance rover, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has attached it to the top of its United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket at Cape Canaveral to meet its new liftoff target date of 30 July.

The rover has also been encased in the nose cone to protect it during launch, as per a NASA statement. At the beginning of the process of attaching the rover, a 60-ton hoist on the roof of the Vertical Integration Facility at Space Launch Complex 41 lifted the nose cone to the top of the waiting Atlas V rocket.

Engineers then worked on making lasting physical and electrical connections between the booster engines and the spacecraft that will come into play 50 to 60 minutes after the rocket blasts off.

"I have seen my fair share of spacecraft being lifted onto rockets. But this one is special because there are so many people who contributed to this moment, John McNamee, project manager for the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said in a statement.

The mating of spacecraft and booster has also paved the way for final pre-launch tests. The Atlas V will leave the Vertical Integration Facility a good two days ahead of its scheduled launch on 30 July.

The blast-off was moved from 17 July to 30 July after a contamination breach delayed launch vehicle processing delay. The new launch window now spans from 30 July to 15 August.

The US space agency has assured that no matter what day Perseverance lifts off during the launch period, it will land in Mars' Jezero Crater as planned, on 18 February 2021.

The Perseverance rover mission is designed to search the crater and area surrounding it for signs of ancient microbial life. It is the successor to the Curiosity rover, which has been exploring the Gale Crater on the red planet for eight years.

If the Mars-bound rover does not take off by mid-August, it would add a $500 million bill to the nearly $3 billion mission, as NASA would have to wait until 2022 for the next launch window to open, as Earth and Mars fall into a suitable alignment for the rover's journey.
Susan Ahn Cuddy, Korean independence fighter Ahn Chang-ho's eldest daughter, has been hailed as an "American hero" and "trailblazer" by the ShareAmerica website run by the U.S. State Department.

The website, which describes itself as a platform for "sharing compelling stories and images that spark discussion and debate on important topics," carried an article and a video clip about Cuddy on July 2 as an Asian-American woman who left a mark in government and civil society.

It hails her as he the "first Asian American woman to enlist in the U.S. Navy during World War II. She became the first female gunnery officer in the U.S. armed forces and the first Asian American to achieve the rank of lieutenant in the Navy."

Born in Los Angeles in 1915, Ahn enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1942 during World War II. In May 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump paid tribute to her, saying, "She was the daughter of the first Korean couple to immigrate to the United States, also uplifted the Nation through strong work ethic, an unwavering love of country, and a steadfast devotion to her life mission, even in the face of great adversity."

In 2006, the Asian American Justice Center honored her with the American Courage Award. In 2015, the Los Angeles County government declared March 10 Susan Ahn Cuddy Day. She died, aged 100, in June that year.


FILE PHOTO: Apple supplier Foxconn, others hit as India holds up imports from China-sources

By Sankalp Phartiyal and Yimou Lee

NEW DELHI/TAIPEI (Reuters) - Foxconn plans to invest up to $1 billion to expand a factory in southern India where the Taiwanese contract manufacturer assembles Apple iPhones, two sources said.

The move, the scale of which has not previously been reported, is part of a quiet and gradual production shift by Apple away from China as it navigates disruptions from a trade war between Beijing and Washington and the coronavirus crisis.

"There's a strong request from Apple to its clients to move part of the iPhone production out of China," one of the sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

Foxconn said it does not comment on matters related to customers, while Apple did not respond to a request for comment.

Foxconn's planned investment in the Sriperumbur plant, where Apple's iPhone XR is made some 50 km west of Chennai, will take place over the course of three years, the second source said.

Some of Apple's other iPhones models, made by Foxconn in China, will be made at the plant, said both sources, who declined to be identified as the talks are private and details have yet to be finalised.

Taipei-headquartered Foxconn will add some 6,000 jobs at the Sriperumbur plant in Tamil Nadu state under the plan, one of the sources said. It also operates a separate plant in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, where it makes smartphones for China's Xiaomi Corp, among others.

Foxconn Chairman Liu Young-way last month said it would ramp up its investment in India, without giving details.

STATUS SYMBOL

Apple accounts for about 1% of smartphone sales in India, the world's second-biggest smartphone market, where its pricey iPhones are often seen as a status symbol.

Building more phones in India will also help Apple save on import taxes that further push up its prices.

Apple assembles a few models through Taiwan's Wistron Corp in the southern tech hub of Bengaluru. Wistron is also set to open a new plant, where it plans to make more Apple devices, Reuters previously reported.

"With India's labour cheaper compared with China, and the gradual expansion of its supplier base here, Apple will be able to use the country as an export hub," Neil Shah of Hong Kong-based tech researcher Counterpoint said.

Story continues

India is also working to boost electronics manufacturing by firms such as Foxconn and last month launched a $6.65 billion plan, offering five global smartphone makers incentives to establish or expand domestic production.

Having Apple widen its local presence is likely to be a boost for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's flagship "Make In India" drive, aimed at creating new jobs.

South Korea's Samsung has already said it will make smartphones for export from its plant outside New Delhi.

(Reporting by Sankalp Phartiyal and Yimou Lee; Additional reporting by Sudarshan Varadhan; Editing by Alexander Smith)
The family of a British air hostess arrested in Dubai last month on drugs charges have said she is living off of bread and water in prison.

Derrin Crawford, 23, who works for Emirates and is based in the UAE, had been out for dinner with a man and agreed to go back to his apartment when it was raided by officers who found two cannabis joints at the scene.

Ms Crawford, who is from Liverpool, was thrown into the infamous Al-Barsha jail on June 21, where her family said she has been forced to confess and fed on just bread, water and jam.

MP for Liverpool Riverside Kim Johnson told the BBC Ms Crawford's family have also been denied access since last Sunday.

'They have not been allowed to take in toiletries and food. According to family members she is existing on water, bread and jam,' Ms Johnson said.

Derrin Crawford, 23, who works for Emirates and is based in the UAE, had been out for dinner with the man and agreed to go back to his apartment when it was raided by officers

Derrin Crawford, British air hostess, 23, has been living off bread and water in a Dubai jail after being forced into a fake confession over cannabis joints

Derrin Crawford, British air hostess, 23, has been living off bread and water in a Dubai jail after being forced into a fake confession over cannabis joints

Her sister, Danielle, 28, told the Mail earlier this week that police found two cannabis joints and arrested the pair.

Derrin, from Liverpool, was held in a police station for several days before being transferred to the notorious Al Barsha jail. In a tearful phone call home, she told Danielle that she had undergone blood tests for drugs and officers had agreed to let her go if they proved negative.

Although the tests came in on Thursday  and proved Derrin had no drugs in her system - she is still in jail.

Danielle said: 'She is innocent, she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. The police have been trying to interrogate her, but she doesn't even know this guy.

Derrin, who lost her mother aged 11, and was raised by an aunt, moved to Dubai in September 2018 after securing a job with the airline. She was arrested on June 21 and managed to alert her family on June 25

'When she was arrested the police took her phone, she managed to call me a few days later when she was being transferred to jail. At first I couldn't understand what she was saying because she was just crying and crying. She didn't eat or sleep for days.

'She doesn't drink or smoke and has a good job with Emirates, so it is a shame she has got caught up in all this. She's only 23 and is just so scared.'

Derrin, who lost her mother aged 11, and was raised by an aunt, moved to Dubai in September 2018 after securing a job with the airline.

She was arrested on June 21 and managed to alert her family on June 25. She is being kept in handcuffs in isolation in the prison.

The air hostess told relatives that she agreed to go on a date with the man, believed to be a fellow Brit and a marketing executive, from London, after meeting him on a night out

The air hostess told relatives that she agreed to go on a date with the man, believed to be a fellow Brit and a marketing executive, from London, after meeting him on a night out.

The British Embassy in Dubai are understood to be looking into Derrin's case, but have not yet visited her.

Danielle added: 'I'm trying to get her a solicitor but I'm really concerned for her welfare.'

A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: 'We are supporting a British woman who is currently detained in the UAE and will look to visit her when local lockdown restrictions are lifted. We are in contact with Emirati authorities and have provided details of local lawyers to her family.'

A Dubai Police spokesperson: 'Two British nationals were arrested on suspicion of possession of narcotics with the intent to supply.

'They were taken into custody and charged with possession of cannabis, pills, and other items that are classified as illegal substances in the United Arab Emirates. The Dubai Police has referred the case to the Public Prosecution and the accused are currently out on bail.

'The UAE has a zero-tolerance policy for the recreational use of drugs. The penalty for personal possession can be up to 10 years imprisonment, and drug trafficking can result in a life sentence.'
The new facility will help Bird-X and its divisions to better service the growing needs of our customer base. Were excited to start this new chapter of our company and look forward to the future challenges in an ever- changing environment - Dennis Tilles, Bird-X President

The leading brand of pest control products, Bird-X, has relocated its headquarters to Elmhurst, IL after 10 years of providing environmentally friendly, humane pest control solutions from its former Chicago location. After experiencing a healthy increase in growth, Bird-Xs need for a larger facility became evident and the company chose its new home in the near Chicago suburb. This move to a larger facility will allow Bird-X and its divisions, Cozy Products and Yates Motloid, to accommodate the growing demand for their products and continue to develop new state-of-the-art solutions.

About Bird-X: For over 50 years, Bird-X continues to be the industry leader for humane and eco-friendly pest control products. The company is dedicated to protecting human health, wildlife and the environment with innovative solutions.


The global outbreak of COVID-19 has prompted a slew of measures to prevent or at least limit viral spread so as to reduce the impact of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in a high-risk population.

Now, a new study by researchers in Canada and published on the preprint server medRxiv* in July 2020 shows that national news is the primary source of information about the pandemic. This finding will help architects of public health to refine their communication during such periods to create maximum positive health impact on the community.

Communication Methods in the COVID-19 Period

Some of the ways in which public health organizations have attempted to convey messages, instructions, and warnings about the current pandemic have included media such as the television, internet, radio, and newspapers or magazines. These messages have included details of handwashing strategies, keeping hands off the face, and maintaining the right social distance, as well as information on schools, business, and public space closures.

The researchers rightly note that Effective and transparent communication of evolving information related to COVID-19 is needed to ensure the public understands how and why to adapt their behaviors to bolster public safety. On the other hand, misinformation is rife, causing more significant degrees of fear, avoidance of health services, and suspicion of public health messages. The World Health Organization (WHO) has rightly called this an infodemic, where there is so much information overload on one subject that solutions are hard to find or apply.

Like many other researchers, the current study relies on online surveys of a cross-section of the population, in order to understand how the public thinks and behaves in the face of a given issue, where it gets its information, and what incentives drive public behavior, whether compliant or defiant of public health recommendations.

Some issues that have come to light in earlier surveys in the UK and the USA include not knowing how to prevent transmission while believing in a lot of circulating false information. Again, misinformation is more likely to be believed if the socioeconomic status is low. The current study is aimed at understanding these questions, using an online national survey of adults in Canada, to gather data on public perceptions, state of knowledge, and behavior.

The study period was from April 26, 2020, to May 1, 2020. The sample contained almost 2,000 respondents. About 12% were present or recovered COVID-19 patients. The mean age in this group was 49 years, and just over half were women. Most of them earned less than 100,000 Canadian dollars.

About half of them were essential workers, and 14% attributed their current unemployment to the pandemic of COVID-19.

Difference in five domains of overall health at the start of 2020 compared to the time of questionnaire completion.

Severity Perceptions

About 62% of the respondents thought the issue was very serious. More people were concerned with the risk to others than about their own risk (45% vs. 30%). About half were also worried that the current supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) for medical workers would run low than whether hospital facilities were available to COVID-19 patients.

About half thought it was stressful, while 28% said it roused a sense of helplessness. Almost half expressed a sense that their health was suffering in social dimensions, and 40% said it had affected their emotional/mental wellbeing. This relates to changes in daily routine, livelihood, and behavior during this period of lockdown, along with the paucity of human connection.

Public Knowledge

Most (86%) said they were well-informed about the possibility of asymptomatic infection.

Source of Information

Almost 68% said they looked for COVID-19 information online, at least once a day, relying on Canadian rather than US sources or other international news platforms. Canadian news, television, and websites were felt to be trustworthy while social media and US media was rated least trusted by over half (55% and 50%, respectively). Over half said they verified the correctness of information directly from health authorities or government sources.

Most searchers succeeded in their search for COVID-19 information. Almost half said they did not trust the information on vaccines and therapies, while the same number felt they could distinguish misinformation.

Public Behavior

About 43% said they were self-isolating, and of the rest, 95% said they were always maintaining physical distancing. About 40% said they could keep up physical distancing for six months or more, and this was linked to a sense of efficacy in preventing viral spread. About 70% felt they were successfully hindering transmission. Motivations for this behavior included self-protection in 81%, protecting family, and other people in about half of the respondents. Over 75% were looking forward to vaccine availability.

Regional differences were marked, with Ontario and Quebec expressing more significant concern than those in other regions about how COVID-19 affected hospitals and patients, and their own risk of the infection.

Overall, the study provides a birds-eye-view of how the Canadian public views the impact of the pandemic, the level of public knowledge, and behavior. These findings should be used to shape public health communications during COVID-19 and future pandemics.

*Important Notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
The Luxembourg Confederation of Christian Trade Unions has expressed concerns over working conditions for lorry drivers, and asked for justice in the wake the health crisis.

Around 8,000 people are employed in the profession in Luxembourg, and according to the LCGB, their working conditions are becoming harder and harder. The LCGB is the largest union in the sector and is demanding justice for those represented.

The Covid-19 crisis was a particularly busy time for truck drivers, with numerous deliveries required to sustain supermarkets and other important establishments. As an essential part of the system, the LCGB said the sector required more recognition and fairness with regard to work and remuneration conditions.

Many companies have been accused of not respecting collective contracts and labour laws. Drivers do not receive payment for overtime or statutory rest times, and in some cases have been forced to record breaks while loading or unloading cargo, which is clearly described as being part of their regular working times.

In the midst of the crisis, a new European regulation caused frustration. As of 1 May, if an employee spends more than a quarter of their time working in their country of residence, they must have social security. In a small country such as Luxembourg, cross-border workers in the truck driving industry accumulate this time very quickly. Half of Luxembourg's lorry drivers are cross-border workers, while around 800 of them suffer from disadvantages of not being affiliated with the National Health Fund, meaning they have no right to child benefit, parental leave, and also face losing their pension.

In addition to this, some companies force their employees to sign an amendment in order not to comply with the collective contract or Luxembourg labour laws. With this, the driver can only earn half of what they ought to earn, while the company saves money.

These conditions do not contribute to the attractiveness of Luxembourg in the transport sector, according to the LCGB, as it demands a fair solution for all drivers concerned.
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Two separate teams of academic researchers on Wednesday published papers describing flaws in Intels Software Guard Extensions (SGX).

SGX, a set of instructions, enhances application security by letting developers partition sensitive information into enclaves  areas of execution in memory with hardware-assisted enhanced security protection. The aim is to protect application code and data from disclosure or modification.

Attestation services let users verify the identity of an application enclave before launching the application.

The recently uncovered flaws can prevent SGX from achieving its goal, the research teams showed. SGAxe: How SGX Fails in Practice describes compromises to long-term storage. CrossTalk: Speculative Data Leaks Across Cores Are Real describes cross-core attacks that could allow attackers to control data leakage.

Broken Trust, Broken Code

SGAxe effectively breaks the most appealing feature of SGX, which is the ability on an enclave to prove its trustworthiness over the network, wrote researchers Stephan van Schaik, Andrew Kwong and Daniel Genkin, all of the University of Michigan, and researcher Yuval Yarom of the University of Adelaide.

The researchers attacked SGX architectural enclaves that were provided and signed by Intel, and retrieved the secret attestation key used for cryptographically proving the enclaves are genuine over a network, which let them pass off fake enclaves as genuine.

The CrossTalk researchers found that some instructions read data from a staging buffer shared among all CPU cores involved. They presented the first cross-core attack using transient execution and showed it could be used to attack SGX enclaves running on a completely different core, letting an attacker control leakage using practical performance degradation attacks and discovering enclave private keys.

We have demonstrated that this is a realistic attack, wrote Hany Ragab, Alyssa Milburn, Herbert Bos and Cristiano Giuffrida of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in The Netherlands and Kaveh Razavi of ETH Zurich in Switzerland.

We have also seen that, yet again, it is almost trivial to apply these attacks to break code running in Intels secure SGX enclaves, they added.

The researchers built a profiler, dubbed CrossTalk, using performance counters, to examine the number and nature of complex microcoded instructions that perform offcore requests. When combined with transient execution vulnerabilities such as Microarchitectural Data Sampling (MDS), these operations can reveal the internal state of a CPU.

Even recent Intel CPUs  including those used by public cloud providers to support SGX enclaves  are vulnerable to these attacks, the researchers wrote.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Intel CPUs vulnerable to the latest attacks are listed here.

Flawed Design

In both cases, the research teams employedside-channel attacks to exploit the vulnerabilities.

SGX doesnt protect against microarchitectural side-channel attacks because doing so is a matter for the enclave developer, according to Intel.

Four CPU flaws, including Zombieload and Fallout, affected Intel core CPUs last year.

Its beginning to look like SGX was a flawed design, said Kevin Krewell, principal analyst at Tirias Research.

Intel really needs to rethink its security methods, he told TechNewsWorld. The company has been putting more resources into security, but the work is not over.

Perhaps security should be offloaded onto a more secure coprocessor on die thats not in the critical application performance path, Krewell remarked.

On the other hand, an application that uses Intel SGX for added protection is always more secure than if it doesnt, noted Ambuj Kumar, CEO of Fortanix, the first company to bring an Intel SGX-based workload to production, in 2016.

Hardware-based security is new, and just as software codes can be buggy, hardware can be buggy too, Kumar told TechNewsWorld There is such a thing as a hardware zero-day exploit. Our goal should be to accelerate the cycle of finding these vulnerabilities and fixing them.

Further, side-channel is a general problem that affects both hardware and software systems, he noted. Some can only be mitigated at the application level and others at the CPU level, so there is not one solution.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Keeping a Tight Lid on Vulnerabilities

SGX is one of a number of Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs). ARM, AMD and Intel have proposed TEEs, but Intel SGX is currently the leader.

Intel SGX has gotten its fair share of researchers attention, which leads to several vulnerabilities having been discovered, Kumar said.

We should welcome these. Its only when a bug is found that it can be fixed, he noted.

Intel has been pretty collaborative in rolling out updates to fix vulnerabilities, and it works tightly with partners such as Fortanix to minimize the probability of attacks, Kumar noted. We have no reason to believe any of the Intel SGX vulnerabilities ever reported have ever been exploited.

Microsoft Azure, IBM and Alibaba are among the large organizations using Fortanixs Intel SGX-based solutions. IBM has at least 10 corporate customers on its Fortanix-powered IBM Cloud Data Shield depending on SGX for security.

No Harm, No Foul

The SGAxe team notified Intel of its findings in October and Intel indicated it would publish a fix June 9, which it did.

The delay likely was due to testing, Tirias Krewell suggested. Every fix could have its own problems and could introduce new vulnerabilities or software incompabiities.

Updated systems from Fortanix and others are not susceptible to these vulnerabilities, Kumar said.

Microsoft deployed the security update from Intel to our affected services prior to public disclosure, a spokesperson said in a statement provided to TechNewsWorld by company rep Emily Chounlamany.

Our cloud customers were not impacted by these vulnerabilities, the spokesperson added.

While CPU manufacturers focus on finding and fixing vulnerabilities, companies like Fortanix exist to mitigate them, said Kumar. Standard techniques such as defense in depth can go a long way to provide a more usable and secure system, even in the presence of zero-day vulnerabilities.

On the whole, hardware-based security is preferable to a software-based solution, Kumar observed. The unfortunate reality of software-only security is that even if your code is bug-free, your data may be stolen because of a vulnerability in someone elses code.
Australia Offers Safe Haven to Hongkongers in Wake of Draconian Security Law

2020-07-09 -- Australia on Thursday said it was suspending its extradition agreement with China and extending stays for visa-holders from Hong Kong, after the ruling Chinese Communist Party imposed a draconian security law on the city that threatens anyone criticising the authorities or showing support for the protest movement.

Australian prime minister Scott Morrison said his government would be extending the visas of some 10,000 Hongkongers already in the country and offering pathways to permanent residency for thousands more who would normally qualify for visas.

"Australia is adjusting its laws, our sovereign laws, our sovereign immigration programme, things that we have responsibility for and jurisdiction over, to reflect the changes that we're seeing take place there," Morrison told journalists.

Under the plan, 10,000 Hong Kong citizens and residents in Australia on student or temporary work visas will be allowed to remain in the country for an additional five years, with a pathway to permanent residency.

The programme was also offered to Hong Kong entrepreneurs or skilled workers who wish to relocate to Australia in the future.

"If there are businesses that wish to relocate to Australia, creating jobs, bringing investment, creating opportunities for Australia, then we will be very proactive in seeking to encourage that," Morrison said.

Beijing immediately slammed the offer as a violation of "fundamental principles of international relations".

"China... reserves the right to take further reactions, all consequences will be borne by Australia," foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a regular news briefing in Beijing. "Any attempts to suppress China will never succeed."

Morrison said his government wouldn't heed Beijing's threats.

"We will make decisions about what's in our interests, and we will make decisions about our laws and our advisories, and we will do that rationally and soberly and consistently," he said.

Meanwhile, Australian foreign minister Marise Payne said Canberra had discussed Hong Kong's newly imposed national security law with its "Five Eyes" security partners -- New Zealand, the United States, Britain, and Canada.

Other offers may follow

Hong Kong current affairs commentator Liu Ruishao said he expects to see similar offers from other countries in the days and weeks to come.

"I think this move by Australia will encourage a consensus among other Western countries, whether they be in Western Europe, or the U.S. and Canada," Liu said.

"We could also see a change in the numbers of countries that are friendly with China for economic reasons, that could lean more towards the West for diplomatic and political reasons at the United Nations," he said.

Taiwan political analyst Wu Jiemin on Thursday called the national security law, which has seen China's feared state security police set up shop in the city, a "Berlin Wall" for Hong Kong.

Hong Kong authorities have already warned that anyone shouting or displaying popular protest slogans such as "Free Hong Kong, revolution now!", or singing the protest anthem Glory to Hong Kong, could face sanctions or even prosecution under the new regime, a clear break with the freedoms of expression and association promised to the city's seven million residents by Beijing.

"China has destroyed and eliminated Hong Kong's flexible identity ... the door has been closed," Wu told a seminar in Taipei.

"This is the China model, which [the Chinese Communist Party] is not just implementing in China, but which it wants to export worldwide," he said.

He said General Secretary Xi Jinping is using the concept of "self-confidence" to challenge the U.S. on the world stage.

"We can reasonably conclude that the Chinese government, the Chinese ruling elite, and the Xi Jinping administration are preparing for long-term confrontation with the U.S.," Wu said.

"Hong Kong is an important battlefield in this overall war," he said, adding that China plans to use the security law to isolate Hong Kong from its international connections.

"Once this Berlin Wall is fully complete, the system of oppression will be normalized, and the whole of Hong Kong will be under total Communist Party control," he warned.

Lawyers 'gravely alarmed'

Lawyers in the U.K. said on Thursday they were "gravely alarmed" by the law's imposition on Hong Kong without a full text being made available to anyone in the city beforehand.

In a letter to Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam, the Law Society of England and Wales and the Bar Council of England and Wales said there were also concerns over the right to a fair trial, and judicial independence.

It said the law, which carries maximum sentences of life imprisonment for the crimes of secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign powers, was "vaguely defined," with an "overly broad" definition of terrorism in particular.

"The law has broadly worded extra-territorial application, applying to actions not committed within Hong Kong by persons who are not permanent residents of Hong Kong," the letter said, adding that there are "significant concerns" over the likelihood of a fair trial in cases administered directly by China's feared state security apparatus, which can order cases to be tried in mainland Chinese courts under the law.

Arrangements for the appointment of judges in national security trials also allowed for "undue political inference with the judiciary in Hong Kong."

"The provisions of the national security law give rise to grave concerns that this law may be used to stem dissent, arrest and criminally prosecute members of the legal profession and others who legally exercise their internationally recognized human rights," it said.

"We believe that the national security law undermines the rule of law and separation of powers in Hong Kong and allows for violations of human rights of its citizens and others," the letter said.

Reported by Lau Siu-fung for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Hwang Chun-mei for the Mandarin Service. 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 July not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 00:45:34|Editor: huaxia

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COLOMBO, July 9 (Xinhua) -- The number of COVID-19 patients in Sri Lanka surpassed 2,100 on Thursday after 57 new patients tested positive for the virus, the government information department said in a statement.

According to the statement, the new patients included 56 inmates from a drug rehabilitation center in Kandakadu in north central Sri Lanka while one was a female instructor at the center who was on leave and residing in Marawila, in the north western province.

All the remaining inmates at the rehabilitation center have been transported for a 14-day mandatory quarantine to the Kandakadu Quarantine Center along with all instructors and their family members.

The government information department said that out of the total 600 inmates at the rehabilitation center, 450 had undergone PCR tests while the remaining would be tested on Friday.

Health authorities from the Health Ministry ruled out that the new cases would spark a second wave of the virus in the island country, saying Sri Lanka had recorded an over 90 percent recovery rate from the COVID-19.

According to official statistics, out of the 2,154 positive patients detected in the country to date since March, 1,979 patients had recovered and successfully been discharged.

A total of 11 deaths have been reported from the virus.

Sri Lanka is all set to re-open its international airports next month as authorities had successfully contained the virus spread. Enditem
Chennai: A team, deputed by the Central government to assess the COVID-19 situation in Tamil Nadu, met Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Friday and discussed the strategy to contain the spread of the virus.

State Health Minister Dr C Vijaya Bhaskar and Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan briefed the team on the strategies adopted to contain the pandemic and the steps taken to ramp up the testing for COVID-19.

Chief Secretary K Shanmugham and senior officials too participated in the meeting. Measures of treatment taken to improve the recovery rate were also explained at the meeting.

With this, the five-member team, led by Union Health Ministry's additional secretary Aarti Ahuja, wrapped up the three-day visit. The team had appreciated the state government's measures to combat the coronavirus and also the untiring efforts of the frontline health workers in treating the infected, official sources have said.

The visit had come at a time when Chennai saw a drop in the number of COVID-19 cases, though the number of containment zones increased from 158 on July 3 to 276 on July 10.

According to Greater Chennai Corporation, Teynampet zone has the greatest number of containment zones at 134 as on July 10 followed by Tondiarpet with 50 and Anna Nagar with 38.

Total COVID-19 positive cases in the state stand around 1,26,581, which includes 46,655 active cases & 1,765 deaths.

Chennai is still a hotspot, although the situation has improved. The mortality rate is low at 1.39%, according to the Union Health Ministry.

As of July 9, the city reported a total of 73,728 positive cases. About 52,287 have recovered while active cases remain at 20,271 cases and 1,169 have died.
No one in this sleepy town can comprehend why a 10-year-old girl has allegedly been brutally murdered by her 14-year-old cousin.

The mayor is moved to tears, schoolgirls look at every classmate as a potential killer and neighbours can only think of a happy girl playing in her paddock.

Gunnedah, a town of just 10,000 in northern NSW, was only known as 'koala capital of the world' and the home town of supermodels Miranda Kerr and Erica Packer.

But from Wednesday it is also the site of an alleged killing so disturbing the local magistrate has banned any details of the crime from being published.

Police are seen hunting for the alleged murder weapon. The search could take several days given the size of the farming property

Police examine a spot of interest during their all-day search of the property on Thursday

An SES volunteer examines enormous hay bales piled well above his height on the farm's grounds

The 10-year-old was visiting her cousins on the farm a few kilometres out of town for a school holiday sleepover.

Both girls were fast asleep when the older girl's mother checked on them before going out at 6.30am to tend to the farm.

When she returned just half-an-hour later she found her niece horrifically slain and her own daughter vanished.

The 14-year-old was found at a neighbour's property and later on Wednesday charged with murder. She will stay behind bars until at least September.

Her little sister will have to go back to school when holidays are over, knowing everyone looks at her and thinks of what allegedly happened.

'I feel sorry for her going back to school. I don't know how she's going to manage it,' one local told Daily Mail Australia.

Forensics collect evidence from in and around the farm house in Gunnedah where a girl, 10, was killed

The sleepy town of just 10,000 in northern NSW, was before this week only known as 'koala capital of the world'

The mayor is moved to tears, schoolgirls look at every classmate as a potential killer and neighbours can only think of a happy girl playing in her paddock

The girl's family have lived on the mixed-crop farm for at least 10 years and are well respected for their agricultural skill.

A close neighbour a few paddocks down the road was shocked the little girl he remembered playing in the grass was accused of a heinous crime.

'I used to see her and her sister running around the paddock, playing, or with her parents at cattle market,' he said.

'She was always very polite and happy, I never had any qualms with her. How does this happen?'

The fellow farmer said the girls came over for dinner with their parents when they were younger, before school kept them busy.

Now he is worried his friends will never recover from an unimaginable family tragedy that will follow them around for the rest of their lives.

'Theres two tragedies, the poor girl whos deceased and who knows whats going to happen to the other one,' he said.

'Its a small town so it will be hard to live here with this.

'They are the best farmers I know, they get more production off that place than anyone.'

Gunnedah is about an hour west of Tamworth and 450km from Sydney

Other neighbours were so shaken they couldn't muster the words to describe the situation.

'It's just another crop farm... They're perfectly normal,' one said.

Locals the accused girl's own age are among the worst affected, fearing they could suddenly die in a town they used to feel safe in.

'My friends and I are scared because shes our age and if she could do this then one of our classmates could too,' Brooke, 15, said at the cafe where she works.

'Nothing like this has ever happened here. We all want to know, how does someone end up like that?'

The girl's mother allegedly told police her daughter recently started behaving strangely for no apparent reason.

A classmate also said she pretended to be a tiger and would 'hiss' at people as well as eat food from the ground like a cat.

Besides farming, the coal mines outside Gunnedah are the town's biggest employers with orange high-vis clothing perfectly acceptable attire for all occasions.

But mine worker Renee Frenette, 38, said her coworkers were so shocked by the alleged murder they barely talked about it during her shift on Thursday.

'Gunnedah is such a small town so it really hits home because I know someone I know will be impacted by this,' she said.

'Hearing Gunnedah on the news yesterday was quite a shock.'

Mine worker Renee Frenette, 38, (pictured holding her daughter Isabella, 3) said her coworkers were so shocked by the alleged murder they barely talked about it during her shift on Thursday

The 10-year-old was visiting her cousins on the farm (pictured with the surrounding countryside) a few kilometres out of town, over the bridge across the Naomi River, for a school holiday sleepover

Gunnedah Mayor Jamie Chaffey told Daily Mail Australia the community's prayers were with the family.

'They're dealing with this devastation of losing a young member of the family,' he said.

'The community has been through so much through three years of drought and COVID-19 but we are resilient and supportive of each other to get through the tough times.'

Mayor Chaffey said the community was 'devastated' but would rally around the family in the coming days.

'We will be there to support each other and we will support the family,' he said.

'We appreciate the thoughts of the people reaching out from the broad areas across NSW that are offering their thoughts and prayers.'

A member of the family with police outside the home on Thursday. The girls and therefore their family cannot be identified

Detectives and forensics crews spent all day on the farm gathering evidence

Police and state emergency service volunteers meticulously searched paddocks and fields for what is believed to be the alleged murder weapon

The deceased girl is from Orange, a town west of Sydney past the Blue Mountains, and also from a locally prominent family.

Detectives and forensics crews spent all day on the farm looking for the alleged murder weapon.

Police and state emergency service volunteers meticulously searched paddocks and fields for what is believed to be the alleged murder weapon.

They have refused to give details of the girl's injuries except that that were substantial, and the court has suppressed such information anyway.

Police also refused to reveal if they had seized a murder weapon.

A post mortem examination in the next few days will uncover more clues about how the alleged murder unfolded.

The teenager did not appear in court on Thursday and bail was not applied for and refused until her next court date on September 16.

None of her family were present.

SES crews and police arrive at the property on Thursday to search it for clues
CANBERRA, Australia - Australias Victoria state on Friday reported a new daily record of 288 coronavirus cases as well as a record number of tests, more than 37,500.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the number of citizens and permanent residents allowed to return to Australia each week will be reduced by more than 4,000 from next week.

Sydney, Australias largest city, has been carrying a disproportionate burden of hotel quarantines that are currently paid for by the New South Wales state government.

Victoria, to the south, has banned international arrivals after breaches of hotel quarantine in Melbourne were blamed for Australias only widespread transmissions of COVID-19.

Vicotoria Chief Health Officer Breet Sutton said certainly, 288 new cases today is a pretty ugly number. But he added, Our numbers are the numbers that the U.S. gets every 10 minutes. We are still in a fortunate position and we have gone to a lockdown at this juncture in order not to have those kind of pressures manifest in our system.

Melbourne went into lockdown again on Wednesday night for six weeks.

Victoria has become the first state to recommend that its residents wear masks if they cant maintain 1.5 metres (5 feet) of social distancing, such as when theyre on public transport or in supermarkets.

Queensland, to the north, charges travellers 2,800 Australian dollars ($1,900) for their two weeks in hotel quarantine, making Sydney are more attractive destination for Queenslanders to land from overseas.

Morrison said other states are moving to charge for hotel quarantine as well, given that Australia has been urging citizens for weeks to return as soon as possible. Outside Victoria, most of Australias COVID-19 cases have been detected in hotel quarantines.

In other developments in the Asia-Pacific region:

 Indias coronavirus caseload is nearing 800,000 with the biggest spike of 26,506 cases reported in the past 24 hours, prompting some states to go back to a stringent lockdown in high-risk areas. The newly confirmed cases took the national total to 793,802. The Health Ministry on Friday also reported another 475 deaths, taking total fatalities to 21,604. Eastern Bihar state reimposed a full lockdown in its capital, Patna, and four other districts for a week beginning Friday. Indias most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, with nearly 230 million people, also announced a weekend lockdown. The two states account for hundreds of thousands of migrant workers who returned to their homes after becoming jobless in late March.

 Tokyo has found 243 new cases of the coronavirus, surpassing 200 for a second day in a row and setting a new record. Gov. Yuriko Koike said recent spikes are largely due to expanded testing, which has more than tripled from mid-April. Koike did acknowledge concerns raised by experts over a large proportion of untraceable cases, a sign of infections spreading widely in the community. She said most of the cases involve young people who work or visit nightlife districts, and that officials are discussing measures targeting the specific population and establishments. Prime Minister Shinzo Abes government has been reluctant to take additional measures requiring business closures. A panel of experts on Tokyos coronavirus task force cautioned that infections will likely spread to older people and advised city officials to promptly increase hospital capacity. Tokyo now has 7,515 cases, compared to more than 20,200 nationwide.

 South Korea has reported 45 new cases of the coronavirus as health authorities scramble to stem infections in major cities across the country. The figures bring the national caseload to 13,338, including 288 deaths. Twenty-three of the new cases came from the Seoul metropolitan area, which has been at the centre of a virus resurgence since late May. Infections were also reported in other major cities such as Gwangju and Daejeon. Health authorities say they are stuck in a difficult game of whack-a-mole with new clusters popping up in various places  including churches, restaurants, nightspots and office buildings.

 China on Friday reported four newly confirmed cases of the coronavirus, all of them brought from overseas. No new deaths were reported and 342 people remain in treatment. Another 121 people are in isolation and being monitored as suspected cases or for testing positive for the virus without showing any symptoms. China has reported 4,634 deaths from COVID-19 among 83,585 cases since the virus was first detected late last year in the central city of Wuhan.

 A second man in New Zealand this week is facing charges for escaping from a hotel where he was being held in quarantine, this time allegedly to buy alcohol. Air Commodore Darryn Webb, head of managed isolation and quarantine, said the man cut through fence ties at the Distinction Hotel in Hamilton on Thursday and was gone for about 30 minutes, visiting a nearby liquor store before returning. The man, identified by local media as Martin McVicar, made his first court appearance Friday and wasnt required to enter a plea. Earlier this week, another man who recently returned from India escaped from his Auckland hotel and allegedly went shopping at a supermarket. He later tested positive for the virus. New Zealand has eliminated community transmission of the virus and is trying to contain cases at the border by placing new arrivals into a 14-day quarantine at various hotels.

 Sri Lanka has found 196 more COVID-19 cases from a rehabilitation centre for drug addicts, taking the number of infections there to 252. Authorities reported 56 cases on Thursday after a prisoner who had spent time at the centre tested positive for the virus. None of the other prisoners who associated him has tested positive. Sri Lanka had contained community spread of the virus over the past two months, however, new cases in the past two days are raising fears of a resurgence of the disease. Sri Lanka has reported 2,350 confirmed cases with 11 deaths.

___

Follow all of APs pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
A dministrators to Carlauren, the care homes investment scheme that collapsed after raising 75 million from the public, have sold the companys luxury yacht used by the firms controversial founder but are struggling to sell its private jet and a fleet of supercars and limousines.

Sean Murray set up the business to build care homes across the UK. Investors bought leases on rooms with the promise of benefiting from the rental income.

But they then discovered the buildings were often derelict and administrators were called in, securing a 40 million freezing order on Murrays assets.

Meanwhile, Murray had been living the high life, driving in supercars and allegedly using the companys yacht and private jet for his own travel.

In an update to investors, administrators Duff & Phelps and Quantuma said they have sold the yacht, Ademo, which had been seized by Mallorca port authorities for failing to pay port fees. It fetched e455,000.

The company aircraft which Murray is said to have used for his personal use, was sold for $325,000 to a Nigerian buyer but they pulled out when covid-19 struck.

Investigations into the cars, said to include a Rolls-Royce and Ferrari, are still ongoing.

Despite the problems at the care homes business, Murrays company still spent money on other projects including a cryptocurrency platform which the administrators said was likely to be of limited value.

A stake in an aviation company at Bournemouth Airport was sold for 185,000.

Administrators said they were dealing with the relevant government agencies in relation to the ongoing investigations.
A recently leaked image and rumor suggest that the Xiaomi Mi Band 5 will be missing some features when it launches globally. Recent reports indicate that it may be missing NFC reader capabilities. But it may also be missing its SpO2 sensor for reading blood oxygen saturation and Amazon Alexa too. The latter of those features was expected, although it wasnt included in China.

If thats the case, the global variant would almost certainly be some variation on the lighter of two variations launched in June. That would be the gadget developed under the codename Kongming L, rather than Kongming, which ships with NFC onboard.

This may not be all bad news

Now, there is a third variant of the Mi Band 5 thats expected to launch thats been codenamed Kongming Pro.

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That means that this may not be all bad news. Rumor suggests the pro variant of the Mi Band 5 will launch with NFC capabilities. And it is expected to be sold as the Mi Smart Band 5 Pro So it isnt out of the question that it will deliver on those other features too. And it may pack in more features beyond those, as would typically be denoted by the Pro branding.

Both gadgets are expected to land this month if reports are accurate.

What is known about the Xiaomi Mi Band 5

Big-ticket upgrades with the latest Mi Band, as launched in China are mostly to do with improved sleep tracking. It will now track REM sleep better, in addition to the included proprietary PAI (Personal Activity Intelligence) tracking system. Thats been improved as well. This wearable now includes 11 new fitness tracking modes as well as menstrual cycle tracking.

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But it also packs in a better charging dock and comes with dual-tone straps to give it a more premium look. The dual-tone straps come in Blue, Brown, Olive Green, Pink, Red, and Yellow. And those will help accent the devices standard matte black color and its wealth of new watch faces. In China, at least, that includes 100 new animated watch faces as well as some featuring characters from popular animated series.

Coupled with a 125mAh battery that should last up to 14 days of use or more, Bluetooth 5.0, and a heart rate sensor, this watch sells in China for around $27 without NFC. With NFC, its just $32. So its going to be a high-value offering even if the new leaks and rumors are true.
A St. Catharines regional councillor said he will read the rules governing municipal politicians after wandering into a conflict of interest issue last week when he lobbied his colleagues on behalf of a group of business owners he is part of.

George Darte said he didnt know the specific municipal conflict of interest rules when he sent emails to several councillors urging them to take on a small group of businessmen as free budget consultants because he did not know the Municipal Act, which governs those rules.

I had not consulted the act, Darte said in an interview. I stopped (sending the emails) after the chairs office told me I couldnt do that.

Dartes troubles began when he signed an open letter in his capacity as the owner and operator Darte Funeral Homes that called on Niagara Region to dramatically downsize in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Led by Spencer Fox, president of E.S. Fox Ltd., who made a presentation to regional council on June 25, the group is also asking the regional government to take its stakeholders on as unpaid business consultants.

Darte, because he signed the letter, had to declare a conflict of interest at the council meeting prior to Foxs presentation. Under the Municipal Act, this means he can no longer be involved in any decisions related to the issue.

But that didnt stop him from immediately lobbying his colleagues to support the groups agenda.

In a series of emails last weekend, Darte urged councillors to take on the group  it does not include anyone with expertise in municipal budgets or public service  as free consultants, according to multiple sources familiar with the emails. He also wants the Region to hold an informal open house with the business community about cost-cutting and the budget.

In an interview with the St. Catharines Standard, Darte said he did write the emails and was engaged in lobbying until the office of regional Chair Jim Bradley told him to stop because of conflict of interest rules.

Darte said he will review the Municipal Act, which he admitted he is not fully familiar with.

Darte also said the group should be taken on as free consultants and repeated his desire for an open house because, he said, the pandemic impact on local businesses has been extreme and something has to be done.

However, he could not point to any specific areas in which the Region should cut costs, nor did he have a suggestion as to how much local taxes could be reduced by cost-cutting to meaningfully help businesses without negatively impacting public services.

A recent KPMG report on the Region said of the programming contained in the municipalitys billion-dollar budget, only about eight per cent could be considered discretionary. Most regional programs, including policing and public health, are mandated by the province.

I dont have suggestions yet because we havent had those discussions, Darte said. Everything should be on the table. Maybe it could be done through attrition (of staff). We should look at emergency services. Everything.

The Regions biggest ticket item is the annual Niagara Regional Police budget, more than 80 per cent of which is consumed by the salaries and benefits for officers and civilian staff.

Darte said while he will look at everything, and is not a fan of police budgets, he was persuaded by the rationale for last years budget, which he believes couldnt be cut.

Bradley told the Standard he did not believe George was in it for George, but was simply not aware of the conflict of interest rules that govern what councillors can and cannot do.

He told the Standard the regional budget debate will be a difficult one given the financial impacts of the pandemic. That process is likely to begin next month, he said, and will include discussions with community stakeholders, including the broader business community.
FILE PHOTO: Telecom Italia logo is seen at the headquarter in Rozzano neighbourhood of Milan

By Giuseppe Fonte, Elvira Pollina and Stephen Jewkes

ROME (Reuters) - Telecom Italia <TLIT.MI> has asked state lender CDP to invest in its last-mile network to allay Rome's concerns over the planned sale of part of the grid to U.S. firm KKR <KKR.N>, two sources close to the matter told Reuters.

The move comes as the Treasury prepares to play a more active role to help foster a deal between Telecom Italia (TIM) and Open Fiber to create a broadband national champion, the sources said.

TIM, partly owned by CDP, is in exclusive talks to sell KKR 40% of its secondary copper and fiber network running from the street cabinet to users' homes.

For TIM such a deal could lay the groundwork for a merger of its last mile assets with those of smaller rival Open Fiber, a wholesale-only broadband operator owned by state-controlled utility Enel <ENEI.MI> and CDP.

Rome has long been pushing for a unified network with some state oversight to boost productivity across a country which has one of the lowest take-ups of fixed broadband in Europe.

But Rome is worried KKR could gain too much influence in any future combination with Open Fiber.

In a bid to soothe concerns, TIM's Chief Executive Luigi Gubitosi suggested CDP invest in the company into which TIM will transfer its last-mile assets, one of the sources said.

Gubitosi tabled the option in informal talks with some Treasury officials, the same source said.

A second source, however, said CDP investing in TIM's secondary grid would be "pointless" without guarantees from Enel that the project for a unified broadband network would go ahead.

Enel Chief Executive Francesco Starace does not oppose the idea of a single broadband network but has shown little enthusiasm for TIM's plan which would see the former phone monopolist, which also has retail clients, keep control.

Economy minister Roberto Gualtieri was ready to help promote a deal between TIM and Enel, the sources said.

Story continues

In June, Enel said infrastructure fund Macquarie had made an offer to buy all or part of Enels stake in Open Fiber.

A source said the Macquarie bid, for a stake of 30-50%, valued Open Fiber at 7.7 billion euros ($8.7 billion), including debt and incorporating the synergies of a tie-up with TIM.

Sources on Thursday said Enel had extended the talks with Macquarie until after the summer.

The economy ministry, TIM, CDP, Enel, KKR and Macquarie all declined to comment.

(Reporting by Giuseppe Fonte, Elvira Pollina and Stephen Jewkes; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)
Photo: ABS-CBN

Philippine lawmakers voted Friday to reject the license renewal of the countrys largest TV network, shutting down a major news provider that had been repeatedly threatened by the president over its critical coverage.

The House of Representatives Committee on Franchises voted 70-11 to reject a new 25-year license for ABS-CBN Corp. The National Telecommunications Commission had ordered the broadcaster to shut down in May after its old franchise expired. It halted broadcasting then, but the vote takes it off the air permanently.

Only the House of Representatives, which is dominated by President Rodrigo Dutertes allies, can grant such franchises and the chance of any reversal of Fridays vote is extremely low, lawmakers said.

The network, which used to be viewed by millions of Filipinos on free TV, has been able to continue broadcasting some of its TV and radio news programs over paid cable channels, but with a small fraction of its former viewership.

We are deeply hurt, ABS-CBN President and CEO Carlo Katigbak said, but he suggested the company will try to find other ways to return to business.

Together with our employees and our audiences all over the world, we share in your sadness over this setback, Katigbak said. We look forward to the day when we can again reunite.

In the networks newsroom, journalists hugged each other and wept. We lost our voice, Irish Vidal, a news staffer, said in tears. Outside its headquarters, journalists and TV and movie celebrities lit candles and held protest placards.

Duterte and his allies had questioned the networks compliance with the law and the terms of its franchise, including its alleged use of a dummy corporation and large numbers of non-regular workers without employment security. The company denied any wrongdoing in a dozen televised House hearings.

International media watchdogs condemned the closure of ABS-CBN, which was founded in 1953, as a major blow to press freedom.

Human Rights Watch said the lawmakers vote was a grievous assault on press freedom in the country and the greatest blow to media freedom caused by any government act since late dictator Ferdinand Marcos shut the broadcasting giant and other media outlets after declaring martial law in 1972.

This move solidifies the tyranny of President Rodrigo Duterte, said Phil Robertson, the deputy Asia director of the U.S.-based rights group.

Reflecting the extent of unease over the networks shutdown, both the opposition and several key Duterte allies questioned efforts to close it. Concerns have also been raised by a diverse range of groups, including top business executives, left-wing activists and Catholic Church officials.

ABS-CBN has more than 11,000 news and production personnel nationwide. Aside from reporting on the coronavirus, which has infected more than 50,000 people and killed 1,314 in the Philippines, it has provided food and medical aid to more than 2 million people, company officials said.

Watchdogs accuse Duterte and his government of muzzling independent media such as ABS-CBN that have reported critically on issues including his anti-drug crackdown, which has left thousands of mostly poor drug suspects dead. Duterte has accused the network of not airing his paid campaign ads and favouring a rival candidate in the 2016 election, allegations the company denied.
A 70-acre estate with multiple buildings in Chilmark, MA, on the vacation island of Marthas Vineyard has come on the market for $8.95 million.

The holding was the longtime summer retreat of the legendary actor James Cagney. The listing maintains that it could be the last time a real estate asset of this scale ever becomes available on Marthas Vineyard.

Cagney, who died in 1986 at the age of 86, bought the farmland in 1936 in what was then a rural part of the island.

He owned the large parcel until a few years before he died. Cagney was also a trailblazer in these parts, before the Clintons, Obamas, and countless other celebrities made their way to the island off the coast of Massachusetts.

The property is now known as the James Cagney Estate, but is no longer owned by Cagney's family. It was sold in the 1980s, and was apparently later occupied by a commune, according to Mansion Global.

Two Boston restaurateurs, Patrick Lyons and Sean Gildea, bought the property for $4.1 million in late 2012, Mansion Global reported.

In 2017, the prized property bounced back onto the market for $13.5 million.

Three years later, the price has been lowered by 33%, and the possibilities for development are limited only by a buyer's vision, the listing notes.

The Cagney Estate is a microcosm of the Vineyard, says the listing agent, Andrew McElhinney. From water views and acres of open meadows, to paths leading to the historic brickyard beach, this property has it all."

McElhinney added that the estate harkens back to a simpler time on the popular island.

"The Cagney Estate takes you back in time to the mid-1800s, when so much of the island was untouched and undeveloped," he says. "This rare estate is truly a refuge from the exigencies of modern city living."

James Cagney's former Massachusetts estate on Martha's Vineyard realtor.com

The 70 acres include multiple buildings. realtor.com

Antique barn realtor.com

Pond realtor.com

Beach access realtor.com

It took just one visit to the Vineyard in the 1930s for Cagney to fall for the area. He subsequently bought up acres of land, with a 1720s farmhouse and meadows, surrounded by stone walls, according to an article in MV magazine.

For 35 years, he returned during the summer monthsnot as an actor, but as a farmer, tending to his horses, pigs, cows, chickens, and turkeys.

In his 1976 memoir, the actor acknowledged that he loved the place beyond words.

And theres a lot to love here. The private and picturesque property offers water views, beach access, sun-dappled meadows, shaded forests through which streams and brooks wend, surrounded by acres of meadows and stone walls, the listing description notes.

The grounds include the Cagney house, along with a second house, studio, and barn. The older buildings on the property may require some renovation.

A buyer could also opt to add more homes on the land. A prime home site is completely private, surrounded by stone walls, views of the Vineyard Sound, and the mainland. Another possible spot for building is set in open meadows.

The multitalented Oscar winner could both sing and dance, and starred in movies including Yankee Doodle Dandy, Angels With Dirty Faces, and Love Me or Leave Me.

Andrew McElhinney with Wallace & Co. Sotheby's International Realty holds the listing.

The post 70-Acre Martha's Vineyard Estate Once Owned by James Cagney Is Listed for $8.95M appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com.
WASHINGTON: The United States Administration President Donald Trump has imposed sanctions on three senior officials of the Chinese Communist party, including a member of the ruling politburo, for alleged human rights abuses targeting ethnic and religious minorities in the western part of the country.

Secretary of state Mike Pompeo issued a statement in which he said, The United States will not stand idly by as the Chinese Communist party carries out human rights abuses targeting Uighurs, ethnic Kazakhs and members of other minority groups in Xinjiang, to include forced labor, arbitrary mass detention, and forced population control, and attempts to erase their culture and Muslim faith.

Pompeos statement, accompanied by a similar announcement from the Treasury Department, said additional visa restrictions were being placed on other party officials believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, the detentions.

The decision to bar the three senior officials from entering the US is the latest in a series of actions the Trump administration has taken against China as relations deteriorate over the coronavirus pandemic, human rights, Hong Kong and trade.

Just a day earlier, the Trump Administration had announced visa bans against officials deemed responsible for barring foreigners access to Tibet. Thursdays step, however, hits a more senior level of leadership and is likely to draw a harsh response from Beijing.

The US Department of the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned one Chinese government entity and three former government officials in connection with serious rights abuses against ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR).

These designations include Chen Quanguo, the Communist Party Secretary of XUAR, and Zhu Hailun, a former Deputy Party Secretary of the XUAR. Also designated today is the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau (XPSB), as well as the current Director and Communist Party Secretary of the XPSB, Wang Mingshan, and the former Party Secretary of the XPSB, Huo Liujun.

The entity and officials are being designated for their connection to serious human rights abuse against ethnic minorities in Xinjiang, which reportedly include mass arbitrary detention and severe physical abuse, among other serious abuses targeting Uyghurs, a Turkic Muslim population indigenous to Xinjiang, and other ethnic minorities in the region, US Department of the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) order said.

The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods or services from any such person.

Since at least late 2016, repressive tactics have been used by the XPSB against the Uyghurs and members of other ethnic minority groups in the region, including mass detentions and surveillance. The PRCs surveillance has targeted members of religious and ethnic minority groups, as the Chinese government treats almost all expressions of faith as a sign of religious extremism or ethnic separatism. Targets of this surveillance are often detained and reportedly subjected to various methods of torture and political re-education. According to press reporting, since at least 2017, more than one million Muslims have been held in these camps. said U.S. Department of the Treasurys Office

China is forcing women to be sterilized or fitted with contraceptive devices in an apparent attempt to limit the population of Muslim Uyghurs in western Xinjiang region, according to a new research published on June 29 last month.

"Natural population growth in Xinjiang has declined dramatically; growth rates fell by 84 percent in the two largest Uyghur prefectures between 2015 and 2018 and declined further in 2019. For 2020, one Uyghur region set an unprecedented near-zero population growth target: a mere 1.05 per mille, compared to an already low 11.45 per mille in 2018. This was intended to be achieved through family planning work. said the report.

The report prepared by China expert Adrian Zenz, says China's policies may amount to slow-motion demographic genocide." Report also suggests China plans for a campaign of mass female sterilization in rural Uyghur regions, targeting 14 and 34 percent of all married women of childbearing age in two Uyghur counties. This project targeted all of southern Xinjiang. This campaign likely aims to sterilize rural minority women with three or more children, as well as some with wo children - equivalent to at least 20 percent of all childbearing-age women.

China, however, claimed that the camps have been set up to re-educate and trained the Uyghur to combat separatist terrorism and extremism. Beijing has emphasized that these camps are necessary to prevent religious extremism and terrorism. Some leaked government documents have revealed that the people are sent to these camps even for "wearing a veil" or growing "a long beard."
PHILIPSBURG:--- Based upon the approved motion passed in the Parliament of Sint Maarten on July 8, Honorable Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs left for The Netherlands earlier today to join our Minister Plenipotentiary Rene Violenus in the Kingdom Council of Ministers' meeting in The Hague on July 10, 2020.

The motion was approved with 15 votes for and 0 votes against supporting the decision of the Government of Sint Maarten to reject the conditions as presented in the Concept Rijkswet Caribische Hervormingsentiteiten and to present a counter-proposal to the Kingdom Council of Ministers.

During her closing remarks in Parliament, Prime Minister Jacobs stated, 'I am willing to stand on the frontlines for the people of St. Maarten whether it is in St. Maarten or the Netherlands.
An eight-year-old boy has revealed how he never wants to see his own mother again after she was convicted of inappropriately touching him.

The boy's mum was sentenced to six months in home detention in Palmerston North District Court, on New Zealand's North Island, on Friday.

She assaulted the boy when he was staying at a relative's house as she did not have custody of him, Stuff reported.

The boy's mother brushed her hand over her son's clothed genitals after she pulled him into bed in 2018.

An eight-year-old said he never wants to see his mother against after she was convicted of inappropriately touching him (stock image)

The woman pleaded guilty after a video interview with her son was played to the court but she claimed during sentencing proceedings 'she didn't do it'.

She said to a report writer during pre-sentencing she only pleaded guilty to spare her family the agony of a trial.

Judge Jonathan Krebs read the child's victim impact statement to the court, where the child expressed concerns his mother would prey on his siblings.

'He wanted you to know that is something you should not have done,' Judge Krebs said.

'An eight-year-old boy should not have to worry about his mother indecently offending against his siblings.'

The child said he felt 'ashamed and gross' following the horrific ordeal and didn't play.

The boy's mother was sentenced to six months in home detention in Palmerston North District Court, on New Zealand's North Island, on Friday

He said his mother should have known better.

Simon Hewson, the woman's defence lawyer, said she had drug and alcohol problems she needed to deal with.

He said before her offending he was working to get her children in her custody and had now ruined that chance.

Mr Hewson said she has punished herself greatly for that.

Judge Krebs said the woman's offending is the consequence of not dealing with her drug and alcohol problem and she needed to sort them out.
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Tropical Storm Fay has bulldozed through the Tri-State area, headed upstate and through the Northeast after leaving 10K without power in New Jersey and many subway stations in New York City flooded.

While Tropical Storm Fay was not classified as a major storm and is moving out of the Tri-State area, local areas will still experience flooding rains and gusty winds into Saturday morning.

The fast-moving storm system was expected to continue weakening overnight, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said in its 11 p.m. advisory. The storm was moving north at 17 mph (27 kph) and producing top sustained winds of 40 mph (64 kph), forecasters said.

The storm is expected to bring 1 to 3 inches (3 to 7 centimeters) of rain, a further reduction from earlier forecasts' estimates. Flash flooding in certain areas is possible, as is minor coastal flooding in the tropical storm warning area stretching north from New York's Long Island to Rhode Island.

Tropical Storm Fay made rainfall in New York City on Friday afternoon but is already headed to upstate New York by Saturday afternoon

The fast-moving storm system was expected to continue weakening overnight

The storm is expected to bring 1 to 3 inches (3 to 7 centimeters) of rain, a further reduction from earlier forecasts' estimates

NEW YORK CITY: While the Big Apple did not experience the worst of the storm, it still had heavy rains

The storm is moving almost due northward and will move through the Hudson and Champlain valleys, according to the Weather Channel.

A vast majority of the rain from the storm is spreading up the Hudson Valley and into New England, with tropical storm conditions waning along the coast.

By Saturday morning, most remaining rain from Tropical Storm Fay should move from central and Upstate New York into northern New England. The rain will then move into Canada.

Long Island saw some 3,090 residents without power by 11pm on Friday, according to Newsday. PSEG has said that it is 'closely monitoring' the situation.

The storm is moving almost due northward and will move through the Hudson and Champlain valleys

NEW YORK CITY: Occupy City Hall encampment is flooded from the rains of Tropical Storm Fay

Tents and umbrellas were blown all across the encampment as a result of the harsh winds that were blowing

More carnage from the heavy winds that wreaked havoc on the Occupy City Hall encampment

The area is expected to have at least two inches of rain by Saturday morning. 18 beaches in Nassau County have had advisory warnings until Sunday morning because of the rain.

Both Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio told residents to tie objects down outside their home in a bid to prevent them from becoming projectiles.

While the Big Apple did not experience the worst of the storm, it still had heavy rains that caused various subway stations to flood.

De Blasio is expecting there to still be some heavy rain that continues into early Saturday.

NYC: The summer storm's impact on the city was expected to be 'pretty limited,' but Mayor de Blasio said it would be a bad night for outdoor dining - the only sit-down service allowed at city restaurants because of the pandemic

NYC: A person wearing a mask and a raincoat walks in the rain during Tropical Storm Fay

A New Yorker tries to get to their destination with their groceries while dodging the harsh winds from Tropicla Storm Fay

NEW YORK CITY: A person wearing a mask walks in the rain behind a pile of garbage during Tropical Storm Fay

The summer storm's impact on the city was expected to be 'pretty limited,' but de Blasio said it would be a bad night for outdoor dining - the only sit-down service allowed at city restaurants because of the pandemic.

'If you were going to go out tonight, instead order in and keep helping our restaurant community,' he said.

Showers become increasingly likely in the area after 10am, but temperatures will get hotter than Friday and reach in the mid-80s with humidity. According to the weather service, the daytime high will be topped by the heat index of 96.

NEW JERSEY: A sport utility vehicle moves down a flooded street in Ventnor

NEW JERSEY: Heavy rain from Tropical Storm Fay leaves a flooded street corner in Ventnor

NEW JERSEY: A tractor-trailer plows through standing water on a flooded Sea Isle City street, on New Jersey's Long Beach Island

Movement of the tropical storm as it heads to upstate New York and eventually to Canada

Storms will be possible later on Saturday night, and could last into Sunday morning.

New Jersey was hit especially hard by the storm, as 10,000 were left without power while winds picked up to 73mph, Patch.com reports.

Numerous roads from Hoboken to Ocean City, New Jersey, were closed because of flooding in the area.

In the Philadelphia area, flood watches and warnings remained into effect well after 6pm on Friday as over four inches had already been measured. By the end of day, more than five inches were seen in some areas, beating the record for July 10 rainfall set in 1931 of just 2.99 inches, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Several beaches in Delaware had been temporarily closed because of the storm. And police in Ocean City asked drivers to avoid southern parts of the tourist town because flooding had already made some roads impassable. Some streets in the New Jersey shore towns of Sea Isle City and Wildwood were flooded, according to social media posts. Seaside Heights, New Jersey, reported a sustained wind of 37 mph (60 kph) and New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport reported a wind gust of 45 mph (72 kph), said forecasters.

The shoreline town of Old Saybrook, Connecticut, was preparing to open the local high school as a 2,000-person shelter. In a nod to the coronavirus outbreak, Police Chief Michael Spera they will be handing out masks and will not be sending residents to the gym or other common areas.

NEW JERSEY: Cars move through a partially flooded street as Tropical Storm Fay sweeps across Jersey City

A NYC ferry sails up the East River as a thunderstorm passes over the skyline of midtown Manhattan

NEW YORK: Long Island saw some 3,090 residents without power by 11pm on Friday. 18 beaches in the area were issued advisory warnings

NEW YORK: With an absence of beach goers in rainy weather, lifeguards train in rough surf at Gilgo Beach on July 10, 2020 in Babylon

'They will actually be escorted into individual classrooms,' he said. 'If you take a school and make pretend that its a hotel, well be using individual classrooms like individual hotel rooms.'

He said families will be allowed to stay together in one room. People who indicate they have symptoms that might be associated with the virus will be segregated to a separate area of the school.

New York City braced itself for the storm's impact as rain grew heavier Friday afternoon and weather experts and Mayor Bill de Blasio warned of the potential damage it could cause.

As the weather system edged its way closer to NYC, following a similar path to Hurricane Sandy in 2012, it caused dangerous flooding in New Jersey and prompted the Trump campaign to cancel a rally in New Hampshire.

Millions were forced inside to take shelter and outdoor dining was abandoned as the city activated its Office of Emergency Management.

A person takes shelter in an empty Bryant Park in Manhattan as millions of New Yorkers are forced back inside due to the approaching Tropical Storm Fay. Restaurants face another weekend of no customers as outdoor seating cannot be used

A man in Manhattan tries to control his umbrella from inclement weather brought about by Tropical Storm Fay

A person walks beside a Black Lives Matter mural painted on 5th as tropical storm Fay rolls in on Friday

Pedestrians in New York City as they attempted to travel despite the looming Tropical Storm Fay

Times Square remained empty Friday despite the city's reopening as Tropical Storm Fay drove residents back inside

Warnings remained in places across New Jersey and New York City Friday as Storm Fay slowly moved north

'We have activated our flash flood plan yesterday, which means we've had the Department of Environmental Protection and others out throughout the city clearing the catch basins because we do know that's a concern across the city,' OEM Commissioner Deanne Criswell said at a press briefing Friday, according to the New York Post.

'We do expect that we're going to have some damage to trees because of the winds that are coming in.'

As of 2pm Friday, Fay, the sixth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, was still hurtling toward NYC and expected to make landfall in the coming hours, The Weather Channel reported.

It continued to travel northward at 12mph with its storm center still 200 miles south of NYC.

It was also noted that the U.S. has already reached the storm named 'F' in 2020, two months earlier than they would generally expect a storm of this magnitude to be barreling along the east coast.

Wildwood along the New Jersey coast was experiencing severe flooding on Friday afternoon, as was Ocean City.

New Yorkers hoping to brave the storm where seen sheltering under umbrellas on otherwise empty streets as rain drenched the newly painted Black Lives Matter mural along Fifth Avenue.

Flooding at E 9th Street and West Avenue in Ocean City pic.twitter.com/jz1S73zgBt  Katie Katro (@KatieKatro6abc) July 10, 2020

Pedestrians struggled through the wind and rain in New York on Friday with the worst of the storm yet to come

A woman shields herself from rain and wind with an umbrella as she walks along the Hudson River in front of the skyline of New York City, as Tropical Storm Fay was expected to sweep across the heavily populated northeastern United States

Pedestrians use umbrellas to protect themselves from Tropical Storm Fay as they take the NYC subway on Friday

People take shelter in NYC while waiting for a bus during heavy rain brought about by Tropical Storm Fay Friday

Pedestrians walk in Brooklyn Friday afternoon as rain from Tropical Storm Faye grew heavier

Surfers in Long Island took to eerily quiet beaches to make the most of the winds before the storm worsened.

The storm arrived as the city's residents looked to make the most of their new-found freedom following a strict coronavirus lockdown.

They remain disappointed again as city officials urge them to shelter indoors from the dangerous weather conditions.

'Tonight's not going to be a great night for outdoor dining. Get your furniture and umbrellas and everything in so they don't go flying and create a new kind of danger,' New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Friday.

Flooding at E 9th Street and West Avenue in Ocean City pic.twitter.com/jz1S73zgBt  Katie Katro (@KatieKatro6abc) July 10, 2020

With an absence of beach goers in rainy weather, a person surfs at Gilgo Beach on Friday in Babylon, New York

Surfers in Long Island took to eerily quiet beaches to make the most of the winds before the storm worsened Friday

Cars move down Broadway in New York City during heavy rain brought about by Tropical Storm Fay Friday

Some roads in New Jersey were already cut off by flooding as the storm drew closer (pictured)

Floods hit New Jersey Friday afternoon as the tropical storm swept up the East Coast

Severe flooding had already hit Wildwood along the New Jersey coast on Friday afternoon

There were warnings that Storm Fay could cause severe flooding as it moved closer to New York City on Friday

Tropical Storm Fay (path depicted) is set to batter New York City on Friday, bringing the potential for flash floods and sustained 50mph winds for at least 12 hours as the storm system follows a similar path as Hurricane Sandy in 2012

The rain was predicted to continue through New York state through Saturday as the winds to last up to 12 hours

The hurricane center said the storm will produce between 3 and 5 inches of rain along and near its track, creating the potential for flash flooding where the heaviest rain falls

A flash flood watch was already in place for parts of New Jersey as of Thursday night. The National Weather Service (NWS) said a flash flood watch will be in effect starting Friday morning through Friday evening

According to forecasters, Fay will undergo slight strengthening into Friday before the center moves inland and weakens

Fay's formation Thursday means it is the earliest sixth-named storm on record, according to Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach.

The previous record was Franklin on July 22, 2005, Klotzbach tweeted.

Two named storms formed before the official June 1 start of the hurricane season. None of this season's previous five named storms strengthened into hurricanes.

Meanwhile, forecasters were also keeping an eye on Tropical Storm Cristina, which formed Thursday off Mexico's western coast and was forecast to grow into the first hurricane of the eastern Pacific season by Friday morning.
Danilov stressed there are no problems with water for the Crimean population.

Secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Oleksiy Danilov has said Ukraine will resume water supplies to Crimea only after the peninsula returns to its control.

Read alsoUkraine's senior official reiterates gov't stance on resuming water supplies to Crimea

"Until Crimea is not Ukrainian, I believe we have no moral right to supply water for the occupiers so that they could develop their armed forces there. Today the population of Crimea is provided with drinking water by 100%," he said during a TV panel show Pravo na Vladu [Right to Power] on Thursday.

Danilov stressed there are no problems with water for the Crimean population.

"The fact that there is no water for industry is another question. The position is quite simple  when the Ukrainian industry is there, when Ukraine is there, the Ukrainian water will certainly be there," he added.

UNIAN memo. After Russia illegally annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014, Ukraine severed freshwater supplies from the Dnipro River that earlier flew via the North Crimean Canal.
It's been 25 years since the slaughter of men and boys in the eastern Bosnian town of Srebrenica, but every year more bodies are found and reburied, and every year the survivors  mostly women  return to commemorate their fathers and brothers, husbands and sons. At least 8,000 men and boys were chased through woods in and around Srebrenica by Serb troops in what is considered the worst carnage of civilians in Europe since World War II. The slaughter has been confirmed as an act of genocide. We revisit the horrors of the Bosnian Genocide which left many teary-eyed...A UN truck convoy carrying people from the besieged Bosnian town made its way to Tuzla. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, File)
A 36-year-old Toronto police officer has been charged with fraud.

In a news release issued Thursday afternoon, police said that someone under the care of the Public Guardian and Trustee passed away.

An officer came forward with a fraudulent will, police say, and swore and filed a false affidavit with the courts, supporting his claim that he was the beneficiary of the will.

A senior client representative at the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee worked on the file and facilitated the fraud, police allege.

In 2018, the officer received more than $800,000 in payments, police said. The next year, the officer swore and filed a false affidavit during an unrelated family court proceeding.

Const. Robert Konashewych, 36, of Niagara, was arrested on July 9. He has been charged with two counts of fraud over $5,000, breach of trust, and obstructing justice.

Konashewych is a 12-year veteran of the force, according to the release.

Adellene Karla Balgobin, 35, of Toronto, was also arrested and charged on July 9. She has been charged with two counts of fraud over $5,000 and breach of trust.

Theyre both scheduled to appear at Old City Hall on Aug. 6, 2020.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-2800, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, online on their Facebook Leave a Tip page, or text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637).
For Iraq, the murder of a well-known scholar in Baghdad is a tragedy that stands out from an abundance of adversity. For Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, it is also a leadership test - and just possibly, a political opportunity.

The scholar, Husham al-Hashimi, was shot dead on Monday night by gunmen on motorcycles. He was an expert on the Islamic State and al-Qaida and had advised the government on terrorism and extremist groups. In the past year, he had been focusing more on the Shiite militias, many of them backed by Iran, that permeate Iraqi security and political structures.

His trenchant criticism earned him their hatred: His friends say Hashimi received death threats from these groups. And his killing fits a pattern of assassinations. Although nobody has as yet claimed responsibility, the militias must be prime suspects.

Prime Minister Kadhimi has promised to bring the killers to justice. The militias represent the greatest threat to social and political order in Iraq. His predecessors have tried, with varying degrees of enthusiasm, to bring them to heel. None of them got very far. Kadhimi might, if he can take advantage of a series of fortunate circumstances - in addition to the unfortunate one of Hashimi's murder.

Kadhimi's background makes him uniquely qualified for the task. As a former head of Iraqi intelligence, he knows more about the militias than the average politician. His previous job required him to develop relationships in Washington - or more accurately, with the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency - and in Tehran.

Another crucial element in place is Kadhimi's choice to lead counterterrorism operations: He has reinstated Lt. Gen. Abdul Wahab al-Saadi, who was demoted last year by former Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, apparently under pressure from Iran.

Kadhimi could also benefit from Tehran's travails. Caught between American sanctions and a resurgent Covid-19 outbreak, Iran is reportedly struggling to support its Iraqi proxies. Monthly payments to the Shiite groups have been slashed - consolation gifts of silver rings have been poorly received.

Iran has not been able to compensate for the loss of its chief puppet-master, Qasem Soleimani, and his Iraqi cats-paw, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who were killed in an American drone strike at the start of the year. Soleimani's successor, Esmail Ghaani, has struggled to control the militias, who have not been able to rally around a Muhandis-like local leader.

Since becoming prime minister in May, Kadhimi has tried fitfully to rein in some of the militias. He ordered raids against prominent groups like Kataib Hezbollah, but those arrested have quickly been released. He has warned groups to end rocket attacks on U.S. targets, but these have continued.

What Kadhimi has lacked is the full backing of parliament, where many Shiite politicians take their orders from Tehran, and from ordinary Iraqis. Although he has promised to address the grievances of the young protesters whose "October Revolution" brought down his predecessor, they view him with suspicion as a creature of the discredited political establishment.

To take on the militias and their Iranian masters, Kadhimi will need more support from Iraqis of all stripes and from the international community. In the hands of a skillful politician, Hashimi's murder could serve this cause. The scholar had been popular with the protesters, who have faced the bullets and truncheons of the militias. Although the October revolutionaries have lost some steam since the early spring - thanks to the pandemic and the withdrawal of support from a radical Shiite cleric-politician - the murder could galvanize them.

The United Nations, European Union, the United Kingdom and other international representatives have condemned the killing. (Even the Islamic Republic felt obliged to summon some faux dismay.) Kadhimi must now ask for actions to follow words: greater military and intelligence support for Iraq, and diplomatic pressure on Iran.

Kadhimi could fail. Tehran retains substantial influence in Baghdad and the will to use it. Even allowing for Iran's reduced support, the militias are capable of bloodying the nose of any force Kadhimi might muster against them. The Iraqi economy has been devastated by low oil prices and the pandemic. And Kadhimi has yet to demonstrate the political adroitness required to turn a tragedy into an opportunity.

Now would be a good moment to start.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Bobby Ghosh is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He writes on foreign affairs, with a special focus on the Middle East and the wider Islamic world.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion

2020 Bloomberg L.P.
A female school teacher has been arrested over the alleged sexual assault of a 14-year-old student.

The 23-year-old woman was arrested at a Greenacre home, in western Sydney, at 7am on Friday.

Police had launched an investigation earlier this week into allegations a teenage student had been sexually assaulted.

The teacher was taken to Bankstown Police Station where she is expected to be charged

They seized a vehicle and electronic device from the home following the arrest.

The teacher was taken to Bankstown Police Station where she is expected to be charged.

The NSW Department of Education said in a statement it was aware of an alleged incident involving a staff member.

'The safety and wellbeing of students is the number one priority of the department.

'The department is aware of an alleged incident involving an employee.

'As police are investigating this matter, it is not appropriate for us to comment at this time.'
Dermot Whelan pleaded guilty and was jailed for 18 months

A pensioner who was caught in possession of hundreds of images of child pornography after sending illicit material to an undercover FBI agent has been jailed for 18 months.

Dermot Whelan (67), of The Crescent, Belgard Heights, Tallaght, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of child pornography on two computer devices at his address on July 21, 2014.

Whelan also pleaded guilty to knowingly distributing child pornography at his address on an unknown date. He has no previous convictions.

Judge Elma Sheahan said the offences were very serious because they involved "the creation of a market for the abuse of children".

She said the court must keep on notice "the unspeakable degradation committed on young children so that someone such as the accused can seek sexual gratification".

The judge said she accepted that Whelan has been a carer for his wife and son in recent years.

Abuse

But she added that the court struggled to understand how a man in his sixties could engage in offending that has at its origin the abuse of children.

Judge Sheahan sentenced Whelan to three years imprisonment, but suspended the final 18 months on strict conditions including that he follow all directions of the Probation Service for two years post-release.

At an earlier sentencing hearing, Detective Garda Trevor Scanlon said the case originated with a member of the FBI.

He said that in 2012, the FBI agent placed an advertisement designed to appeal to people interested in child pornography.

The agent received a response from an email address which sent them 25 images of child pornography.

The FBI agent contacted Yahoo which determined that the email address was in Ireland.

Gardai obtained a search warrant for the Whelan's address and seized a number of electronic devices.

Three explicit child pornography videos were discovered on a laptop as well as 53 explicit images of child pornography and 182 child exposure images.

Further images of child pornography were discovered on a desktop computer.
The government has been called upon to urgently ensure that health workers are provided with adequate PPEs to protect them from contracting the COVID-19 which is spreading across the country.

This clarion call is coming from the Health Sector Unions who are seeking to protect the lives of its frontline members on duty.

have called on the government to ensure the regular provision of adequate PPE to all health workers to curb the rate of infection among its members.

Government, they said, must also re-define its classification of Front Line Health Workers to include all health workers; ensure strict enforcement of all COVID-19 safety protocols without fear or favour.

The Unions also called on the government to expand COVID-19 testing centers and their capacities throughout the country together with readily available test kits to prevent undue delays in obtaining the results as well as establish Functional Infection, Prevention, and Control (Safety) Committees in all health facilities.

According to the Unions, the rising infection rates among health workers in the country has a grave tendency of stifling the efforts to curtail the spread of the virus.

Dr Frank Ankobea, the President of Ghana Medical Association (GMA), made the call at a joint Health Sector Unions' press conference in Accra on Thursday.

The Health Sector Unions are GMA, Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Health Sector Workers' Union (HSWU), and Government and Hospital Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA).

Dr Ankobea said as at June 30, over 770 health workers had contracted the virus in line of duty with a total of nine deaths.

"A large number of health workers are also currently in isolation awaiting their test results after having been exposed to the virus at their places of work.

"Data gathered so far indicates that 190 members of GMA (Doctors and Dentists) have contracted the virus with four unfortunate deaths. 410 members of the GRNMA and its Allies Associations (Nurses and Midwives) have contracted the virus with one death.

"159 members of the HSWU have contracted the virus with three deaths while 23 members of GHOSPA have also contracted the virus with one unfortunate death," he added.

He said the rising infection rate among health workers is a matter of grave concern because it negatively affects staffing levels and results in mounting work pressure on the few health workers at post.

"If this trend persists, there would virtually be just a few health workers available to attend to patients even as COVID-19 cases in Ghana keeps rising.

Dr Ankobea said: "The major causes of this unacceptably high rate of infections among health workers could be attributed to inadequate and erratic supply of PPE to health workers both in quantity and quality.

Others include general breakdown or non-adherence to infection prevention and control protocols in most facilities together with shortages or complete lack of disinfecting agents in some facilities.

"Also, non-disclosure or concealment of information from health workers by facility managers when colleagues test positive for COVID-19 at the work place and delays in receipt of test results for patients being managed on wards resulting in increased exposure of health personnel to the virus," he added.

Dr Ankobea also mentioned the breakdown or inadequate contract tracing within facilities; lack of designated holding bays for suspected cases in some facilities; delay in closure of wards or wards for disinfection after exposure to COVID-19 patients, and apparent disregard of the safety protocols by some health workers and patients who visit health facilities as major causes.

Mrs Perpetual Ofori -Ampofo, the President of GRNMA, reiterated the need for government to re-visit its definition of Front Line Health Workers and bring it down to cover all health facilities.

She said those health workers who contracted the virus were not those at the treatment centers, rather those who are not classified under "Front line Health workers".

Mrs. Ofori-Ampofo urged the public to take the safety protocols seriously to help curtail the spread of the virus and save lives.

"We all have a responsibility, we all have a role to play if we are to return to normal," she said, adding that "we are all in this together....we are all stakeholders, so let's work together to help curb the spread of COVID-19".

Mr. Reynolds O. Tenkorang, the General Secretary of HSWU, said those doing the treatment are well protected leaving the orderly and hospital securities and other health workers who meet patients first before they are prepared for treatment.

Touching on education, he said the effort was inadequate and advocated the use of information vans to show evidence of those who are suffering and are dying from the virus to change peoples' mindset.

Mr. Nathan Coompson, Chairman of GHOSPA, said: "As a nation and as people, we are becoming complacent. COVID-19 is real and we must ensure that we all adheres to the safety protocols".

---GNA
McClinton said two of her children worked at the Fish Market as teenagers. She likes the Giovannoni family personally. But she said customers have long known that Rick Giovannoni makes racist comments, which they often brushed off. Once, in the early 2000s, she said, he used the n-word when he was talking to her, then told her that he was only joking when she objected. She boycotted the restaurant for six years after that, until friends persuaded her to return.
Ghislaine Maxwells lawyers argued Friday that the alleged former madam of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein has been unfairly blamed for Epsteins sex crimes and should be released on bail to avoid catching COVID-19.

Ghislaine Maxwell is not Jeffrey Epstein, her lawyers wrote.

Further, they wrote that the COVID-19 pandemic represents an unprecedented health risk to incarcerated individuals, and argued that both Maxwells health and her ability to receive a fair defense would be at risk due to the spread of COVID-19 in federal prisons and the restrictions placed on contact between lawyers and their clients because of it.

Maxwells lawyers focused on rulings by the same federal judge, Alison Nathan, who is presiding over Maxwells case in the Southern District of New York in which she had granted defendants bail because of COVID-19 concerns.

They know their audience well, said David Weinstein, a formal federal prosecutor.

Maxwell was arrested last week on four charges of sex trafficking of a minor and two charges of perjury. Federal prosecutors allege that she recruited and groomed three girls between 1994 and 1997 to be sexually abused by Epstein and took part in the abuse herself in one of the instances.

Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epsteins alleged procurer of young women, was arrested July 2 in New Hampshire.

Maxwells presence as an adult woman helped put the victims at ease as Maxwell and Epstein intended, said Audrey Strauss, the acting U.S. attorney, in announcing the charges against Maxwell at a Thursday news conference.

Maxwell has been accused by Epsteins victims of recruiting them for sexual exploitation by Epstein when they were girls, sometimes participating in sex acts along with the multimillionaire. He faced charges for the alleged abuse more than a decade ago but was given an exceptionally lenient sentence that received renewed scrutiny after the Miami Heralds 2018 Perversion of Justice series.

In the wake of the series, then-U.S. Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, who had been the U.S. Attorney for Southern Florida that signed off on Epsteins lenient sentence, resigned from the Trump administration. The resignation came after federal prosecutors brought new charges against Epstein last July after returning their attention to Epsteins alleged crimes.

Story continues

Epstein was found dead in a federal prison last August, a month after the charges, one day after documents were unsealed in a federal lawsuit providing greater detail about Maxwells alleged role in his abuse of girls. Federal officials have reportedly been concerned that Maxwell might also pose a risk of suicide and removed her clothes and bedsheets and forced her to wear paper attire, according to The Associated Press.

A filing last week by federal prosecutors arguing that Maxwell should be denied bail painted a portrait of Maxwells attempts to evade the spotlight in the past year, since Epstein was arrested on federal charges, and her considerable wealth.

Maxwell frequently moved large sums of money between 15 bank accounts over the past several years. She holds passports for three countries and moved a number of times within the United States in that time period before ultimately moving to a remote New Hampshire estate, purchased with cash through a shell company in December, where Maxwell was ultimately arrested last week. Maxwell frequently used a pseudonym when receiving packages and toured the New Hampshire home before it was purchased using an alias.

The 156-acre estate where Ghislaine Maxwell was arrested in Bradford, N.H.

But rather than evading authorities, Maxwells lawyers argue that she was simply seeking to avoid the spotlight and had been in regular contact with the government through her lawyers during that time period. They argue that Maxwell has strong ties to the United States, where she has lived for nearly 30 years, and that her wealth and multiple passports dont automatically maker her a flight risk because that would require that every defendant with multiple citizenship and financial means be denied bail, which is simply not the law.

Maxwells lawyers propose that she be released on $5 million bail secured by a $3.75 million property in the United Kingdom. They propose that she be confined to a New York home with electronic GPS monitoring, with contact limited to close friends, family and her lawyers and her travel restricted within New York.

Weinstein, the former federal prosecutor, said he thought the bail proposal presented by Maxwells lawyers had a shot of swaying the judge, but that he thought their proposal was too low.

I believe that she has at least a now 50-60% chance of getting bond, but perhaps supported by a dollar amount much higher than the $5 million her lawyers have suggested and secured by property in the U.S.

Spencer Kuvin, a lawyer who represents several alleged victims, said it would be completely absurd for Maxwell to be granted bail.

She has unlimited resources and three separate passports, Kuvin said. She is charged with heinous crimes for over 20 years. She deserves to be put behind bars forever.

Federal prosecutors will have until Monday afternoon to respond to the filing and Maxwell will then be arraigned and face a remote hearing on her bail request Tuesday in New York.
New Delhi:

Backing Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharifs praise for Burhan Wani at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Pakistan former president and former Army Chief General Parvez Musharraf on Thursday called slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander a young leader. He said this while speaking to News Nation in an exclusive interview.

"I was in the army and I well understand who can be called a leader ", he said when asked whether a person carrying AK-47 is seen as a leader in Pakistan.

When asked about the ongoing unrest in Balochistan, Sindh and PoK, Musharraf tried to turn the focus of his reply by referring to Kashmir Burhan Wani.

ALSO READ | Masood Azhar is a 'terrorist', Pervez Musharraf tells News Nation



Musharraf called Masood Azhar a 'terrorist' and said that he has been involved in blasts even in Pakistan. However, he refused to give a clear reply as to why Pakistan has not been asking China to get Masood declared as an International terrorist.

Why should China be involved when it has nothing to do with him," he said. It may be recalled that China had been blocking India's move to brand Masood Azhar as a terrorist. He blamed the Nawaz Sharif government for Pakistans global isolation, saying it lacked aggression.

On the September 29 'surgical strike' across the LoC by the Indian Army and military might of India he said, Pakistan is a nuke power with a strong army which cant be bullied.



On the latest arrest of espionage by staffer of the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi on Thursday, he said, "I am not aware of it ", but soon added, "If at all has happened, shouldn't be encouraged ".



When asked how many terror camps are there in PoK, he said I don't know ", however, he sarcastically added, "I will let you know only once I get the count of these camps which you are talking about".

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Avinyan and Executive Director of Caucasus Nature Fund George Giacomini today signed a grant contract aimed at assisting Armenia during the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the contract, the Caucasus Nature Fund, in addition to the assistance provided to protected areas in Armenia, will provide another EUR 500,000 as budget support to the Government of Armenia. The grant will mainly be geared towards funding for Dilijan National Park, Lake Arpi National Park, Khosrov Forest State Reserve and Zangezur Biosphere Complex SNCOs.

Caucasus Nature Fund (CNF) has been providing assistance to specially protected nature areas and co-financing the current expenditures in protected areas in Armenia for over a decade. In the past ten years, the Fund has provided more than EUR 5,000,000 in assistance to Armenia.
BALTIMORE, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- World Relief , a global Christian humanitarian organization that serves refugees and other displaced people, and Open Doors USA , an international religious freedom watchdog group, published a joint report revealing a surprising 90% reduction since 2015 in the number of Christians resettled from countries where the church faces persecution. Resettlement for other religious minorities -- Jewish refugees from Iran, Yezidi refugees from Iraq, Muslim refugees from Burma and others -- are all also on track to end 2020 down more than 90% from 2015.

The report drew responses from leaders within the largest streams of American Christianity, including from the National Association of Evangelicals, the Southern Baptist Convention and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, institutions which represent more than 90,000 congregations in the United States.

"As Christians, we're concerned about the wellbeing of all people who have faced persecution, including the many who are persecuted for their Christian faith," said Scott Arbeiter, president of World Relief. "While we can and should do all we can to advance religious liberty abroad, we must also continue to offer refuge to those who have felt they had no choice but to flee. We must not close our nation's doors on the persecuted."

These saddening numbers are the consequence of major changes to our nation's historical approach to refugee resettlement. Last November, the refugee cap was reduced to 18,000  the lowest level in U.S. history. Of these slots, 5,000 are reserved for those whose designation as a refugee is based on their religious tradition.

Data from prior years demonstrates that these policy changes do not result from a lack of administrative capacity. In 2015, the U.S. admitted more than 18,000 Christians from the 50 countries on the Open Doors USA 2020 World Watch List for the persecution of Christians. Midway through this year, we have admitted fewer than 950.

"The global reality is that more people than ever before are facing discrimination, violence, and even death because of their choice to practice their faith. Religious persecution is not an isolated problem: it overlaps with an array of issues that together impact Christians," said Open Doors USA CEO David Curry.

The report also draws attention to the harm that new proposed asylum regulations would have on the ability for persecuted Christians and others persecuted for their faith to receive asylum in the U.S.

"Our intent is to recognize, prevent, and address these issues by engaging on each point at which religious minorities are suffering. We're glad to partner with World Relief in calling on people of faith in the U.S. to support and advocate for their brothers and sisters in every country so that we do not see their suffering magnified in our own backyard," Curry said.

"In their shocking report 'Closed Doors: Persecuted Christians and the U.S. Refugee Resettlement and Asylum Processes,' World Relief and Open Doors USA document the tragic persecution of Christians whose only crime is belief in Jesus," said Walter Kim, president of the National Association of Evangelicals. "Even more shocking is the revelation that the United States, long a beacon of hope for those fleeing religious persecution, has closed its doors to virtually everyone seeking our protection, including persecuted Christians. We must change this policy and remain a leader for religious freedom."

"We are living in what St. John Paul II called a 'new age of martyrdom', where many worldwide face persecution for their faith," said Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville, auxiliary bishop of Washington and Chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Migration. "As this report documents, there are dramatic decreases in the ability of those fleeing for their lives to access protection. I pray our nation will reverse course and once again stand with refugees and asylum seekers, including those escaping religious persecution. Catholic and evangelical leaders have formally asked the Administration to consider refugees fleeing persecution at this time."

Dr. Russell Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation's largest Protestant denomination, added: "As Christians, we recognize the pain of persecuted people fleeing for their lives. From our ancestors in Egypt to our Lord Jesus himself to many of our brothers and sisters around the world right now, this is part of our story. And as Americans, we recognize our country's history of providing a safe harbor for those yearning to breathe free. In recent years, changes in our country's refugee policies have had negative consequences for many looking to the United States for help. This report details how these matters affect persecuted Christians, and other religious minorities, in need of our aid. We should pay careful attention to these findings. As Americans, we should live up to our history. And, as the church, we should recommit ourselves to ministering to all of those in our communities, and around the world, who are fearful for their very lives."

The report encourages American Christians to both pray and advocate for those persecuted for their faith. They echo calls from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom to restore the level of refugee resettlement to the historical norm of 95,000 refugees per year. They also invite Christians to voice concerns about proposed new asylum regulations that, if finalized after the completion of a 30-day public comment period that ends on July 15, 2020, would significantly restrict asylum eligibility for persecuted Christians and others.

For more information about the report, please visit OpenDoorsUSA.org/ClosedDoorsReport.

About World Relief:

World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization that seeks to overcome violence, poverty and injustice. Through love in action, we bring hope, healing and restoration to millions of the world's most vulnerable women, men and children through vital and sustainable programs in disaster response, health and child development, economic development and peacebuilding, as well as refugee and immigration services in the U.S. For 75 years, we've partnered with churches and communities, currently across more than 20 countries, to provide relief from suffering and help people rebuild their lives.

Learn more at worldrelief.org .

About Open Doors USA:

For more than 60 years, Open Doors USA has worked in the world's most oppressive and restrictive countries for Christians. Open Doors works to equip and encourage Christians living in dangerous circumstances with the threat of persecution and equips the Western church to advocate for the persecuted. Christians are one of the most persecuted religious groups in the world and are oppressed in at least 60 countries.

For more information, visit OpenDoorsUSA.org .

SOURCE World Relief
FILE PHOTO: A SAS Airbus A320 airplane takes off from the airport in Palma de Mallorca

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Airline SAS <SAS.ST> said on Friday it had cancelled noteholders meetings on proposed bond conversions and new hybrid notes, part of a recently announced recapitalisation plan, as it did not expect the proposals to be approved.

The meetings had been scheduled for July 17.

"SAS has concluded that the majority required for the respective conversions cannot be expected to be obtained," it said in a statement.

SAS said it would seek to enter into discussions with representatives of the holders of the bonds and the existing hybrid notes in order to find a solution.

Sweden's and Denmark's planned capital injections into SAS are conditioned by the burden sharing measures.

(Reporting by Anna Ringstrom; editing by Niklas Pollard)
John Roberts had been chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court for seven years in October 2012 when nearly 5,000 students, faculty and guests packed Rice Universitys campus field house to watch President David Leebron interview his old employee on stage. Behind the curtain, professor Paul Brace and a couple of colleagues furiously sorted questions from the audience into two piles.

There were questions he was likely to answer and others he wasnt, Brace, the Clarence L. Carter professor of political science, told me this week. If you think hes going to tell you his thoughts on abortion in a public setting, well, hes never going to do that. But what I do remember is that the questions appeared split down the middle between people who were furious over Citizens United and those on the right who had been shocked by his decision a few months earlier upholding the Affordable Care Act.

Nearly eight years later, Roberts is still getting it from both barrels and both sides. In an increasingly polarized nation, Americans who dont fall neatly into just one of two piles  right or left, Democrat or Republican  are suspect, and sometimes roundly vilified. No exception for the nations top jurist, whose emergence in the past couple of years as a surprising swing vote has simultaneously deepened his influence and many conservatives contempt of him.

A string of decisions in the just-expired term have left little doubt that 65-year-old Roberts is the most-watched justice on the high court  and also the least understood.

What leads a deeply religious conservative appointed by George W. Bush to join four left-leaning justices three times in a month to dash the hopes of his fellow brethren of the Right? First Roberts defected on gay rights in Bostock v Clayton County, Ga. , then by rejecting President Donald Trumps clumsy attempt to rescind DACA protections for Dreamers in DHS v Regents of the University of California; and finally on abortion in June Medical Services v Russo. Conservatives pounced each time. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee called on Roberts to resign and tweeted: John G. Roberts Jr. has stabbed the American people in the back more than Norman Bates and swings more than Hugh Hefner in his heyday.

These deviant swings first drew attention and ire in 2012 when Roberts came to Obamacares rescue. Three years later, he cast the decisive vote to uphold the controversial health care law once again in the face of furious attacks by conservatives. That time, he was denounced by Texas presidential contender, Sen. Ted Cruz. Robed Houdinis, Cruz called the justices during a blistering 12-minute Senate speech the day of the decision.

We might as well call it SCOTUScare, Justice Antonin Scalia seethed in his dissent.

Excellence, not conformity, seemed Roberts plan early on. He grew up in a small town in Indiana. Upon applying to a tiny but exclusive new boarding school, he told faculty he wasnt settling for merely a good education but the best so that he could attend the best university and land the very best job. He was admitted, and went on to spend seven years at Harvard  first as a not particularly political undergraduate and then as a law student, where Leebron, the future Rice president, tapped him as managing editor of the Harvard Law Review.

For all his brilliance as a lawyer, his clear thinking and deft writing, Roberts hasnt always had a golden touch. His dissent to the 2015 gay marriage ruling was as hyperbolic as anything the fiery Scalia was known for. The Court invalidates the marriage laws of more than half the states and orders the transformation of a social institution that has formed the basis of human society for millennia, for the Kalahari Bushmen and the Han Chinese, the Carthaginians and the Aztecs. Just who do we think we are?

And in the Shelby County v Holder, the 2013 case by Roberts that gutted the Voting Rights Act, he naively assumed that conditions had so improved in states with long records of harsh racist voter suppression that they no longer needed court supervision. Texas redistricting architects showed how wrong he was.

Still, Roberts has also revealed surprising wisdom and empathy, once telling his sons ninth-grade class that he wished them bad luck, rather than good: I hope that you will be treated unfairly, so that you will come to know the value of justice. I hope that you will suffer betrayal, because that will teach you the importance of loyalty.

Loyalty. Thats the last concept conservatives are connecting to Roberts this summer, given the string of decisions he made as his 15th term leading the court came to a close. Naturally, liberals were relieved, embracing the same sense that Roberts had turned his back on his home team and joined theirs.

Not so fast.

Even his most satisfying decisions in favor of liberal causes are sometimes subtler than his newfound fans appreciate. Take Bostock, the landmark gay rights decision he joined and assigned to Justice Neil Gorsuch to write last month. It held that the Civil Rights Act of 1964s bar on discrimination based on gender also forbids discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation.

By rooting the decision in statutory interpretation, Roberts and Gorsuch surrendered no ground in what almost everyone assumes will be the next big scrum over gay rights: whether the Constitutions First Amendment religious freedom protections supersede anti-discrimination tenets derived from the Equal Protection Clause and other sources of law. Thats the fight conservatives really want to win, and judging by Roberts and Gorsuchs support this summer for religious freedom in two other cases regarding private schools, they remain strong allies.

Roberts decision to be the necessary fifth vote when the court struck down Louisianas abortion restrictions in June Medical Services, especially shocked conservatives such as Huckabee because just four years ago Roberts had argued the majority had it all wrong when it struck down a nearly identical set of laws in Texas.

Roberts explained his vote in the Louisiana case, making it clear he hadnt wavered on the legal questions at all  or become more liberal. The legal doctrine of stare decisis requires us, absent special circumstances, to treat like cases alike, Roberts wrote in a concurring opinion. The Louisiana law imposes a burden on access to abortion just as severe as that imposed by the Texas law, and for the same reasons. Therefore Louisianas law cannot stand under our precedents.

That Roberts failed the predictability test was, well, predictable.

At his Senate confirmation hearings in 2005, Roberts was asked repeatedly about his views on stare decisis: An overruling of a prior precedent is a jolt to the legal system, Roberts told Sen. Arlen Specter. It is inconsistent with principles of stability.

These days, says Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the University of California at Berkeley law school, Roberts looks like a chief justice worried about the Trump administrations continued assaults on the rule of law and on the independent judiciary. Case in point: Trumps 2018 condemnation of an Obama judge who ruled against him earned a rare rebuke from Roberts: We dont have Obama judges or Trump judges.

Thats all about protecting the courts flank, Chemerinksy said. Roberts is someone who decides the cases the way he sees them and he cares a lot about how the court is perceived, he said.

To Harvard legal historian Michael Klarman, Roberts may be preparing for an increasingly likely Democratic sweep in November and some Democrats have talked of adding seats to the court to dilute the influence of Trumps appointees. The chief justice knows many Democrats are aching for a fight with the court and he is determined to give them less ammunition to fight with, Klarman says.

Signals that Roberts is wary of allowing the court to bend too abruptly to changing political winds have been obvious for years. As he explained in upholding Obamacare in 2012: In a democracy, the power to make the law rests with those chosen by the people, he wrote. Our role is more confined  to say what the law is. That is easier in some cases than in others. But in every case we must respect the role of the Legislature, and take care not to undo what it has done.

States led by Texas had sued to strike down Obamacare, arguing that its plain language limited insurance subsidies to states that created health insurance exchanges. They were right on language, Roberts concluded, but wrong on intent. Congress passed the Affordable Care Act to improve health insurance markets, not to destroy them, Roberts wrote. If at all possible, we must interpret the Act in a way that is consistent with the former, and avoids the latter.

This enraged ACA critics who had felt certain that after hundreds of failed attempts to overturn the law theyd finally found a loophole to kill Obamas signature accomplishment.

Those kinds of rulings  modest at their core yet shocking in impact  are part of Roberts legacy. He knows this era will be known as the Roberts Court. He wants the courts legitimacy to be sustained, says Brace, the Rice professor. And for it to be sustained the court has to act as if it is above the political fray.

Alexander Hamilton wrote in Federalist Paper 78 that the judiciary is the least dangerous of the three branches of Americas new government.

The judiciary has no influence over either the sword or the purse; no direction either of the strength or of the wealth of the society; and can take no active resolution whatever, Hamilton wrote. It may truly be said to have neither force nor will, but merely judgment.

Hamilton failed to predict just how much power there can be in mere judgment. But what he knew, so knows the chief justice: The courts power, entirely dependent on the respect the public affords it, may not last forever.

What partisans miss is that, for Roberts, preserving the peoples trust in the court is a solemn obligation that trumps adherence to any particular jurisprudence.

In laymans terms, thats called integrity. More than an admirable notion, its an existential imperative. Given Americans flailing faith in U.S. institutions, our relatively intact trust in the U.S. Supreme Court isnt something this country can afford to lose.

Roberts gets this. Hes not on your side, or mine. In a way, that makes him on everyones. The Republic is better for it.

Lindenberger is deputy opinion editor and a member of the editorial board. Email him at michael.lindenberger@chron.com or connect on Twitter @lindenberger.
[July 10, 2020] The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz Announces Investigation of NovaGold Resources Inc. (NG) on Behalf of Investors

The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz announces an investigation on behalf of NovaGold Resources Inc. ("NovaGold" or the "Company") (NYSE American: NG) investors concerning the Company and its officers' possible violations of federal securities laws. If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate. On May 28, 2020, J. Capital Research or ("J. Capital") published a report claiming that "NovaGold'smanagement team has systematically misled investors" about the Company's Donlin gold-mining project, "a deposit so remote and technologically challenging that the mine will never be built." J. Capital criticized NovaGold for using "custom metrics designed to deceive," which included, among other representations, that "the deposit will require $6.7 bln in capital, [when] the feasibility study clearly shows this number is $8 bln." J. Capital also contended that "[t]he proposed natural gas pipeline central to powering the project is dead on arrival," quoting an engineer who worked on costing the pipeline as stating that he "doesn't know of any engineering company that has the experience to build such a complex pipeline."



On this news, the Company's share price fell $0.94 per share, or over 8%, to close at $9.71 per share on May 28, 2020, thereby injuring investors. Follow us for updates on Twitter (News - Alert): twitter.com/FRC_LAW.

If you purchased NovaGold securities, have information or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Frank R. Cruz, of The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz, 1999 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 1100, Los Angeles, California 90067 at 310-914-5007, by email to [email protected], or visit our website at www.frankcruzlaw.com. If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200710005485/en/

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DENVER  Two Colorado police officers fired for a photo reenacting a chokehold used on a Black man arrested last year appealed their terminations, officials said Thursday.

Officers Kyle Dittrich and Erica Marrero were fired last week after Aurora police released a photo showing them and a third officer smiling as they reenacted the chokehold their colleagues used on Elijah McClain, who died after police stopped him as he walked down the street in the Denver suburb of Aurora. The third officer, Jaron Jones, resigned.

The appeals were filed July 8 with the Aurora Civil Service Commission and the next step is for the commission to schedule hearing dates.

Upon hearing the case with a fresh presentation of all evidence, the commission will rule on whether to uphold the chiefs disciplinary decision or reduce it, city spokesperson Michael Bryant said in an email to The Associated Press.

McClains death drew new attention following nationwide protests over police brutality and racial injustice. Facing increasing pressure, Democratic Gov. Jared Polis told the state attorney general to reopen the case in June after prosecutors last year declined to charge the three white officers who confronted McClain.

Aurora Interim Police Chief Vanessa Wilson launched an investigation into two photos taken by the officers after another officer reported that they were taken near where the 23-year-old was stopped  a site thats now a memorial.

Jason Rosenblatt, one of the officers who arrested McClain in August, received the photo and responded by text with Haha, and was fired along with Dittrich and Marrero for conduct unbecoming of an officer.

Wilson called the photos a crime against humanity and decency.

Officers stopped McClain, a massage therapist, after a 911 call on Aug. 24, 2019, reported him as suspicious because he was wearing a ski mask and flailing his arms. Police said they had a right to stop him because he was being suspicious. He begged them repeatedly to let go of him, according to body-camera video.

Police placed him in a chokehold that cuts off blood to the brain, and paramedics administered 500 milligrams of a sedative to calm him down. He suffered cardiac arrest, was later declared brain dead and taken off life support.

___

Nieberg is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues.
GREENWICH  Officers were engaged in another vehicle chase this week, one of a handful of pursuits involving stolen cars that have kept the Greenwich Police Department busy in recent months.

The latest pursuit involved a stolen Honda that entered the Byram section of town from Mill Street around 8:15 a.m. Wednesday, according to police Lt. Mark Zuccerella. Officers engaged in a brief pursuit before breaking off the chase, out of safety concerns, he said.

The stolen Honda and its driver was later apprehended in northern Westchester County, N.Y., Zuccerella said. The driver was apprehended after a pursuit by law enforcement authorities in the area of Somers, N.Y. No more information was available on that case.

In addition, three teens were caught in a stolen car in Rowayton early Friday morning, according to Norwalk police. A 17-year-old from Bridgeport, as well as a 17-year-old and a 15-year-old from Norwalk, were found standing around a Jeep Cherokee on Pine Point Road around 5 a.m. Friday. The car had been stolen from Greenwich overnight, according to Norwalk police spokesperson Lt. Jared Zwickler.

Greenwich police have been involved in other investigations with stolen cars recently. Last weekend, an Alfa Romeo stolen from the Belle Haven neighborhood was involved in a chase with New York State troopers along the border of New York and Connecticut. Gunfire was directed at the troopers, and a shell casing was found near I-95s Exit 2 on the Delavan Avenue ramp, police said. The car was later recovered in Stratford.

Zuccerella noted that law enforcement is facing a number of challenges in minimizing the number of stolen cars and pursuits. Many of the thieves involved in the thefts are juveniles, under the age of 18, he said.

The legislators have changed the laws in Connecticut that makes the prosecution of these suspects difficult. ... If caught, they are returned home. The likelihood of them being held accountable, due to the changes in juvenile law, is minimal. he said.

In addition, police officers are discouraged from pursuing stolen cars unless there is an overriding threat to safety, or the vehicle occupants committed an act of violence, he said.

Property crimes alone do not necessitate police to initiate a pursuit.

More than 50 cars have been stolen from Greenwich this year. Police have been urging car owners for years to take simple steps  locking cars and taking out starting devices  to prevent thefts and other crimes.

rmarchant@greenwichtime.com
Russian firefighters have been seeding clouds to bring down rain over wildfires raging in Siberia, the authorities said on Friday.

The Russian forestry agency said active work was underway to battle 158 forest fires covering 46,261 hectares as of Friday.

They claim their efforts have so far been successful in containing the fire, which has been brought back down to just one-third the size that it had been earlier in the week.

Russia's forestry ministry said it has been using cloud seeding to fight wildfires spreading across Siberia

Firefighters used planes to fire chemicals into the clouds above fires in northern, remote parts of the Krasnoyarsk and Irkutsk regions of Siberia, the agency said.

Sweltering heat and dry weather have helped wildfires spread across the region and into the boreal forest and tundra that blanket northern Russia.

Environmental group Greenpeace, which monitors the spread of wildfires in Russia, confirmed that rain has helped reduce fires in northern Siberia but said that others had appeared in the south near the big regional cities of Irkutsk and Krasnoyarsk.

Greenpeace said that 4.62 million hectares of forest had burned across Russia since the start of the year.

States of emergency have been declared in the regions of Krasnoyarsk and Yakutia, and in parts of several other Russian regions.

According to officials, the wildfires have been reduced to just one-third their former size thanks to artificial rain clouds and other measures

158 separate wildfires have broken out all across Siberia, driven by record-breaking high temperatures, which peaked in June at 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit

Scientists say they expect record-breaking temperatures in Siberia will continue to spawn wildfires and cause more greenhouse gases to be released into the air.

In June, scientists recorded a shocking high temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit in the Siberian town of Verkhoyansk.

Copernicus, the EU's earth observation program, said that the average daily temperature in Arctic Siberia soared to a new record high in June, more than 9 degrees Fahrenheit above normal.

According to officials, the average daily temperature in Siberia during June 2020 was 9 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than normal

A Greenpace monitoring group says that while the fires appear to have been contained, new wildfires have appeared near several southern cities, which could threaten a resurgence

Cloud seeding is a process whereby small particles are released in the atmosphere in the hopes that they'll attract water molecules and bond with them to form clouds.

The most commonly used particles are either silver iodide, potassium iodide, and even in some cases dry ice.

These can either be released from above by cargo planes, or shot up into the air from machines on the ground.
Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site.

This story was produced by the Guardian US and co-published by Consumer Reports as part of our collective ongoing investigation into America's Water Crisis.

A coalition of civil rights groups have filed a landmark class action to permanently ban water shutoffs for Detroit residents and force the city to implement an affordable payment plan.

Detroit, which has one of the most expensive water rates in the country, has disconnected more than 140,000 households since 2014, as part of an internationally condemned debt collection scheme that has left thousands of vulnerable residents without running water for months or years.

The federal lawsuit, led by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund (LDF), claims the mass shutoffs have disproportionately affected the citys Black residents and endanger the physical integrity of people left without running water.

It comes just weeks after a landmark Guardian investigation into water poverty revealed how millions of Americans risk losing access to water and their homes because of unaffordable water bills.

The plaintiffs are six low-income Black residents, whose stories illustrate the bleak conditions suffered by thousands of Detroiters as a result of losing access to running water.

Jacqueline Taylor, a homeowner living off of $860 in monthly social security benefits, received a $1,500 bill in 2016 for water usage during a period when her home was empty while she recovered from a hip replacement at a rehab facility. She spent months questioning the bill, but eventually her taps were disconnected in mid-2018, by which point the water department claimed she owed almost $6,000 in arrears. Taylor lived without water until March 2020, when the utility reconnected her as part of the citys pandemic plan.

Detroit was the first city to order a moratorium on shutoffs because of the pandemic after health experts warned that frequent hand-washing was crucial to curtail the spread of the virus. The utility has reconnected almost 1,250 households since March, but the lawsuit claims that such temporary measures do not go far enough.

Story continues

When the temporary moratorium expires, "Detroiters will once again be left with huge bills they cannot possibly afford, forcing residents back into the cycle of water shutoffs. It is time to throw shutoffs on the dust heap of deeply disturbing practices that contribute to the structural racism our nation is finally attempting to dismantle, said Mark Fancher, director of the ACLU of Michigans racial justice project.

The lawsuitagainst the city of Detroit, the mayor, the public water utility, and the Democratic governor, Gretchen Whitmeralleges that the mass shutoffs violate the 14th amendment to the U.S. constitution, state civil rights law, and the federal Fair Housing Act because they disproportionately affect Black residents.

According to the legal filing, between January 2017 and July 2018, 95 percent of water shutoffs in Detroit occurred in majority Black neighbourhoods, while neighbourhoods with minority Black populations had, on average, 64 percent fewer shutoffs. These disparities are statistically significant and persist even when controlling for differences in income.

People should not be punished for being poor and Black, said Coty Montag, senior counsel at LDF. If state and city officials are serious about ending structural racism, they can start by putting an end to Detroits water shutoff policy and instituting an effective water affordability plan."

In a separate class action, the LDF is suing the city of Cleveland for the alleged discriminatory use of liens on properties for overdue water bills, which increase the risk of foreclosure.

Even before the coronavirus economic fallout, Detroits poverty rate was about three times the national average at 35 percent, which made rising water and sewer bills simply unaffordable. Some families have been forced to live without water for years, or abandon their homes, while others are trapped in a cycle of water insecurity with repeated disconnections.

One plaintiff, Lisa Brooks, lives in rented accommodation with her two children, aged 14 and 16, with only $1,200 in monthly disability benefits. She has multiple chronic medical conditions, while her 16-year-old son has asthma and uses a nebulizer, which requires water. The family's water was disconnected in 2018 for about a year, after which Brooks entered a payment plan that cost approximately 17 percent of her monthly income. It was simply unaffordable, and the family was again disconnected in the winter of 2019 and lived without running water until March 2020.

Both Taylor and Brooks owe money to the water utility and will be at immediate risk of disconnection when Detroit resumes shutoffs after the pandemic.

The civil rights coalition is calling for a total ban on shutoffs in Detroit and an income-based water affordability billing plan, similar to the one adopted by Philadelphia and planned for Baltimore.

The Detroit-based lawyer Alice B. Jennings said: For every human being who lives without water, there is a story of suffering.

Response to the Lawsuit

In a statement, Gary Brown, director of Detroit's Water and Sewerage Department, questioned the relevance of the lawsuit given that shutoffs were suspended on March 9th this year.

It's "been so successful, those suing today could not find a single plaintiff in Detroit living without water service and, in fact, the plaintiffs benefited from current programs," Brown said.

He added that the mayor had recently announced a new community outreach team to work with low-income residents to ensure they do not lose water access, while the governor has extended the moratorium on shutoffs until the end of 2020 and secured $25 million to provide bill forgiveness for water and energy debts incurred during the pandemic.

A spokesperson for Whitmer, the Michigan governor, said: We do not comment on pending litigation, but going forward, the governor remains committed to working with the legislature and the federal government to develop long-term policy solutions to make water affordable for every family in Michigan.

Americas Water Crisis

Consumer Reports has a long history of investigating Americas water. In 1974, we published a landmark three-part series (PDF) revealing that water purification systems in many communities had not kept pace with increasing levels of pollution and that many community water supplies might be contaminated. Our work helped lead to Congress enacting the Safe Drinking Water Act in December 1974.

More than 45 years later, America is still struggling with a dangerous divide between those who have access to safe and affordable drinking water and those who dont. Communities of color often are affected disproportionately by this inequity. Consumer Reports remains committed to exposing the weaknesses in our countrys water system, including raising questions about Americans reliance on bottled water as an alternativeand the safety and sustainability implications of this dependence.

In addition to our ongoing investigations into bottled water, we are proud to be partnering with our readers and those of the Guardian US, another institution dedicated to journalism in the public interest, to test for dangerous contaminants in tap water samples from more than 100 communities around the country.

Americas Water Crisis is the name we are jointly giving to this project and the series of articles we co-publish on the major challenges many in the U.S. face getting access to safe, clean, and affordable water. We will share the results of our upcoming test findings with you. In the meantime, you can join our social media conversation around water under the hashtag #waterincrisis.

Gwendolyn Bounds

Chief Content Officer, Consumer Reports





More from Consumer Reports:

Top pick tires for 2016

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7 best mattresses for couples





Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright  2020, Consumer Reports, Inc.
PLYMOUTH  Roughly a year after starting the process, the Colonial School District purchased 23 acres of land at 1065 Belvoir Road long held by the Romano family.

Settlement was completed in February in the amount of $685,000 for property formerly owned by George R. Romano, Robert G. Romano, Dorothy M. Romano, Steven M. Romano and Thomas P. Romano.

With First Student still operating the school bus transportation from the property as it has for years, it will basically be business as usual, with a transition of ownership.

The property was owned by the Romano brothers and they had several businesses at that location for years, explained Dave Szablowski. Colonial School District Business Administrator.

They were trash haulers and then they got into the school bus business. When the Colonial School District got rid of their fleet, the Romano brothers were there to pick up the slack. We basically contracted with Romano to do our bus transportation for many years.

Eventually, Romano got out of the transportation business, Szablowski said.

They sold the business to First Student and they rented the garage, parking lot, offices that they used to do the transportation to First Student. So they became the landlord to First Student and First Student assumed the contract and have been providing the transportation services for 15 or 20 years, operating out of that facility at 1065 Belvoir.

In time, the business situation proved to be less than ideal for the district, Szablowski noted.

Having no bus depot that the school district operates out of really put us at a disadvantage when we were negotiating our contract with First Student because the Romanos were thinking by then that they were just going to sell the land and First Student would just have to find their own bus depot someplace else  which put us in a difficult situation, he said.

At that point the district contacted the Romano family, which at one point had considered having homes constructed on 23 acres.

They planned to individually sell the homes off, putting in more homes, more kids  and thats not something the school district was really interested in. The Romanos had their difficulties in developing that plot of land and then they talked about bringing in warehouses, which the local neighbors werent fond of because of the activity that goes on in a warehouse environment, like an Amazon or something like that. So we approached the Romanos and their real estate agent to see if theyd be interested in selling that plot along with the bus depot to the school district. We negotiated what we thought was a very fair price for a 23-acre lot, especially with the facilities that are currently there and the bus operations.

Roughly eight months of due diligence on the part of the district followed, Szablowski recalled.

Theres a spring house that goes right through there and the property buts up against the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and theres a creek that runs through it and some flood planes that we had to make sure that we were aware of. And plans had to be updated before we made the offer to purchase the land, he said.

Finally, last February settlement was made on the property.

Our bus contractor, First Student, is now paying us rent, Szablowski said. For the neighbors who didnt want to see high concentration of houses or warehouses, pretty much the use of the property is going to remain the same as it has over the past 20-plus years as a bus depot. The buses run early in the morning and mid-afternoon and theres not a whole lot of weekend activity and I think the residents appreciate that.

It worked out well for us, he added, because out of the 23-acre lot approximately 10 acres is taken up by the bus operations and the parking lot, which leaves another 13 acres of pretty much open land. If we continue to grow at the rate were going we might need it to put in a new school there. It gives us options for the future and the school board thought it was a good investment for the future of the school district.
Just in time for your weekend listening, I have adapted Johns interview with Gov. Kristi Noem into a podcast, to which I have coaxed some additional background material out of John about the history and political changes in South Dakota and other plains states over the last few decades. In short, this is not George McGoverns upper midwest any more. So if you didnt get the chance to take in Johns conversation with Gov. Noem earlier in the week, now you can do so on your phone, on a drive or walk, or whatever.

And then I talk a bit with Kathryn Hinderaker (what a coincidence!) about her observations about the darkening campus scene, about which she has lots of experience as a recent graduate of St. Olaf College in Minnesota. Among other things, we develop a theory about why St. Olaf, like Yale, must change its name.

And be sure to look in again tomorrow or Sunday, when Im planning to release another Three Whisky Happy Hour again with Lucretia.

You know what to do now: listen here or download from our hosts at Ricochet, or your other favorite podcast platform.
Electric vehicle startup Rivian on Friday said it closed a $2.5 billion investment round led by funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates as the company moves closer to production of an all-electric pickup and SUV.

Other participants in the round included Soros Fund Management, Coatue, Fidelity Management and Research Company as well as Baron Capital Group. Existing shareholders Amazon and funds managed by BlackRock also participated.

The funding comes as the company continues to renovate a former Mitsubishi plant in Normal, Illinois, to produce its vehicles as well as a line of EV vans. Amazon preordered 100,000 of the vans last year for its delivery fleet.

In June, CNBC obtained correspondence regarding a funding round for Rivian, saying the company was raising at least $2 billion with a pre-money valuation at or above $8 billion. At the time, Rivian denied they were raising money.

"We often receive unsolicited investment offers from institutions and individual investors," Amy Mast, public relations director at Rivian, said in a June 9 email. "We have heard this rumor ourselves  it is categorically false. Publishing this would be spreading a rumor that is simply not true."

Mast declined to comment on her remarks Friday.

More recently, CEO and founder Robert "R.J." Scaringe told CNBC the company was "open" to additional financing to help support its "aggressive growth plans."

The would-be Tesla competitor raised $2.85 billion last year from Amazon, Cox Automotive, T. Rowe Price Associates and Ford Motor, among others. Rivian raised $1.3 billion in December, its most recent funding round and biggest capital raise last year.

Despite the coronavirus and ongoing recession, investors have shown high interest in electric automakers. Shares of Nikola Motor, which plans to make electric trucks, surged last month after going public through a reverse merger. Its market valuation is in line with Ford, even though it doesn't expect to generate revenue until 2021.

Rivian is expected to be among the first, if not the first, to bring an all-electric pickup to market by early to mid-2021  potentially years ahead of its competitors, including Nikola, Tesla and General Motors.

Rivian is taking preorders for its all-electric pickup and SUV that include $1,000 refundable deposits.

Rivian, like Tesla, plans to sell its vehicles directly to consumers, bypassing franchised dealers that are used by "traditional" automakers such as GM and Ford.
(Photo : Apple China) Apple reveals its new Beijing flagship before of grand opening and here is the glimpse: (Photo : Garfield/Weibo) Apple reveals its new Beijing flagship before of grand opening (Photo : Garfield/Weibo) Apple reveals its new Beijing flagship before of grand opening (Photo : Garfield/Weibo) Apple reveals its new Beijing flagship before of grand opening

Apple is on the brim of launching the new Apple Sanlitun in China, which will be specifically built in China's capital city, Beijing.

The new Apple store features have an impressive foundation that is expected to stand out better than the first Sanlitun. Its design language comprises a sloped metal roof, large glass walls,and elaborate stonework.

The Apple Sanlitun China is a facsimile of Apple's Michigan Avenue flagship in Chicago, which was opened last 2017 in the U.S.

Weibo users, a Chinese microblogging website launched by Sina Corporation, have leaked the unfinished construction of the new flagship store in Beijing China which thrills the Chinese community. The construction has shown a slow but continuous development for the past few months.

The Apple Beijing China flagship store is located near the original store in Taikoo Li Sanlitun. The place was formerly known as The Village, an enormous shopping centre in Beijing's Chaoyang District. The company have selected the mall to set its first Apple Chinese store way back 2018. And the recent construction is now being held in The Orange, a used to be meeting hall that previously stood in the mall's central courtyard.

Apple has enticed visitors with inspirational messages emphasizing the new store's location and to download a special Sanlitun-themed wallpaper from Apple's website.

Apple Reopening 42 Retail Stores in China

Last March 15, it has brought to the attention to the Chinese community that 42 retails stores will be reopening after forced closure due to the COVID19 pandemic. They were on the desperate attempts on targeting their revenue by March for it is going down due to the virus that China has been experiencing.

Tim Cook, the Apple CEO, said,"It feels to me that China is getting the coronavirus under control," he said. "I mean, if you look at the numbers, they're coming down day by day by day. So I'm very optimistic there."

Cook discussed how Apple's supply chains were already coping in the wake of the outbreak. He said,"the third phase of getting back to normal" as many of its factories had reopened.

The CEO is confident enough with Apple in controlling the pandemic and lowering the cases in time. The reduction in recent cases mentioned by Cook appears to be ongoing, too. Wuhan - the Chinese city where the virus originated for the second day of March, while no locally transmitted contractions of the virus were reported in the rest of China.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
By Trend

Iran's new ambassador to Austria Abbas Ardakani met and held talks with the Austrian deputy Minister for Economic and Digital Affairs Michael Sterl on the expansion of trade and commercial relations between the two countries, Trend reports citing Mehr.

During the meeting, the two sides agreed to hold the two countries' joint commission soon.

In addition, it was decided that the working groups established under the important document 'Roadmap for Economic Relations', which was signed in 2016, will be continuously strengthened by pursuing further agreements.

The meeting was also attended by the Director-General of Economic Cooperation, the Planning Adviser to the Minister of Economy, and the Director of the Middle East (West Asia), the United States and Africa Office of the Austrian Ministry of Economy.

Ardakani submitted his credentials to the Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen in a ceremony held At the Austrian Presidential Palace lat week.

He conveyed the friendship message of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to the Austrian president and full readiness of the Iranian government for the development and expansion of relations with Austria in all the political, economic, cultural fields Based on historical and long-standing relations between the two countries.

The Austrian President also extended his greeting to his Iranian counterpart and voiced his readiness for the expansion of bilateral ties.

--

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Rhine Falls

The easiest way to discover the falls is with a half-day Rhine Falls Tour from Zurich . This almost four-hour-long tour departs from either the airport or the city center. At 9am, an air-conditioned vehicle with your own local guide will pick you up at the agreed location.

The short drive to the falls is very scenic, passing by historical charming villages with timber houses and green rolling valleys and hills. Your guide will answer your questions about the area, plus share details on the sights right out your window.

Your first stop is at the medieval Laufen Castle, a cliff-top fortress with a 1,000-year-old history. A stroll through the stone courtyard will lead you directly to the "Kanzeli" viewing platform for a roaring close view of the Rhine Falls, and the Worth Castle on the opposite side of the Rhein river.

After you've snapped enough pictures, you'll walk a few minutes to reach Rhine Falls, Europe's most powerful waterfall. Here, you'll have one free hour to explore on your own.

In summer, you have the option to take a boat ride (not included in the price) to experience the falls up close. Some of the boats get you close to the falls, some travel down the Rhine, and some will take you across the water to Schlossli Worth, a tiny castle on a tiny island in the center of the river.

You'll have the support of the guide throughout the entire tour, so you can learn more about the history of the area and the falls themselves  including how they were considered for "removal," as local governments believed they were an obstacle to boat traffic.

On the way back to Zurich, you'll stop at the 16th-century Munot Fortress, a ring-shaped fortification that has become the heart and landmark of the town of Schaffhausen. Walk around the cobblestone paths inside and around the fort before you continue your way back to the city. The ticket to explore Munot is included and is a great end to this nature-meets-history tour.

You can choose to end your tour at the Sihlquai Bus Terminal (from where you can take public transportation to almost anywhere in Zurich) or get off at the airport. If you are departing Zurich on an afternoon flight, this could be the perfect tour to do on your last day. Your driver will drop you off at the airport around 12:15pm, so you can head directly to check-in.
Less than two weeks after it kicked off a media frenzy with its front-page report claiming that the Russian military intelligence agency GRU had paid bounties to Taliban fighters in Afghanistan to kill American soldiers, the New York Times published an editorial effectively conceding that there was no factual basis for its reporting.

The editorial appeared on Wednesday, July 8, one day after General Frank McKenzie, the commander of Centcom, with overall responsibility for Afghanistan and the Middle East, told the press that there was no evidence that any US soldiers had been killed because of the alleged Russian bounties.

I didnt find that there was a causative link there, McKenzie said, the intel case wasnt proved to me. In any case, he continued, no additional precautions were required because the US military already takes extreme force protection measures in Afghanistan whether the Russians are paying the Taliban or not.

McKenzie was speaking Tuesday by telephone to a group of reporters including the Associated Press, which ran a report. The Times did not report his comments, which diametrically contradicted the newspapers own reporting of June 27.

But that night, the newspapers editorial page threw in the towel, publishing an editorial on the Times web site which appeared the next morning in the print edition, under the headline, Dont Let Russian Meddling Derail Afghanistan Withdrawal Plans.

The editorial begins with the admission: Theres a lot still missing from the reports that Russia paid for attacks on American and other coalition forces in Afghanistan. Thats why its critical that emotions and politics be kept at bay until the facts are in.

This appeal for waiting until the facts are in is remarkable since the Times itself had claimed to be in possession of the facts about alleged Russian efforts to murder American soldiers, citing unnamed intelligence officials, and it gave the signal for a vast media campaign aimed at whipping up a very specific emotion, hatred of Russia.

Moreover, the Democratic Partywith which the Times is closely alliedimmediately seized on this report to resurrect its long-discredited claims that Trump is a Russian stooge and does nothing without Vladimir Putins direction and approval.

This was the basis, first of the Mueller investigation and then of the impeachment inquiry, neither of which developed any credible evidence to back the McCarthyite howling about the White House doing the bidding of the Kremlin. Now the Times report has become the basis for demands by Democrats, and many Republicans, that Trump take immediate action that would, in the words of one senator, result in Russians going home in body bags.

The editorial further admits that there was no independent reporting to back the claims of Russian bounty payments. Instead, its articles cite intelligence findings. In other words, the Times served as a conduit for unnamed officials, apparently in the CIA, who leaked uncorroborated and disputed claims, allegedly based on the interrogation of prisoners captured in the war with the Taliban. The CIA did not divulge who these prisoners are, where they are being held, and what torture or other mistreatment they may have been subjected to.

The editorial goes on to say: Then theres the question of the motives behind the leaks and the solidity of the information.

One might think that a first rule of journalism would be to question the motives of officials when they come forward with such inflammatory allegations, as well as to seek confirmation of claims made by an agency which specializes in lying and political provocations. However, that is not the relationship between the New York Times and the CIA.

On the contrary, the Times has been a willing stenographer and propagandist for the US intelligence services for many decades, going back to the weapons of mass destruction fraud that paved the way to the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, and well before.

The editorial continues: Other questions abound: When did the reported payments begin? Were they payback for American support of Afghan militants against Soviet troops there in the 1980s, or something else? Were the payments a factor in the deaths of any American or other coalition troops? Was the intelligence tweaked by people seeking to hinder efforts to withdraw American troops?

These are the questions that should, of course, have been addressed before the Times published its front-page expose. The fact that they are only raised now, in an editorial 12 days later, is a declaration of journalistic bankruptcy.

As the last question in the list suggests, as well as the headline of the editorial, it now appears that CIA officials opposed to Trumps decision to pull most US troops out of Afghanistan on a timetable geared to the November 3 election leaked the bounties claim to the Times to generate political pressure to overturn that decision. They were successful, as the White House has now delayed the final withdrawal, meaning that it can be more easily reversed by an incoming Democratic administration if Trump loses the election.

The Times is not the only news organization with egg on its face after the collapse of the bounties campaign. NBC News published a similar retraction on its web site, under the defensive headline, US officials say intel on Russian bounties was less than conclusive. That misses the big picture.

NBC admits that a growing chorus of American officials say that the evidence of Russian bounties is less than conclusive. But it argues that the big picture is the unsurprising news that Russian and American interests in Afghanistan do not coincide, and that Moscow has sought to cultivate relations with the Taliban in recent years, and even provide indirect support.

NBC casts some resentful blame on the Times for calling the report on the bounties a finding of the intelligence community, i.e., a consensus assessment, which turned out not to be true. The CIA drew its conclusion with only moderate confidencea term of art that means, in effect, we made it upwhile the National Security Agency, an arm of the Pentagon, said it could not corroborate the reports.

None of this alters the fact that the allegation of Russian bounties has entered the bloodstream of American capitalist politics like snake venom for which there is no antidote.

Hence the spectacle of Representative Jason Crow, a former Army special forces officer in Afghanistan, one of the CIA Democrats whose rise was analyzed and exposed by the WSWS in 2018, joining with Republican Liz Cheney, the daughter of the former vice president and unindicted war criminal, to co-sponsor an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act barring the Trump administration from withdrawing troops from Afghanistan until it has taken action over the allegations of Russian bounties.

There is little doubt that Democratic candidates, from Joe Biden on down, will be making an issue of Trumps failure to punish Russia for killing American soldiers right through November 3, regardless of the abject disavowal of these bogus charges by the Times.

The author also recommends:

The New York Times fabricates Russia murder plot

[3 July 2020]

A ceasefire in Washingtons Afghanistan debacle

[22 February 2020]
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Linkedin Moch. Fiqih Prawira Adjie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 10, 2020 08:33 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406654268d 1 National Firli,Firli-Bahuri,KPK,Bambang-Widjojanto,ICW,antigraft-body,Corruption-Eradication-Comission,corruption-eradication Free

Moch. Fiqih Prawira Adjie

Antigraft activists have called for Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman Firli Bahuri to step down from his position as part of "drastic measures" to save the agency and the fight against graft in Indonesia amid controversies and what they claim to be a lackluster performance by the agency.

Former KPK commissioner Bambang Widjojanto urged for new commissioners amid declining public trust in the agency.

Can we still trust the KPK leaders? If not, we can use this momentum to rebound to save the KPK, he said in a discussion held by Indonesia Corruption Watch on Wednesday.

KPK chairman Firli Bahuri was recently under fire for his alleged "hedonistic lifestyle" after he was known to take an expensive helicopter ride to his hometown in Baturaja, South Sumatra on a personal trip last month. The Indonesian Anti-Corruption Community (MAKI) had filed Firlis alleged ethics violation with the agencys Supervisory Council, which later questioned him over the report.

Read also: Activists slam KPK for discussing raise for leaders amid declining public faith

Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) researcher Kurnia Ramadhana urged Firli to step down from his position as the latter had been at the center of the controversies.

This added to the controversies surrounding the KPK under Firli, including reduced efforts to crack down on graft cases in place of focusing on preventing corruption and meetings between leaders and state organizers that have sparked outcry from activists over the fear of compromising the antigraft agencys integrity.

Critics of the current commissioner's performance also came following attempts to defang the KPK, most notably by stripping the antigraft agency of most of its powers with a repudiated revision to the KPK Law passed last year. The move had eroded public trust in the previously doted-upon KPK, as seen from several public surveys.

If the public no longer believes in the KPK [because of the Firli controversy], it is better for him to resign as the head of the KPK, but I think it will be difficult because asking him to resign from his position as a police officer has been difficult as well, Kurnia said, referring to Firlis refusal to resign from the National Police despite concerns of a conflict of interest.

Kurnia noted that People's Consultative Assembly Decree No. 6/2001 on national ethics stipulated that state officials who violated the political and governing ethics, including being honest and modest, should step down from their position.

Gadjah Mada University Center for Anticorruption Studies (Pukat UGM) director Zainal Arifin Mochtar also lambasted the supervisory boards sluggish and secretive handling of the alleged ethical violation reported by the public.

He noted that the supervisory board only announced it had summoned Firli for questioning without disclosing whether or not Firli had been found to have committed ethical violations.

Read also: Supervisory council questions KPK chairman over alleged ethics violation

Additionally, the activists said the board had been quiet in responding to the other ethical violation reports.

Zainal suggested that the public resort to other institutions, such as the Indonesian Ombudsman or the Civil Servants Commission, to report other alleged ethical violations.

Alternatively, he said the government needed to establish a new body to fight graft to make the KPK obsolete, noting how the KPK Law revision, which also established the supervisory body, was causing the poor performance of the antigraft agency.

If needed, we can ask whoever the president is in 2024 to establish a new KPK, [...] because we have to seek other ways to breathe life back into the antigraft agency, he said during the discussion.

KPK spokesperson for law enforcement Ali Fikri did not immediately respond to The Jakarta Posts inquiries on activists calls for Firli to step down from his position. But he brushed off the critics saying the Supervisory Council had carried out clarification procedures and that the process was still ongoing.
A team of scientists and researchers is embarking on a five-year study program to develop actionable strategies for dealing with wildfires  both pre-ignition and post-ignition  and is looking for first responders, land managers and others with knowledge and experience of wildfires to join in the discussion.Led by Hamed Ebrahimian, assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Nevada, Reno, the seven-member group to develop a digital platform they hope will predict and help monitor wildfire risk and eventually be used as actionable information for wildfire managers, land managers, utility companies and responders.The program begins this September backed by a $2 million grant from the National Science Foundations Leading Engineering for America's Prosperity, Health, and Infrastructure (LEAP-HI) program.Ebrahimian says he wants it to be more than just a science project by scientists and researchers, hence the call for experts in the field to join in a consortium or to contribute data by emailing Ebrahimian Most wildfire studies focus on one aspect of the wildfire, such as ignition of fires, researchers are hoping to conduct a more holistic study that examines data from various sources on pre-ignition and post-ignition and looks at different outcomes, including the toll on residents and the economy.The research and the messaging are one aspect of the study, but really transferring the message to the community and end users is an equally important aspect of this, Ebrahimian said. The platform will collect data from various sources and integrate it into a model to eventually lead to actionable information. Wed like to be able to predict how its going to spark and how its going to propagate and behave.Despite previous studies and lessons learned, there is still a lot of uncertainty as to pre-ignition risk and post-ignition risk, and it is hoped this study can fill in some of the gaps.For example, we want to understand if there is higher risk in a certain area and what the contributing factors are, Ebrahimian said. What is the most effective action that we can take and how do we quantify all these things in a scientific way.He said the holistic framework of the study and collecting information from various sources and areas will yield actionable data that will help communities better deal with wildfires. When it comes to post-ignition data, we have fire line data and are thinking about using lidar and radar to predict the fire fronts, Ebrahimian said. The idea is to collect data from various different sources, and if people are observing something or if firefighters are reporting something, we can collect that data from active fires and integrate that data with our data stream.The team of researchers includes an associate professor in fire ecology; a director of weather systems and research; a professor of civil, structural and environmental engineering at the University of Buffalo; a professor of business; and an atmospheric science professor.
Merck Foundation to make history in Africa by training the first African oncologists and cancer care teams in The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Burundi, Liberia, Guinea Conakry, Central African Republic, Chad and Niger.

06th July 2020, Monrovia, Liberia: Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany in partnership with African First Ladies and Ministries of Health, continue to provide one, two- and three-year Oncology Fellowship and Master degree for African doctors through their Cancer Access Program with the aim to increase the limited number of Oncologists across the continent.

Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and One of 100 Most Influential Africans emphasized, Our strategy is to develop a Multidisciplinary Oncology Care team in each country such as; Medical, Surgery, Pediatric, Gynecology, Radiation Oncologists, Nursing, Pathologist and Radiology Technician. As an African woman, I am proud that we are making history in Africa through training the first oncologists and first cancer care teams in many countries such as; The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Burundi, Liberia, Guinea Conakry, Central African Republic, Chad and Niger.

Our main objective is to provide quality and affordable care to patients who never had anyone to care of them before.

The First Lady of The Gambia, H.E. FATOUMATTA BAH-BARROW said, I am very proud with this program that added great value to my country The Gambia, by providing specialty training the first oncologists in my country.

Please watch the Merck Foundation Alumni video:

The First Lady of Liberia, H.E. CLAR MARIE WEAH emphasized, Merck Foundation is the first Foundation that provided this valuable specialty training to first oncologists in Liberia. They are also providing the training for the first fertility specialists, embryologists and diabetes specialists in my country Liberia.

In partnership with my office, Merck Foundation will also provide on line one year diploma and two year master degree in Respiratory Medicines, Cardiovascular Medicines, Sexual and Reproductive Medicines, Acute medicines and Endocrinology for Liberia and of course the rest Africa.

Merck Foundation has provided one, two-and three-year Oncology Fellowship and Master degree for more than 80 Oncologists from 26 countries through their Cancer Access Program in partnership with African First Ladies and Ministries of Health of these countries.

As per the data, the burden of cancer in Africa is growing with recent estimates reporting 1.06 million new diagnosed cancer cases per year. This figure is expected to increase by 102% to 2.12 million by 2040. While the burden of cancer in Africa is rapidly rising, there is a very limited number of oncologists and there is also a lack of investment in building professional cancer care capacity across the continent.

Therefore, we strongly believe that building professional healthcare capacity is the right strategy to address this pressing challenge. It is an on-going initiative as the aim is to build cancer care capacity and we plan to scale it up to train more doctors in more African countries added Dr. Rasha Kelej.

Launched in 2016, the Merck Cancer Access Program provides One-, two- and three-years fellowship and master degree programs for African doctors in India, Egypt, Kenya, and Malaysia.

Merck Foundation through its Merck Cancer Access Program has till date trained more than 80 Oncology Care Specialists from 26 countries which are: Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, CAR, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, DRC, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinee, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Crude oil futures settled higher, rebounding well after recent losses and a weak spell Friday morning, thanks to an upward revision energy demand forecast by the International Energy Agency (IEA). Prices drifted lower earlier in the day amid lingering uncertainty about energy demand outlook in the wake of the relentless surge in coronavirus cases across U.S. and several other countries. The announcement from Libya National Oil Corporation that it has lifted its force majeure on all oil exports after a half-year blockade by eastern forces also weighed on oil prices early on in the session. West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for August ended up $0.93 or about 2.4% at $40.55 a barrel, well off an early low of $38.54 a barrel. WTI crude futures for August lost about 0.2% in the week. Brent Crude oil futures moved up $0.90 or about 2.2% to $43.25 a barrel. The IEA says in its report that the worst of the oil market downturn from the coronavirus pandemic has passed. The agency has raised its demand forecast to 92.1 million barrels per day, up 400,000 barrels per day from its outlook last month, citing a smaller-than-expected second-quarter decline. A report from Baker Hughes said U.S. oil rigs fell by four to 181 this week, their lowest since June 2009, while gas rigs dropped by one to 75, matching its record low hit a couple of weeks ago. Oil rigs count fell by 3 last week. The total active U.S. rig count, meanwhile, fell by 5 to 258, according to Baker Hughes' report. 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.
Combusting oil and natural gas is ruining the planet, and we should minimize their use to maintain a healthy climate. But the world will always need these products and new pipelines to transport them.

Fossil fuel advocates and environmentalists have a tough time squaring this circle based on the responses to my recent columns on energy. But pragmatism must overcome extremism, and both sides must learn to compromise.

Companies have invested trillions of dollars in oil and gas wells, transport systems, refining operations, chemical plants and retailing. The industry is huge, both in capital and personnel, and executives are under pressure to deliver profits on those investments. And they deserve to profit.

Oil and natural gas make modern life possible.

Petroleum is the building block for billions of products ranging from pharmaceuticals to building materials. The oil and gas industry will undoubtedly shrink as we move away from burning oil and gas, but it will never go away.

TOMLINSONS TAKE: Clean energy eclipsing oil and gas in Texas

People who make their living along the industrys supply chains will fight to protect their livelihoods. They tout how much energy each molecule can release while pooh-poohing competing technologies. Some even deny that carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas.

I get it, they do not want to admit that their lifes work is ruining the planet. But I am getting tired of hearing them talk about how science proves hydraulic fracturing does not pollute groundwater  which is true  but they think climate science is a hoax. Time to show some intellectual honesty.

Leaders at major oil and gas producers understand that unmitigated climate change is a greater threat to their industry than climate regulations. Most support the Paris Climate Accords, and all of them are trying to clean up their operations and diversify into clean energy.

The Greater Houston Partnership, the states largest economic development group, wants to make Houston not just the oil and gas capital of the world, but the global headquarters for the energy transition. This is a smart, forward-looking strategy that will keep Houston from becoming the next Detroit.

If you work in the fossil fuel industry, and you are not figuring out how to survive the transition, your career will soon end. The public is searching for alternative forms of energy, and they will buy it as soon as it becomes available, which is sooner than you think.

The clean energy industry, however, is nowhere close to meeting public demand. Most new electricity generation is solar or wind, but renewables make up only 11 percent of our energy consumption, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Over the next 15 years, the world can build enough renewable energy projects and storage devices to generate 100 percent of our electricity from clean energy. But we will need nuclear power plants and better, cheaper batteries to get there.

Any environmentalist who drives their decade-old Subaru to a climate protest needs to recognize they are part of the problem. People hold on to their old cars, which are more polluting, and at the current pace the world will need at least 40 years to replace them with electric vehicles, according to most forecasts.

Meeting that goal will also require new solid-state batteries that perform as well as fossil fuel-powered cars at the same price.

Activists who pore over every new climate science report need to spend just as much time studying energy economics. We are not going to make the transition to 100 percent renewable energy in the next 15 years, let alone a decade.

As long as we need fossil fuels, we will need pipelines to safely and economically transport them.

TOMLINSONS TAKE: Ending natural gas flaring in Texas is only the beginning

Court injunctions against the Dakota Access and the Keystone XL pipelines are not victories. They will not reduce oil and gas consumption, only change where it is sourced and how it is transported, making dirtier oil moved on dangerous rail cars the most likely alternative.

We also need Texas Permian Highway Pipeline to deliver natural gas to the coast so foreign countries can shut down their coal plants. Environmentalists must accept these lesser evils. The climate is better protected with smart, modern pipelines.

In my columns, I promote a clean-energy future because I understand the risk of a climate catastrophe. But I also recognize climate activists are not always realistic and often alienate people rather than build alliances.

Oil and natural gas have done a lot of good in the world, but they can no longer dominate energy consumption. I want Texas to lead the way in transitioning to clean energy for the good of the economy and the planet.

The absolutists in both camps attract the most attention, but compromise and cooperation are the answer, not vitriol.

Tomlinson writes commentary about business, economics and policy.

twitter.com/cltomlinson

chris.tomlinson@chron.com
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Youth NC leader dies of COVID-19

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Jammu, July 10: A Youth National Conference leader died on Thursday night due to COVID-19 at the Government Medical College (GMC) hospital here, officials said.

However, other details about Rohit Kirni, the Jammu district Youth NC president, like his exact age and medical history were not immediately known.

With his death, a total of six people died due to COVID-19 in the Union Territory on Thursday

Dharavi, a COVID-19 cluster and Asia's biggest slum, reports one case in last 24 hours

Sadly we lost Rohit a few minutes ago. He had been put on a ventilator but the medical teams, in spite of their best efforts, couldn't stabilise him. He leaves behind a wife & two young kids. May his soul rest in peace. #Covid_19 kills. Taking it lightly is suicidal, former chief minister and NC leader Omar Abdullah wrote on his twitter handle at 7.42 pm.

Before that, around 5.20 pm, Abdullah had tweeted, My young colleague Rohit Kirni has been found Covid-19 positive & is in a serious condition in hospital in Jammu. The entire @JKNC family joins me in praying for his speedy & complete recovery. Rohit's condition drives home the point that youth is no safeguard against COVID.

National Conference President Farooq Abdullah also expressed deep grief over the passing away of Kerni, describing his death as a great loss to the party.

Provincial President Devender Singh Rana, Provincial Youth National Conference President Ajaz Jan and senior leaders also expressed grief and shock over the demise of Kerni.

The government, meanwhile, said that 240 new positive cases of novel coronavirus were reported Thursday -- 55 from Jammu division and 185 from Kashmir division -- taking the total number of positive cases in Jammu and Kashmir to 9,501, officials said.

Five COVID-19 deaths were reported from Kashmir division, they added.

Moreover, 128 more COVID-19 patients have recovered and discharged from various hospitals -- 54 from Jammu Division and 74 from Kashmir Division.

Vikas Dubey killed in an encounter, Akhilesh Yadav raises questions | Oneindia News

According to the daily Media Bulletin on novel coronavirus, out of 9,501 positive cases, 3,652 are active cases, 5,695 have recovered; and 154 have died --14 in Jammu division and 140 in Kashmir division.
At the behest of the US government, German authorities have seized a computer server that hosted a huge cache of files from scores of US federal, state and local law enforcement agencies obtained in a Houston data breach last month.

The server was being used by a WikiLeaks-like data transparency collective called Distributed Denial of Secrets to share documents  many tagged For Official Use Only  that shed light on US police practices.

The data, dating back to 1996, include emails, audio and video files and police and FBI intelligence reports. DDoSecrets founder Emma Best said the data, dubbed BlueLeaks, comes from more than 200 agencies. It has been stripped of references to sexual assault cases and references to children, but names, phone numbers and emails of police officers were not redacted, said Best, who uses they/their pronouns.

Best said that DDoSecrets obtained the data from an outside individual who sympathized with nationwide protests against police killings of unarmed Black people. Some of the files offer insights into the police response to those protests, they said.

While hacking into computers and stealing data is a federal crime, US courts have consistently ruled that journalists may publish stolen documents as long as they are not involved in their theft. DDoSecrets says it is a journalistic organization that shares documents in the public interest.

The documents came to light via a breach of Houston web-design company Netsential, which hosts portals for law enforcement agencies and fusion centers, state-run operations created after the 9/11 attacks to share threat intelligence with local and state police and private-sector partners.

The prosecutors office in Zwickau, a German city near the Czech border, said in an emailed statement Wednesday that the server was confiscated July 3 in the town of Falkenstein following a request from US authorities.

The FBI declined to comment. A US Embassy spokesperson in Berlin did not respond to phone calls and emails seeking comment.

The Zwickau prosecutors statement said it would be up to German judicial authorities to decide whether to hand the server over to US authorities.

It said it would not disclose the reason for the US request. Neither would a representative of Hetzner Online, the company that hosted the server.

Best said they assume the seizure was related to the posting of the BlueLeaks documents.

They said the files show a lot of things that are entirely legal and normal and horrifying, including police surveillance and police intelligence of dubious origin. Best said none were classified.

The document dump helps expose the United States overdeveloped police intelligence apparatus, said Brendan McQuade, a criminology professor at the University of Southern Maine who has viewed the documents.

The files do not include high-level intelligence but provide a window into the relationship between law enforcement at all levels, he said  one that he believes the FBI doesnt want the public to see lest it add more fuel to the protests against police brutality and racism in policing.

Best said the files remain publicly accessible through more complicated means such as BitTorrent and the Tor network, both of which complicate censorship efforts. Best said the organization is now rebuilding its infrastructure for public access. All they cost us is time, they said.

Shortly after DDoSecrets posted the data, Twitter permanently suspended the organizations account for publishing links and images from the collection, citing a ban on the posting of hacked material.

One US law enforcement agency affected by the breach is the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy.

Its director, Judy Bradshaw, told The Associated Press the breach revealed names of students in academy courses and their drivers licenses, but no financial information.

She said Netsential had scores of clients in law enforcement, where it was a strong niche provider. Netsential itself confirmed the breach in an undated statement on its bare-bones website and said it was assisting the investigation but would provide no further information due to the sensitivity of client information. Executives of the National Fusion Centers Association did not respond to emails and phone calls seeking comment on whether any sensitive investigations may have been compromised by the breach.

But Maine State Police said in a statement on June 26 that the FBI was investigating and that affected bulletins may contain identifying information, such as full name and date of birth of people under investigation by other law enforcement agencies. It said they may also involve individuals wanted for criminal activity. DDoSecrets was created in late 2018 by Best, a journalist specializing in freedom-of-information petitions. It has worked on various investigations with established media organizations including the German newsmagazine Der Spiegel and the US news organization McClatchy.

Previous DDoSecrets releases include data on offshore Bahamas accounts used as tax havens, files hacked from Chilean police and data from a British provider of offshore financial services that has drawn comparisons, on a smaller scale, to the 2016 Panama Papers leak.

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Granted, an old church in Galway probably wasn't the holiday you had intended this year - but 2020 is the summer of staycations and trying something a bit different.

With that in mind, how about a few nights away in a restored 200-year-old church?

Bookeen Hall, a protected building and national monument, is a former Church of Ireland Chapel built in 1820. It is located in Athenry, Co. Galway, about 20 minutes from Galway City and within easy reach of the Cliffs of Moher, The Burren and Connemara.

Host Chris, his partner and their two adorable dogs (Mouse and Birdy) live at the property and offer a private room with a king-size bed and a single bed with a private bathroom. For larger groups, a second room can be made available (with a king-size bed), so groups of up to 5 can be accommodated too.

Originally part of the Dunsandle estate, the church was used for services by the estates Church of Ireland congregation. Built in stone, the rectangular hall with its large gothic windows and solid bell-tower can be seen across fields and woodland, making it a distinctive and well known local landmark.

It was deconsecrated in 1920 and 200 years after it was built it, was given a new lease of life and converted into a two-bedroom home.

Inside the interiors are bright, open and contemporary. The church is comprised of a large open plan living/dining room and two bedrooms. The guest bedroom available to visitors has access to its own bell tower/reading room with great views of the surrounding countryside and private bathroom complete with claw-foot bathtub.

Bookeen Hall is situated on the edge of Dunsandle wood which has some great walking and running routes, which your hosts, both keen runners, would be happy to show you. Quiet and peaceful, it is surrounded by woodland and fields full of cattle and sheep.

For more information about prices and how to book, visit HERE.
The study, led by FAU's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, is the first to analyze the relationship between group behaviors, group type, group dynamics, and kinship in beluga whales. Credit: NOAA

A groundbreaking study using molecular genetic techniques and field studies brings together decades of research into the complex relationships among beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) that spans 10 locations across the Arctic from Alaska to Canada and Russia to Norway. The behavior of these highly gregarious whales, which include sophisticated vocal repertoires, suggest that this marine mammal lives in complex societies. Like killer whales (Orcinus orca) and African elephants (Loxodonta Africana), belugas were thought to form social bonds around females that primarily comprise closely related individuals from the same maternal lineage. However, this hypothesis had not been formally tested.

The study, led by Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, is the first to analyze the relationship between group behaviors, group type, group dynamics, and kinship in beluga whales. Findings, just published in Scientific Reports , reveal several unexpected results. Not only do beluga whales regularly interact with close kin, including close maternal kin, they also frequently associate with more distantly related and unrelated individuals.

Findings indicate that evolutionary explanations for group living and cooperation in beluga whales must expand beyond strict inclusive fitness arguments to include other evolutionary mechanisms. Belugas likely form multi-scale societies from mothercalf dyads to entire communities. From these perspectives, beluga communities have similarities to human societies where social networks, support structures, cooperation and cultures involve interactions between kin and non-kin. Given their long lifespan (approximately 70 years) and tendency to remain within their natal community, these findings reveal that beluga whales may form long-term affiliations with unrelated as well as related individuals.

"This research will improve our understanding of why some species are social, how individuals learn from group members and how animal cultures emerge," said Greg O'Corry-Crowe, Ph.D., lead author and a research professor at FAU's Harbor Branch. "It also has implications for traditional explanations based on matrilineal care for a very rare life-history trait in nature, menopause, which has only been documented in a handful of mammals, including beluga whales and humans."

Researchers found that belugas formed a limited number of group types, from mother-calf dyads to adult male groups, and from mixed-age groups to large herds. These same group types were consistently observed across population and habitats. Furthermore, certain behaviors were associated with group type, and group membership was found to often be dynamic.

"Unlike killer and pilot whales, and like some human societies, beluga whales don't solely or even primarily interact and associate with close kin. Across a wide variety of habitats and among both migratory and resident populations, they form communities of individuals of all ages and both sexes that regularly number in the hundreds and possibly the thousands," said O'Corry-Crowe. "It may be that their highly developed vocal communication enables them to remain in regular acoustic contact with close relatives even when not associating together."

Beluga whale groupings (beyond mothercalf dyads) were not usually organized around close maternal relatives. The smaller social groups, as well as the larger herds, routinely comprised multiple matrilines. Even where group members shared the same mtDNA lineage, microsatellite analysis often revealed that they were not closely related, and many genealogical links among group members involved paternal rather than maternal relatives. These results differ from earlier predictions that belugas have a matrilineal social system of closely associating female relatives. They also differ from the association behavior of the larger toothed whales that informed those predictions. In 'resident' killer whales, for example, both males and females form groups with close maternal kin where they remain for their entire lives.

"Beluga whales exhibit a wide range of grouping patterns from small groups of two to 10 individuals to large herds of 2,000 or more, from apparently single sex and age-class pods to mixed-age and sex groupings, and from brief associations to multi-year affiliations," said O'Corry-Crowe. "This variation suggests a fissionfusion society where group composition and size are context-specific, but it may also reflect a more rigid multi-level society comprised of stable social units that regularly coalesce and separate. The role kinship plays in these groupings has been largely unknown."

For the study, researchers used field observations, mtDNA profiling, and multi-locus genotyping of beluga whales to address fundamental questions about beluga group structure, and patterns of kinship and behavior, which provide new insights into the evolution and ecology of social structure in this Arctic whale.

The study was conducted at 10 locations, in different habitats, across the species' range, spanning from small, resident groups (Yakutat Bay) and populations (Cook Inlet) in subarctic Alaska to larger, migratory populations in the Alaskan (Kasegaluk Lagoon, Kotzebue Sound, Norton Sound), Canadian (Cunningham Inlet, Mackenzie Delta, Husky Lakes) and Russian (Gulf of Anadyr) Arctic to a small, insular population in the Norwegian High Arctic (Svalbard).

"This new understanding of why individuals may form social groups, even with non-relatives, will hopefully promote new research on what constitutes species resilience and how species like the beluga whale can respond to emerging threats including climate change," said O'Corry-Crowe.

Explore further Like human societies, whales value culture and family ties

More information: Greg O'Corry-Crowe et al. Group structure and kinship in beluga whale societies, Scientific Reports (2020). Journal information: Scientific Reports Greg O'Corry-Crowe et al. Group structure and kinship in beluga whale societies,(2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-67314-w
Twenty people have died in custody of the Montana Department of Corrections since the agency quietly decided 10 months ago to stop issuing public notices of such deaths, according to information provided this week after a Missoulian inquiry.

Fifteen of those deaths in state custody have occurred so far in 2020, a tally higher than 2019 and 2018 combined, according to information provided by the Department of Corrections. Two prison inmates died on July 1. Several had been sentenced to life or 100 years in prison. Sixteen of the deaths involved prison inmates; the other four were in pre-release or treatment facilities.

The most recent death, of Brian Holm, of Lolo, was Wednesday. The Missoulian learned of his death on Thursday through his victim's sister, who said the widow of Brian Beaver  a pedestrian killed in 2010 when Holm was driving drunk in Missoula  was notified via text.

Holm had been approved for parole in May by the Montana Board of Pardons and Parole. According to "Justice for Brian Beaver Jr., a Facebook page monitoring Holm's prison status on behalf of the victim in his vehicular homicide case, Holm had been approved for parole because he met the criteria under the directive from the Governor's Office to reduce the prison population of inmates at high-risk for COVID-19.

Causes of death were not included in the initial information released to the Missoulian on Wednesday on the inmate deaths. The Department of Corrections had not released the requested cause-of-death information by press time Thursday.

At least two in DOC custody have died this year by apparent suicides, including Laurence Alan Stewart II, who was in the midst a sexual harassment lawsuit against the department and had documented signs of suicidal ideations, according to Human Rights Bureau documents. Stephen Richard Wolf, 57, died in March at a methamphetamine treatment center in Lewistown, the Petroleum County coroner told the Associated Press.

The Department of Corrections this week said issuing public notices of inmate deaths had always been an informal practice that officials "decided to move away from" in September during an informal conversation among officials, according to spokeswoman Carolynn Bright. Since September, information released about inmate deaths, such as the death of 74-year-old Jerry Forsyth, has come after inquiries from news outlets, Bright said.

Rep. Kathy Kelker, D-Billings, a member of the Law and Justice Interim Committee that conducts oversight over the Department of Corrections, said Thursday she was not aware of the number of inmates who had died this year. She said there have been recent discussions on the committee about how to handle the release of information on inmate deaths  how notices after death by natural causes may differ those after an inmate dies by suicide.

"But, when something (a death) happens that is different from natural causes, we need to know about that, as well, in my opinion," Kelker said. "We don't want to jump the gun and assume they haven't thought it through at the Department of Corrections and to be very careful about privacy issues for inmates and families. I think it's a balance we can figure out."

In the age of COVID-19, agency oversight has been focused on inmate health within the prison system. According to information on the Montana Department of Corrections website on Thursday, only one person, an inmate at the Montana Women's Prison, had tested positive.

Kelker said the number of deaths so far in 2020 was "probably something we should look at" but stopped short of expressing concern without knowing the number of older prison inmates dying of natural causes.

"God forbid, if someone died of COVID(-19), we'd certainly need to know that," Kelker said.

Powell County Attorney Kathryn McEnery said in an email on Thursday her office conducts coroner's inquests  which determine whether a person died as the unjustified fault of law enforcement  if information from the county coroner and medical examiner warrants. As of Thursday, she had not scheduled any inquests, but declined to comment on the results of any of the deaths in the last 10 months because she had not had a chance to review the list.

At least one case is being investigated by the Montana Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation, according to a spokesman for the Justice Department. In that case, the Cascade County sheriff asked for the Division of Criminal Investigation to examine the death of Zachary Swansonm, 30, at the county jail. In the case of a prison inmate death, the state investigative unit would get involved only if the Montana Department of Corrections makes such a request, DOJ spokesman John Barnes said in an email Thursday. The Justice Department has not been asked by the Corrections Department to investigate any of the deaths that have occurred since the Corrections Department decision to stop issuing public notices about inmate deaths, Barnes said.

Those who have died in secure facilities or pre-releases and treatment facilities since Sept. 1, 2019, which is when Bright said the decision was made to end public notices, are as follows:

9/3/2019 - Walter Cassell

10/1/2019 - Joseph Foley

11/3/2019 - Fred Goodenough

12/10/2019 - Neal Gray, 60

12/18/2019 - Robert Lewis

1/30/2020 - Dennis Kline

2/14/2020 - Kenneth Whitlow, 68

3/22/2020 - Stephen Wolf, 57

4/8/2020 - Jerry Forsyth, 74

4/10/2020 - Levi Baker, 41

4/10/2020 - Presley Mattingly, 41

4/30/2020 - Laurence Stewart, 33

5/5/2020 - James Allen

5/7/2020 - Robert Close, 66

5/17/2020 - Michael Westmark

6/22/2020 - Zachary Swanson, 30

6/27/2020 - Dennis Schowengerdt, 72

7/1/2020 - Martin Bigday

7/1/2020 - Albert Gaub, 81

7/8/2020 - Brian Holm, about 60

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A judge has commended a survivor of child sexual abuse for her "strength and courage" in coming forward to make a complaint against her father due to her concerns for other children.

Raymond McElwaine (68), of Silverwood Road, Rathfarnham, Dublin, admitted eight sample counts of indecent assault and sexual assault of his daughter at the former family home in Balrothery Estate on dates between June 1988 and December 1994.

Jennifer Lydon McElwaine, who was aged between six and 11 when she was abused, waived her right to anonymity so that her father could be named.

In her victim impact statement, she outlined how the sexual abuse perpetrated by her father continued to affect every aspect of her life, telling the court: "It is a cancer I am fighting every day."

Mistake

Ms Lydon McElwaine said that when she first spoke up as a six-year-old about what was happening, her mother had been very upset and her father had cried and pleaded that it was a mistake and a misunderstanding.

She described the fear and shame and how lonely and scared she had felt.

She said her father controlled everything in the house, and she now understood how her late mother had been manipulated by him.

Ms Lydon McElwaine told the court that when she later came forward as an adult to disclose the abuse to her family due to her concerns about children, her father had implied she was making it up.

"My father cried and manipulated his way out of it," she said, adding that he had shown no remorse and taken no ownership of his actions.

"I never wanted this. All I wanted was my father to ack- nowledge what he had done," she said.

Ms Lydon McElwaine said her father had been meant to protect her, but instead used her for his own sexual gratification.

"The only person my father ever protected was himself," she told Judge Karen O'Connor

"The crime is not mine, but I have been left with a cross to bear for the rest of my life. Child sexual abuse is a life sentence."

Judge O'Connor told her the strength and courage of her six-year-old self in speaking out had clearly stayed with her throughout her life.

The judge adjourned sentencing to allow a probation report to be prepared and remanded McElwaine in custody until October 8.

Liar

The court heard McElwaine made admissions to the abuse during garda interview and said he was sorry for calling his daughter a liar.

Michael O'Higgins, defending, said his client apologised for his actions.

He said this was a "very dark day" for McElwaine, who had to sit and listen to the deep and long-lasting effects of the abuse on his daughter.

He said his client, who now "cuts a sad and lonely figure", was being asked to account for his actions 30 years later "in the autumn of his life".
Berkeley has joined a growing list of cities across Northern California, including San Francisco, to shield local restaurants from high commission fees charged by third-party food delivery apps.

On Tuesday, Berkeleys City Council unanimously approved an emergency ordinance to cap commission fees charged by Uber Eats, Postmates, DoorDash and Grubhub at 15%. Other fees levied by the apps, not including the delivery fee, are capped at 5%.

The legislation was introduced by Berkeley Councilwoman Rashi Kesarwani, and the cap will remain in place until indoor dining resumes in Berkeley or 90 days after the local health emergency ends.

Vice Mayor Sophie Hahn said via email that even with the cap, she will continue to encourage diners to order directly from restaurants, or use restaurants own delivery services if available, to curb the expense of using delivery apps, a cost that is often not readily evident to consumers when they place an order.

At a time when many small restaurants in Berkeley are struggling to stay open, we must protect them from corporate delivery apps that seek to profit off this pandemic, Hahn said.

San Francisco passed a similar emergency ordinance in April, which also capped commission fees from food delivery apps at 15%. Since then, San Jose, Santa Cruz, Marin County, Seattle, Los Angeles, New York City and Jersey City put similar caps in place. Berkeley is the first city in the East Bay to approve such an emergency ordinance.

The rates charged by delivery apps, which typically ranged from 15% to 30% of an order before the coronavirus pandemic, have been a concern for local restaurants and city officials since state and local shelter-in-place orders went into effect. Most Bay Area restaurants that have had to stop dine-in service are heavily relying on delivery apps to generate revenue.

For their part, delivery app companies, most of which have been consistently unprofitable, say the high fees are necessary to pay delivery couriers, process payments, handle customer service and otherwise run their operations.

The sector is seeing considerable consolidation. Uber said Monday it would acquire San Francisco rival Postmates for $2.65 billion. DoorDash, also of San Francisco, bought meal delivery service Caviar from Square last year. Chicagos Grubhub agreed to sell itself to European firm Just Eat Takeaway for $7.3 billion last month.

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

The commission caps appear to be adding to the financial pressure on the companies. Uber Eats stopped delivering to Treasure Island in April, saying it could not serve the San Francisco neighborhood under the new restrictions and citing a need to reduce operational costs. Supervisor Matt Haney criticized the company, saying the move was a retaliation against the city for imposing caps.

Some appear to have struggled with consistently adhering to the newly imposed limits. DoorDash recently admitted to mistakenly charging a handful of San Francisco restaurants more than was allowed under the citys cap. GrubHub said it had raised its commissions when the cap briefly expired in June.

Supervisor Aaron Peskin, who along with Supervisor Ahsha Safai initiated the talks about the commission caps in San Francisco, recently said on Twitter there is additional legislation in the works to end these predatory practices.

Under the Berkeley legislation, delivery apps that violate the ordinance will have to pay back the money to the restaurant.

Justin Phillips is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jphillips@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JustMrPhillips
New Delhi, July 10 : The Bar Council of Delhi on Friday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding Rs 500 crore assistance for the legal community to mitigate their hardship during the current crisis over the coronavirus pandemic.

"The legal community in Delhi-NCR is facing severe financial crisis and the situation demands urgent intervention by the government by providing funds to the tune of Rs 500 crore from Contingency Fund of India as well as PM-CARES Fund," advocate K.C. Mittal, Chairperson of the council stated.

The Bar Council of Delhi further stated that the lockdown dealt a grievous jolt to the earning of thousands of advocates due to closure of courts. It claimed that the condition of advocates is worsening day by day making them unable to meet even the basic requirements.

"Almost four months sitting at home without any work and income and uncertainty of the resumption of the court work, has multiplied the agony. In such an emergent and disastrous situation, the citizens cannot be left high and dry," he wrote.

The letter highlighted that as per available information, PM-CARES fund has a sum of Rs 9,677.9 crore in its corpus to deal with disasters, emergencies, and situations of distress.

Quoting media reports, it states that there is Rs 8,000 crore lying in the Contingency Fund, which can be unlimitedly increased by the government for utilisation during the "unforeseen disastrous situations".

Mittal told the Prime Minister that Rs 8 crore has already been disbursed to the legal fraternity till now, adding that more efforts are being made to provide assistance in appropriate cases.

"The grant of relief will go a long way in mitigating the hardships of the advocates enrolled with the Bar Council of Delhi," he added.
FLINT, MI -- The Flint Community Schools Board of Education has voted to close the Flint Jr. High School building, formerly Northwestern High School.

The closure of the Flint Jr. High School was proposed after the district learned last month the building is in need of $4 million in repairs. If the district moves to take on these repairs, the expense would drain the districts infrastructure fund, leaving nothing for all other school buildings. The district would also have to spend $1.2 million of its general fund.

If a child is currently enrolled at the junior high, they will instead attend Holmes STEM Academy in the fall. Holmes STEM Academy will become Holmes STEM Middle School Academy and will be reconfigured to become a middle school for 6th-8th graders. Brownell STEM Academy will expand from a K-2nd grade to a K-5th grade school. Children enrolled in 3rd-5th grade at Holmes, will instead attend Brownell. Students currently enrolled in grades K-2nd at Brownell will not be affected.

Flint school board votes to reconsider closure of Flint Jr. High School building

I realize these changes will impact many of our families and children, and understand the connection our residents have to neighborhood schools, Superintendent Anita Steward said in a letter following the closure. That is why we spent substantial time weighing all options before proposing this solution. For that reason, I am confident this decision is in the best interest of our students and will help us continue to build on the academic progress we have seen in recent years.

The proposed closure did not pass the board the first time it was presented.

Stewards proposal to close the building was narrowly rejected at a special meeting Monday, June 29. Board Vice President Diana Wright voted against the motion to close the school. Treasurer Danielle Green, Trustee Carol McIntosh and Trustee Vera Perry voted in favor of the closure. Trustee Blake Strozier abstained, stating that his wife worked at schools affected by the action. President Casey Lester and Secretary Betty Ramsdell were absent, so the motion failed.

Board narrowly rejects plan to close Flint Junior High School

While she originally was the deciding vote against the closure one week prior, Wright expressed support for the closure at the Monday, July 6, meeting.

Its been a very difficult decision but it looks like at the end of the day money will drive the decision and one of my responsibilities as a board member is to be fiscally responsible, Wright said. So, knowing that it breaks by heart to move students out of Northwestern, we still have to consider all of the students in the district so therefore I will be supporting this motion.

Johnson Controls, the districts HVAC company, presented the scope of repairs needed to the junior high school building at a Tuesday, June 9, special Flint Community Schools Board of Education meeting. Many repairs were noted to be critical, meaning if the system failed, the facility would no longer be fit to be occupied.

$4M in needed repairs at Flint school would drain districts infrastructure funds

The district has $560,000 from an energy efficiency bond. This means the district would need to commit $3.5 million to the building if it plans for students to use the building, executive director of finance Carrie Sekelsky has said. The district has $2.2 million in sinking fund dollars, which would be depleted under this option. An additional $1.2 million would have to be taken from the districts general fund.

Flint school board terminates superintendents contract without cause

The Northwestern building would still have the districts central kitchen. It could also house maintenance equipment and the stadium and auditorium could be rented out, Steward said. The district currently rents space for its buses. With the building closed, Northwestern could be used for buses instead.

Any questions can be directed to Steward at superintendent@flintschools.org.

Read more here:

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The cavalry isnt coming and Flint schools must make tough decisions, district leader says

For the first time in 15 years, Flint schools has ratified contracts for all 3 unions

Huge cuts to school programs loom if lawmakers dont provide relief funding, West Michigan educators say

Coronavirus prompts projected $3.2B drop in Michigan tax revenue, more losses expected
Kanpur: Gangster Vikas Dubey was shot dead Friday (July 10) by police, who claim he was trying to flee after the car carrying him from Ujjain overturned on the outskirts of Kanpur. The police SUV met with an accident at Bhaunti in Kanpur district, overturning on an isolated stretch of the road which was slippery after the rains, police claimed.

They said the gangster snatched a pistol from one of the four policemen injured in the accident and was shot when he opened fire while trying to flee, an account of events being questioned by opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh.

Dubey was the sixth man to die in a police encounter after the ambush he allegedly masterminded in Kanpur's Bikru village past midnight on July 2, killing eight policemen who had come to arrest him.

We bring to you how that dreaded gangster exploited the system since 1990:

During the trial of the Santosh Shukla murder case, all witnesses, most of them police personnel, turned hostile. Vikas Dubey was acquitted by the court due to lack of evidence and corroboration.

In 2000, he gunned down Sidheshwar Pandey, the principal of the Tara Chand Inter College in Shivli town, over a land dispute. But the conviction order was stayed by the Allahabad High Court and he was released on bail.

On June 25, 2006, Dubey was arrested from SBD District Hospital in Saharanpur by Janakpuri Police Station. There were 50 cases against him by then. The police reported that five kilograms of 'Doda post', a drug made of poppy husk, was found from him.

However, on the ground of his medical condition  he had suffered spinal injuries after he met with an accident four months before his arrest  was released on bail.

In October 2017, Dubey was arrested by the STF in Lucknow in a murder case, when the police found him allegedly applying pressure on the complainant and witnesses to submit statements in his favour. He spent 18 months in jail before getting a bail in 2019.

Vikas Dubey's police connection:

On March 14, 2020, slain DSP Devendra Misra wrote a detailed letter to the then Kanpur (Dehat SSP) Anand Deo pointing out how Dubey had been allowed to go scot free despite 'more than 150 criminal cases pending against him in Kanpur and neighbouring districts'. Misra also sought to draw Deos attention to the unholy nexus between one of his 'shady' sub-inspectors Vinay Tiwari and Dubey.

After the July 3 Kanpur encounter, Chaubepur CO Vinay Tiwari was interrogated and later suspended from service for allegedly passing critical information on to Dubey about the raid.

Following Dubeys acquittal by a trial court in the 2001 case of Shuklas murder, the Uttar Pradesh police did not appeal against the decision in higher courts.

The political connections of Vikas Dubey, the main accused in the killing of eight police personnel in Kanpur on Friday, were so strong that his name did not figure in the list of top ten criminals of the district even though he had criminal cases registered against his name.

His name also does not figure in the STF list of over 30 top criminals of the state that was released earlier this year.
A teacher from Sydney's west has been charged with 10 offences following an investigation into the alleged sexual assault of a high school student.

Earlier this week, detectives from the State Crime Commands child abuse and sex crimes squad received a report from a 14-year-old male student who said he had been sexually assaulted by a female teacher while at a school.

The alleged incidents occurred during the past month both on and outside school grounds, Detective acting Superintendent Michael Haddow said on Friday.

An investigation was commenced and a 23-year-old Greenacre woman was arrested on Friday morning.

Police executed a search warrant at her home, where officers seized a vehicle and electronic devices.
The Manitoba government has provided more than $1 million to the WE organization over the past five years.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/7/2020 (556 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Manitoba government has provided more than $1 million to the WE organization over the past five years.

"Manitoba Education has provided WE Schools with $1.1 million in funding since 2015 to support and enhance programs and services to Manitoba schools, teachers and students," a spokesman for Education Minister Kelvin Goertzen said in an email late Friday.

"Included in this funding was $200,000 to support WE Day and WE Well-Being programs in 2019-20 in many school divisions, in order to promote mental health literacy in classrooms," he said.

The spokesman said funding to WE Schools is reviewed annually.

Goertzen was unavailable for comment.

At a press conference earlier on Friday, Finance Minister Scott Fielding said he had not discussed future WE organization funding with his cabinet colleagues in light of the federal ethics commissioner's probe into Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's potential conflict of interest in the awarding of a sole-source contract to WE.

"I haven't had any discussions on that," he said.

Speaking from personal experience, however, Fielding said he's found WE Day to be a "fabulous" event.

"I've been to a number of them with my children. I think they provide a great service for all youth," he said.

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"WE Day experiences here have been fabulous. If you ask most students here, they would agree."

Asked for his views, NDP finance critic Mark Wasyliw, a former school board trustee, said society shouldn't use charities to fill in gaps in its social services.

He said he believes that "strong, fully funded public services" are needed to support vulnerable Manitobans.

"Charities are well-meaning, but often times they're just trying to plug the holes, and it's not a long-term strategy," Wasyliw said.

"There's a lot of good people that work for those charities, but we need to look as a province at something a little bit more holistic and systematic..."

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca
PHOENIX  Bar owners from around the state are asking the Arizona Supreme Court to rule that Gov. Doug Ducey does not have the constitutional authority to shut them  or any other business  down.

While not disputing that the COVID-19 outbreak is an emergency, the law that gives Ducey the unilateral power to do things like close down certain businesses unconstitutionally delegates the legislative power of this state to the governor, says Attorney Ilan Wurman, an associate professor at Arizona State University.

He wants the justices to not only void the law giving the governor those powers but also declare that any orders Ducey already has made under that law are illegal and cannot be enforced.

The outcome of the legal fight would affect not just the owners of the 20 bars around the state who are challenging Duceys authority, but every other kind of business the governor has ordered forced to close or limit their operation.

And it also could affect the governors future ability to impose a new stay-at-home order as well as directives about when, and if, schools can reopen.

There was no immediate response from the governors office.
Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman's nephew has been shot and killed inside a car in a brazen attack that has sparked fears of an escalation in cartel wars.

Authorities in the Culiacan, Mexico, neighborhood of El Ranchero found Enrique Guzman executed in the driver's seat of a red Toyota Corolla which was riddled with bullets.

Investigators said the 45-year-old had several gun shot wounds to the body.

Members of his family identified his body before it was sent to forensic experts.

Investigators search the site where Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman's nephew, Enrique Guzman, was found executed in the driver's seat of a car (pictured) which was riddled with bullets. The discovery was made Wednesday morning after police in Culiacan, Mexico, were alerted

Alleged masked members of the Sinaloa Cartel search a vehicle in Culiacan hours after the body of El Chapo's nephew was found dead inside a car in the El Ranchito neighborhood

Sinaloa authorities have not made arrests nor offered a motive for Guzman's killing, which comes on the heels of a late June attack launched in Sonora by a gang linked to El Chapo' sons which killed at least 10 individuals tied to a group working for Rafael Caro Quintero, the notorious drug lord who is featured in Netflix's hit series, Narcos: Mexico.

A video uploaded to social media by a motorist showed a group of masked individuals, whom appeared to be members of the Sinaloa Cartel, setting up checkpoints and questioning drivers and pedestrians in Culiacan following Guzman's death.

Guzman survived an assassination attempt on on July 3, 2019 when several armed men chased his vehicle in the Culiacan town of Pemex, according to Mexican newspaper El Universal.

Police have not made any arrests and are unaware of the motive behind the death of Enrique Guzman, the nephew of El Chapo, who was shot dead in a car (pictured)

El Chapo (pictured) allegedly order the murder of his nephew Juan 'El Juanon' Guzman in December 2011, according to testimony given by a former lover during his trial in New York. Guzman's brother, Enrique, was found dead Wednesday in Sinaloa, Mexico

He suffered a gun shot wound but his girlfriend, who was identified as Karen, died in the attack. He was able to flee from his attackers by driving into a state-owned oil company parking lot.

Guzman's brother, Juan 'El Juanon' Guzman, was murdered along with another man in December 2011 when he was kidnapped by armed men.

Investigators in Mexico have not revealed a motive for the murder of El Chapo's nephew, Enrique Guzman

The hit was allegedly ordered by their cousin, El Chapo, according to explosive testimony offered by his mistress Lucero Guadalupe Sanchez during the jailed drug lord's trial in New York in January 2019

El Chapo's former lover told the court that he 'did not react' when his nephew and bodyguard came running to him with the news.

'He looked at me seriously and then he said some words I did not like,' Sanchez recalled. 'What he said was that from that point on, whoever betrayed him was going to die, whether they were family or women.'
A special operations group (SOG) of the Gujarat Police arrested an accused, who was wanted in a 38-year-old bank robbery and murder case, from Rajasthans Barmer district on Friday early morning.

Anand Sharma, superintendent of police (SP), Barmer, said the accused, Shaktidan Singh (66), was arrested from Bijawal village that comes under the jurisdiction of Gadara Road police station.

The SP said the accused had robbed a bank at Iqbalgarh in Gujarats Banaskantha district in 1982. He had opened fire and killed three persons, including a policeman and two civilians, while trying to decamp after the bank heist.

He has been absconding since the incident, the SP said.

Singh, a notorious dacoit in the past, was an accused in 40 cases in Rajasthan.

However, in 1989, he had surrendered before the Rajasthan Police and became an approver after which no case was pending in his native state.

But, he was still wanted in the Banaskantha bank robbery and murder case for which he was arrested on Friday early morning by Gujarat Polices SOG, the SP added.

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Boris Johnson is under mounting pressure to strip British Airways of prized airport landing slots over its 'fire and rehire' jobs plan.

More than 100 MPs from across political parties have urged the Prime Minister to review BA's right to slots at airports such as Heathrow as it embarks on a huge restructuring that will axe 12,000 staff.

The airline is struggling after flights around the world were grounded for several months and travel is only just starting to pick up again.

More than 100 MPs have urged the Prime Minister to review BA's right to slots at airports such as Heathrow as it embarks on a huge restructuring that will axe 12,000 staff

It insists cutting 12,000 jobs  or 28p per cent of its 42,000-strong workforce  is crucial to its survival and that it is being unjustly vilified.

The airline is on the cusp of agreeing a deal with pilots  but has not been able to engage with unions that represent cabin crew.

Trade union Unite has accused the airline of planning a 'fire and rehire' system involving remaining employees having their terms and conditions downgraded.

IAG-owned BA has insisted its proposals have been put forward for consultation, adding that no decisions have been taken in regards to actual redundancies.

The airline holds more than half of the slots  which give planes the right to take off and land at a certain time  at Heathrow, which can be worth several million pounds each.

Boss Alex Cruz has previously told staff that every slot the airline loses 'will lead to jobs in BA being permanently lost'.

Sharon Graham, Unite executive officer, said the company was 'essentially creating an unrecognisable airline'.

The pledge, organised by Unite, encourages the PM to prevent airlines being able to keep hold of the coveted slots without factors such as 'internal investment, social responsibility and connectivity' being considered.

It has been signed by MPs of all parties including 15 Tories such as Huw Merriman, the chairman of Commons transport committee.

A BA spokesman said: 'We are acting to protect as many jobs as possible. We call on Unite and GMB to consult with us on our proposals as our pilot union, Balpa, is doing.'

***

BALPA has branded proposals by EasyJet to use sick days as a factor when deciding who to axe as part of its wave of redundancies as 'unnecessary and wrong'.

A spokesman for the airline denied that sickness was a 'key component' and said that absence was one of a number of criteria being put forward in the proposals.
HOUSTON (AP)  A state judge on Thursday declined to reverse Houston's decision to cancel the Texas Republican convention's in-person events because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Judge Larry Weiman rejected the state GOP's request for a temporary restraining order, one day after Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said next week's gathering could not proceed at the downtown convention center. Turner, a Democrat, has denied any political motives in the cancellation and said it was a matter of public safety.

After a contentious two-hour hearing, Weiman said he was concerned about Houston hospitals reporting they have exceeded their regular intensive-care capacity, as coronavirus cases and deaths have surged in the state. The arrival next week of as many as 6,000 delegates from across Texas could worsen the situation, he noted.

Attorneys for state Republicans indicated they plan to file an appeal.

The judge's decision Thursday came as the state reported more than 100 deaths in a single day for the first time, making this the deadliest week of the pandemic in what has rapidly become one of Americas virus hot zones. Houston in particular has become a hot spot, with major hospitals exceeding their base capacity due to an influx of COVID-19 patients.

The Texas Medical Association withdrew its sponsorship of the state GOP convention and asked organizers to cancel in-person gatherings.

But state Republican chair James Dickey insisted that organizers can hold the event safely. Before Turner canceled the convention, Dickey said the party had planned to institute daily temperature scans, provide masks, and install hand sanitizer stations.

The groups lawsuit filed earlier Thursday accused Turner of discriminating against the convention due to an ideological viewpoint. A second lawsuit filed by a group of Republicans accused Turner of bowing to COVID-19 hysteria."

Both lawsuits accuse Turner of imposing tougher standards on the convention than he did on a June 2 protest following the death of George Floyd, a Houston native. Tens of thousands of people, including Turner, attended the protest.

The state party's lawsuit included photos of packed crowds at the protest. One of the Republicans who filed the second lawsuit was Steve Hotze, a conservative power broker who, according to The Texas Tribune, left Gov. Greg Abbott's chief of staff a voicemail after the protest calling on the governor to have National Guard ready to shoot to kill.

I want to make sure that he has National Guard down here and they have the order to shoot to kill if any of these ... people start rioting like they have in Dallas, start tearing down businesses. ... Thats the only way you restore order. Kill em. Thank you," Hotze said.

Speaking Wednesday, Turner said he directed city lawyers to terminate the contract because he believed the event could not be held safely.

No one wanted to step in and be the heavy and to say no, and then run the risk of being accused of being political, Turner said. But if after all of that, you still refuse to recognize the public health danger to everyone involved, then I am still the mayor.
New Delhi:

In an exclusive interview with News Nation, former Pakistan President Gen Pervez Musharraf has described Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as a terrorist, saying he has been involved in bomb blasts even in his country. Musharraf accepted Pakistan government's diplomatic failure on international front. He, however, said it does not mean that Pakistan should be taken for granted.

Below are the top 10 quotes of Musharraf:



1. PM Modi's impromptu visit to Pakistan to wish Nawaz Sharif on his birthday is just an artificial gesture. Some concrete steps are needed to improve ties between the two countries.

2. On detention of Pak high commission staffer on espionage charges: These things happen. We also nab Indian spies.

3. Due to the diplomatic failure of the incumbent government, Pakistan has been isolated.

4. There is no your terrorist and my terrorist. A terrorist is a terrorist. Those fighting in Kashmir are not terrorists. Pakistan calls them Mujahideen.

ALSO READ | Masood Azhar is a 'terrorist', Pervez Musharraf tells News Nation

5. Burhan Wani was a young leader.

6. Masood Azhar and those who were hiding in Lal Masjid were terrorists but Hafiz Saeed and Syyed Salahuddin are not.

7. Musharraf refuses to comment on Gen Raheel Sharif taking over as a military ruler but says Pakistan had better growth trajectory under military rule.

8. India must not behave as a ' big brother ' and force the smaller nations in the region to support its agenda.

ALSO READ | Pervez Musharraf hails Burhan Wani as a 'young leader'

9. When asked about the ongoing unrest in Balochistan, Sindh and PoK, he tried to turn the focus of his reply by referring to Kashmir and the slain terrorist Burhan Wani.

10. When asked on the 'surgical strike' and military might of India he said, Pakistan is a nuke power with a strong army which cant be bullied.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Communication Minister and Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful says the choice of Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang as Running Mate of NDC flagbearer and former President, John Dramani Mahama will make no difference in the December 7 elections.



According to her, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has shot themselves in the foot by selecting Prof. Naana Opoku-Agyemang because she doesn't equally have a good track record just as the former President.



She also lambasted Mr. Mahama's Running Mate saying she has played no significant role in women empowerment.



Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has over the years served as a Managing Consultant with N. U. Consult Legal, Governance and Gender Consultants and also Chairperson for the Social Development Sector Committee  a committee responsible for the development of policy interventions for women, children, persons with disability, the aged and all social intervention policies and programs for the NPP manifesto 2016.



This was established in a publication on Freedom Online website on Thursday, February 6, 2020.



She has also been an executive member of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) since 1990 and was a former President of FIDA Ghana and Africa Regional Vice President of FIDA International.



She was recently given an award by FIDA in recognition of her brilliant work in protecting the rights of women and children.



Presenting the award of excellence to Mrs. Owusu Ekuful, FIDA eulogized her saying ''we are aware of the tremendous work that you have done for almost 30 years, first as a lawyer, women's rights advocate, member of Parliament for Ablekuma West and minister for communications in advancing the cause of women and show our gratitude for your work in fighting for Women and Children in Ghana''.



She is also a member of the African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA), Ghana.



The aforementioned qualifications and offices held by Ursula Owusu-Ekuful therefore makes her an expert when she says Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has no track record in gender activism.



"I've worked in this field since 1990 . . . Since we started understudying our leaders since 1990 and keep going on advocating for the liberty and empowerment of women, her (Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang) name hasn't appeared anywhere. She was teaching in her University. Nothing wrong with that. Everybody should be in her lane. Everybody and where her strength lies; so you can't compare somebody's work to your own. Maybe she has chosen that in academia, that's where her strength lies; nothing wrong with that. But for you to say today that because she is a woman, she is going to fight for women empowerment; she is not a part of the women right activists. She wouldn't even know where to start from," she told host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' on Thursday.



Hon. Owusu-Ekuful further stressed that despite the credentials of the Professor, she and former President John Mahama are no new personalities so far as governance of Ghana is concerned, emphasizing that ''no matter how intelligent the Running Mate, it can't cure an indecisive incompetent flagbearer''.



"Judge her on her track record. What work did she do while in government? What value is she bringing on the ticket of her nomination? Exactly, what is she going to do to add to her ticket?'' she questioned.



"The value is the same. First one, she doesn't have any women's rights credentials at all that I know," she asserted.



Listen to her full submissions below:





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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

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Despite the uncertainty caused as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the Costa del Sol continues to be an attractive proposition to international hotel companies. Hilton has this week announced that it will take over the former Dona Julia hotel project in Casares, owned by the Platinum Estates Group which is also developing the Hotel W project in Marbella.

The hotel, which will be called Conrad Costa del Sol, is expected to open its doors in early 2022 following works likely to last 20 months. Once Casares council grants the licence, which it is expected to do in August, the works will be put out to tender before getting under way in the autumn.

Conrad Costa del Sol will be Hilton's first luxury hotel in Spain, with 194 rooms, of which 12 will be luxury suites, a large spa with an indoor pool, multiple outdoor pools, two bars and a high-end restaurant.

The hotel will have a main building, with the main common areas, three restaurants, gym, underground parking for 120 vehicles and eight villas that will surround a central pool.

During the project's presentation on Tuesday, the managing director of Hilton's Development for Spain and Portugal, Carlos Miro, highlighted that of the 6,162 hotels that Hilton has around the world, only 39 carry the Conrad brand, the name of the company's founder, "because a series of very special circumstances have to be met for an establishment to be given the Conrad brand".

Hilton has 13 luxury brands, and Conrad is known "for its contemporary design, intuitive, personalised service and state-of-the-art technology".

The unfinished and abandoned Hotel Dona Julia will serve as the base for the future Hilton. Jose Garcia, the project manager, said that the architectural style will be adapted to Hilton's requirements in terms of image.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is asking President Donald Trump to extend deployment of the Michigan National Guard for COVID-19 response through the end of the year.

Whitmer first involved the Michigan National Guard in the states response to the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-March, and the Trump administration initially authorized the states authority to call up members of the Guard and extend them federal pay and benefits through June 24. Trump later extended that authorization through August 21.

Related: Trump OKs Whitmer request to extend use of Michigan National Guard

In a letter to Trump, Whitmer said the state has made great strides in responding to the pandemic, but said Michigan will continue to require the Michigan National Guard to perform humanitarian missions across the state, such as helping run mobile screening facilities, testing, distributing food and medical supplies, ensuring resiliency of supply lines, disinfecting public spaces, and supporting public safety when required.

Shes asking Trump to extend the authority through Dec. 31.

Since March, the men and women of the Michigan National Guard have stepped up to support the states response to COVID-19; this extension would allow us flexibility to continue our work with Governor Whitmer to protect our fellow Michiganders, Maj. Gen. Paul Rogers, Adjutant General and Director of the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, said in a statement.

National Guardsmen have assisted food banks in communities across the state. Theyve also helped setup temporary medical stations to support coronavirus patients.

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.

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Ara:

Seventeen cartons of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) were seized on Sunday and four persons arrested in this connection from outside Koilwar railway station in Bhojpur district.

The cartons that were seized outside Koilwar railway station were brought from Haryana by train, Superintendent of Police Kshatraneel Singh said.

The Bihar government had on Gandhi Jayanti notified the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act 2016 banning manufacture, trade, storage, transportation, possession, sale and consumption of liquor and foreign liquor.

As per the new liquor law, those found indulging in unlawful import, export, transport, manufacture, possession, sale, intoxicant or liquor could attract a minimum 10 years of jail term which may extend to imprisonment for life besides a minimum fine of Rs 1 lakh which may extend to Rs 10 lakh.
The Andhra Pradesh Health, Medical and Family Welfare Department (HMFWD), Govt. of Andhra Pradesh, has called for applications in a prescribed format from qualified candidates for filling 311 vacancies to the post of Child Psychologist, Staff Nurses, Lab Technicians, Receptionist-cum-Clerk, Pharmacists, Dark Room Assistants, Theatre Assistants, M.N.O.s and F.N.O.s on contract basis/outsourcing through direct recruitment to be posted at the Government General Hospital, Kakinada in East Godavari Distirct. The offline application process towards the same started on July 9, 220 and closes on July 18, 2020 by 5:00 pm.

CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Staff Nurses, Assistants, etc. posts Organisation AP Health, Medical and Family Welfare Department (HMFWD) Educational Qualification Class 10/Matriculation or equivalent; Diploma in GNM/B.Sc in Nursing; Diploma/B.Sc. with Medical Lab Technology; M.A. in Psychology; Degree/PG Diploma in Computer Applications; Diploma in Pharmacy; Training course for Dark Room Assistant Experience Refer to the advertisement Skills Required Desirable Job Location Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh Salary Scale In the range of Rs. 12,000 to Rs. 49,520 per month as per the post Industry Health, Medical and Family Welfare Application Start Date July 9, 2020 Application End Date July 18, 2020

Age Criteria And Fees

Candidates interested in applying for various posts through Andhra Pradesh HMFWD Recruitment 2020 must not have exceeded 42 years of age as on July 1, 2020 with relaxation (upper age limit) for reserved categories as per the Andhra Pradesh Govt., norms.

Candidates must pay a prescribed amount of Rs. 300 (Gen/OBC) and Rs. 200 (SC/ST/PWD and Ex-SM candidates) respectively as application processing fee in favor the "The Chairman, Hospital Development Society, Government General Hospital, Kakinada to the savings bank account No. 480201010014203 of Bank of Baroda, G.G.H., Branch, Kakinada I.F.S.C., Code: VIJB0004802.

BSF Recruitment 2020 For 35 Pilots, Engineers And Logistic Officers. Apply Before December 31

Vacancy Details

Educational Criteria And Experience

Desirous candidates applying for various posts through Andhra Pradesh HMFWD Recruitment 2020 must have passed Class 10/Matriculation or equivalent; possess a Diploma in GNM/B.Sc in Nursing; Diploma/B.Sc. with Medical Lab Technology; M.A. in Psychology; Degree/ PG Diploma in Computer Applications; Diploma in Pharmacy; Training course for Dark Room Assistant from recognised Board/University/Institution, and possess relevant years of work experience in the concerned area as detailed in the advertisement.

Selection And Pay Scale

The selection of candidates to various posts through Andhra Pradesh HMFWD Recruitment 2020 will be done based on the candidates marks in the qualifying examination and merit.

Candidates selected to various posts through Andhra Pradesh HMFWD Recruitment 2020 will be paid emolument in the range of Rs. 12,000 to Rs. 49,520 per month as per the post.

Rajya Sabha Secretariat Recruitment 2020 For Parliamentary Reporters Post, Apply Before September 4

How To Apply

Candidates applying for various posts through Andhra Pradesh HMFWD Recruitment 2020 must fill the application form in a prescribed format post-download, and and send the same along with relevant supporting documents to the "Office of the Superintendent, Government General Hospital, Kakinada" on or before July 18, 2020 by 5:00 pm through registered post/in person.

To download the application form, click here

Read the detailed advertisement about Andhra Pradesh HMFWD Recruitment 2020 for Staff Nurses, Assistants, etc. posts here
The Chinese embassy in Kazakhstan has issued a warning its citizens to take precautions against an outbreak of pneumonia in the country. The embassy in a statement late on Thursday said that there had been a "significant increase" in cases and even claimed that it is more lethal than novel coronavirus COVID-19 infection.

In Kazakhstan around 1,772 people have been killed due to pnuemonia in the first half of the year, with 628 deaths reported in June alone, including Chinese citizens.

"The mortality rate of the disease is much higher than that of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus," the embassy statement said.

Most of the cases have been reported from the cities of Atyrau, Aktobe and Shymkent since mid-June.

According to a Tuesday report by Kazinform, the state news agency of Kazakhstan, the number of pneumonia cases "increased 2.2 times in June as compared to the same period of 2019".

While the number of pneumonia cases in the capital city Nursultan have more than doubled in June 2020 from the same time last year, Kazinform quoted official data.

Meanwhile, Kazakhstan has recorded more than 50,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 264 deaths. The number of new cases rose to a daily record of 1,962 on Thursday, Kazinform reported.

The embassy added that Kazakhstan`s health ministry are carrying out a "comparative study" to find if the two viruses, virus casuing pneumonia and the coronavirus, are related. But no conclusive report has been made yet.
Noh Ae Jung struggled in life to find a stable job during the times she was raising her daughter, Ha-Ni. Her mother Hyang Ja helped her go through it all while trying to make ends meet.

After being a cashier, delivery girl, and a movie attendant, her dream of working in the film industry came true. She got hired as a film producer in Thumb Film company with low scale sales.

She managed to handle the family expenses for working as an assistant to the CEO. He gave her a chance after hearing her stories of struggle and reaching her goals.

Noh Ae Jung studied in one of the well-known universities in Korea, majoring in Theatre and Film. In her last semester as a senior, she drops out of school after she got pregnant. Since then, she has worked hard to support her baby.

Ha-Ni is now in high school and entering a new school. Noh Ae Jung bought second-hand uniforms to meet her financial earnings. Her daughter grew up to be kind and understood their situation, thus she never asked for more.

A big investor is coming to the Thumb Film office. Noh Ae Jung and her assistant producer Hye Jin, presented the script and they were shocked to know that number lender in Korea Goo Pa Do arrived not to hear about their presentation. He came to demand payment from Noh Ae Jung's boss who borrowed 7 million won as a loan. The worst part is that Noh Ae Jung is the consignee of the loan from Goo Pa Do.

She was misled and she signed a document from Thumb Film owner. They could not trace the CEO's whereabouts, leaving Noh Ae Jung required to pay the whole amount. To overcome the crisis, she agreed with Goo Pa Do to invest in their company and make a new movie.

She found a script and contract signed by famous writer Oh Dae Oh with screenname as Cheon Eok-Man. Goo Pa Do agreed to invest and gave her a deadline to complete the details. He wanted Cheon Eok-Man to be the writer and Ryu Jin to the main lead of the movie.

Both men are famous and she knew each one of them. She knew Ryu Jin during her college days and she had a big crush on him. She tried to reach out but it was hard as she can't get near due to his bodyguards.

On her way to reach out and had a meeting with Cheon Eok-Man, she found out that it was her ex-boyfriend Dae Oh. They had a tough breakup, and after they separated, they didn't for once meet or communicate for the past 14 years.

When Dae Oh found out that Ae Jung wanted to get him to work on a new movie, he is back to revenge the pain he felt form their past. He dropped out of college and was devastated when Noh Ae Jung broke up with him.

Ryu Jin and Dae Oh knew each other since college as they are in the same department. Ryu Jin helped Dae Oh to start with his life again. They never heard from Noh Ae Jung since then.

Ha-Ni got involved in a fight in school by protecting her classmate Dong Chan. Noh Ae Jung rushed to the school to apologize for the parents. She met teacher Yeon Woo, who is famous for his good looks. He is popular in school for the one who smiles a lot and kind to his students. Noh Ae Jung was surprised to see him, and he was happy to see her too.

Yeon Woo and Noh Ae Jung knew each other back in the old days. He was in high school while Noh Ae Jung was in college. They were neighbors and got close but things went wrong that they lost in contact.

The biggest problem for Noh Ae Jung is how to pay Goo Pa Do for a loan that she didn't even use. Dae Oh is giving her a hard time to work with her while Ryu Jin is trying to reach her.

Ha-Ni saw a diary from her mother with the title "To My Future Baby, Dad: Oh Yeon Woo Mom: Noh Ae Jung." A box full of Noh Ae Jung's old stuff from college kept in the attic fell into Ha-Ni's hand.
- Shanghai center is newest and largest addition to MilliporeSigma's global network of nine M Lab Collaboration Centers

"With the booming pharmaceutical industry in Asia and greater emphasis on novel drug therapies, we see an increase in R&D on leading-edge treatments including cell and gene therapies in China," said Udit Batra, CEO, MilliporeSigma. "Our M Lab Collaboration Center offers customizable solutions and services that help bio pharmaceutical and biologics companies improve their processes from drug discovery, development to manufacturing  saving costs and increasing speed to market."

With a total lab size of approximately 10,000m2, the company's newest M LabTM Collaboration Center is located in Pudong, at the heart of the biomedical sciences and research community in Shanghai.

The new M Lab Collaboration Center in Shanghai offers customizable solutions tailored for China's Life Science community to help advance drug development. It includes Pilot Scale and Process Development support labs that offer non-GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) lab space where pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical manufacturers can explore ideas, learn innovative techniques and work side-by-side with the company's scientists and engineers to solve critical process development and production challenges. Customers can participate in product demonstrations, hands-on training, formal bioprocessing educational courses and experiments, as well as apply best practices and new approaches to develop, optimize and scale-up processes and simplify global technology transfer.

Customers will also be able to tap into the following MilliporeSigma offerings:

Lab Management Software : This digital platform helps scientists improve efficiency and processes by automating workflows and connecting lab instruments via the cloud. The software centralizes research information, allowing researchers to move away from transferring and documenting data by hand, increasing productivity and helping them to avoid costly errors.

: This digital platform helps scientists improve efficiency and processes by automating workflows and connecting lab instruments via the cloud. The software centralizes research information, allowing researchers to move away from transferring and documenting data by hand, increasing productivity and helping them to avoid costly errors. Customized Cell Culture Media facility : This facility develops cell culture media, which are used in the production of biopharmaceuticals and will be used for non-GMP pilot production.

: This facility develops cell culture media, which are used in the production of biopharmaceuticals and will be used for non-GMP pilot production. Solid Dose Formulation facility: This facility helps ensure drugs in tablet/capsule/powder form contain high quality excipients and active pharmaceutical ingredients. This facility will support customers in China and around the world.

Additionally, the center will host a new BioReliance End-to-End Solutions GMP manufacturing facility offering contract development manufacturing organization services to customers in China and Asia-Pacific.

As a leading innovator in the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry, MilliporeSigma is committed to playing an active role in China's transformation into an innovation- driven economy. Through this new center, the company will collaborate with local and regional customers to increase drug quality and safety and provide training and knowledge transfer.

Follow MilliporeSigma on Twitter @MilliporeSigma, on Facebook @MilliporeSigma and on LinkedIn.

All Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany news releases are distributed by email at the same time they become available on the EMD Group website. In case you are a resident of the U.S. or Canada please go to www.emdgroup.com/subscribe to register again for your online subscription of this service as our newly introduced geo-targeting requires new links in the email. You may later change your selection or discontinue this service.

About the Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

The Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, which operates as MilliporeSigma in the U.S. and Canada, has some 22,000 employees and 59 manufacturing sites worldwide, with a portfolio of more than 300,000 products focused on scientific discovery, biomanufacturing and testing services. Udit Batra is the global chief executive officer of MilliporeSigma.

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany completed its $17 billion acquisition of Sigma-Aldrich in November 2015, creating a leader in the $125 billion global life science industry.

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, operates across healthcare, life science and performance materials. Around 57,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people's lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From advancing gene-editing technologies and discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices  the company is everywhere. In 2019, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany generated sales of 16.2 billion in 66 countries.

The company holds the global rights to the name and trademark "Merck" internationally. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany operate as EMD Serono in healthcare, MilliporeSigma in life science, and EMD Performance Materials. Since its founding 1668, scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to the company's technological and scientific advances. To this day, the founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company. For more information about Merck, KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, visit www.emdgroup.com.

SOURCE MilliporeSigma
Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe during a press conference at the Department of Finance in Dublin where he made a statement on how the long-running affair into the tracker mortgage overcharging scandal will be handled in the coming months.

The Irish finance minister has been elected to the euro zone's top position, in a defeat for Germany and France, as well as the highest-indebted nations in the region.

Paschal Donoghoe will be the new president of the Eurogroup, which is made up of the 19 finance ministers of the euro area in charge of negotiating aspects of fiscal policy in the bloc.

The decision announced Thursday evening was a blow to France and Germany, who had publicly stated their support for Spanish candidate Nadia Calvino. The most-indebted nations in the region  Greece, Italy and Portugal  had also expressed their preference for the Spanish minister.

"Pressure for fiscal adjustment will likely resume once the recovery takes hold, creating the risk that more vulnerable Southern economies could be forced into fresh tightening at a time when their economies are still reeling from the downturn," analysts at research firm Eurasia Group said in a note.

Paschal Donoghoe, who will start the new role on Monday, has made it clear that the euro area will have to work towards reinstating fiscal targets.
Father and sons charged for marketing toxic bleach as COVID-19 cure through 'church'

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Mark Grenon, leader of the Genesis II Church of Health and Healing, is now on the run after federal prosecutors in Miami charged him and three of his sons for allegedly marketing a toxic bleach as a cure for COVID-19.

A statement released by the Department of Justice Wednesday explains that Grenon, 62, and his three sons  Jonathan, 34; Jordan, 26; and Joseph, 32  all of Bradenton, Florida, are charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to violate the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and criminal contempt.

The men, according to a criminal complaint, manufacture, promote and sell a chemical solution containing sodium chlorite and water. Grenon and his sons allegedly directed their customers to ingest the solution, which they call Miracle Mineral Solution, orally.

The complaint notes that once the product is ingested, it becomes chlorine dioxide, a powerful bleach that is typically used for industrial water treatment or bleaching textiles, pulp and paper, which can be toxic to the body.

While the Grenons claim that MMS can treat, prevent and cure COVID-19, federal officials note that the Food and Drug Administration has not approved the solution for the treatment of COVID-19 or any other use.

Rather, the FDA has strongly urged consumers not to purchase or use MMS in a prior statement, warning that drinking MMS is the same as drinking bleach. Side effects can including severe vomiting, diarrhea and life-threatening low blood pressure.

We continue to protect the public from criminal conduct that takes advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Ariana Fajardo Orshan said in a statement.

Not only is this MMS product toxic, but its distribution and use may prevent those who are sick from receiving the legitimate healthcare they need. A United States District Court already has ordered the defendants to stop distributing this product; we will not sit idly by as individuals purposefully violate Court orders and put the public in danger.

In an interview with Natural News Wednesday, Grenon confirmed that he is in Colombia expecting to be arrested and extradited at any moment. Grenon also will not resist any attempt to extradite him to the U.S. He plans to fight for what he claims are his First Amendment rights in court.

Grenon said his family has been fighting with federal authorities about their support for MMS for about 10 years but admitted that things only escalated in April when they were sent a warning to stop distributing their MMS sacraments.

The FDA said we should stop giving our sacraments to the world and we just basically said No, we have the First Amendment, Grenon said. It says we have the free exercise of religious beliefs.

However, Genesis website describes the operation as a non-religious church.

Grenon explained that when he started his church in 2010 in the Dominican Republic, within a week, he was contacted by U.S. authorities.

Grenon argues that MMS is a mineral salt.

[B]asically, we use that to detox the body but we use it as a sacrament, he said.

Grenon added that while people donate money to his church to get MMS, many receive it for free to help with their healing.

Anybody wants anything, they just write us, give us a donation and we send it to them. And thats the way its been for ten years, Grenon said.

He further explained that he believes in using MMS because it cured his Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus  also known as MRSA  infection he developed years ago while working as a missionary pilot. Other family members suffered from the infection and it cured them too, he said.

That really motivated us to tell the world, we cannot stop telling people what happened to us, he added.

Thousands of people from around the world have already testified to the benefits of using MMS, Grenon continued.

He argued that the only reason the FDA wants to shut down his ministry is that the agency wants to protect the interests of big pharmaceutical companies.

According to the Justice Department, Grenon and his sons have presented MMS also as a cure for other diseases and disorders like cancer, Alzheimers, autism, multiple sclerosis and HIV/AIDS.

The Grenons allegedly sold tens of thousands of bottles of MMS nationwide, including to consumers throughout South Florida, the Justice Department statement explains. They sold this dangerous product under the guise of Genesis II Church of Health and Healing, an entity they allegedly created in an attempt to avoid government regulation of MMS.

The Justice Department alleges that Grenon has repeatedly acknowledged that Genesis has nothing to do with religion, and that he founded Genesis to legalize the use of MMS as well as avoid jail time.
A new study warns that the last remaining habitat for several endangered bird species in Europe could reduce by up to 50 per cent in the next century as farmers convert land to more profitable crops and meet increased demand for products such as olive oil and wine.

Low intensive agricultural practices created semi-natural agro-steppes that hold important populations of great bustards, little bustards, lesser kestrels, rollers and other at risk bird species. In the early 2000s several of these sites were designated as Special Protection Areas (SPAs) for bird conservation and are part of the EU Natura 2000 network of priority areas for conservation.

Researchers at the University of East Anglia (UEA) and University of Lisbon assessed the effectiveness of Natura 2000, the world's largest protected area network, at conserving Western Europe's agro-steppes over a 10-year period. The regions in Iberia studied hold approximately a thirdor 14-15,000of the world's population of great bustards, Otis tarda.

Agro-steppes are characterized by the cultivation of cereal in a low-intensity rotating system. These low yield farmlands are being converted predominately to permanent and irrigated crops, which dramatically changes the open landscapes that provide resources for important bird populations.

Traditional olive groves and vineyards are occasionally used for feeding or resting by great bustards, little bustards or sandgrouses, but the modern versions of these and other permanent crops are intensively managed and inadequate for such birds.

If the current market pressure on agro-steppe habitat conversion is maintained, it may decline 20 per cent by 2050 and 40 per cent by 2110. Declines will be more severe if the demand for products derived from permanent or irrigated crops continues to increase. For example, with high demand for Mediterranean products such as olive oil and wine, agro-steppes within SPAs may soon be the only areas left to be converted.

The findings, published in the journal Biological Conservation, suggest the Natura 2000 network may have helped prevent losses of approximately 36,000 hectares of agro-steppe habitat in Iberia. However, of the 21 SPAsfour in Portugal and 17 in Spainand surrounding areas surveyed agro-steppe area losses occurred across all sites. They were 45 per cent lower inside Natura 2000 compared to non-protected areas, although Natura 2000 sites still lost over 35,000 hectares of agro-steppe habitat in 10 yearsan area that could hold more than 500 great bustards.

Joao Gameiro, a Ph.D. student at the Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), University of Lisbon, led the study, which used aerial imagery to classify how agro-steppes have changed from 2004 to 2015. He said: "The Natura 2000 network is the centrepiece of Europe's biodiversity conservation strategy and has enabled an important comeback of a very diverse range of mammals and birds, including the great bustard and the lesser kestrel.

"However, it is important to consider why losses occurred even within these protected sites. This will compromise the positive outcomes of past conservation efforts and, at the current rate of habitat conversion, agro-steppes could be reduced to 50 per cent of the present area during the next century."

The researchers suggest that weak enforcement of the restrictions imposed by the protected area network, insufficient incentives to warrant the co-operation of farmers, and short-term habitat conservation measures, are likely to affect the success of Natura 2000 sites in the protection of other key habitats throughout Europe, especially in human-dominated landscapes where conservation may often compete with economic activities.

Ph.D. co-supervisor Dr. Aldina Franco, of UEA's School of Environmental Sciences and Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, said: "Although ecological restoration has become a priority and a reality in Europe, we are still losing important priority habitats for conservation. This study highlights crucial insufficiencies that need to be addressed to realize the full potential of the network, halt biodiversity loss, and meet the goals of a new global biodiversity framework soon to be defined by the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.

"It is crucial to develop new agricultural methods and improve agricultural productivity to feed an increasing human population. This should reduce pressure on the conversion of natural habitats into new agricultural areas.

"However, at the same time, we also need to allocate large areas of land to less intensive agricultural methods where human activities are compatible with the persistence of wider countryside species and deliver a variety of ecosystem services and resilience. Finding this balance is a challenge for humanity."

The researchers also warn that the greater farmland conversions outside protected sites may transform the remaining agro-steppes into isolated 'islands' restricted to protected areas, with low population connectivity. Maintaining connectivity is important for population viability and to facilitate dispersal, which is particularly significant in light of climate change.

They add that in agro-steppes and other human-dominated landscapes, farmers may have to diversify their economic activities to remain economically viable, a process that should be funded by agro-environment financial methods.

Explore further Good news: Habitats worthy of protection in Germany are protected

More information: Joao Gameiro et al, Effectiveness of the European Natura 2000 network at protecting Western Europe's agro-steppes, Biological Conservation (2020). Journal information: Biological Conservation Joao Gameiro et al, Effectiveness of the European Natura 2000 network at protecting Western Europe's agro-steppes,(2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108681
[July 10, 2020] OneRail Announces Acceptance Into Microsoft for Startups Program

OneRail, an Orlando-based final mile delivery orchestration and fulfillment platform, announced its acceptance into the Microsoft (News - Alert) for Startups immersive program today. Microsoft for Startups is an exclusive program that provides qualified B2B startups with technology and business enablement resources to help rapidly build products and accelerate business growth, while providing opportunities to sell as part of the partner ecosystem and alongside Microsoft sellers. "When startups and enterprise companies work together, innovation scales rapidly," said Founder and CEO of OneRail, Bill Catania. "That is why we are excited and looking forward to working alongside the stellar Microsoft sales team to co-sell our services. This opportunity gives us access to a huge global sales force." OneRail will benefit greatly from working one-on-one with a Microsoft engineer to better architect, design, implement, and grow its tech stack. Membership into the program also includes access to free Microsoft Azure credits, enterprise grade unlimited 24x7 technical support, development tools, and Azure Marketplace onboarding support. "One of the most difficult aspects of any tech startup is scaling," said Mo Cheema, Director of Product Development at OneRail. "Working directly with a Microsoft engineer will help us esure we are utilizing industry best practices to develop rapidly without incurring technical debt."



Since Microsoft for Startups first launched two years ago, Microsoft says this program is on pace to close over $1 billion in sales opportunities for its startups through its co-sell program. Currently, it supports over 3,000 startups in more than 140 countries that are largely focused on enterprise tech. "We are pleased to help OneRail innovate and scale their business with the use of Microsoft Azure," said Phillip Friedman, Senior Director, Microsoft. "Microsoft for Startups is committed to working closely with startups to provide our extensive network of sales, marketing and technical resources and support."

OneRail's technology platform and market approach have been met very positively by the Courier ecosystem as the company has grown to over 100 courier entities with a footprint over 4M individual drivers. With coast to coast coverage in the US, OneRail Logistics Partners can handle a range of delivery sizes from small packages to big and bulky items. Fleet assets range from sedans to large box trucks with a range of services including white glove installations. About OneRail OneRail is a final mile delivery orchestration platform providing real-time visibility, actionable data, and data-driven optimization capabilities for its enterprise clients. OneRail's cloud-based "delivery switch" simplifies same-day and on-demand delivery execution by connecting the demand signal (POS, eCommerce, ERP) with an ecosystem of delivery networks and internal fleets, in real-time. The result of OneRail's centralized view of disparate final mile data enables data-driven optimization, positively impacting the dependability, speed, and cost of final mile fulfillment. To learn more about OneRail or to inquire how OneRail can better help you increase the competitive advantage of your supply chain, please visit us at www.OneRail.io. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200710005225/en/

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Thumbs up to One Shawnee, a new nonprofit organization that intends to address the crisis level of rural poverty plaguing the communities along the states southern border. The group describes itself as a group of dedicated Southern Illinoisans working together to rebuild our home through collaborative community development efforts. State Rep, Patrick Windhorst, R-Metropolis, is president of the group, and it has 18 other members on the board who have backgrounds in tourism, education, banking, economic development, social services and government. The communities targeted make up all of or parts of Alexander, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Johnson, Massac, Pope, Pulaski, Saline and Union counties. The issues were facing in our region are not going to be solved in Springfield alone. Were going to have to make change here in our area and work together collaboratively with the towns, villages, institutions in our area to help make the improvements we need to make our region a better place to live and work, Windhorst said in a story in The Southern this week. We salute Windhorst and the rest of the group for tackling such an important initiative.

Thumbs up to Carbondales BlackOut Tuesday event, a localization of a national event that was aimed to be the next step in the greater conversation about race in the U.S. The event Tuesday in Carbondale was meant to demonstrate the power Black spenders have. Our money is power, Jerricha Griffin said Tuesday at the event. The event included a short march through Carbondale, and then a series of speakers discussed issues at First Christian Church. Alongside the march and program of speakers, there was also a Black business fair with tables set up outside the church for vendors to sell their wares and give out information about their services.

Thumbs down to Little Caesars sign-shaker Quentin Casler's departure from Carbondale. Casler had become a Carbondale sensation after his exuberant sign-shaking and infectious good mood radiated from the corner of Oakland and Main streets, where he stood and danced and sang and tried to entice customers inside the Little Caesars for a hot-and-ready pizza. (It turns out, correspondent Brian Munoz discovered, he is also a beloved member of his church, a musician, and all-around good guy.) He made a lot of us smile during a time of anxiety and hardship. But, Carbondale code enforcement cited the restaurant, referencing an ordinance that prevents dreaded antics like waving a sign around in a commercial district. Casler is now at the Little Caesars in Marion. We hope Casler is enjoying himself in Marion, and we hope the people of Marion are enjoying his presence as much as we did in Carbondale. We hope someday Casler might be able to come back to Carbondale, which would require the city to revisit this piece of code. Judging from the reaction to our story about Casler, we think that may be in order.

Thumbs up to the City of Murphysboro for potentially renaming Town Center Park after Carl Lee. Mayor Will Stephens announced Wednesday that he planned to make a motion to rename the park after Lee, who tried to integrate Murphysboro Township High School in 1916, and was also among the first Black graduates from then-Southern Illinois Normal University. He was a person who was undeterred by obstacles. He was a person that believed in hard work and education, Stephens said. The potential renaming will be taken up during the July 14 Murphysboro City Council meeting.

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LAS VEGAS, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- For World Population Day, July 11, the International Raelian Movement is urging the United Nations to declare a global state of emergency on the devastating surge in human population that is endangering all life on earth.

"Absolute birth control is needed," said Rael, spiritual leader of the International Raelian Movement, in a recent statement. "If people do not enforce it, nature and the natural order will find a way to decimate this invasive species called humanity."

According to UNICEF, humans have been multiplying at the alarming rate of one billion additional people every 15 years. The world's population is expected to reach 8 billion by 2023. Moreover, since 1970, human proliferation has not only effectively wiped out 60 percent of all animal species but has also rendered the environment nearly uninhabitable.*

"Humanity should be reduced by 50 percent, which still would be more than 3.5 billion human beings, and then maintained at that level," Rael added. "Then all animal species would recover quickly."

He pointed out that the Pope and other religious leaders continue to condemn contraception while still teaching "the outdated and criminal 'go forth and multiply doctrine'" that threatens the entire human race today.

"These pseudo-religious leaders should be tried for crimes against humanity," Rael exclaimed, adding that the exploding human birth rate is killing millions and causing horrific suffering.

According to the United Nations, malnutrition affects 11 percent of the global population and over half a billion people lack access to a clean, protected source of water. Yet even in the few western nations that report a declining birthrate, politicians and their economic advisers have enacted financial incentives and government subsidies to boost natality.

"Crazy nationalism, racism and chauvinism are behind these stupid policies," Rael said.

"It would be easy to replace the provisional 'deficit' of younger generations in the West by simply opening borders to hungry immigrants coming from developing nations. But nationalists want America to be populated only by Americans; Japan only by Japanese; Europe only by Europeans, and so on, while millions are starving in poorer countries."

Scientists have warned that overpopulation threatens humanity's survival and that measures need to be taken immediately to reduce it.

"If we don't do it willingly, the natural order will do it through diseases and pandemics," Rael said. "The universe always keeps things balanced."

* https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/living-planet-report-2018

SOURCE Raelian Movement
The pressure is growing for Alabama to implement a statewide face-covering law in an effort to slow the fast-rising cases of the novel coronavirus.

The mayors of Alabamas 10 largest cities have told Gov. Kay Ivey that they support a statewide requirement for masks to be worn in public. And Dr. Don Williamson, president of the Alabama Hospital Association, said Thursday he has shared the associations support with state health officer Dr. Scott Harris.

Weve been talking among ourselves, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle said of the Big 10 mayors, and Im hopeful that we get something.

Asked about a mandatory mask order for the state at her last COVID-19 announcement on June 30, Ivey seemed to dismiss the idea.

Well, folks are not following the restrictions weve offered, said Ivey before repeating the coronavirus protocol of voluntarily wearing masks, maintaining social distancing and keeping hands sanitized.

On Friday, Ivey spokeswoman Gina Maiola said that she was not aware of a formal request from the mayors regarding a statewide mask ordinance.

Governor Ivey and (state health officer) Dr. (Scott) Harris have made their message clear that Alabamians should wear a mask, practice social distancing and exercise personal responsibility in all things as we work to combat this virus, Maiola said in a statement. She has been consistent from the beginning  this virus should be taken seriously. The governor has prescribed our state measures; now its time for each region to do their part as well.

Each area is unique and is working with their own set of data specific to their town or city, which is why the governor supports the decisions of local governments or businesses to require masks to be worn.

Related: 1,304 new coronavirus cases in Alabama since yesterday; Deaths jump by 35

Across the country, 24 states have approved some type of statewide mask law. And while a handful of cities and counties around Alabama have enacted their own face covering requirements, almost 70 percent of the states population do not fall under those orders.

June was by far the worst month of the pandemic so far in Alabama with more than 20,000 new cases. And July is on pace to shatter the June record.

The one thing I know I would do  and I would do it to avoid shutting businesses down and roll back the progress weve made in opening the economy  I would certainly support a statewide mask ordinance, Williamson said in an interview Thursday with AL.com.

Battle said the Big 10 mayors  who meet routinely to discuss various issues and concerns  spoke via conference call earlier this week and agreed to approach Iveys office with the statewide mask proposal.

The feedback to it was the governor was listening and now shes got more people who have been encouraging her to go to a masking ordinance as many of us have gone to masking, Battle said. They are also doing some public awareness and education through this process because one of her concerns is she wants to make sure the public is educated on the value of masking. Then she can announce it and have public followship.

The worst thing to do is announce something and everybody says, Im not going to follow that.

It wont be an easy sell for the governor, Battle said.

Shes going to have to work hard to make sure shes got followship throughout the state, Battle said.

Enforcement of a masking ordinance  whether state or city level  has been a common concern. Williamson, however, said that shouldnt be a worry for Ivey.

Do I believe everybodys going to wear a mask? Absolutely not, Williamson said. This isnt about writing fines, certainly not about even enforcement. It is that if there is a mask ordinance, it gives local business the opportunity to say to people who are coming in without a mask that you have to wear a mask and the reason you have to wear a mask is because the state has an order that say you have to.

For many of us, that will be enough to get us to put a mask on. For every person who puts a mask on and maintains social distance, the spread of the virus is slowed.

Those who would resist wearing mandated masks will be small in number, Williamson predicted.

For most of us, well grumble but well do what the law requires, he said. Youre never going to get everybody to wear a mask. People who think this is a hoax are never going to wear a mask. But they are in the minority.
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Washington

The Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the way for prosecutors in New York to see President Donald Trump's financial records, in a stunning defeat for Trump and a major statement on the scope and limits of presidential power.

The decision said he had no absolute right to block release of the papers and will take its place with landmark rulings that required President Richard Nixon to turn over tapes of Oval Office conversations and forced President Bill Clinton to provide evidence in a sexual harassment suit.

"No citizen, not even the president, is categorically above the common duty to produce evidence when called upon in a criminal proceeding," Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the majority.

He added that Trump may still raise objections to the scope and relevance of the subpoena. Litigation over those new objections could last many months or longer.

In a separate decision the court ruled that Congress could not, at least for now, see many of the same records. It said the case should be returned to a lower court to narrow the parameters of the information it sought.

The chief justice wrote the majority opinions in both cases, and both were decided by 7-2 votes. The court's four-member liberal wing voted with him, as did Trump's two appointees, Justices Neil M. Gorsuch and Brett M. Kavanaugh.

Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr. dissented in both cases.

Despite the court's rulings, it is likely that president's records will be shielded from public scrutiny until after the election, and perhaps indefinitely.

Trump immediately attacked the outcome on Twitter. "This is all a political prosecution.

"Courts in the past have given "broad deference". BUT NOT ME!" he wrote.

Trump had asked the court to block both sets of subpoenas, which had sought information from Trump's accountants and bankers, not from Trump himself; the firms have indicated that they would comply with the court's ruling.

Trump's lawyers had argued that he was immune from all criminal proceedings and investigations so long as he remained in office and that Congress was powerless to obtain his records because it had no legislative need for them.

Jay Sekulow, a lawyer for Trump, portrayed the decisions as at least a temporary victory.

"We are pleased that in the decisions issued today, the Supreme Court has temporarily blocked both Congress and New York prosecutors from obtaining the president's tax records," he said in a statement. "We will now proceed to raise additional constitutional and legal issues in the lower courts."

Sekulow was right that the Supreme Court left open the possibility that Trump could make new objections to the New York subpoena. But the majority rejected the argument the president had made in the Supreme Court: that he is categorically immune from being having his records subpoenaed by state prosecutors.

The majority also rejected the Justice Department's more limited argument: that state prosecutors must satisfy a demanding standard when they seek information concerning a sitting president.

House Democrats and New York prosecutors said the records may shed light on Trump's foreign entanglements, possible conflicts of interest, whether he has paid his taxes and whether his hush money payments violated campaign finance laws.

One of the cases concerned a subpoena to Trump's accounting firm, Mazars USA, from the office of the Manhattan district attorney, Cyrus R. Vance Jr., a Democrat. It sought eight years of business and personal tax records in connection with an investigation of the role that Trump and the Trump Organization played in hush-money payments made in the run-up to the 2016 election.

Vance expressed satisfaction with the ruling in his favor. "This is a tremendous victory for our nation's system of justice and its founding principle that no one  not even a president  is above the law," he said in a statement. "Our investigation, which was delayed for almost a year by this lawsuit, will resume, guided as always by the grand jury's solemn obligation to follow the law and the facts, wherever they may lead."

Both Trump and his company reimbursed the president's former lawyer and fixer, Michael D. Cohen, for payments made to pornographic film actress Stormy Daniels, who claimed that she had an affair with Trump.

Cohen was also involved in payments to Karen McDougal, a Playboy model who had also claimed she had a relationship with Trump. The president has denied the relationships.

Trump sued to stop the accounting firm from turning over the records, but lower courts ruled against him. In a unanimous ruling, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in New York, said state prosecutors may require third parties to turn over a sitting president's financial records for use in a grand jury investigation.

In a footnote to the decision, Chief Judge Robert A. Katzmann, wrote that the information sought was in a sense unexceptional.

"We note that the past six presidents, dating back to President Carter, all voluntarily released their tax returns to the public," Katzmann wrote. "While we do not place dispositive weight on this fact, it reinforces our conclusion that the disclosure of personal financial information, standing alone, is unlikely to impair the president in performing the duties of his office."

Trump's lawyers argued that he was immune from all criminal proceedings and investigations so long as he remained in office.

The Justice Department filed briefs supporting Trump but took a more measured position, saying that prosecutors should be forced to meet a demanding standard before they were allowed to obtain the information they sought.

Lawyers for Vance responded that the Supreme Court had already decided the central issue in the case in 1974 in United States v. Nixon, which required Nixon to disclose tapes of Oval Office conversations in response to a subpoena in a criminal case.

The second subpoena, also directed to the accounting firm, came from the House Oversight and Reform Committee, which is investigating the hush-money payments and whether Trump inflated and deflated descriptions of his assets on financial statements to obtain loans and reduce his taxes.

The third set of subpoenas came from the House Financial Services and Intelligence Committees and were addressed to two financial institutions that did business with Trump, Deutsche Bank and Capital One. They sought an array of financial records related to the president, his companies and his family.

Daniel Hunter, a spokesman for Deutsche Bank, said it would comply with the courts' ultimate decisions.

"Deutsche Bank has demonstrated full respect for the U.S. legal process and remained neutral throughout these proceedings," he said in a statement. "We will of course abide by a final decision by the courts."The cases tested the independence of the Supreme Court, which is dominated by Republican appointees, including two named by Trump. In earlier Supreme Court cases in which presidents sought to avoid providing evidence, the rulings did not break along partisan lines.

To the contrary, the court was unanimous in ruling against Nixon and Clinton in such cases, with Nixon and Clinton appointees voting against the presidents who had placed them on the court. The Nixon case led to his resignation in the face of mounting calls for his impeachment. The Clinton case led to Clinton's impeachment, though he survived a Senate vote on his removal.
Mexico is to seek the arrest and extradition from Canada of the former chief investigator in the murky disappearance of 43 students in 2014, Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said Friday. Tomas Zeron, who was head of the Criminal Investigation Agency, is in Canada and work is underway to extradite him, the minister said. "There is going to be no impunity, part of our function at the ministry of foreign affairs is to guarantee that, when there are cases of this nature, extradition occurs," Ebrard said. Zeron fled Mexico earlier this year and is wanted on an Interpol notice over allegations that torture was used to extract supposed confessions from suspects. Mexican media reported that the former official had been in Canada since last October, according to his immigration record. Zeron is one of the architects of the so-called "historical truth", the official version of the case presented in January 2015 by the government of then-president Enrique Pena Nieto, which was rejected by the victims' families. "The historical truth is over and I want to emphasize, the case is still open," Omar Gomez, the prosecutor assigned to the case by the Lopez Obrador government, said Tuesday. The disappearance of the teaching students in 2014 sent shockwaves around the country. The students had commandeered five buses to travel to a protest on the night of September 26, 2014, but were stopped by municipal police in the city of Iguala, Guerrero. Prosecutors initially said the officers delivered the 43 teacher trainees to drug cartel hitmen, who killed them, incinerated their bodies and dumped the remains in a river. However, independent experts from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights have rejected the government's conclusion, and the unsolved case remains a stain on Mexico's reputation. Meanwhile, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador was meeting Friday with close relatives of the students. Tomas Zeron (shown September 2015 in a handout picture released by Mexico's General Attorney's office), who was head of the Criminal Investigation Agency, is in Canada and work is underway to extradite him
For eight days of the year, the cobbled streets of Pamplona, Spain, become a raucous frenzy of drinking, dancing, and running from bulls.

The annual San Fermin bull-running festival typically takes place every year between July 6 and 15. But for the first time in nearly a century, the event has been cancelled due to the coronavirus.

In pre-pandemic times, hundreds of thousands of people flock to the streets or their balconies to watch up to 20,000 participants run through winding roads in order to escape the wrath of six bulls each morning.

To highlight what the festival would typically look like, Reuters photographer Jon Nazca held up photos from last year's festival in their usual locations to show how the pandemic has changed things.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of people gather in the streets to drink, dance, and watch participants run with the bulls from July 6 to 15. However, this isn't the case this year. With more than 28,000 deaths from the novel virus in Spain and an economy in the doldrums following a strict nationwide lockdown, local authorities say there is little to celebrate.

The festival made famous by novelist Ernest Hemingway in his 1926 novel, The Sun Also Rises, has been cancelled for the first time since the Spanish Civil War.

The festival begins with the firing of a rocket called a "chupinazo," which signifies the start of the eight-day-long celebration. Revelers from all around the world respond to the rocket by bathing each other with red wine and champagne. Alas, this year none of that was witnessed and an eery silence pervades the area.

The running of the bulls originated in the 14th century, as a way to transport the animals from fields to the Town Square to sell.

Typically, runs take place every morning starting at 8 a.m. To kick off the run, six bulls are released from the edge of Old Town and race through crowds of participants, composed of up to 20,000 people.

Many running participants wear traditional all white outfits with a red scarf, and are referred to as "mozos."

The course runs 2,706 feet through winding Pamplona streets from a holding area to the bull ring.

The event can be quite dangerous, and hospitalisations are a yearly tradition. Last year, two Americans and one Spaniard were stabbed by bull horns, and at least 16 people have been killed since records began being kept in 1910.
Good morning.

(This article is part of the California Today newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.)

First, an update on the pandemic and its potential collision with another looming threat: wildfire season.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, standing before a Black Hawk helicopter, said on Thursday that rising temperatures and browning grass were reminders that the pandemic is not the only threat Californians face.

We are now walking right into the thick of wildfire season, he said. Let us take heed.

[Read more on why California has so many wildfires.]
Russian Lawmakers Propose Expanded 'Extremism' Law Aimed At Crimea

By RFE/RL's Russian Service July 09, 2020

MOSCOW -- A group of Russian lawmakers has proposed an expanded extremism bill aimed at further quelling opposition activists and politicians as well as anyone questioning Moscow's forcible seizure of the Crimean Peninsula.

One of the authors of the bill, chairman of the parliamentary committee of state-building and legislation in the State Duma, Pavel Krasheninnikov, said on July 8 that the bill would amend the federal law on measures against extremism, according to which a violation of the Russian Federation's territorial integrity is considered an act of extremism.

Krasheninnikov said that the bill would supplement existing laws by indicating that extremism is a violation of Russia's territorial integrity, "including the alienation of parts of its territory."

The additional wording is primarily aimed at targeting any discussion or criticism of Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. Among other things, the bill outlines fines and criminal liability for "public appeals" using the media, the Internet, or any other information channel.

According to Krasheninnikov, the bill would bring the law into line with constitutional amendments that were adopted in Russia last week amid protests by oppositionists and rights defenders.

He said it "will avoid an ambiguous or uncertain interpretation of the integrity of the Russian Federation."

Among other changes, the constitutional amendments allowed President Vladimir Putin to seek two more presidential terms after his current second term in a row expires in 2024.

The head of the committee for constitutional legislation and state-building at the parliament's upper chamber, Andrei Klishas, who is also the bill's author, said on July 8 that the bill might be approved by the parliament by the end of July.

Russian lawmakers amended the Criminal Code in July 2014, several months after Moscow seized Ukraine's Crimea, toughening punishment for public calls for separatism, namely introducing a punishment of up to five in prison for public calls for separatism via media and the Internet.

That amendment was used by Russian authorities to crack down on dozens of journalists and activists in Crimea for their open stance opposing the annexation of the Black Sea peninsula.

The new bill proposes imprisonment of 6 to 10 years, especially for repeated violations of the law.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russian- lawmakers-propose-expanded-extremism-law- aimed-at-crimea/30716700.html

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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NEW YORK, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- UM, the global media agency network of IPG Mediabrands, today announced the launch of ALL IN FOR SMALL: an IPG Marketing Collective, an initiative spearheaded by UM to help U.S. small businesses survive and ultimately thrive in the face of the pandemic. ALL IN FOR SMALL will also contribute its content and insights through the broader Stand For Small coalition created by UM client American Express, which brings together a growing group of U.S. companies across multiple industries to provide meaningful support to small businesses through the COVID-19 crisis and beyond.

ALL IN FOR SMALL provides a user-friendly, all-in-one resource hub for small businesses looking for the latest information on how COVID-19 is impacting their industry. The platform includes webinars, playbooks and thought leadership pieces from UM and other IPG agencies on topics such as:

How consumer behavior is changing

Best practices for digital marketing

How to think about innovation

Impact on retail and shopper media

Building a successful e-commerce strategy

Navigating the "new normal" and workplace re-entry

One of the highlights of the ALL IN FOR SMALL digital platform is weekly virtual roundtables featuring small business owners, media and tech partners, and experts from UM and other IPG agencies to share insights, tips and tricks around how small businesses can navigate the pandemic successfully. Each week focuses on a different business vertical, from retail and travel to fitness and beauty. Two episodes on real estate and restaurants are now available to watch on demand and audiences can tune in every Tuesday at 1PM ET to watch the livestream.

"Our ALL IN FOR SMALL platform leverages the collective knowledge of experts across the IPG network and their partners to provide American small businesses with the tools and resources they need to successfully weather this pandemic and come out the other side stronger," said Trish Chuipek, Global Chief Client Officer, UM. "At UM and IPG, we are 'all in for small' because we truly believe that small businesses are the backbone of our communities. We hope that small business owners will find our platform to be useful in navigating the 'new normal,' leading to better outcomes for their businesses."

ALL IN FOR SMALL was developed by UM and its innovation division, IPG Media Lab, with collaboration from IPG sister agencies Kinesso, Reprise, R/GA, Momentum, United Minds and Octagon. New content will be added to the platform weekly.

About UM

UM is a global media agency committed to creating better outcomes for clients. We deliver science through the transformational power of business analytics and real-time data intelligence. We deliver art through creating moments that matter in media to generate momentum for brands. As the leading global media network in IPG Mediabrands, UM operates in over 100 countries, with more than 5,000 people innovating on a roster of global clients, including Accenture, American Express, BMW, Coca-Cola, ExxonMobil, Fitbit, GoPro, Johnson & Johnson, Levi Strauss & Co, Sony, Spotify and The Hershey Company. For more information, please visit https://www.umww.com/.

SOURCE UM

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The strike by 4,300 shipbuilders at the Bath Iron Works in Maine is continuing into its third week with a federal mediator meeting with the union Monday in an effort to end the walkout at the facility, which builds ships for the US Navy. The strike began June 22 over contract issues, with workers voting by 87 percent to reject demands by General Dynamics, the shipyard operator, for a big expansion of outside contract labor.

This week, Bath Ironworks said it would lay off several dozen non-striking workers from International Association of Machinists (IAM) Local S7 who work as surveyors and trade inspectors. At the same time that management is laying off these workers, it has announced plans to step up its strikebreaking operation by hiring hundreds more outside contractors. Management has been attempting to maintain production during the strike, using about 2,500 contractors along with non-striking members of other unions.

Striking shipbuilders picket outside an entrance to Bath Iron Works, Monday, June 22, 2020, in Bath, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

About 220 machinists belonging to Local S7 at the shipyard have been crossing the picket lines of the far larger Local S6, whose members are on strike. The IAM has not raised any objections to other IAM members continuing to work inside the shipyard alongside strikebreakers in the midst of the bitter strike. In fact, this scandalous situation would not be possible without the blessing of the national IAM leadership.

A statement issued by Bath Iron Works President Dirk Lesko said the layoffs were temporary and were the result of the disruption caused by the strike.

By all accounts, workers are receiving warm and generous support from the community. However, like in so many past struggles, the role of the IAM has been to isolate and wear down the resistance of workers to concessions.

The main fear of the IAM and the AFL-CIO labor federation is not that workers will be defeated and forced to take concessions, but that the strike will encourage broader resistance in the working class. This is particularly the case as outrage grows over the reckless return-to-work and return-to-school policies as the pandemic continues to rage.

The shipyard is some six months behind in the delivery of destroyers to the US Navy, even as the US steps up its provocations against China and Russia. The shipyard is currently building six Arleigh Burke-class destroyers along with a Zumwalt-class destroyer with each ship having a price tag of well over $1 billion.

Under managements new contract proposal, the company will be given expanded powers to hire subcontractors while seniority rights will be undermined, with management able to assign jobs regardless of length of service. Workers also report that the company wants to increase medical insurance deductibles, offsetting a paltry three percent annual wage increase.

An electrician at the Bath Iron Works wrote on Facebook Even the supervisors have had enough! Ive spoken with some. Its upper management that has been and unless you fix it, WILL be the problem! No one is happy with your experienced workers being out but the contract you put forward was bad. Take out subcontractors and seniority! That's the first step.

The last contract in 2015 contained a wage freeze and other concessions that management claimed would help secure additional work for the shipyard. While the company has fattened its profits off the massive increase in military spending and the corporate tax handouts enacted by the Trump administration, predictably nothing is going back to the workers. Instead, General Dynamics has used $2.4 billion of its $15.3 billion in profits since 2018 to buy back its own stock in order to inflate share values.

A total of six Bath shipyard workers have tested positive for COVID-19, with three reported new cases diagnosed since the start of the strike. Management has maintained operations throughout the pandemic on the grounds that warships are critical infrastructure.

Showing its utter distain for its employees, the company cut workers off their company-paid health insurance on June 30.

The strategy of the IAM has been directed entirely at appealing for support from the political establishment on the grounds that General Dynamics is undermining national security by refusing to negotiate a contract.

Several local Maine politicians as well as presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden have issued perfunctory and platonic statements of support for striking workers, or more specifically for a return to negotiations.

IAM President Robert Martinez Jr. also sent a letter to the Trump administration asking for the help of the White House in resolving the strike. In the letter, the IAM said it would be willing to work with all partners in the fight to save these vitally important jobs. We respectfully ask you to join us in this effort. We ask that you start by sending a strong reminder to the company of its commitment to these workers to the American public, to our men and women in uniform, who rely on world class ships built by world class workers...

The assertion by the IAM that it will work with all partnersi.e. corporate managementto save jobs leaves little doubt that the union is prepared to hand over more concessions in exchange for maintaining its franchise and ability to extract dues from workers. For four decades, the fight to save jobs has been the mantra of the trade union bureaucracy as it has bargained away gains won by workers over the course of countless bitter struggles. In the process, the unions oversaw the destruction of millions of jobs while workers incomes declined or stagnated and social inequality increased to unheard-of levels.

According to the website Indeed.com, some jobs at the Bath Iron Works pay as little as $12 an hour. It is one of the largest employers in Maine and has been in operation since the late 19th century. It was acquired by General Dynamics in 1995. It has built well over 100 destroyers, frigates, cruisers and other Navy combat vessels.

The last strike at the Bath Iron Works was in 2000 and lasted 55 days. Workers rejected two contract proposals supported by the union before accepting a contract that still fell far short of their demands by 65 percent. The main issue was changes to contract language relating to job classifications as well as the demand for annual wage increases of eight percent followed by seven percent and seven percent. A strike in 1985 lasted 99 days.

The World Socialist Web Site and the Socialist Equality Party urge Bath shipyard workers to establish a rank-and-file strike committee to take the conduct of their struggle out of the hands of the IAM. There is an urgent need to expand the struggle and mobilize support from workers across the region nationally and internationally behind their fight. This includes, teachers, transport workers, health care workers, autoworkers and other ship builders. No help will be forthcoming from the representatives of the two big-business parties. Workers must rely on their own strength, but this requires a break with the corporate-controlled unions and their political alliance with the Democrats and Republicans.

At the same time, US workers must unite with workers around the world to oppose the drive to war and to transform the military industrial complex into socially useful industries, as part of the socialist reorganization of economic and political life.
As the state government has increased the Goods and Service Tax (GST) share of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to Rs 153 crore per month in this financial year, political leaders from Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have started the blame-game over the difference in the share amount.

PMCs per month GST share was Rs142 crore in the financial year 2019-20.

The state government has given Rs11 crore growth per month, which means PMC will get Rs132 crore additional amount per annum, according to officials.

The leaders from the Maha Vikas Aghadi allege that despite the BJP being in power in the PMC the state government has increased the share for the civic body. On the contrary when BJP was ruling in the Centre, state and municipal corporation, instead of giving a hike in GST share the government had reduced it.

Chetan Tupe , city unit president and MLA , Nationalist Congress Partys (NCP), said, Despite additional financial burden due to Covid-19 pandemic the sate government has given the due amount to the civic body even when BJP is in power in the PMC. The present state government does not want to involve politics with the development works in Pune.

On the contrary when BJP was in power in the state the GST share for PMC was less, as they should be four to eight per cent hike every year, said Tupe.

Now as the BJP is in power in the Centre it is biased while distributing funds to Maharashtra and Delhi, said Tupe.

Hemant Rasne, BJP leader and standing committee chairman, said, It is true that the state government has released the GST dues for April, May, June and July. It has given a hike as compared to previous year, but when we were in power in the municipal corporation and state we were following up with the issue.

When asked why the previous government did not give a hike in the GST share, Rasne said that it is mandatory to give a hike of four to eight per cent every year, but refused to elaborate the issue.

While abolishing the Local Body Tax (LBT), the state government had decided to give share from GST to every municipal corporation. As per that amendment, all the municipal corporations get GST share from the state government every month.

GST share from state government to PMC

Year/ Rs in crore per month

2018-19/ 145

2019-20 /142

2020-21/153
Botswana's mystery spate of elephant deaths could be caused by a 'novel disease', the government fears.

Six new elephant carcasses have been discovered in the African country, taking the total since May to 281 in a crisis which has left officials and veterinarians baffled.

Authorities say that poaching is not the cause, and the government now claims that initial test results have ruled out a number of known diseases - suggesting that a new pathogen could be to blame, Bloomberg reports.

The deaths are concentrated in an area of 3,000 square miles in the Okavango Delta that is home to about 18,000 elephants, and neighbouring countries have not reported any similar problems.

Unexplained: A veterinarian stands over the carcass of an elephant in the Okavango Delta yesterday, where hundreds of elephants have been mysteriously found dead

Officials and conservationists ruled out poaching at an early stage because the carcasses have been found intact, with their tusks on.

Poachers sometimes use poisons like cyanide to kill elephants, but scavenging animals do not appear to be dying near the carcasses.

Government veterinary scientists have also ruled out anthrax after taking samples from the dead animals in the Okavango Panhandle.

As many as 70 per cent of the dead elephants have been found clustered near watering holes, but other animals do not seem to be dying in large numbers.

Cyril Taolo, acting director of Botswana's wildlife department, said the government had contacted neighbours Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia and Zambia but they had not seen similar elephant deaths.

Africa's overall elephant population is declining due to poaching, but Botswana, home to almost a third of the continent's elephants, has seen numbers grow from 80,000 in the late 1990s to 130,000 now.

'We are not dealing with a common thing, it looks like it's a rare cause,' said Mmadi Reuben, principal veterinary officer at the Department of Wildlife and National Parks.

'We cannot rule out anything at this stage, it could be a virus, vegetation, overnutrition after last year's drought ... We have asked the community not to interact with the carcasses.'

Mystery: A dead elephant lies in the Okavango Delta in Botswana, where officials and veterinarians have ruled out poaching and anthrax as causes of the crisis

As many as 70 per cent of the dead elephants have been found clustered near watering holes, but other animals do not seem to be dying in large numbers

Botswana said today it had received its first test results from samples sent to Zimbabwe, but are holding them back until they can be compared to other tests.

'We are hoping the second set of results will come in next week and thats when we should be able to communicate to the public the cause of deaths,' an official said.

Reuben said officials were expecting to receive test results this week on samples sent to South Africa and Canada.

The death rate in the affected area is below two per cent, but the carcasses have attracted vultures leaving droppings and eating their flesh.

Hundreds of live elephants are still wandering near the carcasses, which have been marked in red paint by officials.

Some campaign groups have criticised the government for acting too slowly to solve the mystery of the dying elephants, an accusation which Reuben denied.

Although the number is still only a small fraction of the 130,000 elephants in Botswana, there are fears more could die if authorities cannot establish the cause.

Wave Kashweka, a senior veterinary officer in Botswana's North-West district, said officials had found elephants which appeared to have died recently.

Aerial surveys would be used try and find more carcasses if they exist, he said.
Leaders of the G20 in 2019. Photo: PA

The UK economy is likely to face the steepest downturn this year in the G20, according to the leading credit ratings agency Moodys.

Analysts at the ratings agency expect Britains GDP to contract from peak to trough by 10.1% this year, according to Reuters.

We forecast a contraction of 10.1% in the UK's GDP for this year, but expect a gradual subsequent recovery on the back of the easing in lockdown measures, with growth rebounding to 7.1% next year, they said in a note.

The agency expects Britains economy to face a steeper contraction than every other member of the G20 group of some of the worlds largest economies.

Moodys released a statement (paywall) on Friday on Britains economic outlook. It noted chancellor Rishi Sunaks summer statement this week, which included stimulus of up to 30bn ($38bn), did add further policy support to mitigate coronavirus-induced shock.

READ MORE: Rishi Sunak unveils 30bn plan for jobs

But Britains deficit and public debt ratio are also expected to significantly deterioriate this year, given the scale of borrowing-funded stimulus measures amid lower tax receipts during the crisis. It predicted debt will surge as a share of GDP by 24 percentage points.

It comes after the UK chancellor unveiled another package of wide-ranging spending plans in his summer statement on Wednesday (8 July), designed to support the coronavirus-hit economy. They included cash for employers to keep and hire staff, VAT and stamp duty cuts, home improvement vouchers and eating-out discounts.

Sunak also said on Thursday (9 July) he may eventually take difficult decisions to strengthen Britains public finances in future. Speaking on BBC Radio 4s Today programme on Thursday, he declined to rule out tax rises in future when asked about the cost of such stimulus plans. Im not going to write future budgets now, he said, a line he has used repeatedly during the crisis.

But he added: Over the medium-term, the right thing for the economy will be to have sustainable and strong public finances. And of course I will make the decisions that are required, difficult as they may be, in order for us to return to that place.

Story continues

READ MORE: Brits get 50% off restaurants with 'Eat Out to Help Out' scheme

He sought to focus instead on the immediate recovery and government support, however. He emphasised the current low cost of government borrowing, allowing it to fund a dramatic expansion of spending. He also said a strong economic recovery was the governments priority, with more stimulus measures expected in the autumn.

Such a recovery in growth would boost tax receipts, reduce the current spending deficit and reduce debt as a proportion of GDP. But experts have warned about the long-term damage of the pandemic and current downturn, and fear social distancing and the effects of lockdown could hamper recovery for some time to come.

Sunak admitted Britains economy was particularly reliant on social consumption for growth, and was therefore particularly exposed to the impact of continued social distancing and caution over the virus.

The focus right now at this phase of crisis is  lets try and have as strong a recovery as possible. Lets try and protect, create and save as many jobs as possible, he said.

He said minimising long-term damage and scarring to the economy from the current crisis was the best thing we can do for our long-term public finances.
We live a few blocks from the old Poole estate, a 23-acre wetland-adjacent area on the Rio Grande west bank, home to several endangered species. The land is currently under contention between an owner/developer, who wants to fill this property with new homes, and many citizens who want to see the property remain part of the bosque.

I am confident I speak for a large number of West Side residents who want development that includes cultural sites, open areas and parks, not just more housing developments, carry-out and service businesses. Our Oxbow community hungers for an identity that includes respect for the Rio Grande bosque. Our mayor and the head of Parks and Recreation seem to concur. They made clear their views at their May 28 press briefing that they dont want the Poole property turned into a subdivision.

On June 12, a hearing on land use was held. A virtual audience was encouraged to tune in but was then not given access. Instead, a film was posted after the end of the meeting. The public was shut out. This is not the first time for these kinds of shenanigans. Matters were again discussed and decisions made behind closed doors.

Previously, following a hearing before the Environmental Planning Commission, which deferred the issue, an arsonist set a fire to a building on the property, home of the Poole family. Rufus Poole was a former assistant secretary of Interior and a conservationist. We still do not know the results of the fire departments investigation, nor the possible motivations of perpetrators.

I hope that as time winds into the future for this property, we will not witness further degradation of wetlands in the area with other suspicious fires and continued efforts to shut the public out of discussions over land use in sensitive areas.

The rights of private land owners should be respected, but not at the expense of endangering wildlife, overbuilding in wetland areas or dominating decision-making and excluding public input. I am hopeful the current land owner will exercise good will and common sense by selling this property to the city or state so its role as a wildlife habitat will continue. That action would be celebrated. Proceeds from sale could be used to build elsewhere.

The issues are several-fold:

 Should the city continue to allow building on sensitive lands?

 Should the city officials who rule on appropriate use of lands, just be drawn from ranks of builders, real estate, construction and related businesses?

 Should the city shirk its duty to environments in which we raise our families?

The third issue relates to the crying need for community participation in decision-making and the need of citizens to see sensitive lands held in trust and protected. Land-use decisions for our community are currently being made by vested interests.

That issue translates into two current imperatives for our city government:

 Offer reasonable compensation to transfer Poole wetlands property to the city.

 Return control of local government to the people through fair and balanced membership for all its decision-making boards and commissions.

This will require time and thought to restructure charters and map the road ahead, but our city will be able to lend a more sensitive ear to the public it serves. I call on citizens and city officials to support these imperatives and move forward with changes that respect all participants.
En la presentacion del ambiente instalado tambien participo el titular del, @MTC_GobPeru, Carlos Lozada, y el director del Proyecto Especial Legado #Lima2019, Alberto Valenzuela. pic.twitter.com/87fMqhWzbj
United Nations, May 21 (IANS) BJP Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy has sought the source of the news through which he was targeted and now he has called it a "cut and paste production" after a UN human rights official criticised him saying that Swamy Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, July 10 : After concerted attack by the opposition parties, with terming the Vikas Dubey encounter as 'cover up, BJP MP Subramanian Swamy has come out strongly in support of the Uttar Pradesh government, calling it an act in "self-defence".

Swamy tweeted, "There is howling against UP CM because of the killing of gangster Dubey. Police claim it to be in self-defence. Why are Congi and others wanting inquiry?" BSP supremo Mayawati, who recently backed the Centre's handling of the India-China tensions, has demanded a "high-level inquiry" into the alleged encounter.

Mayawati said the inquiry should be conducted under the Supreme Court's supervision, adding that the need for the same arises not just to know the truth, but also to "determine the police-criminal-politician nexus".

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh also said that it is "necessary to find out" the truth.

Meanwhile, Priyanka Gandhi said that though the culprit has been killed, it is important to find out who gave him patronage.

But Swamy has backed the Yogi Adityanath government, based on Dubey's criminal history. He said, "Police may have been jumpy but Dubey had killed so many policemen. So trigger happy self-defence is understandable." Dubey was wanted for the massacre of eight policemen in Bikru village on July 3 and was being brought to Kanpur from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh from where he was taken into custody on Thursday.

The UP Police said that the car in which Dubey was travelling overturned and he and other policemen were injured. The criminal snatched a gun from an injured cop and tried to escape, the police said. He was surrounded and asked to surrender but he opened fire, forcing retaliatory shooting in which he was killed.
By Aisha Jabbarova

President Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree to dismiss Deputy Defence Minister for Logistics and Chief of the Main Department for Logistic Support Fuad Mammadov, Trend reported on July 9, with reference to a source within the ministry.

Mammadov has been appointed to a relevant position at the ministry upon Defence Minister Zakir Hasanovs order, the report said.

Nizam Osmanov has been appointed acting Deputy Defence Minister for Logistics and Chief of the Main Department for Logistic Support.

___

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNews
(ST. JOSEPH, Mo.) Angry, uneasy, conflicted, sad is the way former and current faculty and staff at Missouri Western feel about president Matthew Wilson's resignation, it runs the spectrum.

"When I opened the email today and scrolled down to see that he was resigning, that's a heck of a thing to show up, Former recreation sport management professor Linda Oakleaf said.

You know it's always mixed emotions right? I clearly want to support anyone taking opportunities that are very good for them and based on the president's email this sounds like his dream opportunity and I respect that, Political science professor and department chair Ed Taylor said.

The president leaving for his dream job at a university in Japan is great, and yet some faculty are still uneasy about the decision.

"We've gone through a major leadership transition and weve gone through a lot of changes and it would have been nice to continue with the same leadership through these changes, Taylor said. But Im also very convinced that universities are not their presidents. Universities are students and our students have shown an immense amount of maturity and compassion and resilience as weve gone through all of these previous changes.

Oakleaf used to teach at Missouri Western but she was let go this year as part of the millions of dollars in university cuts.

"Spend a year at an institution and then leave, for any president but then especially to show up and fire a quarter of the faculty and leave that's impressive you know, Oakleaf said.

She planned to spend the rest of her career at Western, but the university had other plans.

Nobody wants to lose their job, and nobody wants to lose their job in the middle of a global pandemic," Oakleaf said.

Voicing the frustration expressed by many that Wilson made big cuts left others holding the bag.

People make decisions whatever they need to make for their families and I get that, Oakleaf said. I don't think its a choice that I would have made but who knows."

The university is facing many unknowns but what faculty and staff say they do know is that no matter what happens to the head, the heart hasn't changed.

I think everyone needs to hear that, Taylor said. Yeah, change has happened but we are a strong institution with strong people and we will endure and we will thrive in the end.

We reached out to other faculty memebers at Missouri Western with many of them saying it was too soon to speak.
For background on this post, read this one about Samantha Pfefferle, an incoming freshman at Marquette who made a pro-Trump TikTok video that caused her to be reviled and threatened by other Marquette students. Marquette administrators then called her to talk about her political views and, she told the College Fix, suggested that her admission as a freshman was not yet final and was currently being decided by the administration. This follow-up post was prompted by an email to me from Marquettes Director of Communications asking me to update my post to reflect that Marquette has not revoked Ms. Pfefferles acceptance. I did so, and asked for an interview with one of the responsible officials at Marquette, but that request was met with silence.

We have now learned that yesterday, Mike Lovell, the President of Marquette, sent the following email to Marquettes Board of Trustees. I will interpolate comments on the email:

TO: Members, Board of Trustees FROM: Mike Lovell I am writing with an update about a situation regarding Samantha Pfefferle, one of our incoming students, subsequent media coverage, and a clarification of the facts. The new video social media app TikTok is gathering place for Gen Z (roughly age 25 and under) to share their politics, views, dance moves, jokes, etc. One of our incoming students has made numerous TikTok videos with conservative views. In one video, she dares people to report her to the Marquette board of directors while wearing a Marquette shirt. This video received nearly 300,000 views. In response, some people examined her other social media posts, finding examples of what they have deemed transphobic and racist posts.

This narrative is backwards, and misleading at best. Ms. Pfefferle posted the pro-Trump video that has gotten 600,000 views on June 7. This is the one that numerous Marquette students and others responded to with death threats and other abuse. (You can see that video here.

The video that Lovell refers to was posted five days later, on June 12. It responded generally to the Marquette students who were trying to get Pfefferle blackballed from the university, and in particular to a TikTok user called pablo.the.alien, who commented (I assume on the June 7 TikTok video) Sending your page to the Marquette board of directorsguess I wont be seeing you this fall! Pfefferle responded by expressing confidence in Marquettes commitment to freedom of speech and said that she would not be silenced. Here is the June 12 video:

Note how Lovell misleadingly portrayed Pfefferle as dar[ing] people to report her to the Marquette board of directors while wearing a Marquette shirt, when in fact she was responding to a threat to have her blacklisted from the university by reporting her to the Marquette board of directors. He either never saw the video, or deliberately mischaracterized it. Further, his claim that In response [to that video], some people examined her other social media posts, finding examples of what they have deemed transphobic and racist posts is false. It reverses the order of events, most likely in order to try to obscure the fact that many Marquette students and others associated with the university attacked Pfefferle viciously simply because she posted a pro-Trump video.

We at Marquette then received many messages and bias incident reports about the language she used in her posts.

What language is that? Note that neither here nor anywhere else does Lovell identify anything done by Pfefferle that was even remotely objectionable. I have watched all of the videos on her TikTok pagea painful exercise for one who is well outside TikToks intended demographicand there is nothing there that any sane person would characterize as racist or transphobic. These are just the usual liberal smears against a teenager who dares to hold opinions different from theirs, and is not afraid to express them.

Here is an article about the trend at high schools and colleges around the country, especially in the wake of George Floyds death. As is our practice when bias incidents are filed, Dean of Admissions Brian Troyer and Associate Dean of Students Erin Lazzar followed up by having a conversation with the incoming student. We did NOT rescind her offer nor was that even mentioned.

So, what did the Dean of Admissions and Associate Dean of Students say to Ms. Pfefferle about the bias incident they were investigating? Was her detailed description of the conversation to the College Fix in any way inaccurate? And if her admission to Marquette was not in some way on the table, why did she get a call from the Dean of Admissions?

Following this conversation, however, the incoming student conducted interviews with blogs and talk radio where she inaccurately says that we threatened to rescind her admission.

I havent heard the talk radio interviews, but what Pfefferle told the College Fix was that she was told her status as an admitted freshman was currently being decided by the administration.

Those blogs have been making the rounds for about a week, and one such link from powerlineblog.com has been more widely shared today. It is not a reputable news source and its main intention seems to be clickbait and advertising, but nonetheless this gained more widespread attention after Megyn Kelly tweeted it. This afternoon Donald Trump, Jr. retweeted an article from College Fix.

I am not sure why Lovell thinks we are not a reputable news source, since he didnt purport to identify any errors in our commentary. The salient point is that Samantha Pfefferle described a conversation she had with Marquette administrators, and Marquette admits that such a conversation took place in the context of a bias incident investigation. Despite its harping on the word rescind, Marquette has not denied the gist of Pfefferles description.

Since then, we have received messages on social media, mostly from people with no affiliation with Marquette, who want to express their anger about us rescinding her offer of admissions. We did correct misinformation with blogs that were spreading blatant falsehoods, though some still continue to share inaccurate headlines, links, and social media posts. We are also replying to Marquette alumni and those with a Marquette affiliation letting them know of the inaccuracy of the reports. That has satisfied most of the people we have engaged in the Marquette community.

Notably absent from Lovells memo to Marquettes Board of Trustees is any concern for an incoming student who was subjected to death threats, astonishing levels of abuse, and many messages and bias incident reports falsely accusing her of racism and transphobia. If Marquettes leaders are opposed to this sort of bullying, merely because Pfefferle posted a 30-second video that is favorable tolets not forgetour duly elected incumbent president, there is no hint of any such concern in Lovells memo.

After consultation with our external crisis communication consultants

Interesting.

this afternoon we released the following statement: Marquette Universitys admissions decisions are made based on academic achievements and student involvement, not political views. Information circulating today from a blog that Marquette might rescind the admission of incoming freshman Samantha Pfefferle is false. Marquette has not rescinded her admissions offer.

Obviously, Samanthas statement that she was told her admissions status was currently being decided by the administration is entirely different from the statement, which neither she nor we made, that her acceptance had been rescinded.

Concerns about this new student that were brought to the universitys attention were not based on political affiliation but on alleged use of discriminatory language.

But there was no such language. Marquettes deans and assistant deans could have viewed her entire TikTok page in five minutes and verified that fact. She took outrageous abuse because she praised President Trump.

In this case, there were also concerns for the incoming students safety, which were investigated by the Marquette University Police Department and discussed with the incoming student.

Good to know, given the death threats. I guess Mike Lovell forgot to mention those concerns to the Board of Trustees, instead referring to Samantha Pfefferle throughout his memo as though she were some sort of disreputable character. I suppose it was the external crisis communication consultants who suggested they had better not forget entirely about her safety.

By their very nature, institutions of higher education are places of public dialogue and vigorous discourse about the most compelling issues of the day. The 500-year-old tradition of Catholic, Jesuit education is grounded in the discovery of knowledge and the sharing of diverse viewpoints  political or otherwise. Marquette takes this responsibility very seriously and prides itself on teaching our students how to think, not what to think. Through university-sponsored events, student organizations and myriad opportunities for engagement, diverse viewpoints from across the political spectrum are shared regularly with opportunity for discussion and the airing of a variety of viewpoints.

Thats what Samantha Pfefferle thought, but the video in which she expressed that belief was demeaned and mischaracterized by the universitys president.

I should add that this morning, Scott emailed Marquettes Director of Communications and requested a retraction of President Lovells defamatory statements about Power Line. We will update when we get a response to that request.
By PTI

JAIPUR: A man was arrested on Friday for allegedly threatening to blow up Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot with a bomb, police said.

The accused, identified as Lokesh Kumar Meena, was nabbed soon after he made the threatening call to the police control room, they said.

"Special teams were formed to nab the accused. His location was traced in Papad village of Jamwa Ramgarh area. Local police was alerted to take action," DCP (Jaipur South) Manoj Kumar said.

He said the mobile phone from which the accused called the police saying he will blow up the chief minister has been seized.

The man was brought to Vidhyakpuri police station and is being interrogated, a police officer said.

The accused is preparing for competitive exams and the reason behind making such a call is being probed, he said.
Chabahar-Zahedan railway work begins

07/10/20

Source: Tehran Times

The track-laying operations of Chabahar-Zahedan railroad was started on Tuesday in a ceremony attended by Iranian Transport and Urban Development Minister Mohammad Eslami and Deputy Transport Minister Kheirollah Khademi. As reported by IRNA, the project which is aimed to connect Chabahar to Zahedan (the capital city of southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan Province) is planned to be completed by the end of the Iranian calendar year of 1400 (March 2022).

Speaking in the ceremony, Khademi noted that the total length of this railroad is 628 kilometers (km), 150 km of which will be laid by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 2021).



Referring to the importance of the Chabahar-Zahedan railway line, the official noted that due to its strategic position, Chabahar port is going to be a gateway for the country's trade and developing this region's infrastructure is a necessity to create more job opportunities and promote economic growth.



Establishing an all-rail corridor in the east of the country, connecting Chabahar as the country's only oceanic port to the national railway network, developing Makran coasts through rail transportation, connecting Central Asia and Afghanistan to open ocean waters, creating a suitable platform for development and economic growth, saving fuel consumption and reducing road accidents, creating sustainable development and security in the region and establishing permanent cooperation with countries in the region and other countries with trade and transit exchanges are reported to be some of the goals of Chabahar-Zahedan railway project.

According to Khademi, transporting 927,000 passengers and 2.8 million tons of cargoes by the Iranian calendar year 1401 (begins in March 2022) is set to be the short-term economic goal of this project.



Connecting the ports to the railway network is an issue seriously emphasized and followed up by Iran over the recent years, as the country is strongly pursuing the objective of boosting exports and transit via its ports.



Chabahar Port in southeast Iran is the most prioritized one for railway connection as the port's exemption from the new round of the U.S. sanctions on the country is an opportunity for the development of export, transit, and also transshipment.



Lying on the coast of the Gulf of Oman in Iran's southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan Province, Chabahar is the country's only oceanic port and given its strategic location in the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) development of the port is of high significance for Iran.
ANN ARBOR, MI  University of Michigan students will be tested for coronavirus when they return to campus in the fall and high-risk faculty members will not be expected to teach in person, officials said.

During a faculty town hall Wednesday, UM President Mark Schlissel and Interim Provost Susan Collins gave more details about what the fall semester might look like, including that 49 students on the Ann Arbor campus have tested positive for COVID-19 since March 10, according to a release from the university. They said there have been no known hospitalizations or deaths related to the illness, and of the 514 tests given to student-athletes, only four have come back positive.

We think we know the best practices to help protect our community, but were going to check on data, whats going on locally and around the country and the new discoveries about the virus, literally on a daily basis, and continue to follow our values and do the right thing, Schlissel said during the meeting.

UM announced in June that there will be students on campus for a combination of in-person, remote and hybrid classes. Small classes will continue to meet in person, but large lecture classes will be delivered remotely, the university said.

University of Michigan will offer in-person classes for fall semester

While students will be tested when they return to campus and surveillance testing will be done throughout the semester, only faculty members who exhibit symptoms of the virus will be tested, the release said. There are no plans to test the entire faculty and staff.

Students will receive a safety kit with two bandanas, two reusable cloth face masks and one two-ounce hand sanitizer when they return to campus, the release said. At a special June 29 Board of Regents meeting, the regents voted in favor of a new budget, which included students paying a $50 COVID fee that would cover the cost of the kits.

University of Michigan students pan attempt at tuition hike, COVID-19 fee

To keep instructors safe, Collins said there will be a campuswide approach for determining remote and in-person teaching, which includes:

Instructors aged 65 or older, or who have a condition identified by the CDC as being at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 will not be expected to teach in person but may choose to do so.

Schools and colleges will endeavor to accommodate remote-teaching requests from instructors who have conditions the CDC says could place them at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19, who reside with or are primary caregivers to someone with increased risk for severe illness, or who may be unable to secure child care during scheduled teaching times due to COVID-19.

Schools and colleges also will endeavor to accommodate requests for remote teaching for instructors who do not fall into the categories above.

Instructors with a preference or willingness to teach on campus will be encouraged to self-identify.

Remote or in-person instruction will be based on self-identification and will not require medical information or documentation, Collins said.

A recent faculty survey said that more than 30% of faculty who responded were willing to teach in person, and an additional 20% were very willing to at least be open to considering it, according to Collins.

So we believe that this approach will enable us to accomplish our commitment to offering a high-quality slate of in-person offerings for students who are on campus, as well as a slate for those who are remote, while incorporating instructor preference, Collins said.

The full release from the university can be found here.

READ MORE:

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After initial rejection, University of Michigan board OKs 1.9% tuition hike in new budget

At-home workout program for kids developed by University of Michigan professor
Support for a San Antonio vegan bakery poured in by the "thousands" in June during a push to support black-owned businesses.

Southern Roots, owned by husband-wife duo Marcus and Cara Pitts, are still working through the "unexpected jaw-dropping influx of orders" they received since their business was highlighted by multiple media outlets, including the San Antonio Express-News and viral Twitter threads, for being minority owned and shipping nationwide, the shop said online.

RELATED: Black-owned restaurants and cafes you can support in San Antonio

An Instagram post by the business said the orders were "flying in," creating a bit of a back log since all of the sweets are made fresh and shipped out the same day.

The sweets shop addressed concerns some customers had about the delay, which resulted in requests for refunds.

"Please know we bake each item from scratch and the same day they are baked they are also shipped out," the post reads. "We promise you your order is COMING."

The demand has been so high a "Where's My Order" tab greets customers on the website. On that page, the owners reiterate they did not have the resources ready to handle going viral.

The Pitts ran the shop alone before the tidal wave of orders hit, but recently hired more people to help get them through the orders.

"We appreciate everyones patience during this time," the business said online.

An assortment of vegan donuts, cookies, cakes and brownies are available to be ordered online. The business also has e-gift cards available if customers want to get a taste of their products once things slow down for the Pitts.

Madalyn Mendoza covers news and puro pop culture for MySA.com | mmendoza@mysa.com | @maddyskye
Photograph: Michael Reynolds/AP

Americas top general has said military intelligence agencies are working to corroborate reports of Russia paying Taliban fighters bounties for killing US soldiers and vowed a response if they were confirmed.

Gen Mark Milley, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, told the House armed services committee, that the Pentagon was committed to discovering whether Russian military intelligence had paid for attacks on American soldiers in Afghanistan.

Were going to get to the bottom of this bounty thing. If in fact there are bounties, Im an outraged general, just like every one of us in uniform is, Milley said. Thats a real big deal. We dont have that level of fidelity yet, but were still looking.

He suggested that the US may not be responding to the reports as robustly as necessary in non-military ways.

The issue is at the strategic level, he said. Is there diplomatic, and informational and economic  sanctions, are there demarches, are there phone calls, is there pressure, those sorts of things. And I can tell you that some of that is done. Are we doing as much as we could or should? Perhaps not, not only to the Russians but to others.

The defence secretary, Mark Esper, who was testifying alongside Milley, said that the original reports did not come from any of the nine of the total of 17 US intelligence agencies under Pentagons authority, implying the information leaked to the press in recent weeks came from the CIA or another civilian agency.

Esper said the reports were first reviewed by the Pentagon in January, when they were shown to Milley and the head of US central command, Gen Kenneth McKenzie, and the defence secretary became aware of them in February.

They got some initial reporting on the ground that they began pursuing. Neither thought the reports were credible, as they dug into them, Esper said.

Milley stressed that the investigation was not over. I and the secretary and others are taking it seriously, the general said. Were going to get to the bottom of it. When I find out if, in fact, its true. And if it is true, we will take action.

Story continues

Donald Trump has insisted he was not briefed on the Russian bounties. It has been reported that the suspicions were summarised in written form as part of the presidents daily brief, but the national security adviser, Robert OBrien, has said it was the decision of the CIA briefer not to present them verbally.

Intelligence officials are reported to have been reticent in passing on negative information about Russian activities to Trump because of his angry reaction. So far, the Trump administration has not announced any retaliatory action.

At the same congressional hearing, Milley made strong remarks on the impact of having 10 army bases in the US named after Confederate military leaders, whom he described as traitors.

Related: Trump views US troops as disposable  the Russian bounty scandal makes that clear | Simon Tisdall

Trump has said he would not even consider renaming the bases, but Milley said the symbolism of the names represented a challenge to the cohesion of the US armed forces, which are 43% minority. He added that the US army was 20% African American, rising to 30% at some bases.

He recalled having a staff sergeant at Fort Bragg who told him he had to go to work every day at a base named after a man, Confederate Gen Braxton Bragg, who had enslaved his grandparents.

The Confederacy, Milley told the committee, was an act of rebellion. It was an act of treason at the time, against the Union, against the Stars and Stripes, against the US constitution, and those officers turned their back on their own.
Beijing's skyline. Credit: Zhang Kaiyv/Unsplash

Understanding what Chinese citizens think about their own government has proven elusive to scholars, policymakers, and businesspeople alike outside of the country. Opinion polling in China is heavily scrutinized by the government, with foreign polling firms prohibited from directly conducting surveys.

Given China's global rise in the economic, military, and diplomatic spheres, understanding public opinion there has arguably never been more important.

A new study from the Ash Center fills in this gap for the first time, providing a long-term view of how Chinese citizens view their government at the national, as well as the regional and local levels. What started as an exercise in building a set of teaching tools for an executive education class eventually transformed into the longest academic survey of Chinese public opinion conducted by a research institution outside of China.

"Gathering reliable, long-term opinion survey data from across the country is a real obstacle," said Ash Center China Programs Director Edward Cunningham. "Rigorous and objective opinion polling is something that we take for granted in the U.S."

While important work in this area has been accomplished by previous scholarsand their work shaped the analysis of the survey data collectedthose other surveys were often short-term or infrequent.

For Tony Saich, Daewoo Professor of International Affairs and director of the Ash Center, the quest to build a firmer understanding of Chinese public opinion has taken the better part of 15 years. It began with an attempt to develop a suite of curricular materials to inform a course on local government in China.

"We thought it would be helpful to know how satisfied citizens were with different levels of government, and in particular how satisfied they were with different kinds of government services," said Saich.

The work began in 2003, and together with a leading private research and polling company in China, the team developed a series of questionnaires for in-person interviews. The surveys were conducted in eight waves from 2003 through 2016, and captured opinion data from 32,000 individual respondents.

"There's nothing comparable done on this scale, over such a long period of time, and over a large geographic area," said Jesse Turiel, a China public policy postdoctoral fellow and co-author who worked closely with Saich and Cunningham on the project's analysis and subsequent publications.

The survey team set out to assess overall satisfaction levels with government among respondents from across the socioeconomic and geographic strata of China. "It is always a challenge to obtain a representative sample of the Chinese population, particularly from interior provinces," said Turiel. "Our survey does not include migrant laborers, for example. But given the fact that the survey conducted in-person interviews with over 3,000 respondents per year in a purposive stratified sample, we are happy that the results include not just the coastal elites or large urban areas, but also poorer and less developed inland provinces."

Levels of government and public opinion

The survey team found that compared to public opinion patterns in the U.S., in China there was very high satisfaction with the central government. In 2016, the last year the survey was conducted, 95.5 percent of respondents were either "relatively satisfied" or "highly satisfied" with Beijing. In contrast to these findings, Gallup reported in January of this year that their latest polling on U.S. citizen satisfaction with the American federal government revealed only 38 percent of respondents were satisfied with the federal government.

For the survey team, there are a number of possible explanations for why Chinese respondents view the central government in Beijing so favorably. According to Saich, a few factors include the proximity of central government from rural citizens, as well as highly positive news proliferated throughout the country.

This result supports the findings of more recent shorter-term surveys in China, and reinforces long-held patterns of citizens reporting local grievances to Beijing in hopes of central government action. "I think citizens often hear that the central government has introduced a raft of new policies, then get frustrated when they don't always see the results of such policy proclamations, but they think it must be because of malfeasance or foot-dragging by the local government," said Saich.

Compared to the relatively high satisfaction rates with Beijing, respondents held considerably less favorable views toward local government. At the township level, the lowest level of government surveyed, only 11.3 percent of respondents reported that they were "very satisfied."

Again, the U.S. reveals quite a different story. "American trust surveys over time show a clear distinction between low levels of trust towards the federal government, but a strong belief and faith in the power of local governmentat the most local level, those positions may be filled by part-time volunteers who are a part of your everyday life," said Cunningham. This dichotomy is highlighted by a 2017 Gallup poll, where 70 percent of U.S. respondents had a "great" or "fair" amount of trust in local government.

Saich contends that the lack of trust in local governments in China is due to the fact that they provide the vast majority of services to the Chinese people. This trust deficit was compounded by the 1994 tax reforms, which garnered a substantially larger share of total national tax revenues for the central government. Local governments, despite being faced with declining revenues, were still on the hook for providing the bulk of public services throughout China.

"Local governments were caught between dropping tax revenue and rising expenditures," Cunningham said. "Many local governments then had to turn to ad-hoc extra budgetary fees to close the budget gap. I think that has consistently undermined trust at the local level."

Regional disparities

The research team was also keen to examine disparities in the responses of wealthy, predominantly urban and coastal areas of China and those of less developed interior provinces. "It didn't surprise us that the wealthy coastal citizens who were the winners of globalization in many ways, and the winners of China's domestic reform program, had a very high favorability rate of government overall, regardless of level of government examined," said Cunningham.

The responses from survey participants in rural areas, however, surprised the researchers, particularly over time. "We did not anticipate how quickly both low-income citizens and people from less-developed regions in China closed the satisfaction gap with high-income citizens and people from the coastal areas," Cunningham added.

The surveys found that rural residents, generally poorer than those in cities, had more optimistic attitudes about inequality than their wealthier urban counterparts. The team's analysis ties the closing of this satisfaction gap between rich and poor, as well as coastal and hinterland populations, to several policies including local budget spent on healthcare, welfare and education, and paved roads per capita.

Saich added that the findings "run counter to the general idea that these people are marginalized and disfavored by policies," and therefore undermine the persistent notion that rising inequality, and dissatisfaction with corruption and local government, have created the potential for widespread unrest in China.

Observers have long predicted that China's slowing economic growth coupled with a complacent, ineffective government bureaucracy could ultimately lead to the crumbling of Beijing's political authority. While frustration with corruption and the quality of public services at the local level clearly exists, the Ash research team's work has shown that the current political system in China appears remarkably resilient.

Inequality remains a key concern for policymakers and citizens alike in China, but the survey project found little to support the argument that those concerns among ordinary Chinese are translating into broader dissatisfaction with government. The final round of the survey in 2016 revealed that about one-third of respondents were much more likely to lodge complaints with the government or protest if they felt that air pollution had negatively impacted their own health or the health of their immediate family members.

Although state censorship and propaganda are widespread in China, these findings highlight that citizen perceptions of governmental performance respond most to real, measurable changes in individuals' material well-being. Satisfaction and support must be consistently reinforced. As a result, the data point to specific areas in which citizen satisfaction could decline in today's era of slowing economic growth and continued environmental degradation.

For Cunningham, it's important not to forget that many in China are only a generation removed from an era of chronic food shortages and significant social and economic instability. "Relative perspective is always important, as China is still a developing country," he said.

"We tend to forget that for many in China, and in their lived experience of the past four decades, each day was better than the next," Saich added. "Our surveys show that many in China therefore seem to be much more satisfied with government performance over time, despite rising inequality, corruption, and a range of other pressures that are the result of the reform era."

Explore further How hawkish is the Chinese public?

More information: Understanding CCP Resilience: Surveying Chinese Public Opinion Through Time: Understanding CCP Resilience: Surveying Chinese Public Opinion Through Time: ash.harvard.edu/publications/u  opinion-through-time

Provided by Harvard Gazette

This story is published courtesy of the Harvard Gazette, Harvard University's official newspaper. For additional university news, visit Harvard.edu.
Sushant Singh Rajput's Dil Bechara is all set to premiere on OTT on July 24. The film is highly anticipated among the actor's fans and it's trailer also became the most liked on YouTube within 24 hours of its release earlier this week.

Later in the day, the title track of Dil Bechara is all set to premiere. The song is choreographed by Farah Khan and will see Sushant grooving to the beats of the peppy number. Now, we bring to you an unseen BTS pic from the movie sets that shows Sushant's goofy side and his bonding with co-actor Subba Lakshmi, who plays the role of grand mother in the drama film.

In the picture, Sushant is seen sitting on the ground, near Subba Lakshmi's feet, while Dil Bechara director Mukesh Chhabra is seen posing on the other side. Sushant wears a green T-shirt, jeans and completes his look with sunglasses. His goofy expressions are sure to make you smile.

Take a look.

Meanwhile, investigation is underway in SSR's suicide case after the actor passed away on June 14. As per reports, Bollywood filmmaker Shekhar Kapur has sent his statement via email to the police on Thursday.

Read: Sushant Singh Rajput's Fans Flock Dil Bechara Sets for Glimpse of Actor, Watch Video
ICC urged to investigate Chinese leaders for genocide, abuses against Uighur Muslims US announces new sanctions on senior Chinese officials

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For the first time, evidence has been submitted to the International Criminal Court asking for an investigation into claims of genocide and crimes against humanity committed by senior Chinese leaders including President Xi Jinping for the mistreatment of Uighur Muslims and other Turkic people in Western China.

Lawyers this week submitted a complaint to the Hague-based courts prosecutors office on behalf of the East Turkistan Government in Exile and the East Turkistan National Awakening Movement.

This marks the first time that critics have attempted to use international laws to prosecute China for alleged human rights violations against minorities in Chinas far northwestern territory of Xinjiang.

The ETGE is an official body that aims to end Chinas occupation of the East Turkistan region. East Turkistan is a region known today as Chinas Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The Peoples Republic of China incorporated the region after the fall of a Soviet-backed East Turkestan Republic in 1949.

Today, the Chinese government considers support for East Turkistan independence to be terrorism and extremism.

The new filing submitted to the ICC comes as there has been much outrage in recent years as estimates suggest that over 1 million to as many as 3 million Uighur Muslims and other and other minority groups in Western China have been subject to internment camps in Xinjiang,

Laid out in the complaint are evidence of crimes that have been committed in the region by the Chinese government since 1884, with the bulk of the complaints focusing on the increase in human rights crimes committed following the Urumqi riots that took place in July 2009, where members of the Turkic-speaking minority and Han Chinese were killed.

The governments alleged crimes include those committed against the predominantly Muslim Uighur population, as well as Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and other Turkic peoples.

The alleged crimes include massacres, mass internment camps, torture, organ harvesting, disappearances, forced birth control and sterilization. The report also highlights the forcible transfer of children from their families to Chinese state orphanages or boarding homes.

The complaint also warns about government measures aimed at eliminating the use of the Uyghur and other Turkic languages in schools and the governments use of increased surveillance to monitor those groups. The report contends that the level of surveillance those groups face goes beyond the surveillance experienced by Chinas majority Han people group.

The evidence of the crimes provided in the Complaint is detailed and shocking, a statement from ETGE reads.

According to ETGE, the complaint includes a description of torture through electrocution, Muslims being forced to eat pork and drink alcohol, as well as requirements for Uighur women of child-bearing age to use intrauterine devices for birth control.

The organization also alleges that an estimated 500,000 Uyghur children are being separated from their families and sent to orphanage camps. At those camps, there have been reports of attempted suicide.

Today is a historic day. Not only is it the eleventh anniversary of the Urumchi Massacre, it marks the first step in what we hope will be the ultimate liberation of our people, the ETGE statement explains. For too long we have been oppressed by China and its Chinese Communist Party and we have suffered so much that the Genocide of our people can no longer be ignored.

The complaint comes as China has faced increasing international criticism over its treatment of Uighurs and other minorities in Western China as more becomes known about Chinas use of so-called re-education camps. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions of ethnic minorities in Western China have been detained in these centers throughout Xinjiang in recent years.

While critics say that the centers are akin to concentration camps where culturally Muslim citizens are brainwashed into acting more culturally Chinese, the Chinese government has maintained that these camps are voluntary re-education camps to help the Muslim community combat extremist tendencies.

Victim testimonies and purported leaked documents have suggested that there are ideological motivations and structure behind the detention centers that go beyond just simple education. Victims have described horrific conditions with overcrowding, poor health care and hygiene. Victims say they were required to eat food that is forbidden in Islam.

The new complaint claims that the Chinese government has also conducted a campaign to round up Uyghurs abroad and who have fled East Turkistan as a result of the crimes committed against them in China.

The complaint claims that some people have been forced back to the region from places like Tajikistan and Cambodia. People who have been forced back have often faced human rights abuses, the report stresses.

Although China is not a party to the Rome statute that established the ICC, The United Kingdom-based lawyers who filed the document argue that since part of the alleged crimes detailed in the report took place in Tajikistan and Cambodia, the court has jurisdiction because those countries are party to the statute.

The Crimes committed against the Uyghur people have been widespread and systematic, ETGE added in its statement. They have taken place on a mass scale and should therefore all be investigated in order to ascertain whether the alleged perpetrators can be charged and tried.



In 2019 and 2018, the ICC determined that it had jurisdiction to investigate the genocidal crimes committed against Rohingya minorities in Myanmar by the Burmese military even though that country is also not a party to the court because some of the violations took place in Bangladesh, which is a party to the court.

As the Court held in the Rohingya cases, continuing crimes that commence on the territory of an ICC State Party come within the jurisdiction of the Court and can be investigated, the ETGE statement added. These crimes include Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity.

Rodney Dixon, a lawyer involved with the filing, said in a statement that there is now a clear legal pathway to justice for the millions of Uyghurs who are allegedly being persecuted on mass by the Chinese authorities.

It is a breakthrough and momentous opportunity which we urge the ICC Prosecutor to pursue without delay, Dixon said. This chance should not be squandered.

An Associated Press investigation published recently found that the Chinese state regularly subjects hundreds of thousands of minority women to pregnancy checks, forced use of intrauterine devices, sterilization and abortions.

In a statement late last month, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom argued that the forced sterilization of Uighur Muslims is evidence of Genocide.

Its evident from the Chinese governments own data that the Communist Partys policies are clearly designed to prevent population growth for the Uyghur, Kazakh, and other Turkic Muslim peoples, USCIRF Commissioner Nury Turkel said in a statement.

We urge the State Department to investigate whether the Chinese authorities deliberate and systematic attempt to genetically reducing the Turkic Muslim population in Xinjiang meets the legal definition for genocide as contemplated in the Genocide Convention.

Earlier this month, it was reported by the Associated Press that U.S. federal authorities seized a shipment of weaves and other beauty accessories that are suspected to be made out of human hair taken from people inside a Chinese internment camp and produced with forced child labor.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials told The Associated Press that 13 tons of hair products worth an estimated $800,000 were seized.

On Thursday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced new sanctions against three senior Chinese leaders of the government's mistreatment of Uighurs.

Those officials include Chen Quanguo, the party secretary in Xinjiang; Zhu Hailun, the party secretary of the Xinjiang Political and Legal Committee; and Wang Mingshan, the current party secretary of the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau.

Pompeo also announced additional visa restrictions on other communist party officials believed to be responsible or complicit in the detention and abuse of those in Xinjiang.

In late June, President Donald Trump signed the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act, a resolution passed unanimously by a very divided Congress seeking to safeguard the rights of this religious minority group.

China has also been accused of engaging in human rights crimes against other religious minority groups throughout the country, including Christians, Falun Gong practitioners and Tibetan Buddhists. U.S. Ambassador-at-large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback said during a trip to Hong Kong last year that the Chinese Communist Party is at war with faith.
Protesters smashed windows and splashed red paint on the district attorney's office in Salt Lake City on Thursday after prosecutors cleared police in the fatal shooting of a 22-year-old man, sparking a chaotic confrontation that left one officer injured and two demonstrators under arrest.

Late Thursday, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, R, declared a state of emergency because of the unrest, restricting access to the state Capitol, while city officials pledged to push for changes to police policy to dismantle systemic injustice.

"We accept there will be changes. What we don't accept is the violence and vandalism we're seeing tonight," Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown told KSTU.

Protesters had gathered for weeks at the office of Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill, D, to demand a full investigative report on the death of Bernardo Palacios-Carbajal, who was fatally shot while running away from police on May 23, and charges against the two officers involved.

Gill did release his report on Thursday, but he found that the officers were justified to fire 34 times at Palacios-Carbajal because he had repeatedly dropped and picked up a gun while fleeing police.

The decision was met with outrage from protesters and Palacios-Carbajal's family.

"I feel angry, sad, disgusted that my brother is gone and they think it's okay," Karina Palacios, his sister, said at a news conference. "The way they killed him is not right."

That anger boiled over at a protest that began around 6 p.m., when about 300 people gathered outside Gill's office with banners, megaphones and red paint. Chanting, "Justice for Bernardo" and "This is what democracy looks like," they painted the street red in front of Gill's office - an action the group also did last month to symbolize the "blood" on Gill's hands, protest leaders said.

The group then marched around downtown before returning to the district attorney's office. At some point, protesters also slapped red paint on the district attorney's sign and painted anti-police graffiti. When protesters bashed out three windows with metal rods, police in riot gear moved in.

A tense standoff began between lines of armored police and protesters, some of whom threw bottles and other debris. A police helicopter circled over head, demanding over a loudspeaker that protesters disperse and warning at one point, "This is your last opportunity." Police used shields and batons on the crowd, video shows, until the demonstration broke up.

The Salt Lake City Police Department said that some officers were hit with pepper spray and one officer was taken to the hospital with unspecified injuries.

Police haven't released details about the two arrests, but a video posted to Facebook by Justice For Bernardo, a group behind the protests, shows protest leader Sofia Alcala being handcuffed. Asked what she was being charged with, police said "destruction of property."

Protest leaders said multiple demonstrators were injured by police and blamed officers for the conflict.

"We were peaceful, it was the riot police that literally charged at us and escalated the situation," Jeanette Vega, an organizer with Justice for Bernardo, told The Washington Post in an email. Vega accused police of firing non-lethal rounds at close range, saying, "Salt Lake City police care more about protecting buildings than human lives."

Palacios-Carbajal's case has galvanized protesters in Salt Lake City, particularly after body-cam footage was released showing officers firing dozens of times at him as he ran away. At the time, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall (D) called the footage "genuinely disturbing and upsetting."

But Gill on Thursday laid out his finding that under state law the officers were justified in the killing. Police were called to a motel around 2 a.m. on May 23 after someone said two men had kicked in a door and robbed them at gunpoint. When police arrived, they found Palacios-Carbajal outside the motel; he ran away when they asked him to hold up his hands.

As he ran, he fell at least three times, dropping a gun each time and then picking it back up as officers yelled, "Drop it!" After the third time, Officer Kevin Fortuna fired at him. He fell and rolled onto his back, holding the gun up toward the officers, Gill found, which led Fortuna and Officer Neil Iversen to fire dozens more times.

Gill found they had reason to fear for their safety and said video footage backed up their version of what happened.

Mendenhall said she supported the decision, adding in a statement that "evidence shows that our officers acted according to their training and the state law."

But the Salt Lake City Council said on Thursday that while state law did appear to clear the officers, they would work to change standards to prevent similar cases in the future.

"We do not accept these systems as they are. We commit to doing our part to improve our City systems while advocating for changes outside our purview at the State or Federal level that will root out racism, dismantle systemic injustice, and lead the State of Utah in promoting equity and justice for all residents," the statement said.

Palacios-Carbajal's family, meanwhile, said they plan to sue the police department and pledged to work with protesters to fight for changes to the department's policies.

Its not a correct decision that [Gill] made, and we will continue fighting, Lucy Carbajal, his mother, said in Spanish, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. And even though my son isnt here, he gives us the right to continue fighting so mothers like me do not lose their sons, like they killed my son. That was cowardice.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 03:39:37|Editor: huaxia

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BUCHAREST, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Romanian Prime Minister Ludovic Orban on Thursday asked for "general mobilization" of the ministries involved in the the fight against COVID-19, as the epidemic continued to intensify in the country, with daily new cases breaking the records for two consecutive days.

"All the ministries that are involved in the anti-COVID-19 battle must be mobilized to the maximum and use all the legal instruments in order to reduce the number of persons infected," Orban stressed at the beginning of the government meeting.

"Priority Zero is ... respecting health protection norms everywhere: in public transport, in the metro, in the workplace," said Orban, warning about possible scenarios where Romania will be isolated from other European countries, following the increase of COVID-19 cases.

The latest official figures released Thursday showed that in the past 24 hours, the number of newly diagnosed patients exceeded the 600 mark to 614 for the first time since the outbreak, surpassing the record of 555 cases set a day ago.

So far, the total number of persons infected reached 30,789, out of 809,663 tests processed nationwide, announced the Strategic Communication Group (GCS), the official novel coronavirus communication task force.

The epidemic has rebounded in Romania since mid-June. The statistics showed that the number of new cases per day averaged over 320 between June 16 and June 30, while the daily cases in the first half of the month were 194. Since July, the daily figure has exceeded 423.

Romania has had to postpone the further relaxation of coronavirus restrictions, which was previously scheduled for July 1, amid the escalation of infections, with the authorities blaming the situation on the lack of self-protection instincts of some citizens. Enditem
The man in charge of health in South Africas economic hub of Gauteng, Bandile Masuku, caused consternation when he declared on national television that 1.5 million graves were being prepared for victims of Covid-19.



Gautengs health department was quick to explain that this was the total capacity of the provinces cemeteries - and that the actual number of graves being dug was far smaller.



However, its spokesperson, Kwara Kekana, told the BBC that while death was uncomfortable to talk about for parts of the population - for cultural reasons - it was sadly a subject that had to be discussed.



He said that identifying municipal land ahead of time that could be used, should it be needed, was a public responsibility alongside continuing to save lives.



Gauteng, which includes the city of Johannesburg, has now become the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak in South Africa.



The disease is expected to spread quicker in the province than it has in other parts of the country because it is more heavily populated.



Other big municipalities in South Africa are already struggling, with reports of oxygen shortages, a lack of beds and personal protective equipment (PPE).

Source: BBC









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EXCLUSIVE: Leading Russian animation outfit Riki Group has signed a deal with Beijing-based producer and distributor Joy Culture and Chinese platform Tencent Video to partner on season four of animated series The Fixies.

Following its acquisition of the shows third season, Tencent will now invest in the production of 52 new episodes of the series, which follows the comical misadventures of Tom Thomas and his secret friendship with Simka and Nolik, two young Fixies who live in his apartment.

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The first 13 episodes will be completed before the end of this year, with 13 delivered subsequently every six months, with the deal running until June 2022. The series will be released in Russian and Chinese with English available shortly after.

The show is produced by Moscows Aeroplane Productions, which was recently acquired by Riki Group. It first debuted on Tencent in 2015 and has gained significant popularity with Chinese audiences, clocking more than 12 billion views on Chinese VOD platforms and 6.4 billion on Tencent alone, according to the producers. It has also been sold into more than 90 territories.

We consider this further step in our continued partnership with one of the Chinas largest companies that specializes in content for kids and families to be the strongest evidence of our characters popularity in this country, said Julia Sofronova, producer of The Fixies. Five years ago Tencent acquired non-exclusive rights for the first two seasons of The Fixies, then exclusive rights for season three and now they have invested in the production of a new season. This leaves little doubt in Tencents faith in the quality of our production and in continued interest for the series from its audience. Moreover, the Chinese audience will be the first to see The Fixies new science show, which we are still only dreaming about in Russia.

Story continues

Were delighted that Chinese children will have a chance to watch season four of The Fixies at the end of this year. The deal is also strategically important for the brands development. We are glad to be continuing our exclusive licensing deal with Tencent video as theyre having great success with The Fixies brand in China, added Li Yan, CEO of Beijings Joy Culture Media, Co.

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Chhattisgarh governor Anusuiya Uikey on Thursday said that she will consult the President and University Grants Commission (UGC) after three senior ministers of the states Congress government met her urging to clear bills that curtails her powers to make appointments in the universities in the state.

On March 26, the Chhattisgarh legislative assembly passed five amendment bills curtailing her powers, a few weeks after Uikey appointed Baldev Bhai Sharma as vice-chancellor of Kushabhau Thakre University and re-appointed Vans Gopal Singh as vice-chancellor of Pandit Sundarlal Sharma Open University in Bilaspur.

Sharma was editor of RSS mouthpiece Panchjanya and was also a biographer of former Sangh sarsanghchalak KS Sudarashan and Singh is considered close to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Chhattisgarh forest minister Mohammad Akbar, Agriculture Minister Ravindra Chaubey and higher education minister Umesh Patel met the Governor for seeking her views on the amendment bills that increases state governments oversight over the state universities and reduces the governors role.

We came here for discussion over amendment bills of state universities which were passed in the last assembly and were pending with the governor... We urged the governor for approval of the bills pending with her, said Chaubey while speaking to media persons.

The amendment bill has been passed by legislative assembly and is pending for approval with the governor. She (the Governor) had sought certain clarifications about the bills which were sent by the government but approval has not been given, said a senior official working with the chief ministers office (CMO).

The official said that Gujarat government has amended the university appointment rule in 2009 and had reduced the role of Governor in appointing vice-chancellors of the state universities. In Gujarat, the governor approved the amendment and the state government has powers to appoint vice-chancellors now, the official said.

Commenting over the pending bills, Governor Uikey said she has no intention of delaying approval of any bills and was working as per the law.

After they sent me these five bills for approval, I sent a letter to the higher education department in April and asked about comparative details of such amendments in other states. Four days back, they sent me an answer claiming that Gujarat and one other state had made similar amendments in the past. I asked for the UGC guidelines on such amendments and found that the bill flouts UGC guidelines also, said the Governor.

Uikey said that she will consult UGC and the President of India over these amendments.

I am working as per my constitutional powers of Governor and since it is a matter of students and education, I will consult legal experts, UGC and President of India and then take further steps, she added.
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Linkedin Ti-han Chang (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 10, 2020 14:19 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406656546c 3 Books Book,environment,climate-crisis Free

Since the start of lockdown, more of us have taken to our bicycles, grown our own vegetables and baked our own bread. So its not surprising it has been suggested we should use this experience to rethink our approach to the climate crisis.

Reading some environmental literature  sometimes called eco-literature  can also give us the opportunity to think about the world around us in different ways.

Eco-literature, has a long literary tradition that dates back to the writings of 19th-century English romantic poets and US authors. And the growing awareness of climate change has accelerated the development of environmental writings.

Animals People by Indra Sinha

Indra Sinhas Animals People, looks at the Bhopal gas explosion in India  one of the most horrific environmental disasters of the 20th-century. A poisonous gas leak from a US-owned pesticide plant killed several thousand people and injured more than half a million.

The main character in the novel, Animal, is a 19-year-old orphaned boy who survives the explosion with a deformed body. This means he must crawl like a dog on all fours. Animal does not hate his body, but embraces his animistic identity  offering an unconventional non-human perspective.

With this wounded human-animal figure, Sinha puts forward his critique of Indias postcolonial conditions and demonstrates how Western capitalist domination continues to damage people and the environment in contemporary postcolonial society.

My Year of Meats by Ruth Ozeki

Ruth Ozekis novel intermingles themes such as motherhood, environmental justice and ecological practice to explore the appalling use of growth hormones in the US meat industry from a feminist ecocritical perspective.

The novel employs a documentary narrative mode and begins with a TV cooking show  sponsored by a meat company. While filming the show, Jane Takagi-Little, the director, encounters a vegetarian lesbian couple who reveal the ugly truth about the use of growth hormones within the livestock industry. The encounter motivates Jane to undertake a documentary project to uncover how growth hormones poison womens bodies.

Through a deliberate choice to make all her main characters female, Ozeki draws her readers attention to nonconforming, atypical female figures who rebel against social or cultural norms inherent in patriarchal capitalist society.

Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee

In Disgrace, J.M. Coetzee, a celebrated Noble Prize laureate, who is also known for his outspoken defence of animal rights, interweaves a brutal dog-killing scene with the gang-rape of a white South African woman by three black men.

Praised as one of the South African postcolonial canons, the novel explores complex issues of white supremacy and anticolonial resistance as well as racial and gender violence. It ties these issues with humans domination and exploitation of the animals and further challenges our ethical position.

The combination of these two acts  the killing of dogs and the rape of a woman  can be read as Coetzees ecocritique of the colonial violence against nonhuman beings and the natural environment.

The Man with the Compound Eyes by Wu Ming-yi

Climate fiction or the so-called cli-fi takes on genuine scientific discovery or phenomenon and combines this with a dystopian or over the top twist. This approach underlines the agency of non-human beings, environments or even phenomena  such as trees, the ocean, or a tsunami.

Wu Ming-yis novel is composed of four different narratives: a Taiwanese university professor, a boy from the mythical Wayo Wayo island and two other city-dwelling indigenous characters. Their stories are viewed in fragments from the multiple perspectives of the compound eyes. At the backdrop is a tsunami which causes the Great Pacific garbage patch to crash on to the eastern coast of Taiwan and the fictionalized Pacific island of Wayo Wayo that brings together all their stories.

Wu blends this unrealistic event with the real-life trash vortex to draw our attention to the severe environmental problems of waste dumping and our unsustainable lifestyles.

The Overstory by Richard Powers

The Overstory is praised by critics for its ambition to bring awareness to the life of trees and its advocacy to an ecocentric way of life. Powers novel sets out with nine distinctive characters - which represent the roots of trees. Gradually their stories and lives intertwine to form the trunk, the crown and the seeds.

One of the characters, Dr Patricia Westerford, publishes a paper showing trees are social beings because they can communicate and warn each other when a foreign intrusion occurs. Her idea, though presented as controversial in the novel, is actually well supported by todays scientific studies.

Despite her groundbreaking work, Dr Westerford ends up taking her own life by drinking poisonous tree extracts at a conference - to make it clear humans can only save trees and the planet by ceasing to exist.

These are just a few books with a specific focus on environmental issues  perfect for your current reading list. To everyones surprise, this global lockdown has given us some eco-benefits, such as a sudden dip in carbon emissions and the huge decline in our reliance on traditional fossil fuel energy. Maybe then if we can learn from this experience we can move towards a greener future.

---

Ti-han Chang, Lecturer in Asia-Pacific Studies, University of Central Lancashire

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
Meera Mitun is known for making the headlines by commenting on various issues and tagging renowned personalities such as Narendra Modi, Edappadi K Palaniswami and others in her tweets. The former Bigg Boss Tamil 3 contestant gets support as well as hatred from netizens, for her opinion over certain issues happening in the country.

Recently, actress Meera Mitun targeted popular Tamil actress Trisha Krishnan. The controversial diva accused the 96 actress of 'copying' her and warned of taking legal action against her. Taking to Twitter, Meera Mitun wrote, "Tis s gonna be my last warning to you @trishtrashers. Next time I see, you photoshop ur picture with features of mine including hair, morphing to, look like me, you will be under serious legal allegation . You know what ur doing, Well ur conscience knows. Grow Up! Get a Life."

Well, Trisha has not yet replied to her tweet, but netizens got furious and started trolling Meera Mitun on Twitter. A user wrote, "Omg .. now u comparing urself with Trisha???? Trisha is natural beauty u are naturally patti!"

Another user wrote, "Get life Meera.. Please don't bark all days in twitter.. just go #trisha home, she will feed you also along with street puppies #SouthqueenTrisha."

"OMG! This never ending drama. You go and get a life @meera_mitun I can see that you are so lifeless, that's why crapping here in twitter. My humble advice, kindly seek a doctor as soon as possible. You really need that badly, crazy woman! @trishtrashers way better than you!"

Also Read : Meera Mitun Calls Karan Johar A 'Journalist'; Says He Never Insulted Sushant Singh Rajput

Earlier, Meera Mitun had mistakenly called Karan Johar a 'journalist' while voicing her opinion over the nepotism debate that started after Sushant Singh Rajput's death. Now, after this tweet, it would be interesting to see how Trisha reacts to the same!

Also Read : Meera Mitun Says Tamil Nadu Government Is 'Worthless'; Asks PM To Make Her The CM
Arma Wani cares for her children at her sisters home in Pattani, Thailand, following her conviction on a charge of sheltering insurgents, July 10, 2020.

A widow who owns a house where suspected rebels allegedly stayed during a deadly a raid by security forces last week was convicted on a charge of sheltering insurgents fighting for an independent state in Thailands Deep South, the woman and officials said Friday.

Arma Wani, 41, a mother-of-four, said she was sentenced by a Pattani court to three months in jail and fined 10,000 baht (U.S. $320), after a one-day trial held on Thursday. She said the sentence was suspended for one year and could be dropped if she stayed out of trouble.

Her case is unusual because it is rare for women to be caught up in or prosecuted in cases connected to the insurgency in Thailands southern border region, according to observers.

Arma spoke to a BenarNews reporter in Pattani province on Friday.

I came here yesterday afternoon. In the morning I went to the court and was fined 10,000 baht because I am the owner of the house, she told BenarNews while staying at her sisters home.

I did not go back to my home which is about one km (six-tenths of a mile) away, but stayed with my younger sister. My children are scared and did not eat while I was in custody.

Arma had been held for questioning at Fort Inkayuth Borihan, an army camp in Pattani province, following the July 3 raid that killed a soldier and a suspected insurgent.

Government security forces mounted the raid at the house in Pana-rae, a district of Pattani, in search of insurgents who were believed to be hiding inside. Authorities allege the suspects opened fire on the raiding party, provoking a shootout that left one person dead on each side.

Maj. Gen. Pramote Prom-in, spokesman for Internal Security Operations Command-4 (ISOC-4)  the military command in the Deep South  said investigators were able to establish the case against the widow.

Arma behaved suspiciously and tried to conceal her role. Officers established the case of sheltering the insurgents and brought it to court, Pramote told BenarNews, adding, After the shootout, we talked to the homeowner and determined she gave shelter to the insurgents because they had been there for a couple of weeks.

Arma explained her actions on July 3.

That day, I was with my four children at home when officials arrived calling for my nephew, and I said he was not here. I was about to tell them that there was a man in the house but gunfire broke out from inside, she said.

Suspected insurgent Anwar Waedueramae, who was killed during the raid, had been with her brother-in-law for a couple of weeks, she said.

Arma said two men, her brother-in-law Yari Wansani and Ibrohem Wayang, were held for questioning but released on Thursday without being charged.

The majority-Muslim and Malay-speaking Deep South has seen violence that has killed more than 7,000 since an insurgency reignited in 2004. The region encompasses the provinces of Pattani, Narathiwat and Yala, as well as four districts in neighboring Songkhla.
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In a somewhat dizzying (but which will prove, I think, pivotal) few weeks at the Supreme Court, religious freedom has taken center stage. In two significant decisions yesterday, the Court protected our First Amendments First Freedom.

The first case, Little Sisters of the Poor v. Pennsylvania, was the third time a group of nuns visited the nations highest court, and the latest installment in their nearly 10-year-battle against the HHS Contraceptive Mandate. In 2017, a regulation issued by the Trump administration exempted the Little Sisters and any employers with sincerely held moral convictions opposed to . . . some or all contraceptive or sterilization methods, from the Obamacare mandate which required them to provide and pay for the coverage.

The state of Pennsylvania challenged that exemption, and the Third Circuit court ruled in the states favor. Yesterday, with a 7-2 vote, the Supreme Court reversed the appeals court.

Justice Clarence Thomas authored the opinion for the majority: For over 150 years, the Little Sisters have engaged in faithful service and sacrifice, motivated by a religious calling to surrender all for the sake of their brother . . . But for the past seven years, theylike many other religious objectors who have participated in the litigation and rulemakings leading up to todays decision have had to fight for the ability to continue in their noble work without violating their sincerely held religious beliefs.

While the Little Sisters long battle seems to finally be over, its conceivable that another administration could replace the Trump administration regulation with something less sympathetic to religious organizations. That would spark another round of judicial challenges, local court rulings, and appeals.

The more decisive decision issued by the Court yesterday came in the case known as Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrisey-Berru. Two Catholic schools in California who chose not to renew the contracts of two fifth-grade teachers due to poor performance, including failure to follow basic educational expectations were sued by those teachers for discrimination. In another 7-2 vote, the Court sided with the schools because, as the opinion put it, federal employment discrimination laws do not apply to teachers whose duties include instruction in religion at schools run by churches.

The Court relied on the 2012 Hosanna-Tabor decision, which ruled that because teachers at religious schools can be considered ministers, they fall under the so-called ministerial exception when it comes to anti-discrimination laws. Though these particular Catholic school teachers werent called ministers, they did serve in a clearly religious role. Justice Samuel Alito, writing for the majority: What matters, at bottom, is what an employee does. And implicit in our decision in [Hosanna Tabor] was a recognition that educating young people in their faith, inculcating its teachings, and training them to live their faith are responsibilities that lie at the very core of the mission of a private religious school.

Though, wrote Alito, the First Amendment doesnt grant religious institutions a general immunity from secular laws, it does protect their autonomy with respect to internal management decisions that are essential to the institutions central mission. Protecting the ability of religious institutions to hold and operate from its central mission is the reason there is a ministerial exception in the first place.

The two decisions issued yesterday make this very significant term of the Supreme Court even more so: Handcuffing the ability of states to restrict abortion, re-writing civil rights laws, further protecting the religious freedom of religious institutions to live by their convictions while limiting the rights of for-profit employers to do the same.

Weve seen that its as wrong to place all of our hopes on Supreme Court decisions as it is to discount the courts and the elections that populate them. No. Elections matter. Judicial appointments matter. At the same time, we cannot outsource the hard work of protecting life to advancing truth to them. The rest of culture matters, too.

Time will tell just how much these decisions from this session of the Court will ultimately impact our lives and our culture, especially as it relates to religious freedom. I will share my thoughts on this very soon. In the meantime, we can be grateful for these two decisions and hope together that the government will finally leave these poor nuns alone.

Originally posted at breakpoint.org
Goldman just raised its Netflix target to the highest on Wall Street. Here's what's behind the call

Published Fri, Jul 10 2020 9:25 AM EDT
Raksha Bandhan 2020 Date & time, Shubh muhurat: Learn about the date and timings of Rakhshabandhan 2020: How to do Pooja and mantras to chant while tying Rakhi to your sibling.

Raksha Bandhan 2020 Date & time: Raksha Bandhan, or commonly known as Rakhi, is a popular Hindu festival celebrated primarily in Central India. On this auspicious day, sisters tie a rakhi (band) to their brothers hand to symbolise sibling relationship, which is based on the foundation of love and care.

While tying the rakhi, sisters wish for their brothers prosperity, health and wealth, and their brothers promise to care and protect their sisters, no matter the situation. Sweets and gifts are exchanged to celebrate the festival.

Rakhi falls on the last day of Hindu Calendars month Shraavana, which is on Monday, 3rd August 2020. According to several astrologers, this years date is very auspicious, reason being Bhadra will remain on the day of Raksha bandhan till 9:29 am.

Mantras and Aartis for Raksha Bandhan:

Start of Rakhi Purnima : 2/08/2020 at 9:48 pm

Shubh Mahurat for Rakhi Ceremony: 05:49 am  06:01pm (11 hours 49 minutes)

Apharan Time Duration : 01:57 pm  04:28 pm (2 hours 41 minutes)

Pradosh Time Duration : 07:10 pm  09-17 pm (2 hours 7 minutes)

End of Rakhi Purnima : 3/08/2020 at 9:48 pm

Significance of Rakhi festival:

The day brings the prospect of abundance of money and food for the people celebrating the festival. It is said that the sacred thread tied by the sister keeps the innocent love and nurturing nature between siblings intact. Folklore has it that Draupadi had tied rakhi to Lord Krishna in her childhood.
Scientists from around the world wrote a letter to the World Health Organization (WHO), urging the agency to acknowledge that the novel coronavirus is airborne. More than 230 scientists presented evidence that people can catch the virus from droplets floating in the air.

Now, the World Health Organization pointed to emerging evidence that the coronavirus might spread by air further than previously thought.

Image Credit: Naeblys / Shutterstock

Airborne transmission

Studies have shown that some superspreading events or locations may cause clusters of infections with the coronavirus. For instance, clusters of infections have been reported in workplaces, churches, restaurants, and markets, even if there is no direct contact with infected patients.

Though the exact mechanism of how the virus spreads is still unclear, it is essential to acknowledge that evidence is pointing to aerosols as a mode of transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

"We acknowledge that there is emerging evidence in this field, as in all other fields regarding the Covid-19 virus and pandemic and therefore we believe that we have to be open to this evidence and understand its implications regarding the modes of transmission and also regarding the precautions that need to be taken," Dr. Benedetta Alleganzi, WHO Technical Lead for Infection Prevention and Control, said during a briefing.

The agency is preparing a scientific brief to address the evidence that the novel coronavirus may be airborne, which contributes to its infectiousness and rapid spread.

However, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's epidemiologist, said that the WHO has looked at the reports since April. She said that they are focusing on the potential role of airborne transmission in other settings, such as those with poor ventilation.

Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 Colorized scanning electron micrograph of an apoptotic cell (red) infected with SARS-COV-2 virus particles (yellow), isolated from a patient sample. Image captured at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Maryland. Credit: NIAID

Joining forces

The WHO acknowledges that transmission of the novel coronavirus is mainly by large respiratory droplets, which fly and land directly on the nose or mouth of other people.

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, a major research effort is underway to shed light on whether COVID-19 can spread through tiny airborne particles, which are released by infected people and remain floating in the air for hours.

The scientists are working with WHO sanity engineers to investigate how tiny aerosols containing the virus may be released into the air if they spread in closed rooms by air-conditioning units, and how infectious these particles are. However, over the past months, evidence of airborne transmission is increasing, wherein smaller droplets can float in the air for hours until other people inhale them.

Knowing more about the modes of transmission of the virus, including if it is airborne, is crucial in formulating policies to contain the spread of the virus.

The two-meter distance, and in some instances, six feet distance, is an essential factor in reducing the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. If the aerosol transmission is correct, health officials may need to modify their guidelines. This way, the rate of infection and transmission can be reduced.

Currently, the WHO recommends social distancing, avoiding crowded places, and regular handwashing as the most important measures to reduce the risk of contracting the virus.

Global coronavirus toll

The WHO says that it took 12 weeks for the world to reach 400,000 cases of COVID-19, but over the last weekend, there were more than 400,000 cases across the globe. Now, the number of cases has topped 12.23 million, with more than 554,000 deaths.

"The outbreak is accelerating, and we have clearly not reached the peak of the pandemic. While the number of deaths appears to have leveled off globally, in reality, some countries have made significant progress in reducing the number of deaths, while in other countries deaths are still on the rise," Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO's director-general, said. "Where there has been progressing in reducing deaths, countries have implemented targeted actions toward the most vulnerable groups, for example, those people living in long-term care facilities," he added.

The United States reports the highest number of cases, exceeding 3.1 million, followed by Brazil, with more than 1.75 million cases. In the following weeks, the number is expected to skyrocket as many countries have eased their lockdown restrictions. Many businesses have reopened, and residents are returning to their workplaces.

With the threat of airborne transmission, especially in closed areas like offices and workplaces, companies and their workers should practice infection control measures, such as physical distancing, washing the hands regularly, and regular disinfection. Also, wearing of masks should be practiced reducing the transmission of the potentially-fatal virus.
Lenovo has announced the third chapter of its Rise of Legion (ROL) tournament series that will feature Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO). The company notes that this will be the first time for the esports tournament to be held across the entire Indian subcontinent.

Read the complete press release below

Lenovo, the global technology leader, today announced the third chapter of Rise of Legion (ROL), with a CS:GO (Counter Strike: Global Offensive). It is the first time for the esports tournament to be conducted across the entire Indian subcontinent, inviting gamers from India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, to compete in a Rise of Legion event from the safety and comfort of their homes. ROL commenced on 7th July 2020 with 229 teams joining and will carry on till 6th August 2020 and everyone can play the virtual battle game here.

Through the tournament, Lenovo is championing the #PlayApartTogether campaign  a global esports initiative to encourage the adoption of responsible gaming virtually using the best safety practices during this worldwide pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown has created a significant surge in gaming ROL 3 is a direction in providing gamers an opportunity.

Amit Doshi, Chief Marketing Officer, Lenovo India said, With Lenovos Legion product portfolio and multiple esports events, we provide gamers the platform to compete and network with each other. Next generation gamers see the Rise of Legion (ROL) and League of Champions (LOC) as stepping-stones in their esports career, which also gives us an opportunity to expand these tournaments across geographies. Online gaming has become mainstream in India and a preferred activity during the lockdown, and we encourage the Legion fans and gamers to stay indoors and use this opportunity to hone their esports skills while staying connected with us and their peers.

While the first Rise of Legion tournament was conducted both offline and online, Rise of Legion 2 was only virtual in India. Both participation and rewards have increased for Rise of Legion 3. Lenovo also recently hosted the largest PUBG PC event in India.

On Day 1 of the tournament, 229 teams joined the battle ground across the three regions and will play against each other to reach the Top 16. The final countdown takes place on Thursday, August 6, 2020.

Teams from these three regions will be competing for an attractive prize pool of INR 3.5 lakhs, along with rewards which will be distributed to the top eight teams in the tournament. Lenovo will also be recognizing and rewarding one tournament MVP for consistent and outstanding performance during the tournament.
Confederate Army symbols within the military, including prominent US Army bases named after rebel generals, are divisive and can be offensive to black people in uniform, the nations top officer said.

The American Civil War was fought and it was an act of rebellion, it was an act of treason at the time, against the Union, against the Stars and Stripes, against the US Constitution, and those officers turned their backs on their oaths, Army General Mark Milley told a House Armed Services Committee hearing.

Gen Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, noted that some see it differently.

Some think its heritage. Others think its hate.

He said he has recommended creating a commission to study the matter.

The House and Senate versions of the National Defence Authorisation Act for the budget year starting October 1 include provisions for changing the names of 10 Army bases named for Confederate generals.

President Donald Trump says he would veto the defence bill if the version that reaches his desk includes a requirement to change the names.

It has been suggested that we should rename as many as 10 of our Legendary Military Bases, such as Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Fort Hood in Texas, Fort Benning in Georgia, etc. These Monumental and very Powerful Bases have become part of a Great American Heritage, and a  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 10, 2020

history of Winning, Victory, and Freedom. The United States of America trained and deployed our HEROES on these Hallowed Grounds, and won two World Wars. Therefore, my Administration will not even consider the renaming of these Magnificent and Fabled Military Installations  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 10, 2020

Our history as the Greatest Nation in the World will not be tampered with. Respect our Military!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 10, 2020

These Monumental and very Powerful Bases have become part of a Great American Heritage, and a history of winning, victory, and freedom, Mr Trump wrote on Twitter last month.

Story continues

The United States of America trained and deployed our heroes on these hallowed grounds, and won two World Wars.

Therefore, my Administration will not even consider the renaming of these magnificent and fabled military installations.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley (Michael Reynolds/AP)

Gen Milley did not explicitly say the base names should be changed, but he noted that the Army is now about 20% black.

For those young soldiers that go onto a base, a Fort Hood, a Fort Bragg or a fort wherever named after a Confederate general, they can be reminded that that general fought for the institution of slavery that may have enslaved one of their ancestors, Gen Milley said.

He recalled an enlisted soldier told him, early in Gen Milleys career while serving at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, that he went to work every day on a base that represented a guy who had enslaved his grandparents.
Hyderabad, July 10 : In a jolt to the Telangana government, the Telangana High Court on Friday temporarily stayed the demolition of existing secretariat building for construction of a new complex.

As the demolition continued on the fourth day, a division bench of the high court passed interim orders staying the works till Monday.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice B Vijayasen Reddy passed the orders on a petition filed by Professor P.L. Vishweshwar Rao, Convenor, Telangana Democratic Forum and Vice President of Telangana Jana Samithi.

The court asked the government to place before it all the requisite permissions taken from the authorities concerned for demolition work.

The petitioner complained that the demolition of 10 blocks of the secretariat building occupying 10 lakh square feet was without following the procedure laid down under the Demolition and Construction Rules.

He said in the existing COVID-19 situation the demolition impacts and aggravates the respiratory problems of the people living in the surroundings of the building.

The petitioner said the demolition decision is in violation of Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules 2016, Provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897, Environment Protection Act 1986 and against the provisions of the Disaster Management Act 2005. None of the procedures prescribed was followed and no permission was obtained from the local authorities in accordance with the Solid Waste Management Rules, said the petitioner.

He also challenged construction of the new secretariat building in 7 lakh square feet in the same place which is adjacent to the Hussain Sagar lake on the ground that this could lead to pollution in the lake.

Advocate General B. S. Prasad submitted to the court that all necessary permissions were taken before starting the demolition work. The division bench directed him to place the same before it on Monday and ordered that till then the demolition work should be stopped.

The government started demolition of existing buildings of old secretariat in the early hours of Tuesday.

One of the 10 buildings was constructed in 1888 during the times of seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last ruler of erstwhile Hyderabad state. Known as Saifabad Palace and built in European architecture, it used to house the office of Nizam's Prime Minister till Hyderabad's accession with the Indian union in 1948.

It was on June 27 last year that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao had laid the foundation stone for the new secretariat. Subsequently, the secretariat was temporarily shifted to BRK Bhavan.

The opposition parties, some heritage activists and concerned citizens had opposed the construction of the new complex, terming it a wasteful expenditure.

The High Court on June 29 dismissed petitions challenging the government's decision to raze the old buildings and build a new complex in its place.

The court ruled that building a new secretariat is a policy decision by the government and the court can't interfere with it.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-11 01:26:18|Editor: huaxia

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ISLAMABAD, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Political representatives said on Friday that the projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will bring peace, prosperity and development in Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province.

The webinar, convened by prominent Islamabad-based think tank the Emerging Policymakers' Institute, was attended by the representatives of Balochistan's mainstream political parties, the Chinese ambassador and Chinese companies undertaking development projects in the province.

Speaking at the video conference event, Balochistan Governor Amanullah Khan Yasinzai termed the multi-billion-dollar project a game changer for the entire region which he said would bring economic development in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan.

Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing said CPEC will change the fortune of the province while highlighting the importance of Balochistan to Pakistan.

Many projects under CPEC are under construction and the Pakistani people will reap the benefits in years to come, Yao said, adding that China and Pakistan have a close friendship and China will stand besides Pakistan through thick and thin.

The political parties' representatives reiterated their commitment to making CPEC a success and pledged to expand the role of Balochistan and increase opportunities for the province in CPEC.

The participants also appreciated the responsible role that China has been playing in combating COVID-19 at home and abroad, and thanked the Chinese government for the help it has extended to Pakistan to fight against the pandemic. Enditem
By Nancy Lapid

July 10 (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.

Tuberculosis vaccine may limit COVID-19 deaths

A tuberculosis vaccine routinely given to children in countries with high rates of that bacterial disease might be helping to reduce deaths from COVID-19, researchers reported on Thursday in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. After accounting for differences in factors that might affect vulnerability to the virus - such as income, education, health services and age distribution - the researchers found that countries with higher rates of Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccinations for tuberculosis had lower peak mortality rates from COVID-19. A good example was Germany, which had different vaccine plans before East Germany and West Germany were unified in 1990, the researchers said. COVID-19 mortality rates among senior citizens are nearly three times higher in western Germany than in eastern Germany, where more older people received the vaccine as infants, they found. Study co-author Luis Escobar of Virginia Tech said in a press statement that BCG vaccines have been shown to protect against other viral respiratory illnesses. Escobar cautioned that the new findings are preliminary. The BCG vaccine is currently being tested for preventing COVID-19 in healthcare workers. (https://bit.ly/3gMvFkh)

Weekly dorm screenings would not contain COVID-19 outbreaks

Avoiding coronavirus outbreaks in college dormitories would require screening tests for residents at least every three days, according to Yale University researchers. Weekly screening would not be sufficient, they concluded. Their calculations, based on a computer model of 5,000 students and an 80-day semester, accounted for students' on-campus exposures to the virus as well as imported infections from students traveling, wandering about town to restaurants and bars, or from visitors. Frequent testing would interrupt transmission of the virus only if infected students are isolated, the researchers said. "Students must comply with infection control, social distancing, test scheduling and (if testing positive) isolation requirements for the repeat testing system to work effectively," the researchers said in a paper posted online on Thursday ahead of peer review. Also, the tests must be reliable, testing laboratories must guarantee timely results, and efficient communications and supports must be in place so students who test positive can be isolated quickly, they said. The researchers said universities must be prepared to close their residence halls if repeated testing fails to contain the spread of the pathogen on campus. (https://bit.ly/2CmjrQA)

Story continues

Molecular study finds multiple types of COVID-19

There are many "flavors" of COVID-19, according to new data that may someday allow coronavirus treatments to be targeted at the specific molecular changes making a person sick. To learn more about why only some coronavirus patients become severely ill, researchers studied patients' "blood transcriptome," the complete set of genes that are activated in immune cells in the blood. They found at least five different types of immune response against the coronavirus - not just "mild" and "severe," according to a paper posted online ahead of peer review. "In other words, there are different flavors of the disease," just as there are different types of cancer, study co-author Dr. Joachim Schultze of the University of Bonn told Reuters. Understanding the molecular mechanisms at work in a given patient could help doctors tailor the therapy to target those mechanisms, Schultze said. The findings also helped his team predict which drugs would likely benefit COVID-19 patients. One "prominent" candidate cited was the steroid dexamethasone, which has already been proven effective in some COVID-19 patients. Another "surprising" discovery they cited involved granulocytes, a type of white blood cell. "Granulocytes, cells that are not really known to be major players in the fight against viruses, play a major role in severe COVID-19 disease," Schultze said. The new findings "will help us to find better therapies and also will guide vaccine development," he added. (https://bit.ly/38GXUhA)

Months later, recovering patients still have symptoms

More evidence is emerging that severe COVID-19 has lingering after-effects. Nearly 90% of recovering COVID-19 patients discharged from a hospital in Rome were still not back to normal an average of two months after becoming ill, researchers said. Doctors there studied 143 adults who had been hospitalized on average for two weeks. Most had been diagnosed with pneumonia, and one in five had needed help to breathe. An average of 60 days after their first coronavirus symptoms, 87.4% still reported at least one symptom - particularly fatigue and shortness of breath - and 55% had three or more, researchers reported on Thursday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. About one in four still had joint pain, and about one in five had chest pain. Roughly 44% said their quality of life was worse now than before they got sick. The researchers did not have information on patients' pre-COVID-19 medical problems and did not compare this relatively small group to patients discharged for other reasons. But they said their findings suggest more research is needed on the long-lasting effects of coronavirus infection. (https://bit.ly/2ZfFcdz)

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; Editing by Will Dunham)
Prasanta Mazumdar By

Express News Service

GUWAHATI: The Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) asked Nagaland governor RN Ravi, who is also the interlocutor in the Naga peace talks, to prove his commitment by focusing on the settlement of vexed Naga issue and not resort to mischief.

 But one cannot forget that the Naga issue involves blood, sweat, and tears of not only Nagas but of Indians. It is the call of the Nagas that Ravi should settle down to prove himself his commitment to focus on Naga political solution and not resort to mischief, the editorial of NSCN-IMs monthly news bulletin Nagalim Voice reads.

The statement was made against the backdrop of Ravis stinging letter to Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on the states worsening law and order situation.

Ravis bombshell is a reflection of his mishandling of the Naga political issue. It speaks of his frustration and arrogance. It speaks of his insincerity and deceitfulness. It also speaks of his inclination to turn the clock back by terming the very groups he has been talking across the negotiating table as armed gangs, the NSCN-IM said.

The outfit also said that Ravis assessment that the law and order had collapsed was not supported by ground realities even as it said he was undoing his own credibility as the interlocutor.

There is trust deficit on his role as interlocutor as he is desperately on the roll to undermine the Naga issue. The biggest question pricking the mind of the Nagas is if Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi has planted a wrong person to help him solve the longstanding Indo-Naga political issue, the NSCN-IM added.

In the June 16 letter, Ravi had said the unrestrained depredations by over half a dozen organized armed gangs, brazenly running their so-called governments and challenging the legitimacy of the state government without any resistance from the state law and order machinery, had created a crisis of confidence in the system.

Army crackdown continues in Myanmar, claims tribal outfit

The Eastern Konyak Union, an organisation of the Konyak Naga tribe in Myanmar, alleged that the deployment of Indian and Myanmar Army personnel in every village on the border areas had instilled fear in the minds of locals.

Stating that public houses are not rebels nests, the union appealed to Indian and Myanmar governments to stop their military action in the areas.

It urged Naga NGOs and Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights to raise the issue on humanitarian ground as Eastern Konyaks are suffering due to inhuman activities by Indian and Myanmar governments.

The Nagas have a sizeable population in Myanmar. They live in villages along Myanmar side of the international border with Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur.

In May this year, Myanmar had handed over 22 long-wanted insurgents from Manipur and Assam to India. The country launched a crackdown against militants from the Northeast in January last year.
India and China will soon hold another meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China border affairs (WMCC) to take forward the process of disengagement and de-escalation by troops of both nations at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), New Delhi said on Thursday.

The Ministry of External Affairs said that National Security Advisor Ajit Doval had categorically told Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in their phone conversation on Sunday that Indian troops have always taken a very responsible approach towards border management but at the same time were deeply committed to ensuring Indias sovereignty and security.

The MEA also reiterated Indias position that recent Chinese claims to the Galwan Valley area are exaggerated and untenable. Both nations have been blaming each other for the deadly clash between troops of the two sides at the Galwan valley in the Ladakh sector in mid-June. A meeting of the WMCC had also taken place recently to discuss de-escalation at the LAC.

Both Mr. Doval and Mr. Wang Yi are also the Special Representatives (SRs) of their countries for the boundary talks between the two sides. The MEA reiterated its statement issued earlier this week that both SRs had on Sunday agreed it was necessary to ensure at the earliest complete disengagement of the troops along the LAC and de-escalation in the India-China border areas for full restoration of peace and tranquility in accordance with the bilateral agreements and protocols. Noting that one of the key provisions of these bilateral agreements is the commitment by two sides shall strictly respect and observe the LAC, the two SRs also agreed that the two sides should work together to avoid any incident in the future that could disturb peace and tranquility in border areas.

On Thursday, the MEA said, During the conversation, the NSA (Mr. Doval) conveyed categorically Indias position on the recent developments along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) including in the Galwan valley area. NSA emphasised in this context that the Indian troops had always taken a very responsible approach towards border management and at the same time, our forces were deeply committed to ensuring Indias sovereignty and security.

The MEA added, The diplomatic and military officials of both sides will continue their meetings to take forward the process of disengagement and de-escalation as agreed to by the Special Representatives. The next meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China border affairs (WMCC) is expected to take place soon.

MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava also said, Let me remind you that in the last few weeks, we have made several statements spelling out categorically the position of the Government on different aspects of the current situation in the Western Sector of India-China border areas. They include our position that recent Chinese claims to the Galwan Valley area are exaggerated and untenable; that the LAC must be strictly respected and observed as this is the basis for peace and tranquility in the border areas; and that neither side should take any unilateral action to alter it. We remain convinced of the need for maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border areas and the resolution of differences through dialogue, at the same time, we are also strongly committed to ensuring India's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
A group of tractor-driving farmers descended on Westminster's Parliament Square yesterday to protest against lower-standard food imports.

The protest was organised by Save British Farming, a campaign group of activists 'against the opening of floodgates to lower-regulated food'.

Farming groups have frequently raised concerns that the government is prepared to sacrifice the UK's high food and farming standards in order to gain trade deals with countries such as the US.

A video of the demonstration has been posted on social media, showing dozens of drive-slow, socially-distanced tractors around Parliament Square.

Celebrity Masterchef winner Emma Kennedy endorsed the protest, urging the public to write to their MP to save British farms from 'going under' post-Brexit.

If you care about maintaining our world beating ???? standards for food and animal welfare

?? listen to @EmmaKennedy

?? support our campaign to save British #farming and #agriculture #AgricultureBill #FarmersProtest pic.twitter.com/SG2JONssz2  Save British Farming ???? (@BritishSave) July 7, 2020

Save British Farming said they were protesting the governments agriculture bill which they fear would 'ditch' British animal welfare and environmental standards.

"The government is also threatening a no-deal Brexit that wipes out half our farms and puts us at the mercy of the US farm lobby.

"Farmers and consumers say: yes to proper food standards and proper trade deals  no to no-deal," the group said.

A fundraising page has been set up by the group which has so far raised 2,000. It says the funds will be used to purchase campaign banners and posters for farmers' fields.

Peers are currently analysing the agriculture bill as part of the legislation's committee stage in the House of Lords.

It follows MPs in the House of Commons voting to reject an amendment which wanted to safeguard British food standards post-Brexit.

This is despite an NFU petition, signed by over one million people, calling for the government to uphold the UK's high food and farming standards.
Judges say Anna Lindstedt had not overstepped her diplomatic brief in efforts to free a Chinese-Swedish bookseller.

A Swedish court has acquitted Swedens former ambassador to China of overstepping her diplomatic brief in efforts to free a jailed Chinese-Swedish bookseller.

Anna Lindstedt had denied any wrongdoing in her efforts to free Gui Minhai, but had potentially risked prison if convicted. Guis case has strained ties between China and Sweden.

The case centred on a meeting Lindstedt organised in January 2019 at a Stockholm hotel. It was attended by, among others, two businessmen with links to China and Angela Gui, the daughter of Gui Minhai.

As part of the deal discussed to free her father, Angela Gui said she was to agree to stop criticising China in public.

She described how she felt pressured and contacted the Swedish foreign ministry, which said they were unaware of the meeting and that it was not how consular matters were handled.

Lindstedt has said she did not conduct any negotiations, and that the meeting was only aimed at discussing ideas.

The verdict

The Stockholm District Court said on Friday prosecutor Henrik Olin had not proved that Lindstedt had negotiated with any person who represented the Chinese state.

The court also noted that Lindstedt would have been in her authority to do so, noting that an ambassador has a wide-ranging scope, judge Anna Flodin said. She said the court was unanimous.

Prerequisites for the alleged crime labelled arbitrary conduct in connection with negotiations with a foreign power were not fulfilled, the judge said.

The legislation was several hundred years old, and not tested in recent times, Flodin said.

The two businessmen did not testify during the trial, but several former ambassadors were summoned as well as Angela Gui, foreign ministry officials, activists, academics and reporters. Parts of the hearing were held behind closed doors.

Shortly after Fridays decision, Angela Gui told Stockholm daily Expressen: The damage has already been done. It does not change anything for me or my father because it is the state that is the plaintiff. This whole process has just been tragic for me.

Borje Ljunggren, another former Swedish ambassador to China, said he was not surprised by the ruling.

The meeting exhibited remarkable cluelessness by Lindstedt, but this should not have gone to trial, he told Swedish public broadcaster SVT.

Lindstedts career

Lindstedt joined the foreign service in 1990 and has held a number of posts including ambassador to Vietnam and Mexico, and at the UN climate talks in France 2015.

Gui owned a publishing house in Hong Kong that sold titles banned in mainland China. He disappeared in 2015 while on holiday in Thailand.

In 2016, he appeared on Chinese state television where he admitted to leaving China without having served a two-year suspended sentence for his role in a drink-driving death more than 10 years ago.

After serving that sentence he was rearrested in 2018.

In February of this year, a Chinese court sentenced the bookseller to 10 years in prison for illegally providing intelligence abroad.
[July 10, 2020] Weyland Tech Engages The Benchmark Company to Explore Strategic Alternatives

NEW YORK, July 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Weyland Tech, Inc. (OTCQX: WEYL), a leading global provider of eCommerce, mCommerce, and fintech business enablement solutions, has engaged a leading U.S. investment bank, The Benchmark Company, to assist Weyland in the exploration and evaluation of strategic alternatives for enhancing shareholder value.

These alternatives could include, among others, continuing to execute the company's business plan, including an increased focus on certain standalone strategic initiatives, the disposition of certain assets, or a strategic business combination. It could also include a transaction that results in private ownership or a sale of the company or some combination of one or more of these possible alternatives. Over the past year, weve made great strides in terms of user growth, product development, strengthening our intellectual property portfolio and expanding our global footprint, noted Brent Suen, CEO of Weyland Tech. However, even before the recent impact of the coronavirus, we were challenged with the market valuation of our company being maintained at far below our peers. Following the highly successful launch of AtozGo last summer and the acquisition of the assets of Push Interactive in January, the sum of the parts still remained much greater than the whole. As our business returns to its historic strong and steady growth in recurring revenues, we believe our current market valuation presents significant upside, continued Suen. This is especially so given how we currently trade at less than 1x revenue, while companies with similar businesses, albeit larger, trade at more than 20x. So, we remain focused on growing our top line, improving margins, and closing this valuation gap. Meanwhile, our industry has been presenting a multitude of opportunities for acquisition, consolidation, strategic partnerships, and other interesting potential transactions. In light of all of this, management and our board of directors concluded that with the assistance of Benchmark now would be an opportune time to begin a process of evaluating strategic alternatives with the ultimate goal of maximizing shareholder value. More specifically for Weyland, strategic alternatives could include a sale of its AtozGo and AtozPay platforms, a business combination such as a merger with another party, or a strategic investment financing which could support the accelerated growth of its CreateApp platform-as-a-service internationally. Due to the fast growth of our unique AtozGos food and grocery delivery platform, we have already been engaged in a number of discussions which could involve a potential buyer or major investor in AtozGo, said Djunaedy Hermawanto, CEO of Weyland Indonesia Perkasa, Weyland Techs subsidiary which operates AtozPay and AtozGo. Weyland expects the strategic alternatives process to lead to at least one potential transaction within the next 90 days and a second potential transaction by year end. However, there can be no assurance this process will result in any transactions or other strategic change or outcome. About The Benchmark Company Founded in 1988 and based in New York City with officesin San Francisco, Boston and Milwaukee, The Benchmark Company covers institutional and corporate clients with its research, sales & trading, and investment banking capabilities. The firm has built a reputation for delivering superior client service, market access, and in-depth market and industry expertise. Benchmark is committed to its clients success. Benchmarks team of experienced professionals works closely with its clients to understand their unique needs and goals to offer sound, unbiased guidance by drawing on the significant resources from across Benchmarks services platform. This collaborative Benchmark Team approach is focused solely on partnering with its clients to provide significant value and build a long-term relationship. To learn more about Benchmark, go to www.benchmarkcompany.com.



About Weyland Tech Weyland Tech is a developer and global provider of mobile business software applications. The company operates its CreateApp platform-as-a-service (PaaS) across three continents and 10 countries, including some of the fastest-growing emerging markets in Southeast Asia. The platform provides a mobile presence for small-and-medium sized businesses (SMBs) that is supported locally by distributor partnerships.

Offered in 14 languages, CreateApp enables SMBs to create and deploy native mobile applications for Apple iOS and Google Android without technical knowledge or background. The technology empowers SMBs to increase sales, reach more customers, manage logistics, and promote their products and services in an easy, affordable, and highly efficient way. Earlier this year, Weyland completed the acquisition of the assets of Minneapolis-based eCommerce technology company, Push Interactive, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Logiq, Inc. Push Interactive provides an eCommerce marketing solution for enterprises and major U.S. brands. For more information, visit weyland-tech.com. About AtozPay and AtozGo Through Weyland Techs minority-owned subsidiary, Weyland Indonesia Perkasa (WIP), the company operates AtozPay and AtozGo. The AtozPay mobile payments platform serves the burgeoning mCommerce and e-Payment markets in Indonesia, the worlds fourth most populous country. AtozGo is a fast-growing provider of short-distance food delivery and home services from local establishments operated in Jakarta, Indonesia. For more information, visit atozpayindonesia.com. About Push Interactive The e-Commerce platform of Weyland, Push Interactive, features comprehensive customer acquisition capabilities, highly productive media and channel strategies, well-tuned product promotion and messaging, and sales funnel development and optimization. The direct-to-consumer platform provides an end-to-end solution for SMBs and major brands, allowing these organizations to dramatically increase online revenue while lowering the cost of customer acquisition and order fulfillment. Post-sale, Push supports fulfillment, customer relationship management, and further monetization through re-engagement and remarketing toolsets that enhance customer lifetime value (LTV). For more information, visit www.pushint.com. Important Cautions Regarding Forward Looking Statements This release contains certain forward-looking statements relating to the business of the Company. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included herein are forward-looking statements including statements regarding: the ability of the Company to successfully integrate the assets of Push, the continued growth of the eCommerce segment and the ability of the Company to continue its expansion into that segment; the ability of the Company to attract customers and partners and generate revenues; the ability of the Company to successfully execute its business plan; the business strategy, plans, and objectives of the Company; the ability to find a strategic alternative and successfully execute such plan; the continued use and success of AtozGo and AtozPay; and any other statements of non-historical information. These forward-looking statements are often identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as believes, expects or similar expressions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they do involve assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, and these expectations may prove to be incorrect. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release. The Companys actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those discussed in the Companys periodic reports that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on its website (www.sec.gov). All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Other than as required under the securities laws, the Company does not assume any duty to update these forward-looking statements.

Company Contact

Brent Suen, CEO

Weyland Tech Inc.

Email contact Media & Investor Contact

Ronald Both

CMA

Tel (949) 432-7566

[email protected]

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Linkedin Dzulfiqar Fathur Rahman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, July 11 2020

The Agriculture Ministry is proposing an additional Rp 10 trillion (US$693.3 million) in next year's state budget to finance its planned policies aimed at speeding up economic recovery, particularly in the agriculture sector.

The government has allocated Rp 18.4 trillion to the ministrys 2021 budget. Around half of the budget is allocated to programs to ensure the availability and accessibility of quality food.

However, Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo said Tuesday the allocation would not be enough to finance policies to ramp up food production, diversify staple foods, strengthen buffer stock and food logistics, as well as modernize the countrys agriculture sector, which employed the majority of the national workforce.

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Landslides triggered by heavy monsoon rain on Friday killed at least 10 people and left 30 others missing in Nepal, officials said.

Seven people died when mudslides hit three different spots around the resort town of Pokhara, police official Subash Hamal said.

Pokhara, 200 kilometres (125 miles) west of the capital, Kathmandu, is popular among tourists and serves as a base for trekkers heading up to mountain trails.

Just north of Pokhara, a landslide swept through two villages in Myagdi district, damaging 37 houses.

Mahesh Subedi, a government administrator, said so far three bodies had been pulled out but 30 more are still missing.

Roads were also blocked by mudslides, making rescue efforts difficult while continuing rains prevented helicopter flights.

Landslides are common in the Himalayan nation during the monsoon season that began in June and lasts up to September.

AP
The COVID-19 pandemic led to the widespread closure of many business establishments, including eateries and restaurants. This kind of mass change in human behavior has historically led to changes in animal behavior as well. This is especially observed with respect to urban rat behavior.

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv* in July 2020 describes the increased rat sightings following the imposition of social distancing and business closures at the start of 2020. Soon after this, local governments and public health authorities were alerted to an increasing number of rat sightings, with increasingly aggressive behavior and a loss of fear of people. Some have reported cannibalism among rats.

Of course, the calls related to rats could be more than just a reflection of actual increases in rat sightings; they could be because of greater health consciousness following the universal jitteriness about COVID-19 transmission, and a feeling that these animals are linked to unsanitary conditions and disease. Again, when one report is cited in the media, especially social media, more people are likely to report the same if it occurs near them.

However, if rats are indeed encroaching upon human territory, the health consequences are significant. Rats can carry a multitude of germs and eat food, worth billions of dollars every year. One common saying is that rats have caused more human deaths than all the wars since the world began. Moreover, since rats are typically disliked and feared, the report of rats is enough to create panic or emotional stress, especially among poor and densely populated areas.

Issues with Tracking Urban Rat Populations

However, there are no validated quantification methods for rat movements, nor established rodent-transmitted pathogen surveillance programs. Rat sightings are thus the only way at present in which cities can decide where the risk of rodent-borne disease is greatest so as to focus on reducing the risk.

Rat sightings are more prominent in warmer seasons in the colder climates, both because rats retreat underground and humans go outside less. The current paper aims to help understand how human reporting behavior and the wild environment were respectively contributing to this phenomenon of increased rat sighting.

The researchers looked at observable shifts in reports to public services like the non-emergency phone system 311, without reference to seasonal changes. They also looked at calls to pest control services, which, unlike the other, are not free. Food availability in the form of restaurants and other food services is also explored.

The study took place in Tokyo and New York City, using calls to public and private pest control services. Poland and Canada were also included, but only pest control associations exist in these countries, through which surveys were distributed.

The researchers found that rat movements may indeed have changed, contributing to the pattern of increased sightings, rather than changes in human reporting behavior only. First of all, rodent sightings are surprisingly high near food service counters and restaurants. Secondly, the hotspots of rat sightings have changed during the pandemic.

The changes in requests for pest control interventions were localized and specific to certain locations, near regions with a high density of restaurants in both cities. Still, no changes were observed in Warsaw, where restaurants are not packed within densely populated areas.

Contradictory Trends in Different Areas

In New York City, the 12 month study period witnessed lower daily rat sightings as based on the number of calls to pest control institutions. The businesses themselves reported that they felt the number of sightings had gone up. The number of calls related to food service establishments went up after lockdown. The hotspots were consistently around the clusters of food service establishments throughout the study.

In Tokyo, there was a 23% increase in calls relative to the last five years, but the survey results showed that people were not aware of this shift.

In North America, 13% of businesses said that all their rat-extermination jobs were from new clients, and an equal number said none of these jobs were from new clients. Overall, a third of these companies said that half or all of their work post-lockdown, related to rats, was from new clients. This is a pattern seen after calamities and reflects actual changes in the rat population.

In Tokyo, the proportion of jobs from new clients was low for 60%, while in both Poland and North America, more than a third gave this response.

No new clients asked for rat-related jobs in a fifth of businesses in Tokyo. However, about 90% of those in North America who said their business had increased said they had more clients compared to last year.

Explanations for Geographical Differences

In New York City, most sightings are near subways and public parks or leisure spaces, but these were much less used, since most people in April 2020 were at home or had left the city. The sudden reduction in food supply for rats resulted in a decrease in the number of rats.

Also, the venue of sighting makes a difference in the number of calls and the number that is called. One rat in a restaurant could mean many calls to 311, while multiple rats in one home could mean one call to a private pest exterminator to get immediate action.

The Picture in Tokyo

In Tokyo, the reason that the increased calls to the pest control operator Tokyo Pest Control Association (TPCA) did not correlate with increased calls to private pest control businesses could be due to different impacts of the lockdown on the two different species of rats. Roof rats were mentioned in about 80% of the complaints, but are smaller and more elusive, and nest in roofs or ceilings.

Moreover, roof rats are more likely to be found in smaller buildings because larger buildings must have pest control measures by law. Moreover, since smaller restaurants and bars remained open for take-aways, roof rats had access to food supplies. In short, this rat population would not have contributed to a significant proportion of the calls.

In eastern Tokyo, on the other hand, the downtown area with a heavy concentration of restaurants saw a large amount of garbage placed from midnight to morning for kerbside pickup. This provided the other rat species, Norway rats, abundant access to food, and this increased the number of calls to TPCA, while not creating enough of a menace to call in a private exterminator. Moreover, most businesses in pest control have yearly contracts with eateries, and this would not be affected by the lockdown.

In Poland, not only is a public pest extermination request system non-existent, but mandatory pest control ensures strict control of rats at all times, which would not be affected by the lockdown. Moreover, restaurants are sparse in areas with a heavy population.

Migration of rats under stressed conditions could lead to more interbreeding, and the genetic profile of urban rats in the future might well change, as a more significant number of genotypic variations enter the genetic pool.

Human Health Hazards Caused by Rats

Do rats get COVID-19? Experts think it unlikely, as only two species of rodents have been found to be infected with this virus. However, theoretically, rodents under stress or who are wounded are also less likely to groom themselves, and dirty fur can transmit more infections even when the rat itself is not a carrier. Secondly, if the rat carries pathogens that cause immunosuppression, such as the ticks that cause Lyme disease, the infected individual might be at risk for other diseases, including COVID-19. Thus, rat populations and the shifts in rat movements need to be monitored more diligently to allow better management.

*Important Notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
National Police in Fuengirola have arrested a fugitive, subject of a European Arrest Warrant issued by the British authorities in connection with the murder of a 19-year-old in 2016 and another attempted murder.

The incident, which took place in Blackburn (Lancashire, UK) on 17 May 2016, saw the student caught in the middle of a gunfight between two rival gangs and was allegedly shot by the suspect from the passenger seat of a car. He has been on the run ever since.

In June the National Police learned that this individual could be in Spain after fleeing from the UK to Portugal. Through collaboration with the British authorities, it was suspected that the fugitive had taken refuge in a small town in the province of Huelva, where he was staying in a hotel with his partner, using his brother's passport to avoid being located.

After further investigation identified the vehicle he was using, this allowed police to track him across southern Spain to Mijas. As a result, a series of checks were carried out on hotels in nearby towns, eventually locating him in a hotel in Fuengirola where he was arrested.

Despite warnings from British police that the man could have been carrying firearms and is known to behave in an extremely violent manner, the arrest was carried out quickly and safely.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said Friday it was possible a state of emergency triggered by the coronavirus crisis could be extended beyond the end of the month.

In Italy, the procedurewhich has been used in the past after floods and earthquakeshelps to cut red tape and hands regional authorities special powers.

Conte first called the state of emergency on January 31, after two cases of coronavirus were confirmed in Rome, but before Italy's first COVID-19-related deaths.

"Reasonably, the conditions exist to extend the state of emergency due to the coronavirus after July 31," Conte told reporters in Venice.

"The state of emergency serves to keep the virus under control. We have not yet decided, but we are reasonably moving in that direction," he added.

"A possible extension means that we will be able to continue to take the necessary measures, even if they are of limited scope."

Nearly 35,000 people have died from coronavirus in Italy, the first country hit by the global health crisis after China, and more than 242,000 people have been infected.

In May, as rates of infection began to decline, Italy started easing a strict two-month lockdown that shuttered most shops and businesses and restricted the movement of people.

Health officials caution that although the crisis has subsided, the virus is still circulating.

On Thursday, Italy banned travellers from 13 countries, including Bangladesh and Brazil, that it deems risky for COVID-19 transmission.

It took the measure after discovering an alarming rate of coronavirus infections among Bangladeshis arriving in Rome from flights originated in Dhaka.

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

 2020 AFP
T his is the heartwarming moment a family of Koalas rescued during Australia's summer bushfires returned to their natural habitat with a new member in tow.

Five of the marsupials  Jed, Yellow, Scully, Billa and Gulu  were removed from the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) earlier this year amid infernos that killed dozens of people as well as a billion native animals across the country  including thousands of Koalas.

On Thursday, they were finally returned to their home in the wild  22 per cent of which was destroyed during the blazes  after a six-month stint at the Australian National University.

And going along with them was a new addition to the family: an as yet unnamed joey that was born in March.

Wildlife team leader Dr Sarah May told Australian broacaster Channel Nine news the animals knew exactly where they were and were delighted to be home.

"Everything's just coming back to normal, it's midway through the year and we're still getting our animals back so it's just this feeling that we're finally moving forward. We are getting back to a sense of normality," she said.

Australia's bushfires burned through more than 20 per cent of the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve / ACT Parks and Conservation Service/Facebook

ACT Environment Minister Mick Gentleman said that the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve had now reopened to visitors, but added the nearby Namadgi National Park is still closed on account of ongoing work to clear the bushfire damage.

"We saw the habitat loss and the loss of animals as well, so it's wonderful to be able to see these animals return here," Mr Gentleman said.

"We've seen other animals return recently too, the rock wallabies, corroboree frogs and platypus as well so it's great to be able to assist nature come back to where it was prior to the bushfires."

Australia's devastating fire season, which lasted from September until torrential rains hit in February, affected a wilderness area the size of South Korea and also razed some 2,500 homes.
At Inman Family Wines in Sonoma Countys Russian River Valley, precautions are quite elaborate. The winery reopened June 19, and is now open Thursday through Saturday, welcoming two groups or families at a time. When they arrive, they are greeted by me, in mask, with a squirt of hand sanitizer for each guest, co-owner and winemaker Kathleen Inman says. We take all their details down so we have a contact tracing record, and we ask them to verify they have no symptoms. They have to sign a waiver of responsibility. The winerys two restrooms are assigned, one to each group. Everything  tables, chairs, restrooms, glasses and dump buckets  must be sanitized immediately after each group leaves, according to county requirements.
In the spring break capital of Cancun, Mexico, hotel occupancy has tumbled 10 percent this year. As bad as that is, over in Los Cabos, on the tip of the Baja California peninsula, it's worse.

The airport serving Cabo San Lucas and its lesser-known sister city, San Jose del Cabo, is looking emptier these days. And hotel guests have canceled 35,000 nights of bookings over the next year - collectively a decade's worth of visits for a single traveler.

At a time when the weaker peso should be luring American travelers in droves, many are staying away, spooked by a wave of violence that's come dangerously close to tourist hot spots. Gunmen opened fire at a Cancun nightclub in November, and a cooler with two human heads was found on Cabo San Lucas's main hotel strip in June.

READ MORE: Cabo San Lucas beheadings: Cartel killings traumatize resort town as heads found in cooler

But the biggest blow came on Aug. 22, when the U.S. State Department issued a travel warning advising tourists to steer clear altogether.

"Group tourism automatically went down the moment the warning hit," said Carlos Gosselin, head of the hotel association for Cancun and Puerto Morelos. Many insurance companies likely won't even consider offering coverage in areas under advisory, hurting conventions and events in the area, he said.

Mexico is reinforcing security in popular tourist spots to get the State Department to revise its views, and companies including Hilton Worldwide and Marriott International are spending millions to make guests feel safer. Their motivation is clear: Barclays estimates that a drop in tourism could wipe out as much as 0.5 percentage point from Mexico's gross domestic product growth this year.

"Lower tourism activity will definitely have an impact on growth," said Marco Oviedo, head of Latin America economic research at Barclays. "External tourism is one of the most important sources of income in the current account."

RELATED: Report: 3 headless bodies left in Mexican street with decapitated heads in sombreros

Mexico gets about $20 billion a year from tourism. With murders quadrupling in Los Cabos and doubling in Cancun this year, a chunk of that revenue may be at stake. Quintana Roo, the state where Cancun is located, is the destination of a third of all the nation's international tourists.

In Los Cabos, local and federal authorities are teaming up with hotels, time-share companies and the airport operator to step up the area's security.

The group is spending $50 million to increase surveillance cameras to cover the 20-mile main stretch that includes hotels, restaurants and public beaches. A new military facility, paid for in part by the private sector, will be built near a highway to respond to any activity spotted on the cameras. It is set to open in the second quarter of 2018.

"We understand and appreciate that travelers are more concerned than ever about their safety and security and we have rigorous security procedures in place at all of our hotels in Mexico," Marriott said in an emailed response to questions. "Mexico continues to be a desirable destination for visitors from around the world and we've had very few cancellations for Holiday season due to this matter."

But the slowdown in Los Cabos since the travel warning is starting to show in other areas. International passenger arrivals dropped 2 percent in September, the first decline in three years, and compares with a 20 percent average gain for most of this year, according to airport operator Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico SAB and the Los Cabos Tourism Board. Other factors such as hurricanes and earthquakes in recent months contributed, said Rodrigo Esponda, managing director of the tourism board.

RELATED: South Texas Boy Scout leader says more kids are joining cartels than scouting troops

American Airlines Vacations, which packages trips to beach destinations in Mexico, said business had been rising about 25 percent from a year earlier - until the travel warning torpedoed demand. Meanwhile, the online-booking site Best Day Travel Group has also seen a slowdown in reservations for the end of the year, said Director Julian Balbuena. Los Cabos is the hardest-hit destination with a 6 percent drop, he said.

"We were having a good year for Mexico in particular," said Eduardo Marcos, president of American Airlines Vacations.

Gosselin, from the hotel association, said the travel warning went too far and may have been influenced by a shift in U.S. policies toward Mexico following the election of President Donald Trump. There are also signs the alert's effect on tourism is waning, he said, as the peso is still trading about 26 percent below its 10-year average. Marcos also said he thinks bookings will pick back up.

Even so, the hotel association is putting up 10 million pesos ($520,600) for a marketing campaign aimed at attracting more American tourists to Cancun hotels, Gosselin said. The move came after hotel occupancy growth fell from a clip of about 2 percent last year to a drop of about 10 percent, he said.

"Ninety percent of the economic activity here is tied to tourism," Esponda said in a phone interview from Los Cabos. "That's why security has to improve. We need tourism to continue improving people's quality of life - and it's a shared responsibility."

-With assistance from Mary Schlangenstein.
A local historian has renewed a call for the erection of a memorial to remember airmen who died in a crash in County Derry during World War II.

Nine lives were lost in total when a Liberator plane crashed into the face of Benevenagh Mountain outside Limavady in 1944, while returning from sorties in Iceland.

Stephen McCracken, originally from Magilligan but now based in Antrim, has stressed the importance of remembering the human stories of the airmen and their families, along with Limavady Area Ancestries Fiona Pegrum.

Its not right that there isnt a place where the relatives can come to pay their respects, other than their graves, he said.

The bodies were removed, but there were some body parts that they didnt get, which were left up there.

The Canadians and the New Zealanders are buried in the Roe Valley at various Churches including Ballykelly Church of Ireland, Tamlaghfinlaghan.

The ones from Britain were taken back home, but those from Canada and New Zealand were left here.

The grave at Ballykelly of New Zealander Coombe.

Henry Gordon Coombe, George William Gerring, Ivor Bramwell Jenkins, John Fraser Leonard, Harry Gwynne Lewis, George Francis Logan, Reginald Richard James Revell, William Harvey Wilson and Wilfred Clark Wallace were all killed in the accident.

Liberator planes were packed with munitions, and the accident in the early hours of a June morning created a shocking spectacle for some local fishermen.

There were a couple of people fishing on the Roe that morning who witnessed it, said Stephen.

The plane was coming home from Iceland, where it was doing sorties looking for U-Boats. It was coming back on a misty, foggy morning. There was light, but there was a lot of sea fog.

It made two approaches into Ballykelly. After the second approach, they tried again at altitude and just smashed into the sheer face of Benevenagh mountain.

Once it went up, the bombs and munitions went flying all over the place. People were finding wee bits of bullets for years after it.

A cross marks the spot where the crash happened.

Magilligan-born Deirdre Watson, nee Sherrard, recalled how there was significant presence in the skies above north Derry during World War II.

l can remember seeing the wreckage [of the Liberator] lying on the slopes of Benevenagh, where it lay for some time it seemed, before it was cleared away, she said.

l dont remember any talk about lives lost, whether the folks did not know the details, or did not want to talk about it in front of a 12 year old, as l was at the time.

At that time, three RAF men were billeted in part of what had been the home of my great grandfather Joseph Sherrard.

These men manned a beacon in my father's field. This beacon flashed Morse code to let planes know they were near Ballykelly aerodrome.

This code changed every night and was so secret that one man travelled to Ballykelly on motorcycle daily to collect it, even though they had a phone installed.

Later the beacon was replaced with a revolving one and a caravan provided for the personnel both of which remained until the war ended.

The church at Inverkeithing, Scotland, taken by the Waton/Sherrard family.

The stories of two of the men who died in the accident add extra poignancy to the story, as the war wiped out large sections of their families.

John Fraser Leonard, from Inverkeithing in Scotland, had lost his brother just six months previously. He had died in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp.

Henry Gordon Coombe was one of three brothers, all lost within six weeks of each other.

They would have been getting the news all at the same time, or just a few weeks apart. It must have been heart-breaking for them, says Stephen.

All the big Liberator aeroplanes few out of Ballykelly and Aghanloo at Limavady. They were all based there and thats where they made their sorties from.

They lost a load of people going out from Ballykelly. Some went out straight over Lough Foyle and by the time they got to Donegal they werent high enough hand would crash.

There are lots of memorials in Donegal, they really put us to shame. Theyre brilliant and theyre well done, but we have nothing.

The grave at Inverkeithing of the Leonard family.

Despite the loss of life, newspaper reports from the time are almost non-existent, leading Stephen to suspect some war-related censorship.

People looked up the newspaper archives and they couldnt find anything on it, because it was going to result in bad press, and they didnt want that during the war, he said.

Its surprising not to see anything in the newspapers about it. I always heard of tragedies here during the war that didnt make the newspapers because they were told to suppress it.

Its strange when you see it in action. There was nothing in the Canadian or New Zealand newspapers either, its nuts. They were all told not to report it.

A small cross that sits on the sheer face of Benevenagh mountain is the only indicator of the tragedy that occurred there in 1944.

The site is not easily accessible on foot and Stephen has plans for a much more publicly available memorial.

There is a place called Ballycarton, on the slopes of Benevenagh and a trail goes through the forest from there. It would be the perfect site, he said.

It would be nice to have a remembrance walk and a memorial there. People would come to see it - it would be a huge draw for tourists.

Last year we were contacted by a boy from Wales, whose uncle was killed, and this year some Australians got in touch, so the interest is there.

Its something I want to leave and next year Ill be doing a bit more research. We just have to keep the pressure up, so it comes to fruition.

Benevenagh mountain, where the crash took place.

Local Causeway Coast and Glens councillor Alan Robinson has been helping Stephen, and the local heritage group, in their campaign.

Rather than just a wee wooden cross that is currently up there, it would be much more befitting for the bravery of those men that lost their lives there, he said.

Its an admirable project. It would be a nice way to remember them and a place where families could come and pay their respects.

Stephen is hopeful that, once lockdown eases and things begin to return to normal, things can be progressed to see the memorial created.

Ive got permission from everyone I needed to. Its a memorial, so permission was granted by the landlord, who said hed be delighted.

In February time, the Council were given money for tourism, to put into Benevenagh and the surrounding area, so we planned to take from that fund.

It wont take much, Id like something simple and then a maple tree to signify Canada and another tree to represent New Zealand.

Something that, in five years time, youll see these two trees that arent native to the forest and people will want to come and see it and learn about what it signifies.
Ghislaine Maxwell is seeking release on $5million bail, claiming she is 'not Jeffrey Epstein', hadn't contacted the pedophile for more than a decade before he killed himself and is the victim of a smear campaign by the press.

Lawyers for Maxwell, 58, argued Friday for her release as Epstein's former girlfriend and close associate 'vigorously denies' all charges brought against her.

Her request, filed in the US District Court in Manhattan, claims she was not 'hiding' from authorities, has not left the US once since Epstein's 2019 arrest and is not a flight risk.

It also argues she is at risk of contracting COVID-19 if she continues to be held in the Brooklyn jail.

The filing comes eight days after authorities swooped on her luxury home in New Hampshire, where prosecutors say she was hiding out, and charged her with luring underage girls so Epstein could sexually abuse them.

Ghislaine Maxwell, pictured in 2013, is seeking release on $5million bail, claiming she is 'not Jeffrey Epstein', hadn't contacted the pedophile for more than a decade before he killed himself and is the victim of a smear campaign by the press

Maxwell's lawyers put forward their proposal for her to be released on $5 million bail Friday, secured against property in the UK that is valued at $3.75 million.

They claim in the filing that Maxwell had not been in contact with the pedophile for more than 10 years before his apparent suicide.

These claims come despite filings in a separate lawsuit brought by one of Epstein's accusers which show evidence of Maxwell and Epstein emailing each other as recently as 2015.

The bail motion also claims Maxwell has been the victim of a smear campaign by the media and that it was the media - and not the authorities - that the suspect had been hiding out from over the last year.

Maxwell was romantically involved with Jeffrey Epstein from around 1992, but then became his 'right-hand woman', managing his property empire and, it is alleged, his trafficking of minors

Her bail request (pictured) was filed in the US District Court in Manhattan and claims she was not 'hiding' from authorities, is not a flight risk and is at risk of contracting COVID-19 if she continues to be held in the Brooklyn jail

Lawyers for Maxwell, 58, argued Friday for her release as Epstein's former girlfriend and close associate 'vigorously denies' all charges brought against her (bail motion above)

Ankle tag and travel ban if she's released Ghislaine Maxwell has asked to be bailed from prison on the following conditions: A $5million bond co-signed by two of her sisters and by friends backed up by just under $4million worth of UK property.

Home confinement at a property within the New York area.

She will surrender all travel documents to prosecutors.

She will wear an electronic tag, which means she could be monitored at all times by GPS.

Visitors to her bail location will be limited to immediate family, close friends and lawyers.

She will only travel to court and lawyers offices.

Any other travel will require approval, and be limited to the New York area. Advertisement

They claim she received threats and was hounded by the press after it became 'open season' on her after Epstein died.

They argue she has no criminal record, strongly denies all allegations made against her by the multiple women who have come forward and is no danger of being a flight risk.

'Epstein died in federal custody, and the media focus quickly shifted to our client - wrongly trying to substitute her for Epstein - even though she'd had no contact with Epstein for more than a decade, had never been charged with a crime or been found liable in any civil litigation, and has always denied any allegations of claimed misconduct,' her attorney Mark Cohen wrote.

'Sometimes the simplest point is the most critical one: Ghislaine Maxwell is not Jeffrey Epstein.'

Cohen continued: 'Ever since Epstein's arrest, Ms. Maxwell has been at the center of a crushing onslaught of press articles, television specials, and social media posts painting her in the most damning light possible and prejudging her guilt. The sheer volume of media reporting mentioning Ms. Maxwell is staggering.

'She has seen helicopters flying over her home and reporters hiding in the bushes.'

The filing denies Maxwell was in hiding and says she has 'maintained regular contact' with the federal government since the day after Epstein's arrest.

This contradicts allegations made by authorities that the British-born socialite had been hiding out in the New Hampshire retreat since last July, where she changed her phone number and email address and ordered delivery packages to a different name.

Maxwell is currently in custody in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn (pictured)

The filing comes eight days after authorities swooped on her luxury home in New Hampshire, where prosecutors say she was hiding out, and charged her with luring underage girls so Epstein could sexually abuse them

THE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST MAXWELL THE CHARGES Conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts (5 years max sentence)

Enticement of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts (20 years)

Conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity (20 years)

Transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity (10 years minimum, life maximum)

X 2 counts of Perjury (x 10 years) THE 'FACTS' Prosecutors say Maxwell groomed three girls between 1994 and 1997 for Epstein. They are not named in the indictment, but she allegedly targeted them in London, Florida, New York and New Mexico. Maxwell, it is alleged, would befriend the girls by asking them about their life and their schooling. She would put them at ease by taking them to the movies and taking them shopping, winning their trust to later deliver them to Epstein, it's alleged. To 'normalize' the abuse that would come later, prosecutors say she undressed in front of the girls herself and asked them sexual questions. She then not only facilitated Epstein abusing them, prosecutors say, but took part in some of it herself. The alleged sex abuse includes 'sexualized group massages'. The indictment also says Maxwell made the girl feel 'indebted' to Epstein by encouraging them to take money from him and let him pay for their education and travel. Advertisement

Prosecutors have called Maxwell - who has US, UK and French passports - an 'extreme risk of flight' who should remain detained until trial.

In a court document arguing against bail, they said she had at least 15 bank accounts which she owned or was associated with in the last four years alone.

Maxwell's application also argues she is at risk of catching coronavirus if she continues to be held behind bars in her 'hell hole' Brooklyn jail.

It states her health will be put at 'serious risk' - pointing to 68,000 cases of COVID-19 infections among the US prison population in the last month.

The filing also claims she will not be able to receive a fair trial and properly prepare her defense because of restrictions on attorney visits and phone calls amid the pandemic.

The bail conditions put forward by Maxwells team say the bond would be co-signed by six financially responsible people [with] strong ties to Ms. Maxwell and will be secured against the property in the UK.

It is not yet clear who all of the six individuals are other than 'siblings, relatives and friends' of which two are her sisters and who continue to 'stand by her' and 'do not believe the allegations against her'.

The filing says she would not leave New York, would hand over all travel documents and would be subject to home confinement at a New York property, where she would wear a GPS tracker and only be visited by immediate family, close friends and counsel.

A hearing on the bail request is scheduled to take place Tuesday in Manhattan Federal Court.

Maxwell is currently in custody in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.

She is accused of procuring three underage girls for Epstein between 1994 and 1997 and having sex with them herself.

She has previously, in civil court, denied similar allegations.

Maxwell had been lying low since Epstein's death last year but was picked up from her luxury home in New Hampshire last week.

She was romantically involved with the pedophile from around 1992, but then became his 'right-hand woman', managing his property empire and, it is alleged, his trafficking of minors.

Epstein was found hanging in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan last August.

His death was ruled a suicide but his attorneys and some family members claim he was murdered to stop him from sharing what he knows about other high profile, powerful people.
Eleven out of twelve aspirants seeking the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State have rejected the indirect mode of primary adopted for the July 20 primary in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that only incumbent Governor Rotimi Akeredolu was left out of the arrangement.

In a letter signed by the governorship aspirants to the APC Caretaker Committee Chairman, Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, in Abuja on Friday, the aspirants requested the party to adopt direct primary for the nomination of its governorship flag bearer.

The letter was signed by Joseph Olusola Iji, Odimayo Okunjimi, Olayide Owolabi Adelaml, Issacs Duerimini Kekemeke, Olusola Oke, lfeoluwa 0yedele and Olajumoke Olubusola.

Others are Awodeyi Akinsehinwa, Akinola Colinus, Olubukola Adetula, Abraham Olusegun Michael and Nathaniel Adojutelegan.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on Thursday published on its website that the APC had adopted indirect mode for the governorship primary.

The 11 governorship aspirants said: Having interfaced with party members as aspirants, we can confidently inform you that the overwhelming majority of our party members prefer Direct Primary for the nomination of the partys candidate for the 2020 governorship election.

It is our position that adopting Indirect Primary Election in Ondo State, given the prevailing mood and circumstances is hazardous and result in litigation which will not help our party.

Read also:

We most humbly insist that Direct Primary be adopted as was peacefully utilised in Edo, Osun, Lagos, Oyo and Ogun States.

They said the direct primary will provide a level playing ground for all aspirants and assist in no small measure in mobilising party members to own the candidature of whoever emerges from the process.

The consequence of knowingly opening the race to all willing members of the party by allowing them to invest time, energy and huge resources only to hand over victory to one of the aspirants by adopting a mode only favourable to that aspirant, is too grave to imagine given the prevailing mode generally in the state and particularly in the party, they said.

(NAN)
Russian governor arrested on suspicion of ordering murders

Moscow, July 9(UNI) The governor of Russia's far-eastern Khabarovsk region was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of orchestrating the murder of a string of entrepreneurs about 15 years ago, Al Jazeera reported.

According to sources Sergey Furgal is believed to be the "organiser of an attempted murder and the murder of a number of businesspeople" in 2004 and 2005, according to a statement published on Thursday by Russia's top investigative agency.

Four members of the organised criminal group with whom Furgal was allegedly linked have been convicted for their roles in the murders, committed in Khabarovsk and the neighbouring Amur region, said the Investigative Committee that handles investigations into serious crimes.
New Delhi, July 10 : We've all battled with a lid that just won't budge. Maybe we tried banging it on the counter or holding it under hot water, and if all else failed, we probably asked someone for help. When they opened it on the first try, we joked that we loosened it for them.

Over the years, it might start to feel like these stubborn lids are getting stronger - and more common. You may find yourself more tired after a day of balancing home and work - but for many people, the problem is that their hands and bodies are simply getting weaker.

Could the status of your health lie in the palm of your hand? It may not be as simple as that - but the strength of your hand grip is a key way to determine your overall muscle strength.

"Muscle loss is the ageing factor that's rarely discussed and people accept its signs, such as a weaker hand grip, as a natural part of ageing," explains Dr Ganesh Kadhe, Associate Director Medical and Scientific Affairs at Abbott Nutrition. "But muscle health can often tell us how we are going to age, and stay active and independent."

Muscle mass and your health

Starting at age 40, adults can lose up to 8 percent of their muscle mass per decade. After 70 years old, that rate may double.

According to research in the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, 50 percent of adults over the age of 80 have advanced muscle loss, known by the medical community as sarcopenia. Kadhe explains that muscle loss can impact our energy levels and mobility, increase risk for falls and fractures, and even slow recovery from illness or surgery.

The good news is that grip strength is an easy way to assess your overall muscular strength. In 2015, The Lancet published research and found that grip strength is more accurate than blood pressure in forecasting fatal heart disease, and a 2017 Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care study concluded that muscle mass is a far better predictor of health than body mass index.

Watch out

The signs of muscle loss are low energy, slower walking speed, decreased strength, unintentional weight loss, fatigue, and weakness.

(IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)

-- Syndicated from IANS
Click here to read the full article.

Nordstrom, due to the coronavirus and the urgency to reduce costs and increase efficiencies, has consolidated its merchandising team, WWD has learned.

The retailer has been consolidating across corporate and store levels, as well as within merchandising, resulting in thousands of layoffs, though a precise number or breakout across functions has not been revealed.

The workforce reductions were made across all areas in merchandising, Nordstrom Inc. said in a letter distributed to vendors in late June and obtained by WWD.

Reducing our workforce means we are changing the way we operate to deliver what is most important to our customer, while efficiently leveraging our resources to be the best retail partner, Nordstrom wrote.

General merchandise managers and divisional merchandise managers now have responsibility for all of Nordstroms channels  full-price department stores, off-price, digital and stores in the U.S. and Canada.

This will help us focus even more on the customer and break down silos to better leverage our inventory investments and strengthen our brand partnerships, Nordstrom said.

Depending on the category, buyers and planners may be responsible for full-price and off-price stores, including e-commerce. Other buyers would have responsibility for just full-price only, or off-price only. Buying roles are broader and customer centric, Nordstrom noted.

Many planning roles will span across the organization and are not set up with a one-to-one relationship with the buyer. This enables us to effectively plan the way the customer shops with increased classification focus, Nordstrom wrote.

One vendor source told WWD that now a single Nordstrom merchant would be buying the womens and mens collections from the brand. Its unclear whether that genderless approach to shopping the market is being extended to all brands or just some.

Story continues

The changes in merchandising underscore Nordstroms increasingly consumer-centric, holistic approach to running its business. Its been the mantra of the Nordstrom family that consumers dont shop by channel.

The changes also underscore the continual growth of Nordstroms Rack off-price chain as a percentage of the overall business, while Nordstroms full-line department stores shrink as a percentage of total sales, although they still represent a very significant portion.

This year the company began rigging Rack off-price units with several of the services and conveniences seen at the full-line stores, such as alterations, fulfilling orders, and providing pick-ups and returns of full-price orders. Thats leading to more cross-shopping across the channels.

A little less than 40 percent of our business is in mall-based department stores. Clearly, it will be less than that in 2020, Pete Nordstrom, president and chief brand officer, said in an interview with Dana Telsey of the Telsey Advisory Group on Tuesday. Rack is not caught up in a lot of dynamics detrimental to malls. That business has been solid and strong, even during COVID-19. Rack has performed better than a mall store, he said.

Rack units are typically situated in strip and outlet centers where currently shoppers feel more comfortable than in a mall because theyre easier to get in and out of, Pete Nordstrom noted.

Nordstroms off-price business generated $5.19 billion in sales last year, in stores and online, and was up 0.2 percent from the year before. The retailers full-price business generated $9.94 billion in sales last year, through the department stores and online, and was down 3.5 percent.

The company has been closing about three full-line department stores annually in recent years, though 16 will close this year, representing less than 3 percent of its total volume. The 16 closures will account for a major portion of the layoffs.

In June, sales at Nordstrom were down around 40 percent as stores reopened after being closed since mid-March due to the pandemic. Rack trended slightly above the 40 percent last month, while the full-line department stores were a bit below. We are seeing Rack doing better than our full-line stores, but both are exceeding expectations, said Anne Bramman, Nordstrom Inc.s chief financial officer, during the interview with Telsey.

Its not the first time Nordstrom has consolidated its merchandising team. Years ago it had regional buying teams across the country, which were ultimately centralized. Nordstroms latest consolidation has triggered a lot of buzz among designers and fashion vendors, who see upsides and downsides to the maneuver.

On the downside, theres a significant loss of jobs. New relationships will have to be established in certain cases, and those remaining within the ranks of Nordstrom will have increased responsibilities and will be working harder.

This means more work for fewer Nordstrom people, said one vendor source. More of the analytics could fall on us. The question is whether Nordstrom will be implementing new systems as a result of the consolidation. But it also means there will be one point of view, more synergy and a holistic approach across channels.

For Nordstrom, the consolidations mean lower costs, fewer buying trips and buyers having bigger pencils writing orders. Theoretically, the company retains its best talent by giving them broader responsibilities. Theyll have a fuller understanding of product life cycles, the interplay between regular and off-price selling and consumer behaviors across channels, and they will have to adjust to the opportunistic style of buying that off-price retailing requires.

All retailers are re-calibrating. Thats just what companies have to do now, said the vendor source.

The Hudsons Bay Co, with its Saks Fifth Avenue and Saks Off 5th divisions, takes a different approach from Nordstroms new way. Saks and Saks Off 5th maintain separate merchandising teams.

Last February, former Nordstrom executive Paige Thomas was named president of Saks Off 5th, signaling HBCs efforts to become a scrappier player in off-price. She succeeded Marc Metrick, who for two years wore two hats at HBC, as president of Saks Fifth Avenue and president of Saks Off 5th. While involved in efforts to strengthen Saks Fifth Avenues luxury appeal, Metrick led efforts to stabilize the $1 billion Off 5th chain, pare down its store base and reshape its business model. Buyers were planning and ordering seasonally, for spring and fall, but from a customer perspective, there was a feeling that Off 5th lacked freshness. So the buying became more opportunistic, with buyers working the open-to-buy every week.

Thomas was Nordstroms executive vice president and general merchandise manager of mens and kids. Earlier, she was executive vice president and general merchandise manager of Nordstroms off-price business. Off-price is a fast-paced industry, whether thats stores or online, Thomas told WWD at the time of her appointment to Saks Off 5th. How quickly you move is super important.

One key to success with Off 5th is keeping it liquid, Thomas said, meaning having the flexibility to seize merchandise opportunities as soon as they arise. Another key is to offprice success is maintaining the proper proportion of clearance merchandise and merchandise bought specifically for the off-pricer. In 2019, Off 5ths comps turned positive and ranged from 3.4 to 4.9 percent ahead in quarters one, two and three.

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FLINT, MI -- After learning that a Grand Blanc tavern employee tested positive for COVID-19, Soggy Bottom Bar in Flint chose to close for the night Wednesday, July 8, because one of its employees works at both establishments.

Little Joes Tavern in Grand Blanc closed Wednesday, July 8 after an employee tested positive for COVID-19. The employee who tested positive last worked Friday, July 3, Soggy Bottom Bar manager Kenneth Laatz said. The employee who also works at Soggy Bottom also worked that day.

Soggy Bottom closed to clean, sanitize and disinfect per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines after finding out about the situation, following guidelines from the health department.

While the bar could have reopened Thursday under current health department recommendations, Laatz decided to stay closed one more day with a tentative plan to reopen Friday, July 10.

There wasnt a direct exposure to COVID-19 at Soggy Bottom but, with the knowledge that an employee could have been exposed, the bar chose to close, he said.

Then, the problem going forward is trying to understand how to navigate that in the most responsible way possible and the way that is suggested by the CDC, health department, whoevers in charge.

In the restaurant industry, however, Laatz said it has been hard to tell where to look for guidance on scenarios like this. So Laatz chose to close the bar out of an abundance of caution.

The employee who could have been exposed has been tested for COVID-19 and is waiting on results.

We have taken steps and precautions to be as responsible as possible and, the primary reason, is the safety of our employees and of our customers, Laatz said.

While it was a financial hit to close, he said the priority has remained safety.

Its not an economic thing, its a public health thing, he said. The economic thing is: how far can peoples greed ignore the public health situation.

Laatz said he would like to remind people to wear masks, socially distance and act responsibly to ensure the health of the people around them.
President of Syria Bashar Assad has praised the signing of a military-technical cooperation memorandum with Ira, Mehr reports.

During a meeting with Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Iran, Major General Mohammad Bagheri, the Syrian president expressed satisfaction with the results of the bilateral meetings between the officials of both countries and the signing of a memorandum on military-technical cooperation.

According to him, the memorandum shows the level of strategic ties between Iran and Syria and serves as a result of the joint efforts that the countries have been making in the fight against terrorism in Syria for many years.

In his turn, Bagheri emphasized the importance of continuity of strengthening of the bilateral ties in all sectors and declared that this is in the interest of both countries.
NASA used satellite data to create an animation of Fay's development and progression over the past few days, showing how the storm organized into a tropical storm. Additionally, NASA's Aqua satellite used infrared light to find the location of the strongest storms in Tropical Storm Fay occurring in the northeastern quadrant of the storm, mostly over the Atlantic Ocean.

Tropical Storm Fay was officially named as the sixth tropical storm the Atlantic Ocean Hurricane Season by 5 p.m. EDT on July 9. The storm formed just off the North Carolina coast. For several days before that, forecasters were using satellite data to track the storm as it developed.

Animating the Development of Fay

Previously designated as System 98L, the low-pressure area formed off the Georgia coast and moved north. At NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. NASA Worldview was used to create an animation of visible imagery of the storm using data from NASA-NOAA Suomi NPP satellite. The animation showed the development and progression of System 98L into Tropical Storm Fay from July 6 to July 9.

NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Worldview application provides the capability to interactively browse over 700 global, full-resolution satellite imagery layers and then download the underlying data. Many of the available imagery layers are updated within three hours of observation, essentially showing the entire Earth as it looks "right now." Worldview is a tool that can be used to generate satellite imagery and animations.

NASA Analyzing Fay in Infrared Light

On July 10 at 2:55 a.m. EDT (0655 UTC), the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite gathered temperature information about Tropical Storm Fay's cloud tops. MODIS found powerful thunderstorms where temperatures were as cold as or colder than minus 63 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 53 Celsius) mostly over the western Atlantic Ocean and along coastal areas of Delaware and southern New Jersey. Cloud top temperatures that cold indicate strong storms with the potential to generate heavy rainfall.

Warnings and Watches on July 9

At 8 a.m. EDT (1200 UTC), the National Hurricane Center (NHC) noted a Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Fenwick Island, Delaware to Watch Hill, Rhode Island including Long Island and Long Island Sound, as well as Southern Delaware Bay. A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area.

What to Expect from Fay

The National Hurricane Center noted that in addition to tropical-storm force winds, storm surge and a possibility for isolated tornadoes, Fay is expected to produce heavy rainfall. "Fay is forecast to generate 2 to 4 inches of rain with isolated maxima of 7 inches along and near the track from the lower Maryland Eastern Shore and Delaware northward into New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, southeast New York, and southern New England. These rains may result in flash flooding where the heaviest amounts occur."

Fay's Status on July 9

At that time the NHC reported the center of Tropical Storm Fay was located by an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft near latitude 37.6 degrees north and longitude 74.7 degrees west. Fay was centered about 55 miles (85 km) south-southeast of Ocean City, Md. Fay is moving toward the north near 10 mph (17 kph). A northward to north-northeastward motion at a faster forward speed is expected over the next couple of days.

Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph (85 kph) with higher gusts. Little change in strength is forecast today and tonight while the center remains over water. Weakening should begin after the center moves inland. The estimated minimum central pressure based on aircraft data is 999 millibars.

A Weatherflow station at Lewes, Delaware recently reported a sustained wind of 33 mph (54 kph) and a wind gust of 39 mph (63 kph).

Fay's Forecast Track

NHC forecasters expect the center of Fay to move near the mid-Atlantic coast today and move inland over the mid-Atlantic or the northeast United States late tonight or on Saturday.

Typhoons/hurricanes are the most powerful weather events on Earth. NASA's expertise in space and scientific exploration contributes to essential services provided to the American people by other federal agencies, such as hurricane weather forecasting.

###

By Rob Gutro

NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Imperial Valley News Center

President Donald J. Trumps America First Policies are Uplifting and Empowering Hispanic Americans

Washington, DC - "Hispanic Americans are not only living the American Dream, but their incredible efforts are unlocking the American Dream for citizens all across our land." ~ President Donald J. Trump

EMPOWERING HISPANIC AMERICANS: President Donald J. Trump is taking significant action to ensure Hispanic Americans continue to prosper and achieve the American Dream.

President Donald J. Trump is issuing an Executive Order focused on promoting the success of every member of Americas proud Hispanic community.

This Executive Order establishes the White House Hispanic Prosperity Initiative and Interagency Working Group. The Initiative also establishes the Presidents Advisory Commission on Hispanic Prosperity.

The Order will improve access to educational, training, and economic opportunities for Hispanic American students by promoting options to enhance school choice, personalized learning, family engagement, civics education, and pathways to in-demand jobs.

This action further demonstrates the Presidents support of school choice, apprenticeships and work-based learning initiatives, Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), as well as investment in economically distressed communities and small and minority owned businesses.

UPLIFTING HISPANIC AMERICAN WORKERS AND FAMILIES: As history has shown, Hispanic American workers and families thrive under President Trumps pro-growth policies.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, the Hispanic unemployment rate reached a record low of 3.9% under the leadership of President Trump. Hispanic unemployment remained under 5% for 23 consecutive months and fell below 5% 27 times during the Presidents first term.

In 2018, the poverty rate for Hispanic Americans reached the lowest level on record. Since 2016, nearly 611,000 Hispanic Americans have been lifted out of poverty.

Under the Administrations pro-growth policies, median income for Hispanic households reached a historic high, surpassing $50,000 for the first time on record.

The Presidents tax cuts are putting more money into the pockets of Hispanic American families and providing new resources for minority-owned businesses.

SUPPORTING HISPANIC AMERICAN COMMUNITIES: President Trumps policies continue to support Hispanic American families and promote their communities.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 18:03:59|Editor: huaxia

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CANBERRA, July 10 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. marine deployed to Australia's Northern Territory (NT) has tested positive for COVID-19.

Natasha Fyles, the NT Health Minister, said on Friday that the marine had returned a positive test while serving a mandatory two-week quarantine period at the Australian Defence Force (ADF) facility in Darwin after arriving in the NT "a few days ago" as part of the annual Marine Rotational Force.

She said that the marine has been transferred to the Royal Darwin Hospital and that health authorities would "make decisions working with United States authorities about what is the best care."

It is one of only two active cases of COVID-19 in the NT, which according to local health authorities has had only 32 confirmed cases in total.

Fyles said that the detection of the case was proof that the quarantine systems in place for marines were working effectively.

"This is not someone who has been mixing in our community and this is not a case of community transmission," she said.

"This is an individual who arrived in Darwin on a charter flight, they went through the military side of Darwin airport and they have been in quarantine.

"So there is a very low risk to Territorians, but it is important for them to note that another case has been diagnosed in the Northern Territory." Enditem
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 750 MW Solar Project set up at Rewa, Madhya Pradesh on Friday (July 10, 2020). The 750 MW plant is Asias largest Mega Solar Power Project which comprises of three solar generating units of 250 MW each located on a 500-hectare plot of land situated inside a Solar Park.

The Prime Minister inaugurated the plant via video conferencing and said that it will reduce emission equivalent to approximately 15 lakh tonne of carbon dioxide every year, to the nation through video conferencing.

PM Modi said, ''Not just for the present, solar energy will be a medium of energy needs of the 21st century because solar power is sure, pure and secure: Prime Minister Modi after dedicating to the nation the 750 MW Solar Project set up at Rewa, Madhya Pradesh.''

He added, ''With this solar plant at Rewa, the industries here will not only get electricity, but even the metro rail in Delhi will get its benefits. Apart from Rewa, work is underway on solar power plants in Shajapur, Neemuch and Chhatarpur.''

Congratulating people of Rewa and Madhya Pradesh, PM Modi said, ''This solar plant of Rewa will help in making this entire area a big centre of energy in this decade.''

The Solar Park is a Joint Venture Company between the Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Limited (RUMSL), a Joint Venture Company of Madhya Pradesh UrjaVikas Nigam Limited (MPUVN), and Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), a Central Public Sector Undertaking. Central Financial Assistance of Rs. 138 crore has been provided to RUMSL for the development of the Park.

The Rewa Solar Project was the first solar project in the country to break the grid parity barrier. Compared to prevailing solar project tariffs of approx. Rs. 4.50/unit in early 2017, the Rewa project achieved historic results: the first-year tariff of Rs 2.97/unit with a tariff escalation of Rs. 0.05/unit over 15 years and a levelized rate of Rs 3.30/unit over the term of 25 years. This project will reduce carbon emission equivalent to approximately 15 lakh ton of CO2 per year.

The Rewa project has been acknowledged in India and abroad for its robust project structuring and innovations. Its payment security mechanism for reducing risks to power developers has been recommended as a model to other states by MNRE. It has also received World Bank Group Presidents Award for innovation and excellence and was included in the Prime Ministers A Book of Innovation: New Beginnings.
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Linkedin Eisya A. Eloksari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 10, 2020 14:28 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066566e6c 1 Business MSMEs,micro-and-small-businesses,digitization,GDP,digitalization,economy,Mandiri-Institute,report,study Free

Digitalized micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) can help Indonesia reduce 1.5 percent of the economic burden on its gross domestic product (GDP) amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a recent study shows.

According to a Mandiri Institute study, MSMEs that have an online presence are more resilient as they are more likely to continue producing and selling goods as well as have a longer runway to survive the economic slowdown.

MSMEs' impact on the economy can become greater if more entrepreneurs go online, Mandiri Institute head T. Yudo Wicaksono said during a webinar hosted by the Indonesian Banking Development Institute (LPPI) on Wednesday.

Based on the institutes survey in May, 42 percent of offline MSMEs have stopped operating, compared to 24 percent of online MSMEs that have stopped their production process, he said.

Almost 60 percent of offline MSMEs have a runway of only up to three months, he added.

Read also: Digital tools give SMEs opportunity to evolve

While both small online and offline businesses saw lower revenues, 6.9 percent of online MSMEs still reported increased profits.

We estimate that businesses in transportation, warehousing and manufacturing can recover quickly because they are highly integrated with bigger industries, Yudo said, adding that the hospitality and restaurant sector would take longer to recover.

Big industries can help MSMEs bounce back by integrating small businesses into their supply chain.

Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises Minister Teten Masduki said in the same event that MSMEs could act as a buffer for the national economy and going online was a crucial step for small businesses to survive during the pandemic.

The government is aiming to have 10 million MSMEs go online by year-end. Around 8 million are currently digitized or 13 percent of small business players.

However, according to a study by Sea Insight, 63 percent of small business owners are finding it hard to work from home as they lack access to an affordable and stable internet connection, while 26 percent said they faced difficulties getting access to financing and loans.

[RA:SMEs face uphill battle digitizing business to survive::https://www.thejakartapost.com/paper/2020/07/07/smes-face-uphill-battle-digitizing-business-to-survive.html]

To solve the funding problems, the Indonesia Chamber of Commerce and Industry's (Kadin) SMEs Standing Committee deputy chairman Iqbal Farabi said the government and banks must tap into small business funding through online marketplaces.

Funding is the most important thing for MSMEs right now, he said. The government should immediately give small businesses funding through e-commerce because their revenue and turnover data are already captured by the marketplace and it can be used as a form of credit scoring.

Iqbal went on to say that while fintech companies had tapped into funding for the unbanked population, their loans are limited to around Rp 60 million (US$4,195).

If the government wants to see MSMEs scale up, it should make the microcredit program [KUR], which has a Rp 500 million limit, available through online platforms."

Read also: P2P lending helps SMEs earn more, scale up business: Research

Indonesian Fintech Association (Aftech) secretary-general and OVO e-wallet president director Karaniya Dharmasaputra said small and medium businesses are ready to receive loans and payment through digital platforms.

He added that Indonesias mobile and internet penetration was growing rapidly, while e-commerce usage is predicted to grow two-folds by 2023.

Karaniya went on to say that OVO also has an algorithm for alternative credit scoring for MSMEs based on their buyer turnover and cash flow, as well as their partners such as Grab and Tokopedia.

The digital ecosystem is available; the technology is here. It is now a matter of when the government is going to take action."
The United States government announced they placed sanctions on several Chinese officials who are allegedly responsible for violating human rights of Muslim Uighurs residing in the Xinjiang province of China.

Violation of human rights

Beijing is being accused of detaining masses of ethnic minorities and believed to be religiously persecuting and force-controlling the population of the Uighurs, as reported by BBC.

The US has targeted Communist Party boss Chen Quanguo and the other Chinese officials with the sanctions.

However, China has denied the allegations that the government was mistreating the Muslim Uighurs residing in Xinjiang.

Authorities are believed to have detained about one million people in re-education camps for the past several years. The Chinese government stated the citizens required vocational training to address the issues of radicalism and separatism.

Chen, who is on the most powerful Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party, is the highest-ranking official that the US government has sanctioned, said Trump's administration. The Chinese national is thought to be the one who spearheaded the policies that undermine the human rights of ethnic minorities.

The other three officials sanctioned by the US government are Wang Mingshan, Zhu Hailun, and Huo Liujun, who are all from Xinjiang agencies.

The sanctions have made it a crime to make financial transactions with the said officials within the US, and if found guilty, the government would freeze their US-based assets.

Huo, however, will not be given visa restrictions that the other officials were subjected to which denied them and their families access into the US.

US authorities also noted the whole of the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau had been sanctioned as a whole.

Also Read: Australia Suspends Extradition Treaty With Hong Kong in Fears of China's Retaliation

Supporting ethnic minorities

Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, announced the US government would not tolerate human rights violations and systematic abuses in the region. The official added the US would move accordingly to China's alleged abuse and mistreatment of Uighurs, Kazakhs, and other ethnic minorities in Xinjiang.

According to The New York Times, Chinese Embassy representatives did not immediately give comments on the accusations.

The sanctions placed on the nationals were based on the 2016 Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act that gives the US the authority to impose human rights penalties on foreign nationals.

The punishments also come after a talk in 2018 where the Trump administration discussed punishing senior Chinese officials and establishments for allegedly detaining Muslim Uighurs in internment camps.

Trump focused on securing a trade deal with China which would have Beijing commit to purchasing more goods from American-based merchants and establishments.

The director of Chinese Human Rights Defenders, Renee Xia, said the sanctions were welcome but have been long overdue. She posted a tweet that urged other countries, including the UK, Canada, Australia, as well as the EU, to take similar steps in ensuring the safety of ethnic minorities, as reported by Aljazeera.

Uighur groups that resided outside of mainland China echoed Xia's words and called on other countries to act to support human rights.

The director of the Uighur Human Rights Project wrote in a statement that actions of the Chinese officials against the minorities were horrific and inhumane and should be condemned by every nation in the world.

Related Article: US Customs Investigates Alleged Forced Labor Productions of Hair Weaves

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Dhaka, Jul 10(UNI) Bangladesh reported fresh 2,949 coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and 37 deaths in the past 24 hours, taking the country COVID-19 tally to 178,443 and death toll to 2,275.

Professor Nasima Sultana, ADG of the Directorate General of the Health Services, informed about the new cases at daily health bulletin on Friday.

She said a total of 77 labs across the country tested 13,488 samples in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of sample tests to 918,272 in the country.

On a positive front, some 86,406 coronavirus patients have recovered, with 1,862 recovered in the past 24 hours.

Bangladesh first reported its COVID-19 cases on March 8. Since then the country has been witnessing sharp increase in the infections and deaths.

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After a period of cold relations, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) now seeks to court Somalia, offering to reopen the Sheikh Zayed Hospital in Mogadishu, which it closed two years ago. Yet like many of Abu Dhabis humanitarian gestures, this helping hand comes at a price.

Somalia News reported July 1 that, in exchange for restoring the hospital, Abu Dhabi requested that Somalia backs its involvement in Yemen. The offer came after the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) seized Yemens Socotra island in the Gulf of Aden on June 20, which the UAE has eyed for some time.

The UAE is attempting to creep back into Somalias good books for a variety of reasons. The most important reason centers around the strategic Socotra Archipelago, Mohammad Shire, lecturer at the University of Portsmouth, told Al-Monitor. The island lies in the middle of one of the worlds most important oil trading channels and has served the UAE for the past two years as a strategic foothold for projecting its military and economic interests.

Emirati and Somali relations plummeted to an unprecedented low after the 2017 Gulf crisis, when Somalia refused to take the UAE and Saudi Arabias side against Qatar, and instead opted for neutrality. In May 2018, the UAE withdrew its life-saving aid and military cooperation programs from Somalia to punish and pressure it into supporting their stance. It [the UAE] also aimed to weaken the influence of Qatar and Turkey, which have strong ties with Somalia.

The UAE then sought stronger ties with Somalias autonomous regions, namely Somaliland and Puntland, while supporting opposition politicians in Mogadishu. Its DP World has invested over $442 million on developing a port in Somalilands city of Berbara since October 2018. Developing a presence in the Horn of Africa would help Abu Dhabi to control trade flow through the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key global channel for maritime shipping. This also links to the UAEs pursuit of ports in southern Yemen and Socotra island  where it also seeks a military presence, to build a powerful regional sphere of influence.

Yet Somalia has repeatedly condemned the UAEs role in the Somali peninsula. It blocked tens of millions of dollars entering Mogadishu from Abu Dhabi, destined for Somaliland, in April 2018. Somalia reportedly arrested a network of Emirati spies operating in the country. Its stance hinders the UAEs aims of becoming a powerful actor in the Horn of Africa and beyond.

Facing such obstacles, the UAE has apparently shifted to a more pragmatic approach in Somalia, opting for a more humanitarian image.

There is a new momentum in the region and we should collectively seize this opportunity to formulate sustainable solutions that serve the interest of regional states and meet the aspirations of its people, said UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash in a speech at the UAE Security Forum in Abu Dhabi in December 2019. We believe that such models will ultimately play an important role in supporting stability and development in the Horn of Africa, he added.

During the coronavirus pandemic, some wealthier countries have employed coronavirus diplomacy through aid to strengthen regional relations and influence, and the UAE is among them. On April 14, Abu Dhabi sent eight tons of coronavirus aid to Mogadishu in collaboration with the World Health Organisation. And then on May 12, Dubais Prince Mohammed bin Rashed Al Makhtoum delivered several more tons of aid to Somalias capital, including for coronavirus and flood relief.

However, despite these gestures, Abu Dhabi may still fail to win over Mogadishu.

If history has shown us anything, I doubt UAE humanitarian overtures will produce their intended effects, Shire said.

Somalia rejected Abu Dhabis support of reopening the hospital and criticized the UAEs role in Yemen.

Somalis are not cheap tools used to implement your demands. Yemen is a neighbor and a brotherly country and has its own sovereignty and dignity of its people, said Ahmed Issa Awad, Somalias minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation, in response to the UAEs recent offer, Somalia News reported. The world knows that Socotra is Yemeni land, and has been from ancient times, he concluded.

And during an interview with Al-Arabiya channel June 9, Awad again condemned DP Worlds unauthorized activities in Somaliland and Puntland as a violation of Somalias sovereignty, warning that this could make Somali and Emirati relations even worse.

Somalia was once supportive of the UAE  and more widely, the Saudi-led coalition  in Yemen, and Abu Dhabi evidently seeks to revive this.

The past Somali government of Hasan Sheikh supported the Saudi-led coalition. They did this by officially approving the use of the country's airspace, territorial waters and land for coalition airstrikes against the Houthi movement in Yemen, Shire said.

And of course, Hasan Sheikh's close links with the UAE and Saudi [Arabia] in addition to financial motives were the primary drivers  no doubt about that, he added.

Turkey and Qatar have built strong influence in Somalias present government led by Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed (or Farmajo), and Mogadishu can rely on this. Therefore, the UAE will struggle to financially entice Mogadishu.

The latest rapprochement coming ahead of Somalis election [in 2020] could be a case of Abu Dhabi trying to get a foothold in the future administration that may come to power in Somalia, Abdullahi Halakhe, analyst of governance, security and peace in Africa, told Al-Monitor.

However, if they back a different candidate or a set of candidates  making a coalition of candidates against the present president  they could seek to make a foothold, said Halakhe.

Facing such challenges, Abu Dhabi could be turning to other options,.

With the rising anger against the UAEs presence in Yemens Socotra, the UAE is attempting to influence Somalia to strengthen its claim to the islands and use the contestation as a pretext to justify its continued presence, Shire noted. Historically, Mogadishu unofficially claimed the islands on account of close proximity. But it officially claimed the islands in the early 2010s when Somalia declared its EEZ [exclusive economic zone].

He added, The UAE wants to take a page from the tested Russian playbook of frozen conflicts. They want to do this by strengthening the disputed status of the island between the Houthis, STC separatists, [the Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour] Hadi government and the Somali government, keeping it in a frozen conflict whilst advancing its political and economic regional influence.

Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi has faced other setbacks in the Somali peninsula. Last September, Somalilands administration decided to convert an Emirati military base into a civilian airport, after Abu Dhabi began its construction in 2017. The UAEs grip may be loosening there, which would limit its regional influence, despite capturing Socotra.
Advanced herbicides and treatments for infection may result from the unravelling of a 50-year-old mystery by University of Queensland researchers.

The research team, led by UQ's Professor Luke Guddat, revealed the complete three-dimensional structure of an enzyme, providing the first step in the biosynthesis of three essential amino acids - leucine, valine and isoleucine.

"This is a major scientific advance, which has been pursued globally by chemists for half a century," Professor Guddat said.

"This information provides new insights into an important enzyme - acetohydroxyacid synthase - a target for more than 50 commercial herbicides.

"It's also a potential target for new drugs to treat infections such as tuberculosis and invasive Candida infections."

Using advanced techniques such as cryo-electron microscopy and X-ray crystallography, the team deciphered the structure of the plant and fungal versions of the enzyme.

"We identified how this highly complex structure is assembled, which is the highly unusual shape of a Maltese Cross," Professor Guddat said.

"Coincidently, the Maltese Cross also features as a part of UQ's logo."

Professor Guddat said the discovery could have big implications for global agriculture.

"Sulfometuron is a herbicide that targets this enzyme, and was widely used in the 1990s for wheat crop protection throughout Australia," he said.

"But today it is completely ineffective due to the development of resistance.

"With this new insight, we will be able to make changes to existing herbicides, restoring options for future herbicide application."

Professor Guddat said the enzyme was only found in plants and microbes, not in humans.

"For this reason, the herbicides and drugs that it targets are likely to be safe and non-toxic to all mammals," he said.

"And another surprising finding of the research was the role that the molecule known as ATP plays in the regulation of the enzyme.

"Normally ATP plays a role in providing energy to all living cells," Professor Guddat said.

"However, here it is acting like a piece of glue to hold the structure together."

"They're fascinating findings for us, and we're excited for new opportunities for targeted design of next-gen herbicides and antimicrobial agents."

###

The majority of the study was undertaken by Dr Thierry Lonhienne and UQ PhD candidate, Yu Shang Low, who worked closely with the ShanghaiTech University, China to obtain the cryo-EM images for the plant enzyme.

The research has been published in Nature (DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2514-3).
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Rush, War For The Planet Of The Apes, Nosferatu The Vampyre.

Sit back and enjoy historical dramas, F1 rivalries and Cuban zombie-comedies as TopFilmTip brings you the pick of the best films on TV for Friday, 10 July.

Some films may require a Sky subscription.

Unhappy schoolboy grows up to become cavalier, war correspondent, prison escapee and statesman in Richard Attenborough's Young Winston 4:25pm Sony Movies

A widower and his new wife meet the previous wife in ghostly British comedy classic Blithe Spirit 4:55pm Talking Pictures TV

Child-prodigy/tactical-genius trains to battle xenocidal aliens' onslaught in morally complex, cerebral and sublime imagining of strategic sci-fi classic Ender's Game 6:45pm Film 4

Selfish journo's recurring day of hopelessness evolves into revelation of selflessness and love in Zen-like comedy Groundhog Day 6:55pm Sony Movies

A stellar cast brings the battle of Stalingrad into harsh relief in totally immersive epic and historical action drama Enemy at the Gates 9:00pm Sony Movies

Under yoke of genocidal zealot, monkey Moses leads his people on ape exodus in affecting ape escape actioner War for the Planet of the Apes 9:00pm Film4

Ordinary couple find Frankensteins place, do time warp and play with gender roles in singing camp fest The Rocky Horror Picture Show 10:00pm Talking Pictures TV

Scouse-wife escape routine and loveless husband for Greek adventure and rediscovers her lost youth and love of life Shirley Valentine 10:00pm Channel 5

Egos clash as pukey playboy and meticulous misanthrope's mutual enmity reaches fever pitch in death defying racing rivalry Rush 10:45pm BBC One

Vin Diesel in The Chronicles of Riddick (Universal Pictures)

Space-faring serial killer slaughters fanatical foes in prison rioting, cup killing, Judi Dench-starring fun The Chronicles of Riddick 11:05pm 5 Star

Renditioned professional escapologist must escape sadistic escape-proof prison in Arnie-quipping, prison escape film Escape Plan 11:45pm Film4

Eternally suffering under his malevolence, Dracula struggles to live on Werner Herzog's visual masterpiece Nosferatu the Vampyre 00:00am Talking Pictures TV

Story continues

Opportunistic Cuban criminals make a killing during Zombie apocalypse in OAP-harpooning sun and fun lol comedy horror Juan of the Dead 2:00am Film4

Everything new on streaming in July

New on Netflix in July

New on Sky Cinema and NOW TV in July

New on Disney+ in July

New on Amazon Prime Video in July
It's difficult  nearly impossible  to find anyone who thinks that Singapore's People's Action Party won't be returned to power in the city-state's 14th general election.

The PAP has ruled the island of about 5.7 million people since independence from Britain in 1959 and since 1965, has never seen its share of the vote slip below 60 per cent. Indeed, in the last poll in 2015 it claimed 83 of 89 seats, with the Workers' Party claiming the other six.

So a Malaysia 2018-style historic change of government is unlikely after Friday's ballot.

Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on the hustings ahead of Friday's election. There are signs he may hang on for longer than announced. Credit:Getty Images

Instead, it's the margin of victory that will matter after the polls close and the votes are counted on Friday evening in what is effectively a referendum on the PAP's handling of the coronavirus, and its impact on the lives of ordinary Singaporeans.
WEST COLUMBIA, S.C., July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- One of the fastest-growing pharmaceuticals companies in the country, headquartered in Lexington County, today announced several major expansion and investment projects.

Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation plans a new $215 million investment in Lexington County, bringing 380 new full-time jobs to the area by 2024, and adding new office, warehouse and vaccine production space in the county's Saxe-Gotha Industrial Park.

The climate for business development in South Carolina is better than ever because Governor Henry McMaster, members of the General Assembly and business leaders such as S.C. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Ted Pitts have worked together and laid a strong foundation for economic growth.

Team Nephron looks forward to working with the governor, lawmakers and business leaders to build on the economic development momentum that makes South Carolina a state to which companies want to move and where existing businesses can flourish.

"Our team is extraordinarily grateful for the opportunity to grow in South Carolina," said Nephron CEO Lou Kennedy. "Thanks to our partnerships with state and local officials, and the trust they have placed in us, we have been able to provide life-saving medications to patients around the world and establish ourselves as the global leader in what we do. We are proud of these achievements and more, and we know our best days are ahead of us. That is what makes this latest announcement so special."

These projects will be critical additions to the Nephron initial $313 million investment that brought the company headquarters and production facility to South Carolina, generating more than 1,800 full and part time jobs over the last five years.

"We are proud to have Nephron Pharmaceuticals in South Carolina," said Governor Henry McMaster. "Since coming here they have become an integral part of the community, and recently have been vital in the fight against COVID-19. This new investment of more than $215 million creating 380 new jobs in Lexington County is a great win for Team South Carolina."

A West Columbia, S.C.-based company, Nephron develops and produces safe, affordable generic inhalation solutions and suspension products, including those used to treat severe respiratory distress symptoms associated with COVID-19.

The company also operates an industry-leading 503B Outsourcing Facility division which produces pre-filled sterile syringes and IV bags for hospitals across America, in an effort to alleviate their drug shortage needs.

Nephron fills the needs of patients and health care professionals as they arise nationwide, and recently opened a CLIA-certified diagnostics lab.

"We are excited to continue to partner with such an innovative and forward-thinking company like Nephron Pharmaceuticals," Lexington County Council Chairman Scott Whetstone said. "We know that Lexington County is a great place to establish and grow a business, and Nephron's continued success is a testament to good government-business relations."

Media Contact:

Rob Godfrey

(803) 807-7144

[email protected]

SOURCE Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation

Related Links

http://www.nephronpharm.com


YEREVAN, JULY 10, ARMENPRESS. The new National Security Strategy of the Republic of Armenia has been published and will replace the one adopted in 2007.

The new Strategy is based on three fundamental principles.

The first principle is the creation of a strong and prosperous Armenia as a guarantor of its own security.

There is no alternative to the strength and prosperity of the Armenian state for ensuring Armenias security. As a state, that is interested in the preservation of peace and stability and is constantly developing its capacities on this direction, Armenia will continue making efforts for having its decisive role in ensuring regional peace, security and stability. At the same time, Armenia will continue participating in ensuring international security through the engagement of Armenian peacekeepers to the international peacekeeping missions, not only as a consumer of the international security, but also as a provider of it, stated in the document.

The second fundamental principle is that with its logic the Strategy aims at contributing to the long-term goal of ensuring the eternity of the Armenian statehood, preparing us to resist possible dangers sometimes threatening our statehood.

According to the third principle, in the constantly changing world its a priority to develop Armenias domestic and external resilience to be always ready for the new, unpredictable challenges and responding them effectively.

The 40-page document consists of introduction, 6 chapters and concluding provisions. The Strategy presents Armenias security environment, national interests, the goals and principles of the Strategy.

Since the adoption of the first National Security Strategy of Armenia in 2007, the international and regional security environment has undergone major changes, making the challenges facing Armenia more complex and multi-layered. Armenia has also changed. With the implementation of the peaceful, Velvet, peoples Revolution in Armenia in 2018, the citizen of Armenia has set a high bar for ensuring the states security, development and welfare. In the new context the key of Armenias security policy is the democratic system of governance which creates a firm base for the strengthening of the countrys economic, political, intellectual, therefore also military potential. These realities require from us to have a new, more ambitious National Security Strategy, stated in the document.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
The family of Robert Fuller, who was found hanging from a tree in California last month, agree with findings that he died by suicide and say there is 'no information' to suggest a 'racially-motivated' killing.

Jamon R. Hicks, the attorney for the 24-year-old's family, said at a press conference Friday that they do not dispute the outcome of the sheriff's investigation into his death.

Fuller was found hanging on June 10 in a park near City Hall in Palmdale, a community of about 150,000 people north of Los Angeles.

His death sparked fears of racist attacks in the area, after another black man Malcolm Harsch was found dead in similar circumstances just 10 days and 45 miles apart.

Fuller's family demanded an investigation into his death, insisting he was not suicidal and that his death was 'a lynching'.

Sheriff's Commander Chris Marks said Thursday that the investigation ruled Fuller suffered from mental illness and had taken his own life.

The family of Robert Fuller (pictured), who was found hanging from a tree in California last month, agree with findings that he died by suicide and say there is 'no information' to suggest a 'racially-motivated' killing

Hicks said Friday that Fuller's family was absorbing the news and grieving and did not dispute the outcome of the probe.

'I have no information to suggest foul play. I have no information to suggest that anything was racially motivated,' he said.

At a news conference Thursday, Marks revealed that Fuller had a history of mental illness and suicidal tendencies.

The 24-year-old had been hospitalized three times since 2017 where he told doctors he was considering taking his life.

The last time was in November, when he was being treated for depression at a hospital in Nevada and 'disclosed that he did have a plan to kill himself,' Marks said.

Marks also said Las Vegas police investigated an incident in February in which Fuller 'allegedly tried to light himself on fire.'

No video of the death or witnesses to the suicide were found.

Marks also said a red rope consistent with the one at the death site was purchased a month earlier at a Dollar Tree store with a public assistance benefits card registered to Fuller.

Fuller's sister Angel Magee speaks during his funeral on June 30. Jamon R. Hicks, the attorney for the 24-year-old's family, said at a press conference Friday that they do not dispute the outcome of the sheriff's investigation into his death

His family carries Fuller's casket at the funeral. Fuller was found hanging on June 10 in a park near City Hall in Palmdale, a community of about 150,000 people north of Los Angeles

There was no video of the transaction but detectives found videos showing Fuller made subsequent purchases with the card.

Fuller's hands were not bound, his clothing and appearance were neat, he wore a hat and backpack, and had a knife in a pocket, Marks said.

There were no signs of struggle or defensive wounds.

Fuller's left wrist had prominent scars consistent with 'suicidal intent,' Marks said.

The day after Fuller's body was found his death was ruled a suicide.

DNA testing found the predominant contributor to samples from the ligature and Fuller's fingernails were from Fuller, Marks said.

That finding outraged his family, who said he was an upbeat person and wouldn't have taken his own life.

People attend a protest on June 13 near the tree where Fuller was found dead. His death sparked fears of racist attacks in the area, after another black man was found dead in similar circumstances just 10 days and 45 miles apart

At the time his body was found, deputies found no evidence of a crime and an autopsy conducted the next day resulted in an initial finding of suicide. That finding outraged Fuller's family (pictured), who said he was an upbeat person and wouldn't have taken his own life

Tributes to Fuller last month. Sheriff's Commander Chris Marks said Thursday that the investigation ruled Fuller suffered from mental illness and had taken his own life

Questions mounted further over Fuller's death after similarities were made with the death of another black man 10 days earlier

They said authorities were too quick to dismiss the possibility of a crime.

They hired an attorney who said an independent autopsy would be conducted, and the FBI and state attorney general's office pledged to monitor the investigation.

Community activists also raised concerns that the Antelope Valley area north of LA where the death occurred has a history of racist incidents, with residents describing seeing Confederate flags and people of color being blamed for crime and gang problems.

The Sheriff's Department has also contributed to racial tension in the area.

Five years ago, the county reached a settlement with the US Department of Justice regarding accusations that deputies harassed and discriminated against Black people and Latinos there.

Questions mounted further over Fuller's death after similarities were made with Harsch's.

Harsch, a 38-year-old homeless man, was found in a tree on May 31 in Victorville, a desert city in San Bernardino County east of Palmdale.

Harsch's family also sought further investigation of his death.

Police were able to obtain surveillance footage from a vacant building near where Harsch's body was found that 'confirmed the absence of foul play,' according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.

The family was shown the video and said they accepted the finding of suicide.

The cases came in the midst of intense protests over police brutality following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Following Fuller's death, more than 1,000 people attended a peaceful protest and memorial around the tree where his body was found.

His family and friends described him as a peacemaker who loved music and video games, and mostly stayed to himself.

He had gone to a Black Lives Matter protest days before he died, the Los Angeles Times reported.

A week after Fuller's death, his half-brother, Terron J. Boone, was fatally shot by Los Angeles sheriff's deputies.

Police say Boone opened fire on deputies as they were about to arrest him on charges that he beat his girlfriend and held her captive for nearly a week.

He was shot multiple times in the upper body and died at the scene, Lt Robert Westphal said.
New Delhi, July 10 : As Google Earth turns 15, the worlds biggest publicly accessible repository of geographic imagery is not only helping billions of people better understand their world bit also supporting students in rural classrooms in India.

Launched in 2005, Google Earth combines aerial photography, satellite imagery, 3D topography, geographic data, and Street View into a tapestry people can explore and take action to create positive change.

According to Rebecca Moore, Director, Google Earth, Earth Engine & Outreach, the India Literacy Project (ILP) is using the service to build interactive content for rural classrooms, helping improve literacy for 745,000 students across India.

"ILP has made history and geography come alive with new tools and media content that capture the imagination of young minds," said Padmaja Sathyamoorthy who works at the ILP.

"The project expands students' horizons. It's not just about learning a curriculum from a textbook. I believe it creates a curiosity and a love for learning that will last a lifetime," she said in a Google blog post on Thursday.

In February, Google Earth View is a collection of thousands of Earth's most stunning landscapes as seen from space, added over a 1,000 new images to its repository, which now has over 2,500 birds-eye view images of Earth's most beautiful places across the seven continents.

Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and over 35 different Indian landscapes from Gujarat, Maharashtra and other states were part of the new set of high-resolution satellite images.

Moore said that if Google Maps is about finding your way, Google Earth is about getting lost.

"With Google Earth, you can see our planet like an astronaut from space, then travel anywhere on it in seconds with a click or tap. Even after an entire afternoon exploring cities, landscapes and stories on Google Earth, you'll have barely scratched the surface," she added.

Google Earth VR, which was released in 2016, gave people the chance to see the Earth from a new perspective.

Journalists have long used the rich imagery in Google Earth to create more engaging stories.

"Vox Video used Google Earth Studio to tell the story of how the Event Horizon telescope collected 54-million-year-old photons to take the first ever picture of a black hole," said Moore.

As millions of people struggled during the Covid-19 pandemic, Google Earth helped humanity.

During Golden Week in Japan, most people visit their hometowns, but this year that wasn't possible due to COVID-19.

"To help homesick natives, a group from Morioka city developed a tour in Google Earth that let people virtually take the bullet train to Morioka station and visit beloved locations in the city," informed Moore.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Thomas Carper (D-Del.) are calling on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to lift regulations that deny insurance coverage for obesity drugs and that limit coverage of Intensive Behavioral Therapy (IBT) amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a letter sent to CMS Administrator Seema Verma in early July, the senators request the agency use its administrative authority to update a nearly two-decade-old statute in the Medicare Part D prescription drug program that specifically excludes obesity drugs from Medicare coverage.

Sens. Cassidy and Carper call obesity the "second greatest risk factor, after old age, for hospitalization among COVID-19 patients." They cite data from New York City showing people with COVID-19 and obesity are twice as likely to be admitted to the hospital and those with severe obesity are 3.6 times more likely to require critical care such as mechanical ventilation.

The senators urge CMS to use its administrative authority to update its outdated and restrictive coverage policies surrounding FDA-approved obesity treatments and IBT, which they view as "critical to our response to COVID-19 and future public health emergencies."

The senators are the primary sponsors of the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA), which would allow CMS to expand Medicare Part D coverage to include FDA-approved prescription drugs for obesity and expand the IBT benefit by allowing additional types of qualified healthcare providers to offer these services. More than 185 members of Congress from both sides of the aisle are currently on record supporting TROA, but the bill has yet to come up for a floor vote since it was first introduced in 2013.

It's time for coverage policies and practices to catch up to the scientific evidence when it comes to treating obesity. We are newly dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, but we've been dealing with the obesity epidemic for decades, and the time has come to employ treatment strategies across the entire continuum of care from behavioral therapy to drug treatment to bariatric and metabolic surgery. We encourage CMS to update its policies and for Congress to pass TROA." Matthew M. Hutter, MD, MPH, President of the ASMBS and Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School

Metabolic/bariatric surgery has been shown to be the most effective and long-lasting treatment for severe obesity. Its safety profile is comparable to some of the safest and most commonly performed surgeries in the U.S. including gallbladder surgery, appendectomy and knee replacement. An estimated 252,000 bariatric surgeries were performed in the United States in 2018, which is approximately less than 1 percent of the population eligible for surgery.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports 42.4 percent of Americans had obesity in 2017-2018. Obesity has been linked to more than 40 diseases including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis and at least 13 different types of cancer.
The head of Syrias Kurdish-led militias says he met today with the top commander of US forces in the Middle East, Gen. Frank McKenzie, in northeast Syria.

Mazlum Kobane, who leads the US-supported Syrian Democratic Forces in the fight against the Islamic State (IS), announced the meeting with the CENTCOM commander via Twitter.

A spokesperson for US Central Command declined to confirm or deny McKenzies visit, citing security concerns. Kobane, who also goes by the name Mazlum Abdi, said the two discussed their shared fight against IS and achieving peace in the region.

McKenzie met earlier this week with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi and Iraq's chief of defense in Baghdad to discuss the future of the US military presence in Iraq.

Why it matters: Today marks McKenzies second reported visit to northeast Syrias autonomous region since assuming command of CENTCOM last year, and comes as the United States consolidates its military footprint in neighboring Iraq as Baghdads security forces show greater ability to manage the IS insurgency.

News of the meeting is also likely to rile NATO ally Turkey. Officials in Ankara have objected for years to US support for the local Kurdish-led fighters.

US State and Defense Department officials failed last year to dissuade their Turkish counterparts from launching a military incursion into northeast Syria to push Mazlums Peoples Protection Units (YPG) away from Turkeys southeastern border. The incursion displaced more than 100,000 people and led to allegations that Turkey-backed Syrian fighters committed war crimes.

Turkey says the YPG, which forms the backbone of the Syrian Kurdish-led alliance, is a branch of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which Ankara, Washington, and their western allies consider a terrorist organization. News of McKenzies trip came as a reassurance amid continued fears in northeast Syria that Turkey may eventually expand its military presence in the area.

Whats Next: Some 600 US troops remain in Syrias northeast, though how long they will remain is not clear. Pentagon officials have reported the SDF is increasingly able to combat IS on its own, but there is no political agreement in place to preserve the autonomous region. Both the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the Turkish government say they will not tolerate the Kurdish-led autonomous regions existence.

American officials have pushed for reconciliation between the Democratic Union Party (PYD), the political arm of the YPG, and rival Kurdish National Council. US officials apparently see a political agreement as a way to dilute the PYDs dominance in northeast Syria in hope of alleviating Turkish pressure. Though tensions between Ankara and northeast Syria appear to have gone down since last years incursion, Turkey expanded a military operation against the PKK in northern Iraq last month.

Furthermore, Russia has been attempting to expand its footprint in northeast Syria, and may be seeking ways to pressure the SDF to make concessions.

US Marines recently thanked local Syrians for preventing Russian soldiers from establishing a position inside the American zone of operations. If the Russians can set up a base near Derik, they can pressure US supply lines and movement in the area.
(Natural News) Preppers are always ready for the inevitable. Months before the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic began in the U.S., preppers already had stockpiles full of supplies, and some have even readied their hideouts in safe, secluded areas known only to them.

However, millions of regular American citizens struggle to keep their jobs and feed their families amid the pandemic. In recent months, riots have caused disturbances throughout the country, and now, a real estate expert warns that people will continue to leave busy cities and head to quieter, safer suburban areas.

Signs of a two-year exodus

According to Hessam Nadji, President and CEO of Marcus & Millichap, one of the largest commercial real estate brokers in the U.S., this exodus may continue for at least another two years.

During the last few months, there have been various reports about city dwellers leaving busy cities to seek the safety of small towns and the suburbs, with reasons such as escaping the continued spread of the pandemic and the socio-economic tensions steadily rising in cities across the country. (Related: Demand for rural and suburban properties skyrocket as more people are looking to get away from coronavirus, riots.)

This exodus will inevitably test if suburban areas can accommodate the surge in demand. Nadji explained that a lot of office vacancies in the suburbs have now been absorbed, coupled with an increase in demand for rental homes from city dwellers hailing from hot spots like New York.

Back in May, affluent New Yorkers started leaving the city for quieter rural communities after a spike in violent crimes. The New York City Police Department (NYPD) reported that murders in the city went up by 79 percent, shootings increased by 64 percent and burglaries went up by 34 percent.

Migrating millennials

These past few months, millennials who make up the majority of home buyers in metropolitan areas are now more interested in properties in the suburbs. Realtor.com data reveals that real estate searches in suburban zip codes went up by 13 percent in May, suggesting that the pace of urban growth has doubled as the market began to recover.

Marcus & Millichap reports that the largest cities in the country saw residents migrate to the outskirts, like New York City, Seattle and Miami. People from primary metro areas were also moving to secondary markets like Phoenix, Salt Lake City and Nashville, Tennessee.

Nadji explained that this trend started in the last two or three years. As 60 percent of millennials are now in their 30s, they were moving away from the lifestyle of central business districts and the lack of commuting and eyeing homes in the suburbs to start their own families.

The pandemic has contributed to the acceleration of this migration.

While the exodus is a normal reaction, Nadji said that it is unwise to count out the long-term prospects of the benefits of central business districts.

For example, some businesses followed the residents who moved to the suburbs. Satellite campuses were even set up for workers who didnt want to commute and risk getting infected with the coronavirus.

Nadji posited that major cities could take at least three years to recover from this socio-economic nightmare. He added that its unlikely that the public will permanently lose interest in central business districts because this is an overreaction to the pandemic, which should eventually be resolved after some time.

The real estate expert compared this response to the pandemic to the publics reaction to post 9/11 and their reluctance to stay in high-visibility high rises downtown. Nadji commented that 18 to 24 months later, people grew less concerned about these matters.

While Nadji paints a hopeful picture, things are much different in the country as it faces one of the most disastrous public health crises in recent years. Millions of Americans are also jobless and the economy is struggling to recover.

Although some businesses are adapting by allowing employees to work remotely, the lack of people in city centers could continue to spell trouble for the economy.

If anyone is to benefit from all this chaos, it could be baby boomers who have built homes in the late 1990s and early 2000s. In a pre-pandemic world, these homes may have been difficult to sell, but interest will be surging now that city dwellers are looking for homes in the suburbs.

Sources include:

ZeroHedge.com 1

ZeroHedge.com 2

CNBC.com
Dreaded gangster Vikas Dubey was killed in an encounter with the Special Task Force (STF) in Kanpur on Friday (July 10, 2020) after he tried to flee. The UP STF was taking Dubey to Kanpur where he was to be produced in court, but the vehicle transporting him to Kanpur from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh overturned in heavy rain.

According to reports, Dubey attempted to escape after the accident, he snatched the service revolver of one of the police man and fled. The STF gave chase and a gunfight ensued in which the gangster was killed on the spot. Dubey was taken to the hospital where he was declared brought dead by doctors.

Four police personnel, including two Inspectors, were injured in the encounter. They were immediately rushed to the hospital and given medical treatment. All four police personnel are said to be out of danger.

A convoy of 12 cars of Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) was bringing Dubey back to Kanpur from Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain on Friday morning.

Dubey was a prime accused in almost 60 cases, including murder, he carried a bounty of Rs 5 lakh on him.

Dubey had been on the run since July 3 after a police team, which had gone to arrest him from his house in Bikru village in the Chaubeypur area of Kanpur, was ambushed and eight police officers were killed.
by Wang Zhicheng

The blackmail of the Jinzhou authorities: you can reopen the churches - after the pandemic - if you ban entry to minors. Mgr. Jia Zhiguo, 83, has been a bishop since 1980 and is responsible for a community of over 150,000 faithful, with a hundred priests and as many nuns. The government wants to take over the orphanage for disabled children housed in the bishop's house. Benedict XVI sends a greeting.

Beijing (AsiaNews) - "The Church must be open to everyone, even to minors under the age of 18": This is the response of Msgr. Giulio Jia Zhiguo, underground bishop of Zhengding (Hebei, about 300 km southwest of Beijing), to the Jinzhou authorities proposal to allow him to resume church activities after the coronavirus quarantine, under the condition he prohibit entry for young people under 18 years of age.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, churches throughout China have been closed since late January. In early June, the authorities gave permission to open them despite different security conditions.

The United Front, which manages religious activities, however, has been exploiting the reopening of churches to blackmail the diocese of Zhengding, which is recognized by the Holy See, but not by the government.

The condition of prohibiting minors under the age of 18 from attending church and any catechesis is spreading in China since the launch of the New Regulations on Religious Activities (February 1, 2018). Many official and underground bishops have pointed out that the ban is contrary to the Chinese constitution, which affirms the right to religious freedom without age limits. But the ban has become an instrument to stifle the faith, just as society is witnessing a strong religious revival.

The ban on minors under the age of 18 is explicitly mentioned in the documents for the governmental recognition of religious personnel (bishops and priests) and for the registration of religious sites. Many bishops, eager for official recognition, have signed this document, through which they become state officials, responsible for implementing this ban. Others signed hoping to get around the norm.

Msgr. Jia was clear, saying that "the Church is open to all", but in by doing so he risks that the underground churches of the diocese will remain closed.

Mgr. Jia Zhiguo, 83, has been a bishop since 1980 and is responsible for a community of over 150,000 faithful, with a hundred priests and as many nuns.

For many years, Msgr. Jia hosts a home for disabled children and young people, abandoned by their families or the result of past restrictions related to the one-child law. The bishop personally takes care of them together with some nuns. In the past, his work was even praised by the government, as well as by international personalities.

Now in an attempt to push the bishop to sign the recognition document, Jinzhou authorities have threatened to take over the childrens home, because neither he nor the nuns can serve disabled children without being registered. The government has already moved older children to another location, leaving the younger ones in the bishop's house. The authorities explained that they want to "buy" the orphanage, although they are not willing to pay any money.

Moreover, they even take possession of all the donations that annually arrive at the orphanage. If the nuns do not register, they will not be able to take care of the children and will be turned out onto the streets to return to their places of origin.

Msgr. Jia Zhiguo spent more than 15 years in prison. He has been an underground bishop since 1980 and since then has been continually arrested and kidnapped during which he is subjected to political sessions. He lives in his bishops house under continuous 24-hour surveillance.

In 2010, released after a period of imprisonment, Msgr. Jia received a message of greeting and esteem from Benedict XVI.
Expressive prosthetic cover designed and produced by Limb-Art. Credit: Limb-Art

Amputation can have a devastating effect on a person's body image and sense of self. The use of prosthetic limbs may help, but when it comes to their appearance, options are often limited.

The choice, if there is one, usually comes down to either a prosthesis with a realistic appearance that helps users hide the limb loss, or a mechanical version which offers greater functionality, but is more easily noticeable.

To address this gap between function and appearance, some companies and designers) are now working on "expressive prostheses." These are prosthetic limbs where the design focuses on the appearance, with the aim of highlighting the user's identity.

The idea is that by transforming prostheses into accessories, expressive versions can help users make positive statements about themselves. They may also be able to question notions of normalcy about the human body, and help eliminate stigmatization.

A recent research project explored the effects of a "co-design" approach between prosthetic makers and users in developing personalized covers. The project reported that amputees found involvement in the design process a positive experience, and the benefits extended beyond an "expression of identity, supporting confidence and a potential to create a positive image of disability."

Another study looked into preferences towards prosthetic limbs with a realistic or non-realistic appearance. It found that prostheses with a high level of human likeness were considered by non-users to be more attractive than those with a more mechanical appearance.

But the reverse was true for the prosthetic users themselves, who preferred prostheses with robotic designs, perhaps because of their greater functionality.

This is where expressive prostheses can come in. Researchers have also argued that such prostheses could help to alter society's attitudes towards prosthetic users, where notions of disability and impairment can have negative connotations.

We know culture plays a major role in people's attitudes towards disability. Specifically, research shows that in individualistic societies like the US and the UK, where people tend to value personal identity and individual goals, attitudes towards disabilities are less stigmatized than in collectivist societies like China and Greece, where the emphasis is on maintaining group harmony.

Talking points

My own study aimed to explore the effects of the appearance of prostheses in different cultures. To do this, I spoke to users in the UK as an individualistic culture, and in Greece as a collectivist one.

All participants stated that expressive prostheses were more attractive than conventional ones, and improved their self-confidence. They also mentioned that expressive prostheses were useful as conversation starters with non-users, providing an opportunity to discuss limb loss with other people.

James, for example, a 56-year-old British man who uses two lower replacement limbs, said that an expressive version "allows the user to make a statement" and "would be a good talking point."

A common experience of a certain awkwardness around approaching people with limb loss also emerged. Margaret, a 19-year-old Greek woman who has an upper limb prosthetic said: "I think (expressive prostheses) might help people who are more open minded feel more comfortable to open themselves to others who present a difference."

Sebastian, a 47-year-old British lower limb prosthetic user, pointed out that the use of expressive prostheses had a "fundamental difference" on people's reactions towards him and his prosthesis. He said they had the potential to provoke a more positive response compared to other types of prosthetic.

The interviews also highlighted the importance of culture on the formation of people's attitudes. Two of the Greek participants for example, suggested that expressive prostheses may actually increase stigmatization as they may be perceived as being used by people with limb loss to draw attention to themselves.

One thing my research demonstrates is the need to take culture into account during the design of prostheses (and other medical products, such as wheelchairs or hearing aids) to avoid increased stigmatization.

But it also provides evidence of the largely positive effects of expressive prostheses on users' self-confidence and how they are treated in society. The next step, I hope, is that great designand talented designerswill be more widely valued in the manufacture of medical products, for everyone's benefit.

Explore further Prosthetic limbs represented like hands in brain

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Medical Center Health System CEO and President Russell Tippin said MCH is treating 50 coronavirus patients on Thursday morning  the highest they have had at the hospital.

The eighth floor is becoming full, Tippin said during a coffee and conversation at Odessa College. The hospital has moved to add 30 beds into another building, and they started to move patients into the building Wednesday night.

We have done a very good job of being prepared and staying prepared, he said.

Staffing is becoming the biggest problem, he said. The hospital has been able to control the environment the staff has been exposed to in the hospital but has been unable to control what they are exposed to outside of the hospital.

Odessa Regional Medical Center Chief Medical Officer Dr. Rohith Saravanan said when people think they might have coronavirus they should stay home. He said don't go seek care to reduce risks, but there are specific reasons for people to go seek care. Those reasons are on the CDC website and there is a self-checker on the website.

He said the majority of people, even if they feel sick, will not need acute hospital care. The best option for the majority of people to do is isolate at home to prevent community spread. He said he would assume that if anyone is sick with any of the coronavirus symptoms then that person probably has it. A test isnt going to heal a person and instead tests are coming back later because labs are becoming overwhelmed. He said instead people need quarantine if they are showing symptoms.

Dr. Richard Barlett has been treating patients with inhaled Budesonide. Saravanan said the public needs to understand that the majority of people being treated at an outpatient doctors office is the 80 percent of people who will not require acute hospitalization. The patients the hospitals have been treating are sicker than the people going to an outpatient doctors office.

Coronavirus patients being admitted to the hospitals are being treated with steroids if they require high levels of oxygen or are on ventilators, but they are injected not inhaled. He said that inhaled Budesonide is undergoing scientific studies during this time to see how it can help coronavirus patients.

ORMC CEO and President Stacey Brown said the hospital's biggest challenge has been staffing. ORMC is bringing in agency support since the nursing shortage West Texas has been experiencing for a while has only gotten worse. She said ORMC is treating 14 patients with 10 patients on ventilators which is a record for ventilator patients.

In our case we are seeing that a lot of the patients are older, she said. Most of them are in their 60s, 70s and 80s. For the most part they arent the ones out in the community really actively engaging in things like younger people. I think whats happening is that theyre getting exposed through family and friends.

As of Wednesday, the Ector County Health Department reported that 20-to 29-year-olds compose 468 positive coronavirus cases in the county. It is the age group with the largest amount of positive cases followed by 30-39 year olds with 340 cases.
Lakewood Ranch, Fla., July 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In partnership with Florida resident Tom Kidd, the Florida Cancer Specialists (FCS) Foundation has established the Joan L. Kidd, MD Memorial Fund to honor his late wife, Dr. Joan L. Kidd. All proceeds from the sales of Toms e-book, All the Way, a memoir reflecting on the couples life together and their cancer journey, will be donated to the FCS Foundation to seed the Fund on an ongoing basis and provide grants to cancer patients in need. Tom has also committed to match the first $10,000 of book sales.

Dr. Joan Kidd was a respected internal medicine and family medicine physician who took pride in helping her patients. She was also a two-time Stage IIIC ovarian cancer survivor. She continued to care for her patients while undergoing surgery and chemotherapy and lived 18 months longer than anticipated with a good quality of life. Tom served as her advocate and caregiver and was with her through each step.

Establishment of the Fund was first announced at the FCS Foundations annual Party Under the Stars 2020 fundraising event in Sarasota, which was also the launch of the Joan L. Kidd, MD Fight for Life Concert Series, which raised over $357,000 to benefit cancer patients. The series hosts individual concert fundraisers for cancer nonprofits and patient support organizations to aid their fundraising efforts.

My book tells our love story of living passionately through challenges, Tom Kidd said. By sharing it, I hope to honor Joan and continue her legacy by helping others facing their own challenges.

FCS Foundation Board Chairman Dr. Michael Diaz said, The FCS Foundation has grown exponentially since 2011 in response to the needs of cancer patients statewide. Proceeds from the Joan L. Kidd, MD Memorial Fund will enhance our ability to help ease some of the financial stresses cancer treatments can bring, particularly during the current pandemic.

We are grateful to Tom for his generosity and for sharing the gift of his story. It will serve as an inspiration to so many others on their cancer journeys and the Fund will help to assist many cancer patients in need, said Foundation Executive Director Lynn Rasys.

Story continues

The memoir is available in e-book format and can be downloaded to all devices. To purchase or learn more about All the Way, click here.

###

About Florida Cancer Specialists Foundation

The Florida Cancer Specialists (FCS) Foundation provides financial support to qualified adult cancer patients in the state of Florida for expenses such as rent or mortgage, car payments and utility bills. By giving patients peace of mind in knowing that their bills are being paid while they are undergoing treatment, the FCS Foundation allows them to concentrate on what really matters  fighting cancer.

Due to the generosity of the Florida Cancer Specialists physicians in covering all overhead expenses for the Foundation, 100% of donations received go directly toward paying the essential non-medical living expenses of an adult battling cancer.

The Foundation is a 501(3)(c) nonprofit organization located at 5958 Silver Falls Run, Suite 210 in Lakewood Ranch, Florida 34211. Learn more about the FCS Foundation at: FCSF.com or call (941) 677.7181.

Executive Director, Lynn Rasys

Florida Cancer Specialists Foundation

(941) 677.7181

LRasys@flcancer.com



Chief Marketing & Sales Officer, Shelly Glenn

Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute

(770) 365.6168

SGlenn@FLCancer.com



Director of Marketing & Communications, Michelle Robey

Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute

(813) 767.9398

Michelle.Robey@FLCancer.com


Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Lincoln, the luxury vehicle brand of Ford Motor, put its second China-built model, the all-new Aviator, onto the market on July 8, only four months after the first one, the all-new Corsair, going on sale.

Offered in five variants, the Chinese-spec all-new Aviator is priced from 509,800 yuan ($72,922) to 759,800 yuan ($108,683), which means it is 119,000 yuan ($17,022) cheaper than that of the imported version in terms of the starting price.

It is also more cost effective compared to rivals in the same segment, such as the Audi Q7, the BMW X5 and the Mercedes-Benz GLE.



The homegrown Aviator displays a striking resemblance to the imported one. The lines on the body are inspired by the wings of aircraft. The model features an aesthetic with a long hood, short front overhang, and sloped roof line.

The all-new Aviator brings back the old design grille with iconic floating chromed-out Lincoln stars. At the center sits an illuminated Lincoln emblem with a high gloss black finish around it. The eagle-eye-shaped LED headlights are rather impressive. These lights work adaptivelyat high speeds, the light is projected farther, and at slow speeds, the lights are wider.



To cater to Chinese consumers' taste, the new Aviator is particularly equipped with a black floating sunroof.



With a dimension of 5,080mm long, 2,022mm wide and 1,759mm tall, and a wheelbase of 3,025mm, the all-new Aviator plays in the league of full-sized SUVs.



Moving into the cockpit, an occupant will find a large number of straight lines, which are used to increase the interior's openness and reduce visual noise. The upscale sense is highlighted by the great use of light-colored leather-wrapped facilities coupled with solid wood panel.



Besides, the lineup of the new model comes standard with some human-friendly technical features like ANC (active noise cancellation). The 12.8-inch console-mounted touch screen especially designed for Chinese consumers is powered by Ford's SYNC+ in-vehicle communications and infotainment system, enabling such functions as voice interaction, mobile phone projection as well as online music.

The China-made Aviator still adopts the imported engine and transmission. All variants come standard with a 3.0-liter V6 turbocharged engine that pumps out up to 261kW and 553Nm, hooked up to a 10-speed automatic transmission (China-made all-new Aviator, photo source: Lincoln).
File image of Vikas Dubey

Gangster Vikas Dubey was killed in an encounter on July 10 when he tried to flee after a road accident, police said. He was being taken to Uttar Pradeshs Kanpur from Madhya Pradesh, where he had been arrested on July 9.

One of the police vehicles taking Dubey from to Kanpur overturned early morning on the highway. The car that overturned reportedly had Dubey in it.

Gangster Vikas Dubey attempted to flee after the car overturned. Police tried to make him surrender, during which he fired at the policemen. He was injured in retaliatory firing by police. He was later rushed to the hospital, Kanpur West SP has said.

Earlier, five members of Dubey gang were killed in separate encounters.

Also read: Vikas Dubey encounter | Truth will never come out, say netizens

Dubey was known to have political connections, which many believe, helped him on multiple occasions.

Reactions from political leaders started pouring in soon after the news broke. Here are a few of those reactions from key political personalities:

Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav said in a tweet, "     ,         . (Actually, the car has not overturned. The government has been saved from overturning by keeping a secret)."

In a tweet, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, "    ,         ? (The criminal has been killed. But what about the crime and those who provided security to the criminal?)"

Follow our LIVE blog for the latest updates

Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament and Shiv Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi said on Twitter, "  ,   ". It is an Hindi proverb translating to ending the root cause of the trouble or problem.



Oh so predictable! The biggest mob in India is the @Uppolice headed by a Don Now everything is settled. All inconvenient truths buried for good. @IPS_Association https://t.co/oTV7tbD2En

 Karti P Chidambaram (@KartiPC) July 10, 2020

Lok Sabha Member of Parliament and Congress leader Karti Chidambaram termed the incident "predictable".

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra said : Law has taken its course. It could be a matter of regret and disappointment for those who raised questions on Vikas Dubey's arrest yesterday and death today.
DUBLIN, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Industrial Radiography Market by Imaging Technique (Film-based Radiography, Digital Radiography), End User (Petrochemicals & Gas, Power Generation, Manufacturing, Aerospace, and Automotive & Transportation), and Geography - Global Forecast to 2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global industrial radiography market is estimated to grow from USD 532 million in 2020 to USD 784 million by 2025; growing at a CAGR of 8.1%.

Major factors fueling the growth include increasing demand for NDT services in automotive and aerospace industries, advancements in software that are integrated into radiography systems, stringent regulations by various governments regarding industrial safety and product quality, and the preventive maintenance of industrial equipment.

The key players in the market include 3DX-Ray LTD (U.K.), Anritsu Corporation (Japan), Bosello HT (Italy), PerkinElmer, Inc. (U.S.), General Electric (U.S.), FujiFilm Holdings Corporation, and Others.

Market for digital radiography to grow at highest CAGR during forecast period



The market for the digital radiography technique is expected to grow at a higher CAGR during the forecast period. Digital radiography is the latest development in industrial X-ray imaging, requires less time and effort, and the output is highly reliable; therefore, it is in greater demand in almost all the industries. Digital radiography offers many benefits over film-based technology such as saving of time, greater dynamic range, wider exposure latitude, post-processing capabilities, and image manipulation.



Automotive & transportation end user to hold major share of industrial radiography market in 2025



The automotive & transportation end user is expected to hold the majority of market share in 2025. The automotive sector is developing rapidly and is focusing more on high-value proposition along with cost reductions. Industrial radiography tools have become invaluable in these efforts as they provide manufacturers the ability to engineer products of higher quality with tighter tolerances, while also providing them a way to inspect the products during the production process. Further, the growing focus on automotive production and infrastructure development in an emerging region has boosted the growth of the industrial radiography market for the automotive and transportation end user.



North America to continue to be largest market for industrial radiography during forecast period

The adoption of industrial radiography equipment is high in North America due to well-developed manufacturing, mining, aerospace, and automotive & transportation industries in the region, which are the major application areas of industrial radiography. Similarly, the production of oil in this region has boosted the growth of the region's petroleum industry, which has applications for industrial radiography in its day-to-day operations.



Key Topics Covered



1 Introduction



2 Research Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Premium Insights



5 Market Overview

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Market Dynamics

5.2.1 Drivers

5.2.2 Restraints

5.2.3 Opportunities

5.2.4 Challenges

5.3 Value Chain Analysis



6 Basic Components of Industrial Radiography



7 Industrial Radiography Imaging Process



8 Industrial Radiography Market, By Imaging Technology

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Film-Based Radiography

8.3 Digital Radiography

8.3.1 Computed Tomography

8.3.2 Computed Radiography

8.3.3 Direct Radiography



9 Industrial Radiography Market, By Radiation Type

9.1 Introduction

9.2 X-Rays

9.3 Gamma Rays



10 Industrial Radiography Market, By Industry

10.1 Introduction

10.2 Automotive

10.3 Oil & Gas

10.4 Aerospace & Defense

10.5 Manufacturing

10.6 Power Generation

10.7 Others



11 Industrial Radiography Market, By Geography

11.1 Introduction

11.2 North America

11.2.1 US

11.2.2 Canada

11.2.3 Mexico

11.3 Europe

11.3.1 Germany

11.3.2 UK

11.3.3 France

11.3.4 Italy

11.3.5 Rest of Europe

11.4 APAC

11.4.1 China

11.4.2 Japan

11.4.3 India

11.4.4 Rest of APAC

11.5 RoW

11.5.1 South America

11.5.1.1 Brazil

11.5.2 Middle East

11.5.3 Africa



12 Competitive Landscape

12.1 Introduction

12.2 Industrial Radiography Market Rank Analysis

12.3 Competitive Leadership Mapping

12.3.1 Visionary Leaders

12.3.2 Dynamic Differentiators

12.3.3 Innovators

12.3.4 Emerging Companies

12.4 Competitive Situation & Trends



13 Company Profiles

13.1 Key Players

13.1.1 General Electric

13.1.2 Fujifilm

13.1.3 Nikon

13.1.4 Shimadzu

13.1.5 Comet Group

13.1.6 Anritsu

13.1.7 Mettler-Toledo

13.1.8 Perkinelmer

13.1.9 3DX-Ray

13.1.10 Bosello High Technology

13.2 Other Key Players

13.2.1 Mistras Group Inc.

13.2.2 American Testing Services

13.2.3 Ashtead Technology Ltd.

13.2.4 Applied Technical Services Inc.

13.2.5 Nordson Dage

13.2.6 TUV Rheinland AG

13.2.7 North Star Imaging

13.2.8 Thales Group

13.2.9 TWI

13.2.10 Teledyne DALSA



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ubw8hp

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

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The group reviewing the actions taken by Huntsville police during protests that ended with tear gas last month is now taking public comments.

Residents can submit their comments through an online form to the Huntsville Police Citizens Advisory Council. The online form will be active through Aug. 7, the council said in a news release issued by the city.

The Citizens Advisory Council, known as HPCAC, will review the events that happened at protests in Huntsville between May 30 to June 5. Two protests  on June 1 and 3  ended with police breaking up crowds with tear gas and other riot gear.

Vicki Guerrieri, the chair of the HPCAC, said she is confident the councils review will provide an impartial assessment of the actions taken by the police department.

We take the responsibility of this review seriously and will proceed with the utmost integrity, Guerrieri said in the news release. The HPCAC recognizes this is an opportunity to strengthen our community and its interaction with local police.

The HPCAC is a 10-member group of volunteers who are appointed by Police Chief Mark McMurray, Mayor Tommy Battle and members of the city council. The HPCAC doesnt have oversight authority over the police department but is designated to advise and serve as a liaison between police and the community.

The HPCAC has retained independent counsel to advise them on legal matters, the news release says. Guerrieri and a city spokeswoman didnt immediately respond to emails seeking more information about the counsel on Thursday evening.

The Huntsville City Council authorized the HPCAC to have access to any resources at the police department in doing its review. The HPCAC will interview police, community organizers, eyewitnesses, protesters and experts, and will review records, documents and public comments, the news release says.

After reviewing the protests, the HPCAC will report its findings to the mayor, police chief, city council and the public, the news release says. A timeline hasnt been set for completing the review.

At a work session on July 29 at 5 p.m. the city council will discuss changes for the police department that have been proposed by community groups.
(Natural News) U.S. Army officials are investigating an email message sent out by someone at of an installation in Alabama in which he claimed that Make America Great Again and the celebration of Columbus Day were expressions of white supremacy.

As reported by Breitbart News, the email contained a graphic which listed behaviors deemed to be acts and demonstrations of white supremacy, including, Celebration of Columbus Day, the Denial of White Privilege, Talking about American Exceptionalism, and saying Theres Only One Human Race.

The email was sent by Chaney Pickard with the U.S. Army Aviation & Missile Center on an official government account.

The message invited all soldiers and (Department of the Army) Civilian Personnel to come to the U.S. Armys Operation Inclusion seminars held July 8 and 9 at the Redstone Arsenal Army Base in Alabama. It cited the U.S. Army Equity & Inclusion Agency and Assistant Secretary of the Army  Manpower and Reserve Affairs as the authors.

A U.S. Army employee on Monday sent an email invite to likely thousands of military and civilian members for a U.S. Army Operation Inclusion listening tour, which included a graphic that said saying MAGA is evidence of white supremacy. The Army says it was sent in error,' Breitbart national security reporter Kristina Wong wrote on Twitter in a post that included the graphic.

A U.S. Army employee on Monday sent an email invite to likely thousands of military and civilian members for a U.S. Army 'Operation Inclusion' listening tour, which included a graphic that said saying "MAGA" is evidence of white supremacy. The Army says it was "sent in error." pic.twitter.com/NUvm0lMVMh  Kristina Wong  (@kristina_wong) July 9, 2020

Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), who was alerted to the email and graphic, was furious and demanded that whoever was responsible for them be immediately dismissed.

Calling the material deeply offensive and racist, he added the email is a clear violation of the Hatch Act, which prohibits military members and government employees from engaging in political activities at work.

Disturbingly, the Army chose Redstone Arsenal as the first location on a tour that will cover all Army 4 star commands, Brooks added.

Numerous Redstone Arsenal employees have expressed outrage to me about the U.S. Army blatantly violating the Hatch Act and, in effect, labeling patriotic Americans White Supremacists and racists if they say or do dozens of things outlined in the U.S. Army email, Brooks wrote in a letter to U.S. Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy, in which he demanded an investigation.

Specifically, according to Breitbart, Brooks wants to know:

1. Who within the Department of the Army is responsible for the creation of the email and document?

2. Who within the Department of the Army approved the email and document?

3. Pursuant to the creation and approval of the document, was there a violation of either the Hatch Act or DoD Directive 1344.10?

4. If a violation of the Hatch Act or DoD Directive 1344.10 is found to have occurred, will those responsible be held accountable for their actions?

5. If it is found that a violation occurred (which seems pretty obvious), how will those federal employees be held accountable for their illegal conduct?

He also sent copies of the letter to President Donald Trump, Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, and Attorney General William Barr, and other administration officials. (Related: California couple charged with a HATE crime for merely painting over Black Lives Matter street mural.)

ALL U.S. Army civilian and uniformed personnel who drafted, approved or sent this racist and politically partisan email, using government resources, should be prosecuted for their Hatch Act violations and summarily fired for blatantly and illegally injecting themselves into partisan political activities on government time using federal taxpayer money, he said in a statement, The Epoch Times reports.

The Army has since announced two things  that, indeed, the message was sent in error (fine  but who created the graphic and why?), and an investigation has begun.

On July 6, 2020, a Project Inclusion listening tour handout included two unapproved pages that were sent out in error and immediately recalled. The slides  copied from a non-government website  included a word cloud with phrases that were intended to spark conversation; however, the document was predecisional and inappropriate for the discussion. The unapproved pages were in no way used as part of the Your Voice Matters listening tour sessions, the Army said.

As soon as Department of the Army leaders were made aware of these products the Army initiated a 15-6 investigation to determine how this happened. The Army does not condone the use of phrases that indicate political support, the service branch continued, adding that it is and willremain an apolitical organization.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

Breitbart.com

NaturalNews.com
Image from the encounter site of gangster Vikas Dubey (Courtesy: ANI)

Gangster Vikas Dubey was killed in an encounter on July 10 when he tried to flee after a road accident, police said. He was being taken to Uttar Pradeshs Kanpur from Madhya Pradesh, where he had been arrested on July 9.

One of the police vehicles taking Dubey from to Kanpur overturned early morning on the highway. The car that overturned reportedly had Dubey in it.

Gangster Vikas Dubey attempted to flee after the car overturned. Police tried to make him surrender, during which he fired at the policemen. He was injured in retaliatory firing by police. He was later rushed to the hospital, Kanpur West SP has said.

Follow our LIVE blog for the latest updates

Dubey, on the run since organising the massacre of eight UP policemen in Kanpur on July 3, was arrested on July 9 at the Mahakal temple in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.

Four policemen were injured in the accident, Kanpur IG Mohit Agarwal said.

ADG Kanpur range, JN Singh said, "Dubey was injured in the encounter and he was declared dead in the hospital."

After the accident, Dubey snatched the pistol of an STF personnel and tried to flee but was surrounded by the police team and he was injured in an exchange of fire. He was rushed to the hospital, where he was declared dead.

The officer confirmed that Dubey "sustained injuries" but did not confirm to what extent, saying it would come in the postmortem report.

Also read: Vikas Dubey encounter | Truth will never come out, say netizens

Earlier, five members of Dubey gang were killed in separate encounters.

While on July 3, two of his associates, Prem Prakash Pandey and Atul Dubey, were killed by police in an encounter in Kanpur, on July 8 the police killed another aide, Amar Dubey, who carried a reward of Rs 50,000, in an encounter in Maudaha village in Hamirpur district.

On July 9, two more aides of gangster Vikas Dubey, wanted in connection with the Kanpur ambush, were killed in separate encounters in Kanpura and Etawah districts.

(With inputs from PTI)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 11:11:01|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, July 9 (Xinhua) -- The 2020 annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group will likely be held in a primarily virtual format, the leaders of the two institutions announced Thursday.

In a joint statement, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and World Bank Group President David Malpass said they are recommending the annual meetings, scheduled for Oct. 12-18, be held in a "primarily virtual format," given the ongoing health concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"While we are preparing for a virtual scenario, we remain flexible with the format of the meetings in light of developments and will work, in consultation with our Executive Boards, to accommodate the needs of our membership," the statement read.

The annual meetings usually bring thousands of government officials, business people, journalists and other representatives from across the globe to the two institutions' headquarters in downtown Washington D.C.

"Our goal is to serve our membership effectively while ensuring the health and safety of Annual Meetings' participants, staff, and the local community in the Washington DC area," the statement added.

In April, the two multilateral institutions already held the 2020 IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings in a virtual format. Enditem
NAEA Propertymark has announced that it is entering into a new partnership with real estate technology scale up programme, REACH UK.

The trade body says that joining forces with the US venture capital-backed programme, will help its members navigate through the world of technology by selecting the best start-ups and launching them into the marketplace.

REACH is backed by NAEA Propertymarks bilateral partner in the United States, the National Association of Realtors. With a presence in the US, Australia, Canada, and the UK, the REACH UK participants will have access to:

Mentoring from more than 350 real estate and technology thought leaders and executives from major real estate brokerages and brands, technology companies and venture capitalists.

Education on how to navigate the trillion-dollar global property industry with the backing of the worlds largest trade association and its $5 billion brand.

Exclusive access to more than a dozen of the property industrys top conferences, tradeshows and networking events.

A global network of highly talented, like-minded entrepreneurs, including more than 100 REACH alumni companies and curated programme sponsors.

REACH has attracted technology start-ups developing solutions for multiple aspects of the real estate industry, including marketing automation, pay at close renovation, agent safety, leasing, lending, transaction management and tokenization, among others. Participating companies show impressive results both during and after programme completion. Specifically, REACH companies have in total raised more than $350 million of follow-on financing and have secured key partnerships with DocuSign, Google, Facebook, Coldwell Banker, RE/MAX and Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. Graduating REACH companies have also seen revenue, customer and/or user growth rates increase between 50 and 2,000%.

The REACH UK application process will open on 31 July and close on 30th September with selected companies announced in November 2020. The 8 to 9 month virtual and event-based programme will kick off in February 2021.

Mark Hayward, Chief Executive of NAEA Propertymark said: Proptech is an exciting and growing industry in the UK and the launch of REACH UKs scale-up programme comes at a time when many start-ups will be concerned about their future as a result of COVID-19. This programme will allow them to develop a piece of technology that will make a difference from the very beginning, with early engagement from the sector to make sure that the products work for property agents. We have seen that the programme has had great success in the US and look forward to working with the team to see proptech businesses flourish.

Valentina Shegoyan, Managing Partner of REACH UK said: We are excited to work with Propertymark to share the mission of equipping estate agents with the right tools and transforming the industry to reinforce that estate agents remain essential to consumers. We also provide the industry with unique access to programme participants where they can provide direct feedback to help shape and drive the technology. Estate agents will be able to access exclusive insight via our Insight Panel.
By Express News Service

CUTTACK: As a mark of protest against alleged delay by State Bar Council in providing financial assistance to needy advocates in view of the pandemic, a lawyer sold vegetables outside the Orissa High Court here on Thursday.

Sapan Kumar Pal, who sold vegetables from 8 am to 1 pm, said most of the lawyers in the city have no work for over three months now with the High Court and lower courts remaining closed due to the shutdown or functioning only to attend urgent matters through video conferencing. But the Council is yet to provide them financial assistance. It seems like we will now have to sell vegetables to eke out living, he said.

On April 5, the Bar Council of India had approved the Odisha State Bar Council Emergency Financial Assistance Rules, 2020, under which, lawyers in need of financial assistance for his/her sustenance during the crisis would be provided `10,000 in accordance with the procedure prescribed in the Rules.

The Council had invited applications for the fund from lawyers of different bar associations across the State by May 10.

State Bar Council sources said 15,000 applications had been received and scrutiny is on to prepare the list of lawyers eligible to get the financial assistance.

The Odisha State Bar Council Advocates Welfare Corpus Fund had been constituted for the purpose. So far, Rs 32 lakh has been donated to the Corpus Fund by lawyers with more than 15 years of practice.
North Korean Leaders Sister Says Another US Meeting Isnt Likely, Wants July 4th DVDs

Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said a new meeting with President Donald Trump in 2020 wouldnt be possible. Instead, she requested DVDs of Fourth of July celebrations in the United States.

In a statement via the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim said she and her brother sent well-wishes to Trump, but she stipulated that its not the right time to have their third meeting.

It is still my personal opinion, however, I doubt that things like the DPRK-U.S. summit talks would happen this year, she said, referring to North Koreas official name. But Im still questioning it. Thats because a surprise thing may still happen, depending upon the judgement and decision between the two top leaders (sic), according to the agency.

Trump hasnt yet to request a meeting with Kim.

At this point of time, when we look back on the early (sic) 2019, the U.S., had the possibility to first disable our nuclear mainstay and mess up our long-term nuclear programme by putting on airs of partially lifting sanctions, she added, saying that its not possible to de-nuclearize at the moment.

Later in her statement, Kim Yo Jong said she obtained permission to get DVDs of the Fourth of July celebrations.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his sister Kim Yo Jong attend a meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the Peace House at the truce village of Panmunjom inside the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, South Korea, on April 27, 2018. (Korea Summit Press Pool/Pool via Reuters/File Photo)

Last but not the least (sic), I would like to give my impression on the celebrations for the U.S. Independence Day that Ive seen on TV a few days ago, Kim added. I have got the permission from Comrade Chairman to personally obtain, for sure, the DVD of the celebrations for the Independence Day in the future, if possible.

Im trying to personally obtain DVDs on U.S. Independence Day events from now on, and Ive also gotten approval from the Chairman for that, she said, according to KCNA.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Thursday he was very hopeful about resuming talks with North Korea about denuclearization and appeared to leave open the possibility of another summit between the countries leaders.

Kim Yo Jongs comments came a day after the U.S. point man for North Korea, Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun, wrapped up a three-day visit to Seoul where he rejected speculation he was seeking to meet North Korean officials during his trip, but said the United States was open to talks.

In June, the isolated, communist regime blew up an inter-liaison office near the North-South border after claiming that Seoul was allowing defectors to send leaflets over the border. At that time, Kim Yo Jong appeared to take the lead, sending numerous threatening statements to the South.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Another 346 Vietnamese citizens have been brought home after being stranded in the United States due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

A flight was arranged by Vietnamese agencies, the Vietnamese Embassy in the U.S., national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, and U.S. authorities to repatriate the citizens on Wednesday and Thursday.

The passengers aboard the flight were mostly children, pregnant women, students who have had difficulty finding accommodations since the pandemic began or have had visa extension issues, businessmen, and intellectuals.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Washington, D.C. also tasked several officials with assisting the citizens in completing necessary procedures at Dulles International Airport in the U.S. capital city.

Preventive measures were taken during the flight to stop any spread of COVID-19.

After landing at Hanois Noi Bai International Airport, crew members and passengers had their body temperatures checked and were put in collective quarantine in accordance with regulations.

Under the prime ministers direction, Vietnamese authorities and representative offices abroad will continue arranging flights to bring Vietnamese citizens home, based on their wishes and the capacity of local quarantine facilities.

Vietnams COVID-19 tally stands at 369, with 347 having recovered and zero deaths, according to Ministry of Health statistics.

The country has not documented a community infection in the past 84 days.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
The arrest of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker in connection with the breaking of a statue of Kanhu Murmu, one of the four leaders of the 1855 Santhal rebellion against the British and local landlords, has triggered political tension in Bengals Purulia district.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) lost the Purulia Lok Sabha seat to the BJP in 2019. The panchayat polls in Purulia were marked by violence in 2018.

The alleged vandalism on July 7 took place at the village of Sandhya Rani Tudu, a TMC tribal leader and minister of state for backward classes welfare. The village is located in the Manbazar assembly constituency that Tudu represents.

The statue was installed on a school ground on June 30 to mark the Hool festival observed by the Santhal community. The local fair committee accused Baidyanath Mandi, a BJP worker, in its police complaint.

Mandi, a local resident, was arrested on Wednesday, said Partha Bhunia, officer-in-charge of Manbazar police station.

Bengal sees highest one-day jump of 1,088 Covid-19 cases, toll at 854

TMC has targeted the BJP, comparing the incident to the vandalism of the bust of 19th century educationist and social reformer Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar at a college in Kolkata during a poll rally by BJP leader Amit Shah in May 2019. It became a raging issue in the Lok Sabha polls but the BJP managed to win 18 of the states 42 seats, marking its best ever performance in Bengal.

@BJP4Bengal has sworn to attack and destroy every grain of Bengals cultural heritage. First, they vandalized Vidyasagars statue and now they have vandalized the statue of revered tribal hero Kanho Murmu in Purulia. We strongly condemn such acts of iconoclasm, TMC tweeted on Thursday.

Our workers will visit door-to-door across households in Purulia and collect soil from their homes to reconstruct and reinstate the statue of the tribal icon to pay our respects and immortalize his contributions in the district, TMC said in another tweet.

Also Read: BJP ally IPFT holds protest in Tripura over arrest of supporter

BJP has alleged that the vandalism is a conspiracy to malign it as TMC is fast losing ground in the states tribal belts before the 2021 assembly polls.

BJP has risen exponentially in the tribal belts and won the Lok Sabha seats of Purulia, Bishnupur and Midnapore where tribals constitute a sizable section of the voting population. The ruling party made tall promises in these regions but delivered nothing in nine years, Khagen Murmu, BJP Lok Sabha member from the Malda North seat and president of the partys scheduled tribe front in Bengal, told HT.

We will not tolerate this and start an agitation not only in Purulia but in other districts. TMC knows that its days are numbered. Hence, it is trying to rake up an issue by staging an act of vandalism. No tribal will ever touch a statue of Kanhu Murmu, Murmu added.

Mandi is known to be an honest man and he takes part in our party programmes. It is not possible for one man to dismantle the statue from its foundation. Also, it is not possible to evade detection as policemen are always around since the minister and her family lives in the village, said BJP Purulia district unit president Bidyasagar Chakraborty.
BOSTON, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Torii, Inc., a technology company and real estate brokerage serving the Greater Boston area and the San Francisco Bay Area, today announced the newest release of its popular "swiper" technology in its app (free on iOS and Android) and on web. Torii's real estate listings search allows prospective home buyers to discover houses like no other real estate service, letting users swipe right to "favorite" a house listing and swipe left to "block" a listing (or remove it from search results). Users of popular dating apps will feel at home with the swiping feature.

According to recent research from the National Association of Realtors, the majority of home buyers find the home they will purchase online or via an app, and say that finding the right property is the most difficult part of the buying process. With Torii, after swiping through listings, buyers will begin to see more recommended properties based on their interests, saving them valuable time.

"It seems like every real estate company has the same disorganized way of searching for homes, and it can be frustrating as a buyer to see the same listings over and over. That's why we created this "swiper" method, which allows Torii users to block listings they aren't interested in or save listings they like or want to know more about," said Torii co-founder and Product Design lead Zach Gorman.

Torii allows home buyers to search by address, town, zip code, price, and more, filtering for important details like square footage or number of bedrooms. They can also see results on a more traditional list or map view.

Torii's swiper search is the latest addition to a suite of home buyer tools and services provided by the two year old company to make home buying easier and less stressful. Mike R., who closed on a property this year with Torii, said, "Every expectation we had [about working with Torii] was completely blown away. Searching for homes on the app and submitting our offer was so easy."

About Torii

Torii is a comprehensive real estate buying solution, combining innovative technology and incredible service to create the easiest way to buy a home, saving clients valuable time and money. When you work with Torii, our goal is to get to know you and to help you find community as you become a part of ours. Founded in 2017 by James Rogers and Zach Gorman, Torii operates in the Boston, Massachusetts and San Francisco Bay Area, California areas. All Torii home buyers are matched with an expert, licensed real estate agent and provided with a full-service team including attorney, lender, and more. Torii pays for closing costs, saving each home buyer an average of over $6,000. Learn more and join the Torii community at https://www.torii.properties .

Media Contact:

Alyssa Loring

[email protected]

SOURCE Torii

Related Links

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Technavio has been monitoring the K-12 blended E-learning market and it is poised to grow by USD 12.27 billion during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of almost 14% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200710005124/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global K-12 Blended E-Learning Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact

The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. D2L Corp., Docebo Inc., Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Co., Instructure Inc., K12 Inc., Pearson Plc, Promethean Ltd., Providence Equity Partners LLC, Scholastic Corp., and Think Learn Pvt. Ltd. are some of the major market participants. The need for cost-effective teaching model will offer immense growth opportunities. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

Need for cost-effective teaching model has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market.

K-12 blended E-learning Market 2020-2024: Segmentation

K-12 blended E-learning Market is segmented as below:

Product Hardware Content System Solutions Others

Geography North America APAC Europe South America MEA



To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR43632

K-12 blended E-learning Market 2020-2024: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our K-12 blended E-learning market report covers the following areas:

K-12 blended E-learning Market Size

K-12 blended E-learning Market Trends

K-12 blended E-learning Market Industry Analysis

This study identifies need for SCORM-compliant content as one of the prime reasons driving the K-12 blended E-learning market growth during the next few years.

K-12 blended E-learning Market 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of vendors operating in the K-12 blended E-learning market, including some of the vendors such as D2L Corp., Docebo Inc., Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Co., Instructure Inc., K12 Inc., Pearson Plc, Promethean Ltd., Providence Equity Partners LLC, Scholastic Corp., and Think Learn Pvt. Ltd. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the K-12 blended E-learning market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports.

Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform

K-12 blended E-learning Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024

Detailed information on factors that will assist K-12 blended E-learning market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the K-12 blended E-learning market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the K-12 blended E-learning market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of K-12 blended E-learning market vendors

Table Of Contents:

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis

Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2019

Market outlook: Forecast for 2019 2024

Five Forces Analysis

Five forces summary

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

Market Segmentation by Product

Market segments

Comparison by Product

Hardware Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Content Market size and forecast 2019-2024

System Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Solutions Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Others Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the market

Market opportunity by Product

Customer Landscape

Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

North America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

APAC Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Europe Market size and forecast 2019-2024

South America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

MEA Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic globally

Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography

Market Drivers

Market Challenges

Market Trends

Vendor Landscape

Overview

Vendor landscape

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

D2L Corp.

Docebo Inc.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Co.

Instructure Inc.

K12 Inc.

Pearson Plc

Promethean Ltd.

Providence Equity Partners LLC

Scholastic Corp.

Think Learn Pvt. Ltd.

Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200710005124/en/

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 22:22:44|Editor: huaxia

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THE HAGUE, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The Dutch government on Friday decided to bring Russia before the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) "for its role in the downing of Flight MH17."

"By submitting an inter-State application, the government is sharing all available and relevant information about the downing of Flight MH17 with the ECtHR," the Dutch government stated, adding "The contents of the inter-State application will also be incorporated into the Netherlands' intervention in the individual applications submitted by the victims' next of kin against Russia to the ECtHR. By taking this course of action the government is offering maximum support to these individual cases."

"Achieving justice for 298 victims of the downing of Flight MH17 is and will remain the government's highest priority," said Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Stef Blok in a press release. "By taking this step today -- bringing a case before the ECtHR and thus supporting the applications of the next of kin as much as we can -- we are moving closer to this goal."

Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 crashed in the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014, while flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. All 298 people on board died, including 196 Dutch citizens.

A report published by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT), which comprises of representatives from the governments of the Netherlands, Australia, Malaysia, Belgium and Ukraine, in September 2016 alleged that the plane was shot down by a Russian-made Buk missile fired from a region in eastern Ukraine controlled by independence-seeking insurgents.

Russia has denied any involvement in the downing of MH17. Enditem
Alaska Communications

In Anchorage, Alaska Communications is bringing locally hosted Microsoft Azure Stack Hub cloud services to Alaska. The move will lower the latency rate (the delay before transferring data) experienced by broadband users. Alaska Communications provides broadband and managed IT services for businesses and consumers in Alaska.




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A recording of Johnny Depp begging ex-wife Amber Heard to 'cut him' while he wielded a knife in front of her was played to the High Court today.

The audio recording taken by Amber Heard was yet another piece of evidence in her claims that he abused her on 14 separate occasions.

In the clip, Depp can be heard saying: 'My f***ing knife. Cut me. You want to cut me?' He later adds: 'Cut me. If you dont, I will.'

On the stand today, Depp was quizzed about the recording by QC Sasha Wass, who is defending The Sun after the actor sued the newspaper for libel for calling him a 'wife beater'.

Commenting on the muffled audio dating back to July 2016  and recorded in a hotel a month before their divorce - Ms Wass said: 'You're threatening to cut yourself in front of Ms Heard and you're actually holding a knife at the time.'

Depp said: 'I was asking her to cut me... I felt that was what she was doing anyway.'

The 57-year-old actor is being cross-examined on the fourth day of his libel trial at the High Court in London, where he is facing questions about alleged assault against his ex-wife in LA in 2016.

Depp today accused Amber Heard of drinking two bottles of wine a night, chopping up lines of cocaine for herself, secretly filming him, having an affair and irrationally flying off the handle if he did not feed her 'need for attention'.

Other developments in court today included:

Depp was accused of throwing a phone at Amber Heard and calling her 'Amber Turd' after she allegedly defecated in their bed after a blazing row on her 30th birthday party;

He showed up two hours late to the birthday party after receiving some 'bad financial news' and retired to bed after her guests had gone instead of celebrating with her;

She accuses him of throwing a magnum of champagne at her and pulling her hair in the ensuing row;

The next day, Depp discovered someone - he believed Heard - had defecated in their marital bed;

Defecation made him settle on divorce before Heard accused him of throwing a phone at her in a later row;

Trans activist iO Tillet Wright and fighter Raquel Pennington were present during alleged phone throwing;

All three claim Depp assaulted Heard in May 2016 incident; he has accused them of 'choreographed hoax';

Depp threatened to 'slice off' Elon Musk's 'd***' in rant to Lady Gaga's ex-fiance, High Court heard;

57-year-old actor accused Heard of having affair with SpaceX founder, which billionaire Musk denies.

On the stand today, Depp was quizzed about the recording by QC Sasha Wass, who is defending The Sun after the actor sued the newspaper for libel for calling him a 'wife beater'.

The audio recording taken by Amber Heard was yet another piece of evidence in her claims that he abused her on 14 separate occasions.

The court was shown a photograph of Heard's bruised face after she claims Depp hurled a phone at her face as they argued over the so-called 'defecation incident' a month after the Hollywood legend decided to divorce his wife over the soiling of their bed.

The actor told the court he believes that Heard, 34, was responsible for the defecation but under questioning admitted that it could have been her 'crass' trans activist friend iO Tillet Wright.

He arrived at Heard's birthday party on April 21, 2016 around two hours late after receiving some bad news about his financial affairs from his accountants and smoking cannabis to relieve his stress.

Depp asks Amber Heard to cut him in recording DEPP My f***ing knife. Cut me. You want to cut me? You want to see some shit? You want [INDISCERNIBLE 00:32:33]. Cut me. Cut me wherever you want. Cut me. HEARD This is really pretty. DEPP Thanks. You want to cut me somewhere? HEARD Do I want to cut you? DEPP Yeah. You want an arm? You want chest? Where do you want? Where do you want the scar? Where do you want it? Cut me. HEARD Dont cut your skin. Please do not cut your skin. Please dont. DEPP Cut me. HEARD Why would I do that? DEPP It's easy. HEARD Dont. Please do not do that. Please do not do that. DEPP Cut me. HEARD Please dont. Please dont cut yourself. You dont need to cut yourself. DEPP I need to do what I want. HEARD I know. I know it hurts. I feel the same way. DEPP Cut me. I want your mark. HEARD You're hurt. DEPP No, you dont. They're gone. FEMALE 1: Housekeeping. DEPP No, thank you. No, thank you. There's sperm on the pillows. Cut me. If you dont, I will. Cut me. Eliot Spitzer won't ask for this because he's a f***ing conservative prick. Cut. HEARD Dont. Dont. Please dont. Dont, dont cut yourself. Please dont cut yourself. DEPP: Cut. Cut. HEARD Please dont cut yourself. Please. I know it hurts. DEPP You do it. HEARD I would never cut you. DEPP Cut me. HEARD I would never do that to you. Please dont. DEPP Come on, pussy. HEARD I'm a pussy? HEARD Dont do that. Dont. Dont. Dont. Dont. Dont. DEPP Dont you tell me HEARD Please don't do that. DEPP Dont tell me. HEARD Put the knife down. DEPP Dont. HEARD Just put the fucking knife down. DEPP Tell me. HEARD Dont. Dont do that. Do not do that, Johnny. Please. You're going to hurt DEPP I want to look at you. HEARD You're going to hurt yourself. Please dont. DEPP I want to look at you. HEARD I know you're in pain, but stop. Please dont DEPP There's a way for the pain to go away. Advertisement

The Hollywood legend admitted that he went to bed to read a book after Heard's guests had gone and started arguing with her about his behaviour.

As the confrontation escalated, Heard claims that her ex-husband threw a magnum champagne bottle at her and shoved her to the floor several times before leaving a note reading 'Happy F***ing Birthday'.

Depp claims that Heard had been 'drinking heavily' and attacked him while he was reading in bed, punching him in the face four times before he grabbed her arms to stop her.

He says the next day Heard or one of her friends 'defecated' in their marital bed, and he believes Heard was responsible after she later told the building manager that it was 'just a harmless prank' - at which point Depp 'resolved' to divorce her.

He denied that their small dog could have been responsible for the faeces, but admitted that Wright could have been responsible and he could not be certain it was Heard. The actor also admitted laughing about the faeces the day after the incident and making 'Amber Turd' jokes.

A month later he came to collect his things from their LA apartment after deciding to divorce Heard over the defecation incident and another row began, during which Heard claims he threw the phone but Depp claims he did not touch her.

Depp is suing The Sun for libel after it labelled him a 'wife beater'. He called the accusation 'utter falsity' and 'fraudulent' and has claimed Heard abused him throughout their marriage.

Sasha Wass QC, representing The Sun's publisher News Group Newspapers, began today's hearing by asking Depp about Heard's 30th birthday party at the Eastern Columbia Building in LA in April 2016.

The barrister said Depp had arrived late at the party after being given some 'rather unfortunate news' about his financial affairs at a meeting.

She asked him: 'Did you ingest any recreational drugs to relieve your stress?'

He replied: 'Very likely that I would have smoked some marijuana to calm myself.'

Ms Wass then said Depp had arrived at about 10pm and the rest of the party had finished dinner and were drinking magnums of wine.

Depp said: 'I was in a low state in my mind, it wasn't a pleasant thing I had just been through.'

Ms Wass asked: 'Your account of this evening is that you went to bed after the guests had gone and you were reading... no conversation with Ms Heard?'

Depp replied: 'Ms Heard was venting how upset she was that I was so late for her birthday dinner and that I had made a fool of her and that I didn't care and everybody was talking about how awful it was of me to do such a thing and it ramped up and became aggressive... she was very, very angry.'

He added: 'I was lying in bed after the birthday dinner, I got in the bed and started reading, trying to avoid any confrontation with Ms Heard.'

Ms Wass asked Depp if he was really reading a book on his ex-wife's birthday when she had said she was upset he was late to her party.

He replied: 'I thought her behaviour regarding the subject of my tardiness to her birthday dinner, I though that it was too much... her anger, her rage... when I had been texting Ms Heard, telling her 'I am so sorry, I'm going to be late'.'

The actor then said he did not recall which book he was reading, or whether it was a book or one of his journals.

He added: 'But the reason that I went straight to bed to start to read was because I was trying to avoid yet another confrontation with Ms Heard about something that didn't go exactly as she had planned or expected.'

Depp was re-examined by his barrister at the High Court in London after days of damaging allegations by his ex-wife Heard that he attacked her on 14 separate occasions in his libel action against The Sun.

He accused the 34-year-old actress of undermining his effort to go sober by keeping a bottle of Bulleit bourbon in the fridge for him as she drank up to three bottles of wine a night and routinely took recreational drugs.

Depp claimed that Heard 'definitely poured me whisky' and chopped cocaine for him before rubbing it 'on her gum' as the High Court heard about her 'history of substance abuse, including addiction to cocaine and liquor'.

The 57-year-old actor said his ex-wife would go ballistic at 'small, mundane issues' such as whether she took his boots off or whether he put his arm around her while watching TV on the sofa.

He told the High Court today: 'It was almost as if there were rules, she has a routine and if that routine isn't met to her standards then there was going to be a problem.'

Depp's barrister David Sherborne asked what would happen if he broke his ex-wife's 'rules', to which Depp replied: 'An argument would ensue and all hell would break loose.'

The actor also claimed that Heard repeatedly secretly filmed him and claimed that his notorious video rant shown to court on Tuesday in which he said 'I'll give you f***ing crazy' had 'nothing to do with' Heard.

Fielding questions from Sherborne, he told the High Court: 'The monster story was something that Ms Heard... she rather liked the idea that I was the monster.

'If you have had an argument and you are trying to explain your position in an argument and things do escalate, that for her would become the monster.

'Any time I didn't comply or agree with what was her position, then she would call it the monster and then the monster grew from there into this whole whatever she wanted it to be, and she used it quite a lot.'

Depp is suing The Sun for libel after it labelled him a 'wife beater'. He has called the accusation 'utter falsity' and 'fraudulent' and has claimed Heard abused him throughout their marriage.

JOHNNY TAKES THE STAND

Mr Sherborne asked Depp about the 'monster' and his responses to Ms Wass during cross-examination that it was a term he used to 'placate' Ms Heard, with which the actor agreed.

Depp told the court: 'This is an odd example, but I think it is representative on the whole.

'Ms Heard was in the habit of, when I returned home from work and sat down on the couch, that she would come over to me and take my boots off, unlace my boots and take them off me, which was a beautiful, lovely gesture.

'I always thought it was a very kind, loving gesture.

'At one point I came home and sat on the couch and she was doing something, I can't remember ... so I took my boots off, and she approached me and said, 'What did you do, why did you take your boots off? That is my job'.

'I said, 'Well you were busy, I just took them off', and that made her very upset and that became an argument, it escalated to an argument.'

The actor added that taking off boots is 'such a small, mundane issue' and that was 'where it would go'.

Depp told the court: 'Normally, when we were at home we would have dinner in front of the television and lay on the couch together or sit on the couch together, and that was normal for us, that is what we would do.

'But on occasion, out of nowhere, if my hand wasn't holding Ms Heard's hand or I didn't have my arm around her or whatever, she would reach over and grab my hand and put it on her thigh, so that I was then feeding the attention that she wanted.

'It was almost as if there were rules, she has a routine and if that routine isn't met to her standards then there was going to be a problem.'

Mr Sherborne asked what would happen if Depp broke his ex-wife's 'rules', to which he replied: 'An argument would ensue and all hell would break loose.'

THE 14 TIMES JOHNNY DEPP IS ACCUSED OF ATTACKING AMBER HEARD 1. Early 2013 Heard says Depp was completely sober until early 2013, and around that time he allegedly hit her for the first time when they were in Los Angeles. She claims Depp later cried and apologised, telling her that he sometimes turns into 'the monster' when he snaps. Depp has 'expressly denied' hitting Heard and said that, around early 2013, he had 'confined himself to drinking wine and using marijuana, having been sober from around December 2011 to August 2012'. 2. March 8, 2013 Heard claims Depp was angry she had hung up a painting by her ex-partner Tasya Van Ree by her bed in her LA home, then tried to set the painting on fire and hit her 'so hard that blood from her lip ended up on the wall'. Depp, however, says he simply asked Heard to move the painting from the bedroom 'as a courtesy' and that she had an 'extreme reaction'. He also says a text he later sent describing the evening as a 'disco bloodbath' was to 'placate Ms Heard' and not an apology for alleged violence. 3. June 2013 Heard and Depp were in Hicksville, US with a group of people including Heard's sister Whitney and Depp's assistant Nathan Holmes. Heard says Depp, who was 'taking drugs', became 'enraged' and 'jealous' when one of her friends touched her, and he then threw glasses at her, ripped her dress and damaged the cabin they were staying in. Depp says he drank and took magic mushrooms, as did Heard and her friends who also took MDMA. He claims Heard's friend touched Heard in an 'extremely sexual manner' and he spoke to her to ask her to stop. 4. May 24, 2014 The pair took a private plan from Boston to LA: Heard says that during the flight Depp, who had been drinking heavily, threw objects at her, pushed a chair at her, slapped her and kicked her in the back before passing out in the toilet. Depp says Heard 'began to harangue him' as he was sketching in a notebook, he then tried to 'playfully tap her on the bottom with his foot', at which Heard took 'great offence' and 'continued to verbally berate' him. 5. August 17, 2014 The couple went to the Bahamas, Depp says to 'cure his dependence on painkillers', although Heard claims he was trying to give up other drugs too. Heard says Depp had 'several manic episodes' and his private doctor had to be flown over to help. She alleges that he slapped, kicked and grabbed by the hair during an attack. Depp alleges Heard stopped a nurse from giving him treatment while he was going through withdrawal. 6. December 17, 2014 Heard says Depp was 'violent towards' her in LA, and later texted calling himself a 'f****** savage' and a 'lunatic'. Depp denies any allegation of violence and says NGN has 'failed to provide any particulars of the alleged violence'. 7. January 25, 2015 While the couple were in Tokyo, Japan, Heard claims Depp shoved and slapped her and grabbed her by the hair, before standing over her and shouting while she was on the floor - which Mr Depp denies. 8. Around March 3-5, 2015 Depp is said to have repeatedly assaulted Heard after an argument over his alleged use of MDMA during a three-day trip to Australia. She says he stayed up all night, taking pills and drinking, and then attacked her again the next morning. Heard says, the following night, Depp pushed her into a table tennis table, tore off her nightgown and attacked her, before smashing a telephone into a wall and severing the top of his middle finger. She also claims he had written messages to her around the house in a mixture of paint and blood from his finger, which Depp admits doing while 'in shock', as well as having 'urinated all over the house in an attempt to write messages', which he denies. Depp says Heard was in 'a prolonged and extreme rage' following an argument over a post-nuptial agreement. He says he then 'broke my sobriety' with several glass of vodka, before Heard threw a bottle at him, severing the top of his finger, and stubbed a cigarette out on his cheek. 9. March 2015 Heard says Depp became 'enraged' when they were in LA with her sister and began destroying things in the house before hitting her 'hard and repeatedly'. She also claims he tried to push her sister down the stairs before hitting Heard again. Depp, however, says Heard was 'berating him in a rage' as he tried to leave, threw a can of Red Bull at him and punched him in the face before he finally left. 10. August 2015 While they were on the Eastern and Oriental Express in south east Asia, Heard alleges Depp 'picked a fight' with her, hit her and pushed her against a wall by the throat, 'causing her to fear for her life' - which is denied by Depp. 11. November 26, 2015 In LA, Depp is alleged to have ripped Heard's shirt and 'threw her around the room', also throwing a wine glass and a 'heavy glass decanter' at her, as well as pushing her over a chair which caused her to bang her head against a wall. Depp says they were in LA for Thanksgiving, but denies any allegation of abuse. 12. December 15, 2015 Heard claims Depp threw a decanter at her in their penthouse in LA, then slapped her and dragged her through the apartment by her hair, allegedly pulling 'large chunks of hair' from Heard's scalp. She says he then followed her upstairs and pushed her to the floor while shouting 'you think you're a f****** tough guy' before headbutting her. Heard says that when she told Depp she wanted to leave him he grabbed her and screamed: 'I f****** will kill you - I'll f****** kill you, you hear me?' Depp, though, says 'Ms Heard fabricated the alleged violence', falsely claiming that 'blonde hair on the floor was her hair'. He also claims that 'the only violence committed on that date was by Ms Heard', who allegedly 'violently attacked' him. 13. April 21, 2016 Heard says Depp arrived at her birthday party at their LA home late, 'drunk and high on drugs' and they had an argument after the guests had left. She claims he threw a bottle of champagne at her and shoved her to the floor several times before leaving a note reading: 'Happy F****** Birthday.' Depp says he arrived at the party around two hours late following a meeting with his new business manager and accountants, and that he was not on drugs but 'shocked from what he had learnt at the meeting about his business affairs'. He claims Heard had been 'drinking heavily' and attacked him while he was reading in bed, punching him in the face four times before he grabbed her arms to stop her. Depp says the next day Heard or one of her friends 'defecated in Mr Depp's and Ms Heard's bed', and that Heard later told the building manager Kevin Murphy that it was 'just a harmless prank' - at which he point he 'then resolved to divorce Ms Heard'. 14. May 21, 2016 Depp arrived at their LA apartment, allegedly 'drunk and high' while Heard was there with friends. Heard said Depp became 'very angry', throwing her phone at her and hitting her in the eye before smashing 'everything he could' with a magnum of champagne. He says he went to the apartment with two security guards to collect his belongings after Heard and her sister 'repeatedly' tried to contact him. Depp claims his two security guards entered the room when they heard Heard shouting, and saw her 'repeatedly screaming, 'stop hitting me, Johnny'' while he was 20 feet away in the kitchen. He also says that two police officers who attended the apartment after the incident 'saw no injuries or bruising or swelling'. 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'She had difficulty dealing with feelings of insecurity and jealousy'

Mr Sherborne asked Depp if, other than Heard, 'has any woman ever accused you of hitting them in your 57 years?' Depp replied: 'No, sir.'

The barrister then read out medical notes on Ms Heard, which referred to her 'history of substance abuse, including addiction to cocaine and liquor'.

The notes also referred to Heard having had 'severe outbursts of anger and rage' and having 'reported (an) increase in verbal disagreements resulting in... anxiety'.

It continued that Heard 'expressed she had difficulty dealing with feelings of insecurity and jealousy when not in the presence of her husband'.

Mr Sherborne asked: 'Does this accord with how you experienced Ms Heard or not?'

Depp replied: 'Yes.'

The barrister asked Depp about questions put to him by The Sun's barrister Sasha Wass QC on Wednesday.

Mr Sherborne asked about Depp's contention that Heard 'was not always entirely supportive in terms of the challenges you faced with alcohol and drugs'.

Depp said: 'Ms Heard kept whiskey, a bottle of whiskey, Bulleit bourbon, in the freezer for me.

'A shot would be poured when I arrived, even if Ms Heard was asleep. When I arrived there would be a shot of whiskey on the nightstand.'

Mr Sherborne also asked about Depp's evidence that Ms Heard would drink 'two or three bottles' of wine a night.

The actor said: 'It was normally two bottles a night.'

Mr Sherborne then referred to 'examples of Ms Heard's use of drugs', including an email she sent to friends before they went to the Hicksville trailer park in June 2013.

The email asked all those attending 'to bring some food, booze and drug of choice - yay'.

Mr Sherborne asked: 'Does that accord with your understanding of what Ms Heard and her friends liked to do when they wanted to party?'

Depp replied: 'Yes, sir.'

'She definitely poured me whiskey... the lines of cocaine'

Mr Sherborne said it was suggested to Depp during his cross-examination by Sasha Wass, NGN's counsel, that it was 'nonsense' that Heard poured him whiskey and chopped lines of cocaine for him.

Depp said: 'She definitely poured me whiskey... the lines of cocaine... early in our relationship it was... very much like the boots thing.

'She would chop cocaine for me but she wouldn't ingest it through her nose ... she would rub it on her gum.'

Mr Sherborne referred to a schedule for Depp and Heard's wedding which detailed a 7pm rehearsal dinner and then said: 'After, dance party, drugs and music.'

The barrister said: 'So this is Ms Heard wanting to arrange drugs for her friends as part of the weekend wedding celebrations?'

Depp replied: 'I certainly didn't see this at the time ... but that seems to be the plan.'

Mr Sherborne said: 'And were there drugs at the wedding and rehearsal dinner?'

Depp replied: 'Yes.'

'Amber would have seen my Wino Forever tattoo countless times'

Mr Sherborne turned to the allegations of domestic violence, referring to 'the first alleged incident when you are supposed to have been physically violent towards Ms Heard' in early 2013.

Ms Heard alleges that Depp slapped her three times after she joked about a tattoo he had done on his arm during his relationship with actress Winona Ryder, which originally read 'Winona Forever', but was altered to 'Wino Forever' after they split.

Mr Sherborne asked when Depp had the tattoo altered, 'was it the beginning of 2013?'

Depp replied: 'No sir, the tattoo was altered in about 1993.'

Mr Sherborne said: 'So, throughout your relationship, in the 18 months or so before 2013 ... the tattoo had always read 'Wino Forever'?'

The actor replied: 'Yes, that's correct.'

He was asked if that was 'the first time Ms Heard had seen your tattoo', and said it was not.

Mr Sherborne continued: 'Can you explain how many times Ms Heard would have seen your tattoo?'

Depp said: 'By that time, it would be countless, endless times. My tattoos, they are not going anywhere, they're not moving.'

'Her sister applauded me for defacing her ex's painting'

Depp was asked about the second alleged incident of domestic violence, in March 2013, when he is said to have tried to set fire to a painting by Ms Heard's ex-partner Tasya van Ree and hit her 'so hard that blood from her lip ended up on the wall', which he denies.

Mr Sherborne asked: 'Did you, at any stage, set fire to this painting?'

Depp said: 'No, sir.'

He added that the suggestion that he tried to set fire to a painting with a wooden frame and glass with a cigarette lighter was 'rather ridiculous'.

Mr Sherborne said it was alleged that Depp 'upset Ms Heard enormously when you disparaged' Ms van Ree, which 'caused a massive argument'.

But Mr Sherborne suggested that Heard 'had had some bad things to say herself, particularly just after she had split from Ms van Ree'.

Depp said: 'Yes, she had. When they broke up, she told me that Ms van Ree became quite upset, quite angry, and had to change the locks and kept all of her furniture, all of her things.'

Mr Sherborne read out text messages between Depp and Heard's sister, Whitney Henriquez, around the time of the second alleged incident.

Depp sent a photo to Henriquez of him having written 'Tasya van Pee' over 'Tasya van Ree' on the glass frame of one of her paintings.

The actor said Henriquez 'wasn't particularly enthusiastic about Ms van Ree and they had problems over the years and she hated her'.

The court heard Henriquez replied to Depp's text by saying: 'Well done, my friend, well done.

'The van Pee painting earns you 20 points in my book.'

Depp then texted her: 'Can't stand that f****** hovering vulture.'

Henriquez replied: 'She's the worst. Did sis (Ms Heard) notice the van Pee yet?'

Depp texted back: 'Oh yes, she laughed her arse off.'

Mr Sherborne told the court the painting incident was 'originally' said to have been the night before Depp was 'meant to be on the set of the Keith Richards documentary' the actor was making.

But he said the 'Keith Richards day argument ... took place on March 22 (2013), not March 8 as she originally says'.

'She had an affair with an old friend'

The barrister asked what sparked the argument between Depp and Heard, which she says was prompted by Ms van Ree's painting.

Depp said he had been told by a woman at a dinner party that Ms Heard 'had had an affair with' a friend of hers who lived in Spain.

He said Ms Heard had told him the man 'was just a friend and nothing had ever happened between them' before she went to visit him for around two weeks.

The actor continued: 'So I, for all intents and purposes, had found Ms Heard to be lying about the situation and her relationship with this man.

'Because I brought the truth up to Ms Heard at the time, Ms Heard was very upset ... I thought that we should sit and discuss it and get to the bottom of it so that I could know the truth.'

'You want to see crazy?' video

LAPD officer tells court redness she found 'no injuries' on Heard and said red cheeks were caused by 'crying' An LAPD officer said she attributed redness on Amber Heard's cheek to 'crying' and found no injuries when she was called to an alleged domestic abuse incident at the couple's penthouse. Officer Melissa Saenz said she responded to reports of violence with her partner officer Tyler Hadden at the colossal apartment in downtown LA on May 21, 2016. The policewoman said she inspected Heard in the hallway of the apartment after being led upstairs by a 'generic white male' whose name she did not record. She said she found no injuries and attributed the change in skin tone to Heard's crying. Giving evidence via video-link today officer Saenz said that the relationship between victim and perpetrator was often 'complex' in domestic violence cases. Advertisement

The 57-year-old went on to say that a video showing him allegedly flying into a drunken rage at Amber Heard was 'nothing to do with her at all' and was filmed three years before she says it took place.

The 90-second video, shown on the first day of Depp's blockbuster libel case against The Sun, appeared to show the pair arguing in the kitchen they shared together while an agitated looking Depp repeatedly slammed cupboard doors and kicked at a cabinet while shouting 'motherf*****'.

Depp is seen to grab a bottle of red wine which he pours into a large glass, described by The Sun's QC Sasha Wass as a 'mega-pint', while in a heated discussion with 34-year-old Heard.

He then appears to throw a wine bottle to the floor moments after telling Ms Heard 'I'll give you f***ing crazy'. The footage ends when the actor appears to notice he is being filmed and grabs the device from the kitchen counter.

Taking the stand at the High Court in London today, though, Depp insisted that he was not in an argument with his ex-wife and that the video was filmed without his knowledge while he was filming The Lone Ranger in 2013.

Being cross-examined by his lawyer David Sherborne, he said: 'I had a bad night and it was proving to be a very bad morning already. I don't remember exactly but... I don't believe it had anything to do with Ms Heard at all.'

Mr Sherborne asked: 'Did you know you were being filmed?'

The actor replied: 'No, I didn't. That's clear from my reaction.' He added: 'She kept trying to... hide when I got close and then she would change the angle, and then I finally saw she was filming me and, yes, that made me very upset because I couldn't understand why she would be filming me.'

The barrister said, and Depp agreed, that was not the only time Heard had recorded him during their relationship.

Depp said she used her phone 'constantly ... all the time', and took 'lots of photos of herself'.

The video, shown on the first day of Depp's libel case, shows Depp and Heard appearing to argue in the kitchen

Mr Sherborne asked Depp about Ms Wass's suggestion that 'you surround yourself with a group of people who all say yes to you about everything and never say no or stop you'.

He asked: 'If you were being violent to a woman, would you expect your security team or your assistants to turn a blind eye or let you get away with it?' Depp replied: 'Never.'

Mr Sherborne referred to incidents in the 1980s and 1990s which The Sun's QC asked the actor about on Tuesday.

He asked Depp about 'a press report where it was suggested that you were arrested on suspicion of assaulting a male security guard in 1989', and if he was charged over the incident.

Depp said: 'In 1989, the security guard took me to court. I hired a QC - this was in Vancouver, Canada - and I hired a QC, we went to trial two or three months later and, when the security guard arrived with his representatives, he had a neck brace on.

'This was three months after the incident and, essentially, it was thrown out.'

Depp with Kate Moss: 'Some guys play golf, some guys smash hotel rooms'

Commenting on accusations of a 'spat' with former girlfriend Kate Moss in a trashed New York hotel room in 1994 that landed him with a 10,000 payout fee, Depp said it never happened.

'Ms Moss wasn't involved in any of it, there was no spat,' the 57-year-old said.

'How long did you go out with Kate Moss for?' Mr Sherborne asked.

'Three and a half years,' came the reply.

'Did you ever during those three and a half years hit Ms Moss? the lawyer said.

'No sir, no,' Depp said.

Mr Sherborne referred the actor to 'another article about this hotel room incident' which said Depp only did around 2,000 dollars' worth of damage, but paid more 'to make up for leaving the hotel before his reservation was up'.

He asked: 'Did you try to avoid paying damages for what you did? Did you refuse to accept responsibility for the damage?'

Depp said: 'No, sir. I actually told the security guard when he came to my room that I was more than willing to pay for everything I had broken.'

Mr Sherborne asked: 'Where was Ms Moss?'

The actor replied: 'She was in the bedroom sleeping.'

Sherborne then played to the court a clip of an ABC interview with Depp which referred to the New York hotel incident, in which the actor said 'some guys play golf, some guys smash hotel rooms'.

Ms Wass had asked Depp why he had not mentioned his explanation for why he 'trashed' the hotel room, that he was angry because a friend had 'screwed him over', in that interview and suggested the incident happened during an argument with Kate Moss.

Commenting on accusations of a 'spat' with former girlfriend Kate Moss in a trashed New York hotel room in 1994 that landed him with a 10,000 payout fee, Depp said it never happened

Depp said he was defending his heavily pregnant ex-wife Vanessa Paradis from 'ravenous' and 'snotty' paparazzi when he chased photographers with a plank in 1999 (pictured, Depp receiving his Hollywood star in LA in 1999)

Depp with Vanessa Paradis: 'Paparazzi I chased off with a plank of wood were snotty, quite aggressive and ravenous'

Depp said he was defending his heavily pregnant ex-wife Vanessa Paradis from 'ravenous' and 'snotty' paparazzi when he chased photographers with a plank in 1999.

Asked by Mr Sherborne about the incident in which he charged towards photographers at a restaurant in London, Depp said he refused to allow his wife's pregnancy turned into a 'circus.'

He said: 'What they wanted was the novelty photograph of my heavily pregnant fiancee and myself and I was not comfortable with it being turned into a circus.

'It was through the restaurant's kitchen and out the other side. They were outside on the sidewalk and I was inside.

'It was some of the usual aggressive paparazzi, the attempt to poke and prod and get you to do something out of character or, well they want an interesting photograph and what's more interesting than someone screaming or freaking out? So yeah.

'The obscenities (they shouted), I can't remember but they were quite aggressive and pretty snotty.

'They were ravenous and they were also quite upset that I had ruined their opportunity because I distracted them at the loading door as Ms Paradis and our friends that had come to dinner with us they were safely in the car and they were upset that they didn't get that photograph.'

He said there were 'about 15' photographers there who were shouting 'obscenities' at him.

Depp was then asked about an ongoing lawsuit against him in America for allegedly punching a crew member, Gregg 'Rocky' Brooks, on the set of his film, City Of Lies - which Mr Depp denies.

Mr Sherborne showed Depp a photo of him and Mr Brooks, which the Hollywood star said was taken on the evening of the alleged incident.

Depp said: 'At the end of the night, when I was wrapped from work, I had asked my assistants to grab a bottle of wine and to find out if Mr Brooks was still at the location.

'He was, I went to find Mr Brooks. I had two cups, plastic cups, and I wanted to apologise to him for having reprimanded him for his actions.

'I didn't want there to be any bad blood or continuing animosity so I went to speak with him and make sure that we were OK, and then we toasted one another with the wine and then he asked if I could have a selfie with him.'

Depp's co-star Ellen Barkin 'clearly held a grudge when I didn't want a relationship with her', court hears

Mr Sherborne then asked Depp about statements made by actress Ellen Barkin, who appeared with the actor in the film Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas, based on a novel by Hunter S Thompson.

He asked: 'Was there any so-called violence in your relationship with Ms Barkin?'

Depp said: 'No, not at all.'

The actor said on Tuesday that Barkin was 'clearly holding a grudge'.

Mr Sherborne asked what might have caused her to hold a grudge.

Depp said the pair 'had been friends for a number of years' and that, after she divorced her husband, actor Gabriel Byrne, 'a sexual element began' in their relationship.

He added: 'I was making Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas and her, I suppose her desires were she wanted a relationship, she wanted a proper relationship with me and I didn't want that.

'I didn't feel the same about her as she did me and, I suppose, from that moment on she became very, very angry and, since then, I have not spoken to Ms Barkin. Nor has Ms Barkin spoken to me.'

Heard showing injuries she claims were inflicted by Johnny Depp as he allegedly smashed her iPhone in her face at her LA home in May 2016, a month after Heard allegedly 'defecated' in their marital bed on her 30th birthday

Depp told the court today that he did not believe Heard's tiny Yorkshire terrier Pistol (left with Heard in New York in 2012) could have defecated in the bed, and blamed Heard's trans activist friend iO Tillet Wright (right)

AMBER'S 30TH BIRTHDAY PARTY

Sasha Wass QC, representing The Sun's publisher News Group Newspapers, began today's hearing by asking Depp about Heard's 30th birthday party at the Eastern Columbia Building in LA in April 2016.

The barrister said Depp had arrived late at the party after being given some 'rather unfortunate news' about his financial affairs at a meeting.

She asked him: 'Did you ingest any recreational drugs to relieve your stress?'

He replied: 'Very likely that I would have smoked some marijuana to calm myself.'

Ms Wass then said Depp had arrived at about 10pm and the rest of the party had finished dinner and were drinking magnums of wine.

Depp said: 'I was in a low state in my mind, it wasn't a pleasant thing I had just been through.'

Ms Wass asked: 'Your account of this evening is that you went to bed after the guests had gone and you were reading... no conversation with Ms Heard?'

Depp replied: 'Ms Heard was venting how upset she was that I was so late for her birthday dinner and that I had made a fool of her and that I didn't care and everybody was talking about how awful it was of me to do such a thing and it ramped up and became aggressive... she was very, very angry.'

He added: 'I was lying in bed after the birthday dinner, I got in the bed and started reading, trying to avoid any confrontation with Ms Heard.'

Ms Wass asked Depp if he was really reading a book on his ex-wife's birthday when she had said she was upset he was late to her party.

He replied: 'I thought her behaviour regarding the subject of my tardiness to her birthday dinner, I though that it was too much... her anger, her rage... when I had been texting Ms Heard, telling her 'I am so sorry, I'm going to be late'.'

The actor then said he did not recall which book he was reading, or whether it was a book or one of his journals.

He added: 'But the reason that I went straight to bed to start to read was because I was trying to avoid yet another confrontation with Ms Heard about something that didn't go exactly as she had planned or expected.

'I didn't want to discuss it because she wasn't talking about her sadness in the sense that she was devastated by my hour and a half or whatever of lateness, she was rather angry and rather aggressive, therefore I tried to avoid a conversation or a fight.'

The barrister suggested that Heard 'did raise the issue of you being late to her 30th birthday party and she was upset', adding: 'And I suggest you took that as criticism.'

Depp said: 'It was indeed criticism.'

Ms Wass said: 'And you don't like being criticised.'

Depp replied: 'I don't mind being criticised at all, but that was beyond criticism. She was lighting me up.'

Ms Wass then suggested: 'This provoked you to become angry... and you were very near, at the time you became angry, a magnum of a bottle of champagne.'

She added: 'And you got out of bed in order to argue with Ms Heard.'

Depp said: 'No, ma'am.'

The barrister said Depp was 'very distressed about the news you had received and the last thing you wanted to be told was that you were a disappointment to your wife'.

Depp replied: 'I believe that's the last thing any husband would want to hear.'

THE 'DEFECATION INCIDENT'

Ms Wass then asked Depp about 'the defecation incident', when there were faeces in his and Heard's bed in their LA penthouse.

The barrister suggested that Boo, one of the couple's two Yorkshire terriers, 'had problems with her toilet habits'.

Depp said the dogs 'were very well trained', but that 'Boo was not as trained as Pistol', their other dog.

Ms Wass said to Depp that 'it came to your attention the following, that was the day of Amber's actual birthday, that the cleaner had found faeces in the bed'.

Ms Wass continued that Depp was later sent photographs of the faeces, which the actor found 'hilarious'.

He said in a text: 'Not sure I've laughed that hard for years. At least the photos are hilarious.'

Ms Wass added: 'There were jokes like 'Amber Turd', 'Amber in the dumps' going on.'

Depp replied: 'It was one of the most absurd, unexpected statements that I have ever witnessed in my life so, yes, initially I did laugh because it was so strange.'

He added that it was 'a mystery' who defecated in the bed 'and it was not left by a three or four-pound dog'.

Ms Wass asked him if he 'accused Ms Heard's friends of defecating in the bed'.

He replied: 'I was convinced that it was either Ms Heard herself or one of her cohort involved in leaving human faeces on the bed.'

Ms Wass said he had accused iO Tillet Wright, who was 'part of the conspiracy' to make allegations of domestic violence against Depp, of defecating in the bed.

The actor said: 'iO Tillet Wright seemed the only one that would be crass enough to commit such an act.'

'I did not want anything to do with her anymore I thought that was a strangely oddly fitting end to the relationship,' he added.

The actor said the incident was the denouement of the pair's turbulent marriage and he later filed for divorce despite still 'having strong feelings' for his former spouse.

'As difficult as it was as I had very strong feelings for Ms Heard at the time, it wasn't an easy decision to make but since we had gone back and forth back and forth I had to leave,' he said.

'I wasn't ready to go back there and get myself in the same situation I had been in all those years.'

Depp said in his witness statement that, since the April 2016 incident, Heard 'repeatedly tried to contact me either directly or through her sister'.

Ms Wass asked if Heard was 'pestering' him, to which the actor said: 'I didn't feel pestered. I wouldn't describe it as pestered at all, but there were attempts to get to me from Whitney Heard and from Amber.'

He added: 'I wasn't in a mindset - I didn't want anything to do with her any more.'

Depp said he thought the April 2016 'defecation incident' was 'a fitting end to the relationship'.

Ms Wass read a text from Depp to Heard's then agent Christian Carino on May 4, which said: 'Look, brother. If she needs me she knows exactly how to get me.

'I've had nothing from her. Is her ego and pride more durable and potent than her most legitimate and most deeply-felt emotions?'

Ms Wass said the text showed that Depp was 'upset that she hadn't contacted you'.

Depp said that he thought 'that was a valid question in terms of Ms Heard's attitude towards things'.

Ms Wass then took Depp to a text exchange between him and Heard on May 15, in which he said: 'Call when you get this.'

The barrister said: 'This wasn't Ms Heard asking her sister (to ask you) to try and get back in touch with Ms Heard. You were in touch with her.'

Depp replied: 'We were in touch, though it wasn't on the same level. Our relationship wasn't - it was virtually non-existent.'

Ms Wass read another text to Heard which said: 'All my love and regrets. I wish you nothing but good. Johnny.'

She added: 'So you were talking in a civilised way, it wasn't a question of her pestering you in any way.'

Depp said: 'I never used the word pester.'

He repeated the text he had sent to Heard before adding: 'That is what I felt... I didn't think there needed to be any poison at that time, because that part was over, which was the relationship and now we just had to finish it.'

Ms Wass then told the court that in May 2016 Depp's mother had lapsed into a coma and he sent Heard a message which read: 'I am with Betty Sue, this will be it... the end is nigh.

'I have spoken your words of love and respect to her... she is ready to split.'

Ms Wass said Heard had been very kind to Depp's mother, who died on May 20, 2016.

She asked the actor: 'Did you deal with the stress and sadness of losing your mother by numbing the pain with the usual methods?' Depp replied: 'No ma'am.'

Depp told the court: 'There was quite a lot going on aside from the fact I was in a very bad financial state as my business manager and lawyers had conspired to steal a lot of my money.

'My mom was in a coma, she then passed away, Amber and I were on the outs and it was looking like forever on the outs, but I tried to maintain a good relationship with Ms Heard, a friendly relationship.'

Ms Wass then suggested to Depp that he dealt with the stress of all that by hitting drink and controlled drugs.

He replied: 'My answer to that, is that is not the case. There was so much to deal with on such profoundly important and sensitive levels that I could not escape into any drug, liquor, pain-free setting.

'I did not inebriate myself to the point of numbness, I had too much to deal with and I had to be on the ball.'

THE 'PHONE THROWING' INCIDENT

Ms Wass asked Depp about an alleged incident on May 23, 2016 when he went to the LA penthouse where Heard was staying to collect some belongings with his private security guards Jerry Judge and Sean Betts.

Depp said he asked them to wait outside the front door and enter if they heard any commotion.

He added: 'I was worried that Ms Heard was going to start screaming and starting a fight and I asked them that the second they heard any screaming, any fight, that they came in.'

The actor said: 'I went there and I knew that I had to be cautious of what might occur under the circumstances.'

The Sun's lawyer said Heard was on the phone to iO Tillett Wright, who was laughing at Depp's suggestion that he was the friend of Heard who was responsible for defecating in the bed.

She said the actor picked the phone up at one stage and told Wright he had 'got what you want, you can have her, I don't care, it's over'.

The barrister then said he was 'screaming obscenities at Mr Tillett Wright', to which he responded: 'I had very little conversation with Mr Tillett Wright, as Mr Tillett Wright and I hadn't spoken in probably two years.'

Ms Wass said: 'Then you threw the phone on the sofa', to which Depp replied: 'Yes, I was walking away and I flipped it onto the couch.'

The Sun's lawyer said Heard then retrieved the phone and her friend Wright was telling her to get out of the flat.

Depp said: 'He may have been... I don't recall Mr Tillett Wright saying get out of the house.'

Depp told the court today that he did not believe Heard's tiny Yorkshire terrier Pistol (left) could have defecated in the bed, and blamed Heard's trans activist friend iO Tillet Wright (right)

Depp and Heard pictured leaving the Southport Magistrates' Court in Gold Coast, Australia in April 2016

Ms Wass said: 'You then grabbed the phone from her a second time and you threw it - not on the sofa this time - but you wound your arm, like someone throwing a baseball, and you threw it at Ms Heard.'

The barrister said the phone made contact with the side of Heard's face. Depp replied: 'No ma'am.'

The actor then denied a series of assertions made by Ms Wass, including that he asked Heard if she would like it if he pulled her hair back and that Wright told Heard to call 911 and also sent a text to another friend, Raquel Pennington, saying Depp was attacking Heard.

Ms Wass said: 'Your suggestion is that these texts are a carefully choreographed hoax?', to which he replied: 'A choreographed hoax, yes.'

The Sun's QC said another friend of Heard who lived nearby, Raquel Pennington, came into the apartment after receiving the text from Wright and 'physically put herself between you and Ms Heard'.

Depp said: 'Ms Heard was on the couch and I was about 20 feet away, so between us? No, she did not.'

Ms Wass then put to Depp that he pushed Pennington out of the way, Heard collapsed on the sofa and she was comforted by her friend, to which he responded: 'No ma'am.'

The barrister said to Depp that he was 'screaming at Ms Heard to get up' and then picked up a magnum of wine and started swinging it around, smashing things with it. He said: 'I disagree.'

Ms Wass said at that point his security guards Jerry Judge and Sean Betts entered and Heard said: 'If he hits me one more time I will call the police.'

Depp replied: 'They ran into the flat when they heard Ms Heard screaming 'stop hitting me Johnny, stop hitting me Johnny'.

She was still screaming 'stop hitting me Johnny'

'When they ran in she was still screaming 'stop hitting me Johnny' and I was 20 feet away by the refrigerator... and she then changed it to past tense 'you will never hit me again' and Jerry Judge said 'Boss, let's get out of here'.'

Ms Wass showed Depp photos of Heard, taken on May 27, 'showing a red mark on her cheek' and asked: 'Do you accept that there is a red mark on her cheek?'

Depp replied: 'I see a red mark, yes.'

Ms Wass then said: 'I suggest you caused that red mark when you threw the phone at her.'

The actor responded: 'No, ma'am, not true.'

Ms Wass said Depp left the penthouse at about 8.30pm and saw Heard's friend Pennington 'had been working there (in a neighbouring apartment Mr Depp owned) on some bead making that she was doing'.

She added: 'You were very angry at that stage.'

Depp said he was.

Ms Wass then played CCTV footage of Depp entering a lift as he was leaving the apartment and said: 'I am going to suggest that you were wired up and angry in that footage.'

She also said to Depp that he was 'clenching your fists'.

Depp replied: 'I can safely say I was very upset, yes, I was angry and upset.'

'I loved you more than anything... I did everything that I could. But, you never f*****' loved me... I was merely convenient for you'

Ms Wass then read an 'angry text' sent to Amber Heard, her friend Pennington and Pennington's fiance Josh Drew, which was 'sent in the early hours of the following morning'.

The message read: 'That was it. The last encounter forever. You were already ready to strike!!!

'Why did I even come there in the first place?? To be yelled at by you!!! I'm an idiot.'

It added: 'I tried to make it work and you just turned more and more into a spoiled brat. All you wanted was to make me f****** miserable.

'Well, I'm finally there. I'll never be able to understand how I fell in love with you... You're not her.

'I loved you more than anything... I did everything that I could. But, you never f*****' loved me... I was merely convenient for you...

'I hope our divorce goes as quickly as possible and that it is as painless as possible. So sorry you were as unhappy with me, as you were...

'Obviously, the purity of whatever was, has been gone for a long time. I will miss the moments of beauty and truth... goodbye, Amber...

'What the f*** was I thinking?? I wish you all you merit.'

Ms Wass then asked: 'Why were you placating her at this stage? There was no need to placate her, why did you apologise?'

Depp replied: 'That was a sincere apology... I wasn't placating her at that time, there was no need to.'

Ms Wass said: 'It was a sincere apology for hitting her in the face with a telephone.'

Depp said: 'No, ma'am.'

He added that he was 'apologising to Ms Heard essentially because the relationship was gone, dead, and that was why I said 'all my love'... I couldn't make it work'.

Ms Wass said that, by June 4, Depp 'had become very bitter to Ms Heard'.

Depp said: 'I was feeling quite bitter, yes.'

'I want Amber Heard replaced on that Warner Brothers Aquaman film'

Ms Wass then read a text from Depp to Heard's agent Christian Carino which said: 'I want her replaced on that WB (Warner Brothers) film.'

Ms Wass said: 'It's a message about the Warner Brothers film she did, Aquaman, and there was going to be a sequel Aquaman that was originally going to have Ms Heard in it.

'And after this... a petition was formed which attracted, I think, 400,000 signatures that she should be removed.'

She added: 'You orchestrated that, didn't you, you wanted to get your own back?'

Depp replied: 'No, I didn't orchestrate the petition by saying I wanted her replaced on the Aquaman film. I had been characterised globally, as some put it, as a wife beater.'

He added that he had gone from 'Cinderella to Quasimodo in 0.6 seconds and I was without a voice at that point'.

'Ms Heard had made sure that the news media had caught it so that was where I was in my life,' Mr Depp said. 'It was a very unpleasant place to be.'

Depp threatens to slice off Elson Musk's 'd***' - and cut himself

Ms Wass then asked about a text message sent on August 16, the day after the couple's divorce settlement, to Christian Carino which read: 'She's begging for global humiliation. She's gonna get it.

'I'm gonna need your texts about San Francisco brother... I'm sorry to even ask... But she sucked Mollusk's (a reference to Elon Musk) crooked dick and he gave her some shitty lawyers.

'I have no mercy, no fear and not an ounce of emotion or what I thought was love for this gold digging, low level, dime a dozen, mushy, pointless dangling overused flappy fish market...

'I'm so happy she wants to go to fight this out. She will hit the wall hard. And I cannot wait to have this waste of a cum guzzler out of my life. She will hit the wall hard.

'I met a f****** sublime little Russian here... which made me realise that time I blew on the 50 cent stripper... I would not touch her with a goddam glove.

'I can only hope that karma kicks in and takes the gift of breath form her. Sorry man but now I will stop at nothing!'

Ms Wass then played a largely unintelligible audio recording, which she said showed Depp 'playing with a knife' and 'threatening to cut yourself in front of Ms Heard'.

Depp said he threatened to cut himself because 'I thought that's what she was doing anyway'.

Other photos show bruising across the bridge of Heard's nose and beneath her eyes after Depp allegedly headbutted her in December 2015. The trial is hearing evidence about 14 such incidents

Photos of a cracked bed frame (left) and tufts of blonde hair (right) from the fight in December 2015 were submitted by Heard last year during defamation proceedings in the US

Johnny Depp (left) and Amber Heard leaving the High Court in London on Thursday. Depp is suing The Sun newspaper after it described him as a 'wife beater' following claims by Heard that he repeatedly attacked her during their relationship.

DAY THREE: Recording of Depp admitting 'accidentally' headbutting Heard is played in court with photos of her bruised face after 'assaulting her and pulling out her hair after she found out he was cheating on her with an ex-girlfriend

During cross-examination at the High Court in London yesterday, Depp said he accidentally headbutted his ex-wife during a heated argument, in which he is said to have been 'in an uncontrollable rage'.

The court heard a recording of a conversation between the couple shortly after the December 2015 incident, in which Depp appears to say he only headbutted her in the 'f***ing forehead' - which he said 'doesn't break a nose'.

Heard says in the recording: ' You can headbutt somebody who's screaming but don't scream'

Depp replies : 'I headbutted you in the f***ing... forehead. That doesn't break a nose'.

In his rampage at their home in 2015, Depp allegedly overturned rails of designer clothes, yanked a bedside light fitting from the wall and scrawled graffiti and slogans over a kitchen counter top with a gold pen.

The Sun's QC Sasha Wass, cross-examining Depp, told him: 'You lost your temper. You threw a decanter. You punched the walls, slapped Heard, grabbed her by the hair.' The actor replied: 'No.'

Ms Heard ran upstairs and Depp chased her, said Ms Wass, adding: 'You smacked the back of her head and shoved her. You completely lost your self-control. You headbutted Ms Heard using the top of your head to head hit her between the eyes. Miss Heard fell backwards and her nose began to bleed straight away.'

Depp said that was not true.

'And in the bedroom, you grabbed her by the throat and pushed her on the bed, slapped her across the face, saying you are going to kill her. You were in an uncontrollable rage, smothering her, screaming you were going to kill her, and hated her. The bed broke under the force of your weight. You pulled out clumps of her hair.'

Depp: 'No ma'am.' Ms Wass said the actress ran screaming to the bathroom saying he had broken her nose. The court was shown a photo of Ms Heard taken the next day, with 'the beginning of two black eyes'.

Depp claimed the allegation was 'another wonderful thing to put in the kaleidoscope of her dossier that she (Heard) is building'.

He added: 'This injury that she would've suffered is not consistent with the photographs that she has given to the court.

'She was swinging wildly at me, and I ... from behind, as I was walking away from the argument to my office, she was hitting me in the neck, ear, back, everything.

Photos after the December incident show bruising to Heard's face after Depp allegedly headbutted her. The trial is hearing evidence about 14 such incidents

Photos after the December incident show bruising to Heard's face after Depp allegedly headbutted her. The trial is hearing evidence about 14 altercations

'I turned to cover my head and she was swinging quite wildly so the only thing I could do in that situation was either to run or to try to get hold of her, to get my arms around her to stop her flailing and punching me, so I did so, as I did so it seems there was a collision.'

Depp demonstrated with his arms how he claims he took hold of Heard and said she was 'kicking and moving' so there was 'very close contact' between them.

He added: 'That is the only collision and the only potential injury that Ms Heard could have had, there is no way I did as she said and broke her nose.'

Depp told the court: 'She immediately said 'you headbutted me', and in that moment when I tried to grab her around her arms and her body to control the violence, she immediately said 'you headbutted me' and screamed and ran away.

The court was also shown photographs of the injuries Heard is said to have suffered, as well as pictures Depp said showed him with 'scratches and swelling around my face' he claimed his ex-wife had inflicted.

Ms Wass asked why he had not mentioned 'accidentally' headbutting Heard in his witness statements to the court.

He replied: 'Had I read the entire statement after the lawyers had drafted it, I would have found that missing piece. I didn't read all those things ... and I trusted my attorneys had taken my statement and put it on the record.'

Depp said he used the word 'headbutt' because that was the word Heard used, telling the court: 'I said 'I headbutted you in the forehead, that doesn't break a nose'.'

Ms Wass put it to the actor that he had changed his account of the incident after he became aware of an audio recording of himself and Heard discussing the incident 'very recently'.

But Depp said: 'I believe she took something and stretched it out as far as she possibly could.'

He added that Heard would tell her friends things so that they would 'hate' him, adding: 'Another piece for her collection. It is quite a collection.'

The recording was played in which the couple seemed to be discussing the headbutt, with Miss Heard saying: 'I couldn't believe you did that,' and her husband apparently saying: 'I headbutted you in the ****ing forehead. That doesn't break a nose.'

Ms Wass then asked the actor about text messages between Amber Heard and her mother, Paige Heard, and himself and his ex-wife's father, David Heard.

The barrister said that, after Ms Heard sent her mother photographs of the bruises on her face, her mother replied saying she loved her 'so damn much, I will do anything for you'.

The message from Mrs Heard to her daughter continued: 'Your dad sent Steve (Mr Depp) a scathing text message ... he compared you to Lily-Rose (Depp) and how JD would feel. Your dad's blood is boiling.'

Ms Wass then read out a message sent by David Heard to Mr Depp which read: 'I'm not mad, I understand, a man has got to be a man and I am not saying that you were completely justified, but I understand.

'I'm talking to Paige and I think I understand what is going on a little better.

'I would say no more hitting for anybody. I think you and Amber, Jack and Lily-Rose should go to the island for a few days and let me talk to Amber and tell her what she needs to stop doing.'

The message continued with Mr Heard saying that his daughter should never hit Mr Depp and that 'the same goes for you'.

Mr Heard's message concluded by saying: 'I know that Amber needs help with her temper the same way you need help with drugs and alcohol.'

He said his daughter was 'not blameless', adding: 'She is my kid and I love her unconditionally.'

Mr Depp said he explained to both Ms Heard's parents that there was a discussion which 'got out of control' and Ms Heard got violent.

Ms Wass asked if the actor had told his in-laws that he 'f***** up and went too far' in fights between the couple.

He replied: 'That is very possible as things got very heated and (we were) yelling verbal obscenities at each other and it was horrific, but I never once said to David and Paige 'I have hit your daughter and I'm sorry'.'

Ms Wass then asked Mr Depp about a message he sent to his father-in-law in reply, in which he said: 'Yes I f***** up and went too far in our fight.'

Mr Depp said: 'It expresses to Mr Heard that I was sorry for my part in the argument.

'I have sent many texts to Mr Heard and Mrs Heard but there is nowhere in there that I say 'I hit your daughter'.'

He added: 'When things go too far and they begin to escalate, you start screaming when you are being screamed at, you react and you scream back and these hideous exchanges did happen and they happened quite often.'

'One cannot fly with one wing, so in an argument there are two involved.

'One can escalate the situation or one can de-escalate the situation, it depends on the moment ... I was being as honest with Mr Heard as I could be.'

Ms Wass earlier said that Depp threw a decanter at Heard, punched the walls and pulled her up the stairs by her hair, removing 'clumps' from her scalp in the December 2015 fight.

She added that Depp also goaded Heard, saying 'you think you're a f****** tough guy?', before he 'grabbed her by the throat and pushed her onto the bed' then 'slapped her across the face saying you were going to kill her'.

In a written statement submitted by the defence about the alleged incident, it was said: 'Ms Heard and the Claimant were in their penthouse in Los Angeles.

'The Claimant threw another decanter at her, knocked items around the room and punched the wall. He slapped her hard, grabbed her by her hair, and dragged her through the apartment.

'In the process, the Claimant pulled large chunks of hair and scalp out of Ms Heard's head.

'Ms Heard tried to escape the violence by going upstairs. The Claimant followed Ms Heard, hit her in the back of her head, again grabbed her by her hair, then dragged her by her hair up the last few steps.

'At the top of the stairs, the Claimant shoved her twice, which made her fear that she would fall.

'Ms Heard told the Claimant that he had broken her wrist in an attempt to get him to stop.

'The Claimant repeatedly hit Ms Heard, knocking her to the floor. Each time Ms Heard was knocked down, she stood back up.

'The Claimant responded by veiling, 'Oh, you think you're a f**ing tough guy?' He then head-butted her in her face, bashing her nose, which immediately began bleeding and caused her searing pain.

'When Ms Heard said to the Claimant, 'You head-butted me', he responded, 'I just gave you a little knock with my head'.

'The Claimant then said what a 'f*** up' he was and left the room.

'Later, Ms Heard told the Claimant that she wanted to leave him, and that she would call the police if he ever touched her again.

'When she then began to walk away towards the guest apartment, the Claimant pushed her. He then grabbed her and pulled her from one room to the next, gripping her by her hair.

'By the time the Claimant had dragged Ms Heard into the upstairs office, she had told him she was leaving him as she could not put up with his behaviour any longer.

'The Claimant reacted by grabbing Ms Heard by her throat, pushing her down to the ground, and punching her in the back of her head.

'The Claimant grabbed Ms Heard by her hair, slapped her in the face, and screamed at her, 'I f***ing will kill you - I'll f***ing kill you, you hear me?

'The fight continued onto a bed. The Claimant got on top of Ms Heard and placed his knee on her back and the other foot on the bedframe while repeatedly punching her in her head.

'The Claimant screamed, 'I f***ing hate you' over and over again.

'The bedframe splintered under the weight of the pressure of the Claimant's boot. The Claimant hit Ms Heard with his closed fists, pushed her face into the mattress, and pulled out chunks of her hair.

'Ms Heard screamed and feared for her life. She suffered severe headaches and other pain for at least a week after this incident.

'During this incident, the Claimant also wrote a message on the kitchen countertop in gold pen that said, 'Why be a fraud? All is such bulls***'.'

Depp is alleged to have trashed a $3million penthouse in LA which Heard used as a colossal closet

Depp (left, leaving the High Court) is suing The Sun after it described him as a 'wife beater' following claims by ex-wife Heard (right, leaving the court with her girlfriend Bianca Butti) that he repeatedly attacked her during their relationship

Heard leaving the High Court in London with 'Team Heard', including her girlfriend Bianca Butti (front left)

Depp was on the stand at the High Court for a third day yesterday and was questioned about the incident after he previously claimed the injury was sustained when Heard threw a vodka bottle at him during the fight in Australia

Amber Heard arrived at the High Court yesterday with her sister Whitney (wearing a green covering) after going out on the town with her until the early hours on the third day of Johnny Depp's blockbuster libel trial in London

Ms Wass put it to Depp that, by December 2015, 'you were routinely using violence against Ms Heard when you were intoxicated and when you were angry'.

Depp said: 'I say that is incorrect. Most of the time I tried to get away.'

He added: 'Most of the time, Ms Heard's problem was that I would run away from fights and I was then called a coward and a pussy for trying to avoid an escalation.'

The December 2015 incident is one of 14 alleged incidents of domestic violence, all denied by Depp, relied on by NGN in their defence against the actor's libel claim.

Depp will continue to give evidence on Friday.

Depp 'assaulted Amber Heard and her sister in his LA penthouse after his ex-wife found out he was cheating on her with an ex-girlfriend'

Ms Wass then asked about an incident in March 2015 at the couple's LA penthouse, one of five Depp owned on the same floor, with Heard's sister Whitney Henriquez then living in an adjoining apartment.

Ms Wass said: 'In March 2015, after the Australia incident, the relationship between you and Ms Heard wasn't great but it was still going ahead. You didn't file for divorce, contrary to your feelings.'

Depp replied: 'I didn't file for divorce, but I didn't have much hope for our future.'

Ms Wass said the couple then 'had an argument because she found out you were having an affair with Rochelle (Hathaway)'.

Depp said: 'Well, she was quite jealous of Rochelle and several other people, so I don't know that she found out I was having an affair.'

Ms Wass continued: 'You had been drinking, you were extremely angry and you were very angry that Ms Heard had the temerity to suggest you had been having an affair.

'She was very cross that day, wasn't she?'

Depp said: 'She was very cross.'

He added: 'I didn't like being screamed at and demeaned and being treated like something less than the person in front of me.'

Ms Wass said Depp started 'smashing things' and destroying clothes in Heard's wardrobe.

Depp said: 'It's very easy for her to say that I did it.'

Ms Wass continued: 'So this must be another aspect of the hoax - she destroyed her own clothes in order to photograph them in order to store them up.'

Depp said: 'She was building a wonderful dossier, an insurance policy, for when we did break up.'

Ms Wass said Heard then 'ran over to her sister through the connecting door' to a next-door apartment.

The barrister said Heard was 'shouting that (Mr Depp) had cheated on her', and Depp followed her with 'an empty bottle of whisky'.

Ms Wass suggested to Depp that he was 'speaking rather incoherently ... and you were denying having an affair and then, on the other hand, you were saying that Ms Heard made you do so'.

Depp denied having an affair and said: 'I don't recall seeing Rochelle at the time.'

Ms Wass continued: 'She was shouting abuse at you saying 'f*** you' and you responded, didn't you?'

Depp said: 'She was out of control and she was looking for a physical fight.'

Ms Wass said: 'She's shouting at you and you were shouting back, calling her a 'whore' and 'an ugly old c***'.'

Depp said that exchange 'doesn't sound extraordinary whatsoever'.

Ms Wass continued: 'You were screaming 'f*** you bitches, you c****' to both Whitney and Ms Heard.'

She added: 'And you started coming to the staircase ... Whitney was standing at the edge of the staircase and you pushed Whitney out of the way so you could hit Ms Heard.'

Depp said that was 'untrue'.

Ms Wass suggested Heard said 'don't hit my sister' and then hit Depp, which he said was true.

The barrister added: 'And that was the first time that Ms Heard hit and caused injury to you.'

Depp replied: 'That's not true.'

Ms Wass said: 'You grabbed Amber Heard by the hair and then you hit her in the head ... and then Whitney took Ms Heard back to (her penthouse) and at that stage you were smashing things.'

She added that he was shouting 'f****** c****, f****** whores, I hate you'.

Depp said: 'I did nothing violent ... but possibly tried to protect myself, if that's considered violent.'

Johnny Depp wrote 'I love you' in blood after severing his finger while attacking ME, says Amber Heard: Actor 'pushed his wife into a ping pong table, tore off her night gown, and choked her against refrigerator while filming Pirates of The Caribbean'

Amber Heard also claimed in court on Thursday that Johnny Depp severed his finger while launching a savage attack on her in which she 'feared for her life' - before writing 'I love you' in blood on the wall of their rental home while filming Pirates of the Caribbean in 2015.

Depp was on the stand at the High Court for a third day and was questioned about the incident after he previously claimed the injury was sustained when Heard threw a vodka bottle at him during the fight in Australia.

The 34-year-old actress alleged in a written statement that she was subjected to 'a three-day ordeal of physical assault which left her with injuries including a broken lip, swollen nose, and cuts all over her body'.

Depp vehemently denied the accusation from the stand and branded it 'pedestrian fiction' in court. He claimed the ordeal occurred over one day, not three, and said the top of his finger was 'lopped' off when his ex-wife threw a vodka bottle at him after discovering he wanted her to sign a post-nuptial agreement.

He admitted using his blood to write the love message on a mirror inside their Queensland mansion by way of apology and the picture of the graffiti on the mirror was shown in court.

In a witness statement submitted by Heard, she says: 'The Claimant [Depp] shoved Ms Heard into a ping pong table, threw bottles through the window panels of a glass door, then grabbed Ms Heard and tore off her nightgown. The Claimant grabbed Ms Heard by her hair and choked her against the refrigerator in the kitchen.'

It says that Depp then 'grabbed Ms Heard by the neck and collarbone, slammed her against the countertop, and strangled her. Ms Heard's arms and feet were slashed by the broken glass on the kitchen countertop and floor. She was scared for her life and told the Claimant, 'You are hurting and cutting me''.'

'The Claimant ignored her, continued to hit her with the back of one closed hand, and slammed a hard plastic telephone against a wall with his other hand until it smashed. While he was smashing the telephone, the Claimant severely injured his finger, cutting off the tip. Once Ms Heard had managed to escape from the Claimant, she barricaded herself in a bedroom.'

Depp also admitted to doing graffiti on a bathroom mirror after the fight with Heard, which resulted in his finger being severed. He admitted that some of it was done with his blood and some with paint

Depp was on the stand at the High Court for a third day and was questioned about the incident after he previously claimed the injury was sustained when Heard threw a vodka bottle at him during the fight in Australia

When asked about the attack in Australia which Heard called a 'three-day hostage ordeal', Depp replied: 'The three-day period that Ms Heard speaks about or alleges was not a three-day ordeal at all. It happened in one day.'

He added: 'I think it was Sunday and that was the morning where she had started yelling at me because she had been forced to sign, asked to sign, a post-nup (post-nuptial agreement).'

Ms Wass responded that it was 'nothing to do with that', saying: 'She was upset and angry herself that you were drinking to excess and you were taking pills. There was a large bag of pills that you had been supplied with that you told her was MDMA.'

Depp denied having any MDMA or 'drinking from the bottle' while in Australia.

Ms Wass continued: 'And when she (Ms Heard) told you she was unhappy about this, you made a point of putting a handful of pulls straight into your mouth and you did this to make the point that you could do, as you said to Nathan Holmes, whatever you damn please.'

I think it was Sunday and that was the morning where she had started yelling at me because she had been forced to sign, asked to sign, a post-nup (post-nuptial agreement).

Depp said: 'No, ma'am.'

Ms Wass suggested that 'the more angry Ms Heard became to you, you turned' and used 'violence' against her.

The barrister said: 'You slapped her across the face.'

Depp replied: 'Not true.'

Ms Wass said: 'And on the Friday you had a cigarette in your right hand, as you do most of the time, and you threatened to put it out on your face.

'And you were completely off your head on drink and drugs.'

Depp said: 'It didn't happen.'

Ms Wass said Heard 'stormed off upstairs... and she stayed upstairs and barricaded herself in the bedroom so you couldn't get in, she pushed furniture against the bedroom door'.

The barrister suggested that Depp 'stayed up all night taking ecstasy' and when Ms Heard came down the following morning the actor was 'playing music very loudly'.

Ms Wass asked if Depp recalled 'lines of cocaine on the breakfast bar' and 'drinking Jack Daniels from the bottle'.

Depp said: 'No, ma'am. Didn't happen.'

'You turned on her, grabbed her by the throat and held her up against the fridge and you said to her 'it would be easy to crush your neck'

Ms Wass said Heard 'tried to take the bottle off you and said you shouldn't be drinking because of the medication'.

She added: 'And you turned on her, you told her that everything your friends had told you about her was right, your friends all hated her, you didn't love her and you grabbed her by the throat and held her up against the fridge and you said to her 'it would be easy to crush your neck'.'

Depp replied: 'Fabricated and vicious.'

Ms Wass said Heard then tried to go upstairs and Depp stopped her, before he 'pushed her around and you actually spat in her face... all this time holding a bottle of spirits and drinking from it'.

The barrister continued: 'At one stage you offered the bottle to Ms Heard, you were goading her, drinking from it, and Ms Heard took a bottle and she smashed it to the ground.'

Depp said: 'No, ma'am.'

Ms Wass said: 'And that just, Mr Depp, set you off and you picked up another bottle and threw it at the wall... bottle after bottle, like you enjoyed smashing things.'

Depp said: 'I don't enjoy smashing things. The accusations are untrue.'

When Ms Heard ran from the ping pong table to the kitchen you ran after her and again held her up against the fridge.

Ms Wass said Depp then 'broke the window of the house' and 'threw Ms Heard against a ping pong table which collapsed', which Depp denied.

The barrister said: 'When Ms Heard ran from the ping pong table to the kitchen you ran after her and again held her up against the fridge.'

She added: 'And you were smashing her head so the back of her head was hitting the fridge. And you were blaming her for your behaviour.'

Ms Wass said Depp said: 'You f****** do this to me every time. You f****** did this.'

Depp said: 'No, ma'am.'

Ms Wass said: 'And you accused her of having affairs with her leading man.'

Depp said: 'Possibly.'

Ms Wass said: 'At this time, you were particularly fixated with Billy Bob Thornton.'

Depp denied that, adding: 'After the incident where Ms Heard threw the vodka bottle, the second vodka bottle at me, which severed the top of my finger and crushed the bones, that's when I began what I feel was probably some species of a breakdown, a nervous breakdown or something.

'I hadn't realised that it had been cut off immediately until I felt the warmth... and then I began to write things'

Depp insisted that the only attack on the trip had been launched by Heard when she hurled a vodka bottle at him and caused the infamous injury which cut off the top of his finger

Heard leaving the High Court in London with 'Team Heard', including her girlfriend Bianca Butti (front left)

Depp (left, leaving the High Court) is suing The Sun after it described him as a 'wife beater' following claims by ex-wife Heard (right, leaving the court with her girlfriend Bianca Butti) that he repeatedly attacked her during their relationship

'I hadn't realised that it had been cut off immediately until I felt the warmth... and then I began to write things.'

Ms Wass said to Depp: 'At one stage when you were in the kitchen screaming at Ms Heard you picked up the wall-mounted telephone.'

She said Depp had the phone 'in your right hand and you were repeatedly smashing it against the wall'.

Depp replied: 'That's possible.'

He added: 'I remember ripping the phone off the wall.'

Ms Wass asked: 'By this stage, you were really, really angry, weren't you?'

Depp said: 'I had just lost the top of my finger and as a musician - as a human being and as a musician - it is upsetting.'

Ms Wass asked Depp about previously saying that he had been responsible for losing the top of his finger.

When I realised that the top of my finger was missing and pouring blood profusely and the bones was sticking out, I believe that I went into some kind of breakdown. I was at the end. I couldn't live, didn't want to live at that time.

Depp replied: 'I had to give the news to the production company that I would not be working the next day. They asked what happened and I lied to production and to anyone who had anything to do with production.

'I told them that I had slammed it in a very large accordion door ... to protect Ms Heard.'

Ms Wass said that, on the last day the couple were in Australia, Heard 'came downstairs in the morning ... and the house was completely destroyed'.

She said: 'Everything was broken and shattered, the television, the window, there was paint everywhere and it was clear at that stage that you had very seriously damaged your finger.'

Depp said his finger was 'bleeding profusely', prompting Ms Wass to ask why he waited 'hours and hours before you called for any help'.

The actor denied that was true.

Ms Wass continued: 'You had written on a mirror. You had written in paint but you had used your finger, your injured finger, in place of a paintbrush so you had dipped your injured finger in the paint and then used your finger to do the graffiti.'

Depp said: 'At first, I had used my blood.'

Depp was on the stand at the High Court for a third day and was questioned about the incident after he previously claimed the injury was sustained when Heard threw a vodka bottle at him during the fight in Australia

During their visits to Australia in 2015, the couple stayed in this mansion owned by former MotoGp champion Mick Doohan

Ms Wass said: 'This painting exercise of yours was going on all over the house.'

She added: 'Somebody who was sober and not under the influence of drugs would have realised or would have felt considerable pain.'

Depp said: 'Yes, ma'am, I did feel considerable pain.'

Ms Wass said: 'You didn't know what you were doing at this stage.'

Depp said: 'That's not true, I knew exactly what I was doing.'

He added: 'For me, at that time, it was the end.

'I was convinced it was never going to get any better, only worse, and worse was death. So this (the painting) is a message to her, 'good luck and be careful at the top', in reference to her ambition to be a big star.'

Ms Wass said to Depp: 'When Ms Heard came down and saw what I suggest was a state of complete carnage in the house, you showed her your right hand ... and said 'look what you made me do' and she was the one who told you to phone security.'

Depp replied: 'I'm afraid that's not true, it's incorrect.'

Ms Wass said the actor then told Ms Heard: 'Is this good enough for you? This is what a f****** idiot I am for loving you.'

Depp replied: 'Possibly. I could have said that, it was certainly what I was feeling but, as I stated earlier, when I realised that the top of my finger was missing and pouring blood profusely and the bones was sticking out, I believe that I went into some kind of breakdown.'

He added: 'I was at the end. I couldn't live, didn't want to live at that time.'

He smeared blood from the tip of his finger across the walls of the property and said: 'Look what you made me do' to his former spouse, the court heard.

Asked whether he had been angry, the Pirates of the Caribbean star said: 'As a human being and as a musician it's a little upsetting when you see your bone sticking out.'

I vehemently deny it and would go so far as to say it is pedestrian fiction.

Referring to photographs of the damage to the property shown to the court, Ms Wass said: 'You had written in paint but you had used your injured finger in place of a paintbrush.

'Yes ma'am at first I was using my blood which was coming out of my finger, that's what the heart you see at the bottom of that and the U.'

'There's another message in lipstick, 'Call Carly Simon she said it better babe.'

'Was that a message written on a different occasion?' Ms Wass asked.

'That's Ms Heard,' replied Depp.

Depp said the accusations of violence were part of a conspiracy to paint him as 'a wetbrain, a savage, an uncontrollable maniac, a monster etc etc, because they do keep going on.'

He added: 'I vehemently deny it and would go so far as to say it is pedestrian fiction.

'I was unhappy with the production of Pirates of the Caribbean, I was unhappy with my life, my relationship, I was far away from my kids. I was unhappy with my life and my relationship with Ms Heard.

'I was angry by the fact that we were working on the fifth production of Pirates of the Caribbeanand I had to rewrite everything for the character.'

The actor told the High Court he descended into a 'species of nervous breakdown' during the 2015 trip to Australia and broke his sobriety because of Heard's 'rage-filled rants.'

Heard's arms and feet were allegedly slashed by shattered glass strewn across the floor as she was chased round the room and slammed against a counter top by Depp, the court heard. She was allegedly forced to barricade herself in after he tore off her nightgown and shoved her onto a ping pong table.

Depp told Ms Wass that she seemed 'more familiar with MDMA than I am' when asked whether he had been confronted by his ex-wife about a bag of ecstasy pills during the trip.

The actor said he 'did not recall taking possession of controlled substances,' in contrast to claims that he spat in her face after chasing the drugs down with liquor.

He insisted that the only attack on the trip had been launched by Heard when she hurled a vodka bottle at him and caused the infamous injury which cut off the top of his finger.

He allegedly received concerned texts from Hollywood screenwriter and friend Stephen Deuters urging him to 'take a break' near the time of the incident.

The Texan allegedly came downstairs one morning in a burgundy negligee given to her as a gift by his private doctor David Kipper, who oversaw Depp's withdrawal from prescription drugs.

The Sun's lawyer Sasha Wass QC asked Depp: 'Mr Deuters was a yes man wasn't he? He knew how to placate you just like you knew how to placate Ms Heard?'

'I do not accept that description,' Depp replied.

Reading a text allegedly sent by Deuters, Ms Wass said: ''All anyone wants to see on the screen is the Johnny Depp they know and love. That said you deserve a break. Take some time off and we can discuss other stuff.'

'What he's saying is basically you are wonderful and secondly take a break.'

The message went on: 'To call it an honour to work for you doesn't do my feelings on the topic any justice whatsoever, you're the reason I'm in this business by f*** does this business need you.'

'On looking on it I would say it was a very very kind gesture and a wonderful attempt by a friend to pull me out of what felt like a constant tailspin of constantly being told 'you're wrong and your pardon the term a f***-up and many things like that.

'Those are things that I can very easily go onto, a state of depression. And so he was trying to take me out of it.'

'Is that a reference to Ms Heard? Because she would not flatter you?' Ms Wass asked.

Depp replied: 'She did flatter me when it was in her interests to do so but there was also a barrage of insults and accusations about things which never happened.'

'I was far away from my kids and I was unhappy with my life and my relationship with Ms Heard.

'I was angry that we were working on the third of the Pirates of the Caribbean films and on the others I'd been able to write some of (the script)... The dialogue.'

Amber Heard yesterday claimed that Johnny Depp severed his finger while launching a savage attack on her in which she 'feared for her life' while he filmed Pirates of the Caribbean in 2015

'I need to take a f***ing p***, it's my house': Depp 'drew a 'fake d***' on a painting of a woman and urinated on the floor' in rented Australian home

Depp drew a 'fake d***' on a painting of a woman and urinated on the floor in his rent home in Australia while filming Pirates of the Caribbean, the High Court also heard.

Transcripts of a conversation between members of his security team revealed his bodyguards' 'concern' about the impact the wreckage would have on his public image.

The Hollywood legend trashed the rented accommodation during a drug-fuelled binge while filming the third Pirates of the Caribbean film in Australia, it has been said.

Shocking pictures of graffiti-covered mirrors were shown as the court heard how a TV and windows were smashed and the floors were left covered in blood.

Depp maintains he does not recall the extent of the damage caused to the property as he was going through a 'breakdown' but his late security guard, Jerry Judge, estimated the figure to be around 150,000.

Mr Judge said in the transcript: 'The French settee at least two of them need to be recovered. I've got a lot of blood off the floor, I've scrubbed the paint off to bring it off and the s***... We see how bad it is.

'What I'm most concerned with now is if the owner sees the house he'll kick us out and go to the newspapers.'

Ms Wass said: 'Then there's a discussion: 'How can we keep all this quiet?' One of the functions of the people you employ is to manage your public image isn't it?'

'I would say yes they have a concern for my public image, yes,' Depp replied. 'I think they would rather not have bad things show up in the press. I've of course always been quite a private person.'

Ms Wass, reading another excerpt from the transcript, said: '[It's a] sexy, sexy picture... The same picture in a bikini with her hands on her breasts and what did he do? He painted he drew or painted a fake d*** on her p***y..'

I remember dipping my finger into paint when I ran out of blood to paint with and I could have defaced a painting.

'Do you remember that?'

Depp stifled laughter as he said: 'No, I don't remember that.'

'That would be quite a big thing, painting a penis on a picture?' Ms Wass said.

'Yes. I'm not 100 per cent sure I can say I did that. It is possible,' he replied. Depp added that he resorted to using paint to deface the homeowner's property once he had 'run out' of blood.

'I don't recall defacing a painting. As I said, my state of mind, I was in a kind of breakdown,' he said.

'You're not using the word breakdown to refer to a blackout are you?' Ms Wass asked.

'No ma'am I'm well aware of the difference,' Depp replied. 'I remember dipping my finger into paint when I ran out of blood to paint with and I could have defaced a painting.'

The actor allegedly stormed outside and yelled: 'I need to take a f***ing p***, it's my house,' and began relieving himself.

Ms Wass said: 'You shouted: 'I need to take a f***ing p***, it's my house' and you urinated outside the front door.'

'I don't believe that happened,' Depp said.

'And then you came into the house and did the same thing in the house,' Ms Wass said.

'I do not believe that happened, especially seeing as I had a severed finger,' came the reply.

Ms Wass continued cross examining Depp on the damage in the house, saying there were references to 'French settees' which needed re-covering, and she asked: 'You did the damage, how long did it take you?'

Depp said 'I was a party to the damage' and Ms Wass interrupted: 'Amber Heard broke one bottle.'

The actor replied: 'Well in fact she threw two bottles at me. The first bottle came whizzing past my head and the second smashed ... and cut my fingertip off, so she broke two bottles.'

Depp was then asked if he remembered a television and a window breaking, to which he said no, and if he recalled damage to the settees and floors, to which he replied: 'Yes I remember there was quite a lot of blood everywhere.'

He was then asked who out of himself and Ms Heard did he think did the most damage to the house, to which he answered: 'I would say Ms Heard.'

When Ms Wass retorted that was not true, he said: 'Thank you'.

Ms Wass told the court Mr Judge had told Heard that if he and Depp's other employees had not stepped in, 'either you or he would be dead'.

The barrister said: 'It appears Mr Judge is saying that if they hadn't come along when they did, either you would be dead or Ms Heard would be dead.

'That would be an odd thing to say if it was Ms Heard who was the only violent party - do you agree or not?'

Depp replied: 'There are several times when I have spoken to Ms Heard and said, 'listen, we are a crime scene waiting to happen'.'

Depp: 'Heard was unwilling to sign a pre-nup'

Ms Wass asked Mr Depp about the catalyst for the argument, which he says was a post-nuptial agreement Ms Heard did not want to sign.

The actor told the court: 'Ms Heard, in tears and quite riled up, said to me that the woman (an attorney) had kind of psychologically tortured her and said 'this is it, you have to sign this' and she said 'Johnny would never agree to me signing this' and she said the lawyer laughed and said 'oh he is well aware'.'

Ms Wass then said Mr Depp's employees were concerned about the property's owner seeing the damage and going to the press.

He responded: 'Well I think they would rather not have bad things show up in the press. I have always been quite a private person.'

Ms Wass said: 'This was something your people really wanted to underplay, isn't it?'

Mr Depp replied: 'Well yes, as did I, and I said I crushed my finger in a door.'

Depp has described his relationship with Heard as 'complicated' as the High Court was told there was 'a lot of anger' and a 'very deep love' between the couple.

Ms Wass asked the actor about a January 2015 trip to Tokyo he took with Heard and his two children, alleging he had been violent towards Ms Heard in their hotel room and had wrestled her to the floor.

Depp said this was 'incorrect'.

The barrister later said: 'It was a very complex relationship with Ms Heard, there was a lot of anger on one level ... but there was also a very close connection and a very deep love between the two of you.'

Depp replied: 'It felt so at the time, yes. It was complicated.'

Ms Wass asked the star about a pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreement, telling the court that according to Californian divorce laws a wife was entitled to 50 per cent of her husband's wealth.

Depp said: 'She (Heard) was unwilling to sign a pre-nup, my attorneys tried for Ms Heard to sign a post-nuptial agreement, which she said she was fine to do.

'She said she was fine to sign a pre-nup too but it never happened.'

Amber Heard arrived at the High Court yesterday with her sister Whitney (wearing a green covering) after going out on the town with her until the early hours on the third day of Johnny Depp's blockbuster libel trial in London

The 57-year-old actor was cross-examined on the stand by The Sun's lawyer and asked about the trip he took with his ex-wife Heard, 34, in August 2014 - while they were engaged to be married

'One of the cruelest things that she has ever done': Johnny Depp says Amber Heard withheld his rehab medicine as he lay 'sobbing like a child' and going through withdrawal on his private island in the Bahamas

Depp accused Heard of withholding his rehab medicine while he lay 'sobbing like a child' as he from suffered from withdrawal on a pre-wedding detox trip to his private island in 2014.

Depp discussed the 2014 trip to the 45-acre island Little Hall Pond's Cay under cross-examination by The Sun's QC Sasha Wass and denied kicking Heard, pushing her and grabbing her by the hair while she nursed him through an 'agonising' withdrawal from prescription painkiller Roxicodone.

He said he retired to the island - where he married Heard in 2015 and which he bought for $3.5million in 2004 - with Heard and a nurse while he tried to kick his addiction to the prescription drug known as 'Roxxies'.

In his witness statement, Depp claimed that Heard 'often intervened and withheld medicine from me' while the pair were on the island, which he described as 'one of the cruellest things that she has ever done'.

He told the court how Heard would deny him medicine, leaving him 'sobbing like a child' on the floor and having the 'heebie-jeebies' and start shaking and having stomach cramps.

Johnny Depp has accused Amber Heard of withholding his rehab medicine while they took a detox trip together to his private island in the Bahamas on the third day of his libel trial in London

Heard is pictured arriving at the High Court with her squad, including her girlfriend Bianca Butti (back left, in sunglasses)

Sasha Wass QC, representing The Sun, told the High Court yesterday how Depp and Heard were on one side of his private island while a nurse, Debbie Lloyd, was staying on the other side

'He's flipping, he's screaming, he's so mad he pushed me'

Texts exchanged between Heard and an onsite nurse standing by throughout the withdrawal showed her telling medics to come and help when Depp allegedly 'pushed' her.

Depp denied kicking Heard and pulling her hair, claiming that he was 'in no physical condition' to have assaulted her and calling the accusations her 'insurance policy'.

Depp told the court how Heard would deny him medicine, leaving him 'sobbing like a child' on the floor and having the 'heebie-jeebies' and start shaking and having stomach cramps.

Ms Wass told the High Court yesterday how Depp and Heard were on one side of his private island while a nurse, Debbie Lloyd, was staying on the other side.

Referring to a page of text messages in evidence sent by Heard to the nurse, the barrister said: ''Issue seems to have arisen again. All of a sudden he's flipping. He's screaming, he's so mad he pushed me and I asked him to get out. Don't want to keep you guys.' The nurse asked: 'Should we come over?' and she said yes.

'Are you aware of any reason that Ms Heard would ask the medics to come over if you were so mad that you pushed her. Can you think why she would write that if it wasn't the truth?'

Depp said: 'I can only say from my point of view I was in no physical condition to push anyone. I'm denying I pushed her. I'm going to suggest that the testimony is fabricated.'

'And this is part of the hoax is it?' the lawyer asked.

'I believe it's part of the dossier that was an insurance policy for her,' Depp said. 'I wouldn't know if she followed the instructions of the nurse to the letter.'

Ms Wass suggested to Depp that Heard was 'effectively acting as your nurse'.

Depp replied: 'She was in control of the meds, she was in control of when I was taking the meds, she would give me the time to take the meds.'

Ms Wass asked: 'She wasn't the one in detox, was she?' Depp said that Heard was not.

She added: 'I am going to suggest you lied about the extent of her drugs use and alcohol consumption in order to discredit her in this court hearing.' Depp said: 'No.'

The barrister continued: 'She was doing what she was being told to do by the experts.' Depp replied: 'I don't know that she explicitly followed the orders of the registered nurse to the letter.'

Ms Wass said: 'The idea of a detoxification process is you come off drugs.'

She added: 'She (Ms Heard) was withholding drugs that you were not supposed to have.' Depp asked: 'Why would she have drugs that I was not supposed to have?'

Ms Wass also read a text exchange between Depp and his former mother-in-law, Paige Heard, sent during the Bahamas detox trip.

The barrister said Heard wrote 'please hang in there my son out-law'. The text continued: 'I know that it doesn't feel like things will ever get better, but I promise you they will.

'You've gotten through the hardest part, it may be hard to see, but you will be so glad to have this gorilla off of your back. I've seen the hell this addiction brings and I wouldn't wish this on anyone.

'You are a big wonderful man to break the cycle. Please let me know if I can help in any way. All my love.'

Depp said the messages to his mother-in-law were him saying good things about a daughter to her mother.

The barrister said Depp's assertion that Heard had withheld his medication during the trip was 'not substantiated by any evidence'.

He replied that he couldn't say whether it was substantiated, adding: 'I can
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 10, 2020 09:43 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406654bbb3 4 National rapist,rape,Bengkulu,police,rewards,child-abuse,Most-Wanted-List Free

A police precinct in Kaur district, Bengkulu, is offering a Rp 10 million (US$696.97) reward for any individuals who have information on the whereabouts of an alleged child rapist.

Kaur Police chief Sr. Comr. Puji Prayetno said the police named 20-year-old male Erawan a suspect in the alleged sexual assault of a child. The police also put him on their most-wanted list.

Erawan allegedly raped a child in April. The police have been looking for him for the past three months.

We are working day and night and doing our best to catch the suspect. However, we need information [on his whereabouts], Puji said on Thursday as quoted by kompas.com.

Read also: Komnas HAM gathers reports on alleged sexual assault in Depok catholic church

He added the police expected Erawans family to hand him over or at least inform law enforcers of his current location.

Puji said the reward would encourage members of the general public to provide the police with information regarding Erawan.

We will arrest him immediately once we obtain the information. (dpk)
Kanpur: A Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) convey carrying gangster Vikas Dubey, which arrived in Kanpur on Friday morning met with an accident after one of its car overturned while it was on the way. According to reports, the car was reportedly carrying gangster Vikas Dubey turned turtle due to the slippery road condition after heavy rains in the region.

Notably, an eye-witness told Zee News that he heard sounds of gunfire on the spot at the time of the mishap. It has also reported that the gangster tried to flee from the spot soon after the car overturned.

The UP STF along with the gangster had left from Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain to Kanpur on Thursday evening and covered the distance of 600 kilometres by road.
As part of its mission to simplify the customer journey through innovative digital interventions, Bharti Airtel (Airtel) today announced the launch of vernacular support on Airtel Thanks app.

Airtel Prepaid mobile customers can now access Airtel Thanks app in multiple Indian languages - Hindi, Telugu, Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, Gujarati, Malayalam and Punjabi. The feature is LIVE on Android and will be available on iOS shortly.

Support for several other Indian regional languages, including Kannadda, Assamese and Odia will be introduced in the coming weeks.

With increasing smartphone penetration, particularly in smaller towns and villages, customers are looking for vernacular online experience. This new feature on Airtel Thanks app will drive more adoption as well as make the user experience simpler and highly interactive for Airtel customers by removing language barriers.

Says Adarsh Nair, Chief Product Officer, Airtel: At Airtel, we are obsessed with solving customer problems and making their experience better through digital technologies. As India transforms into a smartphone nation, close to 35% of Airtel Thanks app users now come from Tier 2/3 towns and rural markets. With deep vernacular support, Airtel Thanks app becomes even more relevant and accessible for these customers and enables them to unlock the full potential of Airtels exciting digital services.

Also read: IndusInd Bank launches redesigned website to enhance customer experience

Airtel Thanks app is the digital gateway to all Airtel services. It comes with a customised interface  Silver, Gold, Platinum  based on customer ARPU. The app allows Airtel smartphone customers to access Digital Self Care - make recharges, bill payments, checking real time data usage/balance details. Customers can also log service related issues through the app in a matter of few clicks. The app also offers access to digital payments and financial services along with preview of Airtels digital entertainment library.

Airtel Thanks app has been fully designed and built by the in-house engineering team of Airtel.
B Anbuselvan By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: For three months since the imposition of COVID-19 lockdown, there was one definite relief. Power cuts disappeared.

But now Chennai residents will have to prepare for them all over again.

The Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Ltd (Tangedco) has decided to resume load shedding at regular intervals to carry out urgent maintenance works.

"In view of the lockdown imposed since March 21, load shedding has not been taken in most parts of the city as most people stay within their houses. Now load shedding is permitted for the shortest period of time to carry out certain emergency maintenance works," said a senior official from Tangedco.

The load shedding was carried out periodically and generally on those days the power supply was cut between 9 am to 5 pm. Every household faced such power cuts once in 30 to 45 days.

ALSO READ | Only 10 per cent staff must work from office: Tamil Nadu govt to IT companies in Chennai

Now the officials are planning to restrict such cuts to between 9 am and 2 pm.

"Barring a few repair works on transformers and distribution networks, we have not sanctioned suspending the power supply during lockdown period. But again the load shedding had to be taken up for essential works. The revised load shedding is permitted between 9 am and 2 am or (for a duration) less than that (time) period in areas where the maintenance work has to be carried out immediately," said the official.

On July 14, power supply will be suspended between 9 am and 2 pm in Madambakkam area which includes Kovilanchery, Agaramthen village, Agaram main road, Guduvanchery, Kurunchi nagar, Rakesh Sharma Nagar and Victoria farm, said the statement from Tangedco.

ALSO READ | Next episode of migrant exodus plays out at Chennai Central

R Kannan, a resident of Korattur, said, "Power cuts will have a huge impact on the public water distribution system in the City and outskirts. The filling of water tanks at houses will also get affected. Tangedco should engage more people for maintenance and reduce the duration of outage."

ALSO SEE:
The Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN) has donated relief items worth millions of Naira to some associations and petty traders in the Ikeja environ to ease the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In what it tagged, Advertisers Community Support Initiative, a collaborative efforts of Nigerian Brands under the auspices of the ADVAN, some of the associations that benefited from the relief items are the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and the Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria, BJAN.

Speaking at the presentation of the relief items at ADVAN Head Office in Ikeja, the Executive Secretary of the Association, Mrs. Ediri Ose-Ediale said the association will also endeavour to reach out to others within its reach to help uplift the vulnerable in the society.

This is the little way the association can help to reduce the burden of the pandemic on those that are in critical condition as a result of our present challenge, she said.

In his response, BJAN Chairman, Mr. Princewill Ekwujuru thanked ADVAN for its kind gesture.

Ekwujuru said the support given to the members of his association would go a long way in ameliorating the hardship being faced by journalists especially in this period of COVID-19 pandemic.

Other members of the associations delegation included Mr. Lukman Ishau, the General Secretary, Mr. Olufemi Adeyemi Chief Information Officer and the Financial Secretary, Mr. Akeem Salau.
Head chef Geraud Fabre (L) of French restaurant France-Soir waits for take-away orders in Melbourne, Australia on May 8, 2020 (WILLIAM WEST/ Getty Images)

Victoria State Gov Backs Virus-Hit Businesses With $534M

The Victorian economy could take up to three years to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdowns, the states treasurer has warned.

Treasurer Tim Pallas unveiled a $534 million support package on July 10, including $5000 cash grants for businesses affected by the six-week lockdown of metropolitan Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire.

He said there will be literally billions of dollars written off the expected size of the Victorian economy due to the second wave of coronavirus currently battering the state.

The Treasurer anticipates the June quarter will finish 14 percent below previous government estimates, with unemployment to peak at 11 percent.

That is a profound reduction and it will take some years before we see that level of economic activity come back, he said, warning it could take up to three years.

Pallas said if he had been asked about the states outlook a few weeks ago, he would have been a little more optimistic.

Today, Im less so, he said.

More than 80,000 Victorian businesses will be eligible for the cash grants as well as an extended and expanded payroll tax deferral.

The package also includes $30 million for the hospitality industry, $20 million for a fund for businesses in the Melbourne CBD, and $40 million for regional tourism businesses to cover the cost of refunds.

About $6 million will go to mental health support for business owners. A $10 million mentoring program will also be set up, pairing small business operators with experienced professionals.

Clearly, the return to Melbourne (of) stage three restrictions just isnt where we want it to be. Really, what this will be is a clearly traumatic, a very difficult time for many people, Pallas said.

For the pain, for the hardship that people have to endure, I want to be very clear that the government apologises to Victorians for it.

He said the government has now offered $6 billion in support to Victorians during the pandemic.

This a testing time for business. It is a testing time for us all. It is important that we do more than simply provide platitudes of support to the community, Pallas said.

Federal Treasury figures show 245,000 businesses in Victoria are taking part in the JobKeeper program, with an estimated 177,000 in the locked-down greater Melbourne area.

Based on the national average of employees per business receiving JobKeeper, up to 930,000 workers in Victoria could be on the payment.

Benita Kolovos in Melbourne
Surface tension is the property of water that enables bugs to skim the surface of water. Research by John Lienhard and Kishor Nayar to understand how the surface tension of seawater changes with temperature and salinity has become an international standard. Credit: Christopher Paul High

The property of water that enables a bug to skim the surface of a pond or keeps a carefully placed paperclip floating on the top of a cup of water is known as surface tension. Understanding the surface tension of water is important in a wide range of applications including heat transfer, desalination, and oceanography. Although much is known about the surface tension of fresh water, very little has been known about the surface tension of seawateruntil recently.

In 2012, John Lienhard, the Abdul Latif Jameel Professor of Water and Mechanical Engineering, and then-graduate student Kishor Nayar SM '14, Ph.D. '19 embarked on a research project to understand how the surface tension of seawater changes with temperature and salinity. Two years later, they published their findings in the Journal of Physical and Chemical Reference Data. This spring, the International Association for the Properties of Water and Steam (IAPWS) announced that they had deemed Lienhard and Nayar's work an international guideline.

According to the IAPWS, Lienhard and Nayar's research "presents a correlation for the surface tension of seawater as a function of temperature and salinity." The announcement of the guideline marked the completion of eight years of work with dozens of collaborators from MIT and across the globe.

"This project grew out of my work in desalination. In desalination, you need to know about the surface tension of water because that affects how water travels through pores in a membrane," explains Lienhard, a world leading expert in desalinationthe process by which salt water is treated to become potable freshwater.

Lienhard suggested Nayar take measurements of seawater's surface tension and compare the results to the surface tension of pure water. As they would soon find out, getting reliable data from salt water would prove to be incredibly difficult.

This beaker with a lid was used by the research team to get data about the surface tension of seawater. Credit: Kishor Nayar

"We had thought originally that these experiments would be pretty simple to do, that we'd be done in a month or two. But as we started looking into it, we realized it was a much harder problem to tackle," says Lienhard.

From the outset, Nayar hoped to get enough accurate data to inform a property standard. Doing so would require the uncertainty in the measurements to be less than 1 percent.

"When you talk about property measurements, you need to be as accurate as possible," explains Nayar. The first hurdle he had to surmount to achieve this level of accuracy was finding the appropriate instrumentation to make reliable measurementssomething that turned out to be no easy feat.

Measuring surface tension

To measure the surface tension of water, Lienhard and Nayar teamed up with Gareth McKinley, professor of mechanical engineering, and then-graduate student Divya Panchanathan SM '15, Ph.D. '18. They began with a device known as a Wilhelmy plate, which finds the surface tension by lowering a small platinum plate into a beaker of water then measuring the force the water exerts as the plate is raised.

Close-up of experimental setup for testing the surface tension of seawater. Credit: Kishor Nayar

Nayar and Panchanathan struggled to measure the surface tension of salt water at higher temperatures. "The issue we kept finding was once the temperature was above 50 degrees Celsius, the water on the beaker evaporated faster than we could take the measurements," Nayar says.

No instrument would allow them to get the data they neededso Nayar turned to the MIT Hobby Shop. Using a lathe, he built a special lid for the beaker to keep vapor in.

"The little lid Kishor built had accurately cut doors that allowed him to put a surface tension probe through the lid without letting water vapor get out," explains Lienhard.

After making progress on obtaining data, the team suffered a massive setback. They found that barely visible salt scales, which formed on their test beaker over time, had introduced errors to their measurements. To get the most accurate values, they decided to use fresh new beakers for every single test. As a result, Nayar had to repeat nine months of work just prior to his master's thesis being due. Fortunately, since the main problem was identified and solved, experiments could be repeated much faster.

Nayar was able to redo the experiments on time. The team measured surface tension in seawater ranging from room temperature to 90 degrees Celsius and salinity levels ranging from pure water to four times the salinity of ocean water. They found that surface tension decreases by roughly 20 percent as water goes from room temperature toward boiling. Meanwhile, as salinity increases, surface tension increases as well. The team had unlocked the mystery of seawater surface tension.

The team measured surface tension in seawater ranging from room temperature to 90 degrees Celsius and salinity levels ranging from pure water to four times the salinity of ocean water. Credit: Kishor Nayar

"It was literally the most technically challenging thing I had ever done," Nayar recalls.

Their data had an average deviation of 0.19 percent, with a maximum deviation of just 0.6 percentwell within the 1 percent bound needed for a guideline.

From master's thesis to international guideline

Three years after completing his master's thesis, Nayar, by then a Ph.D. student, attended an IAPWS meeting in Kyoto, Japan. The IAPWS is a nonprofit international organization responsible for releasing standards on the properties of water and steam. There, Nayar met with leaders in the field of water surface tension who had been struggling with the same issues Nayar had faced. These contacts introduced him to the long, rigorous process of declaring something an international guideline.

The IAPWS had previously published standards on the properties of steam developed by the late Joseph Henry Keenan, professor and one-time department head of mechanical engineering at MIT. To join Keenan as authors of an IAPWS standard, the team's data needed to be verified by measurements conducted by other researchers. After three years of working with the IAPWS, the team's work was finally adopted as an international guideline.

The research team found that surface tension decreases by roughly 20 percent as seawater goes from room temperature toward boiling. Meanwhile, as salinity increases, surface tension increases as well. Credit: Gareth McKinley

For Nayar, who graduated with his Ph.D. last year and is now a senior industrial water/wastewater engineer at engineering consulting firm GHD, the guideline announcement made the long months collecting data well worth it. "It felt like something getting completed," he recalls.

The findings that Nayar, Panchanathan, McKinley, and Lienhard reported back in 2014 are broadly applicable to a number of industries, according to Lienhard. "It's certainly relevant for desalination work, but also for oceanographic problems such as capillary wave dynamics," he explains.

It also helps explain how small thingslike a bug or a paperclipcan float on seawater.

Explore further Feeling pandemic stress? These easy breathing techniques can help

More information: K. G. Nayar et al. Surface Tension of Seawater, Journal of Physical and Chemical Reference Data (2014). K. G. Nayar et al. Surface Tension of Seawater,(2014). DOI: 10.1063/1.4899037

This story is republished courtesy of MIT News (web.mit.edu/newsoffice/), a popular site that covers news about MIT research, innovation and teaching.
Australia Suspends Extradition Treaty with Hong Kong

By VOA News July 09, 2020

Australia is suspending its extradition treaty with Hong Kong in response to the new national security law imposed on the city by China.

In announcing the move Thursday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Canberra will extend temporary visas for an additional five years for the 10,000 Hong Kong citizens currently studying and working in Australia, and allow them to apply for permanent residency after that time.

Morrison also said the government will begin efforts to encourage businesses operating in Hong Kong to relocate to Australia in light of the new security law.

"Australia has always been a very welcoming country to such people," Morrison said.

Under the new law, anyone in Hong Kong believed to be carrying out terrorism, separatism, subversion of state power or collusion with foreign forces could be tried and face life in prison. The new law was a response to the massive and often violent pro-democracy demonstrations that engulfed the financial hub in the latter half of last year.

Western governments and human rights advocates say the measure effectively ends the "One Country, Two Systems" policy under which Hong Kong was promised a high degree of autonomy after the handover from British to Chinese rule in 1997.

Canberra has revised its travel advisory for Hong Kong, warning Australians they may be "at risk of detention on vaguely defined national security grounds," and face possible expatriation to mainland China "for prosecution under mainland law."

Australia's Foreign Ministry has also warned the 100,000 expatriates who live and work in Hong Kong "to reconsider your need to remain" in the city.

The Chinese Embassy in Canberra issued a statement warning Australia "to immediately stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs under any pretext or in any way. Otherwise it will lead to nothing but lifting a rock only to hit its own feet."

Australia previously extended residency rights to tens of thousands of Chinese students living there when Chinese troops violently drove out pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square in 1989.

Relations between Canberra and Beijing are already strained over Canberra's push for an independent probe into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, which was first detected last year in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

Beijing has imposed heavy tariffs on Australian barley and suspended Australian beef imports in apparent retaliation.

Other Western governments have taken similar steps in response to Beijing's push to bring Hong Kong further under its autocratic rule. Canada has suspended its extradition treaty with the territory, while Britain has offered residency for up to 3 million Hong Kongers eligible for British citizenship under the 1997 agreement.

New Zealand also announced Thursday that it was reviewing all of its "policy settings with respect to Hong Kong," including extradition agreements, trade and travel.

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The speed needed for stable orbit -- achieved by balancing an objects inertia with the Earths gravity -- diminishes with distance. High-flying geostationary satellites travel at about 11,000 kilometers per hour to avoid falling back to Earth, while LEO satellites must travel at about 27,000 kph, completing a full circuit of the planet in 90 to 120 minutes. That means each individual satellite is only in direct contact with a ground transmitter for a brief period and is why LEO projects involve so many satellites: OneWeb says that in its system, receivers are able to get a consistent signal because a new satellite will always fly into range and pre-emptively replace the signal of the satellite which is about to fly beyond the horizon, about every 2 minutes.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-09 01:04:10|Editor: huaxia

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MOGADISHU, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Somali opposition parties and the United Nations have welcomed Thursday's meeting among five federal member states which will discuss upcoming elections, security and review of the constitution.

In separate statements, the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) said the meeting which will take place in Dhusamareb, the capital of Galmudug state, is crucial since it will iron out pressing national priorities that will move the country forward.

"UNSOM welcomes planned federal Member States (FMS) leaders' meeting in Dhusamareb, a prelude to the upcoming federal government-FMS summit and part of the essential dialogue on pressing national priorities, including elections, security, and review of the Constitution," it said on Wednesday.

Sources said the outcome of the Dhusamareb meeting will be very crucial for the planned national security forum scheduled in the capital Mogadishu on a date yet to be confirmed.

President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo had scheduled July 5-8 as the date for the crucial talks with regional leaders. However, the meeting did not take place.

The Thursday meeting is expected to agree on the contentious issues surrounding the election model as well as the options presented by the electoral body on June 27.

The National Independent Electoral Commission (NIEC) stated that it will not be possible to hold elections this year.

NIEC said it requires 13 months to prepare a credible poll where Somalis will have an opportunity to take part in "one person, one vote" election for the first time since 1969.

The opposition Forum for National Parties, led by former presidents Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, has also endorsed the Thursday meeting but faulted the absence of leaders from Mogadishu.

"The FNP advises the leaders of the Federal Government of Somalia to fulfill their constitutional mandate in order to enable the conduct of free and fair and peaceful elections," FNP said in a statement.

The Horn of African nation was due to hold parliamentary elections in October while presidential polls will take place in February 2021.

The meeting among the federal member state leaders comes amid pressure from the international community to bring national and regional leaders together ahead of the 2020-2021 polls.

Somalia, with the help of the international community, is making urgent preparations for universal suffrage elections.

Parliamentary and presidential elections took place in late 2016 and early 2017 through a system of indirect suffrage. Enditem
Were trying to keep our health providers safe. Its the same for our government leaders. We dont want a Cabinet ill and in hospital. It would be tremendously destabilizing in a situation thats already extremely unstable, she said. Thats a reason why being out in public unless everyone around you has masks on is dangerous. They have to be responsible.
As the race to find a coronavirus vaccine speeds up, all bets have been placed. Most experts as well as pharmaceutical companies believe that a coronavirus vaccine candidate will be ready only by mid-2021. However, it must be pointed out that formulating a COVID vaccine is only one of the many hurdles that needs to be overcome. The World Health Organisation (WHO) and its alliance partners including the vaccine alliance GAVI has said that the goal is to create 2 billion doses of the coronavirus vaccine by 2021. The organisation has assured that there would be enough doses to go around, initially to protect highest-risk groups as well as group that would be otherwise unable to afford it, including in poor and developing countries. "WHO is working on fast-tracking the process by aligning closely with vaccine developers, explaining evaluation criteria and harmonising regulatory requirements for clinical trials," said Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan.

Here are the latest developments from India and from across the world:

INDIA

Zydus Cadila: The pharmaceutical company has received approval from the DCGI to conduct human trials for the coronavirus vaccine it has named ZyCoV-D. The trials will begin this month with 1,000 volunteers across multiple cities. "We are following the adaptive clinical trial protocol (phase I followed by phase II without much gap in between) which, in a pandemic or emergency area, is permitted by regulators across the world. We will take about three months to complete the Phase I and II clinical trials, after which we will approach the DCGI for their consideration," said Zydus Cadila Chairman Pankaj R Patel in an interview to The Indian Express.

Also read: Coronavirus vaccine news update: Serum Institute to give 50% of doses to India; Moderna shows 'very promising results'

Premas Biotech: The Gurugram-based Biotech company that has developed a triple antigen virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine candidate has said that it has moved to animal trials phase. "The four-week placebo-controlled, blinded and randomised tests to be conducted in mice, will seek to evaluate safety in the rodent model and examine immune response by dose titration," the company has said. Currently Premas is the only Indian company to explore a triple antigen COVID vaccine candidate.

Serum Institute of India: SII that is producing around four vaccine candidates including the Oxford University-AstraZeneca coronavirus candidate has said that it is expected to launch a candidate by the end of six months. In an interview with NPR, Adar Poonawalla has sad that they have jumpstarted the production of the four corona vaccine candidate even when their technology has not been proven. He also said that of all that he produces at SII, 50 per cent would be reserved for India and the rest would be given to other countries.

GLOBAL

Europe: The British government has decided not to join a European Union coronavirus vaccine scheme because of concerns there could be costly delays in securing the vaccines, The Telegraph reported on Thursday, citing sources. The European Commission is expected to be notified on Friday, the report said.

Also read: Coronavirus vaccine news update: Bharat Biotech, Zydus Cadila set for trials; SII expects nod in 6 months

Oxford University vaccine: Oxford University that is conducting trials of its ChAdOx1 vaccine has said that their vaccine is safe even for people with low immunity. "We have removed some of the adenovirus genes so that when we use it as a vaccine, the adenovirus can't spread through the body. That makes it very safe, even in people with a weak immune system. But because it is still a live virus, it is good at inducing a strong immune response after vaccination," said Professor Sarah Gilbert, Nuffield Department of Medicine, Oxford University. The vaccine is undergoing trials, involving 5,000 volunteers, in Brazil.

Moderna: The pharmaceutical company has concluded the participant enrolment for its phase two of trials. Moderna has, meanwhile, signed an agreement with Spain's Laboratorios Farmaceuticos Rovi SA to scale up production and manufacturing of its coronavirus vaccine. ROVI will procure a new production line and equipment for vial filling and packaging, automatic visual inspection and labeling, and hire more staff to support the production of millions of doses of Moderna's vaccine candidate, the companies said.

CORONAVIRUS DRUG

Gilead: The company said that it is starting early-stage study of its antiviral Remdesivir that can be inhaled. The drug would be for use outside of hospitals. Gilead said it would enrol around 60 healthy Americans between 18-45 years of age for the trials.

Pankajakasthuri Herbals: The Thiruvananthapuram-based company has said that interim clinical trial results of its ZingiVir-H have shown that the drug is effective in treating COVID-19 patients. The product is a herbo-mineral drug made of a blend of seven ingredients. The company said of 42 patients, 22 were treated with ZingiVir-H tablets and 20 with a placebo. It was found that all the 22 patients treated with ZingiVir-H were discharged on the fourth day after real-time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests.

Fujifilm's Avigan: A clinical trial of Fujifilm Holdings Avigan drug has yielded inconclusive results, Japanese researchers said on Friday. Although patients given the drug early in the trial showed more improvement than those who got delayed doses, the results did not reach statistical significance, Fujita Health University researcher Yohei Doi said.

Also read: Coronavirus pandemic: Pankajakasthuri Herbals claims promising trial results of drug
Goodbodys planned 155m sale to the Bank of China has fallen at the final hurdle because of Covid-19 disruption, the stockbroker announced today.

The deal had been agreed in November following a lengthy competition involving bids from Goodbody's main domestic rival, Davy Stockbrokers, and Irish Life parent Great-West Lifeco.

However, Bank of China has now informed Goodbody that, due to the unprecedented global impacts and uncertainty caused by Covid-19, it is not in a position to complete its proposed acquisition of Goodbody, the stockbroker said in a statement.

Read More

As a result, the proposed transaction has been terminated.

This becomes Goodbodys second straight failure to sell itself to Chinese investors. A 150m agreement with Zhong Ze Culture Investments collapsed in early 2019 amid a protracted approval process.

This time, Goodbody picked Bank of China over more straightforward offers from Davy and Great-West Lifeco citing a higher cash offer from the Chinese.

Once the Central Bank of Ireland in March approved Bank of Chinas bid, the path appeared clear for the stockbrokers takeover by the summer.

Goodbody is the country's second-biggest and oldest stockbroking firm, with a 144-year history and deep roots in Irish corporate life.

It has 300 staff. Its biggest shareholder is Co Kerry-based financial services group Fexco, which bought what was initially a 75pc stake for 24m from AIB in 2011 following the financial crash.

Goodbody's management and staff already owned a 25pc stake and eventually raised that to 49pc. They stood to gain nearly half of the sales proceeds from the Bank of China sale paid out in two stages: half once the deal closed, the rest in three years time.

A sale would have allowed Fexco to exit the firm entirely. Last year it recouped 23m from Goodbody in a dividend from the stockbroker's proceeds from the sale of the Irish Stock Exchange.

Fexco declined to comment, deferring all questions to Goodbody.

Goodbody said its balance sheet was substantially strengthened following the sale of the companys stake in the Irish Stock Exchange in 2018 and the company retains significant financial capacity to drive its growth strategy forward.
GENEVA  U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has criticized an independent U.N. human rights experts report insisting an American drone strike that killed a top Iranian general in January was a watershed event in the use of drones and amounted to a violation of international law.

The report presented by Agnes Callamard to the U.N.-backed Human Rights Council on Thursday chronicled events around the death of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and the legal implications of his killing as part of a broader look on the use of drone strikes.

Callamard, the special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions who has been commissioned by the council, called the January strike in Iraq the first known incident in which a state invokes self-defense as justification for an attack against a government official outside a declared armed conflict."

Pompeo said in a statement late Thursday that the U.S. rejected her report and opinions.

Ms. Callamards conclusions are spurious, he said. The strike that killed Gen. Soleimani was in response to an escalating series of armed attacks in preceding months by the Islamic Republic of Iran and militias it supports on U.S. forces and interests in the Middle East region.

Pompeo said the strike on Baghdad International Airport was carried out to deter Iran from launching or supporting further attacks against the United States or U.S. interests, and to degrade the capabilities of the Qods Force. He said Callamard gives more cause to distrust U.N. human rights mechanisms.

The Trump administration pulled the United States out of the rights council two years ago, accusing it of an anti-Israel bias and alleging that it is too accepting of autocratic regimes that regularly abuse human rights.

Callamard is perhaps best known for leading an investigation into the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi national, and issuing a scathing report on the actions of Saudi officials.

In her new report, Callamard acknowledged in her report that international humanitarian and human rights law can provide diverging answers on the legal validity of some drone strikes, and the one against Soleimani raised genuine uncertainty as to how to interpret its lawfulness.

She said the United States had not engaged with her as she drafted the drone report. But based on the evidence the U.S. provided, the targeting of Gen. Soleimani, and the deaths of those accompanying him, constitute an arbitrary killing for which, under (international human rights law), the U.S. is responsible, she said.

Callamard wrote that the strike targeting Soleimani was qualitatively different from other drone strikes that targeted non-state actors.

This is the primary reason the Soleimani strike is considered a watershed change in the conduct of extra-territorially targeted strikes and killings, she stated in the report.

It is hard to imagine that a similar strike against a Western military leader would not be considered as an act of war, potentially leading to intense action, political, military and otherwise, against the state launching the strike, she added.

Among other recommendations, the report calls on the United Nations to examine the legal framework on the use of drones and for the U.N. Security Council  which Callamard called missing in action on the subject of drone strikes  to take up the issues.

The report's release came as the United States mounts an increasingly intense diplomatic offensive to try to depict Irans Islamic Republic as the worlds most rogue regime.

Tehran has countered by issuing an international arrest warrant and asking Interpol for help in detaining President Donald Trump and dozens of others it believes carried out the drone strike on Soleimani. Trump faces no danger of arrest, and Interpol said it would not consider Iran's request.

______

The APs Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.
Amber Heard, left, and Johnny Depp arrive at the 27th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala in Palm Springs, Calif. on Jan. 2, 2016. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Depp Severed Finger During 3-Day Row With Ex-wife, UK Court Told

LONDONHollywood star Johnny Depp wrote on a wall with blood from his severed finger tip during a long and violent confrontation with his ex-wife, Amber Heard, five years ago, Londons High Court heard on Thursday at his libel case against a British tabloid.

Depp told the court he suffered some species of nervous breakdown during a row with actress Heard, but denied he had violently attacked her and accused her of cutting his finger by throwing a bottle at him.

The revelations came on the third day of Depps appearance in the witness stand as he sues the publisher of Britains Sun tabloid, News Group Newspapers, over an article in which it labelled the actor a wife beater.

Actor Johnny Depp leaves the High Court in London on July 7, 2020. (Aaron Chown/PA via AP)

The court heard that Depp was in Australia in March 2015 to film Pirates of the Caribbean a month after the couple married. Heard had flown to join him from London, where she had been making a movie with co-star Billy Bob Thornton.

The Suns lawyer, Sasha Wass, said Heard suffered a three-day ordeal at Depps hands in the rented house where the actor was staying after she became angry at him because he had been drinking to excess and taking drugs.

Consumed with jealousy about Heard and Thornton, Depp attacked her, constantly swigging from a bottle, Wass said.

He slapped Heard across the face, pushed her against the fridge and smashed her head against it, and she barricaded herself in her bedroom to escape him, the court was told.

Wass said at one stage Depp spat in her face, grabbed her by the throat and told her it would be easy to crush her neck.

Fabricated and vicious, Depp replied, rejecting all the accusations which he says form part of a hoax by his ex-wife.

He agreed the couple had a violent row on the final day that began because he wanted Heard to sign a post-nuptial agreement, and he had not been drinking until that point.

Depp described the Australian incident as the end of the marriage, after which it was only going to get worse.

Nervous Breakdown

Depp said Heard threw two vodka bottles at him, the second of which severed my finger and crushed my bones.

That is when I began what I feel was perhaps some species of a nervous breakdown, he told the court. I couldnt live, didnt want to live.

He said he began to write messages on the wall in blood using his severed finger, before then using paint. One message on a mirror said, Starring Billy Bob, Easy Amber.

He agreed he might have ripped a telephone off the wall and smashed it and told Heard that she had ruined his life.

Wass told the court the house was a scene of carnage with paint everywhere and windows and the television smashed. It caused $75,000 of damage, according to Depps assistant.

Earlier Depp denied attacking Heard while undergoing detox to ease himself off prescription drugs on his private island in the Bahamas in August 2014.

Actors Johnny Depp, left, and Amber Heard arrive for the European premiere of their film, The Rum Diary, in London, UK, on Nov. 3, 2011. (Joel Ryan/AP Photo)

Depp told the court it was the lowest point of my life, when he was in a great deal of pain, suffering uncontrollable spasms, and sobbing like a child on the floor.

He accused Heard of withholding medication that would ease the process, calling it one of the cruellest things that she has ever done, the court was told.

However, Wass said Heard, 34, was following instructions from Depps medical team and pointed out she had contacted a nurse who was staying on the island to say he was screaming and had pushed her.

I did not push Miss Heard or attack her in any way, Depp said. I was not in a condition to do so in any case.

Depp has told the court that the abuse allegations were a hoax, and Heard appeared to have been building a dossier as an insurance policy. The trial is due to last three weeks.

By Michael Holden
Paris criticised Ankara for taking moves counter to the interests of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), creating a new crack in the transoceanic military alliance.

The incident took place last month when a French frigate under NATO command tried to inspect a Tanzanian-flagged cargo ship suspected of smuggling arms to Libya in violation of a UN embargo. However, the French armed forces ministry said the frigate was harassed by three Turkish navy vessels escorting the cargo ship. A Turkish ship flashed its radar lights and its crew put on bulletproof vests and stood behind their light weapons. France accused Ankara of hiding the act of smuggling arms to Libya, while Turkey insisted that its three warships only escorted the cargo ship that was carrying humanitarian aid, helping NATO to enforce the UN arms embargo.

Relations between Turkey and its allies in NATO have long been in a poor state. The United States was very disappointed at Turkeys purchase of Russias S-400 missile defence system and at Ankaras military operations against the Kurds in Syria, a force considered by Washington as an effective partner in the fight against the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS). The US Defence Secretary also criticised Turkey for going in the wrong direction. Meanwhile, Turkey and France have deep disagreements, accusing each other of supporting rival factions in the conflict in Libya. After a series of disagreements, from Turkeys acquisition of Russian weapons to its drilling operations off the coast of Cyprus, the recent incident in the eastern Mediterranean caused France to suspect Turkey of smuggling arms to Libya. According to France, many NATO allies believe that Ankara is taking action against NATO interests and values. To highlight its attitude, France has suspended its role in NATO naval mission Operation Sea Guardian in the Mediterranean.

After the incident with Turkey, France sent a letter to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg asking all members to reaffirm their commitment to respect the UN arms embargo against Libya and improve coordination in NATO missions with the European Union (EU) in the Mediterranean, aiming to avoid similar incidents in the future. French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly told the European Parliament that NATO needs to make Ankara realise that Turkey must not violate the rules. Frances foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian also urged his EU counterparts to consider additional sanctions against Ankara during an upcoming videoconference meeting on July 13.

With the second largest military size in NATO, Turkey plays an important role in helping the military alliance maintain its strategic presence, especially in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. Therefore, despite the disagreement, France still prioritises a less tough approach in the conflict with Turkey when not seeking to expel Turkey from the alliance. In fact, NATO has no formal mechanism for membership abolition, but NATO can withdraw its assets from Turkey, including radar systems, Patriot missiles or AWACS aircraft. Believed to play a mediating role between France and Turkey, US President Donald Trump wants to appease both allies. He urged Turkey to coordinate in order to de-escalate the conflict in Libya, while encouraging Ankara to pursue more constructive policies regarding its arguments with NATO members over the contract to buy S-400 missiles from Russia and other disagreements.

NATOs recent adoption of a new defence plan for Poland and the Baltic region after reaching an agreement with Turkey is a positive signal that could help heal the rift in the relations between Ankara and allies in the bloc. However, if not resolved, the deep disagreement between France and Turkey is still an underground wave threatening to ruin the unity of this Western military bloc.
Qantas has offered its 3000 excess pilots a smorgasbord of options including redundancies and early retirement as it scrambles to deal with a setback in the resumption of domestic flights and the likely extended duration of the hiatus in international flying.

Qantas expectation to be operating at 40 per cent of pre-COVID levels this month was dashed this week when NSW effectively closed its gates to Victoria, and Fridays updated new infection figure in that state of 288 only increases the likelihood that the two-week border closure will be extended

This creates an even larger headache for Qantas over how to deal with the thousands of surplus staff.

Qantas has offered a range of options to its pilots.

The staff reductions form a major leg of the airlines $15 billion three year right sizing cost reduction program. Qantas has now written to its pilots offering options ranging from early retirement to leave without pay, special leave without pay or voluntary redundancy. Those that dont tick any of those boxes will remain in stand-down mode.
Failure to vaccinate everyone will give rise to new variants, says UN chief

Faith vs safety in burials: COVID-19 remains in dead bodies for 9 days says Centre

WHO lauds Dharavi, Asia's largest slum for breaking COVID-19 transmission chain

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, July 10: The World Health Organisation on Friday lauded Dharavi, Asia's largest slum for breaking chains of coronavirus transmission.

"There are many examples from around the world that have shown that even if the COVID-19 outbreak is very intense, it can still be brought back under control. In Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, New Zealand, Italy, Spain, South Korea and even in Dharavi...a densely packed area in Mumbai, a strong focus of community engagement and basics of testing, tracing, isolation and treating the sick is key to breaking chains of transmission and suppressing the virus," WHO chief Dr. Tedros said during a presser on Friday.

Community transmission present in 'many parts of India', say experts

The curve of COVID-19 positive cases in Dharavi, the low-income residential sprawl characterised by narrow lanes and spaces cramped with make-shift houses, has seen a declining trend for over a month now.

The WHO chief also lamented that global case numbers had more than doubled in the past six weeks.

"There are many, many examples from around the world," said Tedros, that even if the Covid-19 outbreak is "very intense, it can still be brought back under control".

The total number of cases in Dharavi at 2,359. Out of which, there are just 166 active cases while 1,952 patients have been discharged from hospitals following recovery so far.

The novel coronavirus has killed at least 5,55,000 people worldwide since the outbreak emerged in China last December, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP on Friday.

COVID-19: WHO issues new guidelines on airborne transmission: watch to know more | Oneindia News

Nearly 12.3 million cases have been registered in 196 countries and territories.

"Across all walks of life, we are all being tested to the limit," Tedros said, "from countries where there is exponential growth, to places that are loosening restrictions and now starting to see cases rise.

"Only aggressive action combined with national unity and global solidarity can turn this pandemic around."
(ANSAmed) - ROME, 10 LUG - New Challenges, emerging trends and need of transformations: Prima and Union for the Mediterranean promote an online debate on July 15 (17.30 CET) to discuss the results of a survey on the future scenarios of the Euromed Agrifood, as well as concrete solutions and initiatives.



Innovation, traceability and e-commerce are the key topics, which have been largely acknowledged by survey's interviewees as emerging trends for the future agrifood sector. Interestingly, the pool reveals that social and organizational innovation is considered even more urgent and impactful than technological innovation, which however is interpreted as a driver for the future. Sustainability is another crucial theme that, however, it is not perceived in a consensual and convergent way. While there is a large consensus on the fact that post-Covid scenario will induce business to maintain the focus on transition to sustainable patterns, it is not equally clear whether consumers will give more attention to sustainably produced food, nutritious and healthy products. This divergence might be understood in light of the risk of exacerbated economic gap that many have underlined as a concrete risk to occur also in consumers' choices and the agrifood sector in general. A gap, that seems to be confirmed also when looking at the role and reaction of the SMEs vis-a-vis the bigger companies. For the latter, opinions show that the risk of major financial problems could affect their business less severely. The survey promoted by PRIMA, together with the Italian Secretariat, was meant to understand changes and new dynamics taking place in the agrifood sector and has involved the 19 PRIMA Countries' Representatives and some experts of the region, receiving more than 180 answers, as well as additional notes further commenting and elaborating the different aspects. The debate will see the presence of leading institutions in the sector, such as the European Commission and FAO, joint Research and Innovation Initiatives, such as EIT Food and FACCE JPI, experts from different fields and areas. "We are privileged to partnering with major Institutions, Organizations and Initiatives to collectively promote viable solutions for more sustainable agrifood system for the Mediterranean area" - said Angelo Riccaboni, Chair PRIMA Foundation. "We can induce positive transformations, giving concrete opportunities to farmers, innovators, researchers and SMEs, only through stronger partnerships and interactions". "The ongoing crisis is impacting heavily the Mediterranean at a time when we are preparing for the 25th Anniversary since the Barcelona Declaration launched a new era for dialogue in our region. By partnering on research and innovation, we can reflect together on the future of our region and its path towards sustainable development. For this, it is key to work hand in hand with close stakeholders such as PRIMA", said Nasser Kamel, Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean. (ANSA).


The father-and-son duo accused of helping former Nissan chief executive officer Carlos Ghosn flee criminal charges in Japan must remain in custody as they fight extradition after two U.S. judges denied them bail.

Former Green Beret Michael Taylor and his son Peter were arrested in Massachusetts in May at the request of the Japanese government. U.S. prosecutors argued that the Taylors should stay in custody, pointing out that the two allegedly helped carry out one of the "most brazen and well-orchestrated escape acts in recent history."

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston on Thursday denied an emergency petition that the Taylors filed this week requesting immediate release in part because of the spread of the coronavirus in the jail where they are being held. She said there is a presumption against bail in extradition cases and that the Taylors had not shown they were likely to succeed in ultimately blocking the extradition request from Japan.

In addition, U.S. Magistrate Judge Donald Cabell, who is overseeing the extradition case, denied the Taylors bail in a separate order on Friday, explaining that he considered them flight risks. In his ruling, Cabell cited their apparent skill at executing high-stakes escapes and family connections to Lebanon.

"At a minimum," the magistrate wrote, "the facts reflect a greater than passing experience in covert international planning."

Lawyers for the Taylors did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Ghosn fled Japan in December as he was out on bail awaiting trial on charges of financial misconduct. Prosecutors in the U.S. and Japan say that the Taylors helped engineer that spectacular escape, concealing him in a large box for audio equipment and putting him on a charter flight to Turkey, where he switched planes and flew to Lebanon.

Japan responded to the escape by issuing arrest warrants for the former executive and others suspected of aiding him, including the Taylors.

In court filings, the Taylors have argued that the warrants don't justify extradition because helping someone "jump bail" isn't a crime under the Japanese penal code. A further charge that the escape violated Japanese immigration laws is only punishable as a misdemeanor and thus not subject to extradition, the Taylors said.

But the U.S. government rejected that legal argument and called the Taylors, who have been held at Norfolk County Correctional Facility outside Boston since their arrest, "exceptionally high" flight risks.

"Michael Taylor is not just capable of fleeing while on bond," prosecutors wrote in a filing in May. "He is an expert in the subject."

At a bail hearing in June, lawyers for the Taylors noted that both men voluntarily returned to the U.S. from Lebanon this spring, even after Japan issued its arrest warrants. If the Taylors had wanted to circumvent the judicial process, the lawyers said, they could simply have stayed in Lebanon, which does not have an extradition agreement with Japan. "There is no chance that these guys flee," one of the Taylors' lawyers, Paul Kelly, said at the hearing.
You may not recognise the name Suzanne Paul, but you almost certainly know her face and distinctive English accent.

The 63-year-old founder of cosmetics company Thin Lizzy doesn't have much of a profile in Australia beyond her infomercial spots on morning TV, but she's actually a major star in her adopted home country of New Zealand.

Across the ditch, she is a celebrated businesswoman and television personality, having hosted a string of popular shows. She even won the local version of Dancing with the Stars in 2007.

The secret world of New Zealand's infomercial queen: You may not recognise the name Suzanne Paul, but you almost certainly know her face and distinctive English accent

Suzanne was born Susan Barnes in Wolverhampton, England, and immigrated to New Zealand in 1991, when she was in her mid-thirties.

A true rags-to-riches story, Suzanne arrived with just $18 in her pocket and the determination to make a success of her life after growing up in public housing.

'I went up a notch. The accent was still there, but nobody knew what it meant,' she told the New Zealand Women's Weekly in June 2018.

Taking care of business: The 63-year-old founder of cosmetics company Thin Lizzy doesn't have much of a profile in Australia beyond her infomercial spots on morning TV (pictured), but she's actually a major star in her adopted home country of New Zealand

'While most British people could tell I was from the rough end of Wolverhampton as soon as I opened my mouth, Kiwis just thought I had a funny voice.'

She added: 'I was reinventing myself at 35.'

Suzanne started her career as a door-to-door salesperson, selling vacuum cleaners, before landing a job promoting cosmetics brand Natural Glow at expos and shopping centres.

Dancing queen: Across the ditch, she is a celebrated businesswoman and television personality, having hosted a string of popular shows. She even won the local version of Dancing with the Stars in 2007. Pictured with professional dancer Stefano Olivieri

At about this time, she adopted the professional name Suzanne Paul because it sounded more prestigious than Susan Barnes.

'It was my business partner's idea to take my first name, Susan, and his first name, Paul, to make it sound more international,' she explained.

'But at that point, I was going out with a Frenchman who called me Suzanne and I thought that sounded better.'

Life makeover: Suzanne was born Susan Barnes in Wolverhampton, England, and immigrated to New Zealand in 1991, when she was in her mid-thirties

When Natural Glow finally landed a TV commercial, a restricted budget meant Suzanne had to appear in front of the camera, kick-starting her television career.

'I was so nervous, I was throwing up in a bucket on set. It was the worst experience of my life,' she recounted.

Despite her nerves, it turned out to be a huge success, with Natural Glow becoming a household name at a time when Suzanne owned a 20 per cent stake in the company.

For sale: Suzanne started her career as a door-to-door salesperson, selling vacuum cleaners, before landing a job promoting cosmetics brand Natural Glow at expos and shopping centres

As the company became increasingly successful, Suzanne's television career also took off, and she landed roles hosting New Zealand shows including Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, Second Honeymoon, How's Life? and Celebrity Treasure Island.

She also won the 2007 season of New Zealand's Dancing with the Stars, becoming the show's oldest champion.

After investing in an American company with her first husband, Dean Kilworth, Suzanne became an overnight millionaire.

Striking it rich: After investing in an American company with her first husband, Dean Kilworth, Suzanne became an overnight millionaire

But almost as quickly as she became rich, Suzanne lost it all and eventually ended up divorcing her husband.

She later remarried, but financially she was still struggling and was forced to move back in with her mother and grow her own food, describing it as 'an awful time'.

Suzanne then decided to join forces with her former business partner, Paul, and together they launched the successful makeup range Thin Lizzy.

Second chance: After running into financial trouble, Suzanne joined forces with her former business partner, Paul, and together they launched the successful makeup range Thin Lizzy

She divorced her second husband, Duncan Wilson, in 2016, but became engaged to actor and session drummer Patrick Kuhtze in March this year.

'A lot of women give up on love. They think they've missed the boat. But every pot has a lid, doesn't it?' she told the New Zealand Herald at the time.

She added: 'This is third time lucky, you know.'
Smart phones helping track and trace targeting

By:Zheng Qian | From:english.eastday.com | 2020-07-10 16:18

People infected by the novel coronavirus can spread the disease days before symptoms are shown, so tracing and contacting those the infected person has come into contact with in recent days is important for reducing spread.

According to Yoshua Bengio, a Canadian computer scientist and one of the worlds leading experts in artificial intelligence (AI), scientists are now studying how to add digital tracking technology to smart phones to find and warn earlier contacts.

Yoshua Bengio gives an online speech at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference 2020 on July 9 held in Shanghai.[Photo/ Wang Weiqiu]

Bengio said in his speech at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference 2020 that compared with manual information tracking, digital tracking can quickly integrate fragmented information for better overall reference. The problem with the current standardized data tracking is that it only considers whether a person's nucleic acid test is positive or not, but differences inage, gender and severity of sickness need to be considered too.

In Bengios words, fragmented information, such as which people the diagnosed patient has come into contact with, at which stage of infection he or she is and whether to quarantine at home or not if the risks are low, need to be integrated.

For example, if Alice met Bob five days ago and now she is diagnosed as positive, what should she tell Bob by text message? Bengio cited that this is exactly the deep learning goal the research teams are aiming to meet with smart phone apps. Via deep learning, an app on Alices smart phone can evaluate Alices disease spread probability for each day of the past 14 days and send different levels of warning to everyone she has encountered in the past 14 days.

However, Bencio also repeatedly emphasized that such a technology cannot completely replace manual information tracking, but is a tool that can be used as part of test and trace programs.
Distressed hospitality assets drop in value over pademic-illustration photo, source: internet

Giovanni Marino, managing director at KPMG Legal Hanoi claims the hospitality sector is one of the most impacted by the coronavirus crisis.

The situation is proving favourable for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) while the market is becoming a buyers market, Marino said at a last weeks webinar held by the Hong Kong Business Association Vietnam on the theme of M&A transactions during COVID-19, with a focus on hospitality.

The offered assets are now more affordable than before the pandemic and this is an opportunity for buyers with capital in their pockets, he said.

Nguyen My, a real estate broker in Danang said told VIR he has been looking for buyers for a 2-star hotel located in Son Tra commune, Danang. The owner of this 450-square-metre hotel agreed to the price of VND128 million ($5,550) per sq.m. Looking to sell as soon as possible, the owner reduced the price by charging only the land expenses, construction fees, and fees for interiors and equipment  which was estimated at around 10 per cent of the land price.

In many other cases, despite assets being offered, sellers are not in a rush and are content to wait.

In some cases, buyers want to strike the deal as soon as possible but sellers are not in a pressing financial situation and try to postpone or find some more favourable conditions before closing a deal, expecting that their evaluation may go up, said Marino.

Marino also added that the low occupancy rate has heavily impacted the hotels cash flows and their owners in many cases are considering collecting their investment capital to deal with other investments. The most sought after properties by investors are hotels and resorts situated near the tourist destinations. Many investors are looking to commit upwards of $20 to $25 million are aggressively looking for 4- or 5-star hotels.

Govinda Singh, executive director from Colliers International Asia (CIA), said that the world has been facing a period of enormous volatility where experience and decision-making anticipation will be key for the survival and recovery of hotels.

Investment trend

Singh also said that cross-borders trends are visible, with more interest especially from EU investors.

We are going to see cross-border real estate investment trusts (REIT) and funds especially from Singapore, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan looking into Vietnam, he said.

Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi represent the majority of the deal volume while there is also increasing activity in Danang and Nha Trang. Commonly, emerging market investment starts with key gateway cities and, as local knowledge and brand proliferation increases, investors then spread out in search of higher returns.

We expect the deal volume to remain subdued until international air routes return without quarantines, with a following sudden bounce in investors seeking to snap up deals. Therefore, the deal volume is likely to significantly increase at the end of the first quarter of 2021. It is all timing and pricing, Singh added.

In another report with the theme New Buying Opportunities Whet Investor Appetite released in June, CBRE cited that regarding core investment for real the estate market, in the short term, investors would hit towards more core or income producing assets as they look to dial-down risk. Properties generating secure income in gateway cities will be prioritised over assets and locations further out on the risk spectrum.

CBRE also cited that the COVID-19 pandemic has trigged considerable stock market volatility with the S&P Asia-Pacific REIT Index falling by 45 per cent between mid-February and mid-March.

As lockdown restrictions are being eased and business reopens, previously bearish investors may re-evaluate their views on the retail and hotel sectors. Many retail and hotel REITs have not seen any net asset value (NAV) discount improvements since the end of April, the report read.

CBRE expects investors to continue to monitor these sectors and select opportunities at the asset level.

The gradual relaxation of travel restrictions and pace of the tourism market recovery will be potential key factors driving re-valuation, it said, adding that although the rapid rebound in REIT share has limited privatisation opportunities, investors can still pursue platform acquisitions from office REITs or diversified REITs wishing to realise NAV discounts, with many currently trading at a 15-30 per cent NAV discount.

Sentiment is gradually improving, decision-making processes are restarting, and there is a large volume of dry powder waiting to enter the market, the report stated.

Institutional buyers also expected to explore secondary trading opportunities for closed-end funds as valuations are updated and prices become more attractive. In some cases, groups can still compete in cross-border deals despite travel restrictions.

While a mismatch in pricing expectations may inhibit some deals, CBRE expected to see an increase in willing sellers in the second quarter, driven by liquidity needs, funds expirations, and redemption pressure.

Road to recovery

The closure of establishments has meant a total reduction in income and job destruction like never seen before.

The phase of the establishments reopening will be marked by a weak demand which will make it difficult to reach breakeven levels. Hotels will be forced to use their liquidity reserves or to obtain new financing to guarantee a return to short and mid-term profitability, said a CIA report.

The duration of the crisis for the sector is difficult to predict and will depend largely on containment measures and perhaps a successful drug or vaccine. Nevertheless, the tourist sector will re-emerge strongly and will become once again the key driver of Vietnams economic growth, it added.

Singh of CIA also expected strong domestic weekend demand followed by extended domestic and business travel to lead the bounce back.

This will be followed by intra-Asia travel, long-haul, and lastly business tourism. Phu Quoc, Nha Trang, Vung Tau, and Danang will be top destinations followed by Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, he added.

According to Singh, these destinations offer attractive yields compared to mature destinations, opportunities for geographic diversification, and spreads in excess of 5 per cent on local bonds. Meanwhile, the CBRE report stated that the situation is expected to return to normal within three to six months with gradual quarterly increase in the number of transactions.
Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal attorney, is in solitary confinement and quarantined after being ordered back to prison, his lawyer revealed Friday.

Jeffrey Levine confirmed that Cohen, 53, is back in Otisville federal prison, in upstate New York, about 70 miles north-west of the city, after being taken in shackles from a courtroom by U.S. marshals Thursday when he refused to agree not to write and publicize a planned tell-all book about Donald Trump.

Cohen was taken first to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein's alleged procurer, is in custody, then transferred to Otisville, the prison camp in upstate New York where he had been held earlier this year.

Cohen had been furloughed in May as part of an attempt to slow the spread of the virus in federal prisons.

Federal authorities said Cohen refused to accept the conditions of his home confinement, specifically that he submit to wearing an ankle monitor.

But Levine said Cohen never refused to wear an ankle monitor but raised concerns about conditions of his home confinement that forbade him from using social media, speaking with the press and publishing a tell-all book he wrote in federal prison. Cohen had been planning to publish the book in the coming months.

Repeat performance: Michael Cohen was taken Thursday to Otisville in upstate New York - where he had arrived in May 2019 to start his sentence and said Friday by his lawyer to be in quarantine and solitary confinement

What's inside: The federal prison at Otisville has a medium security facility and a prison camp. Cohen is in solitary confinement and quarantine at the medium security unit but will be expected to return to the camp where he had been for much of the year he served

President Donald Trump's former lawyer enjoyed an outing at a sidewalk table outside Le Bilboquet, a French restaurant in the Upper East Side last week

'I was not notified and his family was not notified' of the transfer to Otisville, Levine told The Associated Press. 'He is in solitary confinement under the CDC guidelines for COVID-19 for a period of two weeks.'

The move came a week after he was caught having dinner at a Manhattan restaurant near his home long after his curfew.

Cohen was seen at a sidewalk table outside Le Bilboquet, a French restaurant around the corner from his Park Avenue apartment, last Thursday with his wife Laura and another couple. The menu includes a $29 Cobb salad; bread and butter is $3.

But his dinner outing had nothing to do with Cohen's being taken back into custody. Instead, Cohen was told Thursday that he would be banned from writing a book - which he had already trailed on social media - and refused to sign an agreement to do so.

The 53-year-old had reported to the federal courthouse in Manhattan to convert his furlough to home confinement, his lawyer Jeffrey Levine said outside of the courthouse.

He had been expecting to sign papers formalizing his home release and be given an ankle bracelet. The terms of home release are set by the Bureau of Prisons, which is overseen ultimately by Attorney General Bill Barr through the Department of Justice.

Instead, Levine said, they were presented with an agreement that barred Cohen from having any contact with news media organizations, from posting on social media, and publishing his book.

'I'm never seen any language like this in my life,' Levine said.

Lanny Davis, another attorney for Cohen, said 'it really was total surprise that this happened with no expectation whatsoever.'

He said not even Cohen's wife Laura knew he was being taken back into prison.

'It's pretty troubling the way they handled this so abruptly,' Davis said.

Proof: Michael Cohen's attorney Jeffrey Levine holds up his client's belt and jacket after he was remanded at federal court in Manhattan Thursday

Back to prison: How Inmate 86067-054, Michael Cohen, was ordered back into custody

He was with his wife, Laura, and another couple and did not leave the establishment until 11.30pm

Cohen and his group were the last to leave the establishment

After he and Cohen objected, Levine said, the U.S. Marshals Service came with 'shackles' and ordered him remanded to the jail in Brooklyn because he failed to agree to the terms.

Davis said Cohen offered to sign the agreement when he realized he would be taken back to prison.

'When he recognized he was about to go back to jail and the shackles were about to be put on him - or were already in the process - he said okay I'll sign. And that's when the marshal said it's out of our hands,' Davis said.

He refuted reports that Cohen had refused an ankle bracelet, saying Cohen knew he was going there to get one.

The Bureau of Prisons said Cohen had 'refused the conditions of his home confinement and as a result, has been returned to a BOP facility.'

Davis - a longtime Clinton attorney - said on a conference call with reporters that he was suspicious 'somebody on high is involved here.'

'I don't know that. But something just seems off to me,' he said.

HOPE THAT WAS WORTH IT MICHAEL! WHAT'S ON THE MENU AT LE BILBOQUET Michael Cohen's 11.30pm dinner has proved costly - but it was already at the high end Appetizers Tartare de Thon: Tuna tartare with sesame dressing, cucumber, crispy wonton: $25.00 Endives au Roquefort Salad. Salad of white and red endive, tomatoes, blue cheese dressing and Roquefort cheese, candied walnuts and apple: $19.00 Entrees Cobb Salad. Chicken breast, avocado, eggs, blue cheese, corn and romaine lettuce: $29.00 Le Saumon a La Plancha. Seared Atlantic salmon, yogurt sauce, and tabouleh: $29.00 Le Poulet Cajun - 'signature dish,' chicken breasts with cajun spice mix, beurre blanc, tomatoes and parsley, served with french fries and salad: $36.00 Sides French baguette and butter: $3.00 Pomme frites: $14.00 Desserts Chocolate mousse: $12.00 Assorted marshmallows: $12.00 Advertisement

The agreement presented to Cohen required him not to speak to anyone in the media, nobody 'relating to film production,' and 'you're not allowed to publish your book,' Davis said, adding it was odd as Cohen was speaking to reporters while he was in prison.

'His understanding was he was not going to be able to publish his book in the next couple of months, which was his plan,' Davis said.

He said Cohen's book is 'done and pretty much ready to be published.' He confirmed it did include details of Cohen's work for Donald Trump.

Davis refused to say if Cohen was being taken back into custody to prevent the book coming out, saying it would only be 'speculation' on his part but then he went on to note how the Trumps tried to halt publication of books by former National Security Adviser John Bolton and the president's niece Mary Trump.

'I am at least logical in connecting the dots on the wall in seeing what was done with Mr. Bolton and what was done with Mary Trump in trying to prevent publication,' he said.

Cohen was served with the no-book demand shortly after the Supreme Court ruled that Trump cannot stop prosecutors in Manhattan from getting his tax returns by claiming he is immune from investigation - in a case which was kick-started by Cohen's federal conviction.

He was serving a three year sentence for crimes that included tax evasion, bank fraud and lying to Congress when he was released to home custody due to the coronavirus crisis.

Cohen was released from prison on May 20 due to the coronavirus, even after a judge had refused to reduce his sentence just two months earlier.

On July 2 he tweeted that he is 'close to completion' of a book - then went out to dinner that night.

The meal broke his curfew conditions by being after dark; he was with his wife, Laura, and another couple and did not leave the establishment until 11.30pm, the New York Post reports. His group was the last to leave.

While the Cohens were not wearing masks while they sat with the couple, they did put on masks before exchanging hugs with the other pair.

According to an employee from eatery Avra Madison, located on East 60th Street, Cohen has also visited that restaurant.

'He's nice, and used to come here all the time,' the source said of the former lawyer's visit from earlier in the week.



He had completed about a year of a three-year sentence for his role in hush money payments to two women, as well as for financial crimes and lying to Congress.

His sentence expires on November 22, 2021, according to the Bureau of Prisons website.

The women - pornographic film star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougall - said they had sexual relationships with Trump. The president has denied having relationships with either woman.

Prosecutors said the payments amounted to illegal campaign contributions. Trump, who denied the affairs, said any payments were a personal matter.

He also dodged taxes on $4 million in income from his taxi business, lying during congressional testimony about the timing of discussions around an abandoned plan to build a Trump Tower in Russia, and orchestrating payments to two women to keep them from talking publicly about alleged affairs with Trump.

The 53-year-old was to sentenced to three years for a series of crimes but was released from prison on May 20 due to the coronavirus

While the Cohens were not wearing masks while they sat with the couple, they did put on masks before exchanging hugs with the other pair

New home: Michael Cohen was taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, which is also holding Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein's alleged procurer. He was then transferred to his old prison in Otisville, upstate New York

'I find it unusual that he's out to dinner,' said Lindsay.

'I don't know that I ever remember furloughs being approved for social reasons.'

Following his release, Cohen made his first remarks in a tweet on May 21. 'I am so glad to be home and back with my family' he tweeted just after noon.

The disgraced attorney disclosed that he is planning to speak out.

'There is so much I want to say and intend to say,' he wrote. However, he added, 'Now is not the right time. Soon,' and offers thanks to his supporters.

Cohen, who had originally been eligible for release in November 2021, had been expected to serve the rest of his sentence in home confinement, two sources familiar with the case said on condition of anonymity at the time of his May release.

Cohen, who once said he would 'take a bullet' for Trump, later turned on his former boss and cooperated with Democratic-led congressional inquiries. Trump has called Cohen a 'rat.' Cohen has called Trump a 'racist,' a 'con man' and 'a cheat.'

Jeffrey K Levine, Cohen's lawyer, defended his client's outing last week.

Levine added that his client 'did not violate any of the terms and conditions of his release... and any assertion or suggestion to the contrary would be wholly inaccurate and untrue.'

On the BOP form for furlough applications, inmates must provide a furlough address and declare by signature that 'I am authorized to be only in the area of the destination shown above and at ordinary stopovers or points on a direct route to or from that destination.'

There is an additional provision that states: 'I will not leave the area of my furlough without permission, with exception of traveling to the furlough destination, and returning to the institution.'

Cameron Lindsay, an ex-BOP official and former warden, said Cohen's little outside trip 'doesn't look right' and could be considered a violation of the conditions.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has defended a U.S. drone strike that killed top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in Iraq early this year, after a UN expert deemed it as "unlawful."

In a statement on July 9, Pompeo rejected the conclusions of Agnes Callamard, the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions, as "spurious."

He said the United States had been "transparent" regarding the international law basis for the strike, citing a letter it sent to the UN Security Council explaining that "the strike was undertaken in the exercise of the United States' inherent right of self-defense."

Callamard presented her findings earlier on July 9 to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, in which she said the January 3 drone strike near Baghdad's airport that killed Soleimani constituted an "arbitrary killing" for which the United States is responsible under international human rights law.

She said the United States had provided no specific evidence that showed Soleimani was planning an imminent attack against U.S. interests, particularly in Iraq, for which immediate action was necessary and would have been justified.

But Pompeo said the strike that killed Soleimani "was in response to an escalating series of armed attacks in the preceding months" by Iran.

He also said it was conducted to deter Iran from launching or supporting further attacks against the United States or U.S. interests and was carried out to degrade the capabilities of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).

According to the United States, Soleimani was responsible for orchestrating attacks on U.S. forces for years and in the process of planning further attacks on Americans and U.S. allies in the region.

In retaliation for the assassination of Soleimani, who headed the Quds Force, an Iranian ballistic-missile strike on January 8 targeted U.S. bases in Iraq housing U.S. forces, leaving some 110 U.S. troops suffering from traumatic brain injuries.

According to Callamard, Iran's retaliatory strikes also were unlawful.

Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the leader of the Iran-backed Kataib Hizbullah militia and deputy head of Iraq's state-sanctioned Popular Mobilization Units, was also killed in the January strike that targeted Soleimani.

Kataib Hizbullah and affiliated Iran-backed militia have been linked to multiple rocket attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq, including one in late December that killed a U.S. defense contractor and wounded several U.S. and Iraqi soldiers at a military base in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk.

As the head of the Quds Force, Soleimani was a key figure in supplying weapons and explosive devices to Iraqi insurgents that killed or wounded U.S. soldiers in Iraq following the ouster of Saddam Hussein. He was also the main figure running Iran's policy in Syria and support for the Lebanese militant group Hizballah.

With reporting by AFP and the BBC
After the notorious gangster Vikas Dubey was killed on Friday morning, the families of the policemen who were killed in the Kanpur encounter on July 3 expressed relief.

IMAGE: Police personnel at the spot where history-sheeter Vikas Dubey killed in the encounter in Kanpur. Photograph: ANI Photo

Tirath Pal, the father of the slain policeman Jitendra Pal Singh, who was one of the eight policemen killed in the Kanpur ambush, said that the news of Dubey's death has brought some relief after suffering the loss of his son. "I am very proud of Uttar Pradesh Police. Whatever they have done today has brought solace to my soul. I thank the administration and Yogi government," he said.

Kalika Prasad Bind, the father of slain sub-inspector Nebulal Bind also expressed her happiness with how Dubey met his fate.

SEE: I am at peace now, says father of cop killed in Kanpur raid

"Whatever happened to him is for the good. I demand strong punishment for informers within the police for leaking the information of the raid to Dubey. The government should make sure the traitors pay for their deed," Kalika said.

Sultan Singh from Jhansi and Nebulal Bind from Bhiti in Prayagraj were among the eight policemen killed in the encounter that took place at the Bikru village in Kanpur's Chaubeypur area last week.

Reacting to Dubey's killing, Urmila Verma, the wife of slain constable Sultan Singh said that though she is satisfied, "I am satisfied. But now how will we know as to who was backing him [Vikas Dubey]? It could have been unravelled by questioning him," said Urmila Verma, wife of constable Sultan Singh who also lost his life in an ambush.

Kanpur main accused Vikas Dubey was killed in an encounter after a road accident early on Friday morning while being taken to Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh from Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain, where he was arrested on Thursday.

"Vikas Dubey attempted to flee by snatching pistol of the injured policemen after the car overturned. Police tried to make him surrender, during which he fired at the policemen. He was injured in retaliatory firing by police. He was later rushed to the hospital," Superintendent of Police Kanpur West Anil Kumar said.
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During the school year, Bailey Thomas never has a moment to spare, and she likes it that way. The rising fifth-year senior is involved in almost every type of organization on campus, ranging from community service groups to Auburn Greek Life organizations to first-year experience programs.

If I do not stay busy, I will procrastinate, so I really try to keep myself as busy as I can, Thomas said. Obviously, school always comes first, so I have to finish academic things before I go all out on the involvement side.

The Sardis, Alabama-native dedicates most of her free time to serving on campus. During her past four years at Auburn, Thomas has been a project coordinator for The BIG Event, a Successfully Orienting Students leader, a High School Leadership Council advisor, an EAGLES WINGS peer mentor, the local philanthropy chair of Delta Delta Delta sorority and a College Advisory Panelist for Tridelta Nationals.

During my time at Auburn and through my involvement on Auburns campus, I have learned how to interview, how to think on my feet, how to be flexible and adaptable, how to communicate with different types of people, how to work through conflicts and disagreements, how to lead meetings, et cetera, Thomas said.

Thomas has benefited the most from her work with the Best Buddies program, an organization that promotes the inclusion of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Auburn by pairing them with college students. The organization has given the rehabilitation and disabilities studies major valuable experience that she will put to use in the future as an occupational therapist.

Thomas, who serves as the president of Best Buddies, says the nonprofit organization meets once a month for themed parties where the pairs enjoy each others company over music, dancing, crafts and food. The college students frequently meet with their buddies outside the parties for dinner, a sweet treat or a walk around campus.

As president, Thomas has many responsibilities.

I am in charge of facilitating everything and anything to do with Best Buddies, from the paperwork to being the main contact for parents, group homes and the community, she said. Whatever needs to be done, I will do.

Thomas joined Best Buddies three years ago after spending a summer as a unit leader at Camp Summit, a nonprofit, barrier-free summer camp for people of all ages with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

At camp, my campers taught me what unconditional love and childlike joy were, Thomas said. I learned more from them than they could ever learn from me. Coming back from camp, I knew I had to get involved with something along the same lines at Auburn, and thats when I found out about Best Buddies and knew I had to be a part of it.

Thomas passion for working with people who have intellectual and developmental disabilities also led her to switch her major, even though that meant graduating a year behind schedule.

When Thomas is not busy planning fun events and activities for the buddies, she is making sure that Greek Life on Auburns campus is running smoothly.

Thomas serves as the administrative vice president for the Auburn Panhellenic Council, an organization committed to bringing Auburn women with diverse backgrounds and interests together to celebrate sisterhood through sorority membership.

As the administrative vice president, Thomas has a wide range of responsibilities.

I oversee all of Panhellenics programming, from scholarship interviews to Greek Sing to new member education trainings, Thomas said. Im also the head of the Panhellenic Cabinet and help all of my wonderful cabinet gals plan whatever events or projects they are working on throughout the year.

However, as a member of the recruitment executive board, the group responsible for overseeing fall 2020 sorority recruitment, Thomas is facing some unexpected challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Panhellenic Council and Thomas have been hard at work making revised recruitment schedules, setting up virtual recruitment parties and making safety decisions in compliance with local laws regarding social distancing and large gatherings leading up to the start of recruitment in August.

The Auburn Panhellenic Council recently was recognized as one of the Best Practices for Communicating About Fall 2020 Recruitment by the National Panhellenic Conference.

Through her several years of campus involvement, Thomas has developed the skills and tools needed to be successful in her future career. The spring 2021 graduate will be well-prepared for whatever challenges she might face in graduate school, the next chapter of her life.
Nearly four years ago, Spec. Hilda Clayton, a combat photographer in the U.S. Army, was documenting a live-fire exercise in Afghanistan when, without warning, a mortar tube accidentally exploded in front of her.

Clayton, 22, was killed in the blast, along with an Afghan military photographer she was training and three Afghan National Army soldiers. Eleven other people were injured.

In the instant before the device detonated, Clayton snapped one last picture. So did her trainee.

On Monday, the Army published the images in its May-June issue of the Military Review, the Army's professional journal.

Unreleased until now, they offer a haunting view of a soldier's final moments, capturing the dizzying burst of fire, smoke and debris that claimed the lives of five people.

In a short write-up on the incident, Military Review praised Clayton's service, saying she died documenting a "critical juncture" of the war in Afghanistan.

"The story was not in the fighting but in the partnership that was necessary between U.S. and Afghan forces to stabilize the Afghan nation," Military Review wrote.

"Not only did Clayton help document activities aimed at shaping and strengthening the partnership but she also shared in the risk by participating in the effort," the journal wrote. "Clayton's death symbolizes how female soldiers are increasingly exposed to hazardous situations in training and in combat on par with their male counterparts."

Clayton was the first combat documentation and production specialist to be killed in Afghanistan, the Army said.

Bill Darley, managing editor of Military Review, told Time that the photos were brought to the journal's attention by a staff member who served with her. The current issue focused in part on gender equality, so it was an opportune time to pay homage to her, he told the magazine.

After the images were shared widely online, the journal wrote: "This edition of the Military Review is focused on promoting the concepts of gender equality and these photographs illustrate the dangers our military men and women face both in training and in combat."

Clayton's family approved the release of the photos, as did her unit, Stars and Stripes reported.

Combat photographers have demanding and often dangerous jobs. The primary mission is to follow combat soldiers wherever they're deployed and capture their operations "in any environment," as the journal noted.

Clayton, who was from Augusta, Georgia, had been deployed overseas for less than a year when she died. After graduating from the Defense Information School in July 2012, she was assigned as a visual specialist to the Army's 55th Signal Co., known as Combat Camera, according to the Augusta Chronicle.

She was attached to the 4th Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, in Afghanistan, where her mission was to document the training of Afghan forces. The brigade is nicknamed "Long Knife."

In July 2013, Clayton was in Laghman Province in northeastern Afghanistan taking pictures of her American and Afghan counterparts when the mortar exploded. The Army said the group was conducting a "mortar validation exercise" at Forward Operating Base Gamberi.

A number of Clayton's images had already been featured on the Pentagon and Army's websites, as well as in print publications, Army officials told the Chronicle in 2013. Combat Camera honored Clayton by naming its annual best combat photography competition after her.

"Spc. Clayton embodied the Cavalry spirit. She was always willing to take on any mission and she pursued every opportunity to tell our story with her images," Col. Bill Benson, commander of Long Knife, wrote in an open letter shortly after Clayton's death. Her photos, he added, "told the story of U.S. efforts in Afghanistan" and the maturation of Afghan forces.

"In the short time that she was with Long Knife, she earned the respect and admiration of everyone she came in contact with," Benson wrote. "Though nothing can fill the void that has been left, I hope that there is some consolation in knowing that Spc. Clayton was a valuable member of the Long Knife team and that she made a positive difference every day that she was with us."
Ghislaine Maxwell's attorney claims one of Jeffrey Epstein's victims only has herself to blame because she 'consented' to the alleged abuse and has branded the British socialite's federal sex crime charges 'meritless'.

Maxwell, 58, had spent years lying low but was finally detained on July 2 at her home in New Hampshire, and transferred to New York on July 6.

On Thursday her Colorado-based attorney, Laura Menninger, issued a formal response to a civil suit filed by a Jane Doe in January, claiming Maxwell and Epstein abused her from the age of 13.

Much of Menninger's response dealt with that case, but she also criticized the arrest of her client on six criminal charges, filed on June 29.

'The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York on June 29, 2020, caused a meritless indictment to be issued against Ms. Maxwell,' she wrote.

Maxwell's attorney issued broad denials to nearly every allegation in Doe's complaint and argued that whatever damages may have been suffered by Doe, they were not caused by Maxwell.

'[Does's] damages, if any, were the result of her own conduct,' her attorney wrote, contending that Doe had 'voluntarily or negligently assumed a known risk' and had 'consented to the alleged conduct.'

Ghislaine Maxwell, pictured in 2013, was arrested last week on six charges of sex trafficking

Maxwell's attorney contends that the trafficking case should be dismissed and is barred by statutes of limitations.

Maxwell, the socialite daughter of late British media baron Robert Maxwell, has been indicted on multiple charges in connection to an alleged sex-trafficking operation that brought girls  some as young as 14  to Epstein's Manhattan home.

Prosecutors alleged that Maxwell, between 1994-1997, 'assisted, facilitated and contributed to Jeffrey Epstein's abuse of minor girls by, among other things, helping Epstein to recruit, groom and ultimately abuse victims known to Maxwell and Epstein to be under the age of 18.'

Menninger has represented Maxwell for many years, and is working on her behalf on both civil and criminal cases.

Laura Menninger, Maxwell's long-time lawyer, is based in Denver, Colorado

Maxwell was romantically involved with Jeffrey Epstein from around 1992, but then became his 'right-hand woman', managing his property empire and, it is alleged, his trafficking of minors

Her court filing on Thursday provided Maxwell's answer to the separate civil lawsuit brought against Maxwell and Epstein's estate in January by an anonymous accuser, Jane Doe.

The accuser alleges that she was first approached by the pair in 1994 at a summer music camp in Michigan, when she was 13 years old.

She was then repeatedly abused by the pair over 'years'.

'Jane Doe was their first known victim and was subsequently abused by Epstein and Maxwell for years as a young girl, suffering unimaginable physical and psychological trauma and distress,' her complaint alleges.

'Maxwell also regularly facilitated Epstein's abuse of Doe and was frequently present when it occurred.'

According to the civil complaint, 'Epstein's system of abuse was facilitated in large part by his co-conspirator and accomplice, Maxwell, who helped supply him with a steady stream of young and vulnerable girls - many of whom were fatherless, like Jane Doe, and came from struggling families.'

Maxwell is currently being held in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn

The MDC is housing Maxwell instead of the Manhattan equivalent, where Epstein killed himself

Maxwell's attorney noted in the Thursday filing, obtained by ABC News, that Maxwell was answering Does' complaint 'to the extent that she can without waiving the right against self-incrimination under the United States and New York constitutions and otherwise will invoke that right.'

'Ms Maxwell's denials of factual allegations [in Doe's lawsuit] shall be interpreted the same as pleading not guilty to the various counts in any criminal indictment,' Menninger wrote.

Robert Glassman, attorney for Jane Doe in the January case, told ABC News that they were saddened by her attempt to shift blame onto the victims, but would fight the case with vigor.

'Ms. Maxwell is once again deflecting blame on the victims themselves for the significant role she played in causing the victims irreparable damage,' he said.

'We are disappointed that she is taking this position, but look forward to holding her responsible for what she did.'

Maxwell has not yet entered a plea to the criminal charges.

The high-flying socialite, friends with royalty and celebrities around the world, is currently being held at a federal jail in Brooklyn - prosecutors opting not to keep her in the Manhattan jail where Epstein took his own life in August.

Federal prosecutors argue that she is an extreme flight risk and should be held in custody until trial.

A bail hearing is scheduled for July 14.
New Delhi: India and the European Union (EU) will hold their 15th bilateral Summit on July 15 via video conference, it was confirmed on Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will represent India while the EU will be represented by President of the European Council Charles Michel, and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the Summit will review India-EU cooperation covering political & security relations, trade & investment and economic cooperation and is also expected to discuss developments around the Covid-19 pandemic and contemporary global matters of interest to both sides.

The Summit was to have been originally held in the Belgian Capital Brussels in March this year but was postponed due to the Covid pandemic. It may be recalled that in February this year, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar had travelled to Brussels and had met top EU functionaries as well as certain Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) during which he had strongly defended the Indian position on the Kashmir issue and situation in J&K as well as on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) which could both be raised now by the EU during the Summit.

The top EU dignitaries the EAM had met then included Mr. Michel, President of the European Council of Heads of Government of the 27 member states of the EU. The recent Sino-Indian military tensions at the border could also come up during the discussions.

EU sources said the Summit will be an opportunity to strengthen the EU-India Strategic Partnership, based on shared principles and values of democracy, freedom, rule of law, and respect for human rights, aiming at delivering concrete benefits for the people in the EU and India. EU sources also said bilateral, regional and global issues are expected to be discussed and that leaders are expected to discuss (bilateral) cooperation in security, climate, environment, trade and investment, digital economy and connectivity.

In its statement, the MEA said, The 15th meeting of the India-European Union Summit will be held in virtual mode on 15 July 2020. The Summit will be co-chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the President of the European Council, H.E. Charles Michel; and the President of the European Commission, H.E. Ursula von der Leyen. The Summit will review India-EU cooperation covering political & security relations, trade & investment and economic cooperation. The Summit is also expected to discuss developments around the Covid-19 pandemic and contemporary global matters of interest to both sides. The 14th India-EU Summit was held on 6 October 2017 in New Delhi.

EU sources meanwhile also said the leaders would discuss global cooperation and solidarity to protect lives, to mitigate the socio-economic consequences and to strengthen preparedness and response capacities in view of the Coronavirus pandemic that also severely affected EU countries including Spain, Italy and France. Leaders will also discuss global and regional issues and are "expected to reiterate their determination to promote effective multilateralism and a rules-based multilateral order, with the United Nations (UN) and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) at its core".
Announcement of Periodic Review: Moody's announces completion of a periodic review of ratings of Norway, Government of

Global Credit Research - 10 Jul 2020

London, 10 July 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") reviews all of its ratings periodically in accordance with regulations -- either annually or, in the case of governments and certain EU-based supranational organisations, semi-annually. This periodic review is unrelated to the requirement to specify calendar dates on which EU and certain other sovereign and sub-sovereign rating actions may take place.

Moody's conducts these periodic reviews through portfolio reviews in which Moody's reassesses the appropriateness of each outstanding rating in the context of the relevant principal methodology(ies), recent developments, and a comparison of the financial and operating profile to similarly rated peers. Since 1st January 2019, Moody's issues a press release following each periodic review announcing its completion.

Moody's has now completed the periodic review of a group of issuers that includes Norway and may include related ratings. The review did not involve a rating committee, and this publication does not announce a credit rating action and is not an indication of whether or not a credit rating action is likely in the near future; credit ratings and/or outlook status cannot be changed in a portfolio review and hence are not impacted by this announcement. For any credit ratings referenced in this publication, please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for the most updated credit rating action information and rating history.

The credit profile of Norway (issuer rating Aaa) is supported the country's "a1" economic strength, reflecting a large and resilient economy characterized by very high per capita income and strong competitiveness; Norway's "aaa" institutions and governance strength, reflecting very strong institutional profile, effective and transparent macroeconomic framework and consensus-based policy formulation; its "aaa" fiscal strength, that takes into account moderate debt level, very high debt affordability and the government's large sovereign wealth fund; and its "a" susceptibility to event risk, which remains limited, driven by the banking sector risk.

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This document summarizes Moody's view as of the publication date and will not be updated until the next periodic review announcement, which will incorporate material changes in credit circumstances (if any) during the intervening period.

The principal methodology used for this review was Sovereign Ratings Methodology published in November 2019. Please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.

This announcement applies only to EU rated and EU endorsed ratings. Non EU rated and non EU endorsed ratings may be referenced above to the extent necessary, if they are part of the same analytical unit.

This publication does not announce a credit rating action. For any credit ratings referenced in this publication, please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for the most updated credit rating action information and rating history.

Daniela Re Fraschini Asst Vice President - Analyst Sovereign Risk Group Moody's Investors Service Ltd. One Canada Square Canary Wharf London E14 5FA United Kingdom JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454 Yves Lemay MD - Sovereign Risk Sovereign Risk Group JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454 Releasing Office: Moody's Investors Service Ltd. One Canada Square Canary Wharf London E14 5FA United Kingdom JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454

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Coronavirus Chronicles 041  Academia Cotopaxi

I am talking with schools to see how theyre responding in the wake of this global pandemic. I invite you to join me for the Coronavirus Chronicles, a series of check-ins with educators all over.

Episode 041 is below. Thank you, Robert van der Eyken, for sharing how Academia Cotopaxi in Quito, Ecuador is adapting to our new challenges and opportunities. I especially appreciated hearing about how proactive you were in terms of global scanning and planning and about how youve served your youngest students and those with special needs.

See the complete list of episodes, which also are available as a podcast channel on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. If you and your school(s) would like to be featured in the Coronavirus Chronicles series, please get in touch.

Other conversation series that may be of interest are below. Check them out!

Conversation series with educators during the pandemic
When Brendan Murphy retired as chief medical officer just two weeks ago he told the Herald in an exit interview that he was very, very comfortable with the way things were going in Australias response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Yet what Dr Murphy then described as a mini-outbreak just detected in north-west Melbourne has cast those remarks in a very different light.

The handful of cases in Victoria has turned into more than 1000 over the past week. Victoria has gone back into stage three lockdown and NSW is now bracing for cases to spread, despite the belated closure of our borders.

With Victoria refusing to take any more Australians returning from overseas in its quarantine hotels, the national cabinet on Friday was forced to limit the return of Australians by plane.

Some would argue the crisis that started in Victoria is a case of very bad luck and a few mistakes but it is also increasingly clear that Australia was guilty of declaring Mission Accomplished far too soon.
Commentary Mired in Inequality and Laid Low by the Virus, the US Offers Little to Emulate

US President Donald Trump / Donald J. Trump / Facebook

America today is no longer a source of inspiration to the world, with recent events having exposed the gaping flaws in its democracy. The US system no longer holds the appeal it once didoffering an important lesson to the world that democracy can die.

The main cause seems to lie not in its culture, but in the countrys catastrophic leadership.

The denial and mishandling of the novel coronavirus outbreak by President Donald Trump has revealed him and his administration to be utterly selfish, blind to the peoples welfare. The ugly tradition of white supremacyboth passive and activeremains entrenched in the society despite hundreds of years of resistance by African-Americans. The countrys institutions have been unable to deter its illiberal, racistbut legally electedpresident from incapacitating democratic systems and institutions that have been developed gradually over many years. When Trump bothers to engage in diplomacysuch that it ishe does so not for the good of his country, but to advance his own political goal of winning a second term in this years election and boosting his business empirea glaring conflict of interest for a national leader.

In late June, former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton tweeted: Donald Trump isnt responsible for coronavirus. But he is responsible for the disastrous lack of leadership that has led to 122,000 deaths in the US and counting.

To date, the coronavirus has infected more than 3.2 million Americans and killed more than 135,000. Americans have become international pariahs, unable to travel to Europe. What a disgrace! Americans have no one to blame except their own president and those around him, who have degraded their status as US citizens.

Yet, many in the presidents Republican Party seem eager to deny the seriousness of the coronavirus right along with him. Since the onset of the epidemic in the country, their denial of its existence has given a new, wholly negative, meaning to the concept of US exceptionalism. When it comes to containing COVID-19, the US has the worst record in the world and seems determined to maintain it. Health experts are concerned that America will only see infection and death rates climb in the coming months.

Many of Trumps critics, including many Americans, believe the current situation is a direct result of political considerations by Trump and his people. New York Times columnist Paul Krugman wrote in a recent piece: In any case, the point is that Americas defeat at the hands of the coronavirus didnt happen because victory was impossible. Nor was it because we as a nation were incapable of responding. No, we lost because Trump and those around him decided that it was in their political interests to let the virus run wild.

This is beyond a failure of leadership. It means the president and his administration intentionally let their fellow Americans die by letting the virus spreadfor political reasons. What a truly terrible state of affairs! What was the point of electing or having Trump as president? (Though, lets not forget, he lost the popular vote in 2016.)

Myanmar has continued to prove fortunate regarding COVID-19. The views I expressed in my column two months ago largely hold up. It begins: The world is under attack. Myanmar is no exception, but the situation here could still be described as, So far, so lucky.

Now, it seems its not the world that is under attack so much as the US. Myanmars situation has been kept manageable. The European Union, a huge, diverse area with a bigger population, managed to control the spread of the virus better than the US.

But Myanmars success so far is not merely a case of good luck; it also reflects a seriousness on the part of the countrys leadership to handle the coronavirus outbreaka seriousness that has been totally lacking among leaders like Trump and President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil, who himself recently tested positive for the coronavirus. Bolsonaro, an unabashed Trump admirer who shares his dismissive attitude toward the coronavirus, has joined the US president in endorsing an unproven treatment, hydroxychloroquine, for his citizens, of whom over 1,000 are now dying of the disease every day.

The situation here would be as dire as that of the US if Myanmar were still under the military regime, which had a record of ignoring and neglecting its people in their hour of need, most notoriously in its mishandling of the deadly Cyclone Nargis, which killed over 130,000 people in 2008.

I feel I have some idea of the shame the peoples of America and Brazil must now be feeling over their irrational and anti-scientific leaders; I can still recall the shame and embarrassment I felt at the total lack of reason displayed by the leaders of the military regime here in the past.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi (right), US President Barack Obama and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Yangon in November 2012. / The Irrawaddy

As for Myanmar, as of this morning, six people had died of COVID-19, with 321 people having tested positive, 254 of whom have recovered.

Since April 1, the countrys de facto leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has periodically used Facebook to connect with the public to communicate quickly and effectively with the people regarding COVID-19 challenges. In addition to her occasional messages of warning and encouragement on topics such as the importance of wearing face masks and not letting ones guard down, over the past three months she has held about 32 videoconferences (about two per week) with a variety of people such as doctors, COVID-19 patients, health workers, businesspeople affected by the virus, government officials, restaurant owners and others, to learn more about what needs to be done on the ground to effectively combat the epidemic.

Many people here have praised her method as being quite effective, not only as a way of informing the public but also of gauging peoples views on how to fight the virus. Her use of Facebook, the dominant social media platform in Myanmar, has been particularly effective.

Myanmar has done extraordinarily well so far, Dr. Stephan Paul Jost, the representative of the World Health Organization in Myanmar recently told the Irrawaddy. The reason for being relatively successful so far is  there are many reasons. One is Myanmar started very early, in fact from Jan. 5 onwards.

Dr. Jost pointed out that Myanmar had taken a whole-of-government approach, and went on to cite examples of how the country has really gone all out to strengthen the public health side and its preparedness for and response to the disease.

But as a poor country, Myanmar is still struggling to achieve victory over the virus. Yesterday, the government issued a statement containing a serious warning to the public to continue to wear masks, practice social distancing, avoid crowds and wash their hands to avoid being hit by a second wave of the virus, as has occurred in much of the world.

Returning to the US, another serious problem faced by that country is the racism that is still so deeply rooted in its society.

I cant breathethe three words whispered by dying African-American George Floyd while a white policeman knelt on his neck for 8 minutes and 46 secondshave come to symbolize the fact that his killing was not simply a vicious and inhumane act of police brutality, but the latest tragic consequence of Americas entrenched racial inequality. The massive protests across the US in the aftermath of Floyds killing showed the scale of social inequality in the country.

Unfortunately, the terrible racism that remains widespread in the US has been inflamed under the Trump administration, which has encouraged white supremacists. Beyond Trumps circle of rich friends and racist supporters, this seems like a nightmarish era for the American people.

In their 2018 book How Democracies Die, authors Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt write, Trumps rise may itself pose a challenge to global democracy. Between the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Obama presidency, US governments maintained a broadly prodemocratic foreign policy.

Under Donald Trump, the United States appears to be abandoning its role as democracy promoter for the first time since the Cold War. President Trumps is the least prodemocratic of any US administration since [Richard] Nixons.

America is no longer a democratic model, they wrote. A country whose president attacks the press, threatens to lock up his rival, and declares that he might not accept election results cannot credibly defend democracy.

All of which is true.

But the current disappointing state of affairs in America shouldnt have to be a story of how a democracy can die. I am sure it is not inevitable; rather it will depend totally on the American people. They must show how knowledgeable and liberal-minded they are, topple the present illiberal administration at the upcoming election, and demonstrate to the world once again the robust nature of American democracy.

Like US voters, we in Myanmar will also go to the polls in November to cast ballots and choose a government and national leader. Many Myanmar people are expected to choose a party or leader who will continue to steer the country through its unfinished reform process to genuine democracy, and ensure the country does not fall into the hands of the undemocratic party.

In our country, we used to say under the dreadful and disgraceful military regimes in which people had no right to vote: People get the government they deserve.

Like their counterparts in Myanmar, American voters will get a chance in Novemberexercising their routine electoral right as citizens of an established democracyto reverse the colossal mistake they made in 2016. I hope they will make a rational choice as they cast their votes and demonstrate both to themselves and the world that they deserve more than the present dreadful and disgraceful administration.

Then, Americas democracy will be as attractive as it once was.

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Myanmars Ruling NLD Must Address Its Achilles Heel: Choosing the Wrong People

What Do We Want a Post-Pandemic Myanmar to Look Like?
The Centre is mulling to raise around Rs 20,000 crore ($2.7 billion) by selling its stake in Coal India Ltd (CIL) and IDBI Bank to finance a stimulus programme focused on boosting the economy.

The plan entails a stake sale that will hinge upon the market sentiment. In case of Coal India, the company will buy back shares from the government if valuations are not attractive, sources told Bloomberg.

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown Prime Minister Narendra Modi's budget targets out of gear. The mounting number of coronavirus cases across the country has prompted the central government to increase spending on welfare schemes, as well as stimulate the economy impacted severely by coronavirus lockdown.

Also Read: Government dilutes 2.91 per cent stake in Coal India

PM Modi had in February this year envisaged raising around Rs 2.1 lakh crore by selling state assets in an attempt to contain the budget deficit at 3.5 per cent of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product).

However, the economic cost notwithstanding, the virus cases continue to rise unabated in India that has now overtaken Russia to become the third worst-affected country in the world with nearly 8 lakh COVID-19 cases. This is going to further strain the already depleting finances of the government.

Furthermore, the unprecedented suspension of international travel and lower oil prices have overshadowed Centre's plans to sell national carrier Air India and state-run refiner Bharat Petroleum.

Also Read: IDBI Bank share gains 20% as govt stake sale in lender likely to be delayed

India's asset sale target for the year ending March 31 was more than double the previous year's goal. State-owned LIC (Life Insurance Corporation) had picked up a 51 per cent controlling stake in IDBI last year, leaving the government with around 47% share in the bank.

The Centre holds over 66% in CIL. It had earlier sold a 10 per cent stake in January 2015, mopping up Rs 22,550 crore.
China said Friday it will impose tit-for-tat measures after the United States slapped sanctions on Chinese officials for their involvement in a crackdown on Muslim minorities, raising tensions between the superpowers. The two countries have traded barbs and sanctions on a slew of issues since President Donald Trump took office, from trade to more recent spats over the coronavirus pandemic, a security law in Hong Kong, and Chinese policies in the far west regions of Tibet and Xinjiang. The latest Chinese response followed a US announcement of visa bans and an assets freeze on three officials, including Chen Quanguo, the Communist Party chief in Xinjiang and architect of Beijing's hardline policies against restive minorities. "The US actions seriously interfere in China's internal affairs, seriously violate the basic norms of international relations, and seriously damage China-US relations," foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said in a briefing. "China has decided to impose reciprocal measures against the relevant US institutions and individuals who behave badly on Xinjiang-related issues," Zhao said, without providing details about the sanctions. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Thursday the United States was acting against "horrific and systematic abuses" in Xinjiang including forced labour, mass detention and involuntary population control. The back-and-forth over Xinjiang comes just days after the two countries imposed visa restrictions on each other over their disagreement on Tibet. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday blamed the rising tensions on "McCarthy-style paranoia" in the United States. - 'At last, real consequences' - Witnesses and human rights groups say that China has rounded up more than one million Uighurs and other Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang in a vast brainwashing campaign aimed at forcibly homogenising minorities into the country's Han majority. Pompeo in a conference call with reporters Thursday called the situation "the stain of the century" and has previously drawn parallels with the Holocaust. China counters that it is providing education and vocational training in a bid to reduce the allure of Islamic radicalism following a spate of deadly violence. The Uighur Human Rights Project, an advocacy group, hailed the sanctions and urged other countries to follow suit. "At last, real consequences have begun. This comes at the 11th hour for Uighurs," said the US-based group's executive director, Omer Kanat. The other two officials hit with sanctions Thursday were Wang Mingshan, the director of the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau, and Zhu Hailun, a former senior Communist leader in the region. The Treasury Department sanctions also make it a crime in the United States to conduct financial transactions with the three people as well as a fourth person, former security official Huo Liujun, who was not subjected to the separate visa restrictions. The Treasury Department also imposed sanctions on the security bureau as an institution, pointing to its sweeping digital surveillance of Uighurs and other minorities. - 'A ripple effect'? - Olivia Enos, a senior policy analyst at the conservative Heritage Foundation who studies human rights, doubted that Beijing would suddenly reverse course in Xinjiang. But she voiced hope that the sanctions would have a broader impact and said it was especially noteworthy that the United States targeted Chen, who before Xinjiang made his name through strong-armed tactics in Tibet. "My guess is that this will have a ripple effect throughout the Chinese Communist Party. Other would-be bad actors may think twice before engaging in behaviours like you see Chen Quanguo carrying out," she said. The visa ban impacts officials' immediate families, depriving their children of the prestige of jetsetting across the Pacific for education or pleasure. Congress has led the push for a tougher response on Xinjiang and in May passed an act that authorised sanctions, listing Chen by name, although Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin took Thursday's actions under separate authorities. In a fresh effort, 78 members of Congress across party lines released a letter that urged the Trump administration to consider formally designating China's policies as genocide. Despite wide concern in Washington over treatment of the Uighurs, former national security advisor John Bolton in an explosive new book said he was shocked at Trump's attitude on the issue. Bolton wrote that Chinese President Xi Jinping explained his policies to Trump in a meeting and that the US leader, eager for a trade deal with Beijing, replied that the detention camps were "exactly the right thing to do."
Hyderabad:

Posing as a doctor, a conman drove away with a luxury car after taking it for a test drive from a second hand car dealer, police said on October 29. The 35-year-old man, who introduced himself as Gowtham Reddy, working at Apollo Hospitals arrived at Nani Cars in Srinagar Colony on October 28 and expressed interest to buy an Audi car, Banjara Hills Police Inspector K Srinivas said.

"He then took an Audi Q3 worth about Rs 25 lakh from the dealer's office for test drive. The showroom owner gave the car and sent along with him one of the showroom staffers," the officer said.

"They drove up to Apollo Hospitals where the accused asked the showroom staffer to get down so that he can take the car into the hospital and show it to his friends.

Afterwards, he drove into the hospital and never returned," the police official said. A case has been registered in this regard and further investigations into the matter are going on, police added.

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A 100 RMB note is seen in an Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd (ICBC) branch at the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade zone during a media trip on September 24, 2014. (JOHANNES EISELE/AFP via Getty Images)

Sichuan Trust Misses Payments on Financial Portfolios as Investors Protest Outside

The Sichuan Trust company missed payments on the principal and interest that matured in June on TOT (trust of trust) investments worth at least $3.56 billion. Investors have gathered outside the company headquarters in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, to demand their money back.

While the company claimed it was affected by the economic downturn caused by the pandemic, some of the companys investors suspect the firm has committed wrongdoing that led to its failure to secure the funds.

TOT is a type of investment product offered in China. According to Chinese media Caixin, trust companies sell shares in a trust, and in turn use the proceeds to invest in a wide variety of assets which are generally hidden from the shareholders. They may be bonds, stocks, or loans to private companies or local government financing vehicles.

A TOT creates another layer between investor and the ultimate investments. The proceeds from selling TOT products are invested in other trust products. That is, all the holdings of a TOT are other trusts, so the true investments are opaque.

Since mid-June, investors have been protesting at the company building.

An investor named Mr. Liu told The Epoch Times, payments were late in May. The June payment was not paid at all.

In May, the company denied rumors that its capital pool business had been frozen, and that it would be taken over by regulators.

Mr. Liu explained that according to the contract, a 10-day overdue payment is not a breach of contract. On June 12, when payments were not made for 10 days, some account managers understood the client did not receive the money and took the client to Chengdu, Sichuan to discuss the claim.

The chairman of Sichuan Trust admitted the problem with the TOT and agreed to look into ways to repay the investors.

Possible Ponzi Scheme

TOT products have become a way to hide dirt because they can be used to obtain investments in trust products that have problematic underlying assets, one former employee of Sichuan Trust told Caixin. In general, the contracts that investors sign do not specify the assets underlying the trust products that a TOT invests in.

Most of the underlying assets of Sichuan Trusts TOT products had turned risky and the company needed to rely on funds from new investors to repay old investors, according to Zhou Bin, a deputy director of the provincial branch of the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC), who talked with Caixin.

If accurate, this would be a description of a Ponzi scheme.

Zhou also mentioned to Caixin that investigators had found embezzlement of funds by shareholders and regulatory violations, such as the firms inability to disclose the risk status of underlying assets and the firms improperly connected transactions. He didnt provide further details about the embezzlement.

In April, the provincial banking and insurance regulator restricted new sales of TOT, saying it suspected misuse of funds, according to a Financial Times report. That made it difficult for Sichuan Trust to maintain payouts and meet redemption requests.

Mr. Liu said, The entire portfolio was a series of products worth more than 20 billion yuan (approximately US$2.8 billion). The restriction stops the capital flow and thats how the repayment was halted.

He explained, the TOT is managed like a reservoir with an inlet and an outlet. Once the inlet was blocked, the outlet was dry and that led to the breach of the contract.

Financial watchdogs have had their eye on Sichuan Trust since April 2018, according to Zhou Bin. It was believed that embezzlement was suspected in the investigation.

The TOT Fund Stopped by Beijing

Mr. Liu was present on the day representatives of investors gathered at Sichuan Trust to negotiate with the officials and Sichuan Trust. He said, There were more police than investors. They surrounded the investors with the police cars. You wouldnt be able to see anything from the other side of the road. The police cars and buses lined up on the street and blocked the entire view. The police forcibly drove away the protesters. Two elderly people were arrested. An old ladys arm was wounded.

Investors of Sichuan Trust TOT protested outside of the company building, Chuanxin Mansion. (The Epoch Times)

On June 26, another round of negotiations went on with the three parties. It was scheduled for 10 a.m., but was delayed past 1 p.m. because the CBIRC officials were late.

Mr. Liu described the scene that day. The investors were shouting outside the building, give back the money from noon till 1 p.m., for more than an hour. The meeting went on past 9 p.m.

That evening, the CBIRC claimed that the TOT fund was halted by Beijing.

Sichuan Trust said that the company will look into ways to repay investors, such as selling its office building or liquidating its subsidiaries shares. However, Mr. Liu said that og those two assets, one was frozen, and the other was mortgaged.

Mr. Liu indicated that the office building was worth as much as $280 million, but theres no interested buyer.

As for the sale of shares, that requires the approval of the board of directors and major shareholders. Sichuan Trust stated that it is now only missing the second shareholders signature. The second shareholder is Zhonghai Trust, a state-owned enterprise, which holds 30 percent of the shares.

Why did Sichuan Trust take on the Ponzi scheme? Mr. Liu explained, its a way to pay the old debts with the new debts in order to hide the dirt.

He said, At present, all of the large dirty assets have been litigated in lawsuits for many years, and no money can be obtained. Therefore, it is certainly impossible to recover, even if the lawsuit is won. Those assets are basically useless-zombie assets.

Mr. Liu said that the minimum investment in TOTs was one million yuan (approximately $141,586). That amount could be an average Chinese persons lifetime savings.

Mr. Liu invested around 2 million yuan. Along with his friends and relatives, the total was more than 10 million yuan (approximately $1,416,172). He said, That means decades of work have gone nowhere.

According to Sichuan Trust President Liu Jingfeng (no relation to Mr. Liu, the investor), the outstanding value of the companys TOT products stood at $3.56 billion.
The MH17 downing is one of the darkest episodes in the ongoing separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine - Dominique Faget/AFP

The Dutch government will sue Russia in the European Court of Human Rights for its role in the crash of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17, shot down over eastern Ukraine in 2014.

Achieving justice for 298 victims of the downing of Flight MH17 is and will remain the governments highest priority, Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok said in a statement.

By taking this step today  bringing a case before the ECHR and thus supporting the applications of the next of kin as much as we can  we are moving closer to this goal.

Russian officials had no immediate reaction to the announcement.

Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was shot down by a missile on July 17, 2014, over rebel-controlled eastern Ukraine, in what came to be one of the most tragic episodes in the bloody separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Russia has stubbornly denied any role in supporting the rebels with troops or weapons.

The Dutch-led joint investigative team has insisted that it was the Russian military that deployed a Buk missile launcher to eastern Ukraine that shot down the plane, a claim that the Kremlin has denied.

The case is separate to the ongoing trial that opened in the Netherlands in March after Ukraines Leonid Kharchenko and Russian separatist commanders, Igor Girkin, Sergey Dubinskiy and Oleg Pulatov, were charged with destroying the aircraft and murdering all people on board.

None of the men, who are in Russia or separatist-held eastern Ukraine, are attending the trial, and only Mr Pulatov has appointed counsel to defend him in court.

Lawsuits by one country against another are extremely rare for the European Court of Human Rights, which typically deals with claims lodged by individuals against their country, and Fridays announcement highlights the Netherlands frustration with Russia which has refused to cooperate with the Dutch investigation.
Premier Doug Ford is railing against U.S. President Donald Trump for threatening tariffs against Canada, warning that could trigger a nasty trade war.

Ford, who in the past has professed support for Trump, urged the American leader not to slap levies on Canadian aluminum, which would hurt Ontario.

Were the number one customer to 19 states, were the number two to nine others. We were instrumental in employing 9 million Americans, and then they want to start talking about tariffs against us? the premier told reporters Friday in Woodbridge.

You got to be kidding, were the number one customer in the world, Canada is. So I highly recommend President Trump, dont do it, he said.

Dont put tariffs on our aluminum or were coming out swinging, we may be small, but were your number one customer. Remember that. Dont forget it.

In off-the-cuff comments after promoting a new Ontario-made push to get people to buy domestic products, Ford, who once ran his familys label business in Chicago, said were going to make sure we support our own.

I was down there for years, made in USA. Well, guess what, its going be made in Ontario, made in B.C., made in Quebec, he said.

Folks, lets stick together because economically, were going to war.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau skipped a White House meeting with Trump and Mexican President Manuel Lopez Obrador to mark the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, pact that took effect July 1.

Robert Benzie is the Stars Queens Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie

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About 9 a.m. Thursday, Chicago police responded to a call of a man found unresponsive in the 1100 block of South Michigan Avenue, near the south end of Grant Park. The man was pronounced dead on the scene about 9:30 a.m., according to officials. Chicago police have since reclassified the death as a homicide.
Amina Abdi Rabar has spoken up on why she gave up on her singing dreams citing frustrations in the Kenyan music industry.

The Capital FM presenter is best remembered for her amazing work on Paint Town Red, Swag featuring Octopizzo and On Me with Jay A. Unfortunately, Amina was forced to give up on her first love due to financial strains in making music and rampant bribery.

It was the bribing you had to do and because I was on radio and no one was paying me to play any of the music. I didnt expect that. It really caught me by surprise. There was lack of support and then it was very difficult to get started, Amina said in a chat with Vybz Yaard.

On music production being an expensive affair, Amina said: They say there is a certain video type of quality that can be played on air. A good quality video, how much is it? By that time when I was releasing Paint Town Red I was told 300K and Im making sijui 15K. It was really hard and TV and radio was picking up. I could see the potential it had, so thats what I focused on.

Amina, however, noted that all is not lost and she will soon make a comeback to music after a 10-year hiatus. She added that she will be doing music only as a hobby with the media remaining her main hustle.

On a more personal level, Amina praised her husband  DJ John Rabar -who cofounded Homeboyz Radio, where Amina started her media career. She said besides being self-driven, Rabar is the one who challenges her to work even harder.

My partner also pushes me, my husband works very hard. He is extremely ambitious and really pushes me to work harder. He never allows me to take breaks. If you have someone like that who you live with, who is always working, anakuaga na zile za wewe una do nini? So pia wewe unajipata unafanya vitu, she said.

Amina and Rabar have a son and hinted that they may have closed that chapter.
New Delhi, July 10 : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday spoke to plasma donors and thanked them for their contribution in saving the lives of coronavirus patients.

The Chief Minister praised them for donating plasma and appealed to them to motivate more recovered patients to come forward and donate.

"When I hear stories of plasma donors, I feel very proud of my fellow Delhiites. So, I decided to call and congratulate some donors," he tweeted, sharing the audio of his conversation with the donors.

The Delhi government has set up India's first plasma bank at the ILBS Hospital, with an objective to maintain a plasma stock from those who have already recovered from the disease.

Addressing a press briefing earlier, Kejriwal had said that as plasma has been proven as an effective solution for the recovery of moderate patients, its therapy should be provided to patients until a vaccine comes.

He said that the plasma bank will enable the people to obtain plasma without any hassles and had also laid out detailed eligibility criteria over who can and cannot donate plasma.

In the audio clip, corona recovered patient Srishti said she felt symptoms for five days but has fully recovered now.

Kejriwal praised her for donating plasma and said he was proud of her. Srishti thanked him for motivating people to donate plasma and also lauded the infrastructure and facilities of the plasma bank at the ILBS hospital.

She also said she suffered no weakness or pain, and the doctors and the medical staff at the plasma bank were very helpful and guided her through the whole process.

Kejriwal also expressed his concerns over people assuming that they will get infected again if they visit ILBS hospital, despite knowing that ILBS is a non-Covid hospital.

Srishti also said that the hospital is very clean and hygienic and there is no risk of getting infected, as all precautions are taken inside the hospital. She also said that she will also encourage her neighbour who has recovered to donate plasma.

Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus patients in the national capital has crossed the one lakh mark. More than 3,000 people have succumbed to the deadly disease. The silver lining, however, is the recovery rate which is over 74 per cent.
By Shen Dingli

In his book, The Room Where It Happened, former US National Security Advisor John Bolton has portrayed the White House as chaotic and peculiar as far as policymaking is concerned. Contrary to the widely perceived image of the current US president's highhanded stance against China, Bolton has presented him as being soft on China for domestic political gains.

Given Bolton's position as the national security adviser to the US president till he was fired last September, his personal observation of top-level US foreign and security policymaking have made the book a hit. Interestingly, however, Bolton's conservative perspectives won him the US president's favor and earned him a key administrative post. It is also interesting that Bolton quickly developed sharp disputes with the president due to his extreme approach to US foreign policy.

More interestingly, the US president formulated his turbulent China policy through Bolton's prism. And as Bolton has said, the US leader could be awkward-"soft" without "principle"in dealing with China.

So it is likely that, in order to refute Bolton's charge, the US president might act more "forcefully" against China in the coming months.

As for the Democrats, many among them consider Bolton's book to be the best weapon to get the upper hand against the president in the November presidential election. In all this, however, China has become the unfortunate victim of US domestic politics.

China-US relations have always been complex, as competition has coexisted with cooperation since the two countries normalized diplomatic relations in 1979.

Beijing and Washington have joined hands to fight terrorism and boost nuclear security irrespective of whether a Republican or Democrat was US president. They have also worked together to fight climate change and contain epidemics such as the SARS and Ebola outbreaks. The US has often sought China's collaboration because it benefited Americans and Chinese, as well as people in rest of the world. And China has often offered its hand out of its own and global public interests, rather than as a favor to any foreign individual or country.

But China's collaboration with other countries has been commensurate with its capacity. Although fighting climate change is in the interest of all the people in the world, China had to adopt an incremental approach to global cooperation as demonstrated in its national plan. Beijing does not think that its pragmatic approach was a rebuttal to the initial, more or less radical vision of former US president Barack Obama or then vice-president Joe Biden. In a similar vein, by joining the Paris climate accord, China did not interfere in US domestic politics.

Yet China would defend its sovereign interests in its relations with the USindeed with any country. On the Taiwan question and Hong Kong issue, China will, under no circumstances, yield to US pressure. So trying to associate China's approach with some US politicians' policies is an exercise in futility.

For instance, China and the US took two years to reach the first phase of a bilateral agreement on economy and trade. The painstaking process suggests that both parties made maximum efforts to reach a "good deal". China has followed the policy of first defending its legitimate interests, and then expanding the common interests of both countries, not individuals. It is with this principle that the two countries signed the "first phase" of the trade agreement on Jan 15.

It is unclear whether Bolton's description of the US president's China policy is genuine, but it is clear that China's US policy is based on its national interests, not on any individual American politician. This was true for China-US ties in the past, and it is true for the present, too. In short, no matter who occupies the White House, China will never involve itself in US domestic politics.

So both Republicans and Democrats would do better to realize that playing the "China card" in US domestic politics will benefit neither party. Instead, whichever party the next US president belongs to has to abide by the basics of China-US tiesworking together whenever possible, and using diplomacy to manage the differences.

(The author is a professor at and former executive dean of the Institute of International Studies, Fudan University.)

This article is originally published on China Daily. The information, ideas or opinions appearing in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.
Qantas Airways plane takes off at Sydney Airport in Sydney on March 19, 2020. ( SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Brisbane Airports New Runway Spells End of Holding Pattern

It may be years before Australias aviation industry is fully operational again, but when it ramps-up Brisbane passengers will not have to contend with time-zapping holding patterns and tarmac wait-times ever again.

The opening of a new runway on July 12 will double Brisbane Airports capacity for aircraft movements.

Other than for severe weather events, planes will be able to arrive and depart without hindrance.

Its predicted to take four decades until the airport even gets close to reaching its scheduling capacity, says Brisbane Airport Corporations Runway Project Director Paul Coughlan.

One thing airlines hate is having aircraft circling or waiting on the ground and all that circling over the Sunshine and Gold Coast, it all disappears, Coughlan said.

The only time you will be put in a holding pattern is if theres a severe thunderstorm.

The $1.1 billion new runway, which took eight years to construct, is 1.5km long and has been strategically placed to allow the future addition of a domestic passenger terminal.

The new runway will be used by planes departing to, or arriving from, destinations to the north and west of Brisbane, both domestically and internationally, such as Cairns, Darwin and Townsville or Europe Asia and the Middle-East.

Sundays opening will be a low-key affair, given Australia and the world is dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.

However, airlines can look forward to maximising their operations in Brisbane and cater for whatever demand there is from holiday-starved Australians when the coronavirus crisis ends, Coughlan said.

The new runway has also been a key selling point in Brisbanes bid to host the 2032 Olympics, he said.

Darren Cartwright in Brisbane
Joe Russo and Anthony Russo attend the #IMDboat at San Diego Comic-Con 2019. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for IMDb)

Avengers: Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo have admitted that Marvel could do better at diversity, following comments made by Anthony Mackie.

Mackie, who plays Falcon in the MCU, criticised the studio for only employing Black creatives on Black Panther, while crewing the other movies upon which he has appeared with mostly white people.

He added: If you only can hire the Black people for the Black movie, are you saying they're not good enough when you have a mostly white cast?

Read more: Mackie on importance of playing Black take on Captain America

It seems the Russo Brothers concur, acknowledging their agreement with Mackie in a recent interview with MovieMaker.

Anthony Mackie attends Netflix's "Altered Carbon" Season 2 Photo Call on February 24, 2020. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

Joe Russo said: I think we can always all do better at diversity, constantly in this business, and in every facet of every industry  so hes not wrong at all.

He acknowledged that all involved with the MCU must work harder to keep endorsing and supporting diversity in terms of on-screen talent and crew.

Read more: Most exciting Disney+ originals in development

Anthony Russo said both of the siblings have a ton of respect for Mackie, whom they have directed in four of his six MCU appearances.

He added: He is not only an amazing actor, but hes an amazing person, and weve loved our collaboration with him.

Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) prepares for battle. (Credit: Marvel)

Marvel has pledged to increase diversity in its Phase Four movies, with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings marking the studios first Asian-led film.

The Eternals, meanwhile, will feature heroes portrayed by Brian Tyree Henry, Gemma Chan, Salma Hayek and Kumail Nanjiani.

Read more: Chadwick Boseman almost played different Marvel hero

There is also a sequel to Black Panther in the pipeline, with Ryan Coogler returning to direct the movie, planned for May 2022.

For Mackie, meanwhile, the next step is to take on the mantle of Captain America as co-lead of Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

Filming was postponed due to the coronavirus ahead of the planned release in August 2020.
For a young Black woman trying to make her way in the early 1900s, job options were few. In most cases, she worked for a white family, caring for their children, cleaning their house or doing their laundry.

In 1911, when Lillian Richard left her hometown of Hawkins, Texas, to seek domestic work in Dallas, she found a different opportunity  offering cooking demonstrations and becoming one of the original faces of the Aunt Jemima pancake brand. Despite the kerchiefed caricature on the packaging, being a brand ambassador allowed Richard to travel, as well as make a living, and brought her renown in her community.

"I want people to know she was a real person," said her great-niece Vera Harris. "She wasnt just some cartoon character. She ... had feelings like we all have and just wanted to make a living at the age of 20. She was happy and proud of the work she did.

Aunt Jemima. Uncle Ben's. Cream of Wheat. Mrs. Butterworth. The images associated with those brands not only sold syrup, rice and cereal but perpetuated painful stereotypes that negatively shaped how African Americans and women were perceived for generations.

Amid a national reckoning on racism in the wake of the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other African Americans killed by police, the makers of those products are changing or reviewing their controversial branding.

"It is symbolic, but ... symbols have real power," said Gregory Smithers, a history professor at Virginia Commonwealth University who co-wrote the book "Racism in American Popular Media: From Aunt Jemima to the Frito Bandito."

"Symbols give shape and texture to our everyday reality," he continued. "They inform how we see other people, other cultures. They inform how we vote, how politicians make priorities and pass laws. And they inform what we see as acceptable forms of representation."

But behind some of those symbols or images, however distorted, were real men and women with families, ambitions and lives.

Story continues

Two men named Frank

Frank Brown was the man whose image became the face of Uncle Bens in 1946, said Caroline Sherman, a spokeswoman for Mars Food, the brand's parent company.

Brown was a maitre d' in a Chicago restaurant. Not much else is known about him, but Sherman said there is an effort to learn more.

"I dont have a lot of details about his past,'' she said, "but thats what we're hoping to gather as we go forward.

Lillian Richard, seated, was one of the first women to portray Aunt Jemima, according to her family.

The name Uncle Ben came from an African American farmer in Texas who was renowned for his high-quality rice. According to the brand's website, Gordon Harwell and his partner who co-founded the grains line decided to change the name of what was called Converted Brand Rice in the late 1940s to draw in new customers. They came up with the new name while having dinner at a favorite Chicago restaurant.

The brand attempted a makeover in 2007 when "Ben'' became a successful, modern businessman instead of a servant. In the current moment, Mars decided that shift didn't go far enough and plans to change the image on the packaging, though it doesn't know when or what those changes will be.

Learning more about Brown will help inform the process, Sherman said. "Getting more and more information and perspective about the past is only going to help that process be stronger," she said.

Lillian Richard portrayed Aunt Jemima in cooking demonstrations at fairs, stores and other public events.

A bit more is known about Frank L. White, a chef who was the model for the image used on boxes of Cream of Wheat.

White was born on the island of Barbados around 1867, then moved to the USA seven years later and got his citizenship in 1890, according to a story in June 2007 by The Associated Press, which cited a Lansing State Journal interview with researcher Jesse Lasorda.

Cream of Wheat debuted in 1893 and initially featured a fictional character dubbed "Rastus,'' a racist term for Black men depicted as simple-minded and irresponsible that arose during the minstrel era. Around the turn of the century, White's picture was taken while he worked at a restaurant in Chicago, according to the AP.

The man whose likeness became the new face of the cereal brand wasn't identified at the time. White claimed it was him, and the story became part of the lore in Leslie, Michigan, the town where White lived for roughly two decades before his death Feb. 15, 1938, according to a report in the Jackson Citizen Patriot cited by AP.

"We understand there are concerns regarding the chef image, and we are committed to evaluating our packaging and will proactively take steps to ensure that we and our brands do not inadvertently contribute to systemic racism, B&G Foods said in a news release about reviewing the brand image. B&G Foods unequivocally stands against prejudice and injustice of any kind.

In 2007, White's grave at Woodlawn Cemetery got a new granite marker. It included an etching of the chef portrayed on the Cream of Wheat Box.

"Everybody deserves a headstone," Lasorda, who led the effort for the new marker, told the Lansing State Journal.

The meaning of 'Mammy'

Conagra Brands, the maker of Mrs. Butterworth's, said the syrup bottles shaped like a matronly woman were "intended to evoke the images of a loving grandmother.''

But last month, Conagra became one of several companies to say it would start "a complete brand and packaging review. ... We stand in solidarity with our Black and Brown communities, and we can see that our packaging may be interpreted in a way that is wholly inconsistent with our values.''

Mrs. Butterworth is not believed to be modeled after a real person, but to some, she conveys a disturbing stereotype of a servile Black woman who is content to spend her life waiting on whites.

"Thats a clear appropriation of the 'mammy' motif," Smithers said, explaining how that caricature was "loyal, subservient and always ready with some down-home wisdom. ... That imagery became so ingrained in the way Americans saw race in the 20th century that it fit almost unnoticed into a panoply of similarly offensive marketing campaigns."

One of the most controversial of those campaigns was that of Aunt Jemima.

The brand was born in 1889 when owners Chris Rutt and Charles Underwood created the pancake mix. The original image on the packaging was inspired by Nancy Green, "a storyteller, cook and missionary worker," according to the brand's website.

Green was born into slavery in Kentucky and worked as a cook and housekeeper for a judge on the south side of Chicago, Smithers said. She first performed as Aunt Jemima at the World's Fair in Chicago in 1893 and went on to play the character in print and on radio for many more years.

Smithers said it doesn't appear that Green received royalties for the use of her likeness. Her income mostly came from her job as a housekeeper and the small fee she was paid for her advertising appearances.

"One myth that needs quashing is the idea that Green died a millionaire," he said. "It's simply not true." She was "able to live (a) comfortable life and donate money to her church."

Green was the first of a rotating cast of women  at least four, perhaps a dozen  whose likenesses were referenced on Aunt Jemima packaging or who played the character at cooking demonstrations and in print, radio and TV ads.

"The imagery naturalized the idea that African American women existed merely to serve white people," Smithers said. "That subservient imagery proved harmful on a number of levels. It informed popular assumptions about Black womanhood. It shaped the way people interacted with Black women, (including) exposing them to sexual violence, and informed the racism that punctuated not only pop culture, but 20th-century feminist movements, politics and social history."

Some descendants of the women who played Aunt Jemima say their stories are more complicated.

'Acknowledge these women'

Richard's family said she was the third woman to portray Aunt Jemima. Born in 1891, the fifth of 11 children, Richard eventually left her hometown to try to earn a better living.

"You cant think about 2020," said Harris, her great-niece. "You have to go back and try to imagine how it was in 1911. ... If you were a woman, you did domestic work. You were cooks, you were maids. You took care of white people's children. So she went out for better opportunities because Dallas was much larger than Hawkins, Texas. She knew if she went there, she could find domestic work and it would pay more."

Richard began promoting Aunt Jemima products, putting on demonstrations at stores, fairs and other events. It was a job she did for the next 23 years.

"Theyd bring her back in a fancy car," Harris said of her great-aunt's employer. "Her brothers and sisters and friends would be all excited to see her when she came home because she had stories to tell them about what she saw in the places she went to. She kind of became a little celebrity."

Richard never had children but was married twice, first around 1912 to a man named Golden Leflore who died roughly two years later of tuberculosis. She married James Diggs in 1935, but he also died, Harris said.

Richard retired after suffering a stroke and returned home to Hawkins where she was cared for by relatives. She died in 1956.

Harris said her family remains proud of Richard's legacy, hosting a pancake breakfast for the Hawkins community every March where a relative, dressed as Richard portraying Aunt Jemima, takes to the stage to talk about Richard's life.

Harris said the city erected a historical marker to Richard in 1995 in the neighborhood where she grew up. A sign proclaims Hawkins is the pancake capital of Texas and the former home of Richard who it notes portrayed Aunt Jemima.

"Not only is our family proud of her," Harris said, "but the community as a whole."

Harris said she fully supports the Black Lives Matter movement that calls for racial equity and justice. She also understands Quaker Oats' decision to change the name and imaging of its Aunt Jemima brand, which the company  a part of PepsiCo  said in a statement is "based on a racial stereotype,'' despite a revamp in 1989 when the character stopped wearing a red bandanna and donned pearl earrings instead.

But "we dont want her history to be wiped away," Harris said of Richard. "My aunt was a smart lady."

Harris contacted Quaker Oats and said she would like the company, which bought the Aunt Jemima brand in 1926, to consider creating a commemorative box that lists all the women who played the character on the back.

That might include Anna Robinson, who, according to the brand's website, took on the role at the second Chicago Worlds Fair in 1933, then toured the nation, earning enough income to provide for her children and buy a 22-room house where she rented out rooms.

Asked whether it planned such a commemoration, Quaker said in an emailed statement that it didn't have anything to add beyond its announcement that it would change Aunt Jemima's branding. "Were in the process of working on the packaging redesign, but no final decisions have yet been made."

Harris said the box could display photos of the women as they looked when they weren't dressed in costume.

Say something like We wouldnt be where we are without the blood, sweat and tears of these Aunt Jemimas,  she said. There could be a short explanation about why the image is no longer used. But let the world know these were vital, live people. They werent minstrel, made-up characters. ... Acknowledge these women.

Follow Charisse Jones on Twitter @charissejones

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who were the real people behind Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben's?
Thousands of jellyfish clogged up a cooling system and threatened to suspend production at a power plant in Israel.

Video filmed at the Electric Company power plant on Thursday shows the light blue sea creatures being swept down a chute and into a bin.

The power plant, based in the coastal city of Ashkelon, about 15 miles north of the Gaza strip, uses seawater to cool its systems.

Employees at the site put in overtime to remove the swarm of jellyfish from the plant, allowing work to continue.

Since last night, Ashkelon power plant workers struggled against a wave of thousands of jellyfish that came into the station via the seawater, the company wrote in a statement on its Facebook page.

For the Electric Company, this is a real danger that can disrupt the production processes at the station.

Summer marks the start of jellyfish season in Israel when thousands of the creatures swarm the coastline.

The most common type of jellyfish found on beaches is the Rhopilema nomadica, otherwise known as nomad jellyfish, according to a website monitoring sightings of jellyfish along the coast.

The nomad jellyfish are usually found on the shores of India but have been able to make their way to Israel via the Suez canal, according to the website, affiliated with Haifa University.

They were reportedly first spotted in Israel in the summer of 1976, some 100 years after the opening of the canal that connects the Mediterranean and Red Seas.

Jellyfish begin arriving in Israel when the sea temperature ranges between 28.2C and 30C and a full moon rises, according to researchers at the university.
China has said it will impose reciprocal measures in response to US sanctions on Chinese officials over alleged human rights abuses against the Uighur Muslim minority.

The US move marked a serious interference in Chinas affairs and was deeply detrimental to bilateral relations, foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters on Friday.

If the United States insists on acting arrogantly, China will definitely fight back, Zhao said. We urge the US to correct this wrong decision. If the US continues to proceed, China will take firm countermeasures.

US-China relations have been at their lowest point in years as the worlds two largest economies spar over issues including trade, the coronavirus pandemic and Hong Kong.

200709164014926

The US Treasury Department on Thursday sanctioned the Communist Party secretary of the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region (XUAR), Chen Quanguo, who sits on the Communist Partys powerful Politburo.

Chen is seen as the architect of a mass surveillance and detention programme in Xinjiang, which has included the mass internment of an estimated one million Uighurs, Kazakhs and other ethnic minorities over the past four years.

The Politburo member is the highest-ranking Chinese official to be hit by US sanctions so far.

In addition to Chen, other officials targeted by the US are Zhu Hailun, a former deputy party secretary in Xinjiang; Wang Mingshan, the director and Communist Party secretary of the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau; and former party secretary of the bureau Huo Liujun.

The sanctions were imposed under the Global Magnitsky Act, a law that allows the US government to target human rights violators around the world with freezes on any US assets, US travel bans and prohibitions on Americans doing business with them.

Combat fortresses

Chinese officials deny the detention facilities in Xinjiang are concentration camps, describing them instead as vocational education centres where students learn Mandarin and job skills in an effort to steer them away from religious extremism following deadly attacks and riots.

However, Chen once said the centres should teach like a school, be managed like the military, and be defended like a prison, according to official documents seen by AFP news agency.

According to separate documents leaked to the New York Times, Chen also urged officials to round up everyone who should be rounded up after President Xi Jinping called for absolutely no mercy against extremism following an attack in 2014.

Chen has used militaristic language in public statements, calling in a speech last week for local Communist Party organisations to build themselves up into strong combat fortresses.

In Xinjiang stringent restrictions have been placed on religious practices, forbidding beards, the wearing of veils and the distribution of unauthorised religious content.

Members of the Uighur diaspora say their relatives have been arrested for seemingly innocuous acts such as sending Ramadan greetings to friends or downloading popular music.
(Newser)  Tom Hanks sure was busy with Greyhound, the WWII drama about a rookie captain in charge of a convoy of Allied supply ships who battles hordes of Nazi U-boats in his first crossing of the North Atlantic. Hanks stars as Capt. Ernest Krause, but he also produced and wrote the film based on CS Forester's 1955 novel The Good Shepherd. His efforts and those of director Aaron Schneider have been awarded with a 76% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie is now streaming on Apple TV+. Four takes:



It's "repetitive though still absorbing dramatically, a string of action vignettes separated by tense interludes," writes Joe Morgenstern at the Wall Street Journal. He argues the best parts are when the drama plays out on Hanks' face. "There's no one better at portraying a good man's self-doubts and a frightened man's courage." Still, there's something lost in having such a film appear on small screens opposed to the big screen, Morgenstern writes.

"Even on a small screen, this new project feels like a well-timed if low-key offering for these troubled days," writes Jocelyn Noveck at the AP. It's "not so much a thriller as a very spare, economical dramaa tightly focused account of one voyage, from one perspective." But "what carries the movie is Hanks' affecting, unshowy portrayal of a man who is highly professional but also scared as heck." Even in troubled times, "it's comforting to watch [Hanks] run the ship."

story continues below

But Glenn Kenny calls this a "surprisingly ordinary picture" and "one of Hankss most perfunctory." The 91-minute flick "feels like a movie that was conceived as an epic but could not quite muster the necessary force," he writes at the New York Times. He also criticizes the use of CGI, noting "a good deal of it is not entirely convincing."

It's "sturdy if unspectacular," with "a throwback feel that smacks of old Hollywood," Brian Lowry writes at CNN. The action, almost all of which takes place on the USS Keeling (call sign "Greyhound"), "unfolds at a brisk pace," though there seems to be no time to "get to know anybody other than the captain." Overall, "the movie has a fair amount in common with its protagonist: unassuming and low-key, but competent enough in carrying out its mission," Lowry concludes.

(Read more movie review stories.)
Regulatory News:

Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (LN:PSHD) (NA:PSH) ("PSH") today announced that it has purchased, through PSH's agent, Jefferies International Limited ("Jefferies"), the following number of PSH's Public Shares of no par value (ISIN Code: GG00BPFJTF46) (the "Shares"):

Trading Venue: London Stock Exchange Ticker: PSH Date of Purchase: 10 July 2020 Number of Public Shares purchased: 18,893 Shares Highest Price Paid Per Share: 1,922 pence 24.32 USD Lowest Price Paid Per Share: 1,914 pence 24.22 USD Average Price Paid Per Share: 1,918 pence 24.27 USD

PSH will hold these Public Shares in Treasury. The net asset value per Public Share related to this buyback is 34.64 USD 27.63 GBP which was calculated as of 7 July 2020 (the "Relevant NAV"). After giving effect to the above buyback, PSH has 195,129,973 Public Shares outstanding, or 201,066,297 Public Shares calculated on a fully diluted basis (assuming that all Management Shares had been converted into Public Shares at the Relevant NAV). Excluded from the shares outstanding are 15,826,777 Public Shares held in Treasury. The prices per Public Share were calculated by Jefferies.

The number of PSH Management Shares and the one special voting share (held by PS Holdings Independent Voting Company Limited) have not been affected.

About Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd.

Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (LN:PSHD) (NA:PSH) is an investment holding company structured as a closed-ended fund that makes concentrated investments principally in North American companies.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200710005459/en/

Contacts:

Camarco

Ed Gascoigne-Pees Hazel Stevenson +44 020 3757 4989, media-pershingsquareholdings@camarco.co.uk
Hollywood stars ask for prayer after actress Naya Rivera goes missing, 4-y-o son found alone

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Celebrities are flooding the internet asking for prayer for actress Naya Rivera after news broke late Wednesday evening that the Glee star was missing during a boat ride.

Pop star Demi Lovato, who had a recurring role on Glee, took to Instagram Stories with a message and photo of a lit candle, writing, "Please pray for @nayarivera to be found safe and sound."

Heather Morris, who played Rivera's same-sex love interest on the hit teenage show, also beckoned for prayer on Instagram: "We need all the prayers we can get to bring our Naya back home to us. We need your love and light."

Another Glee actor, Harry Shum Jr., tweeted on Wednesday, "Praying."

Principal Figgins of the series, actor Iqbal Theba, retweeted a news story about Riveras disappearance and wrote, "Oh God... mercy... please..."

Oh God... mercy... please... Actress Naya Rivera, known for 'Glee' missing and may have drowned after going boating on Lake Piru | https://t.co/QBOBaBJwPihttps://t.co/NlBldzyQVv  iqbal theba (@iqbaltheba) July 9, 2020

Rivera and her son, Josey, went missing shortly after she posted a photo of them on Instagram with the caption, just the two of us.

According to the Ventura County Sheriff's Department, Rivera and her son took a boat ride at Lake Piru in the Los Padres National Forest in Ventura County, California, on Wednesday. The mother and son rented a boat at around 1 p.m. and approximately three hours later, someone on the lake discovered the young son in the boat asleep by himself.

The child told authorities that his mother went for a swim but never returned to the boat, according to TMZ.

As the search for Rivera continues, actress Jackee Harry, who co-starred with Rivera on The Royal Family, pleaded for divine intervention.

"Prayers up for the lovely Naya Rivera. We starred alongside one another in her first very television series, The Royal Family, and Ive watched her career blossom ever since. Please God, dont cut this life short," she wrote on Twitter.

Nickelodeon star Victoria Justice tweeted, "Praying for Naya," while actress and producer Tika Sumpter wrote, "Praying for Naya Rivera. I hope shes OK."

Radio and television talk show host Andy Cohen also posted, "Praying for Naya Rivera and her family. Cant stop thinking of her poor son."

We are heartbroken to hear the news Naya Rivera has been reported missing after a day on the lake with her son, Josey. We are keeping Naya, her beautiful son, and her entire family in our prayers. Our hearts are with you all, daytime television show The Real wrote on Instagram along with a photo of Rivera while a guest on the show.

Officials told NBCLA that Rivera's son was discovered with a life vest on while Riveras vest was still on the boat.

Helicopters, divers, and drones have been on the search for the actress.

Just days before her disappearance the actress hauntingly reminded people to treasure every moment of their life.

No matter the year, circumstance, or strifes everyday youre alive is a blessing, Rivera wrote on Instagram. Make the most of today and every day you are given. tomorrow is not promised.
09.07.2020 LISTEN

Ghanaian gospel musician Doreen Okyere has accused Ghanaian Dj's of not supporting her music.

Gospel musician Doreen Okyere who has her latest trending single titled Faithful God has accused Ghanaian DJs of not playing her song as at the early stage of her musical carrier.

In an interview with Queen Dalynn on EcOne12 Tv, gospel songstress Doreen Okyere claims she always pays DJ's to promote her songs, but they only call her at midnight to inform her they are going to play songs.

Again, she made it clear that its a very difficult task to come up as a gospel musician despite the good content in your songs as compared to circular musicians. She explained by saying most female circular artists can take off their body just for the trends, but as a gospel musician, you can never do that.

Moreover, her faithful God single track took her about a year, just because she was just waiting for Gods direction, meanwhile, she has received a prophecy from a man on God about her faithful God album and she believes it will become one of the greatest Ghanaian gospel songs.

Currently, Faithful God is one of the gospel songs that are currently on rotation on all radio stations in Ghana. She confirmed by saying she hasnt paid anything this time around to promote this particular album.
What does an airport do if it launches a $2.5 billion expansion and then air travel as we know it suddenly ends?

If youre Portland International Airport, you throw a party.

On July 15, the Port of Portland will celebrate completion of the concourse E extension, the first phase of the airports mega-expansion project.

But the smiles may seem a bit forced as the bad news keeps on coming. United Airlines announced Wednesday it will lay off 119 employees in Portland come October. Traffic at PDX is still a small fraction of the peak. Other airlines are expected to follow suit.

At PDX, we saw a 95% drop in passenger travel this April compared to the same month in 2019, said Curtis Robinhold, Port of Portland executive director. We havent experienced a crisis like this in aviation history.

Since the depths of April, air travel has slowly begun to recover to about 30-35% of normal. Still, the numbers are bleak. About 7,300 passengers flew out of PDX on Tuesday. In pre-pandemic times, that number typically approached 25,000.

We are now seeing passenger numbers rise slowly, but the timeline for recovery remains uncertain, Robinhold said. We do expect more disruption in aviation as the impacts of COVID are felt over time. Uniteds announcement is a good indication of the rough times ahead.

Robinhold is just relieved that the port wont be unveiling an empty new concourse next week. Southwest Airlines followed through on its promise to move its PDX operations to Concourse E, a change that marks a major expansion for the airline.

If theres any good news for Portland, its that its three biggest carriers  Southwest, Alaska and Delta  are among the strongest financially.

Southwest spokesman Brad Hawkins said the company is looking forward to resuming something close to a normal schedule in October. Before the virus, as many as 40 Southwest jets were departing from Portland every day during peak periods. This spring, it was down to 12.

The six new gates on Concourse E will all be dedicated to Southwest.

In a letter to state officials, United said it hopes the layoffs will be temporary and that some or all of the 119 people will eventually be brought back. But it likely will be six months at least before anyone is brought back, said Kate Gebo, United executive vice president of human resources and labor relations.

Nationwide, United said it plans to lay off 36,000 people, about half its staff.

Most airlines have held off from downsizing because they took loans or other federal assistance in the CARES Act. Language in the legislation prohibited recipients of federal money from reducing staff until October.

The Portland Airport itself landed $72.3 million in CARES money. So it is subject to the same downsizing restriction until October. After that, the fate of the airports 800 workers is unclear. The port has already cut some employees salaries and instituted furlough days.

Robinhold took a 10% pay cut. My heart breaks for everyone who has dealt with the economic and health losses from COVID-19, he said.

The port continues to implement coronavirus precautions. Airport staff are limiting the number of people allowed inside the airport. Those picking up new arrivals are being asked not to enter the buildings. And masks are required.

The port has stockpiled more than a million masks that it will make available to travelers who dont have one.
July 9, 2020

Philips integrates the BioIntelliSense FDA-cleared BioSticker sensor as part of its remote patient monitoring solutions for patients outside the hospital

Multi-parameter sensors aid monitoring across multiple chronic conditions with medical-grade vital signs for physicians to remotely track core symptoms, including COVID-19

Amsterdam, the Netherlands  Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, today announced it has formed a strategic collaboration with BioIntelliSense , a continuous health monitoring and clinical intelligence company, to integrate its BioSticker medical device into Philips remote patient monitoring (RPM) offering to help monitor at-risk patients from the hospital into the home. With the addition of multi-parameter sensors, Philips solutions can enhance how clinicians monitor patient populations living with chronic conditions  including diabetes, cancer, congestive heart failure and more - in their homes with passive monitoring of key vital signs, physiological biometrics and symptomatic events via a discreet wearable patch for monitoring up to 30 days.

Remote patient monitoring and telehealth-enabled clinical programs offer care teams a sustainable and scalable way to manage patient populations with chronic or complex conditions at home, and plays a key role in supporting care for COVID-19 patients who do not require hospitalization. By regularly transmitting patient data that can provide critical insights into a patients condition, the collaboration will empower care teams in the U.S. with a more holistic patient view and the ability to intervene earlier before adverse events occur. With single-use sensors and patient-owned technology supporting remote monitoring, care teams can also help reduce the need for clinicians and patients to interact in person.

With more patients interacting with their doctors from home and more hospitals developing strategies to virtually engage with their patients, remote patient monitoring is now, more than ever, an essential tool, said Roy Jakobs , Chief Business Leader Connected Care, member of the Executive Committee at Royal Philips. Building on Philips global leadership in patient monitoring, which includes an extensive suite of advanced monitoring solutions, platforms and sensors, this is the latest example of our capability to allow more seamless, cloud-based data collection across multiple settings from the home to the hospital and back into the home. Patient data, coupled with our clinically differentiated and leading AI-powered technology, quantifies the data into relevant actionable insights to help detect deterioration trends and support care interventions  all while outside the walls of the hospital.

Story continues

Wireless, secure data transfer of key vital signs

The BioSticker is a single-use, FDA-cleared 510k class II wearable medical device to enable at-home continuous passive monitoring with minute level data across a broad set of vital signs, physiological biometrics and symptomatic events (skin temperature, resting heart rate, resting respiratory rate, body position, activity levels, cough frequency) on a single device for thirty-days. Symptoms, including those directly associated with COVID-19 such as temperature and respiratory rate, can be remotely monitored in confirmed cases of Coronavirus and also for those patients not sick enough to be hospitalized, or those suspected of having COVID-19. In addition to COVID-19, the BioSticker device will help transform the way clinicians monitor and manage patients living with chronic conditions from the home.

Multi-parameter sensors are the natural next phase for remote monitoring, especially at a time when more patients are engaging with their physicians from home, said James Mault, MD, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of BioIntelliSense. Clinicians need medical grade monitoring and algorithmic clinical insights for COVID-19 exposure, symptoms and management. Accelerated by the COVID-19 crisis, the practice of medicine has been irreversibly enlightened as to the safety and efficacy of virtual care. Philips is a demonstrated leader in remote patient monitoring, and we look forward to BioIntelliSenses technology playing an integral role in simplifying and enhancing outcomes for patients and their doctors.

Healthcare Highways first to leverage BioSticker as a part of Philips RPM solutions

Healthcare Highways, a leading provider of health plans, high performance provider networks, pharmacy benefit management, population health management, and benefit plan administration, is the first to leverage the BioSticker sensor as a part of Philips RPM program in the U.S. Out of the seven programs that will be deployed with Healthcare Highways, one will focus specifically on monitoring patients with COVID-19. The remaining six will focus on conditions across the acuity spectrum, including patients with congestive heart failure, hypertension, diabetes, total joint replacement, cancer and asthma. The program will help Healthcare Highways improve insights to patient health status across its provider network.

Healthcare Highways was built on the idea of delivering measurable value and access to quality care to our members. We work in partnership with our providers to innovate on the care model, and look at Remote Patient Monitoring as the next frontier of how providers will connect with patients, said Creagh Milford, DO, MPH, Chief Medical Officer of Healthcare Highways and Chief Executive Officer of HighCare Health. COVID-19 has underscored the need for proactive care management. Resources are strained and by integrating an RPM program with biosensor technology, well be able to drive further value for our unique member base, providers and employers to establish a new way of care delivery.

Philips remote patient monitoring offerings are part of the companys broader Population Health Management portfolio , which provides a comprehensive and proactive healthcare delivery strategy to connect clinicians, providers and patients for ongoing care. By combining technology and data-driven population management with clinical expertise and a proven programmatic approach, Philips supports the delivery of telehealth services for programs in and out of the hospital to provide connected, patient-centered care across the health continuum.

For further information, please contact:

Kathy OReilly

Philips Global Press Office

Tel: +1 978 221 8919

Email: Kathy.oreilly@philips.com

Twitter: @kathyoreilly

About Royal Philips

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Philips generated 2019 sales of EUR 19.5 billion and employs approximately 81,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter .

About BioIntelliSense

BioIntelliSense is ushering in a new era of continuous health monitoring and clinical intelligence for Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM). Its medical-grade Data-as-a-Service (DaaS) platform seamlessly captures minute-to-minute vital signs, physiological biometrics and symptomatic events through an effortless patient experience. For more information on how BioIntelliSense is redefining remote patient monitoring through medical-grade and cost-effective data services, please visit our website at BioIntelliSense.com .

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Israel's landmark law against the consumption of prostitution goes into effect today, July 10, a year and a half after it was passed. Women are not merchandise and their bodies are not available for rent to anyone willing to pay for the price, tweeted Justice Minister Avi Nissenkorn of Blue and White this morning. His tweet came in response to several days of intense pressure to postpone the laws implementation.

For the first time in Israels history, liability for prostitution lies with consumers. The police can now fine them thousands of shekels without punishing those who sell the services. The law also determines that in the event of multiple infringements, people hiring prostitutes could face criminal prosecution and that the fines would increase to tens of thousands of shekels.

To date, Israeli law has not treated prostitution as a crime unless it involved minors. Activities surrounding prostitution, including pimping and advertising sex services, were illegal. As a result, while pimps and the managers of brothels have been arrested and investigated, the actual consumers were never charged.

This law is historically significant in that it recognizes the basic immorality of exploiting prostitutes financially for purposes of sex, and that those who sell their bodies for a living are actually victims. It holds that it is the consumers who turn sex into a commodity and they should be punished for it.

This revolutionary law is an enormous victory after years of effort to pass laws that would reduce the phenomenon of prostitution and ban people from taking advantage of it. Were it not for the second wave of the novel coronavirus, the law going into effect today would have topped the headlines instead of being lost amid reports about economic collapse and hospitals yet again filling up with patients.

But even without media attention, the law is here to stay. It will remain in effect when the pandemic is over and result in real change by reducing prostitution significantly.

According to most estimates, there are about 12,000 people involved in the prostitution industry in Israel. Of them, some 95% are female and 5% are male, including about 1,100 girls and about 40 boys. As a whole, the industry generates about $1.3 billion per year.

Until 2016, Israel had never attempted to develop a systemic approach to reduce prostitution in the country. That year, the Ministry of Labor and Welfare conducted a comprehensive study of the phenomenon. It found that the face of Israels prostitution industry has changed over the last few years. In the early 2000s, it was comprised mostly of women from the former Soviet Union. Today, however, the industry involves thousands of Israelis, most of them mothers, at-risk teens or transgender women.

The report concluded that economic distress is the main reason women turn to prostitution. It is also the reason so many women have a hard time breaking free from it.

In 2018, a powerful coalition of men and women from all parties first formed in the Knesset to combat the phenomenon and made history.

Spearheading this effort was former Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, who also served as chair of the Ministerial Committee for Legislation. She initiated the proposed legislation and pushed ahead its approval right before the Knesset was dissolved and new elections were announced.

Shaked recruited then-Minister of Internal Security Gilad Erdan, who was recently appointed Israels ambassador to the United Nation. Working together, the two of them did not relent until the law was passed. They had the backing of women Knesset members from all parties, including the religious ones. On the day that the law was approved, former Knesset member Shelly Yachimovich (Labor), who was at the forefront of the struggle, stated, The war against prostitution is like a war to free the slaves.

Along with the law, the government approved a program to rehabilitate people working in prostitution. A budget of 30 million shekels ($8.7 million) was dedicated to provide them with treatment and rehabilitation.

The law is based on the Nordic model, which puts the onus of responsibility on consumers of prostitution. In 1999, Sweden became the first country in the world to criminalize the patronage of prostitutes. Data collected in the ensuing years found that the number of women in the country who were engaged in prostitution dropped by about two-thirds and fewer new women entered the industry. The success of this model led other countries such as Norway, France and Ireland to adopt it. Over the next two decades, womens rights organizations in Israel that followed developments in the international struggle against prostitution and a dedicated group of Knesset members tried to do the same, but found their efforts blocked.

Now it is up to the Justice and Public Security Ministries to enforce the law in the midst of the current political chaos and the pandemic. Much of the work will fall to the police, who will be expected to proactively pursue violators. Any consumer of such sexual services who is caught will receive a 2,000-shekel ($580) fine. The police will also set up a computer database of these consumers and anyone caught again will be fined twice as much. As noted, repeat offenders could face criminal charges as well.

Ayelet Dayan, who heads the Taskforce on Human Trafficking and Prostitution, said that the law already has had an impact in the two years since it was passed, even before it went into effect. She also said that there has already been a decline in prostitution and a rise in requests for rehabilitation, with more women wanting to breaking free of the cycle.

This is a historic statement by the Israeli government, she stated. The exploitation of women as prostitutes is no longer acceptable.

She explained, The law is not focused exclusively on the consumers, who will for the first time bear responsibility for the harsh exploitation prevalent in the world of prostitution. It also addresses the women and other populations in that world. What the government is telling them is, I see you, and I am extending a hand to pull you out of there.
Live slots, remote demos or on-demand webinars, as a manufacturer of high-tech electron microscopes and analytical systems for research and industry, JEOL is increasing its focus on digital networking now. On July 17th, 2020, JEOL Germany is launching its new digital series Micro Sessions in English, in which current research topics and system demonstrations will be broadcasted live from the demo laboratory at the German location in Freising to the 
Angelina Jolie made a rare, extensive comment about her 15-year-old daughter Zahara while discussing the Black Lives Matter movement.

The actress and humanitarian, who is also a contributing editor for Time magazine, sat down for a virtual conversation with Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate this week for a conversation about activism and the climate crisis. The discussion turned to the Black Lives Matter movement, which now may be the largest movement in U.S. history, and Jolie shared how Zahara influenced her life after she adopted her from Ethopia in 2006.

"One of the things thats also been interesting is the education," Jolie said. "I dont know about the schools in Uganda, but I know in the United States theres a very big question particularly about themy daughter is from Ethiopia, one of my children. And I have learned so much from her. She is my family, but she is an extraordinary African woman and her connection to her country, her continent, is veryits her own and its something I only stand back in awe of. But what I see in, for example, American history books and how limited they are, they dont  they really start teaching people who are Black about their lives through the Civil Rights movement, which is such a horrible place to begin."

"I think what people really need to first understand is that Africa is not just a country," Nakate responded. "Its actually a continent with 54 countries. I remember the history that we learnt about [in school], and it talked so much of slavery and all that. I think that that is a narrative that needs to change."

RELATED: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Are Peacefully Co-Parenting After "a Lot of Family Therapy"

In an interview with Harper's Bazaar UK last month, Jolie discussed racism in America, telling the magazine, "There are more than 70 million people who have had to flee their homes worldwide because of war and persecution  and there is racism and discrimination in America. A system that protects me but might not protect my daughter  or any other man, woman or child in our country based on skin color  is intolerable."
Prahlad Singh Patel, Minister of State for Tourism and Culture (IC), Government of India, has said that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is working to give permission for film shooting in archaeological sites in 15-20 days.

In conversation with Anurradha Prasad, Chairperson and MD, BAG Films and Media Ltd, organised during FICCI Frames 2020, Patel said that the Government is working with all concerned stakeholders and allied ministries to support the industry during this time. I would urge the industry to include and promote the unknown historical monuments while planning for film shoots. The Ministry will support the industry by removing the hurdles, added Patel.

In order to promote tourism through films, he said that Indian film industry should explore more domestic sites, especially in the North East and Himalayan region. We should all work to ensure that we let our citizens know more about their country. COVID-19 has taught us the importance of Indian lifestyle, which is simple to lead, accessible and healthy, said Patel.

Highlighting the importance and potential of tourism, the Minister said that post COVID-19, wellness tourism will pick up at a much faster pace. He added that world over, people have started respecting the Indian traditional health techniques.

It is imperative that we must change our perception about tourism and ensure that our brand image is improved. Initially, we will have a slow start, but I assure you that once we attain the pace, no other country will be able to match us, said Patel.

He further said that to promote tourism, both in India and internationally, states will have to play a major role. Our states are an important stakeholder and without their support we cannot give safety assurance to our domestic and international tourists. Safety guarantee is a combined effort of all stakeholders.

Anurradha Prasad said, FICCI will work with the Government to ensure that we strongly promote our Indian traditions and culture across the world.
Another Spanish tourist region has been put on high alert after at least 23 guests at a wedding, including the bride and her mother, were struck down with coronavirus.

More than 35,000 residents of Tudela in Navarra, northern Spain, are being advised to wear masks and stick to social distancing to prevent the disease spreading further.

And the appeal is being echoed 60miles north of Tudela in Pamplona, which is also in Navarra, after five new cases of COVID-19 were identified in the same family.

The move to press citizens to stick to coronavirus restrictions once again follows the decision to reimpose lockdowns in two other Spanish regions in recent days.

Tudela in Navarra, northern Spain, has been put on high alert after at least 23 guests at a wedding, including the bride and her mother, were struck down with coronavirus

The appeal is being echoed 60miles north of Tudela in Pamplona, which is also in Navarra, after five new cases of COVID-19 were identified in the same family. Pamplona is famous for its annual bull-run. Pictured: A reveller stands along the course of the run earlier this week

The 70,000 citizens living in La Marina, which lies 90 miles east of La Coruna in Galicia have had restrictions reimposed after a new outbreak.

Entry into and out of the town has been banned, with gatherings limited to ten people or less.

And the region of Catalonia has locked down Segria county, in which 400,000 people live, following a surge in coronavirus cases.

On the Costa del Sol, nearly 30 beaches were closed earlier this week after huge crowds of people flocked to the beach. The region is a hot spot for British tourists.

Overall, Spain has reported 252,513 confirmed coronavirus cases, with 28,401 deaths.

Health officials in Tudela haven't specified whether the wedding was authorised under the coronavirus lockdown regulations or whether the number of permitted guests was exceeded.

More than 35,000 residents of Tudela are being advised to wear masks and stick to social distancing to prevent the disease spreading further

However, they have admitted they expect more positive results as they are now testing anyone connected with the wedding, including staff at the venue and at a bar visited afterwards.

Two guests were tested initially when they started to feel unwell. When they proved positive, another 34 were tested, with 21 being positive as well.

One of the affected people has been admitted to the Reina Sofia Hospital, where a tent has been installed outside to carry out the tests.

The health authority says all the other guests at the wedding, together with close contacts, also have to self-quarantine for 14 days.

All those tested positive are over the age of 50.

A number of businesses in Tudela have already taken it in their own hands to close down because of the outbreak, particularly a bar and a supermarket which were visited by guests.

A sign on one said: 'On the occasion of the positive of Covid-19 on our terrace, we have decided to close until things are clarified. We are sorry for the inconvenience. See you soon.'

The mayor of Tudela, Alejandro Toquero, has made a plea for 'collective and individual responsibility' and says he is in close contact with the health authority to monitor developments.

An investigation is already underway to try and find the source of the new outbreak.

The mayor has warned that if there are further outbreaks, restrictions could be reimposed by the Government of Navarra and Tudela city council.

Health officials in Tudela haven't specified whether the wedding was authorised under the coronavirus lockdown regulations or whether the number of permitted guests was exceeded

'Once again, responsibility is requested and an appeal is made to continue with the measures of social distancing and a mask,' he appealed.

Old folks' homes have already been locked down again with visitors banned because of the outbreak.

Tudela is much visited by tourists interested in its history and old architecture.

Navarra's health chief, Santos Indurain said the number of people affected at the wedding was almost certain to increase and tests would be taken both now and at the end of seven days initially and then at 14 days.

Confirming the cases were being treated as outbreaks, she warned: 'The virus is still here and people must be vigilant.'

In Pamplona, the famous bull run should now be taking place but these were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Tests are being carried out on the family and all contacts after five relatives were diagnosed with the virus

'The Department of Health, in contact with both the local and health authorities in these areas, is currently working to complete the monitoring of the two new outbreaks and to adopt the necessary measures to tackle the possible chain of infections,' she said.

In Pamplona, the famous bull run should now be taking place but these were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Tests are being carried out on the family and all contacts after five relatives were diagnosed with the virus.

It is believed the virus was 'imported' from a relative who came to Pamplona from another region.

Spain is currently registering coronavirus outbreaks in more than 90 areas although the government says they are under control.

Many regions are currently imposing the mandatory use of face masks.
Angering China, Australia Suspends Extradition Treaty With Hong Kong, Extends Visas

SYDNEYAustralia said on July 9 it was suspending its extradition treaty with Hong Kong in response to a new security law imposed there and announced measures to attract businesses from the Asian financial hub, provoking an angry response from Beijing.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the law introduced last week in Hong Kong was a fundamental change of circumstances and Australia would suspend the extradition agreement.

There will be citizens of Hong Kong who may be looking to move elsewhere, to start a new life somewhere else, to take their skills, their businesses, Morrison said, outlining changes to visa programs.

Morrison said Hong Kong students, graduates, and workers in Australia on temporary visas will have the opportunity to stay and work for an extra five years and apply for permanent residency after that time.

Future student visas would also be offered for five years, however, Morrison said they were not expecting large numbers of applicants any time soon.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian threatened to take retaliatory action against Australias actions.

Two-way trade between the countries was worth AU$235 billion in 2019. And the Chinese Embassy in Canberra warned earlier that unless Australia stopped meddling it will lead to nothing but lifting a rock only to hit its own feet.

Welcoming Talent

There are 10,000 Hong Kong citizens in Australia on student visas or temporary work visas, with a further 2,500 outside Australia and 1,250 applications on hand, according to the government. Hong Kong applicants would be prioritized under Australias Global Talent Scheme and business visa program.

There is so much talent in Hong Kong, said acting Immigration Minister Alan Tudge. There are great businesses in Hong Kong. And we know that many individuals now might be looking elsewhere, because they do want to be in a freer country, they want to be in a democratic country.

Australia offered asylum to some 42,000 Chinese students who were in Australia after a violent crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square in 1989.

Imposed after months of mass protests that sometimes resulted in violent clashes between police and pro-democracy supporters, Hong Kongs new security law punishes acts of secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign forces with up to life in prison.

Business Pitch

Morrison also made a pitch for international financial services, consulting, and media businesses with regional headquarters in Hong Kong to relocate to Australia, saying his government would proactively encourage that.

He said measures would be accommodated within Australias existing caps on permanent resident visas, and Hong Kong citizens could also apply to the humanitarian and refugee visa program.

Hong Kong student Dennis Chan, who attends university in New South Wales and is a spokesman for community group Australia-Hong Kong Link, welcomed the stance taken by Australia.

But, he said some graduates were worried they werent covered, as many had returned to Hong Kong and were on bridging visas, unable to return to Australia because of COVID-19.

People who protested in Hong Kong are facing difficulties leaving Hong Kong to come to Australia, he told Reuters.

Australia changed its travel advisory for Hong Kong, where around 100,000 Australians live and work, to say reconsider your need to remain in Hong Kong if they are concerned about the new law.

Canada last week announced it would suspend its extradition treaty with Hong Kong in the wake of the legislation and could boost immigration from the former British colony.

New Zealand said it was also reviewing its relations with Hong Kong and would review extradition arrangements, controls on exports of strategic goods, and travel advice.

By Kirsty Needham
Mr. Milella sold the diamond for nearly $20 million to a gems dealer in Switzerland named David Gol, who is a defendant in the case. Mr. Gol has said that he believes Mr. Milella had a clear title to the Princie and worked to sell it as part of the 2013 auction.

In establishing the deceased Italian senators purchase of the diamond, the appeals court relies on documents associated with Christies own investigation into the provenance of the diamond. The courts order said that documents generated in the course of the investigation include unequivocal statements by Christies outside counsel that the senator had indeed purchased the diamond.

In allowing the case to continue, the appeals court also resolved another legal dispute over which law should be applied: New Yorks or Switzerlands. The auction house has argued that its client purchased the gem in Switzerland, where property can be acquired legally, despite accusations of theft, if a good faith purchaser pays the full value of the item. The plaintiffs countered that the sale had been administered in New York by a New York auction house, and so Christies could not pick and choose which law to apply.

In another victory for the plaintiffs, the appeals court sided with the lower court in ruling that New York law should be applied. In its decision, the court cited the strong New York contacts in the case and the states overwhelming interest in protecting the integrity of its market.

A spokeswoman for the auction house said, While Christies is disappointed by the appellate courts decision, we continue to believe that the evidence at trial will demonstrate that Christies consignor had the right to sells the diamond at issue  Mr. Gol was the consignor  and that Christies acted in complete good faith in doing so in April 2013.

The spokeswoman said that key pieces of evidence at trial will include the actions of the Senators widow in asserting her own ownership of the diamond and plaintiffs repeated denial to Italian tax authorities that they inherited the diamond. (A judge in the trial court pointed out that no evidence has been presented to show that Ms. Angiolillo, the wife, or Mr. Milella, her son, paid taxes on it, either.)
YEREVAN.  Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is chairing a regular meeting of the Security Council of Armenia.

The issue of approving the National Security Strategy is also being discussed at the sitting.

In that context, PM Pashinyan delivered a message in which he noted as follows, in particular:

"When examining our national security issue, I believe we should first examine the issue of our national identity because national security is about protecting national identity, protecting it from physical and substantive threats.

Over long years, our national identity has developed so much that today we can shape our goal: to ensure in the coming millennia the existence and normal development of our generations on planet Earth, in the territory of the state of Armenia, and to consider what we have to do today also from that point of view.

The most key component of national identity is the connection with the very roots and the sense () of ownership of the heritage, values formed during the history of the nation.

The Republic of Armenia is the guarantor of the security and freedom of the Armenians of Artsakh [(Nagorno-Karabakh)]. The Republic of Armenia is a pan-Armenian state and represents all Armenians around the world.

The Armenian state is the only guarantor of the existence and development of the Armenian people.

Contributing to the dialogue and multilateral relations of civilizations, peoples, states shall be an expression of our commitment to assisting in international peace and stability. Armenia is ready to become a platform for such a dialogue.

() in the strategy, the source and guarantee of the existence of the state of Armenia is considered to be the will of the Armenian people ().

And our greatest task is to bring the fate of our people and state out of this cycle when geopolitical factors become the key factor that determines the existence or non-existence of our state, and our state must be based on the will of our people.

And, in fact, with this National Security Strategy, we are setting a new benchmark before us.
When General Robert Lockhart, first commander-in-chief of the Indian Army took the strategic plan of defence policy to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, the PM took one look and shouted, Rubbish! Total rubbish! We don't need a defence plan. Our policy is ahimsa (non-violence). We foresee no military threats. Scrap the Army! The police are good enough to meet our security needs."

Defence minister VK Krishna Menon single-handedly pioneered the Jeep Scandal. The bulk of Indian Civil Service (ICS) cadres who didnt revert to England in 1947 were converted to IAS and absorbed in the defence ministry. They continued the ICS legacy of defence scams and distaste for the Army.

Defence minister Manohar Parrikar said in June 2015: "The Army has lost respect because there has been no war since long." Do we understand what war is  conventional, nuclear or sub-conventional, which is an everyday affair? Do we know war officially was not declared even during the Kargil conflict? Many netas feel people join the Army to die. The deep state keeps warning politicians of the possibility of an Army coup  keep them leashed, select honey-bunnies carefully and keep dangling carrots lest they make the 1.4 million soldiers vote in stations they are posted. No dearth of money to buy MLAs but these uniformed critters can upset vote calculations.

Former diplomats also kept warning of defence allocations being lowest since 1962. So today we witness a mad rush for weaponry, ammunition and equipment while continuing talks with the Chinese to gain time. The murderous assault on our patrol by the PLA on June 15 and ensuing tussle resulting in 20 Indians and 43 PLA killed is considered enough befitting response to Chinas aggression. This will also be flouted in elections, possibly with posters of the braves killed. However, agreeing to buffer zones in our own territory and moving back is no guarantee China will still not force conflict.

Is the public aware that widows of soldier fatalities on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China are not paid the same pension as fatalities on the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan? This is not just absurd but a national shame. The Armed Forces Tribunal, Chandigarh ruled in May 2019 that the government cant discriminate between these two types of casualties  there's the case of Saudamini Mahapatra who was denied liberalised pension past 21 years since her husband died in an avalanche during Op Falcon on the LAC in 1998. A missive from the defence minister could right this pronto. But the defence ministry finds cynical pleasure in employing a battery of lawyers (paid from defence funds) to take veterans and widows to court for pensions despite not winning a single case to date.

Will the next of kin of the 20 Army braves who lost their lives on June 15 suffer the same fate? Optimists say the Bihar elections may do the trick since the bulk of those killed belonged to the Bihar Regiment, or the magnanimous announcement may happen before the 2024 general elections provided it doesnt dent the finance ministers $3-5 trillion economy target. Pessimists feel the Army is supposed to gain respect during war but this was no war, not even a bullet fired. After all Army outcasts are not even in Group A Services and dont even merit NFU and other benefits like the Central Armed Police Forces.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said in 2004, Reforms within the Armed Forces also involve recognition of the fact that our Navy, Air Force and Army can no longer function in compartments with exclusive chains of command and single service operational plans. Eleven years later Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the Combined Commanders Conference on October 17, 2015 said the most important task was to transform our defence forces. He called for increased jointness and urged the services to work as a team all the way from the lowest levels to the top. The first Chief of Defence Staff is evolving joint theatre commands. Without a strategic defence review and national security strategy, we decided to downsize the Army by more than 1,00,000 and pended boosting offensive capabilities in mountains  all due to the political belief that there will be no war.

The focus is on jointness within the armed forces but who is responsible for jointness at the battlefront? Is it the defence secretary who is responsible for policy both war and non-war? The ITBP deployed in the show window of Eastern Ladakh is not even under the command of the Army. The PLA mobilisation in Depsang 7 km from the ITBP post at Burtse has blocked all ITBP patrols going west to more than five patrolling points short of the LAC. The ITBP reports through its own channels to the ministry of home affairs (MHA). The ITBPs Burtse post is located west of the Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldi (DSDBO) Road, as if the threat is coming from Pakistan, not China. The PLA had made the same 19-km deep intrusion in Depsang during 2013 and withdrew only after cameras and infrastructure at Chumar 400 km south of the intrusion were removed. Whenever intrusions occur, the Army is tasked for flag meetings. Why isnt the IG or DG ITBP part of talks with the PLA when ITBP patrols are in the show window?

Can anyone in the government justify why the ITBP is not under the command of the Army in these sensitive areas of Eastern Ladakh? Where is the synergy on the battlefront? Does this gladden the NSA who was getting Vice Chiefs in yesteryear to make presentations on defence procurement directly to him? Defence minister Rajnath Singh would have been happy with this arrangement when he was home minister, but why doesnt he raise the issue now? Is the threat from the IPS manning intelligence agencies so huge? The home ministry wants to merge the Assam Rifles with the ITBP and take them under command. After all, the amount of narcotics entering India from the east is the same as from the west. Why not put the whole Army shebang in khaki and place them under the MHA, fulfilling Nehrus dream, too.

The deep state loves divide and rule and encourages clash. In 2013, the-then DG ITBP visited Pangong Tso and was to meet the Corps Commander at Leh on return. At Pangong Tso he demanded a ride on the armed patrol boat but was told this is denied to Army VIPs also since these were only meant for patrolling. The DG ITBP was taken around the lake in a normal boat. But, he was so worked up, he cancelled meeting the Corps Commander at Leh and returned to Delhi. The deep state has been working on provisioning the ITBP with exclusive helicopters too, which are pended for the time being. India actually needs a single organisation of border guards, merging the ITBP, BSF and Seema Suraksha Bal, to assist the Army man land borders. But, hey, this may lead to a big coup.

Finally, can we stop these theatrics in the battlefront to the glee of Beijing? The ITBP deployed in Eastern Ladakh needs to be placed under the command of the Army on an immediate basis. Post Independence, the Nubra Guards gave a bloody nose to Pakistans razakars-cum-regulars led by British officers of Pakistani army invading Ladakh. Why are our Ladakh Scouts not in the show window instead of the ITBP?

(The author is an Indian Army veteran. Views expressed are personal.)
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Linkedin Jorn Poltz (Reuters) Munich, Germany  Fri, July 10, 2020 13:45 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066561b01 2 Business Germany,Wirecard,money-laundering,Fraud,fintech,payment-service-providers,payment-system Free

German state prosecutors are investigating individuals at Wirecard for suspected money laundering, they said on Thursday, adding to probes into alleged fraud, balance falsification and market manipulation at the collapsed firm.

The Irish Times also said the company's offices in Dublin had been raided by police at the request of German authorities.

The implosion of what was once a $28 billion fintech giant has caused major embarrassment in Germany, with industry experts and politicians criticizing the authorities for what they see as their hands-off approach and a number of missed opportunities to spot problems.

Wirecard filed for insolvency last month owing creditors almost $4 billion after disclosing a 1.9 billion euro ($2.1 billion) hole in its accounts that its auditor EY said was the result of a sophisticated global fraud.

"We are investigating suspected money laundering," a spokeswoman for the Munich prosecutor's office said.

She said the inquiry was directed at individuals at Wirecard after a number of criminal complaints this year and last. She did not name the individuals, nor say how many were being probed. She also did not identify the complainants.

Irish police said in a statement they began a search at a financial services provider in Dublin to obtain evidence concerning alleged fraud at the institution and its subsidiaries on the request of German authorities.

A spokeswoman for the police declined to identify the firm.

Wirecard declined to comment on the investigation and reports of the raid of its Dublin office. The Munich prosecutors also declined to comment on the reported Irish raid.

Wirecard started out handling payments for gambling and adult websites before expanding to process payments for companies including Visa and Mastercard.

Some of the world's biggest investors held its shares before a whistleblower said it owed its success to a web of sham transactions.
WASHINGTON - Today's racial turmoil, which was detonated by a Minneapolis instance of lethal police behavior toward an African American, is more serious than any since 1992. Then, after the verdict exonerating the police who beat an African American, Rodney King, six days of rioting engulfed a swath of Los Angeles, killing 63 and injuring 2,383. This far exceeded the calamity of 1965, when a traffic stop by a white LAPD officer of an African American driver spiraled into the Watts riot, which over six days killed 34 and injured 1,032.

Both conflagrations occurred largely in what is now the congressional district represented by Karen Bass, an African American Democrat now in her fifth term. Her public career, which has been shaped by her district's memories of both disasters, suits her to be Joe Biden's vice-presidential selection. Her impeccably progressive credentials would sooth her party's fermenting left wing. Her even-keeled disposition - "She's not someone who bristles," says an admirer who has "never heard her raise her voice" - would appeal to the large majority of Americans who have had a surfeit of bristling from both ends of the political spectrum.

The daughter of a letter-carrier father and a homemaker mother, Bass grew up in the decidedly non-affluent half of her district, which includes the posh Century City area. Her public career has revolved around what will be 2020's two central issues, health care and criminal justice reform.

Health care, which will be 2020's most salient issue when statue-smashing has run its course, "obsessed" her, she says, when in her 30s two epidemics - AIDS and crack cocaine - ravaged African American communities. She says crack provoked benighted policies that "criminalized a public health problem." Leaving her position as a clinical instructor at the University of Southern California's department of family medicine, she founded in 1990 the nonprofit Community Coalition (CoCo) to devise nonpolice measures for addressing crime.

"We were completely wrong" - when is the last time you heard a politician admit that? - in thinking that crack houses were the heart of the problem, she says. CoCo discovered that liquor stores were centers of criminal activity. Two hundred of them burned in 1992, and CoCo helped ensure that the most problematic ones did not reopen. It also worked with older gang members to cut the homicide rate. Her focus today on criminal justice issues, particularly prison reform, would dilute progressives' resentment of Biden's large role in passing the 1994 crime bill.

Elected to the state assembly in 2004, in three terms Bass became majority whip, then majority leader, then speaker. When the Great Recession clobbered California in 2008, she was compelled to undertake the distasteful task of pruning about a third - $40 billion - of the state budget. There she got to know Kevin McCarthy, now Republican leader in the U.S. House, who has called Bass his favorite Democrat because of her collaborative talents. Faint praise, perhaps, but notable in today's toxic political climate.

She was one of only nine freshman Democrats sent to Congress by the dispiriting (for her party) 2010 elections that elevated "tea party Republicans." The highlight for the "Noble Nine" was dinner at Biden's vice presidential residence.

In Florida, the most important swing state, some Democrats resent Bass's too-respectful 2016 statement on Fidel Castro's death, calling him "comandante en jefe" (commander in chief). Their anxiety would be assuaged by her service on the board of the government's most cost-effective program, the National Endowment for Democracy, where she has supported 65 grants totaling $6 million for democracy movements in Cuba.

Today, Bass chairs the Congressional Black Caucus, a former leader of which is South Carolina's James Clyburn, now in his 14th term and third-ranking in the Democrats' House leadership. Rarely has a presidential nominee owed to a supporter a debt as large as Biden's debt to Clyburn. His political muscle made his state's primary resuscitate Biden's faltering campaign and propel it to victory.

Speaking by phone Monday from his district, Clyburn, who has not endorsed anyone, said "three big things" in Bass's favor are her "legislative acumen" honed in California and on Capitol Hill, the fact that she "is no stranger to foreign affairs" and - "the biggest thing of all" - Biden would not need to worry about her "one-upping him," because she has "no aspirations" to be president.

Bass will be 67 on Jan. 20, when Biden will be 78. Biden-Bass would be the nation's oldest winning ticket, transitional leadership to get the world's oldest party, and the world's oldest democracy, to calmer days.

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She has been mourning the death of her beloved grandfather this week.

And Maya Jama was feeling nostalgic on Friday as she shared a series of throwback photos on Instagram.

The presenter, 25, looked almost unrecognisable as she posed at the wheel of a car when she was 11.

Throwback: Maya Jama was feeling nostalgic on Friday as she shared an old snap of her aged 11 sitting at the wheel of a car

The radio star, who grew up in Bristol, smiled and made a hand gesture as she sat in the front seat of the red vehicle.

Maya then went on to share further throwback snaps on her Instagram stories, and reminisced about her youth.

She said: 'We actually used to go to under-18 raves sometimes, I think I was just about to turn 12, it was year 7 times.'

Reflective: The star then went on to share further throwback snaps on her Instagram stories, and reminisced about her youth

Vintage look: The former Radio One presenter showed off her look as she attended an under-18 club night in Bristol

'We would all wear polo shirts and matched white laces to the white trainers.'

In the later throwbacks, Maya showed herself posing outside a club wearing white suspenders with a friend.

She then posted a heartwarming photo with her brother and her uncle cuddling each other on the sofa.

Earlier this week, Maya took to her Instagram stories where she shared more throwback photos from her childhood with her late grandparent.

Family snap: Maya also shared a photo of her brother and her uncle cuddling up to each other on the sofa

Maya penned heaven has 'gained another angel' in a touching tribute to her paternal grandfather.

Also taking to Twitter to share the sad news, she wrote: 'RIP Grandad, gained an angel ... looking at old photos today & he was such a G. My nan (ayeeyo) is also my twin when she was younger (sic)'

In one photo Maya and her brother Omar cuddled their grandfather, who sat on a chair, while in another, Maya's grandfather posed for a family photo with her nan, and their children.

Heartbroken: The Save Our Summer presenter took to her Instagram stories earlier in the day where she shared throwback photos from her childhood with her late grandparent

History: In another, Maya's grandfather posed for a family photo with her nan, and their children

She wrote: 'Proper look like my nan. Real g's immigrated from Somalia and built a life for themselves, started working, started a family, bought a house.

'Pretty sure they were the first Somalian's living in Bristol'.

Before she hit the big time as a Radio One presenter, Maya had a tough upbringing in Bristol with a father who was in and out of prison.

Her inspiration: Maya wrote: Real g's immigrated from Somalia and built a life for themselves, started working, started a family, bought a house'

Always in our memory: The presenter shared a picture of the sky alongside the caption 'RIP Grandad'

She was also caught up in a personal tragedy following the death of her boyfriend Rico Gordon when she was 16.

Maya was in a relationship with Rico who was caught in the crossfire of a gunfight between two rival gangsters in her home city of Bristol.

As a child, Maya previously recalled how she would answer the door to police searching for her father - and reveals she felt guilty after telling officers he was hiding under a bed, which led to his arrest.

Candid: Before she hit the big time as a Radio One presenter, Maya had a tough upbringing in Bristol with a father who was in and out of prison

Maya said he was 'banged up' for several short sentences having injured people in violent brawls.

During a documentary aired in 2018, Maya recalled a conversation with her aunt, her dad's sister, explaining: 'I asked her lots about their childhood; whether anything happened to him that made him the way he was.

'But she said, no, they were a very close family. There were five children and they were all treated the same, and everyone else is fine.

'They were educated in a school where most of the kids were white - their family was one of the first Somali families to settle in Bristol - so maybe that had something to do with it, but I can't be certain.'

Maya has since gone on to great success, recently stepping down from her role as BBC Radio One presenter.

The star has been presenting Save Our Summer alongside Peter Crouch on Saturday nights.
Today it serves 800 families, said Rogliano, who was appointed pastor 10 years ago. Rogliano also serves as pastor of St. Rose of Lima at 500 Parker Ave. His parish assignments have taken him as far south as St. Bernadette in Hamburg to St. Joseph in Lockport.

Rogliano was born on Long Island and moved to Elma in the 1960s with his parents and three older sisters. His family worshiped at St. Vincent de Paul in Spring Brook, where he attended elementary school, he recalled.

Rogliano contacted Schmalz at his studio in Kitchener about two years ago to help him make his Mark. It wasnt the first time the priest commissioned the Canadian sculptor; when Rogliano served at St. Joseph in Lockport, he reached out to Schmalz with a similar request.

Rogliano was intrigued by Schmalzs artwork from the moment he saw Quiet Moment, Schmalzs depiction of the Holy Family. The intricate detailing of the piece and its ability to tell a story stayed with him, the pastor explained.

The installation some 10 days ago in front of the rectory was led by two parishioners, who volunteered 12 hours to complete the task, Rogliano explained. The Marian statue that previously stood outside the rectory was moved a short distance to St. Mark School.
Xiaomi has been celebrating again, this time in regard to its wearables division. The Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 4 (Mi Band 4) has been crowned the best-selling wearable band in the world. The Mi Band 5 has been selling out constantly as well, although stories of success for the Mi Band range are nothing new.

Working For Notebookcheck Are you a techie who knows how to write? Then join our Team! English native speakers welcome! News Writer (AUS/NZL based) - Details here

Xiaomi has posted yet another achievement on its Twitter account, this time pertaining to wearables. According to research carried out by market analyst firm Canalys, the Mi Smart Band 4 has become the number one best-selling wearable band in the world. The impressive title is based on the amount of estimated shipments carried out between Q3 2019 and Q1 2020.

There is actually plenty of fierce competition in the activity tracker/smart bracelet space; the Xiaomi Mi Band 4 has had to fight off rivals such as the Huawei Band 4, Honor Band 5, and Fitbit Inspire HR. Its a crowded market, so it takes something special to stand out. With the recent introduction of the Mi Band 5 (which will be known globally as the Mi Smart Band 5), Xiaomi seems to have successfully bolstered its position in the wearables market. In fact, it wasn't that long ago that the company was celebrating 100 million wearables shipped between 2014 and 2019.

It appears that Xiaomi hit the ground running upon the release of the original Mi Band in 2014 and has not stopped running since. The company found the sweet spot for balancing price and features, helping it to shift over 10 million units of the original Mi Band in just nine months. The Mi Band 2 took just two months to enjoy one million sales, which was trumped by the Xiaomi Mi Band 3 that took barely 17 days to rack up one million sales. But even 17 days seems like a long time when you learn how long it took Xiaomi to sell one million units of the Mi Band 4: Eight days!

It wouldnt be surprising if the Mi Band 5 has already broken that incredible record set by its predecessor for one million sales, as it is constantly selling out in China as soon as stocks are replenished. The Mi Smart Band 5 global variant will soon be available in Europe too (July 15), giving the latest wearable from Xiaomi the opportunity to catch up with the amazing success of the Mi Smart Band 4/Mi Band 4.

Sale off - Buy Xiaomi Mi Band 4 now on Amazon
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: IT and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao said on Thursday that 80 percent of the companies, which got approvals under TS-iPASS have started work.

Rao on Thursday participated in the US-India Business Council Destination India state-focused virtual session. During the session, the Minister highlighted investment opportunities in Telangana, and appealed to company heads to look at the progressive states in India as individual units when they invest in the country.

He said Telangana, in its unique way, had been attracting major investments for the past six years. He said the State governments investment opportunities and policies were helping the state achieve unprecedented growth rates. He termed Telangana as one of the best states in terms of ease of doing business.

Through TS-iPASS, the government had been giving approvals to industries within 15 days, he said, and added that 80 per cent of the companies which had received approvals had already started their work. The Industries Minister said the State had accorded top priority to pharma, life sciences, innovation technology, textiles, aerospace and defence sectors.

Rao highlighted the efforts being put in by the government to support various industries during the pandemic. He stated that Indias largest medical device park was in Telangana and mentioned the investment opportunities in the medical devices sector.

During the webinar, US-India Business Councils (USIBC) President Nisha Biswal said, As we adapt to a new normal, USIBC has been focused on working with our members and partners to ensure business continuity while also planning for the future.
A mother of four who has knitted little angel mascots to spread joy for frontline workers has won 1 million of cheer on a National Lottery scratchcard.

Debbie Goolding, from Aldershot, Hampshire, has been running a team of knitters, many of them self-isolating, to create the 3in figures for NHS workers, care workers and other frontline staff.

Now the 46-year-old says she is going to upgrade her Citroen CV for a Range Rover Evoque for her delivery runs for the knitted mascots.

Mrs Goolding said: The angels are designed to bring a smile at a difficult time. Ive knitted 3in nurses, paramedics, care workers, pharmacists and bespoke versions too, one has even travelled to New Zealand.

Many of our knitters are isolating so Im also the wheels of the operation.

Dubbed the Angel Run, I collect the angels and deliver them to local hospitals, care homes, wherever anyone needs a little cheer.

Not in my wildest dreams while knitting or on the Angel Run delivering did I think that Id be the one receiving 1 million worth of cheer.

Mrs Goolding bought the winning scratchcard when she popped to the supermarket with heating engineer husband Joseph, 38, to buy a birthday card for a friend.

She said: As soon as the lady from Camelot confirmed we had won, Joseph and our youngest son just let out whoops of joy, the whole street must have heard us.

It was a whirlwind of excitement as we were calling our two older children and the family to share the good news.

The only tricky bit was getting people to believe us, they all thought we were winding them up and my laughing face emoji was completely worn out by the end of the evening.

Mrs Goolding said that they plan to look at launching a property development project as well as enjoying a Christmas holiday to New York.

The best way I can describe the win is its like a blanket we are now wrapped up in, its given us financial security Debbie Goolding

She added: It sounds corny but I genuinely already felt rich, we have the most amazing family, a beautiful home and we thoroughly enjoy our life.

The best way I can describe the win is its like a blanket we are now wrapped up in, its given us financial security, not just for us but for our kids too, which in turn gives us so much inner peace and warmth.

Mrs Goolding bought the winning 50M Mega Cash Showdown scratchcard from the National Lottery at Tesco in Wellington Road, Aldershot.

The scratchcard offers a 1 in 3.51 overall chance of winning a prize.

The card costs 5 and prizes range from 5 up to the top prize of 1 million.
Job Title: National Technical Assistant

 Governance

Organisation: Enabel

Duty Station: Kampala,

Uganda

About US:

Enabel, the Belgian Development Agency, together with different Government Ministries, are implementing the bilateral Co-operation between Uganda and Belgium.

Enabel in Uganda is

implementing a new Project- SG+ Intervention with funding from the European

Union. In this framework, the SG+ Project is seeking to recruit ONE (1)

National Technical Assistant-Governance.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:



The applicant

must hold a Masters Degree or equivalent in the Technical fields of Law,

Development Studies



Studies

in Anti-corruption, legal perspectives in Development work is of an added

advantage.



At least

five years project experience in the field Corporate Governance,

Anti-Corruption and Transparency fields;



Knowledge

and experience in Procurement, Digitalization we well as corporate Governance

practices in Uganda in the Private Sector;

Salary Package: Enabel

will offer a competitive Gross Salary based on years of experience, medical

insurance and a 13th Month package paid in December.

How to Apply:

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should apply online at the link below.

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Shell is idling a unit at the Deer Park, Texas, refinery for several months due to low demand for fuels, sources familiar with the refinerys operations told Reuters.

The 318,000-barrels-per-day refinery operates under a 50-50 joint venture set up in 1993 between Shell and Mexicos state oil firm Pemex.

The refinery is now idling the sulfur recovery unit (SRU) due to the depressed demand, while currently, the facility operates at around 75 percent of its capacity, according to Reuters sources.

According to the latest EIA estimates, average refinery utilization at U.S. refineries stood at 77.5 percent in the week to July 3, with utilization rate slowly creeping up over the past few weeks from the 67.9 percent capacity utilization rate in the first week of May.

Typically, U.S. refinery utilization rates at this time of the year with the driving season are around 95 percent.

Apart from short-term plans for its refineries in the United States, Shell has a longer-term plan to sell several of its wholly owned sites as part of a new downstream strategy.

Earlier this week, a Shell spokesman told Reuters that the supermajor was considering selling its 240,000-bpd refinery in Convent, Louisiana, as part of a broader strategy to reshape its refining portfolio.

Shell is now implementing a new downstream strategy to reshape its refining business towards a smaller, smarter refining portfolio focused on further integration with Shell Trading hubs, Chemicals, and Marketing.

As part of this strategy, Shell sold earlier this year the Martinez Refinery in California to PBF Holding Company for US$1.2 billion.

Shell also announced in March that it started marketing the sale of the Mobile refinery in Alabama and the Puget Sound refinery near Anacortes in Washington as part of its new downstream strategy. At the time, however, Shell said that the U.S. Gulf Coast would remain a key manufacturing hub for the company, along with Rotterdam and Singapore.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Editors note: This story is part of a new occasional series and community at the Star called Life with Kids  a place for parents and caregivers with young children to feel heard, informed and connected.

The sign at the local splash pad has new rules: Use your elbow to push the button. Maintain physical distancing. No more than 19 people at a time.

Theres a lot to unpack for parents and caregivers as they try to keep kids cool on hot summer days, with splash pads and public pools now available for use in phase two of Ontarios reopening plan.

With these outdoor options available for children, another challenge has emerged as the COVID-19 pandemic drags on through the summer: how do you teach kids to play safely?

Signage on splash pads in the city provides guidance on safety measures, such as touching the button with your elbow instead of your hand. But with up to 19 people allowed at some splash pads in popular areas like Torontos Centennial Park, ensuring everyone follows those guidelines can be challenging.

We spoke to Dr. Upton Allen, head of infection diseases at Torontos SickKids Hospital, to see how parents and caregivers can take advantage of this outdoor public space while keeping themselves and their children safe.

I try to let them recognize that once the guidelines have been issued for public play areas to open, it usually means that the risk of transmission is likely low. Kids should have fun, Dr. Allen said, but there are things that you really should try to do to reduce the risk and let them be aware of that.

To help get that message across, he came up with a mnemonic called STOP N PLAN.

It wont be a one-size-fit-all type scenario, but there are some general things parents can talk about that might help them keep their children safe.

Want to receive the Life with Kids weekly email bulletin? Send an email to bholmyard@thestar.ca

S

Stands for staying away if a child is ill with COVID symptoms. In other words, the old principle of staying home if youre ill.

T

It relates to touching. Speak to your kids and tell them, dont touch what is not yours. Tell them to focus on their equipment. Dont be playing with other kids equipment or water bottles or supplies.

O

This one is more directed at the parents and stands for observe. Basically what you really want to do is to observe the surroundings, ensure they are safe and clean. Check out the washrooms ahead of time. Is there soap and water to wash your hands? Visit the particular splash pad or playground ahead of time. Know where youre going before you go there.

P

Is for physical distancing. If you go to a particular area and it is overcrowded on that day, you may want to think, do I really want to go today? And if you go somewhere where theres a lineup, well, at least try and create some physical distance while waiting.

N

Never, never, never share food or drinks. It might be obvious, but its important to teach young kids not to do that.

P

PPE, which is really for the parents based on their local city guidance. If parents are going to be there interacting and standing with other parents, they should have face coverings on.

L

Lave, which means washing and hygiene measures like bringing your own supplies to clean. Thats one thing I always say to the families is to remember to take your wipes, your hand sanitizer, and its probably not a bad idea to invest in a Lysol spray to be ready to clean an area that is frequently touched like a table  especially if its indoors.

A

Simply avoiding touching your face, eyes and mouth. Kids love to do that, so you can encourage them, but you know theyre still going to do it.

N

Stands for networking among parents at the facilities. If you go somewhere where you know people, thats always good, but the key is to be able to share information and emphasize the importance that everyone remembers were all in this together. Parents need to remember that they could be a source of infection  its not just the children.

Dr. Allen said its important for kids to be aware of where they are going and why they need to be taking these precautions if they are old enough to understand these conversations. For the younger ones, it can be helpful to focus on short, simple mantras like hands clean.

He emphasized that there is a risk in contracting the virus in these settings, much like anywhere else, but it is a low one.

You want kids to have fun. At the point when the city says you can go out, generally its a reflection of advice coming from experts and the risk is low. Given that were all in this together, collectively there are things we might be able to do to make that low risk even lower.

Have a story idea? Want to sign up for the Life with Kids weekly email bulletin and join our growing community with other parents and caregivers? Contact Braydon Holmyard at bholmyard@thestar.ca.
'If you accept that situation you don't require the judiciary, the criminal procedure law, the Indian Penal Code or even the Constitution because there is somebody who decides who gets to live and who gets to die.'

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IMAGE: Policemen deployed at the home of gangster Vikas Dubey's brother Deep Prakash Dubey in Krishna Nagar, Lucknow. Vikas Dubey, accused of killing eight policemen last week, was killed near Kanpur on Friday morning. Photograph: Nand Kumar/PTI Photo

On Friday morning, a week after killing eight policemen in an ambush, dreaded gangster Vikas Dubey was killed in a police encounter while he was being brought back to Kanpur from Ujjain where he was arrested on Thursday.

While the police maintain that Dubey tried to escape when the car in the cavalcade overturned, many, including leaders from the Opposition parties and human rights activists, have questioned the police account.

Dubey's death adds to the long list of encounters that the Uttar Pradesh police have carried out since Ajay Singh Bisht's Bharatiya Janata Party government took office in March 2017. According to records, there have been 1,500 police 'encounters' in which 58 alleged criminals have been killed in the state.

Lawyer Sanjay Parikh, appearing for the People's Union for Civil Liberties, had filed a petition in the Supreme Court stating that encounters are a gross violation of human rights.

Speaking to Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com, Parikh maintains, "There is no exemption which has been provided to the police to kill anybody without the due process of law."

How do you view Vikas Dubey's death in a police encounter?

As far his encounter is concerned, the legal issue, I perceive, is that any encounter which is done, whether fake or genuine, has to be investigated and tried in court. Therefore, for me to say true or false is inconsequential.

Do you think the police's narrative is credible?

I cannot really answer about the police narrative, but as the facts are disclosed, there appears to be a very strong and clear case of conducting an inquiry.

And this inquiry should be headed by a retired Supreme Court judge or high court judge, besides an investigation into the case by an independent agency.

After the 16-point guidelines issued by the Supreme Court on police encounters, one felt that the police would not be trigger-happy, but now, after last year's Hyderabad encounter comes the Vikas Dubey encounter.

Do the police not fear the repercussions of encounter killings?

The issue is that the Supreme Court passes many judgments and there are many guidelines and there are directions that need to be followed.

I am talking of the D K Basu judgment (external link).

If it is not followed, then a contempt petition will be filed before the court.

In Uttar Pradesh, a large number of encounters are taking place and the PUCL had filed a case in the apex court as there was a statement by the police officers of UP as well as the UP chief minister that hardened criminals wouldn't be spared.

We filed a petition stating that police encounters were happening in UP in violation of directions by the Supreme Court. That petition is still pending.

Police encounters are not in accordance with law.

When you say there is rule of law, then a person is caught, is tried, evidence is recorded and thereafter he is punished.

In police encounters, you straightway execute a person without any trial being conducted.

In a democracy, and where the rule of law is followed, these things are not permissible.

In your case against the UP state, which has been ongoing since 2018, the Supreme Court observed that PUCL was not well prepared before arguing its case.

Tn an encounter matter, we were on a legal point that the FIR has to be registered in accordance with law and it has to be tried and a magisterial inquiry has to be conducted.

Now the court was asking us to give details of each and every encounter. Giving details of each and every encounter is not possible for anybody as to what happened really.

You can only provide a number of the encounters or give illustrations or something.

The Supreme Court ought to have seen that directions given by themselves were not being followed. That was our limited point -- that there is nothing like an encounter in law.

And there is no exemption which has been provided to the police to kill anybody without the due process of law.

We had found material for that purpose given to us, including reports given by National Human Rights Commission of India; but somehow it was not taken up and thereafter it did not come up though we mentioned the matter.

When I spoke to you in 2018 there was a record of 58 encounter deaths in Uttar Pradesh. Has that number increased in the past two years?

The numbers have increased, but at this moment I don't have the exact numbers.

Every police encounter has more or less the same story. Criminals were running away from police custody, the police chased them and (in self-defence) killed them.

These stories are the same, but the question we are raising is, whether fake encounters or genuine encounters, the truth is police encounters are not permissible by law except in the case of right of private defence, which you have to prove in court.

What is the law and order situation in UP? Has it improved?

If you say by killing people the law and order will improve, it is not correct.

The situation will only improve if people follow the law.

Do police encounters bring about peace in society?

Attaching peace with police encounters is absolutely wrong.

If you start believing that way, then what is the point of registering an FIR at the police station, for instance, in a case of rape or dacoity?

The police can directly kill people as they feel those people are not supposed to live in society.

And this is very dangerous for democracy.

It is not correct to say you want peace and people should be killed because they are bad. It is for the judiciary to see what crimes the criminals have committed.

What is required is expediting the judicial process and trials. That is the need of society, and not this way of police encounters.

In the Hyderabad encounter, the public celebrated when the alleged rapists and murderers were killed by the police.

People react that way, but the law does not behave in the same fashion.

Your thinking may be subjective and biased. The law ultimately brings harmony and peace in society.

The general perception is that human right activists are villains. Even our films highlight this.

In Bollywood films, when a hero is killing the villain in a police encounter, some people clap.

If you accept that situation you don't require the judiciary, the criminal procedure law, the Indian Penal Code or even the Constitution of India because there is somebody who decides who gets to live and who gets to die.

Human life cannot be taken based on the whims of an individual. If we think that way, then we will live in a barbaric society.

The law does not work that way. We are governed by law ultimately.
As the tension arises after Ghislaine Maxwell's arrest, Prince Andrew is said to be "agonizing" on his next move knowing that Jeffrey Epstein's long-time confidante could either throw him under the bus or not.

Last week, Maxwell was arrested by federal authorities in New Hampshire and charged with sex trafficking. She is accused of luring underage girls and executing Epstein's sexual abuse.

The 58-year-old British socialite is scheduled to appear in New York court through a video call on Tuesday afternoon. She is expected to be denied posting bail and remain under the authorities' custody during the entire investigation.

Prince Andrew's Fear

Because of Maxwell's upcoming court appearance, Prince Andrew is said to be agonizing whether he would condemn his long-time friend.

It could be recalled that one of Epstein's sex slaves accused the Duke of York of sexual assault and forcing her to have sex three times between the years 1999 to 2001. While the 60-year-old royal denied the sexual assault claims, he did say that he does not regret his friendship with Epstein.

According to a Telegraph report, Queen Elizabeth II's favorite son is seriously thinking about his next move and feels that "this is not a good time to make enemies."

A source told the news outlet that Prince Andrew weighs his options on whether to save his reputation in the possible questioning from the FBI or publicly condemn Maxwell.

"Voltaire on his deathbed, who was asked by the priest to renounce the devil, replied: 'This is no time to be making enemies.' The same applies to Prince Andrew," a source told the Telegraph.

"He is damned if he does [condemn Maxwell] and damned if he doesn't. This doesn't seem a good time for him to publicly come out and criticize her. It would seem bad timing to do that now."

With Or Without Andrew

Meanwhile, the U.S. Justice Department insisted that the federal investigation against Jeffrey Epstein and his alleged co-conspirators is pushing through with our without Prince Andrew's cooperation.

In an interview with ABC News, Attorney General William Barr said that while they are keen on talking to the Prince, they will continue gathering evidence in connection with the case even without his help.

"Definitely the department wants to talk to Prince Andrew, that's why the Southern District has been making efforts to communicate and to arrange an interview with him," Barr said.

However, he made it clear that seeking Prince Andrew as a possible witness is not the target of the investigation.

Maxwell's Detention Measure

The Federal authorities are taking extreme measures to make sure Ghislaine Maxwell will not attempt to kill herself inside the prison, just like what Epstein did in the Metropolitan Correctional Center jail cell last year.

According to The Associated Press, the authorities took away Maxwell's sheets and handed her paper clothing to prevent a suicide attempt. Another protocol is to make sure Maxwell has a roommate in her cell, who will monitor her and prevent her from dying like a pedophile.

READ MORE: Prince Andrew Nightmare: Ghislaine Maxwell To Release SECRET VIDEO Of Royal Prince!
A crowd of about five dozen gathered Thursday evening in front of Woodlynnes municipal building in the borough of 2,900 residents within a quarter-square mile between Camden and Collingswood in Camden County.

It was billed as a protest for police reform.
Loading Until now, Andrews way of doing things has benefited him and his party. Having taken over in 2010, he is one of the ALPs longest serving leaders and has notched up two election wins in two attempts. The most recent win, in 2018, was a landslide. That win came about in large part because of Andrews style and his judgment of what worked with Victorian electors. His view was that they wanted things done. Scandals, controversies and missteps such as his billion-dollar decision to break the Napthine governments East-West Link contract mattered less to voters than seeing their new government getting on with the job by building infrastructure and generating jobs. The operating principle of the Andrews government has been: push on, dont be distracted, dont get caught up in prolonged periods of reflection, move quickly, show you can deliver and if you create your own momentum, people will come with you.

It is easy to be wise after the event, especially from the sidelines, but this ethos could well have created the conditions that led to the awful choice of private security firms to look after quarantined travellers. By handing over responsibility for quarantine to private companies rather than public sector agencies  the police, the defence forces or the Department of Corrections  the program could be about jobs. Also, it was quick. Recruitment, training, back-up and quality assurance were, it seems, taken on by the providers. It was done, and the government could keep moving. This fits with the framing of many of the governments policies from its earliest time in office: that they are primarily about the creation of jobs. The governments climate change and renewables policies, for example, have been framed as job creation schemes ahead of saving the planet and the environment. It has all been part of a winning strategy, just as the Premiers performances in daily press conferences were working so well for him until the apparent quarantine breaches and lax adherence to social distancing guidelines in the community combined to change things so dramatically.

Loading How much has this episode hurt Andrews and his government? Theres little evidence that it has caused a calamitous collapse in public support, but it has damaged him and moved supporters  especially some who run businesses  out of his column permanently. The calculus is simple: they believed him, and he has let them down. The political pain could well return when Jennifer Coate, the former judge appointed to inquire into the quarantine breakdown, produces her findings. Perhaps more than ever before during his time as Premier, Andrews has had to at least slow down his relentless push forward to offer an apology to Victorians for the quarantine cock-up and its consequences. It is a feature of modern politics that prime ministers and premiers who find themselves in serious bother push off their problems to an external inquiry, often in the hope that the heat goes out of the issue and the findings are so convoluted and confusing that the leaders will be able to enjoy plausible deniability in the future. The heat on Andrews might fall away if, say, a second wave hits another state, and Victoria would no longer be the outlier. Even so, the Premier has found that the push-off, Im-moving-on routine in these circumstances was not sustainable.

He has acknowledged his responsibility and apologised for the situation. He told the ABC: "Im the leader of the state, Im the leader of the government and Im ultimately responsible for what goes on in this pandemic response and in all things." Asked exactly what went wrong, however, he defers to the Coate inquiry, claiming that he cannot sit in judgment of himself. Hotel quarantine breaches at the Rydges in Carlton (pictured) and the Stamford Plaza in the CBD have been identified as sources of outbreaks. Credit:Penny Stephens Of course, he can sit in judgment of himself and he should. But he is not built like that. Whether this element of his political personality will continue to work in these ever more complicated times, where fear, optimism and discomfort fight each other for prime position in the public mind remains to be seen. Andrews has, to some degree, led with his chin during the pandemic. He began by effectively winning the attention of the public and the media by issuing pithy directives and painting frightening pictures of what could happen if he was ignored. The Chairman Dan soubriquet began as an epithet cooked up by his political and media detractors but then took on a quality of grudging admiration, an acknowledgement of his success, among others. Loading

But once there is a stumble, the hard man who does not take a backward step or show a softer, more humble side, can look isolated and diminished. The pandemic will be with us for a long time, vaccine or not. The governments messaging, marrying the "staying apart keeps us together" ad campaign with the states political leader admonishing Victorians if they step out of line is unlikely to produce the changes in behaviour that we will need to embrace if we are going to reopen yet again after this lockdown. Coercion will work for a while  and clearly it did until recently  but the world is looking for inspiration right now and that should be where the governments communications should head. The focus on the quarantine cock-up will make it harder to grow and embed any behaviour change message within the wider community, especially among the young adults and social groups who were not adhering closely enough to the social distancing guidelines. Andrews willingly carries the messaging burden and he could use this opportunity to readjust. It is a lot of work and a lot of sustained exposure for one individual, no matter how popular he is, and no matter how much certitude he carries about his own capacities.
Markus Soeder, Bavaria's state premier, expanded his unlikely lead in the race to follow Angela Merkel as German chancellor, the latest public opinion poll showed.

Nearly two-thirds of voters consider Soeder suitable for the country's top job, more than twice what he garnered in March, according to broadcaster ZDF's Politbarometer survey. Finance Minister Olaf Scholz is seen as fit for the post by 48%, followed by Merkel-nemesis Friedrich Merz with 31% and Green leader Robert Habeck with 29%.

"Soeder is in poll heaven," Bild, the country's largest newspaper, wrote on Friday.

Europe's biggest economy will hold general elections next year, and Merkel has repeatedly said she doesn't intend to seek a fifth term. Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer was the heir apparent, but a series of gaffes and flagging popularity prompted her to step down as leader of the Christian Democratic party earlier this year, throwing open the race.

Soeder -- one of the protagonists of Germany's largely successful fight against the coronavirus -- has been coy about his ambitions, but last weekend he gave the strongest indication yet that he's positioning himself for a run at the chancellery.

Any potential candidate for Germany's conservatives would have to have proven himself in combating the pandemic, he told the Berlin-based Tagesspiegel newspaper. While he continued to insist his place is in Bavaria, the statement was seen as self-promotion and a stab at his main rivals.

Armin Laschet, the premier of North Rhine-Westphalia, is under pressure after a hot spot flared up in a meat-packing plant in his state. Only 19% of those polled in Politbarometer think Laschet is suited to lead the country. Meanwhile, Merz doesn't currently hold political office.

Soeder's path though is complicated, because he hails from the Christian Social Union, the Bavarian sister party to Merkel's CDU. A new head of the larger conservative group will be chosen at a convention in December, then the two parties will discuss a campaign strategy. Except for rare exceptions, the bloc's chancellor candidate has traditionally come from the CDU.

The coronavirus has been a boon for the conservative bloc, thanks to Merkel's steady hand in navigating Germany through the crisis. That's distracted voters from environmental concerns, which a year ago had put the Greens neck and neck with the country's strongest political force. The Greens would now garner 20%, or roughly half of the CDU/CSU bloc, in a nationwide election, the poll showed.

The Social Democratic party, Merkel's coalition partner, continues to languish in third, with support of 15% of the voters.

Politibarometer was carried out by Forschungsgruppe Wahlen, which surveyed 1,126 people between July 7 and July 9. It has a margin of error of as much as three percentage points.
But in the expanding universe, there is always something more to see.

On the largest scales, cosmologists attest, the universe should be expanding smoothly, and the galaxies should be evenly distributed. But on smaller, more local scales, the universe appears lumpy and gnarled. Astronomers have found that galaxies are gathered, often by the thousands, in giant clouds called clusters and that these are connected to one another in lacy, luminous chains and filaments to form superclusters extending across billions of light-years. In between are vast deserts of darkness called voids.

From all of this has emerged what some astronomers call our long address: We live on Earth, which is in the solar system, which is in the Milky Way galaxy. The Milky Way is part of a small cluster of galaxies called the Local Group, which is on the edge of the Virgo cluster, a conglomeration of several thousand galaxies.

In 2014, Dr. Tully suggested that these features were all connected, as part of a giant conglomeration he called Laniakea  Hawaiian for open skies or immense heaven. It consists of 100,000 galaxies spread across 500 million light-years.

All this lumpiness has distorted the expansion of the universe. In 1986, a group of astronomers who called themselves the Seven Samurai announced that the galaxies in a huge swath of the sky in the direction of the constellation Centaurus were flying away much faster than the Hubble law predicted, as if being pulled toward something  something the astronomers called the Great Attractor. It was the beginning of something big.

We now see the Great Attractor as the downtown region of the supercluster that we live in  an overall entity that our team has called the Laniakea Supercluster, Dr. Tully said. All the different parts of this supercluster are tugging on us, he added.

As a result, the Great Attractor and its relatives are shedding light on another enduring cosmic mystery  namely, where we are headed.

Astronomers discovered in 1965 that space is suffused with microwave radiation, a bath of heat  with a temperature of 2.7 degrees Kelvin, or minus 455 degrees Fahrenheit  left over from the birth of the universe 14 billion years ago. Subsequent observations revealed that this bath is not uniform: It is slightly warmer in one direction, suggesting that we  Earth, our galaxy and the Local Group  are moving through the microwaves, like a goldfish in a fishbowl, at about 400 miles per second in the approximate direction of Centaurus, but aiming far beyond.
Border guards arrest 33 people illegally entering Vietnam

Thirty-three Vietnamese people who entered Vietnam illegally from China were arrested on Thursday in Quang Ninh Province.

More than 30 Vietnamese citizens have been apprehended by border guards trying to illegally enter the Viet Nam from China.

They were discovered on Thursday by guards patrolling trails in the northern province of Quang Ninh.

The group of 33 people were from Nghe An, Thanh Hoa, Ha Giang, ac Lac, Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Tuyen Quang, Thai Nguyen, Bac Kan and Bac Giang provinces.

Back in February they had illegal entered China to seek employment.

They have all been given medical checks and put into quarantine in Mong Cai City.

Since the implementation of COVID-19 prevention and control, Bac Son border guards in Mong Cai City have detected more than 330 Chinese and Vietnamese citizens crossing the border illegally.

Vietnam willing to share anti-coronavirus experience with South Africa

Vietnam is willing to share its experience in preventing and combating the COVID-19 pandemic with South Africa via online conferences as it has done with medical military forces of some countries recently, Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh, Deputy Minister of National Defence, told his South African counterpart Thabang Makwetla.

During his phone talks with the South African Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans on July 9, Vinh stressed the importance of international cooperation in the fight against the pandemic.

He briefed on Vietnams efforts in containing the spread of the novel coronavirus, noting that thanks to the involvement of the whole political system, with the army playing a core role, Vietnam has successfully controlled the epidemic.

The Vietnamese official also shared COVID-19 prevention results of Vietnams UN peacekeeping forces in the UN Peacekeeping Missions in Africa, especially efforts and active response made by members of the 2nd level-2 field hospital in South Sudan.

For his part, Thabang Makwetla praised Vietnams success in the fight against COVID-19, expressing the hope that Vietnam will support his country to soon repel the disease.

The two sides reviewed the bilateral defence cooperation and discussed orientations for stronger ties in the coming time.

They noted with pleasure that the cooperation has been on track since the visit of the South African Minister of Defence and Military Veterans to Vietnam in August last year, in line with the agreement on defence cooperation signed in 2006.

They demonstrated a determination to further enhance collaboration in the fields of training, cyber security, UN peacekeeping operation, military medicine and defence industry.

Particularly, the two sides also agreed to expand military medicine cooperation as part of efforts to respond to non-traditional security challenges, stressing that it is necessary to focus on this work in the time to come.

The two sides will continue to maintain the Defence Policy Dialogue mechanism as a foundation to share views on issues of common concern, while taking measures to strengthen their defence ties.

The Vietnamese official also informed his counterpart about Vietnams plans to organise activities during the year it acts as ASEAN Chair 2020 and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2020-2021.

He took the occasion to invite leaders of the South African Ministry of Defence and Military Veterans to attend a programme for guests hosted by the Chair of the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus (ADMM ).

Thabang highly valued Vietnams position and role in the international arena and the region, affirming that his country will back Vietnams initiatives, thus contributing to regional and global peace, stability and development.

Medical masks from Vietnamese NA presented to IPU Secretariat

Vietnamese Ambassador Le Thi Tuyet Mai on July 9 met with Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Martin Chungong and handed over medical masks which are a gift from the countrys National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan for the IPU Secretariat.

During the meeting at the IPU headquarters in Geneva (Switzerland), Ambassador Mai, who is head of Vietnams permanent mission to the UN, the World Trade Organisation and other international organisations there, affirmed that the Vietnamese NA attaches importance to the IPUs role and activities in promoting parliamentary diplomacy.

It also highly values the Secretary Generals contributions to the IPU, especially the IPU Secretariats activities to support the implementation of the unions strategies and programmes and enhance the IPU-UN cooperation and partnership, thereby helping to promoting parliaments and parliamentarians role and voice in international affairs, she said.

She noted that despite COVID-19-induced difficulties, Vietnam has still been making efforts to fulfil its role as Chair of ASEAN and the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA).

Mai also conveyed NA Chairwoman Ngans invitation to Secretary General Chungong to attend the online conference on AIPA parliamentary partnership for cultural and educational cooperation for sustainable development, which will be held by the Vietnamese NA on July 30.

The diplomat expressed her honour to, on behalf of the Vietnamese NA leader, present Vietnamese-made medical face masks to the IPU Secretary General and Secretariat to assist anti-COVID-19 efforts, saying the small gift represents the Vietnamese NAs solidarity and cooperation with the IPU Secretariat.

At the meeting, Chungong spoke highly of connections between the IPU and the Vietnamese NA while applauding enormous achievements that the Vietnamese parliament has obtained not only in the country, but also in contributing to regional and international parliamentary diplomacy.

He said he is impressed with Vietnams development in different aspects over the past years, including the successful organisation of the 132nd IPU Assembly in 2015 and the realisation of commitments in the unions 2015 Hanoi Declaration.

Appreciating the gift from the Vietnamese parliament, he also confirmed his participation in the coming conference hosted by the NA.

Ambassador Mai affirmed that it is an honour for her and Vietnams permanent mission in Geneva to serve as a bridge promoting cooperation between the Vietnamese NA and the IPU. They will keep working closely with the IPU Secretariat to step up cooperation activities between the union and the Vietnamese parliament.

Hanoi presents two tonnes of face masks to New York city

The Vietnamese Embassy in the US and the Vietnam Permanent Mission to the UN on July 9 handed over two tonnes of medical and anti-bacterial cloth face masks as the gift of the Hanoi authority to New York city to help local people fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking at the hand-over ceremony, New York city's Commissioner for International Affairs Penny Abeywardena conveyed her sincere thanks of the New York administration and people to their Hanoi counterparts for the donation.

She said this is a very practical help in the context that New York city is still struggling to cope with the pandemic.

Head of the Vietnam Permanent Mission to the UN Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy said he expects the gift will contribute to helping people in New York city overcome difficulties caused by the disease.

He also expressed his hope that New York and Hanoi will have more opportunities to enhance ties in the future, especially cooperation between the two sides businesses in order to promote socio-economic development and overcome consequences of the health crisis.

New York city has so far reported over 220,000 COVID-19 cases, including 22,000 fatalities. Social distancing measures and regulations on wearing face masks in public places are still applied in the city.

Vietnam free of community transmission of COVID-19 for 85 days

Eighty-five days have passed since the last local infection of coronavirus was recorded in Vietnam, the national steering committee for COVID-19 prevention and control said on July 10 morning.

Some Vietnamese citizens prepare to leave a quarantine site in Quang Nam province (Photo: VNA)

There were also no new cases to report overnight, keeping the number of infections in the country at 369.

Of the total, 229 are imported cases who were quarantined upon their arrival.

Up to 347 patients or 94 percent have recovered from the disease, and there are no deaths.

Most of the 22 remaining cases are in stable condition, and five of them have tested negative for SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, at least twice.

At present, 12,923 people having close contact with confirmed cases or coming from pandemic-hit areas are in quarantine, including 72 in hospitals, 12,447 in other quarantine sites, and 404 at home or accommodation facilities.

346 Vietnamese citizens brought from US amid COVID-19 pandemic

A total of 346 Vietnamese citizens were brought home safe and sound from the US on July 9.

The flight was arranged by domestic agencies, the Vietnamese Embassy in the US, the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, and US agencies.

Passengers were mostly children, pregnant women, students who face difficulties in accommodation and visa extension, and some businessmen and intellectuals.

To help citizens do necessary procedures, the Vietnamese Embassy in Washington DC sent officials to Dulles airport.

Preventive measures were taken seriously during the flight. After landing at Hanois Noi Bai International Airport, crew members and passengers had their body temperature checked and went under quarantine as regulated.

Under the Prime Ministers instruction, Vietnamese authorities and representative offices abroad will continue conducting more flights to bring Vietnamese citizens home in the coming time, based on the citizens aspirations and quarantine capacity in localities.
Betty Fitzpatrick says she only goes by her actual name of Hilda when the police pull her over.

To the hundreds of homeowners and sellers she's worked with over the last 49 years, she simply goes by Betty.

"People will stop you on the street and say 'You sold us our house 23 years ago,'" said Fitzpatrick. "I don't remember them though."

But don't try to blame forgetting a name on her age, it's only because there have been so many clients.

At 93, Betty Fitzpatrick may be Canada's longest-serving realtor.

After nearly five decades of selling homes, she's only now considering retirement to spend more time with family.

"People were always wondering how old I was and I always said 'my age is a number and it's unlisted,'" said Fitzpatrick. "So that worked until a couple of my friends got together and insisted they were going to throw a birthday party for me on my 90th birthday."

"So, the word was out, and business has seemed to go down," said Fitzpatrick.

Love of the job

Despite the recent lull that has her considering finally putting her feet up, Fitzpatrick said the work has always come naturally to her.

"I like people, I like meeting new people and making friends," said Fitzpatrick. "And that's part of being Miramichier."

Outfitter and sportsmen lodges near her hometown of Miramichi have been a specialty.

"The fishing and hunting lodges properties, that's what I like," said Fitzpatrick. "You get to meet a lot of owners, and guides and guests. It keeps me out of mischief."

She was nicknamed the "Queen of the Miramichi" in an article in Real Estate Magazine celebrating her long career. That was seven years ago.

Shane Fowler/CBC

The nickname also reflects her love of the outdoors, and she's a bit disappointed she didn't get her moose license this year.

"But I did get it five years ago, and I got my moose," said Fitzpatrick.

Story continues

The possibility of retiring would mean splitting her time between the wilderness and family, including five children, 12 grandchildren, and 16 great-grandchildren.

And she said if she does retire in a year or two, her husband, Jack, will also get more Betty. Last month, on her birthday, the couple celebrated their celebrated her 72nd wedding anniversary.

"The Lord has been very good to our family," said Fitzpatrick. "I am truly blessed."
This week, the befuddled thousands of Indian students pursuing degrees in the US with a new move.

The United States Federal Immigration Authority asked to leave the country or risk deportation if their universities switched to online-only classes in this fall semester.

According to a report issued by the State Department and the Institute of International Education (IIE), about 1.1 million attended US higher education institutions in the 2018-19 school year, and they made up 5.5 per cent of the entire US higher education enrolments.



We spoke to two students pursuing degrees in the United States. Let's listen to their experience.
Almost 90 per cent of Covid-19 survivors still have symptoms including fatigue two months after first falling unwell, according to a study.

Italian researchers tracked 143 people who had been hospitalised with the disease but had since recovered.

Only 12.6 per cent were completely free of any Covid-19related symptom 60 days after they first became unwell.

The most common complaints were fatigue, a shortness of breath and joint pain - all of which were reported during their battle with the illness.

Almost half reported a worsened quality of life compared to before they were struck with the virus. Experts described the results as 'extremely worrying'.

It follows a study this week which suggested almost 10 per cent of patients who lose their sense of taste or smell during Covid-19 don't get it back within a month.

Italian researchers tracked 143 people who had been hospitalised with the disease but had since recovered. Only 12.6 per cent were completely free of any Covid-19related symptom 60 days after they first became unwell

Thousands of survivors have spoken of long term side effects of Covid-19, amid fears the illness may cause lasting damage to 'long-haulers' - the term for recovered patients with persistent health problems.

Dr Angelo Carfi, of the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS hospital in Rome, led the new study.

The patients were assessed two months after the first day they first showed tell-tale Covid-19 symptoms, on average.

Therefore, the two-month period includes the period they were sick with Covid-19, the researchers said.

They had been out of hospital for 36 days on average, having spent around 14 days there fighting the virus off.

Overall, 87.4 per cent reported still having at least one symptom when followed up, according to the paper published in the medical journal JAMA.

Some 12.6 per cent were completely free of any Covid-19related symptoms, while 32 per cent had one or two symptoms and 55 per cent had three or more.

ONE IN TEN PEOPLE WHO LOSE THEIR SENSE OF TASTE OR SMELL 'DON'T GET IT BACK IN A MONTH' One in ten people who lose their sense of taste and smell with the coronavirus may not get it back within a month, a study suggests. The study, published in the journal JAMA Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, involved 187 Italians who had the virus but who were not ill enough to be admitted to hospital. The researchers surveyed them and asked them to rate their sense of smell or taste soon after they were diagnosed and again a month later. Sixty per cent (113) reported an alteration in their sense of smell and/or taste. Of those, 55 said they had recovered fully, 46 reported improvements in their symptoms and 12 found their symptoms were unchanged or worse. Therefore, just half had fully regained their sense of taste and smell a month into their recovery. A further 40 per cent had seen improvements and 10 per cent had not. People who had severe symptoms found they took longer to get better, Dr Paolo Boscolo-Rizzo, of the University of Padova, and colleagues found. They wrote in their paper: 'Given the high incidence of Covid-19 infection globally, this is likely to result in a considerable number of patients with long-term dysfunction and its associated morbidity.' Advertisement

More than half (53.1 per cent) of patients still had fatigue, 43.4 per cent shortness of breath, 27.3 per cent joint pain and 21.7 per cent chest pain.

Epidemiologist Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz, in New South Wales, Australia, called the findings 'extremely worrying'.

But, writing on Twitter, he cautioned this may be the norm for patients who have suffered pneumonia, a complication of the coronavirus.

None of the patients were actually unwell or infectious - very few still suffered diarrhoea, vertigo or a sore throat and they had all had two negative test results since hospital discharge.

But their persistent symptoms are likely to have affected their life.

Patients were asked to score their quality of life from zero (worst imaginable health) to 100 (best imaginable health) before and after having the disease.

If their score dropped by 10 points it was described as 'worsened quality of life' - which was seen in 44.1 per cent of patients.

The researchers noted that their study can't rule out the symptoms experienced by people post-Covid were not typical for them beforehand.

They also couldn't decipher if those who had worse symptoms when they were ill were more likely to have persistent ones afterwards.

Dr Bharat Pankhania, a senior clinical lecturer at the University of Exeter, said the results of the study are 'inconclusive' due to the small size.

However, he agreed with the study's authors that 'there may be a Covid-19 disease syndrome and that we must follow it up', The Telegraph reports.

It follows a study which suggested one in ten people who lose their sense of taste and smell with the coronavirus may not get it back within a month.

A change in smell or taste is now recognised as a tell-tale sign of Covid-19, alongside a continuous cough and fever.

Research on a small group of Italians who endured mild bouts of the disease found some still struggled to smell or taste a month after their illness.

Dr Paolo Boscolo-Rizzo, of the University of Padova, and colleagues, said: 'Given the high incidence of Covid-19 infection globally, this is likely to result in a considerable number of patients with long-term dysfunction and its associated morbidity.'

Various doctors have called for the observation of Covid-19 survivors to find out how life-altering the disease could be.

Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty has said the longer term impacts on health 'may be significant'.

A major UK research study into the long-term health impacts of Covid-19 on hospitalised patients was launched by University of Leicester this week.

The 8.4million PHOSP-COVID study aims to involve 10,000 patients.
Two employees walk past the container terminal of Qingdao Port, Shandong province. [Photo by Zhang Jingang/For China Daily]

12 nations mount united response to lift supply chains amid COVID-19

China is working with a number of countries to spur pragmatic economic, trade cooperation, boost goods trade volume and stabilize industrial chains to facilitate regional and global economic recovery, the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.

The joint ministerial statement issued by China's Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Singapore, and commerce authorities from 10 other countriesAustralia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Laos, Myanmar, Nauru, New Zealand, the United Arab Emirates and Uruguayearlier this month has fully demonstrated China's solid support for international cooperation against COVID-19, and its consistent stance of firmly upholding free trade, said Gao Feng, the ministry's spokesman.

Countries like Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Myanmar, New Zealand, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and Uruguay have pledged that they are committed to maintaining open and connected supply chains, to create a collective response to the pandemic that has severely affected the global economy in the past few months.

The 12 trade partners agreed to work closely to identify and address trade disruptions with ramifications on the flow of necessities, and recognized that it is in their mutual interest to ensure that the trade channels remain open, including air and sea freight, to facilitate the flow of goods including essential supplies, according to the joint statement.

They affirmed the importance of refraining from the imposition of export controls or tariffs and non-tariff barriers and of removing any existing trade restrictions on essential goods, especially medical supplies at this time, said the ministry.

Based on the consensus, the trade and economic authorities of the 12 nations also committed to working with all like-minded countries to ensure that trade continues without any friction, and critical infrastructure such as air and seaports remain open to support the viability and integrity of supply chains globally.

This move will not only encourage these countries to unite to respond to the challenges of the pandemic, and inject strong momentum into the economic development of the Asia-Pacific region, but also show partner countries' willingness to align with high-standard international economic and trade rules, said Xue Rongjiu, deputy director of the China Society for WTO Studies in Beijing.

It will also help upgrade China's value chain and enhance the country's capability to withstand external risks in the industrial, supply and service chains, he said.

China will remain a competitive supply chain choice for foreign firms as it has a broad spectrum of strong upstream suppliers and downstream clients, said Julien Hueber, executive vice-president of Industry Solution and Project Business Group at Nexans, the French cable manufacturer. The company, supported by over 26,000 employees globally, started to run a new laboratory in its Suzhou plant last month.

With an investment of 17 million yuan ($2.43 million), the new research facility focuses on the relevant advanced robot cable standards in China, Europe and the United States. The establishment of the laboratory has notably improved the research and development capabilities of Nexans China to produce high-end cables that can be used for various industrial robots.

At present, Nexans' production and operation in China has fully returned to normal. It will continue to increase investment in the country, as well as introduce advanced production lines, and integrate and reorganize advantageous assets and technologies, said Hueber. It will also enhance its supply chain's industrial value in both China and the rest of the world.
MIDDLETOWN  A Middletown-based office solutions company has adapted its layout to create safe spaces for employees who arent yet comfortable with or unable to return to their workrooms due to the coronavirus.

OfficePlace, located at 515 Centerpoint Drive, on the Cromwell line, is easily accessed via Interstate 91.

The firm, which began operations about six years ago, has reinvented its meeting and conference rooms to comply with Connecticuts COVID-19 prevention and social distancing guidelines, according to operations manager Lennie Leibenhaut.

It was created to meet changing work environments, so staff could show up for long or short periods of time  ideal for a commuter or those otherwise unable to be in their office, Leibenhaut said.

He came up with the COVID-19 safety protocol concept. The service is called Safe Six, referring to the space between each station.

Personal desks are arranged six feet apart, and business professionals are required to wear face masks in the common areas. Those conducting meetings in a socially distanced manner can remove their face coverings.

Rooms, which can accommodate various numbers of people, can be reserved hourly, for a half- or full day, as well as weekly or monthly. Each is fully furnished, with Wi-Fi, videoconferencing, a kitchen, and extras such as copying and printing services and unlimited calling.

Its very cost-effective, Leibenhaut said. Two-person offices also are available for rent.

Middletown is in the middle of everything in Connecticut, making it the ideal location for the business, said marketing and sales manager Dave TenEyck of Middletown.

Middletown is like the capital of Middlesex County, said Leibenhaut, whose customers come from throughout Central Connecticut and the Shoreline.

Pre-COVID, these rooms were extremely popular, he said. During the pandemic, OfficePlace remained open because building tenants in the insurance, health care and engineering fields were deemed essential, TenEyck said.

Our meeting room business, which was great and strong, had to temporarily halt, he said.

With some restrictions easing up, OfficePlace was able to make these accommodations, which have drawn the likes of Fordham University students and professors who needed to video conference with others in China, as well as professionals from Boston.

We have to make sure every surface is sprayed and wiped down after the meetings, TenEyck said. Some of those who avail themselves of the service are meticulous about doing the same when they arrive.

We have several people who vacation here to visit their families. One of the family members goes to work every day at OfficePlace, while the other family visit one another, Leibenhaut said.

Everything goes: a road warrior who comes off the road and has three to four hours of downtime. In the old days, theyd maybe go to Starbucks, which they cant do anymore. This is more formal and conducive to (the current situation), Leibenhaut said.

The two hope to entertain even more business once the Marriott is built on Route 372 in Cromwell, and a new Starbucks opens at the intersection of Industrial Park Road and Route 372 in Middletown, Leibenhaut said.

Clients also can have their events catered, or can order from a number of nearby restaurants, including Red Fox Restaurant and Westfield Pizza.

Its a solution to spend a few hours or a day without encroaching on others, which is perfect, Leibenhaut said. Its particularly useful for managers or others, such as young people, who feel safe returning to an office setting, he said.

Its so right-on for the time. As far as we can tell, from whats out there in the market, we are very innovative, on the leading edge on both the safe seating, and taking advantage of the rising interest in the Zoom meeting concept, Leibenhaut said.

After being cooped up for months, most people are missing face-to-face interaction, TenEyck said. Instead of Zooming from home, they feel the need to get back together.

Hes become much more productive than when working from home, practicing social distancing. Networking with people from all sectors of the business community in a safe setting has proved very valuable, TenEyck said.

The two men expect to incorporate these health and safety measures for at least the near future.

Were adapting always to changing times so it remains to be seen whats going to happen, Leibenhaut said.

For information visit officeplace.com or OfficePlace on Facebook. For details, email offices@officeplace.com or call 860-419-5900.
Micah Damareck

Cole Roofing Company and Gordian Energy Systems are delighted to announce the addition of Micah Damareck as Chief Relationship Officer where he will be an integral part of the executive team, and the growth strategy for both enterprises.

In addition to providing oversight of the HR strategy and Marketing functions for both organizations, Micah will help strengthen employee engagement and develop deeper connections with valued external strategic partners.

After spending more than 15 years with Accelerent and the Baltimore Business Journal, Micah has met with thousands of business leaders and developed a considerable network in the Baltimore area. Like the other staff at Cole Roofing Company and Gordian Energy Systems, hes eager to help people connect the dots, share his relationships, and help wherever he can.

Hes the proud and happy father of 13-year-old Alex and 11-year-old Emme, and husband to Michelle Damareck, a small business owner of a corporate event management company.

Hes a Towson University graduate and serves on the board for The Associated Jewish Charities and the newly merged Har Sinai Oheb Shalom Congregation.

Cole Roofing is a commercial roofing company that has delighted Maryland area clients for more than 100 years.

Gordian Energy Systems is a solar PV engineering, procurement and construction company, and developer, servicing commercial and institutional customers throughout the country.
Antonio Liguori remembers leaving his meeting in Guilford in mid-March when word began to circulate that the state was essentially going to be shut down in a matter of hours.

It was unsettling news for everyone, especially Liguori, the president and broker of Calcagni Real Estate, which has offices in Cheshire, Southington, Guilford, North Haven and Wallingford. He knew things were about to change.

We heard what was happening and immediately I said, We have some things to talk about, Liguori recalls.

What he couldnt have imagined in that moment was, while everything was shutting down around the state and country due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the housing market was actually about to heat up.

In all honesty, I didnt think we would have the amount of sales that we have had, admitted Liqouri. (The pandemic) created such a sense of urgency, with people saying, I need to get a home right now, or I need to get out of my home right now.  So many external factors all came together at once, it really became a perfect storm for the real estate business.

Several factors are driving the new interest in the housing market, Liguori explained. One is an influx of out-of-state interest in moving to Connecticut. In New York, for instance, the virus has been much more widespread and deadly than what has been experienced in Connecticut, and recent civil unrest has driven speculation that many may be seeking to move out of urban areas.

Liguori confirmed that his office has been getting more and more calls from people looking to relocate and his team has begun to reshape the Calcagni website to specifically cater to their newest clientele.

Liguori explained that many people moving from a more urban community are looking for specific amenities, such as a pool, and he wants to make sure that Calcagni is attracting those buyers and highlighting which properties have exactly what the consumer is seeking.

We want to specifically cater to people who may not know our (properties), he said. We are seeing (new inquiries) and we want to better facilitate those conversations.

Another thing driving the healthy housing market is a new interest in home ownership being shown by millennials. Previously, the millennial generation had been notorious for choosing rental properties over homes, but the pandemic seems to have changed many minds.

They (millennials) have been in apartment buildings, (with) all the amenities, no lawn, close to (retail and restaurants). But now, since they have been isolated for (a few months), we are beginning to see a bit of an exodus. Its creating a buying unit that wasnt there previously.

Yet, just because there has been an influx of both buyers and sellers  People sheltered in place may be realizing their house is too big, their house is too small, their house is too old, said Liguori  agents have still had to adapt in order to meet the needs of clients under new restrictions.

One of the biggest changes has been in how Calcagni has had to introduce future home owners to properties. Previously, the best way to do that was to have an open house at a location and encourage as many people as possible to attend and look around. Now, with social distancing protocols in place, however, a new business model is in order.

We had our photographers immediately begin to utilize (the platform) iGuide, which allows for virtual walk-ins, explained Liguori. We also implemented the use of videographers so we could provide a full walk-through of the property.

The technology allows Calcagni to provide potential buyers with the basic experience of personally seeing a property without having to set foot inside. Doing so allows potential clients to determine which properties are of interest to them and which are not, limiting the number of people who actually visit a property to only those who already want to move further along in the process.

Liguori also explained that his agents are using Facebook Live to record informational videos about properties that can be saved and viewed at later dates. That way, if someone has an interest in a particular property, they can watch the video to see if it meets their preferences.

If they see they dont like the kitchen or the bathroom, then they dont have to actually go to the property, said Liguori.

Traditional open houses have begun again in Connecticut, but Liguori explained that its not something his company is pushing at the moment. Instead, Calcagni is working with other leaders in the industry to try and come up with specific guidelines that will help to keep people safe when attending future open house events.

Liguori envisions the open houses to potentially be by appointment, with attendees provided with proper PPE and sanitation materials. Also, most open houses will be no touch, Liguori imagines, so as to protect both the homeowner and homebuyer.

We are not moving in that direction until we have everything ready, he said. We will do it when everyone is comfortable.

Ultimately, Liguori stated, his number-one goal is to make sure that everyone involved in the home-buying experience at the moment feels comfortable and safe. Keeping peoples confidence in the housing market is important, Liguori believes, and doing so entails more than just telling a story.

We have to show people that what we say, what we do, is what we believe in, he said. Thats how you build confidence.

Being in real estate is a great way to touch peoples lives, he continued. Its usually, whether (buying or selling)  the biggest transaction of their lives. I believe, for Connecticut, we will continue to go in a positive direction, and if we keep supporting local businesses and keep supporting the community, well be OK.

For more on available properties or general real estate inquiries, visit https://www.calcagni.com/. Also, for an example of the iGuide tour, visit https://youriguide.com/141_victoria_dr_cheshire_ct.
The earlier resolution allowing these developers to charge higher power tariffs, now stands cancelled.

In a setback to Tata Power Mundra, Adani Power and Essar Power, the Gujarat government has gone back on its earlier decision to revise power purchase agreements (PPA), totalling 7,180 megawatt (Mw).

According to state government sources, the earlier resolution allowing these developers to charge higher tariffs, now stands cancelled.

It will now sign supplemental PPAs with these units on a case-by-case basis over and above the existing PPAs.

The earlier resolution was issued in November 2018 after a high-powered committee (HPC) formed by the state government suggested new terms of PPA with cost escalation to be shared by consumers, lenders, and the project developer.

State government sources said with the situation changing in conventional power in terms of reduced coal prices and keeping supplementary PPAs in mind, the increased tariffs were becoming unviable for the government.

The notice by the state said it would sign a supplemental PPA with Essar Power.

The one with Tata Power is awaiting nod from the state government. In the case of Adani Power, the matter of a supplemental PPA is pending with the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC).

The decision by the Gujarat government comes a week after the Maharashtra government agreed to allow revised tariffs for Coastal Gujarat Power.

The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company recently received the go-ahead from the state government to revise tariffs for CGPL.

Tata Power in its latest annual report had mentioned that CGPL could sign a supplementary PPA over and above the existing one, at a higher tariff with states.

CGPL is the ultra mega power project of Tata Power in Gujarats Mundra.

The notice by the Gujarat government said the tariff at which CGPL signs the supplemental PPA would be lower than what it signs with other states.

The annual report said, According to the legal opinion received, even if Mundra supplies power as per the tariff discovered through the competitive bidding process to five states under a single PPA, in order to implement the HPC recommendations, CGPL can enter into separate supplemental PPAs with each procurer.

The report added CGPL is following up with Gujarat and Maharashtra to sign separate supplemental PPAs.

Adani Power Maharashtra (1,980 Mw) was commissioned in 2008 at a tariff of Rs 2.35 per unit and CGPL in 2012 at a tariff of Rs 2.26 per unit.

While Adani had a PPA with Gujarat and Haryana, CGPL had signed a PPA with Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Punjab, and Haryana.

In 2010, following an order by the Indonesian government increasing its coal benchmark price, the landing cost of coal in India increased.

Adani and Tata, which were importing from Indonesia, asked the CERC to grant them compensatory tariff for increased fuel cost.

This would have been passed through on the final power rates.

The two developers were given relief by the CERC in 2014, then denied by the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL), and again awarded by the same in 2016.

In 2017, after states contested APTELs decision, the Supreme Court quashed any compensation to these units.

It also directed the CERC to compute a relief, according to the respective PPA.

Meanwhile, the Gujarat government formed the HPC to formulate a relief plan for imported coal-based plants on its territory.

The HPC recommended capacity charge or the fixed cost of the unit to be reduced by 20 paise per unit (kilowatt-hour), following the lender taking a cut on some portion of the debt repayment.

The energy/variable charge would be revised monthly and was capped at $110 per tonne for 6,322 kilocalorie/kilogram grade of coal.

Any price escalation beyond it would be borne by the developer.

Power developers repay debt through capacity charge, while variable charge is the return on investment for the developer.

The supplemental PPA would follow a similar formula, except the energy charge has now been reduced to $90 per tonne, from $110 per tonne earlier.

It was, however, only Adani which received relief as Tata Power was asked to get approval from its four procuring states.

With inputs from Amritha Pillay

Photograph: PTI Photo
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 10)  Our choice of leaders matters.

This should be the lesson learned by the public after 70 lawmakers voted to deny ABS-CBN of a new franchise, Vice President Leni Robredo said in a statement following the controversial decision of the House Committee on Legislative Franchises on Friday.

"Pinatay na nila ang renewal ng prangkisa (They killed the renewal of the franchise)," Robredo said.

Kayat tandaan natin ang nga pangalan ng mga kongresista at opisyal na tumaliwas sa ating mga paniniwala upang mapanagot sila gamit ang mga prosesong pangdemokrasya; tandaan din natin ang mga kahanay natin, upang maisulong at bigyang-lakas pa ang mga tulad nila, she also said.

[Translation: So let us remember the names of congressmen and officials who opposed our beliefs and hold them accountable through democratic processes; let us remember those who are on our side, so we can strengthen those who are like them.]

Only 11 out of 84 lawmakers voted to grant ABS-CBN a fresh 25-year franchise, but the House has yet to disclose their names. Among them are House Minority Leader Benny Abante and Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate, who cast their votes in the House plenary. Others joined via teleconferencing.

Marikina Rep Stella Quimbo also voiced her dissent, saying in a Facebook post that while ABS-CBN may not be a perfect company, it should not be shut.

More than 11,000 workers stand to lose their jobs and ABS-CBN said they may be forced to start the layoffs by August. They will add to the more than two million workers displaced by the coronavirus pandemic according to government data.

Robredo stressed that the government should have been focusing on its COVID-19 response instead of ABS-CBN's shutdown, the arrest of Rappler CEO Maria Ressa, and the signing of the controversial Anti-Terrorism Act.

She warned that junking ABS-CBNs franchise bid will have a chilling effect in the media.

Hindi kalabisang isipin na maaaring magbabago ang editorial choices ng ibang pahayagan gawa ng panggigipit na ginawa sa ABS-CBN, Robredo said.

[Translation: It is not much to think that the editorial choices of other media entities will change because of the harassment done to ASB-CBN.]

READ: Senators believe ABS-CBN fate sets dangerous precedent on future media franchises

The House leadership earlier refused to tackle the Kapamilya franchise until it expired in May, prompting the National Telecommunications Commission to order its shutdown.

It is widely viewed as an attack on press freedom since President Rodrigo Duterte publicly threatened ABS-CBN over its failure to air his campaign commercials in 2016. He later on accepted the network's apology and Malacanang said he is now "neutral" on the issue.

TIMELINE: ABS-CBN franchise
This is the fourth article in a four-part series about the Puerto Rican Jews living in Central Florida and their history.

In an attempt to atone for the Inquisition, Spain has been offering citizenship to the ancestors of the Jews whose families were expelled in the 15th century. In 2015 and by unanimous vote, the Spanish Parliament sought to make amends. The law invited Sephardim Jews who trace their roots to Spain the ability to return. The law stated that after "centuries of estrangement," Spain would welcome "Sephardic communities to reencounter their origins, opening forever the doors to their homeland."

Although technically Dr. Joseph Berrios is an American citizen, this law would allow him to have dual citizenship. He hired the services of a genealogist acceptable to the government of Spain. The cost was $625. Berrios hired him in August 2019 and found out the results in March 2020. He discovered that his great- great-great-grandfather and -grandmother had fled from Spain in the late 15th century.

Berrios was born in San Juan. He grew up in a Christian home. His father was a non-practicing Catholic and his mother was Protestant. "My father, who was a medical sales representative, met my mother, who was a nurse, at work. Because both of my parents worked so much, I was raised by my grandparents on my mother's side of the family."

"My grandparents were Americans living on the Island when I was growing up. Their last name was Zaborsky. I remember my grandfather used to say his prayers three times a day. He had a Hungarian background, and I thought that the language he was speaking was Hungarian when he prayed. I never knew it was Hebrew until later in my life. He never specifically taught me about Judaism. The only thing he used to say to me was 'We're God's chosen people,' and he taught me that as individuals our actions should always be to 'repair the world.'" He passed away when I was 19 years old." Berrios said.

Berrios grandfather on his father's side died when he was young, and he had little memories of his grandmother. He found out that his ancestors on that side of the family fled Spain during the Inquisition, but they didn't go directly to Puerto Rico, rather, they went to Bolivia, South America, before coming to the island. Another part of that side of his family fled to Mexico. He just discovered this, and is currently doing research to see if he can find them. He hopes to reconnect with his lost relatives.

Berrios' interest in his spirituality was sparked when he enlisted in the U.S. Navy at the age of 17. "I wanted to become a naval aviator but at one point I became a religious program specialist, which sparked my spiritual curiosity. I ended up receiving an officer commission in 1996. I was designated as an aerospace engineering duty officer and earned the coveted Wings of Gold as a naval flight officer," Berrios said. He served in the Gulf War in 2014-2015 in support of the Global War on Terrorism. After 29 years in the military service, he retired as a lieutenant commander.

During this time, he went to school and obtained his bachelor's degree in computer science from Inter American University of Puerto Rico. He then received his master's degree from the University of South Florida. Eventually he received his Ph.D. from the University of Florida in Gainesville. Today, he works as a professor at the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico, Orlando Campus, teaching computer science and computer engineering. The Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico is the largest Hispanic-serving engineering school in the United States.

Raised as a Christian, Berrios had issues with many of the concepts of Christianity. "Some things just didn't make sense to me," he said. He was compelled during his late 30s to find answers, and he began his quest. He enrolled in the Asbury Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida, to see if he could learn about his Christianity, to try to understand and reconcile the concepts that he didn't understand. He also took classes in Hebrew at the seminary. After a while, he was still getting conflicting answers.

He thought the next logical step in his spiritual journey would be to explore Messianic Judaism. "I joined Congregation Gesher Shalom, a Messianic congregation in Orlando. After a while I knew this just didn't make any sense to me."

Berrios then joined the Congregation of Reform Judaism and met Rabbi Engel and Cantor Jacqueline Rawiszer. He continued his Jewish education and realized that Judaism is what made sense to him, both logically and spiritually.

Rabbi Engel referred Berrios to Rabbi Rick Sherwin, who performed his conversion. It was a long conversion process, beginning in 2014, but he was sure after he traveled down this long road to self-discovery. His conversion was finalized in 2017.

Berrios' journey continues as he is working to become a rabbi. He is currently enrolled in the distance learning programs at the Academy for Jewish Religion in Yonkers, N.Y., and occasionally travels to the campus. The school is a pluralistic Jewish seminary. His goal is to gain his ordination within five years.

"I'm now a member of Temple Israel in Winter Springs, Florida. Rabbi Neely has sponsored me, mentoring me through the whole process of becoming a rabbi," Berrios said.

Joseph Berrios (in fatigues) in his naval command unit.

"I've grown up in Puerto Rico, in a family of marranos, who fled the Spanish Inquisition in the late 15th century. My spiritual journey began when I was a Christian growing up in Puerto Rico, to going to a Christian seminary, to joining a Messianic Jewish congregation, to a reform Jewish congregation, to now a conservative congregation. And now I'm studying to become a rabbi. It's been a long and wonderful journey."

Over 500 years ago the Spanish Monarchy and the Catholic Church tried to eradicate Jews from the Iberian Peninsula and all Spanish territories. The advances in telecommunication technology have helped shed light on this dark past and have brought a rediscovery of Sephardic Jewish culture, heritage and identity here in Central Florida and around the world.
Reopening?

Early details

(TNS)  As the Yakima School District in Washington prepares for the return of classes in the fall, a full online schooling option will be available to families, with a hybrid option or full return to campus depending on local virus trends.The district has begun expanding its community broadband internet reach as well as distributing devices to students across all grades to accommodate the plan. Its working on developing plans for how to better reach younger K-2 students with 100% remote learning, but feels prepared to reach students in grades 3-12.Right now, were confident we can provide 100% online (learning) for those families, said communications director Kirsten Fitterer. Were mostly concentrated on distance learning 2.0 to see how it would work best for our teachers and other instructional leaders to continue learning in a virtual or hybrid model.The state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction has said schools statewide are expected to resume in-person instruction in the fall following certain public health guidelines like sanitation, mask wearing and COVID-19 screenings. But local health officials say its too early to tell if local schools will be ready to open fully. Education officials or the governor could decide against it if coronavirus cases are on the rise.Yakima County long led the state in new cases of COVID-19, only being surpassed this week by Franklin County as infections in Yakima began to decline slightly. The county has begun to make progress, and recently moved to Phase 1.5 of a four-part reopening plan outlined by the state. But public health officials say theres still a long way to go.Fitterer said regardless of Yakimas virus trends by Aug. 26, when school starts, families will be offered the chance for remote learning in case they dont feel comfortable sending their children back to campus.She said the district had not determined what progress would allow for a hybrid or full return to campus. She expected clearer guidelines by early next week.But she did point to buildings being able to reopen for after-hours gatherings of 50 or fewer people once the county reaches Phase 3.In the event a hybrid return is used, students requiring more learning support  like special education students, English learners and potentially kindergarteners  would be prioritized in returning to campus. This is in line with guidance from the OSPI, released in June.There will have to be some prioritization, because theres only so much room, Fitterer said. We do have students who are going to be in higher need, so they will have the opportunity  to have more of a presence and services at school.With a hybrid school reopening, Fitterer said students might also be broken into groups: one might attend school on campus on Monday and Tuesday, followed by a deep cleaning of the school before the second group attends Thursday and Friday.She said the district understands there are also parents who need schools to be open daily, and it is working to meet a variety of needs.The district has begun staging classrooms to see what the capacity of each school would be with social distancing in place  separating desks by 6 feet, for example.In case that campus is open but students choose remote learning, they would be expected to commit to this learning style on a semester basis, rather than fluctuating from week to week, for example.The remote learning option could also help accommodate teachers or paraprofessionals who are considered vulnerable to the virus due to age or compromised immune systems, she said.More details of the districts fall plans will be published as they are decided on a website previously dedicated to COVID-19 updates , with the first update expected Thursday afternoon. Fitterer said a news conference with more details was set for early next week, and a virtual town hall to better inform the broader public will be held before the end of July.
Eir Ventures, a Stockholm, and Copenhagen, Denmark-based life science venture firm, held the first close of its new fund of EUR76m.

The fund is launched with support from an investor syndicate comprising Saminvest, the European Investment Fund (EIF), Vkstfonden, Novo Holdings, as well as additional private investors.

Launched by a team of life science investors including Managing Partners Dr Magnus Persson, Stephan Christgau, Andreas Segerros, and Special Partner Amanda Hayward, Eir Ventures will invest in innovative companies with products and technologies addressing significant unmet medical need and a potential to improve the life of patients.

The fund will invest in high return potential opportunities in the Nordics, Europe and the US, with a particular focus on innovations from the leading universities and incubators in the Nordics. It has established collaborations with select Nordic Universities.

FinSMEs

10/07/2020
99 Democrats Demand ICE Rescind New Visa Policy for International Students

Close to 100 Democrat lawmakers signed a letter urging the acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad F. Wolf, to rescind the Trump Administrations policy that will require international university students to take at least one in-person class this fall in order to remain in the United States.

Ninety-eight other Democrats joined Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) in calling U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements (ICE) announcement of modifications to the Student and Exchange Visitor Programs requirements for international students xenophobic.

Threatening to deport international students and using them as a pawn to coerce colleges to reopen this fall is cruel, senseless, and xenophobic. Nearly 100 senate and House members joined me in urging @ICEgov and @DHSgov to withdraw this dangerous proposal, wrote Warren in a tweet Friday.

This new policy would effectively punish international students at colleges, universities, and other institutions that have decided to move their courses online in order to protect their communities from COVID-19, the letter reads.

The proposed policy throws the lives of hundreds of thousands of students, and the operations of hundreds of colleges and universities, into uncertainty just weeks before the start of the fall term, to the detriment of the United States and its institutions of higher education, the letter continues.

According to the International Education website, there are a little over a million international students at American universities and colleges.

ICE said Monday it would not allow holders of certain student visas to remain in the country if their school courses were fully online for the fall, but will exempt those students who have a blended curriculum of online and in-person classes.

Ken Cuccinelli, acting deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, said the new rule is not a punishment but is in fact allowing for more students to stay in the country while not being in-person full-time.

Well, the current rules, the regulations that govern foreign students, allow at most one online class and so were expanding the flexibility massively, to a level never done before, so that schools can use hybrid models and can design reopenings, Cuccinelli said. Anything short of 100 percent online is the direction that were headed. Weve got to finish the temporary regulation, but this is more flexibility that were looking at than has ever been provided before.

The Democrats in their letter went on to say, that international students contribute immensely to the United States.

The lawmakers added the sudden removal of international students would weaken the country economically precisely when our fragile economy cannot afford another self-inflicted blow and would undermine higher education as one of our most significant and valuable exports.

A number of institutions and States have filed lawsuits against the Trump Administration for the new policy including California Attorney General and John Hopkins University.

Warren and other Democrats say, Recent statements by Administration officials suggest that DHS and ICE released this guidance as a pretext to force institutions of higher education to reopen against the advice of public health experts and local officials.

Cuccinelli said the Administration is not trying to force universities to reopen, but to prevent fraud.

Were not forcing universities to reopen. However, if a universitylets just take your version of itif they dont reopen this semester, there isnt a reason for a person holding a student visa to be present in the country. They should go home, and then they can return when the school opens. Thats what student visas are for.

In their letter, Democrats are demanding that ICE Officials appear before Congress before July 16 for a briefing to discuss the administrations rationale for the change in policy.
Boeing 777 travelling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down by a missile from rebel-held eastern Ukraine in 2014.

The Dutch government is taking Russia to the European Court of Human Rights for its alleged role in the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine six years ago.

A Buk surface-to-air missile, fired from territory controlled by pro-Moscow Ukrainian rebels, destroyed the Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur flight in July 2014.

The Dutch move, announced by the foreign minister on Friday, is intended to support individual cases being brought to the European court by relatives of some of the 298 people who were killed.

Achieving justice for 298 victims of the downing of Flight MH17 is and will remain the governments highest priority, Foreign Minister Stef Blok said. By taking this step today  we are moving closer to this goal.

By launching the case against Russia, the Dutch authorities can share evidence with the Strasbourg-based European court so it can be considered in individual relatives cases.

As a government, we have information and evidence that leads us to the conclusion of the involvement of the Russian Federation, Blok told The Associated Press news agency.

Of course, the relatives themselves do not have all this information so we can help them by starting this procedure.

Moscow has repeatedly denied involvement in the downing of the Boeing 777.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Russia sees Fridays announcement in connection with the disaster of the Malaysian Boeing as another blow to Russian-Dutch relations.

Local workers transport a piece of wreckage from Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 at the crash site [Antonio Bronic/Reuters]

Zakharova said throughout the case, the Netherlands has acted exclusively within the framework of anti-Russian logic, to which both technical and criminal investigations were subordinated.

An international team of prosecutors investigating the case has, however, charged three Russians and a Ukrainian with involvement in bringing down the plane and the murder of all on board.

The men are on trial in a Dutch court, although none has been extradited to the Netherlands to face justice.

Blok said much of the evidence the government will submit to the human rights court also is part of that criminal case.

Al Jazeeras Step Vassen, reporting from Amsterdam, said the move shows the Dutch government is expressing its full support to give justice to those people on board the Malaysia Airlines flight 17.

Basically what the government is trying to do is to support the individual lawsuits that more than 400 relatives of the passengers onboard have filed at the European Court of Human Rights. It is part of the very broad and wide judicial fight the Netherlands is fighting at the moment to give justice to those people onboard that plane, She said.

The relatives of the victims have said that they really want those in the higher ranks, referring to Moscow, probably the Kremlin, to be held responsible.

Konstantin Kosachev, head of the foreign affairs committee in the upper house of Russias parliament, called the Dutch move a strange initiative from every aspect in remarks carried by the Interfax news agency.

The investigation isnt over yet, there have been no court verdicts on the national level yet and, finally, what does the European Court for Human Rights have to do with it? Kosachev said.
B oris Johnson today compared teenagers who came of age in the coronavirus pandemic with the young people who served in World War II and the hippy generation who fought for civil rights in the 1960s.

In a special address to 550,000 children leaving school this month, he predicted they would become one of the most important and influential generations in the peacetime history of our nation.

Your generation has come of age facing a challenge like no other generation before you, the Prime Minister said in the online broadcast to homes and classrooms.

And just as previous generations have had their own missions, from the wartime generation that rebuilt Britain in the 1950s, to those who fought for greater rights and equality in the 1960s and 70s, yours will be to make your way in the world, as we build a better, fairer Britain.

The address was Mr Johnsons own idea and was formed during efforts to get schools up and running again. He was very conscious that this generation will not have the celebrations and farewells that other leavers had, said an aide.

The Prime Minister said the class of 2020 would look back with pride at how they endured lockdown. Because of your sacrifice, we have saved hundreds of thousands of lives, he said.

In fact one day, many years from now, people are going to look back, and they are going to ask you what it was like to live through the lockdown.

And while you might not have tales of a lost summer of music festivals and house parties, you will be able to talk with pride not just of the lives you helped save but of the country you helped rebuild.

School leavers face uncertain job prospects and disruption at universities / Unsplash

School leavers face uncertain job prospects and disruption at universities. Mr Johnson said they had to grow up a bit faster because their final year at school coincided with the greatest crisis our country has faced since the Second World War.

But he promised: We are going to need bright, brilliant young people like you.

And that strength of character and those qualities you forged during lockdown - empathy, resilience, self-discipline and patience - those are the qualities that are we are going to need as we make our society fairer, make our air cleaner, stop our planet getting warmer.

He said their journey would not be easy, and urged them to be kind to others and to jump on every opportunity that comes your way, and rugby tackle it to the floor.
Darragh Jordan, who was honoured on his last day at St Aidans Parish School, pictured with his mam Anita

History has been made at St Aidan's Primary School following the graduation of sixth class pupil Darragh Jordan.

The twelve year-old has become the first student with Down Syndrome to graduate from the school, beginning his journey eight years ago in junior infants and continuing all the way through to sixth class.

In what was an emotional day for the entire family, his mother Anita said they were beyond proud of Darragh's achievements.

'We gave him the chance and he took it with both hands,' said Anita of the decision to enrol her son in mainstream classes.

'There was no reluctance from the school, he was made welcome from day one, everyone came on board with it. And it all worked out for him. It was down to teamwork in the end, everyone helped, all the family. We're so proud of him and the family for the work they put in.'

Darragh, who turns 13 on September 18, was born with three holes in his heart and had to undergo open heart surgery six years ago, but Anita said he never let his health issues slow him down.

'From the time he came into the world, Darragh stole the hearts of everyone he met. Since the day he started in the school, not one person has ever treated him differently. He doesn't want to be defined by his Down Syndrome; he says, "I'm a human". But look, once he's happy and healthy that's the main thing.'

Darragh's next big step will come in September when he starts first year at Enniscorthy Vocational College (EVC), and Anita hopes her son's achievements will offer inspiration for the parents of other children with special needs.

'He's definitely an inspiration to others, no doubt about it. I didn't join Down Syndrome Wexford until he was three years old and at that age he was very full on, ready to go.

'But his speech was good, he understood what was being said to him. Other parents used to come up to me and say their child would never reach the level Darragh was at, but I said it's just a case of putting in the time with them, you have to put the work in.'

Someone who can attest to that work is Trish Hogan, Anita's sister.

'Anita was so proactive from the word go. She went private with his healthcare in some cases to ensure he would have the very best of care.

'But the minute he came into the world she wanted to make sure he wasn't treated differently to any other child. She had down days of course, like us all, but she was always so strong.'

And Trish said Darragh has surpassed every expectation they had for him.

'When he came into our lives almost 13 years ago there were a lot of mixed emotions, we were unsure of what kind of life he would have ahead of him, health wise and everything else,' Trish said.

'He had heart surgery six years ago and still managed to be the life and soul of the ward in the children's hospital in Crumlin. The day after the surgery, he was walking around with his IV drip chatting to everyone.

'He's surpassed every single expectation, between his health and his education. And as well as that, he's brought us all together, made us closer as a family.'

Mary Roche was one of Darragh's Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) during his time in St Aidan's and she has fond memories of their time together.

'I was his first SNA in junior infants in St Aidan's and then I was his last one in fifth and sixth class. From day one, he fitted right in, he rose to any challenge. But he had a wicked sense of humour,' Mary said as she recalled one incident which characterised 'DJ's' mischievous antics.

'When he started, he couldn't pronounce my second name and used to call me Mary 'Oche'. One day in junior infants, he crept under the table and wouldn't come out.

'So I went under there with him. And when he came out, I came out. Then we just looked at each other and he said, "Mary Oche, you're cracked." He would come out with things like that, he has an amazing sense of humour.'

Crediting all the school's teachers, former principal Peter Creedon and current principal Frank Murphy, for ensuring Darragh's time at St Aidan's was an enjoyable one, Mary said his fellow classmates also played a pivotal role in his development.

'He made friends very early on and those friends remained with him right the way through. Even when they were split into separate classes, those children always looked out for him in the schoolyard, they had a real empathy and understanding of him.'

And Mary believes that Darragh's educational journey will continue in the same vein when he starts at EVC.

'He'll excel in secondary school, he'll meet that challenge. He is such an inspiration; we have another child with Down Syndrome in the school at the moment and hopefully that child's parents will be able to see what Darragh has done.

'I'm going to miss him so much, it was my honour and privilege to work with him. But you build up friendships with family and I'm sure that will continue. I've promised to go and visit him. I wish him every success in the future and have no doubt he will go on to great things.'

Darragh's auntie Trish is also looking forward to seeing him flourish in his new surroundings, but she said it was important he was accepted and included by his new classmates.

'This might be the end of one chapter, but it's the beginning of new one. I think the most important thing for him in secondary school is just being included, and for people to be aware of him and if they see anything they feel isn't right, to report it,' she said.

Patricia Davis was Darragh's Resource Teacher for three years and said that even thinking about her former pupil brings a smile to her face.

'From the very start his personality shone through; he could literally charm the birds off the trees. He loved to engage with everyone he met, staff and pupils alike.

'A trip down the corridor was like being in the company of a celebrity with all the greetings flying to and fro. Interacting with others is one of Darragh's special gifts and he availed of every opportunity to employ his excellent social skills in St Aidan's.

'In the classroom, he especially loved the one-to-one work periods and was most motivated when elements of fun and games were introduced. He loved the chance to outwit teachers, SNAs and fellow pupils - and boy could he do it. He has such a sense of fun and mischief.'

'Darragh is blessed with his parents, Anita and Noel. The support we received from them was second to none. His homework was always meticulously completed and they always followed our recommendations. For my part, I will always remember him with great fondness; the very mention of his name brings a smile to my face.'

Darragh celebrated his graduation with two of his closest friends, Shania and Keira, before spending the rest of the day with his family, including dad Noel, and younger sister - and soulmate - Aoibhe (9).

And Anita said the emotion of the occasion eventually proved too much for all concerned.

'There was a song I listened to at the time he came home from hospital called "May we never have to say goodbye" and we played that on the day of his graduation and Darragh sang every word.

'When it was over, we said to him to stand up and say thanks to everyone but he just burst into tears,' she said.

One person who was unable to make it for the big day was Darragh's older sister Niamh, who lives in Philadelphia. But she had a message for her brother.

'We want this to be a reminder to all parents of special needs children that despite the odds being against them, the sky is the limit for these amazing kids and anything is possible with hard word and dedication.

'We can't wait to see what further accomplishments this young man will achieve. But we know one thing for sure: the future is bright for Darragh Jordan.'
All through July, people living in the Northern Hemisphere including India will be able to spot the comet C/2020 F3, also known as NEOWISE in the sky. The comet was discovered by NASA's Near-Earth Asteroid Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer telescope earlier this year on March 27. The comet will be visible in the skies starting between July 12 and 15 and well into August.

 AccuWeather

For Indian skywatchers, the comet will be visible late evening/night as the comet will make its close approach to the sun on July 3. The celestial body is passing at around 43 million km from the Sun but will be visible from Earth since it is passing away from the Sun's glare.

The sun is boiling the outermost layers of gas and dust which is causing it to leave a massive trail of debris. The comet has survived the Sun's roasting and now looks somewhat like a natural firework in the sky. The comet was also spotted by astronauts aboard the International Space Station from their vantage point.

 NASA

NASA has also been tracking the comet and issued a statement on how to catch the comet in the sky.

The comet cruised just inside Mercury's orbit on July 3. This very close passage by the Sun is cooking the comet's outermost layers, causing gas and dust to erupt off the icy surface and creating a large tail of debris.

"And yet the comet has managed to survive this intense roasting. People wishing to catch a glimpse of the glowing comet can spot it as it swings through the inner solar system, but its nearness to the Sun creates some observing challenges.

Through about the middle of the month, the comet is visible around 10 degrees above the northeastern horizon (the width of your outstretched fist) in the hour before dawn. From mid-July on, it's best viewed as an evening object, rising increasingly higher above the northwestern horizon.

The comet is expected to be closest to Earth on July 22 when it will be around 103 kilometres away from our planet. NASA advises that the comet is best viewed with binoculars this week at dawn and late evenings towards the end of the month.

If you're interested how the comet looks in the sky; check out these pictures caught by Twitter users:

I have a strong dislike of early morningsbut so worth it today because wow is that comet beautiful! C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) I was at Sunset Crater by 4AM. It was an easy naked-eye object, but really rewarding through binoculars. Last pic is closest to naked eye scale.#neowise pic.twitter.com/1I0Cx2fZQJ  Jeremy Perez (@jperez1690) July 5, 2020
Boris Johnson's fiancee Carrie Symonds looked fresh-faced as she returned to No. 10 following a stroll with Dilyn the dog.

Miss Symonds, 32, who welcomed the couple's first child, Wilfred, in April, dressed down in a jumper and Zara jeans for the walk near Downing Street yesterday.

While some mothers can have finer hair in the months after pregnancy, it doesn't seem to be the case for Carrie who styled her voluminous locks in thick curls around her shoulders.

Casual Carrie! Miss Symonds, 32, who welcomed the couple's first child, Wilfred, in April, dressed down in a jumper and jeans for the walk near Downing Street yesterday

Glowing: While some mothers can have finer hair in the months after pregnancy, it doesn't seem to be the case for Carrie who styled her voluminous locks in thick curls

She opted for practical accessories for the occasion, wearing a backpack, no doubt filled with doggy essentials, and was listening to something on her headphones.

True to her love of easy-to-wear, versatile pieces, Carrie sported a monochrome knit jumper for the outing with 29.99 animal-print jeans from Zara.

The former Conservative PR high-flyer wore a simple gold necklace with a pendant, although the detailing could not be seen.

Dilyn the dog, who was adopted by Miss Symonds and Mr Johnson last year, looked content as he walked beside his owner on the lead.

Miss Symonds is living at Downing Street with the Prime Minister and their almost three-month-old son, Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson.

Carrie gave birth in London on April 29 with the Prime Minister at her side, days after he himself had been released from medical care following a lengthy battle with coronavirus.

Dressed-down: True to her love of easy-to-wear, versatile pieces, Carrie sported a monochrome jumper for the outing with 29.99 animal print jeans from Zara

In a heart-warming Instagram post revealing the boy's name, Carrie revealed that the middle name Nicholas was a tribute to two NHS doctors, Dr Nick Price and Dr Nick Hart, who 'saved Boris' life last month' following his battle with coronavirus.

The first name is a tribute to the PM's paternal grandfather, Osman Wilfred Kemal, and Lawrie a reference to Carrie's grandfather.

Accompanying the caption was a photograph in which the first-time mother was seen tightly cradling her son, who sported an extraordinary full head of hair not dissimilar to that of his father.

Carrie pictured with her son Wilfred. The beaming parent shared her first photograph of the baby boy on Instagram in late April

The 32-year-old fiancee of Mr Johnson wrote: 'Introducing Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas born on 29.04.20 at 9am.

'Wilfred after Boris' grandfather Lawrie after my grandfather Nicholas after Dr Nick Price and Dr Nick Hart - the two doctors that saved Boris' life last month.

'Thank you so, so much to the incredible NHS maternity team at UCLH that looked after us so well. I couldn't be happier. My heart is full.'
The University System of Georgias advisory group to rename buildings, schools and colleges at USG schools met for the first time on Thursday. They discussed the criteria they will use to evaluate the renaming process, how they will research the history behind each building or school and how often they will meet.

The board will review the names of all buildings and colleges at all 26 USG campuses and report to the Board of Regents, USGs governing body, on the changes they recommend, USG Chancellor Steve Wrigley said.

Wrigley also said that the boards role is to review current names and recommend whether or not to remove them, rather than recommend a new name. If the board recommends a renaming, the university would have the responsibility of deciding its new name.

Albany State University President Marion Fedrick is the advisory boards chairwoman. There are four other members of the board, none of whom are students.

Advisory group members Marion Fedrick, president of Albany State University

Michael Patrick, marketing and strategic growth department at Chick-fil-A

Herbert Phipps, retired judge of the Georgia Court of Appeals

Neal J. Quirk, executive vice-chairman of the University of Georgia Foundation

Sally Wallace, dean of Georgia State Universitys Andrew Young School of Policy Studies

Throughout the meeting, Fedrick reminded the group that the committee will address every building, college and school at each of the 26 USG institutions. Wrigley estimated that there are at least 3,000 buildings within those institutions.

Most of the inaugural meeting was spent establishing how the board will begin to review names of buildings, colleges and schools. Fedrick recommended that the board look at USGs research institutions first because they have the most land mass, colleges and buildings. This would include the University of Georgia.

The board established a beginning framework for the criteria which will inform them of whether or not they should recommend a name change. Board member Michael Patrick proposed a set of values, such as inclusivity, that the board works from in order to determine whether or not a building name should be changed or kept the same.

Fedrick said she will send a survey to each president of the 26 USG schools. The survey will ask the presidents to write their schools mission statement, ask them to write what they want their school to embody and potentially ask them what academic excellence means to their university.

After the board receives responses from the survey, the board will establish a more concrete framework for reviewing each building, college and school.

Fedrick mentioned that the board will have to evaluate the person behind each named building.

We could pick out a whole list of people who, if they were a part of this organization or that organization, [are] not a good representation of what the University System believes in today, Fedrick said. Were looking at what the university believes in today and what we want them to believe in going forward.

Patrick mentioned that the board will also have to look at why the building, school or college was named after a person in the first place.

If this person invented something that was incredible with society, but also has some attributes that maybe dont line up exactly with inclusivity, [you have to consider] what theyre honored for, Patrick said. What about them was named?

Board member Sally Wallace, dean of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University, brought up that people are not static and can change over time. Whether or not they changed over time is something to consider, she said.

As far as the resources which will inform the boards recommendations, Fedrick said that the advisory board has access to each universities historical information. She also recommended that the board brings in historians to inform their decisions and discussions. USG has also given Fedrick well over 1,000 pages about the history of USG campuses.

Fedrick also stressed the importance of listening to students in this process.

As we are going through this process, keep our students in mind, Fedrick said. Keep the thought process that they want to be a part of this. Im not saying they sit on one side or the other, but they do want to be a part of this.

There is also a website that the advisory board will use to gather feedback from the public about the renaming process, Fedrick said. Feedback from this website will be downloaded nightly for the board to review. The public can write feedback on the website for a few months, Fedrick said. The specific amount of time that people can write feedback has not been decided.

The board also agreed on meeting twice a month. Its next meeting is planned for July 17.

In preparation for its next meeting, Fedrick said that she will compile a list of buildings, schools and colleges that the board needs to start considering. She will also check with the archives department to see if there are historians available for their next meeting to discuss specific goals, send out a survey to the college presidents about their vision and goals and oversee the downloading of information from the boards public information website.

Fedrick said that the board should plan on meeting until at least late December, and at that time the board will decide if it needs to continue its meetings.

Its going to take time for us to dive into the information that we need, Fedrick said. Im going to provide a whole lot of homework for you to do."
Hey, everyone, its Josh. I want to introduce you to Madeline Faber. We cowrote this mornings newsletter and shell be pitching in over the next couple of weeks as Im heading into a bit of time off. Youll be in excellent hands.

As far as todays news is concerned, our colleagues put together an intense look at Philadelphias history of police brutality against Black people. Its an absolute must-read, especially in light of the civil unrest in the city and across the nation over the last couple of months.

 Josh Rosenblat (@joshrosenblat) and Madeline Faber (@maiden_memphis), morningnewsletter@inquirer.com

Philadelphia has a long history of police brutality, with Black people being the victims of the brunt of it. And you cant begin to comprehend that frustration without understanding our past. In short, it didnt start with George Floyd. Our colleagues Dain Saint, Craig R. McCoy, Tommy Rowan, and Valerie Russ compiled the key moments in the painful history of police violence against Philadelphias Black community. They covered 190 years in stunning detail, cataloging the legacy of discriminatory law enforcement practices in Philadelphia.

From the 1830s to 2020, heres a glimpse at what our colleagues covered:

 In May of 1838, a white mob broke into and burned a building constructed by antislavery groups. Police stood by watching and firefighters sprayed other buildings but let the new hall burn down. The mob also burned down the Shelter for Colored Orphans. Police did not arrest anyone for setting the fires.

 More than 180 years later, people in Philly took to the streets to unite against police brutality under the banner of Black Lives Matter. During the first weeks of protests, police stood by while a group of armed white vigilantes roamed the streets of Fishtown. Police also teargassed protesters marching on I-676 and in predominantly Black West Philly.

A New Jersey task force found that companies took advantage of the states multibillion-dollar tax incentive program  and the consultants who managed those negotiations had close ties with state officials. In short, investigators found that companies won tax breaks to keep jobs in New Jersey, but those companies were often not actually at risk of leaving the state.

The task force ultimately recommended that the states Economic Development Authority suspend, terminate, or review $578 million worth of tax credits.

What you need to know today

Through your eyes | #OurPhilly

We love this Fairmount sidewalk comic strip. Thanks for brightening our day, @philly_stoops.

Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and well pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout-out!

Thats interesting

Opinions

We say we care about youngsters and acknowledge that they are our future, but illegal guns proliferate on our streets and babies fall asleep with the sound of gunfire in the background.  writes columnist Jenice Armstrong about the three children who were shot in separate incidents this past Sunday.

ICEs threat to deport students if their schools move to an online-only curriculum is cruel, writes Nicholas Toloudis, an associate professor at the College of New Jersey.

Taking down Frank Rizzo was just the beginning. Architecture critic Inga Saffron offers sites that are important to Black culture and achievement in Philadelphia that would benefit from some TLC and recognition.

What were reading

Your Daily Dose of | Surviving to help others

Felix Jones wears his nursing scrubs with the same feeling with which he wore his U.S. Army uniform: pride. The North Philly native was selected as one of five nurses out of over 1,100 who were nominated for Independence Blue Cross Celebrate Caring award. Jones is a rehab nurse and a nurse with the Philadelphia Department of Prisons who survived COVID-19 in the spring and couldnt wait to get back to fighting the virus.
Dublin, July 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "North America Membrane Water and Wastewater Treatment (WWT) Market - Growth, Trends, and Forecast (2020 - 2025)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The market for membrane water and wastewater treatment (WWT) in North America is expected to grow at a CAGR greater than 6% during the forecast period.



One of the major factors that is driving the market studied is the growing demand for low-pressure membrane technologies. However, poor fouling resistance of nano porous membranes is restraining the demand for the market studied.



The market is moderately fragmented with the major players accounting for a significantly less share of the total market. The major players in the market studied include Ecolab, Suez, Aquatech, Evoqua Water Technologies, and Kurita Water Industries among others.



Key Highlights



Among the end-user industries, municipal industry accounts for the highest growth rate and is expected to continue dominating during the forecast period.

Surface Grafting of Fouling-resistant Membrane is expected to provide a major growth opportunity for the market studied.

The United States accounts for the major share of the market studied and is expected to dominate the market during the forecast period.

Market Trends



Municipal Industry to Dominate the Market

The municipal end-user industry accounted for the largest share of membrane water and wastewater treatment market in north America.

Supply of pure water to households is one of the chief requirements for all the governments. The rising scarcity for potable water, coupled with the growing population and increasing water demand, are the major concerns which are driving the demand for membrane water and wastewater treatment in the municipal industry.

Additionally, to increase the availability of water, wastewater which is generated from the domestic households are being treated and reused in the north American region.

Municipal wastewater refers to the water that drains from toilets, showers, sinks, bathrooms, washing machines, dishwashers, and liquid industrial waste. Municipal wastewater should be treated before releasing it into the environment to avoid damage to the environment and to avoid spreading of harmful diseases.

Currently, the United States is one of the largest water reclamation and reuse markets across the globe. With the growing demand for clean water in the country, municipal industry is likely to dominate the market studied during the forecast period.

United States to Dominate the Market

The United States accounts for the largest market share of membrane water treatment chemicals in the region.

The demand for low-pressure membrane in North America is on rise, due to the high level of pollution from industrial, commercial, and residential waste.

There has been increasing adoption of water and wastewater treatment plants in the coastal regions of the country owing to the overcrowding and increasing residential waste in those regions.

Low-pressure membranes are used by plants to provide effective physical disinfection and solids removal, which helps in achieving good wastewater effluent quality. This water can then be used suitably for direct and indirect potable reuse. Specialized applications of pressure membrane process, along with technical innovations, have given rise to its demand in the country.

Hence, owing to the above-mentioned reasons, United States is expected to dominate the market.

Key Topics Covered



1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Study Assumptions

1.2 Scope of the Study



2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY



3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY



4 MARKET DYNAMICS

4.1 Drivers

4.1.1 Rising Demand for Low Pressure Membrane Technology

4.1.2 Other Drivers

4.2 Restraints

4.2.1 High Cost of Membrane Water Treatment Technology

4.2.2 Other Restraints

4.3 Industry Value-chain Analysis

4.4 Porter's Five Forces Analysis

4.4.1 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

4.4.2 Bargaining Power of Consumers

4.4.3 Threat of New Entrants

4.4.4 Threat of Substitute Products and Services

4.4.5 Degree of Competition



5 MARKET SEGMENTATION

5.1 Technology

5.1.1 Microfiltration

5.1.2 Ultrafiltration

5.1.3 Nanofiltration

5.1.4 Reverse Osmosis

5.2 End-user Industry

5.2.1 Municipal

5.2.2 Pulp & Paper

5.2.3 Chemical

5.2.4 Food & Beverage

5.2.5 Healthcare

5.2.6 Power

5.2.7 Other End-user Industries

5.3 Geography

5.3.1 United States

5.3.2 Canada

5.3.3 Mexico



6 COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

6.1 Mergers and Acquisitions, Joint Ventures, Collaborations and Agreements

6.2 Market Share/Ranking Analysis

6.3 Strategies Adopted by Leading Players

6.4 Company Profiles

6.4.1 Aecom

6.4.2 Aquatech International LLC

6.4.3 WS Atkins PLC

6.4.4 Black & Veatch Holding Company

6.4.5 Dow

6.4.6 DuPont

6.4.7 Evoqua Water Technologies

6.4.8 Ecolab Inc.

6.4.9 IDE Technologies

6.4.10 ITT Corporation

6.4.11 Kurita Water Industries Ltd.

6.4.12 Louis Berger

6.4.13 Mott Macdonald

6.4.14 Organo Corporation

6.4.15 Ovivo

6.4.16 Paques

6.4.17 Remondis

6.4.18 Schlumberger Limited

6.4.19 Suez

6.4.20 Tetra Tech Inc.

6.4.21 Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies



7 MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE TRENDS

7.1 Growing Usage of Membrane Bio-reactors



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/lzdnop

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.
GARLAND, Texas, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Below is the correspondence sent on behalf of LTC Allen West by email to Chairman James Dickey, Vice-Chairman Alma Jackson and Secretary Josh Flynn on Friday, July 10, 2020. This law firm represents Colonel West with respect to matters involving his candidacy for Texas Republican State Party Chairman. The author of the letter is Clyde M. Siebman.

"Not having received any response to the enclosed email, I can only conclude that the Republican Party of Texas ("RPT") is not interested in amicably addressing Colonel West's concerns. The reckless way in which the RPT is proceeding with respect to the 2020 State Convention seems calculated to disenfranchise duly elected delegates. Public comments that the RPT may be attempting to conduct a virtual convention with remote voting using software that has not been adequately tested and on which delegates have not been trained is troublesome. Such will have a disparate impact on elderly voters, voters in areas with limited internet service and bandwidth, and delegates who do not have ready access to the resources necessary to participate in such voting. Proceeding in this manner sets a very bad precedent for voting in November.

The obvious solution to this problem is to have caucus chairs hold the caucus meetings in their individual senate and congressional districts. The Permanent Nomination committees could then meet in Houston or elsewhere. Only minor adjustments to ordinary procedures would be required to conduct the official business of the convention. RPT's insistence in keeping the location of the convention, and the manner and means of conduction voting, ambiguous and unresolved just days before the convention is to convene seems calculated to deprive Colonel West, and others, of rights guaranteed to them under the United States Constitution.

The requests made in the enclosed correspondence are renewed. I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest opportunity. It is our understanding that RPT will be convening a special meeting of the SREC tomorrow. We will await decisions from that meeting before taking formal action. It is Colonel West's sincere hope and desire that the RPT will work in good-faith to resolve this matter amicably and implement a fair process for voting that will not have a disparate impact on different classes of delegates and which ensures an accurate tally of delegate votes."

Learn more about Allen West, his campaign, and how to keep Texas red by visiting www.west4texas.com.

SOURCE West4Texas

Related Links

https://west4texas.com


Weather linked to a tropical storm hit the region late Friday afternoon, bringing heavy rain and strong winds and pulling down trees and wires in some areas of the state along the coastline.

The weather is expected to continue through Saturday morning.

The National Weather Service issued a tropical storm warning on Friday for a large swath of Fairfield County, from Bridgeport down to Stamford. The warning also was in effect in New Haven.

The storm, which formed off the coast of North Carolina, brings dangerous, strong gusts of wind from 30 to 50 mph and peak rainfalls of 2 to 4 inches, with more likely in some areas, prompting a flood potential.

Late Friday afternoon in Greenwich, police announced the closure of North Street between Lower Cross Road and North Stanwich Road because of a tree down across the roadway. Police said Taconic Road was also closed near Farms Road around 5:45 p.m. because of wires down and burning.

Half an hour later in Ridgefield, a tree down across the road closed Route 35 at its intersection with Route 33.

Late Friday night, Branford police said there were no road closures or flooding issues to report, but said there were two successful water rescues earlier in the night.

If you have to be out on the roads, please go slow and be careful, Branford police warned. Please keep an eye out for flooding, down trees, and down power lines. Do not approach them and please call us to report them.

The storm warning cautioned residents in the area to prepare for possible wind damage, including fallen tree limbs, hazardous driving conditions and damage to porches, awnings, sheds and even unanchored mobile homes.

The NWS said storm conditions are also somewhat favorable to tornadoes.

Locations could realize roofs peeled off buildings, chimneys toppled, mobile homes pushed off foundations or overturned, large treetops and branches snapped off, shallow rooted trees knocked over, moving vehicles blown off roads, and small boats pulled from moorings, the warning said.

There will also be a flash flood warning in effect during the duration of the storm.

Consider protective actions if you are in an area vulnerable to flooding, the NWS said.

The storms are expected to continue until early Saturday.

In New Haven, Mayor Justin Elicker noted it would be the first tropical storm of the summer and the forecast was for it to remain in the area in the early morning hours Saturday.

Our public safety team is prepared to respond to this storm and keep our residents safe, Elicker said. While we dont anticipate this being a major storm, we wanted to take this opportunity to remind residents about important storm preparations.

Elicker said that, with social distancing requirements for COVID-19, a shelter is a last resort, although they will be available in New Haven if needed. He said staying informed through emergency officials is critical to being provided with the most up to date storm information. City resident can sign up for alerts at Newhavenct.gov/alerts.

Elicker reminded residents not to drive through flooded areas and to just turn around. He said residents should keep cellphones charged, secure lawn furniture and loose objects in yards, and make sure drains are clear.
The finance ministry on Friday said banks have sanctioned loans of about Rs 1,20,099 crore under the Rs 3-lakh crore Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) for the MSME sector reeling under economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, disbursements against this stood at Rs 61,987.90 crore till Thursday (July 9) under the 100 per cent ECLGS for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

The scheme is the biggest fiscal component of the Rs 20-lakh crore Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan package announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in May.

The latest numbers on ECLGS, as released by the finance ministry, comprise disbursements by all 12 public sector banks (PSBs), 22 private sector banks and 21 non-banking financial companies (NBFCs).

"As of 9 July 2020, the total amount sanctioned under the 100 per cent Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme by #PSBs and private banks stands at Rs 1,20,099.37 crore, of which Rs 61,987.90 crore has already been disbursed," the finance minister said in a tweet.

Under the ECLGS, the loan amounts sanctioned by PSBs increased to Rs 68,145.40 crore, of which Rs 38,372.88 crore has been disbursed as of July 9, she said.

At the same time, private sector banks have sanctioned Rs 51,953.97 crore and disbursed Rs 23,615.02 crore.

"Compared to 4 July 2020, there is an increase of Rs 5,596.79 crore in the cumulative amount of loans sanctioned and an increase of Rs 5,896.72 crore in the cumulative amount of loans disbursed, by both #PSBs and private sector banks combined as on 9 July 2020," Sitharaman said.

Market leader SBI has sanctioned Rs 20,788 crore of loans and disbursed Rs 13,893 crore. It is followed by Punjab National Bank, which has sanctioned Rs 8,977 crore. However, its disbursements stood at Rs 2,975 crore as of July 9.

State-wise, business units of Maharashtra have got the highest cumulative sanction of Rs 7,035 crore from public sector banks, while disbursement was to the tune of Rs 3,897 crore as of July 9. It is followed by Tamil Nadu, with a total sanction of Rs 6,955 crore loans and disbursements of Rs 4,153 crore.

On May 21, the Cabinet approved an additional funding of up to Rs 3 lakh crore at a concessional rate of 9.25 per cent through ECLGS for the MSME sector.

Under the scheme, 100 per cent guarantee coverage will be provided by the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company for additional funding of up to Rs 3 lakh crore to eligible MSMEs and interested Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency (MUDRA) borrowers in the form of a guaranteed emergency credit line (GECL) facility.

For this purpose, a corpus of Rs 41,600 crore was set up by the government, spread over the current and the next three financial years.

The scheme will be applicable to all loans sanctioned under GECL facility during the period from the date of announcement of the scheme to October 31 or till the amount of Rs 3 lakh crore is sanctioned under GECL, whichever is earlier.

All MSME borrower accounts with an outstanding credit of up to Rs 25 crore as on February 29, which were less than or equal to 60 days past due as on that date, i.e., regular, SMA-0 and SMA-1 accounts, and with an annual turnover of up to Rs 100 crore are eligible for GECL funding under the scheme.
Hollywood superstar Johnny Depp testified Thursday that he was often so high or strung out on drugs that he was "in no condition" to hurt his ex-wife Amber Heard. The third day of Depp's libel trial against the British tabloid The Sun over its 2018 "wife beater" claim saw the 57-year-old admit that he had a bad temper and often blacked out. Depp also conceded calling himself a "savage" in a text and getting piques of jealousy over Heard's alleged extramarital affairs. But he explained that the 2014-2015 period covered on the third day of the three-week High Court trial was the low point of his life. "I remember that I was in a great deal of pain and uncontrollable spasms," he said of an August 2014 incident while he was detoxing with the help of Heard and his doctor on his private island in the Bahamas. "I did not push Ms Heard or attack in any way, and certainly I was in no condition to in any way," he said. "I was in no physical condition to push anyone." - 'Romanticises drug culture' - The blockbuster lawsuit against the publisher News Group Newspapers (NGN) and The Sun's executive editor Dan Wootton is designed to clear Depp's name. But it has so far seen Depp admit to using various drugs and smashing up nightclubs and hotel suites across the world while still trying to film and keep his marriage afloat. NGN said it has "overwhelming evidence" he repeatedly attacked Heard during three drug-fuelled years between 2013 and 2016. He met Heard on the set of the 2011 comedy drama "The Rum Diary". They married after he completed rehab in 2015 and officially divorced two years later. Depp sat still as the defence read a letter from his rehab doctor David Kipper that concluded the star "romanticises the drug culture" and has no intention to quit. "He is .... quite childlike," the doctor's conclusion said. Depp spoke haltingly throughout the hearing and appeared to often struggle to find the right words. He said he disagreed with the doctor's "personal" assessment and thought that Kipper was just getting to know him at the time. - 'Spat on her face' - Depp's defence is trying to portray the 34-year-old Heard as a manipulative and scheming publicity seeker who was collecting damaging evidence against her husband from the start. NGN lawyer Sasha Wass countered by going through each one his alleged offences in graphic detail. "You pulled her hair and slapped her face, spat on her face while holding onto a bottle of spirits while drinking from it," Wass told Depp at one point. "And all this time you were screaming at Ms Heard that you hated her, threw Ms Heard against the ping-pong table, which collapsed," she read. "You were smashing her head so that the back of her head hit against the fridge, and you were blaming her for doing this," she alleged. Depp said no and "not true" after each sentence and ran his hand through his shoulder-length hair with a sigh. But he recalled feeling unsettled about Heard's relationship with fellow actor Billy Bob Thornton on the set of the film "London Fields". - 'There were blackouts' - Depp tried to portray himself as a depressed superstar who was struggling with insomnia and a bad drug habit while trying to keep a turbulent marriage afloat. He admitted once punching a wall until his knuckles bled during a peak of rage at Heard. "I would rather express my anger at an inanimate object than at a person that I love," he said in his defence. He also said he was prone to blackouts but still remembered particularly episodes well enough to deny the various charges. "There were blackouts for sure and in any blackouts there are snippets of memory and in recalling that memory you see snippets of pictures but you don't see the whole memory," he said.
Man giving up sons at Moscow airport goes on trial

 flickr. com/ Mzximvs VdB

12:49 10/07/2020

MOSCOW, July 10 (RAPSI)  The Central District Court in Russias Komsomolsk-on-Amur will hear a criminal case against a local man who has given his two kids up at Moscows Sheremetyevo Airport, the press service of the Prosecutor Generals Office reports Friday.

The man also stands charged with taking money of his acquaintance. Investigators believe that from January 24 to 25, 2020, he stole 100,000 rubles from the woman using a mobile application of one of the banks, the statement reads.

On January 26, two boys born 2011 and 2014 were found in the airports building. Their documents and fathers letter asking to temporarily place the children in an orphanage because of his financial problems were found in the minors bags.

According to investigators, the boys father departed for the city of Rostov. Several days later, the man surrendered to law enforcement.

The case was opened against him over child endangerment.
Dr Wave Kashweeka, Principal Veterinary Officer stands over the carcass of an elephant found near Seronga, in the Okavango Delta, Botswana, on July 9, 2020. (Thalefang Charles/File/Reuters)

Botswana Gets First Test Results on Mysterious Elephant Deaths

GABORONEBotswana said on Friday it had received test results from samples sent to Zimbabwe to determine the cause of death of hundreds of elephants but is waiting for more results from South Africa next week before sharing findings with the public.

Wildlife officials are trying to determine what is killing the elephants about two months after the first bodies were discovered. They have ruled out poaching and anthrax among possible causes.

Officials told reporters near the Okavango Delta on Thursday that they had now verified 281 elephant carcasses and that the deaths were concentrated in an area of 8,000 square kilometers (nearly 3,090 square miles) that is home to about 18,000 elephants.

We have to wait for another set of results and reconcile the two to see if they are saying the same thing before we come to a definitive conclusion, Oduetse Kaboto, a senior official in the environment and tourism ministry, said in a televised briefing.

A dead elephant is seen in this undated handout image in Okavango Delta, Botswana May-June, 2020. (Handout via Reuters)

We are hoping the second set of results will come in next week and thats when we should be able to communicate to the public the cause of deaths.

Although the number of deaths so far represents a fraction of the estimated 130,000 elephants in Botswana, there are fears more could die if authorities cannot establish the cause soon.

Chris Foggin, from Zimbabwes Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust, which conducted the tests on elephant samples from Botswana, said only that countrys government could share the findings.

The Botswana wildlife department has said the government had contacted neighbors Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia, and Zambia, but they had not seen similar elephant deaths.

Africas overall elephant population is declining due to poaching, but Botswana, home to almost a third of the continents elephants, has seen numbers grow from 80,000 in the late 1990s.

By Brian Benza
Every week, the Kitchen Story Facebook page posts a single instructional food video. A pair of hands and a calm voice speaking Khmer guide you through the ingredients needed for the recipe and steps to make it.

This week, viewers were guided through the brining of a whole chicken, then slathering it in herbed butter and roasting it with crispy potatoes. English subtitles and rudimentary graphics make the experience enjoyable for viewers unable to speak Khmer.

But, that is all viewers get, a voice and two hands. The owner of Kitchen Storys popular Facebook and YouTube pages, Duong Thida, told VOA Khmer that she intentionally keeps her identity secret so that her audience can focus on the videos and the food she cooks.

The display picture for the Kitchen Story page is the illustration of a bespectacled woman. Viewers may be left wondering if this is an illustration of Duong Thida. They will likely never know.

The page has grown immensely popular, with the videos generating millions of views on Facebook and an equal amount of engagement on YouTube. Facebook users are hooked to the videos and engage routinely with Duong Thida through the comments section.

I love cooking and Ive noticed that more and people are paying attention to cooking [videos], Duong Thida said.

What makes me happy the most is when the audiences practice the recipe and try to cook the meals, take photos of it and send me the photos or comment on the post, she said.

Duong Thida is from Kandal province and moved to South Korea in 2016 with her Korean husband. She lives 30 kilometers outside the capital, Seoul, in Yangju-si. Being away from home was not easy for Thida and she struggled to assimilate into her environment.

To make things worse, an existing medical condition made it impossible for Duong Thida to work in South Korean factories, much like a lot of the Cambodian diaspora in the country.

It was not until 2018 when she was scrolling through food videos  a widely popular genre on social media  that she realized she could use her passion for Khmer food to produce similar videos, while keeping her busy at the same time.

That is when she started Kitchen Story, and it has been a success for the young entrepreneur.

On YouTube, an increasing number of people are sharing their cooking passion, so I thought that I could do that too, so I could also share what I know about [cooking].

Duong Thida had no experience in producing these videos, which is evident in the production quality of her early videos. The lighting was a little dark in a few of them, the subtitle graphics were not designed well and the general aesthetic was not up to the standards of existing, and popular, food videos.

That soon changed. As her videos got more popular, Duong Thidas videos were brighter and airy in appearance, the graphics were fine-tuned and a lot of care was taken into the design of her kitchen and cookware, giving the videos a very IKEA-esque feel.

And the reaction was better than expected. Duong Thida said social media users started thanking her for the videos.

They said Ive followed your recipe, it tastes really good, thank you, read one of the comments on her Facebook page.

One of the most popular videos on the page has been her recipe for cured beef salad, called plea sach ko in Khmer. The video has attracted 9 million views as of publication, and more than 250,000 reactions on Facebook.

It seems to be Duong Thidas delivery of the recipe and the cadence of her voice that has attracted her viewership, especially in the crowded Cambodian online space; where everyone from news organizations, activists, cosmetics, clothes sellers and a new Tik Tok generation are vying for digital space.

Cambodia had close to 9 million Facebook users in 2019, 70 percent of whom are in the 18 to 30 age brackets. The social media platform is almost synonymous with the internet, though YouTube, Tik Tok, and Instagram are gaining popularity as well.

One of these young Facebook users is Rom Molyka, who is the head of content strategy for a private media startup company in Phnom Penh. The 27-year-old woman said she was a fan of Kitchen Story and often would cook the recipes for her friends.

After watching the video, you feel like cooking it because the cookware she uses, like the pots, plates, and the decorations is refreshing, said Rom Molyka.

But it is the attention to detail and the Duong Thidas attempt to get multiple shots for her videos that most impressed Rom Molyka.

The angles of the video, for example when she slices [vegetable] and when she fries them, she has the camera set on top. I really admire it when she executes the content. It has clear sequences, she said.

Among her more popular followers is human rights activist Thida Khus, who used to be the executive director at womens rights NGO Silaka. Thida Khus said she is a fan of the videos, occasionally tagging her family in the comments section to alert them to a favorite recipe.

I like her page as it gives out recipes of familiar foods I like. I like to see how people cook, Thida Khus told VOA Khmer via Facebook Messenger.

Probably most proud of Duong Thidas success is Ten Sophone, her mother. Ten Sophone said Duong Thida had liked cooking from a young age, which really helped the family.

[My husband] was very busy and so was I. I worked as a garment worker, Ten Sophone, 50, recalled. When I came back from the market, Thida would hurry to me and tell me let me do the cooking.

Ten Sophone was unaware that this youthful enthusiasm for the culinary arts would help her daughter express herself creatively, but also earn money. Duong Thida earns around $600 a month from social media advertising, a lot of which is used to sustain her operations.

At first, she did not really make an impression, but as parents, you know, we kept encouraging her that you're doing great, she said. I never thought that my daughter would do this great, she said.
KYODO NEWS - Jul 10, 2020 - 15:41 | Feature, All, Japan

Limits on the number of dogs and cats that can be kept by breeders and pet shops to ensure animals are properly cared for were discussed Friday by an Environment Ministry study group.

Under the plan, a breeder could look after up to 15 dogs or 25 cats, while a pet shop employee could care for 20 dogs or 30 cats. The difference in limits reflects the extra time a breeder needs to devote.

The ministry also proposed no breeding beyond the age of 6 amid concern the current practice of forcing aging animals to reproduce is inhumane. Exceptions will be made for dogs that have given birth up to five times, and cats nine times, in which case the breeding age limit will be 7 years old.

To address concerns about abusive breeders and pet shops that keep animals in confined spaces, the ministry wants cage sizes at least 1.5 times to triple their size, and to secure exercise space alongside exercise time of more than three hours.

Animal management licenses will be revoked for repeat offenders who do not follow regulations.

The group will finalize its plans by summer with new regulations expected to be in force next year, part of a ministerial ordinance under the revised animal protection law.

Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told a press conference Friday the specific regulations are aimed at "ensuring health and safety of animals."

Japan amended the animal protection law in June last year to ensure humane treatment of pets, but it lacks specific regulations against abusive breeders and the pet shop industry, making it hard for local authorities to crack down.

The revised law, effective June 2021, bans the sale of dogs and cats under 56 days old, as experts have pointed out animals separated from their mother early in life tend to bite more and develop other problems.

It also obliges pet shops and breeders to insert microchips in their pets by June 2022, to reduce the number of strays.
Fears are growing that the country is at risk of another Covid-19 surge after an increase in the spread of the virus as more people who were infected abroad return home.

Public health officials yesterday warned that although the virus was still at low levels there was an immediate need to take care and caution after 23 newly diagnosed cases were reported, an increase on previous weeks.

Read More

It emerged that 15 of the new infections were directly or indirectly due to foreign travel.

Acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn revealed that nine of the cases were related to one travel cluster, where the infection was picked up abroad and then spread to others, including to people in a wider community.

Prof Philip Nolan of Maynooth University, who tracks the spread of the virus, told yesterdays health briefing that the R number  which indicates how many people a person who is positive for the virus could infect  is now at or above one. The R number is used to measure how fast the disease is spreading and if it rises above one, the numbers of cases will start to grow.

Asked whether he was alarmed, he said he would sound a note of caution rather than alarm.

But he warned: There is an immediate need for all of us to take care and caution in our decisions and actions. Concern is also rising that many young people are socialising without observing physical distancing.

Dr Glynn said: Some 77pc of the new cases are under 25 years of age. Covid-19 is extremely infectious and none of us is immune. It is important we all continue to follow public health advice and risk-assess our actions.

He again appealed to people not to holiday abroad this summer  despite the expected publication next week of a green list of countries to which people could travel to return home without the need to quarantine for two weeks.

All of the new cases reported yesterday were in younger age groups who were under 44 years of age.

This is the first time this level of concentration among these younger groups was seen in newly acquired infections.

Pubs were not implicated in the clusters announced yesterday.

Among the 140 new cases of the disease diagnosed in the past week the median age of people infected was 34.

Overall, the other indicators, such as admissions to hospital or intensive care, are stable or declining.

Ireland's 14-day incidence of the virus now stands at 2.9 per 100,000, which is still among the lowest in Europe.

Another six deaths from the virus were reported yesterday, bringing the toll to 1,743.

The National Public Health Emergency Team met to review Ireland's ongoing response to and preparedness for Covid-19 as well as the next phase of reopening the country, including pubs which only serve alcohol.

Dr Glynn said it was recommending that all visitors to healthcare settings, including hospitals, GP practices and pharmacies, should wear face coverings.

There is concern that some people who are being identified as close contacts of a person who tests positive are not turning up to be tested themselves for the virus.

One in every five contacts of people who are positive are not turning up for the first round of testing and nearly half are no-shows for the second test on day seven.

There were 6,000 tests carried out for the virus last week and 0.29pc were positive.

Meanwhile, almost 3,500 pubs set to restart business on July 20 still haven't received government Covid-19 guidelines.

Meanwhile, 26 pubs that reopened on June 29 could face prosecution for breaching Covid-19 health regulations, or licensing laws, gardai have said.

The Vintners' Federation of Ireland (VFI) said the majority of rural pubs are yet to open, particularly those along the western seaboard.

In total, 3,438 pubs are due to restart business on July 20 but the VFI said they "urgently require" publication of pandemic safety guidelines.

However, gardai found potential breaches of the health regulations or licensing laws, despite provision being offered to rectify the situation, at 26 pubs opened in the third phase of restarting the economy.

Officers found customers drinking alcohol but no evidence of food being served, or no receipts to show food had been sold.

Gardai also said there was a lack of adherence to public health advice, with large groups at one table and little to no social distancing, no advisory signage, and no Covid-19 contact tracing being recorded.

Files will now be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions, gardai said.

Officers carried out 6,830 checks on pubs and restaurants between Friday, July 3 and Sunday, July 5.

Pubs serving food and restaurants were unveiled after restrictions were lifted by the Government.

Operation Navigation saw gardai check 2,785 licensed premises. The majority - 2,759 - were complying with regulations and licensing laws.

The county with the largest number of unopened pubs is Cork, with 473 premises still not opened.

This was followed by Galway (273), Tipperary (223), Kerry (221), Mayo (218) and Donegal (180).

The VFI said despite being due to open within days, the pubs still did not know how they would need to adapt their businesses to ensure they comply with the public health requirements.

The delay is "also causing anxiety in some rural communities", a VHI spokesman added.

"Many of these unopened pubs serve as the only gathering locations or hospitality venues in their area."

Publican Marie Mellett, owner of Mellett's Bar in Swinford, Co Mayo, said the lack of guidelines is hampering preparations for reopening.

"After placing public health first by agreeing to close our business over 120 days ago, we're now crying out for the guidelines that will allow us to reopen," Ms Mellett said.

"Where are the guidelines? We're literally just days away from July 20 but there's nothing from the Government.

"For most rural pubs the bar counter is where all the action is, but we don't even know if bar stools will be allowed.

"If they're not, the impact on small pubs will be massive as many of our customers will only sit at the bar."

Visit our Covid-19 vaccine dashboard for updates on the roll out of the vaccination program and the rate of Coronavirus cases Ireland

Publican Joe Sheridan, of Walsh's Bar in Dunmore, Co Galway, said: "The guidelines are critically important for publicans, who urgently need information about what work needs to be completed before we open."
Sur La Table, the upscale cookware company, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Wednesday, dealing another blow to brick-and-mortar retail. The company has started liquidating 51 of its 121 U.S. stores, according to court filings, which it said were in shopping centers and traditional shopping malls or as stand-alone storefronts.

The privately held retailer, founded in 1972 at Seattles Pike Place market, said that it expected to sell up to 70 stores to Fortress Investment Group, which is working with STORY3 Capital Partners. Sur La Table said in court filings that the deal would preserve nearly 2,000 jobs and the companys online business and cooking classes.

Sur La Table is at least the eighth specialty retailer or department store chain to file for bankruptcy since May, as the pandemic forced temporary closures of nonessential businesses. The company, which recently posting annual revenue of about $346 million, said its sales had been declining for five years that it had been betting on growth in cooking classes. It filed for bankruptcy protection on the same day as Brooks Brothers.  Sapna Maheshwari
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (JTA)  Over seventy years ago, Temple Beth El and Temple Israel in Charlotte were approached by the United Daughters of the Confederacy to support the placement of a monument dedicated to Judah P. Benjamin, a Southerner and a Jew, who played an important role in the Confederacy.

While our respective Boards voted to participate, there were almost immediate misgivings. At the time of the monuments installation in 1948, the Daughters of the Confederacy were in an open dispute with the national and state-wide chapters advocating for the monument, while the local chapter leveled anti-Semitic attacks against our Jewish community.

Both congregations removed their support for the monument and the rabbis called for it not to be erected. Unfortunately, the monument  which contains both Temples names  was installed over the objections. The United Daughters of the Confederacy donated the monument to the City of Charlotte, which resides in the 200 block of South Tryon Street in Uptown Charlotte, precisely next to the recent Black Lives Matter art installations.

Our congregations leadership has tried to get the monument removed for many years. Every time we have tried, the citys lawyers have cited North Carolinas laws, which prevent the removal of the monument and requires it to be relocated to a similarly prominent location. There has never been the will to change or challenge the laws. So, we are forced to once again ask the age-old Jewish question: If not now, when?

The loss of life and dignity through slavery was staggering. The reverberations of racism and inequality still plague our city and our country. Erected well after the Civil War, the monument is nothing more than a show of white supremacy and solidarity towards segregationist principles. The monument has no actual historical meaning or importance. Judah P. Benjamin was not a member of our community. His only claim to Charlotte was that he spent a few days in our city while fleeing capture.

On behalf of our respective synagogues, we have again requested that the City of Charlotte remove the monument from South Tryon. Now is the time. While we understand that the City of Charlotte may be challenged by the laws of our state, we ask for the Citys support.

Other cities and states across the country are making the decision to remove these types of monuments and statues. Removing these symbols is imperative. The monument was recently damaged and defaced. We know that the monument is painful for many people. All Charlotteans should be comfortable in our city. Together, we can build an anti-racist city by directly confronting the scourge of slavery, segregation, and racism. We can construct a future that emphasizes our shared humanity.

We should neither celebrate the Confederacy nor honor the legacy of white supremacy. The monument does not belong in a place of prominence within our city, just like German cities do not memorialize or erect statues to Nazis.

This letter originally appeared on the website of Temple Beth El of Charlotte, North Carolina, and was reprinted with permission.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.
In the midst of Indias tense border standoff with China, US aerospace major Boeing delivered the final five of the 22 Apache attack helicopters to the Indian Air Force last month, and the fleet has now been part of the assets deployed in key air bases along the Line of Actual Control, officials said on Friday.

Boeing said it completed delivery of all 22 Apache and 15 Chinook military helicopters to the IAF and is fully committed to meet their operational needs of the Indian armed forces.

Read here: Back story of how India readied its fleet of Chinook, Apache attack choppers

The AH-64E Apache is one of the worlds most advanced multi-role combat helicopters, and is flown by the US Army. The Chinook is a multi-role, vertical-lift platform, primarily used for transporting troops, artillery, equipment and fuel.

India finalised a multi-billion dollar contract with Boeing to procure 22 Apache helicopters and 15 Chinooks for the IAF in September 2015.

Both the Apache and Chinook helicopters have been pressed into service as part of the IAFs deployment along the LAC in view of the bitter standoff with China in eastern Ladakh, officials said.

With this delivery of military helicopters, we continue to nurture this partnership and are fully committed to working closely with Indias defence forces to deliver the right value and capabilities to meet their operational needs, said Surendra Ahuja, Managing Director, Boeing Defence India. India is one of 17 nations to select the Apache and has the most advanced variant, the AH-64E Apache.

Defence and security ties between India and the US have been on an upswing in the last six years. The bilateral defence trade touched USD 18 billion mark in 2019, reflecting growing defence cooperation between the two sides.

Both sides have also been pushing for joint venture and collaboration between private sectors of the two countries in defence manufacturing.

In June 2016, the US had designated India a Major Defence Partner, intending to elevate defence trade and technology sharing with New Delhi to a level commensurate with that of its closest allies and partners.

In a statement, Boeing said the AH-64E Apache has an improved modernised target acquisition designation system that provides day and night target tracking system.

In addition to classifying air and ground targets, the fire control radar has been updated to operate in the maritime environment. It is uniquely suited to meet a commanders needs, including reconnaissance, security, peacekeeping operations, and lethal attack, across myriad environments - without reconfiguration, the Boeing said.

It said 20 defence forces around the world either have Chinooks in service, or are on contract to receive them. The iconic tandem-rotor helicopter has been the worlds most reliable and efficient heavy-lift helicopter for more than 50 years, allowing customers to operate in climatic (hot), altitude (high), and crosswind conditions, the company said. It said the CH-47F(I) Chinook contains a modern machined airframe, a common avionics architecture system cockpit, and a digital automatic flight control system. Those innovations and technologies will help the Indian Air Force meet evolving mission demands, maximize interoperability, and reduce life-cycle costs, it said.

Earlier this year, India and the US signed a contract for the acquisition of six Apaches for the Indian Army during President Donald Trumps visit to Delhi. Boeings joint venture with Tata in Hyderabad has been producing aero-structures for the AH-64 Apache helicopter for both US Army and international customers.
(Natural News) Mark this one down as a new low in CNNs abominable race to the bottom in contemptuousness and repulsiveness. Minutes after political commentator Angela Rye dismissed Thomas Jefferson as no different than rapper R. Kelly, far-left hosts Chris Fredo Cuomo and Don Lemon dismissed, giggled about, and mocked the idea that theres rising crime in major cities, including outbreaks of gun violence.

(Article by Curtis Houck republished from NewsBusters.org)

In other words, Cuomo and Lemon chose to cast as fake news the deadly gun violence thats lead to the recent deaths of young African-Americans like Horace Lorenzo Anderson Jr., Davon McNeal, and Secoriea Turner in Seattle, Washington D.C., and Atlanta, respectively.

During the hand-off to Lemons CNN Tonight, the two were discussing hate charges being filed against a California man and woman for trying to paint over a Black Lives Matter street mural when Cuomo began making a broader point lumping together anyone and everyone whos not fully invested with the BLM movement.

[I]t all fits together, D. The lies about the pandemic. The lies about, you know, what this President will make happen the lies of those around him echo of support. Lies about what Black Lives Matter is about. Its all about creating division. And making, you know, in a country that is well over 70 percent white, if this happens, it is bad for you, Cuomo opined, which served as an apt summary for CNNs churlishness and juvenile operation.

Cuomo then invoked the Fox News Channel with the tiresome label of State TV and argued that FNC literally say[s] the things quoted above.

Lemon gleefully jumped in to condemn the right-wing machine and media as kick[ing] into action whenever there are negative polls released about President Trump.

After Cuomo added the Presidents tweets about the Confederate flag, both Cuomo and Lemon lowered their voices as if to mockingly dismiss hypothetical statements made on FNC that, yes, included gun violence in major cities:

LEMON: Democratic cities are in chaos right now. Is this what you want from Joe Biden? And theyre gonna take your country away. And theyre taking down the statues. CUOMO: Crime is rising! LEMON: Crime is rising! CUOMO: Defund police. LEMON: Oh my gosh! Its so bad and they get defunding the police. And its like  [ROLLS EYES] And the people who you saw there for the most part  not  not them specifically. Im talking about as a whole. Fall for it. They fall for it and thats why they do things like what they did. They want to paint over signs and think its our country.

Huh. Let that serve as a reminder (alongside Lemons verbal tussle with Terry Crews on Monday night) that some crimes are less important than others to far too many of CNN personalities. If the death of a cherished child of God and hope of America can help Zuckerville promote its divisive ideology dividing the American people, so be it. If not, why not unleash a few chuckles?

With an assist from our friend Reagan Battalion (who tweeted those from KCBS, the New York Daily News, the first New York Times link, and WCBS), here are a few headlines from establishment media outlets about the rising gun violence to fact-check Chris and Don (click expand):

The following advertisers were but a sampling of those who provided financial support to Tuesdays show that mocked deadly gun violence in our major cities: Amazon Prime, Clear Choice, Consumer Cellular, and Progressive. Follow the hyperlinks for contact information to inform these advertisers of what their money gave support to.

To see the relevant transcript from July 7s CNN Tonight, click expand.
Every Thursday, the internet starts to swarm with "throwback" images with people across the world taking to social media platforms to share old photos of themselves in a bid to remember the good old' times. This "Throwback Thursday", however, was owned by American astronaut Dr. Buzz Aldrin who also happens to be one of the first persons to step foot on the moon following Neil Armstrong. Taking to the microblogging site Twitter, Aldrin shared an image of Planet Earth as seen from the surface of the moon in 1969.

The image was seemingly taken in 1969 when Aldrin, along with Armstrong and Michael Collins, became the first humans to achieve a successful moon landing aborad the Apollo 11 spacecraft.

"This view of home never gets old," Aldrin tweeted with the hashtag #ThrowbackThursday.

The moonwalker's photo raked in thousands of likes on Twitter with many commenting on the breathtaking and unique beauty of the image. Yet others such as astronaut Richards Garriott even suggested Aldrin should give space travel another try since he was still in great shape.

Buzz... lets go back! I mean with you. Youd love it, wed love it. Then onward to Mars. I know a younger generation is now in charge, but your still in great shape. Lets go! Richard Garriott (@RichardGarriott) July 9, 2020

@TheRealBuzz My oldest son Tobias (6) just said that it is so funny that our earth is so tiny and so beautiful at the same time. My youngest son Timo (4) thinks that you are the bravest and most beautiful.  I say there is nothing more to add.. but.. Greetings from Germany Christian Katczynski (@realkatczynski) July 9, 2020

What do you do after you have walked on the moon? Seriously, what goals do you set? Atlatl_man (@AtlatlMan) July 9, 2020

Aldrin has been active in the last few months, speaking out about his experience of quarantine to help people get through the coronavirus pandemic. Aldrin along with the fellow moonwalkers on Apollo 11 had spent three weeks in quarantine after their return from the historic mission to ensure they did not spread any "space germs" on Earth.

In April, the 90-year-old Aldrin announced he will be auctioning off signed photographs of the quarantine period aboard the Airstream trailer in the USS Hornet aircraft to raise funds to help fight coronavirus
Dublin, July 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Smart Water Management Market - Growth, Trends, Forecasts (2020 - 2025)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global smart water management market was valued at USD 7.14 billion in 2019, and it is expected to reach USD 13.81 billion by 2025, registering a CAGR of 12.31% during the forecast period.



More than two-third of the world's population will be living in water-scarce areas by 2025, according to Xylem. By 2050, the demand for water is expected to increase by 55%, compared to the 2015 level, due to contamination, which leads to the destruction of water resources by humans.



The worldwide demand for water from the growing population, increasing urbanization, and the cost implications of maintaining aging infrastructure are among the major factors driving the growth of the smart water management market.



Similarly, with the proliferation of IoT, smart cities across various regions are also expected to promote the growth of the market studied. Technological advancements in smart meters and their integration with communication solutions (SCADA, GIS, etc.) have transformed water management in addressing the challenges faced by water utilities, residents, and industries, in terms of erroneous billing and water management.



Owing to the global demand, the need to address the operational issues of water management becomes crucial. Consequently, the adoption of smart water management technologies is expected to gain traction. The smart water management ecosystem consists of sensors, smart meters, communication infrastructure, and supporting software to enable two-way communication, thus, allowing users to gather actionable information and make informed decisions about optimized water distribution and usage.

Whereas, the market comprises technology giants, like IBM, Schneider Electric, Hitachi Ltd, Utility Systems, and SUEZ Group, who provide smart water management solutions with advanced cloud-based monitoring technologies, smart meter manufacturers (Honeywell, Sensus, etc.), and software providers, like Esri and i20Water Solutions.

Key Market Trends



Residential Vertical to Record Huge Penetration

Residential usage of water accounts for a large portion of water consumption, globally, as water is considered to be one of the luxuries that need to be conserved efficiently. Therefore, technology also plays a vital role in making people liable for misuse of water.

Consumers are upgrading their residences by adopting smart water management software and hardware. This adoption rate is rapidly proliferating, as software and hardware are becoming cheaper and affordable.

For instance, WEGoT, a utility solution provider, provides sensor-based Internet of Things (IoT) devices and a software platform, VenAqua, which helps in reducing the demand for water by more than 50%, especially in residential buildings, by tracking real-time flow. The granular data collected from various installations across residential buildings is analyzed, and the insights are shared with the end-users on a mobile app.

Digitization, along with the adoption of connected technologies, is impacting all applications of smart water management solutions, by revolutionizing the way smart water management systems interact with the surroundings in the residential sector.

Asia-Pacific to Record the Fastest Growth Rate

The Asia-Pacific region is home to more than 2.1 billion urban residents, with over two-third estimated to be living in cities by 2050. The region comprises countries with substantial non-revenue water (NRW) losses, like India (with almost 60% of revenue losses from the total water distributed) and Singapore, among others. Such figures signify the need for water management and indicate the potential for market growth in the region.

The rising number of smart cities in the region is expected to create substantial business opportunities for the smart water management solution providers. Accounting for about half a million dollars, India is planning to build over 100 smart cities by 2022, which is expected to impact the total population of almost 1 billion. Also, Singapore spent over USD 1 billion in smart city initiatives in FY 2019. Such smart city initiatives in the region are expected to provide a huge scope for the adoption of advanced metering infrastructure.

Significant initiatives, to develop smart water systems, are evident in the Asian countries, like Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand, among others, indicating the scope for the growth of the market. Japan, which has relatively lower NRW (US-24%), invests in water management infrastructure. Japan, with the aid of its Japan Water Research Center (JWRC), plans to achieve a 100% smart water meter rollout by 2025.

Countries, such as India, are witnessing increased investments in the start-ups that are operating in the market. In October 2019, WEGoT, an IoT-based start-up, announced that it received an investment of USD 2 million in seed funding. The company offers integrated water management solutions in real-time to prevent and address the water crisis.

Competitive Landscape



The smart water management market is fragmented due to the presence of a large number of companies. Some of the major companies include IBM, GE, Siemens, among others. Some key recent developments in the market include:

September 2019 - IBM applied big data technology to improve water security in northern Kenya. IBM Research-Africa developed a cloud-hosted water management platform that connects a network of sensors for monitoring water levels and groundwater extraction rates in boreholes.

September 2019 - Siemens and Grundfos signed a digital partnership framework for the strategic cooperation between the two companies. The new partnership focuses on the complementary products and solutions provided by both parties in three main areas: water and wastewater applications, industrial automation, and building technology.

Key Topics Covered



1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Study Assumptions and Market Definitions

1.2 Scope of the Study



2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY



3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY



4 MARKET DYNAMICS

4.1 Market Overview

4.2 Market Drivers

4.2.1 Growing Need to Manage the Increasing Global Demand for Water

4.2.2 Increasing Demand to Reduce Non-revenue Water Losses

4.3 Market Challenges

4.3.1 Lack of Capital Investments to Install Infrastructure

4.4 Porter's Five Forces Analysis

4.4.1 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

4.4.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers/Consumers

4.4.3 Threat of New Entrants

4.4.4 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry

4.4.5 Threat of Substitute Products

4.5 Value Chain/Supply Chain Analysis

4.6 Assessment of Impact of COVID-19 on the Industry



5 MARKET SEGMENTATION

5.1 Type

5.1.1 Solution

5.1.1.1 Asset Management

5.1.1.2 Distribution Network Monitoring

5.1.1.3 Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)

5.1.1.4 Meter Data Management (MDM)

5.1.1.5 Analytics

5.1.1.6 Other Solutions

5.1.2 Service

5.1.2.1 Managed Services

5.1.2.2 Professional Services

5.2 End-user Vertical

5.2.1 Residential

5.2.2 Commercial

5.2.3 Industrial

5.3 Geography

5.3.1 North America

5.3.2 Europe

5.3.3 Asia-Pacific

5.3.4 Latin America

5.3.5 Middle-East and Africa



6 COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

6.1 Company Profiles

6.1.1 ABB Ltd.

6.1.2 IBM Corporation

6.1.3 Suez Group

6.1.4 Honeywell International Inc.

6.1.5 Schneider Electric (+ Aveva)

6.1.6 Siemens AG

6.1.7 Utility Systems (Micro Mega Holdings Limited)

6.1.8 Hitachi Ltd.

6.1.9 Arad Group

6.1.10 TaKaDu Limited

6.1.11 Sensus Inc. (Xylem Inc.)

6.1.12 Itron Inc.

6.1.13 i2O Water Ltd.

6.1.14 Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.

6.1.15 Esri Geographic Information System Company

6.2 Investment Analysis



7 MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE TRENDS



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/bayhql

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.
In 2019, the global poultry market increased by 6% to $231.5bn, rising for the third consecutive year after two years of decline.

The market value increased at an average annual rate of +4.4% from 2009 to 2019. The growth pace was the most rapid in 2011 with an increase of 11% year-on-year. Global consumption peaked in 2019 and is expected to retain growth in the near future.

Poultry consumption by country

Market forecast 2020-2030

Global poultry production

Production by country

Exports

Exports by country

Export prices by country

This according to the latest report published by IndexBox.Driven by increasing demand for poultry worldwide, the market is expected to continue an upward consumption trend over the next decade. Market performance is forecast to decelerate, expanding with an anticipated CAGR of +2.3% for the period from 2019 to 2030, which is projected to bring the market volume to 166 million tonnes by the end of 2030.The countries with the highest volumes of poultry consumption in 2019 were China (20 million tonnes), the U.S. (19 million tonnes), and Brazil (12 million tonnes), with a combined 40% share of global consumption. These countries were followed by Russia, Mexico, India, Japan, Indonesia, Iran, South Africa, Malaysia, and Myanmar, which together accounted for a further 21%.In value terms, China ($53.4bn) led the market, alone. The second position in the ranking was occupied by the U.S. ($21.3bn). It was followed by Brazil.The countries with the highest levels of poultry per capita consumption in 2019 were Malaysia (63 kg per person), the U.S. (58 kg per person), and Brazil (57 kg per person).From 2009 to 2019, the most notable rate of growth in terms of poultry per capita consumption, amongst the leading consuming countries, was attained by Myanmar, while poultry per capita consumption for the other global leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.According to FAO forecasts, global poultry meat production will reach 137 million tonnes in 2020. Growth is expected in China, the EU, Britain, Brazil, and Mexico, while production decline is possible in India, Thailand, Turkey, and the U.S., poultry production is projected to grow, albeit slowly, due to relatively steady demand amid high pork prices. Although the discovery of new HPAI cases at the beginning of the year in some European countries forced China to ban imports of live birds from these suppliers. However, the impact on domestic production is likely to be limited, since the measure coincided with the lifting of the 2015 ban on imports of live poultry from the United States.New investments in processing capacity are expected to increase poultry production in the EU and the UK. However, a positive outlook could become negative if the recent fall in prices associated with Covid-19 continues. Slaughter of birds in countries where new cases of HPAI have been diagnosed may also hinder production growth in the EU this year., poultry production is projected to increase driven by growing demand for imports, especially in China, as well as in other countries that are attracted by Brazil's status as a supplier of products with high biosafety standards.Growth in poultry meat production is also projected to continue in South Africa due to strong consumer demand, and in Mexico because of competitive feed prices.In contrast, poultry meat production in India is likely to decline as the outflow of labour from cities after the Covid-19 lockdown reduced the availability of workforce in this sector, which also led to a decrease in consumer demand.Similarly, in Thailand, a sharp drop in demand for poultry meat from the food retail sector, including street food, is driving the expected decline in production. However, the prospects for production in 2020 could be positive if efforts by the government to persuade Asian countries, especially China, Japan and the Republic of Korea, to import more poultry meat are successful.In the United States, declining food sales and labour shortages have led the sector to abandon expansion plans and reduce the share of large poultry production preferred by HoReCa. It is also reported that the requirements for maintaining distances between workspaces in processing plants reduce the efficiency of meat processing, which leads to a drop in production.In 2019, the amount of poultry produced worldwide expanded to 130M tonnes, growing by 3.7% against the previous year's figure. The total output volume increased at an average annual rate of +3.4% from 2009 to 2019; the trend pattern remained relatively stable, with somewhat noticeable fluctuations being observed throughout the analysed period.The pace of growth appeared the most rapid in 2010 with an increase of 4.7% against the previous year. Global production peaked in 2019 and is expected to retain growth in years to come. The generally positive trend in terms output was largely conditioned by a perceptible increase in the number of producing animals and a relatively flat trend pattern in yield figures.The countries with the highest volumes of poultry production in 2019 were the U.S. (23 million tonnes), China (20 million tonnes), and Brazil (16 million tonnes), with a combined 45% share of global production. Russia, India, Mexico, Indonesia, Turkey, Japan, Iran, Argentina, and Myanmar lagged somewhat behind, together comprising a further 20%.From 2009 to 2019, the most notable rate of growth in terms of poultry production, amongst the key producing countries, was attained by Russia, while poultry production for the other global leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.For the fourth year in a row, the global market recorded growth in overseas shipments of poultry, which increased by 2.2% to 17M tonnes in 2019. The total export volume increased at an average annual rate of +3.3% over the period from 2009 to 2019.In value terms, poultry exports rose to $27.3B (IndexBox estimates) in 2019. Over the period under review, global exports reached the maximum at $28.5B in 2014; however, from 2015 to 2019, exports remained at a lower figure.Brazil (4 million tonnes) and the U.S. (3.6M tonnes) represented the main exporters of poultry in 2019, resulting in at approx. 24% and 22% of total exports, respectively. It was distantly followed by the Netherlands (1.5 million tonnes) and Poland (1.5 million tonnes), together generating an 18% share of total exports.Belgium (509K tonnes), Turkey (493,000 tonnes), Germany (473,000 tonnes), France (398,000 tonnes), Ukraine (361,000 tonnes), the UK (359,000 tonnes), Hong Kong (328,000 tonnes) and Thailand (295,000 tonnes) followed a long way behind the leaders.From 2009 to 2019, the biggest increases were in Ukraine, while shipments for the other global leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.In value terms, the largest poultry supplying countries worldwide were Brazil ($6.5bn), the U.S. ($3.7bn), and Poland ($2.9bn), with a combined 48% share of global exports. These countries were followed by the Netherlands, Germany, France, Belgium, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Hong Kong, and the UK, which together accounted for a further 31%.The average poultry export price stood at $1,644 per tonne in 2019, remaining relatively unchanged against the previous year. In general, the export price, however, continues to indicate a relatively flat trend pattern. The most prominent rate of growth was recorded in 2011 when the average export price increased by 11% year-to-year. The global export price peaked at $1,893 per tonne in 2013; however, from 2014 to 2019, export prices remained at a lower figure.There were significant differences in the average prices amongst the major exporting countries. In 2019, the country with the highest price was Thailand ($2,683 per tonne), while the U.S. ($1,045 per tonne) was amongst the lowest.From 2009 to 2019, the most notable rate of growth in terms of prices was attained by Thailand, while the other global leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.
The World Health Organization (WHO) in Africa joined immunization experts in urging the international community and countries in Africa to take concrete actions to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, as researchers around the world race to find effective protection against the virus.



It is clear that as the international community comes together to develop safe and effective vaccines and therapeutics for COVID-19, equity must be a central focus of these efforts, said the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti,.



Too often, African countries end up at the back of the queue for new technologies, including vaccines. These life-saving products must be available to everyone, not only those who can afford to pay.



WHO and partners launched the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator to speed up the development, production and equitable access to COVID-19 diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines. It brings together leaders of government, global health organizations civil society groups, businesses and philanthropies to form a plan for an equitable response to the COVID-19 pandemic.



WHO is collaborating with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to ensure a fair allocation of vaccines to all countries, aiming to deliver 2 billion doses globally for high-risk populations, including 1 billion for low and middle-income countries.



The African Union has endorsed the need for Africa to develop a framework to actively engage in the development and access to COVID-19 vaccines. Countries can take steps now that will strengthen health systems, improve immunization delivery, and pave the way for the introduction of a COVID-19 vaccine.



These include: mobilizing financial resources; strengthening local vaccine manufacturing and regulatory, supply and distribution systems; building workforce skills and knowledge; enhancing outreach services; and listening to community concerns to counter misinformation.



Globally, there are nearly 150 COVID-19 vaccine candidates and currently 19 are in clinical trials. South Africa is the first country on the continent to start a clinical trial with the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg testing a vaccine developed by the Oxford Jenner Institute in the United Kingdom.



The South African Ox1Cov-19 Vaccine VIDA-Trial is expected to involve 2000 volunteers aged 1865 years and include some people living with HIV. The vaccine is already undergoing trials in the United Kingdom and Brazil with thousands of participants.



According to the African Academy of Sciences only 2% of clinical trials conducted worldwide occur in Africa. It is important to test the COVID-19 vaccine in countries where it is needed to ensure that it will be effective.



With more than 215 000 cases, South Africa accounts for 43% of the continents total cases. Clinical trials must be performed according to international and national scientific and ethical standards, which include informed consent for any participant.



I encourage more countries in the region to join these trials so that the contexts and immune response of populations in Africa are factored in to studies, said Dr Moeti.



Africa has the scientific expertise to contribute widely to the search for an effective COVID-19 vaccine. Indeed, our researchers have helped develop vaccines which provide protection against communicable diseases such as meningitis, Ebola, yellow fever and a number of other common health threats in the region.



Earlier, this month WHO Africas principle advisory group on immunization policies and programmes  the African Regional Immunization Technical Advisory Group (RITAG)  also noted the need to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 and other vaccines in the region.



As the world focuses on finding a vaccine for COVID-19, we must ensure people do not forget that dozens of lifesaving vaccines already exist. These vaccines should reach children everywhere in Africa  no one can be left behind, said Professor Helen Rees, Chair of the RITAG.



Initial analysis of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on immunization in the African Region suggests that millions of African children are likely to be negatively impacted, as routine immunization services and vaccination campaigns for polio, cholera, measles, yellow fever, meningitis and human papilloma virus have been disrupted.



Despite these challenges, RITAG members also noted significant milestones and markers of progress. For example, there have been tremendous gains in the fight against wild poliovirus, and the African Region is expected to be officially certified free of wild poliovirus in August 2020. The Democratic Republic of the Congo also announced the end of its 10th Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC, which was the worst in its history. An effective vaccine was a key tool in the response.



Dr Moeti spoke about COVID-19 vaccine development in Africa during a virtual press conference on Thursday, July 9 organized by APO Group. She was joined by Professor Shabir Madhi, University of Witwatersrand, Principal Investigator of Oxford Covid-19 Vaccine Trial in South Africa; and Professor Pontiano Kaleebu, Director of the MCR/UVRI and LSHTM Ugandan Research Unit.



The briefing was streamed on more than 300 African news sites as well as the WHO Regional Office for Africas Twitter and Facebook accounts.







Source: WHO









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Though decades have passed, whenever talking with the Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Vientiane, Lao leaders highly appreciate President Ho Chi Minh's contributions, especially his experiences and lessons that he shared in the process of helping the Lao revolution, confirming that these lessons are still valuable nowadays.

As a secretary to the late President Kaysone Phomvihane since 1964, despite his old age of over 70 years old, former Deputy Prime Minister of Laos Somsavat Lengsavath still remembers clearly the stories that the late President Kaysone Phomvihane told about President Ho Chi Minh, in particular the way that Uncle Ho supported the Lao revolutions development.

President Ho Chi Minh received Mr. Kaysone Phomvihane in 1966. (Documentary photo)

According to Mr. Somsavat, since the late 1940s, President Ho Chi Minh advised President Kaysone that, in order to make the revolution a success, it must first build a revolutionary base by meeting people and living with people. Uncle Ho also shared with Mr. Kaysone about Vietnam's experience in building a war zone, which was considered a very valuable experience, encouraging the late President Kaysone to choose Hua Phan province, bordering Vietnam, to be the base of the Lao revolution.

Mr. Somsavat said that after the base was established, Uncle Ho assigned General Vo Nguyen Giap to directly coordinate with President Kaysone to support Laos in building the army. Thanks to the base, the devoted support and the wise advice of President Ho Chi Minh, the Lao Itsala Army was established on January 20th, 1949. In order to unite the Lao people to follow the revolution, President Ho Chi Minh also advised Mr. Kaysone to attach great importance to the front work, And in 1950, Neo Lao Itsala (Free Lao Front) chaired by Prince Suphanouvong was set up. According to Mr. Somsavat, the advice of President Ho Chi Minh is "very accurate and suitable to the typical situation of Laos", helping the Lao revolution grow and gain from victory to victory during national liberation, construction and development.

Talking about President Ho Chi Minh's contributions to the Lao revolution, Saysomphone Phomvihane, Politburo member and Chairman of the Lao Front for National Construction, said that President Ho Chi Minh always cared about building a great united front by the people and for the people. He always advised Lao leaders that in order to defeat the imperialists, they had to rely on the people, take the people as the root, and the power to win is the power of the people. From the advice of President Ho Chi Minh, Neo Lao Itsala was established in 1950. After the establishment, President Ho Chi Minh always advised Lao leaders to focus on building unity, considering it a source of success.

According to Mr. Saysomphone Phomvihane, President Ho Chi Minh's advice to the Central Committee of the Lao Front in the 1950s is an invaluable heritage and remains valuable for Laos' national front organization until today. Following the advice of President Ho Chi Minh, Laos' revolutionary movement has continuously developed, under the leadership of the Indochinese Communist Party as well as the Lao Revolutionary People's Party, the Free Lao Front mobilized the people of Laos across the country to unite to struggle. As a result, the Laos-Vietnam Struggle Alliance and Laos-Vietnam-Cambodia Combined Front defeated the French colonialists.

Later, when it was changed to Neo Lao Hak Sat (Patriotic Lao Front) in 1956, the Central Committee of the Lao Front continued to perform the central role of uniting the Lao people together with Vietnam and Cambodia, and take advantage of the support of the system of socialist countries and the peace-loving forces in the world, to defeat the American imperialists and henchmen. As a result, Vietnam unified the country on April 30th, 1975, while Laos established the Lao People's Democratic Republic on December 2nd, 1975.

For Mr. Kikeo Khaykhamphithoun, Secretary of the Lao Party Central Committee, former Head of the Lao Party Central Committee Commission on Popularization and Education, and Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism of Laos, President Ho Chi Minh has always been a close friend to the Lao people and the one who has a great role and has made great contributions to the Lao revolution.

According to Mr. Kikeo, President Ho Chi Minh always took care and guided the way for the Lao revolution. Particularly, he paid great attention to the work of building the forces of the Lao revolution, considering this a decisive factor of the Lao revolution. He was always worried and often asked about the issue of building the Lao Party, cadres and army.

Mr. Kikeo said President Ho Chi Minh also regularly reminded President Kaysone Phomvihane that the revolutionary career of the Lao people is to be close to the people, to understand the people, to attach importance to the education, encouragement and organization of people.

He stressed that President Ho Chi Minh played a very important role in the Lao revolution, and President Ho Chi Minh's noble ideology and revolutionary spirit is the torch to light the way and mobilize peoples strength to help the Lao revolution to report victories. The next generations and the whole Lao people are always grateful to President Ho Chi Minh, pledging to realize and apply his advice in the process of building and developing the country at present, especially in preserving and promoting the special solidarity between Laos and Vietnam, making it everlasting, he went on to say./.
LANSDALE  If youve tried to pick up some takeout from any of Lansdales restaurants since the arrival of COVID-19, you may have noticed some short-term parking spaces on Main Street.

Should those spaces be made more permanent? Thats a question council has begun to take up.

Weve all worked really hard to help our local businesses, and I want to commend everybody  I think we did a tremendous amount, said police Chief Mike Trail.

We did such a good job, local businesses are asking us: Hey, can we keep some of these measures in place?' he said.

As Montgomery County has allowed restaurants and other businesses to reopen in recent weeks, Lansdales staff, including police, management and the code enforcement department, have all met with business owners to discuss their needs, such as the closure of part of Wood Street for outdoor dining, Trail told council on July 1. One main request that has come forward from those discussions has been to keep, at least for the near-term, a handful of parking spaces on Main Street available for those picking up orders.

Currently, those spaces exist as a result of the emergency declaration. When that declaration is lifted, the ordinance that regulates parking on Main Street would now come into effect, Trail said.

Which means: all the spots on Main Street are metered parking, for however many hours and/or minutes are there. If council would like to entertain the idea of creating 15-minute parking on Main Street for businesses  which I dont object to  it needs to come in the form of an ordinance, he said.

Councilwoman Meg Currie Teoh asked if those spaces would be designated for use by any specific business, and Trail said they could not.

Weve identified some areas where we think we could do this, and it would have minimal impact, but would also allow for those businesses that desire 15-minute parking to have it, he said.

Borough Manager John Ernst added that under the boroughs current emergency declaration, six spots have been designated as, for lack of a better term, curbside pick-up, and the draft ordinance could cut that number by two.

If we move, or when we move, out of the emergency declaration, and we move toward the creation of an ordinance, should council decide to do that, I believe we talked about reducing that number to four, he said.

Similar talks have been held by the boroughs Economic Development Committee, the manager added, and EDC could put forward formal proposals to council in August.

That group has heard from a couple of business owners about their thoughts regarding the potential for permanent, designated parking, said Ernst.

I think the business community is looking to EDC to continue the conversation a little further, he said.

Mayor Garry Herbert asked how enforcement of the short-term parking spaces would be handled. Trail said his department has had experience enforcing similar limits in the designated permit parking zones near the towns main train station, and on Madison Street where new short-term spaces were added as apartments were built atop the former parking lot there.

We think weve done a very good job of enforcing it, as best we can, Trail said.

If we earmark the spots properly, and do a significant amount of enforcement, we can make changes much like weve seen on Madison Street, he said.

Since talks on short-term parking began in earnest in mid-June, according to the chief, he has had officers monitor the spots already designated for short-term parking, and Ive seen those spots be free 80 percent of the time.

I know were turning cars over. Its a challenge, but we can do it, he said.

Lansdales borough council next meets at 7 p.m. on July 15 and the economic development committee next meets at 6:30 p.m. on July 20; for more information visit www.Lansdale.org.
A new study led by Rutgers University researchers suggests that incarceration and police discrimination may contribute to HIV, depression and anxiety among Black men who are gay, bisexual or other sexual minorities.

For the study, the research team looked at the links between incarceration, police and law enforcement discrimination and recent arrest with Black sexual minority mens psychological distress, risk for HIV and willingness to take pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention.

Evidence suggests Black sexual minority men in the United States may face some of the highest rates of policing and incarceration in the world, said lead author Devin English, assistant professor at the Rutgers School of Public Health in New Jersey.

Despite this, research examining the health impacts of the U.S. carceral system rarely focuses on their experiences. This study helps to address this gap.

We examined how incarceration and police discrimination, which have roots in enforcing White supremacy and societal heterosexism, are associated with some of the most pressing health crises among Black sexual minority men like depression, anxiety and HIV, English added.

The researchers published their findings in Social Science & Medicine, a peer-reviewed health and social sciences journal by Elsevier.

To conduct the study, the research team surveyed 1,172 Black gay, bisexual, and other sexual minority men over the age of 16 from across the United States who reported behaviors that increased their risk for HIV over the previous six months.

Participants reported on their incarceration history, experiences of police and law enforcement discrimination, anxiety and depression, sexual behavior, and willingness to take pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention.

The study findings show that 43% of the study participants reported they had experienced police discrimination within the previous year, which was most frequent among those with a history of incarceration. Study participants who had experienced high levels of police discrimination within the previous year also tended to show high levels of psychological distress and HIV risk, and a low willingness to take PrEP compared with their peers.

The study also found that participants who were previously incarcerated or recently arrested had a heightened HIV risk and a lower willingness to take PrEP.

These findings transcend individual-level only explanations to offer structural-level insights about how we think about Black sexual minority mens HIV risk, says co-author Lisa Bowleg, professor of psychology at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. The study rightly directs attention to the structural intersectional discrimination that negatively affects Black sexual minority mens health.

The research paper states that the findings support the need for anti-racist and anti-heterosexist advocacy and interventions focused on reducing discrimination in U.S. society, and the carceral system specifically.

Despite experiencing a disproportionate burden of violence and discrimination at the hands of the police, and extremely high carceral rates, Black queer men are largely invisible in discourse on anti-Black policing and incarceration, says co-author Joseph Carter, doctoral student of health psychology at the City University of New Yorks Graduate Center. Our study provides empirical support for the intersectional health impacts of police and carceral discrimination that have been systemically perpetrated onto Black queer men.

The study was funded by the National Institute of Health (NIH).

Source: Rutgers University
KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- A well-known local frozen treat vendor was shot Wednesday evening. Police said it happened at North Drury and Scarritt after a botched robbery attempt. A man people know as Roberto has become a fixture to this community.
The Joker malware is one of the most persistent threats plaguing the popular app store, according to Google, and now its back.

The Joker malware, which stole money from peoples account by signing them up for premium subscriptions, is back on the Google Playstore, just months after Google said it won against the malware after a three-year-long fight. Its one of the most persistent threats plaguing the popular app store, according to Google, and now its back.

A report from cybersecurity firm Check Point claims new variants of the malware, termed Joker Dropper and Premium Dialer Spyware was spotted in Google Play. The spyware made a comeback, by following old techniques used by PC malware to avoid detection.

Joker malware is back on PlayStore

The updated version of the Joker malware was reportedly able to download additional malware to the device after the infected apps were installed. The threat is the same as before  The malware subscribes you to premium services without the users knowledge.

The firm claims they have found 11 such seemingly legitimate apps that house the virus. The virus reportedly hides in the essential information file every Android app compulsorily needs to have.

The report also attacked the Google PlayStore for not doing enough. We were able to detect numerous cases of Joker uploads on a weekly basis to Google Play, all of which were downloaded by unsuspecting users. The Joker malware is tricky to detect, despite Googles investment in adding Play Store protections, a spokesperson for Check Point told TOI.

Google has rolled out Google Play Protect to devices that run on Google services to offer real-time protection against threats from apps downloaded from Google Playstore.
The coronavirus epidemic is suspected to have killed more than 500 people in North Korea as infections mounted in May and June. North Korea officially admits no coronavirus infections, but sources say authorities are having a tough time containing the epidemic.

During a Politburo meeting last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un referred to coronavirus as a "fatal crisis" and ordered officials to maintain "maximum awareness."

One source said Thursday, "The number of coronavirus fatalities in North Korea surpassed 500 late last month. The number of confirmed cases stands at only around 40 while another 100 are suspected, but 390,000 people have been isolated, so the number of fatalities is rising sharply."

The source said students, soldiers and others were rounded up and sent to work in the rice paddies in May and June, and schools also opened in early June after a two-month delay, causing the virus to spread rapidly.

The South Korean military and intelligence agencies are busy gathering and analyzing information.

Kim's sister Yo-jong's belligerent rhetoric against the South last month and the demolition of the inter-Korean liaison office in Kaesong are believed to be related to efforts by the regime to divert public attention from the economic crisis triggered by sanctions and the regime's failure to contain the virus.
South Koreas government used 300 drones in an unusual display to thank front line workers and to encourage citizens to continue practicing virus-containment measures.

The nations Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport coordinated a 10-minute synchronized light show that lit up the night sky above the Han River in the countrys capital of Seoul on July 4.

The drones were used to create images of medical workers in protective gear along with images of handwashing, people wearing masks, and people socially distancing from one another.

To avoid having large crowds gather to watch the spectacle, the light show was not advertised ahead of time.

(Courtesy of SK Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport)

While South Korea is often cited as an example of a country acting swiftly to contain the spread of the virus, there have been new clusters popping up in the country.

South Korea reported 63 new confirmed cases on Saturday, 36 of which were locally transmitted and 27 imported, said Kwon Joon-wook, deputy director of the Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in a briefing.

Among cluster infections, 25 cases were linked to an apartment in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi, 16 to an indoor gym an apartment resident had visited, 61 to a temple in Gwangju, and 24 to a church in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province.

Mutated coronavirus has been detected in South Korea and an epidemic investigation team has been dispatched to Gwangju, said Kwon. It is concerning that the virus seems to be spreading faster than the past cases in Daegu and North Gyeongsang province.

So far, South Korea has had 13,244 cases with 11,970 people released from quarantine, 989 people currently in quarantine, and 285 deaths, according to the nations CDC.

CNN Wire contributed to this report.
The fate of over 16,000 Nigerian students in the United States is currently hanging in the balance as the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) moves to deport foreign students whose schools will switch to online classes due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The development, however, has drawn the ire of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which blamed the Federal Government for neglecting Nigerias educational system.

The Student and Exchange Visitor Programme (SEVP), which is run by ICE, in a new rule released on Monday, had said foreign nationals enrolled in U.S. educational institutions will have to transfer to in-person schools or take online classes outside the country. Otherwise, they will be deported. Also, the Department of State will no longer issue visas to students to attend schools that offer online classes only.

The statement reads in part: The U.S. Department of State no longer issues visas to students enrolled in schools or programmes that are fully online for the fall semester nor will U.S. Customs and Border Protection permit such students to enter the United States.



Active students who are currently in the United States and enrolled in such programmes must leave the country or take other measures, such as transferring to a school with in-person instruction to remain in lawful status. If not, they will have to face immigration consequences.

But in a telephone interview with The Guardian, ASUU President Prof. Abiodun Ogunyemi recalled with regret a time foreign students were coming to Nigerian universities. Students were coming from South Africa, Egypt and Ghana.

According to him, Today, the reverse is the case. In Ghana, more than half of the foreign students there are Nigerians. So, we can see that they are just harvesting our resources to fund their tertiary education. Why should Nigerians be going to the Republic of Benin, Cameroon, Togo, and Sudan to seek university education, not to talk of U.S.?

ASUUs incessant strikes are in the interest of students and their parents, he insisted, stressing that all the union is saying is: Fix our laboratories, stock our libraries, renovate our workshops, supply facilities for e-learning and provide structures. Are those not the things they are enjoying there?

The ASUU President said further: Of course, the ruling class that can afford it are those sending their children to those distant places in America and Europe. The children of the poor are left to attend universities that are without facilities, universities that are not adequately staffed, and universities whose capacity for research have been dwindling. We think this is an opportunity for the Federal Government to sit back and address the problems in our university education and indeed Nigerian education as a whole.

Also, former Minister of Education Prof. Chinwe Obaji wondered how courses like engineering and sciences that require practicals would be taught online. He called on government to make the universities attractive to Nigerian students abroad by tackling its many challenges, adding that COVID-19 is a temporary setback, which all nations would surmount in due course.

On his part, Prof. Ayodeji Olukoju, former Vice Chancellor at Caleb University, Imota, said: The truth is that this situation is peculiar. It is unprecedented. It is not sustainable. In due course, we will conquer it. We once conquered the pandemic in 1819, Ebola, and we will surely conquer COVID-19. Nothing is permanent. It is true that online teaching would always continue but it can never take away the issues of face-to face interaction. For example, those students studying engineering in American universities and lab-based sciences, would they do all those things from a distance?

He added: We should adjust our curriculum to reflect the reality, mainly that we have to depend more and more, now, on online teaching. Secondly, we need to provide more infrastructure of online learning, ICT infrastructure essentially.

Thirdly, we have to train people who can manage the infrastructure and those who want to teach on the platform because you cant teach on the platform the way you teach in conventional classrooms. This is not a permanent situation but the world has to adapt to it.

Most U.S. colleges and universities have not yet announced their plans for the fall semester but a number of schools are looking at a hybrid model of in-person and online instruction while some, including Harvard University, have said all classes will be conducted online.

Nigeria currently has the highest number of students from Africa studying in the U.S. According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Nigeria had 16,039 students as at 2019.

The agency said: There are over 36,000 students from Sub-Saharan Africa studying in the U.S. As of March 2019, there were 16,039 students from Nigeria studying in the United States with 54 per cent male and 46 per cent female.

This is an increase of 3,342 students over 12,693 students recorded in November 2018. Undergraduate students constituted 34 per cent; Masters students 36 per cent; doctorate formed 12 per cent; while associate was 12 per cent. Non-degree and others formed five per cent.

According to the agency, the top five states for Nigerian students in the U.S. include Texas with 2,713; California, 856 students; Maryland, 827 students; New York, 818 students; and Florida, 753 students.

Also, the over 16,000 Nigerians currently studying in the U.S. contributed $514 million to the U.S. economy in 2018, according to official data from the 2019 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange released by the Institute of International Education (IIE) and the U.S. Department of States Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

The report indicates that Nigeria was the 11th leading place of origin for foreign students in the U.S. as of the 2018/2019 session. It accounted for 1.2 per cent of the total number of 1,095,299 international students in the country.

A breakdown of the figure shows that 5,689 of Nigerian students were at the undergraduate level; 5,274 at graduate level; 367 were non-degree students; and 2,093 were on Optional Practical Training (OPT).

OPT is a period during which undergraduate and graduate students work for one year on a student visa toward acquiring practical training to complement their education.

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O ne of Londons richest tycoons, Lakshmi Mittal, today donated 3.5 million to Oxford Universitys vaccine development work as it leads the fight against coronavirus.

The steel billionaire is making an endowment for the post of professor of vaccinology, currently held by Professor Adrian Hill.

Professor Hill this week said he hoped to be delivering a vaccine by October.

His teams jab is the furthest along of all the covid vaccines in development and is currently undergoing human trials in the UK, Brazil and South Africa.

Professor Hill is the director of the Oxford Jenner Institute and led the first clinical trial of a vaccine aimed at controlling Ebola in West Africa in 2014. The programme triggered a move by the institute to develop more vaccines for outbreak pathogens.

His post will now be known as the Lakshmi Mittal and Family Professorship of Vaccinology.

As well as leading the institute, Professor Hills own vaccine research programme has developed a potential vaccine for malaria, which is currently in large-scale trials in sub-Saharan Africa.

The university will add 1.75 million in matched funding to the gift, creating a permanent endowment of the post.

Professor Adrian Hill at Oxford has been developing a vaccine / Reuters

Kensington-based Mittal said: This year has been a wake-up call to the world to be better prepared for pandemics, which, as we have all experienced, can cause massive social and economic disruption.

After a fascinating conversation with Professor Hill, my family and I concluded that the work he and his team are doing is not only extraordinary but essential, not just for this current crisis but for other challenges we may face in the future.

The importance of dedicated and ongoing research in this field cannot be overestimated and we are delighted to be supporting this vaccinology professorship at Oxford.
Thousands of people protested Thursday for a third day across Serbia against the government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic after two nights of violence. Unlike the two previous days, Thursday's protests largely passed off peacefully. Protesters sat on the street in front of the parliament in the capital Belgrade. They also turned out in other major Serbian towns, including Novi Sad in the north and Nis in the south. They carried banners reading "Sit down!" and Aleksandar "Vucic is more dangerous than COVID!" in a reference to the powerful President of Serbia. In Belgrade a small group of far right extremists have tried several times to provoke incidents with the police, but they were chased away by other protesters, according to a local television channel. Earlier Thursday Vucic accused "criminal hooligans" of driving the violence in previous protests. Clouds of tear gas and smoke filled central Belgrade on Wednesday evening for a second night after a peaceful gathering descended into confrontations between protesters and police. The first demonstration was triggered on Tuesday after Vucic announced the return of a weekend curfew to combat a second wave of coronavirus infections that has overwhelmed hospitals in Belgrade. The president later backtracked on the plan but the protests continued, turning into a general rebuke of his handling of the crisis. "I have promised you that we will be able to protect peace and stability, despite the violent attacks by criminal hooligans which shock us all," Vucic said as he travelled to Paris for diplomatic meetings, according to state broadcaster RTS. On Thursday the government formally dropped the curfew plan and announced restrictions on public gatherings of more than 10 people -- effectively barring protests -- as well as shorter hours for bars, shops and other businesses in Belgrade. Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said the decision had nothing to do with the protests, adding that people were more likely to obey softer measures. Critics accuse the government of hastily lifting almost all virus restrictions ahead of a national election in late June. The poll, which was boycotted by much of the opposition, cemented the domination of Vucic's ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS). Since then infection rates have spiked, while several top SNS officials tested positive after a rowdy victory party. - 'Coordinate attacks' - Some 50 police officers were injured over the two nights of protests, according to the government. Scenes of police brutality were also captured on television, including an incident Tuesday in which officers used batons to beat three men sitting peacefully on a bench. Demonstrators threw flares, stones and other objects at police who responded with tear gas in running battles around the city centre. Similar protests were held in other cities. Meanwhile, the European and International Federations of Journalists said in a statement they were "extremely concerned by violence against journalists during the protests", adding that they were informed of "at least 14 attacks against journalists and media workers". The protests have not been led by any political party, with demonstrators both from the left to the far-right. But they are united in accusing Vucic of autocratic rule over Serbia during his nearly eight years in power, first as prime minister and now as president. While most protesters have been peaceful, small bands of demonstrators are accused of triggering the clashes. "I believe that yesterday the protests were hijacked by organised hooligan groups", political analyst Vuk Velebit told regional broadcaster N1. The US Embassy in Belgrade condemned both "excessive force" by officers and "what appeared to us to be coordinated attacks on police intended to provoke overreactions". President Vucic has been branding the protesters as "fascists" and conspiracy theorists aided by "foreign meddling". He said the protests were an effort to "harm Serbia's image" at a time when he is preparing to relaunch talks to normalise ties with Kosovo, a former province that broke away in a 1990s war.
A "rare honor" for the Philippines: in the only Catholic majority nation in Asia, there are only 17 churches with this title. The place of worship dates back to 1590, is dedicated to San Pedro Bautista and is managed by the Franciscans. The ceremony will take place by the end of the year, but there is still no certain date due to the ongoing pandemic.

Manila (AsiaNews) - The Philippine Church is celebrating Pope Francis' decision to declare the oldest church in Quezon City, in the metropolitan area of Manila, the political, economic, social and cultural heart of the country, as a minor basilica.

It is a "rare honor" for Catholics in the archipelago, considering that in the only Catholic majority nation on the Asian continent and with over 100 million inhabitants, there are only 17 churches that can boast such a title.

According to the website of the Philippine Episcopal Conference CBPCNews, the diocese of Cubao reported the news yesterday evening. The Holy See, a note explains, "gave the sanctuary of San Pedro Bautista, run by the Franciscans, the title and dignity of a minor basilica". The oldest church in Quezon joins the only basilica that already exists in the diocese, the national sanctuary of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

The minor basilicas can boast the title because of their antiquity, for the dignity they have in the eyes of the faithful, for the historical, architectural or artistic value, for the high value and meaning as a place of worship. The conferment of the title marks the particular link that unites the new basilica with the Argentine pontiff, who in January 2015 made an apostolic journey to the Asian country.

Some papal symbols, which seal this special relationship, will be installed and blessed during the solemn celebration that will mark the appellation of basilica. The ceremony is scheduled for the end of the year, but there is still no certain date due to the new coronavirus pandemic taking place and which has led to the closure of the places of worship and the blocking of the celebrations, which have now started again in a minor tone.

The sanctuary of San Pedro Bautista dates back to 1590 and is among the oldest in the country. The area where the church stands is the same where the patron saint, San Pedro Bautista, lived when he was assigned on a mission to the Philippines. He was a Franciscan religious and late theologian who served for 10 years before being sent to Japan where he died as a martyr.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The House of Parliament will sit in a Central Committee meeting on, July 10, 2020.

The Central Committee meeting is scheduled for Friday at 10.00 hrs. and will be held in a virtual setting. The Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor will be in attendance.

The agenda point is:

Ontwerp van Landsverordening houdende wijziging van de landsverordening Algemene Ouderdomsverzekering en de Landsverordening Algemene Weduwen- en Wezenverzekering in verband met de verhoging van het ouderdomspensioen en de pensioenleeftijd tot 65 jaar (Landsverordening verhoging AOV-pensioen en pensioenleeftijd tot 65 jaar) ( ZJ 2019-2020-137) (IS/1009/2019-2020 d.d. 02 juli 2020)

(Draft National Ordinance amending the National Ordinance General Old Age Insurance and the National Ordinance General Widow and Orphan Insurance in connection with the increase of the retirement pension and the retirement age to 65 years (National Ordinance increasing AOV-pension and pension age to 65 years) (ZJ 2019-2020-137) (IS / 1009 / 2019-2020 dd 02 July 2020))

Due to measures taken to mitigate the coronavirus (COVID-19), the House of Parliament is only allowing persons with an appointment to enter the Parliament building.

The parliamentary session will be held virtually and will be carried out live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 115, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1 www.pearlfmradio.sx, via the internet www.sxmparliament.org, and Parliaments Facebook page: Parliament of Sint Maarten.
A 14-year-old girl from Tripura was trafficked, sold twice, raped multiple times, forcibly married off and had to undergo an abortion in a span of about four months beginning March, according to her statement to authorities in Rajasthan.

The girl, who managed to escape from her in-laws house in Jhunjhunu on May 2, has been rescued. She has been staying at a shelter home since. The minor is expected to be taken back to her state by a team of the Tripura Commission for Protection of Child Rights next week.

Her statement before a magistrate and a panel of the Rajasthan Commission for Protection of Child Rights on June 23 narrates her ordeal that began in her home district of Unakoti four months back and continued in Jhunjhunu, about 2,500km away from her home.

According to her statement, she lived with her mother, four sisters and a brother. A Tripura child rights body official said her father died a few years ago and that the family was living in extreme poverty.

In the statement, the girl said a neighbour told her family that he will marry her off to a good family. My mother is very poor. My family agreed, she said in the statement on June 23, a copy of which is with HT.

For seven days, the neighbour kept the girl in Assams Silchar and she was physically abused four times, the minor said.

The neighbour trafficked her to Delhi and sold her to a resident of Rajasthans Jhunjhunu in April. He then sold her to his neighbour for ~2 lakh, according to the girl. Later, the second person married her.

Sangeeta Beniwal, the chairperson of the Rajasthan child rights body, said the girl was raped by her husband five times between April and May. Her mother-in-law also harassed her for not understanding the local language and being slow with household chores, Beniwal said.

On May 2, the minor managed to escape from her husbands house and hid in a nearby field, according to a Jhunjhunu police official. The husband filed a missing persons report, saying his wife aged 20 years had gone missing.

After police found her the next day, members of the Rajasthan State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (RSCPCR) met her and suspected that she was much younger than the age mentioned in the complaint.

The girl was kept in a government rehabilitation centre in Jhunjhunu and the district child rights body wrote to Tripura police for her details, Mandawa police station in-charge Mukesh Kumar said. The area where in-laws live falls under the Mandawa police jurisdiction.

The girl told us that she has been living here for three-four months and that she is a native of Tripura. She also told us that she doesnt want to live with her in-laws after which we kept her in a shelter home of an NGO, said a police official who did not want to be named.

After the Tripura police sent the documents, it was found that she was just 14 years old. Her medical tests conducted on June 15 found that she was 11 weeks pregnant.

On June 23, the girl told authorities she would go for an abortion, which was done on July 2, according to Beniwal.

Police booked the two Jhunjhunu men for kidnapping, trafficking and rape. They were arrested and sent to jail. Police are also looking for the neighbour of the girl.

The Tripura high court took suo motu (on its own) cognisance on June 17 and sought the states response on appropriate ways to ensure the safety and security of the minor girl.

According to the Tripura governments reply on July 6, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, and the child rights bodies in Tripura and Rajasthan were coordinating to reunite the girl with her family.

The state government will send a team to Rajasthan soon to bring back the girl, Barnali Goswami, chairperson of Tripura Commission for Women, said.

(With inputs from Priyanka Deb Burman in Agartala)
WILDWOOD CREST  A Philadelphia man was arrested early Monday after allegedly having two knives while following a woman out for a morning run.

About 5 a.m., police responded to a report of a man, possibly armed with a knife, following a woman on Seaview Avenue, according to a post on the departments Facebook page. Sgt. Christopher Webb and Cpl. William Gianakopoulos found Brain C. Ciccimaro, 26, hiding behind a vehicle with two knives.

Borough police detectives and the Cape May County Prosecutors Office found the woman was out for a morning run and saw a man following her, police said. After confronting the man and asking why he was following her, the woman saw a knife in his hand.

Wildwood Crest police save several residents, dog from house fire WILDWOOD CREST  Officers saved several residents and a dog from a house fire early Monday m

Police did not identify the woman, who was able to run away and call police.

Ciccimaro was charged with unlawful possession of weapons, possession of weapons for an unlawful purpose, possession/use of narcotics, possession of drug paraphernalia and harassment. He also was under the influence of drugs, police said.

He was taken to the Cape May County jail.

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BOSTON - A living history museum in Massachusetts focused on colonial life on the English settlement at Plymouth is planning to change its name to better reflect the Native Americans that long lived in the region.

Plimoth Plantation, in a Facebook post this week, unveiled a new logo bearing the word Patuxet, the Wampanoag name for the area, juxtaposed with Plimoth, the one later given to it by English colonists.

The museum, which was founded in 1947 and features colonial reenactors replicating life on the Puritan settlement, said the name to be unveiled later this year will be inclusive of the Indigenous history that is part of our educational mission.

It said it had long been planning to announce a new name timed with this years commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrims arrival on the Mayflower in 1620.

As our Nation faces a pandemic, an economic crisis, a reckoning with racial injustice and a highly-charged election year, there is no doubt that we have reached an inflection point in our history, one that raises necessary, and at times painful, discussions, the museum said in part in its statement. We recognize that the commemoration of 400 years of shared history is complex and we embrace this moment as an opportunity for reflection and learning.

A look at other developments in Massachusetts on the national reckoning on racism and injustice:

DEAF ADVOCATE CONTROVERSY

Massachusetts chief advocate for the deaf has been placed on leave after acknowledging he was a member of a now-suspended college fraternity known for wearing robes resembling those of the Ku Klux Klan and making Nazi-like salutes.

Republican Gov. Charlie Bakers administration said Thursday that Steven Florio, the commissioner of the states Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, will remain on paid leave from his $120,000 a year job pending the outcome of an internal investigation.

Patricia Ford, the agencys deputy commissioner, will take over on an interim basis.

Florio recently acknowledged to staff members he was a member of Kappa Gamma Fraternity, which was suspended last month by Gallaudet University, a college in Washington, D.C., for the deaf and hard of hearing, the Boston Globe reported.

Members of the universitys oldest fraternity were recently seen wearing blue robes with pointed hoods that resemble the white ones worn by the white supremacist Ku Klux Klan, the Washington Post reported. A recently surfaced photo from 1988 also shows former frat members performing an apparent Nazi salute, the newspaper said.

Ralph Reiser, a lawyer for Kappa Gamma International, an organization for fraternity alumni, disputed the suggestion that the frats ceremonial robes have been used recently, and rejected the notion that the fraternitys traditional salute was a Nazi one. He also stressed that Florio is not in the controversial salute photo.

Florio, who declined to comment through Reiser, recently told commission staff in an email that he made Nazi-like salutes while wearing KKK-like garb during his time at the college three decades ago, the Globe reported. Florio also said in the message that he disavows his past affiliation with the fraternity.

Florio was the longtime director for the Rhode Island Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing before Baker tapped him for the role in Massachusetts last February.

__

BLACK LIVES MATTER FLAG

Police in Marblehead have released images of a man they say is a person of interest in the vandalism of a Black Lives Matter banner that hung outside of a church.

The incident happened on June 28 at the Unitarian Universalist Church in the coastal town near Cape Ann.

The images show the man walking up to banner, crouching over and then walking away.

Police have not said what damage was done to the banner but said its been stolen at least twice since 2018.
TAIPEI, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Center Laboratories Inc. (CenterLab: 4123.TWO), a pharmaceutical company dedicated in specialty drug product development, announced today that the anti-diabetic drug - CS02 meets its primary endpoint. The topline results of a phase 2 clinical trial of CS02 showed significantly decreases of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in treated patients as compared to placebo group by 0.45% (p value = 0.0098).

CS02 is an orally administered small molecule drug under development following the abbreviated 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway for new drug approval. This phase 2 trial is a proof of concept (PoC) study according to the US FDA's guidance to explore its glycemic controlling effect primarily. Furthermore, CenterLab included Homeostasis model2 assessment -cell (HOMA2-) as a secondary endpoint demonstrating its capability in beta cell preservation. The results from the Phase 2 trial showed that CS02 significantly decreased HbA1c and had stellar performance on preserving pancreatic beta cell function with HOMA2- increased by 13.45%.

According to American Diabetes Association (ADA), cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the major cause of morbidity and mortality for diabetic patients and results in $37.3 billion in related expenditure per year. As CS02 was designed to be submitted through 505(b)(2) pathway to treat diabetes with new mechanism, not only could CS02 reduce blood glucose level, but it could also reduce the risk of cardiovascular complications by reducing blood pressure as its inherent feature. Through 505(b)(2) pathway, the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetic profiles from previously approved drug and published references can be leveraged to support the safety and/or effectiveness of CS02, by that, redundant investigation processes could be waived and significantly shorten the drug product development time to market.

"CenterLab is highly committed to patients' unmet needs, thus, CenterLab aims to bring on better treatments which is more cost-effective and safer compared to other treatments. We believe CS02, as a potential blockbuster for diabetes treatment, has a role in improving patients' life quality," said Robert Hsu, the GM of CenterLab.

For further development of CS02, CenterLab is actively seeking global partners for co-development or licensing opportunities.

About CenterLab

Center Laboratories Inc. is a professional oral liquid pharmaceutical company and experts in worldwide specialty drug development. Also, we bring together resources and experiences to help potential biotechnology and healthcare companies tap into the global market.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1213010/centerlab_Logo.jpg
The parents of late San Antonio anchor Karen Martinez died from COVID-19 complications, according to a report by Fox San Antonio.



In an interview with Fox San Antonio reporter Yami Virgin, Martinez's oldest son, Josh Herrera, said the passing of his grandparents was sudden.



It was not expected at all, he said.

READ ALSO: FOX-29 anchor Ernie Zuniga speaks out after scary encounter at H-E-B during coronavirus pandemic



Herrera told Virgin that his grandfather, Antonio Martinez, was in his 80s and a Vietnam vet who was still in pretty good health. His wife Tonie, in her 70s, enjoyed being active.

My grandma would go bowling, shed go shopping and stuff, Herrera said.

According to the report, Antonio was only in the hospital for about 24 hours when he died two weeks ago. Tonie was immediately put into isolation, but she also contracted the virus and needed to be put on a ventilator. She died Wednesday.

They both are very healthy," Herrera told virgin. "Never did I have any inkling that I thought they were sick or coming down with anything, and I visit them quite often."

Virgin, an investigative reporter, was close with Karen while working together at Fox San Antonio. She told mySA in a phone interview that she was stunned to learn the news about Karen's parents.



"When I found out about it, I was floored. I was completely floored because they took her dad in and then within 24 hours he had passed away," Virgin said. "And then Tonie went in and they were like 'she's in the ICU' and next thing I know she is on a ventilator."

Virgin said, because of her faith in God, she believes Karen and her parents are together again.

"Can you imagine that reunion when they were able to be back together?" she said. "Being a person of faith, that for me is comforting."



Karen lost her battle with breast cancer in 2013. Her passion to help others with cancer continues through a GoFundMe account in her name with the goal to raise $200,000, which will be donated to the ThriveWell Cancer Foundation.

"There are 2 million people in San Antonio, if every person donated 10 cents, we would raise $200,000," Virgin said.



Karen also founded the Healing Hearts Gala, which also helps cancer patients. The event is scheduled in November, but organizers may need an alternate fundraiser if social distancing measures continue in response to the pandemic.



On Friday, Virgin took to Facebook live to share more devastating news, one of her dearest childhood friends, who served in the military, passed away from cancer.



"He found out two weeks ago he had cancer. He only had two weeks to spend with his family," she said in the video.

Virgin once again urged viewers to donate to the ThriveWell Cancer Foundation, even if it's just ten cents by every person in San Antonio.



"Yet again I am asking, I am begging, I am imploring you, if you're listening right now - ten cents. That's all I'm asking for," Virgin said. "If we can get everyone in San Antonio, two million people to donate, we raise $200,000. Every cancer patient gets a grant of $2200 that goes towards doctor copays, for the rides, for the testing, and for surgery. It goes directly to help them."

Candice.Garcia@express-news.net | Twitter @_candicegarcia
The equity benchmarks hit fresh intraday low in early afternoon trade, mirroring negative global cues. At 12:22 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, fell 307.73 points or 0.84% at 36,429.96. The Nifty 50 index lost 95.65 points or 0.88% at 10,717.80.

In the broader market, the S&P BSE Mid-Cap index shed 0.79% while the S&P BSE Small-Cap index declined 0.69%.

The market breadth was weak. On the BSE, 760 shares rose and 1680 shares fell. A total of 120 shares were unchanged.

COVID-19 Update:

India reported 2,76,682 active cases of COVID-19 infection and 21,604 deaths, according to the data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. Total coronavirus cases worldwide stood at 12,268,630 with 554,928 deaths so far, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Derivatives:

The NSE's India VIX, a gauge of market's expectation of volatility over the near term, was up 1.89% to 25.385. The Nifty July 2020 futures were trading at 10,710.80, at a discount of 7 points compared with the spot at 10,717.80.

On the weekly index options front, the Nifty option chain for 16 July 2020 expiry showed maximum Call Open Interest (OI) of 29.75 lakh contracts at the 10,800 strike price. Maximum Put OI of 21.27 lakh contracts was seen at 10,700 strike price.

On the monthly index options front, the Nifty option chain for 30 July 2020 expiry showed maximum Call OI of 27.05 lakh contracts at the 11,500 strike price. Maximum Put OI of 35.01 lakh contracts was seen at 10,000 strike price.

Buzzing Index:

The Nifty Pharma index rose 0.95% to 10,081.95, outperforming other sectoral indices on the NSE. The index has gained 2.1% in three sessions.

Among the index constituents, Sun Pharma (up 2.67%), Biocon (up 1.74%), Divi's Labs (up 1.10%), Aurobindo Pharma (up 0.67%), Dr. Reddy's Labs (up 0.47%), Torrent Pharma (up 0.41%), Cipla (up 0.23%) and Cadila Healthcare 0.10%) advanced while Alkem Laboratories (down 0.39%) and Lupin (down 0.31%) declined.

Stocks in Spotlight :

FirstSource Solutions jumped 6.81% to Rs 43.51. In Q1 June 2020, Rakesh Jhunjhunwala bought 57 lakh equity shares, or 0.82% stake, in the BPM services provider. Post purchase, Jhunjhunwala's shareholding in the company stood at 2.88% from 2.06% held earlier.

Natco Pharma was down 0.20% to Rs 676.15. The company's Canadian subsidiary has entered into a settlement agreement with Celgene (now part of Bristol-Myers Squibb) to manufacture Lenalidomide capsules in Canada.

Gujarat Ambuja Exports rose 3.46% to Rs 142 after the company said its board will consider 2-for-1 stock split on 25 July 2020.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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On the night of May 31st, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin sat in his office in City Hall, watching on social media as a crowd of protestors gathered one block away. Six days earlier, George Floyd had been killed by Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin  some have called it a modern-day lynching  and Woodfin had known that it would only be a matter of time before the peaceful protests and less-peaceful uprisings that had erupted in other towns took hold of his own Alabama city. He also knew only too well how Birmingham had handled such things in the past.

Eugene Bull Connor had worked in this very building as the Commissioner of Public Safety back in 1961, when he decided that the best way to ensure the protection and welfare of the citizens was to have the police stand down and allow Klansmen to beat Freedom Riders without intervention. The building remained the seat of Connors power when, in 1963, he ordered the use of fire hoses and attack dogs on students protesting segregation and job discrimination, leading to infamous scenes of human savagery and to the arrests of 959 children in one day  as much of the world looked on in horror in graphic news reports.

More from Rolling Stone

Now, outside the imposing walls of Birmingham City Hall, the legacy of all that hate was again threatening the citys equilibrium, only this time, it was Woodfins responsibility to figure out what, if anything, to do about it. At one end of Linn Park, a grassy area named for a Confederate officer and flanking City Hall, an obelisk known as the Confederate Sailors and Soldiers Monument  built in 1905 despite the fact that Birmingham hadnt even existed during the Civil War  had become a focal point for the protesters. When Woodfins predecessor had surrounded it with plywood after the racially-motivated violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, Alabamas Attorney General had invoked the Alabama Memorial Preservation Act, and slapped the city with a $25,000 fine. Before coronavirus interfered and ended their session, state lawmakers had been trying to double down and increase the punishment for meddling with the monument to $10,000 per day.

Story continues

Woodfin grew up in Birmingham, in a neighborhood rough enough that he credits his move away from it at age 11 with setting him on an entirely different trajectory than that of his older brother, who was shot and killed during a drug deal in 2012. He attended Morehouse College in Atlanta, the same alma mater as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and many other black men who had gone on to greatness, where he majored in political science. After working in student government, at age 21, he set his sights on becoming the mayor of his hometown, a heavily-Democratic city in a heavily-Republican state  or as Woodfin puts it, a blueberry in tomato soup. He interned with Congressman Earl Hilliard Sr., and then just showed up at City Hall one day, asking for a job. I didnt know anybody, didnt know a soul, Woodfin admits. But I was eager and hungry. He got hired at the Division of Youth Services. After attending law school, he worked as a criminal prosecutor, a community organizer, and President of the Birmingham City Board of Education. He announced his run for mayor 12 months before the election  people didnt know who I was, so my runway had to be longer than three months  and wore a hole in his leather loafers going door-to-door campaigning. Beating out a two-term incumbent in a state without mayoral term limits, Woodfin, now 39, became the first Millennial Mayor of Birmingham, its youngest in more than 120 years, and its most progressive  probably of all time. He even received an endorsement from Bernie Sanders.

From Woodfins office, the Confederate monument stood almost visible through the trees. Just before 9 p.m., as reports came in that the driver of a Ford F150 was endeavoring to pull it down with a rope, the mayor started making his way out of City Hall and into the crowd of protesters. He did not have a plan of what he was going to say or do. But I went into the crowd; because I sympathize with why they were doing what they were doing, he says. I also walked into that crowd knowing that what they were doing was dangerous, that somebody could get hurt, somebody could be arrested. Please stop, this is dangerous. I dont want anybody to get arrested. Thats literally what my frame was. That frame didnt work. They got a little wily on me. So, then I was like, OK, what can I do? Take it down.

Behind a mask and a megaphone, Woodfin asked protesters to give him until midday Tuesday to have the monument removed  a promise he kept with the help of an outpouring of donations to cover the Attorney Generals fine and to offset the cost of removal, for which the City of Birmingham was charged $1. As residents watched and cheered, the monument was disassembled in pieces and taken to an undisclosed location. Its removal was a powerful symbol toward racial reconciliation in a city thats very name is often synonymous with racial strife. But as Woodfin knows, symbolism isnt the same as real change. Rolling Stone spoke with him about meaning of the moment were in and the long road ahead.

Rolling Stone: So lets talk about whats happened in the past few weeks. When did you first hear the name George Floyd?

Mayor Randall Woodfin: I remember how it felt. In the moment, Im going back to every time Ive been pulled over by an officer  and Ive been pulled over more than 20 times since I was a teenager. Driving while black is a real thing. Being profiled is a real thing.

I got to a point where I knew what to do before the police came. I knew to turn my car off, put my car in park. I knew to have the window down before the officer got there. I knew to have my wallet already out, so I dont move when they get to the car. I knew to have my radio off and my hands on the steering wheel. And a portion of that [knowledge] was from conversations with my own mom, so when [Floyd] called his mom out, all I could think was, Damn. Its a grown man calling for his mom. Its just so wrong on so many levels.

Talking to you, Im reliving the emotions I felt that Tuesday. Hurt. Pain. Anger. Fear. Sadness. I feel them now describing it to you.

Its hard to think about that video and not have a really visceral reaction to it. I didnt make it through the whole thing the first time.

Its too tough.

Did you anticipate what might happen here in Birmingham?

Yeah. People are like, What the hell do Confederate statues have to do George Floyds death? And Im like, Damn. Thats when you realize people really dont understand systemic racism. Confederate statues are acknowledging and celebrating systemic racism in the form of relegating black people to being property and slaves, and if people cant tie those two things together, then the intention  the intentionality around putting these statues up well past the end of the Civil War  yielded the result they wanted them to, which is revisionist history. Its almost like an inception. Youre recreating something, and then people believe in it, like these statues are OK. Theyre not OK. They are a symbol of systemic racism.

I grew up [in Alabama], and I was taught  not just by my teacher, but it was in our textbooks  that the Civil War was not about slavery, it was about States Rights. I dont know if they still have the audacity to teach that.

They do.

I dont know if you can hear my voice kind of shaking, but it makes me so angry to think about how I was essentially brainwashed with misinformation by people who would purport to not be racist people but who were telling lies about what had happened in our history that allowed a message of hate to propagate.

The Daughters of the Confederacy did an amazing job of that brainwashing. People think what they did was isolated to [installing] Confederate monuments in public squares, parks, and state capitals in the South. That actually was the low end of what they did. The high end of what they did was engage school systems. And it became a part of the curriculum. That is a fact. The brainwashing was intentionally designed, methodically laid out, and executed. And its actually in history books.

The Alabama Archives organization just acknowledged [two days ago] how wrong that was, that black Alabamians were intentionally left out of the history of the state.

Surely theyre not still using these textbooks in the Birmingham public school system?

No, but its embedded in code. Its embedded in what we do, too. You get pulled over by a State Trooper right now, you pay attention to the uniform, but you dont pay attention to the insignia thats here. [motions to his sleeve] The rebel flag is right here on the State Troopers insignia, and its on their vehicle. Thats happening right now in 2020. Its still in the flag, and its still being worn by sworn officers of the state. Theres a long way to go.

A part of me feels that, in America, to get peoples attention, you have to destroy property. Its such a capitalist place, so thats how you get peoples attention. You break shit. Im not saying that I relish riots, but I definitely understood where people were coming from and why they were doing what they were doing. Did a part of you understand that?

No, I only understood the statue. Breaking glass, trying to burn buildings just because? I dont agree with that. And heres why: Based on being a middle child, based on being a lawyer, based on being a community person, I know that extremes dont work when you want to get things solved. You just want to make noise and destroy stuff? Cool. But if you want to solve things, you got to talk to people. Hell, I want change, too. I want reform, too. You dont have to fight me. I want to join you.

But I dont need the Alabama Power building to burn. First of all, it is millions to billions of dollars [lost] if it does burn down. Second of all, what about all those jobs? Theres no world where I can accept just tearing shit up. Statue? Im with you. I got you. I totally understand. Our city doesnt deserve any more civil unrest, and this is the morally right thing to do. Hell, I want it down, too. Damn that statue.

So, howd you finally logistically get it down? How much did they charge you?

Well, technically they charged us a dollar, because we got a lot of people to pay for it. The number of texts and emails and calls that came in that said, Youre doing the right thing. How can I help? Youre doing the right thing; I want to help pay the fine. Youre doing the right thing; were going to start a GoFund me. Youre doing the right thing; we have a company that wants to help move it. All day. All day. All day. Now, was there some stuff sprinkled in there with calls to our office calling me a spic and a nigger? That was real. We had to step security up. The team took it serious enough. But overall, we did the right thing.

You were getting death threats?

I got one extreme death threat on the phone, and they went in and arrested that guy. It was a very weird few days. But we made it through. And if you asked me what I take the most pride in, its the communitys response to all of this. That Monday morning, there was rows of volunteers cleaning up glass across downtown. Helping small business owners board up their windows. Companies offering free glass. We created a fund in partnership with various organizations and nonprofits to assist small business owners who didnt have commercial insurance. Artists came and started painting murals on the covered-up boards. We love Birmingham. We are one. Black Lives Matter. The world is watching. These murals are dope.

Do you mind me asking if you have a recollection of the first time that you realized that there was systemic racism and felt it personally?

Well, I can separate the two. First time I realized there was racism, I had to be about 10, and a white kid called me a nigger. My parents had just divorced, and my dad had moved to an apartment complex, and I just remember being outside playing with my sister and my cousin. I dont remember what happened. I just remember him calling us niggers. I remember my cousin being really mad. I didnt say anything, but I remember my reaction to it. I was like, Well, damn.

Systemic racism? Its one thing to read about it in high school; its one thing to study it as a political science major in college. But its a different thing when youre with the Congressman [Hilliard], and youre seeing these issues in the Black Belt. Before the Affordable Care Act, you see that black people dont have access to healthcare. People my age dont have teeth. People dont have access to a primary doctor. Infant mortality rate. The 7th Congressional District is the third poorest federal congressional district in the entire nation. I mean, what, theres 435 of them? Were the third poorest. You dont call it systemic racism when youre 19 and 20, but you see it when youre driving through that district. You see no access; you see no resources; you see the result that hangs over generations. Im just 19 or 20, but Im processing it. Alabama is the poster child of systemic racism in America. Its unfortunate. Thats the first time I saw it.

I was listening to NPR on the way here, and Nikole Hannah-Jones was advocating for reparations, saying, If we really want to solve hundreds of years of inequities, this is what has to happen. I know that thats a very controversial topic.

Shouldnt be.

Basically she was saying that economists have hypothesized that $100,000 to $170,000 for each descendent of an enslaved person could potentially create a more equitable society and undo some of the issues that have led to incredible wealth gaps in the country. Is that something you think about? How would Birmingham be different if these inequities werent so pervasive in our society?

The quality of life of all 99 neighborhoods would be totally different. The property value in the 99 neighborhoods would be totally different: It would be higher. The illiteracy rate would be lower. The unemployment number would be lower. The number of children that finish high school or college would be higher. Crime would be lower. I can go on and on. Heres the point. From a historical standpoint, we are extremely delayed on 40 acres and a mule.

The whole notion that its 2020 and black people are equal, and they have equal opportunity? Its just not true. We know red lining exists as late as the Seventies, Eighties, and Nineties, and we know the Community Reinvestment Act doesnt do its fair share of what its supposed to do as far as neighborhood and community revitalization. We know Native Americans got reparations. We know the Japanese, those in internment camps, received a form of reparations, right? America has never paid for what its done with black people.

Lets say theres a track. Here are black people on this track, white people on this track. Before the gun goes off, you realize that the black person, their hands are tied, their legs are tied, and there is a bandana around their eyes. Gun goes off, white racer is lapping around, laps at least four times before the ropes around the feet of the black race are cut. So, whats that? Maybe 1865. Maybe. But hands still tied, still cant see.

They get around the track, but theyve already been lapped. Now what? Nine times. They cut their hands. What is it now? 1968. So, whats that? 100 years later? And then, they finally cut their blindfold off in 2020 in the form of more police reform, in the form of the conversation making its way to the C-suite and the boardroom. Look how many times weve been lapped! You cant say its equal opportunity to catch up. Its humanly impossible. Its physically impossible. Weve been lapped so many times, you cant have a realistic expectation that its an even playing field. Thats just not true.

What do you say to people who look to you and are like, Well, hes done OK?

Yeah, well, dont look at the titles. Take the Native Americans: Its not looking to one Native American chief, its looking to a whole group of people whose land was taken from them, who were systematically slaughtered and killed. Black people have been systematically owned as property, three-fifths of a person, a person, but a person in chains. Im moving through a system as an individual but collectively as a race. The government actively participated in systemic racism, and the governments paid out twice to two other groups. I think its past time.

What are the challenges of being, as you put it, a blueberry in the tomato soup, a progressive mayor in a Republican state?

The number one challenge is you dont have home rule, so I am dependent on Montgomery in the form of certain laws I need to happen, or worse, certain laws they create that are harmful to us because we dont agree with them or they go against some basic decency of human and civil rights that we believe in. The more restrictive laws that came up about a year and a half ago where they took away womens rights? That hurts not just the human element of telling a woman what she can or cant do if shes been raped  thats not a decision that I should be making as an elected official  but it hurts with economic development. If UAB is a Top 10 hospital in the nation and you want to recruit the best talent, what doctor is going to come here, let alone move his family here?

Another way it hurts is when we want to do progressive things, and the legislators come and slap us on the hand and say, No, we cant because we dont have home rule. So, those are some of the challenges.

Every mayor in all 169 cities in the state of Alabama, every mayor across the nation, every governor across all 50 states, and even the President of United States, in all of our roles as executives, you strip away everything, were responsible for two things: public safety and public infrastructure. And deeply embedded in that public safety is healthcare. Are we trying to save lives or not?

Laws shouldnt be created fighting against Medicaid and Medicare. Its stupid. Doesnt make sense. Fundamentally doesnt make sense. You need Alabamians to live. If youre so concerned about the economy, if youre so concerned about economic growth, if youre so concerned about job numbers: Well, sick people are not going to work, and people cant go to work if theyre dead. If people dont have access to healthcare, then what the hell are we talking about?

Looking at the state of the country, the state of Birmingham, are you hopeful?

Im always hopeful. Is there an opportunity to turn a moment into a movement? It depends. There is no current leader, so as mayor, there is no leader I can sit across from and negotiate terms and demands as it relates to things you want to see get better based on George Floyd being killed in the way he was killed. Its not enough to just tear down a statute. Thats symbolism. Its not enough to just paint Black Lives Matter. Thats symbolism.

You want to fight systemic racism, you want to punch three things: You want to fight generational poverty; you want to give people the opportunity to go to college because opportunity is lacking; and you want to make sure they dont get into debt. Those are high-level things we talk about, and prior to George Floyds death, we were already putting in the work.

A lot of your platform is built on the idea of negotiation, being an outsider, being able to work with other people to get things done. How hard is it, though, to bring people to the table to negotiate when we know that theres privilege hoarding in this country, when we know that there are people who dont really want things to change right now because theyre working for them? How do you get those people to negotiate?

Heres the deal. You want to move the needle? I think its as simple as the analogy of a personal relationship. Lets say theres a couple, and one always avoids conflict  doesnt want to address the issue  and the other one wants to only fight. So, both peoples styles dont work. One style: You have to embrace addressing the issue, so you have to get uncomfortable. The other person has to realize everything cant be a fight, every moment you just cant smash and burn. The CEO, the board chairman or chairwoman and their board members, as well as all those on the ground level  white employees and the black employees  all have to embrace the uncomfortable, tough, hard conversation of systemic racism. If you push through, youll be better, youll be healthier, youll be stronger.

But its hard. It was hard before George Floyds death. In the wake of George Floyds death, its also hard, and it will be hard a year from May 25th, 2020. You have to embrace the delayed gratification.

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The Supreme Court on Friday said that Covid-19 lockdown will not impact the three-month period of validity of the cheques.

A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sharad Arvind Bobde, was considering request of extension of timelines under various laws.

When the question came on extension of three-month period of validity of cheques, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) informed the court that the same should not be done as it would impact banking activities.

The bench, also comprising Justices R Subhash Reddy and AS Bopanna, accepted RBI suggestion and kept the three-month validity period of cheque intact.

The RBI has fixed validity period of cheque under Section 35A of the Banking Regulation Act. The court noted that all banking systems across the country follow this prescribed period and there is no need to interfere with the same.

The central government ordered starting economic activities in the country after an over two-month-long lockdown in phases. While the first phase of relaxation, called Unlock 1, began on June 1, the second of the three phases came into force from July 1.

Though considerable relaxations have been given by the government in Unlock 2, there are no concessions for containment zones. The government advisory said that lockdown shall continue to be implemented strictly in the containment zones till July 31. Within the containment zones, strict perimeter control will be maintained and only essential activities are allowed.
America can be proud of many things: our innovation, generosity and entrepreneurial spirit are unsurpassed. Yet when it comes to our nation understanding one of the greatest gifts ever given to humanitythe Biblewe're moving from dumb to dumber, and it's no laughing matter.
Since the dawn of humankind, we have been a violent species, ever since we learned to wield wooden clubs. It seems as though there has not been a single period where there has been true peace around the world. There has always been an ongoing conflict or random acts of extreme violence.

When such violence is left unchecked, things tend to devolve into chaos. Preventing chaos requires order and justice.

As we have evolved so to has our choice of weapons. A spear, a bow, a sword, a gun. To counter such violence, defensive measures have also adapted to follow suit. A wooden shield, chain mail armour, bulletproof vests. The Peterborough police have accepted a donation of a light armoured vehicle. This is another example of how our society is changing to address issues of violence in our communities.

I would not consider Peterborough to be an inherently violent place to live. Of course, we have our issues, such as any larger Western city does when it comes to mental health, addictions, human and drug trafficking. We remain less volatile when compared to places like Toronto. That doesn't mean we shouldn't be prepared. All it ever takes is for one event to occur.

The Columbine massacre, for instance, changed policing in America. Smaller towns and even some larger cities, never performed lockdown active shooter drills in their schools. One out of every four mass shootings in America has taken place in towns with fewer than 10,000 people. Some states like Nebraska had not legislated lockdown drills until 2016.

No one ever expects such a violent act to occur in quaint little towns or small cities. Columbine had a population of around 35,000 people at the time. We have lockdown drills in our local schools now not as a means of scaring people but to be prepared. It is better to be prepared for the worst than it is to be completely surprised and overwhelmed by it.

So, when it ultimately comes down to the equipment the police have to counter the violence in our ever changing society, a light armoured vehicle becomes a necessity.

Let's be perfectly clear here, since so many are afraid of the Oshkosh Sand Cat. It's not a tank, it won't have mounted weapons, it won't be used to run down peaceful protesters and it won't be showboated in parades.

The vehicle has a singular specific purpose: Protecting our police if and when they must engage in life-threatening situations. Our emergency response team has always had some form of vehicle to do this. A donated armoured Brinks truck, a repurposed ambulance, a pickup truck. None of these vehicles has ever used been locally in malicious ways by our police service and the Sand Cat will be no different. The only real difference is that it will enhance officer safety.

City council has decided to request that the Peterborough police service disclose who anonymously donated the vehicle. Clearly the meaning of the word anonymous evades our council. They have no right to know who donated the vehicle and should be grateful that purchasing it did not come out of the city coffers.

Should we all have a right to know who donates what, where and why for everything? Who was the anonymous donor of $1.25 million to the Canadian Canoe Museum in 2019? Or the $50,000 anonymously donated to Ecology Park in 2018? How about the $300,000 anonymous donation to the Food Centre for the kitchen program at the Mount Community Centre in 2017?

No questions asked there because those donations were not politicized by a select few. An anonymous donation is just that, anonymous. Likely, the donor does not wish to be harassed for their kind deed. I for one am thankful our officers have another tool in their box of many to keep our community safe.
The three known human trefoil factor family peptides TFF1, TFF2 and TFF3 are mainly produced by the gastrointestinal mucosa. Named after their trefoil-like folded structure, the molecules provide clinically intriguing properties. Studies demonstrated that these peptides are locally produced to combat inflammation and injuries of the gastrointestinal tract by accelerating wound healing. Therefore, they have a considerable therapeutic potential for gastrointestinal and other mucosal disorders such as the dry eye disease and asthma as the researchers state in an additional review article published in ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science.

Local effects

"To date, there are two oral peptide therapeutics against diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome on the market," says the medicinal chemist Muttenthaler. "Due to the relatively large size of the molecules, they are not being absorbed through the gastrointestinal wall into the bloodstream, and therefore can only act locally in the gastrointestinal tract without major side effects."

The trefoil factor family is "an essential starting point for new therapeutic strategies to treat chronic diseases that remain incurable," explains Muttenthaler, who leads research groups at the Department of Biological Chemistry at the University of Vienna and at the University of Queensland in Brisbane. The studies are being conducted in the context of Muttenthaler's ERC Starting Grant project, which aims at disclosing the mechanisms of wound healing in the gastrointestinal tract. "Based on the chemical synthesis of the TFF peptides, we can now find answers to fundamental questions that we were not able to tackle before."

TFF1 acts as homodimer

In their study, the researchers present the chemical synthesis of TFF1 and its homodimer, a molecule that comprises two TFF1 subunits. Only in its homodimeric form was TFF1 able to interact with mucins, main structural constituents of the gastrointestinal tract, which accelerates the closure of the mucosal barrier and its healing process.

With a length of 60 amino acids, conventional approaches were not applicable for the synthesis of TFF1. The scientists developed a new method to synthesise the peptide in two fragments and assemble them subsequently. The second challenge that the scientists had to overcome was to fold TFF1 correctly by selecting from a multitude of possibilities. Correct folding was then confirmed through structural analysis and the TFF1 homodimer was shown to interact with the gastric mucosa. Muttenthaler and his team now work on the chemical synthesis of the other two members of the trefoil factor family, TFF3 and the more challenging TFF2, which is longer and more complex with its 106 amino acids and 7 disulfide bonds.

New possibilities for molecular design

The chemical synthesis of TFF1 is a milestone for the field since it provides more options to modify this peptide class. To date, recombinant expression was the only way to produce these molecules. "Therefore, their design was limited to the 20 natural amino acids. Chemical synthesis now enables us to design advanced TFF1 probes to study their mechanisms of action or to optimise TFF1 towards its therapeutic applications," Muttenthaler explains.

Molecular probes are essential for a better understanding of TFF1 and its mode of action. Certain attachments such as fluorescent molecules or other reporter tags can help to study TFF1 interactions with its target proteins or receptors. Other modifications could be used to further improve the stability of the peptides and their drug-like properties for a more efficient therapeutic application.
Mahavir Chopra

The pandemic and the lockdowns have brought in more than just an economic slowdown. When I speak to friends and relatives, I realise that the lockdown has led to a deterioration in what is called work-life balance, instead of improving it. Hectic working conditions, coupled with uncertainty, may have resulted in increased pressure, stress, and anxiety, causing a significant imbalance in mental health. No wonder health apps are reporting 2-3 times rise in patients consulting for psychological disorders.

Mental health cases abound

A whopping 197 million in India are reported to be suffering from mental illnesses. India is the depression capital of the world. At this scale, we should have had a flourishing, well-developed mental healthcare ecosystem in the country, providing affordable counselling and treatment. But the truth is that mental health requirements in India remain under-served. The demand-supply gap results in therapy sessions being expensive  ranging from Rs 800 to Rs 5,000 per session. The requirement of therapy is said to be between six and 20 sessions, depending on the complexity and severity of the condition. In addition, a chronic patient could require medicines, clinical tests, and occasional hospitalisation.

These are expensive and inaccessible for the larger population in the country. No wonder, the treatment gap ranges from 70 to 90 per cent, depending on the type of disorder. India is sitting on a mental health crisis time bomb. There is an urgent need for a financing mechanism to support this treatment gap.

Traditionally, health insurance policies excluded psychiatric disorders from their scope of coverage. However, here's the new mandate under the Mental Healthcare Act 2017: Every insurer shall make provision for medical insurance for treatment of mental illness on the same basis as is available for the treatment of physical illness. IRDAI issued a circular in this regard in August 2018.

Lets understand the coverages, limitations, and hurdles with respect to the available coverage.

Coverage

Most insurers followed the circular and removed the exclusion from their policy document. But hold your horses before you celebrate. It's important for you to first understand that health insurance is primarily a hospitalisation cover. The policy generally excludes coverage for routine medical expenses, such as preventive medical tests, routine medication costs and doctor consultations. Now, since the Act as well the IRDAI circular requires the coverage to be applicable on the same basis, health insurance for mental illness will essentially end up providing cover only for hospitalisation. People suffering from mental illness very rarely (0.6 per cent cases) need hospitalisation. Their major expenses are on therapy, medicines and tests, which still won't get covered under health insurance.

Underwriting

Since this is the first time mental health is being covered in the country, insurers have called out the lack of local data available for them to be able to price this coverage. Although insurers may not hike their premiums, they are likely to follow stringent underwriting guidelines to protect themselves from anti-selection. This will most likely impact people who already suffer from mental illness.

Waiting period

People with pre-existing mental illness, who do get an insurance policy after due declaration in the proposal form will be required to go through the four-year waiting period before they can make a claim for hospitalisation expenses related to mental illness. People with pre-existing mental illness who were already insured before the IRDAI notification in August 2018 are likely to be covered four years after the date of issuance of the first policy. People who were diagnosed with mental illness after the issuance of their health insurance policy will be covered for mental illness without any waiting periods.

Lack of active treatment

Mental illness hospitalisation may be prescribed only for monitoring and stabilising a patient, and may not require active treatment. Since health insurance only covers the active line of treatment, there can be disputes with respect to hospitalisation claims in the future.

Because of the lack of local data, reinsurance support and a formal mental healthcare ecosystem, it is still a long way to go before the regular costs of mental illness can be covered effectively through insurance.

It is a proven fact that a significant amount of mental illness is induced by work. Employers, common interest groups such as trade associations, local communities can come together and fund an affordable, technology-leveraged mental healthcare system for their employees or members at affordable costs. This could have a great return on investment (ROI), given that research suggests four times profit increase from the improvement in productivity by spending once on the mental healthcare of its employees.

(The writer is the founder of Beshak.org)
1. Early 2013

Heard says Depp was completely sober until early 2013, and around that time he allegedly hit her for the first time when they were in Los Angeles.

She claims Depp later cried and apologised, telling her that he sometimes turns into 'the monster' when he snaps.

Depp has 'expressly denied' hitting Heard and said that, around early 2013, he had 'confined himself to drinking wine and using marijuana, having been sober from around December 2011 to August 2012'.

2. March 8, 2013

Heard claims Depp was angry she had hung up a painting by her ex-partner Tasya Van Ree by her bed in her LA home, then tried to set the painting on fire and hit her 'so hard that blood from her lip ended up on the wall'.

Depp, however, says he simply asked Heard to move the painting from the bedroom 'as a courtesy' and that she had an 'extreme reaction'.

He also says a text he later sent describing the evening as a 'disco bloodbath' was to 'placate Ms Heard' and not an apology for alleged violence.

3. June 2013

Heard and Depp were in Hicksville, US with a group of people including Heard's sister Whitney and Depp's assistant Nathan Holmes.

Heard says Depp, who was 'taking drugs', became 'enraged' and 'jealous' when one of her friends touched her, and he then threw glasses at her, ripped her dress and damaged the cabin they were staying in.

Depp says he drank and took magic mushrooms, as did Heard and her friends who also took MDMA.

He claims Heard's friend touched Heard in an 'extremely sexual manner' and he spoke to her to ask her to stop.

4. May 24, 2014

The pair took a private plan from Boston to LA: Heard says that during the flight Depp, who had been drinking heavily, threw objects at her, pushed a chair at her, slapped her and kicked her in the back before passing out in the toilet.

Depp says Heard 'began to harangue him' as he was sketching in a notebook, he then tried to 'playfully tap her on the bottom with his foot', at which Heard took 'great offence' and 'continued to verbally berate' him.

5. August 17, 2014

The couple went to the Bahamas, Depp says to 'cure his dependence on painkillers', although Heard claims he was trying to give up other drugs too.

Heard says Depp had 'several manic episodes' and his private doctor had to be flown over to help. She alleges that he slapped, kicked and grabbed by the hair during an attack.

Depp alleges Heard stopped a nurse from giving him treatment while he was going through withdrawal.

6. December 17, 2014

Heard says Depp was 'violent towards' her in LA, and later texted calling himself a 'f****** savage' and a 'lunatic'. Depp denies any allegation of violence and says NGN has 'failed to provide any particulars of the alleged violence'.

7. January 25, 2015

While the couple were in Tokyo, Japan, Heard claims Depp shoved and slapped her and grabbed her by the hair, before standing over her and shouting while she was on the floor - which Mr Depp denies.

8. Around March 3-5, 2015

Depp is said to have repeatedly assaulted Heard after an argument over his alleged use of MDMA during a three-day trip to Australia. She says he stayed up all night, taking pills and drinking, and then attacked her again the next morning.

Heard says, the following night, Depp pushed her into a table tennis table, tore off her nightgown and attacked her, before smashing a telephone into a wall and severing the top of his middle finger.

She also claims he had written messages to her around the house in a mixture of paint and blood from his finger, which Depp admits doing while 'in shock', as well as having 'urinated all over the house in an attempt to write messages', which he denies.

Depp says Heard was in 'a prolonged and extreme rage' following an argument over a post-nuptial agreement. He says he then 'broke my sobriety' with several glass of vodka, before Heard threw a bottle at him, severing the top of his finger, and stubbed a cigarette out on his cheek.

9. March 2015

Heard says Depp became 'enraged' when they were in LA with her sister and began destroying things in the house before hitting her 'hard and repeatedly'. She also claims he tried to push her sister down the stairs before hitting Heard again.

Depp, however, says Heard was 'berating him in a rage' as he tried to leave, threw a can of Red Bull at him and punched him in the face before he finally left.

10. August 2015

While they were on the Eastern and Oriental Express in south east Asia, Heard alleges Depp 'picked a fight' with her, hit her and pushed her against a wall by the throat, 'causing her to fear for her life' - which is denied by Depp.

11. November 26, 2015

In LA, Depp is alleged to have ripped Heard's shirt and 'threw her around the room', also throwing a wine glass and a 'heavy glass decanter' at her, as well as pushing her over a chair which caused her to bang her head against a wall. Depp says they were in LA for Thanksgiving, but denies any allegation of abuse.

12. December 15, 2015

Heard claims Depp threw a decanter at her in their penthouse in LA, then slapped her and dragged her through the apartment by her hair, allegedly pulling 'large chunks of hair' from Heard's scalp.

She says he then followed her upstairs and pushed her to the floor while shouting 'you think you're a f****** tough guy' before headbutting her.

Heard says that when she told Depp she wanted to leave him he grabbed her and screamed: 'I f****** will kill you - I'll f****** kill you, you hear me?'

Depp, though, says 'Ms Heard fabricated the alleged violence', falsely claiming that 'blonde hair on the floor was her hair'.

He also claims that 'the only violence committed on that date was by Ms Heard', who allegedly 'violently attacked' him.

13. April 21, 2016

Heard says Depp arrived at her birthday party at their LA home late, 'drunk and high on drugs' and they had an argument after the guests had left.

She claims he threw a bottle of champagne at her and shoved her to the floor several times before leaving a note reading: 'Happy F****** Birthday.'

Depp says he arrived at the party around two hours late following a meeting with his new business manager and accountants, and that he was not on drugs but 'shocked from what he had learnt at the meeting about his business affairs'.

He claims Heard had been 'drinking heavily' and attacked him while he was reading in bed, punching him in the face four times before he grabbed her arms to stop her.

Depp says the next day Heard or one of her friends 'defecated in Mr Depp's and Ms Heard's bed', and that Heard later told the building manager Kevin Murphy that it was 'just a harmless prank' - at which he point he 'then resolved to divorce Ms Heard'.

14. May 21, 2016

Depp arrived at their LA apartment, allegedly 'drunk and high' while Heard was there with friends.

Heard said Depp became 'very angry', throwing her phone at her and hitting her in the eye before smashing 'everything he could' with a magnum of champagne.

He says he went to the apartment with two security guards to collect his belongings after Heard and her sister 'repeatedly' tried to contact him.

Depp claims his two security guards entered the room when they heard Heard shouting, and saw her 'repeatedly screaming, 'stop hitting me, Johnny'' while he was 20 feet away in the kitchen.

He also says that two police officers who attended the apartment after the incident 'saw no injuries or bruising or swelling'.
Russian Governor Who Beat Kremlin Candidate Arrested On Suspicion Of Ordering Murders

By RFE/RL July 09, 2020

Russian investigators have arrested the governor of a Far Eastern province, who two years ago won a surprise victory over the Kremlin favorite, on suspicion of ordering the murder of businessmen.

Russia's powerful Investigative Committee announced on July 9 in a statement on its website that it had detained Khabarovsk Governor Sergei Furgal.

Russian media reported that Furgal, 50, was arrested as part of a wider investigation into an organized criminal group operating in the region. He will be soon arraigned on charges of organizing the murder and the attempted murder of the businessmen, RIA Novosti reported.

The charges relate to events in 2004 and 2005, the news agency reported.

Furgal, a member of the nationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, beat incumbent Vyacheslav Shport in 2018 in a major upset for the ruling United Russia party.

Tatyana Stanovaya, a Russian political analyst, wrote in 2019 that Furgal was "an undesirable candidate for the Kremlin."

Furgal was backed by former Khabarovsk governor Viktor Ishayev, who ran the region from 1991 until 2009.

Ishayev was arrested last year after Furgal began placing some of his people in high positions in the regional administration. Ishayev was accused of embezzling money via fraudulent activities from the state oil company Rosneft.

Furgal served in Russia's lower house of parliament, the Duma, from 2007 until 2018.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russian-governor-who- beat-kremlin-candidate-arrested-on-suspicion-of- ordering-murders/30715429.html

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Due to virus precautions, John Patterson Loy, Jr. and I did not meet personally to talk about his World War II service. Thats too bad  it would be an honor to meet him and thank him for his service.

When its safe to do so, I look forward to visiting him at his Snow Camp homeplace  which has been in the Loy family for over five generations.

Soon to be 99, the former U.S. Army Air Forces technical sergeant has been kind to share meticulous notes about his time as a B-17 flight engineer.

His 19th combat mission did not start well. I did not like the way our B-17 sounded during early-morning rev-up. We went back to the hanger and moved our guns into a brand-new B-17 that had never been flown in combat before, according to Loys notes.

That made us late reaching our group, which was already in flight, but we eventually took our position as lead aircraft in the flight. Loys B-17 was equipped with a pathfinder radar system code-named Mickey. The Mickey operator in each flight signaled the other B-17s when to drop their bombs.
(Newser)  Glee actress Naya Rivera is presumed to have died in what police are calling a "horrible accident" at California's Lake Piru Wednesday. After the 33-year-old and her son rented a pontoon boat on the southern California lake in the afternoon, only the 4-year-old was found on the boat hours later, alive and wearing a life vest, when they were late returning it. On Thursday, the Ventura County Sheriff's Office said the mission had turned from search and rescue to recovery, CNN reports. "We're presuming that an accident happened and we're presuming she drowned in the lake," a deputy told reporters.

story continues below

A sergeant says detectives spoke to Rivera's son, and based on that conversation do not believe she made it to shore; the boy reportedly said they went swimming but Rivera never made it back on the boat. A second life jacket was found still on board the boat, which was located far from shore in waters about 30 feet deep. Rivera, who played Santana Lopez on Glee, had been to the lake before, police said. Her son is "in good health" and with his father, Rivera's ex-husband Ryan Dorsey, People reports. He's "doing as well as can be expected," says the sergeant. "Our hearts and our prayers and thoughts go out to the Rivera family. This is a terrible tragedy for all of them and we hope to bring closure for that family." Rivera's last tweet was a photo of her with her son. (Read more Naya rivera stories.)
The analysts covering Saga plc (LON:SAGA) delivered a dose of negativity to shareholders today, by making a substantial revision to their statutory forecasts for this year. This report focused on revenue estimates, and it looks as though the consensus view of the business has become substantially more conservative.

Following the latest downgrade, the four analysts covering Saga provided consensus estimates of UK465m revenue in 2021, which would reflect a painful 42% decline on its sales over the past 12 months. Before the latest update, the analysts were foreseeing UK536m of revenue in 2021. The consensus view seems to have become more pessimistic on Saga, noting the measurable cut to revenue estimates in this update.

See our latest analysis for Saga

LSE:SAGA Earnings and Revenue Growth July 10th 2020

One way to get more context on these forecasts is to look at how they compare to both past performance, and how other companies in the same industry are performing. By contrast, our data suggests that other companies (with analyst coverage) in the industry are forecast to see their revenue shrink 24% per year. While this is interesting, Saga's, revenues are still expected to shrink next year, and at a faster rate than the wider industry.

The Bottom Line

The clear low-light was that analysts slashing their revenue forecasts for Saga this year. They're also forecasting for revenues to shrink at a quicker rate than companies in the wider market. 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 Saga after today.

But wait - there's more! We have estimates for Saga from its four analysts out until 2023, and you can see them free on our platform here.

Another way to search for interesting companies that could be reaching an inflection point is to track whether management are buying or selling, with our free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.

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.
By AFP

PARIS: They call themselves "long-haulers", "long-tailers", or simply survivors. Some have been sick almost as long as the new coronavirus is known to have existed. Six months after the virus began to scorch its way across the planet, it is becoming clear that COVID-19 causes far more symptoms than first suspected.

Thousands of people of all ages are staying sick for weeks or even months. British forensic psychiatrist Jenny Judge began an odyssey of illness in March with a fever, cough, headache and breathing problems.

She has since experienced waves of other symptoms including a racing heart, scalding rashes and "COVID toes", which were itchy and ulcerated.

At one point she was so delirious she heard her dogs talking, and was not particularly surprised. "Now I am going through a belly phase," she told AFP on day 111 of her ordeal. More than 12 million COVID-19 cases have been recorded worldwide with more than 550,000 deaths. Some six million people are listed as "recovered". But these figures do not tell the full story.

ALSO READ| WHO experts to spend two days in Beijing as part of COVID-19 origin investigation

'They feel left out'

A study of 143 recovered hospital patients in Italy, published in the JAMA Network journal on Thursday, found that 87 percent were still suffering at least one symptom 60 days after falling ill. Fatigue and breathing difficulties were most common.

This follows research published last week by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that found of 350 people surveyed, about 60 percent of inpatients and around a third of outpatients were not back to health 14-21 days after testing positive.

People leaving hospital may need ongoing care for organ damage, injuries sustained in invasive oxygen therapy or post-traumatic stress. But those who have coped with their illness at home often do not have an explanation for their continuing symptoms, and may face scepticism or outright disbelief from employers and doctors.

"I think these people feel very left out and that nobody's looking after them. Some of them can have really debilitating fatigue," said Tim Spector, Professor of Genetic Epidemiology at King's College London, who is behind a large-scale symptoms-tracking project.

Some 3.8 million people in the UK have logged on to the app since it was launched in March, while it also has more than 300,000 users in the US and 186,000 in Sweden. Researchers think that up to one in 10 of them still have symptoms after 30 days and some remain unwell for months.

Spector, who estimates there may be a quarter of a million people in the UK with longer-term illness, receives around 10 emails a day from people who are still ill and who feel "no one is listening to them". Part of the problem is the sheer variety of symptoms, many of which do not appear in official health advice.

"I used to be a rheumatologist and study very rare autoimmune diseases like lupus which can affect any part of the body and can present in different ways -- but this is even more weird. You can have people just with skin problems. You can get people probably just with diarrhoea and chest pain. It's really very unusual," he said, adding the app has identified 19 symptoms so far.

ALSO READ| Coronavirus can still be brought under control: WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

'Might be you'

COVID support groups are attracting thousands of members on social media and hashtags are trending in languages including Japanese, French, English and German. Many people posting in these groups say they have experienced disbelief from doctors or employers.

Those who became ill in March may face particular problems as testing was scarce and they may have no clear evidence that they were ever infected. Judge said even though she is a doctor she has faced scepticism from staff at her local hospital, with one medic suggesting her high heart rate might be anxiety.

She believes this is partly because hospital doctors are only just coming into contact with patients whose initial symptoms were not considered serious enough for emergency treatment. But the 48-year-old, who had no pre-existing conditions, said there could also be an element of denial at play. "If you accept the person who looks just like you, who is a doctor, who was taking all the precautions, is sick at a hundred plus days down the line -- that might be you," she said.

'Sick and struggling'

The situation is improving with new studies launched and a growing number of people sharing their stories. Paul Garner, a professor of infectious diseases at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, began a blog in the British Medical Journal out of frustration.

He had been ill for a month but the health advice he had read online said the illness lasted just two weeks. The previously fit and healthy 64-year-old was tormented with blinding headaches, shortness of breath and a strange tingling in his arms and legs that he said is like the "fizziness" of Sichuan peppercorns.

At one point he thought he was losing consciousness: "I thought I was dying, that was how scary it was." Garner said one of the hardest things about his illness has been the "muddling" in his head and mood swings.

CLICK HERE FOR LIVE COVERAGE OF COVID-19

"This doesn't happen to me, I don't get depressed. I was just in tears, but it kind of helped me understand what was going on," he said, adding he had sought advice from a rehabilitation consultant, who said depression was a possible side effect.

He endured several false dawns. On day 45, after he had felt better for a few days, Garner decided he had finally shaken off the virus and tested the waters with a workout in his front room.

"Then bang! Monday: 'felt rotten all day, consequence of exercise'. It knocked me back a week," he said, reading from his diary. With the help of literature for ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis) and chronic fatigue, he devised a routine interspersing light physical or mental exertion with periods of rest.

Speaking to AFP on day 96 of his illness, Garner said he was gradually seeing improvement. But he is concerned that vulnerable people may be pressured into trying to return to work before they are ready.

"Everybody's obsessed about the public health control. But what about the people that are sick and struggling and not knowing what's going on?" he said.

Risking it?

It is not yet clear whether long-lasting symptoms are caused by the virus itself or the body's overzealous immune reaction. Spector said some of the long-haulers may still have traces of virus in their systems, although it is unclear whether they could still be infectious. "There will soon be these rapid tests in airports, does that mean they will never be able to travel, because they'll be positive all the time?" he said.

Other diseases can cause prolonged "post-viral" effects. A 2009 study of 233 people who had been treated in hospital for SARS, another coronavirus, found that four years after their illness 40 percent reported suffering from depression or chronic fatigue.

"The implication for rehabilitation and appropriate support for the SARS/COVID-19 victims is obvious," said Yun Kwok Wing, a professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong who was one of the authors of that study.

As we learn more about the new coronavirus, our perception of the risks of the disease may need to stretch beyond the likelihood of dying.

Young people are still most likely to get a mild version of the disease, but Judge said they should also be aware that if they do catch COVID-19 there is a chance they could be ill for months. "It seems to be a kind of Russian roulette type thing, we don't yet know what's making some people get a longer illness. There's a lot to learn still," she said.
The Ministry of the Interior confirmed that the Grand Duchy had funded some of the transfers of French coronavirus patients to Luxembourg hospitals.

During the peak of the pandemic, hospitals in the Grand Est region in France were overwhelmed with the number of Covid-19 patients, while Luxembourg's hospitals were able to cope. In March and April, the Grand Ducal Fire and Rescue Corps oversaw the transfer of several patients from intensive care units in the Grand Est, via ambulance or helicopter. Some were hospitalised in Luxembourg, while others were transferred to less busy hospitals in the rest of France.

In an answer to a parliamentary question from LSAP MP Mars Di Bartolomeo, Minister Taina Bofferding clarified last week that the Luxembourg government supported the cost of transferring five Covid-19 patients from Alsace to Luxembourg using the Luxembourg Air Rescue helicopters.

Luxembourg initiated these five transfers after Prime Minister Xavier Bettel made the decision to support French hospitals. The cost included flight time, preparation and organisation, as well as the oxygen used on board. The government also covered disinfection costs and that of additional staff required to carry out the transfers. The Ministry declined to confirm the exact cost of the transfers.

The French government financed the transfers carried out at its request, in particular for a patient transported from Ettelbruck to Colmar by Luxembourg Air Rescue on 14 April. This was also the case for transfers between hospitals in France with Luxembourg's support, in line with an agreement between the French government and Luxembourg Air Rescue.
Will Trumps contraceptives mandate exemption for Little Sisters survive a Supreme Court challenge?

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An attorney with a law firm that specializes in religious liberty cases is confident that the U.S. Supreme Court will rule in favor of religious freedom protections for the Little Sisters of the Poor.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments over telephone regarding a lawsuit the Little Sisters of the Poor leveled against Pennsylvania.

At issue was Pennsylvanias litigation against the Trump administration over a new federal rule that broadened religious and moral exemptions to groups opposed to the Department of Health and Human Services contraceptives mandate.

Diana Verm, senior counsel at Becket Law, which helped represent the Little Sisters and who listened to the oral arguments, told The Christian Post that she thought the oral arguments went very well.

You could hear the justices seeking a way to resolve this longstanding dispute. I do think that at the end of the day that they will rule in favor of the Little Sisters and I think the big question that we are asking now is how they will do that, Verm said.

Verm felt that one of the strongest arguments in favor of the nuns was that there was no way to get rid of the exemptions the government has offered the Little Sisters without getting rid of the exemptions that the former administration offered to churches.

All along, since the very beginning of the contraceptive mandate, theres been an exemption for churches and some religious orders, but not for the Little Sisters of the Poor, she said.

No one had an argument, none of the justices and none of the counsels for Pennsylvania had a good argument for why that exemption shouldnt apply to the Little Sisters.

In 2017, the Trump administration decided that the religious exemption to the HHS mandate on contraceptive services would be broadened to better accommodate groups like the Little Sisters.

Pennsylvania and California sued the federal government over the new broader exemption, with Delaware, Maryland, New York, and Virginia joining California's litigation.

In November 2017, the Little Sisters filed a motion to intervene on the litigation, arguing that the states were threatening the nuns' religious liberty.

"The Little Sisters cannot stand idly by while Pennsylvania threatens their ministry by trying to snatch away the protections the Sisters have fought so long to keep," read the motion in the Pennsylvania lawsuit.

[Pennsylvanias] lawsuit seeks to deprive the Little Sisters of the protections provided by the Constitution, federal civil rights laws, and the new regulations 

Last July, a three judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit unanimously ruled to uphold a lower court decision enjoining the new rules nationwide.

Circuit Judge Patty Shwartz, who authored the opinion of the panel, argued that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act did not apply to the case and that the accommodation process for those seeking an exemption to the mandate was sufficient.

RFRA does not require the broad exemption embodied in the Final Rule nor to make voluntary a notice of the employers decision not to provide such coverage to avoid burdening those beliefs, Shwartz wrote.

 the status quo prior to the new Rule, with the Accommodation, did not infringe on the religious exercise of covered employers, nor is there a basis to conclude the Accommodation process infringes on the religious exercise of any employer.

In January, the Supreme Court announced that they were taking up two cases regarding the broadened religious exemption, Trump v. Pennsylvania and Little Sisters of the Poor Saints Peter and Paul Home v. Pennsylvania.

It is disappointing to think that as we enter a new decade we must still defend our ministry in court, said Sister Loraine Marie Maguire, a mother provincial of the Little Sisters, in a statement in January.

We are grateful the Supreme Court has decided to weigh in, and hopeful that the justices will reinforce their previous decision and allow us to focus on our lifelong work of serving the elderly poor once and for all.

The nuns previously went before the Supreme Court to be exempted from the HHS mandate, with the high court deciding in 2016 to vacate two lower court rulings against them.
EP Global Opportunities Trust plc (the "Company")

Total Voting Rights

As a result of the purchase of 45,000 Ordinary 1p shares placed into Treasury on 9 July 2020 and in conformity with Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rule 5.6.1A, the issued share capital and voting rights of the Company are as follows:

Class of share Total number of shares in circulation Number of voting rights attached to each share Total number of voting rights of shares in circulation Number of shares held in treasury (carrying no voting rights attached until issued) Total number of shares in issue Ordinary 1p Shares 39,792,725 1 39,792,725 24,716,917 64,509,642

The above total voting rights figure may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine whether they are required to notify their interest in EP Global Opportunities Trust plc under the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules.

10 July 2020

LEI: 2138005T5CT5ITZ7ZX58

Enquiries:

Kenneth Greig

Edinburgh Partners AIFM Limited

Tel: 0131 270 3800

The Company's registered office address is:

27-31 Melville Street

Edinburgh

EH3 7JF
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 15:46:58|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The State Council, China's cabinet, announced the appointment and removal of officials Friday.

Cong Liang was appointed deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission.

Liu Liehong was named vice minister of Industry and Information Technology, and no longer serves as deputy head of the Cyberspace Administration of China.

Liu Zhao was appointed vice minister of Public Security, and Chang Zhengguo was named vice minister of Veterans Affairs.

Yuan Ye was appointed deputy head of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, replacing Meng Jianmin. Yuan no longer holds the post of deputy auditor general of the National Audit Office.

Liu Lijian was named deputy head of the State Taxation Administration, replacing Sun Ruibiao.

Wang Chunying was appointed deputy head of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, and Wang Jingtao was named deputy head of the National Administration of State Secrets Protection.

Nie Furu was removed from the post of assistant minister of Public Security. Enditem
~ No comments from Mingo.~

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Council of Ministers have voted in favor of dismissing Mark Mingo as the Director of the Harbor Holding and all its subsidiaries.

Based on the decision of the COM, Mingo must be dismissed as of April 23rd, 2020, six years after his suspension as he was under investigation in the Emerald case. Mingo was convicted to 46 months imprisonment in January 2020.

The Council of Ministers in its decision states that the Mingo was not allowed to act on behalf of the company for 6 years, that based on the conviction there has been irreparable trust by the GMS. That the corrupted name of Mingo to third parties, investors and locally and regionally and worldwide, thus giving the GMS forms urgent reasons for instant dismissal as mentioned in article 7 paragraph 5, in its first sentence.

The GMS found that even though Mingo has filed an appeal against the conviction rendered by the Court of First Instance of January 29th, 2020 does not change the opinion of the GMS even if the Appeals Court or Supreme Court should acquit Mingo urgent reasons as mentioned in the articles would apply and warrant dismissal.

SMN News learned that Mark Mingo has decided to challenge the decision taken to dismiss him from the Harbor Holding and to immediately cease the payment of his salaries. Efforts made to obtain a comment from Mingo proved futile as he said he will not make any comments at this time and that questions should be directed to his attorneys.

It should be noted that the Harbor Holding has taken this decision since the mandatory conditions were placed on the Council of Ministers for St. Maarten to receive recovery support from the Dutch Government.

SMN News further learned that ABVO is having discussions with temporary directors possible cuts in employees' salaries of the Harbor Holding will endure, while the managers will forfeit their bonuses in order to allow the cuts for the lower scale employees.
Turkeys president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has ordered the conversion of one of the worlds most treasured cultural sites into a Muslim house of worship, potentially sharpening the rift between the Ankara government and Europe.

Mr Erdogan signed a decree transferring the 6th-century Hagia Sophia, which had been a museum for nearly 90 years, to the Diyanet, the countrys highest religious authority. In a speech, Mr Erdogan announced that all entrance fees for the facility would be removed and that there would be a grand reopening of the facility to welcome both worshippers and tourists in two weeks.

We will be allowing all to enter Hagia Sophia and the doors will be open to everyone, local and international, Muslim and non-Muslim, he said. When they visit they will have a chance to see that the rumours are not true and that we value what we have inherited from our ancestors.

Mr Erdogans decision came shortly after Turkeys highest administrative court annulled a 1934 decision to turn the building into an interfaith museum.

The Unesco world heritage site began life as a cathedral, before being transformed into a mosque in the 15th century and later designated a museum under Turkeys secularist founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

It remains unclear whether converting the building into a mosque will result in structural changes  or even new rules for visitors. Mr Erdogan said that some preparations would be announced ahead of the reopening, and more in six months. In his speech, he suggested there would be no changes to the structure or to the precious mosaics, which depict the human form, which is considered sinful in Sunni Islam.

Istanbul is full of architecturally significant mosques and cathedrals that draw tourists as well as the faithful.

Worshippers have been allowed to pray in a certain part of the museum since 1991. In 2015, a Muslim cleric recited the Quran inside the Hagia Sophia for the first time since it was designated a museum.

Recommended The debate over the future of Hagia Sophia explains modern Turkey

But the move has already angered historic preservationists, members of the Eastern Orthodox faiths and western religious freedom advocates. The site is also a major tourist draw, among the most cherished of Istanbuls archaeological wonders, and some in the travel industry have voiced concern it could alienate potential visitors. The site drew 3.7 million visitors last year.

The drive to turn the sprawling building into a mosque, as demanded by pious Turks for decades, had become a matter of international concern. US secretary of state Mike Pompeo urged Ankara to maintain the status of the site as a museum as an example of its commitment to respect the faith traditions and diverse history that make up modern Turkey.

The United States views a change in the status of the Hagia Sophia as diminishing the legacy of this remarkable building and its unsurpassed ability  so rare in the modern world  to serve humanity as a much-needed bridge between those of differing faith traditions and cultures, he said in a statement on Thursday.

Others worry the move symbolises a further deterioration of interfaith relations at a time of rising nationalism and identity politics. For secular Turks, changing the status of the Hagia Sophia is yet another example of rising Islamisation under Mr Erdogan and his conservative Justice and Development Party (AKP), which has been the dominant political power in Turkey for nearly 18 years.

Hours before Mr Erdogans decree, Unesco issued a statement urging negotiations and warning that the effective, inclusive and equitable participation of communities and other stakeholders concerned by the property is a necessary condition for the preservation of heritage and for the enhancement of its uniqueness and significance.

Fatih municipality personnel place a safety barrier in front of the Hagia Sophia museum in Istanbul (EPA)

In a speech last year, Mr Erdogan chided his own supporters for demanding the facility be converted, noting that Turkeys faithful rarely manage to fill the countrys existing mosques.

But Turkeys economy has deteriorated and polls have shown declining popularity for Mr Erdogans party, especially among the young. Mr Erdogan has increasingly sided with religious nationalists in the countrys culture wars.



"Asking for the Hagia Sophia to be a museum is like asking to convert the Vatican into a museum," Mr Erdogan said. He warned that international criticism of Turkey's decision amounted to violations of the country's sovereignty and independence.

Still, ranking Turkish officials have sought to reassure the world that allowing prayers at the facility will not alter its status.

Turkey will still preserve the Christian icons there, just like our ancestors preserved all Christian values, Ibrahim Kalin, a senior adviser to Mr Erdogan, told the official Anadolu News Agency on Thursday,.

He cited Frances Notre Dame Cathedral as a world-famous house of worship drawing both tourists and the pious.

Opening up Hagia Sophia to worship doesnt keep local or foreign tourists from visiting the site, he said, So a loss from the worlds heritage is not in question.

The Hagia Sophia served as an Orthodox Christian cathedral for 1,000 years before it was turned into a mosque after the 15th-Century Ottoman conquest of what was then the capital of the Byzantine Empire.
The Metropolitan Archbishop of Lagos, Archbishop Alfred Adewale Martins, has described as appalling and reprehensible the increased cases of the crime of Rape around Nigeria.

Catholic News Service of Nigeria - Lagos & English Africa Service  Vatican City

Archbishop Martins describes Rape as an afront to God who created girls and women. It is also an affront to the sacredness of the bodies of victims.

Rape causes grave damage

The Holy Scriptures and the Church down through the ages have condemned all sexual perversion including rape, declared Archbishop Martins. The Church has always taught that, Rape deeply wounds the respect, freedom, physical and moral integrity of the victim. It causes grave damage to the victim, sometimes for life. Rape is an intrinsically evil act that is even more grave and condemnable when inflicted on children either by parents (incest) or those who exercise any form of authority over them especially those responsible for their education," said the Lagos prelate.

A spike in rape cases

Nigeria has, in recent months, seen an increase in the crime of Rape against women and the girl child. Gender-Based Violence experts are discussing whether there is an actual increase in the heinous crime or that Nigerian society is talking more about many rape cases that simply went unreported in the past. It could also be an indication, they say, that Nigerian society is beginning to come to terms with its hitherto culture of silence surrounding sexual violence.

State must ensure justice for victims

Archbishop Martins stressed that urgent steps must be taken to rid Nigerian society of the evil of Rape.

The Archbishop called on the Nigeria Police to ensure justice for victims of Rape. He appealed to Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), health workers across the country and other relevant professionals bodies to offer care and necessary counselling to victims of Rape.

Nigerian states must domesticate the Child Rights Act

The National Assembly too must find ways of ensuring that all states in the country domesticate the Child Rights Act in order to give full legal protection and guard against the abuse of children, counselled the Archbishop.
P assengers at UK airports have hailed the "very exciting" changes to quarantine rules as holidaymakers look forward to meeting new grandchildren and being reunited with loved ones.

The Government published on Friday a list of 76 countries and territories from which people arriving into England will no longer need to self-isolate for 14 days.

The list includes Spain, Germany, France and Italy. But the US, Thailand, China and Portugal are among the notable names that do not to appear.

Those passing through Gatwick Airports north terminal early on Friday morning admitted they would not be travelling if they were still required to self-isolate for two weeks on their return.

We probably would have gone later, said Ray Gordge, 64, from Taunton, who was on his way to Paris to see his daughter for the first time in six months, and meet his new grandson, born last week.

Its exciting, Im pleased the quarantine has been lifted to be honest, he said. Its nice to have a bit more normality.

Easyjet resumes it's flight during Coronavirus lockdown ease 1 /6 Easyjet resumes it's flight during Coronavirus lockdown ease PA PA PA PA PA

Mr Gordge said he only booked his easyJet flight in the last few days, but had no concerns about travelling.

At the Gatwick Airport north terminal on Friday morning, signs encouraged travellers wearing face masks to keep their distance from one another, while hand sanitising stations dotted concourses.

Social distancing was in force at security, with cleaning in progress, while at duty free screens were up to protect workers and signs told shoppers not to overly handle products.

Passengers arrive at Heathrow Airport / REUTERS

Danny Grabauskas, 67, from Devon, was travelling with his daughter and wife to visit his son  who is about to welcome a new addition to the family  in Basel, Switzerland.

A well chuffed Mr Grabauskas admitted he felt nervous about flying, adding: I suppose the face masks make me think it should be OK, I would be nervous if it wasnt everybody wearing masks.

I tend to trust people when they say we can go otherwise I wouldnt be here. We cant let this (coronavirus) rule our lives, because we dont know how long were going to be in this situation.

Reflecting on the relaxation of travel quarantine rules, Mr Grabauskas added: We had this booked for a while and we were sweating on it and if this hadnt changed today we would be cancelling and not going.

Passengers arrive at UK airports as quarantinue rules are lifted / Getty Images

Also travelling from Gatwick Airport was Eoin Burgin, a 21-year-old student at Edinburgh University.

He said his enjoyment of travel isnt really dampened by the coronavirus pandemic and argued the airport experience had been made nicer by social distancing.

Its much more clearly outlined what you need to do and where you need to go, I think boarding is going to be easier.

A very excited Mr Burgin said he was heading to Basel in Switzerland to see his girlfriend for the first time in about five months.

The World on Coronavirus lockdown 1 /60 The World on Coronavirus lockdown Getty Images A UK government public health campaign is displayed in Piccadilly Circus Reuters Chinese paramilitary police and security officers wear face masks to protect against the spread of the new coronavirus as they stand guard outside an entrance to the Forbidden City in Beijing AP A usually busy 42nd Street is seen nearly empty in New York AFP via Getty Images Bondi Beach, Australia Getty Images Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas' hospital Getty Images View of the illuminated statue of Christ the Redeemer that reads "Thank you" as Archbishop of the city of Rio de Janeiro Dom Orani Tempesta performs a mass in honor of Act of Consecration of Brazil and tribute to medical workers amidst the Coronavirus (COVID - 19) pandemic Getty Images Rome AFP via Getty Images An Indian man paddles his bicycle in front of a mural depicting the globe covered in a mask, as India remains under an unprecedented lockdown over the highly contagious coronavirus Getty Images Aerial view of the empty 9 de Julio avenue in Buenos Aires in Argentina AFP via Getty Images A view of an empty Grand Canal Reuters Las Ramblas, Barcelona, Spain Getty Images Aerial view of the empty Central cemetery in Bogota, Columbia AFP via Getty Images The facade of the Palacio de Lopez (seat of the government palace) AFP via Getty Images Miami, Florida AFP via Getty Images Aerial view of the empty Simon Bolivar park in Bogota AFP via Getty Images An LAPD patrol car drives through Venice Beach Boardwalk AP Venice Beach, California Getty Images Los Angeles, California Getty Images Surfers Paradise is seen empty in Australia Getty Images Many shops stand shuttered on the Venice Beach boardwalk Getty Images Empty escalators are seen at a deserted train station during morning rush hour after New South Wales began shutting down non-essential businesses Reuters A nearly empty Times Square in New York AFP via Getty Images Caracas AFP via Getty Images Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador AFP via Getty Images A general view of an unusually quiet Midland Park in Wellington, New Zealand Getty Images A general view of an unusually quiet Civic Square at lunchtimein Wellington, New Zealand Getty Images A policeman rides his motorcycle wearing a face mask in front of a closed shopping mall in Buenos Aires, Argentina AFP via Getty Images Florida Keys AP The historic Channel 2 Bridge closed to fishermen, bikers and pedestrians in Florida Keys AP The Beach on Scenic Gulf Drive near Seascape Resort in south Walton County, Florida sits empty of tourists AP Surfers Paradise is seen empty in Australia Getty Images A deserted Rajpath leading to India Gate in New Delhi AFP via Getty Images A general view is seen of a closed Luna Park in Sydney, Australia Getty Images A general view is seen of a closed Luna Park in Sydney, Australia Getty Images Empty roads are pictured following the lockdown by the government amid concerns about the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Kathmandu, Nepal Reuters An empty New York Subway car i AFP via Getty Images The empty pedestrian zone is seen in the city of Cologne, western Germany, AFP via Getty Images Place de la Comedie in the city of Montpellier , southern France AFP via Getty Images An empty street in Kuwait city AFP via Getty Images A building is covered by the Portuguese message: "Coronavirus: take precaution" over empty streets in downtown Sao Paulo, Brazil, AP A general view shows an empty street after a curfew was imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Reuters Parliament of Canada is pictured with empty street during morning rush hour AFP via Getty Images A near empty beach on Southend seafront in England PA Near empty Keswick town centre in Cumbria, England PA

Commenting on the relaxation of travel quarantine rules, he admitted: I wouldnt be going if the changes hadnt been made.

Asked if he felt safe flying, Mr Burgin said: It depends how busy the flight is going to be.

I think its going to be difficult to maintain social distancing, but I also think the chances of coming into contact with someone with Covid is pretty low and they seem pretty on the ball with masks and things.

The happy scenes of families reuniting came as Heathrow Airport's boss, John Holland-Kaye, said the aviation industry has been "devastated" by the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, he said the Government decision to ease the rules is "really welcome" and said it allows the UK to get its economy back on track.

Mr Holland-Kaye said on Friday morning: "Aviation has obviously been devastated by the pandemic. Passenger numbers fell by 97 per cent through the second quarter of the year.

"So this has really had a devastating blow and has led to unfortunately a number of job losses being announced.

"The Government's announcement of air bridges and opening up so many countries last week to free travel is a really welcomed decision.

"It allows us to get people flying again and getting the economy back to normal."

Grant Shapps: Quarantine rules to be dropped for more than 50 countries

Stewart Wingate, CEO of Gatwick Airport, hailed the relaxation of travel quarantine rules.

For our airport it makes a massive difference, he said.

The reason being, about 75 per cent of the destinations we serve are now quarantine free for passengers coming back into Gatwick.

From a consumer point of view what were hoping is that will persuade people to take advantage of the flights.

During the height of the coronavirus lockdown he said flights from Gatwick had dropped to as low as two or three a day.

More than 500 airport staff have taken part in a voluntary redundancy programme, while 80 per cent of workers remain furloughed.

Mr Wingate said there would be 50 flights at the airport on Friday, with this rising to 100 by the end of the month and possibly to 300 or 400 per day later in the summer.

In normal periods the airport handles 900 flights, he added.
(Natural News) They beat her, bound her and led her from home. She knelt before the crowds as they denounced her. Then they loaded her on to a truck, drove her to the outskirts of town and shot her.

These are the words of Zhang Hongbing, recalling the time he turned in his mother for not supporting communist ideals during the Great Proleterian Cultural Revolution, a sociopolitical movement that shook China from 1966 until 1976.

Now Zhang is trying to atone for the death of his mother by telling her story. Its the same horrid story of communist control that has begun to unfold in America.

The New York Times is now demanding that black lives matter protestors withdraw from their loved ones and relatives if those relatives do not support black lives matter organizations through protest or financial contributions.

The bloody cultural revolution of communist China has arrived in America

The bloody cultural revolution of communist China has arrived in America in the form of a new sociopolitical movement called Black Lives Matter. The movement, hiding behind the guise of peaceful protest, has been sweeping the streets of U.S. cities with rage, violence, theft and mob rule. This growing movement seeks absolute control, in a new America where the rule of law is denigrated, where due process is replaced with mass persecution of racist whites who are privileged. Its a communist movement that targets anyone who doesnt submit to its ideals. Anyone who doesnt go along with the movement can be dragged into the streets as their business is burned to the ground, their wife beaten, their property stolen.

This movement, now permeating corporate power structures, media outlets and political agendas, is demanding absolute subservience to its demands.

Right now the BLM Cultural Revolution is taking its darkest turn yet, calling for supporters to turn on their own families and socially ostracize them if they do not support the movement. Those who do not support this Cultural Revolution are being accused of white privilege and white supremacy. Those who dont support black lives matter are being told that their silence is violence towards blacks. Ironically, this Cultural Revolution is initiating violence in the streets, destroying businesses, harming innocents, and now moving toward mass division in families. Due process and the rule of law are being threatened like never before as this movement clings to power and calls for absolute control.

Those who do not support black demonstrators and send money to Black Lives Matter are to be socially isolated

The disgraceful NYT column, penned by Chad Sanders, starts out by painting black people as victims in a world full of evil white privilege, and hostile white supremacy that is on the prowl to target blacks. Its a mindset of despair and victim-hood, but its the selling point used to stir up racism towards whites and to recruit gullible white liberals to shame themselves and hate their own race. The author takes his depraved ideas a step further and calls on his humiliated, kneeling army of white liberals to socially isolate family members who do not agree.

In the column, Sanders claims he lives constantly with the fear of death because racist white police are waiting to kill him. He also laments how white liberals keep reaching out to him to show they care. Sanders calls on his white allies to start giving cash payment to black politicians and BLM groups. He also demands that his allies contact their relatives and tell them you will not be visiting them or answering phone calls until they take significant action in supporting black lives either through protest or financial contributions. He also calls on his white allies to protect black rioters who could be at greater risk of harm during demonstrations.

This malicious call to action is the kind of despotism seen on the dawn of Chinas Communist Cultural Revolution, which saw families turning on one another, as innocents were dragged into the streets and murdered if they did not agree or comply.

Sources include:

InformationLiberation.com

TheGuardian.com

YouTube.com
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UPDATE:

July 16, 5:30 p.m.: This article has been updated with L.A. County's latest criteria for testing.

This article was originally published on July 10.

For months, Los Angeles County and city officials urged anyone and everyone to get tested for the coronavirus. But this week -- even as deaths and hospitalizations continue to rise -- they changed course, saying they'll prioritize seniors and people who have symptoms or who work in high-risk environments.

In announcing this Wednesday night, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti said people should not be getting tests in order to decide whether they're safe to socialize.

"That's not what these tests are for," he said. "A COVID test isn't an excuse to break the rules and engage in social gatherings outside your household. It's not an excuse to not wear a mask, or to not maintain social distancing. A test is not a passport to party."

The shifting guidelines on testing has, understandably, left a lot of us confused.

Here's what you need to know:

I can't seem to get an appointment to get tested. What's going on?

It's not just you. Lots of people are struggling to sign up for a test or get results back in a timely fashion.

Los Angeles County is now testing, on average, about 26,000 people per day. But with a surge in new cases, the demand for tests has also increased.

Although the labs that process tests are not reporting any shortage of equipment or test kits, there have been ongoing problems with getting results back quickly.

Some people get tests back in a couple days, but for others, it can take more than a week.

RELATED: How To Get Tested In LA

The public health department isn't getting results back any faster. L.A. County's chief medical officer, Dr. Jeffrey Gunzenhauser, told me last week that some of the smaller labs are just overwhelmed with the amount of testing they're being asked to do.

Source: California COVID-19 Tracker. (Screenshot: laist.com/projects/2020/coronavirus-tracker/app/california/)

If the public health department has to wait days to get results back, isn't that bad for making sure people who have the virus aren't infecting others?

Yep. It makes contact tracing that much harder. Contact tracers work for the health department and reach out to people who have tested positive or may have been exposed to make sure they can quarantine and, if they need it, help them get medical care.

Delayed results mean infected people may be spreading the disease for days to more and more people without even knowing it, making the web of contacts that tracers must track down bigger and more complicated.

That's a real problem because contact tracing is one of the few tools we know work to contain the spread.

Is this why the city and county are now restricting who can get tested?

In part. County health officials are really trying to direct tests to communities that have been hardest hit with COVID-19 cases and deaths: low-income residents and people of color. L.A. does not have an infinite number of test kits.

And they're expensive -- about $150 each.

So health officials want to concentrate on people and places that need these resources the most.

I get that -- but it's still a little confusing. Just a week ago health officials were encouraging everyone to get tested, even if they didn't have symptoms.

True. Health officials now have to work against their own narrative. Add this to the growing list of guidance that keeps changing as the pandemic rolls on, and confusion only grows.

So who should get tested?

L.A. public health officials will prioritize you for testing if:

You have symptoms of COVID-19, including fever, cough, shortness of breath and new loss of taste or smell

You live or work in a congregate, high-risk setting such as a skilled nursing facility or group home or you are homeless

you are homeless You have been in close contact with someone with COVID-19

If you think you've been exposed, when should you get tested?

Health officials recommend you wait at least three days after you think you were exposed. During those three days you should isolate yourself as much as possible because you may be what's known as presymptomatic (haven't yet developed symptoms) and very contagious.

It can take up to 14 days to exhibit symptoms. So you need to quarantine for 14 days just to be sure.

L.A. public health officials suggest waiting three days to get tested after exposure to COVID-19. You may need to get tested more than once. (Source: L.A. County Department of Public Health)

Testing infographic in Spanish. (L.A. County Department of Public Health)

If my test comes back negative, I'm in the clear, right?

Wrong. If your first test comes back negative, but you then develop symptoms, you should get tested again.

Plus, a negative test just means -- in the best case scenario -- that you didn't have the virus at the moment you were tested. You can still get infected! You can even get infected while waiting for your test results.

It's helpful to think of COVID-19 test results this way:

A positive test means you're a threat.

A negative test means you're vulnerable. You could definitely still get sick -- and you may even have the virus, it just didn't yet show up in the test.

The public health department recommends you get tested again if you develop symptoms. And you should quarantine.

What do the latest numbers tell us about what's going on with the virus's spread?

A lot of people in L.A. County are infected with the coronavirus: about one in every 140 residents, according to the county's latest estimates.

That means, as one health official recently put it, there will likely be at least a few COVID-19 positive people shopping at the same grocery store as you on any given day.

You won't be able to tell who has the virus because some people have no symptoms or they haven't yet developed symptoms.

Some people were (falsely) taking comfort in the fact that the death rate in L.A. -- and in California as a whole -- has continued to fall. But that changed this week, when the state hit an all-time high for daily virus-related deaths.

Deaths in Los Angeles County also started creeping up this past week.

But there is some good news. Each person in L.A. with COVID-19 is getting fewer people sick than they were back in March. That's called the infection rate.

Still, so many people have the virus now that even if each sick person only gets one other person sick, the numbers will remain huge. That's why we all need to wear masks and stay 6 feet away from people outside our households.

The positivity rate is the number to pay attention to. That's the share of coronavirus tests that come back positive over a period of time. Right now L.A.'s positivity rate is hovering around 10%.

That means about one out of every 10 people who get tested in L.A. County is positive.

Okay, so back to testing. If you think you need a test, because you're in a high-risk category or you have symptoms, where should you go?

If you have a primary doctor, you should contact them first. If you don't have a doctor, you can call 2-1-1 and they'll find you one.

Your doctor may refer you to a test through a hospital or clinic, which usually have their own labs and may have a faster turnaround time for getting results back.

If you want to get a free test through one of the city or county sites, you have to sign up for an appointment online at covid19.lacounty.gov/testing/.
The size and ubiquity of the Black Lives Matter protests that sprang up in the wake of George Floyds murder are unprecedented. Along with the demonstrations, weve gotten a new social media subgenre: protest aggregation. First, in May, there was @JusticeForGeorgeNYC, an Instagram account that quickly became a staple of life in New York; its a to-the-minute resource on street movements, a compendium of stirring imagery, and has nearly a quarter of a million followers. Soon after came @InThisTogether_LA, which started in Los Angeles on June 1; its follower count is now 127,000. The same day, in Connecticut, @JusticeForFloydCT got going. That account is up to nearly 10,000 followers. In New Jersey, @NJ4GeorgeFloyd has a little over 5,000 followers.

These and other accounts, many of them managed by teams of anonymous volunteers, require near-constant effort. Allie Cuerdo, who runs @JusticeForGeorgeLA, estimates shes worked 6pm to 1am every day since starting the account. Protest information coming in through direct messages must be vetted to ensure that its accurate, safe, and adherent to the priorities of Black organizers. Black Lives Matter is strictly abolitionist, the proprietor of @NJ4GeorgeFloyd, an anonymous Egyptian Palestinian, said, referring to the goal of eliminating police departments. We dont post things surrounding reform. The New Jersey account also connects demonstrators with resources such as safety marshals and street medics.

Sometimes there are screwups. A major regret for @JusticeForFloydCT, overseen by a white-passing person of Latinx descent: posting about an event in Greenwich that turned out to feature only one Black speaker. At @JusticeForGeorgeLA, the mistakes are usually sins of omissionthough the account did once, briefly, post about a nonexistent protest in Norwalk, in Los Angeles. (The rally was actually in Norwalk, Iowa.) Cuerdo, a thirty-year-old filmmaker, is willing to make her identity known. I work primarily on documentaries and Im Filipino American and Im queer, she said. All of these parts of myself have informed, I would say, an activist sensibility. A former student reporter, shes been leaning back on old reportorial skills. For each protest about which @JusticeForGeorgeLA posts, Cuerdo or someone in her cohort attempts to speak directly to at least one, ideally two, organizers. I see the New York Times do it; I see the LA Times do it. I should do it, too, she said.

ICYMI: Dr. Danielle Kilgo on protests and legitimizing coverage

Many of these accounts are not run by Black people. Zevvy Smith-Danford, a graphic designer, runs @InThisTogether_LA with a small, mostly white, volunteer team of friends. @InThisTogether_LA, perhaps the largest protest-aggregator outside of New York, has had its growth boosted by reposts from celebrities like Timothee Chalamet and AnnaSophia Robb. When a white celebrity shares it wed get all these white followers, Smith-Danford explains. So I try to be clear through the stories: the people that run this account mean truly defunding the police and truly abolishing prisons. @InThisTogether_LA also stands out for making use of a colorful palette, informed by Smith-Danfords graphic-design experience, which includes work on pocket schedules for music festivals. Things that look pretty get sharedthats just what it is, Smith-Danford said. Its gotten to a point where the organizations that are putting on protests, that have been putting in the work for yearsthey have a tenth of the followers that we do. As the audience for protest-aggregators explodes, that gets complicated: Everyone makes mistakes. And white allies make a lot of mistakes.

Amplification is a word used often by non-Black protest-aggregators. If we want to talk about implicit bias, and who should be running these accountsfor us, all we can say, is: we try and amplify Black and brown voices first, Cuerdo explained. The account @JusticeForGeorgeNYC was started by a non-Black person and later, when it amassed a team, there was, at first, no one Black in the group. Speaking in early June to a Brooklyn outlet called Bedford + Bowery, Nupol Kiazolu, the president of Black Lives Matter of Greater New York, said: I dont wish them any ill. But I would like to say to them, if theres no Black people on the team, then you should include Black people.

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Things have since changed. We have white people, South Asian, Asian, Blackits a little bit less white than America, a new @JusticeForGeorgeNYC contributor, who is Black, said. He chalked up the accounts early success to a manifestation of Black peoples power on the internet. He went on, They saw what we were building and understood how to plug in to it. The account tried to cultivate relationships with protesters. Have those efforts been successful? The new contributor laughed. I actually wouldnt celebrate ourselves too much, he said. This is where I have to separate myself from speaking for everybody on the @JusticeForGeorgeNYC team. You cant trust that folks are trying to help Black people for too long. If he were an organizer, he added, I would be working with us, but watching us closely.

Thats more than can be said of many mainstream media outlets covering the protests, according to @NJ4GeorgeFloyd. Traditional media is avidly the enemy, the accounts leader said. The New York Times, MSNBC, Fox Newsevery single publication of record is the enemy. They mislead people, and that could ruin the movement. We work against traditional media. One hundred percent.

ARCHIVES: When a journalist is arrested covering a protest, what should their news outlet do?

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Amos Barshad is a journalist in London and the author of No One Man Should Have All That Power: How Rasputins Manipulate The World.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court shot down Trumps argument that, as president, he is immune from legal action on a local level and from investigations conducted by Congress. In its Trump v. Vance ruling, the court sent the cases back to lower courts, where, the justices said, Trump also could challenge the specifics of Vances inquiry. The ruling said Vance had the authority to look into Trumps personal and business financial records.
With up to 30 deaths reported every day, the Shia community has run out of burial space

Every day, funeral processions are telecast on local cable TV channels in the Charminar area of the Old City. (DC Photo: SSR)

Hyderabad: The number of deaths in the Old City of Hyderabad has been climbing in the past few weeks. It is witnessing 20-30 deaths a day, most of them due to heart attacks, pneumonia and breathing problems, apart from COVID-19. Burials are going on late at night. Local cable networks and websites are telecasting funeral processions of prominent fatalities.

One woman, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said WhatsApp groups in her locality have been buzzing with news of deaths in recent weeks. Bodies are being buried as soon as the death occurs.

The body of one well-known man was brought in a procession of cars and bikes for burial. Graveyard workers are working extra hours because of the numerous deaths. We have been watching processions and burials on websites or local cable TV, the woman said.

Syed Azmath Hussain Jafree, president of the Shia Youth Welfare Association, told Deccan Chronicle that his community has sent a representation to chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao requesting allotment of land for an additional graveyard.

This is because in the past few days deaths in the Shia community have been on the rise, averaging about 15 a day. The Shias have only one graveyard, Taira Hazrat Mir Momin R.A. at Sultan Shahi in Moghalpura.

Hussain stated that Noorkhan Bazaar, Dabirpura, Darul Shifa, Yakutpura, Chanchalguda, Mughalpura, Talabkatta, Mata ki Khidki, Charkaman and Kalai Kaman were among the areas most affected by the coronavirus epidemic.

A money transfer agent operating in one of these areas said that within his circle of friends, he had witnessed at least 10 deaths. June was bad. In July 30 deaths have occurred of people I know, he said.

A businessman said a jewellery shop owner had died on Thursday in the Kali Kaman area. The very next day on Friday, his brother died. The cause of the deaths was said to be pneumonia.

According to clippings on social media, a graveyard in Chanchalguda buried 200 dead bodies in one week. Another graveyard buried 40 in the same week. A graveyard in Barkas is burying at least 10 bodies each day. A graveyard in First Lancer witnessed 30 burials on Friday alone.
A delivery man wearing a mask to curb the spread of coronavirus transports his goods past government propaganda poster which reads Socialism Core Values in Beijing (Ng Han Guan/AP)

Two World Health Organisation experts will spend the next two days in the Chinese capital to lay the groundwork for a larger mission to investigate the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic.

One animal health expert and one epidemiologist during their visit to Beijing on Saturday and Sunday will work to fix the scope and terms of reference for the future mission aimed at learning how the virus jumped from animals to humans, the agencys statement said on Friday.

Scientists believe the virus may have originated in bats, then was transmitted through another mammal such such as a civet cat or an armadillo-like pangolin before being passed on to people at a fresh food market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year.

In an effort to block future outbreaks, China has cracked down on the trade in wildlife and closed some wet markets, while enforcing strict containment measures that appear to have virtually stopped new local infections.

The WHO mission is politically sensitive, with the US, the top funder of the UN body, moving to cut ties with it over allegations the agency mishandled the outbreak and is biased toward China.

More than 120 nations called for an investigation into the origins of the virus at the World Health Assembly in May.

#COVID19 has taken so much from us. Its magnitude has touched virtually everyone in the world and clearly deserves a commensurate evaluation, which is also giving us an opportunity to break with the past and build back better.  Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) July 9, 2020

China has insisted that WHO lead the investigation and for it to wait until the pandemic is brought under control.

The US, Brazil and India are continuing to see an increasing number of cases.

Expand Close Armed police stand guard outside a testing site for Chinas national college entrance examinations, also known as the gaokao, in Wuhan in central Chinas Hubei Province (AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Armed police stand guard outside a testing site for Chinas national college entrance examinations, also known as the gaokao, in Wuhan in central Chinas Hubei Province (AP)

The last WHO coronavirus-specific mission to China was in February, after which the teams leader, Canadian doctor Bruce Aylward, praised Chinas containment efforts and information-sharing.

Canadian and American officials have since criticised him as being too lenient on China.

An Associated Press investigation showed that In January, WHO officials were privately frustrated over the lack of transparency and access in China, according to internal audio recordings.

Complaints included that China delayed releasing the genetic map, or genome, of the virus for more than a week after three different government labs had fully decoded the information.

Privately, top WHO leaders complained in meetings the week of January 6 that China was not sharing enough data to assess how effectively the virus spread between people or what risk it posed to the rest of the world, costing valuable time.
The Union government on July 6 filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court suggesting there was a trend of people accused in high-value economic offences approaching the Supreme Court directly  instead of an appropriate court  to get protection from arrest, and that in 44 such instances, the court had granted relief to them, significantly affecting the ability of investigative agencies to go about their probes into these cases.

It wanted the court to address the issue, vacate the interim relief orders, and ask the petitioners to follow the prescribed legal route by appearing before the appropriate lower courts.

The affidavit was filed in a matter pertaining to Bhushan Steel Ltd, involving the companys former CFO Nittin Johari, and may be taken up by a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde on July 24.

The list of cases appended in the affidavit include the Bhushan Steel Ltd case involving an amount of ~20,000 crore, a bank fraud case against Nilesh Parekh of Shree Ganesh Jewellers worth ~2,762 crore, a case against Vikram Kothari of Rotomac worth ~ 3,770 crore, and other such matters.

However, Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta brought up the issue on Wednesday while representing the Union government in a case against Jinofer Bhujwala, arrested in June 2019 in a ~134 crore Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) fraud case, and spoke of how investigative agencies are finding it difficult to do their work because of the accused often directly approaching the apex court for relief  and getting it.

The CJI has asked for a list of such cases heard by different benches and has listed the matter along with other similar matters for two weeks from now.

Mehta referred to around 60 cases under investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, Companies Act and GST Act etc, including the case against former finance minister P Chidambaram, and the former promoters of Bhushan Steel.

He argued that in these large-scale financial frauds, the accused were consciously not resorting to the remedy available under the law  applying to the court of sessions or high court for bail  under section 438 of the CrPC (criminal procedure code) or other statutory remedies.

Mehta declined to comment.

Senior advocate and Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi told HT that he was ready to argue the issue.

I am appearing in more than one case, including P Chidambaram and DK Shivakumar. The mere dates for listing and hearing have been given. We are ready to argue. Significant issues of law are raised, and we would welcome a decision on such significant issues of law. The issues are important, not individuals, he said.

To be sure, Chidambarams case may be different. The former finance minister first moved the Delhi high court for bail. After the court rejected it, he appealed to the Supreme Court. He adopted the same route for anticipatory bail. The high court rejected it, and he was arrested while waiting to be heard by the Supreme Court.

Shivakumar was granted bail by Delhi high court last October. The SC dismissed a plea by the Enforcement Directorate seeking cancellation of Shivakumars bail.

Every person has the right to move the Supreme Court under Article 32 if his fundamental right is violated. Moreover, for violation of any law whether it be Companies Act, PMLA, or GST, the prosecution must follow the procedure prescribed under CrPC. If there is a cognisable offence, an FIR must be registered first and there would be an investigation and a police diary would be maintained. The FIR would be uploaded online allowing an accused to challenge the FIR and seek bail.

Now the ED in these [economic] offences do not follow the FIR system. They register a report in their records which nobody including the accused knows about and suddenly there is a knock on the door and the accused is picked up. So our argument is that such a procedure is not valid and affects the liberty of the individual. There is already a judgment of the Supreme Court delivered eight years ago that it is mandatory to follow CrPC but they dont follow it. That is why these cases have been filed and interim relief was granted, senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi, who is appearing for Nittin Johari, told HT.

Senior advocate Siddhartha Dave, who is representing Jinofer Bhujwala, told HT: On their argument that high courts have to be moved first, I would only like to point out how the Supreme Court has been hearing and striking down IPC [Indian Penal Code] provisions criminalising homosexuality and adultery in public interest litigations for violation of fundamental rights. The PMLA cases are one which affect the accused himself. So it is strange that the Centre is raising this argument that high court should be approached first. Besides, various high courts might give different orders. So, in order to avoid such contradictions, SC would be the appropriate forum.

in many of the cases, proceedings before the competent court are stayed and investigations have come to a standstill for the reason that the Supreme Court has directed no coercive steps to be taken, the affidavit said urging the court to vacate such orders. HT has reviewed a copy of the affidavit.

The affidavit said that the accused deliberately do not resort to the remedies available under the law, namely to apply to the sessions court or high court for bail under the code of criminal procedure or other applicable laws. Instead they approach the Supreme Court directly under Article 32 of the Constitution for protection from arrest by investigating agencies, the affidavit added.

The grounds cited for claiming such relief is usually that the constitutional validity of the special laws under which action is being taken against them, are under challenge.

In all these matters, such interim reliefs are prayed for on the ground that some or the other provisions of special legislations like Prevention of Money Laundering Act, Companies Act and Central Goods and Service Tax Act are under challenge, the affidavit said.

The affidavit was filed by Arvind Saran (Director in Department of Revenue Director).

It said that in some of the cases, interim orders of releasing the accused have been passed by the high courts while hearing the challenge to constitutional validity of the provision.

Further, orders in the nature of bail or staying the trial have been passed without the accused resorting to remedy under Section 439 CrPC (special powers to sessions/high courts to grant bail), the affidavit added.

The Centre further argued in the affidavit that a very challenge to the constitutional validity may not be a ground to prevent statutory authorities from exercising its statutory powers of arrest etc.

Due to the interim relief, the affidavit claimed, proceedings in many of the cases before the competent courts have stayed and investigations have come to a standstill for the reason that this court (SC) has directed no coercive action to be taken.
Workers take off a curtain after attend an opening ceremony for China's new Office for Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong. (AP)

Canberra: Australia suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong and extended visas for Hong Kong residents in response to Chinas imposition of a tough national security law on the semi-autonomous territory, the prime minister said Thursday.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a range of visas that will be extended from two to five years and offers of pathways to permanent residency visas. It is not clear how many Hong Kongers are expected to get the extensions.

The move comes after China bypassed Hong Kongs Legislative Council to impose the sweeping security legislation without public consultation. Critics view it as a further deterioration of freedoms promised to the former British colony, in response to last years massive protests calling for greater democracy and more police accountability.

The national security law prohibits what Beijing views as secessionist, subversive or terrorist activities or as foreign intervention in Hong Kong affairs. Under the law, police now have sweeping powers to conduct searches without warrants and order internet service providers and platforms to remove messages deemed to be in violation of the legislation.

Our government, together with other governments around the world, have been very consistent in expressing our concerns about the imposition of the national security law on Hong Kong, Morrison told reporters.

That national security law constitutes a fundamental change of circumstances in respect to our extradition agreement with Hong Kong, Morrison said.

Britain, too, is extending residency rights for up to 3 million Hong Kongers eligible for British National Overseas passports, allowing them to live and work in the U.K. for five years.

Canada has suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong and is looking at other options including migration.

In Australia, the most likely Hong Kongers to benefit from the new policies are the 10,000 already in the country on student and other temporary visas.

Acting Immigration Minister Alan Tudge said he expected the numbers of Kong Hongers who would come to Australia under the new arrangements would be in the hundreds or low thousands.

Australia last offered safe haven visas to Chinese after the bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protesters around Beijings Tiananmen Square in 1989. More than 27,000 Chinese students in Australia at the time were allowed to stay permanently.

China last week warned Australia against interfering in Chinas internal affairs with Hong Kong.

Global Times, a Chinese Communist Party mouthpieces, this week warned that no one should underestimate the repercussions to the Australian economy from a further deterioration of bilateral ties.

If the Australian government chooses to continue to interfere in Chinas internal affairs, it should be expected that the safe haven offer will result in a huge negative impact on the Australian economy, making the issue much more serious than many people would have anticipated, the newspaper said.

China accused Australia of spreading disinformation when the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade issued a travel advisory this week warning that Australian visitors could be at risk of arbitrary detention.

The departments latest advisory for Hong Kong on Thursday warned that visitors could be sent to mainland China to be prosecuted under mainland law.

You may be at increased risk of detention on vaguely defined national security grounds, the advisory said. You could break the law without intending to.

Australia had negotiated an extradition treaty with China, but shelved it in 2017 when it became clear that the Australian Senate would vote it down. The separate Hong Kong treaty has been in place since 1993.
To adapt an old song, every day (of this weekend) is the Twelfth of July. Some 33 applications for parades on Saturday, four on the Sabbath itself and 233 for Monday. At the maximum permitted 30 per gathering, that is more than 8,000 marchers stretching their legs.

Some hastily arranged Zoom meetings for the Parades Commission to look at the routes.

Not-the-Twelfth could be even bigger than a republican funeral.

There have been numerous restraining voices from Grand Lodge and unionist politicians, urging respect for social distancing, sensible spacing and online activities.

Most will surely adhere.

Here they stand apart for they can do no other? But some folk might get carried away. And, to the chagrin of some brethren, the extended bank holiday might involve more songs and Stella than Scripture.

But for the tens of thousands who love the Twelfth, the unusual nature of this year's event could still be joyous.

Rather than followers having to travel to appointed demonstration venues, parading will be highly localised. And supporters might cheer on those local bands from their doorstep, enjoying the annual celebration of their history, religion and culture.

Given the global pandemic, it is not just in Northern Ireland that the Boyne celebration is in abeyance this year.

Parades have been cancelled in several locations: Toronto, Glasgow, Liverpool and Southport march, among others.

There has been a notable recent reduction in parading controversies in Northern Ireland, even if the issues were not truly resolved.

Successive surveys (2010, 2015, 2017) showed nationalists did not want Orange demonstrations skirting their areas, whereas the most common unionist response was support for unfettered parading rights.

Proximity to parades was important in shaping attitudes. Surprisingly, though, this year's University of Liverpool survey found nationalists less happy with the Parades Commission than unionists.

One-third of DUP voters felt the Parades Commission was doing either a 'very good' or 'good job, not many less than the 38% who thought the commission was performing a 'very bad' or 'bad' job - and a further 18% were neutral, stating that the regulatory body was doing 'neither a good nor bad' job.

However, approval for the Parades Commission falls to one-fifth among members of the Orange Order.

UUP voters were slightly more critical of the commission than DUP backers.

But both sets of unionists showed more support for the commission than Sinn Fein's voters, only 10% of whom said it was doing a 'very good' or 'good' job, with 29% saying 'neither good nor bad' and 30% declaring it was doing a 'bad' or 'very bad' job. One-in-six Sinn Fein voters said they did not know.

Since the banning of the return Ardoyne parade on the Twelfth, marching issues have faded in salience.

Riots in north Belfast seemed almost an annual feature. But Ross Kemp's Extreme World series would no longer give the place star billing.

This will be an unusual Twelfth, a holiday weekend which, despite all restrictions, will be a celebration for followers of the Orange tradition.

Adherents will be desperate for the return of full Orangefest next year. But this year's muted event might yet be traditional in one respect. The forecast says it will end with rain.

Jon Tonge is Professor of Politics at the University of Liverpool and co-author of Loyal To The Core? Orangeism And Britishness In Northern Ireland
A policeman in Ibadan on Thursday afternoon allegedly shot a 32-year-old businessman, Yemi Ajayi, dead at the Iwo Road interchange, Ibadan, Oyo State.

A witness who pledged anonymity told journalists that some policemen drove to the scene of the incident in a Nissan Micra car and stopped the car being driven by the deceased cousin, Kayode Atanda.

Kayode and late Ajayi were said to be on their way to work in a Toyota Camry car.

The source said that before the driver had slowed down to clear off the highway, one of the policemen started struggling with him over the steering wheel.



According to him, as the driver was trying to get out of the car, the policeman shot him on the arm and the bullet hit the stomach of the deceased sitting beside him.

I was here when the incident happened. He was about to open the car door when the drunken police officer shot him.

All the three police officers were drunk. I think government needs to put end to this unreasonable killing, the eyewitness said.

An elder brother to the victim, Sola Ajayi, told newsmen that the deceased was the bread winner of the family.

He said the Yemis death had created vacuum in the family, especially in the life of their aged mother.

The older Ajayi said that when the family heard about the unfortunate incident, they went to the testing ground police station to confirm, but saw only their vehicle.

It was only Kayode Atanda, our cousin, who was rushed to the University Teaching Hospital (UCH) for treatment that we met in the hospital. I pray the arm will not be amputated, he said.

He said that the whereabouts of the corpse of his brother was unknown to the family, adding that police had abandoned the wounded Atanda at UCH.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Olugbenga Fadeyi, who confirmed the incident, said the Police Command had begun investigation into the matter.

A team from the Area Command Police (ACPOL), Agodi, who were on routine patrol at Iwo road interchange on July 10 at about 12:15 p.m stopped a Toyota Camry car which was alleged to have refused to stop.

In the process, one of the policemen fired a shot which hit one Adeyemi m in the stomach and he was rushed to police hospital, Agodi, for treatment but was later confirmed dead by the medical personnel, he said.

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Bengaluru, July 10 : For providing regional air connectivity, Karnataka would build a greenfield airport at Vijayapura in the state's northwest backward region, an official said on Friday.

"The new airport will be built at a cost of Rs 220 crore on Vijayapura's outskirts in northwest Karnataka for air connectivity and boosting economic activity in the state's backward region," the official said a day after the cabinet gave its nod.

Vijayapura, formerly known as Bijapur, is 540km northwest of Bengaluru in the southern state, and was once a part of the Bombay Province before the re-organisation of states on linguistic basis in 1956.

"The state public works department (PWD) will construct the airport between Buranpur and Madhubhavi villages in 727 acres of land, the state government acquired in 2010 but the project work did not take-off due to delays, leading to cancellation of the contract with Marg Ltd, a Chennai-based construction and infrastructure development firm," the official recalled.

When completed over the next 18-24 months, the Vijayapura airport will be the 9th in the state to operate on feeder routes under the regional Udan regional connectivity scheme of the central government.

"Though Vijayapura is connected with road and rail network, air connectivity will reduce travel time to cities like Bengaluru and Mangaluru in the state and from where passengers take flights to overseas destinations," said the official.

Other regional airports in operation across the state are at Mysuru, Hubballi, Belagavi, Bidar and Kalaburagi, while a new airport is under construction at Shivamogga in Malnad region of central Karnataka.

"Civil works such as ground levelling and construction of runway, taxiway, aprons and passenger terminal will commence soon after the state government releases Rs 95 crore for the first year of the project work," asserted the official.

As part of the Deccan Plateau in the southern peninsula, Vijayapura is a heritage city, dating back to the Kalyani Chalukyas reign in the 10-11th centuries and was the capital of the Adil Shahi kingdom after its Bahmani Sultanate conquered it from the Yadavas.

"Air connectivity will also promote tourism in the region, which boasts of monuments, forts, tombs, mosques, temples and sufi shrines. Bijapur fort, Bara Kaman, Jama Masjid and Gol Gumbaz are popular tourist spots," added the official.

The Adil Shahi dynasty promoted building 50 mosques, 20 tombs and scores of palaces and Hindu temples such as Gajanan, Shivagiri and Siddeshwar temples, Ibrahim Roza, Taj Bawdi, Malik-e-Maidan, Methar Mahal, Gagan Mahal, Jala Manzil and Upli Burj.
The Prime Minister has shown a humanitarian approach in offering visa extensions to some Hong Kong residents in Australia ("Hong Kong stance mixes compassion and self-interest", July 10). Now he can turn his attention and show compassion to the refugees his government keeps stuck in detention for years on Manus Island. Judy Sherrington, Kensington China isn't the only country that needs our exports and can supply us with what we need. It is the only country that threatens us (through its actions in the South China Sea and its bullying behaviour). It will be painful to redirect our trade, but our minerals, food and education are needed by others and the gadgets and shirts we crave can be sourced from our nearer and more trustworthy neighbours. David Neilson, Invergowrie Despite the British incursion, Hong Kong and its citizens have always been part of China, albeit under democratic rule. The conflict now is the battle to keep their democratic way of life, which is anathema to the communist rulers in Beijing, and Australia is defending the right of the Chinese citizens in Hong Kong to live under democratic rule, either in Hong Kong or elsewhere. That is not meddling but a recognition of, and support for, the most fundamental of human rights. Pasquale Vartuli, Wahroonga The young and the reckless We are told daily of the struggles of the young during these hard times and how we need to open up the economy for them to get back to work but it's getting harder to sympathise when we read of thousands at parties at Mullumbimby and Byron and queues waiting to get into hotels ("Long pub queues a 'serious lesson'", July 10). They don't seem to be taking things seriously enough to worry about the rest of us. Lindsay Walsh, Old Bar

The only reason I'd queue up to get into a pub would be if they had Reschs on tap. Michael Deeth, Como West The great divide Much as I am not a fan of our PM, his uniting call for us to be "all Victorians" at this difficult time as a compassionate and mature country is surely a principle we can get behind (Letters, July 10). Instead, it seems to have stirred up an unbelievably picky hornet's nest dividing apples from oranges and shows some of us lack of empathy and perspective. Judy Finch, Cedar Party Standing in solidarity A message for Melburnians, and Victorians: Hang in there. We still love you and want to see you come through this. We are all with you ("Horror day as Victoria records 288 new coronavirus cases", smh.com.au, July 10). Neil Feller, Potts Point

Pitt, minister for coal, is blinded by his own ideology It is astounding that federal Resources Minister Keith Pitt, in responding to First State Super's plan to reduce its investments in coal miners, claims that decision is based on "misguided ideology" ("Fund's choice on 'ideology' criticised", July 10). Is he the minister for all resources, including the most natural ones of sun and wind, or is he just the minister for coal, whose main aim seems to be to retain central Queensland votes? It is disturbing that a key minister of our government still refuses to recognise that the effect of fossil fuels on climate change is a scientific fact, not a "misguided ideology". Jill Tuffley, Turramurra International Energy Agency forecasts of a continued market for coal are a Coalition favourite, as though that makes selling coal OK. Super funds are responding to other forecasts, such as those of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, NASA and every other reputable science academy. They also saw climate risk writ large during our black summer and breathed it. Regarding climate risk, it is the Coalition that acts from "ideology". Thea Ormerod, Kingsgrove Will Pitt please explain how limiting investments in "thermal coal  the heaviest-polluting energy source" by First State Super is "misguided ideology"? Larry Woldenberg, Forest Lodge Pitt either doesn't understand the term "ideology", or he doesn't understand climate science. In any case, it's terrifying that he is in a position to make decisions on behalf of current and future citizens of Australia. Erin Remblance, Seaforth

Pitt clearly shows that if you operate on the basis of ideology, you can't conceive of any other way of thinking: it's not my ideology, it's your ideology. First State Super has used the available evidence to make a considered decision, similar to that taken by other fund managers, about how to safeguard their members' retirement savings into a changing future ... and it considers the future to be longer than three years. Peter Geelan-Small, Glebe What's the point of having a healthy super balance if the world you retire into is uninhabitable? Simon Pitts, Riverview Quake in your boots The news that the combined output of the Central West Orana renewable energy zone and the planned New England zone will generate more power than the entire NSW fleet of coal-fired power stations and the cost of solar farms is now "as little as half that of new coal-fired power plants" will have the rusted-on supporters of coal quaking in their boots ("Green energy zone to near coal's output", July 10). This information could  or should  also throw a very large spanner into the works of the Nyngan coal seam gas project, which would deface the entire Pilliga Forest with a network of roads and dozens of drill rigs and well-heads. Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin (ACT) Congratulations to Matt Kean on the new Renewable Energy Zone in NSW. As the federal government squirms before the fossil fuel lobby, it's reassuring to see that in the states, there is still strength and conviction to do what's right by Australians. Imagine the opportunities and investment we could have, so desperately needed at the moment, if Canberra would commit Australia to be a leader in the global transition to zero carbon emissions. Emma Storey, Campsie

Towering, infernal Yet another high rise office building in North Sydney ("Tower block to dominate north shore", July 9). This thing is both climatically inappropriate and not suited to changing work patterns. How such a monstrosity will "breathe new life and liveability into an urban core" or bring life to "an old-fashioned downtown which was alive only between 9 and 5" eludes me. The extra public space will be just another windswept lot gathering discarded lunch wrappers, to be avoided after dark. Tom Mangan, Woy Woy Bay If Rob Stokes and North Sydney Council are sincere in wanting to create a more liveable, more vibrant North Sydney, they should reopen the Walker Street Cinema, which was an institution for many years, and not just 9 to 5. Encourage the opening of small bars and cafes. The Grape Escape wine bar and restaurant was enormously popular for many years in Blues Point Road and is a good example. We have recently lost Jagos on Miller, which was a much-loved institution. Create a theatre and gallery space in the new building that would draw creativity back to the area. Instead of the hard-edged public sculpture that has appeared recently, we need more water fountains like the one in Stanton Park, to soften the brutalist environment. If only I could feel optimistic. Jenny Atkins, Mosman Abuse hurts To answer correspondent Max Redmayne's question: yes mate, you are missing something (Letters, July 10). The player who committed the physical attack has been suspended for four weeks. The bloke who abused the ref received two weeks. John Campbell, South Golden Beach

Kanye believe it? I don't know about a fictional country called Wakanda (Letters, July 10). To me, Kanye West sounds like the name of a partitioned former British colony nestled somewhere in the Himalayas, where the citizens speak only Kardashian. Adrian Connelly, Springwood Driven to distraction My usual response to the child-bride's back-seat driving is  in loud, irritated voice  "yes, of course I saw that" followed after a few moments' reflection in a calm measured tone; "but don't stop telling me, in case I don't see it next time" (Letters, July 10). On the other hand, Patsy, my GPS (I'm sure it's Johanna Lumley's voice) is measured in her tone, is never judgmental ("The speed limit is 40km an hour") and refuses to respond to "No it's not  I'm in a tunnel". One of these partnerships is definitely not made in heaven. Robert Hosking, Paddington

From the royal letter foxes Thank you to the wag at the National Archives who decided to release the Palace letters on  ahem  Bastille Day ("'A terrific victory': Palace letters revealed next week", July 10). Peter Fyfe, Enmore Hopefully the letters will be another nail in the coffin of the Australian monarchy  and with the passing of the Queen we will finally make the break and embrace the republic. It is inconceivable that we end up with a king who would rather be a tampon. David Perkins, Reid (ACT) Last call for nominations I sympathise, Karen; every generation has its problem name ("I'm a Karen and the meme is tiresome", July 10). For mine, it's Penelope (spend a penny, bad penny). But as with you, it could have been worse; the other names on my mother's shortlist were Persephone and Periwinkle. Penny Ransby Smith, Lane Cove

My favourite Karen has always been the one referred to on the B-side of the Go-Betweens' first single. Karen "works in the library, helps me find Hemingway, helps me find Brecht, helps me find James Joyce, she always makes the right choice". So rejoice, Karens of the world. You are wonderful. Colin Hesse, Marrickville Postscript Letters poured in this week as the number of COVID-19 cases in Melbourne grew and restrictions became tougher. Most showed solidarity with our southern neighbours, expressing the view that Sydneysiders were extraordinarily lucky to not be in the same dire situation and it would not be long before we followed Victorians into lockdown. As has been the case since our summer of bushfires and through the pandemic, there were many new correspondents, or those that hadn't written for years and even decades, joining the more regular writers. We could speculate that as people have been confined to their homes more than usual, they have made the time to put down their thoughts to send to the Herald. Is this one good thing to come out of the pandemic? Whatever the case, we'd like to welcome our new or returned correspondents  it's always good to have fresh voices join our lively conversation. Last week we mentioned the death of regular correspondent Bert Candy of Glenvale. Many of you wrote to tell us how much you enjoyed his passionate and erudite letters, messages we passed on to Bert's family, who thank you for your kind words. Bert was voted the Letter Writer of the Year in 2016.
Four people arrested in connection with the disappearance and murder of a couple in Meath have been released without charge.

Willie Maughan and his girlfriend Anastasija Varslavanne went missing in April 2015.

Three men and one woman were released from Garda custody last night.

A file will now be prepared for the DPP.

Investigations are ongoing.
LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESSWIRE / July 10, 2020 / Out of all the ways that someone could come up with a business idea, Marcello Cantu's story is definitely one for the books. He was just a child when his grandfather introduced him to the world of entrepreneurship. His grandfather founded a family-run auto-upholstery that lasted over three decades.

Cantu loved the idea of owning his own business and always looked up to his grandfather. He is the one who inspired him to chase after his dreams even if that meant not working for him alongside the rest of their family.

Instead, Cantu went to school and earned a degree in marketing at the University of Texas in Dallas. With a quick move from Texas to California, Cantu found himself learning from young entrepreneurs like himself at his first eCommerce conference. It was here where he met his first business partner Andy Ta Kong.

The two connected instantly and Ta Kong invited him to his birthday party. At the party, the two spent the entire night talking about the possibility of partnering and creating a business, while over 100 guests searched for the man of the hour.

Ta Kong introduced Cantu to his roommate Paul Parker who valued the business plans the duo had been creating and wanted to join. The duo became a trio.

Cantu attended a second conference featuring a presentation from ATM business tycoon Mohammed Shakaoat. Cantu had no prior plans of working with him but he couldn't resist utilizing Shakaoat's vast entrepreneurial repertoire.

The four partnered and created Project Wifi, a business offering a variety of dropshipping mentorship and Amazon management in exchange for shares in their businesses.

They now help over 55 clients exceed their business goals and have amassed over $19,000,000 in revenue shares with all of those companies combined. Project Wifi appeals to those who wish to build their own online Amazon business while working from their laptop anywhere around the world.

Story continues

"My business idea started at a birthday party. It's insane when I think about it now. It was the first time we had hung out and we were in his room upstairs talking about Amazon and partnering up together for an hour while about a hundred people downstairs partied and were looking for him the whole night," he says.

Cantu credits Project Wifi's success to capitalizing on each founder's set of skills that help grow the business to where it is today.

"I am very good at strategizing and planning ahead," says Cantu. "I realize now that it's not the smartest, sexiest, or hardest working people that succeed - It's the people that can adapt."

If you would like to keep up with @marcellocantu and his upcoming projects, feel free to give him a follow on Instagram.

CONTACT:

Kiley Almy

Kiley@nextwavemktg.com

Next Wave Marketing

SOURCE: Marcello Cantu





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/597106/The-Birthday-Party-That-Changed-Everything




Chinas customs authority on July 10 reportedly said that they detected the deadly coronavirus on the packaging of frozen white shrimps imported from Ecuador. While the tests on the shrimp and inner packaging were negative, the customs authority said that the samples taken from shipments from Industrial Pesquera Santa Priscila SA, Empacreci SA and Empacadora Del Pacifico Sociedad Anonima Edpacif had produced six positive results. After detecting the presence of COVID-19 in recent shipment, China reportedly suspended imports from three shrimp producers in Ecuador.

The General Administration of Customs in a statement said that after the nucleic acid sequence analysis and expert judgement, the test results suggested that the container environment and outer packaging of the goods of the three companies were at risk of contamination by the new COVID-19. The customs authority further reported said the companies food and safety management system was not in order.

READ: China Warns Citizens In Kazakhstan Of 'unknown Pneumonia' More Lethal Than COVID-19

READ: Chinese Diplomat Warns US Against 'McCarthy-style Paranoia', Calls For Cooperation

Elimination of hidden dangers

The recent detection of coronavirus on the packaging marks the first five positive results announced by Beijing since it began testing imported frozen foods in a bid to contain the spread of the deadly virus. The testing campaign by China came after coronavirus was found on a chopping board used to cut salmon at a food market in Beijing, which led to an outbreak of COVID-19 among workers in the area. While there is no evidence that the virus can be spread through food, China still halted the imports of Salmon from European suppliers.

The Chinese custom authority reportedly said that the suspension of imports is in a bid to protect consumer health and eliminate hidden dangers. With the detection of COVID-19 on the packaging of frozen food, the customs authority reportedly ordered the three now suspended firms to recall or destroy orders of shrimps which were made after March 12 and had already imported to China.

(Image: AP)

READ: Torriential Rains Pound Central, Southern China

READ: Six Injured In Explosion At Fireworks Factory In China
Protests marred many areas of Kerala as the opposition demanded resignation of chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan over the Thiruvananthapuram airport gold smuggling case.

The Customs department had seized 30 kg gold from an air cargo consignment from the United Arab Emirates to the countrys consulate in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday. Swapna Suresh, who was working as the operational manager of the Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Limited under the state IT Ministry, had gone underground after the seizure. Later, the CM had transferred his principal secretary M Sivasankar who was close to Suresh.

In Kozhikode, many people were hurt after police resorted to baton charge on agitating Youth League workers. In Kochi too, Yuva Morcha protest turned violent. In Kannur, police lobbed teargas shells to control protesters.

Youth Congress workers held a protest rally outside CM Vijayans ancestral house in Kannur.

Bail plea of alleged mastermind Suresh which was to come up in before the Kerala High Court today has been deferred to Tuesday. On Thursday, the Centre handed over the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) after VIjayan petitioned the government saying the state was ready for any probe.

Despite the CPI(M) and coalition rallying around the CM, many party insiders say the latest incident has dented the image of the government when the elections are just 10 months away.

The issue took a political colour after the main accused was reported to be very close to many higher ups in the state government. Vijayans principal secretary M Sivasankar, a senior IAS official, has already been transferred.

Some of the allies of ruling dispensation have started airing their displeasure against the way Vijayan protected former principal secretary M Sivasankar. Junior partner the CPI said it warned him about the freestyle of his secretary several times but the CM ignored them. It said the CMs favourite trouble shooter has started giving him enough trouble now.

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Linkedin Gary Quinlan (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 10, 2020 11:22 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066557e38 3 Opinion Australia-Indonesia,defense-diplomacy Free

As the devastating impacts of COVID-19 have shown us all this year, the international environment confronting Indonesia and Australia is more complex, contested and uncertain than ever before.

The Indo-Pacific, the region in which we both live, is in the midst of the most consequential strategic realignment since World War II and is the epicenter of rising strategic competition.

COVID-19 has accelerated many of these trends. Our external security environment is changing quickly.

Militarization and disruptive technological advances are making our region less secure  at the very time that emergency response and resilience measures demand a higher priority and greater resources from governments.

Grey-zone activities  such as the use of militia and coercive economic levers  are being applied in ways that challenge sovereignty and habits of cooperation.

Read also: RI to boost export to Australia as IA-CEPA enters into force

National defense thinking, strategy and planning needs to shift gears to respond.

Thats why the Australian Governments 2020 Defense Strategic Update released last week details a new Australian defense policy that prioritizes the Indo-Pacific region and invests A$270 billion (US$188.7 billion) over the next 10 years to increase Australias capabilities to achieve our goals.

Our focus on a stable and secure region is an interest we share with Indonesia and many of our Southeast Asian neighbors.

Australia shares the goals and principles of ASEANs outlook on the Indo-Pacific: a region of dialogue and cooperation instead of rivalry, and of development and prosperity for all. For Australia, ASEAN centrality is at the core of the Indo-Pacific.

As Prime Minister Morrison said when announcing Australias new defense posture, the Indo-Pacific region is where we live and where our interests are most directly engaged. We want an open, sovereign Indo-Pacific, free from coercion and hegemony.

We are redoubling our efforts to prioritize our region in our defense planning  ranging from the north-eastern Indian Ocean, through maritime and mainland Southeast Asia, to Papua New Guinea and the South West Pacific  deepening cooperation with our regional partners, new and old.

The Australia-Indonesia defense relationship will remain a top priority. Despite challenges posed by COVID-19, our defense forces will continue their strong partnership, building on decades of close cooperation.

We will cement mini-lateral relationships across the region, including with Indonesia, such as cooperation in trilateral and other small groups on issues of shared interest to reinforce sovereignty and regional stability.

We will acquire new capabilities to shape our strategic environment, deter actions against our interests and enable us to respond with credible military force when required.

While these are undoubtedly challenging times, opportunities are emerging for countries like Indonesia and Australia.

We have the chance to shape our international environment and ensure countries in our region can pursue their own interests peacefully and without external interference.

Read also: How Indonesia can take advantage of IA-CEPA

As a close neighbor and friend, Indonesia is in the top tier of Australias international partners, reflected by the fact that we are both among a handful of countries with which each has a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

A resilient, prosperous Indonesia will continue to play a crucial role in the Indo-Pacific.

Indonesias strategic weight, its influence within ASEAN and its democratic credentials are major assets for the region.

Indonesias sovereignty and territorial integrity  including in respect of the Papua provinces  are fundamental, as Australia has recognized through the Lombok Treaty of 2006.

Together, Indonesia and Australia can play a positive role shaping the regions future.

We have always worked together at critical junctures  Indonesia and Australia are strong supporters of the rules-based order on which we depend for our security and prosperity, and our cooperation reflects this fundamental commitment.

As President Joko Widodo said in his historic address to the Australian Parliament earlier this year, Indonesia and Australia must become the anchors for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.

Australia will continue to stand with Indonesia during this unprecedented pandemic and in whatever follows.

This year, we have already redirected nearly AUD45 million from our budgeted A$298.5 million development program in Indonesia to support the COVID-19 response.

Read also: Australia disburses Rp 22 billion to Muhammadiyah, NU for COVID-19 response

In late May, Australia also announced A$21 million in new initiatives to provide immediate support to Indonesias health, humanitarian and economic response.

And just last week, Foreign Minister Marise Payne took part in a Special ASEAN-Australia Foreign Ministers Meeting on COVID-19 in partnership with Indonesias Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and all her ASEAN counterparts.

At the meeting, Foreign Minister Payne committed an additional A$23 million to help ASEAN bolster health security, economic recovery and stability in our region.

The challenges of our time are immense but Australia and Indonesia are not bystanders.

As neighbors and friends working together, we can help shape a region of stable, prosperous and sovereign states, cooperating on shared interests and resilient to coercion.

***

The writer is Australian ambassador to Indonesia.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
Top Vietnamese, Cambodian leaders hold phone talks

Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong and President of the Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) and Prime Minister Hun Sen discussed issues regarding the relations between the two nations during their phone talks on July 9.











Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong (Photo: VNA)



The top Vietnamese leader lauded the Cambodian governments management, and the solidarity of the Cambodian people in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and in socio-economic development.



He thanked Cambodia for its close coordination with Vietnam within the bilateral framework as well as the ASEAN cooperation framework, and suggested the two countries tighten their cooperation in the pandemic combat, while maintaining border trade.



As for the issue relating to people of Vietnamese origin in Cambodia, the Party and State leader expressed his hope that Cambodia will continue to create favourable conditions for them to stabilise their lives in the country, thus contributing to the development of Cambodia and enhancing the bilateral ties.



For his part, Hun Sen congratulated Vietnam on successfully organising the 36th ASEAN Summit in the form of a teleconference, saying Cambodia will actively support Vietnams ASEAN and AIPA 41 Chairmanship in 2020 and non-permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council for 2020-2021.



The Cambodian leader said he believes that under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Vietnamese people will reap new, greater achievements in the renewal process, and successfully organise the 13th National Party Congress.



Praising Vietnams efforts and successes in the fight against COVID-19, he thanked Vietnam for sharing its experience with and supporting Cambodia in this sphere.



Cambodia will continue to create conditions for people of Vietnamese origin to settle in the country, he pledged.



Both leaders spoke highly of the intensive and extensive development of the cooperation between the two Parties and the two countries across areas, bringing practical interests to people of the countries.



They agreed to continue joining hands in implementing joint statements and agreements, along with preparing for the 18th meeting of the Vietnam-Cambodia Joint Committee, and the 11th meeting on cooperation and development between border provinces of Vietnam and Cambodia when possible.



The leaders also consented to take specific measures to remove difficulties to boost economic ties sustainably.



They shared the view on the historical significance of the signing of two documents recognising the achievements of land border demarcation and marker planting, and concurred to push ahead with necessary procedures to put the documents into place.



The two sides will also continue negotiations to deal with the remaining border work, thus building a common border line of peace, stability, cooperation and development.

They will closely and effectively coordinate and support each other in regional and international issues, especially within the ASEAN cooperation framework and ASEAN-led mechanisms, the UN, the WTO, the ASEM and Mekong Sub-region cooperation mechanisms.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Thursday completed withdrawal of its troops from two more face-off sites in Gogra and Hot Springs in eastern Ladakh in line with a mutually agreed disengagement process with India even as the two countries are set to hold a fresh round of diplomatic talks on Friday to further de-escalate the situation.

As the first phase of the disengagement neared completion, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava, at a media briefing, once again rejected China's claim over Galwan Valley, but reiterated that India remained convinced of the need for maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border areas and resolution of differences through dialogue.

At the same time, he asserted that India is committed to ensuring its sovereignty and territorial integrity and that the Line of Actual Control (LAC)must be strictly respected and observed, saying it is the basis for peace and tranquility in border areas.

Government sources said the two sides are also expected to hold a fourth round of Corps commander level dialogue by early next week to finalise modalities for de-induction of troops by both sides at their rear bases in the high-altitude region.

Both sides have completed creation of a buffer zone of three kilometres in the three friction points of Galwan Valley, Gogra and Hot Springs as part of a temporary measure, the sources said, adding there has been a thinning out of troops from Finger 4 area in Pangong Tso as well.

China has already pulled back troops from the friction points in Galwan Valley.

The disengagement of troops from the friction points formally kicked off on Monday following a eight-week eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation between the two armies at multiple locations in eastern Ladakh.

In the meantime, people familiar with the development said the two sides will hold another round of online meeting on Friday on the border row under the framework of Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination(WMCC) on India-China border affairs.

Naveen Srivastava, Joint Secretary (East Asia) in the External Affairs Ministry, will hold talks with Wu Jianghao, Director General in the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

At his briefing, the MEA Spokesperson said National Security Advisor Ajit Doval categorically conveyed to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday about India's position on the recent developments along the LAC including in the Galwan Valley area.

Doval and Wang, the Special Representatives for border talks, held a telephonic conversation on Sunday following which armies of the two countries began disengagement of troops from friction points in eastern Ladakh.

"The NSA emphasised in this context that the Indian troops had always taken a very responsible approach towards border management and at the same time, our forces were deeply committed to ensuring India's sovereignty and security," Srivastava said.

Srivastava said Doval and Wang agreed that peace and tranquility in border areas were essential for the overall development of bilateral relations.

He also reiterated that the recent Chinese claims to the Galwan Valley area are "exaggerated and untenable".

"We remain convinced of the need for maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border areas and the resolution of differences through dialogue, at the same time, we are also strongly committed to ensuring India's sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said.

Galwan Valley was the site of violent clashes between Indian and Chinese armies on June 15 in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed.

The Chinese side also suffered casualties but it is yet to give out the details.

According to an American intelligence report, the number of casualties on the Chinese side was 35.

Srivastava also said the diplomatic and military officials of both sides will continue their meetings to take forward the process of disengagement and de-escalation as agreed to by the Special Representatives.

"The next meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China border affairs (WMCC) is expected to take place soon," he said.

The Chinese military on Thursday completed moving back its troops from the face-off sites in Gogra and Hot Springs in eastern Ladakh in line with the understanding reached with the Indian Army, government sources said.

The Indian and Chinese armies are locked in the bitter standoff in multiple locations in eastern Ladakh for the last eight weeks.

The tension escalated manifold after the Galwan Valley clashes.

China, meanwhile, said Chinese and Indian troops have taken "effective measures" to disengage at the Galwan Valley and other areas along the LAC in eastern Ladakh and the situation is "stable and improving," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing in Beijing that following the consensus reached at the commander-level talks, China, India border troops have taken effective measures to disengage at the front-line at the Galwan Valley and other areas.

"The situation along the border is stable and improving," he said.
New Delhi: The annual Amarnath Yatra in the Himalayas will be conducted in a staggered manner and not more than 500 pilgrims will be allowed to visit the sacred cave shrine of Lord Shiva daily due to the coronavirus pandemic, officials said on Wednesday.

The issue of pilgrimages to the Amarnath and Vaishnodevi shrines, both located in Jammu and Kashmir, was discussed at a high-level meeting attended by Union ministers G Kishan Reddy and Jitendra Singh and senior officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Jammu and Kashmir administration.

The Amarnath Yatra is likely to commence on July 21.

"This year's pilgrimage will be conducted in a staggered manner and not more than 500 pilgrims will be allowed to visit the shrine daily due to the COVID-19 situation," an official privy to the discussion said.

Around 9,000 people have been tested COVID-19 positive in the Union Territory and around 145 people succumbed to the virus so far.

The route through Pahalgam is yet to be cleared as it is full of snow and the pilgrimage may be allowed only through the Baltal route this year.

However, a final decision on the pilgrimage to the shrine in Himalayas will be taken later next week, the official said.

The authorities are particularly concerned over the COVID-19 pandemic as the symptoms for the virus and high- altitude sickness are almost same.

The doctors in the Union Territory and the armed forces are already stressed and hence, allowing a large number of pilgrims to go for the Amarnath pilgrimage will be an additional burden on medical staff and infrastructure, another official said.

In case of Vaishnodevi shrine, the visit to the temple has been suspended till July 31 and authorities are contemplating allowing it first for local people. Later, depending on the coronavirus situation, people from outside the state will be allowed, the official said.

The meeting also reviewed the ongoing development works in Jammu and Kashmir.

These include implementation of centrally sponsored schemes, progress in achieving targets under the Prime Minister's Development Package 2015, issues raised during the outreach carried out by the union ministers in January this year, and issues related to implementation of J&K Reorganisation Act.

The erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated on August 5, 2019 into two UTs after abrogation of the special status given to it under Article 370. The UTs -- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh -- came into existence on October 31, 2019.

The meeting was also attended through video conference by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor G C Murmu, Chief Secretary B V R Subrahmanyam, divisional commissioners of Kashmir and Jammu, and other senior officers.
Jammu:

Pakistani troops on Monday violated ceasefire by indulging in firing and shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in the twin frontier districts of Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistani troops indulged in unprovoked ceasefire violation from 0900 hours in the Balakot sector using 120 mm and 82 mm mortars, automatic and small arms, an army officer said.

He said our troops are responding to the firing appropriately and befittingly.

Pakistani Army fired and shelled on the forward posts and civilian areas along the LoC in Mendham sector of Poonch district. They also violated ceasefire in several areas of Rajouri district this afternoon, the officer said.

There was firing and shelling of mortar bombs in Mankot and Balakote areas along the LoC. A lull had prevailed along the International Border (IB) since 2100 hours after ceasefire violations by Pakistani rangers yesterday.

They had pounded BSF posts and civilian areas using small arms and mortars shells in continuous ceasefire violations along the International Border (IB) in Samba, Kathua and Jammu districts, prompting BSF to retaliate.

There have been more that 60 ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops along the LoC and IB in the state since surgical strikes against terror launch pads by the Indian Army in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Eleven people, including 3 civilians, and 8 security personnel were killed and over 40 people, mostly civilians, were injured in the incidents.

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Syrian president: Iran-Syria military accord rooted in years of anti-terror cooperation

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 09 July 2020 4:48 PM

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad says the recent military agreement signed by Damascus and Tehran is the result of years of cooperation in fighting against terrorism in the Arab country.

The Syrian president made the remarks in a meeting with the visiting Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri in capital Damascus on Thursday, a statement by Syrian presidential office said.

"This agreement reflects the strategic level of relations between Iran and Syria and is the outcome of years of common measures and cooperation in the fight against terrorism in Syria," Assad said.

Baqeri, for his part, underlined "the importance of Iran's continued efforts aimed at boosting bilateral ties between the two friendly and brotherly nations in all fields."

The top Iranian military official also stressed that continued strengthening of bilateral ties is in the interests of Iran and Syria and that he supports it against any attempts to interfere in the domestic affairs of the two countries and damage their independent decision-making.

Major General Baqeri arrived in Damascus on Wednesday and signed a "comprehensive" agreement with Syrian Defense Minister Ali Abdullah Ayoub to strengthen military and defense cooperation.

The accord provides for the expansion of military and security cooperation and the continuation of coordination between the armed forces of the two countries.

The two sides also underlined the need for the withdrawal of foreign forces which have been "illegally" deployed to Syria in violation of international law and said the forces are the main obstacle to the complete cleansing of armed terrorist groups in some parts of the Arab country.

Iran and Syria have signed different military and defense cooperation over the past years.

The Islamic Republic commenced providing Syria with advisory military assistance after numerous countries, at the head of them the US and its Western and regional allies, began funding and arming militants and terrorists with the aim of deposing the Syrian president's government.

Although the Syrian government initially lost considerable expanses of territory to the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group and other terror outfits, the country rallied to retake the lost grounds and drive out terrorists from much of the country.

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Crackdown to target foreign worker shop, sales staff, illegal ice cream vendors

PHUKET: Department of Employment Director-General Suchart Pornchaiwisetkul has announced that a crackdown is forthcoming targeting foreigners working illegally by selling ice cream in a variety of provinces, including Phuket.

immigrationeconomicscrime

By MCOT Online

Friday 10 July 2020, 06:30PM

Department of Employment Director-General Suchart Pornchaiwisetkul . Photo: MCOT

Mr Suchart said that he had ordered Department of Employment officers to investigate the crime in provinces where many foreign workers are resident, including Chiang Mai, Surat Thani, Songkhla and Phuket, reports state news agency MCOT.

Mr Suchart explained that it was illegal for foreigners to sell ice cream as a hawker under the revised list of occupations issued by the Ministry of Labour on June 20 this year.

According to the report, Mr Suchart also explained that to work as a shop assistant or construction worker, such foreigners must have an employer, who must strictly follow Department of Employment announcements about the conditions for accepting foreigners to work as salespeople, and construction workers must come from countries that Thailand has a Memorandum of Understanding with, such as Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam.

Minister of Labour MR Chatumongol Sonakul emphasised [the need to] inspect foreign workers and employers, as the management of foreign workers is matter of national security, is essential for the national economy, and affects career opportunities for Thai people, Mr Suchart said.

The Department of Employment must publicise and raise awareness of this among employers so they know and strictly comply with the conditions for accepting foreigners to work, he added.

The regulation issued by the Department of Employment late last month stipulates new criteria for hiring of foreign workers as shop or sales staff, under which the number of foreign workers that may be hired is determined in proportion with the tax paid by the employer.

Under the announcement last month, foreigners found working illegally are to be fined B5,000-B50,000 and deported.

For their first offence, employers found illegally hiring foreign workers are to be fined B10,000-B100,000 per illegal foreign worker. A second offense shall result in a fine of B50,000-B200,000 for each foreign worker hired illegally, as well as a three-year ban on hiring foreign workers and the possibility of up to one year in jail.

Mr Suchart also revealed that from October 1 last year through July 1 this year, the Department of Employment had inspected 367,343 foreign workers, said the MCOT report.

Of those, 29,883 foreigners were found working in prohibited occupations, including 9,582 foreigners working in shops, 490 working as hawkers, and 19,811 in other fields, including textile production and providing massage services.

A total of 1,601 foreigners had been prosecuted during the period, the report added, noting that of the 1,601 prosecuted, 832 were Myanmar nationals, 318 were Cambodians, 301 were Laotians, 43 were Vietnamese, and 107 were of other nationalities. The report did not clarify whether the prosecutions were for breaking labour laws, or other laws.

Officers had fined the workers a total of B1,948,500, and 368 of the workers caught had been deported to their home countries, the report said.

The report did not mention whether any employers were fined.

The revised list of occupations prohibited to foreigners can be found here (in Thai only).

The Department of Employments official announcement regarding the conditions for employers to hire foreign workers can be found here (also in Thai only).
Johnny Depp is giving evidence for the fourth day in his legal action against The Sun newspaper (Yui Mok/PA)

Johnny Depp has claimed that all hell would break loose if he failed to follow his ex-wife Amber Heards rules.

On his fourth day in the witness box, the Hollywood star gave an insight into the couples tempestuous relationship, and told the High Court no other woman had ever accused him of hitting them.

The Pirates Of The Caribbean actor has been giving evidence in his libel action against The Sun newspaper over allegations he was violent towards Ms Heard, 34.

He is suing The Suns publisher News Group Newspapers (NGN), and its executive editor Dan Wootton, over an April 2018 article which labelled him a wife beater.

Expand Close Actor Johnny Depp has claimed all hell would break loose in his relationship with Amber Heard if he did not follow her rules (Yui Mok/PA) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Actor Johnny Depp has claimed all hell would break loose in his relationship with Amber Heard if he did not follow her rules (Yui Mok/PA)

Speaking about his relationship with Ms Heard, Mr Depp told the court it was normal for the couple to have dinner in front of the television, and to lay or sit on the couch together.

He said: But on occasion, out of nowhere, if my hand wasnt holding Ms Heards hand or I didnt have my arm around her or whatever, she would reach over and grab my hand and put it on her thigh, so that I was then feeding the attention that she wanted.

It was almost as if there were rules, she has a routine and if that routine isnt met to her standards then there was going to be a problem.

Mr Depps barrister, David Sherborne, asked what would happen if Mr Depp broke his ex-wifes rules, to which he replied: An argument would ensue and all hell would break loose.

Mr Sherborne earlier asked Mr Depp if, other than Ms Heard, any woman ever accused you of hitting them in your 57 years?

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Mr Depp replied: No, sir.

The barrister read out medical notes on Ms Heard, which referred to her history of substance abuse, including addiction to cocaine and liquor as well as the actress having had severe outbursts of anger and rage.

Asked by Mr Sherborne: Does this accord with how you experienced Ms Heard or not?, Mr Depp replied: Yes.

Mr Sherborne also asked Mr Depp about the monster and his responses to Ms Wass during cross-examination that it was a term he used to placate Ms Heard, with which the actor agreed.

The actor told the court: The monster story was something that Ms Heard  she rather liked the idea that I was the monster.

If you have had an argument and you are trying to explain your position in an argument and things do escalate, that for her would become the monster.

Any time I didnt comply or agree with what was her position, then she would call it the monster and then the monster grew from there into this whole whatever she wanted it to be, and she used it quite a lot.

Expand Close Actress Amber Heard with Bianca Butti (right) attending Johnny Depps libel case (Victoria Jones/PA) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Actress Amber Heard with Bianca Butti (right) attending Johnny Depps libel case (Victoria Jones/PA)

During four days of evidence, Mr Depp has been questioned by NGNs barrister Sasha Wass QC about 14 alleged incidents of domestic violence towards Ms Heard, all of which he denies  which NGN relies on in their defence against the actors libel claim.

On Friday, Mr Depp was questioned about Ms Heards 30th birthday party at the Eastern Columbia Building in Los Angeles in April 2016, and the so-called defecation incident in which faeces were found in the couples bed.

Mr Depp told the court he thought the incident was a fitting end to the relationship.

The star told the High Court he had been convinced it was either his ex-wife herself, or one of her friends who was involved in the episode.

It was put to him that, one of the couples two Yorkshire terriers, had problems with her toilet habits, to which the actor said the dogs were very well trained, but that Boo was not as trained as Pistol, their other dog.

He later told the court it was a mystery who defecated in the bed, and it was not left by a three or four-pound dog.

Mr Depp added: I was convinced that it was either Ms Heard herself or one of her cohort involved in leaving human faeces on the bed.

The court briefing went into private on Friday to consider evidence relating Ms Heards allegations of sexual violence.

The exact nature of the allegations was not disclosed to the press or public and remain unknown.

Expand Close Amber Heard and Johnny Depp married in February 2015 (Jonathan Brady/PA) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Amber Heard and Johnny Depp married in February 2015 (Jonathan Brady/PA)

The actors case against NGN and Mr Wootton arises out of the publication of an article on The Suns website on April 27 2018 with the headline: Gone Potty: How can JK Rowling be genuinely happy casting wife beater Johnny Depp in the new Fantastic Beasts film?

NGN is defending the article as true, and says Mr Depp was controlling and verbally and physically abusive towards Ms Heard, particularly when he was under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs between early 2013 and May 2016, when the couple split.

The pair met in 2011 and began living together in 2012 before marrying in Los Angeles in February 2015.
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Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Jakarta, Indonesia  Fri, July 10, 2020 09:10 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a40665477b9 2 National French,child-molestation,death-penalty,child-sex-offenders,Child-sexual-abuse Free

A French retiree could face the death penalty in Indonesia on charges that he molested over 300 children and beat those who refused to have sex with him, authorities said Thursday.

Police said they nabbed Francois Camille Abello, 65, last month at a hotel in Indonesia's capital Jakarta, where they found two underaged girls in his room.

Abello could face life in prison or even execution by firing squad if he is convicted on a raft of charges under Indonesia's child protection laws, including accusations that he filmed the illicit encounters.

Police said they had found videos on Abello's laptop computer that showed him engaging in illegal sex acts with hundreds of children aged between 10 and 17.

The pensioner had entered the Southeast Asian nation on a tourist visa several times over the past five years, according to police.

"He would approach children and lure them by offering them work as models," Jakarta police chief Nana Sudjana told reporters Thursday.

"The ones who agreed to have sex with him would get paid between 250,000 and one million rupiah ($17-70). Those who didn't want to have sex would be beaten, slapped and kicked by the suspect," he added.

Police said they believed Abello had been molesting Indonesian children for years and that there may be more victims.

As many as 70,000 children are victims of sexual exploitation annually in Indonesia, according to global anti-trafficking network ECPAT International.

American fugitive Russ Medlin, wanted at home in connection with a $700 million cryptocurrency scam, was arrested in Jakarta last month on allegations he paid underaged girls to have sex with him.
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Pakistan-China Institute (PCI) convened the first ever Non-Governmental Online Conference on Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), of which CPEC is the flagship, which was attended by 8 countries. The conference, which lasted for 2 hours and 45 minutes, had participants from Pakistan, China, Nepal, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Myanmar & Sri Lanka. There was a wide-ranging discussion on different dimensions of BRI, which was followed by a 35-minute Question and Answer session.

Five key consensus areas regarding BRI emerged from the conference: The coronavirus crisis has underlined the need for global interdependence to forge closer cooperation to tackle common challenges; BRI is the way forward as it promotes regional connectivity, based on the principles of equality, reciprocity and mutual benefit while acclaiming CPEC as "BRI success story".

The propaganda about the so called 'Debt trap' was rejected by participants as in the case of Pakistan and Sri Lanka, total debt from China is a very small percentage of what is owed to other countries or multilateral institutions; 'New Cold War', demonization or stigmatizing any country using COVID19 as a political weapon or targeting BRI on geopolitical grounds were rejected; The India factor was recognized by countries like Nepal and Sri Lanka as they are neighbors and they would like good relations with both China and India and it was made clear that neither BRI is a military alliance nor it is directed either against India or against any Western country.

Senator Mushahid Hussain, in his opening remarks, termed BRI as the biggest and most significant Diplomatic and Developmental initiative of 21st century. He said that CPEC, as flagship of BRI, is already a success story and has entered its the second phase successfully. Energy and infrastructure projects have been completed on schedule, 75,000 Pakistanis have got jobs in BRI projects and 28,000 Pakistani students are studying in China.

He also thanked China for support to Pakistan during COVID-19 crisis and he mentioned the two resolutions passed by the Pakistan Senate, February 12 and May 14, in which the parliament of Pakistan appreciated China's role and support. Afghanistans former Ambassador to Pakistan and China, Janan Musazai, gave a specific five-point plan for Afghanistans role in BRI and he referred to CPEC as well, since Afghanistan can be a land bridge for connectivity and he said that China could facilitate to provide market access for BRI countries.

Bangladesh, Kazakhstan and Myanmar referred to the respective role of their countries as part of BRI and how different projects were being initiated as well as exchange of high-level visits between these countries and China. Media leader, Shubha Shankar Kandel from Nepal also mentioned, how through BRI, landlocked countries can become land-linked countries and he as well as Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage from Sri Lanka welcomed the role of BRI.

They also underlined that both these countries would like to maintain good relations with India concurrently, while being part of BRI. Prof. Jayanath also debunked the 'Debt Trap' theory regarding Sri Lanka citing facts and figures, that of Sri Lanka's total debt of $ 57 billion, only $ 8.5 billion was owed to China. He also underlined the need for countries to have food and medicine security.

Former Chinese Vice Minister Ai Ping talked of people-people connectivity and he mentioned that in this regard during COVID 19 crisis, 60 NGOs of China organized 40 online events which aimed at sharing information and experiences based on mutual support. Prof. Huang Youyi and Mr. Kalyan Raj Sharma in their presentations also emphasized that any effort to stigmatize any people or culture or country should be rejected and there is a consensus that BRI is the way forward. The conference was moderated by Executive Director, Pakistan-China Institute, Mustafa Hyder Sayed while the question & answer session was conducted by Director China Center for Legal Studies at LUMS, Prof. Sikandar Shah.
Ukraine hopes to sign a common aviation area agreement at the EU-Ukraine summit in October.

"The EU-Ukraine summit will take place during Germany's presidency [of the Council of the European Union] on October 1. This has already been confirmed. We would very much like to finally sign a common aviation area agreement within the framework of this summit. As you know, this agreement was initialled in 2013, but there was a problematic issue concerning Gibraltar, and we very much hope that this issue would be finally settled and the wording acceptable to all parties would be agreed upon by the European Commission and Spain," Director of the EU and NATO Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Maryna Mykhaylenko said during online discussion called "Germany's presidency of the Council of the European Union: What can Ukraine expect?", an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

The official added that the signing of this agreement within the framework of the summit was very important for Ukraine.

As a reminder, the European Common Aviation Area (ECAA) agreement between the EU and third countries sets common safety standards and liberalizes market relations in the field of aviation, allowing more efficient and safer use of airspace.

Negotiations on the ECAA with Ukraine were completed in 2013, but the signing of the agreement was blocked due to the UK-Spain conflict over the status of Gibraltar airport.

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A Gulfstream private jet aircraft.

SpaceKris / Shutterstock.com

Private jet management firm Jet Linx decided to expand during the pandemic even though its business hasn't returned to normal and the future of travel remains uncertain.

The firm has received scrutiny for receiving federal Paycheck Protection Program relief funds despite having a wealthy clientele and is expecting more with its latest acquisition.

CEO Jamie Walker told Business Insider why he would have moved forward with the deal whether or not his firm received the relief funds.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Omaha, Nebraska-based private jet firm Jet Linx just made a major acquisition of a competitor on Tuesday that will see 23 aircraft added to its fleet of managed aircraft available for private charter.

The deal establishes Jet Linx as the second-largest jet management company in the US and largest in the all-important New York tri-state area market, home to some of the busiest executive airports in the US.

Although his company hadn't fully recovered from the effects of the pandemic, Jet Linx CEO Jamie Walker decided to "charge ahead" with expansion by purchasing Teterboro, New Jersey-based competitor Meridian after his gamble in the last recession ended up paying off.

But while the acquisition is supposed to be a big win for Jet Linx and business aviation, the company now has to deal with a perception problem stemming from Paycheck Protection Program funds received in April.

Jet Linx had furloughed around 30% of its staff in March as business cratered and traffic had dried up by nearly 90%. Like most businesses, excess staff had nothing to do as potential customers were quarantining.

With the pandemic in full swing and the future of his business uncertain, Walker began to strategize how his firm would navigate the crisis.

"We immediately just started to use our time to think about how to strategically climb out of the pandemic," Walker told Business Insider in an interview.

Story continues

Then, Congress passed the CARES Act and millions in federal relief funds became and Jet Linx received $20 million in funds after applying. The firm was able to prevent further furloughs but there was an unforeseen string attached the funds in the form of public scrutiny due to the nature of the firm's business.

"I know that when people hear the terminology 'private jet' they think that it's not for the public," Walker said. "We're an essential service for the public, just like the airlines are."

Walker's definition of essential, however, proved to be different from the media's with outlets like ProPublica calling out Jet Linx, which said the firm "caters to well-to-do CEOs and executives." The fact that some Jet Linx executives had donated to the Trump campaign and Republican Party made matters even worse, as ProPublica also reported that nearly $70,000 was donated by a company vice chairman to various GOP campaigns and committees.

Despite the optics, Walker asserted that the funds were specifically used to prevent furloughs and layoffs among his staff and not the wealthy aircraft owners who entrust Jet Linx to manage their million-dollar aerial assets.

"If it were not for those, those funds being received, I can very matter of factly say that we would have furloughed a large, large portion of our organization as we waited for the economy to recover," Walker said.

Not expanding was never an option for Walker as a 2009 decision to open a Dallas base and private terminal largely shaped his thinking on how to handle an economic recession. With the confidence that travel would eventually recover, the CEO said his company would have pursued expansion regardless of whether his firm had received relief funds but that he would have had to furlough in the short-term.

"If we had not received CARES Act money and the government didn't provide that stimulus, we would have furloughed but we would have still done this," Walker said, referring to Jet Linx's acquisition of Meridian. "We would not have pulled back. We would've charged ahead."

Walker also lamented the politicization of the issue, especially after having to make the tough decision to furlough workers who, he said, "by nothing that they did to disrupt our business, would be the casualties of this pandemic."

"I think it's unfortunate that people confuse the purpose of those steps that were taken by the government," Walker said. "We're very thankful for what was done by the government and we're living proof that we've kept people employed."

The new deal is still a gamble for Walker, who said that his business has not yet returned to 2019 levels and possibly won't until mid-2021. The CEO is now looking to September when leisure travel will likely drop off and the company will need to see an increase in business travel in order to prevent a long, hard winter.

Read about Business Insider's full interview with Walker on the deal here.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A notorious killer who stabbed his teenage victim 133 times before decapitating him has been living off taxpayers money at a hotel after he was deported from Australia back to the UK.

Christopher Clark Jones, 36, who was jailed for life after murdering 17-year-old homeless teenager Morgan Jay Shepherd at Sandgate, north of Brisbane, in 2005, arrived back to Britain last month after he was kicked out of Australia.

However it has now been reported that the sadistic killer, who served only 15 years of his sentence, has been living in a 100-a-night hotel and also receives spending money to live on.

A source told The Sun: 'He's one of Australia's most notorious murderers who should have spent the rest of his life behind bars.

Christopher Clark Jones, 36, was released and taken onto a plane by Australian Border Office officials last month

Jones was jailed for life after murdering 17-year-old homeless teenager Morgan Jay Shepherd in Brisbane, Australia, in 2005

'But he's now living life as a free man in London without a care in the world.

'He quite openly talks about his past. He has no remorse and is a cocky type.'

He has also been sighted eating fry-ups, smoking and drinking beer close to his hotel, according to The Sun.

In 2007, Jones was convicted of murdering Mr Shepherd after a drunken argument at a house rented by his co-accused James Patrick Roughan in 2005.

During the trial, a court heard Mr Shepherd was living at a Brisbane youth hostel at the time and was drinking with the two older men the night he was killed.

The 17-year-old was stabbed repeatedly and was decapitated with an axe before the Jones and Roughan used the head as a bowling ball and a puppet.

The teenager was finally found in a shallow grave in bushland at Dayboro in April 2005 after an anonymous tip-off led police to the body.

Police also found a woodsaw, carpet and bloodstained clothes at the home where Mr Shepherd was murdered.

While neither man admitted to killing the teenager, a witness testified that Jones later bragged about his crime.

'Chris said he stomped on him a bit and then grabbed a knife from the kitchen, stabbed him in the back, stabbed him a few times and then gave the knife to James and James stabbed him a few times,' the witness told the Supreme Court in 2007.

The killer was put on to a private jet in June by the Australian Border Force and sent back to the UK

Jones (pictured with the Australian Border Force) served 15 years of his life sentence

Mr Shepherd had been living at a Brisbane youth hostel and was drinking with the two older men the night he was killed

'Then James cut the head and Chris pulled it off. James was nodding  (he) had a little smirk on his face. Chris was making a joke of the situation.'

The judge who presided over the trial said the teenager's murder was the worst case she had ever heard.

Jones, who was born in Tyneside and moved to Australia as a child, was released on parole in June before being deported by on a private jet chartered by the Australian BorderAustralia back to the UK.

Despite living in Australia, Jones never took up Australian citizenship and later had his visa cancelled by Australia's Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton because he was 'considered to not be of good character'.

Mr Dutton said it was one of the most 'abhorrent crimes' in Queensland's history and that there was no place in Australia for foreigners who murder locals, The Courier Mail reported.
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(Kitco News) - The Zambia government has terminated GoviEx's Chirundu Mining License, the company said on Tuesday.

GoviEx Uranium (CVE:GXU) received a letter from the Mining Cadastre Department of Zambia informing them of the decision.

The company intends to appeal.

In 2017 GoviEx acquired the Chirundu Mining License from African Energy Resources.

The company has a preliminary economic assessment on the property showing a net present value of $112 million at long-term uranium price of US$58/lb U3O8 and a 9% mining royalty rate.

The company's CEO hopes to clear up any misunderstandings and for government officials to consider the merits of a diversified resource base.

We are disappointed by the decision made by the Mining Cadastre with regards the Chirundu license and do not believe this decision is fair or in the interests of our Zambian stakeholders. We will appeal the decision within the allotted time frame and hope to rectify any misunderstandings we believe were included in making this decision. Zambia has indicated its strategy diversify its heavy weighting towards copper, and with Zambia considering nuclear energy long term and with the uranium price showing signs of recovery we will stress that the decision should to be reconsidered, stated CEO Daniel Major.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 22:36:49|Editor: huaxia

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BEIRUT, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The Lebanese army arrested on Friday 15 women and children over their attempt to illegally escape from Lebanon to Cyprus by sea, a statement by the Lebanese army reported.

The 15 people who include 14 Syrian nationals and one Lebanese were arrested in northern Lebanon.

They were referred to judicial bodies for further investigations and other legal procedures.

A big number of Syrians residing in Lebanon are suffering from dire financial circumstances, prompting them to try and escape to other countries seeking better living conditions. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 22:39:02|Editor: huaxia

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ANKARA, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Turkish security forces have detained six members of the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in northern Syria, Turkey's Defense Ministry said on Friday.

"Six other PKK/YPG terrorists, who were determined over attempting to carry out terrorist activities to disrupt peace and security environment in the Operation Olive Branch area, were detained," the ministry said on Twitter.

On Thursday, the ministry also announced that the security forces detained two other YPG members in the same area.

Turkey sees the YPG group as the Syrian branch of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

The Turkish army launched Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016, Operation Olive Branch in 2018, Operation Peace Spring in 2019, and Operation Spring Shield in 2020 in northern Syria in order to create a YPG-free zone along its border with the neighboring country.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union, has been rebelling against the Turkish government for over 30 years, which has claimed the lives of more than 40,000 people. Enditem
China's aviation industry sank further into the red, losing 34.25 billion yuan ($4.89 billion) in the second quarter, only slightly narrower than in the first quarter, underlining the colossal financial impact from the coronavirus pandemic. In the first quarter the industry, which includes airlines, airports and other aviation companies, lost 38.1 billion yuan, according to data released by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) on Friday.

China's aviation industry has been recovering faster than most countries emerging from the COVID lockdowns, underpinned by a steady recovery in the domestic travel market after the epidemic was largely brought under control. But passenger numbers showed the sector is still way below pre-COVID-19 levels, according to the latest official data. June passenger numbers fell 42.4% from a year earlier to 30.74 million, the CAAC said, although that was better than a 52.6% decline in May.

In the first half this year, total passenger numbers dropped by 45.8% from a year ago. To boost cashflows, a few Chinese airlines have recently rolled out discount passes that would allow passengers unlimited domestic travel with few restrictions. China Eastern Airlines is the first in June to sell "fly at will" flight passes for unlimited weekend domestic travel until the end of the year.

But passenger numbers showed the sector is still way below pre-COVID-19 levels, according to the latest official data. June passenger numbers fell 42.4% from a year earlier to 30.74 million, the CAAC said, although that was better than a 52.6% decline in May. In the first half this year, total passenger numbers dropped by 45.8% from a year ago.

To boost cashflows, a few Chinese airlines have recently rolled out discount passes that would allow passengers unlimited domestic travel with few restrictions. China Eastern Airlines is the first in June to sell "fly at will" flight passes for unlimited weekend domestic travel until the end of the year.

Also read: Emirates lays off more pilots, crew members as coronavirus batters aviation sector
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated Asia's largest 750 MW solar power project at Rewa in Madhya Pradesh via video conferencing. According to the government, the project will reduce emissions upto 15 lakh tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.

"Apart from Rewa, work is underway on solar power plants in Shajapur, Neemuch and Chhatarpur," PM Modi said in the video conference.

"Solar energy is going to be a major medium of energy needs not only today but in the 21st century. Because solar energy is sure, pure and secure," the PM added.

The virtual inauguration of the solar power plant was attended by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Governor Anandiben Patel, Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan, among others.The Rewa solar power plant will not only supply power to Madhya Pradesh, but also to the Delhi Metro, Modi said.

The project will be first to supply renewable energy to an institutional customer, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), outside the state. Delhi metro will get 24 per cent of project's energy capacity. The remaining 76 per cent will be supplied to the state discoms of Madhya Pradesh.Central financial assistance of Rs 138 crore has been provided to Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Limited (RUMSL) for the development of the solar park. The RUMSL is a joint venture company of Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (MPUVN), and Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), a Central Public Sector Undertaking.

The mega solar power project comprises three solar generating units of 250MW each located on a 500-hectare plot of land situated inside a solar park.

Mahindra Renewables Private Ltd, ACME Jaipur Solar Power Private Ltd and Arinsun Clean Energy Private Ltd were selected by RUMSL through a reverse auction for developing the three solar generating units.

Also read: Airborne transmission of COVID-19 a possibility, needs urgent research: WHO

Also read: COVID-19 fallout: Centre mulls stake sale worth Rs 20,000 crore in Coal India, IDBI Bank
Bernie Ecclestone before final practice for the F1 Grand Prix of Russia on September 28, 2019 in Sochi, Russia. (Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

Bernie Ecclestone has sparked a backlash after admitting he doesnt change his babys nappies because that's what wives are for.

The former Formula One boss welcomed son Ace with his wife Fabiana Flosi this month  at the age of 89.

The couple were chatting about their new arrival on ITVs This Morning when hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield asked if Ecclestone was hands on with the baby.

Read more: Tamara Ecclestone says dad Bernie is a 'young soul'

Flosi, 44, said Ecclestone helps and looks after him, but the businessman confessed he doesnt change nappies or do the night feeds.

'Now I've got a lot more time so I can spend a lot more time with him'



Bernie Ecclestone has recently become a new dad at 89 and discussed the benefits of becoming a dad later in life.



Tune into his interview here  https://t.co/RrKzNQupK8 #ThisMorning pic.twitter.com/cjhDNhdxSx  This Morning (@thismorning) July 10, 2020

"Hands on, except for that bit? asked Willoughby.

Ecclestone replied: Exactly. I do whatever is necessary when it's necessary. At the moment its not necessary - that's what wives are for."

When Schofield suggested that his words might be a bit controversial, Ecclestone joked that lots of his comments seemed to be.

Its how people take them, he added.

Bernie Ecclestone and his wife Fabiana Flosi in 2017 (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

And it seems Schofield was right, as several viewers took to Twitter to share their thoughts.

I don't think so matey. If you're young enough at 89 to have another child in this day & age, you're young enough to pull your weight & do your dad duties too, said one person.

That's what wives are for. He really is a charmer! said another.

One viewer said Ecclestone was living in the stone age.

Story continues

Read more: Bernie Ecclestone - I dont see whats different about being a father at 89

Ecclestone, who will be 90 in October, also has three daughters.

He is father to Deborah, 65, with first wife Ivy Bamford, and Tamara, 35, and Petra, 31, with second wife Slavica Radic.

He told Schofield and Willoughby he hasnt ruled out having another baby, saying it would be nice for Ace to have a little brother or sister.
As the number of COVID-19 cases continue to surge, Fort Bend County officials report an influx of patients are filling emergency rooms on a daily basis and I.C.U. units at the countys hospitals are now approaching capacity. Local health officials recently sounded alarms that a shortage of hospital beds in the greater Houston area could potentially trigger a crisis situation for Fort Bend Countys hospitals.

Positive cases in our area are increasing at an alarming rate. I have very real concerns about our hospital capacity in our area, especially in the Houston Medical Center, local health authority Dr. Joe Anzaldua said in a public health alert recently issued via email by Sugar Land city officials. While we currently have adequate hospital capacity in Fort Bend County, should the Medical Center face shortages, there will be a domino effect in Fort Bend County. If this trend continues we will face a public health crisis, the likes of which we have never experienced before.

On Friday (July 10), the number of I.C.U. beds reached a record 91 percent capacity with 111 ICU beds in use of the 122 available, with COVID-19 patients accounting for 46.8 percent of the total, according to data provided by the SouthEast Texas Regional Advisory Council (SETRAC) which tracks hospital data in the greater Houston area. Fort Bend County Health and Human Services Director Dr. Jacqueline Minter updated Judge KP George and county officials during Tuesdays commissioner court meeting.

The hospitals by verbal report are full. As I meet with some of the ED and CEOs, (Im told) the hospitals emergency rooms are also quite full, Minter said. Fort Bend EMS is also running way above average with a lot of influenza type calls that turn out to be COVID-19 later.

County officials begin planning hospital overflow location

Fort Bend County hospitals are at pre-surge levels currently, but county officials have started planning for a hospital overflow location.

We are working on an alternate care site so that in the event the hospital do reach capacity, we can be able to take that overflow, Minter said. This is going to be accomplished in partnership with FEMA.

The ICU unit at the Richmonds Oakbend Medical Center has been full for approximately seven weeks, according to CEO Joe Freudenberger.

We have 42 confirmed cases of COVID-19, down from 50 earlier this week, with eight in the ICU and six holding in the emergency department, Freudenberger said during a weekly COVID-19 update video posted online. At the regional level, 69 patients across the 13-county region of greater Houston are holding for ICU beds. Twenty of the 24 trauma designated facilities are reporting they are at saturation, which means they are full. That gives you a pretty good picture of how things are going.

The seven-day rolling average of new hospital admissions currently totals 59.7 for Fort Bend County hospitals. Fort Bend County officials report their testing sites are averaging about 1,000 tests per day with a positivity rate of approximately 10 percent.

MASK UP Fort Bend County Judge KP George extends mask order until July 31

Alarmed by the growing case counts, Fort Bend County Judge KP George recently extended the countys mask order through the end of July, which mandates business owners must require employees and customers wear face coverings. Judge George also voiced concerns about the increase in hospitalizations.

What happens in our region and especially the Texas Medical Center in Houston affects Fort Bend County. Our hospital systems and public health networks are intertwined, which is why as our cases continue to skyrocket each individual must step up to the plate and be a hero for themselves and others, Judge George said via email. Simple measures like wearing a face mask in public settings, avoiding mass gatherings, washing your hands frequently, and practicing other CDC guidelines go a long way in protecting our hospital system from looking like those in New York and Italy. Our medical experts are right - wearing a mask, especially now, saves lives.

Dr. Anzaldua also urged residents to follow health safety protocols.

Please wear a mask. Like you, Ive read comments on social media from citizens arguing against the effectiveness of mask, Dr. Anzaldua said. Face masks work. The science supports the effectiveness of face masks and medical experts agree they are absolutely needed. Those who refuse to follow rules such as wearing masks are placing others in harms way by placing them at risk of getting sick. Wearing masks saves lives.

MORE FROM KRISTI NIX: Protesters demand constable resign after details of 2016 use-of-force incident emerges

COVID-19 cases counts continue to climb

Fort Bend Countys confirmed COVID-19 cases increased to 4,524 as of Thursday, July 9, with Missouri City continuing to report the greatest number cases of any Fort Bend County city with a total of 612 cases including 49 Harris County cases. The number of cases reported among Sugar Land residents also continues to trend upward with a current total of 467 cases followed by Rosenberg with 346, Stafford with 169 and Richmond with 101 cases.

A total of 2,625 cases, more than half the countys overall total, are reported among residents who live in the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) areas outside city boundaries. Fort Bend County is home to a large number of densely-populated master-planned communities, such as Sienna Plantation near Missouri City where over 8,200 houses have been built in the countys ETJ area. Fort Bend County Health and Human Services provide COVID-19-related statistics that are updated daily and posted to the countys website. Below is COVID-19 for Fort Bend County cities reporting at least one confirmed case as of July 9:

Missouri City: 612 (includes 49 cases reported in Harris County)

Sugar Land: 467

Rosenberg: 346

Stafford: 169

Katy: 134 (includes 101 cases reported in Harris County)

Richmond: 101

Houston: 57

Meadows Place: 43

Fulshear: 35

Pearland: 26

Needville: 19

Weston Lakes: 13

Arcola: 8

Fairchilds: 5

Pleak: 4

Thompson: 4

Kendleton: 3

Orchard: 2

Beasley: 1

Note: the totals listed for Houston and Pearland include only the areas located within Fort Bend County and do not reflect each municipalitys overall total.

knix@hcnonline.com
Minister Byrne announces 100k available to promote dialogue on Europe

Press release

The Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne, TD, has today invited voluntary organisations, educational bodies and civil society groups to apply for funding under the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trades Communicating Europe Initiative.

Announcing the launch of the scheme, Minister Byrne said;

Ireland is fully committed to being at the heart of the European Union. To be an effective member, we must maintain a vigorous public discussion about Europe - so that the public are aware of how the EU affects their lives, of the many benefits it provides as well as how they themselves can help shape the EU.

The Communicating Europe Initiative is a key project in ensuring that our citizens are better informed on European issues and so can contribute more effectively to the ongoing considerations on the future of Europe.

The Communicating Europe Initiative aims to deepen public awareness of the role the EU plays in our daily lives and improve the quality and accessibility of public information on European issues, particularly at regional or national level.

Projects should communicate European issues, the role of the European Union, the Future of Europe and Irelands place in Europe.

Funding of 100,000 has been made available under the scheme this year.



Further details including application forms are now available from www.dfa.ie. The closing date for applications is Friday 31 July 2020.



ENDS

Press Office

10 July 2020





Note for Editors:



The Communicating Europe Initiative (CEI) was established in 1995 to raise awareness about the European Union and to improve the quality and accessibility of public information on European issues.



The programme is administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Projects which promote dialogue on the Future of Europe are particularly encouraged. Funding of 100,000 will be available this year for Communicating Europe Initiative projects.



Previous projects funded have included in the areas of contemporary EU issues, media, schools interaction, employment opportunities in EU Institutions and EU related Citizens Dialogues.



The closing date for receipt of applications is Friday 31 July 2020. Successful applicants will be notified in early September. Further details and an application form are now available from www.dfa.ie.

CEI Application Form

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The HeroZona Foundation has announced part two of their Bridge Forum Time for Change series, which will take place on Tuesday, July 14 from 8 to 11 a.m. at the W Scottsdale (7277 E. Camelback Rd.) in Scottsdale. The event will be the second half of a two-part series discussing what its like to be Black in the USA and how to take actions to reach equality. This invitation-only event is a collaborative effort between law enforcement, Arizona government, businesses and community leaders. The forum will also be live streamed to the public on TheBridgeForum.com.

We received incredible feedback and had instrumental dialogue during part one of the Time for Change Bridge Forum series on June 23, says HeroZona Foundation Founder and U.S. Army Desert Storm Veteran, Alan AP Powell. Im excited to continue to work towards bridging the gap between communities and law enforcement during our part two event.

Sponsors for the Bridge Forum part two event includes Vitanya, Maserati Scottsdale, SRP, the W Scottsdale, City of Scottsdale, Maricopa County, Phoenix Suns, Arizona Diamondbacks and the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The Bridge Forum: Time for Change forum part one occurred on Tuesday, June 23 at the Travis L. Williams American Legion Post 65 and focused on current events within the black community and law enforcement to examine how communities can work together with police to create equality in the nation.

The event on July 14 will be moderated once again by the President & CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, National Director of the Million Man March, and Assistant to Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. Dr. Chavis first received international recognition in 1971 as the leader of the Wilmington Ten, he was wrongfully convicted of committing arson and received the longest sentence before becoming appealed in 1980.

The upcoming event will include a mix of panelists from prominent community members to policy and policing experts. This includes President & CEO of the Greater Phoenix Urban League, George Dean; Interim President for Scottsdale Community College, Dr. Chris Haines; President of East Valley NAACP, Roy M. Tatem Jr.; President of the Arizona Youth & College NAACP, Armonee D. Jackson; Chairman for the African American Christian Clergy Coalition, Dr. Warren H. Stewart Sr.; President & CEO of the Phoenix Suns, Jason Rowley; Police Chief of the City of Scottsdale, Alan G. Rodbell; Chief Special Agent of Attorney General Arizona, Reggie Grigsby; Speaker Pro Tempore and Arizona State Representative of District 8, Thomas Ray T.J. Shope Jr.; Arizona State Representative from District 28, Aaron Lieberman; Deputy City Attorney, Luis Santaella and President & CEO of Goldwater Institute, Victor Riches.

The forum is supported by City of Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane; U.S. Congressman from Arizonas 6th District, David Schweikert; Maricopa County Supervisor for District 2, Steve Churci and the President & CEO of Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce, Mark Stanton.

The Bridge Forum Time for Change part one included panelists such as General Manager for the Phoenix Suns, James Jones; Superintendent for the Roosevelt School District No. 66, Quintin Boyce; Arizona State Representative from District 27, Reginald Bolding; Chief Special Agent of Attorney General Arizona, Reggie Grigsby; President of the NAACP Arizona State Conference, Charles Fanniel and many other notable leaders.

The Time for Change Bridge Forum is the 8th series by the HeroZona Foundation. Previous forums have included both high school and college aged participants in 2017 from South Mountain High School, and in November 2018 included participation from law enforcement and community leaders who discussed ways to better support veterans with recruitment, hiring, opportunities in service, veterans in crisis and support systems. In January 2018, the Scottsdale Police Department implemented 29 new initiatives from the Scottsdale Bridge Forum 2017, which included establishing sufficient resources for police personnel dealing with trauma, establishing dialogue opportunities with minority communities, enhancing engagement with the communitys youth and identifying ways to address the needs of the community related to behavioral health.

For more information about the Bridge Forum and to stream its upcoming event on Tuesday, July 14, visit thebridgeforum.com/.

About the HeroZona Foundation:

The mission of HeroZona Foundation is to create and empower Heroes in Phoenix communities. The HeroZona Foundations annual HeroZona National Veteran Summit created a multi-day networking experience to improve Americas support of veteran companies through workshops, networking, entrepreneurial connections, and seminars. The summit will return to Arizona for a fourth year in November 2020. Other programs include the Bridge Forum, Phoenix Tools 4 School, Play it Forward, Honor Walk, Veterans Reach to Teach, Voting for Veterans and Play It Forward. For more information, visit herozona.org
July 09, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - Since the United States initiated a coup attempt against Venezuelas elected, internationally recognized government in January 2019, the gang of far-right opposition activists the Donald Trump administration recognized as the countrys unelected representatives have racked up a series of embarrassing scandals.

Top aides of the US-appointed interim president, Juan Guaido, blew hundreds of thousands of dollars of humanitarian aid money on luxury hotels, swanky clothes, and wild parties in Colombia. Violent pro-Guaido coup-mongers then burnt USAID trucks in a failed putsch on the Venezuelan border, while falsely blaming the fire on the actual president in Caracas, Nicolas Maduro.

Guaidos coup gang subsequently set the stage for North American corporations to liquidate Venezuelas most valuable foreign asset, Citgo. And in another bizarre PR stunt, Guaido even tried to scale the fence outside of Venezuelas National Assembly, after refusing to pass through the main entrance.

Nearly 18 months into the failed coup attempt, the scandals keep coming.

This July, the representative that the Venezuelan coup regime appointed to the United Kingdom, Vanessa Neumann, threatened several American and British journalists who criticized her on social media.

Neumanns corporate consulting firm claimed to have reported these journalists to the FBI, and even baselessly accused them without a scintilla of evidence of being part of an indicted transnational criminal network with a price on your head.

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These threats came just after Neumanns official Twitter account declared, Death to Nicolas Maduro. Neumann subsequently claimed her profile was hacked, while intimidating the journalists who reported on her incendiary tweet.

How a deranged right-wing fanatic like this ended up as the person the British government recognizes as Venezuelas official representative deserves some investigation.

Neumanns bizarre tactics are part and parcel of a much longer pattern that has played out in British tabloids well before she was known as a faux diplomat. She is the product of a life of endless entitlement and a climate of right-wing zealotry that is characteristic of Venezuelas powerful oligarchy. The parasitic class of business owners she hails from once controlled the oil-rich South American nations government and economy, and are desperate to wrest back control of the state from the leftist Chavista movement.

Neumann got her start working for companies owned by her plutocrat grandfather. She then established herself as an oil lobbyist, a corporate consultant, and a conservative pundit who shuffled through an array of American and British think tanks and media outlets that are hellbent on overthrowing Venezuelas socialist government, subordinating its independent foreign policy to Washington, and re-privatizing the countrys substantial natural resources.

Her extensive work with large corporations and her elite position in Venezuelas oligarchy is precisely why the countrys right-wing opposition tapped her in March 2019 to be the Guaido coup regimes official representative to Britain.

Thank you @AlanDuncanMP for receiving me yesterday at @foreignoffice, accepting me as the Official Representative of Venezuela's President @jguaido to the United Kingdom. It's an honor to serve my country and build strong ties with yours at this historic moment for Venezuela. pic.twitter.com/q7hN7oHePw  Vanessa Neumann, Ph.D. (@vanessaneumann) April 26, 2019

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Police reports gangster Vikas Dubey, who was caught in Ujjain on Thursday, tried to flee the police upon reaching Kanpur, but was shot dead in retaliatory firing. Vikas Dubey was a noted history-sheeter who was on run for 6 days after allegedly killing 8 police officers in an encounter in Kanpur.

Kanpur encounter main accused Vikas Dubey, who was injured in an encounter with the police, died on Friday, the police said.

Gangster Vikas Dubey arrested for killing eight policemen is dead, confirmed the police.

According to SP Kanpur West Anil Kumar, gangster Vikas Dubey attempted to flee after the car overturned. Dubey attempted to flee by snatching pistol of the injured policemen. However, he was shot in the retaliatory firing.

Vikas Dubey attempted to flee by snatching pistol of the injured policemen after the car overturned. Police tried to make him surrender, during which he fired at the policemen. He was injured in retaliatory firing by police. He was later rushed to the hospital, SP Kanpur West told reporters here.

Also read: Akhilesh Yadav questions Vikas Dubeys arrest, asks if he surrendered

Also read: Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Vikas Dubeys arrest: MP, UP police working in co-ordination

Dubey, the main accused in the Kanpur encounter was arrested by the police in Ujjain on Thursday morning. He was on the run for the last six days and had come to Ujjain to offer prayers at Temple, where he was identified by a security guard at the shrine.

The gangster is the main accused in the encounter that took place in Bikru village in Chaubeypur area of Kanpur last week, in which a group of assailants allegedly opened fire on a police team, which had gone to arrest Dubey. Eight police personnel were killed in the encounter.

Dubey managed to escape after the killing. The Uttar Pradesh police launched a hunt for him and raised the bounty on him to Rs 5 lakh.

Bahua Dubey and Prabhat Mishra, close aides of the main accused, were killed in separate encounters in Etawah and Kanpur respectively, on Thursday.

The main accuseds other aide Shyamu Bajpai was arrested by the Chaubeypur police following an encounter. He carried a reward of Rs 25,000, the police informed on Wednesday. Earlier the same day, Uttar Pradeshs Special Task Force (STF) gunned down Vikas Dubeys close aide Amar Dubey in Hamirpur district.

Also read: India China standoff: Troops complete disengagement in Hot Springs

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Seo Jeong-hyup, first vice mayor for administrative affairs, speaks at Seoul City Hall in Friday morning about the city's future plans following the death of city mayor Park Won-soon. Seo takes the late Park's office for now. Yonhap





Seoul City Mayor Park Won-soon

The Seoul city government said Friday it plans to hold a mayoral funeral for Park Won-soon and run on a contingency plan for the time being following his abrupt death that is suspected as a suicide.



The 64-year-old mayor was found dead in the woods of Mount Bugak near his official residence in central Seoul, shortly after midnight. Police said there were no signs of foul play.



His body was found after an hourslong search involving hundreds of police and rescue workers. He was first reported missing by his daughter Thursday evening, who said he left a message "sounding like a will" before he vanished.



The city government pledged to carry on with city affairs in respect of Park.





An inspector from Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Friday morning debriefs about Park who has been found dead at Waryong Park in Seoul's Seongbuk-gu District. Yonhap



"We pray for the soul of the deceased and extend our deepest condolences to the citizens (of Seoul). City affairs will firmly continue according to Mayor Park Won-soon's values that prioritized stability and welfare," Vice Mayor for Administrative Affairs Seo Jeong-hyup said in a press briefing.









Seo will serve as the city's acting mayor until a new mayor is elected in a by-election scheduled for April 2021.



City officials said that Park's funeral will be held in the fashion of a mayoral funeral for five days. Funerals in Korea are generally last for three days.



An altar will be set up in front of City Hall in central Seoul this afternoon for citizens and staff members wanting to mourn Park's death, they added.



The mayor was reportedly facing a probe into allegations of sexual harassment. A female former secretary is believed to have filed a criminal complaint on Wednesday over unwanted "physical contact" and "inappropriate" messages.





An emergency crew member searches for Park at Mount Bukak in Seoul who was reported missing on July 9. Yonhap
In a move with no discernible benefits but dire consequences, the American government is forcing international students to pick a priority: safeguarding their health against COVID-19 or continuing college in the U.S.

The ultimatum, Rice University President David Leebron told the editorial board this week, is surprising in its clarity and cruelty.

We should relish the fact that students from all over the world are choosing to come here, and not, in the midst of this health crisis, impose additional risks and burdens on them, Leebron said.

We couldnt agree more. The Trump administration must reverse course, now  lest it compound one academic crisis with another.

When universities responded to the outbreak this spring by switching to online courses, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement rightfully suspended requirements that international students must take in-person classes to keep their visas. With the coronavirus nowhere near under control, higher education officials expected those exemptions would continue at least through the fall semester.

On Monday, the government announced that it was going back to business as usual and international students at schools offering only online classes must either transfer to an institution that offers face-to-face instruction or leave the country.

You dont get a visa for taking online classes from, lets say, the University of Phoenix, so why would you if you were just taking online classes generally? White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said at a press conference Wednesday.

This response may make sense at any other time, but it blatantly ignores the public health dangers under the novel coronavirus and the larger ramifications for American colleges and universities. Theyve been thrown into chaos by the short-sighted move. Not only are schedules and plans for the upcoming academic year upended, schools are further constrained as they seek ways to safely offer classes during the growing pandemic.

And lets face the pragmatic truth: the rule means colleges and universities already suffering financially due to the pandemic now risk losing some of their best-paying customers, international students, who generally pay full price and may help subsidize American students.

Universities that planned in the fall to replace most or all in-person classes with online courses, including Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of California, are suing the government over the decision.

Students forced to leave the country can continue their U.S. studies online but they face uncertainty and other obstacles. They may have to break leases. Travel restrictions can make trips home difficult. Theyd have to reapply for visas if they wish to return to the U.S. Students may also miss out on internships or work opportunities, higher education officials said, because permission for such work requires students to be in the country for the preceding year.

The harm also extends to the broader economy. International students contributed more than $2 billion to Texas alone during the 2018-2019 academic year, part of the more than $40 billion that they added to the U.S. economy. The United States benefits not only financially, but by harnessing talent from all over the world inside our research institutions.

International students bring diverse perspectives and cultures, making for a richer, more rigorous educational experience for all students, better preparation for the global marketplace and help building crucial lifelong ties that improve Americas standing in the world.

These are all benefits that other countries  including Canada, Australia and Singapore  are more than happy to take from us.

International students have opportunities to go other places and we certainly want to be competitive, said Richard Walker, vice president for student affairs at the University of Houston. We want to be providing opportunity, not presenting obstacles.

Rice, where more than 40 percent of the graduate student body is international, and UH, with more than 3,400 international students, will have online and in-person options that will accommodate the governments requirements. But if the outbreak worsens and they are forced to turn to online-only classes, officials fear their students will be left with limited choices.

The administration has already used the pandemic to further its agenda against legal immigrants. Last month, it suspended some work visas and expanded a ban on new green cards, and it continues to delay naturalization ceremonies, leaving hundreds of thousands of would-be citizens in limbo.

President Donald Trump also pushed this week for public K-12 students to go back to school, a move in keeping with his efforts to downplay the effects of the pandemic and reopen the economy regardless of the cost.

In targeting international students, the administration gets to keep immigrants out of the country and force universities to open their classrooms if they want to keep their students enrolled.

Theres something perversely askew in this country when a win-win for the president means a loss for America.
Days before this historic liftoff, two barrier-breaking leaders, UAE Minister of Advanced Technology and Deputy Project Manager of the Emirates Mars Mission Sarah Al Amiri and Dr. Ellen Stofan , Director of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum and former Chief Scientist of NASA, offered these views on A Reason for "Hope," the third episode of Podbridge , a new podcast series launched by the UAE Embassy and hosted by UAE Ambassador to the US Yousef Al Otaiba .

First announced in 2014, the Emirates Mars Mission represents the culmination of an innovative knowledge transfer and development program between the UAE and international partners. Working closely with US educational institutions such as University of Colorado, University of California-Berkeley and Arizona State University, Emirati scientists completed the Arab world's first interplanetary space probe while laying the foundations for a sustainable and dynamic space exploration industry in the UAE.

"In six short years, the Emirates Mars Mission program has created a brand-new industry that is transforming the UAE's science community," said UAE Minister of Advanced Technology Sarah Al Amiri. "With the support of countless international experts, we have taken an inspiration and turned that into reality by developing homegrown talent and expertise, while investing in state-of-the-art universities and laboratories. The Hope probe now sits atop a rocket ready for launch, fulfilling the UAE's journey to Mars promise."

"It is incredibly exciting that space exploration is not limited to simply a handful of countries with many years of experience in this field," said Dr. Ellen Stofan, Director of the National Air and Space Museum. "We need the collaboration of the worldwide scientific community and that requires nurturing a global pool of talent. Space does not belong to one country, but to all of us. As the former Chief Scientist at NASA, I witnessed firsthand the remarkable growth of the UAE program and the Emirates Mars Mission is a milestone event that supporters of space travel worldwide should applaud."

During the podcast, Minister Al Amiri and Dr. Stofan spoke about their careers as female trailblazers in a male dominated profession and offered advice to young people who are passionate about science and space.

"To every young girl, never allow anybody to say you cannot achieve greatness. Sit at the table where decisions are made and don't allow anyone to say you do not belong. For young Emirati women, look to Sarah Al Amiri as a role model and inspiration," said Dr. Stofan. Added Minister Al Amiri, "For all the young women pursuing a career in science and technology, channel your inner power, seize the opportunities before you, and with that knowledge, you will create change that will transform the world."

In 2019, Hazza Al Mansouri, the UAE's first astronaut, set out on a historic mission to the International Space Station. Aboard the ISS, he conducted various experiments on behalf of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, hosted a traditional Emirati dinner for his crewmates, and gave a broadcasted tour of the station for viewers back home.

In this episode of Podbridge, UAE Ambassador to the US Yousef Al Otaiba also interviewed Hazza Al Mansouri, who described the immense sense of pride and accomplishment generated by the UAE National Space Program.

"Nearly 60 years ago, President John Kennedy delivered his famous moon shot speech and captured the imagination of the world," Ambassador Al Otaiba said. "Today in the UAE, that same energy and wonderment exists as the Hope probe is set to launch. The Emirates Mars Mission is inspiring a new generation of Arab youth to explore careers in science and technology, and opening up new frontiers of possibility for our region."

The UAE Embassy in Washington, DC will host a virtual watch party for the historic scheduled launch of the Emirates Mars Mission. Alongside a livestream of the launch pad, experts from the US and UAE space sectors will discuss the Mission's goals and the broader significance of the Arab world's first interplanetary spacecraft. Watch the event live at 3:30 pm EDT on July 14 via the UAE Embassy's YouTube page.

Sarah Al Amiri was named as chairwoman of the UAE Space Agency and Minister for Advanced Technology, effective August 2020. Sarah Al Amiri was appointed as Minister of State for Advanced Sciences in October 2017. Her responsibilities include enhancing the contributions of advanced sciences to the development of UAE and its economy. Sarah is also Deputy Project Manager and Science Lead on the Emirates Mars Mission, where she leads the team developing and fulfilling the Mission's scientific objectives, goals, instrumentation and analysis programs.

Dr. Ellen Stofan is the John and Adrienne Mars Director of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. Stofan started in April 2018 and is the first woman to hold this position. Stofan comes to the position with more than 25 years' experience in space-related organizations and a deep research background in planetary geology. She was chief scientist at NASA (2013-16), serving as the principal advisor to former Administration Charles Bolden on NASA's strategic planning and programs.

Podbridge is available on all major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast services. For more information about Podbridge, visit www.podbridge.com and receive updates on Twitter @UAEUSAUNITED .

Lamiyae Jbari

[email protected]

202 243 2464

SOURCE Embassy of the United Arab Emirates

Related Links

http://www.uae-embassy.org


To be a man of God means to be ready for dialogue and listening, to feel respect and empathy, to promote peace, reconciliation and harmony in human relationships, among people of different cultures and religions. This is the legacy of Fr Francis Nadeem, a Capuchin friar who died on 3 July in Pakistan at the age of 65 after a long ordeal with dialysis and a heart attack. Nadeem, who lived in Lahore, capital of the Punjab province, was the Capuchin Provincial in the land of the pure and, given his invaluable dedication in the field of relations with leaders and communities of other faiths, he was called by the bishops to coordinate the episcopal Commission for Interreligious Dialogue and Ecumenism. He was at home in mosques and madrassas, and numerous Islamic religious leaders appreciated his meekness, patience, openness, pure and authentic faith, Franciscan spirit of certain hope and perfect charity. His work and presence were extremely helpful to Pakistani society, which was infected with the virus of fanaticism and shaken by the shifty flow of hatred and religious violence.

Francis Nadeem was part of a group of some 600 Franciscans in Pakistan, including men and women religious, sisters and lay people who live the spirit of Assisi, a synonym for welcoming every human being. Their presence, a legacy of the missions established in the subcontinent by Capuchin friars at the end of the 19th century, is characterized by a commitment to justice and peace. It means offering, often silently, constant support to those who suffer discrimination, injustice, persecution, poverty. Franciscans, as the priest used to say, put the Gospel into practice and live the culture and spirit of mercy, which is a common value of Islam and Christianity. This was not simply a verbal pronouncement but the very life of the friar, as evidenced by the experience of a genuine friendship that Nadeem cultivated with Shafaat Rasool, the leader of a Sufi community in Pakistan. It was a solid and deep relationship that surpassed the confines of their different faiths to get to the roots of their common humanity. Recalling Fr Francis with emotion, Rasool explained to LOsservatore Romano: Our friendship was based on the conviction that the mystical experience, be it Christian, Muslim or of another creed, unites in the desire for and promotion of peace, the supreme universal value, because peace is the name of God. For both of them, he recalled, there was an event in history that constituted a principal reference point and which, mutatis mutandis, highlighted their relationship: the meeting between Francis of Assisi and Sultan Malik al-Kamil, which took place in 1219 in Damietta, Egypt, during the time of the fifth crusade: The protagonists of that time rejected any rationale of subjugation, choosing the experience of encounter, recognizing in the other not an enemy to eliminate but a person to listen to and welcome. The friendship between the friar and the imam, in a land wounded by extremism and religious hatred, was a seed cast on a sometimes fertile, sometimes thorny soil: Our common commitment to interfaith dialogue, understood as the relationship between men of prayer and as a powerful instrument of peace, proves that in Pakistan, a harmonious, respectful and tolerant society is a feasible reality, Rasool observed. Francis was always very humble and patient with me. Our relationship gradually strengthened with dialogue and frequent visits to each other. Thanks to his humility and patience it became a genuine friendship, based on spirituality. This is how we began working together for interreligious dialogue. For years we were side by side in this work, to build the common good of the country, he emphasized, moved by his emotions.

Some 20 years ago Father Nadeem started a Committee for Interreligious Dialogue in Lahore which brought together Christian representatives of other confessions for meetings, cultural events, prayer encounters, concrete gestures of closeness between believers and leaders of various faiths. In 2006 the Capuchin friar received the Pakistan Civil Award for this laudable work, and was then called by the bishops to continue in this work. Through the years he created a virtuous network of people, Christian institutions, and Koran schools (madrassas), cultural centres and associations that identify with the message of peace and harmony. The aim of this network is to defuse the hatred, violence and prejudice circulating in Pakistani society by promoting dialogue, respect and welcoming among Muslims (who make up 90% of Pakistans 200 million inhabitants) and the Christian and Hindu religious minorities.

By the age of 20 Francis Nadeem had already become a Franciscan friar, listening to Gods call to follow in the footsteps of the Poverello of Assisi. His confreres appreciated him very early on, choosing him as Vice-Provincial for two triennial terms, then as Provincial for another two (the latter of which began in 2017), trusting in his good leadership, his humility, his capacity for listening and mediation, his evangelical spirit as a true Franciscan, and his peaceful heart which was full of Gods grace.

Paolo Affatato
But as the state has moved into Phase 4 and more people have returned to work, Nickson said Dolton, too, needed to take a realistic and responsible look at returning to closer-to-normal operations. She said she did not immediately have numbers available regarding how many households the change would impact.
As Goya Foods CEO Robert Unanue stood beside President Donald Trump in the Rose Garden Thursday afternoon, the head of a corporation that bills itself as America's largest Hispanic-owned food company remembered his grandfather. The Spanish immigrant and Trump have something in common, Unanue said.

"We're all truly blessed at the same time to have a leader like President Trump who is a builder, and that's what my grandfather did," the executive said. "He came to this country to build, to grow, to prosper. And so we have an incredible builder, and we pray for our leadership, our president, and we pray for our country that we will continue to prosper and to grow."

But what were intended to be celebratory comments marking Trump's signing of an executive order that pledges to improve Hispanic Americans' access to educational and economic opportunities instead fueled a firestorm of backlash targeting Unanue and Goya that culminated in widespread calls to boycott the popular brand.

As clips of Unanue's remarks circulated on social media Thursday, Latinos and longtime supporters of Goya's food slammed the CEO's commendation of Trump, citing the president's incendiary rhetoric and controversial policies aimed at minority communities and immigrants. By early Friday, "Goya" was still a top trending term on Twitter along with the hashtags "#Goyaway" and "#BoycottGoya" as a number of public figures, and top Democrats such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.) and former presidential candidate Julian Castro, criticized Unanue - a third-generation Spanish American - for praising Trump.

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"Oh look, it's the sound of me Googling 'how to make your own Adobo,'" Ocasio-Cortez tweeted, sharing a video of Unanue speaking.

Castro urged Americans to "think twice" before buying Goya products.

"[Goya Foods] has been a staple of so many Latino households for generations," he tweeted. "Now their CEO, Bob Unanue, is praising a president who villainizes and maliciously attacks Latinos for political gain."

Representatives for Goya did not respond to multiple requests for comment from The Washington Post late Thursday.

The Goya company, which describes itself as "the premier source for authentic Latino cuisine," was founded in 1936 by Prudencio Unanue and his wife, Carolina, both immigrants from Spain, who launched the brand by opening a small store in Lower Manhattan.

"Driven by the belief that there was a growing consumer market for high-quality, fresh-tasting, Latin foods, the Unanues catered to local Hispanic families by distributing authentic Spanish products including olives, olive oil, and sardines," according to Goya's website.

Goya, which is now headquartered in New Jersey, has since grown to have 26 facilities across the United States, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Spain, and employs thousands of people worldwide. As of 2014, the Unanues were reportedly worth $1.1 billion, according to Forbes.

In past interviews, members of the Unanue family have credited the brand's authenticity for its popularity.

"To us, it's important to make the connection through a product that maybe we're not going to sell truckloads of, but we're going to have the product on the shelf so when a consumer goes in they say, 'Wow, I can relate to Goya because it's authentic, this product makes me feel like I'm at home,'" Peter Unanue, Robert Unanue's younger brother, told The Post in 2013.

As Robert Unanue, who took over the company more than a decade ago, has said, his family takes pride in becoming "part of the culture" of Latino communities. In 2011, Goya was honored by President Barack Obama for its commitment to serving Latinos nationwide.

"They say, 'I remember your slogans, I remember that you were in my neighborhood, you were part of my life growing up,'" Unanue told NBC News in 2016, referring to conversations with people he has met over the years. "That's what makes us more than just a food company."

On Thursday, however, it was the company's storied legacy that left a number of loyal consumers in disbelief over Unanue's glowing comments about Trump, who has long been criticized for his anti-immigration rhetoric that many Latinos have said makes them feel "scared and worried" and "vulnerable," The Post's Rachel Hatzipanagos reported.

"We are blessed?" tweeted chef and humanitarian Jose Andres. "I think Latinos we are being mistreated . . ."

Andres's comments were echoed widely across Twitter on Thursday as critics, many of whom are Latino, denounced Unanue and vowed to no longer support Goya Foods.

The official Twitter account of Latino Victory, a progressive political action committee, promoted the boycott hashtag and urged people to vote.

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

"It's shameful and appalling that the president of Goya Foods is praising the most anti-Latino president in the history of our country," Nathalie Rayes, the PAC's president and CEO, said in a statement. "We call for a boycott of Goya Foods products and anyone who stands with Donald Trump and against our community."

The movement also drew support from several prominent figures ranging from politicians to celebrities like Chrissy Teigen.

"A shame," Tiegen, author of the popular cookbook "Cravings," tweeted. "Don't care how good the beans taste though. Bye bye."

Some took their outrage a step further, saying that they were immediately purging their households of Goya products, with one person sharing an image of what a semi-full trash can. In response, many discouraged the action and suggested that the unwanted items be donated to food banks instead.

Meanwhile, others pushing the boycott promoted alternative brands and shared recipes for Goya favorites, such as adobo seasoning.

Though the intense response to Unanue's comments steadily gained steam Thursday, it was met with resistance - largely from conservatives who countered the boycott-related hashtags with "#BuyGoya" and blasted critics for being too quick to "cancel" the Hispanic-owned business that has a long history of giving back to minority communities. During Thursday's White House event, for example, Unanue announced that Goya, along with other partners, would be donating a million cans of its chickpeas in addition to another million pounds of food in an effort to help relieve shortages caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic.

On Twitter, Fox News contributor Rachel Campos-Duffy, who is Latina, specifically called out Castro for backing the boycott.

"Liberals like Castro don't care about Latinos, minority businesses or millions Goya gives to charity," Campos-Duffy wrote. "They care about power! Buy more Goya products!"

But at least one person stressed that the fierce blowback against Goya should not have been surprising.

"When the vast majority of your customers are Latinos, you might expect a backlash from serving as a prop for a guy who puts brown children in cages, calls countries like El Salvador, 'shit-holes', denies Puerto Rican deaths and calls Mexicans, 'rapists and criminals,'' CNN commentator Ana Navarro-Cardenas tweeted. "That's all."
SHELTON  The city has reached a settlement with the state Department of Motor Vehicles over fines the city-operated Shelton School Transportation Services received during its opening last fall.

City Corporation Counsel Fran Teodosio said the city has agreed to pay the state $18,500 to settle claims with certification of the citys buses, drug testing of the drivers and the way it maintained records and repairs.

The DMV fines amounted to more than $50,000, said Teodosio.

We are happy with this result, said Teodosio, who informed the Board of Aldermen of the settlement earlier this month.

The settlement brings a resolution over issues that started in August 2019, when school officials became aware that the city had not drug tested, as required by state law, all summer school drivers. State DMV officials arrived at the SSTS office the last week of August to review driver records and certify the buses.

The DMV record review was time consuming, forcing then-Superintendent Chris Clouet to delay the opening of school one day, from Sept. 3 to Sept. 4, to guarantee all drivers and buses were properly certified.

The city officially took over control of the school bus transportation operation on July 1, 2019, and summer school started on July 9, with the school year beginning Sept. 4.

City officials at the time blamed the delay on former city bus service provider Durham School Services.

Durham School Services is suing the city for some $200,000 for breach of contract.

The suit, filed March 16, 2020, in Milford Superior Court, charges the city and Board of Education with two counts of breach of contract and two counts of unjust enrichment. Durham School Services was the citys bus operator through June 30, 2019, when the city took over the school districts student bus transportation.

Durham School Services, in the suit, states that it spent $107,947.10 to make major repairs to the buses, which are owned by the city. The suit further states that the operating agreement, signed Aug. 28, 2018, between the parties obligates Shelton to pay or reimburse Durham for certain major repairs.

Mayor Mark Lauretti, at the time, said the city held back payments because Durham did not perform necessary maintenance, and the city was forced to perform the repairs.

We spent money doing what they should have been doing, said Lauretti.

Durhams suit also charges that, as part of the operating agreement, the Board of Education owes the bus company $93,374.09, which it has also refused or neglected to pay. The suit states that Durham provided student transportation services through June 30, 2019, and is owed the money.

Board of Aldermen President John Anglace Jr. stated at the time that Durham poached drivers only days before the start of school and failed to properly transfer records to the citys bus company.

There was not a proper hand off (of the records), said Teodosio. It was a difficult transition between the city and Durham.

brian.gioiele@hearstmediact.com
When a global pandemic was declared in early March, I was lucky to be in the safest place possible  an island, off an island, off an island in the South Pacific where wildlife outnumbered people. I was also in the hands of helicopter pilot Greg Ross, who assured me he could scoop me up and relocate me if I ever felt unsafe. The charming co-owner of Tasmania Air Tours has been flying gliders since age 15 and choppers around Australia for more than two decades. Dream up an adventure, and his 9-month-old company delivers it in style.

Floating 150 miles off the southern coast of Australia, Tasmania was once considered the ends of the Earth. Jonathan Swift shipwrecked his protagonist in Gullivers Travels off its shores, and in the 1800s, England sent its convicts to the island, then known as Van Diemens Land. It seems unfathomable that a place with such a menacing reputation would emerge as the countrys Eden, home to the purest air, cleanest water, stunning beaches and an abundance of wildlife. Pair that with award-winning vineyards, small-batch distilleries, pristine seafood, farm-fresh restaurants and serious museums, and you have a destination that holds its own against the Barossa Valley, Margaret River and other star regions on the mainland.

Traveling with Ross would allow me to maximize my week on the island. And his connections would open doors to some of Tasmanias top wineries and restaurants. The wining and dining began before liftoff. Tasmania Air Tours offices are 15 minutes from Hobart at Barilla Bay Oyster Farm. Upon arrival, Im greeted with freshly shucked bivalves and a locally made ginger beer. Lucky for my waistline, Tasmania is also a mecca for trekking. The plan was to fly to Maria Island, a former convict settlement turned national park, and walk up an appetite on an overnight camping trip. As if the flight wasnt scenic enough, we took the scenic route over the Tasman Peninsula so I could witness an aerial view of its dramatic dolerite spires. Towering nearly 1,000 feet above the ocean, the tallest sea cliffs in the world could easily double as a foreboding backdrop in Game of Thrones.

A master of surprises, Ross tells me we have an important detour to make, and within minutes were landing in the middle of a vineyard. Drive-thru bottle shop, he says as he gives me a wink. You cant go camping without wine. Tasmanias cool climate is ideal for sparkling wine and pinot noir  very little of which makes its way Stateside. Bangor Vineyard Shed, where weve just touched down, produces some of the best expressions of these styles. Vineyard owner, Matt Dunbabin has a spread of cheeses and a fresh bottle of bubbly waiting under the shade of an old blue gum. With Ross as designated flyer, I indulge in a quick tasting, and then were back in the air.

Headlines about last years devastating wildfires had me doubting Id have many extraordinary wildlife encounters, but Maria Island, which lies 2 miles off Tassies east coast, turns out to be a sanctuary for wombats, wallabies, kangaroos and Tasmanian devils. Most people take four days to walk the island, but being short on time and fit, Ive arranged a bespoke overnight experience that promises to be both challenging and packed with the islands highlights.

Ross delivers me to Sharna Turner, a guide with the Maria Island Walk company. We put on our packs and set off from the islands northern end, hike past the sea cliffs of Fossil Bay  a natural history museum of marine fossils embedded in limestone  and climb steadily to Bishop and Clerk, the islands towering peaks. We zigzag and scramble in our final effort to reach the 2,034-foot summit. Our reward: 360-degree island views and blissful solitude. Earlier that day, news broke that Tasmania had its first confirmed case of the coronavirus. But even from this precipitous perch, I felt a sense of calm knowing the biggest crowd Id likely encounter would be a troop of Forester kangaroos.

A mellow hike along the west coast takes us to White Gums Camp, a glamping site set up above white-sand Four Mile Beach. Once again, we have the place to ourselves with the exception of a few curious wallabies. I rinse away the day with a swim then dig into a locavore barbecue feast of marinated quail, Tassie lamb chop and wallaby bush pepper sausage. Having trekked 11 miles, I think the meal is well earned.

More Information If you go There are many nonstop options from U.S. gateways into Melbourne and Sydney, including the pre-COVID-19 Houston-to-Sydney nonstop on United Airlines. Hobart is less than an hour's flight from Melbourne and two hours via Sydney on Qantas. Tasmania Air Tours offers a variety of experiences, from an affordable 15-minute flight over Hobart ($99) to a two-hour top-shelf whisky, gin and wine itinerary ($685) and completely tailored, money-is-no-object trips; tasmanianairtours.com.au. See More Collapse

We set off just after sunrise the next morning, and Sharna schools me in marsupials, pointing out critters with Harry Potter-worthy names such as pademelons and potoroos. But my favorite is the wombat, a chubby creature that looks like it could have inspired the Ewoks of Star Wars. Undaunted by humans, one practically brushes Sharnas leg, as if to say, Move out of my way, youre blocking the patch of grass I want to graze.

On our 5-mile return hike, we pass the old Probation Station and Penitentiary (now a basic, bunkhouse-style stay) in Darlington, a World Heritage-listed convict settlement, and I marvel at the Painted Cliffs, wind-chiseled sandstone rocks covered in psychedelic swirls.

How will any place compare with Marias remote, natural beauty, I wonder as I rejoin Ross on the chopper. Hes clearly read my mind as he drops us at the doorstep of Piermont, a historical retreat with two private beaches, a polo field and 15 stone-and-rammed earth cottages that wouldnt feel out of place in coastal Ireland. Were here to lunch at the hotels acclaimed Homestead Restaurant. The Kinfolk aesthetic and views overlooking Great Oyster Bay immediately have me wondering if we can swap my itinerary for an overnight at this magical place even before I taste the tartare, prepared from grass-fed beef from nearby Cape Grim, and Tasmanian Pacific oysters harvested a stones throw away.

Im about to slip into a blissful food coma when Ross places an espresso in front of me and tells me I have yet to be dazzled. For a half-second, I think hes bluffing, but then Im reminded hes used to wowing A-listers such as Sting and Chelsea Handler. Ross is about to deposit me on Tasmanias far east coast at Saffire Freycinet. Shaped like a stingray rising from the shores of Coles Bay, this architectural stunner has long been considered one of Australias top lodges. With just 20 suites, the property cant host more than 40 guests at a time.

Knowing Im active, the staff has placed a kayak and paddleboard by the beach shed in case I crave an early paddle in the bay. Based at the footsteps of Freycinet National Park and surrounded by some of Tasmanias top food purveyors, I spend my days exploring and eating. One afternoon I climb the 297 steps to Wineglass Bay lookout. Its hard to imagine these waters ran red with whale blood from harpooners in the 1800s, earning them the name wineglass. Today, the waters are an opalesque blue.

The multi-course dinners at Saffire would hold up to any Michelin-restaurant in Sydney or Melbourne. But its my meal at family-run Freycinet Marine Farm I find most memorable. Im not in heels or a fancy dress. Instead, I don a pair of waders and walk out into the oyster beds where briny, plucked-from-the-sea oysters are laid out on a white tablecloth alongside a bottle of Moorilla sparkling Riesling. For me, this is the epitome of fine dining. Knee deep in the sea, the peaks of the Hazards behind me, a pile of mollusks and bubbly an arms reach away, I am in true foodie heaven. Ross had certainly dazzled me.

Months later, home in the U.S. under strict stay-at-home orders, I think back to my time in Tasmania and realize the true power of nature. Right now, I may not be able to jet off to an over-the-top hotel, dine at a Michelin-star restaurant or go on a wine tasting tour, but I can grab a bottle of bubbly and head out into nature and be reminded that this is the true meaning of luxury.
Now Open

10 July 2020

Marriott has expanded its AC Hotels brand to Japan, with the opening of the 296-room AC Hotel by Marriott Tokyo Ginza.

Located in Tokyo's upscale Ginza district, the hotel's modern glass and stone facade makes it a standout landmark in the heart of the capital's luxury shopping, culinary and fashion scene.

Marriott has expanded its AC Hotels brand to Japan, with the opening of the 296-room AC Hotel by Marriott Tokyo Ginza.

Located in Tokyo's upscale Ginza district, the hotel's modern glass and stone facade makes it a standout landmark in the heart of the capital's luxury shopping, culinary and fashion scene.

"We are thrilled to be bringing AC Hotels by Marriott to Ginza - one of Tokyo's most esteemed neighbourhoods," said Rajeev Menon, President, Asia Pacific (excluding China), Marriott International. "This represents a milestone in the expansion of our European-inspired lifestyle hotel brand in this region, and further compliments Marriott International's growing footprint in Japan."

Each guest room features large windows that let in plenty of natural sunlight during the day, and colourful city views by night. They also feature a 55-inch flat-screen TV and complimentary Wi-Fi.

The hotel features a restaurant, lounge and bar; a 24-hour fitness centre; and 592 square feet of meeting facilities.

"We are thrilled to be bringing AC Hotels by Marriott to Ginza - one of Tokyo's most esteemed neighbourhoods," said Rajeev Menon, President, Asia Pacific (excluding China), Marriott International. "This represents a milestone in the expansion of our European-inspired lifestyle hotel brand in this region, and further compliments Marriott International's growing footprint in Japan."
The World Health Organization is acknowledging the possibility that COVID-19 might be spread in the air under certain conditions  after more than 200 scientists urged the agency to do so.

In an open letter published this week in a journal, two scientists from Australia and the U.S. wrote that studies have shown 'beyond any reasonable doubt that viruses are released during exhalation, talking and coughing in microdroplets small enough to remain aloft in the air.'

The researchers, along with more than 200 others, appealed for national and international authorities, including WHO, to adopt more stringent protective measures.

More than 200 scientists have written that airborne spread of coronavirus is happening. Pictured: Bartender Bradley Wasinda talks with Raymond Diez at Carmines Ybor Italian Restaurant in Tampa, Florida on June 26

The scientists say 'viruses are released during exhalation, talking and coughing in microdroplets small enough to remain aloft in the air.' Pictured: People stand outside the Duplex bar in the West Village on June 27

The World Health Organization, whose headquarters in Geneva is shown, has updated its guidance to agree with the researchers that airborne spread is possible

WHO has long dismissed the possibility that the coronavirus is spread in the air except for certain risky medical procedures, such as when patients are first put on breathing machines.

In a change to its previous thinking, WHO noted on Thursday that studies evaluating COVID-19 outbreaks in restaurants, choir practices and fitness classes suggested the virus might have been spread in the air.

Airborne spread 'particularly in specific indoor locations, such as crowded and inadequately ventilated spaces over a prolonged period of time with infected persons cannot be ruled out,' WHO said.

Still, officials also pointed out that other modes of transmission  like contaminated surfaces or close contacts between people in such indoor environments  might also have explained the disease's spread.

WHO's stance also recognized the importance of people spreading COVID-19 without symptoms, a phenomenon the organization has long downplayed.

WHO has repeatedly said such transmission is 'rare' despite a growing consensus among scientists globally that asymptomatic spread likely accounts for a significant amount of transmission. The agency said that most spread is via droplets from infected people who cough or sneeze, but added that people without symptoms are also capable of transmitting the disease.

'The extent of truly asymptomatic infection in the community remains unknown,' WHO said.
Hyderabad, July 10 : In the wake of an uproar over the demolition of two mosques and a temple in the old Secretariat complex, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao on Friday announced that the government will construct these in the new Secretariat premises at government expense.

He expressed 'regret and pain over some inconvenience' caused to the religious structures due to the demolition work at the old Secretariat complex.

He declared that in the new Secretariat premises, a new temple and mosque would be constructed on a more spacious spots.

"The government has begun to construct the new Secretariat complex by demolishing the old buildings. I came to know that while demolishing the multistoreyed old buildings, the temple and mosque adjacent to the old buildings were damaged due to debris falling on them. I feel sorry about the incident. It should not have happened. The government's intention is to build a new complex by demolishing the old buildings without causing any damage to the temple or the mosque," he said in a statement.

"We will construct a temple and a mosque in the new Secretariat premises in a more spacious way even if it means spending crores of rupees. We will construct the temple and mosque at government cost and hand them over to the people concerned. I will have a meeting with the temple and mosque managements very soon. After discussing with them, along with the new Secretariat, places of worship will also be constructed. This is my promise," he added.

KCR, as Rao is popularly known, maintained that his government remained secular.

"Telangana is a secular state. We will continue to follow the secular spirit, come what may. This incident happened unexpectedly. Everyone should understand this properly without prejudice," the CM said.

KCR's statement came after Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi and several religious scholars and leaders of various Muslim organizations issued a joint statement to condemn the demolition of two mosques in the Secretariat premises and demanded their immediate reconstruction at the same spot.

They said the incident had shaken the confidence of Muslims in KCR, who have been projecting himself as a secular leader. The Muslim leaders also warned that if the government failed to take steps for early reconstruction of the mosques, the Muslims would be forced to launch a protest.
BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - Estonia's trade deficit narrowed in May amid a fall in both exports and imports, figures from Statistics Estonia showed on Friday. The trade deficit fell to EUR 84 million in May from EUR 100 million in the same month last year. In April, the trade deficit was EUR 60 million. Exports fell 25.0 percent year-on-year in May, following a 17.0 percent decline in April. Imports decreased 24.0 percent annually in May, following a 22.0 percent fall in the previous month. Exports to Spain, Finland, the USA and the Netherlands decreased in May. At the same time, imports from Sweden, Lithuania and Germany decreased sharply. 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.
JERUSALEM (JTA)  With the date set by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to begin annexing West Bank territory days away, the Palestinians appear ready to restart peace negotiations with Israel.

A four-page letter from the Palestinian Authority sent to the so-called Quartet  the diplomatic grouping of the United States, the United Nations, the European Union and Russia  said it was ready to resume direct bilateral negotiations where they stopped, according to AFP. The French news agency reported that it saw the text on Monday but not when it had been sent.

The letter said the counterproposal would be withdrawn if Israel went ahead with annexation of any part of the Palestinian territory, according to the report.

We are ready to have our state with a limited number of weapons and a powerful police force to uphold law and order, the letter said.

The government coalition agreement between Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz allows annexation to begin taking place on July 1.

The Palestinians have rejected the Trump peace plan unveiled earlier this year allowing Israel to annex up to 30% of the West Bank and providing for a Palestinian state on the remaining 70%. The plan calls for direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. No talks have been held since 2014.

The P.A. said it would accept an international force to monitor compliance with a peace treaty. It also proposed minor border changes that will have been mutually agreed, based on the borders of June 4, 1967.

P.A. Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh said on June 9 that the P.A. had submitted a proposal to the Quartet.

Shtayyeh said at the time that the proposal calls for a sovereign Palestinian state, independent and demilitarized with minor modifications of borders where necessary. He declined to provide further details.
Utah governor Gary Herbert declared a state of emergency in Salt Lake City late Thursday, citing clashes between police and protesters who flooded the streets after the city district attorney announced that the May police killing of Bernardo Palacios Carbajal was justified.

In the case of the Salt Lake City Officer Involved Critical Incident that resulted in the death of Bernardo Palacios Carbajal, District Attorney Sim Gills findings provide significant evidence of the justifiable actions of Salt Lake City police officers, Mayor Erin Mendenhall said in a statement. This evidence shows that our officers acted according to their training and the state law regarding use of lethal force.

Protesters broke windows to the district attorneys office, leading police to deem the demonstration an unlawful gathering, the Salt Lake City Police Department said. Demonstrators then disrupted traffic in the citys downtown area and allegedly used pepper spray on officers. One officer was taken to a nearby hospital.

Police arrested two protesters, the department said. The state of emergency order, which closes the Utah State Capitol grounds to the public, will stay in effect until at least July 14. Herbert also offered Utahs Department of Public Safety to Salt Lake City.

In May police fired 34 shots at Palacios, leaving him with more than a dozen wounds, after a report of someone making threats with a weapon, CNN reported.

I know that for some, todays decision does not feel like justice, Mendenhall said. It has become increasingly apparent in our city and across the nation that there is a difference between what so many feel is morally correct, and what is considered appropriate and justified under the law.

More from National Review
A French bus driver who was declared brain dead after he was assaulted by two passengers who refused to wear face masks has died, his family have confirmed.

Philippe Monguillot, 59, was savagely beaten after he tried to enforce coronavirus rules on his bus in the southwestern town of Bayonne on Sunday, in an attack which has caused outrage in France.

Following the attack, two men were charged with attempted murder, two others with non-assistance to a person in danger and another with attempting to hide a suspect, the local prosecutor's office said.

Mr Monguillot's 18-year-old daughter Marie told AFP today: 'We decided to let him go. The doctors were in favour and we were as well.'

Philippe Monguillot (pictured with his wife Veronique Monguillot), 59, was beaten by two passengers after he tried to enforce coronavirus rules on his bus in Bayonne, France, on Sunday

Earlier this week the wife of Mr Monguillot, Veronique Monguillot (pictured centre with her daughter), held a portrait of her husband during a protest in Bayonne

Protesters leave flowers as they take part in a white march and pay tribute to the French bus driver

Mr Monguillot was attacked after he asked three passengers to wear masks - in line with coronavirus rules across France - and tried to check another man's ticket.

The two men accused of attempted murder 'violently kicked and punched the upper part of his body, including his head', prosecutors say, while two others have also been arrested on lesser charges.

The two charged with attempted murder are aged 22 and 23. They were previously known to the police.

Bayonne prosecutor Jerome Bourrier, who confirmed the driver had died, said that he would ask for the charges to be changed to take into account his death.

Describing the events of Sunday night, prosecutor Marc Mariee told a press conference that three men had initially boarded the bus near Bayonne's train station, one of them with a dog.

At a subsequent stop they were joined by a fourth person, at which point the driver went to inspect his ticket - and told the four men to put their masks on.

'There were insults and then shoving. The bus driver was pushed out of the bus,' the prosecutor said.

Two of the men are then alleged to have punched and kicked the driver in what the prosecutor called an 'extremely violent' attack.

Some of the men made a run for it after leaving the victim critically wounded on the pavement, the prosecutor's office said.

One person was arrested at the scene while another four were detained at an apartment in Bayonne, although one of them, a minor, was later released.

The two men accused of attempted murder 'violently kicked and punched the upper part of his body, including his head', say prosecutors after the attack in Bayonne (shown on a map)

A woman approaches Veronique Monguillot during a protest demanding justice for her husband

Thousands of people participate in a march in Bayonne, southwestern France, after Philippe Monguillot is attacked

In addition to the two attempted murder charges, two others have been charged with failing to assist to a person in danger while one of them is also accused of attempting to hide a suspect.

Mr Monguillot was unconscious when emergency services arrived and his wife said their lives had been 'destroyed in a couple of seconds' by the attack.

Veronique Monguillot previously said: 'He can't leave us like this, he was going to be 59 years old soon. No, you don't do this over a bus ticket. You don't kill for free like this!'

Speaking to Le Parisien, she added: 'I don't want to face the facts... I feel like I'm living a nightmare.'

The Monguillots are the parents of three daughters aged 18, 21 and 24, and they are being supported by friends and colleagues who have set up a support group.

'Philippe was going to retire in a year and we thought we were going to buy a motorhome in September,' Mrs Monguillot said.

His daughter Marie added: 'We are empty... we have no more tears.'

The wife of French bus driver participates in a march in Bayonne, southwestern France

Masks are currently compulsory on all public transport in France, but members of the group refused to put them on when they got on the vehicle  a cross between a bus and a tram run by the Chronoplus company  at about 7pm on Sunday.

The assault on the father of three prompted an outpouring of indignation by his colleagues in Bayonne.

On Wednesday the driver's family organised a silent march in his honour departing from the bus stop where the assault took place.

Unions also asked transport networks across the country to stop at 7.30pm observe a minute of silence in Mr Monguillot's memory.

A colleague of Mr Monguillot described him as a 'decent and hardworking man who always looked after passengers.'

He added: 'There has been a lot of tension over masks, because they are the law, but bus staff are not police, and we should not have to enforce the law.'

Following the attack, the mayor of Bayonne, Jean-Rene Etchegaray, tweeted: 'Philippe Monguillot has left us. He succumbs to barbaric aggression in the exercise of his profession.

'A faithful servant of the public service, he leaves the image of a generous man. Support for colleagues in grief. Our affection for his grieving wife and family.'

The Chronoplus colleague said there had been three other assaults related to masks in recent days, but none as serious as the one involving Mr Monguillot.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin is also due to travel to Bayonne on Saturday to discuss the security situation and meet the drivers.
Michael OHare, whose schoolgirl sister Majella was shot was she walked to church in 1976

The family of a Co Armagh schoolgirl shot dead by the Army more than 40 years ago has called for an independent investigation into her death.

Majella O'Hare, from Whitecross, was 12 years old when she was shot in the back by a soldier as she walked to church in August 1976.

An Army officer was charged with manslaughter after the initial RUC investigation, but was acquitted in court. The officer claimed he had fired in response to an IRA sniper attack.

In 2011 a letter signed by the then Defence Secretary Liam Fox apologised on behalf of the government and acknowledged that the soldier's explanation was "unlikely".

Now, ahead of the 44th anniversary of Majella's death, her brother Michael O'Hare is calling for an independent investigation.

A letter has been sent to the Legacy Investigation Branch of the PSNI calling on the Chief Constable to ensure a "prompt and independent investigation".

Mr O'Hare remembers his sister as a beautiful young girl with a love of music, who "never got to fulfil her potential".

"I fight for justice for Majella. If it weren't for the actions of the soldier, she would still be with us," he said.

"We live with the pain that we will never know the potential of her life. The apology acknowledged the wrongdoing, but neither this nor the historical enquiries report which prompted it provided us with the full truth of what happened. It didn't give us the justice and accountability we are entitled to.

"I hope this will now come and give my family and I the peace we seek."

He said his family want a fresh independent investigation to correct the public record.

"I am not on a vexatious crusade here, all I want from this is that the history of Majella's killing is written honestly," he added.

"I don't know what lies ahead but we are raising the issue again to see if we can get another investigation into it and we can make amends for the wrongs that were done.

"I couldn't possibly say that I want to persecute anyone because it is a long time ago and perhaps the person who committed the offence is persecuted already if they are human at all.

"It's not about a blame game, it is just keeping things in order and getting the acknowledgment. If that comes then who knows what the next phase will be, if there is to be another phase."

The PSNI said it could not give a timeframe for when a review would take place.

A spokesman said:" The tragic death of Majella O'Hare currently sits within the caseload of Legacy Investigation Branch (LIB) for future review in accordance with LIB's Case Sequencing Model.

"Regrettably, due to the LIB caseload, which extends to more than 1,100 incidents touching on over 1,400 deaths, we are unable to give any undertaking as to when this review will commence.

"PSNI supports the establishment of alternative legacy architecture. However, responsibility for that rests within the political sphere. In the absence of such alternative arrangements, PSNI will continue to fulfil its statutory obligations and remain committed to providing the best possible service we can to families who lost loved ones."

Amnesty International UK is supporting the family. Its Northern Ireland campaign manager Grainne Teggart said: "This tragic story should be a matter of national shame for the UK. It is utterly appalling that the family have been left without justice for nearly 44 years."
If it's one thing Texans love, it's Whataburger.

A few fans aren't so pleased with the chain right now though, because as HoustonChronicle.com's Emma Balter reported Thursday, Whataburger is getting rid of its iconic 'A' shape.

The company already started renovations at one San Antonio location, so it's not likely Whataburger will be changing its mind. (Ugh)

What's not changing? "The iconic elements were known for," the company said on their website. "Youll see plenty of orange and white stripes and that classic Whataburger flair our Family Members and guests know and love."

Whataburger said so far, the company has received mixed reactions about the new, modern design. "As in all things, some people seem to love it and some had some maybe less-favorable comments. But you know, thats just the internet, I guess," James Turcotte, the company's senior vice president of real estate, told CultureMap.

Turcotte said Whataburgers new restaurant designs and remodels will stay true to their unique look, just in an updated and fresh way.

But does the redesign really matter if social media doesn't react? Of course not! Some Twitter users weighed in on the new look and let's just say... some are a lot happier than others.

ODE TO LUBY'S: As Luby's waits for someone to save them, Houstonians share their fondest cafeteria memories

In case you're wondering what that means, in June 2019, Whataburger sold majority of their ownership stake to a Chicago investment firm. The company is still headquartered in San Antonio, but the sale added an opportunity for expansion. The company currently has restaurants in 10 states, and will soon be opening restaurants in Tennessee and Kansas City.

As if 2020 wasn't already horrible enough (you know, coronavirus, bubonic plague, murder hornets) Whataburger had to go "update" its look another person said.

"Ive been a Texas for 14 years and Ill admit Ive never eaten at Whataburger (I know I know) but some things you just dont change and this is one of them. Yeah I know its only a building but to Texans, the A frames have meaning, memories, and history," Twitter user @AdamJ730 said.

Some people are okay with the design change, with Twitter user @cstanford67 saying he was prepared to be off put by the new look but to his surprise, it's actually nice.

As long as the food quality "doesn't drop down to McDonald's level," Whataburger lover @Ang01313, who said she was offended about the "update", warned, everything will be fine.

What do you think of Whataburger's new design? Is it the end of the world as we know it? (Lets be real. It's not. But it's still a big deal.)
Ive been making art for over 20 years.

I was born in Houston and lived in Mexico for seven years as a child. But I grew up in southeast Houston. I went to Sanchez Elementary, Deady Middle School and Milby High School.

My mom, Donkeemom, taught me how to draw when I was 6. At 13, I started selling art, and in my late 20s I became a full-time artist. She and I have painted more than 30 murals together since 2005. But in the last two months, we were asked to do a couple of murals that hit really close to home.

About a week after George Floyd was killed by police in Minneapolis, Floyds friend, OG Mugz, reached out and asked if we could do a mural in Third Ward, across the street from where Floyd grew up. While we were painting it, 40 to 50 people from the neighborhood gathered around to watch us and show their support. It was hard not to get emotional.

Then earlier this month, we painted a mural of Vanessa Guillen at Taqueria Del Sol in southeast Houston. Guillen, whose remains were recently found, was a soldier who had been missing from Fort Hood since April. The mural is in the same neighborhood where she grew up. I grew up there, too.

We didnt plan to paint either of these murals. I wish we didnt have to  that Floyd and Guillen were still alive.

Guillen was 20 years old. She was serving our country. It takes a lot of courage to be able to do that. Were supposed to respect our soldiers who sacrifice themselves to go out and fight for our country. If we dont respect our soldiers, who are we going to respect? Whos going to respect us?

For Guillens mural, a lot of people were asking us via Instagram, Facebook messages and emails to paint a memorial. Being from that neighborhood myself, I just felt like we had to do something. The night we painted it, we werent even done, and 100-something people showed up for a prayer vigil. The outpouring from the community in her memory was incredible.

These murals serve as a meeting ground. People go and communicate with each other and plan things out, and it shows the world that people are supportive. When you visit a mural, you can see all the candles and flowers and offerings that are being placed  physical signs of support. I hope the families look at that and can see the love that theyre receiving from the community and that art can help bring awareness to their situations.

Murals can motivate people to research, learn and maybe inspire others to do their part. They can create conversation or amplify a conversation to keep it going longer and louder.

After we finished the Guillen mural, I wanted to keep the conversation going, too. One mural is not enough. So we put out a call on Instagram for other artists to paint more murals. Our goal is to help to facilitate 20 murals for her throughout the city, because she was 20 years old.

And the response has been overwhelming. We had many artists, property owners and business owners reach out and ask what they could do and how they could help. Break Free Hip Hop School, where I teach art classes, volunteered to help organize the effort. We have had tremendous support from artists all over the city  Noke, Franky Cardona, Clear, Roger Trevino, Mariah Martinez and many others  and all of these murals are being donated, like the Floyd and Guillen murals that Donkeemom and I painted earlier this summer. Its our hope that other artists in cities outside Houston will see this movement and paint murals of their own as well.

Houston is such a supportive city. Houston always holds up Houston. Its important for people to back the Guillen family and do what we can to support them. The more that we unite and come together, the more noise, the more awareness we can bring.

Speaking from personal experience, I know a lot of us Latinos dont speak up  and I feel that those days are over. Its time for people of any race and any color to receive justice and equality.

Artists might not always feel like we have much of a voice, but in situations like this, we do have a voice. We have strength. At some point, the art is not about you, its about what it can be used for, and murals can be used for the greater good. How many people are going to see these images throughout the day and be reminded of whats going on?

Theres strength in numbers, and I hope that as artists, business owners, property owners and Houstonians, together we can help spread the word and get these messages of equality across to others around the country. For George Floyd, for Vanessa Guillen, and for anyone who has been the victim of injustice.

Roman Jr. (Donkeeboy), a Houston-based street artist, is a remixer of pop culture. His artwork and murals can be found throughout Houston at the likes of Minute Maid Park, 8th Wonder Brewery, Shipley Do-Nuts, Riel Restaurant and Burns Original BBQ.
A Minnedosa woman is making every effort to ensure hundreds of locals affected by the rainstorm of the millennium qualify for the provinces disaster financial assistance (DFA) program.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/7/2020 (557 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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A Minnedosa woman is making every effort to ensure hundreds of locals affected by the rainstorm of the millennium qualify for the provinces disaster financial assistance (DFA) program.

Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler himself described the rainfall that hit the southwestern region as a once-in-a-1,000-year event.

Deana Dupuis is making herself available this week and next at the Yellowhead Regional Employment Skills and Services location in Minnedosa to help residents fill out a one-page form to apply to the program. She said due to her husband being a federal government employee, she was aware there are programs for these circumstances. Her inquiries led to her effort.

TIM SMITH/THE BRANDON SUN Jena Spraggs, owner of enJoy Salon & Spa in Minnedosa, stands inside her business, which had to be gutted in the wake of severe flooding last week.

But the grief, trauma and overwhelming feelings that surrounded her in her town is the primary impetus.

"I made some calls, phoned up the numbers that were given for that (disaster financial assistance) program, talked to a few people, some really awesome ladies, who said Heres the deal," Dupuis said.

"They said number one, you need to get enough people to apply, to even open the doors for this program. She said if not enough people apply, no ones going to get anything because the province has to declare it. Thats when the funds would become available."

Thats a bit of a problem, said Dupuis, because people are always talking about others who got hit harder.

TIM SMITH/THE BRANDON SUN John Vanderhart shows some of the damage to his waterfront, dock and beach house at his home on Minnedosa Lake after his home and property flooded during last week's storms.

"Or theyre reluctant to ask for help, because some people completely lost their homes. Theyve got nothing. So people wanted to make sure it (disaster financial assistance) was going to the right place," said Dupuis.

She said her focus is to make certain anybody who has damage or destruction to their home applies.

"That is going to help everyone access these funds," she said.

A Province of Manitoba spokesperson confirmed that information.

TIM SMITH/THE BRANDON SUN Clean-up and repairs from last week's flooding continue in Minnedosa on Thursday.

"The best way for those with impacts in the private sector to identify their impacts is to submit an application through the DFA program. The information that they provide will help the government to determine how best to support Manitobans in their recovery," the spokesperson stated.

Another Minnedosa woman can attest to the damage and destruction in the town. Like Dupuis, Dominique Hampton did not sustain any water damage to her home and felt she had to act to help others. Hampton ended up becoming the go-to volunteer organizer for sandbagging, demolition and garbage removal.

While she doesnt have an official tally, Hampton said hundreds of homes were in destructions path. Sandbagging in Minnedosa began on Monday, after the first storm, which delivered 155.5 mm in several short hours.

"We made around 20,000 sandbags," said Hampton.

TIM SMITH/THE BRANDON SUN John Vanderhart walks through his flood-damaged basement Thursday. Vanderhart had to take out the flooring and some of the drywall after his home on Minnedosa Lake was flooded in last week's storms. His dock and beach-house were also heavily damaged.

Eighty-four homes were evacuated, though only 12 were mandatory, recalled Hampton.

"When we were helping with the demolition of basements, there were so many houses," she said.

The Brandon Sun has also heard from several people that insurance isnt covering the damage from this overland flooding event, which, in the end, delivered more than 220 millimetres of rain to the area. Hampton said a lot of people dont know what they are going to do, because most people dont have overland flooding coverage. She said a lot of damage is between $50,000 to $100,000. Some people she talked to are getting $1,000. And some who have overland flooding coverage are getting $10,000.

"On Saturday, we had about 45 houses that either needed help with demolition or that had demoed the basements and needed garbage runs," Hampton said.

TIM SMITH/THE BRANDON SUN John Vanderhart looks over the flooring and other items that he had to pull out of the basement of his home on Minnedosa Lake after his home was flooded in last week's storms.

"Some basements had anywhere from four feet of water and some basements were right near the ceiling. Everything that was in the basement, whether furniture, freezers, fridges, washers and dryers, all that kind of stuff had to be taken to the dump."

People with finished basements also had to deal with drywall, the insulation, and flooring, as well as furniture. Hampton said the town had volunteers come from other Manitoba towns, as well as from Ontario, to help out.

Businesses, of course, were also hit hard. Minnedosas main street flooded twice. Farmhouse 50, a restaurant that also sells Manitoba-made goods, apparently planned on reopening today. But others, such as EnJoy Salon & Spa, had to gut their premises.

"Home Hardware was open through the whole thing, including Canada Day. That was the day everybody needed all the supplies. They had extra shipments come in specifically so everybody could get the dehumidifiers and pumps and whatever else they needed," Hampton said.

TIM SMITH/THE BRANDON SUN A section of Highway 16A leading into Minnedosa from the north was washed away in last week's flooding. Clean-up and repairs continue in many communities affected by the floods.

She said volunteers were always positive, while homeowners were devastated.

"It was nice to come in with a group of positive people helping them get their situation under control. People would say, We were so overwhelmed but you guys came and did all the work that would have taken us weeks and now we can get on with rebuilding our basement or rebuilding our house," she added.

"It made us feel good to be able to help them get through this thing."

Dupuis feels the same. She wasnt physically able to pitch in on sandbagging or demolition, but helping people fill out the disaster financial assistance form became her mission.

"Its kind of a numbers game at this point," she said.

"The other thing Im working on is the online  its a one-page document. The woman I was talking to said they hope to process them within 24 hours. It literally takes minutes. If everybody applies online, boom, they take notice of that. Then, hopefully, the process opens up and moves more quickly."

Information about the disaster relief program can be found at gov.mb.ca/emo/recover/home/dfa_home.html

 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.
US Supreme Court justices have ordered Donald Trump to hand over his tax returns.

The United States highest court ruled Thursday that the documents be handed over to New York prosecutors as part of a probe into whether he paid hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels. The Supreme Courts nine justices voted 7-2 in favor of ordering Trump to hand over the documentation. Those seven included the two justices Trump himself appointed since becoming president  Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. But justices also barred the US Congress from seeing the returns for its own purposes, and sent their demand back to the lower courts. Trump had sought to claim that he was immune from subpoenas (legal demands) to hand over his tax returns because he is President of the United States.







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Life sciences focused fund also announces first close of EUR76 million

STOCKHOLM and COPENHAGEN, Denmark, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Eir Ventures, a Nordic Life Science Venture Fund, today announced a first close of its new fund of EUR76 million. With a strong base in the Nordic region and a team of experienced life science investors, Eir Ventures will invest in innovative companies with products and technologies addressing significant unmet medical need and a potential to improve the life of patients. The fund is launched with support from a strong investor syndicate comprising Saminvest, the European Investment Fund (EIF), Vkstfonden, Novo Holdings, as well as additional private investors.

Eir Ventures has been set up by an experienced and successful team of life science investors: Dr Magnus Persson, Stephan Christgau, Andreas Segerros are the Managing Partners, and Amanda Hayward is Special Partner. It has offices in Stockholm and Copenhagen. Eir Ventures will invest in high return potential opportunities in the Nordics, Europe and the US. The fund will have a particular focus on innovations from the leading universities and incubators in the Nordics and has established collaborations with select Nordic Universities.

Dr Magnus Persson, Managing Partner of Eir Ventures, commented, "In the current environment, where financing has become even more sparse and startups are struggling to fund development, healthcare innovation is more important than ever. We see great potential to bring some of the highly innovative treatments to patients with underserved medical needs, while also bringing outstanding returns to our investors."

Stephan Christgau, Managing Partner of Eir Ventures, added, "The Nordic region is ranked year after year as one of the most innovative areas in Europe, with a stable business environment and a successful track record of medical innovation and world-class science. However, the region is severely underserved with professional venture capital. Eir Ventures sees this as a unique opportunity that it will leverage."

Eir Ventures is backed by a strong investor syndicate of Swedish and Danish institutions including: Saminvest, a venture capital company founded by the Swedish Government, Vkstfonden, the Danish state's investment fund, Novo Holdings, as well as the European Investment Fund.

"We are very pleased to see a new life science fund that focuses on early stage companies in the Swedish ecosystem, in close contact with the university sector. We firmly believe Eir Ventures is well positioned to take advantage of investment opportunities in the innovative life science sector in Scandinavia," commented Peder Hasslev, Chief Executive Officer at Saminvest.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has been a powerful illustration that healthcare is a truly global issue, and that there is a constant need for new treatments and therapies. Hence, it is essential that we invest in emerging companies that develop new treatments from Danish and Nordic University innovation and life science entrepreneurs in the region. I am thrilled that Vkstfonden can help launch and fund Eir Ventures," addedSimon Kollerup, Danish Minister for Industry, Business and Financial affairs.

"This EIF investment reflects the importance of sustaining innovative players in this sector, made all the more crucial by the ongoing situation. Eir Ventures has a strong founding team and the fund will be well-positioned to find and further develop companies that solve tomorrow's health challenges," said Alain Godard, Chief Executive at the European Investment Fund.

"Novo Seeds has been investing in the Nordic life science industry for more than 10 years, and we have seen steady growth in number and quality of investment opportunities. We are therefore very excited to be one of the founding investors of Eir Ventures. In addition to making a profitable fund investment, we look forward to working with the team to translate more Nordic innovation into startups," added Sren Mller, Managing Partner for Novo Seeds, the early stage investment arm of Novo Holdings.

About Eir Ventures

Eir Ventures is a Life science focused venture fund, that with a strong foundation in the Nordic Biotech ecosystem will invest in early stage as well as more mature opportunities. The fund initiates investment activities in 2020 and will seek opportunities addressing significant unmet medical needs for new therapies, medical technology and digital health. Eir Ventures is founded by a team of experienced life science investors, and backed by a strong investor syndicate comprising Saminvest, the European Investment Fund (EIF), Vkstfonden, Novo Holdings, as well as additional private investors. Eir Ventures I AB is a registered alternative investment fund, under the Swedish Alternative Investment Funds Managers Act. http://www.eirventures.eu

About Saminvest

Saminvest is a venture capital company, founded by the Swedish Government in 2016. Saminvest works actively for the establishment of new venture capital funds with sufficient qualities and long-term ability to develop the Swedish venture capital market, giving innovative and fast-growing companies access to both capital and ownership skills. https://www.saminvest.se/

About EIF

The European Investment Fund (EIF) is part of the European Investment Bank Group. Its central mission is to support Europe's micro, small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) by helping them to access finance. EIF designs and develops venture and growth capital, guarantees and microfinance instruments which specifically target this market segment. In this role, EIF fosters EU objectives in support of innovation, research and development, entrepreneurship, growth, and employment. https://www.eif.org/

About Vaekstfonden

In close collaboration with banks and domestic and international private investors, we discover and develop the companies that Denmark cannot afford to miss out on. We carry the experience and the expertise that make businesses grow - from digitalizing a carpenter's business in small town Sallingsund to the launching of a robotic arm in Silicon Valley. The power of innovation, yield to society and responsibility are the three signposts that guide us in finding and choosing new projects. Since 1992, Vaekstfonden has co-financed growth in over 8,500 companies for a total commitment of more than DKK 27.3 billion. kr. https://vaekstfonden.com/

About Novo Holdings A/S

Novo Holdings A/S is a private limited liability company wholly owned by the Novo Nordisk Foundation. It is the holding and investment company of the Novo Group, comprising Novo Nordisk A/S and Novozymes A/S, and is responsible for managing the Novo Nordisk Foundation's assets. Novo Holdings is recognized as a leading international life science investor, with a focus on creating long-term value. As a life science investor, Novo Holdings provides seed and venture capital to development-stage companies and takes significant ownership positions in growth and well-established companies. Novo Holdings also manages a broad portfolio of diversified financial assets. Further information: http://www.novoholdings.dk

For further information, please contact:

Eir Ventures

Magnus Persson, +46-737314146, magnus.persson@eirventures.eu

Stephan Christgau, +45-30674790, stephan.christgau@eirventures.eu

Optimum Strategic Communications

Mary Clark, Supriya Mathur, Manel Mateus

+44-(0)-20-8148-3040, eirventures@optimumcomms.com
By Ayya Lmahamad

Head of the Foreign Ministrys Consular Department Faig Bagirov has been detained on corruption-related charges, local media reported on July 10.

Bagirov is charged under Articles 179.3.2 (misappropriation, embezzlement on a large scale), 308.1 (abuse of office) and 311.3.2 (taking a bribe on a large scale) of the Criminal Code.

Bagirov is also Azerbaijans former ambassador to Turkey.

Three other employees of the Foreign Ministry were detained on July 6 on charges of bribery, abuse of power and embezzlement as a result of investigation by the State Security Service.

The detainees are Chairman of the Tender Commission of the Ministry Farhad Mollazade, Head of the Economic Department of the Department of Affairs Salim Alizade and Head of the Consular Legal Department of the Consular Department Nurupasha Abdullayev.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
A new Foton dealership has just opened in the Visayas. This comes after United Asia Automotive Group Inc (UAAGI), the official distributor of Foton vehicles in the country, recently opened Foton Iloilo.

Located at #38 Luna Street, La Paz, Iloilo City, the new state-of-the-art Foton dealership is operated by Ang's Automotive Inc., a company under the ALA Group of Companies. According to TonTon Ang, head of Ang's Automotive Inc, they welcome Foton to the group because of the trust the people behind the company showed.

We welcomed the Foton brand to our group because of the trust that was formed with the people behind its distribution and our trust in the quality of the vehicles, said Ang.
SPRINGFIELD  At a time colleges and universities are wrestling with financial challenges they could not have anticipated or imagined, Western New England University alumni have delivered in a record-setting way.

The largest fundraising campaign in the institutions 100-year history is officially over, having exceeded its goal a year ahead of schedule. But the $36.7 million harvest doesnt mean Western New England will turn down donations now, of course.

Nonetheless, the official tally dramatically strengthens the universitys financial position at a crucial point in its history.

Were in a constant fundraising mode, and we will still welcome donors, of course. But our alumni have stepped up in a big way, WNEU vice president for enrollment management and marketing Bryan Gross said Friday as the tally for the Campaign for Our Second Century was announced.

Surpassing the goal of $35 million, the multiyear effort concluded on June 30 with $36,742,692 raised, or 5% above the goal. The campaign was kicked off in March 2019.

Alumni especially stepped up to the Caprio Challenge. That put us over the (goal)' Gross said.

As a campaign within a campaign, the Caprio Challenge recognized the retirement of Anthony Caprio, who will leave in August after a quarter-century as WNEU longest-serving president.

Donors contributed $1.2 million to the Caprio Challenge. The money will go to a scholarship fund and renovations of the Campus Center, among other needs.

All of this helps. I know the scholarship fund (in particular) was very important to (Caprio), Gross said.

The Caprio Challenge began in February with a goal of $1 million. A group of trustees and benefactors offered up to $500,000 in matching funds for gifts that honored the president.

According to the university website, the $35 million goal for the larger campaign came with targeted priorities. They included an increase in scholarship assistance ($11.5 million), campus facility improvements ($13.5 million), creation of impactful opportunities in student life ($3.5 million), academic initiatives and experiences ($4.5 million) and strengthening the Presidents Fund for Excellence ($2 million.)

The gifts received during this campaign are already enhancing the student experience in remarkable ways, Caprio said.

Philanthropy is crucial to Western New England University, both in the growth we experienced in our first century and for our continued success in the future. This campaign has strengthened our university, and we are well-prepared for what lies ahead.

Gross said the financial challenges created by the coronavirus pandemic were on the minds of donors but did not inspire the response. The drive began a full year before the pandemic hit the United States in full force.

Some alumni did step up to help with emergency funding, Gross said.

It is incredibly gratifying to see our alumni and other partners appreciation and admiration of this great institution, evidenced by their willingness to support it financially as we embark on a new chapter in the Universitys rich history, said Beverly J. Dwight, vice president for advancement.

Several gifts over $1 million were received, notably a contribution from 1977 graduate Kevin S. Delbridge, a former chair of the university board of trustees, and his wife, Sandra E. Delbridge. The university did not release the size of the Delbridge donation, but identified it as the largest gift from an individual in the schools history.

Kevin Delbridge was honorary co-chair of the fundraising campaign. Part of the Delbridge gift is earmarked to assist graduates as they transition from student life to their careers.

In recognition, the Kevin S. and Sandra E. Delbridge Career Center will be the new name for the WNEU career development center, per university decision.

The vision for (the center as a prominent resource, from a students freshman year through senior year and beyond, is one I am proud to help put into action, Kevin Delbridge said.

The evolution of Western New England University is impressive, and I am confident that with these enhancements our graduates will be top picks for employers and will prove to have the tools needed to be successful in their careers and communities.

Janet Johnson Bullard, a 1969 graduate, and Delbridge were honorary co-chairs of the fundraising campaign. Graduates Laura Sturgis Boule, John Brennan and Denis Gagnon served as campaign co-chairs.
The US Department of Transportation said it has revoked permission for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to conduct charter flights to the United States, citing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) concerns over Pakistani pilot certifications.

The information is contained in a revocation of special authorisation dated July 1 provided by the department to Reuters on Friday.

Pakistan last month grounded almost a third of its pilots after discovering they may have falsified their qualifications.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency suspended PIAs authorisation to fly to the bloc for six months in a blow to the carriers operations.

PIA was not available immediately for comment outside normal business hours.

Pakistans Geo News reported PIA had confirmed the US ban and said it would address the concerns through ongoing corrective measures within the airline.

Pakistans grounding of pilots with dubious credentials followed the crash of a PIA jet in May that killed 97 people.
The 11th installment in the ongoing web series hosted by The Advertising Club Bangalore witnessed a power-packed Creative Review. The creative session was moderated by Gautham Shenoy, Consulting Partner, Celsius 100 Consulting. The panelists were Prasad Venkatraman, Executive Creative Director, Mullen Lintas, Mahesh Gharat, CCO, South India Ogilvy, Vishnu Srivastav, Regional Creative Director Advertising and Digital, DDB Mudra Group. The session witnessed a detailed discussion of creativity during the COVID 19 period. The panelists picked out and reviewed the Top Ads released during the Lockdown. The panel discussion was Co-hosted by Laeeq Ali, President, The Advertising Club Bangalore.

"Creative ideas are the lifeline of the advertising industry, and we are nothing without an idea, said Laeeq in his opening remark.

The session began with the review of Burger King's global campaign that showcased its Whopper burger decaying over 34 days.

Elaborating his views on the campaign, Vishnu said, "This particular advertisement reminds me of the happier days, the pre-corona days. What I loved about this is the beautiful piece of photography, and it is a real-time marketing effort, a response to the news of a Mc Donald's burger that survived for a year in its package. All of us have been involved in food marketing; our objective was to make things look appealing and good. It gave a thought that the world and the narrative have changed."

Mahesh said, "The Burger King advertisement depicts the changing mindset. It is very much thought through a campaign that demonstrates true creativity as well as true holding. In my opinion, it is the bravest and remarkable creative decision taken by a client in 2020."

The panel further discussed how the COVID crisis is affecting the Creativity and process of Creativity.

"I don't think that creativity will ever stop. You can't put a cap and say there is a particular way. For example, Before Getty images, we used to scan and send each photo. So, you adapt, evolve, and change. One has to change the way you look at it thoroughly," said Prasad.

Vishnu said, "There is no location-based creativity, but the socialness of the workplace is missed. The creative process never stops, and there is no COVID creativity. There is only creativity you apply, as at heart we are problem solvers."

According to Mahesh, Creativity can't be boxed up. "COVID has given the challenge to cope up with work and bringing out fresh ideas," he added.

The session further moved to the COVID creative segment, where they played campaigns of Uber, Dove, Budweiser, Axis Bank and Nike commercials, chosen by the panelists.

The panelists discussed the elements which made these campaigns distinct and innovative.

The session concluded with the discussion on whether creativity gets affected by COVID restrictions.

"I feel that our creativity was never limited to office spaces. It is an exciting time, and soon the creative people will adapt to the situation. Fundamentally, we feel that people's reactions are missing. The power of solving creative issues will never change," concluded Vishnu.

Summing up Gautham Shenoy who moderated the session with great energy said Creativity is not restricted to only Creative or Advertising people ut everyone is Creative in their own way .

Like the previous installments, the webinar was a success with over 150 participants on Zoom. The webinar was hosted with the support of Ad Club's Managing Committee and Online partners Medianews4u and AdGully.

Arvind Kumar, Executive Director of The Ad Club said, I am glad that all the three panellists readily agreed for the Creative Review, the minute I spoke to them and explained the topic. Such spontaneous response and willingness to share their thoughts on the recent ads, shows their commitment to Good creativity, irrespective of who has created it and from where. I am grateful to the Panelists and Gautham Shenoy who moderated the session very well. The energy was great throughout the session Those who missed the session can view the recording on this link Kumar added.
Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korea's leader, said another summit with the United States would only be useful for Washington at this point, adding her country had no intention of "threatening the U.S.," according to state media.

Kim said in her personal opinion, there is unlikely to be another summit between leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump this year but "a surprise thing may still happen," news agency KCNA reported on Friday.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Thursday he was "very hopeful" about resuming talks with North Korea about denuclearization and appeared to leave open the possibility of another summit between the countries' leaders.

Kim Yo Jong's comments came a day after the U.S. point man for North Korea, Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun, wrapped up a three-day visit to Seoul where he rejected speculation he was seeking to meet North Korean officials during his trip, but said the United States was open to talks.

Recent North Korean statements have rejected the idea of new talks, and Kim reiterated Pyongyang's objections to what it sees as hostile and self-serving policies of the United States.

"We would like to make it clear that it does not necessarily mean the denuclearization is not possible," Kim Yo Jong said. "But what we mean is that it is not possible at this point of time."
Minister for Information and Member of Parliament for Ofoase-Ayerebi, Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has disclosed that there is a short supply of PPEs globally.



However, government is expecting to receive more supplies in the coming days.



Speaking on Okay FMs 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, he explained that though some medical facilities lack PPEs, there are a good number of them that still have some for use in the various hospitals.



"What is happening is that because the medical facilities dont want the usage of the PPEs to be abused, you may need to apply for it at these facilities before you will be presented with some for use in the hospital.



"We are also appealing to Ghanaians to ensure their personal safety by obeying all the safety protocols," he said.



The President HE Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has also set a committee to ensure strict compliance of the safety protocols, especially in the various Senior High Schools.



He also added that the Finance Minister will in the coming weeks go to parliament to render accounts to the House on the expenditure of the COVID-19 fund.



779 health workers infected



About seven hundred and seventy-nine (779) health workers in Ghana have contracted deadly Coronavirus diseases.



Nine of them have, however, succumbed to the disease, while a large number are in isolation awaiting their test results after being exposed to the virus in the line of duty.



A joint press statement by the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Health Services Workers' Union of TUC Ghana (HSWU) and Government and Hospital Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA) on Thursday, July 9, said the rate of infection among health workers was a matter of grave concern since it was negatively affecting health care delivery at the various health facilities in the country.



Giving a breakdown of infections, the statement said as at Tuesday, June 30, 190 doctors had contracted the disease, with four of them dead.



It added that 410 nurses and midwives had also been infected with one death, while 156 members of the HSWU had also been infected with three deaths.



It said 23 members of the GHOSPA had also contracted the virus with one unfortunate death.



Causes



According to the associations, the increasing numbers could be attributed to inadequate and erratic supply of PPES to health workers both in quantity and quality as well as a general breakdown or non-adherence to infection prevention and control protocols in most facilities.



It added among other things that, there were delays in receipt of COVID-19 test results for patients being managed inwards, some health facilities were also concealing information of colleagues who had tested positive for the disease, resulting in increased exposure of health personnel to the virus.



It said there was also a breakdown or inadequate contact tracing within facilities, while designated holding bays for suspected cases in some facilities were non-existent.



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Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]









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Face coverings are now mandatory in all shops and on public transport (Andrew Milligan/PA)

One further death and 25 new cases of coronavirus have been announced this evening by the Department of Health.

There has now been a total of 1,744 Covid-19 related deaths in Ireland with a total of 25,589 confirmed cases of the virus.

The Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn has warned the public to "make safe choices" this weekend.

This weekend, we all have an opportunity to exercise, socialise and enjoy life in a safe and responsible way," he said.

Continue to protect each other using public health advice and encourage each other to make safe choices as we work together to limit the spread of COVID-19. We have all achieved so much through solidarity over the last few months, that effort must not be in vain.

Please follow public health advice and refer to the guidance if unsure about your environment or plans," he added.

A total of 26 pubs have been found by gardai to be breaching guidelines or licensing laws since An Garda Siochana began patrolling bars last week and Operation Navigation is set to continue this weekend.

The force has also warned this evening that officers will patrol "key locations" in towns and cities to ensure social distancing is being followed by members of the public.

"An Garda Siochanas Operation Navigation will continue this weekend with a focus on compliance with the public health regulations among the 2,785 individual licensed premises that were found to be open last weekend," said a garda spokepserson.

"In addition, as part of ongoing patrolling relating to COVID-19, An Garda Siochana will have a high visibility presence in key locations in cities and towns to ensure the public are adhering to the public health guidelines. An Garda Siochana will continue to work with local authorities and relevant statutory agencies in this area as it has done since the COVID-19 outbreak."

Where potential breaches are found and where a person does not comply with regulations, a file is submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Deputy Commissioner, Policing and Security, John Twomey said that pubs breaching guidelines are putting the community "at risk".

"Last weekend, Operation Navigation found that the vast majority of licensed premises were adhering to the public health regulations. Unfortunately, 26 didnt appear to be. By doing so, they are putting themselves, their employees, their customers and the wider community at risk of getting COVID-19. We would hope that lessons have been learnt and we see an even high rate of compliance after this weekend."

He added that customers engaging with these premises are also posing a risk.

"In addition, customers of licensed premises engaged in such practices also have to take personal responsibility. By using a premises that is not in compliance with the public health regulations and has not taken on-board the public health advice, those customers are also creating a risk to themselves, their family, their friends and the local community," he added.
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Most nationalities are desperate for a holiday  and a fascinating reworked world map illustrates where they most want to visit.

On the map - generated using Google search data  country names have been supplemented by its residents most yearned-for destinations for 2021, when international travel should be much less troublesome.

Britons apparently most want to go to the Maldives, Americans to Japan and Australians to Fiji.

Most nationalities are desperate for a holiday  and a fascinating reworked world map illustrates where they most want to visit in 2021

The map was created by luxury holiday firm Kuoni, which analysed the most-searched 2021 holiday destinations for 131 countries.

It also reveals that the French most want to go to Belgium, the Spanish to Italy and Russians to Mexico.

Mexicans, it turns out, want to go to Qatar. And Qataris to Sri Lanka.

Continent by continent, the Maldives is the top holiday destination for Europeans next year

Kuoni said that globally the most popular 2021 destination is the United Arab Emirates, followed by Qatar, Canada and the USA in joint second place and Egypt in third

The UAE, meanwhile, is popular with Pakistanis, Indians and Libyans.

And what about the Maldivians? They most want to go to Mauritius.

Back in Europe, and it seems that those in the Czech Republic are searching for getaways to Zanzibar, people in Finland for holidays to Norway, and Norwegians for holidays in Australia.

For New Zealanders, its all about Bali, and for those in Papua New Guinea - it's all about New Zealand. While for Brazilians, its Aruba thats No1 for a break next year.

For New Zealanders, it's all about Bali. But for Australians - it's Fiji that's the priority for 2021

This map shows where various African nationalities most want to visit in 2021. If a country is grey with no additional nation, it means that no data was available for it

In Asia, the UAE and Canada are joint top as the most commonly Googled destinations for 2021, Kuoni said

Brazilians most want to go to the island of Aruba in the southern Caribbean Sea in 2021

Kuoni said that globally the most popular 2021 destination is the United Arab Emirates, followed by Qatar, Canada and the USA in joint second place and Egypt in third.

Continent by continent, the Maldives is the top holiday destination for Europeans next year.

In Asia, the UAE and Canada are joint top as the most commonly Googled destinations for 2021 and the UAE is also No1 in Africa. In contrast, Peru is the most popular 2021 destination in South America.

Dean Harvey, marketing director at Kuoni, commented: With various stages of lockdown still the case for many places around the world, its not surprising that lots of us want to book something to look forward to.

Its fascinating to see how popular destinations differ from country to country and the upturn in Google searches matches the upturn in 2021 bookings weve seen in recent weeks, with Maldives holidays being booked the most.
BOSTON - The impact and prevalence of heart disease and other critical comorbidities on an aging global population with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have emerged from a suite of articles in The Journal of Infectious Diseases that contains the first swath of important data from the world's largest study of cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention in people with HIV. This information from the ongoing National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded study known as REPRIEVE (Randomized Trial to Prevent Vascular Events in HIV), in which Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) is playing a key coordinating role, is giving the field of medicine an advance look at the disproportionate risk of comorbidities like CVD, chronic liver and kidney disease, physical function impairment and frailty, premature reproductive aging, cancer, and obesity in people with HIV from all regions of the world.

"With nearly half of all people living with HIV now over 50, the emphasis among health care providers has shifted over the past 20 years from keeping patients alive through antiretroviral therapy to providing the best possible care for secondary co-morbid conditions encountered over greatly increased lifespans," says Steven Grinspoon, MD, chief of the MGH Metabolism Unit professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and co-principal investigator of REPRIEVE. "The release of this initial baseline data from REPRIEVE will help physicians and researchers to better understand the whole person impact of HIV, and ultimately to develop more effective preventions, treatment strategies and guidelines for cardiovascular risk management in this population. In a very real way, co-morbidities are the newest frontier of HIV."

Sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), both part of NIH, REPRIEVE enrolled 7,770 participants from 2015 to 2019 across more than 100 clinical research sites in 12 countries and five continents, reflective of the ethnic, racial and gender diversity of the global HIV epidemic. This remarkable global collaboration, which also includes the AIDS Clinical Trials Group and the pharmaceutical industry, is expected to report its findings to the public in 2023. The study was cited last year in a JAMA Viewpoint by Anthony Fauci, MD, director of NIAID, and colleagues as pivotal to uncovering the mechanisms of, and potential treatments for, ischemic heart disease and other serious cardiovascular conditions in individuals with HIV.

Massachusetts General Hospital is serving as the clinical coordinating center for REPRIEVE while also coordinating data collection for the trial with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. That role includes overseeing serial assessment of coronary atherosclerosis at 30 sites across the U.S. using the latest noninvasive CT angiography technology. "Imaging the specific patterns of coronary artery disease will help us to better stratify cardiovascular risk in the REPRIEVE population," explains Udo Hoffmann, MD, MPH, professor of Radiology, Harvard Medical School and co-principal investigator of REPRIEVE.

While a primary goal of REPRIEVE is to reduce major adverse cardiovascular events in people with HIV through a cardiac prevention strategy, the global initiative is also assessing non-CVD comorbidities, many of which are characterized in the first release of data from the set of six articles published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases. One article, for example, reports that physical function impairment and pre-frailty are common among middle-aged people with HIV, and that body mass index (BMI) and physical activity are key modifiable risk factors that may prevent further decline in function with aging among this population. Another paper shows that reproductive aging in middle-aged women with HIV is associated with global burden of disease (GBD) region of enrollment, and may predispose these women to increased cardiometabolic risk. The papers also shed light on distinct patterns of antiretroviral use across the globe, unique associations of weight and immune function, and factors contributing to increased kidney dysfunction and increased ectopic fat deposition in the heart among people with HIV. New data on the participation of transgender participants and the cardiovascular risk associated with gender-affirming therapy in this population are also reported.

"This initial compilation of data from the landmark REPRIEVE study offers a rich window on the kinds of diseases physicians find themselves treating at a time when the HIV demographic is changing as the result of effective antiretroviral drugs, increasing life expectancies, and the substantial growth of cardiovascular disease and other comorbidities in a still vulnerable population," says Grinspoon. "By shedding light for the first time on the magnitude and complexity of the problem, we believe this information and more to follow will play a critical role in developing cardiac prevention strategies along with improved health care for the 37 million people living with HIV globally."

###

In addition to co-principal investigators Grinspoon and Hoffmann, the REPRIEVE trial leadership team includes Pamela Douglas, MD, professor of Medicine at Duke University, and Heather Ribaudo, PhD, principal research scientist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Other MGH investigators include Markella Zanni, MD; Sara Looby, MSN, PhD; Kathleen Fitch, MSN; Emma Kileel, MPH; and Tom Neilan, MD. The study is being funded through grants from the National Institutes of Health, with additional funding from Gilead Sciences, Inc., Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc. and ViiV Healthcare Ltd.

About the Massachusetts General Hospital

Massachusetts General Hospital, founded in 1811, is the original and largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. The MGH Research Institute conducts the largest hospital-based research program in the nation, with an annual research budget of more than $1 billion and comprises more than 8,500 researchers working across more than 30 institutes, centers and departments. In August 2019 the MGH was once again named #2 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report in its list of "America's Best Hospitals."
Donald Trump claimed federal forces were 'all set to go into Seattle' to dismantle the city's occupied protest zone when Seattle police moved in to tear it down.

Trump said federal troops 'were going in very soon' and he 'looked forward to it', but cops went in first to reclaim the Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP) zone on July 1.

Mayor Jenny Durkan branded the gathering at the East Precinct and Cal Anderson Park an 'unlawful assembly' and demanded all barriers be removed in an order issued last week.

Donald Trump claimed federal forces were 'all set to go into Seattle' to dismantle the city's occupied protest zone when the mayor finally issued the executive order to vacate the area

Seattle police showed up in force on July 1 at the city's 'occupied' protest zone, tore down demonstrators' tents and used bicycles to herd the protesters after the mayor ordered the area cleared following two fatal shootings

Police swarmed the zone known as CHOP at about 5am on June 1; at least 31 people were arrested, said Police Chief Carmen Best

Police officers in riot gear arrested 31 people within just 30 minutes in the zone - which had seen two deadly shootings and crime rise by more than 500 per cent in just over three weeks.

People had occupied several blocks around a park and the Seattle Police Department's East Precinct after officers abandoned the building on June 8 following clashes with protesters calling for an end to police brutality.

President Trump told Fox News: 'We were going in, we were going in very soon.'

He said federal troops 'were all set to go into Seattle' and he 'looked forward to it' but Seattle police went in before them.

'We were going in, we were going in very soon,' Trump told Sean Hannity on Thursday night.

'We let them know that and all of a sudden, they didnt want that. So they went in before we got there, but we were going in very shortly, very soon, and we wouldve taken the 'CHOP'... back very easily, but they went in, and frankly, the people just gave up.

'They were tired. They had it for a long period of time.'

Clearing out: City crews dismantled the Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP) area outside of the Seattle Police Department's vacated East Precinct on June 1

Police cleared campers from Cal Anderson park on June 1 as city crews dismantle the Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP) area

TIMELINE OF VIOLENCE IN SEATTLE'S CHOP ZONE June 8: Protesters occupy the area; police abandoned the precinct June 20: A 19-year-old man is shot dead and a 33-year-old man was wounded June 24: Nearby businesses and property owners filed a federal lawsuit against the city June 29: Two teens shot - one fatally - in Jeep at zone's concrete barriers June 30: Barricades at Seattle's cop-free zone are torn down as protesters replace concrete barriers with trash cans and couches July 1: Early hours : Mayor Jenny Durkan demand all barriers are removed after a 525 per cent spike in violent crimes in the area 5am: Police swarm the zone 5:30am: Eyewitnesses say officers have cleared the area 7am: Chief Carmen Best confirms police have taken back precinct Advertisement

President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized the Seattle protest area, as well as city and state leaders.

He tweeted last week that the protesters 'have ZERO respect for Government.'

At least 100 police officers swarmed the zone known as CHOP at about 5am last Wednesday and a loud bang was heard at about 6.15am followed by a cloud of smoke.

Eyewitness Omari Salisbury said: 'The Seattle Police Department basically reclaimed the precinct in less than 30 minutes, five feet at a time with the bicycle officers out in front.'

Police tweeted: 'Because suspects in recent shootings may still be in the area, and because numerous people in the area are in possession of firearms, Seattle Police officers involved in this morning's response will be equipped with additional protective gear.'

Officers tore down demonstrators' tents and used bicycles to herd the protesters.

Police tore down fences that protesters had erected around their tents and used batons to poke inside bushes, apparently looking for people who might be hiding inside.

The move to dismantle the area followed the shooting death of a 16-year-old boy, named as Antonio Mays Jr, in the early hours of Monday morning.

A 14-year-old was also critically injured when eyewitnesses say armed security inside the zone fired 300 rounds.

Lorenzo Anderson, 19, was shot on the protest area on June 20.

His father, Horace Lorenzo Anderson, said: 'This doesn't look like a protest to me no more. That just looks like they just took over and said we can take over whenever we want to.'
July 10 (Reuters) - The Baltic Exchanges main sea freight index was unchanged on Friday, as gains in panamax and supramax vessel rates offset losses in capesize rates, although it was set for its first weekly decline in eight.

* The Baltic dry index, which tracks rates for ships ferrying dry bulk commodities and reflects rates for capesize, panamax and supramax vessels, was flat at 1,810. For the week, the index shed 4.4%.

* The Baltic capesize index lost 53 points, or 1.6%, to 3,333 and dropped 23.7% this week.

* Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport cargoes of 170,000 tonnes to 180,000 tonnes, including iron ore and coal, was down by $437 at $27,664.

* But rising iron ore demand from China, following an easing of months-long coronavirus-led lockdowns, has helped the capesize index gain more than 70% so far this year.

* The panamax index rose 1.9%, or 30 points, to 1,587. The index registered its eighth straight weekly gain and posted a jump of 20.6% for this week so far.

* Average daily earnings for panamaxes, which usually carry coal or grain cargoes of about 60,000 tonnes to 70,000 tonnes, increased by $275 to $14,286.

* The supramax index rose 26 points, or 3.2%, to 835. (Reporting by Diptendu Lahiri in Bengaluru; editing by Uttaresh.V)
David Gehrke, who represented Mary Kay Letourneau, said that Vili Fualaau cared for his ex-wife '24/7' during her final months. Gehrke's former client died on Monday

The lawyer who represented Mary Kay Letourneau and grew close with his client, Vili Fualaau, and their families says that Fualaau gave his ex-wife '24/7 care' in her final moments before she died of colon cancer on Monday.

David Gehrke, who represented Letourneau throughout her trial, said that he knew that the former teacher was not doing well but he was still hurt by the news of her death.

'I ran into her once [recently]. She obviously was not vibrant, was anxious to see people and all of that. I did run into her and exchanged greetings and best wishes, and she ended up home bound, bed bound, and that's where she passed,' Gehrke explained to KIRO radio. 'She just was not out and about near the end.'

Gehrke described how the pair matured throughout the course of their relationship, both married and divorced.

'They both grew up a lot, if you will, over the last couple of decades, and didn't always see eye to eye, but the love between them was always there, strong,' Gehrke said. 'And Vili, to his credit, when he found out about [her illness], and then especially the last couple of months, he moved back from California and he gave her 24/7 care, literally all the way to the end.'

He added: 'That was the love they had.'

Gehrke felt that the pair were a 'different' type of case.

'They both grew up a lot, if you will, over the last couple of decades, and didn't always see eye to eye, but the love between them was always there, strong,' Gehrke said. Letourneau is survived by her children, Steven Jr., Claire, Nicholas, and Jacqueline, whom she had with first husband, Steve Letourneau, in addition to the two daughters she had with Fualaau

'I agreed that there should not be some sort of a self-defense argument of, "well, they were in love,"' he clarified. 'Whether they were or not, you cannot change the law to allow that because a good groomer will have the victim in love with them just to get laid. In Mary's case, I do firmly believe that it's love.'

'I always argued with her. I never told her it couldn't be love,' he continued. 'What I told her is, "Mary, you were the adult, and the law says you have to remain an adult until he is. You can't be breaking the law just because of love." And she finally understood that. She never agreed with it because they were in love, but she understood that.'

Fualaau, who was in the sixth-grade when Letourneau raped him in the 1990s, has been described as having 'lost a piece of himself' when his ex-wife died earlier this week, a friend has revealed.

Letourneau, 58, passed away at home in Des Monies, Washington, on Monday surrounded by family members following a quiet nine-month battle with stage four colon cancer.

She made headlines around the world in 1997, when the then-married 34-year-old teacher was found to be having a sexual relationship with her student, Fualaau, who at the time was just 12. The pair later wed in 2005 after she was released from prison before he filed for legal separation in 2017.

Though their controversial romance never found its happily-ever-after, in the three years since their separation the pair remained close and 'still had a lot of love for one another', a friend has said.

'They didn't speak every day, but she would update him on her cancer treatment,' a source told PEOPLE. 'At the beginning, the talk was that she was going to beat it, that even though the prognosis wasn't good, that she'd fight with everything she had, and that she had a shot of surviving it.'

Vili Fualaau 'lost a piece of himself' when Mary Kay Letourneau died this week from colon cancer, a friend said (Pictured: The family on vacation together in New York in 2015, with their daughters Georgina, left, and Audrey,right)

Letourneau (above in 1997) was a sixth-grade teacher at Shorewood Elementary in 1997 when she was discovered to be having sexual relations with Vili Fualaau, then 12

But by June, Letourneau's cancer had spread so rapidly that she 'began saying her goodbyes', the anonymous friend of Fualaau said.

'She would talk to Vili or he would call her to see how she was doing. The marriage had split up, but they still had love for each other. They had children together and he would always say that she was his first love. So of course he is sad at the loss. He's sad for the girls, but he's also sad for himself.'

Letourneau became pregnant twice before Fualaau turned 15, despite court orders aimed at keeping them apart. The couple share two daughters together, Georgina and Audrey.

'He lost a piece of himself,' Fualaau's friend told PEOPLE. 'He understands how f***ed up everything was in how they got together. He's not stupid. But he can't turn off his feelings completely, and it's a big loss for him. He talked to her right before she passed, and they said everything they needed to say.'

On Wednesday, DailyMail.com reported that Fualaau had been providing Letourneau with around-the-clock care in the final stages of her life.

In an interview with TODAY, her friend and longtime attorney David Gehrke further elaborated Wednesday that Fualaau uprooted his life to ensure he could be there to carry out that care.

'Vili moved back from California, gave up his life there, and for the last two months of Mary's life he stood by her 24/7 taking care of her,' he said. 'So yes, they were divorced and they had their spats, but they were always in love with each other.

'He knew that this was Mary's end coming, fast moving, and for her sake and the family's sake, and for his sake, he came back up and was with her, and it meant the world to her, Gehrke said. 'And I know it meant the world to Vili, as painful as it was,'

'Their marriage lasted longer than most,' he continued. 'But they always, always deeply cared for each other.'

Though their controversial romance never found its happily-ever-after, in the three years since their separation the pair remained close and 'still had a lot of love for one another' (pictured: Mary Kay Letourneau and Vili Fualaau during a photo shoot at her beachfront home April 27, 2006)

The couple are shown in 2005, the year they got married. Their divorce would be finalized 14 years later but they remained close

A source close to the couple told The Sun that both Letourneau and Fualaau were determined to make their relationship work before she succumbed to her cancer on Monday.

'Everyone's hearts are very heavy at the moment,' the source said. 'I believe she and her loved ones were spending every minute of every moment cherishing time together.

'I do know that they both loved and adored each other and did everything they could to keep the family intact.'

The families of Fualaau, now 37, and Letourneau released a joint statement about her death on Wednesday, expressing how they had been left 'deeply saddened' by her passing.

'Mary fought tirelessly against this terrible disease,' the family said of her battle with cancer. 'Mary, and all of us, found great strength in having our immediate and extended family members together to join her in this arduous struggle. We did our very best to care for Mary and one another as we kept her close and stayed close together.

'We are endlessly grateful for the care and kindness received from the amazing professionals involved in Mary's care,' the statement continued. 'Likewise, the kindness and compassion of friends and others who learned of her condition along the way proved an uplifting gift to us all.'

Friends of the couple have also cautioned posting 'insensitive' comments in the wake of her death, despite the controversial beginnings of her and Fualaau's relationship.

'She does leave behind six children and two grandchildren. As unconventional as the relationship started, it was real and they lived a loving life,' The Sun's source said. 'It's time to let children move on in their adult lives without reading or hearing persecution from strangers.'

Fualaau had been providing Letourneau around-the-clock care in the final stages of her life

Friends of the couple have cautioned posting 'insensitive' comments in the wake of her death, despite the controversial beginnings of her and Fualaau's relationship (pictured: Mary Kay Letourneau, 36, is brought into a King County courtroom)

A source close to the couple said that both Letourneau and Fualaau were determined to make their relationship work before she succumbed to her cancer on Monday

A fifteen-year-old Vili Fualaau is seen clutching a present for one of his daughters in 1998

Letourneau first met Fualaau when he joined her second grade class in 1992, but they did not begin their sexual relationship until four years later when he was 12.

In 1996, after the school year had ended, the pair enrolled in summer classes at the same community college and began spending more time together.

One day after class, the pair went out for dinner. In a 2018 interview, Fualaau recalled that after the meal he asked to kiss Letourneau inside her car, which she accepted.

TIMELINE OF THE MARY KAY LETOURNEAU AND VILI FUALAAU 1992: Letourneau first meets Fualaau when he joined her second grade class, aged 8 1996: Their sexual relationship began when he was 12 and she was 34. She says it began when they went to dinner after a day of summer classes and that he asked to kiss her in her car. She let him They had sex later that summer which they described as the start of their physical relationship 1997: Letourneau's husband Steve finds love letters between the pair. One of his relatives alerted the school and Letourneau is arrested on statutory rape charges. Steve files for divorce and gets custody of their four kids. August 1997: Mary Kay gives birth to her first daughter with Fualaau while awaiting sentencing November 1997: She serves three months in prison as part of a plea deal August 1998: The pair are caught having sex in a car again and she is sentenced to seven years in prison. She is already pregnant with their second daughter October 1998: Their second daughter is born in prison August 2004: Mary Kay is released from prison 2005: The pair get married 2017: Fualauu files for separation but they reconcile August 2019: The separation is finalized July 2020: Mary Kay dies from colon cancer Advertisement

Letourneau then had sex with Fualaau for the first time later that summer, when her husband, Steve Letourneau, was out of town.

At about 1:20 a.m. on June 19, 1996, police found the pair in a minivan parked at the Des Moines Marina. Letourneau was seen jumping into the front seat as officers approached the vehicle, while Fualaau pretended to be asleep in the back.

Fualaau and Letourneau denied there had been any 'touching.' They initially provided false names and Letourneau told police that Fualaau was 18.

Letourneau then said she had been babysitting the boy at her home and took him away in her van after she and her husband had a fight.

They were taken to the police station but no further action was taken.

However, the true nature of their relationship was uncovered in February, 1997, when Steve Letourneau found love letters that the pair had penned to one another. He confronted Fualaau, demanding he end the relationship otherwise he'd inform his parents.

'He came to my house and confronted me about it and told me if I don't want my mom knowing about this or anyone knowing about this, it was going to end,' Fualaau explained in a 2018 interview. 'I was worried about everything, about Mary, myself and I said, 'OK, I don't want this to get out anywhere.'

'The fear of my mom's reaction and the thought of everyone being affected by it was one of my biggest fears, so I said, for the better of everyone, OK. It was kind of devastating.'

However, one of Steve's relatives had already alerted school authorities about their relationship and Letourneau was arrested on statutory rape charges.

Shortly after, Steve then filed for divorce. He received full custody of their four children and moved the family to Alaska.

Letourneau was initially sentenced to three months in jail as part of a plea agreement in November 1997, in which she agreed to no longer have any contact with Fualaau.

She was pregnant with her former student's child at the time of her conviction.

Letourneau was then paroled in 1998.

However, shortly after her release from jail, she was once again found having sex in a car with Fualaau on February 3.

A Judge then revoked Letourneau's prior plea agreement and she was ordered to serve seven years in prison on second-degree child rape charges for violating the no-contact order.

She gave birth to Fualaau's second child while in prison. The father had still not yet turned 15.

Their illegal relationship was uncovered by Letourneau's husband at the time, Steve Letourneau, who found love letters exchanged between his wife and Fualaau. He divorced her and moved to Alaska. She is seen, right, at her trial

Vili Fualaau, 15, is shown in court on October 25, 1998. He had just arrived in Seattle from London promoting a book he had written about his relationship with Letourneau

Former Seattle teacher Mary Kay Letourneau, whose affair with one of her ex-pupils caused a national scandal, breaks down February 6 as she is ordered to prison for 7-1/2 years for seeing the boy again

Letourneau with her first daughter, Audrey, in 1997. Fualaau opened up about the difficulties he faced trying to raise his two daughters alone when he wasn't even an adult yet himself. The teen was eventually forced to drop out of high school and slipped into depression and alcoholism

Letourneau gave birth to Fualaau's second child while in prison. The young father had still not yet turned 15

Upon her release from prison, Fualaau, who was by then an adult, petitioned in court for a judge to remove the no-contact order.

The restraining order against Letourneau was dropped, but the shamed teacher remained a registered sex offender in Washington state.

Letourneau and Fualaau then once again shocked the world when they tied the knot in 2005.

They remained married for 12 years, until Fualaau filed for divorce in 2017.

The pair continued living together while the legal separation proceeded and were occasionally spotted out with one another in the Seattle area, with their two daughters, Georgina and Audrey.

Despite several attempts to reconcile, the couple finalized their split in February last year and began living apart.

'They don't hate each other.

'But they're both looking forward to getting on with their lives and moving forward,' a source close to the couple said at the time.

Letourneau was initially sentenced to three months in jail as part of a plea agreement in November 1997, in which she agreed to no longer have any contact with Fualaau

Letourneau broke down in 2018 as she discussed the media fallout from the couple's relationship.

'It's shock value. That's what it was all about. Shock. I call it media carnage. Road kill. Blood,' she said on the A&E special 'Autobiography'.

'Everybody wants to hear the story. Whether it's because they want to analyze it or criticize it. It's been 20 years but it's still there.'

Letourneau went on to claim the media's portrayal of their relationship was incorrect. She said that the relationship between the two did not start until after the school year was over, and that it quickly became physical.

'The incident was a late night that it didn't stop with a kiss. And I thought that it would and it didn't,' said Letourneau. 'I loved him very much, and I kind of thought, 'Why can't it ever just be a kiss?''

Fualaau, who also appeared, reflected on their relationship and said he 'wasn't thinking' when they started having sex when he was just 12 years old.

'The age difference, all of that stuff wasn't going through my mind,' he said. 'A lot of things that should have gone through my mind at the time, weren't going through my mind.'

In a separate interview the same year, Letourneau claimed she had no idea it was illegal to enter a sexual relationship with a child at the time.

'If someone had told me, if anyone had told me, there is a specific law that says this is a crime,' she told Channel Seven's Sunday Night.

'I did not know. I've said this over and over again. Had I'd known, if anyone knows my personality. Just the idea, this would count as a crime.'

Fualaau was a troubled Samoan boy from a broken home living in a rough part of Seattle at the time of the scandal. His father served time in prison for an armed robbery, and he had a difficult relationship with his mother

Fualaau was a troubled Samoan boy from a broken home living in a rough part of Seattle at the time of the scandal. His father served time in prison for an armed robbery, and he had a difficult relationship with his mother.

He also opened up on the program about the difficulties he faced trying to raise his two daughters alone when he wasn't even an adult yet himself.

The teen was eventually forced to drop out of high school and slipped into depression and alcoholism, he said.

'I don't feel like I had the right support or the right help behind me,' he said. 'From my family, from anyone in general. I mean, my friends couldn't help me because they had no idea what it was like to be a parent, I mean, because we were all 14, 15.'

Letourneau is survived by her children, Steven Jr., Claire, Nicholas, and Jacqueline, whom she had with first husband, Steve Letourneau, in addition to the two daughters she had with Fualaau.

'I truly believe she was never a threat to any other boy than the one she ended up marrying after spending seven years in prison,' Gehrke told Q13 News. 'I feel nothing but sadness for her children, whom she loved more than anything.'

Her daughters, Audrey, 23, and Georgia, 21, spoke about their childhood in the wake of the scandal in a 2018 interview with an Australian news channel.

'I think I understand about it, just like how it was surprising to people,' Audrey said. 'It's been feeling different because it's not really been brought to our attention, just because we grew up with it, so we're adapted to it.'
Harish Murali By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: A day after the state informed the Madras High Court that it has allowed private educational institutions to collect fees in three instalments during the lockdown period, a section of parents on Friday knocked the doors of the court opposing the state's decision. The parents submitted that the state has taken the decision without consulting parents.

An urgent mention on Friday was made before Justice N Anand Venkatesh who was scheduled to hear the case of private schools and colleges seeking to permit them to collect fees for the pandemic lockdown period.

The state on Thursday submitted that it has allowed private colleges to collect fees in three equal instalments for the present academic year in August 2020, December 2020 and April 2021.

Advocate M Purushothaman representing the parents submitted that the claim made by the private institutions that the lockdown has completely hurt their finances and they are unable to pay their staff is unacceptable.

He further stated, "As per the laws of the Central Board of Secondary Education, each of the non-government educational institutions is supposed to maintain 15 percent of their fees collected from students as reserve funds. Such reserve funds should be spent only during such emergency situations, which is sufficient to pay salaries of staff."

However, the institutions are now being permitted to collect the entire fees in three instalments. "Only the salary component of the staff has to be collected even if allowed," he argued.

It is the parents of students who are the most affected lot and the government has taken a decision without consulting them, contended Purushothaman.

The judge recording the urgent mention in the video conference soon made the counsel for the parents submit their representation to the advocate general. The judge clubbed the batch of pleas and adjourned the petition to July 17 for further hearing.
Bala Chauhan By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: Soon after its launch in India last month, Remdesivir, the antiviral drug, is judiciously and successfully being used by intensivists and physicians for some Covid-19 patients in hospitals in Bengaluru. Remdesivir is an antiviral drug found to be effective in mild to moderately severe infection. It helps reduce the progression to severe disease and may help save lives, Dr Sunil Karanth, chairman, Critical Care Medicine, Manipal Hospital, told TNIE.

Research has shown that use of steroids like Dexamethasone reduce the inflammatory cascade and help reduce mortality by tempering the human bodys response to the infection. A substantial number of patients have increased clotting due to a hyperactive immune response, which results in clogging of the tiny blood vessels in the vital organs causing multiorgan failure in severe Covid-19 infections. This is managed by administering blood thinner drugs called anticoagulants like Heparin or Enoxaparin, he added.

Dr Farooq Khan, consultant intensivist at Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain Hospital, said they have successfully tried a combination of Remdesivir along with Dexamethasone and Enoxaparin (low molecular weight Heparin) on 20 Covid-19 patients, including those with co-morbid conditions like diabetes and asthma.

Remdesivir was launched late last month in India. We got the drug on June 26. It helps prevent viral replication in the early part of infection, he added.

According to intensivists, the multimode treatment is guided by tracking important biomarkers like C-Reactive protein, d-dimer and Interleukin-6. These markers help us know the stage of the disease and the response to treatment, said Dr Karanth. The government has recently directed some pharmaceutical companies to line up the production of the corticosteroids  Dexamethasone and Methylprednisolone and Enoxaparin.

Two Indian pharmaceutical companies  Hetero and Cipla under licence from the American manufacturer Gilead Sciences  were in June given a go-ahead by the Drug Controller General of India to manufacture Remdesivir for restricted emergency use for Covid-19 patients. Cipla is manufacturing the drug under the brand name CIPREMI for restricted emergency use of the drug in the country. Hetero has launched Remdesivir under the brand COVIFOR for suspected or confirmed Covid-19 cases in hospitalised adults and children. Early introduction of Remdesivir will help. The complexity of the virus is such that many may recover without the antiviral drug. The question is then, should we give it to everyone? asked noted immunologist Dr S Chandrashekhar.
Lawyers for Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime companion of Jeffrey Epstein, sought to distance her from the disgraced financier on Thursday, saying in a new court filing that the two had no contact for more than a decade before his death in August 2019.

The filing said that her attempts over the last year to avoid detection were not meant to evade law enforcement, but to protect herself against unrelenting and intrusive media coverage. She has seen reporters hiding in her bushes and hired personal security guards in response to death threats, according to her lawyers.

Ghislaine Maxwell is not Jeffrey Epstein, they wrote.

On Thursday, Ms. Maxwells lawyers asked a federal judge in Manhattan to release her from jail on $5 million bond, arguing that she did not pose a flight risk and had not been hiding from the authorities.

In proposing to release her into home confinement, her lawyers offered to secure the bond with six co-signers, including two of her sisters, and with property in the United Kingdom worth more than $3.75 million.
Maharashtra recorded its sharpest single-day spike of Covid-19 cases on Friday, with 7,862 fresh infections taking the states tally to 238,461. The states toll rose by 226 to 9,893 fatalities.

Mumbai, the worst affected city in Maharashtra, crossed the 90,000 cases mark, with 1,337 infections in 24 hours taking its virus count to 90,461. The citys toll rose to 5,205, with an addition of 73 deaths.

State health department data revealed that Maharashtra has 95,647 active cases, while Mumbai has 23,035 such cases.

The number of recovered patients in the state has risen to 132,625, pushing the recovery rate up to 55.62%. The case fatality rate (CFR) in the state, however, is 4.15% as against the national rate of 2.72%, and the positive rate in Maharashtra is 19.01%, with 238,461 of 1,253,978 samples testing positive.

Meanwhile, the rising number of Covid cases in several cities and districts has forced local administrations to impose stricter lockdown rules.

Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad civic bodies on Friday decided to impose a 10-day lockdown from July 13, while Mumbais neighbouring Thane and Kalyan-Dombivali civic bodies, too, have extended its ongoing lockdown for seven more days till July 19.

With state authorities expecting a rise in coronavirus cases over the next few weeks as a result of opening up of commercial and industrial activities since June, the government has introduced rapid testing across the state. It is expected to bring down the CFR.

In a letter from the health department earlier this week, all district collectors and municipal commissioners have been directed to bring down the positivity rate to less than 10% and reduce CFR to less than 1%.

Number of daily tests, including RT-PCR, rapid antigen, TruNat and CBNAAT, should be at least 140 per million of population in every corporation and district. Utilise fullest installed capacity of Covid-19 testing. The district and civic authorities are expected to focus on these parameters, the letter said.

Mumbai and Thane municipal corporations have acquired more than 1 lakh rapid antigen test kits, which help in getting a result in 30-40 minutes.

Testing has increased greatly in the near past and we have gone up from 13,000 tests a day to 30,000 tests a day in about a fortnight. We have the biggest viral testing infrastructure in the country, almost all set up after the pandemic began, at the rate of around a lab a day. Our labs have a capacity of 40,000 tests a day. Maharashtra tests strictly as per ICMR guidelines, and therefore the testing is focused. This is reflected in our positivity rate, which is around 20%. We are also trying to implement the WHO Mantra of Track, Trace, Test, Isolate in right earnest way. Centre wants testing to be at the rate of 140 a million a day, while we are much ahead with the rate of 200, said Dr Sanjay Mukherjee, secretary, medical education department, adding that although cases are rising, the health infrastructure is ready to take the load.

Mukherjee said the government has strengthened treatment protocol, and now emergency authorisation of experimental therapies, such as plasma, is also allowed. We have also instructed district chiefs to ensure that cases come early, at least by 48 hours of developing symptoms, as early diagnosis and treatment is one of the fundamental measures of reducing the death rate, he said.

Neeraj Hatekar, professor of Econometrics at the Mumbai University, said the reproduction rate of cases in Maharashtra is around 1.21, and it should come down to 1. Before the relaxations given from the first week of June, the rate was constantly on decline, but now it has been hovering near 1.2, which is a worrisome factor. Mumbai has been successfully stabilised at 1.1, but the city cannot open up activities unless neighbouring cities do not control their spike. Besides the rest of Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), in a few districts like Jalgaon, Solapur and Aurangabad, the cases are high for various reasons. The district administrations, which leveraged the community participation and created a chain of command, could control the containment. Kolhapur, Malegaon and Dharavi in Mumbai are classic examples of such endeavours, said Hatekar, who has been studying the virus curve. He said the high rate of cases in the rest of MMR is also because of weak health infrastructure, which also leads to a high CFR as beds are not available at crucial times.

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Just because forensic DNA science can be used to solve crimes doesnt mean it should.

Therein lies the conundrum at the intersection of policing, the law and ethics.

As science races into the future and genealogy buffs input their DNA into public data banks by the droves to trace their family tree, criminal investigators look for ways to harness the power of both those trends. Meanwhile, Canadian legal experts and human rights advocates are struggling to slow things down long enough to examine the potential human costs involved.

Consider this: you send your DNA sample away to a public database because you are mapping out your family tree for fun and this might help you find new branches.

Would you even think that could lead a homicide detective to your door because your DNA is linked to a third cousins semen at a crime scene? Or maybe you are inadvertently leading investigators to your own, as yet unborn child, who may some day become involved in a crime?

Canadas DNA Identification Act currently prohibits law enforcement from conducting familial searches, an exercise allowed in the United States.

What this means is authorities in the U.S. can gather suspect DNA from a crime scene and run it through GEDmatch, an online database where anyone can upload results from commercial DNA testing kits such as Ancestry.com and 23andMe. Detectives can potentially find not only an exact match with a convicted offender  but also with anyone who is a close relative. This is done routinely in the U.S. on serious cases. Canada has balked at allowing that here.

Canadians have historically guarded their privacy rights more closely than our American neighbours. The new frontier of forensic DNA is no exception.

As science races into the future and genealogy buffs input their DNA into public data banks by the droves to trace their family tree, criminal investigators look for ways to harness the power of both those trends. Dreamstime

Jurisdictions like the United States where familial searching is used permit it either because there is legislation that allows it or  controversially  there is no legislation that prohibits it.

Thats not good enough for Canada, Patricia Kosseim, senior general counsel to Canadas privacy commission said in 2015.

Canadas DNA Data Bank

Canadas National DNA Data Bank is operated by the RCMP but overseen by an advisory committee comprising scientists, law enforcement officials, lawyers, human rights advocates and a representative of the federal Privacy Commissioner. The committee makes recommendations to the RCMP commissioner on matters of ethics, privacy, scientific advances and the law in relation to the data bank.

The data bank can be used only for law enforcement purposes and is designed to assist with cross-jurisdictional investigations and the pursuit of serial or repeat offenders.

Samples entered into the data bank are identified by a bar code, with the actual identity of known donors kept separately in order to maintain privacy.

The original DNA sample and its resulting profile are retained by the database. That is done as a safeguard for enabling future forensic DNA technologies to be considered and applied to the sample, according to the RCMP. Even when an offender dies, their DNA information is kept.

The exception is when a convicted offender registered with the database wins an appeal. Then the sample and all documentation related to the accused is destroyed, according to the RCMP.

Law enforcement in Canada has lobbied for legislation to be changed to allow for collection of DNA at the time of arrest. The RCMP has promised to review the request (the DNA legislation was last amended in March 2018), however it raises serious Constitutional concerns about the presumption of innocence and privacy rights. As well, the Criminal Code of Canada already allows for DNA warrants during the course of a criminal investigation.

No genetic privacy

Familial searches combined with the new American practice of uploading crime scene DNA to public genealogy databases in search of a match or a familial link  as was the case in the watershed Golden State Killer investigation  has led to the disappearance of genetic privacy in that country.

One DNA profile  either voluntary for a genealogy database or mandated for a criminal database  can unwittingly cast legal suspicion on a large tree of family members who havent consented to participating in a police investigation and have never taken a DNA test.

Currently, the United States has no laws governing police on the use of forensic genetic genealogy. The first cases are only now making their way through the U.S. court system where the legality of the techniques in the face of constitutional rights may be challenged. Many of the cases have resulted in guilty pleas  including the recent admissions by the Golden State Killer  which means the genealogy technique has not been tested by the courts.

It is important to note an arrest cannot be made based on a genetic genealogy match. Investigators must take that tip to the next level by retrieving DNA from the suspect and matching it to the crime scene sample.

DNA and a public genealogy database cracked the unsolved case of one of the most prolific predators in American history, The Golden State Killer. In June, Joseph DeAngelo pleaded guilty to 13 counts of first-degree murder and admitted to dozens of rapes. The new investigative techniques used to catch him will change policing forever. Paul Kitagaki Jr.

Still, it remains that for now the only restrictions on police use of public genealogy databases are those imposed by the database companies themselves.

GEDmatch, the company that inadvertently helped with an arrest in the long-unsolved Golden State Killer case, operated under an original user agreement that had clients granting permission to police to access their DNA unless otherwise stated. Post Golden State Killer, GEDmatch has changed its agreement so its 1.3 million users must explicitly opt in to permit access by police.

GEDmatch allows law enforcement to peruse its opted-in database for murder and sexual assault cases.

Catching bad guys at any cost?

For some, catching bad guys is an end justifying any means. For others, an arrest does not necessarily justify the sacrifice of genetic privacy.

Canada has so far attempted to balance security with privacy.

DNA represents the most intimate personal information we have, says Brenda McPhail, director of the Privacy, Technology and Surveillance project at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA).

The moral, ethical and legal issues raised by DNA in the justice system are high on the radar of the CCLA, she says, especially as police become more interested in leveraging commercial databases to further investigations.

Companies collecting genetic information need to be open and transparent with customers about if or when they might share information with police as part of their consent process, before customers sign up for these commercial services.

Although GEDmatch now asks users to opt in to help law enforcement, McPhail argues most consumers dont understand the potential repercussions of that.

I dont see this as genuine consent, she says, noting that repercussions include not just impacts on the person providing the genetic information, but on all of their family members, including those not yet born.

Brenda McPhail is with the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. She is director of its Privacy, Technology and Surveillance Project which includes examining the use of DNA by law enforcement. Supplied

I dont think people are thinking about this.

The CCLA recognizes Canada is a different legal environment than the United States and we are less likely to consent to a blank cheque in terms of DNA data here.

The bold moves by American authorities to use public DNA databases to solve crimes has opened that conversation in Canada, says McPhail, but so far the public discussion has been brief and limited.

The future for Canada

It is a discussion that needs to involve the public and law enforcement, but it must be led by governments, because we need legal protections for our sensitive biometric information.

Only Parliament has the power to change our DNA legislation.

In Canada, we have never said that getting the bad guy is more important than anything else, says McPhail. Understandably, safety is very attractive to people. However, we believe in limits on law enforcement, which are grounded in our fundamental values and given expression in our Charter of Rights and Freedoms. As a society, we need to ask ourselves, how does law enforcement use of commercial DNA databases mesh with our values?

When the Golden State Killer story broke and turned the publics attention on forensic DNA, there was little academic or even anecdotal evidence about the pros and cons of this new public DNA treasure trove. The CCLA has concerns and questions.

For instance: Are there any circumstances in which the use of private sector DNA databases would be fair or reasonable for law enforcement purposes, and if there are any, what are the legal safeguards or restrictions that would be necessary?

Forensic geneticist Nicole Novroski, an assistant professor in the forensic sciences program at University of Toronto, agrees those ethical and legal issues must be carefully examined. But also the science itself needs scrutiny.

For instance, while forensic DNA phenotyping (reverse engineering an image of a suspect from DNA) will improve over time, its not terribly reliable or helpful currently, she says. It can even be misleading.

She adds that DNA phenotyping can be helpful in developing new investigative leads, but it must be used with extreme caution when eliminating or narrowing a search.

Novroski gives an example. She has brown hair. But phenotyping software often predicts her to be blond.

We need to do our due diligence and not just jump on every new technique or approach in the field, she says. Only time will tell. Were in a very new era and its a really complex time. There is something to be said for going a bit slower. Experts are having tough conversations. Were learning. But to start with, we need to be doing good science.
An American airstrike on Thursday killed at least one terrorist of the al Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab group in Somalia, officials said.

A checkpoint set up by the organization in Hantiwadaag was also destroyed in the strike.

Al-Shabaab are using checkpoints to threaten, extort, and restrict the movement of innocent people in Mogadishu and Lower Shabelle region, U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Bradford Gering, the director of operations for Africa Command, known as AFRICOM, said in a statement in confirming the airstrike. Al-Shabaabs actions continue to impede much needed economic development and progress.

AFRICOM said there were no civilian casualties caused in the incident. Its not clear if a drone was used to conduct the strike, as is often the case in the region.

The agency said it partnered with the Somali government to conduct the strike.

Together and at the request of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command works to improve security conditions in Somalia in order to enhance governance and economic development. U.S. partnership with Somalia also helps prevent al-Shabaabs ambitions to expand their reach, plot attacks, and further export violence, the military wrote.

In May, a U.S. military strike killed two members of al-Shabaab. Before that, in February, an al-Shabaab compound near Dujuuma was destroyed by AFRICOM, while wounding three terrorists and injuring no civilians.

U.S. support to African-led counter-terrorism operations is crucial in East Africa, Gregory Hadfield, the U.S. Africa Commands deputy director of intelligence, said at the time. China and Russia appear content to remain on the sidelines as our African partners, with U.S. support, fight extremism and pave the way to enhanced security and stability on the continent.

The United States carries out regular airstrikes in Somalia in support of a weak, United Nations-backed government in Mogadishu, which has fought al-Shabaab for years.

Al-Shabaab kills regularly and indiscriminately, said Miguel Castellanos, U.S. Africa Command deputy director of operations after the strike.

Earlier this year in East Africa, three Americans were killed by the group during an attack at a Kenya Defense Force base in Manda Bay used by U.S. and Kenyan forces. Two Department of Defense personnel and one Army soldier were killed in the terrorist attack on Jan. 5, officials said.

According to the U.S. State Departments assessment of Somalia, the country was left without a government from 1991 until the United States recognized the Federal Government of Somalia in 2017.

Isabel Van Brugen contributed to this report.

From The Epoch Times
As part of setting examples in the reinforcement measures to keep Ghanaians in check and the full compliance with the COVID-19 protocols, about 57 people have been arrested by the Asante Mampong Police for breaking a basic protocol of wearing face masks.

Ghana's COVID-19 cases continue to increase and the Asante Mampong Municipality is no exception after recording a total of 39 confirmed cases in the area.

The Police lamented that people in the municipality have continuously violated COVID-19 safety protocols.

The Municipal Police Command has also intensified enforcement of the measures to get residents to comply.

The Asante Mampong Municipal Police Commander, Superintendent Stephen Boadu, told Citi News all 57 suspects will be arraigned today [Friday].

We mounted a search at the Mampong Township and we picked 38 people; 26 males and 12 females. Yesterday, we continued the same operation and we picked up 19 people; five females and 14 males.

They have all been charged with walking without face masks we are going to put them before the circuit court in Nsuta for the trial to begin. In fact, we intend to sustain this operation until when the disease has died out or most of the people within the community are complying, he said.

People who fail to wear face masks in public risk a prison sentence of four to 10 years or a fine ranging from GHS12,000 to GHS60,000, or both.

The new sanctions for not wearing face masks are contained in a new Executive Instrument (E.I. 164) . About the new E.I.

The new E.I. makes it mandatory for people to wear face masks, face shields or any other face covering that covers his or her nose and mouth completely when the person is in public or leaving or returning to his place of abode.

Police are also given authority to make random checks to ensure compliance.

According to paragraph 4(2) of E.I. 164, any person who fails to comply with the mandatory wearing of nose masks shall be punished in accordance with Section 6 of Act 1012.

Per Section 6 of Act 1012, a person who fails to comply with the restrictions imposed under the Executive Instrument issued under subsection 1 of Section 2 commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not less than 1,000 penalty units (GHS12,000) and not more than 5,000 penalty units (GHS 60,000) or to a term of imprisonment not less than four years and not more than 10 years or to both.

---CitinewsRoom
Hundreds of thousands of students fear for their future as their career plan upended and burdened by unpaid debts.

New York, United States  The Trump administrations abrupt changes to foreign student visa rules have upended the plans of more than a million international students currently enrolled in institutions across the United States, with many fearing for their future.

The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Monday announced that it would strip the visa of foreign students whose entire courses have moved online due to the coronavirus pandemic, with critics calling the move xenophobic and part of President Donald Trumps hardline immigration policy.

The directive by ICEs Student and Exchange Visitor Program is likely to hit hundreds of thousands of students, particularly from Asian countries, hard, as they will have to leave the US or face deportation.

Many of them might face the prospect of distance learning from the other side of the world, where time zones, unreliable internet connections, and internet bans would make completing their degree programmes difficult  if not impossible.

According to research conducted by ICE, nearly 80 percent of all international students in the US are from Asia, with China and India accounting for nearly half of them.

This order is basically pushing students to choose between disease and deportation. Ifat Gazia, a PhD student from Indian-administered Kashmir

Students currently enrolled in programmes taught entirely online must depart the country or take other measures, such as transferring to a school with in-person instruction to remain in lawful status.

Columbia University has announced that classes will begin on September 8, with a three-term schedule and hybrid teaching [Heena Kausar/Al Jazeera]

Universities in the US were forced to shift classes online in mid-March in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. The country is the hardest hit by the pandemic with more than three million confirmed cases and 135,000 deaths.

Xenophobic and anti-immigration

Ifat Gazia, a PhD student from Indian-administered Kashmir, said: If ICE sends me and other Kashmiri students back, we would be left with no remote learning option. I will have to take a leave from my university and sit back home until this order is revoked.

India imposed one of the longest internet blockades in Kashmir in August last year when the disputed Muslim-majority regionwas stripped of its special status. The internet blockade was lifted in January this year, but mobile internet, which many people there rely on, has been limited to 2G speeds.

If A

visa then I will have to restart my career in India with a huge debt.]

Calling the ICE order xenophobic and anti-immigration, Gazia said the order will have a detrimental effect on international students in the US. This order is basically pushing students to choose between disease and deportation, Gazia, from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, said.

According to research conducted by ICE, nearly 80 percent of all international students in the US are from Asia, with China and India accounting for nearly half of them [File: Andrew Kelly/Reuters]

A Chinese student currently studying at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) said attending online classes will be difficult if he goes back to his home country. Many websites, including Google and Facebook, that US universities use to communicate with students, are blocked in China.

To get around the issue, he will have to use a virtual private network (VPN) to access search engines such as Google and other websites. Using a VPN slows the internet speed, and sometimes the connection breaks down, he told Al Jazeera wishing not to be named.

The ICE order has also taken away the flexibility that international students had while navigating academic life amid the pandemic. Veeraj Jindal, a student at Dartmouth College, said, he may have to drop this semester.

Veeraj Jindal, a student at Dartmouth College, said he may have to drop this semester [Photo courtesy Veeraj Jindal]

There is so much uncertainty about what to do. Unless commercial flights start from India to US, I may not be able to go back to join college on time, the 19-year-old said.

Jindal said the policy is forcing him to choose between facing a health risk and losing his visa. Forcing students to go back on campus will create health implications, Jindal said over the phone from Indias capital, New Delhi.

Another Indian student pursuing a law degree at a university in New York, who also did not wish to be named, said the order has upended his career plans, and could leave him with unpaid debts of more than $150,000.

He fears he will have to let go of a job offer that he has received. If I go back and lose my F-1 [student] visa then I will have to restart my career in India with a huge debt, he added.

Universities react

Two top American universities  Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)  on Wednesday filed a lawsuit in court, seeking to revoke the order by the Trump administration.

We will pursue this case vigorously so that our international students  and international students at institutions across the country  can continue their studies without the threat of deportation, Harvards president Lawrence S Bacow said in a statement.

This is to strong-arm universities and colleges to buy into that narrative which the Trump administration is trying to sell that everything is fine. Sharvari (Shev) Dalal-Dheini, director of government relations at the American Immigration Lawyers Association

We believe that the ICE order is bad public policy, and we believe that it is illegal, he added.

Some universities, including, Princeton University, Stanford University, California Institute of Technology (Caltech), and Cornell University have announced their support for the lawsuit by Harvard and MIT.

Brown University, where international students account for about 18 percent of the total student population, issued a statement on Wednesday describing the new immigration order as nothing short of cruel and a direct threat to public health.

International students contributed $45bn to the US economy during 2018, the Institute of International Education report said, citing the US Department of Commerce, according to a report by Reuters news agency.

Harvard on Wednesday filed a lawsuit in court, seeking to revoke the order by the Trump administration [Gunther/EPA]

NAFSA, a global education advocacy group, said the foreign students supported nearly 460,000 jobs in the US in the 2018-19 academic year.

Harvard plans to conduct all course instructions for the 2020-21 academic year online, but many other universities are planning to adopt a hybrid model, which will include online classes and some in-person instruction, in the wake of the visa changes.

During the 2019 fall semester, UC Berkeley admitted 6,833 international students, including 2,763 from China, and 709 from India. Berkeley will be implementing a hybrid model for the fall 2020 semester.

Ivor Emmanuel, director, Berkeley International Office, said campus leadership examining their course instruction plans for the fall 2020 semester with an eye towards making sure that a sufficient level of in-person classes are made available for students.

Columbia University, situated in the leafy Upper West Side district of Manhattan, New York, has announced that classes will begin on September 8, with a three-term schedule and hybrid teaching.

Columbia Universitys president Lee C Bollinger said in a statement, We must endeavor to configure hybrid classes providing in-person and remote learning options that alleviate the negative effect of these new regulations on Columbia students.

The US government defends the order

The US government on Wednesday defended the new ICE orders. You dont get a visa for taking online classes from, lets say, the University of Phoenix, so why would you if you were just taking online classes generally? White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said during a press briefing.

But critics and leaders from the opposition Democratic Party have slammed Trump for the student visa directive.

The cruelty of this White House knows no bounds. Foreign students are being threatened with a choice: risk your life going to class in-person or get deported, said Senator Bernie Sanders. We must stand up to Trumps bigotry. We must keep all our students safe.

Meanwhile, New Delhi has expressed its concerns to Washington about the change in students visa that could affect a large number of Indian students.

We have urged the US side that we need to keep in mind the role that educational exchanges and people to people relations have played in the development of our relations, Anurag Srivastava, spokesman at Indias foreign ministry told a news conference.

The curb on students visa is being seen by some experts as an effort by the Trump administration to pressure US educational institutions to open their gates as opposed to the cautious approach to their resuming classes.

Sharvari (Shev) Dalal-Dheini, director of government relations at the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), said the order helps advance the story that Trump administration wants to feed that everything is back to normal and everything should be open.

This is to strong-arm universities and colleges to buy into that narrative which the Trump administration is trying to sell that everything is fine.

The ICE order on international students comes two weeks after the US government temporarily suspended work visas, including H1B, for foreign workers, as the US unemployment level hit record levels due to COVID-19. That order affected more than 400,000 H1B visa applications.

Greg Siskind, an immigration lawyer based in Memphis, said it was not a coincidence that the ICE order comes a few months before the 2020 US presidential elections. The president believes that these things will help him which is why these things happen, he said. I think COVID-19 is just an excuse to do things that they wanted to do all along.

Jenny J Lee, a professor at the Center for the Study of Higher Education at the University of Arizona, said the ICE order is consistent with anti-immigration policies that have been rolled out by the Trump administration.

But the difference is that these are students who are already legally here on visas provided by the US government, said Jenny.
An external officer has been requested to direct the PSNIs investigation of potential social-distancing breaches at the funeral of a senior republican.

Hundreds of people lined the route of Bobby Storeys cortege last week despite restrictions placed on the numbers that can attend outdoor gatherings.

Deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill and Finance Minister Conor Murphy have been criticised for taking part in the funeral.

Expand Close Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald (left) and Deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill during the funeral (Liam McBurney/PA) PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald (left) and Deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill during the funeral (Liam McBurney/PA)

PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne said he has requested an external senior officer to oversee and direct the police investigation into potential breaches of coronavirus regulations at the funeral.

I have taken this decision to ensure independent oversight of the investigation, Mr Byrne said in a statement on Thursday evening.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland is also in receipt of a complaint from a member of the public regarding police actions leading up to the funeral on June 30, 2020. This has now been forwarded to the Police Ombudsman for her consideration.

DUP Policing Board Group leader Mervyn Storey welcomed the move as entirely sensible and appropriate.

The scenes in west Belfast and at Roselawn left many feeling there were two tiers in the legal system, he said.

It is vital that this investigation sends a clear message that no-one is above the law and we are all equally subject to the law.

Restoring credibility to the Covid-19 regulations will be a long road, but the police has a key role to play.

Earlier, First Minister Arlene Foster pressed her partys partners in government for a recognition that the credibility of messaging was damaged.

Mrs Foster and Ms ONeill have not appeared together for an update on the Executives approach to the coronavirus pandemic since the row.

The First Minister was asked when the joint press conferences will return as she updated the media by herself in Co Fermanagh on Thursday.

I hope that we can build that credibility up again but there has to be a willingness to acknowledge that it was damaged during what happened in west Belfast last Tuesday Arlene Foster

She responded: Its not a case of doing a solo press conference, I am in Fermanagh today, as well as that, there does have to be a recognition that the credibility of messaging was damaged by what happened last week.

I hope that we can build that credibility up again, but there has to be a willingness to acknowledge that it was damaged during what happened in west Belfast last Tuesday.

I have to lead, it is my duty to lead the Executive. We have a job to do in terms of coronavirus and we certainly have a job to do in relation to the recovery and renewal of Northern Ireland.

Expand Close DUP leader Arlene Foster speaking to media in Co Fermanagh on Thursday. (Cate McCurry/PA) PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp DUP leader Arlene Foster speaking to media in Co Fermanagh on Thursday. (Cate McCurry/PA)

I very much welcome the Chancellors statement yesterday and the extra money that is coming into Northern Ireland, but we still have a huge job of work to do and I am determined to continue to do it.

The Stormont Assembly passed a motion earlier this week urging Ms ONeill to apologise for attending the funeral during the pandemic.

The resolution was backed by the DUP, UUP, SDLP and Alliance  but does not have any practical legal effect.

Ms ONeill has apologised for grieving families experiencing more hurt.
Coronavirus contact tracing apps are not all they've cracked up to be and those being used in France and Australia have flopped, experts warn.

In France, two million people downloaded the StopCovid app but only 14 people received alerts that they were at risk in three weeks of the app being in operation.

Australia faced the same problem, with six million people downloading COVIDSafe but in Victoria, a state currently in the grip of a new outbreak, it produced no useful information that the authorities couldn't already get from human contact tracers.

The smartphone apps are intended to keep track of who people have been in contact with in case one of them becomes infected with the virus.

In Britain an app was for months hailed as a crucial to stamping out the coronavirus in the population, but it soon become clear the plan wouldn't work when officials realised their app didn't work on iPhones.

Now other countries' major teething problems suggest a successful app may be further away than people thought.

Software developers have been so wary about scaring people and sending out too many notifications that they've gone too far the other way, scientists say.

People have complained of the apps - which rely on Bluetooth connections between people's smartphones - draining their batteries.

As a result, many are now uninstalling the apps because they create more problems than they do solutions, MIT Technology Review reported.

France's app, StopCovid, has reportedly been downloaded two million times - about three per cent of the country's population - but only alerted 14 people to a coronavirus risk in its first three weeks of operation

Australia's CovidSafe app was downloaded by around a quarter of the population there but did not prove at all useful to authorities in Victoria, whose human contact tracers produced the same amount of information, according to Gizmodo

The reason for disappointing numbers of people being warned about possible infection by the app may just be because not enough people use it, and people still aren't having many close contacts.

One expert said that if case numbers are low and people are following rules and social distancing, there shouldn't be many notifications at all.

'Its simple math,' Cambridge University's Professor Jon Crowcroft told MIT Technology Review.

'If one per cent of people have Covid-19 and they are all tested, and only 1 per cent of people run the app, you have a one in 10,000 chance of having both the tested person and the exposed person having the app.

'So your notification rate will be 10,000 times lower than the case rate.'

Uptake of the apps appears to be higher than Professor Crowcroft suggests - around 25 per cent in Australia, according to Gizmodo, but three per cent in France.

But another reason the apps aren't notifying people could be that developers have programmed them to act cautiously.

Huge numbers of warnings being fired out every day might cause mass panic, so apps have reportedly been programmed to pick only the highest risk contacts.

But one of the biggest problems with the apps is the fact that the Bluetooth they completely depend on just doesn't work in the way it should.

Health officials around the world had hoped that people would simply be able to download the app and it would do all the work in the background with no effort, automatically connecting to and logging every phone within two metres of someone.

Officials in the UK abandoned the NHS's attempt at making its own app in June when they realised it didn't work on iPhones (Pictured: The app in development stages)

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE NHS CONTACT TRACING APP? Officials admitted on June 18 that the NHS app, once praised by the Health Secretary as vital for lifting lockdown and described by Boris Johnson as a central part of the UK's test and trace system, did not work on Apple iPhones. The health service's digital arm, NHSX, has now ditched plans to create its own app and will work with Apple and Google to improve their existing technology. Mr Hancock could not say when a tracking app would be ready amid claims it won't be rolled-out until the winter. The app  which was originally promised for mid-May and the NHS spent months to develop  was unable to spot 25 per cent of nearby Android users and a staggering 96 per cent of iPhones in the Isle of Wight trial. Meanwhile, the Apple and Google technology can spot 99 per cent of close contacts using any type of smartphone  but it cannot currently tell how far away they are, officials claimed today. The leaders of Britain's test and trace system said neither app is fit for purpose and Mr Hancock appeared to point the finger at Apple for the failure, saying: 'Our app won't work because Apple won't change their system'. Apple and Google announced on April 10 that they would join forces to create the technology, by which time the NHS had already started work. All parties put their software into action around a month later, in mid-May. Developers in the NHS will now work alongside the tech giants to try and roll its detection software and the NHS app's distance-measuring ability  which they said was significantly better  together to make a hybrid app that actually works. Here's how the NHS contact tracing app fell apart: When used on iPhones the NHS app went into background mode and stopped recording nearby phones;

As a result it only managed to detect four per cent of possible contacts for Apple phone users. In contrast, it detected 75 per cent for Android phone users;

The technology developed by Apple and Google could detect 99 per cent of nearby phones, officials said, but could not say how close they actually were;

Health bosses said the Apple/Google technology couldn't differentiate someone 3m (9'8') away with their phone in their hand from someone 1m (3'3') away with it in their pocket;

Officials now want to merge the two, to have Apple/Google's detection capability with the NHSX app's ability to calculate distance, which was far better. Advertisement

But in reality, the Bluetooth connections seem to drop out when someone locks their phone and the app fades into the background.

Google and Apple, who have developed app systems of their own, have limits on how much Bluetooth activity can continue when someone isn't using an app.

France and Australia have both attempted to make their own software and apparently been hit by the same issue Britain faced, in which trials showed the app could only detect four per cent of connections when it was run on an iPhone.

The Australian version has a higher success rate but only makes around 25 per cent of connections successfully, The Guardian reported.

One anonymous researcher told the MITTR: 'This effectively means for a contact tracing app to work without using their system, a user has to walk around like a Pokemon Go player, with their phone out, the app open, and not use their phone for anything else.'

Software developed by Apple and Google is now forming the basis for many country's apps around the world.

Officials in the UK, who abandoned their own attempt to make an app last month, said the one made by Apple and Google wasn't yet good enough to use either.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock and the NHS Test and Trace chief, Dido Harding, admitted on June 18 that they were scrapping plans for an NHS-made app.

The health chiefs said the app, which was originally promised for mid-May and the NHS spent months developing, was unable to spot 25 per cent of nearby Android users and a staggering 96 per cent of iPhones in a trial on the Isle of Wight.

Meanwhile, the Apple and Google technology could spot 99 per cent of close contacts using any type of smartphone - but it could not currently tell how far away they are, officials claimed.

Health bosses said the Apple/Google technology couldn't differentiate someone 3m (9'8') away with their phone in their hand from someone 1m (3'3') away with it in their pocket;

The leaders of Britain's test and trace system said neither app is fit for purpose and Mr Hancock appeared to point the finger at Apple for the failure, saying: 'Our app won't work because Apple won't change their system'.

Developers in the NHS are now said to be working alongside the tech giants to try and roll their detection software and the NHS app's distance-measuring ability - which they said was significantly better - together to make a hybrid app that actually works.

British officials have refused to put a time scale on when the UK's app might be ready - one politician has suggested it will be winter at the earliest.

But they insist it is still 'urgent and important' and will be able to do jobs that human employees can't.

Simon Thompson, managing director of the NHS Covid-19 App, told a House of Lords committee on Monday: 'I think that when we have a look at the particular benefits that the app can bring to the programme there are three areas that we've really focused on.

'One is the speed, so the ability to communicate with the user in minutes.

'The second one is precision, which is the ability to have confidence around the distance and time. Our sense is it needs to be a really good standard but we believe it will definitely be better than what a human could manage.

'And in terms of reach - the ability to know people that you have met who you did not know you had met - we believe that the app can make real inroads there.'
Letter from the Editor

No arrests.

No property damage.

One physical injury that occurred when a man collapsed.

The tally from last Fridays protests is impressive given that hundreds of people and weapons were combined with heat, anger and passion in Marion.

The credit for the lack of destruction largely goes to the town of Marion, its police chief, John Clair, and a couple hundred law enforcement professionals who withstood all those conditions while illustrating what fine professional police work looks like.

The evidence was clear. Trouble was brewing for Marion.

Following a June 13 clash between Black Lives Matter protesters and counter-protesters that came close to violence and a cross burning at the Marion home of the BLM demonstrations local leader, social media boiled with anger, hate, blatant racism and carefully worded posts that implied threats of violence.

Town officials didnt wring their hands. They took action.

Long before he knew protests were coming to his town, Clair had been studying the official report on lessons learned from a violent protest in Charlottesville that left one woman dead and others injured. As well, before this summers protests were announced, he had begun working with surrounding agencies on incident command and coordination. Hed also simultaneously been working with his department on less-than-lethal approaches to subduing suspects.

While no one really anticipated such activity in quiet Marion, Clairs preparation paid off.

But, it wasnt just his department on the ground in our town Friday. Officers from the Virginia State Police and police departments in Abingdon, Bristol (Va.), and Saltville responded to a call for mutual aid as did the sheriffs offices of Smyth, Washington and Wythe counties and personnel from the Virginia Department of Corrections; the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Southwestern Virginia Mental Health Institute.

For much of the day, the LEOs were easygoing, standing on the street talking and laughing and developing a rapport with citizens.

However, when tensions mounted, the LEOs responded with impressive speed, often putting their bodies between opposing sides and in harms way. It didnt matter whether the LEOs were local or not. They had a job to do and they did it - well.

Town Attorney Mark Fenyk noted that as situations escalated and reached a potential flashpoint and the LEOs were able to keep it from exploding.

When they stood in between the crowds of opposing protesters, the LEOs faces remained perfectly impassive regardless of what insults or ideas were hurled.

With people only a few feet or less from their faces, they knew they were also facing an additional danger  exposure to COVID-19. Still, they served.

Many stood in the sweltering heat in heavy protective vests and uniforms from morning til evening.

While protecting everyones life and limbs, protecting freedoms was also a high priority.

When crowds of protesters on both sides stood less than a block apart with metal barricades and lines of police officers separating them, Clair could be heard reminding everyone via law enforcement radio that what was happening was legal and democratic.

Monday evening, the Marion Town Council praised Clair, Lt. Rusty Hamm and Lt. Andrew Moss, the MPDs strategy leaders, and the entire department, giving the agency at the center of the protests a standing ovation.

In talking about Fridays events, Clair reflected, Letting democracy happen usually works.

Democracy often isnt pretty. Friday, it was right before our eyes, dripping sweat, hurling insults and profanity, guns enough for a battle, while people stood for what they believed.

Thank you Marion, LEOS, and all those who made safety and democracy priorities.

We remember the words of John Adams, Liberty must at all hazards be supported. We have a right to it, derived from our Maker. But if we had not, our fathers have earned and bought it for us, at the expense of their ease, their estates, their pleasure, and their blood.

On a weekend when the United States was celebrating its democratic freedoms, people in Marion were depending on them. Of the U.S. Constitutions First Amendments five guaranteed freedoms for citizens, four were put to the test Friday: the freedoms of religion, speech and the press, and the right of the people peaceably to assemble. The Second Amendment was right there too.

All were secure. Thats a happy Fourth of July.
Wilkes is the highest ranked institution in Luzerne County and within the top 25 percent of independent institutions in the nation. Wilkes University is once again being recognized for its commitment to social mobility. In
Christian Bishop was always a little skittish about the pool. At 5 years old, he held on to his mother whenever they swam, said his grandmother, April Bishop.

After he and his siblings concluded an afternoon swim at his fathers North Side home July 4, Christian sneaked back to the pool by himself.

We realize that hes a little bit of a daredevil, but it surprised us when he took it upon himself to put his suit back on and go into the water, April Bishop said.

Minutes later, the boys 7-year-old sister Melody would find him face down in the pool, family members said.

The magnetic attraction of the pool was just too much for him, said April Bishop, who shared the details of Christians death in the hope of saving other children.

Once Melody found Christian, she told their 10-year-old brother, who then got help from grown-ups. Their uncle pulled Christian out of the water, began CPR and called 911.

At North Central Baptist Hospital, doctors managed to get Christians heart started and placed him on life support. The doctors warned that Christian had been underwater for too long, between eight and 20 minutes.

On Monday morning, he was taken off life support. He died in his mothers arms.

Christians death put the spotlight on a deadly trend that Texas leads. In 2019, the state had the most pool and spa deaths of any state, with 34 children younger than 15 who died, according to the USA Swimming Foundation.

From 2015 through 2017, there was an average of 379 reported pool- or spa-related fatal drownings of children per year in the U.S., according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Joe Martyak, a commission spokesman, said the most important thing is the absolute supervision of children if there is any body of water nearby. This includes not only pools and spas, but water in buckets and tubs.

It takes only 2 or 3 inches of water for a child to drown, he said.

A child can go face forward, and it only takes a few inches of water, Martyak said. People say Well, the tub wasnt really full. Thats not the point. Picture the face of a child in a pool of water.

Experts agree that a barrier around a pool is one of the most effective ways to prevent unsupervised access. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a 4-foot-high barrier, and it should not have openings or protrusions that a young child could use to get over, under or through.

Most drownings are also silent, as children are face down, taking on water and cant roll over or yell, Martyak said.

An alarm that senses motion when a child enters a pool or one that can be placed on a gate is also highly recommended.

Its important to take all these precautions, Martyak said, especially if a pool has been set up to keep the family entertained during the pandemic.

The home is now an office, a school, a playground, and theres so much going on its easy to lose track for a little while, or a couple of minutes, he said. It doesnt take long for a child to get to the water and hit the water.

Christian was born in Arlington and lived with his mother, Nicole Bishop, in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He was on the third day of a two-week vacation with his father, Patrick Bishop, at the time of his death.

The pool at Christians fathers house was partially filled, leaving the shallow end dry, April Bishop said.

Christian sneaked outside, opening a sliding glass door as his father and stepmother were putting their baby down for a nap, his grandmother said.

A secured wooden fence is in place to keep children from wandering in off the street, but there was not a barrier around the pool itself, she said.

Christian was an inspiration to his family members on how to love, April Bishop said.

He enjoyed playing with any kind of truck or car with wheels, she said. But more important to him was making others around him happy.

Bishop said Christian would light up the room when he walked in with his bubbly attitude and constant laughter.

All of us learned more from him and the way that he loved with reckless abandon, his grandmother said. We should be grateful to ever approach that level of lovingness.

A memorial service for Christian followed by burial will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Wade Family Funeral Home in Arlington, 4140 W. Pioneer Parkway.

Jacob Beltran is a reporter covering San Antonio and Bexar County. To read more from Jacob, become a subscriber. jbeltran@express-news.net | Twitter: @JBfromSA
The parliamentary candidate of the New Patriotic Party for the Bantama constituency, Mr. Francis Asenso-Boakye took his turn in the ongoing nation-wide voter registration exercise conducted by the Electoral Commission (EC) ahead of this years Presidential and Parliamentary elections. At the Philips Commercial School registration center, the deputy chief of staff joined scores of eligible constituents to register for the national voter identity card.



The deputy chief of staff, who was accompanied by the Mayor of Kumasi, Hon Osei Assibey Antwi, and executives of the Bantama constituency NPP executives, also used the occasion to distribute nose masks and sanitizers support the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.



Adherence to Safety Protocols



The Deputy Chief of Staff observed that the exercise was being conducted in an orderly manner. He was also impressed with the adherence to social distancing and other COVID-19 safety protocols put in place by the government and Electoral Commission at the registration center. The fight against the pandemic is a shared responsibility that requires every citizen to take personal responsibility to avoid further spread of the virus.



Government has demonstrated its commitment to fight the virus by providing leadership and the needed resources since the outbreak of the virus in Ghana. What is left is for the citizenry to also do our part by following these protocols, he stressed.





Selection of NDC Running Mate



When asked for his view concerning the selection of Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyeman as running mate to the National Democratic Congress (NDC)s John Mahama, Mr. Asenso-Boakye welcomed her nomination but asserted that she did not pose a threat to the electoral fortunes of the NPP.



We believe Ghanaians will renew our mandate considering our sterling record in government. We are not taking her and John Mahama for granted at all. We will work extra hard and ensure a resounding victory for President Akufo-Addo and the NPP in the 2020 election.



Based on our record in government, I can say Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang will not be a threat to the electoral fortunes of NPP. We have significantly improved the living conditions of Ghanaians through the various interventions implemented by this government like Free SHS, Planting for Food & Jobs, NABCO, among others, he added.



Mr. Asenso-Boakye concluded that her nomination gives us an opportunity to make a realistic assessment of her below the average record in public service, especially during her period as Minister for Education. As you are already aware, it was under her watch that teacher trainee allowance was cancelled; teachers who had worked for over two years were paid only 3 months' salaries; and left the education sector debt-burdened which affected the supply of teaching and learning materials including chalks.



The Electoral Commission (EC) commenced the compilation of new biometric voters register on Thursday, June 30. The exercise, which is being held at all registration centres and district offices of the EC throughout the country, is scheduled to end on August 7. In all, there will be five phases during the registration period, with each registration team working for a period of six days in each phase within the cluster.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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

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Professor Segal and Dr Kani lauded for outstanding service

Wits University has awarded honorary doctorates to two distinguished South Africans for advancing humankind through their respective fields.

Professor Issy Segal, a renowned gastroenterologist and Dr John Kani, a veteran actor and playwright were recognised at a closed ceremony this week to mark Wits Universitys July 2020 graduation cluster.

[WATCH] the Wits 2020 graduation ceremony

Wits University is proud to confer its highest honour on these two remarkable leaders who have in different ways contributed to the advancement of our country and society, said Professor Adam Habib, Wits Vice-Chancellor and Principal. We would also like to congratulate the 1 257 graduands who would have walked across the stage in the Great Hall. Hopefully, they will still cross the stage when circumstances allow post-Covid19.

Professor Issidor Issy Segal was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science in Medicine degree. Segal has led the teaching and training of gastroenterology specialists on the continent. His models of how these units should function have been used by global organisations. Segal started his career as a general practitioner in Soweto and established South Africas first Gastroenterology Unit in 1975 at the then Baragwanath Hospital. The 87-year-old dedicated his life to ameliorating gastrointestinal disease in Africa, to improving the standards of healthcare for patients and to inspiring confidence that Africa can contribute to finding solutions to the continents health problems. Read the full citation and his speech on receiving the honorary doctorate.

Dr Bonisile John Kani was awarded an honorary Doctor of Literature degree. Kani is one of the pioneers of contemporary theatre in South Africa and his legacy is embedded in performance cultures, theatres and learning spaces across the globe where it is studied, performed and archived for future generations. As an artist and social activist, Kani has used his work to interrogate complex sociopolitical matters and contributed, through his art, to the liberation of South Africa. Today, his voice remains as commanding, critical and forthright about our countrys current social circumstances as it was during the darkest days of the anti-apartheid movement. Read the full citation and listen to his speech on receiving the honorary doctorate.

In his pre-recorded acceptance speech, Kani, who has served on Wits Universitys Council, the highest decision making body of the University, said he wishes to address the congregation as a concerned parent and a social activist.

Chief amongst his concerns are the persisting racial outbursts and violence against women and children. He also touched on the burdens of parents and their impact on children.

Calling on artists, Kani said that it is their individual and collective duty to speak openly about the many challenges that our country faces including racism, reconciliation, sexual and gender based violence, the lack of humanity, Ubuntu, redistribution of the countrys wealth and resources and an inclusive economy.

However, action is needed more than just words. Now is the time for all of us artists, who have the luxury of a public platform, to campaign openly against what is wrong in our country  just as we did against apartheid  and hopefully contribute towards building a brighter and more promising future for all who live in this wonderful land of ours, said Kani.
A well-known Russian LGBT activist has been fined for a second time under a controversial law banning gay propaganda.



Yulia Tsvetkova, a noted activist in the Far Eastern city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur, wrote on Facebook on June 10 that she was found guilty of propaganda in favor of nontraditional sexual relations among minors -- an administrative offense -- and fined 75,000 rubles ($1,050).



In December 2019, Tsvetkova was fined 50,000 rubles ($704) for being the administrator of two LGBT-themed groups on social media.

The activist, who was under house arrest between late-November and mid-March, was also officially charged with production and dissemination of pornographic materials" -- a criminal charge punishable by up to six years in prison.



On July 7, investigators filed a similar case against Tsvetkova for placing a drawn picture of a gay family with a child to an online campaign supporting gay families with children.

Several Russian celebrities, journalists and actors, issued a statement in March, calling authorities to drop charges against Tsvetkova.



Amnesty International in its December 2019 statement called the legislation under which Tsvetkova was charged "homophobic" and demanded from the Russian authorities to drop all charges against the activist, who "has done nothing else than standing up for human rights.

With reporting by Meduza
There is only one approved, specific treatment for COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, albeit with modest efficacy. Numerous experimental or repurposed drugs are under investigation, including the arthritis drug tocilizumab. And one treatment that is more than a century old.

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and UC San Diego Health have launched a clinical trial to assess the safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma (CP) to prevent COVID-19 after a known exposure to the virus. CP therapy involves infusing patients with antibodies extracted from the blood of donors who have successfully recovered from COVID-19, with the hope that the resulting boost to their immune systems will shorten the length and reduce the severity of the disease.

The UC San Diego trial is part of a larger, national effort approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The goal is to create a network of hospitals and blood banks collecting, isolating, processing and testing whether plasma from COVID-19 survivors has therapeutic, preventive value. The national trial is being coordinated by Johns Hopkins University and sponsored by the National Insitute of Health through the Department of Defense.

"With convalescent plasma therapy, we want to act prophylactically, using a product with known high-titers (concentrations) of neutralizing antibodies," said Edward Cachay, MD, an infectious disease specialist at UC San Diego Health and professor of medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine. "We want to learn how we can prevent sickness, how we can prevent COVID patients from needed mechanical ventilation, and how we can prevent them from dying from the disease."

Before the emergence of antibiotics, CP was used to prevent and treat a host of bacterial and viral infections, including diphtheria, scarlet fever and pertussis. It was used during the 1918 influenza pandemic with reported good effect.

In general, CP treatment has proven safe, but its effectiveness has varied with disease and among individuals. Studies of CP therapies for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and the 2009 H1N1 influenza showed measurable reductions of mortality (compared to placebo or no therapy), but efforts to treat Ebola virus infections during the 2014-16 outbreak in West Africa were inconclusive.

Chinese researchers treating COVID-19 patients have reported some success using CP, albeit not in randomized, controlled studies -- the gold standard in clinical research. On April 13, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued research guidelines for assessing CP as a potential COVID-19 treatment and the American Red Cross is currently seeking blood plasma donors who have fully recovered from novel coronavirus infections.

Plasma is the liquid portion of blood that carries blood components throughout the body, such as red and white blood cells, platelets, salts and enzymes. It also contains proteins and antibodies produced by the body's immune system to fend off invasive pathogens, such as SARS-CoV-2.

To qualify as a plasma donor for COVID-19 patients, donors must be at least 17 years old and weigh 110 pounds; be in good health; and have a prior, verified diagnosis of COVID-19 but are now symptom-free and fully recovered.

The UC San Diego Health clinical trial will recruit a total of 487 qualifying participants for the study. Criteria to qualify for participation include a high-risk factor, such as age or an underlying condition, like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, existing pulmonary impairment or employment as a health care worker; known exposure to SARS-CoV-2; and a negative PCR diagnostic test to show no current infection.

Testing will be conducted inside tents set up across from the emergency department at Jacobs Medical Center and the Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute (ACTRI) on the La Jolla health campus. The UC Health Blood Bank is coordinating efforts with the San Diego Blood Bank. The ACTRI is providing personnel, infrastructure support and other resources for the CP trial and for other COVID-19-related clinical trials at UC San Diego. In addition, the ACTRI has created a COVID-19 Biobank to provide materials for research projects to diagnose or treat the disease.

In cases of infection by the novel coronavirus, it appears the human immune system begins producing antibodies to the disease five to 10 days after the initial infection. The antibodies bind to the targeted coronavirus, stopping it from latching onto new cells and beginning the production of more viral particles. Over the course of two or so weeks, the body clears out the virus, but antibodies to it (or the blueprints for making them) remain. The depth and length of subsequent immunity have not been determined.

Cachay said he thinks CP will likely be most effective in persons with early exposure to the novel coronavirus, before symptoms appear, but it will require a clinical trial to substantiate that thinking. "If we don't do this, if we just gather anecdotal evidence that isn't conclusive, then we won't be any better off when the next wave hits."

For information about participating in this trial, contact Donna Brusch, senior study research coordinator, at dbrusch@health.ucsd.edu or call 760-505-6649. Interested persons can also visit the study website at https://covid-plasmastudies.com/, which includes an online screening process. The UC San Diego trial officially begins Monday, July 13, 2020.

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The talks are expected to prioritize letting businesspeople back in, with Brunei, Myanmar and Laos also under consideration.

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By SA Commercial Prop News

Standing Left to Right: Rudolf Pienaar  Growthpoint; James Tannenberger  Zenprop Property Holdings; Estienne de Klerk  Growthpoint; Adrian Gore  Discovery; Barry Swartzberg  Discovery and John Robertson  Discovery. Image gallery



Discovery Limited, Growthpoint Properties and Zenprop, today launched a four-year property development that will see Discovery's more than 5 000 employees move into a new head office in Sandton.

The new offices will serve as the companys hub for the growing international business that now has operations in South Africa, the US, UK, China and Singapore.

It will house all Sandton-based employees who are currently working in four different buildings in the Sandton CBD.

The development is expected to be completed by mid-2017 with all employees relocated to their new office space by January 2018.

Discoverys Johannesburg-based employees are currently working in four buildings in the Sandton CBD area

The healthcare cover and life assurance group has grown significantly over the past few years in terms of current businesses as well as new ventures and initiatives.

The development, which will be co-owned by Growthpoint and Zenprop, and Discovery will be leasing the space over a long-term period.

John Robertson, Discovery Limited Executive Director, commented, Over the past few years, our headcount in the Sandton campus has grown each year by an average 6%. In reviewing our current office space it has become clear that we will quickly need more space to meet our long-term capacity needs for the next 15 years.

Rudolf Pienaar, Divisional Director for Offices from Growthpoint, said, We are excited to partner with Discovery and Zenprop on what will be one of Sandtons most iconic landmarks.

Joint venture partner Zenprop Property Holdings CEO, James Tannenberger, added, Consisting of two wings, the design of the Discovery building will allow for a phased approach to growing the headquarters as Discovery continues to expand operations.

The building will incorporate a GBCSA (Green Building Council South Africa) green building accredited rating of at least four stars.
By Christiana Sciaudone

Investing.com -- Mohawk Industries Inc (NYSE:MHK). fell 25%, and is down 30% since July 1, when Robbins LLP said it was investigating the company for fabricating revenue.

The flooring company misled investors by saying it was seeing growing demand that never materialized, according to the shareholder rights law firm, alleging Mohawk may have violated the Securities Exchange Act and executives may have breached their fiduciary duties to shareholders.

Robbins said that starting in 2017, Mohawk started highlighting sales growth. Last July, after repeatedly reporting financial results that missed analysts' estimates and the company's guidance range, Mohawk revealed sales in its Flooring NA segment were down 7% because "lower demand" for certain conventional flooring products had created excess inventory that impacted Mohawk's sales and margins, Robbins wrote in a statement.

It appears that Mohawk had been channel stuffing by causing its distributors to take on surpluses of Conventional Flooring Products that were greater than demand to make Mohawk's sales growth and financial performance appear better than they were, Robbins wrote.

According to The Motley Fool, the Public Employees' Retirement System of Mississippi filed a lawsuit claiming accounting fraud at Mohawk in January, which includes testimony from a former Mohawk employee who claims the company has used fictitious sales to artificially boost revenue since 2017.

Sales for the first quarter fell 6% compared to a year earlier, with revenue down in all three of its main segments.

Shares are down by more than half since the start of the year.

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Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) is to establish a degree program in medical journalism and communication to produce expert science journalists.



The establishment of the program would ensure students having the professional knowledge and understanding in their reportage to shape peoples perception.



This has been necessitated by the fact that many reporters/journalists lack the skills in science reporting in the country.



Professor Rexford Assase Oppong, Dean of International Programs Office, of the KNUST, disclosed this at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the KNUST and Multimedia Group to train medical students in reporting.



Prof. Oppong indicated that the program would not be limited to medical students only, but would be expanded to cover the pharmacy and veterinary students.



First batch of three medical students of the five year project had already gone through the training.



Speaking, Mr James Aglah, General Manager, Multimedia Group, Kumasi, was full of praise for what he described as an honour by the KNUST to collaborate with us for such a great project.



He said the Group was poised to bring out science reporters to provide accurate information stressing our doors are always open for such developments.



On his part, Mr Ken Ansah, Operations Manager of the Multimedia Group, noted with concern how some media practitioners were employed just because of how they could speak or which communication institutions they attended.



It was time, he said, for the production of subject experts to speak to or write on issues, saying, Expert knowledge should be always valued.



He urged engineering and other students to take advantage of the collaboration to sharpen their reporting skills.



Out-going Vice Chancellor of the KNUST, Prof. Kwasi Obiri-Danso, noted a challenge to the academia when some media practitioners profess to be all-knowing to speak on every issues.



He said the collaboration would raise the importance of science reporting to improve on peoples health.



The out-going Vice Chancellor maintained that health news ,for instance, could misinform because of the way some journalists would interpret and report research findings.



He commended the Multimedia Group for the partnership to improve on science reporting.

Source: The Ghanaian Times









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

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RTHK: Philippine lawmakers deny top broadcaster new permit

Philippine lawmakers refused on Friday to issue a new operating licence for the country's broadcasting giant ABS-CBN, in the latest blow to media outlets critical of President Rodrigo Duterte's policies.

The lower house committee voted 70-11 to reject ABS-CBN's application for another 25-year franchise, after it was forced off the air in May over a stalled renewal of its previous licence, which Duterte had pledged to block.

The results of the vote - slammed by critics as an assault on press freedom - could potentially keep the radio, TV and internet giant from broadcasting until the end of Duterte's term in 2022.

ABS-CBN president Carlo Katigbak said the company was "deeply hurt" by the decision.

"We believe that we have been rendering service that is meaningful and valuable to the Filipino public," Katigbak said in a statement.

"We hope to find other ways to achieve our mission."

Hundreds of ABS-CBN employees, including some of its biggest stars, protested outside Congress on Friday in a last-ditch effort to convince lawmakers to vote in their favour.

About 11,000 jobs could be lost due to the shutdown, ABS-CBN said previously.

During more than a dozen hearings lasting over a hundred hours, Duterte allies alleged ABS-CBN's honorary chairman and top shareholder Eugenio Lopez was an American citizen which disqualified him from owning a Philippine media company.

They also accused the network of tax evasion, interfering in elections and abusing employees' rights.

ABS-CBN denies the allegations.

"Today's vote... is an astounding display of obsequious behaviour by Congressional representatives, kowtowing to Duterte by agreeing to seriously limit media freedom in the Philippines," Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.

The Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines said it was a "profoundly dark day for journalists" in the country.

Duterte had regularly targeted ABS-CBN with accusations that it had failed to air his ads during the 2016 presidential election despite accepting payment to do so.

It had appeared the media powerhouse would get its licence renewal after publicly apologising to the president earlier this year.

Duterte's spokesman Harry Roque said the committee's decision was the "sole prerogative of Congress".

"Much as we want to work with the aforesaid media network, we have to abide by the resolution of the House committee," he said.

ABS-CBN's broadcast news coverage had been watched by millions daily before regulators forced it off the air.

The network has challenged the order in the Supreme Court, arguing it curtailed freedom of speech guaranteed by the Philippine constitution. The court has not ruled on the case.

ABS-CBN is allowed to file a fresh licence application but its success would require members of Congress, whose terms expire in 2022, to change their minds.

Duterte is notorious for tangling with media outlets critical of his policies, including a drug war that has killed thousands.

Journalist Maria Ressa, an outspoken critic, faces up to six years in prison after she was convicted of cyber libel last month.

Her website Rappler is also battling a government closure effort. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2020-07-10. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-11 04:30:50|Editor: huaxia

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Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, speaks at the meeting on "Member States' Counter-Terrorism Priorities in the Post COVID-19 Environment" during the Virtual Counter-Terrorism Week, at the Chinese UN mission in New York, on July 10, 2020. Zhang Jun said Friday that it is of utmost importance to further promote multilateralism in counter-terrorism efforts, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. (Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, July 10 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy said Friday that it is of utmost importance to further promote multilateralism in counter-terrorism efforts, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Facts have proved that no country can stand alone in the face of pandemic situations, which also shows the growing threat from non-traditional security issues. We must redouble our efforts and enhance our responses," Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, said at the meeting on "Member States' Counter-Terrorism Priorities in the Post COVID-19 Environment" during the Virtual Counter-Terrorism Week.

"Terrorism knows no borders, and terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes threat to international peace and security. Double-standard should be avoided in fighting against terrorism," he said.

"We must strengthen, instead of weaken, our firm support for international mechanisms, and continue to support the UN to play a leading role in counter-terrorism," said the ambassador.

"Adhering to multilateralism, and strengthening international cooperation, is the only option for responding to the challenges. Strengthening counter-terrorism efforts must be a priority when we are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the UN," he added.

Speaking of the new approaches and ways in dealing with terrorism, Zhang said that facing the new and evolving challenges of terrorism, "we must be equipped with new tools, technologies and take more prompt actions in fighting terrorism."

"Terrorism will not stop due to the pandemic. On the contrary, it may even utilize and exploit the opportunity and gaps caused by COVID-19, to incite and advocate terrorist activities, to use cyberspace to spread extremism ideologies and poison our youth, etc.," he said.

"While the link between COVID-19 and terrorist activities needs further studies and analysis, we should keep high alert on the impact of the pandemic. The spread of the virus also reminds us of the low cost and disastrous impact of bio-terrorism," said the envoy.

"We should further strengthen the legal framework and actions, internationally, regionally and domestically, in all fronts of counter-terrorism. Utilization of information technology, intelligence sharing and judicial cooperation should be further enhanced," he added.

"Relevant international instruments, including relevant Security Council resolutions, should be strictly implemented. We welcome the recent adoption of Security Council Resolution 2532, concerning COVID-19, which will help strengthen the framework of counter-terrorism. Actions are needed to implement these resolutions," Zhang said.

The ambassador called on the international community to "enhance unity and solidarity in fighting terrorism, and strengthen capacity building."

"COVID-19 shows the urgent need for us to be united. Facing these challenges, no one is safe until everyone is safe. We need to build partnerships among all of us," he said.

"The social and economic conditions of some developing countries are very fragile, and have been greatly exacerbated by the pandemic, creating soil for the breeding and spread of terrorism," the envoy added.

"The UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) has implemented a large number of capacity-building projects with outstanding results. We hope that UNOCT will continue to strengthen its capacity-building projects in response to cyber terrorism, bio-terrorism, law enforcement cooperation, etc. Counter-terrorism in Africa should also be a priority," said Zhang.

"Cooperation with regional organizations, including the African Union, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the European Union, is extremely important. Promoting development and regional cooperation are highly encouraged, in response to the needs of member states to eradicate the root causes of terrorism," the ambassador noted.

Speaking of China's counter-terrorism efforts and its determination to continue international cooperation, the envoy said that China will continue to strengthen its political and financial support to the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism and the international counter-terrorism cooperation.

"Through the China-UN Peace and Development Fund, we have sponsored a couple of UNOCT's projects in Africa, and in major sporting events," he said.

"In the future, we will continue to vigorously support the work of the relevant UN counter-terrorism agencies, and to participate in the process of the review of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy," said the ambassador.

"We are committed to jointly advancing our common struggle against terrorism and the pandemic, to safeguard our common future for all," he noted.

On the U.S. accusation against China, the ambassador said that he first of all rejected the accusation.

"Terrorism is our common enemy. There is no such difference between so-called good or bad terrorists," he said.

"Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region suffers deeply from terrorism and violent extremism. To address these threats, Xinjiang has taken a series of preventive counter-terrorism and de-radicalization measures, which is in line with the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and the Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism. These measures are widely supported and have yielded good results. Xinjiang has not seen a single terror incident in the past three years," said Zhang.

"China is firmly opposed to the practice of politicization and double-standard in counter-terrorism. We urge the U.S. to stop such actions and stop interfering in China's internal affairs," the envoy noted. Enditem
The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the BJP on Friday demanded security for political workers of different parties who are facing threats, asserting that they are upholding democracy in the union territory.

It said sarpanches and heads of local bodies should also be provided with the security cover as Pakistan wants to destroy the democratic process in Jammu and Kashmir.

"It is very important to provide security to all the active political workers of all the political parties -- be it the NC, the PDP, the Congress or the BJP -- who have threat perception, BJP's Jammu and Kashmir unit president Ravinder Raina said here.

Those who participate in the democratic process make the democracy and law of the land stronger," he added.

Raina was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function at the party headquarters here.

The BJP leader paid tributes to party leader Wasim Bari who was killed by militants in Bandipora district along with his brother and father on Wednesday.

READ: Attack on BJP leader Waseem Bari 'pre-planned' by LeT, says IGP Kashmir

These killings took place on the directions of Pakistan. Pakistan has killed innocent people in Kashmir. It is responsible for the killing of over one lakh people in Jammu and Kashmir in the last 30-35 years," he said.

Raina said Pakistan and militants have sinned by carrying out these killings and they will have to pay for it.

"Pakistan, terrorists and separatists have become frustrated because of the increasing number of people in the valley associating themselves with the BJP and so they are killing people. "Lashkar (e-Toiba), Jaish (e-Mohammad) and Hizbul (Mujahideen) have vowed to destroy Kashmir, and Pakistan wants to make Kashmir a graveyard and shed blood here, but we will not allow it to succeed in its plans. The people of JK are Indians by heart, they are nationalists and I salute them for keeping the national flag flying here," he said.

Meanwhile, All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference president Anil Sharma also demanded security for political workers, especially for the panchayat members, in the union territory.

"We appeal the Prime Minister and the Home Minister to provide security to our people (panchayat members) so that they can work freely at the ground level because it is the Panchayat Raj Institutions which are working at the grass-roots level in the absence of the assembly," Sharma told reporters here.
The Far Side cartoonist Gary Larson released his first new work in 25 years Tuesday, posting three cartoons to his website and revealing his digital debut.

Larson, 69, retired in 1995 citing deadline exhaustion but fans have still clamored for more ever since.

A website was launched just last year that republished selections from The Far Side classics but Tuesday's reveals are the first new cartoons to emerge in more than two decades.

Larson wrote on the site that the latest creations are a result of him 'having fun drawing again' after he discovered making cartoons using digital tools.

The Far Side cartoonist Gary Larson released his first new work in 25 years Tuesday, pictured above, on a website created to display his older work that launched last December

Larson, 69, retired in 1995 and fans have been hungry for new cartoons ever since

In a new section of the site named 'The New Stuff', Larson warns 'Enter if you dare' as he explains his unexpected return.

'The thing is, I thoroughly enjoyed my career as a syndicated cartoonist, and I hope, in spirit at least, we had some laughs together' he wrote.

'But after fifteen years of meeting deadlines, well, blah blah blah  you know the rest. The day after I retired from syndication, it felt good not to draw on a deadline. And after moving on to other interests, drawing just wasnt on my to-do list. Things change.'

The cartoonist then explains that he still kept creating cartoons but only for an annual Christmas card to his wife for which he generally used his traditional pen.

'Once a year, Id sit myself down to take on Santa, and every year it began with the same ritual: me cursing at, and then cleaning out, my clogged pen,' he said.

'So a few years agofinally fed up with my once-loyal but now reliably traitorous penI decided to try a digital tablet.'

Larson said that though a struggle to get accustomed to, the transition to a digital method and the new tools offered sparked his interest in drawing again and made him want to learn more.

'I simply had no idea how far these things had evolved. Perhaps fittingly, the first thing I drew was a caveman,' he joked.

'The New Stuff that youll see here is the result of my journey into the world of digital art,' Larson then explained.

'Believe me, this has been a bit of a learning curve for me. I hail from a world of pen and ink, and suddenly I was feeling like I was sitting at the controls of a 747.

Gary Larson, pictured above in 1985, said that he rediscovered a love of drawing cartoons when a clogged pen drove him to take up digital tools and discover a new method

Larson's work with The Far Side has featured in nearly 2,000 newspapers and 40 million books across the world. Pictured, his cartoons at the Museum of Natural History in New York

'But as overwhelmed as I was, there was still something familiar therea sense of adventure.

'So here goes. Ive got my coffee, Ive got this cool gizmo, and Ive got no deadlines.'

He warned fans, however, that this is not the return of The Far Side but a place for him to begin 'exploring, experimenting, and trying stuff'.

The first three new cartoons depict four bears picnicking on Cub Scouts, a man hailing a taxidermist and two aliens out hunting and planning a 'probe and release' of a man approaching in a truck.

They are also rendered in a painterly style instead of his familiar line art but still feature Larsen's signature humor.

His return has been heralded by fans and other cartoonists eager to see Larson's latest creations in the digital age.

'Hes back! We missed you Gary Larson,' tweeted Liniers, otherwise known as Argentinian cartoonist Ricardo Siri, who created a carton to welcome his return.

Pictured, select covers from The Far Side in the 1980s. The cartoons ran from 1980 until their creator Gary Larson decided to retire in 1995, citing deadline exhaustion

The return of new cartoons from Larson has been welcomes by fans. Pictured, a 1980s cartoon

Liniers told the Washington Post that Larson was a 'huge influence in my work'.

The daily The Far Side features ran from 1980 until Larson's retirement in 1995.

The single-panel cartoon first appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle before growing to feature in nearly 2,000 newspapers and 40 million book, according to CNN.

With his work, Larson has sold 77 million calendars and been translated into more than 17 languages.

The Far Side website launched just last December and drew in more than a million visitors in its first week, according to the Washington Post, showing the extent to which Larson's fans were still eager see his work.

Despite just displaying already published work, in May the site won a Peoples Voice Webby award for best humor site.

'The Far Sides millions of fans have been loyally faithfully reading Garys old work for years while eternally hoping that someday he would reemerge,' Andy Sareyan, chief executive of Andrews McMeel, the distributor of the site, told The Washington Post.

'With all the madness in the news these days, the timing of Garys absurdist view and comic relief just couldnt be better.'
When did you first see a police officer on TV? What did they look like? My first memory of seeing an officer on the small screen was when I was a toddler. It was Mr Plod, in Enid Blytons Noddys Toyland Adventures.

Mr Plod has a round face, rosy cheeks and a button nose, and spends his time putting wayward citizens of Toyland in jail. At roughly age three, I doubt I knew much about the police or prisons, but the BBCs Noddy taught me that jail is somewhere that bad people go. In one episode, Mr Plod in Jail, Mr Plod inadvertently locks himself in his own jail cell and is rapidly driven to an existential crisis, singing: I was bad, very bad  ask me how I know. I wound up where only truly awful people go.

Images of police and prisons are deeply embedded in pop culture, and the police PR machine, as American civil rights leader Rashad Robinson calls it, starts in childhood. After the murder of George Floyd at the hands of US police and the global protest that followed, anti-racist audiences simultaneously turned their attention to representations of the police in the media. Last week, Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Andy Samberg told fans of the US cop comedy that the creators are taking a step back before the shows eighth season to work out how they can make a show about police that they feel morally OK about. The other shows that came under scrutiny spanned all types and audiences, from COPS, the reality show that ran for 32 years and was cancelled amid protests about Floyds death, to Paw Patrol, a CGI animated kids show about six police puppies, who fight crime in the fictional Adventure Bay community. Antiracists criticised these shows, also dubbed copaganda, as glamorising and sensationalising policing, as well as misleading the general public with regards to how the criminal punishment system actually works.

On our screens, we are shown the badass variety of police aplenty  from Luther, to Law & Order, to Line of Duty. These officers are often presented as dominant, heroic agents of justice, who catch bad guys and lock them away. Then there are the more insidious portrayals, which present the police as soft and cuddly, or as Tom Scharpling, who produced four seasons of the San Francisco-set private detective show Monk, described as lovable goofball[s]. Often these goofballs, much like Mr Plod, are a little incompetent, but we are supposed to adore them for it. They can come in the form of satire, like the protagonists in Scot Squad, The Thin Blue Line or Feel the Force. In Brooklyn Nine-Nine, the overly serious Captain Raymond Holt is juxtaposed against a team of officers who are carefree, childish, or laughably bad at their jobs. Meanwhile, in The Simpsons, Officer Wiggum spends most of his time watching cartoons and snacking on doughnuts. And 21 Jump Street and police-parody Hot Fuzz both see pairs of white men bond through awkward slapstick japes as they attempt to put people in handcuffs.

The crimes and proceedings in police comedies are often silly; in Hot Fuzz, theres a swan chase, meanwhile in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, our protagonist Jake Peralta makes suspects sing the Backstreet Boys in a line-up. These portrayals also find humour in the relative mundanity of policing  in 21 Jump Street, Jenko remarks that he thought this job would have more car chases and explosions and s***. In moments like this, police comedies actually expose the myth created by their drama-counterparts like COPS  that over 90 per cent of police callouts look nothing like the action-packed climaxes we see on TV. The punchline lies in the fact that much of policing is actually boring and bureaucratic.

Even police themselves admit this to be true  last year, Olivia Pinkney, Chief Constable of Hampshire Constabulary, remarked on the popular British police show Line of Duty. Its lauded for being great telly, she told The Daily Telegraph. I wouldnt say its lauded for being accurate. Its nothing like what we do, not at all, far from it. Prison abolitionist Mariame Kaba elaborated on this idea in an essay for The New York Times last month: Police officers dont do what you think they do. They spend most of their time responding to noise complaints, issuing parking and traffic citations, and dealing with other noncriminal issues. Whats more, they dont do it as effectively as were led to believe: in England and Wales only 9 per cent of crimes see suspects charged or summonsed. Yet many of our biggest hitting crime dramas like Luther, Sherlock and Line of Duty would lead you to believe that the police spend most of their time solving murders.

The four officers charged with the killing of George Floyd (Reuters)

On the flipside, Kaba has pointed out that in the cases where the police arent doing too little, they are doing far, far too much. As we have seen time and time again in candid footage on our feeds, it is evident how quickly police can escalate mundane situations, in ways that disproportionately hurt black people. A stop and search becomes a distressing scene where a mother ends up in handcuffs, or a reported counterfeit bill becomes a murder. But racialised violence is largely absent from police narratives on screen. Particularly in the case of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, we see a diverse police department tackling perpetrators who are overwhelmingly white; and officers only solve murders, they do not commit them. In comedies, humour often serves to obscure how the police disproportionately punish people of colour. Take Brooklyn Nine-Nine  in its second season, a task force is set up to take a new designer drug named Giggle Pig off the streets of New York. As Vulture reporter Harry Waksberg points out: Giggle Pig is a cute name for cops to say in real life, of course, police making nonviolent drug arrests has led to the systematic and genocidal destruction of communities of colour.

If, like me, you were presented with images of police and prisons from before you could talk, it might seem impossible that a world could exist without them. But dismantling the polices stronghold on our collective psyche means dismantling the pop culture that has for so long portrayed them as a positive, non-violent societal force. As the Color of Changes report on policing on TV suggests: if police are to be portrayed on screen, firstly, there should be people of colour in the writers room, and people who have been on the receiving end of the criminal punishment should be consulted. Secondly, the realities of policing should be made transparent to viewers  this means getting rid of both the badass car chases and explosions, and the socially awkward antics of buddy cop duos.

In its coming season, Im intrigued to see how Brooklyn Nine-Nine will attempt to redeem itself from the police PR-machine  although my suspicion is that it cannot. Nonetheless, one day, I hope that we will look back on both our crime-fighting heroes and our lovable goofballs as insidious archetypes of a bygone era.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 22:26:58|Editor: huaxia

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BANGKOK, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's Ministry of Commerce said on Friday that it is urging government leaders to allow nine border checkpoints to reopen, as border trade has fallen nearly 10 percent amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, the Thai government had instructed that Thailand's borders be shut to prevent influx of illegal migrants, of which some may be carrying the virus.

Border trade from January to May has been recorded at 524.35 billion baht (16.75 billion U.S. dollars), falling 9.71 percent from the same period of last year, said the Ministry's Department of Foreign Trade.

Exports totaled 305.72 billion baht (9.76 billion U.S. dollars) while imports were at 218.632 billion baht (6.985 billion U.S. dollars), a drop of 9.03 percent and 10.65 percent respectively.

The resulting trade surplus was at 87.093 billion baht (2.78 billion U.S. dollars), said the department's director-general Keerati Rushchano.

The department head said that Malaysia was Thailand's top partner in border trade from January to May, followed by Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia.

However on the global scale, China remains Thailand's top partner with trade rising 15.74 percent to 90.740 billion baht (2.9 billion U.S. dollars), followed by Singapore.

Thailand has a total of 97 checkpoints, but only 28 remain open during the pandemic. Enditem
An ambitious turnaround plan at the Oregon Employment Department intended to finally break the logjam of 70,000 unprocessed unemployment claims got off to a shaky start.

The departments beefed up staff managed to process about 9,000 claims in its first two weeks, about 30% shy of its goal.

Nevertheless, David Gerstenfeld, the departments interim director, vowed Wednesday that the department will meet its goal of processing the remaining 60,000 claims by Aug. 8. The agencys day of reckoning is now less than a month away.

The process is taking longer than we thought, Gerstenfeld said in a press briefing. Everything continues to be remarkably challenging.

Its been one thing after another for the department this year. It was swamped with unemployment claims after the pandemic caused the economy to tank. More than 243,000 people lost their jobs.

The departments ancient computer system couldnt cope. Neither could the phone system, which saw incoming calls soar from about 15,000 in a normal month to 20 million in April.

And now, seven employees have been diagnosed with COVID-19, five of them in the last week, Gerstenfeld said at the Wednesday briefing.

The employment department became the butt of jokes about hapless bureaucrats. But there was nothing funny about desperate Oregonians trying to feed their families and stay in their homes. The lucky ones waited weeks. Others waited months. About 60,000 have yet to receive a dime.

This latter category are primarily self-employed Oregonians and gig workers who for the first time were encouraged to apply for the benefits. They applied under a new program called Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, known as PUA.

While the department has managed to process 99% of the 495,600 regular unemployment claims, Gerstenfeld said the PUA process proved a more difficult problem. Created by the federal CARES Act, the PUA was aimed at people who are typically excluded from receiving unemployment benefits.

Agency officials said the department had to set up an entirely new, largely manual process for the new program. Despite efforts to streamline and speed up the process, about 60,000 of the 97,000 PUA claims received remain mired in the bureaucratic ooze.

Gerstenfeld launched FOCUS PUA on June 19 with the express goal being to eliminate the backlog by Aug.8. His strategy in part was to bring on as many new bodies as possible. The agency went from 355 workers in March to 1,047 now. And Gerstenfeld hopes to hire another 500.

The coronavirus could complicate those expansion plans. Some of those newly hired have complained of cramped quarters that dont allow for proper social distancing.

Officials said the five new cases are not a classic outbreak with workers in close proximity spreading the virus among themselves. Four of the worked in separate buildings, said agency spokeswoman Ariane LeChevallier.

State officials can only hope that the next month goes better than the first two weeks of the turnaround plan. During the first week, the department processed 4,368 PUA claims. Its goal was 5,000. In the second, staffers managed to process 4,630, well short of the 7,500-weekly goal.
A 34-year-old Carbon County woman was held Thursday night in lieu of $50,000 bail five months after selling seven grams of methamphetamine in a sale monitored by Bethlehem police, court papers say.

Police had gotten a tip in February that Lauren was selling meth and that the tipster could call and order an amount, police said.

The deal was arranged for the night of Feb. 10 at a gas station in the 400 block of East Fourth Street in Bethlehem, police said. Lauren Bree Sampson, of the 500 block of Blue Mountain Road in East Penn Township outside Lehighton, arrived in a blue Honda Civic registered to her and sold the meth for $325 that had been provided by police, according to court records.

Sampson was subsequently taken into custody and found to have the prerecorded money from police as well as more meth, a silver digital scale and a pipe, police said.

The meth field-tested positive, police said.

Police wouldnt say on Friday morning why Sampson wasnt immediately charged.

Court papers say counts of delivery and possession of meth and possession of drug paraphernalia were filed Monday and Sampson was arraigned Thursday before District Judge Robert Weber.

Sampson was held in Northampton County Prison in lieu of bail pending a preliminary hearing tentatively scheduled 9 a.m. July 20 in District Judge Nancy Matos Gonzalezs court in South Bethlehem, records show.

After being read her rights, Sampson admitted to police to having sold the meth, court papers say.

Court papers did not immediately list an attorney for Sampson.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting lehighvalleylive.com with a voluntary subscription.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com.
Iraqi president censures Turkish 'military violation' of Iraqi soil

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 09 July 2020 8:53 AM

Iraqi President Barham Salih has censured Turkey's ongoing cross-border operation in the Arab country's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region against hideouts of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militant group, describing the offensive as a "military violation" of Iraqi soil.

Addressing a number of Arab countries' ambassadors to Iraq, Salih said Iraq was determined to maintain its sovereignty and "reiterated that Turkey has to suspend its military violations on the Iraqi soil," according to a statement issued by his office.

The Turkish military launched its ground campaign, dubbed Claw-Tiger Operation, against PKK positions in the Qandil Mountains as well as Sinjar and Makhmur districts of northern Iraq on June 17. Ankara had begun an aerial campaign in Iraq two days earlier.

The PKK militants regularly clash with Turkish forces in the Kurdish-dominated southeast of Turkey attached to northern Iraq.

A shaky ceasefire between the PKK and the Turkish government collapsed in July 2015. Attacks on Turkish security forces have soared ever since.

Turkish ground and air forces frequently carry out operations against PKK positions in the country as well as in northern Iraq and neighboring Syria.

More than 40,000 people have been killed during the three-decade conflict between Turkey and the autonomy-seeking militant group.

Iraqi top officials, including Salih, have repeatedly called on Ankara to suspend the offensive against the Arab country.

On Saturday, Iraq's Foreign Ministry summoned Turkish Ambassador to Baghdad Fatih Yildiz to protest attacks by the Turkish forces on Iraqi lands.

The Iraqi cabinet's spokesman Ahmed Mulla Talal said in a statement on Saturday that Turkish Ambassador to Baghdad Fatih Yildiz had received two official letters of protest, with strong tone, regarding the offensive.

The spokesman warned that his country will use the international law and covenants to establish the right of Iraq to reject and stop these attacks.

Last week, Iraq threatened to cut off its trade ties with Turkey in protest at Ankara's ongoing cross-border operation.

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As COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to surge in Texas, former U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke said in tweet Thursday that the state should issue another stay-at-home order to help contain the spread of the virus.

On Thursday, the Texas Department of State Health Services reported 105 new COVID-19 deaths, a new single-day record. It's the third-straight day the state has set a new high mark, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

The data also shows the state's positivity rate is at an all-time high at 15.56 percent, and there's a record-high 9,689 hospitalizations.

O'Rourke's tweet was in response to a tweet from a Bloomberg reporter, who gave details about the Lone Star State's COVID-19 data. The politician tweeted that the Corpus Christi morgue is "out of space" and that the Rio Grande Valley is running out of nurses. He also said the cases, hospitalizations and deaths are "out of control" in El Paso, Dallas, Austin and San Antonio.

Last week, Valley officials said patients outnumbered the medical staff, according to a report on Valleycentral.com. In Nueces County, the medical examiner's office told county officials it needed more morgue trailers.

On Thursday, the death toll grew by 19 in San Antonio and Bexar County with 954 new cases.

As things worsen in Texas, O'Rourke said in his tweet the state is not "out of options" and can turn things around by issuing a stay-at-home order. He also tweeted his support for a vote-by-mail option in Texas. Under existing law, mail-in ballots are available only if voters are 65 or older, cite a disability or illness, will be out of the county during the election period or are confined in jail, according to votetexas.gov.

RELATED: Beto ORourke calls Gov. Abbotts response to COVID-19 'pathetic'

O'Rourke has been vocal about his thoughts on the COVID-19 surge in Texas, tweeting on Monday that Gov. Greg Abbott's response to the pandemic has been "pathetic" and called for him to "resign."

In Texas, the state has more than 240,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Priscilla Aguirre is a general assignment reporter for MySA.com | priscilla.aguirre@express-news.net | @CillaAguirre
The Chinese embassy in Kazakhstan has issued a warning about an unknown pneumonia sweeping through the central Asian country after more than 600 people died of pneumonia in June.

In an advisory issued for its citizens living in the former Soviet Bloc country, the Chinese embassy said the new disease has a fatality rate much higher than Covid-19.

Kazakhstan borders northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

Also Watch | Covid death risk higher in elderly, men; Brazil press body sues Bolsonaro

The unknown pneumonia in Kazakhstan caused 1,772 deaths in the first six months of the year, including 628 people in June alone, including Chinese citizens, the embassy said in a statement on its WeChat platform on Thursday.

The fatality rate of the disease is much higher than Covid-19, read the embassys statement.

It wasnt immediately clear if Chinese officials had more information about the pneumonia or any specific reason to call it unknown: Kazakh media have only said it is pneumonia.

Also Read: Kazakhstan denies Chinese reports of pneumonia deadlier than coronavirus

It was also not known if the WHO had been informed about the unknown pneumonia.

The Chinese embassy in Kazakhstan reminds Chinese nationals here to be aware of the situation and step up prevention to lower the infection risks, the embassy statement said.

According to Chinese state media, Kazakhstans healthcare minister said on Wednesday that the number of patients sickened by the pneumonia is two to three times more than those who have been infected with Covid-19.

The country implemented a lockdown on March 16 to contain the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic; restrictions were lifted in May but reimposed following an increase in cases.

President Kassim-Jomart Tokayev has said the country could be facing a second wave of infections.

Kazakhstans President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, according to the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post, said in a televised address on Wednesday that the situation was still serious, and it was too early to relax restrictions.

He added the country was in fact facing the second coronavirus wave coupled with a huge uptick in pneumonia cases.

Saule Kisikova, the health care department chief in the capital Nur-Sultan, told the news agency Kazinform: Some 300 people diagnosed with pneumonia are being hospitalised every day.

China, according to a Reuters report, is a major investor in oil- and metals-rich Kazakhstan and is one of the main markets for its exports, dominated by commodities. Kazakhstan also makes money from Chinese goods carried across its territory to Europe.

The Kazakhstans foreign ministry had summoned the Chinese ambassador in April to protest over an article on a Chinese website saying the country was keen to become part of China, the ministry said.

It was a rare move as the two countries avoid criticising each other.

It was during a lecture at a university in Kazakhstan that President Xi Jinping had first talked about the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), his ambitious inter-continental connectivity project, in 2013.
(Newser)  Florida man Mark Grenon and his family sold thousands of bottles of a "miracle cure" through their "non-religious church," Genesis II Church of Health and Healing. A more apt name might have been the Church of Drinking Bleach. Grenon and his three sons, Jonathan, Joseph, and Jordan, were charged Wednesday with conspiracy to defraud the United States and deliver misbranded drugs, the Washington Post reports. Prosecutors say their "Miracle Mineral Solution," which they claimed could cure COVID-19, cancer, and many other illnesses, is a toxic bleach solution that has sickened and killed users. Investigators say Grenon made $500,000 from MMS sales in 2019 alone, and profits soared in March this year when the "church" claimed it was also an effective coronavirus treatment.

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Buyers would receive small bottles of MMS in return for a $40 "donation" to the church. "Not only is this MMS product toxic, but its distribution and use may prevent those who are sick from receiving the legitimate healthcare they need," Ariana Fajardo Orshan, US attorney for the Southern District of Florida, said in a statement, per USA Today. "Making claims that unproven drugs, especially potentially dangerous and unapproved chlorine dioxide products, can cure or prevent COVID-19 or any other disease is unacceptable." In April, Grenon said he wrote to President Trump about the healing powers of bleach after the president suggested it could be a coronavirus treatment. The four men are also charged with criminal contempt for ignoring a preliminary injunction in April blocking them from selling MMS. (Read more coronavirus stories.)
LONDON  As Britain says goodbye to the European Union, the government of Prime Minister Boris Johnson is making a sudden swerve into space. On Friday, a federal bankruptcy judge in New York approved an arrangement under which Britain will become an owner of a company that wants to use satellites to connect customers in remote parts of the world to the internet.

Britain has agreed to pay $500 million for a 45 percent stake in OneWeb, a London company that has launched dozens of satellites orbiting Earth but filed for bankruptcy this year. Bharti Airtel, a telecom company based in India with more than 400 million subscribers, is also taking a 45 percent stake, and other investors may be brought in.

Britain wants to get into a new satellite network because its decision to leave the European Union meant it severed its connection to the European navigation satellite system, called Galileo. Britain, which had invested 1.4 billion pounds in Galileo, is unlikely to be able to use those satellites for strategic purposes, from guiding missiles to steering warships at sea.

With OneWeb, Britain could eventually have access to satellites for military purposes but also take advantage of the companys technology to beam high-speed internet service to remote parts of the country. Being part-owner of a satellite company would also give Britain a larger piece of the space business, which the government says is growing 60 percent a year and supports 300 billion in economic activity in Britain.
At the same time, outbreaks in Melbourne continued to grow. In the last week of June, the number of cases in Victoria started to rapidly increase from the mid-teens to almost 50 by June 28 with cases linked to several different outbreaks around the city. Police stop and question drivers at the NSW-Victorian border. Credit:Getty Images Along the state border, communities were also worried as school holidays brought hordes of tourists into town - some of them potentially carrying the coronavirus. Sue Harrison, a rural GP and board member of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine, works in Echuca on the Victorian side of the Murray River. She says she has been concerned about what holiday-makers may be bringing with them. "We're quite a popular holiday destination, but obviously as the numbers [of cases in Victoria] crept up over the last two weeks that's been making everyone that much more anxious," she says. "Our concern is people visiting from Melbourne who are perhaps more likely to have coronavirus infections and then perhaps leaving some [of that virus] behind."

By the early days of July, Berejiklian was in constant discussions with NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant, Police Commissioner Mick Fuller and several senior ministers, workshopping what a potential hard border would look like. Questions were being asked about how exactly it would be policed and the number of entries between the states. By Sunday evening, select government and departmental figures had been put on alert that a closure was imminent. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announcing the border closure on Monday. Credit:Simon Schluter Regional MPs along the state's southern border had already been raising concerns for weeks as the ski season began and the school holidays loomed. Victoria's community transmission was continuing to accelerate and several cases were being detected close to the border. Less than a week after reaching 50-odd daily cases, by July 4 the number of daily confirmed cases began surpassing 100. Six days later that figure would reach 288, the highest new daily total Australia had seen since the start of the pandemic.

"The Premier really did not want to go down this path unless things escalated  as things got worse in Melbourne the panic hit. The weekend came, there were more than 100 cases and by Sunday it looked inevitable," a government MP says. Loading A coronavirus scare at a Balmain Woolworths, where a worker returning from hotel quarantine in Melbourne tested positive for COVID-19, "sharpened everyone's awareness that mistakes couldn't be afforded," according to a government source. Of particular concern to Chant was the increase in cases outside Melbourne's 10 hotspot areas. "It came to a situation where the next prudent step was to close the borders," Dr Chant told the Herald.

Risk becomes 'extremely high' Chant picked up the phone just after 8am on Monday, alerting NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard that NSW's best option would be to pull the pin on Victoria and establish a hard border. It is understood she spoke to Berejiklian soon after. Later that morning, the two premiers were on the line with Prime Minister Scott Morrison, and Berejiklian outlined her case for NSW to cut itself off from its southern neighbour. With community transmission escalating and a Melbourne lockdown likely just a day away, it was agreed NSW would control how it was policed. Health workers from across the country had already been diverted to help contact trace the ever-accelerating coronavirus cases, while NSW pathology labs were already processing Victorian tests. Having spent weeks prosecuting the case for open borders, Berejiklian left it to Andrews to make the announcement later that morning. While some in NSW believe Berejiklian wanted Andrews to own the call by announcing it, a Victorian government source said the simple fact his press conference was scheduled first meant he took the lead.

Just after 10.45am, as Victoria reached a then-record daily high of 127 new cases and one death, Andrews announced the border would shut at 12.01 on Wednesday morning. "We have  all of us  agreed that the best thing to do is to close the border," he said. Speaking later that day, Berejiklian said all Melburnians would also be banned from entering the state 24 hours before the state border closure kicked in. "What is occurring in Victoria has not yet occurred anywhere else in Australia and it's a new part of the pandemic, and as such it requires a new type of response," she said.

It is understood, for his part, Morrison left much of the final decision-making to the two premiers and their health experts. Loading As late as June 30, he had blasted Queensland and Victoria for their border closures, but had more recently been at pains not to be perceived as criticising Andrews and his government's handling of the emerging crisis. Coalition MPs have been warned not to use the spot fire in Melbourne to fuel political attacks on Labor, however, there are lingering frustrations over Victoria's initial apprehension to accept federal assistance. "Saying no to the ADF was a huge f----up," a federal MP says, adding that many coalition colleagues weren't happy with the way Andrews had handled the outbreak.

However, there remains a consensus that not much will be gained from slinging mud at a specific state as its neighbours nervously wait for their own potential outbreak. On Tuesday, daily Victorian cases reached a new record of 191. Andrews announced the whole of metropolitan Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire would re-enter lockdown, starting at the same time as the border closure. "These are unsustainably high numbers of new cases," Premier Andrews said. "We know we're on the cusp of something very, very bad if we don't take these steps today." People raced to cross the border before the lockdown came into effect, and by Wednesday morning NSW Police had processed 50,000 permits allowing travellers to enter NSW. That morning, Berejiklian was stark in her warnings saying the probability of COVID-19 entering NSW from Victoria was "extremely high".

"We can control things on our side of the border, we can't control things on that side of the border," she said. Telling people in border towns not to travel, the Premier flagged those requests would likely become mandatory and the government would consider implementing a second border checkpoint north of Albury or tightening the permit system if the current controls were not enough. "If we find that the bubble we have created on the border doesn't work and we feel it's too high-risk, we will definitely need to take further action," she said. "Everybody should be on notice." She also pre-empted small changes that might be made to health orders around "some types of gatherings", and said the government was considering making hotel quarantine mandatory for NSW residents returning from Victoria.

Some positive signs But by Thursday, the government's permit system was seemingly running smoothly, and despite an airport bungle where passengers from a Jetstar flight from Melbourne were not screened at the gate, and almost 50 passengers were able to leave the airport unchecked, the aviation systems were seen to be effective. A government source adds that Wednesday's "fire and brimstone" rhetoric from Berejiklian was in part aimed at slapping NSW back into the reality that it was on the precipice of another outbreak. Through June, Berejiklian had noticed, and people had told her, that Sydney was easing back into complacency, that "people didn't care anymore," as the nation reported single-digit daily COVID-19 cases. "The community had been jolted a bit and prepared," they say of her Wednesday press conference.

While still warning the community to be on "high alert", the Premier on Thursday said she was heartened by the hundreds of people in Albury, Merimbula and Tathra who had been getting tested and did not think NSW would have to consider going back into lockdown or further border measures. "We're monitoring the situation a number of times a day. And because of that high rate of continued testing and the very low rate of community transmission, the NSW government isn't going to make any changes now," she said. "We just need to confirm in the next few weeks that the level of seeding hasn't occurred, and so far the signs are positive, but we won't know for sure for a couple of weeks." Infectious diseases expert Professor Mary-Louise McLaws says Berejiklian may have changed her rhetoric because Victorian authorities had been able to track the source of most of the cases and outbreaks. "That would suggest then that they've put in place enough containment," she says. "Plus the announcement now that they're supporting public mask use in areas where the public can't keep their distance, it may have alleviated the Premier's anxiety about a wider-spread community outbreak in Melbourne."

A second Sydney lockdown or a wake-up call? While many within cabinet are adamant they're all on the same page when it comes to the virus - backing the Premier and the health advice to the hilt - some may push back at the notion of a second lockdown if transmission begins to rise in Sydney. After speaking with Hazzard in early July, the Treasurer Dominic Perrottet agreed that the best course of action was to deal with a border closure, rather than the catastrophic health and economic consequences of a potential second wave in Sydney. However, it is understood Perrottet is adamant that Sydney should not return to lockdown, having spent more than $2 billion bolstering the state's health sector to withstand more coronavirus cases. Nevertheless on Friday, with 288 cases confirmed in Victoria and two "troubling" cases of community transmission detected in NSW, including one man who had driven his caravan from Melbourne to a caravan park in the Sutherland Shire tested positive, Hazzard said "everything is on the table" when it came to stopping the spread of COVID-19.

"There are a lot of things under active consideration at this time," Hazzard said, while declining to outline what options were being considered. Asked whether Sydney was gearing up for the possibility of a second lockdown, a government MP said: "We're not floating along, it's not 'let's wait and see,' there is a proactive approach and strategy in place," they say. Dr Harrison says the border lockdown and particularly the hard lockdown of greater Melbourne is a relief. While Echuca's healthcare workers are well trained, the worry is how the local hospital would cope with a large number of cases. "It was always going to be a risk in the school holidays, with the number of visitors we have to the area," she says. With community complacency "creeping in", on Thursday Chant asked NSW residents to be extra vigilant "over this next two-to-four week period".

Loading "Now is not the time to second guess whether you've got COVID-symptoms, now is the time to come forward and get tested," she said. "This will be the single most critical step in us detecting chains of transmission in the community as early as possible." Epidemiologist McLaws says to boost our chances of avoiding a Melbourne scenario, people needed to adhere to social distancing and hygiene measures while NSW Health should work to eliminate the virus from the state. "The whole of Melbourne has been a wake-up call for Sydney," she says. "It's distressing for those that are under restrictions, but it's also distressing for people in Sydney to see this," she says. "This is a wake-up call for all of us to be mindful that our behaviour impacts on others."
Plaintiff Allison Scollar discusses her Scollar v. City of New York Case and police accountability.

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / July 9, 2020 / Allison Scollar recently spoke about her case versus the City of New York for the first time. The case dates back roughly seven years and involves a child custody battle between Allison Scollar, the adoptive mother of the child, and Brook Altman, the birth mother. However, the case leads beyond Scollar and Altman to the rogue New York City Police Officer Regina DeBellis, who used her authority as a police officer to repeatedly harass Scollar and her child.

The plaintiff Allison Scollar stated that the police officer took numerous actions to help Brook Altman with her case, including forcefully entering the home of Scollar with her hand on her gun and without a warrant. Allison Scollar had no choice but to let this officer inside every time the officer harassed her. According to Allison Scollar, her first interaction with DeBellis was when DeBellis contacted her via cell phone in 2013. During this phone call, the officer stated that the plaintiff was a neglectful parent and that the Administration for Children's Services (ACS) had been called. Allison Scollar explained that the ACS determined the child was not at risk the very same day.

Allison Scollar explained that despite the determination of the ACS, DeBellis and two additional officers knocked on her door and stated they did not need a warrant to enter. Allison Scollar was forced to let them enter, and she was interrogated for nearly two hours. Scollar explained that the officer continued making false claims to the ACS and a family court judge following the incident. The officer, Regina DeBellis, is in a romantic relationship with the child's birth mother, Brook Altman.

In Allison Scollar's lawsuit, she claimed six violations DeBellis and the City of New York made. The plaintiff explained that Debellis would enter her apartment, with her gun, whenever she felt like entering. Allison Scollar was forced to live in fear, not knowing when an officer would arrive and unlawfully enter her home. On July 2, 2013, the judge issued an order that DeBellis could not enter Scollar's house without the proper legal channels (a warrant). Debellis entered again, without a warrant, in July. This officer took it upon herself to ignore mandates, and her superiors simply looked the other way.

Story continues

Scollar explained that the only thing she could do to stop the intrusions was to file a lawsuit against the City of New York. Allison Scollar explained that her numerous complaints to the precinct and other attempts to solve the issue without lawsuit were ignored. That's why she added that her case was also about police accountability. At her deposition, the police officer in Scollar's case claimed that she was actually promoted after the complaints were filed. Additionally, Ms. Debellis called the judge in her custody case to rant about the decision awarding Scollar custody. Not only was Debellis an irresponsible police officer, the police department as a whole did nothing to stop her horrific actions. It took more than seven years to fight this battle in the court system, because the police department continuously dragged its feet and showed no concern for Scollar's case.

Finally, so many years later, the case has been settled with the City of New York acknowledging their wrong doing. Scollar stated that she can finally speak out about these events, after years of battling with the court system over this rogue officer. It was stated that the city failed to restrain DeBellis, even after the plaintiff, the child's lawyer, the ACS, and the child's therapist lodged numerous complaints. Allison Scollar hopes her case will serve as a precedent for others and that police officers will think twice before using their power to cause emotional distress on innocent families.

Allison Scollar explained that she's not speaking out solely about her case. She's speaking out against all officers who act wrongfully against anyone, including African Americans, homosexuals, the disenfranchised, and immigrants. Officers use their authority to commit wrongdoings every day, and their superiors simply look the other way. She explained that if she was not a white woman with the means to fight this battle for years, she would never have the closure she has today. The thousands of Americans who cannot fight these battles are oppressed by law enforcement officers and have no opportunity to defend themselves or find closure. Nobody holds police officers accountable in the United States, and because of that, police officers repeatedly abuse their power.

"The commissioner ignored the pleas of the ACS, the therapist, and lawyer for the child, and even the court's order stating that this behavior needs to stop," Allison Scollar said. "The police need to establish a program to protect against this behavior. Maybe holding them accountable immediately, not after dragging their heals in court. Its because of them that this case was delayed so long."

Today, Allison Scollar has regained her power and is currently writing a book about her experiences.

CONTACT:

Caroline Hunter

Web Presence, LLC

+1 7865519491

SOURCE: Web Presence, LLC





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/596967/Allison-Scollar-Discusses-the-Scollar-v-City-of-New-York-Case




Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal has held a meeting with a delegation of the International Council of Business Associations and Chambers in Ukraine (ICBAC), according to the Government portal.

Bringing the business climate in Ukraine in line with the latest world standards is a priority for the government in general and for each ministry in particular. I hope that our cooperation will allow us to create an even better business environment, which then will be reflected in business rankings, the prime minister said.

He noted the importance of the recommendations made by the Council of Business Associations on attracting investments to the country. "We have to give investors the right messages and the right recommendations," Shmyhal said.

The prime minister also listened to proposals from ICBAC representatives on improving the environment for business in Ukraine and took questions. During the discussion, an agreement was reached on the participation of representatives from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ukraine and representatives of other business associations in the work of the Economic Development Council of Ukraine. Moreover, the parties agreed to hold meetings of business associations with representatives of the Government of Ukraine on a regular basis - every six months.

The meeting was attended by the Minister for Development of Economy, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine Ihor Petrashko, President of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Hennadii Chyzhykov, Chairman of the Board of the German-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce Alexander Markus, Managing Director at the Canada-Ukraine Chamber of Commerce Emma Touros, Chairman of the British-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce Bate Toms, President of the Franco-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce Bertrand Barrier and members of other international business associations and chambers in Ukraine.

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Australia says it is suspending its extradition treaty with Hong Kong after China began enforcing a new national security law there. To extradite means to send a person who has been accused of a crime to another state or country for trial.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters the new law  which took effect last week  marked a fundamental change that led Australia to suspend the agreement.

Morrison also announced the country would extend temporary visas for an additional five years for 10,000 Hong Kong citizens currently studying and working in Australia. After five years, the visa holders would be able to seek permission to live in the country permanently.

Australia has always been a very welcoming country to such people, Morrison said.

Acting Immigration Minister Alan Tudge said the number of Hong Kongers expected to seek to come to Australia under the new rules would only be in the hundreds or low thousands.

Morrison also announced Australia will launch measures aimed at getting Hong Kong businesses to move operations to Australia.

The Chinese-backed security law for Hong Kong makes it easier to punish protesters and reduces the city's self-rule powers. It punishes acts of separatism, terrorism and aiding foreign forces.

The new law came after massive and often violent pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong over the past year. Under it, police have new powers to do searches without seeking legal permission. They can also order internet service providers and companies to remove online messages seen as violations of the legislation.

Western governments and human rights activists say the national security law effectively ends the one country, two systems policy. Under that rule, Hong Kong is guaranteed the right to its own social, legal and political systems for 50 years following the end of British rule in 1997.

The Chinese Embassy in Canberra issued a statement warning Australia to stop interfering in the affairs of Hong Kong and China. Otherwise it will lead to nothing but lifting a rock only to hit its own feet, the statement said.

In Beijing, a foreign ministry spokesman said China could decide to take further actions" to answer Australias moves.

Australia also issued a new travel advisory for Hong Kong, where about 100,000 Australians live and work. The advisory warns citizens they may be at risk of detention on vaguely defined national security grounds in Hong Kong.

Other Western governments have taken similar steps in reaction to the national security law. Canada also suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong. Britain has offered to permit up to 3 million Hong Kongers to permanently live in Britain if they are eligible for British National Overseas passports.

Australias opposition to the national security law added to existing tensions with China, the countrys biggest trading partner.

Chinese officials were angered at Australias demand for an international investigation into how the coronavirus pandemic started. The virus was first recognized last year in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn wrote this story for Learning English, based on reports from The Associated Press, Reuters and VOA News. Caty Weaver was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

fundamental  adj. relating to the most important or main part of something

vague  adj. not exact or clear

eligible  adj. having the right to do something

pandemic  n. an occurrence in which a disease spreads very quickly and affects large number of people around the world
New York, July 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Australia Plastic Packaging Market - Growth, Trends, and Forecast (2019 - 2024)" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05865749/?utm_source=GNW

Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETE or PET) is found commonly in most plastic packed products in the country. According to Macquarie University, Australians buy more than approximately 118,000 tons of plastic drink bottles a year, despite 250 stringent checks by Australian water utilities for tap water. Based on such projections, the existing packaging manufacturers are seen increasing their capacities to meet the scale of domestic demand.



- Australia witnessed a surge in population, representing millennials than baby boomers as per Australian Bureau Statistics. This is expected to drive the demand for more consumables like beverages, packaged and ready meals, packaged drinking water, convenience packages like microwave and oven safe, among others, which prefer plastic packaging medium over other alternatives owing high portability enabled by lightweight of the plastics.

- Moreover, the production and consumption of PET materials in the country are on the rise and are ending up in the landfill. Such major problems of plastic waste management aroused since the Chinese government announced a ban on imported low-value and contaminated plastic materials in 2018, disrupting the export of 30% of Australias recyclable plastics.

- In response, the Australian Government realized adoption of the Circular Economy model aligning with 100% sustainable packaging practice by 2025. Major FMCG companies have taken initiatives on these lines, for instance, Coca Cola Amatil announced that by the end of 2019, 70% of its plastics bottles manufactured in the country will be made from recycled plastics. Also, earlier in 2018, Unilever launched Omos EcoActive laundry detergent with containers/bottles made from 25% PET, sourced in Australia itself.

- However, the country is undertaking efforts to reduce plastic packaging, but the benefits that it has in comparison to alternatives is enabling the manufacturers to continue production.



Scope of the Report

The Australia plastic packaging market is divided into three key segments. Rigid Packaging, Flexible Packaging, and Industrial Plastic Films. Rigid packaging considers products such as plastic bottles, trays, and containers, etc., made from PET, PP, PS, EPS, PVC, and PE. The flexible packaging segment considers all package films, pouches, bags, etc., other than the films and wraps that are used in industrial packaging applications. The scope of the industrial plastic film has been defined to include the stretch wrap films, and agricultural films usually made of LLDPE for wrapping pallets, agricultural haystacks, and rolls, etc.



Key Market Trends

Beverage Segment to Augment the Australia Plastic Packaging Market



- The beverage industry plays a vital role in Australia. The changing consumer preferences, from alcoholic and carbonated beverages, to organic and dairy beverages, are creating immense market opportunities for flexible packaging vendors in the country. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the alcohol consumption rate in the country declined over the last 55 years.

- Moreover, Australia is increasingly becoming a major exporter of dairy products. The milk production in the country is estimated to have exceeded the volume required for domestic consumption, thus, creating a marketable surplus, for the export markets.

- In the current market scenario, exports cover almost 3060% of the total production in the country, ranking fourth, in terms of global dairy trade (as of 2018). Such an increase in the import and export of milk products in the country is offering several opportunities for the flexible plastic packaging vendors in Australia.

- However, increasing packaging alternatives pose a significant threat to plastic packaging products in the beverage industry. For instance, in October 2019, Brownes Dairy replaced its existing plastic and paper packaging products, with carton packages made entirely from plant-based, renewable materials. The bio-based packages offer more durable alternatives to the standard milk cartons, thus, eliminating the need for polyethylene plastic films and linings.



Stretch Film to Execute a Significant Growth Rate Over the Forecast Period



- Films and wraps that are used in industrial applications are considered under this segment. Agricultural films and consumer-oriented application films are not considered in this segment.

- Stretch films are highly stretchable plastic films that are wrapped around products and are majorly used in industrial applications. The elastic recovery feature of the films keeps the items tightly bound. In contrast, shrink wrap is applied loosely around an item and shrinks tightly with heat.

- LDPE, HDPE, and PVC are some of the majorly adopted materials for stretch films in the country. In 2018, HDPE and PVC were the most adopted plastic materials in the countrys construction sector, whereas LDPE and HDPE were the most adopted in commercial and industrial packaging. The freight packaging and building sectors are some of the sectors, where these films find massive applications.

- Moreover, the Australian company, Pro-Pak, offers the new-generation Macro Stretch Film, which provides ease of packing and helps reduce plastic waste. According to the company, the film is proving to be a major success across the fresh produce industry.



Competitive Landscape

Australias plastic packaging market is a fragmented market, as the market has the presence of established manufacturers. Present competitors in the market are striving to differentiate their offerings based on recycled content in packages and ease of recyclability of the plastic packaging and are competing with international players who occupy a larger share in the market. This makes the rivalry intense in the market. Key players are Orora Packaging Australia Pty Ltd, Filton Packaging Pty Ltd., Flexible Packaging Solutions Pty Ltd., Econopak Flexible Packaging, A&M Packaging Pty Ltd., Caspak Products Pty Ltd., Vacupack Pty Ltd., among others. Recent developments in the market are -

- September 2019 - The market witnessed some players expanding their production, with PM Morrison opening its new USD 20 million worth Bickfords bottling line, and Brownes Dairy Wiggles expanding into another region in Australia.

- August 2018 - Orara Packaging announced the acquisition of Bronco packaging and Pollock packaging based in Texas, by investing over USD 24 million and USD 80.5, respectively, as part of its expansion strategy in the North American market for its OPS business.



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President Abdel Fattah El Sisi ordered ceaseless efforts to deal with the economic challenges resulting from the coronavirus pandemic especially in the most-affected economic sectors and ensure the availability of strategic commodities, food products and medical equipment and supplies in the local market.

This came during Sisi's meeting on Thursday with Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli, supply and internal trade Minister Ali Mosseilhi,, planning and economic development Minister Hala el Saeed, finance minister Mohamed Maait, social solidarity Mmnister Niven el Qabbaj, trade minister Nevine Gamea and Deputy Finance Minister for the Public Treasury Ihab Abu Eish.

Presidential Spokesman Bassam Rady said that the meeting tackled the impact of coronavirus on the economic indexes especially the rates of local consumption in addition to the sectors of communications, tourism, health and medical care.

The meeting also took up the file of homeless children and ways to support them and encourage their inclusion and integration in the society

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Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations will declare the ICSE and ISC results at 3 pm today, (July 10, 2020). The Council will make the results accessible on the careers portal of the Council, website, and also through SMS.

Once the Council announces the results, students can visit the official website of Council  cisce.org  to check and download class 10 and 12 results. ICSE and ISC results will also be made available on the result page of CISCE  results.cisce.org.

Students can also check their on their mobile via SMS by typing ICSE<Space><Unique Id> and send it to 09248082883. And to get ISC Results on your mobile SMS, students should type ISC<Space><Unique Id> and send it to 09248082883.

This year, the Council commenced the ICSE and ISC exams in February. The Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations had to cancel six papers for ICSE and eight papers for ISC amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

In 2019, a total of 1,93,413 had declared passed in ICSE exam while 83,697 candidates had qualified in ISC exam and the overall pass percentage stood at 98.54% for ICSE and 96.52% for ISC.
Studies show a significant proportion of meetings are pointless. Photo: Getty

Well, that was a waste of time  that meeting could have been an email. How many times have you thought something along those lines as youve filed out of a meeting room, or closed your laptop after two hours of cross-talk and no progress?

Research has shown we are having far more meetings now than we were 50 years ago. Executives spend nearly 23 hours a week in them, up from less than 10 hours in the 1960s. With more people now working from home, many of us are finding ourselves drowning in days filled with back-to-back video meetings.

It's only natural for managers to want to keep tabs on their staff with regular distanced meetings via Zoom, Skype or other video conferencing tools. But there is a growing feeling among workers that time spent talking is time that could be spent checking off more of their daily tasks.

Meetings are a chance to catch-up with employees, plan ahead and share ideas, but studies show a significant proportion of them are pointless. In 2018, a survey of workers in the UK, France and Germany found employees waste almost 13 days a year in unproductive meetings. More than a third admitted to switching off during meetings that lasted too long, while almost a quarter (23%) said they had seen someone fall asleep.

READ MORE: The problem with productivity culture is that we aren't robots

So when should a meeting be an email instead?

If you have questions that require specific answers or data, its probably better to use email instead of calling a meeting. This allows people to gather the information they need and send it over at their own convenience. Questions that require a discussion may be easier in a meeting rather than a long back-and-forth email chain, in which things can easily get lost.

If you need to share some information, send it via email rather than asking people to sit and take notes. It also means you will have a record of sending that information out, too. However, if the information is complicated and people may have questions, a follow-up meeting may help.

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Whether you send an email or hold a meeting also depends on whether the subject is emotional. For example, announcing layoffs or restructuring in a company may be best done in a face-to-face meeting or a Zoom meeting, if people are working from home.

A mass email about redundancies may seem insensitive and send out the message that people arent appreciated. Instead, take the time to speak to people in person and allow them to process the situation and ask questions.

If not all team members are able to attend a meeting, emailing will give people with busy schedules a chance to access the relevant information at a time that suits them. If you do need to speak to people face-to-face, you can arrange a meeting afterwards.

READ MORE: Why there needs to be training about microaggressions

Whether we should hold a meeting also depends on if youre asking someone to do something. A study from the University of Waterloo, Canada and Cornell University suggests that while ditching meetings in favour of email chains and Slack channels may free up our schedules, we may be underestimating the usefulness of direct communication.

The researchers found that people are more likely to comply with requests made in person because of the underestimation-of-compliance effect. So if you need to ask someone to change direction at work or take on another project, it might be worth doing so face-to-face.

How to hold a productive meeting

Weve all sat through a dull meeting at some point, thinking about all the work we could have been getting done instead of listening to someone drone on. But pointless meetings are more than just boring  they negatively affect productivity, creativity and, ultimately, a companys bottom line.

Holding too many meetings can also have an impact on employee engagement and lead to resentment among workers too, particularly if they feel their time isnt being valued.

READ MORE: How to stop feeling awkward and self-conscious on Zoom

Research carried out by Harvard Business School and Boston University found doing several things can make a big difference  setting clear objectives for a meeting, having a clear agenda, involving small numbers of people in meetings, and using visual aids such as videos.

Keep meetings short and sweet, too. As soon as it becomes obvious that you arent adding value to a meeting, bring it to an end. Only include people who are really necessary too, rather than forcing everyone to break away from their work.

Finally, its important to be considerate when arranging a meeting. If someone is swamped with work and cant spare the time for a non-essential catch-up, hold it another time. This is particularly important when people are working from home and juggling other responsibilities such as childcare.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 10, 2020 / Mota Ventures Corp. (CSE:MOTA)(FSE:1WZ1)(OTC PINK:PEMTF) (the "Company") is excited to announce that its US based Nature's Exclusive brand ("Nature's Exclusive" or the "brand") acquired 102,844 new customers during the six month period ending June 30, 2020. Total new customers acquired during the reported period represents an all-time high for new customers within any given six-month period for the brand.

This record number of customers acquired can be attributed to the Company's increased marketing efforts of its Nature's Exclusive brand, as well as a successful scaling of the Company's supply chain, and its ability to respond to market demand in the midst of a global pandemic through the introduction of new and relevant products.

Commenting on new records being set by the Company, Ryan Hoggan, CEO stated, "With 2020 presenting so many uncertainties, including on a global economic front, I am very pleased with the Company's 2020 performance to date. Mota, and its Nature's Exclusive brand are illustrating their resilience and relevance. In the first half of this year, not only have we reached a record number of new customers, at over 100,000, we also reached and released record sales revenues of $5.1 million, for the month of May, alone. With these reassuring indicators that Mota and Nature's Exclusive are establishing brand recognition and demand, we are increasingly confident that continued focus on growth in the US and expansion in Europe will prove successful and continue to create value for our shareholders and stakeholders, alike."

About Mota Ventures Corp.

Mota Ventures is an established natural health products and eCommerce technology company focusing on the CBD and psychedelic medicine sectors. The company has a strong presence in both North America and Europe. In the United States, Mota Ventures offers a CBD hemp-oil product line derived from hemp grown and formulated in the US through its Nature's Exclusive brand. Within Europe, the company's Verrian operations is currently conducting clinical studies utilizing proprietary products for the treatment of opiate addiction. The highly skilled Verrian team also manages Mota Ventures' 110,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Radebeul, Germany. In addition, Mota Ventures' Sativida brand of award winning 100% organic CBD oils and cosmetics are sold throughout Spain, Portugal, Austria, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. The company is also seeking to acquire additional revenue-producing natural health product brands and operations in both Europe and North America with the goal of establishing an international distribution network utilizing its eCommerce technology platform.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MOTA VENTURES CORP.

Ryan Hoggan

Chief Executive Officer

For further information, readers are encouraged to contact Joel Shacker, President at +604.423.4733 or by email at IR@motaventuresco.com or www.motaventuresco.com

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release, which has been prepared by management.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statement

All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including with respect to the Company's plans to acquire revenue-producing CBD brands and operations in Europe and North America, and establishing itself as an international distribution network for CBD products. The Company provides forward-looking statements for the purpose of conveying information about current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. By its nature, this information is subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that may be general or specific and which give rise to the possibility that expectations, forecasts, predictions, projections or conclusions will not prove to be accurate, that assumptions may not be correct and that objectives, strategic goals and priorities will not be achieved. These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited those identified and reported in the Company's public filings under the Company's SEDAR profile 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 information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise unless required by law.

SOURCE: Mota Ventures Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/596968/Mota-Ventures-Natures-Exclusive-Acquires-102844-Customers-Through-Q2-2020
President Trump speaks to the media on the South Lawn of the White House on Friday before heading to Florida. (Andrew Harnik / Associated Press)

For weeks, President Trump's campaign aides have fretted about whether he could draw a major crowd to an airport rally Saturday night in Portsmouth, N.H., or if not, whether they could stage the event to make it look full.

The danger, all agreed, was a repeat of Trump's disastrous last rally, three weeks ago in Tulsa, Okla., where TV cameras showed two-thirds of the indoor arena as a sea of empty blue seats, and the vast throngs predicted outside failed to materialize.

Worse, health officials later said the president's Tulsa rally "likely contributed" to a sharp spike in coronavirus infections in the state, one of three dozen now battling a record increase in COVID-19 cases.

On Friday, the White House abruptly pulled the plug on the planned New Hampshire rally, citing weather worries even though the forecast showed morning thunderstorms mostly clearing by the evening. Aides said it would be rescheduled.

The decision reflects the growing nervousness in Trump's campaign, which is desperate to avoid another embarrassment as his prospects for a second term dim. The struggle to stage the giant raucous rallies that propelled Trump's 2016 run makes clear just how how difficult his second campaign has become.

Even before the rally was scrubbed, there was little of the hype that preceded Tulsa, far less talk about a triumphant return to the campaign trail or an aggressive relaunch of a reelection bid that ran aground once the economy tanked this spring as COVID-19 spread from state to state and Trump's response was widely seen as lacking.

"People recognize theres been a rough patch and its been a challenging month or so," said one former administration official with ties to the campaign. "That rally in Tulsa did not go well by any stretch, by any measure."

While rumors still swirl about a looming staff shake-up, those involved in the reelection effort are increasingly resigned to getting behind their often self-destructive candidate, according to interviews with numerous people involved in the campaign who spoke on condition of anonymity.

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They are pinning their hopes on the possibility that Trump or the broader political and economic environment will somehow change in the next four months and that the magic of 2016, when Trump eked out a narrow win at the wire, will repeat itself in his face-off against Joe Biden.

"We were in dire straits in early October and mid-October" in 2016, and then Trump "ran the script beautifully" in the final weeks, another campaign official said.

Claiming that a reopening of schools and businesses will boost confidence in Trump's leadership, the official added, "Everybody is concerned but way more optimistic than they were a month ago. If you can win each day, that's kind of what we need to get back to."

That may be a tall order for Trump, who has bitterly complained that he is a victim of the coronavirus crisis, portraying the worsening contagion more as a threat to his campaign than to the country.

A record 63,000 new U.S. cases were reported Thursday, pushing the total above 3.1 million. Researchers recently upped their projections of the likely U.S. death toll from 160,000 to more than 200,000 by election day, the worst by far of any country in the world.

"He bungled the virus response, and he doesn't want to deal with it anymore," said Ed Rollins, a veteran of several GOP presidential campaigns. "He needs someone on his campaign who is really in charge and can dictate the strategy and message to the candidate."

In 2016, Trump shook up his campaign twice. After he emerged as the likely GOP nominee, Trump brought on veteran GOP consultant Paul Manafort to stabilize his bare-bones operation through a potential delegate fight and the Republican National Convention.

He later replaced Manafort with Stephen K. Bannon and Kellyanne Conway to sharpen his message over the final months. (Manafort was later convicted of multiple tax and bank fraud charges; he was recently moved to home confinement due to the COVID-19 threat in prison.)

Neither Bannon nor Conway is officially involved in the reelection campaign, which is steered primarily by Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who continues to serve as a senior White House advisor.

Bannon, a staunch nationalist whom Trump fired six months after he took office, has been slowly working his way back as an informal advisor and has been in touch with the president in recent weeks about strategy. But a formal campaign role is unlikely, aides said.

"He can influence the presidents thinking without being part of the campaign," one official explained, noting that Trump is loath to allow Bannon to be viewed as a leading intellectual force in the campaign, as he was four years ago. "The Svengali stuff doesnt play well with Trump, so that hurt him."

Brad Parscale, whom Kushner had picked as campaign manager in 2018, has "been sort of pushed aside" and has resumed his narrower 2016 role, running the data operation while Kushner oversees strategy, one campaign official said.

Trump's campaign maintained that Parscale remains in charge. "President Trump has built a formidable campaign, and additions to the team have only fortified Brad Parscales leadership," said Tim Murtaugh, the campaign's communications director.

"As we enter the home stretch, we look forward to defining Joe Biden by his half-century of failure in Washington, his dismal record on the economy, and plans to raise taxes and enforce crippling regulations on job creators," he said.

Trump's adult children and Kushner were behind every campaign shakeup in 2016. Changing the lineup may be harder this time.

"Who within this family is going to say, 'Fire Jared'?" one former Trump staffer asked. "It's just not likely he's going anywhere."

Multiple advisors expressed frustration that Trump continues to undercut his own progress, grumbling about how the president's tweet last weekend demanding that Black NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace "apologize" for his response after a noose was found in his garage blunted any positive momentum generated by Trump's speech July 3 at Mt. Rushmore, where he positioned himself as a defender of history  Confederate monuments and all  against a "radical" movement dedicated to a "cancel culture."

Even though Trump's responses to the coronavirus outbreak and to the mass protests after the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis cost him support, the president and some advisors believe his staunch defense of "law and order" and blunt demands that schools reopen despite the coronavirus will win some suburban voters back.

"Moms want kids back in school and have support for police and other institutions," the campaign official said, predicting a "backlash ... in suburbia" that will bring women  who have deserted the president in droves  back to his fold.

But polling data suggest the suburbs are moving in the opposite direction. Two-thirds of Americans believe the country is "on the wrong track," according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll this week that charted Trump's overall approval rating at just 37%.

"They're losing voters over the age of 65 who are worried about the virus and not seeing any empathy from this president," said Rollins. "And if you become anti-Black, that turns off the suburban women."

Rollins, who also serves as the chairman of the largest super PAC backing Trump, bluntly criticized the president's campaign as inexperienced, overconfident and slow to adapt to a fast-changing election landscape.

"You never let a campaign be determined by destiny, and you never rerun a presidential campaign a second time. Every one is different," Rollins said, describing Trump's team as "a bunch of people who've never been in a campaign, who don't know what to do."

Instead of the binary choice voters faced in 2016 between two candidates with high perceived negatives, the 2020 election is shaping up as a referendum on the president himself.

Trump, despite his best efforts to maintain an outsider's posture, is now the incumbent, being judged  and harshly so  on his polarizing, impatient response to a historic public health crisis and a sudden, deep recession, as well as his increasingly blunt nativism in response to a national reckoning with systemic racism.

Despite the Trump campaign efforts to paint Biden as too old or too liberal for most Americans, he does not seem to inspire the same level of antipathy or fear in some voters as Hillary Clinton did. He garners more than 50% support in national polls, a benchmark Clinton never reached.

Trump needs to tell voters "what's wrong with Joe Biden," said Ari Fleischer, who was White House press secretary under President George W. Bush. "If this election is about the incumbent, chances are Donald Trump will lose."

Trump and campaign aides have grumbled about the 77-year-old Biden limiting his campaign appearances, accusing him of avoiding more intense media scrutiny under the pretense of coronavirus precautions.

Trump has also struggled to articulate an agenda for a second term, responding twice to the same softball question from friendly interviewers, including Fox's Sean Hannity, with lavish self-praise while failing to outline any policy goals beyond reviving the economy.

"He had no idea that he fumbled the Hannity question," said another person who speaks regularly with Trump. "Probably because someone told him he had 5 million viewers, and that was a win.

"It's becoming a five-alarm fire back there, and he's really heated up and everyone's afraid to piss him off," the advisor said. "It's risky because he needs someone to say it's not all good. We're not winning."
LINDENHURST, NY  A protest was held in Lindenhurst this week to demand the continuation of the Polish-English language program in schools that started last year. Between 60 to 70 people attended the protest in front of the Lindenhurst School District's Mckenna Administration Building Tuesday morning, according to the organizer Emilia Jablonowska.

Jablonowska said she planned the gathering after hearing that school officials wanted to terminate the program starting in September 2020 and replace the Polish-English class with two Spanish-English classes.

"We are rooting for all the communities but at the same time we dont want to be discriminated, when there is such interest in that type of education," she told Patch. "During the protest we were able to provide school with almost 400 signatures from Polish as well as American residents of Lindenhurst who are for the development of those programs."

Superintendent of Schools Daniel Giordano said in a letter to the community that when the 2019-20 Polish dual-language program was established at the kindergarten level, there were ten Polish-English language learners who participated. He said that despite the fact the program did not meet the state-mandated quota of 20 students, the district decided to move forward with the class.



However, for the 2020-21 school year, Giordano wrote that despite their best efforts, the district "experienced difficulty" with finding a certified and qualified teacher to meet the educational needs of the potential incoming kindergarten class. In addition, the State Education Department urged the district to examine the number of participants in the program and the likely decline of state school aid provided as a result of the pandemic.

"Moreover, due to circumstances beyond our control (a global pandemic) this district, and districts all across the state, have been unable to administer the NYSITELL, a screening tool that assesses the English language level of new students whose home or primary language is other than English," the letter from Giordano reads. "This tool helps districts to properly identify and account for the incoming number of English language learners."

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Without the results from the NYSITELL screening, the district can't finalize the number of potential English language learners entering kindergarten who not only meet the districts requirements for the program but also wish to participate. As a result, the district is preparing for the possibility of having the mandated number of English language learners entering kindergarten this year.



In addition to the class, Jablonowska says the protest, was included a large group of Polish parents from Lindenhurst, was to bring awareness to concern about the "treatment they're receiving from Lindenhurst School."

"We are treated unfairly and need your involvement to support us; to support our children in getting education theyre entitled to."

The program was created last year with the involvement of the largest Polish community on Long Island as part of the first Polish-English language program in grades K-5 in the district.



"The program has been a huge success for students as well as the school. There are approximately 18 children attending kindergarten who are taught in both languages: Polish and English side by side," Jablonowska said. "The Polish dual program is a two way immersion program which means that half of the class are Polish-English learners and another half are Polish heritage speakers."



She said that the program became so successful that the District Coordinator of World Languages, Jill Schilling, decided to convert existing Spanish program into a two-way immersion program, according to Jablonowska. However, Jablonowska said she was informed the Polish program would terminated due to the school not being able find a qualified teacher.

"Let us clarify that there have been many job candidates for this position (over 10) showing tremendous interest from Polish-English speaking teachers, however none of them were taken under consideration and allowed to apply," she said.

Jablonowska said that she was told by the school authorities that a teacher for a dual language program has to have the Bilingual Education Assessment completed to qualify for the position and in order to complete it, a 4-hour computer based test needs to be taken. However, the BEA exams have been already postponed multiple times due to the current situation with coronavirus.



"We pleaded with the school Superintended asking for an exemption surrounding the completion of BEA due to the current pandemic but the school doesnt want to cooperate," she said.

"Wed like to make it clear that we are not asking the School to hire 'unqualified' teacher but to make an exception in regards to the time frame BEA is completed; candidates cant be penalized and disqualified for the position while the State doesnt provide the test required for the position. We understand that polish language is not as popular as others might be, but it just happens that polish community in Lindenhurst is the largest one on Long Island and Lindenhurst Schools landscape shows a growing number of registered polish speaking students."

In the letter, Giordano wrote that to date, only ten English language learners prepared to participate in the first-grade class and the number of incoming English language learners for the 2020-21 kindergarten class is still unknown. As a result, the district has made decision to re-adjust the program by moving the 2019-20 class of incoming first-graders to a general education classroom setting with additional ENL support for the 2020-21 academic year.

"This enables the district to keep the current Polish dual-language teacher in the kindergarten classroom, thus providing a new, and potentially larger, group of students with an opportunity to experience the Polish dual- language program," the letter reads. "The district is committed to ensuring that our English language learners, and all students, have the academic support they need in every classroom setting."



Jablonowska suggested several possible solutions to these problems, like having a current dual-language teacher teaching a Polish section of both classes on alternate days or hours and having a general education teacher teach the English part of the class.

"This way the school does not need to hire anybody and children are able to truly learn in both languages," she said. "Our children are not given the same and fair opportunities as other students in the district. We feel discriminated and frustrated as we know that there are ways to solve this issue. The bottom line is, that after all the research we did it comes to our understanding that it is in the power of superintendent to make final decisions. We will not stop fighting for our kids and their future."

All photos courtesy of Emilia Jablonowska

This article originally appeared on the Lindenhurst Patch
Haryana on Friday recorded three deaths and 565 fresh Covid-19 infections, taking the total number of cases in the state to 19,934, officials said.

The volatile national capital region (NCR) district of Faridabad did not report any case due to data glitch, health officials said. The active cases in the state stand at 4,740. The health bulletin said 394 infected patients recovered on Friday and now the total number of cured patients is 14,904.

Three more people from Rohtak, Ambala and Fatehabad have succumbed to the virus. With this, the death toll in the state has risen to 290.

Ambala chief medical officer Dr Kuldeep Singh said, The samples of a 100-year-old woman of Palam Vihar in Ambala Cantonment tested positive for Covid-19 after death. Her 34-year-old relative has also tested positive for the disease.

The fresh infections reported on Friday were evenly spread across many districts with the NCR district of Gurugram reporting 111 cases, Rewari 66, Sonepat 50, Panipat 38 and Rohtak 24. These districts accounted for 51 % of the new cases.

Among other districts, Mahendragarh reported 68 new cases followed by Hisar 66, Ambala 27, Karnal 24, Nuh 18, Jhajjar 16, Palwal 15, Sirsa 10, Jind 8, Bhiwani 7,Panchkula, Fatehabad and Kaithal 5 cases each, Kurukshetra and Yamunanagar one case each.

The bulletin said there were 73 critically ill patients including 16 on ventilator support, and patients with mild symptoms are 4,667.

In Bhiwani, 12 people, including Loharu BJP block president, have tested positive for the disease.

Hisar BJP MP Brijendra Singh, who is infected with the virus, was shifted to a hospital in Delhi on Friday and kept under observation. Singh had tested positive on July 4. The MP had also tweeted about his health on Thursday stating that his condition continues to be stable but he still has fever.

In Yamunanagar, three new cases were reported and four patients were discharged.

Twelve more people have also tested positive for the virus in Karnal, taking the total number of cases in the district to 493. Chief medical officer Ashwini Ahuja said the infected persons have been admitted in a hospital and their family members have been quarantined.
India and China said on Friday they will push forward efforts aimed at complete disengagement and easing of tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), even as differences persisted between the two sides on issues such as Galwan Valley.

In a separate but related development, the Chinese envoy to India called for maintaining peace along the disputed border until both sides found a reasonable solution and for a win-win bilateral relationship, but warned against measures aimed at decoupling the two economies.

Following the third virtual meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on border affairs since the standoff began in early May, both sides issued similarly worded statements focused on progress in the disengagement and de-escalation process that began last weekend after a phone call between the Special Representatives on the boundary issue  Indias National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi.

People familiar with developments, speaking on condition of anonymity, drew a distinction between positions adopted by the two sides on contentious issues such as Chinas claim on Galwan Valley, and the process of disengagement involving meetings of corps commanders and mechanisms such as WMCC.

This meeting of WMCC reviewed the progress in disengagement and de-escalation and agreed communications will continue. WMCC monitors the disengagement according to the roadmap drawn up by the military commanders, who are set to meet again next week, said one of the people cited above.

The positions of the two sides on issues such as Galwan Valley havent changed. We have made it clear that we arent ceding any ground on such issues, the person added.

The Indian readout following the two-hour meeting of WMCC said both sides had reaffirmed they will ensure complete disengagement of the troops along the LAC and de-escalation from...border areas for full restoration of peace and tranquility in the border areas in accordance with bilateral agreements and protocols.

The statement from Chinas foreign ministry said both sides fully affirmed the positive progress made by border defence forces of the two countries in implementing the consensus reached at the commander-level and easing the situation on the ground. It added they will continue to properly handle issues and jointly safeguard peace and tranquillity along the border and overall ties.

Both sides said the disengagement and de-escalation process is in line with the agreement reached by the foreign ministers on June 17 and the Special Representatives during their phone conversation on July 5.

The Indian readout further said the two sides had agreed it was essential to maintain enduring peace and tranquility along the border for overall development of bilateral ties. It added India and China had also agreed it was necessary for both sides to sincerely implement the understandings reached between senior [military] commanders.

As agreed by the Special Representatives, the corps commanders will meet soon to discuss further steps so as to ensure complete disengagement and de-escalation in a timely manner, the Indian statement said. The two sides also agreed to hold another meeting of WMCC in the near future.

The Chinese statement also spoke about promoting the further cooling of the situation on the ground, strengthening confidence-building measures along the border and promptly handling issues to prevent differences becoming disputes.

Fridays WMCC meeting was co-chaired by joint secretary (East Asia) Naveen Srivastava of the external affairs ministry and director general Hong Liang of the boundary and oceanic affairs department of Chinas foreign ministry.

Shortly after the meeting, Chinese envoy to India, Sun Weidong, said that both countries need peace rather than confrontation, and should maintain peace along their disputed border until they find a reasonable solution to the complicated issue.

Sun addressed calls from some quarters for decoupling of bilateral economic and trade relations and excluding Made in China goods, saying self-protection, non-tariff barriers and restrictive measures would be unfair to both Chinese enterprises and Indian consumers.

He further said India and China need to build trust through mutual respect and treating each other as equals. The two sides should respect and accommodate mutual core interests and major concerns and adhere to the principle of non-interference in each others internal affairs.

Sun made the remarks in a nearly 18-minute video posted on the Chinese embassys YouTube channel. The theme of his remarks was Implement consensus and handle differences properly to bring China-India relations back on the right track.

His remarks focused on five points  India and China should be partners, rather than rivals; they need peace, rather than confrontation; they should pursue win-win cooperation instead of a zero-sum game; they need to build trust, rather than suspicion; and bilateral ties should move forward, rather than backward.

We need to seek convergence while putting aside differences and not impose ones will on the other. We should honour our commitment, walk the talk, and ensure implementation of the leaders consensus in letter and in spirit, Sun said.

He also made several references to the age-old ties between the two countries and the consensus achieved through informal summits between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping since 2018.

Referring to the phone conversation between the Special Representatives, Sun noted the two had agreed to prevent more incidents that undermine peace and tranquillity along the border.

Sun acknowledged China and India have a sensitive and complicated boundary issue left over from history and said: We need to find a fair and reasonable solution mutually acceptable through equal consultation and peaceful negotiation. Pending an ultimate settlement, we both agree to work together to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

However, the envoy again sought to blame India for the violent clash at Galwan Valley on June 15 that left 20 Indian soldiers dead and caused unspecified Chinese casualties. The right and wrong of what recently happened at the Galwan Valley is very clear. China will firmly safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and ensure the peace and tranquillity in the border areas, he said.

A person familiar with developments said the Chinese envoys remarks acknowledged the importance of China-India ties. Hes saying there is a larger relationship to take care of, the person added.

Experts, however, continued to be sceptical of Chinas position on the border standoff.

Former ambassador Rajiv Bhatia, distinguished fellow for foreign policy studies at Gateway House, said: There is a glaring gap between the noble norms talked of by the Chinese envoy and the brutal actions of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA). Indias focus remains the disengagement and de-escalation process by zeroing in on the implementation of the agreements reached so far.

He added that feedback from metros and towns across India reflected the increasing sentiments about restricting economic ties with China. The Peoples Liberation Army is effectively demolishing the business prospects of Huawei and other Chinese firms in India and elsewhere.
The data released did not specify the exact amount each entity received. Instead, it broke down the data into five broad ranges or tiers: $150,000 to $350,000; $350,000 to $1 million; $1 million to $2 million; $2 million to $5 million; and $5 million to $10 million. A total of 661,218 small businesses and nonprofits were listed in the database. That is less than 15 percent of the total number of loans granted.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 05:09:03|Editor: huaxia

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HELSINKI, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Finnish Finance Minister Matti Vanhanen said on Thursday the upcoming recovery package of the European Union must take into account the predicted growth estimates of each country.

In an European Commission economic review published this week, Finland got the lowest predicted growth rate for 2021 with 2.8 percent. Talking to Finnish media after Thursday's Eurogroup meeting, Vanhanen said he had told the Eurogroup that the low economic estimate for Finland must be reflected in the amount of direct assistance Finland receives in the EU recovery package.

Vanhanen repeated that Finland does not accept the original draft for the EU recovery package. Finland has not yet received the revised suggestion from the president of the European Council.

Explaining the Finnish problems, Vanhanen said Finland is unusually dependent on exports revenue. Finland is mainly exporting investment goods, but the willingness to invest is currently uncertain in the main export area, Europe.

Vanhanen noted that "service-based societies" can recover fast, if no second wave of COVID-19 emerges, but Finland would be hit later. The recovery of Finnish economy "much depends on how quickly Finnish exports can reach the previous volume," Vanhanen said.

Vanhanen recalled that the 2008 financial crisis caused a 10-year slowdown in Finland, and underlined that a similar repercussion should be avoided now in the COVID-19 crisis. The recovery of the whole EU will also be decisive for the total amount of debt for Finland, said Vanhanen, adding that the current economic prospects of Finland are serious. Enditem
The coronavirus pandemic is still accelerating, the head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHOs director-general, said the virus was not under control in most parts of the world.

It is getting worse, he said on Thursday.

Speaking at a weekly member state briefing, he said more than 11.8 million Covid-19 cases had been reported to the WHO.

And the pandemic is still accelerating, he said. The total number of cases has doubled in the last six weeks.

The US has seen the worst outbreak in the world to date, with more than 3 million cases recorded to date.

Some American states have started reimposing lockdown amid a surge in cases.

Other countries  including China and Australia  have tightened measures in recent weeks in local areas where numbers were rising again.

Brazil has reported more than 1,000 daily deaths over the past few days, and has seen more than 1.75 million infections.

Across the world, more than 551,000 have died after contracting the virus, according to a Reuters global count.

Dr Tedros also announced the global body was setting up an independent panel to review its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and the response by governments.

Helen Clark, an ex-prime minister of New Zealand, and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, a former Liberian president, have agreed to head the panel and chose its members, Dr Tedros told the virtual meeting with representatives of WHOs 194 member states.

This is a time for self-reflection, the director-general said, noting that WHOs member states in May called unanimously for an evaluation of the global response to the pandemic.

Additional reporting by Reuters
Johnny Depp has said his Fear and Loathing co-star Ellen Barkin accused him of being violent after he jilted her love when they were dating.

The actor said his former flame, 66, who accused him of being abusive and 'jealous' while they filmed the cult classic, held a 'grudge.'

He said the pair had been 'hanging' and having casual sex in 1997 when Ms Barkin wanted a serious relationship - desires which he said were not mutual.

The 57-year-old is giving evidence on the fourth day of his libel trial at the High Court in London.

The Pirates of the Caribbean star is facing questions about an alleged assault against his ex-wife Amber Heard in LA in 2016.

The actor said his former flame (pictured together), 66, who accused him of being abusive and 'jealous' while they filmed the cult classic, held a 'grudge'

Johnny Depp arriving at the High Court in London today for the fourth day in the 57-year-old actor's blockbuster libel trial

Depp has said Fear and Loathing co-star Ellen Barkin (pictured in January) accused him of being violent after he jilted her love when they were dating

Depp's ex-wife Amber Heard, 34, arriving at the High Court this morning with her girlfriend Bianca Butti (right)

David Sherborne QC asked: 'You said she did bear a grudge but you weren't asked for the basis of why you said that. What do you believe the reason was for Ms Barkin holding a grudge against you?'

Depp said: 'Ms Barkin and I had been friends for a number of years. A couple of years later (after her divorce) Ellen and I were hanging, just spending time together a relationship.

'A sexual element began with Ms Barkin which lasted for months on and off really because she was making the film I was making at the time, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and I suppose her desires were... She wanted more than a relationship, she wanted a proper relationship with me and I did not want that.

'I didn't feel the same about her as she did me and I suppose from that moment on she became very, very angry and since then I have not spoken to Ms Barkin.'

He laughed as he added: 'Nor has Ms Barkin spoken to me.'

Earlier today the court was shown a photograph of Heard's bruised face after she claims Depp hurled a phone at her as they argued over the so-called 'defecation incident' a month after the Hollywood legend decided to divorce his wife over the soiling of their bed.

Amber Heard showing bruises she claims were inflicted by Johnny Depp as he allegedly smashed her iPhone in her face at her LA home in May 2016, a month after Heard allegedly 'defecated' in their marital bed on her 30th birthday

The actor told the court he believes Heard, 34, was responsible for the defecation but under questioning admitted that it could have been her 'crass' trans activist friend iO Tillet Wright.

He arrived at Heard's birthday party on April 21, 2016 around two hours late after receiving some bad news about his financial affairs from his accountants and smoking cannabis to relieve his stress.

The Hollywood legend admitted he went to bed to read a book after Heard's guests had gone and started arguing with her about his behaviour.

As the confrontation escalated, Heard claims that her ex-husband threw a magnum champagne bottle at her and shoved her to the floor several times before leaving a note reading 'Happy F***ing Birthday'.

Depp claims Heard had been 'drinking heavily' and attacked him while he was reading in bed, punching him in the face four times before he grabbed her arms to stop her.

The 34-year-old actress and her 'Team Heard' arriving at the High Court (far right, her lawyer Jennifer Robinson)

Depp told the court today that he did not believe Heard's tiny Yorkshire terrier Pistol (left with Heard in New York in 2012) could have defecated in the bed, and said it could have been Heard's trans activist friend iO Tillet Wright (right)

He says the next day Heard or one of her friends 'defecated' in their marital bed, and he believes Heard was responsible after she later told the building manager that it was 'just a harmless prank' - at which point Depp 'resolved' to divorce her.

He denied that their small dog could have been responsible for the faeces, but admitted that Wright could have been responsible and he could not be certain it was Heard.

The actor also admitted laughing about the faeces the day after the incident and making 'Amber Turd' jokes.

A month later he came to collect his things from their LA apartment after deciding to divorce Heard over the defecation incident and another row began, during which Heard claims he threw the phone but Depp claims he did not touch her.

Depp is suing the Sun newspaper for libel after it labelled him a 'wife beater' in an article.

He called the accusation 'utter falsity' and 'fraudulent' and has claimed Heard abused him throughout their marriage.
The pandemic has hit Brazil particularly hard. Nobody is safe from its clutches and nobody is immune. Already, the country is being overwhelmed by the virus despite a President who has consistently downplayed its impacts, calling it the "little flu." Now, even he has contracted the virus after feeling unwell for several days. Even as the government of Brazil flounders as it tries to get its act together, there are charities that are stepping up to provide assistance.

One such charity is Instituto Dana Salomao, a charity that has donated thousands of masks and hand gel sanitizing packets to numerous areas throughout Brazil, including some of the hardest-hit areas. Due to local shortages, much of the masks and other supplies were sent by Jacob Maslow of Israel. Instituto Dana Salomao is led by Maia Ben Toguchi and is named after Dana Salomao.

Dana Salomao is a woman of Jewish descent who is originally from the Western Sahara. A woman with an incredible life story, Dana Salomaoa was a refugee woman who was forced to flee her country in order to raise her family. Her life was a story of incredible struggle as she fought for her family and for what was right. She always fought for those who needed help. She imbued these qualities in her children and she also sought to live a life that was spent in the service of others. She knew the struggle that she endured growing up and she wanted to help others fight their own fight. Now, her spirit lives on in the Instituto Dana Salomao.

Now more than ever, the world needs people like Dana Salomao. She set a shining example for everyone on how to help each other during trying times. All over Brazil, there are countless people who are struggling to find food, water, and other basic necessities. Right now, this includes masks, gloves, and packets of hand gel. As the virus continues to spread, this threatens to overrun the hospital system, with the potential to leave countless people stranded.

The good news is that the population of Brazil is stepping up, led by Instituto Dana Salomao and Maia Ben Toguchi. While they have already distributed thousands of masks and packets of hand gel, more is needed. There are millions of people in Brazil and the virus is spreading quickly. Therefore, anyone who can spear any medical supplies, including personal protective equipment (PPE), should reach out to the Instituto Dana Salomao and provide a donation. This could be the difference that ends up saving the life of someone in need in Brazil.
In March 2019, New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced arrests in the Operation Stone Wall "ghost gun" trafficking case during a news conference in Camden. Read more

A Camden County man who was a leading member of a criminal ring that trafficked in untraceable ghost gun assault rifles and cocaine was sentenced Friday to 14 years in state prison, the New Jersey Attorney Generals Office said.

Christopher Stoner, 43, of Lindenwold, was one of 12 people arrested last year after a yearlong investigation dubbed Operation Stone Wall by the Attorney Generals Office and the New Jersey State Police. The arrests were the first following a law signed by Gov. Phil Murphy in 2018 making it a crime to buy, manufacture, possess, or sell ghost guns in New Jersey, prosecutors said.

Ghost guns are homemade, 3D-printed, or partially assembled firearms sold with the parts needed to create a fully operational gun. They dont have serial numbers and thus are untraceable by law enforcement.

Fridays virtual sentencing before Camden County Superior Court Judge Judith Charny followed Stoners guilty plea in February to charges of cocaine distribution, unlawful possession of an assault firearm, and purchasing firearm parts to manufacture untraceable firearms.

Operation Stone Wall began as a probe of a cocaine-distribution ring centered in Lindenwold and then broadened to include guns, authorities have said. Fourteen guns were recovered in the investigation, including six unregistered ghost gun AR-15 assault rifles that prosecutors say Stoner conspired with others to sell. The guns allegedly were sold for $1,100 to $1,300 each, they said.

New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said the case was significant and the sentence, appropriate. This prison sentence reflects our resolve to hold gun traffickers like Stoner accountable and to protect our communities from the grave danger posed when ghost guns are brought into New Jersey and sold into the hands of criminals, he said in a statement.

Stoners attorney, Andrew Bitar, in a phone interview Friday, disputed that his client was a leading member of the trafficking ring, saying his involvement did not rise to that level and contending the evidence didnt support it.

The negotiated sentence was a very favorable deal considering that Stoner could have faced decades behind bars and because of the coronavirus pandemic, it would take forever for him to get to trial, Bitar said.

Prosecutors said two other leading members of the criminal network  Nicholas Cilien, 40, of Mount Ephraim, and Paul Corum, 44, of Lindenwold  pleaded guilty in December and await sentencing.

Three other defendants previously pleaded guilty and face sentences of probation. The charges against the other defendants, including a 13th man charged last year, are still pending.
New Delhi, Jul 10 (UNI) Describing solar power as Sure, Pure and Secure, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said Solar Energy would be a major source for providing the energy needs of an aspirational India in the 21st Century.

Speaking after dedicating to the Nation the Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Power project, via video conference, the PM described Solar Energy as one which is Sure, Pure and Secure, and said that such Solar Energy projects are a true representation of Aatmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India).

'Sure because of the continuous supply of Energy from the Sun, Pure as it is environment friendly and Secure because it is a secure source for our energy needs,'the PM said.

The PM said the economy is an important aspect of self-reliance and progress.

Referring to the regular dilemma whether to focus on Economy or Ecology, the PM said India resolved such dilemmas by focussing on Solar Energy Projects and other environment friendly measures.

'Economy and Ecology are not contradictory but complementary to each other,'the PM said.

He said in all the programs of the government, priority is being given to environmental protection as well as Ease of Living.

He referred to programmes like Swachch Bharat, supply of LPG cylinders to the poor households, the development of CNG networks as one which focussed on Ease of Living and improving the lives of the poor and the middle class.

The Prime Minister said that the protection of the environment is not limited to just a few projects, but it is the Way of Life.

PM said it is ensured that the determination towards clean energy is seen in every aspect of life, when launching large projects of renewable energy. Government is making sure that its benefits reach every corner of the country, every section of society, every citizen.

He elaborated this with an example of how the introduction of LED bulbs has reduced the electricity bill.

'Nearly 40 million tons of carbon dioxide is prevented from going into the environment, due to the LED bulb,'the PM said.

He said this also reduced the Electricity Usage by 6 Billion Units and accrued a saving of Rs 24,000 Crore to the exchequer.

He said that the Government is working towards making our environment, our air, our water also to remain pure and this thinking is also reflected in the policy and strategy on solar energy.

Mr Modi said Indias exemplary progress in the field of Solar Energy would be a major source of interest to the World. He said owing to such major steps, India is being considered as the most attractive market of clean energy.

The Prime Minister said that the International Solar Alliance (ISA) was launched with the motive to unite the entire World in terms of solar energy. He said the spirit behind was One World, One Sun, One Grid.

The Prime Minister said the Rewa project, which is Asia's largest power project, will make the entire region a major hub for pure and clean energy in this decade.

The Prime Minister praised the effort in that it will also supply power to the Delhi Metro, along with the entire region surrounding Rewa.

He said very soon Madhya Pradesh would be the main centre of Solar Energy in India, as such major projects are in progress in Neemuch, Shajapur, Chattarpur and Omkareshwar.

The biggest beneficiaries of this would be the poor, the middle class, the tribals, the farmers of Madhya Pradesh, he said.

The Prime Minister expressed confidence that Madhya Pradesh's farmers will also make use of the Governments KUSUM Program and will install Solar Energy plants in their lands as an additional source of income.

He expressed the hope that very soon India will be a major exporter of power.

Prime Minister said India is also focussing reducing its dependence on imports of various hardware needed for solar plants, like Photovoltaic Cells, Battery and Storage.

He said the work is progressing rapidly in this direction and the Government is encouraging the Industry, the youth, MSMEs and StartUps to not miss this opportunity and work for production and betterment of all the inputs required for Solar Energy.

Referring to the ongoing crisis owing to the pandemic COVID-19, the Prime Minister said for either the Government or the society, compassion and vigilance are the greatest motivators to tackle this difficult challenge.

He said right from the beginning of the Lockdown the Government ensured that the poor and needy are assured of supply of food and fuel. He said with the same spirit, the Government decided to continue the free supply of food and LPG till November this year, even during the phase of unlockdown.

'Not only this, the government is also giving full contribution to the EPF account of millions of private sector employees. Similarly, through the PM-Swanidhi scheme, those who have the least access to the system get benefitted,'he said.

He added that when people are moving out of their home to make Madhya Pradesh great, they should follow these rules - maintaining a distance of two yards, wearing a mask on the face and washing hands with soap for at least 20 seconds.

UNI AR SHK1629
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-11 05:31:06|Editor: huaxia

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TRIPOLI, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The Acting Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Libya, Stephanie Williams, on Friday met with the Speaker of Libya's eastern-based House of Representatives (parliament), Aguila Saleh, in Geneva and discussed the need to intensify efforts to find an inclusive political solution to the Libyan crisis.

"Acting SRSG Stephanie Williams met today in Geneva with HoR Speaker Aguila Saleh, to discuss, among others, the revival of political dialogue, Speaker Saleh's initiative, and the need to intensify efforts to find an inclusive political solution to the Libyan crisis," said a statement issued by the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).

"Acting SRSG Williams welcomed Speaker Saleh's support to an immediate and lasting ceasefire, especially in the city of Sirte," the statement added, revealing that the officials also welcomed the National Oil Corporation's announcement of lifting the force majeure on oil exports after nearly 6 months of suspension.

Williams and Saleh stressed the necessity to avoid any obstacles in oil flow "as it belongs to all Libyans; and urged that revenues expenditures be managed in a transparent and professional manner," the statement said.

The two officials called on foreign actors to stop their negative interference in Libya, facilitate and support the political process in order to prevent a new humanitarian and economic catastrophe in Sirte and the Oil Crescent. Enditem
(Natural News) U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers recently intercepted and seized a shipment of disguised weapons parts that originated in communist China and was destined for Melbourne, Florida.

The seizure, which occurred on May 22, blew the lid on a communist Chinese plot to arm Antifa and Black Lives Matter (BLM) terrorists with firearms as part of an overthrow operation aimed at collapsing the United States.

More than 10,000 assault weapons parts were reportedly found hidden inside a parcel containing 100 steel pin samples, which are commonly used by smugglers trying to traffic in contraband undetected.

A CBP press release explains that officers inspected the item, which had come from Shenzhen, China, and discovered that it contained all sorts of gun parts destined for BLM terrorist cells located all throughout the country.

The parcel was manifested as containing 100 Steel Pin Samples, the press release reads. This is a common practice of smugglers manifesting the contraband as a harmless or a legitimate commodity in hopes of eluding further examination.

According to Thomas Mahn, the Port Director at Louisville where the contraband was intercepted, Chinese smugglers knew what they were doing in trying to disguise the weapons parts in order to avoid detection.

The importing of any type of munitions is regulated by the ATF, he stated, ATF referring to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. This smuggler was knowingly trying to avoid detection, however, our officers remain vigilant, ensuring our community is safe.

Speaking of guns, did you know that much of America is currently sold out of them? Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, talks more about this in the following episode of The Health Ranger Report:

Communist China was also caught smuggling nuclear arms into Pakistan

Back in February, officials in Pakistan reportedly intercepted another disguised package originating from communist China. This one contained nuclear arms that were shipped on a Chinese shipping vessel owned by COSCO, which was blacklisted from America last year.

This interception occurred thanks to a tip-off that came from Americans who were monitoring the entire COSCO fleet, which is believed to be a front for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its regime in Beijing.

As for the recent interception in Louisville, it only further proves that BLM, Antifa and the George Floyd rioters as a whole are anything but organic. In truth, they are little more than manufactured terrorists being funded and supplied with arms by communist China as part of a globalist coup against America.

As we reported, corrupt politicians like California Governor Gavin Newsom are also involved, as they are helping China to get weapons and other ammunitions here mostly undetected so that they can be used in the escalating civil war 2.0 that some believe is about to boil over into mainstream society.

California Gov. Newsom is involved in a trillion-dollar money laundering operation with communist China to keep him in power, writes the Health Ranger, who uncovered more details about the massive munitions operation taking place right under Americans noses.

Using the laundered money, Gov. Newsom is stockpiling automatic weapons, ammunition and gold in the underground storage complex at 1616 Capitol Ave. in Sacramento, the East End Complex building  block 174.

Be sure to read the Health Rangers full analysis of the situation at this link.

The issue is complicated by the fact that the group leading the civil-unrest movement, the Black Lives Matter has direct ties to known terrorists, adds Great Game Media about how BLM is connected to this Chinese gun-smuggling operation.

To keep up with the latest news about the communist Chinese coup against our country, be sure to check out CivilWar.news.

Sources for this article include:

GreatGameIndia.com

NaturalNews.com
After months of touting an unproven anti-malaria drug as a treatment for the new coronavirus, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is turning himself into a test case live before millions of people as he swallows hydroxychloroquine pills on social media and encourages others to do the same.

Bolsonaro said this week that he had tested positive for the disease but already felt better thanks to hydroxychloroquine. Hours later he shared a video of himself gulping down what he said was his third dose.

I trust hydroxychloroquine, he said, smiling. And you?

On Wednesday, he was again extolling the drug's benefits on Facebook, and claimed that his political opponents were rooting against it.

A string of studies in Britain and the United States, as well as by the World Health Organization, have found chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine ineffective against COVID-19 and sometimes deadly because of their adverse side effects on the heart. Several studies were canceled early because of adverse effects.

U.S. President Donald Trump has promoted hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19 but chloroquine  a more toxic version of the drug, produced in Brazil  has been even more enthusiastically promoted by Bolsonaro, who contends the virus is largely unavoidable and, what is more, not a serious medical problem.

He has become the poster boy for curing COVID with hydroxychloroquine, said Paulo Calmon, a political science professor at the University of Brasilia. Chloroquine composes part of the denialist's political strategy, with the objective of convincing voters that the pandemic's effects can be easily controlled.

Trump first mentioned hydroxychloroquine on March 19 during a pandemic briefing. Two days later, and a month after Brazil's first confirmed case, Bolsonaro took one of his only big actions to fight the coronavirus. He announced he was directing the Brazilian army to ramp up output of chloroquine.

The army churned out more than 2 million pills  18 times the country's normal annual production  even as Brazil's intensive care medicine association recommended it not be prescribed and doctors mostly complied.

Story continues

The White House on May 31 said it had donated 2 million hydroxychloroquine pills to Brazil. Two weeks later the U.S. Food & Drug Administration revoked authorization for its emergency use, citing adverse side effects and saying it is unlikely to be effective.

Brazils audit court on June 18 requested an investigation into alleged overbilling from local production of chloroquine, which it called unreasonable given the drugs ineffectiveness and cited the FDA decision. Meantime, stocks of sedatives and other medications used in intensive care ran out in three states, according to a late-June report from Brazil's council of state health secretariats.

A former defense minister, Aldo Rebelo, told The Associated Press that he is concerned the army will be wrongly blamed for its involvement in production of a drug that most experts call ineffective against the coronavirus.

All they did was to follow a legal order and produce the pills, said Rebelo. The problem is the health ministry and the decision that the president made.

Brazils interim health minister, an army general with no health experience before April, endorsed chloroquine as a COVID-19 treatment days after assuming the post in May. His predecessor, a doctor and health consultant, quit rather than do so.

As Brazil's death toll continued to climb  nearing 68,000 on Wednesday, the second-most in the world  the health ministry distributed millions of chloroquine pills across Brazil's vast territory. They have reached small cities with little or no health infrastructure to handle the pandemic and even a far-flung Indigenous territory.

Theyre trying to use the Indigenous people as guinea pigs to test chloroquine, use the Indigenous to advertise for chloroquine like Bolsonaro has done on his live broadcasts, like a poster boy for chloroquine, Kreta Kaingang, an executive coordinator of the Indigenous organization APIB, said by phone from Brazil's capital, Brasilia.

In Brazil's largest city, Sao Paulo, three doctors treating COVID-19 in different hospitals told AP that patients routinely requested chloroquine as the pandemic spread, often citing Bolsonaro. In recent weeks, inquiries about the drug were less frequent after scientific doubts arose about its effectiveness, two physicians said.

All say they worry Bolsonaro's cheerleading will spur a new wave of desperate patients and relatives clamoring for chloroquine.

I tell them that I don't prescribe it because there's no study proving it improves patients, that there are important risks with the indiscriminate use of this drug, said Dr. Natalia Magacho, an attending physician at the Hospital das Clinicas. Some even get angry at first. But all prescriptions are the doctor's responsibility and, as the risk outweighs the benefit, I don't prescribe it.

Most doctors oppose any protocols for the use of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine, but some physicians continue to believe and have pressured local authorities to permit its use, said Joao Gabbardo, the former No. 2 official at Brazil's health ministry.

This issue has been framed in a very polarizing, politicized manner," said Gabbardo, who is now executive coordinator of Sao Paulos COVID-19 contingency center. "We are moving away from the discussion of science, of scientific evidence, toward a discussion of political positions.

Bolsonaro's supporters and aides have amplified his message. Eduardo Bolsonaro, the president's son and a federal lawmaker, said his father will beat the disease because he is taking the anti-malarial drug.

"Treatment with chloroquine is rather effective at the start of the illness (and should be available for any Brazilian who needs it), the younger Bolsonaro wrote on Twitter, without distinguishing between the two types of the drug.

Margareth Dalcolmo, a clinical researcher and prominent respiratory medicine professor at the state-funded Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, said she has no objection to Bolsonaro and his doctor agreeing on hydroxychloroquine treatment. The problem, she said, is broadcasting that information to an impressionable public that, if he recovers, will believe a potentially dangerous drug was responsible.

Dalcolmo treats patients and contracted COVID-19 herself. Before she bounced back, some friends asked if she would authorize administration of either chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine were she unable to grant consent.

Over my dead body, dear, she said. I said if Im in a coma, intubated, none of you are authorized to put me on chloroquine. I would never authorize its use on me. And I havent used it on my dozens of patients.

(AP)
Americans Tianna Bartoletta, left, Allyson Felix, center, and Candace Hill celebrate after winning the women's 3x100-meter relay during the Weltklasse Zurich Inspiration Games at Mt. San Antonio College on Thursday. (Ashley Landis / Associated Press)

Three runners take their place in the starting blocks for a hurdles race; two are bathed in sunshine, the other shadowed by gloomy skies.

A pole vaulter makes her winning attempt in a stadium so empty and quiet, you can hear her say Yes as she clears the bar.

A world-record time in the mens 200 meters has to be scratched after officials discover the winner started 15 meters closer to the finish line.

To say the Weltklasse Zurich Inspiration Games were a bit unusual, as track meets go, would be an understatement.

The international competition featured world-class talent in seven venues around the globe, from Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut to Zurich, Switzerland. Most of the athletes ran and jumped by themselves, but competed against each other by way of a high-tech virtual format.

Each of the eight events on the program Thursday featured three athletes, with three teams entered in the womens 300-meter relay. In most cases, thousands of miles and several time zones separated the opponents in a given race.

Starting guns fired simultaneously in different venues as television engineers manipulated the feeds so viewers could watch, for instance, three sprinters go side-by-side on a split screen. Athletes crossed the finish line without knowing if they had won.

It is a good experience, French pole vaulter Valentin Lavillenie said. But it is very strange.

Allyson Felix crosses the finish line during the women's 3x100-meter relay at the Weltklasse Zurich "Inspiration Games" at Mt. San Antonio College on Thursday. (Ashley Landis / Associated Press)

In addition to Mt. SAC and Switzerland, there were venues in France, Sweden, Portugal, the Netherlands and Bradenton, Fla.

Six-time Olympic champion Allyson Felix was a big winner Thursday, taking first in the womens 150 meters and anchoring her U.S. team to victory in the 300-meter relay. Pedro Pablo Pichardo of Portugal upset four-time world champion Christian Taylor of the U.S. in the triple jump. American Sam Kendricks, a two-time world champion, won the mens pole vault.

American Noah Lyles appeared to dominate the 200 meters, bettering Usain Bolts world record until officials realized that  competing alone in Bradenton  he mistakenly started from the wrong line on the track. Christophe Lemaitre of France was bumped into first place.

Story continues

You cant be playing with my emotions like that, Lyles tweeted.

There was no risk of a mix-up in the mens 100, the only event that had all three athletes in the same place. Andre De Grasse, a three-time Olympic medalist from Canada, pulled away for the win.

As with others in the meet, De Grasse was relieved to compete after months of COVID-19 lockdown, saying: Im glad to come out here and get a run in.

Weather was a variable in some races, with sunny skies over Southern California  where Felix ran  but cool, gray conditions at other places. Shifting winds blew across the Florida track.

Most of the venues  except for Karlstad, Sweden, where scattered onlookers used noisemakers  were quiet.

It feels sort of like practice, Felix said. Its hard to challenge yourself. Thats the big thing running solo.

For all the oddities, and one major glitch, the meet came off as planned. There were no problems with the timing. Television viewers might have found it difficult to identify a leader on the split-screen, but the broadcast went smoothly enough.

When organizers first approached her, Lea Sprunger, who took second to American Georganne Moline in the womens 300-meter hurdles, recalled thinking: How are they going to do it? On Thursday, she got an answer.

I was really curious, said the Swiss star. And it actually ended pretty well.
Lawmakers close to Park Won-soon at Seoul National University Hospital, Friday. Yonhap



The political community expressed shock and condolences over the death of Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, with the ruling Democratic Party, the political home of Park, cancelling most of its events for Friday.



The three-term mayor was found dead on a path of Mount Bukak in Seoul shortly after the midnight by police. Park, 64, was reported missing by his daughter Thursday evening, who said he left a message that seemed like a will before he vanished.



He is presumed to have died of suicide. News reports said that Park's female former secretary recently filed a criminal complaint about him, claiming that he had touched her numerous times and sent her "inappropriate" messages on a messenger app. Police have not confirmed the reports.



The ruling DP, of which Park is a member, was grief-stricken over the loss of a political heavyweight whose more than eight years in the high-profile Seoul mayorship catapulted him to the rank of a potential candidate for the 2022 presidential race.



The ruling party called off most of its political events for the day, including an emergency party-government meeting arranged to announce a set of measures meant to curb soaring house prices.



The DP leadership -- party chairman Lee Hae-chan and floor leader Kim Tae-nyeon -- put off a budget policy meeting with regional governments while Kim called off an inspection visit to a virus vaccine maker.



Rep. Lee Nak-yon and former DP lawmaker Kim Boo-kyum also canceled their campaign events for the Aug. 29 party leadership election.



A wave of condolence messages flooded in, with Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun expressing words of consolation during a regular government COVID-19 response meeting in the morning.













"Mayor Park, who has served Seoul citizens for a decade, was found passed away. I pray that the deceased rest in peace," Chung said.



Chung was to have lunch with Park the previous day, but Park abruptly canceled the meeting, saying he was not well, according to officials.



In a meeting of senior party members, DP chairman Lee paid tribute to Park's accomplishments as a dedicated civic activist and human rights lawyer.



"The DP gives its heart to the deceased in remembrance and honor of his life dedicated to civic (rights)," according to Lee. Other incumbent and former DP lawmakers joined in expressing condolences.



Rep. Kim Du-kwan said, "I hope the deceased could rest in peace," in a Facebook message written in white against a black backdrop.



The rival main opposition United Future Party's floor leader Joo Ho-young also extended a message of consolation during a morning party meeting.



"I am very sorry for the tragic choice of the deceased Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon," Joo said. "I extend my words of condolence to his family who may be in deep sorrow."



Releasing a brief statement, the minor left-wing Justice Party also expressed "bewilderment" as well as condolences over Park's death.



"(The party) is grief-stricken, looking back on his career path as a democratization and civil rights activist and an administrator," a party spokesman noted.



The news of the mayor's death hit about 10 pro-Park lawmakers in the DP particularly hard, including Rep. Park Hong-keun. They rushed to Seoul National University Hospital in central Seoul even before Park's body was moved to the hospital for his funeral. (Yonhap)
Ukraines National Bank leadership pursued effective monetary and financial policy which should be continued under the new governor.

"We consider that the NBU leadership and staff effectively implemented a prudent monetary and financial policy, and it is important that this policy be continued under the new governor," IMF Resident Representative in Ukraine Goesta Ljungman said in an interview with Liga media outlet.

According to him, Ukraine had created a system ensuring the independence of the central bank in accordance with the best international practices in 2015. This system has served Ukraine well and contributed to rapid economic recovery and growth, Ljungman said.

However, he noted, for this model to work, the central bank must feel confident that it can make difficult but necessary decisions without politically motivated consequences, that the political establishment will defend the central bank's independence when its actions are questioned, and that the independence of the central bank will be respected to the letter and by the spirit of law.

"Everyone should be concerned about the fact that the NBU leadership openly says it is subjected to political pressure," the IMF Resident Representative in Ukraine said.

As reported, on July 1, Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine Yakiv Smolii filed a letter of resignation to the President due to "systematic political pressure."

In turn, the President's Office assured that the NBU board would continue its activities based upon the principles of independence and professionalism, adding that "ensuring the independence of the National Bank of Ukraine remains an unconditional priority."

On July 2, President Volodymyr Zelensky submitted a motion to dismiss Smolii from the post of NBU Governor to the Verkhovna Rada. The Verkhovna Rada Committee on Finance, Tax and Customs Policy supported the draft resolution on the dismissal of Smolii.

On July 3, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine dismissed Yakiv Smolii from the post of the Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine.

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Anson Cameron: Station Pier is a deeply disappointing place for any cruising tourist to arrive in Melbourne. Credit:Eddie Jim

At best a port is an overture that draws you excitedly toward the symphony of its city; it might reflect its city's unique architecture and history, it might trumpet its city's culture and temper. The Port of Barcelona does this. The Port of Istanbul does this.

Melbourne's Station Pier performs a meeker welcome that, if summed up verbally, might be, "Oh... you're here, are you?" The Spirit of Tasmania arrives and leaves daily. And last year more than 100 cruise ships docked carrying something like 400,000 passengers and crew.

It must be bewildering for a cruise-ship passenger to step from a fortnight of faux-baronial splendour in the spangled innards of the Zirconia Princess into the 21st century anywhere. But to be disgorged into the suburban deadspace of Station Pier and its close environs is a time-slip that amps their bewilderment into a kind of paralysis. They stand there in droves slumped on their wheelie luggage with WTF faces. How do we get out of here? Where's the city? Where can we eat? A bar? Is there a bar here, at least? This place is a tilt-slab ghost town.

At the pier's end Spuntino Gourmet Grill & Bar has closed. Beside it, one of Australia's oldest train stations holds another dead restaurant and a skin-care clinic. Beacon Cove Foodstore has also closed. It was the last business that hinted at some sort of functional village here. Where might an American buy a Myki card now?
"No scenarios are excluded," the Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday, adding that the Treaty withdrawal would damage the image of the US as a reliable partner, reports Xinhua news agency.

Moscow, July 9 (IANS) Russia has vowed to take retaliatory measures if there were attempts to limit its rights under the Treaty on Open Skies, after the US decided to withdraw from the deal, the Foreign Ministry in Moscow said.

On Monday, an online conference of the Treaty member states was held to consider the consequences of the US withdrawal.

According to the Russian statement, most participants noted the importance of the Ttreaty for European security and the need to maintain it, and expressed regret over the US pullout and hoped that the decision will be reviewed.

Many participants emphasized the need to resolve the problem of compliance with the Ttreaty at the negotiating table, and expressed their support for the ongoing work in this direction alongside their readiness to actively participate in it, the Ministry said.

It is obvious that the partners were aware of the negative consequences of Washington's withdrawal, but at the same time, they have not yet shown willingness to take responsibility for the fate of the Treaty and engage in truly serious dialogue with Russia in order to address mutual concerns, it said.

In May, US President Donald Trump said his country was withdrawing from the Treaty, the latest move to abandon a major international arms control agreement.

Trump accused Russia of not adhering to the Treaty, which Moscow has repeatedly denied.

The treaty, which became effective in 2002, allows members to conduct unarmed reconnaissance flights over each other's territories to collect data on military activities.

It is aimed at building confidence and familiarity among states-parties through their participation in the overflights.

Currently, 35 nations, including Russia, the US, and some other members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, have signed it.

But Kyrgyzstan, which signed the Treaty, has not yet ratified it.

--IANS

ksk/
Ryanair said that without restored airline capacity, all other customer and tourism initiatives are futile. Photo: REUTERS/Phil Noble

Irelands economy will not survive if only essential travel is allowed and the countrys tourist and hospitality industry will starve on domestic staycations alone, an aviation taskforce established by the government has warned.

In a final report delivered today, the taskforce has insisted that international air travel must be permitted, despite concerns that opening borders could bring huge health risks.

Ireland cannot function as a closed economy without permanent damage being done, the taskforce headed by technology entrepreneur Chris Horn said.

It also said that if airlines are now forced to abandon routes and operations theyve just reopened, the consequences could be dire for the aviation sector.

Whilst the aviation industry is seeking to try to re-build business as quickly as possible, having to abandon routes or abort operations after just a short number of weeks of re-opened operations would be immensely costly and detrimental to both the recovery in the aviation sector and to other sectors reliant on aviation, it warned.

But there are fears Ireland is already at risk from a surge in Covid cases as people were infected abroad come home.

Of the 23 new Covid cases reported in Ireland on Wednesday, 15 were directly or indirectly due to foreign travel. Nine of the cases were due to one travel cluster.

Read More

Airlines including Ryanair have already boosted their flight schedules, with carriers including Aer Lingus offering ticket deals to customers.

People travelling to Ireland from abroad are currently advised to self-isolate for 14 days after arrival.

Citizens here are still being advised not to engage in non-essential foreign travel.

A so-called Green List of countries with similarly low infection rates to Irelands is due to be published on July 20. That list will indicate countries where travel to and from Ireland can be undertaken without any restrictions.

We must together apply our best efforts and insights on how to economically co-exist with the virus and, as an island nation, this has to include international travel, said the taskforce today.

Amongst the measures it has proposed is a comprehensive track and trace programme.

The aviation sector believes that the economy as a whole would be strengthened if a well-funded, very highly efficient test, track and trace scheme at scale was made widely available nationwide and which could turn-around results quickly, it said. Testing should be free, so that routine testing can become a cultural norm and provide public reassurance.

The group held a virtual meeting today with newly-appointed Minister for Climate Action, Communication Networks and Transport, Eamon Ryan, and Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton.

Businesses face potential liability from employees if they ask staff to fly internationally to business meetings whilst the government advice is for essential travel only, the taskforce said in its final report.

Much of our key business and services sectors  including high technology, software, pharmaceutical, medical, finance, food and beverage  cannot survive indefinitely with Zoom-like calls, it insisted. Face to face meetings are required for international business development, new commercial relationships, market expansion, major sales, raising of finance, and mergers and acquisition activity.

The taskforce has recommended that the government should provide a rebate directly to the airlines of all Dublin Airport charges and air navigation charges as paid by the airlines.

It also said a stimulus package should be put in place concurrently for each of Cork, Shannon, Ireland West, Kerry and Donegal airports to encourage the rebuilding of traffic.

The Taskforce urges the Minister to initiate a process for considering a renewal of the National Aviation Policy, with an appropriate forum and process for all stakeholders to be able to engage, and to produce an outcome over the coming months, it added.

On receiving the Final Report, the Minister for Climate Action, Communication Networks and Transport, Mr Eamon Ryan, T.D said:

I wish to thank Chris Horn and the Taskforce Members for the Final Report, which clearly sets out the contribution that aviation makes to the Irish economy and the scale of the financial and operational challenges the sector, is facing as a result of Covid-19. As the report acknowledges, there are difficult choices to be made, balancing public health with economic concerns. Aviation provides a large number of high value jobs, and it generates many more in the wider economy, and especially in the tourism sector. Protecting these jobs and peoples livelihoods is a priority for the Government. The Government is finalising plans to aid economic recovery, and the recommendations contained in this Report will contribute to our overall response to the aviation crisis.

Aer Lingus also welcomed its publication but said Ireland has failed to act upon the European Commission's request to Member States to lift all border restrictions to allow free movement of people within the Union by June 15. The company said Government policy therefore appears to be shifting towards a Covid-19 elimination strategy, rather than one of containment and economic co-existence with the virus.

The airline said, "The full economic consequences of such a shift in policy and of Ireland being 'Closed for Business would be profound and will need to be assessed and quantified.

"There are inevitable consequences for the prospects of recovery in the aviation and tourism sectors and for employment within these sectors," the statement read.
Premier Mark McGowan has announced WA's easing of restrictions to phase 5 will be delayed as authorities revealed more than 1000 Victorians had entered WA in the past week, despite the hard border.

WA was scheduled to lift all its social distancing restrictions except its hard border on July 18, paving the way for a sell-out 60,000 crowd at the upcoming Western Derby.

WA Premier Mark McGowan. Credit:AFR

However Mr McGowan said the issue would be reconsidered in two week's time with a new phase 5 date touted for August 1.

"Given the number of people in hotel quarantine and the situation in Victoria worsening, there is an increased risk of the virus spreading," he said.
WASHINGTON - Justice Clarence Thomas spoke and Chief Justice John Roberts ruled.

The Supreme Courts most unusual term featured victories for immigrants, abortion rights, LGBTQ workers and religious freedoms. The usually quiet Thomas baritone was heard by the whole world when the coronavirus outbreak upended the courts traditional way of doing business. When the biggest decisions were handed down, the chief justice was almost always in the majority and dictated the reach of the courts most controversial cases, whether they were won by the left or the right.

The decisions in some of the biggest cases came with majorities of six or seven justices, a blurring of the stark 5-4 divide between conservatives and liberals on the court that Roberts and his colleagues have worried would cast them as mere politicians in black robes.

The outcomes attest to the justices understanding that their legitimacy rests upon not deciding cases on the deeply partisan lines that everybody else seems to use in society, said David Cole, the legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union.

The rulings may make it difficult for President Donald Trump to claim complete success to his base over his 2016 promise to swing the court solidly to the right as he campaigns for reelection under a worsening pandemic, historic unemployment and mass protests over racial inequality.

Still it may give him the opportunity to ask voters for even more than the 200 Trump-appointed judges on federal courts, including Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.

Do you get the impression that the Supreme Court doesnt like me? he tweeted after the court ruled against him in a major immigration case. What the court needs, he said, is more conservative justices: Vote Trump 2020!

Roberts and Gorsuch, who wrote the opinion that said firing someone based on their sexual orientation or gender identity is illegal, were part of majorities that otherwise included liberal justices. And some of the liberal justices joined with conservatives in a defeat for environmental interests and in two religious liberty cases, including one that prohibits some employees of religious schools from suing over job discrimination.

The court really is doing this delicate dance, giving progressives some real victories, said Adam White, a law professor at George Mason Universitys law school, citing the LGBTQ case. At the same time, he said, the court is moving forward on some of the religious liberty cases. Its fascinating to watch those two things move on parallel tracks.

When the court in its last opinions of the term Thursday rejected Trumps claims of immunity from congressional and criminal investigations, while also making it all but certain that Trumps financial records wont become public before the November election, a broad coalition of justices that included Kavanaugh and Gorsuch joined in the majority.

___

No one proved more influential in negotiating a term crammed with controversial cases than Roberts, the 65-year-old chief justice who has led the court for nearly 15 years. He wrote the courts opinion preserving protections for hundreds of thousands of immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children. Roberts also had both majority opinions in the cases about Trumps financial records.

He also spoke for the court in requiring states to include religious schools when they direct public money to private schools. And Roberts had the decisive opinion that struck down a Louisiana abortion law, but may also have given abortion opponents a road map they can use to win future abortion cases.

By contrast, Roberts was a dissenting vote in just two of the courts nearly 60 cases, and wrote just one dissenting opinion. And nearly forgotten in recent months during the virus-related shutdown, Roberts presided over Trumps Senate impeachment trial, declining to play an outsized role as majority Republicans acquitted the president of charges he abused his power and obstructed Congress.

The fact that Roberts is now sometimes a swing vote on this Court only shows how conservative the Court as a whole really is, Elizabeth Wydra, president of the liberal constitutional Accountability Center, said in a written statement.

The term variously pleased and infuriated liberals and conservatives.

The ACLUs Cole called it a surprisingly good term from the standpoint of civil rights and civil liberties, though the ACLU also represented an asylum-seeking Sri Lankan man who lost his high-court bid. Conservative commentator Carrie Severino criticized Roberts for what she said looks like a troubling pattern of him being motivated by politics rather than by legal reasoning. But Severino also noted the courts impressive decisions in religious liberty cases.

___

How much did the coronavirus outbreak change things at the Supreme Court? The court met by telephone for the first time, Thomas broke his usual silence at arguments, and the whole world could listen, even hearing what sounded like a toilet flush during arguments. And for the first time in nearly a quarter century, the justices kept churning out opinions into July.

They didnt meet in person or set foot in the courtroom after early March because of the pandemic. When they delivered the biggest decisions of the term in June and July, it was all done electronically.

Still, the opinions, especially dissenting views crackling with anger and frustration, gave readers a window into emotions behind the decisions. Conservative Justice Samuel Alito, in the LGBTQ case, accused his colleagues of overstepping their role, writing: There is only one word for what the Court has done today: legislation.

On the other side of the court, liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor, said her colleagues had skewed the facts and taken a simplistic approach in a case she said would strip thousands of schoolteachers of employment discrimination protection.

___

The term also included three hospital stays, and not all of those involved 87-year-old Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the courts oldest justice. Roberts spent a night in the hospital after a Fathers Day fall in which he injured his forehead, the court said in belatedly confirming the hospital stay more than two weeks later.

Ginsburg, who has battled cancer four times, was in the hospital twice for infections, including in May when she took part in arguments from a hospital room.

There was speculation during the last weeks of the term that either Alito, 70, or Thomas, 72, could retire in the hope of giving Trump a third Supreme Court appointment and putting a like-minded and younger jurist on the bench.

But there hasnt been an election-year retirement in more than 50 years, and, as of now, that hasnt changed.
Three people have been charged with offences including animal cruelty after an investigation into the alleged slaughter of retired racehorses.

The charges come after the ABC's 7.30 program aired disturbing footage in October 2019 of horses allegedly being mistreated at Meramist Abattoir slaughterhouse in Caboolture, north of Brisbane.

The ABC's 7.30 program shocked viewers, with many calling for the racing industry to be held accountable. Credit:ABC 7.30

In a statement on Friday, a Biosecurity Queensland spokeswoman said the seven charges against the three people related to allegations of animal cruelty towards horses at an abattoir in Caboolture.

One person was charged with failing to produce documents, as well as two counts of failing to comply with the Animal Care and Protection Regulation 2012.
"Charge up," she said. "What I mean by that is eating, sleeping and exercise. All three of those are things that we know help us activate our prefrontal cortex." Charging up the brain helps regulate emotions and build resiliency.

Determine what you can (and can't) control

Once you're in a good frame of mind, Marques suggested reminding yourself that you don't need  or get  to manage everything.

"We're in the middle of this major uncertainty, and a lot of things are out of our control," she said. Rather than try to plan for every possibility, Marques recommended we face uncertainty head-on. "Staying with this discomfort for a little bit is important."

Lynn Bufka, a psychologist and a senior director at the American Psychological Association, agreed. You might not be able to control whether your employer stays afloat, for example. Instead, she suggested focusing on the things within your power while letting go of the rest.

"Some things, you can say: 'This is not a decision I have to make,'" she said. Your kid's messy bedroom, for example? Bufka said to let that one go.
By Trend

On July 9th took place a meeting, in video conference format, between the legislative bodies of Mexico and Azerbaijan.

By the initiative of the President of the Working Group for inter-parliamentary ties Azerbaijan-Mexico of the Milli Majlis, Jala Aliyeva, the meeting was held with the President of the Mexico-Azerbaijan Friendship Group of the Chamber of Deputies of the Congress of the Union of Mexico, Agustin Garcia Rubio. The meeting was also attended by the Ambassador of Mexico in Azerbaijan, Rodrigo Labardini, and the Ambassador of Azerbaijan in Mexico, Mammad Talibov, as well as officials from both Embassies.

The meeting presented ample opportunities to analyze the current state of the bilateral relationship and development prospects in multiple areas, including politics, economy, technical-scientific cooperation and the humanitarian sector. The representatives of the legislative bodies of Mexico and Azerbaijan expressed their interest in promoting the strengthening of inter-parliamentary ties. In this context, they agreed to hold meetings of both inter-parliamentary groups in a broader format, in order to have the participation of all members of both groups. Participants highlighted the role of parliamentary diplomacy in consolidating bilateral relations.

For his part, the Ambassador of Mexico, Rodrigo Labardini, presented the panorama of bilateral relations, in particular economic-commercial ties, considering them as one of the pillars of fruitful cooperation. The diplomat reported that the annual average of bilateral trade 1995-2014 was USD $ 2.2 million, but it grew more than 12 times in just five years to go to USD $ 28.2 million (2015-2019). He highlighted that in 2019 was reached the annual record figure - USD $ 52.4 million.

Participants also highlighted Mexico's support for the initiative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, related to hosting in a virtual format of an extraordinary session of the UN General Assembly, dedicated to solidarity and global cooperation in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Presidents of both Inter-Parliamentary Groups, Dip. Jala Aliyeva and Dip. Agustin Garcia Rubio, congratulated themselves for initiating cooperation efforts between both parliaments and pointed out the importance of continuing the efforts to achieve a greater rapprochement between both nations.

--

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Hyderabad: A 26-year-old man and his relative were arrested by the Hyderabad police for holding up a placard asking about the whereabouts of Telangana chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao in front of Pragathi Bhavan, the chief minister's office-cum-residence, on Thursday. They were later released on personal bond.

The two men were identified as Kotla Sai Baba, 27, and Kotla Hrithik, 22, activists of an opposition.

They rode on a bike to the exit gate of Pragathi Bhavan on the main road and held a placard that read Where is KCR? He is my CM. It is my right to know.
By Jonathan Stempel

July 10 (Reuters) - Berkshire Hathaway Inc has reduced its share count by 1.2% since April 23, a regulatory filing shows, suggesting that Chairman Warren Buffett might have become more aggressive in repurchasing its significantly underperforming stock.

The reduction in the conglomerate's outstanding shares was noted in a Wednesday filing concerning Buffett's $2.9 billion donation of Berkshire stock to five nonprofits, part of his pledge to give away nearly all his fortune.

If Berkshire repurchased those shares, it might have conducted roughly $4.9 billion to $5.9 billion of buybacks, depending on the price, over 2-1/2 months, analysts said.

"It implies relatively strong buyback activity," said James Shanahan, an Edward Jones & Co analyst with a "buy" rating on Berkshire. "There is certainly capacity."

He said buybacks might have totaled $5.3 billion, based on Berkshire's average share price from April 23 to July 7.

Since bottoming on March 23, Berkshire's share price had through Thursday risen 12%, lagging the Standard & Poor's 500's 41% gain.

Berkshire did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Buybacks could help Buffett reduce Berkshire's cash hoard, which totaled $137.2 billion as of March 31.

It has been 4-1/2 years since the legendary billionaire completed a major acquisition for his Omaha, Nebraska-based conglomerate, though Berkshire did agree last Sunday to pay $4 billion for some gas assets from Dominion Energy Inc.

Buffett's buyback appetite had been relatively muted since July 2018, when a policy change let him and Vice Chairman Charlie Munger repurchase stock when they thought its price was below Berkshire's intrinsic value.

The old policy allowed buybacks only at prices up to 1.2 times book value. Shanahan estimated Berkshire's current multiple at 1.1.

Berkshire's previous buybacks under the current policy totaled about $8 billion, including $1.7 billion from January to March as the coronavirus pandemic drove down the price.

Wednesday's filing said Buffett owned the equivalent of 248,741 Class A shares, a 15.54% stake, following his donations.

Story continues

That suggests Berkshire had the equivalent of just over 1.6 million Class A shares outstanding, down roughly 19,000 from April 23.

Some investors believe Berkshire's cash has hurt its stock price.

Lawrence Cunningham, a law professor who has published several books about Berkshire, said impatience may explain why some investors sold Buffett their stock.

"Berkshire's stalwart quality shareholders do not sell, so we are seeing a voluntary purging of the shorter-term, lower quality shareholders," he said.

Buffett was asked at Berkshire's May 2 annual meeting why he had not repurchased more stock.

He said the price had not fallen to "where it really feels way better to us than other things, including the option value of money, to step up in a big, big way." (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Dan Grebler)
Evangelical foster agency cant ban gay and lesbian applicants, UK judge rules

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A judge in England ruled Tuesday that an evangelical Christian adoption and foster care charity cant refuse to place children in the home of same-sex couples while it works in coordination with government authorities but can require prospective carers to be evangelical.

In his judgment, Justice Julian Knowles of the England and Wales High Court contended that while the Equality Act of 2010 has an exception that allows religious groups to impose restrictions related to sexual orientation, such an exception does not apply to Cornerstone (North East) Adoption and Fostering Service based in Sunderland.

Knowles ruled that Cornerstone, which began in 1999 and filed a lawsuit earlier this year against government regulators, cant require prospective foster or adoption parents to refrain from 'homosexual behavior.

Last year, regulators deemed Cornerstones policies of being discriminatory because of the organization requires that prospective adoptive and foster parents be evangelical Christians who abide by the charitys statement of faith.

The United Kingdom Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills opposed Cornerstones policies relating to a code of conduct that includes beliefs on marriage being between one man and one woman. Cornerstone accused Ofsteds inspection report of demanding that the agency abandon its religious ethos.

Although Knowles ruled that Cornerstone can hold a policy requiring recruiting applicants to be evangelical Christians, Knowles also ruled that Cornerstone may not legally require potential carers to abide by the organizations beliefs on sexual conduct.

Knowles explained that the exception in the Equality Act of 2010 that permits religious groups to impose restrictions related to sexual orientation does not apply to Cornerstone because it recruits carers on behalf of and under contract with local government authorities.

The judge ruled that Cornerstone's recruitment policy violates Article 14 read with Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights because it requires carer applicants to be heterosexual.

The policy unlawfully discriminates, directly or indirectly, against gay men and lesbians, Knowles wrote in his judgment. The disapplication of the general exemption in [the Equality Act] applies because Cornerstone performs functions on behalf of public authorities pursuant to contract.

Knowles argued that Cornerstone failed to show by convincing evidence that its policy benefits children and young people in a way it would not if the policy did not discriminate.

But conduct which is discriminatory on the grounds of sexual orientation that is pursued because of religious belief is not thereby justified, Knowles wrote.

According to the Christian Institute, lawyers involved in the case dispute Knowles reasoning and are considering filing an appeal.

In a statement, Cornerstone Chairwoman Sheila Bamber said that she is saddened that Cornerstones belief in a biblically-based Christian marriage has not been recognized.

We will carefully and prayerfully consider how to continue our vocation and work to create forever families, Bamber stated.

Christian Institute Deputy Director for Public Affairs Simon Calvert argued that the judge is mistaken to treat Cornerstone as an organization that recruits on behalf of the government.

Cornerstone is a private organisation and places children with those within its existing pool of carers. It does not recruit carers on behalf of local authorities, Calvert argued. This part of the judgment suggests the court failed to recognise that Christian belief informs and shapes every area of life  including sexual ethics and behaviour.

Calvert said that while the judges ruling prevents the organization from enforcing beliefs on sexuality, he stressed that the ruling effectively puts beyond doubt that the charity can continue to recruit only evangelical Christian carers.

Knowles stated in his ruling that Cornerstones recruitment policy that requires that applicants be evangelical Christians does not violate Article 14 and Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Cornerstone is permitted to exclusively recruit evangelical Christian carers because of the exemption [the Equality Act] for religious organisations, Knowles wrote.

According to Calvert, Cornerstone is the only independent foster agency in England out of at least 305 agencies that has an evangelical Christian ethos.

[The ruling] should help protect churches and other religious bodies that rely for their existence on the protections afforded by the Equality Act, Calvert explained.

Amanda Spielman, Ofsteds chief inspector, told BBC that she was pleased with the outcome of the ruling, suggesting that it "offers much needed clarity in what is a difficult, complex area of law.

In the United States, Christian foster and adoption agencies have also had to deal with opposition to their policies relating to the placement of children with same-sex parents. In some cases, opposition at the state and local levels has pressured some Christian charities to halt their foster and adoption care services.

In its next term, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case brought on behalf of a Catholic foster care parents who sued the city of Philadelphia for no longer placing children with Catholic Social Services over its policies on same-sex households.
We is once again a touchy subject in Justin Trudeaus Liberal party.

While the hits just keep on coming about Trudeaus connections to the WE charity, the controversy has touched off grumbling in Liberal circles about the lowercase we  as in, how exactly did we get into this mess, and who is we anyway in the decision-making circle around the prime minister?

Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, the Liberal MP for the Toronto riding of Beaches-East York, says he was on the phone immediately after the news emerged about WE being chosen to hand out nearly $1 billion in pandemic relief to students. He placed a call last week to the office of Diversity, Inclusion and Youth Minister Bardish Chagger  whos now gone silent with the media  to get an explanation.

I was struggling to understand why it was being done this way, said Erskine-Smith, a rare MP willing to go on the record on Friday about his concerns with the entire WE affair.

He made the call before he knew all the details, which have been emerging daily, about how closely WE had been working with Trudeaus family, including nearly $300,000 in speaking fees paid out to Trudeaus mother and brother.

Had I known what I know now, I would have said this was too close to the prime minister, Erskine-Smith said.

Other MPs, preferring to talk off the record on Friday, said there has been a lot of chatter in the caucus over the past week about how this WE controversy has revived concerns about team culture  or lack of it  in Trudeaus government.

There arent a lot of relationships between the PM and caucus, one MP said. Now, he said, with most of caucus relations taking place remotely during the pandemic, there are even fewer opportunities for MPs to have contact with the PM and the tight team around him.

It is either ironic or fitting that WE has made the Liberal we annoyed and nervous.

One MP said he was surprised to learn from news reports  first in the Star, as it happens  that WE had been given a contract to do work that would normally be done by the public service.

This is a real head-scratcher for me and several of my colleagues, the MP said. I like to consider myself plugged in but the first time I heard of the WE contract was when I read the controversy in the papers. I know for a fact that I was not alone.

What baffled many MPs was why the government needed to do any contracting out at all, especially after months of proving that it was nimble and adaptable enough to get COVID-19 aid directly to citizens.

This was Erskine-Smiths main concern at first: the government has generous and effective programs in place already for students and summer jobs. MPs themselves, of all stripes, are often helpful in steering that help toward where its most needed in their ridings.

So, while Erskine-Smith didnt put it this pointedly, not only was the WE decision made without input from MPs, the plan itself  which has now been reversed  also kept MPs out of the loop.

Its just so frustrating, he said, citing all the good work the government has been doing to provide help to citizens in this crisis. Now this is taking up so much of the conversation. Erskine-Smiths own mother asked him on Friday why this was going on, though he says his office is not being inundated with complaints, at least not yet.

The exquisitely bad timing of this controversy has Liberals frustrated too. Not only is it happening during a pandemic, but also still in the shadow of the humbling the government received during last years election.

From all accounts, Trudeau had been making genuine efforts after the election, also after last years SNC-Lavalin saga, to forge some greater connections with the Liberal team. Just this week, Trudeau handed a major ambassadors appointment to former interim leader Bob Rae  a decision seen as a symbolic olive branch to Liberals who had been kept at arms length from the PMO.

But the WE controversy is viewed by some Liberals as being about how easy it is for Trudeau and his team to lapse back into old habits of keeping to themselves and giving access and benefits only to the small number of people they trust. Many MPs chose to speak off the record on Friday precisely because they were worried about reinforcing that outsider-insider culture.

None of the MPs or Liberals I reached were calling for Trudeau to resign, as his official opponents are. But there were suggestions that the PM had to surround himself with people who ask harder questions, who would have immediately spotted that WE would hurt the Liberal we.
2020 Vietnam International Travel Mart to feature 400 booths

The Vietnam International Travel Mart (VITM) 2020 will take place in Hanoi from August 12 to 18 under the theme Vietnam tourism looks toward the future, announced the Vietnam Tourism Association (VTA) on July 9.













Visitors at the Vietnam International Travel Mart 2019. (Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn)

The travel mart is expected to feature around 400 booths by exhibitors from 54 cities and provinces nationwide along with those from 10 foreign countries and territories. As of July 9, more than 500 travel businesses and firms have registered for the event.



The exhibitors will have chance to take part in B2B meetings where they can introduce their latest tourist products and services and seek partnerships with localities and businesses at home and abroad.



A range of activities will also be staged during the event, including a national forum entitled Vietnams tourism: Change for Development, an ACMECS (Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy) forum on tourism promotion in northeast Asian markets, the award ceremony for the Vietnam Tourism Association Awards 2019, and arts performances.



According to the VTA Vice Chairman Vu The Binh, the travel mart is being held to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on the tourism sector while providing an opportunity for participating localities and businesses to promote their brands and discuss solutions to bring the hospitality sector back on track.
New York, July 11 : Amid continuing backlash against Chinese apps, e-commerce giant has told its employees to remove Chinese short video making app TikTok from their smartphones owing to unspecified risks.

A Wall Street Journal report on Friday quoted an internal Amazon memo as saying that "employees must delete TikTokto be able to continue accessing their email from their phones".

Amazon did not officially comment on the report.

A TikTok spokesperson said that user security is of the utmost importance for the company.

"We welcome a dialogue so we can address any issues they may have and enable their team to continue participating in our community," a TikTok spokesperson was quoted as saying.

Earlier, the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said this week that Washington was looking at banning Chinese social media apps, including TikTok.

In a Fox News interview, Pompeo said that "we're taking this very seriously".

"With respect to Chinese apps on people's cell phones, I can assure you the US will get this one right too... I don't want to get out in front of the President (Donald Trump), but it's something we're looking at," he said in the interview.

India has already banned 59 Chinese apps, including TikTok, saying these apps opened the way for "elements hostile to national security and defence" to exploit them to "ultimately impinge upon the sovereignty and integrity of India".

Pompeo said people should only download the app "if you want your private information in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party".

TikTok, owned by China-based startup ByteDance, has been repeatedly criticized by US leaders "of being a threat to national security because of its ties to China".
Lucknow, July 10 : Bahujan Samaj Party national president Mayawati has demanded an inquiry by the Supreme Court into the death of gangster Vikas Dubey in a police encounter in Kanpur on Friday. He was the main accused in the murder of eight policemen in Kanpur.

Mayawati tweeted, saying, "The overturning of the police vehicle and the subsequent death of gangster Vikas Dubey in the ensuing encounter following his attempt to escape from the UP police custody must be investigated under the supervision of the Supreme Court." "The high-level inquiry is also necessary to deliver justice to the families of the 8 policemen killed in the Kanpur massacre. The inquiry must also unravel the nexus between the police and politicians and punish all those found guilty," Mayawati added.

Kanpur SSP Dinesh Kumar has confirmed the death of Vikas Dubey in the encounter. According to him, after the vehicle overturned, Vikas Dubey tried to flee with the weapons of the policemen. When the police tried to stop him, he fired and was killed in the retaliatory fire by the police.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
(Natural News) In the 1980s and 90s, many young girls devoured the popular book series The Baby-Sitters Club by Ann M. Martin. The novels, about a group of girls in a fictional Connecticut town who run a club of babysitters, sold millions of copies.

(Article by Elise Ehrhard republished from NewsBusters.org)

On July 3, Netflix premiered a new series inspired by the novels. Since this is 2020, the series makes sure to check-off all the woke boxes required by leftist cultural arbiters.

One of the tween girls in the series, Mary Anne (Malia Baker), babysits for Bailey (Kai Shappley), a trans girl who is, in fact, a biological boy around preschool or kindergarten age.

When the boy gets sick while she is caring for him and is rushed to the hospital, Mary Anne gives the doctors at the hospital an anguished lecture about how they ought to refer to the biological boy as a girl. (How dare trained medical staff consider human biology!)

Nurse: If hes dehydrated, well need to place an IV. Have him change into this. Bailey: I dont want the blue one. Doctor: I hear someones not feeling well. Lets take a look at the little man. Mary Anne: Can I please talk to you two outside? I know that you guys are busy. But as you would see, if you looked at her and not her chart, Bailey is not a boy. And by treating her like one, you are completely ignoring who she is. Youre making her feel insignificant and humiliated. And thats not gonna help her feel good or safe or calm. So, from here on out, please recognize her for who she is. And if it is at all possible, could you find me a non-blue hospital gown? Doctor: Our apologies.

Anybody who has ever cared for young children knows that the line between imagination and reality is naturally blurred at that age. Responsible adults understand this and give the child time to grow. But in the world of radical LGBT ideology, refusal to affirm gender dysphoria in young children is transphobic and mean.

Pushing this agenda on a show for tween girls makes it more difficult for them to fight back against unreality as the radical transgender ideology is increasingly normalized through popular culture.

Another modernization example is that one of the members of the Baby-Sitters Club (BSC) has a gay dad who FaceTimes with her from California with his gay male partner. The young girl is remarkably well-adjusted for an adolescent whose father divorced her mother to be with another man. She does not seem to struggle at all with what would normally be a painful shock for any child.

And no woke series would be complete without locking tween children who have only just begun puberty into a homosexual identity. So, of course, a seventh-grade boy that the girls meet at the beach casually mentions a romantic crush he had on another boy.

Middle-school boys and girls in our brave new LGBT world have no right to time or development before making a homosexual identity known. That is just internalized homophobia or something.

The series also includes a lesbian teacher and her partner. Thus, three letters in the LGBTQIA alphabet are properly covered for the tween audience. The shows producers would not want to make G.L.A.A.D. mad.

Since occultism is a growing part of progressive ideology, as Newsbusters has reported, the series includes a scene of avowed witches meeting together in their spiritual circle. There is lots of talk of spiritual energy and other occult and New Age practices.

Unlike the darker Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, The Baby-Sitters Club makes occultism light and fun for its adolescent audience, something the cool moms are doing.

Lastly, the girls in the series regularly make reference to their feminist bona fides, with one girl even referring to her outfit as Ruth Bader Ginsburg chic. Television is just another way for the left to politicize girls early.

Popular culture is a cesspool. Shows targeted to tween girls are deliberately designed to undermine the nuclear family and Judeo-Christian values. (The show includes mention of Buddhism and New Age spirituality, but not a single family seems to go to church.)

Cultural Marxism dominates Hollywood and constantly pushes its radical cultural narrative on younger and younger populations. The series is rated TV-G on Netflix and is listed under the genres Kids TV and Family Watch Together TV. Sadly, this leaves parents and their children with few good television options anymore.

Read more at: NewsBusters.org
BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - The Switzerland benchmark SMI ended on a firm note on Friday as stocks rebounded after three successive days of losses, after a couple of positive economic reports from Europe, and positive news from Gilead Sciences about its coronavirus vaccine remdesivir. The benchmark SMI ended with a gain of 86.59 points or 0.85% at 10,229.97, after rallying to a high of 10,242.38 from an early low of 10,113.49. The index lost nearly 1% over the past three sessions. Lonza Group, Credit Suisse, Swiss Re, Sika, Swiss Life Holding, SGS, Zurich Insurance Group, LafargeHolcim and Nestle gained 1.5 to 2.1%. Givaudan and Swatch Group both ended higher by about 1.25%, while UBS Group gained 1.2%. Roche Holding shares edged down marginally, while Novartis posted a small gain. Novartis announced that its Enerzair Breezhaler has reportedly benefited patients with uncontrolled asthma. The company is trying to get its product approved beyond the European Union, Japan and Canada. In the midcap section, AMS climbed up more than 6%. Ems Chemie Holding shares gained about 2.6% after the company reported net sales of CHF849 million and net operating income of CHF229 million in the first half of the year. Barry Callebaut moved up 2.3% and PSP Swiss Property gained 2%. Helvetia, Lindt & Spruengli, OC Oerlikon Corp, Baloise Holding and Georg Fischer gained 1.3 to 1.6%. Julius Baer gained more than 1%. The bank is said to be creating a new unit offering direct private investments, including private equity and private debt, to ultra-high net worth clients. Schindler Holding, Kuehne & Nagel, Logitech and Lindt & Sp Ps also ended more than 1% up. Dufry shares declined more than 3% after the company announced a radical restructuring to shore up its balance sheet. 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.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Climate change will leave some farmers with a difficult conundrum, according to a new study by researchers from Cornell University and Washington State University: Either risk more revenue volatility, or live with a more predictable decrease in crop yields.

As water shortages and higher temperatures drive down crop yields in regions that depend heavily on seasonal snow, the choice to use more drought-tolerant crop varieties comes at a cost, according to model projections detailed in the paper "Water Rights Shape Crop Yield and Revenue Volatility Tradeoff for Adaptation in Snow Dependent Systems," published June 10 in Nature Communications.

The study examined the Yakima River Basin in Washington, where a complex combination of snow, reservoirs and water rights controls the availability of irrigation water. That water dictates the success of some of the U.S.' largest producers of wheat, corn, potatoes, pears, cherries, grapes, apples and hops. With proper snowfall and melt, total agricultural productivity in the basin can reach more than $4 billion a year.

The research team sought to quantify climate change's direct and indirect effects on irrigated agriculture in the basin. Researchers also wanted to know if drought-resistant crop varieties could help recover productivity during times of drought.

Climate risk modeling is a specialty of Patrick Reed, the Joseph C. Ford Professor of Engineering at Cornell's School of Civil and Environmental Engineering. In this collaborative study, Reed's group built on prior research at Washington State University that developed a modeling platform connecting crop growth and development, land-surface hydrology and river-system processes. The model simulates dam operations and prioritizes the allocation of water among different sectors within the Yakima River Basin.

The team found that higher water stress and temperatures led to lower crop yield, as anticipated, said Keyvan Malek, a postdoctoral researcher in Reed's group and lead author of the study.

"However, the models show that year-to-year variability in expected crop yields goes down because the difference between the best and worst case yields is reduced," said Malek. "While this is not a positive result, year-to-year fluctuations in crop yield revenue are strongly important in how crop insurance programs balance revenue fluctuations."

The team then used its model to explore the potential of new drought-tolerant crop varieties, which are expected to improve annual yields under climate change. The results showed that although those varieties could significantly improve the average yield, farmers could also experience much higher revenue volatility from crop production.

"Typical and best-case annual yields are much higher," said Jennifer Adam, Berry Distinguished Professor of Engineering at Washington State University and co-author of the study. "But climate change still is likely to cause severe droughts where current water management institutions in the Yakima River Basin simply cannot provide enough water, and there are severe worst-case crop failures."

The researchers argue that the best outcomes for crop yield and revenue volatility must be through a simultaneous improvement in crop varietiesfor example, by preserving agrobiodiversityand in water systems, such as through improvements in water-governing institutions and infrastructure.

It is important to carefully capture a snow-dependent region's specific management constraints while being innovative with climate adaptation strategies, the researchers said.

"Otherwise, systems may unintentionally strike the wrong balance as they trade off improving average yields and farmers' revenue volatility," Reed said.

Explore further Tillage and cover cropping effects on grain production
The case stems from a German film distributors request that YouTube provide details about users who had uploaded the films Parker and Scary Movie 5. (Photo | Flickr - Bizmac)

Brussels: The European Unions highest court ruled Thursday that online platforms dont have to disclose the full personal data including email addresses, telephone numbers or IP addresses of users who illegally upload movies and copyright material.

The case stems from a German film distributors request that YouTube provide details about users who had uploaded the films Parker and Scary Movie 5 onto the platform. YouTube and its parent company Google refused to provide their email addresses and telephone numbers, as well as the IP addresses they used.

The German Federal Court of Justice referred the case to the European Court of Justice, which said online platforms like YouTube just need to provide the users postal address under European rules on intellectual property rights.

When a film is unlawfully uploaded onto an online platform, such as YouTube, the rightholder may, under the directive on the enforcement of intellectual property rights, require the operator to provide only the postal address of the user concerned, but not his or her email, IP address or telephone number, the ECJ said in its ruling.

The German film distributor, Constantin Film Verleih, took legal action after three YouTube users uploaded the two films in full length in 2013 and 2014. They were viewed several thousands of times until blocked.

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Its one of those issues thats going to take time to resolve, said Chris Berglund, 40, of Morrisville, North Carolina, who said he had no opinion of the presidents handling of racial matters and emphasized instead Trumps handling of the economy. Hes done a great job so far, turned the economy around, low unemployment  well, not right now, but theres not anybody who could do that with the pandemic going on.
When Alain Babineau was a police academy cadet nearly 30 years ago, the education his cohort received on diversity and racism amounted to a few basic lectures with little in terms of practical application, the former RCMP and Ontario Provincial Police officer said.

Babineau, who now works as an adviser for the Center for Research-Action on Race Relations, said while diversity is typically part of the curriculum for professional and academic policing programs, its hard to know whether whats taught now is more robust or still just lectures here and there delivered by white people.

If racial profiling, for instance, is part of something that you want your cadets to be aware of and sensitized to, then ... you would need to have Black actors, you would need to develop your scenarios based on realities, based on real events, and to see how your cadets react, and so that requires quite a bit of work, he said.

As calls to reform or defund police services grow across Canada, some post-secondary institutions with law enforcement programs say they are re-examining their curricula to reflect those concerns.

But some critics say the nature of those programs  and their ties with police forces and current or former officers  mean they essentially reinforce the existing system.

The same can be said about police academies, the institutions where prospective officers receive their official training, critics say.

The academy knows, sees what the police are looking for and make sure that they feed them candidates that fit that mould, Babineau said.

That, in turn, makes it hard to affect any meaningful change regarding police education despite decades of calls for action on systemic racism and other forms of discrimination, he said.

There are several educational paths available to aspiring police officers in Canada, depending on the jurisdiction and force.

Recruits must enrol in a police academy, typically run by the province or a local police service  programs that generally span several months.

But they may also choose to pursue a college or university degree related to policing, particularly as research shows higher education is increasingly valued by police forces.

In Ontario, legislation states that a police officer must have a certificate or other document from a post-secondary institution, unless the police service has additional criteria prescribed.

The Toronto Police Service, for example, does not require a post-secondary degree, but a spokeswoman said 92 per cent of its most recent class of officers had post-secondary education.

Most college programs, which generally last one to four years, put an emphasis on the practical skills required to be an officer.

Several universities across Canada have also launched degrees in policing in an effort to provide what they frame as a broader, humanities-based education.

Both types of programs often hire retired or former police officers to teach some courses.

The Canadian Press reached out to a variety of policing programs at both universities and colleges across the country. Eight bachelor or college programs in Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia declined comment or did not reply.

Assiniboine Community College in Brandon, Man., said it anticipated the changing role of police and has emphasized being proactive within the community by encouraging students to work with social service workers and counsellors when they join police forces.

Weve been evolving ourselves, said Ian Grant, a former Brandon officer who now acts as an adviser for the program.

We engage people from different disciplines within the college to present to our students so people arent getting just a policing perspective, theyre getting a more multi-human services perspective.

He noted the program does not offer training in use of force, firearms, or driving.

In Ontario, Durham College said its proud of its curriculum, which is centred around development of comprehensive social and communication skills, in addition to technical knowledge.

Another school, Fleming College in Peterborough, Ont., said its committed to integrating knowledge and experience into its curriculum. It received a federal grant in March for a project titled Diversity, Policing and Learning: Meeting Community Needs for Inclusive Practices.

Meanwhile, Brock University, in St. Catharines, Ont., said it is phasing out its four-year program jointly run with nearby Niagara College. Instead, its launching a critical criminology degree this fall with an academically focused curriculum.

Stacey Hannem, a professor of criminology at Wilfrid Laurier University, said police forces have increasingly found college programs arent providing the education they want to see in recruits, prompting universities to launch their own programs.

In building their programs, universities typically consult police forces on what skills they would like officers to develop, Hannem said.

And so, the interest is in creating a program thats going to be attractive to officers, not necessarily creating a program thats going to create better citizens, who then become better officers, she said.

Hannem and Christopher Schneider, a sociology professor at Brandon University in Manitoba, penned an op-ed earlier this year calling for universities to be more transparent about their relationships with police forces.

They argued universities are allowing police to reproduce the existing system of law enforcement under the guise of higher education, noting many hire law enforcement officers to teach.

A former London, Ont., police officer and instructor, Scott Blandford helped develop Ontarios Police Foundations college program and taught it in several colleges before taking the reins of Laurier Universitys public safety program, which includes a Bachelors degree in policing.

Laurier launched the first online-only policing program in Canada, Blandford said. The multidisciplinary degree is aimed at currently serving officers who came in without post-secondary education and are finding themselves competing for promotions with a younger, more credentialled generation, he said.

He defended the hiring of former officers, saying only those with the necessary academic credentials are selected.

You want someone who has experience in the field, he said. If I was going to medical school, I dont want to be trained by a veterinarian.

But you want to make sure that youre also bringing in someone who has the academic credentials, so youre not creating sort of clones of the previous generations problems.

Babineau, the former officer turned advocate, said there needs to be national standards for police officers and their education, and a regular recertification process.

Thats the toughest piece, but government has the power to change that, because policing is nothing but an institution. And people will follow suit, he said.

Others say the role of policing must be reassessed before any meaningful change can be made to policing education.

Once weve determined the role and function we want the police to play in our society well then... better determine how we select, educate and train police officers, said Akwasi Owusu-Bempah, a sociology professor at the University in Toronto who specializes in issues related to race and policing.

But until then, were tweaking with what we know is a broken system.
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Allegations against the suspended Acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and Magus defence to the said offences are highlighted below:

*Alleged discrepancies in the reconciliation records of the EFCC and the Federal Ministry of Finance on recovered funds.

*Declaration of N539 billion as recovered funds, instead of N504 billion earlier claimed;

*Insubordination to the Office of the AGF;

*Alleged late action on the investigation of P&ID, leading to legal dispute;

*Not respecting court order to unfreeze a N7 billion judgement in favour of a former executive director of a bank;

*Not providing enough evidence for the extradition of Diezani Alison-Madueke;

*Alleged delay in acting on two vessels seized by the Navy;

*Alleged favouring of some investigators called Magu Boys;

*Reporting some judges to their presiding officers without deferring to the AGF;

*Alleged sale of seized assets to cronies, associates and friends;

*Alleged issuance of investigative activities to some media prejudicial to some cases.

Also, previously, former DSS D-G, Lawal Daura, had levelled some allegations against Magu in December 2016. The allegations bordered on:

*Missing EFCC Files;

*Return to EFCC under Lamorde;

*Tenancy of My Official Residence;

*Expensive air travels.

*High profile/dual lifestyle;

*Mutually Beneficial Relationship with Commodore Mohammed Umar (rtd);

*Perceived reluctance to arraign Vice Marshall Adesola Amosun;

*Alleged vendetta against Stanley Lawson; and

*Work through police cronies in EFCC.

Magus response to allegations

Responding to the allegations in a letter addressed to the AGF, dated December 21, 2016, Magu, had written:

I most respectfully refer to your letter referenced HAGF/EFCC/2016/Vol.1/23 dated 19th December, 2016, asking me to respond within 48 hours to the allegations contained in a report written by the Department of State Service, DSS, and which provided the basis for the non-consideration of my confirmation on December 15, 2016, by the Senate.

Having carefully considered all the issues, I hereby present a point-by-point response as follows:

Missing EFCC files

It is true that my residence was searched on the orders of Mrs. Farida Waziri, shortly after she succeeded Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as Chairman of the EFCC and some documents relating to cases under investigation were found in my house. At the time of the raid, I was yet to formally hand over to my successor, Umar Sanda, as head of the Economic Governance Unit.

My schedule at the time warranted that I work round the clock and it was impossible to conclude all assignments without working at home. The documents found in my house were actually found in my office bag where I kept documents relating to investigations.

I was in the process of handing over and it would be wrong to suggest that I willfully kept the Commissions files at home. Nevertheless, the incident was thoroughly investigated by the Police as I was placed on suspension without pay for 20 months. But in the end, I was reprimanded, recalled and promoted to Assistant Commissioner of Police.

It is important sir, to draw your attention to the fact that some of us that worked closely with Ribadu were victimized after his exit. And my ordeal was orchestrated as punishment for being the chief investigative officer for most of the high-profile cases involving politically exposed persons, some of whom became very influential in government at the time.

Return to EFCC under Lamorde

I was Assistant Commissioner of Police in Charge of Operations at the Anambra State Police Command when I was recalled to the EFCC in 2012.

I did not lobby to return to the EFCC. It is preposterous for anyone to suggest that I was recalled to do a hatchet job for Lamorde, as alleged in the DSS Report. My job schedule as Deputy Director, Department of Internal Affairs, under Lamorde, was simply handling issues of professional responsibility in the commission. I had no inputs in core operations, duties of the commission.

Tenancy of official residence

I live in the official residence of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. This accommodation, contrary to the report of the DSS, is not my private home, neither was it rented and furnished for me by Commodore Umar Mohammed (rtd).

It was rented and furnished by the Ministry of the Federal Capital Territory through the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, under the Safe House Scheme.

It is also false that the house was rented for N20million per annum and furnished for N43million. The entire cost for both two-year rent and the furnishing of the house is N39.628million.

Details of the transaction are contained in the contract award letter and payment schedule which are attached to this letter.

Expensive air travels

Honourable Minister, the claim that I have a penchant for expensive air travels in a private jet belonging to Commodore Mohammed is baseless

The two times I can recall travelling in Commodore Umars aircraft, were on a trip from Kano to Abuja, and Abuja to Maiduguri. In the first instance, I had gone to Kano on an official assignment with two of my directors, and Mohammed who was on his way back to Abuja offered us a ride in his jet.

The second occasion was when I was going to see my sick mother in Maiduguri. These, for me, were harmless gestures as we were both members of the presidential investigative committee on arms procurement.

At the time I had no knowledge that he was under investigation for any alleged crimes. Claims that I flew in Mohammeds jet is false.

I have never flown in a private aircraft with any managing director of any bank, let alone one that was under investigation by my agency. I have no personal relationship whatsoever with him.

High profile/dual lifestyle

The allegation that I live a flamboyant lifestyle is also surprising to me. While it is true that I did travel first class on Emirates Airline to Saudi Arabia for Umrah, this action to the best of my knowledge, did not contravene the directive of Mr. President on First Class travels as suggested by the DSS Report.

My trip to Saudi Arabia was a private journey to perform my religious obligation and it was not financed with public funds. More importantly, my decision to fly first class was not borne out of quest for luxury but compelled by necessity.

The trip was made during the last ten days of Ramadan and other classes of ticket were not available. I had no other choice. That I flew first class in one instance is not enough evidence to suggest an extravagant lifestyle as alleged by the DSS Report. It is also not enough to suggest a dual personality.

Any one that has associated closely with me will attest to the fact that I am not known for ostentatious living. And my new office as acting chairman of the EFCC has not changed this.

Mutually beneficial relationship with Commodore Mohammed Umar (Retd)

Sir, it is important to situate my relationship with Commodore Mohammed Umar (rtd), in proper perspective. Our paths crossed when we became members of the Presidential Committee on the investigation on arms procurement.

He was instrumental in getting some of the information that helped the committee make significant breakthroughs in its assignment. Beyond that, the relationship between Umar and myself is one of professional acquaintance, devoid of issues of conflict of interest.

So, it comes to me with shock, the imputation by the DSS that we have a mutually beneficial relationship. This appears suggestive that Mohammed and I were involved in activities that could be said to be untoward. I certainly have no knowledge of such activities.

The claim that EFCC documents, including EFCC letters addressed to the Vice President and being investigation reports on the activities of Emmanuel Kachikwu and his brother Dumebi Kachikwu, were found in his home during a search by the DSS came to me as a surprise.

If that is correct, he should be made to disclose how he came by such documents. I never discussed my official duties with him let alone give him documents pertaining to investigations being conducted by the commission.

Interestingly, Mohammed was detained for several months by the DSS. In all those months, did he claim that I mandated him to commit any crime or that I was an accomplice to any crime? If there is any such claim, I will wholeheartedly like to be confronted with the allegation.

It is interesting to note that when Mohammed was eventually charged to court, the charges against him were money laundering and illegal possession of firearms, and nothing related to my purported shady relationship with him.

Perceived reluctance to arraign Vice-Marshall Adesola Amosun

The DSS Report that the reason EFCC delayed the arraignment of a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshall Adesola Amosun, was because Mohammed never wanted Amosun to be prosecuted is astonishing. Anyone familiar with the EFCC under my watch knows that I perform my duties with the highest sense of responsibility.

The reason Amosun was not arraigned when the likes of Alex Badeh and Umar were arraigned was because he cooperated with the Commission in terms of assisting the process of recovering the proceeds of crime.

Indeed, among the suspects arrested over the arms procurement scandal, he was most cooperative. The Commission recovered N2.835billion cash from him, aside from property worth One Billion Five Hundred and Eighty One Million Naira (N1,581,000,000), Two Million One Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars ($2,150,000) and One Million Pounds Sterling (1,000,000).

Since a key focus of the investigation was to recover as much proceeds of crime as possible, the Commission took its time to ensure it had recovered what was possible before arraigning the suspect in court. This had nothing to do with the wish of any individual. Moreover, the suspect has since been arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction.

Alleged vendetta against Stanley Lawson

The suggestion by the DSS Report that Stanley Lawson, a former Group Executive Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was placed on a watch list, to settle scores with him is strange.

It may interest you to know that I do not know Stanley Lawson personally and could not be settling personal scores by framing somebody that I do not know.

Lawsons encounter with the EFCC is in relation to the investigation into the mismanagement of $118 million public funds for electioneering campaign involving former Petroleum Resources Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

It was discovered that he made payment of $25million into Fidelity Bank and also facilitated the purchase of Ogeyi Place Le Meridien Hotel in Port Harcourt for Mrs. Alison Madueke, for which he collected Ninety Four Million Five Hundred and Sixteen Thousand Naira (N94,516,000) as commission. Lawson was arrested and he made a refund of the N94.5million traced to him. He was never placed on any watch list.

Work through Police cronies in EFCC

I do not understand what the report meant by working with cronies. If what was implied is that I have preferred officers that I work with and who go about their work in unethical manner, my response is that nothing of such exists in the EFCC.

Officers who work with me know that the easiest way to lose your job is to be found to be involved in unethical or corrupt activities. Indeed, when I assumed office as acting chairman, my first action was to return police officers with integrity issues back to the Nigeria Police Force.

If the DSS finds that there are police officers in the EFCC who are working closely with me and have properties that their incomes cannot support, the Service is at liberty to expose them.

Conclusion

Honourable Minister, Sir, I invite you to take notice of the fact that the DSS authored two separate vetting reports on me, one referenced SV.114/3 addressed to the Clerk of the National Assembly and the other referenced SV.114/3 addressed to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate).

Both letters were dated 3rd October, 2016, and signed by the same Officer, Folashade Bello, on behalf of the Director-General. While one of the reports advised the Senate against my confirmation, the other asked it to favourably consider my confirmation. The two reports emanating from the same agency raise questions of sincerity and motive.

You will want to find out why they came up with two conflicting reports on the same subject on the same day. It is important to note that in all this, I was not given the opportunity of fair hearing.

Above all sir, I am persuaded by my conviction in my innocence that in all the issues supposedly raised against me, no one has accused me of receiving gratification to act against my conscience or the interest of the country.

I have attached to this letter all supporting documents and materials that would enable you arrive at fair position on all the issues raised.

I most respectfully refer to your letter referenced HAGF/EFCC/2016/Vol.1/23 dated 19th December, 2016, asking me to respond within 48 hours to the allegations contained in a report written by the Department of State Service, DSS, and which provided the basis for the non-consideration of my confirmation on December 15, 2016, by the Senate.

Having carefully considered all the issues, I hereby present a point-by-point response as follows:

Missing EFCC files

It is true that my residence was searched on the orders of Mrs. Farida Waziri, shortly after she succeeded Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as Chairman of the EFCC and some documents relating to cases under investigation were found in my house. At the time of the raid, I was yet to formally hand over to my successor, Umar Sanda, as head of the Economic Governance Unit.

My schedule at the time warranted that I work round the clock and it was impossible to conclude all assignments without working at home. The documents found in my house were actually found in my office bag where I kept documents relating to investigations.

I was in the process of handing over and it would be wrong to suggest that I willfully kept the Commissions files at home. Nevertheless, the incident was thoroughly investigated by the Police as I was placed on suspension without pay for 20 months. But in the end, I was reprimanded, recalled and promoted to Assistant Commissioner of Police.

It is important sir, to draw your attention to the fact that some of us that worked closely with Ribadu were victimized after his exit. And my ordeal was orchestrated as punishment for being the chief investigative officer for most of the high-profile cases involving politically exposed persons, some of whom became very influential in government at the time.

Return to EFCC under Lamorde

I was Assistant Commissioner of Police in Charge of Operations at the Anambra State Police Command when I was recalled to the EFCC in 2012.

I did not lobby to return to the EFCC. It is preposterous for anyone to suggest that I was recalled to do a hatchet job for Lamorde, as alleged in the DSS Report. My job schedule as Deputy Director, Department of Internal Affairs, under Lamorde, was simply handling issues of professional responsibility in the commission. I had no inputs in core operations, duties of the commission.

Tenancy of official residence

I live in the official residence of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. This accommodation, contrary to the report of the DSS, is not my private home, neither was it rented and furnished for me by Commodore Umar Mohammed (rtd). It was rented and furnished by the Ministry of the Federal Capital Territory through the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, under the Safe House Scheme.

It is also false that the house was rented for N20million per annum and furnished for N43million. The entire cost for both two-year rent and the furnishing of the house is N39.628million.

Details of the transaction are contained in the contract award letter and payment schedule which are attached to this letter.

Expensive air travels

Honourable Minister, the claim that I have a penchant for expensive air travels in a private jet belonging to Commodore Mohammed is baseless

The two times I can recall travelling in Commodore Umars aircraft, were on a trip from Kano to Abuja, and Abuja to Maiduguri. In the first instance, I had gone to Kano on an official assignment with two of my directors, and Mohammed who was on his way back to Abuja offered us a ride in his jet.

The second occasion was when I was going to see my sick mother in Maiduguri. These, for me, were harmless gestures as we were both members of the presidential investigative committee on arms procurement.

At the time I had no knowledge that he was under investigation for any alleged crimes. Claims that I flew in Mohammeds jet is false. I have never flown in a private aircraft with any managing director of any bank, let alone one that was under investigation by my agency. I have no personal relationship whatsoever with him.

High profile/dual lifestyle

The allegation that I live a flamboyant lifestyle is also surprising to me. While it is true that I did travel first class on Emirates Airline to Saudi Arabia for Umrah, this action to the best of my knowledge, did not contravene the directive of Mr. President on First Class travels as suggested by the DSS Report.

My trip to Saudi Arabia was a private journey to perform my religious obligation and it was not financed with public funds. More importantly, my decision to fly first class was not borne out of quest for luxury but compelled by necessity.

The trip was made during the last ten days of Ramadan and other classes of ticket were not available. I had no other choice. That I flew first class in one instance is not enough evidence to suggest an extravagant lifestyle as alleged by the DSS Report. It is also not enough to suggest a dual personality.

Any one that has associated closely with me will attest to the fact that I am not known for ostentatious living. And my new office as acting chairman of the EFCC has not changed this.

Mutually beneficial relationship with Commodore Mohammed Umar (Retd)

Sir, it is important to situate my relationship with Commodore Mohammed Umar (rtd), in proper perspective. Our paths crossed when we became members of the Presidential Committee on the investigation on arms procurement.

He was instrumental in getting some of the information that helped the committee make significant breakthroughs in its assignment. Beyond that, the relationship between Umar and myself is one of professional acquaintance, devoid of issues of conflict of interest.

So, it comes to me with shock, the imputation by the DSS that we have a mutually beneficial relationship. This appears suggestive that Mohammed and I were involved in activities that could be said to be untoward. I certainly have no knowledge of such activities.

READ ALSO:Dont obstruct Magus investigation, PDP counsels Buhari

The claim that EFCC documents, including EFCC letters addressed to the Vice President and being investigation reports on the activities of Emmanuel Kachikwu and his brother Dumebi Kachikwu, were found in his home during a search by the DSS came to me as a surprise.

If that is correct, he should be made to disclose how he came by such documents. I never discussed my official duties with him let alone give him documents pertaining to investigations being conducted by the commission.

Interestingly, Mohammed was detained for several months by the DSS. In all those months, did he claim that I mandated him to commit any crime or that I was an accomplice to any crime? If there is any such claim, I will wholeheartedly like to be confronted with the allegation.

It is interesting to note that when Mohammed was eventually charged to court, the charges against him were money laundering and illegal possession of firearms, and nothing related to my purported shady relationship with him.

Perceived reluctance to arraign Vice-Marshall Adesola Amosun

The DSS Report that the reason EFCC delayed the arraignment of a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshall Adesola Amosun, was because Mohammed never wanted Amosun to be prosecuted is astonishing. Anyone familiar with the EFCC under my watch knows that I perform my duties with the highest sense of responsibility.

The reason Amosun was not arraigned when the likes of Alex Badeh and Umar were arraigned was because he cooperated with the Commission in terms of assisting the process of recovering the proceeds of crime.

Indeed, among the suspects arrested over the arms procurement scandal, he was most cooperative. The Commission recovered N2.835billion cash from him, aside from property worth One Billion Five Hundred and Eighty One Million Naira (N1,581,000,000), Two Million One Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars ($2,150,000) and One Million Pounds Sterling (1,000,000).

Since a key focus of the investigation was to recover as much proceeds of crime as possible, the Commission took its time to ensure it had recovered what was possible before arraigning the suspect in court. This had nothing to do with the wish of any individual. Moreover, the suspect has since been arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction.

Alleged vendetta against Stanley Lawson

The suggestion by the DSS Report that Stanley Lawson, a former Group Executive Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was placed on a watch list, to settle scores with him is strange.

It may interest you to know that I do not know Stanley Lawson personally and could not be settling personal scores by framing somebody that I do not know. Lawsons encounter with the EFCC is in relation to the investigation into the mismanagement of $118 million public funds for electioneering campaign involving former Petroleum Resources Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

It was discovered that he made payment of $25million into Fidelity Bank and also facilitated the purchase of Ogeyi Place Le Meridien Hotel in Port Harcourt for Mrs. Alison Madueke, for which he collected Ninety Four Million Five Hundred and Sixteen Thousand Naira (N94,516,000) as commission. Lawson was arrested and he made a refund of the N94.5million traced to him. He was never placed on any watch list.

Work through Police cronies in EFCC

I do not understand what the report meant by working with cronies. If what was implied is that I have preferred officers that I work with and who go about their work in unethical manner, my response is that nothing of such exists in the EFCC.

Officers who work with me know that the easiest way to lose your job is to be found to be involved in unethical or corrupt activities. Indeed, when I assumed office as acting chairman, my first action was to return police officers with integrity issues back to the Nigeria Police Force.

If the DSS finds that there are police officers in the EFCC who are working closely with me and have properties that their incomes cannot support, the Service is at liberty to expose them.

Conclusion

Honourable Minister, Sir, I invite you to take notice of the fact that the DSS authored two separate vetting reports on me, one referenced SV.114/3 addressed to the Clerk of the National Assembly and the other referenced SV.114/3 addressed to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate).

Both letters were dated 3rd October, 2016, and signed by the same Officer, Folashade Bello, on behalf of the Director-General. While one of the reports advised the Senate against my confirmation, the other asked it to favourably consider my confirmation. The two reports emanating from the same agency raise questions of sincerity and motive.

You will want to find out why they came up with two conflicting reports on the same subject on the same day. It is important to note that in all this, I was not given the opportunity of fair hearing.

Above all sir, I am persuaded by my conviction in my innocence that in all the issues supposedly raised against me, no one has accused me of receiving gratification to act against my conscience or the interest of the country.

I have attached to this letter all supporting documents and materials that would enable you arrive at fair position on all the issues raised.



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Michigan reported 612 more confirmed cases of coronavirus on Friday, July 10, which was the largest daily increase since May 20.

The state reported also reported 15 new COVID-19 deaths, though all 15 of them occurred outside the last 24 hours and were late additions discovered through regular vital records reviews.

In total, Michigan has reported 68,295 confirmed cases and 6,039 deaths linked to COVID-19 over the course of four months.

Health officials recommend looking at seven-day moving averages to evaluate data trends during the pandemic. The state is averaging 451 new cases and 10 new deaths per day.

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As of Thursday, July 9, the states hospital systems were treating 363 coronavirus patients, including 92 on ventilators. About 74 percent of in-patient hospital beds were reported occupied in total.

So far our hospitalization and death rates have not increased, but to be clear, what we have seen in other states is that hospitalizations and deaths tend to increase several weeks after cases are identified, said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, Michigans chief medical executive, during a Thursday press conference.

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Thirty-two of Michigans 83 counties reported no new cases on Friday.

Wayne County had the most new cases with 109, followed by Oakland (82), Kent (69), Macomb (47), Washtenaw (39), Ottawa (34), Muskegon (25), Kalamazoo (22) and Genessee (20).

Menominee County in the Upper Peninsula only had 31 confirmed cases before adding seven new cases on Friday. It now has 38 known cases.

Heres a look at the five Michigan counties with the most confirmed cases.

1. Wayne County: 22,755 cases (2,628 deaths)

2. Oakland County: 9,405 cases (1060 deaths)

3. Macomb County: 7,490 cases (887 deaths)

4. Kent County: 5,189 cases (138 deaths)

5. Genesee County: 2,302 cases (266 deaths)

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Of the 23,376 tests processed on Thursday, 754 -- or 3.2 percent -- came back positive for COVID-19. The Detroit and Grand Rapids regions were the only areas with positive test rates above 3 percent.

To find a testing site near you, check out the states online test finder, here, send an email to COVID19@michigan.gov, or call 888-535-6136 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays.

For more statewide data, visit MLives coronavirus data page, here.

COVID-19 PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

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:

Whitmer orders mask use in Michigan, violators could be fined up to $500

Michigan at tipping point in fight against coronavirus

Seeing beefed up prices at Michigan grocery stores and restaurants? Heres why
From Digital Spy

Home and Away spoilers follow from Australian-pace episodes, which some UK readers may prefer to avoid.

Home and Away's Ben and Maggie Astoni have decided to go ahead with leaving Summer Bay, despite the fact that their daughters won't be joining them.

The couple made the life-changing choice in Wednesday's episode on Channel 7 in Australia (July 7), realising that it was time to put themselves first.

In recent episodes, Ben (Rohan Nichol) and Maggie (Kestie Morassi) have surprised everyone by getting their marriage back on track and making plans to move to Italy together.

Initially, the reunited pair hoped that Ziggy and Coco would both agree to join them for a new life overseas.

Photo credit: Channel 5

Related: Home and Away's Jasmine Delaney tries new tactic in her baby battle with Tori Morgan

Ziggy rejected the idea as she didn't want to be away from her boyfriend Dean Thompson, while Coco  who's currently studying away from the Bay  also vowed not to go.

Although the Astonis were unsure about leaving without their daughters, the latest episode saw them change their minds.

Maggie was most hesitant about the move, but Ben felt that it was their best opportunity for a fresh start.

Ben ended up sharing a thought-provoking conversation with John Palmer, who encouraged him to seize the chance to make his marriage work.

Photo credit: Channel 5

Related: 6 huge Home and Away questions after this week's Australian episodes

Back home, Ben successfully convinced Maggie that they should stick with the Italy plan and put their marriage first. Are we entering the final days of the Astonis' time in Summer Bay?

Home and Away fans in the UK will see these scenes on Channel 5 in early August.

Home and Away airs on weekdays at 1.15pm and 6pm on Channel 5 (UK) and Mondays to Thursdays at 7pm on Channel 7 (Australia).

Digital Spy now has a newsletter  sign up to get it sent straight to your inbox.

Read more Home and Away spoilers on our dedicated homepage

Story continues

Want up-to-the-minute soaps news, spoilers and gossip on your social feeds? Just hit 'Like' on our Digital Spy Soaps Facebook page and 'Follow' on our @soapscoop Twitter account.



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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 03:17:41|Editor: huaxia

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People who paint "Black Lives Matter" mural pose for a photo in front of Trump Tower in New York, the United States, on July 9, 2020. A giant, yellow "Black Lives Matter" mural was painted Thursday on New York City's Fifth Avenue right in front of Trump Tower, a skyscraper that serves as the headquarters for the Trump Organization. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

NEW YORK, July 9 (Xinhua) -- A giant, yellow "Black Lives Matter" mural was painted Thursday on New York City's Fifth Avenue right in front of Trump Tower, a skyscraper that serves as the headquarters for the Trump Organization.

Mayor Bill de Blasio joined dozens of people in painting the three words with a roller on the ground Thursday morning, attracting hundreds of onlookers.

"Our city isn't just painting the words on Fifth Avenue. We're committed to the meaning of the message," he said on Twitter.

U.S. President Donald Trump last week lashed out at New York City's plan to paint the mural, calling it "a symbol of hate" on Twitter.

In response to Trump's tweet, de Blasio said the mural is to honor members of the black community who helped build Fifth Avenue and "so much of this nation."

The mural is one of five that will be created in each borough of the city following the tragic death of African American George Floyd in Minneapolis in May, which sparked nationwide protests over racial injustice and police brutality.

"I ask all New Yorkers to recognize the power of this moment -- that the city of New York is saying loudly, clearly, consistently black lives matter and we will back up that belief with action after action after action," de Blasio said at a press briefing in mid-June while announcing the plan about the murals. Enditem
Chhattisgarhs capital Raipur reported 56 fresh coronavirus disease (Covid-19) positive cases on Thursday, a single-day record high among the 28 districts in the state over the past 15 days, officials said.

State health department data showed that Raipur reported 15 Covid-19 positive cases between March 18 and April 30, but from June 1 to July 10 the figure climbed to 556, a record for any district in the state, amid growing concerns among officials how to contain the viral outbreak.

On Thursday, three members of the family of the mayor of the Raipur Municipal Corporation (RMC), were among the 56 fresh Covid-19 positive cases reported in the city, including eight jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), two government doctors and seven police personnel, officials said.

Raipur has 68 active containment zones, as the state capital is reporting around 13 Covid-19 positive cases daily. Raipur is the worst-affected place in Chhattisgarh, as far as the viral outbreak is concerned, said a state health official.

Niharika Barik Singh, health secretary, Chhattisgarh, put the reasons behind the spike in Covid-19 positive cases in Raipur in perspective.

Several international travellers are found to be infected with SARS-CoV-2, which causes the disease. Moreover, many people from outside the state are coming to Raipur, a business hub, for trade amid the easing of nationwide lockdown restrictions. Goods trucks are also coming to Raipur daily. No wonder, the city is the most susceptible to the viral outbreak, Singh said.

State officials also cited that aggressive daily testing has led to a spike in Covid-19 positive cases of late.

Raipur is testing up to 800 swab samples daily, which is exponentially higher than other districts in the state. All those, who have come in contact with a Covid-19 patient, are being mandatorily tested, said Saurabh Kumar, commissioner, RMC.

On Thursday, Chhattisgarh reported 146 Covid-19 positive cases, as the states tally stood at 3,679, and a death related to the viral outbreak at a hospital in Raipur.

The state has recorded 761 active Covid-19 positive cases and 15 deaths to date, the officials added.

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Police said Vikas Dubey was killed in an encounter after a vehicle carrying him from Ujjain to Kanpur met with an accident and he tried to escape in Bhauti.

Opposition leaders on Friday slammed the Uttar Pradesh government and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the encounter of gangster Vikas Dubey and raised questions about a possible link between criminals, top politicians and the police.

Police said Dubey was killed in an encounter after a vehicle carrying him from Ujjain to Kanpur met with an accident in Bhauti area and he tried to escape.

Four policemen, including an inspector posted in Nawabganj, were injured in the accident, IG, Kanpur Range, Mohit Agarwal said. But Opposition has raised questions on the police narrative.

Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav, who was among the first to react, claimed that it was "an effort to save the government" although he did not directly refer to the event.

     ,         .  Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) July 10, 2020

Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh took a far more direct tack. Slamming the Uttar Pradesh government, Singh said the truth about Dubey's links with politicos, the police and other government officials will now "never be exposed."

             ,         ,       3-4      2                ?  digvijaya singh (@digvijaya_28) July 10, 2020

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, backing up Singh's assertion, said that the "culprit has been finished" but asked about what would happened to those who protected him:

    ,         ?  Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) July 10, 2020

Supreme Court advocate Prashant Bhushan, in a series of tweets, said the encounter had ensured that the gangster didn't reveal his nexus with top politicians.

Vikas Dubey killed 8 UP police&escaped. He roamed 4 States in next 5 days, then surrendered publicly in Ujjain temple to avoid being 'encountered'. After UP police got hold of him, their car carrying him overturns&he is 'encountered'! So he doesn't reveal nexus with top Politicos  Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) July 10, 2020

Bhushan, claiming that he'd predicted this would happen to "protect top police officers and politicos who'd protected" Dubey, slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

I had predicted this! After being taken hold of by UP Police, the car carrying Dubey overturns & he is 'encountered'! Obviously to protect top police officers & politicos who had used him&protected him thus far. This is the 'Vikas' that Yogi & Modi have delivered! https://t.co/fAJthsD6g6  Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) July 10, 2020

Calling this the "most blatant case of extrajudicial killing", Bhushan claimed there would be "no rule of law left" if the Supreme Court did not take Suo Moto cognisance of this "obvious crime."

This is the most blatant case of extra judicial killing. Dubey was a gangster terrorist who may have deserved to die. But UP police have killed him to shut his mouth. If the SC does not take Suo Moto cognizance of this obvious crime, it means there is no rule of law left in India https://t.co/bPRfKEEyCr  Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) July 10, 2020

Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala questioned the timeline of the Kanpur incident while Omar Abdullah, hinting at a nexus between criminals and top politicians, said "dead men tell no tales".

Madhya Pradesh home minister Narottam Mishra said, "Law has taken its course. It could be a matter of regret and disappointment for those who raised questions on Dubey's arrest on Thursday and death today. MP Police did its job, it arrested and handed him over to UP Police."

The father of constable Jitendra Pal Singh, who lost his life in an encounter at Bikru village in Kanpur last Friday, said he was proud of the Uttar Pradesh Police for "bringing solace to his soul."

Dubey was arrested in Ujjain on Thursday after a week-long manhunt.

Senior Superintendent of Police (Kanpur) Dinesh Kumar P said that the accident occurred in the morning when it was raining heavily and the police vehicle overturned near Kanpur.

Eight policemen, including DSP Devendra Mishra, were ambushed in Bikru village in Chaubeypur area of Kanpur when they were going to arrest Dubey and fell to bullets fired from rooftops shortly after midnight on 3 July.
Fans are completely shattered after the demise of their favourite star Sushant Singh Rajput as they are not able to cope with the big loss. Not just the fans, his sudden demise has affected the entire nation and everyone is now waiting for his last outing, Dil Bechara. After dropping the trailer, the makers have now dropped the title track of the movie. In the song, sung and composed by music maestro AR Rahman, we see Sushant Singh Rajput showing off insane dance skills. It talks about Sushant Singh Rajputs character Manny being friend-zoned by Sanjana Sanghis character Kizzie.





Choreographer Farah Khan had revealed that Sushant managed to pull off the song in one shot and his effortless dancing adds to the charm of the song. Mukesh Chhabra revealed that it was the last song that Sushant ever shot for. He told Mid-Day, Farah Khan choreographed it and she rehearsed the song with Sushant for a day and then shot the whole song in one shot. Thats it. Just one shot. The song's picturization is deceptively simple and Sushant who was a very good dancer, made it look effortless.



Fans love the way he pulled the dance movements and they are emotional after seeing Sushant pull off this number so perfectly.

THIS PART WAS A TOP TIER PERFORMANCE #DilBecharaTitleTrack pic.twitter.com/uzj3t4Oeaz  Simardeep Singh Sukhwal (@Isimardeepsingh) July 10, 2020









After seeing this smiley face,no words to describe .One of the finest actor in bollywood#DilBecharaTitleTrack #ARRahman #SushantSinghRajput #SanjanaSanghi

Absolutely loved it pic.twitter.com/oKN9o1I0N4  durgavaraprasad (@durgavaraprasa8) July 10, 2020





Wow ! What an actor he was it's hard to believe that he is no more listening this song on repeats ! His expressions, his style, his swag,can't believe will be witnessing this all for the last time Love you SSR#DilBecharaTitleTrack #CBIForSonOfBihar #SushantSinghRajput https://t.co/XVHFgwzijV  Aman Verma (@0to3amanverma) July 10, 2020





#DilBecharaTitleTrack



This is pure bliss

Acting+dancing with a bundle of energy..Sush, you're a complete package of joy! #SushantSinghRajput pic.twitter.com/bXV9KHAU1w  Swabhavna  (@MissChaotic_) July 10, 2020



Dil Bechara, which marks the directorial debut of casting director Mukesh Chhabra, is an onscreen adaptation of John Green's book The Fault In Our Stars, which was also made into a Hollywood film. Its such an emotional farewell to the star that deserved way more than he got.
Hyderabad: Telangana governor Tamilisai Soundararajans proactive role in monitoring the measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 is making the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) uncomfortable.

In recent weeks, the governor, a doctor herself and a BJP leader in Tamil Nadu before her appointment, has conducted review meetings with senior health staff and hospital managements, and gave media interviews in which she openly called for more testing and tracing of COVID-19 patients. This has given an opportunity to critics of the TRS government's handling of the pandemic to find their voice.

When chief secretary Somesh Kumar and the principal secretary for health did not attend a review meeting called by the governor to discuss the coronavirus campaign it gave scope for more criticism by the opposition parties.

Since Sundararajan launched her proactive avatar, her Twitter account has become a complaint box for citizens who are dissatisfied with the TRS government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Soundararajan recently also engaged with citizens on Twitter.

The BJP has been enthusiastic about the governor's initiative. That party's state unit president, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, said it becomes the duty of the governor, as the constitutional head of the state, to take charge of the matter if the state government was not vigorous enough.

Sanjay did not lose the opportunity to take a dig at chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao who, he said, has become invisible in the past 12 days. The CM should have personally met the governor and explained the situation rather than create a situation where the governor had to take stock, Sanjay said.

Some senior Congress leaders have sought presidents rule in the case. In response, TRS leader and State Planning Commission vice-chairman B. Vinod Kumar advised them Congress leaders to read the rule books and Supreme Court judgements.

Congress working president A. Revanth Reddy demanded that Soundararajan should invoke Section 8 of the AP Reorganisation Act which gives the governor special responsibility to ensure the security of the life of the people by declaing health emergency.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 18:03:49|Editor: huaxia

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ULAN BATOR, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The Mongolian government on Friday decided to extend the country's heightened state of readiness by 15 days until the end of July amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The extension is part of efforts to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the government's press office said in a statement.

The Asian country has confirmed 227 COVID-19 cases so far, with no local transmissions or deaths.

Over 80 percent of the country's confirmed cases were imported from Russia, according to the government.

Mongolia entered its heightened state of readiness on Feb. 12, with measures including the suspension of international passenger flights. Enditem
Commentary

The Sun River, shuttle, the Medicine River float trip, The medicine that heals a person. In these days of turmoil and fractured feelings, I had a day off with a healthy portion of rejuvenation from a moment on a float trip down the Sun River with T.J. Laviolette and C.J. Tingler.

I was the high bidder a year ago at the watershed meeting held At Sun Canyon Lodge near Augusta, Montana. Mike Cobb of the Cobb Ranch was one of the other bidders and when I won the bid I elected to have him accompany me on the float trip. Mike had some necessary surgery to repair his wrist just days before we were to go on the river. Selecting a fishing companion I found that my cousin was available on short notice to go. C.J. and I arrived in the early morning at the Wagons West motel in Augusta, and after a few articles of need were found at the Manix store and some well wishes from Susie Ford we met up with T.J Laviolette and transferred our gear and set off for the river. After the charismatic Emma, our shuttle driver, took us to the circled stones known as teepee rings, which is a reminder of the native village we laced and set up our fly poles then we elected to spend the day fly fishing. There may have been a look of disdain as Emma looked at our local gear. Never having fly fished before, C.J. left his worms for fishing with bait, and I left my lures and we were on our way down river. After some keen instruction by our guide T.J. I learned that although I had fished the Sun River since I was a young boy from Fairfield, Montana. I did not know the Medicine River at all. We floated and fished 14 miles of water that I had previously only wandered on a half a mile of.

Wielding a fly rod and managing a floating contraption created by T.J. called simply one of his fly concoctions I managed to coax a strike from some unsuspecting denizen of the water. Later amazing myself and using some of my previous learnings of fishing I hooked and played a magic remedy of re-birth of feelings of joy with battle with a precious specimen of fish hood, released but moments later with feelings of exhilaration and the release of tensions and all thoughts pertaining to our states of affairs with lootings, broken feelings, broken hearts and covid restrictions. Taking hundreds of pictures making a thousand casts, the day continued with C.J. in the front of the raft/boat getting some huge fish to try to engage with his fly. One huge strike occurring right beside where I was sitting in the rear of the raft. Another fish on my line and in C.J.s words jumped about 3 feet out of the water higher than I have myself rarely witnessed as it came up about eye level with me to simply laugh and depart the hooked menagerie known only to T. J. who has been making wrappings of such flies since the age of 15, meaning for 45 years and guiding other folks in the wilderness for 39 years and counting.

T. J. some wit in his every motion rowed us with precision successfully encountering with finesse rapids and rocks in tactful deliverance with only a few splashes from deep dips in the cascading river system. Lunch with a deer on a sandbank where we deposited delicious sandwiches made by someone named Cook Randy.

Down river with stories intact of days gone by with fish that moved buckets of water as they struck the flys. I managed to hook another, yielding it back to its home, C.J. in the front had another huge fish take his fly, but had just moments before become enamored by some rock formation of intrigue, left too much slack and although the fish was hooked well for a moment, rolled off like big browns are apt to do, rolling off, we rolled or should I say floated on, with three bucks rapidly seeking shelter from our invading eyes.

How medicine can perhaps be found floating in a stream of H2O I do not know, but the essence of healing that I will proscribe for our entire nation is this.

Like a River flows toward the Ocean, we might well notice that going back in history to correct the past is like trying to row upstream in a raging current of water. One can make but little headway when in our headstrong desire to go back, to remove objects and monuments that are truly history. Then even if a statue or a persons actions have been offensive, it is a clear message to avoid that scene again. We may honor best by moving away from hate and building new statues rather than removing old.

New love is demonstrated most especially by forgiveness and forgetting placing new emphasis on the medicine of healing with care. In the old west the bad guys wore a mask. Today we, the hopefully good guys, wear a mask. Float, do not drown in the river of no return. Let us not ruin our today by trying to drain the past of errors which never should have been. By being covered in colors of hatred and shame. Release like I did the trout and free up your ability to reawaken your health of love for all colors and all peoples.
Black Lives Matter has created an environment in which you can destroy just about anybody by calling him a racist, and now we need to turn this environment against BLM. Could a good employment lawyer argue that an employer's or university's support for BLM constitutes an actionable hostile work environment or hostile learning environment?

One of the qualifications for a hostile work environment (or hostile learning environment in a school or university) is simply that somebody has to feel offended, which is the "woke" Left's favorite method of attacking its enemies. The complainant must also show that it is discriminatory, pervasive, and harassing. A swastika or KKK hood would almost certainly meet all these requirements for a Jewish or black employee. A good lawyer might be able to argue that an employer's support for Black Lives Matter similarly creates a hostile work environment for Caucasians in general and Jews in particular.

Does Black Lives Matter Qualify as a Hate Movement?

The first step is to establish a prima facie case that BLM is, with the prominent and perhaps unique exception of Robert Ray Barnes' Black Lives Matter Foundation, itself a hate movement every bit as repulsive as the Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazis. Here is but an overview of what has been found crawling around underneath the rock called Black Lives Matter (again with the exception of BLM Foundation, which advocates better police-community relations and is not connected with BLM Global Networks or other BLM-affiliated hate group).

The Black Lives Matter web site promoted openly a racist boycott of white-owned businesses. Any Caucasian employee can therefore reasonably take offense to the display of the BLM logo or, even worse, his or her employer's support for the organization. Black Lives Matter makes the racist statement , "We see ourselves as part of the global Black family" The motto of the corresponding "global white family" is " White Pride , World Wide." There is room for only one family in this country, and it is the American family that comes in all colors. Graffiti made under color of the BLM movement advocates openly the murder of police officers. The material includes pictures of dead pigs in police hats, "Oink your last, pig," "Kops are cancer," and ACAB (All Cops Are Bastards). Similar violent hate symbols, including a pig in a police hat roasting over a fire and a burning police car, are available for purchase online. The EEOC requires however that unwelcome workplace behavior discriminate against a protected class, which includes religions and races but not professions such as law enforcement. Telling an employee that one hopes his or her police officer spouse gets "fried like bacon ," while repulsive, might not enable an EEOC complaint although it can and should reflect badly on the employer's reputation. Black Lives Matter has joined forces with Black Lives Matter has joined forces with hate groups that deny openly Israel's right to exist: "many advocated some form of violence and all called for the destruction of Israel." Genocide since 48! We dont want your Jew-State! They forgot to use "Zionists" as a euphemism for "Jews" this time and now they own it -- they've always meant Jews. Another individual added, "When I see an NYPD car burn, I say were waking up revolutionary consciousness!" The Democratic National Committee's official website connects directly to a BLM web site with an icon called " Free Palestine ." This leads directly to another web page that says "About BDS movement" which connects in turn to the official web page of the BDS movement which denies Israel's right to exist. "For nearly seventy years, Israel has denied Palestinians their fundamental rights and has refused to comply with international law." Israel occupied Gaza, Judea, and Samaria 52 and not 70 years ago. Hate doesn't have a home in the Democratic Party; it has a mansion. This article adds that a "Day of Rage" that involved BLM included chants like "You can't defund the police, you have got to abolish the police! You have got to abolish the Zionistic state of Israel! You have got to abolish the United States Government!" The demonstration included violent videos of terrorist attacks and even Nazi swastikas, and any organization that involves itself with swastikas is discriminatory against Jews. BLM has itself called Israel an apartheid state that practices genocide.

BLM may have once had the moral high ground when it protested peacefully against the small minority of police who misuse their authority, badges, and weapons. BLM lost that moral high ground the instant it embraced violent hate speech against police, racism, anti-Semitism, vandalism, civil disorder, and misuse of 501(c)(3) tax exempt resources to influence an election, and must now be regarded as a hate movement every bit as bad as the white supremacist ones.

Does BLM Create a Hostile Work Environment?

We have therefore established clearly that many people in the workplace might find promotion of BLM highly unwelcome, and the unwelcome behavior need not come from managers or co-workers either. Customers who display white supremacist insignia, KKK hoods, or BLM attire also could create a hostile work environment. There does not, on the other hand, seem to be comparable protection for customers. If I walk into a Starbucks (which I have no plans to do) and see a barista with BLM attire, I can and will walk out after telling the barista and perhaps the manager why, but I cannot file an EEOC complaint. My sole recourse is to boycott hate by walking out or, as a more practical matter, not walk in in the first place.

No Legal Recourse Does Not Mean No Recourse

What if the employer's or school's actions cannot be proven to discriminate against a protected class? Some states also prohibit discrimination against employees for expression of political opinions outside their workplaces and while not representing their employers, so civil suits and even criminal charges might be on the table. Political "coercion of employees" is a felony in New Mexico.

Even if there is no legal recourse available, other lawful and nonviolent consequences are on the table. Equity Prime Mortgage LLC, which fired the stepmother of Garrett Rolfe, apparently had to take down or restrict access to its Twitter and Facebook pages due to the overwhelming backlash. Hardin Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, has garnered unfavorable publicity for disciplining a student for publishing attacks on Black Lives Matter. While BLM supporters may be eager to purchase Nike shoes with Colin Kaepernick's picture on them, others will boycott BLM hate by not buying anything from Nike. 1st in SEO's former, and I stress "former," CEO Matthew Blanchard said his company would not serve Trump supporters. The company's website now reports "We changed the former owners political policy immediately after taking over three years ago." The anti-Semitic establishment Foodbenders in Toronto also just got a seat in the Karma Cafe. "Woke" leftist virtue signaling at the expense of others is therefore self-destructive, and its consequences are largely self-enforcing.

Civis Americanus is the pen name of an American Thinker contributor who remembers the lessons of history and wants to ensure that our country never needs to learn those lessons again the hard way.
T he battle for control for one of the biggest gold producers on the Stock Exchange took another twist today as the Russian billionaires accused of trying to take it over on the cheap demanded a shareholder vote to replace the directors with their preferred candidates.

Petropavlovsk was founded by Peter Hambro  scion of the banking dynasty  to invest in Russian gold mines.

After a heavy investment programme, it is now a major producer at a time of surging gold prices. Its shares have quadrupled in the last two years so the company is now worth nearly 900 million.

This appears to have brought it to the attention of two local barons who analysts suspect have bought stakes of 23% and 12% in the business to seize control of the company by stealth.

At the heart of the battle for control lies Petropavlovsks new plant called a pressure oxidation hub, one of only two in Russia that can be used to extract gold known as refactory ore, which is common in Russia but hard to get out of the rock.

Hambros team invested $400 million getting the plant up and running and analysts suspect one of the Russians, a tycoon called Konstantin Strukov, wants to put his gold through it.

While the covid-19 crisis appears to have been distracting many shareholders, the Russian shareholders succeeded in voting through an ousting of the current management, winning the poll by 5% after nearly a third of shareholders did not vote.

Then, a major Western shareholder, Prosperity Capital Management, with 20% of the shares, demanded another meeting to overturn the previous vote and restore the status quo.

In the interim, Peter Hambro and three other directors were appointed as temporary directors.

That move was opposed by one of the Russians and yesterday they sought a court injunction against the move.

Today, the Russian investor known as Everest Alliance, said to be controlled by businessman Nikolai Lustiger, demanded a shareholder vote to oust the Hambro Four and put in their own proxies.

Lustiger and Strukovs firms, Everest and UGC, deny acting in concert.

Strukovs UGC bought the 22% stake this February.

It is not the first the stake has caused trouble for Hambro. In 2017, it was owned by another tycoon, Viktor Vekselberg, who used it to oust the British blueblood.

He sold it for 5p a share to Kazakh billionaire Kenges Rakishev, who brought back the old guard, led by Hambros co-founder Pavel Maslovskiy.

Rakishev sold it on in 2019 to a Russian airports magnate, Roman Trotsenko, who then sold it on to Strukov
JAKARTA, Indonesia - Indonesian authorities have arrested a French man for alleged sexual abuse of minors after finding videos on his laptop computer showing him molesting over 300 children, police said Friday.

Jakarta police spokesman Yusri Yunus said Francois Camille Abello was arrested late last month in a hotel room where he was found with two naked girls.

He said police had received a tip-off from nearby residents who suspected a foreigner at the hotel was exploiting children.

Abello could face death by firing squad if found guilty under child protection laws, Yunus said.

Abello, a 65-year-old retiree, was paraded in handcuffs at a news conference on Thursday where Jakarta Police Chief Nana Sudjana said the videos on the computer showed him engaging in illegal sex acts with 305 children aged 10 to 17. Abello remained silent at the news conference.

Sudjana said Abello had not co-operated with investigators and refused to provide passwords for programs on his computer.

He said most of the victims were street children whom Abello had approached and offered work as models. Abello paid them between 250,000 and 1 million rupiah ($17 and $70) for engaging in sex with him and beat those who refused, Sudjana said.

We are still investigating whether he has also exploited his victims economically through social media or other internet platforms, Sudjana said.

There are reports that foreign pedophiles are increasingly targeting children in Indonesia, but there have been few arrests of foreigners and little research on the topic.

In mid-June, police said they arrested an American fugitive, Russ Albert Medlin, for alleged sexual assault of children. He was apprehended at his residence in southern Jakarta after police questioned three minors.

Medlin had been charged with sexual violence against a minor twice by a district court in Nevada between 2006 and 2008 and served two years in prison prior to his arrest in Jakarta, Yunus said.
New Delhi: The Indian Army has asked its officers and jawans to immediately delete their Facebook accounts. It has also barred them from using 88 other apps, including PUBG and Instagram.

Among the apps which have been barred are some Indian applications like Hike messenger, which was founded by Bharti Airtel chairman Sunil Bharti Mittals son Kavin Mittal.

As far as Facebook is concerned, army personnel are required to not just deactivate their accounts but to delete them altogether, said a senior army official. According to sources, there have been several cases in the recent past where foreign spies used Facebook to target Indian personnel.

The Army could take action against any personnel found to be using these banned apps from July 15. This is the strictest warning sent by the army to its personnel at a time when foreign spies have been using apps for espionage purposes.

Among the apps which have been banned are Zoom, True Caller, Nimbuzz, Line, Helo and Snow. Army personnel will also not be allowed to use the popular dating app Tinder to prevent honey traps by foreign spies. Other dating apps which have been barred are TrulyMadly, Happn, okCupid, Badoo, Elite Singles and Couch Surfing among others. Seventeen e-commerce apps have also been banned, including AliExpress. Blogging sites Reddit, Tumbir and news apps like DailyHunt, too, cannot be used by army personnel. In music apps, Hungama and Songs.pk have been barred.

The list also includes some of the 59 Chinese apps like TikTok, WeChat, Beauty Plus and UC Browser, which have already been banned by the government.

An army dossier last year had warned its men against honey-trapping by Pakistan spies who create fake female profiles on social media like Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. It had asked its personnel to avoid accepting friend requests from unknown people, avoid suspicious websites and not to take calls from or chat with unidentified people.

Last year, Rajasthan Police had arrested two Indian Army personnel for sending sensitive information to Pakistan. Both of them were honey-trapped by Pakistani spies posing as women on Facebook with the name of "Seerat".
SYDNEY (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Transportation said it has revoked permission for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to conduct charter flights to the United States, citing Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) concerns over Pakistani pilot certifications.

SYDNEY (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Transportation said it has revoked permission for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to conduct charter flights to the United States, citing Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) concerns over Pakistani pilot certifications.

The information is contained in a revocation of special authorisation dated July 1 provided by the department to Reuters on Friday.

Pakistan last month grounded almost a third of its pilots after discovering they may have falsified their qualifications.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency suspended PIA's authorisation to fly to the bloc for six months in a blow to the carrier's operations.

(Reporting by Jamie Freed; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
- NDC flagbearer justifies the choice of Prof. Naana Opoku Agyemang to party members

- John Mahama says the NDC has demonstrated its willingness to give women the opportunity into positions of decision-making

- He urged all Ghanaians to give Prof. Opoku Agyemang all the support she will need

- Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

Former president John Dramani Mahama has explained the rationale behind the National Democratic Congress (NDC) decision to settle on Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyeman as the partys running mate for the 2020 election.

Addressing party members in Accra a day after he announced the former Education Minister as his running mate, the NDC flagbearer said the party has demonstrated its willingness to allow women to participate at the highest level of decision-making in the country.

Mr. Mahama added that Ghana cannot develop and progress with only men at the helm of affairs.

Former president Mahama speaking to NDC members. Source: John Mahama/Facebook

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: 641 new COVID-19 cases take Ghanas total to 23 463

He opined that the NDC has over the years given women the opportunity to lead by appointing them into positions of decision-making.

Naana Jane is an accomplished woman who has made her mark both nationally and internationally and it is my belief that as a social democratic party, and a progressive party at that, if any party must be positioned in the history of our country to create the opportunity for women to serve in the highest offices of the land, then it is no other party than the NDC.

We open up the decision-making process to our female partners and show that together with them, we will move our country forward, he stated.

The NDC flagbearer also stated that the time is right for a woman running mate.

He called on all Ghanaians and members of the NDC to support Prof. Naana Opoku Agyemang.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: Almost everyone at the Education Ministry has tested positive - Napo

Many have said the time is not right for a woman veep, when will it ever be right. I believe the time is right It is my hope that we will all rally behind her and support her, he noted.

Meanwhile, the appointment of the educationist has been hailed by many Ghanaians.

YEN.com.gh earlier reported on the achievements of Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang as Ghanas education minister under the administration of John Mahama.

Her sterling record as Minister for Education is a healthy mixture of innovative policy initiatives, quality outcomes, and massive infrastructural development.

"We will take the money from Politicians, but we won't vote" - Market woman speaks | #Yencomgh

READ ALSO: I predicted a woman will get NDC running mate position - Amanda Clinton

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
Although pandemic restrictions have recently been somewhat relaxed, a climate of confusion continues to prevail along the line of contact.

Crossing the line of contact in eastern Ukraine has been a humanitarian concern ever since the outbreak of the Russo-Ukrainian War in 2014. In mid-March 2020, the implementation of coronavirus-related quarantine procedures caused a dramatic reduction in crossings, leading to the rapid deterioration of what was already a problematic situation.

Although pandemic restrictions have recently been somewhat relaxed, a climate of confusion continues to prevail along the line of contact. This uncertainty about checkpoint operations is making life significantly more difficult for the millions of Ukrainians living on both sides of the front lines, Eric Fritz, a Project Manager with Right to Protection, wrote in an article for the Atlantic Council.

For many residents of eastern Ukraine, crossing the line of contact is critical in order to see family, visit property, withdraw cash, or access social programs including pensions. For a period of almost three months beginning in March 2020, the entry-exit checkpoints on the line of contact were effectively closed, with a very limited number of specific exceptions.

Read alsoAll travelers stuck in neutral zone at Donbas checkpoint to undergo observation in designated locations

In early June, the authorities on both sides began taking steps towards easing the crossing embargo, but a lack of clarity in the reopening process has led to a number of instances where individuals have found themselves stuck for days at a time in the "gray zone," the heavily mined and almost completed exposed open space between the Ukrainian government crossings and Russian-controlled checkpoints.

These miscommunications and persistent blunders are now leading to rising tensions. As has so often proved the case over the past six years of the conflict, confused Ukrainian civilians find themselves caught in the middle and are suffering the consequences.

On June 9, Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation announced that line of contact crossing would resume on the following day. However, messaging about the resumption of operations was insufficiently clear as to exactly how, when, and where crossing would commence. For instance, the Ukrainian government failed to properly message that it was not speaking on behalf of the authorities in non-government controlled areas. Russian occupation forces had, in fact, decided to keep their entry points largely closed.

As a consequence of this confusion, many Ukrainians spent their last dollars traveling to checkpoints only to then discover that there was no way to cross. In fact, it wasn't until a week later, on June 19, that normal operations resumed at Stanytsia Luhanska, the only checkpoint on the line of contact in Luhansk region.

Meanwhile, in Donetsk region, all four existing checkpoints remain closed, with limited exceptions. Only the checkpoint at Novotroitske permits occasional passage, and this is only on an extremely limited basis.

The limited flow through the Novotroitske crossing is permitted for those individuals designated on certain previously approved lists. The drafting process of these lists remains opaque and unclear.

Read alsoTrilateral Contact Group on Donbas discusses local elections, POW lists, opening of two checkpoints

The Ukrainian government has since agreed to the use of these lists in order to prevent people from getting stuck in the gray zone. Nonetheless, the climate of confusion continues. Poor dissemination of information has created several localized humanitarian crises with people stuck in the highly dangerous and inhospitable gray zone for days at a time.

This lack of clarity is creating a fertile environment for dangerous misunderstandings. Over the past few weeks, rumors have been circulating that Russian occupation forces were fully opening the checkpoint at Novotroitske. As a result of this speculation, a number of individuals piled into the gray zone on July 6 hoping to cross the front line despite the fact that they were not featured on existing lists of approved persons.

Kateryna Rachynskaya, a checkpoint monitor for the local human rights NGO Right to Protection, recounts what happened next. She says a total of 83 people were lined up hoping to enter non-government controlled areas before things began to turn ugly. "The forces of the so-called Donetsk Peoples Republic began to threaten people. People started filming them, force was used against them, and 15 people were injured. Some people also had their smartphones smashed."

Read alsoSeven Ukrainian regions not ready for quarantine easing  health ministry

The militants apparently started beating some of the men, hoping that this would encourage the crowd to turn back. In response, 34 people did indeed give up and returned to government controlled areas, while the other 49 remained in the gray zone for the entire day with no food, water, or protection from the sun. They were eventually permitted to enter non-government controlled areas in the late evening.

A different group of 30 individuals trying to enter government controlled areas of Ukraine were trapped overnight in the gray zone on June 23. They weren't permitted entry because they either didn't have smartphones, or they hadn't yet downloaded the "Act at Home" app, a smartphone application which the Ukrainian government has made a requirement for entering Ukraine during the coronavirus pandemic.

These individuals also couldn't return to the Russian-occupied zone because the authorities in non-government controlled Donetsk had made them sign forms vowing they wouldn't attempt to return until the coronavirus situation had improved. In this instance, one 90-year-old man was stuck in the gray zone for two days.

Similar accounts continue to mount up. It is not difficult to imagine how dangerous such confusion and misinformation is in a conflict environment like eastern Ukraine, with its disproportionately elderly and impoverished population. Greater coordination of crossing procedures is urgently needed in order to prevent further unnecessary hardship among a population already ravaged by over six years of war.
West Bengal on Thursday recorded 1,088 Covid-19 cases, its highest single-day spike in infections so far, pushing the tally to 25,911 while a record 27 fatalities in the last 24 hours raised the death toll to 854, the state health department said.

Out of the new deaths, 24 were due to comorbidities where Covid-19 was incidental, the department said in a bulletin.

Follow latest updates on coronavirus here

Kolkata accounted for 13 of the new fatalities, followed by six in North 24 Parganas, three in Howrah, two each in South 24 Parganas and Darjeeling and one in Dakshin Dinajpur district, it said.

In the last 24 hours, 535 patients have been discharged from different hospitals in the state after recovering from the infection, it said, adding that a total of 16,826 were cured of the disease so far.

The number of active Covid-19 cases in the state now stands at 8,231.

The bulletin said in the last 24 hours, 322 people tested positive for the disease in Kolkata, 264 in North 24 Parganas, 167 in Howrah, 88 in South 24 Parganas and 53 in Hooghly. The remaining 194 cases were reported from 13 other districts.

Since Wednesday, 10,805 samples have been tested in the state.
Police stand outside public housing towers that are a hotspot for COVID-19 in Melbourne Friday, July 10. (AP)

Sydney: Australia will slash the number of returning citizens allowed into the country by half as it struggles to contain an outbreak of coronavirus in its second-largest city, officials announced Friday.

From Monday, only 4,000 Australian citizens or permanent residents will be allowed back into the country each day, down from around 8,000 currently, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.

The announcement came as officials in the state of Victoria reported a record 288 new COVID-19 cases mainly in the state capital, Melbourne.

Some five million residents of greater Melbourne were ordered into a six-week lockdown this week in an effort to curb the outbreak, which has rattled a nation that had successfully contained the epidemic in most areas weeks ago.

Health authorities said it would take several weeks to know if the Melbourne lockdown has succeeded in stemming the surge.

Australia closed its international borders to all but returning citizens and permanent residents in late March as coronavirus mounted.

All returning travellers have been put in mandatory hotel quarantine, stretching resources in the country's main cities.

Morrison said the cap on returning Australians would remain in place until the Melbourne epidemic is contained.

Health and security breaches in quarantine hotels in Melbourne have been blamed for sparking the outbreak there, and nationwide returning overseas travellers have accounted for the majority of COVID-19 cases in Australia.
Alcohol's popularity and its central place in socialising in Australia obscures the dangers of excessive drinking and possible liver disease, Flinders University experts warn.

As Dry July awareness month highlights the various health risks, the Head of Hepatology and Liver Transplantation at Flinders Medical Centre Associate Professor Alan Wigg says alcohol misuse remains a major health challenge in Australia as seen by high in rates of life-threatening liver disease.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data shows 1366 alcohol-induced deaths in 2017, and an additional 2820 deaths where alcohol was listed as a contributing factor to mortality.

"Alcohol was the principal drug-related diagnosis, with the highest number of hospital admissions, in the five years to 2017-18," says Associate Professor Wigg, Head of the Hepatology and Liver Transplantation Medicine Unit at Flinders Medical Centre.

"Managing patients with liver failure due to alcohol is the major clinical workload of staff at our unit, and a major task for many other medical colleagues around the state and country."

At-risk patients need to be actively involved in managing their condition by understanding their treatments and by taking actions such as reducing salt intake and monitoring serum electrolytes, says Flinders researchers in a new study published in US journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

In the past 10-15 years, the number of chronic liver failure cases at South Australia's public hospitals has increased more than three-fold from 422 in 2001 to 1441 in 2015. While alcohol remains the main cause for chronic liver failure, obesity-related liver disease (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) is expected to become a 'modern epidemic' by 2050.

Nationally, more than 6 million Australians suffer from chronic liver disease with more than 7000 deaths a year - all part of the effects of chronic conditions such as alcohol, hepatitis C, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This is forecast to rise to 8 million by 2030.

A previous Deloitte study indicates the cost of managing the rising tide of chronic liver disease - including lost productivity - now exceeds $50 billion a year in Australia alone.

The new study led the Flinders experts to develop a simple seven-point questionnaire for patients to use to raise awareness about managing their condition.

Co-author Professor Richard Woodman, from the Flinders Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, says people living with cirrhosis have varying ability to manage their condition.

"The seven questions relate to three separate aspects of the disease - ascites, variceal bleeding, and hepatic encephalopathy - which then gives clinicians a quick and easy way to assess the patient's knowledge and self-management capabilities," he says.

"This in turn tends to have a major impact on the rate of their disease progression."

Flinders University PhD candidate Jeyamani Ramachandran, who also worked on the study, says there is currently no such validated questionnaire available to assess patients with liver cirrhosis and to reduce emergency hospital admissions.

"Disease knowledge and self-management among patients play a central role in coping with complicated chronic conditions such as cirrhosis," she says.

"The Flinders team developed and validated the easy questionnaire for patients to regularly assess the three major complications of cirrhosis, and further studies will confirm its usefulness in improving patient outcomes."

###

The new article, 'Validation of Knowledge Questionnaire for Patients With Liver Cirrhosis' (July 2020) by J Ramachandran, RJ Woodman, KR Muller, R Wundke, R McCormick, B Kaambwa and AJ Wigg has been published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology (American Gastroenterological Association) DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2019.11.045 Vol 18, Issue 8, P 1867-1873.e1

An ongoing trial to further validate the study's findings is being funded by an Australian Government NHMRC grant.
Vietnam backs preventive diplomatic measures and early warnings to prevent and solve conflicts in countries in West Africa and the Sahel, affirmed Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of the Vietnam Permanent Mission to the United Nations.

Children in South Sudan affected by conflicts

Addressing the UN Security Councils July 9 briefing on the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS)s six-month implementation of its tasks, Quy expressed concern over the regional security situation.

He appreciated anti-terrorism efforts by UN Missions as well as the G5 Sahel, while stressing the need to protect civilians, particularly women and children.

Speaking at the event, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and UNOWAS Head Mohamed Ibn Chambas said that recent months have witnessed recurrent complex terrorist attacks against the civilian population and security forces.

He noted that in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Nigeria, attacks have been accompanied by forced recruitment of children and abductions while exacerbating the humanitarian consequences on the populations of the affected areas.

The COVID-19 pandemic is damaging economic development and poverty reduction achievements gained in recent years.

UNESCO estimates 119 million children and four million teachers in West Africa and Central Africa have been affected due to school closure. Meanwhile, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that in 2020, up to 2.4 million people in the regions need support and protection./.VNA
09.07.2020 LISTEN

One of the leading Microfinance companies in Ghana, Leverage Microfinance Company Limited (LMC) has challenged students, especially those in the tertiary level to take advantage of its Student Lever Entrepreneurial Investment Plus (SLEIP) product.

The SLEIP is a unique investment product designed for tertiary students with the aim of enabling students have a 'Back-Up Plan' for business or Plan B to prepare them for life after school.

"The SLEIP is also a stepping stone to student entrepreneurship especially when you leave school and you want to start a personal business or any profitable venture. For instance, as a student in school there are times you may earn money from family and friends and these monies should be spent aptly. This can be done by investing in your future self through our tailored product purposely designed for YOU (a tertiary level student)," Francisca Naa Ankrah, Communication and Branding Officer, of Leverage Microfinance Company explained.

"We also have two main categories of loan products that we currently offer. We have business loans and personal loans. These products are structured in a way that meets the demands of the current market especially under the condition we find ourselves today in this COVID-19 Pandemic," she stated.

She made this known when she and her team in the company of the CEO of LMC appeared on Accra-based Kasapa FM breakfast show recently.

Adding his supportive voice, Ziblim Alhassan, LMC Sales Manager, said Leverage Microfinance currently has customers whose businesses have been greatly affected by the COVID situation. Businesses such as hospitality, commerce, transport among others are facing some challenges. With this negative impact on businesses, Leverage is ready to offer credit facilities to those facing challenges in order to revamp their business.

Due to the COVID situation, everyone has come to realize that there is the need to have a second line of income especially those in formal employment. As a result, Leverage has a tailored product designed for individuals who receive their salaries through the Controller and Accountant Generals Department to enable them set-up another line of income." he explained.

About Leverage Microfinance

Leverage Microfinance is a limited liability company legally registered under the Companies Act 1963 (Act 179) of Ghana, as a non  bank financial institution since 2011. LMC has obtained its full operating license from the Central Bank of Ghana to operate as a tier II financial institution.

Currently, its Head Office is located at Dansoman- Sakaman off Ave Maria Junction, Poultry Farm Avenue in Accra.

Leverage Microfinance is assuring the general public of its readiness to assist individuals and other corporate bodies in acquiring loan facilities from the company to meet their economic and other business or personal needs.

Leverage Make it happen!!!
UNESCO said on Friday its World Heritage Committee would review Hagia Sophia's status after Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan declared the ancient monument in Istanbul a mosque again.

Erdogan made the announcement shortly after a top court ruled that the sixth-century building's conversion to a museum in 1934 by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of the modern secular Turkish republic, was illegal.

UNESCO said that decision raised questions about the impact on its universal value as a site of importance transcending borders and generations, which is necessary to be included on its coveted list of World Heritage sites.

Countries must notify the United Nation's cultural body of any changes in the status of a site, triggering a review by its World Heritage Committee if need be, it said in a statement.

"It is regrettable that the Turkish decision was not the subject of dialogue nor notification beforehand," the United Nation's cultural body said in a statement.

"UNESCO calls on the Turkish authorities to open a dialogue without delay in order to avoid a step back from the universal value of this exceptional heritage whose preservation will be reviewed by the World Heritage Committee in its next session," it said.

The World Heritage site was at the centre of both the Christian Byzantine and Muslim Ottoman empires and is today one of Turkey's most visited monuments, revered by Christians and Muslims alike.

The United States, Russia, Greece and Christian church leaders had urged Turkey to maintain Hagia Sophia's status as a museum.

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From Michael Nnachi (Ph.D)

Since the former Secretary to Ebonyi State Government, Prof. Benard Ifeanyichukwu Odoh, invited Nigerias anti-graft agency, EFCC, to investigate the handling of the 2016 N2 Billion CBN Agriculture loan fund for farmers of Ebonyi State, all have not been well for Engr. David Umahi and his administration. Pitiable Engr. David Umahi who had accused Odoh of misappropriating the said fund confessed in a live broadcast that he (Engr. Umahi) was the one who actually approved all the disbursements of the 2016 CBN Agriculture loan fund.

Prof. Odohs invitation to EFCC which was backed by orders of mandamus against EFCC as well as restraint against Umahi and his government seems to overwhelm Engr. David Umahi. In Umahis trepidation, he has committed blunders and made fundamental but risible changes in his administration. He began with an unsuccessful capital intensive anti-Prof. Odoh resolution bonanza which ironically buoyed up Odohs popularity and diminished Umahi and his administration. Umahi followed this with a panic cabinet reshuffle and creation of new ministries and funny departments. Ebonyi State now has ministries of Rice Mill and Intergovernmental Affairs respectively; and five offices of Special Assistants to the Governor on Lot 1, Lot 2, Lot 3, Lot 4 and Lot 5 of Abakaliki International Market respectively.

Engr. David Umahis desperation is understandable. A governor driven by high propensity for primitive wealth acquisition into personalization of his government and extreme denial of Ebonyi bureaucracy of living wages, lawful allowances, remunerative promotions and even gratuity and pension is expected to panic over the impending visit of the anti-graft agency. Engr. David Umahi is also worried that EFCCs visit to his domain offers the righteously indignant Ebonyi workers the opportunity to whistle-blow the high profile corruption which characterize his administration

So far, leaked documents cast thick doubts over the handling of a total of about N22.270 Billion which were dedicated funds received by Engr. David Umahis administration on behalf of Ebonyi State. These include the Paris Club funds amounting to N12.770 Billion which Umahi received in two tranches of N7.662 Billion and N5.108 Billion. Others include the 2016 N2 Billion CBN Agriculture loan fund for Ebonyi farmers; the N3 Billion Anchor borrowers loan; and another N3 Billion Commercial Agriculture Credit loan which was obtained last November 2019. Prof. Odohs reaction to Umahis malicious allegation has exposed the hypocrisy of Umahis Agricultural Revolution programme. The only time Ebonyi farmers received loans and Agricultural inputs was in the 2016 farming season when Prof. Odoh co-chaired Ebonyi State Executive Council Committee on the 2016 N2 Billion CBN Agriculture loan fund. In the succeeding farming seasons, Umahi hyped his Agricultural programme on media without releasing funds and farm inputs to Ebonyi farmers. Even as the 2020 farming season is winding up, no farmer in Ebonyi State has received either fund or Agricultural input from Umahis administration. Hence, the scarcity and high cost of food; and hunger in Ebonyi State as stated by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, in its report published in the Premium Times of 17th July, 2020. A 25 kg bag of rice which sold for N4,000.00k now sells for N12,000.00k in Ebonyi State! In his kleptomaniac administration, the Paris Club funds which the FG released to States for adequate and prompt remuneration of workers were not spared. Ebonyi workers and retirees live in despondence and abject poverty due to poor remunerations, abolition of promotion and other allowances and even gratuities. These are vindications for the National Bureau of Statistics which ranked Ebonyi State as the third poorest State in Nigeria.

Besides the misappropriation of the CBN Agriculture loan funds and the Paris Club funds, Umahi has run the education sector in Ebonyi State aground. Squalidness and lack of teachers characterize majority of Ebonyi State schools. The $3 Million dollars Better Education Service Delivery for All, BESDA, fund meant for the education of out-of-school children disappeared into underground cash vaults in Umunaga Uburu. Not one out-of-school child is benefitting from the programme which is hardly mentioned in Ebonyi State. Ebonyi Overseas Scholarship Programme which began in 1999 was arbitrarily terminated by Umahi even when his children study in high profile foreign universities. Consequently, Ebonyi State is the poorest, hungriest and most educationally-disadvantaged State in the Southeast with the lowest life-expectancy of 48 years and the highest number of out-of-school children.

To curb the unabating leakages of documentary evidences of the humongous corruption in Ebonyi State ahead of EFCCs visit, the governor reshuffled his cabinet recently and brought back the disgraced former Accountant-General, Queen Agwu. Agwu was the nemesis of two non-pliable former Ebonyi State Commissioners for Finance, Dr. Dennis Ekumankama and Dr. Obinna Nwachukwu who were respectively dropped by Umahi because they refused to kowtow to his incredible appetite for unearned money. To continue the governors thieving spree, Agwu, the then Accountant-General transformed into Umahis hatchet woman, usurped the duties of the Commissioner for Finance and took the diversion of humongous funds from Ebonyi State Government coffers to the private underground cash vault in Umunaga Uburu to the pinnacle. Agwu was later removed from office in 2019 after she was caught by Umahi with N180 Million cash illegally withdrawn from the UBA account of Ebonyi State Government. To prevent Agwu from cooperating with EFCC, Umahi did not prosecute her for stealing and even had to re-engage her as Chief of Staff at this perilious time. To perfect the concealment of facts from EFCC, the governors younger brother, Orlando Nweze, took over as Commissioner for Finance. Engr. David Umahi has gone further to fake Covid-19 infection for himself and his aides in order to postpone the evil day which the anti-graft agencys investigation has become for him. Both the announcement of Umahi and his aides contraction of the virus which inadvertently gave a time for their recovery; and a leaked video clip of Engr. Umahi in boisterous banter with his aides two days after the virus infection fuel Ebonyi peoples suspicion that what the governor and his aides were suffering from was Covid-Corruption and not Covid-19! It is doubtful how these could save Umahi and his administration from the EFCCs sledgehammer given available e-transaction records and Ebonyi civil servants and dedicated Non-Governmental Organizations poise to rat on the self-centered governor.



Source: https://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/289607/david-umahi-and-covid-corruption.html
MIDDLETOWN  Connecticut Radio Fellowship has appointed Steve Tuzeneu to be the new General Manager / Chief Engineer of WIHS 104.9 FM Christian radio beginning on July 15. Tuzeneu brings over 45 years of diverse radio station experience, from announcing to engineering to management. His career is coming full circle, because he worked for WIHS from 1985-1991 when the station was located in downtown Middletown.

Tuzeneu grew up in central New Jersey. He has held staff positions at faith-based radio stations in Colorado, Connecticut, Kansas, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Virginia and Wisconsin. He holds a bachelor of science degree in Broadcasting and Business Administration from John Brown University. He is a Certified Broadcast Technologist with the Society of Broadcast Engineers, holds an FCC General Class Radio Engineering License and an Extra Class Amateur Radio License.

Located at 1933 South Main St., Connecticut Radio Fellowship is a non-profit organization that operates WIHS, a live and local, Christian radio station that broadcasts a mix of music, programs, news and local features. To learn more, please listen at 104.9 on the FM dial, visit www.WIHSradio.org, browse the station Facebook page and YouTube Channel, or call the station office at 860.346.1049.

Registration for breast cancer walk now open

Registration for the Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundations 15th annual walk is open.

This year, the foundation is hosting a Virtual Walk to Cure Breast Cancer Oct. 3. Participants can walk, run or bike anywhere they choose at any time. Registration is available online at www.TBBCF.org

In support of Breast Cancer Awareness month, registration is open through the end of October. A few virtual events are planned on or around Oct. 3, the designated Walk Day. The plan is to be able to gather together again in person, as a foundation, the first Saturday in October, 2021.

The registration fee is $25 and is non-refundable. Participants must be 12 and older. Because this is an extraordinary year, and we recognize potential challenges around fundraising, we have reduced fundraising targets for 2020 as follows: $150 for all walkers and $100 for cancer survivors and students, ages 12 to 22. As in past years, all fundraising should be completed by the end of the year. The foundation acknowledges and supports the many participants who set their own fundraising goals and raise much more money for breast cancer research than required.

Although the format of the signature walk has changed for this year, the mission stays the same - a commitment to fight breast cancer by directing 100 percent of gross fundraising dollars directly to breast cancer research. Since 2020 is virtual, the foundation hopes friends and family from across the country and the globe will join in this fundraising event.

COVID-19 testing is free at CHC

MIDDLETOWN  Community Health Center, Inc. is expanding free community COVID-19 testing to its Middletown clinic. CHC is the only Middletown facility offering tests to any individual without the need for a referral. Individuals do not need to be presenting symptoms in order to be tested.

Residents can have drive-through or walk-up testing, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Monday through Friday, at CHC of Middletown: 675 Main St. Results are available in 2-3 days. A CHC provider will call to discuss results. To learn more, call 475-241-0740 or visit www.chc1.com.

According to a statement: Founded in 1972, with offices in California, Colorado and Connecticut, Community Health Center, Inc. is transforming healthcare nationally. CHC provides medical, dental and behavioral care to 150,000 patients, many uninsured and underserved, at more than 200 locations in Connecticut and is recognized as a Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Home by NCQA and a Primary Care Medical Home by The Joint Commission. Healthcare providers in more than 40 states participate in CHCs telehealth, training, and workforce development programs, improving patient care across the county. For more information, visit www.chc1.com.

Steam train reminds all of train operations, safety

ESSEX  The Essex Steam Train and Riverboat reminds residents in the lower valley that limited train operations will resume during late-June, after an extensive period of inactivity caused by the coronavirus.

Motorists and pedestrians should renew their sense of caution at public and private driveway railroad crossings, officials said. When approaching STOP signs, motorists and pedestrians must come to a complete stop at the white stop line, and yield to any approaching on-rail traffic, as required by law. When facing flashing lights and/or gates, crossing users must stop and wait for trains to pass/lights and gates to shut off.

During the shutdown, the railroad upgraded its public highway crossings with new reflective signage, gates, and modern LED warning lights to assist crossing users in making safe decisions when crossing the tracks.

Additionally, pedestrians, bicycles, and motorized vehicles are never allowed on railroad tracks except at a legal crossing location. Questions can be directed to Rob Bradway, Vice President of Track and Property, at 860-964-3422.
It is 4 in the afternoon and two men arrested for snatching are brought to a room inside a police station in central Delhi. They are wanted in different cases of snatching and robbery in different police precincts.

The two are asked to be seated and prepare for a video conference with a team of officers. On a computer screen are small square-shaped windows of police officers, who are ready to begin what is called a virtual interrogation.

Law enforcement in times of the Covid-19 pandemic has often been demanding and unpredictable and sometimes ventured into the realm of the unknown. In the first two months of the lockdown imposed to curb the spread of the disease, they were on the streets to ensure that people were following social distancing norms, and feeding the homeless and migrant workers, or in the police stations stitching face masks.

Now that lockdown norms have been gradually eased and criminals have returned to their line of work, the police have introduced the concept of virtual interrogation, questioning criminals and witnesses over video conferencing to minimise physical contact with them. Senior officers have also started interacting with victims over video link.

Delhi police officers say that in almost all cases, barring a few in which the suspects were hardcore criminals or werent forthcoming enough, they have adopted virtual interrogation. The move is working, senior Delhi police officers said, because unlike in the pre-Covid-19 days, top officers need not depend on juniors and can join questioning at the click of a button from their offices.

It started last month, when 11 policemen tested Covid-19 positive after coming in contact with a carrier in central Delhis Anand Parbat. During a virtual meeting of senior officers at the police headquarters and district police chiefs from their offices across the city, an officer informed his bosses that the men had been infected after coming in contact with a 37-year-old man who had murdered his life.

The top officers then decided that since they were already holding law and order meetings over video conference, they could do digitally question suspects and witnesses too.

Joint commissioner of police (central range) Suvashish Chaudhary said virtual interrogation offers many benefits and is working well. It saves time and ensures social distancing. Suppose we have arrested a snatcher, then the investigating officer (usually junior rank officers such as sub-inspectors) may ask him about his past cases. Someone like me is more interested in why that snatchers does the crime in a specific place or how he identifies his victim. Many times, depending on the profile of the criminal, we come together and hold joint virtual interrogation sessions.

Police said they had come across many cases where arrested suspects were from containment zones. Until July 9, Delhi had 562 containment zones across the city, where more than 350,000 residents live. The police have arrested more than 100 such residents from across the city in cases of snatching, robbery, theft and burglary. Such suspects were subsequently interrogated by senior officers virtually after initial questioning by juniors.

Chaudhary said virtual interrogation was the best option when the suspects are from containment zones.

On June 8, our local police had arrested six men for snatching and robbery. Some of them such as Gopesh alias Gopi, 23, and Ashim alias Aslam, 25, were from containment zones in Anand Parbat. Instead of visiting the station and crowding to question those men, my seniors and I interrogated those men virtually. We managed to quiz them thoroughly and found their involvement in over 15 cases.

In the last two months, senior police have also started meeting victims and complainants over video conference. Until the lockdown, the meetings would take place at the offices of the senior police officers. Many senior officers of the rank of joint commissioner have started virtual meetings every morning. HT spoke to one city resident who had met senior officers of the central range when her daughter went missing.

On June 16, the seven-year-old child had gone missing from her house in Patel Nagar. The woman, Rameeta Devi, was adamant on meeting senior officers.

They connected me to the DCP and the Joint CP. I explained to them how my daughter was unsafe. They assured me on the video call that they would find her. I remember that while I was talking to him, one of the officers was driving and was on his way to find my child. Luckily they found her, said Devi adding that she has only met the top policemen who found her daughter online.

 After this pandemic is over, I will meet all of them in person and thank them, she said.

Delhi police commissioner SN Shrivastava said, Adversities also present opportunities. We realised that in many cases, we could easily question the suspects virtually. There is better monitoring of the cases when the senior officers monitor the interrogation directly. We will follow this even after the pandemic is over. Following this and many others measures we have managed to minimise physical contact of our men on the ground and reduce the coronavirus cases (in the police department).

The police chief also said that the cases of police personnel testing positive are gradually coming down. Until July 9, 2,339 police personnel had tested positive for the coronavirus disease, of which 1,808 (77.29%) have recovered. There are around 80,000 men and women in the city police. As many as 12 Delhi police personnel have died of the disease, while 44 are admitted in hospitals. The rest are in home quarantine.

An expert in policing matters, Prakash Singh, who headed Border Security Force(BSF) and the state police forces of Uttar Pradesh and Assam, said virtual interrogation was a good initiative that police had taken given the circumstances.

 It is the best possible solution at this times. Senior officers will not have to depend on their juniors. The monitoring is better. Besides a group of officers avoiding physical contact, if this is minimising the risk of many officers for one interrogation, it is a laudable move, said Singh, whose petition led the Supreme Court issuing directions for police reforms in 2006.

Sometimes, coming in contact with such arrested persons could mean a serious risk. The high court and the Supreme Courts are already holding virtual court hearings. It is working fine, it seems. One needs to evolve and find the best possible solution in this pandemic.

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e thi thu THPT Quoc gia mon Anh van ( co ap an va huong dan giai e )

( VOH ) - Giao vien Hoang Thai Duong ( To Anh ) truong THCS - THPT Nguyen Khuyen chia se e thi thu mon Anh cho cac ban hoc sinh bo sung kien thuc mon hoc va on tap luyen thi tai nha.
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The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up to lift off Brazils Amazonia-1 satellite next month onboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)

As per a report in the Financial Express, Amazonia-1 will be the first satellite for Earth Observation that is designed, assembled and tested in Brazil.

The launch of the Brazilian satellite is confirmed, but there is not clarity on a date for the planned launch. The report quoted a top diplomat as saying that it all depends on the ISRO as to when it is planning to blast off the satellite.

The images provided by Amazonia-1 will help in observing and monitoring the deforestation of the Amazon region, the report adds. The satellite has gained special importance in the wake of recent fires in the Amazon.

India and Brazil signed a Framework Agreement for cooperation in the field of outer space in January 2004. Apart from this, an agreement on the programme of cooperation between the two space agencies was also signed. Under this, Brazil received data from ISRO's remote sensing satellite ResourceSAT-1.

The two countries, in July 2014, also signed an agreement on cooperation to alter a Brazilian earth station to receive and process data from the Indian Remote Sensing satellites (IRS) series.

The agreements also meant that ISRO is obliged to make data from its projects available to the National Institute for Space Research (INPE), the Brazilian executive agency receiving earth observation data, and remote sensing data from areas under the INPE's domain.

The Amazonia-1 launch is among the 36 space and satellite missions ISRO has planned over the next two years, according to a central government report in March this year. These will include milestone missions like Chandrayaan-3 (a moon lander mission) and an uncrewed mission for Gaganyaan, India's maiden human spaceflight mission planned for 2021/22.
A Tallaght drug dealer who is suspected of acting as a "lone ranger" but who has links to multiple criminal gangs in the capital was the latest target of raids by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB).

The 36-year-old's home was raided, as was a motor dealership in the Dublin 10 area that is believed to be managed by a man with links to the Hutch gang.

The primary target of the operation was previously given a suspended jail sentence for controlling a cannabis grow house in the Tallaght area.

Considered one of the "most significant drug facilitators" in the capital, he has a number of previous convictions but none for violent offences.

"This individual was targeted as a result of information gathered by profilers in the Tallaght area," a senior source said last night.

"His home was raided yesterday and encrypted phones were seized.

"He is an unusual criminal in the sense that he seems to be aligned to every gang and yet none. It is fair to say that he is a lone ranger of sorts.

"He was involved with the Brian Rattigan gang for a long time, but had a falling out with them."

The man later got involved with 'The Family' gang, but according to the source "he also seems to have fallen out with them, which led to an active threat against his life".

"But he continues to operate on a very high level, yet under the radar," the source added.

"Whatever falling out he has with these gangs, who are undoubtedly some of the biggest drugs traffickers in the State, he always manages to heal."

A total of 66,865 in cash was also seized along with a 161-registered Audi Q7, which the suspect has been driving.

"This morning's search operation is a significant development in an ongoing investigation into cash and other assets accumulated by a local organised crime group from the sale and supply of controlled drugs," a garda spokeswoman said last night.

Armed

The CAB was backed up by armed detectives as well as the dog unit for the raids at the two locations.

"This search operation is just one example of the Criminal Assets Bureau working with local gardai to target the assets of persons involved in drug- dealing in the local community," the spokeswoman added.

The target of the operation is a family man who is deeply embroiled in the drugs trade, according to sources, but has never been suspected of involvement in murder.

Among his associates are a ruthless Clondalkin gang with links to the Kinahan cartel.

This gang was involved in a bitter local feud with James 'Nellie' Walsh and his associates, which claimed four lives before tensions eased at the start of last year.

In September 2017, two 'blood brothers', Darragh Nugent (36) and John Gibson (27), were shot dead a week apart as part of the feud.

The leader of the mob is a vicious crack cocaine dealer, but he was not arrested as part of the probe.

Aged in his early 30s, he previously served a lengthy jail sentence after being caught with nearly 50,000 worth of crack in a west Dublin apartment.
Florence Pugh is an actor whos really grown in popularity over the past few years, thanks to her talent and some major projects. One of her bigger roles was Midsommar, and being that its in the horror genre, she does a lot of screaming and crying. Because of that and her naturally raspy talking tone, she has a distinct voice. And theres actually a reason behind that.

LONDON, ENGLAND  FEBRUARY 01: Florence Pugh attends the EE British Academy Film Awards 2020 Nominees Party at Kensington Palace on February 01, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Marsland/WireImage)

RELATED: Florence Pugh Confirmed as the Next Black Widow, With Scarlett Johansson Handing Her the Baton

Florence Pugh had a massive 2019 and isnt slowing down

Pugh isnt new to acting; shes been in movies since 2014 when she starred alongside Maisie Williams in The Falling. One of her first-ever lead roles was in 2016s Lady Macbeth as Katherine Lester and things kind of just escalated from there.

In 2018, she co-starred as Chris Pines characters wife, Elizabeth de Burgh, in Outlaw King. After that Netflix film, 2019 was her year. Pugh starred in Fighting with My Family, Midsommar, and Little Women, which garnered her a lot of positive reviews.

She also received her first Oscar nomination at the age of 24 for her role as Amy March in Little Women, which brought a newfound love for a character thats been largely seen as only annoying since the 1800s.

RELATED: Is Ariana Grande Friends With Florence Pugh?

She has a funky trachea, but its gotten better with age

In January, Pugh told Vogue that she has tracheomalacia, and has since she was a toddler. This is a medical condition that causes the trachea to close up a bit when breathing. Because of this condition, she and her family moved to Spain when she was a child since her parents thought the warmer weather and air would help her.

While appearing on the Sue Perkins: An Hour Or So With podcast on July 8, Pugh shared that because of her condition, her mother suggested that she go back to Los Angeles when the COVID-19 pandemic started.

Ive had this breathing thing since I was tiny, so my mums always had to be aware of new diseases, new illnesses that could potentially really hurt me, Pugh shared. So shes been kind of barking about this since December. And then when it really got serious, my mom said I think you should go back to the clean air. I raced back here, and Ive just been staying put.

She said that because of her funky trachea and floppy larynx shes on lockdown a bit stricter than others. She shared that because of her tracheomalacia, she gets sicker than those without it, so shes being very careful and scrubbing everything down in her house.

Well theyre just a b*tch. Theyre getting better as I get older, she said. But Ill tell you what it is. It doesnt matter how strong I am now. When I was a kid, I was always ill. But now that Im older, I dont get ill [as often or easily as she did as a kid], but when I do, its the same intensity as it was when I was always ill. So I just have to be really careful. With something like this, I dont think Id have too much fun.

This condition has given her an iconic voice, also heard a lot when shes crying

RELATED: Every Florence Pugh Movie You Can Stream Right Now

And if youre wondering why or how this condition affects her voice, its due to a breathing tube she has in her trachea. Pughs condition also has never negatively impacted her desire to be an actor.

Ive always been loud. My family has always been loud. My parents are very big people, she said. I dont think it was odd that all of us wanted to do this. But I dont think you can hear it in my acting. Certainly when I cry and certainly when I shout. That kind of grate you can hear laugh is my breathing tube going [makes vibrating sound].

Fans are pretty familiar with Pughs crying and raspy screams, thanks to Midsommar. Her character Dani cries a lot  who wouldnt in her situation?  but you can specifically hear her gritty breathing and cry when she steps away from the others in Sweden and just lets it out.

Pugh said that when she was younger, there was talk of trachea transplants in the future, but shes not sure if that would change how she sounds. Pughs shown, of course, that her acting will carry her through whatever choice she decides down the line.

RELATED: Black Widow Star Florence Pugh Dishes on How Therapeutic Cooking Is For Her
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Union Health Ministry officials on Thursday clarified that the intent of the ICMR Director General's letter envisaging the launch of COVID-19 vaccine by August 15 was "only to expedite duly approved clinical trials without compromising on safety and security concerns".

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has permitted two vaccines -- one developed by the Bharat Biotech International Limited in collaboration with ICMR and another by Zydus Cadila Healthcare Ltd -- to go in for phase 1 and 2 human clinical trials, said Rajesh Bhushan, Officer on Special Duty in the health ministry.

The sites for phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials have been finalised and the trials are yet to begin, he said during a press briefing.

"Please don't read something which is not there in DG, ICMR's letter. The intent of the letter is only to expedite duly approved clinical trials without compromising on security and safety concerns," Bhushan said.

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) scientist Nivedita Gupta said indigenous vaccine candidates have been developed for a new disease in record time.

"We want the vaccine to be developed as fast as possible. The aim of the letter was to ask sites to fast track it. We have the candidate and it should not happen that we miss the bus," she said.

"We need the vaccine today. If we go into conventional methods to develop the vaccine and bring it out after two years then there is no use of it. So the entire restlessness in the government and ICMR is to fastrack the vaccine development to make it available as soon as possible for citizens. The spirit behind the letter was this only," Gupta said.

Speaking on vaccine development for COVID-19, Bhushan said more than 100 vaccine candidates globally are at different stages of trial.

"It is a matter of satisfaction for India that there are two such vaccine candidates which are entirely indigenous," he said.

Bhushan added that one has been developed by the Bharat Biotech International Limited in collaboration with ICMR and another one by Zydus Cadila Healthcare Ltd.

Both these vaccine candidates have completed animal toxicity studies after proper approvals.

The animal toxicity studies take place on rats, guinea pigs, rabbits and the toxicity data with respect to both these vaccines has been shared with the DGCI.

Thereafter, the DGCI has permitted these two vaccines to go in for phase 1 and 2 of clinical trials.

The sites of phase 1 and 2 clinical trials have been finalised and now the trials have to start.

"Whenever the results of these trials come, we will put the results in front of you," he said.

The ICMR in a statement on July 4 had said the letter by Director General of ICMR Dr Balram Bhargava to principal investigators of the clinical trial sites was meant to cut unnecessary red tape, without bypassing any necessary process, and speed up recruitment of participants.

Bhargava had on July 2 written to principal investigators of select medical institutions and hospitals to fast-track human clinical trial approvals for the vaccine candidate 'Covaxin' being developed in collaboration with Bharat Biotech.

"It is envisaged to launch the vaccine for public health use latest by August 15 after completion of all clinical trials. You have been chosen as a clinical trial site of the BBV152 COVID vaccine. In view of the public health emergency due to COVID-19 pandemic and urgency to launch the vaccine, you are strictly advised to fast track all approvals related to initiation of the clinical trial and ensure that the subject enrolment is initiated no later than July 7," the letter had stated.

The letter further warned that any non-compliance will be viewed very seriously.

"Kindly note non-compliance will be viewed very seriously. Therefore, you are advised to treat this project on highest priority and meet the given timelines without any lapse," the letter had said.
The latest industry survey conducted by the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) shows national occupancy levels of 23% and 26% for the peak summer months of July and August respectively, based on confirmed bookings, compared to an average of 90% for the same period last year.

Occupancy for September, traditionally a popular time for US visitors, currently stands at 22%.

IHF South East branch chair Colm Neville said that the figures show there is plenty of availability in hotels and guesthouses in every county in Ireland. However, he added that the substantial drop in occupancy levels highlighted the unprecedented challenges facing the sector and the requirement for immediate interventions to support tourism businesses across the country.

When we look across the water to the UK, we see the decisive action taken this week by the UK Government in their Plan for Jobs. The slashing of their VAT rate from 20% to 5% is a clear sign of their commitment to support the recovery of their tourism and hospitality industry. Given how closely our economies are intertwined, a similar cut here is necessary. The UK is not only Irelands biggest market for overseas tourists, it is also our biggest competitor, said Mr Neville.

Mr Neville also called for urgent clarity on the guidelines for gatherings in light of the decision this week by the Northern Ireland Executive to allow the capacity for indoor gatherings including weddings to be determined by the size of the venue from July 10. Currently capacity here is limited to 100 people regardless of the size of the venue. We are calling on the Government to allow hotels that can safely host larger weddings to do so based on the size and scale of the venues, rather than imposing a general limit on how many people can gather at any venue, regardless of safe capacity, he added.

Almost 90% of hotels across Ireland are expected to be open again by the middle of the month. Mr Neville said that hotel and guesthouse owners have been heartened by the strong support from people who are donning the green jersey and taking a staycation this year.

However, he said that this continues to be a critical time for the tourism industry, and the almost 270,000 livelihoods it supports. It is important to note that 70% of these jobs are outside of Dublin, highlighting its vital role in spreading employment opportunities and prosperity across the entire country. Here in Tipperary tourism supported 5,100 jobs and generated 120 million in local revenues before this crisis.

Time and again, tourism has proven itself as a hugely successful engine for economic growth, particularly in regional Ireland. In the aftermath of the last recession, tourism created 90,000 new jobs. Last year alone it generated over 9 billion in revenue," he said.

"We are committed to working closely with the Government and with Minister Catherine Martin to safeguard tourism, Irelands largest indigenous employer, so that it can play a key role again and be a significant lever in the countrys economic recovery. However, this requires specific sectoral supports now in relation to liquidity and competitiveness.

Waterford hoteliers are calling on the Government to implement the following five urgent measures as a matter of urgency:

1. Continuation of the Wage Subsidy Scheme and inclusion of seasonal employees. The scheme should be extended to include seasonal employees as well as take account of employees previously on reduced hours due to seasonality. The scheme should be continued until the impact of Covid-19 restrictions has fully abated.

2. The size of gatherings should be linked to venue capacity as opposed to an arbitrary cap on numbers. Greater clarity is now urgently required for gatherings beyond July.

3. A reduction in tourism VAT to 5% until December 2021 followed by a permanent restoration to 9% to assist recovery and secure a viable and sustainable future for tourism. International competitiveness is an urgent issue with Irish hotel VAT now higher than 28 European countries with which we compete.

4. Liquidity measures tailored to the specific challenges facing tourism to help businesses survive and restart: i) significantly increase grants to assist tourism businesses reopen and survive; ii) 0% interest on Government guaranteed finance; iii) a Government supported scheme for deferral of capital and interest payments for a period of one year.

5. Local Authority rates and charges: the three-month waiver period should be extended for tourism businesses to coincide with business interruption due to Covid-19 and for a minimum of 12 months. After that, payment of local authority rates should be based on reduced levels of activity due to the crisis.
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The West African states of Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau have announced they will reopen places of worship after months-long closures over coronavirus fears

Freetown, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Jul, 2020 ) :The West African states of Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau have announced they will reopen places of worship after months-long closures over coronavirus fears.

Guinea-Bissau's prime minister, Nuno Gomes Nabiam, announced on Friday that mosques and churches closed in March would re-open on Saturday.

Gatherings such as weddings, baptisms and funerals will also be permitted, he said in a decree, cautioning that people should nonetheless continue wearing face masks and keep a distance from one another.

Health officials in the former Portuguese colony have registered 1,790 coronavirus cases to date, with 26 fatalities.

Sierra Leone's president, Julius Maada Bio, made a similar announcement in a televised address on Thursday evening.

In addition to opening places of worship again, Bio also said that the country's international airport will open to commercial flights again on July 22.

The nation of some 7.5 million people first enacted anti-coronavirus measures in March, which included shutting schools and places of worship and restricting travel.

The former British colony has registered 1,598 coronavirus cases to date, with 63 fatalities.

As with other poor countries in the region, coronavirus restrictions have taken an economic toll, which spurred sporadic protests in Sierra Leone in May.
A Dublin-based man from Germany is facing charges for homicide and destruction of his wifes body while on board a Mediterranean cruise ship.

Italian investigators announced today that their preliminary investigation into the mystery disappearance of Chinese national Xing Li (38), had concluded.

Mr Bellings lawyer Luigi Conti told Independent.ie that he had been informed of the development in the long-running case this morning.

Mr Belling stands accused of two crimes, he said.

The first is homicide and the second is the destruction of the body, in the sea, where it has likely been destroyed by fish. These are very serious crimes and he faces life in prison.

Mr Conti said he had tried to make contact with his client, who he believes is currently in Germany.

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I cannot comment further until I speak to Daniel, he said.

Mr Belling returned to Ireland in 2018 after 14 months on remand in an Italian jail in relation to the disappearance of his wife.

His solicitor persuaded authorities to release him from custody and he returned to the home he shared with his wife in Clarehall, Co. Dublin. He is understood to have been living there until recently.

Xing Li, also known as Angie, has not been seen since February 10 2017.

She and Mr Belling and their two children boarded the cruise ship MSC Magnifica in the Italian port of Civitavecchia on February 9.

After the ship set sail, it called at Genoa and ports in Malta, Greece and Cyprus.

Crew members noticed Xing Li was missing when they did a head count at the end of the cruise.

Mr Belling and the couple's two children were stopped by Italian police at Rome's Ciampino Airport on February 17 after Xing Li could not be accounted for.

They were about to board a Ryanair flight back home.

Mr Belling has repeatedly denied killing his wife.

Investigators thought they had a breakthrough in the case in March 2017 when a suitcase containing the body of an Oriental woman was found floating in the Adriatic Sea off Italy's east coast.

However, the body was not that of Xing Li.

Mr Belling reportedly told an Italian judge that he and his wife had fought and that she wanted to "quit the trip".

According to reports in the Italian press, he claimed his wife left the ship when he and the children joined a shore excursion. Mr Conti has said that he now has incontrovertible proof that Xing Li had been planning to disappear before she even set foot on the ship.

"Interviews Li did with psychologists and doctors in Ireland before they ever went on the cruise prove she was planning on leaving Daniel," he said.

"In the statements, which I have copies of, she says in her own words, 'My life in Ireland is like a prison. I want to go back to China and leave the children with Daniel'."

Mr Conti said that in interviews with police, Xing Li's mother defended Daniel, saying it was impossible that he killed her daughter.

Speaking in Italy after his release in 2018, Mr Belling told reporters he believed he was set up by his wife after she arranged her disappearance.

Mr Belling described her as a "cruel person" for allowing him to spend 14 months in jail for a crime "she knows I did not commit".

"I think my wife is most probably in China," he said. "There is a small probability that something happened to her in Greece, but I believe she is in China. I was worried about my wife for the first few weeks, but not anymore. I think she knows I have been imprisoned."

Mr Belling, who said he is not angry, claimed his wife "always had a very strange personality".
Uttar Pradesh gangster Vikas Dubey was on Friday shot dead by the police after he tried to escape following an accident involving one of the vehicles in the Special Task Force (STF) cavalcade bringing him back to the state from Madhya Pradesh.

STF officials said there was an encounter as Vikas Dubey, arrested for killing eight policemen on July 3, tried to escape when the vehicle overturned early in the morning.

They said Vikas Dubey snatched a weapon from one of the policemen after the accident. He then ran to a nearby field and was asked to surrender, which he refused to do, they added.

Also read| Gangster Vikas Dubey killed: The sequence of events in past week

There was an exchange of fire and he was killed, they said.

After being chased by the police team, he was asked to surrender but he did not and started firing with the intention of killing them. The police team fired back in self-defence after which Vikas Dubey was injured. He was taken to a hospital, where he died during treatment, Kanpur Police said in a statement.

ALSO WATCH | Uttar Pradesh gangster Vikas Dubey shot dead in encounter

Dubey was being brought back to Kanpur after he was nabbed in Madhya Pradeshs Ujjain city outside a temple.

The STF vehicle overturned following heavy rains in the region near Kanpurs Sachendi area. Four policemen were also injured in the accident.

The men, including an inspector, have been admitted to the nearest community health centre for treatment.

Vikas Dubey was arrested outside a temple in Ujjain on Thursday, ending a manhunt for a fugitive behind one of the deadliest attacks on policemen in recent years.

The July 3 shoot-out exposed alleged collusion within Uttar Pradesh police as the force later realised that their men had walked into a trap because some other police officials tipped off Dubey about an attempt to arrest him.

A deputy superintendent of police, three sub-inspectors and four constables were killed, some of whom hacked to death, in the failed raid to nab Vikas Dubey.

Police in Uttar Pradesh have killed at least five of his accomplices, who were involved in the attack, demolished his sprawling bungalow, and arrested at least a dozen people, including his wife and son, and policemen who aided his escape and shelter.

They increased the bounty on his head from 50,000 last week to 5 lakh as he was on the run.
Based on one new and three recent studies, the authors of a commentary in Pediatrics conclude that children rarely transmit Covid-19, either among themselves or to adults. Based on the evidence, the authors recommend that schools reopen in the fall, since staying home can adversely affect children's development. Credit: vperemen.com / CC BY-SA

A commentary published in the journal Pediatrics, the official peer-reviewed journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, concludes that children infrequently transmit COVID-19 to each other or to adults and that many schools, provided they follow appropriate social distancing guidelines and take into account rates of transmission in their community, can and should reopen in the fall.

The authors, Benjamin Lee, M.D. and William V. Raszka, Jr., M.D., are both pediatric infectious disease specialists on the faculty of the University of Vermont's Larner College of Medicine. Dr. Raszka is an associate editor of Pediatrics.

The authors of the commentary, titled "COVID-19 Transmission and Children: The Child Is Not to Blame," base their conclusions on a new study published in the current issue of Pediatrics, "COVID-19 in Children and the Dynamics of Infection in Families," and four other recent studies that examine COVID-19 transmission by and among children.

In the new Pediatrics study, Klara M. Posfay-Barbe, M.D., a faculty member at University of Geneva's medical school, and her colleagues studied the households of 39 Swiss children infected with COVID-19. Contact tracing revealed that in only three (8%) was a child the suspected index case, with symptom onset preceding illness in adult household contacts.

In a recent study in China, contact tracing demonstrated that, of the 68 children with COVID-19 admitted to Qingdao Women's and Children's Hospital from January 20 to February 27, 2020, 96% were household contacts of previously infected adults. In another study of Chinese children, nine of 10 children admitted to several provincial hospitals outside Wuhan contracted COVID-19 from an adult, with only one possible child-to-child transmission, based on the timing of disease onset.

In a French study, a boy with COVID-19 exposed over 80 classmates at three schools to the disease. None contracted it. Transmission of other respiratory diseases, including influenza transmission, was common at the schools.

In a study in New South Wales, nine infected students and nine staff across 15 schools exposed a total of 735 students and 128 staff to COVID-19. Only two secondary infections resulted, one transmitted by an adult to a child.

"The data are striking," said Dr. Raszka. "The key takeaway is that children are not driving the pandemic. After six months, we have a wealth of accumulating data showing that children are less likely to become infected and seem less infectious; it is congregating adults who aren't following safety protocols who are responsible for driving the upward curve."

Rising cases among adults and children in Texas childcare facilities, which have seen 894 COVID-19 cases among staff members and 441 among children in 883 child care facilities across the state, have the potential to be misinterpreted, Dr. Raszka said. He has not studied the details of the outbreak.

"There is widespread transmission of COVID-19 in Texas today, with many adults congregating without observing social distancing or wearing masks," he said. "While we don't yet know the dynamics of the outbreak, it is unlikely that infants and children in daycare are driving the surge. Based on the evidence, it's more plausible that adults are passing the infection to the children in the vast majority of cases."

Additional support for the notion that children are not significant vectors of the disease comes from mathematical modeling, the authors say. Models show that community-wide social distancing and widespread adoption of facial cloth coverings are far better strategies for curtailing disease spread, and that closing schools adds little. The fact that schools have reopened in many Western European countries and in Japan without seeing a rise in community transmissions bears out the accuracy of the modeling.

Reopening schools in a safe manner this fall is important for the healthy development of children, the authors say. "By doing so, we could minimize the potentially profound adverse social, developmental, and health costs that our children will continue to suffer until an effective treatment or vaccine can be developed and distributed, or failing that, until we reach herd immunity," the paper concludes.

More information: Benjamin Lee et al. COVID-19 Transmission and Children: The Child is Not to Blame, Pediatrics (2020). Journal information: Pediatrics Benjamin Lee et al. COVID-19 Transmission and Children: The Child is Not to Blame,(2020). DOI: 10.1542/peds.2020-004879
Deputy CM and Higher Education Minister CN Ashwath Narayan said that the decision has been taken keeping in mind the health concerns of students and after holding consultations with educationists and vice-chancellors of universities.

The Karnataka government has decided to hold the final semester examination for undergraduate and post-graduate students in September. The decision is applicable for all final year students pursuing UG, PG, engineering and diploma courses.

Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala, who is also the chancellor of universities, has given his nod for conducting final semester exams, The Hindu quoted Deputy Chief Minister and Higher Education Minister CN Ashwath Narayan as saying.

The minister informed that the government has arrived at this decision keeping in mind the health concerns of students and after holding consultations with educationists and vice-chancellors of universities. Online learning introduced during the lockdown has received good response and the government tried its best to reach the last person in the chain, added the minister.

However, in view of the growing cases of COVID-19, the state government has decided against conducting exams for students of intermediate semesters. They will be promoted based on a comprehensive evaluation scheme with internal assessment marks and previous years or semester marks considered in a 50:50 ratio.

Individual universities will decide the examination schedule for final year students.

The step by the Karnataka government has been taken in the wake of the Ministry of Human Resource Development giving its approval to the University Grants Commisisons decision to hold exams in September.

The end-semester papers were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The UGC has issued revised guidelines on holding final semester exams.

The terminal semester will be conducted by the universities by the end of September, 2020 in offline (pen and paper) or online or blended (online + offline) mode, UGC had said.
President Muhammadu Buhari will today sign into law the revised 2020 budget passed by the National Assembly in June.

The Personal Assistant on New Media to the President, Bashr Ahmad, confirmed this on his tweeter handle in Abuja on Thursday.

While the Senate passed the budget on 10 June, the House of Representatives passed it on 11 June.

Both chambers approved a budget of N10.8 trillion, more than the N10.523 trillion proposed by Federal Executive Council (FEC) on 13 May.



According to the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, the budget is based on an oil benchmark price of $25, a far cry from the initial benchmark of $57 dollars.

Crude oil production per barrel has also been reduced from 2.18million to 1.94million per day.

The federal government in this budget will have direct revenue of funding the budget of N5.158 billion. The deficit to this budget, N5.365 trillion and this will be financed by both domestic as well as foreign borrowing.

The foreign borrowing we are doing for 2020 are all concessionary loans from the IMF, which has already been approved and has crystallized, from the World Bank, Islamic Development Bank as well as Afro EXZIM bank.

There will also be some drawdown of previously committed loans for major ongoing projects that we will be drawing from both existing facilities as well as some special accounts with the approval of Mr. President and the National Assembly, she said.

The new budget provides N2.48 trillion for capital expenditure and N4.942 trillion ass recurrent non-debt expenditure.

Others are N2.6 trillion for debt service and N2.9 trillion for sinking funds.

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London mayor Sadiq Khan spent more than 30,000 on boarding up statues in Westminster including one of Winston Churchill, it can be revealed.

The monument to the wartime leader was boxed up by Mr Khan after it was daubed with graffiti during Black Lives Matter demonstrations last month.

Underneath Churchills name, protesters had daubed is a racist.

The monument to the wartime leader was boxed up (pictured) by Mr Khan after it was daubed with graffiti during Black Lives Matter demonstrations last month

The Greater London Authority, run by the mayor, put hoardings around three statues in Parliament Square ahead of further protests

The Greater London Authority, run by the mayor, put hoardings around three statues in Parliament Square ahead of further protests.

Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show it cost 10,147 to put a hoarding around the statue of Churchill.

A further 21,115 was spent on protecting statues of Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi.

The GLA said it cost 3,050 to remove graffiti in Parliament and Trafalgar squares.

Churchills statue was boxed up on June 12 but the boarding was removed six days later ahead of a visit by French president Emmanuel Macron.

Boris Johnson said it was absurd and shameful that the monument was at risk of attack, saying Churchill remained a hero for saving the country from fascist and racist tyranny.

Mr Khan last month defended his actions after Home Secretary Priti Patel accused him of failing to stand up to thuggery and demanded the statue be set free.

He said the decision to protect the statue in Parliament Square  and the monuments to Mandela and Gandhi  was a wise precaution.

He said there were fears the London monuments could become a flashpoint for violence involving far-Right protesters, after the toppling of a statue of slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol.

Mr Khan has previously pointed out that the statues had been boarded up before, including while Mr Johnson was mayor.
For Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough, bucking the system isnt a sign of defiance but rather simply an act of standing up for his constituents.

As residents become more fatigued by the COVID-19 pandemic, Keough said his focus is to get the county open and operating at 100 percent. While some of his decisions have drawn some negative comments on social media, most residents are showing full support.

I recognize the governors position and the lieutenant governors position, but I dont work for them. I work for the people who have elected me, he said of not backing Gov. Greg Abbotts orders including mandatory masks and limits on gatherings. From my perspective, people want to move forward understanding this isnt going away for a while.

Stand up for them

According to Keough, his actions are part of the First Amendment which states the people have the right to peacefully assemble and to redress the government.

We can criticize the government and why would I do that? Because nobody is sticking up for the people, he said. The politicians, where are they? I figure this is what I am supposed to do. I was elected for the people by the people and they need somebody to stand up for them and that is what I am doing.

We are so concerned the gov is going to get mad at us. I just decided Im over that.

Keough said residents understand the situation and what precautions need to be taken.

We know there is a virus out there causing havoc, there is no doubting that but its not going away and open and closing (the state) is not the answer, he said. This is Texas. We dont operate out of fear. We operate with caution and good sound judgment.

We must move forward and learn to live with this. We must open our schools in the fall.

Cautious about closing

While most recently Keough drew national attention for his invitation to the Texas Republican Party to host in-person state convention in Montgomery County after Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner canceled the event for downtown Houston earlier this week, he has maintained a cautious approach on his decisions during the health crisis.

In fact, in March Keough was hesitant to issue a stay-at-home order for the month of April as surrounding counties, including Harris County, moved to shutter businesses and cancel hundreds of events to help control the spread of the virus.

However, on March 27, Keough followed suit and ordered residents to stay home and set a curfew in place but terminated the 30 order two weeks early. At that time Abbotts stay-at-home order for the state remained in effect through April 30.

In May, Keough maintained new orders from Abbott were confusing regarding nonessential businesses. Attorney General Ken Paxtons office released guidance letter late Thursday, making it clear all nonessential businesses are to remain closed despite Keoughs interpretation that those businesses, like hair and nail salons, werent closed but people should avoid them.

Open for business

In June, Keough took aim at Abbott, calling his action to again shut down businesses, like bars and outdoor tubing businesses, ludicrous.

I support the governors decision to temporarily pause the reopening of Texas given the current increase in cases statewide, Keough said in a previous article. Unfortunately, instead of continuing with the pause, he is picking winners and losers in our economy by closing them. He is implying that the virus only spreads at bars or tubing down the river based upon his order and not in a big box store packed with shoppers is ludicrous. My heart breaks for these businesses who are suffering massive losses because of no fault of their own. I am working diligently to get them back open as soon as possible.

Keough has also avoided implementing making masks in public mandatory despite Abbotts current order that requires masks in counties with 20 or more cases noting the order is unenforceable.

Keough said he will continue to fight for residents.

Montgomery County is open for business, he said.

cdominguez@hcnonline.com
Itanagar, July 10 : At least eight people, including four children, from two families were buried alive and three injured in two separate landslides in Arunachal Pradesh on Friday. Officials said that the two landslides triggered by incessant rain during the past few days, occurred in Papum Pare district and at Modirijo in between Itanagar and Naharlagun.

Officials said that the first landslide occurred at Tigdo village in Papum Pare district at around 2.30 a.m. on Friday when the victims were asleep, killing four people, including an eight-month-old baby and a 17-year-old boy, on the spot. The Papum Pare district administration and police, assisted by locals, retrieved the four bodies from the debris.

In the second landslide four more people including two children were killed when their house was buried by a huge mudslide at Modirijo in between Itanagar and Naharlagun. Disaster management personnel helped by local people have recovered three bodies so far while a rescue operation to retrieve the fourth body was still on. Three children were also injured in the second landslide.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu expressed deep shock and sorrow over the loss of lives in the landslides and announced an ex-gratia of Rs four lakhs for the next of kin of the deceased.

Khandu in a statement said that the incessant rain for the last couple of days that triggered landslides and floods has caused devastation in the entire state. "Reports have been pouring in about landslides in various locations from in and around the capital region. Road communication has been badly affected by nature's fury and there is an increase in water flow in streams and rivers," he added.

The Chief Minister cautioned that as per the Indian Meteorological Department, there is a likelihood of heavy rainfall in the next few days across Arunachal Pradesh. He requested the people to take all precautionary measures and refrain from staying at vulnerable locations.

Khandu directed the district administration and the disaster management department to continuously monitor the situation to avoid large scale devastation and loss of lives.
New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated digital exhibition of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in New Delhi on the occassion latter's birth anniversary. Home Minister Rajnath Singh was also present during theA inauguration. Earlier on Monday, PM Modi paid tributes to Sardar Patel along with several other leaders including Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung.A

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was a social leader who played a leading role in the country's struggle for independence and guided its integration into a united, independent nation.

Here are the live updates:

#We have taken 'unity' A for granted, anti-social elements have taken this as an opportunity to sow seeds for divide



#Why can't states within the country get into an agreement with each other and help in development of the country?



#We see states getting in agreement with foreign countries for developmental projects, why can't we do the same within the country?



#We feel proud when our children speak fluent Spanish or French, but why can't we learn our regional languages like Tamil or Odiya



#Don't we? Isn't this true? Imagine what kind of power Sardar Patel held that rulers agreed for integration during independence on his call

#We tried our level best to portray real and complete life of Sardar Patel here in this exhibition, but it still looks incomplete

#If someone occupies the next seat while you are travelling at last moment and you are made to lift your belongings from seat,we feel bad



#Sardar Patel did everything for the nation. Whatever he did was devoted to India

#The concept of women reservation was first introduced by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, but his proposal was thrown in garbage back then

#No one has copyright over Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

#I am from BJP & Sardar Patel was from Congress, but I still follow his ideology & beliefs which is from no party



#PM Narendra Modi speaks at the inauguration of the digital exhibition of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel



Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates digital exhibition of #SardarVallabhbhaiPatel, HM Rajnath Singh also present pic.twitter.com/CBvUAHIdXW a ANI (@ANI_news) October 31, 2016

Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates digital exhibition of #SardarVallabhbhaiPatel, HM Rajnath Singh also present pic.twitter.com/CBvUAHIdXW a ANI (@ANI_news) October 31, 2016





PM Narendra Modi pays tribute to #SardarVallabhbhaiPatel on his birth anniversary, in Parliament pic.twitter.com/BrmpAYwnta a ANI (@ANI_news) October 31, 2016







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He said most of the victims were street children whom Abello had approached and offered work as models. Abello paid them between 250,000 and 1 million rupiah ($17 and $70) for engaging in sex with him and beat those who refused, Sudjana said.
Tesco has scrapped one way systems on aisle floors as the supermarket eases social distancing restrictions.

The supermarket announced it will be increasing the number of customers allowed inside stores though it will still ask shoppers to stay two metres apart.

Supermarkets across the UK were forced to introduce rules keeping customers safe when the coronavirus lockdown first came into place in March.

The Government's bid to get more business open last Saturday has allowed Tesco to reduce queues outside by introducing more customers inside.

Tesco has scrapped one way systems on aisle floors as the supermarket eases social distancing restrictions, including reducing the two-metre gap between customers to one metre

Tesco's Express and Metro stores have returned to their usual opening times between 6am or 7am until 11pm or midnight

Tesco, which has around 3,700 UK stores, joined other supermarkets in enforcing one-way queues and a new one-in-one-out entry plan in March.

What are the current social distancing rules across supermarkets? Tesco Shopping alone if possible, but children or carers are now allowed to accompany customers

No one-way system

Two-metre social distancing gap

Increased number of customers at store managers' discretion Sainsbury's One adult-per-family limit on shoppers, but children allowed if they are unable to stay at home

Customers must keep two trolleys apart

Reduced number of available checkouts

Continued reduced number of customers Asda One-way system in place

One adult-per-trolley rule

Continued reduced number of customers

Two-metre gap Aldi Families or couples allowed to shop together

Two-metre gap

Traffic light system at entrances Advertisement

Other supermarkets including Aldi introduced a traffic light system at entrances to keep to the two-metre social distancing gap.

Tesco said it will monitor how many customers visit now measures have been relaxed but some stores are now allowing more people inside at one time.

The number of customers allowed in each branch will be decided by store managers, so will vary across the country.

Tesco told The Sun it has reviewed social distancing measures and will continue to enforce a two-metre gap between customers despite the Government allowing businesses to relax the distance to one metre last Saturday.

The supermarket will continue to have floor markings in place to remind shoppers to social distance.

It will also increase its 80-item limit per customer to 95 items after the Government relaxed stockpiling limits that were introduced due to panic buying at the start of lockdown.

Essential items such as loo roll and tinned beans had previously been capped at just two per person across all supermarkets.

Tesco will continue to have a three-per-person limit on face coverings, antibacterial hand wash, antibacterial wipes, flour, and eggs, in line with Government rules.

The supermarket's Express and Metro stores have also returned to their usual opening times between 6am or 7am until 11pm or midnight.

Opening hours were reduced to 6am until 10pm at the start of lockdown to help staff stock up shelves while social distancing.

Last month, Tesco announced its sales rose 8.2 per cent to 12.21 billion in the first quarter to May 30, in a period almost entirely covered by lockdown.

Chief Executive David Lewis said: 'Through a very challenging period for everyone, Tesco colleagues have gone above and beyond, and I'm extremely proud of what they've achieved.

'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.

Last month, Tesco announced its sales rose 8.2 per cent to 12.21 billion in the first quarter to May 30, in a period almost entirely covered by lockdown

'In just five weeks, we doubled our online capacity to help support our most vulnerable customers and transformed our stores with extensive social distancing measures so that everyone who was able to shop in store could do so safely.

'The costs of doing this have been significant and only partly offset by business rates relief and increased volume.

'We see the balance as an investment in supporting our customers at a time when they need it most.'

Meanwhile, Asda has confirmed it will not be changing its social distancing rules in the immediate term and will continue to employ a one-way system.
A death threat made against senior Belfast City Council official Nigel Grimshaw has been condemned as "despicable and cowardly".

The council's director of city and neighbourhood services was informed of the threat on Friday morning after an email of a "serious nature" was sent to the authority and passed to the PSNI.

While the nature of the threat is unclear, it comes amid the controversy of the council's handling of the cremation of IRA veteran Bobby Storey last week.

The Belfast Telegraph revealed on Thursday night that an internal Belfast City Council report found "no political intent" in the decision-making around the service at Roselawn Cemetery.

Read More

The document states that Nigel Grimshaw made the decision to allow up 30 mourners to attend Mr Storey's cremation in the context of managing potential issues if numbers arrived and demands for access were made.

Eight other families were denied the right to have up to 30 people attend cremations at Roselawn on the same day as Mr Storey's.

The report says Mr Grimshaw acknowledges that it was a mistake for which he takes responsibility, and he regrets the effect it had on the other eight families.

Read More

Sinn Fein group leader on the council, Ciaran Beattie, condemned the threat against Mr Grimshaw.

"This death threat issued against Belfast City Council official Nigel Grimshaw is abhorrent and I condemn it utterly," he said.

"Those responsible for this threat have nothing to offer society. This threat comes after Nigel Grimshaw has been the subject of much inaccurate, ill-informed and irresponsible public commentary in recent days.

"Everyone should be free to go about their business free from fear of threats and intimidation.

Anyone with any information on those responsible for this despicable and cowardly threat should bring it to the PSNI.

A spokesperson for Mr Grimshaw told the BBC: I've been made aware Nigel Grimshaw was informed by the PSNI this morning that a death threat has been made against him.

A Belfast City Council spokesperson said: An email was received by Belfast City Council and due to the serious nature of its content, it has been passed to the PSNI.
Rampant violation of social distancing norms was witnessed and wearing of masks almost took a back seat in large parts of Kolkata and its adjoining districts, even as the police tried to enforce restrictions in at least 25 containment zones on the first day of the week-long lockdown in West Bengal.

Covid-19 cases in the state jumped by more than 12,000 in the last three weeks to reach 24,833 on July 9, forcing the Mamata Banerjee government to impose lockdown in more than 230 containment zones across the state. Kolkata has 25 such zones. The cases have climbed further to 27,109 as on Friday.

On the first day of the lockdown, which started around 5 pm on Thursday, the city police put up barricades and guard rails to restrict the entry and exit of people in the containment zones. Policemen and volunteers were deployed to man the barricades. Shops were also closed while sanitization was being done simultaneously in the containment zones.

We have stopped quite a few people from going out and coming in through the barricades. In case someone needs anything they are being asked to contact the police helpline. Announcements were made on microphones requesting people to stay indoors. Those who came out without masks were sent back home, said a senior police official.

ASHA workers protest in Bengaluru over inadequate salary, lack of PPE kits

Kolkata Police commissioner Anuj Sharma was also seen visiting some of the containment zones to take stock of the situation.

Such a lockdown is welcome as the disease is spreading. But the police and administration cant do anything if the citizens do not follow the norms. They need to be more responsible, said Kakoli Sen, a resident of Chakraberia Road in south Kolkata which has been declared a containment zone.

The scenario was just the opposite outside the containment zones in the city and in large parts of the state on Friday. Many people hit the streets with face masks in their pockets or dangling near their neck. Markets were crowded with shops and shoppers hardly maintaining any social distancing norms. Political protests and rallies for various reasons were also organised without following any norms.

Also Read: Vandalised statue of a tribal icon triggers BJP-TMC tug of war ahead of Bengal polls

At Salkia in Howrah, it was business as usual in the local market. People could be seen violating social distancing norms and many were not wearing masks.

I went out to buy some chillies and coriander. It was not necessary though. I just wanted to go out, said 54-year-old Shyamal Deb, a resident of Jeliapara Lane at Salkia in Howrah.

A top official in the state government said the lockdown was enforced strictly in all containment zones.
Eight American service members and one civilian employee for the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the U.S. military said Friday.



Of the nine, seven arrived at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, on two U.S. government chartered flights, while the others arrived here on commercial flights, it said.



All nine individuals tested positive in their first mandatory COVID-19 test prior to entering quarantine, and they have been moved to isolation facilities at the U.S. bases in South Korea for confirmed patients.



The latest COVID-19 cases brought the total number of infections among the USFK population to 63.



All USFK-affiliated individuals arriving in South Korea are required to undergo the virus test and are quarantined for 14 days. Medical personnel administer a second test prior to their release.



Amid an increase in the number of new virus cases among its population, USFK has conducted some 900 random tests since late May and has found no additional positive case, it said.



The number of active duty USFK service members who are currently confirmed positive for the virus stands at 21. (Yonhap)




Boris Johnson has been urged to raise concerns over the freedom of the press with president Donald Trump, after The Independents chief US correspondent Andrew Buncombe was arrested while covering a Black Lives Matter protest in Seattle

The experienced reporter was handcuffed, shackled and placed in a red prison uniform while being detained for more than six hours in a police cell, in an incident which was described as very concerning by the Foreign Office.

He now faces a charge of failure to disperse carrying a maximum penalty of 364 days in jail and a $5,000 (4,000) fine, despite having been alone at the time of his arrest, having remained on the right side of police cordon tape and having shown his press credentials when challenged by officers.

The Society of Editors has called for the prime minister to raise concerns over the treatment of journalists by American police following a series of arrests, particularly during the Black Lives Matter protests.

The BBCs long-serving world affairs editor John Simpson described Buncombes account of his ordeal  published in The Independent on Friday  as devastating.

This is no longer the US Ive loved since my first visit in 1963, said Mr Simpson.

And the BBCs North America editor Jon Sopel said the incident was hair-raising, disturbing and depressing.

In the abstract I cant quite believe this is happening here, in the country thats been my home these past six years, said Mr Sopel. But in reality, of course, I can.

Ian Murray, executive director of the Society of Editors (SoE), called on Mr Johnson to raise the issues of press freedom and the safety of journalists directly with President Trump.

He said that the Seattle case followed the arrest of UK national photojournalist Adam Gray, who was thrown to the ground by police, restrained and handcuffed as he chronicled protests in New York City earlier this year.

The SoE is adamant that words are not enough. It is all well for the government to speak fine words about press freedom and the safety of journalists, but actions speak louder than words, Mr Murray said.

Journalists need protection to carry out their vital work to defend democracy wherever they may be working. In the case of Andrew Buncombe, it is essential that the UK government makes plain that when a journalist is carrying out their profession within law that they are provided with the protection that any liberal democracy demands. To do else is to betray the communities and society that they serve.

The Independents Andrew Buncombe faces a charge of failure to disperse and $5,000 fine after being arrested while reporting on a protest (King County)

Christian Broughton, editor of The Independent, said: It is imperative that democratic leaders everywhere stand up unequivocally for truly independent journalism. The arrest and appalling treatment of Andrew Buncombe must be condemned.

As a global news organisation, The Independent has correspondents based permanently in countries with poor records for press freedom, and we frequently send reporters into conflict zones and dangerous situations. So when the phone rings to tell you a journalist has been arrested, you dont imagine that the correspondent in question would be in the United States.

Andy is an experienced and highly respected reporter. As he writes in his article, the job of a journalist is not to disperse. Our job is to be present.

A Downing Street spokesperson made no comment on Mr Buncombes specific case, but told reporters: The prime minister has been clear on many occasions that he believes in the freedom of the press.

UK consular staff gave assistance to Mr Buncombe on the day of his arrest, and it is understood that diplomats at Britains embassy in Washington have raised the issue of UK journalists being subjected to police action with the US administration.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: We provided consular assistance to a British man after he was taken into custody in Seattle and were in contact with local authorities.

This arrest was very concerning. Journalists all around the world must be free to do their jobs and to hold authorities to account without fear of arrest or violence.

The deputy director of research for Amnesty International USA, Justin Mazzola, said that Buncombe was one of at least 60 journalists arrested as they covered Black Lives Matter demonstrations in protest at the police killing of George Floyd this year.

The media has an important role to play in protecting the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, but especially right now, when society is taking to the streets to protest the unlawful killings of black people by police while simultaneously combating a highly contagious virus, said Mr Mazzola.

The media have a right to attend and report on these protests, and law enforcement officials have a responsibility not to prevent or obstruct their work. If not, human rights violations like the ones we have witnessed over the past two months will breed in the darkness.

Former Labour MP Ruth Smeeth, now chief executive of Index on Censorship, said: Journalism matters. Our free press matters. This is an absolute disgrace. We stand with Andrew Buncombe.

And the president of the Association of Foreign Correspondents in the United States, Thanos Dimadis, voiced his organisations solidarity with Buncombe, who he described as the victim of unjust and blind police violence

Violence and intimidation against journalists here in the US have their roots in the denigration of the media by President Trump, who has adopted such a tactic as an electoral and political policy, said Mr Dimadis.

When media and journalists are verbally threatened with intimidation and bullying by the leader of a country, the end result is violence and intimidation of journalists attempting to challenge that leaders decisions on the streets.

Veteran newspaper columnist Peter Oborne said: A proper British foreign secretary would complain forcefully about this. But I expect Dominic Raab will kowtow to the US, as he did over the killing of Harry Dunn last August.

Labours shadow culture secretary Jo Stevens said that the correspondents experience at the hands of US police meant it was time for ministers to show that the governments professions of support for a free press are more than words.

The shocking arrest of Andrew Buncombe in the course of his job is part of a worrying increase in the clampdown of journalists in Trumps America, said Ms Stevens. Freedom of the press is an essential test of a properly functioning democracy.

Last year the Foreign and Commonwealth Office campaign for media freedom drew criticism for lacking focus and resources concentrating instead on a high-profile conference in London. The case of Mr Buncombe is the chance for the government to show that protecting media freedom and the rights of British journalists abroad involves more than words.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 10

Trend:

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has congratulated President of Mongolia Khaltmaagiin Battulga.

Dear Mr President, it is on the occasion of the national holiday of Mongolia that on my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan I wish to cordially congratulate you and your people, the Azerbaijani president said.

I believe that the relations between Azerbaijan and Mongolia, based on good traditions, will continue to develop successfully both bilaterally and in the multilateral format, President Aliyev added.

I seize this pleasant opportunity to wish strong health and success to you, and everlasting peace and prosperity to the friendly people of Mongolia, the Azerbaijani president said.
The Christian world was excited when famed rapper Kanye West announced that he had surrendered his life to Jesus Christ. With 29.4 million Twitter followers, Christians excitedly anticipated his tremendous influence in spreading the Gospel.

Running for president does not line up with someone who is interested in preserving and restoring religious liberty. Trump has been an unprecedented champion for religious liberty. This is why, as a Christian black American, I was excited seeing Kanye wearing a MAGA cap. Kanye could break blacks' hypnotic 50-year monolithic voting for Democrats who have only delivered empty promises.

Kanye inserting himself as a third presidential option is misguided. His candidacy could play the role of a spoiler, as did Ross Perot.

In 1992, Perot's presidential run split the conservative vote, taking votes from Republican George H.W. Bush, gifting the presidency to Democrat Bill Clinton. Kanye's candidacy could produce a similar disastrous outcome, gifting the presidency to Joe Biden and landing a death blow to religious liberty.

Have y'all noticed how Democrats and their fake news media used COVID (a strong seasonal flu) and the wrongful death of George Floyd to beat the crap out of everyday Americans? Christians were hit with $500 tickets, punished for listening to their pastor's sermon in their cars in church parking lots. Meanwhile, abortion centers remained open for business.

Democrats used COVID hysteria to totally overrule the Constitution. Wacko Democrat governors and mayors deemed businesses they liked essential while arresting pastors for holding church services. In the hearts and minds of leftists, God is not essential.

Everything leftists do and seek to do coddles the irresponsible, criminals, and illegals. Leftists are relentless in their mission to punish law-abiding U.S. citizens who are minding their own business and trying to earn a living.

The good news hidden in Democrats and fake news media cheering on the Marxist revolution is that many duped Americans are finally seeing who these wicked people on the left truly are. Leftists are cheering on domestic terrorists who boldly promote racial hate against white people. Demonically, Black Lives Matter thugs demand that whites hate themselves. BLM hates America, Christianity and the nuclear family, openly admitting that they are "trained Marxists."

A caller into the Rush Limbaugh show called President Trump "the last man standing." Man, did that woman nail it. Trump remaining in the White House is our only hope of preserving our Founding Fathers' divinely inspired vision for America.

Mr. Kanye West, if you truly are a disciple of Jesus, please do not run for president.

Lloyd Marcus, The Unhyphenated American

Help Lloyd Spread the Truth

https://www.trumptrainusa2020.com/

http://LloydMarcus.com
BENGALURU -- Rice export prices in Thailand dropped to their lowest level in four months this week, amid weakness in the domestic currency and sluggish demand, while Vietnamese rates rose after incessant rains sparked concerns about harvest in the country.

Thailands benchmark 5% broken rice prices were quoted at $455-$485 on Thursday, their lowest since early-March and below last weeks $514-$520.

Demand has been flat in (the) recent weeks and this has driven prices down, a Bangkok-based rice trader said.

Exports prices also fell, despite the Thai baht weakening to a near one-month low against the U.S. dollar this week, as the Thai variety was still expensive compared to competitors like Vietnam and India following a severe drought earlier in the year.

Heavy rains-led supply woes pushed rates for Vietnams 5% broken rice to a three-week high of around $425-$457 per tonne from $415-$450 a week earlier.

Persistent rain in the Mekong Delta continues to hamper the summer-autumn harvest, affecting rice supplies, a trader based in Ho Chi Minh City said.

In India, rates for 5% broken parboiled variety were quoted at $377-$382 per tonne this week, up from the last weeks $373-$378 per tonne.

Buyers in Africa are increasing purchases to ensure they have ample supplies amid rising cases of the novel coronavirus in the continent, said an exporter based at Kakinada in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh. Also helping prices, the Indian Rupee traded close to a more than three-month high against the U.S. dollar.

Rice production in the top exporter is likely to surge to a record high due to good monsoon rains, and as the government raised the price at which it will buy the new-season crop.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh is likely to cut taxes on rice imports in an effort to rein in soaring domestic prices, the countrys food minister Sadhan Chandra Majumdar said.
U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy III talks with Greylock Works developers Karla Rothstein and Salvatore Perry on Thursday. The stop was one of several the Senate candidate made in Western Mass. Kennedy checks out a bottle at the Berkshire Cider Project while chatting with owners Katherine Hand and Matt Brogan. Kennedy checks out the residential lofts under development at Greylock Works with developers Karla Rothstein and Salvatore Perry. PreviousNext

Senate Candidate Kennedy Makes Stops in the Berkshires



Congressman Joe Kennedy III asks a question of pastry chef Cynthia Walton as Salvatore Perry looks on. NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  U.S. Senate candidate Joseph Kennedy used a campaign stop in North Berkshire on Thursday to say that the nation's economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic cannot ignore the creative economy that is a major economic driver in the region.

"We want to have arts and cultural institutions," the 4th Mass congressman said during a tour of the Greylock Works mill revival on State Road (Route 2). "Not only are they critically important to our economy, they're literally integral to our quality of life.

"And the answer to coming out of COVID and the recovery from that can't be sacrificing the things that make life worthwhile."

Joe Kennedy III, a Boston Democrat and grandson of Robert F. Kennedy, is taking on incumbent Ed Markey in the Sept. 1 primary.

North Adams was the third of his five Western Mass stops on Thursday, which also saw him visit Leominster, Northfield and Pittsfield before finishing up in Springfield.

On Thursday, the fourth-term Congressman rolled out his "Jobs and Justice Initiative," which seeks to kick start the U.S. economy with a massive two-stage federally funded employment program.

Part of his initiative would help projects like Greylock Works, a multiphase project that will include loft-style apartments and already offers a large function space, studios and a new restaurant, Brian Alberg's Break Room, which opened its doors on Thursday morning.

"The plan has direct investment and support for cultural institutions and arts institutions, community-based organizations that foster that quality of life and those activities," Kennedy said. "Those do need support. And, some of that is things like [Payroll Protection Program] to make sure payrolls get met, but it's bigger than that. It's broader than that. It's a lot of stuff that fits right into the environment we're trying to not just sustain but to create and foster."

He wove the Greylock Works experience into the broader context of improving infrastructure in places like the Berkshires.

"The second part [of JJI] is a much broader and bigger question of the recognition that we're so vulnerable to this [COVID-19] crisis because of major structural inequities in our society," Kennedy said. "Whether that's an economy that takes advantage of essential workers and exploits low-wage labor to the challenges we obviously still confront with racial justice. It's a larger scale mobilization there around racial justice and equity but also around infrastructure investment and things like access to broadband.

"One of the things [Greylock Works developers Karla Rothstein and Salvatore Perry] were just talking about was for a family that used to be in Brooklyn, the fact that you can have this beautiful loft space here and have access to high-speed internet.  All of a sudden, you don't have to be living in New York to work in New York or living in Boston to work in Boston."

Rothstein said Thursday that the redevelopment of the former mill complex has benefited from government loans and grants in the past, and she can see ways that Greylock Works' growth could benefit from future government assistance.

"We also want to work on a jobs training program, and that kind of support would be really valuable," Rothstein said. "Particularly because the through-line for the project is the connection to local agriculture and celebrating food as culture, a jobs-training program that dovetails with the hospitality industry feels really relevant and would be beneficial to the region -- both the hotels and restaurants, to make sure there's expertise and depth in that workforce."

During his tour through the 200,000-square-foot former textile mill complex, Kennedy met a few of the people participating in that celebration of food. The Senate challenger chatted and asked questions of pastry chefs Amanda Perreault and Cynthia Walton, cidermakers Katherine Hand and Matt Brogan of the Berkshire Cider Project and Ski Bum Rum distiller Ryan Riley.

In a brief back-and-forth with reporters before being whisked off to Pittsfield by his staffers, Kennedy made his case for replacing Markey, the Green New Deal sponsor who served in the House of Representatives from 1976 until his 2013 election to the Senate to replace John Kerry.

"If there's a message out of this moment, it's that we need change from someone who has been in power for over 50 years, and this is still where we are," Kennedy said. "If you think this is the best we can do and the best we can be, great.

"The message that I think we have from this is: This country is so much bigger and so much stronger and so much better than what we're seeing, and the fact that after all this time, not only are we fighting battles from 400 years ago, we are seeing massive structural inequities in our economy across Massachusetts that leave us vulnerable to things like a pandemic."
Ernakulam: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday informed Kerala High Court that it has filed a First Information Report on Kerala's controversial gold smuggling case, the first in the country where a consignment of gold was seized while moving through a diplomatic route.

Four people, including Swapna Suresh, the controversial woman who was allegedly interacting with top government officials and was posted as a subsidiary of the IT Department recently, are booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act or UAPA in the FIR.

The case pertains to the seizure of 30 kg of gold worth 14.82 crore at Trivandrum International Airport on 5 July by the Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate, Cochin. The gold was found concealed in imported piping in diplomatic baggage from United Arab Emirates, which is exempted from inspection as per the international guidelines.

As per the FIR, Suresh, a former secretary to the Consul General of United Arab Emirates Consulate in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram, is the second accused in the case. The first accused is Sarith P.S., a former Public Relations Officer at the Consulate, who is said to be close to Suresh. Another person, Fazil Fareed from Ernakulum district, and Sarith's brother Sandeep Nair and are the third and fourth accused persons.

"Initial investigation by Customs Department has revealed that Sarith P.S. had received multiple such consignments earlier as well. As the case pertains to smuggling of large quantity of gold into India from offshore locations threatening the economic stability and national security of the country, it amounts to a terrorist act as stated in section 15 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967," said the FIR.

"Further, as the case has national and international linkages and as the initial enquiries have revealed that the proceeds of smuggled gold could be used for financing of terrorism in India, NIA has taken up the investigation of the case," it added.

Meanwhile, breaking Covid-19 protocols, Kerala boiled with opposition protests over the case on Friday, which broke into violence in some cities. Opposition leaders alleged that the smuggling case is linked to the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayans office, and demanded resignation of Vijayan. The government had on Tuesday displaced M. Sivasankar, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister and the IT department, after he was accused to be close to Suresh.

Swapna Suresh, who is absconding, claimed innocence in an anticipatory bail plea heard by Kerala high court on Friday. She alleged that she was directed to enquire about the seized cargo by an officer at the consulate. The consulate had denied it. The bail plea was postponed to next Tuesday.

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While Frank Hermansens mask may have hindered COVID-19, it was no match for the law.

An FBI task force arrested the 63-year-old on Friday  a day after he allegedly robbed a bank wearing a surgical mask in Northwest Albuquerque.

FBI spokesman Frank Fisher said the Albuquerque Police Department assisted in the investigation. Hermansens first federal court appearance has yet to be scheduled.

The public is reminded all defendants are considered innocent unless convicted in a court of law, he said.

Fisher said, on Thursday, Hermansen walked into the Bank of the West inside the Smith Food and Drug store at 6125 Fourth NW. Once inside, Hermansen pulled a pistol and demanded money from the teller.

Fisher said the teller handed over cash and Hermansen fled in a white Ford Mustang with no license plates.

According to court records, in February Hermansen had been placed on parole after serving time in jail and pleading guilty to aggravated burglary and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

The charges stemmed from late 2016, when Hermansen was arrested in two robberies.

On Dec. 12 police say Hermansen tried to steal welders from a Santa Fe Home Depot by walking them out the fire exit. When the alarm went off and employees tried to stop him, according to police, Hermansen pulled a handgun and fired it into the ceiling.

Then, on Dec. 23, Hermansen shoplifted more than $100 in detergent and diapers from a Smiths grocery store. When confronted by employees, he pointed a gun at them and fired it into the air.

Following a judges order, Hermansen completed the Forward Flag veterans diversion program and had nine years of his sentence suspended after serving more than 250 days in jail.
Dublin ship worker, now living in Kildare, admitted that his legs went to jelly when he discovered that he had won 30,000 on a National Lottery scratch card.



Tony Masterson, from Tallaght, Dublin 24 but now living in Athgarvan, Co. Kildare works as a shipping supervisor but even he struggled to find his sea legs such was the shock upon learning that he won a small fortune.

He spoke of his shock after he claimed a cool 30,000 won on an All Cash Tripler scratch card back in April, availing of the National Lotterys postal claim process. He bought the scratch card at Gala Athgarvan, Liffey Mill, Athgarvan, Co. Kildare.

He said: I remember it was Good Friday (10th April) and I had just got off work and I swung by the local Gala beside where I live to grab a few things. Its funny, I rarely buy scratch cards, only once in a blue moon but I play Lotto every week so this really was a stroke of luck. When I scratched it I think I went into shock. It was a mix of excitement, shock and denial and I got members of the family to double check it. I just went to jelly and to be honest I didnt think it was real.

Tony had to wait a little longer than normal due to National Lottery HQ being closed due to the COVID 19 restrictions but availed of the postal claims process.

He continued: Even after I spoke to the claims staff in the National Lottery, who assured me that I had won the thirty grand, there was a small part of me that refused to believe that this was real. It wasnt a nice few days waiting for the cheque to arrive by post as the anticipation was killing me. I think it only sunk in when I opened the letter and saw the cheque inside. I mean, you hear of people winning but you really never expect it to be you.

So where did Tony keep his winning scratch card while he was waiting to claim? It was in the safest place in the house the inside pocket of my uniform coat, he said.

Speaking on plans for his windfall, Tony said: Like everyone else, with the lockdown, there really hasnt been the opportunity to celebrate. I will look after the family of course and Id love to take a holiday but Ill definitely wait a while before I think about going  possibly next year when it is safer to do so. Im also going to take a few friends and work colleagues out for a meal and a few drinks.
Some Nashville bar owners are seeking a temporary restraining order against city officials in an effort to push back against coronavirus restrictions.

Bar owners Timothy Stephen Smith and Geoffrey Reid filed the lawsuit Monday, according to the filing obtained by the Tennessean. Smith owns Kid Rocks Big Ass Honky Tonk and Steakhouse; Reid owns The Local Spot.

The bar owners are seeking the restraining order against Nashville Mayor John Cooper, Metro Public Health Department Director Michael C. Caldwell and the Metro Beer Permit Board. The board had voted to temporarily suspend Kid Rocks beer licenses last month after they were found in violation of coronavirus health orders.

The suit says the bar owners have suffered harm because of closures amid the pandemic and requests an exemption from an order announced last week by the mayor that requires bars in Nashville to close for two weeks.

When Cooper announced the order, he said bars had been the source of a record number of clusters of new coronavirus cases in the city, The Tennessean reported.

Alex Jahangir, head of Nashvilles coronavirus task force, said last week that health officials had traced 30 new infections in the city across 10 bars.

In their lawsuit, the owners accuse city officials of selectively enforcing health orders against bars and restaurants, saying not one citation has been issued to a protester for violating a health order.

Reid had also filed another lawsuit against Gov. Lee and other officials in May, alleging quarantine orders amid the outbreak is an unprecedented and devastating deprivation of peoples rights, WZTV-TV quoted his lawsuit as saying.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics COVID-19
A medic wearing PPE collects samples from a woman as others wait for COVID-19 rapid antigen testing, in New Delhi. PTI Photo

Last week, India overtook Russia to become the third worst-hit nation by the Covid-19 pandemic. Indias tally has crossed 7,67,296 cases; the deaths exceed 20,000. Only two countries  the United States and Brazil  have more cases than we do.

What lessons can we learn as the country tries to walk a tightrope between attempts to revive the economy and dealing with surging caseloads and new hotspots?

First, that there is no such thing as an Indian pandemic. We are living through a patchwork pandemic, as in the United States, to borrow a phrase from Ed Yong, a well-known science writer at The Atlantic magazine. Different states in India are experiencing the pandemic in different ways.

Second, the patchwork is not static. Yesterdays hotspots can be doing better today, like Delhi. And todays hotspots may be replaced by fresh ones in a few weeks. Currently, the big story is the surge in number of new infections in the southern states.

Telangana and Karnataka are in the eye of the storm as the newest hotspots.

Third, slippages in implementation can happen anywhere, even in states which seemed to be coping better than others. Therefore, it is vital to remain on alert 24/7. Karnataka, which was doing well during the lockdown, has seen recent surges as it has tried to unlock its economy.

Bengaluru, which accounts for more than half of Karnatakas Covid-19 positive cases, has had a spurt of penalties being slapped on residents and commercial establishments for violating social distancing norms.

Even Kerala has seen a recent spike in specific pockets, though overall it remains leagues ahead of most Indian states. Early preparation has been the key to its success. The state governments prompt response to Covid-19 has been partly due to its experience and investment in emergency preparedness and outbreak response during the floods in 2018 and the Nipah outbreak in 2019.

Kerala leveraged its experience in disaster management to quickly deploy resources and respond at the first alert. Its strategic interventions included active surveillance, setting up of district control rooms for monitoring, capacity-building of frontline health workers, strong community engagement which led to effective risk communication and addressing the psychosocial needs of the vulnerable population.

Fourth, while no one can honestly predict the trajectory of the new virus, the more developed, industrialised and urbanised parts of India are more vulnerable because of the greater economic activity and mobility there during the unlock phase.

Fifth, since cities, with densely populated pockets, are more vulnerable, it is vital to pay attention to their healthcare system. Dr Preeti Kumar, vice-president of the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), flags the importance of well-equipped urban primary healthcare centres which can facilitate early contact tracing, as the virus thrives in areas of high economic activity leading to mobility.

Big cities in India, Dr Kumar points out, have excellent hospitals offering secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities. What they typically lack is primary healthcare, which enables community workers to regularly visit homes and engage in health promotion. The key lesson is to strengthen primary healthcare and equip the first responders  the community health workers in villages and cities.

This is what Kerala has done  early identification of cases, contact tracing and isolation of those diagnosed Covid-19 positive.

Sixth, the virus does not care about elections. The Centre and state governments must be on the same page to save Indian lives.

Contrary to initial fears, the virus has not devastated rural India, even though tens of thousands of workers have left cities for their native villages. Why? Are numbers low because of low levels of testing? Or is it something else?

One possible reason could be effective quarantining of returning migrant workers in many states before they headed home, says Dr Kumar.

Dharavi, Asias largest slum, is another good case study of a government-led response, with effective community engagement, involvement of NGOs, peoples participation, and volunteers. All contributed to flatten the case load.

The interventions were a model of intensive screening  test, track, trace, isolate. It is also important to ensure availability of food and supplies to ensure compliance on quarantine, Dr Kumar adds.

Another model is that of Bhilwara, Rajasthan, among the worst-affected places in India during the first phase of the Covid-19 outbreak. The Rajasthan governments response included imposing a curfew, house-to-house surveys to check for possible cases and detailed contact tracing of each positive case to create a dossier on everybody he/she met.

So how much of this is being scaled up? How well is India responding to Covid-19?

A new report by Preeti Kumar and Sakthivel Selvaraj of PHFI and Ipchita Bharali of Duke University, in Americas North Carolina, for the Brookings Institution, a think tank, draws attention to some common weaknesses nationwide.

Though things are improving, testing rates remain low in many states, the healthcare system is weak and social protection remains low. The reports policy prescriptions for all states include increasing testing capacity; taking a host of measures to help poor workers, including affordable housing, emergency employment schemes, and access to social entitlements; maintaining essential critical health services and disease programmes to avoid a resurgence of vaccine preventable diseases, infectious diseases, and chronic illnesses; enforcing sensible social distancing, effective quarantine procedures, mandatory mask-wearing and hand hygiene habits, along with improved detection, containment and mitigation; and introducing and ensuring that national data privacy laws are followed while improving Indias health emergency response.

During the ongoing economic distress, there are more people looking for work. There will be more mobility. To manage the risk, we have to replicate our own successes.
The Queen's lady in waiting thanked Timothy for the word search. (Getty/PA Images)

A seven-year-old boy has received a message from Windsor Castle after sending a handmade word search to the Queen in case she was feeling sad or lonely.

Timothy Madders, of Billericay in Essex, created a happiness word search with hidden words like smile, family and sunshine.

He wrote: Dear Queen Elizabeth, You might be feeling sad or lonely during lockdown, so I thought I could make a word search for you to cheer you up. Love from Timothy Madders.

One of the Queens ladies in waiting replied to him to thank him for his word search.

Read more: Fashion historian reveals secrets of Princess Diana's wardrobe

Seven-year-old Timothy Madders of Billericay in Essex with the reply he received from Windsor Castle thanking him for his thoughtfulness. (PA Images)

Philippa de Pass wrote: The Queen wishes me to write and thank you for your kind letter, and for the puzzle you have created especially for Her Majesty.

Your thoughtfulness is greatly appreciated, and The Queen hopes that you too are keeping safe and well in the current situation.

I am to thank you very much indeed for writing as you did at this time.

Timothy told PA he had been making word searches during lockdown and wrote and posted the Queens at the beginning of May.

Read more: Prince Philip thought Australians 'hadn't got over' that Britain 'wasn't able to help them' in Second World War, letter reveals

He had forgotten all about it when he got the reply, and said he felt very special and happy and excited.

His mother, Jo Madders, said he wrote it in his neatest handwriting and added: Its a good little word search.

The Queen has been in Windsor Castle, her Berkshire home, since the middle of March when she arrived early for Easter Court.

Trooping the Colour, her official birthday celebration, was held there in June and its not clear when she will leave. Usually she would be in Scotland at this time of year for her summer break.
Five years after Macleans magazine dubbed Winnipeg the most racist city in Canada, a new survey by Prairie Research Associates shows more Manitobans now believe racism is a problem.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/7/2020 (556 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Five years after Macleans magazine dubbed Winnipeg the most racist city in Canada, a new survey by Prairie Research Associates shows more Manitobans now believe racism is a problem.

In 2015, 44 per cent of Manitobans thought racism was a problem, according to a survey at the time by the Winnipeg-based research company. A new poll released this week by PRA shows a big jump: with 61 per cent of Manitobans now viewing racism as a problem in the province.

"I think more people are seeing it," said Lori Wilkinson, a University of Manitoba sociology professor. "You ask people their opinions about anything, and it really depends on whats newsworthy or whats being discussed online."

Wilkinson specializes in racism and survey methodology. She said people are becoming more aware of racism due to recent local, national and international protests and subsequent media coverage.

"Public opinions on almost anything changes based on what the discourse in society happens to be at that time," she said Friday.

On May 25, a 46-year-old Black man, George Floyd, was killed by police in Minneapolis, sparking global protests, including a continuing series of events in Winnipeg.

The new PRA survey results show 77 per cent of Manitobans strongly, or somewhat, agree the protests in the United States are justified.

A Justice 4 Black Lives rally June 5 drew thousands for a march from the Manitoba Legislative Building to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights; 72 per cent of Manitobans said the current protests in Canada are justified.

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The youngest age group  18 to 29 years old  supported the movement the most, with 84 per cent saying they agree with such protests in Canada.

Recent protests in Winnipeg and across North America have also pushed to defund police departments. The PRA survey shows two-thirds of Manitobans believe there is a systemic racism problem within Canadian police services.

Thirty-seven per cent of respondents said the relations are negative between Black people and people of colour with non-people of colour.

Reconciliation and relations with Indigenous people in Manitoba continues to be a topic of conversation. According to the 2015 PRA survey, only 45 per cent of Manitobans believed relations between non-Indigenous and Indigenous people were negative; that number jumps to 71 per cent in the new poll.

The research firm surveyed a random sample of 2,033 Manitobans from June 23-July 3. According to PRA, because this sample is a non-probability sample, no error rate can be calculated. A random population survey of this size would yield an error rate of plus or minus 2.2 per cent (19 times out of 20).

kellen.taniguchi@freepress.mb.ca
COVID-19 in Canada

A 48-year-old Mississauga man has been charged for a racist tirade caught on camera in Mississauga, Ont. on Sunday, July 5 which went viral after a white, non-mask wearing man berated staff at T&T Supermarket who told him he couldnt shop at the store without a face covering.

If I wear a mask I will have an asthma attack and these communists are attacking all of us...go back to China and take your coronavirus with you, said a man in a racist tirade filmed by a bystander.

Peel Regional Police say John McCash turned himself into police on July 16 and was charged with causing a disturbance. McCash is set to appear in front of the Ontario Court of Justice on September 25, 2020.

"Hate-crime incidents have a negative impact on our community and create a ripple effect. It can increase feelings of vulnerability, anxiety and fear, not only on the individual who has directly been victimized, but also to the community at large. Reporting incident of hate-crime is essential to stopping these incidents; we are dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of all we serve," said Chief Nishan Duraiappah.

The video was uploaded to YouTube and has been viewed almost over 280,000 times and was filmed at the predominantly Chinese-operated supermarket. It starts with a white man with his wife near him dumping grocery products from a bag on the floor while telling staff he will never come back here again.

The man then goes on to threaten the staff that hell have the media here and staff can wear their masks and get sick.

When you wear the mask, you get sick  its science, he said.

Racist, hurtful and divisive comments like these have no place in our City. They're appalling. Weve gotten to where we are today by working together and listening to public health. Lets keep it up and continue to fight this as team Mississauga. https://t.co/WGOTkC0CFY  Bonnie Crombie  (@BonnieCrombie) July 8, 2020

Peel Region which is comprised of Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon mandated masks shortly after the incident. However, T&T had implemented a mask-wearing policy as far back as May, and introduced forehead temperatures checks to boost safety.

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The science around masks is starting to become rather unequivocal that they help reduce the transmission of the virus, and Dr. Theresa Tam, Canadas Chief Public Health Officer has strongly recommended using face masks in public settings and in indoor venues.

This most recent refusal of service for someone refusing to wear a mask comes days after a woman tried to St. Josephs hospital staff in Toronto. The woman, Letitia Montana filmed herself being denied service for a potential broken finger.

After being asked repeatedly he was no longer welcome, the man said he didnt want staff to crowd him and then demanded they provide him six feet of distance.

This is a communist, socialist lie. Where did we get our Wuhan communist virus? From China, from you guys, he said while shouting at staff.

The man then probes staff into asking where theyre from and one male employee responds Im Canadian. At this point the main diverts his energy from bigoted attacks to saying his medical condition is the reason he cannot wear a mask.

I have asthma...you get sick with the mask, use your common sense. When youre wearing a mask youre breathing in old air, he said.

After a couple more heated exchanges, the man then continues to tell staff that theyre not Canadian and indicates he may strike them.

Youre as Canadian as my butt, the man said, and the male employee continually responds Im Canadian, at which point the racist man asks for distance insinuating he may get physical.

Man berates ground-level employees for enforcing policies that the store has a legal right to create.



Being racist towards ASIANS in an ASIAN grocery store that he willingly chose among all the stores.



Ridiculous. https://t.co/yPEJSNQ2iM  Hot Leaf Juice (@hotleafjuice88) July 9, 2020

The racist sentiments hurled out by the man are representative of what Chinese-Canadians are enduring. A survey conducted by the Angus Reid Institute found that 61% of respondents had changed their routines to avoid run-ins or unpleasant encounters since the start of COVID-19.

Almost half of the respondents (44%) were naturalized Canadians by birth, a whopping 64% of respondents felt they had been treated worse than other Canadians because of their ethnicity.

Furthermore, almost thirty percent reported being exposed to racist graffiti or messaging and having made to feel they pose a threat to the safety of other Canadians. Despite their poor treatment at the hands of other Canadians, the Chinese-Canadian respondents unanimously agreed they take pride in being Canadian and feel their duality is an important part of their lives.

Police confirmed theyve been in touch with the victim and have offered help.

Should companies have the right to refuse service to people who dont wear masks? Vote in the poll above and tell us below in the comments.
A groundbreaking report released Thursday details 25 wrongful convictions by The Kings County District Attorneys office (KCDA) in Brooklyn, New York, costing people 426 combined years behind bars.

Entitled 426 Years: An Examination of 25 Wrongful Convictions in Brooklyn, New York (PDF) released in conjunction with the Wilmer Hale law firm and the Innocence Project, marks the first time a US District attorney has conducted a comprehensive review of their offices wrongful convictions, the Innocence Projects Senior Litigation Counsel Nina Morrison said in a release.

This report shows the devastating human toll caused by these miscarriages of justice  and how many of them could have been prevented before they became wrongful convictions.

Almost five centuries

The 25 wrongful convictions came from across 20 cases that were reviewed by the Conviction Review Unit (CRU), established in 2014. Their findings highlight the significant racial disparity in wrongful convictions. Of the 25, only one was white.

#BREAKING: Today, we are sharing the findings of my Conviction Review Unit in a report titled 426 Years: An Examination of 25 Wrongful Convictions in Brooklyn, New York, a first-of-its-kind study conducted with @innocence and @wilmerhale. https://t.co/AwjZ1TeWFs pic.twitter.com/M095Q0ndyb  DA Eric Gonzalez (@BrooklynDA) July 9, 2020

The 25 were convicted on various charges, including burglary, arson, rape, kidnapping, robbery and murder in various degrees. Scott Moore and Tony Stevens were convicted of murder, kidnapping, robbery and weapons charges in 1985 and sentenced to the maximum allowable penalty  25 years to life in prison.

The CRU recommended vacating their convictions, which were unsupported  and in many instances directly contradicted  by physical or testimonial evidence. Moore served 29 years in prison and Stevens died in prison after 15 years, the report noted.

Brian Davidson was convicted in 1987 of first-degree rape, sodomy, two counts of coercion and one count of second-degree robbery. He was sentenced to between 19 and 57 years and spent 30 years behind bars.

The CRU recommended his conviction be vacated for reasons including the fact that the main witness for the prosecution had misidentified Davidson as one of her assailants.

Broad misconduct

The cases featured various levels of misconduct from police, prosecutors and defence lawyers, the CRU found. These included false or unreliable confessions, witness misidentifications, credibility issues with witnesses and the plausibility of confession.

For example, no evidence suggested Scott Moore nor Tony Stevens, who were both 16 at the time of the crimes, could drive, had ever driven a car before, had access to a car, or had a license.





Yet to believe their confessions, one would have to accept that the two boys drove continuously for hours in traffic during the day from Queens to Brooklyn  while holding their victim in the backseat of the car at gunpoint  and then later gassed up the vehicle at a self-serve filling station and parallel parked on a street, the report said.

Some cases even featured evidence that was withheld.

The CRU examined files from the [Kings County District Attorney] and [New York Police Department] as well as other sources, the CRU found that in ten of the cases, favorable  and in some cases, highly exculpatory  evidence appeared not to have been disclosed to the defense, thus keeping juries from having critical information before issuing their verdicts, the report noted.

In these cases, failure to disclose such evidence deprived the affected convicted persons of fair trials.

Anger

The people whose convictions have been recommended for overturning and charges dropped will need to have a judge do so.

If a judge rules in their favour, their cases will be sealed from public view and their records will be cleared of the charges.





The results come at a time when the US is dealing with racial inequality in its criminal justice system, following the alleged murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police and several other high-profile killings of unarmed Black men.

I am mindful that we are publishing this Report at a time when the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the racial violence it has called up have filled so many Americans  including me  with anger and despair, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said in the report.

For us to build community trust, especially now, when so many people in this country are expressing anger and despair with the system, we must reckon with and be transparent about the mistakes of the past, he concluded.
CAMBRIDGE  A woman is in hospital with serious injuries after being stabbed during a home invasion in Cambridge.

On Thursday at 11 p.m. police were called to Brierdale Road and Champlain Boulevard in Cambridge after three men forced their way into a residence and assaulted a woman inside, said Waterloo Regional Police.

The woman was stabbed multiple times. Police say her injuries are serious but non-life-threatening.

The men also stole items from the home before fleeing on foot.

Police believe the home invasion was targeted.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 519-570-9777 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Vineet Upadhyay By

Express News Service

DEHRADUN: After Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat's announcement of not using any Chinese goods, equipments in state government projects, Uttarakhand Power Transmission Corporation (UPTC) officials said that they are already preparing a report about how much Chinese products are used in state's power sector.

Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Thursday said, "Our government will not use any Chinese equipment or products in any government project. We should work towards making ourselves self-reliant and not dependent on anyone else. We must vow to make 'Vocal for Local' motto of our lives to lead the country towards prosperity."

UPTC MD Atul Agarwal said, "Report is being prepared about how much involvement of Chinese firms is in there in our power sector. We have already stopped purchasing any equipments and awarding contracts to Chinese firms."

The officials also added that every year Rs 150-200 crore was being spent on Chinese equipments in multiple power projects of the state. Officials also added that after the report is prepared an submitted key decision to bar Chinese firms and equipments completely will be taken by the state government.

The move comes after high intensity anti-Chinese emotions due to border tussle which lead to martyrdom of 20 Indian Army soldiers include officers.
Announcement of Periodic Review: Moody's announces completion of a periodic review of ratings of Moldova, Government of

Global Credit Research - 10 Jul 2020

London, 10 July 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") reviews all of its ratings periodically in accordance with regulations -- either annually or, in the case of governments and certain EU-based supranational organisations, semi-annually. This periodic review is unrelated to the requirement to specify calendar dates on which EU and certain other sovereign and sub-sovereign rating actions may take place.

Moody's conducts these periodic reviews through portfolio reviews in which Moody's reassesses the appropriateness of each outstanding rating in the context of the relevant principal methodology(ies), recent developments, and a comparison of the financial and operating profile to similarly rated peers. Since 1st January 2019, Moody's issues a press release following each periodic review announcing its completion.

Moody's has now completed the periodic review of a group of issuers that includes Moldova and may include related ratings. The review did not involve a rating committee, and this publication does not announce a credit rating action and is not an indication of whether or not a credit rating action is likely in the near future; credit ratings and/or outlook status cannot be changed in a portfolio review and hence are not impacted by this announcement. For any credit ratings referenced in this publication, please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for the most updated credit rating action information and rating history.

The credit profile of Moldova (issuer rating B3) is constrained by the sovereign's economic strength, which Moody's assesses as "b1" given the economy's small size, limited diversification and low income levels, counterbalanced by relatively robust, though volatile, growth dynamics in the past recent years; Moldova's "caa2" Institutions and governance strength, balancing very weak governance indicators, in particular control of corruption, against the progress achieved under the recently concluded IMF program that has supported policy credibility; its "baa2" fiscal strength, mainly reflecting the government's relatively low debt burden and high debt affordability; and its "ba" susceptibility to event risk, driven by political risk arising from volatile and unpredictable domestic politics.

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This document summarizes Moody's view as of the publication date and will not be updated until the next periodic review announcement, which will incorporate material changes in credit circumstances (if any) during the intervening period.

The principal methodology used for this review was Sovereign Ratings Methodology published in November 2019. Please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.

This announcement applies only to EU rated and EU endorsed ratings. Non EU rated and non EU endorsed ratings may be referenced above to the extent necessary, if they are part of the same analytical unit.

This publication does not announce a credit rating action. For any credit ratings referenced in this publication, please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for the most updated credit rating action information and rating history.

Daniela Re Fraschini Asst Vice President - Analyst Sovereign Risk Group Moody's Investors Service Ltd. One Canada Square Canary Wharf London E14 5FA United Kingdom JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454 Yves Lemay MD - Sovereign Risk Sovereign Risk Group JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454 Releasing Office: Moody's Investors Service Ltd. One Canada Square Canary Wharf London E14 5FA United Kingdom JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454

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Deputy Registrar Etienne Ravo said registering repatriates, health workers including staff of approved quarantine facilities will help authorities to monitor their movements in quarantine
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 10)  National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) chairman Nonoy Espina said democracy was killed with the decision of the House of Representatives to deny fresh 25-year franchise to media giant ABS-CBN.

Talagang pinatay ang demokrasya ngayong araw," Espina told CNN Philippines Newsroom Ngayon. "Ang hirap tanggapin na may dahilan silang matino sa ginawa nila ngayong araw."

[Translation: Democracy was killed today. It is hard to accept that they have a good reason for what they did today.]

Espina also said the decision was expected ever since President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to block the franchise renewal of the network after it did not air his paid presidential campaign ad in 2016.

READ: Duterte to ABS-CBN: Next year, you're out

Espina also called the lawmakers traitors to democracy and to the people, and questioned their claim that the issue is not related to freedom of the press or expression.

Paanong hindi magiging freedom of the press ang issue (How can the issue not be about freedom of the press)... The mere fact that they say it is not a freedom of the press issue, makes it a freedom of the press issue, " he said.

Espina added: . This was them getting back at a station because ayaw nila siguro nung istilo ng pagre-report. Ayaw nilang binabantayan sila. Ayaw nila ng kritikal na pamamahayag (they do not like the style of reporting. They do not like to be watched. They do not like critical journalism).

Deliberations for the new franchise started early this year. With 70-11 votes, the House Committee on Legislative Franchises denied consolidated bills which would have granted ABC-CBN a new license to resume broadcast operations.

READ: House panel denies ABS-CBNs bid for fresh franchise

TIMELINE: ABS-CBN franchise

Other groups also voiced out their disappointment about the decision

Kilusang Mayo Uno said in a statement on Friday that it was an affront to press freedom everywhere and that this shows that a media organization must not displease Duterte or his minions or else they can be shut down.

It added that this deprives Filipinos of their right to information, especially during a pandemic.

Human Rights Watch Philippines shared the sentiment, saying the decision was a grievous assault on press freedom in the country.

It added this solidifies the tyranny of the president, while the denial of the franchise shows the obsequious behavior of the lawmakers to Duterte by agreeing to limit press freedom.

Akbayan Youth said the government is sabotaging itself by shutting down the media giant.

At a time where the free flow of information is important, closing down the country's biggest TV station will force a lot of communities to face the pandemic blind, Akbayan Youth chairman RJ Naguit said in statement.
GENEVA - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has criticized an independent U.N. human rights experts report insisting a American drone strike that killed a top Iranian general in January was a watershed event in the use of drones and amounted to a violation of international law.

The report presented by Agnes Callamard to the U.N.-backed Human Rights Council on Thursday chronicled events around the death of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and the legal implications of his killing as part of a broader look on the use of drone strikes.

Callamard, the special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions who has been commissioned by the council, called the January strike in Iraq the first known incident in which a state invokes self-defence as justification for an attack against a government official outside a declared armed conflict.

Pompeo said in a statement late Thursday that the U.S. rejected her report and opinions.

Ms. Callamards conclusions are spurious, he said. The strike that killed Gen. Soleimani was in response to an escalating series of armed attacks in preceding months by the Islamic Republic of Iran and militias it supports on U.S. forces and interests in the Middle East region.

Pompeo said the strike on Baghdad International Airport was carried out to deter Iran from launching or supporting further attacks against the United States or U.S. interests, and to degrade the capabilities of the Qods Force. He said Callamard gives more cause to distrust U.N. human rights mechanisms.

The Trump administration pulled the United States out of the rights council two years ago, accusing it of an anti-Israel bias and alleging that it is too accepting of autocratic regimes that regularly abuse human rights.

Callamard is perhaps best known for leading an investigation into the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi national, and issuing a scathing report on the actions of Saudi officials.

In her new report, Callamard acknowledged in her report that international humanitarian and human rights law can provide diverging answers on the legal validity of some drone strikes, and the one against Soleimani raised genuine uncertainty as to how to interpret its lawfulness.

She said the United States had not engaged with her as she drafted the drone report. But based on the evidence the U.S. provided, the targeting of Gen. Soleimani, and the deaths of those accompanying him, constitute an arbitrary killing for which, under (international human rights law), the U.S. is responsible, she said.

Callamard wrote that the strike targeting Soleimani was qualitatively different from other drone strikes that targeted non-state actors.

This is the primary reason the Soleimani strike is considered a watershed change in the conduct of extra-territorially targeted strikes and killings, she stated in the report.

It is hard to imagine that a similar strike against a Western military leader would not be considered as an act of war, potentially leading to intense action, political, military and otherwise, against the state launching the strike, she added.

Among other recommendations, the report calls on the United Nations to examine the legal framework on the use of drones and for the U.N. Security Council - which Callamard called missing in action on the subject of drone strikes - to take up the issues.

The reports release came as the United States mounts an increasingly intense diplomatic offensive to try to depict Irans Islamic Republic as the worlds most rogue regime.

Tehran has countered by issuing an international arrest warrant and asking Interpol for help in detaining President Donald Trump and dozens of others it believes carried out the drone strike on Soleimani. Trump faces no danger of arrest, and Interpol said it would not consider Irans request.

___

Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.
Charles Dickens (1812-1870) was one of the greatest novelists of the 19th century and a world-historical literary and cultural figure. In the English language, he is perhaps second only to William Shakespeare in enduring significance and popularity.

His imperishable works include The Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby, Martin Chuzzlewit, Dombey and Son, David Copperfield, Bleak House, Hard Times, Little Dorrit, A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, Our Mutual Friend and, of course, the novella that introduced the reading public to Ebenezer Scrooge, A Christmas Carol.

Dickens at his desk, 1858

In late June, the Dickens House Museum in Broadstairs, in East Kent, England, was vandalized by an individual who sprayed Dickens Racist on the building. The perpetrator, Ian Driver, is a former Green Party councillor.

Unrepentant, Driver subsequently indicated he targeted the museum because it represented the deep-rooted institutional racism of Broadstairs Town and Thanet District councils. In a statement, he deplored the celebration of genocidal racists such as Charles Dickens and King Leopold of Belgium.

Driver may be an eccentric or unstable individual, but his actions fit a general pattern. In the US, statues of Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant have been removed, defaced or threatened.

Moreover, a campaign against Dickens as a misogynist, imperialist, anti-Semite and reactionary defender of law and order has been under way for decades in pseudo-left, feminist and postmodernist academic circles.

Inspired by the postmodernist Michel Foucault in particular, D.A. Miller, an American academic, in The Novel and the Police (1988), for instance, asserted that Few of course would dispute [!] that, with Dickens, the English novel for the first time features a massive thematization of social discipline. A headline in the Daily Mail this May read Charles Dickens the misogynist, with a subhead that continued, He championed family valuesyet the novelist was cruel to his wife, hated his mother, had an affair 

The anti-Dickens banner has attracted some detestable personalities. The late journalist-scoundrel Christopher Hitchens, with all the moral grandeur of someone who gravitated from the upper middle class left politics of the International Socialists group in Britain to the Bush war camp in the early 2000s, eagerly cheering on the criminal, murderous invasion of Iraq, informed his readers in 2010 that Dickens was the worst of men.

This is all extremely reactionary and stupid, the worst sort of myopic, ahistorical moralizing, and, to the extent such an effort has gained any traction, it reveals or confirms the intellectual and moral rottenness of these affluent petty bourgeois layers.

Artists impression of Charles Dickens, forced to work in a factory when his father was sent to the Marshalsea (debtors prison)

Dickens is a beloved figure, first of all, because of the deep sympathy in his novels for those mistreated and oppressed by official, respectable society, especially children. It is difficult to think of another writer who conveyed such sympathy in significant fiction, with the possible exception of Leo Tolstoy, the great Russian novelist. Dickens, of course, enjoyed the advantage of having suffered poverty and abuse as a child, including during his stint, at 12 years old, working ten-hour days at a blacking (boot polish) factory while his father was locked up in a debtors prison.

Second, and related to that, Dickens was second to none in creating scathing portraits of hypocrites and sophists, especially those who prosper from the misery of others, while offering high-minded advice to the down-trodden on their ostensible moral and religious obligations. Karl Marx included Dickens among the present splendid brotherhood of fiction-writers in England who were painting the various layers of the English middle class as full of presumption, affectation, petty tyranny and ignorance.

The novelists satireas British writer George Gissing noted, in a perceptive 1898 study, in regard to Bleak House, one of Dickens masterpieceshad very wide application; it involves that whole system of pompous precedent which in Dickenss day was responsible for so much cruelty and hypocrisy, for such waste of life in filth and gloom and wretchedness.

The Northern Star, the newspaper of the Chartist movement, the revolutionary movement of British workers at the time, hailed Dickens as the champion of the oppressed. Edwin Pugh, in Charles Dickens, Apostle of the People (1908), (mistakenly) claimed Dickens for the working class as an unconscious socialist. George Bernard Shaw asserted that not only was Dickens Little Dorrit one of the greatest books ever written in English, which is true, it was more seditious than Das Kapital, which is untrue. Tolstoy, who admired Dickens greatly, said of him: He loves the weak and poor and always despises the rich.

George Gissing

Dickens did all this, and a great deal more, in the liveliest and often most comic manner. He created a universe of characters and personalities, again, in English, only second to Shakespeare. His characters remarkable names often say a good deal: Henrietta Boffin, Vincent Crummles and family, Affery Flintwinch, Tom Gradgrind, Mr. and Mrs. Gulpidge (dinner guests), Mr. MChoakumchild (school teacher), Newman Noggs, The Infant Phenomenon, Herbert Pocket, Jonas Chuzzlewit, Mr. Pumblechook, Mr. Smallweed (moneylender), Wackford Squeers, Paul Sweedlepipe, Montague Tigg, Nathaniel Winkle and Mr. Wopsie, to mention only a few.

In his brilliant essay, Dickens: The Two Scrooges (1939), American critic Edmund Wilson noted that the novelist was almost invariably against institutions. In spite of the lip service Dickens paid to Church and State, Wilson argues, whenever he comes to deal concretely in his art with laws, courts and the public officials, the creeds of Protestant dissenters and of the Church of England alike, he makes them either ridiculous or cruel, or both at the same time.

Dickens, Wilson continued, was one of the very small group of British intellectuals to whom the opportunity had been offered to be taken up by the governing class and who have actually declined the honor.

The claims of Dickenss racism stem from observations he made at various times about India, Africa, China and Ireland, and about British colonial operations in those regions. Some of the comments are reactionary and intemperate. The worst were made during the Indian Rebellion of 1857, also known as the Sepoy Mutiny, after 120 British women and children were killed by rebel forces.

As Grace Moore explains, in her sensible book, Dickens and Empire, Although much has been made of Dickenss unpleasant and bloodthirsty calls for vengeance in the massacres immediate aftermath, these demands were in fact restricted to a six-month period. When it became apparent  that the ghastly actions of the sepoys were matched by equally repugnant behaviour on the part of the British, Dickenss outbursts ceased abruptly.

Daguerreotype portrait of Charles Dickens by Antoine Claudet, 1852

Interestingly, Moore goes on to argue that in A Tale of Two Cities (1859), Dickens revised his attitude towards the sepoy soldiers and the rebels who joined them, by sympathetically aligning them with both the French third estate of 1789, and the English working classes. Indeed, following his explosion of 1857 Dickens was certainly more cautious about speaking out on matters of race in the future.

In any event, an entire industry, modest but no doubt lucrative, has sprung up dedicated to exposing Dickens for the racist, misogynist villain that he was.

Few enduring literary or artistic figures are immune from such efforts. Shakespeare was subjected to idiotic abuse in Roland Emmerichs Anonymous (2011). The playwright was depicted as a semiliterate braggart, drunk and murderer who took credit for works actually written by the Earl of Oxford.

Tolstoy underwent some degree of falsification and trivialization, although nowhere nearly so malicious, in The Last Station (2009), and Percy Shelley and Lord Byron suffered some of the same fate in Mary Shelley (2017). In Papa: Hemingway in Cuba (2015), both Ernest Hemingway and his art were horribly banalized. On a smaller scale, Orson Welles has been reduced and dismissed in Me and Orson Welles (2008) and RKO 281 (1999). Various books have been dedicated to demolishing the reputation of German dramatist-poet Bertolt Brecht, including John Fuegis Brecht & Co. (1994).

Leo Tolstoy in 1897

Dickens, of course, has already come under attack in Ralph Fiennes The Invisible Woman (2013), about the writers 13-year extra-marital relationship with the much younger actress Ellen Ternan. The filmmakers expressed disapproval of Dickenss treatment of his wife and mistress, ignoring the reality, the WSWS wrote, that the writer was a product of his era and social circumstances (which made divorce unthinkable).

We added: Frankly, the novelists dedication to presenting life in his novels is a thousand times more important and enduring than his imputed peccadilloes. Who set up these middle class critics as the arbiters of morality extending back into history? What have they got to boast about? It should be noted that the movie was scripted by Abi Morgan, who wrote the shameful tribute to Margaret Thatcher, The Iron Lady.

In part, this entire process is simply one more indication of a very bad artistic and social climate. In a period in which artistic genius of the type exemplified by Shakespeare, Dickens, Tolstoy, Balzac and othersor anything even remotely resembling ithas been sadly, conspicuously lacking, mediocrities feel it vital to repudiate the idea that genius has ever existed. The artist of the past must be cut down to size to make the present-day nonentity feel better about him or herself. Well, they werent so different from us, after all, petty, selfish, back-biting  Several generations of intellectuals, who have swung largely to the right, cannot conceive of artistic greatness, with all the self-sacrifice and exhaustive mental labor involved, on the level of a Dickens (a labor that helped bring about his death at the age of 58).

They search out and discover pettiness and sordid motives everywhere because their own lives and activity are dominated by pettiness and sordid motives. Scandal-mongering, gossip and the rest define their existence and they impose all that on the subjects of their research.

Moreover, one of Dickens tremendous failings from the point of view of the contemporary academic is his continuing popularity. His works have never fallen out of print. A Tale of Two Cities is estimated to be one of the most widely read novels of all time. With the aid of cheap monthly installments he [Dickens] wins a completely new class for literature, a class of people who had never read novels before, asserted cultural historian Arnold Hauser.

All of this is reason enough for the contemporary academic cynic, resigned to his or her own insignificance and impotence, to despise Dickens. What the mass of the population is drawn toward must be rubbish, because the masses are backward rubbish. It is appropriate that the attack on Dickens House in Broadstairs was carried out by a member of the Green Party, a petty bourgeois, neo-Malthusian movement profoundly hostile to the working class.

In regard to a healthy portion of the current academic view of Dickens, what amounts to a deep, abiding antagonism toward wide layers of the population is framed in left language, as befits our present situation. Dickens is faulted, in the end, for not holding socialist and internationalist views. The fact that he lived 38 of his 58 years and wrote eight major novels (The Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby, The Old Curiosity Shop, Barnaby Rudge, Martin Chuzzlewit, Dombey and Son and David Copperfield) before socialist internationalism even existed as an organized force (the first English-language edition of the Communist Manifesto was only published in the latter half of 1850) is not an issue that concerns the critics.

Dickens appeared to the public as a serious fiction writer and as a chronicler of urban life, including plebeian urban life, in the mid-1830s. He had behind him many illustrious figures in Britain, including Daniel Defoe, Tobias Smollett, Laurence Sterne, Henry Fielding, Samuel Richardson, Fanny Burney and Walter Scott, but he was writing a new kind of social novel. How many guides did he have before him to show him the proper path? Our contemporary critics never ask themselves that.

Nor do they concern themselves with the enormous pressures exerted on a popular writer of the time. Leon Trotsky notes somewhere the astonishing fact that Tolstoy rewrote and reworked War and Peace (a 1,200 page novel) seven times! Equally astonishing, however, is the fact that Tolstoy had the leisure time in which he could carry out such titanic efforts. Dickens wrote his large, complex novels in monthly installments, in real time, as it were. Once an installment was out there in the public, there was no going back. This method, George Gissing pointed out, with author but a little in advance of printer, was  as bad a one as novelist has ever contrived.

The Sepoy revolt at Meerut, from the Illustrated London News, 1857

Dickens the man had many failings, some of them nearly inevitable, some of them his own responsibility. It is nearly impossible to find an important artist without personal failings. Class society sometimes damages, twists or obstructs very gifted people. Artistic genius, on the one hand, and personal idiosyncrasy, selfishness or even destructiveness, on the other, may coexist within a single human being.

The projection back in time of prevailing middle class values, the view that all one has to do is to attribute the thoughts, feelings and motives of present-day men to the past, in Georg Lukacs phrase, is one of the most intellectually debilitating and counter-productive efforts imaginable. The contemporary petty bourgeois, offended by Dickens occasional backwardness and prejudice, much of it expressed privately, remains immune to the novelists deep, deep feelings for the crushed and oppressed present in his novels, because he or she has no such feelings. He or she has sensitivities, and identity issues, and enormous quantities of self-regard and self-pity. The problems of the great mass of the population are of no great interestmore than that, such problems, of a vast, life-and-death character, and the human beings whom they press forward, threaten to push the self-important middle class out of the spotlight and off the social and intellectual stage completely.

In his 1898 essay, Gissing, writing at a time when Dickens was already coming under attack by aesthetes, refined modernists and others, responded sharply to the ahistorical, anachronistic approach to art. He observed that the great novelist was opening in truth a new era of English fiction, and the critic of our day who loses sight of this, who compares Dickens to his disadvantage with novelists of a later school, perpetrates the worst kind of injustice! Dickens is one of the great masters of fiction, who, by going straight to life, revitalized their art. That he did not see life with the eyes of a later generation can scarcely be brought as a charge against him; that his individuality [i.e., individual and specific conditions] affected his vision is no more than must be said of any artists that ever lived. Precisely.

Edmund Wilson suggested that of all the great Victorian writers, Dickens was probably the most antagonistic to the Victorian age itself. In an apparent contradiction, Gissing asserted that the novelist was, in all but his genius, a representative Englishman of the middle-class.

There may not be a contradiction here if the matter is understood correctly. If one is speaking of Dickens art, especially as he practices it in his later, darker novels (Martin Chuzzlewit, Dombey and Son, Bleak House, Little Dorrit, Great Expectations and Our Mutual Friend), in its unbounded fecundity, its restless, relentless moral radicalism, its instinctive hatred for everything official, then Wilson is undoubtedly correct. Dickens the artist is at war with his age and culture.

At the same time, as a highly respected, well-compensated member of British society, the wealthiest and most powerful in the world, Dickens was also very much a representative Englishman of the middle class in his social views and conduct. At a time when nations and nationality carried far greater weight and exerted far greater pressure, Dickens attached paramount importance, as Grace Moore points out, to British needs.

Dickens makes a great point of mocking and deriding missionaries and other do-gooders (e.g., Mrs. Jellyby in Bleak House) who concern themselves with the fate of Africans and others when there is so much misery at home in Britain. However, in that regard, as A Tale of Two Cities and Barnaby Rudge (a historical novel, in Scotts style, set during the Gordon Riots of 1780) demonstrate, the novelistas Wilson observedboth sympathizes with and fears the mass of the population, at home and abroad.

An illustration from Our Mutual Friend

All of the contradictions unfold systematically and logically, including his ambiguous or worse sentiments about the colonial populations.

Dickens felt a genuine abhorrence for slavery (Moore) and the violence inflicted on male and female slaves, as his American Notes based on his dispiriting trip to the US in 1842made clear. Moore writes further that Dickens was strongly committed to the emancipation of all slaves and believed that they could eventually be integrated into society on an equal basis with white men.

Yet when the Civil War broke out, like the majority of the English middle class, which he so often lampooned in his novels, Dickens sympathized with the South in the name of free trade, justifying himself in a letter on the grounds that the North hates the Negro, and that until it was convenient to make a pretence that sympathy with him was the cause of the War, it hated abolitionists and derided them up hill and down dale. For the rest, there is not a pin to choose between the two parties. They will both rant and lie and fight until they come to a compromise; and the slave may be thrown into that compromise or thrown out of it, just as it happens.

Dickens great contribution was as an artist, not a social thinker or political philosopher. His books contain great heaps of petty bourgeois pathos, melodrama and sentimentalityand many social blind spotsbut they include far greater heaps of life as it is, including, of course, as Gissing writes, murky, swarming, rotting London.

The important artist adds to the body of human understanding and feelings, particularly to that of progressive or ascending social classes. Aspects of social and psychic reality that were outside the bounds of human awareness are brought within it. The word Dickensian entered the English language for a reason. The novelist, out of his intense and sometimes devastating experiences, his compassion and his great artistic intuition, held up a mirror to the misery and wretchedness the ruling elite was imposing on the population, and the latters complex, sometimes explosive response. The artist for the most part does not advance a political program; his or her radicalism involves the depth of his or her honest engagement with life.

Aleksandr Voronsky, the Soviet literary critic, insisted in his essay On Art (1925) that while a genuine scientist discovers the laws of nature, otherwise he is a narrow pedant, or in the best case a gatherer of facts  the artist, too, makes such discoveries. Darwin, Voronsky asserted, brought to light and explained the origin of species, but Tolstoy brought to light the objectively existing human types with which he peopled War and Peace. So too Dickens discovered Scrooge, Oliver Twist, Uriah Heep, Seth Pecksniff, Estella Havisham and Sam Weller  and Jarndyce and Jarndyce (in Bleak House), the wretched, soul-destroying, financially draining court case that has dragged on for many generations and become so complicated, that no man alive knows what it means. The parties to it understand it least.

The true artist, like the true scientist, always adds to what existed before him, otherwise he either repeats what has been established, or he simply describes things, Voronsky adds.

We read Dickens today, not because he was a respectable Victorian gentleman, with a host of prejudices, but largely in spite of that fact. He did what every great artist does, he gave such broad and vivid expression to his opinions and moods that he lifted them above the limitations of his time, class and milieu. In Trotskys phrase, he raised the experience of his epoch to a tremendous artistic height. Everything else is secondary.
The family of a red-haired teenager who went missing from her Blue Mountains home almost a month ago are pleading for information on her whereabouts.

Hannah Stewart, 15, left her family home at Falcon Bridge, far west of Sydney, in mid-June to stay with friends.

Her family said she kept in contact for a number of days before she suddenly stopped communicating with them on June 19.

Hannah Stewart, 15, (pictured) left her family home at Falcon Bridge, far west of Sydney, to stay with friends before she suddenly stopped answering messages on June 19

Her family alerted police on Thursday that she was missing, with officers now concerned about the young girl's whereabouts.

Hannah is believed to have been living with friends near Sydney and travelling on the railway line in the areas of Granville and Campbelltown.

Her family said she is also know to frequently visit Castle Hill.

Hannah is described as fair-skinned with long red hair and is about 155cm to 160cm tall with a thin build.

NSW Police said Hannah has previously disappeared from her family home but only for very short periods.

Anyone with information on her whereabouts are asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Police said Hannah (pictured) had previously disappeared from her family home but only for very short periods of time
Stalled: The site for the new National Childrens Hospital in Dublin. Photo: Gareth Chaney/Collins

TAOISEACH Micheal Martin has said he's "angry" that work has stalled on the National Children's Hospital project and demanded that the builders be returned to the site.

Work on the new 1.7bn NCH has stalled indefinitely.

There's a dispute over who should pay for the extra costs of reopening the site after the coronavirus lockdown as well as the cost of new safety measures needed due to the pandemic.

The main contractors - BAM - have said they are "anxious" to get back on site but claim they have been excluded from payments that the State has been making to builders on other public sites.

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The National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (NPHDB) has told BAM it expects workers back on site without further delay.

The NPHDB wants the issue of costs to be resolved through the agreed dispute management process while work on site continues.

RTE is reporting today that the NPHDB is preparing to take legal action if work doesn't resume by next week.

Mr Martin expressed his anger at the situation.

He said: "I'm quite annoyed at what has transpired here,"

He asked: "Why is it the Children's Hospital site, one of the few if not only sites where work has not recommenced?

"Work has recommenced on construction sites all across the country. People have got back to building.

"It's unacceptable, in my view, what has happened here.

"I would say to people get back on site and start building the Children's Hospital.

"The children of this country need it.

"A lot of investment has already gone into it, a lot of effort."

Mr Martin added: "I'm angry about this and I think they should get back on the site.

"'m not interested in excuses. I'm not interested in what people are saying and blaming..

"If they've the interests of the children of Ireland at heart they should get back on the site and start building."

Asked what the government will do about the dispute Mr Martin replied: "I'm fed up of claim and counterclaim. I'm saying to them get back on the site."

He was asked if the Government would consider re-tendering if the dispute isn't resolved.

Mr Martin said: "These are matters that the health authorities in terms of the board itself that's responsible for the hospital will be advising the Department on. "

He said the Government are "actively over this" and added:: "But the plea is very unequivocal, very simple. Sites all over Ireland have reopened.

"We've had enough really with what's gone on at the Children's Hospital site. The children of Ireland deserve better than this and I'm very clear that they should get back on site."

Asked again if the State will continue with BAM Mr Martin said: "I'm not getting into those sorts of contractual issues here now."
Last week, my friend Kanta Singh took issue with a retired bureaucrat for his tweet on how civil servants must evolve in a manner that those who want to corrupt him arent able to muster the courage to do so. His conscience must be his firewall.

Kantas objection wasnt the content. Will request you to write a more inclusive language, she tweeted. The objection is not irrelevant. Of the 700 officers working in the central government at the joint secretary level and above as of June 2019, 134 (19.14%) were women.

The use of the male pronoun to describe a group ends up invisibilising women. God is a solid, upper case He. And he/him/his are default settings for all manner of truisms: A man is the sum of his actions, (Mahatma Gandhi) or, Technology is the nature of modern man, (Octavio Paz)  but mankind excludes half of humanity.

Facebooks 71 gender options, including the two-spirit person, are a stretch. But they, used by singular non-binary gender identity people, was Merriam-Websters word of 2019 and India has recognised other as an official gender since 2014. Yet, we instinctively veer towards gendered language.

Even newer words reinforce bias: Mompreneurs (ever heard of dadpreneurs?) and career women, never career men. Girl boss infantilises women and reminds us that bosses are male unless otherwise stated. Stay-home dads are hailed as exceptional unlike stay-home moms who seem to follow an inbuilt biological code.

Those who fight for equal rights are feminazis, a word that belittles not us but the victims of the Holocaust. If you object, of course, youre a humourless feminist, or worse, a rabid one.

And, yet, women have their own words too. Manel should shame event organisers who cant find equally qualified women to invite. I prefer unpaid care work to the homier housework to describe the endless labour of cooking, cleaning and caring done predominantly by women.

Gendered language is not just an annoyance. It can harm. In his book, Discretion, Discrimination and the Rule of Law, Mrinal Satish studied 100 Supreme Court and 700 high court rape cases to find judgments peppered with words like concubine, shocking liar, honour and even deathless shame to describe rape survivors.

A Karnataka High Court judges comments on the behaviour of a rape survivor  it was unbecoming of an Indian woman to fall asleep after being ravished  while hearing a bail matter merely followed a long tradition of sexist language in court judgments. But the uproar was new and led to the welcome expunging of his remarks.

Meanwhile, Hindustan Unilever has been mulling over words, too. In an apparent nod to the Black Lives Matter movement as well as sustained agitation against a product that exploits gendered norms of beauty, the makers of Fair & Lovely cream, declared that it was dropping the word fair. The renamed product: Glow & Lovely. The change in nomenclature isnt fooling anyone. Fair by any other name still remains fair.

Namita Bhandare writes on gender

The views expressed are personal

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-11 06:17:51|Editor: huaxia

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WARSAW, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Incumbent President Andrzej Duda and opposition-backed candidate Rafal Trzaskowski tied in a final poll Friday ahead of Poland's run-off presidential election on Sunday.

The poll, conducted by IBRiS for internet publication Onet.pl, confirmed a dead beat between the two candidates, a trend since the first-round election on June 28.

The poll showed Trzaskowski, the mayor of Warsaw and a candidate of the main opposition party Civic Platform (PO), at 47.4 percent support, followed by Duda at 45.7 percent.

"We need to read this result as a tie," IBRiS director Marcin Duma told Onet. Seven percent are still undecided, the poll found.

Starting Friday midnight, polls are no longer allowed to be published and voter agitation is forbidden until polling stations close on Sunday evening.

Duda, supported by the conservative Law and Justice party seeking a second five-year term, won the first round with 43.5 percent of the vote, followed by Trzaskowski with 30.5 percent.

The turnout in the first round reached 64.4 percent, which was considered high by Polish standards. Enditem
Good Morning America

The reality is far worse than even parents may realize, according to Danielle Christian, a high school guidance counselor in Paris, Texas. "If youre not currently working in the world of education, theres no way that you can understand what is going on in schools right now," Christian wrote in now-viral Facebook post. Christian, also the mom of a second-grade student, told "Good Morning America" she has worked in education for 13 years and has never seen anything like what teachers, administrators and students are going through now amid the pandemic -- from facing school closures over the past two years to learning loss, experiencing mental health struggles and needing absences due to quarantine and illness.
Bolivias interim president says she has tested positive for coronavirus.

Jeanine Anez Chavez tweeted the news on Thursday evening.

It comes just days after Brazils president said his Covid-19 test had come back positive.

Ms Anez says she was well and would keep working from isolation.

The Bolivian government confirmed at least seven ministers, including its health minister, had tested positive and were either undergoing treatment or recuperating at home.

Ms Anez said she had conducted a test, given that many of her team had fallen ill.

Bolivia, which has a population of more than 11.5 million people, has registered more than 42,000 confirmed cases of the disease and 1,500 deaths.

It is one of the worst affected countries per capita in the world.

Tweeting she had tested positive for coronavirus, Ms Anez said: I feel good, I feel strong, I will continue to work virtually from my isolation.

She added: Together, we will come out of this.

Ms Anez joins a handful of other world leaders  including Brazils Jair Bolsonaro and the UKs Boris Johnson  to tell their nations they have contracted the virus.

The British PM spent three days in intensive care sick with Covid-19 in April.

Additional reporting by agencies
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Donald Trump is understating the danger of the coronavirus to people who get it, as more and more become infected in the U.S.

Going to gyms, salons? These activities put you most at risk for COVID-19

In his latest of many statements playing down the severity of the pandemic, Trump declared that 99% of cases of COVID-19 are harmless. That flies in the face of science and of the reality captured by the U.S. death toll of about 130,000. Trump also sounded a dismissive note about the need for breathing machines.

Throughout the pandemic, Trump has declared it under control in the U.S. when it hasn't been. His remarks on that subject and more from the past week:

VIRUS THREAT

TRUMP: Now we have tested over 40 million people. But by so doing, we show cases, 99% of which are totally harmless.  Fourth of July remarks Saturday.

THE FACTS: This statement does not reflect the suffering of millions of COVID-19 patients.

The World Health Organization, for one, has said about 20% of those diagnosed with COVID-19 progress to severe disease, including pneumonia and respiratory failure. Whatever the numbers turn out to be, it's clear that the threat is not limited to the merest sliver of those who get the disease.

Aside from that, those with mild or no symptoms also can spread the virus to others who are more vulnerable.

Asked Sunday to defend Trump's claim, Food and Drug Administration commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn declined to do so. He instead urged Americans not to back off the federal government's public health measures urging social distancing and wearing a mask.

What Ill say is that we have data in the White House task force," Hahn told CNNs State of the Union. Those data show us that this is a serious problem. People need to take it seriously.

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TRUMP: Our tremendous Testing success gives the Fake News Media all they want, CASES. In the meantime, Deaths and the all important Mortality Rate goes down. ... Anybody need any Ventilators???  tweet Saturday.

THE FACTS: No, increased testing does not fully account for the rise in cases. People are also infecting each other more than before as distancing rules recede and community spread picks up. And as cases surge, so has demand for ventilators once again in parts of the U.S.

One of the things is an increase in community spread, and thats something that Im really quite concerned about, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the governments top infectious disease expert, testified Tuesday.

Adm. Brett Giroir, the Health and Human Services official overseeing the nations coronavirus testing efforts, told Congress on Thursday that the increases can't be explained by just additional testing. "We do believe this is a real increase in cases because of the percent positivities are going up, he said.

In areas of the U.S., the demand for ventilators is approaching the highs seen in April. For instance, the number of patients requiring ventilators in Miami-Dade County has increased from 61 two weeks ago to 158 on Saturday, according to Miami-Dade figures posted by the county online. The highest number of patients on ventilators was 198, on April 9.

As for Trumps point about mortality coming down, Fauci said that is not a relevant measure of what is happening in the moment with infections. Deaths always lag considerably behind cases, he said. It is conceivable you may see the deaths going up.

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TRUMP: Weve made a lot of progress; our strategy is moving along well. ...Weve learned how to put out the flame.  Fourth of July remarks Saturday.

TRUMP, describing the COVID-19 threat as getting under control: Some (places) were doing very well, and we thought they (the virus) may be gone and they flare up, and were putting out the fires.  remarks Thursday on a jobs report.

TRUMP: I think we are going to be very good with the coronavirus. I think that, at some point, thats going to sort of just disappear, I hope.  interview Wednesday on Fox Business Network.

THE FACTS: The virus is not going to disappear," says Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government's top infectious disease expert. Nor can it be considered under control and its flame put out as cases have been surging to fresh daily highs.

The number of confirmed cases in the U.S. per day has roughly doubled over the past month, hitting over 50,000 this past week, according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins University. That is higher even than what the country experienced from mid-April through early May, when deaths sharply rose.

Fauci warned last week that the increase across the South and West puts the entire country at risk and that new infections could reach 100,000 a day if people dont start listening to guidance from public health authorities to wear a mask and practice social distancing.

Arizona, California, Florida and Texas have recently been forced to shut down bars and businesses as virus cases surge. The U.S. currently has more than 2.7 million known cases and many more undetected.

Fauci has said there certainly will be coronavirus infections in the fall and winter.

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VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE: While were monitoring about 16 states that are seeing outbreaks, it represents about 4% of all the counties in this country.  interview with CBS aired on June 28.

THE FACTS: Thats a misleading portrayal of the virus threat. More than 20% of Americans actually live in those relatively few counties.

The White House provided The Associated Press with the full list of U.S. counties that reported increases in COVID-19 cases as of a week ago, when Pence and other administration officials repeatedly cited the low county tally. The list showed 137 of the 3,142 counties in the U.S. that were under a higher alert  indeed, about 4% in that snapshot of time.

But measured by population, those counties represent a vastly higher share  more than 1 in 5 people in the U.S.

Altogether there are 68.3 million people living in those 137 counties, while there is a total U.S. population of 322.9 million. That means 21.1% of U.S. residents actually live in the virus hot spots" identified in the list.

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TRUMP ON BIDEN

TRUMP: Biden was asked questions at his so-called Press Conference yesterday where he read the answers from a teleprompter. That means he was given the questions.  tweet Wednesday.

THE FACTS: Joe Biden, Trump's Democratic presidential rival, did not read answers off a teleprompter. Nor did the AP, which asked the first question at the briefing, submit questions in advance.

Biden used a teleprompter to read prepared remarks that took aim at Trumps handling of the coronavirus, before the questions and answers started, at which point the teleprompter appeared to have been turned off.

Biden's campaign gave him a list of news organizations to call on and he answered questions from reporters on that list as well as some he chose spontaneously. Thats not an uncommon practice when officials give news conferences.

Video footage shows that during nearly 30 minutes of questions and answers, Biden often looked directly at the reporter, not at the teleprompter. His answers were at times long-winded, without the practiced pauses typically heard in prepared speeches.

Biden campaign national press secretary TJ Ducklo called Trumps allegation laughable, ludicrous and a lie.

Trumps accusation reflected his tactic of trying to stir doubts about Bidens mental acuity.

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TRUMP: He wants to defund and abolish police.  interview Wednesday on America This Week.

THE FACTS: Biden does not join the call of protesters who demanded defund the police after George Floyds killing.

I dont support defunding the police, Biden said last month in a CBS interview. But he said he would support conditioning federal aid to police based on whether they meet certain basic standards of decency, honorableness and, in fact, are able to demonstrate they can protect the community, everybody in the community.

Bidens criminal justice agenda, released long before he became the Democrats presumptive presidential nominee, proposes more federal money for training that is needed to avert tragic, unjustifiable deaths and hiring more officers to ensure that departments are racially and ethnically reflective of the populations they serve.

Specifically, he calls for a $300 million infusion into existing federal community policing grant programs.

That adds up to more money for police, not defunding law enforcement.

Biden also wants the federal government to spend more on education, social services and struggling areas of cities and rural America, to address root causes of crime.

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WAR IN IRAQ

KAYLEIGH MCENANY, White House press secretary: You have this President who, when Washington was unanimous in saying, Were going into Iraq, this President said, No, thats not the right decision.  news briefing Tuesday.

THE FACTS: Thats false. Trump voiced support for going into Iraq, as much as he and now his press secretary insist otherwise. And Washington was not unanimous in supporting the invasion.

On Sept. 11, 2002, when radio host Howard Stern asked Trump whether he supported a potential Iraq invasion, Trump said: Yeah, I guess so."

On March 21, 2003, just days after the invasion, Trump said it looks like a tremendous success from a military standpoint.

Later that year, he began expressing reservations.

More than 150 members of Congress voted against the 2002 resolution to authorize President George W. Bush to use military force against Iraq. That is not unanimity.

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MEMORIALS

TRUMP: We are tracking down the two Anarchists who threw paint on the magnificent George Washington Statue in Manhattan. ... They will be prosecuted and face 10 years in Prison.  tweet Tuesday.

TRUMP: Since imposing a very powerful 10 year prison sentence on those that Vandalize Monuments, Statues etc., with many people being arrested all over our Country, the Vandalism has completely stopped.  tweet on June 28.

THE FACTS: Trump does not have the authority to impose prison sentences  a president is not a judge. Nor can he toughen penalties on his own.

Trump signed an executive order last week to protect monuments, memorials and statues, calling 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.

The order basically instructs the attorney general to enforce laws that already exist.

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Associated Press writers Adriana Gomez Licon in Miami, and Alexandra Jaffe, Zeke Miller and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.

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EDITOR'S NOTE  A look at the veracity of claims by political figures.

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Find AP Fact Checks at http://apnews.com/APFactCheck

Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck
US, Allies Increasingly Agree on Need to Confront China

By Jeff Seldin July 09, 2020

U.S. allies are growing increasingly vocal about their willingness to push back against China on the global stage, falling in line with Washington's desires to rein in Beijing despite continued differences on how to move forward.

European allies, in particular, say they are moving more aggressively to address concerns about attempts by Chinese companies, like Huawei, to dominate the rollout of advanced 5G mobile networks as well as on humanitarian issues, ranging from China's actions in Hong Kong to Beijing's alarming treatment of the country's Uighur minority.

But some of them are advocating a less brash, less hostile approach than what they see coming out of Washington.

"It's easy and it gives you a good feeling inside if you use strong words, but we also know that this approach is often one that blocks every contact and every possible influence," German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer told attendees at this week's virtual European Union Defense Forum.

Kramp-Karrenbauer also stressed the need to confront China on difficult issues by remaining engaged, as opposed to pulling back.

"If we see that China is trying to increase its influence in international organizations, not to further multilateralism but to push its own interests, then we must not weaken the international organizations," she said Wednesday, in an apparent criticism of the U.S. decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization. "On the contrary, we must engage stronger there."

Other officials stress the need for more U.S.-European cooperation on China, especially in the area of technology.

"We should work closely on this," Radek Sikorski, chairman of the European Parliament's European Union-U.S. delegation, told the forum Thursday. "A two-front war [for the U.S.] with Europe and China, at the same time, is a bad idea."

The comments from European officials come as top U.S. officials have warned repeatedly that U.S.-led efforts against Beijing are only going to intensify.

"You're going to see a significant rollout of measures with respect to China in the coming days and weeks," White House national security adviser Robert O'Brien told reporters Wednesday, pointing both to Chinese tech companies and Beijing's growing security crackdown in Hong Kong.

"What the Chinese Communist Party is doing isn't just in Hong Kong, it's affecting all of you. It's affecting how we operate in the United States," he said. "We can't let that happen."

O'Brien's warnings followed similar remarks a day earlier from FBI Director Christopher Wray, who called China a threat to "our health, our livelihoods and our security."

"China is engaged in a whole-of-state effort to become the world's only superpower by any means necessary," Wray told a small audience Tuesday in Washington. "When China violates our criminal laws and international norms, we are not going to tolerate it."

VOA's Patsy Widakuswara contributed to this report.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 13:41:20|Editor: huaxia

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PYONGYANG, July 10 (Xinhua) -- A senior official of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Friday reiterated the country's position of no talks with the United States unless Washington changes its hostile policy towards Pyongyang.

In a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency, Kim Yo Jong, first vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and the younger sister of the DPRK's top leader Kim Jong Un, said another summit with U.S. President Donald Trump was "useless" as it would only benefit Trump politically and "we have nothing to gain."

"It is still my personal opinion, however, I doubt that things like the DPRK-U.S. summit talks would happen this year," she said.

Last week, South Korean President Moon Jae-in proposed another summit between Kim and Trump before the U.S. general elections to speed up the denuclearization process on the Korean Peninsula, which was later rejected by DPRK First Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui.

On Tuesday, Trump said that he was open to another summit with Kim Jong Un, even as Pyongyang signaled it was uninterested in resuming the stalled nuclear talks.

Therefore, Kim Yo Jong's statement on Friday is considered as a response to the proposal for another summit.

"Let me assume that the DPRK-U.S. summit talks does occur. The thing is that, in this case, the U.S. would have a sigh of relief by means of dialogue alone with our leadership, buying time to be assured by the personal relations between the top leaders again. But, we have nothing to gain from a negotiation with the U.S., and we do not even harbour any expectation about it," Kim Yo Jong said.

"The U.S. only wishes to buy time, keeping the door open to dialogue and calming us down," she added. "There is no need for us to sit across with the U.S. right now, who is obsessed with the thoughts on what and how it can get more from us over the negotiating table, and I think it is the issue to be decided when the major changes are made in the attitude of the U.S.," she added.

Meanwhile, Pyongyang would remain optimistic about a change in the U.S. attitude, she said.

"We would like to make it clear that it does not necessarily mean the denuclearization is not possible. But what we mean is that it is not possible at this point of time," she said, adding, "I remind the U.S. that the denuclearization on the Korean peninsula can be realized only when there are major changes made on the other side, i.e. the irreversible simultaneous major steps to be taken in parallel with our actions."

The DPRK would develop a long-term plan to cope with and contain long-term threats from the United States and safeguard its national interests and sovereignty under such conditions, Kim Yo Jong said, adding "we should strengthen and steadily increase our practical capabilities."

Nuclear talks between the DPRK and the United States have stalled since the second Kim-Trump summit in Vietnam's Hanoi in February 2019 failed to strike a deal. Enditem
New York: At a clinic in the aptly named neighbourhood of Corona, a working-class part of Queens, more than 68 per cent of people have tested positive for antibodies to the new coronavirus. At another clinic in Jackson Heights, also in Queens, that number was 56 per cent. But in Cobble Hill, a mostly white and wealthy neighbourhood in Brooklyn, only 13 per cent of people had antibodies.

As it has swept through New York, the coronavirus has exposed stark inequalities in nearly every aspect of city life, from who has been most affected to how the healthcare system cared for those patients. Many lower-income neighbourhoods, where black and Latino residents make up a large part of the population, were hard-hit, while many wealthy neighbourhoods suffered much less.

But now, as the city braces for a possible second wave of the virus, some of those vulnerabilities may flip, with the affluent neighbourhoods becoming most at risk of a surge. According to data from CityMD, some New York neighbourhoods were so exposed to the virus during the peak of the epidemic that they might now have herd immunity, which would provide some protection during a second wave.

"Some communities might have herd immunity," said Dr Daniel Frogel, a senior vice-president for operations at CityMD, which plays a key role in the city's testing program.The CityMD statistics appear to present the starkest picture yet of how infection rates have diverged across neighbourhoods in the city. As of June 26, CityMD had administered about 314,000 antibody tests citywide, with 26 per cent of tests coming back positive. But Frogel said the results in Jackson Heights and Corona seemed to "jump off the map".
Algerian doctors and nurses say they have paid a heavy price in the country's coronavirus response and have warned of worse to come, urging respect and enforcement of hygiene rules.

"We're working non-stop. We're totally exhausted. Some (medics) are dead, may they rest in peace, and several members of my team have been infected," said Dr Mohamed Yousfi, head of infectiology at the Boufarik hospital near Algiers.

Boufarik was the first town in the North African country to register cases of the COVID-19 illness in February, after Algerians returned from France and attended a wedding and infected an entire family.

"The epidemic started here, and it's getting out of hand. The hospital is full," Yousfi said.

Some staff are so tired they have fainted or had car accidents, he said.

Doctors and nurses have been particularly at risk since the outbreak in February.

Local media report that 31 medical workers have died -- including four since the start of the week.

Professor Abdelkrim Soukehal, a member of the National Scientific Committee, said some 1,700 doctors, nurses and other medical workers have been infected.

Some doctors have taken to social media to voice anger and desperation, among them a doctor from second city Oran.

The doctor, signing with the initials M.A., tweeted about his pride for "my team, who were giving it their all" but also anger "at all those ignorant people who pay the price for their foolishness."

Others bemoaned the lack of ventilators and personal protective equipment, demanding more help from the state.

After peaking for a first time in April, coronavirus infections were markedly down during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

But after it finished in late May, authorities began easing strict lockdown measures -- and the caseload surged again in hospitals across the country.

Yousfi said his hospital was full and that dozens of people, sometimes entire families, arrive each day with COVID-19 symptoms. Around half are declared positive.

"We're heading for disaster. Cases keep increasing," Yousfi said.

'Denial'

The Pasteur Institute of Algeria, which carries out the tests, said it is overwhelmed, more than quadrupling its workload to more than 2,000 tests per day.

But Yousfi said many Algerians were not accepting the reality of the situation, with some continuing to deny the virus exists.

"As long as there are citizens in denial, selfish and unaware of the fact they're infecting people around them -- and of what the doctors are enduring because of them -- the situation can only get worse."

The worst-affected country in North Africa, Algeria has officially reported nearly 18,000 cases of COVID-19, including about 1,000 deaths.

A month after easing its initial lockdown, the government in late June urged local officials to act tougher against those breaking hygiene rules.

Algerians are required to wear masks in public and gatherings are banned.

Yousfi called for "targeted lockdowns" of areas with new outbreaks of the virus -- and more support for medical staff.

"The day the front line doctors can't do their work because of exhaustion, there will be no one left to care for the sick."
Seoul Seonam Wastewater Treatment Center located in Gangseo District, Seoul, has a solar power farm, covering part of its facilities. Two dark rows in the center are the solar panels./ Courtesy of Seoul Seonam Wastewater Treatment Center



By Kim Se-jeong



Seoul Seonam Wastewater Treatment Center (SSWTC), located near the new apartment complex in Magok, Gangseo-gu, is one of Seoul's four facilities dealing with water contaminated by human use.



Yet what makes it stand out among others is a solar power farm with 14,000 solar panel modules covering the roof of its facilities.



Last year, the solar farm produced 5,781,959 kilowatt-hours of electricity which is equivalent to "providing electricity to almost 1,600 households for one year" according to Eun Hee-young from Seonam Environment Technology Co., which is responsible for operating the wastewater treatment facility.



The generated electricity was sold to Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO).



The project began in 2011 with the installation of solar modules with a 1,300-kilowatt capacity, followed by further installation of modules with a 2,995-kilowatts capacity.



The solar farm at the SSWTC is the biggest of its kind in Gangseo-gu and Seoul's second-largest.



"Seoul has no free land to install solar panels. So what we do is install them on roofs of public facilities, like wastewater treatment facilities and train yards," a city official told The Korea Times.



The SSWTC made Gangseo the most active player building solar energy infrastructure among the city's 25 districts.



According to the city's statistics, the district has enough solar panels to produce 27.1 megawatts of power, followed by Songpa-gu which can generate 18.1 megawatts.



In 2018, the district was recognized by the city government for its active renewable energy drive.

.

In addition to SSWTC, the district government has solar panels on public buildings and other installations with a capacity of 489 kilowatts. The district's new housing in Magok has renewable energy sources incorporated into building construction, contributing a lot to the city's push for cleaner energy. A growing number of district residents have installed solar panels on their building roofs or on their apartment verandas to have access to cheaper solar energy for their households.



Seoul sees future in solar energy



What Gangseo is doing is just part of Seoul city's renewable energy drive.



Solar energy, together with fuel cell technology, is the most important pillar of the city's renewable energy policy.



"Given the city's situation, we found solar the most viable option," a city official responsible for the city's energy policy said.



According to experts, Seoul has an average 3.2 hours a day during which it can collect power from the sun.



The strong solar energy policy, and renewable energy at large, is spearhead by City Mayor Park Won-soon.



Months before Park took office in 2011, the nuclear power plant disaster in Fukushima took place. In 2012, Park announced a plan to save energy reliance on nuclear power plants and to make a transition to renewable energy sources.



Under this plan, the city began installing solar panels on roofs of public buildings and other small facilities.



The city also invited residents to participate in the energy transition. It encouraged city residents to install solar panels on the roofs of their homes or in their apartment verandas with high subsidies.



It also encouraged small communities in the city, for example apartment residents, to act together to generate solar energy for their communities and provided administrative and financial support to aid them in such pursuits.



By 2014, Seoul saw its annual energy consumption reduced by 2 million tons of oil equivalent, a great success. By 2020, the reduced energy is estimated at equivalent to 6 million tons of oil generated power.



According to the Seoul Energy white paper, 158,529 households installed small solar panels for their homes between 2012 and 2018.



The citizens' participation in solar energy production has made Seoul's initiative an example for communities in other parts of Korea and even other countries.



The city's goal is now to install solar panels for generation of 1 gigawatt of power across the city and to make 1 million households run, to varying extents, on solar energy by 2022. By 2040, the city projects renewable energy reaching 23 percent of the city's total energy supply.



According to Seoul's Green New Deal plan announced on Wednesday, the city will launch a team of 30 Seoul residents whose mission is to find additional spots to install solar panels. The team will start work later this month.



The Seoul city government's solar energy policy is in line with the Korean government's renewable energy policy.



Korea' greenhouse gas emissions grew a lot in the last decade, and under the threat of global warming, it is pressured to reduce the emissions.



Korea projects to increase the portion of renewable energy in the national electric energy mix to 20 percent by 2030 and sees more opportunities with solar and wind energy.



Swearing into office, President Moon Jae-in pledged to phase out coal-powered power plants and shut down some nuclear power plants. The process is underway but critics say it is too slow and that the government is not living up to its initial promises.



Globally, a growing awareness of climate crisis urgency is expediting the transition to renewable energy.



The international research results showed that to avoid the worst consequences of climate change, the world's greenhouse gas emissions will need to drop by half by 2030, as well as reach net-zero emissions by 2050.



Net-zero emissions can be achieved when human-caused greenhouse gas emissions are balanced out with removal of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.



In 2018, the world's solar energy capacity was 486 gigawatt, almost 20 percent of the entire renewable energy capacity, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IREA).



"Renewable energy development needs to grow even faster to ensure that we can achieve the global climate objectives and Sustainable Development Goals," said Adnan Z. Amin, the director-general of IREA.






New York: Ghislaine Maxwell, the long-time associate of late financier Jeffrey Epstein, has forcefully denied charges she lured underage girls for him to sexually abuse and said she deserves bail, citing the risk she might contract the coronavirus in jail.

Maxwell, 58, filed her request in the US District Court in Manhattan on Friday, local time, eight days after being arrested in New Hampshire, where authorities said she had been hiding at a sprawling property she bought while shielding her identity.

Ghislaine Maxwell says she is not a flight risk and has denied all charges against her. Credit:Getty Images

Maxwell "vigorously denies the charges, intends to fight them, and is entitled to the presumption of innocence," the filing said.

A spokesman for Acting US Attorney Audrey Strauss in Manhattan declined to comment.
Years of delays and attempts to cut the relief borrowers can receive have prompted dozens of lawsuits against the department. Now, under pressure from federal courts to deal with hundreds of thousands of unresolved claims, the Education Department is processing them  and saying no. More than 45,000 rejection notices have been sent in recent months, according to agency data.

And when the department is legally obligated to approve a claim, it is often granting only minuscule relief  or none at all.

Borrowers cant win, said Eileen Connor, the legal director of the Project on Predatory Student Lending, a group that has represented borrowers in multiple cases against the department, including one filed last month that challenges the agencys partial-relief approach. To tell even borrowers who can prove they were defrauded by their school that they still get no relief is absurd and cruel.

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has long refused to take part in the program, which she once called a free money giveaway. Last year, she said the program was a mess when she took over, and added that a new methodology for calculating relief  including granting none on many approved claims  treats students fairly and ensures that taxpayers who did not go to college or who faithfully paid off their student loans do not shoulder student loan costs for those who didnt suffer harm.

Angela Morabito, a spokeswoman for the Education Department, said Friday that the agency was faithfully implementing the existing rules for the program and that the law requires no relief in some circumstances.
T V viewers were left bursting with pride for the NHS when a French tourist asked paramedics how much an ambulance costs.

The heartwarming moment on BBC Ones Ambulance programme led many social media users to speak about how much they value Britains healthcare system.

During the exchange on last nights show, film crews followed NHS medics in Liverpool as they raced on blue lights to a French man, named only as Erdem, who had been violently mugged while visiting the city for a night out.

"The bigger one asked me, give me your money and your phone, or you're dead," he told medics.

"I just said, no I won't give you. So they pushed me to the chest... So he hits me in the face, like really bad."

He was left with a bloodied and swollen nose, and struggled to swallow following the assault but was conscious and cheerful.

As he was taken into the ambulance, he asked: Ive got a question, how much does it cost, the ambulance?

It took the paramedics back, but they soon realised free universal healthcare is not a feature in most nations.

Were not charging you for using this ambulance, one replied.

Erdem, from Strasbourg, could not believe it, saying: Really? Wow. Thats so great. Thanks a lot to you two, first. I mean it. Thanks, thats so sweet. For real.

The trio quickly built up a bond and by the time they arrived at hospital, he was taking a selfie with the paramedics.

From our perspective, Im so sorry that youve been assaulted, but its been amazing to meet you, one of the medics said. Oh, thanks a lot, he replied. Youre lovely.

Screenshots of the moment quickly hit Twitter. This is so sad, said user Philip Gamble.

Another replied: It costs 250-300 every time an Ambulance is dispatched. We are lucky it is free at the point of use.

"We must never lose it & never abuse it or take it for granted.

One gushed: I honestly had no idea it was uncommon for riding an ambulance or even just receiving healthcare to be free.

"God I am so grateful for the NHS, and sympathetic to those who arent able to access free healthcare, which should be a human right.

Another Twitter user wrote: I lived in US for 6 years and had to enter hospital with a broken ankle in 2005.

"The first 3 questions were 1) name and address? 2) how will you paying for today's visit? 3) what seems to be the problem? In that order. We are so lucky.

It comes as an iconic blue Spitfire PL983 'L' plane emblazoned with the words "Thank U NHS" will fly over hospitals while displaying the names of 80,000 people who helped during the pandemic.

Following from the NHS's 72nd birthday on July 5, members of the public can now nominate the names of people who offered essential support during the Covid-19 outbreak.
New Delhi: Pakistan on Wednesday said former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, sentenced to death for alleged espionage, has refused to file a review and reconsideration petition and has instead preferred to follow up on his mercy petition.

Pakistan said that India has been invited to file review and reconsideration petition on his behalf. Pakistan Foreign office spokesperson said that the mercy petition is a separate process that has nothing to do with the review and reconsideration plea. Pakistan has also said that it is ready to give India second consular access to Jadhav and allow him to meet his wife and father.

The review and reconsideration petition can be filed by (a) Commander Jadhav himself, (b) legally authorized representative, or (c) a consular officer of the Indian High Commission. While Commander Jadhavs mercy petition is still pending, India is invited to file review and reconsideration petition to give effect to the Judgment of the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The foregoing has been conveyed to India through diplomatic channels as well, a Pakistani official said.

Rejecting Pakistani claims, India said that Jadhav has been coerced by the Pakistan military not to file a review petition. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said Pakistan is trying to create a mirage of compliance with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) order which has already held that Pakistan is in egregious violation of international law. The official said the Government of India will do its utmost to protect Jadhav and ensure his safe return to India.

To that end, it would consider all appropriate options, the official said. It is expected India may take Jadhavs case to the ICJ again.

Jadhav has been sentenced to execution through a farcical trial. He remains under custody of Pakistans military. He has clearly been coerced to refuse to file a review in his case. India sought unimpeded access to Jadhav to discuss his remedies under the Ordinance. In a brazen attempt to scuttle even the inadequate remedy under the Ordinance, Pakistan has obviously coerced Jadhav to forego his rights to seek an implementation of the judgment of the ICJ, the MEA spokesperson said.

It is learnt that in June, India and Pakistan had remained engaged on Jadhavs matter but India did not get much help on its four main requests. India has sought a copy of the `unedited video and raw of the consular access provided to Jadhav in 2019, and all documents pertaining to his trial  copy of FIR, chargesheet, witness statements etc  which Pakistan has refused to give. While saying no video of the consular access will be given, Pakistan has told India that the copy of FIR, chargesheet etc it will be handed over only to the lawyer of Jadhav.

Pakistan has only accepted Indias request to provide it a copy of the newly enacted `International Court of Justice Review and Reconsideration Ordinance, 2020 which allows review petitions within a certain period of time.

India has also sought permission from Islamabad to hire a legal counsel for Jadhav from outside the country, even Indian lawyers, but this request has been turned down. India was told that only a Pakistani lawyer can take up this case and no one outside the country will be allowed.

Despite our repeated requests, Pakistan continues to deny India free and unimpeded access to Jadhav. Clearly, Pakistan is attempting to create a mirage of compliance with the ICJ judgment, the MEA spokesperson said.
CANSWAB Nasopharyngeal Swabs Receive Health Canada Approval Adding additional 3D printing capacity to our operations will enable us to produce essential testing equipment in North America and help our communities faster.  Martin Petrak, CEO, Precision ADM.

Precision ADM, Inc. (Precision ADM or the Company), a global medical device company and advanced manufacturing solutions provider today announced that their CANSWAB nasopharyngeal swabs are the first Canadian-made COVID-19 testing product to receive Health Canada approval.

The Company has engineered a new 3D-printed swab design and has trademarked the name CANSWAB for distribution. The collection capability has been clinically tested and proven statistically equivalent to a traditional flocked swab. The Company received Health Canada approval for the CANSWAB design on June 23, 2020. Precision ADM has secured an additional 20,000 square foot facility in order to build the needed cleanroom manufacturing areas for mass-producing nasopharyngeal swabs. With the added capabilities and facilities, the Company will be able to manufacture and ship hundreds of thousands of CANSWAB nasopharyngeal swabs per week.

Precision ADM has received multiple CANSWAB orders from Canadian Provincial Governments, and with a letter of intent from the Federal Government of Canada, the Company is scaling up production with the goal of producing two to four million swabs per month to meet the needs of Canadians and other countries.

We have been manufacturing surgical products such as spine devices and joint replacements for a long time, but during this pandemic, we have taken steps to make sure we are doing all we can to support a secure domestic supply chain for our healthcare system in Canada, said Precision ADMs CEO, Martin Petrak. Adding additional 3D printing capacity to our operations will enable us to produce essential testing equipment in North America and help our communities faster.

Precision ADM is the only additive manufacturing services company in Canada that possesses ISO 13485:2016 medical device manufacturing certification and has a facility that is FDA registered. The Company possesses a Health Canada MDEL license for manufacturing and distribution of Class I medical devices. For more information, please contact Precision ADM at info@precisionadm.com.

About Precision ADM Inc.

Precision ADM is a medical device company and global engineering and manufacturing solutions provider that uses Additive Manufacturing, also known as 3D Printing, to manufacture high value components and devices for the medical, aerospace, defense, energy, and industrial sectors.

Precision ADM has its roots in the orthopaedic medical device industry and has created a comprehensive Advanced Digital Manufacturing process which includes Design, Engineering, and Manufacturing. Precision ADM possesses ISO 13485:2016, AS9100 Rev D, and ISO 9001:2015 certifications.
Damire Palmer, 18, was taken into custody in Flint, Michigan on Thursday night, 13 days after he was formally charged over the attack on the Macy's employee

A black teenager accused of beating a white Macy's employee in an 'unprovoked' attack has been arrested after nearly two weeks on the run.

Damire Palmer, 18, was taken into custody in Flint, Michigan on Thursday night, 13 days after he was formally charged with one count of felony assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder.

In a viral video filmed on June 15, Palmer was seen pummeling the Macy's store attendant, alleging that he had called him the n-word.

Police charged Palmer on June 26, saying there was no evidence to suggest the employee had used the racial slur, and that the vicious attack was unprovoked.

At the time, officials admitted that Palmer had not yet been detained, and they urged him to come forward and hand himself in.

However, Palmer was a nowhere to be found. According to MLive, police considered him a 'fugitive' before his arrest on Thursday night.

Earlier in the day, authorities announced a $1,000 reward for information leading to Palmer's detainment.

Genssee County Prosecutor David Leyton said Palmer 'tried to escape out the back door of the residence in which he was captured'.

If convicted, Palmer -who is a high school student -faces up to 10 years in prison.

He remains in custody, with bond set at $200,000. The next court date is scheduled for July 29.

The shocking video was filmed at the Macy's store at the Genesee Valley Center in Flint Township circulated around social media. Authorities found no evidence that the employee used a racial slur and charged Damire Palmer with assault

'This was an unprovoked attack on a Macy's employee,' Leyton said in a statement earlier this month.

'This behavior as seen on the video is unacceptable, it is criminal, and it cannot be allowed.'

The man who filmed the attack, Palmer's 22-year-old brother Damarquay Palmer -also known as rapper FT Quay - has not been charged.

Damarquay Palmer shared the video on Facebook and claimed that he and a 'bro' went to the mall and asked an employee - who was 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 Damire 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 Palmer 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 his attacker away, the assailant punches him again and tells him not to touch him.

The attack happened in this Macy's in Flint, Michigan, on June 15

Macy's said in a statement released late last month that they support 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.'
Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime associate of late financier Jeffrey Epstein, on Friday forcefully denied charges she lured underage girls for him to sexually abuse and said she deserves bail, citing the risk she might contract the coronavirus in jail.

Maxwell, 58, filed her request in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan, eight days after being arrested in New Hampshire, where authorities said she had been hiding at a sprawling property she bought while shielding her identity.

A spokesman for Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss in Manhattan declined to comment.

Maxwell has been housed since Monday at the Metropolitan Detention Center, a Brooklyn jail.

She said her detention there put her at "significant risk" of contracting the coronavirus, after 55 inmates and staff had tested positive for COVID-19 through June 30.

Maxwell faces six criminal charges, including four related to transporting minors for illegal sexual acts, and two for perjury in depositions about her role in Epstein's abuses.

In Friday's filing, Maxwell said she "vigorously denies the charges" and intends to fight them.

Her arraignment is on July 14, and prosecutors want her detained until trial. Maxwell is the daughter of the late British publishing magnate Robert Maxwell.

Epstein was found hanged last Aug. 10 in jail at age 66, in a death ruled a suicide.

He had before his arrest socialized over the years with many prominent people including Britain's Prince Andrew, U.S. President Donald Trump and former President Bill Clinton.

Media Crush

Maxwell's proposed bail package includes a $5 million bond, the surrender of her passports, "stringent" travel restrictions, and home detention with electronic monitoring.

She said she will continue needing security guards to ensure her safety.

Maxwell also maintained she is not a flight risk, claiming to have remained in the United States since Epstein's arrest.

She "did not flee, but rather left the public eye, for the entirely understandable purpose of protecting herself and those close to her from the crush of media and online attention and its very real harms," the filing said.

In seeking Maxwell's continued detention, prosecutors called her an "extreme risk" of flight because of the possible long prison term, her wealth, her multiple passports and citizenships, and her having "absolutely no reason to stay."

The case is U.S. v. Maxwell, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 20-cr-00330.

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Gujarat Ambuja Exports share price rose 5 percent in the early trade on July 10 as the company board will consider a proposal for sub-division of equity share.

A meeting of the board of directors of the company is planned for July 25, 2020 to consider and approve the unaudited financial results of the company for the first quarter ended June 30.

The board will also consider the proposal for sub-division of equity share of the company of face value of Rs 2 each into 2 equity shares of face value of Re 1 each.

The board will consider a proposal for alteration in the capital clause of the memorandum of association for giving effect to the split of equity shares of the company and other businesses.

At 0947 hours, Gujarat Ambuja Exports was quoting at Rs 142.75, up Rs 5.50, or 4.01 percent, on the BSE.
Just a matter of time for 9 day encounter in Rajouri-Poonch jungles to end

Guided by ex-Pak army officials, operating in buddy pairs: Why the Poonch encounter has dragged so much

Tire, track eliminate: Why has the Poonch encounter dragged on for so long

Proud, says father of killed cop after Vikas Dubey's encounter

India

oi-Briti Roy Barman

New Delhi, July 10: The father of the killed cop Jitendra Pal Singh in Kanpur firing that killed eight policemen on July 3 said on Friday that he is happy and proud following the police encounter of Dubey.

Vikas Dubey killed in an encounter while being taken to Kanpur from Madhya Pradesh | Oneindia News

The father, Tirath Pal, conveyed his gratitude to the administration and Yogi govt.

"I am very proud of UP Police. Whatever they have done today has brought solace to my soul. I thank the administration & Yogi govt".

Vikas Dubey, man behind killing of 8 cops shot dead in encounter

Vikas Dubey has been killed in police encounter on Friday, Mohit Agarwal, IG of Kanpur has stated after Dubey has been shot dead morning as he allegedly tried to snatch a weapon and escape when the police vehicle carrying him overturned.

The IG also told four policemen were injured in the accident.

The encounter reportedly took place at the Sachendi border in Kanpur, Two UP police constable were also injured in the incident. Dubey had tried to flee when he was being brought back to Kanpur. In the encounter, he sustained bullet injuries.

As the Uttar Pradesh STF reached Kanpur, one of the vehicles of the convoy that was bringing back Vikas Dubey overturned. Dubey trying to take advantage of the situation tried to flee. Shots were then fired.

Vikas Dubey killed: Convoy vehicle overturned due to heavy rains

He was arrested in Madhya Pradesh yesterday and had been handed over by Madhya Pradesh police to their Uttar Pradesh counterparts in the evening.

Dubey was arrested outside the Mahakal temple in Ujjain on Thursday days after a manhunt following the Kanpur ambush in which eight policemen were gunned down.
[July 10, 2020] Wilshire Quinn Provides $4,500,000 Refinance Loan in Hillsborough and Oakland, California

Wilshire Quinn Capital, Inc. announced Friday that its private mortgage fund, the Wilshire Quinn Income Fund, has provided a $4,500,000 blanket refinance loan in Hillsborough, and Oakland, California. The first property is a single-family residence located in the affluent neighborhood of Hillsborough, 17 miles south of San Francisco on the San Francisco Peninsula, and consisting of 2,450 square-feet. The second property is an industrial building located near the Oakland International Airport, consisting of 19,140 square-feet on a .56 acre lot. The properties were appraised collectively last month for $7,135,000, giving Wilshire Quinn a total loan-to-value of 63 percent on the transaction. "As traditional banks fund loans at a sluggish pace, Wilshire Quinn continues to quickly underwrite loan requests in metropolitan areas, as many real estate investors are requiring immediate financing decisions during these volatile economic times," said Director of Origination Daniel Goldberg. Wilshire Quinn typically funds loans in 5 to 7 business days and originates bridge loans ranging from $200,000-$20,000,000. Wilshire Quinn works directly with real estate owners and mortgage professionals nationwide. Wilshire Quinn has a fairly diverse customer base. Borrowers range from builders looking or rehab financing, to individuals who are looking to purchase or refinance an investment property. Wilshire Quinn, a California bridge loan lender, provides financing to borrowers who are unable to obtain credit from traditional lending institutions or need to close quickly on a property.



ABOUT WILSHIRE QUINN Wilshire Quinn is a San Diego hard money lender, Los Angeles hard money lender, and San Francisco hard money lender, and provides financing to borrowers who are unable to obtain credit from traditional lending institutions or need to close quickly on a property. Wilshire Quinn will consider lending on properties located nationwide including Portland and Seattle.

Loans are made or arranged by Wilshire Quinn Income Fund, LLC pursuant to California Finance Lenders Law license #603J060. Wilshire Quinn Capital, Inc. serves as manager of the Wilshire Quinn Income Fund, LLC. The information above is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. Nothing contained in the information above is an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. Any such offer to purchase securities will be made only through the Private Placement Memorandum of Wilshire Quinn Income Fund, LLC. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200710005374/en/

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United Russia's Revenge? Far Eastern Governor's Arrest Raises Suspicions

By Yekaterina Khasina, Robert Coalson July 09, 2020

KHABAROVSK, Russia -- Locals in Russia's Far Eastern Khabarovsk region woke up on July 9 to television images of their popular governor being manhandled into a black SUV by a group of burly law enforcement officers in masks and camouflage.

According to the Investigative Committee, Furgal is suspected of involvement in a spate of murders of businessmen across the Far East in 2004-05. Local commentators speculated the arrest was connected to the arrest last year in Moscow of Furgal's former business partner, Nikolai Mistryukov.

The 112 Telegram news channel reported that the victims in the case were likely Yevgeny Zorya, who was shot to death in October 2004; Oleg Bulatov, who was shot to death in January 2005; Eduard Kuchinsky, who disappeared after leaving his home in May 1997; and Roman Sandalov, shot to death in October 2004. All of them were involved in business disputes with companies connected to Furgal and Mistryukov, the channel reported.

The Investigative Committee added that the investigation was also looking into possible connections with other killings in the Khabarovsk, Primorye, and Amur regions.

The publicity surrounding the arrest and the unexpected emergence of allegations stemming from so long ago have locals wondering if there might be more than meets the eye to Furgal's downfall.

"I would not be surprised if in the end it turns out that he was involved in those murders, considering the 'interesting' company he has kept," said Aleksei Vorsin, who heads the Khabarovsk office of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny's movement. "But, of course, there is a political subtext in this case."

Vorsin noted that it has only been a little more than a week since Russians voted in a national plebiscite on a controversial, Kremlin-backed package of some 200 constitutional amendments that, among other things, allow President Vladimir Putin to seek two more six-year terms after his current term runs out in 2024.

"Khabarovsk Krai gave one of the lowest turnouts [in the vote] and it appears that the population's protest mood was the last straw [for the Kremlin]," he told RFE/RL.

The Khabarovsk region, sprawled along Russia's Pacific coast and bordering China, has long had a reputation as one of the country's most independent. In the weeklong amendments plebiscite that finished on July 1, 44.2 percent of voters in the region went to the polls, the second-lowest turnout in the country after the Kamchatka region. The official results said 62.28 percent approved the amendments, making it the sixth-lowest show of support for Putin's initiative in the country.

Furgal is regarded as one of the most popular regional leaders in the country. In the region's 2018 gubernatorial election, he humiliated the candidate from the pro-Kremlin ruling United Russia party, incumbent Governor Vyacheslav Shport. Furgal, who at the time was a Duma deputy from the nationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), polled 69.6 percent of the vote, compared to Shport's 28 percent.

LDPR head Vladimir Zhirinovsky posted on Twitter on July 9 that Furgal "is the best governor...in the history of the region."

"If Furgal was involved in something, why did they wait for 15 years?" Zhirinovsky continued. "He has been arrested now for doing a good job in his region and for having high support among his constituents."

Natalya Kovalenko, a regional LDPR lawmaker in Khabarovsk, told RFE/RL that the party had started a "I am/We are Sergei Furgal" hashtag that is gaining momentum on local social media.

'You Find A Way'

"In comments, we are seeing support for the governor," she said. "Many people are ready to come out and demonstrate."

An unscientific survey of local social media by RFE/RL seemed to confirm Kovalenko's assertion. "They have begun clearing away inconvenient people," one user wrote.

"If you need to get a guy, you find a way," wrote another. "That is the case here. The authorities don't like the fact that our governor is not from United Russia."

"Once again the tsar and his entourage have shown what they think of the people," wrote a third. "They don't like it when things don't go their way."

Moscow-based political commentator Aleksandr Kynev noted that Furgal got nearly 70 percent of the vote in the 2018 election, while Putin's amendments received just 62 percent support.

"That means that Furgal's popularity is greater than Putin's," Kynev argued. "And they could not forgive him that."

"It is purely political when a man who has been active in politics for 20 years is presented with some case from the distant past," he added. "It is United Russia's revenge."

Zhirinovsky and the LDPR are part of what is often called the "systemic opposition" and often support Kremlin-backed initiatives or serve as a foil for United Russia, proposing more radical versions of legislation that is eventually passed in a milder form.

But competition between the parties is often genuine and sometimes fierce, particularly in the provinces. And while United Russia dominates most regional governments and legislatures nationwide, analysts say that the Kremlin is concerned by its lack of popularity and anxious to further consolidate power in the wake of the nationwide vote.

Moves And Motives

Vorsin, from Navalny's Khabarovsk office, noted that Furgal had not officially resigned and there had been no word from Putin's office. "Maybe they will come to him with an offer he can't refuse and he will resign," Vorsin said. "Mistryukov already sold his stake in the Amurstal steel mill."

Ildus Yarulin, a professor of politics at the Pacific Ocean State University in Khabarovsk, said Moscow's next moves will give a clue about the Kremlin's motivations.

"If, for instance, they name Irina Zinkunova, an LDPR member and chairwoman of the regional legislature, as governor, then the case loses its political coloring," he told RFE/RL. "Furgal will be seen as an ordinary criminal. But if they send someone in from another party or from Moscow, then that will be a different matter."

The only thing that is clear so far, according to Yarulin, is that Furgal's political career is over. "You don't overcome the kind of allegations that they are planning to make against Sergei Furgal," he said. "This political figure has definitely been removed from our chess board."

Furgal, 50, is a medical doctor by profession. In 2005, he was elected to the Khabarovsk regional legislature. From 2007 until 2018, he served as a deputy in the State Duma, the lower chamber of the national legislature.

Written by Robert Coalson based on reporting from Khabarovsk by Yekaterina Khasina of the Siberia Desk of RFE/RL's Russian Service

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/united-russia-s- revenge-far-eastern-governor-s-arrest- raises-suspicions/30716649.html

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Islamabad: A Pakistani court has dismissed three identical petitions challenging the construction of the first Hindu temple in the country's capital.

A single bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), comprising Justice Aamer Farooq, delivered the judgement late on Tuesday, making it clear that there was no bar on the Institute of Hindu Panchayat (IHP), which was allotted the land for the construction of the temple, to build it using its own funds.

The court had on Monday reserved the judgement on the matter.

As per plans, the Krishna temple is supposed to come up in a 20,000 sq ft plot in the capital's H-9 administrative division. The groundbreaking ceremony for the temple was performed recently by Parliamentary Secretary on Human Rights Lal Chand Malhi.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), a ruling ally of the Imran Khan government, has opposed the construction of the temple, asking its coalition partner to scrap the project as it is "against the spirit of Islam".

The petitioners had asked the court to annul the construction of the temple and allotment of a piece of land by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) for it in Islamabad, pleading that there was no provision for the same in the master plan of the national capital.

The court rejected it saying that it was up to the CDA to decide the purpose of land.

It also rejected the petitioners' claim that Rs 100 million was paid by the government for the construction of the temple and noted that the matter has rather been referred to the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) for opinion.

The CDA last week stopped the construction of the boundary wall on the plot meant for the temple citing legal reasons.

The CDA, during arguments, clarified that the plot was allotted after consultations with all departments but its construction was stopped as the builder failed to provide a detailed design.

The court, in its five-page judgment, also noted that according to the CDA, the land was allotted to the IHP in 2017 for the construction of a temple, community centre and crematorium in Sector H-9 where graveyards of other minority communities already exist.

The sub-sector H-9/2 was designated by the authority for the purpose of allocating plots to minorities.

Since the construction was put on hold, hence the grievance of the petitioners on the specific issue stand allayed and has become infructuous, for the time being, the court said.
Ipsos India has consolidated and realigned some of the key specialties, keeping in view emerging client exigencies and their business needs and has ramped up roles of some the top key specialists in the apex team.

Krishnendu Dutta, Country Service Line Leader of Market Strategy and Understanding (MSU) now dons the new enhanced role of Group Service Line Leader Innovation and MSU. He will additionally also drive the business for Innovation Service Line in India. Meanwhile, Archana Gupta will now be leading the MSU service line.

Also read: How Physicians evolved into Digital Doctors during the COVID 19

Further, Jyoti Malladi, Country Service Line leader, Brand Health Tracking (BHT), in her new expanded remit, dons the mantle of Group Service Line Leader, BHT & Creative Excellence. Malladi has also consolidated her team, with Ruchi Govind leading Brand Health Tracking and Ananya Roy Mathur driving Creative Excellence service lines, respectively.

"In the new normal, integration is the way forward, as we navigate the spectrum in focussing primarily on tech based solutions in addressing clients needs," said Amit Adarkar, CEO, Ipsos India.

Elaborating on the integration, Adarkar further added, "While MSU provides clients with market understanding, advisory, brand positioning and shopper insights; Innovation primarily works in innovation and forecasting, product testing and packaging research. Both service lines are complementary."

"Likewise if BHT provides counsel in brand activation tracking and brand equity measurement; then Creative Excellence lends expertise in creative development, assessment and effectiveness  their utility is complementary and both work in tandem."

"Marketers are nimble and forever strapped for time. This integration provides cross selling and addresses clients needs with fewer touch points. As clients get ready to rebound in the second half of the year, Ipsos has lined up a slew of contactless and agile solutions and these leadership changes reflect our commitment to partnering our clients in these turbulent times with agility and attentiveness," added Adarkar.
Advertisement

By The Associated Press

Jul. 10, 2020 | FRANKFORT

By The Associated Press Jul. 10, 2020 | 08:18 AM | FRANKFORT

The Kentucky Supreme Court has canceled in-person bar exams this year as a precaution due to the coronavirus pandemic.



The court says in a statement that bar exams will no longer be held July 28-29 and Sept. 30-Oct. 1.



Instead, the Kentucky Office of Bar Admissions will administer a remote bar exam on Oct. 5-6.



Officials say the change is meant to protect the health and safety of bar applicants, employees and volunteers.



Those currently registered for either in-person exam will automatically be registered for the remote exam.
A gene has been discovered that can naturally suppress the signs of Alzheimer's Disease in brain cells. The team has also developed a new rapid drug-screening system for treatments that could potentially delay or prevent the disease

A gene has been discovered that can naturally suppress the signs of Alzheimer's Disease in human brain cells, in research led by Queen Mary University of London. The scientists have also developed a new rapid drug-screening system for treatments that could potentially delay or prevent the disease.

The main challenge in testing Alzheimer's drugs in clinical trials is that participants need to have symptoms. But once people have symptoms, it is usually too late for treatments to have a significant effect, as many brain cells have already died.

The only current way to test potential preventative treatments is by identifying participants who are at higher risk of developing Alzheimer's and seeing if treatments prevent the onset of their disease. This includes people with Down's syndrome (DS) who have around a 70 per cent chance of developing Alzheimer's during their lifetime. This is because the extra chromosome 21 they carry includes the gene for amyloid precursor protein which causes early Alzheimer's when overdosed or mutated.

In the study, published in the Nature group journal Molecular Psychiatry, the researchers collected hair cells from people with DS and reprogrammed them to become stem cells, which were then directed to turn into brain cells in a dish.

In these brain-like cells, the researchers saw Alzheimer's-like pathology develop rapidly, including the hallmark trio of signs of Alzheimer's progression - amyloid plaque-like lesions, progressive neuronal death and abnormal accumulations of a protein called tau inside neurons.

Lead researcher Professor Dean Nizetic from Queen Mary University of London commented: "This work represents a remarkable achievement, as this is the first cell-based system that has the full trio of Alzheimer's-pathologies, without any artificial gene overexpression. This system opens up the prospect for screening for new drugs aimed at delaying or even preventing Alzheimer's before neuronal death starts."

The researchers showed that the system could be used as an early preventative-drug testing platform. They took two different drugs which are known to inhibit -amyloid production, tested them on these brain cells, and in six weeks showed that they prevented the onset of Alzheimer's-pathology.

Although these two particular drugs have failed clinical trials for other reasons and therefore aren't suitable treatments for Alzheimer's, the team showed the proof-of-principle that the system can be used on any drug compound, and within six weeks show whether or not it has potential for further investigation.

The team also found proof of the existence of a naturally-functioning Alzheimer's suppressor gene (BACE2 gene). Acting in a similar way to tumour suppressor genes in cancer, the increased activity of this gene contributes to the prevention/slowing down of Alzheimer's in human brain tissue, and could in the future be used as a biomarker to determine people's risk of developing the disease, or as a new therapeutic approach by boosting its action.

Professor Dean Nizetic explained: "Although it's still early days, the system raises a theoretical possibility for further development as a tool to predict who might develop Alzheimer's. The same stem cell process could be used on anyone's hair follicles, the resulting brain cells of which may or may not then develop Alzheimer's-pathology in the dish. The idea would be to catch the people at higher risk of early disease in a cell-based system, before it starts in a person's brain, and allow for the possibilities of individualised preventive interventions. We are still a long way from reaching this goal."

Co-author Professor John Hardy from UCL added: "I think we have the potential now to develop a new, human model of the disease which would be a great step forward."

The discoveries in this study were dependent on contributions from people with DS who kindly accepted to participate in this study, the results of which could be beneficial for people with and without DS in preventing Alzheimer's. The Down's Syndrome Association (UK) provided essential support and help with recruitment of the participants in the study.

Carol Boys, Chief Executive of the Down's Syndrome Association, said: "These are exciting results from an extremely eminent group of researchers and another small step towards a possible intervention and treatment for Alzheimer's Disease. The Down's Syndrome Association is delighted to have been able to support this brilliant work."

###

The main funders of the project were Wellcome (UK) and National Medical Research Council (Singapore), and involved major contributions from the Nanyang Technological University Singapore, UCL (Prof. John Hardy and Prof. Henrik Zetterberg) and Sahlgrenska Academy of the University of Gothenburg, Sweden (Prof. Henrik Zetterberg), as well as a number of international partners, including The Croatian Institute for Brain Research at the University of Zagreb Medical School.

For more information, please contact:

Joel Winston

Communications Manager (School of Medicine and Dentistry)

Queen Mary University of London

j.winston@qmul.ac.uk

Tel: +44 (0)7968 267 064

Notes to the editor

* Research paper: Research paper: 'Patient-specific Alzheimer-like pathology in trisomy 21 cerebral organoids reveals BACE2 as a gene-dose-sensitive Alzheimer's-suppressor in human brain'. Ivan Ali?, Pollyanna Goh, Aoife Murray, Erik Portelius, Eleni Gkanatsiou, Gillian Gough, Kin Mok, David Koschut, Reinhard Brunmeir, Yie Jie Yeap, Niamh O'Brien, Jurgen Groet, Xiaowei Shao, Steven Havlicek, Norris Dunn, Hlin Kvartsberg, Gunnar Brinkmalm, Rosalyn Hithersay, Carla Startin, Sarah Hamburg, Margaret Phillips, Konstantin Pervushin, Mark Turmaine, David Wallon, Anne Rovelet-Lecrux, Hilkka Soininen, Emanuela Volpi, Joanne Martin, Jia Nee Foo, David Becker, Agueda Rostagno, Jorge Ghiso, ?eljka Krsnik, Goran Simic, Ivica Kostovi?, Dinko Mitreci?, LonDownS Consortium, Paul Francis, Kaj Blennow, Andre Strydom, John Hardy, Henrik Zetterberg and Dean Nizeti?. Molecular Psychiatry.

Available here after the embargo lifts: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-020-0806-5

About Queen Mary University of London

At Queen Mary University of London, we believe that a diversity of ideas helps us achieve the previously unthinkable.

In 1785, Sir William Blizard established England's first medical school, The London Hospital Medical College, to improve the health of east London's inhabitants. Together with St Bartholomew's Medical College, founded by John Abernethy in 1843 to help those living in the City of London, these two historic institutions are the bedrock of Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry.

Today, Barts and The London continues to uphold this commitment to pioneering medical education and research. Being firmly embedded within our east London community, and with an approach that is driven by the specific health needs of our diverse population, is what makes Barts and The London truly distinctive.

Our local community offer to us a window to the world, ensuring that our ground-breaking research in cancer, cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases, and population health not only dramatically improves the outcomes for patients in London, but also has a far-reaching global impact.

This is just one of the many ways in which Queen Mary is continuing to push the boundaries of teaching, research and clinical practice, and helping us to achieve the previously unthinkable.
- Several Kapuso personalities have reacted to the Congress' decision on the much-talked-about ABS-CBNs franchise application

- These personalities include GMA talents and journalists who expressed sympathy to celebrities and employees from their rival network

- This is after a total of 70 lawmakers voted to "deny the franchise application of the media giant

- Only 11 congressmen and congresswomen stood up for the network's franchise renewal

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Several personalities from GMA network have aired their reaction to the news that the House of Representatives rejected the franchise bid of their rival network, ABS-CBN.

On Friday, July 10, a total of 70 lawmakers voted to "deny the franchise application of the media giant to continue its broadcast operations while only 11 congressmen stood up for the network.

This prompted many celebrities, including those from the Kapuso network, to air their thoughts about the fate of the Kapamilya network through social media posts.

Unbelievable, Janine Gutierrez said.

"Yakap.." Gabbi Garcia posted.

Bea Binene likewise tweeted, "Nasabi ko na 'to noon, parang mas kailangan 'to ngayon... dasal, mahigpit na virtual yakap at puso. kapit lang."

"God will restore everything.. Yakap sa lahat ng kapamilya," Mark Bautista posted.

"Masakit ang mga nangyayari. Maraming nasasaktan, nalulungkot at natatakot. Unawain natin ang nararamdaman ng bawat isa. Let us not be rude or hurtful in these times. If we have nothing nice or comforting to say, let us not cultivate more hate. Let us still be civilised. Yakap," said Jasmine Curtis.

Jasmine, sister of Kapamilya star Anne Curtis, also thanked the 11 lawmakers who stood up for the network.

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"No words atm," Lauren Young stated.

"Respeto para sa mga magigiting na kasamahan namin sa media. Malungkot na araw, pero tuloy ang paghahatid natin ng katotohanan. To my friends in ABSCBN, stay strong. Always praying for you," Kara David wrote.

"To all my friends over at Mother Ignacia, my thoughts and prayers are with you. As Ive said before, history will be your guide. You are forged in fire. This, too shall pass," Joseph Morong said.

PAY ATTENTION: Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news!

ABS-CBN is one of the leading broadcast networks in the Philippines. Its 25-year franchise expired on May 4 and the Committee on Legislative Franchises of the House of Representatives officially rejected on July 10 its bid to secure another franchise.

ABS-CBN president and CEO Carlo Katigbak then issued a statement an hour after the House committee finally announced the result of the voting on the fate of the network.

Kapamilya stars likewise expressed gratitude to the 11 lawmakers who voted for ABS-CBN to return on air.

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
Madhya Pradesh (MP) home minister Narottam Mishra said matter-of-factly on Friday that law had taken its own course while justifying the encounter killing of dreaded Uttar Pradesh (UP) gangster Vikas Dubey near Kanpur earlier this morning and rubbishing the oppositions allegations over the alleged extra-judicial incident.

Dubey, who had been absconding for a week on charges of allegedly killing eight UP Police personnel in his native Bikaru village in Kanpur district, including Devendra Mishra, deputy superintendent of police (DySP), was taken into custody in Ujjain, MP, on Thursday morning and handed over to UP Police later at night.

Mishra told media persons on Friday that: Law has taken its own course (kanoon ne apna kaam kiya hai),

He brushed aside the oppositions allegations that Dubeys death has snuffed out the trail of political patronage.

On Thursday, the Congress was raising questions, as to how a dreaded criminal like him could be caught alive. A day later, the same party is asking, why was he killed, as many secrets were buried with his death. It shows the Congresss mindset and its thought process. The party is raising questions against the bravery of our law enforcement agencies.

Mishra attacked the Congress for its duplicitous remarks and pointed figures for making contradictory statements a day apart.

On Thursday, the Congress said that both UP and MP are ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). But the fact of the matter is for all to see. MP Police arrested him (Dubey) and handed him over to UP Police and ensured that the cavalcade safely crossed our state border. Perhaps, those who raised questions on Thursday about his arrest and his death the following day are mourning about the turn of events, the minister said.

The minister fielded media persons barrage of questions and made it amply clear that the slain gangster had time to reveal secrets had he wanted to. If Dubey wanted to reveal any secret he could have done it. He was in police custody for about 17 hours.

He also rejected the Congresss demand for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the incident. There is no need for a CBI investigation. What is left for CBI to probe into the incident? he countered the Congresss demand.

Mishra took on Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadavs conspiracy theory that the car, in which Dubey was being taken to Kanpur, did not overturn, but the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government was saved from being dislodged, as the secrets of political patronage that he enjoyed for all these years was gone with his death in the police encounter.

Dubey was a member of his own (Yadav) party. Why is he saying this? I have a poster. On Thursday, Dubeys mother herself said he was in the SP, Mishra said.

The media persons reminded the minister about the Congresss claims that he might, too, have a link with Dubey because he was the in-charge of the slain gangsters native district Kanpur during UP assembly elections in 2017.

Mishra shot back at the idle Congress leaders, who, he said, are in the habit of spreading canards via social media.

Congress leaders have no work these days except tweeting. Nobody is calling Digvijaya Singh to address any public meeting these days. What do you expect him to do except tweeting in such a situation? he asked.

The minister was categorical about Friday mornings encounter that led to Dubeys death. He was a criminal. He told (the police) about his crimes. You all know about the crime he had committed (in Kanpur). He narrated all this, but said nothing new, the minister said.

Earlier, Rajya Sabha (RS) member and Congress leader Digvijaya Singh had said, Apprehensions came true. It will not be known, who had links with Dubey. In the past few days, two of his accomplices were killed in encounters with the police. Why there is a similarity in all these three encounters?

He sought to know why Dubey chose Ujjains Mahakal Temple to surrender before MP Police. Who are the influential people in MP whom he trusted and came to the state to save himself from an encounter with UP Police, Singh added.

Another Congress leader and RS member Vivek Tankha tweeted, There was an apprehension of an encounter since the time he was arrested on Thursday. Thats why a petition was filed in the Supreme Court on Thursday itself. Its a matter of custodial death. The inquiry into the incident should be done under the monitoring of the apex court.

Dubey deserved to die. But by hanging by the neck on orders of a court, not at the hands of police, however, justified their anger be. Has the UP government lost faith in its criminal justice delivery system? ... this is absolutely shocking, he further tweeted.

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Port Arthur Independent School District on Friday released a comprehensive plan for when they reopen next month, following guidance from the Texas Education Agency.

The document, which could change with updated guidance from health agencies as the number of coronavirus cases continue to surge, includes a requirement that all visitors, employees and students wear masks and screen themselves for symptoms before arriving at school.

There is no perfect approach to reopen our schools, a letter from the board of trustees and Superintendent Mark Porterie said.

Based on information available to us as of the present time, the Port Arthur Independent School District will create contingency plans for the reopening of our schools. Our plans are subject to change as public health guidelines are updated.

Events  including dances, assemblies and field trips for students  will not happen in the upcoming school year; and teachers and faculty are barred from travel, both to conferences and elsewhere unless deemed essential.

Parents will be able to register for online learning starting July 15.

A series of questions  What mode of instruction will your child be using for the 2020-21 school year? Do you have access to a device (computer, lap top, chrome book, WIFI, etc.)?  will be asked to assist us in further development of the reopening redesign plan, Porterie told The Enterprise in a statement. Directions on on-line registration will be available to assist parents when they log on.

In accordance with TEA guidance, when a parent chooses one of the three modes of instruction  face-to-face, synchronous, or asynchronous  the student will remain in that mode for the entire 9-week period with an option to decide if they wish to transition to another mode two weeks prior to the end of that period.

The district is urging parents to purchase a device and broadband communication for student use if they choose to utilize on-line instruction, as paper packets will not be used for those participating in distance learning.

In the event a student or teacher tests positive for the coronavirus, all areas they were present must be closed for cleaning, unless three days have passed since they were last in the facility. The infected individual must quarantine for 14 days.

If the individual is a student or a teacher, the entire class is expected to move to remote learning for at least 14 days. During that time, the students would engage in synchronous learning, which is similar to face-to-face but conducted over video calls at the same time they would be in class.

The school will notify the local health department of positive cases in accordance with federal laws protecting privacy.

As with other communicable diseases, the school also will notify teachers, staff, and families of all students in a school if a lab-confirmed COVID-19 case is identified among students, teachers, or staff who participate on any on-campus activities, while respecting legal confidentiality requirements.

Anyone showing symptoms including a fever above 100 degrees, dry cough and sudden loss of smell also is asked to quarantine for 14 days.

Students will have the option to learn online while quarantining.

Buses will be limited in the amount of students that can ride, and hand sanitizer will be readily available at every entrance.

In an effort to ensure social distancing, classroom capacity will be reduced, and extra furniture and chairs will be removed from common areas and meeting rooms to discourage congregation.

Meetings between staff, including professional development meetings, will be conducted virtually by Zoom or other means when possible.

School-wide events like open house and meet-the-teacher events also will be held virtually.

Visitation policies will be limited at every facility. Entrances and exits will be monitored, and all surfaces that are regularly touched will be wiped down before and after each use.

In guidance recently released by the TEA, students must continue learning in whatever medium they choose, either online or in-person, for at least one grading period.

While students are still allowed to bring their lunches, the district will provide meals in individual packages and to-go boxes to minimize contact with the food products and ease the service line.

Students will social distance while getting their food.

Students will eat lunch in various places, including classrooms, the cafeteria and other areas to ensure social distancing.

The entire draft is available on the districts website.

isaac.windes@hearstnp.com

twitter.com/isaacdwindes
[July 10, 2020] Document Security Systems, Inc. Announces Exercise of Full Over-Allotment Option by Underwriter in Public Offering

ROCHESTER, N.Y., July 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Document Security Systems, Inc. (NYSE American: DSS) a leader in anti-counterfeit, authentication and diversion protection technologies, today announced the underwriter of its previously announced public offering of 1,028,800 common shares, has exercised its full over-allotment option to purchase an additional 154,320 common shares of the Company. The price to the public in the offering was $6.25 per share and the gross proceeds to the Company from the exercise of the over-allotment option were approximately $964,500 before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other estimated offering expenses. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to fund development and growth of new business lines and acquisition opportunities, general corporate and working capital needs.

The total gross proceeds, including the full exercise of the over-allotment option, will be approximately $7.39 million from the public offering. Aegis Capital Corp. acted as sole bookrunner for the offering. This offering was made pursuant to an effective registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-230740) previously filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and declared effective by the SEC on May 8, 2019. A final prospectus describing the terms of the proposed offering has been filed with the SEC and will be available on the SEC's website located at http://www.sec.gov. Electronic copies of the final prospectus may be obtained by contacting Aegis Capital Corp., Attention: Syndicate Department, 810 7th Avenue, 18th floor, New York, NY 10019, by email at [email protected], or by telephone at (212) 813-1010.



This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. About Document Security Systems, Inc.

DSS is a multinational company operating businesses focused on brand protection technology, blockchain security, direct marketing, healthcare, real estate, and securitized digital assets. Its business model is based on a distribution sharing system in which shareholders will receive shares in its subsidiaries as DSS strategically spins them out into IPO's. Its historic business revolves around counterfeit deterrent and authentication technologies, smart packaging, and consumer product engagement. DSS is led by its Chairman and largest shareholder, Mr. Fai Chan, a highly successful global business veteran of more than 40 years specializing in corporate transformation while managing risk. He has successfully restructured more than 35 corporations with a combined value of $25 billion. For more information on DSS visit http://www.dsssecure.com. Investor Contact: Dave Gentry, CEO

RedChip Companies Inc.

407-491-4498

[email protected] Safe Harbor Disclosure This press release contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements related to the Company's ability to complete the financing, its intended use of proceeds and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those projected. These risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, include: the risk that the public offering of common stock may not close; risks relating to our growth strategy; our ability to obtain, perform under and maintain financing and strategic agreements and relationships; risks relating to the results of development activities; our ability to attract, integrate and retain key personnel; our need for substantial additional funds; patent and intellectual property matters; competition; as well as other risks described in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the prospectus and in our other filings with the SEC, including, without limitation, our reports on Forms 8-K and 10-Q, all of which can be obtained on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made and reflect management's current estimates, projections, expectations and beliefs. We expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations or any changes in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law.

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The recreational side of cannabis may be generating more buzz of late (thanks in part to increasing sales), but investors shouldnt forget about the medical cannabis market.

Thanks to earlier legalization, the medical cannabis market remains the more mature side of the industry. Medical marijuana is at least partially legal in 39 states as of July 2020 (though Virginia, Texas, Kentucky, Iowa, Indiana, and Georgia only allow use of CBD oil for medicinal purposes), while only 11 states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational cannabis as well.

And unlike recreational cannabis, which is limited to the same half dozen stable of product categories, new use cases for medical cannabis are still being discovered. As of March, the FDA had approved one cannabis-derived and three cannabis-related drug products, though that number will surely grow.

In addition to pharmaceuticals being developed, when you factor in the use of CBD (the non-psychoactive part of the cannabis plant), the medical marijuana market gets even larger. Though its important to remember that CBD products are not regulated by the FDA and therefore cannot make specific health claims, the industry is still predicted to grow substantially.

Investment firm Cowen & Co. estimated in March that the U.S. CBD market could generate as much as $16 billion in revenue by 2025 (compared to approximately $1 billion in 2019).

The topic of CBD is the subject of the CBD Biopharma Investor Conference, a virtual investor conference hosted by OTC Markets on Thursday. Executives from six CBD companies will provide investors with updates on their latest products and financials.

Heres the full schedule of Thursdays presenters. Each presentation is also available on demand.

10:30 AM ET Avicanna Inc. (OTCQX: AVCNF | TSX: AVCN)

Speaker: Aras Azadian, Chief Executive Officer, Co-Founder

11:00 AM ET Cardiol Therapeutics Inc. (OTCQX: CRTPF | TSX: CRDL)

Speaker: David Elsley, President and CEO

Story continues

11:30 AM ET Medipharm Labs Corp. (OTCQX: MEDIF | TSX: LABS | FSE: MLZ)

Speakers: Pat McCutcheon, CEO & Chairman of the Board; Laura Lepore, Vice President, Investor Relations & Communications

12:00 PM ET Willow Biosciences Inc. (OTCQB: CANSF | TSX: WLLW)

Speaker: Trevor Peters, President & CEO

12:30 PM ET Marijuana Company of America, Inc. (OTCQB: MCOA)

Speakers: Jesus Quintero, Chairman of the Board of Directors, CEO & CFO; Gloria Albarran Lynch, Chief Marketing Officer; Robert L Hymers, Strategic Advisory Board for MCOA

1:00 PM ET FinCanna Capital Corp. (OTCQB: FNNZF | CSE: CALI)

Speaker: Andriyko Herchak, CEO & Director

To attend todays conference, click here.

Image source: www.chemist-4-u.com

See more from Benzinga

 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Beginning in the spring of 1992, Bosnia-Herzegovina was a country at war -- part of the bloody breakup of the former Yugoslavia along largely ethnic lines. A former province of the Ottoman Empire, multiethnic Bosnia was made up of predominantly Muslim Bosniaks (44 percent), Orthodox Christian Serbs (33 percent), and mainly Catholic Croats (17 percent).

The ferocity of the conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina uncorked ethnic tensions. In March 1992, Croat and Bosniak fighters killed dozens of civilians in the Bosnian Serb village of Sijekovac in the first massacre of the conflict.

After Bosnian Serb forces seized control of much of the country, Srebrenica (pictured), near the border with Serbia, became a refuge for Muslim civilians fleeing the surrounding Serb-held areas and a base for Bosnian Army fighters.

The Bosniak enclave was strategically important for the Bosnian Serb army that sought to create a continuous swathe of Serb territory in eastern Bosnia up to the border with Serbia.

As surrounding Serb forces rained artillery down on the town and cut off supplies, Bosniak fighters attacked neighboring Serb villages and launched counteroffensives.

In March 1993, UN Protection Force Commander (UNPROFOR) Philippe Morillon talked his way through a Serb blockade and entered Srebrenica. He was then prevented from leaving by crowds of refugees in the town who thronged his vehicle. One woman shouted through Morillons car window: Why is the world not ashamed? Why should you go home? I havent been home for a year.

Morillon gave up on leaving and, in a bleakly comical move, the Frenchman appeared with a loudspeaker next to a fluttering UN flag to announce he had now decided to stay here in Srebrenica. Using a phrase that would come to haunt the world, Morillon then declared to the cheering crowd, You are now under the protection of the United Nations.

The UN then declared Srebrenica a safe area and Bosnian Serb forces vowed not to overrun the enclave on the condition that Bosniak fighters in Srebrenica surrender their weapons.

But in early July, Serbs launched an artillery barrage on the enclave. Bosniak fighters desperately called for a return of their weapons but UN peacekeepers refused as Serb forces advanced on the town.

On July 10, a Dutch UN commander in Srebrenica requested air strikes to halt the Serb attack but was told he had used the wrong document. By the time the right form was filled out by the desperate Dutch commander, the circling jets had run low on fuel and returned to their base in Italy. On July 11, UN troops were brushed aside by Serb forces advancing into Srebrenica. Mladic declared: Finally, the moment has come for us to take revenge on the Turks in this area.

One Dutch UN soldier was killed during the Serb advance, apparently with a grenade thrown by a furious Bosniak as retreating UN troops gave up the town.

On July 13, some 20,000 civilians of Srebrenica fled 6 kilometers north to Potocari, where Dutch UN troops were headquartered.

But Serb fighters soon arrived and began mingling with the desperate crowd, pulling men away from their families and taking them away in trucks, while others were led away to immediate execution.

This image contains sensitive content which some people may find offensive or disturbing. Click to reveal This image contains sensitive content which some people may find offensive or disturbing - Click to reveal A young woman from Srebrenica who had hanged herself with a blanket on July 14.

An UNPROFOR commander recalled that the refugees in Potocari were panicked, they were scared, and they were pressing each other against the soldiers, my soldiers, the UN soldiers that tried to calm them.

Meanwhile, some 15,000 Srebrenica men, including fighters who knew they would not survive if they were captured, were marching through the forest in an attempt to reach Bosniak-held territory to the north. Many were killed as they were hunted down by Serb forces equipped with armored vehicles and heavy machine guns. Those who surrendered were executed and many were buried in mass graves. Others killed themselves to avoid capture.

Some of the only video footage that exists of the desperate Srebrenica men shows the moment a man surrenders and is asked by the cameraman if he is scared. How could I not be? the man responds as he is led away.
By Andre Vltchek

July 09, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - Let us start with the punchline: Mass media in the United States, Europe, Canada, and Australia is depicting the Peoples Republic of China as capitalist because capitalist is now a dirty word. Even people in the West see market economy as some sort of filth.

To call China capitalist is to smear China. It is as if to say: Chinese people are precisely like us. China is doing to the world the same injustice, committing the same crimes as we have been doing for 500+ years.

Western, but particularly the British and the U.S. demagogy, have managed to reach heights of nothing lesser than deadly perfection. They already conditioned billions of brains, in all corners of the world, forced them into the uniformed, servile way of thinking. All this is not just propaganda anymore; it is the true art of indoctrination. It hardly ever misses its target. And even if it fails to convince some strong individuals completely, it always leaves a mark on the psyche of even those who are struggling to be different and independent.

In short: Western propaganda is perfect. It is deadly. Until now, it is bulletproof.

All those terms like capitalist China, Chinese state capitalism, are violating the truth, and they are repeated over and over again until no one dares to contradict them anymore.

The same goes for the lies about Uyghurs, Hong Kong, the Sino-Indian border, as well as various historical events.

But why really to lie about China not being socialist?

The answer is simple: it is because of most people associate words like socialism and Communism with hope. Yes, they do! At least subconsciously. Even after decades of brainwashing and smear campaigns! Socialist China means China which brings optimism to its own people and humanity. On the other hand, people on all continents associate capitalism with something depressing, stale, and regressive. Therefore, call China capitalist, and it evokes feelings of gloominess and slump.

Imperialist, capitalist West cannot compete with socialism, anymore. Therefore, it tries to drag it through filth, tries to destroy it. Either indirectly, by sanctions and attempts to orchestrate coups in places like Iran, DPRK, Bolivia, Cuba, and Venezuela, or directly, like in the Middle East. China is being attacked on all fronts, from economic ones to ideological, although not yet militarily. The most powerful and repulsive weapon, so far, has been constant injections of lies, contradictions, and nihilism. Just look at Hong Kong!

Nihilism is deadly. It destroys enthusiasm, and it robs countries of confidence and courage.

And that is precisely what the West is trying to achieve: to derail progressive socialist countries from marching forward and prevent nations oppressed by neo-colonialism from dreaming, hoping, resisting. (I described this destructive process in my book  Revolutionary Optimism, Western Nihilism ).

The Western demagogues know: China robbed of its essence  and the essence is the Socialism with Chinese characteristics  is China which cannot inspire, cannot offer alternatives to the world. The most effective way to smear China, to silence it, is precisely to convince the world that it is capitalist.

Such techniques were used, for instance, by German Nazis who claimed that resistance against their occupation actually consisted of a bunch of terrorists. The U.S. is known to do the same. Or the British Empire, which christened rebellious local people in its colonies as hordes of savages. Just reverse the truth and win!

Twist things shamelessly, turn them upside-down, repeat your lies thousands of times, print them in all your mass media outlets. Chances are, your fabrications would be eventually accepted by billions of people.

In the case of China, West is trying to convince the world that PRC is the same type of gangster states like the United States or Great Britain, France, or Canada. It is doing it by calling China capitalist, by calling it even imperialist. By ridiculously equating Chinas behavior to the behavior of the Western colonialist powers. By declaring that China is oppressing its own minorities, as the West has been doing for centuries.

***

But China is not a capitalist country, as it is not an imperialist one. It is the least expansionist major country on the Planet.

It does not kill millions of human beings worldwide, it does not overthrow governments in foreign countries, and it is not robbing already destitute nations of all they have left.

It is not governed by bankers and oligarchs. Instead, it is directed by the socialist 5-year plans. Its private and state companies have to obey the government and the people. They have to produce goods and services in order to improve the standard of living of the nation and the world. Companies are precisely told what to do by the government, which represents the people, not the other way around, as happens in the West. Because in the West, it is companies that are selecting the governments!

That is socialism. Socialism with Chinese characteristics. The socialism which managed to get rid of all extreme poverty in the country with almost 1.4 billion inhabitants. The socialism which is building  Ecological civilization . The socialism which is connecting the world, including, until now, the destitute countries on Earth, through the  Belt and Road Initiative .

In China, democracy is not about sticking pieces of paper into a box. It is literally the rule of the people; it is all about the country which is developing in a socialist way, consistently making lives of its men, women, and children better and better, year after year.

It is a fresh, optimistic, constantly improving, and evolving system. Ask people in the Chinese cities and the countryside, and they will tell you. The vast majority of them are happy; they are hopeful and optimistic.

Ask people in the North American cities or countryside, and you know what they will tell you. That increasingly, life is s**t!

***

The big problem is that majority of North Americans and Europeans know China only from the hardly strategic position of their couch commonly facing the television set or from the heavily censored Yahoo or Google front news pages.

Many of those who go to, or who do China are traveling in groups, visiting major tourist destinations only. Even that is, of course, much better than nothing. China is impressive everywhere.

But only a small fraction of the Westerners, those who dare to pass judgments, know China in depth. This includes even such top White House advisors, like Peter Kent Navarro, Assistant to President Donald Trump and Director of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, who knows close to nothing about China, speaks no Chinese, but writes anti-Chinese books. Or such as senior Republican Senator Marco Antonio Rubio.

And the propagandists in London, Paris, and New York are well aware of the lack of knowledge about China, at least in the West. They feel free to declare and to publish the most outrageous lies and fabrications because they know theyd not be confronted. And if confronted, theyd easily manage to censure those individuals whod dare to contradict them.

How many times have you seen on a British television channel, a Chinese Communist man or a woman, speaking about his or her country? Never! It is forbidden. Truth is not allowed, at least in the West. Only those Chinese people who are tugging the Western propaganda line can speak freely on Western channels. Never thought about it? Then think! Or, how many Russians, pro-President Putin or pro-Communist, have you ever heard on the British or U.S. radio stations?

The Western firewall is complete.

Media is digging out the filthiest chapters of Western history, and without blinking an eye, turns things around and attributes them to China. Australians, North Americans have been sterilizing native, Roma, Aborigines, or other women. So, they invent, say that China is doing it now. For centuries, West has been locking people in its colonies and even in Europe, in the concentration camps. In a twisted way, propaganda gurus in London and Washington are attributing such behavior to China.

No proof is needed. Let your imagination run wild. People are used to lies. They are obedient, brainwashed. And they like it when other, non-Western nations are smeared, especially when they are accused of the same crimes which Europe and the United States have been committing for centuries. It makes them feel less guilty. They can then say: The entire world is disgusting. We are all equally terrible!

Perhaps, after these propaganda assaults, there is no more hope left. But at least, in the West, there is no rush to shed those complexes of superiority, and to get rid of the privileges.

***

And so, China is capitalist! While baobabs are actually bougainvillea. Western-imposed global dictatorship is, believe it or not, democratic. And Western advisors have a full moral mandate to lecture the world.

Some Chinese Communist Party officials are now banned [by the West] from traveling to the United States. In contrast, the U.S. officials, who are responsible for ordering mass killings in all parts of the world, can travel virtually anywhere.

The Communist Party of China is responsible for building a prosperous, highly educated, and increasingly ecologically sound nation of almost 1.4 billion. While the Imperialist apparatchiks of the United States are responsible for overthrowing countless progressive governments, bombing millions of people, ruining the environment in the colonies, and starving hundreds of millions through sanctions. But they are not sanctioned themselves and can go almost anywhere they desire. Strange world? Go figure

The better China is doing, the more it gets smeared. If it manages to do even better in the future, it may get attacked directly, perhaps even militarily.

And rest assured that socialist China will be doing better and better. Yes, you are guessing correctly: Under the banner of the Communist Party!

So, what should we prepare ourselves for? World War III? Annihilation of the human race? Just because the West doesnt know how to lose? Just because capitalism and imperialism would not let go of their global grip on power, even if it means the end for all of us?

Just because North America and Europe are notorious liars, suffering from pathological complexes of superiority, as well as genocidal instincts?

I dont think this is a good prospect for our Planet.

Andre Vltchek is a philosopher, novelist, filmmaker and investigative journalist. He has covered wars and conflicts in dozens of countries. Six of his latest books are  New Capital of Indonesia ,  China Belt and Road Initiative,  China and Ecological Civilization with John B. Cobb, Jr.,  Revolutionary Optimism, Western Nihilism, a revolutionary novel Aurora and a bestselling work of political non-fiction:  Exposing Lies Of The Empire . View his other books here . Watch Rwanda Gambit , his groundbreaking documentary about Rwanda and DRCongo and his film/dialogue with Noam Chomsky On Western Terrorism . Vltchek presently resides in East Asia and Latin America, and continues to work around the world. He can be reached through his website , his Twitter and his Patreon .

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The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House.
Margo Price

Thats How Rumors Get Started

(Loma Vista *** 1/2)

Margo Price made a rowdy entrance in 2016 with Hurtin (On the Bottle), the debut single from Midwest Farmers Daughter, an album released on Jack Whites label whose title nodded to Loretta Lynn while introducing Price as a honky-tonk rebel.

Two albums down the line, Price has progressed impressively, growing more ambitious with the thematic scope of 2017s All-American Made and now comfortably working in 1970s rock mode with the bold Thats How Rumors Get Started.

Recorded in Los Angeles in the same studio as the Beach Boys cut Pet Sounds, Rumors was produced by Prices country music iconoclast buddy Sturgill Simpson.

The album doesnt make a show of its subversiveness like Simpsons 2019 metal-edged Sound & Fury. Instead, it confidently goes its own way, largely leaving steel guitars and all manner of twang behind as Price settles in to make a top-notch rock record with seasoned studio musicians like bassist Pino Palladino and Tom Petty keyboard player Benmont Tench.

The surfaces are smooth, and theres tension roiling underneath. Rumors is a superbly crafted 10-song set that was written, recorded, and planned for release in 2019. It was pushed back first by the birth of Prices daughter, Ramona, then by record company drama, and again by the pandemic and the illness of Prices husband and musical partner, Jeremy Ivey, who has had several inconclusive tests for COVID-19.

No matter if songs like the simply soulful What Happened To Our Love or Stone Me are absolutely brand new: They capture Price working at a high level, ever more confident in her artistry.

Shes so in the groove, in fact, that she even manages to say something fresh when navigating a cliche-ridden subject like the quest for success. If it dont break you, it might just make you rich, she sings in the song Twinkle Twinkle. You might not get there, and on the way, its a b!

 Dan DeLuca

Chloe x Halle

Ungodly Hour

(Parkwood/Columbia ***)

As a pop enterprise, Beyonce is now at Princes level. And her proteges Chloe and Halle Bailey contribute more of their own songwriting than Morris Day ever did with the Time.

This follow-up to 2018s heavily Lemonade-indebted The Kids Are Alright is a departure to no place in particular  but making a high-profile R&B album in 2020 with no conceptual arc is its own distinction. The sisters are 20 and 22 now, and for once in pop, titles like Do It and Tipsy come as a natural progression rather than a defiant rebuke of their teenage fame.

Their music has matured beyond YouTube into something thats fully club-worthy. The tuned percussion of Baby Girl and psychedelic guitar molasses of the best-in-show title track make sure of that.

Wonder What She Thinks of Me sounds like something Halle Bailey might sing in her upcoming role in the live-action Little Mermaid remake. Its their calling card as ambassadors for a young, Black generation with Hamilton and Disney soundtracks mixed in among their musical influences.

 Dan Weiss

Michael McDermott

What in the World

(Pauper Sky *** 1/2)

Dark days are coming for the USA, Michael McDermott warns on the leadoff and title track of his new album, which melds the hell-bent lyrical thrust of Dylans Subterranean Homesick Blues with the anthemic rock muscle of classic Springsteen.

The rapid-fire verses paint a devastating portrait of a broken, dystopian society, with release in the cathartic chorus: Im tired of hearing everything will be OK!

In other words, the song distills the essence of great rock-and-roll. And while McDermott has been a master of that for three decades, he happens to be at the top of his game right now.

Even more powerful than What in the World is Mother Emanuel, a harrowing account of the 2015 massacre at the Charleston, S.C., church.

For the most part, the album looks inward rather than outward, and McDermott is both raw and incisive as his characters wrestle with their inner demons. Contender, which borrows Marlon Brandos line from On the Waterfront, marries the albums most upbeat musical accompaniment to a self-lacerating admission of failed potential.

That certainly doesnt describe the McDermott of today: an artist who has emerged from the darkness of his own past and, six years sober, is not squandering his prodigious gifts. The Inquirer is premiering the video for the song, below.

 Nick Cristiano
A West Australian Parks and Wildlife manager who stirred statewide controversy after photos of him posing with dead animals in South Africa emerged on social media has been removed from his role.

In a statement released on Friday morning, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions director general Mark Webb announced Jewell Crossberg was no longer acting manager for the Esperance region.

A photo from Mr Crossberg's Facebook page of him posing with a dead elephant. Credit:Facebook

Mr Webb cited the images as the reason for the decision, saying they were "not reflective of the department's values or outstanding wildlife conservation work".

"Subsequently, I have made the decision to remove Mr Crossberg from the acting district

manager position in Esperance," he said.
A man in coronavirus isolation has been arrested after he allegedly broke out of his quarantine hotel to visit a bottle shop.

Martin James McVicar, 52, allegedly left the Distinction Hotel in Hamilton, on New Zealand's North Island, to purchase alcohol on Thursday night.

McVicar, who arrived in New Zealand from Sydney on July 1, allegedly cut through a fence to temporarily escape from the facility.

Martin James McVicar (pictured), 52, appeared in Hamilton District Court on Friday accused of breaking out of his quarantine hotel to visit a nearby liquor store on Thursday evening

McVicar allegedly left the Distinction Hotel (pictured) in Hamilton, on New Zealand's North Island, through a fire escape and cut through fence ties on a 1.8-metre fence

McVicar allegedly visited Brews Te Rapa liquor store, about a 10-minute walk from the hotel, on the busy Te Rapa Road, Stuff reported.

Brews Te Rapa store manager, Manpreet Singh, said the man visited his shop and purchased a four pack of beer and a bottle of wine.

Mr Singh was shocked when police arrived at the store on Friday morning and informed him the man had fled from a quarantine facility.

'I don't know why he left from there,' Mr Singh said.

The bottle shop has since been cleaned and cleared by health officials.

McVicar allegedly returned to the hotel between 6.30pm and 7pm on Thursday night.

Health Minister Chris Hipkins told reporters on Friday: 'My understanding was that this person left through a fire exit and cut through a fence.'

Mr Hipkins said he was advised that a police officer was on site but the hotel should not be blamed for McVicar's alleged escape.

'These are not maximum security prisons. These are hotels,' Mr Hipkins said.

McVicar allegedly visited the Brews Te Rapa (pictured) bottle shop and purchased a four pack of beer and a bottle of wine before returning to the hotel between 6.30pm and 7pm

Mr Hipkins said nobody else had been present in the liquor store and the man had returned a negative coronavirus test on Friday morning.

McVicar faced court on one count of intentionally failing to comply with an order under the COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020.

He also faced an additional charge of intentionally damaging a 52-inch television that belonged to the Distinction Hotel.

McVicar appeared in court by audio-video link from a cell and was represented by Russell Nye-Wood.

Mr Nye-Wood sought a further remand without plea and suggested McVicar be returned to the quarantine facility to undertake another four days of quarantine.

He said a bail condition could be imposed that McVicar not be found outside the premise where he is quarantined.

The Queenstown man appeared before Hamilton District Court on Friday afternoon and was sent to quarantine in Spring Hill prison.

New Zealand Police opposed any application for bail.

Community Magistrate Robyn Paterson remanded McVicar in custody to be spent in quarantine at Spring Hill Corrections Facility until his next court appearance on July 15.
Enes Kanter is reportedly the subject of an arrest warrant issued Friday by Turkey, his home nation. The Oklahoma City Thunder center has been an outspoken critic of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and he recently expressed gratitude at being back in the U.S., after he was detained on an overseas trip when the country revoked his passport.

According to AFP, Sabah Daily, a Turkish newspaper described as "pro-government," reported that Kanter is being accused of membership in a "terror group." Kanter, 25, has expressed support for Fethullah Gulen, a Turkish cleric who is living in exile in Pennsylvania and who Erdogan blamed for a failed coup attempt last year.

In the aftermath of that attempt in July, with which Gulen denied any involvement and condemned, Erdogan's regime swiftly carried out a violent crackdown. Hundreds of Turks were killed, and thousands more were rounded up on suspicions of having links to the coup attempt. Kanter, among others, has alleged it was really a plot by Erdogan to enable him to strike at his political enemies and establish a more authoritarian rule over Turkey.

"You guys need to know what is going on in Turkey right now. I hope people around the world will open their eyes to the human rights abuses," Kanter wrote this week in an essay for The Players' Tribune. "Things have gotten very bad over the last year. This is not my opinion. We don't know everything that is happening inside Turkey, but we do know some facts. Newspapers and media have been restricted. Academics have been fired. Peaceful protesting is not allowed. Many people have been imprisoned without any real charges. There are reports of torture and rape and worse."

On Friday, Kanter posted to Twitter an image of the Sabah story, adding a caption in Turkish that said (per AFP's translation), "You cannot catch me. Hahaha. Don't waste your energy.

"I am already going to come to (Turkey) to spit on all of your ugly, hate-filled faces."

From the AFP report:

- - -

A judge issued the arrest warrant after an Istanbul prosecutor opened an investigation into Kanter's alleged "membership of an armed terrorist organization," Sabah Daily reported.  The arrest warrant refers to Kanter's alleged use of an encrypted messaging application called Bylock, Sabah said, which Turkey claims was especially created for Gulen supporters. It also referred to Kanter's "praise for a terror organization" in messages via his social media accounts, the daily reported.

The arrest warrant refers to Kanter's alleged use of an encrypted messaging application called Bylock, Sabah said, which Turkey claims was especially created for Gulen supporters.

It also referred to Kanter's "praise for a terror organization" in messages via his social media accounts, the daily reported.

- - -

Sabah also reported that the prosecutor had applied for an Interpol notice, one that would alert the 190 countries with membership in the global policing organization that Turkey was seeking Kanter's deportation.

On Saturday, Kanter posted a video from the Romanian airport, claiming he was unable to travel any further because of his "political views" and calling Erdogan "the Hitler of our century." With help from the Thunder, the Department of Homeland Security and both Oklahoma senators, he was able to travel to London and then on to New York, where he held a news conference Monday detailing his "scary" experience.

"It was scary because there was a chance they might send me back to Turkey," Kanter told reporters. "And if they send me back to Turkey, probably you guys wouldn't hear a word from me the second day. It would have definitely gotten really ugly."

Kanter has a green card for the United States, but he said Monday that he was "country-less" and "open to adoption" by the nation where he first arrived in 2009 to play one year at a prep school. Kanter committed to Kentucky but was ruled ineligible by the NCAA because he had previously been paid to play for a top Turkish squad; he was drafted by the Jazz in 2011 and traded to the Thunder in 2015.

"I want you guys to think about what the Turkish government means when they say that I am a 'dangerous' man," Kanter said in his essay. "I've never broken any laws. No speeding tickets, nothing. But I'm dangerous? Why?"

"I speak my mind about things that I believe in," he wrote. "I always have. I share my thoughts on Twitter and Facebook about the terrible things that are being done to people in Turkey. I want the whole world to know about the human rights abuses that are going on there.

"To the Erdogan government, this makes me a dangerous man."
Xi Jinping unveiled a three-year plan to support state-owned companies. The US and the EU want equal treatment for their companies. Some within China's power structure want to privatise the countrys 130,000 state-owned enterprises. Ursula von der Leyen calls more balanced relations with Beijing. For US Treasury Secretary, without Chinese reforms, decoupling will be inevitable.

Beijing (AsiaNews)  China has launched a three-year plan to boost its state-owned enterprises. This decision, taken recently by Chinese President Xi Jinping, is contrary to commitments China made to the United States and the European Union.

For years, the US and the EU have been demanding that their companies be able to compete on equal terms in the Chinese market.

Around 130,000 state-owned firms operate in China. Given their inefficiency, some in China itself have called for their reform through large-scale privatisation, made the more urgent by the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the ongoing trade war with the US.

In 2019, large state-owned companies generated profits worth 1.5 trillion yuan (US$ 215 billion), too little for the assets they have  210 trillion yuan (US$ 30 trillion).

According to a 2013 government plan, large state-owned enterprises were supposed to be reformed along free market principles. Central Bank governor Yi Gang made it clear that the government should ensure a level playing field for everyone operating in China.

His position is closer to that of Premier Li Keqiang, but clashes with that of President Xi. For Li, the authorities should focus on helping small and medium-sized enterprises, most of which are privately owned.

However, for many observers, the Chinese Communist Party will never abandon support for state enterprises, considered a cornerstone of socialism with Chinese characteristics and, above all, a tool of economic and political control. This will intensify tensions between Beijing and western powers.

On 8 July, in a speech to the European Parliament, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen Ursula von der Leyen reiterated that Europe wanted a more balanced relationship with China. On 22 June, at the annual summit with Beijing, she had openly criticised the Chinese government for its delays in opening up its domestic market and for its support to state-owned enterprises.

The next day, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin was even tougher. Mnuchin said that if US companies were not given equal treatment in China, the decoupling of the US economy from Chinas would be inevitable.
Saad al-Jabris children Sarah and Omar have been detained by the Saudi government since March.

Four US senators have called on President Donald Trump to help free the detained children of a former top Saudi intelligence official exiled in Canada.

In a joint letter released on Thursday, Democratic Senators Patrick Leahy, Tim Kaine and Chris Van Hollen, alongside Republican Senator Marco Rubio, said the Saudi royal family was holding the children of Saad al-Jabri  Sarah and Omar  as leverage to force his return to the kingdom.

The two adult children, and a brother of Saad al-Jabri, who is said to hold key state secrets, were detained in Riyadh in March.

The Saudi royal family is holding Sarah and Omar Aljabri as hostages. Hostage taking is never justified. For a government to use such tactics is abhorrent. They should be released immediately. https://t.co/wqr22IEX1S pic.twitter.com/VdCpp0NZxV  Sen. Patrick Leahy (@SenatorLeahy) July 9, 2020

Al-Jabri had earlier attempted to get his children to leave Saudi Arabia but authorities had placed them under a travel ban, according to reports.

We believe the US has a moral obligation to do what it can to assist in securing his childrens freedom. We urge you to raise this issue with senior Saudi officials and press for the immediate release of Dr Al-Jabris children, the letter from the US senators stated.

Saudi authorities have so far not publicly commented on the case.

Highly valued partner

The senators claimed that al-Jabri was a highly valued partner of US intelligence agencies, who had aided Washington in the fight against armed groups such as al-Qaeda.

As a top intelligence officer in Saudi Arabia, Dr Al-Jabri has been credited by former CIA officials for saving thousands of American lives by discovering and preventing terrorist plots, the letter said

His development of a modern forensics system in Saudi Arabia reportedly contributed to the significant curtailing of terrorist groups including al-Qaeda, the senators added.





Al-Jabris intelligence career came to an end following the power struggle between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) and his predecessor, Mohammed bin Nayef (MBN), to whom al-Jabri was a top aide.

MBN was put under house arrest after being replaced by MBS in June 2017, according to reports. He was arrested in March this year, reportedly because he was complaining privately about how MBS was running Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia has been exerting pressure on Canada to extradite al-Jabri even though Ottawa does not have an extradition treaty with the kingdom, local media outlet The Globe and Mail newspaper reported on Monday.
A container ship is pushed to its berth by a tug at the Port of Melbourne on June 6, 2018. (WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)

Chinas Need for Australian Resources Limits Beijings Coercion: Defence Expert

A defence expert has said that Australia-China trade is strong because Chinas economy needs Australian resources, and not, as the deputy prime minister asserted, because we have a great relationship with the communist nation.

After the Morrison government offered a pathway to residency for skilled Hongkongers, Beijing accused Australia of gross interference in its domestic affairs. However, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack downplayed the situation, asserting that the two countries share a great relationship.

Its giving people choice. Im sure China understands that, he told ABC radio on July 10.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack during proceedings in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia on March 23, 2020. (Sam Mooy/Getty Images)

McCormack said Australia would use diplomatic channels to work through issues with China, conceding relations were a bit fractious after being pressed.

There is always going to be hiccups. At the moment, times are a little bit difficult, McCormack said. Well work through those in the proper ways.

McCormack pointed to the over $150 billion worth of Australian goods exported to China last yeara growth of 23.9 percent from the previous year.

Weve got a great relationship with China and that will continue, he said.

Michael Shoebridge, the director of defence, strategy, and national security at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, told The Epoch Times on July 10 that McCormack was right that the Chinese regime understands Australias decision to offer Hongkongers extended visas.

Michael Shoebridge, the director of defence, strategy, and national security at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. (Supplied)

Its just that they dont like Australias decision because it opposes Beijings breach of the international commitments China made in the 1984 [Sino-British] Joint Declaration, he said.

Despite Beijings threats and its economic coercion over Australian barley imports, Shoebridge agreed that Australias trade with China was in a strong position.

But thats not because we have a great relationship, he said. Its because Chinas economy needs Australian resources. That shows limits to Beijings coercion.

Before the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) imposed its national security law on Hong Kong, the city enjoyed a high degree of autonomy and a judicial system independent of the mainlands totalitarian regime.

A Free HK banner is seen a stall on a pavement near Victoria Park in Hong Kong on June 4, 2020. (Isaac Lawrence/AFP via Getty Images)

The imposition of the new law means that people who speak out against the CCP, whether local or foreign, are at risk of arbitrary detention and transfer to the mainland to face Chinas justice system, which is overseen by the party state. For this reason, the Morrison government announced on Thursday it was suspending its extradition agreement with Hong Kong and urged Australians not to travel to Hong Kong.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison, whose centre-right government has been advocating for a rules-based international orderspecifically in the Indo-Pacific regionalso said on Thursday that the CCPs new national security law represented a fundamental change of rules.

The prime minister said the law undermined Hong Kongs independence from the CCPs rule in mainland China that was guaranteed for 50 years from 1997 under the legally binding One Country, Two Systems framework agreed to as part of the Sino-British Joint Declaration.

Shoebridge said: Australia is not alone in wanting the Chinese government to be able to be trusted when it makes commitments as it did in 1984.
International Relations

After returning from France, Kaelyn Kappes 21 took an internship with the organization that facilitated her study-abroad experience.

By: Meghan Kita Thursday, July 9, 2020 02:23 PM

Kaelyn Kappes 21 at the Pont du Gard, France

When Kaelyn Kappes 21 was exploring options for the summer, she was thinking about her extracurricular interests as much as her academic ones. The psychology and theatre double major with a French minor is also a tour guide, campus delegate and orientation leader.

Its a lot of speaking with other people, representing an organizationinterpersonal stuff, she says. Since I really enjoy that part of my Muhlenberg experience, I wanted to take a position closer to that field, just to see if I liked it more or differently.

She began searching for these types of roles while studying in Aix-en-Provence, France, with the Institute for American Universities (IAU). She stayed with a host family, took all but one class in French and had an internship with a local art museum. The experience was so powerful, she applied for a university relations internship with IAU near her home in California.

I really felt like I was pushing myself by going to a place where I was going to have to speak French pretty much the whole time, she says. I learned so much about the world and myself, even though I was only there for two months.

After she returned home in mid-March, she received an offer for the IAU internship, which, due to the pandemic, would now be remote and unpaid. However, she also received a stipend from Muhlenbergs Alumni Board, which annually offers funds to students who are interested in low-paid or unpaid summer internships. That helped make it possible for her to accept the role, which involves communicating with colleges and universities that partner with IAU, crafting social media messaging and doing a variety of other marketing and outreach tasks

Its been interesting to work with IAU amid a pandemic, Kappes saysall their summer programming is virtual, and while in-person study-abroad is being offered this fall, its for a shorter length of time (so students dont need to secure visas, which allows their plans to be more flexible). Despite the uncertainty, her team is trying to keep enthusiasm for IAUs programs high. For example, Kappes was recently tasked with emailing IAU alumni to encourage them to write reviews of the program.

It just was cool to be bridging the gap between students like me, who have done the program and know what an amazing experience it is, and incoming students who may be feeling pretty unsure of whether they want to do the program, she says.
By M. Yusuf, TwoCircles.net

This article is in response to a friend who was seeking my support & sympathy for the members of the Pinjra Tod. While I would like to extend my support to all those incarcerated, I see no reason to offer any special solidarity to Pinjra Tod for their revolutionary acts for the reasons mentioned in this article, implicating the left and the liberals for their incompetence in spearheading any credible movement.

Support TwoCircles



From what has been learnt, it was the Muslims at Maujpur, Jafrabad, and adjoining areas who had to bear the brunt of the pogrom that took place subsequently. Perhaps the Pinjra Tod Gang, its allied company, and supporting organizations should have mobilized and organized the Chakka Jam in a Hindu dominated area. Perhaps Muslims were punished for taking the bait to hold a Chakka Jam.

The fact remains that it was the Muslim women, who were running a successful agitation for the first time against this Government, while the Civil Society (essentially comprising of the left, liberals, and those who did not want BJP/RSS in power), has failed to do so in the past six years that the BJP has been in power. Muslim women often projected by the liberals and the leftists as the epitome of backwardness clinging to regressive practices such as purdah system, lack of education and generally living under the tutelage of their male counter-parts, were spearheading a movement in the capital of the country, fighting for their rights and fluttering the tri-color. The feminists could not muster any such movement in the history of the mostly metro based, Indian Feminism.

It was only after the agitation at Shaheen Bagh captured the attention of the Media  both national as well as international  that the civil society jumped in to share the stage. Ideally, the civil society should have led people to protest in non Muslim areas, especially since the Muslims were only talking about saving the constitution and that whatever was being done was unconstitutional. The Muslims are mostly worried about the pernicious situation they would be put into after the Act in question i.e. the CAA was put into effect and implemented throughout the country; does it dis-entitle them to talk of their insecure conditions just because they are Muslims? After all the fundamental rights to agitate and protest were conferred on the citizens to be utilized against a discriminatory government policy.

The crux of this article is that no credit is due to the Indian Civil Society, since in the past six years it has failed in bringing any change whatsoever; in the political consciousness in general, which continues till date, and the arrogance of the dominant Hindu community in particular. A mere glance at how the Anna Movement was organized, points towards multiple instances in which the civil society, the Left and the liberals have failed in the past six years, despite several conspicuous failures of the political executive against which several social movements could have been mobilized. Why did they fail? Majorly, because the majority had been swayed by Hindu Nationalism and started to overwhelmingly vote for the BJP.

The point is that if at all they want to do something for subsisting the political life and the polity of this country, merely joining the caravan of the oppressed and jumping on to the stage with a few words, or a song, or a slogan, or a dance, is not going to be enough. The Left and the liberal, or the Left-liberal, call them whatever one may, need to actively interact with the oppressors and those who support the oppressors.

To add, there were many educated Muslims who did not join the protests, for the reasons they were busy earning a living, some did not even support the agitation for the fear of repercussions which they could sense in a manner which cannot be explained. Perhaps, it could go beyond the mandate of freedom granted to them by the benevolence of the majority, after all Muslims are in a minority, and no bright mind would fail to measure the extent to which the people in minority could extend their politics. For all they know, by their experiences in the post Babri-demolition era, such protests could have been used by the people in power to use more force, to mould the public opinion against such protest by Godi-media and other means, to successfully manage the narrative; a task at which the civil society failed miserably.

Dr. B. R Ambedkar said, ..An intellectual man can be a good man but he may easily be a rogue. Similarly an intellectual class may be a band of high-souled persons, ready to help, ready to emancipate erring humanity or it may easily be a gang of crooks or a body of advocates of narrow clique from which it draws its support (Thoughts & Philosphy of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, by C. D. Naik). Although the support of the Left, the liberals and the civil society is not discounted; however their support would be more valuable if they could generate movements of their own, if they were able to generate some empathy and convince the people to the point of view of the oppressed; and if they would refrain from taking charge of the struggles of the oppressed, often to their own end.

For the reasons mentioned in this article, let the civil society be concerned about justice and the status of rule of law in particular. To put it plainly, in the recent past the Left and the liberals, for want of a constituency and support amongst the masses; and for wanting to seek some political relevance, visibility and optics, have often been joining the bandwagons of the oppressed. In the last few decades they have tried to hijack the discourses concerning the Tribals, the Dalits and the Muslims, while failing to implement any representation of these classes in their organizations, which have been running like cabals, hiding their inequities while forwarding false equivalents all along. A very rough example would be that they often equate Asaduddin Owaisi with the RSS, which is misleading, since Owaisi, in all fairness only calls for the rule of law and the constitution, while the RSS wants to bring in a new constitution. Things would be incomplete without mentioning the election candidature of the poster-boy of the left Kanhaiya Kumar at Begusarai, Bihar in the General Elections 2019, who could have prevented the win of Giriraj Singh- his caste fellow, by not participating in the elections and extending his support to the main opposition candidate Tanveer Hasan who had been at the forefront in local politics for long and who would have easily won, had it not been for Kanhaiya Kumar,. Thus, the Left scuttled the chance of a Muslim leader to be elected to the Parliamment, knowing very well that they were scantily represented. What more evidence does one need to know that the Left is only interested in projecting its leadership for the oppressed while scuttling the chances of the leadership of the oppressed by the oppressed and for the oppressed. For the Left, without a doubt the Party, has been and is still supreme.

The Left has forgotten its agenda of creating a political consciousness of the working class, and has been a rudderless ship for quite some time now, what they did for the poor in West Bengal is apparent by the rampant inequity and poverty in the State. To counter these charges, the Left maintains that its not the time to question the Left and that this would lead to the weakening of the movement; but why do you want to be treated like a holy cow and what movement are you talking about? There is none left, thanks to your parochial highbrow supremacist snides and mean party politics, which belied true representation. Their weak point is that they engaged with the oppressed and not the oppressor; all the while failing to extend any protection to the Tribals, the Dalits or the Muslims, for that matter. Let all the revolutionaries deal essentially with the majority inhabiting this country, which has chosen the current politicians to power, not once but twice.

M. Yusuf is an advocate and practices at Courts in Delhi.
A passenger on Surf Air boards his flight at Hawthorne Airport on July 10, 2020. (Hudson Andrews / Surf Air)

The pandemic has sent demand for commercial airline flights into a tailspin, but business is soaring for the private jet companies that fly corporate bigwigs and deep-pocketed travelers looking to wing away to an exclusive getaway.

The trend demonstrates once again that the outbreak of COVID-19 is having vastly different effects on Americans depending on the size of their bank accounts.

Despite the pandemic's severe blow to flying and the economy, private jet companies such as XO jets, NetJets and Surf Air report that they are booking about 80% as many flights and hours in the air as they had before the pandemic struck the U.S. And many of those fliers are new to the private jet scene.

Meanwhile, demand for flights on traditional airlines has sunk to as low as 10% of pre-pandemic levels  a drop so severe that United Airlines recently served notice that it may furlough up to 36,000 employees.

The reason is clear: Fliers who charter a plane usually get an entire jet to themselves, avoiding a crowded airport terminal and a cramped airline cabin with hundreds of potential virus sources.

"It's people's health concerns," said Patrick Gallagher, president of sales and marketing for NetJets, a jet charter business owned by Berkshire Hathaway. "People are fearful of a commercial terminal with a hundred-plus strangers. They don't want to deal with the protocols involved in that."

Gallagher and others in the private jet industry say many of their new bookings and membership accounts are from travelers who previously flew first or business class on traditional airlines and are now switching to lower their risk of contracting COVID-19.

Another reason for the shift is that hard-hit commercial airlines have cut service to many midsize cities. Fliers with fat wallets are booking private jets to fly to small and midsize cities where they own a vacation home or a ski condo.

Because the pandemic has brought most in-person business meetings to a halt, most of the flights taken on private jets have been for leisure, according to private jet operators.

Story continues

Among the most popular routes for aviation firm VistaJet are New York to Palm Beach, Fla., and Los Angeles to Aspen, Colo.

The wealthiest Americans have found ways to reduce the risk and stress caused by the pandemic, which has already killed more than 130,000 people nationwide: buying private bunkers and shelters, escaping to rural getaways and hiring private tutors for their children while they work from home. Low-wage workers, meanwhile, face a bleaker choice: show up to work  often in high-exposure jobs  and risk being infected, or quit and try to figure out how to make ends meet without a paycheck.

Upgrading to a private jet is not cheap.

The price of a round-trip, first-class flight from Los Angeles International Airport to Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport is less than $400 on United Airlines. Chartering a small private jet that can carry up to eight passengers from L.A. to Sin City starts at about $9,000 and increases with the size of the jet and the amenities included.

There are several ways to fly on a private jet without owning one.

In addition to simply chartering a private jet to fly from point A to point B, some jet operators offer "fractional" jet ownership, in which the client pays for a share of the jet for as long as the contract continues, usually three to five years.

A client who wants to buy one-eighth of a $20-million jet, for example, would pay $2.5 million. During the contract, the fractional owner gets access to the plane for a set number of hours, depending on the size of the share. They must also pay management fees and an hourly rate that goes toward the pilot's salary and insurance and fuel costs, among other expenses. At the end of the contract, the fractional owner gets back one-eighth of the remaining value of the jet.

Fliers can also sign up for a jet membership program, in which they pay a fee for a limited set of hours in the jet, with pilots and flight attendants included. Sentient Jet, based in Massachusetts, offers an entry-level program with 25 hours of jet time for $137,000. A jet with a larger cabin and Wi-Fi access costs $196,000 for 25 hours of flight.

Santa Monica-based Surf Air is an all-you-can-fly membership program that charges $1,950 per month to fly as often as you like on pre-scheduled routes to such destinations as San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe.

Private jet operators saw an immediate surge in demand after the pandemic reached the United States and government officials began to impose stay-at-home orders. Americans traveling abroad and students away from home in college turned to private jets to return home when travel restrictions led airlines to cancel thousands of flights between Europe and the U.S.

After demand for all air travel dropped off in April, private jet operators say they saw an unprecedented surge in business that has nearly returned the private jet charters to pre-pandemic levels.

"I've never seen this before," said Andrew Collins, president and chief operating officer of Sentient Jet. "We just saw the most new customers we have ever seen in June."

Gogo Business Aviation, which provides broadband service for private jets, reported that in mid-April the number of flights using its service dropped to 378 per day but then jumped to 3,200 per day by the beginning of July. Before the pandemic, about 3,500 flights used its service daily.

Leona Qi, the U.S. president of VistaJet, said more than two-thirds of the incoming calls to her business are from people who have never flown on a private jet before.

Michael Cappuccitti, a land developer from Toronto, turned to a private jet this spring after he and his family flew to Barcelona on a commercial flight to have his daughter undergo back surgery. Once the pandemic reached North America, travel restrictions made it nearly impossible for the family to fly back to Canada on a commercial airline. Cappuccitti chartered a private jet at a slightly discounted rate to fly back to Toronto.

Although he had previously flown first or business class on American Airlines for business trips, Cappuccitti said he was awed by the service and luxury of the private jet and has now set a goal of someday being able to afford to fly on a private jet on a regular basis.

"The experience reinforced everything I thought about it," he said. "It was ridiculous how good it was."

But for most new private jet fliers, the attraction of a private jet is the reduced exposure to other fliers and places where the coronavirus might be lurking.

Although commercial planes have a ventilation system that keeps air from circulating through the entire length of the cabin, health experts say the more crowded a plane cabin, the greater the risk of being infected. In a private jet, the client controls who and how many people share the cabin.

Private jet passengers also get to avoid going through a crowded airport terminal before boarding, another potential avenue of exposure to the virus.

Operators say they have not been promoting or advertising the reduced potential for exposure to COVID-19 on private jets. They say they don't have to.

"Ultimate luxury is peace of mind," NetJets' Gallagher said. "People in the market for private aviation understand that."
As our police officers, street outreach workers and residents continue to work tirelessly to keep our communities safe, hes using the victims of gun violence in our city to score cheap political points, spew racist rhetoric, and ignore the impact of COVID across this country, Lightfoot said in a statement at the time. It is despicable, disgusting and all too typical. Same old tired playbook. How about some leadership not steeped in the divide and conquer tactics?
Insurers are creating products for a world where virus outbreaks could become the new normal after many businesses were left out in the cold during the Covid-19 crisis. While new pandemic-proof policies might not be cheap, they offer businesses from restaurants to film production companies to e-commerce retailers ways of insuring against disruptions and losses if another virus strikes. The providers include big insurers and brokers adding new products to existing coverage, as well as niche players that see an opportunity in filling the void left by mainstream firms that categorise ...
NEW YORK  New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio grabbed a roller Thursday to paint Black Lives Matter in front of the namesake Manhattan tower of President Donald Trump, who tweeted last week that the street mural would be a symbol of hate.

De Blasio was flanked by his wife, Chirlane McCray, and the Rev. Al Sharpton as he helped paint the racial justice rallying cry in giant yellow letters on Fifth Avenue in front of Trump Tower. Activists watching chanted, Whose streets? Our streets!

When we say Black Lives Matter, there is no more American statement, there is no more patriotic statement because there is no America without Black America, de Blasio said. We are acknowledging the truth of ourselves as Americans by saying Black Lives Matter. We are righting a wrong.

The mayor announced the plan to paint Black Lives Matter in front of Trump Tower last month after earlier saying the slogan would be painted on streets at several locations around the city. Trump responded via Twitter that the mural would denigrate this luxury Avenue and further antagonize New Yorks Finest. De Blasio tweeted back that Black Lives Matter is a movement to recognize and protect the lives of Black people.

Rahima Torrence, 20, who was among the people slapping yellow paint onto Fifth Avenue, said that even though the mural might be a symbol, its the beginning of something more. She said the location in front of Trumps own skyscraper shows that we matter and it shows to him that you cant ignore us.

Washington, D.C. was the first U.S. city to get a giant yellow Black Lives Matter mural when Mayor Muriel Bowser had it painted on the street leading to the White House. Bowser said the painting was intended to show solidarity with Americans outraged over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Trump lived in Trump Tower before he took office as president but has spent little time there since. He changed his official residence from New York to Florida last year. His business empire is still headquartered there.

______

Associated Press video journalist Joe Frederick contributed to this report.
CREDIT unions have accused successive governments of allowing a "policy vacuum" to emerge for the sector.

They claim this has led to a "perfect storm" where they are struggling to get people to take out loans with them, despite having billions of euro in assets.

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And they say they have up to 900m that can be used immediately to build social housing and fund the retrofitting of 500,000 homes.

Credit unions want policy reforms to allow them to expand their mortgage and business lending.

A new report issued by their representative body, the Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU), says the sector overall has 18bn in assets.

This could be used to massively increase support to communities, the league says.

According to the report, credit unions are uniquely positioned to support local development.

But proactive and responsive Government policy is needed to shape the future of what the league calls a "3.1 million-member people's bank".

The ILCU claims that successive governments have failed to work with credit unions to better utilise their assets.

They want a Credit Union Act, an immediate reduction in capital reserving requirements in line with international norms, and a State-regulated investment vehicle.

ILCU president Gerry Thompson said: "A perfect storm of increasing savings and reduced lending has strengthened credit unions' asset base further during Covid-19."

He said policymakers continue to view this strength as a problem which needs ever more regulation.

The ILCU represents 226 credit unions across the State out of a total of at least 241.

Regulatory rules mean that credit union funds are typically placed on deposit in European Union banks where they are often used by domestic EU governments to fund infrastructure projects such as roads.

Credit unions argue that this makes no sense when their funds could be leveraged for capital projects, such as social housing development in Ireland.

Mr Thompson said: "Credit unions want to see their assets used to develop communities in Ireland, such as through funding social housing, rather than being invested to build roads in Germany, as currently happens."

He added that there has been a surge in member savings in recent months in response to the economic uncertainty which Covid-19 has created.

This has happened in parallel with reduced demand for lending.

Mr Thompson said this is problematic for credit unions.

Every 100 in savings taken in by a credit union requires 10 to be put into reserves.

Muted lending combined with having to put large amounts of money into reserves is causing many credit unions to struggle.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday by a 7-to-2 vote that U.S. President Donald Trump is not immune from a New York grand jury subpoena for his tax returns and other closely guarded financial records. But in a separate case claimed as a victory by the White House, the high court put a stop to efforts by congressional Democrats to subpoena the president's and his family's business records, sending the dispute back to a lower court to resolve.

The landmark ruling in favor of the grand jury subpoena amounts to defeat for Trump, who for years has doggedly shielded his financial records from congressional and public scrutiny. Trump complained on Twitter that he was being treated differently than past presidents and that he was the victim of a "political prosecution" in New York.

But the White House cast both decisions in a positive light, with press secretary Kayleigh McEnany saying in a statement that the court affirmed "the limited authority of Congress to conduct fact-checking through subpoenas" while protecting "the President's financial records from intrusive subpoenas from a partisan district attorney" in the New York grand jury subpoena dispute.

The latter ruling is consistent with similar opinions issued by the court against former presidents Richard Nixon in 1974 and Bill Clinton in 1997. Nixon was forced to turn over tape recordings of his private conversations to a special prosecutor and Clinton was compelled to testify in a sexual harassment case.

The ruling in favor of the grand jury subpoena doesn't mean Trump will have to turn over his tax returns any time soon. Chief Justice John Roberts, who wrote the majority opinions in both rulings, said that like any private citizen, Trump may still "challenge the subpoena on any grounds permitted by state law." McEnany suggested that Trump's lawyers will likely exercise that option. Roberts and two Trump appointees on the court -- Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh -- joined the majority in both decisions. The court's two most conservative justices -- Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas -- dissented.

The highly anticipated decisions came in three separate cases concerning subpoenas for Trump's financial records. The first two cases, consolidated under Trump vs. Mazars, involved subpoenas issued by three House committees to Trump's accounting firm, Mazars USA, as well as to two lenders -- Deutsche Bank and Bank One. The committees are investigating to determine whether Trump had inflated and deflated certain assets on his financial statements between 2011 and 2013 to reduce his real estate taxes and whether some Trump property deals involved money laundering.

The third case, known as Trump v. Vance, involves a subpoena issued to Mazars USA for Trump's tax returns and other records by New York's top prosecutor, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance. Vance is supervising a grand jury investigation of Trump prompted by revelations of hush money paid to two women -- Stephanie Clifford, the pornographic film actress known as Stormy Daniels, and former Playboy model Karen McDougal -- who said they had past sexual relationships with Trump.

While all three cases concerned Trump's financial records, they raised different constitutional questions. In the House subpoena case, the question was how far Congress can go in investigating a sitting president. The issue in the New York subpoena dispute was whether a local prosecutor could obtain the personal records of a sitting president who otherwise enjoys immunity from prosecution.
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As scientists attempt to find the exact cause of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, the world is still waiting for a vaccine for the novel coronavirus. Now, a study has surfaced revealing interesting information about the deadly virus.

The research, which is pre-published in biorXiv and awaiting peer review, divulged that a stretch of DNA linked to COVID-19 was transferred from Neanderthals 60,000 years ago, according to a report in the New York Times.

The study conducted by two Swedish geneticists, Svante Paabo and Hugo Zeberg, also said that the chances of South Asians contracting the disease is higher than that of Europeans, reported Daily Mail.

The reason behind this is that more number of people in South Asia have Neanderthal genes when compared to Europeans.

Ths study's researchers found that the gene in South Asia at a frequency of 30 percent, while only eight percent of Europeans have this variant.

The presence of the gene is highest in Bangladesh as around 63 percent of its population carries at least one copy of the Neanderthal risk variant  called Chromosome 3.

According to Paabo and Zeberg, the genes likely entered humans during cross-breeding with Neanderthals between 40,000 and 60,000 years ago.

This interbreeding effect that happened 60,000 years ago is still having an impact today, the newspaper quoted Joshua Akey, a geneticist at Princeton University, as saying. However, Akey was not a part of this new study.

Neanderthals lived alongside humans and they were very similar in appearance and size but were generally stockier and more muscular.
By Rozanna Latiff and Joseph Sipalan

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian police questioned six employees of broadcaster Al Jazeera on Friday over a documentary on the arrest of undocumented migrants that authorities said was inaccurate, misleading and unfair.

Qatar-based Al Jazeera said it stood by the professionalism, quality and impartiality of its journalism.

Rights groups have raised concerns over crackdowns on media freedom under Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's government, which came to power in March, as well as rising anger toward foreigners, who have been accused of spreading the novel coronavirus and being a burden on state resources.

The Al Jazeera staff were called in after authorities determined a documentary contained elements that could be investigated under a sedition, criminal and communications law, national police chief Abdul Hamid Bador told reporters.

"They are coming in as witnesses, not suspects," Abdul Hamid said, adding that the attorney-general's office would decide on any further action.

Al Jazeera called on Malaysia to withdraw the criminal investigation.

"Charging journalists for doing their jobs is not the action of a democracy that values free speech. Journalism is not a crime," it said in a statement.

The prime ministers office did not respond to a request for comment.

The documentary, "Locked up in Malaysia's Lockdown", aired by the station's 101 East news programme last week, focused on the plight of undocumented migrants detained during coronavirus lockdowns.

Al Jazeera said it had repeatedly sought the government's view but requests for interviews with ministers and officials were not accepted.

Despite this, it said it had produced a balanced film by including comments made by the defence minister at two news conferences.

Al Jazeera said its staff and those interviewed in the documentary had faced abuse, death threats and the disclosure of their personal details on social media.

Abdul Hamid said he would ensure that the media would be protected and allowed to operate freely.

(Reporting by Rozanna Latiff and Joseph Sipalan; Editing by Gerry Doyle, Robert Birsel)
This is not Charlottesville was the refrain that I heard many times. Our neighbors sought to assure us of this. We had moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, just days after white supremacists Unite the Right Rallies shattered the towns charm. As blatant outside emissaries of racial hatred, they were vehemently opposed by people of faith and of goodwill.

On the other hand, I recall a ride with an African American taxi driver who grew up in Charlottesville. He recalled, without venom or vengeance, countless episodes of racism. The cruelty he suffered and the consequent disparities of life are part of growing up black in Charlottesville.

This is Charlottesville. This is not Charlottesville. Both statements are true. Somehow sorrow and hope coexist. Race remains both a painful and perplexing reality throughout America. Our nation writhes under its traumapast and present. Wounds already raw have been inflamed. The media diagnoses our current racial turmoil as malignant, but the Bible calls it far worse. Racism is rooted more deeply than in our nations history. It derives from human depravity and the deadly combination of prejudice and power.

Power and Image Inequality

Our identity as humans is based on being made in Gods image (Gen. 1:27). More than a premise for discussion, to be made in Gods image is a declaration of dignity and a prophetic challenge to power. In antiquity, the notion of a gods image was exploited for royal propaganda. About the Neo-Assyrian King Esarhaddon (7th century B.C.) we read: A free man is as the shadow of God, the slave is as the shadow of the free man; but the king, he is like unto the very image of God. Only the sole bearer of divine image, the king hoarded the image of God for himself and denied it to others. Royal monuments, socioeconomic systems, civic life, and cultural practices purposefully perpetuated image inequality.

Sound familiar? In modern America we face the same distortion exhibited in Mesopotamia and in countless other eras. Whenever a dominant culture wields power and weaves prejudice into the fabric of human life, society rips apart.

On March 21, 1861, weeks before the Civil War began, Confederate Vice President Alexander H. Stephens delivered his Cornerstone speech to justify the imminent conflagration. He acknowledged Americas founding ideal of equality and the conviction that the enslavement of Africans was wrong in principle, socially, morally, and politically. But Stephens then flatly rejected those ideals as fundamentally wrong. He laid out the Confederate vision:

Our new government is founded upon exactly the opposite idea; its foundations are laid, its corner-stone rests, upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery subordination to the superior race is his natural and normal condition. This, our new government, is the first, in the history of the world, based upon this great physical, philosophical, and moral truth.

Scripture defies such ugly perversions of Gods imagewhether in the ancient Near East, in antebellum America, or now. The image of God applies to all people. Nevertheless, sin crouches at our door, goading and tempting us to abuse Gods image and misuse human power. Racism is a bitter part of the long human history of fallenness. To work against it is hard.

Spiritual Renewal and Structural Change

Humanitys lamentable history presents opportunities for the gospel and responsibilities for the church. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit gave birth to a church that proclaimed the gospel in many languages (Acts 2:112). God created a new humanity from many peoples united in Christ.

Article continues below

Yet, even the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost did not eradicate ethnic discord. As the church worked out its life together, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food (Acts 6:1). Whether or not the intention was discriminatory, the impact was. The early church commissioned seven leaders, all Hellenistic believers, to address the issue (Acts 6:5). In doing so, the church modeled repentance by owning the problem and diversifying the leadership to facilitate lasting change.

Spiritual renewal needs to be coupled with this type of structural change. For churches today to engage in racial justice and reconciliation, intentional efforts must be made at the leadership and organizational levels. Structural change must be a priority in personnel and policy decisions and in the regular preaching schedule, as it is in many black churches. My own church formed a Multiethnicity Ministry Team in order to better steward the work of racial reconciliation.

Real reconciliation requires a long-lived obedience. The apostle Paul returned repeatedly to the issue of ethnic division. Paul confronted the problem of Jewish and Gentile enmity with the beautiful truth of our common salvation in Christ (Rom. 911). The soaring theology of Ephesians tackles the very earthly problem of the dividing wall of hostility between Jews and Gentiles (Eph. 2:1122). In Colossians, after urging believers to be renewed in the knowledge of the image of [our] Creator, Paul turns immediately to the declaration that there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all (3:1011). A commitment to racial justice and reconciliation is no distraction for the church but, according to Paul, a core concern.

Gods concern comes also with his power. During the early 1900s, the manacles of Jim Crow hobbled our national life. Laws such as the Chinese Exclusion Act fomented tensions that erupted in anti-Asian riots on the West Coast. Then, in April 1906, God called William Seymour, whom Yale historian Sidney Ahlstrom views as one of the greatest influences on American religion. The African American preacher and son of former slaves helped ignite an astounding revival that gave birth to modern Pentecostalism. Thousands of people thronged the Azusa Street Mission to worship at three services a day, seven days a week for almost three years. Blacks, Whites, Hispanics, and Asians, rich and poor, well-educated and notthe Spirit did not discriminate. We need an outpouring of Gods Spirit once again.

Racism is not just Americas problem; its humanitys problem. We serve a holy God who is near to the broken-hearted and who calls his people to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke (Is. 58:6). We follow a Savior who came not to be served but to serve and who did not fight for his own life but willingly laid it down for ours (Mark 10:45). Too long has this call and its price been predominantly borne by the black church in America. It is time for Gods people to walk the path of the suffering servant Jesus in solidarity with one another. As the first evangelical, the first proclaimer of good newsthe evangelJesus declared, The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lords favor (Luke 4:1819).

Walter Kim is president of the National Association of Evangelicals and pastor for leadership at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Charlottesville, Virginia. His PhD from Harvard University was in Near Eastern languages and civilizations.
After Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, NDA ally Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) has also voiced concern over holding of assembly elections in Bihar in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a series of tweets on Friday, LJP president Chirag Paswan clearly stated that he was not in favour of elections despite being prepared, as it could pose a serious risk to a large population and also put additional burden on the already burdened exchequer.

LJP is prepared for election. LJPs Bihar parliamentary board meeting verified the booth list for 94 seats and it will be completed for the remaining 149 seats also soon, he tweeted.

The meeting was held on Thursday in New Delhi.

However, due to the pandemic, the common man as well as the Central and state governments are financially strained. Under these circumstances, polls will put additional burden. All the parliamentary board members also expressed concern over it, he tweeted.

Chirag again said in another tweet that the Election Commission should take a decision only after looking into all the aspects. It should not happen that a big population is pushed into further danger due to election. An election in the midst of the pandemic could also lead to very low poll percentage, which will not be good for democracy, he added.

With Covid-19 spreading to new areas in the state, including the VVIP areas, the Opposition RJD and Congress had last week launched a scathing attack on the state government for caring little for the masses and focusing more on preparations for the assembly polls.

This is not the right time for elections. There has been an unprecedented increase in the coronavirus infection in the state, but the government seems unconcerned. The entire cabinet, administration and the government seem too busy with elections. The government is hiding figures. If the government doesnt wake up, the situation may become explosive by August-September, said leader of Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, while speaking to the media.

However, Tejashwi and Chirag singing the same tune could have a different political meaning at a time when the Grand Alliance (GA) is also witnessing churning from within. Chirag has been quite critical of the way the Bihar government handled the pandemic and migrants issue in recent months and the JD-U has been upset with it.

LJP was also said to be the reason why the nomination of 12 seats from the governors quota to the Bihar legislative council also got stuck, as the JD-U was not in favour of accommodating it while the BJP wanted one seat for the ally.

Another Dalit leader and former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhis HAM-S is in favour of holding the Bihar assembly polls. There has been a lot of speculation in the recent past about Manjhis likelihood of getting back into the NDAs fold.

The party is in favour of holding elections in Bihar on time. Our workers are ready and the EC can hold elections whenever it wants, said HAM-S spokesperson Danish Rizwan.

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The pre-qualification bids to construct the new Parliament building, an integral part of the Central Vistas redevelopment project, will close on July 14 and its construction is likely to begin after the Parliaments winter session, officials aware of the development said.

Earlier this month, the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) began the process to select a firm to construct a new Parliament building which will come up adjacent to the existing Parliament.

CPWD invited pre-qualification bids in a two-bid system to construct the new building, which will comprise halls with greater seating capacity for the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, a foyer, offices for members of Parliament, as well as a courtyard, dining facilities and a lounge for lawmakers. A Constitution gallery is also likely come up in the foyer.

The proposed work is of very prestigious nature and is required to be completed strictly within the prescribed time limit of 21 months with the highest standards of quality and workmanship, the bid document said.

The bid document offered an estimated cost of Rs 889 crore, which it referred to as a rough guide to the project. It laid out strict eligibility criteria based on a firms past work  such as having built an assembly hall of minimum 1000 capacity and a building with a basement  as well as experience of ongoing projects, average monthly turnover, and net worth, among other factors.

The proposed new Parliament Building shall be of reinforced cement concrete framed structure building. The plinth of building shall match with plinth of existing building which is approximately 1.8 meter above the ground level, the document stated.

The ground plus two-storey triangular-shaped building with a built-up area of approximately 60,000 metre square, is set to come up on plot number 118 of the Parliament House Estate, which currently houses a reception, boundary walls and other temporary structures. The current Parliament building, which is over 90 years old, will continue to house the famed Parliament library and function in tandem with the new Parliament.

The construction work will begin post the Parliaments winter session. It is expected to be completed by end of the year 2022, said Bimal Patel, managing director of HCP Design, Planning And Management Private Limited, the architecture firm which won the bid for the redesign of Central Vista last year.

The bid document also specified that 50% of the workers will need to be skilled for work of stone masonry, carving, fresco, furniture, and adequate health and safety measures would need to be taken in view of the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic.

The purpose of prequalification is to assess the technical and managerial competency and financial soundness of the interested bidder.

CPWD, which is the project implementation arm of the ministry of housing and urban affairs, specified that existing Parliament building shall continue to function during the entire period of execution of this project.

The existing Parliament Building shall continue to function during the entire period of execution of this project, therefore utmost care is required to minimise construction noise, dust free area and other construction activity related issues, the document stated.

The contractor may have to execute the work in three shifts with large man power of workers, supervisors and professional engineers the bid document said.

In view of high degree of security concerns at site and the work itself, stringent access control measures shall be exercised for entry and exit of manpower, material and construction equipment, it stated.

The plan to build a new parliament building had received two key approvals, including from the environment ministrys expert appraisal committee, towards the end of April. The proposal was also cleared by the Central Vista committee.

On July 1, the new Parliament building also got the nod of the Delhi Urban Arts Commission (DUAC), which had sought a revised building plan and made suggestions such as incorporating public art along the fencing and the gates of the Parliament complex.

It further noted that the height of the building along the periphery of the boundary wall should be up to 3.6 meters so as to ensure that the new Parliament building is visible from the adjoining roads and presents an aesthetically pleasing street picture.

The suggestions made by DUAC have been taken into account and necessary changes have been made. More detailed plans will be made as the project progresses. Plans for incorporation of public art will also be detailed out, Patel said.

The new Parliament complex, which has an earlier deadline of 2022 under the Central Vista redevelopment plan, will be among the first plans to be finalised and tendered out.

The redevelopment will also see North and South Block turning into a museum as well as new administrative offices with an underground metro on either side of the avenue.

On January 21, Hindustan Times reported that the new Lok Sabha hall would be big enough to house up to 1,350 parliamentarians for joint sessions.
ANN ARBOR, MI  Whenever students return to Ann Arbors Pattengill Elementary for in-person classes, theyll have a new education tool waiting for analysis on the schools rooftop.

Ann Arbor Public Schools is in the midst of commissioning a 300-panel solar array installed atop the school that is expected to generate 100kW of solar power.
KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- A local video showing a man's revealing reaction after being questioned about acting suspicious at a Waldo hardware store has gone viral. KCTV5's Greg Payne spoke with one of the employees whose full commentary of the situation is being seen and heard around the world.
Tireless: twins Shauna and Rachael Kelly are both on the frontline and were nominated by their biggest fan, grandmother Ann Kelly, picturedhere with Shauna. Photo: James Connolly

Sligo twin sisters Shauna and Rachael Kelly (27) have been hailed for their tireless efforts on the frontline during the pandemic.

Junior infants teacher Shauna minded the children of healthcare workers in Sligo General Hospital during the height of the crisis, while Rachael has been working in the Mater Hospital as a social worker.

Today, the women are named as Irish Independent Frontline Stars of the Week.

Originally from Riverstown in Co Sligo, they were nominated by their paternal grandmother Ann Kelly, who is their "biggest fan".

"Rachael worked very long hours in the Mater. As a social worker, she had to speak to people who were dying and whose family couldn't go in to see them.

"That's a very difficult job to do and she worked in a team and she always spoke very highly of them.

"I was delighted to see her, she was home for a week and they were out canoeing. One day she said she slept 12 hours and didn't realise how caught up in it all she was," explained Ann.

Rachael said that returning home to Sligo for a week from working during the pandemic in one of Ireland's busiest hospitals after five months was "the best week" she's ever had.

"I've been abroad on holidays halfway across the world but I haven't spent a better week. It was one of the best weeks of my life," she said.

"The days that I spent putting on PPE, to go into the wards, the nature of it, it's uncomfortable, it's sweaty, I just imagined going home and I reminded myself that it would pass, everything will pass."

Shauna lives in Riverstown and was minding the children of two families whose parents work as healthcare staff in Sligo General Hospital during the pandemic.

"The school closed but I thought it was silly for people like me to be sitting at home doing nothing.

"So I asked around town if anyone needed help with childcare and I looked after two kids in one family and four in another.

"I miss teaching so much and I was dying to go back, so, from a selfish point of view, I was delighted to mind kids. Everything was so weird in the world but when you're with a four- and a five-year-old, everything is just normal," Shauna said.

Ann said that the twins were brilliant at taking care of her while she cocooned.

"Shauna brought in the messages and would leave them on the doorstep every week and Rachael would ring me and keep in touch," she said. "I'm very proud of them and they both really cheered me up, they were a great support to me."

:: For more than 60 years, the Irish Independent has honoured the Sportstar of the Week. This year, our nation has faced a challenge far beyond our sporting fields. To nominate, email your submission (100 words max) with a photo, telling us about your nominee to frontlinestar@independent.ie
Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: The encounter killing of dreaded gangster Vikas Dubey has raised doubts on the police approach. The opposition parties have slammed the police administration and state government for eliminating the criminal in allegedly a hush-hush manner.

Dubey was arrested by Ujjain police on Thursday and was being brought to Kanpur by a team of STF sleuths. Four personnel of STF were also injured during the encounter.

Launching a scathing attack on Yogi Adityanath government, Samajwadi Party chief and former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav called it a plot to cover up many mysteries which could have unravelled if Dubey had opened his mouth. That could have caused trouble for the government. Yadav tweeted: The car has now overturned, but the government was saved from being overturning because of their secret.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi resorted to a poetic thought to pull sarcasm on the dispensation. The Congress leader said: Kayee jawabon se achchhi hai khamoshi uski; Na jane kitne sawalon ki aabroo rakh li ..... (His silence is better than many answers. He has kept the honour of many questions intact)...

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also hinted at the allegations of a nexus between Dubey and powerful personalities. "This is the end of a criminal but what about his crimes and people who protected him? she tweeted.

Senior Congress leader Jitin Prasad tweeted: With the end of Vikas Dubey in custody the government has ensured that the trail which would have exposed his nexus with people in positions of power because of whom criminals flourish, has ended too.

BSP chief Mayawati has demanded an in-depth probe under the supervision of the Supreme Court of India into Dubey's encounter and all other aspects related to him.

The BSP chief, in her tweet, said that the probe was also necessary to ensure justice to the families of eight policemen who were martyred in the ambush by the deceased gangster. She also suggested that an inquiry would also help in exposing the nexus among criminals, police, and politicians and guilty should be adequately punished. Only then, the system could be cleansed, said the BSP chief.

Another tweet targeting the police encounter of Vikas Dubey was made by former Jammu & Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah. Dead men tell no tales #VikasDubey, tweeted Abdullah.

Former MP CM and Congress leader Digvijaya Singh also tweeted saying the thing people were speculating on, has now been carried out. What was suspected has been done. The politicians, police, and other government officials Dubey had contact with, will no longer be exposed. In the last 3-4 days, two other colleagues of Vikas Dubey have also had encounters, but why is the pattern of the three encounters the same?," he tweeted.

Digvijaya Singh further said that it was necessary to find out why Dubey had chosen the Ujjain Mahakal temple in Madhya Pradesh to surrender. "Which influential person of MP had come here to escape the encounter of Uttar Pradesh Police? he tweeted.
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Linkedin Lawrence Hurley and Matt Scuffham (Reuters) Washington, United States  Fri, July 10, 2020 14:30 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066567885 2 World Donald-Trump,financial-record,financial-report,tax-collection,tax,wealth-reports,wealth Free

A US Supreme Court ruling on Thursday allowed the chief Manhattan prosecutor to obtain the financial records of President Donald Trump from third parties.

Here is what you need to know:

What is the case?

The case concerns a subpoena issued to Trump's longtime accounting firm Mazars LLP for the president's financial records, including tax returns. It was issued as part of a grand jury investigation into the Republican Trump carried out by the office of Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance Jr, a Democrat.

Unlike other recent presidents, Trump has refused to disclose his tax returns and other materials that would shed light on the scope of his wealth. The content of these records has remained a persistent mystery even as he seeks re-election.

What is the New York prosecutor investigating?

In September 2019 Vance sought nearly a decade of tax returns, part of a criminal investigation that began in 2018 into Trump and the Trump Organization, the president's family real estate business. It was prompted by disclosures of hush payments made to two women who said they had past sexual relationships with him - pornographic film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal. Trump and his aides have denied the relationships.

What did the court rule?

In a 7-2 opinion authored by conservative Chief Justice John Roberts, the court ruled that the subpoena asking Mazars LLP to turn over financial records to a grand jury as part of a criminal investigation can be enforced.

The ruling does not mean the documents will be handed over immediately because of expected wrangling in lower courts. A final outcome could be delayed until after the Nov. 3 election in which Trump is seeking a second term in office.

Trump's argument that he was immune from any criminal process "runs up against the 200 years of precedent establishing that Presidents, and their official communications, are subject to judicial process," Roberts wrote.

"We affirm that principle today and hold that the president is neither absolutely immune from state criminal subpoenas seeking his private papers nor entitled to a heightened standard of need," Roberts added.

Roberts also rejected the suggestion that the decision would subject future presidents to harassment by local prosecutors, noting that the court in 1997 rejected a similar argument made by President Bill Clinton when he faced a civil lawsuit brought by Paula Jones, a woman who accused him of making unwanted sexual advances.

"Given these safeguards and the court's precedents, we cannot conclude that absolute immunity is necessary or appropriate," Roberts wrote.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 22:13:14|Editor: huaxia

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BERLIN, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The Federation of German Industries (BDI) warned on Friday of massive economic consequences if the post-Brexit trade negotiations between the European Union (EU) and Britain fail to produce an agreement by Dec. 31, 2020, the end of the scheduled transition period.

"Without clear guidelines for trade in goods, Brexit will become an economic disaster for companies," said BDI Director General Joachim Lang. Britain's withdrawal from the EU without a trade agreement would be the "worst outcome for all sides."

Although Britain already left the EU at the end of January, it will still be part of the EU internal market and customs union until the end of this year. "Negotiators on both sides of the Channel must now urgently use the time to agree on a comprehensive free-trade agreement," Lang said.

During this transitional phase, the long-term relations between the EU and Britain will have to be renegotiated. A deadline to extend the transition period was missed by the British government at the end of June.

In order to simplify customs procedures as far as possible, the BDI has published a position paper with recommendations on the simplified trade of goods. "Simple rules would make trade massively easier, especially for small and medium-sized companies, and reduce bureaucratic burdens considerably," stressed Lang. Enditem
It has emerged that Bobby Storeys funeral service at Roselawn Cemetery in east Belfast last Tuesday was the only one of nine that day where 30 people were allowed to attend an outdoor service on site (Liam McBurney/PA)

Belfast councillors have voted in favour of an independent investigation into the events leading up to and surrounding the cremation of veteran republican Bobby Storey at Roselawn Crematorium.

When Mr Storey was cremated at the facility on June 30 his family and friends were allowed to attend, while eight other families whose loved ones were cremated at Roselawn on the same day were denied access.

The fallout from Mr Storey's funeral has created a political row, while the council has come under pressure to explain why Mr Storey's family and friends were treated differently.

A special meeting of Belfast City Council was called for Friday and a motion calling for an independent investigation into the events was passed with 36 votes. Nobody voted against the motion, while Sinn Fein and People Before Profit councillors abstained.

Speaking at the meeting DUP council leader George Dorrian said it was a matter of profound regret that such a meeting even needed to take place.

He said the matter had caused unparalleled hurt to the families affected and said the facts needed to come out to restore confidence in the council.

Sinn Fein councillor Ciaran Beattie said the row around Mr Storey's cremation had led to a "witch hunt" to damage council officers.

He said Mr Storey would have wanted every family to have been treated equally on the day in question.

Veteran UUP councillor Jim Rodgers said what had happened was "unbelievable" and he had never experienced anything like it in all his years on council, while the SDLP's Donal Lyons said a comprehensive investigation was needed.

It comes after the Department of Health confirmed there had been no further coronavirus-related deaths in Northern Ireland for the past seven consecutive days.

The death toll in the region remains at 554.

Read More

Follow our live blog below for today's latest developments:
The Type 054A guided-missile frigate Yulin (Hull 569) and the Type 052D guided-missile destroyer Hohhot (Hull 161) attached to a destroyer flotilla with the navy under the PLA Southern Theater Command steam in a stern formation during a maritime maneuver operation in waters of the South China Sea on June 18, 2020. (eng.chinnmil.com.cn/Photo by Li Hongming)

By accusing China's military exercises near the Xisha Islands of causing instability in the South China Sea, the US Defense Ministry disregarded the facts, confused right from wrong, and attempted to alienate countries in the region and reap unfair gains, China's Ministry of National Defense said on Thursday.

"We are strongly dissatisfied and are resolutely against this," said Defense Ministry spokesperson Ren Guoqiang in a statement.

Ren's remarks came after the Pentagon on July 2 claimed the Chinese drills, which were held in waters near China's Xisha Islands from July 1 to Sunday, were "counter-productive to efforts at easing tensions and maintaining stability," Reuters reported.

China announced the drills on June 27 as part of the annual training schedule, Ren said, noting that the drills were aimed at effectively boosting the Chinese military's maritime defense capability, resolutely safeguarding national sovereignty and security, and maintaining regional peace and stability.

The drills were not aimed at any specific country or target, the spokesperson said.

Under the joint efforts of China and ASEAN member states, the situation in the South China Sea is generally stable and moving toward a good direction. However, the US keeps sending large batches of advanced warships and aircraft to the South China Sea for provocations and muscle-flexing, conducting navigation hegemony operations many times and threatening regional security and stability, Ren said.

Only two days after accusing China's drills, the US on Saturday sent two aircraft carriers plus four other warships to the South China Sea for its largest-scale exercises in the region in years, CNN reported on Saturday.

The US is the biggest pusher of militarization in the South China Sea, and goes against the efforts and wishes of peace of countries in the region, Ren said.

China is committed to building an Asian community of a shared future with countries in the region, and developing friendly and cooperative relations based on respect, equality, and mutual benefit, the spokesperson said.

We hope the US can look back at its mistakes, stop provocative military operations in the South China Sea, stop groundless accusations against China, stop alienating countries in the region, and stop creating tensions, Ren said.
Meghan Markle has accused a British newspaper of "playing a media game with real lives" over its attempts to name five of her friends who gave a favourable interview about her to a US magazine.

The 38-year-old claims the 'Mail on Sunday' newspaper wants to "expose them in the public domain for no reason other than clickbait and commercial gain", alleging the action is "vicious and poses a threat to their emotional and mental wellbeing".

Saying that each one of them was a "private citizen and young mother", she accused the publisher of trying to "create a circus" of their lives.

A spokesman for the 'Mail on Sunday' said it had "absolutely no intention" of publishing the identities of the friends this weekend, but had informed the Duchess of Sussex's lawyers they wanted the question of their anonymity "properly considered by the court".

"Their evidence is at the heart of the case and we see no reason why their identities should be kept secret," they said.

It is understood that, should the friends give evidence as witnesses to the case, the newspaper would want to cross-examine them about whether Ms Markle knew about their original interview and, if not, why they chose to speak without her knowledge or permission.

The case concerns how far the letter from Meghan to her father Thomas could be considered "private", with the disclosures from anonymous friends considered key.

Ms Markle's lawyers will today apply to block 'Mail' owner Associated Newspapers from naming the five anonymous friends, by filing an application in the High Court in London.

In a witness statement submitted to the court, Ms Markle said: "Associated Newspapers, the owner of the 'Daily Mail' and the 'Mail on Sunday', is threatening to publish the names of five women - five private citizens - who made a choice on their own to speak anonymously with a US media outlet more than a year ago, to defend me from the bullying behaviour of Britain's tabloid media."

The duchess is suing for undisclosed damages for breaches of privacy, copyright and data protection.

Associated Newspapers has wholly denied all claims against the group, including that the letter was edited. ( Daily Telegraph, London)
Working from home could be about to get a major upgrade, as Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley has said her government is considering letting visitors stay and work remotely from the island for a year.

Mottley said lawmakers were looking at introducing the 12-month "Barbados Welcome Stamp," noting that restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic had made short-term travel more difficult because of the testing now required.

"You don't need to work in Europe, or the U.S. or Latin America if you can come here and work for a couple months at a time; go back and come back," she said in a speech last week, according to the Barbados Government Information Service website. She added that it would allow "persons to come and work from here overseas, digitally so, so that persons don't need to remain in the countries in which they are."
10.07.2020 LISTEN

In order for Ghana to have a clear picture of the COVID-19 infection rate in senior high schools, it will be very necessary for to initiate and conduct mass testing among students.

According to the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), mass testing in schools particularly, those that have recorded cases of COVID-19 should be considered.

Philippa Larsen, the GNAT President, said the government had promised that such mass testing would be in order in the event of recorded cases.

Accra Girls SHS, Konongo Wesley SHS, and Mfanstiman Girls SHS are among the schools with confirmed cases of the virus.

We were informed that anytime there is the information of a confirmed case in a particular school, students and staff of the school will go through the testing, she recounted on the Citi Breakfast Show.

GNAT, along with other teacher unions and observers, had initially proposed mass testing before school resumed on June 22.

But the government has consistently argued that mass testing is not feasible.

With the recorded cases, however, Ms. Larsen said: We expect that the schools that have recorded cases should have their staff and students go through the testing. Inadequate of PPE

One of the main challenges GNAT has observed has been the inadequate supply of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE).

The government assured that each student, teaching and non-teaching staff will be provided with three pieces of reusable face masks.

Two of these were to be ready within two weeks of schools resuming.

But Ms. Larsen noted that schools were still lacking PPE, as well as other accoutrements like thermometer guns, sanitizers etc.

We are not too happy about the fact that schools have not received the full complement of their logistics, she said.

Eighteen thousand Veronica Buckets, 800,000 pieces of 200-millilitre sanitisers, 36,000 rolls of tissue paper, 36,000 gallons of liquid soap and 7,200 thermometer guns were supposed to be supplied to the schools.

Despite the challenges, the GNAT president acknowledged that schools were largely adhering to safety protocols.

Work is going on in the schools; the way they have arranged their beds and all. I visited some of the dormitories and I was impressed, to be honest with you.

---CitinewsRoom
The bill, which would gradually be phased in and cost an additional $4 billion in fiscal year 2030, was vetoed by Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican who cited its huge cost and the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. The General Assembly, which is controlled by Democrats, passed the bill with enough votes to override the veto the next time the legislature meets, now scheduled for January.
Boris Johnson has been accused of 'parachuting in' loyalist ex-Cabinet minister Chris Grayling as chair of the Commons intelligence watchdog.

The former transport secretary is expected to be put forward to head the crucial Intelligence and Security Committee when the membership is decided next week.

The body has not met for more than six months as it has not yet got up and running after the election, with the PM facing claims he is dragging his heels due to a long-delayed report into allegations of Russian interference in UK politics.

MPs will be asked to approve a motion confirming the ISC's new membership on Monday, ahead of a similar procedure in the Lords on Tuesday.

But SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said that the 'shameful' delays were compounded by the decision to 'parachute' Mr Grayling into the top post.

Boris Johnson (left) has been accused of 'parachuting in' loyalist ex-Cabinet minister Chris Grayling (right) as chair of the Commons intelligence watchdog

'Its impartiality from government is critical to its ability to function effectively,' he said.

'It is then deeply concerning that the latest plan devised by Dominic Cummings and Boris Johnson will aim to parachute Chris Grayling as chair of the committee by putting forward favourable Tory members who will vote him through as chair.

'The chair of the ISC has long been appointed by consensus and this move does nothing less than undermine the role of the ISC and breach its independence.'

Labour MP Peter Dowd said: 'Oh dear. I expect he'll want to privatise the Intelligence and Security Committee next. Maybe even sell it off to the Russians?'

Politicians from across the spectrum, including Conservative former cabinet member David Davis, have been urging the Government to allow the ISC to re-form to publish the Russia report.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'The publication will be a matter for the new committee but we will encourage them to publish it as soon as possible.'

The Commons petitions committee wrote to the PM last week urging him to set up the ISC after 'extensive delays' and a petition calling for the move received over 100,000 signatures.

Mr Davis previously said there is 'no acceptable reason for further delay' and the Government 'needs to remember that parliamentary accountability is not an optional extra'.

Mr Grayling has been dubbed 'failing Grayling' for his involvement in numerous controversies, to chair the ISC.

He is among the MPs nominated for the ISC, and although the committee's members vote to decide who chairs it there is a Tory majority built in.

Other MPs nominated to the body include Tories Sir John Hayes, Julian Lewis, Mark Pritchard and Theresa Villiers; Labour's Dame Diana Johnson and Kevan Jones, and the SNP's Stewart Hosie.

Dominic Grieve, former Tory Cabinet minister and chairman of the ISC, said any new chair would need to hold cross-party 'respect'.

Mr Grieve told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'The whole point about this committee is it is non-partisan.

Another former Cabinet minister, Theresa Villiers (pictured), has also been nominated to join the key committee

'The Prime Minister nor anybody should be seeking to tell the committee who should be the chair, it is for the committee to decide under the statute which sets it up.'

Asked whether Mr Grayling was a suitable candidate for chair, Mr Grieve said: 'I don't have a view for who the right chair should be apart from the fact I'm absolutely clear in my mind it should be a matter for the committee and that the committee should not be put under party political pressure as to who the chair should be.'

He added: 'The chair should be somebody who is respected on a cross-party basis.'

Mr Grieve said the release of a long-delayed report into allegations of Russian interference into UK politics could still be weeks away from publication as the committee would need to be inducted and then understand and approve the content of the previous membership's report for which the evidence dated back to late 2018.
Victoria has recorded 288 new coronavirus cases, the biggest daily increase in infections since the pandemic began and the fifth consecutive day of triple-digit rises.

The dramatic spike pushes the state's tally of active cases past 1000 for the first time and comes as residents in the Melbourne and Mitchell Shire lockdown zone have been advised to wear face masks outside their homes with the government soon to begin the distribution of millions of masks to the public.

Premier Daniel Andrews prepared the state for even more bad news, saying on Friday that the numbers were likely to get worse before they got better.

Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said police had imposed 12 fines on motorists at road checkpoints with 60 infringements issued elsewhere, including 16 fines at a birthday party in Dandenong after partygoers were spotted ordering large amounts of KFC.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff calls for rational, mature discussion about bases named for Civil War icons.

The top general in the United States said on Thursday the military had to take a hard look at symbols of the Confederacy  including the names of bases  and said he had recommended a commission to look at the issue even as President Donald Trump has ruled out renaming military bases named after Confederate leaders.

Despite Americans being more conscious about race issues following the death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody, Trump has favoured keeping the names of 10 military bases from Virginia to Texas named for Confederate military leaders.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milleys comments could put him and the military on a collision course with Trump, who has dismissed calls to rename bases as an attempt to erase American history.

Ive recommended a commission of folks to take a hard look at the bases, the statues, the names, all of this stuff, to see if we can have a rational, mature discussion, Milley told a congressional hearing.

There is no place in our armed forces for manifestations or symbols of racism, bias or discrimination, he said, noting that the American Civil War was an act of treason at the time.

43% of U.S. troops are minorities, Milley said. In the Army where 10 bases are named for Confederate leaders 20-30% of soldiers are African American.

When driving onto a base, they're reminded the general fought for an institution that "may have enslaved one of their ancestors." https://t.co/Vfvn70fSY2  Gina Harkins (@GinaAHarkins) July 9, 2020

Milley added the focus for the military, in which 43 percent of its members are minorities, was unity and cohesion.

For those young soldiers who go onto a base, a Fort Hood or a Fort Bragg or a fort wherever named after a Confederate general, they can be reminded that that general fought for an institution of slavery that may have enslaved one of their ancestors, Milley said.

Trumps rejection of renaming bases, via a tweet last month and in recent public comments, runs counter to the opinions of Pentagon officials who have said they are open to discussing the issue.

US military bases named for Confederate military leaders are all located in former Confederate states. Many of those states helped elect Trump in 2016, and he is counting on them again for the November 3 election.

The Republican-led US Senate Armed Services Committee has voted to require the Pentagon to rename military bases named after Confederate generals.

Milley made the comments in an appearance before the House Armed Services Committee, where he and Defense Secretary Mark Esper fielded questions about the role of the military during recent protests triggered by Floyds killing.

A woman reacts to being hit with pepper spray as protesters clash with US Park Police near the White House in Washington, DC. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Thursday that use of active-duty military to police such protests should be a last resort in the most dire of situations. [File: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images/AFP]

Esper said using the National Guard was a better alternative than using active-duty forces to police the protests as Trump had threatened, a stance that is at odds with the presidents. Trump spoke of invoking the Insurrection Act in order to use active-duty forces as a means of quelling some of the violence that arose, particularly in Washington, DC.

Several active-duty units were put on alert and stationed nearby but ultimately were not deployed in Washington, DC.

Using active-duty forces in a direct civilian law enforcement role should remain a last resort, and exercised only in the most urgent and dire of situations, Esper said, stressing that no active-duty military units engaged protesters or took a direct part in law enforcement in the District of Columbia or other places in the country.





The Pentagon leaders also told Congress reports of Russia offering Taliban fighters bounties for killing Americans were not corroborated by defence intelligence agencies, but said they are looking into it and the US will respond if necessary.

Esper said his military commanders heard initial reports on the bounties in January and he first saw an intelligence paper about it in February. While the threats were taken seriously, he said they have not yet been found credible.

If in fact theres bounties directed by the government of Russia or any of their institutions to kill American soldiers, thats a big deal, Milley told the committee. I and the secretary and many others are taking it seriously, were going to get to the bottom of it, were going to find out if, in fact, its true. And if it is true we will take action.
A teenager has told jurors he thought police had got the wrong person when he was arrested over the death of Pc Andrew Harper.

Albert Bowers, 18, was the front passenger in the Seat Toledo which dragged the 28-year-old Thames Valley police officer to his death by a tow rope.

Pc Harper had got out of his vehicle to apprehend suspected quad bike thieves when he became tangled in the strap.

He was pulled along for more than a mile before he became detached, having suffered horrific injuries.

Henry Long, 19, Albert Bowers, 18, and Jessie Cole, 18, as they sit in the dock at the Old Bailey in London / Elizabeth Cook/PA

Bowers is on trial at the Old Bailey accused of his murder along with the driver Henry Long, 19, and Jessie Cole, 18.

Giving evidence at the Old Bailey, Bowers denied seeing or hearing anything strange when Pc Harper was killed, amid the noise of the radio and shouting in the car.

When he was arrested over Pc Harpers death, he thought police had the wrong person or something.

He told jurors: I feel terrible this happened. I wish it hadnt.

On the night of August 15 last year, Bowers had acted as the look-out as he, Long and Cole stole a quad bike from a property in Stanford Dingley, Berkshire.

Long had driven the Seat while Cole rode the bike towed behind by a rope attached to the rear.

When they came across an unmarked BMW police car in Admoor Lane, Long shouted police, jurors heard.

Bowers told jurors: When he said it, I did not know what he was talking about. I can see why he said it now. I could not see. All I could see was the front.

When we pulled up I started to shout to Jessie to leave the quad.

As Long pulled the car around the other vehicle, Bowers said he did not see anyone get out and only realised it was a police car when its blue lights started flashing.

On the fast-paced events, he said: All of a sudden two hands came through my window. Thats when I realised it was Jessie trying to get in.

Defence barrister Timothy Raggatt QC asked: Did Jessie say anything?

Bowers replied: Not that I remember at all. Everyone was shouting.

When he jumped through the window his legs came over me, his hands on to Henry and thats when Henrys shouting get off, get off, get off.

The defendant said he grabbed Cole and put him in the back seat so Long could drive.

Mr Raggatt asked: At any point at all were you ever aware there was anybody else outside your car?

He said: No. Apart from Jessie I did not see nothing.

Court sketch of Henry Long, 18, sitting next to a dock officer at the Old Bailey / PA

As they made off, Bowers said the radio, which was tuned in to Kiss or Capital, was turned up and everyone was still shouting.

I can remember saying to Henry to slow down because (of the) narrow roads and bends, he said.

Mr Raggatt asked: Did Jessie say anything about what happened just before he got in the car?

Bowers said: He did not say anything.

He denied hearing anything unusual, saying: There was too much going on in the car  Henry panicking and shouting and music loud.

At that point we did not talk about the car, we just wanted to get home. It is hard to remember exactly what happened, so many people shouting. I was shouting, Henry and Jessie was.

Obviously we knew it was police. We knew we were trying to get away because obviously we nicked the quad.

Bowers said he never looked behind or saw anything strange throughout the whole journey.

Mr Raggatt asked: Did you ever hear any other sounds apart from all of that?

Bowers said: I can remember hearing when we were going round the bend fast, the noise of the tyres because we were going so quick.

Cross examining, prosecutor Jonathan Laidlaw QC replayed video footage of the incident in slow motion.

He said: Jessie was running towards the car and then something caused him to turn round and look back to Pc Harper.

The prosecution say once he got into the car he told you he had seen a police officer.

Bowers denied the suggestion or that he had seen Pc Harper himself.

The defendants, from near Reading in Berkshire, have admitted conspiring to steal the bike but deny murder.

Long has admitted manslaughter but denies intending to harm the officer.
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / July 10, 2020 / AEX Gold Inc. (TSXV:AEX) ("AEX" or the "Corporation") is pleased to provide an update on the results of a recent metallurgical test work program which was aimed at confirming the historical gravity gold recovery results of the mineralized materials from the Nalunaq Gold Project, in South Greenland.

Key Highlights:

The AEX 2020 Gravity Recoverable Gold (GRG) test work was conducted at SGS Canada Inc. facility in Lakefield, Ontario, Canada;

2020 test result shows 90% GRG using the standard test method 1 ;

; Historical GRG test work yielded results of up to 89% (Kvaerner, 2002) 2 ;

; 2020 Test work reproduced and marginally outperformed the historically high GRG results from the past metallurgical investigations;

The Nalunaq Gold Project's mineralized material is highly amenable to gold recovery using gravity recovery methods;

Gravity gold recovery is a cornerstone element of the processing methods at Nalunaq.

Eldur Olafsson, CEO of AEX, stated

"Gravity gold recovery is impressively high and is a cornerstone for processing at Nalunaq. The gravity amenability of Nalunaq's mineralized material was recognized first-hand early in the history of the project and will be leveraged in the future development of the asset.'

Background

Gold at Nalunaq is mineralised in a quartz vein hosted in an amphibolite-granite sequence and is classified as a narrow-vein orogenic lode-gold type system. The vein is generally less than 1 meter in thickness and is dominated by coarse, often visible gold and a nuggety grade distribution. Figure 1 shows an example of a high-grade sample from Nalunaq's Main Vein.

Figure 1: Example image showing a high-grade gold-quartz vein sample from the Nalunaq Main Vein containing coarse gold (Nalunaq 43-101 report, 2016). The picture is of selected material and is not representative of the mineralization hosted on the property.

The GRG test was developed to characterize gold bearing material's amenability to gold recovery using gravity techniques. An Extended Gravity Recoverable Gold (EGRG) test was also developed which requires a smaller sample and which simplifies the procedure. The test procedures have been the industry standard for over two decades. The test involves gold recovery in three stages to determine the GRG as it is liberated at finer grinding sizes. Exceptional testing results have been obtained historically using samples of Nalunaq's mineralized material.

Two samples (Level 350 Composite and Level 450 Level Composite) were tested in 2001 at McGill University where the GRG test procedure was developed and yielded GRG of 85% and 89%, respectively (Kvaerner, 2002). GRG in the samples reported mostly at a coarse size, and was predominantly liberated or near liberated. Recommendations made as a result of the test work for the full-scale plant included the use of vigorous gravity recovery in the process flowsheet.

Historical processing (2003-2006) of Nalunaq mineralized material at an industrial-scale was undertaken at the El Valle plant in Spain, which included gravity recovery. Results from the processing campaigns revealed an average gold recovery by gravity of 65%. It should be noted that, although the gravity recovery at El Valle was high, gravity circuit at the El Valle plant was not designed specifically for Nalunaq's mineralized materials. Therefore, a gravity recovery circuit customized for Nalunaq's feed material has the potential to exceed the gold recovery that was achieved at El Valle.

Current Testwork Program (2020)

Samples from Nalunaq were taken in 2016, as detailed in the project's Technical Report3. The sample tested was taken from the top of pillars on the western and eastern sides of stope number 300-18 in the 310 Level West, South Block. The sample was taken such that it was representative of the true mining width, including quartz vein, hangingwall and footwall material, emulating the dilution that would occur during normal mining operations. Sampling lines were marked on the pillars using spray paint and 201.6 kg of material was collected manually. The sampled material was placed in plastic barrels for despatch.

The sample was analysed (Table 1) and contained 39.03 g/t gold and 2.40 g/t silver (Technical Report, 2016). Figure 2 illustrates the sampling location.

Table 1: Sample 300-18 assay results showing a gold grade of 39.03 g/t (Technical Report, 2016)

Sample

ID Original

Sample

Weight,

kg Feed

Weight

for

Analysis,

g Fraction Wt.

% Assay

Au g/t Assay

Ag g/t Dist.

Au % Dist.

Ag % 300.18 201.60 1.0002 Oversize 2.93 625.00 30.60 46.91 37.33 Undersize Undersize duplicate 97.07 19.31 23.38 1.60 1.50 53.09 62.67 Sample 100.00 39.03 2.40 100.00 100.00

Figure 2: Sample location on the 310 South Block West Level at the top of stope 300-18 (western side) (Technical Report, 2016)

Due to the relatively high-grade, the sample was diluted (50%:50%) with host rock (devoid of gold) from the Nalunaq mine to better represent the historical mine head grade. The dilution material was hand-picked from broken material in the drive at the 460 level in Target Block, and comprised of unmineralized amphibolite and granite. The diluted sample average assay was 17.7 g/t.

The 2020 test work employed the EGRG test procedure. Table 2 summarizes the results obtained from the EGRG test work undertaken at SGS. The test results show exceptional performance with 90% overall GRG for the three stages.

Table 2: Summary of the 2020 Extended GRG test results on the 300-18 Sample

GRG

Stage Grind

(P80), m GRG,

% 1 602 58 2 263 79 3 68 90

Table 3 and Figure 3 compare current and historical test work results. The latest result is slightly superior to the historical results and further confirms that the mineralized material at Nalunaq is highly amenable to gravity recovery.

Table 3: Current and Historical GRG Results on Nalunaq Ore Samples

Sample Test Location Year

Tested Gold,

g/t GRG,

% 350 Level Composite McGill University 2001 9.9 85 450 Level Composite McGill University 2001 23.3 89 310 Level Sample SGS Canada 2020 17.7 90

Figure 3: Graphical representation of GRG Results on Nalunaq Ore Samples

Qualified Person and QA/QC

The scientific and technical information presented in this press release has been approved by Dr. Jarrett Quinn, P.Eng. (OIQ 5018119), Principal Metallurgist at Jarrett Quinn Consultant Inc., and James Purchase, P.Geo. (OGQ 2082), Director of Geology and Resources of G Mining Services Inc. and independent to AEX Gold Inc. for purposes of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). Mr. Quinn and Mr. Purchase are members of L'Ordre des Ingenieurs du Quebec and L'Ordre des Geologues du Quebec respectively, and are "qualified persons" for purposes of NI 43-101.

Sample Preparation and Assaying Techniques

Sample 300-18 was initially prepared and analysed by Wheal Jane Laboratory of Cornwall, England.

Sample preparation involved three stages of crushing and splitting. The first stage crushed material to 20 mm and split into 10 kg charges. A 10 kg split was then crushed to -5 mm, sub-sampled down to 2-3 kg and finally take down to -2.0 mm with samples split out for pulverizing and analysis.

Gold assays were performed with the M4 screened metallics method, which is a UKAS 17025 accredited method. This involves stage pulverising a 1 kg sample through a 106 m screen until between 30 g and 50 g of oversize material remain. This entire oversize fraction along with two similar sized duplicate fractions of the undersize are then assayed to extinction in order to determine gold content. The Screened Metallics protocol reduces the likelihood of factors such as the nugget effect influencing the results of the head assay. The final assay grade was 39.03 g/t Au.

Metallurgical Procedure

Metallurgical test work was conducted by SGS Canada Inc. of Lakefield, Ontario, Canada, using the following methodology.

For the mineralized material, 36 kg of sample was split from the original sample using a rotary riffle splitter. For the dilution material, 36 kg was split out using the cone and quarter method. Both samples were crushed to 20 mesh, combined and tumbled (drum tumbler) to homogenize the sample. A rotary riffle was used to split out 10 kg charges for testwork. One charge was further split using the rotary riffle to obtain a 251.7 g sample. The sample was then split into four samples (three samples for gold fire assay to extinction (GC FAA35V) and the fourth sample for arsenic (GC XRF75F) and sulfur (GC CSA06V) analysis). All three methods are accredited under ISO/IEC 17025. The average gold assay for the three splits was 17.7 g/t. Arsenic and sulfur assayed 0.051% and 0.29%, respectively.

The EGRG test procedure involves gold recovery in three stages in a laboratory Knelson concentrator to determine the gravity recoverable gold as it is liberated at finer grinding sizes. The tailings from the subsequent stage are re-ground and processed through the gravity concentrator. Concentrates are recovered individually at each stage and analysed for gold content.

Contact Information

George Fowlie, Director and CFO

1-416-587-9801

gf@aexgold.com

Eldur Olafsson, Director and CEO

+354 665 2003

eo@aexgold.com

Camarco (Financial PR)

Gordon Poole / Nick Hennis

+44 (0) 20 3757 4980

About AEX

AEX's principal business objectives are the identification, acquisition, exploration and development of gold properties in Greenland. The Corporation's principal asset is a 100% interest in the Nalunaq Project, an advanced exploration stage property with an exploitation license including the previously operating Nalunaq gold mine. AEX is incorporated under the Canada Business Corporations Act and wholly owns Nalunaq A/S, incorporated under the Greenland Public Companies Act.

Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, which reflects the Corporation's current expectations regarding future events and the future growth of the Corporation's business. In this press release there is forward-looking information based on a number of assumptions and subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Corporation's control, that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to the factors discussed under "Risk Factors" in the Final Prospectus available under the Corporation's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Any forward-looking information included in this press release is based only on information currently available to the Corporation and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Corporation assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information to reflect new circumstances or events. No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this press release. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

1 Note that GRG tests are standardized laboratory tests which are indicative of the gravity recovery potential of a sample, and are not meant to be used directly as parameters in an economic analysis

2 Kvaerner (2002), Nalunaq Gold Project Feasibility Study, prepared for Nalunaq I/S, Internal report, prepared by KVAERNER Engineering & Construction UK Ltd.

3 An Independent Technical Report on the Nalunaq Gold Project, South Greenland" dated March 20, 2017 (effective date of December 16, 2016), prepared for Nalunaq A/S by SRK Exploration Services Ltd.

SOURCE: AEX Gold Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/596958/Excellent-Gravity-Recoverable-Gold-GRG-Test-Work-Results-at-Nalunaq
Rachel Lyter, a senior business major and theology minor, is one of 15 students nationwide to be awarded the Ropke-Wojtya Fellowship for 2020-21. The highly-competitive Ropke-Wojtya Fellowship, sponsored by The Catholic University of America, educates future Catholic intellectuals and business leaders in social thought, especially as it pertains to society, economic systems, business and religion and in regards to Catholic social thought.

I look forward to the intellectual and networking experiences it will bring during my senior year, said Lyter, who will be part of the programs fourth cohort. Reading the description of the Ropke-Wojtya Fellowship for the first time excited me as it aligned with my previous academic coursework and personal intellectual interests.

As part of the Fellowship, Lyter will receive a $3,500 stipend and participate in three one-day colloquia in Washington, D.C., with a fourth gathering in Rome. Fellows enjoy meals, Mass, discussion sessions and hear inspiring scholars discuss topics on history, philosophy, political economy, politics and sociology. Fellows will study such works as John Ruskins critique of political economy, St. Thomas Aquinas work on natural law, Charles Babbages analysis of automation, Rpkes assessment of the social framework for the market order and Wojtyas philosophy of the human person.

I am most excited to expand my knowledge through exposure to works from philosophers, economists and theologians as we explore aspects of Catholic social thought, Lyter added.

Founded in 2017 and named for Wilhelm Rpke, the late economist, and Karol Jozef Wojtya, better known as John Paul II, the Ropke-Wojtya Fellowship encourages young Catholics to explore important questions of social philosophy, such as the makings of a good society, the civilizing aspect of commerce and the tensions between markets and community.

I feel the discussions fostered by the program leaders based on classic texts will lead me to a higher integration of knowledge between my study of the market and society. I also pray that conditions will allow our cohort to travel to Rome in May 2021 for a weeklong pilgrimage, said Lyter, who participated in a Mount trip to Italy in summer 2019 and is excited to return.

This year, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the October gathering, typically held in Washington, D.C., will be held online. Decisions about the 2021 gatherings will be made in due course, depending on how the virus situation evolves, confirmed Candace Mottice, the programs director.

We are proud of what Rachel has achieved and I am certain this is just the beginning for her. Accomplishments like this, with the conditions worked under last semester, are all the greater still, said Michael J. Driscoll, Ed.D., dean of the Richard J. Bolte, Sr. School of Business.

A native of York, Pennsylvania, Lyter will return to the Mount this fall and work as a resident assistant. This semester I am most excited to take Political Theology with Dr. Barrett Turner as I think it will complement my readings and preparation for discussions at the four Ropke-Wojtya colloquia, she shared.

Lyter is also one of three recipients of the Mounts William G. McGowan Endowed Scholarship which is awarded to rising juniors in the Richard J. Bolte, Sr. School of Business. She served as a writing tutor in the Writing Center, a laptop scribe for Learning Services and a phonathon caller for the Office of Alumni Engagement. She also helped coordinate trips for Mount students to volunteer at the local Catoctin Pregnancy Center through the Mounts Students for Life club. Last fall she was the business correspondent for the Mountain Echo and served on the executive board of the Women in Business Club since its founding in the fall of 2019. Lyter also interned at faith-based CatholicStock.com, a Mount alumni-owned and Emmitsburg-based small business. After graduation next year, she plans to work toward becoming a small business owner.

She acknowledges the opportunities at the Mount to immerse herself in the study of the market and delve into rich theological texts. She is also thankful for the guidance of her professors. Two courses, Foundations of Philosophy and Ethics and the Human Good, taught her how a just society serves the common goodand will serve her well during her fellowship.

She is grateful for Assistant Professor of History and Director of the Office of Competitive Fellowships Jamie Gianoutsos, Ph.D., for assistance with her application materials, Assistant Professor of Business Christina Yoder, Ph.D., for her support as her academic advisor and Associate Professor of Economics Alejandro Canadas, Ph.D. for making important theological and real-world connections within his courses.

Canadas taught Lyter in Spring 2019. His course, offered by the School of Business and the Department of Theology, Biblical Spirituality for Business Leaders, explored how to help business students balance their faith and their workand how a career within the marketplace allows individuals to shape society toward a common good while fulfilling a personal vocation.

I loved having Rachel in my class because she is always seeking to grow her faith, work hard and help others, Canadas said.

When considering a thought or leader who has guided her journey, Lyter references Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, an Italian Roman Catholic social activist: He wrote on a photo of himself scaling a mountain: verso lalto which translates to to the heights. At my own mountain home I am always striving to do my best and following the path on which that leads me.

Mount St. Marys Universitys Office of Competitive Fellowships assists students and alumni of the Mount community with the application process for highly competitive and distinguished awards, such as the Fulbright, Marshall, Rhodes, Goldwater and Gates Cambridge Scholarship. In 2020 eight students and one alumnus/adjunct professor were recipients of such prestigious invitations.
NORMAN TWP.  Debi Bairs plans to open Camp Happy Trees, a cannabis-friendly campground, are on hold for the moment after being contacted by Norman Township officials.

Bair previously told the News Advocate that she had bought 20 acres near the corner of Hoxeyville and Fawn roads south of Wellston and had planned to turn it into Camp Happy Trees. She had tentatively hoped to open it as a rustic campground this month.

However, according to a Norman Township zoning administrator, it would need to be addressed by the townships planning commission before anyone can start camping there.

On the Camp Happy Trees Facebook page, Bair shared a photo of a stop work order notice with orders to cease and desist that was dated June 30 from Norman Townships Planning and Zoning office.

The post with the photo said that a previously scheduled glow party event onsite had been canceled.

In part, the townships notice stipulated that the property does not have the property application and permitting for camping activities and that there is no known approved sanitary or potable water facilities on site to support a gathering The full wording of the notice was not visible in the photo.

In a Facebook message, Bair said she has had an overwhelming response of hundreds if not thousands of messages of support for her endeavors to bring Camp Happy Trees to life.

She said the township office had been closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and that she took a chance by coming up here without speaking to them first.

In an email late last month to the News Advocate from Norman Township Zoning Administrator Ben Townsend, he said the townships offices had been closed for nearly three months.

Townsend said after returning to the office, he learned about Bairs plans and presented the townships zoning ordinance information to her.

He said he had presented the basics of a special use zoning application for a commercial campground.

Townsend explained that Norman Townships campground permitting process requires the application to go before the planning commission. There would also need to be a public hearing.

That hearing would require notification letters be sent from the zoning office to anyone living within 300 feet of the property as well as a public notification.

The hearing would give an opportunity for residents to speak on concerns, voice support or simply ask questions or make statements about the property intentions.

Townsend said the last campground application process in the township took three months for the owners to get their paperwork submitted. There were also two public hearings in that case.

He cited part of the townships zoning ordinance saying that it stipulates that campgrounds would need to follow state health department rules.

Townsend also called into question the legality of having marijuana used at the site. He could not be reached for further details and clarifications by press time Thursday afternoon.

Bair would also need to get a campground operating license from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, he said.

Bair said she is speaking to her attorney on her next steps on plans for Camp Happy Trees.

SEE ALSO: Wellston campground owner brings 420-friendly options, aims to address stereotypes
TRENTON  Better than nothing.

The Appellate Court moved up arguments by a month in the State Troopers Fraternal Associations lawsuit against AG Gurbir Grewal.

Initially scheduled for October 15, arguments will now go forward Sept. 16, according to an signed Friday by Appellate Court Judge Allison Accurso.

The move comes a day after the state Supreme Court rejected Grewals bid to lift the appeals court say of his directives intending to name cops who have been disciplined for serious infractions over the last two decades.

The first list of state troopers names was supposed to be produced July 15, but the appeals court halted that to give the STFA and other unions who joined the fight a chance to argue their case.

The unions have argued making the names public will irreparably harm officers who may be targeted for harassment.

The unions also suggested cops who were disciplined for menial infractions may be lumped in with rogue cops who abuse their powers.

Since the STFA suit was filed, several powerful police and organizations supporting Grewals mandates have filed their own court papers weighing in on the potential sea change.

Trying to get the stay lifted, Emily Bisnauth, one of Grewals deputies, argued the appeal court had prevented the State from taking steps it believes necessary to improve accountability and transparency in law enforcement potentially until 2021.

In a statement after the Supreme Court refused to intervene, Grewal said his directives may have been delayed, but Im confident they wont be denied.

Grewal unveiled the initiatives in the wake of the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died at the hands of Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin.

Directive No. 2020-5, issued by Grewal on June 15, required every law enforcement agency in New Jersey to annually publish the names of sworn officers who have been suspended for more than five days or who have been demoted or terminated, along with a description of the circumstances that led to the discipline. The AG on June 19 later issued a follow-up directive requiring the New Jersey Division of State Police, Division of Criminal Justice, and the Juvenile Justice Commission to disclose the identities of their disciplined employees no later than July 15.

Experts still expect the case to end up before the Supreme Court as part of an appeal by whoever the Appellate Division rules against in the landmark case.
Beginning with the Compromise, Douglas spent the 1850s trying to prevent the country from cracking up over slavery. He endorsed popular sovereignty in the territories, but when it appeared that slavery might actually come to Kansas and Nebraska, he tried to stop it. First, he bricked a proslavery constitution Kansas submitted to Congress. Then, after the Dred Scott decision declared all the territories open to slavery, Douglas came up with the Freeport Doctrine, which held that territories could refuse to pass laws protecting slaveholders. By 1860, the country was so polarized over slavery that both North and South had come to regard Douglas not as a moderate, but as a politician trying to play both sides of the fence on the issue. When he ran for president, he carried only one state, Missouri.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday carried out a comprehensive review of the situation in eastern Ladakh with top military brass in view of the withdrawal of troops from the friction points by China''s Peoples Liberation Army, government sources said.

The defence minister carried out the review at a meeting with Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, Army Chief Gen MM Naravane, Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh and Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria besides several other senior military officials.

Gen Naravane gave a detailed account of the implementation of the first phase of mutual disengagement of troops from Galwan Valley, Gogra, Hot Springs and Finger 4 areas in Pangong Tso, the sources said. They said the Army chief apprised Singh about combat readiness of the Indian Army in the region to deal with any eventualities and presented a detailed update of situation in all the sensitive areas along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh as well as in Arunachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim.

As the first phase of the disengagement is nearing completion, government sources said the two sides are set to hold a fourth round of corps commander-level dialogue by early next week to finalise modalities for de-induction of troops amassed by both sides in their rear bases along the LAC, the de-facto border between the two countries. Both sides have completed creation of a buffer zone of three kilometres in the three friction points of Galwan Valley, Gogra and Hot Springs as part of a temporary measure, they said, adding there has been thinning out of troops from Finger 4 area in Pangong Tso as well.

The disengagement of troops from the friction points formally kicked off on Monday following eight weeks of eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation between the two armies at multiple locations in eastern Ladakh.

The Indian and Chinese armies were locked in a bitter standoff in multiple locations in eastern Ladakh for the last eight weeks. The tension escalated manifold after a violent clash in Galwan Valley in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed.

Both sides have held several rounds of diplomatic and military talks in the last few weeks to ease tension in the region.

Also read: PM Modi inaugurates Asia's largest 750 MW solar plant in Madhya Pradesh's Rewa
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Linkedin Brian Benza (Reuters) Seronga, Botswana  Fri, July 10, 2020 13:30 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066560797 2 Environment Botswana,elephant,wildlife,wildlife-conservation Free

Botswana wildlife officials investigating hundreds of unexplained elephant deaths have verified six more carcasses and say it is still not clear what is killing the animals, around two months after the first bodies were spotted.

Officials told reporters near the Okavango Delta on Thursday that they had now verified 281 carcasses and that the deaths were concentrated in an area of 8,000 square km that is home to about 18,000 elephants.

Flying over the area in a helicopter, a Reuters reporter saw one carcass splattered in droppings from vultures, which had eaten some of the flesh, and red paint from officials marking verified carcasses. Hundreds of live elephants wandered nearby.

"We are not dealing with a common thing, it looks like it's a rare cause," said Mmadi Reuben, principal veterinary officer at the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, adding the death rate in the affected area was below 2%.

"We cannot rule out anything at this stage, it could be a virus, vegetation, overnutrition after last year's drought ... We have asked the community not to interact with the carcasses."

He said officials were expecting to receive test results this week on samples sent to South Africa and Canada.

Some campaign groups have criticized the government for acting too slowly to solve the mystery of the dying elephants, an accusation Reuben has denied.

Although the number of deaths so far represents a fraction of the estimated 130,000 elephants in Botswana, there are fears more could die if authorities cannot establish the cause soon.

Wave Kashweka, a senior veterinary officer in Botswana's North-West district, said officials had found elephants which appeared to have died recently, adding aerial surveys would try to find more carcasses.

In their initial inquiries, authorities ruled out poaching and anthrax among possible causes.

Cyril Taolo, acting director of the wildlife department, said the government had contacted neighbors Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia and Zambia but they had not seen similar elephant deaths.

Africa's overall elephant population is declining due to poaching, but Botswana, home to almost a third of the continent's elephants, has seen numbers grow from 80,000 in the late 1990s.
Arix Bioscience plc

Atox Bio plans NDA submission for Q3 2020

Atox Bio's drug Reltecimod shows positive effect on resolution of organ dysfunction in Phase 3 ACCUTE trial for patients with necrotizing soft tissue infection ("flesh eating disease")

After discussions with FDA, NDA submission planned for Q3 2020 under Accelerated Approval Pathway

Reltecimod in conjunction with currently available standard of care demonstrated a significant difference in the percentage of patients who achieved resolution of organ dysfunction/failure by Day 14 versus standard of care alone

Resolution of organ dysfunction/failure at Day 14 is associated with improved survival at Day 90

Treatment effects in composite NICCE[1] primary endpoint were significant in the clinically evaluable population analysis but not in the primary mITT[2] analysis

Patients receiving reltecimod demonstrated improvement in hospital discharge status versus placebo

Patients presenting with shock appeared to particularly benefit

Reltecimod was well tolerated

Peer reviewed results published in latest electronic edition of Annals of Surgery

LONDON, 10 July 2020: Arix Bioscience plc ("Arix", LSE: ARIX), a global venture capital company focused on investing in and building breakthrough biotech companies, today notes that its portfolio company, Atox Bio, has announced results from its Phase 3 clinical trial for patients with Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infection ("Flesh Eating Disease"). Atox Bio has reviewed the topline results of this trial with the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and, based on these discussions, plans to submit a New Drug Application (NDA) to the FDA in Q3 2020 under Accelerated Approval Pathway.

The full text of the announcement from Atox Bio is contained below.

[ENDS]

[1] necrotizing infection clinical composite endpoint

[2] modified intent to treat

Enquiries

For more information on Arix, please contact:

Arix Bioscience plc

Charlotte Parry, Head of Investor Relations

+44 (0)20 7290 1072

charlotte@arixbioscience.com

Optimum Strategic Communications

Mary Clark, Supriya Mathur, Shabnam Bashir

+44 (0)20 3922 0891

optimum.arix@optimumcomms.com

About Arix Bioscience plc

Arix Bioscience plc is a global venture capital company focused on investing in and building breakthrough biotech companies around cutting edge advances in life sciences.

We collaborate with exceptional entrepreneurs and provide the capital, expertise and global networks to help accelerate their ideas into important new treatments for patients. As a listed company, we are able to bring this exciting growth phase of our industry to a broader range of investors.

www.arixbioscience.com

Atox Bio Announces a Positive Effect of Reltecimod on Resolution of Organ Dysfunction in Phase 3 ACCUTE Trial for Patients with Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infection ("Flesh Eating Disease")

- After Discussions with FDA, NDA Submission Planned for 3Q 2020 under Accelerated Approval Pathway -

Reltecimod in conjunction with currently available standard of care demonstrated a significant difference in the percentage of patients who achieved resolution of organ dysfunction/failure by Day 14 versus standard of care alone

Resolution of organ dysfunction/failure at Day 14 is associated with improved survival at Day 90

Treatment effects in composite NICCE primary endpoint were significant in the clinically evaluable population analysis but not in the primary mITT analysis

Patients receiving reltecimod demonstrated improvement in hospital discharge status versus placebo

Patients presenting with shock appeared to particularly benefit

Reltecimod was well tolerated

Peer reviewed results published in latest electronic edition of Annals of Surgery

Durham, NC and Ness Ziona, Israel -July 10, 2020 - Atox Bio today announced results from the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3 ACCUTE ( A B103 C linical C omposite endpoint St U dy in Necrotizing Soft T issue inf E ctions) trial of reltecimod for the early treatment of severe Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infection (NSTI). The data showed a significant difference in the percentage of patients administered reltecimod who achieved resolution of organ dysfunction/failure by Day 14 vs. the percentage of patients who received placebo. Resolution of organ dysfunction by day 14 has been noted in the literature and was shown in this trial to have a beneficial effect on 90-day mortality. As this was the first pivotal study ever performed in NSTI, a necrotizing infection clinical composite endpoint (NICCE) was developed. This endpoint was designed to assess both the local and systemic components of NSTI and included the measurement of resolution of organ dysfunction/failure. While statistical significance on the primary composite endpoint was not achieved in the modified intent to treat (mITT) population, the efficacy assessment in the clinically evaluable (CE) population demonstrated a p-value=0.039. Atox Bio believes that, for the reasons detailed below, the CE population reflects the more clinically relevant and statistically appropriate patient population for evaluation of the treatment effect of reltecimod. Atox has reviewed the topline results of this trial with the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and, based on these discussions, plans to submit a New Drug Application (NDA) to the FDA in Q3 2020 under the Accelerated Approval Pathway with resolution of organ dysfunction being the basis for this approval pathway.

"Patients with NSTI are critically ill and could greatly benefit from a treatment option designed specifically for their condition," said Eileen Bulger, M.D., Chief of Trauma at Harborview Medical Center, Professor of Surgery at the University of Washington, and Principal Investigator for the ACCUTE trial. "Reltecimod has the potential to significantly advance the standard of care for NSTI by addressing a major unmet medical need for these complex and challenging patients and appears to be well tolerated."

"Successful completion of the ACCUTE trial is a major milestone for Atox Bio that reinforces our commitment to patients with NSTI. This is a potentially life-threatening condition with significant morbidity and long-term mortality that has no FDA-approved treatment." said Dan Teleman, CEO of Atox Bio. "Reltecimod has been designed to modulate rather than completely suppress acute inflammation that can lead to a dysregulated immune response and we are actively working to bring this important new potential therapy to patients."

About the Study

As the first pivotal study ever performed in NSTI, a new clinical composite responder analysis was developed as the primary endpoint. The necrotizing infection clinical composite endpoint (NICCE) that was developed was designed to assess both the local and systemic components of NSTI. NICCE included a Modified Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (mSOFA) scoring tool to evaluate resolution of organ dysfunction. SOFA scores have been shown in previous studies to be a good indicator of prognosis in other septic conditions. All patients allowed into the study had to have significant organ dysfunction in one or more organs at baseline and the measure of resolution of organ dysfunction using mSOFA was consistent with SEPSIS-3 definitions.

Elevated mSOFA at Day 14, defined as mSOFA >1, delineates persistent organ dysfunction in which a patient could require prolonged ventilation, ongoing blood pressure support and dialysis or other interventions for complications of acute kidney injury at a time point that has been associated with the development of chronic critical illness.[1],[2] At the Day 14 time point, mSOFA offers a simple categorical tool to help distinguish patients at risk for persistent organ dysfunction that is associated with longer term morbidity and mortality.

Blinded study drug (reltecimod or saline placebo) was administered by a single 10-minute infusion. All patients received currently available standard of care, which includes surgical debridement, broad spectrum antibiotics and supportive intensive care. Organ dysfunction and failure can progress rapidly in these patients and intervening as early as possible once organ dysfunction has begun is considered critical for any immune-based therapy. For this reason, patients were required to be administered the blinded study drug within 6 hours of being scheduled for surgery to confirm the NSTI diagnosis, often before all of a patient's clinical information is available.

While analysis of the mITT population was the primary analysis, the CE population, in which only those patients who met the appropriate study entry criteria were included, was considered relevant in this study because of the potential to inadvertently enroll patients with unrelated chronic organ conditions that could not be cured by an acute treatment for NSTI and thus could confound estimates of treatment effects. For this reason, Atox Bio considers the CE population the more clinically relevant and statistically appropriate analysis population. Of the 290 patients enrolled in the study, 13 were excluded from the CE analysis population for failure to meet pre-defined study entry criteria. All exclusions were identified programmatically from the study database and reviewed by blinded medical and statistical reviewers prior to unblinding the trial.

Results

Results of the study demonstrated that, in the analysis of the mITT population on the NICCE primary endpoint, 48.6% of patients achieved clinical success on reltecimod vs. a 39.9% success rate in patients on placebo. This result did not achieve statistical significance (p=0.14). Given the consequences of persistent organ dysfunction, a key outcome of the study was the assessment of resolution of organ dysfunction, defined as Day 14 mSOFA ?1 in combination with a decline of at least 3 mSOFA points from baseline. In this assessment, reltecimod demonstrated a distinct advantage over placebo (65.1% success vs. 52.6%, p=0.041).

Using the more clinically relevant patient population in the CE analysis, 52.6% of patients receiving reltecimod achieved clinical success on the NICCE primary endpoint vs. 40.3% on placebo (p=0.039). In the evaluation of resolution of organ dysfunction, as described above, reltecimod demonstrated a strong clinically meaningful effect over patients receiving standard of care alone, with 70.9% of patients on reltecimod achieving resolution of organ dysfunction by Day 14 vs. 53.4% on placebo (p=0.005).

There is increasing evidence that resolving organ dysfunction by Day 14 in septic patients such as those enrolled in this trial has important benefits. Studies have shown that patients who remain chronically critically ill with organ dysfunction beyond 14 days are more likely to require long-term care, develop recurrent infections and have an increased risk of late mortality, after day 28, and poor functional recovery.

Consistent with these findings, in this study in patients who survived to Day 14, whether on reltecimod or placebo, those that had resolved organ dysfunction by Day 14 had a 90-day mortality of 2.4% vs. 21.5% in patients who had persistent organ dysfunction at Day 14 (p<0.001) in the CE analysis population. While not showing a difference in mortality at Day 28 and although not powered to show significance for mortality generally, in those patients surviving to Day 14, the Day 14 to Day 90 mortality was 5.9% on reltecimod vs. 11.5% on placebo (p=0.12) in the CE analysis population. In the mITT analysis, the Day 14 to Day 90 mortality was 6.5% on reltecimod vs. 11.2% on placebo (p=0.17).

Additional pre-specified secondary endpoints were evaluated and of these evaluations, patients presenting with shock and hospital discharge status demonstrated clinically relevant effects that may lead to improved patient outcomes. In the subgroup of patients that entered the study with septic shock, requiring vasopressors prior to dosing, 72.5% on reltecimod successfully resolved organ dysfunction by Day 14 vs. 49.1% on placebo (p-0.008) in the mITT analysis. In the CE analysis population, the results were 75.1% on reltecimod vs. 49.1% on placebo (p=0.003) achieving resolution of organ dysfunction by Day 14.

Patients on reltecimod also showed benefit in the percentage of those with a favorable hospital discharge status in this trial. Favorable discharge status was defined as being either sent home or to a rehabilitation facility. Unfavorable discharge status was defined as being discharged to a skilled nursing facility, other acute care hospital or dying before discharge. In patients surviving to Day 14, those on reltecimod had a clinically beneficial improvement in favorable hospital discharge status in the CE analysis population (68.6% on reltecimod vs. 54.6% on placebo, p=0.024). In the mITT analysis, 60.6% on reltecimod had favorable discharge status and 50.0% placebo had favorable discharge status (p=0.071).

Reltecimod was well tolerated in this study, with the profiles of adverse events being similar between the reltecimod and placebo treatment groups. The most common adverse events (~5%) reported in patients treated with reltecimod were anemia (reltecimod 6.3%, placebo 4.8%), acute kidney injury (reltecimod 5.6%, placebo 5.4%), atrial fibrillation (reltecimod 4.9%, placebo 6.8%), and peripheral edema (reltecimod 4.9%, placebo 1.4%).

Serious adverse events occurred in 20.3% of patients receiving reltecimod and 17.0% of patients receiving placebo. The most common serious adverse events were atrial fibrillation (reltecimod 2 [1.4%], placebo 4 [2.7%]), acute myocardial infarction (reltecimod 2 [1.4%], placebo 3 [2.0%]), acute respiratory distress syndrome (reltecimod 2 [1.4%], placebo 3 [2.0%]), and pulseless electrical activity (reltecimod 3 [2.1%], placebo 2 [1.5%]).

There was no apparent difference in secondary infections between reltecimod and placebo treated arms in this study, which is important in this fragile patient population.

The ACCUTE pivotal study manuscript is now available from the Annals of Surgery as an ePublication entitled, "A Novel Immune Modulator for Patients with Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections (NSTI): Results of a Multicenter, Phase 3 Randomized Controlled Trial of Reltecimod (AB 103)."

About Reltecimod

Reltecimod is a synthetic peptide antagonist of both superantigen exotoxins and the CD28 T-cell costimulatory receptor.[3] By modulating, but not inhibiting, the body's acute inflammatory response, reltecimod is designed to help control the cytokine storm that could otherwise quickly lead to morbidity and mortality. FDA granted reltecimod Fast Track status and orphan drug designation for NSTI. The European Commission granted orphan designation for reltecimod in the treatment of NSTI.

About Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections (NSTI)

NSTI, commonly referred to as "flesh eating disease or bacteria," is a serious infection that can travel quickly from the infection site and requires frequent, rapid surgical intervention to remove dead and infected tissue to stop further progression and the need for amputation. By their nature, these surgeries often leave patients significantly disfigured. In more serious cases, acute inflammation that results from this infection leads to systemic organ dysfunction in the heart, lungs and/or kidneys. Even with the best current standard of care which includes surgical debridement, broad spectrum antibiotics and supportive intensive care, multi-organ failure frequently occurs. Mortality rates are significant in both the short and intermediate term, and patients who do survive often face long and expensive hospital and rehabilitation center stays. Hospital discharge data indicates there are approximately 30,000 cases of NSTI in the US each year, with a similar number in Europe, and there are currently no therapies approved for this indication.

About ACCUTE

ACCUTE ( A B103 C linical C omposite endpoint St U dy in Necrotizing Soft T issue inf E ctions) is a Phase 3 randomized, placebo-controlled study that enrolled 290 patients across sites in the US and France. It evaluated the safety and efficacy of a single dose of intravenous reltecimod 0.5mg/kg versus placebo (0.9% saline) administered in conjunction with surgical debridement (removal of damaged skin, subcutaneous tissue, fascia, and sometimes muscle), antibiotic therapy, and supportive care in patients - 12 years of age with NSTI. The trial also assessed hospital discharge status and impact on healthcare resource utilization.

About Atox Bio

Atox Bio is a late stage clinical company that develops immunotherapies for critically ill patients. The ACCUTE study was funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the Department of Health and Human Services; Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response; Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), under Contract No. HHSO100201400013C. Major investors in the company include SR One, OrbiMed, Lundbeckfonden Ventures, Arix Bioscience plc and Adams Street Partners. The Company was established by Prof. Raymond Kaempfer and Dr. Gila Arad from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Yissum. Please visit www.AtoxBio.com for more information.

###

Media Contact:

Julia Wilson

JW Communications

juliawilsonuk@gmail.com

+44 781 8430877

[1] Gardner AK, Ghita GL, Wang Z, et al. The Development of Chronic Critical Illness Determines Physical Function, Quality of Life, and Long-Term Survival Among Early Survivors of Sepsis in Surgical ICUs. Crit Care Med. 2019;47(4):566-573.

[2] Brakenridge SC, Efron PA, Cox MC, et al. Current epidemiology of surgical sepsis: discordance between inpatient mortality and 1-year outcomes. Ann Surg. 2019 Sep 1;270(3):502-10.

[3] Shirvan, A., Bulger, E., and Dankner, W. Reltecimod. Drugs of the Future 2018, 43(4): 243-259.
10.07.2020 LISTEN

A Deputy Spokesperson of the opposition National Democratic Congress campaign for Election 2020 Margaret Ansei popularly known as Magoo has asked Ghanaians to blame president Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the death of the KNUST SHS student who died recently on campus.

Madam Margaret Ansei speaking on Adom FM monitored by Ghanapoliticsonline.com said that President Akufo-Addo is taking too many political decisions which is resulting in many deaths and increase in the coronavirus.

A student of the KNUST senior high school in Kumasi died days ago after suffering from alleged peptic ulcer complications while in school and teachers watched on due to fears of coronavirus.

According to the Deputy Spokesperson, president Akufo-Addos failure to put in place proper health care attendants on standby, educate students and teachers well on how to handle health situations in the hard times we are in caused the death of the student .

She opined that the president is not a listening president but should go back to put proper measures before reopening schools.

She lamented that instead of the president sacking the headmistress, the Minister in charge must be sacked.
The Indian authorities feared that these apps were transferring consumer data to locations outside the country, especially China, in an unauthorised and surreptitious manner.

With servers in India, the data of local consumers would be stored in the country.

Some of the Chinese apps banned by the Indian government citing them to be a security threat are weighing the option of shifting their data servers to India to allay concerns.

The Indian authorities feared that these apps were transferring consumer data to locations outside the country, especially China, in an unauthorised and surreptitious manner.

With servers in India, the data of local consumers would be stored in the country.

The proposal is important because all the 59 app companies have been given an opportunity to present their point of view of the order in the next few days.

The government committee that will hear these companies will have members from the ministry of electronics and information technology and the ministry of law and justice, as well as top officials from the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT).

Sources said that TikTok was expected to meet the panel on Wednesday, but its not clear whether the meeting was posptoned.

A company spokesperson declined to make any comments.

A source in a leading Chinese app pointed out: We do not have our servers in China but in the US and other locations.

"But we are open to looking into having them in India.

"The question is whether that will help us operate again.

"We will abide by any new mandatory rules put by the government.

According to sources close to some of these companies, the other alternative is to share the source codes of the apps, but that will require more detailed discussions.

Kevin Mayer, CEO of TikTok and COO of ByteDance, which owns the app and is the largest player in this space, in a message to his employees in India, said their platform in India has encountered an unfortunate challenge and that they are working with the stakeholders to address their concerns.

Pointing out that the app had 200 million users in India since 2018, Mayer said employees were the companys biggest strength and that it had assured the 2,000-strong workforce that it would do everything in its power to restore the positive experiences and opportunities that they can be proud of.

TikTok has data centres catering to their Indian consumers located in the US and Singapore.

Alibaba-backed UC Web had announced in 2018 that it had already set up data centres across various cities in India as well as in the US.

Yet there are many others whose servers are located in China.

The Chinese response is not unusual  in the telecom sector, for instance, when Huawei was under scrutiny for being allegedly involved in spyware, it offered to share its source code in an escrow account.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) earlier pushed new regulations that payment data generated in the country needed to be stored in India.

The governments interim ban will have a serious impact on some of the app companies.

Based on data from Sensor Tower and Google Analytics, eight to 10 of them were among the top 100 most downloaded apps in India till Monday.

As independent businesses, the banned apps were clearly dependent on India for their business model.

E-commerce site Club Factory, for example, has over 100 million Indian subscribers and over 30,000 Indian sellers on its site.

UC Browser has 130 million active users in India out of its 430 million across the world.

Photograph: Reuters
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 19:24:07|Editor: huaxia

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TAIPEI, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Two people tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday in Taiwan after the island saw no new infections for six consecutive days, the local epidemic monitoring agency said.

One of the new patients, a woman in her 20s, returned from the United States to Taiwan on July 5 and began to have symptoms of fatigue and muscle ache on July 7, the agency said in a press release.

The other patient, a man in his 50s, developed a fever on July 2 in the Sultanate of Oman but had not gone to the hospital. He returned to Taiwan on July 8 and reported his symptoms to the authorities upon arrival at the airport.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Taiwan has risen to 451, the agency said. Enditem
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 10

Trend:

The price of gold decreased in Azerbaijan on July 10 compared to the previous price, Trend reports referring to the data published by the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA).

The price of gold went down by 17.425 manat or $10.25 (0.57 percent) and amounted to 3,062.5925 manat ($1,801.52) per ounce.

The price of silver dipped by 1 percent and amounted to 31.6464 manat ($18.62) per ounce.

The price of platinum decreased by 34.1105 manat or $20.06 (2.35 percent) and amounted to 1,418.752 manat ($834.56) per ounce.

The price of palladium rose by 16.8725 manat or $9.92 (0.5 percent) and amounted to 3,307.027 manat ($1,945.31).

In monthly terms, the price of gold went up by 144.568 manat or $85.04 (5 percent) per ounce, silver rose by 1.5567 manat or 92 cents (5.2 percent) per ounce, platinum slid by 5.6185 manat or $3.3 (0.4 percent) per ounce, while palladium fell by 20.349 manat or $11.97 (0.6 percent).

Precious markets July 10, 2020 July 9, 2020 June 10, 2020 Change in a day Change in a day, % Change in a month Change in a month, % Gold XAU 3,062.5925 3,080.0175 2,918.0245 -17.425 -0.57 +144.568 +5 Silver XAG 31.6464 31.9701 30.0897 -0.3237 -1 +1.5567 +5.2 Platinum XPT 1,418.752 1,452.863 1,424.371 -34.1105 -2.35 +5.6185 -0.4 Palladium XPD 3,307.027 3,290.1545 3,327.376 16.8725 +0.5 -20.349 -0.6

Precious metals are gold, silver, platinum and metals of platinum group (palladium, iridium, ruthenium, rhodium, and osmium) brought to the highest fineness (999.9).

The precious metals are sold as ingots, coins or powder and have the appropriate quality certificates.

Troy ounce is a unit of mass equal to 31.1034768 grams.

(1 USD = 1.7 manat on July 10)

----

Follow the author on Twitter: @Fidan_Babaeva
Odishas revenue collections have whittled down by 23% in the first quarter (April-June) of the current financial year 2020-21 in comparison to the corresponding period last year because of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak, officials said.

State finance secretary Ashok Meena said the total revenue collection up to June was Rs 8,204 crore, as compared to the last years collection of Rs 10,645 crore.

The dip is owing to an over 35% drop in the collection of states own taxes and revenues such as excise, Value Added Tax (VAT), Goods and Services Tax (GST), stamp duties and registration on the back of an unprecedented economic slump due to the lockdown restrictions, which were imposed since end-March to contain the viral outbreak.

However, non-tax revenue collections due to mining royalty went up by around 3% between April and June.

The total non-tax revenue between April and June, 2019 was Rs 3,506 crore, which increased to Rs 3,609 crore during the same period this year.

Officials said Odishas GST collection in the first quarter of 2020-21 fell by 35.25%, as compared to the corresponding period in 2019-20 fiscal. The gross GST collection in the April-June period of 2020-21 fiscal was Rs 5,192.30 crore, while it was Rs 8,019.44 crore in the corresponding quarter of 2019-20.

Finance department officials said even programme expenditures of all departments have gone down.

The expenditure reduced by around 5.06% in April to June quarter, in comparison to the last fiscal. The total programme expenditure up to June in the current fiscal was around Rs 8,923 crore against around Rs 9,399 crore during the same period in the last fiscal.

The dip in revenue collection has come at a time when the daily Covid-19 positive growth rate in Odisha has outpaced the national average.

Odishas daily Covid-19 positive growth rate has risen from 5.4% to 6.74 % against the national average of 3.4% since last week.

While the states sample positivity rate at 11.69% has also overtaken the national average of 9.2% until Friday.

Sample positivity is total Covid-19 positive cases divided by the total number of tests multiplied by 100.

The Naveen Patnaik-led government has recently capped expenditure on state schemes, except those related to agriculture and its allied sector and for combating Covid-19.

The finance department in a press statement has announced a blanket ban on the creation of new posts except for the state health and family welfare department. Exceptions to the creation of new posts can only be made subject to approval by the finance department.

Only expenditures, relating to Covid-19 management, and under other essential heads would be allowed, it added.

A ban has been enforced on the purchase of new equipment, except those related to healthcare and internal security.

The state government has banned the purchase of any new vehicle for the next two years and officials have been directed to avoid foreign tours.

Air travel is not encouraged, while an emphasis is being laid on holding meetings via video-conference.

Last week, the state government appointed a nodal officer for implementation of specific state reforms for availing of additional borrowing of 2% of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) during 2020-21 to increase its resource base.

Earlier, the Centre had allowed all states to borrow 2% of GSDP over and above the regular limit of 3% because of the pandemic.

The opposition -- the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress -- has slammed the government for the hiring freeze for the next two years.

Pradipta Naik, the leader of the opposition and a BJP member of the Odisha legislative assembly (MLA), said the recruitment freeze in state government jobs for the next two years is unfortunate, as many posts are lying vacant in several departments.

This is a conspiracy hatched by the state government to shirk its responsibility in the name of Covid-19 management amid an annual spike in the unemployment rate in Odisha, Naik alleged.

Niranjan Patnaik, president, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC), said during this pandemic the state government was supposed to create more jobs, as many were rendered jobless.

Many good students are staring at an uncertain future because of the state governments move, he said.
New research by scientists at TU/e and universities in China and the US sheds light on the causes of perovskite solar cell degradation.

Solar cells made of perovskite are at the center of much recent solar research. The material is cheap, easy to produce and almost as efficient as silicon, the material traditionally used in solar cells. However, perovskite cells have a love-hate-relationship with the sun. The light that they need to generate electricity, also impairs the quality of the cells, severely limiting their efficiency and stability over time. Research by scientists at the Eindhoven University of Technology and universities in China and the US now sheds new light on the causes of this degradation and paves the way for designing new perovskite compositions for the ultimate stable solar cells.

Perovskite is an attractive alternative to silicon, because it's abundant and easy to produce. What's more, over the past decade, the performance of perovskite solar cells has improved dramatically, with efficiency rates reaching more than 25 percent, which is close to the state-of-art for silicon solar cells.

The new research focuses on perovskite solar cells made from formamidinium-cesium lead iodide, a halide compound that has become increasingly popular as it combines high efficiency and reasonable heat resistance with low manufacturing costs.

Love-hate

However, solar panels made of this particular compound have a rather ambivalent relationship with sunlight, a problem that is well-known in the field, but barely understood. While the light of the sun feeds it with the much-wanted energy to convert into electricity, it also impairs the stability of the cells. Over time this affects their performance.

To understand why this is the case, the researchers at TU/e, Peking University and University of California San Diego did both practical experiments - monitoring the photovoltaic performance of the panels over 600 hours of exposure and characterizing the degraded perovskites - and theoretical analysis.

From this they conclude that sunlight generates charged particles in the perovskite, which tend to flow to places in the solar panel where the band gap (the minimum amount of energy needed for generating the free electrons) is lowest, in this case the formamidinium perovskite. The resulting energy differences make the mixed compounds that worked together so well to make the cell efficient, fall apart into separate clusters. It appears that especially the cesium-heavy clusters (the green dots in the image) are photoinactive and current-blocking, limiting the performance of the device.

Solutions

According to Shuxia Tao, who together with PhD candidate Zehua Chen and her colleague Geert Brocks was responsible for the TU/e part of the research, the new findings are one step further to finding the way to possible solutions.

"By combining macroscopic tests, microscopic materials characterization and atomistic modelling, we were able to thoroughly understand the instability of halide perovskites that are intrinsic to device operation. This opens the possibility for designing new perovskite compositions for the ultimate stable solar cells."

Possible strategies include using additives to enhance the chemical interaction inside the materials in the panels, tuning the band gaps by using other elements like bromide and rubidium instead of iodide and cesium, or modifying the energy levels to extract photo-carriers more efficiently.

Tao stresses that more research is needed to see what solution works best. In addition, separation of halide compounds is not the only cause for perovskite degradation. These additional causes require separate analysis.

###

The results are published in the scientific magazine Joule.

Li, Y. Luo, Z. Chen, G. Brocks, S. Tao, D. P. Fenning, H. Zhou, et al. Microscopic Degradation in Formamidinium-Cesium Lead Iodide Perovskite Solar Cells under Operational Stressors, DOI: 10.1016/j.joule.2020.06.005
Doug Mills-Pool/Getty

MILFORD, New HampshirePresident Trump may have reason to be bearish about two Northern enclaves his allies have long eyed for their pockets of loyalists and libertarian leanings.

The two states, New Hampshire and Maine, were once considered prime pickup opportunities for Team Trump looking to expand its map from a duo of narrow general election losses in 2016. Now, some prominent Republicans are joining Democrats in their assessment that the presidents most viable prospects for New England victories are starting to slip further away from his grasp, as the country continues to reel from a cratering economy and global pandemic well into the summer.

Why is he physically coming here? Im thinking that it is a little bit more about nostalgia, Fergus Cullen, a former chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party, said about Trumps upcoming rally in Portsmouth, just 10 minutes away from Cullens hometown of Dover. They have to feed his ego. Hes had this fixation about New Hampshire. He cant accept that maybe he just plain lost.

Four years ago, the president famously counted New Hampshire as kickstarting what would become a series of victories setting him up to win the partys nomination against over a dozen Republican contenders. He won the New Hampshire primary and that was his first political win. A man never forgets his first time, Cullen joked.

But in the general election, Trump lost by the smallest margin of any state, less than a half a percentage point. That tightness, and ultimate defeat by Hillary Clinton here, left the presidents allies hungry for a win in 2020, seeing a victory as a symbolic momentum boost and part of an electoral strategy that can help fill in gaps if he falters elsewhere.

That was, of course, before coronavirus totaled over 130,000 deaths nationwide.

The Democrats are doing a good job, Michael Dennehy, a veteran Republican political consultant from New Hampshire, said. Theyre winning the narrative that the coronavirus and the impact is because of Donald Trump. The president needs to defend himself and he needs to get on the offensive.

Story continues

Another longtime Republican operative in the state who saw Trumps rise up close predicted things could get significantly worse for him here in the near future.

Its going to be a bumpy four months, the top New Hampshire Republican said. The bottom could fall out.

Trumps visit to New Hampshire on Saturday marks his first general election rally in a battleground state. The event, which will be held outdoors at Peases Air National Guard Base in Portsmouth, will serve as a return to the place that once offered him large, enthusiastic crowds as recently as just months ago. In February, on the eve of the primary, the president hosted a mega-rally in downtown Manchester.

But the momentum on the ground has been slipping from Trump since, with poll after poll pointing out negative approval ratings and significantly behind presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden, with his own campaign taking steps to make sure the Granite State isnt a failure in November.

Having lived 2016 up close, people wanted a disruptor. And I dont blame them, the GOP strategist said. But when it comes down to the economy tanking as well as corona, that kind of tips the balance. People are exhausted. There is a sense of enough.

If you asked me six months ago, I think there was a real possibility of people who didnt like Trump, but may have voted for him anyway because the economy was so good, Dante Scala, a political scientist at the University of New Hampshire, said. Now that chunk of voters is a real danger for him.

Future Trump Rally Sites Brace as His COVID Roadshow Comes to Town

Republican operatives skeptical of Trump note that the campaign has pre-booked advertising time for the fall, but caution that because they havent spent ad money yet, some in his orbit may see New Hampshire as farther out of reach than once anticipated.

Theres a big difference between reserving time and buying time, Cullen said. They havent actually had to put money down. Weve seen basically no significant investment from them in New Hampshire. What is more likely, is that because they think New Hampshire is in the bag? Or because they think theyve already written New Hampshire off?

Republicans close to the campaigns operation in New Hampshire say thats simply not the case, and insist they feel very confident that their efforts to court GOP and independent voters, coupled with Bidens lack of enthusiasm among Democrats, will be powerful tools in the electoral mosaic that helps secure a second term for the president.

One Trump-aligned Republican operative in New Hampshire pointed to Bidens poor performance in the Democratic primarycoming in fifth placeas proof that his own party did not demonstrate an excitement for him. When pressed about the binary nature of the general election, and the reality that polling has shown Trump trailing by near double digits at times, the source pointed to small sample sizes that may not be indicative of where the court is now, or mood of the electorate in four months. A second source informally advising Trumps campaign told The Daily Beast that the states Republican Gov. Chris Sununu, who is a close friend of Vice President Mike Pence, is expected to welcome the president in person on Saturday. (Sununu, for his part, has said he will not go inside the actual rally and will be wearing a mask.)

Theres nothing more important to the Trump campaign than doing these rallies, Dennehy said. Its the only way to get to his voter base and energize them. His supporters get so fired up and it lasts for weeks if not months.

But as the president continues to sink nationally for his handling of the economy and COVID-19, New Hampshire voters are giving him strong disapproval ratings, a notable downtick from the wave of momentum he once enjoyed here. According to a poll from the University of New Hampshire taken in late June, almost two-thirds of residents disapprove of Trumps COVID-19 response, with his approval among Republicans declining consistently each month since March. A St. Anselm survey from mid-June also showed Biden up 7 points against Trump, at 49 percent to 42 percent among registered voters, with an overwhelming majority72 percent expressing that they think the country is headed in the wrong direction.

Granite Staters wont vote for leaders who play politics during a pandemic, said Michael Beyer, a spokesperson for the New Hampshire Democratic Party. Trump, Sununu, and the entire New Hampshire Republican Party have had a chaotic and unprepared response to COVID-19, which has cost hundreds of Granite Staters their lives and livelihoods.

Ahead of Saturdays rally, the campaign sent out a disclaimer to register, stipulating that attendees understand and expressly acknowledge that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present and that in attending the event, you and any guests voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19, and waive, release, and discharge Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.

The same disclaimer was listed ahead of Trumps rally in Oklahoma last month, where several of the presidents own staffers tested positive for coronavirus. I dont know how much it is about New Hampshire as [it is] about getting something up on Fox that looks better than Tulsa, Scala said.

But concerns about the presidents visit have already started to reach voters in Maine, where some business owners and residents have expressed worry that a large gathering in the neighboring state could lead to an uptick in cases up North.

Its clear from our conversations that people are pissed off, Will Mantell, a spokesperson for the Progressive Turnout Project, told The Daily Beast about Trump broadly. Theyre primed and theyre ready, he said. Voters in Maine and New Hampshire are motivated to get Donald Trump out of office.

The Progressive Turnout Project is attempting to convert inconsistent Democratsthose who may not always turn out to vote or may not have voted Democratic in the pastto become active Democratic voters in the 2020 election, having knocked on 9,000 doors in Maine and 2,200 in New Hampshire. And its just one of several groups also focused on youth voters. NextGen America, a progressive super PAC founded by Democratic billionaire Tom Steyer, is focusing on voter registration in 11 states, including New Hampshire and Maine, which already has one of the highest voter registration rates in the country.

When it comes to Trump and Biden, the story of young voters in Maine isnt a change of heart about Trump, its a change of heart about politics and voting, Elizabeth Rosen, NextGens Maine press secretary, said. The past three and a half years, as exhausting as theyve been, has also energized voters in a way I dont think weve seen in decades.

While Maine narrowly went for Clinton in 2016, the statistically close nature of the outcome was due largely to white, rural voters in the states 2nd District, which awarded Trump one of the four electoral votes up for grabs. Some experts speculate that while the state is likely to go overall for Biden as it did for Clinton, the Trump campaign is angling for a repeat win of the one electoral vote awarded in that district, which is culturally more conservative on issues like guns, abortion, gay rights.

Theres no way Trump is going to win the 1st District, James Melcher, a political scientist at the University of Maine Farmington, said. But the 2nd District is very much in play, noting that several candidates running in the Republican primary for that House seat have tied their brands explicitly to Trump.

Still, Trumps success would rely on expanding his existing base, strategists said, noting that they believe he has done little to reach new voters.

I cant find any reason to believe that the president has done anything to grow his base in any part of the state, said David Farmer, a managing director of the political consulting group Bernstein Shur Group in Portland. And he was here, hes been here.

Trump visited Guilford, a rural town northwest of Bangor, last month. And while Farmer said the crowd that attended was impressive for the area, he didnt believe it would make a big impact on the outcome in November. I dont see that its moved anybody or changed anybodys mind, he said.

Like in New Hampshire, independents in Maine historically tend to be volatile and less tied to party ideology. In 2008, for example, Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and Republican Sen. Susan Collins both won by double digits. Collins, who is up for re-election but lagging behind her Democratic challenger in the latest polling, has kept herself at arms length from Trump, and notably didnt attend the Guilford event. And in the midterms, Democratic Rep. Jared Golden narrowly captured the 2nd Districtwhere Trump had won convincinglyand voters elected Democratic Gov. Janet Mills to replace Republican Paul LePage, an ally of the president.

The atmospherics on the ground appear to mirror the most recent data available in the state. The new survey from PPP released on Monday, the first available poll in Maine in months, showed Trump trailing Biden by 11 points, 53 percent to 42 percent. Of all voters surveyed, more than half disapprove of the job the president is doing in office.

Hes got a really hardcore of support thats going to be unflinching for him, Melcher said, but noted that for the first time in 20 years, there are more Democrats than independents in Maine.

Its going to take some turning around on his part, he said.

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The U.S. Navy has its first Black female tactical jet pilot.

Lt. j.g. Madeline Swegle recently completed the service's Tactical Air (Strike) training program in the T-45C Goshawk, the Navy announced Friday.

Read Next: Soldier Makes History as First Woman to Join the Green Berets

The milestone makes Swegle, a Naval Academy graduate, the first known Black woman who has been certified for the TACAIR mission, and she could go on to fly fighters such as the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler or F-35C Joint Strike Fighter.

The Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA) congratulated Swegle on her achievement via Twitter.

"Swegle is the @USNavy's first known Black female TACAIR pilot and will receive her Wings of Gold later this month. HOOYAH!" the post states.

Photos of Swegle celebrating next to a T-45 trainer at Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas, surfaced earlier this week from Twitter user @paigealissa. "Just my best friend making history," she wrote.

According to the Navy, Swegle, of Burke, Virginia, is assigned to the Redhawks of Training Squadron (VT) 21 at the Texas base.

Lt. j.g. Madeline Swegle is the first known Black woman to have been certified for the TACAIR mission. (U.S. Navy)

Her achievement comes as pilots have said the Navy's aviation community needs more diversity in its ranks.

A 2018 investigation by Military.com revealed that Black pilots are rare in the service, particularly in fighter units. According to Navy data provided that year, just 1.9% of all pilots assigned to the F/A-18 Hornet, EA-18 Growler, E-2 Hawkeye and C-2 Greyhound were Black.

Women also make up a small percentage of aviators in the service. As of 2018, the Navy had 765 female pilots, less than 7% of all pilots across the ranks, according to the Pensacola News Journal.

There have been pioneers. The late Rosemary Mariner became one of the first eight women in the Navy selected to fly military aircraft in 1973. She was certified to fly the A-4C and the A-7E Corsair II, and became the first woman to fly a tactical fighter jet the following year, the service said. Mariner retired as a captain.

Meanwhile, Brenda Robinson became the first African American female graduate from the Navy's Aviation Officer Candidate School, earning her wings in 1980, according to the nonprofit organization Women in Aviation. She was the first Black woman certified for C-1A carrier onboard delivery carrier landings the following year, the group said. Robinson retired in 2008.

Despite early strides, women have still faced barriers. For example, the Pentagon did not lift a decades-long policy that prohibited women from flying in combat until 1993.

Shortly thereafter, Martha McSally, now a Republican senator from Arizona, became the Air Force's first female pilot to fly in combat in 1995. An A-10 Warthog pilot, McSally retired as a colonel in 2010.

In 1999, Shawna Rochelle Kimbrell became the first female African American fighter pilot for the Air Force, flying the F-16 Fighting Falcon. Kimbrell, now a lieutenant colonel, flew combat missions in Operation Northern Watch over northern Iraq in 2001.

There was another history-making military achievement this week. A female Army National Guard soldier graduated from the grueling Special Forces Qualification Course (Q Course) Thursday, making her the first woman to join the Green Berets.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct Martha McSally's rank at retirement.

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214.

Related: Naval Aviators Say They Were Kicked Out of Training Due to Racial Bias

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The Nasarawa State Commissioner of Information, Culture and Tourism, Dogo Shammah, has said all members of the state executive will go on self-isolation, from Friday, to avoid COVID-19 infection.

Mr Shammah told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Friday, that the commissioners decided to self-isolate following the positive testing of the state Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Abdulkareem Kana, for the coronavirus.

The commissioner said the self-isolation was to begin immediately until when results of tests of samples taken from the commissioners are returned, to know their status.

He said the step was taken as a precaution because the attorney general had attended a State Executive Council (SEC) meeting, chaired by Gov. Abdullahi Sule on July 3.

Mr Shammah said the directive was from the governor, on the advice from the state Deputy Governor, Dr Emmanuel Akabe, who is also the Chairman of the state COVID-19 task force.

The commissioner called on residents of the state, not to panic but continue to adhere to all COVID-19 protocols such as wearing face masks, social distancing among others.

Mr Kana had also confirmed to NAN via a telephone conversation on Thursday that he tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

He said that he fell sick last weekend, with fatigue, catarrh and sore throat.

Towards the end of very stressful days last week, I became slightly sick, with fatigue, catarrh and sore throat.

Since I was not sure of what it was, doctors prescribed the standard malaria drugs  coartem and vitamin c tablets  which I took, the attorney general told NAN.

As at Friday, July 3, I started feeling better but in order to be more careful, conscious of my type of work involving meeting with hundreds of people every day, I decided to invite the state COVID-19 test team that took my samples on July 4.

As at Monday, July 6, I was already feeling a lot better, but the result of the test I took, days earlier, returned positive for COVID-19.

He said that he was currently on self-isolation and responding to treatment.

NAN reports that the state currently has over 200 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

(NAN)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 19:36:30|Editor: huaxia

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DAMASCUS, July 10 (Xinhua) -- An anti-U.S. protest erupted in Syria's northeastern province of Hasakah on Friday, state news agency SANA reported.

The protesters gathered in the village of Qasir in the countryside of Qamishli city in Hasakah, expressing their rejection to the presence of the U.S. and Turkish forces in northern Syria.

The protesters also condemned the economic sanctions that have been imposed on Syria recently by the U.S. under the so-called Caesar Act.

Several protests have erupted in Hasakah either against the U.S. forces or the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) over the living conditions in that part of the country.

Meanwhile, SANA said a Syrian army checkpoint stopped a U.S. patrol from proceeding in the countryside of the town of Tal Tamr in the northwestern countryside of Hasakah.

It said soldiers at the checkpoint stopped three U.S. vehicles in the village of Mansaf Tahtani in the countryside of Tal Tamr and forced them to retreat toward their "illegal bases."

The U.S. has several bases in the countryside of Hasakah, mainly in areas controlled by the SDF.

The Syrian government has repeatedly called for the withdrawal of the U.S. forces from Syria, calling it forces of occupation as they entered the country without the consent of the Syrian government. Enditem
Chandigarh, July 10 : The Punjab Government on Friday announced the cancellation of the pending examinations of various classes of the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) that were earlier scheduled after July 15.

School Education Minister Vijay Inder Singla said the examinations of Class XII, open school and several other categories, including reappear and golden chance students, have been cancelled in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said it would not be possible for the Education Department to conduct the examinations.

"If any student has appeared in the exams in only three subjects, the average of the marks obtained in best two performing subjects will be awarded in the subjects whose examinations have not been conducted," Singla said while elaborating the best performing subject formula.

He said the marks of practical subjects and on the job training for vocational subjects would also be awarded on this basis.
A Chinese military spokesperson on Thursday refuted the accusations made by the U.S. Department of Defense over recent exercises conducted by the Chinese military in the South China Sea.

Ren Guoqiang, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of National Defense, said the U.S. side had completely disregarded the facts and confused right and wrong in an attempt to drive a wedge between regional countries and seek profits from it.

"We are strongly dissatisfied with it and express our resolute opposition," Ren said when answering a reporter's question.

Ren said the Chinese side announced the exercises -- conducted in the seas off China's Xisha Islands -- on June 27. The exercises were part of the scheduled annual training plan and did not target any particular country.

Ren said the South China Sea situation has been stabilized and is turning for the better thanks to the joint efforts of China and countries of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations.

The United States, however, has been sending a large number of advanced planes and ships to the South China Sea to make provocations and show its military power, posing threats to regional peace and stability.

"We hope the U.S. side can reflect on its behaviors, stop military provocations in the South China Sea and stop its groundless accusations against the Chinese side," Ren said.
Serving continuously, since 2002, as a deacon at First Baptist Woodway shows evidence of Mr. Wests Christian character. At a candidate coffee, held before the March primary, Mr. West explained his judicial philosophy of applying the law, not legislating from the bench.

He further noted his commitment to protecting all innocent human life, which he believes begins at conception. He also articulated that he is committed to a biblical worldview and philosophy that guides all his personal conduct.

While we actually found all the judicial candidates for this office to be impressive, Thomas West stood out as clearly the best candidate. With his commitment to justice for all, we are convinced he will best uphold the law as state district judge of the 19th Judicial District here in McLennan County.

Leon Leftwich and Warren Fain, Citizens for Prolife Action

* * *
A Dromard mother of three suffering from motor neurone disease has said she hopes her two year fight to win the right to secure fast-tracked disability benefits will allow others in a similar quandary to avoid similarly lengthy and financially bruising waits.

Lorraine Cox has been seeking to secure the acceleration of Personal Independence Payments (PIP) since March 2018 when her symptoms for the life-changing and debilitating illness first emerged.

Those challenges took on a whole new meaning five months later when she received confirmation over her diagnosis, forcing her to retire at the age of 37.

In a landmark verdict delivered on Wednesday, Ms Cox was told by Mr Justice McAlinden, she had suffered a breach of her human rights.

This, he said, was evidenced by the fact while other people with life-limiting conditions had the immediate right to enhanced payments, she had been refused.

He ruled the difference in treatment for terminally-ill claimants who cannot reasonably meet the six-month life expectancy rule was discriminatory and granted her leave for a judicial review.

Giving her reaction to the Leader, the former Moyne Community Student who now resides in Co Fermanagh said while the outcome would have little financial bearing on her going forward, the result was all that mattered.

It was a long time coming but we got there in the end, she said.

It wont make any difference to me now, but it was about the process being all wrong.

Despite having letters from her GP and consultant to confirm her condition was life-limiting, she was approved for PIP in February 2020 following two years of mandatory reconsiderations, tribunals, appeals, two PIP applications and face-to-face assessments.

Now, effectively confined to her house with little or no mobility in her legs, Ms Cox said the dilemma she faced was made all the more difficult owing to the political instability north of the border.

With there being no Stormont no legislation was being passed and it was just ridiculous, she said.

I just hope the win will make other peoples cases strong and to not give up.
Egypts Defence Minister Mohamed Zaki and Army Chief of Staff Lt. General Mohamed Farid attended on Thursday the main stage of the "Hasm 2020" military drills.

According to a statement from the armed forces, land, maritime and air defence forces took part in the strategic manoeuvres, in cooperation with the formations and units of the western military region.

The drills started on Tuesday.

Military commanders and chiefs of the main military units also attended the manoeuvres.

The drills included the participation of multi-task aircrafts and helicopters which used live ammunition to target a battalion of supported tanks under full coverage of the air defences.

The exercises aim at eradicating mercenaries, their gathering points, command centres, and logistics.

The defence minister praised the combat capabilities and potential of the armed forces to counter any attacks perfectly.

At the end of the manoeuvres, the minister conveyed the greetings of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi to the military personnel, lauding their sacrifices to protect the homeland.

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Britain's airports remain largely deserted despite Coronavirus 'air bridges' finally come into force today as it was revealed that all travellers must fill in UK quarantine forms on arrival despite the policy being eased.

Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted were all quiet today despite quarantine-free links with 73 countries starting up from this morning as an exclusive MailOnline poll shows that under a fifth of Britons intend to go on holiday abroad this year.

Today also spells the end of two-weeks of self-isolation for those coming to Britain - as it was revealed that not a single person has been fined 1,000 by police in England and Wales for breaching quarantine rules after arriving from abroad, according to the National Police Chiefs' Council.

MailOnline can reveal there was chaos at the border this morning with visitors returning from exempt countries still asked to fill in forms.

A Home Office spokesman said: 'There has been no change to the requirement to fill in the passenger locator form. All passengers, unless in the extremely limited exempted category, will still need to complete a passenger locator form.

'We are aware of a small number of incidents where arriving passengers have been given an out of date form in error. These forms have since been removed and the problem has been rectified.'

Gatwick was very quiet with just 70 flights coming in and out compared with hundreds on a pre-lockdown day. Bosses said today they hope it is a turning point

The Brick family from Europe are heading off to Europe on holiday today but many others are shunning foreign breaks

Despite quarantine ending for most people were still asked to fill in the forms at the UK border today as it was revealed not a single person has been fined for breaching the rules

There was a slow flow of people heading abroad - but the South Terminal remains closed today

Outside the North Terminal is was eerily quiet as it was revealed that not a single person was fined for breaching quarantine rules imposed over the past month

The NPCC also revealed that just 10 tickets were handed out to passengers for not wearing face coverings on public transport in the UK - despite large numbers not sticking to the rules.

Gatwick's South Terminal remains closed today with the very few flights departing and arriving at the Sussex airport operating from the North Terminal.

Where can you fly to and from without having to go into quarantine? The 73 countries Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, Croatia, Curacao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Faroe Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malta, Mauritius, Monaco, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Reunion, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, South Korea, Spain, St Barthelemy, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Pierre and Miquelon, Switzerland, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Vatican City, Vietnam. Plus the 14 British Overseas Territories. And who isn't on the list? Canada, the US and most of Central or South America. Countries in Africa, the Middle East and most of Asia are also excluded. In Europe travellers from Sweden, Portugal and Russia must also quarantine. Advertisement

Restaurants, currency exchange bureaus and some shops are also shut while all people entering terminals are encouraged to wear face coverings.

Travelaters are also taped off to maintain social distancing with hand sanitising stations at each end of the long empty walkways.

Staff wearing PPE meet some passengers waiting in communal areas to help them prepare for the security process made more complex by coronavirus.

On her way to catch a 12.30pm flight to Turkey, a 36-year-old mum from Tottenham, north London can't contain her excitement to see her family in Antalya with her son, 12.

But despite quarantine rules being lifted, she will isolate upon her return due to feeling vulnerable from undergoing cancer treatment last year.

The woman who did not want to be named said: 'I only recovered from cancer last year and as soon as I became able to go on a holiday, Covid started. Now I'm just running away and I can't wait to get there.

'We're planning on spending two to three weeks there which is going to be fantastic after months of isolation. I feel safe going to Turkey because they have been really strict with fines for not wearing face masks outside. It's better than London - nobody cares here.

'When we get back, I'm going to quarantine myself, not just for my own benefit but to keep my loved ones around me safe. I feel vulnerable but I don't want to spread it to others either.'

Ted Thornhill was travelling back to London from Paris on this morning's 10.13 Eurostar departure when he was asked to fill out a quarantine form instructing him to self isolate on arrival in the UK - despite the lifting of travel restrictions.

The MailOnline travel editor explained: 'When I arrived at the ticket barrier at Gare du Nord, there was a notice on a stand saying that you must fill in a contact locator form and I was immediately confronted by a Eurostar staff member who asked if I had completed the form.

'I asked her why as the quarantine doesn't apply from today but she said I had to fill out a form regardless. She said it was nothing to do with Eurostar and that it is a requirement of the Border Force.

'The Eurostar official told me to go through the ticket barrier when I showed her that the QR code to download the form wouldn't work and speak to Border Force.

'I used the electronic passport control and I was stopped by a border official, who asked if I'd filled out the form.

'I told him that quarantine has lifted but he said, I know but you have to fill it out anyway.

'What's confusing is that the form then states that the 14-day self-isolation quarantine is still in effect, along with a 100 fine for not filling out the form.

'Plus it's monumentally tiresome to fill out. I'm all for health and safety. But I'm also all for clarity for travellers'.

Research for MailOnline found limited appetite among the public for heading for sun-drenched beaches, despite the lifting of draconian quarantine measures on many countries.

Just 17 per cent intend to have a break abroad this year, while 22 per cent say they will go on holiday in the UK. Some 54 per cent say they have given up on the idea altogether for 2020, according to the poll by Redfield & Wilton Strategies.

Even among those who do expect to have a holiday, most will not be going in the summer. Just 11 per cent are looking at booking for this month, a third next month, and 28 per cent say they will wait until September.

Another 27 per cent say they won't be taking a break until October or later this year.

Nearly half said they were planning a holiday abroad before the pandemic struck - and only a quarter were not proposing any kind of getaway.

Some 54 per cent say they have given up on holidays altogether for 2020, according to the poll for MailOnline by Redfield & Wilton Strategies

The poll found that even among those who do expect to have a holiday, most will not be going in the summer

The UK government has confirmed quarantine-free travel to more than 70 countries and British overseas territories.

As well as short-haul European destinations, the travel corridor list also includes long-haul locations such as Australia, Barbados, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand and Vietnam.

But the US, Canada, Portugal and Sweden are not on the list and many other countries in South America, Asia and Africa are not included in exemption because of high rates of coronavirus.

As part of the plans, the Foreign Office has relaxed its embargo on 'all but essential' global travel for 67 countries - although travellers will still have to quarantine when they come back from destinations which don't have a travel corridor.

The rules are slightly different in Scotland, where First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has approved 57 countries - but Spain is not one of them.

The scheme finally began as:

Anger grew as the Foreign Office officials told all Britons to avoid cruise ships - not just the over-70s;

People travelling to the UK from France say they are stilling being told they need to isolate for 14 days;

Holidaymakers are urged to wear masks at all times even on the beach and by the pool;

Travel insurers admitted that they are unlikely to pay out if someone falls ill with Covid-19 abroad;

With the World Health Organisation warning that the coronavirus pandemic is still rising, tourists face a very different experience on most holiday spots.

A separate poll yesterday suggested there is also widespread doubts in many other countries over whether they want British tourists, with infection rates still relatively high in the UK.

On the Balearic Islands  which are braced for the arrival of thousands of English sunseekers this weekend  police have been given the power to fine holidaymakers 90 if they fail to wear coverings outside their hotel rooms.

But officials confirmed last night that holidaymakers will not have to wear the masks by pools or on beaches in Majorca and Ibiza.

Tourists will also not have to wear a face covering in restaurants and bars if they are seated to eat or drink.

Spanish authorities are concerned the mass arrival of tourists could lead to a spike in Covid cases on the Balearics, which have some of the lowest rates of infection in Spain.

In recent days, police have shut down a series of illegal parties in Majorca and Ibiza where large numbers of tourists have gathered with no masks and no social distancing.

It emerged today that Serbia is being removed from a list of where people returning to or visiting England can avoid quarantine.

The UK Government announced that the Joint Biosecurity Centre and Public Health England have 'updated their coronavirus assessments of Serbia based on the latest data'.

Serbia was included on a list of 76 countries and territories from which people arriving into England will no longer need to self-isolate for 14 days from Friday.

The list included popular destinations such as Spain, Germany, France and Italy, but Portugal was one of the notable omissions.

Holidaymakers should wear a mask EVERYWHERE as part of the 'new normal' Holidaymakers should wear masks while travelling, in hotels and even on beaches, a coalition of the world's biggest travel companies will say today. As part of a 'new normal' for holidays, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) is urging tourists to wear masks at virtually all times, wherever they are, to prevent a second wave of coronavirus. Tourists should even have face coverings on by the pool and on beaches where they cannot keep a two-metre gap between their fellow sunbathers, the council says. Airports, hotels, nightclubs, museums, gyms and all other 'indoor venues', including public areas on cruise ships, should also have mandatory mask-wearing rules in force until a vaccine is found, it recommends. Advertisement

The Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive decided to follow the same approach, but the Scottish Government produced a list of just 39 countries not including Spain or Serbia.

There have been two nights of violent clashes in Serbian capital Belgrade by thousands of people protesting against coronavirus lockdown measures.

Serbian authorities have reported 352 coronavirus deaths and 17,342 cases, but it has been claimed the data does not represent the full impact of the virus.

UK holidaymakers were looking forward to meeting new grandchildren and being reunited with loved ones as they travelled on the first day of the new quarantine rules being in place.

Passengers passing through Gatwick Airport's north terminal admitted they would not be travelling if they were still required to self-isolate for two weeks on their return.

'We probably would have gone later,' said Ray Gordge, 64, from Taunton, who was on his way to Paris to see his daughter for the first time in six months, and meet his new grandson, born last week.

'It's exciting, I'm pleased the quarantine has been lifted to be honest,' he said.

'It's nice to have a bit more normality.'

Mr Gordge said he only booked his easyJet flight in the last few days, but had no concerns about travelling.

'I think it's OK as long as you're wearing a face mask. It's very strange.'

While Labour welcomed the UK Government's relaxation of the quarantine for some countries, it criticised ministers for failing to secure agreements with more destinations to accept UK visitors without restrictions.

Shadow transport secretary Jim McMahon said workers and holidaymakers were paying the price of the Government's failure to act.

He added: 'The fact they have been unable to negotiate air bridges is an indictment of their failure to tackle the crisis at home.

'They were too slow to take lockdown, too slow to order PPE (personal protective equipment) and too slow to protect our country.

'Labour has consistently called for a sectoral deal that supports the whole aviation industry including the supply chain based on our six conditions.

'Tory ministers have failed to act and workers are paying the price and trips are being cancelled.'

As of today, Scottish holidaymakers are allowed to visit 57 countries and 14 British territories without having to enter a two-week quarantine on their return. But travellers have been warned to expect restrictions in destination countries, including temperature checks on arrival.
Im working to make this world a better place for my kids and for every other child that needs me to, honestly, she said. I just want to stop racism in its tracks the best we can. Its time for the world to change. Ill work as long as Im here and my kids will work as long as theyre here and their kids will work until this world is a just place for all.
The City University of New York (CUNY) recently laid off 2,800 adjunct professors, slashed hours and pay of part-time staff, and cut hundreds of academic classes in response to both implemented and impending cuts in funding due to the pandemic-triggered state and city financial crisis.

While an update on the extent of the state budget cuts from Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo is still pending, Mayor Bill de Blasio and the Democratic-controlled New York City Council recently cut over $112 million from CUNYs budget. Fifty-three percent of CUNYs funding is from New York state aid and 16 percent is from city support, while 19 percent is from student tuition.

The World Socialist Web Site recently spoke with students and faculty at CUNY about these cuts and their effects, as well as the way forward.

Kristen, an advanced doctoral student in the environmental psychology program at CUNYs Graduate Center, noted that these layoffs are taking place in the middle of a deadly pandemic and an economy dominated by unemployment. The layoffs threaten peoples ability to care for themselves with housing, food, health care and may also affect mental health.

Kristen

I am worried about people, including myself. I personally am trying to work through my dissertation work, have no work lined up after August, no way to pay for my housing after December, and am sitting under a lot of student debt. I am very worried about my future.

Kristen strongly opposes a rush for CUNYs campus to reopen amidst the health dangers of COVID-19, stressing that reopening requires people to take public transit and sit in closed spaces with otherstwo of the most dangerous places to be right now. Requiring people to do that would be a form of state-sanctioned violence. Already, I hope that one day we are able to hold current officials accountable for the mass death their negligence and bad decisions have caused.

On the possibility of paying full tuition for online courses, Kristen thought that this raised a larger question about why students at a public university are paying tuition at all.

While she strongly supports the rehiring of adjuncts and the reversal of cuts, Kristen fears that these are a short-term solution to the much larger problem of our exploitative capitalist political economy. She stated that real harm was taking place in higher education before the pandemic and hopes that the widespread anger and fear over these cuts is channeled into a fight for deeper and broader structural changes that ultimately will lift all of us up.

My hope is that those experiencing fear around all of this right now are able to come to the larger questions about our society and fight on that collective basis. Kristen emphasized the need to unite across different areas of struggle, because while our grievances may be different, they are all connected. She added, "I totally support independent rank-and-file committees."

Its devastating, said a rising senior at the College of Staten Island studying media and design, who preferred to remain anonymous, about the adjunct layoffs and cuts. Adjunct faculty make up a huge proportion of my department, and to see them axed just like that is beyond heartbreaking. Adjuncts work very hard for very little pay as it is.

She said the effects of these cuts and layoffs will be widespread and long-lasting. Students and their families are going to suffer from this. Fewer faculty members mean fewer course offerings and larger class sizes, which in turn impacts the quality of education students are receiving.

CUNY Graduate Center (Credit: Wikimedia Commons)

She mentioned the recent CUNY demonstrations and petitions opposing these cuts, and emphasized that, going forward, We need to unite all the CUNY campuses under a common cause. There are so many people in CUNY, and we need to take advantage of our numbers and remind students that these cuts will affect them greatly.

Commenting on the fact that these austerity measures are coming from the leadership of the Democratic Party through Governor Cuomo and Mayor De Blasio, she said, They are our opponents in this struggle. It was our mayor who proposed the cuts to CUNY ASAP [Accelerated Study in Associate Programs]. And we also have our governor working with Bill Gates to reimagine education, which makes me think hes always been trying to push CUNY to be fully onlinethis pandemic may just be the catalyst he needed.

Aisha, a second-year graduate student in education at Baruch College whose name was changed for the sake of anonymity, said that laying off thousands of adjuncts leading to class overcrowding is not an acceptable solution.

A first-level microeconomics class at Baruch or biology class at Hunter has over 100 students. As a result of the layoffs, we can only expect the quality of education to go down and create an unfathomable workload that faculty would have to bear across all course levels.

In response to these cuts targeting the schools most vulnerablethe adjuncts, part-time staff, college assistants, lab assistants, office aids, mail-room staff and graduate assistantsAisha said that a large-scale struggle and strong opposition is needed, and that this will be a continuous struggle for many.

Aisha also raised the Democratic-controlled state and city governments, saying, These two governments are failing CUNY and making access to public education difficult for low-income and marginalized students by imposing their own agendas and supporting yearly tuition increase.

Aisha spoke about how the amount of student loans is soaring in the trillions of dollars without sufficient relief, and that students across the country place no trust in the government. Education is not the priority of this [presidential] administration nor the past administrations.

The federal bailout clearly shows a prioritization of businesses such as airlines and corporations over health and education, When asked about the countrys rush to reopen and force workers back to work, she said this demonstrated a prioritization of, capital over human capital.

KC, a professor at Brooklyn College who teaches twentieth century US political, diplomatic, and legal history, said that reducing the number of courses CUNY offers will clearly have a negative effectespecially since current enrollment trends show relatively stable enrollment figures.

KC

KC also shared health concerns about reopening campus. Students and faculty are reaching campus overwhelmingly via either the subway or bus, and thus collectively encounter many thousands of people before they even set foot on campus. Under the circumstances, I dont see how full on-campus instruction could be safe in the fall.

KC laid primary responsibility for the cuts on Governor Cuomo, who has been at best indifferent and at worst hostile to CUNY since assuming office. He also sharply critiqued the Professional Staff Congress, CUNYs faculty and staff union, saying, The unions ineffectiveness, which in prosperous times has served CUNY faculty poorly, has had tragic consequences in recent months.

[PSC president Barbara] Bowen, he said, has embraced performative tacticsa car caravan protest, an agreement with CUNY to delay the inevitable non-reappointment lettersthat have had no practical effect. In coming weeks, Bowen doubtless will start issuing vague strike threats, but shes done that so many times during her two decades running the union that no one takes her threats seriously anymore.

While KC supports the interests of both full-time and part-time faculty, he brought up how they often conflict under the current structure. Being at CUNY since 1999, he stated that, aside from research support becoming non-existent and workload increasing, the much-needed adjunct pay hikes have been at the expense of stagnating wages for full-time faculty and that adjunct health care benefits have been won by shifting funds from and weakening the full-time facultys Welfare Fund.

Tom, an undergraduate student studying computer science at Hunter College, said that there have been many cuts to CUNY over the years, and Im opposed to all of them. He emphasized that there cant be a better investment to make than in public education.

Tom, who is 59, described how crowded the Hunter campus is and how he has serious health concerns about returning to in-person classes should the campus re-open. If it does, he thought that courses should be an in-person/online hybrid, and students and faculty should be given a choice as to whether to attend in person.

Tom

Asked about the way in which the US government has responded to the pandemic and the current rush to reopen, Tom said, Its dreadful. Those who still have to work are at the bottom of the economic ladder and so they are basically told, We dont care if you die, just do your job. Theyre looked on as literal pawns who are going into battleIf they die, another row of pawns will replace them.

Tom also spoke about his frustration with the general state of the economy. Nobody would design the economy that we have now. Nobody wants this number of poor and homeless people, especially given the fact that there is enough money and enough food for everyoneits just in the wrong pockets. We need change.

He added, But one of the silver linings of the pandemic is that it is exposing how broken things are.
Mexico City (AFP) - Mexico is to seek the arrest and extradition from Canada of the former chief investigator in the murky disappearance of 43 students in 2014, Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said Friday.

Tomas Zeron, who was head of the Criminal Investigation Agency, is in Canada and work is underway to extradite him, the minister said.

"There is going to be no impunity, part of our function at the ministry of foreign affairs is to guarantee that, when there are cases of this nature, extradition occurs," Ebrard said.

Zeron fled Mexico earlier this year and is wanted on an Interpol notice over allegations that torture was used to extract supposed confessions from suspects.

Mexican media reported that the former official had been in Canada since last October, according to his immigration record.

Zeron is one of the architects of the so-called "historical truth", the official version of the case presented in January 2015 by the government of then-president Enrique Pena Nieto, which was rejected by the victims' families.

"The historical truth is over and I want to emphasize, the case is still open," Omar Gomez, the prosecutor assigned to the case by the Lopez Obrador government, said Tuesday.

The disappearance of the teaching students in 2014 sent shockwaves around the country.

The students had commandeered five buses to travel to a protest on the night of September 26, 2014, but were stopped by municipal police in the city of Iguala, Guerrero.

Prosecutors initially said the officers delivered the 43 teacher trainees to drug cartel hitmen, who killed them, incinerated their bodies and dumped the remains in a river.

However, independent experts from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights have rejected the government's conclusion, and the unsolved case remains a stain on Mexico's reputation.

Meanwhile, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador was meeting Friday with close relatives of the students.
NEW HAVEN  The police union president is accusing Mayor Justin Elicker of allowing the city to devolve to chaos and disorder, given cuts to the Police Department budget, while the mayor characterized his remarks as unfortunate and irresponsible.

Elicker, facing a $27 million increase in debt service over two years, a $1.4 million increase in pension payments and a grand list more than 50 percent untaxed because of Yale University and Yale New Haven Hospital, proposed a city budget that either cut, or reduced to $1 openings, 80 vacant positions. There have been no layoffs.

Ben Lambert / Hearst Connecticut Media

When the Board of Alders voted to cut $2 million more, Elicker increased the number of vacancies eliminated, or put into $1 placeholder status, to 101 positions, with 48 coming from the Police Department. The cuts save some $4 million in police salaries, benefits and associated costs, although overtime went up $1.2 million.

The police and fire departments have the most personnel in the budget.

With the beginning of the new fiscal year, Mayor Elickers message to the New Haven community was quite clear: you will have fewer cops on your city streets to deter rising crime. Shootings in the past 28 days have seen an increase of 116% in persons shot from this period last year, Police Union President Florencio Cotto said in a statement.

Statistics kept by the Police Department show there were 13 shootings from June 8 through July 5, as opposed to six during the same period last year. Shootings since the beginning of the calendar year through July 5 totaled 45, compared to 35 during the same period last year.

There were 52 robberies with a firearm from Jan. 1 through July 5, compared to 46 in that period in 2019; other robberies are 101 this year, up from 76 in 2019.

There have been eight homicides to date this year compared to six for the same period last year.

The city will continue (its) new reality of increased violent crimes, and it will only worsen until elected officials witness the dangers related with cutting resources to the police, Cotto said. He characterized the city as turning into a war zone.

Without safe streets there is no economic development, no prosperity, and certainly no environment for academic pursuits. It is so ironic that the elected city leadership has so much disdain for the police, but when confronted by angry masses cower for cover at One Union Avenue while the fine men and women of the NHPD protect them, the union president said.

Elicker said it is time to come together when the city is facing so many challenges rather than misrepresenting facts and disparaging each other. The mayor said Cotto, as a resident of Branford, lives in a town that has a tax rate two-thirds what we pay in New Haven. It is easy for him to say, just raise other peoples taxes. I dont have that luxury.

Peter Hvizdak / Hearst Connecticut Media

Budget cuts mean very difficult decisions, plain and simple, because of the citys deep and worsening financial challenges. We can either raise taxes or cut. I dont want to do either, but as mayor I have to make difficult decisions and own them. Elicker said.

Elicker, when he announced the additional cuts last week, said services would be affected, but that he tried to protect the most vulnerable.

He said the cuts to police, fire and some other departments will strain our ability to provide the services residents require, but there have been no cuts to youth services and homeless services and only minimal cuts to other areas that provide critical support in this very challenging time.

Majority Leader Richard Furlow, D-27, feels the city will continue to get the police services it requires.

We have complete confidence in our chief (Otoniel Reyes) and in our Police Department that with the structure the mayor has ordered, we will be able to still provide the services from our public safety departments that our city is accustomed to, Furlow said.

Brian Zahn / Hearst Connecticut Media /

Reyes, in an earlier interview, said the police force now has 341 sworn officers, which includes 18 in the academy  though they will not hit the streets until April 2021 after they complete the 12-week field training operation.

Peter Hvizdak / Hearst Connecticut Media

On the budget issue, Furlow said aldermanic leadership suggested some other ways to make the additional $2 million in cuts, such as cutting contractual services, but he said that wouldnt have saved much since those funds were needed to be able to negotiate in good faith with the unions.

He said there also was some talk of savings if staff were to continue working from home.

The additional $2 million cut was a compromise as the Finance Committee originally had asked for almost $4 million in additional cuts to the operating budget and did follow through cutting education by an additional $2.5 million.

Ultimately, we put it on him (Elicker) because it is his administration and he should decide where he thought the savings would fit best, Furlow said.

The majority leader said layoffs were not on the table, as the administration is always looking for businesses to come here to add jobs for residents. Laying off staff, given the record number of unemployed in the city and the country, would have been counterproductive.

We are appreciative that the mayor did not go in that direction, Furlow said.

In the wake of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis while being restrained by a police officer, thousands across the country and in New Haven have protested police brutality and racial inequality, and have called for the defunding of police.

Furlow brought up a different perspective.

The real argument is what number is really needed in the rank-and-file officers. I think this is a good time to experiment with that and see what the numbers really should be. Minus the protests ... what is the real number? he asked.

It is really based on what is happening throughout the city and the atmosphere of the city. I think that is what the chief is really working on, to get an idea of what that number should be. It varies from year to year, Furlow said.

Furlow said the community has to make up its mind as to what it wants.

So those who are protesting are going to have to really figure out what is it that they want, because to defund the police, means less police on the streets, he said. You cant defund and then expect an officer to come when you call 911 in two minutes.

Furlow said city officials felt the need to keep the budget as tight as possible because of the coronavirus pandemic and the uncertainty of what the future holds.

We have not had a lot of unrest in New Haven. We are a fortunate city. We are an extremely fortunate state. We have a tremendous Police Department here, that has used tremendous discretion. Everyone is not perfect, but at the same point the majority of our Police Department are good men and women who want to serve the city. We are proud of them and we support them, Furlow said.

Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media

He said if the budget as it now stands isnt working, we can always go back in and make amendments, if necessary, so right now, lets see what is going to happen, Furlow said.

The finances of the city are controlled by the Board of Alders. There has been criticism that the board put $2.5 million in anticipated additional revenue from Yale University without an agreement on that.

mary.oleary@hearstmediact.com; 203-641-2577
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San Francisco, 10 July 2020: The Report Deodorizer Bags Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Distribution Channel (Offline, Online), By Application (Residential, Commercial, Cars), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2019 - 2025

The global deodorizer bags market size is expected to reach USD 857.7 million by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc., expanding at a CAGR of 6.7% over the forecast period. The market is driven by increasing consumer awareness about health concerns, especially due to air borne diseases. Moreover, significant change in the consumer preference for different types of fragrances is expected to augment the demand for deodorizer bags.

The market is driven by increasing demand for the premium and quality products due to the natural ingredients present in them. Moreover, growing working class population and rising disposable income are likely to drive the demand for the products over the forecast period.

Enhanced freshness and capability of deodorizer bags to remove unpleasant odor are driving the product demand. Moreover, increasing number of product launches by the manufacturers is boosting the market growth. However, high cost of these products as compared to the other deodorizing agents has been a factor restraining the growth of the market.

The market in North America is anticipated to grow due to the rise in the sales of natural products, along with increasing product launches. The growth in the region is also attributed to growing health awareness among consumers and rise in the economic factors, such as disposable income and purchasing power for the consumers. Moreover, increasing sales in the automotive and footwear sector are anticipated to drive the product demand in Asia Pacific over the forecast period.

Growing interest in the natural and quality products among the working population due to their various health benefits will fuel the product demand in the market. Companies are expanding their geographical reach and developing novel products in order to gain a major share in the market. The market is recognized by a few initiatives such as mergers and acquisitions, limited extension, and online sales and developments, endeavored by the key players including Moso Natural; Home Pro Goods Inc.; California Home Goods Inc.; Etsy Inc.; and BreatheFresh Solutions.

Access Research Report of Deodorizer Bags Market @ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/deodorizer-bags-market

Further key findings from the study suggest:

Based on application, the cars segment is projected to expand at a CAGR of 9.8% over the forecast period. The residential segment dominated the market with an overall share of 72.3% in 2018

North America dominated the market in 2018 and accounted for 49.3% share of the overall revenue. This trend is projected to continue over the next few years owing to growing automotive industry, which is attributed to rise in mobility, mainly in developed countries

The deodorizer bags market in Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness growth due to increasing disposable income in countries, such as India, South Korea, China, and Japan

The industry is highly competitive due to presence of key players including Moso Natural; Home Pro Goods Inc.; California Home Goods Inc.; Etsy Inc.; and BreatheFresh Solutions

Various manufacturers are concentrating on new product launches, capacity expansion, and technological innovations to estimate existing and future demand patterns from upcoming product segments.

Browse more reports of this category by Grand View Research at: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry/homecare-and-decor

Grand View Research has segmented the global deodorizer bags market on the basis of application, distribution channel, and region:

Deodorizer Bags Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2015 - 2025)

Residential

Commercial

Cars

Others

Deodorizer Bags Distribution Channel Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2015 - 2025)

Online

Offline

Deodorizer Bags Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2015 - 2025)

North America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Central & South America

Middle East & Africa

Access Press Release of Deodorizer Bags Market @ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-deodorizer-bags-market

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.

For More Information:www.grandviewresearch.com
Researcher Charged with Illegally Using U.S. Grant Funds to Develop Scientific Expertise for China

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, July 9, 2020



A rheumatology professor and researcher with strong ties to China has been ordered held without bond to face a charge of grant fraud for not disclosing that he was engaged in a sophisticated scheme to use approximately $4.1 million in grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop China's expertise in the areas of rheumatology and immunology. He is also charged with making false statements about maintaining employment in China at the same time he was employed at universities in the United States, including The Ohio State University.

Song Guo Zheng, 57, was arrested Friday, May 22, 2020, after he arrived in Anchorage, Alaska, aboard a charter flight and as he prepared to board another charter flight to China. When he was arrested, he was carrying three large bags, one small suitcase and a briefcase containing two laptops, three cellular telephones, several USB drives, several silver bars, expired Chinese passports for his family, deeds for property in China and other items.

"Yet again, we are faced with a professor at a U.S. University, who is a member of a Chinese Talent Plan, allegedly and deliberately failing to disclose his relationship with a Chinese university and receipt of funds from the Chinese Government in order to obtain millions of dollars in U.S. grant money designed to benefit the health and well-being of the people of the United States  not to be hijacked to supplement the research goals of the Chinese Communist Party," said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. "This case, like too many others, should serve as a reminder that the United States Government takes seriously the obligation of truthfulness and transparency on grant applications, and those who violate the law to benefit China or any other foreign nation will be held accountable."

"This case highlights another example of a Chinese Talent Plan member allegedly using U.S. taxpayer funds for the benefit of the Chinese government," said Alan E. Kohler, Jr, Assistant Director of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division. "According to the criminal complaint, Zheng violated laws concerning the use of federal research funds and did not disclose his employment in China. The FBI will continue to work with our partners to stop such illegal activity and protect U.S. research."

"We allege that Zheng was preparing to flee the country after he learned that his employer had begun an administrative process into whether or not he was complying with rules governing taxpayer-funded grants," said David M. DeVillers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. "This is our office's third recent case involving the illegal transfer of intellectual property and research to China. This underscores our commitment to work with the FBI, the Department of Health and Human Services, and our research institutions to protect our country's position as a global leader in research and innovation, and to punish those who try to exploit and undermine that position."

"The taxpayers of the United States are the real victims when researchers defraud our government and exploit our system to benefit China," stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Chris Hoffman. "The cutting-edge technologies that are being developed in our country must be carefully protected from our foreign adversaries and the FBI will continue to work with our partners to safeguard these important innovations."

A criminal complaint filed May 23 and unsealed following today's detention hearing charges Zheng with one count of fraud or bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, a crime punishable by up to ten years in prison, and one count of making false statements, which is punishable by up to five years in prison. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Preston Deavers ordered Zheng held without bond because he is a flight risk. The case will be presented to a federal grand jury for possible indictment. The investigation is continuing.

An affidavit filed with the complaint alleges that, since 2013, Zheng has been participating in a Chinese Talent Plan, a program established by the Chinese government to recruit individuals with knowledge or access to foreign technology intellectual property. Since then, Zheng has used research conducted in the U.S. to benefit the People's Republic of China. Zheng allegedly failed to disclose conflicts of interest or his foreign commitments to his U.S. employers or to the NIH.

Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney DeVillers, and Christopher Hoffman, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Cincinnati Field Division announced the criminal complaint. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas W. Squires and Courter Shimeall, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher St. Pierre, and Trial Attorney Matthew J. McKenzie with the Department of Justice National Security Division are representing the United States in this case.

A criminal complaint merely contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

Topic(s):

Counterintelligence and Export Control

National Security

Component(s):

National Security Division (NSD)

USAO - Ohio, Southern

Press Release Number: 20-641

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MONTREAL, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Hydro-Quebec will deliver renewable energy directly to Maine at a discounted price and accelerate payments within the approved US$258-million New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) financial benefits package.

Reduced price for Maine

Through a binding commitment with the state, Hydro-Quebec will provide Maine with the following:

500,000 megawatthours of renewable hydropowerenough to power 70,000 homes or 10,000 businesses each year.

Price discount: The wholesale electricity price to Maine will be cut by US$4 /megawatthour for 20 years. Based on the forecasted price environment in Maine for 2023, this represents a 12% saving.

This energy will avoid approximately 200,000 tons of CO 2 emissions in the region, equivalent to removing 50,000 cars from the road each year. This is in addition to the annual avoided emissions equivalent to removing 700,000 cars from the road that will result from the NECEC project.

"Hydro-Quebec stands by Maine in its efforts to recover from the pandemic's toll," explained Sophie Brochu, Hydro-Quebec's President and CEO. "We're pleased to contribute with a commitment that guarantees reliable power deliveries as well as considerable savings."

Financial contributions beginning this fall

In 2019, Hydro-Quebec and its partner committed a total of US$258 million to Maine in the initial NECEC benefits package. The new terms accelerate payments under Hydro-Quebec's financial commitments by over two years. Beginning this October rather than in December 2022, contributions will be made every year for rate relief, broadband expansion, heat pump installation and electric vehicle infrastructure deployment. These accelerated payments will total US$50 million over five years.

The expanded commitments are in addition to the significant economic benefits associated with the construction and operation of the NECEC powerline, including:

US$18 million each year in host community tax revenues

each year in host community tax revenues More than 1,600 new jobs during line construction

SOURCE Hydro-Quebec

Related Links

www.hydroquebec.com


When announcing a blueprint for reopening the University of Alabama campus, the board of trustees knew avoiding coronavirus infections wouldnt be possible.

Having more than 33,000 undergraduates enrolled and 8,400 dorm beds on campus complicates that fight to keep students healthy.

Documents obtained by AL.com reveal roughly how many on-campus students the school expects to isolate with fall classes set to begin Aug. 19.

UA anticipates needing up to 300 beds off campus for students who either tested positive for COVID-19 or came in close contact with someone who tested positive. That figure comes from a solicitation for bids from local hotels and off-campus apartment buildings posted on the schools website.

Specifically, the language states the school anticipates 0-150 students who were exposed to someone with COVID-19 and 0-150 students who test positive themselves.

The bidding process began Thursday after the posting was published June 29. University spokesperson Monica Watts provided a statement to AL.com on the plan.

The (request for proposal) is part of our planning process, seeking alternatives and proposals for possible extra living spaces to transition students while freeing space on campus that may be needed to assist those who test positive, are symptomatic, or may be exposed to someone positive or symptomatic, the statement read. We requested bids for spaces that could be used for healthy students or those affected by the coronavirus on an as needed basis. Our Return to Campus plan states we will provide quarantine/isolation space as needed. That is also consistent with the UA System Health & Safety Plan and CDC guidance for those who become ill or have been exposed to someone who tests positive. Our plan will help limit the spread of the virus while providing the highest level of care for our students.

The potential need for hotel rooms or apartment space as a backstop was initially mentioned in the campus reopening plan released by UA on June 10. It stated the need for campus dorms to designate a separate residence hall or floor for isolation/quarantine of COVID-19 positive cases. Asymptomatic students who were exposed to an infected individual can remain in their dorm rooms as long as it has no common areas.

If thats not possible, the board of trustees plan states off campus alternatives like hotel rooms or apartments should be considered.

These accommodations would be made only for students who live on campus. Those already living in houses or apartments off campus would be encouraged to self-isolate themselves if they come into contact with someone who tested positive or if they test positive themselves.

The schools website states it has 8,400 on-campus beds in 17 different housing options. That means approximately 24 percent of the undergraduate population would live on campus under normal circumstances.

The UA System has safeguards it hopes will mitigate the need to isolate students after returning to school. On top of the new strict sanitation regimen, UA will do contact tracing, encourage use of PPE including masks and will retrofit classrooms to facilitate distancing.

Last month, our board of trustees committed to returning this fall for all three of our campuses to in-person instruction, UA System chancellor Finis St. John said Tuesday at a White House summit on school reopening, realizing that we could not eliminate all risk but that we could reduce risk and manage risk in a way that allows us to go forward.

St. John went on to say students would be tested before arriving on campus not after they return but before they return so the ones who need isolation can do that at home and we can begin the school year.

Michael Casagrande is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.
NORDIC Aviation Capital - the world's biggest lessor of regional aircraft - has secured unanimous agreement from lenders that gives the Limerick-based firm breathing room during the pandemic.

A vote on a debt interest and principal payment standstill and deferral plan was held yesterday. The Irish Independent revealed details of the plan in June.

It's understood that Nordic Aviation Capital chief executive Sren M Overgaard told staff yesterday that the company believes there will be a more meaningful acceleration in airline and passenger activity at the end of the summer.

The standstill and deferral agreement inked with lenders covers tens of millions of dollars of interest and principal payments due over the next six to 12 months on $6bn (5.3bn) of debt.

Last month, Nordic Aviation Capital (NAC) presented a scheme of arrangement to the High Court in Dublin to propose the standstill and deferral. The agreement secured yesterday will still have to be formally sanctioned by the court. A hearing is expected on or close to July 21.

The company confirmed that the meetings of the secured and unsecured classes of scheme creditors took place yesterday. For the scheme to be approved, 75pc in value and 50pc in number were required to vote in favour.

"NAC is delighted to report that the scheme was approved and that no lender voted against the proposal," the lessor said. The agreement ensures NAC's stability as the aviation market recovers.

"The pandemic has had a severe impact on businesses across the world, in every sector, but particularly for the travel industry," Mr Overgaard said. "As is the case with other leasing companies, we have seen a number of our lessees severely challenged during the pandemic and we have granted them deferred payments of 40pc of our revenue in the past six months."

NAC chief funding officer Gareth Halpin said the agreement with lenders had involved months of work liaising with more than 85 lenders.

It also secured an agreement for a $60m (53m) equity injection from its four owners, which include KIRKBI, the private investment office of the Kristiansen family that owns the Lego empire. Nordic Aviation Capital was founded in Denmark.

The largest shareholder is Sweden's EQT, a global private equity giant. The other shareholders are Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC, and NAC founder Martin Mller.

The lessor has a fleet of about 500 aircraft including jets and turboprops.

The High Court heard last month that 65 of NAC's 75 airline customers have sought various concessions in relation to their aircraft leasing arrangements. In April, during the height of lockdowns, NAC collected just 20pc of what was due from airlines that have leased its aircraft.

The court heard last month that a group which holds 69pc of NAC's unsecured debt was opposing the scheme of arrangement at that time.
Shutdown deprives millions of Filipinos access to information while thousands of employees are expected to lose jobs.

Allies of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in the House of Representatives voted on Friday to deny the renewal of ABS-CBNs broadcast franchise, affirming a government order to shut down the countrys largest television network in a move critics say is a major blow to press freedom in the Southeast Asian nation.

Congress members voted against giving the company another 25-year licence to operate after a total of 12 public hearings and testimony establishing the channel had violated no legal provisions.

Of the 85 committee members in charge of the renewal, 70 voted to deny, 11 voted for the renewal, two voted to inhibit and one abstained from voting.

In a last-minute move, at least two sponsors of the legislation pushing for the renewal withdrew their support.

Ahead of the vote, Carlos Zarate, a minority House member, made a last-minute plea for approval saying, Why would we punish a company that did not breach our laws?

But Rodante Marcoleta, a majority member of the House and one of the channels fiercest critics, said regardless of the legal argument in favour of ABS-CBN, it is the will of Congress that should be accorded due respect, whether they vote for or against.

Supporters of the countrys largest TV network ABS-CBN shout slogans during a rally outside the House of Representatives on Thursday [Aaron Favila/AP]

In the same session, Alan Peter Cayetano, Dutertes handpicked House Speaker, hinted about the outcome of the vote, arguing that it was not press freedom that was at stake. He said it was a question of the media protecting its own business interests.

Cayetano, who was Dutertes vice presidential running mate in 2016, had also accused ABS-CBN of biased reporting. The president and vice president are elected separately in the Philippines. Cayetano lost in that race.

At the final hearing on Monday, ABS-CBN News and current affairs chief Ging Reyes defended the channels news reporting standards, which have been attacked by the presidents allies.

Reyes also spoke about how the closure had denied millions of Filipinos access to information.

The shutdown has deprived more than 69 million Filipinos of the kind of information, analysis and commentary, and public service provided by ABS-CBN News. It has cut off our reach such that two out of three viewers are unable to watch our news programmes, Reyes said.

After the vote on Friday, Reyes said that she does not believe that it is the end of the road for the network.

We are being tested. Our values and our principles are being tested.

ABS-CBN was ordered to shut on May 5 by the countrys regulator, the National Telecommunication Commission, which is part of President Dutertes office, a day after the channels 25-year franchise expired. The franchise does not cover its digital presence, its cable channel, ANC, and its global affiliate, The Filipino Channel.

But with the closure order, thousands of ABS-CBN employees could lose their jobs. According to ABS-CBN, it has a total of 11,000 permanent and freelance contract workers.





In a statement to Al Jazeera on Friday, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) denounced the House of Representatives saying it has declared itself enemy of democracy.

Today, this chamber has lost all claim to represent the people and our interests, NUJP said.

David Dizon, senior editor of ABS-CBN news website, told Al Jazeera that he was gutted by the decision of Congress, adding that in all his 20 years of working for the company, he knows that it has always strive to pursue excellence in reporting  accurate, fair, and balanced.

It has been a long and hard journey for ABS-CBN and to see the committee vote go that way is disheartening.

Images posted on social media showed staff of ABS-CBN in tears after the vote was announced.

A government that shuts down the press is afraid and threatened. Afraid that the truth will be revealed, critical minds will question their abuse of power and an informed citizenry will take that power away. They are afraid of the people, and rightfully so. #DefendPressFreedom  Jhesset Enano (@JhessetEnanoINQ) July 10, 2020

Target of Dutertes ire

Duterte has long harboured enmity towards the station, accusing it of playing favourites after refusing to run some of his political advertisements during the 2016 presidential campaign. ABS-CBN has denied the allegations, saying that only a few advertisements did not air, because the slots were already taken by other commercials.

After his election, Duterte repeatedly threatened the company with closure, declaring in 2019, I will see to it that you are out.

Altermidya, an alternative news organisation, said in a statement that it is clear that the channel is being punished for reporting and commenting on issues in a manner unacceptable to the Duterte administration.

On social media, Danilo Arao, a journalism professor at the University of the Philippines, added that the marching order to deny the channel a franchise came straight from the office of the president.





ABS-CBNs coverage of the war on drugs, which has killed thousands of people, also riled the Philippine president. The network is not the first media company to have earned Dutertes ire.

His administration continues to pursue cases against the news website, Rappler, and its editor, Maria Ressa, after its extensive reporting on his war on drugs and his administrations role in spreading fake news.

The countrys largest newspaper, the Philippine Daily Inquirer, was also forced to sell to an ally of the president, billionaire Ramon Ang, after Duterte threatened its owners with legal consequences. The newspaper was also critical of the drug war. In the run-up to the 2016 elections, it also reported about Dutertes alleged hidden wealth.

It is not the first time that ABS-CBN has been forced to shut by the government. In 1972, then-President Ferdinand Marcos ordered the shutdown of the network after he declared martial law.

ABS-CBN was only returned to its owner in 1986, after Marcos was overthrown in a popular revolt.
A U.S. Army soldier saved a newborn babys life while out dining with his family thanks to his quick-thinking actions. When an infant started choking at a nearby table, the soldier rushed to her aid and put his extensive training to the test.

He was later honored for his bravery with a Meritorious Service Medal.

Second Lieutenant Shawn G. Sutter and his family were enjoying a Fathers Day meal on June 21 when they heard cries from across the room. Sutter, a security manager for the 548th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 10th Mountain Division on Fort Drum, New York, responded immediately.

Second Lt. Shawn G. Sutter at Memorial Park on Fort Drum, New York, on July 2, 2020. (Sgt. Brandon Cox/U.S. Army)

My wife stated she heard a scream that someone was choking, Sutter told the U.S. Army. I hopped up, ran back to a group of people, when I saw a woman on her knees with a baby in her hands.

The Pennsylvania native had been a State Trooper before joining the U.S. Army in 2017 and received extensive training in resuscitation techniques. He plowed through the crowd and asked the frantic mother of the choking infant to hand him her 3-month-old baby.

Sutter made a quick assessment and decided to administer the Heimlich maneuver. After 15 seconds of compressions, Sutter began to feel the baby, named Reagan, breathing on her own again.

(Illustration  Africa Studio/Shutterstock)

When something happens we are taught to react, Sutter said, crediting his extensive Army training. When youre running into gunfire, risking life and limb, you react with the training the Army has given you. I absolutely credit the Army for giving me the ability to stay calm and focused during an emergency situation.

Reagans mother, Army Captain Susan Chiarella, recalled feeling super hysterical while her baby was in Sutters arms. Once he said that she was breathing I was really relieved, she said. He is my daughters hero.

Sutter with Capt. Joseph Chiarella (R) and Capt. Susan Chiarella (L) following an award presentation at Memorial Park on Fort Drum, New York, on July 2, 2020. (Sgt. Brandon Cox/U.S. Army)

The U.S Army announced Sutters heroic deed on Facebook, quoting Sutter.

The whole time I was giving compressions to the baby, I could hear the mother behind me screaming, Save my baby! All I could think about at that moment was, please start breathing again, Sutter recalled.

The Armys Facebook post was shared over 1,000 times and hundreds of comments amassed, praising the soldier for his heroism.

This is what I call God putting you in the same place at the same time to save this childs life, wrote one social media user. You are indeed a hero, not only to this child and family, but also to this great nation! Thank you for your service!

Thank you sir for acting, not second-guessing, wrote another. God bless you and your family and fellow service members. From a daughter, mother, and spouse of American military service members present, retired, and past, thank you so much.

Sutter is presented with the Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) by Brig. Gen. Brett Funck at Memorial Park on Fort Drum, New York. (Sgt. Brandon Cox/U.S. Army)

Sutter was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal on July 2 in a ceremony held at Memorial Park on Fort Drum, New York. Attendees honored Sutters pivotal role in saving the choking newborn babys life, and the soldier was reunited with baby Reagan and her grateful parents, Captains Susan and Joseph Chiarella.

I feel like I did what I had to do, Sutter said. I was lucky enough to have the training to be able to help a family that was in need.

We would love to hear your stories! You can share them with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.nyc
He recently revealed he was homesick and wanted to go back Australia, after a lengthy lockdown in New York due to the coronavirus pandemic.

But Hugh Jackman got a taste of normality on Thursday as he took his beloved dog Allegra for a walk along the beach in the Hamptons.

The actor, 51, showed off his ripped physique as he peeled off his black shirt during the outing.

Hollywood hunk: Hugh Jackman showed off his ripped physique as he took his beloved dog Allegra for a walk along the beach in the Hamptons on Thursday

Dressed in dark board shorts, Hugh showcased his muscular figure as he cooled off in the water.

The Wolverine star donned a straw hat and a pair of dark shades as his Poodle-mix dog ran happily alongside him.

Hugh is currently on holiday in the Hamptons after a lengthy lockdown in coronavirus ravaged New York.

Handsome: Dressed in dark board shorts, the actor, 51, showcased his muscular figure as he cooled off in the water

It appears the actor is missing his homeland however, as on Sunday, Hugh attempted to finish a puzzle showing the Sydney Opera House.

In a video shared to Instagram, Hugh showed off his puzzle and sang a little song which went: 'My city of Sydney. I miss the warmth of you!'

Hugh has been using his time self-isolating in New York to help others in need.

Missing home? Hugh is in New York but appears the actor is missing his homeland, as on Sunday he attempted to finish a puzzle showing the Sydney Opera House

After becoming an ambassador of mental health organisation Gotcha4Life in 2017, the actor has been hosting secret web seminars to promote 'messages of connection and conversation' through the charity.

'I've learned so much from being on the board and we are planning on more of those talks,' Hugh told News Corp Australia of his passion to help people.

'Our need to look after each other, not just financially and physically, but mentally is a priority. There's a lot of loneliness out there and this only adds to that,' he said.

Hugh, wife Deborra-Lee Furness and their children, Oscar and Ava, were in Melbourne when COVID-19 was declared a pandemic in March.

They initially flew there from New York on a work trip as Deborra-Lee directed several episodes of Neighbours. They then returned to America after just four days.

'No one really knew what was going on it was all a bit of a shock,' said Hugh after being advised to return to his American home before the borders closed.
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A number of Africa's fragile democracies have become vulnerable to the sword of leaders assuming wide-ranging powers under cover of emergency responses to COVID-19. Partly for this reason, Good Governance Africa has published a set of articles that conceptualise COVID-19 as a wicked problem . A wicked problem is exemplified by multiple stakeholders interacting in complex and unpredictable ways. It is difficult to identify and even more difficult to solve.

The second theme of the series explores vulnerabilities to the rule of law . One of the key animating features of robust democracy is the rule of law, yet it is one of the most difficult to establish. It exists when no one is above the law; the law is upheld independently of who happens to be in power. From Kenya to Cameroon to Ethiopia to South Africa to Zimbabwe to Nigeria, the robustness of the rule of law is being put to the test.

In Kenya , elites appear to disregard the very rules they espouse for citizens, such as prohibiting public gatherings. In South Africa , the tragic death of Collins Khosa at the hands of National Defence Force members has raised questions about excessive state force. Journalists in Nigeria face heat for criticising political leaders.

Judging by these and other examples, a pervasive feature of responses to COVID-19 appears to be that one set of rules applies to the elites, and another to the citizenry. This arbitrariness undermines legitimacy. But the fact that it is being exposed by the media and called out by citizens is a sign that Leviathan is being tamed.

The concept of the rule of law, despite its broad appeal, still lacks a strong theoretical framework for explaining how it arises. Leading scholars Gillian Hadfield and Barry Weingast wrote in 2014 that simply equating the concept with stable government capable of enforcing the rules generated by a political authority is inadequate. Incentives for widespread adherence are what matter.

Outside the handful of stable democratic orders, some of which are backsliding , efforts to build the rule of law have been a bit hit-and-miss. We still do not well understand how legal order is produced and sustained. But we do know that it requires the transition from one coordination equilibrium, where the elites make the rules, to another, where the elites are bound by the same rules as everyone else.

So, what helps to establish the rule of law? What motivates adherence to it?

Some answers

Among the first steps is that the ruling elite has to accept and abide by a set of rules among itself. They do so because those rules help to generate more rents  returns that exceed those that would have materialised from investment in a competitive market  and therefore stabilise their hold on political power.

Citizens, in turn, become more likely to adhere to the rule of law if they see the ruling elite doing so. Moreover, the rules themselves have to be congruent with prevailing norms, beliefs and values in order to gain traction. There are no guarantees, though, as the elite can also use rents to co-opt and repress citizens.

Most countries' current coordination equilibria  the elite bargains that determine how rents are generated and distributed  are better characterised as a limited access order than an open access order, as the late American economist Douglass North conceived them. In the latter, the rule of law applies equally to elites and non-elites, and the rules are upheld independent of who is in power. Sweden is a useful example, as the political equilibrium prevents undermining the rule of law. Access to political and economic opportunity is broad based.

North's work suggests that analysing most countries through the lens of democracy or non-democracy is inadequate.

Limited access orders with hope for the future

I argued in my PhD thesis that we might do better to understand most African countries as some type of limited access order with a large degree of heterogeneity in the coordination equilibria that determine who gets what, when and how. To understand political economy realities, it is critical to understand the internal dynamics of the ruling elite.

In Nigeria, for instance, Olusegun Obasanjo's 2006 attempts to remove presidential term limits in the constitution were defeated, not so much because the ruling elites were suddenly reformed democrats, but because they saw the constitution as a useful mechanism through which to end Obasanjo's power-accumulation strategy.

The appeal to the constitution inadvertently served as a precursor to a more open political order in Nigeria. Clearly, given the threat to journalists mentioned earlier, it remains a stretch to argue that the country is epitomised by the rule of law, but it is closer to that end than it was in 2006. Its coordination equilibrium is now more open , which creates greater opportunities for the rule of law to arise.

More recently, Malawi's historic election offers hope too. The Constitutional Court struck down the results of the questionable May 2019 elections and ordered a rerun.

Read more: Chakwera has his work cut out restoring democratic rule that delivers for Malawians

The rerun was held in late June 2020 and the opposition won. The incumbent president, Peter Mutharika, to his credit, stepped down when the results were announced. Lazarus Chakwera now assumes power .

Craig Moffat, head of the Governance Delivery and Impact programme at Good Governance Africa, explains that a major positive long-term effect will be

the embedding of the idea that it is possible to trust the judiciary to be professional and independent.

The judiciary's ability to hold the executive to account is one of the most crucial elements of establishing the rule of law. While COVID-19 has accelerated global trends of nationalism and democratic backsliding, Malawi has potentially lit the way for the rule of law to take root in an African context. Its historic example can only have positive regional spillover effects.

Ross Harvey is the Director of Research & Programmes at Good Governance Africa.

By Ross Harvey, Senior Research Associate, Institute for the Future of Knowledge, University of Johannesburg
This is an opinion column.

Frank Adams calls it a very, very dark place for us to be, Black people. A grim, grim place where so many of our young men believe they must have a gun. Not as bravado, or to show theyre a tough guy.

Just to survive. To get to school. To get home. Alive.

Adams is Birmingham bred. Bush Hills bred, the only child of Frank Sr. and Doris, a couple of musicians (Frank Sr. also had a Ph.D. in Education), themselves from Rosedale and Smithfield, who took five, as it were, to have their son. Frank is now executive director of the A.G. Gaston Boys & Girls Club, with three locations within the region.

Each is an oasis for hundreds of Black kids, many of whom come from places most of us call tough neighborhoods.

Places lacking what academics term the social infrastructure so many of us take for granted. Quality healthcare facilities. Grocery stores with healthy food options. Well-funded schools. Parks stocked with lush, green playing fields and playground equipment. Sidewalks without Grand Canyon-esque cracks.

Places, too, where children, ages 6 through 18, who flock to Boys & Girls Clubs, may hear gunfire. Often hear gunfire. Every night. Not just on the Fourth of July, Adams laments.

Places where they are in harms way. Every day.

We had a young man, probably two years ago, Adams recalls, who was in a situation where he had a disagreement with some peers. They were all in the same high school. He came to the club and said he was concerned that they were looking for him. He said that he had a gun at home, that he had hidden it, and that he was going to use it if he needed to.

A lot of our kids are in that situation.

The clubs, shut since March as part of a statewide effort to stem the spread of COVID-19, are weapon-free zones. Says so on the sign right outside the front door. (Actually, the sign reads: This is a drug-free, alcohol-free, tobacco-free, bully-free, weapon-free zone.) That applies to everyone. Anyone who walks in.

The first and most important element that we try to get right every day is safety, Adams says. Making sure that once those kids are with us, the elements beyond the four walls of our clubs cant harm them.

These clubs are a light  each a refuge from a very, very dark place.

A place darkened even more now by the sickening murder of Royta Giles Jr., just 8, last Friday afternoon as he stood with his family, waiting patiently for another person to leave the Childrens Place at the Galleria mall. Royta (pronounced Roy-tay) died after a bullet struck him in the head, a stray round fired by a Black man (again, Im supposed to say allegedly). Fired indiscriminately. Fired without regard for the consequences.

Three men are charged with felony capital murder, plus charges stemming from having wounded three other people. One of the charged is 22; the others are 19. All are Black men. Men, just barely.

Black men who decided to settle a dispute, law enforcement officials say, with guns. In a mall. It makes no damn sense.

And a child is dead.

Royta, folks, is our Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson, and Carol Denise McNair  three 14-year-olds, one 11. The Four Little Girls.

Our child, and our challenge. All of us.

The Four Little Girls murdered by a bomb planted at 16th Street Baptist by the Ku Klux Klan half a century ago is when the world really became aware of the systemic problems we had in Birmingham, and really led the way in galvanizing support around the country, Adams says.

Thats where we have to get to now. [Roytas death] was shocking to the system, collectively of our community. Weve had young people who died in their beds at home at night because bullets came through their windows. I just hope we have the sense of urgency in this communityspecifically the Birmingham communitysuch that we can galvanize action again.

The Boys & Girls Clubs are just one among many institutions in Birmingham already offering programs created to (may I borrow a familiar phrase?) flatten the curve of violence plaguing too many Black neighborhoods  here and across the nation. They include Girls Inc., YWCA of Central Alabama, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Greater Birmingham, Boys Scouts (The Greater Alabama Council) and Girl Scouts of Central Alabama, the Aspire Movement, robust youth ministries, such as the one at Sixth Avenue Baptist Church, and more.

Many more. Even the Birmingham Police Department has a Youth Advisory Council to improve relationships between young people and police.

We care. We just need to care more.

Right now, too many Black youths are falling through the cracks between programs. Too many are committing acts of violence that sear the hearts of Black families with grief. Including their own.

Some, tragically, always will.

That should not cause us to throw up our hands, shrug, and look away. Not anymore. Not Now. We need more places, Adams says, for our children run to, as opposed to run away from.

Before COVID-19 shut them down in March, these programs were the saving grace for hundreds of young Black kids, many from communities and neighborhoods where idleness is an incubator for all manner of nefariousness. Between 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. every weekday during the school year, almost 200 children between the ages of 6 and 18 spent time inside the walls of the three club sites. The 25,000 square-foot facility in Five Points West opened on February 19, this year; the other sites are in Hayes K-8 elementary school and the Southside Homes public housing community in Bessemer.

Inside the walls, boys participate in Passport to Manhood, which provides them with tools and strategies to temper situations that could  and too often  give rise to violence. Starting, simply, with learning how to talk to one another.

Young people today really lack the ability to deescalate situations verbally, Adams says. Then they resort to physical confrontation.

We also teach the young men that to grow up to be a man means you make specific choices. Along the way, if you make a choice to act out violently, that decision could follow you for the rest of your life. Its important to be in the moment, to understand the emotional situation youre in and know if you take this road or that road, it will lead you to somewhere you dont want to be.

The program involves a lot of role-playing, replicating scenarios many of the boys are familiar with, unfortunately.

We let them act out situations theyve lived, says Adams. A lot of young people in our community have gone through situations where they responded to a conflict with physical activity. We let them role play that, then give them guidance on how to better handle a situation.

Were not trying to make them say there is a perfect way to handle everything but there are tactics to deescalate and get yourself out of a situation that you find yourself in, let an adult intervene, and make sure it doesnt derail you for the rest of your life.

Or leave someone dead. If not themselves.

Remember the young man with the gun at home, who was scared to death  if not of death  that his peers might come after him?

First, we explained to him that while we understand his fear, he doesnt need to make the situation worse by having a gun, Adams said.

To defuse the situation, B&G communicated with the young mans family, the Birmingham Police Department and his school  making sure he could safely walk home and get to where he needed to be.

(This year, BPD has confiscated 1,203 guns, according to Chief Patrick Smith.)

The B&G Clubs also conducts Smart Girls. In many ways, its a mirror-image of Passport to Manhood, with the addition strategies for defusing  better yet, avoiding  tenuous, potentially dangerous sexual encounters. How to present yourself as a young woman in our community and beyond, Adams says.

Its important to have programming reflective of where a kid is developmentally, he adds. Some kids are blessed to have a family that is very, very engaged, with a lot of opportunities to explore. Some families are not able to provide that. We try to bridge the gap. We are not looking for perfect children; were trying to be mentors, put our arms around kids who really need us most from a day to day.

Every day.

As noted, A. G. Gaston Boys & Girls is just one of many entities around the city seeking to puts its arms around the children in our community who need them most, who are at their most vulnerable.

We need more. To get us out of this very, very dark place.

We must give more, of our time, our experiences and, yes, our money. Last year, the B&G Clubs raised $7.2 million to build the new facility and support its programs. While 69 of the 143 donors (48.2%) were Black, the cumulative amount given by African Americans ($423,522.43) represented just 5.9% of the total.

We must do more. Its up to us  Black people. (White allies are certainly welcome, too.)

What weve got to do in this community is create more capacity for kids to be engaged, Adams says. We need more of those efforts, collectively, to create village centers for young people in our community.

The change galvanized by the tragic murder of our Four Little Girls will throughout history be heralded as, of course, the civil-rights movement.

Perhaps this change  this imperative change, this galvanizing change, particularly within the Black community  should be our next childrens crusade. A crusade for our children.

For Royta Giles, Jr.

On July 13, the A.G. Gaston Boys & Girls Club will reopen its flagship Five Points West facility for a summer weekday program (7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.) that will be limited to 100, on a first-come, first-served basis. Adams calls it a controlled reopening, adhering to recommendations from the Jefferson County Department of Health and CDC to stem the spread of COVID-19. We will adhere to social distancing recommendations, have sanitation stations, extensive conversations with everyone about washing their hands and wearing their masks, he adds. Staff will wear their masks all day. The cost is $250 per child. If youd like to sponsor a child (or several) contact Director of Finance and Administration Victoria Truss. Her email is vtruss@aggbgc.org

A voice for whats right and wrong in Birmingham, Alabama (and beyond), Roys column appears in The Birmingham News and AL.com, as well as in the Huntsville Times, the Mobile Register. Reach him at rjohnson@al.com and follow him at twitter.com/roysj
U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. James C. McConville (left) meets with Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha (right) at Government House in Bangkok, July 10, 2020.

The U.S. and Thai militaries will pursue joint training exercises this year with utmost care due to the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. army chief said in Bangkok on Friday, becoming the first official visitor to the kingdom since pandemic restrictions were eased.

U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. James C. McConville and Gen. Apirat Kongsompong, the Royal Thai Army commander in chief, signed a Strategic Vision Statement on the second day of the two-day trip.

McConville, who also met with Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha, was tested for COVID-19 upon arriving Thursday, and wore a face mask during meetings with his hosts.

Our alliance has a long and productive history, and now we are taking on 21st century challenges together, McConville said in a post on the U.S. Embassy in Bangkoks website.

Our two nations typically have hundreds of military trainings and events each year, and we are working in unison with the Royal Thai Government to ensure that all of our training scenarios will be done with the utmost care with regard to the pandemic.

Neither government released the text of the Strategic Vision Statement.

The U.S. delegation was the first to visit Thailand since lockdown measures were instituted to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, which has infected 12.3 million and killed more than 556,000 people worldwide, according to disease experts at U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

The United States is the worst-hit country, with more than 3.1 million infections, while Thailand has largely controlled the pandemic and has a cumulative caseload of 3,202.

The U.S. Embassy statement explained that the agreement signed Friday focuses on stability, prosperity and sustainability in the Indo-Pacific region in support of an inclusive and rules-based international order.

A Thai Army news release described it as an effort to enhance military co-operation between the two nations to reach a high level of progress.

The co-operation is on display each year during Cobra Gold, the regions largest multi-nation training exercises hosted by Thailand.

Beginning in late February this year, Thailand and the U.S. co-hosted 27 countries for the 10-day exercise that combined combat training with humanitarian exercises.

Meeting with Prayuth

Thai government spokeswoman Narumon Pinyosinwat told reporters that the Friday meeting between Prayuth and McConville was a confirmation of close ties between the two countries which [have] continued for many years, especially between the two armies which have many joint operations.

Both countries have a common aim to support security and mutual benefits in strengthening stability, freedom, openness and sustainability of the Indo-Pacific region, she said.

Thailand is Americas oldest ally in Southeast Asia , where the United States is struggling to compete with Chinas growing influence. Bilateral relations date back more than 200 years to 1818.

But the two nations are drifting apart strategically, with Thailand becoming more authoritarian and increasingly siding with Beijing over Washington on key issues, Southeast Asia security analyst Zachary Abuza wrote earlier this year in War on the Rocks, an online journal on security issues.

Apirat defended McConvilles visit to reporters in Bangkok on Thursday, including by saying that the United States had not asked to establish a military base in the kingdom, according to The Bangkok Post.

Dont stir up issues that might create conflict in the region, the army chief reportedly said.

Prayuth took power in 2014 after the military junta he led overthrew the elected government of then-Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. During that period, bilateral ties cooled slightly.

Six months after a 2019 general election, in which Prayuth retained power, he and American Secretary of Defense Mark Esper signed a Joint Vision Statement which strengthened the special relationship, according to a joint statement at the time.

The U.S. Department of Defense and the Ministry of Defense of the Kingdom of Thailand reaffirm the importance of the U.S.-Thailand defense treaty alliance for the 21st century. We note that defense ties complement all elements of our much broader relationship, including strong diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties, the statement said.

We are committed to strengthening all of these important partnerships in order to achieve greater peace in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond, it added.
Investors will already have a good idea of what to expect at the top of Dixons Carphones balance sheet next week as the business reports its results for the 12 months to the start of May.

Despite early predictions before lockdown that the company would endure a significant reduction in sales, the figures showed otherwise.

The last time Dixons updated shareholders on its finances, it said sales had only dropped by 3% in the five weeks to April 25.

It means investors already more or less know what revenue to expect in next weeks results, which only take into account an extra week so eyes will be elsewhere.

Next week our focus will be on the outlook statement, Sophie Lund-Yates, an analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said.

She worries the 166% growth the company had online in the UK and Ireland in the weeks following lockdown might have slowed down since.

Demand for laptops and other equipment staff needed to work from home surged as offices emptied out.

People also turned to hair clippers as barbers closed across the country.

Were concerned the initial website frenzy as people stocked up on extra freezers and homeworking equipment may have simply taken future sales, Ms Lund-Yates said.

Were interested to know how tradings looked in the first few weeks of the new financial year and when  or indeed if  Dixons thinks trading will return to normal.

Analysts are expecting pre-tax profit to hit 151 million over the financial year, less than half last years 339 million.

They also forecast a 3.4% drop in revenue to just over 10 billion, according to an average compiled by the company.

Ms Lund-Yates added: Operating margins will be something to watch, too.

These are already thin at around 3%, largely because of stiff price competition in the sector.

We think online sales are likely lower margin, too, so the increased popularity of the website could mean margins have shrunk further.

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Ms Lund-Yates said low profits and cash flow could end up delaying the return of the companys dividend, which was suspended when Covid-19 hit.

Dixons said it will only reconsider a payment to shareholders once its cancelled its standby debt facilities, she said.

How soon this can happen rests on how successfully its plugged the sales gap and the rate at which its getting through its new loans.

It will mark the end of a turbulent financial year for the business, which was fined 500,000 in January for a massive data breach that compromised the details of 14 million customers.

Just two months later  and just before lockdown  the company announced it would close all of its standalone Carphone Warehouse stores in the UK.

The move cost 2,900 people their jobs at 531 sites across the country.

Some 1,800 members of staff were moved to other shops but were rapidly sent home as the business put more than 16,500 employees on furlough when the pandemic and lockdown hit.

The results will be presented on Wednesday.
Part of our nature as human beings is to see the weird, unusual, the cool, and sometimes the supernatural. If pink sand can exist on a beach somewhere in the world, then don't be surprised to know that pink snow exists too.

However, white snow turning pink in the Italian Alps, specifically in the Presena Glacier in Northern Italy, may actually be a warning sign of environmental trouble according to scientists, as reported by CBS News.

The cause of this pink snow: algae. Although it's not an uncommon phenomenon during this time as it also occurs in the middle latitudes "but also at the Poles," but it could present a problem if it starts happening more frequently.

Pink Snow in the Italian Alps a Sign of Bad Things to Come?

According to an article in Tunesiesoir, pink snow or "watermelon snow" is cryophillic, meaning the organisms thrive in cold temperatures. The algae is red because of its carotenoid pigment.

Biagio Di Mauro, a researcher of the Institute of Polar Sciences (ISP) at Italy's National Research Council, traveled to the glacier last week to investigate the mysterious algae.

The institute said that there is relatively little scientific literature on this phenomenon, which has the direct effect of accelerating the melting of snow and ice. You can see the picture he took below.

The Italian researcher said on Twitter that the algae was most likely Chlamydomonas nivalis, a snow algae. In a study that was published in the journal Nature, snow algae productivity has implications for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. You can check out his tweet below.



1- The alga was probably Chlamydomonas nivalis (a snow alga), not Ancylonema nordenskioeldi (a glacier alga)

2- the phenomen is quite common in the Alps

3- the relationship with climate change has yet to be proven@afpfr https://t.co/mG6RARexTD Imporant clarification:1- The alga was probably Chlamydomonas nivalis (a snow alga), not Ancylonema nordenskioeldi (a glacier alga)2- the phenomen is quite common in the Alps3- the relationship with climate change has yet to be proven @guardian  Biagio Di Mauro (@DiMauro_b) July 6, 2020

Read Also: Is Salty Snow Affecting Air Pollution In The Arctic?

What dangers do this algae present?

For starters, this could speed up the melting process in the region no thanks to climate change chipping in with the year's warmer temperatures.

Ice normally reflects most of the sun's radiation because it is white which is also why we buy white items of clothing. But if we switch to dark clothes, we will be absorbing more heat thus causing us to sweat. In the same manner, algae darkens the ice thus causing it to melt more quickly.

Dr. Michael Mann, professor of atmospheric science at Penn State University calls this biological process "positive feedback." "It reflects a process which is leading to faster melting of the glaciers than our simple models predict," Mann said.

In order to flourish, the organisms need an available supply of water. So, as the ice melts, even more algae will appear.

Across the ocean, in late May, Antarctica reported green snow, caused by microscopic algae. Though microscopic, the green blooms could be spotted by satellites as noted by Cnet.

Read Also: Scientists Unveil New Carbon Capture Using New Membrane That Acts Like A Coffee Filter to Address Global Warming
I heard somewhere that 20% of the beer consumed in the U.S. is quaffed on the three weekends that surround Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day.

It sounded plausible. So I looked it up again to be sure. I found a 2011 Huffington Post article based on Nielsen data (do they ask you how much beer you are drinking when you are watching a TV show?) that noted Labor Day is No. 1, Memorial Day No. 2, Christmas No. 3 and 4th of July is No. 4. Thanksgiving, Halloween and the Super Bowl occupy the next three slots. The rankings were based on the sale of beer two weeks before the day in question.

Anyway, I had a few beers during the 4th of July weekend  all with the proper social distancing, of course  and the subject of beer firms came up. Mainly we talked about which mega-firms controlled which brands and which craft breweries were so big that they really werent craft anymore. Much less micros. So we have two lists for you. The first shows the top 10 worldwide brands. The second, which I find more interesting, shows the top domestic brands  and there are craft firms in the top 10.

Here goes

World list

1. Anheuser-Busch/InBev, which includes Budweiser, Bud Light, with Corona and Stella Artois part of its massive portfolio of 500 brands. And Leffe of Belgium (see photo)

2. Heineken, a Dutch firm which sells gobs of its namesake brew and is No. 1 in Europe. It owns more than 160 breweries and its brands include Amstel, Sol and Tecate.

3. China Resources Snow Breweries, the first of three Chinese firms on the list. Makes sense. With 1.44 billion people at least SOME of them have to drink beer, right? Though it largely sells beer in China, its Snow brand is one of the top-selling individual brands worldwide.

4. Carlsberg, the namesake of a well-known Danish brew, owns 140 brands, including Kronenbourg, which I saw a lot on a trip to France.

5. Molson Coors, obvious brands there, also includes Miller and sells in 90 countries.

6. Tsingtao, the second Chinese company on the list. It is sold in 100 countries and is doing well, with Euro sales up 8% last year, and overall international sales up 12%.

7. Asahi is one of two venerable Japanese brands on the list. It has been No. 1 in Japan for 12 years, also markets other types of alcohol and is moving into food and pharmaceuticals.

8. Yanjing, the third Chinese firm on the list. It mainly targets the northern and southern pieces of the domestic market.

9. Kirin, No. 2 in Japan, also has holdings in Myanmar and the Philippines.

10. Groupe Castel, which largely markets in Africa.

The US list

1. Anheuser-Busch

2. MillerCoors

3. Constellation (Modelo, Pacifico, etc.)

4. Heineken

5. Pabst

6. D.G. Yuengling*

7. Diageo (Guinness, Harp)

8. FIFCO (Labatt, Portland Brewing, Pyramid)

9. Boston Beer (Sam Adams)*

10. Sierra Nevada*

11. New Belgium (Fat Tire)*

12. Craft Brew Alliance (Redhook, Widmer, Kona)

Other Oregon craft firms: Deschutes (19)*, Ninkasi (45)*, Rogue (46)*.

*=craft brewer (it's interesting that Craft Brew Alliance is too big to be viewed as craft anymore.

For the record my weekend consumption consisted of a Widmer hefeweizen, a Rainier, a Ninkasi pilsner and a Sierra Nevada Summerfest. I tend to occupy the crisp and refreshing area of the pond, although I also like the marzen/OFest/Dunkel style as well as occasional bocks, reds and IPAs.

Contact reporter James Day at jim.day@gazettetimes.com or 541-812-6116. Follow at Twitter.com/jameshday or gazettetimes.com/blogs/jim-day.

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How do you pick the next stock to invest in? One way would be to spend days of research browsing through thousands of publicly traded companies. However, an easier way is to look at the stocks that smart money investors are collectively bullish on. Hedge funds and other institutional investors usually invest large amounts of capital and have to conduct due diligence while choosing their next pick. They don't always get it right, but, on average, their stock picks historically generated strong returns after adjusting for known risk factors. With this in mind, lets take a look at the recent hedge fund activity surrounding Metlife Inc (NYSE:MET) and determine whether hedge funds had an edge regarding this stock.

Metlife Inc (NYSE:MET) shareholders have witnessed a decrease in hedge fund interest lately. MET was in 34 hedge funds' portfolios at the end of March. There were 38 hedge funds in our database with MET holdings at the end of the previous quarter. Our calculations also showed that MET isn't among the 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds (click for Q1 rankings and see the video for a quick look at the top 5 stocks).

Video: Watch our video about the top 5 most popular hedge fund stocks.

To most stock holders, hedge funds are assumed to be underperforming, old investment tools of the past. While there are more than 8000 funds with their doors open today, Our researchers hone in on the leaders of this group, around 850 funds. These hedge fund managers oversee bulk of all hedge funds' total capital, and by paying attention to their first-class stock picks, Insider Monkey has revealed numerous investment strategies that have historically beaten the broader indices. Insider Monkey's flagship short hedge fund strategy outpaced the S&P 500 short ETFs by around 20 percentage points a year since its inception in March 2017. Our portfolio of short stocks lost 36% since February 2017 (through May 18th) even though the market was up 30% during the same period. We just shared a list of 8 short targets in our latest quarterly update .

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[caption id="attachment_25251" align="aligncenter" width="400"]

George Soros of Soros Fund Management[/caption]

At Insider Monkey we scour multiple sources to uncover the next great investment idea. There is a lot of volatility in the markets and this presents amazing investment opportunities from time to time. For example, this trader claims to deliver juiced up returns with one trade a week, so we are checking out his highest conviction idea. A second trader claims to score lucrative profits by utilizing a "weekend trading strategy", so we look into his strategy's picks. We read hedge fund investor letters and listen to stock pitches at hedge fund conferences. We recently recommended several stocks partly inspired by legendary Bill Miller's investor letter. Our best call in 2020 was shorting the market when the S&P 500 was trading at 3150 in February after realizing the coronavirus pandemics significance before most investors. With all of this in mind we're going to take a peek at the recent hedge fund action regarding Metlife Inc (NYSE:MET).

What have hedge funds been doing with Metlife Inc (NYSE:MET)?

At Q1's end, a total of 34 of the hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey held long positions in this stock, a change of -11% from the previous quarter. Below, you can check out the change in hedge fund sentiment towards MET over the last 18 quarters. With hedgies' capital changing hands, there exists an "upper tier" of notable hedge fund managers who were boosting their holdings considerably (or already accumulated large positions).

Is MET A Good Stock To Buy?

When looking at the institutional investors followed by Insider Monkey, Ric Dillon's Diamond Hill Capital has the most valuable position in Metlife Inc (NYSE:MET), worth close to $305.4 million, comprising 2.1% of its total 13F portfolio. The second largest stake is held by Richard S. Pzena of Pzena Investment Management, with a $190.4 million position; 1.4% of its 13F portfolio is allocated to the stock. Other members of the smart money with similar optimism comprise Cliff Asness's AQR Capital Management, Ken Griffin's Citadel Investment Group and Peter Rathjens, Bruce Clarke and John Campbell's Arrowstreet Capital. In terms of the portfolio weights assigned to each position Diamond Hill Capital allocated the biggest weight to Metlife Inc (NYSE:MET), around 2.07% of its 13F portfolio. Redwood Capital Management is also relatively very bullish on the stock, earmarking 1.54 percent of its 13F equity portfolio to MET.

Because Metlife Inc (NYSE:MET) has experienced falling interest from hedge fund managers, logic holds that there exists a select few fund managers who sold off their full holdings last quarter. It's worth mentioning that Andreas Halvorsen's Viking Global sold off the biggest investment of all the hedgies followed by Insider Monkey, totaling about $342.7 million in stock, and Dmitry Balyasny's Balyasny Asset Management was right behind this move, as the fund sold off about $72.5 million worth. These moves are interesting, as total hedge fund interest was cut by 4 funds last quarter.

Let's check out hedge fund activity in other stocks similar to Metlife Inc (NYSE:MET). We will take a look at WEC Energy Group, Inc. (NYSE:WEC), The Hershey Company (NYSE:HSY), Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd (NYSE:CHT), and ICICI Bank Limited (NYSE:IBN). This group of stocks' market values resemble MET's market value.

[table] Ticker, No of HFs with positions, Total Value of HF Positions (x1000), Change in HF Position WEC,29,267388,14 HSY,33,958331,-6 CHT,6,123577,2 IBN,24,378931,-5 Average,23,432057,1.25 [/table]

View table here if you experience formatting issues.

As you can see these stocks had an average of 23 hedge funds with bullish positions and the average amount invested in these stocks was $432 million. That figure was $1018 million in MET's case. The Hershey Company (NYSE:HSY) is the most popular stock in this table. On the other hand Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd (NYSE:CHT) is the least popular one with only 6 bullish hedge fund positions. Compared to these stocks Metlife Inc (NYSE:MET) is more popular among hedge funds. Our calculations showed that top 10 most popular stocks among hedge funds returned 41.4% in 2019 and outperformed the S&P 500 ETF (SPY) by 10.1 percentage points. These stocks gained 12.3% in 2020 through June 30th but still managed to beat the market by 15.5 percentage points. Hedge funds were also right about betting on MET, though not to the same extent, as the stock returned 21.2% in Q2 and outperformed the market as well.

Get real-time email alerts: Follow Metlife Inc (NYSE:MET)

Disclosure: None. This article was originally published at Insider Monkey.

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Our constitutional rights are being violatedalways in the name of a social good, of course. Ill focus on four California matters, one of them still under consideration: 1) Gov. Gavin Newsom as monarch; 2) the AB-5 gig law; 3) the Tenants Opportunity Purchase Agreement (TOPA); and 4) Measure C.

Gov. Newsom as Monarch

In multiple ways Gov. Newsom has become a monarch -- a benevolent monarch, but a monarch nonetheless. I am amazed at how many aspects of that document the governor has violated. He would of course argue that his acts are for the public good, but he has tossed the Constitution out the window.

For example, Article 1, Section 8, says that Congress alone has the authority to regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the several states. Yet Gov. Newsom has unilaterally shut down varieties of commerce and restricted travel, even excursions from ones home. Much of this commerce becomes interstate.

The First Amendment protects the free exercise of religion, yet the governor has restricted worshippers from safely attending church.

The First Amendment also enumerates the right of the people peaceably to assemble, yet we are told to stay shuttered in our homes.

The Fifth Amendment states that we cannot be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation. Yet the governor has denied us our jobs, our private incomes, our businesses and workplaces without compensation or due process.

The governor is also mandating contact tracing, attempting to identify all the individuals with whom a COVID-19 patient had contact. If tracing is conducted by the government, this would likely violate the Fourth Amendment, which mandates, The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated. And the search for evidence of contacts in our homes would violate part of the Third Amendment that states, No soldier shall in time of peace be quartered in any house without the consent of the owner. Our homes are our private domain.

Now I know full well that many will defend these constitutional violations by arguing that they were necessary to counter the ravages of COVID-19. But the U.S. Department of Justice has declared that the Constitution contains no pandemic exception. Gov. Newsom has clearly violated the Constitution in many ways without, to my knowledge, authority from the courts. Hes been backing off from some of his edicts, but the battle with COVID-19 is far from over. Will he reimpose his edicts? If so, will he seek the authority of the courts? Will he ask the Supreme Court to permit him as governor to violate the Constitution in many ways?

AB-5 Gig Law

This law mandates that independent contractors, such as Uber drivers, be regarded as employees subject to government and union control. Two constitutional rights here are being violated: the right to private contracts and the right to control ones own property. Article 1, Section 10, mandates that there shall be no law impairing the obligations of contracts. If an Uber driver wants to enter into a mutually agreed-upon contract with a passenger, i.e., payment in exchange for transportation, that private contract is protected by the Constitution. The attempt to violate this constitutional agreement is a power grab by the government and unions. In addition, the Uber driver is using his or her automobile to implement the contract. That automobile is private property protected by the Fifth Amendment.

Tenants Opportunity Purchase Agreement (TOPA)

This proposed law would tell property owners, especially landlords, that they do not own their buildings free and clear. If a landlord wished to sell the building, he would have to offer the tenants the first right of refusal. So suppose a third party approached a landlord to buy his building. The landlord could not sell it on the spot: first he would have to offer it to any tenants -- in other words, the landlord would not have a right to sell it to whomever he wanted.

The matter could get worse in two ways. First, if the tenant(s) offered a price that the owner rejected, the tenant(s) could appeal to the local government for a resolution. The local government could then set a fair price. This means the owner would not have the right to sell at a mutually agreeable price.

Second, the tenants could decide to withhold rent until the owner reduced it or asked a fair selling price.

If the landlord then forcibly evicted the tenants, the local TV station and newspaper would show up to report on the cruel eviction. This is precisely what happened in the Moms 4 case in Oakland, in which the moms claimed they had a right to housing. No, the Constitution does not permit them the right to confiscate private property.

Measure C

In 1996 California voters passed Proposition 218, which requires that any local tax increase, by whatever label, must garner two-thirds approval by voters. Last March 3 the County of Alameda declared that a half-percent local sales-tax increase had been approved by the voters, although the margin fell somewhat short of two-thirds. The county was silent on legal matters, apparently believing that this election did not require a two-thirds vote. That is wishful thinking.

The Alameda County Taxpayers Association, of which Im a member, will sue Alameda County in Superior Court for not complying with Proposition 218 and for several other violations of the California Constitution.

I believe it is fair and accurate to say that California is the most socialistic, unconstitutional state in the U. S. I'm in a position to know. I've lived in six states -- Indiana, Michigan, Virginia, Maine, Texas, and California. And on constitutional matters, I was chief of staff to Chief Justice Warren Burger, and Staff Director of the Commission on the Bicentennial of the U. S. Constitution. Take a look at the 12 ballot proposals for California's November election -- most are characteristically alt-left, violating constitutional rights.

Ronald L. Trowbridge, Ph.D., is a policy fellow at the Independent Institute. He was appointed by President Reagan to the United States Information Agency and later became chief of staff for U.S. Chief Justice Warren Burger.
He said, 'the greatest threat we face now is not the virus itself. Rather, it is the lack of leadership and solidarity at the global and national levels.'

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has set up an independent panel that will look into the 'world's response to the COVID-19 pandemic'. This announcement was made by WHO's Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Thursday, 9 July 2020.

Former Prime Minister of New Zealand Helen Clark, who was the first female administrator of the United Nations Development Programme and former President of Liberia, will co-chair the panel along with Nobel Peace Prize recipient Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Sirleaf was also the first female President of an African country.

The two co-chairs will elect the other panel members, as well as an independent secretariat to provide support.

The formation of this panel was announced by the World Health Assembly during its most recent meeting in May. WHO member states agreed to a resolution tabled by the European Union, which called for "an independent and comprehensive evaluation of the lessons learned from the international health response to COVID-19."

The member nations urged that an investigation be carried out to probe "the actions of WHO and their timelines pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic."

The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response (IPPR) will present their 'interim report' in November to the Assembly after a Special Session of the Executive Board in September to discuss the panel's progress.

The panel will present its 'substantive report' in May 2021, at the next World Health Assembly.

"This is a time for self-reflection, to look at the world we live in and to find ways to strengthen our collaboration as we work together to save lives and bring this pandemic under control," said Dr Ghebreyesus in a statement. "The magnitude of this pandemic, which has touched virtually everyone in the world, clearly deserves a commensurate evaluation."

WHO vs Trump

This investigative panel comes at a time when US President Donald Trump has accused the foremost global health agency of being partial towards China.

In May, Trump had threatened to withdraw from the WHO and stop the USA's $450 million funding. He accused the WHO of withholding information about the virus and of being "too close" to China. Trump called them China's "puppet" in spite of the US being their biggest contributor. Dr Ghebreyesus has, on his part, dismissed these accusations and said his agency kept the world informed.

On Tuesday, 7 July 2020, a WHO official confirmed that they had received a formal letter from the US giving WHO the required a one-year notice of withdrawal. The official said, "We have received reports that the US has submitted formal notification to the UN secretary-general that it is withdrawing from WHO effective 6 July 2021.

The President has been clear that the WHO needs to get its act together. That starts with demonstrating significant progress and the ability to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks with transparency and accountability, a senior U.S. official in Washington told Reuters on Thursday.

This seems to a practiced move on the part of President Trump, who has also pulled US participation from the Paris Agreement  at a time when climate change impacts are being seen in real-time.

The confirmation of withdrawal came at a time when the number of coronavirus cases in the US approached the big three million mark with 130,000 deaths.

Speaking of the newly formed panel, Lawrence Gostin, a professor at Georgetown Law in Washington, DC, told Reuters that it should not be "an inside job" driven by states close to the WHO, nor should it pander to what he refers to "Trumps conspiracy theories".

"What is really vital is we have truly independent experts from a variety of disciplines that will honestly and frankly review the situation with COVID," Gostin said. "Are they going to review Chinas action, are they going to review WHOs initial response to China, look at things like ... WHOs power to independently verify states reports?." added.

Lack of Unity

The Director-General made no comment on this new update at the press briefing that followed, nor did he directly confirm that this panel is a consequence of Trump's remarks.

"The greatest threat we face now is not the virus itself. Rather, it is the lack of leadership and solidarity at the global and national levels," he said. "We cannot defeat this pandemic as a divided world. The COVID-19 pandemic is a test of global solidarity and global leadership. The virus thrives on division but is thwarted when we unite," Ghebreyesus said.

We are in the midst of the battle of our lives, and we have to do better. Not just now, but for the future. Because these threats will never stop, and in all likelihood they will get worse. Together! #COVID19  Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) July 9, 2020

That said, he did speak to the handful of countries that have done a commendable job of getting the outbreak under control, and encouraged other countries to learn from them.

"The virus has upended health systems in some of the worlds wealthiest nations, while some countries that have mounted a successful response have been of modest means," Ghebreyesus said.

Following the approach of 'trace, test, isolate' works to stop the spread of the virus and countries that currently have low cases have proved that this method works. However, six months in and the virus has not yet been brought under control. It is, in fact, getting worse with 12,408,106 cases and 557,790 deaths worldwide, Ghebreyesus said the "pandemic is still accelerating."
Motor vehicles thefts in the UK have soared by 56 per cent in four years, with numbers rocketing in some parts of the country, new figures have shown.

Some 152,541 vehicles were stolen in 2018-19 compared with 97,609 in 2014-15, according to police data obtained by RAC Insurance.

Six forces saw thefts more than double over the period, such as Suffolk (from 347 to 945), Surrey (from 661 to 1,543) and Greater Manchester (from 3,018 to 6,223).

The largest rises in terms of vehicle numbers were recorded by Kent Police (up 12,550 to 40,726), Metropolitan Police (up 9,635 to 30,773) and West Midlands Police (up 5,677 to 10,372).

Only three police forces (Lincolnshire, the City of London and Police Scotland) which responded to Freedom of Information requests recorded a reduction in thefts over the period.

These figures paint a rather disturbing picture, Simon Williams, an RAC Insurance spokesperson, said.

Vehicle thefts are on the rise almost everywhere, and in some parts of the country numbers are rocketing.

It's also not the case that the rises in crime are confined to a few larger urban areas, with many police forces covering more rural areas also seeing big increases.

Mr Williams noted that vehicle crime was at a far lower level than it had been in the early 1990s but said the rise in thefts was still concerning.

He suggested the increase was partly due to a rise in thefts of vehicles which are easier to steal, such as motorbikes and mopeds that are less likely to have immobilisers.

While organised criminal gangs are responsible for a large proportion of crime, thieves will also be opportunistic in nature so the more a driver can do to make their car a less likely target the better, Mr Williams added.

Additional reporting by Press Association
There will likely be an online presence for the exhibit. Recently we started a virtual tour of the gallery. We might be utilizing that for this next show. It was something that we were interested in before COVID-19 happened. We were just trying to take advantage of the opportunity to showcase more artwork.
Iran will never forget and forgive general Qassem Soleimani's assassination, Mehr reported referring to MFA's spokesperson Seyed Abbas Mousavi.

"The coward assassination of Gen. Soleimani, the anti-terrorism hero of our region, was an arbitrary killing & a clear violation of the UN charter," he tweeted.

"The US is responsible for this criminal act, & cant whitewash this by chastising the UN," Mousavi added. "Well never forget, well never forgive."

UN Special Rapporteur Agnes Callamard earlier called the assassination of General Soleimani by US forces a violation of international law.
President Donald Trump appeared on the cusp of taking decisive action to keep his longtime advisor Roger Stone out of jail Friday.

Fox news, which hosted Trump for a call-in interview Thursday night where he said he was considering a pardon for Trump, reported Friday that Trump was expected to provide executive clemency for Stone.

The move could come as soon as tonight, the network reported, when Trump is scheduled to fly back from Florida, where he is hosting a fundraiser and holding other events even as the state battles a coronavirus outbreak.

The move would prevent Stone from having to report to a Georgia prison on July 14. Stone's lawyers have been fighting the start of the sentence, urging Amy Berman Jackson to delay it by citing the coronavirus and potential risks to Stone's health.

Clemency is provided before someone starts serving their sentence. It also may not include the full benefits of a full pardon, which can involve the restoration of voting rights and protection from deportation.

Word of a potential Friday night action came hours after Trump told reporters he would soon be reviewing Stone's case. Trump has repeatedly defended Stone, who was convicted of witness tampering and lying to Congress.

Trump commented on Stone's case as he left the White House on a trip to Stone's home state of Florida  as he suggested both his predecessor and his presumed Democratic challenger should be jailed over the Russia probe.

'I'll be looking at it. I think Roger Stone was very unfairly treated, as were many people,' Trump said.

President Donald Trump may be on the verge of pardoning or commuting the sentence of Roger Stone, the longtime former Republican strategist who worked as an adviser on his presidential campaign. He said Friday he was 'looking at' the issue

'And in the meantime Comey and all these guys are walking around  including Biden and Obama  because we caught them spying on my campaign. Who would have believed that one?' Trump said.

Trump may have been referring to information about Barack Obama officials who ordered 'unmasking' of intercepts that were revealed to involve former national security advisor Mike Flynn  whose prosecution infuriated Trump.

He has repeatedly raged at former FBI Director James Comey for his role in the Russia probe.

Stone was prosecuted as an offshoot of special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe  which Trump repeatedly has cast as a 'witch hunt' designed to take him down.

He tweeted last month that Stone 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!

Trump's comments added to other remarks in interviews Thursday indicating he may be on the verge of pardoning or commuting the sentence of Stone, the longtime former Republican strategist who worked as an adviser on his presidential campaign.

Stone's lawyers have been seeking to overturn Judge Jackson's order that he report to a federal correctional facility in Georgia by citing COVID-19 and health risks.

When quizzed by Fox News' Sean Hannity Thursday night on whether he's considering pardoning his friend and ally, Trump responded, 'I am always thinking'.

'You'll be watching like everyone else in this case,' Trump coyly added.

A jury convicted the former strategist of seven felony counts in November, which included five counts of making false statements to the FBI and congressional investigators, one count of witness tampering, and one obstruction of justice count

Trump lamented that Joe Biden (pictured) and Barack Obama were still 'walking around' rather than in jail

In a separate interview with radio host Howie Carr, the president condemned Stone's 'horrible' treatment at the hands of law enforcement, and once again added he may grant his clemency plea.

'He was framed. He was treated horrible. He was treated so badly,' Trump said.

Amid claims Stone was 'praying' for a pardon before he's due to report to prison on July 14, Trump said a divine intervention of sorts may not be totally out of the realms of possibility.

'If you say he's praying, his prayer may be answered,' the president said during the phone interview. 'Let's see what happens.'

Trump went on to credit Stone as a 'good persons', and billing him as 'a character'.

A jury convicted the former strategist of seven felony counts in November, which included five counts of making false statements to the FBI and congressional investigators, one count of witness tampering, and one obstruction of justice count.

According to prosecutors, Stone lied during testimony and failed to turn over documents to Congress in 2017, showing he had attempted to make contact with the radical pro-transparency group WikiLeaks a year earlier.

He lied about five facts, obscuring his attempt to use intermediaries to get information that could help then-candidate Trump in the election against Hillary Clinton.

Prosecutors were initially seeking a prison term of seven to nine years, but Attorney General William Barr later retracted that recommendation shortly after Trump called it 'harsh' and 'unfair' on Twitter.

A crooked police commissioner and a governor who tried to shake down a children's hospital: Who's Who of Donald Trump's pardon spree Michael Milken Financier Michael Milken is known for pioneering high-yield 'junk' bonds. In March 1989, a federal grand jury indicted Milken on 98 counts of and fraud and he pleaded guilty to six counts of securities and tax violation. Milken, 73, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his crimes while heading the bond department at the investment bank Drexel Burnham Lambert, and fined $600 million. His sentence was later reduced to two years after he cooperated with federal authorities. Trump praised Milkens work on cancer research, saying he 'has gone around and done an incredible job for the world with all of his research on cancer.' Milken survived prostate cancer and co-founded the Milken Family Foundation and is chairman of the Milken Institute - the charities fund research into melanoma, cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Bernard Kerik Kerik was appointed New York police commissioner by Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor who is now Trump's personal attorney. In June 2006, Kerik pleaded guilty in Bronx Supreme Court to two ethics violations. Kerik acknowledged that during the time he was Interior Minister of Iraq - under President George W. Bush - he accepted a $250,000 interest-free 'loan' from Israeli billionaire Eitan Wertheimer and failed to report it. In November 2007, Kerik was indicted by a federal grand jury in White Plains, New York on charges of tax fraud, and making false statements to the federal government about the loan. He later pleaded guilty to eight felony tax and false statement charges and was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison and three years' supervised release. That time concluded in October 2016. Rod Blagojevich Blagojevich, the former governor of Illinois, was sent to prison for 14 years for soliciting bribes, including those for the Senate seat once held by Barack Obama and for trying to shake down a children's hospital. Blagojevich threatened to revoke funds to Children's Memorial Hospital after its chief executive officer did not give a $50,000 contribution to the governor's campaign. The 63-year-old has been in the Federal Correctional Institution in Englewood, Colorado, since March 15, 2012. His expected release date was 2024, factoring in two years of credit for good behavior. In 2009, Blagojevich appeared on NBC's 'The Apprentice,' the reality TV show then hosted by Trump. Edward DeBartolo The former San Francisco 49ers owner paid $400,000 to former Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards to help win a riverboat casino license in 1998. He pleaded guilty to the charge of failing to report a felony, and received a $1million fine and two years of probation. He stepped down as owner in 1997 after two Louisiana newspapers reported he would be indicted for gambling fraud. He was also suspended for a year by the NFL. DeBartolo owned the 49ers for 23 years and won five Super Bowls as their owner. Advertisement

Amid claims Stone was 'praying' for a pardon before he's due to report to prison on July 14, Trump said a divine intervention of sorts may not be totally out of the realms of possibility

Stone lied during testimony and failed to turn over documents to Congress in 2017, showing he had attempted to make contact with the radical pro-transparency group WikiLeaks a year earlier

Four prosecutors then withdrew from the case in response to Barr's decision. One of the prosecutors, Aaron Zelinsky, testified to Congress last month that DOJ leaders sought a weaker sentence for Stone at the direction of AG Barr because they were 'afraid of the president.'

Stone was eventually sentenced by a judge to 40 months in prison for his crimes, in addition to a $20,000 fine, four years probation after his prison term, and 250 hours community service.

The developments in the case raised concerns regarding the DOJ's independence from political pressure and prompted congressional Democrats to call for the Justice Department inspector general to investigate.

Barr, meanwhile, told ABC News that, regardless of Trump's tweet, Stone had already decided to request a lighter sentence for Stone. He added that the president's constant public commentary made it 'impossible' for him to do his job.

After US District Judge Amy Berman Jackson announced Stone's sentence, Trump hinted at the possibility of a pardon a few hours later.

'I'm following this very closely and I want to see it play out to its fullest because Roger has a very good chance of exoneration in my opinion,' the president said. 'I'd love to see it happen.'

But Trump stopped short of committing himself to pardoning Stone, saying, 'I'm not going to do anything in terms of the great powers bestowed upon a president of the United States. I want the process to play out. I think that's the best thing to do.'
(Natural News) A new Reuters/Ipsos poll has reportedly found that a majority of Americans believe the completely discredited narrative that the Russian government paid Taliban-linked fighters to kill the occupying forces of the US and its allies in Afghanistan.

(Article republished from CaitlinJohnstone.com)

A majority of Americans believe that Russia paid the Taliban to kill U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan last year amid negotiations to end the war, and more than half want to respond with new economic sanctions against Moscow, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Wednesday, Reuters reports.

Overall, 60% of Americans said they found reports of Russian bounties on American soldiers to be very or somewhat believable, while 21% said they were not credible and the rest were unsure, says Reuters.

Most Americans believe Russia targeted U.S. soldiers, want sanctions in response, Reuters/Ipsos poll shows https://t.co/NWvdxquRMK pic.twitter.com/t18vMlEovx  Reuters (@Reuters) July 8, 2020

Those 21 percent are objectively correct: the story is not credible, and its not even close. Gareth Porter shows in The Grayzone how the Bountygate narrative is so utterly baseless that even US intelligence agencies have dismissed it, Joe Lauria of Consortium News explains how it doesnt make any sense on its face, and FAIRs Alan MacLeod breaks down the appalling journalistic malpractice that went into circulating this incredibly thinly sourced story to the mainstream public.

The story advances no solid facts or verified information. What it does advance is pre-existing imperialist agendas like remaining in Afghanistan, killing the last of the remaining nuclear deals with Moscow, and manufacturing public support for new Russia sanctions.

And yet a majority of people believed it, and still believe it. The narrative that Russia paid Taliban fighters to kill occupying forces is now regarded as an established fact in many key circles, despite being backed by literally zero facts.

If people were as objective and adept at critical thinking as we tend to believe we are, the mass medias unconscionable facilitation of a brazen cold war psyop would by itself have killed off all public trust in the institution of mass news reporting. But people are not as objective and adept at critical thinking as we tend to believe we are. People have many cognitive biases which distort our ability to objectively process information and understand events, including one which causes us to believe something is true just because theyve heard it said multiple times. This makes us easily susceptible to mass media propaganda, where our encounters with daily news headlines can shape our perception of whats going on in the world regardless of whether or not those headlines are backed by actual facts.

"Bounty-Gate" is the Pentagon's main chance to keep the U.S. war in #Afghanistan going for a while longer. Push-back against those in Congress exploiting this fraud is needed to deprive the Pentagon and its allies from succeeding in this scheme. https://t.co/OUPC6IpUgc  Gareth Porter (@GarethPorter) July 8, 2020

This latest poll is a perfect example of how the plutocrat-owned media manipulate public opinion in the interest of establishment agendas using brazen propaganda campaigns, but it is just the most recent example. Over and over and over again we see public perception of whats going on distorted by lies inserted into their minds by the corporate news media, like when half a year after the invasion of Iraq seven in ten Americans believed Saddam Hussein was responsible for the 9/11 attacks. All it took to trick them into believing this and supporting the invasion was repeatedly mentioning 9/11 and Saddam in the same breath, despite there never being any evidence whatsoever for any such thing.

Read more at: CaitlinJohnstone.com and Propaganda.news.
Last week, I pulled Reginald Whitakers book The Government Party off a shelf and literally blew the dust off it.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/7/2020 (557 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

Last week, I pulled Reginald Whitakers book The Government Party off a shelf and literally blew the dust off it.

Whitakers 1977 book is a dense exploration of the Liberal Party of Canada, specifically its organization, leadership and fundraising. The book only tackles the partys history from 1930 to 1958, but academics still read and discuss it. The reason for this is that the phenomena Whitaker describes seem to be timeless.

In particular: The Government Party describes how the Liberal party in government defeats itself through organizational stagnation. Over time, the party becomes hopelessly entangled with the state, and in fact it may be hard to tell where the party ends and the government begins. This is the government party; Liberals come to confuse the interests of the party and its leaders with the interests of the country. The result is corruption and patronage that eventually lead to the party being booted from office.

Whitakers book is worth reading, because what he observes keeps happening: long periods of Liberal government followed by stagnation and corruption which contribute to the partys defeat. After a relatively brief Tory interregnum in government, the Liberals return to power and the cycle begins again.

Think about the sponsorship scandal that rocked the Liberals in the 2000s. The sponsorship program in question was intended to advertise federal contributions and investments in Quebec following the 1995 sovereignty referendum, and was rushed out with little thought and few safeguards. But the money from the program was largely directed toward Liberal-friendly advertising agencies, which often did little other than take the money.

Even more disturbingly, these agencies hired Liberal organizers or fundraisers explicitly so they could get a cut of the sponsorship money. The ad agencies would also take government money via the sponsorship program and then donate it back to the Liberal party.

This was Whitakers government party, in which the lines between state and party became blurred and the interests of the party seemed to trump all other considerations. And, as it had in the past, corruption led to the partys defeat in the 2006 election.

In fact, the damage from the sponsorship scandal was so long-lasting that, for a time, it looked as if the Liberals had finally lost their claim to being Canadas "natural governing party," sinking to third place behind the NDP in the 2011 federal election. But that didnt last long, and Justin Trudeau led the party back to power in 2015.

Which brings us to the current Liberal governments most recent misstep: its decision to award a contract worth $912 million to WE Charity to manage a student volunteer program. The decision was murky from the outset; the prime minister claimed WE Charity was the only organization capable of administering such a program, apparently forgetting about his own governments sprawling civil service.

WE co-founder Marc Kielberger reported that "the Prime Ministers Office kindly called us" about taking on the program, but quickly backtracked given the implication of political interference that statement suggested.

It was soon learned that WE would be paying teachers up to $12,000 each to recruit students to the program, and that the students would be paid to volunteer. Further, the charity itself would be taking volunteers to participate in online discussions about "mindfulness" during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Just what we need: a generation of teenagers who think volunteering is sitting on the computer at home talking about feelings. Weve come a long way from collecting trash along the side of Canadas highways.

But the biggest problem with the contract was the prime ministers own personal ties to WE Charity. Despite Trudeaus early vagueness on the question, he has been a regular speaker at the organizations events. His wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, has also appeared at WE events and hosts the "WE Well-being" podcast on mental health.

Trudeaus mother and brother, Margaret and Alexandre Trudeau, have been paid for speaking at numerous WE events. The connections are so close to the prime minister himself that its a wonder none of Trudeaus political advisers sounded the alarm bell well before the contract was awarded. Or maybe they did, and the PM ignored them.

Following a wave of opposition-party objections and negative media coverage, WE Charity walked away from the deal. And the bulk of that media coverage focused directly on Trudeaus personal connections to the charity.

We are a long way from the sponsorship scandal here, but one can see flickers of Whitakers cyclical self-destruction in this most recent Trudeau faceplant. Creating youth volunteer opportunities is a worthy goal, perhaps even one worth $912 million. And if some people connected to the prime minister benefit as a result, well, what would anyone in the government party think is the harm in that?

Royce Koop is head of the political studies department at the University of Manitoba.
Goya Foods CEO and President Bob Unanue speaks prior to President Donald Trump signing an Executive Order on the White House Hispanic Prosperity Initiative in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington on July 9, 2020. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

Goya CEO Says He Wont Apologize After His Praise for Trump Sparks Boycott

Goya CEO Robert Unanue said that he wont apologize for praising President Donald Trump despite calls to boycott from left-wing politicians and celebrities.

The boycott call is oppression of speech  youre allowed to talk good or to praise to one president but youre notwhen I was called to be part of this commission to aid in economic and educational prosperity and you make a positive comment, all the sudden thats not acceptable, Unanue told Fox News on Friday. Im not apologizing for saying. If youre called by the President of the United States, youre going to say, No Im sorry, Im busy, no thank you? I didnt say that to the Obamas and I didnt say that to President Trump.

Unanue previously worked with former first lady Michelle Obama to help include Goya in nutritional guidance to some communities.

On Thursday, Unanue said at a White House event that we are all truly blessed  to have a leader like President Trump.

Unanue was speaking before the president signed an executive order that establishes an initiative in the Department of Education aimed at improving opportunities for Latinos. It also creates an advisory commission, of which Unanue belongs.

John Sanchez, the former Republican lieutenant governor of New Mexico, was named to head the initiative. At the same event, he said that because of his family and his mother, We have lived the American Dream.

The hashtags #BoycottGoya and #Goyaway started trending on Twitter on Thursday evening.

Goya Foods has been a staple of so many Latino households for generations. Now their CEO, Bob Unanue, is praising a president who villainizes and maliciously attacks Latinos for political gain, Julian Castro, a former Democratic presidential candidate, wrote on the social media website.

Americans should think twice before buying their products, he added.

.@GoyaFoods has been a staple of so many Latino households for generations. Now their CEO, Bob Unanue, is praising a president who villainizes and maliciously attacks Latinos for political gain. Americans should think twice before buying their products. #Goyaway https://t.co/lZDQlK6TcU  Julian Castro (@JulianCastro) July 9, 2020

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) also pilloried the move on Twitter.

A number of celebrities chimed in and made similar remarks to boycott.

White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway responded to the criticism and backlash on Friday morning, telling Fox News that its a shame that people see politics in every single thing.

Goya recently donated thousands of pounds of food to families in Harlem and in the Bronx, who were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to local news outlets.
Archie Harrison's title has been in question ever since he was born.

Royal watchers continue to wonder whether he will still get a title, especially after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle gave up their senior royal positions. Moreover, when Archie was born, his parents renounced his birthright title.

Baby Archie Not A Prince

Apparently, instead of a princely honor, the 1-year-old royal was given the title of a "master."

However, the said denial of the HRH title originated from the changes made and applied to the monarchy by his great-great-great-grandfather King George V in 1917.

During that time, the monarch released a letters patent, which massively reduced the number of royals entitled to take on a title.

"The grandchildren of the sons of any such Sovereign in the direct male line (save only the eldest living son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales) shall have and enjoy in all occasions the style and title enjoyed by the children of Dukes of these Our Realms," the letters patent stated, per Independent.

The rules restricted that the immediate heirs to the throne and the eldest son of the monarch's eldest son are the only ones entitled to get princely titles.

It means that Prince Charles, Prince Andrew, Princess Anne and Prince Edward all took titles, as well as Prince William's children -- Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.

Archie, as Prince Harry's son, cannot enjoy the same HRH title since the Duke of Sussex is the youngest son of the heir to the throne.

Master Archie will instead go by the royal family's surname, and he will live a "normal" life compared to the children of the Duke of Cambridge.

HRH For Baby Archie

For what it's worth, Meghan's child will be entitled to earn an HRH once his grandfather, Prince Charles, takes over the throne. By that time, he could freely use "His Royal Highness" (HRH) attached to his name.

However, experts believe this is highly unlikely.

According to royal historian and author of "Raising Royalty: 1,000 Year of Royal Parenting" Carolyn Harris, Archie may not use the title since he could not pass it anyway.

"Archie will be able to use the title of HRH Prince when Charles becomes King but it is possible that he will not use this title," Harris explained. "Archie will not be able to pass the title of Prince or Princess to his children as they will be another generation removed from the sovereign, but the title of Duke of Sussex will pass to Prince Harry's male-line descendants."

Despite that, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have reportedly already decided against giving the HRH title to Archie since they want him to live a normal life.

Royal expert Marlene Koenig viewed the alleged restriction as an advantage though, as Archie will not be on the royal career path.

"Without the burden of a title-and no royal role to play-Archie will have a less constrained life, albeit with money and family connections, and with more opportunities outside the royal circle," Koenig said, per Express.

READ MORE: Meghan Markle Slap: Prince William, Kate Middleton BETTER Than Sussexes?
CLEVELAND -- Santa Gajmere has many roles in his life. In addition to being a husband to his wife and father to his two beautiful children, Gajmere is a referral coordinator at Asian Services In Actions International Community Health Center in Akron. Gajmere also serves as the president of the Bhutanese Nepali Christian Community, which recently made a generous donation of sewn cloth masks to Asian Services in Action.

We just completed World Refugee Month, a month of solidarity with the worlds 79.5 million forcibly displaced persons.

Since 2002, Ohio has welcomed 33,612 refugees from 58 countries. At Asian Services In Action Inc., where I have the honor of being the CEO, we serve the immigrant and refugee communities in Northeast Ohio through a complete system of culturally and linguistically appropriate health care and wraparound services to ensure they are welcomed and receive ongoing support to thrive.

Indeed, many refugees in our community are currently still working in their functions as essential workers. They work in manufacturing, making hand sanitizer and plastic face shields, and in the health care sector like Gajmere. They work in food processing and grocery stores, ensuring that residents of Northeast Ohio and beyond have food on their table.

In welcoming refugees, we are taking a moral step to offer people fleeing violence and persecution a home that is free and secure and an opportunity at a new life. But we Ohioans also reap the benefits of refugees and immigrants who contribute to our economies and vibrant culture in uncountable ways.

Ohio has an aging population. The 2020 Census is projected to show that the number of people over age 60 will exceed the number of people under 20 years old. That fact has consequences for our schools, health care system, economy, and elder care. Ohio needs refugees as much as refugees need Ohio.

The Bhutanese Nepalis were once subjects of a hereditary monarchy that tightly controlled them. They came to America seeking a new life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. With no freedom of speech or religion in their old country, they first went to Nepal as refugees with no status or citizenship. After vetting by the United Nations, the Bhutanese started to be resettled all over the world -- including locally in Akron and Cleveland.

Elaine Tso is CEO of Asian Services in Action.

Cleveland and Akron both have significant communities of Bhutanese people, around 7,000 in Cleveland and about 10,000 in Akron. Many of the older generation never had any immigration status in Bhutan or in Nepal. It is only in America that they truly became citizens. As Gajmere describes, to have no status or identity is the worst feeling in life. It is very difficult to survive with no identity, but now that we are bona fide responsible citizens of America, we want to stand, even in the midst of whatever situation or trouble we are all facing in the time of the coronavirus.

Yesterdays refugees are todays Americans.

The current U.S. administration has already slashed the current resettlement rate to 18,000 refugees, nearly half of the previously allocated 30,000 refugees for this year. Many in this number will be refugees reuniting with family members already in the United States; they should not remain separated another year. Despite these difficult times, the administration must set next years refugee resettlement number back to previous levels of 75,000 or greater.

We hope that our elected officials will join us in calling on the administration to continue welcoming more refugees to Greater Cleveland and beyond.

Elaine Tso is the CEO of Asian Services In Action Inc., the largest Asian American and Pacific Islander-focused health and social services 501(c)(3) organization in the state of Ohio and a member of the Value Our Families Campaign, a national coalition working to keep families together, defend family immigration, and protect family unity.

Have something to say about this topic?

* Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication.

* Email general questions about our editorial board or comments or corrections on this editorial to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com.
Alphabet Incs Google said on Wednesday it has shut down its cloud project named Isolated Region and added that it was not weighing options to offer its cloud platform in China.

Earlier in the day, Bloomberg News reported, citing two employees, that Google had shelved the project in China and other politically sensitive countries in May, partly due to rising geopolitical tensions and the pandemic.

The search engine giant, however, said that the projects shutdown was not due to either of those two reasons and that it has not offered cloud platform services in China, reported Reuters.

Isolated Region was just one of the paths explored by the company to address requirements related to adoption of cloud technology, a company spokesperson said.

The project aimed to provide cloud services to customers and regulatory bodies around the world.
The Viet Solutions 2020 competition, a hunt for Vietnams top technological solutions hosted by the Vietnam Ministry of Information and Communications, kicked off on Wednesday in Hanoi.

The event, organized in partnership with military-run telecoms group Viettel, aims to find top-tier digital solutions for individuals, enterprises, and businesses all over the world.

The competition is open to any and all entrants, regardless of nationality, capable of innovative products or applications that can be applied to an array of sectors, such as game content, music, video, news, multimedia, and utilities.

Contestants are also able to submit solutions to existing problems in ealthcare, education, finance and banking, agriculture, transportation and logistics, energy, environmental resources, and industrial manufacturing.

Organizers said the competition is intended to facilitate connections between national regulators, large-scale enterprises, and creators with ideas to solve complex social problems.

Viet Solutions 2020 is currently the largest innovation competition in Vietnam, awarding cash prizes as well as non-cash prizes in the form of opportunities for cooperation following the contest.

"Vietnam has a considerable advantage in digital transformation thanks to a large number of telecom companies and a powerful information technology sector," said Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung at the launch event.

"It's time for us to take the chance to make our nation take off and to elevate the nation's rank in the field.

"The solutions facilitating digital transformation will focus on developing platforms, especially Vietnamese platforms.

"One digital transition platform would address a common problem for millions of people and thousands of companies."

The minister also stressed that data is now considered valuable material, so "it must be stored in Vietnam and by Vietnamese platforms."

Accordingly, Hung's expectation is that Viet Solutions 2020 will not only help to find innovative solutions to Vietnamese problems but serve as an answer to similar global questions.

Cash prizes of VND200 million (US$8,670), VND100 million ($4,330), and VND50 million ($2,170) will be awarded respectively to the first-place, second-place, and third-place finishers.

Apart from the cash prizes, the winning teams would have opportunities to sign contracts with Viettel to commercialize their products and get up to 75 percent of the generated revenue.

Viettel said it is committed to fully sponsoring the three winning teams to take part in C1 Start-up Cup competition in the U.S.  a contest with awards worth a total of $50,000, or to partake in the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2020 in Barcelona, Spain.

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In a vote that straddled racial lines, a split West Baton Rouge Parish Council batted down a proposal to uproot a statue of Louisianas last Confederate governor, Henry Watkins Allen, amid growing calls from activists that the memorial is a reminder of Louisianas bleak history under slavery.

The Parish Council passed a resolution by a 6-3 vote Thursday evening to keep the statue at its perch facing the courthouse instead of moving it to the West Baton Rouge Museum. The council's six White members voted yes and its three Black members voted no.

Port Allen approves plan to remove Confederate statue of its namesake, Henry Watkins Allen The Port Allen City Council on Wednesday backed a proposal to remove a statue of Henry Watkins Allen, amid mounting calls to move the monument

The decision comes a day after Port Allen City Council members unanimously backed a resolution urging the parish to move the structure. Several city council members echoed concerns of some residents about the statues location across from the courthouse in an area known as Heroes Plaza.

They say the statue is better suited in the museum where the history of Allen, a Confederate army general who was elected governor in 1863, can be fully detailed.

Residents and activists seeking to remove the statue have said the memorial is a painful reminder of slavery and the long-lasting discrimination Black people have faced since.

"For the statue to be destroyed or vandalized would have been very vengeful," said Clerice Lacy Carter, a Port Allen resident who led a protest last month calling for the statue's removal. "For it to be removed properly is justice and freedom, and for the statue to move to the museum is equality."

Supporters for keeping the statue at the courthouse say its removal would strip a piece of Louisiana history and a benchmark of the states progress.

The statue depicts Henry Allen hunched over and an inscription at its base reads: "If possible, forget the past, look forward to the future.

Jason Seymour, a Port Allen native and U.S. Marine veteran, pointed to the hospitals built under Allens administration and his popularity while governor.

This man worked hard for our state, he said.

After Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's surrender to the Union army, Allen voiced support for continuing the struggle against the North and arming slaves to aid in the fight, according to state records. He died in 1866 at the age of 45 while living in exile in Mexico City after the Civil War.

Allen owned more than 220 slaves who worked on farmland on the west bank that later became the Allendale Plantation. The City of Port Allen also bears his name, having been changed more than 150 years ago from its previous name, La Ville de St. Michel.

Some have acknowledged the Allen namesake but haven't pushed to rename the town, a process that would be a major undertaking with significant financial costs.

We know his past, you cant erase history," said Port Allen Mayor Richard Lee III. "For his statue to be in front of the courthouse is painful for everyone."

+13 Protesters call for removal of Confederate statue in Port Allen: 'A defeated power and a traitor' Dozens of protesters marched near a busy Port Allen thoroughfare Sunday, waving signs and chanting "Take Henry down!" as they called for the r

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Parish council member Chris "Fish" Kershaw pushed forward the resolution during Thursday's meeting, saying the statue should remain in place and any decision to move it "would drive a wedge" between the community.

The decision came as several municipalities in Louisiana have considered or taken action on renaming streets and taking down landmarks with ties to slavery and the Confederacy.

In some U.S. cities, protesters have torn down monuments. In New Orleans, the bust of former slave owner John McDonogh was ripped down in Duncan Plaza and rolled into the Mississippi River last month.

A handful of Louisiana cities and parishes that have mulled removing Confederate statues have expressed concerns their public monuments could share a similar fate.

+3 Confederate statue to stay as East Feliciana Police Jury rejects proposal to remove it The East Feliciana Police Jury has rejected a proposal to uproot a more than century-old statue of a Confederate soldier from its perch in fro

Recent proposals on removing Confederate monuments in the Baton Rouge region have seen mixed outcomes.

The Iberville Parish Council agreed to remove a more than century-old Confederate statue in downtown Plaquemine. Their vote last month drew a unified nod across a racially and politically diverse panel of 13 council members.

But police jurors in East Feliciana this week rejected a proposal to remove a Confederate soldier statue in front of the parish courthouse in Clinton.

Like West Baton Rouge Parish, the East Feliciana decision split the three Black and 5 White voting jurors.

Following Thursday's meeting, a disappointed crowd gathered outside the parish community center in Port Allen.

Carter, the Port Allen resident, said she plans to continue to press the issue, noting that the people in favor of removing the statue had been willing to reach the compromise of housing the statue at the museum.

Carter said she sees the statue eventually being taken down, possibly by force or a later council vote. "It's going to get taken down, but why not vote to take it down?" she asked.

A similar effort to move the Port Allen statue in 2017 stalled, mainly due to a change in leadership at the West Baton Rouge Museum.

Angelique Bergeron, director of the museum, told the council she supports taking in the statue to preserve it and to "set the record straight" about Allen's past and history during the time he lived.

"Weve been living in a nightmare that we have to face if were ever going to wake ourselves up from this dream," Bergeron said. "We need to address the issues that are tearing apart our communities today."
Tragedy: Nora Quoirin was found dead after 10 days missing in the Malaysian jungle. Photo: Lucie Blackman Trust/Family handout/PA Wire...A

An inquest determining the cause of death of Irish schoolgirl Nora Quoirin will begin at the end of August following a hearing in Malaysia today.

Nora Quoirin (15) was reported missing on August 4 after her family arrived at the Dusun resort in Seremban, about 70km south of Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur.

The teenager was found dead after 10 days missing in the Malaysian jungle while on a family holiday and her parents have demanded answers.

While police ruled out foul play in her death, an autopsy showed that she had died from internal bleeding, which may have been caused by prolonged hunger and stress.

However, Malaysian news outlet The Star reports today that the Coroners Court in Malaysia will hold a two-week inquest beginning August 24.

The court will hear testimonies from 64 of the 102 witnesses which were shortlisted for the inquest.

However, her family believes there was a criminal element to her disappearance as she was a special needs child and they claimed she had never before left them voluntarily.

The Star reports that lawyer for Noras parents Meabh and Sebastien Quoirin Sankara N. Nair, had earlier asked the court if the proceedings could be conducted in English as Noras family was in the UK and would not be able to attend the hearing.

He also told the court that he planned to call a forensic expert who had performed the second autopsy on Nora Anne's remains in the UK, to assist in the inquest.
Announcement of Periodic Review: Moody's announces completion of a periodic review of ratings of United Kingdom, Government of

Global Credit Research - 10 Jul 2020

Paris, July 10, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") reviews all of its ratings periodically in accordance with regulations -- either annually or, in the case of governments and certain EU-based supranational organisations, semi-annually. This periodic review is unrelated to the requirement to specify calendar dates on which EU and certain other sovereign and sub-sovereign rating actions may take place.

Moody's conducts these periodic reviews through portfolio reviews in which Moody's reassesses the appropriateness of each outstanding rating in the context of the relevant principal methodology(ies), recent developments, and a comparison of the financial and operating profile to similarly rated peers. Since 1st January 2019, Moody's issues a press release following each periodic review announcing its completion.

Moody's has now completed the periodic review of a group of issuers that includes United Kingdom and may include related ratings. The review did not involve a rating committee, and this publication does not announce a credit rating action and is not an indication of whether or not a credit rating action is likely in the near future; credit ratings and/or outlook status cannot be changed in a portfolio review and hence are not impacted by this announcement. For any credit ratings referenced in this publication, please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for the most updated credit rating action information and rating history.

The credit profile of the United Kingdom (issuer rating Aa2) is supported by the country's "a1" economic strength, reflecting the British economy's large size, diversification and competitiveness while still recognizing that structural growth is slowing, in part due to Brexit; the UK's "a1" institutions and governance strength balances the robust institutional setup against diminished policy capability and predictability and the strains that Brexit has clearly placed on some aspects of constitutional arrangements as well as the capacity of the government and civil service; its "a3" fiscal strength takes account of the modest interest burden of the debt and its long maturity structure, but also acknowledges that the pace of fiscal consolidation has slowed repeatedly over the years and the public finances will likely weaken going forward; and its "a" susceptibility to event risk is driven by domestic political risk and banking sector risk.

Story continues

This document summarizes Moody's view as of the publication date and will not be updated until the next periodic review announcement, which will incorporate material changes in credit circumstances (if any) during the intervening period.

The principal methodology used for this review was Sovereign Ratings Methodology published in November 2019. Please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.

This announcement applies only to EU rated and EU endorsed ratings. Non EU rated and non EU endorsed ratings may be referenced above to the extent necessary, if they are part of the same analytical unit.

This publication does not announce a credit rating action. For any credit ratings referenced in this publication, please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for the most updated credit rating action information and rating history.

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This year  2020  marks the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth. It's therefore understandable that it's being marked as the year of the nurse and midwife .

Nightingale is best known for her pioneering spirit and fearless approach to changing atrocious conditions and improving healthcare service delivery. These qualities still characterise the attitudes and habits of nurses around the world. They are often the only frontline healthcare workers caring for people  whether they are vulnerable and living in poor and isolated settings or well-off in rich parts of the world.

But Nightingale left two legacies. The other is less known.

She held strong prejudices against indigenous people. While she wasn't afraid to challenge the status quo in some areas, her role in colonialism and her expressed attitudes towards indigenous populations was deeply concerning. So troubling in fact, that the New Zealand Nurses Organisation chose not to celebrate or acknowledge her birthday this year. The organisation labelled her

statements on colonisation and the fate of indigenous people a dangerous legacy.

They view Nightingale's writing about indigenous peoples in the South Pacific as racist, paternalistic and patronising.

Both legacies had a profound effect on nursing, particularly in countries colonised by the British. Nursing and midwifery were formally established with the dawn of colonialism and Nightingale's two legacies played a large role in the structure and shape of nursing on the continent.

On the one hand nursing was recognised as the first modern clinical profession on the continent. On the other, patterns of racism as well as elitism were passed on too. These traits are reflected in a paper published five years ago on how institutional models and ideas were transported from colonial nursing leaders in Europe to African nursing students. The research was based on the oral histories collected from 13 retired nurses from Mauritius, Malawi and Togo who had studied and practised nursing from the late colonial era (1950s) through decolonisation and independence (1960s-70s).

Legacies

The British influence, through Nightingale's post Crimean War reforms in nursing education, affected the nursing education and practice in African colonies in the early 20th century. In 1940, for example, Britain established a Colonial Nursing Service . The service sent British nurses to the Colonies to care, initially, for sick British personnel and subsequently for the indigenous populations.

The British style hospital-oriented system of training was adopted. This would continue for decades to the detriment of empowering nurses and decentralising nursing services to more remote and rural areas.

How nurses and midwives were viewed was imported almost without adaptation from Europe. For example, in France nurses are still perceived as a handmaiden to the doctor, with very little independent practice. Midwives are almost unknown. The severe shortage of midwives in many African countries speaks to the continuing dominance of non-applicable models in African health services.

The European style of nursing continued into post-colonial Africa. The oral histories of African nursing leaders describing their experiences in the post colonial period show vividly how colonial stereotypes dictated their lives.

Evolution of nursing

But their stories also attest to the fact that nursing slowly changed and evolved in different African countries. The nurses interviewed about nursing practices 50 years ago explained how they adapted European models and ideas to meet their own needs.

A particularly poignant example of this was the expressed desire of the nurses in the study to serve their country and help their country heal from the effects of colonialism.

Moreover, out of necessity, African nurses expanded their scope of practice in ways that only occurred decades later in countries with more resources. An example is in the prescribing of medication which was always the province of doctors, few of whom practice in rural and remote areas. Following the outbreak of the HIV pandemic, nurses in Africa began prescribing antiretroviral drugs. In countries like Uganda and Rwanda nurses began to prescribe oral morphine for pain management in cancer and related terminal diseases exacerbated by the high prevalence of HIV.

African nurses have also led the way in taking over tasks previously undertaken only by physicians. In Ethiopia nurses in rural and remote areas carry out caesarean sections. And in countries like South Africa, Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, and Zambia, there are clinical specialist roles in nursing and midwifery such as critical care nursing, palliative care nursing and perioperative nursing among many others.

Increasingly, the profession has moved to become autonomous, self-regulated, research-focused, and centred on the needs of the population.

This ability to move beyond traditional Western models of care has been important in the management of the disease profile of Africa, where geographical location has added to the burden of disease not found in developed countries.

Paving a new way

Given the events of 2020 it's appropriate and fitting to applaud the visionary work of nurses because of their pivotal roles in addressing health inequity on the global stage. Nurses are commonly described as the backbone of the health system.

Their inventiveness and ingenuity in adapting general practices to local conditions should be especially acknowledged.

For example, a systematic review suggests that nurse-delivered care in primary care settings generates similar or better outcomes than doctor-delivered care for a wide range of conditions. In addition, nursing-led primary care services can lead to similar  or even better  patient health outcomes and higher patient satisfaction than other care delivery models. This is because nurses have longer consultations with patients.

Other reviews have shown that nurses are effective in the initiation and follow-up of HIV therapy . And that nursing interventions for tobacco cessation increase the likelihood of quitting.

Further research has shown that non-specialist health workers, including nurses, may improve outcomes for general and perinatal depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol use disorders, and patient and carer outcomes for dementia.

As the world continues to battle the COVID-19 scourge, their contribution has never been more profound. Nurses personify the indomitable trailblazing spirit Nightingale showed 200 years ago. But their song is now much richer and more humane. And their impact reaches much further in terms of addressing global health equity and championing the plight of the world's most vulnerable populations.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

By Timothy A. Carey, Director: Institute of Global Health Research, Andrew Weiss Chair of Research in Global Health, University of Global Health Equity And

Agnes Binagwaho, Vice Chancellor, University of Global Health Equity And

Judy Khanyola, Chair, Center for Nursing and Midwifery, University of Global Health Equity
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 19:09:44|Editor: huaxia

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Robert Redfield, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), attends a hearing of U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies on the plan to research, manufacture and distribute a coronavirus vaccine on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., the United States, on July 2, 2020. (Graeme Jennings/Pool via Xinhua)

The CDC guidelines include recommendations for social distancing in classrooms and wearing facial coverings.



WASHINGTON, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Robert Redfield said Thursday the agency is not planning to rewrite guidelines for educators on reopening schools.

In an interview with the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), Redfield said that the CDC would issue "additional reference documents," which are "not a revision of the guidelines, ... just to provide additional information to help the schools be able to use the guidance that we put forward."

U.S. President Donald Trump slammed the guidelines as "very tough" and "expensive" on Wednesday, and his administration has been pushing for the reopening of schools and universities in the fall.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said Trump did not want the guidelines to be "barriers" to reopening.

The CDC guidelines include recommendations for social distancing in classrooms and wearing facial coverings.

"Clearly we see some individuals are concerned about the six-foot distancing. Others are concerned about face masks. Other individuals are concerned about rotating schedules," Redfield said.

"These decisions about schools are local decisions. We're prepared to work with any school and school district to see how they can take these guidances, this portfolio of strategies and do it in a way they're comfortable that they can reopen their schools," he said. 
(Newser)  Three days before it was scheduled to take place, a federal judge in Indiana on Friday halted the first federal execution planned in 17 years over COVID-19 concerns. Daniel Lee had been scheduled to die by injection on Monday. But Chief District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson in Indiana ruled that the execution would be put on hold, the AP reports, because the family of the victims wanted to attend but were afraid of traveling during the coronavirus pandemic. Prisons are being ravaged by COVID-19. The injunction delays the execution until there is no longer such an emergency.

story continues below

Relatives of the victims filed a lawsuit on Tuesday, per Newsweek, saying that having to decide whether to travel to witness the execution during a pandemic put them in "an untenable position." Lee, 47, of Yukon, Oklahoma, was convicted in Arkansas of the 1996 killings of gun dealer William Mueller; his wife, Nancy; and her 8-year-old daughter, Sarah Powell. The relatives of the victims had pleaded for years that Lee instead should receive the same life sentence as the ringleader in the deadly scheme. (The US Supreme Court had declined last month to block four federal executions.)
New Delhi, July 10 : A Delhi court on Friday granted bail to several Bangladesh nationals who had participated in the Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Delhi's Nizamuddin Markaz in March.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Gurmohina Kaur of Saket Court granted bail to 82 foreigners on furnishing a personal bond of Rs 10,000 each. They were produced before the court through video-conferencing.

The accused will now file a plea bargaining application, which is a pre-trial negotiation between the accused and the prosecution where the accused agrees to plead guilty in exchange for certain concessions by the prosecution.

Till now, scores of foreign nationals belonging to different countries, including Afghanistan, Brazil, China, USA, Ukraine, Australia, Egypt, Russia, Algeria, Belgium, Saudi Arabia and others, have been given bail in the same case.

They were all part of the meeting, which was in alleged violation of the visa norms and guidelines issued by the Indian government on COVID-19.

The Crime Branch of Delhi Police has named more than 900 foreign nationals in connection with the case. They have not been arrested, though the Centre has cancelled their visas and blacklisted them. The FIR was registered against Tablighi Jamaat leader Maulana Saad Kandhalvi and others on March 31.

The accused have been charged under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Epidemic Diseases Act, the Disaster Management Act, and also for violating the prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Insurers are creating products for a world where virus outbreaks could become the new normal after many businesses were left out in the cold during the COVID-19 crisis.

While new pandemic-proof policies might not be cheap, they offer businesses from restaurants to film production companies to e-commerce retailers ways of insuring against disruptions and losses if another virus strikes.

The providers include big insurers and brokers adding new products to existing coverage, as well as niche players that see an opportunity in filling the void left by mainstream firms that categorize virus outbreaks like wars or nuclear explosions.

Related articles: Chubb Unveils Public-Private Program for Pandemic Business Interruption Lloyds Innovation Accelerator Focuses on COVID-19 Market Response with 3 Insurtechs How to Prepare for the Next Black-Swan Event? Lloyds Has Some Suggestions. When UK Insurers, Banks Emerge from Lockdown, Their Employees Face New Normal Suddenly There Is Big Demand for Pandemic Cover, Says Underwriter Wimbledon Shows How Pandemic Insurance Could Become Vital for Sports, Other Events

Tech firm Machine Cover, for example, aims to offer policies next year that would give relief during lockdowns. Using apps and other data sources, the Boston-based company measures traffic levels around businesses such as restaurants, department stores, hairdressers and car dealers.

If traffic drops below a certain level, it pays out, whatever the reason.

This is the type of coverage which  businesses thought they had paid for when they bought their current business interruption policies before the coronavirus pandemic, the companys founder Inder-Jeet Gujral told Reuters.

I believe this will be a major opportunity because post-COVID, it would be as irresponsible to not buy insurance against pandemics as it would be to not buy insurance against fire.

The company is backed by insurer Hiscox and individual investors, mostly from the insurance and private equity world.

Restaurants in Floridas Miami-Dade County, where Mayor Carlos Gimenez on Monday ordered dining to shut down soon after reopening, are now reeling, said Andrew Giambarba, a broker for Insurance Office of America in Doral, Florida.

Its been like they made it to the ninth round of the fight and were holding on when this punch came out of nowhere, said Giambarba, whose clients include restaurants that did not get payouts under their business interruption coverage.

Every niche that is dealing with insurance that is affected by business interruption needs every new product they can have.

Filling the Void

Pandemic exemptions have helped some insurers emerge relatively unscathed and the sector has largely resisted pressure to provide more virus cover. Indeed, some insurers that paid out for event cancellations and other losses have removed pandemics from their coverage.

British risk managers association Airmic said last week that the pandemic had contributed to a lack of adequate insurance at an affordable price and most of its members were looking at other ways to reduce risk.

To help fill the void in a locked-down world, Lloyds of London insurer Beazley Plc, started selling a contingency policy last month to insure organizers of streamed music, cultural and business events against technical glitches.

These events are completely reliant on the technology working and a failure can be financially crippling, said Mark Symons, contingency underwriter at Beazley.

Marsh, the worlds biggest insurance broker, has teamed up with AXA XL, part of Frances AXA, and data firm Arity, which is part of Allstate, to help businesses such as U.S. supermarket chains, restaurants and e-commerce retailers cope with the challenges of social distancing.

With home deliveries surging, firms have hired individual drivers to meet demand, but commercial auto liability insurance for gig contractors with their own vehicles is hard to find.

Marsh and its partners devised a policy based on usage with a price-by-mile insurance, which can be cheaper than typical commercial auto cover as delivering a pizza doesnt have the same risks as driving people around.

Even when the pandemic is over, we believe last-mile delivery will continue to grow, said Robert Bauer, head of Marshs U.S. sharing economy and mobility practice.

A report by consultants Capgemini showed that demand for usage-based insurance has skyrocketed since COVID-19 first broke out and more than 50% of the customers it surveyed wanted it.

However, only half of the insurers interviewed by Capgemini for its World Insurance Report said they offered it.

Bespoke Cover

Since businesses are only now learning how outbreaks can affect them, some new products are effectively custom-made.

Elite Risk Insurance in Newport Beach, California, has been offering COVID outbreak relapse coverage since May for businesses forced to shut down a second time, its founder Jeff Kleid said.

The policies are crafted around specific businesses and only pay out when certain conditions are met, Kleid said.

For film and television production companies that could be when a cast member contracts the virus, forcing them to stop shooting. Another client, which raises livestock for restaurants, is covered for a scenario in which it would be impossible to get animal feed.

Such policies do not come cheap. A $1 million policy could cost between about $80,000 to $100,000 depending on the terms.

The insurance  is costly because it covers a risk that does not have a historical basis for calculating the price, Kleid says.

And in March, when COVID-19 ravaged northern Italy, Generalis Europ Assistance offered medical help, financial support and teleconsultations for sufferers when discharged from hospital, on top of regular health insurance.

It sold 1.5 million policies in just two weeks and now has 3 million customers in Europe and United States.

Some insurers are also working on changes to employee compensation and health insurance schemes. With millions of workers not expected to return to offices anytime soon, some large insurers in Asia are preparing coverage to account for that, according to people familiar with those efforts.

At least one Japanese insurer has started work on a product to cover employees for injury while working at home, they said.

Working from home will be the new normal for years to come. That would make the scope of the employee compensation scheme meaningless if a person suffers an injury while at home, said a Hong Kong-based senior executive at a European insurer.

(Reporting by Noor Zainab Hussain in Bengaluru, Suzanne Barlyn in Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania, Carolyn Cohn in London and Sumeet Chatterjee in Hong Kong; additional reporting by Muvija M; Editing by Tomasz Janowski and David Clarke)

Topics Carriers USA
If Mayor Brian Bowman and Winnipeg council could have proven, with evidence, new housing developments were not paying their fair share of city costs, the impact fee introduced in 2017 would likely have survived a court challenge.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/7/2020 (557 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

If Mayor Brian Bowman and Winnipeg council could have proven, with evidence, new housing developments were not paying their fair share of city costs, the impact fee introduced in 2017 would likely have survived a court challenge.

Court of Queens Bench Justice James Edmond struck down the citys controversial impact fee Wednesday, deeming it an "indirect tax" that was unconstitutional.

Its not that the City of Winnipeg didnt have the legal right to impose a fee on new housing developments to pay for associated costs. It did, under the City of Winnipeg Charter (a provincial law), as long as it could demonstrate it was a regulatory fee, tied to costs created by new developments.

The problem is the city failed to prove that in court, leaving the judge to conclude it was just an ordinary tax, designed to raise money for general revenues. The city doesnt have the constitutional right to impose such a tax. As such, it was quashed.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES The introduction of an impact fee was one of Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowmans signature policies.

The stated objective of the impact fee, one of Bowmans signature policies, was to force homeowners in new developments to pay for capital costs  such as roads, bridges and civic buildings  they were allegedly responsible for. "Growth doesnt pay for growth," has been the mayors political mantra since he first introduced the fee.

However, politics and law dont always see eye-to-eye.

From the beginning, Bowman failed to provide any evidence new developments are a net financial drain on city coffers. In fact, all the prior studies showed they were either net contributors to the public treasury or operated on a break-even basis.

When the city failed to make its case in court, the judge saw the impact fee for what it really is: a tax with no connection to paying for costs associated with growth.

"There is no requirement that the impact fee collected be used only to fund capital projects associated with or caused by development where the impact fee is collected," Edmond wrote.

When Bowman was challenged in 2016 to provide evidence to support his claim that growth doesnt pay for growth, the city hired Hemson Consulting Ltd. to make the economic case for a tax on new developments.

Politicians often hire consultants to provide political cover for their agendas. While Hemson regurgitated city data that outlined the "infrastructure deficit" (data, the judge said, the consulting firm did not independently verify), the firm produced no evidence new developments were not paying their share of capital costs. It concluded "growth does not pay for growth" without substantiating the claim with evidence; the court described the findings as an "opinion."

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SUBMITTED PHOTO. The objective of the impact fee was to force homeowners in new developments to pay for capital costs  such as roads, bridges and civic buildings  they were allegedly responsible for.

"While Hemson has undertaken an assessment of the overall cost associated with growth in the city, the revenues derived from the impact fee collected in certain developments are not directly connected to the costs generated by those developments," wrote Edmond.

Developers pay the city for a wide range infrastructure and other costs when building new communities, such as Waverley West, including all new local roads, sidewalks, street lights, sewer and water infrastructure, greenspace and much more.

Those costs are reflected in the prices of new homes. Homeowners then pay property taxes and utility charges, like everyone else, as their contribution to new capital and other costs around the city. Their property taxes, for example, help pay for the tens of millions of dollars spent on separating combined sewers every year in older parts of Winnipeg to reduce the amount of raw sewage going into rivers. (New developments have separate sewage and runoff systems.)

Until the city can demonstrate such new developments are a net drain on the treasury, impact fees  at least the kind Bowman tried to ram through  are nothing more than a tax and have nothing to do with paying for the costs of growth.

tom.brodbeck@freepress.mb.ca
New Delhi:

Pakistan provoked India with continuous ceasefire violations along international border (IB) of Jammu region on Saturday night as their forces started firing at 21:15h in R S Pura Sector which continued intermittently till 0300 h of Sunday morning. BSF however gave a befitting reply to the firing and shelling along the LoC. Pak forces opened an offensive onslaught at 0200h on Sunday morning and started firing and shelling till 0800h with small arms and mortars in Hiranagar and Samba Sectors. So far, no loss of life or injury to BSF or civilians have been reported.

Also Read: Pakistan violates ceasefire in Hiranagar, Samba and RS Pura after massive retaliation by Indian Army in Keran sector along LoC

Pakistan has been highly aggresive since India conducted surgical strikes on terror camps located in PoK after the brutal Uri attacks on Indian army. Escalations have increased as Indian forces continue to provide an apt response to Pak's brutalities and inflict them with heavy casualties.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
On July 10, Uzbekistan has introduced strict quarantine restrictions for 20 days due to a new coronavirus outbreak. The pandemic has affected the country's economic situation. President Shavkat Miriziyoyev is betting on small business and entrepreneurship. Experts believe that it will take at least a year and a half to restore production.

Uzbekistan was one of the first post-Soviet state to impose tough measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection. In early March, all educational institutions were quarantined, both international and domestic flights, trains were suspended. Public transport in the cities was stopped, companies and organizations were moved to remote work, and the population was sent to voluntary self-isolation. Quite tough measures have been beneficial. An anti-crisis fund of  950 million was formed to mitigate economic consequences. The republic made it out of isolation with the least losses. As of June 30, a total of 8,385 COVID-19 cases and 26 deaths were recorded in the country. But today this number has grown to 11,447 people and 48 respectively.

Now, the whole territory of Uzbekistan will become a red zone - the most dangerous zone in connection with the growing spread of infection. According to press secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Uzbekistan Shohrukh Giyasov, all Uzbek regions are divided into zones depending on the COVID-19 situation - the most dangerous - red, yellow and green - free from the virus. In particular, Tashkent was in the yellow zone.

By decision of the Uzbek authorities, labor migration within the country will be prohibited, as well as trade (except for food and medicine), all food and drink venues will be closed, offering only takeaway or delivery services.



In addition, any recreational activities will be prohibited during this period, including weddings. People over 65 are not allowed to visit public places, people are not allowed to gather in a group of more than three people.

The representative of the Kyrgyz Ministry of Health's coronavirus headquarters Habibulla Okilov at an online briefing said that the newly introduced restrictions should interrupt the new COVID outbreak. "If we do not take harsh measures, the consequences can be tragic," he said. According to Okilov, if the number of new cases grows to 1000 per day, then Uzbekistan's health care system "will collapse completely."

The authorities are also worried by labor migrants arriving from Russia and Kazakhstan. Yesterday, over 2.5 thousand people crossed the Kazakh-Uzbek border. Since last week, they have been waiting for permission to cross the Zhibek Zholy checkpoint in the Saryagash district of the Turkestan region of Kazakhstan, Akim of the Saryagash region Mukhit Otarshiev said. About a thousand people are waiting for the decicion. This means that the number of unemployed will increase. In total, about 2 million people are registered in the republic, according to the Ministry of Labor and Employment. Another quarantine can cause irreparable damage to the economy of the republic.



Shavkat Mirziyoyev, speaking at a video conference on June 8, said that the second wave was coming, and many countries had already faced it. "The current situation shows that any magic recipes to counter this infection have not yet been developed. The international community, the world's largest research centers, the strongest scientists are working hard to find a cure. And we hope that the studies will soon yield their positive results," Mirziyoyev said.

According to him, "in the meantime, we need to learn how to live and work amid pandemic in order to normalize life, restore the economy, and with iron discipline continue the work begun on this front, taking all precautions." The president ordered 69,000 entrepreneurs to return to work: "The only way to get out of the strong pandemic is to create an enabling environment for small businesses and entrepreneurship." By the end of this year, more than 70% of enterprises will reopen, and in the future - all of them. Of the entrepreneurs registered last year, 23 thousand or 24% of the total number are not working today. Managers were instructed to establish a dialogue with them and take measures to resume their activities as soon as possible. The government promised to help them to solve their issues.
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Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano state was commended by the Chairman Alumni Association, School of Management Studies, Kano State Polytechnic, Kabiru Nasir Isah, for encouraging technical and vocational education, by endorsing the newly fabricated automatic hand washing machine by students and lecturers of the Polytechnic, as their rare contribution against COVID-19 pandemic.

In a letter sent to the Governor, on behalf of the Alumni Association, that was signed by Isah, they eulogised Governor Ganduje for identifying with the new innovation of the automatic hand washing machine recently displayed before the governor and members of the State Task Force Committee of COVID-19, at the Government House.

Your Excellency Sir, your show of appreciation and encouragement over the newly fabricated machine by our students with the help of lecturers, is but a clear indication that your words of glaring support for technical and vocational education, match with your actions, reads the letter.

Commending further that, they were impressed when they heard that Gov. Ganduje, after praising the effort, he also disclosed that he would support for the mass production of the automatic hand sanitizer forwarded by the Polytechnic, when the machine was introduced to him by the Rector, Professor Mukhtar Atiku Kurawa.

Hoping that, With this encouragement, it shows that our amiable and performing governor, is a supporter of local content development. With the mass production of this and other machines, technical and vocational education, as His Excellency wishes all the time, will definitely be playing as a frontline role in our educational system.

The letter reminded how the governor becomes the beacon of hope for the State Polytechnic, among other institutions of learning in the state, explaining that,  Before your coming as the governor of Kano, Kano Polytechnic was almost in shambles.

Many courses were at the verge of going down. But you saved them all. Not only that, the Polytechnic under Prof Mukhtar Atiku Kurawa introduced many other courses.

Courtesy governors concern for technical and vocational education, the Polytechnic, the letter reads, Also fabricated Ventilators, two in number, that are currently with Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Bayero University, Kano, to undergo clinical examination. You know our Polytechnic under Prof Kurawa is all out to make sure that Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje wins this fight against COVID-19.
New research and report show the impact of Michigan's safety-net health coverage, and could inform states that are now considering or preparing for expansion

The most vulnerable residents of the nation's 10th most populous state say their health improved significantly after they enrolled in Michigan's expanded Medicaid program, a new study finds.

Michiganders with extremely low incomes, those who live with multiple chronic health problems, and those who are Black, got the biggest health boosts year over year among all those enrolled in the safety-net health coverage program, the study shows.

But participants of almost all ages, backgrounds and in all geographic regions reported improvements in health over time.

Writing in the new issue of JAMA Network Open, a team from the University of Michigan reports the results of a survey that asked more than 3,000 enrollees in the Healthy Michigan Plan about their health, at two time points a year apart.

The new paper adds to a growing body of evidence about the impacts of Michigan's Medicaid expansion, compiled by a team from the U-M Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation with funding from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

The IHPI team just unveiled a summary of findings based on the final report from the first five years of their evaluation of the Healthy Michigan Plan. The new paper is the latest in a series of peer-reviewed, data-driven articles that the team has published in academic journals based on their evaluation work.

Michigan's experience might inform states where Medicaid has not yet been expanded, or is about to be - including Missouri which has a ballot proposal up for a vote in early August, Oklahoma, whose voters just approved expansion last week, and Nebraska, which is preparing to start its program this fall. Twelve other states have not expanded their Medicaid programs.

Reductions in poor health

The new paper's lead author is Minal Patel, Ph.D., M.P.H., an associate professor at the U-M School of Public Health who analyzed data from the longitudinal survey of participants who had been enrolled in the Healthy Michigan Plan for at least a year before the first time they were surveyed.

The percentage of respondents who called their health fair or poor dropped from nearly 31% in 2016 to 27% in 2017. Larger decreases were seen among those with the very lowest incomes, those who were Black, those who had two or more chronic conditions, and those who live in the Detroit metropolitan area.

Additional survey data contained in a new report showed that the percentage who said their health was fair or poor dropped further, to 25.6% by 2018.

The average number of days in the past month when the respondents said they had been in poor physical health dropped by more than a day in many groups, including those with two or more chronic health conditions. But there was no significant change in days of poor mental health or days when respondents said their health interfered with their usual activities.

Nearly one quarter of respondents who answered in 2016 were no longer enrolled in the program when surveyed in 2017.

Enrollees had incomes below or just above the federal poverty line, but 57% said they were employed or self-employed. Just over half had incomes less than 35% of the federal poverty level, which was $11,880 for a single adult in 2016.

"Our study showed that sub-groups who would benefit the most from greater access to care through Michigan's Medicaid expansion reported improved health over time," says Patel. "Better access is indeed translating to better health."

The emphasis that the Healthy Michigan Plan places on primary care and prevention, as well as the inclusion of dental and vision care that can address long-unmet needs, likely played a role, she adds.

"It is rare to find a change in health policy that actually improves health of a target population in merely one year," says Susan D. Goold, M.D., MHSA, M.A., study co-author and professor of internal medicine at U-M. "The Healthy Michigan Plan model of expansion, which emphasized both insurance coverage and primary care, built on what we have learned from health systems around the globe."

Five years in, some key findings

The economic effects of COVID-19 have likely led more Michiganders to seek coverage from the safety net of the Healthy Michigan Plan. As of this week, more than 751,000 people are enrolled in the plan, up from 675,000 in February before COVID-19 struck Michigan.

"This new study adds to the large body of evidence on Medicaid expansion that our team at the University of Michigan has developed over the past five years," says IHPI director and study co-author John Z. Ayanian, M.D., M.P.P.

Some other key findings documented in the five-year summary brief:

Before enrolling in the Healthy Michigan Plan, half of those surveyed said they had a doctor or clinic they could see for regular care. By 2018, that had climbed to 83%.

The percentage who said that emergency rooms were their usual source of care dropped from 12% to 3%.

85% of enrollees had seen a primary care provider in the last year, 84% had received a preventive medical service such as a cancer screening, and nearly half had seen a dentist.

40% of enrollees surveyed said their dental health had improved since enrolling

85% of enrollees said they had fewer problems paying medical bills since they enrolled

The percentage of enrollees who said they were employed or enrolled as a student grew to 61% in 2018, up from 55% in 2016.

43% of enrollees said they had completed a Health Risk Assessment, a special feature of the Healthy Michigan Plan. Of these, 91% said it motivated them to be more responsible for their health.

Enrollees with incomes above the poverty level pay a contribution of 2% of their household income for their Healthy Michigan Plan coverage. Some services have co-pays. 88% of enrollees said that the amount they pay for their coverage seems fair. Among those who were billed for contributions or copays, the average quarterly statement amount was $16.85.

The IHPI team continues to study the impacts of Medicaid expansion on Michigan's enrollees. Learn more about IHPI's Healthy Michigan Plan evaluation: https://ihpi.umich.edu/featured-work/healthy-michigan-plan-evaluation

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When the Queen banned Prince Harry and Meghan from using the term 'royal' after they quit official duties, the couple posted an extraordinary statement on their website insisting they still had the right to the word.

Now, however, Buckingham Palace has made clear that it means business. I can disclose that courtiers are taking highly unusual action to stop a long-serving butler using the epithet 'royal'.

Grant Harrold, 42, who worked for Prince Charles, styles himself as the 'royal butler' and even set up a 'Royal School of Butlers' and a 'Royal School of Etiquette'.

A former butler of Prince Charles, Grant Harrold (pictured), has been ordered not to use the word 'royal' by Buckingham Palace as he tries to set up a 'Royal School of Etiquette'

However, the Palace has now formally objected to his use of the term. 'It's a real David and Goliath battle,' one of Harrold's friends tells me.

'Why on earth shouldn't he call himself the royal butler? That's what he was. What are the Palace going to do next? Ban pubs from calling themselves the Royal Oak or stop Reading FC calling themselves "the Royals"?'

However, a royal source tells me that action was necessary. 'It's important the Royal Household protects its brand,' he says. 'We could hardly tell the Duke of Sussex he couldn't use the term 'royal' but allow a former staff member to do so.

The news comes after the Queen banned Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (both pictured) from using the term 'Sussex Royals' after the pair stepped back from royal duty

'The Household was prepared to let him style himself "the royal butler", but what happened is he tried to trademark the term. That was a step too far.'

The Lord Chamberlain's office at Buckingham Palace formally lodged an objection at the Intellectual Property Office, using the Queen's lawyers, Farrer & Co. A video hearing is due to be held this month.

Harrold tells me has been advised not to comment. He has become a regular on television advising on questions of etiquette since leaving the Royal Household in 2011 after seven years. As well as working for Prince Charles, he served members of the Royal Family from the Queen to the Duchess of Cambridge.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman declines to comment.

So convincing as earls daughter Lady Edith in Downton Abbey, Laura Carmichael is fed up with fans assuming shes an aristocrat.

Downton Abbey star Laura Carmichael is fed up with fans assuming shes an aristocrat, claiming she is boringly middle-class

The actress, who describes herself as a boringly middle-class girl from Southampton, reveals: Everyone thinks that Im very posh and somehow related to the Royal Family.

Shes been in Australia filming hit new BBC1 thriller The Secrets She Keeps and was even recognised at the gym. It was quite surreal, she says.

Field Marshal Montgomerys insistence on a full English breakfast wherever he went is said to have inspired the full Monty expression.

But his granddaughter Arabella Montgomery could be left feeling short-changed by the will of her father.

I can reveal that the 2nd Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, who died in January aged 91, stipulated that his son, Henry, should receive twice the amount inherited by Arabella.

Thats an awfully big difference as his estate totalled more than 6.3 million.

The smart set's talking about... engaging actress Alice Orr-Ewing

Blue-blooded Alice Orr-Ewing, who starred opposite Hugh Grant as Jeremy Thorpes tragic first wife Caroline in the BBCs acclaimed drama A Very English Scandal, has happy news off screen.

Alice, 30, has accepted a proposal from fellow actor James Musgrave, 30, whos appeared in hit dramas such as Death In Paradise, Silk and comedy Fresh Meat.

Alice Orr-Ewing (pictured) is engaged to Fresh Meat and Death in Paradise actor James Musgrave

Alice and I are absolutely thrilled to be engaged, James tells me.

An alumna of 38,000-per-year Heathfield School in Ascot, Alice is the granddaughter of Tory minister Lord Orr-Ewing, who was part of a team of three which built the first production television set while an apprentice at EMI.

The pandemic appears to have brought the pair together. Having spent lockdown with my future in-laws, there will be no surprises, James jokes. With all that has happened this year, its really exciting to have something to look forward to next year.

(Very) modern manners

Should you come to someones aid in this time of social-distancing?

Dame Helen Mirren cast health guidelines aside after wine was spilled on the jacket of a fellow guest at an awards ceremony in Italy this week.

The actress, who won an Oscar for her leading role in The Queen, immediately mopped up the stain, using mineral water and a napkin, on the outfit of comedian Aldo Baglio at the Flaiano Awards Gala evening in Pescara, Eastern Italy.

He declared: She saved my life!

This could be lively: the Marquess of Headfort, who memorably pushed his friend Lord Brocket into a swimming pool at the ex-jailbirds South of France wedding, is tying the knot again himself.

Christo Headfort has got engaged to Chelsea lady Victoria Chapman. Jeremy Clarkson may be invited to the celebrations later this summer  Headfort is joint owner of the petrolheads Oxfordshire estate.

The Irish peer has never eclipsed his late fathers reputation for ebullient behaviour. The latter once hung a wine waiter in the Cavalry Club upside down by his ankles because his G&T was late.

He agreed to put the man back on his feet only when told that staff are extremely hard to find at the moment.

Cheers! Ellie and Eugenie first in line to hit the town

Chancellor Rishi Sunak would be proud... Princess Eugenie has been doing her bit to get London social life back on track.

She and her tequila salesman husband, Jack Brooksbank, joined their pal Ellie Goulding and the pop stars other half, Caspar Jopling, for dinner at a restaurant this week.

Princess Eugenie joined Ellie Golding (left) and her partner Caspar Jopling (right) at the Casa Cruz restaurant in Notting Hill this week

The Queens granddaughter and her friends dined at Notting Hills trendy Casa Cruz.

My man with the maitreds ear says its not clear if they imbibed the eateries 1,200 Tuscan wine or tucked into steak at 46.

Eugenie is said to have played matchmaker for Ellie, who sang at Prince William and Kate Middletons wedding. Prince Andrew and Fergies daughter once worked with art dealer Caspars uncle, Jay Jopling, at New York auctioneers Paddle8.

Eugenie and Jack were among the guests when Ellie and Caspar were married at York Minster.

M&S and Joanie end beautiful relationship

They are two British icons, but Dame Joan Collins and Marks & Spencer have gone their separate ways.

British icon Dame Joan Collins's make-up range has been ditched by Marks & Spencer, while the Dame's spokesman blaming Brexit

M&S has called time on Timeless Beauty, the Dynasty stars make-up range. Interestingly, a spokesman for ardent Brexiteer Joanie blames Brexit.

The umbrella company that produced the line, Richards & Appleby, has had financial difficulties due in part to years of Brexit insecurity. As a result, it has been winding up many of its associations, which included us. Joan hopes a buyer will come along that has the ability to realise its full potential.

However, Richards & Appleby denies Brexit was to blame. A spokesman says it has merged with another company, Prestige, which will continue to produce the collection and sell it online.

Children are priceless, but Keira Knightleys maternity leave must have been Britains most costly.

I can reveal the actresss fortune slipped by almost 1.6 million after she had her second child.

Keira Knightleys maternity leave for her second child cost her almost 1.6 million

The Pirates Of The Caribbean star, 35, saw cash in her company KCK Boo drop to just over 8.4 million.

The period of the accounts covers her pregnancy and the birth of daughter Delilah.

Have Cheriegate conmans chickens come home to roost?

As Peter Foster, the ex-conman behind the secret Blair property deal that shamed No.10, writes his bombshell memoirs, hes already being brought to book.

I can reveal that a furious mother from Merseyside is planning to travel to Fosters native Australia to confront him about two secrets from his past. Michelle Deakin, 50, first fell under his spell in the late Eighties when he picked her to help front a new weight-loss product hed designed.

Then 19, she was collected in a Rolls-Royce and transported into Fosters glitzy world.

But, unbeknown to her, Michelle had just become a part of his latest scam. Two years later, she was in the crown court dock receiving a six-month suspended jail term. Foster had long since vanished.

But Michelle wasnt alone as she listened to the judges ruling. She was pregnant with what she now claims are Fosters twin daughters. Now, shes planning to confront him.

Weve kept him out of their lives, Michelle says. I never wanted them to be involved in that lifestyle. They are happy, smart and have good careers. Foster denies being the girls dad.
As New Jersey prepares to reopen its schools with new coronavirus social distancing rules, more than 100,000 classroom teachers across the state have to make a decision: Are they going back?

School districts have begun to hear from teachers who are requesting to retire early or refusing to return to the classroom during the coronavirus pandemic. Others are asking to teach only from home because they or one of their relatives have health problems.

That is raising questions about whether there will be enough certified teachers to teach during the 2020-2021 school year under the states new rules limiting the number of students in each classroom, said Steve Beatty, secretary-treasurer of the New Jersey Education Association, the states largest teachers union.

That is a real question of whether or not we will physically have enough educators that will return ... That is a growing concern, Beatty said.

The NJEA was among nearly a dozen state and national groups that released a report Thursday, titled A National Call to Action, calling on public health agencies to help states come up with more detailed plans to protect students and teachers as schools prepare to reopen.

Some educators have said the reopening guidelines released by states, including New Jersey, are not specific enough and leave too many questions unanswered in school districts as parents and teachers decided if its safe to return to the classroom.

Individual states have begun releasing their plans as President Donald Trump is calling on schools across the nation to fully reopen or face the loss of federal funding.

Its very important for the wellbeing of the student and the parents. So were going to be putting a lot of pressure on: Open your schools in the fall, Trump said Tuesday.

New Jerseys reopening plan, released last month, says all public schools will reopen. Students should stay six feet apart in classrooms and on buses, lunch times will be staggered and teachers will be required to wear masks, according to the guidelines released by the state Department of Education.

Students will also be strongly encouraged, but not required, to wear masks.

But the details of how the guidelines will be implemented will be left to the nearly 600 school districts across the state, which must inform families and teachers of their reopening plans at least four weeks before classes start.

Due to space limitations, most districts say they are working on hybrid plans in which only a half or a third of students will be in the classroom with their teachers on a given day or week. That means most students will likely be home several days a week working on distance learning assignments.

Gov. Phil Murphys administration has said teachers and students should not be penalized if they chose not to return to the classroom for health reasons. But, the states reopening plan does not specify what districts should do if they dont have enough teachers to staff classrooms.

New Jersey has more than 116,000 full-time classroom teachers in more than 2,500 public schools, according to the states latest available statistics.

Were facing a shortage of teachers as it is under normal circumstances in New Jersey and nationwide. So, this crisis is only going to exacerbate that, Beatty said.

The National Call to Action report released Thursday by the national Coalition for Healthier Schools, the NJEA and other groups says districts should provide students and teachers with masks, switch to non-toxic cleaning supplies and evaluate whether ventilation systems need to be upgraded to ensure the air in safe.

Most schools already have conditions that may affect school staff and childrens health, said Debra Coyle McFadden, executive director of the New Jersey Work Environment Council, a group of labor, community and environmental groups that contributed to the reopening report.

In New Jersey, nearly 500 school buildings are more than 50 years old and are typically four times more densely populated than office buildings. Those conditions strained aging ventilation systems long before they were ever expected to keep people safe in a pandemic, McFadden said.

The American Federation of School Administrators, which represents principals, assistant principals and other supervisors, also released its guide to reopening schools this month. The Reopening Schools Safely in the Age of COVID report calls for no more than 10 students in elementary school classrooms and hiring more teachers and staff to help with screening and monitoring schools to make sure safety measures are being followed.

Principals and administrators are preparing to reopen schools under strict new rules while still unsure exactly which teachers and staff members are coming back, said Leonard Pugliese, a former Newark principal and administrators who headed the task force that wrote the federations reopening guide.

Thats another unknown with respect to administrators who have to implement these plans, said Pugliese, executive vice president of the American Federation of School Administrators and a union official representing Newark principals and supervisors.

Usually, school districts know well in advance which teachers are retiring or leaving and have months to interview and hire new teachers. This year, many teachers may be waiting until they hear their districts reopening plan before they decided whether to return. That may leave schools with weeks or even days to fill empty positions.

Some may say this is not worth it -- I cant take this chance, Pugliese said. Theres so many unknowns here, its incredible.

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

Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com.

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At least two British children have died from a Kawasaki-like disease linked to Covid-19, doctors have revealed.

In the largest study of its kind yet, paediatricians detailed the course of the mystery inflammatory illness in 78 hospitalised youngsters.

All were in intensive care and almost half were mechanically ventilated. Two children have already died and one is still in critical care.

All the youngsters, who had an average age of 11, presented with a fever. Some had suffered shock, stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhoea.

Doctors from around the world have also reported ill children having a rash, red eyes and swollen feet.

Fatal complications of the illness appear to be related to strain on the heart - but the exact details of how the complication kills remain unclear.

Almost 80 per cent were from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds (BAME). Scientists are currently baffled as to why this is.

Most children did not positive for Covid-19 with a swab test but did have antibodies, showing they had been infected in the past.

In the largest study of its kind yet, paediatricians detailed the course of the mystery inflammatory illness in 78 hospitalised youngsters. The most common symptoms were fever, shock, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea. Other reported symptoms by other doctors are a rash (see bottom right, in different skin colours), red eyes, a headache, swollen hands and feet and confusion

The illness has been likened to Kawasaki disease, which mainly affects under-fives and causes blood vessels throughout the body to swell.

It has been dubbed Paediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome Temporally (PIMS-TS) and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C).

There have been fewer than 200 cases of PIMS-TS reported in England so far, with a range of symptoms and severity. Most children have already recovered.

Nearly 300 cases the life-threatening syndrome have been identified in the US, in two studies published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE NEW ILLNESS? WHAT IS IT CALLED? The illness has been likened to Kawasaki disease, which mainly affects children under the age of five. But it has been named Paediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome Temporally (PIMS-TS) because it is new and distinct from Kawasaki. WHAT SYMPTOMS DOES IT CAUSE? The majority of the children being hospitalised with the condition have suffered from a high fever for a number of days, severe abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Some develop a rash and red eyes or red lips, while a very small group go into shock, in which the heart is affected and they may get cold hands and feet and have rapid breathing. The symptoms are similar to those caused by Kawasaki disease, a rare but treatable condition that affects around eight in every 100,000 children each year in the UK. WHO DOES IT AFFECT? PIMS-TS appears to be more likely to affect older children than Kawasaki disease (average nine years old versus four years old respectively), British researchers recently wrote in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Up to 80 per cent of affected children in a study of 78 children by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health were from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds (BAME). Similarly, more than half (57 per cent) of 21 youngsters diagnosed in a Paris hospital were of African heritage, compared to 29 per cent of European descent. Dr Sara Hanna, medical director at Evelina London Children's Hospital, said 70 to 80 per cent of children seen in London hospitals have been BAME. WHEN DID OFFICIALS FIRST START TO SEE CASES? The NHS sent an alert to doctors on April 27, warning them to look out for signs of the syndrome. At the time they said cases had been appearing in tiny numbers in London for about three weeks. Since then they have spread further across the country. There have been less than 200 cases of PIMS-TS reported in England so far, according to researchers at the Imperial College Academic Health Science Centre. Figures for the UK are not clear. IS IT CAUSED BY SARS-COV-2, THE CORONAVIRUS? Doctors are almost certain the illness is being caused by the coronavirus but they haven't yet been able to prove it. Cases began appearing as the UK's coronavirus outbreak hit its peak and similar conditions have been reported in China and Italy during the pandemic. However, not all children with the Kawasaki-like syndrome test positive for the virus. Swab testing has suggested some of the children have not been infected with COVID-19 at the time they were ill. But all patients have tested positive for antibodies, doctors said, meaning they have had the coronavirus in the past. They said this suggests it is a 'post-infectious phenomenon' which is caused by a delayed overreaction of the immune system, which may happen weeks or even up to a month after the child was infected with Covid-19. IS IT TREATABLE? Yes. But there have been some reported deaths - at least two, according to the RCPCH. The only child known to have died with it, a 14-year-old boy, died of a stroke that was triggered by the life support machine he was on. Doctors are currently treating the condition by using medications to calm down the immune system and dampen the overreaction. Dr Liz Whittaker, a paediatrician at Imperial College Healthcare in London, said the sickest children are usually very ill for four to five days and begin to recover a couple of days after starting treatment. Advertisement

Doctors are almost certain the illness is being caused by the coronavirus but they haven't yet been able to prove it yet.

Children appear to fall sick with PIMS-TS several weeks after being infected by the coronavirus, called SARS-CoV-2.

The study, published in The Lancet, said hospital admissions to paediatric intensive care between April 1 and May 10 was at least 11-fold higher than historical trends for similar inflammatory conditions.

Dr Patrick Davies, consultant paediatric intensive care specialist at Nottingham Children's Hospital, published the findings of 78 children across 21 of 23 UK paediatric intensive care units during that time period.

They each fulfilled the condition definition newly outlined by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health to help both doctors and parents spot the signs.

A fever was present in all cases studied, and children also suffered with shock, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and vomiting.

They received a varied range of treatments, and one child was given the antiviral remdesivir - which became the first medication to get approval for use on the NHS to treat Covid-19 in May.

A third of patients were found to have coronary artery abnormalities. These included coronary aneurysms - the abnormal dilation of a artery supplying the heart.

Four per cent of patients had significant blood clotting that was affecting the blood flow in vessels.

Doctors believe the survival rate is high because three per cent (two) of children in the study died.

Dr Padmanabhan Ramnarayan, senior author of the research, told MailOnline: 'While it is difficult to comment about the cause of death in individual cases, potential mechanisms for a poor outcome might include blood clots in the brain, excessive bleeding and severe heart failure.

'However, this study shows that the condition is rare and has affected few children overall, and that outcomes for those who have needed ICU care is generally very good.'

He added that PIMS-TS is an inflammatory condition and causes a similar phenomenon to the 'cytokine storm' described in adults with Covid-19.

A cytokine stormy, potentially fatal, is when the immune response goes into overdrive and immune cells start attacking healthy tissue as well.

Dr Ramnarayan, a consultant in paediatric intensive care retrieval at Great Ormond Street Hospital, said: '[It] may lead to multiple organs being affected, mainly the heart, kidneys and blood vessels.'

Academics did not reveal who the children who died in the study cohort were. It is not clear they are two previously reported UK fatalities linked to Kawasaki and Covid - a 14-year-old boy and an eight month old baby.

The death of the unnamed 14-year-old boy, treated at Evelina London Childrens Hospital in May, was reported on May 13. He had been part of a cluster of cases of PIMTS at the hospital.

The baby, Alexander Parsons, who had no underlying health conditions, passed away after being admitted to Plymouth's Derriford Hospital on April 6.

He had been diagnosed with Kawasaki disease the day of his death and suffered a ruptured aneurysm, but it is not clear if his case was linked with Covid-19, his parents said.

Dr Ramnarayan said clinicians across the world have already made tremendous progress in understanding PIMS-TS, The Sun reports.

'However, many aspects of the condition remain unclear, such as why it only affects some children or what the long-term implications of having this condition are,' he added.

Dr Barney Scholefield, senior author, said a wealth of information to help treat cases has been uncovered so far.

'A large group of children's intensive care clinicians from across the NHS have rapidly worked together to help understand this condition,' the paediatric intensive care consultant at Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust and researcher at the University of Birmingham said.

Lead researcher on the paper and consultant paediatric intensive care specialist at Nottingham Children's Hospital, Dr Patrick Davies said the key to successful treatment is 'close collaboration with many specialists'.

A study led by Imperial College London and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association last month revealed the key characteristics of the new condition.

PIMS-TS affects children aged nine on average, which is older than children with Kawasaki, typically four years old.

It presents more often with abdominal pains and diarrhoea alongside the common features such as persistent fever.

Blood tests showed patients with PIMS-TS had markers of inflammation and cardiac enzymes, which suggest the heart is under strain.

Kawasaki disease is known to damage the coronary artery in such a way that as the child grows the artery does not, leading to a reduction in the amount of blood that can reach the heart.

The researchers said they could not be certain the new illness is caused by Covid-19, but said 45 of the 58 children involved in their study, from eight England hospitals, had evidence of current or past coronavirus infection.

They said although PISMT is extremely rare, it can make a child 'very ill', and cause complications when left untreated.

Dr Julia Kenny, consultant in paediatric infectious diseases and immunology at Evelina London, said: 'Our analysis has shown that this is indeed a new condition.

'Untreated, there is a risk of severe complications in very unwell children, but with early identification and treatment the outcome is excellent, with the children we are reviewing after discharge completely well.'

Lead author Dr Elizabeth Whittaker, from the Department of Infectious Disease at Imperial College London, said: 'For any parents worried about their children, I would urge them to follow their usual instincts  whatever would normally prompt you to visit your GP or A&E with your child still applies here.'

Four of five cases need intensive care and mechanical ventilation, a study by Boston Children's Hospital suggests, which was also supported by a study in New York.

Of the combined 281 cases studied, and reported in The New England Journal of Medicine in June, six patients died.

Top medics fear children could be at risk of suffering deadly heart damage if Kawasaki disease is misdiagnosed as coronavirus.

A British Kawasaki charity warned if actual cases of Kawasaki disease were misdiagnosed as Covid-19, it could leave children at risk of permanent heart damage.
Mexico City, July 10 : US President Donald Trump's softened stance towards Mexico during his meeting this week with his Mexican counterpart Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador was probably aimed at courting Hispanic voters, experts have said.

While welcoming the Mexican president to the White House on Wednesday, Trump said the US "is home to 36 million incredible Mexican American citizens", adding that they "uplift our communities, and strengthen our churches and enrich every feature of national life", reports Xinhua news agency.

Trump's latest remarks contrasted with his earlier message. He once called Mexicans "rapists" who brought crimes to the US, and has repeatedly criticized Mexican migrants and asylum seekers at the countries' border since he took office.

"Trump doesn't do anything that doesn't benefit him politically. He knows that in the upcoming elections, the vote of the Hispanic community is going to be important," said Reynaldo Ortega, a research professor at the International Studies Center of the prestigious El Colegio de Mexico.

The Hispanic vote is largely Democratic, said Ortega, adding that Trump has tried to at least retain the percentage of the Latino vote he received in 2016.

"There was a change in tone. At least he recognized -- and that is a political point in favour of Lopez Obrador -- that there are 36 million Mexicans who pay taxes, who contribute to the US economy," said Ortega.

The meeting between Trump and Lopez Obrador was to celebrate the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which took effect on July 1, replacing the 26-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement.

In a joint declaration, both heads of state said the USMCA signaled the start of a new era because it has strengthened the region's competitiveness and provided economic certainty, a factor they said is fundamental to recovery in the wake of the pandemic.

Canada was not represented at the ceremony as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reportedly declined an invitation.

Mario Ojeda Revah, a research professor at the Latin American and Caribbean Research Center of Mexico's National Autonomous University, said he was completely taken aback by Trump's recent remarks, which he described as a complete about-face and a desperate attempt to woo the Latin voters as polls have shown him lagging behind his Democratic challenger Joe Biden.

"Frankly, it's unheard of coming from him. He has so often denigrated Latinos in general, Mexicans and Central Americans," he said.

According to the Pew Research Center, around 32 million Hispanics are eligible to vote in November, a figure that represents 13 per cent of potential voters, making the Hispanic population the largest racial minority of the electorate, ahead of African-Americans.

Adolfo Laborde, an expert on international relations at Mexico City's Anahuac University, warned that Trump's altered rhetoric does not change the reality for millions of migrants.

"What is the reality? The reality is that there is a wall, the reality is that there are 6 million undocumented migrants that they refuse to document... Until there is a immigration reform, this is just pure rhetoric, there is no other explanation," said Laborde.

During his presidency, Trump has maintained a hardline stance on immigration and border security, and pushed for a series of controversial measures, including erecting a border wall along the nation's southern border with Mexico, in a bid to deter illegal immigrants.
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Linkedin Luke Baker, Andreas Rinke and Philip Blenkinsop (Reuters) London, United Kingdom/Berlin, Germany/Brussels, Belgium  Fri, July 10, 2020 09:59 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406654c711 2 World US,diplomatic-relations,EU,European-Commission,policy-makers,trans-Atlantic,alliance Free

If Donald Trump loses in November, it's no secret that most European policymakers will be happy to see his back. But as they envision the possibility of a post-Trump future, many are wondering how quickly the trans-Atlantic alliance can be fixed.

Despite US opinion polls showing Biden ahead, officials in capitals across Europe say they are making no assumptions about the likely outcome of the US election.

Having failed to anticipate Trump's first victory, "the German government already burned its fingers," said Jurgen Hardt, foreign affairs spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU party and an expert on US-German ties. "I do not have the impression that the German government is waiting for another president  and I would advise them not to do it."

Still, when they allow themselves to look ahead to the prospect of a Biden presidency, they don't necessarily see an instant resumption of the easier Barack Obama years. Though tone and style would shift overnight, policy substance on issues from China to Russia to trade could take longer to overhaul.

"I don't expect that, if we have a new president, everything will just fall into place," said Reinhard Buetikofer, a trade expert for the Greens in the European Parliament.

At best, if Biden wins, Buetikofer sees a chance for "revisiting and reforming multilateralism" after years of open US hostility to institutions from NATO and the EU to the World Health Organization and the World Trade Organization.

There are areas where frictions created by Trump could disappear as soon as Trump does: on climate policy, for example, a President Biden is likely to jump straight back into the Paris climate change accord that Trump quit.

The WTO trade dispute mechanism that has collapsed because of a US veto of the appointment of judges could be put back together quickly.

European countries that have prized Western unity in rebuffing Russian advances in Ukraine will no longer have to worry that the president of the United States will invite Vladimir Putin to a G7 summit without consulting them, as Trump did last month.

"We would review all of the decisions that President Trump has taken," Anthony Blinken, Biden's senior adviser on foreign policy, told Reuters, referring specifically to Trump's threat in recent weeks to withdraw US troops from Germany.

Iran, China, trade

But there are also issues where a Biden presidency may not be able to simply pick up where Obama left off.

On Iran, for example, Europe has spent the past three years trying to salvage an Obama-era agreement to lift sanctions in return for curbs on Tehran's nuclear program. But so much has happened since Trump abandoned the pact in 2018, and so much has unraveled, it may be too late to save it.

And there are other issues where Europe and the United States have real differences that are not going to be simple to resolve, even with a friendlier figure in the White House.

On China, Biden's team wants to take a closer look at the security implications of Beijing's investment in European infrastructure such as ports, said Julianne Smith, a former Obama-era national security official advising Biden's campaign.

Biden is not expected to be any happier than Trump was about European countries' plans to incorporate technology from China's Huawei, the world's biggest telecoms equipment maker, in their next generation mobile phone networks.

On trade, while Biden is not likely to be as trigger happy as Trump has been to impose tariffs on allies, there are serious disputes. Germany, for example, wants to help the exports of its big car manufacturers.

With the elections months away, European countries are still working on their own issues with the US administration.

In the Netherlands, that means discussing whether Dutch chipmaker ASML should have a license to export technology to China. In France, the focus is on plans to tax big, mostly American tech companies, after Washington scuppered global talks.

European countries with nationalist leaders that have enjoyed warmer ties with Trump may use the next few months to consolidate diplomatic gains. Poland aims to solidify plans for a "Fort Trump" - a long sought-after base of US troops.

But any big changes in the trans-Atlantic relationship will have to wait at least until November, said the Paris-based ambassador of a large EU country, predicting a "moment of confrontation" if Trump should win another term.

"Everybody is keeping their fingers crossed and will wait."
Without this grant, some of them would have folded, said Andres Torres, who helped oversee the programs launch for the McCormick Foundation, one of six Chicago foundations behind the initiative. This was, in some cases, a lifeline for organizations that were on the brink of saying we dont know how were going to make our next payroll.
Amazon Launches New Grocery Store Concept  Heres All You Need To Know About the World-Dominating Company

Amazon continues to expand its grocery store reach by launching a new class of location to pair with its Whole Foods and Amazon Go offerings.

It seems as though even a global pandemic cant put a dent in Amazons dominance in the online retail space  or its founder Jeff Bezos astronomical wealth. The pandemic is helping the e-commerce giants bottom line, with second-quarter results beating investor and analysts? expectations, Forbes reported. Although some analysts believe Amazon stock prices are bound to fall after their continued rise, the company  and Bezos  will likely stay filthy rich.

Heres a mind-blowing look at Amazon  and the man behind it  by the numbers.

Last updated: Oct. 22, 2020

At Least 15: The Number of Amazon Fresh Stores That Will Be Opening Across the US

First came the organic, high-end grocery experience with Amazons purchase of Whole Foods. Then came quick, just-walk-out shopping with the Amazon Go stores. Now Amazon is expanding its reach again and targeting the full-service grocery store with its introduction of Amazon Fresh stores. The first store opened in September in Southern California, and at least 15 others are planned. Amazon Fresh stores will have national name-brand products in addition to produce, meat, seafood and prepared foods. Shoppers will also be able to pick up Amazon packages and drop off returns.

4,000: Number of Items Sold Per Minute by Small and Medium Businesses on Amazon

U.S.-based small and medium-sized businesses sell more than 4,000 items per minute in Amazon?s stores, on average, according to the 2019 Amazon SMB Impact Report. Small and medium-sized businesses selling on Amazon account for 58% of the sites total sales.

$280.5 Billion: Amazon's 2019 Net Sales

Amazon reported net sales of $280.5 billion in 2019  a 22% increase from the previous year.

150 Million: Number of Paying Amazon Prime Members Around the World

As of January, there were over 150 million paid Amazon Prime members. Prime membership costs $12.99 a month or $119 annually.

Story continues

$3,000: Milestone Value Amazon Shares Surpassed

Amazons stock value broke the $3,000 mark for the first time on July 6, CNN reported. Despite the pandemic-induced recession, Amazon stock prices have continued to rise on expectations of strong sales and earnings growth. Amazon closed trading on Oct. 21 at $3,184.94.

$18: Amazon Stock Price at IPO

Amazon became a publicly-traded company in May 1997. The IPO price at the time was $18.

Making Things Work: 48 CEOs Taking Pay Cuts To Help Their Companies Survive the Coronavirus

$1.5 Trillion-Plus: Amazon's Value

Amazon is one of only three companies to be valued over $1.5 trillion, CNN reported in July. The others are Apple and Microsoft.

$400 Billion: Standalone Value of Amazon Web Services

In addition to its retail sales of consumer products and subscription services, Amazon brings in a substantial amount of revenue from Amazon Web Services, which is now the world?s leading public cloud service, Forbes reported. The financial publication estimates that AWS standalone value is nearly $400 billion.

$13.7 Billion: How Much Amazon Paid To Acquire Whole Foods

Amazon acquired Whole Foods in 2017 for $13.7 billion in cash  by far its largest acquisition to date. Its second-largest acquisition is Zappos, which Amazon purchased for $1.2 billion in 2009, according to Visual Capitalist.

$30 Billion: How Much Amazon Pays Its US Employees Annually

Amazon has over 590,000 employees in the U.S. In 2019, the company paid over $30 billion in compensation to its American employees, according to its SEC filing.

$700 Million: Total Amount of Increased Pay for Hourly Workers During COVID-19

In March, Amazon increased pay for hourly employees across the globe, including a $2 an hour raise in the U.S. and Canada. Amazon also doubled the regular hourly base pay for overtime hours. The pay increases were effective through the end of May. These pay boosts for hourly employees and partners during the coronavirus pandemic were expected to cost the company nearly $700 million.

In addition to the pay increases, Amazon paid out a special one-time Thank You bonus to all front-line employees and partners who were with the company throughout the month of June. The amount of the bonus varied by role and ranged from $150 to $3,000. In all, Amazon paid out over $500 million in Thank You bonuses.

$15: Minimum Hourly Wage of Amazon Employees

Amazon raised its minimum wage to $15 an hour in 2018. Thats more than double the federal minimum wage of $7.25.

Big Messes: Enron and the 24 Other Most Epic Corporate Downfalls of All Time

2.4%: The New Tax Rate for Amazon for Its High-Earning Seattle Employees

On July 6, the Seattle City Council approved a new tax for the city?s largest businesses for their highest earners, CNBC reported. The new ?JumpStart Seattle? tax goes into effect in 2021. The highest bracket in the new tax applies to companies  like Amazon  with annual payroll expenses above $1 billion. Amazon will be taxed 2.4% for employees making more than $400,000.

$187.5 Billion: Jeff Bezos' Record-Breaking Net Worth

On July 8, Bezos was worth $182.6 billion, setting a new record for the worlds richest person, according to Forbes. His net worth has risen even more since then  as of Oct. 21, Bezos was worth $187.5 billion. The second-richest person in the world, Bill Gates, is worth $116.4 billion.

$25 Billion: How Much Bezos' Net Worth Increased From January to April

While millions of Americans lost their jobs and numerous businesses shuttered their doors for good amid the coronavirus pandemic, Bezos has been getting richer. His net worth increased $25 billion between Jan. 1 and April 15, according to the Institute for Policy Studies Billionaire Bonanza 2020 report. That jump is more than the entire GDP of Honduras.

See How Others Have Done: How These 50 Billionaires Have Fared During the Coronavirus Crisis

34%: How Much Bezos' Wealth Increases Every Year

According to Comparisun calculations, Bezos net worth has increased by an average of 34% in each of the past five years, CNBC reported. If his net worth continues to grow at that rate, he will be a trillionaire before the end of 2026.

57 Million: Number of Amazon Shares Owned By Bezos

As of August 2019, Bezos owned over 57 million Amazon shares  about 12% of the company, CNBC reported.

$38 Billion: Cost of Bezos' Divorce

Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Scott announced their divorce in January 2019. They had been married for 25 years and have four children together.

As part of the divorce settlement, Scott received 25% of the couples Amazon stock, according to an April securities filing, CNN reported. That gave her a 4% stake in the company, which at the time was worth around $38 billion.

$65 Million: Cost of Bezos' Private Jet

Bezos owns a Gulfstream G650ER worth $65 million, Business Insider reported.

$165 Million: Cost of Bezos' Beverly Hills Estate

In February, Bezos dropped $165 million to buy the Warner Estate in Beverly Hills  a new record selling price for California real estate, The New York Times reported. The home was previously owned by DreamWorks co-founder David Geffen.

0.13%: The Percentage of Bezos' Net Worth That He Spent On That Mansion

Even though Bezos broke records by shelling out $165 million for his new California home, thats a drop in the bucket for the richest man in the world. At the time of the purchase, that nine-figure sale price represented just 0.13% of his overall net worth, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Interesting: Macy?s, Disney and 11 Other Companies Paying Execs Millions as They Declare Bankruptcy and Slash Jobs

420,000: Total Number of Acres Owned By Bezos

In addition to the Beverly Hills estate, Bezos owns three adjacent New York City apartments, which he purchased for $80 million; a nearly 29,000-square-foot estate in Medina, Washington; a Spanish-style Beverly Hills mansion, which he purchased in 2007 for $24.45 million; a four-bedroom Beverly Hills home, also purchased in 2007, which he bought for $12.9 million; a 30,000-acre Texas ranch; a Washington, D.C.-mansion, purchased in 2016 for $23 million; and four condos overlooking Central Park, three of which he purchased in 1999 for $7.65 million and a fourth purchased for $5.3 million in 2012, Business Insider reported.

As of January 2019, Bezos ranked No. 28 in the nation for the most land owned with 420,000 acres, according to the 2018 Land Report 100.

$2,489: How Much Bezos Makes Every Second

Based on Bezos annual earnings, Business Insider estimated that he makes $2,489 every second  more than double what the average worker makes in an entire week. The median American worker makes $957 a week, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

$81,840: Bezos' Annual Salary

Bezos makes an annual salary of $81,840, according to Amazons SEC filing for 2019. However, his total earnings for the year were $1.68 million.

1-to-58: The Ratio of Jeff Bezos' Pay to That of the Average Amazon Employee

In 2019, the median Amazon employee compensation was $28,848. Bezos compensation of $1.68 million is 58 times the median earnings of an Amazon worker.

Find Out: Here Are the Biggest Employers in 50 Major Cities

$1,400: Average Amount Prime Members Spend Every Year

The average Amazon Prime member spends $1,400 on the site every year, according to Statista. Non-Prime member Amazon shoppers spend an average of $600 a year.

$1 Million: How Much Jeff Bezos Invested In Google

Bezos was an early investor in Google, according to Visual Capitalist. He invested $1 million in the company in 1998.

$2 Billion: Amount Pledged To Bezos' Philanthropic Day One Fund

Bezos launched the Day One Fund with a $2 billion commitment to focus on making meaningful and lasting impacts in two areas: funding existing nonprofits that help families experiencing homelessness and creating a network of new, nonprofit tier-one preschools in low-income communities, the organization states on its website. In 2019, $98.5 million was donated to 32 recipients from 23 states to support these causes.

$10 Billion: Amount Pledged To the Bezos Earth Fund

Bezos announced in February that he was launching the Bezos Earth Fund to fight climate change.

Climate change is the biggest threat to our planet, he shared on Instagram. This global initiative will fund scientists, activists, NGOs ? any effort that offers a real possibility to help preserve and protect the natural world. [] I?m committing $10 billion to start and will begin issuing grants this summer. Earth is the one thing we all have in common ? let?s protect it, together.???

Giving Back: Nike, Disney and 24 Other Major Companies Donating To Fight Inequality

$100 Million: Amount Bezos Donated To Feeding America

In April, Bezos announced that he would be donating to Feeding America to help fight food insecurity, which has been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic.

I want to support those on the front lines at our nation?s food banks and those who are relying on them for food with a $100 million gift to @FeedingAmerica, he shared on Instagram. Feeding America will quickly distribute the funds to their national network of food banks and food pantries, getting food to those countless families who need it.?

More From GOBankingRates

Jordan Rosenfeld and Mark Evitt contributed to the reporting for this article.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Amazon Launches New Grocery Store Concept  Heres All You Need To Know About the World-Dominating Company
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Friday directed officials to register FIRs against 41 people, who attended a wedding ceremony for allegedly violating COVID-19 safety protocols, after a couple of them tested positive for coronavirus infection recently.

The wedding took place at a resort in Assam on June 27 and a small reception was organised here on July 2.

At least 41 persons had attended the ceremony despite the Meghalaya governments order restricting citizens from travelling to Assam, which has witnessed a sharp increase in coronavirus cases.

After two of the 41 found infected with coronavirus, the state government has ordered magisterial inquiries to find out if the organisers and the guests at the two social gatherings had followed COVID-19 protocols.

"I am happy to inform you that the inquiry report was received by the government from Ri Bhoi and East Khasi Hills deputy commissioners. The report says that they very clearly violated the rules, regulations, SOPs issued by the government," Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong told reporters.

"We have decided that FIRs will be filed against all the 41 wedding attendees," he said.

In a tweet, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said he has directed the deputy commissioner of East Khasi Hills district "to take necessary action against the violators as per the relevant provisions of the IPC, Meghalaya Epidemic Diseases, #COVID__19 Regulations, 2020 & the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897."

Besides being the state capital, Shillong is the district headquarter of East Khasi Hills District.

While the two persons who tested positive for COVID-19 were hospitalised, 39 other attendees are under quarantine now.

Preliminary investigation had also revealed that those 41 people had not registered themselves at the entry point at Byrnihat in Ri-Bhoi district while returning from Assam on June 28.
Kanwaljeet Singh Is Irked With Govts COVID-19 Rule

The actor, who is not at all happy with government's decision, was quoted by Film Information as saying, "So what do actors like me do? Hang up our boots? How can I be asked NOT to work?"

Kanwaljeet Replaced In A Show

Kanwaljeet added that he had rented an apartment near the shoot location as he decided that he won't travel daily and will rather stay with his staff. Although the channel wanted to work with the actor, it was beyond its control and the actor had to be replaced.

Will The Authorities Wake Up When Senior Actor Commits Suicide

Kanwaljeet isn't aware of the actor who replaced him on the show and added that he has nothing against the new actor or the channel, but he wants the rules to be changed. He added, "Otherwise, what will the hundreds of actors like me do? We are fond of working, we love our work, how can the government stop us? Will the authorities wake up when one senior actor, in depression for being out of work, commits suicide? Not every senior actor or unit member is well placed enough to tide over these difficult times by simply sitting at home, not working. Most of them need to work, some for financial reasons, others for the sheer love of work."

Prithvi Zutshis Character Terminated From Pyar Ki Luka Chupi

Not just Kanwaljeet, many senior actors are worried as they are not allowed to resume work. Prithvi Zutshi, who was seen in the show Pyar Ki Luka Chupi, said that his character was terminated! He was quoted by Mumbai Mirror as saying, "My first reaction was, why was this ruling being implemented only on artistes? There are shopkeepers who interact daily with customers, politicians who conduct rallies and visit hospitals. Many of them fall in this age group, but are allowed to get on with their lives."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 09:53:02|Editor: huaxia

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SHANGHAI, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The COVID-19 pandemic has not changed the trend of technological transformation, but instead has accelerated the pace of change for digital technology, according to Jack Ma, Co-chair of the UN High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation.

Ma made the remarks while attending the opening ceremony of the 2020 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai on Thursday in a virtual forum via a holographic projection.

He recalled that during the WAIC last year, participants argued about whether machines would replace humans, and their impact on employment. However, the urgent issue now is how to make machines take over many jobs of humans as soon as possible.

"For instance, in virus-hit areas, we should make every effort to have problems solved by machines instead of human beings," Ma said.

An algorithm is applied to increase the efficiency of the COVID-19 diagnosis, Ma said. "It usually takes 15 to 20 minutes for a doctor to review CT images of a suspected COVID-19 patient. But now it takes only 20 seconds for a machine to analyze these CT images, 60 times more efficient than doctors."

Ma said preparations are needed for the acceleration of technological transformation as people relied on internet technologies to survive during the epidemic, and applications of digital technologies appeared in a variety of daily activities, ranging from holding a conference to seeing a doctor.

He called for solidarity, cooperation, and responsibility in the face of COVID-19. "The virus does not need a passport, and sees no national borders. Technology should never have borders."

The 2020 WAIC is being held in Shanghai from Thursday to Saturday. Themed "Intelligent Connectivity, Indivisible Community," the conference provides a platform for discussion and communication on cutting-edge technologies, major trends, and key topics in the AI sector. Enditem
The top two officers and the top enlisted sailor who were aboard the destroyer USS Fitzgerald are among about a dozen sailors who will face discipline following an early-morning collision June 17 that killed seven crew members, a senior Navy officer said Thursday.

Adm. William Moran, the vice chief of naval operations, told reporters at the Pentagon that the majority of the punishments will be delivered Friday in Yokosuka, Japan, where the ship is homeported. One sailor received an undisclosed administrative punishment Thursday. Moran declined to describe what occurred in the moments before the collision, saying that remains under investigation.

The discipline will include likely career-ending actions against Cmdr. Bryce Benson, the ship's captain at the time, and his second in command, Cmdr. Sean Babbitt, Moran said. They and the senior enlisted sailor for the ship, Command Master Chief Brice Baldwin, will be removed as leaders of the ship permanently, Moran said.

The admiral said that sailors who were on watch in the ship's bridge - its nerve center - also are among those who will be disciplined. Neither Benson nor Babbitt was in the bridge at the time of the collision, in which the 505-foot destroyer was struck off the coast of Japan by a much heavier container ship, the Philippine-flagged MV ACX Crystal.

"Clearly at some point, the bridge team lost situational awareness," Moran said.

The ongoing investigation is still determining if the Fitzgerald's crew was entirely to blame for the disaster, but Moran said the senior officer overseeing the probe, Vice Adm. Joseph Aucoin, has collected more than 3,000 page of information and has reviewed enough information already to take initial disciplinary actions. It is not yet clear whether any sailor will face a court-martial trial.

The 29,000-ton container ship's bulbous nose ripped a 13-foot by 17-foot hole in the starboard size of the 9,000-ton Fitzgerald about 1:20 a.m., flooding one compartment where 35 sailors were inside in less than a minute, Moran said. The ensuing flooding left disoriented sailors scrambling for their lives amid a soupy mix of personal items, electronics and mattresses, and some of the survivors were forced to seal a door with other sailors still inside in an effort to prevent the ship from sinking.

"It is somewhat amazing that we didn't lose far more," Moran said. "By the time that the last two sailors reached the ladder-way up to the scuttle and out of that compartment was about 90 seconds, and by that time the water was up to their neck and quickly flooding the compartment."

Documents released by the Navy on Thursday describe the chaos as sailors, mostly sleeping awoke to a crash and realized their lives were in danger. Some began yelling "Water on deck!" and "Get out!" the documents said. At least one sailor was pulled from his bed into the water before he awoke, and another was knocked out of his bed by rushing water. The majority of the sailors who eventually died slept closest to the incoming rushing water.

The last sailor to be pulled from the flooding compartment of the ship was in the bathroom when the collision occurred, and knocked off his feet. Lockers floated past him, and he scrambled across them toward the main room, where he was pinned between lockers and the ceiling and eventually pulled himself free by reaching for a pipe, the documents said.

"He made his way to the only light he could see, which was coming from the port-side watertight scuttle," the documents said. "He was swimming toward the watertight scuttle when he was pulled from the water, red-faced and with bloodshot eyes. He reported that when taking his final breath before being saved, he was already submerged and breathed in water."

Benson's stateroom also was flattened by the collision, injuring him and leaving him incapacitated. He was eventually medically evacuated from the Fitzgerald by a Japanese helicopter.

The sailors killed included Gunner's Mate Seaman Dakota Kyle Rigsby, 19; Yeoman 3rd Class Shingo Alexander Douglass, 25; Sonar Technician 3rd Class Ngoc T. Truong Huynh, 25; Gunner's Mate 2nd Class Noe Hernandez, 26; Fire Controlman 2nd Class Carlos Victor Ganzon Sibayan, 23; Personnel Specialist 1st Class Xavier Alec Martin, 24, and Firecontrolman 1st Class Gary Leo Rehm Jr., 37.
Two protesters were shot dead and a policeman was lynched Thursday in clashes in the Democratic Republic of Congo over plans to name a new head to the country's election panel, sources said.

The body of one protester was taken to a hospital morgue in the city of Lubumbashi, in southeastern DR Congo, a member of the local United Nations human rights office told AFP.

The UN official deplored the use of force by military police.

An employee of the hospital confirmed that the body was that of a 32-year-old man and said he had received a gunshot wound.

A UN source added that in the capital Kinshasa, another protester was killed and "a policeman was lynched after firing on the demonstrators" while several other police were injured.

Public and private property, including political party offices, had been attacked and set ablaze, according to the UN.

AFP reporters said police in Kinshasa had used tear gas to break up thousands of members of President Felix Tshisekedi's Union for Democracy and Progress (UDPS) who had marched to near the seat of parliament.

In Kananga, a UDPS stronghold in the central region of Kasai, three protestors suffered gunshot wounds when security forces clamped down on a demonstration outside party headquarters, the reporters said.

Other protests were reported in south-central Mbuji-Mayi, the eastern city of Beni and in Kisangani.

UDPS secretary general Augustin Kabuya said three protesters had been killed in Kinshasa and demanded the resignation of his party colleague, Interior Minister Gilbert Kankonde, who Wednesday had banned protests nationwide citing a health state of emergency imposed owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

The emergency restrictions were renewed on Monday for another 15 days.

The marches have been triggered by a decision by the National Assembly to appoint Ronsard Malonda as chairman of the independent national electoral commission, CENI.

The protests were triggered by a controversial National Assembly decision to appoint Ronsard Malonda as chairman of the independent national electoral commission. By Arsene Mpiana (AFP)

Pro-democracy campaigners say Malonda, currently CENI's secretary-general, has played a historic role in rigging elections in favour of Tshisekedi's iron-fisted predecessor, Joseph Kabila.

Kabila stepped down in January 2019 after 18 years, following elections that ushered in the DRC's first-ever peaceful transition of power.

But, say critics, the vote was marred by fraud that denied victory to Martin Fayulu, a fierce Kabila opponent.

Despite leaving office, Kabila wields political influence behind the scenes, and his supporters have a huge majority in parliament, forcing Tshisekedi into an uneasy coalition.

Tshisekedi, who campaigned on a platform of transparency and fighting corruption, has yet to approve Malonda to head CENI.

Further protests have been called for July 13 and 19.
Based on what Vinamilk, Nestle and Nutifood are currently doing, analysts believe the three big companies will focus on the mid- and low-end market, especially the takeaway food segment.

The three big guys in the food industry  Vinamilk, Nestle and Nutifood -- have begun running cafe chains.





For Nestle, Nescafe Hub is a place where people come and enjoy Nescafes products. Vinamilk, the nations leading dairy producer, wants to make the third try after two failures in the past. As for Nutifood, the company hasn't concealed its ambitious plan to conquer the instant coffee market.



Nestle with Nescafe Hub



Nestle, a big player in the food  nutrient industry, opened a cafe serving takeaway products, called Nescafe Hub in Hanoi last March. The second shop of the chain opened in HCM City in June.



Nestle has not revealed any plan on Nescafe Hub expansion.



However, analysts believe that with the initial feedback from the market, it is highly possible that Nestle will expand the network products priced at between VND22,000 and VND50,000.

Based on what Vinamilk, Nestle and Nutifood are currently doing, analysts believe the three big companies will focus on the mid- and low-end market, especially the takeaway food segment.

Vinamilk and Hi-Cafe

Analysts believe the instant coffee market is getting less attractive because of stiff competition from natural healthy drinks, but it is still a lucrative market.



For many years, the instant coffee market has been the playing field of the three biggest players  Trung Nguyen with G7 brand, Nestle with Nescafe, and Vinacafe with Vinacafe.



Experts predicted that after 2018, the Vietnamese instant coffee market would have value of VND7 trillion a year.



Vinamilk, the nations leading dairy producer, failed when attempting to jump into the market in 2005 with Moment instant coffee and in 2009 with Vinamilk Coffee.



Vinamilk has introduced bottled coffee and has changed its distribution strategy: it now sells products through off-trade channels as well as an on-trade channel with the Hi-Cafe chain.



Nutifood and Ong Bau chain



Ong Bau is the product of the three big guys  Dong Tam, Hoang Anh Gia Lai and Nutifood. The first Ong Bau opened in February 2020.



Analysts say that Ong Bau targets low and moderate income buyers. Ong Bau can be located at any corner in Vietnam. With diversified franchise modes, Ong Bay is expected to expand rapidly.

In the Vietnamese instant coffee market, veterans like Trung Nguyen, Vinacafe Bien Hoa and Nestle are holding their firm positions. Their products are similar, but each of them has special characteristics which make them original.

Kim Chi

Restaurants, coffee chains in Vietnam switch to selling online delivery After HCM City decided to temporarily close restaurants and catering services with the capacity of more than 30 customers, they began selling online and delivering food.
Weve been up for hours, eyeing mobs of mares in the darkness, and three black stallions at dawn. Benedetti found this colt in a glade between snow gums. Caught him like you would not believe. Easy as piss, he says, grinning. Lets get him back to camp, eh.

For retraining, this is the size you want, brother! Benedetti hollers from the saddle. He comes to state forest areas like this in his spare time to go brumby running  chasing wild horses to domesticate and rehome. When theyre too old, mate, theyre too hard to train. But hes just right.

The captured foal whinnies, nostrils huffing mountain air. And he bucks clumsily, jumping at everything and nothing, like an obstinate puppy. Hes furrier than you might imagine. Fluffy almost, with a white rectangle on his forehead.

The little black horse  a wild or feral horse, Equus caballus, also known as a brumby  tugs at the rope Benedetti tossed around his neck mere moments ago. Its a skill the 30-year-old horseman honed in nearby Buchan as a child from when he was nine, lassoing his letterbox after school.

Were on an open plain of snow grass and tussock, five hours east of Melbourne, and the wind is unforgivingly cold. A frigid stream cuts through the field, gurgling under a layer of ice as thick as toast.

Its just after 8am on the Nunniong Plains in Victorias high country when professional horse-breaker Lewis Benedetti, atop a big grey thoroughbred named Stones, trots out of the bush leading a raggedy black foal on a rope.

In May 2018, NSW deputy premier John Barilaro introduced his brumby bill ( The Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Bill ), which formally recognised the historical significance of the brumbies, protecting them from slaughter. (It became law the following month.)

Thousands of wild horses are trampling the alpine wilderness of Victoria and NSW  wreaking havoc on heritage-listed ecosystems, pugging up fragile water catchment areas and threatening the habitats of native species. Theyve been doing so for more than a century, of course, but the fight to be rid of these horses  which are, technically, non-native ungulate pests  has intensified in recent years.

That little pony will make someone really happy, says Benedetti, who might be able to sell this pretty brumby for $500, or just give it away. But see, theres only two options for him now. He can come home with me, or he can stay here and get shot.

As I stoke the coals and our eggs sizzle in popping bacon fat, its hard to argue. But there is, however, another more urgent reason Benedetti is here. Hes catching brumbies today not just for recreation but because of what might happen this winter.

Around the fire now, Benedetti pours his coffee, scalding hot from the billy, and the morning sun melts away the last of the crunchy overnight frost. Why do I do this? he asks, nonplussed. The adrenalin is unreal. To catch a wild horse  pretty good feeling, eh? Youve gotta get set, be fit, have your horse fit, know what youre doing. Then come back for a feed at the fire. What better life is there than that?

Naturally, the issue has become yet another skirmish in the culture wars, pitting greenie against grazier, science against lore, rationalism against ideology. There are two irreconcilable and intractable sides to explore in this debate, but lets start with the horsemen in the high country.

Benedetti plans to train the young brumby, and either sell it or give it away. That little pony will make someone really happy. Credit:Josh Robenstone

A problem with no easy solution, the brumby conundrum raises complicated questions of environmental science and agricultural management, while skirting delicate facets of animal welfare and our own colonial mythology.

It provoked an emotional outcry, and Andrew Cox of Australias Invasive Species Council understands why. Nobody wants to shoot horses, Cox says. People plead, There must be a better way because its horrible, yes. But Im sorry, there is no better way.

Parks Victoria decided enough was enough. Having finally won its case in May , an immediate plan was announced to cull hundreds of horses using expert ground snipers with thermal imaging and noise suppressors.

Demography is destiny. Numbers are everything. And its going to get to the stage where  without culling  the problem is unsolvable, says retired CSIRO botanist Dick Williams. The situation demands a dramatic correction, he says, quoting a maxim often attributed to British economist John Maynard Keynes: When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?

Later that year, a brumby advocacy group launched a Federal Court action to prevent a trapping and culling program by Parks Victoria. Those two actions produced a two-year stay of execution  an amnesty in which the animals multiplied. Current estimates put their population at 25,000 in the alps of both states  alarming, given the vast swaths of national park that burnt last summer.

As night falls, Tilley clarifies: This plan to go out and indiscriminately slaughter horses without proper consultation is why people are outraged. Theres a deep mistrust here  says the member for Benambra, without irony  of government. You cannot manage our parks from a desktop in Nicholson Street, Melbourne. Youve gotta resource people on the ground, and communicate and consult, with those who live it and breathe it every day.

I want to see this for myself, so I leave Flannagan and drive north-west for an hour to the Bundara River in Anglers Rest, where Victorian Liberal MP Bill Tilley is waiting by his caravan. Hes here to support an audacious plan to save the brumbies by catching them, then giving them sanctuary on private land until theres a change of government.

Away youd go on a Friday afternoon, up the bush. It was big-time fun. Big-time! he says, closing his eyes. It was glorious country. Riding up onto the Bogong High Plains on a beautiful day, you grow to 10 foot tall. Waiting by makeshift stockyards, the anticipation built before he heard the hooves. Here they come, whispers Flannagan. Sound carries a long way up there, and the horse youre sitting on  hello  he can sense it, too. His ears prick up, he trembles. He knows the actions on.

Flannagan has that enviable rural pragmatism, but I want to hear the romantic history, riding into the hills as a young man to catch buckjumpers and maneaters. There are beautiful black-and-white films of such musters, and Flannagan was the star of one: the 1965 documentary Buckrunners about a world of canvas swags and yodelling mountain music.

On the issue of brumbies theres no hysteria: merely a few points he wants to get off his chest. Theyve bred up to the extent that they are overpopulated, Flannagan concedes. No matter what the animal, youve gotta have a culling rate. But you do it humanely. Trap them, he says, and take them out of the park, even down to the knackery in nearby Maffra. Better that than leaving corpses in the bush for the wild dogs or feral pigs to eat. Shoot a horse, and a sow with nine piglets will have a feast, he says. Its gonna make them real healthy. Then youve got another problem.

In mid-May I head to the sleepy hamlet of Omeo, an hour north-west of Nunniong, to visit Jim Flannagan, 87, whose family has been farming the region since 1856. We shelter from a biting rain in his lounge room, near his rodeo trophies and show ribbons. He wears denim and flannel and has huge hands with waxen skin. I was a very capable horseman, he says, tipping his head. I dont mind an old boast on that one.

Many celebrity brumbies have already disappeared, like the magnificent stallion Paleface and his son Bogong, and their herds in the Kiandra region. The survey spotters also only laid eyes on 1748 actual brumbies, so the estimated total (25,318) includes what the sceptics call an imaginary 23,570 wild horses.

In search of brumbies: a survey estimates the Victorian and NSW wild horse population to be more than 25,000. Credit:Josh Robenstone

Yet perhaps the biggest point of contention is the brumby population estimate, which was based on a 2019 aerial survey covering 7443 square kilometres of Victoria and NSW, and used statistical modelling to determine brumby density. Opponents believe such estimates are compromised  that the bushfires last summer would have dramatically thinned the population.

People here fear that getting rid of the brumby is just the first step in something bigger, warns Connley. We think what they want to do is get rid of recreational riding, and remove the horses from the landscape altogether.

A brook bubbles nearby. Thin moss clings to mottled branches. Im sipping beer and eating a crispy sausage with my fingers, while a fire pit crackles with mountain ash, the embers floating up into the dark where that old chandelier  the Milky Way galaxy  dazzles down. Theres a tall tree with a plaque in memory of an old bushie who used to chase brumbies here. Nailed to the trunk is a cross with an upturned horseshoe and a carved message: Living the dream.

You want to talk about destruction? Look at people, pleads Ensay farmer Carol Faithfull. Walking tracks of wood and steel. Ripping up tracks with four-wheel drives. Campsite areas that are just trashed. I camp later with Faithfull and her partner, Charles Connley, in forest to the south. People believe this is a disaster area, but we dont believe that, Connley says. Look around you.

The brumby thus becomes a cause to be harnessed in the fight against change imposed from the state capital. To members of the resistance, the expanding ski resort at nearby Mt Hotham is a scar on the hill, a proposed mountain bike trail in Omeo is a misuse of grazing property, and keeping cattle out of national parks is locking up the land.

Connley puts it best: If you wanted to guess the population of Victoria, you wouldnt fly over the MCG on grand final day, and extrapolate your numbers from the people gathered on one acre in Melbourne.

It might snow tonight, 1497 metres above sea level on the Bogong High Plains, but Philip Maguire, who owns land below us, leans back in a camp chair, cloaked in his Drizabone, and comfortably holds court, reciting his own poetry.

I was born here in the mountains, where the life is wild and free, And I love the rugged beauty, theres just nowhere else for me. From their snowy peaks in winter to the summer sunlit plains, The splendour of the flowers in the gentle soaking rains.

He continues, deeper and deeper into a ballad of joyous unrestricted gallops and whistling winds, all from memory. But nearing the end his tone shifts, abruptly, to a lament. Traditions are under threat. Malevolent forces are pushing horsemen off the hills.

The next generations, they too have a right, To a life riding free, same as us. Not to be lackeys and carry the bags, when the tourists arrive in a bus. I can tame a wild stallion or face a wild bull, I can handle a wild rushing mob. But arguing politics isnt my game, I just cant handle the job.

Its a salty last line, but not quite true. Maguire, you see, is a political animal. A former journalist for the Sunday Herald Sun, he wrote that poem in 1984, when he was a senior adviser to Peter Ross-Edwards  then leader of the Victorian National Party  the same year he helped organise the famous protest in which 304 mounted graziers converged on Melbournes Parliament House.

Anti-culling activist Philip Maguire, who is taking the brumby cause to the High Court. Credit:Josh Robenstone

Some people disparage the 60-year-old as a showman or a milk bar cowboy, but to the brumby cause he is a volatile messiah, with huge support, not least through the Rural Resistance Facebook page he established  where many of the 23,000 members refer to him as the leader of The Maguire Army. He launched his own 11th-hour Supreme Court injunction a few weeks ago to prevent the cull, claiming a lack of community consultation. The Victorian court swiftly dismissed his appeal, but his supporters see him as a man who acts. He has already solicited $250,000 in donations to keep fighting, all the way to the High Court.

There is a touch of PT Barnum in him, too. This plan to give wild horses sanctuary was his, and it brought me up here  as well as the ABC, the Herald Sun and The New York Times. When I told one old bushie the plan, at first he laughed. Phil? Phils a bloody hopeless horseman! Couldnt ride a black horse out of sight at midnight! he roared. Then he turned reflective: But he knows how to get people interested.

Theyll have an uprising on their hands. Were not going to stand for it any more.

We go for a walk the next day, and come to the ancient stockyard where farmers used to muster cattle and brumbies. Its all charred now, and Maguire blames the Labor government for cultural vandalism and not managing the land (by allowing grazing up here, to reduce fuel load). If I had Daniel Andrews here right now, Id fing deck him, Maguire spits. Id drop him.

That has nothing to do with the brumby, of course, but up here grievances past and present grow entangled as one. Maguire is gathering names for a petition, for instance, with thousands of people stating that they no longer recognise Parks Victoria as a legitimate authority. Theyll have an uprising on their hands, he broods. Were not gonna stand for it any more.

This is not specific to Maguire. Exasperated advocates for the brumby cause often turn to opprobrium, rumour and conspiracy theory. If brumby sightings are down in a given week? Culls probably begun. If they see disturbed earth? Could be a mass grave.

To some, particularly online, the reason for the cull is obvious: Dictator Dan is trying to drive all horsemen off the land in a shadowy scheme to sell public land for a ski resort owned by Chinese nationals. On a recent morning after The Age printed a look at the science behind the issue, a lobbyist emailed me in a rage. Why has your colleague produced such a one-sided bullshit article? she wrote. Its propaganda shit again.

The Maguire family emerge out of the regrowth at the back of the property in the Bogong High Plains. Credit:Josh Robenstone

The Great Alpine Road unspools slowly, patiently hugging the hills, leaping Swifts Creek and the Haunted Stream. Five hours later Im in Melbourne, where Ive come to meet more brumby huggers in Treasury Gardens. A demonstration is in full swing, protesters holding posters of big-eyed brumbies in rifle crosshairs, because #brumbylivesmatter.

The crowd of about 200 is 95 per cent female, which one woman at the rally attributes to Black Beauty and My Little Pony. Horse-breaker Angel Tanner from Narrandera, NSW, thinks there are simply two ways of tackling the same problem. Theres the romance of The Man from Snowy River, and the cracks and cowboys  the fantasy, says Tanner, who has thin dreadlocks and a nose ring. And then theres the women  presenting and petitioning in a peaceful manner.

Jill Pickering, 73, surveys the scene from her mobility scooter. It doesnt buck, she jokes in a British accent. Pickering grew up in Woking, in south-west England, and contracted polio at nine. Horse-riding was part of the regimen used to build strength in her legs. She was 60 when she saw her first brumby, on a horseback trek in Victoria. I was just captivated, she says, blue eyes gleaming. It was incredible.

Brumby advocate Jill Pickering. She was 60 when she saw her first brumby, on a horseback trek in Victoria. I was just captivated. Credit:Josh Robenstone

Saving this part of our national psyche became a calling. She helped found the Australian Brumby Alliance to bring together disparate advocacy bodies, became president, and in late 2018 launched the Federal Court action to save the animals. We speak the week after that case is lost, costing her about $400,000. Shes devastated. But like any worthy cause, you just have to keep pushing, she says. Its like the brumbies are my children anyway  my inheritance is their inheritance.

She introduces me at the rally to Colleen OBrien, who runs Brumby Junction  a sanctuary solely for brumbies, two hours west of Melbourne in Glenlogie. Its a prohibitively expensive passion project. Ive been a full-time volunteer for 12 years, OBrien says. My husband  thankfully  is CEO of an international synthetic textiles manufacturer, and he funds all of this.

One of her main causes  and cause for disappointment  is a rejected plan to sterilise the brumbies. OBrien has made trips to the United States, investigating successful fertility control programs for mustangs in Nevada, Wyoming and Colorado. You do it with a dart gun, then 12 months later you dart them a second time, and they wont have a foal for two years, she says. In Wyoming theres a woman whos 80, named Ada. She pulls out her deck chair, sets herself up with her thermos of tea, waits for the mustangs, and just picks them off as they pass.

Colleen OBrien, who runs Brumby Junction  a sanctuary solely for brumbies, two hours west of Melbourne in Glenlogie  at a Save The Brumby protest at Parliment House in Melbourne. Credit:Josh Robenstone

OBrien took this plan to Parks Victoria, offering to cover costs, volunteer staffing, and research engagement, but was turned down. She sees this as ideologically driven stubbornness, and it leaves her doubting the experts. I didnt realise how subjective science could be, she muses. It can go either way, a bit like the Bible. Is it An eye for an eye? Or is it Thou shalt not kill? 

Its for that reason that the pro-brumby team found its own scientist. David Berman is a research fellow in sustainable agriculture at the University of Southern Queensland, and has written extensively on feral horses. This year he began a longitudinal study on horses in the Victorian high country, examining 16 sites from a previous survey, counting horse-dung mounds and measuring stream bank damage.

It wont be finished until 2024, but the impact he recorded was limited and isolated. The other research seemed to focus on areas where there was impact, where it was concentrated, Berman says, and it distorts the reality of the damage.

Berman is a horseman, however  a showjumper since he was a child  and admits that in these circumstances he is trying to be a scientist: objective within an emotional conflict. His contribution was dismissed in Federal Court by Justice Michael OBryan, who described his testimony as idiosyncratic conjecture: The evidence presented by Dr Berman was not supported by scientific studies and was not persuasive.

Botanist Dick Williams. He says it's the denial of science that "irks him most". Credit:Josh Robenstone

One scientist whose work the court did find persuasive, however, is botanist Dick Williams. We meet one brisk morning at Elwood Beach, as he strides out of Port Phillip Bay in fluorescent Speedos  not exactly the ivory-tower egghead his opponents might imagine. Mate, were bushies, Williams says, clenching fists. We get out and up there, and are as tough and self-sufficient as anybody. Weve gotta be, because we spend long periods of time in the alps.

He loves the place, and the people, too. But science has to work hard against tales passed down from one farmer to the next, and the deep sense of proprietorship those stories engender. While I was in the high country, for instance, I watched in horror as a local grazier named Sonia Buckley  filming a documentary about brumbies  tore strips off a Good Weekend photographer over the most minor imagined slight.

Im a fifth-generation high-country cattlewoman! she barked, pointing a finger. And we dont need people from the city coming up here, treating us with disrespect. So f off home!

Williams nods. Thats their branding, he says. But we have that heritage, too. Alpine science started in the 1850s with Baron Ferdinand von Mueller, and from there you can draw a research lineage through Alfred Howitt in the 1870s, Richard Helms in the 1890s, then Professor John Turner, who supervised David Ashton, who in turn supervised Williams himself. Williams has mentored scientists of his own, who are now supervising students of their own. In a way, he says, Im an academic grandfather.

Energised by his winter dip, Williams is ready to offer rebuttals. I point out how cattlemen often dismiss the value of moss beds and sphagnum whatevers, or mock the broad-toothed rat, whose existence is threatened by the brumby  along with the stocky galaxias fish and the southern corroboree frog. Theyre not as flashy as a horse jumping over a log, says Williams, but these species have their own intrinsic value, and some are as rare as rocking-horse poo.

But the denial of science is what irks him most. If we ran agriculture, transport or medicine according to the dismissive, anecdotal logic being used here, wed starve, planes would fall from the sky, and the hospitals would be full. Its like the ludicrous notions of anti-vaxxers  theyre immune to evidence. Australians produce 2 per cent of the worlds science, which is punching massively above our weight. Were smarter than saying, Green tops and white-coaters dont know anything about the bush. Were better than that.

Im not sure we are. The image of a man on horseback, pinching the front of his Akubra, seems to pack more punch than any peer-reviewed paper, which is why someone like Professor Don Driscoll, director of the Centre for Integrative Ecology at Melbournes Deakin University, finds himself constantly retelling grim anecdotes like the tale of the cannibal horses.

Driscoll was hiking a snowy peak in 2014, in Kosciuszko National Park, when he stumbled upon a gruesome tableau at the aptly named Dead Horse Gap. Horses often get trapped above the snowline and starve to death, so its not uncommon to see a dead brumby. Then he saw three emaciated horses gathered around the carcass. I thought they were nuzzling it, pining for a loved one, Driscoll says. But their heads were actually inside the abdominal cavity of the dead one, up to their ears. I think they were after the semi-digested grass still inside.

I point out how many high-country people reject such descriptions: there are no starving masses or trampled flora in their alps. Its very insulting, Driscoll says. One cattleman claimed there couldnt be more than 3500 horses in the alps, and thats based on what? Riding your horse around and looking? Its laughable rubbish.

Yet there are places in which brumby advocates have legitimate cause for outrage, including Parks Victorias Feral Horse Strategic Action Plan (2018-2021). The document carefully details a government plan to remove up to 400 horses per year by passive trapping, and specifically notes  in bold font  that shooting will not be used to control free-ranging feral horses. The plan makes an allowance to revisit that latter policy but explicitly promises further public consultation and dialogue. No such consultation has happened so far.

Phil Ingamells is head of the Victorian National Parks Associations Park Protection Project, and has been involved in endless meetings between graziers and brumby runners, RSPCA staff and ecologists, in which he says every option has been discussed, ad nauseum. Short of putting a 10-page advertisement in every newspaper, someones always going to say, No one asked me! Parks Victoria is no longer really obliged to consult.

What about the argument that deer are more prolific than horses, or that pig wallows are a more intrusive form of destruction, or that the wild dog and feral cat problem is ignored in favour of the scapegoat brumby? Its called the Look over there! argument, Ingamells says. When the cattlemen had cattle in the high country, they pointed at the brumbies as causing the damage. Now when you try to deal with the brumbies, they want you to focus on the deer. And rest assured, deer are definitely in the gunsights. More than 1500 deer, pigs and wild goats have been shot in aerial culls this year, while fox baiting continues. But theres been no aerial shooting of horses in the alps, and there will not be.

Thats an important point. Aerial culling has a bad reputation, owing largely to the infamous killing of 606 horses 20 years ago, in the NSW Guy Fawkes National Park. Fiona Carruthers, author of The Horse in Australia, saw the aftermath of the 2000 cull. She flew overhead and remembers the smell.

What was so appalling was that some of those brumbies had up to 10 bullet holes  through the rump, thigh, neck  not a clean kill straight into the eyes or heart. A couple of the brumbies killed were mares, and one had started foaling, and her carcass was there with the foals head  dead  sticking out.

An official report cleared the operation as appropriate and successful, with evidence of only one horse suffering a prolonged death, but few on the ground believe this. Aerial culling of horses has been shelved ever since. Carruthers, however, notes that we freely shoot from above to kill kangaroos and camels, and no one makes a fuss. People caring more about the horses makes me think of Animal Farm, she says. Are some animals more equal than others?

Wild brumbies spotted in the early morning on the Nunniong Plains. Credit:Josh Robenstone

Mobs of wild horses have roamed the Australian alps for more than 150 years, having either escaped or been set free from pastoral properties, while some are said to carry the bloodline of the Waler, horses bred to meet the vast cavalry needs of the Australian Light Horse in World War I  a popular origin story that connects the courageous brumby to the ANZAC legend. But the fact is they have no particular genetic heritage thats worth preserving, Deakin Universitys Driscoll says. The evidence available says that a horse is a horse.

Extensively inbred, many brumbies today look mangy and small, with pencil necks and pot bellies, and they were regarded as a worthless scourge long ago. In 1889, the Richmond River Herald described how mobs were driven into trap lanes, where a man stood waiting with a keen knife: As each animal passed, its jugular vein was severed, and the bleeding creature tore madly away into its native scrub, only to stagger and die from loss of blood.

Literature helped render a more flattering portrait, particularly the wildly popular Silver Brumby novels of Elyne Mitchell. Yet Mitchell also wrote two lesser-known non-fiction books  Speak to the Earth and Soil and Civilisation  about protecting the Australian bush.

The Man From Snowy River by Banjo Paterson has the most resonance, of course, but the poem doesnt use the word brumby even once. Patersons wild bush horses are little more than a prop for the bloody chase after a millionaires thoroughbred, which makes sense coming from a lawyer in blue-ribbon Yass, who mixed with skiers and Sydney doctors. Paterson was a hopeless romantic, too, and was mercilessly lampooned by his great rival, Henry Lawson, a miserable cuss and alcoholic who produced verse that was distinctly more gloomy  and accurate  arguing that Paterson was blinded to the real.

Apparently we all are, too. In a random survey of community attitudes, 78 per cent of Victorians didnt know that brumbies are listed as a pest animal, despite the fact that weve spent more than a century treating them as something to be chased, shot and chopped into pet food.

Thats not the goal, though. I dont think its even possible to eradicate horses from the alps, says Matthew Jackson, the CEO of Parks Victoria. And we havent said we aim to eradicate them. But we want these parks to be pristine, and we have obligations not only ethically but legally  under acts  to maintain these cultural assets.

They also have no plans, he says, to lock out recreational riders. For some members of the community, horses in the high country are paramount to their lives. Taking that away is simply not on the table.

Rehoming the animals would be wonderful, but Parks Victoria advertised five expressions of interest in the past year and could only rehome 15 brumbies. The sterilisation option proposed by OBrien? The inaccessibility of our alps, says Jackson, means the Australian and American settings arent an apple-to-apple comparison.

In 2018, the CSIRO published a study  Could current fertility control methods be effective for landscape-scale management of populations of wild horses (Equus caballus) in Australia?  and the short, resounding answer was no.

Jackson understands the squeamish resistance to shooting horses, but what he finds unacceptable are the attacks on his department. We refer those to Victoria Police, he says. Its inappropriate for people to be threatened at work or online, on the phone or in the street. Whether in jest or joking, we take it seriously.

So does Richard Swain, 50, a Wiradjuri man of the Dabee clan who grew up near where he now lives, in Cooma, NSW. Swain runs Alpine River Adventures in nearby Jindabyne, but has put the business second to protecting his country. When I call  the night before he heads out bush to undertake a feral-cat trapping program (protecting the smoky mouse and mountain pygmy possum)  he sounds defeated. Barilaros brumby bill was his breaking point. It was like taking a sledgehammer to a baby; like killing the last bit of the Barrier Reef.

Being Australian to them is Vegemite, or a Holden car, or Bradmans average. I want to shame them into caring for country.

Swain takes people on Indigenous walking tours, educating them about the way the land has been disrespected and desecrated, and last year held a ceremony to sing healing back into the land. His message is not being met well. Online he has been mocked as a half-caste wanker, while opponents have used fake social media accounts to discredit him and online notice boards to rubbish his business.

He was walking in the bush recently with his 83-year-old mother when an opponent screamed at them: Go suck a dick! His wife often finds her car plastered with Save the Brumby stickers. Hes started getting flat tyres, punctured with nails.

Im completely fed up. I now call them Aussies by name and not by nature. But its a broader cultural issue, Swain says. Being Australian to them is Vegemite, or a Holden car, or Bradmans average. They belligerently dont want to form a connection. I want to shame them into caring for country.

Lewis Benedetti says he will keep coming up to the high country, pulling the big horse float he hopes to fill with sturdy little hooves. Credit:Josh Robenstone

Some of them already care deeply for country, of course, even if their perspectives diverge. Benedetti, the horse-breaker, is one. He says he will keep coming up to the high country in the near future, pulling the big horse float he hopes to fill with sturdy little hooves. Im gonna give this winter a hard crack, says Benedetti. Id like to save a few from the rifle, and have a brumby sale in spring. A couple of dozen.

In the weeks after I leave, he roams our landscape alone, catching mares and foals, posting luminous photos of the shimmering Snowy River, and fresh green pick on the steep side of Mt Kosciuszko. But I remember him best in my final moments on the Nunnet Plains, an expanse of thick grass and dead gums silvering in the sun.

He sees a mob before him, but the dozen blacks and bays and greys twig to his presence early, and charge away. The crack rider follows  light in the saddle, digging spurs and clutching reins  and he closes as the tree line nears.

A brutal silent wind whips across the land now, and the pursuit vanishes into the bush. As the familiar chase continues, dark cloud shadows creep over the plains. The brumbies are on the run.

To read more from Good Weekend magazine, visit our page at The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and Brisbane Times.
T his is the moment Prince Charles' visit to an Asda distribution centre prompted one overwhelmed member of staff to pass out in front of the royal.

The Prince of Wales and the Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall were taking part in a tour of the facility in Bristol to thank the retailers' staff for their work throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

During the visit, the Prince was introduced to one member of staff who began lurching from side-to-side while talking to the royal, before collapsing to the ground shortly afterwards.

Fortunately, the man appeared to be unharmed by his fall, with workers and bystanders quick to respond to the situation as a visibly concerned Prince of Wales stood nearby.

After being given an indication that the man, by now in the recovery position, seemed to be coming round, Charles then moved on to speak to other members of staff.

The pair then spoke again minutes later, with the man seemingly fully recovered from his collapse.

The incident came as the royal couple met some of the 700 workers at the Asda centre in Bristol, as well as drivers and those based at nearby stores.

The event took place in a marquee outside the site's main building, with people keeping two metres apart to maintain social distancing.

Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, thanked staff at the Asda centre in Bristol for their efforts during the coronavirus pandemic / POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Staff gathered at the facility spoke of how they had returned from retirement, worked extra hours and different shift patterns, and had postponed holidays to cope with increased demand at supermarkets amid the Covid-19 crisis.

Chris Tilly, 48, general manager of the distribution centre, said work had been really, really challenging and paid tribute to Asda's employees.

Weve had a lot of support from colleagues right across the business working extra hours, extra shifts to keep the shelves filled for customers, Mr Tilly said.

I think it is fantastic that the prince and duchess have taken the time out to come to the distribution centre and meet colleagues.

Every single colleague that they saw they thanked for what they had done during the last 14 weeks, which I was truly humbled by.

They were really interested in what the colleagues did within Asda, how long they had worked for us and just wanted to know how they had been doing while working through the pandemic.

At the end of the visit, Charles and Camilla unveiled a plaque marking the day.

Charles told staff: Thank you, thank you very much everybody. You deserve a stiff drink after all this.
Google has now updated its Photos application on Android with sorting features that allow users to search uploaded shots by how recently they were added. The feature has already been in place on the web app since last year. So it isnt entirely new and should be familiar to those who have used Google Photos in Chrome or another browser. But it should be more than welcome all the same.

Reports indicate that this feature is appearing in version 5.0 or newer of the Google Photos app on Android. And that it appears to have some server-side change requirements as well. So it may take a bit longer than usual for everybody to see a difference.

Does this Google Photos sorting feature actually fix anything on Android?

Now, sorting photos by when they were uploaded in the Google-built Android app is not necessarily something that most people would consider groundbreaking. But its going to have more impact than might be initially assumed.

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The app sorts photos by default based on when they were taken. Photos bases that figure on EXIF data associated with the images. And that means that photos sometimes go missing immediately after being uploaded. With the default sorting, Google Photos automatically sorts older shots further down in the UI.

So, if users have uploaded hundreds or even thousands of photos, older photos can quickly become lost. Especially for users who upload a lot of images.

Now, its easy enough to work around that by sorting via date  if thats known. Or by sorting by the title  if thats known. But more often than not, those two things arent known. Thats because, generally speaking, the camera software determines the title. And, often enough, thats adjusted again when its uploaded to a computer to prevent overwriting. Additionally, users sometimes want to upload much older images.

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All of that, in conjunction, makes finding those photos again difficult.

How to sort by recently uploaded?

With this change in place, users can simply navigate to the Google Photos application. After opening that up, tapping on the Search tab will reveal the Recently Added option under the Your Activity subheading. Clicking that opens up a new view for uploaded photos, sorting them in Googles newly-updated Android app based on when they were uploaded.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks to the media during a press conference In the Queens borough of New York City, on April 10, 2020. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

NYC Cancels All Large Events Through September, Exempts Demonstrations, Religious Events

New York City is canceling all large events through September as part of measures to prioritize city blocks for public use, but will exempt demonstrations and religious events, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on July 9.

De Blasios office said in a statement that as the city has begun its reopening process, canceling large events such as street fairs, outdoor concerts, parades, and others through September is vital in keeping open spaces accessible to the public.

While it pains me to call off some of the citys beloved events, our focus now must be the prioritization of city space for public use and the continuation of social distancing, the statement said.

Large outdoor gatherings have been officially banned in New York since the spring. All public events scheduled last month in the city were canceled, with the decision affecting all non-essential permitted events including parades, concerts, rallies, and other large gatherings.

As part of our ongoing effort to fight COVID-19, large gatherings are cancelled in New York City through September 30th. pic.twitter.com/KBujTxMWCy  City of New York (@nycgov) July 9, 2020

The mayor said however that the citys ban will exempt demonstrations, religious events, and press conferences. He suggested that protests against police brutality, which have swept across the United States since the death of Black American George Floyd on May 25, will be exempt from the measures.

Look this is always an area of real sensitivity here, de Blasio said in a CNN appearance, in response to a question about whether protests would be allowed. Youre talking about health, we would always say, Hey folks stay home if you can. But we understand this moment in history, people are talking about the need for historic change.

This is a historic moment of change, he continued. We have to respect that, but also say to people the kinds of gatherings were used tothe parades, the fairswe just cant have that while were focusing on health right now.

De Blasio said New York City will deny permits for events in parks that could unreasonably diminish public use, street fairs, events that stretch further than one block, or those that require speakers. Any event in a location that interferes with the Open Streets or Open Restaurants program will also be denied permits. He said the city will refund or defer fees paid in connection with denied permits.

Meanwhile, the Bronx Zoo, the New York Aquarium, the Central Park Zoo, the Prospect Park Zoo, and the Queens Zoo are set to reopen on July 24. The facilities have been closed since mid-March as part of lockdown measures to stem transmission of the CCP virus.

The number of hospitalizations has declined overall since spiking in mid-April, but 851 individuals with COVID-19 were hospitalized Wednesday. Thats up from 817 Sunday, according to the Democrats office.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Nearly 1.2 million Wisconsin ratepayers will see electric bill refunds this fall as utilities return millions of dollars in fuel cost savings.

The Public Service Commission Thursday ordered Alliant Energy, Xcel and Wisconsin Public Service Corporation to return about $28.3 million to customers in September.

Madison Gas and Electric will be allowed to hang on to about $1.5 million in customer funds while it negotiates with customer advocates on rates for the next two years.

The for-profit utilities together over-collected more than $29 million in 2019 as lower natural gas prices, renegotiated contracts and market sales resulted in fuel costs that were lower than forecast.

The PSC sets electricity rates one to two years in advance based on fixed expenses  such as power plants and wires  as well as the estimated cost of fuel.

Under state law, actual fuel costs can vary up to 2% from the estimates: if actual costs fall below the threshold, utilities must refund the difference, plus interest; if actual costs go above, utilities can collect it from ratepayers.

We Energies, the states largest utility, reported actual costs were only 0.85% below forecast, meaning the company can keep the $6.3 million difference. The utility has asked for a rate increase, saying it needs to collect about $26.5 million more in 2021 to cover the rising cost of electricity from the Point Beach nuclear plant.

Refund rates vary by utility and customer class based on 2019 sales.

Based on the utilities projected September sales, residential customers of Xcel would see the largest refunds, about $13 on average. Average residential refunds would be around $8.50 for Alliant customers and $4.70 for WPS customers.

The PSC voted unanimously to order the refunds, though Chairwoman Rebecca Valcq recused herself from the cases involving We Energies and WPS, whose parent company Valcq worked for before being appointed to the commission last year.

While commissioners said they favor returning funds as soon as possible, they agreed to give MGE more time to work out a rate structure for 2021-2022. Both the Citizens Utility Board and Wisconsin Industrial Energy Group, which are negotiating with the utility, said they are open to using the money to offset a potential rate increase.

If MGE fails to reach a rate settlement by Aug. 31, the utility will have to refund that money in October to its 155,000 customers.

My instinct is always to give that money back right away to ratepayers, since it is theirs, said Commissioner Ellen Nowak. Theyve already started discussion, so Im willing to allow this to be part of the discussion.

Alliant also requested to apply its $11.9 million savings toward a proposed rate freeze in 2021. Commissioners approved the refund without discussion.

Jeff Ripp, director of regulatory strategy for Alliant, said the utility will look for other ways to achieve the rate freeze.

While todays ruling takes away some of our flexibility to do that, we still plan to hold rates steady in 2021, Ripp said.

CUB executive director Tom Content said the refunds will provide welcome relief for ratepayers.

Its the customers money and it should go back into their hands as soon as possible, when it makes sense, Content said. Given the pandemic and job losses, its doubly important that we get money back to customers quickly.

This marks the third straight year most ratepayers have received refunds.

Last year Alliant, MGE, Xcel and WPS refunded about $25 million in excess fuel collections. In 2018 the PSC ordered for-profit utilities to return about $129 million in savings that resulted from a federal law that lowered corporate tax rates.

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MBABANE  Signing of the consent form for pupils to report to school, which was issued by the Ministry of Education and Training, is voluntary.

This was confirmed by the Principal Secretary in the ministry, Bertram Stewart. Stewart, however, encouraged parents to sign the forms adding that it was a good thing to do.



He said they were interested in getting the general feeling among the parents following a complaint that was made by a guardian, who was not comfortable with her child being at school. In the form, the parents are supposed to approve that they want their children to attend school and make an undertaking to encourage their children to comply with the COVID-19 regulations and guidelines.



Risk



Human Rights Lawyer Sipho Gumede said signing of the forms by parents was a voluntary assumption of risk on the guardians side to be in a situation where at any point the child should contract COVID-19, government would not be liable.

Gumede said the buck stopped with the parents as all powers to ensure protection of children were vested in them, adding that it was up to the guardians whether or not to take the risk.



Sending of children to school is a decision made by the parents and no one else, he said.

He said parents were therefore at liberty to assume some form of risk and if they did, they should know that they should not reach a stage whereby they blame any other person should any danger occur.



Gumede stated that if he was to be placed in governments shoes, he would have done the same thing. According to Gumede, parents should bare the consequences in mind when signing the forms.



Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) Secretary General Sikelela Dlamini said by the issuance of the forms by government, the ministry was clearly stating that it should not be held accountable should a pupil fall sick or die due to the virus.



Dlamini said head teachers were being taken for a ride by the ministry, as the blame would be shifted on them for allowing pupils Who attend school.

He noted that whatever would happen in the process would be apportioned to both parents and head teachers. Some interviewed parents said it was clear that government did not want to take any blame should the children contract the virus.



In any event, these are our children. But if government is unsure about the safety of our children, why were the schools opened then? one parent remarked.
Frances controversial legacy of colonialism has been thrown into the spotlight with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune saying his government is still awaiting an apology from Paris for the treatment of Algerians under 132 years of French occupation, culminating in a bloody eight-year war of independence that claimed some 1.5 million Algerian lives.

France is far from alone in being forced by current events to reckon with its past. The colonial histories of developed countries across much of the first world have come under scrutiny in the midst of the Black Lives Matter movement. However, for France and Algeria at least, the scars of the formers occupation of the latter run painfully close to the surface.

According to Tebboune, an apology would help "face the problem of memory that jeopardizes many things in the relations between the two countries. Moreover, looking to the future, it would "make it possible to cool tensions and create a calmer atmosphere for economic and cultural relations" between the two countries, particularly for the more than six million Algerians currently residing in France, he said.

However, after decades of near silence from Elysee on the subject of Frances actions during Algerias occupation, as well as the still painful memory of French barbarism during the war of independence, it is unclear at this late stage what an apology might do to help heal the divide that continues to separate the two states.

That Algerians have cause for grievance is an acknowledged fact. In September 2018, while stopping short of issuing a full apology, French President Emmanuel Macron publicly acknowledged that France had instigated a system of torture during Algerias war of independence, one that France must now face with courage and lucidity.

Some indication of the brutality of Frances occupation of Algeria was provided in early July, when France returned 24 skulls of Algerias early independence fighters, shot and decapitated by French troops during the early stages of colonial rule before being taken home as war trophies. Other examples of torture and mistreatment range from the systemic use of electrocution, beatings, waterboarding and sleep deprivation to the alleged execution of independence fighters, especially during the battle of Algiers, by setting their feet in cement and dropping them from helicopters over the Mediterranean. The victims became known, grimly, as "crevettes Bigeard," ("Bigeards shrimps," named after the French commander Marcel Bigeard).

For Algerians schooled in the inequities of the French occupation from childhood, such memories leave an indelible mark. Algerians learn too much at school about the 132 years of crimes, genocides, nuclear tests, plunders. Also starvation and ignorance as policies committed by the French to torture Algerians, freelance Algerian journalist Amine Hocine told Al-Monitor. No one forgets those pictures and details in Algeria, he said, not only within the older generation that lived that era, but the young generation is also aware enough about the French crimes and the continuing negative influence of France in the region.

Like many former colonial masters, France appears to be at once seeking to reconcile with the victims of its colonial past while also hoping to present its role during that period in as sympathetic a light as possible.

In 2011, following Macrons visit to Algeria, Algerian Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia, who has since been imprisoned for corruption, announced that France would open up its national archive for the period from 1830 and 1962. This step has yet to happen.

On the election trail in 2017, centrist Macron rejected criticism from the French right and called upon France to apologize for its past crimes in Algeria. In an interview with Le Figaro, Macron characterized the colonization of Algeria as involving crimes and acts of barbarism that would now be seen as crimes against humanity. But Macron has yet to issue an apology since becoming head of state.

However, elements of the French right are by nature unwilling to sabotage what they see as France's glorious past, and a 2005 law requires schools to stress the positive aspects of French colonialism. Many of the children who grew up under that law are already in the workforce.

Personally, I do not hold the new French generation responsible for the crimes of their ancestors, Hocine said, but the provocation is their continued pride of their colonial past, by the enactment in 2005 of a law that glorifies colonialism, and France's recognition of the Armenian Genocide before it recognized its own crimes in Algeria. The apology can result of an international pressure on France but not from a weak regime that has no popular legitimacy, Hocine said, referring to the current Algerian government.

While the benefits of securing a stable relationship with Africas largest country as well as a hydrocarbon giant are obvious, France seems uncertain whether it is ready to undertake a true reckoning with its past.

I think the chances of them getting the apology are pretty slim, to be honest, Jonathan Hill, a specialist in Algerian politics from Kings College, London, told Al-Monitor. Algeria is still a really sensitive issue with the French, much like Ireland might be for the British. Furthermore, Macrons new right-wing government looks unlikely to be the one thats going to issue that apology.

The timing is nevertheless significant. This request does fit with the current BLM zeitgeist about revisiting and reappraising history. Given that, it is a useful way of putting a bit of pressure on Paris and perhaps using it to leverage some concessions around investment or aid or visas, Hill said.

Across the Western world, states are finding themselves revisiting their histories and examining the sources of their wealth and power. How far France is willing to go in that examination remains to be seen.
People are tested for COVID-19 at a drive through testing site sponsored by the city at Camping World Stadium on July 8, 2020 in Orlando, Florida.

"What we are seeing is exponential growth. It went from an average of about 20,000 to 40,000 and 50,000. That's doubling. If you continue doubling, two times 50 is 100," Fauci said Wednesday on a Wall Street Journal podcast. "Any state that is having a serious problem, that state should seriously look at shutting down."

White House health advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci has warned that the U.S. is "not in total control " of the coronavirus pandemic and daily new cases could surpass 100,000 new infections per day if the outbreak continues at its current pace.

The U.S. has reported about 53,699 new cases on average over the past seven days, a record high seven-day average, up nearly 17.6% compared with a week ago, according to a CNBC analysis of data collected by Johns Hopkins. The U.S. seven-day average has hit a new record every day for more than two weeks, according to CNBC's analysis.

It's the second time this week the U.S. topped its record for new infections reported in a 24-hour period as outbreaks expand across a number of states, mostly across the American South and West. California, Florida and Texas reported more than 30,400 new cases collectively on Tuesday, according to data from Hopkins, accounting for nearly half all new cases in the U.S.

The United States reported a daily record of 63,247 new cases of Covid-19 on Thursday, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Fauci has urged officials in states where the outbreak is worsening to reconsider their reopening plans. Instead of totally shutting down or totally reopening, Fauci told lawmakers on Thursday, states should constantly update their restrictions, tailoring them to what is currently known about the virus.

Without aggressive action, Fauci previously told lawmakers, the outbreak is "going to be very disturbing."

"We are now having 40-plus-thousand new cases a day. I would not be surprised if we go up to 100,000 a day if this does not turn around, and so I am very concerned," Fauci said at a June 30 hearing held by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Cases were growing, on average, by at least 5% in 36 states and the District of Columbia as of Thursday, according to a CNBC analysis of data collected by Hopkins. CNBC uses a seven-day trailing average to smooth out spikes in data reporting to identify where cases are rising and falling.

Coronavirus-related hospitalizations are also up, on average, by at least 5% in 25 states, according to CNBC's analysis of data compiled by the Covid Tracking Project, an independent volunteer organization launched by journalists at The Atlantic.

Some of the rise in total cases is likely due to increased testing. Nationally, the U.S. has ramped up screening from an average of just over 174,000 diagnostic tests per day through April to more than 650,000 tests per day in July, according to the analysis of data compiled by the Covid Tracking Project. However, the percent of tests coming back positive has also risen, which epidemiologists say is a sign of a virus that is spreading more rapidly.

While new cases have continued to soar, deaths caused by Covid-19 have remained relatively stable and comparatively low. Fauci and other health officials have attributed this better treatment strategies and clinical care for Covid-19 patients as well as to the comparatively low average age of people infected with the virus now. The average age of a Covid-19 patient has dropped by about 15 years compared with the beginning of the outbreak, and younger people have lower fatality rates.

However, coronavirus-related deaths are beginning to tick up in several hot spots. The seven-day average of newly reported deaths caused by Covid-19 hit record highs on Thursday in six states: California, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Utah.

However, Fauci has warned that Covid-19 deaths lag a few weeks behind diagnosis of new cases. It takes several weeks after someone develops symptoms to get sick enough to be hospitalized and die. As more young people get infected, the greater the risk they will pass the virus on to more vulnerable people who have a greater chance of dying. That includes the elderly and anyone, regardless of age, with underlying conditions like diabetes.

"There are more cases. There are more hospitalizations in some of those places, and soon you'll be seeing more deaths," Fauci said in an interview last month with CNBC's Meg Tirrell that was aired by the Milken Institute. "Even though the deaths are coming down as a country, that doesn't mean that you're not going to start seeing them coming up now."

Beyond the number of deaths, scientists are still researching the long-term health consequences of contracting the virus. Some research has indicated the potential to cause long-term respiratory harm and damage to other organs.

"It's a false narrative to take comfort in a lower rate of death," Fauci said Tuesday during a livestream interview with Democratic Sen. Doug Jones, D-Ala. "There's so many other things that are very dangerous and bad about this virus. Don't get yourself into false complacency."
With the number of new cases of COVID-19 continuing to set records in the U.S. and deaths from the disease rising daily, public health officials and politicians have increasingly pinned their hopes of overcoming the coronavirus pandemic on a vaccine.

On May 15, the Trump administration announced the kickoff of Operation Warp Speed, an ambitious government effort to have substantial quantities of a safe and effective vaccine available for Americans by January 2021. Since then, the administration has identified a number of companies it believes are most likely to successfully produce a vaccine, including Novavax, AstraZeneca, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, Emergent BioSolutions, Merck and Pfizer, and has awarded them billions in grant money.

On July 4, President Trump all but guaranteed that a vaccine would be ready before the end of the year.

We are unleashing our nations scientific brilliance and well likely have a therapeutic and/or vaccine long before the end of the year, Trump said during his address from the White House.

Asked about that prediction one day later, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn was less certain.

I cant predict when a vaccine will be available, Hahn said.

BONN, GERMANY - JUNE 29: In this photo illustration a syringe with indefinite content is laying on a globe on June 29, 2020 in Bonn, Germany. (Photo by Ute Grabowsky/Photothek via Getty Images)

The urgency of developing a COVID-19 vaccine is underscored by the number of people killed by the disease. As of Thursday afternoon, nearly 133,000 Americans had died of the disease caused by exposure to the coronavirus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that by July 25th, that number could be as high as 160,000 Americans.

In order to slow the transmission of COVID-19 in the U.S., Dr. Anthony Fauci, the leading expert on infectious diseases on the Coronavirus Task Force, has said that 70 to 80 percent of the population will need to be immunized against it, meaning that at least 230 million doses will need to be manufactured.

Who will pay for a COVID-19 vaccine to be developed and produced?

On Tuesday, the Trump administration announced it was awarding Maryland-based biotech firm Novavax a $1.6 billion grant to deliver 100 million doses of a two-part vaccine (enough to inoculate 50 million people) by January, if it is shown to be safe and effective in clinical trials. Thats a bet using taxpayer money, of course, and it follows other grants already made to private companies who are also funding their own research. All told the U.S. government has so far spent nearly $4 billion on vaccines for COVID-19 that it cant be sure will ever be brought to market. Congress has appropriated $10 billion for a vaccine, but the Trump administration has said more may be needed.

Story continues

Dr. Rhonda Flores looks at protein samples at Novavax labs in Gaithersburg, Maryland on March 20, 2020. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP)

To speed deployment, were going to start manufacturing doses of the vaccines way before we even know that the vaccine works, Fauci said in an interview with the Journal of the American Medical Association.

China is also pouring money into five experimental vaccines for COVID-19 and could come up with a safe and effective one before the U.S., but no one manufacturer has the capacity to produce as many doses as will be needed; health experts estimate from five to 10 different companies will probably need to be enlisted in the effort.

Who will receive the vaccine first?

Because there will be a significant lag time  perhaps several months  between when the first doses of the vaccine are produced and enough are ready to inoculate the majority of the U.S. population, the government has begun working on a ranking system to determine who will receive it first, the New York Times reported.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and a committee of health experts outside the government began meeting in April on the ranking system. The plan, which has yet to be finalized, calls for medical and national security officials to receive the vaccine first, the Times reported. Next up would be workers deemed essential to the economy and people who fall into high risk categories for COVID-19 such as the elderly and people with underlying health conditions.

More controversial, however, is a the discussion of whether to inoculate Black, Latino and Native American citizens ahead of whites since those racial groups are have fallen ill from COVID-19 at disproportionate rates.

A man is tested for COVID-19 in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, MA on July 08, 2020. (Photo by Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Among some racial and ethnic minority groups, including non-Hispanic black persons, Hispanics and Latinos, and American Indians/Alaska Natives, evidence points to higher rates of hospitalization or death from COVID-19 than among non-Hispanic white persons, the CDC states on its website.

Black Americans and Native Americans (including Alaskan native persons) are hospitalized due to COVID-19 at a rate five times that of whites, the CDC data show, while Hispanics are hospitalized at a rate of four times that of whites.

A final decision on the ranking order has not yet been made.

Who makes money off a successful vaccine?

While it is still unclear how much drug companies will charge for a COVID-19 vaccine, most insurance companies have gone on record as saying they will cover that expense for members. There is also a push by Democrats in Congress to make sure that any American who needs a vaccine can receive one free of charge. At the same time, companies have a lot to gain if their vaccines show promising results. Since the Trump administration announced its grant to Novavax, for instance, the companys stock has risen by 2,527 percent, the Wall Street Journal reported.

In part, thats because health experts believe that COVID-19 will, like the common flu, become seasonal, requiring a different vaccine every year. That may help explain why companies are rushing to make sure their vaccine is the first to be adopted. The long-term benefits of that association are easily worth billions.

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Read more from Yahoo News:
Rice University chemical engineers found an efficient catalyst for destroying PFAS "forever" chemicals where they least expected.

"It was the control," said Rice Professor Michael Wong, referring to the part of a scientific experiment where researchers don't expect surprises. The control group is the yardstick of experimental science, the baseline by which variables are measured.

"We haven't yet tested this at a full scale, but in our benchtop tests in the lab, we could get rid of 99% of PFOA in four hours," Wong said of boron nitride, the light-activated catalyst he and his students stumbled upon and spent more than a year testing.

Their study, which is available online in the American Chemical Society journal Environmental Science and Technology Letters, found boron nitride destroyed PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) at a faster clip than any previously reported photocatalyst. PFOA is one of the most prevalent PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances), a family of more than 4,000 compounds developed in the 20th century to make coatings for waterproof clothing, food packaging, nonstick pans and countless other uses. PFAS have been dubbed forever chemicals for their tendency to linger in the environment, and scientists have found them in the blood of virtually all Americans, including newborns.

Catalysts are Wong's specialty. They are compounds that bring about chemical reactions without taking part or being consumed in those reactions. His lab has created catalysts for destroying a number of pollutants, including TCE and nitrates, and he said he tasked his team with finding new catalysts to address PFAS about 18 months ago.

"We tried a lot of things," said Wong, chair of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering in Rice's Brown School of Engineering. "We tried several materials that I thought were going to work. None of them did. This wasn't supposed to work, and it did."

The catalyst, boron nitride powder, or BN, is a commercially available synthetic mineral that's widely used in makeup, skin care products, thermal pastes that cool computer chips and other consumer and industrial products.

The discovery began with dozens of failed experiments on more likely PFAS catalysts. Wong said he asked two members of his lab, visiting graduate student Lijie Duan of China's Tsinghua University and Rice graduate student Bo Wang, to do final experiments on one set of candidate compounds before moving on to others.

"There was literature that suggested one of them might be a photocatalyst, meaning it would be activated by light of a particular wavelength," Wong said. "We don't use light very often in our group, but I said, 'Let's go ahead and doodle around with it.' The sun is free energy. Let's see what we can do with light."

As before, none of the experimental groups performed well, but Duan noticed something unusual with the boron nitride control. She and Wang repeated the experiments numerous times to rule out unexpected errors, problems with sample preparation and other explanations for the strange result. They kept seeing the same thing.

"Here's the observation," Wong said. "You take a flask of water that contains some PFOA, you throw in your BN powder, and you seal it up. That's it. You don't need to add any hydrogen or purge it with oxygen. It's just the air we breathe, the contaminated water and the BN powder. You expose that to ultraviolet light, specifically to UV-C light with a wavelength of 254 nanometers, come back in four hours, and 99% of the PFOA has been transformed into fluoride, carbon dioxide and hydrogen."

The problem was the light. The 254-nanometer wavelength, which is commonly used in germicidal lamps, is too small to activate the bandgap in boron nitride. While that was unquestionably true, the experiments suggested it could not be.

"If you take away the light, you don't get catalysis," Wong said. "If you leave out the BN powder and only use the light, you don't get a reaction."

So boron nitride was clearly absorbing the light and catalyzing a reaction that destroyed PFOA, despite that fact that it should have been optically impossible for boron nitride to absorb 254-nanometer UV-C light.

"It's not supposed to work," Wong said. "That's why no one ever thought to look for this, and that's why it took so long for us to publish the results. We needed some sort of explanation for this contradiction."

Wong said he, Duan, Wang and co-authors offered a plausible explanation in the study.

"We concluded that our material does absorb the 254-nanometer light, and it's because of atomic defects in our powder," he said. "The defects change the bandgap. They shrink it enough for the powder to absorb just enough light to create the reactive oxidizing species that chew up the PFOA."

Wong said more experimental evidence will be needed to confirm the explanation. But in light of the results with PFOA, he wondered if the boron nitride catalyst might also work on other PFAS compounds.

"So I asked my students to do one more thing," Wong said. "I had them replace PFOA in the tests with GenX."

GenX is also a forever chemical. When PFOA was banned, GenX was one of the most widely used chemicals to replace it. And a growing body of evidence suggests that GenX could be just as big an environmental problem as its predecessor.

"It's a similar story to PFOA," Wong said. "They're finding GenX everywhere now. But one difference between the two is that people have previously reported some success with catalysts for degrading PFOA. They haven't for GenX."

Wong and colleagues found that boron nitride powder also destroys GenX. The results weren't as good as with PFOA: With two hours exposure to 254-nanometer light, BN destroyed about 20% of the GenX in water samples. But Wong said the team has ideas about how to improve the catalyst for GenX.

He said the project has already attracted the attention of several industrial partners in the Rice-based Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT). NEWT is an interdisciplinary engineering research center funded by the National Science Foundation to develop off-grid water treatment systems that both protect human lives and support sustainable economic development.

"The research has been fun, a true team effort," Wong said. "We've filed patents on this, and NEWT's interest in further testing and development of the technology is a big vote of confidence."
Former Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Willow Grove is one of the bases where PFAS chemicals came off contaminating local waterways and drinking water. Read more

Starting this fall, Pennsylvania and federal health officials hope to recruit 1,000 adults and 300 children in Bucks and Montgomery Counties for a national study on the impacts of PFAS chemicals on thyroids, cholesterol levels, kidneys, immune systems, livers, and even behavioral problems.

Its another chance for residents of Horsham, Warminster, and Warrington Townships whose drinking water was contaminated by nearby military bases to get their blood tested.

As in a 2018 pilot test that preceded the national project, the testing wont look for links to cancer, and at least to start, will not be focused on people who once worked at the Naval Air Warfare Center Warminster and Naval Air Station Willow Grove, where the forever chemicals leached off the bases from firefighting foam.

Rather, the study will seek volunteers from among the residents of the same communities, which are adjacent to the bases.

PFAS  per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances  are a class of man-made chemical compounds used in producing products such as nonstick cookware coatings, fire retardant furniture, and foam used in firefighting. PFOA, once used to make Teflon, and PFOS, once used in Scotchgard, are among the most widely known, yet there are hundreds more still being used in manufacturing.

Though the full health effects of PFAS are still being studied, known impact includes increased cancer risk, hormonal interference, infertility, increased cholesterol, and issues surrounding growth, learning, and behavior of infants and children, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

Officials held a two-hour Zoom meeting Thursday night with residents about the upcoming PFAS National Multi-Site Health Studies being conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) on effects of PFAS exposure. The study includes participants from six states, including Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

The national study presents the opportunity for more Horsham, Warrington, and Warminster residents to get their blood tested, after many had already taken part in an earlier pilot study. That 2018 study showed residents tested had elevated levels of PFAS in their blood compared with average Americans.

New results from that pilot study released in a Department of Health report ahead of Thursdays meeting indicated follow-up tests in 2019 didnt reveal significant links between levels of PFAS in dust or water in 14 homes, and levels of PFAS in the blood of the homes occupants.

The exception was for PFNA, one type of the compound: There was a link between PFNA in one homes tap water with a residents blood level.

Representatives of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, ATSDR, Buxmont Coalition, Temple, and Brown Universities, and the nonprofit research group RTI International outlined the parameters of the blood and urine tests set to begin for the national study later this year.

Youre a really highly engaged community, Sharon Watkins, chief epidemiologist for the DOH, said Thursday on Zoom, explaining why the area was chosen to participate. She cited the history and level of exposure as a primary reason.

Residents posted a range of questions, such as who will be allowed to participate, whether PFAS is linked to higher risks with COVID-19 (not immediately, they were told), and which communities would be included in the study.

The testing would include:

Households in areas closest to the military bases subjected to greater concentrations of PFAS over longer periods of time.

Adults 18 and older and children 4-17.

About 235 residents who already participated in a pilot study that looked at the compounds in blood and urine, as well as dust and drinking water in homes.

It would exclude:

People who havent been exposed to PFAS for 15 years or longer.

People exposed to the chemicals through work.

Prisoners or those under house arrest.

 READ MORE: Archive of Inquirer PFAS coverage

Officials hope this fall to recruit volunteers for blood and urine testing. A full public analysis wont be complete until spring 2024, though participants will get their own results much earlier.

A headquarters will be set up in the area for the yearlong program, staffed with an office manager, field interviewers, clinical interviewers, phlebotomists, a nursing assistant, and laboratory technician.

Adult volunteers will be paid $50 per blood or urine test, and children will be paid $75. Children under 5 will complete behavioral tests up to 90 minutes long that will include memory games, item sorting, puzzles, and reactions to photos.

A website, papfas.rti.org, which is not yet active, will provide further information.

Answering a question from an anonymous military veteran and area resident, Ted Lillys, an environmental engineer with RTI, said there was no plan to look specifically at base workers, but testing could be expanded in the future.

Area resident William Gildea-Walker asked if there would be any additional funding to study links between cancer and PFAS.

Resa Jones, chair of Temples epidemiology and biostatistics department, said the group might look at the possibility in the future.

The ATSDR and Pennsylvania DOH looked at cancer cases in the area from 1985 through 2013 but did not find clusters that might be expected with an environmental cause.

Correne Kristiansen, chief of staff for State Sen. Maria Collett, who represents parts of Montgomery and Bucks Counties, asked if the group will look at potential links between PFAS levels and severity of COVID-19.

Officials said that is not included in the initial study parameters, but might be added.

Staff writer Justine McDaniel contributed to this article.
(Newser)  After the death of Jeffrey Epstein in federal custody last year, authorities don't want to be be embarrassed by another high-profile suicideand they don't want Ghislaine Maxwell to escape justice. A source tells the AP that after Epstein's former girlfriend was moved to a federal detention center in New York City this week, authorities took away her clothing and bedsheets and made her wear paper attire. The official, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity, says the Justice Department has put officials from outside the troubled Bureau of Prisons in charge of ensuring that Maxwell, who is accused of procuring underage girls for Epstein to abuse, doesn't harm herself or get harmed by other inmates.

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The official says other protocols in place to prevent Maxwell from killing herself at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center include monitoring her cell and ensuring that she has a roommate. Attorney General William Barr told ABC this week that he is doing his utmost to ensure Maxwell makes it to trial. He said he was "livid" after Epstein's death last year and the Justice Department has instructed the Bureau of Prisons "to tell us specifically the protocols they're following and we have a number of redundant systems to monitor the situation." Maxwell, who was arrested by federal agents at a private New Hampshire retreat last week, is due to appear remotely via video at a bail hearing and arraignment July 14. (Read more Ghislaine Maxwell stories.)
A 28-year-old woman was arrested after scissors were used to assault a man during a domestic dispute on Thursday.

It happened at about 12:30 p.m. Thursday at a Peterborough home, city police said.

Paramedics took the man to Peterborough Regional Health Centre for treatment of injuries.

The woman was charged with assault with a weapon.

She was held in custody for a court appearance Friday.

City police did not name the woman to protect the mans identity.
Times Insider explains who we are and what we do, and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together. This is the third of three articles on Times journalists who received a Pulitzer Prize this year.

When he was a middle schooler, years before he would dissect politicians and money lenders for The New York Times, Brian Rosenthal sold popcorn.

To raise money for his Boy Scout troop, Brian spent fall evenings alone, turning up virtually every driveway and ringing doorbells in the college town where he grew up, West Lafayette, Ind. Peddling flavors such as Unbelievable Butter and Chocolatey Caramel Crunch, Brian raised almost $6,000 in eighth grade  more than any other Boy Scout in his section of Indiana.

In May this year, Mr. Rosenthal, now 31 and a reporter for The Timess Metro section, earned another distinction: the Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting. The award recognized Mr. Rosenthals expose of predatory lending in New Yorks taxi medallion industry, which devastated a generation of drivers.
4 Children Killed When Semi Slams Into Car on I-70, Driver Arrested: Police

A semi-truck crashed into a car that was slowed in a construction zone on Interstate 70 in Indiana, killing four children, and now police believe drugs factored into the accident.

A 2004 Kenworth semi pulling a box trailer was driving on the interstate in Wayne County before it attempted to merge left into the passing lane in a construction zone, police told WANE-TV. Officials said the truck failed to slow down before hitting a Chevrolet vehicle, pushing the car into another semi-truck.

The four children inside the vehicle who died were identified as 15-year-old Anesa Noel Acosta, 13-year-old Quintin Michael McGowan, 8-year-old Brekkin Riley Bruce, and 6-year-old Trentin Beau Bruce, authorities said. The driver, 34-year-old Aaron Bruce, suffered severe injuries and was transported to a hospital.

Cory Withrow, the semi-truck driver, escaped with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police said in a statement that drugs were a contributing factor in causing the crash and that criminal charges are forthcoming before Withrow was taken to the Wayne County Jail on driving while intoxicated and reckless homicide charges.

Corey Withrow was arrested on charges of driving while intoxicated and reckless homicide in connection with the crash. (Wayne County Sheriffs Office)

The Kenworth failed to slow down and hit a Chevrolet passenger car in the rear that was slowed in the right lane, pushing it forward into the left rear corner of a semi trailer which was also in the right lane directly in front of the passenger car, said a news release from Indiana State Police. The first semi continued pushing the passenger car into the left lane and eventually off onto the berm of the left lane where the two vehicles burst into flames. A passerby was able to pull the driver of the passenger car out of the vehicle, but none of his passengers.

Officials said the other semi-truck driver, Thomas Flaherty, was not injured, WISH-TV reported.

Wayne County Sheriff Randy Retter, meanwhile, said that an investigation is underway.

Investigators were able to review data as well as other evidence indicating traffic was flowing freely at the time of the crash and were able to rule out any back-up or stopped traffic contributing to the crash, Retter said, according to WHIO. Officers investigating the crash suspected Withrow was under the influence of drugs at the time of the crash. Preliminary toxicology reports indicated that Withrow had multiple drugs in his system, Retter said.

Other details about the incident were not provided.
Shanghai: Kazakhstan has dismissed as incorrect a warning by the Chinese embassy for its citizens to guard against an outbreak of pneumonia in the central Asian nation that it described as being more lethal than the coronavirus.

In a statement late on Thursday on its official WeChat account, the Chinese embassy flagged a "significant increase" in cases in the Kazakh cities of Atyrau, Aktobe and Shymkent since mid-June.

On Friday, however, Kazakhstan's Healthcare Ministry branded Chinese media reports based on the embassy statement as "fake news".

Turkish health officials perform an impromptu dance to celebrate the end of quarantine for health workers returning from Kazakhstan and Russia. Credit:AP

The ministry said its tallies of bacterial, fungal and viral pneumonia infections, which also included cases of unclear causes, were in line with World Health Organisation guidelines.




BEING taken into a quarantine centre caused enough strain for a Victoria Falls family but being labelled Covid-19 patients by fellow residents, even after testing negative and getting discharged, is too traumatising to an extent that the family wants to relocate.





Mr Trust Mlauzi (54), his wife Ms Misiwe Moyo (52), their 17-year-old daughter, four-year-old son and five-year-old grandson spent 11 days at Mosi-oa-Tunya High School quarantine centre where they were procedurally taken to by the Covid-19 Rapid Response Team (RRT) early last month.





This was after the family failed to notify authorities about the 17-year-old girl and grandson who had illegally returned from South Africa using umalayitsha.





The RRT raided and took the five, and warned co-tenants to keep to their side of the house or risk be taken into quarantine as well.





Also raided separately on the same day were Mr Thomas Sibanda (53) who had sneaked into the country from Namibia where he was based and Mr Cabangani Sibindi (33), who was fished from home in Matetsi, about 40km outside Victoria Falls after illegally returning from South Africa in May to attend his mothers funeral. The two were also taken to the quarantine centre and have also been released.





Mr Mlauzis 25-year-old son Khulekani was not at home when his parents and siblings were taken away.





While they were taken in as a family, they lived separately at the quarantine centre for 11 days.





The family is one of the many that have been separately raided and quarantined for harbouring illegal returnees.





Recently 23 members of two families in Malunku area in Lupane were quarantined at Mabhikwa High School quarantine centre after they harboured two relatives who had returned from South Africa.





The 23 were released from the quarantine centre after testing negative to Covid-19 while their two relatives are still isolated at St Lukes Hospital isolation centre.





Name calling and even avoiding people who have been discharged from quarantine for Covid-19 is prevalent among communities.





While the Mlauzi family had no problem with being quarantined as it acknowledged the process as one of Covid-19 prevention measures, they are concerned about the trauma they are going through as a result of discrimination by members of the public.





Mr Mlauzi said his daughter and grandson arrived on June 1 and he had planned to approach a local councillor two days later to seek guidance on how to handle the whole issue.





While I was at work my wife phoned me saying there were two police officers at home asking about our daughter. I found police cars and an ambulance parked at home when I knocked off and I almost collapsed thinking something bad had happened. I told them I didnt know the procedure hence I had planned to go to the councillor over the issue because I would have missed work because of that.





You can imagine the trauma of being carried in an ambulance with all its sirens and lights on and escorted by police. Scores of neighbours gathered to witness this and it has affected us as a family. The community now treats us like people with leprosy. You can feel and see it in people each time you go out. People refer to us as coronavirus patients and whenever we meet they ask about how were feeling. Its traumatising. I wish we could just carry our house and go to a totally new place where we are not known, said a distressed Mr Mlauzi, as he requested that no picture of his family be published.





While he commended social welfare and health staff at the quarantine centre for taking good care of him and his family, Mr Mlauzi said the excitement about being released from quarantine was short-lived because of the stigma they found in the community.





He said they have tried to just ignore and stay indoors.





Some dont speak directly but we overhear when they talk. I am still going to work but some always make funny jokes saying I should be taken back to quarantine. I dont know if they are really joking or its their way of reminding me about what I have gone through, Mr Mlauzi lamented, telling rumour mongers to stop spreading rubbish or ask if something really tickles them to talk.





They were tested on the eighth day after their arrival at the quarantine centre with results coming three days later.





Mr Mlauzi said he and his family were too anxious while waiting for the results as they were scared they may be positive.





Ms Moyo, who sells home-made floor polish, also narrated how residents have come up with derogatory names for her. She said her daughter is the worst affected as her friends have even abandoned her.





People are saying our daughter came back very sick and seriously coughing hence the reason for being quarantined. Some have even gone further and alleged the whole family is sick. Someone even approached my relative and told her that we had been taken to Mkhosana clinic after being diagnosed of Covid-19, which is not true. I have been selling cobra since 1995 and now whenever I go out to sell people ask about my health while now refering to me as that coronavirus positive woman who sells cobra.





This has traumatised my daughter and she no longer goes outside her room. We could still be on lockdown but we are allowed to go the shops which she is scared of doing because of peoples behaviour. People are referring to her as a sick person and this has destroyed her self-esteem. Some of her friends have also deserted her which is worrying to us her parents. She is now contemplating going to South Africa once the lockdown is over. We dont want that because she is still young. People should stay away from other peoples business, Ms Moyo said.





She said they had given everything to God, as she commended members of the Twelve Apostles Church for standing by the family.





Khulekani blamed the trauma on authorities for the way his family was taken. While that was procedural, authorities should have used a better way to protect us than to draw attention of the whole community. It was as if there had been accident or someone had died hence this stigma, he said.





While the community may despise the family, its prudent to remind members of the public that people coming from quarantine centres are safer from Covid-19 because they have been tested.





Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Richard Moyo who is also chairperson of the provincial taskforce for Covid-19, said discrimination of people released from quarantine is worrying.





He said efforts are being made through awareness campaigns to educate members of the community not to discriminate against each other.





As our quarantine centres continue to receive more returnees, we urge communities to welcome back returning citizens and help them reintegrate with the society. Together we can fight stigma and discrimination of both survivors and our returning citizens. Lets support them to adjust to life with us.





We once had a report about members of the public in Lupane that were running away from someone who had been released from quarantine. We sent a team to educate villagers about the virus and quarantine rules.




A Toronto woman has made headlines in Canada after she refused to wear a mask at a hospital on July 4.

Letitia Montana, who recorded this footage, said she was escorted from St Josephs Health Centre by three security guards for refusing to wear a mask when asked. She was seeking treatment at the hospital for a suspected broken finger, she said.

I was asked to wear a mask, which I refused to do, she wrote on Twitter. As a result, hospital staff asked me to leave and immediately called three security guards to escort me out.

This video, which had been viewed six million times by July 10, shows medical staff asking her to wear a mask in the building, citing government policy.

Youre going to deny me service if I dont wear a mask? Montana asks in the footage.

Im at St Josephs hospital theyre telling me that if i dont wear a mask theyre not going to assist me. They want me to leave, she adds.

According to CTV News, Unity Health Toronto said staff at St Josephs were following guidelines set out by Ontarios Ministry of Health.

At St Josephs and any of our Unity Health Toronto sites, you will be asked questions about any COVID-19 related symptoms, to wear a mask and remember to maintain physical distancing in all parts of the hospital, they said.

Ontarios health minister, Christine Elliott, thanked staff at the hospital. When seeking care, each of us should follow all protocols in place at hospitals to help protect frontline workers and other patients, she said, as quoted by CTV News.

It became mandatory to wear a mask in all public, indoor spaces in Toronto on July 7. Letitia Montana was present at an anti-mask rally on the same day. Credit: Letitia Montana via Storyful
The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday attached about Rs2,800 crore worth of property, including flats in London and New York, belonging to Yes Bank co-founder Rana Kapoor and the Wadhawan brothers of DHFL company. An ED official said that of the attached properties, Rs1,400-crore worth properties belonged to Kapoor and his family members.

Kapoor's frozen assets include a bungalow (no 40) located at the upmarket Amrita Shergill Marg in Delhi that is worth Rs 685 crore, an independent residential building 'Khursidabad' at Cumbala Hill in south Mumbai, three duplex flats at Napean Sea Road in Mumbai, a residential flat in NCPA, Nariman Point and eight flats in India Bulls Blue in the Worli area of Maharashtra's capital city, the ED said. "These attached assets relating to Rana Kapoor and linked entities have a total value of Rs 792 crore but their present market value is Rs 1,400 crore," the agency said. I

In the case of Dewan Housing Finance Corporation (DHFL) promoter brothers Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan, the value of the attached properties is Rs 1,411.9 crore that includes a dozen flats in Khar (West) area of Mumbai, a flat in New York, two flats in London, two land parcels in Pune and nearby Mulshi, a commercial property in Australia, five luxury vehicles and 344 bank accounts, the ED said.

An ED official said that the agency has issued a provisional order, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), for attachment of properties. The present market value of these assets is more than Rs 2,800 crore, he said.

The agency had filed a PMLA case against the three men early this year and has accused Kapoor, his family members and others of laundering proceeds of crime worth Rs 4,300 crore by receiving alleged kickbacks in lieu of extending big loans through their bank that later turned into non-performing assets (NPA). An alleged dubious link between Yes Bank and DHFL is under the ED's probe scanner.

During April-June 2018, Yes Bank Limited had invested Rs 3,700 crore in short term debentures of DHFL, a company belonging to the Wadhawans, for which kickback of Rs 600 crore was paid to Rana Kapoor and his family members in the garb of loan, the ED alleged.

In addition, Yes Bank had also sanctioned a loan of Rs 750 crore to a RKW Developers group company beneficially owned by Wadhawans and their family members for their Bandra Reclamation Project in Mumbai but the whole amount was siphoned off by the brothers through their shell companies and was never used for the declared purpose, the probe agency has alleged.
Haitian death squad leader Emmanuel Toto Constant, who was jailed after his deportation to Haiti by the Trump administration nearly three weeks ago, could soon find himself a free man.

The governments chief prosecutor in the northern city of Gonaives assigned to his case told the Miami Herald that he doesnt have any information about Constants alleged crimes or his 2000 murder conviction in absentia for the 1994 massacre in the seaside slum of Raboteau, just outside of Gonaives and north of the capital.

I dont have any anything in my hands, Serard Gasius, the prosecutor, said by telephone. If there are no records or anything, I dont think you can hold him in prison. He has rights.

The day after his return to Haiti, Michael Kozak, the acting assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of States Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, said on Twitter: We look to Haitian authorities to pursue justice for victims of the Raboteau massacre & other crimes for which Constant must be held accountable. Haitian justice is promoting rule of law and ending impunity.

On Thursday, the countrys justice minister, Lucmane Delile, was abruptly fired and replaced by Haitian President Jovenel Moise via a presidential decree with Rockfeller Vincent.

A controversial figure, Vincent is a former chief prosecutor from Cap-Haitien who was removed from the judiciary in 2017 for lack of performance but earlier this year was appointed by Moise to head the countrys anti-corruption unit.

Deliles dismissal came just hours after he held a press conference in which he condemned a recent demonstration of force by armed gangs through the streets of Port-au-Prince. The gang members were allowed to freely parade, even though the day before police aggressively fired tear gas against demonstrators during a peaceful sit-in.

It is unclear what the changes mean for Constant, who for now remains in a jail cell in the city of St. Marc, not far from Gonaives.

Story continues

Constant is the founder of the Front for the Advancement and Progress of Haiti, or FRAPH. Under his leadership in the early 1990s, it was considered a brutal paramilitary force, accused of carrying out the extrajudicial killings of an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 Haitians in the aftermath of the 1991 military coup that ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

In a rare 60 Minutes interview, Constant later said that while running FRAPH, which was also accused of rape and torture, he was on the Central Intelligence Agencys payroll.

Two months after the Clinton administration restored Aristide to power in 1994 with the aid of 20,000 U.S. troops, Constant fled to the U.S. on a visa via Puerto Rico. He later made his way to New York, where attempts by human rights groups to return him to Haiti to stand trial were blocked by the U.S. government.

Convicted rapists, killers among 415 prisoners granted presidential pardons in Haiti

But in May, he showed up on a deportation flight manifest with 100 other Haitian detainees, listed as a High Profile Removal. He had been released into the Department of Homeland Securitys custody after serving 12 years on convictions for grand larceny and mortgage fraud.

After his scheduled deportation was exposed by the Haiti Relief and Reconstruction Watch blog, it was halted.

Last month, however, the Trump administration finally succeeded in returning him to Haiti, where he was immediately arrested.

For years, the international community has noted the dysfunction of Haitis judicial system. So this would be a stark symptom of how dysfunctional the system is: It has no records of convictions in high profile murder trials, said Robert Maguire, the former chair of the Haitian Area Studies program at the State Departments Foreign Service Institute who once served as an expert witness in a New York civil suit filed by three of Constants Haiti torture victims. Its very bizarre.

Gasius, the Gonaives prosecutor, said he wrote to the Haitian supreme court two weeks ago requesting documents and has not heard anything. He also said that Constants lawyers have filed a habeas corpus motion before the dean of the court in order to try to secure his release.

Mario Joseph, the Haitian human rights lawyer who got the guilty verdict in the Raboteau Massacre on behalf of the victims, said the government is playing games, and he will personally see to it that Gasius receives a copy of the judgment that convicted Constant and 14 others in absentia, and 38 others who were tried in person.

Those convictions were later overturned by a high court in Haiti after Aristide was ousted for a second time in 2005.

Why is he writing the supreme court? Joseph, who is with the Bureau des Avocats Internationaux, which also secured a landmark $140 million award to the victims families, said. He knows that they would not have the verdict. People who were judged in absentia cannot appeal to the supreme court so there would not be a file there.

He said if Gasius really wanted a copy of the judgment, he could ask Jean Robert Gabriel, a former associate who was also convicted in absentia for Raboteau and two years ago was appointed to the high command of the revived Haitian army.

Prior to Constants deportation, U.S. Reps. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., and Andy Levin, D-Mich., both urged the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department to postpone Constants removal from the U.S. until Haiti could provide a plan on how it will protect his victims, and prosecute him.

Constants deportation came not only amid a rapidly spreading COVID-19 in Haiti, but during a work stoppage by judges that forced the closure of the courts.

Former paramilitary leader Emmanuel Constant, center, is detained by Haitian police after arriving at the Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Tuesday, June 23, 2020.

Gasius said when Constant was eventually transferred from Port-au-Prince, no documents followed him.

To hold him in jail you need to have a file; you cant go to court if you dont have a dossier, Gasius said. I cannot invent files.

Gasius noted that 26 years have passed since Raboteau. Not only has a lot of turmoil taken place in a volatile Haiti but there has been an earthquake, which leveled a government building where files disappeared in the rubble. Haiti, he said, remains a pen and paper society where records are not digitized.

Its not easy to find files after 26 years, he said.

Maguire, the Haiti expert, said if the Haitian government is serious about prosecuting Constant there are various sources it can turn to for documents, from the lawyers who tried the case to the United Nations records depot.

It was fair to ask whether this government wanted to prosecute in the first place, he said. It does kind of smell like a rationale for letting Mr. Constant free.

When Jean-Claude fell, one of the big cries among Haitis people was an end to impunity, said Maguire, recalling the 1986 ouster of dictator Jean-Claude Baby Doc Duvalier from power and the end of his familys nearly 30-year tyrannical reign.

And if there has been one huge failure over the past 34 years, its that impunity has reigned sovereign in Haiti and this is nothing different.
(Natural News) Margie Danchin, an academic associated with the vaccine industry, has called for the imminent tour of the movie Vaxxed: From Cover-up to Catastrophe to be stopped in Australia, as reported in the biased Sydney Morning Herald.

(Article by Elizabeth Hart republished from ChildrensHealthDefense.org)

Danchin is described as a leading immunisation researcher who is apparently concerned about anti-vaccination activity. She is yet another self-appointed vaccine defender who stands in the way of open discussion of vaccination policy and vaccine safety  but what exactly is her expertise in this area, what qualifies her to shut others down?

See below independent vaccination campaigner Elizabeth Harts email to Margie Danchin questioning her expertise, and raising her conflicts of interest. Its time to bring these people to account.

22 June 2020

For the attention of:

A/Professor Margie Danchin

Murdoch Childrens Research Institute

Dear A/Prof Danchin, recently you featured in an article in The Sydney Morning Herald titled: Dangerous: Researchers note massive uptick in anti-vaccination activity, 14 June 2020, This is just one of a series of articles published lately with an anti-vaxxer theme.

In Wendy Tuohys article, you are described as a leading immunisation researcher. A/Prof Danchin, can you please advise me, what expertise do you have in all the vaccine products and revaccinations on the National Immunisation Program Schedule, and adverse events after vaccination?

Do you think people should be forbidden from asking questions about the burgeoning number of vaccine products and revaccinations on the taxpayer-funded schedule? Do you think it appropriate that people who raise questions about vaccination policy are denigrated and marginalised as anti-vaxxers? Are you aware that children and adults have experienced adverse events after vaccination, for example as reported in the TGAs Database of Adverse Event Notifications? Are you aware that the TGA acknowledges that adverse events are likely to be under-reported?

A/Prof Danchin, judging by the tone of your comments in Wendy Tuohys article, you are very protective of vaccine products. You are a member of the industry-funded Immunisation Coalition, which is funded by vaccine manufacturers CSL/Seqirus, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, MSD (Merck) and Sanofi. Why wasnt this conflict of interest disclosed in Wendy Tuohys article?

A/Prof Danchin, you are associated with the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, which is involved in vaccine product research and development. Rupert Murdochs mother Dame Elisabeth Murdoch was involved with the founding of the original institute, and Sarah Murdoch is a member of the Board and the Ambassador for the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute. The Murdoch-run News Corp is a corporate partner of the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute and the News Corp tabloids were behind the No Jab, No Play media campaign, which was obligingly adopted as policy by politicians across the political spectrum in Australia, and enacted as the coercive No Jab, No Pay law under Malcolm Turnbull as Prime Minister in January 2016. Members of the coercive vaccination lobby groups SAVN and Friends of Science in Medicine, e.g. John Cunningham and David Hawkes, were influential at the Senate Committee hearing regarding the No Jab, No Pay Bill in November 2015, which was attended by SAVN supporter Senator Richard Di Natale. As far as Im aware, neither John Cunningham nor David Hawkes are experts in the wide range of vaccine products on the National Immunisation Program Schedule.

A/Prof Danchin, I suggest there are serious conflicts of interest in the relationship between the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute and News Corp, and that News Corps corporate partnership with the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute should have been disclosed in its No Jab, No Play articles arguing for coercive vaccination policy, which resulted in the No Jab, No Pay Law.

Taxpayer-funded vaccination policy is a very serious matter. Vaccine products are medical interventions, an ever-increasing number of which are being pressed upon mass populations of children and adults. There must be transparency and accountability for vaccination policy. I request you wind back your anti-vaccination rhetoric, and treat this matter seriously.

Given your description as a leading immunisation researcher, I request your response detailing your expertise in the vaccine products and revaccinations on the National Immunisation Program Schedule. Also, please note I have referred to Wendy Tuohys article, and you, in my recent email to Peter Costello, which raises the subject of conflicts of interest, please see below for your information.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Hart

Read more at : ChildrensHealthDefense.org
The belief that much news coverage is biased against President Trump goes without saying. But every now and then there comes an episode of bias so egregious that it deserves attention. The coverage of the presidents July 3 speech at Mount Rushmore is one of those episodes.

The Wall Street Journal editorial page called it one of the best speeches of Trumps time in office. Conservative intellectual Roger Kimball called it perhaps his most forceful and eloquent to date. The message, Kimball said, was an invitation to unity in the midst of conflict.

Indeed, Trumps theme was a call for Americans to unite in the face of threat. Standing in front of Mount Rushmores massive images of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt, Trump celebrated American giants in full flesh and blood, gallant men whose intrepid deeds unleashed the greatest leap of human advancement the world has ever known.

Trump praised Americas founding as not only a revolution in government, but a revolution in the pursuit of justice, equality, liberty and prosperity. No nation has done more to advance the human condition than the United States of America. And no people have done more to promote human progress than the citizens of our great nation.

The key to the Founders genius was that they enshrined a divine truth that changed the world forever when they said: all men are created equal,  Trump said. These immortal words set in motion the unstoppable march of freedom.

The nation created an extraordinary people. Trump not only recounted the biographies of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt. He celebrated many more: Andrew Jackson. Ulysses S. Grant. Frederick Douglass. Wild Bill Hickock. Buffalo Bill Cody. The Wright Brothers. The Tuskegee Airmen. Harriet Tubman. Clara Barton. Jesse Owens. Gen. George Patton. Louie Armstrong. Alan Shepard. Elvis Presley. Muhammad Ali. Walt Whitman. Mark Twain. Irving Berlin. Ella Fitzgerald. Frank Sinatra. Bob Hope. And more.

But the country that produced all that greatness faces a new and dangerous threat, Trump said. Our nation is witnessing a merciless campaign to wipe out our history, defame our heroes, erase our values and indoctrinate our children. Angry mobs are trying to tear down statues of our Founders, deface our most sacred memorials and unleash a wave of violent crime in our cities. Many of these people have no idea why they are doing this, but some know exactly what they are doing. They think the American people are weak and soft and submissive. But no, the American people are strong and proud, and they will not allow our country, and all of its values, history and culture, to be taken from them.

The violence, and the cancel culture that goes with it, is part of a left-wing cultural revolution, Trump said. They would tear down the principles that propelled the abolition of slavery in America and, ultimately, around the world, ending an evil institution that had plagued humanity for thousands and thousands of years. Our opponents would tear apart the very documents that Martin Luther King used to express his dream, and the ideas that were the foundation of the righteous movement for Civil Rights. They would tear down the beliefs, culture and identity that have made America the most vibrant and tolerant society in the history of the Earth.

But America will prevail, Trump declared. Equal opportunity, equal justice, open debate, tolerance, love of country  those are the values that will ultimately win over the disorder now raging in some U.S. cities.

That was the speech: a declaration of Americas virtues, a description of a looming problem, and a reaffirmation of those virtues. To many, it seemed both a soaring tribute to American greatness and an urgent warning of the threats it faces.

But to many journalists, it was a nightmare of darkness. The New York Times headline for its report was Trump Uses Mount Rushmore Speech to Deliver Divisive Culture War Message. Trump delivered a dark and divisive speech, the Times reported, using the holiday and an official presidential address to mount a full-on culture war against a straw-man version of the left. By doing so, especially during the increase in coronavirus cases, the Times declared, Trump risked coming across as out of sync with the concerned mood of the country.

The Washington Post went further. In a story headlined Trumps push to amplify racism unnerves Republicans who have long enabled him, the paper said Trump at Mount Rushmore delivered a harsh denunciation of the racial justice movement and caused Republicans to fear he would forever associat[e] their party with his racial animus. Trumps Fourth of July address, the Post reported, was a dystopian speech in which he excoriated racial justice protesters  a continuation of Trumps race baiting and, at times, outright racism.

To the Post, apparently, tearing down statues, or threatening to tear down statues, of George Washington, not to mention Jefferson, Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant and others, is racial justice protest.

The Post doubled down the next day with an editorial headlined, Trump plumbed new depths of depravity this Fourth of July. Depravity? Did they hear the speech? It was an analysis seemingly untethered to reality.

And it wasnt just the media. Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who is now on Joe Bidens list of possible vice presidential candidates, said Trump at Mount Rushmore spent all his time talking about dead traitors. Maybe she was referring to Confederate leaders, but she missed the fact that Trump said not one word about the Confederacy or any Confederate leaders at Mount Rushmore. Instead, he spent his time talking about Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt, plus the cast of characters mentioned above. Duckworth was completely, entirely, 180 degrees wrong.

There is one lesson from it all. This kind of reporting and commentary will not change, especially in the months preceding an election. That is why it is important for Americans to go to primary sources. If you read that Trump said this or that in a speech, watch a video of the speech. Read the transcript posted on the White House website. Judge for yourself. Perhaps youll reach an entirely different impression from the journalists at the nations largest media outlets.

Byron York is chief political correspondent for The Washington Examiner.
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Linkedin Carol Mang Natalie Thomas (Reuters) Hong Kong/London, United Kingdom  Fri, July 10, 2020 12:15 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406655c3a0 2 World Hong-Kong,Hong-Kongers,overseas,Hong-Kong-autonomy,Hong-Kong-activist,Hong-Kong-protests,Hong-Kong-security-law Free

When college graduate Wong, 23, leaves Hong Kong to escape Beijing's new national security law, it will be his friends, the stunning views over Victoria Harbor and the city's famous dim sum he will miss the most.

Wong is joining a flood of fellow Hong Kongers fleeing what they see as a more authoritarian era under the legislation, which punishes acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and colluding with foreign forces with up to life in prison.

China says the new law is vital to plug gaping holes in national security defenses exposed by months of sometimes violent anti-government and anti-China protests that rocked the city over the last year.

Waving a Union Jack flag, Wong and his family attended some pro-democracy rallies and called on the British government to support residents of its former colony, an act that could now violate the vaguely defined law.

Wong said while the prospect of a new life in a different country is exciting, his family is also fraught with sadness.

"When you pack everything, you're packing your memories in Hong Kong. You got photos and toys from childhood, you are packing your memories into a box and sending them to a foreign country, so it's a very emotional time," he told Reuters.

"Hopefully I can pack up everything," said Wong, who declined to give his full name for fear of retribution.

Wong's parents, an accountant and social worker, both have British National Overseas passports, providing them a path to citizenship in the United Kingdom, where they will fly to next year.

Wong hopes to accompany them but says if he can't due to visa issues, he will consider South Korea until he can join his parents and members of his extended family, who are also leaving for the United Kingdom.

The speed at which Beijing raced through the legislation and a lack of transparency until it took effect close to midnight on June 30 drew criticism from all corners of the world, including Washington, Ottawa, London, Taipei and Japan.

On Thursday, Canberra said it was suspending its extradition treaty with Hong Kong and announced measures to attract people and businesses from the global financial hub.

The Chinese government has condemned foreign interference in the affairs of its freest city.

A Hong Kong immigration lawyer told Reuters she had been inundated with inquiries from people eager to get to Britain since the law was introduced, with a noticeable spike in the number of extended families seeking information.

"One of my friends is a teacher in Hong Kong. She's been teaching for over 10 years and she said she has four siblings and the five families altogether they want to move," said Janine Miu, Managing Director at UK Immigration Specialist.

Miu said she had also seen a shift in the demographic of people rushing for the exit, from more wealthy and experienced people to younger individuals and couples with small children.

Critics of the law fear it will be used by mainland and local authorities to crush dissent in Hong Kong, while supporters say it will bring stability after months of unrest.

Although China's law also applies to activities abroad, Wong plans to lobby overseas support for those he leaves behind.

"I will not turn my back on my own people," he said.
In the midst of India's tense border standoff with China, United States aerospace major Boeing delivered the final five of the 22 Apache attack helicopters to the Indian Air Force around two weeks ago, and the entire fleet is now part of the assets deployed in key air bases along the Line of Actual Control, officials said on Friday.

IMAGE: The AH-64E Apache is one of the world's most advanced multi-role combat helicopters. Photograph: @Boeing_In/Twitter

Boeing said it completed delivery of all 22 Apache and 15 Chinook military helicopters to the IAF and is fully committed to meet the operational needs of the Indian armed forces.

The AH-64E Apache is one of the world's most advanced multi-role combat helicopters and is flown by the US Army.

The Chinook is a multi-role, vertical-lift platform, primarily used for transporting troops, artillery, equipment and fuel.

India signed a multi-billion dollar contract with Boeing to procure 22 Apache helicopters and 15 Chinooks for the IAF in September 2015. Another contract for the acquisition of six Apaches for the Indian Army was signed during President Donald Trump's visit here in February.

Both the Apache and Chinook helicopters have been pressed into service as part of the IAF's deployment along the Line of Actual Control in view of the bitter standoff with China in eastern Ladakh, officials said.

The helicopters are being used primarily to transport troops to various forward locations in eastern Ladakh where Indian and Chinese militaries were on a eight-week standoff. Both sides have completed disengagement from three major friction points this week.

"With this delivery of military helicopters, we continue to nurture this partnership and are fully committed to working closely with India's defence forces to deliver the right value and capabilities to meet their operational needs," said Surendra Ahuja, Managing Director, Boeing Defence India.

India is one of 17 nations to select the Apache and has the most advanced variant, the AH-64E Apache.

IMAGE: The Chinook is a multi-role, vertical-lift platform, primarily used for transporting troops, artillery, equipment and fuel. Photograph: @Boeing_In/Twitter

Defence and security ties between India and the US have been on an upswing in the last six years.

The bilateral defence trade touched USD 18 billion mark in 2019, reflecting growing defence cooperation between the two sides.

Both sides have also been pushing for joint venture and collaboration between private sectors of the two countries in defence manufacturing.

In June 2016, the US had designated India a "Major Defence Partner," intending to elevate defence trade and technology sharing with New Delhi to a level commensurate with that of its closest allies and partners.

In a statement, Boeing said the AH-64E Apache has an improved modernised target acquisition designation system that provides day and night target tracking system.

"In addition to classifying air and ground targets, the fire control radar has been updated to operate in the maritime environment. It is uniquely suited to meet a commander's needs, including reconnaissance, security, peacekeeping operations, and lethal attack, across myriad environments - without reconfiguration," the Boeing said.

It said 20 defence forces around the world either have Chinooks in service, or are on contract to receive them.

"The iconic tandem-rotor helicopter has been the world's most reliable and efficient heavy-lift helicopter for more than 50 years, allowing customers to operate in climatic (hot), altitude (high), and crosswind conditions," the company said.

It said the CH-47F(I) Chinook contains a modern machined airframe, a common avionics architecture system cockpit, and a digital automatic flight control system.

"Those innovations and technologies will help the Indian Air Force meet evolving mission demands, maximize interoperability, and reduce life-cycle costs," it said.

Boeing's joint venture with Tata in Hyderabad has been producing aero-structures for the AH-64 Apache helicopter for both US Army and international customers.
Comparisons of events can be twisted too easily to make tidy points. The coronavirus pandemic and 1995 heat wave are singular calamities. And yet there is an important similarity, rooted in a communal slowness to absorb and respond to new threats that present themselves murkily at first. Any potential danger that can be ignored is more likely to be ignored  until the threat is obvious. Humans can be selfish that way.
NEW YORK, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- NYU Langone Health continues to broaden access to primary and specialty care in Nassau County, welcoming three board-certified specialists in obstetrics, gynecology, and gastroenterology to its physician network on Long Island.

"We tailor our clinical services to meet the needs of patients where they live and work, so they can receive care without the need to travel far," said Andrew Rubin, senior vice president for clinical affairs and ambulatory care at NYU Langone.

NYU Langone Women's Health AssociatesWoodbury

Longtime colleagues Steven D. Cohen, MD, and Wendy R. Frost, NP, from the newly renamed NYU Langone Women's Health AssociatesWoodbury, provide wellness care and expertise in the management of a variety of gynecologic conditions. They also offer obstetrics care for pregnancy, including those at high-risk, with virtual maternal-fetal consultations available with specialists at NYU Winthrop Hospital.

Dr. Cohen conducts minimally invasive surgery and deliveries at NYU Winthrop, which has an internationally renowned Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, as well as the only fetal surgery program on Long Island.

"I've always felt a strong connection to the team at NYU Winthrop, having delivered many babies there over the years, and now we're officially a part of the NYU Langone family," said Dr. Cohen.

In addition to seeing patients in the Woodbury office, Dr. Cohen and Frost also see patients at NYU Langone Women's Health AssociatesNew Hyde Park.

Expanding World-Class Gastroenterology Care

Expanding its gastroenterology network on Long Island, NYU Langone also recently welcomed Chaim Ross, MD, at NYU Langone at Great Neck Medical, and Leah M. Lieber, MD, at NYU Langone Ambulatory Care Lake Success. These physicians provide general gastrointestinal (GI) care for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of digestive disorders.

Before joining NYU Langone's faculty group practice, Dr. Ross was an attending physician at NYU Winthrop, where he received their "Attending of the Year" award for internal medicine several years in a row.

"Building trusting relationships with my patients is a critical aspect of the care I provide," said Dr. Ross. "It allows me to tailor treatment to their specific needs, so I'm able to care for the whole patient, not just their condition."

Dr. Lieber, who trained in hepatology and nutrition, consults with patients about healthy food choices and exercise to treat GI issues. She also specializes in women's health-related GI conditions, like abdominal bloating, as well as fatty liver disease and other obesity-related GI issues.

Having gastroenterology services embedded within a larger multispecialty practice enables doctors to provide streamlined care for patients. "GI issues present themselves in different ways, so often patients first discuss their problems with their primary care physician, who then promptly refers them to me  usually during the same appointment  for diagnosis and treatment," said Dr. Lieber.

High-Quality, Integrated Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond

During the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, NYU Langone locations remained open and put in place strict safety procedures following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Patients can now safely reschedule any surgeries and appointments postponed during COVID-19 and receive the highest level of care.

"We are taking extraordinary precautions to make sure our physician practices, emergency rooms, and hospitals are as safe as they can possibly be," said Rubin.

NYU Langone has maintained its position as a national leader while growing its ambulatory care network throughout New York City, Long Island, and Florida. In 2019, NYU Langone received the Ambulatory Care Quality and Accountability Award from Vizient, Inc., for demonstrating excellence in delivering high-quality, efficient, and effective patient-centered care in its outpatient settings.

Media Inquiries

Deborah "DJ" Haffeman

Phone: 646-284-5630

[email protected]

SOURCE NYU Langone Health

Related Links

http://www.med.nyu.edu


Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 16:24:45|Editor: huaxia

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ULAN BATOR, July 10 (Xinhua) -- A 42-year-old Mongolian woman gave birth to twins on a chartered flight from Istanbul, Turkey to Mongolia's capital Ulan Bator early Friday.

"The twin baby girls were born two months early and their mother is now under isolation and medical observation," Dulmaa Nyamkhuu, head of Mongolia's National Center for Communicable Diseases said Friday at a press conference.

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, Mongolia has been bringing back its citizens from abroad in stages via chartered flights, buses and trains.

The woman is one of over 260 Mongolian nationals who returned from Turkey on a chartered flight early Friday, according to the center. Enditem
Plus, Bill's Message of the Day, who are the most admired people in America?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Punjab National Bank, Indias second-largest state-run lender that has been hit by a slew of recent scandals, on Thursday reported another loan fraud.

A fraud of 36.9 billion rupees ($492 million) is being reported to the Reserve Bank of India in the accounts of Dewan Housing Finance Corp., Punjab National Bank said in an exchange filing. The lender has set aside 12.5 billion rupees of provisions pertaining to this incident, it said.

Dewan Housing is a financier seized by the regulator in November as India stepped up efforts to contain a brewing shadow banking crisis. Punjab National Bank in June reported about 735 billion rupees of gross bad loans for the quarter ended March 31 -- 14.21% of total advances down from 15.5% the previous quarter.

This is the fourth scandal Punjab National Bank is complaining of in three years. In 2018 it alleged it was swindled of $2 billion by a jeweler who colluded with bank officials. It reported two more incidents stemming from improper loans last year.

Managing Director S.S. Mallikarjuna Rao had said in June the lender is clearing a backlog of provisions and expects to post net income in every quarter of the financial year started April 1. He also said Punjab National Bank is looking to cement more prudential measures to avoid potential fraud.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Easton police, responding Thursday night to an open line 911 call that included a person saying Why you going to shoot me?, arrested a 40-year-old city man and recovered an AR-15 rifle and ammunition, court papers say.

Officers arriving at the 9:18 p.m. call to 1322 Liberty St. were greeted by a very agitated James Edward Ryerson, of that address, who said, You better get him out of my house right now, court papers say. Ryerson claimed the man he referenced was Intimate with Ryersons girlfriend, police said.

The victim told officers that Ryerson came into the West Ward home screaming about the alleged infidelity, then removed the rifle from a gun safe, pointed it at the man and threatened to kill him and a woman, police said.

The male victim feared for his life and thought he was definitely going to be shot, police said.

Ryerson admitted to an officer that he threatened to shoot the man, police said.

Ryerson was arraigned at 12:30 a.m. Friday before District Judge Robert Weber on charges of aggravated assault, terroristic threats and simple assault, records show. Ryerson was housed in Northampton County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail, records show..

A preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled 9 a.m. July 20 in District Judge Richard Yetter IIIs court in Wilson Borough, records show.

Court papers didnt list an attorney for Ryerson.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting lehighvalleylive.com with a voluntary subscription.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com.
China and India should be partners, rather than rivals said Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong on Friday over India-China border issue, adding that both the nations need to find a reasonable solution mutually acceptable through equal consultation and peaceful negotiation.

The border tension between India and China escalated on June 15 when 20 Indian Army personnel were martyred after violent clashes with Chinese troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Galwan Valley of eastern Ladakh.

In an official statement, Weidong said, "China and India have the boundary question left over by history, which is sensitive and complicated. We need to find a fair and reasonable solution mutually acceptable through equal consultation and peaceful negotiation. Pending an ultimate settlement, we both agree to work together to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas."

On June 15, there was an incident causing casualties at the Galwan Valley in the western sector of the China-India border. It was a situation neither China nor India would like to see, said Weidong.

On July 5, the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval had a conversation over the phone and reached a positive consensus on easing the current border situation. Currently, our front line troops are disengaging on the ground in accordance with the consensus reached by the Military Corp Commander talks.

At the backdrop of what recently happened at the Galwan Valley, some quarters in India raise doubts about the consensus reached by the two leaders, and have the wrong perception of the direction of China-India relations, he said. These have brought disruptions to the bilateral relationship.

"I have noticed some emerging opinions in recent days which repudiate the essence of China-India friendship due to the border-related incidents, make false assumptions about Chinas intentions, exaggerate conflicts and provoke confrontations, and regard a close neighbour over thousands of years as enemies and strategic threats. It is not a fact. It is harmful indeed and not helpful," he stated.

He added, "During Wuhan Informal Summit in 2018, President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi once again stressed that the two countries provide each other with development opportunities instead of posing threats, which the two sides should adhere to. This is the fundamental judgment on China-India relations, charting the course for the development of our bilateral relations."

"We should naturally see each other as positive factors in the changing global landscape as well as partners in realizing our respective dream of development. China hopes itself will develop well and wishes India the same. Only through correct view of each others intentions with a positive, open and inclusive attitude, we can ensure stable and long-term development of bilateral relations and avoid any strategic miscalculation," he stated.

China and India need peace rather than confrontation.

"Cooperation benefits both while confrontation serves neither. As two major neighbouring countries, it is natural that China and India may have some differences. We have been holding dialogues and negotiations to manage differences. We should always bear in mind the overall bilateral relations, put differences in an appropriate place and not allow differences to interfere with bilateral relations," he said.

"We have so far established a number of mechanisms such as the Special Representatives talks on the China-India Boundary Question, and maintained smooth communication through diplomatic and military channels. During the phone conversation between the two Special Representatives couple of days ago, both sides agreed to follow the important consensus reached by leaders of the two countries. Both believed that maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas matters significantly to the long-term development of the bilateral relationship, that the boundary question should be placed properly in the bilateral relations, and that an escalation from differences to disputes should be avoided. Both sides reiterated adherence to the agreements signed by the two countries and making joint efforts to ease the situation in the border areas," he added.

"China has all along advocated that peace is of paramount importance. We are neither a warlike state nor an assertive country. The right and wrong of what recently happened at the Galwan Valley is very clear. China will firmly safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity and ensure the peace and tranquillity in the border areas. I believe China and India have the wisdom and capability to properly handle differences and not fall into the trap of conflict. We should seek common development as partners rather than opponents or adversaries," he stated.

China and India need to pursue win-win cooperation instead of zero-sum game.

"China and India are the two largest developing countries and emerging economies. Development is our common goal and the most important convergence of interests. As China and India boast huge market potentials and high economic complementarity, we are fully capable of achieving win-win results through cooperation. China has been Indias largest trading partner for many years in a row, with cumulative investment in India exceeding $8 billion US dollars. China-India economic and trade cooperation has not only boosted the industries such as mobile phones, household appliances, infrastructure and automobile making in India but also created a large number of local jobs," he stated.

"Some people have been trumpeting the so-called decoupling of China-India economic and trade relations, with an attempt to completely exclude Made in China. One basic fact they ignore is that the current global industrial and supply chains are formed in a process of natural selection by market optimization over the past decades. The business community and people of India are the beneficiaries of China-India economic and trade cooperation. Any self-protection, non-tariff barriers and restrictive measures against China are unfair to Chinese enterprises, unfair to Indian employees who lost their jobs as a result, and unfair to Indian consumers who can not get access to the products and services they deserve. It will only harm others without benefit to oneself, and it will eventually hurt oneself as well," he added.

China and India need to build trust, rather than suspicion.

"If China and India wish to speed up the realization of our own development and revitalization, mutual respect and support is a sure way and meets the long-term interests of both countries. Suspicion and friction is a wrong path and goes against the fundamental aspiration of the two peoples. To build mutual trust, we need mutual respect and treat each other as equals. We need to be open and inclusive. We need to respect and accommodate mutual core interests and major concerns, adhere to the principle of non-interference in each other's internal affairs. We need to seek convergence while putting aside differences and not impose ones will on the other. We should honour our commitment, walk the talk, and ensure implementation of the leaders consensus in letter and in spirit," he stated.

"The two sides should conduct timely strategic communication, enhance mutual understanding and cooperation, manage differences through dialogue, and firmly grasp the direction of bilateral relations. During their telephone conversation, the two Special Representatives agreed to strengthen communication through the mechanism of the Special Representatives talks, hold Meetings of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on China-India Border Affairs without interruption, consistently improve and strengthen confidence-building measures and prevent more incidents that undermine peace and tranquillity in the border areas. All these will strongly promote the strategic mutual trust between our two countries," he added.

China-India relations should move forward rather than backward.

"This year marks the 70th anniversary of China-India diplomatic ties. At the backdrop of the current international landscape, China-India relations have gone far beyond the bilateral scope and have global strategic significance. As a Chinese saying goes, we have no fear of the clouds that may block our sights as we are already at the top of the height. Now the China-India relations are facing a complex situation. We should take a broader and far-sighted view, work together to overcome and turn it around as soon as possible," he stated.

"We should meet each other halfway, expand the positive dimension of cooperation, narrow down negative factors and refrain from doing harm to mutual trust and cooperation. In the face of the epidemic, we may explore new ways and channels to promote communication and understanding between the two peoples to create a favourable atmosphere for the 70th anniversary of our diplomatic ties. The media outlets of our two countries should also make their efforts in an objective, rational and responsible manner, avoid inciting antagonism in an effort to contribute positive energy to the steady and sound development of China-India relations," he added.

"It is even more important to firmly grasp the consensus reached by our two leaders when the bilateral relations are overshadowed. I believe as long as we follow the guidance of our two leaders, implement the consensus reached by the Special Representatives, focus on friendship and cooperation, defuse suspicion and misgivings, and properly handle differences and sensitive issues, we will be able to address challenges we are facing and bring the bilateral relations back on the right track for a sound and steady development," he stated
Lawyer urges prosecution against Khabarovsk Krai governor over 2019 camp fire

 sledcom.ru

11:23 10/07/2020

MOSCOW, July 10 (RAPSI)  Attorney Igor Trunov has asked the Investigative Committees Chairman Alexander Bastrykin to prosecute Khabarovsk Region governor Sergey Furgal accused of businessmen murders over the 2019 deadly fire in the children's camp Holdomi, according to the applications text obtained by RAPSI.

The Khabarovsk Krai governor personally opened the camp and knew about its unsafe condition but failed to take any steps to improve the situation and prevent the tragedy, the document reads.

The fire occurred in the camp in the night of July 23, 2019. According to the latest numbers, 4 children died. In total, 189 minors aged from 7 to 15 years were in the camp, the press service of the childrens rights commissioner Anna Kuznetsova reported earlier.

On Friday, Moscows Basmanny District Court will consider an investigators motion to detain Furgal in the murder case. According to investigators, crimes were committed by an organized criminal group allegedly led by Furgal in Russias Khabarovsk and Amur Regions in 2004-2005. Earlier, four alleged members of the gang were arrested and placed in detention.




Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday expressed regret over the damage caused to places of worship in the Secretariat premises during demolition works and said new ones would be built in a more spacious area, a statement welcomed by AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi.

The BJP, meanwhile, warned the KCR government of "serious consequences and backlash from Hindus across Telangana for demolishing a Hindu temple in the state secretariat complex" and demanded construction of a new one.

According to an official release, Rao said he came to know that a temple and mosque suffered damage after debris fell on them when multi-storied old buildings abutting them were being brought down.

"I felt sorry about the incident.It should not have happened.

The government's intention is to build a new complex by demolishing the old buildings without causing any damage to the temple or the mosque," the release quoted him as saying.

The Chief Minister said a new temple and mosque would be built over a more spacious area even if it meant spending crores of rupees.

He said he would soon hold a meeting with the managements of the temple and mosque, and take their views. He promised that the places of worship would also be built along with the new Secretariat complex.

"Telangana State is a secular State. We will continue the secular spirit come what may.This incident happened unexpectedly.Everyone should understand this properly without prejudice," Rao said.

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi welcomed Rao's statement.

"Detailed statement will be issued by United Muslim Forum very soon.I welcome the statement issued by @TelanganaCMO expressing government regret on the demolition of Masjids and Temples during the demolition of the Secretariat buildings," he tweeted.

United Muslim Forum comprises various Muslim organisations and AIMIM is also a part of it.

State Home Minister Mohammad Mahmood Ali and the Telangana Non-Gazetted Officers Association (TNGO) also welcomed Raos decision to construct a new mosque and temple.

Alleging that the TRS government has undertaken an "insulting and insinuating act of demolishing Hindus religious place of worship unilaterally", BJP chief spokesperson in Telangana Krishna Saagar Rao demanded that the chief minister visit the "demolished site personally and apologize for this government's action."

The BJP also demanded that a new temple be constructed at the same place by the state government with immediate effect.

Senior Congress leader Mohammed Ali Shabbir had yesterday alleged that places of worship in the Secretariat complex were demolished along with the old buildings that are being razed.

The state government began the demolition of the secretariat building complex on July 7 to pave the way for construction of a new secretariat. The move came days after the Telangana High Court dismissed a bunch of PILs challenging the state's decision to construct a new secretariat complex here.
Source: Reuters

S Irudaya Rajan

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Target 10.7 recognises the role of migration in development and requires member states to facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies. On the ground, however, COVID-19 crisis is seeing countries move in the opposite direction.

The current crisis is seeing a lot countries use it as a pretence to implement stricter visa regimes and border controls, which are pushing helpless migrants back to their countries of origin without salaries and final financial settlements.

The recent announcement of the expat quota Bill approved by the legal and legislative committee of Kuwait National Assembly is a case in point. According to some news reports, Kuwait's Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al Khalid Al Sabah had earlier proposed reducing the number of expats from current 70 percent to 30 percent in Kuwait population. Similarly, Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem re-iterated this point by publically announcing that he and a group of lawmakers will submit to the assembly a comprehensive draft law calling for a gradual reduction of expats in Kuwait  from 70 percent to 65 percent next year.

Same Story, Little Changes

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

We have seen that whenever a crisis unfolds (global financial crisis, Arab Spring, crash in oil prices and, now, COVID-19), destination countries normally announce several short-, medium- and long-term measures to control immigration or to protect the local workforce, despite accruing the immense gains of immigration and immigrants in the past.

The same logic has been recently applied in the United States as well by banning crucial F-1, J-1, M-1 and H1B visas for political gains to ensure local and Right-wing support for the forthcoming presidency elections. Thus, the labour market nationalisation drives in West Asian countries are not being implemented for the first time.

Way back in 2001, during my first visit to the United Arab Emirates, while visiting the Indian embassy, an adviser (expatriate) to the UAE government informed us about demographic imbalances and a proposed Emiratization policy to fix it.

Saudi Arabia was the first Gulf country to experiment with national employment rules: The first Saudisation quotas were codified in the late 1940s, but were never implemented consistently. A renewed push for quota-based Saudisation was made with Decree 50 of 1995, which stipulated an annual five percent increase in the employment share of Saudis in all companies with more than 20 employees. To discourage expatriates, all Gulf countries announce disincentive programmes  increase in visa fee, visa renewal fee, health insurance, restrictions on family visa and stagnant wages  to name a few.

This, however, did not do much to reduce the expatriate population. In 1975, Saudi Arabia consisted of 87 percent nationals as against 13 percent expatriates. Among the workers, the ratio was 75 percent nationals to 25 percent expatriates. After more than 40 years of implementing these policies and according to the latest available data, expatriates have increased from 13 to 37 percent!

This is true for all the Gulf countries. According to the latest data, 95 percent of workers in Qatar and the UAE are expatriates, followed by 86 percent in Kuwait, 81 percent in Oman, 73 percent in Bahrain and 57 percent in Saudi Arabia.

Depending on native workers to generate income and growth will take at least three generations to come. This leads us to imagine that a similar fate will unfold with the nationalisation drive in Kuwait as well.

Exact Numbers?

Let us come back to expat quota bill of Kuwait. It is unfortunate that the media, both in India and West Asia, stated that over 800,000 Indians may be forced to leave Kuwait. How did they arrive at the 800,000 figure?

According to the population estimates published by the Central Statistics Bureau of Kuwait, the country has a total population of 4.4 million. Among them 3.1 million are expatriates and 1.3 million are locals  accounting for a 70:30 ratio. According to an earlier research paper of mine on impact of global crisis on emigration and remittances in South Asia, Indians account for the highest expatriates in all the Gulf countries, but the actual numbers are not published officially by all Gulf countries.

According to the population of overseas Indians published in the Ministry of External Affairs, the Government of India puts 1,028,274 as Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and another 1,587 as Persons of Indian Origin, totalling 1,029,861 in Kuwait. The Embassy of India in Kuwait put the number of Indian nationals legally residing in Kuwait at over a million.

The Kerala and Tamil Nadu Migration Surveys, conducted by us at the Centre for Development Studies (CDS) since 1998, put the number of Keralites and Tamils in Kuwait as 130,000 and 140,000 respectively, and these two states dominate the total number of Indians in Kuwait.

It can be safely estimated that one million in Kuwait is an overestimation, unless we conduct an India Migration Survey to provide reliable estimates of Indians by countries of destination. Even if we agree with the Embassy of India in Kuwaits estimate, the proportion of Indians in Kuwait is just 23 percent of its total population  which means that even if the cap reduces to 15 percent as the Bill proposes, only 300,000 Indians are likely to return. Thus it is safe to say that there will be no impact on either Indian emigration to Kuwait or decline in remittances.

What this confusion over the numbers and its impact does imply is a certain mismanagement of migration, which has led to an unnecessary panic among Indians.

For those who do eventually have to come back in the short run, the Government of India will have to think of the rehabilitation, re-integration and when the opportunity presents itself, as it will, the tools required to re-migrate safely with the support of the Skill India Mission.

Business As Usual

Once COVID-19 is gone, it will be business as usual. Unfortunately, most of the expatriates concentrate on the 3D jobs  dirty, dangerous and demeaning. These are categories that local nationals are unlikely to step in and take.

In addition, there are wage differentials between public and private sectors, and also between nationals and expatriates. After a raft of drastic public sector salary increases, the dam al-amala allowances were almost doubled in early 2013 in Kuwait, reaching 790 Kuwaiti Dinar (KD) ($2,800) per month for an unmarried holder of a bachelors degree, and 1,248 KD ($4,400) for a married man with a degree. A high school graduate now receives 557 KD ($2,000). Compare this with how much Indian expatriates are paid. To replace the hardworking Indian with relatively low-wages is easier said than done. To fully replace them will be a herculean task, which I suspect will not so easily come to fruition.

Finally, in 1965, Kuwait nationals accounted for 36 percent of the total population  now its 30 percent. It took five decades for a six percent dropand this gives me confidence that little will change in the near future. In the short run migrants might suffer, but in the long run, they will win.
President Trump on Thursday bragged about how he 'aced' a 'cognitive test' that was administered 'very recently' and that doctors at Walter Reed Medical Center were 'very surprised' that he passed.

Trump also blasted New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on Thursday for helping to paint a huge Black Lives Matter sign right in front of Trump Tower in Manhattan.

During an interview with Fox News on Thursday night, the president slammed his Democratic opponent, Joe Biden, whom he accused of being 'taken over by the radical left.'

Trump said Biden 'didn't take a cognitive test because he couldn't pass one.'

The president added: 'I actually took one very recently when I was - when the radical left was saying, is he all there, is he all there?

President Trump on Thursday told Fox News that he 'aced' a cognitive test during a recent trip to Walter Reed Medical Center. Trump is seen above at the White House meeting with Hispanic leaders on Thursday

'I prove I was all there because I aced it. I aced the test and he should take the same exact test.'

It is unknown if Trump has previously been given such a test as part of previous medical check-ups.

It is also unknown if any previous president has been given a cognitive test.

Last November, Trump made an unscheduled trip to Walter Reed for what the White House said was a headstart on his annual physical.

But that claim was met with skepticism by Trump critics who speculated that the president may have had a health scare.

Then-White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said the president decided to make the unscheduled visit to complete some routine checkups as part of his annual physical exam because he had a 'down day.'

'The President remains healthy and energetic without complaints, as demonstrated by his repeated vigorous rally performances in front of thousands of Americans several times a week', Grisham added.

'Anticipating a very busy 2020, the President is taking advantage of a free weekend here in Washington, DC, to begin portions of his routine annual physical exam at Walter Reed', Grisham had said in a statement.

The president was seen departing the White House residence shortly after 2pm on November 16 wearing a long dark overcoat and carrying what looked like a tan rectangle-shaped folder or envelope under his arm.

He entered a black SUV outside the White House and the motorcade departed for Walter Reed.

Upon arrival at the center, members of the Secret Service's heavily armed counter-assault team were seen taking up positions at the hospital.

Last November, the president made an unscheduled visit to Walter Reed Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. His motorcade is seen above arriving at the hospital on November 16

Reporters in the White House pool were forbidden to report on Trump's departure until after he arrived at the military hospital, where presidents and their families traditionally receive medical care and annual checkups.

Rumors swirled that the president's impromptu visit to the medical center could mean he was experiencing health issues.

'The rumors are always flying', Grisham told Fox News' Jeanine Pirro in an appearance on the network later that night where she discussed the medical checkup.

Can YOU pass President Trump's cognitive test? This is a copy of the sheet the examiner and patient fill out during the 10-minute test President Donald Trump received a perfect score on a standard cognitive assessment test, his doctor revealed in a White House briefing in January 2018. The 10-minute test, known as the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), was created in 1996 for medical professionals to identify mild cognitive dysfunction. It assesses concentration, attention, memory, language, calculations, orientation, executive functions and visual skills. Trump scored 30 out of 30. A score above 26 is deemed 'normal,' while anything lower than that is cause for concern. Those who do well on the test do not need further cognitive examination. The average score is 27.4. People with mild cognitive impairment score an average of 22.1, while Alzheimer's patients tend to score around 16. First used in Montreal, Canada, the test is now one of the most respected methods of assessing cognitive health worldwide, available in 55 languages and dialects, and formats for testing illiterate patients and in other cultural settings (by changing certain references). Trump is the first U.S. president to undergo the test as part of his presidential physical. This is how a doctor performs the test, and how a patient is graded: 1. ALTERNATING TRAIL MAKING TEST: The patient is told to pair up five numbers and letters (1-5, A-E) in ascending order (pairing 1 with A, 2 with B, etc) while drawing connect-the-dots lines. RESULT: The patient gets a point for every successful pair: 1-A; 2-B; 3-C; 4-D; 5-E. No lines can be crossed. The patient earns 0 if they make a mistake that is not immediately corrected. 2. VISUOCONSTRUCTIONAL SKILLS (CUBE) TEST: Draw your own version of the cube in the space next to it. It must be exactly the same as the one printed on the page. RESULT: One point if it is drawn correctly (i.e. three-dimensional, all lines are drawn, no line is added, lines are relatively parallel and their length is similar  no point if any of those criteria are missing). 3. VISUOCONSTRUCTIONAL SKILLS (CLOCK) TEST: Draw a clock, putting in all the numbers and set the time to 10 minutes past 11 o'clock. RESULT: One point is allocated for each of the following three criteria: Contour (ONE POINT): the clock face must be a circle with only minor distortion acceptable (i.e. slight imperfection on closing the circle).

Numbers (ONE POINT): all clock numbers must be present with no additional numbers; numbers must be in the correct order and placed in the approximate quadrants on the clock face. Roman numerals are acceptable. Numbers can be placed outside the circle contour.

Hands (ONE POINT): there must be two hands jointly indicating the correct time; the hour hand must be clearly shorter than the minute hand. Hands must be centered within the clock face with their junction close to the clock center. A point is not assigned for a given element if any of the above-criteria are not met. 4. NAMING TEST: Name each animal. Lion

Rhinoceros (or rhino)

Camel (or dromedary) RESULT: One point for each 5. MEMORY TEST: The doctor tells the patient that they are going to read a list of words that the patient must remember. At the end the patient has to tell them as many as they remember; it doesn't matter what order. The doctor then reads five words, one per second: FACE, VELVET, CHURCH, DAISY, RED As the patient recites the words, the doctor marks a check in the box for each word said aloud. The patient indicates when they have recalled all they can. The doctor reads the list a second time. At the end the patient has to recall all of them again. As the patient recites the words, the doctor marks a check in the box for each word said aloud  including the first five again. The patient indicates when they have recalled all they can. At the end of the test, the doctor asks the patient to recall the five words, unprompted. This is the part of the test that is scored. SCORING: No plus points, only minus if they get it wrong. 6. ATTENTION TEST (NUMBERS): Recall numbers: The doctor reads a list of five numbers at a rate of one number per second; the patient recalls them exactly as they were said: 2 1 8 5 4 Recall numbers backwards: The doctor reads three numbers at a rate of one number per second; the patient recalls them backwards: 7 4 2 SCORING: One point per sequence correctly recited. TEST (LETTERS): The doctor reads a list of letters at a rate of one per second. Every time they say the letter 'A', the patient has to tap their hand: F B A C M N A A J K L B A F A K D E A A A J A M O F A A B SCORING: One point if there is zero errors or just one error (i.e. the patient tapped their hand on another letter just once). TEST (MATH): The patient starts at 100, then must count down by subtracting seven every time, until the examiner tells them to stop: 93

86

79

72

65 SCORING: Total of three points. No points if there are no correct subtractions

One point for just one correct subtractions

Two points for two or three correct subtractions

Three points for four or five correct subtractions If the first subtraction is wrong, but each subsequent subtraction follows the pattern of seven, they still earn every other point. For example, they may say '92  85  78  71  64'. While '92' is incorrect, all subsequent numbers are subtracted by seven, meaning they only made one mistake, and would a score of three. 7. SENTENCE REPETITION TEST: Step one: The examiner reads this sentence, and the patient has to repeat it exactly: 'I only know that John is the one to help today'. Step two: The examiner then reads another sentence, with the same instruction: 'The cat always hid under the couch when dogs were in the room'. SCORING: One point for each correct sentence. Exact repetition

No synonyms substituted (i.e. it must be 'hid' not 'hides') 8. VERBAL FLUENCY TEST: The doctor reads out a letter (F), and the patient has to think of words that starts with that letter. The aim is to reach 11 words or more in 60 seconds. The words cannot be proper nouns, like Bob or Boston

The words cannot be the same sounding word but with different suffixes (like love, lover, loving) SCORING: One point if they reach 11 words or more in one minute. 9. ABSTRACTION TEST: The patient has to describe what the relationship is between certain words (i.e, an orange and a banana; a train and a bicycle; a ruler and a watch). There is one practice trial (ORANGE AND BANANA) before two scored pairs (TRAIN AND BICYCLE; WATCH AND RULER). SCORING: One point for each of the last two pairs. Acceptable answers: Train and bicycle: means of transport, means of traveling, used to take trips

Ruler and watch: means of measurement, measuring instruments Unacceptable answers: Train and bicycle: they have wheels

Ruler and watch: they have numbers 10. DELAYED RECALL TEST: The patient has to recall all the words they heard earlier (FACE, VELVET, CHURCH, DAISY, RED). SCORING: One point for each word recalled (with no cues from the examiner). 11. ORIENTATION TEST: Say the exact date, and the name of the place they are in, including the city. SCORING: One point for each correct answer. No points if they make any errors. TOTAL SCORE: Add up all the points accumulating, adding a point if the patient has fewer than 12 years of formal educations. Around 16: cognitive health of an Alzheimer's patient

Around 22: cognitive health of someone with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)

Above 26: Normal

30: Perfect score (Trump scored 30/30). Advertisement

One theme of the current presidential campaign is Biden's mental acuity.

The former vice president has made several verbal gaffes in speeches and debate appearances, but his supporters insist it is the result of a stutter.

At a Wilmington, Delaware, news conference last month, Biden was asked about his mental sharpness.

Trump and his supporters have speculated that Biden is not interested in having more debates because he is fearful that the public would get a better idea of his diminished mental acuity.

But the former vice president said he has nothing to hide.

'I can hardly wait to compare my cognitive capability to the cognitive capability of the man I'm running against,' Biden said.

In January 2018, Trump's then-physician in the White House, Dr. Ronny Jackson, administered the Montreal Cognitive Assessment to the president.

Trump has been plagued with claims that he had early dementia or some other mental disorder that rendered him incompetent to serve under the 25th Amendment.

Jackson told reporters during an unusual, televised briefing in January 2018 that the president requested the test to eliminate any doubt about his mental fitness.

Trump said the exam consisted of images of animals he was asked to identify. That portion he found to be easy.

Last month, after giving the commencement speech at West Point, Trump appeared to struggle navigating a ramp, leading to speculation he had health issues

Observers also grew alarmed at the sight of the president using two hands to drink a glass of water

Trump said the difficulty level of the exam increased, according to Breitbart, and administrators began asking him to repeat disassociated words at various intervals.

The president took the Montreal Cognitive Assessment at Walter Reed military hospital near Washington, D.C. The 30-question test includes measures of short-term memory, concentration and attention.

Trump's health was also the subject of fierce speculation last month after he was seen struggling to hold a glass of water with one hand and shuffling down a ramp after giving the commencement speech at West Point.

The sight of Trump struggling to navigate the ramp lead to speculation he had Parkinson's.

At a rally in Tulsa days later, Trump held up a glass of water with one hand after giving a rambling speech explaining his walk down the ramp.

In his interview with Fox News on Thursday, the president also expressed disappointment with de Blasio, particularly after he said that he was 'very nice' to the mayor and that Trump 'got him ventilators when he needed them.'

'I got him hospital help when he needed it,' Trump said of de Blasio and the requests for assistance from New York officials when the city and state were hit hard in the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic.

'I got him everything he needed, I got him the gowns, the masks, I got him everything, the shields,' the president said.

'I got them and everything. I spoke to him many times.

'He couldn't have been nicer and then he throws a big Black Lives Matter sign right down in the middle of Fifth Avenue and all merchants along Fifth Avenue are furious.

But days later, the president used one hand to drink a glass of water during a rally in Tulsa in an attempt to debunk speculation about his health

'They are furious. And the whole city is furious. The city is a city that's enraged.'

Trump was reacting to events from earlier on Thursday, when de Blasio was heckled and taunted as he helped paint a giant 'Black Lives Matter' mural outside Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue Thursday.

De Blasio was pictured filling in the letter 'L' on the installation earlier this morning, tweeting: 'Our city isn't just painting the words on Fifth Avenue. We're committed to the meaning of the message.'

He was joined by New York City's First Lady Chirlane McCray, and Reverend Al Sharpton.

But upon his arrival at 11:30am, it appeared not all in attendance were happy to meet the mayor's acquaintance.

A chant of 'douchebag de Blasio' broke out among a small contingent of the crowd as he crossed the road.

This is such an important moment for our city,' an undeterred de Blasio told volunteers, who chanted, 'Black lives matter!' with their paint rollers suspended in the air.

Trump also hit out at New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (second from left) who helped paint a Black Lives Matter mural in front of Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan on Thursday. Al Sharpton is seen far left and New York's first lady, Chirlane McCray, is seen second from right

'We are making a statement today of what we value in New York City'.

De Blasio left around 20 minutes later.

The mayor had last week temporarily called off the mural just feet from Trump's former home a day after engaging in a Twitter spat with the president.

Trump branded the painting it a 'symbol of hate' and demanded the money for its creation be spent on the NYPD instead.

The mayor announced the city would paint 'Black Lives Matter' on streets at locations around the city following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police in May.

Department of Transportation workers and activists began work at the site at around 10am Thursday morning.

Speaking Thursday De Blasio said: 'When I announced that we would be doing this here, President Trump said that we would be denigrating the luxury of Fifth Avenue. Let me tell you, we are not denigrating anything. We are liberating Fifth Avenue.

'Let's show Donald Trump what he does not understand. Let's paint it right in front of his building for him.'

Trump also hit out at New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, saying he was 'so good to him...like nobody has ever been good.

'And all you end up getting out of that place is prosecuted and have a lot of trouble.'

The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a subpoena by a grand jury in Manhattan seeking Trump's tax returns and other financial documents as part of an investigation into the Trump Organization.

Trump has also been the subject of several lawsuits brought by New York State's attorney general, Letitia James.

In November, a New York State judge ordered Trump to pay $2million for misusing his namesake charitable foundation, resulting in funds being used to advance his 2016 presidential campaign.

The ruling was the result of a lawsuit by the state's attorney general against the president and three of his adult children over the now-dissolved Donald J. Trump Foundation.

During his interview with Hannity on Thursday, Trump hit out at de Blasio and Cuomo, saying that their leadership has led to an exodus of residents to low-tax Florida.

Trump branded the painting it a 'symbol of hate' and demanded the money for its creation be spent on the NYPD instead

'New York is not the place that it was,' the president said on Thursday.

'Everyone's leaving, they're moving to Florida, they're moving to other places.

'It's very sad, actually, to see what happened.'

Last year, the president, a native New Yorker, announced that he was making Florida his permanent residence.

Trump has owned the Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach since 1985 and has spent more time there during his presidency than at his penthouse apartment on Fifth Avenue in New York.

'My family and I will be making Palm Beach, Florida, our Permanent Residence,' Trump said on Twitter.

'Despite the fact that I pay millions of dollars in city, state and local taxes each year, I have been treated very badly by the political leaders of both the city and state,' he said, referring to New York.

A life-long New Yorker, Trump was raised in the city's Queens borough and later moved to Manhattan.

Trump Tower serves as both his residence and the headquarters of the Trump Organization, his real estate company.

'As President, I will always be there to help New York and the great people of New York. It will always have a special place in my heart!' Trump said.

'Good riddance. It's not like @realDonaldTrump paid taxes here anyway. He's all yours, Florida,' Cuomo said in a tweet.
Sajin Shrijith By

Express News Service

Anu Moothedath was recently stuck in Malaysia when the lockdown happened, a tricky situation to be in when your second Malayalam film as cinematographer, Sufiyum Sujatayum, was soon to be announced as a direct OTT releasethe first mainstream Malayalam film to do so. The Mumbai-based Malayali cinematographer had gone there for an ad shoot which couldnt be completed due to the pandemic. I was worried initially because we were in a foreign country. But Malaysia handled the situation really well, I must say. They have very fewer cases now, says Anu, who had to come directly to Kochi to begin the post-production work quickly after his 14-day quarantine.

I couldnt get a Mumbai flight then, which I now think was a good thing because it wouldve made things a lot more complicated. Since we had to speed up the work, I got started early on, by having the footage sent online so that I could set the basic look of the overall film first. Everything that followed was done based on that input.

This quick-thinking comes from his ad film background, he believes. Its a thought process echoed by many filmmakers who started off in ads. There is a disciplined approach followed in ad films. So I try to follow the same in my films too. I have a proper discussion with the director in the early stages to have a clear idea of the films overall look, he says. Anu made a strong impression with his debut Malayalam feature, Athiran, starring Fahadh Faasil and Sai Pallavi. The films highlight was its atmospheric and immersive visuals. Both Athiran and Sufiyum Sujatayum are notable for their use of standout colours, be it in the costumes or the production design.

In Sufiyum Sujatayum, Anu made some colour choices to reflect the characters state of mind. He opted for more vibrant colours for Sujatas flashbacks and relatively muted colours for the present. If you have noticed, we did away with blue coloured-costumes throughout the film, except for that blue saree Aditi wears in the climax. Sujata was happy in the past, not in the present, he explains. I wanted the past settings to give off a magical vibea contrast to the stark reality of the present. I always believe that the three departmentscostumes, set design and light should gel perfectly well to achieve the right feeling.

One of the films standout scenes has an overhead shot of a dancing Aditi which then slowly pans to the evening sun. Its a shot, like several others, that took a lot of effort, he says. Sufis prayer begins towards the end of that dance of Sujata, so we had to match its timing to that of the sunset. These are important shotsthey tell a story.

Anu reveals that the film has a combination of both real and artificial sets. He confirms our assumption that the story takes place somewhere in the Kerala-Mysore border. The film was shot in three different locations. Aboobs house was a real house in Karnataka, Sujatas was in Kozhikode, and the river scenes in Attapadi (Palakkad district). As we couldnt find the most appropriate places anywhere else, these three locations were combined to appear as one location.

Since Athiran had a bigger budget, I ask whether he felt creatively restrained by the relatively smaller budget of Sufiyum Sujatayum. Not at all. We dont necessarily need big budgets all the time to exercise our creativity, you see. Its about how we go about doing something. A small story like this, which takes place in just minimal locations, doesnt require a big budget. I only had to use a balloon light for the night sequences, and I didnt feel any other limitations, especially when it came to the costumes.

Elaborating further on that and creating Aditis distinctly ethereal look, Anu says he was very particular about the colours of her costumes. The costume department also played a big part. Sameera Saneesh is a brilliant costume designer. She delivers exactly what you had visualised. The various colours on Aditis outfit not only had to complement each other but also shouldnt be of the same colour as Devs. One also has to contrast that with the colours of the walls.I bring up the amusing fact that the female protagonists in both Athiran and Sufiyum Sujatayum communicate through gestures. That thought occurred to me while reading the script of the latter. I was like, Wait - she cant talk either? I hope my next films lead female character has some dialogues. (laughs)
The unexpected deaths of four newborns at Blacktown Hospital in the past 18 months have triggered an urgent review of the hospital's childbirth procedures by the Western Sydney Local Health District.

At least two of the deaths are subject to internal investigations. Analyses have considered whether missed opportunities to detect fetal distress and delays in performing caesarean sections contributed, clinicians with knowledge of the cases said.

Blacktown Hospital's maternity unit opened in August 2019 as part of the NSW government's $700 million redevelopment of the western Sydney hospital. Credit:James Brickwood

Senior sources familiar with the four cases said they were concerned the maternity unit was under intense pressure to cater to growing numbers of patients.

Following questions from the Herald, the health district said it would hold an urgent review into the hospital's childbirth practices, sources who spoke on condition of anonymity said.
3 1 of 3 Hearst Connecticut Media / Tara O'Neill Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Contributed Photo / Easton Police Department Show More Show Less 3 of 3





EASTON  Investigators seized 12 guns at the town home of a man they charged Friday in connection with a sexual assault case, according to police.

Robert McGuire, 40, was charged with two counts of first-degree sexual assault, two counts of illegal sexual contact and risk of injury to a minor.
Average Q1 2020 oil production of 9,686 bopd

Calgary, Alberta and Houston, Texas--(Newsfile Corp. - July 9, 2020) - PetroTal Corp. (TSXV: TAL) (AIM: PTAL) ("PetroTal" or the "Company") is pleased to announce its financial and operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2020 ("Q1 2020").

Selected financial, reserves and operational information is outlined below and should be read in conjunction with the Company's unaudited consolidated financial statements ("Financial Statements") and management's discussion and analysis ("MD&A") for Q1 2020, which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and the Company's website at www.PetroTalCorp.com. Reserve numbers presented herein were derived from an independent reserves report (the "NSAI Report") prepared by Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc. ("NSAI") effective December 31, 2019. All amounts herein are in United States dollars ("US$") unless otherwise stated.

Q1 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

The Company reached several key operational and financial achievements as described below:

Q1 2020 Operational Highlights

Commenced drilling the BN 95-6H horizontal well (the "6H well") on February 17, 2020. The well reached a lateral length of 1,178 meters and was completed using autonomous inflow control device ("AICD") valves that restrict water inflow. The 6H well came online on April 10, 2020 producing approximately 5,750 barrels of oil per day ("bopd") initially, and achieved average production of approximately 4,500 bopd for the first 10 production days during April;

The 6H well was completed on time and under the original $12.6 million budget;

The Bretana oil field reached new record quarterly production of 9,686 bopd and sales of 10,313 bopd. This represents a 25% increase from Q4 2019 production of 7,767 bopd;

Completed commissioning of the enhanced central production facilities ("CPF-1") bringing overall oil production capacity to between 16,000 bopd and 18,000 bopd;

Announced increases in all reserve categories following 2019 year-end reserves evaluation by NSAI:

Story continues

Proved ("1P") reserves of 21.5 million barrels ("mmbbl"), an increase of 20% (17.9 mmbbl at year-end 2018);

Proved plus Probable ("2P") reserves of 47.7 mmbbl, an increase of 21% (39.4 mmbbl at year end 2018); and,

Proved plus Probable and Possible ("3P") reserves of 84.8 mmbbl, an increase of 8% (78.7 mmbbl at year end 2018);

In light of global market uncertainty, postponed the drilling of a second water disposal well, delayed completion of CPF-2 facilities, and postponed drilling of the BN 95-7H horizontal well.

Q1 2020 Financial Highlights

Generated revenue of $41.8 million ($44.51/bbl) compared to $50.5 million ($57.71/bbl) in Q4 2019;

Royalties to the Peruvian government were $1.8 million (4.3% of revenue) during Q1 2020 compared to $1.8 million (3.6% of revenue) for Q4 2019;

Funds flow provided by operations was $15.1 million compared to $21.7 million in Q4 2019;

Operating costs were $6.0 million ($6.42/bbl) for Q1 2020 consistent with $6.0 million ($6.91/bbl) for Q4 2019;

Transportation costs, were $16.1 million ($17.18/bbl) for Q1 2020 increased from $14.3 million ($16.30/bbl) for Q4 2019, as a result of the new oil sales contract finalized in December 2019;

The company had cash of $7.4 million at the end of Q1 2020 compared to $21.1 million at year-end 2019 and $17.8 million at the end of Q1 2019. Current cash (as at July 9, 2020) is $24 million;

Net operating income was $17.8 million ($18.98/bbl) in Q1 2020 compared to net operating income of $28.4 million ($32.42/bbl) in Q4 2019; and,

Resulting from the significant global oil price reduction, the Company had a contingent derivative liability of $40.8 million at March 31, 2020. The actual liability of the oil price difference determination is expected to be lower due to the projected improvement in oil prices when physical sales occur in Q3 and Q4 2020 (for reference, based on the average Brent oil price of approximately $40/bbl for June 2020, the contingent liability is approximately $25 million).

March 31, 2020 Subsequent Events

On May 7, 2020, the health department of the Peruvian government issued a directive for COVID-19 prevention in certain high-risk areas. As a result of the directive:

Petroperu temporarily shut down pipeline operations to comply;

Operations at the Bretana oil field were temporarily shut in due to storage capacity limitations. The Bretana oil field was producing approximately 11,500 bopd prior to being shut in;

PetroTal is coordinating with Petroperu to reopen the Bretana oil field in July 2020;

The Company deferred its planned capital expenditure for 2020;

The oil field shutdown triggered significant reductions in operating and transportation costs; and,

The Company proactively reduced its general and administrative costs, inclusive of an average 20% compensation reduction for management and directors.

During May 2020, the Company received government-sponsored financial support related to the Covid-19 economic impact totaling $3.2 million. The Peruvian government provided $2.9 million (to be repaid over four years, with repayment commencing after one year for a three year period, and annual interest at 1.12%) and the US government provided $0.3 million under the Paycheck Protection Program (no repayment is required);

On June 12, 2020, the Company announced that the contingent liability pertaining to the Brent oil price reduction had been structured into a three-year payment arrangement ("Arrangement") with Petroperu (the "Parties"):

The amount of this contingent liability to Petroperu will be definitively determined when the security arrangements for PetroTal's obligations are finalized, expected to be by the end of July 2020. Based on current Brent oil prices, the liability is expected to be approximately $25 million;

The Arrangement allows PetroTal to settle the obligations to Petroperu now while still allowing the Company to benefit from higher oil prices forecasted by the Brent forward strip pricing curve when the physical oil sales occur;

The Parties have agreed to extend the one-year Oil Sales Contract to three years upon expiry of the current term on December 23, 2020;

The Parties established a framework to ensure that future oil sales under the Oil Sales Contract have adequate hedge protection to avoid future downside losses; and,

The Parties have agreed to further amendments to the Oil Sales Contract for lower pipeline tariffs and fees during the period of low oil prices;

On June 18, 2020, the Company completed an equity issue, raising gross proceeds of approximately $18 million. The Company intends to use the net proceeds for the ongoing development of the Bretana oilfield, to enhance working capital and towards the reopening of the oilfield;

On June 25, 2020, PetroTal entered into a financial swap for 460,000 barrels of oil to cover the upcoming sale by Petroperu at the Bayovar port. The ICE Brent crude oil swap is priced at $40.58 per bbl and settles on July 17, 2020, using the July 1-17,2020 average ICE Brent crude oil price; and,

The Company is confident in its ability to ramp up activity at Bretana, ahead of the planned reopening in July 2020, to ensure the oil field will return to normal operating status.

The following table summarizes key financial and operating highlights associated with the Company's performance for the three months ended March 31, 2020, December 31, 2019 and March 31, 2019. Note that the commodity price derivative is a non-cash item. See the Financial Statements and MD&A for further details.



Quarter ended Quarter ended Quarter ended

Results at a glance March 31, 2020 December 31, 2019 March 31, 2019 Financial





Crude oil revenues 41,768 50,482 4,529 Royalties (1,806) (1,813) (214)

Net operating income 17,809 28,353 845 Commodity price derivative loss (income) (1) (1) 40,420 (213) - Net income (loss) (31,452) 18,223 (1,610) Basic and diluted net income (loss) (US$/share) (0.05) 0.03 0.00 Capital expenditures 23,872 26,273 9,771 Operating





Average production (bopd) 9,686 7,767 904 Average sales (bopd) 10,313 9,509 923 Average Brent oil price (US$/barrel) 50.14 63.26 63.83 Average realized price (US$/barrel) 44.51 57.71 54.54 Netback (US$/barrel) 18.98 32.42 10.18 Funds flow from operations 15,059 21,709 (728) Balance sheet





Cash 7,373 21,101 17,781 Working Capital (61,025) (11,762) 15,789 Total assets 194,274 194,181 100,808 Current liabilities 89,914 59,286 14,694 Equity 90,029 121,057 75,966

(1) On June 12, 2020, the Company announced that this contingent liability will be paid over a three-year period.

Based on current oil prices, the overall amount has been reduced to approximately $25 million.





Q1-20 Q4-19 Q1-19 $/bbl

$/bbl

$/bbl

SALES: Average Production (bopd) 9,686 7,767 904

Bbls Sold 938,478 874,802 83,040

Average sold (bopd) 10,313 9,509 923

Average Brent price ($/bbl) 50.14 63.26 63.83

Quality price differential (%)

-11.2%

-8.8%

-14.6% Revenues















Oil revenue $44.51 $41,768 $57.71 $50,482 $54.54 $4,529 Less: Royalties $1.92 $1,806 $2.07 $1,814 $2.58 $214

Operating expense $6.42 $6,028 $6.91 $6,047 $30.44 $2,527

Transportation expense $17.18 $16,125 $16.30 $14,268 $11.36 $943 NET OPERATING INCOME $18.98 $17,809 $32.42 $28,353 $10.18 $845

Netback as % of Revenue

42.6%

56.2%

18.7% General and administrative expense $2.12 $1,993 $6.91 $6,048 $19.62 $1,629 Derivative loss (income) $43.07 $40,420 -$0.24 ($213) $0.00 $0 Accretion and other expense $0.24 $229 $0.26 $229 $1.06 $88 Finance expense $0.53 $499 $0.15 $135 $0.00 $0 Deferred income taxes (recovery)

$0.06 $60 $0.05 $45 $0.71 $59 Depletion, depreciation & amortization

$6.10 $5,725 $4.30 $3,760 $8.97 $745 Impairment and foreign exchange

$0.36 $335 $0.14 $126 -$0.79 ($66) NET INCOME (LOSS)

($31,452)

$18,223

($1,610) FUNDS FLOW FROM OPERATIONS

$15,059

$21,709

$(728)

Manuel Pablo Zuniga-Pflucker, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented:

"Despite the challenging macro backdrop, PetroTal achieved a great deal during the first quarter of 2020. The Company successfully drilled the 6H well on time and under the original budget. To date, the well has performed in line with expectations, producing approximately 4,500 bopd for the first 10 days in April 2020.

Post-period end, we chose to take decisive action to preserve the Company's liquidity position and I am pleased with the results we have achieved to date. We remain on track to restart production at Bretana later this month and I look forward to updating all our stakeholders as we look to resume normal operating conditions in due course."

ABOUT PETROTAL

PetroTal is a publiclytraded, dualquoted (TSXV: TAL and AIM: PTAL) oil and gas development and production company domiciled in Calgary, Alberta, focused on the development of oil assets in Peru. PetroTal's flagship asset is its 100% working interest in Bretana oil field in Peru's Block 95 where oil production was initiated in June 2018, and in early 2020 became the second largest crude oil producer in Peru. Additionally, the Company has large exploration prospects and is engaged in finding a partner to drill the Osheki prospect in Block 107. The Company's management team has significant experience in developing and exploring for oil in Northern Peru and is led by a Board of Directors that is focused on safely and cost effectively developing the Bretana oil field.

For further information, please see the Company's website at www.petrotal-corp.com, the Company's filed documents at www.sedar.com, or contact:

Douglas Urch

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Durch@PetroTal-Corp.com

T: (713) 609-9101

Manolo Pablo Zuniga- Pflucker

President and Chief Executive Officer

Mzuniga@PetroTal-Corp.com

T: (713) 609-9101

Celicourt Communications

Mark Antelme / Jimmy Lea

petrotal@celicourt.uk

T : 44 (0) 208 434 2643

Strand Hanson Limited (Nominated & Financial Adviser)

James Spinney / Ritchie Balmer

T: 44 (0) 207 409 3494

Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited (Joint Broker)

Callum Stewart / Simon Mensley / Ashton Clanfield

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7710 7600

Auctus Advisors LLP (Joint Broker)

Jonathan Wright / Rupert Holdsworth Hunt / Harry Baker

T: +44 (0) 7711 627449

READER ADVISORIES

FORWARDLOOKING STATEMENTS: This press release contains certain statements that may be deemed to be forwardlooking statements. Such statements relate to possible future events, including, but not limited to: PetroTal's business strategy, objectives, strength and focus; the Company's ability to operate in accordance with developing public health efforts to contain COVID-19; the timing of filing the Interim Filings. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forwardlooking statements. Forward looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "plan", "estimate", "potential", "will", "should", "continue", "may", "objective" and similar expressions. The forwardlooking statements are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the Company. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forwardlooking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forwardlooking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forwardlooking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. These include, but are not limited to, risks associated with the oil and gas industry in general (e. g. , operational risks in development, exploration and production; delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures; the uncertainty of reserve estimates; the uncertainty of estimates and projections relating to production, costs and expenses; and health, safety and environmental risks), commodity price and exchange rate fluctuations, legal, political and economic instability in Peru, access to transportation routes and markets for the Company's production, changes in legislation affecting the oil and gas industry and uncertainties resulting from potential delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures. In addition, the Company cautions that current global uncertainty with respect to the spread of the COVID-19 virus and its effect on the broader global economy may have a significant negative effect on the Company. While the precise impact of the COVID-19 virus on the Company remains unknown, rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus may continue to have a material adverse effect on global economic activity, and may continue to result in volatility and disruption to global supply chains, operations, mobility of people and the financial markets, which could affect interest rates, credit ratings, credit risk, inflation, business, financial conditions, results of operations and other factors relevant to the Company. Please refer to the risk factors identified in the Company's annual information form and management's discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2019 which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The forwardlooking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forwardlooking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/59517
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 10

By Ilkin Seyfaddini - Trend:

According to the decision of the Special Republican Commission for the preparation of a program of measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Uzbekistan, flights and trains on domestic routes will be suspended from July 13, 2020, Trend reports with reference to the Agency of Information and Mass Communications of Uzbekistan.

The return of Uzbek citizens will be carried out only in accordance with the schedule of flights approved by the Special Republican Commission under a strengthened quarantine regime.

Bus routes for transporting citizens to quarantine zones will be organized from border checkpoints.

The Agency for Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance will organize charter flights for the removal of citizens of Uzbekistan from the countries included in the "yellow" and "green" categories according to the epidemiological safety levels.

In addition, according to the decision of the Special Republican Commission, from 10 July 2020 the movement of cars is again limited by time of day (7:00 AM -10:00 AM and 5:00 PM  8:00 PM, GMT +5), traffic between regions is prohibited (except for Tashkent and Tashkent region) and public transport will not work.

The first case of coronavirus infection in Uzbekistan was detected on March 15 in the laboratory of the Research Institute of Virology; it was an Uzbek woman who returned from France. The Ministry of Health later announced that her son, daughter, husband and grandson also tested coronavirus-positive.

---

Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini
While many lenders have tightened mortgage credit in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, that tightening has been especially pronounced at Wells Fargo, which is also operating under an asset cap imposed by the Federal Reserve in response to its numerous scandals. In May, the bank hit pause on accepting HELOC applications. The month before that, Wells Fargo restricted its jumbo mortgage program, announcing that it would only refinance jumbo loans for customers who had $250,000 in liquid assets in the bank.

However, the move caused plenty of dissension within the ranks, according to CNBC. Demand for refis is 111% higher than it was a year ago at this time, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association  and Wells Fargo mortgage personnel complained that they had to turn away good customers who sought to take advantage of historically low rates.

In response, Wells Fargo last week issued an expansion of guidelines that nixed the $$250,000 requirement for existing customers, according to CNBC. Under the expansion, customers with a Wells Fargo bank or brokerage account of any level, or those who already had a mortgage with Wells Fargo, were able to access jumbo refinances.

The changes we implemented on July 1 substantially increased the number of borrowers from which well accept applications for non-conforming refinances, Tom Goyda, Wells Fargo spokesman, said in a statement.

But if new customers want a jumbo refinance, theyre out of luck unless they bring a million bucks to the bank, CNBC reported. The requirement can be satisfied with a combination of deposits or investment balances.
President Donald Trump was forced Friday to scrap an election rally, further darkening his mood as he lashed out at China over the coronavirus pandemic while visiting one of the worst-hit US states. Trump jetted into Florida for a high-dollar campaign fundraiser and other events, ignoring health advice about the dangers of large gatherings to focus on boosting his increasingly shaky re-election prospects in a must-win battleground state. With polls showing him trailing Democrat Joe Biden, his rival in November's presidential election, Trump has intensified his schedule of public events in order to juice his base. Eager to get back on the campaign trail after a weeks-long hiatus during which coronavirus cases and hospitalizations spiked in several states, Trump had scheduled a Saturday rally in New Hampshire. But the White House announced Friday that the it was being postponed by "a week or two" due to approaching Tropical Storm Fay. The storm provided a way out of another roiling controversy over health concerns surrounding the event, and the possibility of low interest in tickets. But the postponement is a blow to Trump's efforts to return to his comfort zone -- center stage on the campaign trail -- and signal that life and business can begin getting back to normal after four months of crisis. His last rally, in June in Tulsa, Oklahoma, proved deeply controversial, with most attendees flouting Trump administration guidelines by refusing to wear masks or engage in social distancing despite being indoors. Coronavirus cases jumped in Tulsa in the weeks after the June 20 rally, and local health officials said it was "more than likely" that major events were a contributing factor. As he flew to Florida, Trump vented over the origins of the virus and warned of frayed ties with China, where the COVID-19 emerged late last year. "(The) relationship with China has been severely damaged," he told reporters on Air Force One. "They could have stopped the plague.... They didn't stop it." - Coronavirus 'tsunami' - The United States is by far the country hardest hit by the virus, with more than 3.1 million confirmed infections and 133,000 dead. COVID-19 has claimed more than 4,100 lives in Florida, where Republican Governor Ron DeSantis downplayed the outbreak early on but has since been forced to pause reopening. The Sunshine State was among at least seven that set single-day case records Thursday, alongside Texas, Alabama, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, and Oregon. Florida and Texas also registered their highest daily death counts -- 120 and 105 respectively. "The tsunami is here," said Richard Cortez, chief executive of Hidalgo County in south Texas, after 1,274 cases were confirmed in the past 24 hours in the jurisdiction of fewer than 900,000 people. By way of comparison, Melbourne in Australia, a city of five million, reimposed a lockdown after 191 tested positive in a day. "As a country, when you compare us to other countries I don't think you can say we're doing great," Anthony Fauci, the country's top infectious disease official, told political analysis website FiveThirtyEight on Thursday. Trump hit out at the respected scientist, telling Fox News: "Dr Fauci is a nice man, but he's made a lot of mistakes." Trump's remarks appeared to deepen his public feud with Fauci, who told the Financial Times that despite being a member of Trump's coronavirus task force he has not spoken with the president in more than a month. - Political strategy - Biden, for his part, has repeatedly attacked Trump for incompetently handling the crisis, and he blasted the president's Florida visit. "With over 232,000 cases in the state and over 4,000 deaths in Florida, it is clear that Trump's response -- ignore, blame others, and distract -- has come at the expense of Florida families," Biden said. Despite the pandemic raging in Florida, where Trump is planning to hold the Republican National Convention in August, he did not wear a mask, even when greeting supporters at Miami's airport. Trump was essentially silent on the surge in infections, preferring to meet military and anti-narcotic officials and hold a roundtable with Venezuelan opposition leaders. "Before (the virus) hit, we were doing really well, and we're still doing very well, but now we're getting back on track," Trump told officials at US Southern Command. Trump's Florida visit comes as a new ABC News-Ipsos poll found that 67 percent of Americans disapprove of his handling of the coronavirus crisis. Unlike countries in Europe and Asia, the US never emerged from its first wave of COVID-19, and since mid-June has experienced a fresh surge. US President Donald Trump, visiting coronavirus-ravaged Florida, warned that the United States' relationship with China has been "severely damaged" over Beijing's handling of the outbreak "As a country, when you compare us to other countries, I don't think you can say we're doing great," said Anthony Fauci, the country's top infectious disease official Trump's last rally, in Tulsa, Oklahoma last month, was a flop and Republican officials will be looking to avoid a repeat of a ticket prank by K-pop fans that may have impacted attendance
Gangster Vikas Dubey, who was accused of killing eight policemen last week, was shot dead when he tried to escape after a road accident while being taken to Uttar Pradeshs Kanpur from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, the police said on Friday.

According to a statement by the Kanpur Police, the car in which Vikas Dubey was being taken overturned on the highway and he tried to escape after snatching a pistol from one of the personnel of the Special Task Force (STF).

The statement said the police asked Vikas Dubey to surrender but he fired at them, forcing them to retaliate.

Here is the full statement issued in Hindi by Kanpur Police after Vikas Dubeys death:

Also read: Plea in Supreme Court seeks CBI probe in killing of Vikas Dubeys aides in encounters

It is to be conveyed that the criminal wanted in a case registered in Chaubeypur police station on 03.07.2020 under M / s.192/20 Section 147/148/149/302/307/394 / 120B the Indian Penal Code & 7 CLA Act which is related to the martyrdom of 08 policemen, who has a reward of Rs 5 lakh, Vikas Dubey son Ram Kumar Dubey resident of Bikru police station Choubeypur in Kanpur City, was arrested by Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh police and was being brought to Kanpur city on 10.07.2020 by police and STF team today, the statement said.

The above police vehicle overturned near Bhaunti, Kanpur Nagar resulting in injuries to the accused and policemen inside in it. After the accident, accused Vikas Dubey tried to escape by snatching the pistol of an injured policeman, it added.

He was chased and asked to surrender by the police but he did not heed and started firing at the team with the intention of killing them. The police team fired back in self-defence and the accused Vikas Dubey was injured in the retaliatory firing. He was immediately taken to a hospital, where the accused died during treatment.
An elderly man has been arrested after he allegedly killed three and injured four at a care home in northern China.

The 81-year-old, known by his surname Wang, was detained by police at the scene after the incident occurred yesterday in Chifeng of Inner Mongolia region, said the local government.

The cause of the case remains unclear and the case is under investigation, local authorities announced today.

The incident took place at about 11:20pm local time on Thursday at Yuexin Senior Apartments, a private-owned care home, according to a statement from Chifeng government

Two people were pronounced dead at the scene while five people were injured and rushed to a local hospital.

One of the injured residents was pronounced dead by doctors on Friday morning after all treatment failed.

The other four citizens are said to be in stable condition while being treated at the hospital.

An elderly man has been arrested after he allegedly killed three and injured four at a care home (pictured above) in northern China. An officer is pictured at the location following the arrest

Police said that officers arrested the alleged attacker at the scene. An investigation is underway.

Footage released by Chinese media shows that a police officer and staff members standing in front of the care home following the incident.

The city of Chifeng is located in Inner Mongolia, an autonomous region located in northern China.

The Chinese region has detected a case of bubonic plague on Sunday, sparking fears of a new virus outbreak looming in China while the country is still battling the coronavirus.

A herdsman in the city of Bayan Nur was diagnosed with the disease, also known as the 'Black Death' in the Middle Ages and one of the most devastating diseases in history, having killed around 100million people in the 14th century.
(Natural News) Expert hydrologist Wang Weiluo has issued a dire warning about communist Chinas Three Gorges Dam, a massive structure built on the Yangtze River that he says is on the verge of collapsing, threatening a number of nuclear plants positioned below it.

The area has been receiving excess rainstorms for many weeks now, generating mudslides and other hazards that have already lifted up and moved some 7,300 housing structures. At least eight million people have been affected by the storms thus far, with many more in harms way should the dam eventually collapse.

While the communist Chinese regime claims that the dam is just fine, Weiluo is not convinced. He says its design, construction, and quality inspection were all conducted by the same people, and that it was rushed to completion far too quickly to be safe for the long haul  a situation that America faces as well.

This is especially concerning when considering that the Three Gorges Dam is the worlds largest hydropower project, holding back unprecedented volumes of water. Weiluo claims the dam is not properly equipped to hold back the rising flood waters, and that, in time, it will only have a very limited effect on flood control.

Chinese Vice Minister of Water Resources Ye Jianchun reportedly stated at a June 10 press conference that at least 148 rivers throughout China have already risen above warning threshold. And if the Three Gorges Dam ends up bearing the brunt of this, an absolute catastrophe could ensue.

Cracks, substandard concrete discovered in Three Gorges Dam during construction

A circulating satellite photo of the dam, which is available at this link, would seem to show strange bends in the dams structure. We cannot confirm whether this is evidence of structural flaws, or if the image is simply distorted.

It is also unclear just how many nuclear power facilities are located in the dams path, should it break. One report claims there are an astounding 66 of them, though we cannot confirm this, either.

What we do know is that the dam is substandard in its build quality, with cracks that formed in the low-quality concrete right from the start. The dam also sits on a major seismic fault, with roughly 80 percent of the land below it undergoing soil erosion.

Every single year, the dam deposits an astounding 40 million tons of sediment into the Yangtze River, an important detail about the dams environmental impact that the communist Chinese regime continues to ignore.

In the early stages of the dams construction, hydrologists had warned that downstream banks would become more vulnerable to flooding because of this erosion. They also sounded the alarm about sediment buildup, which could cause biological damage and major reductions in aquatic biodiversity.

Erosion in the reservoir, induced by rising water, [has] caused frequent major landslides that have led to noticeable disturbance[s] in the reservoir surface, one report explains.

Two incidents in May 2009 confirmed this when somewhere between 20,000 and 50,000 cubic metres (26,000 and 65,000 cu. yd.) of material plunged into the flooded Wuxia Gorge of the Wu River.

Keep in mind that the Yangtze River weaves its way through cities that collectively house anywhere between 400-600 million people  or nearly twice the population of the entire United States. Should the dam collapse  God forbid  many of these folks would face almost certain death.

Three Gorges was built by Li Peng, the so-called butcher of Tiananmen Square, writes Kerry Lutz for the Financial Survival Network.

It used substandard steel and concrete, improper welding and poor design. In 1992 when construction started, Chinese technical and engineering prowess were in their beginning stages. Now they know better, but its too late.

We will keep you posted as we learn more about the plight of the Three Gorges Dam. You can also learn more about Chinas failures by visiting Collapse.news.

Sources for this article include:

Organiser.org

SGTReport.com

NaturalNews.com
Easyjet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou is battling bosses over a 4.5bn order with Airbus for more than 100 planes

Easyjet's founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou is preparing to grill the airline's bosses next week as he steps up his battle with the company.

The entrepreneur has been at loggerheads with the board for months over a 4.5billion order with Airbus for more than 100 planes, which he believes the group should cancel.

He has gone to extraordinary lengths to scupper the deal, including offering a 5million bounty to anyone with information that would help him and unsuccessfully trying to unseat several board members.

Now Stelios has released a four-page list of questions he will demand bosses answer at the company's annual meeting on Tuesday.

The budget airline has described the Stelios row as a 'distraction' at a time when it is grappling with the plunge in the number of flights running and is planning mass job cuts.

An Easyjet spokesman said it 'firmly rejects any insinuation that [it] was involved in any impropriety'.
Back in January, my flea market blog post noted that Wall Street wants President Trump to stay in office for a second term. That's still true some six months later, despite Wuhan virus disinformation, looting and burning mobs, culture-canceling demolition, and police-defunding lunacy unleashed by Democrats and their allies. As far as the lords of finance are concerned, it's as if that were all happening on a different planet.

The latest "polls" showing President Trump trailing Joe Biden had me wondering, however, if the other point I made in the blog post is still true. Is Main Street support for President Trump as solid now as it was six months ago, based on the popularity of pro-Trump paraphernalia on sale at flea markets? Unfortunately, I couldn't test that hypothesis at the Wagon Wheel here in Pinellas County, Florida because the Chicom-WHO-Democrat virus hysteria caused the owners to close down the location.

So, instead, I decided to go in the opposite direction and check out anti-Trump signage available at Amazon and eBay. What messages were they pushing? I wondered. Neither outfit publishes sales statistics, so it's a total guess how well this stuff is selling. Even if marketing numbers are good, it's unclear they'd have any significance as a predictor of things to come. It was an interesting exercise nevertheless.

What's for sale in the way of anti-Trump propaganda? Amazon and eBay evidently had no problem allowing items that included "f---" and "s---." No kidding. On the other hand, I found no such language in anti-Biden items on eBay and only one, in sign language, on a T-shirt at Amazon. As SNL's Church Lady used to say, isn't that special!

Here are some lowlights.

Scatological items are available on both sites, showing disgustingly graphic details that I won't describe.

Trump is called the usual names: "Nazi," "liar," "clown," "moron," "corrupt," "inept," "unstable," "sexist," "misogynist," "traitor" (shown hugging Putin and worse, no kidding)  and, of course, "racist."

Even though the Schiff-Nadler-Pelosi charade bombed months ago, items urging Trump's removal from office are still available  e.g. "Lock Him Up," "Jail to the Chief," and "Trump for Prison 2020."

The items I found most revealing weren't rude, insulting, or disgusting; rather, they try to convince voters that any candidate is preferable to Donald Trump  e.g., "Any Functioning Human 2020," "Any Functioning Adult 2020," "Any Sane Adult 2020," and "Anyone Else for President 2020."

The strangest item of all along these lines appeared on a lawn in my area recently, reading "For the Love of God, Anyone but Trump 2020."

Think about this for a minute. Democrats appealing to the Almighty? This is bizarre, even perverse, for the simple reason that theirs is the party of infanticide, "Squad" anti-Semitism, and sharia law. The "Love of God" part conveniently ignores the Muslim-coddling that's been going on in the Democrat Party for a while now, where Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) get a pass, no matter how prejudiced their ravings. It's open season on churches and synagogues, but mosques are off limits to looters.

Notice also that the lawn sign doesn't really endorse Biden, not even by a process of elimination, because it's not entirely certain at this point that he will get the nod at the upcoming Democrat convention. So far, Ghislaine Maxwell hasn't linked the Biden clan to Epstein's sex island, but nobody knows what will come out once she starts singing, or "composing," as Alan Dershowitz put it. Biden's China connection is well known.

The person who put up the anti-Trump sign could easily have chosen one that explicitly picks sides but didn't, so the question is why not. I'm not about to ask. Maybe it's just another example of Trump Derangement Syndrome, or maybe it's something much more serious: genuine anxiety about Biden's viability as a candidate, whose advanced age and mental feebleness must worry the Democrat base.

Everyone is waiting to see how Biden will end the suspense surrounding his choice of a running mate. Once the announcement is made, it's not out of the question for Joe to drop out for one reason or another  most likely health  and anoint his V.P. choice. This would make a hash of the party's primary process, but so what? Comrade Bernie has been paid handsomely and won't raise a stink. The other clown car members are all good soldiers and learned party discipline from Lenin, Mao, and Castro; they'll obey.

I'll be driving around the next few weeks to see if the sign is still up.

Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr.
TOKYO (Reuters) - Oil prices dipped on Friday after steep falls in the previous session and were set for a weekly decline on worries renewed lockdowns following a surge in coronavirus cases in the United States and elsewhere will suppress fuel demand.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Oil prices dipped on Friday after steep falls in the previous session and were set for a weekly decline on worries renewed lockdowns following a surge in coronavirus cases in the United States and elsewhere will suppress fuel demand.

Brent crude was down by 7 cents, or 0.2%, at $42.28 a barrel by 0114 GMT after falling more than 2% on Thursday. U.S. oil fell 13 cents, or 0.3%, at $39.49 a barrel after a drop of 3% in the previous session.

Brent is heading for a weekly decline of more than 1% and U.S. crude is on track for a fall of nearly 3%.

While many analysts are expecting economies and fuel demand to recover from the pandemic, record daily increases in coronavirus infections this week in the United States, the world's biggest oil consumer, raised concerns about the pace of any recovery.

"Renewed coronavirus outbreaks in some parts of the world have added to reasons to expect the recovery to slow in the months ahead," Capital Economics said in a note.

In Australia, the government on Friday will consider reducing the number of citizens allowed to return to the country from overseas, after authorities ordered a new lockdown of the country's second-most populous city, Melbourne.

The United States had around 56,000 COVID-19 cases on Thursday, the third consecutive day new infections have exceeded at least 55,000, according to a Reuters tally. On Wednesday, U.S. cases topped 60,000, the biggest daily increase in any country since the outbreak started.

Oil inventories also remain bloated due to the evaporation of demand for gasoline, diesel and other fuels during the initial outbreak.

U.S. crude oil inventories rose by nearly 6 million barrels last week after analysts had forecast a decline of just over half that figure. [EIA/S]

(Reporting by Aaron Sheldrick; editing by Richard Pullin)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
'It doesn't look as if any sensible, worldly wise, person is in charge in China.'

'If at all anybody is in charge, it can only be a bunch of bumpkins of whom Xi has become a puppet,' observes B S Raghavan, the veteran civil servant.

IMAGE: A Chinese lady looks at a portrait of China's leader for life, Xi Jinping. Photograph: Aly Song/Reuters

Who is in charge in China? The textbook answer is Xi Jinping.

He has shored up all powers and positions of authority so that he is the supreme overlord of the country.

He has made himself the president of China virtually for life.

He is the general secretary of the Communist Party of China and chairman of the Central Military Commission.

Without calling it as such, he has, in the name of undertaking crusades against corruption, non-performance and the like, carried out a purge of his rivals and opponents.

He has muted all dissent.

Thus, Xi Jinping is seemingly China's most powerful leader after Mao Zedong.

Upon entering office in 2013, Xi has embarked on various projects like the Belt and Road Initiative to realise the great Chinese dream of taking the country economically, technologically and militarily to the forefront so that it leaves its stamp on the 21st century.

With such shoring of powers, the expectation would naturally be that Xi is in charge in China.

But looking at some of the inexplicable goings on right under his nose, it doesn't look as if any sensible, worldly wise, person is in charge in China.

If at all anybody is in charge, it can only be a bunch of bumpkins of whom Xi has become a puppet.

It cannot be Xi Jinping, unless he is a bumpkin himself.

One cannot otherwise explain the monumental miscalculations, misjudgments and missteps that are making China's reputation, if not mud, at least something close to it.

Let us take a fast count of them.

China is on the dock, viewed by the global community as the exporter of COVID-19, whether thoughtlessly or deliberately, with WHO itself attesting that it dd not timely notify the outbreak of the still virulently ravaging pandemic.

It is in a state of running feud with the US and most industrial democracies.

Already raising negative vibes as a totalitarian one-party State, with no concern for human rights and civil liberties, it is aggravating matters further by wantonly provoking protests and agitations in Hong Kong by thrusting the national security law down its throat.

It is widely suspected of stealing intellectual property and indulging in cyber warfare.

Most advanced countries are now out of bounds for its products such as Huawei and Zoom.

The latest to join is India which has imposed a ban on 59 of its applications.

Its much-vaunted Belt and Road Initiative has been so mismanaged that it is boomeranging on itself.

Projects are getting cancelled, modified or stalled.

There are recurring reports of growing number of countries demanding a review of agreements or reneging on them.

February 2020 saw Egypt postponing the construction of a power plant.

In March, Bangladesh cancelled plans for a coal plant.

Tanzania has cancelled a $10 billion port project.

Nigerian lawmakers have voted for a renewed critical look at all Chinese loans because of fears that they constitute a debt trap.

In fact, Africa, to which it has given a total of $145 billion as loans under the BRI is proving to be a big headache for Beijing.

Most African countries want Beijing to forgo the debt and rework the agreements.

Even its close and bosom ally and all-weather friend Pakistan is now demurring about the harsh repayment terms of $30 billion worth of loans meant for power projects and wants them redrawn.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi and Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist party of China on a jhoola at the Sabarmati waterfront, September 17, 2014. Photograph: Press Information Bureau

Taking the cake for China's bizarre blunders is its infatuation with Pakistan. No person who is effectively in charge of China would have countenanced this.

As between India and Pakistan, the one having compelling credentials as a fast-emerging power on all counts, enjoying high standing in the comity of nations, is India.

In marked contrast, Pakistan has all the makings of a failed State, and it should have been clear to the meanest intelligence that China will come a cropper allying with it, pampering it and pandering to it.

As between India and Pakistan, any percipient leader of China with reasonable knowledge of statecraft would have joined hands with India for the mutual progress of both countries and of the world.

Instead, China is scratching the back of what might well pass for a rogue State whose international reputation and credibility aren't worth speaking about.

Try as one might, one is unable to think of any other country with such insatiable appetite for territories within the domains of other countries.

Indeed, it may well be that China holds the record for the number of countries -- at the latest count, it was 21 -- against which it has piled up preposterous territorial claims, enunciating fatuous formulae like Nine Dashes Line and Five Fingers.

In the Philippines, it claims parts of the Spratly Islands.

It doesn't matter that the International Court of Justice has rejected it.

In Indonesia, it not only claims fishing rights in waters near Indonesian islands but has already encroached the country's fisheries.

It has deployed exploration vessels near Indonesia.

It has given Chinese names to disputed islands twisting facts and history.

It is also engaged in a dispute with Malaysia.

In Laos and Cambodia, it claims large areas citing, as is its wont, some long obsolete historical precedents.

In Thailand, China has been dredging on the Mekong River since 2001.

Vietnam is similarly facing China's territorial claims on several islands; China has sunk several Vietnamese fishing vessels by ramming them.

IMAGE: US President Donald J Trump and Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist party of China, at a State dinner at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, November 9, 2017. Photograph: Thomas Peter/Reuters

In the East China Sea, Beijing is engaged in a land dispute with Japan over Senkaku and Ryu Kya islands.

It has also targeted Japanese naval ships.

In North Korea, China has a continuing dispute over Mount Paektu and the Tumen River.

In South Korea, it claims islands in the country's exclusive economic zone.

China also has an ongoing altercation with Tajikistan over territory which dates back to 1884.

China also lays claim to over 34,000 sq km of land in Kazakhstan.

In Kyrgyzstan, China says the entire territory should be part of the Chinese mainland, forcing the poor country to hand over 1,250 square kms of land for starters.

Nepal, Bhutan, Taiwan, Brunei, Mongolia, and Singapore are all in one way or another in jitters over what China will claim next, behaving as if whatever it sets its eyes on belongs to it.

And now, on top of all this, China is after Russia by bringing in Vladivostok into the litany of acts of cartographic aggression.

Apparently, the border agreement of 2003 with Russia hasn't written finis to China's covetousness.

It couldn't have had a more understanding friend than Russia which has stood up for Beijing when all others were slamming it.

Russia is among the countries worst hit by the Wuhan cirus, but it has not blamed China.

It has not censured China on Hong Kong, nor has it spoken a word against Huawei.

One would have thought that any sane leadership which is really in charge of a country like China would do everything possible to keep its friends unruffled.

IMAGE: Modi and Xi at their second informal summit in Mahabalipuram, October 11, 2019. Photograph: ANI Photo

China's border clashes with India, leading to its attack in 1962, and continuing thereafter till the present day, are too well known and long standing to mention.

What raises grave doubts about any sensible person being in charge in China is the utter outlandishness in the timing and manner of their occurrence, prompting one to conclude that either Xi Jinping has gone bonkers or he simply has no control over what is happening.

Let us take a few prime examples of the absolute lack of method in China's madness.

In 2014, after Narendra Modi assumes power as prime minister of India comes Xi's first-ever meeting at Ahmedabad with someone fresh from the laurels of a spectacular electoral triumph and heading a great country which is also a civilisational neighbour.

Isn't it reasonable to expect that Xi would make sure that he would put his best foot forward to make the visit a memorable event? Especially after all his tall talk of India-China relations being at 'a new starting point'?

Instead it becomes the backdrop of ugly border incursions in the Chumar and Demchok sectors, fouling up the first summit talks between Modi and Xi.

In fact, such foul-ups are almost becoming a routine.

Did Xi ordain such foul-ups to occur?

Or were they happening unbeknownst to him or without reference to him?

Will any country boasting such a long and hoary civilisation, enriched by the teachings of the likes of Confucius, allow the kind of barbaric behaviour on the part of its troops at Ladakh?

Or, ponder this: Xi and Modi have met at least 18 times since the latter came to power in 2014.

These have been either one-on-one meetings in each other's countries or on the sidelines of other multilateral summits.

Modi has visited China five times as PM, the most number by any Indian PM in 70 years.

Last year, when they met in Mamallapuram for their second informal summit in October, it was their third meeting since Modi's re-election in May 2019.

One surely would be entitled to presume in this situation that enough rapport would have been built up between them so that each is on guard against saying or doing anything that would sour relations with the other.

But no: While India has been observing decency and decorum and mindful -- some would say too mindful -- of the susceptibilities of China, the latter, through its official and party minions and its State-controlled media had been uninhibitedly damning India at every conceivable opportunity, particularly at the very mention of Arunachal Pradesh, Dalai Lama or Taiwan.

It thinks nothing of poking its nose in an unbridled manner into the affairs of India, whether it has to do with Jammu and Kashmir or strengthening the infrastructure and improvement of connectivity at its borders or its relations with other countries.

What is one to make of all this, except to ask: Is there anyone at all in charge in China? If so, who is in charge?

B S Raghavan is a retired member of the Indian Administrative Service. He was formerly a US Congressional Fellow, Policy Adviser to UN (FAO) and chancellor, Jharkhand ICFAI University.

Feature Production: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
In this article 1735-TW

Demonstrators gather in front of the Texas State Capital during a protest in Austin, Texas, on Tuesday, June 30, 2020. Sergio Flores/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Americans were called back to work by the millions in May and June. But many could lose their jobs again as states impose new lockdown measures to stem rising coronavirus infections. Nevada plans to reshutter bars Friday night in certain counties with growing coronavirus outbreaks, Gov. Steve Sisolak announced Thursday. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott re-shut bars and scaled back restaurant dining at the end of June. A few days later, California Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered the state's bars to close in several counties, including Los Angeles.

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More states may take similar steps as outbreaks expand, mostly across the American South and West. The United States reported a daily record of 63,247 new cases of Covid-19 on Thursday, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Some businesses that took Paycheck Protection Program loans may have already or may soon spend down those funds. That money has helped prop up payrolls for tens of millions of workers. But there's good news for people who lose their jobs again: They can likely resume their unemployment benefits, essentially picking up where they left off.

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However, as is usually the case with unemployment benefits, the rules can be confusing. "Everything about unemployment insurance is too complicated," said Michele Evermore, a senior policy analyst at the National Employment Law Project. For one, states set different rules for their unemployment systems. But here's what Americans across the country can generally expect.

How much will I get?

Applying for unemployment benefits starts a "benefit year" for that individual. A benefit year is the 52-week period following the date you first filed a claim. Someone who filed for unemployment in March 2020 would have a benefit year that lasts until March 2021, for example. Jobless workers can collect benefits over that period, even through multiple waves of unemployment. More from Invest in You:

How to borrow money if you are out of options

Your income took a hit. Now what?

Money moves that will help you thrive in a recession However, states put limits on the benefits people can receive  in weekly amounts and total duration  over that yearlong time frame. Those limits often mean someone won't be eligible to collect benefits for the whole year. Americans can think of unemployment benefits like a bank account, said Chris O'Leary, a senior economist at the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. Let's say someone gets about $380 a week  the average  in state unemployment benefits. The state, like most others, pays benefits for up to 26 weeks (6 months). This person would have a "bank account" of $9,880.

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Now let's say this person was receiving $380 a week over the 13-week period since mid-March, when layoffs began en masse. They got their old job back and stopped collecting unemployment. After some time, they are furloughed again. Half their bank account would be left. In other words, they'd be able to resume their old benefit level  $380 a week  for 13 more weeks. Some states allow people to collect benefits for longer than the maximum duration (i.e., 26 weeks) if they're drawing down a smaller chunk of their "bank account" each week, O'Leary said. This can occur through work-sharing programs, for example, which pay prorated unemployment benefits to part-time workers. Let's say the same person's hours were cut in half. They could theoretically get 50% of their benefit (i.e. $190 a week) for double the time (52 weeks).

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However, not all states operate their programs this way, O'Leary said. (One important note: The CARES Act, a federal coronavirus relief law enacted in March, supplements state benefits with an extra $600 a week. These payments, which are funded by the federal government and last through July 31, don't increase the size of one's unemployment "bank account.")

A year of unemployment benefits

The CARES Act and other rules mean people can get benefits over a much longer period of time than is typically the case. The law funds an additional 13 weeks of benefits for unemployment recipients. This extension, called Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, expires at the end of 2020. States also have rules, which predate the CARES Act, that offer "extended benefits" during periods of high unemployment in their state. Most states have triggered these additional benefits, typically around 13 extra weeks, Evermore said. Some states like Florida and North Carolina pay fewer (around six weeks) and others pay up to 20 weeks. Unlike the 13 extra weeks offered through the CARES Act, which are unavailable past year-end, the extra weeks offered via "extended benefits" can bleed into next year if a person remains unemployed. So, our theoretical unemployed worker could access $380 a week for a whole year. (This factors in a typical 26-week state benefit duration, a 13-week CARES Act extension and an additional 13-week period offered via state enhanced benefits). This amount would be available over several periods of unemployment during that time period. The person would also get $600 a week through July 31 in federal supplement payments. Workers generally don't have to reapply when transitioning into new periods of duration, though some states may vary in their processes, Evermore said.

The CARES Act offered some groups, like self-employed and gig workers, a total 39 weeks of unemployment benefits, via the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program. It expires at the end of the year. These workers are typically ineligible for traditional state benefits.

What happens when the 'benefit year' ends?
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Gurmohina Kaur granted the relief to the foreigners on furnishing a personal bond of Rs 10,000 each

Cases were slapped against several foreigners who flouted visa norms to attend Tablighi Jamaat in Old Delhi. (PTI photo)

New Delhi: A Delhi court Friday granted bail to 82 Bangladeshi nationals who were chargesheeted for attending Tablighi Jamaat congregation here for allegedly violating visa conditions, indulging in missionary activities illegally and violating government guidelines, issued in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Gurmohina Kaur granted the relief to the foreigners on furnishing a personal bond of Rs 10,000 each.

The accused will file their plea bargaining applications on Friday, said advocate Ashima Mandla and Mandakini Singh, appearing for the foreign nationals.

Under plea bargaining, the accused plead guilty to the offence praying for a lesser punishment. The Criminal Procedure of Code allows plea bargaining for cases where the maximum punishment is imprisonment for seven years, where offences don't affect the socio-economic conditions of the society and when the offences are not committed against a woman or a child below 14 years.

During the hearing, all the foreign nationals were produced before the court through video conferencing.
In the Corona-crisis has worsened the quality of life and mental health of many children and young people in Germany, according to a new study. Especially children from socially weaker families, were affected, the head of the so-called COPSY-study of the University hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer said on Friday. "Most of the children and young people feel the pressure, to make more Caring, pay less attention to their health and complain of frequent quarrels in the family."

In the case of every second child the relationship to his friends by the lack of physical contact suffered. The UKE-scientists interviewed between the 26. May and 10. June more than 1000 children and adolescents between 11 and 17 years and more than 1500 parents via the Online questionnaire. The COPSY study was according to UKE, the first nationwide study of its kind.

Updated Date: 10 July 2020, 08:22
[July 10, 2020] L-com Unveils New Category 8 Tool-less Keystone Jacks and Field Term RJ45 Plug with PoE++ Compliance

IRVINE, California, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- L-com, an Infinite Electronics brand and a preferred manufacturer of wired and wireless connectivity products, has released new Category 8 tool-less keystone jacks and a field termination RJ45 plug with PoE++ compliance. These new products are ideal for Category 6a, 7 and 8 networks, industrial monitoring and control, test and measurement, field installations and repair, and I/O connectivity. L-com's two new tool-less keystone jacks are Cat8-rated for 25 and 40 gig networks and PoE++ IEEE 802.3bt-rated. These models are fully shielded and recommended for 22-24 AWG solid conductors. They are also IEC 60512-99-002 for mating and un-mating connectors under electrical load. The panel mount is ECF-style and fit for racks and panels over 0.062" in thickness. The new RJ45 (8x8) plug is easy to use and also Cat 8-rated for 25 and 40 gig networks. It features a tool-less termination that is predictable, easy and accommodates 22-26 AWG solid or stranded wire. This plug is recommended for cables with an outer diameter of 0.26-0.33" and meets or exceeds ANSI/TIA-568 2-D Category 8 and IEC 802.3bt PoE++ standards.



"In addition to being tool-less, Category 8-rated and PoE++ compliant, these new products offer a variety of beneficial features. The keystone jacks are designed with a rear gate which prevents accidental disconnects and are tested for throughput, and the RJ45 plug features a metal shell and easy termination," said Dustin Guttadauro, Product Line Manager. L-com's new Category 8 tool-less keystone jacks and field term RJ45 plug are in stock and available for same-day shipping.

About L-com: L-com, a leading manufacturer of wired and wireless connectivity products, offers a wide range of solutions and unrivaled customer service for the electronics and data communications industries. The company's product portfolio includes cable assemblies, connectors, adapters, antennas, enclosures, surge protectors and more. L-com is headquartered in North Andover, Mass., is ISO 9001: 2015 certified and many of its products are UL recognized. L-com is an Infinite Electronics brand. About Infinite Electronics: Based in Irvine, Calif., Infinite Electronics offers a broad range of components, assemblies and wired/wireless connectivity solutions, serving the aerospace/defense, industrial, government, consumer electronics, instrumentation, medical and telecommunications markets. Infinite's brands include Pasternack, Fairview Microwave, L-com, MilesTek, Aiconics, KP Performance Antennas, PolyPhaser, Transtector, RadioWaves, ShowMeCables, INC-Installs and Integra Optics. Infinite Electronics serves a global engineering customer base with deep technical expertise and support, with one of the broadest inventories of products available for immediate shipment. Press Contact:

Peter McNeil

L-com

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Irvine, CA

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Here are todays top news, analysis and opinion. Know all about the latest news and other news updates from Hindustan Times.

85% Covid-19 deaths in 45-plus age bracket: Govt data

Patients over the age of 45 years, who form 25% of the countrys population, account for 85% of Indias Covid-19 deaths, the Union health ministry said on Thursday as it asserted that the country has been able to manage the outbreak relatively well with cases and deaths per million of the population here among the lowest in the world. Read more

Odisha official arrested over sexual harassment allegations

Police in Odisha arrested a 59-year-old senior state government official on Thursday over allegations of sexually harassing a 25-year-old junior. Mahila police station inspector Banita Maharana said director of AYUSH Mission Bibhu Prasad Sarangi was arrested following prima facie evidence of sending obscene messages to the woman employee. Read more

Nagaland govt asks employees to declare names of family members connected to insurgent groups

The Nagaland government has asked government employees to furnish details of family members who are affiliated to various insurgent groups in the state. According to an office memorandum issued on July 7 by chief secretary Temjen Toy, heads of departments have been asked to obtain information in self-declaration forms from all employees regarding family members and relatives in underground organizations. Read more

China warns citizens of unknown pneumonia with higher fatality than Covid-19

The Chinese embassy in Kazakhstan has issued a warning about an unknown pneumonia sweeping through the central Asian country after more than 600 people died of pneumonia in June. In an advisory issued for its citizens living in the former Soviet Bloc country, the Chinese embassy said the new disease has a fatality rate much higher than Covid-19. Read more

Charlize Theron exclusive interview: Old Guard star reveals what shed advise her self-involved younger self

Actor Charlize Theron scoffs at the idea that women cant (or dont want to) direct action films. She should know. It was a woman who directed her to annihilate innumerable villains in the upcoming Netflix film, The Old Guard. Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, the film is based on a comic book, about a group of immortal mercenaries, written by Greg Rucka and illustrated by Leandro Fernandez. Read more

Google bans these apps for injecting malware, uninstall them right away

Google has removed 11 apps from the Play Store which were infected with the notorious Joker malware. Google has been tracking these apps since 2017. Check Point researchers discovered a new variant of the Joker malware that was present inside legitimate apps. Read more

Mumbai Police shows a different side of sarcastic Chandler Bing, him giving important advice

Being funny is a quality but the character Chandler Bing, from popular TV series Friends, takes it to a whole new level. A benchmark for sarcasm and the king of wit, retorts from Chandler Bing often made us laugh out loud  and continues to do so. Read more

Guided Meditation: Relieve stress and improve sleep patterns with this holistic practice

We are only halfway into the year 2020, but it seems like it has been going on forever. Most people have always found it difficult to strike a work-life balance, which often tends to take its toll on ones mental health, and it often goes unnoticed. Read more
Amid border standoff with China, Boeing has completed delivery of AH-64E Apache and CH-47F(I) Chinook military helicopters to the Indian Air Force (IAF). With this, the US aerospace major has completed the contract for 22 Apaches to IAF. The delivery of the final five of the 22 Apache attack helicopters was done to the IAF at Air Force Station, Hindan. Boeing had earlier in March handed over the last five of 15 CH-47F(I) Chinook heavy-lift helicopters to the IAF, a statement said.

"Customer centricity, commitment to the modernization and mission-readiness of India's defence forces are key values to our partnership with India," said Surendra Ahuja, Managing Director, Boeing Defence India.

"With this delivery of military helicopters,we continue to nurture this partnership and are fully committed to working closely with India's defence forces to deliver the right value and capabilities to meet their operational needs," Ahuja added.

India is among 17 countries to have the Apache and also the most advanced variant, AH-64E Apache. The helicopter is also flown by the US and many other countries.

"In addition to classifying air and ground targets, the fire control radar has been updated to operate in the maritime environment. It is uniquely suited to meet a commander's needs, including reconnaissance, security, peacekeeping operations, and lethal attack, across myriad environments - without reconfiguration," the Boeing said.

The development comes at a time when the Indian and Chinese armies have been locked in a bitter standoff at multiple locations in eastern Ladakh for the last seven weeks. Tensions escalated after 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a violent clash in Galwan Valley on June 15.

(With agency inputs)

Also Read: PM Modi inaugurates Asia's largest 750 MW solar plant in Madhya Pradesh's Rewa

Also Read: Airborne transmission of COVID-19 a possibility, needs urgent research: WHO
The most recent video of Biden struggling to read off a teleprompter indicates that his mental battery, always low, is trending toward a zero percent charge. This makes him the perfect mouthpiece for the hard leftists who are handling his campaign and who dream of a perfect coming together of government and unions, with private ownership taking its marching orders from them. Biden's plan is pure fascism, albeit with the lust for world domination.

Before getting to the meat of this post, and while we're on the subject of fascism, it's worth noting that today's Democrat party, like the National Socialists of a country and era I won't mention here, is awash in racial obsessions. Moreover, it's not just categorizing races for fun and profit. Its thought leaders engage in virulent race-hatred and stereotyping.

Thus, a Black Lives Matter leader in Toronto posted on Facebook that whites are "genetic defects" and that, ideally, they should be wiped out. Anti-Semitism is also central to the new Democrat party, whether it's the obeisance to Al Sharpton or the vile statements from pro athletes. Fascism starts as an economic principle, but once it's achieved control over people, there's no telling where it will go.

But about Biden: First, he's senile. There's no nice way to say this. Watch a recent video of him struggling to read a teleprompter, losing his place, then leaning forward to read again, only to lose his place once more:

No wonder Joe Lockhart, who was Bill Clinton's press secretary and now works for CNN, has a proposal: "No tax returns, no debates."

No tax returns, no debates.  Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) July 9, 2020

Translated, that proposal means that Lockhart knows Biden is incapable of debating and is putting on the table a hypothetical offer he knows will be refused.

While Biden is incapable of sustained thought, his handlers are putting words in his mouth. Right now, they're advancing economic policies that are consistent with Bernie Sander's plan for America. As Don Surber says, "Biden won the nomination, the communists won the party."

Forgetting that funds for corporations (AKA employers and providers of goods and services that improve life) comes from individuals (AKA shareholders) who invest because they hope to make money, Biden has come out strongly against shareholder profits:

It's way past time to put the end to the era of shareholder capitalism. The idea the only responsibility a corporation has is its shareholders  that is simply not true, it's an absolute farce. They have a responsibility to their workers, their community, to their country.

The law already has protections in place for workers. The marketplace does the rest.

Moreover, before the Democrats used the virus and the protests to destroy the economy, Trump's roaring economy, which he created using tax and regulatory reform, plus pressure on China, had led to such a demand for workers that workers, not corporations, were able to set the terms.

That's how a healthy marketplace works. For the optimal marketplace and the most robust society, capitalists need to be moral. If they're not, the government won't make it so.

Speaking of how Trump's tax reform helped create a roaring economy and strengthened employees' abilities to make demands on their employers, Biden is determined to raise those taxes again:

Biden, addressing a small, socially-distant group of workers and journalists at the McGregor Industries metal works facility, said that he would raise the corporate tax rate to 28% (from 21%, where Trump lowered it in the Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017).

Biden's teleprompter also touted his "Jobs and Economic Recovery Plan for Working Families." The document is a masterpiece of fluffy, anodyne phrases about the wonders of Joe's plan. Stripped of the fluff, here's what it says Biden will do:

Follow through on his Wuhan virus plan (a more top-down, expensive version of what's already being done).

Hand out more taxpayer funds.

Create a Public Health Jobs Corps (presumably more "contact tracers").

Send money to unions  he'll "create millions of good-paying union jobs" through spending on manufacturing, through infrastructure plans "to meet the climate crisis," as well as unionizing caregivers and enhancing union organization and collective bargaining.

Use taxpayer money to subsidize minorities. Trump, on the other hand, massively uplifted minorities by letting taxpayers keep their money to create jobs.

If you thought Obama's stagflation was terrible, you can expect that the Biden-caused recession will be infinitely worse. As a reminder, it takes only ten years of socialism to destroy an economy (see, e.g., Venezuela and Zimbabwe).

Image: YouTube screen grab.
Fewer orders have been placed during the COVID-19 crisis, so Vietnams exporters have had to become more creative, introducing new products to choosy markets to boost sales.

Coffee bean shells



Holding a box of Cascara Blue Son La tea with elegant design, Phan Minh Thong, general director of the HCM City-based Phuc Sinh JSC, said the product is being sold to a European partner at $99 per kilogram and will be retailed at tea and coffee chains.





Cascara Blue Son La tea is also sold in the domestic market at VND150,000 per 100 grams and has won Vietnamese consumers hearts.



Thong revealed that Cascara is made of coffee bean shells. One day, he saw this kind of tea in the US which was sold at a very high price and decided to make the product with the materials from his company. After one year of research and development, his company created Cascara.



The first consignment of Cascara was sold last April, when the pandemic reached its peak.

Fewer orders have been placed during the COVID-19 crisis, so Vietnams exporters have had to become more creative, introducing new products to choosy markets to boost sales.

According to Thong, the material used to make Cascara must be Arabica coffee grown on land 1,000 meters above water sea level. Farmers have to pick every coffee bean instead of plucking entire branches.

In the first year of production, Phuc Sinh produced 500 kilograms of Cascara, including 200 kilograms for export and 300 kilograms for the domestic market. The maxium production capacity is 2 tons a year, because the material growing area in Son La is limited.



The small production volume is one of the factors that create the value of the product, he said.



In Vietnam, Phuc Sinh JSC is well known as the No 1 pepper exporter and is among the top 10 coffee exporters. Thong is often called the Pepper King.



After a long period of exporting materials, the company began exporting processed products in 2016.



We refuse outsourcing orders to focus on making products bearing the Phuc Sinh brand for domestic sale and export as well, Thong said.



Litchis stay fresh for month



Vietnams fresh litchis were first exported to the US in 2015. However, the exports remained very modest until 2019. Even Vina T&T Group exported only one ton of litchis to the market.



A representative of the company said litchis need to be carried to the US by air, because the fruit is fresh for 7-10 days only. Because of the high transportation cost, the selling price was not competitive.



However, the company now can preserve litchis for 45 days with a new technology. Therefore, it will ship litchis to the US by sea with a freight cost just 1/36 of the air transportation cost.

Mai Lan

China remains major market for Vietnams farm produce The first consignments of litchis grown in Hai Duong province shipped to Singapore hit the newspapers.
C Shivakumar By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Chennai's wholesale vegetable and fruit traders were shifted to the outskirts after the Koyambedu market turned into a COVID-19 hotspot. But the recent showers have raised serious questions on whether these temporary markets can withstand the monsoon and whether the city's supplies would be affected during the rainy season.

Thursday night's rain in the city has exposed the vulnerability of both the vegetable market set up at Thirumazhisai and the fruit market set up at Madhavaram. Even the mild rain resulted in knee-deep water stagnation and traders were struggling to unload their wares and goods.

Top officials including the Thiruvallur district collector and Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority member secretary visited the market to ensure that the water was removed so that the traders could function.

Although traders welcome the efforts of the officials, they want the government to initiate measures to reopen the Koyambedu fruit and vegetable wholesale market.

S Chandran, Market management Committee Licensed Merchants Association President and Anaithu Sangankalin Kootamaippu general secretary, told The New Indian Express that they don't find any fault in the government's move to resolve the issues of traders in Thirumazhisai. "They are sincere. Today, top officials visited the Thirumazhisai market to ensure work is being carried out on a war footing," he said.

"However, we want the government to open up the market in Koyambedu. We are struggling here and risking everything so that vegetables and fruits are available for the entire city. Here, everything is being sold in the range of Rs 15 to Rs 20. But there is no price control and retailers in Chennai are selling all the vegetables in the range between Rs 40 and Rs 80. As a result, the common man is suffering," says Chandran.

He said the traders have sent in their representations to the Deputy Chief Minister and also plan to approach the Chief Secretary. "We have also represented to the member secretary of CMDA who said he will look into the issue," says Chandran.

Meanwhile, officials say that it will be difficult to shift the market with COVID-19 cases rising in the city. It is learnt that officials are working out a strategy to ensure the market is prepared

to withstand the monsoon.

As it would result in more spending by the government, traders are worried that the government may not shift them back to Koyambedu. This also comes as the state government is looking at

alternative sites to open up a new market.
We are live with Executive Producer, Rendy Lovelady, with a COVID-19 update. Be sure to tune in! Posted by Gulf Coast Jam on Thursday, July 9, 2020

Back in May, organizers of a Florida Panhandle country music festival drew a line in the sand, announcing major headliners for a Labor Day weekend gathering likely to draw tens of thousands of fans. Now the sands appear to be shifting.

This week Rendy Lovelady, executive producer of the Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam, released a video statement in which he repeatedly assured fans that the event will not be canceled, but appeared to leave the door open for postponement. A decision will be announced on Friday, July 17, he said.

Mays announcement that Brad Paisley, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Luke Bryan would headline the 2020 Jam in Panama City Beach bucked the industry trend, which had seen virtually all spring and summer festivals canceled due to the COVID-19 epidemic, with a growing consensus that mass gatherings for live music might not return until well into fall, if then. Numerous spring and summer festivals already had punted to 2021.

At the time, there was some hope that the initial peak of the epidemic might have been well past by early September. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had issued an order putting the state in Phase 1 of a general reopening. But recent weeks have not been kind to that outlook, with increasing case counts nationwide. Florida has been among the hardest-hit states, and in late June it backtracked on a major reopening measure, once again prohibiting on-premise alcohol consumption at bars.

Loveladys video statement, posted Thursday on the festivals Facebook page, intimated that the difference of opinion among festival fans -- and the willingness of some to accuse organizers of ulterior motives -- had been a source of stress.

We wanted to come to you, we have so many people that are so anxious about whats happening with the festival, Lovelady says in the clip. Truthfully  you dont have to worry. Were not gonna cancel the festival. Were not. You have both extremes. You can go down our Facebook and read it. Why are you having masks? Why are you having the festival? You literally are split way down the middle. We just care about our consumer. We care about our consumer more than we care about us. Its not about insurance, because listen, there is no COVID virus insurance. What there is, is there are a group of men that own this festival that care about our consumer. Were trying to examine our options, were trying to make the right decision, were trying to do whats best for our Jammers and for our artists.

Were trying to examine our options, were trying to make the right decision, were trying to do whats best for our Jammers and for our artists, Lovelady continues. Now, were looking at options. Were looking at, do we reschedule. Were looking at all kinds of things to do. Heres what you need to know. Friday the 17th by 3 oclock were going to make a decision.  And Gulf Coast Jam, our package with Luke Bryan and Brad Paisley and Lynyrd Skynyrd, all of that is not going away. Its not.

Lovelady repeatedly calls on patrons to relax and to avoid panic, saying that the country is suffering from people getting really, really crazy.

So were not going to do something thats risky for anybody, were not gonna do anything to try to make money. Because weve seen all kinds of things that are just, kinda, really make me mad if you want to know Gods truth, he says. But the reality is were going to do the right thing. Because let me tell you something, I have to answer to God before I answer to anybody. And Im going to do the right thing, my partners are going to do the right thing to take care of our festival and to take care of our consumers.  Pray for our country right now. And pray for the right thing for our country because all of a sudden, people are getting really, really crazy. And what we need more than anything in life right now is calm.

Some commenters on the events Facebook page have pointed out that Bryan has pushed his planned 2020 tour back to 2021 and lists no 2020 dates on his website. As of Friday, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Brad Paisley still listed the Gulf Coast Jam on their sites. For Lynyrd Skynyrd itll follow a few dates starting Aug. 9 in Sturgis, S.D.; Paisley was returning to the stage July 10, 11 and 12 for a series of Live From the Drive-In concerts presented by Live Nation. As of Friday the Gulf Coast Jam was to be his first regular performance outside that series.

According to information provided by organizers, the 2019 festival drew over 20,000 fans per day from all 50 states and 14 foreign countries.
Kenyas Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Heritage and Culture of Kenya, Amina Mohamed, is among eight candidates vying to become the next head of the World Trade Organization.

Ms Amina was one of three contenders who entered the race just before the close of nominations on Wednesday. She will be seeking to replace Brazilian Robert Azevedo, who will be stepping down a year early at the end of August.

Amina, a former Kenyan ambassador to the WTO and the first woman to chair the WTOs General Council in 2005, had contested against Mr Azevedo in 2013 but lost out on a decision made by consensus among member states.

The candidates will now meet with the WTO General Council to make pitches and respond to questions. The Council will meet from July 15-17 to hear their presentations and quiz them on their plans for the global trade body.

Kenyas Head of State, Uhuru Kenyatta, on Thursday gave a glowing recommendation of Amina Mohamed ahead of the World Trade Organization vote, describing the former Foreigh Affairs Minister as a master consensus builder uniquely qualified to lead the WTO at this critical time.

Read President Kenyattas full statement below.

Statement by: H. E Hon. Uhuru Kenyatta, CGH

President and Commander in Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces

On the candidature of Amb. Amina Mohamed for the position of Director General of the World Trade Organization

Date: Thursday, 9th July, 2020

Venue: Harambee House, Nairobi

On the 7th of July 2020, the Republic of Kenya submitted the candidature of Amb. Amina C. Mohamed for the position Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: In a significant development, the medical and dental colleges on Thursday told the AP High Court that they were ready to take up admission of students into the Post Graduation courses for 2020-2021 to 2022-2023 as per the fee fixed by the State government. The managements, however, said they have decided to collect Rs 45,000 fees from each student for three years and that they have reached an agreement with the students over it. The students, however, informed the High Court that the collection of Rs 45,000 by the college managements is not in accordance with the fee fixed by the government.

The High Court bench of Justice M Satyanarayana Murthy and Justice K Suresh Reddy on Thursday heard a batch of petitions filed by the students and colleges.Counsels representing the college managements A Satya Prasad and DV Sitarama Murthy informed the court that the college managements and students have come to an agreement over collecting additional Rs 45,000 for three years.

Senior advocate KG Krishna Murthy representing the students, said that there is no provision for the managements to collect the additional Rs 45,000 and that the managements have forced the students to accept their proposal. The other counsels of students said the collection of Rs 45,000 should be based on the High Court verdict only.After hearing both sides, the High Court Bench adjourned the case for orders to a further date.
Telecom Italia (TIM) has excluded China's Huawei Technologies from a tender for 5G equipment for the core network it is preparing to build in Italy and Brasil, two sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

The list of invited suppliers comprises Cisco, Ericsson, Nokia, Mavenir and Affirmed Networks, a company recently acquired by Microsoft, one of the two sources said.

Representatives for Huawei in Italy and Brazil declined to comment.

The move comes amid reports that Italy is considering whether to exclude Huawei from building its 5G network over concerns it could open the way for China to spy on key Western telecoms infrastructure.

Huawei on Thursday defended its record as a private-sector infrastructure group and said, "the security and development of digital Italy should be based on an approach grounded in facts and not baseless allegations."

The U.S. government has urged its allies to exclude the Chinese telecoms giant from the West's next-generation communications.

The United Kingdom will publish this month a government update on the Chinese company after granting it only a limited role in building Britain's 5G network.

The head of French cybersecurity agency ANSSI ruled out a total ban on Huawei equipment for 5G networks in a newspaper interview on Sunday but said French telcos were being encouraged to avoid switching to the Chinese company.

Huawei has played no part in the building of TIM's existing core network in Italy, while the exclusion could mark a change of course for TIM in Brazil, where Huawei has supplied 4G equipment for the core network of the Italian group's local unit TIM Participacoes.

So-called core networks are where sensitive data is processed.

Huawei has successfully conducted 5G tests with all of Brazil's major carriers including TIM Brasil and is helping them modernize their infrastructure ahead of a 5G spectrum auction.

A person with knowledge of TIM Participacoes' plans said another tender for purchasing 5G gear is likely to be carried out in Brazil once the new frequencies are auctioned by the government, which is expected to happen next year.

"When the auction for the purchase of 5G equipment takes place in Brazil, prices guaranteed to Italy by suppliers there will serve as a ceiling reference above which TIM Brasil will not buy," the source said, adding Huawei could still participate in the second tender if President Jair Bolsonaro's administration allows it.

The Brazilian leader, a former army captain and close ally of U.S. President Donald Trump said last month that 5G deployment would have to meet national sovereignty, information and data security requirements.

A Huawei executive this week warned that Brazil could suffer years of delay in deploying 5G network and higher costs if it succumbed to U.S. pressure to snub the Chinese supplier.
The owners of two York County diners that reopened in violation of Gov. Tom Wolfs coronavirus closure orders are getting a hefty helping of flak on Facebook over their acceptance of COVID-19 aid through the federal Paycheck Protection Program.

That ire is being directed at the owners of the Round the Clock Diners by critics who claim it is unfair that the eateries were approved for more than $150,000 in loans through the PPP even as they defied Wolfs controversial shutdown directive.

Other businesses that obeyed the order suffered financially while Round the Clock kept serving eat-in meals, opponents contend.

The PPP is a measure used by the feds to try to offset the economic impact of COVID-19 and enable affected business to keep paying their workers. Approval of loans is not tied to obedience to state shutdown orders linked to the pandemic.

Attempts to contact the Round the Clock owners for comment on the online criticism were not immediately successful Friday morning.

State officials suspended the licenses of the diners in Springettsbury and Manchester townships, which are owned by the Sacarellos family, and they were fined for offering dine-in service in violation of Wolfs directives.

Christos Sacarellos told PennLive in May that the family chose to reopen for dine-in to get back to some normalcy. He said customer feedback had been positive. The diners were restricting occupancy and practicing social distancing, he said.

The Sacarellos diners werent alone in ignoring the governor. Businesses across the state revolted and reopened, often with the support of Republican legislators who have tried, and so far failed, to override Wolfs COVID-19 restrictions. The state Supreme Court has denied numerous challenged to the governors directives.

That didnt sway the critics on the Facebook thread.

How could he accept this government money when he broke the law to open when we all stayed closed to protect our community? Is this even legal?, one commenter asked. How do the business owners who actually followed the rules feel about this? Appears to me to be a big pat on the back from ol Trumpty Dumpty for disobeying the government.

While the PPP excludes businesses that break the law from receiving loans, Wolfs shutdown order was part of an emergency declaration and was not enacted as a state law.

Wait- they stayed open, got fined, and still got the money?!? Why? another commenter wrote. Others threatened to boycott the eateries.

The federal government has released a list of recipients of PPP aid, but only for those who received at least $150,000.

One of the largest beneficiaries of COVID-19-related federal aid is the Roman Catholic Church. An analysis by the Associated Press showed the church and its affiliates received at least $1.4 billion in taxpayer-financed aid at a time when the church has been rocked by clergy child-sex abuse scandals and some diocese, including the Harrisburg Diocese, have filed for bankruptcy protection.

Locally, diocese affiliates in the PPP $150K-Plus Club include Bishop McDevitt High School, Catholic Charities, Harrisburg Catholic Administrative Services, and the parishes and schools of Holy Name of Jesus, Saint Catherine Labour, Saint Mary Margaret Alcoque and Saint Patrick.

Numerous nonCatholic religious organizations also are on the U.S. governments PPP listing. More than 26,000 businesses and organizations in Pennsylvania received at least $150,000 through the program.
Danielle Cote might still be alive had prosecutors won a recent fight to keep one of her accused killers in custody.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/7/2020 (557 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Danielle Cote might still be alive had prosecutors won a recent fight to keep one of her accused killers in custody.

According to sources, a 14-year-old boy arrested in a Canada Day shooting spree that resulted in the 27-year-old woman's death (Winnipegs 20th homicide of the year) and injuries to several others had, just weeks earlier, been sentenced to time served for robbery.

A source told the Free Press the Crown had recommended the judge sentence the teen to additional time, that would have held him in custody beyond July 1.

Access to the audio record of the sentencing hearing is restricted, as it involves a young offender.

A 15-year-old co-accused in the shooting spree was, at the time, on bail for his alleged involvement in an April 8 liquor store robbery that ended in the shooting death by police of 16-year-old Eisha Hudson, sources have confirmed.

Hudson was behind the wheel of a stolen SUV when police fired at the vehicle at the intersection of Lagimodiere Boulevard and Fermor Avenue. The 15-year-old boy, who sources say has had extensive contact with police, was reportedly among several teen passengers in the vehicle.

The teen's release on bail five days later was opposed by the Crown. As with his co-accused, details of the bail hearing cannot be disclosed due to a publication ban.

At the time of his release, new youth arrestees were being detained at the Winnipeg Remand Centre for quarantine as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The province later reversed the move, after defence lawyers raised concerns about housing youth in an adult facility.

The 15-year-old co-accuseds release is another example of a justice system that doesnt know how to deal with youth offenders, said one advocate.

"The kid was obviously in a whole lot of trouble for a long time, and our systems just dont seem to be adequately prepared to deal with kids like that," Karen Wiebe, executive director of the Manitoba Organization for Victim Assistance, said Thursday.

"In a lot of respects, I have to say, I dont feel this case is a whole lot different than an adult case, where an offender has habitually been in trouble and been released and then commits a murder or some other terrible crime," Wiebe said. "We need to have ways to deal with that appropriately so that they dont hurt other people.

"The kid was obviously in a whole lot of trouble for a long time, and our systems just dont seem to be adequately prepared to deal with kids like that."  Karen Wiebe, executive director of the Manitoba Organization for Victim Assistance

"Our justice system is falling down... because they dont know what to do with these kids."

The two accused teens are charged with first-degree murder in Cotes death, and attempted murder and aggravated assault in connection to shootings July 1-2 that injured three people.

Prosecutors have indicated they will be seeking adult sentences, if convicted. The mandatory adult sentence for offenders under 16 is life in prison with no chance of parole for five to seven years.

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City police have said they dont believe the co-accused knew Cote nor the other shooting victims.

Police have said the first incident occurred at approximately 2:30 a.m. July 1, when an injured 44-year-old man was found on Balmoral Street, after he had been struck by a vehicle. Police later learned the man had been shot prior to being hit by the car.

Less than an hour later, a 17-year-old girl and a male were shot at on the 100 block of Isabel Street. The pair were not injured and did not initially report the shooting, police said. The 14-year-old accused is the lone suspect in that incident.

At 3:15 a.m., Cote and a 18-year-old male cousin were shot while walking on the 400 block of Flora Avenue. Cote died at the scene; her cousin was treated for injuries in hospital.

On July 2, at approximately 12:30 a.m., a 40-year-old man was shot at The Forks and another man was stabbed.

dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca
Spoilers for The Old Guard lie ahead.

As you might expect given that both are written by the same person, Netflixs The Old Guard hews fairly close to its comic book source material. In fact, some of its most noteworthy features are the places where it doesnt depart. Greg Rucka, who wrote the series on which Gina Prince-Bythewoods movie is based, made it a condition of his deal that certain aspects had to stay put, notably an eloquent declaration of love between two of the storys quasi-eternal male warriors, Joe (Marwan Kenzari) and Nicky (Luca Marinelli).* As Bilge Ebiri wrote in Vulture, its a moment whose romantic and erotic charge is without precedent in contemporary big-budget superhero movies, which are overwhelmingly heteronormative when they can be bothered to admit that sex exists at all. (It doesnt hurt that the declaration, delivered after a mocking reference to one character as the others boyfriend, is followed by the two of them kicking the crap out of their homophobic tormentors.)

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Although Rucka borrows some ideas from a second, in-progress volume, Force Multiplied, which wraps up next week, The Old Guard mostly follows the story laid out in the first series, collected under the title Opening Fire. Theres a group of four warriors, led by Andy (Charlize Theron), nee Andromache the Scythian, who for somewhere between centuries and millennia have been fighting the good fight, knowing that they can recover from any injury. Theyre no stronger than ordinary people, though they do have a lot more practice, and theyre not exactly immortal, but theyre virtually impossible to killat least until the day when their luck suddenly runs out. The group hasnt added to its number since the Napoleonic wars, but as the story begins, they start dreaming about a fifth, an American Marine named Nile Freeman (KiKi Layne), who gets her throat slashed during a house-to-house search in Afghanistan and is stunned to wake up in a field hospital, not only alive but apparently unharmed.*

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As Rucka admits in the text essays appended to the first two issues of Force Multiplied, Nile was something of a plot device, the newcomer who needs to have everything explained to her so that readers can understand it, too. But as he worked on the script, he realized that movie characters and the actors playing them need reasons for their behavior beyond the fact that the story requires it, and Prince-Bythewood felt that Nile, the only major Black character in the comic, needed a backstory of her own. (The movie also changes the race of the ex-CIA agent played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, who has uncovered proof of the Old Guards existence and is hunting them down for profit.) Because its an action movie first and foremost, that shift is mostly a matter of emphasis, but it means the moments when Nile agonizes over whether to cut ties with her familyheeding the others warning that her superhuman powers will make her personal relationships impossible to sustainno longer feel like theyre squeezed into the cracks of Andys story.

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The Old Guard movie makes several other course corrections as well. In the comics, the antagonist, a young pharma billionaire intent on extracting and marketing the secret to the warriors immortalityeven if he has to grind their bodies into pulp to do itis a pumped and tatted psychopath who does pushups in the middle of meetings and repeatedly stabs his captives just for the fun of it. In the movie, hes a pallid weasel (played by iconic millennial weasel Harry Melling, aka Dudley Dursley), more like a sad little internet troll than a hypermasculine master of the universe.

But the most significant change has to do with downplaying a major theme of the comics: the issue of human trafficking and slavery. In both versions of the story, the specter of a group of North African girls being sold into slavery coaxes Andy and her gang out of the shadows, fatefully disobeying their own rule about never doing two jobs for the same client. (Its a good rulethe job, set up by Ejiofors ex-agent, turns out to be a trap.) But in the comic, the theme comes back again and again. In the second book, theyre again hot on the trail of a group of slavers, who turn out to be allied with (big spoiler alert) Andys old, long-presumed-deceased colleague and lover Noriko. The first scene of the second book, set several thousand years in the past, shows Andy emerging from a victorious battle and describing the sense of shame that sets in as the adrenaline wears off, as shes ordered to place a steel collar around a vanquished enemys neck

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The theme of slavery comes to a head in the fourth issue of Opening Fire, when Andy flashes back 200 years to recall her romantic relationship with a Black West Indian slave named Achilles. Achilles, she tells us, was a slave on a plantation in Virginia when the American Revolution broke out, and chose to fight on the British side in exchange for the promise of freedom, because he liked the sound of that. (Whether or not this qualifies as an actual choice is glossed over.) In Britain, he was arrested for stealing bread and sent to the Australian penal colony, where he escaped and encountered Andy, then working as a bounty hunter. She catches up to him while he is bathing in a waterfall, but he manages to retrieve a gun, and they stand at a stalemate, with his gun and his penis given equal prominence in the frame. They join together as bandits and lovers, and she says that Achilles made me want to live again, just so I could stay with him. He grew old as she did not, and although he never asked why, he understood, and eventually sent her away so that others would not grow suspicious, effectively choosing to die alone rather than risk Andy being found out.

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The movie doesnt make room for many flashbacks, and those that it does include are mostly focused on the character of Quynh (Van Veronica Ngo), whose story ends up paralleling Norikos from the comic books. But there are a lot of other reasons to excise Achilles, who feels like an exotic ornament to Andys story, and whose presence raises way more questions than it answers. (For one, when did our heroine, now so nobly opposed to human trafficking, stop hunting fugitive ex-slaves for profit?) If people grow more conservative as they age, its not hard to imagine how a person whos been alive for more than 6,000 years could hold some pretty retrograde views, so its better not to even open up the issue of when The Old Guards prehistoric protagonist took up the values of liberal enlightenment. Just let Charlize Theron kick some ass, and leave the thornier moral questions for the sequel.

For more of Slates culture coverage, listen to a spoiler-filled discussion of the Hamilton movie.
The Court found that five exemplar municipal water districts who claimed that JM Eagle sold them sub-standard water pipe used in 26 pipeline projects did not prove that they had suffered any damages whatsoever. JM Eagle is the world's largest maker of plastic pipe.

The case, No. 5:06-cv-00055-GW-PJW, was heard in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

The JMOL ruling states "there is no 'real world' evidence of defects as to the pipe."

"Plaintiffs have presented no evidence that they have removed or contracted for the replacement of all (or any portion) of the JM pipe in the ground; and it is undisputed that they have not ceased the use of that pipe and thereby have obtained, retained (for many years), and continue to receive value from it," the June 5 ruling states.

"There was no testimony from any Plaintiff that it had, in fact, ever had any of J-M's pipe from the 26 projects removed and tested, even though there were statements from experts on both sides that testified such testing could be done," the ruling states, noting that "none of Plaintiffs' experts conducted any experiments, tests or undertook any other means of attempting to establish a longevity figure for compliant PVC pipe. Instead, they merely assumed some figure for purposes of this litigation."

"JM Eagle believes this case should never have been brought," said the company's General Counsel Frank Fletcher. "The case was plaintiffs' attorney-driven. The evidence used against JM Eagle was created for this litigation and did not reflect reality or industry practice.

"JM Eagle delivered high quality pipe to the plaintiffs," Mr. Fletcher said. "There was no evidence of defects or noncompliance with standards in the pipe installed and placed in service by the exemplar plaintiffs, nor was there any evidence ultimately presented at trial that the pipe at issue had failed while in service. Our JMOL victory confirms what we have known all-along, that none of the plaintiffs received anything less than the quality pipe they were promised."

Six years ago, plaintiffs' attorney Eric Havian (then of Phillips & Cohen LLP) issued a press release that said, "JM Eagle faces billions in damages." Today's ruling sets the amount of damages at zero. Now, 14 years after the qui tam lawsuit was filed, JM Eagle can claim victory.

"JM Eagle has always been determined to see this matter through to its just conclusion," said Walter Wang, JM Eagle President and CEO. "We were determined to demonstrate that this case was baseless and that we had done nothing wrong. We also wanted to demonstrate that companies unjustly attacked must stand up and fight for what is right and not settle just to make the problem go away.

"If JM Eagle would have settled, we felt it would have encouraged future frivolous litigation against other blameless companies, putting hundreds or thousands of jobs, their reputations, and even the companies themselves at risk," he said. "With our victory in the JMOL, we would hope that plaintiff attorneys are strongly discouraged from bringing similar baseless litigation."

The JM Eagle case was filed under seal in 2006 under the False Claims Act (FCA), a Civil War-era federal law that allows private individuals to file qui tam suits under seal on behalf of the government and receive up to a third of any money recovered. The promise of large financial payouts has given rise to a surge of these types of suits in recent years prompting calls for reform. Critics have termed qui tam suits a "false claims gold rush" and a "government-tort bar treasure hunt."

The long-running case was tried in two phases with five exemplar plaintiffs chosen by the plaintiffs' attorneys from a broader pool of more than 190 intervening plaintiffs and real parties in interest. The jury in Phase I rendered a verdict in November 2013 that JM Eagle did not prove that every single stick of pipe it produced was 100% in strict compliance with industry standards, although no JM pipe at issue in the Phase I trial was shown to not conform to industry standards.

After JM Eagle argued that this was an impossible standard that no pipe manufacturer could reach, Judge Wu ruled that the Phase I verdict would apply only to the five exemplar plaintiffs.

In Court, Judge Wu said, "My problem with the Phase I trial, it was unclear during major portions of the trial what exactly was being litigated." And he described the Phase I trial as follows: "I am not saying a train wreck as to one side or the other. I am just calling it a train wreck because that is really what it was."

Phase II of the trial ended in November 2018 with a hung jury and Judge Wu's declaration of a mistrial. JM Eagle's attorneys then filed a motion asking the Court to issue an order granting JM Eagle a Judgment as a Matter of Law (JMOL).

The JMOL order states: "Plaintiffs have clearly and indisputably received value from the J-M pipe in the 26 projects that are the subject of the Phase Two trial. As to those projects, there has never been any failure of the pipe after between 12 to 22 years since their installations  starting in 1996 and ending in 2006, up through the end of the Phase Two trial in 2018. Thus, for every day that the J-M pipe is in the ground and functioning without incident, the Plaintiffs have gotten (and are continuing to get) the benefit of their bargain."

The JMOL ruling states that the Phase I verdict on compliance with industry standards was based on three tests of pipe materials, not on the longevity of finished pipe. "All three tests concern the thermoplastic pipe materials; they are not tests of the manufactured pipe itself operating in real world conditions," it states.

"Further, none of Plaintiffs' experts conducted any experiments, tests or undertook any other means of attempting to establish a longevity figure for compliant PVC pipe. Instead, they merely assumed some figure for purposes of this litigation," the JMOL order states. "At various points during and after the Phase Two trial, Plaintiffs' counsel virtually conceded their inability to quantify any purported diminution of value of the J-M pipe during the relevant periods."

Judge Wu's order states "the Court concludes that Plaintiffs failed to provide evidence at the Phase Two trial from which a reasonable jury could make a finding of an award of actual damages under the FCA that would not be erroneous as a matter of law, be totally unfounded and/or be purely speculative."

The Court had a telephonic status conference for on June 22, 2020 regarding scheduling of the remaining portion of the trial pertaining to civil penalties that might be assessed relating to the jury's finding in Phase I of the trial. According to stipulations by both sides, the total penalties could range from $0 to a maximum of $260,000, far from the billions originally claimed.

JM Eagle's 14-year legal odyssey

The story of JM Eagle's 14-year legal odyssey was fraught with unfounded allegations, betrayal by a disgruntled former employee and even the disqualification of its own former outside attorneys.

JM Eagle leaders at first viewed the matter as a frivolous lawsuit with unfounded allegations, but it became "the lawsuit from hell," said Mr. Fletcher. "In hindsight this attorney-driven litigation, in our view, ultimately reflected the worst of the legal profession," he said. "We faced false accusations, unfair and erroneous media coverage. Furthermore, we encountered the disqualification of our legal counsel on the eve of trial because they concealed from to us and the court that they were also representing one of the exemplar plaintiffs, albeit on a different matter."

The saga actually began in January 2006, when a disgruntled former JM Eagle employee who had been fired on suspicion of operating an illegal kickback scheme filed the "qui tam" lawsuit under the FCA. During the first four years of the case, while it remained under seal, JM Eagle didn't know what was in the complaint or even who had filed it.

The company was forced to respond to numerous Justice Department subpoenas without knowing details of the complaint. Government investigators at times working with plaintiffs' attorneys seized numerous samples of JM Eagle pipe for laboratory testing. After receiving and analyzing the results, the United States Department of Justice declined to intervene in the case.

"Bursting pipes" that didn't exist

The unsealing of the complaint in February 2010 opened the door under the FCA for the plaintiffs to proceed on their own. The first thing the plaintiffs' attorneys did was give the complaint to The New York Times. "Bursting Pipes Lead to a Legal Battle," read the Feb. 12, 2010 sensational headline.

The headline caught the company by surprise because JM Eagle was and is the industry leader with the finest manufacturing facilities and quality control systems and had sold at that time more than 11.4 billion linear feet of pipe in the previous decade, while receiving gross defects claims on less than 0.1% of the pipe it had sold.

The U.S. Attorney's office in Los Angeles had investigated the allegations for three years before declining to join the case. The state attorneys general of California, Delaware and Tennessee had publicly stated that their own investigations of JM pipe yielded no issues.

None of the pipe in service that was at issue in the litigation was defective, bursting or anything close. To date, the pipe supplied to the exemplar plaintiffs has performed while in service  for the time periods between 13 and 23 years -- without failure. Cross-examined under oath, certain of the plaintiffs admitted that the pipe that JM sold them might be fully compliant with industry standards. And they admitted none of them had ever tested the installed pipe and they had no plans to test it or replace it.

The unsealing of the complaint was also the first time JM Eagle learned that it had been filed by a former employee who had been fired in 2005 on suspicion of an illegal kickback scheme. The former employee was the person at the company who handled claims. JM Eagle had received a sworn statement from a contractor stating that this former employee had urged the contractor to triple the $30,000 claim he had against the company, and that the employee said "after getting your money and cashing the check, I will send you my address so you can compensate me for my efforts on your behalf."

Document theft and secret tape recordings

Digging further into the evidence, JM Eagle was dismayed by other actions the employee had taken before he was fired. According to JM Eagle's later court filing, the former employee "had engaged in a months-long scheme to embezzle confidential and trade-secret documents from J-M" to further the qui tam litigation.

The court filing continues: "Moreover, while engaged in the document-theft scheme with [his attorneys], [the employee] fabricated evidence for the explicit purpose of bringing the instant litigation against J-M. This included unlawful, secret tape recordings of J-M employees, self-help 'requests for admissions' in the form of set-up emails [the employee] sent to J-M personnel, and [the employee's] misrepresentation of himself as a current J-M employee to J-M's outside laboratory (after he already had been fired) in an attempt to secure confidential test reports."

None of this information was available to the jury at the Phase 1 trial.

Several plaintiffs' systems didn't even have JM Eagle pipe

The plaintiffs' attorneys had added dozens of plaintiffs to the case without their knowledge or consent, which is allowed by the FCA. During the pendency of the case, the federal government, District of Columbia and seven states withdrew or declined to join it. Two of the largest plaintiffs added by the attorneys, the cities of Los Angeles and Washington D.C., found that they didn't even have any plastic pipe in their municipal systems.

Eight years after the qui tam was filed under seal, and three years after JM Eagle first learned of the nature of the claim, the case was set for trial in federal court in Los Angeles.

JM Eagle's first law firm is disqualified

But as the trial neared, the company's law firm, Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton, was disqualified after one of the exemplar plaintiffs, the South Tahoe Public Utility District, asserted it was also a Sheppard Mullin client in an unrelated matter and demanded the firm's disqualification. Sheppard Mullin knew of the conflict, but did not disclose it, when it was engaged by JM Eagle.

"Our company trusted Sheppard Mullin to help us get this frivolous litigation dismissed," said Mr. Wang, JM Eagle's President and CEO. "Then shortly before the case went to trial, South Tahoe successfully moved to disqualify Sheppard Mullin from representing us. This was how we first learned of the conflict. We felt so betrayed and could not believe that the legal profession allowed this to happen."

After incurring $4 million in legal fees with Sheppard Mullin, JM Eagle was forced to hire a new law firm to prepare for the Phase I trial.

"Having to get another law firm up to speed going into the Phase I trial was a disadvantage," said Mr. Wang. "We didn't have the fair start that our justice system promises."

The Phase I verdict

Although none of the pipe at issue was found to be non-complaint with industry standards, in November 2013, the Phase I jury rendered a verdict finding that JM Eagle had falsely represented uniform compliance with select industry standards.

The verdict was yet another surprising blow to the company, because during the trial witnesses from certifying agencies including Underwriters Laboratories, the global safety certification agency, testified that JM Eagle had always maintained its pipe certifications in good standing and there was no evidence the company had ever sought to mislead the agencies.

Certifying agencies such as Underwriters Laboratories and NSF International had conducted unannounced inspections at JM Eagle's plants on average 400 times a year, totaling more than 10,000 inspections since the company's inception in 1983. Over that period, JM Eagle pipe had been continuously certified to American Water Works Association ("AWWA"), American Society for Testing and Materials ("ASTM"), and UL standards by UL and NSF.

Plaintiffs' attorney: "JM Eagle faces billions in damages"

In the wake of the Phase I verdict, the plaintiffs' attorneys issued the press release that said, "JM Eagle faces billions in damages." The press release falsely claimed that the verdict meant JM Eagle had been "making and selling faulty water system pipes," despite the fact that plaintiffs' attorneys repeatedly argued at trial that plaintiffs did not have to prove that a single piece of pipe was faulty.

"JM Eagle was incredulous when the plaintiffs' attorney made false statements, misrepresented the facts both in their press release and to the media -- we believe in an effort to force our company to settle," said Chuck Clark, JM Eagle's Vice President of Operations. "We worked every day to produce good pipe. We could not believe that some news media lent credibility to the falsehoods."

JM Eagle immediately asked the judge to throw out the verdict. "Cross-examined under oath," JM Eagle argued, "plaintiffs admitted that the pipe that J-M sold them might be fully compliant with industry standards; indeed, two of them continued to buy J-M pipe long after this suit (was filed)."

In subsequent proceedings, Judge Wu said the first verdict was "unclear." Addressing the plaintiffs, he said, "it was my understanding  and obviously, I was wrong  that you were proceeding on a false certification claim. And, now, you have since told me that wasn't what you tried even though, even during the trial, that is what I thought you were tryingso I was under a misunderstanding as to what the plaintiffs were doing."

The judge then ruled that the verdict in the first trial would apply to only the five exemplar plaintiffs, who would have to prove in the second trial that they had suffered actual damages and the amount of any such damages. The ruling barred any other plaintiffs from seeking damages based on the Phase I verdict.

The Phase II trial before a different jury ended in November 2018 with the jury announcing twice that it could not reach a verdict. Judge Wu declared a mistrial and on June 5, 2020 issued the JMOL order.

JM Eagle seeks to recover legal fees

But there is more to the story. In 2012, even after its unseemly disqualification earlier, Sheppard Mullin sued JM Eagle in state court to recover the outstanding balance of the legal fees it had billed JM Eagle during its conflicted representation.

JM Eagle countersued arguing it should not have to pay the $1.3 million in fees that Sheppard Mullin claimed it was owed, and also that the law firm should return the $2.7 million in fees that JM Eagle had already paid, plus interest. JM Eagle further believed that Sheppard Mullin's misconduct warranted the imposition of punitive damages.

Six amicus briefs had been filed in this case by a total of 51 law firms, legal associations and other parties supporting Sheppard Mullin's position that it acted ethically because its engagement with JM Eagle contained an "advanced waiver" clause. However, despite the other law firms' arguments made in these amicus briefs, the California Supreme Court ruled that Shephard Mullin had violated the State's Rules of Professional Conduct.

After a six-year battle, the California Supreme Court ruled unanimously (7-0) that the firm's attorney-client contract was invalid and "unenforceable in its entirety." The Court returned the matter to district court to settle the fees issues without the engagement contract in effect.

In its landmark opinion, the state Supreme Court wrote, "The transaction was entered under terms that undermined an ethical rule designed for the protection of the client as well as for the preservation of public confidence in the legal profession.(I)f a conflict of interest is known to a law firm at the time it seeks a waiver, the attorney is not allowed to hide that conflict." Stating that "clients should not have to investigate their attorneys" the Court placed the burden of disclosure squarely upon the law firm regardless of the size or sophistication of the client.

In December 2019, with a trial date set, the parties reached a settlement in non-binding mediation. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed. However, JM's Mr. Fletcher said the company was very pleased with the settlement. He also said the company was pleased that the Supreme Court victory stands as a warning to large law firms across the U.S. that they must be more transparent about disclosing known conflicts with prospective clients.

JM Eagle's California Supreme Court victory called a "landmark" case

Legal scholars agree that the Supreme Court decision, which sharply defined attorneys' duty of loyalty attorneys owed to their clients, represents a "seminal" case in legal ethics and that will be discussed for years in law schools and Bar Association meetings.

UCLA law professor Adam Winkler, a specialist in American constitutional law said, "The California Supreme Court decision in Sheppard, Mullin vs. J-M Manufacturing is a landmark in legal ethics, clarifying the duties that lawyers owe to their clients to avoid conflicted representation. The case will be studied in law schools nationwide, and lawyers and law firms will look to the decision for guidance in securing advance waivers to potential conflicts."

After the settlement agreement was reached, former U.S. Magistrate Leo S. Papas, who presided over the mediation proceedings, said "an attorney's duty of loyalty to clients is nothing new, but the Supreme Court decision really addressed the responsibility of law firms to address client conflicts quickly and in a forthright manner."

"It was a seminal decision in terms of legal ethics," Judge Papas said. "The Supreme Court decision made it crystal clear that the duty of loyalty to the client is paramount."

Judge Papas praised JM Eagle's Walter Wang for his courage and determination to pursue the case for years. "I found him to be someone guided by honor and principle," Judge Papas said. "He has a moral compass that lets him pursue what he thinks is right. He has to be commended for that."

Reflecting on the victories at the California Supreme Court relating to legal conflicts of interest, and in U.S. District Court relating to the qui tam case, Mr. Fletcher said, "I take great pride in working for a company that would choose to take this fight to its conclusion, not because it was economical to do so, but because it was the right thing to do to ensure that the same abuses do not occur in the future."

"If you are going to fight this long and hard, you must have faith that justice will prevail," said Mr. Wang. "Of course, there were risks and there were setbacks along the way. But we had set our course and the key was we would persevere and not give up."

The attorneys who represented JM Eagle in the qui tam litigation include David M. Bernick of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP Paul S. Chan and Ekwan E. Rhow of Bird, Marella, Boxer, Wolpert, Nessim, Drooks, Lincenberg & Rhow, P.C. James R. Rosen of Rosen & Saba, LLP James R. Rosen of Rosen & Saba, LLP and Kent Richland and Jeffrey Raskin of Greines, Martin, Stein & Richland LLP represented the company in the conflict of interest litigation.

With 20 manufacturing plants throughout North America, JM Eagle manufactures the widest array of high-grade, high-performance polyvinyl chloride and high-density polyethylene pipe across a variety of industries and applications including utility, solvent weld, electrical conduit, natural gas, irrigation and water/sewage. More information can be found at www.jmeagle.com

Contact: Marcus Min

Marketing Communications

(310) 693-8200 ext: 7417

SOURCE JM Eagle

Related Links

http://www.jmeagle.com


Manly is now home to NSW's first 30km/h town centre, with the Northern Beaches Council slowing vehicles to protect visitors and locals who walk and cycle near the harbour and the beach.

And in Sydney's south-west, speeds in the "highly walkable" town centre of Liverpool will drop to 30km/h to protect vulnerable road users. School zone speeds in Liverpool and Manly will also be reduced from 40km/h to 30km/h with new orange warning signs.

Manly has introduced 30km/h speed zones from Manly Wharf in the south, through the town centre, along the beachfront and up to the Queenscliff Bridge to protect pedestrians. Credit:James Brickwood

Manly and Liverpool are following an international trend: the City of London slashed speeds in the city centre to 32km/h (20mp/h) in March.

The moves are part of a NSW push to reduce speed-related injuries by cutting speeds to 40km/h or lower in very busy pedestrian areas and to make cities more liveable.
Students, staff and instructors at 11 post-secondary institutes in the province will soon be able to anonymously report incidents of sexual violence on campus and access related resources all in one online place.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/7/2020 (557 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Students, staff and instructors at 11 post-secondary institutes in the province will soon be able to anonymously report incidents of sexual violence on campus and access related resources all in one online place.

This fall, Ending Violence Across Manitoba Inc. is launching a groundbreaking pilot in sexual violence reporting called REES (Respect, Educate, Empower Survivors), in partnership with local colleges and universities.

Each institution has customized a campus-specific offshoot of the trauma-informed platform (reescommunity.com), which aims to link online incident reporting and access to critical information about reporting options, campus sexual violence policies, and campus and community support services.

Heres how it works: victims of sexual violence will be able to enter their accounts on the platform specific to the school community they are a part of, with the ability to share as much or as little information as they feel comfortable. Users can then choose to file an anonymous report, connect to their campus or file a police report.

The purpose of REES really is twofold: one is to create a safe, secure space for survivors to report and to provide them with information that can inform the choices they make for themselves, and then also to gather pertinent data that can be utilized by post-secondary institutions to create safer campuses."  REES project manager Mary Lobson

"The purpose of REES really is twofold: one is to create a safe, secure space for survivors to report and to provide them with information that can inform the choices they make for themselves, and then also to gather pertinent data that can be utilized by post-secondary institutions to create safer campuses," said project manager Mary Lobson.

Lobson said the hope is reporting will increase, owing to the anonymous, encrypted setup.

At the end of each semester, REES will provide each institution with all information submitted in anonymous reports on its campus website.

Assiniboine Community College, Brandon University, Booth University College, Canadian Mennonite University, Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology, Providence University College and Theological Seminary, Red River College, University College of the North, and University of Winnipeg will launch campus-tailored versions in September.

Steinbach Bible College and the University of Saint-Boniface are expected to launch theirs in 2021; the latters will be active following the French-language launch of REES in January.

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Allison Kilgour, an advocacy co-ordinator with Students for Consent Culture and a second year law student.

The federal department of women and gender equality is funding the $1-million pilot, which will run until late 2024.

EVA Manitoba was awarded the funding over five years to undertake REES  a project it proposed when Ottawa put out a call for concepts to address gender-based violence in 2018.

If Manitobas pilot is successful, REES could become a model for schools across the country, said Allison Kilgour, a Winnipeg advocacy co-ordinator with Students for Consent Culture.

"Its really difficult to find a way to give survivors autonomy in their decision-making when it comes to reporting, because they're often at the mercy of the system and processes in place," Kilgour said. "(REES) puts control back into their hands."

The second-year law student at the University of Manitoba said the centralized setup minimizes the amount of times community members have to relive traumatic experiences, and allows them to control when and where they share their stories.

Its really difficult to find a way to give survivors autonomy in their decision-making when it comes to reporting, because they're often at the mercy of the system and processes in place, (REES) puts control back into their hands.  Allison Kilgour, Winnipeg advocacy co-ordinator with Students for Consent Culture

The U of M is the only post-secondary school in the province yet to join REES.

A university spokesman said experts in sexual violence are reviewing the system within the U of M context, and will follow-up after that process is complete.

Lobson first contacted U of M about the idea in 2017, around the same time provincial legislation was enacted to require schools to implement sexual violence policies and start publicly reporting incident data.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES The University of Manitoba is the only post-secondary school in the province yet to join REES.

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At Brandon University, students can contact any staffer to disclose an incident and, as per the policy, are directed to the schools sexual violence education and prevention co-ordinator.

In 2018-19, 13 individuals accessed in-person support from co-ordinator Carla Navid. Of that count, four individuals reported having personally experienced an incident of sexualized violence, ranging from cyber stalking to sexual assault.

Navid said Thursday REES will allow schools to pinpoint trends about the type of violence happening on campus, where its happening and who the alleged perpetrators are, adding: "If we dont know whos doing it, were never going to end sexual violence."

An estimated 15 to 25 per cent of post-secondary-aged women in North America experience sexual assault throughout their academic career.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @macintoshmaggie
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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Los Angeles, United States  Fri, July 10, 2020 09:11 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066548481 2 Entertainment Naya-Rivera,Glee,drown Free

"Glee" star Naya Rivera is believed to have accidentally drowned in a California lake, authorities said Thursday, after a search involving divers, patrol boats and helicopters found no trace of the US actress.

The operation to locate the 33-year-old at Lake Piru, about an hour's drive northwest of Los Angeles, "has turned into a recovery mission," said a Ventura County Sheriff's Office statement.

"Investigators believe Rivera drowned in what appears to be a tragic accident," it said.

Rivera, best known for her role as high school cheerleader Santana Lopez in "Glee," disappeared Wednesday after renting a boat at the camping and recreational hotspot with her four-year-old son.

The child was found in the boat around three hours later by another person out on the lake "asleep and with his life vest on," Ventura County Sheriff's Office spokesman Eric Buschow told AFP.

"Rivera's son told investigators that he and his mother had been swimming in the lake, and he got back in the boat, but Rivera did not," the statement said.

The lake was closed to the public as around 100 personnel, including the US Coast Guard and rescuers from neighboring counties, searched the entire shoreline and surface of the lake.

Dive teams from across the region assisted but had less than one foot (30 centimeters) of visibility underwater in daylight, making "the recovery operation a very slow process" even with use of sonar equipment.

Rivera starred for six seasons in "Glee," the wildly popular musical television series set in a US high school that ended in 2015.

She more recently appeared in "Devious Maids," and web series "Step Up: High Water."

Rivera had put up a photo of her and her son Josey Hollis Dorsey on Twitter on Tuesday, alongside the phrase: "Just the two of us."

Thousands have left comments below the post, many offering their prayers.

Rivera and the boy's father, actor Ryan Dorsey, divorced in 2018.

The "Glee" cast has been struck by tragedy before.

Actor Mark Salling took his own life in 2018, weeks before being sentenced for possession of child pornography.

Canadian castmate Cory Monteith died in July 2013 of an overdose of drugs and alcohol.
While visits to the Cape Town Science Centre (CTSC) have been 'paused', the CTSC has launched an array of free online offerings for learners across South Africa. The most recent addition is the Matric Masterclasses, which launched on 4 July 2020, and will be held every Saturday at 10am. This is a collaborate initiative by the Western Cape Education Department and Astron Energy, the corporate sponsor.

As education at this time is a serious challenge, the CTSC has worked closely with the Education Departments curriculum advisors to ensure the relevant material and required standards are met, says Julie Cleverdon, the Director of the Cape Town Science Centre.The Physical Science Grade 12 learner programme provides free resources, which are highly visual and easily comprehensible. It is backed up by additional free attendance to a series of interactive online workshops, where learners can further firm up their knowledge and ask questions. Additional programmes also include the Zoom Science Online lessons across the grades; quizzes; maths challenges; coding clubs and do-at-home hands-on science activities.MJ Schwartz, the Centres Head of Education adds, Now more than ever, the mainstay of our Matric learners preparation will be reviewing past Matric exam papers and we believe we have a unique approach. We are not simply revising past papers with learners, we are clarifying content, equipping learners with strategies to answer questions and then offering the opportunity of live online sessions where they can ask questions and consolidate their revision.For further details, visit the Cape Town Science Centres website: www.ctsc.org.za
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-11 05:38:52|Editor: huaxia

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DAMASCUS, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The rebels in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib shot down a Russian reconnaissance drone amid intense battles on Friday, a war monitor reported.

The rebels of the National Front group targeted a Russian reconnaissance drone with anti-aircraft missiles southeast of Idlib, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The UK-based watchdog group said the rebels fired at the Syrian military positions in areas in the southern countryside of Idlib amid intense battles with the Syrian army in that part of the country.

Earlier in the day, the Observatory said that the Syrian army conducted heavy shelling on rebels' positions in the northern countryside of the Latakia province in northwestern Syria.

The state news agency SANA said the army foiled a major rebel attack in Latakia on Friday, inflicting hefty toll on them.

A myriad of rebel groups is located in Idlib and nearby areas in the countryside of Latakia.

Idlib is considered the last major rebel stronghold in the country.

In March, Russia and Turkey brokered a cease-fire in Idlib, but activists report violations by both sides. Enditem
New Delhi, July 10 : The Delhi High Court while dismissing the petition filed by former JNU scholar Sharjeel Imam challenging the trial court order granting more time to the police to conclude the probe in a case against him, observed that the lockdown due the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the pace of the probe.

The high court noted that the report submitted by the Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) mentioned that due to the global COVID-19 pandemic a lockdown was imposed due to which the pace of the investigation was seriously disrupted.

"The aforesaid clearly depicts the reasons for not completing the investigation in 90 days," said a single judge bench of the high court presided over by Justice V Kameshwara Rao.

This observation was made in response to the allegations levelled by the petitioner's counsel, senior advocate Rebecca John who had said that the report of the APP does not satisfy the requirement under the law.

The court also declined John's submission that the information given by the Investigating Officer to the counsel for the petitioner that the investigating agency intends to move an application under Section 43 of the UAPA is not a substitute for a notice to be issued by the court on an application filed by the APP.

"The fact that the counsel of the petitioner was in the knowledge about the impending application seeking extension of time for completion of the investigation beyond 90 days and a written notice giving reasons is not the requirement of law, I find, there is a compliance of principles of natural justice," the court said.

It added that even if a notice was issued to the petitioner, he would have authorized his counsel to represent him only to know that an application/ report was being considered for extension of time for completion of investigation.

"The plea that notice could have been issued to the petitioner for his presence on April 27, 2020, which was the 90th day is not appealing, as the same would not have been required. In that sense no prejudice has been caused to the petitioner in the facts," the court held.

The high court noted that John's submissions that the filing of the application for seeking extension to complete the probe on the 88th day was clearly malafide only to deny the statutory bail to the petitioner were not convincing. "This I say so because the addition of Section 13 of UAPA to the offences has not been contested. The UAPA provides for extension of the period of investigation for a further period of 90 days i.e. totalling 180 days," the court held.

Justice V Kameshwar Rao turned down the petition filed by Imam through advocates Bhavook Chauhan, Surabhi Dhar and Ahmed Ibrahim which had also sought the court's direction to release Imam on default bail under section 167(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

The high court had on June 25 reserved its order on the petition filed by Imam after hearing the matter at length through video conferencing.

On June 5, the Delhi Police filed its response before the high court opposing the present petition filed by the former JNU scholar.

In its affidavit, the police claimed, "Imam by way of his speeches was addressing a particular religious section of the society and creating disaffection towards government established by the law by creating unfounded fears in their minds regarding CAA and the process of NRC, which is yet to be implemented in any manner throughout the country barring Assam." "The accused by way of his speeches was also spreading falsehood about genocide in Assam. He through his speeches was instigating a particular religious section of the society to disrupt/block the access to North-East region of India from rest of India," the affidavit read.

Recently, Delhi's Patiala House Court dismissed the bail application filed by Sharjeel Imam in a matter pertaining to giving inflammatory speech, asserting that it is bereft of merit.

Sharjeel Imam was in the eye of a storm for giving an "inflammatory" speech in Delhi's Jamia over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) on December 13 and subsequently on January 16 at Aligarh Muslim University, where he allegedly threatened to "cut off" Assam and the rest of the North-East from the country.
These are the rides likeliest to endure the test of time with collectors and car fans.

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., July 10, 2020 -- When it comes to cars, love can fade. So can value. (The average new car loses about 25 percent of its value in the first year after being driven off the dealer lot, and another 10 to 15 percent the year after that.)

But every year, manufacturers produce vehicles that buck this trend to become the collectible stars of tomorrow. To identify them, each year Hagerty's staff of industry analysts, valuation experts and busted-knuckle gearheads reviews the crop of new cars, trucks and motorcycles and picks a select few for its "Hot List."

"Hot List cars have that just-right blend of performance and appeal that add a lot of value over time," said Hagerty's Jonathan Klinger. "These are also the cars that our team thinks will still be fun to drive years from now and grab people's attention."

To be considered for the 2020 Hagerty Hot List, a vehicle must be available in, or close to, the 2020 model year. Preference is given to newly and recently released vehicles, so don't be surprised if a previous winner doesn't show up despite still being present in showrooms. In the past, the list has been limited to production cars with a base price of $100,000 or less, which is why it has seldom included high-end manufacturers like Lamborghini and Maserati. This year, however, we moved the price limit up a bit, just for fun.

Think we've committed a grave injustice with one our choices, or overlooked a deserving vehicle? Make your voice heard in the Hagerty Community.

The 2020 Hot List includes:

2020 Shelby Mustang GT500 ($74,095)  Saying "it won't get better than this" is a proven way to be proven wrong, but this 760-horsepower Mustang looks to be the exception. Like a certain cross-town rival, this Shelby makes the point that there comes a time when the solution to your problems isn't more horsepower. That this model is the most deserving of the hallowed GT500 nameplate since the 1967 original is almost incidental.

2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray (C8) ($59,995)  The six-cylinder 1953. The split-window 1963 coupe. Those first, thundering Z06s. The Corvette's seven decades are littered with legendary cars that time turned into six-figure auction results. But 2020's mid-engined car is the single biggest step in that storied history. Smart investments don't get easier than this.

2020 Polestar 1 ($156,000)  With a turbocharger, a supercharger and two electric motors tucked into a concept-car body, the Polestar has the performance, the looks and the "wait, what?" weirdness that make for auction gold. You probably didn't even know it was made by Volvo.

2020 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon ($43,545)  The Jeep Wrangler does not depreciate. As sure as the sun will rise, this is true. Now take that Wrangler and add a pick-up bed and all of the go-anywhere hardwareand while keeping the doors-off freedomthat has minted money for Jeep for decades, and a Gladiator Rubicon is ready to mint money for you, too.

2019/2020 Cadillac CT6-V ($97,190)  The right car born at the wrong time, the CT6-V was supposed to usher in a new era at Cadillac. But after management pulled the plug, all it ushered in was a meager handful of sales. GM isn't planning any other uses for the car's 4.2-liter, 550-horsepower "Blackwing" twin-turbo V-8, so the only piece of this car's story that isn't already written is just what sort of return that scarcity will turn into.

2021 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP ( $28,950 )  Last time Honda sold anything close to this motorcycle, they charged nearly $200,000 for it. This time, it only costs $28,950 . Exotic construction, racing-derived aerodynamic innovations and wheelie-popping power ensure that the Fireblade SP will spend the next 30 years climbing toward that old untouchable price.

For Hagerty's full Hot List article, visit www.hagerty.com/media/

About Hagerty

Hagerty is an automotive lifestyle company. Our mission is keep driving alive for car lovers and drive positive change in the world. Hagerty is home to Hagerty Drivers Club,Hagerty DriveShare, Hagerty Valuation Tools, Hagerty Drivers Club magazine, Hagerty Media and MotorsportReg and more. Hagerty is the world's largest provider of specialty insurance for enthusiast vehicles and supports keeping car culture alive through youth programs, the Historic Vehicle Association (HVA) and the RPM Foundation. For more information, call (800) 922-4050 or visit www.hagerty.com.

https://www.hagerty.com


Passengers arrive at Sydney International Airport in Sydney, Australia, on Jan. 23, 2020. (Don Arnold/Getty Images)

Returning Aussies up for Quarantine Bills

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has backed making Australians returning from overseas pay for their two-week hotel quarantine stay.

Taxpayers have been picking up the bill for peoples stint in hotels since the regime was introduced to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

But Senator Cormann, who is helping put together a federal budget update, believes its time for people to pay their own way.

There is absolutely a strong argument that on an ongoing basis, as we need to continue to manage the risk of people bringing infections in from overseas, that is managed at peoples own expense, he told Sky News on July 10.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is expected to announce hotel charges for returned travellers in coming days.

Other states are also weighing up similar arrangements, given Australians were first urged to return home four months ago.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison will propose a cap on international arrivals to ease pressure on the quarantine system at Fridays national cabinet meeting.

State premiers have called for a reduction in flights, with Melbourne out of action while it deals with a troubling coronavirus outbreak

Immigration Minister Alan Tudge said citizens and permanent residents would retain the right to return to Australia.

Youre an Aussie, youre entitled to come back to your home country, he told the Nine Network on Friday.

He said the NSW government had indicated around 450 people a day would be its preferred limit, while WA wants fewer numbers.

Between June 7 and July 7 there were 28,069 international arrivals.

Victoria recorded 165 of Australias 182 new cases of the disease on Thursday, with the source of 135 under investigation.

Dealing with the spike in cases is top of national cabinets agenda.

State and territory leaders will also discuss a snap review of hotel quarantine arrangements.

Health officials have examined the issue after the outbreak in Melbourne was linked to infection control breaches among hotel security.

But senior Morrison government figures have been careful not to blame Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews for the disastrous bungle.

Tudge said supporting Victoria to get on top of the crisis as quickly as possible was crucial to solving the outbreak.

It is not useful for me as federal minister to enter into a blame game, the Melbourne-based MP told the Nine Network on Friday.

Deputy Labor leader Richard Marles said a judicial inquiry into the issue would get to the bottom of who was to blame.

Somebody getting sacked is not going to make anyone get better. Its not going to make any business come back, he said.

Matt Coughlan in Canberra
Village of Clinton, N.Y.  Two people have been taken to the hospital, treated and released after a stabbing at the Village Tavern in the village of Clinton, in Oneida County, according to Oneida County sheriffs deputies.

The stabbing occurred about 2 a.m. today, deputies said.

One of the males was stabbed in the face, and the other male sustained two stab wounds to the stomach, deputies said.

A 30-year-old male is in custody and awaiting charges, deputies said Friday afternoon. More information will be released later.
BOISE, Idaho, July 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Healthwise, a leader in evidence-based health education, technology, and services, announced that Cydni Waldner has been named General Counsel of Healthwise. In this role, Waldner will serve as member of the companys Executive Team and will oversee the organizations legal department. She succeeds Paul Street, who stepped out of retirement six months ago and expertly helped Healthwises legal team reorganize and transition to Waldners leadership.



Waldner has extensive experience in both the public and private sectors. She has practiced law for over 20 years, specializing in assisting large corporations and companies with the nuances specific to ERISA laws and regulations, executive compensation, and employee benefits. Waldner joins Healthwise from Hawley Troxell Ennis & Hawley LLP, where she advised employers on Affordable Care Act and HIPAA compliance. She also assisted with other healthcare and welfare plan compliance issues for private and public employers, governmental plans, and other entities.

Waldner started her career as an in-house attorney for Boise Cascade Corporation, eventually leading the employee benefits compliance work. She then served as director of compensation and benefits for a large regional, privately held company and spent nine years as a sole practitioner.

We are excited to welcome Cydni to Healthwise as our new general counsel, said Adam Husney, MD, CEO. As a seasoned attorney, Cydni brings the combination of knowledge, critical thinking, perspective, and integrity to lead our legal team and help guide the organization.

Im excited to be joining Healthwise because I believe in the companys mission of helping people make better health decisions, Waldner said. I look forward to helping the organization navigate the legal landscape as it moves forward and collaborating with our partners and clients as we work together to help people live their healthiest lives.

Story continues

Waldner graduated cum laude from Harvard University. She earned her Juris Doctor degree with honors from the University of Montana School of Law. She is a member of the Idaho State Bar and the Oregon State Bar.

About Healthwise

Healthwise, a leader in evidence-based health education, technology, and services, is a nonprofit organization with a mission to help people make better health decisions. People have turned to Healthwise information more than 2 billion times to learn how to do more for themselves, ask for the care they need, and say no to the care they dont need. Healthwise partners with leading hospitals, electronic medical record (EMR) providers, health plans, care management companies, and health websites to empower patients and achieve organizational objectives.

www.healthwise.org. 1-800-706-9646

Media Contacts:

Healthwise

Sonja Deines

sdeines@healthwise.org | 208-489-8481

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/789ff3d3-e29f-48a3-a198-a7e159bf3cc6.




Village of Sanford President Dolores Porte said Thursday's presidential disaster declaration for Michigan was an exciting step for the community, whose downtown was largely destroyed by the May flooding of the Tittabawassee River.

"I was excited and glad to have this avenue of resources open to us so that people can more quickly make decisions on what to do going forward, as far as rebuilding or not in the current spot that they're in," Porte said. "Everyone was happy to hear that the declaration was made so that they know what's available to them."

Porte also said she got a clarification from a Federal Emergency Management Agency official regarding President Donald Trump's tweet Thursday saying in part, " ... I have approved a major Disaster Declaration to provide more than $43 million in Federal Funds to help the people of the GREAT State of Michigan ... "

That figure contrasted with the $175 million in damages to homes, businesses and nonprofits reported by Midland County alone, Porte noted. But the FEMA official told her that the $43 million is only an estimate of FEMA-eligible damages and is not a ceiling.

"They will pay any eligible applicant any eligible cost even if (the total for the state) goes over the $43 million," Porte said.

Federal financial assistance after declared disasters comes from the Disaster Recovery Fund, which is funded by Congress and covers the entire country.

United Way of Midland County Executive Director Holly Miller also welcomed Trump's declaration, which allows for assistance to Midland, Saginaw, Gladwin, Arenac and Iosco counties.

"It's going to take a herculean effort and a very collaborative and systematic way to refine long-term. We're very thankful for the declaration and the resources FEMA is going to bring to our region," Miller said.

Two main sources of assistance

So, what is the next step for someone who plans to apply for federal assistance under the disaster declaration?

Mike Wade, FEMA assistant external affairs officer, told the Daily News that residents should register for assistance either by calling 800-621-3362 (7 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET seven days a week) or online at www.disasterassistance.gov.

"Once they call (or go online) to register, it will take approximately 15 minutes to go through the questions they will be asked," Wade said.

Wade noted that the declaration specifically covers flood damage that happened from May 16-22; applicants must be either a U.S. citizen, a non-citizen national or a qualified alien, and the flooded residence must be the primary residence for a homeowner or renter.

Registering online allows one to check on the progress of their application, Wade noted, but registering by phone allows the opportunity to get questions answered in person.

Two main sources are available for assistance with flood damage  FEMA and its sister agency, the Small Business Administration. FEMA provides grants while SBA provides low-interest loans.

"People need to register with FEMA first, and they'll refer you to SBA (if it fits your need)," explained Jack Camp, SBA public affairs specialist, who will be helping Michigan residents apply for SBA loans.

FEMA: making a residence 'safe, sanitary and secure'

The goal of FEMA, Wade emphasized, is not to restore everything that someone has lost in the flood.

"The important thing people need to realize its, this is not going to make them whole," Wade said. "Our goal is to make their residence safe, sanitary and secure so they can live in it while they make long-term repairs to their residence.

"We're trying to make the home habitable," he continued. "Can you secure the home? Is the roof not leaking? Do you have access to the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom? That's primarily what we're looking at."

At the same time, many mid-Michigan residents' homes or businesses were either entirely washed away or have been condemned. A separate option is available in those situations, Wade said.

"If a home is not habitable, they may be eligible for housing assistance," he said. "We will provide a grant to rent an apartment or another home while they make repairs to their home (or build a new home), and we follow up on a periodic basis to find out where they are in the recovery process."

SBA: 'Our goal is to make them whole'

Camp, the SBA official, explained that SBA will end up approving more money in loans than FEMA will in grants for any one disaster declaration.

SBA loans have rates as low as 1.25% for homeowner or renter and as low as 3% for a business, and loans can be for up to 30 years, Camp said.

"We cover a lot of things that FEMA doesn't cover," Camp said. "FEMA's goal is to make someone safe, sanitary and secure, whereas our goal is to make them whole. We will make them a loan for up to 100% of their uninsured losses.

"If SBA is not able to offer a loan, we will refer (the applicant) back to FEMA, where there might be additional funds available," Camp added.

No duplication of insurance help

Wade cautioned that FEMA cannot give a grant for any damage that has already been covered by insurance.

"FEMA cannot duplicate any benefits (an applicant has) received from insurance," Wade said. "We want people to understand that we don't supplant what they get from their insurance company. By law we cannot do that."

Virtual inspection

Wade said that due to the coronavirus, FEMA inspectors are verifying flood damage through video or photographs instead of in person.

"That inspection determines what (the applicant) would be eligible for," Wade said. "Then a determination is made of what the homeowner is eligible to receive from FEMA."

Other things to keep in mind

It is best to arrange for any FEMA assistance to be paid by direct deposit, Wade said. And if an applicant changes addresses, they should let FEMA know right away.

"The last thing we want is for (an assistance check) to be returned because nobody was there to pick up the mail," Wade said.

Resist the urge to compare what you may receive from FEMA to what a neighbor may receive, Wade advised.

"FEMA looks at family make-up and at what that (particular) family needs on an individual basis. We don't compare them to their neighbors," he said.

An appeals process is available, Wade said.

"If (applicants) don't agree with what FEMA says they're eligible for, they can always appeal to FEMA," he said. "But they also have to have the documentation to support (that claim)."

Any repairs that have already been done prior to the major disaster declaration are eligible to be reimbursed by FEMA.

"I'm sure a lot of people have done a lot of repairs already," Wade said. "Keep the receipts showing what you have purchased to make the home habitable. Document, document, document."

And, even though a resident may have submitted a flood damage assessment to the Midland County Emergency Management office, that person still needs to register with FEMA, Wade said.

Porte, the Sanford president, mentioned a local resource that should not be overlooked even after the major disaster declaration.

"People should still call 211 and make sure 211 understands what their needs are as well, (because) 211 can help with other resources," Porte said.
CBSE starts sending SMS to students asking them to download DigiLocker to access their marksheet. The results are likely to be released by July 15.

CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) starts sending messages to registered students asking them to download the app, Digilocker, on their mobile phones. The students can access their CBSE 10th 12th mark sheet from the app once the CBSE 2020 results are announced. The CBSE results are likely to be released by July 15.

The SMS includes a link to directly download the app, Digilocker or you can directly download it from AppStore/PlayStore. Students can also access the results online on digilocker.gov.in if they dont want to download the app on their phones. The message also informs students to use their Roll Number as a security pin.

How to use DigiLocker to get CBSE 10th 12th digital mark sheet

Also read: Solar energy will help India become Atmanirbhar: PM Modi

Also read: Kanpur encounter main accused Vikas Dubey killed: Police

Students can download their mark sheet from DigiLocker by following the steps mentioned below:

1. Download the app on your phone by clicking on the link (or from play store/AppStore) in the SMS or go to digilocker.gov.in. (Its not compulsory to download the app. Students can use online portal digilocker.gov.in to download their CBSE mark sheet.)

2. To log in, use the mobile number registered with the CBSE.

3. Use the OTP that would be sent to you to log in to your DigiLocker account.

4. Please Keep in mind to use the mobile number that you have given at the time of filling the application form for the board examination. Student can also use their Aadhar Card number to access their DigiLocker account.

5. After entering the OTP, the system would prompt for a security pin. Use the last six digits of CBSE Roll number as the security pin.

6. Students can check and download their CBSE DigitalMarksheets once they are logged in.

Students who are not registered before can use their aadhar card number to register on DigiLocker.

Students must note that this mark sheet would be acceptable for admissions to class 11 and higher education institutions respectively.

CBSE would be issuing a combined mark sheet cum passing certificate this year for class 10th CBSE students. But for class 12 students, a separate document of the mark sheet and the passing certificate would be issued.

Also read: India China stand-off: Rajnath Singh to review current situation on LAC today

For all the latest Education and Jobs News, download NewsX App
The European Commission has released a report on the fulfillment of conditions needed for visa liberalization between the EU and the Eastern Partnership countries and the Western Balkans.

The document, in general, praises the efforts of these countries, but, as a recommendation, advises Ukraine and other "visa-free" partners to strengthen the rule of law and the fight against corruption, according to a statement posted on the European Commission's official website on Friday, July 10.

"High-level corruption remains an issue in all countries covered by this report. Moldova and Ukraine have notably suffered from high profile banking frauds, with little progress in the prosecution of those involved and in the recovery of the stolen assets.In Moldova, important actions have been undertaken, but these efforts need to be fully implemented and sustained. In Ukraine, it is important to safeguard and further strengthen the independence of anti-corruption institutions, including by guaranteeing non-political and merit-based appointment procedures for leadership positions. EU support will continue to be linked to concrete progress in the reform agenda and in particular in the fields of anti-corruption and justice," the statement said.

According to the statement, data from this report relates to the 2019 calendar year and first half of 2020. The report follows up on the Commission's obligation under the Strengthened Visa Suspension Mechanism, adopted in March 2017, to monitor the continuous fulfilment of visa liberalization requirements by third countries and to report to the European Parliament and the Council at least once a year.

"In an increasingly mobile world, the EU strives for fair and orderly mobility and in this respect visa-free travel with our Western Balkan and Eastern Partnership remains a major achievement. Visa-free travel, however, comes with responsibilities and continuous efforts are needed to curb irregular migration and fight corruption and organized crime. We count on our partners to sustain achievements in these fields to ensure we can maintain visa-free travel in our common interest," European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas said.

Visa-free travel for citizens of Montenegro, Serbia and North Macedonia has been in place since December 2009. For citizens of Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina, visa-free travel is possible since the end of 2010. For Moldova visa-free travel entered into force in April 2014, for Georgia in March 2017 and for Ukraine in June 2017.

op
UP assembly polls will be about '80 per cent vs 20 per cent'; BJP will win: Yogi Adityanath

UP: Elections not won on exit polls basis, results will be surprising: Kamal Nath

Vikas Dubey encounter case: Heard gunshots, says eyewitness

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Kanpur, July 10: An eyewitness in Gangster Vikas Dubey encounter case told that he heard gunshots at the time of the mishap which took place in Kanpur on Friday.

Vikas Dubey killed in an encounter while being taken to Kanpur from Madhya Pradesh | Oneindia News

"The sound that we heard here was of gunshots...When we were coming to see, the police sent us away. We were on our way home," Ashish Paswan, a passerby, told news agency ANI in Hindi.

Vikas Dubey, man behind killing of 8 cops shot dead in encounter

On being asked how if an ambulance arrived at the spot, another passerby told news agency ANI: "Sab hospital gaye (Everyone has gone to the hospital)."

"Apni gaadi mein se bheja hai (Own vehicle was sent)," the man next to him said.

Dubey was killed in an encounter on Friday after a police vehicle carrying him from Ujjain to Kanpur met with an accident and he tried to escape from the spot in Bhauti area, a senior police official said.

"Dubey was injured in the encounter and he was declared dead in the hospital," ADG Kanpur range, J N Singh said.

After the accident, Dubey snatched the pistol of an STF personnel and tried to flee but was surrounded by the police team and he was injured in an exchange of fire.

Dubey was rushed to the hospital where he was declared dead. The officer confirmed that Dubey "sustained injuries" but did not confirm to what extent, saying it would be revealed in the postmortem report.

How the encounter that killed Vikas Dubey took place

Senior Superintendent of Police (Kanpur) Dinesh Kumar P said that the accident took place on Friday morning when it was raining heavily and the police vehicle overturned near Kanpur.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

University of New Mexico officials are scrambling to put international students into at least one face-to-face course this fall so they are not at risk of being kicked out of the United States or not allowed into the country.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency in a message on Monday said those on study visas in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program cannot stay in the country if they take only remote courses this fall. Throughout New Mexico, there were 2,969 students in the exchange program in January 2020, according to ICEs website.

The news has really created quite a lot of panicked individuals, said Linda Melville, associate director for International Student & Scholar Services at UNM. International students  started flooding us with concerned calls asking if they have to leave. They were really in a panic.

UNM is planning a hybrid fall term. About two-thirds of all classes will be remote, one-fourth will have some in-person instruction and one-twelfth will be done entirely in person, though the plan is subject to change depending on state public health orders, according to a memo from two UNM associate provosts to faculty and staff.

Such a schedule has put some of UNMs roughly 1,100 international students at risk of ending up with an entirely remote schedule, Melville said.

The ICE news release says international students at schools with hybrid instruction, such as UNM, must take at least some in-person classes.

A memo from ICE about the new rule says that if a university changes its operations midway through the semester and international students wind up taking only online courses, then they must leave the country. Colleges will have to certify that their international students are receiving some instruction in person.

Ghada Zribi, a UNM graduate student from Tunisia who is working toward a masters in public administration, has found herself with an uncertain future.

UNMs initial plan was for her entire program to be done remotely, she said.

They are studying the option of shifting (a course) to hybrid classes, but nothing is for sure, she said.

About 65% of UNM international students are graduate students. Melville said it can be particularly challenging to change graduate students schedules to comply with the ICE requirements.

Were here paying for our education, Zribi said. We feel like were being constantly reminded that were strangers and no one wants us to be here. I would say Im frustrated and sad.

The rules have received pushback from higher education institutions throughout the country. Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology sued, and are seeking an injunction to stop the order from being enforced. Harvard President Lawrence Bacow said in a statement that the rule appears to be an attempt to pressure colleges and universities to open up their campuses in the fall.

This change doesnt just impact higher education.

According to the New Mexico Public Education Department, changes to student visas could affect K-12 students.

Deborah Martinez, a spokeswoman for the department, said the state doesnt track how many districts and charter schools host international students.

Menaul School, a private school in Albuquerque, has a robust international program, with a quarter of its 200-student population from other countries.

Lindsey Gilbert, head of school, said the recent announcement would theoretically affect the nearly 50 students on F-1 visas at the school, but Menaul School is planning on doing fully in-person classes. Still, concerns may arise if the school need goes to online instruction because of the pandemic, he said.

At UNM, officials are working to give students a way to comply with the mandate. New Mexico State University, which has more than 1,000 international students, said on Twitter that it is committed to the success of those students and will soon announce plans to allow them to stay on track with their studies and comply with the regulations.

I believe  that this is the wrong path. This is the wrong way to go, NMSU President John Flores said at a virtual town hall on Thursday. Its not good for the students, its not good for the universities, and its created a lot of anxiety and stress.

At UNM, associate provosts Pamela Cheek and Bill Stanley suggested in a memo to faculty and staff that if there are problems getting the students into face-to-face courses, a department chair could modify their fall plans to create more in-person coursework.

UNM President Garnett Stokes said she was extremely disappointed in the new rule.

Our international students are a vital part of The University of New Mexico, conducting important research and contributing to our classroom culture, she said in a statement. They are also a vibrant part of our University community and our overall Lobo DNA. Their absence from our classrooms, labs and community would diminish us all.

Journal staff writer Shelby Perea contributed to this report.
In the 9-to-6 ruling in May, the majority said it would not intervene at this early stage in the litigation. The court found a genuine dispute over the definition of an emolument, writing that we can hardly conclude that the Presidents preferred definition of this obscure word is clearly and indisputably the correct one.
By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijan's pianist Firuza Najafli will represent the country at World Art Games International Art Media Contest.

The musician qualified for the contest's final, scoring 94 points out of 100 place in "Instrumental" nomination, Azernews reported.

Speaking about the contest, Firuza Najafli expressed her gratitude to the contest organizers and her piano teacher, professor of Baku Music Academy Tarlan Seidova.

The international online contest "World Art Games" offers a great chance to win European Awards from the leading festival and competition organizing committee Fiestalonia Milenio, which is working with more than thirty international organizations.

Supported by the Cultural Ministries of over 20 countries, the online music competition is scheduled for the next year.

---

Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Ayya Lmahamad

The UN General Assemblys special session on COVID-19 that will be held upon Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevs initiative has been scheduled for July 10, the Foreign Ministry reported in its press service.

The ministry said that Ilham Aliyevs initiative to convene a special session of the UN General Assembly in the format of a videoconference on COVID-19 was supported by more states than required by the procedural rules of the UN General Assembly.

Thus, the UN Secretary General sent a note to all member states on June 30, noting that the 31st special session of the General Assembly will be convened on 10 July this year.

The ministry expressed hope that the special session on COVID-19 will boost solidarity among countries in the fight against the pandemic, strengthen international cooperation and seek an international response to this global threat.

At the beginning of the special session, it is planned to consider issues of a procedural nature, then to listen statements and hold general discussions.

It should be noted that, the head of the delegation of Nigeria, representing the President of the 74th session of the General Assembly, will act as the temporary President of the special session.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-11 04:00:18|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, July 10 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday discussed economic recovery and Libya issue in a phone conversation with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, the U.S. State Department said in a statement.

Pompeo and his German counterpart discussed the economic recovery in the wake of the COVID-19, and steps toward a lasting cessation of violence and progress on political dialogue in Libya, according to the statement.

The statement noted that Pompeo "underscored U.S. commitment to the transatlantic relationship and the need for continued coordinated action to confront global challenges."

The phone call came as reports saying Maas and German Minister of Finance Olaf Scholz declined to attend the gathering of ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) in the United States.

Citing U.S. and German sources, Der Spiegel magazine reported Thursday that Germany told the United States that it would instead send state secretaries to the meeting, scheduled for July 29.

Other G7 countries were also considering sending second-tier delegates to the meeting, the magazine reported.

In May, German Chancellor Angela Merkel declined to attend the G7 summit in Washington.

The two allies have been at odds with each other on Iran nuclear issues, Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project, and defense burden-sharing, among others. Criticizing Berlin's "delinquency" on military spending, U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered the U.S. military to withdraw 9,500 troops from Germany. Enditem
The Rajya Sabha Secretariat has called for applications in a prescribed format from qualified Indian citizens for filling vacancies to the post of Parliamentary Reporters under Pay Level 10 through direct recruitment on deputation. The offline application process towards the same started on July 7, 220 and closes on September 4, 2020.

CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Parliamentary Reporters Organisation Rajya Sabha Secretariat Educational Qualification Required academic qualifications as detailed in the advertisement. Experience Refer to the advertisement Skills Required Typing Job Location New Delhi Salary Scale Pay Level 10 of the Pay Matrix Industry Rajya Sabha Application Start Date July 7, 2020 Application End Date September 4, 2020

Age Criteria And Fees

Candidates interested in applying Parliamentary Reporters post through Rajya Sabha Secretariat Recruitment 2020 must not have exceeded 56 years of experienced as on September 4, 2020 with relaxation (upper age limit) for reserved categories as per the Govt. of India guidelines.

For details regarding fee towards application processing, if any, refer to the official notifications given at end of the article.

BSF Recruitment 2020 For 35 Pilots, Engineers And Logistic Officers. Apply Before December 31

Educational Criteria And Experience

Desirous candidates applying for Pilots, Engineers and Logistic Officers post through Rajya Sabha Secretariat Recruitment 2020 must possess the required academic qualifications, and relevant years of work experience in the concerned area as detailed in the advertisement.

Selection And Pay Scale

The selection of candidates to Parliamentary Reporters post through Rajya Sabha Secretariat Recruitment 2020 will be done based through Shortlisting, Interview and Document Verification.

Candidates selected to Parliamentary Reporters post through Rajya Sabha Secretariat Recruitment 2020 will be paid emolument under Pay Level 10 of the Pay Matrix.

Student Visa Row: Harvard-MIT Come To Rescue, File Lawsuit Against Trump Administration

How To Apply

Candidates applying for Parliamentary Reporters post through Rajya Sabha Secretariat Recruitment 2020 must fill the application in a prescribed format attached with the advertisement, and send the same along with relevant supporting documents to the "Deputy Secretary (Personnel), Room No. 628, Sixth Floor, Rajya Sabha Secretariat, Parliament Of India, Parliament House Annexe, New Delhi-110001" on or before September 4, 2020.

Read the detailed advertisement about Rajya Sabha Secretariat Recruitment 2020 for Parliamentary Reporters post here https://rajyasabha.nic.in/rsnew/Reporter_l10.pdf
The Bono Regional Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) has embarked on an operation to arrest and prosecute owners of motorbikes who have not registered the machines but are using them.



The exercise has commenced earnestly in the Sunyani Municipality but would be extended to the remaining 11 municipalities and districts in the region, Superintendent Stephen Sarfo Tenkorang, the Regional Commander of MTTD has announced.



Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani, Supt. Tenkorang described the situation as very worrying because, besides causing an increased number of road crashes, some of them were unregistered.



The number of motorbikes users in the region are reasonably high but some of them failed to register the machines with the Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA), he said.



Supt. Tenkorang explained that besides not having the license and not qualified to ride, such persons also lacked knowledge about road signs and traffic rules and regulations.



He expressed worry about the fact that motorbikes involved in road accidents have out-numbered that of vehicles in the region and described that as unacceptable.



Supt. Tenkorang said there had been an increment from January to June this year there has been an increment in motorbike crashes, 76 as compared to 40 in January-May 2019.



Comparatively, there were 54 deaths and 146 injuries from January to May 2019 but January to June 2020 has recorded a reduction to 50 deaths and 123 injuries of motorbike crashes.



Supt. Tenkorang said the total number of vehicles involved in road accidents in 2019 was 106 which comprised 40 private and 66 commercial vehicles with 41 deaths and 146 injuries.



From January to June this year, 123 vehicles -71 commercial and 52 private cars were involved in road accidents but also with 41 deaths with a reduced number of injuries of 123.

Source: GNA









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

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The parties agreed to enhance the presence of forces and equipment in the Black Sea region.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Andriy Taran has invited NATO member states to join national strategic drills to be held in the country's south this fall.

The drills were discussed during recent phone talks between Taran and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on July 9, according to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's press service.

Read alsoUkraine's military considering several possible scenarios of Russian invasion

"The exchange of views on the security situation in eastern Ukraine and the Black Sea became an important aspect of the conversation. The parties agreed that the security situation in the Black Sea continues deteriorating over Russia's building up its military presence and changing the balance of forces," it said.

"The parties agreed to enhance the presence of forces and equipment on land, at sea and in the airspace of the Black Sea region by boosting patrolling in the air and stepping up the presence of ships of member states' navies," it added.

What is more, Taran expressed interest in establishing a joint exchange of information on the situation in the region.

He also invited the NATO Secretary General to pay an official visit to Ukraine.
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Ahead of the All Progressive Congress ( APC) national convention to elect members of its National Working Committee ( NWC), a Non- Governmental Organization( NGO), Power Arc Media (PAM) has drummed up support for the retention of the position of the National Chairman in the South South geopolitical zone.

The Power Arc Media , an advocate of unity for development in the country is of the view that retaining the chairmanship of the APC in the South South Zone is the way to go as that would engender peace, unity and harmony in the party .

Immediate past National chairman of the party Adams Oshiomhole ( Edo) and his predecessor John Odigie- Oyegun (Edo) are both from the South South Zone but Insinuation is rife among some influential APC blocs to move the chairmanship position out of south south Zone.

The Power Arc Media in a statement by its Director of operations Mr. Tedd Avindigh reasoned that such a move would create disharmony, disaffection and may adversely affect the already troubled party.

Taking the National chairmanship position out of South South Zone at this time, they argued would create a sense of loss and would ultimately be counter productive to the party.

In the spirit of fairness, equity, justices and even development , they stressed that the position of APC national chairman remains in the South South geopolitical zone.

The organization recalled that  It was the wisdom of the stakeholders of the party to Zone the office of the National Chairman of the party to entire South and to South South geopolitical zone in particular after the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to among other things create unity and national cohesion .

If the agitation by the South East geopolitical zone to have a shot at the number one position in 2023 is sustained and the South West Zone already had the Vice Presidential slot for eight years, it is only logical that the south south zone retains the position of the National chairman.

This, they said would balance the political equation and give every section of the country a sense of belonging .

The South South would also be expected to do a further micro zoning which arguably Favours Cross River state . Edo state has had two consecutive chairmen , Rivers state just had the national chairman in Victor Giadom and Delta state has the incumbent Deputy President of the Senate. Akwa Ibom state has the Minister of Niger Delta Ministry as well as special Adviser on the Niger Delta affairs while Bayelsa has the minister of Petroleum.

Cross River state seems to be the virgin land to produce the next national chairman of APC.

Signed:

Tedd Avindigh

Director of Operations,

Power Arc Media

Abuja.
Paul Cassell is Ronald N. Boyce Presidential Professor of Criminal Law and University Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of Utahs S.J. Quinney College of Law. In other words, a prominent scholar. At the Volokh Conspiracy he modestly poses the question Are Minneapolis Crime Increases Evidence of a Ferguson Effect?

Professor Cassell isnt the first observer to pose the question. Heather Mac Donald has already argued that Minneapolis has given rise to Ferguson Effect 2.0 or the Minneapolis Effect[.] While Heather has examined the effect nationally, Professor Cassell refines Heathers analysis by focusing on the crime spike (gun crimes mostly) in Minneapolis that is likely due to a reduction in police activity  our very own Ferguson effect. Drawing on his scholarly expertise along with the Washington Free Beacon article and related research by Charles Fain Lehman, Professor Cassell writes:

[S]ome crimesspecifically gun crimeshave increased in that city while other kinds of crimes have not. A Ferguson effect appears to explain this pattern. Minneapolis police have stopped making as many street stops as they made previously. And given the unique responsiveness of gun crimes to policing activity, the tragic result of that pullback has been an increase in shootings.

Professor Cassells analysis tentatively advances our understanding of the Minnesota madness. Highly recommended.
By Express News Service

PUDUCHERRY: As many as 72 fresh cases of COVID-19 were reported and one death in Karaikal taking the total number of cases to 1272 and deaths to 17 in the Union Territory. 67 of the 72 new cases are from Puducherry region and five in Karaikal region, said Minister for Health Malladi Krishna Rao.

Presently 618 people are undergoing coronavirus treatment, of which 561 are in Puducherry region (372 patients are being treated at the Indira Gandhi Government Medical college and Research Institute (IGMCRI) and 116 at JIPMER and 73 in COVID care centres), 35 in Karaikal GH and 20 in Yanam GH, and two in Mahe GH.

In all, 637 patients have been discharged after recovery, including 18 patients on Friday.

23,515 samples have been tested so far, of which 21,982 have been negative and the test results of 231 are awaited.

Health Malladi Krishna Rao also said that a woman, aged over 80-years, died in Karaikal government hospital last evening registering the second COVID death in Karaikal region.

There are all possibilities for an increase in the number of cases in the near future, he said, adding that tender to purchase required medical equipment has been floated. The chief minister will announce the decision of a total shutdown on Sunday, he added.

Rao further said that out of the 37 staff members in Raj Niwas, one tested positive for the coronavirus which was denied by Raj Niwas. He added that the Raj Niwas should not indulge in such actions which will create confusion.

''I am announcing with adequate evidence and is 100 per cent correct. I know the name of the data entry operator who tested positive," he added.
TORONTO - Questions over whether thousands of international students could be deported from the U.S. under a new Trump administration policy are causing consternation among school officials and anxiety among Canadians studying south of the border.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/7/2020 (558 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TORONTO - Questions over whether thousands of international students could be deported from the U.S. under a new Trump administration policy are causing consternation among school officials and anxiety among Canadians studying south of the border.

The policy  which triggered a lawsuit from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on Wednesday  stipulates that international students who take a fully virtual course this fall will not be allowed to remain in the country.

Under the new guidelines, international students would still be able to take more online courses than normal, but will have their visa rescinded if they attempt to take a fully online course load.

According to a statement released by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency on Monday, international students will only be able to remain in the country if they are taking a mix of in-person and virtual classes.

While Canadians do not need a visa to study in the U.S., they are still required to produce a similar form, known as an I-20, signed by the school they are attending. That school will now need to offer hybrid courses in order for Canadian students to stay in the country.

Sarah Klassen, an accounting student at Wichita State University, said her school has not yet determined how it will deal with the policy.

But Klassen, 19, notes that being forced to leave the U.S. would likely be a death blow for her studies, as she relies on a bowling scholarship to pay her tuition.

"Im scared even going down (to the border) now that I might not be able to get back in. There's so many strict guidelines," Klassen said over the phone from her family home in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.

Yvonne Kang, who is earning her law degree at the University of Connecticut, said being forced to move back home to Toronto would involve breaking a newly signed lease on an apartment and cost her thousands of dollars in unnecessary expenses.

Kang, 23, said says she doesn't understand why ICE is targeting international students when they are such a major contributor to the American economy.

"We pay American landlords, we go grocery shopping in American stores, they charge international students double the tuition (of domestic students)," she said.

The Institute for International Education puts the number at roughly $45 billion in 2018, with more than $1.1 billion of that coming from Canadians. A report from the institute estimated there were 26,170 Canadians studying in the U.S. in 2018-2019.

The new guidelines have provoked backlash from universities across the U.S., with Harvard president Lawrence Bacow saying the order's "cruelty" is surpassed only by its "recklessness."

"It appears that it was designed purposefully to place pressure on colleges and universities to open their on-campus classrooms for in-person instruction this fall, without regard to concerns for the health and safety of students, instructors, and others," Bacow said.

"This comes at a time when the United States has been setting daily records for the number of new (COVID-19) infections, with more than 300,000 new cases reported since July 1."

Edward Alden, a senior fellow with the Council on Foreign Relations, a New York-based think tank, said the new policy creates an "onerous" task for students and institutions to undertake.

"Most schools are still trying to figure out what their mix (between online and in-person classes) is going to be," Alden said.

"Now they're going to have to scrape together a new program and reissue I-20s  and make it all happen in under a month.

ICE is enacting the policy through a program that was introduced after 9/11 to handle the screening and verification of international students.

The program designates whether an individual qualifies for the F, M or J-class visas that are required to enter and reside in the U.S. as a student.

Normally, guidelines forbid international students from taking more than one course online per semester, but that restriction was relaxed when the COVID-19 pandemic caused a global lockdown in March.

International students who were outside of the country when the pandemic began and continue to take online courses from abroad will not have their status affected, nor will their visa be rescinded, according to documents from ICE.

But students who are currently living in the U.S. and whose schools are going fully online next semester will have only two options: leave the country or transfer to a different school.The news from ICE, released on the same day Harvard announced that all of its 2020-2021 fall classes would be online-only, sent ripples of outrage across the country.

Dozens of colleges have said they plan to offer at least some classes in person this fall, but some say it's too risky.

The University of Southern California last week reversed course on a plan to bring students to campus, saying classes will be hosted primarily or exclusively online.

with files from The Associated Press

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 9, 2020.
The Chairperson of the National Womens Committee of the Union of Informal Workers Associations (UNIWA), Mrs. Hannah Owusu Koranteng has advised trade unions in the country to come together to fight the exploitation of workers by multinational businesses.



She said the unions can achieve this by sending a clear message that Ghanaian workers cannot be taken for granted.



Delivering the keynote address at 4th Quadrennial National Womens Committee Delegates Conference at the PUWU Hospitality Centre in Kasoa on the theme, Repositioning the union in the face of emerging challenges in the world of work, Mrs. Owusu said a united front will ensure that employees are treated well across the board.



She reiterated that trade unions must fully understand that Ghanaian workers cannot be taken for granted and must, therefore, be treated well in terms of remuneration and conditions of service by all organisations that employ the services of such workers.



She said due to globalization, multinational companies are bound to move into various countries and they are equally welcome to Ghana.



The womens Chairperson for UNIWA said one of the reasons why most multinational organisations are moving to Ghana to set up is because of the availability of raw materials and cheap human resource.



It is important to know that as a group of people with common interests, you only attain what is rightly yours if you are organised. So as workers, if global capitalists are organising to move down to exploit our resources, then it behoves us to also organise and develop strategies that will ensure that we counteract that prevailing force, she said.



Mrs. Owusu Koranteng also urged the unions not to disregard the role women and the youth play in such instances. She explained that by their nature women are crowd pullers who bring people together to fight a common enemy.



In organising as workers, we should not lose sight of the fact that women have a major role to play. Women are natural multi-players and if equipped with the needed skills, that will be the rallying point to create awareness about our displeasure with exploitation by these foreign companies, she stated.



Meanwhile, The National Womens Committee of the Public Utility Workers Union of the Trades Union Congress, has elected 10 new executives to steer the affairs of the Committee for the next four years.



The elections were held at the 4th Quadrennial National Womens Committee Delegates Conference at Kasoa on Wednesday, June 8, 2020.



Margaret Hammond (chair), Rose Bokoe (first vice-chairperson), Sophia Asiedu (assistant secretary), and Florence Nartey (youth rep) were elected to serve as executive committee members.



The representatives of the various affiliated organisations elected were Iris Ofori (ECG), Rafiatu Badamoshie (GWCL), Sally Donkor-Zonu (CWSA), Victoria Botsie (SHC), Sylvia Laari (NORRIP), and Florence Bampoe (MENSVIC).



The newly-elected Chairperson, Margaret Hammond thanked the delegates for their overwhelming endorsement and promised to work efficiently with her executives to address all concerns of the women of the Union.

I want to say thank you to everyone here, the leadership of the National Secretariat and the immediate past chairperson and her team.



Our doors are always open and we are ready for criticisms as long as they are constructive. As your leaders, we are ready to serve you because leaders must be servants, she added.

Source: Leticia Ohene- Asiedu









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

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Gal Pissetzky, lawyer to Nigerian suspected international fraudster, Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, popularly known as Ray Hushpuppi, has said th...

Gal Pissetzky, lawyer to Nigerian suspected international fraudster, Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, popularly known as Ray Hushpuppi, has said that his client was kidnapped by the FBI from Dubai and taken to the US.





Hushpuppi and another cyber-heist suspect, Olalekan Jacob Ponle, also known as Mr Woodberry were arrested in Dubai, where they lived, in June.





They were later taken to the US where they appeared in a Chicago court on 3 July.





The US and UAE have no existing extradition treaty but Dubai police said the two suspected fraudsters were extradited to the US.





The BBC quoted a spokesman for the US Department of Justice as saying that Hushpuppi was expelled from Dubai and was not extradited.





Speaking with the BBC, Hushpuppis lawyer Pissetzky, said, In my opinion, the FBI and the government here acted illegally when they kidnapped him from Dubai without any legal process to do so.





There was no extradition, there were no legal steps taken, there were no court documents filed, it was simply a call to the FBI. He is not a citizen of the United States, the US had absolutely no authority to take him.





Gal Pissetzky had earlier told Forbes that Hushpuppi, is not a fraudster.




Two days ago, Harpers Magazine published a statement warning of the dangers of an intolerance of opposing views.

The open letter, signed by 150 people including JK Rowling, Margaret Atwood and Noam Chomsky, has intensified the raging debate over the place of cancel culture in societal growth.

In this episode, senior journalist Jacqueline Maley is joined by deputy Sun-Herald editor Michael Koziol to discuss this growing cultural phenomenon.

Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage.
As per the order, action can be taken against any person who spreads incorrect or fake information on social media.

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government on Friday informed the Bombay High Court that the prohibitory order against spreading of incorrect or false information on social media amid the COVID-19 pandemic has ended and no extension has been given to it.

Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni told a division bench of Justices A A Sayed and M S Karnik that the order dated May 23 passed by the deputy commissioner of police (Operations) under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) had been in effect only till June 8.

"The same has not been extended after June 8 and presently there is no prohibitory order in place," Kumbhakoni said.

The court was hearing two public interest litigations challenging the legality of the prohibitory order.

As per the order, action can be taken against any person who spreads incorrect or fake information on social media.

The order had further stated that persons who are administrators of any social media group shall be held personally liable for dissemination of any false or incorrect messages circulated in the group.

After accepting the government's submission, the bench disposed of the petitions, noting that as the prohibitory orders have ceased to exist, nothing survives in the plea.

According to the petitions filed by advocate Sheshanath Mishra and journalist and co-founder of the NGO Free Speech Collective Geeta Seshu, the order violates the rights of citizens guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution of India (right to freedom of speech and expression).

The petition filed by Mishra claimed that the police order aims to muzzle the voice of common citizens and prevent them from criticising the government's handling of the pandemic.

Seshu's counsel Mihir Desai argued that the police have not followed due procedure prescribed under section 144 of CrPC.
Wont allow private data of Americans to get into the hands of the Chinese, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says, about blacklisting Huawei and ZTE and evaluating whether Chinese companies such as TikTok can operate in the US. (Photo | Pixabay - Doodlartdotcom)

Washington: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday praised US tech giants Google, Facebook and Twitter for refusing to surrender user data to the Hong Kong government and asked other companies to follow the same.

Social media platforms and messaging apps including Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, Google and Twitter have stopped processing requests for user data made by Hong Kong law enforcement authorities while they carry out an assessment of a controversial security law imposed by China on the city last week.

I want to give kudos to Google, Facebook and Twitter for refusing to surrender user data to the Hong Kong government, Pompeo told reporters at a news conference here.

Other companies should follow them and do the same, he said, adding that Canada has been strong in its response to Beijings crackdown in Hong Kong.

That is the right course for the entire world to take, he asserted.

China has imposed the sweeping national security law on Hong Kong to take full control of the former British colony which since last year was in turmoil with massive protests by millions of locals opposing Beijings growing controls on the city.

As Chinese pressed ahead with the implementation of the controversial law, foreign firms in Hong Kong said they face huge insecurity over the national security law, especially over its vague language, broad provisions and clauses stating they could be punished for imposing sanctions.

Asked if the US was planning to ban Chinese-owned app Tiktok, Pompeo said the US TikTok, has been engaged in a constant evaluation about ensuring that it protects the privacy of American citizens and their information as it transits.

It doesnt relate to any one particular business or company, but rather to American national security and we are striving to get that light, he said.

The comments that I made about a particular company earlier this week fall in the context of us evaluating the threat from the Chinese Communist Party, he added.

Weve talked about it in the context of ZTE, we talked about it in the context of Huawei and we are now evaluating each instance where we believe that US citizens data that they have on their phones or in their system or in their health care records, we want to make sure that the Chinese Communist Party doesnt have a way to easily access that, Pompeo said.

He told reporters that the Trump administration will take actions that serve and protect the information and denies the Chinese Communist Party access to the private information that belongs to Americans.

Its a big project, he said.

Because weve got partners all around the world where infrastructure crosses Chinese technology and then comes to the US, so one should think about this as a project of a real scale and real importance. We must get this right, he added.

The infrastructure of this next 100 years must be a communications infrastructure thats based on a western ideal of private property and protection of private citizens information in a transparent way. That is not the model that Chinese Communist Party software for and hardware companies are engaged in, Pompeo said.

The US, Pompeo said, is heartened to see the UK having a debate now on the risk presented to the British people from Huawei technology being in their systems.

He also referred to a letter that Under Secretary Keith Cronk drafted to CEO, boards of directors, trade groups, commercial investment firms alerting them to the CCPs use of slave labour in Xinjiang province and providing them with a set of governance recommendations for how they should ensure that they are not part in parcel of this terrible practice.

Pompeos remarks came amid growing tensions in bilateral ties with Beijing on a range of issues, including on the coronavirus outbreak and the controversial national security law imposed in Hong Kong.

The US has banned Huawei from their 5G networks over concerns of security and Washington has been pressuring other countries to restrict the operations of the Chinese telecom firm.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
The draconian national security law China imposed last week on Hong Kong could prove President Xi Jinpings most serious error of judgment. The wording of the law was kept secret till it was passed by Beijing with effect from midnight on June 30. Even Carrie Lam, Hong Kongs CEO, widely seen as Chinas appointee, said she was unaware of the exact provisions of the new security law till it came into force.

The law gives Beijing total control over Hong Kongs affairs, violating the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration that provided for the return of colonial Hong Kong to China in 1997 but with the city retaining full democratic liberties till 2047 under the one nation, two systems arrangement.

Protests in Hong Kong against China's national security law. The banner reads "Evil national security law destroys Hong Kong, Chinese Communists seek mutual destruction of one country two systems". (Photo: AP)

Under the new law, Hong Kongers accused of subversion or any criminal activity can be tried in a Chinese court under Chinese law. Given the record of the Chinese judiciary where those on trial often disappear without a trace, the law will end the limited democracy Hong Kong enjoyed. Under the provisions of the new law, collusion with foreign forces is now punishable with life imprisonment. The law defines damaging public transport facilities as terrorism which also carries a life sentence.

Growing criticism

Beijing will decide how the new law is interpreted and which trials should be conducted in China rather than in Hong Kongs hitherto independent judiciary. Many of these trials, the new law says, could be held in China behind closed doors. Ominously, the law will apply to non-permanent residents of Hong Kong and people from outside Hong Kong. That could bring foreigners within the purview of the new law, effectively killing Hong Kong as an international financial centre. The flight of people and capital from Hong Kong has already begun. Britain has pledged to give a quick pathway to British citizenship to around three million eligible Hong Kongers. Other countries are wooing Hong Kong firms with incentives to relocate.

Tightening the noose around Hong Kong could prove Chinas most fatal miscalculation yet. It has created a coalition of like-minded democracies ranged against China. Beijings bullying of littoral states in the South China Sea, especially Vietnam and the Philippines, was till recently shrugged off by countries keen on lucrative investments from Beijing. Using coercive geo-economics, China silenced criticism.

Culmination of events

A series of events over the past few months could, however, stall Chinas swift ascent as a superpower poised to challenge US dominance globally. First, the Covid-19 pandemic will cause longterm damage to the Chinese economy as foreign firms in the mainland are shifting their global supply chains to less hostile geographies. Second, the deterioration in economic and military relations with India could restrict access for Chinese companies to the worlds second-largest consumer market. Third, ongoing diplomatic spats will roil relations with Australia and Canada (where Meng Wanzhou, the CFO of Huawei Technologies and the daughter of Huaweis founder Ren Zheng, remains under house arrest in Vancouver awaiting extradition to the US).

The brazen modus operandi Beijing has employed to thrust a draconian law on Hong Kong, a thriving free-market city of 7.4 million with a per capita income of $50,000 against mainland Chinas $10,000, could turn the tide against China. President Xis signature Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is already facing debt defaults across Africa and Asia. Chinas ambitious plan to cut a pathway from its restive western province of Xinjiang across central Asia to eastern Europe faces new hurdles. The recent attack on the Karachi Stock Exchange by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) underscores the problems besetting the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) leading to Gwadar port in Balochistan. A near-bankrupt Pakistan has shrunk the scale of the CPEC and is re-negotiating its high-cost debt. Chinas clampdown on Hong Kong has the imprimatur of President Xi, the most controversial Chinese leader since Mao Zedong. Xi is a princeling, the son of the late senior Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Zhongxun who was purged and imprisoned during Maos cultural revolution. Xi Zhongxun was rehabilitated in 1975 after over a decade in detention during son Xi Jinpings adolescence, an event that has clearly left a mark on him. President Xi has emerged as the most powerful Chinese leader since Mao. He has forced changes in the Chinese Constitution to end the two-term limit for presidents and made himself President for life. But the spate of recent confrontations over national sovereignty has led to simmering dissent within the CCP.

Dangers ahead

Xi is the architect of the LAC face-off. His meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Ahmedabad in September 2014 was aimed at getting a measure of his Indian counterpart. Subsequent informal summits in Wuhan and Mahabalipuram were designed to lull India into thinking India-China relations were in fine fettle. Even while he was dutifully following Modi on a temple tour of Mahabalipuram, China was preparing for a future conflict at the LAC. Xis putsch in Hong Kong has awoken the world, bar those countries that survive on Chinas largesse, to the danger Beijing poses to civilised world order.

(Courtesy of Mail Today)

Also read: Why Hong Kong matters to China
President Donald Trump at a campaign rally at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla., on June 20, 2020. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Trump Postpones Saturday Rally Over Tropical Storm

President Donald Trump is postponing a rally that was slated to take place on Saturday in New Hampshire, the White House said.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters traveling with Trump on Friday to Florida that the rally will still take place, but not for another week or two.

The reason for the delay is Tropical Storm Fay, she said.

Saturdays rally was scheduled for Portsmouth International Airport.

The outdoor event was going to have a big crowd, Trump said on New Hampshire Today, with Jack Heath earlier Friday.

I have never seen enthusiasm like we have. Even if you go back four yearsthat was great enthusiasmthis tops it, he added later.

Trump advisers were less sure of how big the crowd would be.

I think its going to be difficult to tell from, Trump campaign director of strategic communications, Marc Lotter, told Heath, adding later: I dont have a good guess on that right now.

Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney, accompanied by his wife Ann Romney holds a rally at Portsmouth International Airport in Newington, N.H., in a Nov. 3, 2012, file photograph. (Emmanuel Dunand/AFP via Getty Images)

I think one of the things that we can take away from Tulsa is that people can now look at these rallies and watch them through different platforms, he added.

And there will be many who want to come out and be a part of that energy, part of the electricity, see Air Force One, and see the president. And if you happen to be someone who might be at high-risk for a negative outcome for COVID, or if someone in your family is, wed encourage you to stay home.

The campaign says 22 million people watched the rally remotely.

Corey Lewandowski, another Trump campaign adviser, said Thursday on the same radio show: I learned from the Tulsa, Oklahoma, thing, never make an expectation.

I say we get three people, he added, laughing.

Trump said he feels good about his chances for another term but feels media outlets working against him have caused his chances to drop from 100 percent.

I think theres a tremendous, hidden group of people out there, just like last time. But I think this time, its got even more spirit, he told the radio host.

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, a Republican, planned to greet Trump when his plane touched down in the state but wasnt going to attend the rally.

As the governor, I try to be extra cautious for myself and the family, Sununu told reporters this week.

The Portsmouth event was going to be the Trump campaigns first rally since Tulsa.

A number of people who attended that event later tested positive for the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19.

They included Herman Cain, a former Republican presidential candidate, and Donald Trump Jr.s girlfriend, Kimberly Guilfoyle.
Pritzkers press secretary Jordan Abudayyeh told me in a statement that IDES is one of the agencies that was hollowed over years as Illinois was held hostage during an ideological budget impasse under Pritzkers predecessor. The governor is committed to rebuilding state government so Illinoisans have access to the critical services, but that rebuilding takes time. ... The unemployment systems in every state in the U.S. are outdated and overwhelmed and Illinois is no exception (and) IDES staff is working overtime and the administration continues to seek out new solutions to this intractable problem.
BOSTON (AP)  At the behest of the U.S. government, German authorities have seized a computer server that hosted a huge cache of files from scores of U.S. federal, state and local law enforcement agencies obtained in a Houston data breach last month.

The server was being used by a WikiLeaks-like data transparency collective called Distributed Denial of Secrets to share documents  many tagged For Official Use Only  that shed light on U.S. police practices.

The data, dating back to 1996, include emails, audio and video files and police and FBI intelligence reports. DDoSecrets founder Emma Best said the data, dubbed BlueLeaks, comes from more than 200 agencies. It has been stripped of references to sexual assault cases and references to children, but names, phone numbers and emails of police officers were not redacted, said Best, who uses they/their pronouns.

Best said that DDoSecrets obtained the data from an outside individual who sympathized with nationwide protests against police killings of unarmed Black people. Some of the files offer insights into the police response to those protests, they said.

While hacking into computers and stealing data is a federal crime, U.S. courts have consistently ruled that journalists may publish stolen documents as long as they are not involved in their theft. DDoSecrets says it is a journalistic organization that shares documents in the public interest.

The documents came to light via a breach of Houston web-design company Netsential, which hosts portals for law enforcement agencies and fusion centers, state-run operations created after the 9/11 attacks to share threat intelligence with local and state police and private-sector partners.

The prosecutors office in Zwickau, a German city near the Czech border, said in an emailed statement Wednesday that the server was confiscated July 3 in the town of Falkenstein following a request from U.S. authorities.

The FBI declined to comment. A U.S. Embassy spokesperson in Berlin did not respond to phone calls and emails seeking comment.

Story continues

The Zwickau prosecutors statement said it would be up to German judicial authorities to decide whether to hand the server over to U.S. authorities. It said it would not disclose the reason for the U.S. request. Neither would a representative of Hetzner Online, the company that hosted the server.

Best said they assume the seizure was related to the posting of the BlueLeaks documents. They said the files show a lot of things that are entirely legal and normal and horrifying, including police surveillance and police intelligence of dubious origin. Best said none were classified.

The document dump helps expose the United States overdeveloped police intelligence apparatus, said Brendan McQuade, a criminology professor at the University of Southern Maine who has viewed the documents. The files do not include high-level intelligence but provide a window into the relationship between law enforcement at all levels, he said  one that he believes the FBI doesnt want the public to see lest it add more fuel to the protests against police brutality and racism in policing.

Best said the files remain publicly accessible through more complicated means such as BitTorrent and the Tor network, both of which complicate censorship efforts. Best said the organization is now rebuilding its infrastructure for public access. All they cost us is time, they said.

Shortly after DDoSecrets posted the data, Twitter permanently suspended the organizations account for publishing links and images from the collection, citing a ban on the posting of hacked material.

One U.S. law enforcement agency affected by the breach is the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy. Its director, Judy Bradshaw, told The Associated Press the breach revealed names of students in academy courses and their drivers licenses, but no financial information.

She said Netsential had scores of clients in law enforcement, where it was a strong niche provider. Netsential itself confirmed the breach in an undated statement on its bare-bones website and said it was assisting the investigation but would provide no further information due to the sensitivity of client information.

Executives of the National Fusion Centers Association did not respond to emails and phone calls seeking comment on whether any sensitive investigations may have been compromised by the breach. But Maine State Police said in a statement on June 26 that the FBI was investigating and that affected bulletins may contain identifying information, such as full name and date of birth of people under investigation by other law enforcement agencies. It said they may also involve individuals wanted for criminal activity.

DDoSecrets was created in late 2018 by Best, a journalist specializing in freedom-of-information petitions. It has worked on various investigations with established media organizations including the German newsmagazine Der Spiegel and the U.S. news organization McClatchy.

Previous DDoSecrets releases include data on offshore Bahamas accounts used as tax havens, files hacked from Chilean police and data from a British provider of offshore financial services that has drawn comparisons, on a smaller scale, to the 2016 Panama Papers leak.
President Donald Trumps former national security adviser Michael Flynn leaves the E. Barrett Prettyman U.S. Courthouse in Washington on June 24, 2019. (Alex Wroblewski/Getty Images)

DC Appeals Court Puts Order to Have Flynn Case Dismissed on Hold

The federal appeals court for the District of Columbia has put on hold its decision to order a lower court to accept the dismissal of the case against former Trump adviser Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn. The appeals court also ordered Flynn to respond to a request for rehearing filed by the district judge presiding over his case.

Flynn is to respond within 10 days, the appeals court said in a July 10 order, which also invited the Department of Justice (DOJ) to respond at its discretion.

The Flynn defense team looks forward to filing our brief for the DC [appeals court], Flynns lawyer, former federal prosecutor Sidney Powell, said in an email to The Epoch Times.

The order adds to a winding history of a case that the DOJ deemed over more than two months ago.

Beth Wilkinson, a lawyer for the district judge, Emmet Sullivan, asked the full DC court (en banc) to reconsider a decision issued by a 3-judge panel last month, which ordered Sullivan to accept the DOJs May 7 motion to dismiss its case against Flynn.

The appeals court has now paused the order before Sullivans rehearing petition is resolved.

A majority of the dozen active judges would have to agree to grant the petition. Seven of them were appointed by Democrat presidents. While judicial decisions dont always break along party lines, the Flynn case has had broad political implications, particularly since the emergence of January 2017 notes indicating that both President Barack Obama and then-Vice President Joe Biden were personally involved in the case.

The order for a response signals there is at least some will among the judges to look into the petition.

I dont think an en banc petition is ever dismissed outright immediately, commented appellate attorney John Reeves, former assistant attorney general of Missouri, in an email to The Epoch Times.

If none of the judges think its worth serious consideration, they just let it sit, and after about 14 days it is automatically denied/dismissed without any vote. But if even one judge requests a poll, then all the judges have to look deeper into the matter and formally vote one way or the other on the matter.

Flynn, former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency under the Obama administration and former national security adviser to President Donald Trump, pleaded guilty in 2017 to lying to the FBI.

In January, he moved to withdraw his plea. In May, the DOJ moved to dismiss the case after a review uncovered documents suggesting the FBI questioned Flynn solely to elicit false statements from him.

Sullivan took the unusual step of holding back his approval of the motion. Instead, he appointed an amicus curiae (friend of the court) to argue against the dismissal and set a hearing on the matter for July 16.

Backed by the DOJ, Flynn asked the appeals court for intervention (Writ of Mandamus), saying that Sullivan doesnt have the authority to delay or question the DOJs motion in these circumstances.

On June 24 the appeals court ordered Sullivan to grant the dismissal.

Sullivan canceled the hearing in response, but hasnt accepted the dismissal.

Mandamus takes by default three weeks to go into effect, giving Sullivan time to appeal for the en banc review.

Wilkinson has argued that the situation is not sufficiently extraordinary to require a mandamus because Sullivan has not rejected the dismissal yet and the order thus threatens to expand mandamus beyond its properly circumscribed role.

All the district court has done is ensure adversarial briefing and an opportunity to ask questions about a pending motion, she said.

Circuit Judge Neomi Rao, who authored the mandamus, emphasized that Sullivan appointed an amicus specifically to oppose the dismissal.

In other words, the court has appointed one private citizen to argue that another citizen should be deprived of his liberty regardless of whether the Executive Branch is willing to pursue the charges, she said.

She also noted that the amicus, former federal Judge John Gleeson, had publicly advocated for a full adversarial process and his appointment thus demonstrated intent to scrutinize the reasoning and motives of the Department of Justice which constitute irreparable harms that cannot be remedied on appeal.

She acknowledged that it may sometimes be appropriate for a judge to conduct a hearing before giving his leave to the governments motion.

However, a hearing cannot be used as an occasion to superintend the prosecutions charging decisions, Rao said.

Under the Constitutions Article II, its the executive who decides whether to raise or drop charges.

In the meantime, U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Jensen continues his review of the Flynn case on January orders from Attorney General William Barr.

Three days ago, Jensen handed over to Flynn 14 more pages of materials that, according to Flynns lawyer, further exonerate Flynn of any intent to deceive or knowing false statement.

Update: The article has been updated with a response from Sidney Powell, attorney for Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-09 19:42:39|Editor: huaxia

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Tourists buy specialty snacks during an evening visit to the Zhuquan Village scenic area in Yinan County of Linyi, east China's Shandong Province, June 25, 2020.(Xinhua/Fan Changguo)

BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) -- China will issue the fourth batch of special government bonds for control amid efforts to balance epidemic control with economic and social development, the Ministry of Finance said Thursday.

The 10-year fixed-rate bonds, worth 70 billion yuan (about 10 billion U.S. dollars), will be available for tenders on July 15 and become tradable on July 20, according to a statement on the ministry's website.

In June, the ministry announced the issuance of the first three batches of special government bonds for COVID-19 control, including 70 billion yuan of 10-year bonds, 50 billion yuan of five-year bonds and 50 billion yuan of seven-year bonds.

China plans to issue 1 trillion yuan of government bonds for COVID-19 control this year. 
By Amanda Ferguson

BELFAST (Reuters) - Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill rejected calls on Thursday by her partner in government, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), to stand down temporarily for allegedly undermining COVID-19 restrictions.

The DUP called for O'Neill to step aside pending a police probe into a funeral of a party member attended by O'Neill that attracted large crowds, threatening another political crisis in the region's power-sharing government.

The devolved executive led by the two parties was only restored in January after a three-year standoff between Sinn Fein and the DUP led to the suspension of the regional assembly formed as part of a 1998 peace agreement.

Northern Ireland First Minister and DUP leader Arlene Foster said, however, that she would not pull down the government over the issue, telling Irish broadcaster RTE that such a move would "punish everyone in Northern Ireland."

Foster had asked O'Neill to apologise after the funeral of party member and ex-Irish Republican Army (IRA) prisoner Bobby Storey attracted thousands of people onto the streets of Belfast.

O'Neill responded by saying she was very satisfied her actions were in line with public health advice and accused parties both in Northern Ireland and the Irish republic who criticised her of "petty attempts to political point score".

The DUP-Sinn Fein government collapsed in 2017 after Foster rejected Sinn Fein calls to step aside pending an investigation into the DUP's handling of a botched green energy scheme.

"Michelle O'Neill will not be stepping aside under any circumstances," a Sinn Fein spokesman said on Thursday after the DUP called on her to do so while police review footage for any suspected breaches of laws to control the spread of coronavirus.

Northern Irish police said they had engaged with the funeral organisers before Tuesday's service to highlight the public health advice and the requirement for those attending to adhere to social distancing.

Story continues

"No one wants a political crisis. That is why we asked for, and respectfully gave, the Deputy First Minister the opportunity to apologise," senior DUP lawmaker Jeffrey Donaldson told BBC.

"Not only did she not do that... Her tone was arrogant and her behaviour was disrespectful of many who have sacrificed so much during this period."

(Writing by Padraic Halpin and Conor Humphries; Editing by Catherine Evans, Philippa Fletcher and Alexandra Hudson)
Victorias Chief Health Officer has warned Geelong residents to take extra precautions, particularly when commuting to Melbournes western suburbs, amid fears about the spread of coronavirus into regional Victoria.

COVID-19 cases have risen in both Geelong and Bendigo this week as Victoria recorded 288 additional infections on Friday, the largest daily increase since the pandemic began.

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton has warned Geelong residents to be particularly careful if travelling to Melbourne's western suburbs. Credit:Eddie Jim

Regional Victorians make up 272 of the state's total cases, while 3002 cases are located within metropolitan Melbourne.

Geelong's active cases had grown from two to six by Thursday, but dropped back to five on Friday.
The Chinese Embassy in Kazakhstan posted a notice on July 9 warning its citizens in the country about a new 'unknown pneumonia', possibly more lethal than COVID-19. Chinese Embassy in its notice claimed that the death rate of the new disease was much higher than that of coronavirus. The embassy said that Kazakhstan's health ministry is yet to identify the virus that has reportedly claimed more than 1,700 lives in the central Asian country. It further added that the health ministry of the former Soviet-Union is conducting research on the virus.

Read: COVID-19 Patients With Severe Pneumonia Should Be Considered For Shifting To ICUL: Protocol

The Chinese Embassy in Kazakhstan cited local media reports in its notice and claimed that the unknown pneumonia cases are being reported in the provinces of Atyrau and Aktobe and the city of Shymkent. The embassy notice claimed that the cases have seen a significant surge since mid-June and the three places have reported over 500 cases so far. The embassy in its notice further said that some Chinese nationals have also been infected and died by unknown pneumonia.

Read: Nicaragua Reports More Pneumonia Deaths, Some Tied To COVID-19

COVID-19 cases continue to spike

The claim by the Chinese embassy comes in the midst of the world battling with coronavirus that experts believe originated at a seafood market in Wuhan city in China, where exotic animals were allegedly being traded illegally. Kazakhstan has recorded over 54,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, of which at least 264 people have lost their lives. Meanwhile, the world has logged in over 12 million COVID-19 infections and more than 5,54,900 deaths.

Read: COVID-19: 65-year-old Pneumonia Patient Dies, Toll Rises To 5 In Gautam Buddh Nagar

Read: Former New Zealand PM On COVID: It 'will Happen Again' If Response Remains 'flat-footed'

(Image Credit: AP)


JOHANNESBURG - The coronavirus storm has arrived in South Africa, but in the overflowing COVID-19 wards the sound is less of a roar than a rasp.

Medical oxygen is already low in hospitals at the new epicenter of the outbreak, Gauteng province, home to the power centres of Johannesburg and the capital, Pretoria. Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, visiting a hospital Friday, said authorities are working with industry to divert more oxygen their way.

Some patients spilled into heated tents in the hospital parking lot. They lay under blankets in the middle of winter in the Southern Hemisphere, with a cold front bringing freezing temperatures this weekend.

The patients are scared, very, very scared, said Lynne Wilkinson, a public health specialist who is part of a volunteer effort seeking 100 oxygen concentrators for a 450-bed field hospital in Johannesburg.

But sourcing the portable, low-volume devices is a problem because theyre bought up by the private sector, even individuals, she told The Associated Press: They keep them at home.

South Africa overnight posted another record daily high of confirmed cases, 13,674, as Africas most developed country is a new global hot spot with 238,339 cases overall. More than a third are in Gauteng.

The storm that we have consistently warned South Africans about is now arriving, Mkhize said this week.

A nurse at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital  the third largest hospital in the world with more than 3,000 beds  painted a bleak picture, saying new patients with the virus are now being admitted into ordinary wards as the COVID-19 ones are full.

Our hospital is overloaded already. There has been an influx of patients over the last two weeks, the nurse said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to give interviews.

More and more colleagues at the hospital are testing positive daily for the virus, the nurse said, even people who are not working in COVID wards.

Already more than 8,000 health workers across Africa have been infected  half of them in South Africa.

How the country struggles to manage the pandemic will be amplified in other nations across Africa, which has the worlds lowest levels of health funding and health staffing.

The continent as of Friday had 541,381 confirmed cases, but shortages in testing materials means the real number is unknown.

South Africas surge in cases comes as the country loosens what had been one of the worlds strictest lockdowns, with even alcohol sales banned until June 1. Now restaurants have sit-down service and religious gatherings have resumed. The economy was hurting and needed reopening, authorities said.

But nervous officials in Gauteng province have called for stricter lockdown measures to return. On Friday, Gauteng Premier David Makhura announced he had tested positive with mild symptoms.

We must double our efforts, he said in a statement, urging people to wear face masks, wash their hands and distance themselves.

Warning signs keep flashing. Hospital beds in all provinces could be full within the month, the health minister said this week. On Friday he said a team is looking at 2,000 additional beds for field hospitals in Gauteng.

In addition to the bed shortage, many hospitals are grappling with limited oxygen supplies to treat patients with the respiratory disease.

Eight hundred new beds will be built at the field hospital in Johannesburg, and the health minister on Friday said the facility would receive 1,000 oxygen points. But that will take weeks, said Wilkinson, the public health specialist.

Guy Richards, director of clinical care at Charlotte Maxeke Hospital in Johannesburg, told the AP they are extremely worried.

Even a big hospital like ours has difficulty supplying sufficient amounts of oxygenation for our patients. The same thing is happening at Helen Joseph (Hospital), and this is a major problem, he said.

Tshwane District Hospital, which the health minister visited Friday, is now devoted completely to COVID-19 patients, said Veronica Ueckermann, head of the COVID-19 response team at Steve Biko Academic Hospital, which includes Tshwane District Hospital.

Currently we are stretched but we are still coping in terms of our wards, our sisters and doctors are working extremely hard, she said.

___

Bram Janssen and Cara Anna in Johannesburg contributed.

___

Follow AP pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
MINNEAPOLIS - More than 150 Minneapolis police officers are filing work-related disability claims after the death of George Floyd and ensuing unrest, with about three-quarters citing post-traumatic stress disorder as the reason for their planned departures, according to an attorney representing the officers.

Their duty disability claims, which will take months to process, come as the city is seeing an increase in violent crime and while city leaders push a proposal to replace the Minneapolis Police Department with a new agency that they say would have a more holistic approach.

While Floyds death in May and the unrest that followed are not the direct cause of many of the disability requests, attorney Ron Meuser said, those events and what Meuser called a lack of support from city leadership were a breaking point for many who had been struggling with PTSD from years on the job. Duty disability means the officer was disabled while engaged in inherently dangerous acts specific to the job.

Following the George Floyd incident, unfortunately it became too much and as a result they were unable to, and are unable to, continue on and move forward, Meuser said. They feel totally and utterly abandoned.

He said many officers he represents were at a precinct that police abandoned as people were breaking in during the unrest. Some officers feared they wouldnt make it home, he said, and wrote final notes to loved ones. People in the crowd ultimately set fire to the building.

Mayor Jacob Frey issued a statement saying that COVID-19 and unrest following Floyds death tested the community and officers in profound ways. He said cities need resources to reflect the realities on the ground.

In the meantime, I am committed to supporting those officers committed to carrying out their oath to serve and protect the people of Minneapolis during a challenging time for our city, he said.

Meuser said in recent weeks, 150 officers have retained his office for help in filing for duty disability benefits through the states Public Employment Retirement Association, or PERA. So far, 75 of them have already left the job, he said.

Police spokesman John Elder questioned Meusers figure of 150, though he does expect an increase in departures. The department currently has about 850 officers and will adjust staffing to ensure it can do its job, he said.

The city said it has received 17 PTSD workers compensation claims in the last month, but when it comes to PERA duty disability, officers are not obligated to notify the Police Department that an application was submitted. Meuser said the city isnt being transparent about departures, and the numbers it sees will lag as PERA benefits take months to process.

Doug Anderson, executive director for PERA, said 150 officers seeking duty disability from one department would be high. PERA approved 105 disability applications from both police and firefighters statewide in all of 2019, including 60 claims for duty-related PTSD and 20 for other work-related injuries.

PERA is primarily a retirement plan, in which members and employers contribute funds. Members who become disabled can receive a disability benefit until age 55, at which time retirement benefits kick in.

A high percentage of those on duty disability do not return to the job, Anderson said.

Its a disability that as a general rule is a permanent designation entitling them for benefits for the rest of their life, Meuser said.

A high number of people taking PERA disability likely wont impact the city budget immediately, as the citys rate of contribution to the plan is fixed, though the Minnesota Legislature could increase contribution rates. The city can incur significant costs if the leave is classified as duty disability, because the city would continue to pay for the officers health insurance.

To apply, an officer needs supporting documents from two physicians. A third-party administrator ensures applications are complete. If there is a discrepancy, PERA can require an independent medical evaluation. The Police Department could also challenge an application, and there is a process for appeal. Denials and appeals are uncommon, Anderson said.

Meuser made his announcement amid an increase in violent crime. From Thursday night to Friday morning alone, nine people were shot in Minneapolis, including one fatally. Police data analyzed by the Star Tribune show that at least 243 people have been shot so far this year, compared with 269 in all of 2019.

Asked about his timing, Meuser said he believes Minneapolis officers are being unfairly tarnished, and its time to call out decades of failed leadership in the city.

Meuser opposes calls to dismantle or defund the Police Department, and said he hopes the news that veteran officers are leaving will make the public reassess the citys current trajectory.

The men and women in public safety who give their heart and soul to serve Minneapolis and keep it safe deserve to have Minneapolis leaders to step up and supporting them, he said. Instead of spending time plotting the dismantling of the force, lets come together to improve community trust and work towards a safer city for all. 

___

Follow Amy Forliti on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/amyforliti
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Culture will help coordinate the film industry in getting permission to shoot at countrys iconic Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-managed sites, said Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Prahlad Singh Patel on Thursday. He was speaking at the FICCI Frames which is being held virtually amid pandemic.

I have been meeting ASI officials for the past three days. We do not have much role when it comes to films. It has a separate ministry. But as far as the iconic sites are concerned, when filmmakers want to shoot there, it takes a long time to get permissions. We are ready to help the industry in these aspects, said Patel.

The minister appealed to film industry that the filmmakers should popularise the sites within the country. He appealed to the industry that it should choose Indian destinations for their films rather than exploring places in abroad. There has not been enough focus on the north-east. Earlier, people would talk about insurgency there. Today, there is no insurgency there, said Patel.

States have separate rules and those need to be respected, he said. The minister said it varies from states to states, if they prefer quantity tourism to quality of tourism, and the ministry has to move forward with keeping in mind the preference of states.

The Ministry of Tourism is responsible for coordination. We have held transparent discussions with all stakeholders. States are important too, he said.

The industry has incurred large-scale losses and the ministry is working on how the industry can emerge strong in the post Covid-19 phase.

There has been losses; we have to acknowledge that and then move forward, said Patel.
New Delhi:The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities on Thursday said it has decided to not proceed with a proposal to amend the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 to decriminalise minor offences.

The Finance Ministry last month proposed to decriminalise minor offences, including those relating to cheque bounce and repayment of loans, in as many as 19 legislations.

In line with that, the department under the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry put out a proposal last week on its website for amendments to the RPwD Act and sought feedback by July 10.

The DEPwD on Thursday said that during the consultation process, it received feedback from various stakeholders, majority of whom opined that the existing provisions of the RPwD Act, 2016 are appropriate safeguards for PwDs and essential for the effective implementation of the act.

"They were of the view that compounding of offences would dilute the spirit of the said act for protecting and preserving the rights of persons with disabilities," the DEPwD said in a statement.

"Keeping in view the overall sentiments of the majority of stakeholders, the department is now of the considered view, that going ahead with the proposed amendment for compounding of offences may not be in the interest of persons with disabilities," it said.

Therefore, it has been decided that there is sufficient ground to close the consultation process and not to pursue the proposed amendment to the RPwD Act, 2016, it added.

The proposal had evoked sharp response from activists and civil rights bodies who saw it as a means to dilute the legislation.

In a joint statement, around 125 disability rights organisations, civil society organisations and activists last week said they unequivocally register their strong protest against the proposal to "dilute and nullify" penal provisions contained in the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.

They said the government was proposing to "drastically alter the very nature of the act".

The DEPwD had proposed amendments to RPwD Act under provisions 89, 92(a) and 93 and suggested insertion of a new section 95A in the act.
The D.C. survey found that parents of older children were slightly more likely to want to keep their children home in the fall, which makes sense: Distance learning is easier for teens than young kids; and for many parents, schools are the reliable child care that allow them to work during the day. But Massey says her mother, who lives with her, has been watching the children while she works her security shifts in downtown Washington. If she keeps her kids home, shell extend that arrangement into the fall.
PORT AUSTIN  When most people retire, typically they try to settle down a bit. It's not often that they try something bigger than what their previous careers were.

But Joanne Murphy, along with her husband Lance, have been working the past few years restoring a home along Lake Street in Port Austin and turning it into Port Austin Bed & Breakfast.

We thought wed have a two-year renovation, Joanne said. It turned out to be a four-year renovation.

She said the building, dating back to the 1880s, had previously been a home for one of the founding fathers of Port Austin, and for Frank Hubbard from 1895 to 1930.

From 1970 to 2014, it served as an adult foster care facility and was in bad shape.

The foundation required fixing, the second and third floors had no support other than the outside walls, and the interior walls needed to be redone so support beams could be added.

Everything inside had to be rebuilt, Lance said, adding they had to take out a lot of bathrooms when gutting the place.

Its amazing it hadnt collapsed on itself, Joanne said.

When finished, the bed and breakfast will have five guest bedrooms that are able to hold two people each, and each will have its own bathroom. It will also have common rooms, parlor rooms, a breakfast area, a reception area, a laundry room, patio furniture, and a fire pit outside. The Murphys own quarters are on the third floor.

The Murphys previously lived and worked in the Detroit area, Joanne as an advocate for disabled students and Lance for Verizon. They were looking for options for their retirement and found this house on Zillow, with Lance having the idea of turning it into a bed and breakfast

Joanne had been familiar with the area, having gone to a cottage in Port Austin in the summer when she was growing up.

Instead of downsizing, our retirement went up in size, Joanne said.

The Murphys were also looking for work opportunities for their son, who has cerebral palsy and autism. They knew he was not going to get a traditional job, and he also went to a culinary arts school, so they wanted to give him a role with some responsibility.

Port Austin Bed & Breakfast hopes to open for the 2021 season, which Joanne said would last from May to October. The Murphys are willing to be open for longer as the Port Austin Chamber of Commerce wants to bring in more people year-round.

In contrast to the two other bed and breakfasts in Port Austin, which have a very Victorian feel, Joanne said this bed and breakfast would show off different historical periods the house existed in.
Hagia Sophia, the famous church/mosque embodies Turkey's double history in both the Christian and the Muslim world. (Jan Jekielek/The Epoch Times)

Turkeys Erdogan Says Hagia Sophia Becomes Mosque After Court Ruling

ISTANBULPresident Tayyip Erdogan declared Istanbuls Hagia Sophia open to Muslim worship on Friday after a top court ruled that the buildings conversion to a museum by modern Turkeys founding statesman was illegal.

Erdogan made his announcement, just an hour after the court ruling was revealed, despite international warnings not to change the status of the nearly 1,500-year-old monument, revered by Christians and Muslims alike.

The decision was taken to hand over the management of the Ayasofya Mosque  to the Religious Affairs Directorate and open it for worship, the decision signed by Erdogan said.

Erdogan had earlier proposed restoring the mosque status of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, a focal point of both the Christian Byzantine and Muslim Ottoman empires and now one of the most visited monuments in Turkey.

The United States, Greece, and church leaders were among those to express concern about changing the status of the huge 6th Century building, converted into a museum in the early days of the modern secular Turkish state under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

It was concluded that the settlement deed allocated it as a mosque and its use outside this character is not possible legally, the Council of State, Turkeys top administrative court in Ankara, said in its ruling.

The cabinet decision in 1934 that ended its use as a mosque and defined it as a museum did not comply with laws, it said, referring to an edict signed by Ataturk.

Russian Orthodox Church Expresses Regret

The association which brought the court case, the latest in a 16-year legal battle, said Hagia Sophia was the property of the Ottoman leader who captured the city in 1453 and turned the already 900-year-old Byzantine church into a mosque.

Erdogan, a pious Muslim, threw his weight behind the campaign to convert the building before local elections last year. He is due to speak shortly before 9 p.m. (1800 GMT), his head of communications said.

The Ottomans built minarets alongside the vast domed structure, while inside they added huge calligraphic panels bearing the Arabic names of the early Muslim caliphs alongside the monuments ancient Christian iconography.

The Russian Orthodox Church said it regretted that the court did not take its concerns into account when making its ruling and said the decision could lead to even greater divisions, the TASS news agency reported.

Previously, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual head of some 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide and based in Istanbul, said converting it into a mosque would disappoint Christians and would fracture East and West.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Greece had also urged Turkey to maintain the building as a museum.

But Turkish groups have long campaigned for Hagia Sophias conversion into a mosque, saying this would better reflect Turkeys status as an overwhelmingly Muslim country.

By Daren Butler and Ece Toksabay
College of fisheries, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), celebrated National Fish Farmers Day by paying online tribute to fish farmers on Friday.

On the occasion, Harish Kumar Verma, director of extension education, GADVASU; RS Chauhan, dean, college of fisheries, GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar (Uttrakhand) and Dr RA Pawar, professor, college of fisheries, Ratnagiri (Maharashtra), apprised farmers of innovative interventions for sustainable development of aquaculture sector and role of academia and farmer linkages in technology transfer and capacity building. This was followed by an interactive session.

An online poetry and poster competition on the theme Gratitudinal tribute to fish farmers of the nation was held to depict their contribution towards food and nutritional security of the country. Entries were invited from students of fisheries colleges of the country.

The top three posters and poems were selected by a jury. The winning posters were displayed, while poems were recited by the winners during the meet.

Prabjeet Singh and Sachin O Khairnar, assistant professors at college of fisheries coordinated the meet.

Dr Meera D Ansal, head, department of aquaculture, thanked the fish farmers for their contribution and making India the second largest aquaculture producer in the World.

Recognising the perseverance of the farming community, Dr Kulbir Singh Sandhu, dean, college of fisheries, and Asha Dhawan, consultant fisheries, GADVASU, lauded their role in providing healthy nutrition. Krishi Vigyan Kendras of GADVASU situated at Booh (Tarn Taran), Majra (Mohali) and Barnala also celebrated this day.

Fisheries scientists working at these KVKs spoke about the need to uplift fish farming in their respective areas.

Inderjeet Singh, vice-chancellor, GADVASU, assured continued assistance to the farming community for sustainable development of the fisheries, animal husbandry and dairy sectors of the state through innovative technological interventions.
The funeral cortege of Forces Sweetheart Dame Vera Lynn (Gareth Fuller/PA)

Hundreds of people lined the streets of an East Sussex village to pay tribute to Dame Vera Lynn.

The Forces Sweetheart, who entertained troops with morale-boosting visits to the front line during the Second World War, died aged 103 on June 18.

Mourners gathered in the village of Ditchling as her funeral cortege passed through.

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While questions continue to swirl around the killing of Kanpur gangster Vikas Dubey, families of eight cops, slain in an ambush laid out by Dubey and his men in Kanpurs Bikru village on July 3, are coming out one after another, welcoming Dubeys encounter by Uttar Pradesh police in an early morning operation on Friday, when Dubey allegedly attempted to escape after snatching a firearm from an injured policemen.

Constable Ajay Kashyap, who was one of the several policemen injured in the early morning police raid at Vikas Dubeys Bikru village residence on July 3, said Dubeys death had brought him solace and will serve to restore public confidence in the police and government.

It has brought solace to my soul. It would restore public confidence in police and government, constable Ajay Kashyap was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Dubeys dramatic arrest in Ujjain on Thursday and his death today has led to mixed emotions and reactions from across the spectrum with a strong undercurrent of suspicion of alleged police-criminal-politician nexus being at work to prevent the dark secrets from coming out. Relatives of some policemen killed in Kanpur ambush had yesterday alleged that Dubeys arrest had been staged to save him from certain death in encounter with UP polices special task force (STF).

Kamal Kant, a relative of slain Bilhaur circle officer Devendra Mishra, had said Dubey would not have been able to travel across four states untouched and then surrendered unharmed had there not been forces working to save him.

This is a scripted surrender to save the criminal, Kant told reporters at his house in Kanpur.

Also Read: Kin of slain Kanpur cop call Vikas Dubeys arrest a scripted surrender

The relatives of two slain sub-inspectors from Prayagraj and Pratapgarh had sought capital punishment for Dubey, while questioning how he managed to reach Ujjain to save his life.

The family members of another slain sub-inspector, Nebulal, from Prayagraj also demanded death for Dubey. Nebulals son, Arvind Kumar, said he and his family were not satisfied. The circumstances of Dubeys arrest were doubtful, he had said on Thursday.

Dubeys elimination in the police action this morning has, however, left some with a sense of justice.

I am very proud of UP Police. Whatever they have done today has brought solace to my soul. I thank the administration and the Yogi government, Tirath Pal, father of constable Jitendra Pal Singh who was killed in the Kanpur ambush on July 3, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Wife of constable Sultan Singh, who, too, lost his life last week in Kanpur in the elaborate trap laid out by Dubey and his men, says while she is satisfied at the outcome (Dubeys death), the truth of any political patronage protecting Dubey may not come out ever now, that he is dead.

Im satisfied. But now how will it come to the fore as to who were backing him (Vikas Dubey)? It could have been unraveled by questioning him, Urmila Verma, wife of constable Sultan Singh was quoted as saying by the news agency.

The Uttar Pradesh police said that three sub-inspector, one constable and two STF commandos were injured during the early morning encounter of Dubey, while he was trying to allegedly flee after the vehicle bringing him to Kanpur from Ujjain overturned just 20 km outside the destination city.

Dubey was the sixth person to be killed in the case, while 10 others are under arrest and 12 wanted criminals are still absconding, according to Prashant Kumar, UP ADG, Law and Order.

Vikas Dubey was silenced, his encounter staged: Who said what after Kanpur encounter

Opposition leaders and civil rights activists have questioned the polices version of events leading to Dubeys death and demanded a thorough probe to unravel the alleged nexus between cops, politicians and criminals in the state of Uttar Pradesh. They have suggested that Dubeys encounter was engineered to bury these facts.

SP national president Akhilesh Yadav, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi and BSP chief Mayawati have all alleged that Dubeys death will help in preserving the powerful nexus. Mayawati also demanded a probe overseen by the Supreme Court of India to bring out the truth and to serve justice to the families of policemen killed in Kanpur ambush a week ago.
UN Security Council rejects Russian-backed resolution on aid delivery to Syria

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 09 July 2020 7:27 AM

The UN Security Council has rejected a Russian-drafted resolution that would extend a cross-border aid delivery mechanism for a six-month period after Russia  along with China  vetoed a relevant Western-drafted document, which Moscow argued ignored the realities on the ground in the Arab country.

On Wednesday, seven countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Belgium, Germany, the Dominican Republic and Estonia voted against the draft resolution, which needed at least nine 'yes' votes.

The Russian-proposed resolution garnered support from China, Vietnam and South Africa plus its own vote. Tunisia, Niger, Indonesia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines abstained.

The vote was carried out in written format due to coronavirus restrictions at the UN headquarters.

The vote came after Russia and China vetoed a resolution drafted by Germany and Belgium that would maintain two border crossing points from Turkey  namely Bab al-Salam and Bab al-Hawa  to deliver humanitarian aid to Syria for a year.

The mechanism for the cross-border humanitarian operations in Syria had been established by the Security Council in July 2014. The authorization is set to expire on Friday.

The Russian resolution sought to extend the mechanism of humanitarian deliveries to Syria's affected regions for another six months and limit the number of crossing points to just Bab al-Hawa checkpoint on the Turkish-Syrian border.

Russia argued that the 2014 mechanism needed an update in accordance with the fast-changing situation in Syria, which has managed, over the past years, to liberate most parts of its soil from foreign-backed militants on the back of Russian and Iranian assistance.

Moscow had said earlier that it expected the UN and Damascus to work out alternative routes for aid delivery at the request and with the permission of the recipient state, while respecting Syria's territorial integrity.

Moscow believes that the Bab al-Hawa crossing could cover all of the humanitarian needs of the population in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib -- the last militant bastion in a nine-year war.

Militants plan provocation in Idlib: Russia's military

Meanwhile, the head of the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for Syria Reconciliation warned on Wednesday that the foreign-backed Takfiri terrorists of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), formerly known as al-Nusra Front, are preparing a provocation to once again accuse Damascus of using chemical weapons against civilians in Idlib.

"According to the information that the center for reconciliation of the opposing sides has received from locals, militants from the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham terrorist organization plan staging provocations near the settlements of Sfukhon, Fatterah and Fleifel in the Idlib province with an aim to accuse the governmental forces of using chemical weapons," Rear Admiral Alexander Sherbitsky said at a briefing.

The Russian military said that the terrorists have already created at least 15 improvised explosive devices, stuffed with unidentified toxic agent.

The Syrian government surrendered its stockpiles of chemical weapons in 2014 to a joint mission led by the UN and the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which oversaw the destruction of the weaponry.

However, Western governments and their allies have never stopped pointing the finger at Damascus whenever an apparent chemical attack has taken place.

Syria surrendered its entire chemical stockpile in 2013 to a mission led by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the United Nations.

Several reports have previously suggested the use of chlorine against civilians by anti-Damascus militants.

Russia rejects UN report asserting war crimes in Syria

In another development on Wednesday, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov censured as "unreliable" a UN report that accused Moscow and Damascus of war crimes in Syria.

His remarks came a day after the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria claimed in a report that Syrian and Russian warplanes had carried out airstrikes on civilian population in Idlib which amounted to war crimes.

Lavrov, who was speaking at a news conference in Moscow, said the UN commission based its report on data from social networks and anonymous sources, "which cannot be checked and therefore cannot be reliable."

The Russian top diplomat said that the commission was established by non-consensual decision and its mandate and methods of work provokes a lot of questions.

"The decision to establish this commission was pushed by Western countries that have taken a course for regime change in Syria. By voting in the UN Human Rights Council, a mechanism was created with the goal of searching for dirt on Damascus and those they call 'allies of Damascus,'" he said.

Moscow stands for the necessity to examine any issues of any conflict basing it on trustworthy particulars and data, which can be confirmed by the body providing them, lavrov said.

Russia has been targeting positions held by Western-sponsored terrorist groups inside Syria at the request of Damascus since September 2015.

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None of them has been identified as a close contact of the 90-year-old resident, who returned a positive test after being admitted to hospital on July 6. The man continued to receive treatment in hospital. It was unclear whether the staff members had contracted the virus while working at Glendale. Mr Hancock said while no aged care provider wanted to be in this situation, Glendale had been planning for this scenario for months and was as prepared as it could be. He said all residents were in their rooms, the home was closed to visitors until further notice and staff were instructed not to enter any other aged care homes. "Given the scale of testing we have undertaken, we need to prepare ourselves for the possibility that we may receive more positive test results."

Jemaina Santos, whose 92-year-old mother-in-law Emma Kotsakis is at Glendale, said the aged care home was a nice place. The Santos family with Emma Kotsakis, who lives at Glendale Aged Care. I cant blame them for whats happened. This is the first time something like this has happened and everyone is struggling to cope. When Ms Santos heard on the news that a resident of Glendale had been diagnosed with COVID-19 this week she panicked. "I called Glendale and it was so hard to get through  the phone line was jammed, she said. Ms Santos and her husband Sonny - Ms Kotsakis youngest son - are not the primary contact for the aged care centre and when Ms Santos finally got through, she could not get confirmation of who had been infected. "It was a bit of an uneasy situation."

The Santos family. Their mother and grandmother, Emma Kotsakis, is a resident of Glendale. Credit:Joe Armao Before the pandemic Mr and Ms Santos and their sons, PJ and Aron, used to visit Ms Kotsakis at Glendale every Sunday after church. "We miss her terribly," Ms Santos said. "Everyone loves her  even in the centre, staff would say she is very lovely and doesnt complain." The family is close: Ms Kotsakis lived with them for 15 years in both the Philippines and Australia.

"I used to say I married her as well," Ms Santos said. "It was a joy having her, she looked after my children, she helped us financially." She is worried about Ms Kotsakis and has requested a zoom call with her. "My mother-in-law is vulnerable - everyone there is vulnerable. Its very hard." Meanwhile, aged care provider Benetas said it had made the "difficult" decision to temporarily restrict visitor access to all nine of its aged care homes in metropolitan Melbourne. A staff member who worked at one of its homes - St Georges in Altona Meadows- tested positive on July 7.

For the next six weeks only essential personnel including key staff, health care providers, caterers and cleaners would be able to access the centres. Loading "Given the significantly heightened risk of community transmission across metropolitan Melbourne we believe this is an important preventative measure to protect the health of those in our care," CEO Sanda Hills said in a statement. Benetas said before reimposing visitor restrictions on July 8 it had spoken to more than 250 residents, with 84 per cent supporting the decision. "Benetas understands however that not being able to see a loved one is very difficult and its disappointing for everyone that we are in this position."

However, Council of the Ageing chief executive Ian Yates said blanket visitor bans in situations where there were no coronavirus cases were in breach of the national industry code for visiting residential aged care homes during COVID-19. "We are getting a growing number of complaints where people are getting no notice, no information and no indication of when the situation would be reviewed," he said. Mr Yates said aged care centres should continue to allow compassionate visits if a resident was at the end of their life or a family member was playing a vital role in their physical or mental health, such as feeding them every day. Dr Sarah Russell, the director of Aged Care Matters, said it was reasonable for aged care homes where there had been a positive COVID test to be locked down while all residents were tested.
This letter from the Cherokee Nation was emailed to to Port Neches-Groves school officials on Wednesday:

Dear Board of Trustees and Superintendent Gonzales,

On behalf of the Cherokee Nation, I write to express our concerns about Port Neches-Groves Independent School Districts continued use of idealized Native American culture, practices, and symbols in the name of the Cherokee Nation. We have reviewed certain traditions of your school, which include the Indian Spirit, the Indianettes, the lyrics of the official fight song Cherokee, and the use of headdresses and totem poles and find that each of these uses perpetuate inaccurate misconceptions of Native American culture and invokes ideations of savagery which only perpetuates harmful stereotypes and inaccurately depicts our culture.

Native Americans have suffered horrific transgressions throughout history, with the Cherokee people suffering specific misery during the infamous Trail of Tears where a quarter of our population perished. In the face of this torment, the deeply rooted culture and traditions of the Cherokee people helped our Nation persevere despite the traumas associated with historical genocide and mass land dispossession and today, our traditions are passed on to help guide the next generation to greater heights.

We believe that the current national dialogue has provided Port Neches-Groves with the opportunity to reevaluate its use of Native American culture, practices, and symbols in its own school traditions. While I recognize the value of using traditions to unite a community and understand that sentimentality will no doubt remain, times are changing and community traditions rooted in derogatory imagery and names should change with the times. The Nation invites Port-Neches Groves to take a leading role in the cause by reevaluating its current traditions.

I understand that in 1979 a former chief of the Cherokee Nation issued a certificate recognizing Port Neches-Groves as Ambassadors of Goodwill in an apparent attempt to condone the use of an Indian mascot. This letter serves as official notice that Cherokee Nation formally withdraws any support of Port Neches-Groves use of Cherokee Nations name and use of any Native American culture, practices, or imagery in the name of supporting school traditions. This specifically includes revocation of the October 1979 Ambassador of Goodwill certificate. The sovereignty and humanity of both the Cherokee people and Native Americans at large should be respected. Therefore, the Cherokee Nation respectfully urges Port Neches-Groves to reconsider its school traditions that are premised on Cherokee Nation and stereotypes of Native American culture. Continued use by Port Neches Independent School District of its current mascot and imagery does further injury to a proud Indian Nation and a people who have endured enough. It should stop.

For many years, community members, students, and school officials have stated that the Port Neches-Groves community honors the Cherokee Nation. A decision to embrace change and honor this request to change the mascot, practices, and symbols of the school would demonstrate respect for the Cherokee Nation and Native Americans everywhere in a way that no one could ever question.

Wado,

Chuck Hoskin Jr.

Principal Chief Cherokee Nation
LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Julius Baer (JBARF.PK, JBAXY.PK) said it will create a new unit and launch a offering for direct private investments such as Private Equity and Private Debt for its UHNW clients. The unit will offer access to private market transactions across all its regions via professionals in its major booking centres. The unit will complement Julius Baer's current product range and will be embedded in its Markets division, the company said. The new unit will be led by Giuseppe De Filippo, who will join the Bank together with a team of several experts on 1 October 2020. Filippo joins from UBS, where he held various roles and, in the end, had been leading the Direct Investments Group and the Corporate Finance Group, globally. Prior to this, he worked as an Associate Principal with McKinsey & Company in Zurich, Singapore, and Shanghai from 1999 to 2006. 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.
Interim Congress President Sonia Gandhi has called a meeting of Lok Sabha MPs to discuss issues facing the nation.

Congress sources say the issues which will be deliberated are mainly the Chinese border transgressions and economic situation arising due to Covid-19.

Sonia Gandhi has written many letters to the Prime Minister regarding issues to handle the Covid situation and Chinese transgressions.

The meeting comes in wake of government tightening noose around foundationss related to the Congress on which the party has reacted sharply. The government has constituted inter-ministerial committee to investigate the funding of RGF and other trusts.

Rahul Gandhi in a tweet said, "Mr Modi believes the world is like him. He thinks everyone has a price or can be intimidated."

"He will never understand that those who fight for the truth have no price and cannot be intimidated," added Rahul.

The Congress has also issued a statement saying that the party and its leadership will not be intimidated by the "cowardly acts and blind witch-hunt by a panicked Modi government".

Party spokesman Randeep Surjewala said, "Will the Modi government hold an enquiry into the donations and the amounts received by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) from all sources including foreign sources, individuals, entities, organisations and governments?"
Indian markets witnessed profit-booking at higher levels on July 10, tracking a muted trend in global markets. It recouped some of the intraday losses but the S&P BSE Sensex fell over 100 points while the Nifty closed below 10,800 towards the close of the trade.

The S&P BSE Sensex ended 143 points lower at 36,594 while the Nifty50 slipped 45 points to 10,768.

Market breadth favoured declines; advance-decline ratio at 1:2

For the week, the Nifty50 and the S&P BSE Sensex rose 1.5 percent each. In terms of sectors, the NiftyBank rose 2.5 percent and the Nifty Metal rallied 3.5 percent.

Markets continued their volatile movements and ended the day negative, tracking mixed global cues. The market saw profit-taking at higher levels, and it looked like the index was in a no-trade zone. Traders should wait for a breakout above 10,900 or a break down below 10,676 levels (intraday low of July 8), say experts.

"Global stocks were mixed following record infections in the US, which led to worries of delayed global economic recovery, while Indian markets worried about record cases of infections and increasing localized lockdowns. However, on a weekly basis, the benchmark indices gained around 1.5%," Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services told Moneycontrol.

"The weekly gains were mainly driven by liquidity and the hope that the virus would be contained soon and businesses back to normal. However, the outlook for the market is volatile, as the earnings announcements have begun after a washout quarter for most industries."

Nair added that this uncertainty combined with profit-booking happening after the recent rally means that the volatility is expected to continue and investors would do well to be cautious and stock-specific.

Also Read - Gainers & Losers: 10 stocks that moved the most on July 10

Sectorally, the action was seen in energy, telecom, healthcare, realty, and FMCG stocks while profit-taking was visible in banks, finance, and consumer durable stocks.

On the broader markets front, the S&P BSE Midcap index fell 0.72 percent while the S&P BSE Smallcap index was down 0.35 percent.

Top Nifty gainers included Britannia Industries, Sun Pharma and RIL.

Top Nifty losers included HDFC, GAIL India, IndusInd Bank, and Axis Bank.

Stocks & Sectors

Sectorally, the S&P BSE Bankex was down 2.2 percent followed by the S&P BSE Finance index that fell 1.9 percent and the S&P BSE Consumer Durables index was down 1.8 percent.

The S&P BSE Energy index was up 2.2 percent, S&P BSE Telecom index was up 0.75 percent and the S&P BSE Healthcare index rose 0.67 percent.

Volume spike of more than 100 percent was seen in stocks like Biocon, IDFC First, and Equitas

Long Buildup was seen in stocks like Idea, Equitas and Godrej Properties.

Short Buildup was seen in stocks like PNB, Century Textiles and MGL.

More than 100 stocks on the BSE hit a fresh 52-week high. They included Bharat Rasayan, Britannia Industries, RIL and L&T Infotech.

Stocks in news

TCS gained 2 percent from lows to end 1 percent higher on positive management commentary,

Britannia Industries surged to life high; HUL & Sun Pharma were other top Nifty gainers.

HDFC Life & SBI Life gained on a significant improvement in premium on MoM basis.

Punjab National Bank stock shed over 5 percent after the lender declared its Rs 3,600 crore exposure to Dewan Housing Finance as a fraudulent account.

Gujarat Ambuja Exports share price rose 10 percent as the company board will consider a proposal for sub-division of equity share.

Firstsource Solutions stock price jumped over 6 percent after Rakesh Jhujhnwala raised his stake in the company.

Reliance Industries stock jumped over 3 percent, climbing an all-time high on July 10, hitting a market capitalisation of Rs 11,90,857.13 crore. RIL market cap rose by over Rs 34,000 crore in Fridays trade.

Yes Bank stock shed over 4 percent after the private lender approved the price band for its follow-on public offer (FPO).

Astra Microwave Products stock was up almost 4 percent after owner of supermarkets chain D-Mart Radhakishan Damani bought 1.03 percent stake in the defence sector player in the June quarter of the financial year 2021.

Tejas Networks stock jumped 5 percent, hitting upper circuit for the third consecutive day, after Kedia Securities, owned by investor and trader Vijay Kedia, acquired a 0.81 percent stake in the company for Rs 3.7 crore through open market transactions.

Technical View

The Nifty formed a Spinning Top pattern on daily charts.

A close observation of the last five sessions suggests that the Nifty is consolidating in a zone of 10,847  10,676 levels

A break below 10,676 could trigger a fresh leg of short term downswing with initial targets of 10,480 levels.

In that scenario, the upside target can be around 11,250 levels. For the time, traders are advised to shift their focus on stock-specific opportunities as the index is clearly in a no-trade zone, Mazhar Mohammad of Chartviewindia.in said.

Disclosure: Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd.

: The views and investment tips expressed by experts on Moneycontrol.com are their own and not those of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
US calls for resumption of stalled talks with North Korea: Seoul

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 09 July 2020 10:16 AM

The United States has called for resumption of stalled talks with North Korea two days after Pyongyang ruled out returning to negotiation table amid US sanctions, South Korea says.

"US Deputy Secretary of State, Stephen Biegun emphasized the importance of reopening dialogue with North Korea," said the office of South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Thursday.

Biegun, who was on a three-day visit to the capital Seoul, met with South Korea's national security adviser Suh Hoon on Thursday.

North Korea earlier stressed that it has no intention of holding talks with the United States, following a call by South Korea for Pyongyang and Washington to hold a new summit.

Kwon Jong-gun, the director general for US affairs at the North Korean Foreign Ministry, said South Korea's call for a revival of talks was "nonsensical" and urged Seoul to stop meddling.

North Korea said the negotiations would only serve as "a political tool" for the Trump administration.

Biegun said earlier that he was not seeking to meet North Korean officials during his visit to, but said the United States was open to talks.

"Let me absolutely be clear, we did not request a visit," Biegun said on Wednesday. "This visit this week is to meet with our close friends and allies, the South Koreans."

Experts, however, said that his visit to the South could be the last-ditch effort by Washington to revive the stalled talks with Pyongyang ahead of the US presidential election in November.

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he was open to another meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

The two have met three time, mainly under the auspices of South Korea.

But negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang have gradually halted owing to Trump's refusal to relieve any of the harsh US sanctions on the North in exchange for goodwill measures by Pyongyang.

Washington has imposed rounds of unilateral sanctions and spearheaded multilateral ones against Pyongyang since 2006 over its nuclear and missile programs.

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Im not sure how much trust it can bring, but what I am sure of is that its going to bring more trust than what they have right now, Brooks told the Tribune after the Friday announcement of the new effort. Right now there is absolutely no trust for police in the community, and so engaging in the community, doing projects in the community, having conversations with the community can only increase that trust level.
Spokesman: US violated basic principles of intl. law by assassinating Gen. Soleimani

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 09 July 2020 5:34 PM

The Iranian Foreign Ministry says the US' assassination of Iran's top anti-terror commander, Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, took place in absolute disregard for fundamental legal, humanitarian, and moral principles, belying Washington's claim of fighting terrorism in the region.

"The US assassinated General Soleimani and his companions by violating the compelling norms and fundamental principles of the international law and also in violation of all fundamental humanitarian and moral elements," Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Thursday.

"Assassination of this national hero and defender of regional peace and security proved that [fighting] Daesh and terrorism is [only] part of the US' ploy for plundering the region, and that Washington's claim of fighting terrorism is a completely hollow and baseless claim," he added.

On January 3, a US drone strike near Baghdad International Airport assassinated General Soleimani, former commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps. The attack -- that also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the second-in-command of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) anti-terror group, along with several others -- came while General Soleimani was on an official visit to the Iraqi capital.

In a recent report, Agnes Callamard, UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, underlined the "unlawful" nature of the operation, and said the US had failed to provide sufficient evidence of an ongoing or imminent attack against its interests to justify the strike.

Also on Thursday, the rapporteur said the US has put the world at unprecedented peril with its assassination of the commander, warning that it was high time the international community broke its silence on Washington's drone-powered unlawful killings.

Both commanders enjoyed profound reverence among Muslim nations over their endeavors in eliminating the US-sponsored Daesh terrorist group in the region, particularly in Iraq and Syria.

Back then, however, US President Donlad Trump, on whose direct orders the atrocity took place, claimed that General Soleimani was "the world's top terrorist" and "should have been terminated long ago."

Elsewhere in his remarks, Mousavi pointed to recurrent remarks by former and current American officials in alleged defense of the assassination, saying, "It is nothing new for professional criminals to try to justify their atrocities."

He called Gen. Soleimani the most influential force against expansion of terrorism and violent extremism, especially the type staged by Daesh, across the region and the world.

The US' fear of Soleimani's ethos and cause has even grown bigger compared to the time, when the commander was alive, the spokesman added.

The official called on the United Nations and its Human Rights Council to do their part in addressing and condemning such dangerous measures as the one taken by Washington.

Mousavi separately took to Twitter, calling "the coward assassination of Gen. Soleimani, the anti-terrorism hero of our region ... an arbitrary killing' & a clear violation of the UN charter."

Referring to Wednesday remarks by US State Department spokeswoman, Morgan Ortagus, who called Callamard's report "tendentious and tedious," the Iranian spokesman said, "The US is responsible for this criminal act, & can't whitewash this by chastising the UN," adding, We'll never forget, we'll never forgive."



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Trump Is Trying to Hide US and Israeli War Crimes by Attacking the International Criminal Court

By Marjorie Cohn

July 09, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - A war crimes complaint has been filed against Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump adviser Jared Kushner in the International Criminal Court (ICC). It is now up to the ICCs Office of the Prosecutor to decide whether the complaint should be pursued. If the prosecutor launches a preliminary examination and finds reason to believe they committed war crimes, the court could then authorize a full investigation.

The complaint, filed by Middlesex University law professor William Schabas on June 30 on behalf of four Palestinians who live in the West Bank, states there is credible evidence that Trump, Netanyahu and Kushner are complicit in acts that may amount to war crimes relating to the transfer of populations into occupied territory and the annexation of the sovereign territory of the State of Palestine. Under article 15 of the ICCs Rome Statute , any individual, group or organization can bring a complaint to the Office of the Prosecutor.

Schabass complaint comes on the heels of unusual moves last month from the Trump administration, which declared a  national emergency  in June in an effort to shield U.S. and Israeli officials from ICC accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Trump issued an executive order on June 11 declaring a national emergency because, he says, any ICC attempt to investigate, arrest, detain or prosecute any personnel of the United States or its allies (Israel) without consent to the courts jurisdiction constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.

The order authorizes the freezing of assets and family travel bans against ICC officials and others who have participated in, or provided assistance to investigations, arrests, detentions or prosecutions. Its not necessary that a person be involved with an ICC action, however, to be subject to Trumps new sanctions. His order covers any ICC employee or agent whom the secretary of state determines would be detrimental to the interests of the United States.

Trumps Endorsement of Israels Illegal Annexation Is a War Crime

Schabass complaint alleges that the Trump administrations endorsement of Israels annexation constitutes a war crime.

Trumps Peace to Prosperity plan endorses the illegal Israeli annexation of 30 percent of the West Bank which, Schabas alleges , is intricately linked to the war crime of changing the population of an occupied territory. The annexation, slated to occur on July 1, has been delayed, likely for political reasons.

Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention states that an occupying power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own population into the territories it occupies. The Rome Statute says that an occupying powers direct or indirect transfer of parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies is a war crime.

Sixty-seven special independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council declared in a statement that Israels annexation of occupied territory is a serious violation of the Charter of the United Nations and the Geneva Conventions, and contrary to the fundamental rule affirmed many times by the United Nations Security Council and General Assembly that the acquisition of territory by war or force is inadmissible.

Trump Claims the ICC Has No Jurisdiction Over Americans and Israelis

In his June 11 order, Trump states that the ICCs illegitimate assertion of jurisdiction over nationals of the U.S. and its allies would threaten to infringe upon the sovereignty of the United States. Trump notes that the U.S. is not a party to the ICCs Rome Statute and has never consented to the jurisdiction of the court.

Although Bill Clinton signed the Rome Statute as he left office, the United States never ratified it . In an unprecedented move, George W. Bush withdrew the U.S.s signature from the statute in 2002.

Even though the United States isnt a party to the Rome Statute, U.S. nationals can still be held liable in the ICC for crimes that occurred in the territory of a country that is a party. So although the United States has not ratified the Rome Statute, the ICC nevertheless has jurisdiction over crimes committed by U.S. nationals in the territory of Afghanistan, which is a party.

On March 5, the ICC Appeals Chamber accepted Bensoudas recommendation to proceed with an investigation of war crimes allegedly committed by U.S. military and CIA officials in Afghanistan and at CIA black sites.

Less than three months prior, on December 20, 2019, Bensouda had found a reasonable basis to believe that Israeli forces and Palestinians committed war crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories. She recommended that the Pretrial Chamber launch an investigation if it decided the court had territorial jurisdiction over Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

The same day the Appeals Chamber announced its approval of an investigation of U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo threatened to take all necessary measures to protect our citizens from this renegade, so-called court.

With his new national emergency declaration, Trump aims to ensure that no U.S. or Israeli persons are brought before the international court to answer for war crimes and crimes against humanity. He cited the American Service-Members Protection Act , enacted after Bush removed the U.S.s signature from the Rome Statute. The act contains the Hague Invasion Clause, which authorizes the U.S. military to use armed force to extricate any U.S. or allied national detained by the ICC. This provision has never been used but its ramifications are frightening.

U.S. Pressure on the ICC Didnt Work the First Time

In November 2017, Bensoudas preliminary examination found reasonable grounds to believe that, pursuant to U.S. policy, members of the U.S. military and the CIA had committed war crimes . They included torture and cruel treatment, and outrages upon personal dignity and sexual violence against people in detention facilities in the territory of states parties to the Rome Statute, including Afghanistan, Romania, Poland and Lithuania.

The alleged crimes by the CIA and U.S. military were not the abuses of a few isolated individuals, but rather part of approved interrogation techniques in an attempt to extract actionable intelligence from detainees, Bensouda wrote. She concluded there was reason to believe that crimes were committed in the furtherance of a policy or policies  which would support US objectives in the conflict of Afghanistan.

Bensouda requested that the ICCs Pretrial Chamber approve an investigation into these allegations. The Trump administration threatened to deny visas to ICC judges and prosecutors and warned it would retaliate with sanctions if the court opened an investigation.

On April 5, 2019, the U.S. government revoked Bensoudas visa to travel to the United States.

A week later, on April 12, 2019, the Pretrial Chamber apparently succumbed to U.S. pressure and declined to authorize Bensoudas investigation. Although agreeing with Bensouda that there were reasonable grounds to believe that CIA members had committed war crimes, the Pretrial Chamber denied her request for an investigation in the interests of justice. That chamber cited the extremely limited possibility of an effective judicial process due to the likely refusal of U.S. and Afghan authorities to cooperate.

But in a landmark decision, on March 5, 2020, the Appeals Chamber overruled the Pretrial Chambers determination and authorized Bensouda to initiate an investigation.

Trump declared his national emergency three months later.

Bensouda Requested an Investigation of War Crimes Committed in Palestine

Trumps June 11 executive order was also designed to shield Israeli officials from liability in the ICC for their war crimes.

On December 20, 2019, Bensouda told the Pretrial Chamber there was a reasonable basis to launch an investigation of  the situation in Palestine . She had a reasonable belief that Israeli forces had committed war crimes of willful killing, willfully causing serious injury to body or health, disproportionate use of force, transfer of Israeli civilians into the Palestinian territory of the West Bank, and the killing of more than 200 Palestinians during protests at the Israel-Gaza fence. Bensouda also found a reasonable basis to investigate alleged war crimes by Palestinians, including intentional attacks against civilians, using civilians as human shields, and the commission of torture and willful killing.

Bensouda wrote that she was satisfied (i) war crimes have been or are being committed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip  (ii) potential cases arising from the situation would be admissible; and (iii) there are no substantial reasons to believe that an investigation would not serve the interests of justice.

But although Bensouda determined that the ICC has territorial jurisdiction over the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza  she asked the Pretrial Chamber for a ruling on the scope of the territorial jurisdiction of the ICC.

Israel is not a party to the Rome Statute. But the ICC could take jurisdiction over Israelis if their crimes were committed in the territory of a state party. Israel maintains that Palestine is not a state so there is no ICC jurisdiction.

In 2012, the UN General Assembly recognized Palestine as a non-member observer state in the United Nations. Palestine acceded to the Rome Statute, thereby becoming a member of the States Parties of the International Criminal Court.

The International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL) filed an amicus brief on March 16, 2020, urging the ICC to confirm its jurisdiction over Palestine. IADL bureau member Richard Harvey wrote:

The ICCs normative power and legal authority will be strengthened by confirming its jurisdiction over the State of Palestine, including the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza, and opening an investigation into the Palestinian situation. Thereby the equal rights of all peoples to justice for international crimes will receive much-needed affirmation.

ICC States Parties and UN Security Council Members Express Unwavering Support for ICC

Sixty-seven ICC member countries representing regions throughout the world issued a joint statement expressing their unwavering support for the Court as an independent and impartial judicial institution. They pledged to remain undeterred by any measures or threats against the Court, its officials, and those cooperating with it.

Likewise, 10 members of the 15-member UN Security Council issued a statement to reconfirm our unwavering support for the Court as an independent and impartial judicial institution and preserve its integrity undeterred by any threats against the Court, its officials and those cooperating with it. The group, which included two permanent members of the Council  France and the United Kingdom  renewed their resolve to stand against impunity which is at the core of the Rome Statute.

The remarkable action of the Appeals Chamber in defying U.S. threats and blackmail and approving a war crimes investigation of U.S. officials indicates that the ICC is striving to fulfill its mandate to bring those who have committed the most serious crimes to justice.

Marjorie Cohn is professor emerita at Thomas Jefferson School of Law where she taught from 1991-2016, and a former president of the National Lawyers Guild. She lectures, writes, and provides commentary for local, regional, national and international media outlets. Professor Cohn has served as a news consultant for CBS News and a legal analyst for Court TV, as well as a legal and political commentator on BBC, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, NPR, and Pacifica Radio. - " Source " - Copyright Truthout. - - " Source " -

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July 3, 2020 G.W. Hitchcock , (907) 683-9583

On Thursday, July 2, at approximately 11:00 a.m. (AKT), personnel from Alaska Regional Communications Center (ARCC), located in Denali National Park and Preserve (Denali), received notification from the International Emergency Response Coordination Center (IERCC) that a distress signal from a satellite emergency notification device had been activated from within the park. The IERCC confirmed that a Cessna 180 with two passengers had conducted an emergency landing southeast of the Eielson Visitor Center. The passengers were able to communicate with the ARCC via their satellite device. The passengers communicated that there were no injuries, and that they had equipment, food, and water to last several days.



ARCC staff notified Denalis Visitor and Resource Protection staff, the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and the Federal Aviation Administration of the incident. Park staff were immediately dispatched to the Eielson Visitor Center and began staging to provide assistance from the ground. A helicopter under contract with the park was dispatched to the scene and arrived at approximately 2:00 p.m.. The two passengers were taken by helicopter to the McKinley National Park Airport (INR), near the entrance of the park, where they were met by emergency medical services personnel from the Tri-Valley Volunteer Fire Department, and again, no injuries were reported. The park concluded operations for this incident at approximately 7:00 p.m. on Thursday.



The aircraft involved in the incident was reported to be on its way to Kantisha, an area of unincorporated inholdings surrounded by the park.



Though the site is near the Eielson Visitor Center, it is not expected to be visible or to have any impact on the visitor experience. Park staff will visit the site and determine what remediation efforts may be needed.



The NTSB is currently conducting its own investigation into the incident.


They recently celebrated their one-year anniversary.

And Molly-Mae Hague jokingly scolded her beau Tommy Fury after he left a huge pile of his laundry in their utility room.

The Love Island star, 21, revealed that they had only just had a washing machine and tumble dryer fitted after moving into their new lavish Manchester flat in early June.

Naughty! Molly-Mae Hague jokingly scolded her beau Tommy Fury after he left a huge pile of his laundry in their utility room

Posting a video of Tommy's piles of laundry, Molly-Mae joked that the boxer could 'dream on' as it will take her 'three years' to do.

The reality star revealed that his clothing bundles had stacked up after training three times a day every day.

She said: 'So we finally had our washing machine and tumble dryer fitted after all this time of living here.

'This right here is the build up of Tommy's washing from training three times a day, every day, since we moved in.'

'Dream on mate!': The Love Island star, 21, revealed that they had only just had a washing machine and tumble dryer fitted after moving into their new lavish Manchester flat in early June

She jokingly added: 'Honest to God, dream on Tommy if you think I'm washing all that - cause that will actually take me three years!'

It comes after it was claimed that Tommy has reportedly earned 150K in six months after leaving Love Island despite missing out on the 50K prize money.

According to reports, the boxer's, 21, company Tommy Fury TNT, created before his stint in the ITV2 villa, made a 151,294 profit in January.

Ka-ching! It comes after it was claimed that Tommy has reportedly earned 150K in six months after leaving Love Island despite missing out on the 50K prize money

The Sun claims that Tommy's second firm, Fury TNT, is set to document its earnings for the year.

MailOnline has contacted Tommy's representative for comment.

Tommy and girlfriend Molly-Mae finished in second place on Love Island, with winners Amber Gill and Greg O'Shea taking home the 50K.

Yet the brother of Tyson Fury, 21, has had a successful career since the ITV2 dating series by promoting huge brands, such as Boohoo Man and McDonald's.

Impressive! According to reports, the boxer's, 21, company Tommy Fury TNT, created before his stint in the ITV2 villa, made a 151,294 profit in January

Tommy also had his own ITV2 spin-off series with Love Island co-star Curtis Pritchard called The Boxer and the Ballroom Dancer.

Molly-Mae, who was already a successful influencer before Love Island, has also secured several huge deals since the reality series.

The star has worked with PrettyLittleThing, in a deal which reportedly earned her 500,000.

In May, Molly-Mae revealed that she has six-figures in her bank account during a YouTube video.

Strength-to-strength: The brother of Tyson Fury, 21, has had a successful career since the ITV2 dating series by promoting huge brands, such as Boohoo Man and McDonald's

She teased: 'Yeah... We will just leave it at that. Six figures, yeah... yep.'

Earlier this week, the couple celebrated their one-year anniversary with a romantic meal at The Ivy in Manchester.

Tommy and Molly-Mae are the only couple still together from the summer 2019 series of Love Island.

It's been a tough few weeks for the couple, after their pet puppy, Mr Chai, passed away just six days after they got him.
Aboriginal groups say the NSW governments child protection reforms dont do enough to tackle the over-representation of Indigenous children and youths in state care, labelling the plans as unremarkable and leaving them feeling disrespected.

The government will appoint an Aboriginal childrens guardian, an expert advisory body and an internal taskforce in response to a damning review which last year made 125 recommendations to reform a child protection system that had failed Aboriginal families and children.

Members of grassroots campaign group Grandmothers Against Removals NSW, who have rallied for the rights of Aboriginal children, say they were excluded from the government response. Credit:James Brickwood

Aboriginal children make up almost 40 per cent of all young people in out-of-home care in NSW.

The guardian role has been broadly welcomed, providing the position has standalone powers, but critics say the government has ignored the bulk of the recommendations and failed to properly consult with Indigenous groups.
Both the McDowell and Rutherford courthouses are closed today and next week because of a confirmed case of COVID-19.

Friday morning, people went over to the McDowell County Courthouse in downtown Marion where they found the doors were locked and a flier taped on the glass. This facility is currently closed for cleaning following a confirmed case of COVID-19, reads the flier.

The flier also states the magistrates can be seen at the McDowell County Sheriffs Office.

Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Tommy Davis told The McDowell News Friday morning both the McDowell and Rutherford courthouses are closed at the request of the Health Department, which serves both counties.

There will be no court Friday in either county or all of next week.

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We anticipate court resuming Monday, July 20, said Davis.

He added the closing is because of a confirmed positive related to both courthouses.
Kanpur, July 10 : Videos of events that led to the encounter of gangster Vikas Dubey are contradicting the claims made by the Special Task Force (STF) that he was shot dead on Friday morning when he tried to escape.

Vikas Dubey was wanted for the massacre of eight policemen in Bikru village on July 3 and was being brought o Kanpur from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh from where he was taken into custody on Thursday.

The UP Police said that the car in which Vikas Dubey was travelling overturned and he and other policemen were injured. The criminal snatched a gun from an injured cop and tried to escape, the police said. He was surrounded and asked to surrender but he opened fire, forcing retaliatory shooting in which he was killed.

A video of the three cars crossing a toll booth at around 4 a.m. shows that Vikas Dubey was in a different car -- not the one that is seen tipped on its side after the accident on the highway 30 km from Kanpur.

There is no comment yet from the police on the mysterious car switch.

Another video taken at around 6.30 a.m., just half an hour before the encounter, shows media cars chasing the convoy being stopped.

When mediapersons questioned the SSP, Kanpur, on being stopped, the officer chose not to respond.

An eyewitness said that he had heard gunshots in the area but the police asked them to leave.

"We heard sounds of gunshots. When we came here, we were sent away. There was no accident at that time," Ashish Paswan, a passer-by, told reporters.

Another video clip that casts a shadow on the police account of the encounter is one in which Vikas Dubey is brought to the hospital with blood smeared over his chest.

The police said that he ran on wet mud since it was raining at that time, and fell after being shot at. However, there was no mud on his clothes and his trousers were absolutely clean.
The Electoral Commission of Ghana's decision to take the ongoing voter registration exercise to the doorstep of senior high school students by registering them in their schools has struck wrong chords.

According to National Council of Parent-Teacher Associations of Ghana, the EC failed to consult them before they arrive at that decision

To the PTAs, this move comes at a time the COVID-19 pandemic still persists and it is highly unnecessary for the EC to proceed with such directive.

Furthermore, the council believes the registration is an intrusion on the purpose for which students were brought to school.

The students were to be in school to do their revision and sit for the exams, Alexander Danso, the President of National Council of Parent-Teacher Associations, said to Citi News.

He is also worried that the students are being exposed to more risk of contracting COVID-19.

Those who are coming to do the registration, have they been tested? Are they free from the virus? We have to take into consideration all these things, Mr. Danso noted.

But if you don't consult and you don't do anything and you say you are going to register the students, is that why they brought them to the school? That is not part of it, he added.

Some observers had expressed fears that the eligible students would be disenfranchised because they were not allowed to leave the school premises as part of the COVID-19 safety protocols.

After consultation with the Ghana Education Service, the Commission allocated two days, July 10 and July 11, to go to senior high schools and register students.

This registration will take place in all Senior High Schools that do not have polling stations within them.

The EC, also said additional days will be announced if it becomes necessary to ensure that all eligible applicants are registered.

In a response to the legal basis for the new arrangement, the Director of Electoral Services at the EC, Dr. Serebour Quaicoe clarified that registration of the students will be matched to the current registration centres that have been gazetted for the registration.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) had raised concerns about the legality of the ECs move to register the eligible Senior High School students.

---CitinewsRoom
Bytedance Ltd. said its evaluating changes to the corporate structure of its TikTok business as U.S. concerns grow over the parent companys Chinese origins.

Executives are discussing options such as creating a new management board for TikTok and establishing a separate headquarters for the app outside of China to distance its operations from Beijing, according to a person familiar with the discussions.

Short-video and music app TikTok currently doesnt have its own headquarters separate from Bytedance, which was founded in China and is incorporated in the Cayman Islands. TikTok is considering a number of locations for a global base, the person familiar with the plans said, asking not to be named discussing information thats not public. Its five largest offices are in Los Angeles, New York, London, Dublin and Singapore.

We will move forward in the best interest of our users, employees, artists, creators, partners, and policy makers," TikTok said in a statement.

The Wall Street Journal earlier reported on the discussions.

The moves come after an especially tumultuous couple of weeks for the app, which is one of the most-downloaded in the U.S. and is wildly popular with teens.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said his administration is considering banning the app in the U.S. as one possible way to retaliate against China over its handling of the coronavirus. The U.S. is also concerned the Chinese company may be censoring politically sensitive content, and has raised questions about how it stores personal data. Trumps comments came after Secretary of State Michael Pompeo told Americans not to download the app unless they want to see their private information fall into the hands of the Chinese Communist Party." Bytedance is already facing a U.S. national security review for its acquisition of Musical.ly, a startup that it later merged with TikTok. TikTok has repeatedly denied allegations that it poses a threat to U.S. national security.

Earlier this week, TikTok also drew renewed scrutiny from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department over its data practices, according to childrens privacy advocates who say they were interviewed by the agencies. Several privacy groups alleged in May that the app was collecting information about children under 13 without parental permission, in violation of both U.S. privacy law and an earlier FTC settlement.

TikTok, which has been downloaded 2 billion times globally, was also banned in India amid a border standoff between the two countries. And it shut down operations in Hong Kong after Beijing enacted sweeping powers to crack down on national security threats.

TikTok has already made a number of changes to its business to play up its U.S. ties and distance itself from its Chinese roots. The Former chief Alex Zhu, who is stationed in China, handed over the reins of the app in June to new Chief Executive Officer Kevin Mayer, a former Walt Disney Co. executive who is based in Los Angeles.

The company has made a hiring push in Washington to lobby officials and is setting up a so-called transparency centers, which are expected to open later this year and offer a look into the app for policymakers and safety advocates.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

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MEXICO CITY: Ford Motor Co on Thursday said restrictions imposed by Mexico's Chihuahua state on staffing at factories producing vital car parts was "not sustainable", but that it would not impact production next week in Ford's U.S. plants.

Kumar Galhotra, Ford president for Americas and International Markets Group, said Chihuahua had limited employee attendance to 50% in plants in a state where Ford has "several suppliers".

"With our U.S. plants running at 100 percent, that is not sustainable," he said in a statement. "While we do not expect any impact to production next week, we are continuing to work with government officials on ways to safely and constructively resume remaining production."

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.

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Failure to vaccinate everyone will give rise to new variants, says UN chief

Faith vs safety in burials: COVID-19 remains in dead bodies for 9 days says Centre

AP govt steps forward to help COVID, non-COVID patients overcome hassle-free admission in hospitals

India

oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P

Amaravati, July 10: With an intention to put an end to the problem of non-availability of beds in the state, the Andhra Pradesh government has decided to come forwand and stand united during the pandemic.

The state government is all set to begin the allocation of beds in government as well as private hospitals will be monitored by the respective district administration to ensure no person requiring medical attention is turned away.

Coronavirus Vaccine: Cipla's remdesivir Cipremi launched in India, lowest priced drug for COVID-19

The Andhra Pradesh government has classified all hospitals in the state into three categories, such as

Vikas Dubey killed in an encounter, Akhilesh Yadav raises questions | Oneindia News

a. Exclusive COVID-19 hospitals (that are dedicated to the treatment of the pandemic)

b. COViD and non-COVID hospitals (hospitals that cater to both COVID patients as well as patients requiring treatments for other medical issues)

c. Non-COVID hospitals (hospitals that are only allowed to treat other patients).

If an individual, exhibiting COVID symptoms arrives at a non-COVID hospital, the government has made it mandatory for that hospital to arrange the transfer of that person to either category A or B hospital immediately.

Meanwhile, the private hospitals shall be notified by the district collectors as to which category the government has classified them and shall remain so until further review based on the circumstances.

However, the Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare has also established a web portal which enables the district collectors to monitor the number of beds available in all the government and private hospitals of A and B category, allocation of beds and deployment of human resources.
(CNN)  The UK government has relaxed quarantine rules for travelers from a number of destinations, including France, Italy, Belgium, Germany, and Spain.

From July 10, visitors arriving in England from 58 selected countries will no longer be required to self-isolate for 14 days.

The US, China, and Portugal are among the destinations that have been left off the list, which is to be kept "under constant review."

While it's been confirmed this will also apply to those visiting Wales and Northern Ireland, Scotland has issued a separate, smaller list made up of 39 countries, with Spain notably absent.

"Whether you are a holidaymaker ready to travel abroad or a business eager to open your doors again, this is good news for British people and great news for British businesses," Grant Shapps, UK Secretary of State for Transport, said in a statement last week.

"The entire nation has worked tirelessly to get to this stage; therefore, safety must remain our watch word, and we will not hesitate to move quickly to protect ourselves if infection rates rise in countries we are reconnecting with."

Approved destinations

The UK's mandatory two-week quarantine, which came into effect on June 8, has been criticized by many in the travel sector, who feel it's slowed down the industry's recovery process in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Paul Charles, a member of Quash Quarantine, a campaign group lobbying the government to drop the measure, previously described the guidelines as "unworkable and unenforceable."

"A lot of jobs have gone in the last few weeks as people haven't been able to book holidays because they've been fearful of quarantine," he told CNN Travel.

"So, quarantine itself has acted as a block to future bookings."

While travelers from the named countries won't have to self-isolate, they'll still need to provide the address of where they'll be staying for the duration of their trip.

According to the UK Department for Transport, the approved destinations pose "a reduced risk to the public health of UK citizens."

The news came after it was announced that gyms, swimming pools, leisure centers, beauty salons, and outdoor arts venues in England can now reopen.

The official UK COVID-19 death toll currently stands at 44,600, which is one of the highest in the world.

This story was first published on CNN.com "UK eases quarantine rules for travelers"
The City of Midland Health Department is currently conducting their investigation on 50 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Midland County for July 9, 2020, bringing the overall case count to 1,070.

There are 689 isolated cases, 362 recovered and 19 COVID-19 related deaths in Midland County.
Part of the decision to serve a dish that resembled the virus was to remind diners that this threat still existed and that people should be aware of how their actions can affect others. Another element behind the dish was inspired by his own battle with Stage 5 squamous cell carcinoma in July 2007. He almost got a tattoo of a cancer cell during that time to not only reflect and serve as a reminder of his indelible experience, but also to represent an enemy that he was going to defeat. He was declared cancer-free in December that year.
Whats new: Zhejiang Petroleum & Chemical Co. Ltd. became the first private oil company in China to obtain the go-head from the Ministry of Commerce to sell petroleum products abroad, according to a Tuesday urgent notice reviewed by Caixin.

The size of the export quotas granted to the company has not yet been made public. Xu Peng, a petroleum analyst at consulting firm JCL, predicted that the number may be revealed after August.

Zhejiang Petroleum currently has an annual capacity of 20 million tons and can produce 8.36 million tons of refined petroleum products suitable for export.

Whats the background: The move came as China is approaching its crude oil storage capacity limit, as data from energy information provider Oilchem China showed the country had used up 69% of its storage space as of July 1. That is only one percentage point away from the 70% threshold viewed by experts as its limit.

Chinas cabinet granted export permission in April to companies operating within the Zhejiang Pilot Free Trade Zone, where Zhejiang Petroleum is based. The effort is seen as an attempt to ease oversupply in its bloated refinery sector.

The country's oil refining industry is largely a closed shop dominated by state-owned giants. Local private refineries were granted export rights on a temporary basis in 2016, but the policy was scrapped the following year, returning exclusive export rights to just five state-owned oil conglomerates  China National Petroleum Corp., China Petrochemical Corp., China National Offshore Oil Corp., Sinochem Corp. and China National Aviation Fuel Group Ltd.

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 Marcus Ryder (marcusryder@caixin.com)
The Belarusian Central Election Commission (CEC) is not ruling out that the presidential election, scheduled for August 9, may be held in absence of international observers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, chairwoman Lidia Yermoshina told Sputnik in an interview

MINSK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th July, 2020) The Belarusian Central Election Commission (CEC) is not ruling out that the presidential election, scheduled for August 9, may be held in absence of international observers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, chairwoman Lidia Yermoshina told Sputnik in an interview.

Earlier this week, the head of the Belarusian lower house's international affairs commission, Andrey Savinykh, said that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) had already reported it would not send observers to Belarus due to the epidemiological situation.

"Yes, there are some questions [regarding foreign observers]. Suffice to say, the presidential election in Poland was held with just nine OSCE observers, I believe only due to the fact that the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights' headquarters are located in Warsaw. So, this is quite likely," Yermoshina said, when asked if she was ruling out complete absence of foreign monitors at the vote due to the coronavirus and related border closures.

The CEC head admitted she had never organized elections in similar conditions, since many international observers usually come to Belarus.
Ludhiana: Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMCH), Ludhiana, has announced the started testing to diagnose patients suffering from a bleeding disorder called von Willebrand disease (VWD).

VWD is the commonest form of bleeding disorder in the world with a prevalence of 1 in 100 people. Though most of this are milder forms, patients may not get diagnosed. This occurs equally in males and females and 95% of females having this disease, present with menorrhagia or heavy menstrual loss. Due to the lack of availability of this test, few patients have been diagnosed.

Dr William Bhatti, director, CMC, said that he is delighted that this test is now available in Ludhiana.

Earlier, patients had to be referred to Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), as it was the only other institution having this facility in North India.

TRAINING AND ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS

Dr Poojitha Byreddy and Markas Masih from the clinical haematology department, were sent to CMC, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, for training, before the Covid-19 lockdown.

On their return, they mastered the techniques to establish the procedure at CMC, Ludhiana, over the past few months. The lab is now able to perform von Willebrands antigen test and RiCof on an automated platform. The two tests are important to diagnose this disease.

It is important to process the sample immediately and maintain below freezing temperatures, to analyse the samples in bulk. Sending the unprocessed samples, in room temperature, to outstation private labs is not a suitable alternative.

The VWD patients can also be often misdiagnosed as mild haemophilia A. This facility will accurately diagnose and give the necessary treatments.

Dr Kavita Bhatti, head of the gynaecology department, said this disorder is under diagnosed in India, which has a significant impact on the health and socio-economic status of affected patients, especially post-pubertal females.

Medical superintendent Dr Anil Luther termed it a welcome addition on the 10th year of establishing the comprehensive haemophilia care set-up.
World Health Organization reports record increase in global coronavirus cases, with the total rising by 228,102.

The World Health Organization reported a record increase in global coronavirus cases, with the total rising by 228,102 in 24 hours.

Iraqi lawmaker Ghida Kambash has died after contracting the novel coronavirus, parliament announced, its first member to succumb to the virus as cases resurge across the country.

The first coronavirus case has been confirmed in northwest Syria, aid workers have said.

Here are the latest updates.

Friday, July 10

20:13 GMT  Venezuela oil minister tests positive for COVID-19

Venezuelan oil minister Tareck El Aissami has tested positive for COVID-19, he said on Twitter, a day after the leader of the socialist party, Diosdado Cabello, also tested positive.

A new battle that I will take on, clinging to God and to life, wrote El Aissami, who is also the countrys economic vice president.

Venezuela has reported 8,010 cases of the novel coronavirus so far, far fewer than other Latin American neighbours like Brazil, but its cases have risen at a brisker pace in recent weeks.

Venezuelas Oil Minister Tareck El Aissami during the arrival of the Iranian tanker ship in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela [File: Miraflores Palace/Reuters]

19:58 GMT  Coronavirus takes greater toll on non-white Americans

Coronavirus deaths among Americans ages 65 and younger are more common among non-whites than among whites, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported in a publication.

Overall, 34.9 percent of Hispanic patients who died were younger than 65, while 29.5 percent of non-whites who died were under 65 compared with only 13.2 percent of white, non-Hispanic decedents.

Researchers analysed 10,647 COVID-19 deaths between February 12 and April 24 from 16 public health departments in 15 states. Most of the deaths were in New York City, New Jersey and Washington state  three areas hit by the pandemic early on.

19:45 GMT  Trump postpones rally, warns China ties severely damaged over virus

President Donald Trump was forced to cancel an election rally, further darkening his mood as he lashed out at China over the coronavirus pandemic while visiting one of the worst-hit US states.

As he jetted into Florida for a campaign fundraiser  ignoring health advice about the dangers of large gatherings  Trump warned of frayed ties with the Asian nation where the virus emerged late last year.

[The] relationship with China has been severely damaged. They could have stopped the plague  They didnt stop it, he told reporters on Air Force One.

President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally in Tulsa [File: Sue Ogrocki/The Associated Press]

19:22 GMT  Colombian capital raises coronavirus alert level after spike

Colombias capital Bogota, the South American countrys coronavirus epicentre, will raise its health alert level and impose a strict quarantine, the citys mayor said.

From Monday the city will begin an orange alert with the intensive care system on red alert, said Mayor Claudia Lopez.

The capital city of eight million people has recorded 42,000 coronavirus cases, amounting to 32 percent of Colombias 134,000 infections, and 950 deaths.

19:03 GMT  Kuwait advises against travelling abroad due to pandemic

Kuwait has advised its citizens and residents against travelling abroad at the moment due to the instability of the coronavirus pandemic, and the spread of the virus despite strict measures applied worldwide, the health ministry announced in a statement on Twitter.

Last month, Kuwaits communications office said that commercial flights at Kuwait International Airport will resume from August 1, after being suspended in March because of the pandemic.

18:52 GMT  Disney World prepares to reopen as Florida posts another daily surge

Florida confirmed its place as an emerging epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States by reporting its second sharpest daily rise in cases, while Walt Disney Co prepared to reopen its flagship theme park in Orlando to the chagrin of some employees.

Florida recorded 11,433 new cases, the state health department said, more evidence that the virus is still spreading largely unchecked throughout parts of the country.

The state experienced the surge after initially avoiding the worst of the outbreak that hit New York and other northeastern US states.

Walt Disney World theme park is scheduled to reopen on Saturday despite a surge in new COVID-19 infections throughout Florida [File: Octavio Jones/AFP]

18:31 GMT  French coronavirus death toll rises above 30,000

France became the sixth country to report a total coronavirus death toll of more than 30,000, with the number of new confirmed cases above 600 for the third day in a row.

The health ministry said in a statement that 25 people had died from coronavirus infection in the past 24 hours, boosting the cumulative total since early March to 30,004.

Fridays increase compares with an average increase of 15 in the previous seven days. In June, France counted on average 34 new deaths per day, in May 143 and in April 695.

17:51 GMT  Serbia reports record daily death toll

Serbia announced a record coronavirus death toll for a single day, as the government hit back at protests against its handling of the pandemic.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said the Balkan state recorded 18 deaths and 386 new cases over 24 hours in what she described as a dramatic increase.

At the same time, Brnabic slammed as irresponsible protests held for a third straight day in Belgrade and other cities on Thursday, after demonstrations in the capital on the previous two days had spilled over into violence.

17:25 GMT  Czech coronavirus cases top 13,000 after recent uptick

The Czech Republic reported 82 new cases of the novel coronavirus, bringing its total since the start of the pandemic above 13,000, after a recent uptick in infections caused by local outbreaks.

The country of 10.7 million has reported 352 deaths from COVID-19, far fewer than its Western European neighbours. It was one of the first European countries to impose drastic lockdown measures to fight the pandemic in March, but has lifted many restrictions since May.

Since June 18, it has reported at least 100 new cases a day 14 times, most recently on Thursday when the total was 105. The largest spike came on June 28 when 305 new cases were reported.

16:58 GMT  WHO reports record daily increase in global coronavirus cases

The WHO reported a record increase in global coronavirus cases, with the total rising by 228,102 in 24 hours.

The biggest increases were from the United States, Brazil, India and South Africa, according to a daily report.

Global coronavirus cases exceeded 12 million on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally, marking another milestone in the spread of the disease that has killed more than 555,000 people in seven months.

WHO Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan attends a news conference amid the COVID-19 outbreak [File: Fabrice Coffrini/Reuters]

16:20 GMT  Lebanon records highest single-day increase in cases

Lebanon has recorded its highest single-day increase in new COVID-19 cases for the second day in a row, with 71 cases in 24 hours.

It had confirmed a previous record of 66 new infections the day before, some four-and-a-half months after the first case was reported in February.

Firas Abiad, the head of the countrys leading COVID-19 hospital, has warned of a worrisome trend that could overwhelm the countrys fragile health sector, which is suffering from funding shortages due to the countrys unprecedented economic crisis.

Two-way scheduled flights resumed at Beiruts Rafic Hariri Airport on July 1 [Anadolu]

15:56 GMT  Johnson says England may need stricter face mask rules

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said stricter rules on wearing face coverings may be needed and that he would like to see them worn more frequently in shops in England, where  unlike in Scotland  they are optional.

I do think we need to be stricter in insisting that people wear face coverings in confined places where they are meeting people that they dont normally meet, Johnson said in a prerecorded question-and-answer session with the public.

So thats why its mandatory already on public transport, and were looking at ways of making sure that people really do observe when you do have face coverings in shops for instance where  there is a risk of transmission, he added.

Britains Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures as he delivers a speech [Paul Ellis/Reuters]

15:33 GMT  Iraqi MP dies of COVID-19 as cases jump 600 percent

Iraqi lawmaker Ghida Kambash has died of COVID-19, parliament announced, its first member to succumb to the new coronavirus as it spreads rapidly across the country.

The 46-year-old was a three-time MP from Baquba, northeast of Baghdad, and helped pass laws on education reform and social welfare.

After seeing a relatively slow spread in the first five months of 2020, cases spiked 600 percent in June alone, according to the International Rescue Committee.

Health workers at a hospital in Kelar district of Sulaymaniyah, Iraq [Anadolu]

15:01 GMT  Russian deputy PM proposes resuming international flights

Russias Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova has proposed that Russia resume international flights to and from the country from July 15, two weeks earlier than the scheduled date of August 1 for resuming international air travel.

Golikova said foreigners travelling to Russia would have to have proof of a negative test for COVID-19, taken in the last three days before their arrival, in order to enter the country.

14:35 GMT  Russia registers 18,375 more deaths in May 2020 than previous year

Russia registered 172,914 deaths in May, up by 18,375 or 11.9 percent from the same month the previous year, data from the state statistics service Rosstat showed.

This included 12,452 deaths of people suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19, Rosstat data showed. Of these, COVID-19 was registered as the primary cause of death in 7,444 cases.

An Orthodox Christian reflected in an icon during a service inside a church in Moscow, Russia [File: Maxim Shemetov/Reuters]

14:05 GMT  UK deaths from confirmed COVID-19 cases rise to 44,650

The United Kingdoms death toll from confirmed cases of COVID-19 rose to 44,650, up 48 on the previous day, the government said.

13:50 GMT  China suspends imports of Ecuador shrimps on coronavirus risk

Chinas customs authority said it was suspending imports from three shrimp producers in Ecuador after detecting the new coronavirus in recent shipments.

It said samples taken from shipments from Industrial Pesquera Santa Priscila SA, Empacreci SA and Empacadora Del Pacifico Sociedad Anonima Edpacif had produced six positive results. However, tests on the frozen shrimp and inner packaging were negative.

Frozen seafood products made of imported shrimps inside a sealed freezer at a supermarket following a new outbreak of the coronavirus disease in Beijing [File: Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters]

13:30 GMT  Finland objects to EU councils recovery plan

Finland expressed reservations to a revised budget proposal by European Council President Charles Michel, and the massive COVID-19 recovery fund plan being debated at a special meeting next week.

Michel presented an update to a proposal for a 750-billion-euro ($847bn) pandemic recovery fund on Friday in the hope of winning over more frugal member states.

However, Michel did not cede ground on the main point of contention: whether aid from the recovery fund should take the form of grants or loans.



Hello, this is Arwa Ibrahim in Doha, taking over from my colleague Farah Najjar.



11:56 GMT  UK to set out its position on EU vaccine scheme later on Friday

The United Kingdom will set out its position on the European Union coronavirus vaccine scheme later on Friday, a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, adding any decision would be based on what is deemed to be in the countrys interests.

11:32 GMT  EU says UKs refusal to join vaccine scheme not to affect talks with drugmakers

The European Commission said that a possible decision by the UK not to join an EU scheme to buy potential COVID-19 vaccines upfront will not affect continuing talks the bloc is carrying out with several drugmakers.

On Thursday, British newspaper The Telegraph reported that the UK government had decided not to join the EU scheme because of concerns there could be costly delays in securing the shots.

The fact that the UK has apparently said they would not join up to whatever contract we are able to negotiate with producers is definitely not something that is going to influence our own negotiations with the producers, the EU executives leading spokesman told a news conference.

10:20 GMT  Norway lifts many European travel curbs, including parts of Sweden

Norway will lift travel restrictions to and from more than 20 European countries from July 15, including France, Germany and the UK, as well as some provinces of neighbouring Sweden, the government said.

Norway, which is not a member of the EU but belongs to the passport-free Schengen travel zone, currently has some of Europes strictest limitations on travel due to the pandemic.

09:48 GMT  WHO advance team on way to China to set up probe into virus origins

An advance team from the World Health Organization has left for China for an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus, a spokeswoman said.

The two WHO experts, specialists in animal science and epidemiology, will work with Chinese scientists to determine the scope and itinerary of the investigation, WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris told a UN briefing.

They are gone, they are in the air now, they are the advance party to work out the scope, she said.

The WHO will have no role in an independent panel, announced on Thursday, to review the global handling of pandemic, Harris said, adding: From now on it is completely hands-off.

09:25 GMT  UKs quarantine rules end for many destinations

Quarantine measures for those travelling to the UK from about 70 countries and overseas territories, including France and Italy, no longer apply from Friday in a boost to the ailing aviation and travel industries hit by COVID-19.

Those arriving from higher-risk countries will still have to self-quarantine for 14 days but many popular destinations are now exempt, meaning millions of Britons are able to take summer holidays without having to stay at home when they return.

The boss of Heathrow, Britains biggest airport, welcomed the move but said more was needed to facilitate travel from other low-risk countries and areas.

There are some important long-haul markets that arent included, places like Canada and Singapore, which are low-risk, and wed like to see those being included in the next review, John Holland-Kaye told Sky News.

09:12 GMT  New Hong Kong cases stay high for third day

Hong Kong reported 38 new cases, edging down from Thursdays 42 but broadly in line with a sharp increase that the city has registered over the past three days.

Amid concerns of a renewed community spread it had reported mostly imported cases for months, authorities said 32 of the new cases were locally transmitted, little changed from Thursdays 34.

The total number of cases in the global financial hub since late January stands at 1,404, of whom seven have died.

08:56 GMT  Premier of South Africas Gauteng province tests positive

The premier of South Africas financial hub and most populous province Gauteng, David Makhura, said he has tested positive for COVID-19, as infections in the country continue to soar.

South Africas confirmed cases increased by their most in a single day on Thursday, rising by more than 13,000 to 238,339 cases. Gauteng, which includes Johannesburg and the capital Pretoria, is now the epicentre of the virus with nearly 82,000 cases.

A volunteer receives an injection from a medical worker during the countrys first human clinical trial for a potential vaccine against the novel coronavirus, at the Baragwanath hospital in Soweto, South Africa, June 24, 2020. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

08:49 GMT  Indonesia reports 1,611 new infections

Indonesia reported 1,611 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total count to 72,347, its health ministry said.

Deaths related to COVID-19 rose by 52, taking fatalities to 3,469, ministry official Achmad Yurianto told a televised news briefing. There are 33,529 people who have recovered.

08:32 GMT  India sees more local coronavirus lockdowns as cases near 800,000

India reported a record 26,506 new coronavirus cases as authorities reimposed lockdowns in its most populous state and in an industrial hub, home to carmakers, drug factories and brewers.

The new cases pushed Indias tally to nearly 800,000 cases, the worlds third-biggest outbreak, behind only the United States and Brazil in confirmed infections.

There have been more than 21,000 deaths in India since the first case was detected there in January, federal health ministry data showed.

Prime Minister Narendra Modis government, anxious to jump-start an economy crippled by the epidemic and put millions of people back to work, in early June eased an initial lockdown of the 1.3 billion population imposed in March.

But rising new flare-ups of the virus has been forcing some major industrial towns and states to impose localised restrictions.

08:04 GMT  Russias coronavirus death toll passes 11,000

Russias death toll from the coronavirus edged past 11,000, as the country reported 174 new deaths in the past 24 hours.

The countrys coronavirus crisis response centre reported 6,635 new cases, bringing its nationwide tally of infections to 713,936, the worlds fourth-highest caseload.

The death toll now stands at 11,017. Russia says 489,068 people have recovered.

07:14 GMT  Kazakh president threatens to sack cabinet if COVID-19 efforts fail

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said if the coronavirus situation in the Central Asian country does not improve by the end of its second lockdown, it would raise questions about the cabinets ability to work in its current composition.

Tokayev said the government would allocate an additional 150 billion tenge ($363m) towards combatting the outbreak and urged the central bank to lower its inflation target to 8-8.5 percent from 9-11 percent this year.

07:03 GMT  Vietnam says 31 million workers affected by pandemic

The economic fallout from the pandemic has negatively affected about 31 million workers in Vietnam, with 900,000 out of work and nearly 18 million people receiving less income than before, a government agency said.

If solutions to drive business activity were not immediately implemented, there could be five million more people out of work by the end of the year, the General Statistics Office (GSO) said.

The countrys economy has suffered, with second-quarter growth at its slowest pace in at least 30 years due to the impact of the pandemic, putting the governments 2020 economic targets well out of reach.

We speak to a doctor in India about how plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients is being used to help those still battling the virus, with some positive results. pic.twitter.com/LYgZNb1y3T  Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) July 10, 2020

06:46 GMT  Bulgarian Football Union could delay next seasons start

The Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) may delay the start of the next domestic season, scheduled for July 24, after coronavirus infections at several clubs surged, its medical commission said.

More than half of top-flight clubs as well as second-tier teams have been hit by the virus, with Cherno More Varna reporting 16 cases and Cup winners Lokomotiv Plovdiv nine.

The medical commission made a proposal for the championship to start one or two weeks later than planned, commission secretary Mihail Iliev told Reuters news agency. We believe its a reasonable step in view of the complicated epidemiological situation.

Iliev, a former Bulgarian national team doctor, said the BFUs executive committee would take the final decision in coming days.

06:34 GMT  Hong Kong to suspend all schools due to spike in cases

Hong Kongs Education Bureau announced the suspension of all schools from Monday after a spike in locally transmitted coronavirus cases that has fuelled fears of a renewed community spread in the city.

Schools in the Asian financial hub have been mostly shut since February with many having switched to online learning and lessons by conference call. Many international schools are already on summer break.

The city reported 42 new cases on Thursday, of which 34 were locally transmitted, marking the second consecutive day of rising local infections.

Some of the recent cases involved students and parents, said Education Secretary Kevin Yeung.

Temperature checks and social distancing measures to avoid the spread of COVID-19 had been put in place in schools across Hong Kong [File: Anthony Kwan/Getty Images]

06:30 GMT  Fujifilms Avigan inconclusive in COVID-19 patients in Japan trial

A clinical trial of Fujifilm Holdings Corps Avigan drug yielded inconclusive results as a treatment of COVID-19, Japanese researchers said.

Although patients given the drug early in the trial showed more improvement than those who got delayed doses, the results did not reach statistical significance, Fujita Health University researcher Yohei Doi said.

The results, announced at a news conference, followed the completion of a clinical trial conducted between March and May on 89 patients across Japan.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had said he hoped the drug would be approved as a COVID-19 treatment in May, but a shortage of patients in Japan delayed the progress of clinical trials. It has been approved as a COVID-19 treatment in Russia and India.



Hello, this is Farah Najjar taking over from my colleague Zaheena Rasheed.



05:14 GMT  Hong Kong to suspend all schools

Hong Kong is set to announce the suspension of all schools after a spike in locally transmitted coronavirus cases, the South China Morning Post reported.

The newspaper cited a medical source as saying that at least 30 more people had tested positive for the virus on Friday. Eleven of the new cases were at a public housing estate.

The city had reported 42 new cases on Thursday, of which 34 were locally transmitted.

05:03 GMT  Australia cuts citizen returns as virus surge worsens

Australia will halve the number of citizens allowed to return home from overseas each week, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said, as authorities struggle to contain a COVID-19 outbreak in the countrys second-largest city.

From Monday, only 4,000 Australian citizens or permanent residents will be allowed back into the country each day, down from about 8,000 currently, Morrison said.

Those who return will also have to pay for their quarantine stays.

The decision that we took  was to ensure that we could put our focus on the resources needed to do the testing and tracing and not have to have resources diverted to other tasks, Morrison told reporters in Canberra after a meeting of the national cabinet.





04:41 GMT  Pneumonia deadlier than COVID-19 in Kazakhstan, warns China

Chinas embassy in Kazakhstan has warned its citizens to take precautions against an outbreak of pneumonia in the country that it says is more lethal than COVID-19.

In a statement on its official WeChat account, the embassy said there had been a significant increase in cases in the cities of Atyrau, Aktobe and Shymkent since mid-June.

The diseases mortality rate is much higher than that of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus, it said, noting pneumonia in Kazakhstan had killed 1,772 people in the first half of the year, with 628 deaths in June alone. The deaths included that of Chinese citizens.

People queue outside a pharmacy in Almaty, Kazakhstan on June 29, 2020 [File: Mariya Gordeyeva/ Reuters]

It remains unclear whether it is caused by a virus related to coronavirus or by a different strain. The embassy said Kazakhstans health ministry and other health institutions were now carrying out a comparative study, but no conclusions had yet been made.

Kazakhstan has recorded more than 50,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 264 deaths.

04:32 GMT  California lawsuit against Trump order revoking foreign student visas

The US state of California filed a lawsuit seeking to block a Trump administration rule that could force tens of thousands of international students to leave the country if their schools hold all classes online amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Trump Administrations unlawful policy  threatens to exacerbate the spread of COVID-19 and exile hundreds of thousands of college students studying in the United States, a statement announcing the lawsuit said.





03:46 GMT  US posts new daily record for infections

The United States on Thursday posted 65,551 new coronavirus cases, a record for a 24-hour period, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

The previous daily record was on Tuesday, with more than 60,200 cases in one day.

02:21 GMT  Algeria tightens travel restrictions

Algeria will reimpose travel restrictions on Friday and increase testing in a bid to stop a rise in coronavirus infections, the government said.

Under the measure, citizens will be barred from travelling to and from 29 provinces including the capital, Algiers, for a week starting on Friday, the government said in a statement.

The authorities last month eased restrictions, shortening a curfew  from 7pm to 7am to 8pm to 5am  in those provinces and ending it in the remaining 19.

02:12 GMT  Venezuelan socialist party leader tests positive

Diosdado Cabello, leader of the Venezuelan socialist party, said he has tested positive for COVID-19.

Cabello is considered the second-most powerful person in Venezuela after President Nicolas Maduro and made the announcement on Twitter, stating that he is isolated, getting treatment and will overcome the illness.

We will win! he wrote in conclusion.

Diosdado Cabello gestures during a rally commemorating the 31st anniversary of a deadly popular revolt in Caracas on February 27, 2020 [File: Federico Parra/AFP]

01:24 GMT  Singaporeans begin voting with masks and gloves

Wearing masks and gloves, Singaporeans began casting their ballots under the cloud of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is pushing the city-states economy towards its deepest recession and has made concerns over jobs the focus of the election.

I think its ok to vote during a pandemic because the conditions arent that severe at this point and all necessary precautions are being taken, said Malini Nathan, 42, a communications executive.

Issues I am concerned about are healthcare, job security and retirement, Nathan said.

Singapores President Halimah Yacob, in green, joins a queue of voters at a polling station. The general election is taking place amid strict conditions because of the coronavirus [Edgar Su/Reuters]

Citizens have each been given a recommended voting window.

Wearing masks is compulsory in public. And voters are expected to spend no more than five minutes in a polling station, where they will self-scan identity cards, sanitise their hands and pull on disposable gloves before receiving a ballot paper.

COVID-19 patients and those under quarantine cannot vote, but a mobile polling team will bring the ballot box to the rooms of Singaporeans who have recently returned from overseas and are being isolated at hotels.

A relative helps a voter put on plastic gloves, as part of preventive measures against COVID-19 at a Singapore polling station [Edgar Su/ Reuters]

Voters sanitise their hands at a polling station during Singapores general election [Edgar Su/ Reuters]

Sample counts are expected soon after the close of polls at 8pm (12:00 GMT) with final results due in the early hours of Saturday.

In power since independence in 1965, the ruling Peoples Action Party (PAP) is expected to carry Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to another comfortable victory.

01:08 GMT  Bolsonaro in good health after positive test

Another update on the Brazilian president  Jair Bolsonaros press office is saying he is in good health after testing positive for COVID-19 earlier this week.

President Jair Bolsonaro, diagnosed with COVID-19 on [July] 7, is getting on well, without complications, the statement says.

He is in good health and continues to be monitored routinely by the medical team of the Presidency of the Republic.

00:54 GMT  Bolsonaro again urges reopening of Brazil

Two days after being diagnosed with COVID-19, Bolsonaro repeated his view that the looming economic crisis from the pandemic is more dangerous than the virus for Brazil.

In an online broadcast from the presidential residence, the Brazilian president said mayors and governors need to reopen the country for business. Otherwise the consequences will be harmful for Brazil, he said.





00:40 GMT  South Africa reports highest daily rise in new infections

South Africa announced on Thursday its highest daily number of confirmed coronavirus cases with 13,674.

Africas most developed country is now a hot spot in the global pandemic with 238,339 total confirmed cases. Gauteng province, which contains Johannesburg and the capital, Pretoria, is home to more than a third of the total cases.

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said South Africa could run out of available hospital beds within a month.

00:18 GMT  Mexico posts record single-day rise in cases

Mexico on Thursday posted a fresh record for new coronavirus cases reported on a single day, with 7,280 cases, bringing its overall tally of infections to 282,283, health ministry data showed.

The country also recorded 730 additional deaths, bringing its overall death toll to 33,526.

Mexicos previous one-day record was posted a day earlier on Wednesday, when 6,995 new cases were registered.

Hello and welcome to Al Jazeeras continuing coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. Im Zaheena Rasheed in Male, Maldives.

You can find all the key developments from yesterday, July 9, here.
Kathmandu: A crucial meeting of Nepal's ruling communist party to decide the political future of embattled Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli was on Friday postponed once again, this time for a week, citing floods in the country, amidst calls for his resignation over his style of functioning and anti-India statements.

The meeting of the Nepal Communist Party's 45-member powerful Standing Committee was scheduled to be held on Friday.

The meeting was called off as the party is engaged in carrying out rescue and relief works, and minimising further loss due to landslides and floods across the country, My Republica newspaper quoted NCP spokesperson Narayan Kaji Shrestha as saying.

At least two people, including a child, were killed while 18 others went missing as several houses were swept away by floods triggered by incessant rain in Nepal's Sindhupalchowk district on Thursday.

It is the fifth time that the NCP meeting has been postponed. On Wednesday the meeting was postponed to Friday.

Top NCP leaders, including former prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', have demanded Prime Minister Oli's resignation, saying his recent anti-India remarks were "neither politically correct nor diplomatically appropriate."

The differences between the two factions of the NCP -- one led by Oli and the other led by party's executive chairman 'Prachanda' on the issue of power-sharing  has recently intensified after the prime minister unilaterally decided to prorogue the budget session of Parliament.
Mayank Singh By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Adding attack capability to the Indian Air Force (IAF) amidst the continuing standoff along the Line of Actual Control with the Chinese Army, US has delivered the final batch of Apache attack helicopters to India. Aviation major Boeing said on Friday that it has completed delivery of all AH-64E Apache. In addition also all the CH-47F (I) Chinook heavy lift helicopters have reached Indian recently.

The Boeing said on Friday, "The final five of the 22 Apache attack helicopters were handed over to the IAF at Air Force Station, Hindan." It added that the delivery of the last five of 15 CH-47F (I) Chinook heavy-lift helicopters to the IAF was completed earlier in March.

India has deployed its fighters including the Sukhoi 30, MiG 29, Mirage 2000 and Apache attack helicopters at the frontline bases after the clash between the Chinese and Indian soldiers on June 15 which resulted in casualties on both sides. The army had moved forward with tanks and artillery guns to match the Chinese deployments in early May.

The Apache is said to be the most modern attack helicopters meant to take place of the existing fleet of Mi-35 choppers meant for assault and anti armour operations. The AH-64E Apache is designed and equipped the latest communications, navigation, sensor and weapon systems.

It has an improved Modernized Target Acquisition Designation System that provides day, night and all-weather target information, as well as night vision navigation capability. Its Fire Control Radar can classify air and ground targets and can operate in the maritime environment. It can be sued for multi missions like for reconnaissance, security, peacekeeping operations, apart from attack operations.

The first eight US-made Apache AH-64E multi-role combat helicopters were inducted into the Indian Air Force at Pathankot Air Base on September 3, 2019 as part of the Helicopter Unit (HU) 125 Squadron (Gladiators). The second HU 137 Squadron is based out of Jorhat, Assam.

The Ministry of Defence finalized its order for the production, training and support of 22 AH-64E Apache and 15 CH-47F (I) Chinook helicopters in September 2015. Earlier this year, India and the US signed a contract for the acquisition of six Apaches for the Indian Army during US President Donald Trumps visit to New Delhi.

The First four Chinooks had reached India on March 25 2019 at Chandigarh and are twin rotor heavy lift, multi-mission transport. These helicopters can carry max payload of 11 tonnes and 45 troops. Total 15 helicopters have joined the force with second Squadron based out of Dinjan, Assam.

As per Boeing, India is one of 17 nations operating the Apache which have been tailor made to suite the IAFs requirements. Twin rotor Chinooks have been operating for more than 50 years and 20 defence forces around the world either have Chinooks in service, or are on contract to receive them.
An Asian American father who faced a stream of racist abuse as is family dined in a California restaurant said the Silicon Valley tech entrepreneur only apologised to 'save face'.

Michael Lofthouse, 37, was filmed gesturing at Raymond Orosa and his family in a Carmel Valley restaurant and saying 'Trump is gonna f**k you', 'you f***ers need to leave' and 'you f***ing Asian piece of s**t' before a server kicked him out.

Lofthouse, the British-born boss of Silicon Valley IT startup Solid8, doubled down on the racist abuse in social media messages after the incident, writing 'Leave our planet. Asian f**k. Come near me or my people and u r f***ing dead. Do not start. U f***ing piece of s**t.'

On Tuesday he wrote a groveling apology in a statement to DailyMail.com, saying 'my behavior in the video is appalling' and adding that he wanted to 'deeply apologize' to the Chan family.

But Mr Orosa - who was out celebrating his wife's birthday at Bernardus Lodge and Spa's Lucia restaurant - does not believe the apology was genuine and was just 'saving face'.

Asian-American father Raymond Orosa who faced a stream of racist abuse as is family dined in a California restaurant said the Silicon Valley tech entrepreneur only apologised to 'save face'

Mr Orosa was out celebrating his wife Mari's birthday at Bernardus Lodge and Spa's Lucia restaurant in Carmel Valley when they became victims of racial abuse

Michael Lofthouse, the British entrepreneur and founder of tech company Solid8, shouted racist abuse at an Asian family out to dinner on Saturday

He told ABC News: 'I think he really meant what he said and what he did.

'I don't believe his words because his actions speak louder than the words he say.'

Even though the said the abuse he received was 'full of hate and anger', Mr Orosa says he has forgiven him.

It was this week revealed in court records that Lofthouse has a history of trouble after facing charges in 2016 for domestic battery, vandalism and damaging a telephone or power line.

The Silicon Valley entrepreneur was kicked out of a California restaurant on July 4 for hurling racist abuse at an Asian family and yelling 'Trump is going to f*** you'. He is pictured raising his middle finger to the family (above)

Jordan Chan (back left) posted the footage on Instagram. The family were celebrating the birthday of Jordan's aunt Mari Orosa (back right with Raymond Orosa, front right)

Court records from July, 2016, obtained by DailyMail.com, show Lofthouse was found guilty of the vandalism charge and sentenced to two days in prison, three years probation and 80 hours of community service. The two other charges were dismissed.

A former female friend - who fell out with Lofthouse - told DailyMail.com that the criminal record and the racist video showed him up as a 'f***ing a**hole'.

'You can see the details that are outlined in the public record,' the former friend said.

'He's a f***ing atrocious person and I don't want anything to do with him.

'Obviously you can see the type of person he is and I want nothing to do with it.

'I put this and him away five years ago,' the former friend added, asking not to be named. 'I'm not going to relive this because he's a f***ing a**hole.'

In the clip, filmed by Mr Orosa's niece, Lofthouse can be seen shouting racist abuse at the diners from the table opposite.

Jordan Chan - who was part of the party with Mr Orosa - wrote on Instagram that the 'white supremacist' businessman had begun harassing her family soon after they sang happy birthday to her aunt.

Lofthouse was found guilty of the vandalism charge and sentenced to two days in prison, three years probation and 80 hours of community service

Aside from the racist comments caught on camera, she said he also told them to 'go back to whatever fucking Asian country you're from' and that 'you don't belong here'.

She added on the post that he 'had a LOT more to say after I stopped recording'.

During his tirade a waitress is heard telling Lofthouse 'to leave now'.

'Get out of here,' she shouts. 'You are not allowed here. You do not talk to our guests like that.'

The video of the unsavory encounter was posted on social media Sunday and went viral after it was shared by pop star Kelly Clarkson.

Lofthouse later apologized, telling DailyMail.com: 'My behavior in the video is appalling. This was clearly a moment where I lost control and made incredibly hurtful and divisive comments.

'I would like to deeply apologize to the Chan family. I can only imagine the stress and pain they feel. I was taught to respect people of all races, and I will take the time to reflect on my actions and work to better understand the inequality that so many of those around me face every day.'

Lofthouse calls the family a 'f***ing Asian piece of s**t' before an outraged restaurant worker steps in and tells him to 'get out'

The Bernardus Lodge (pictured) said they were sorry about the experience their guests had at the restaurant and they were 'proud' of how their staff handled it

The Bernardus Lodge said they were sorry about the experience their guests endured at the restaurant but they were 'proud' of how their staff handled it.

'This is an extremely unfortunate situation, however, we are proud of our staff at Lucia in keeping with Bernardus Lodge's core values,' said Sean Damery, the lodge's vice president and general manager, in a statement to KION.

'This incident was handled swiftly and the diner was escorted off property without further escalation.

'We provide guests with a safe environment for lodging and dining, and extend our sincere apologies to the guests enjoying a birthday celebration on a holiday weekend.'

Lofthouse appears to have disabled his LinkedIn and Twitter accounts following the incident.
After a three-week imprisonment in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, labor lawyer Susana Prieto Terrazas was released on probation on July 1.

Her arrest on June 8 was based on trumped up charges of instigating an uprising or riot and offenses against employees at a local labor court in Matamoros who claimed that auto parts workers assaulted them during a protest on March 10. The workers were demanding that the US-based Tridonex Cardone corporation stop paying automatic dues to a corrupt union belonging to the Confederation of Mexican Workers (CTM).

Prieto was not present at the demonstration, and no evidence was produced demonstrating any direct involvement. However, she was targeted since many of the workers demonstrating were hoping to switch to the Independent Union for Industry and Service Workers (SNITIS), founded and de facto led by Prieto.

Susana Prieto Terrazas

The release followed an agreement reached between a judge and Prietos lawyers, which entails a $3,000 compensation for the alleged victims. The court order requires Prieto, for a period of 30 months, to reside in her hometown of Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, while refraining from coming near the Matamoros labor court or the victims, and traveling abroad, including El Paso, Texas, where her immediate family lives.

Soon after her return, Prieto made a statement claiming that there are two arrest warrants pending against her in Chihuahua.

Despite its profound political differences with Prieto, the World Socialist Web Site called on workers to demand Prietos release and oppose this attack on the rights to freedom of speech, assembly and organization by organizing independently of every faction of the trade union bureaucracy and political establishment.

The illegal imprisonment and draconian conditions of her probation period are aimed at intimidating the working-class rebellion against corporate abuses, most immediately the growing wave of protests and strikes in Matamoros since April to oppose the forced return to plants that have turned into COVID-19 hotspots.

Tamaulipas Attorney General Irving Barrios Mojica led the prosecution, asking for a 4-year prison sentence. He portrayed the protest on March 10 as the perpetration of crimes through aggression, threats and a danger to society. Numerous videos, however, show that the 400 workers at the protest rallied peacefully while being harassed by the state police and National Guard troops, while the court refused for several hours to attend the workers lawyer.

During the three-week imprisonment, thousands of workers and youth joined marches and demonstrations in Matamoros, Ciudad Juarez and Mexico City demanding Prietos release.

The detention received a green light from Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO). During a press conference on June 12, he noted that his government was immediately informed of the arrest but refused to call for Prietos release. Instead he claimed that it has to do with the Tamaulipas state government, its not a federal issue.

The case exposed that all factions of the ruling elite, from the ostensibly left Lopez Obrador administration to the National Action Party (PAN) state governments in Tamaulipas and Chihuahua, are lurching toward authoritarian forms of rule to defend the profits of foreign and national corporations, including through arbitrary detentions.

While organizing several rallies calling for her release, Prietos colleagues in the so-called independent trade unions channeled all appeals behind the federal government.

As confirmed by Prieto herself, her release was secured through back-channel negotiations, including with the Trump administration. I thank Mr. Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the Federal Government, the US embassy, the National Human Rights Commission, workers in Matamoros, Tamaulipas and national and international activists for my safe release, she declared in a video when leaving the prison.

She also explained that, fearing for her safety, the American embassy secured an escort of Mexican federal police and National Guard units to accompany her out of the state of Tamaulipas.

At a US congressional hearing on June 17, the Trump administrations trade representative, Robert Lighthizer, announced that the US government would request Prietos release. He said, That is something we are working very closely with our embassy. We are aware of it. We are working on it. Its something that we are going to monitor. Well take action if its appropriate [The imprisonment] is a bad indicator.

Then, on June 30, a group of 59 US Democratic representatives led by Bill Pascrell (New Jersey) wrote a letter to US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo to request that your department aggressively work to help secure the immediate release of imprisoned Mexican labor lawyer Susana Prieto Terrazas. The AFL-CIO also called for her immediate and unconditional release.

All of the statements by US officials said that they were concerned for the right of Mexican workers to belong to independent and democratic unions, claiming that this is crucial to raising their wages and bringing jobs back to America. They add that this is a central focus of the new US-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade deal, which went into effect the day of Prietos release. However, the deal actually seeks to intensify the exploitation of cheap labor in Mexico by US and Canadian corporations to underpin their profits while economically isolating China, their geopolitical rival.

The last thing the Trump administration, US imperialism and the AFL-CIO are concerned about are the conditions of the Mexican working class, which has long been used as a cheap labor source for US based transnationals.

Instead, the intervention by the American ruling class was spurred by fears that Prietos detention was quickly eroding workers illusions in AMLO and the independent unions, which have been critical in reopening indispensable Mexican suppliers for US industries amid the sprawling pandemic in both countries.

Above all, Washington fears that the rebellion against the corrupt CTM unions will take a genuinely anti-capitalist direction and increasingly strive to unify with the working class in the United States. Already Mexican workers in Matamoros and at the GM plant in Silao have established direct lines of communication, with the assistance of the World Socialist Web Site, with workers in the US.

The AFL-CIO, the United Auto Workers (UAW) and other US unions have long sought to divide US workers from their class brothers and sisters below the Rio Grande. The criminal indifference of the ruling class on both sides of the border and their homicidal return to work policy, however, is provoking resistance of American and Mexican workers.

Fiat Chrysler workers in Michigan have formed rank-and-file safety committees to fight independently of the UAW and called on workers everywhere to join their struggle to protest workers lives during the pandemic. To fight the transnational corporations, workers in the US and Mexico need new organizations of struggle, independent of the nationalist and pro-capitalist unions, to unify their struggles across the border while they connect their day-to-day resistance with the fight for international socialism.
This has been a vital lifeline that has kept thousands and thousands of civilians alive for the last few years. This is not the time for us to be reducing the aid operations. We have to increase the access not reduce it, Cutts said. He said 11 of the trucks were carrying medical aid.
He tried to run from his classroom, but employees caught up with him and called for help to hold him. When they began to walk him to a seclusion room, he resisted, employees wrote in an incident report, so they physically restrained him while sitting and then turned him onto his belly. They held him there for 20 minutes even as he said, I cant breathe. The workers told him to breathe through his nose. He kept struggling and said, I want my mom, please.
"For the past 150+ years the various businesses and operators at 500 Westport Road have had no affiliation with slavery. We want to be transparent about our building's history without celebrating the past atrocities that occurred here. We are eager to learn more about the best way to do this. We have started by covering a plaque hung inside Kelly's that was dedicated to Albert Boone . . . Our father and grandfather, Randal Kelly, came to the US from Ireland in 1926 in search of a better life. In 1947, Randal began bartending at the building. He called this Irish Pub the poor mans playground where people of all walks could gather.



Then and always, Kellys is committed to honoring the Irish phrase posted above our door: Failte  "Welcome. And that goes for everyone."

Kelly's speaks out about historical background Recent protests in front of Kelly's Westport Inn have caused a discussion in the community around the bar's history, specifically that it once kept slaves in the basement in the 1800's. The owners of the bar put out a statement, sharing a desire to to shine the bright lights on systemic racism and on the racial injustices that occurred in or near the building.

Smashed windows over the weekend andelicited this admission of guilt even though the the building wasn't handed down over generations . . . In fact, the Irish hooligans who own it now have benefited from their immigrant granddaddy's hard work.A snippit of their statement . . .More:
According to the decision of an investigator of the Investigative Committee of Armenia, Iranian citizen Sh. A., 35, has been detained as a suspect.

Police officers apprehended Sh. A. from a hotel in Yerevan, took this person to a police station, and it turned out that this Iranian national had committed sexual violent acts against two boys (A. N., 18, and A. M., 17) in the said hotel, shamshyan.com reported.

A number of forensic examinations have been appointed within the framework of the criminal case initiated on the incident.
Erdogan Faces Backlash Over Plans to Convert Hagia Sophia Into Mosque

By Dorian Jones July 09, 2020

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan faces a growing backlash over his plans to turn Istanbul's iconic Hagia Sophia into a mosque.

The sixth-century Byzantine cathedral served as a mosque for 400 years before it was turned into a museum. More recently, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1985.

Throughout the Hagia Sophia's 1,500-year history, its status has reflected the rise and fall of empires.

For nearly a millennium, the Hagia Sophia was eastern Christendom's greatest church. But in 1453 when Ottoman forces led by Sultan Fatih Mehmet conquered Constantinople, now Istanbul, his first act on entering the city was to pray in the cathedral and declare it a mosque.

In 1935, the founder of the modern Turkish republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, turned the building into a museum symbolizing Turkey's new status as a modern Western-style secular society. For 80 years, symbols of Islam and Christianity have harmoniously coexisted in this architectural marvel, once the largest building in the Byzantine empire.

Now, Erdogan is vowing to turn it back into a mosque.

Political interests

The Hagia Sophia's reconversion has long been a demand of the most ardent elements of Erdogan's religious and nationalist base.

Last year's celebration of the Muslim conquest of the city saw hundreds of people praying outside the Hagia Sophia as part of a campaign to convert the building into a mosque.

Turkey's Birlik Foundation says more 2 million people have signed its petition calling for the Hagia Sophia to be made a mosque again.

"The question of its reopening to prayers has been in the heart of Muslims since it was closed to prayers and converted to a museum," said Mehmet Alacaci, chief trustee of the Birlik Foundation.

"The will and bequest of Fatih Sultan Mehmet, who conquered this city, is to have Hagia Sophia as a mosque. And we are in the spirit of taking back this inheritance and property of our ancestors," he added.

Erdogan has long flirted with the Hagia Sophia's conversion through his nearly 20 years in power, first as a prime minister and then as president.

"You know, they changed Hagia Sophia from mosque to museum a while ago. God willing, after the election, we will change Hagia Sophia's name from museum to mosque," Erdogan said last year during a campaign rally ahead of local elections.

With the economy hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and the president's ruling AKP Party poll ratings sliding, Erdogan needs to consolidate his base quickly and appears ready to push ahead with Hagia Sophia's conversion.

"The AKP is suffering in current times. In order to change the agenda in Turkey, they need a [new] subject to be worked on," said Istar Gozaydin, a professor and expert on religion and the state. "To convert it into a mosque apparently means something for the grassroots of AKP in Turkey and supporters abroad," she said.

But the gesture that Erdogan is offering to his base is coming at a high price.

Protests

"The conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque will disappoint millions of Christians around the world," warned the leader of the 300 million Orthodox Christians, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

"The Hagia Sophia, which, due to its sacredness, is a vital center where East is embraced with the West, will fracture these two worlds," he added.

Bartholomew, who is based in Istanbul, aware of the delicate situation facing Turkey's small remaining Orthodox community, usually refrains from openly criticizing Erdogan.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate is receiving growing international support in its fight to avert a transformation of the landmark. The United States urged Ankara not to change the Hagia Sophia's status.

"We urge the government of Turkey to continue to maintain the Hagia Sophia as a museum, as an exemplar of its commitment to respect the faith traditions and diverse history that contributed to the Republic of Turkey, and to ensure it remains accessible to all," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement last Wednesday.

Russia, despite its competing interests in Turkey, voiced concerns similar to those of the United States.

"Hagia Sophia, in addition to its tourism value, has a very deep sacred spiritual value," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said this week.

Protests have also come from the government of neighboring Greece.

Erdogan defiant

The Turkish leader has dismissed all international criticism.

"Accusations against our country about Hagia Sophia directly target our sovereign rights," shot back Erdogan last week.

A recent opinion poll found most Turkish respondents backed the Hagia Sophia's conversion. However, the same survey also recorded a larger number of people viewing the issue as an attempt to distract voters from the current economic malaise.

There are now growing concerns for the Hagia Sophia's magnificent interior. Large mosaics depicting Christ, the Virgin Mary and Byzantium rulers adorn the massive walls and ceilings of the onetime cathedral.

"It's not practical, and it's illogical to convert into a mosque again," said professor Zeynep Ahunbay, who spent 25 years working on the Hagia Sophia's restoration and preservation.

She alluded to Islam's traditional ban on divine images.

"When you pray, you don't want to be in the presence of some images, which can be considered like icons, et cetera. It is against the Islamic creed," she said.

"And what will happen? How will [they] be covered during prayers? Can you imagine a curtain hanging over the mosaics? I think it's not acceptable."

The judges who sit on Turkey's high court, who invariably accommodate Erdogan's wishes, are due in the coming days to rule on whether a conversion of the building would be legal. Turkish newspaper columnists close to Erdogan are predicting the court will decide in the president's favor.

There is a growing expectation in Turkey that it may not be long before Hagia Sophia's minarets rejoin the chorus of surrounding mosques' calls to prayer.

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Body camera footage revealed the dramatic moment a hero cop rescued an 8-year-old girl from a flash flood in Ohio this week.

Officer Tom Cercek of the Walton Hills Police Department was praised for the rescue of the child, who was stranded on a shale ledge by the raging water near Bridal Veil Falls in Bedford about 17 miles south of Cleveland on Tuesday.

Cercek is seen in the footage dropping a thin rope to the unidentified girl, who tied it around her waist, so that he could pull her out of harm's way.

An adult woman and another child related to the girl had managed to escape to safety when the flash flood took the family by surprise after a sudden rain storm.

Scrolls down for video

Body camera footage (pictured) revealed when officer Tom Cercek of the Walton Hills Police Department in Ohio used a rope to pull an 8-year-old girl stranded on a shale ledge by a raging flash flood near Bridal Veil Falls in Bedford about 17 miles south of Cleveland on Tuesday

Cercek is seen in the footage dropping the thin rope to the unidentified girl, who tied it to her waist, so that he could pull her out of harm's way

Pictured is the child the moment she was pulled up to a muddy embankment by Cercek. An adult woman and another child related to the girl had managed to escape to safety when the flash flood took the family by surprise after a sudden rain storm

The family was enjoying the creek that feeds the falls when they were suddenly overtaken by a wall of water caused by the torrential rain, WOIO reported.

Two witnesses managed to find Cercek, who is spotted in the footage racing behind them to the scene crying out, 'What is going on?'

He later found that the family members had sought refuge on the western side of the creek.

The officer instructed the family members to go up on their side from the water and then turned his attention to the young girl. 'Hey, hang on!' he yelled to the child.

The girl is heard in the footage saying, 'Oh my God, thank you, thank you. Thank you so much,' when Cercek finally pulled her up by the rope. She is pictured approaching the cop to embrace him after the rescue

The child is greeted by grateful family members after the rescue

The cop then scaled down a muddy embankment to get close to the child as he unravelled a thin rope.

He tossed the girl the rope and cried out 'around your body,' instructing her to tie the rope to herself so he could pull her up to where he stood on the embankment.

'Oh my God, thank you, thank you. Thank you so much,' the child told the officer after he as able to pull her up.

The child moaned in relief after she rested for several moments in the officer's care.

He later is seen in the footage approaching the child after she was reunited with her family.
The Australia Letter is a weekly newsletter from our Australia bureau. Sign up to get it by email. This weeks issue is written by Besha Rodell, a columnist for the Australia bureau.

In the 1980s, my mother was a reporter in Melbourne, where much of her work focused on the Indigenous communities in Victoria. She recently told me about a time when she went to her editors at The Age and suggested that they actively seek out and recruit young Indigenous reporters because  while she felt she had earned the trust of her sources  their stories would be better told by people from that community. Hiring a more diverse staff, she explained, would be better for journalism and better for the newspaper.

She did not get the response she hoped for. They looked at me like I had two heads, she said.

Last month, echoing her experience, a group of more than 60 journalists at The Age wrote a letter to their top editors and executives of the Nine corporation, which now owns The Age, expressing distress with a number of issues at the paper, including its lack of diversity.

As far as we are aware the Age has had only one Indigenous reporter in its 166-year history, they wrote. Every editor in the Ages history has been a white man, as is every current foreign correspondent.

The Age is not the only media institution in Australia reckoning with a lack of diversity. A group of journalists have written a letter calling for more diversity on Melbourne Press Clubs all-white board. Australias public broadcasters, the ABC and SBS, have come under fire in recent weeks, with a number of nonwhite journalists describing incidents of racism at SBS  a station with diversity as a central part of its mission, but with a leadership team that does not reflect that mandate.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 16:52:13|Editor: huaxia

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VIENNA, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) daily basket price stood at 43.31 U.S. dollars a barrel on Thursday, compared with 43.44 dollars on Wednesday, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations released Friday.

Also known as the OPEC reference basket of crude oil, the OPEC basket, a weighted average of oil prices from different OPEC members around the world, is used as an important benchmark for crude oil prices. Enditem
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size The thing most people notice first about the For Dummies series, the how-to and instructional books that have become a global phenomenon, is how ugly the covers are. While the size of the books differ, the covers mostly consist of a block of black on a radium-yellow background. The black is meant to be a school blackboard, across which is scrawled, as if by some delinquent with yellow crayon, FOR DUMMIES. In nature, yellow is the colour of danger. For Wiley, the publishing house which owns the For Dummies brand, yellow is the colour of money. Since the series started, in 1991, it has generated billions of dollars in revenue. There are more than 250 million For Dummies books in print and millions of e-books downloaded. They are the undisputed leader in their field, says Rob OHearn, category manager for academic and professional books at Booktopia. I cant think of anything that comes close. Next year is the 30th anniversary of the For Dummies series  a long time in publishing, especially for a franchise that has been constantly active. When the books were first released, some booksellers wouldnt stock them, for fear of insulting their readers. But For Dummies soon became a bellwether brand, changing how we think about learning by simplifying the complex and empowering the amateur. Thanks to For Dummies, I know that a mans testosterone levels are higher in the morning (Sex For Dummies, 2019, by Dr Ruth). We also have the series to thank for a rich array of memes, including Stalking For Dummies (How to stay in touch with people who dont want you to), and Breathing For Dummies (Air and how to use it). But the most interesting thing to learn from For Dummies is how to build one of the most successful franchises in publishing out of the unlikely proposition that its okay to be a know-nothing. For Dummies originated in the late 1980s, in California. At the time, technology was transforming the workplace, with people increasingly switching from typewriters and basic word processors to desktop computers. Users found the technology bewildering, but had nowhere to go for help. We had beginners books on how to use computers, but they sucked, American tech writer Dan Gookin said in a television interview in 2013. They were condescending and patronising. The author was arrogant, like, Youll never get this stuff anyway.  Either that, or they were dry and boring and not an interesting read.

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In 1989, Gookin came up with an idea for a more accessible, user-friendly guide to computers, which he modelled on the popular 1969 book How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive: A Manual of Step-by-Step Procedures for the Compleat Idiot. His agent shopped the idea around but couldnt get any bites. In 1991, Gookin was at a computer book publishing conference when he met Mac McCarthy, an editor from IDG, a technical publisher. McCarthy told Gookin about an idea he had based on his uncles suggestion that someone write a simple guide on computers, something like DOS for dummies. Gookin wrote the book in under a month, with an advance of about $US6000. The initial print run of 5000 sold out in a week. In just over a year, DOS For Dummies had moved more than 1.5 million copies. By 1993, IDG had 26 Dummies titles in print, all on tech subjects, seven of them written by Gookin, many of them bestsellers. I made an absolute trash-load of money, Gookin told Slate magazine in 2015, adding that he once received a royalty cheque for $US250,000. The For Dummies guides are like the analogue equivalent of Wikipedia; they promise a short cut, a life hack. The books inspired a slew of imitators, including DOS for Non-nerds, Windows 95 is Driving Me Crazy! and I Hate Word Perfect 6 (But This Book Makes it Easy!), but none of them made a lasting impact. Soon, IDG branched out into other areas, such as personal finance and lifestyle, producing For Dummies on red wine, alternative health and herbal remedies. All the books had the same formula, with short, punchy chapters, lots of tips and lists, and a chatty writing style. Editors invariably commissioned leading experts as authors: Stephen P. Maran, who wrote Astronomy for Dummies, has received the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal, and had a minor planet named in his honour in 1992; Shakespeare For Dummies, which was first released in 1999, has a foreword by Judi Dench. But IDG also had timing on its side. The rise of For Dummies coincided with the development in the mid-1990s of the big box stores like Barnes & Noble and Borders, says Mal Neil, a long-time book industry observer. They were able to give the brand the kind of profile it couldnt get in small indie stores.

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Neil was running the Brunswick Street Bookstore, in Fitzroy, Melbourne, when For Dummies first appeared. A small indie bookstore has about 30,000 total books, with, say, 9000 titles. Big box stores had maybe 600,000 books, and maybe 200,000 titles. That allowed For Dummies to get a whole shelf alone. The big box stores also spoke to the market in a different way. The Barnes & Nobles were aimed at the general market, and so were For Dummies. They were for people who didnt want to faff around reading a book, they wanted to get on with it, and For Dummies let them do that. For a long time, the books had a certain stigma. No one wanted to be seen reading a For Dummies on the bus or at the beach  or anywhere else, for that matter. But they accurately presaged a world that was increasingly information-rich but time-poor. The For Dummies guides are like the analogue equivalent of Wikipedia; they promise a short cut, a life hack. And while some editors at IDG considered using the term dummy as a risk, it has become an implicit guarantee. Potential readers thought, If a dummy can get it, so can I. How-to guides have been around since Moses. The 10 Commandments is a how-to, of sorts. So is the Kama Sutra, which also came with helpful diagrams. The following 2000 years saw a marked trend toward snootiness. Seth T. Hurds A Grammatical Corrector, published in 1847, claimed to be a collection of nearly 2000 barbarisms, cant phrases, colloquialisms, quaint expressions, provincialisms, false pronunciation, perversions  and other kindred errors of the English language. Even as recently as the 1970s, how-to books, especially in the tech space, were essentially manuals: stilted, jargony and as dry as rock dust. Prominent experts in their field  photography, football  sometimes wrote how-tos, but they were invariably meant to show off the authors expertise. If the reader got anything out of these books, then well and good, but if they didnt, they shouldnt blame the expert.

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According to publishing house Wiley, which bought the franchise from IDG in 2001, 6.3 million copies were sold in 2019  one every five seconds. For Dummies changed that. It took the intimidation factor out of learning, says US-based For Dummies executive editor Steve Hayes. Our books say to the reader, Okay, the reason you feel intimidated isnt your fault, its because these other how-to books are not geared to learning. We say, Come along with us, and well guide you by the hand and make it accessible, and maybe even have a laugh at the expense of those who made you feel intimidated in the first place.  According to publishing house Wiley, which bought the franchise from IDG in 2001, 6.3 million copies were sold in 2019  one every five seconds. There are now 2000 different topics covered, and the books have been translated into 30 languages. Probably the closest comparison is the Lonely Planet travel guides, the first of which was published in 1972. But even they cant match For Dummies scope, with up to 70 new titles released every year on everything from caring for ferrets to exchange traded funds, coding for kids and passing psychometric tests. This year, Wiley released Ghost-Hunting for Dummies, by the American paranormal investigator and television personality Zak Bagans, who explains, among other things, how to deal with unwieldy spirits and get messages from beyond the grave. Coming up with new titles isnt hard. New things pop up all the time, says Hayes. Health trends are easy to pick. In years past, the category editors relied largely on instinct. Now they monitor market data and track keyword searches on Google; Hayes, who specialises in tech, subscribes to a veritable library of trade newsletters and mailing lists. So I get a steady stream of leading-edge content coming into my inbox every day. At 49, Hayes is pretty much a Dummies lifer. After a brief stint working in an independent bookstore in Bloomington, Indiana, he joined For Dummies in 1996 as an editors assistant. In 1998, he became an acquisitions editor, a position he has held ever since. I am a curious person, and like looking for answers, he tells me via the phone from Indianapolis, where the brand is based. Im always the first one who has to google something in a group and to figure out the answer for my own edification, so For Dummies totally appeals to me. I like how I help create something that will improve readers lives and help them learn something.

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According to Hayes, the top five all-time best-selling titles include Windows For Dummies, Personal Finance For Dummies and Beekeeping For Dummies. But sales can be country specific. Buying and Selling a Home For Canadians For Dummies has been popular, as has Personal Finance For Canadians For Dummies. In the UK, favourites include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy For Dummies and Ukulele For Dummies. In France, meanwhile, LHistoire de France Pour Les Nuls (History of France For Dummies) has been a huge hit, and would probably be in the 30 all-time top sellers. Australians, who buy more than 100,000 For Dummies a year, have favoured Getting Started in Shares For Dummies, Cryptic Crosswords for Dummies and Dog Training For Dummies. Are there topics that Wiley wouldnt touch? What about Heart Surgery For Dummies or Cooking Meth For Dummies? We tend to steer clear from controversial topics or publishing anything that can be damaging or illegal, says Hayes. Even when we do address a controversial topic, the goal is to offer the reader both sides. A good example is Cats For Dummies and the topic of declawing indoor cats. The two authors of the book had different views of the matter and the book offered them space to present both their viewpoints. Of course, times change and values shift. If youd have asked me 20 years ago about the chances wed publish Cannabis For Dummies, Id have bet a lot on never, adds Hayes. But decriminalisation in some US states opened the door for that title, which was published last year. The For Dummies brand covers 2000 topics and the books have been translated into 30 languages. Credit:AFP Notwithstanding their expertise, For Dummies authors are known within the company as Dummies. Being a Dummy can be hard work. Books take as little as nine months from signing the contract to publication, a blink of an eye in publishing terms.

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Amber Heard has surrounded herself with a powerful group of women who are supporting her through Johnny Depp's blockbuster libel trial in London - and the posse are 'determined to have a good time in the capital'.

The 34-year-old actress has been partying with the glamorous women, dubbed 'Team Heard' who are rallying around her for the case, making eye-catching entrances each morning for the start of proceedings and organising a string of social outings.

'Team Heard' is made up of her sister Whitney, girlfriend Bianca Butti, British legal advisor Jennifer Robinson, who is friends with the Clooneys, American attorney Elaine Bredehoft and the actress' assistant Sara, whose last name is not known.

Meanwhile, Depp has been locked away in a plush hotel suite dining alone because rules prevent him from discussing the case with anybody while giving evidence.

Depp, 57, is suing News Group Newspapers, publishers of The Sun, and executive editor Dan Wootton over a 2018 article which referred to him as a 'wife beater' with Heard the key witness to prove that he subjected her to a campaign of physical and emotional abuse.

A source told MailOnline: 'The trial has been quite a contrasting experience for both of them. While Johnny has been alone and looking quite miserable, Amber appears to be having a great time. She looks really glamorous and happy. It's as if she's on a girl's holiday.

'The women she's with have really got behind her. They're strong, positive women who are delighted with the way things have gone in court so far. They've already had a few minor victories and are optimistic that they're going to have more and are determined to have a good time while they are in London.'

Here, FEMAIL reveals who's who in the squad of 'strong, positive women' who accompany Heard to court every day...

Amber and her squad: Amber Heard left court yesterday with her girlfriend Bianca Butti, left, her sister Whitney Heard, next to her partner, her lawyer in the green dress and her personal assistant Sara, seen far right

The sister: Whitney Heard

Amber and Whitney Heard (pictured left with her sister in 2016 in LA) grew up together in Austin, Texas, and are known to have a close relationship

The film star pictured with her sister Whitney who wrapped her arms around Amber while she cooked in the kitchen in May

Amber (pictured left) with her younger sister and their mother Paige. The actress revealed in May that her mother had died

Amber sits next to her infant nephew Hunter in May. The youngster is sister Whitney's son with her partner Gavin Henriquez

Amber and Whitney Heard grew up together in Austin, Texas, and are known to have a close relationship.

Whitney is also an actress and is set to give evidence during her sister's trial, claiming that she witnessed Depp's violence towards her sibling.

She appeared in a minor role in the 2007 caveman comedy Homo Erectus, which featured actors Adam Rifkin and Final Destination star Ali Larter.

The mother-of-one currently lives in Los Angeles with her family, her partner Gavin Henriquez, and their son Hunter, who was born in December 2019.

Amber and Whitney's father David Clinton Heard, owned a small construction company while their mother, Patricia Paige (nee Parsons) worked as an Internet researcher.

In May, Amber shared her 'heartbreak' as she revealed that her mother Paige had died. 'I am heartbroken and devastated beyond belief at the loss of my mom, Paige Heard,' she said in an Instagram post.

'The kindness, support and generosity my sister Whit and I have received from friends and family has been utterly soul-saving,' she added.

The girlfriend: Bianca Butti

Bianca Butti and Amber Heard depart after attending the libel case between Johnny Depp and The Sun Newspaper on Thursday

Bianca Butti (pictured in 2018), 38, is a cinematographer living in Los Angeles. Heard and Butti have been dating since January

But the couple (pictured earlier this year) already seem quite attached - with sources calling Amber 'happier than ever.'

Bianca Butti, 38, is a cinematographer living in Los Angeles. Heard and Butti have been dating since January - and the couple already seem quite attached, with sources calling Amber 'happier than ever.'

'Amber is fine and happier than ever,' an insider told Us Weekly back in February. 'Bianca has been very supportive of her, and Amber feels like she can trust her and be comfortable around her, especially since they were friends first.'

That source added that Heard is 'enjoying spending time' with Butti, and has even gone as far as to say she 'really loves her.'

Last year, Miss Butti revealed she had been diagnosed with breast cancer for a second time, and bravely documented her struggles on an Instagram page, @buttibeatsit.

In a note on the page, Butti explained how she was first diagnosed with the disease in 2015 when she was just 34 years old, and that it was confirmed to have returned in March 2019.

'I was beyond devastated,' she wrote on Instagram. 'A new tumour appeared in my right breast, almost 3 years since I was declared cancer free.'

For the first diagnosis she underwent a traditional western treatment of chemotherapy, surgery and radiation. Now, after extensive research and personal experience, she has decided to seek more alternative treatments.

Butti's career as a cinematographer includes several episodes of Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta that aired in 2013, the upcoming Bella Thorne movie Leave Not One Alive, the thriller Uncanny and a few other independent films and shorts.

The lawyer: Jennifer Robinson

Jennifer Robinson (pictured right, in a brown dress) is a leading human rights lawyer from Doughty Street chambers who also represents Julian Assange

The Australian (pictured in 2019) has appeared at the International Court of Justice and given expert evidence at the UN and in Parliament

Ms Robinson is a close friend of Amal Clooney and attended her wedding to George in 2014, where she was asked to carry out bridesmaid duties. She arrived via Venice in a boat with fellow guest Bill Murray (pictured)

Jennifer Robinson, who held Amber Heard's hand as she walked into the High Court on the first day, is a leading human rights lawyer from Doughty Street chambers who also represents Julian Assange.

The Australian has appeared at the International Court of Justice and given expert evidence at the UN and in Parliament.

Her areas of expertise are free speech and civil liberties, and she regularly advises newspapers on media law.

Ms Robinson is a close friend of Amal Clooney and attended her wedding to George in 2014, where she was asked to carry out bridesmaid duties. She arrived via Venice in a boat with fellow guest Bill Murray.

In 2017, she was seen canoodling with Jeremy Corbyns former spin doctor Seumas Milne - with her father later telling MailOnline that his daughter was just enjoying a night out and a 'few drinks' with a friend.

Her father Terry, a horse trainer from New South Wales, insisted his daughter is a 'good girl' who has been in a 'few relationships' but dismissed suggestions that she was having an affair with the married father-of-two.

In 2011 she gave an interview about her private life and described herself as 'passionate' and 'infinitely curious', and said: 'My friends would probably add, "the eternal optimist" or "a bit bonkers".'

She admitted that while being serious as a proud Australian she enjoys 'taking the p**s' and said she swears too much.

Ms Robinson also confessed that she 'partied' a lot when she was younger. She said: 'London has too much fun on offer to be stuck at your desk all day and night'.

And responding to a question about the contents of her London fridge she said: 'Nothing but a few bottles of champagne (and maybe a mouldy piece of cheese)' because she so rarely eats at home.

She was also asked: 'What comes into your mind when you shut your eyes and think of the word 'law'?' and replied: 'Jude' - a reference to the British actor.
The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Friday there was "no need" for another summit with the United States unless Washington offered a "decisive change" in approach. Kim and US President Donald Trump first met in Singapore two years ago but talks over Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal have been stalled since their Hanoi summit collapsed in early 2019 over what the North would be willing to give up in exchange for sanctions relief. Trump said this week he would "certainly" meet with Kim again "if I thought it was going to be helpful", after speculation that he might pursue another summit if it could help his re-election chances in November. But in a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency, Kim Yo Jong -- who has emerged as one of her brother's closest advisers -- said: "There is no need for us to sit across with the US right now." If a summit was held, she said, "it is too obvious that it will only be used as boring boasting coming from someone's pride". Denuclearisation, she added, was "not possible at this point", and could only happen alongside parallel "irreversible simultaneous major steps" by the other side -- which she emphasised did not refer to sanctions lifting. She did not go into specifics, but Washington stations 28,500 troops in the South to defend it against its neighbour, and has a range of military assets in Japan and the wider Pacific region. Pyongyang insists that it needs its nuclear arsenal to deter against a possible US invasion. Kim Yo Jong's statement was only her personal view, she said, but the lengthy declaration appeared intended to send multiple messages. She said she had watched the July 4 Independence Day celebrations in the US on television and had been given permission by her brother to "personally obtain, for sure, the DVD of the celebrations... in the future". Her brother had "entrusted me with conveying his wishes to President Trump that he would certainly achieve great successes in his work", she added. Kim Jong Un declared in December an end to moratoriums on nuclear and ballistic missile tests, and Pyongyang has repeatedly said it has no intention to continue talks unless Washington drops what it describes as "hostile" policies towards the North. Kim Yo Jong is a close adviser to her brother, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un
A 69-year-old woman from Vasai lost 57.36 lakh to a fraudster based in Scotland in early June. The senior citizen filed a complaint with Vasai police on Wednesday.

According to the complaint, the complainant Mary Michael Andradis and the accused, who introduced himself as Leo Jacob, became friends through a social website. Jacob claimed he was a pilot living in Scotland. After winning her trust, the accused told her he wanted to come to India to open a plant in partnership with her. When Andradis found a plot for the same, the accused told her that it should be registered under her name.

Citing that he has to pay taxes Scotland for the property, the conman told Andradis to pay for the same and demanded 57.36 lakh. The victim made the payment June 9 and to 23 through RTGS as the accused said he would send the money in cash via a woman named Joshila. However, as the complainant did not get the money, she approached the police, said senior inspector Anand Parad.

We registered a case under sections 420 (cheating) and 406 (criminal breach of trust) of the Indian Penal Code against Jacob and Joshila, said Parad adding that they are investigating further.
Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, suggested to an online audience this week that Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., agreed with "the destruction of America," adding his voice to a chorus of Republicans who have questioned the Democrat's values since she suggested that protesters who opposed monuments to some of the Founding Fathers should be listened to.

"I think a general message that the left stands for the destruction of America, and the right doesn't, probably works pretty well with veterans, even liberal ones," Crenshaw said in a Wednesday night "MAGA meetup" organized by the Trump campaign. "Because even liberal veterans probably don't agree with that, unless you're Tammy Duckworth." The Washington Post obtained a video of the U.S. congressman's remarks.

In a statement, Crenshaw defended his remarks, saying his disagreement with the U.S. senator was political and not personal. Duckworth, in a Sunday interview with CNN, had said Americans needed to "have a national dialogue" about whether statues of George Washington should come down, kicking off days of criticism from Republicans.

"Calling for a 'national dialogue' to tear down statues of our Founders is certainly worthy of criticism, and can be reasonably described as the ideological destruction of our country," Crenshaw said in the statement.

Duckworth's office initially declined to respond Thursday, pointing to her recently published New York Times op-ed defending her remarks against monologues by Fox News host Tucker Carlson that called her a "moron" and questioned whether the Iraq War veteran, who lost her legs in combat, was a patriot. President Donald Trump tweeted a video of Carlson's comments.

"Let me be clear: I don't want George Washington's statue to be pulled down any more than I want the Purple Heart that he established to be ripped off my chest," Duckworth wrote. "I never said that I did."

After this story was published, Duckworth's office said in a statement that the senator "appreciates Congressman Crenshaw's service to our nation and will continue defending his First Amendment right to say whatever he wants, including that he believes dialogues are 'worthy of criticism' in a country founded on the right to free speech."

Crenshaw, a former Navy SEAL officer who lost his right eye to an explosive attack while serving in Afghanistan, has built a profile in his party similar to the one Duckworth has built with Democrats. Since winning a House seat in Houston's suburbs in 2018, he has published a best-selling book and become a high-profile critic of Democrats, tangling online with opponents including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.

Crenshaw had not publicly commented on Duckworth's remarks before his comments on the town hall-style broadcast Wednesday night. The question that prompted his criticism of the Democrat was about registering veterans to vote and persuading them to get involved in politics.

"The short answer is, I don't know," Crenshaw said. "It is long what I've heard, that veterans don't go out and vote." Duckworth was not mentioned in the question.

Crenshaw became widely known after being mocked by a TV personality. Shortly before the 2018 election, "Saturday Night Live" star Pete Davidson made fun of Crenshaw's eyepatch, joking that he looked like "a hit man in a porno movie" and mock-apologizing because Crenshaw "lost his eye in war, or whatever." That comment sparked a national controversy, with politicians from both major parties condemning Davidson - among them, Duckworth.

"This is absolutely appalling," Duckworth tweeted the morning after Davidson's remarks. "No one should ever mock a Veteran for the wounds they received while defending our great nation, regardless of political party or what you think of their politics. Pete Davidson owes Dan Crenshaw an apology."

Crenshaw appeared on the late-night show the next week, accepting an apology from Davidson. (Earlier this year, Davidson told a stand-up audience that he was "forced to apologize" and made Crenshaw "famous and a household name for no reason.")

Asked about this week's remarks, Crenshaw's Democratic opponent in the November election, Sima Ladjevardian, called him "a shameless politician who will stick a knife into his colleague if it scores him cheap political points" and pointed out that Duckworth "defended the Congressman after the incident that made him famous."

Asked about Duckworth's 2018 tweet criticizing Davidson, Crenshaw said that there was "no comparison" between the comedian's remarks and the comments he had made on the webcast.

"I was insulted because of my appearance," Crenshaw said in a statement. "She is being criticized for her political position and only her political position."
Ramy Youssef is celebrating the continued success of his TV series Ramy, which has just been picked up for a third season on Hulu.

So grateful to all of you whove watched, and to all who made this possible, Youssef, 29, said in an Instagram post Thursday. More soon inshallah.

Youssef, who grew up in Rutherford, won the Golden Globe for lead actor in a comedy last year for his performance in the series.

We made a very specific show about an Arab Muslim family living in New Jersey and this means a lot to be recognized on this level, Youssef said, accepting the award.

In June, the series won a Peabody Award. Youssef, a co-creator of the show, serves as a writer and executive producer. He plays Ramy Hassan, a millennial living in northern New Jersey with his Egyptian American family, exploring Islam as he looks for answers about faith, love and the direction of his life.

Oscar winner Mahershala Ali plays a central role as a sheikh in the second season of the show, which premiered May 29.

Critics have praised the dramedy for its groundbreaking portrayal of a Muslim American family, one where parting with the usual stereotypes is just a baseline. As a character, Ramy engages in self-discovery, but also self-delusion. The focus of the show often shifts from Ramy entirely to examine his sister, Dena, his mother, Maysa, his father, Farouk, and his uncle, Naseem.

Part of my desire to make this show was a lack of seeing anything that felt like it, Youssef said of Ramy in an interview with NJ Advance Media ahead of the shows first season in 2019.

Steve Way, who grew up with Youssef in Rutherford, is his real-life friend and his co-star, playing his friend Steve in the show. In the second season, Steve and Ramy get into an uncomfortable situation on a trip to Atlantic City.

Way, a comedian and substitute teacher at Rutherford High School who has muscular dystrophy, is set to star in an Apple TV Plus series that Youssef is working on for A24, the production company behind Ramy.

Youssef told The Hollywood Reporter that with the series, he wants to show the perspective and the experience of a disabled person and their family in a real way.

Caution: clip contains profanity

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Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Send a coronavirus tip here.
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Linkedin News Desk (Reuters) New York, United States  Fri, July 10, 2020 10:26 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406655066b 2 World New-York-City,black-lives-matter,mural,Trump-Tower,Donald-Trump Free

New York City on Thursday painted a huge Black Lives Matter sign on the pavement outside Trump Tower on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue, replicating similar murals supporting the movement elsewhere in the United States.

President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly assailed the Black Lives Matter movement, did not immediately comment on the sign, done in giant block lettering in school-bus yellow, which filled the pavement outside his flagship hotel.

But when the plan was floated last month he accused the city's Democratic leaders of "denigrating" the famous street with a "symbol of hate."

Around a dozen volunteers from different organizations painted the slogan, with civil rights leader Al Sharpton and Mayor Bill de Blasio picking up long-handled paint rollers to add some touches of their own.

"A painting is a nice symbol, but it doesn't address systemic racism in any way. So as cool as it is, it's important to focus on that," said Francie Brewster, a 17-year-old who had come to watch.

Similar murals have been painted in other American cities in support of the BLM movement, which has been at the forefront of public consciousness following weeks of anti-racism protests.

The demonstrations were sparked by the killing by police of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, in Minneapolis in May.

Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser renamed an area on her city's 16th Street, a block from the White House, as Black Lives Matter Plaza, unveiling a giant yellow mural on that street. The area has become the epicenter of anti-racist demonstrations.

Trump Tower, a luxury skyscraper near Central Park, is where Trump lived before leaving for the White House in January 2017.

He stays there when he visits his hometown, although such visits have grown relatively rare. Residents in overwhelmingly Democratic New York remain largely hostile to his presidency.

Trump has frequently clashed with De Blasio, a Democrat, as well as with New York's Democratic governor, Andrew Cuomo.

The president changed his official residence to Florida last year, but his business empire remains headquartered in the Big Apple.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 13:48:38|Editor: huaxia

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UNITED NATIONS, July 9 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Thursday called on countries in West Africa and the Sahel to settle differences through dialogue.

"Many countries in the region, including Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea and Niger, all have important elections later this year. We have seen tensions rising in some countries. The electoral preparations are also affected by the (COVID-19) pandemic," Geng Shuang, deputy permanent representative of China to the United Nations, told the Security Council virtual meeting on the work of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS)..

"To create a favorable external environment, the international community needs to encourage relevant parties to enhance mutual trust and resolve differences peacefully through dialogue and consultation. China supports continued good offices and mediation efforts by UNOWAS to help ensure peaceful, credible and transparent elections in those countries, on the basis of fully respecting their national ownership," said the envoy.

Geng called on the international community to help countries in the region eliminate the root causes of instability through development.

"Underdevelopment is the root cause of many challenges and threats in the region. The international community needs to provide more support for the region's socioeconomic development, especially by increasing investment in agriculture, health, education, employment and infrastructure," he said.

"We encourage UNOWAS to strengthen coordination with other UN agencies and regional and sub-regional organizations, to align international and regional development initiatives with the national strategies of regional countries to get synergy results," said the Chinese envoy.

Speaking of the security situation in the region, Geng said that efforts must be made to help countries in the region to combat security challenges.

"Terrorist attacks by Boko Haram, the Piracy of the Gulf of Guinea, and inter-communal violence seriously undermine the security and stability of the region. We call on all parties to conflict to heed the secretary-general's appeal for global ceasefire," he said.

"China commends the important role played by the Multinational Joint Task Force and the G5 Sahel Joint Force," Geng added.

"More support should be mobilized to build up the capacity of countries in the region, to more effectively combat terrorism and transnational organized crime. The international community should provide more humanitarian assistance to the region and ensure its timely delivery to the most vulnerable groups," said the envoy.

"As a good friend and a good partner, China is a strong supporter for the peace and stability in the region. We are committed to help the region eliminate poverty, improve people's well-being and promote development," he said.

China will work with UNOWAS and the international community to help countries in the region combat COVID-19, maintain peace and stability, and achieve sustainable development, Geng added. Enditem
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall and Secretary of State John Merrill have told counties and cities they cannot require voters to wear masks.

Thats a position that clashes with some local ordinances and positions of some local officials heading into Tuesdays primary runoff election, which Gov. Kay Ivey postponed from March 31 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a news release today, Merrill said he received many questions from county and city officials on the legal authority of requiring voters to wear masks.

While it can be strongly recommended that an individual wear a mask, it cannot be required, Merrill wrote. In our state, we will continue to see that the right for every eligible Alabamian to vote is protected.

Marshall issued guidance for local election officials last week and posted the notice on the attorney generals website Tuesday.

Though the Attorney General strongly recommends that voters and poll workers follow CDC guidelines when in public places and behave in a manner that is respectful of poll workers and fellow voters, it is clear that state law does not allow for an individuals qualification to vote to be contingent upon the wearing of a mask or face covering, respecting social distancing, using gloves, or having a temperature in a normal range, the notice says.

Read the notice.

Alabama is experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases and in hospitalizations caused by the virus.

Jefferson County has an ordinance requiring masks in public places, as do some Alabama cities, including Mobile, Tuscaloosa, Selma and Montgomery.

Jefferson County Place 2 Probate Judge Sherri Coleman Friday said last week said the countys mask ordinance will apply to voting places. But today, in response to the guidance from Marshall and Merrill, Jefferson County Place 1 Probate Judge Jim Naftel released a statement this afternoon saying that masks wont be required for voters.

For the July 14 primary run-off election, Alabama Secretary of State Merrill and Attorney General Marshall have issued guidance to county election officials stating unequivocally that under the Alabama Constitution no voter may be required to wear a mask or comply with other COVID-19 related safety measures as a condition to entering a polling place and exercising the right to vote. The Jefferson County Elections Commission is also mindful that since June 29, our county has been under a mandatory mask ordinance. With the support of the Jefferson County Commission, the JCEC has taken extraordinary measures to sanitize voting precincts and to provide PPE to our poll workers. While we strongly encourage all voters to take appropriate precautionsincluding wearing a covering over the nose and mouth and practicing physical distancingin order to protect our volunteer poll workers, watchers and others voters in the spirit of mutual respect and care, no voter will be required to wear a mask in order to vote. With respect to how this may impact any particular polling location out of the nearly 170 being used on Tuesday, we ask all voters to please be patient and accommodating as our poll workers and election officials work to ensure that every voter who wishes to do so may vote."

Madison County Probate Judge Frank Barger also previously announced a face mask requirement at the polls.

Related: Many Alabama voters will need to wear masks to the polls this month.

This story was updated at 2:12 p.m. to add link to notice on attorney generals website. Updated at 3:14 p.m. to add statement from Jefferson County Probate Judge Jim Naftel. Updated at 3:24 p.m. to correct the name of Probate Judge Sherri Coleman Friday.
A group of friends have been hit with $26,000 in fines after they were caught ordering KFC meals for a birthday party which broke coronavirus restrictions.

Ambulance drivers were at a KFC in the Melbourne suburb of Dandenong in Victoria at about 1.30am on Friday when they saw two people ordering 20 meals.

They spoke to the two people and filed a report which included their registration number and lead police to a house where a birthday party was taking place.

Police said the two people were 'asleep' but 16 others were caught hiding in the backyard after they just received their KFC meals.

They spoke to the two people and filed a report which included their registration number and lead police to a house where a birthday party was taking place (stock image)

Victoria Police Chief Shane Patton condemned the partygoers for breaking coronavirus restrictions.

'That is ridiculous that type of behaviour,' Police Chief Patton said.

'It is an expensive night when you think apart from the KFC, we have issued 16 infringements at that amount, that is $26,000 that birthday party is costing them.'

'That is a heck of a birthday party to recall. They will remember that one for a long time.'

Police have issued 60 other infringements in the past 24 hours.

Four of the infringements were given to sex workers after a large group of men were seen frequenting an address.

'They (the sex workers) were on a break when we attended. They have been issued infringements.'

'There is a range of totally unacceptable behaviour that is occurring.'

Police said the two people were 'asleep' but 16 others were caught hiding in the backyard after they just received their KFC meals

Victoria has recorded 288 new coronavirus cases, the worst figure of any state since the pandemic began.

Twenty-six are connected to known outbreaks and the source of the rest is under investigation.

'That is ridiculous that type of behaviour': Victoria Police Chief Shane Patton (pictured) condemned the partygoers for breaking coronavirus restrictions

Melburnians were back in stay-at-home lockdown for six weeks in a bid to contain a second wave of coronavirus cases in the state.

Residents in metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire, north of the city, can only leave their homes to get food and supplies, receive or provide care, exercise, and study or work.

Chief Patton warned the police crackdown on COVID-19 restrictions will not ease any time soon.

'I expect to see those infringements numbers rise from those parties and things like that,' he said.

'It is finished. The time for that is done and we will continue to issue the infringements to make people comply,'
Investors are starting to lighten up on the long side because they feel support will disappear after this week as coronavirus cases are surging in several U.S. states. A spike in coronavirus cases across several U.S. states raised the prospect of renewed lockdowns and other restrictions that would dent any sustained recovery in fuel demand.

The new worries about fuel demand surfaced just one day after data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration showed U.S. gasoline stockpiles fell by 4.8 million barrels last week, much more than analysts expected, as demand hit its highest level since March 20.

Prices also dropped after Libya National Oil Corporation announced it had lifted its force majeure on all oil exports after a half-year blockade by eastern forces.

While the oil market has undoubtedly made progressthe large, and in some countries, accelerating number of COVID-19 cases is a disturbing reminder that the pandemic is not under control, the IEA said.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures are trading mixed at the end of the week and poised to close lower for the week as inventories rose and record-breaking new coronavirus cases in the United States stoked concern about the pace of economic recovery and fuel demand. Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency (IEA) bumped up its 2020 oil demand forecast on Friday, but warned that the spread of COVID-19 posed a risk to the outlook.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures are trading mixed at the end of the week and poised to close lower for the week as inventories rose and record-breaking new coronavirus cases in the United States stoked concern about the pace of economic recovery and fuel demand. Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency (IEA) bumped up its 2020 oil demand forecast on Friday, but warned that the spread of COVID-19 posed a risk to the outlook.

While the oil market has undoubtedly made progressthe large, and in some countries, accelerating number of COVID-19 cases is a disturbing reminder that the pandemic is not under control, the IEA said.

Prices also dropped after Libya National Oil Corporation announced it had lifted its force majeure on all oil exports after a half-year blockade by eastern forces.

The new worries about fuel demand surfaced just one day after data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration showed U.S. gasoline stockpiles fell by 4.8 million barrels last week, much more than analysts expected, as demand hit its highest level since March 20.

Investors are starting to lighten up on the long side because they feel support will disappear after this week as coronavirus cases are surging in several U.S. states. A spike in coronavirus cases across several U.S. states raised the prospect of renewed lockdowns and other restrictions that would dent any sustained recovery in fuel demand.

Apple Maps Driving Activity is Slowing Again in Warning Sign for the Economy: CNBC

As coronavirus cases surge across the United States, Apple Maps data shows a slowdown in requests for driving directions, a potential warning sign as the country works to restart the economy amid the pandemic.

The four states that are the leaders in average daily new reported cases over the past week, according to Johns Hopkins University data  Florida, Texas, California, and Arizona  have each seen a recent decline in driving directions requests.

While the Apple mobility data is just one signal that may provide insight into what the future will bring for the U.S. economic comeback, its an example of the kind of high-frequency indicators some investors are keeping an eye on.

Economic data reports typically lag by a month or so, and may not capture the most recent developments caused by the fast-moving virus.

Junes job report, for example, showed promising employment gains but did not account for the recent resurgence in coronavirus cases due to the timing of the government survey.

Russia Does Not Plan Saudi Talks Ahead of OPEC+ Monitoring Meeting: Kremlin

The Kremlin said on Thursday Russia currently had no plans to hold talks with Saudi Arabia ahead of a joint OPEC+ ministerial monitoring committee meeting due to be held next week, Reuters in Moscow reported.

Weekly Technical Analysis

Weekly August WTI Crude Oil

Trend Analysis

The main trend is down according to the weekly swing chart, however, momentum continues to trend higher. The main trend will change to up on a trade through $54.71. A trade through $20.28 will signal a resumption of the downtrend.

The minor trend is up. This is controlling the momentum. A trade through $41.63 will indicate the momentum is getting stronger, while a trade through $34.66 will change the minor trend to down.

The main range is $62.21 to $20.28. Its 50% to 61.8% retracement zone at $41.25 to $46.19 is resistance. This zone stopped the rally at $41.63 two weeks ago.

The short-term range is $20.28 to $41.63. If the minor trend changes to down then its retracement zone at $30.96 to $28.44 will become the primary downside target.

The new minor range is $34.66 to $41.63. Its 50% level at $38.15 has been providing some support.

Weekly Technical Forecast

Based on the recent price action, the direction of the August WTI crude oil market the week-ending July 17 is likely to be determined by trader reaction to the main 50% level at $41.25.

Bearish Scenario

A sustained move under $41.25 will indicate that sellers are still defending the downtrend, or betting on lower prices. If this creates enough downside momentum then look for the selling to possibly extend into a downtrending angle at $35.21.

Crossing to the weak side of $35.21 will put the market in a bearish position. This could lead to a test of the minor bottom at $34.66.

The minor bottom at $34.66 is a potential trigger point for an acceleration to the downside with the next target $30.96.

Bullish Scenario

Overcoming and sustaining a rally over $41.25 will signal the presence of buyers. The first upside target is a steep uptrending Gann angle at $44.28. Crossing to the strong side of this angle will put the market in a bullish position. This could lead to a test of $46.19, followed by a downtrending angle at $48.71. This is the potential trigger point for an acceleration to the upside.

Weekly Technical Outlook

The price action the past six weeks has clearly shown that the key level to overcome for the bullish traders is $41.25. Traders seem to be reluctant to buy strength which will be necessary to overcome this level. If they grow tired of trying to trigger a breakout then they may just settle for starting a pullback into the short-term retracement zone at $30.96 or $28.44.

Bullish traders have to decide whether to chase the market higher and fuel a breakout to the upside, or play for value and let the market correct into a support zone.

Weekly Fundamental Outlook

The question traders are asking themselves ahead of the weekend is: Will the rapidly rising COVID-19 in the United States affect demand enough to drive up crude oil and gasoline inventories?

This question wont be answered until next weeks American Petroleum Institute (API) and Energy Information Administration (EIA) weekly storage reports are released.

In the meantime, there will be a lot of speculation and with that will come volatility and two-sided trading. At this time, traders seem to be following the lead of the equity market traders and shrugging off the coronavirus numbers, while maintaining their focus on a V-shaped recovery for the economy. But crude oil traders cant hide behind the stock market rally for too long before reality finally sets in.

Big jumps in inventories next week will likely light the fuse for an eventual break back to $30.96 to $28.44 over the near-term, while steady to lower inventories readings may finally give traders the confidence needed to successfully overcome $41.25.
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The ISPCA has issued an urgent appeal for information concerning three Donegal puppies dumped in a plastic bag and left for dead dangling over a river near Drumkeen, on the Ballybofey to Letterkenny route earlier this week.

Carmel Murray of the ISPCA told donegallive.ie that it was a shocking discovery and was a horrible thing to happen to any animal.

THE BAG LEFT DANGLING ON THE SIDE OF THE RIVER

Shortly before 9pm on Wednesday 8th July, Smyths Veterinary Services received a call from a concerned member of the public about what they thought was kittens abandoned in a bag, near the crossing of a river that was inaccessible.

Alexander Smyth, Director of Veterinary Service was at the scene shortly after receiving the call. On arrival, Alexander found a plastic bag hanging from a strand of barbed wire at the top of a fence and proceeded to perform a specialist rescue, knowing that if the bag became detached or ripped, whatever was inside would almost certainly drown in the fast-moving water.

It was only then that he discovered three new born collie puppies; deliberately dumped in the plastic bag and tossed towards the river, to be drowned.

The puppies were immediately removed to safety and treated for hypothermia, hypoglycaemia and hunger by the veterinary team who were on standby. The vulnerable puppies were no more than seven to ten days old.

THE DONEGAL PUPPIES BEING RESCUED FROM THE PLASTIC BAG

ISPCA Senior Inspector Kevin McGinley said: It is disturbing how anyone could be so cruel and heartless, to put three vulnerable little puppies in a plastic bag leaving them to dangle over a river to an inevitable death. There is just no words. These three puppies are lucky to be alive thanks to the kind-hearted member of the public and to Smyth Veterinary Services for rescuing them. Its unclear how long the puppies were there, but they are now receiving round the clock care at the ISPCA Animal Rehabilitation Centre. The situation could easily have been avoided if the puppies mother had been spayed or if the dogs owner had contacted the ISPCA for help. Spaying and Neutering is the obvious solution in preventing unwanted puppies from being born in the first place.

THE LITTLE PUPPIES GETTING THE TLC TREATMENT THAT THEY DESERVED

Director of Veterinary Service, Alexander Smyth said: This is a tragedy in this day and age with so many animal charities and places that are willing to care for these animals, the suffering of these animals could have been avoided. Whilst we have provided a specialist rescue service to numerous pets, wildlife and large animals, we are not a shelter and do not have the facilities to provide long term care for these animals once they are rescued. The dedicated staff at Donegal ISPCA were thankfully able to take these puppies into their care, for that we owe them a debt of gratitude. The puppies are doing well but will require intensive support as they are very young and now orphans, and the ISPCA team will continue to provide this over the coming weeks. We support the work of the ISPCA charity and all the good work they do for the welfare of animals across Ireland. It is only possible with donations from the public and we encourage people to consider them in their charitable donations.

ONE OF THE CUTE LITTLE DONEGAL PUPPIES GETTING FED

Alexander added: The abuse and needless suffering of animals is unacceptable, and we encourage if anyone has any information about any cases of abuse, neglect or otherwise that they should make it know to authorities so it can be stopped. Animals in these situations are stressed and/ or wild and they can pose risks to persons attempting to rescue them. The environments such as rivers and confined spaces can pose further hazards to rescuers, so you should not attempt any rescues of wildlife, pets or farm animals without specialist training and when completely safe to do so. Contact the ISPCA, Fire Service or your local Veterinary Surgeon for advice.

The ISPCA would like to remind pet owners that animal abandonment is a criminal offence and is appealing to anybody with information to contact the National Animal Cruelty Helpline in confidence on 1890 515 515, email helpline@ispca.ie or report online https://www.ispca.ie/ cruelty_complaint

If you can, please make a kind donation to support our ongoing work here https://www.ispca.ie/donate/
NEW YORK, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Greenstein & Milbauer, LLP, a law firm based in New York City, has filed a lawsuit in Westchester County Supreme Court (57035/2020), alleging child sexual assault at The Children's Village of Dobbs Ferry, NY. This is the 4th lawsuit Greenstein & Milbauer, LLP has filed against The Children's Village under New York's Child Victims Act.

From approximately 1979-1980, Plaintiff, then a minor, was repeatedly sexually abused while a resident at The Children's Village. Throughout the period in which the abuse occurred, Defendant was generally negligent, it negligently employed, supervised and retained employees and/or agents who sexually abused minor residents and negligently gave them access to children. Defendant's employees and/or agents also negligently allowed minor residents to sexually abuse other minor residents. In addition to being abused by Defendant's employees and/or agents, Plaintiff was also abused by older minor residents. This lawsuit arises out of Plaintiff's significant damages from that sexual abuse.

Multiple Survivors of The Children's Village have contacted Greenstein & Milbauer, LLP, a law firm based in New York City, alleging sexual assault at The Children's Village, a facility for delinquent and dependent youth. Many sexual assault survivors are afraid to come forward for fear of not being believed or being blamed for what happened to them. Many times, when the sexual assault survivors finally came forward to share their truth, the statute of limitations would have already expired. New York's Child Victims Act, signed into law last year, now allows innocent victims of child sexual abuse, like these children, the opportunity to seek compensation and hold their perpetrators accountable.

GREENSTEIN & MILBAUER, LLP IS OFFERING FREE CONSULTATIONS

If you have information about child sexual abuse at The Children's Village, or you were sexually abused at The Children's Village, contact Greenstein & Milbauer LLP by calling 1-800-VICTIM2 (1-800-842-8462). The call is free.

The compassionate New York Child Sexual Abuse Lawyers at Greenstein & Milbauer, LLP are there to listen. They understand that coming forward is very difficult. They can help. They will walk you through the process. They are committed to holding abusers and institutions like The Children's Village accountable. The call is free. The consultation is free. You don't pay them unless they are successful.

Related Links

http://www.nycLawFirm.com

For more information contact:

Rob Greenstein

1-800-VICTIM2 (1-800-842-8462)

[email protected]

SOURCE Greenstein & Milbauer, LLP

Related Links

https://www.greensteinmilbauer.com/


Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 10)  Amid the continuing fight against COVID-19, the Department of Health has given the green light to use the low-cost, locally developed test kits again.

The first batch of the University of the Philippines GenAmplify COVID-19 rRT-PCR Detection Kit was invented by a team of scientists from the National Institutes of Health of the University of the Philippines, the Philippine Genome Center, and The Manila HealthTek, Inc.

It received its certificate of product registration in April. But it was recalled in May due to minor problems."

In a radio interview, the Food and Drug Administration said some reagents had been contaminated, yielding indeterminate results in 30 percent of the samples tested.

But Health Spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire said Friday that the developers of the test kits have already fixed the deficiencies.

Nakapag-submit na sila ng bago. Na-validate na ulit ng RITM (Research Institute for Tropical Medicine). Tinutulungan natin sila ngayon para maumpisahan na natin ang paggamit sa [mga] piling laboratoryo dito sa ating bansa. So tayo ay magbibigay na lang ng final advisories sa ating laboratories, and we can already use [these] UP test [kits], Vergeire said.

[Translation: They have submitted new test kits, which were validated by the RITM already. We are also coordinating with them, so we can start using the equipment in select laboratories as soon as possible. We only have to give out final advisories to the testing facilities, and we can already use these UP test kits.]

She added that the agency already wrote to the Department of Science and Technology to inform them that they may continue the distribution of the test kits.

We are saying 'yes'  na magagamit na  because mayroon nang special certification from FDA, Vergeire said.

[Translation: We are saying "yes"  we can use it  because we have already obtained special certification from the FDA.]

Laboratory technicians need to undergo training before they can utilize the locally-made test kits.

The Philippines now has 52,914 cases of the dreaded coronavirus infection, with 13,230 recoveries and 1,360 deaths.
United Nations, July 11 : UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres wants the death of a father and a son from Sathankulam in Tamil Nadu while in police custody with alleged signs of torture investigated, according to his Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.

"Every death of all these cases as a principle need to be fully investigated," Dujarric said on Friday when he was asked about the deaths of P Jayaraj and his son J Fennix, allegedly due to torture by police after their arrest on June 19.

Human rights organisations have called for ensuring police accountability in India.

Human Rights Watch South Asia Director Meenakshi Ganguly said, "As the world responds with horror at the killing of George Floyd, it is important for authorities in India to also embark upon robust efforts to ensure police reform, accountability, and putting an end to the culture of impunity." The killing of Floyd by police in Minneapolis has sparked a nation-wide movement in the US that has brought out into the open long-standing tradition of police brutality against minorities. The protests have spread to several countries around the world leading to an examination of police conduct, particularly towards minorities, and demands for reforms to end impunity.

Ganguly said about the Sathankulam case, "Despite numerous court directives and arrest procedures, the two recent deaths in Tamil Nadu has exposed yet again how police officers believe not only that they have the right to 'teach someone a lesson', but as was reported in the magistrate's inquiry, that they will not be held accountable." Amnesty International India Executive Director Avinash Kumar said, "The deaths of Jayaraj and Fennix once again signal towards India's continuing failure to hold its police accountable." He noted that "according to the 2018 National Crimes Record Bureau data, Tamil Nadu accounted for the second highest deaths in custody".

"The Tamil Nadu State government cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the torture meted out by its police officers. It must show firm resolve by punishing the police officers involved and ensuring that Jayaraj and Fennix's families get justice." Although torture has been outlawed in international law for over three decades, they are still not recognized as distinct crimes under Indian law, he said.

"India signed the UN Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment in 1997, but has not yet passed domestic legislation that will enable it to ratify the Convention," he said.

The Prevention of Torture Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha in 2010 but has lapsed without the Rajya Sabha passing it.

The arrest of Jayaraj and Fennix, who ran a mobile phone shop, was reportedly related to the COVID-19 regulations on store closings.

They were taken to jail in Kovilpatti and Jayaraj died on June 21 and his son the next morning with signs of torture.

Merchants in Tamil Nadu held a one-day protest and there were other sporadic protests in Tamil Nadu but demonstrations were dampened by COVID-19 restrictions.

The Madras High Court has ordered an inquiry by police and six police personnel have been charged, with at least six arrested.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter at @arulouis)
Apple is to begin a phased process of bringing 6,000 staff to its campus office in Hollyhill, Cork from July 20th.

In a memo to staff, the companys Irish boss, Cathy Kearney, said that face coverings would be required in any shared spaces at the facility.

We also encourage you to take the At-Home Daily Health Check every morning before leaving home from the office, she said.

Apple is Cork Citys largest employer and runs one of the countrys biggest tech campuses.

Ms Kearney did not say how many staff would be returning from July 20th or how long it would take for the majority to return.

Teams will hear from their managers if they are included in this phase, she said in the memo.

Well continue to take the health and safety measures weve put in place, including limited building occupancy, deep cleanings of our office, required physical distancing, health screenings and temperature checks.

She said Apple would be flexible with staff facing challenges around care-giving, personal health or other family obligations.

Ms Kearney also singled out local Apple staff who contributed to community efforts during the pandemic.

I want to recognise the efforts of our logistics teams who worked tirelessly to provide the HSE with face masks as well as iPhones to help with testing of the Covid Tracker app, she said in the memo, which also mentioned local charities.

From donating iPads to Cork University Hospital that help Covid-19 patients keep in touch with family, to 400 Apple employees volunteering to raise funds for the hospital, while others have been working with Age Action your efforts have made a difference.

Apple faces a big court date next week when European authorities issue their decision on the tax case involving the company, Ireland and the European Commission.
Ottawa, July 10 : Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's mother Margaret and his brother Alexandre have both been paid tens of thousands of dollars to appear at events for WE Charity, according to a media report.

In a response to an inquiry from CBC News, WE Charity on Thursday provided details of the speaking fees paid to both individuals for their participation at events between 2016 and 2020.

Both Margaret Trudeau and Alexandre are registered with the Speakers' Spotlight Bureau, which arranges appearances for clients in exchange for negotiated fees.

Margaret Trudeau spoke at approximately 28 events and received honoraria amounting to C$250,000. Alexandre spoke at eight events and received approximately C$32,000, the CBC News report said.

Prime Minister Trudeau and his government have been under fire since it announced on June 25 that they were awarding a C$19.5 million sole-source contract to WE Charity to administer the Canada Student Service Grant, a C$912 million program offering grants of between C$1,000 and C$5,000 to post-secondary students in return for supervised volunteer hours.

WE Charity said last week it was pulling out of administering CSSG, citing the ongoing controversy surrounding it and the government's decision to give the sole-source contract to the organisation.

Prime Minister Trudeau said the federal government would take over the program.

On July 3, Canada's Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion announced that he was probing a possible breach of federal conflict of interest act by Prime Minister Trudeau over his government's decision.

On Thursday evening, the Prime Minister's Office confirmed that Justin Trudeau's wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, "received C$1,500" for participating in a WE event in 2012, before he became leader of the ruling Liberal Party.

"The Prime Mminister has never received payment for any events with WE," the PMO was quoted as saying by CBC News.

Earlier this week, opposition MPs on the House of Commons finance committee passed two motions meant to pry more information out of the Trudeau government about the process that led to the decision to task the WE Charity with administering the federal program.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
[July 10, 2020] Antares Supports Kohlberg & Company's Acquisition of GPRS Holdings

Antares announced today that it served as lead left arranger and is acting as administrative agent on a senior secured credit facility to support the acquisition of GPRS Holdings ("GPRS") by Kohlberg & Company ("Kohlberg"). Founded in 2001 in Toledo, OH, GPRS is the nation's largest provider of advanced scanning services for subsurface infrastructure. GPRS has an extensive nationwide network of 250+ highly trained and experienced project managers in every major U.S. market. "We view Antares as a value-added partner which provided certain and scalable financing, important in the current market," said Benjamin Mao, partner of Kohlberg. "Antares has provided GPRS with a flexible capital structure that will support the company in its execution of its long-term strategic plan." "As always, we're pleased to support Kohlberg in their latest investment," said Vince Di Grande, senior vice president with Antares Capital. "GPRS is a market leader with a strong value proposition for its clients and world class operations. We look forward to working closely with Kohlberg and the GPRS team as they pursue contiued growth for the business."



About Antares With approximately $27 billion of capital under management and administration as of December 31, 2019, Antares is a private debt credit manager and leading provider of financing solutions for middle-market private equity-backed transactions. In 2019, Antares issued approximately $17 billion in financing commitments to borrowers through its robust suite of products including first lien revolvers, term loans and delayed draw term loans, 2nd lien term loans, unitranche facilities and equity investments. Antares' world-class capital markets experts hold relationships with more than 400 banks and institutional investors allowing the firm to structure, distribute and trade syndicated loans on behalf of its customers. Since its founding in 1996, Antares has been recognized by industry organizations as a leading provider of middle market private debt. The company maintains offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Toronto. Visit Antares at www.antares.com or follow the company on LinkedIn (News - Alert) at http://www.linkedin.com/company/antares-capital-lp. Antares Capital LP is a subsidiary of Antares Holdings LP (collectively, "Antares").

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NEW YORKA Canadian fashion mogul is asking a U.S. court to dismiss a class-action lawsuit alleging he sexually assaulted dozens of women.

Peter Nygards motion filed Wednesday in a New York court argues it does not have jurisdiction to hear the lawsuit.

Fifty-seven women, including 18 Canadians, have joined the lawsuit, which alleges that Nygard used violence, intimidation, bribery and company employees to lure victims and avoid accountability for decades.

The women are asking for a trial by jury and are seeking yet-to-be determined damages.

Nygard, who is 78, has denied all allegations and blames a conspiracy caused by a feud with his billionaire neighbour in the Bahamas.

He stepped down as chair of his company after the FBI and police in New York City raided his offices in February soon after the lawsuit was filed.

The original lawsuit against Nygard included allegations from 10 women accusing him of enticing them to his estate in the Bahamas. Women continued to add their names to the lawsuit.

Some of the allegations date back 40 years.

In court documents, the women share stories about being brought to Nygards offices and properties with promises of modelling and other career opportunities. Some of the women allege they were given alcohol spiked with drugs before they were sexually assaulted.

The lawsuit contains allegations that have not been proven in court.

Nygard was once one of the richest people in Canada. The lawsuit said Nygard has an estimated net worth of about $900 million.

He started his company in Winnipeg more than 50 years ago.

Nygard says Manitoba has been his primary residence since the start of 2019. He considered Nassau in the Bahamas, where he has permanent residency, his main home from 1970 until that time.

Court documents say he is not a citizen or permanent resident in the United States and doesnt pay taxes in New York.

Nygard also says that while New York City was described as the Nygard world or corporate headquarters, it was only done for promotional and marketing purposes.

The motion argues that the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York does not have jurisdiction for those reasons.

The documents also say the womens claims are not eligible for a class-action suit.

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Traffic through Dublin Port fell by 17% between April and the end of June with imports of new vehicles falling 65% and ferry passenger numbers down 78%.

The port company said the drop in the second quarter was less than had been feared following a decline in the month of April of -26.2%.

Dublin Port had already recorded a decline of 4.8% in the first quarter compared which had been attributed to Brexit stockpiling in the first quarter of last year but the declines steepened significantly in the second quarter as the Covid-19 pandemic impacted the country.

Combined trailers and container traffic fell by 13.5% to 321,000 units in the second quarter. Imports of new trade vehicles through the port between April and June period decreased by 64.9% to 9,900 and a significant decline appears inevitable for the rest of the year. There were no cruise ship calls to Dublin Port during the second quarter and none are anticipated for the remainder of the year.

Dublin Ports Chief Executive, Eamonn OReilly said throughput for the full year would be back to where it was in 2016.

We saw after the 2008 recession how rapidly the Irish economy can recover from a deep recession and we seem to be seeing some evidence of this resilience in recent months where a 26.2% fall-off in April was followed by a smaller decline of 20.5% in May and by a decline of just 5.5% in June.
The leadership of the Eastern Regional NDC has sent a clear signal to the Kwahu Traditional Council that it will not be shaken by their form of intimidation

The NDC leaders are fighting a directive issued by the Kwahu chiefs to the effect that two Pro-NDC radio stations; OKwahu FM and Afram FM, should be closed with immediate effect.

The two stations are owned by the former Eastern Regional Secretary of the party, Mark Oliver Kevor.

It has also banned the NDC from holding events on its land until further notice.

The decision came after the Council accused the party and its regional executives of gross disrespect and invoking curses on supposed non-residents seeking to register in the ongoing nationwide voters registration exercise.

The Eastern Regional Communications Officer of the NDC, Dallas Williams on Eyewitness News said the partys regional executives are unfazed by the Councils decision.

We do not want to drag issues with Nananom. We will not fall short in protecting our rights and we will not allow anybody to intimate us. Nananom cannot just order for the closure of radio stations. That cannot be done.

He indicated that the Council failed to engage with NDC executives and hear their side of the story before arriving at those decisions.

He said party executives have reported the issue to the Divisional Police Command.

In order not to be described as people who do not work with laws, we formally lodged a complaint with the Divisional Police Command, he said.

---CitinewsRoom
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

En espanol | The best ways to minimize the risk of COVID-19 spread during the November elections are to provide voters a variety of options for casting their ballots, and to safely prepare polling stations, according to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

"Elections with only in-person voting on a single day are higher risk for COVID-19 spread because there will be larger crowds and longer wait times, the CDC guidance says. The agency suggests that election officials, poll workers and voters practice such personal prevention measures as wearing cloth face coverings, handwashing, physical distancing, staying home when sick, and cleaning and disinfecting polling stations and equipment.

Each state sets the rules for its elections when it comes to whether residents can vote early, absentee ballots and how polling stations will be operated.
With new Polish citizenship, Russian-born Tatiana Filatova, 69, is finally able to exercise her democratic right to vote. Stateless for years, she is voting for the first time ever, in Polands presidential election. UNHCR/Marcin Morawicki

Tatiana Filatova is beaming with satisfaction as she leaves a Warsaw polling station, where she has just voted for the first time in her life at the ripe old age of 69. She has had her say in the Polish presidential election.

For so many years I was struggling to get documents, she says. Tatiana, who previously had a Soviet passport, was stateless in Poland for nearly three decades. She only recently received Polish citizenship.

UNHCR is campaigning to end statelessness, which affects at least 10 million people worldwide. Poland is one of three EU countries yet to ratify the UNs two conventions on statelessness (1954 and 1961).

I am happy Tatianas many years as a stateless person came to an end and that she was granted Polish citizenship, says Christine Goyer, UNHCRs representative in Poland. However, there are more stateless people in Poland, who remain without a solution and live in legal limbo, unable to access their basic rights. This is why UNHCR encourages Poland to become a party to the two statelessness conventions, to better identify, protect and find solutions for stateless persons.

Tatiana lives in a hostel for the homeless, on a tiny welfare benefit. Her story illustrates how a stateless person can fall through societys cracks, missing out on many things that citizens take for granted, simply for lack of documents. It is a long story that begins back in the USSR.

Tatiana was born in 1951 in Chelyabinsk in the Urals. Her father, a chemist from the Moscow region, was in a labour camp there under Stalin. Her mother was a local Urals woman. Only after Stalin died in 1953 was the family free to move. Tatiana has happy memories of travelling with her father in the Soviet Union when she was growing up.

Tatiana studied medicine in Leningrad. She married a Chechen and went to live with his family in Kazakhstan. (They too had been exiled under Stalin.) Later Tatiana followed her husband to Chechnya. They lived in Urus Martan and had two sons.

Tatiana says that as a woman in Chechnya, she was expected to stay at home. She prefers not to talk about how she left Chechnya and arrived in Warsaw in 1991, as the Soviet Union was collapsing. She says only that it was a miracle. She left her sons behind and is uncertain what became of her husband as Chechnya descended into war.

The Soviet passport on which she had travelled expired. Tatiana tried to obtain a new Russian one but had no joy. Thus she ended up stateless in Poland. She did work, albeit unofficially, and she never slept on the streets. I was never homeless or unemployed and I could see a doctor, she says. It was just lack of documents that was the problem.

In fact, Tatiana felt at home in Poland. When I came to Warsaw, it was as if I already knew the place, she says. She found comfort in Catholicism and various Catholic groups supported her. She was able to earn her living as a translator and helped others who had come from the former Soviet Union.

These days Tatiana lives in one of seven houses for the vulnerable run by the Bread of Life organisation, founded by Polish nun Sister Magorzata Chmielewska. Tatianas house has 100 residents with various disabilities or social problems. Tatiana shares a room with six other women. She makes herself useful by cleaning and cooking.

It is very hard, she says. I cannot put it into words, I have no privacy

But receiving a dowod osobisty (Polish ID) and the promise of a passport has brightened her spirits. She made use of her new-found right to vote in the first round of the presidential election on 28 June and will vote again in the run-off between the top two candidates in July.

Not only was it the first time she had voted in Poland but the first time she had ever voted. Back in the Soviet Union, there was nobody to vote for, she says.

At nearly 70, she realises that statelessness robbed her of opportunities  to work officially, to build up savings  that will not come again. At the same time, she has plans. Despite her age, she hopes to get a paid job, to travel and perhaps to get some accommodation of her own.

If God wants to, He gives, she says. The Universe is very clever. It hears what people really want and it knows what will be right for them and useful for others.

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Despite this being an election year, the 'core' liberal ideas of American constitutional democracy have lost the discursive and mobilisational power they once commanded

In the decades after the collapse of modern empires and the emergence of several newly-independent States, like India, political leaders and development theorists made popular an idea that came to be called brain drain theory. The idea was simply that the country's 'brightest', when given opportunities to study abroad, would leave the country taking not just their ideas and innovations with them but also the social capital or the networks that they shaped.

Instead of their home countries benefiting from their talents, societies elsewhere, and, in particular, American or Western European universities, institutions and companies, would gain from the incredible perspectives that people from the developing world had to offer. Ironically enough, the theory was made popular by theorists who had left their home countries for more promising shores themselves.

Brain drain came to be severely critiqued in the 1990s, with two significant sets of arguments among others: First, investment in varied forms of quality education and attempts to equalise accessibility to it had led to an acknowledgment that the 'brightest' were not limited to those who had opportunities to study or work abroad. Second, with the militant globalisation of the 1990s and the resulting mobility of labour, capital, markets, research, and communications across national borders, 'the brains' no longer remained confined to one part of the world but could easily travel, endow, and embed themselves in other parts of the world, especially places in 'the global south'.

Today, both these forms of critique and the possibilities they sought to establish, are under attack. Its most immediate manifestation in centres that have benefited from the ideas and labour, and even investments, of diverse people from the rest of the world, are the new regulations by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for international students. The ICE announced this week that all international students on F-1 and M-1 visas attending universities with courses registered entirely online may not remain in the United States. This announcement effectively leaves Undergraduate, Masters, and PhD international students in the US, most of them predominantly on the F-1 visa, with the following legally plausible options: Either they have to pack up and leave the country at the end of August if all their courses are online, or they could transfer to a programme or university that offers at least one in-person class which involves face-to-face interaction with a faculty member.

President Donald Trump followed the ICE announcement, as he is usually prone to do, with a tweet which declared in capital letters:

SCHOOLS MUST OPEN IN THE FALL!!!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 6, 2020

The president's response to the new regulations made it clear that foreign students have become pawns in the US federal government's strategic move to force American universities to open its campuses amid a global pandemic that has devastated the US far more than any other country in the world. After all, schools in other affluent parts of the world have opened now that many of these countries  especially those in East Asia and Europe have flattened the dreaded COVID-19 curve while the US struggles to encourage, or even defend, basic social distancing norms.

However, all evidence indicates that opening universities will risk not just the lives of international students, but American students, faculty, and other employees of universities as well. Even as several universities file lawsuits against and seek a stay order on ICE's new regulations, the motivations of this arbitrary power play by the ICE and the POTUS and embedded in, and will have a long-lasting impact on the larger processes that have shaped the sustenance of the United States as a terminus for the untethered exchange of ideas, creativity, and innovation of the world's 'brightest'.

Without a public health system in place, the people of the United States have had to witness its insurance-driven healthcare system struggle to cope with the high caseload of coronavirus patients. The health crisis is only one of the multiple crises that American society, economy, and politics are witnessing: A vast number of people have lost their jobs during the pandemic. Social distancing procedures have neither taken root in several American states nor have they been endorsed by various state administrations. Increasing economic inequality seems to be a growing inevitability in the visible future. The large and widespread protests following the murder of George Floyd have forced the country's White majority to severely rethink the various ways in which America's foundational institutions, including its privatised prisons, inherently reproduce a racist and incarceral everyday life for many of its minorities.

Despite this being an election year, the 'core' liberal ideas of American constitutional democracy  upholding the dignity of each individual, defending the associative nature of politics, and checking the arbitrary power of the state  have lost the discursive and mobilisational power they once commanded. Amidst the humiliating failure of the American system to handle these multiple crises, ICE's move appears to be one that forces American schools to open their campuses as an inflated show of strength and recovery.

There is little doubt today that American politics is rapidly hurtling towards curbing not just what Trump calls illegal immigration but different kinds of legal immigration as well. The transition from substantive calls to build a wall on the US-Mexico border and bans on those from certain Muslim-majority countries travelling to the States in the early years of the Trump presidency, to migrant detentions at the start of 2020, the blocks on flights to Europe and China from the States, the suspension of the entry of immigrants using H-1B and J-1 visas into the country, and the change in immigration rules demanding that all students on an F-1 visa must leave the country has only taken four years.

The once unquestionable American argument that private interest and investment in bringing innovation from around the world into the US as a sustainable foundation for any driving force towards building a larger and technologically advanced global market dominance is now screeching to a halt before the American State-drawn limits of a parochial, national border.

It is not just American democracy that is under stress. The governments of democracies like India, which had once been praised and touted for their embrace of constitutional democracy, free media, and global capital after the 1990s, have little to no response for the multiple existing crises that the pandemic has only managed to weakly underline in a highly policed and fear-filled public discourse. The continuous targeting of academic spaces in India, the arrest of multiple students on arbitrary grounds using extraordinary laws in the middle of a severe health crisis, the endorsement of this by the Indian mainstream media, and all of this following a violent and majoritarian reworking of Indian citizenship by the Central government has a deep significance for those of her citizens studying in the US and currently facing expulsion due to ICE regulations.

In the past 20 years or so, the mobility of students between India and the United States, hasnt been limited to an elite, or an upper middle class from big Indian metropolitans alone. The expansion in public education, enabled by the policies of the pre-Narendra Modi regime, that paid some attention to welfare state models of minimum basic social rights and accepted education as a universal right, created a large pool of first- or second-generation students who had high-quality undergraduate and Masters degrees.

While reservations were not properly implemented across educational institutions, its minimum execution in some institutions enabled Dalit students, and those belonging to other minorities and backward castes, to access national law schools, IITs and various other Central and state universities. It is the access to these quality institutions within India, and the rigorous training and relationships built in these, that enabled a large number of mobile Indian students one encounters elsewhere in the world today.

Contemporary American universities have large components of Indian students in different departments, and many of them come not from Delhi, Kolkata and Bengaluru alone, but also Guwahati, Darbhanga, Bhopal, Ahmedabad, Trichi, Panaji, Nagpur, Jodhpur, Rohtak, Mandi and Srinagar. Multiple highly skilled Indian-origin immigrants across the United States, and other affluent countries, were first trained in the public educational institutions that the Central or state governments built before moving to the United States for advanced degrees that gave them access to jobs anywhere in the world without necessarily 'draining' India of their interest, research or investment in her society, economy or politics.

The most obvious evidence of this has been the sheer financial, ideological and technological support that has been built and maintained across the Indian diaspora in the United States to sustain the BJP as a ruling party, and Modi as India's prime minister. But other flows of ideas, capital, labour, and research, that lie on a range of exchanges seemingly less insidious than the tightly-knit Hindutva networks also thrived because of the initial encouragement, networks, and circulatory power of educational institutions both in India and the United States. Many of these have returned to India to lead institutions, write/speak consistently in/to the media, invest in local businesses, and carry out innovative research within India.

Much of the research ranging from medical experiments to developmental studies to the humanities in India is carried out by scholars who divide their time between India and the United States, including many candidates on the F-1, J-1 or H-1B visas. Moving out of the national boundaries of a nation has not implied an escape or abandonment of the concerns of the nation in the last three decades.

The ICE regulations are not merely a blatant rejection of the overestimated privileges that international students paying for their education in America are often said to have. If implemented, they will imply the loss of thousands of scholarships, multiple collaborative projects, and little to no access to research funding, especially when all of these different and essential aspects to education and research are facing an extreme paucity within India today. Even if various stay orders are passed, the impact this will have on safe environments for education, research, and knowledge will endure.

With the repeated attacks on higher education and the exclusionary and incarceral policing of fixed national borders, both in India and the US, the varied promises and possibilities of having a visa to study in American universities which have access to almost every educational resource conceived of (including those who are marginalised or not considered as knowledge by all), of having the capacity to live elsewhere and learn from different political communities and the societies they have built or failed to, and of using higher education as a plank to secure ones place in the world and expand ones understanding of it is failing. Rebuilding it will not merely take a concerted effort from students, but will require polities as a whole to rethink the relevance of expansive knowledge and build an irreverence to confining borders.

The author is a political theorist and intellectual historian. She is a teaching fellow and doctoral candidate at Columbia University, New York. Views expressed are personal
Gagik Tsarukian, the leader of the main opposition Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK), on Friday again accused Prime Minister Nikol Pashinians government of mishandling the coronavirus crisis and its socioeconomic consequences.

But Tsarukian stopped short of explicitly demanding the governments resignation this time around, saying more vaguely instead that inept officials must be replaced by competent ones.

The authorities are said to be afraid of Tsarukian and this is why they launched a campaign against him, he said in a lengthy statement. They should not be afraid of Tsarukian. They should be afraid of hundreds of thousands of people left without work and income.

Tsarukian, who is also a wealthy businessman, attacked the government and demanded its resignation at a June 5 meeting with senior BHK members. We are losing the country, he declared in a speech strongly condemned by Pashinian and the ruling My Step bloc.

Ten days later, Tsarukian was stripped of its parliamentary immunity from prosecution and indicted on vote buying charges rejected by him as politically motivated. He claims that Pashinian ordered the criminal proceedings in response to his speech.

The BHK leader said on Friday that the speech as a wakeup call to the government.

I have reason to suspect that the authorities do not realize the real scale of problems, he wrote. They dont realize that we will soon have 200,000-300,000 new unemployed people, that tens of thousands of business are shutting down  that if we dont rescue them today it will not be possible to revive them tomorrow.

Tsarukian described Armenias coronavirus crisis as a disaster and accused the government of wasting public funds meant to shore up businesses affected by the pandemic. In these circumstances, the government should get serious and listen to advice and proposals from others, said the tycoon who was infected with COVID-19 last week and has not yet recovered from it.

While claiming that the current government has prevented him from creating thousands of new jobs, Tsarukian pledged to come up soon with large-scale investment projects that will mitigate the economic fallout from the pandemic.

He said he will also strive to improve Armenias relations with Russia because he believes they are vital for his countrys national security and economic development. Why would Russias big business  come to Armenia if our relations with Russia are tense? he added.

BHK representatives did not clarify whether the indicted tycoons latest statement means that the Pashinian administrations resignation is no longer on their partys agenda.

For her part, Pashinians spokeswoman, Mane Gevorgian, declined to comment on the statement.
During this pandemic, nearly every state ordered residents to "Stay at Home" and encouraged all workers who could to work from home. This has created a fundamental shift in how Americans are viewing the way they work, according to a new report.

The study , conducted by Morning Consult, a global data intelligence company, had four key findings, all of which suggest that working remotely may continue well after the pandemic is under control.

The report surveyed approximately 1,500 U.S. adults, both current remote workers as well as adults who were able to work remotely either now or in a future role. Nearly 70 percent of workers reported that they had had significant changes in their daily routines because of working from home, but overall were pleased with the changes.

The survey found that, for most Americans, the benefits of working remotely outweigh the disadvantages, citing mainly increased time and comfort when working from home. These benefits caused three-quarters of adults to say that they would like to work from home at least once or twice weekly, even after the pandemic has subsided.

Zoe Manzanetti

However, returning to an office presents its own issues. While daily office cleanings and sanitations would increase the comfort of working in an office for 80 percent of workers, almost one-third of U.S. adults reported that they would not feel comfortable returning to their office space before a COVID-19 vaccine was available. Half reported that they would be either "somewhat" or "very uncomfortable" with returning to work next week.

Zoe Manzanetti

But working remotely is not something that everyone enjoys or benefits from. Almost three-quarters of workers acknowledge that working remotely has negatively impacted their lives by blurring the differentiation between work and personal life, and almost half reported an increase in feelings of isolation and loneliness.

Working remotely can also decrease an employees productivity; 32 percent of adults disagreed that they were more productive while working from home and 31 percent believe that virtual meetings are less effective than those in-person. More than half of workers have also experienced technology issues, both major and minor.

Morning Consults report provides valuable insights as to what the future of work might entail. Companies will need to ensure that they do not alienate their workers by using a one-size-fits-all approach because there are still workers who prefer or must work in an office space to adequately perform their duties.
South Africa is bracing for the worst of the coronavirus pandemic, with infections mounting at a rapid pace, doctors and nurses being worked to the bone and intensive-care units at risk of running out of beds.

The government imposed a strict lockdown in late March, just weeks after the first case was detected, which helped slow local transmission.

But the shuttering of most businesses proved unsustainable in a country already contending with a recession and rampant unemployment, and curbs were eased last month to enable millions of people to return to work.

The rate of new infections has surged since, especially in relatively poor urban areas, increasing by more than 8,000 for each of the past nine days to reach 238,339 on Thursday.

The storm that we have consistently warned South Africans about is now arriving, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize told lawmakers on Wednesday.

Mid-August Peak

While South Africa has the most confirmed cases in Africa, its also tested more than 2 million people and screened about a third of the population of 60 million.

Fewer people were infected in May and June than was previously predicted under optimistic scenarios, Mkhize said, and the peak of the outbreak, expected by mid-August, may be at a lower level than initially feared.

Despite the governments preparations, bed capacity is still expected to be breached or overwhelmed in all provinces, Mkhize said.

Some public hospitals are already struggling with an increased patient load and the loss of staff whove contracted Covid-19. Nationwide, 377 doctors and 2,473 nurses have been infected, latest data from the Health Ministry shows.

Health workers are burnt out, they are stressed, they see their colleagues getting sick and are worried that there are not enough personnel helping them, said Angelique Coetzee, a doctor who chairs the South African Medical Association.

Numerous panels have been set up to deal with the crisis, but more attention should be given to providing care to those who fall ill, she said.

While the disease was initially concentrated in Cape Town, it has since taken off in Johannesburg, the economic hub and biggest city, and in Pretoria, the capital. Infections have also spiked in towns in the Eastern Cape province, which have inferior resources to the main cities.

There are signs that the health care system is collapsing both in the public and private sector, said Zwelake Tywala, a National Health and Allied Workers Union official in the Eastern Cape. There isnt any management or leadership from the side of the hospitals. Were very worried.

Wearing Masks

The government is taking steps to address the shortcomings in state hospitals, including contracting in more beds from private hospitals, recalling nurses from study leave and rehiring some who had retired, said Sandile Buthelezi, the director-general of the Department of Health.

Its also trying to entice health practitioners who have been working abroad to return, and to hire more from Cuba and other countries, he said.

Some officials suggest that stringent lockdown rules should be reimposed.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has ruled out that option, saying people need to earn a living and take responsibility for their own health by wearing masks, washing their hands and exercising social distancing as much as possible.

Thats not happening in many areas, with people congregating at church services and funerals.

Commuters who rely on public transport arent able to maintain physical distancing as many drivers defy rules to restrict passenger loads to 70% of normal capacity.

A number of hospitals was already struggling to meet patients needs and were badly run before the virus struck, and have now reached a tipping point, Coetzee said.

Covid is exposing all these problems that were already in the healthcare system, she said. Its not a new thing.
The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art announced a new executive director Friday.

Todd DeShields Smith returns to the Charlotte arts community after 20 years of leading art museums across the country.

Smith comes from California, where he served as director and CEO of the Orange County Museum of Art for the past six years. He previously served as executive director or president of the Tampa Museum of Art in Florida, the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston and the Knoxville Museum of Art in Knoxville, Tenn.

From 1997 to 2000, Smith was a curator at the Mint Museum.

Its a real opportunity for me to be coming to Charlotte again, he said. But 20 years later, its a completely different city with a lot of vibrancy around the arts, even in the midst of the pandemic.

The Bechtler Museum of Art has hired Todd DeShields Smith as its new executive director. Smith, who comes from Orange County, California, starts the position Sept. 8.

The Bechtler has been searching for a replacement for founding director John Boyer since October. Bruce LaRowe was hired as interim director in December.

Smith starts the new position Sept. 8.

He was chosen because of his track record at several of the nations leading art museums, Ted Garner, chair of the Bechtlers Board of Trustees, said in a statement.

An appealing job

Smith said hes been a fan of the Bechtler since it opened in 2010.

He said he appreciates the Bechtlers sharp focus on modernism, which he thinks is an important movement to have in its own museum.

The Bechtler has hosted over 30 exhibitions, as well as held community outreach programs partnering with the Mecklenburg County jail system and the Metrolina Association of the blind. It also has worked with adults with intellectual and cognitive challenges.

The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art named its new executive director Friday, Todd DeShields Smith. He returns to the Charlotte arts community after 20 years of leading arts museums across the country.

Looking ahead, Smith said he hopes to continue the success of the museums exhibitions and outreach programs.

The fact that it is such a spectacular collection in an iconic building makes it a very appealing museum for a director like myself, he said. Its a museum where I can bring my skills from the last 20 years of museum leadership to build on this for the second decade of the museum.

Story continues

Navigating through a pandemic

Smith said this is an important time for the arts across the country, and Charlotte.

The Bechtler is temporarily closed under guidance from Gov. Roy Coopers three phase reopening plan due to COVID-19.

Smith said while the museum will be mindful of the safety and health concerns of being in a public space, he hopes when the museum can reopen, it will be a public service to the community.

Museums are a place where people can gather and be inspired and seek refuge and remind themselves what it means to be human and to be part of a cultural life again, he said.

While the Bechtler has been closed, it has turned to delivering programs online and through social media.

Smith said this transition has comforted members of the art community by showing them people are turning to the arts to help them through a tough time, and give them inspiration for the future.

It does make you sort of reassess how youre going to introduce yourself to the community and become acclimated to the community at such an important job, Smith said. But I think every institution is going to be going through a reassessment of how they engage with their communities.

So its sort of a nice opportunity to start fresh with an organization as theyre dealing with this new reality.
President Donald Trump rejected the Supreme Court ruling and declared that the subpoenas of a New York prosecutor for the billionaire presidents tax records was "a political witch hunt the likes of which nobody's ever seen before."
Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance arrives at federal court for a hearing related to President Donald Trump's financial records on October 23, 2019 in New York City.

A federal judge on Friday ordered the Manhattan District Attorney's Office and President Donald Trump's lawyers to inform him whether further court proceedings are needed after the Supreme Court ruled that Trump cannot summarily block prosecutors from getting his tax records and other financial documents from his accountant.

The judge, Victor Marrero, also told the parties to lay out "potential areas for further argument" over a grand jury subpoena for the documents if they are unable to put the matter to rest.

Trump had fought a grand jury subpoena for the records, which was issued at District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr.'s request. The president's lawyer indicated Thursday that he will continue an effort in federal court to prevent Vance from getting them.

Trump's lawyer had argued to the Supreme Court that a president is immune not only from prosecution, but even from a criminal investigation while serving in the White House.

But the Supreme Court on Thursday said that Trump has no such immunity from grand jury subpoenas, paving the way for the accounting Mazars USA to ultimately turn over the documents.

"No citizen, not even the president, is categorically above the common duty to produce evidence when called upon in a criminal proceeding," Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the majority in the 7-2 ruling.

The decision left the door open for Trump to continue to fight the subpoena in lower courts by challenging it as being unduly burdensome or extensive.

Trump also "can challenge the subpoena as an attempt to influence the performance of his official duties, in violation of the Supremacy Clause" of the Constitution, the Supreme Court ruling noted.

"And he can argue that compliance with a particular subpoena would impede his constitutional duties."

But the president may have difficulty in getting lower courts to restrict the scope of the subpoena, given the adverse court rulings on the issue that he has seen to date.

On the same day as the ruling on the Vance subpoena, the Supreme Court overturned lower court rulings that supported demands by House Democrats for financial documents related to Trump. The Supreme Court ordered lower courts to more carefully consider concerns about the separation of powers in deciding whether several House committees can get the requested documents.

Marrero, who sits in Manhattan federal court, on his own accord Friday issued an order to Vance's office and Trump's lawyers saying "the parties are hereby ordered to jointly inform the Court by the morning of July 15, 2020 whether further proceedings will be necessary in light of the dispositions by the Courts above."

Marrero said the "joint submission should outline potential areas for further argument."

He also scheduled a telephone conference, if necessary, to discuss the parties' position on whether future proceedings are needed, and a proposed schedule for those hearings.

Trump's lawyer, Jay Sekulow, said in an email, "We will respond as appropriate" to Marrero's order.

Sekulow on Thursday had said after the Supreme Court ruling, "We will now proceed to raise additional Constitutional and legal issues in the lower courts."

Vance's spokesman, Danny Frost, declined to comment on Marrero's order.
Bismah Malik By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: Online food delivery firm Zomato said that its core business has recovered to 60 per cent of pre-COVID levels, even though the Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) hit its lowest point in two years (down by 80 per cent) due to the pandemic.

However, despite the lockdown in the last week of March, Zomatos FY20 revenues have grown by 105 per cent to $394 million compared to $192 million in FY19. But EBITDA loss also grew, standing at $293 million in FY20 compared to $277 million a year ago.

In FY21, Zomato said that its focus will be on food delivery unit economics, moving away from the loss model. The company has now made a profit of `27 per order in Q1FY21, compared to the contribution margin loss of Rs 47 per order a year ago. Discounts (other variable costs) and delivery cost per order have also come down to Rs 15 and Rs 41 in Q1FY21 compared to a year ago, even as revenue per order has jumped to Rs 83.

ALSO READ | Zomato 'Gold' becomes 'Pro' with nearly 50 per cent more restaurants

For Q1FY21 (April-June, 2020 quarter) revenue was reported at $41 million whereas losses stood at $12 million. Zomato founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal said in a blogpost that although business suffered a setback by one year, it is nevertheless on the right track for achieving profitability and minimizing the cash burn.

In July 2020, we estimate our monthly burn rate to land under $1 million, while our revenue should land at ~60 per cent of pre-Covid peaks ($23 million per month). We expect to make complete recovery over the next 3-6 months while continuing to maintain tight control on costs/profitability, Goyal added.

In January, 2020, Zomato acquired Uber Eats for $206 million, which has helped it strengthen its market presence in a tightly contested online food delivery space.

In FY21, Zomato said that its focus will be on food delivery unit economics, moving away from the loss model. The company has now made a profit of `27 per order in Q1FY21, compared to the contribution margin loss of Rs 47 per order a year ago. Discounts (other variable costs) and delivery cost per order have also come down to Rs 15 and Rs 41 in Q1FY21 compared to a year ago, even as revenue per order has jumped to Rs 83.

ALSO SEE:
HK government suggests new civil servants sign on to support Basic Law, pledge allegiance to SAR

Global Times

Source: Global Times Published: 2020/7/9 0:18:40

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) government on Wednesday suggested to legislators that new civil servants who joined after July 1 should sign documents to confirm their support of the Basic Law, and pledge allegiance to the SAR.

The SAR government brought forward the suggestion to the Panel on Public Service of the Legislative Council, the CCTV reported Wednesday.

Public servants at key or high-level positions, or sensitive positions such as those from the disciplined services, administrative officers and information officers, should confirm their supports to the Basic Law and pledge allegiance to the SAR by swearing an oath or signing a document, the government suggested. Other civil servants should go through the process of swearing an oath of signing a document when being promoted or transferred to other positions.

According to the document the Civil Service Bureau handed in to the Legislative Council, some civil servants should chose the way of swearing an oath, such as the senior officials from the Directorate Pay Scale, and that the bureau should consider appropriate recourses processing mechanisms when some civil servants could not obey the requests or violate the oath or declaration.

The bureau noted that the Article 6 of the national security law for Hong Kong echoes the suggestion of civil servants swearing an oath.

The SAR government said that civil servants have the responsibility to support the Basic Law and pledge allegiance to the HKSAR, and the request of introducing oath swear shows the civil servants' consistent duty under the Basic Law and the Civil Service Code, allowing them to be clearly aware of their responsibility and requests with the identity of public positions.

The SAR government said that this suggestion could further promote and protect the core value of the civil servants' team, ensuring the effective administration of the SAR government. The government will follow certain process to consult with the civil servants and discuss plan for practice and details with the Department of Justice on legal issues.

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The leaders of Serbia and Kosovo on Friday held their first talks in 18 months on resolving one of Europes most intractable territorial disputes, agreeing to a face-to-face meeting next week on the very difficult process.

Kosovos Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic held a video summit that was also joined by French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

These discussions will be followed by more online talks on Sunday between Hoti and Vucic as well as EU officials, and then their meeting in Brussels on Thursday, a French presidential official said after the talks

There are very difficult perspectives for the outcome of this dialogue, but there is a commitment by everyone to proceed step by step, added the official, who asked not to be named.

Serbia has refused to recognise Kosovos unilateral declaration of independence after the province broke away in the bloody 1998-99 war that was ended only by a NATO bombing campaign against Serb troops.

But both Kosovo and Serbia have been facing mounting pressure from the West to reboot negotiations, where resolving the impasse is seen as crucial for Belgrades bid to join the EU.

Also online for Fridays talks were EU foreign policy chief Josep Borell and Miroslav Lajcak, the EUs special envoy for dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.

The new push comes after Kosovos President Hashim Thaci was charged last month with war crimes by prosecutors in The Hague.

Hoti told the online summit that the normalisation of relations can be achieved only if Kosovo and Serbia respect each others statehood.

We believe that the dialogue has no alternative. We are ready and committed to engage on the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue on an equal footing.

 Leadership test 

More than 13,000 people died in the war, mostly Kosovo Albanians, who form a majority in the former province.

Kosovo is now recognised by more than 100 other states but the EU is not unified on the issue, with 22 out of the 27 bloc members recognising its independence.

The French presidential source said territorial exchanges were not part of the talks.

Vucic, who is facing a major crisis at home after protests over a new coronavirus lockdown in Serbia, warned ahead of the talks that he did not expect a smooth ride.

No one is going to cuddle us or give us a present. On the contrary, we will be pressured to give in. It is not going to be easy, he said.

A summit held in Berlin in April 2019 had already failed to restart the talks. But the EU appears newly determined to get the process on track again.

Thacis indictment led to the postponement of a White House summit between Serbia and Kosovo due to be held at the end of June.

European officials had bristled at the US initiative, and the new talks are seen as a chance for the bloc to show it still is capable of resolving the conflict.

The French official acknowledged that this issue was a test of European leadership, adding that the meeting Friday had shown that the Europeans were now taking the lead.

During the war, Thaci was the political leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), but prosecutors in The Hague suspect him of being behind nearly 100 murders, as well as numerous cases of persecution and torture.

Thaci, who has denied the charges, has said he would be interviewed by prosecutors in The Hague next week.
JUNO BEACH, Fla., July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- NextEra Energy Partners, LP (NYSE: NEP) today announced that it plans to report second-quarter 2020 financial results before the opening of the New York Stock Exchange on Friday, July 24, 2020, in a news release to be posted on its website at www.NextEraEnergyPartners.com/FinancialResults. An advisory news release will be issued over PR Newswire the morning of July 24, with a link to the financial results news release on NextEra Energy Partners' website. As previously announced, NextEra Energy Partners will make available its financial results only on its website.

Jim Robo, chairman and chief executive officer of NextEra Energy Partners, Rebecca Kujawa, chief financial officer of NextEra Energy Partners, and other members of the senior management team will discuss the second-quarter 2020 financial results during an investor presentation to be webcast live, beginning at 9 a.m. ET on July 24. Results for NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE) also will be discussed during the same investor presentation.

The listen-only webcast will be available on NextEra Energy Partners' website by accessing the following link: www.NextEraEnergyPartners.com/FinancialResults. The financial results news release and the slides accompanying the presentation may be downloaded at www.NextEraEnergyPartners.com/FinancialResults, beginning at 7:30 a.m. ET on the day of the webcast. A replay will be available for 90 days by accessing the same link as listed above.

NextEra Energy Partners, LP

NextEra Energy Partners, LP (NYSE: NEP) is a growth-oriented limited partnership formed by NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE). NextEra Energy Partners acquires, manages and owns contracted clean energy projects with stable, long-term cash flows. Headquartered in Juno Beach, Florida, NextEra Energy Partners owns interests in geographically diverse wind and solar projects in the U.S. as well as natural gas infrastructure assets in Texas and Pennsylvania. For more information about NextEra Energy Partners, please visit: www.NextEraEnergyPartners.com.

SOURCE NextEra Energy Partners, LP

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Investigators believe a Russian couple knocked their victims out with sedatives, then skinned them alive. Afterward, police say, they ate parts of their victims, froze the remains or packed them in jars filled with saline solution.

At times, the couple tried to turn soldiers at the military academy where they worked into unwitting cannibals, slipping "canned human meat" into their food.

And the people in the city of Krasnodar may never have known about any of that if not for a broken cellphone lying on a city street, authorities say.

City police have arrested the couple - Natalia Baksheeva and her husband, 35-year-0ld Dmitry Baksheev - who authorities say may be responsible for the death or disappearance of as many as 30 people in the city of 750,000 in the southwestern tip of Russia, about five hours from Sochi. So far, Baksheev has been charged with one count of murder, and the investigation is ongoing.

If all the killings are confirmed, the Russian couple would rank among the country's worst serial killers.

The investigation started on Sept. 11, according to the Moscow Times, when crews repairing a road found a discarded cellphone. It still worked, so they swiped through the photos.

What they found made them dash to the police station. On the phone were "photos of a man with different parts of a dismembered human body in his mouth," the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs said in a statement.

Around the same time that investigators were poring over the phone, officers found the dismembered corpse of a 35-year-old woman near the state-run aviation academy where the couple lived, according to Vice News.

Investigators were able to determine the phone's owner via "special technical measures," and arrested Baksheev, according to a news release.

In police custody, he told authorities that he and his wife had practiced cannibalism at least 30 times in the past two decades, according to the BBC.

The investigation ballooned from there. The details are still spotty, but some have seeped out as the story has rocketed around the world.

The earliest potential killing, based on the time stamps of photos the couple had, dates back to 1999.

For years, the couple had been living at what the BBC called a "hostel accommodation" at the site of a military base in the city. One or both had at one point worked on the base, in the kitchen.

Investigators have not said how they believe the couple chose their victims, only how they rendered them unconscious - and what came after.

"In the place of residence of the suspects, the investigators discovered fragments of the human body in saline solution in the dormitory . . . Frozen meat parts of unknown origin were seized in the kitchen," investigators said, according to CBS News.

According to CNN, one police source said, "at the moment, law enforcement had discovered a glass jar with a canned hand."

Unofficially, officials have designated the pair the "cannibal couple," but they have not released many details about them.

Russian news stations released video of the police search, apparently from the couple's home.

The footage showed a messy, disheveled room, with trash, debris and clothes scattered on the floor and draped over furniture. There were also wigs on top of a small freezer and dozens of pictures on a bed.

The pictures were telling, Russian investigators said. One photograph is dated Dec. 28, 1999 and appears to show a dismembered human head on a serving plate with fruit.

Earlier this year, former Siberian policeman Mikhail Popkov - nicknamed "the werewolf of Siberia" for his brutal killings - confessed to killing 81 people.

According to The Washington Post, Popkov's victims ranged in age from 17 to 38. He started his spree as a police officer, offering women rides in his car, then taking them to remote locations and raping and killing them.
The conga line around secure-access service edge (SASE), continues to grow with Juniper this week becoming the latest to join the dance.

Just as other big networking players with extensive security portfolios including Cisco and VMware have recently done, Juniper says it will build off its offerings to address the SASE blueprint.

As defined by Gartner in 2019, SASE features a wide variety of components that Juniper summarized and includes:

Cloud-hosted architectures, so that services can be easily deployed on-demand and at scale.

Identity-driven policies, whereby network access and security can be customized based on individual user requirements.

Localized policy inspection/enforcement to deliver applications and services as close to users as possible to minimize latency.

By integrating network and security elements together in a single platform, Juniper customers can seamlessly and cost effectively take advantage of advanced security services like Application Security for broader visibility and control, Advanced Threat Prevention, Intrusion Detection and Prevention along with Data Loss Prevention. All with no additional hardware or software required, wrote Samantha Madrid vice president of product management in the Security Business & Strategy business at Juniper Networks in a blog about the vendors SASE directions.

SASE customers can identify and defend against new zero-day malware and targeted attacks, mitigate risks by updating existing security controls to defend against identified and unknown threats, reduce the time and cost to remediate threats and, overall, reduce exposure to advanced threats.

Juniper has a variety of security goods under its Connected Security architecture to make a serious SASE play. For example, its cloud-based Advanced Threat Prevention (ATP), offers advanced malware protection. In addition, Juniper SRX and vSRX firewalls offer remote configuration and security, networking and application policy monitoring.

Another key component will include Juniper's effort to incorporate artificial intelligence in its key security components as well as its MX Series routers, and its EX and QFX Series switches.

The company bought wireless and AI-software maker Mist in 2019 for $405 million and has been integrating the technology across its portfolio ever since. Most recently, Juniper said it would integrate its Security Intelligence (SecIntel) security package to the Mist platform for wireless access. SecIntel includes threat detection software, local and cloud-based security-information and control software with a next-generation firewall system.

With the SecIntel integration, Mist customers can receive threat alerts detected by Juniper SRX Series Firewalls and ATP Cloud, letting administrators quickly assess security risks and take appropriate action, Juniper said.

A future area of Mist AI integration will include Junipers SD-WAN technology, Junipers CEO Rami Rahim told Network World recently.

Customers need the ability to assure solid connectivity across the entire path of network  that includes wireless and wired connections  and the path traffic takes from a particular location  be it at home or the data center or to the cloud  and it would be a natural extension to include the SD-WAN. Thats a work in progress, Rahim said.

Juniper uses AI-driven automation, insight and actions across the LAN, WLAN and WAN to optimize the end-to-end user experience, Madrid stated. This includes customized Service Level Expectations, event correlation across the LAN and WAN for rapid fault isolation and resolution, AI-driven support with proactive notifications and an interactive Virtual Network Assistant (VNA) called Marvis to provide recommended actions and/or keep the network humming autonomously, Madrid stated.

Junipers SASE plans come on the heels of recent announcements by other key players in what is expected to be a hot market.

For example, VMware in June said it was advancing secure access for remote and mobile workers by mixing its Workspace ONE offering with its SD-WAN package. The resulting VMware SD-WAN Zero Trust Service promises to help enterprises handle growing distributed workloads for remote workers. The service also represents a big step toward SASE, the company said.

Speed and data are two of the most valuable business currencies in todays rapid growth environment, both of which have rendered traditional security deployments insufficient and ineffective, VMware stated. Enterprises need to take advantage of SD-WAN technology without falling prey to increased threats. The ability of cloud-delivered security solutions can combat the increasing sophistication of security threats while reducing latency and costs.

In May Cisco said it was embracing the SASE architecture with plans to upgrade some of its existing products to reach the goal of delivering access control, security and networking to cloud services. The enterprise shift to SASE will be gradual as they figure out the best way to connect their growing remote workforce to distributed resources delivered from corporate data centers and as cloud services, Cisco says.

Flexibility will be fundamental as IT chooses among multiple security and networking capabilities that best fit their operations, regulatory requirements, and types of applications, said Jeff Reed, senior vice president of product, Ciscos Security Business Group in a blog post.

The rapid adoption of SD-WAN for connecting to multi-cloud applications provides enterprises with the opportunity to rethink how access and security are managed from campus to cloud to edge, Reed stated. With 60% of organizations expecting the majority of applications to be in the cloud by 2021 and over 50% of the workforce to be operating remotely, new networking and security models such SASE offer a new way to manage the new normal.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-10 10:28:13|Editor: huaxia

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RIO DE JANEIRO, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's mayors and governors need to reopen the country for business, said President Jair Bolsonaro on Thursday in an online broadcast.

The president emphasized that a potential economic crisis is more dangerous than the novel coronavirus, warning the consequences will be harmful to the country.

Bolsonaro announced on Tuesday that he has tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

He showed symptoms on Monday, including a fever of 38 degrees Celsius, cough and headache, leading to a test at the Brazilian Armed Forces Hospital.

The president has repeatedly called for a resumption of economic activities and often appeared in public without a face mask.

Brazil is the second worst-hit country by the pandemic after the United States, with over 1.7 million confirmed cases so far. Enditem
[July 10, 2020] Clarksville Community Schools Continue to Lead the Way with Launch of Indiana Gateway Digital Academy

The Clarksville Community School Corporation, which manages all Clarksville Community Schools in Southern Indiana, announced today that it has partnered with K12 Inc. to open the Indiana Gateway (News - Alert) Digital Academy (INGDA), a new statewide online public school. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200710005012/en/ The school received approval from the Indiana Department of Education and will serve students in all 92 counties across the state. It will help students in grades K-11 in its first year and expand to offer additional grades in subsequent years. The 2020-2021 school year starts on August 6 and Gateway is now accepting enrollments. "The end of the 2020 school year was like nothing we've ever seen before in this country," said Dr. Brian Allred, Assistant Superintendent for Clarksville Community Schools. "We have to find innovative new ways to teach Indiana's children and this is a great step forward. Clarksville is dedicated to providing top-notch programming that will never leave any student behind. Just like our tagline says, we may be a small school community, but we want our students to have big opportunities." All Gateway students will have access to a robust curriculum and can attend live virtual classes taught by state-certified online teachers. Students are offered a full course load in the core subjects of math, science, English/language arts, history, and a host of electives including world languages. Teachers regularly communicate with students and their families via email, phone, and during one-on-one meetings. "This is an exciting new opportunity for us to help serve the families of Indiana that may be looking for a change in the middle of a pandemic," said Kevin P. Chavous, K12's President of Academics, Policy, and Schools. "We know that Clarksville will be a leader in providing online educational opportunities for families in need and we loo forward to this new partnership."



For information on curriculum, the school year calendar, and job opportunities, please visit ingda.k12.com/. About Indiana Gateway Digital Academy

Indiana Gateway Digital Academy (INGDA) is an online public-school program of the Clarksville Community School Corporation that serves students in grades K-11, which uses curriculum provided by K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN), the nation's leading provider of K-12 proprietary curriculum and online education programs. INGDA's individualized approach gives Indiana students the chance to learn in the ways that are right for them. For more about INGDA, visit ingda.k12.com/. About Clarksville Community Schools Clarksville Community Schools Corp. has been working to meet the needs of every student since its 1955 founding. Situated in the heart of Clarksville, CCSC is a district that embraces its neighborhood identity while bringing all the resources and amenities common in larger school districts to all students. About K12 K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN) helps students of all ages reach their full potential through inspired teaching and personalized learning. The company provides innovative, high-quality online and blended education solutions, curriculum, and programs to students, schools and enterprises in primary, secondary and post-secondary settings. K12 is a premier provider of career readiness education services and a leader in skills training, technology staffing and talent development. The company provides programs which combine traditional high school academics with career technical education through its Destinations Career Academies. Adult learning is delivered through K12's subsidiary, Galvanize, a leader in developing capabilities for individuals and corporations in technical fields such as software engineering and data science. K12 has delivered millions of courses over the past decade and serves students in all 50 states and more than 100 countries. The company is a proud sponsor of the Future of School, a nonprofit organization dedicated to closing the gap between the pace of technology in daily life and the pace of change in education. More information can be found at K12.com, destinationsacademy.com, jobshadowweek.com, and galvanize.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200710005012/en/

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NASA is in the midst of upgrading Deep Space Station 43  one of its Deep Space Networks largest antennas located in Canberra, Australia  to prepare for future missions. The agencys Deep Space Network is a collection of dishes that make communication with robotic spacecraft possible, and DSS 43 is the only one capable of sending commands to Voyager 2. Its the networks sole 70-meter antenna in the Southern Hemisphere, so its the only one powerful enough to reach a probe thats traveling southward in interstellar space. If youll recall, Voyager 2 left the region of space called the heliosphere where solar wind is still present back in 2018.

The agency shut DSS 43 down in early March to equip it with a new X-band frequency cone, which will give it a powerful state-of-the-art transmitter system and highly sensitive receivers. NASA expects the upgrade to be completed by January 2021, in time for the dish to receive telemetry and science data back from future missions. The upgraded antenna will help the agency communicate with the Perseverance rover, which is scheduled to launch by the end of July and to arrive on Mars by February 2021. It will also play a critical role in ensuring NASA scientists can communicate with and navigate both uncrewed and manned Artemis missions to the Moon and Mars.
They called for a 3-5-year vision plan, development of R&D and relationship with academia to overcome the challenging time that may continue till December 2021.

Pharma industry leaders at the Gratitude Week  A Tribute to Health Guardians organised by Integrated Health and Wellbeing (IHW) Council have called for an increase in budgetary allocation for health to support Indias bid for self-reliance.

We must realise that Indias health security is as important as its defence security. Our healthcare budget is 1/5th of the defence budget  healthcare budget in countries like the US or China is more than their defence budget. I believe science should prevail, so we have not asked for emergency approvals, says Sanjiv Navangul, Managing Director & CEO, Bharat Serums and Vaccines Limited (BSVL).

Last month, the company received approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) to conduct phase III clinical trials on existing drug ulinastatin for mild-to-moderate acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients which is also likely to help COVID-19 patients.

Kamal Narayan, CEO, IHW Council says, We see doctors as the warrior in this pandemic but the lesser known corona fighters are the critical cogs of the healthcare ecosystem  they are the researchers, pharmaceutical companies, device manufacturers, and diagnostic centres who are working tirelessly so that doctors can serve better. Together, they will ensure that we are on the right path to develop a Swasth Bharat, Ayushman Bharat, Atmanirbhar Bharat. The times are changing fast and we need to bolster our allied healthcare sector to empower our doctors and enable the medical community serve the people better.

Echoing the sentiments of his colleagues in the government and other lawmakers, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Ramdas Athawale, said that memorials for healthcare workers who are fighting the COVID19 pandemic at the frontline should be set up in every state capital as well as in the national capital.
Given that the target was to reach 80.34 million families under PMUY - within three months starting April 1 - the government should have distributed at least 241.02 million cylinders by the end of June. It actually ended up distributing only 119.7 million cylinders.

The distribution of free cooking gas cylinders from April-June was highlighted as a feather in the cap by the government, in the midst of the pandemic.

However, data available with the government shows that only 49.6 per cent of the targeted free cylinders were distributed during the period.

Given that the target was to reach 80.34 million families under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) - within three months starting April 1 - the government should have distributed at least 241.02 million cylinders by the end of June.

The government, however, distributed only 119.7 million liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders.

Though the government expected an outgo of Rs 13,500 crore with respect to the scheme, only Rs 9,710 crore was transferred directly into the bank accounts of Ujjwala beneficiaries, as of June 30.

The government on Wednesday offered relief to beneficiaries who are yet to utilise the advance credited to their account.

This will benefit PMUY beneficiaries who have been credited with the advance for buying the cylinder, but have not been able to purchase the refill.

Therefore, beneficiaries with the advance in their account may now take free refill delivery till September 30.

The free LPG cylinder scheme was part of the relief package Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, aimed at providing a safety net to the poor and vulnerable.

The low rate of refills by Ujjwala beneficiaries was a major reason.

The annual rate of refills by Ujjwala consumers was a mere 2.9 cylinder per connection according to industry sources, though a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) pegged it at 3.21.

Nevertheless, the free LPG scheme has helped improve consumption numbers.

LPG consumption recorded year-on-year growth of 12.8 per cent for May.

There were criticisms levelled at the manner in which IndianOil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation, and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation implemented the scheme.

To achieve the target, company executives advised distributors to initiate 100 per cent booking for PMUY beneficiaries, even if the beneficiaries didnt approach them.

"Some OMCs even activated auto booking.

"When these methods failed due to actual low demand from beneficiaries, the same executives started pressurising/threatening distributors to either deliver the booked refills, or get ready for bulk transfer of their connections to other distributors.

"This compelled them to divert the refill, in order to accomplish their targets, said the Federation of LPG Distributors of India, in a letter to the companies.

According to the letter, 22 per cent of Ujjwala beneficiaries have not taken refills since inception of the scheme.

It added that 5-7 per cent of the beneficiaries had not even received the amount for the first refill.

Photograph: PTI Photo
On Monday, Donnie Tidwell reeled in a 9-foot, 300-pound shark from the shoreline at Matagorda Beach.

The Brazoria resident said it was his biggest catch from a beach shoreline in his more-than 10 year fishing for sharks.

Tidwell told mySA.com he made the catch at about 100 yards away from the shoreline at Matagorda Beach, which is a 26-mile long beach near the mouth of the Colorado River and about 82 miles south of Houston. He said he started fishing at about 5 p.m. and caught the 9-foot shark four hours later.

READ ALSO: 13-year-old Texas boy catches nearly 900-pound shark in Port Aransas during offshore trip

Tidwell said he was "extremely lucky" to have reeled in the "beast" as catches that close to shore don't happen often. He added he usually takes a kayak out to fish in deeper water, but didn't Monday because the weather was "rough."

With his fishing rod, Tidwell was able to reel in the shark after a 20-minute fight. He said he believes the shark was a female and was likely pregnant. In under two minutes, Tidwell released the shark after tagging it for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which is an agency of the United States federal government that is responsible for monitoring the climate and the environment of the weather, ocean and coasts.

Tagging sharks provides data ranging from movement to how deep a shark dives.

Tidwell said the tagging process is "easy" and "doesn't affect the shark at all." He added the tagging needle is sharp and makes a small incision in the shark that typically heals up "really quickly." After tagging his catch on Monday, Tidwell said the shark swam off "strong."

Priscilla Aguirre is a general assignment reporter for MySA.com | priscilla.aguirre@express-news.net | @CillaAguirre
By Express News Service

NIZAMABAD: In a bid to bring her deceased husbands body home from Iraq, Gaajalaveni Laxmi from Ramadugu village in Nizamabad sought the help of the Gulf Welfare Association on Thursday. Her husband G Bojanna died a few days ago in Iraq due to a liver-related ailment.I dont know how to bring up the matter with the governments. Please help me bring my husbands body home, she told the Associations president P Basanth Reddy.

Bojanna had gone to Erbil in Iraq for employment three years ago. However, he was cheated by an unauthorised travel agent, who took Rs1.25 lakh from. He struggled in Erbil without proper documents for three years. He couldnt go home either. On June 29, he died in a hospital. As Bojanna had no official document, his body is being kept in the hospital mortuary.

Basanth Reddy, upon being approached by Laxmi, spoke to the Indian Consulate General in Erbil, Chandramouli K Karan, over the phone. He said that they had taken up the matter with officials.
Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister and Special Presidential Representative for the Middle East and Africa Mikhail Bogdanov received Ambassador of ran to Russia Kazem Jalali in Moscow at the latters request, according to the statement posted on the Russian Foreign Ministry's website.



The officials had an in-depth discussion of topical issues on the regional agenda, with a focus on the prospects for resolving the Palestine problem based on the principles of international law and the search for a solution to the military and political conflict in Libya in the interests of ensuring the unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty of that state.
Belfast Zoo has welcomed a baby giraffe - a boy named Ballyronan, or Ronan for short - to their herd of endangered Rothschild's giraffes.

It comes as the zoo reopened its doors to the public after being closed temporarily during the coronavirus pandemic.

The new giraffe calf was born on May 31 and is only now getting the opportunity to be introduced to the public.

The name was picked as part of a tradition at the zoo that sees any new giraffe calves named after towns and villages starting with Bally.

Standing at 5 foot 2, Ronan is not the tallest calf ever born at the zoo, but staff say he makes up for what he lacks in height with his personality.

Senior keeper Peter Cross said Ronan is in fact one of the shortest giraffe calves born at the zoo but said he is otherwise "full of beans".

"He loves adventure and spends most of his day following his big brother George, exploring the paddock and generally getting up to mischief together."

Zoo curator Raymond Robinson said: "Both mother and calf are doing exceptionally well. Giraffes give birth standing up and the front feet are delivered first, followed by the head, neck and shoulders.

"The calf falls more than five feet to the ground which doesnt hurt but does cause the calf to take its first big breath. Calves are five to six feet in height at birth, learn to stand within 30 minutes and can run just 10 hours after birth."

The birth came at an exciting time across the zoo following other recent new arrivals, including a Southern pudu and a pair of Scottish wildcat kittens.

"It is fantastic to be able to welcome visitors again and for everyone to enjoy our residents both new and old," said Mr Robinson.

The zoo reopened on July 5 with extra health and safety measures in place, including a one-way walking route, hand sanitiser stations and extra signage.
Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) - By the close of day Thursday, Kenya had recorded 8,975 new coronavirus (COVID-19) cases, following the detection of 447 cases during the last 24 hours, official sources told PANA here
The Australian share market finished session in the red on Friday, 10 July 2020, as resurgence of COVID-19 cases at home and abroad stoked worries that the quick economic recovery from the pandemic being hampered.

At closing bell, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index inclined 35.15 points, or 0.59%, to 5,955.46. The broader All Ordinaries added 40.63 points, or 0.67%, to 6,074.94.

More than 60,500 new COVID-19 infections were reported across the United States on Thursday, the largest single-day tally record, stoking fears that new lockdowns could take a toll on the economic recovery. The World Health Organization said that though the virus, which has infected more than 12 million globally, can be brought under control, it's getting worse in most of the world.

Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison said today that Australia will reduce to half the number of citizens allowed to return home from overseas each week. The decision comes as health authorities struggle to contain new cases of the coronavirus in Australia's second-most populous state Victoria.

Due to a sudden rise in the infection, Victoria reimposed confinement measures in Melbourne on July 9 for at least six weeks to curb the transmission. As many as 5 million have been forced to adhere to the stay-at-home measures after new surge in Australia. However, the essential businesses were exempted from the protocol in view of economic recovery as authorities grappled to contain the fresh clusters of COVID-19 outbreak.

Shares of energy subindex was the worst-performing sector on the benchmark index, as oil prices were hurt by fears that renewed lockdowns would suppress fuel demand. Explorer Woodside Petroleum fell more than 2.3% and Papua Guinea-focused Oil Search lost 4.2%.

The major mining stocks were mostly lower, including Rio Tinto (-0.7%), South32 (-2.4%) and BHP (-0.7%).

CURRENCY NEWS: The Australian dollar fell steadily through the day and was 0.5% weaker against the greenback, buying 69.3 US cents late afternoon today.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Representative Image: Kuwait Airways (Image source: Company's Facebook page)

KP Nayar

Nightmarish visions of hundreds of thousands of Indians queuing up at the Kuwait International Airport, bag and baggage to return home permanently, are exaggerated and alarmist.

Kuwaits desire to cut excessive reliance on foreign workers is as old as the hills. Within the broad framework of such an aspiration, the desire to reduce dependence on any one or two nationalities  Indians and Egyptians, for instance  is also not new. Kuwaits long-standing and emotive hopes to Kuwatise  that is, bring more Kuwaitis into the active workforce  is not new either.

Whenever these objectives have come face-to-face with the realities of Kuwaits job market, which is skewed in favour of expatriates, proposals to achieve such objectives have fallen by the wayside. Repeatedly, such proposals have also hit the wall of common sense economics, the free market and a thriving economy, which relies almost entirely on foreigners to turn its wheels.

Kuwaits economy once thrived entirely on oil, but has since significantly diversified, in no small measure, thanks to the pervasive presence of the United States just across its border in conflict-ridden Iraq  and in Kuwait too, in multiple incarnations, as a solid Western back up to keep Iraq stable.

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

Kuwait is the steady and reliable supplier, storehouse and sourcing centre of everything that Iraq needs from its post-Saddam Hussein-era allies: from Baghdads security needs to health support. The emirate is the ultimate vindication of the adage that bullets are bullish.

The proposed legislation to reduce the number of foreigners from 70 percent to 30 percent of Kuwaits population has its genesis in the appointment of Hind Sabeeh Barak Al-Sabeeh as Minister of Social Affairs and Labour in 2014. She was then the only woman in the countrys Cabinet. This experience later got her the additional charge of Minister of State for Economic Affairs.

Named three years after her initial induction into the Cabinet, her impressive ministerial record got her the fourth rank among the most powerful women in any Arab government in a Forbes magazine list. Hind was determined to leave an imprint of her first ministerial assignment. She already knew her countrys employment market, having worked for several years as general manager of the Kuwait Industries Union.

She formally proposed the idea of quotas for different nationalities in Kuwaits expatriate labour force, which hugely outnumbers sons of the soil. She doggedly pursued this as her pet project and in two years, produced a report for the Cabinet. We have been preparing this study for long, Hind proudly announced on May 29, 2016, after the Cabinet considered her detailed proposal for the first time.

This was four years ago. During this period, the proposal has gone from one ministry to another for additional data collection, from one committee to another. It is the classic ruse that politicians use when they do not want to do something that can become a hot potato in their hands. Delay, but do not take decisive action.

The Kuwaitisation plan and its accompanying nationalities quota plan would have continued its meandering course through interminable bureaucratic alleys and restraining red tape, had it not been for COVID-19, which has changed most things everywhere. Kuwait has the most open political system among Arab Gulf countries. Its politics is more open than most in the entire Arab world.

With elected Members of Parliament never letting go of populism and forever itching to challenge the status quo, Kuwaiti politicians cannot be seen as dropping or sitting on this plan which supposedly benefits their constituents, who are also feeling the pinch of COVID-19 fallout on the economy. With or without this legislation, Kuwaits expatriate workforce is already shrinking, because many enterprises have downed their shutters from the effects of the pandemic.

This is happening not only in Kuwait, but in every West Asian country. Besides, some of Kuwaits neighbours in the region have been putting together for some years, institutional arrangements that are variations of Kuwaits proposed legislation in order to cut their reliance on foreign workers.

Some years ago, when Saudi Arabia took proactive steps to replace more and more foreigners with Saudi nationals in many jobs, there were similar alarmist reports of a looming exodus of Indians from the kingdom. That did not happen in any significant measure until the ongoing departure of foreigners because of the business downturn triggered by COVID-19.

The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Human Resources even had a formal tag added to it for Emiratisation some years ago with the intention of bringing more of its nationals into the workforce to replace foreigners. However, there also no significant change happened until coronavirus forced many businesses to close and foreign workers to leave.

Kuwaits planned quotas also reflect a paranoia it has had for decades of a huge non-Kuwaiti Arab presence overrunning the country. Kuwaitis have unpleasant memories of how its large Palestinian population was a fifth column for Saddam Hussein when Iraq occupied Kuwait in 1990. After liberation, Kuwait expelled most Palestinians for this unforgivable act of biting the hands that fed them for many decades.

If the current pandemic abates and Kuwaits economy bounces back to pre-COVID-19 levels, the quota bill will again return to its meandering ways of not becoming law or being enacted as a law with so many ifs and buts that ensure continued presence of Indian workers in Kuwait.
SEATTLE, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- PitchBook, the premier data provider for the private and public equity markets, today released its 2Q 2020 US Private Equity Breakdown, which found the velocity of US PE investment activity further diminished in Q2 2020 as dealmakers felt the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. In fact, many GPs sought to pull out of previously agreed upon deals, sometimes invoking the material adverse change (MAC) clause. Of the deals that were completed, a high proportion were add-ons and subsequently smaller than platform deals on average causing add-ons to have comprised the highest percentage of LBOs on record. On the exits front, activity collapsed to an even greater extent than deal activity as PE firms sharply marked down portfolio companies and chose to hold investments rather than sell. After a rebound in public markets, exit value was assisted by a couple outsized IPOs while sales to strategics or other financial sponsors lagged. PE fundraising momentum will likely remain healthy, despite a slowdown from 2019's record-setting pace, with several mega-funds closing in the quarter. The department of labor also issued clarification on rules around including PE funds in diversified funds  such as target date funds  within 401(k)s. But any changes to target date funds are likely to take years and the PE will only account for a minor share, meaning access to retail accounts may not be the spark that some GPs had been hoping for.

To download the report and underlying data, click here.

"Following the first full quarter where global economies experienced the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, many PE firms are in triage mode and trying to determine which portfolio companies to save, rather than looking to sell," said Wylie Fernyhough, senior PE analyst at PitchBook. "There are still a lot of uncertainties as to what the coming quarters will hold, but PE fundraising remained healthy through the first half of the year. A couple mega-funds launched in Q2, exhibiting confidence that LPs will find success despite the challenges brought on by the coronavirus, but the same cannot be said for nascent managers."

Investment Activity

Through the first half of 2020, US PE dealmaking decelerated with 2,173 deals closed totaling $326.7 billion , a nearly 20% decrease in deal value compared to this time last year. Quarterly figures show an even steeper fall, with Q2 2020 deal value down more than a third from Q1 2019 values.

, a nearly 20% decrease in deal value compared to this time last year. Quarterly figures show an even steeper fall, with Q2 2020 deal value down more than a third from Q1 2019 values. PE firms had to get creative with dealmaking, turning to PIPEs and divestitures because traditional sources of deal flow have dried up. For instance, sponsor-to-sponsor transactions (or secondary buyouts, SBOs) have slumped to their lowest levels since 2009 and median buyout size dipped for the first time since 2015.

Despite deal sizes falling, several massive M&A transactions still closed in the quarter. HR management software firms Kronos and Ultimate Software Group merged to create an entity valued at $22.0 billion and JAB Holding's portfolio company, Compassion-First Pet Hospital acquired National Veterinary Associates for $5.0 billion from Ares and OMERS.

Exit Activity

US PE firms closed 392 exits totaling $134.8 billion through the first half of the year with a couple of massive IPOs driving much of the second quarter's exit value. Announced global PE exits were down approximately 70% in May 2020 compared to May 2019 following a steep falloff in portfolio company valuations and GPs struggling to value companies in such a chaotic time, preventing potential sales.

through the first half of the year with a couple of massive IPOs driving much of the second quarter's exit value. Announced global PE exits were down approximately 70% in compared to following a steep falloff in portfolio company valuations and GPs struggling to value companies in such a chaotic time, preventing potential sales. One notable exit from the second quarter was ZoomInfo (NAS: ZI). The company raised nearly $1 billion in the offering and nearly doubled in price on the opening day, putting its market cap around $15 billion . TA Associates paid $90 million for its stake in 2014, which is now worth north of $6.2 billion , the largest paper gain in the firm's history. Carlyle also achieved an outsized return, collecting 13 times its investment in a little over a year.

in the offering and nearly doubled in price on the opening day, putting its market cap around . TA Associates paid for its stake in 2014, which is now worth north of , the largest paper gain in the firm's history. Carlyle also achieved an outsized return, collecting 13 times its investment in a little over a year. Several portfolio companies fell victim to heavy debt loads and the crisis, forcing bankruptcy. Many of the names, including J.Crew, Nieman Marcus, 24 Hour Fitness, and John Varvatos are in the retail arena as physical retail struggled to remain afloat during the pandemic.

Fundraising Activity

By quarter's end, US PE fundraising activity posted healthy figures, bringing 1H 2020 totals to 101 funds closed accumulating $101.6 billion and putting 2020 on pace to approximate 2018's total capital raised figure. Despite the coronavirus halting business travel and forcing digital due diligencing rather than in person, PE firms raised more capital in 2Q than in 1Q when these restrictions were largely not present.

and putting 2020 on pace to approximate 2018's total capital raised figure. Despite the coronavirus halting business travel and forcing digital due diligencing rather than in person, PE firms raised more capital in 2Q than in 1Q when these restrictions were largely not present. The second quarter saw several tech-focused investors either launch fundraises or close funds, though perhaps none were more impressive than Francisco Partners. At an almost unheard-of pace, the firm officially launched fundraising and concurrently held final closes on three funds totaling $9.75 billion within six weeks in Q2.

within six weeks in Q2. Special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs or blank check companies) had their most active quarter on record. PE firms, VCs, and hedge funds have been turning to SPACs with success recently to close deals. SPACs can help inexpensively take sponsor-backed companies public but increasingly may be competing with other PE firms for deals, such as a new blank check company looking to buy a "mature unicorn."

Additional coverage in this report includes:

Introduction

Overview

Deals by size and sector

Spotlight: Growth equity

Exits

Fundraising

Download the full report here.

About PitchBook

PitchBook is a financial data and software company that provides transparency into the capital markets to help professionals discover and execute opportunities with confidence and efficiency. PitchBook collects and analyzes detailed data on the entire venture capital, private equity and M&A landscapeincluding public and private companies, investors, funds, investments, exits and people. The company's data and analysis are available through the PitchBook Platform, industry news and in-depth reports. Founded in 2007, PitchBook has offices in Seattle, San Francisco, New York and London and serves more than 45,000 professionals around the world. In 2016, Morningstar acquired PitchBook, which now operates as an independent subsidiary.

SOURCE PitchBook

Related Links

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[July 10, 2020] K-12 Blended E-learning Market 2020-2024 | Need for Cost-Effective Teaching Model to Boost Growth | Technavio

Technavio has been monitoring the K-12 blended E-learning market and it is poised to grow by USD 12.27 billion during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of almost 14% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200710005124/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global K-12 Blended E-Learning Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire) Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. D2L Corp., Docebo Inc., Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Co., Instructure Inc., K12 Inc., Pearson Plc, Promethean Ltd., Providence Equity Partners (News - Alert) LLC, Scholastic Corp., and Think & Learn Pvt. Ltd. are some of the major market participants. The need for cost-effective teaching model will offer immense growth opportunities. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments. Need for cost-effective teaching model has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. K-12 blended E-learning Market 2020-2024: Segmentation K-12 blended E-learning Market is segmented as below: Product Hardware Content System Solutions Others

Geography North America APAC Europe South America MEA

To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.tecnavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR43632



K-12 blended E-learning Market 2020-2024: Scope Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our K-12 blended E-learning market report covers the following areas:

K-12 blended E-learning Market Size

K-12 blended E-learning Market Trends

K-12 blended E-learning Market Industry Analysis This study identifies need for SCORM-compliant content as one of the prime reasons driving the K-12 blended E-learning market growth during the next few years. K-12 blended E-learning Market 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis We provide a detailed analysis of vendors operating in the K-12 blended E-learning market, including some of the vendors such as D2L Corp., Docebo Inc., Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Co., Instructure Inc., K12 Inc., Pearson Plc, Promethean Ltd., Providence Equity Partners LLC, Scholastic Corp., and Think & Learn Pvt. Ltd. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the K-12 blended E-learning market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support. Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports. Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform K-12 blended E-learning Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024

Detailed information on factors that will assist K-12 blended E-learning market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the K-12 blended E-learning market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the K-12 blended E-learning market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of K-12 blended E-learning market vendors Table Of Contents: Executive Summary Market Landscape Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis Market Sizing Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2019

Market outlook: Forecast for 2019 - 2024 Five Forces Analysis Five forces summary

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition Market Segmentation by Product Market segments

Comparison by Product

Hardware - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Content - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

System - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Solutions - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Others - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the market

Market opportunity by Product Customer Landscape Geographic Landscape Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

North America - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

APAC - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Europe - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

South America - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

MEA - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic globally

Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography Market Drivers Market Challenges Market Trends Vendor Landscape Overview

Vendor landscape

Landscape disruption Vendor Analysis Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

D2L Corp.

Docebo Inc.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Co.

Instructure Inc.

K12 Inc.

Pearson Plc

Promethean Ltd.

Providence Equity Partners LLC

Scholastic Corp.

Think & Learn Pvt. Ltd. Appendix Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations About Us Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200710005124/en/

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Bob Owen

Bexar County does not include the number of those hospitalized from outside of the area in its overall total of coronavirus cases, but out-of-town patients are included in the county's hospitalization count, according to the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District.

Even as the stress level remains high on San Antonio's healthcare system with local COVID-19 cases, area hospitals continue to welcome patients from outside of the area.
On July 10 at 2:55 a.m. EDT (0655 UTC), the MODIS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite gathered temperature information about Tropical Storm Fay's cloud tops. MODIS found powerful thunderstorms where temperatures were as cold as or colder than minus 63 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 53 Celsius) mostly over the western Atlantic Ocean and over parts of coastal Delaware and southern New Jersey. Credit: NASA/NRL

NASA used satellite data to create an animation of Fay's development and progression over the past few days, showing how the storm organized into a tropical storm. Additionally, NASA's Aqua satellite used infrared light to find the location of the strongest storms in Tropical Storm Fay occurring in the northeastern quadrant of the storm, mostly over the Atlantic Ocean.

Tropical Storm Fay was officially named as the sixth tropical storm the Atlantic Ocean Hurricane Season by 5 p.m. EDT on July 9. The storm formed just off the North Carolina coast. For several days before that, forecasters were using satellite data to track the storm as it developed.

Animating the Development of Fay

Previously designated as System 98L, the low-pressure area formed off the Georgia coast and moved north. At NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. NASA Worldview was used to create an animation of visible imagery of the storm using data from NASA-NOAA Suomi NPP satellite. The animation showed the development and progression of System 98L into Tropical Storm Fay from July 6 to July 9.

NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Worldview application provides the capability to interactively browse over 700 global, full-resolution satellite imagery layers and then download the underlying data. Many of the available imagery layers are updated within three hours of observation, essentially showing the entire Earth as it looks "right now." Worldview is a tool that can be used to generate satellite imagery and animations.

NASA Analyzing Fay in Infrared Light

On July 10 at 2:55 a.m. EDT (0655 UTC), the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite gathered temperature information about Tropical Storm Fay's cloud tops. MODIS found powerful thunderstorms where temperatures were as cold as or colder than minus 63 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 53 Celsius) mostly over the western Atlantic Ocean and along coastal areas of Delaware and southern New Jersey. Cloud top temperatures that cold indicate strong storms with the potential to generate heavy rainfall.

Warnings and Watches on July 9

At 8 a.m. EDT (1200 UTC), the National Hurricane Center (NHC) noted a Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Fenwick Island, Delaware to Watch Hill, Rhode Island including Long Island and Long Island Sound, as well as Southern Delaware Bay. A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area.

NASA Worldview was used to create an animation of visible imagery from the NASA-NOAA Suomi NPP satellite was animated and showed the development and progression of System 98L into Tropical Storm Fay from July 6 to July 9. Credit: NASA Worldview, Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS).

What to Expect from Fay

The National Hurricane Center noted that in addition to tropical-storm force winds, storm surge and a possibility for isolated tornadoes, Fay is expected to produce heavy rainfall. "Fay is forecast to generate 2 to 4 inches of rain with isolated maxima of 7 inches along and near the track from the lower Maryland Eastern Shore and Delaware northward into New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, southeast New York, and southern New England. These rains may result in flash flooding where the heaviest amounts occur."

Fay's Status on July 9

At that time the NHC reported the center of Tropical Storm Fay was located by an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft near latitude 37.6 degrees north and longitude 74.7 degrees west. Fay was centered about 55 miles (85 km) south-southeast of Ocean City, Md. Fay is moving toward the north near 10 mph (17 kph). A northward to north-northeastward motion at a faster forward speed is expected over the next couple of days.

Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph (85 kph) with higher gusts. Little change in strength is forecast today and tonight while the center remains over water. Weakening should begin after the center moves inland. The estimated minimum central pressure based on aircraft data is 999 millibars.

A Weatherflow station at Lewes, Delaware recently reported a sustained wind of 33 mph (54 kph) and a wind gust of 39 mph (63 kph).

Fay's Forecast Track

NHC forecasters expect the center of Fay to move near the mid-Atlantic coast today and move inland over the mid-Atlantic or the northeast United States late tonight or on Saturday.

Typhoons/hurricanes are the most powerful weather events on Earth. NASA's expertise in space and scientific exploration contributes to essential services provided to the American people by other federal agencies, such as hurricane weather forecasting.

Explore further NASA finds wind shear battering tropical storm Edouard
You know we live in a strange world when people like me are forced to draw comfort from the statements of Noam Chomsky and Bernie Sanders supporter Zephyr Teachout. The left-wing radicals are among 150 esteemed artists, authors and public intellectuals who this week signed a letter that condemns cancel culture for stifling freedom of expression in journalism, higher education, philanthropy and the arts.

Writing in Harpers magazine, the ideologically diverse group says: The free exchange of information and ideas, the lifeblood of a liberal society, is daily becoming more constricted. They go on to bemoan an intolerance of opposing views, a vogue for public shaming and ostracism, and the tendency to dissolve complex policy issues in a blinding moral certainty. The letter follows former president Barack Obamas denunciations of woke culture and purity tests.

Of course, Obama and the Harpers letter writers are right: it is abominable that, effectively, a bunch of blinkered, self-righteous activists are dictating to the rest of us how we should feel about certain issues. Blacklisting people because of what they sincerely feel and believe, and terrifying people into confessing their unorthodox thoughts in the hope they might achieve some sort of redemption, is not how liberal democracies are supposed to work.

Former US president Barack Obama criticised "woke" culture. Credit:AP

Just look at the relentless campaign of ideological conformity that has swept the Western world. And, no, I am not referring to those mobs toppling statues of historical figures.
CAMBRIDGE  A 48-year-old Kitchener man faces charges of sexual assault, forcible confinement and uttering threats after police were called to a Cambridge house and found the man in his car.

Waterloo Regional Police received a 911 call of a man being aggressive in a house on Thursday at 1:15 p.m.

When police arrived, the man was in his car. The victim, a Cambridge woman, was not seriously injured.

The man was arrested and also charged with impaired care/control of a vehicle and assault.
President Donald Trump announced on Twitter that the U.S. will review the tax exempt status of colleges and universities because of a concern about radical left indoctrination.

Too many Universities and School Systems are about Radical Left Indoctrination, not Education. Therefore, I am telling the Treasury Department to re-examine their Tax-Exempt Status ... and/or Funding, which will be taken away if this Propaganda or Act Against Public Policy continues. Our children must be Educated, not Indoctrinated! Trump tweeted Friday.

According to the Association of American Universities, most public and private universities and colleges are tax-exempt entities because of their educational purpose. The IRS oversees their tax-exempt status and requires paperwork be filed each year, detailing revenues, expenses, endowments, salaries and more information that is publicly reported.

The president has frequently pressured schools to reopen this fall amid concerns about the coronavirus pandemic, despite many states seeing cases rise in recent weeks. Trump threatened to cut off federal funding for public schools that do not fully reopen this fall, and criticized CDC guidelines that ask schools to do very impractical things to prevent further spread of Covid-19.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) also said international students will not be allowed to stay in America if attending a college that offers only online classes. Syracuse University, Cornell University and others announced this week they would join a lawsuit filed by Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to block the order.

Trumps announcement sparked a flurry of reactions on social media, making Trump University a trending topic. He reached a $25 million settlement in 2016 after admitting to fraud over Trump University, which was not an actual university but a for-profit seminar series in New York with dubious claims of teaching real estate success.

... and/or Funding, which will be taken away if this Propaganda or Act Against Public Policy continues. Our children must be Educated, not Indoctrinated!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2020

Trump University was about fraud and grifting. You had to settle lawsuits for millions. And your fraud with the Trump Foundation stole money from childrens cancer and veterans. Sit down. https://t.co/kszjOeXXpm  George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) July 10, 2020

The president wants to turn Harvard into Trump University https://t.co/ebU12IHy6L  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 10, 2020

Real politburo crap here. You do NOT get to define what education is or is not. You do not get to mandate what we say, think, read or how we express ourselves. You do not control our bodies, our minds, our beliefs, or our sexual preferences. @realDonaldTrump https://t.co/wK0YqpOY26  Brian J. Karem (@BrianKarem) July 10, 2020


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - On Thursday, the United States witnessed another new high in daily coronavirus cases.



With 63,024 new cases reporting in the last 24 hours, the total number of people who contacted the disease in the U.S. increased to 3118168, according to Johns Hopkins University's latest data.



The number of daily deaths continued to rise for the fourth consecutive day. With 982 additional deaths, total death toll in the country reached 133291.



More than one fourth of these deaths occurred in Texas, the new epicenter of the deadly disease in U.S., where 11,612 additional COVID patients were reported in a day.



The number of states where COVID-19 deaths crossed 1000 rose to 24.



Following is the latest state-wise infection and casualty data of the worst-affected regions.



New York (32283 deaths, 399513 infections), New Jersey (15448 deaths, 174270 infections), Michigan (6271 deaths, 75063 infections), Massachusetts (8268 deaths, 110897 infections), Louisiana (3355 deaths, 71994 infections), Illinois (7329 deaths, 151572 infections), Pennsylvania (6848 deaths, 97542 infections), California (6859 deaths, 302484 infections), Connecticut (4348 deaths, 47209 infections), Texas (3006 deaths, 236541 infections), Georgia (2930 deaths, 106727 infections), Virginia (1937 deaths, 67988 infections), Maryland (3288 deaths, 71447 infections), Florida (4009 deaths, 232718 infections), Indiana (2739 deaths, 49575 infections), Ohio (3006 deaths, 61331 infections), Colorado (1706 deaths, 35507 infections), Minnesota (1528 deaths, 40163 infections), Arizona (2038 deaths, 112671 infections) Washington (1409 deaths, 38581 infections), North Carolina (1477 deaths, 79656 infections), Mississippi (1204 deaths, 33591 infections), Tennessee (710 deaths, 57591 infections), Alabama (1068 deaths and 49174 infections) and Missouri (1073 deaths, 26410 infections).



With hospitalizations soaring day by day, hospitals in hot spots such as Florida, Arizona, California and Texas are adding new ICU beds and special airflow systems.



Top US infectious diseases expert Dr Anthony Fauci said some states reopened too quickly ignoring guidelines and the recommendations to open up carefully and prudently. 'We're in a very difficult, challenging period right now,' he said on Podcast-19.



An emotional WHO chief pleaded Thursday for international unity to fight the pandemic.



'How difficult is it for humans to unite to fight a common enemy that's killing people indiscriminately?', the director of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a news conference referring to President Donald Trump's letter informing the UN health agency of his government's decision to leave it.



Meanwhile Trump's push to reopen schools full-time is meeting with resistance from school authorities. Most are planning to not fully reopen, the Washington Post reported.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 10



By Jeila Aliyeva - Trend:

Turkmenistan may participate in the implementation of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) projects related to digital technologies, Trend reports with reference to the Zolotoy Vek (Golden age) newspaper.

The representatives of UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education invited the Turkmen side to participate in the implementation of a number of projects related to digital technologies during a a videoconference

During the meeting, the parties expressed interest in increasing cooperation. In particular, priority areas of bilateral partnership were discussed.

The sides attach special importance to increasing cooperation in such areas as education, science, innovative technologies, protection and restoration of historical and architectural monuments. In particular, big attention is paid to the implementation of promising scientific and educational projects.

Earlier, Turkmenistan and the UNESCO have discussed the implementation and monitoring of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) program in Turkmenistan.

Turkmenistan and UNESCO signed a Framework agreement on the establishment of the Turkmenistan-UNESCO rust Fund on July 16, 2015. Under this agreement, peace and intercultural dialogue, education, cultural heritage, rapprochement of cultures are the major areas of cooperation.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @JeilaAliyeva
A population of neurons in Hydras diffuse nerve net are expressing neuropeptides (in green) which are visualized using specific antibodies. Cell nuclei are coloured in magenta. Credit: Dr Alexander Klimovich

Various diseases of the digestive tract, for example severe intestinal inflammation in humans, are closely linked to disturbances in the natural mobility of the intestine. What role the microbiomei.e. the natural microbial community colonizing the digestive tractplays in these rhythmic contractions of the intestine, also known as peristalsis, is currently the subject of intensive research. It is particularly unclear how the contractions are controlled and how the cells of the nervous system, that act as pacemakers, function together with the microorganisms.

A research team from the Cell and Developmental Biology group at Kiel University has now succeeded in demonstrating for the first time, using the freshwater polyp Hydra as an example, that phylogenetically old neurons and bacteria actually communicate directly with each other. Surprisingly, they discovered that the nerve cells are able to cross-talk with the microorganisms via immune receptors, i.e., to some extent with the mechanisms of the immune system.

On this basis, the scientists of the Collaborative Research Center (CRC) 1182 "Origin and Function of Metaorganisms" formulated the hypothesis that the nervous system has not only taken over sensory and motor functions from the onset of evolution, but is also responsible for communication with the microbes. The Kiel researchers around Professor Thomas Bosch published their results together with international colleagues today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Observations in a simple and ancient nervous system

The research team studied the simple nerve network of the phylogenetically ancient freshwater polyp Hydra. This nerve net is similar in function to the so-called enteric nervous system of vertebrates which controls the digestive tract motility. The researchers of the CRC1182 made two important observations. First, they succeeded for the first time in identifying those cells of Hydra's nervous system that are responsible for the rhythmic contractions of the gastric cavity.

The freshwater polyp Hydra has one of the most simple and evolutionary ancient nervous systems. It comprises pacemaker neurons that drive the rhythmic spontaneous contractions of the polyps body. Credit: Alexander Klimovich

The key to this discovery was the close collaboration with a human medicine research group led by Professor Mauro D'Amato from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. In a high-throughput study with sample material from patients suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), the Australian researchers discovered genes that could be responsible for disorders of intestinal peristalsis in humans. On this basis, Thomas Bosch's research team examined Hydra for cells in which these genes are active. Surprisingly, the Kiel researchers found them in a small group of nerve cells of this ancient nervous system.

When they blocked the activity of these genes in Hydra, this immediately led to a drastic reduction in rhythmic body contractions. The scientists at Kiel University were thus able to prove that these were indeed the pacemaker cells that control the peristalsis. Since the genes were originally discovered in human samples of IBS patients, the Kiel researchers suspect that these neurons are central control units that emerged early in the evolution of animals to regulate complex body functions.

Additionally the study by the Kiel research team also produced a second, equally surprising result. The detailed molecular genetic analysis of Hydra's individual nerve cells showed that they exert a direct influence on the density and composition of the symbiotic bacteria using the tools of the innate immune system. It was already known that the absence or disruption of the microbiome exerts a significant influence on the frequency and regularity of contractions. The new study now makes it clear that this is a phylogenetically ancient regulatory system in which the bi-directional communication between certain neurons and the symbiotic bacteria plays a central role.

"Our observations indicate that the nerve cells are able to perceive microorganisms and react to them," explains Dr. Alexander Klimovich, scientist in Cell and Developmental Biology group and member of CRC 1182. "For this, the neurons use receptors that are found in other animals in cells of the immune system," the first author of the study continues. Activated pacemaker cells then release certain molecules such as antimicrobial peptides, which in turn have a strong influence on the presence or absence of specific microbes.

In subsequent investigations, the Kiel research team compared the molecular toolkit of the pacemaker neurons in mice and nematodes with the situation found in Hydra. They found that communication of pacemaker cells and microbes may also take place in other organisms. More detailed analyses showed that, for example, the pacemaker cells in the mouse intestine also possess immune receptors that communicate with the microorganisms in a similar way.

"We therefore assume that the communication between neurons and microbes via immune receptors is an evolutionarily highly conserved fundamental principle," Klimovich emphasizes. "It is possible that this connection between the nervous system and the microbiome first developed in hydras around 650 million years ago," says Klimovich.

A single pacemaker neuron in Hydra is visualized using antibodies against Hydra pacemaker-specific ion channel (in green). Cell nuclei are shown in blue, muscle fibres of epithelial cells are coloured in magenta. Credit: A.-S. Matt, Dr Alexander Klimovich

A new hypothesis

The findings of the Kiel research team thus provide strong evidence that the emergence of the nervous system was closely linked to symbiotic microorganisms from the very beginning. "We may have to rethink the evolution of the immune and nervous systems," emphasizes Bosch, head of the Kiel Cell and Developmental Biology group and spokesperson of the CRC 1182, "The investigations on Hydra show that even the evolutionary oldest nervous systems interacted with microorganisms. It is possible that nerve cells evolved to enable communication with the microbes that are so important for the body," Bosch continues.

If this hypothesis holds true, it also opens up completely new perspectives on the development and future treatment of human intestinal diseases caused by impaired intestinal mobility. This is because a correlation between the state of the microbiome and the disorders of intestinal peristalsis is very likely to exist in humans as well. "In the future, therefore, we must also consider the role of nerve cells in the development and treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases," Bosch envisions. The better the researchers understand their involvement in the development of the disease, the closer therapeutic interventions in the microbiome that could allow healthy intestinal motility and thus the treatment of chronic intestinal diseases.

Explore further Bacteria as pacemaker for the intestine

More information: Alexander Klimovich et al. Prototypical pacemaker neurons interact with the resident microbiota, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2020). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Alexander Klimovich et al. Prototypical pacemaker neurons interact with the resident microbiota,(2020). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1920469117
Japan's Defense Ministry Announces Next-Gen Fighter Jet to Fly by 2028

Sputnik News

20:07 GMT 09.07.2020

The Japanese Defense Ministry laid out a timeline on Tuesday for getting the Self-Defense Forces' next-generation fighter jet from drawing board to battlefield. The first flight tests could begin as early as 2028, with the jet entering service by 2035.

According to the Japan Times, the defense ministry said on Tuesday it would begin building a prototype for its next-generation fighter in 2024, with the goal of having the plane in the air for the first time by 2028.

If all goes well, mass production of the jet should begin by 2031, according to the ministry's timeline, and the aircraft will begin replacing the Mitsubishi F-2 fighter in 2035.

Defense News further noted the defense ministry hoped to select the program's primary contractor as early as October of this year, which would produce a basic design for the aircraft by April 2021.

Concept Art of the Japanese Air Self Defense Force's future F-X Fighter

Bradley Perrett at Aviation Week nicknamed the nex-gen fighter "Godzilla" when its concept art was released in February, thanks to the aircraft's huge size exceeding that of the already-large F-22, which is 62 feet long.

Sputnik previously reported on the unveiling of the concept drawing for the aircraft, noting its similarity to Northrop's YF-23 Black Widow test aircraft. The Pentagon eventually selected the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor instead, and later declined to sell Tokyo - or any foreign power - the stealthy fighter aircraft.

As a consequence, Tokyo undertook its own stealth aircraft research, building the X-2 Shinshin tester, which flew for the first time in 2016. The aircraft reportedly has the radar cross-section of "a giant beetle."

However, the upcoming fighter won't dent Tokyo's commitment to the F-35 program. The island nation is still expected to be Lockheed Martin's largest customer, buying some 157 of the expensive stealth aircraft.

A Sputnik

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Ask Dr. Land: Was Trump's Mount Rushmore speech provocative?

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Question: Why all the controversy over President Trumps Mount Rushmore Speech on 4th of July weekend?

Unless you have been on a spiritual retreat and completely cut off from electronic communication, you know there has been an amazing kerfuffle over President Trumps speech at Mount Rushmore on the Friday of July 4th weekend.

If you have not seen the speech, I would encourage you to watch it. Whether you are a Trump fan or not, it was without doubt the best speech of his presidency.

The president, against the dramatic backdrop of Mount Rushmore, delivered a full-throated, eloquent defense of American exceptionalism in a speech that was both inspirational and aspirational.

However, you would never know this, or be able to deduce it, from the reporting in the mainstream media. These mainstream media mavens hated the speech so much that they would not, or could not, report it accurately. Perhaps the most egregious example was the news article on the speech by the Washington Posts Robert Coats and Philip Rucker. These reporters commenced their account of the event with this lead: President Trumps unyielding push to preserve Confederate symbols and the legacy of white domination, crystallized by his harsh denunciation of the racial justice movement Friday night at Mount Rushmore. . . .

Big problem. President Trump made absolutely no reference to the Confederacy or anything related to it. His only mention of the Civil War was to praise President Lincoln for the abolition of slavery.

Picking up this theme of falsely reporting Mr. Trumps remarks, Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois (evidently on Joe Bidens short list for a running mate), said that Mr. Trump spent all his time talking about dead traitors. One assumes she was not referring to Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, or Theodore Roosevelt  former presidents all  who were the historical figures Mr. Trump most prominently defended.

Whether President Trump is your flavor of the month or not, the speech itself was a powerful narrative both of Americas uniqueness and its ongoing promise.

As Rich Lowry of National Review Online described the presidents speech, It would be difficult to get a more textbook expression of the American civic religion than the speech at Rushmore . . . or a more affirming account of the greatness of America and its meaning to the world.

Lowry went on to characterize the speech as a celebration of Americas Founders, its ideals and freedom, its capacity for self-renewal, its astonishing variety of geniuses, adventurers, warriors, inventors, and great musicians and athletes.

The president asserted that our Founding Fathers in 1776 founded not only a revolution in government, but a revolution in the pursuit of justice, equality, liberty, and prosperity.

The president then put his finger on the one thing that truly separates the Declaration from many other documents: They enshrined a divine truth that changed the world forever when they said, . . . all men are created equal. These immortal words set in motion the unstoppable march of freedom. Our Founders boldly declared that we are all endowed with the same divine rights  given [to us] by our Creator in Heaven.

As I said at the beginning, the speech was aspirational as well as inspirational.

Upon this ground, we will stand firm and unwavering. In the face of lies meant to divide us, demoralize us, and diminish us, we will show that the story of America unites us, inspires us, includes us all, and makes everyone free. We must demand that our children are taught once again to see America as did Reverend Martin Luther King, when he said that the Founders had signed a promissory note to every future generation. Dr. King saw that the mission of justice required us to fully embrace our founding ideals. Those ideals are so important to us  the founding ideals. He called on his fellow citizens not to rip down their heritage, but to live up to their heritage. Above all, our children, from every community, must be taught that to be American is to inherit the spirit of the most adventurous and confident people ever to walk the face of the Earth.

And then the president said,

From this night and from this magnificent place, let us go forward united in our purpose and re-dedicated in our resolve. We will raise the next generation of American patriots. We will write the next thrilling chapter of the American adventure. And we will teach our children to know that they live in a land of legends, that nothing can stop them, and that no one can hold them down. They will know that in America, you can do anything, you can be anything, and together, we can achieve anything.

So, what was the problem? Perhaps it was that the presidents assertion that we are the greatest country in the world is under severe and sustained attack.

Make no mistake: this left-wing cultural revolution is designed to overthrow the American Revolution. In so doing, they would destroy the very civilization that rescued billions from poverty, disease, violence, and hunger, and that lifted humanity to new heights of achievement, discovery, and progress. To make this possible, they are determined to tear down every statue, symbol, and memory of our national heritage.

In specific relation to Mount Rushmore, the president said,

This movement is openly attacking the legacies of every person on Mount Rushmore. They defile the memory of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt. Today, we will set history and historys record straight.

I must say that the actions of protesters defacing and destroying statues to George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, and Theodore Roosevelt, among others, coupled with the apoplectic denunciation and mischaracterizations of his speech, certainly furnish evidence favoring the presidents assertion.

Before leaving the subject of the presidents Mount Rushmore speech, however, it must be said that the president did identify the most important thing about the Declaration, the distinction that has given it its enduring power  a belief that human rights come from God.

Contrast that with the French Revolution, which began with the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, a mere 13 years after the American Declaration of Independence commenced the American Revolution. While many contemporaries thought they were essentially the same revolution (including Thomas Jefferson), they were wrong.

While there may have been superficial similarities, the enormous philosophical difference soon became apparent to all. The French Revolution in extremely short time degenerated into a horrendous and bloody reign of terror and a Napoleonic dictatorship that became the model for modern totalitarian regimes. In contrast, the American Revolution led to the longest, sustained democracy in the history of the world  the United States.

The essential and defining difference in the two revolutions can be identified in their foundational statements. As the president has pointed out, the American Revolution declared to the world, We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.

The French Revolution asserted the principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity, based purely on the human assertion of those rights, as opposed to the American Revolutions basing them on the Creator and natural law.

The American Revolution did not declare its independence from God  the French Revolution did. In fact, the French Revolution was virulently anti-religious and sought to go all the way back to the pre-Christian roots of European civilization, back to Greco-Roman paganism. They dressed up a famous French actress as the goddess of reason, placed her on the altar of Notre Dame Cathedral, and worshiped her.

The Judeo-Christian roots of the American Revolution laid the foundation that protected human rights instead of sacrificing them to the false glory of the secular state.

Thank God our forefathers were American, not French, and they worshiped the one true God, not themselves.

Our second president and one of the more prominent authors of the U.S. Constitution, John Adams, emphasized the importance of this difference. In 1798, which serving as president, he explained, We have no government armed in power capable of contending in human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Our Constitution was made for a moral and a religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.

President Adams understood that this new and unique experiment in self-government was a bold attempt to wed Judeo-Christian values and beliefs with Enlightenment ideas of self-government, which gave unprecedented freedom and liberties to ordinary people. However, John Adams also understood that such a deliberately limited self-government depended on an understanding that the vast majority of the citizenry would voluntarily obey the law even when no one was watching because they were aware of being accountable to a higher moral authority, namely God. If there were to come a time when human passions were no longer controlled by the internal morality and religion of the people, then the freedoms made possible by such limited government would ultimately collapse into moral license, social chaos, and economic disaster. In other words, Americas unprecedented liberties were inextricably intertwined with her Judeo-Christian beliefs, and societal abandonment of one would inevitably end in the loss of the other.

Given the events unfolding on the streets of our major cities in the last two months, John Adams words are indeed sobering.
You are here: Arts

The Cairo Opera House reopened on Thursday for about 400 visitors who attended a concert performed in an open-air theatre amid strict anti-COVID-19 measures.

"The organization has been a success and all anti-coronavirus precautionary measures have been strictly implemented," Egyptian Culture Ministry spokesman Mohamed Mounir told Xinhua, adding that the concert was attended by Culture Minister Inas Abdel-Dayem.

Mounir emphasized that Egypt is the first Arab and African country to resume the opera house activities since the outbreak of the pandemic.

Thursday's concert included performance of famous traditional Egyptian songs and music, with most of band members having medical face masks on.

The activities of Cairo Opera House have been suspended over the past four months as part of the country's efforts to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The country has recently lifted a partial nighttime curfew imposed over the past three months, and reopened restaurants, cafes, theaters and cinemas, as well as hotels, museums and archeological sites for tourists, all with limited capacity.

Egypt has so far confirmed 79,254 COVID-19 cases, including 3,617 deaths and 22,753 recoveries.

Egypt and China have been cooperating closely in fighting the pandemic through exchanging medical aid and expertise.

As for cultural cooperation, Egyptian and Chinese orchestras held in June a joint online concert to mark the 64th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
The 19-year-old daughter of comedian and syndicated radio host Rickey Smiley spoke briefly on the Rickey Smiley Morning Show Thursday about getting shot earlier this week.

Im Ok. Im happy to be alive,' said Aaryn Smiley. Im praying for those that have actually had to give their life to gun violence.

Aaryn, a freshman at Baylor University with plans to become a doctor, was shot about 8:45 p.m. Sunday when she and her boyfriend were headed to Whataburger. According to Houston police, Aaryn was one of four people injured in the shooting at the 6898 South Freeway (State Highway 288) service road.

According to police, three men were in a vehicle at a stop light when another vehicle passed them, and the occupant or occupants opened fire on the three. All three men in that car were injured, as was Aaryn, who was in a separate vehicle with her boyfriend.

Her father spoke with AL.com Wednesday about the shooting.

Asked to recount her ordeal on the show, Aaryn said, Lets see if I can get through it without crying. She said she and her boyfriend had been celebrating her 19th birthday that weekend and were headed to get some food.

They were in the far lane preparing to turn left. Another car was next to them and another pulled up in the far-right lane. I thought they were shooting fireworks,' she said. When they got out of the car, it didnt register they were about to shoot people.

They were shooting at a car in the middle but clearly their aim wasnt top tier because I got hit, the car in front of us hit and I think there was a car behind us that also got it, she said.

Aaryn didnt realize at first that shed been struck. I thought when (the bullets) went through the car that I got burned. It was like hot. And it was quick,' she said.

It was then her boyfriend pointed out that shed been shot. I looked down and Im gushing blood,' Aaryn said. 'I didnt know that Id been shot in my left leg because it went through and the bullet stayed in my right leg.

She said is fortunate that a hospital was so close. I blacked out for maybe a good five minutes,' she said. I remember seeing the blood and it all went dark. I woke up on a (hospital) table.

A bullet, she said, narrowly missed her head. People say, Why would God do this? But I think He definitely saved me from much worse,' she said. I could literally be dead right now. Im thankful. Im so thankful.

Police have not announced any arrests in the shooting that wounded Aaryn. Anyone with information in this case is asked to contact the HPD Major Assaults & Family Violence Division at 713-308-8800 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
Formula 1 is in Austria for the second Grand Prix on the Red Bull Ring, but where the guidelines are very strict during the race weekend, it appears that this is not maintained at all on weekdays.

Thus it has become clear that drivers and teams are free to go back home during the week. Valtteri Bottas and Charles Leclerc returned to Monaco and were not alone. With this the drivers are out of the bubble, but according to the drivers and their team it is all according to the guidelines of Formula 1.

Drivers leaving Austria

''Of course I did ask if it was okay and the answer was yes. In the end it doesn't matter much whether I'm here or in Monaco with the same people'', says Bottas who flew back to Monaco with his girlfriend. The three days at home did Bottas good to recharge for race two.

Leclerc also flew back to Monaco and he even did extra corona tests to make sure he wasn't infected with the virus. ''I did go home, but I've been tested twice since then," says Leclerc according to Racefans.net.

Read more No GP in China? Government cancels all international sporting events
We completed on the purchase of a flat last week, paying the full amount of stamp duty as we are not first-time buyers.

Can we now claim back this tax since we missed out on the new stamp duty holiday by just a few days?

We could do with the money for repairs and decorating.

Stamp duty: The tax was cut on property transactions below 500,000 - but the relief cannot be backdated

Anne Ashworth answers: On Wednesday Chancellor Rishi Sunak raised the stamp duty threshold (the point at which the tax is payable) to 500,000. Previously it was 125,000, or 300,000 for first-time buyers.

Now, anyone completing on the purchase of a home priced up to 500,000 will pay no stamp duty.

The tax on more costly properties will be charged on the portion above 500,000.

Estate agent Rightmove estimates that the savings for homebuyers range from 646 in the North East to 15,000 in London, based on the average asking price for a home in these regions.

But only those who complete between 8 July 2020 and 31 March 2021 are entitled to benefit.

This means you cannot ask for the relief to be backdated.

Stamp duty calculator How much tax would you have to pay on a home or buy-to-let? Purchase price 

Is this a buy-to-let or second home? (Higher rates apply)

Stamp duty charge

It seems unlikely the Chancellor will bow to pressure for the measure to be backdated.

The stamp duty holiday is intended to encourage people to move home, rather than reward those who have done so.

However, anyone who has exchanged and is yet to complete can enjoy the perk  which applies in England and Northern Ireland only. Wales and Scotland have their own land taxes.

This chart shows how stamp duty will be slashed during the tax holiday that will last until 31 March 2021, with a zero rate to 500,000. The red bars show bills under the old rates and the green bars show bills now under the stamp duty holiday
The European Union's second highest court will next week rule in an appeal by Apple and Ireland against an EU ruling for the U.S. company to pay 13 billion euros in back taxes, the Irish government said on Wednesday.

The European Commission ordered Apple in 2016 to pay the taxes it said were owed to Ireland. But Apple and Ireland, whose economy benefits from hosting a number of multinational firms, began an appeal against the decision in September.

"The State has been formally notified that the General Court of the European Union (GCEU) will deliver its judgment in the Apple State Aid case on 15th July," the Department of Finance said in a statement.

Deputy Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said the judgment was likely to be appealed by one of the parties.

"I think that no matter what the judgment is, this case will almost certainly be appealed by one party or another to the European Court of Justice," Varadkar told journalists.

With the legal challenge expected to run for years, Ireland's debt agency has invested the disputed taxes in low-risk, highly rated euro-dominated bonds, mainly short- to medium-term sovereign securities.

Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said Apple's commitment to Ireland, which became its first European operation in 1980 and where it employs 6,00 workers, was "unshakable." (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
MEXICO CITY, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- From the meeting held by the President of Mexico, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, his counterpart from the United States, Donald Trump, and a group of prominent businessmen from both nations, the agreement they reached to give momentum to the productive chains of sectors such as tourism, in both countries.

During the dinner held last Wednesday at the White House, the traditional protocol was modified. People in business talked about the importance of reactivating value chains in vital sectors for the development and economic and commercial exchange between Mexico and the United States.

Tourism was one of the topics that became relevant during the evening since it is one of the pillars between both countries. In Mexico's particular case, the businessmen representing that country needed to explain their importance to the economy.

Olegario Vazquez Aldir, General Director of Grupo Empresarial Angeles (GEA) to which Camino Real Hotels is part of, represented the tourism sector that attended the dinner.

The flagship hotel group in Mexico and a relevant actor in business tourism and vacation tourism reported on the investment they will make to be able to offer their clients security, cleaning, and quality in its facilities.

Olegario Vazquez Aldir, was not only one of the first businessmen to be part of Lopez Obrador's guest list to accompany him on his first visit to the United States. He also highlighted and impressed his American counterparts during dinner with President Donald Trump, as one of the three entrepreneurs with the highest potential and one of the most important in Mexico, along with Carlos Slim Helu and Bernardo Gomez.

"Tourism is one of the sectors that should occupy the current government the most since many families in our country depend on it, and activating this sector will be the trigger for the gears of the economy to begin to move," said Vazquez Aldir.

SOURCE Olegario Vazquez Aldir
For the first time ever, researchers have linked 40 years of productivity data from the construction industry with the actual work done. The results explain the decline in productivity in the construction industry and suggests a way forward

A team of researchers from Aarhus University have, for the first time ever, linked 40 years of productivity data from the construction industry with the actual work done. The results show that productivity in the construction industry has been declining since the 1970s. The results also explain the decline and how to achieve far more efficient construction in North America and Europe.

"This is a clear and cut business case and a helping hand for decision-makers in the construction industry: If the country's contractors are to make more money, they need to optimise processes."

This is how Hasse Neve, carpenter, MSc in Engineering, PhD and researcher in construction industry productivity at the Department of Engineering at Aarhus University, introduces the new study that, for the first time ever, links national productivity statistics in the construction industry with the efficiency of the actual work done on construction sites.

As it turns out, there is a statistically significant correlation between the two.

"Since 1972, we've continuously gotten less and less out of every hour of work. Construction sites have simply become less and less efficient because more time is spent on non-value adding work. Ultimately, this means that we spend more and more working hours on a single construction job. Therefore, our contractors do not earn as much money on construction as they could," says Hasse Neve.

The study has just been published in Construction Engineering and Management, one of the world's leading scientific journals for construction management.

Hasse Neve emphasises that it is primarily the construction management and not the builders who are responsible for and can influence how a building site operates, and thus how efficiently work is carried out. In general, everybody wants a good workflow and no waste:

"But to achieve this, the construction management team will need to use the right tools and competences and dedicate themselves to the task," he says and continues:

"The construction management team have the greatest influence on efficiency, and thereby on how much money is earned. And the way to increase efficiency is to use methods, tools and knowledge that already exist. Lean Construction tools are basically all about eliminating waste. It is therefore crucial that the construction management are trained in Lean Construction and that extra resources are added to both implementation and support throughout the project."

In the study, the research team used national productivity statistics from the construction industry and so-called work-sampling studies (observational studies of the work performed) from the US and Canada. The studies were carried out between 1972 and 2010. The reason that no Danish or European data were used is simply because not enough work-sampling studies have been completed in Denmark and Europe.

"Since the construction industry in North America isn't too different from its European or Danish counterparts, there's good reason to take these results seriously. If we're going to change the productivity development of the Danish construction industry, we need to focus on efficiency on construction sites," says Hasse Neve.

To illustrate the value that the construction industry could generate if more time was spent on value-adding work, Hasse has calculated what just 36 more seconds per hour (for builders) spent on generating value could mean for the construction industry's gross domestic product in the US and Canada: 5.4 billion dollars annually (approx. DKK 36 billion).

"Although there is a degree of uncertainty, this shows what a society could earn by simply spending one percentage point more time on value-adding work on construction sites. But the vast majority of sites can be optimised even more, thus the numbers could be huge," he says and continues:

"The results are of course based on North American data, but there is no doubt that the potential for the Danish construction industry is also significant. And that's a really fantastic thought. We have lots of tools and knowledge that can make construction processes far more efficient, so why not use them? Fundamentally, construction is about generating value. A good final product for the client and users, and an efficient process for contractors, so they can earn money.

And if you are unsure about how to get started?

"Then just call me," says the researcher with a smile.

###

CONTACT:

Hasse Neve, PhD

Email: hn@eng.au.dk

Tel.: +45 28 79 18 38

Professor Sren Wandahl

Email: swa@eng.au.dk

Tel.: +45 41 89 32 16


CONTENTS























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GitHub





Tin Can Phone Modem Posted: July 3, 2020 Introduction Here's the popular "science experiment" of a phone made from tin cans and some kite string. This time instead of sending voice from one can to the other, data will be sent using a short beep for 0 and a long beep for 1 with a longer start beep to begin the transmission. A transmitter circuit on one end takes data from UART cable to a PC and relays the data through a speaker in one can. The receiver circuit has a microphone in the can and UART cable to relay the response back to the PC. This project was quite a bit more difficult than it looks. I'll have to admit my strength is software, not analog circuits. I messed with this a few months back with some other materials but got frustrated and decided "life's too short" and quit. A couple weeks ago I felt like trying one more time and finally got it working. More on that in the explanation below along with a video, pictures, schematic, and source code. Related Projects @mikekohn.net Storage: Tin Can Modem, Water Optic Video

https://youtu.be/myWLHgp6dkw Here's a video of the circuit working. Two tin cans (Sriracha peas receiver and wasabi peas for transmitting) are held up by 2 chairs in my kitchen. I was able to adjust the tension on the string by moving the chairs further apart. The receiver circuit is hooked up to the oscilloscope to show if the data getting passed is bad so the the tension on the string could be adjusted to get a better transmission. The data transmitted is simply my name. At the end the string is loosened to prove no data is picked up if the string isn't vibrating. I rarely talk in videos, but I decided it makes more sense to try to explain things in this one. I realized when I finished I forgot the mandatory 2 minute introduction and begging people to click the like button and to subscribe. Explanation

This project is conceptually quite simple, pretty simple software-wise, but really a lot more difficult than it looked due to so many electrical and physical variables: Use of tin cans or paper cups.

Type of string used (kite string, fishing line, dental floss).

How much tension on the string.

Type of microphone.

Carrier frequency (400Hz, 800Hz, 1000+ Hz).

Type of preamp (MC607, OPA2313, LM386).

Gain of the preamp.

Capacitors used on LM567 (changes sensitivity, bandwidth, etc).

Length of tones and spaces. When I originally tried this project, I started out with tin cans and kite string. I was having trouble so I next tried fishing line but later read that using a string that can't strech would work better. The website also recommended paper cups so I got a couple lattes from Starbucks and tried some dental floss. The two original circuits were both based on ATtiny2313 microcontrollers. I used these Atmel chips because they can run at 5v instead of the 3.3v the MSP430 runs at. Since the LM567 chip I used to detect the tone I was transmitting runs at 5v, I figured it would make the circuitry simpler to use 5v microcontrollers. The whole system is quite similar to a Tape Data Recorder project I did earlier, except this time instead of recording the data to tape, it will play the data through the cans. The transmitter side is really simple. The ATtiny2313 reads in data through the UART and toggles a data pin at a frequency to send out sound through an LM386 audio amplifier into the speaker. The length of the tone tells what kind of data bit it is: very long is a start bit, half that is a 1, and a little shorter than that is a 0. The loudness of the tone can be adjusted with a potentiometer to make sure the sound can't be picked up by the microphone if it's not through the string. On the receiver side an LM567 serves as kind of a bandpass filter and has an output signal that will show no voltage if the configured frequency is detected on the input. To configure it, a capacitor and resistor combination is connected to pins 5 and 6 to select the frequency desired. On pins 1 and 2 capacitor values there will select how sensitive the chip is (how quick it will detect the signal and how quick to release if the frequency starts to disappear) and the bandwidth (how far off from the selected frequency should be okay to report that the frequency exists). I originally tuned the LM567 to detect a tone around 800Hz. I can't remember the exact frequency, but it was based on some simpler resistor / capacitor setup. I got the whole circuit working and detecting the tone before setting everything up in my kitchen using Starbucks cups and dental floss. The dental floss was tied to the inside of the cups using broken toothpicks. The biggest problems I had with that setup were the dental floss tended to break a lot when pulling the cups tight. I also had a really hard time finding the correct opamp gain and capacitors for frequency detection. The signal (before it reached the LM567) was pretty noisy. So like I mentioned above, after I spent some time on this on some weekends I decided to give up. A couple weeks ago I decided to try this again. I was going to go for 1000Hz this time and was thinking of trying an MSGEQ7 graphics equalizer chip instead. Decided in the end that wasn't the right thing to do and went back to the LM567. This time I set up the resistor / capacitor on pin 5 and 6 for 1000Hz. I also used a SparkFun Electret Microphone Breakout board which already has the opamp circuit. It wasn't quite loud enough so I used a second stage MCP607 with a gain of 10. Pretty much perfect. I also went back to the tin cans and kite string and switched the circuit to MSP430. The Amtel chips just don't have the same debugging tools that the MSP430 has. A $10 Launchpad along with mspdebug and naken_asm (both programs together will fit on a 3.5" floppy) and I can ctrl-C to stop the code and examine registers and memory. Unless there are some opensource tools I don't know about, to do Atmel debugging requires a pretty big IDE download along with a Windows system. Hopefully Microchip will fix that. In the receiver firmware I would dump the lengths of all the pulses into nine 16 bit memory locations and examine them to see what went wrong. I set up the LM567 and played a 1000Hz tone using a website that can create tones and found the LM567 ignored it. So I made sounds using my voice and found a frequency it does react to. Using my guitar I found it to be 400Hz and decide to just go with it. I still have no idea why this is 400Hz. I checked the values of the capacitor and resistor with a multimeter and ran the calculations many times over. It should have been 1000Hz. Anyway, here are the values I came up with that seemed the most stable: R1 = 2.7k

C1 = 0.33uF

C2 = 0.0047uF

C3 = 1.0uF I used a multimeter to get more exact values for R1 and C1 (2.6k and 0.337uF). Using the equation in the datasheet:

frequency = 1 / (1.1 * R1 * C1) octave:2> 1 / (1.1 * 2700 * 0.00000033) ans = 1020.3 octave:3> 1 / (1.1 * 2660 * 0.000000337) ans = 1014.1 I tried to use the same values in the datasheet for C3 and C2 but C3 needed to be much higher to get the stability needed. I was originally hoping to get close to 100 baud or so, but after struggling so much I went with a transfer rate between 6 to 7 baud. If I have my math right: Minimum rate based on 200ms START, 100ms ONE, and 50ms SPACE: octave:7> (1000 / ((200 + 50) + ((100 + 50) * 8))) * 9 ans = 6.2069 Maxiumum rate based on 200ms START, 75ms ZERO, and 50ms SPACE: octave:8> (1000 / ((200 + 50) + ((75 + 50) * 8))) * 9 ans = 7.2000 So old old old telephone modems used to use 4 tones, two for the caller as 0 and 1 and two for the callee as 0 and 1. For one way communication this would have required two LM567's so I instead used the same encoding typically used on IR remote controls (also the same as Tape Data Recorder and Pancake-ROM). In this case a start bit lasts 200ms, a 1 bit lasts 100ms, a 0 bit lasts 75ms, and a space between the bits is 50ms. Below is a view of the whole system sitting on my kitchen table. On the left is a sriracha peas can (red/orange wires and can for receive) and on the right is a wasabi peas can (green wires and can for transmit). This time around I used kite string and metal cans. The cans are attached inside the can through paperclips. Not sure how their position in the can affected the transmission quality, they probably moved a bit when I tightened or loosened the string. If I put in my hand on the string while the tones were playing, I could feel the sound on the string. It was a pretty strong vibration. Below is a view of the oscilloscope with the probe just after the LM567 showing the input signal going into the MSP430. This was actually a pretty clean run, most of them started with spikey noise infront of every tone and sometimes spikes in the middle. To compensate for that I digitally filtered those out in the interrupt routine (every 1.25ms) which would increment the R4 register if the LM567 signal is low (tone detected) up to only 20 counts and decrementing R4 if the signal is high (no tone detected). If R4 is above the lower treshold of 5, then it considered the tone to be playing. Below is a view of the oscilloscope with the probe just after the second opamp, showing the input signal going into the LM567 (not the same run as above): This is a close-up view of the receiver board. On the far left is the MCP607 opamp set to multiply the input signal by 10. To the right of that is the LM567. I used some sockety things for C2 and C3 so I could change the values to fine-tune the system. To the right of that is an MSP430G2553. Here's the schematic for the receiver. I didn't do the transmitter just because it's pretty simple and I doubt anyone would find it useful. Source code

tin_can_modem_receiver.asm

tin_can_modem_transmitter.asm The source code is a little messy since I kept a lot of debugging code in it. Both the MSP430 and ATtiny2313 code assemble with naken_asm. Copyright 1997-2022 - Michael Kohn




July 9, 2020

Jennifer LaVista, USGS Public Affairs Specialist

Measuring mercury during normal and high-flow events on the Colorado River

Note: This is a story released by the U.S. Geological Survey, Office of Communications and Publishing

A new study describes how food web dynamics influence the movement of mercury throughout the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. This new research from the U.S. Geological Survey and partners, including Idaho State University, represents one of the first times that the movement and fate of mercury has been traced through an entire food web.

Mercury is a pollutant that accumulates within the animals that ingest it and becomes more concentrated as it travels up the food chain. Mercury occurs in food webs throughout the world, even in seemingly remote locations such as Grand Canyon National Park.

Understanding the factors that control the movement of mercury through food webs can help resource managers protect ecosystems that are susceptible to mercury pollution, said David Walters, USGS scientist and co-lead author of the study.

Scientists examined how mercury moved through Colorado River food webs at six sites downstream of Glen Canyon Dam. Sites ranged from directly downstream of the dam to more than 240 miles downstream. The study looked at mercury movement during normal flows and throughout a high-flow event.

In this paper, we combined data on mercury concentrations in organisms with ecological information to understand how mercury moves through the Grand Canyon food web, said Emma Rosi, aquatic ecologist from the Cary Institute and co-lead author of the study. This new approach to studying contaminants could improve management of contaminants in ecosystems around the world."

Colden Baxter, ISU biological sciences professor, was a co-author on the study.

The results of this study are exciting because they show how combining ecological and ecotoxicological approaches can yield understanding that would not otherwise have been possible, Baxter said. For decades scientists have recognized that contaminants like mercury can have far-reaching effects on the web of life, but this study reveals how characteristics of that web can mediate how these contaminants move, where they end up, which organisms they impact  even the extent to which contaminants move between water and land.

He said this study was made possible by years of intensive work conducted to quantify the food web of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, key elements of which were led by Baxter and former ISU graduate students Kevin Donner and Kate Behn.

Aquatic insects have a complex life history with a larval stage that is in water and an adult stage that is on land, or terrestrial. Therefore, adult aquatic insects can transport mercury from rivers to land, making this mercury available to wildlife that eat the insects, such as birds and bats. This study found that the amount of mercury that insects moved from the Colorado River into terrestrial habitats in the Grand Canyon depended on the degree to which their larvae were eaten by fish. If fish consumption of insect larvae was high, very little mercury left the river through adult insects. Conversely, where fish consumption of insect larvae was relatively low, more adult insects emerged from the river and moved mercury to the food web on land.

Invasive New Zealand mudsnails were resistant to predation by fish and created a dead end for a large proportion of mercury moving through the food web. In contrast, blackflies are an aquatic insect and are preferred prey of fish. Consequently, they accounted for most of the mercury consumed by fish.

A high-flow release of water from Glen Canyon Dam, known as a High Flow Experiment, was conducted during the study period, which allowed scientists to examine the impacts of the event on mercury in the food web. The HFE affected the movement of mercury by changing invertebrate abundance at different sites along the river. In the simple food web near the dam, the HFE reduced mudsnail populations while enhancing populations of blackflies. These changes resulted in higher mercury consumption in fish due to the increase in blackflies, which had elevated levels of mercury compared to other prey species. Downstream food webs were more complex due to more feeding connections per species and more species overall.

Because of their complexity, downstream food webs were more resistant to the HFE disturbance and the flow of mercury was largely unchanged.

Results from this study may help resource managers understand how dam releases affect mercury uptake and movement through food webs. For example, if dam releases are managed to favor aquatic insects over invasive snails, then that may change the movement of mercury within river food webs. Likewise, dam releases aimed at enhancing fish populations may influence the movement of mercury between the river and terrestrial habitats by altering the number of adult insects that emerge from the river.

This study was done in cooperation with the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, the National Park Service, Montana State University, Idaho State University and the University of Montana Flathead Lake Biological Station.
Opposition party leaders have raised doubts after gangster Vikas Dubey was killed in an encounter following a car accident. He was arrested by Ujjain police on Thursday and was being brought to Kanpur by a team of STF sleuths. Four personnel of STF were also injured during the encounter.

Samajwadi Party Chief and former UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav tweeted, The car has now overturned, but the government was saved from being overturning because of their secret.

     ,         .  Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) July 10, 2020

All India Congress Committee General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also hinted at the allegations of a nexus between Dubey and powerful personalities, by saying - "This the end of a criminal but what about his crimes and people who protected him?

    ,         ?  Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) July 10, 2020

Raising questions on the encounter of Vikas Dubey, former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Jitin Prasad tweeted, With the end of Vikas Dubey in custody the government has ensured that the trail which would have exposed his nexus with people in positions of power who allowed criminals like him to flourish, has ended too.

Another tweet targeting the police encounter of Vikas Dubey was made by former Jammu & Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah. Dead men tell no tales #VikasDubey, tweeted Abdullah.

Former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh and Congress leader Digvijay Singh tweeted and said the thing people were speculating on, had now been carried out.

What was suspected has been done. Which political people Vikas Dubey had contact with, police and other government officials, will no longer be exposed. In the last 3-4 days, two other colleagues of Vikas Dubey have also had encounters, but why is the pattern of the three encounters the same?," he tweeted.

Digvijaya Singh further said that it was necessary to find out why Dubey had chosen the Ujjain Mahakal temple in Madhya Pradesh to surrender. "Which influential person of MP had come here to escape the encounter of Uttar Pradesh Police? he tweeted. The leader has been raising questions since Thursday over surrender of Vikas Dubey at Mahakal Temple.
A waitress has received $82,000 in tips from people around the world who have been left heartened after they saw her stand up to a racist Silicon Valley CEO inside her restaurant.

Gennica Cochran, a server at Lucia restaurant in Carmel Valley, California, escorted Michael Lofthouse, 37, out after he yelled 'Trump is going to f*** you' at an Asian family enjoying a meal out on Fourth of July.

She was hailed an 'everyday hero' by people who have been donating money to the waitress on GoFundMe.

One page set-up to tip Cochran is titled 'A Big Tip for an Everyday Hero', and has already raised $65,000.

Two other GoFundMe accounts have raised an additional $15,000 collectively - and the money is still pouring in.

Cochran told KGO-TV that the money will allow her to pursue yoga teaching, and she is also trying to devise a way to send some of the money on to others in the service industry.

Gennica Cochran has received $82,000 in tips from people around the world who have been left heartened after they saw her stand up to a racially abusive man inside her restaurant

Lofthouse (pictured) was caught on camera racially attacking Jordan Chan and her family when they were out celebrating a birthday at Lucia restaurant in Carmel Valley on Saturday

Cochran told KGO-TV that the $80,000 will allow her to pursue yoga teaching. She is also trying to devise a way to send some of the money on to others in the service industry

Cochran was seen on video last week ordering Lofthouse out of Lucia after he called Jordan Chan and her family a 'f***ing Asian piece of s**t' during a racist tirade.

'I felt very protective of them,' Ms Cochran said. 'To hear the emotion coming out of my voice, to see my mannerisms, it was unbelievable it was just something that came over me and I just did what needed to be done.

'I did what anybody else should or would do in that situation.'

Cochran said it was one of the first times her customers were allowed back into the restaurant after it reopened following the coronavirus pandemic, and she couldn't let racial abuse ruin their experience.

They had been celebrating a birthday at Bernardus Lodge and Spa's Lucia restaurant on Saturday.

The shocking footage shows Lofthouse shouting racist abuse.

Within seconds Cochran confronted Lofthouse. She said: 'You do not talk to a guest like that, you need to leave now.'

The mother of a British tech CEO who was filmed hurling vicious racist abuse at an Asian family says she is 'totally appalled' by his behaviour as MailOnline can reveal his own sister-in-law is mixed race. Michael Lofthouse was pictured flipping the bird at Jordan Chan and relatives

Jenny Chan (back left) posted the footage on Instagram. The family were celebrating the birthday of Jenny's aunt Mari Orosa (back right with Mari's husband Raymond front right)

Lofthouse called the family a 'f***ing Asian piece of s**t' before an outraged Ms Cochran stepped in and told him to 'get out'

Lofthouse, who was born in Britain, is the CEO of California-based Solid8, a small tech company.

The company has a low-budget website saying it offers industry-leading cloud storage and online security for companies. It has between two and ten employees, according to LinkedIn.

'Racist' boss's tech firm Lofthouse's Solid8 is a cloud tech services firm launched in 2017. The company's offices are based near the financial district of San Francisco, California. Solid8 aims to improve their clients' computer systems and reduce their IT costs by offering network services, infrastructure or business services that store and access data and programs over the Internet rather than a computer hard drive. On its website, the company, which also offers cyber security advice, boasts of having '38 years of collective experience' and says: 'Our team are decisive problem-solvers, our breadth and depth of experience means we've dealt with most situations before  which means we move quickly from analysis to action, working as an agile team for each project, quickly drawing upon talent from across our global network of over 100 leading Cloud Providers.' Solid8's CEO is Briton Michael Lofthouse, who according to his now-deleted LinkedIn page, graduated from Newcastle Business School, associated with Northumbria University, in 2005 and emigrated to America in 2010. Advertisement

In the footage, Lofthouse targetss Chan and her family who had been at the restaurant to celebrate her aunt Mari Orosa's birthday.

Mari was accompanied at the restaurant by her husband, Raymond, a sales rep for a Mercedes car dealership in California.

The film began after Lofthouse had already apparently started on his unprovoked, racist abuse. The person filming told him to 'say that again'.

'Oh, now you're shy,' the person behind the camera said. 'Say it one more time.'

Lofthouse responded by flipping his middle finger and said 'that's what I'm saying now'.

'Trump's going to f*** you!' he then yelled, as he got up to leave the restaurant.

'You f***ers need to leave,' he said, before Cochran stepped in.

'Get out of here,' she was heard shouting.

'You are not allowed here. You do not talk to our guests like that.'

Lofthouse continued with his vile attack on the family, yelling: 'You f***ing Asian piece of s**t.

He turned to Cochran and said: 'Who are these f***ers?'

'They are valued guests,' she responded.

Lofthouse replied: 'Are they? They are valued guests in America?'

The waitress continued to tell him to 'get out' and said: 'You are not allowed here ever again.'

Chan wrote on Instagram that the 'white supremacist' businessman had begun harassing her family soon after they sang happy birthday to her aunt.

Aside from the racist comments caught on camera, she said he also told them to 'go back to whatever f****** Asian country you're from' and that 'you don't belong here'.

She added on the post that he 'had a LOT more to say after I stopped recording'.

Lofthouse later issued a grovelling apology, telling DailyMail.com: 'My behavior in the video is appalling. This was clearly a moment where I lost control and made incredibly hurtful and divisive comments.

'I would like to deeply apologize to the Chan family. I can only imagine the stress and pain they feel.

'I was taught to respect people of all races, and I will take the time to reflect on my actions and work to better understand the inequality that so many of those around me face every day.'
(Photo : Roberto Nickson/Unsplash) Tesla is 'very close' to realizing Level 5 in autonomous driving technology, which pertains to the capability to navigate roads without any human input. (Photo : REUTERS/Aly Song) Tesla Inc Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk is seen on a screen during a video message at the opening ceremony of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, China July 9, 2020. (Photo : REUTERS/Stephen Lam) A Tesla Model S electric vehicle drives along a row of occupied superchargers at Tesla's primary vehicle factory after CEO Elon Musk announced he was defying local officials' restrictions against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) by reopening the plant in Fremont, California, U.S. May 12, 2020.

CEO Elon Musk said on Thursday, July 9, that his company, electric automaker Tesla, is 'very close' to realizing Level 5 in autonomous driving technology. This pertains to the capability to navigate roads without any human input.

'I'm extremely confident that level 5 or essentially complete autonomy will happen and I think will happen very quickly,' said Musk. The CEO also said he is confident to have the level 5 of autonomy basic functionality completed this year.

Musk made the remarks in a video message at Shanghai's Annual World Artificial Intelligence Conference that commenced on July 9.

As Daily Mail reported, Musk also announced that Tesla is also making new heat-projection or cooling systems to allow cars to have more advanced computers.

Aside from Tesla, other automakers and tech companies like Alphabet-owned Waymo and ride-sharing company Uber are also investing billions on autonomous driving technology, according to Forbes.

However, critics said it would take time for the public to fully trust the autonomous vehicle technology. Newer Tesla models feature an Autopilot driver-assistance system that allows auto-driving, but some human interventions are still required.

Tesla's autopilot blamed for some car accidents

Since 2016, some customers have reported malfunctions with the technology that lead to crashes and even deaths.

As Tech Times reported, Massachusetts man is charged for negligent driving after his Tesla slammed into a parked police car. While the crash happened in December 2019, Nicholas Ciarlone was only charged last month for the incident.

In 2018, at least two incidents of cars on Autopilot crashing onto parked fire trucks have been reported while a Tesla Model 3 smashed into a parked police car last year. Luckily, these incidents did not lead to any deaths.

However, at least four accidents involving the autopilot system were fatal. The most recent happened in March 2019 when a 2018 Tesla Model 3 slammed into a semi-truck in Delray, Florida. The 50-year-old driver was killed in the crash.

According to National Transportation Safety Board investigators, the driver Jeremy Banner switched the Autopilot on about 10 seconds before the crash, but the Autopilot did not perform anything to avoid the collision.

Tesla is now the highest-valued automaker

Despite these drawbacks, Tesla became the highest-valued automaker with its market soaring at record highs, overtaking frontrunners Toyota Motors and Volkswagen AG.

Tesla currently has a market capitalization of over $250 billion, and in the last five days, Tesla's stock surged 13.69% with a current trading value of $1,375.00. The automaker is currently enjoying 229.51% year-to-date gains with an increase of 41.69% rise in the last 30 days.

Market analysts anticipate Tesla to post its profit when it releases its second-quarter reports on July 22.

The Five Levels of Autonomous Vehicles

Autonomous driving technology has five levels. True Car explained each level as follows:

Level 0 - No Automation

This level described the everyday car. With no bells and whistles, the driver is completely in charge of controlling the car.

Level 1 - Driver Assistance

Level 1 features an adaptive cruise control system that assists the driver to ease driving fatigue. The cruise control keeps a safe distance between the car and the vehicles ahead using radars and/or cameras. It automatically applies breaks when traffic slows and resumes speed when traffic clears. These systems can be found in the 2018 Toyota Corolla with Toyota's Safety Sense technology and the 2018 Nissan Sentra with its Intelligent Cruise Control system.

Level 2 - Partial Automation

At this level, the driver must keep his hands on the wheel, but automation can assist in controlling speed and steering, which is particularly useful in stop-and-go traffic. Some examples of Level 2 autonomous technology are Tesla Autopilot, Volvo Pilot Assist, and Audi Traffic Jam Assist.

Level 3 - Conditional Automation

Vehicles with level 3 autonomous technology can drive autonomously with limitations. At this level, a human driver is still required to take over when road conditions fall below the ideal. The 2019 Audi A8 is expected to be the first to feature a level 3 autonomous driving system.

Level 4 - High Automation

Level 4 autonomous vehicles can drive themselves without human interactions aside from entering the destination. Although driverless vehicles are still not allowed on public roads, Waymo has developed and is currently testing Level 4 vehicles.

Level 5 - Full Automation

Vehicles at this level are completely driverless, which are capable of monitoring and maneuvering through all road conditions with no human interventions. This eliminates the need for a steering wheel and pedals.

While Tesla promises to develop a Level 5 vehicle, due to regulations and legal battles, it may probably still many years away.

Watch Elon Musk's message at WAIC 2020:

Read also: Tesla Launches Solar Panels for the Eco-Conscious Market

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Seven persons were killed while one went missing in incidents of landslides in Arunachal Pradesh on Friday, even as the landlocked state grappled with a series of earthfalls due to incessant rains for the last five days, officials said.

Four members of a family, including an eight-month-old baby, were among those killed as a massive landslide hit their house at Tigdo village in Papum Pare district in the wee hours.

The landslide that occurred around 2.30 am buried the house with all the occupants sleeping, Papum Pare Deputy Commissioner (DC) Pige Ligu said.

The bodies were retrieved from the debris by police and NDRF personnel with the help of locals, he said.

The house belonged to Tana Neka and the deceased were his two sons, daughter-in-law and grandchild, Ligu said.

However, Neka and his wife are safe as they live in another house, he added.

Those killed were identified as Tana Martin (22), his wife Yabung Lindum, daughter Tana Yasum (eight months) and brother Tana John.

In another incident, three members of a family were killed while one went missing as their house in Modirijo, near the Lingalaya temple, was swept away in a major landslide around 11.30 am, Superintendent of Police (Capital) Tumme Amo said.

Kamdak Tado, the owner of the house, was at his neighbour's place when the incident occurred. His wife and two daughters were buried alive.

Eight-year-old Lokam Rona ran out of the house and a girl, Lokam Gandhi (15), who was trapped inside the debris, was rescued, Amo said, adding that she sustained injuries on her leg and was shifted to the Ramkrishna Mission Hospital here for treatment.

Police and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel retrieved three bodies from the debris, while a hunt for the missing person was on, Amo said.

The deceased were identified as Kamduk Kagung (30), wife of Kamdak Tado, and Kamdak Karna (9) and Kamdak Jita (8) -- both daughters of Tado.

A hunt is on for another woman, Lokam Minu (20).

With this, the death toll due to monsoon-related incidents in the state has climbed to 14.

Expressing grief, Chief Minister Pema Khandu ordered all possible relief and an ex-gratia amount of Rs 4 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased.

He appealed to the people residing in vulnerable areas to be cautious and move to safer places.

Khandu said according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), heavy rain is expected across the state in the next few days, and urged people to take all precautionary measures.

Incessant rains for the last five days have triggered landslides and floods that have left a trail of devastation in the state, damaging roads, houses and inundating low-lying areas.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condoled the deaths, saying, "Saddened by the loss of lives due to heavy rains as well as landslides in Arunachal Pradesh. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover quickly. All possible assistance is being provided to those affected," said PM Modi.

Saddened by the loss of lives due to heavy rains as well as landslides in Arunachal Pradesh. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover quickly. All possible assistance is being provided to those affected. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 10, 2020

Landslides have been reported from various locations in and around the state capital region.

Besides, road communication has been badly affected and the water level in the streams and rivers in the state capital has risen. The water supply project at Poma has also been damaged due to a landslide.

Public Health and Engineering department officials said water supply to Itanagar would be affected as the restoration work would take at least four days.

A mudslide at the Dokum colony damaged houses in the Chimpu area. A road in Niti Vihar was also affected due to a landslide on Thursday, officials said.

A landslide hit the Waii International Hotel here, damaging its staff quarters, they added.

Besides damaging a long stretch of road from the gate of Dera Natug Government College to Upper Vivek Vihar here, landslides have blocked a road from the Hilltop colony to the IRBn colony.

PWD Assistant Engineer B Tadar said a large stretch of the Papu Nallah-Itanagar road via Jullang has also been damaged.

A culvert near the Nyishi Elite Society (NES) secretariat at Richi was washed away, due to which the road has been closed, officials said.

A series of landslides and flash floods has left a trail of destruction in East Siang district.

The washing away of a 30-foot approach road to a bridge over the Sile river has affected communication on the Mirem Mikong-Ruksin road under Ruksin sub-division.

Several pockets of Pasighat, the district headquarters of East Siang, are facing a flood-like situation with the low-lying areas completely inundated.

The Siang river and all its tributaries are flowing above the danger mark and the district administration has issued advisories, asking people not to venture into the rivers.

East Siang DC Kinny Singh has activated the Incident Response Team and directed the district disaster management officer and incident commanders to remain alert.

He has also cautioned people against venturing into the Siang and Sibo Korong rivers for fishing and other activities.

All the major rivers and their tributaries are in spate in Lohit, Dibang Valley, Lower Dibang Valley, West Kameng and Namsai districts.
The ex-manager of pop star Guy Sebastian has claimed his former client is the one who owes him money, as a court refused him permission to travel overseas for a fight night in Abu Dhabi to support his "last major client".

Titus Emanuel Day, 47, was arrested last week and charged with 61 counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception after he allegedly withheld $1.15 million in earnings from Sebastian between December 2013 and April 2020.

Titus Day leaves court on Friday. Credit:Brook Mitchell

He was granted bail with strict conditions, including surrendering his passport, reporting daily to police, and paying a $10,000 surety.

On Friday, barrister Murugan Thangaraj SC applied to vary Mr Day's bail at Downing Centre Local Court to allow him to travel to Abu Dhabi later this month to support his client, former UFC world champion Robert Whittaker, at a "fight island" event.
New Delhi:

Rahul Gandhi questioned Centre's resolve to work for soldiers' welfare on Saturday, asking the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to first implement the 'one rank, one pension' scheme in a meaningful way and redress their pay anomalies and other grievances.

The Congress vice-president wrote to Modi saying he was saddened at the decisions of the government taken in the last few weeks "which are far from reassuring the soldiers and has caused them pain instead".

Steps should be taken to send a message to soldiers on Diwali expressing "our gratitude both in words and in deed", Rahul said in his letter to the Prime Minister who has launched a campaign through which people can send their Diwali greetings and messages to soldiers guarding the nation's frontiers to boost their morale.

"Just days after our soldiers conducted the surgical strikes, the disability pension system was converted to a new slab system, that in many instances drastically reduces the pension received by these brave men in case of a disability," the Congress leader said.

Let us show our gratitude to our brave soldiers not only through our words but also through our actions.My letter to the Hon. Prime Minister pic.twitter.com/8J1pLCs54N a Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) October 29, 2016

"OROP must be implemented in a meaningful way to satisfy ex-servicemen and the anomalies in the 7th Pay Commission must be addressed at the earliest, because soldiers should not have to struggle to claim what is surely due to them on behalf of a grateful nation," Rahul said, claiming that some decision of the government have "adversely affect the morale of our armed forces".

The Prime Minister had earlier accused Congress of not taking the OROP issue seriously by earmarking a paltry sum of Rs 500 crore for it.

Rahul said, "As a responsible democracy we must make sure that the brave soldiers who put their lives on the line for each one of us, feel the love, support and gratitude of 125 crore people." "I therefore urge you Prime Minister to ensure that our soldiers get their due whether it is regarding compensation, disability pension, or parity with civil employees," he said.

Rahul said that the roll out of 7th Pay Commission continues to keep the defence forces at a disadvantage and further exacerbates the disparity between them and civil employees.

"As we celebrate Diwali, and rejoice in the victory of light over darkness, let us send this message to our soldiers that our gratitude is expressed both in words and in deed. This is the very least we owe to those who give up their today to secure our tomorrow," the letter further said.

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In Kenya, doctors are mourning a colleague who died after contracting coronavirus, the country's main medics' union is saying.



A colleague described the medic as a "young doctor with so much to offer".



She was a gynaecologist who was hailed by many of her patients for her professionalism.



The health ministry said at the beginning of the month that 186 health workers had tested positive for coronavirus and that no doctor had died from the virus.

Source: BBC









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

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Announcement of Periodic Review: Moody's announces completion of a periodic review of ratings of Cyprus, Government of

Global Credit Research - 10 Jul 2020

Paris, July 10, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") reviews all of its ratings periodically in accordance with regulations -- either annually or, in the case of governments and certain EU-based supranational organisations, semi-annually. This periodic review is unrelated to the requirement to specify calendar dates on which EU and certain other sovereign and sub-sovereign rating actions may take place.

Moody's conducts these periodic reviews through portfolio reviews in which Moody's reassesses the appropriateness of each outstanding rating in the context of the relevant principal methodology(ies), recent developments, and a comparison of the financial and operating profile to similarly rated peers. Since 1st January 2019, Moody's issues a press release following each periodic review announcing its completion.

Moody's has now completed the periodic review of a group of issuers that includes Cyprus and may include related ratings. The review did not involve a rating committee, and this publication does not announce a credit rating action and is not an indication of whether or not a credit rating action is likely in the near future; credit ratings and/or outlook status cannot be changed in a portfolio review and hence are not impacted by this announcement. For any credit ratings referenced in this publication, please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for the most updated credit rating action information and rating history.

The credit profile of Cyprus (issuer rating Ba2) is supported by the country's "baa3" Economic strength, which reflects the country's 2% medium- to long-term growth potential and balances the country's high wealth levels against its small size and relatively undiversified economy; Cyprus's "baa1" Institutions and governance strength reflects both the effectiveness of domestic institutions and the fact that the country defaulted on private-sector obligations in 2013; its "baa2" Fiscal strength, takes account of the country's high debt burden as well as its affordable debt-servicing burden; and its "b" Susceptibility to event risk is driven by the still-substantial risks that persist in the banking sector given high levels of NPEs.

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This document summarizes Moody's view as of the publication date and will not be updated until the next periodic review announcement, which will incorporate material changes in credit circumstances (if any) during the intervening period.

The principal methodology used for this review was Sovereign Ratings Methodology published in November 2019. Please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.

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This publication does not announce a credit rating action. For any credit ratings referenced in this publication, please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for the most updated credit rating action information and rating history.

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It has been over three weeks since actor Sushant Singh Rajput died, and his friends and colleagues are still reeling under the shock. More than that, theyre disturbed by the rumours and assumptions that are doing the rounds on social media. Actor Dalljiet Kaur, who penned a heartfelt note for her late friend urges people that let his family mourn in peace.

He was a brilliant actor and amazing person. We really dont know why this happened. If this is somebody elses wrong doing then that person must be punished. Investigation is on, we need to give it time. There are many questions that are being raised, but where are these conspiracy theories coming from? Why are we burdening his family with these things? she asks.

Given that Rajputs death has sparked many debates including nepotism and insider vs outsider bias in the film industry, Kaur shares her perspective on this entire matter. My father is an army officer and he can paint very well. Ive got that from him. Now, I wanted to become an actor, if my father was in this field, he would have helped me. But since he is not, so I had to work really hard. And thats alright. My problem is treating a newcomer as an outsider when one is trying hard, she explains.

Talking about Rajputs transition from TV to films, Kaur says that his journey gave hope to many TV actors that they can also dream big.

Our lives have become so unreal nowadays. Were judged by the happy pictures we post on social media. We dont realise that this smiling face also feels lonely. Its a competition about how many likes or comments one gets. There have been times when some friends got angry because I didnt reply to their birthday post, but forgot that I called at midnight to wish them, she says.

Also, now that the talk around mental health has come to light once again, Kaur opines that its important to directly reach out to people around you. That real touch is missing, I feel. Everyone goes through their share of lows, we need to understand and be compassionate. Stop judging people. Ive been open about my life on social media, cant pretend to be somebody else, whether you accept me or not, maintains the actor, who is single handedly raising her 6-year-old son, Jaydon after she divorced actor Shalin Bhanot.

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President Donald Trump has volunteered to Sean Hannity, the Fox News host, that he "very recently" took a test at Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre measuring his mental acuity and "aced" it, but the White House would not say when he took it or why.

Trump boasted that his success on the test surprised his doctors as he continued his attempt to make a campaign issue of whether his presumptive Democratic opponent, former vice president Joe Biden, was mentally fit.

"I aced it. I aced the test," US President Donald Trump said. Credit:AP

"I actually took one when I  very recently, when I  when I was  the radical left were saying, 'Is he all there? Is he all there?' And I proved I was all there, because I got  I aced it. I aced the test," Trump, 74, said in his interview with Hannity on Thursday, local time.

He went on to say that Biden should also take the test.
Fayaz Wani By

Express News Service

SRINAGAR: An Indian army jawan was killed in Pakistani troops firing and mortar shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowshera sector in border district of Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday.

An army official said Pakistani troops breached border ceasefire in Nowshera sector of Rajouri and fired from automatic weapons and resorted to mortar shelling on Army positions and civilian areas.

According to the official, the army men guarding the LoC returned fire and gave a befitting response to the Pakistani troops.

In the Pakistani troops firing and mortar shelling, an army man was killed, the official said.

He said the damage and casualties suffered by Pakistani troops in the retaliatory firing could not be ascertained.

Indian Army soldier Havildar Sambur Gurung killed in action at LoC,Nowshera.

Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation in Morning on the line of control (LoC) in Nowshera Sector,District Rajouri (J&K). Own troops responded strongly to enemy fire.@NewIndianXpress pic.twitter.com/7XFATJcUI0  Mayank (@scribesoldier) July 10, 2020

Meanwhile, a woman, who was critically injured in Pakistani troops shelling in Balakote sector of Poonch district on July 8 has succumbed to injuries.

Hakam Bi, who had received splinter injuries and was undergoing treatment in a hospital succumbed to injuries yesterday, Deputy Commissioner Poonch Rahul Yadav told The New Indian Express.

Hakam Bi was injured and another elderly woman Resham Bi killed in Pakistani troops mortar shelling in Balakote sector of Poonch on July 8.
Tom Hanks marked his 64th birthday on Thursday.

Rita Wilson, Colin Hanks and Charlize Theron took to social media to honor the actor and send him well wishes.

His son Colin's tribute stands out as he continued his years long joke of posting a photo of Michael Keaton whenever honoring his dad.

Birthday boy: Tom Hanks marked his 64th birthday on Thursday with tributes from his wife Rita Wilson, son Colin Hanks and friend Charlize Theron

His wife Rita, who he married in 1988 and shares two sons Chet and Truman with, shared a sweet snap of the star smiling.

'Happy birthday @tomhanks,' she wrote. 'We love you so much. You are our anchor. Every day with you is a blessing.'

The actress went on to share lyrics from The Silver Beetles' song When I'm Sixty-four.

'Give me your answer, fill in a form / Mine for evermore / Will you still need me, will you still feed me / When I'm sixty-four,' to which she answered 'YES!'

Decades together: His wife Rita, who he married in 1988 and shares two sons Chet and Truman with, shared a sweet snap of the star smiling and shared lyrics from The Silver Beetles song When I'm Sixty-four

Jumping in: Tom himself shared a fun video jumping over his recording camera, into water

Marking the occasion: He wore only black swim trunks as he celebrated himself writing 'The Greyhound is 64,' accompanied by his signature sign off, 'Hanx'

Tom himself shared a fun video jumping over his recording camera, into water.

He wore only black swim trunks as he celebrated himself writing 'The Greyhound is 64,' accompanied by his signature sign off, 'Hanx.'

His caption references his upcoming film, Greyhound, which he also penned the screenplay, that was due for release in movie theaters in May but was pushed back due to COVID-19.

When it became evident that cinemas would remain closed indefinitely, Apple purchased the film for streaming release on its premium subscription service Apple TV+ to be released on Friday.

'We shot it for the big screen': His caption references his upcoming film, The Greyhound, which he also penned the screenplay, that was due for release in movie theaters in May but was pushed back due to COVID-19

Long joke: While Tom's son Colin, who he shares with his first wife Samantha Lewes, shared a grab of Michael Keaton from his 1994 film The Paper, he has been using photos of Keaton to honor his dad since Father's Day 2016

Greyhound stars Tom as a U.S. Navy Captain who is given command of a destroyer code-named Greyhound in his first wartime assignment.

Despite his inexperience, he finds himself in charge of an allied convoy that's being stalked by Nazi U-Boats.

Tom and his wife Rita, 63, both contracted COVID-19 in early March while he was filming Baz Lurhmann's Elvis Presley biopic in Australia, due out next year.

Together: 'Happy birthday pops,' he wrote. 'Another year around the sun, and another birthday post for YOU'

While Tom's son Colin, who he shares with his first wife Samantha Lewes, shared a grab of Michael Keaton from his 1994 film The Paper.

'Happy birthday pops,' he wrote. 'Another year around the sun, and another birthday post for YOU!'

The Orange County actor, 42, has been using photos of the Batman actor when honoring his dad since Father's Day in 2016.

It has now become tradition for the younger Hanks actor to post a tribute with Keaton, for Father's Day 2019 he wrote 'Happy Fathers Day, to all the dads out there but specifically to my dad,' with a photo of Keaton in the 1986 comedy Gung Ho.

Wishes: Tom's That Thing You Do co-star and longtime friend Charlize Theron also shared a throwback snap with the star. 'You will forever be my hero,' she wrote. 'Happy birthday @tomhanks'

From Amy: Amy Adams also posted a tribute writing: 'Happy birthday @Tomhanks you have always been, and remain a guiding light'

Tom's That Thing You Do co-star and longtime friend Charlize Theron also shared a throwback snap with the star.

The South African beauty wrapped her arm around the actor's neck as they smiled for the Polaroid photo.

'You will forever be my hero,' she wrote. 'Happy birthday @tomhanks.'

Amy Adams also posted a tribute writing: 'Happy birthday @Tomhanks you have always been, and remain a guiding light. I am so grateful I've had the opportunity to experience your generosity.'

Continued: She continued, alongside photos with Tom 'I am so grateful I've had the opportunity to experience your generosity'
Shoppers wearing face masks leave the King of Prussia Mall on the day it reopened, June 26. Read more

At the King of Prussia Mall, one of the biggest in the country, a large sign outside an entrance asked customers to mask up before they stepped inside to prevent the spread of the coronavirus through the nose and mouth. Meters away, a security guard ambled about with his mask slung below his chin.

He wasnt alone.

Droves of customers at the King of Prussia Mall on a busy day this week also donned their masks like chinstraps. Others kept their masks below their noses. Several wore no masks at all as they window-shopped, scrolled through their phones, or talked at the 2.7 million-square-foot mall on a sunny Tuesday, the same day Pennsylvania health officials reported 995 new cases of the coronavirus in the commonwealth  the highest number in one day since May 10. The number ticked slightly down the next day with 849 cases, and to 719 on Thursday.

Customers and shopkeepers who followed safety protocol said they had noticed vast numbers of shoppers lax about wearing masks correctly at the mall, which reopened June 26. Some regarded it as dangerous and disrespectful.

I dont want to close again, said merchant Jennifer Botelho, who sells preserved flowers out of a stall from midmorning to evening. Its a hard time for us. Everyone needs to be careful.

Some took to social media to complain.

Among the reasons shoppers gave for shirking the mask, wearing one for long stretches of time was uncomfortable.

It can get a little warm, said Kenny Bigelow, 25, who had driven to the mall from Wilmington on Thursday to get out of the house and perhaps buy some outfits for his daughter. When he took off his mask for a short period of time, he said, he made sure to keep his distance from others.

Others who wore their masks did so resentfully. Theres no rhyme or reason behind it, one shopper said, then walked away.

 READ MORE: Dont make these face mask mistakes

The number of coronavirus cases in Pennsylvania  where all 67 counties have moved in the green phase recently  has grown to 92,000 since it temporarily tapered off last month.

Public mask wearing is most effective at stopping spread of the virus when compliance is high, according to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

It noted that visible enforcement, such as employees requiring customers to be wearing masks to enter stores, could improve adherence to public health directives. ... Wearing any kind of cloth mouth cover in public by every person, as well as strict adherence to distancing and hand washing, could significantly decrease the transmission rate and thereby contain the pandemic until a vaccine becomes available, the academy said.

Gov. Tom Wolf and Pennsylvania Health Secretary Rachel Levine have ordered that masks be worn outdoors if people are unable to stay six feet away from one another, in any indoor public area and health-care facility, on transportation, and at work. The policies are similar in New Jersey, where on Wednesday, Gov. Phil Murphy also mandated that people wear masks outside if they cant socially distance themselves.

Yet around the region, from SEPTA trains to Jersey Shore boardwalks, compliance has been uneven.

Enforcement itself is difficult, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said at a news conference Thursday, where he hoped a $750,000 public awareness campaign to encourage proper mask-wearing guidelines with signs and slogans would drive home the efficacy of wearing masks.

 READ MORE: Philly and Delco officials urge people to report bars and restaurants ignoring social distance rules

Were not at the point of taking people into custody or fining people at this moment, he said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has directed the public to wear masks properly by covering the nose and mouth. Dont put the covering around your neck or up on your forehead, the agency said in its instructions.

A representative for Simon, the parent company of the King of Prussia Mall, pointed to its list of safety standards that encouraged [customers] to wear facial coverings as recommended by the CDC, keep six feet apart from others, and perform a self-health check before coming into the mall. Employees had their temperatures taken when they showed up to work, the company said, employees had been trained about safety guidelines, and security was directed to actively remind and encourage customers to social distance.

We will encourage our tenants, vendors and contractors to implement this training, Simon said.

A mall staff member said that security had been posted around the property and that each store had its own safety rules in place. He did not comment further.

There doesnt appear to be a uniform protocol, said Emmett Shah, 49, a customer who sat in a sunny atrium at the mall, so different sections are doing their own thing. He wasnt wearing a mask.

Apple and Sephora, among the most popular stores at King of Prussia, held customers to strict safety protocol. At Apple, customers spaced themselves well apart from one another and an employee used an infrared forehead thermometer on each customer before they stepped inside. Shoppers said staff asked customers to cover their noses and mouths with their masks.

 READ MORE: New Jersey will require masks be worn outside, Gov. Phil Murphy says

At the makeup chain Sephora, employees prohibited customers from touching makeup and said any samples would be brought out on a tablet-sized piece of clear acrylic plastic. Its a no-touch environment, a staff member told shoppers spaced out in line outside the store, then reminded them to wear their masks from nose to chin at all times.

In the wing of the mall lined with a food court and high-end shops, employees contended with social distancing for long lines in an increasingly busy corridor. A queue of 37 people clustered outside the Gucci store, 21 outside the nearby Louis Vuitton, and 16 outside Hermes in a single afternoon this week. Customers were let in slowly, masks on.

Other shops were not nearly as stringent: Employees at an ice cream shop and pretzel stand had pulled their masks down. Of three employees posted at the entrance of a shoe store  an increasingly common practice to check that customers have masks and monitor the number of shoppers who enter to allow sufficient social distancing space inside  one had left her nose exposed. Another wore her mask on her chin so she could talk.

Recent analysis showed that in addition to coughing, talking could be a key source of coronavirus transmission, the National Academy of Sciences said, with louder speech creating increasing quantities and sizes of droplets, which are associated with a higher viral load.

The National Academy of Sciences said a mask as simple as a washcloth affixed to the head with two rubber bands could likely be effective enough to prevent the virus from spreading.

Very few places will tell you to put your mask up, Shah said as he sat in the mall, where shoppers  one dangling his mask off one ear  trickled in and out. I dont know why.
NASA embarks on an epic summer road trip tens of millions of miles away. An astronaut who both walked on the moon and reached the deepest point on Earth shares her journey. And a natural firework of a comet streaks the French skies. VOAs Arash Arabasadi brings us The Week in Space.
A third of prisoners released under licence in Northern Ireland were returned to jail in the last five years, the Justice Minister has revealed.

A total of 946 inmates out of 3,092 had their licences revoked between 2015 and 2019.

The figures were revealed following an Assembly question to Naomi Long by DUP MLA Joanne Bunting.

Last year alone, 200 out of 509 prisoners had their licences revoked, while in 2018 it was 185 from 766.

In 2017, a total of 532 prisoners were granted licences and 200 of them were subsequently returned to prison.

The previous year, 185 inmates out of 630 were sent back to prison. In 2015, 176 out of 655 who were released had their licences revoked.

Ms Long was unable to give details of the main reasons why the licences were revoked.

She said it happens where it is "necessary to protect the public from the risk of harm or serious harm."

SDLP Policing Board member Dolores Kelly said the revocation figures could be looked at in "two very different ways".

"On one hand, it is a very high proportion of people to have had their licences revoked," she told the Belfast Telegraph.

"Secondly, it does prove that the system is working."

She continued: "People are trusted, and if they breach the guidelines then they're brought back to jail.

"I know the justice system is looking at ways in which they can meet the victims' needs, rehabilitate offenders and also keep the public safe.

"So this is all a balancing act."

The Upper Bann MLA added that she was aware that Northern Ireland's prisons have issues regarding mental health.

"I would also think that after a licence is revoked that lessons have been learnt," she added. "It would be interesting to know if there's any common themes in relation how the system is working to better improve and ensure the public is being kept safe."

A spokesperson for the Department of Justice explained the legislation governing licences lies within the Criminal Justice (NI) Order 2008, and the Criminal Justice NI Rules 2009.

"The Department of Justice revokes a licence wherein it is satisfied that this is necessary to protect the public from the risk of harm," said the spokesperson.

"A range of factors underpin each decision to revoke a licence."

Separately, in March it was announced that around 200 prisoners would be released early "under strict conditions" due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

At the time, Ms Long said the move was necessary for the health of the prison population and staff, adding that prisoners would have to adhere to a curfew, public health guidance and were not allowed to consume alcohol and were banned from contacting their victims.

It was also stressed that any inmate granted early release could be returned to jail under legislation whether conditions had been broken or not.
The Minister for Justice and Equality, Helen McEntee TD, has today announced the temporary suspension of the Irish Short Stay Visa Waiver Programme (SSVWP) as part of COVID-19 measures to restrict travel and protect public health.

The Programme had allowed people visiting the United Kingdom on short stay visas to travel to Ireland. Under the agreement, the visa holders had to leave Ireland before their permission to stay in the UK ended.

The suspension of the Programme is being implemented because of a divergence in approach between Ireland and the UK in travel measures to combat the pandemic.

The Programme applies to nationals of 17 countries:

Bahrain, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, India, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Montenegro, Oman, People's Republic of China, Qatar, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Uzbekistan.

Nationals of the affected countries will no longer be in a position to use their UK short stay visa for a visit to Ireland, but may apply separately for an Irish visa, which under current circumstances would only be accepted if it was a critical case.

It must be emphasised that this is a temporary measure, which does not affect the Common Travel Area rights of British and Irish citizens or the operation of the CTA.

The UK authorities have been notified of our intentions and do not have any concerns. The Programme is not a reciprocal arrangement. The Programme was scheduled to run to end 31 October 2021 having been extended on a number of occasions since its introduction in July, 2011.

The Government has committed to publishing a Green List of countries on 20 July 2020. This will give clarity in respect of countries which are in a similar position to Ireland in terms of the disease. People entering Ireland from Green List countries will not need to restrict their movements on arrival and the suspension may be reviewed at that time.
Entransys Joins Qualcomm Smart Cities Accelerator Program to Increase Adoption of Smart City Solutions

- Entransys Brings Innovative AI, IoT and Mobility-based Cloud Platform Solutions to Support Smart Cities

HYDERABAD, India, July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Entransys, an AI, IoT and mobility-based smart solutions company, today announced that it has joined the Qualcomm Smart Cities Accelerator Program to offer its innovative end-to-end solutions like Smart Parking (Parkeze), ITMS, Smart Safety and Security, Smart Agriculture, and Smart Bins for smart, safe and secure cities. Leveraging its cloud-based platforms, Entransys will work with the vast ecosystem of the Qualcomm Smart Cities Accelerator Program and its members to promote widespread adoption of smart parking (Parkeze), Intelligent Transport Management Systems (ITMS), Smart Safety and Security, as well as Smart Agriculture.

Launched in 2019 as part of the Qualcomm Advantage Network, the Qualcomm Smart Cities Accelerator Program is designed to connect cities, municipalities, government agencies, and enterprises with an ecosystem of providers to help deliver greater efficiencies, cost savings, safety, and sustainability. With proven expertise in commercially deployed solutions, program members include hardware and software providers, cloud solution providers, system integrators, design and manufacturing companies, as well as those offering end-to-end smart city solutions. By connecting members looking for smart city solutions, the program aims to enrich lives through the accelerated transformation of city infrastructure and services.

"We're excited to have Entransys join the Qualcomm Smart Cities Accelerator Program, as its intelligent solutions will play a key role in helping our growing ecosystem of IoT solution providers enhance the efficiency of smart cities worldwide," said Sanjeet Pandit, senior director, business development and head of Smart Cities, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "Parking management, safety and security, and smart bins are necessary aspects of city operations, and Entransys can help make this process smarter and safer for communities by offering their solutions integrated with Qualcomm Technologies' processors for an end-to end solution that includes AI, IoT and mobility."

"We are thrilled to bring Entransys to the Qualcomm Smart Cities Accelerator Program portfolio, as it will allow us to further Entransys' mission to make the world's parking industry safer, smoother and more secure," said Venu Madhav Reddy . K, Chairman & Ravikanth Vemuri, CEO of Entransys. "Parkeze (Entransys's Smart Parking and ITMS) is a transformative AI, IoT and mobility-based end-to-end solution that tackles the problems of parking lot management, safety and security by continuously monitoring parking operations via the cloud. This complete understanding and intelligence allow the Entransys (Parkeze) system to help parking users and management effectively monitor and maximize the use of lots in real time."

About Entransys

Based in India (Hyderabad, Bangalore) and Texas, USA, Entransys aims to create the Digital Enterprise with Smart and Digital Solutions with the help of a systematic Framework. The company's solutions have a special focus on Smart Cities with Smart Parking and Intelligent Transport Management Systems (ITMS), Smart Agriculture (Farmer), Smart Energy, Smart Safety and Security, Smart bins, Manufacturing, Retail, Healthcare, and Oil & Gas industry verticals. The company incorporates AI, computer vision, Sensors, Edge Computing, Analytics and IoT to provide a real-time platform and Smart Solutions to Smart Cities.

For more information visit www.entransys.com.

Media Contact :

Srikanth.B

srikanth@entransys.com

+91-9703337887

Head-Products

Entransys Pvt Ltd

(Disclaimer--Features may vary depending on the regions; subject to change without notice.)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The leaders of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank on Thursday confirmed that they were preparing to hold their annual meetings in October largely online given the coronavirus pandemic.

In a joint statement, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and World Bank President David Malpass said they were recommending the annual meetings, set for Oct. 12-18, be held in a "primarily virtual format."

They said they remained flexible about the format of the talks, depending on developments, and would work to accommodate the needs of their members.

Malpass first disclosed the plans for virtual annual meetings in a letter to the Bank's governors on Monday.

The decision to meet virtually, rather than in person in Washington, was widely expected given rising infections in the United States, and continuing travel restrictions. More than 60,000 new COVID-19 infections were reported across the United States on Wednesday, the greatest single-day tally by any country since the virus emerged late last year in China.

The spring meetings were also held virtually in April.

The institutions' semi-annual meetings usually bring some 10,000 government officials, business people, civil society representatives and journalists from across the globe to a tightly packed, two-block area of downtown Washington that houses their headquarters.

The annual events including meetings of the IMF's 24-member International Monetary Fund and Financial Committee (IMFC) and the Development Committee, which oversees the work of the World Bank, as well as many smaller meetings throughout the week.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Leslie Adler and Daniel Wallis)
Svarog West Group of ex-people's deputies Alexander and Sergey Buryakov together with Epicenter K do their best not to repay multimillion-dollar debts.

The Svarog West Group agricultural corporation leased 37 units of agricultural machinery from the official dealer of JOHN DEERE, Agrotek, concluding 27 contracts for tractors, seeders and sprayers from 2013 to 2015. Since mid-2015, the Buryak brothers corporation stopped paying lease payments, citing crop failure. The Agrotek company went to meet the debtors by agreeing on new conditions so that the latter could pay off next year's harvest. However, from that moment, Svarog Corporation ceased to fulfill its obligations and continues to take all possible measures so as not to repay multimillion-dollar debts for the equipment.

Having not found understanding in the negotiation with the debtor, the Agrotek company turned to justice, reaching the Supreme Court of Ukraine. The Supreme Court recognized that Svarog Corporation and its subsidiaries are liable for financial leasing andsurety agreements concluded with Agrotek in 2015-2017, and the Central Economic Court of Appeal ordered Svarog West Group companies to pay Agrotek the entire amount of debt.

However, the lawyers of the agricultural holding immediately appealed to the court regarding the postponement of the execution of this decision, and also appealed the decision to the Supreme Court and suspended the recovery.

Nevertheless, the official John Deere dealer in Ukraine, through the executive service, managed to return half of the equipment shipped under leasing contracts - some tractors and sprayers. However, the marchines were in such a deplorable state that Agrotek had to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on their restoration.

Today, the Svarog West Group does not plan to repay debts even by court order and comes up with schemes to tighten litigation and avoid liability. The lawyers of the corporation filed new lawsuits in the court of the Khmelnitsky region. Everything possible is being done so that surety agreements with Agrotek are declared invalid and court decisions are in favor of Svarog.

Moreover, the presence of multimillion-dollar debts and dozens of lawsuits at Svarog West Group enterprises did not prevent the corporation from selling them to Epicenter K in February this year. The companies Svarog Dnistr, Lotivka Elite, SK Buzhok, Gizivshchina, Eurasia Service, which act as guarantors of leasing agreements with Agrotek, are included in the Epicenter K asset structure, which, knows about the existing debt, however, it does not want to solve the problem.

Tightening courts, counterclaims, making decisions in favor of debtors - these are the methods used today by structures that are related to the Ukrainian parliament. In fact, those with power and connections have completely different opportunities and their own justice, trying to release everything on the brakes and evade responsibility.
Chrissie Powell, Tom Gillespie, and Ed Mullin Access Receivables Management has many associates that live and work remotely at this time in Baltimore. We feel that education is the key to success and are committed to these two fine organizations to help support this mission," says Tom Gillespie.

Access Receivables Management, a commercial collection agency serving the technology, communications, healthcare, and government sectors, announced today its support for two organizations in Baltimore working to establish high-speed internet access and provide free computers, monitors and training to adult learners in Baltimores underserved communities.

Access Receivables Managements initial donation of 13 computers and 13 new computer monitors to Byte Back will help their students get connected at home and gain tech skills. Byte Backs adult learners will use the equipment to get on a path to living-wage careers in IT and administrative industries in Baltimore. Access Receivables Management is pledging ongoing support for Byte Back to help increase digital equity for adult learners who have a passion to thrive in the digital economy. Byte Back estimates 35% of students in Baltimore do not have a device or Internet access in their home.

A donation of $5,000 from Access Receivables Management employees to DigiBmore in Baltimore, enables DigiBmore to purchase Chromebook devices for K-12 students in Baltimore City who need access to computers and the Internet to continue their education online at home while schools are closed. At the onset of the stay-at-home order, DigiBmore estimated 20,000 laptops were needed by underserved students K-12 in Baltimore to participate in online classes during the day. DigiBmore has been fundraising and purchasing devices during the shutdown to help bridge the digital divide in Baltimore and give school-aged students the tools they need to continue their education.

Access Receivables Management has many associates that live and work remotely at this time in the City of Baltimore. We feel that education is the key to success in any endeavor and are committed to these two fine organizations to help support this mission in our expanded community, says Tom Gillespie, president at Access Receivables Management. This is our first donation, but we are creating a partnership to also help them moving forward.

Ed Mullin, co-founder of DigiBmore and executive director at the Baltimore Robotics Center, reached out to us about Byte Backs adult students who need computer devices to continue their training when the stay-at-home order started. Ed introduced us to Tom Gillespie regarding Access Receivable Managements desire to give back to the community and support our mission on a quarterly basis, says Chrissie Powell, site director at Byte Back, Inc.s Baltimore location. Now more Byte Back students are able to learn from the safety of their home during this pandemic. Tom provided a solution, not just a temporary fix for our students, said Chrissie Powell, Byte Back Baltimore site director. Byte Back students were excited to receive the computers donated by Access Receivables Management. If Byte Back can motivate the adult learners in a family, they can also motivate the K-12 children in the home to achieve a living wage career path in IT and computer technology, Powell said. Byte Back is looking forward to establishing an ongoing partnership to receive quarterly donations from Access Receivable Management.

The Digital Divide was always there between many of Baltimores students and access to technology. The Pandemic just showed in high contrast the importance of connectivity and technology to academic success, says Ed Mullin, co-founder of DigiBmore and executive director of Baltimore Robotics Center. Hopefully, this crisis will help create a permanent solution to a very solvable problem.

About Access Receivables Management: Access Receivables Management is a nationally-licensed, woman-owned receivables management and commercial collection company specializing in first-party early-stage and third-party collection programs for the commercial lines insurance, general commercial, B2B, government, healthcare, higher education, logistics/transportation, tech and telecommunications industries.

About Byte Back: Byte Back provides a pathway of inclusive tech training that leads to living-wage careers. As a leader in digital inclusion since 1997, Byte Back has helped hundreds of graduates launch living-wage career that use technology. In 2019, graduates who were hired started earning $23,463 more per year than before courses. Byte Back is headquartered in Washington, DC and launched its Baltimore site in 2019.

About DigiBmore: DigiBmore is comprised of a group of dedicated technology leaders in Baltimore who solicit corporations and individuals for used laptops, notebooks, and tablets that will be refurbished, wiped clean, and delivered to students in underserved areas of Baltimore who are out of school because of the coronavirus pandemic. To learn more and donate computer equipment and funding to this effort, go to http://baltimoreroboticscenter.com/wp/laptop-donations/
Jurors and lawyers also have to see the demeanor of witnesses, he said.

And, in addition, theres this whole unknown  how all of this is going to weigh on a jury that might be distracted by concerns over infection, Rosenblum said. And if we dont have their full attention, obviously thats a major problem.

The first trial in federal court in Cape Girardeau began and ended Wednesday with the acquittal of James Odell Johnson on a charge of attempting to escape from the Cape Girardeau County jail.

It was not perfect, but it was pretty good, said Tory Bernsen, one of his lawyers. We did everything as quickly as possible to get everything done in a day.

She added, The court did a wonderful job, but I could only see one juror from my seat at counsel table because they were spread out all over the courtroom.
Viral: This Animated video released in 2020 looks exactly the sequence of PM security breach

As polls near, ISI-Khalistan combo looks to worsen situation in Punjab

PSEB Result 2020: Punjab govt cancels pending class 12, open school exams

India

pti-PTI

Chandigarh, July 10: Amid the continuing COVID-19 crisis, the government on Friday cancelled all the pending examinations of various classes which had been slated to be held after July 15 by the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB).

Punjab School Education Minister Vijay Inder Singla said the state government has decided to cancel all the pending examinations of class 12, open school and several other categories.

He said the decision has been taken in view of the "hard times" due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The minister said it would not be possible for the Education Department to conduct examinations in the near future due to the COVID-19 challenges.

He said as per the Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's guidance, the results now will be declared on the basis of students' performance in the subject with the highest marks as examinations of some subjects have already been taken by the PSEB before the pandemic outbreak.

He said the results are also needed to be declared at the earliest to enable students to choose their desired courses in higher education.

"For example, if any student has appeared in the examinations of only three subjects, the average of the higher marks obtained in the two subjects will be awarded in the subjects whose examinations have not been conducted," said Singla.

He said the marks of practical subjects and on-the-job training for vocational subjects will also be awarded on this basis.

The minister said in case of open school students, the board will declare the results on the basis of ''credit carry formula'' and will award average marks on the basis of marks obtained by them in the subjects in which they have passed in earlier sessions.

He said the students, who were to appear under the ''golden/final chance category'' of the PSEB for reappearance or compartment examination, will also be awarded average marks on the basis of subjects cleared earlier by the students.

He said for students having pending chances for division improvement and those who have submitted fees for only one paper which was not conducted, would be given an additional chance to give exams in the future without paying any extra fee.

A separate date sheet will be issued for the purpose after the return of normalcy, he added.

Meanwhile, a day after Chief Minister Amarinder Singh sought cancellation of exams in universities and colleges in the interest and safety of students amid the pandemic, Punjab''s Higher Education Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa wrote to Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal, seeking re-examination of the Centre's guidelines on the issue.

The CM had sought revocation of the July 6 orders of the Ministry of Home Affairs on the compulsory conduct of final terms exams in universities and colleges by September and withdrawal of the University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines accordingly.

Bajwa wrote that conducting on-line examinations, which the UGC had suggested as an option, was not feasible as the majority of students reside in remote rural areas without access to computers, laptops and internet.

Covid-19 vaccine won't be possible before 2021, Parliament Panel told| Oneindia News

He also said conducting examinations in usual manner will involve huge logistical and operational challenges as ensuring social distancing and other COVID-19 protocols will be difficult.

"At many places, the college/universities buildings/hostels have been taken over by the district administration for the COVID-19 management purposes," he pointed out in the letter.

"The number of COVID-19 cases in Punjab is rising alarmingly and the worst is expected in the next couple of months. Under these circumstances, it is neither possible nor advisable to conduct final term examination for exit class students by adopting MHRD/UGC revised guidelines dated July 6. Such decision will also have adverse psychological impact on students," the minister said.
A new variant of Joker malware made it back to the Google Play Store and in 11 apps.

Google has removed 11 apps from the Play Store which were infected with the notorious Joker malware. Google has been tracking these apps since 2017.

Check Point researchers discovered a new variant of the Joker malware that was present inside legitimate apps. These hackers found a way to get users to subscribe to premium services without their knowledge. Since hackers developed this old way of getting inside apps they could pass Google Plays protections.

The Joker malware has been found in 11 apps on the Play Store. Check Point said that Google has removed all these apps from its app store. Android users who may have any of these apps installed should get them removed immediately. The list of apps detected include -

com.imagecompress.android

com.contact.withme.texts

com.hmvoice.friendsms

com.relax.relaxation.androidsms

com.cheery.message.sendsms (two different instances)

com.peason.lovinglovemessage

com.file.recovefiles

com.LPlocker.lockapps

com.remindme.alram

com.training.memorygame

Check Point added that despite Google Plays security features, the Joker malware is still very tricky to detect. And it may very well make it back to the Play Store.

Earlier this year, Google released a report where it said that it had detected and removed 1,700 malicious Bread apps from the Play Store. These Bread apps are ones with the Joker malware.

Google said that these apps were removed even before users could download it. The Joker malware has however been lurking around for a long time with Google tracking such apps since 2017.

Joker adapted. We found it hiding in the essential information file every Android application is required to have. Our latest findings indicate that Google Play Store protections are not enough. We were able to detect numerous cases of Joker uploads on a weekly basis to Google Play, all of which were downloaded by unsuspecting users. The Joker malware is tricky to detect, despite Googles investment in adding Play Store protections. Although Google removed the malicious apps from the Play Store, we can fully expect Joker to adapt again. Everyone should take the time to understand what Joker is and how it hurts everyday people," said Aviran Hazum, Manager of Mobile Research.
Scott Morrison will take a short break with his wife and children next week - eight months after he was criticised for visiting Hawaii during the worst bushfire season Australia had ever experienced.

During his press conference on Friday to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic, the prime minister revealed he had penciled in a trip on 'the outskirts of Sydney' next week.

A crisis is now underway in Victoria, with a record 288 coronavirus cases being confirmed in the locked down state on Friday, the highest for any Australian state during the pandemic.

But Mr Morrison assured the public he would still be working during the trip via video link and conference calls.

'As you know, it is a school holidays and Jenny and the girls will be taking some time on the outskirts of Sydney,' he said.

Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured) at the Pacific Skills Portal Launch during the Pacific Islands Forum in August. Mr Morrison has announced he will take a family vacation

COVID-19 cases in Victoria have spiked over the past three weeks to a recorded 288 new cases on Friday

'But given the changing critical situation we have in Victoria, I will not be joining them for that full-time. I will also not be standing aside from the tasks I have all day.

'We have technology where I can continue to take briefings, calls and meetings in dealing with the situation whether it be Victoria or other situations in the country.

The prime minister said that while he will not join his family for their entire vacation, it was important he still spent time with wife Jenny and children Abbey and Lily.

'As a dad, I will take some time but at the same time I can assure you we will remain absolutely focused on the things we need to focus on next week,' he added.

A photo of a group of Australian tourists who claimed to be with Prime Minister Scott Morrison (second from right) emerged on social media while his office refused to confirm where he was holidaying

A firefighter conducts back-burning measures (pictured) to secure residential areas from encroaching bushfires in the Central Coast on December 10

Back in mid-December 2019, Mr Morrison was widely criticised for his decision to take a trip to Hawaii during the height of the bushfire crisis.

But the bulk of the complaints seemed to stem from the secrecy surrounding his getaway, with his office at one point refusing to reveal his whereabouts.

Mr Morrison paid for his holiday personally - but was accompanied by security guards whose flights and accommodation were paid for by the taxpayer.

In the face of mounting backlash, Mr Morrison initially doubled down on his insistance that he was entitled to the holiday.

'It's not easy to get back, but I will as soon as I can,' Mr Morrison told 2GB radio from Hawaii.

'I know Australians will understand this, and they'll be pleased I'm coming back... but they know that, you know, I don't hold a hose mate'.

Mr Morrison went on the unannounced holiday with his family back in December 2019. (Pictured with his wife, Jenny, daughters Abbey and Lily and his mother Marion)

During his press conference on Friday to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr Morrison (pictured) revealed he had penciled in a trip on 'the outskirts of Sydney' next week

Mr Morrison later apologised for any offence caused.

His approval rating since the Hawaii trip has skyrocketed as a result of his unflappable handling of the coronavirus crisis.

Mr Morrison said he would return to Canberra next week, but wanted to assure the public that he would continue to work hard to keep Australians safe behind closed doors during his trip away.

'Just because I am not standing in front of a camera does not mean I am not behind my desk or doing what I need to do on a daily basis,' he said.

Mr Morrison's decision to go to Hawaii during the bushfire crisis caused outrage on social media, with Twitter users slamming him for his leadership and lack of empathy

Mr Morrison also took the opportunity to thank Victorians for their efforts in stemming the spread of a second wave of coronavirus.

Huge swathes of the state have entered a second round of COVID-19 related lockdowns following almost four weeks of unacceptably high new diagnoses.

On Friday, the state government announced an additional 288 new cases - the single highest daily spike for a state.

Of those cases, only 26 are connected to known outbreaks, with a whopping 262 under investigation, indicating the virus is being transmitted widely.

Premier Daniel Andrews said the figures will get worse over the next few days and warned that Melbourne's six-week lockdown could be lengthened.

'It was always going to get worse before it got better,' he said.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison with his wife, Jenny (pictured together) during an official work trip

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

'The best response to these numbers and the worse numbers that are likely to follow them is for all Victorians to play their part.'

Mr Andrews said the case numbers were so high because 37,000 tests were conducted.

'We are doing more testing than has ever been done, not by a small margin, but by a massive margin,' he said.

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said the 288 figure was 'ugly' and that he expected the numbers to plateau 'in the next week'.

'We will see in the effects of the lockdown in the next one to two weeks,' he said.

For the first time in the pandemic Mr Andrews told residents under lockdown in Melbourne that they should wear a mask when leaving their homes for essential reasons.

The 288 total is the highest any state has ever recorded. The previous record was 212 new cases in NSW on 28 March during the peak of the pandemic in Australia.

Many of those were returned travellers and their close contacts, meaning the Victoria outbreak is far more dangerous and a 'threat to the nation' because the cases are transmitting rapidly among the local community.
New Delhi: Private sector lender Yes Bank on Thursday said it has filed a red herring prospectus to raise up to Rs 15,000 crore through issuance of fresh equity shares in its further public offering (FPO).

The offer will open on July 15, 2020 and close on July 17, 2020.

Earlier this week Yes Bank had received approval from the capital-raising committee (CRC) of its board of directors to raise funds through the offering.

"The bank has filed a red herring prospectus dated July 7, 2020 (RHP), in connection with the offer, with the Registrar of Companies, Maharashtra at Mumbai," Yes Bank said in a regulatory filing.

Yes bank said the offer size of the FPO is Rs 15,000 crore, by way of a fresh issue of equity shares, including an employee reservation portion of up to Rs 200 crore.

The executive committee of State Bank of India's central board has given approval for a maximum investment of up to Rs 1,760 crore in the FPO of Yes Bank, an SBI statement said on Wednesday.

On March 13, the government had approved a bailout plan for Yes Bank. Under the plan, Yes Bank had received around Rs 10,000 crore from eight financial institutions, including Rs 6,050 crore from SBI.

On Tuesday, Yes Bank had said a meeting of the CRC of the bank is scheduled to be held on or after July 10, 2020, to consider and approve, amongst other things, the price band and discount, if any.

Shares of Yes Bank were trading 2.49 per cent higher at Rs 26.75 apiece on BSE.
PLA holds mock air defense battles amid frequent US aerial reconnaissance

Global Times

By Liu Xuanzun Source: Global Times Published: 2020/7/9 18:42:39

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) is holding mock air defense battles in the coastal region of South China's Guangdong Province, a location that has seen frequent aerial close-in reconnaissance operations by US military aircraft in the past few days.

An air defense brigade under the PLA 74th Group Army is conducting this confrontational drill along the coastline of western Guangdong set in a real-combat scenario, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Wednesday evening.

Anti-aircraft guns, road-mobile anti-aircraft missiles and radar installations were deployed in the drills, according to the report.

The report did not disclose when the exercises started and when they are scheduled to conclude.

During a mock battle, four high-speed target drones were released and launched an attack on a battle position with the support of simulated jamming aircraft. Anti-aircraft artillery units immediately formed a network with their fire-control radars, narrowed down the scope of early warning and identified hostile targets, before unleashing a barrage of bullets on them.

The drills took place at a time when the US continuously sent reconnaissance aircraft to this area for close-in reconnaissance operations from Monday to Wednesday, which military experts said could be US attempts to gain knowledge of technical parameters, locations and movements of the Chinese military's weapons and equipment over the South China Sea and Taiwan Island.

PLA's drills are routinely scheduled and not targeted at any specific country, but US' aerial close-in reconnaissance operations pose threats to China's national security, so the drills also show that the PLA is always prepared to defend against any hostile aggression, a Chinese military expert told the Global Times on Thursday under condition of anonymity.

The air defense drills can be seen as a reminder to the US that their provocative actions should not go any farther, the expert said, noting that the PLA can send warplanes to disrupt US aircraft and temporarily suspend the military activities they are conducting reconnaissance on as they approach.

The air defense brigade in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province is a force with rich experience. Two years ago, it was part of a massive joint air defense drill, which featured the PLA Army, Navy, Air Force, and Rocket Force in the Bohai Bay, CCTV reported.

It was taught a lesson by the opposing team's aviation force through intensive electromagnetic interference, which significantly impacted communications and shortened the brigade's early warning radar effectiveness.

Since this drill loss, the brigade has developed a highly integrated information-fire system and greatly expanded its missile units' early warning capability with information-oriented joint operation as core concepts, the report said.

Chen Guanglin, the brigade's chief of staff, said on CCTV that in order to further boost air defense combat efficiency, the troops need to rely more on information command networks in an integrated joint operation, and create innovative ways to use new equipment.

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In 2006, when Manmohan Singh was Prime Minister, the Nathu La pass was reopened for trade between India and China. The event was organized by the Chief Minister of Sikkim. China withdrew their claim from Sikkim when Indira Gandhi was Prime Minister. The inclusion of Sikkim in the Indian map was a significant political development. Since then, China had asked for the trade route through Nathu La pass to be reopened. West Bengal's then Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharya did not turn up for the event though he was invited to do so and Sikkim's Chief Minister was asked by the Centre to be present at the function.

At the time, relations between Manmohan Singh and Buddhadeb Bhattacharya were pretty good. For Bhattacharya's vision for economic and industrial progress he was described as 'India's reformist Deng Xiaoping', not just in India but by the foreign media as well. Manmohan Singh referred to Bhattacharya as one of the finest chief ministers of the country. For the Prime Minister to give this sort of certificate to a non-Congress chief minister was not an everyday matter.

It was against this backdrop that Manmohan Singh had requested Bhattacharya to be present at the Sikkim event. But the West Bengal Chief Minister declined the invitation. He met Manmohan Singh in Delhi and politely conveyed his inability to attend. He said, "Please forgive me, I am not able to put up with the opening of the Nathu La pass for China to import. I am very much aware of the fact how much we can export from India to China." Bhattacharya told me, "See I am a Communist from India. Whatever it may be, it is not my job to plant China's flag on our land. What if I don't become a Communist of that sort? By dumping their products on us, they'll ruin North Bengal and I am expected to excitedly go to Sikkim!" Although he didn't turn up, there was pressure to send a West Bengal minister as a representative for the ceremony. But, as far as I can recall, the state government did not send any representative for the Nathu La pass reopening.

After listening to Bhattacharya, Manmohan Singh had told him, "Your reasoning is indisputable. Don't worry. The opening of Nathu La pass is a symbolic step; this has been done to maintain diplomatic relations between the two countries. But I've made arrangements for strict security. I won't let China indulge in dumping from there." Bhattacharya had faith in Manmohan Singh.

Another incident: During this time, top government officials were discussing the issue of privatization and renovation of various ports. Chinese companies had approached the Indian government to get these contracts. The Chinese government had also started lobbying on behalf of the Chinese companies. In China, private companies are actually controlled by the government.

When Atal Bihari Vajpayee was Prime Minister, Brajesh Mishra was National Security Adviser and Lal Krishna Advani was Deputy Prime Minister. Whatever differences they might have had on other issues, on China's economic aggression both of them shared the same opinions. By placing the question of National Security before the Cabinet Committee on Security, any such allotment to Chinese firms had been stopped. Another member of the committee, Defence Minister George Fernandez, was also an open critic of China.

During the Vajpayee era, the Chinese did not get any favours. Later, when Manmohan Singh became the Prime Minister, China took up the initiative afresh. Relations were quite good between then CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat and the Chinese ambassador to India. The friendship between China's Communist party and India's Communist party is no secret.

So the same ambassador invited Buddhadeb Bhattacharya and Prakash Karat for dinner. Both received the invitation letter for dinner with the Chinese government emblem on it. Karat informed Bhattacharya that it was essential to accept the invitation. It would be rude if they did not attend. Dinner was dinner, and there was no scope for any formal discussion on any agenda or political planning; there would just be an exchange of ideas. Bhattacharya agreed to go. In a white ambassador of the central government, both went to the Chinese embassy.

During the conversation over dinner, the Chinese ambassador requested Bhattacharya to speak with Manmohan Singh regarding the allocation of contracts for ports to Chinese companies. He said the Chinese would be able to do the task well and this would result in better relations between the two countries.

Since the relationship of Bhattacharya and Manmohan Singh was good, the Chinese tried to use the West Bengal Chief minister to help get the green light for the Chinese companies. Bhattacharya told the ambassador to his face, "Comrade, national security is not under state government. This affair is the centre's. And most importantly, security is a constitutional matter. As a Chief Minister, how cannot I poke my nose in it?" Hence, even though there was faith in Deng Xiaoping's economic liberalisation and thinking on industrialization, Bhattacharya did not support China's entry into India. Today, after so many years, I recalled all these old memories. But China, to date, has not altered its expansionist outlook.

Since 1949 and the establishment of the Communist regime in China, its diplomatic efforts have been focused on entering India. From Mao Zedong to Deng Xiaoping there took place an immense transformation in China's politics and economy. But, even during the Deng era, China did not change its policy on India -- although Deng gave more importance to China's expansion and presence in the Indian market than attacks on its borders. In plain words, China has had the same belligerence regarding its presence in the Indian market from that time till this day. This has been described by many experts as 'The China Syndrome'.

The tension between India and China currently because of Aksai Chin and then after the Ladakh incident has become more significant and relevant. In 2012, Indian intelligence reported that China might attack India. Based on that, the Indian army increased its presence on the borders. The Chinese then stated that India was using the line "China will attack India" as a pretext to increase its army's presence on the border. Even if there was no attack, the distrust between the two sides persisted.

When Barack Obama was US president, he tried to improve the strategic relationship with China. During such time, for the development of the Northeast areas, especially Arunachal Pradesh, India asked for a loan from the Asian Development Bank. But since China was unwilling to accept Arunachal Pradesh as a part of India, they raised an objection. Meanwhile, there was a belief in diplomatic circles, that Obama had a soft corner for China. For the record, the Asian Development Bank did not agree to provide the loan to India.

China informed America's Pacific fleet commander that it was necessary to accept the Indian Ocean as an area under China's influence. China said India's thinking was that since the name was Indian Ocean, the entire area is under its control. China had also objected to the India-US nuclear agreement. In the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), China's objection was registered. After that, in November 2008, in the light of the terrorist strike in Mumbai, Indian intelligence had the notion that alongside Pakistan even China had a role to play. For this reason, China could mount an attack on India's borders -- this was being suspected by Indian intelligence for a long time. In 2009, the visit of India's Prime Minister to Arunachal Pradesh had angered China. And then the Chinese army made an intrusion through the Arunachal borders.

India and Japan are allies in politics. What angered China was how India was trying to bring the balance of power against it. The China which Nehru once pushed to make it a member of the Security Council, the same China was fiercely opposing China and Japan's membership of the Security Council.

In 2007, some Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) reports regarding India and China were declassified. The name given was 'Family Jewels'. Here it was stated that in 1962, the way Jawaharlal Nehru had highlighted India's case in the world as a successful Prime Minister, it was top of China's agenda to make fun of Nehru's image. It was stated in the CIA report, "The Chinese aim was not only to demolish Nehru's rising stature in the developing world but also to make sure that India's rise as challenger to Chinese primacy in the region was nipped in the bud." In this report it was also stated that China used the ploy that Indian Communists would sermonize that Nehru was actually America's friend.

Today, after so many years, I feel that history repeating itself is natural. After Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister in 2014, there was no doubt the he tried to raise India's stature before the world. Even though he was friendly with China, he was not moved by the romance of 'Hindi-Chini bhai bhai' (Indians and Chinese are brothers) nor has he always agreed with China. All this time, although China did not wage war with India with regular intrusions, they tried to stem India's rise under Modi's leadership in front of the world.

China did not get success in this attempt but there is no certainty that it will not attack India again. But, this time the Indian Army is geared up to give a worthy reply. India does not suffer from an inferiority complex.

(Jayanta Ghosal is a senior journalist. The views expressed are personal.)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Tauranga-based stevedoring company, C3 Limited, has been fined $240,000 after a 15 tonne excavator was dropped from a ships crane, narrowly missing five workers on the wharf below.

The company was fined by the Auckland District Court on Thursday.

This was seconds away from five workers almost certainly being killed, says Maritime NZ Northern Regional Compliance Manger, Neil Rowarth.

The five workers had been in the drop zone moments before the excavator fell from the crane.

The incident happened because C3 did not adequately train some of its stevedores for working around cranes. They did not clear the drop zone below the crane and allowed the excavator to be loaded incorrectly onto the crane.

Cranes can be dangerous and people working with them must be properly trained.

The incident happened at Northport in Whangarei when the log carrier, Aster K, was being loaded on July 16, 2017.

C3 pleaded guilty to one charge under the Health and Safety at Work Act of exposing people to risk of death or serious injury (section 48).

Excavators are often loaded onto log carriers to help move and stack logs in the holds.

In this case, loading had been completed and one of the ships cranes was being used to unload the excavator onto the wharf.

As loading the logs had finished the excavators driver had left the worksite. However, he had not correctly positioned the excavators boom so it could be safely lifted by the crane, says Maritime New Zealand.

"When the excavator was lifted the load was unbalanced. It should have been level but the back of the excavator was higher than the front.

"An exclusion zone had been set up when the vessel was being loaded with logs but was no longer in place when the excavator was being unloaded."

From where he stood by the ships crane, Maritime NZ says the C3 employee supervising the lift but could not see the part of the wharf where the excavator would be unloaded.

Later, during Maritime NZs investigation, he said he did not feel qualified or trained for the work he was doing.

Another C3 employee was on the wharf where the excavator would be unloaded. He was a trainee who had taken off his radio.

Neither of the two men could communicate with each other.

Meanwhile, four workers from a company providing biosecurity treatment for the logs and a welder doing repairs on the side of the ship were in the drop zone where the excavator would fall if the lift failed.

None of the five were warned that the excavator was about to be lifted and there were no controls to ensure that they, or anyone else, was clear of the drop zone.

The four biosecurity workers were in a fork hoist when one of them saw the excavator being lifted and moved by the crane.

He immediately told the driver to reverse. At the same time, by chance, the welder left the side of the ship to fetch tools from his vehicle.

Seconds later the excavator fell off the crane and crashed down where the five workers had been.

It was sheer good luck that no one was seriously injured or killed, says Neil.

This is a striking example of employers responsibilities to provide good workplace training and safe work practices.

It should never be just good luck that workers come home alive and unhurt.
Want

By Lynn Steger Strong

Henry Holt. 224 pp. $25.99

---

"Want" is, to the credit of author Lynn Steger Strong, a forerunner in the genre of anti-white-savior novels. Its narrator and protagonist, a white teacher at an underfunded Manhattan charter school, harbors no illusions about her ability to materially improve the lives of her black and brown students. As an educator she vacillates between a lenient paternalism and cynical disregard, renouncing the school's harsh conduct policies while frequently calling in sick to spend time with her own small children. "They can't see and don't seem to want to see all the ways their good intentions aren't worth much," she remarks of her white colleagues. Readers seeking a syrupy redemption tale like "Dangerous Minds" or "Freedom Writers" should look elsewhere, and also get a clue.

Yet the narrator's unfulfilling day job serves largely as context for a drifting parable on the gradations of privilege. The core of "Want" is a parasitic relationship slowly unveiled via flashbacks. The narrator (who, like most of the novel's characters, remains nameless for almost the entire book) is racked with guilt over her estrangement from a childhood friend, stalking her on social media and sending late-night text missives begging for reconciliation. Outside of work, the narrator maintains a part-time adjunct role at a prestigious university; she and her husband, an investment banker turned carpenter, are approaching bankruptcy and collapsing under the obligation of tending to children in a cramped apartment.

"Want" hastily grapples with a litany of contemporary social issues, briefly alighting upon gentrification, infantilizing workplace culture and the anonymity of urban life. Strong evokes digital relationships with keen precision, and there's a well-conceived #MeToo subplot that nevertheless feels a bit shoehorned. The classroom scenes, while periodically hampered by hackneyed dialogue about dress codes and black women's hair, derive incisive commentary from a self-conscious white gaze. The charter school's focus on discipline and test scores reinforces an oppressive ruling class to which the narrator, grudgingly, belongs. She grades on a scale and buys lunch for her neediest students, the reflexive indulgence a function of both pity and lowered expectations.

To Strong's narrator, public service and comradeship are manifestations of narcissism, even motherhood a means of assuming agency otherwise denied women. Considering her ruined adolescent friendship, she realizes, "I like being needed, giving, but not so close that I can't run away." When she finally quits her job at the charter school, it's "because I love my students but not as much as I wish I loved them, not enough to work harder and be better." Entitlement undergirds her every rationale: She bristles when confronted with her husband's rich clients, and doggedly pursues academic work as tribute to years spent studying literature at elite institutions.

Strong's flat affect is reminiscent of Halle Butler and Catherine Lacey. The prose begs for attention, then shies away in shame and humility. "We had principles or something, made up almost wholly out of things we knew we didn't want to be or have a part in more than any concrete plans for what we'd be instead," the narrator reflects on her and her husband's career paths. There's an awareness of the privilege baked into this ambivalence, as well as in the deadened, overprescribed city they occupy. While the abundance of literary allusions can seem like scaffolding for a skimpy plot, the narrator's obsession with highfalutin European fiction underscores the drudgery she perceives in her day-to-day life.

Still, an anti-white-savior novel isn't the same as an anti-racist one, just as acknowledgment of privilege isn't synonymous with its rejection. Too often, "Want" feels like a study in allyship fatigue, the systemic inequities suffered by its black and brown characters ceding emotional territory to the domestic drama of their white counterparts. Strong writes convincingly of the desiccated American Dream, the hand-to-mouth existence of young adults in the recession's shadow, but "Want" finds a white woman cruising the thoroughfares of black trauma before retreating to gentrified Brooklyn with a loan from her parents.

Recent novels by Danzy Senna and Kiley Reid have explored similarly liberal, rarefied urban precincts, featuring female protagonists reckoning with disparities in racial and socioeconomic privilege. In Reid and Senna's books, it's impossible to reduce race to a matter of subtext, and while various perspectives are incorporated, the emotional burdens are borne by the most persecuted. In Strong's case, some of her book's failure can be ascribed to the glacial pace of publishing - if nothing else, "Want" would have been far more resonant had it arrived a year ago. But as with any social novel, urgency is paramount.

---

Tosiello is a writer and critic based in New York.
India reports dip in Covid infections with 2,38,018 new cases, positivity rate at 14.43%

Failure to vaccinate everyone will give rise to new variants, says UN chief

Faith vs safety in burials: COVID-19 remains in dead bodies for 9 days says Centre

No COVID-19 vaccine possible before 2021, officials tell parliamentary panel

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, July 10: No vaccine for coronavirus will be ready before next year, officials told the parliamentary standing committee on science and technology on Friday.

Covid-19 vaccine won't be possible before 2021, Parliament Panel told| Oneindia News

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Climate Change headed by Congress leader Jairam Ramesh met for the first time today since the lockdown due to COVID-19 was enforced on March 25.

Union Health Ministry officials on Thursday clarified that the intent of the ICMR Director General's letter envisaging the launch of COVID-19 vaccine by August 15 was "only to expedite duly approved clinical trials without compromising on safety and security concerns".

COVAXIN: Human trial of India's first Covid-19 vaccine begins at NIMS Hyderabad

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has permitted two vaccines -- one developed by the Bharat Biotech International Limited in collaboration with ICMR and another by Zydus Cadila Healthcare Ltd --to go in for phase 1 and 2 human clinical trials, said Rajesh Bhushan, Officer on Special Duty in the health ministry.

The sites for phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials have been finalised and the trials are yet to begin, he said during a press briefing.

The 12 institutes selected for the clinical trial are located in Visakhapatnam, Rohtak, New Delhi, Patna, Belgaum (Karnataka), Nagpur, Gorakhpur, Kattankulathur (Tamil Nadu), Hyderabad, Arya Nagar, Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh), Goa, and Bhubaneswar-based Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital.
SPRINGFIELD, N.J., July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Safety is the #1 concern. Asking the right questions upfront reduces the risk of exposure to the virus.

Adam Blecker, President, Seniors In Place has vast experience recruiting the best of the best caregivers for elderly clients.

Adam Blecker, President Seniors In Place; President of the Board of Home Health Services Association of New Jersey

Blecker says: "When considering in-home care, it is important to keep asking questions until you're satisfied with the answers.

"Here are 4 important questions, as well as how Seniors In Place answers them."

Q. How do you screen your caregivers for COVID-19?

A. At Seniors In Place, we follow strict screening protocols by the CDC. All our Certified Home Health Aides take their temperatures daily and Registered Nurses conduct daily tele-health calls. By scheduling aides in fewer homes and moving to live-in care when possible, we have reduced the risk of exposure for loved one and caregiver alike.

Q. When do you require your aides to quarantine?

A. The moment there is suspected exposure or evidence of symptoms.

Q. How can I protect my loved one from getting COVID-19?

A. In-home care reduces the risk of COVID-19 for the elderly. Having a trained, vetted, and screened healthcare professional in the home who has been trained on CDC and Seniors In Place protocols ensures they receive the care they deserve and minimizes the risk of exposure to the outside world.

The threat of someone needing care and not receiving it far outweighs the risk of receiving in-home care from a legitimate accredited agency.

Q. Does my parent need to wear a mask and will your aide provide one for her/him?

A. If you are COVID-19 symptomatic or become symptomatic, our Registered Nurse will assess the situation and determine if your parent requires a mask

About Seniors In Place LLC

For two decades, the Seniors In Place family has provided millions of hours of in-home and in-facility care for thousands of New Jersey families.

It is accredited with Distinction by The Commission on Accreditation for Home Care.

Seniors In Place caregivers are state-certified, insured, receive benefits, and are continuously educated and regularly evaluated.

For more information and home care-related COVID-19 resources, visit www.SeniorsInPlace.com. For an urgent need for care, call our rapid response line 24/7  973-774-3660.

News Release

Contact: Robert Dubin

973-493-5329 / [email protected]

SOURCE Seniors In Place

Related Links

https://www.seniorsinplace.com


U.K. based software company due to release niche, social media app. Stoke-on-Trent, England. - 6th July 2020: Logbooked Ltd today announced it is due to release Logbooked its niche mobile app for IOS and Android. The release will enable users and businesses to download the social media networking app to their phones and connect with the worlds motoring focused communities. The companies chief executive officer, Kieran Oates said the network will prove 
Mumbai: The police on Wednesday detained a suspect after a man vandalised `Rajgruha', Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's residence in Matunga in central Mumbai.

The incident, which took place on Tuesday night, evoked condemnation from political leaders including Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray who said strict action will be taken against those involved.

As per the complaint lodged by Ambedkar's grandson Bhimrao Ambedkar at Matunga Police Station, the unidentified accused who was captured in CCTV seemed to be mentally unstable.

He had spotted the man near the house on Monday evening, Bhimrao Ambedkar told the police, an official said.

When he asked the man why he was loitering, he glared at him in anger before leaving, Ambedkar told the police.

Mumbai police had registered an FIR against unknown persons following the vandalism at Rajgruha. Two persons threw stones on glass windows, and damaged CCTV cameras and potted plants at Rajgruha in Dadar area here on Tuesday night, the official said.

CCTV footage from the erstwhile home the Constitution architect shows a person smashing flower pots in the compound before fleeing, the official had said.

Located in Hindu Colony, Dadar, the two-storeyed heritage bungalow houses the Ambedkar Museum where Babasaheb's books, portrait, ashes and vessels are among the artefacts.

The current residents of Rajgruha include Babasaheb's daughter-in-law, and his grandsons Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi leader Prakash Ambedkar, Anandrao and Bhimrao.

Prakash Ambedkar, who was in Akola when the attack took place, had appealed for calm and asked his followers to not gather outside the house.

Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has already assured that strict action will be taken against the culprits.

"This is highly condemnable. @CMOMaharashtra should immediately look into this. Rajgruh is not just a memorial, it is a reminder of the legacy of Dr BR Ambedkar," AIPCMumbaiEast tweeted.
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A team of health workers, including a doctor, who had gone to collect swab samples from the local people at the nearby fishing hamlet of Poonthura, where several COVID-19 positive cases have been reported, were allegedly threatened by some locals on Friday.

The team had gone in a car and were forced by the agitating local people to lower the car window and they allegedly spat on those inside the vehicle, sources from the Indian Medical Association(IMA) said.

All the four health workers have been asked to go into quarantine, IMA sources told PTI.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Health minister K K Shailaja, have condemned the attack on the health workers.

Blaming the opposition parties, Vijayan said "Our health workers are in the battlefield consciously knowing that they can get affected anytime and are fighting the spread of the pandemic.

They were prevented from entering the place. Some people are making the locals do the same.We can see the hands of the Opposition parties behind this," he told reporters.

Describing the incident as "most unfortunate", Shailaja said the health workers are ignoring the threat to their own lives and working to help the people.

The IMA has expressed its "strong protest" against this misbehaviour towards the health workers.

"At a time when health workers are risking their lives to help others to tide over the COVID-19 situation, it is unfortunate suchanincident has occurred," the association said.

Hundreds of men and women had come out of their homes at Poonthura this morning protesting that they were facing isolation from various quarters due to media reports on a rising number of positive cases from the area.

The protesters, many of whom refused to wear masks, alleged that there had been instances when doctors of certain hospitals had refused to treat them and they were asked to stay away.

It was at this time that the car carrying the health workers reached the area to collect the swab samples.

Poonthura has witnessed super spread of the virus as a fisherman is said to have infected many others in the fishing village.

Vijayan blamed a Youth Congress worker for the incident saying he had campaigned through WhatsApp to bring out people on to the streets to protest by spreading fake news.

In the containment zone at Poonthura, at least 31,985 people are living and the health measures of the state government were "sabotaged" by some people spreading fake news.

"Unfortunately, UDF leaders are in the forefront of this.A youth congress leader campaigned through WhatsApp, against the antigen tests saying the test was useless and would spread the virus. He also claimed that the test was just to create fear among the people and due to enmity towards Poonthura natives," Vijayan said.

Stern action will be taken against those who spread such fake messages and cause a rift among the people and force them to take to the streets,he said.

Thiruvananthapuram recorded 129 cases,the highest number for the second consecutive day on Friday out of which 122 people have been infected through contact and a majority of them are from Poonthura.

Commandos and 500 police personnel have been deputed in Poonthura to strictly enforce the lockdown there.

As reports emerged that locals had protested at Poonthura, Health minister Shailaja appealed to the people to cooperate with the state administration to prevent the spread of the infection.

"People's cooperation is needed.The whole world knows about this pandemic.The virus is spreading very fast and death cases are increasing across the world.

Why are people not seeing this and understanding the gravity of the situation? Kerala has lesser number of cases compared to other states, due to the effective

preventive mechanism adopted since the last six months.

If someone is trying to sabotage all the measures taken by the health department, we will lose control of the situation," she said.

The minister also criticised the protests being launched during the pandemic and wanted to know why all the leaders, who are aware of the crisis, were silent.

"Protests can be held, but following the COVID-19 health protocol," she said. Pointing out that there are over 5,500 aged persons in just three wards of Poonthura area and at least 2,250 children below 5 years,she said there was just one way to contain the spread there and that is declaring lockdown, and restricting travel.
The incident happened on Ormeau Road near the junction with Fitzroy Avenue.

A woman was thrown to the ground as her car was hijacked during an incident on Ormeau Road in Belfast on Thursday night.

Police are investigating the incident which took place shortly before midnight as the woman was getting out of her car outside a takeaway near Fitzroy Avenue.

She was approached by a man who threw her to the ground and got into her car, a Fiat 500, before taking off toward the city at speed.

Were you the victim of this hijacking? Contact newseditor@belfasttelegraph.co.uk

The car was found shortly before 3am in the street at Fairhill Park in north Belfast. It has been taken for examination.

The woman sustained cuts and bruising as a result of the incident.

SDLP councillor for the area Gary McKeown said he's concerned after the "shocking and upsetting" incident. He said his thoughts are with the woman.

"People need to be able to go about their daily business without fear of becoming victims of incidents like this, and I would urge anyone with any information to please make contact with the PSNI or Crimestoppers," he said.

Detective Sergeant Rachel Miskelly said: "Anyone with any information about this incident or who may be able to help with our investigation, is asked to call detectives at Musgrave on the non-emergency number 101 quoting reference number 6 10/07/20, or submit a report online using our non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/. You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/."
Our offertory took a very big hit, and a lot of our parishes didnt even have online giving set up, when the government-ordered shutdown began in March, she said. So the money stopped and we were obligated to keep operating our schools.  It was very important to keep our schools open, so were grateful for any help we get.
New Delhi:

Egypt's extremism-infested North Sinai saw six terrorists and four soldiers killed during army operations on Saturday, military officials said.

Three militant hideouts, two vehicles and three unlicensed motorcycles used by them in their attacks against police personnel were also destroyed, military spokesperson Brigadier General Mohamed Samir said in a statement.

A number of suspected militants were also arrested during the army operations in Al-Arish, Rafah and Shiekh Zwayed in North Sinai, it said.

The army operations are part of the retaliation campaign launched to avenge the recent attack that killed 12 soldiers in the region.

Egypt has witnessed a series of terrorist attacks which targeted policemen, judges and military personnel in different parts of the country.

Since the 2011 revolution that toppled ex-president Hosni Mubarak, North Sinai, which is the base of a number of extremist outlaw groups, became the main stage of many violent attacks by takfiri gunmen.

The attacks even increased after the ouster of Islamist ex-president Mohamed Morsi in 2013 following massive protests against his rule. Over 700 security personnel have been reported killed since then.

The military has launched security campaigns in the area, arrested suspects and demolished houses that belong to terrorists, including those facilitating tunnels leading to the Gaza Strip.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
TICKERS: EMX

Source: Maurice Jackson for Streetwise Reports (7/10/20)

David Cole, CEO of EMX Royalty, sits down with Maurice Jackson of Proven and Probable to discuss the dynamic value proposition the royalty generator presents to the market.



Maurice Jackson: My guest today is David Cole, CEO of EMX Royalty Corp. (EMX:TSX.V; EMX:NYSE.American).

Mr. Cole, as a very proud shareholder, let me be the first to say congratulations, as EMX Royalty recently rewarded shareholders with a nine-year high. What an accomplishment.

David Cole: Thank you. We have 6X'd the stock price in the last four and a half years. It's good to see the market recognize the portfolio growth.

Maurice Jackson: Let's discover what distinguishes EMX Royalty and why, for the second year in a row, I plan to match my bullion purchases with shares in the royalty generator. Mr. Cole, for someone new to EMX Royalty, please introduce the business model and the opportunity the company presents to the market.

David Cole: It's always good to focus on the business model of EMX Royalty Corp. because it is different than our royalty company peers. The bulk of the royalties in our portfolio were generated using the royalty generation method, which is the prospect generation business model focused on the royalty component.

We acquire large tracks of prospective mineral rights around the world utilizing our geologic talent, add value by building up geologic models to illustrate the prospectiveness, sell those onto an industry that's hungry for new discovery opportunities for a combination of cash, shares, work commitments, annual payments, and always a royalty on the back-end.

We've been doing this now successfully for 17 years. We've sold 46 projects, created 46 new royalties, just in the last two and a half years, as an example.

The one thing that I'm proud of about EMX is the deal flow that we have on the generative side, through that royalty generation methodology.

But we don't stop there. We also buy royalties to augment that portfolio and the integration of generating royalties, utilizing our geological expertise, and having those same entrepreneurial geologists identify royalty acquisition opportunities is very powerful. Some of the key royalties we have in our portfolio we were able to acquire because we found out about it and because we had feet on the ground and ears to the railroad tracks.

The third thing that we do to round out our unique business approach is to make strategic investments, where that same team of entrepreneurs is identifying strategic investment opportunities. Our return on invested capital on our 17-year history is a 40% internal rate of return on invested capital. It's fantastic. That's helped maintain our treasury throughout our history, puts us in a situation today where we have nearly as much money in the bank as all the money we have raised in the history of the company, plus 150-some mineral property positions around the world.

Maurice Jackson: One of the things that resonated with me in our last interview, you said that royalties are powerful financial instruments. They certainly are and we're going to out exactly why here in today's interview. EMX Royalty has a commanding global property bank ( ) filled with generative projects that continue to demonstrate the company's proof of concept and business and geological acumen.

Let's visit some of your projects and find out the latest details that have shareholders excited, beginning in Turkey. Take us to the Balya lead-zinc-silver property and provide us with some background on the transaction. When does EMX Royalty expect to start seeing a sizable royalty payment from the property, and what kind of cash flow are you expecting?

David Cole: That's a good question, Maurice. We've been in Turkey for a long time. We cycled through over 250 licenses in that country, executing our business model, and three mines are being built and constructed on our properties where we have royalties. The most important one is the Balya, as you are highlighting. That one goes into full-scale commercial production in late 2020, so another five months from now. It might go a little over into the first quarter of 2021, but it's expected to ramp up into 2022 into full production. A 5,000-ton-per-day mill has been constructed, and we're very excited about this.

We expect to see multiple millions of dollars per annum and cash flow up to 4.5%, depending upon throughput and lead-zinc-silver prices from this asset. This asset alone, which has organically grown through the royalty generation model, will be worth more money than all the money that I've spent in royalty generation in the history of the company. It speaks volumes to the astute allocation of capital and intellect that royalty generation is.

Maurice Jackson: If you like the numbers on the Balya, wait till you hear about the Timok copper-gold mine in Serbia. Ladies and gentlemen, this project is a monster. Mr. Cole, provide us with an overview of the Timok and what can shareholders expect to see regarding cash flow in the treasury here?

David Cole: The Timok is the monster in the portfolio, and you mentioned that royalties are phenomenal financial instruments. That's because of their embedded optionality to the royalty holder that comes at no cost to the royalty holder.

We own a portfolio of royalties in the Timok Magmatic Complex in Serbia, which is Europe's largest historical copper and gold-producing region and the site of one of the most significant copper and gold development stories on the planet, now being advanced by Zijin, a Chinese company, which has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Serbian government to invest $474 million to put into production the upper high-grade portion of a big deposit that they have found there.

We have a royalty that covers the upper zone as well as the lower zone. In the upper zone, according to the bankable feasibility study that was filed, we will see royalty income flow around $2.5 million per year at prevailing copper and gold prices. However, when they get into the lower zone, which is huge, Maurice, it's a 1.7 billion-ton resource at 0.86% copper and 0.18 grams-per-ton gold and we have a one-half of 1% royalty on that. You can do the math.

It's worth a whole lot of money, and that's the company-making royalty in our portfolio. Not to speak poorly on any of the other royalty assets we have, but this one stands out as an absolute company-maker. We're very pleased to have the exposure that those are both commodities that we like, and thanks to the most important part of royalty optionality, which is discovery, 12 drill rigs are turning on that property, continuing to delineate more resources to our benefit.

Maurice Jackson: Moving to the United States, take us to the Rawhide gold-silver mine, which is in the Walker Lane gold-silver belt of Nevada. What sort of annual cash flow are you expecting from that investment now and looking into the future?

David Cole: That's an interesting one. This falls in the strategic investment camp, it's not royalty. We bought those shares and we're contributing to gain intellectually, as well as financially, to the success of this mining operation.

We own 19.9% of the private company that is in production, producing gold, currently producing about a hundred ounces of gold equivalent dore per day to double production with the permits that we have in hand to increase our crushing capacity there. We're very bullish concerning cash flows. We do have a 43-101 report that is in progress and once that's completed, then I can give specific details about our anticipated cash flow from the property.

But we do expect this investment to have a healthy internal rate of return. We bought that at $1,400 gold and modeled it at $1,400 gold, we mined that model in $1,350, it was a great investment. At $1,750, it's an absolute cash cow. This will be another multimillion dollar-per-year dividend-paying asset that we have on our books.

Maurice Jackson: Moving up to Alaska, where EMX consummated a strategic investment a year ago that looks very promising in Millrock Resources on the 64North Project, what are the terms on the deal, and do you have any updates for our shareholders?

David Cole: That's a really good deal. It's a win-win. We think Millrock is doing a fabulous job. Greg Beischer is running a great ship there. They've got their hands on a tiger of a district. We're very, very pleased with the work they're doing. We're happy that we were able to make a positive contribution.

The structure of the deal from EMX's standpoint is that we invested money into share equity in Millrock and also purchased a block of royalties covering grounds in that district from them and put royalties onto projects that they had to help give them the money to be able to advance that forward, attract a good partner. Now they've got drill steel going in the ground and they're hitting great geology.

Because of the move in the gold price augmentation in the capital markets on the natural resource side, as well as the very favorable geologic indicators that are coming out of the project, their shares have done very, very well. So by the time you factor in the increase in share value, those royalties have a negative cost basis to EMX. So we're very, very, very pleased. We're happy to have that optionality of owning the shares in Millrock in addition to 235,000 acre-percent, that's our percent royalty times acres of which they are applied to, in the Goodpaster district around the Pogo mine.

Maurice Jackson: Speaking of another strategic investment, back in February, EMX Royalty made another remarkable transaction with Ensero Solutions. Can you walk us through, and what is this all about?

David Cole: This is another example of EMX thinking laterally and Ensero Solutions, if they're anything, they're just aqueous chemist geniuses. These guys have figured out methodologies for treating acid mine drainage incredibly well and inexpensively, making them very popular with people who are concerned about the environment. They also facilitate social license, and they have a track record of unlocking the mineral value of properties.

We help take them private. They were in a public company, Alexco, where they had an excellent beginning and a huge success story at the Keno Hill property in the Yukon. We provided the funds for them to go private, became a 7.5% equity holder in the company, and also have a preferred share that's structured similar to a loan, where we put in $3.8 million, you get paid back $8.5 million over seven years, so it's nice continued income flow immediately into EMX.

But the most important part of the whole deal is that we have a regional strategic alliance to find environmentally encumbered assets with high prospectivity to come in and solve the environmental problems and unlock the mineral potential. We see several different key assets in the West where we can accomplish this.

Maurice Jackson: Switching gears, let's look at some numbers. Mr. Cole, please provide us with the current capital structure for EMX Royalty.

David Cole: it's pretty simple and pretty good. We're sitting here with plus US$45 million in cash, plus US$50 million in working capital and no debt.

Maurice Jackson: Speaking of the cash, what are your plans for that big pile of capital?

David Cole: So we're going to continue to do what we've always done and that's execute our three-pronged approach and we are continuing to fund our generative business, which is our bread and butter. That's where the ideas come from for the strategic investments, and that's where the opportunities come from to buy royalties.

Now, with more money in the bank, we can lever up our strategic investing and royalty purchasing, but not at the expense of our royalty generation business. That's our core.

Maurice Jackson: Looking forward, multilayered question, what is the next unanswered question for EMX Royalty? When can we expect a response, and what determines success?

David Cole: Well, ultimately success is us continuing to ramp up the value of our portfolio, ramp up cash flow, and see the market recognize that and move our share price forward. I believe that our share price has lagged the growth of the portfolio in the recent past. We're in the process of people starting to wake up and realize that, realize that we're sitting on assets, such as the Timok project in Serbia, at the Leeville royalty in Nevada, operated now by Barrick where they're finding a lot of gold. All these things cumulating up to a portfolio that is enhancing in value continually thanks to the positive optionality of these phenomenal financial instruments.

This is a buy-and-hold business model, and you've seen my insider trades, Maurice. You know I've been buying for seven years now.

Maurice Jackson: Yes.

David Cole: I haven't sold shares of stock. I've been exercising my options holding them, been buying now at the open market. I accumulated roughly 200,000 shares during the COVID dip, as an example, and ultimately it's going to be better market recognition of an enhanced value of our portfolio.

Maurice Jackson: Last question, sir. What did I forget to ask?

David Cole: Well, you're always pretty good at covering things, Maurice, so let me think about that for a second. You always ask me that, so I should always have one on the sidelines.

Maurice Jackson: Well, how about this, has anyone told you that you look like David Letterman?

David Cole: I have heard that before. I had somebody come up to me on the streets of New York and just getting ready to ask me for an autograph and then I think they realized that I was probably a few years younger. But I need to come up with some good David Letterman lines.

Maurice Jackson: Well, one question I forgot to ask is, can you just share with us what is the prime objective of what you're looking for, the minerals that you're looking for in the global portfolio?

David Cole: We've always loved copper and gold, and we have a lot of geological expertise and our whole business premise starts with people. We have strategic advantage because of their intellect and their experience and then we build on that concerning the business model. We have a lot of geological expertise around the geological trench that hosts copper and gold deposits and a growing amount of expertise around polymetallic systems, volcanogenic massive sulfides.

We do believe that it behooves us to be exposed to copper-cobalt-nickel-PGEs, lead, zinc, other metals as well. So we're happy to have a diversified portfolio focused on dominantly metal commodities.

Maurice Jackson: Mr. Cole, if someone wants to get more information on EMX Royalty, please share the website address.

David Cole: www.EMXroyalty.com.

Maurice Jackson: Mr. Cole, it's always a pleasure, and I look forward to speaking to you in the very near future. Wishing you and EMX Royalty the absolute best, sir.

EMX Royalty trades on the (TSX.V: EMX | NYSE: EMX). EMX Royalty is a sponsor of Proven and Probable and we are proud shareholders for the virtues conveyed in today's message.

Before you make your next bullion purchase, make sure you call me. I'm a licensed representative for Miles Franklin Precious Metals Investments, where we have several options to expand your precious metals portfolio. From physical delivery, off-shore depositories, and precious metal IRAs. Call me at (855) 505-1900, or you may e-mail [email protected]. Finally, please subscribe to Proven and Probable for mining insights and bullion sales. Subscription is free.

Maurice Jackson is the founder of Proven and Probable, a site that aims to enrich its subscribers through education in precious metals and junior mining companies that will enrich the world.

[NLINSERT]

Disclosure:

1) Maurice Jackson: I, or members of my immediate household or family, own shares of the following companies mentioned in this article: EMX Royalty and Millrock Resources. I personally am, or members of my immediate household or family are, paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: None. My company has a financial relationship with the following companies mentioned in this article: EMX Royalty and Millrock Resources are sponsors of Proven and Probable. Proven and Probable disclosures are listed below.

2) The following companies mentioned in this article are billboard sponsors of Streetwise Reports: None. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees.

3) Statements and opinions expressed are the opinions of the author and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. The author is wholly responsible for the validity of the statements. The author was not paid by Streetwise Reports for this article. Streetwise Reports was not paid by the author to publish or syndicate this article. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports requires contributing authors to disclose any shareholdings in, or economic relationships with, companies that they write about. Streetwise Reports relies upon the authors to accurately provide this information and Streetwise Reports has no means of verifying its accuracy.

4) This article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports.

5) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the interview or the decision to write an article until three business days after the publication of the interview or article. The foregoing prohibition does not apply to articles that in substance only restate previously published company releases. As of the date of this article, officers and/or employees of Streetwise Reports LLC (including members of their household) own shares of EMX Royalty and Millrock Resources, companies mentioned in this article.

Disclosures for Proven and Probable: Proven and Probable LLC receives financial compensation from its sponsors. The compensation is used is to fund both sponsor-specific activities and general report activities, website, and general and administrative costs. Sponsor-specific activities may include aggregating content and publishing that content on the Proven and Probable website, creating and maintaining company landing pages, interviewing key management, posting a banner/billboard, and/or issuing press releases. The fees also cover the costs for Proven and Probable to publish sector-specific information on our site, and also to create content by interviewing experts in the sector. Monthly sponsorship fees range from $1,000 to $4,000 per month. Proven and Probable LLC does accept stock for payment of sponsorship fees. Sponsor pages may be considered advertising for the purposes of 18 U.S.C. 1734.

The Information presented in Proven and Probable is provided for educational and informational purposes only, without any express or implied warranty of any kind, including warranties of accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose. The Information contained in or provided from or through this forum is not intended to be and does not constitute financial advice, investment advice, trading advice or any other advice. The Information on this forum and provided from or through this forum is general in nature and is not specific to you the User or anyone else. You should not make any decision, financial, investments, trading or otherwise, based on any of the information presented on this forum without undertaking independent due diligence and consultation with a professional broker or competent financial advisor. You understand that you are using any and all Information available on or through this forum at your own risk.

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Canada recently extended the restriction on foreign nationals coming into the country from destinations other than the United States until at least July 31. Meanwhile, the U.S. Canadian border will remain closed to unnecessary travel through July 21, according to cbc.com.

Canada originally put its travel restrictions in place on March 18 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and they were set to expire June 30. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) recently announced that the travel restrictions will continue for public heath reasons.

The updated order concerning non-U.S. travelers entering the country has exceptions, including air crews, diplomats and immediate family members of citizens. Some seasonal workers, caregivers and international students are also allowed.

In regards to U.S./Canadian travel, Canada is allowing people in to visit close relatives, so long as those crossing into Canada are willing to quarantine for two weeks. The new policy defines immediate family as spouses, common-law partners, dependent children, parents or stepparents, and guardians or tutors, according to the Buffalo News.

Otherwise, travel between the U.S. and Canada remains limited, the Buffalo News reported, to:

 U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents returning to America.

 People traveling for medical purposes, or involved in emergency response or public health.

 Those traveling to educational institutions.

 Those traveling for work.

 Truck drivers and others involved in cross-border trade.

 People traveling on government business, including members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families.

Meanwhile, Canadas quarantine requirement will continue until Aug. 31.

It is currently the law for most individuals entering Canada to self-quarantine for 14 days. This applies to all Canadian citizens, permanent residents and foreigners entering Canada by air or land. The terms and exemptions from the previous order will be continued,according to mondaq.com.
Disney+ Hotstar has shared the first song from their highly anticipated film, Dil Bechara. The title song features late actor Sushant Singh Rajput as the star of his college, wowing everyone with a cool dance performance.

Watch Dil Bechara title track here

The song has been shot entirely in a single take. Sushant enters the enter with a peppy walk and ends up in between the audience, dancing with them. He swings his co-star, Sanjana Sanghi on her feet and takes selfies with his friends.

Dil Bechara is sung by AR Rahman and is about the tragedy of the friend zone. While Sushant has confessed his love for a girl, she merely likes him and doesnt miss him when he is not around.

Dil Bechara director Mukesh Chhabra revealed that it was the last song that Sushant ever shot for. He said, Farah Khan choreographed it and she rehearsed the song with Sushant for a day and then shot the whole song in one shot. Thats it. Just one shot. The song picturisation is deceptively simple and Sushant who was a very good dancer, made it look effortless.

Farah said, This song is particularly close to me because it was the first time I was choreographing Sushant. We were friends for a long time but never worked together. She added, I wanted the song to be done as a one shot song because I knew Sushant would be able to do it perfectly, because I remembered Sushant had once come to a reality dance show that I was judging as a celebrity guest and thats the only time the celebrity guest danced better than the contestants on that show.

Manny knocked his way into Kizie's life with all his heart and lively spirit. Set to the melody of the one and only, @arrahman. Listen, love, let the magic do its trick.#DilBecharaTitleTrack out now!https://t.co/Ytf0oJDbgN  Disney+HotstarVIP (@DisneyplusHSVIP) July 10, 2020

When Sushant wrapped up the song shoot in just half a day, Farah treated him to home-cooked food as a reward. We rehearsed a whole day and then finished shooting in half a day! As a reward for nailing it perfectly, all Sushant wanted was food from my house which I duly got for him. I see the song and all I can see is how alive, how happy he looks in it. And this song is always going to be very special for me, she said.

Dil Bechara is the last release of the actor who died on June 14. Dil Bechara, his final film, will release posthumously on Disney+ Hotstar on July 24. The film marks the debut of Sanjana in a leading role. It is an adaptation of John Greens popular novel, The Fault In Out Stars.

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By Trend





The value of trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Russia amounted to $5.2 billion over the first four months of 2020 compared to $5.7 billion during the same period of 2019, Trend reports with reference to Kazakhstans Statistics Committee.

The share of Russia in total value of Kazakhstans trade turnover was 18.7 percent during the reporting period of 2020 compared to 20.1 percent during the same period of 2019.

Kazakhstans export to Russia amounted to $1.4 billion over the period from January through April 2020 compared to $1.7 billion during the same period of 2019.

Russias share in total volume of Kazakhstans export amounted to 7.7 percent during the reporting period of 2020, compared to 9.2 percent during the same period of 2019.

In turn, Kazakhstans import from Russia amounted to $3.8 billion over the reporting period compared to $4.08 billion during the same period of 2019.

Russias total share in Kazakhstans import was 39.2 percent during the reporting period of 2020 which compared to 39.6 percent during the same period of 2019 is also flat year-on-year.

Total volume of Kazakhstans trade turnover amounted to $28.1 billion over the period from Jan. through Apr. 2020 which indicates a decrease from $28.8 billion during the same period of 2019.

Kazakhstans export amounted to $18.3 billion during the reporting period of 2020 ($18.5 billion in the same period of 2019), whereas import amounted to $9.8 billion ($10.3 billion).
Facebook is considering a blackout on political ads on its site in the days leading up the U.S. election in November, it was reported Friday.

According to Bloomberg, the social media giant is discussing a ban on political ads after weeks of criticism for not fact-checking ads from politicians or their campaigns.

Anger over the company's inactive stand on hate speech on its platform has resulted in a boycott from more than a thousand of its advertisers.

Civil rights groups have also called Facebook's response 'disappointing'.

Facebook may introduce a ban on political ads in the days before the 2020 election

The political ad blackout is still only being discussed and no action has been finalized, Bloomberg adds.

Blackouts on political advertising within days of an election are common in other parts of the world such as the United Kingdom.

The ban is seen as important to those who believe it stops the spread of misinformation around the election just as people are preparing to vote.

There are concerns, however, that a ban on all election-related posts could effect the numbers who turn out by also hurting 'get out and vote' campaigns.

Candidates will also be prevented from advertising their stance on any breaking news that happens within those few days.

It was found that Russian operatives used Facebook to spread misleading and divisive ads and posts in the lead up to the 2016 U.S. Presidential election.

The company has since attempted to tighten up its political ad process. It implemented stricter requirements on buying marketing spots and added a searchable ad archive.

The news of the potentials blackout comes after Facebook flounders to come back from criticism about its hate speech stand and an audit report released Wednesday found that it does not do enough to implement its own voter suppression policies.

The audit found this to be especially true with posts from President Donald Trump that Facebook has allowed to stay on the site despite its competitors Twitter and Snapchat choosing the fact-check them.

It said the company made a series of decisions that undermined civil rights, including allowing posts from Trump that violate the values of the leading social network.

Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has previously said that as a private company, he doesn't believe Facebook should intervene in what is posted on the site, even in hate speech

The audit commissioned by Facebook in 2018 found the California social media giant had taken 'important steps forward in building a long-term civil rights accountability structure' but they 'are not sufficient and should not be the end of Facebook's progress'.

Despite progress, 'the auditors are concerned that those gains could be obscured by the vexing and heartbreaking decisions Facebook has made that represent significant setbacks for civil rights,' the 100-page report said.

The auditors also expressed particular alarm at Facebook's reluctance to take action on posts from Trump this year which 'allowed the propagation of hate/violent speech' and 'facilitated voter suppression'.

The posts, on May 20, were about mail-in ballots. Trump had said they were 'fraudulent' or would amount to 'voter fraud', which the auditors say was harmful false information that Facebook should have removed.

These are among the posts the auditors said were harmful. Trump posted them on May 20

Anger about the posts and Facebook's inaction has now led to a boycott on advertising involving more than 1,000 companies.

They are pressing for more aggressive action from Facebook on toxic and inflammatory content which promotes violence and hate - spurred by the wave of protests calling for social justice and racial equity.

Money from the eight million advertisers who spend money with Facebook accounts for 98 percent of its annual $70.7billion revenue, according to the New York Times.

Facebook has steadfastly refused to fact-check political speech and has a largely hands-off policy on comments from world leaders.

But it has said it will take down comments that could lead to imminent harm, and recently updated a policy to label a post which violates its rules, even if it is allowed to remain online for being 'newsworthy'.

This decision was an about turn from founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg after he said that as a private company Facebook should not intervene in what is posted on the site.

Despite the ongoing boycott, Facebook's stock continues to rise this week

It came as executives began to use a more conciliatory tone toward the demands as more and more large advertisers joined the boycott.

Yet on Tuesday organizers of the Facebook boycott campaign slammed Zuckerberg for doing 'just about nothing' to remove hate speech from the site.

Leaders of the #StopHateForProfit campaign lashed out after a 'disappointing' meeting with the social media CEO and other top brass which they said showed Facebook 'is not yet ready to address the vitriolic hate on their platform'.

Despite the ongoing boycott, Facebook stock has continued to rise in the past week having already reached record highs.
Lucknow, July 10 : The UP STF has now claimed that a herd of cows and buffaloes suddenly appeared before the vehicle that was bringing gangster Vikas Dubey to Kanpur and this caused the accident, following which he tried to escape but was shot dead.

"The herd of cows, buffaloes suddenly came in front of the vehicle and the driver swerved the vehicle causing it to overturn," said a statement released by the UP STF on Friday evening.

Inspector Ramakant Pachauri, Sub Inspectors Pankaj Singh, and Anup Singh, constables Satyavir and Pradeep Kumar received serious injuries in this accident.

"Taking advantage of the situation, Vikas Dubey snatched the pistol of inspector Ramakant Pachauri and got out of the vehicle. He started running away. The second vehicle coming from behind and STF DSP Tej Pratap Singh and other STF personnel stopped and were told that Dubey had run away with the firearm. They chased the gangster and he started firing at them. Thee STF personnel tried to catch him alive but had to fire in self-defence," the statement read.

The STF further said that they immediately took Vikas Dubey to the hospital for "first aid" but the doctors declared him dead after examination.

Inspector Shivendra Singh and constable Vimal Yadav were injured in the firing by Dubey.

The STF officials refused to respond to questions like if Dubey was shot dead in wet mud, why were there no marks of mud on his clothes.

Moreover, as Dubey had a rod in his one leg which made him walk with a limp so how could he run so fast from the site of the accident, it was asked.

The STF also has no answer to the fact that vehicles of media persons were stopped 500 metres away from the site of the encounter even before the alleged accident took place.
The Satanic Temple recently announced that it would file a complaint against Mississippi's state if it adds the phrase "In God We Trust" on its new flag.

According to a Fox News report, the group's attorney addressed a letter to State Attorney General Lynn Fitch claiming Mississippi should include a reference to Satan if they go forward with adding a religious phrase on the flag.

The letter comes after Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves signed a bill late last month to retire the state flag and remove the Confederate battle emblem.

While the Temple's attorney commended the state for "taking a positive step" of removing the Confederate flag, he called out the state for excluding their group.

The letter suggested that the seven tenets of the Satanic Temple may be more consistent with Mississippi's values than the Ten Commandments, The Hill reported.

Reeves moved to remove the symbols following widespread protests against racial inequity and police brutality. The Confederate symbols were often used before slavery was abolished.

A committee will create a new design for the flag. Residents will be allowed to decide on the latest state flag design during the November elections. The original plan would not include the Confederate flag and feature the words, "In God We Trust."

Other Lawsuits

In April 2019, the Massachusetts-based Satanic Temple filed a lawsuit against Minnesota's city after it withdrew permissions for a satanic monument over two years ago. The move came after local officials got caught in a debate over allowing religious symbols in public places.

The monument proposed by the Satanic Temple included a 23-inch black cube with inscriptions of inverted pentagrams. On top of the memorial would be an upturned helmet.

In February 2019, the satanist group filed a complaint against the Boston City Council after it reportedly denied the group from saying the invocation at a City Council meeting.

Traditionally, a clergy member is invited to open the meetings with a prayer. When it asked to deliver the invocation, the Satanic Temple claimed the council denied the request, saying the council members choose and invite whomever they see fit, the Boston Herald reported.

Lucien Greaves, the Temple's spokesman, said the invitation-only policy was discriminatory.

In 2018, the group filed a lawsuit against Netflix and Warner Bros. over the use of Baphomet's statue in the hit-series "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina."

According to court documents, the Temple claimed copyright infringement, trademark violation, and injury to business. The group sought damages of $150 million for the three claims. They also claimed that the studios "misappropriated" the goat deity design in the series, the MarketWatch reported.

The Temple's version of the Baphomet statue features a being with a goat's head and a man's chest. They alleged that "Sabrina" unquestionably copied this version. The suit also claimed that the show made the group's icon a symbol of evil, which caused the Temple injuries.

Want to read more?
In one stroke of penning a directive to strip international college students of their visas if their course of study was entirely online, the United States has thrown more than a million lives into uncertainty, that too in the time of the coronavirus pandemic.

Among the 10 lakh students who were issued visas to the US last year, there are at least two lakh young Indians who may face the distressing prospect of being deported at a time when there are no flights home and at the cost of several lakhs of rupees spent in college fees, getting to the US and setting up their lodgings.

The Trump administration may be doing this to force universities into early reopening and filling dormitories and populating classrooms as a way of thrusting normality, but at a particularly difficult time when the virus is rebounding even as the US reopens. It is clear that the move goes far beyond domestic compulsions.

The xenophobic outlook of the Trump regime is once again exposed, the trait already made evident in restrictive moves made against work visas in June.

The action against foreign students can be interpreted as blatantly racist too as a majority of students who will be affected are Chinese (about 3,70,000), Indians (2,02,000) and South Koreans (52,000) who enrolled in 2018-19.

The pattern of hostility to immigrants, fuelled on in the Trump years that began with the idea of a Mexican Wall, is clear.

This could mean not only the end of pursuit of studies in the US but also evaporation of the American Dream for many youth who will be missing job opportunities, which may have been a good reason why they chose to study in the US. Foreign students, many of whom who pay full tuition fees, are also estimated to contribute upwards of $30 billion a year to the US economy while supporting about half a million jobs in and around academia.

American universities may innovate in offering in-person classes in hybrid courses and students residing in the US may just find ways past the regulations. But what is destroyed as lakhs of young people agonise over regulations that put them in the crosshairs is the old belief in America as the land of opportunity.

In narrow-minded pandering to American sentiment favouring the reduction of legal immigration to the US, the country could be shooting itself in the foot, with its post-Covid-19 economy to be affected even more as the number of international students intending to enrol in the fall semester is bound to fall drastically.

Nothing will, however, cut ice with the US president when he is seeking re-election. Every manoeuvre that projects itself as putting America, Americans and US jobs first can be traced to one mans ambition to remain in the White House.

The student visa restrictions could be seen as primarily hitting at China, derided now as the source of the COVID-19 pandemic and consequent fall of the global economy. But, if Indian students become collateral damage, all the talk of special US-India ties amid Trump-Modi camaraderie gets shown up as empty.
Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Tatyana Golikova says Russia will start talks to lift restrictions on international flights starting from July 15, RBK reports.

We assume the Ministry of Transport and Rosaviatsia will inform the government how the talks are going. We will assess the epidemiological situation in countries once every two weeks based on the declared standards, she said.

Golikova also informed that foreigners arriving in Russia must show the results of a coronavirus test provided at least three days before arrival instead of staying under a two-week quarantine.

The Russian government had stopped international flights on March 27.


The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a New York government lawyer can get President Donald Trumps financial records. The court also blocked the House of Representatives from getting the documents  for now.

Unlike other recent presidents, Trump has not released his financial documents, including tax returns. The forms could provide information on his wealth and the activities of his family company, the Trump Organization.

The court ruling does not guarantee that the public will be able to see the records.

Trump is seeking reelection later this year. On Twitter, the president immediately denounced the ruling as a political prosecution.



Trump vs. Vance

One of the cases the Supreme Court ruled on Thursday was Trump versus Vance. Cyrus R. Vance Jr. is the District Attorney of New York County.

In that ruling, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that in the U.S. judicial system, the public has a right to everymans evidence. He added, no citizen, not even the President, could refuse to produce evidence when called upon in a criminal proceeding.

Vances office started an investigation into Trump and his business in 2018. Vance was looking into reported payments from Trump and his business to two women. The payments were meant to hide the nature of their relationship with Trump. The reported payments took place during the 2016 presidential campaign process.

The two women, Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, said they had sexual relations with Trump. Trumps personal lawyer at the time, Michael Cohen, confirmed the payments but Trump has denied the relationships.

As part of a criminal investigation, Vance asked Trumps accounting firm Mazars LLP for financial records, including his tax documents. The documents were to be given to a grand jury in New York City.

Trumps lawyers argued that under the U.S. Constitution he cannot be subjected to criminal investigation while serving as president. They noted a Justice Department guidance that says a sitting president cannot be indicted or prosecuted.

During a lower court hearing, Trumps lawyer claimed that officials could not investigate Trump even if he shot someone on New Yorks Fifth Avenue.

By a 7-2 vote, the Supreme Court ruled that Mazars could be ordered to provide financial records to a grand jury as part of a criminal investigation. Because the grand jury process is secret, Trumps records would not be known to the public.

Vance, a Democrat, cheered the Supreme Courts ruling. He said, This is a tremendous victory for our nations system of justice and its founding principle that no one - not even a president - is above the law.



Trump vs. Mazars

Mazars was also part of the second Supreme Court case. It involved three committees in the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives.

The committees asked Mazars and two bankers, Deutsche Bank and Capital One, to provide financial information from the president, his family and his related businesses.

The House committees argued they have the power under the Constitution to issue subpoenas to help it in carrying out legislative responsibilities.

The presidents lawyers argued that the Houses request was not for legislative reasons. They said the aim was to uncover personal information on the president and his family. And they questioned whether the subpoenas were outside the Houses Constitutional powers.

By the same 7-2 vote, the court chose not to rule on the Houses subpoena powers. That sends the dispute over Trumps financial information back to lower courts.

Writing for the majority, Chief Justice Roberts wrote, Congressional subpoenas for the Presidents personal information implicate weighty concerns regarding the separation of powers. Neither side, however, identifies an approach that accounts for these concerns.

After the rulings, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, I hear hes tweeting one thing, and other people are saying another. But whatever it is, its not good news for the president of the United States.

The Democratic leader said in a statement that the House would continue to uncover the truth and press our case in the lower courts.

I'm Ashley Thompson.

Hai Do wrote this story for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

prosecution - n. the act or process of holding a trial against a person accused of a crime to see if that person is guilty

versus - preposition - used to indicate two people or groups that opposed each other in a legal case

proceeding - n. a legal action

indict - v. to formally declare that someone should be put on trial for a crime

tremendous - adj. very good or excellent

subpoena - n. a written order that commands someone to appear in court or in front of Congress

implicate - v. to show that something is closely connected

approach - n. a path that leads to something
Amid the ongoing political crisis in Nepal, embattled Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Friday assured the people of the country that "he will strive for nation's unity, democracy, national pride, and territorial integrity".

In his televised address to the nation, he said that his government will not move backwards in attending to the needs of the people--hunger and disease redressal, adding that the entire focus will be attending to COVID-19 crisis and the prevailing flood situation.

Nepal's ruling communist party appeared to be heading for a split as PM Oli and party executive chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' failed to iron out their differences despite holding over half-a-dozen meetings in a week. Speaking on this, he said that it is the duty of the ruling communist party and its leaders to resolve the internal matters and disputes.

"It is quite natural for people to get drawn to the political situation and the interest and curiosity is natural. There is a mechanism to resolve internal issues. Discussions, consultations and dissent in a political party are an entirely internal and sometimes regular phenomenon. These issues will be solved by the party and concerned leaders through dialogue. Patience and restraint are required for it," he said.

A crucial meeting of the ruling communist party to decide the political future of PM Oli was postponed for the fourth time on Friday, citing floods in the country, amidst calls for his resignation over his style of functioning. The meeting of the Nepal Communist Party's 45-member powerful Standing Committee was scheduled to be held on Friday. But it was postponed for a week at the last moment.

Top NCP leaders, including former prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', have demanded Prime Minister Oli's resignation, saying his recent anti-India remarks were "neither politically correct nor diplomatically appropriate." The differences between the two factions of the NCP, one led by Oli and the other led by party's executive chairman 'Prachanda' on the issue of power-sharing, has recently intensified after the prime minister unilaterally decided to prorogue the budget session of Parliament.

The political future of 68-year-old Oli is now expected to be decided on July 17 during the Standing Committee meeting, amidst the growing involvement of Hou Yanqui, the Chinese ambassador to Nepal, to save his chair. The Prachanda faction, backed by senior leaders and former prime ministers Madhav Kumar Nepal and Jhalanath Khanal, has been demanding Oli's resignation, saying his recent anti-India remarks were "neither politically correct nor diplomatically appropriate."

The India-Nepal bilateral ties came under strain after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated an 80-km-long strategically crucial road connecting the Lipulekh pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand on May 8, according to news agency PTI. Nepal reacted sharply to the inauguration of the road claiming that it passed through Nepalese territory. India rejected the claim asserting that the road lies completely within its territory, PTI reported.

Later, Nepal updated the country's political map through a Constitutional amendment, incorporating three strategically important Indian areas. India termed as "untenable" the "artificial enlargement" of the territorial claims by Nepal, according to PTI.
Bats are often considered patient zero for many deadly viruses affecting humans, including Ebola, rabies, and, most recently, the SARS-CoV-2 strain of virus that causes coronavirus.

Although humans experience adverse symptoms when afflicted with these pathogens, bats are remarkably able to tolerate viruses, and, additionally, live much longer than similar-sized land mammals.

What are the secrets to their longevity and virus resistance?

According to researchers at the University of Rochester, bats' longevity and capacity to tolerate viruses may stem from their ability to control inflammation, which is a hallmark of disease and aging. In a review article published in the journal Cell Metabolism, the researchers--including Rochester biology professors Vera Gorbunova and Andrei Seluanov--outline the mechanisms underlying bats' unique abilities and how these mechanisms may hold clues to developing new treatments for diseases in humans.

Why are bats 'immune' to viruses?

The idea for the paper came about when Gorbunova and Seluanov, who are married, were in Singapore in March before COVID-19 travel bans began. When the virus started to spread and Singapore went into lockdown, they were quarantined at the home of their colleague Brian Kennedy, director of the Centre for Healthy Aging at the National University of Singapore and co-author of the paper.

The three scientists, all experts on longevity in mammals, got to talking about bats. SARS-CoV-2 is believed to have originated in bats before the virus was transmitted to humans. Although bats were carriers, they seemed to be unaffected by the virus. Another perplexing factor: generally, a species' lifespan correlates with its body mass; the smaller a species, the shorter its lifespan, and vice versa. Many bat species, however, have lifespans of 30 to 40 years, which is impressive for their size.

We've been interested in longevity and disease resistance in bats for a while, but we didn't have the time to sit and think about it. Being in quarantine gave us time to discuss this, and we realized there may be a very strong connection between bats' resistance to infectious diseases and their longevity. We also realized that bats can provide clues to human therapies used to fight diseases." Vera Gorbunova, the Doris Johns Cherry Professor of Biology at Rochester

While there have been studies on the immune responses of bats and studies of bats' longevity, until their article, "no one has combined these two phenomena," Seluanov says.

Gorbunova and Seluanov have studied longevity and disease resistance in other exceptionally long-lived animals, including naked mole rats. One common theme in their research is that inflammation is a hallmark of the aging process and age-related diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer's, and cardiovascular disease. Viruses, including COVID-19, are one factor that can trigger inflammation.

"With COVID-19, the inflammation goes haywire, and it may be the inflammatory response that is killing the patient, more so than the virus itself," Gorbunova says. "The human immune system works like that: once we get infected, our body sounds an alarm and we develop a fever and inflammation. The goal is to kill the virus and fight infection, but it can also be a detrimental response as our bodies overreact to the threat."

Not so with bats. Unlike humans, bats have developed specific mechanisms that reduce viral replication and also dampen the immune response to a virus. The result is a beneficial balance: their immune systems control viruses but at the same time, do not mount a strong inflammatory response.

Why did bats acquire a tolerance for diseases?

According to the researchers, there are several factors that may contribute to bats having evolved to fight viruses and live long lives. One factor may be driven by flight. Bats are the only mammals with the ability to fly, which requires that they adapt to rapid increases in body temperature, sudden surges in metabolism, and molecular damage. These adaptations may also assist in disease resistance.

Another factor may be their environment. Many species of bats live in large, dense colonies, and hang close together on cave ceilings or in trees. Those conditions are ideal for transmitting viruses and other pathogens.

"Bats are constantly exposed to viruses," Seluanov says. "They are always flying out and bringing back something new to the cave or nest, and they transfer the virus because they live in such close proximity to each other."

Because bats are constantly exposed to viruses, their immune systems are in a perpetual arms race with pathogens: a pathogen will enter the organism, the immune system will evolve a mechanism to combat the pathogen, the pathogen will evolve again, and so on.

"Usually the strongest driver of new traits in evolution is an arms race with pathogens," Gorbunova says. "Dealing with all of these viruses may be shaping bats' immunity and longevity."

Can humans develop the same disease resistance as bats?

That's not an invitation for humans to toss their masks and crowd together in restaurants and movie theaters. Evolution takes place over thousands of years, rather than a few months. It has only been in recent history that a majority of the human population has begun living in close proximity in cities. Or that technology has enabled rapid mobility and travel across continents and around the globe. While humans may be developing social habits that parallel those of bats, we have not yet evolved bats' sophisticated mechanisms to combat viruses as they emerge and swiftly spread.

"The consequences may be that our bodies experience more inflammation," Gorbunova says.

The researchers also recognize that aging seems to play an adverse role in humans' reactions to COVID-19.

"COVID-19 has such a different pathogenesis in older people," Gorbunova says. "Age is one of the most critical factors between living and dying. We have to treat aging as a whole process instead of just treating individual symptoms."

The researchers anticipate that studying bats' immune systems will provide new targets for human therapies to fight diseases and aging. For example, bats have mutated or completely eliminated several genes involved in inflammation; scientists can develop drugs to inhibit these genes in humans. Gorbunova and Seluanov hope to start a new research program at Rochester to work toward that goal.

"Humans have two possible strategies if we want to prevent inflammation, live longer, and avoid the deadly effects of diseases like COVID-19," Gorbunova says. "One would be to not be exposed to any viruses, but that's not practical. The second would be to regulate our immune system more like a bat."
WASHINGTON - The military's top officer on Thursday described Confederate leaders as traitors and said he is taking a "hard look" at renaming 10 Army installations that honor them, despite President Donald Trump's opposition to any changes.

"The Confederacy, the American Civil War was fought, and it was an act of rebellion," the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley, told members of the House Armed Services Committee. "It was an act of treason at the time against the Union, against the Stars and Stripes, against the U.S. Constitution, and those officers turned their back on their oath."

The Army is now about 20% black, he said.

"For those young soldiers that go onto a base - a Fort Hood, a Fort Bragg or a fort wherever named after a Confederate general - they can be reminded that that general fought for the institution of slavery that may have enslaved one of their ancestors," he said.

Last month, Trump rejected calls to rename installations after Defense Secretary Mark Esper signaled a willingness to do so, saying his administration "will not even consider" that plan.

Milley stopped short of offering a policy prescription for how to handle the installation names, which has become a flash point at the Pentagon, as the nation grapples with the history of racism in the wake of George Floyd's death at the hands of police in May.

The installations, all in former Confederate states, were named with input from influential local residents during the Jim Crow era. The Army courted their buy-in because it needed large swaths of land to build bases during the military buildups of World War I and II.

That decision was political, Milley told committee, and renaming the installations would also be a political move.

Two of the Army's biggest installations are named after Confederate commanders and avowed white supremacists.

Fort Bragg in North Carolina, the headquarters of the Special Forces, bears the name of Gen. Braxton Bragg, a commander often assailed as one of the most bumbling commanders in the war. Fort Benning in Georgia, the home of Army infantry and airborne training, is named after Brig. Gen. Henry Benning, who laid out the protection of slavery as the motivation for secession in a speech in 1861.

The other bases named after Confederate commanders are Forts Lee, Pickett and A.P. Hill in Virginia, Forts Polk and Beauregard in Louisiana, Fort Hood in Texas, Fort Gordon in Georgia and Fort Rucker in Alabama.

The Pentagon has also considered a blanket ban on the Confederate flag in public places at all military installations.

During the hearing, Milley and Esper also jostled with lawmakers over reports about an alleged Russian program to pay militants bounties to attack U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan that may have resulted in American deaths. Esper and Milley said defense intelligence agencies could not corroborate the information.

At one point, Esper said he had not received an intelligence report that specifically used the word "bounty" but later said he received reports that broadly mentioned payments.

During the hearing, Esper also defended the use of National Guardsmen to aid police as protests over Floyd's death spread across the country. National Guard troops were alongside law enforcement as authorities removed demonstrators from Lafayette Square on June 1 so that Trump could visit a nearby church.

The Guardsmen "did not advance on the crowd," fire rubber bullets or use chemical agents such as tear gas. Their role was static support, Esper said.

But lawmakers criticized what occurred hours later as a much more kinetic action. Helicopters from the D.C. National Guard - whose chain of command goes directly to the Pentagon - roared over protesters as low as 45 feet from the ground, an analysis by The Post found.

Esper launched an investigation into the use of the helicopters. The report is currently under review with the Pentagon's inspector general and could go to the committee next week, Esper said.
Gal Pissetzky, lawyer to instagram celebrity Ramon Abbas a.k.a Hushpuppi has continued his social media defence of the alleged fraudster, claiming he was 'kidnapped' by the FBI as no legal documents were made for his arrest and no extradition treaty exists between the US and the UAE where Hushpuppi was residing.



Hushpuppi was arrested in June in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, by the Dubai Police and later handed over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States.



The FBI in affidavit alleged that the suspected Nigerian fraudster conspired to launder funds stolen in a $14.7 million cyber-heist from a foreign financial institution.



He was also accused of being involved in a fraudulent scheme which defrauded a New York-based law firm of approximately $922,800 through a combination of computer hacking and social engineering.



Hushpuppi, allegedly duped about 1,926,400 victims, and is facing charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering, among others in the US, facing a possible prison term of 20 years.



Hushpuppi's lawyer Pissetzky on Thursday July 9, in an interview with Forbes claimed Hushpuppi is an entrepreneur who made his money legitimately through real estate and promoting brands



Speaking with BBC on Friday July 10, Chicago based lawyer Pissetzky said the US had no authority to transport Hushpuppi from Dubai claiming the US Department of State and the FBI 'kidnapped' his client.



"In my opinion, the FBI and the government here acted illegally when they kidnapped him from Dubai without any legal process to do so," Mr Pissetzky told the BBC.



"There was no extradition, there were no legal steps taken, there were no court documents filed, it was simply a call to the FBI. He is not a citizen of the United States, the US had absolutely no authority to take him," his lawyer says.



Pissetzky refused to discuss how he was getting paid for legal fees and says the case could last several months, even longer than a year.









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

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BLOOMINGTON  COVID-19 testing may be coming to a site near you.

The McLean County Board of Health approved an agreement Wednesday night intended to expand testing for the novel virus throughout the county.

"The testing site may not be convenient to all people in the county," McLean County Board of Health President Carla Pohl said of the COVID-19 testing site, operated by Reditus Laboratories of Pekin, at the McLean County Fairgrounds, 1106 Interstate Drive, Bloomington.

"If we can go to the rural areas and to neighborhoods, especially those with health disparities, that will give people more access," Pohl said after the meeting, held at the health department building in Bloomington.

Under the agreement, Reditus will conduct COVID-19 tests on specimens collected by health department employees. Reditus will charge the health department $120 to process each test, health department Administrator Jessica McKnight said.

Health department employees will use nasal swabs to collect the specimens from county residents at mobile clinics that the department will set up at locations throughout the county in collaboration with Chestnut Family Health Center, McKnight said.

Locations haven't been finalized but McKnight hopes to begin July 23 in a rural community, then schedule a series of clinics in rural communities and city neighborhoods. Sites will be publicized after they are finalized, she said.

The health department hopes to pay for the operation through a one-year, $2,861,712 grant from the Illinois Department of Public Health. McKnight said she is applying for the grant.

If received, the grant wouldn't just pay for increased testing but increased contact tracing, meaning interviews with and advice for people who have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID, McKnight said.

Six health department nurses have been doing contact tracing and four more have been trained to help. Part of the grant money would go to hiring 10 to 30 part-time contact tracers, McKnight said.

Phase 4 of Restore Illinois has meant that more businesses are reopening and more people are traveling, which also has meant an increase in COVID cases, McKnight said. The health department has announced 34 new COVID cases in the past week, bringing the county's new total to 299 cases.

An increasing number of cases means more people for contract tracers to interview, McKnight said.

The board also approved four behavioral health funding focus areas for 2021. They are adult mental health services, crisis response, youth behavioral health services and criminal justice.

The health department behavioral health program manager will write a request for proposal for each funding focus area by the second week in August.

PHOTOS: Sudden storm in Normal causes flooding, wind damage

Contact Paul Swiech at 309-820-3275. Follow him on Twitter: @pg_swiech.

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A student wears a facemask at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, Calif. on March 11, 2020. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)

California Sues Trump Administration Over Roll-Back of COVID-19 Exemptions for Student Visas

California officials on Thursday announced plans to file a lawsuit challenging the Trump administrations decision to reintroduce limits to online courses for international students in the fall semester that could force tens of thousands of them to leave the United States if universities decide to hold their classes entirely online.

The lawsuit by the states Attorney General Xavier Becerra and community and state college chancellors says the changes to the temporary exemptions during the COVID-19 pandemic could put the health of international students at risk by forcing them to attend lessons in person.

The change would put themselves, teachers, other students, and the community at large at risk of getting and spreading the coronavirusor be subject to deportation, the lawsuit contends.

#BREAKING: Were suing the Trump Admin over its threat to deport international students. Shame on @RealDonaldTrump for risking the health and education of students who earned the chance to study here.#COVID19 is real and we need to keep students and campuses safe. pic.twitter.com/tBfhtcox9B  Xavier Becerra (@AGBecerra) July 9, 2020

At the start of the pandemic, the Trump administration introduced temporary changes to permit international students to take online courses and still fulfil their visa obligations. With the height of the health crisis past, the Department of Homeland Security said it would now not be issuing visas to students enrolled in learning that is fully online from the fall semester.

Californias lawsuit in federal court comes after Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology sued the Trump administration this week over the updated policy, arguing the new rules did not appear to take the health of students and faculty into consideration and would cause chaos at universities and colleges around the country.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on July 6 released guidelines that said international students will be required to leave the country or transfer to another college if their schools offer classes entirely online in the fall of 2020.

The following day, the U.S. State Department said that international students are welcome on campuses in the United States this fall semester provided that colleges dont hold all classes online.

In a press release published July 7, a State Department spokesperson said Homeland Security plans to make temporary modifications to F-1 and M-1 nonimmigrant visa requirements for the fall 2020 semester. The visas are for academic and vocational students.

This will allow a mixture of both in-person and some online coursework to meet the requirements for nonimmigrant student status, the release states.

This temporary accommodation, the spokesperson said, will provide greater flexibility for nonimmigrant students to continue their education in the United States, while allowing for proper social distancing on open and operating campuses across the country.

The United States has long been the destination of choice for international students, and we are pleased that many international students who had planned to study this fall in the United States may still have the opportunity to do so.

Shame on the Trump Administration for risking not only the education opportunities for students who earned the chance to go to college, but now their health and well-being as well, attorney general Becerra said in a statement. Today, President Trump appears set to do just thatamidst a global pandemic of historic proportions. Not on our watch.

There are more than a million foreign students at U.S. colleges and universities, and many schools depend on revenue from foreign students, who often pay full tuition. The State Department issued 388,839 F visas and 9,518 M visas in fiscal 2019, according to the agencys data.

According to NAFSA, the Association of International Educators, during the 20182019 academic year, foreign students in the United States contributed nearly $41 billion to the national economy.

ICE said institutions moving entirely to online learning must submit plans to the agency by July 15. Schools that will use only in-person learning, shortened or delayed classes, or a blend of in-person and online learning must submit plans by Aug. 1.

In an FAQ document (pdf), ICE explained that the change in visa exemptions would balances students ability to continue their studies [from abroad] while minimizing the risk of spread of COVID-19 in our communities by ensuring that individuals who do not need to be present in the United States are not physically here.

Many U.S. universities, including the University of California and the California State University system are planning to shift entirely to online classes this fall semester due to the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic.

The University of California system announced Wednesday that it planned to sue over the new policy.

As part of our effort to respond to COVID-19 and to protect the health of all our students, UC has increased online instruction and decreased in-person classes, UC Board of Regents Chair John A. Perez said in a statement Wednesday. Even last-ditch efforts can cause real harm, so it is imperative for UC to file this lawsuit in order to protect our students.

To UCs international students, I say: We support you and regret the additional chaos ICEs action has caused, he added. To the courts, I say, We are the University of California. UC knows science, UC knows law, and we approach both in good faith. Our opponents have shown you time and again that they do not.

California had nearly 162,000 international students in 2019, according to a report by the U.S. State Department and the Institute of International Education.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Operatives of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja, Lagos, have refused departure of 58 Nigerian doctors.

The Spokesman of the service, Sunday James, disclosed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.

Mr James said the doctors attempted traveling aboard a UK bound aircraft flight number ENT 550, registration number SP-ES that flew in from London.

According to him, 56 of the doctors had no visa for entry to the United Kingdom, while only two (2) had visas.

The 58 Medical Doctors were refused departure in line with Section 31 subsection 2a and b, of Act 2015.

This means, on powers conferred on the Comptroller General, NIS, Mr Muhammad Babandede, to prohibit departure of any person under the conditions stated in the Act.

The chartered flight approved for landing in Nigeria was to carry 42 medical doctors for a training program but they were 58 with only two having visas for entry into the UK.

A situation that calls for refusal of departure, he said.

Mr James said NIS as the agency saddled with control of entry and departure from Nigeria of persons would not allow individuals or groups of well-educated Nigerians to disobey the laws.

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He added that those who should know the procedures for travelling out of their country and the requirements, which include having a valid visa for entry into a destination country to leave, should not violate the laws.

This is to avoid refusal of entry and repatriation back to Nigeria amidst COVID-19 pandemic.

And also spreading the same as well as flouting the Federal Governments directive on restriction of international flights unless for essential reasons as approved by the government.

There is no official communication to the Service from the Ministry of Health in Nigeria or any known Medical body notifying the NIS of the travel of this number of medical doctors.

The aircraft has departed for London without the medical doctors.

The Comptroller General is taking this opportunity to advise Nigerians to always adhere to travel protocols.

They should ensure they have valid passports with valid visas to the country they intended travelling to before going to any Airport, Seaport or Land Border Control to avoid refusal to depart.

(NAN)
CONNECTICUT  Connecticut saw another slight increase in coronavirus-related hospitalizations Thursday and the state's positive test rate went above one percent.

Another 101 positive tests were reported out of 8,171 test results. The state also reported another five coronavirus-related deaths and hospitalizations increased by two patients up to 90.

Gov. Ned Lamont said that the net hospitalization number continues to stay below 100 patients total and new daily admissions are flat.

"That means we dont have the flare-ups you see in another states, he said.



The Department of Education is still a good 2-3 weeks away from having a handle on just how many students will be returning to in-school classrooms in the fall, according to Gov. Ned Lamont, but the state remains on track to reopening the schools in early September.

Lamont said his decisions to start in-classroom learning is not influenced by the "hot rhetoric coming out of the White House," but "based upon the metrics, based upon the trend lines... the science and the numbers, to give (parents) confidence we can do this safely."

During a news conference on Thursday, Lamont said the ball is currently in the court of the school superintendents who are currently reviewing the guidelines prepared by the state Department of Education.

"They're going to come back to us in the next couple of weeks and say, 'This is what works for us, this is where I can see we need some improvement, and this is the financing we would need in order to do this safely,'" Lamont said. Schools have a deadline of July 24 so submit their plans for reopening to the Department of Education, according to the state guidelines issued on June 29.

Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona, who joined the news conference via video conferencing, took issue with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis who earlier in the day made a comparison between reopening schools and retail outlets.

Story continues

"Schools are not Walmarts," Cardona said, noting that such comparisons were "not helpful."

Cardona said that teachers have communicated "a lot of fears, and that's natural," particularly about their own pre-existing conditions, but that the Board of Education was working closely with the Department of Health to mitigate those concerns.



Stressing the value of in-person education, Lamont acknowledged that many students are not going to want to return to a physical classroom, some maybe opting to even wait until a vaccine becomes available. The Department of Educations is currently surveying districts and expects to have a firm number on how many students will be returning in "2-3 weeks," according to the governor.

Lamont said the state has done a lot of analysis in the past few weeks on how municipal HVAC and ventilation systems stacked up against the new threat of an airborne COVID-19 virus. In a change to its previous thinking, the World Health Organization noted on Thursday that studies evaluating COVID-19 outbreaks in restaurants, choir practices and fitness classes suggested the virus might have been spread in the air.

"Miguel's team is looking at the ventilation systems and the air flow systems across all of our schools to see what we can do on an expeditious basis," Lamont said.

Cardona addressed concerns that there would not be a deep enough pool of substitute teachers available should the state experience a resurgence or "second wave" of the coronavirus, saying that his office was working to identify and reach out to certified Connecticut teachers who were not currently working. The Department of Education will make that data available to the school districts so that they have a "bank of substitute teachers available to help."

"I'm doing everything I can to make sure that doesn't happen," Lamont said.









This article originally appeared on the Across Connecticut Patch
An open-access American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR) article investigating the differences in CT findings between coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pneumonia and influenza virus pneumonia found that most lesions from COVID-19 were located in the peripheral zone and close to the pleura, whereas influenza virus was more prone to show mucoid impaction and pleural effusion.

"However," lead author Liaoyi Lin of China's First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University cautioned, "differentiating between COVID-19 pneumonia and influenza virus pneumonia in clinical practice remains difficult."

A total of 97 patients (49 women, 48 men) were enrolled in this study. Of them, 52 patients (29 men, 23 women; age range, 21-73 years) had COVID-19 pneumonia; 45 patients (26 women, 19 men; age range, 15-76 years) had influenza virus pneumonia (28, influenza A; 17, influenza B). All patients had positive nucleic acid testing results for the respective viruses, as well as complete clinical data and CT images.

According to Lin and colleagues: "Between the group of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia and the group of patients with influenza virus pneumonia, the largest lesion close to the pleura (i.e., no pulmonary parenchyma between the lesion and the pleura), mucoid impaction, presence of pleural effusion, and axial distribution showed statistical difference (p < 0.05)."

Meanwhile, Lin et al. noted that the properties of the largest lesion, presence of ground-glass opacities, consolidation, mosaic attenuation, bronchial wall thickening, centrilobular nodules, interlobular septal thickening, crazy paving pattern, air bronchogram, unilateral or bilateral distribution, and longitudinal distribution did not show significant differences (p > 0.05).

Additionally, the authors observed no significant difference (p > 0.05) in CT score, length of the largest lesion, mean density, volume, or mass of the lesions between the two groups.

Because the CT manifestations of COVID-19 and influenza virus so often overlap, "even with the characteristics evaluated using AI software," Lin et al. wrote, "no significant differences were detected."

Thus, the authors of this AJR article concluded that the more important role of CT during the present pandemic is in finding lesions and evaluating the effects of treatment.
The Dutch government on Friday said it would file a suit against Russia at the European Court of Human Rights over the downing of Malaysia Airlines passenger flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine six years ago.

The Netherlands, home to roughly two-thirds of the 298 victims, holds Russia responsible for the crash on July 17, 2014. The Kremlin has consistently denied involvement in the matter.

"The submission is a new step in our efforts to establish truth, justice and accountability", Dutch Foreign minister Stef Blok said in a letter to parliament.

Blok said his government would give the court all its information on MH17, thereby supporting the individual applications already submitted by the victims' next of kin.

MH17 was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was shot down by a missile fired from territory held by pro-Moscow rebels during fighting in eastern Ukraine, killing everyone on board.

After years of collecting evidence, a Dutch-led international Joint Investigation team (JIT) last year said the missile launcher used to hit the jet came from a Russian army base just across the border.

The JIT subsequently issued arrest warrants for four suspects, who were put on trial in the Netherlands in absentia earlier this year.

The four suspects, three Russian men and one Ukrainian, are said to have arranged the missile system. They remain at large and are believed to be in Russia.

Despite the new court case, the Dutch government said it wanted to continue the talks with Russia on MH17 that it started together with Australia over a year ago.
A high school tutor who only stopped wetting the bed at 13 claimed he was still a virgin before he violated his underage victim.

Adam Schapendonk, 43, has been placed on the sex offender registry for life after being convicted of sexually abusing a 'vulnerable' child.

He became a high school tutor in Morwell in Victoria's East Gippsland region in 2006 after abandoning his dreams to become a full time teacher.

Adam Schapendonk, 43, (pictured) has been placed on the sex offender registry for life after being convicted of sexually abusing a 'vulnerable' child

That was where he met his then 13-year-old victim, before he began violating her late in 2018, reported the Herald Sun.

Meanwhile only years after starting his tutoring business he also launched an online vitamins company 'My Daily Vita' which was so successful he was able to buy a number of investment properties

The alarm was raised by the victim's father after he found lewd images of her. Police then found another 69 photos of the girl in Schapedonk's possession.

He was charged by police in 2019 but continued tutoring a number of local students despite his pending criminal proceedings.

One of his student's parents even provided a character reference for him in court as part of his defence.

Meanwhile only years after starting his tutoring business he also launched an online vitamins company which was so successful he was able to buy a number of investment properties.

Schapendonk became a high school tutor in Morwell in Victoria's East Gippsland region in 2006 after abandoning his dreams to become a full time teacher

The business no longer appears to be operating however product reviews from the past year have slammed the vitamin business as a 'scam' over claims shoppers never received their products.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to investigate the allegations.

Schapendonk will spend a maximum of three years in jail after pleading guilty to three counts of sexually penetrating child under 16 at the County Court on Wednesday.

In handing down the sentencing Judge Amanda Fox took into consideration his guilty plea and full admissions to police.

Schapedonk had told police he 'should have known better' and cooperated with proceedings as the charges progressed.

Schapendonk will spend a maximum of three years in jail after pleading guilty to three counts of sexually penetrating child under 16 at the County Court on Wednesday

Judge Fox told the court despite his plea his victim was 'vulnerable' as a child and the impact of his offending will have lasting consequences.

'Sexual offences occurring when the victim is a child and unwilling to make a statement can be difficult if not impossible to prosecute and prove,' Judge Fox said.

'Children are not mature enough to appreciate the consequences of their behaviour and decisions.'

Schapedonk will spend a maximum of three years in jail.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- GAC Mitsubishi Motors on July 8 celebrated the first spade cut for its new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturing base in Changsha, capital of Hunan province, according to Changan municipal government, which cited a local media report.

The first model jointly developed by GAC Group and Mitsubishi Motors is expected for mass production in 2021.

(Photo source: GAC Mitsubishi's WeChat account)

The development of the significant NEV model will be technically supported by two parent companies, and help the Chinese and Japanese automaker cement their cooperation.



(Qizhi EV, photo source: GAC Mitsubishi)

GAC Mitsubishi has three locally-produced fuel-burning models on sale-- the ASX, the Outlander and the Eclipse Cross, and one BEV model Qizhi EV, a badge-engineered model of GAC New Energy GE3. Due to the pressure led by China's dual credit policy, the joint venture may be obliged to deal with the transfer of NEV credits with its affiliated companies or spend a huge amount of money on purchasing positive credits from other firms if its existing positive NEV credits are insufficient to offset the negative credits incurred based on fuel consumption.

The yet-to-be-launched NEV model will carry many connectivity features, aiming to offer consumers all-new green travelling experience, according to general manager of GAC Mitsubishi.

As one of mainstay automakers for Changan's automotive industry, GAC Mitsubishi has built there a complete vehicle plant, an engine factory as well as a R&D hub.



(Photo source: GAC Mitsubishi's WeChat account)

While the project of NEV base kicked off, the building of the R&D hub was formally completed at the same time. Reportedly, the R&D center is set to start operation next year. It will focus on the R&D of refreshed models and the technology innovation, and is ambitious to help the joint venture improve the local R&D ability in design, testing, validation and NEV areas.
U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory Invests in NREL Solar Cell Project

July 10, 2020

NREL researchers have pioneered a method of lower-cost manufacturing for extremely efficient III-V solar cells, such as the flexible gallium arsenide solar cell shown here, that have been too expensive to use anywhere but in space applications. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL



The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory will invest in a technique developed at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to bring spacefaring solar technology down to Earth.

Known as III-V solar cellsso named because of where the materials fall on the periodic tablethe technology is extremely efficient but too expensive for terrestrial use. Instead, they are commonly used to power satellites in Earths orbit and many of NASAs missions to Mars and other planets. Researchers at NREL, however, have spent the past several years working on a way to make the cells cheaper to manufacture.

The method pioneered at NREL relies on what is called dynamic hydride vapor phase epitaxy, or D-HVPE. The process involves depositing chemical vapors onto a substrate. The earlier version of HVPE used a single chamber where a chemical was deposited, the substrate removed, the chemical swapped out for the next, and the substrate returned to the deposition chamber.

D-HVPE uses a multi-chamber reactor, significantly speeding up the process.

The investment here is specifically to make a pilot-production reactor, said Aaron Ptak, a senior scientist in the National Center for Photovoltaics at NREL. This will enable us to prove that the D-HVPE technology can be scaled to meet the needs of Department of Defense customers.

Until now, the Department of Energys Solar Energy Technologies Office and the Advanced Research Projects AgencyEnergy have funded NRELs work on D-HVPE.

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) serves as the primary scientific research and development center for the United States Air Force. AFRL last year announced the creation of the Space Solar Power Incremental Demonstrations and Research project, which intends to capture solar energy using highly efficient solar cells and transmit the collected energy to Earth.

Using a laboratory-scale reactor, NREL researchers can make a III-V solar cell that measures 2 inches in diameter. The production-scale reactor will allow the manufacture of industry-standard cells 6 inches in diameter. The larger reactor is expected to be installed at NREL in July 2021.

Kyma Technologies, based in Raleigh, North Carolina, will work with NREL researchers to help design the reactor for the D-HVPE system. The company possesses an expertise in HVPE equipment. Ceres Technologies, of Saugerties, New York, will manufacture the reactor for NREL. The two companies have previously partnered on other projects.

Bringing Kyma in gives us some extra HVPE knowledge thats really useful here, Ptak said. It was kind of natural to deal with Kyma because they understood the HVPE process and they already had an existing relationship with Ceres to help build semiconductor equipment to the specs that are required for industry and now for national labs.

Learn more about solar energy research at NREL and our partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense.
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Gold prices rose slightly on Friday and were on track to post their fifth straight weekly gain as the coronavirus continues to spread. Spot gold edged up 0.2 percent to $1,806.57 per ounce, while U.S. gold futures were up half a percent at $1,812.45. The United States again saw its sixth daily record for coronavirus cases in 10 days, with the surge driven largely by states in the South and the West that were among the first to ease restrictions established during the virus's initial wave in the spring. At least six states set single-day case records on Thursday. Some states are rolling back their reopenings, while others are ordering people arriving from hotspots to quarantine. Greek authorities said they are ready to re-impose public and travel restrictions next week. Italy has banned entry to people coming from 13 countries. Brazil and South Africa are also reporting rising virus cases. Record spikes of infections in Hong Kong and Tokyo fueled fears of a second wave hitting Asia. Hong Kong is closing its schools again due to a spike in locally transmitted coronavirus cases. Australia said it would halve the number of citizens who can return home at any one time to relieve pressure on its quarantine system. 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.
People working remotely could be given the chance to relocate to Barbados under new proposals being considered by the Caribbean island.

Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley is looking at plans to introduce a '12-month Barbados welcome stamp' that would allow visitors the option to work remotely from the Caribbean island for a year at a time.

The scheme is being considered because short-term travel has become more difficult due to testing restrictions.

Barbados, picture above (file photo), sees 40 percent of its GDP come from tourism, and is eager to see tourists return to the island. Flights to the island will restart on July 12, with British Airways offering the first direct flights to the country from the UK on July 18

With airlines grounded and cruise ships docked, British holidaymakers' favourite Caribbean island tourism industry ground to a halt because of the global pandemic.

Tourism makes up around 40 per cent of the country's gross domestic product, while around 30 per cent of its workforce is employed by the industry.

While the impact of the virus itself has been limited on the island, the lack of international travel has severely dented Barbados' economy.

The country hopes that by offering people the chance to come to the island for longer periods of time, it can attract visitors again and revive its industry.

Ms Mottley said: 'You don't need to work in Europe, or the US or Latin America if you can come here and work for a couple of months at a time; go back and come back.'

People could 'come and work from here overseas, digitally, so that persons don't need to remain in the countries in which they are,' she said.

Barbados' Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, pictured above during the UN Climate Action Summit in 2019, is looking to encourage people back to Barbados by offering a '12-month Barbados welcome stamp' that would allow people to 'work from home' on the island

Currently, British passport holders don't need a visa to visit Barbados but are granted a period of time to stay.

Barbados plans to officially reopen its borders to international travel on July 12, with Canada being the first country to be able to travel to the Caribbean island.

The island nation is included on the British government's list of travel destinations exempt from UK quarantine for those arriving from the country. It is also not on the Foreign Office's list warning against all but essential travel overseas.

British Airways will offer direct flights once-a-week to the country on July 18, with Virgin Atlantic set to offer direct flights from Heathrow on August 18 - also initially once a week.

However, current guidance states people travelling to the country must have had a PCR anitgen Covid-19 test within 72 hours prior to leaving, and will be required to present a certificate that confirms they are coronavirus negative.

They must also submit a form 24 hours before travelling.

Barbados is on the list of the UK's air bridge countries - 59 nations that people entering the UK from are not required to quarantine. However, to enter Barbados, holidaymakers are required to have taken a Covid-19 test 72 hours before travelling

Anyone who hasn't taken a test will be tested upon arrival to the country and placed in isolation if necessary.

Barbados has largely been able to keep Covid-19 from spreading on the island, with 98 confirmed cases and seven deaths relating to the disease, placing it among the 40 least affected countries in the world.

The island has reopened hotels, restaurants, bars and shops, and lifted its remaining curfew restrictions on July 1.

It is not yet known when the measures could be introduced or what the costs might be.
Computer science professor to head NSF-funded open science grid expansion across Great Plains

Friday, July 10, 2020

Daniel Andresen, professor of computer science at Kansas State University. | Download this photo.





MANHATTAN  Daniel Andresen, director of the Institute for Computational Research in Engineering and Science and computer science professor in the Carl R. Ice College of Engineering at Kansas State University, has been awarded more than $350,000 from the National Science Foundation to lead a project in support of computational and data-intensive research across the region.

The three-year effort, "The Great Plains Augmented Regional Gateway to the Open Science Grid," is sponsored by the NSF's Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure and will create a regional, distributed Open Science Grid Gateway led by the Great Plains Network. Collaborators includePratul Agarwal, Oklahoma State University;Timothy Middelkoop, University of Missouri, Columbia;Stephen Wheat, Oral Roberts University; and Ryan Johnson, University of South Dakota.



The proposal is designed to accelerate the adoption and experience of advanced high-throughput computing and data resources by developing a model for enhanced distributed computational systems.



"This project will multiply the number of open science grid sites in the Great Plains Network region by a factor of eight, adding at least 2,048 cores dedicated to open science grid use and providing potential access to more than 42,000 additional existing cores at participating institutions," Andresen said.



Adding these core sites at university research centers across the Great Plains is designed to accomplish the following key objectives: improve campus awareness and adoption of advanced, high throughput computer-oriented operations for STEM research and education activities; increase the number and capabilities of campus research computing and data professionals; and enable deployment and operation of research and education cyberinfrastructure to make science more efficient, trusted and reproducible.



"This funded work will help drive K-State's research and education goals forward by deepening ties with more than a dozen regional institutions," Andresen said, "in turn adding to our ability to support research and education on a regional scale and extend the K-State family to include hundreds of students and faculty."



The Great Plains Network connects universities and state networks throughout the Midwest and Great Plains. The network has 22 full members, including K-State, the University of Kansas and Wichita State University, as well as affiliate members from across the region.






After the successful outcome of the July 6 meeting between National Security Adviser and Special Representative for boundary talks, Ajit Doval, and his counterpart and Chinese foreign minister, Wang Yi, there has been a palpable lowering of tensions between the Indian and Chinese armies along the 3,488 km Line of Actual Control (LAC). The aggressive Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) has thinned its presence at Finger Four in Pangong Tso, has withdrawn from forward positions to base camps in the Galwan sector, and is on the way back to its April positions in the Gogra and Hot Springs area. Disengagement has begun with de-escalation to follow in next three weeks  three divisions (30,000 troops) each of the Indian and Chinese armies are still facing each other from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh.

There is a certain amount of satisfaction among national security planners that the Indian military stood up to PLA, but the massive bilateral erosion of trust after the June 15 flare-up has convinced the Narendra Modi government that Beijing will be back on LAC, perhaps at Depsang Plains in Ladakh, next summer. For a country which believes that it is a global superpower, 2017 Doklam and 2020 Galwan are mere tactical mistakes in power projection and ambition.

That Prime Minister (PM) Modi will think a hundred times before he does a Wuhan or Chennai connect again with paramount leader Xi Jinping is akin to a traffic ticket for the Middle Kingdom. For a rampaging China, it is only the big picture that matters.

The Chinese expansionist posture in Ladakh is intertwined with the countrys plans in the South China Sea  something that is evident by looking at the world map. Beijing wants the Shyok river alignment to be the border with India in Ladakh so that the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is further away from the Indian military positions, and also to ensure it gets a better all-weather route linking the Tibet Highway in Aksai Chin to the Karakoram highway south of the Khunjerab pass.

With Pakistan now reduced to a client State of China, it is through the port of Balochistan that the PLA Navy will dominate the oil trade in the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea. The Chinese base in Djibouti and Beijings huge influence on Africas eastern seaboard will allow it to dominate the sea route from Suez Canal. The strategic location of both the Gwadar and Djibouti bases makes this amply evident to any military planner.

The Chinese militarys ambition in the South China Sea is not only limited to dominating more than half of world trade passing through the Malacca, Lombard and Sunda Straits, but to also capture Taiwan as part of One China Policy to, then, break out from its backyard and contest the dominance of the Pacific Ocean with the United States (US) Japan and Australia. The military key to this posture is the presence of ballistic missile firing Chinese nuclear submarines at Yulin Naval Base at Hainan Islands, just north of Vietnam.

As a military plan, all this looked good and achievable, till such time India, under PM Modi, called the Ladakh bluff and the mighty US Navy simultaneously pincered Beijing by challenging the PLA Navy in the South China Sea. Currently, supercarriers USS Ronald Reagan and USS Nimitz are not only orchestrating a full spectrum war game in the South China Sea but also daring Beijings mouthpieces who threaten to use DF-21 D and DF-26 ship killer nuclear missiles on carriers. The US task forces now dominate all the exit routes from the East and South China sea in Miyako, Bashi Channel and Luzon Strait through which the global internet cables pass undersea.

Asean countries are also unhappy with China, and Japan is finally standing up to Beijing in the Senkaku Island dispute. Australia and Canada have called out China, and Europe has finally woken up to the reality of a Communist State. If one were to look at the big picture, then the global pushback against China was inspired by the Galwan fightback and followed by US President Donald Trump translating Americas often stated but never implemented Asian Pivot objectives on the sea. The plight of the Buddhist people of Tibet and Muslim Uighurs in Xinjiang under the traditionally xenophobic Han Chinese is back on the global agenda, and suddenly things dont look so good for the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party.

Rather than distracting countries from the global fight against the marauding coronavirus, which originated from Wuhan, by indulging in a war dance in Ladakh and the South China Sea, China should be at the forefront of the battle against the pandemic. It needs to de-escalate from both the areas and not wait for another opportunistic strike when the world is focused on US Presidential elections in November 2020 as it did against India in 1962 taking advantage of Cuban Missile Crisis.

Taking a leaf out of past paramount rulers, China needs to settle the borders on basis of the 2005 agreement on the Political Parameters and Guiding Principles of the India-China Boundary Question. President Xi surely understands the popularity of Modi, whom much of India followed faithfully through the painful demonetisation and total lockdown. But the global bully that China has become, it understands only the language of power, and the economic, military might and technological superiority of the US. Had the India-US nuclear deal been nixed by opponents in India, the 2005 border agreement would have never come through. Beijing will not forget 2020, the year of the metal rat in the Chinese calendar, in a hurry. The world, particularly India and the happy tiny kingdom of Bhutan, will hear the echoes of this in the future.

shishir.gupta@hindustantimes.com

The views expressed are personal

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The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has raised concerns about the Electoral Commissions move to register Senior High School (SHS) students in schools without registration centre.

Deputy General Secretary of the party, Peter Boamah Otokunor says these newly created centres have not been gazetted to allow for their use in the ongoing voter registration exercise.

It is bizarre to have an Electoral Commission that is even scattered in thought and planning. No political party has a list of schools that is going to be used for the exercise. As you are already aware, some of the schools are registration centres and the exercise is going on there. Now they are adding all other secondary schools that are not polling stations. The law states clearly, that the electoral commission has the power to create polling stations but when they have done so, they must go through the process of gazetting and publishing them to political parties, 21 days before the time, he said.

The EC has served notice that it will from Friday, July 10, 2020, deploy registration officials to various Senior High Schools across the country to capture eligible voters onto the new electoral roll and also issue them their ID cards.

This was after the decision was communicated to political parties during an emergency Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting on Thursday, July 9, 2020.

But in an interview with Eyewitness News , Mr. Boamah Otokunor says that the plan is illegal.

So this exercise they are going to have is not only illegal, it is unacceptable and unethical especially considering the fact they EC waits to do all they want to do and call political parties to inform them a day before the exercise. Now we have the EC, unethically and unacceptably do their thing and say they are going to do registration all secondary schools be it as illegal as it is. This is most unacceptable, bizarre and must be resisted by all well-meaning Ghanian, he added.

The development comes after some members of the public raised concerns about the exclusion of SHS students from the ongoing voter registration exercise.

It had been argued that with most of the students camped in their various schools and a rule for all students to remain within the school premises and no visitor entertained, eligible students may be disenfranchised. EC to go ahead

An official statement by the electoral management body issued on Thursday, July 9, 2020, indicated that the two-exercise which ends on Saturday, July 11, 2020, is scheduled to be rolled out in senior high schools without registration centres.

The Electoral Commission wishes to inform the general public that, it will embark on a two-day registration exercise for all eligible Senior High School students across the country. This registration will take place in all Senior High Schools that do not have polling stations (registration centres) within the schools, the EC said.

Additionally, all students who are 18 years and above and are eligible for the card have been asked to present their National Identification Card (Ghana Card) or Ghana Passport for the registration process.

Those without any of these two requirements are being advised to make use of the guarantor system.

There had been earlier suggestions that the EC should set up stations in the various schools to register students but that action was not taken immediately.

The EC, however, says additional days will be announced when it becomes necessary to ensure that all eligible applicants are registered.

There is also an assurance from the Commission that all COVID-19 safety protocols will be observed to safeguard both students and registration officials.

 citinewsroom
UP: 17-year-old dies after alleged thrashing by police for violating corona curfew; constable suspended

Top seer Mahant Narendra Giri found dead at Muth; UP CM, state BJP chief to pay homage in Prayagraj today

On camera: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's scuffle with UP Police on Lakhimpur Kheri's border emerges

Woman raped by madrasa teacher in UP, forced to undergo abortion

Vikas Dubey killed: Convoy vehicle overturned due to heavy rains

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, July 10: The vehicle part of the convoy escorting UP gangster, Vikas Dubey overturned owing to heavy rain.

Vikas Dubey killed in an encounter while being taken to Kanpur from Madhya Pradesh | Oneindia News

Dubey was shot dead in an encounter early this morning near Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh, when he was trying to flee. Two personnel of the UP STF were also injured in the incident.

STF officials said that there was an encounter as Dubey tried to flee when the vehicle overturned.

Vikas Dubey, man behind killing of 8 cops shot dead in encounter

The encounter took place at the Sachendi border in Kanpur. Dubey had tried to flee when he was being brought back to Kanpur.

It may be recalled that three of his accomplices were also shot dead, while trying to escape.

e handed him over to their Uttar Pradesh counterparts in the evening, a senior official said.

A police team from Uttar Pradesh came to Ujjain to take Dubey into their custody, the official said.

How the encounter that killed Vikas Dubey took place

"He was handed over to the UP police, who took him to their state by road," the official said.

Dubey was arrested outside the Mahakal temple in Ujjain on Thursday morning after a six-day manhunt following the Kanpur ambush in which eight policemen were gunned down.
California rolled out its vision for high-speed trains between San Jose and San Francisco on Thursday, plotting a 30-or-so-minute ride on what would be one of the busiest stretches of the states proposed 520-mile rail system  even as the project is mired in financial uncertainty.

The California High Speed Rail Authority is calling for 220-mph trains from the Central Valley to merge onto the Caltrain commuter line for a 49-mile jaunt up the Peninsula. Stops would be made at San Joses Diridon Station, Millbraes transit hub and the Caltrain depot in San Francisco. The San Francisco stop would eventually move to Transbay transit center.

Service between the Bay Areas largest cities, scheduled to begin in 2031, is expected to take less than 45 minutes, including the stop in Millbrae near San Francisco International Airport. The ticket price is yet to be determined.

The details are part of an environmental review for the Bay Area segment of the ambitious Los Angeles-to-San Francisco project. The $80 billion electric rail system is being built to better connect California and help reduce mounting gridlock, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. While the rail authority so far has identified only enough money to construct the line through the Central Valley, at a cost of about $20 billion, its moving ahead with planning the rest of the venture.

The funding picture always evolves, said Boris Lipkin, a regional director for the rail authority, in an interview. Were taking the steps and doing what we need to do to bring high-speed rail to Northern California.

Public comment on the environmental impact report for the Bay Area segment is being taken through Aug. 24, and rail officials intend to finalize a plan next year. The rail authority has scheduled three open houses to discuss the segment over the next two months.

Paul Kuroda / Special to The Chronicle

Beyond laying out service details, the new document identifies a range of impacts the line could have on the area. Figuring out how to run high-speed trains on the densely populated Peninsula was challenging, and rail officials ultimately decided to share existing tracks with Caltrain that roughly parallel Highway 101.

Still, as many as 62 homes and 202 businesses may have to be displaced to upgrade the tracks and build new infrastructure, according to the report. Most of the properties subject to acquisition are in San Jose, San Mateo and Belmont. The Brisbane Fire Station, Millbrae Station Historic Depot and San Joses Templo La Hermosa church are among them, the report says.

Once the rail service is up and running, residents of the area also can expect to hear the rumble of more trains and the wail of more horns, the report says.

The prospect has long worried many on the Peninsula. Some communities, such as Atherton, which is part of a lawsuit challenging how the rail authority is spending its money, remain firmly in opposition.

I think the impacts of high-speed rail will be a disaster, said Atherton Mayor Rick DeGolia, who supports Caltrain but doesnt want to see new trains crossing roads and holding up traffic. This just creates a train superhighway that divides the community.

In anticipation of the project, Caltrain has already started electrifying its tracks to shift from diesel to electric service. The agencys trains are expected to match the 110-mph speeds the high-speed trains would travel while on the Peninsula.

The two systems will run in close coordination, rail officials say. Faster trains, for example, would be directed to use stretches of track in the rail corridor designed for passing. One of two alternative proposals laid out in the new report calls for several miles of additional passing space. That option, though, would come with greater expense and the greatest displacement of homes and businesses.

The high-speed trains initially will run twice an hour during peak times, and eventually four times an hour, rail officials say. Because there would be just one stop between San Jose and San Francisco, its expected to be at least 15 minutes faster than Caltrains Baby Bullet service on the segment. Rail officials estimate the high-speed train will cost slightly more than Caltrain, which currently charges $10.50 to ride between the two cities, or $9.95 with a Clipper transit card.

Tam Duong Jr./The Chronicle

Service on the segment is scheduled to begin two years after the Bakersfield-to-Merced line, which is expected to start in 2029. The Peninsula stretch would kick off in tandem with the Merced-to-San Jose line, meaning riders would be able to travel from San Francisco to Bakersfield.

The segment south of Bakersfield, to Los Angeles, is scheduled to begin operation in 2033. Trains, at that point, would be able to make the entire journey between Los Angeles and San Francisco, which is scheduled to take two hours and 40 minutes.

The rail line is ultimately planned to continue to San Diego and Sacramento.

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.

High-speed rail has long been a dream of many in California. The project got going in earnest in 2008, when voters approved a bond committing $9 billion to the effort. State and federal funds have since padded the enterprise.

While construction began in 2015 in several Central Valley counties, and continues today, many have raised doubts about the projects viability. Repeated cost overruns and delays, on top of recent difficulties getting state and federal dollars, have dogged the effort.

The Trump administration canceled a nearly $1 billion federal grant last year, saying the state hadnt made adequate progress. And this year, the coronavirus pandemic dealt a financial blow to Californias cap-and-trade program  an arrangement in which businesses pay to pollute and the money is channeled to climate-friendly projects like the train.

Republican lawmakers, meanwhile, are joined by some Democrats and others in calling for the project to be scrapped. Theyd prefer the money be spent elsewhere.

They dont have the money, said Quentin Kopp, a retired state senator from San Francisco and former chairman of the High-Speed Rail Authority board who is now a critic. It is a hoax. It is not real.

Proponents of the project say while the cost may be high, the state would face an even pricier proposition of building 4,200 miles of highway lanes and 91 airport gates to equal the traffic relief that high-speed rail would provide.

They also say the zero-emission trains would amount to big cuts in greenhouse gases in the transportation sector, the equivalent of 1.9 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, about what would result from having 400,000 fewer cars on the road.

I applaud the California High Speed Rail Authority for reaching this important milestone, San Francisco Mayor London Breed said in a statement. The release of the draft environmental document for the San Francisco to San Jose project section takes us one step closer to bringing high-speed rail to San Francisco.

Kurtis Alexander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kurtisalexander
Job Title: First Officer  Airbus

A330-800 Neo

Organisation: Uganda

Airlines

Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda

About US:

Uganda Airlines is

the flag carrier of Uganda. The company is a revival of the older Uganda

Airlines which operated from 1977 until 2001. It began flying in August 2019.

Job Summary: The First Officer (Co-Pilot) works hand in

hand with the Line Captain to ensure the safety, security, and proper conduct

of flights. He/she deputizes the Captain.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:



During

flight shall be aware of the Pilot in Commands intentions and monitor the

conduct of the flight at all times.



When not

flying, the Co-pilot shall immediately advise the Pilot in Command of any

deviation from the normal flight operating profile.



Shall be

directly responsible to the Pilot in Command and do whatever duties are

assigned to him by the Pilot in Command.



Shall be

responsible as part of the flying team to ensure that the flight is conducted

efficiently and safely.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:



The

applicant for the Uganda Airlines First Officer  Airbus A330-800 Neo job must

hold a valid Commercial Pilot License with multiple engine ratings.



At least

2500 hours total inclusive of 1500 on Jet.



Medical

Class 1.



No

Accident or Incident record. No criminal record.



English

language proficiency level 4 minimum.



Individual

assessment for satisfactory ability will be carried out as part of the

interview process.



Airbus

experience of 500 hours, last flight within the last 12 months are an added

advantage.



Willingness

to relocate and be based in Uganda.

Competencies



Judgment

and decision-making skills.



Customer-focused

and hospitable.



Cool,

pleasant and approachable personality.



Well-groomed.

How to Apply:

All candidates

should send their application letters, complete with Curriculum Vitae giving

two (2) referees, and copies of academic and professional certificates with one

passport size photograph (one full size photograph for Cabin Crew applicants) should

be submitted online, Click

Here or by post quoting the Job Reference number accordingly.

Applications should

be addressed to:

The Manager Human

Resources.

Uganda National

Airlines Company Ltd.

P.O. Box 431,

Entebbe, Uganda.

Only successful

applicants will be contacted.

Deadline: 10th July 2020

For more of the

latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or

find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline
By Ayya Lmahamad

Some 1,440 citizens were fined during July 9 across the country for violating the strict quarantine regime, the main traffic police department under the Ministry of Interior reported on July 10.

All 1,440 were fined according to Article 211.1 of the Code of Administrative Offences. Of them 1,287 were drivers who failed to follow the quarantine regime requirements and 151 were citizens not using facial masks in the public transport. Two citizens were subjected to administrative liability.

In the meantime, 595 cars, which had sought to leave these territories were stopped, and returned back during the reporting period.

Earlier, it was reported that 28,621 citizens were fined in the period of June 21 and July 8 for violating the quarantine regime, 635 drivers were fined during June 14-16 lockdown, while 2,524 drivers were fined during June 6-7 lockdown.

Azerbaijan first introduced quarantine regime on March 24, and on June 18 decision was taken to extend special quarantine regime until August 1.

On July 2, Cabinet of Ministers announced decision to prolong a strict quarantine regime till July 20.

The new lockdown imposed on July 5-20 in capital Baku, as well as in Jalilabad, Ganja, Lankaran, Masalli, Sumgayit, Yevlakh cities and Absheron district, and Goranboy, Goygol, Mingachevir, Barda, Khachmaz, Samukh, Siyazan and Sheki regions.

Under the lockdown rule, citizens are allowed to leave their place of residence only after obtaining SMS permissions.

Baku metro will be suspended from July 4 midnight till July 20, and the entire public transport will not operate on weekends in cities and districts in which the special quarantine regime has been toughened

Moreover, operation of shopping centers, restaurants, cafes, beauty salons, as well as museums, exhibition halls, sport and beaches was also suspended until July 20. Azerbaijan mandated wearing face masks on May 31.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Britain is now reporting around 1,000 new cases of coronavirus a day, but the vast majority are in England. On June 29, Scotland accounted for only five out of 815 new cases across the whole of the U.K. Now, Scotland may be only weeks away from having no new cases. But something stands in its way, or so Scottish nationalists claim: the plague-ridden English!

Scotlands first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, a staunch pro-independence campaigner, said that while she had no plans to quarantine visitors from England, she couldnt rule it out. Prime Minister Boris Johnson then accused her government of astonishing and shameful, disappointing and divisive rhetoric, making the bizarre statement that there is no such thing as a border between England and Scotland. Sturgeon responded in kind, calling out his frankly disgraceful politicization of the pandemic.

Though health policy is a devolved power and Scotland has, by and large, made its own decisions on how to tackle the coronavirus, in truth, the two countries approaches have been more similar than not. Take the mistakes made, for instance. The calamitous handling of care homes was an error made both north and south of the border. During its worst weeks, Britain saw a 300 percent increase in care-home deaths in England, while Scotland saw a comparatively lower 200 percent increase, though its worth mentioning, as writer Alex Massie has noted, that if the overall Scottish casualty rate remains lower that likely only reflects the fact that Scotland had fewer cases, proportionately, when lockdown was introduced.

It is true that Scotland has had a stricter version of lockdown (and a slower easing out of it). Nevertheless, the guiding principles have been more or less the same. The most noteworthy policy disparity has been their initial plans for reopening education. Johnson wanted to bring schools back in June but was met with a fury of resistance that this was too soon. (His latest approach is for every child to go back by September, helped by a 1 billion catch up plan.)

Story continues

Sturgeon took the opposite approach, but it was similarly unpopular. She initially suggested a type of blended education, in which children come into school one and a half days a week and spend the rest of the time doing remote learning. Parents, teachers unions, Conservative, Labour, and even fellow Scottish National Party members denounced this proposal, which the former SNP health secretary, Alex Neil, called absolutely unacceptable. We are looking at the moment as if Scotland is potentially going to be the only one of the four nations in the UK not planning for or at least trying to get a full time return to school in August, Neil said. Not so much better than England, after all?

Nevertheless, despite their fair share of mistakes and controversies, the polls show that the Scottish government (unlike Westminster) still maintains a healthy majority of public trust and support. A poll by Ipsos Mori on behalf of BBC Scotland showed that most Scots still believe that the first minister has handled the coronavirus crisis better than Boris Johnson. Similarly, a YouGov poll taken in late May shows that 74 percent of Scottish people approve of the Scottish governments response to the pandemic (and 71 percent support the first minister).

Of course, none of this really has that much to do with coronavirus. Rather, it is a symptom of the increasing hold of Euro-socialist nationalism thats been bubbling in Scotland since the Brexit referendum and that was heightened by the Tory landslide last December. One expression of this hatred of the English was symbolically demonstrated by a group of Scottish nationalists last week when they drove to the border, dressed in hazmat suits and masks and shouting at passing cars (according to eye-witnesses), plague carrier and stay the fu** out. Another expression of the same sentiment is the cultish worship of a political leader, such as the upcoming Scotland-wide clap for Nicola Sturgeon, organized to coincide with the first ministers 50th birthday next week. Boris Johnson may be deeply flawed as a leader, but at least the English seem to realize it.

More from National Review
Health officials in France have warned that coronavirus is gaining ground as the country's R number edges above 1.

Keeping the rate below 1 is considered key to easing lockdown because it means the outbreak is shrinking as not everyone who catches it passes it on.

If the figure rises higher, it means people infected with the virus are spreading it to others at a rate faster than one-to-one, which could see the disease spiral out of control once again.

Officials from Public Health France warned that the rate was now 1.05 and indicates a transmission that is allowing the virus 'to be maintained or even to progress', as cases continue to rise.

They called for the 'greatest vigilance' and a continuation of 'recommended prevention measures' as the summer holidays approach.

The health officials said that the extended summer break is 'likely to encourage risky behaviour', particularly at gatherings with family and friends.

Authorities said they are currently investigating 71 clusters, defined as 'the occurrence of at least three confirmed or probable cases, in a period of seven days, and which belong to the same community or have participated in the same gathering of people, whether they know each other or not.'

France recorded its first three cases of coronavirus on January 25 and its first death less than a month later, on February 15.

Since then, the country has seen a total of 170,094 confirmed cases of the killer bug, and 29,979 deaths.

French health officials warned that the extended summer break is 'likely to encourage risky behaviour', particularly at gatherings with family and friends that could cause a spread of coronavirus and surge in cases

Hospital workers take to the streets of Paris to protest and express their anger against a lack of government support during the Covid-19 pandemic, on June 30

France hit its peak of new daily coronavirus cases on April 1, when there were 7,578 new diagnoses.

Since then cases trended downwards, but the latest data suggests that cases are beginning to climb again.

On July 7 there were 1,375 new cases of coronavirus confirmed, the highest figure since June 27.

In the 24 hours to July 10 health officials recorded an additional 621 new diagnoses.

An aerial view shows the deserted Eiffel tower in Paris during a lockdown imposed to slow the spread of the coronavirus disease on April 1

The number of Covid-19 deaths across France continues to rise.

The country recorded its highest single daily number of fatalities on April 4, when the figure stood at 2,004.

Again, the number trended downwards since then as France appeared to be tackling the spread of the virus through a series of stringent lockdown measures.

As of July 10, an additional 14 deaths were recorded over the past 24 hours.

France currently has the world's sixth-highest death toll, with the US in first place followed by Brazil, the UK, Italy and Mexico.

On Wednesday this week the French government revealed it was preparing for a possible surge in coronavirus cases in coming months but ruled out another nationwide lockdown.

'My aim is to prepare France for a possible second wave while preserving our daily life, our economic and social life,' new Prime Minister Jean Castex said in an interview on RTL television.

'But we're not going to impose a lockdown like the one we did last March, because we've learned... that the economic and human consequences from a total lockdown are disastrous,' he said.

Instead business closures or stay-at-home orders would be 'targeted' to specific areas, Castex added.

'The coronavirus is still here,' he warned, adding that he would travel Sunday to France's South American territory of French Guiana, which is reeling from a surge in COVID-19 cases.

The head of France's national health agency, Jerome Salomon, said authorities anticipated a second wave of cases 'this autumn or this winter,' depending on a seasonal impact that remains uncertain.

'What we have to understand is that the epidemic's resurgence will basically depend on our behaviour,' he said in an interview with the Figaro newspaper.

Even as millions of people prepare to relax over the summer, Salomon urged continued social distancing and the use of face masks, 'especially in crowded places and indoors.'

Paris authorities said the capital would stage its traditional fireworks show from the Eiffel Tower on July 14, the national holiday, but that the event would be closed to the public.

Castex was named by President Emmanuel Macron last week to lead a new government tasked with orchestrating the country's recovery from its worst health and economic crisis since World War II.

Billions of euros have been promised for investments as well as measures to limit job losses in an economy expected to shrink by around 10 percent this year.

'We are going to protect people, but above all we are going to invest in the ecological transformation, in our country's recovery,' Castex said.

He confirmed he had increased a proposed wage hike and budget boosts for hospital staff by around one billion euros in talks with unions this week, bringing the total envelope to 7.5 billion euros ($8.5 billion).

But union leaders say that would lift monthly pay for nurses, technicians and others on the frontlines of the coronavirus fight by only 180 euros a month, far short of their demands for a 300-euro raise.

People enjoy a sunny afternoon at the beach of the Croisette in Cannes on July 8, where there are concerns over the arrival of British tourists

Polling company YouGov questioned 1,000 people across popular EU holiday destinations, many of whom expressed disquiet about a large number of Britons arriving in their country

Last week the UK government announced its long-awaited list of countries included in travel corridor agreements, which came into effect today.

It means quarantine-free travel is now possible with more than 70 countries and British overseas territories, including France.

The news comes as holidaymakers will be told today by a coalition of the world's biggest travel companies that they should wear masks while travelling, in hotels and even on beaches.

As part of a 'new normal' for holidays, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) is urging tourists to wear masks at virtually all times, wherever they are, to prevent a second wave of coronavirus.

Tourists should even have face coverings on by the pool and on beaches where they cannot keep a two-metre gap between their fellow sunbathers, the council says.

But a recent YouGov poll revealed that more than half of French people (55 per cent) said they opposed visitors specifically from Britain, compered with between 32 and 46 per cent toward other tourists.
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Linkedin Daphne Psaledakis, Alexandra Alper and Matt Spetalnick (Reuters) Washington, United States  Fri, July 10, 2020 07:00 557 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406653beef 2 World US-China,US-China-Hong-Kong-tension,US-China-tension,US-China-tension-COVID-19,US-China-trade-war,Xinjiang,Uighur Free

The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on Chinese officials, including a member of the country's powerful Politburo, accusing them of serious human rights abuses against the Uighur Muslim minority, a move likely to further ratchet up tensions between Washington and Beijing.

The Trump administration targeted Xinjiang region's Communist Party Secretary Chen Quanguo, who becomes the highest-ranking Chinese official to be hit with US sanctions, and the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau. The highly anticipated action follows months of open hostility toward Beijing in Washington over China's handling of the novel coronavirus outbreak and its tightened grip on Hong Kong.

"The United States calls upon the world to stand against the CCP's acts against its own minority communities in Xinjiang, including mass arbitrary detention, forced labor, religious persecution, and forced birth control and sterilization," a White House official said.

The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

However, China denies mistreatment of the minority group and says the camps provide vocational training and are needed to fight extremism.

The sanctions were imposed under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, a federal law that allows the US government to target human rights violators around the world with freezes on any US assets, US travel bans and prohibitions on Americans doing business with them.

A senior administration official who briefed reporters after the announcements described Chen as the highest ranking Chinese official ever sanctioned by the United States, adding that the sanction is "no joke. Not only in terms of symbolic and reputational affect, but it does have real meaning on a persons ability to move around the world and conduct business."

The sanctions were also imposed on Zhu Hailun, a former deputy party secretary of the region and current deputy secretary of regional legislative body the Xinjiang's People's Congress, Wang Mingshan, the director and Communist Party secretary of the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau and former party secretary of the bureau Huo Liujun.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington was also imposing further visa restrictions on Chen, Zhu, and Wang, as well as on other unnamed Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials, barring them and their immediate family from the United States.

The US Treasury Department said that Chen implemented "a comprehensive surveillance, detention, and indoctrination program in Xinjiang, targeting Uighurs and other ethnic minorities" through the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau.

Chen made his mark swiftly after taking the top post in Xinjiang in 2016, with mass "anti-terror" rallies conducted in the region's largest cities involving tens of thousands of paramilitary troops and police. He is widely considered the senior official responsible for the security crackdown in Xinjiang.

The United Nations estimates that more than a million Muslims have been detained in camps in the Xinjiang region.

Pompeo earlier on Thursday called China's crackdown in Xinjiang "the stain of the century ... that rivals anything we've seen across the globe."

Former detainees of the detention camps report that fellow detainees died after torture and abuse by officials, the Treasury said.

In a recent book about his time in the Trump administration, former national security adviser John Bolton said that US President Donald Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping should go ahead with building detention camps in Xinjiang.

US Republican Senator Marco Rubio told Reuters the sanctions were "long overdue" and cautioned that steps needed to continue to be taken.

"For far too long, Chinese officials have not been held accountable for committing atrocities that likely constitute crimes against humanity," Rubio said.

China threatened retaliation after Trump signed legislation in June with little fanfare, calling for sanctions over the repression of China's Uighurs.

"The United States is committed to using the full breadth of its financial powers to hold human rights abusers accountable in Xinjiang and across the world," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.
If a ban on political ads were to happen, it would be a reversal for Facebook and its chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg. The social network has long allowed politicians and political parties to run ads across its network virtually unchecked, even if those ads contained falsehoods or other misinformation.

Mr. Zuckerberg has repeatedly said he would not police politicians ads and stated that the company was not an arbiter of truth because he believes in free speech. He has also said that removing political ads from the network could harm smaller, down-ballot candidates who are less well-funded than nationally prominent politicians. Political advertising makes up a negligible amount of Facebooks revenue, he has said, so any decision would not be based on financial considerations.

But that hands-off approach has led to an intense backlash against the social network. Lawmakers, civil rights groups and Facebooks own employees have assailed it for letting hate speech and misinformation fester on its site. Last month, the Biden presidential campaign said it would begin urging its supporters to demand that Facebook strengthen its rules against misinformation. More recently, advertisers such as Unilever and Coca-Cola have paused their advertising on the platform in protest.

That was punctuated this week by the release of a two-year audit of Facebooks policies. The audit, conducted by civil rights experts and lawyers who were handpicked by the company, concluded that Facebook had not done enough to protect people on the platform from discriminatory posts and ads. In particular, they said, Facebook had been too willing to let politicians run amok on the site.

Elevating free expression is a good thing, but it should apply to everyone, they wrote. When it means that powerful politicians do not have to abide by the same rules that everyone else does, a hierarchy of speech is created that privileges certain voices over less powerful voices.
Obviously, we have seen the incredible need that we have for bus service for parts of the population that dont have other options, and so [Im] interested in that discussion, said Letourneau (R-Dulles). Metro is funded by the jurisdictions as well as the state and a few other sources. So these are reasonable discussions that would have to happen with a lot of different folks.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has pleaded with Australians to stop embracing each other to prevent a horror second wave of COVID-19 spreading across the nation.

A record-breaking 288 new coronavirus cases were recorded in Victoria on Friday, while a new testing facility was established in Sydney's southwest amid concerns of a fresh cluster.

The surging outbreak gripping Victoria has sparked fears that it could spill across into New South Wales after three people returning from Melbourne tested positive this week.

Two new Sydney cases have been linked to the Crossroads Hotel in Casula where the man and a woman - who were not known to each other - both went on Saturday night.

Addressing the possibility of a secondary contagion, Scott Morrison urged Australians to not be 'complacent' in the battle against the pandemic.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian in March) has pleaded with Australians to stop embracing each other to prevent a horror second wave of COVID-19 spreading across the nation

Addressing the possibility of a secondary contagion, Scott Morrison urged Australians to not be 'complacent' in the battle against the pandemic

'It's important to maintain the discipline of the social distancing behind closed doors, not just out in the public space,' he said at a press conference on Friday.

'This is a lesson outside of the Victorian experience.'

'When we're at home and there are people around, we still have to practise the social distancing. It is still not OK for hugs and handshakes.'

Mr Morrison called on 'particularly younger Australians' to abide by the rules, after the average age of new patients in Victoria were found to be lower than those diagnosed during the first peak in March.

Healthcare workers dressed in personal protective equipment walk out of a public housing tower, reopened the previous night after being locked down in response to an outbreak in Melbourne

An elderly man gets a Covid-19 test at a testing site at the shopping precinct in the locked down suburb of Dallas in Melbourne

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is desperate to prevent a second wave of coronavirus in NSW

'We will do everything we can to ensure the protections are in place  but the community also has a role to maintain their discipline when it comes to social distancing,' he said.

Borders between Victoria and NSW were slammed shut at 11.59pm on Wednesday in the hope of stopping the virus from spreading.

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian has also been considering other drastic measures to stop Victoria's second wave - including reinstating restrictions on weddings and funerals and even adjusting the state border.

'Everything is on the table,' a government source told The Daily Telegraph.

Ms Berejiklian is also considering shifting the state border to the north and annexing Albury to Victoria until the outbreak is brought under control.

She is considering establishing a new border to leave Albury as a part of Victoria to prevent the chance of community transmission into NSW

Police examine drivers on the NSW-Victoria border on Wednesday. More than 50,000 exemption permits have been issued for drivers

This would allow residents of both towns to cross state lines freely and minimise disruption to the community while also preventing the virus from spreading deeper into NSW.

She has also flagged making exemption permits to cross the border more difficult to obtain.

More than 50,000 exemption permits were issued overnight allowing people living in NSW-Victoria border communities to cross between the two.

She warned the widespread community transmission of COVID-19 in Victoria is a threat to NSW and was unapologetic when she suggested tough new restrictions may need to be implemented.

The probability of contagion in NSW given what's happened in Victoria is extremely high,' Ms Berejiklian she said.

'I am extremely concerned about what is happening in Victoria, the extent of community contagion is unlike anything we have seen in Australia... do not let your guard down.'

The surge in coronavirus cases in Victoria over the last 10 days, which peaked at 191 cases on Tuesday

Police question drivers at a checkpoint in Albury on Wednesday as the NSW-Victoria border closed due to the second wave spread of coronavirus in Victoria

People continue to shop prior to the general lockdown in Melbourne on Wednesday

The Berejiklian government is also looking into making hotel quarantine mandatory for NSW residents returning from the southern state.

Currently, NSW residents returning from Victoria must self-isolate at home for 14 days but Ms Berejiklian said forced hotel quarantine - which residents will have to pay for - has not been ruled out.

The national hotel quarantine program has been under pressure with travellers continuing to return to Australia in large numbers.

To ease demand on the hotel quarantine program, the Prime Minister also announced a new limit on the number of Australian citizen and permanent residents permitted to return from overseas.

Only 4,000 Australians will be allowed to return home per week from Monday, down from around 8,000.

NSW will remain unaffected, taking in 450 returned travellers a day.

A group of medical staff wearing full personal protective equipment wait to enter Flemington Towers Government Housing complex on Wednesday

Meanwhile, cases linked to the nine public housing towers in Flemington and North Melbourne in hard lockdown have slowed to two new infections on Wednesday, with the cluster now totalling 75.

Testing of all 3,000 residents is expected to be completed soon.

One million Victorians have been tested for COVID-19 since the start of the year, with a record of 29,424 tests conducted on Tuesday.

To date, 22 Victorians have died from the virus while 41 remain in hospital.
The Boris Johnson government on Friday said it has been a privilege to have nearly 25,000 Indian medical professionals in the National Health Service dealing with thousands of coronavirus patients on the frontline of treatment.

Several doctors, nurses and pharmacists of Indian heritage have died in recent months, as many retired professionals responded to the call of British authorities to re-join in the response to the pandemic. India-trained medical professionals have long been part of the NHS.

Foreign secretary Dominic Raab said in a virtual address to the India Global week 2020: Covid-19 is a global challenge. And the UK has been proud to stand alongside India in its international response.

As we have responded to this crisis, we have been privileged to have 25,000 Indian professionals working in our brilliant National Health Service here at home. We hugely value their contribution.

Speaking as part of the event that included ministers Matt Hancock, Tariq Ahmad and Lynn Truss, Raab thanked the Indian government for the UK being able to obtain vital supplies of paracetamol at the height of the crisis.

It would be an extraordinary achievement, Raab said, if the human trial for a vaccine at the University of Oxford were to succeed and is produced on a mass scale at the Serum Institute of India. It would benefit not only the British and Indian people, but also make it accessible for the most vulnerable people across the world, he said.

As leaders in the international response, the UK and India have also co-authored the G20 Action Plan, providing an immediate package of $200 billion of global support to the most vulnerable countries around the world.

Even before Covid, UK was Indias second biggest research partner. With our joint research estimated to be worth 400 million by 2021. And with Indias contribution to the recent GAVI vaccine summit, together we smashed the target for vaccine funding, with $8.8 billion raised, Raab said.

Foreign Office minister for South Asia Tariq Ahmad said: There are few countries that share the people-to-people connections as the UK and India. This was demonstrated earlier this year when we repatriated more than 15,000 British people from India  the largest repatriation operation from a single country since the Second World War.

As we adjust to the new post-Covid world in the coming months, I know that these people-to -people links will help future generations to build back better. The Living Bridge between our countries  on show at India Global Week  will grow back stronger, he added.

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Organized crime groups sought to defraud the French state of millions of euros meant for workers left jobless by the virus lockdown, prosecutors said Friday.

had an exceptionally generous temporary scheme that subsidized workers' salaries while restaurants, schools and businesses across the economy shut down for two months or more to contain the virus.

Criminals took advantage of it, successfully obtaining more than 2 million euros from the state that did not go to workers, the Paris prosecutor's office said in a statement.

Authorities so far have been able to suspend another 6 million euros in scheduled payments and recover 421,000 euros already spent on nonexistent workers, it said.

The Paris prosecutor's office is now leading a nationwide investigation into what it calls massive fraud and money laundering by organized crime groups that it did not identify. It is notably investigating potential connections to the fraud.

Prosecutors in the southern city of Toulouse and the central French city of Limoges initially started investigating an unusually large number of similar applications from companies for money from the temporary fund.

Investigators found that the applicants were using registration numbers of companies that had not applied for the state salary subsidies, and funneled the money to hundreds of French bank accounts instead of to workers.

spent billions of euros on the temporary program, which was credited with keeping people employed and allowing businesses to stay afloat during lockdown.

The economy has started picking up as gradually reopens, but tourism is muted and many companies are struggling to revive, and the country is still facing its worst recession in decades.

(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.)
Prime Minister Hun Sen is scheduled to be in Beijing on August 12 to sign a free trade agreement with his Chinese counterpart. The new agreement is expected to usher in an enhanced level of economic cooperation between the two countries, deemed especially important to Cambodia.



On the same day, Cambodia is likely to mark another step in the erosion of its long-standing ties with Europe, with the expected partial suspension of Everything But Arms trade privileges that will affect Cambodias important garment and footwear export industry.

Cambodias undeveloped economy has benefited from close ties with Europe since the United Nations Transitional Authority of Cambodia helped govern the country from 1991 to 1993 following years of war that had decimated the country.

The deal is another sign of the growing friendship between China and Cambodia. China has become the Kingdoms largest investor and its geopolitical support to counter the West and, on occasion, ASEAN.



The negotiated Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has been kept under wraps since talks began in December. Recently, officials have said it will hinge on agricultural trade and build on Cambodias existing trade with the Asian and global economic powerhouse.



Vongsey Vissoth, a permanent secretary of state at the Economy Ministry, confirmed on Wednesday in a press conference that Prime Minister Hun Sen would make the trip to Beijing to sign the agreement.



Now we have FTA from China and [we] try the best, Vongsey Vissoth said. FTA is just a market, but we need to have products to export.



On April 7, Hun Sen called on citizens to focus on growing and processing agricultural products to sustain the economy because, he noted, other economic drivers like tourism and manufacturing were faltering due to the COVID-19 pandemic.



We will use this difficult time as an opportunity for Cambodias agricultural sector, which has slow growth, Hun Sen said.
Inimmune, a Missoula, Mont.-based biotechnology company developing immune therapies and components for more effective vaccines, raised $22m in Series A funding.

The round was led by Two Bear Capital, a new firm based in Whitefish, Montana. Two Bear Capital Founder and Managing Partner Michael Goguen will join Inimmunes board of directors.

The company plans to use the Series A investment to advance at least two late-stage pre-clinical drug candidates in oncology and allergy through Phase I human clinical trials.

Started in 2016 by co-founders Drs. Kendal Ryter, Helene Bazin-Lee, David Burkhart and Jay Evans, along with a team of 11 experienced scientists from GlaxoSmithKline, Inimmune is nationally recognized for its innovative approach to treatments leveraging the immune system, especially its development of novel adjuvants, which are compounds added to therapies to improve or direct an immune response. Adjuvants are an important component in safe, effective vaccines. Inimmune has partnered with the University of Montana in the urgent race to develop a vaccine against COVID-19. The company is also advancing immune-based therapies for a variety of other dangerous emerging pathogens, such as antibiotic resistant infections. Inimmune has raised more than $12 million in research grants and contracts since 2016, including a recent $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.

FinSMEs

10/07/2020
What is Pneumococcal disease? Is there a vaccine? If so, what are the side effects? Your FAQs answered

Can pneumonia be more deadlier than coronavirus?

International

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Beijing, July 10: A recent study published in an open-access American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR) article investigating the differences in CT findings between coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pneumonia and influenza virus pneumonia found that most lesions from COVID-19 were located in the peripheral zone and close to the pleura, whereas influenza virus was more prone to show mucoid impaction and pleural effusion.

The study was based on a total of 97 patients (49 women, 48 men) who were enrolled in this. Of them, 52 patients (29 men, 23 women; age range, 21-73 years) had COVID-19 pneumonia; 45 patients (26 women, 19 men; age range, 15-76 years) had influenza virus pneumonia (28, influenza A; 17, influenza B).

Coronavirus Vaccine: Cipla's remdesivir Cipremi launched in India, lowest priced drug for COVID-19

Meanwhile, China has warned its citizens living in Kazakhstan of a local "unknown pneumonia" which, it said, has a "much higher" fatality rate than the COVID-19 disease, prompting the Central Asian country to dismiss it as "fake news."

The "unknown pneumonia in Kazakhstan caused 1,772 deaths in the first six months of the year, including 628 people in June alone", the Chinese embassy in the central Asian country said in a statement on its WeChat platform on Thursday, adding that the fatalities also included Chinese citizens.

However, Kazakhstan has dismissed as "fake news" the warning put out by the Chinese embassy.

Vikas Dubey killed in an encounter, Akhilesh Yadav raises questions | Oneindia News

So, what are the signs of pneumonia?

Pneumonia is an infection of one or both sides of the lungs that causes the air sacs (medically known as the alveoli) to fill up with fluid or pus, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Pneumonia can be caused by a bacteria, virus, or fungus. Symptoms can vary, but may include the following:

Cough

Shortness of breath

Chest pain during breathing or coughing

Increased phlegm that's green, grey, or yellow in color

Fever

Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea

Fatigue

You can also develop complications of pneumonia, like septic shock, lung abscesses, renal failure, and respiratory failure.
Mahathir turns 95 today

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad turns 95 today.

Born on July 10, 1925, Mahathir is the only politician in the country who has held the country's top executive post twice and also holds the record as the world's oldest prime minister when he was re-elected in May 2018.

He is also the longest-serving Malaysian premier so far, surviving five general elections as chairperson of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition and as leader of Umno, the largest party in BN. This allowed him to stay in power for 22 years beginning in 1981 before resigning in 2003.

Mahathir returned to power after he led opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan to victory in the 14th General Election against BN in May 2018.

It was the first time the Umno-led coalition had lost federal power after over 60 years.

However, after only 22 months of rule, Harapan was toppled in a political coup dubbed the "Sheraton Move" in February earlier this year, which saw Mahathir resigning after saying he lost the majority of support from MPs.

He had since lost his position as Bersatu chairperson, a party which he co-founded in 2016. Party president and current Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who led the Sheraton Move coup, sacked Mahathir for allegedly breaching the Bersatu's constitution by sitting with the opposition during the May 18 parliamentary session.

Mahathir was also going for his third appointment as PM in a plan by Harapan to launch a counter-coup against the current Perikatan Nasional-led government. However, an impasse over the candidacy for the PM post has led Mahathir to withdraw from the race against PKR president Anwar Ibrahim.

The nonagenarian is married to Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali for 64 years (since 1956), with whom he has seven children. Among their children include former Kedah menteri besar, Mukhriz; prominent social activist Marina; and businessperson Mokhzani.

Meanwhile, an aide to Mahathir this morning posted a tribute to him in a birthday wish to the politician.

Story continues

Malek Redzuan, who is in Mahathir's press team, expressed his appreciation for being given a chance to work with and learn from the veteran's vast life experience.

"He has lived since 1925, which means he had gone through four British monarchs, 16 Malaysian Kings, 16 US presidents, four emperors of Japan, and eight Malaysian prime ministers.

"And, of course, he had seen the time when Malaya was under the British, when Malaya was under Japan, time of Tanah Melayu, the Malays' rejection of the Malayan Union, the formation of the Malaysian Federation, the separation of Singapore from Malaysia, up until today.

"This means what I have seen with my eyes is not even close to Tun M's experience. So, I am nowhere near as good as him.

"I hope I will continue to have this opportunity and time to learn from Mahathir. It's true what people have told me, not everyone gets to attach and learn directly with a nationalist," Malek said in his Facebook post.

Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, whose premiership was ended when Mahathir led Harapan to topple the BN administration two years ago, also posted birthday wishes to the nonagenarian.

"Happy 95th birthday, sir. I wish that Tun Dr Mahathir will be blessed, peace, have good health and long life," he said on Facebook.

Mahathir's stalwart, A Kadir Jasin in his birthday wish quoted a phrase from the famous Lebanese-American writer Khahlil Gibran.

"The things which the child loves remain in the domain of the heart until old age. The most beautiful thing in life is that our souls remain hovering over the places where we once enjoyed ourselves. I am one of those who remember those places regardless of distance or time - Khahlil Gibran.

"Happy 95th Birthday Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad. God bless."

For the record, Mahathir has two birth dates. According to his aide, July 10, 1925, was the actual date when Mahathir was born, while another, Dec 20 of the same year was the date when Mahathir's father registered his birth.
More Christian refugees were welcomed from 50 worst persecutors in 2016 than in President Trump's first three years combined, according to Open Doors and World Relief report.

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The United States is on track to welcome the fewest refugees since its resettlement policy was formalized in 1980, by a substantial margin.

Capped at 18,000 people for 2020the lowest ceiling on recordthe US has resettled 7,600 refugees, with only three months left in the fiscal year.

According to a joint report released today by World Relief and Open Doors USA, persecuted minorities representing a variety of religions have been harmed by the decline in resettlement.

Among those most disadvantaged have been Christian refugees from the countries where Christians face the most severe persecution in the world, the report states.

So far in 2020, the US has resettled fewer than 950 Christians from the 50 countries where it is hardest to be a Christian, according to Open Doorss annual World Watch List. At this rate, the US will receive 90-percent fewer Christian refugees this year than five years ago.

For example, the US is projected to resettle only 20 Syrian Christian refugees, 50 Iranian Christians, and 86 Iraqi believers this year, despite their countries ranking No. 11, No. 9, and No. 15 on the 2020 World Watch List.

Historically, the US has welcomed significant numbers of Christian refugees from countries where they are persecuted. For instance, in 2016 the US took in nearly 2,300 Christians from Iran and 2,000 from Iraq.

But the resettlement of Christians from the worlds top persecutors is now a fraction of what it was only a few years ago.

Christians arent the only ones suffering. Compared to 2015, US resettlement of Bahai from Iran, Muslims from Burma, and Yezidi from Iraq has decreased by 98 percent, 95 percent, and 92 percent, respectively.

This marks a massive departure from American norms. Since the Refugee Act came into effect in 1980, more than 3 million refugees have resettled in the US. The majority of those refugees have been Christians, many fleeing persecution in their home countries.

According to the new report, the average annual resettlement ceiling in the US between 1980 and 2016 was about 95,000 refugees, with about 81,000 actually entering the country each year. That pattern has come to a grinding halt.

While 97,000 refugees were resettled in America in 2016, including 14,551 Christians from countries with the worst persecution records, the US welcomed less than 23,000 in 2018, fewer than were received by Canada. The previous low was 27,000 in 2002, in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.

Evangelical leaders have joined with policymakers, including ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom Sam Brownback and the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, to encourage the Trump administration to return the resettlement ceiling to the historic norm.

Those calls have been rejected. In fact, the cap has continued to shrink each year since 2016.

The decimation of the American resettlement program, and the accompanying decline in incoming Christian refugees, comes in sharp contrast to early promises by Trump officials.

At the same time that the administration imposed a ban on refugees from some Muslim-majority countriesa campaign opposed by many evangelical leadersthe White House indicated that Christian refugees would be prioritized, to the dismay of some Arab church leaders who want to preserve their flocks in the Middle East.

In reality, while the Trump administration has in some ways highlighted assistance to religious minorities around the world, that hasnt translated into more refugees coming to the United States.

The number of persecuted Christians to whom protection is available through the US refugee resettlement program and the application of asylum laws has still been dramatically curtailed, said Scott Arbeiter, president of World Relief.

The global COVID-19 health crisis has only exacerbated resettlement challenges. The US-Mexico border has been indefinitely closed. The Departments of Justice and Homeland Security have proposed regulations that would severely limit the number of refugees, including Christians, eligible for asylum in the US.

Under cover of COVID-19 the Statue of Liberty is being pulled apart, limb by limb, said Galen Carey, vice president of government relations for the National Association of Evangelicals, in response to the proposal. Decades of humanitarian and civil rights precedents are being ignored or overturned, and our proud tradition as a beacon of hope for those fleeing persecution is at grave risk.

A global pandemic should not be a pretext for exposing children and families to the perils of violence and persecution, said Gabriel Salguero, president of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition.

Currently, 260 million Christians live in places where they face high levels of persecution, according to Open Doors.

At the end of 2019, there were 79.5 million forcibly displaced people in the world, the most ever recorded and more than 1 percent of the global population.
The bank's Rs 15,000 crore follow-on public offer (FPO) will open on 15 July 2020 and close on 17 July 2020.

Shares of Yes Bank slumped 4.69% to Rs 25.40 after the bank said its capital raising committee at its meeting today (10 July) approved the floor price of its Rs 15,000 crore FPO at Rs 12 per equity share and a cap of Rs 13 per share.

A discount of Re 1 per equity share will be given to the eligible employees of the bank bidding in employee reservation portion, Yes Bank said in a statement during trading hours today (10 July). In the FPO, shares can be bid in lots of 1,000 equity shares.

The bank filed a red herring prospectus on 7 July 2020 for the FPO to raise up to Rs 15,000 crore via a fresh issue of equity shares. The FPO will remain open between 15 and 17 July 2020. The bank has set 14 July as anchor investor bidding date.

State Bank of India (SBI) on Wednesday (8 July) said it will invest upto Rs 1,760 crore in Yes Bank's upcoming FPO.

Yes Bank reported a net profit of Rs 2628.61 crore in Q4 March 2020 as against a net loss of Rs 1506.64 crore in Q4 March 2019. Total income rose 44.4% YoY to Rs 12,115.53 crore during the quarter. The bank generated an extraordinary income (net of tax) of Rs 6,296.94 crore during the quarter on account of writing down of certain Basel III additional tier-1 (AT-1) bonds amounting to Rs 8,415 crore. Excluding this extraordinary item, Yes Bank reported a net loss from ordinary activities of Rs 3,668.33 crore in Q4 March 2020 compared with a net loss from ordinary activities of Rs 1,506.64 crore in Q4 March 2019.

Yes Bank is a full service commercial bank' providing a complete range of products, services and technology driven digital offerings, catering to corporate, MSME & retail customers.

The bank was under moratorium for 13 days in March 2020. It resumed full-fledged banking operations from 18 March 2020. This came after a consortium of eight public and private banks, led by State Bank of India, agreed to infuse capital into Yes Bank to rescue it from the brink of a collapse. These financial institutions had together pooled in Rs 10,000 crore as investment at Rs 10 per share in Yes Bank when it faced pressure from depositors.

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two weeks ago, I asked Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, what a functioning Department of Education would be doing to prepare the country to reopen schools in the fall.

A functioning Department of Education would have been getting groups of superintendents and principals and unions and others together from the middle of March, she told me. It would have created a clearinghouse of best practices for maintaining grab-and-go lunch programs and online education. By mid-April it would have convened experts to figure out how to reopen schools safely, and offered grants to schools trying different models.

None of that has happened, said Weingarten. Zero.

Instead, Donald Trump has approached the extraordinarily complex challenge of educating children during a pandemic just as hes approached most other matters of governing: with bullying, bluster and propaganda.

While doing nothing to curb the wildfire spread of the coronavirus, he has demanded that schools reopen and threatened to cut off funding for those that dont. On Wednesday, he tweeted that the guidelines for reopening schools from his own Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were very tough & expensive, adding, I will be meeting with them!!! Mike Pence then suggested that the guidelines would be revised. On Thursday the agencys director, Dr. Robert Redfield, said they wouldnt be, but later, seeming to give into pressure, said the guidelines should be seen as recommendations, not requirements.
West Chester University said Friday that it will stick with online learning in the fall due to the coronavirus pandemic, but Pennsylvanias other state-owned universities are making plans for face-to-face instruction.

The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Educations 14 universities are each devising their own strategies for educating students in the fall semester. The systems board of governors voted last month to give universities a framework of standards but the flexibility to design their own plans.

With 14 campuses in 14 different counties, they all have unique circumstances, said David Pidgeon, a spokesman for the state system.

Some students and faculty want in-person classes, he added. Theres a lot of them who want an on-campus experience in the fall, Pidgeon said.

West Chester University announced Friday it would go with online learning in the fall. Christopher Fiorentino, the universitys president, cited the rise in cases nationwide in a message to the campus community.

WCU cannot ignore the potential danger of bringing thousands back to campus, Fiorentino wrote. Accordingly, our plans for the fall semester must adjust to this new reality. My leadership team and I have made the decision to continue remote learning through the fall 2020 semester, with a few courses delivered in a hybrid format, meaning both in-person and remote, in order to assist those students with clinical placements, student teaching, performance obligations, internship sites, and similar academic responsibilities.

The state systems faculty union has asked the system to be cognizant of faculty and staff, since some live with family members who have health issues and are more susceptible to the coronavirus.

Dr. Jamie Martin, president of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties, welcomed West Chesters announcement. Martin said Friday she hopes other universities carefully consider faculty as they make their plans for the fall.

Were happy to see a university administration look at what is happening around them  taking in the facts, looking at the science, making decisions that are best for students, staff, and faculty, Martin said. We hope other universities will take that thoughtful path. There is not a one-size-fits-all answer, but we hope all decisions are safe for students, staff, and faculty.

While the number of new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations remains below the peak seen in the spring, the Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 1,009 new cases Friday, the biggest daily number in two months. The health department has said this week its concerned about the uptick in cases, particularly in adults 19 to 24 years old.

What others are doing

Other universities in the State System are still proceeding with in-person classes. But in some cases, universities are starting their semester a little earlier, or ending their fall semester shortly after Thanksgiving.

Millersville University in Lancaster County is employing a hybrid approach, mixing face-to-face classes with online instruction. About half of Millersvilles classes this fall will be delivered remotely, said Janet Kacskos, a university spokeswoman.

While Millersville is proceeding with plans to offer in-person classes, the nature of the pandemic means plans remain fluid, Kacskos said.

Number one is to keep everybody safe and number two is to make sure everyone can continue their studies, Kacskos said.

As for remote instruction, Kacskos said, We expect the quality of the classes will be the same.

Millersvilles dorms will be open, although the dining service will look different. The campus will feature more grab-and-go items and wont be offering buffets, Kacskos said.

Shippensburg University also plans to offer in-person instruction in the fall, although the university will offer some remote instruction as well, said spokeswoman Megan Silverstrim.

Shippensburg Universitys response to COVID-19 has been and continues to be customized to our student needs within our regional landscape, she said in an email. We continue to evolve our plans to ensure we are prepared with the best options of learning for our students, faculty and staff including face-to-face, blended and online. We are responsive to students, faculty and staff who have expressed concern about being on our campus.

Indiana University of Pennsylvania is also planning to offer a hybrid of face-to-face classes and remote instruction.

While we remain committed to offering face-to-face instruction as much as possible, classes will be formatted to maintain social-distancing recommendations at all university campuses and centers while focusing on real-time instruction and delivery, the university said on its website. Many lecture classes will be conducted in a hybrid model, which means that classes will be divided into groups that rotate between being physically present in the classroom and interacting with the class via Zoom or similar technology.

Bloomsburg University is offering a combination of in-person instruction and remote learning. Bashar W. Hanna, the universitys president, explained Bloomsburgs approach on the schools website.

We are planning for a modified calendar which will prioritize the health and safety of the entire BU community, maximize the use of our classrooms for instruction while following social distancing guidelines, and allow us flexibility should there be a resurgence of COVID outbreaks during the coming year, Hanna wrote.

Kutztown University plans to have students on campus for the fall semester but expects to end face-to-face classes the week before Thanksgiving. Students will finish the semester remotely.

Kenneth S. Hawkinson, Kutztowns president, wrote in a June 25 letter to the campus that plans could change.

Please be aware that the plan is a living document and we will adjust our plan based on revised guidance, he wrote.

Planning for the fall

The state systems governing board agreed in the spring to freeze tuition for the fall semester. The pandemic has posed severe financial challenges for the state system, which had already been dealing with declining enrollment in recent years.

The system has seen its enrollment drop by 20 percent over the past decade, to just under 96,000 last fall.

Our universities and the faculty, they are doing everything they can so students can not only be as safe as they can be but to continue earning credits toward their degree, Pidgeon said. We understand how difficult this time is for students and families. Thats why we not only froze tuition but are taking the steps necessary to continue their degree.

Should cases spike statewide, the system and its universities have proven they can move to remote learning quickly, Pidegon said.

All 14 universities within weeks, and in some cases days, moved tens of thousands of students to remote learning, in pretty stressful circumstances, he said.

While the state system wants to ensure students can have classes on campus this fall, Pidgeon said members of the universities need to take precautions.

Were looking to the students and the faculty and the staff to do their part. Wear masks, practice social distancing, wash hands, said Pidgeon. That is the way we can try and get through this semester on campus.

More from PennLive

Penn States Eric Barron joins calls to let international students stay in U.S. even if classes go online

Penn State to resume classes in the fall: what students need to know

Pa. state universities may look a lot different in the next three years

Pa. state universities gearing up for a return to face-to-face instruction this fall
States that moved to reopen earlier, like Florida, Arizona and Texas, are driving the higher numbers. Hospitals across the South and West are being flooded with virus patients, forcing them to cancel elective surgeries and discharge patients early.

Tokyo recorded 224 new infections on Thursday, surpassing a record set in April. Most of Australia is now off-limits to people from the state of Victoria, as the country responded to an outbreak spreading through Melbourne. With virus cases soaring in Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged that the country had reopened parts of the economy too early.

Case study: The imposition of a second lockdown in late June in the English city of Leicester as those in other regions were returning to jobs and pubs  part of Boris Johnsons Whac-A-Mole approach to the virus  has angered residents.

A different milestone: The intensive care unit at the Papa Giovanni XXIII hospital in Bergamo, Italy had no Covid-19 cases for the first time in 137 days. The hospital commemorated the occasion on Wednesday with a moment of silence, followed by a round of applause.
There was mild drama at Nigerias House of Representatives on Thursday after the Lebanese Amabassador to Nigeria walked out of a meeting targeted at addressing the harassment of Nigerian domestic workers in Lebabnon.

Houssam Diab shortly after entering the conference room for the meeting with the House Commitee on Diaspora walked out, leaving the lawmakers shocked in the process.

The ambassador reportedly stormed out at 10:50am because he expected a close door meeting with the lawmakers but met government officials and journalists, who were there to cover the event.



Tolulope Akande-Sadipe, Chairman of the committee, expressed shock over the incident.

Some lawmakers reportedly followed the ambassador to persuade him to return while the committee sent journalists, security personnel and legislative aides away from the venue.

After the meeting, Akande-Sadipe changed stance, saying, It was an informal meeting because the ambassador was nice enough to join us at the meeting. There is no law that says he has to be here today but because he has an interest in the joint relationship between Nigeria and Lebanon.

We have a lot of Nigerians in Lebanon and we have a lot of Lebanese in Nigeria. We have a relationship with Lebanon from the 50s.

This meeting today has further reiterated that the Lebanese community and the Nigerian community always stand together to ensure that justice and respect for human lives is a priority, and we will work together to bring modern-day slavery to an end.

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By Trend

The value of trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Russia amounted to $5.2 billion over the first four months of 2020 compared to $5.7 billion during the same period of 2019, Trend reports with reference to Kazakhstans Statistics Committee.

The share of Russia in total value of Kazakhstans trade turnover was 18.7 percent during the reporting period of 2020 compared to 20.1 percent during the same period of 2019.

Kazakhstans export to Russia amounted to $1.4 billion over the period from January through April 2020 compared to $1.7 billion during the same period of 2019.

Russias share in total volume of Kazakhstans export amounted to 7.7 percent during the reporting period of 2020, compared to 9.2 percent during the same period of 2019.

In turn, Kazakhstans import from Russia amounted to $3.8 billion over the reporting period compared to $4.08 billion during the same period of 2019.

Russias total share in Kazakhstans import was 39.2 percent during the reporting period of 2020 which compared to 39.6 percent during the same period of 2019 is also flat year-on-year.

Total volume of Kazakhstans trade turnover amounted to $28.1 billion over the period from Jan. through Apr. 2020 which indicates a decrease from $28.8 billion during the same period of 2019.

Kazakhstans export amounted to $18.3 billion during the reporting period of 2020 ($18.5 billion in the same period of 2019), whereas import amounted to $9.8 billion ($10.3 billion).

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Bushfire smoke could be behind bumper dingo litters in Victorias largest dingo sanctuary.

"Usually the litters are three or four [pups] but this year theyre five to seven," said Kevin Newman, a dingo handler and supervisor at the Dingo Discovery Sanctuary and Research Centre in the Macedon Ranges.

"Were not sure why the litters are so big, but we think it might be linked to the bushfire smoke."

The Dingo Discovery Sanctuary houses 41 dingoes of alpine, desert and tropical descent; some were rescues, some came from other parks and some were bred on site.
Mr Cummings, the Prime Ministers chief aide, is known for his disdain for traditional civil servants - Reuters

Downing Street has placed an advert for 135,000 job to head up "skunkworks" in Number 10, in what appears the latest in Dominic Cummings' shake-up of Whitehall.

The new job will be responsible for a new data science unit in Number 10, aimed to transform decision-making in government.

A skunkworks is a term originating in America during WWII for a project developed by a small and loosely structured group focusing on radical innovation.

The civil service advert says the role will involve leading a new "analytical unit known as 10ds" - which stands for "10 Data Science".

It says: "The vision of 10ds is a skunkworks type organisation that builds innovative software to allow the PM to make data driven decisions and thereby transform government".

Mr Cummings, the Prime Ministers chief aide, is known for his disdain for traditional civil servants.

He has said his focus after Brexit will be the establishment of a British version of the USs Advanced Projects Research Agency (Arpa).

He recently instructed government advisers to read a book on Superforecasting by Philip Tetlock, as well as High Output Management by Andrew Grove.

While the salary for the new role is advertised as up to 135,000, "outstanding" candidates could get more.

The advert says the newly created role will be responsible for establishing No10's quantitative ability as well as advising the Prime Minister. It says the job presents an opportunity to work "at the heart' of government. Applications close on July 27.

Earlier this year Mr Cummings placed an advert for data scientists, project managers, policy experts and assorted weirdos to apply for Downing Street jobs.

Mr Cummings used his personal blog to invite applications from true wild cards, artists, people who never went to university and fought their way out of an appalling hell hole.

In a much-publicised post, he said: If you want to figure out what characters around Putin might do, or how international criminal gangs might exploit holes in our border security, you dont want more Oxbridge English graduates who chat about Lacan at dinner parties with TV producers and spread fake news about fake news.

Shortly after the blog advert was posted, a new Downing Street adviser Andrew Sabisky quit following reports of his controversial comments on pregnancies, eugenics and race.
There have been a temporal shut down of the offices of the Ghana Education Service including the Ministry of Education to pave way for the disinfection of offices.

This comes after some staff of the two institutions tested positive for the COVID-19 forcing them to act swiftly.

The Education Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh himself has recovered from COVID-19 infection.

The Head of Communications at the Ministry, Ekow Vincent Assafuah told Citi News the disinfection meant workers had to leave work early on Friday.

But he said he expects the staff to be at work next Monday.

Mr. Assafuah also clarified earlier comments by Dr. Opoku Prempeh concerning the scale of infections at the Ministry.

The minister said about 90 percent of his staff had the virus.

But Mr. Assafuah has indicated that he meant about 90 percent of his inner circle.

The inner circle is not even up to 20 so it cannot be that about 90 percent of the staff of the Ministry of Education have contracted the coronavirus.

---CitinewsRoom
Rise in university applications from the most deprived areas of Wales welcomed by Education Minister

This article is old - Published: Friday, Jul 10th, 2020

Statistics published today by UCAS show a 2% rise in university applications by 18-year-olds from the most deprived areas of Wales.

The figures show 21.6% of 18 year olds from the most disadvantaged areas applied up until the end of June, up from 19.4% last year.

The data also show a record proportion of 18 year olds from Wales applying to university. Applications reached a high of 33.6%, an increase of 0.7 percentage points.

Welsh universities have also seen an increase in applications, with a rise of 6% in applications to Welsh providers, to over 128,000.

The Welsh Government has radically reformed the student finance system in Wales in recent years, with a fundamental shift towards supporting students with their day-to-day living costs, and increased support through a mixture of grants and loans.

The Education Minister, Kirsty Williams, said:

Im delighted to see these statistics, which shows that the gap between applicants from the most and least deprived areas is narrowing.

As a Government, we believe that high-quality education is a driving force for social mobility, national prosperity and an engaged democracy.

Were opening up higher education to more people than ever, providing the most generous student support package in the UK. Wales is the only country in Europe which offers equivalent living costs support for undergraduate full-time, part-time and post-graduate students.

There has also been a significant 6% increase in applications to Welsh institutions. Welsh universities lead the way for student satisfaction and research and its great to see more and more students choosing our universities.
D-Squared Media today announced the production and release of a new advocacy documentary about the survival of the Iraqi Jewish Archives, over 20,000 documents and personal artifacts rescued in 2003 by U.S. soldiers from the basement of Saddam Husseins secret police headquarters in Baghdad.

Saving the Iraqi Jewish Archives: A Journey of Identity, a feature-length film (56 minutes) is fourth in the series about Iraqs Jewish community, culture and history, produced over 25 years by D-Squared Media, a full-service production company in New York City. To view a trailer, go to: https://vimeo.com/437180481/bd0925d059

The new documentary was co-directed by D-Squared Media Founder Adriana Davis and long-time client Carole Basri, an American attorney descended from prominent Iraqi-Jewish families. The two have collaborated on all films in the Iraqi Jewish series which have brought a deeper recognition of the community and its history.

Saving the Iraqi Jewish Archives is the first documentary to introduce images of the archives while telling the story of their discovery, rescue and, as yet, undetermined future. It utilizes first person accounts and rare news footage of 1969 Iraq, including the hangings of nine Jews in a Baghdad public square.

This is a story of miracles many times over, said Ms. Davis, Co-Director, Producer, Co-Writer and Editor of the film. First, the archives were discovered by a confidential informant, she added. Then they survived the wars in Iraq, and an arduous restoration process by the U.S. National Archives. Now, the fact that they are finding their way to the people whose names and images are on the material is unbelievable. A significant portion of the material rescued is personal including school records from the main Jewish school in Baghdad, wedding and birth registers, religious books and Torah scrolls. Interview subjects, many of whom escaped Iraq, became emotional and expressed shock at discovering their names and images among the thousands of documents thought long ago destroyed.

Story continues

What if you lost your high school diploma, marriage license and childrens birth records? asked Ms. Davis. Or at least you thought you did, but then they were found? Wouldnt you want them back and preserved for future generations to learn who they are and where they came from?

Iraqi Jewish Activists Worldwide say Dont Send These Items Back to Iraq

The archives, currently in the U.S. and partially digitized, risk being returned to Iraq at any moment -- unless the worldwide Iraqi Jewish community is able to create a groundswell of support to preserve them. Without access to the archives, the 2,700-year story of Iraqs Jews is in danger of being lost, warned Ms. Davis. It is essential for this material to survive so the presence of Jews in Iraq will be irrefutable.

Along with personal recollections, the film includes interviews with representatives from Bnai Brith International, JIMENA, a former Department of Defense official, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Justice for Jews from Arab Countries, and American Sephardi Federation.

The culmination of the film is a call to action, offering potential solutions to the fate of the archives, while making it clear that sending the archives back to Iraq would be disastrous. In addition to public screenings, the filmmakers seek private showings to members of Congress, the Executive Branch and the State Department, all of whom can play a role to save the archives.

An official selection of the 23rd New York Sephardic Jewish Film Festival, the films scheduled premiere on March 17, 2020 was postponed due to the Covid-19 outbreak. A rescheduled online screening is expected this summer. Dates for other festivals and online streaming of the film are underway.

For more information about the film, go to: www.SavingIraqiJewishArchivesFilm.com

About D-Squared Media and Adriana Davis

D-Squared Media was founded in 1995 by Adriana Davis to provide consistent and exceptional video production management, writing, editing, communication and voice acting/casting services. D-Squared clients include health-care, finance, advertising, engineering, broadcasting, lifestyle, legal and publishing firms. The company has also produced the company has produced socially-relevant documentaries, television and radio programs.

Ms. Davis and her company produced and co-directed three previous films in the Iraqi Jewish series  The Life of Frank Iny (1999), Searching for Baghdad (2001) and The Last Jews of Baghdad (2005). The trilogy has screened at over 80 premiere film festivals in the US, Canada, Israel and Europe and has been featured on PBS and JLTV.

D-Squared Media has also produced Play It By Ear, a romantic comedy starring Academy Award Winner Rita Moreno, which has screened at film festivals in the U.S. and is currently seeking theatrical distribution. The movie was written, directed and produced exclusively by women.

Ms. Davis has worked as a production manager, field producer and assignment desk editor for numerous network and cable TV and radio outlets. She is also a voice over talent with commercial and corporate credits and has directed voice actors in the U.S., UK and elsewhere. Ms. Davis is a frequent panel guest at independent filmmaking, women entrepreneur and voice acting seminars throughout the country and is a native New Yorker.

For more information about D-Squared Media, go to: www.dsquaredmedia.com/

Contact Details

Andrew Blum

+1 917-783-1680

ajbcomms@gmail.com

Company Website

http://www.dsquaredmedia.com/
TOKYO, July 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Internet Initiative Japan Inc. (IIJ, the Company, TSE1: 3774) announced that the payment regarding the disposal of treasury stocks as the restricted stock compensation, resolved at the IIJs Board of Directors held on June 24, 2020, has been completed as described in the following table. For details, please refer to the Notice Regarding the Disposal of Treasury Stock for Restricted Stock Compensation disclosed on June 24, 2020.



Overview of the Disposal

(1) Disposal date July 10, 2020 (2) Class and number of shares to be disposed of 19,221 shares of common stock of the Company (3) Disposal price 3,895 yen per share (4) Total disposal price 74,865,795 yen (5) Allottees and number thereof, and number of stocks to be disposed of 7 Directors (excluding Part-time and Outside Directors) 11,162 shares

11 Executive Officers 8,059 shares

About IIJ

Founded in 1992, IIJ is one of Japan's leading Internet-access and comprehensive network solutions providers. IIJ and its group companies provide total network solutions that mainly cater to high-end corporate customers. IIJ's services include high-quality Internet connectivity services, systems integration, cloud computing services, security services and mobile services. Moreover, IIJ has built one of the largest Internet backbone networks in Japan that is connected to the United States, the United Kingdom and Asia. IIJ listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange in 2006.

For inquiries, contact:

IIJ Investor Relations

Tel: +81-3-5205-6500 E-mail: ir@iij.ad.jp URL: https://www.iij.ad.jp/en/ir




(Photo : Pixabay)

NASA plans to update its guidelines after years of debate on how much biological contamination will be allowed from other worlds. At the same time, the agency explores the Solar System. The new rules would ease some of the agency's requirements for exploring the Moon and Mars - two high-profile destinations where NASA hopes to send astronauts in the years ahead.

For decades, when the agency sends probes - or humans - to other planets, NASA has followed relatively strict guidelines on how much biological pollution is deemed appropriate. It is a term known as planetary defense and, in a treaty, signed more than 50 years ago, it has a legal basis.

Solar System Contamination

A major planetary security aim has been to prevent humans from monitoring microbes in the Solar System. Adhering to planetary protection, however, has always been somewhat of a trade-off. Virtually everything we send into space has germs on it. Spacecraft often undergo strict cleaning procedures to get rid of these tiny organisms, depending on where they're headed in the Solar System.

But now NASA is specially focused on once again sending people into deep space. And we carry tons of bacteria with us whenever people go into space, no matter how much we clean it up. With such a high priority being given to human exploration, NASA now wants to rethink some of the stricter Moon and Mars requirements. Otherwise, human research would be too tough to pull off.

Today, NASA released two new "interim directives," which set out possible changes to the guidelines for exploring the Moon and Mars. It follows years of space community's effort to update those rules.

"We need to relook at these policies because we can't go to Mars with humans if the principle that we're living by is that we can't have any microbial substances with us," NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said. "Because that's just not possible," he added during a webinar announcing the new proposed changes.

ALSO READ: NASA Offers $35,000 to Someone Who Can Design a Toilet That Will Work on the Moon

Directives?

The first directive revolves around reclassifying parts of the Moon so there are fewer restrictions on spacecraft and people being sent there. Under current planetary protection law, the Moon is considered a Category II celestial body. There is a "rare risk that pollution carried by a spacecraft could jeopardize future missions." The Moon obtained this designation after scientists discovered that there was potentially a lot of water ice hidden on the lunar surface. And if the water is in the Solar System anywhere, scientists are still wary about maintaining some kind of life there.

The second directive would update the Mars rules to allow future human missions. Mars is a relatively restricted world right now. To landers, it is a Category IV site, meaning there is a major interest in discovering life there and a large risk of pollution. Meanwhile, parts of the planet - where liquid water might exist - are even more restricted and require more intensive guidelines.

NASA does not suggest changing the Mars classification. Yet the interim order calls for the agency to come up with new recommendations based on what we keep learning about Mars from future missions such as the launch of this summer's Perseverance rover.

Such proposed proposals are the latest in a series of improvements and new rules that NASA is making as it tries through the Artemis initiative to go back to the Moon. NASA announced in May the creation of the Artemis Accords, an international set of guidelines to explore the Moon that it hopes other countries will adopt.

ALSO READ: NASA Space Launch System Destroyed; Was It Intentional?

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Between 3 and 5 am on Tuesday, purportedly as per Brahma muhurtam (anointed auspicious time), the state government of Telangana began demolition of existing Secretariat buildings and released a design of a palatial replacement resembling the palace of Versailles to cost over `400 crores.

The focus on demolishing an existing building, which according to most experts had a structural strength and life for another 30 to 40 years at the very least, during a week when coronavirus cases have been increasingly at an alarming rate of over 1,800 a day, with a total official tally of over 28,000 cases and a new lockdown was to be announced is in congruence with the maverick style of chief minister K.Chandrashekar Rao.

Shortage of oxygen, crippled hospital infrastructure, collapsed management of containment zones, low testing inviting the chiding of the high court, restless hospital staff, a pandemic spreading to villages and increasing number of deaths would push a lesser leader to think it would be a great priority over a new building as a gift to posterity to mark his legacy, or align astrological for forces to his overvaulting ambition.

Even as the state government is conspicuous in a phantomlike absence, leaving the governor to rise to the occasion to manage the fight against Covid, people are reacting with disbelief at this surreal situation, not too unlike the Shakespearean observation on Denmark.

In Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi too is striving similarly with a legacy-marking architectural creation, grandiose, immortal and wrongly timed.

Not long ago, in Tamil Nadu, proving that no political party has a monopoly on wasting public money, while M. Karunanidhi spent over `1,200 crores on a new Assembly building, his arch-nemesis J. Jayalalithaa converted it into a multi-speciality hospital. Surely peoples lives should matter more. Alas, they dont.
Hyderabad-based injectable drugs maker Gland Pharma, which is majority owned by Chinas Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (Fosun Pharma), has filed a draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) with market regulator SEBI for an initial public offering (IPO), sources told Moneycontrol.

If the listing plans fructify, this could arguably be the first major domestic IPO of an Indian company with a Chinese parent.

On July 19, 2019, Moneycontrol reported that Gland Pharma had shortlisted merchant bankers and begun preliminary preparations for an IPO.

Gland Pharmas DRHP filing happened on July 10. The issue aims to raise around Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 crore, but the size may change closer to the launch. Citi, Kotak Mahindra Capital, Nomura and Haitong Securities are the merchant bankers working on the issue, a source said.

The IPO market is slowly and steadily picking up. Gland Pharma may look at a launch in the second half of FY21 depending on market conditions. Both Fosun group and the founders are likely to dilute shares as part of the issue, a second source said.

Also read: Rossari Biotech IPO to open on July 13; price band of Rs 423-425 per share

COVID-19 hasnt hit the operations of Gland Pharma and its been business as usual for the firm. The firm will inform the Chinese regulators and authorities as well regarding the DRHP filing, a third individual told Moneycontrol.

Most of the IPO proceeds will be used for capex and working capital for its Indian operations. It will be a mixture of primary and secondary issues of shares, a fourth person familiar with the listing plans said. Law firm Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas is acting as the counsel to the company, while law firm S&R Associates is advising merchant banks, this fourth person added. After Sebi reviews the DRHP and shares its comments, Gland Pharma will have a one-year window to launch the IPO.

All the four individuals spoke to Moneycontrol on condition of anonymity. Citi declined to comment in response to an email query. Moneycontrol couldnt immediately reach Gland Pharma, Nomura, Kotak Mahindra Capital, Haitong Securities, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas and S&R Associates for a comment. Email queries have been sent to the company and others and this article will be updated as soon as we hear from them.

Diplomatic relations between India and China have been frosty in recent months due to military aggression in the Eastern Ladakh, leading to casualties on both sides. Both nations have conducted a series of talks to diffuse tensions at the border. In fact, on June 29, the Indian government banned as many as 59 China-origin mobile apps that included the likes of TikTok, WeChat and SHAREit.

A closer look at Gland Pharma

Hong Kong-listed Fosun acquired around 74 percent in Gland Pharma for around $1.09 billion in October, 2017, offering an exit to private equity firm KKR. Much of the residual stake remained with founder promoters, who continued on the companys board after the deal.

Gland Pharma is a pure-play generic injectable pharmaceutical products company founded in 1978 by PVN Raju. Dr Ravi Penmetsa, who has been the Vice Chairman and Managing Director of the firm since 1999, took up an advisory role in 2019 to support the management, which is currently led by MD and CEO Srinivas Sadu. The company earns a bulk of its revenues from the US and European markets. It had pioneered Heparin (an anti-coagulant that is used during surgeries and in the treatment of heart attacks) technology in India.

The company has seven manufacturing facilities: four at Hyderabad and three at Visakhapatnam. Gland Pharma has established a portfolio of products across various therapeutic segments such as anti-diabetic, anti-infectives, anti-malaria, anti-neoplastics, blood-related, cardiac, gastro-intestinal and hormones through a combination of delivery systems including liquid vials, lyophilized vials, pre-filled syringes, ampoules, bags and drops. It sells its products primarily under a business to business (B2B) model in over 60 countries as of March 31, 2020, including the United States, Europe, Canada, Australia, India and rest of the world. As of March 31, 2020, Gland Pharma employed 3,791 people across its facilities in India.

Gland Pharmas manufacturing facilities have been approved by the US Food & Drug Administration (USFDA), Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (UK MHRA) and other regulators.

"Gland Pharma was acquired by the Group in 2017. In 2018, it benefited from the growth of major products such as vancomycin, enoxaparin injection and caspofungin and recorded a 26.62 percent year-on-year increase in revenue as compared to 2017. Net profit rose 39.92 percent YoY," said the 2018 annual report of Fosun Pharma.

On February 28, 2019, Frank Yao, Co-Chairman, Fosun Pharma, told Moneycontrol that the integration process of Gland Pharma with Fosun is over and that the company has plans to expand its manufacturing footprint and add more products to its pipeline.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., July 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- While the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced air pollution in the U.S., the longer-term impact on the environment is unclear. In a recent study, MIT Sloan School of Management Prof. Christopher Knittel and Prof. Jing Li analyzed the short- and long-term effects, finding that the actual impact will depend on the policy response to the pandemic. Their study suggests that pushing back investments in renewable electricity generation by one year could outweigh the emission reductions and deaths avoided from March through June 2020.

"The pandemic raises two important questions related to the environment. First, what is the short-run impact on fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions? Second -- and more important but harder to answer -- what are the longer-term implications from the pandemic on those same variables? The health impacts from the pandemic could stretch out for decades if not centuries depending on the policy response," says Knittel.

Li notes, "Climate change is one of the leading health issues of our time and it's critical to understand the impact of delaying decarbonization efforts because of the pandemic. If the pandemic leads to a persistent global recession, there is a real threat to the adoption of clean technology, which could outweigh any 'silver lining' in environmental benefits."

In their study, the researchers analyzed the short-term impact of the pandemic on CO2 emissions in the U.S. from late March to June 7, 2020. They found a 50% reduction in the use of jet fuel and a 30% reduction in the use of gasoline. The use of natural gas in residential and commercial buildings declined by almost 20% and overall electricity demand declined by less than 10%.

"Overall, these reductions reflect a 15% total reduction in daily CO2 emissions, which is the largest annual percentage decline for the U.S. in recorded history," says Knittel. "We estimate that the shutdowns saved about 200 lives per month, primarily driven by the lower emissions from transportation."

However, the professors point out that the shutdown also halted most investment in the transition to low-carbon energy. Their paper notes that global electric vehicle sales are projected to decline by 43% in 2020 due to fewer auto sales overall combined with low gasoline prices. New residential rooftop solar and storage installations also declined along with energy efficiency audits. And clean energy jobs decreased by almost 600,000 by the end of April.

"The short-term impact of the pandemic is clear, but the long-term impact is highly uncertain," says Li. "It will depend on how long it takes to bring the pandemic under control and how long any economic recession lasts."

The best-case scenario, according to the researchers, is a swift and low-cost strategy to control the virus, allowing the economy to reopen by the end of 2020. In this scenario, investment trends prior to the pandemic will continue.

"Unfortunately, we view a second scenario as more likely," notes Knittel. "In this scenario, the consequences of the pandemic will be greater, with many more deaths and deeper disruptions to supply chains, and a persistent global recession. The need to backpedal on the reopening of the economy due to flare-ups could destroy rather than defer the demand for goods and services."

In this scenario, the long-run impact on CO2 and local air pollutant emissions could outweigh the short-run reductions. The delays in investments in renewables and vehicle fuel economy could lead to an additional 2,500 MMT of CO2 from 2020-2035, which could cause 40 deaths per month on average or 7,500 deaths during that time.

"Our findings suggest that even just pushing back all renewable electricity generation investments by one year would outweigh the emissions reductions and avoided deaths from March to June of 2020. However, the energy policy response to COVID-19 is the wild card that can change everything," they wrote in an article for Joule.

Li explains that budgets will be strained to pay for the costs of the virus, making it challenging to invest in clean energy. And if a recession persists, there may be pressure to lessen climate change mitigation goals. However, stimulus packages could focus on clean energy, increasing clean air, clean jobs, and national security.

"Just stabilizing the economy can go a long way to putting clean energy trends back on track. We need to solve the pandemic and continue to address climate change. Otherwise, it will lead to even more tragedy," adds Knittel.

Li and Knittel are coauthors of "The short-run and long-run effects of COVID-19 on energy and the environment" with Kenneth Gillingham and Marten Ovaere of Yale University and Mar Reguant of Northwestern University. Their paper was published in a June issue of Joule.

About the MIT Sloan School of Management

The MIT Sloan School of Management is where smart, independent leaders come together to solve problems, create new organizations, and improve the world. Learn more at mitsloan.mit.edu.

For further information, contact:

Paul Denning Patricia Favreau Director of Media Relations Associate Director of Media Relations 617-253-0576 617-253-3492 [email protected] [email protected]

SOURCE MIT Sloan School of Management

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Seventy-two foreigners who had attended the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhis Nizamuddin in March were freed on Thursday after they entered a plea bargain and accepted the mild charges against them. Another court allowed bail to 82 other foreigners who had also attended the meet.

All were accused of violating the lockdown and other government orders that banned religious congregations in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.

With this, in the last three days, 249 of the 956 foreign nationals accused of attending the congregation have been granted bail, and 132 were freed.

In the court of metropolitan magistrate Siddharth Malik, 61 Malaysians agreed to a plea bargain where they accepted the mild charges against them, in return for their freedom on payment of a 7,000 fine against each of them, said their lawyer S Hari Haran. On Thursday, 60 Malaysians were freed on the same grounds.

A plea bargain is an arrangement between the prosecutor and accused whereby the latter pleads guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for a more lenient sentence, or an agreement to drop other charges.

During the cognisance of the charge sheets on July 6, judge Malik was informed by the Investigating Officer (IO) that the 956 accused were also investigated for the charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and criminal conspiracy to endanger life or personal safety of others.However, till date no evidence has come against the foreigners for these, the investigation officer told the court.

Instead, they have pleaded guilty to the violations of the Epidemic Diseases Act, Disaster Management Act, prohibitory orders, disobeying orders from a public servant and other sections of the Indian Penal Code, all of which attracts a maximum of six months in prison. The Centre had already cancelled their visa and blacklisted them. According to Hari Haran, the complainants in the case--Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Lajpat Nagar, Additional Commissioner of Police at Lajpat Nagar and Inspector at Nizamuddindid not object to their plea bargain applications.

Hari Haran also said that in case of the 11 other foreigners -- all Saudi nationals-- metropolitan magistrate Ashish Gupta accepted their plea bargain, also on the same lines as the Malaysians, and released them with a 10,000 fine.

As per the mutually satisfactory disposition between the state and the convict , the convict is found to be entitled to be lenient view while deciding the quantum of sentence, Guptas order read.

Later the, the Saudi nationals deposited the fine, following which Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Gurmohina Kaur directed that they be deported to their country.

In another case, a Delhi court also granted bail to 82 Bangladeshis on a personal bond of 10,000 each. Appearing for them, advocates Ashima Mandla and Mandakini Singh said that the accused have also moved for a plea bargain.

During the hearing, the foreign nationals, who were staying at a hotel, were produced before the court through video.

The police had filed charge sheets against 956 foreigners from 36 countries, including 122 Mayalsians, for violating visa rules, violating government guidelines issued in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and regulations regarding Epidemic diseases Act, Disaster Management Act and prohibitory orders under section 144 of Code of Criminal Procedure.

They were also accused of offences under sections 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 270 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 271 (Disobedience to quarantine rule) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Foreigners Act.
These four immigrants have something in common. They were recently deported from the United States, and they all had the coronavirus. Even as extreme measures were taken around the world to stop the spread of Covid-19, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, continue to detain people in the U.S., move them from state to state and then deport them to other countries. And with them, the virus. The New York Times in collaboration with The Marshall Project has interviewed sick detainees in ICE detention centers over the last four months. Weve tracked hundreds of domestic and international deportation flights. Weve spoken with airline staff who operate those flights. And weve talked to Covid-positive deportees in Guatemala, El Salvador, India and Haiti. ICE says it has followed C.D.C. guidelines, but our investigation reveals how unsafe conditions and scattershot testing turned ICE into a domestic and global spreader of the coronavirus, and how pressure from the Trump administration forced countries to take in sick deportees despite the risk. To understand how ICE spread the virus, lets first look at how its detention system works. On any given day, ICE holds tens of thousands of immigrants in a network of private facilities, state prisons and county jails across the U.S. Those detained include everyone from asylum seekers and undocumented immigrants to green card holders with deportable convictions. Theyre held in whats called civil detention while they wait for hearings to determine whether they can remain in the U.S. When detainees lose their immigration cases and are ordered deported, ICE will move them to other detention centers in Louisiana, Texas, Arizona or Florida. From there, immigrants are flown back to their home countries. Today, I am officially declaring a national emergency. Although President Trump declared the coronavirus a national emergency on March 13, ICE continued to take immigrants from the community and detain them in facilities where conditions were ripe for the virus to spread. We talked to more than 30 detainees who described centers where social distancing was impossible, and where protective gear was not provided. Yudanys, an immigrant from Cuba, was first detained at the Catahoula Correctional Center in Louisiana while awaiting a decision on his asylum case. When Yudanys was at Catahoula, there was already a confirmed case of the virus  within a month 60 detainees were positive. He tested positive for Covid-19 in May. So far, ICE has confirmed at least 3,000 positive detainees, though testing has been limited. Even as detention centers became hotbeds for the virus, ICE regularly moved detainees around the U.S. We tracked over 750 domestic U.S. flights that carried thousands of detainees to different centers since a national emergency was declared. ICE contracts out these flights to a company called iAero, which operates Swift Air. A Swift flight attendant, who asked to remain anonymous, told us that detainees from different centers are collected and transported together. She and several other airline employees we spoke to said that these flights, which were under the direction of ICE, lacked protective measures for more than a month after the national emergency was declared. Swift Air declined to comment on this story. But ICE confirmed that the airline didnt have P.P.E. for all of its staff until mid-April. Kanate, a refugee from Kyrgyzstan, is one of those who was moved from place to place. He had been living in the U.S. for 20 years with his wife and two kids when he was detained in 2019. In April, Kanate was moved from the Pike County facility in Pennsylvania to Prairieland, Texas, even though he had been feeling sick. Kanate tested positive for the virus two days after arriving in Texas. ICE said its detention and transfer protocols follow C.D.C. guidelines. While ICE was moving sick detainees around the U.S., it was also deporting them to other countries and exporting the virus with them. We tracked over 200 deportation flights from March 13 through June, and confirmed that hundreds of detainees with Covid-19 were returned to 11 countries  all 11 had placed restrictions on their borders. But there could be many more infected deportees. ICE told us theyve deported almost 40,000 immigrants from 138 countries since March. Kanate told us that four of his dormmates either tested positive for Covid or had symptoms, but were deported to India anyway. One of them talked to us after he had arrived home. He asked to remain anonymous. He was one of 22 from his flight who tested positive upon arrival. Admild, an immigrant from Haiti, knew he had the virus even before being deported. He tested positive for Covid-19 while detained in Louisiana. He was put in quarantine and deported two weeks later. Admild said he still had symptoms days after landing. Of the hundreds of deportation flights we tracked, Central America was the region most affected. Nearly 60 percent of these flights went to Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, all of which had closed their borders as they tried to contain the virus. The Guatemalan government said that 186 deportees had tested positive for Covid-19, so far. We spoke to Lourdes, who was one of 30 passengers on a single flight who tested positive after arriving. Lourdes was hospitalized a few days after landing. El Salvador on the other hand has said that no deportees arrived with the virus. But we spoke to Jorge, who said he started to feel sick while at the Catahoula Correctional Center in Louisiana before he was deported to El Salvador. He said he was one of 32 from his flight who tested positive. Hundreds of deportees are being held in quarantine centers like this one in El Salvador. Sources inside told us at least 10 Covid cases were confirmed in the centers. The Salvadoran government didnt reply to our request for comment. A key question in all of this is why some countries have continued to take in sick deportees while others have pushed back. The Trump administration has threatened governments with visa sanctions and cuts in humanitarian aid unless they complied with deportations. El Salvador and Honduras have accepted thousands of deportees since March, despite rising rates of Covid there and poor infrastructure to address the pandemic. In April, Trump praised the presidents of both countries for their cooperation, and said he would send ventilators. Guatemala was less compliant, and its president has been blunt. Guatemala asked the U.S. to test migrants, and it temporarily blocked flights. But three days after Trump threatened countries refusing to accept deportees, the flights to Guatemala resumed. ICE confirmed to us that they are only able to administer a sampling of tests before sending immigrants home. Still, the flights go on and sick detainees continue to be deported.